Begin Prompt in 3, 2, 1…

The Princess and the Frog

Prompt: Ballora danced with the princess and the frog.

She didn't even know why she cared. Considering the circumstances, she was already the star of the show. The only reason she and her band- and she used the term lightly- was even hired out to this restaurant was because the animatronics it had were dull and boring. A mediocre band of misfits didn't make for a good party.

It wasn't as though she was close with Ballora either. If anything, she was frequently frustrated by Ballora's lack of a backbone and resistant to learn. Not to mention the slight jealousy that she wouldn't admit to, both because of how popular Ballora was and because of how much more attention she got from the technician.

So, honestly, Baby shouldn't have cared what Ballora did. But if that was the case, then why was she so frustrated in what she was watching?

It had been the frog, of course. Happy Frog was its name, as generic as could be, and Baby only kept her opinions on it short because her name was only moderately better. Regardless, the frog had thankfully waited until the diner was closed and the party was over before climbing down from her stage and pattering to the large one where the circus animatronics had been mounted.

"Oh golly! You danced so pretty up there!" Happy Frog chirped up to Ballora. "I haven't seen anybody dance like that! Whenever I try to dance, I fall over everything, especially when I'm turning around. Here, watch!" With that, Happy Frog started trying to spin in place. Though it was more of an embarrassing, stumbling display than anything else. One that ended with her tripping into an arcade machine. "Omph!"

The Minireenas around Ballora's feet giggled. Bon-Bon whispered something to Funtime Freddy who crackled loudly. Baby scoffed under her breath as she watched Happy try to pull herself up. All she had done was proved why the owners had found it necessary to hire extra help for the week.

But then, Ballora, who usually stayed silent and kept herself pulled tightly into a ballet pose, did something unexpected. She gave a light laugh like a chime, lowered her arms, and offered Happy Frog a hand. "Come up here," she offered. "I'll show you how to dance."

Baby's head shot over in surprise as Happy sprung to her feet and climbed onto the stage. She eagerly moved from foot to foot as Ballora took her hands. She kept her eyes closed, as she usually did, but was acting very different from her subdued self.

"You don't have to spin to dance. That's just one way. What's more important is to feel the music and move yourself with it." She activated her internal music box which began to drone out her typical, semi-depressing, chiming music. Then she started to swing her arms to the music, moving Happy's along with them. "You just have to keep the same timing. Let the music be your dance partner."

"I think I got it. Is this right, Miss?" Happy asked as she began to sway back and forth. To Baby, it looked like such a pitiful attempt. From the tiny kicks, to the goofy rocking, to the light 'da da da's she added in; it was obviously a failure.

"You're doing wonderfully." But for some reason, Ballora was praising the efforts. As though what Happy was doing was anything like what Baby could do. Baby was programmed to dance and did so fine, yet she never received any praises from Ballora. It was frustrating.

They danced for a while too. Even while the other animatronics began to wander the restaurant and speak to each other in quiet whispers, Ballora continued trying to teach Happy to dance, and Baby continued to watch. She continued to stew and molder in her own negative emotions. Or she did until she was noticed by Happy. Baby tried to look away quickly, but the frog couldn't keep her mouth shut.

"Oh hi, Baby! Do you want to dance with us too?" Happy cheerfully asked. "I'm sure Miss Ballora would love to teach you too!"

"I already know how to dance," Baby corrected. Happy must've not recognized the bitterness in her tone as she gave a delighted gasp.

"You can? That's great! Why don't you dance with us? At this rate, we're going to have a real dance crew on our hands!" She tried her hardest to twirl around. Baby couldn't help but wish that she would fall off the stage and knock herself out. Maybe then she would get peace from all this.

"I'll dance when the party begins. I don't dance afterhours," Baby said matter-of-factly. She looked ahead again, trying to ignore them.

"Aww…" the frog lightly complained. Though she didn't protest, so the clown assumed that she would be left alone. This wasn't what happened.

"Baby…" It was Ballora who spoke. Ballora, who had stopped trying to exchange words with Baby when it became clear that the clown would always be aggressive. Ballora, the only one of the band who would've ever taken such a gentle tone. Ballora, whose eyes were now open and who was staring at her. "Would you dance with me?"

Baby wasn't sure what Ballora's angle was. It was nonsensical that she would want anything to do with the clown when she was so cold to her. Yet her voice was sincere, her gaze was sure, and for some baffling reason Baby almost wanted to. She told herself it was to overshadow Happy Frog's poor performance and used that as an excuse to step closer.

Ballora offered her hands and hesitantly, silently, Baby reached out to take them in her own. The ballerina was slower with Baby, as though carefully watching to make sure the taller animatronic wouldn't have a sudden fit and throw her off her stand. She did the same swaying as she had with Happy Frog, who was still watching in misguided awe. It wasn't as though she knew how strange it was to see them this close.

The ballerina began to hum along with her chiming as the two danced together. It was in these moments that Baby vaguely recalled memories of a young girl dancing with a tall, blonde woman. The two were smiling as the woman swung the girl playfully before pulling her into a hug. Something about dancing with Ballora made her feel like that young girl dancing with her mother.

And even through what was going to come, Baby would never forget this moment.

…

"Baby?! Baby, is that you?!"

This was the last place she ever thought she would hear that voice. Trapped in this warehouse with broken animatronics, Baby didn't expect to look back and see none other than Happy Frog. She looked almost the same as she did before, though dirtier and a little scuffed. Not like Baby, who was now a scrapped mockery of what she once was.

"Wow, you look… Different! You've even got a crown, just like a princess!" Happy Frog's ignorance was laughable, but Baby chose silence over any form of an answer. "Hey, is Miss Ballora here too?!" she asked as she looked around. "I'd really love to get another dancing lesson! That was sooo much fun."

"…No, she's not," Baby admitted. Pitifully enough, but it was almost hard to admit. Not for Happy's sake but for her own. "Ballora is gone now."

"Where- Oh… Oh, I get it…" At least Baby didn't need to tell her what death was. From the somber tone it seemed like she already knew what the clown had meant. "That's a shame… I was hoping we could dance…" She turned like she was about to leave, and Baby was almost relieved until the frog perked and turned back. "Hey, wait! You can dance! Why don't we dance together?!"

"I don't think that is a good idea," Baby said. She raised her claw and snapped it closed in a semi-threatening manner. It went straight over Happy's head as she nudged the claw down.

"Oh, come on! It'll be a lot of fun! Besides, when are we gonna get another chance to dance with anyone?" she asked in a chirp.

Though it was a good point. In this body, in this warehouse, Baby would never dance again. She would never have a willing partner or an attentive audience ever again. Not when she was out of service. Apparently Happy took her silence as pondering when it was really a moment of self-pity.

"Please? Just one dance?" Happy Frog begged with her hands clasped together. She was so pathetic, so annoyingly cheerful and ignorant, and the clown could hardly believe she had survived this long in the world. She was just like Ballora; naïve, incapable of grasping how cruel the world could be, and still willing to throw herself at Baby even though it was clearly a mistake.

And yet just as she had with Ballora, Baby caved, and offered her claw to Happy Frog who took it eagerly. Perhaps one dance wouldn't hurt.