Cloud: Hey, everyone! I'm back and so are the others. I'm just in charge of posting the old, rewritten, chapters right now. That said I'm pretty sure in the original the Halloween Chapter was our second chapter, however, I'll be waiting to post that when it's actually Halloween for this redone Collab. So, hope you enjoy the actual second episode instead.
Episode 2: Tricksters Galore
The show's logo appeared on screen as the music to Cee-Lo Green's Bright Lights, Bigger City started to play.
I've been living for the weekend but no not anymore. 'Cause here comes that familiar feeling that Friday's famous for, Yeah, I'm looking for some action and it's out there somewhere! You can feel the electricity all in the evening air! And it may be just more of the same, but sometimes you wanna go where everyone knows your name! So I guess I'll have to wait and see but I'm just gonna let something brand new happen to me!
Video footage played along with the music. The first bit showed SmilesThroughFandoms playing laser tag with The Phantom of the Opera, Beetlejuice and Mabel Pines. The author of the group managed to win, but that only succeeded in enraging the Phantom who then attempted to strangle the girl with his punjab lasso.
And it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright. It's alright! Bright lights and the big city belongs to us tonight... Tonight, tonight!
The next video clip was of CloudSkylark18 enjoying a small meal with Ash Ketchum, Pikachu and Brock. Cinderella, dressed as a waitress, then comes up only to be flirted with by Brock. With an annoyed look on her face Cloud asks Pikachu to give a small shock to the Gym Leader.
Now Friday's cool but there's something about Saturday night you can't say what you won't do 'cause you know that you just might. I'm alive this evening, it was love at first sight this Saturday and every Saturday for the rest of my life and everyone standing in line. Yeah, looking good and looking for a real good time. So I'll never have to wonder if, I'll have someone to share all of this with!
A third video clip popped up featuring Sat3nCat playing Mario Kart with Eren Yeager and Armin Arlert. Cat wins, and in his rage, Eren punched a wall; nearly destroying the entire building. In the distance and angry shout, suspiciously sounding like Cloud, is heard.
And it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright. It's alright! Bright lights and the big city belongs to us tonight... Tonight, tonight!
The camera switched views revealing a loudly applauding, and cheering audience. Said audience was filled with characters from movies, cartoons, books, anime, games and all other sorts of fandoms. Then the camera panned to show the stage; decorated in the most modern but comfortable gamer amenities (such as beanbag chairs, leather couches and loveseats, a white shag carpet, and an oak coffee table). Then as the audience quieted down the announcer's voice echoed through the studio.
"And now, she's smarter than Einstein and as silent as a ninja's cellphone on vibrate; CloudSkylark18!"
Cloud then walked on stage to loud applause and whistles. She waved to the crowd before taking her seat.
"Next, she has both France and England's phone numbers; Sat3nCat!"
Cat slid onto stage playing the air guitar. Loud cheers rose from the crowd, and one random person actually fainted.
"And finally, she speaks fluent gibberish and fan-girl; SmilesThroughFandoms!"
The audience began to applaud but nothing happened. Cloud and Cat exchanged glances. They waited for a moment for their co-host to appear, but Smiles still didn't show.
"Hey, announcer guy!" Cloud suddenly called.
"Yes, how may I help you?"
"Could you call out Smiles again?" Cat asked for her cousin.
"Why, certainly!" the announcer replied then cleared his throat, "It's SmilesThroughFandoms!"
However, once again nothing happened.
"Should we go get her?" Cat asked her cousin. Cloud shrugged then looked over to the cameraman, who shook his head.
"Sorry, there's not enough time in the show," the camera guy told the two hosts, "Just keep rolling!"
Cat and Cloud shrugged in unison before Cloud turned to address the audience, "Welcome to our second episode of Talk Show. Today, we'll be bringing you an epsiode full of the best tricksters we can think of!"
The audience applauded as Cat smiled, "That's right, for tonight's episode we have Loki from anything Marvel related, and Masquerade and Alice from Bakugan!"
"But that's not all!" Cloud's voice cut through the applause that sounded after Cat's words; the girl smiled knowingly, "We also have, straight from the Labyrinth, the Goblin King himself: Jareth!" another round of applause filled the studio before Cloud held her hand up, "And finally, we have the master of music himself, the-"
Cloud would have continued, but what sounded like and organ started to play and the lights flickered becoming dim. Glancing at her cousin who shrugged, Cloud pulled out a schedule for the current episode. Before she could find whether this was a legitimate part of the show the audience gasp. Turning to the crowd Cloud followed their pointing fingers to find Smiles figure obscured by smoke from a fog machine. Then with a dramatic flourish of the cape she was wearing the formerly missing host turned to the crowd as she walked to join her co-hosts. Cloud facepalmed when she saw the rest of her friends attire; to go with the long black cape Smiles also wore a white mask that covered half her face. There was a smirk on Smiles's face as the organ music turned into a record-scratch.
"Guys, what're you doing?" Smiles asked her co-hosts as she got a good look at them.
"What're we doing?" Cat asked eyebrow raised as she gestured to her friend, "What're you doing?!"
Grinning sheepishly Smiles replied, "Oh... were we, um... were we not doing the Phantom thing?"
"No!" Both her co-host shouted at her.
Smiles blushed; face completely red with embarrassment, "Wow... this... this is embarrassing."
"Believe me, we're all embarrassed for you," Cloud told her friend simply, tone dry before she sighed, "Okay, so though I'm of the opinion that this is a terrible idea," Cloud turned her gaze to Smiles, "Smiles has decided to interview Loki, the Phantom and Jareth all at once. So here they are!"
With Cloud's words fading the three aforementioned people walked in. Jareth entered first wearing his ballroom outfit from Sarah's dream world. The came the Phantom wearing his normal attire; which included his black cape and half-mask. He threw a glare in the direction of Smiles. The host just shrugged and ignored the obvious death threat within his gaze. And finally Loki walked in dressed in green. He also donned a cape and sported his golden helmet with its ram horns. Smiles snickered as she took in the three.
"Remind me why I agreed to be here?" Loki growled out. Cloud shot a look at her friend.
"So, should I remind him, or are you gonna do that?" Cloud asked Smiles, getting a 'go ahead' gesture from her co-host.
Cloud cleared her throat before she explained, "We invited you here and you agreed to come. Also you signed a contract so you can't leave until we say so. Oh, and you also can't cause any harm to the studio. Both of the latter things apply to all of you," Cloud gave each of the guests a pointed look, and seemed satisfied by what she saw. Loki sighed in boredom before sitting down on one of the couches.
"So... three of the world's most famous tricksters?" Cat's voice was a question as she smiled.
"Excuse me Mademoiselle-" the Phantom interjected.
"Another French guy?" Cat turned to Smiles, a confused look on her face, "I thought you hated French men."
"From our Facebook conversations you know that's not true," Smiles said wiggling her eyebrows and getting a laugh out of Cat, "I'm just not a huge fan of Javert's morals and I believe Marius is a... a..." Smiles grimaced as she tried to find the right words.
"An idiot in a freckled-face disguise?" Cloud suggested in a deadpan manner.
"Not as cruel as I was going for..." Smiles began as Cloud mouthed 'PG-13', "But yeah. That works."
"If you Midgardians aren't going to question me as you put it, may I leave?" Loki asked looking completely bored.
"No, you signed a contract," Smiles pointed out smugly, "Remember?"
"AS I WAS SAYING!" the Phantom interjected loudly again pulling the attention of everyone to him, "I would not consider myself a trickster."
"Really?" Cat asked giving the man a pointed look, "That's not what Smiles said."
"This girl?" the Phantom questioned pointing at said host, who was fiddling with the hem of her own Phantom-esque cape, "She is mad. I doubt she is capable of any coherent thought!"
The group on stage heard smiles gasped and turned to find the girl string at a monarch butterfly in awe, "Pretty buggy!"
Cloud and her cousin facepalmed at their friend. Loki raise a questioning eyebrow at the girl. The Phantom crossed his arms as if to say, 'I rest my case'.
Jareth turned to Cloud, "Is she always like this?"
"Yes. Yes she is," Cloud sighed running a hand down her face before turning to the Phantom, "And sir, Smiles and I don't see eye to eye on quite a few things, but she's got you pegged. You're a trickster."
"How am I a trickster?" the Phantom demanded.
"Well let's see," Smiles, sans her phantom costume, appeared from behind the couch; the group was forced to do a double take, as the Smiles that was wearing the phantom costume was still staring at the butterfly, "You tricked Christine into think you were the spirit of her dead father - great flirting technique by the way. You also harassed the opera owners with notes for months. You turned Carlotta's already horrendous voice into something akin to a toad. And do I even have to mention the rubble known as the Opera Populaire?"
Cloud nodded along with each point her friend made before standing and walking over to Smiles, "Um... Smiles, may I ask you a quick question?"
"Sure ninja," Smiles grinned, "What's up?"
Cloud lifted and eyebrow as she gestured to the Smiles in the phantom costume, "HOW?!"
"That?" Smiles chuckled, "You're not the only one with super awesome abilities."
"Well, your super awesome abilities are bringing my worst nightmare to life! Two SmilesThroughFandoms! The world's not ready for that! In fact it never will be!" Cloud shouted almost hysterically.
"I must admit mortal," Loki stood and observed both Smiles', "I was unaware that Midgardians were capable of such tricks as duplication."
"Don't encourage her Loki," Cat advised the Asgardian, "You'll only fuel the fire. And Cloud can't take any more of that right now."
"And what you call tricks I call breaking the fourth wall," Smiles pointed out. Cloud glared at her friend, looking dangerously close to strangling the other girl.
"Breaking the fourth wall?" Loki questioned.
Smiles grinned, "Yeah, we do it all the time on this show."
"Explain," the Asgardian demanded.
"I don't think some cheesy, glittery baddie from an eighties fantasy film; a singing, masked man from my favorite musical; and an Asgardian god are normally supposed to associate," Smiles pointed out.
Cloud sighed, "Since you've explained the principle of fourth wall breaking, can you get the other you to leave? We already have enough trouble makers in the room. I'd rather not double them."
"Pun intended?" Cat asked cheekily earning a glare from her cousin. Smiles quickly pulled out a laptop, typed something on it and then watched as her twin disappeared with a loud POP!
"I am not cheesy, as you put it!" Jareth growled indignantly.
"Need I remind you of the poisoned peach?" Cloud asked one eyebrow raised.
"Dude, no offense, but the fairytale poisoned fruit cliche has been done, redone, out done and done all over again with ice-cream on top. It's cheesy and old and just the kind of thing we expect from you," Smiles said blatantly.
"From me? What is it with you above-ground females having such high expectations of me?" Jareth asked.
Smiles lifted an eyebrow, "Dude, you're hair has more color in it than those of some of our friends. And you sparkle; seriously you sparkle! My expectations couldn't be any lower," so saying the host pulled out her iPod ignoring the affronted look the man was sending her.
"May I leave now?" Loki asked.
"No," Cat glared, "We've barely asked any questions!"
"Speaking of questions, Smiles brought up a point I've been wanting to ask about..." Cloud began turning to Jareth, "Why do you and everything else in your labyrinth sparkle?"
"That? Simple," Jareth said, "The dust is easy to conjure up, and I often do that when I am bored."
Everyone just stared at him; finally after a long while, Loki turned to the Goblin King, "When you're bored you conjure glittering... dust?"
"Like you have room to complain," Cat spoke getting Loki's attention.
"Yeah, when you're bored you try to enslave humanity," Cloud continued for her cousin with a smirk.
The Asgardian looked as if he'd swallowed something sour as Cat turned to question the Phantom, "Smiles tells me you have the world's second worst flirting technique, is that true?"
The Phantom's face darkened, "My pursuit if Christine was of pure heart. If that Viscount hadn't gotten in the way-"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on there, lover boy," Cloud interrupted before turning to Smiles, "What'd you mean by second worst flirting technique?"
Smiles glanced up from her iPod and shrugged, "Jareth's is the worst."
"Flirting technique?" Jareth questioned, "Who have I ever flirted with?"
"Sarah," Smiles was quick to point out, "Stealing her baby brother, taunting her in your labyrinth, and then drugging her... Not the best strategy," Smiles then slouched in her seat and returned to her iPod, however before she got too invested in whatever she was doing she smirked at Jareth and the Phantom, "Y'know, the two of you are very similar."
"What?" Jareth's voice was filled with confusion.
"How?" the Phantom questioned.
"You both sing, you both have hair to kill for-" Smiles listed off.
"Was that a pun?" Cloud interjected eyeing the Phantom as she spoke.
Pausing for a moment, and then cringing, Smiles nodded before she continued, "Both of you wore leather gloves at one point in your movies, you both want control over the women you love, and you both lost the women you love to someone they loved more than you," Smiles finished happily. The audience had varying reactions. A few cringed while most shouted 'OOOOOOH!' at the top of their lungs. A couple shouted 'BURN!' and 'OH SNAP!', while one man in the front row actually Z-snapped. Smiles, who had returned to her iPod fully, was unaware of the reactions her words had garnered.
On stage her co-hosts and guests also had interesting reactions. Cloud and Cat stared at their friend in shock; mouths hanging open and eyes wide at her bluntness. Jareth looked heartbroken, while the Phantom looked like he wanted to strangle Smiles. Loki's shoulders were shaking with laughter. Again Smiles was completely oblivious to these actions.
Finally, Loki managed to contain himself as he glance over at Smiles with a smirk, "I like her."
"Please don't," Cat said once she'd regained her ability to speak.
"Yeah, Reindeer Games," Cloud cleared her throat, "As much as I think you're an awesome guest and all, we can't have you encouraging Smiles's insanity. Most of our friends do that already."
Loki sighed while rolling his eyes in an annoyed manner, "Why did the Man of Iron have to give me such a horrendous name?"
"Because you're so loveable. Y'know, like a bed of nails," Smiles spoke without looking up from her iPod.
Cloud rolled her eyes as she turned to Loki, "So, how's life impersonating your adoptive father?" the Asgardian frowned and glanced over his shoulder as if looking for someone, Cloud noticed this and smiled reassuringly, "Calm down, Loki. Smiles, however untrustworthy-"
"Guilty!" Smiles chirped in before furiously tapping her iPod screen with her finger.
Cloud lifted an eyebrow but continued, "Anyway, she set up a system to make sure no one from the Marvel Universe would come to arrest and/or kill you while you're being interviewed."
"Really?" Loki asked, doubt clear in his voice.
"Of course!" Cat grinned, "In this story, all we do is break the fourth wall. We don't write anything to be taken seriously. Besides it's too close to a Marvel movie release date for us to write anything major about you in Asgard. So, if you could, just a simple opinion would be appreciated."
Loki pondered this for a moment before finally answering the question, "Admittedly, things have gotten rather dull. But, I have a way to... remedy this."
Soon after the Norse god said this, a loud alarm sounded off coupled with bright red flashing lights. This startled the Phantom, Jareth and Cat. Loki merely glanced around in mild surprise while Cloud looked upward at the lights before smiling at the guests and her cousin. Off to the side Smiles was still engrossed in whatever she was playing on her iPod.
"What was that?!" Cat asked her cousin.
"That?" Cloud raised a brow, a smirk tugging on he mouth, "That was the Spoiler Alert."
"The what?" Loki questioned the girl.
"The Spoiler Alert, one of Smiles's few intelligent ideas," Cloud smirked as she glanced at her friend, who only smiled and nodded in agreement, "You see, we realized that some of our guests we'll have are likely going to be from an ongoing series; like you and others from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So, Smiles suggested that we set that up. It'll work something like this: if an ongoing series character reveals anything too major about an upcoming movie, or whatever their series has, even if it's just a rumor, that alarm will sound."
"We're going to be hearing that frequently on this show aren't we?" Cat asked in a resigned manner.
"If it ends up well received, then yeah," Cloud answered her cousin.
Smiles smirked without looking up from her iPod as she addressed Cloud, "But dude, seriously, if he's talking about what I think he's talking about, Age of Ultron is going to be the best movie of the Summer!"
Cloud nodded in agreement with her friend. Then curious about what exactly Smiles was playing Cloud glanced over her co-host's shoulder. The honey brown haired girl found that her friend was playing Galaga.
Grinning, Cloud turned to the audience and shouted, "SMILES IS PLAYING GALAGA! THOUGHT WE WOULDN'T NOTICE, BUT WE DID!" However, Smiles didn't even glance up as everyone's eyes fell on her.
"Die alien scum! DIE!" Smiles yelled madly. Cloud sweatdropped before turning back to those being interviewed. As she did a sudden thought struck her.
"Hey, Smiles don't forget about your segment," Cloud nudged her friend's arm.
"Shush! I'm trying to beat the high score!" Smiles waved her friend off, but Cloud merely nudged her again managing to get her friend to look up at her, "What? Is it time for my segment?" Cloud nodded in reply, "Well then, forget the high score; I got a fool to torture!" Smiles said suddenly jumping to her feet chucking her iPod in the process with no care as to where it landed. A loud cry of 'Ow! My eye!' was heard from backstage. Those on stage turned to find a stagehand covering one of his eyes; on the floor next to his feet was Smile's iPod, leaving little mystery as to what had happened.
Cloud smirked turning to the audience, "And that there folks is why actors and actresses have stunt-doubles."
"You said it ninja," Smiles said nodding sagely before walking to the center of the stage, "Now for those of you who haven't seen the first episode, this is my very own segment, which I have so ingeniously titled; Torture the Fool!"
Flat-screen televisions dropped down from the ceiling showing a segment of Smiles torturing random characters in different ways - sicking a giant sandworm on Beetlejuice, suspending the Goblin King over the Bog of Eternal Stench, locking Scar alone in a room full of the dumbest hyenas she could find, and so on - before the segment's logo appeared with a splattered pie behind it.
"Why was I on that little segment of videos?" Jareth asked nervously.
"I'm glad you asked, Jareth!" Smiles said, her voice adopting a tone not unlike that of a game show host from the nineteen-seventies, "It's because you have been selected as lucky contestant number two on my little segment. So, why don't you come on down!" It was then that two tall, pretty showgirls dressed in sparkly red costumes came out from behind the curtain and quite literally dragged Jareth to the center of the stage setting him next to Smiles. All the while a song, eerily similar to the tune of The Price is Right was playing.
"Where'd you get the showgirls?" Cloud asked her friend.
"You're not the only one who gets a paycheck, y'know!" Smiles grinned before her face fell into a frown, "I feel like I'm forgetting something," Smiles glanced down at her apparel then snapped her fingers, "Oh, I know!" she snapped her fingers again, "My game-show-host outfit please!" two stagehands rushed on stage. One was wheeling in a changing booth and some make-up. The other was carrying a costume bag. Once the booth had been placed Smiles jumped, literally, into it as the stagehands threw the costume bag and make-up in after her. Afterwards the changing booth began to rattle and shake; noises varying from screeching tires to chainsaw motors and drill came from said booth.
"What is she doing in there?" Jareth shouted with concern to the other two hosts over the noise.
"I don't know!" Cat shouted back.
With a deadpan face Cloud shouted her own reply, "I don't want to know!"
"Should we be concerned?" Loki shouted.
"Do you have enough money to pay for whatever she's doing in there?" the Phantom asked.
"Firstly, yes we should be concerned!," Cloud shouted to Loki before replying to the Phantom, "And whatever it is, is coming out of her paycheck!"
"Wait a second," Cat turned to her cousin, a glare on her face, "How come I'm the only on who doesn't get a paycheck?!" Before Cloud could answer her cousin, the noises stopped and the changing booth ceased shaking. Soon after, Smiles jumped out; now dressed in a powder blue suit with white suede shoes and a black tie.
Cloud blinked as she took in her friend's attire, "Um... why are you dressed like Caesar Flickerman?"
"Who?" the three guests questioned in unison.
"A character from the Hunger Games," Cat explained.
"Hunger Games?" Loki asked.
"Oh, it's this contestant kind of thing," Cat answered, "Twenty-four go in, one comes-"
"Cat! Stop!" Smiles shouted as Cloud slapped a hand over her cousin's mouth.
"Don't give him any ideas!" the honey brown haired girl growled.
Loki smirked thoughtfully, "I am intrigued by this Games of Hunger; I shall have to investigate it at once," Cloud and Smiles visibly blanched.
"We are in so much trouble when this episode is over," Smiles stated.
"Let's hope Thor can buy us some time after this," Cloud frowned turning back to Smiles, "You continue with your segment, and any others if I'm not back; I have to go re-read some of our contracts and find out what our legal liability is. Also I'm gonna hide any copies of the books we might have here," Cloud whispered the last sentence.
As Cloud left the stage Smiles called after her, "I'm going to pretend to know what those words mean!" then she turned back to Jareth and grinned in a cheesy manner as the music to The Price is Right started to play again, "Now Jareth, you've been selected for my little segment called Torture the Fool-"
"Didn't she just explain this?" the Phantom asked.
"SHUSH!" Smiles huffed as she held up a hand to shush the Phantom without even looking at him, "Now the way this works is that I select a very special brand of torture for our guest that he - or she - is put through. Now, I've selected something that hits close to home for you. Something you threaten all your disturbingly stupid goblins with every other second!"
"What in the world are you..." Jareth trailed off as realization washed over him, "Wait a minute, you don't mean-"
Putting on an overbearing grin and slinging an arm across the Goblin King's shoulder, Smiles shouted, "Tell him what he's won announcer guy!"
"With pleasure,"you could almost hear the grin in the man's voice, "Jareth, the Goblin King, has won an all expenses paid trip to..."the announcer trailed off increasing the suspense, "The Bog of Eternal Stench!"
"WHAT?!" Jareth shouted in horror as the audience cheered and clapped.
Smiles, an innocent look upon her face, pulled out a little black box with a large red button on top, "Ah yes, the Bog of Eternal Stench. So rotten and foul, you step one foot in that stuff, you'll smell bad for the rest of your life..."
"And how do you plan on sending me to the bog, hm?" Jareth asked smugly, "We're nowhere near my kingdom."
Smiles blinked, the innocent smile on her face still present, as she held up the little box, "With this pretty red button," Cat covered her mouth to stifled the laugh that threatened to spill out at the fact that her friend was talking to the Goblin King like he was a five year old.
Jareth glared at Smiles, "And what makes you believe that I will allow you to do such a thing to me?"
Smiles pondered the question for a moment before smirking, "Because I'm awesome!"
"I'm really glad my cousin wasn't around to hear that," Cat sighed at her friends actions.
Jareth stalked towards Smiles, a scowl on his face, "Listen to me, you worthless peasant-" before he could finish Smiles's smirk grew as she pushed the button. A trap door opened up underneath the Goblin King, and the man fell down the chute that it was connected to; a chute that would lead him to his own Bog of Eternal Stench. The audience laughed and applauded loudly.
Putting a hand to her ear, Smiles leaned ever so slightly toward the still open chute, "I'm listening."
Loki eyes narrowed, "How dare you steal my line you worthless Midgardian!"
Smiles placed her hands on her hips and sent the Asgardian a cocky smile, "Wow, you must really want to go to the bog too huh?"
In response Loki stalked over to Smiles and placed the host in a choke hold. Cat gasped fearfully and ran to find her cousin. Meanwhile, the Phantom remained in his seat taking in the scene, wondering if he should even bother to do something.
"Listen to me you mewling quim-" Loki growled.
"Meow," Smiles smirked at the irritated look on the god's face.
The glare on the Asgardian's face hardened, "You have wasted my time and have made me question every ounce of sanity I have. If you value your life, which I am beginning to doubt, you will allow me to leave."
"Well, all you had to do was ask!" Smiles told him in a matter-of-fact tone. Growling, Loki tossed the girl to the floor before storming off the stage. Smiles blinked before standing to find Cloud giving her the I-question-my-friendship-with-you-daily-slash-you-have-no-guilt-about-what-you-just-did-do-you? look.
"You just love breaking all the rules in our contract, don't you," Cloud asked her friend, an unimpressed look on her face.
"How else would this show be entertaining?" Smiles shot back with a laugh.
Cat sweatdropped as her cousin facepalmed, "I can think of several ways," Cloud sighed, "You're just lucky that Cat had enough sense to come and grab me; well, and that Loki was wiling to leave without doing you bodily harm!"
Smiles merely hummed unconcerned as she turned to the Phantom, "You can leave too, if you want; we got enough footage of you to make the show."
The Phantom stood and bowed to the girls, "Thank you, for allowing me to be on this show..." he paused for a moment as though looking for the words he wanted to say, "No matter how odd my time on it was."
As the Phantom left the three co-hosts stepped towards center stage as Cloud addressed the audience, "Alright, it's getting rather late, so it's time for our last two guests of the evening. So please welcome Alice Gehabich from Bakugan!" the host paused as the audience cheered, "Also from Bakugan, we have the big bad villain himself: Masquerade-"
Before she could say more Cloud was cut off by Smiles's gasp of joy, "Did you just say Masquerade?"
"I'm a little nervous now, but yes. Yes I did," Cloud answered her friend warily.
Smiles cheered happily, "I'll be right back; I have to go change!"
"Smiles, what're you doing?" Cat called after her friend, "You've changed like three times already!"
"You'll see!" Smiles called back grinning as she disappeared backstage. As they were waiting for their friend to come back the cousins were joined by a blond boy wearing a visor-like mask.
"What exactly is this place, and why is there a man wearing a golden helmet and a green cape backstage?" the boy asked.
"Well, this is the Talk Show stage, and I'm pretty sure the guy back there was Loki," Cloud answered, "Anyways, it's nice to meet you Masquerade. I'm-" Suddenly music started to play, and Smiles strode into the room wearing a mint green masquerade mask with a matching poofy mint green ballroom dress; she also carried a fan of similar color. Cloud groaned as she realized where her friend was going with this. Cat looked on confused, while their current guest just sat on a couch unfazed. At least he was unfazed until...
Masquerade! Paper face on parade... Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you!
As the song played Smiles began the dance number that went with it. Cloud turned to Masquerade and mouthed 'I'm so sorry you have to see this'. Cat started cringing as she understood what Smiles's plan had been. The guest himself looked torn between between leaving the stage and not coming back, or strangling the dancing host.
Masquerade! Every face a different shade... Masquerade! Look around - there's another mask behind you!
Suddenly the music screeched to a halt. Everyone turned to the place where the music had originated from. To everyone's confusion Cloud was storming back from that direction.
"Dud, when'd you go back there?" Smiles asked her friend.
Cloud smirked, "About five seconds ago," her friend sent her a look, "What, I'm a ninja remember?"
Smiles tilted her head thinking about it before nodding, "Yeah, that's right, you are," then she turned to their guest, "So, Masquerade you were Alice's alter ego; what was it like?"
"Useful for keeping tabs on the Battle Brawlers, but difficult as well, especially when I had to do Naga's dirty work; it was hard finding a place to transform safely," the blond said. Smiles glanced at Cloud.
"Who's Naga?" the masked author asked. Cloud anime fell.
"I thought I told you," Smiles shook her head, "Anyways, Naga was a power hungry Bakugan who wanted to take over the world. He was also Masquerade's boss," Cloud explained. Smiles nodded a small 'ah' escaping her lips. Cat suddenly stood and headed off stage.
"Yo, Cat where ya going?" Smiles asked her friend.
"To get the last guest," the host replied. For a moment Smiles looked confused, but quickly shook it off. Then she grinned like the Cheshire cat, and Cloud's eyes widened before turning into a glare in an attempt to shut her friend up; it ultimately failed.
"What did you think of the song?" Smiles asked Masquerade cheekily.
The boy in question glowered, "It was not amusing," he replied.
"Hey, I thought it was hilarious!" someone in the audience shouted; the person just happened to be a brunette primarily dressed in red with a pair of green goggled on his head.
"Shut it Kuso!" Masquerade returned at the same time Smiles called out, "I see you are a man of culture!"
Smiles merely grinned in the face of Masquerade's glare before turning to her friend and co-host, "Okay then, so Cloud who's our last guest?" the glasses wearing host asked. Once the words were out of her mouth Cat returned followed by an orange haired girl. Smiles gaped, while Cloud smirked at her friend's reaction. Masquerade from his spot on the couch even looked surprised with her appearance.
"But how... You two are supposed... I mean that he... And you were... But he's here... You're there... But he's... Uh..." Smiles stammered out, hopelessly confused.
"I'd stop there Smiles; don't want you to strain yourself," Cat told her friend sympathetically before grinning slightly, "Though aren't you the one that said we break the fourth wall constantly?"
"Shut up!" Smiles retorted.
"Um... where is this exactly?" the orange haired girl asked.
"You, my dear Alice, are on the Talk Show stage," Cloud explained. Alice nodded then turned to the blond boy, blinking in surprise before smiling.
"Wait, hold up, why is it nice to see him? Didn't he, you know, use you to figure out what your friends were up to?" Smiles questioned the Russian girl.
Alice nodded, "That's true, but he helped Dan out later when they went to Vestroia to combat Naga, even though Naga himself wasn't there," Alice explained. This only had Smiles looking more confused than she had before.
"Don't worry your head about the details Smiles; you'll just destroy what brain cells you have left if you do," Cloud stated as her cousin nodded in agreement.
"You mean she has brain cells?" Masquerade asked in disbelief getting a giggle out of his former alter ego.
"I resent that," Smiles muttered.
Cloud smirked at her friend, "He has a right to think something like that, after all just look at what you've done to other characters... and what they've done to you," the host grinned as Smiles glared at her.
"You never ever let me have anything... do you?" the masked host grumbled as Cloud shook her head.
"Nope, and I never will," the girl with blue-gray eyes replied.
Smiles sighed in defeat before turning to Alice, "So, Alice, what was it like figuring out that Masquerade was using you as a vessel of sorts?"
"I'd like to point out that it was basically all Naga's fault," Cloud spoke.
"Well, pin a rose on your nose!" Smiles grumbled, "Please answer the question Alice..."
Alice shuddered as she recalled the past, "It was awful! To think that I had done all of that to my friends! It was horrible!"
Masquerade shook his head; likely rolling his eyes as well, "You survived. Get over it..."
Smiles raised a brow at her friend who just shook her head, as if to say 'it's complicated, don't ask', and surprisingly Smiles heeded Cloud's look.
Alice then turned to Smiles, "I love your dress by the way! But... um, why are you so dressed up?"
Smiles smirked mischievously, "Well, I could tell you, but I think showing you would be better!"
Cloud facepalmed dragging her hand down her face and giving Smiles a suffering look. Cat groaned both internally and externally at her friend's meaning. Masquerade made a sour face as the music from before picked up again, while Alice had a small smile on her face.
Masquerade! Paper faces on parade… Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you!
It continued on like that for a while, with Smiles dancing around the entire stage; finally Cloud leaned over to Masquerade and Alice and whispered, "You two can go now, if you want. She's going to keep this up for a while," Masquerade sent Cloud a grateful look as he led Alice away; leaving the stage and Smile's impromptu dance number behind.
"Well, that's all the time we have for today!" Cat announced; speaking loud enough to be heard over the music.
"Just to be perfectly clear, the three of us do not own any of the characters used in today's episode," Cloud said to the viewing audience.
"And if you took anything from this episode seriously... check your brain, I think there might be something wrong with it. And, hey I've been told we got the next few episodes planned out. However, if there is any character you want us to included in this show, any character whatsoever as long as their PG-13, just leave a comment on the Talk Show Forum, which is on Cloud's Profile, and we'll see what we can do!" Cat smiled at the audience.
Cloud nodded and turned to address the crowd on last time, "Also, if you like the Spoiler Alert feature and would like us to include it in future episodes, let us know. Until then, I'm CloudSkylark18!"
"I'm Sat3nCat!" Cloud's cousin said with a bow.
"And I'm dancing around in a poofy dress!" Smiles, who'd taken a break from dancing to join her fellow co-hosts center stage, smiled brightly before doing a little twirl.
"Join us next time on... TALK SHOW!" the three hosts said in unison as the song changed from Masquerade to Magic Dance by David Bowie; which the three hosts began dancing around the stage to. As they danced the camera slowly started to pull away from the hosts, but quickly snapped back when the song changed again to a familiar AC/DC song: Shoot To Thrill. The three hosts shared confused looks with one another.
"What's going on?" Cat questioned.
"Smiles did you plan this?" Cloud turned to her friend.
"Nope," the host in question shook her head, "I'm about as confused as I always am... or maybe even more so."
"Well, then what's going on? And why is this song so familiar?" Cloud questioned. At that moment Loki's head peeked out from around the corner leading backstage.
"If anyone asks I'm not here," the god of tricks said before vanishing back to where he'd come from.
"Okay, now I'm nervous," Cat hissed out fearfully.
"If Loki's afraid of whoever's coming, it can't be good!" Smiles added, only serving to make her co-host more nervous.
"Please tell me that it's not someone capable of destroying this stage," Cloud muttered a plea. That's when, somehow, the skylight above the stage opened automatically and a man wearing a red and gold metal suit flew in and landed perfectly center stage. The audience burst into applause.
Smiles laughed and shook her head as she walked over to the man, "Ladies and gentlemen, Tony freaking Stark! AKA: Iron Man!"
The face plate on the suit flipped up to reveal the smirking face of Tony Stark as he turned to the three hosts, "Thank you, for putting int the convenient skylight; right in my line of trajectory. Honestly, that was the perfect situation. Last thing I needed to do was destroy the roof."
Cloud nodded and smiled in a similar manner to Russia (a cute look that somehow instilled fear into the people looking at it), "Yeah, that would've been bad."
"Wait, since when have we had a skylight there?" Smiles asked confused. Cloud sent her friend a look saying 'I'll tell you later'.
Cat shook her head fondly at her friend before approaching the billionaire, "So, Mr. Stark, what brings you to the Talk Show stage... after we finished the show?"
"Two things actually," Tony Stark turned to address the co-hosts, "One, why was Reindeer Games invited onto the show before I was?"
Cloud rolled her eyes, "Because that's how we planned it out," an unspoken 'duh' hung in the air.
"Besides, you and the other Avengers will be appearing in another episode very soon," Smiles told Stark.
Tony nodded, "Alright, fair enough. I mean, I did, more or less, make a cameo."
"In true Marvel end credit scene fashion, nonetheless," Cat added.
"Which brings me to my next point. You-" the man pointed at Cloud "- used my lines. Now, normally, I wouldn't mind; considering I'm a very quotable guy."
"You forgot modest, Ego Man," Smiles pointed out dryly. The billionaire gave her an odd look before turning back to Cloud.
"But I looked over a few things and realized you didn't have permission to use them. So, unless you have a contract to void this I'm going to have to ask you to pay a few royalties," Tony said.
"Oh, no this is much worse than the studio being destroyed; he could literally sink our show," Cloud muttered before smiling with her cousin and waving Tony off, "Chill, man. Smiles took care of things."
"She did?" Tony asked skeptically; gaze on the host in question.
"Yep, she had a contract written up that allowed us to use any type of lines from any types of media we wanted without having to pay a fee," Cloud answered.
"In that case, just show me the contract and I'll be on my way," Tony said.
"Alright Smiles, show him the contract you had written up," Cat said. A moment passed and Smiles's eyes widened as a frown of realization appeared on her face.
Cloud observed her friend a sinking feeling welling up inside her, "Smiles... you did take care of this... right?" a slight plea was added onto the end of the question.
"Um..." Smiles began sweating as she eyed her co-host and Iron Man uncertainly.
"Smiles?" Cloud's voice took on a harsh edge.
"Um... uh... you'll never take me alive!" Smiles shouted throwing her hands down. Something exploded filling the stage with smoke; blinding the two other hosts and the billionaire. The sound of Smiles dashing frantically of the stage was clearly heard.
Cat coughed, hand waving in front of her face, "Where'd she get the smoke bombs?"
"I don't know, and I don't care! But if she destroys my studio, she's gonna be in so much trouble!" Cloud growled before devolving into a fit of coughing.
"So, I take it that's a no on the contract?" Tony asked safe from the smoke beneath his mask.
"Where'd she even go?" Cat asked asked as the smoke slowly cleared away. Then something off stage caught the three that were on stage's attention.
"Oh hey, Smiles. How's the show going?" a stagehand's voice asked the girl who fled.
"GIVE ME THOSE KEYS!" the frantic shout of Smiles was clearly heard. Those on stage heard what sounded like Smiles kicking the stagehand before she starting running again.
"What's she doing?" Tony's face plate had flipped back open again showing his puzzled face.
"I don't know, but I don't like it," Cloud glared towards the direction her friend had fled.
"Hey, Smiles! Get back here with my car keys! Don't you dare go ruining my new car, I just got it! Smiles? Smiles, what're you doing?! NO! YOU'VE GOT IT IN REVERSE!" the stagehand screamed. The three pairs of eyes on stage widened in surpise.
"Uh-oh," Cat muttered glancing over at her cousin, who appeared to hoping for a miracle.
"NO! SMILES STOP! SMILES!" a loud crash cut short the stagehand's shouts; they turned into a wordless wail. A television screen revealed the reason; Smiles had backed the poor man's car into a wall of the studio.
"My studio!" Cloud shouted before her voice lifted into a roar, "SMILES!" Cloud then stormed off leaving her cousin and Tony behind. The two remaining on stage looked at each other unsure of what to do.
Cat then turned and smiled weakly at the audience, "Heh... heh, join us next time, where hopefully my cousin hasn't killed Smiles."
"Should we go help?" Tony asked, "More over who should we help?
"Probably," Cat replied, "And right now Smiles is in the most danger, but I'm not about to go up against my cousin without protection."
Tony smirked, "Say no more, J.A.R.V.I.S!"
"Yes, Mr. Stark?" the AI system replied.
"Send in the back-up," the billionaire said, "Ms. Cat is going to need it."
"Right away, sir." J.A.R.V.I.S. returned. Then with no other warning a smaller red and gold suit flew in from the skylight and attached itself to the stunned host.
Tony smirked as his face-plate fell back into place giving his voice a metallic sound as he spoke, "Isn't that nice? Now come on, we should probably go check out backstage," which seemed to be a good idea as screams, explosions and various other sounds of chaos was heard from the back. As Tony walked backstage, David Bowie's Magic Dance began to play once more.
Before the camera panned away though Cat glanced down at herself and smirked as she looked right into the camera, "I.. am... Iron Man," then, the face-plate of her suit covered her face as she turned and jogged after Tony Stark. Then the camera finally panned away from the stage, for real, before the screen faded to black.