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!'
The next image on camera was of Smiles1998 playing laser tag with The Phantom of the Opera, Beetlejuice, and Mabel Pines, and win. Only to have the Phantom try to use his Punjab lasso on her.
'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 image on camera was of Brightcloud0195 having coffee with Ash Ketchum and Pikachu and Brock. Brock then tries to flirt with Cinderella, who is dressed as a waitress, and is then shocked by Pikachu on behalf of Brightcloud.
'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!'
The next image shows KJ~Shadow playing Mario Kart with Eren Yeager and Armin Arlert. KJ wins and, in his rage, Eren punches a wall and nearly destroys the entire building.
'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!'
As the camera backed away, revealing a loudly applauding audience filled with characters from movies, cartoons, books, anime, games, and all other sorts of fandoms and a stage that was decorated in the most modern but comfortable gamer amenities (such as beanbag chairs, leather couches and loveseats, a white shag carpeting, and an oak coffee table).
"And now, she's smarter than Einstein and as silent as a ninja's cellphone on vibrate, it's Brightcloud0195!"
Said author then walked on stage to loud applause and whistles.
"Next, she has both France and England's phone numbers, it's KJ~Shadow!"
Said author then slid onto stage, playing the air guitar.
"And finally, she speaks fluent gibberish and fan-girl, it's Smiles1998!"
The audience began to applaud, but nothing happened. Brightcloud and KJ exchanged glances.
"Hey, announcer guy!" Brightcloud called up.
"Yes, how may I help you?"
"Could you call out Smiles again?"
"Why, certainly!" The announcer cleared his throat. "It's Smiles1998!"
Again, nothing happened.
"Should we go get her?" KJ asked.
"Sorry, miss, not enough time in the show!" The camera guy told them "Just keep rolling!"
The two authors shrugged before Brightcloud turned to address the audience. "Welcome to another episode of Talk Show. Now, I know we said next episode would be Halloween, but we couldn't even finish that thing before Christmas! So, today, we bring you an episode full of the best tricksters we can think of!"
The audience applauded as KJ smiled. "That's right, for tonight's episode, we have Loki from Thor, The Avengers, and Thor: The Dark World, and anything Marvel related, and Masquerade and Alice from Bakugan!"
The audience burst into thunderous applause.
"But that's not all!" Brightcloud smiled knowingly. "We also have, straight from Labyrinth, the Goblin King himself, Jareth!" More applause. "And finally, we have the master of music himself, the—"
Brightcloud would've continued, but what sounded like an organ started to play and the lights flickered to dim. The audience gasped and pointed as Smiles1998, wearing a long black cape and a white mask that covered half of her face came out dramatically and stood by her two co-hosts.
Then, as the organ music turned into a record-scratch, she took a good look at them. "Guys, what're you doing?"
"What're we doing?' KJ asked. "What're you doing?!"
"Oh… were we, um… Were we not doing the Phantom thing?"
"No!" Both authors told her.
Smiles blushed. "Wow… This… This is embarrassing."
"Believe me, we're all embarrassed for you." Brightcloud told her friend simply. Then she sighed.
"Okay so though I think this is a terrible idea," Brightcloud said looking at Smiles, "Smiles has decided to interview Loki, the Phantom, and Jareth all at once. So here they are!"
So with that the three people just mentioned walked in. Jareth entered first wearing his ballroom outfit from Sarah's dream world. Then came the Phantom wearing his half mask, and normal attire which included his black cape. He threw a glare in the direction of Smiles who simply shrugged and ignored the obvious death threat within his gaze. Then came Loki dressed in green and also wearing a cape as well as his golden helmet with its ram horns. Smiles snickered as she surveyed the three.
"Remind me why I agreed to be here?" Loki asked with a growl. Brightcloud shot a look at Smiles.
"So should I remind him or are you gonna do that?" Brightcloud asked her friend. Smiles gestured to her co-host to continue.
"We invited you here and you agreed to come. Also you signed a contract so you can't leave until we say so," Brightcloud explained. Loki sighed bored before sitting down on one of the couches.
"So… Three of the world's most famous tricksters?" KJ asked, smiling
"Excuse me Mademoiselle—" The Phantom interjected.
"Another French guy?" KJ asked Smiles. "I thought you hated French men?"
"From our Facebook conversations you know that's not true." Smiles said, wiggling her eyebrows, making KJ laugh. "I'm just not a huge fan of Javert's morals and I believe Marius is a… a…" Smiles struggled to find the right words.
"An idiot in a freckled-face disguise?" Brightcloud suggested in a deadpan manner.
"Not as cruel as I was going for… But yeah. That works."
"If you Midgardians aren't going to 'question' me as you put it, may I leave?" Loki asked, bored.
"No. You signed a contract, remember?" Smiles pointed out smugly.
"As I was saying!" The Phantom interjected loudly again. "I would not consider myself a trickster."
"Really?" KJ asked. "That's not what Smiles said."
"This girl?" The Phantom questioned, pointing to 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 gasp, turning, they found her staring at a monarch butterfly in awe. "Pretty buggy!"
While Brightcloud and KJ face palmed, Loki raised his brow questioningly at the girl and the Phantom just crossed his arms as if to say, 'I rest my case'. Jareth turned to Brightcloud. "Is she always like this?"
"Yes. Yes she is." Brightcloud sighed before turning to the Phantom. "And dude, I and Smiles don't usually see eye to eye, 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. Causing the group to do a double take, as the Smiles that was wearing the phantom costume was still staring at the butterfly. "You tricked Christine into thinking 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?"
Brightcloud, after nodding along to her points finally stood up and walked over to her friend. "Um… Smiles… May I ask you a quick question?"
"Sure ninja, what's up?"
Brightcloud gestured to the Smiles in the phantom costume. "HOW?!"
"That?" Smiles chuckled. "You're not the only one with super awesome abilities."
"Well, you're "super awesome" abilities, are bringing my worst nightmare to life! Two Smiles1998's? The world's not ready for that!"
"I must admit mortal," Loki stood and observed both Smiles'. "I was unaware that Midgardians were capable of performing such tricks as duplications."
"Do not encourage her, Loki." KJ advised. "You'll only fuel the fire."
"And what you call 'tricks' I call breaking the forth wall." Smiles pointed out.
"Breaking the forth wall?" The God questioned.
"Yeah. We do it all the time on this show."
"Explain." Loki demanded.
"I don't think some cheesy, glittery baddie from an 80's fantasy film, a singing, masked man from my favorite musical, and an Asgardian God are normally supposed to associate." Smiles pointed out.
"Can you at least make the other one leave?" Brightcloud asked. "We already have enough trouble makers in this room, let's not double them."
"Pun intended?" KJ asked cheekily as Smiles pulled out a laptop, typed something on it, and then watched as the other Smiles disappeared with a loud POP!
"I am not cheesy! As you put it!" Jareth said indignantly.
"Need I remind you of the 'poisoned peach'?" Brightcloud asked.
"Dude, no offense, but the 'fairytale poisoned fruit cliché' has been done, out-done, redone, 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 aboveground females and having to high of expectations of me?" Jareth asked.
"Dude, you're hair has more color in than those of some of our friends at school… And you sparkle. Seriously, you sparkle! My expectations couldn't be any lower." Smiles told the Goblin King, pulling out her iPod.
"May I leave now?" Loki asked.
"No!" KJ said. "We haven't even asked a question!"
"Speaking of questions, Smiles brought up a point I've been wanting to ask… Why do you and everything else in your labyrinth sparkle?"
"That? Simple. The dust is easy to conjure up, and I often do that when I am bored."
They all just stared at him. Finally, after a long while, Loki turned to him. "When you're bored… You conjure glittering dust?"
"Like you have room to complain?" KJ asked skeptically.
"Yeah, when you're bored, you try to enslave humanity." Brightcloud said.
Loki looked as if he swallowed something sour as KJ 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 of Christine was of pure heart. If that Viscount hadn't gotten in the way—"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on there, lover boy." Brightcloud interrupted and turned to face Smiles. "What'd you mean second worst flirting technique?"
Smiles looked up from her iPod and shrugged. "Jareth's is the worst."
"Flirting technique?!" Jareth shouted. "Who have I ever 'flirted' with?"
"Sarah." Smiles pointed 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. But 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 asked.
"How?" The Phantom questioned.
"You both sing, you both have hair to kill for—" Smiles listed off.
"Was that a pun?" Brightcloud asked, eyeing the Phantom. 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 pointed out happily.
The audience had varying reactions. Some cringed, most shouted 'OOOOOOH!' at the top of their lungs, a few shouted "BURN!" and "OH SNAP!", and one man in the front row even Z-snapped.
Smiles, who had returned to her iPod, was unaware of the varying reactions in the audience as well as on the stage. Brightcloud and KJ looked at their friend in shock, mouths hanging open and eyes wide at her bluntness, Jareth and the Phantom looked heartbroken and like they wanted to strangle Smiles, and Loki's shoulders were shaking with laughter. Finally, he glanced up at Smiles and smirked. "I like her."
"Please don't." KJ said, finally regaining her ability to speak.
"Yeah, Reindeer Games. As much as you're an awesome guest and all, we can't have you encouraging Smiles's insanity. Our friends do enough of that already."
Loki sighed and rolled 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 said without looking up from her iPod.
Rolling her eyes, Brightcloud turned to Loki and asked "So, how's life impersonating your adoptive father?"
Loki frowned and glanced over his shoulder, as if looking for someone. Brightcloud noticed this and smiled. "Calm down, Loki. Smiles, however untrustworthy—"
"Guilty!" Smiles chirped in before furiously tapping her iPod with her finger.
Brightcloud raised a brow before continuing. "Anyway, she set up a system to make sure no one from the Marvel Universe would come to arrest and or kill you while being interviewed."
"Really?" Loki asked doubtfully.
"Of course!" KJ smiled. "In this story, all we do is break the fourth wall, not write anything to be taken seriously. Besides, it's too close to a Marvel movie release date for us to write anything in major about you in Asgard. So, if you could, just a simple opinion would be appreciated."
Loki pondered this for a moment before answering. "Admittedly, things had gotten rather dull. But… I have a way to… remedy this."
Soon after the Norse God said this, a loud alarm sounded off and bright red lights began to flash, startling the Phantom and Jareth and KJ. Loki, however, merely glanced around in surprise while Brightcloud glanced upward at the lights before smiling at her guests. Meanwhile, Smiles didn't even glance up from her iPod.
"What was that?!" KJ asked.
"That?" Brightcloud raised a brow. "That was the spoiler alert."
"The what?" Loki questioned.
"The Spoiler Alert. One of Smiles's few intelligent ideas." Brightcloud smirked, glancing over at Smiles, who only smiled and nodded in agreement. "You see, we realized that some characters we bring in are going to be from many ongoing series, like you or anyone else from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So, Smiles suggested we set that up. Basically, if an ongoing series character reveals anything to major about an upcoming movie, even if it's just a rumor, that alarm will sound."
"We're going to be doing that frequently on this show aren't we?" KJ asked.
"If it's well received, yeah." Brightcloud answered.
Smiles smirked without looking up from her iPod as she addressed Brightcloud. "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!"
Brightcloud nodded her agreements to her friend. She then glanced over to find her friend completely immersed in her iPod. Upon closer inspection, Brightcloud discovered that Smiles was playing Galaga. Grinning, the author turned to the audience and shouted, "Smiles is playing Galaga! Thought we wouldn't notice, but we did!"
However, said author did not look up as the guest's eyes fell on her.
"Die alien scum! DIE!" Smiles yelled madly. Brightcloud sweatdropped before turning back to those being interviewed. Then she remembered Smiles's segment.
"Hey, Smiles, don't forget about your segment." Brightcloud said, nudging her friend in the arm.
"Shush! I'm trying to beat the high score!" Smiles waved her friend off, but Brightcloud nudged her again. Finally, the author glanced up at her friend. "What? Is it time for my segment?" Brightcloud nodded. "Well then forget the high score; I got a fool to torture!" Smiles said suddenly, standing up and chucking her iPod behind her without a care as to where it landed.
A loud cry of "Ow! My eye!" was heard from backstage. The group on stage turned to find a stagehand covering one of his eyes with his hand and Smiles's iPod lying on the floor not too far from him. Brightcloud smirked and turned to the audience. "And that folks is why actors and actresses have stunt-doubles."
"You said it ninja." Smiles said 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!"
The scene switched from the smiling host to 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 on screen with a splattered pie behind it.
"Why was I on that little segment of videos?" Jareth asked.
"I'm glad you asked, Jareth!" Smiles said, her voice adopting a tone not unlike the game show hosts from the 1970's. "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, 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?" Brightcloud asked.
"You're not the only one who gets a paycheck, y'know." Smiles smirked in response before frowning. "I feel like I'm forgetting something," Smiles glanced down at her apparel and snapped her fingers, "oh, I know!" The host snapped her fingers again. "My 'game-show-host outfit' please!"
Two stagehands then rushed on. One wheeling in a changing-booth and some make-up, the other carrying a costume bag. Smiles jumped, literally, into the booth as the stagehands literally tossed the costume bag and make-up in after her. Soon, the changing booth began to rattle and shake. Noises varying from screeching tires to chainsaw motors and drills were coming from the booth.
"What is she doing in there?" Jareth shouted to the other two hosts, to be heard over the noise.
"I don't know!" KJ shouted.
"I don't want to know!" Brightcloud echoed.
"Should we be concerned?" Loki shouted.
"Do you have enough money to pay for whatever she is doing in there?" The Phantom asked.
"Yes, we should be concerned!" Brightcloud shouted to Loki.
"Wait a second," KJ turned to Brightcloud, a glare on her face. "How come I'm the only one who doesn't get a paycheck?"
Just then, the noises stopped and the changing booth stopped shaking. Soon after, out jumped Smiles. Now dressed in a powder blue suit with white suede shoes and a black tie. Brightcloud blinked. "Um… why are you dressed like Caesar Flickerman?"
"Who?" All three guests asked at the same time.
"Character from the Hunger Games." KJ told them.
"Hunger Games?" Loki questioned.
"Oh, it's this contestant kind of thing. Twenty-four go in, one comes—"
"KJ! Stop!" Smiles shouted.
"Don't give him any ideas!" Brightcloud clamped a hand over her cousin's mouth.
Loki, however, smirked thoughtfully. "I am intrigued by what you mortals call this Games of Hunger; I shall have to investigate it at once."
Brightcloud 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." Brightcloud frowned before turning back to Smiles. "You continue with some segments, I have to go re-read some of our contracts and find out what are legal liability is."
As she exited, Smiles called out "I'm going to pretend to know what those words mean!" before turning back to Jareth and grinning in a cheesy manner as the music to The Price is Right started to play again. "Now, Jareth. You've been selected for our little segment called Torture the Fool—"
"Didn't she just explain this?" The Phantom asked.
"SHUSH!" Smiles smiled and, without even glancing behind her, held up a hand to shush him with. "Now, the way this works, is that I select a very special brand of torture for our guest and he—or she—is put through. Now, I've selected something that hit's close to home for you. Something you threaten all your disturbingly stupid goblins with every other second!"
"What in the world are you…? Wait a minute, you don't mean—"
Putting on an overbearing grin and slinging an arm across Jareth's shoulder, Smiles shouted "Tell him what he's won announcer guy!"
"Jareth the Goblin King has won an all-expenses paid trip to… The Bog of Eternal Stench!"
"WHAT?!" Jareth shouted as the audience cheered and clapped.
Smiles, an innocent smile 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 angrily.
Smiles blinked, but her smile did not disappear. She held up the little box. "With this pretty, red button." KJ covered her mouth to hold back the laugh that threatened to spill out at the fact that Smiles was talking to the Goblin King like he was a five-year-old.
The Goblin King glared at Smiles. "What makes you believe that I will allow you to do such a thing to me?"
Smiles smirked. "Because I'm awesome!"
"I'm really glad my cousin isn't around to hear that." KJ sighed.
Jareth stocked toward Smiles, a scowl on his face. "Listen to me, you worthless peasant—"
Smiles's smirk only grew wider as she pushed the button and sent Jareth down a chute that would lead him to his own bog of stench. The audience applauded loudly.
Putting a hand to her ear, Smiles leaned ever so slightly toward the still open chute. "I'm listening."
Loki narrowed his eyes at the girl. "How dare you steal my line you worthless, Midgardian!"
Smiles placed her hands on her hips and sent him a cocky smile, "Wow, you must really want to go to that bog to huh?"
Loki stocked over toward Smiles and locked her in a choke hold. KJ gasped fearfully as she ran away to find her cousin, while the Phantom still sat in his chair, wondering if he should even bother to do something.
"Listen to me you mewling quim—" Loki started.
"Meow." Smiles said with a smirk.
Loki's glare only hardened. "You have wasted my time and have made me question every ounce of sanity I have. If you value your life, 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 her to the floor before storming off the stage.
Smiles blinked before standing up to find Brightcloud giving her fellow co-host 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?" Brightcloud asked.
"How else would this show be entertaining?" Smiles laughed.
KJ sweatdropped as Brightcloud face palmed. "You're just luck KJ had enough sense to some and grab me and that Loki was annoyed with you enough to just leave!"
Smiles shrugged before turning to the Phantom. "You can leave if you want to; we got enough footage of you to make the show."
"Thank you, for allowing me to be on this show… No matter how odd my time on it way"
As the Phantom left, the three co-hosts stepped toward center stage as Brightcloud addressed the audience. "Alright, it's time for our last two guests of the evening. We have Alice from Bakugan!" The author paused as the audience cheered. "Also, from Bakugan, we have the big, bad villain himself, its Masquerade—"
The author 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." Brightcloud answered warily.
Smiles cheered happily. "I'll be right back, I have to go change!"
"Smiles, what're you doing?" KJ called after her friend.
"You'll see!" Smiles called back. While the two others were waiting a blond boy wearing a visor-like mask came in.
"What exactly is this place, and why is there a man wearing a golden helmet, and green cape backstage?" the boy asked.
"This is the Talk Show stage, and the guy back there was Loki," Brightcloud said, "Anyways nice to meet you Masquerade…"
Suddenly music started to play, and Smiles strode into the room wearing a mint green masquerade mask, and a poufy mint green ballroom dress. She also carried a fan. Brightcloud groaned when she saw where this was going. KJ looked on confused, while Masquerade just sat on a couch unfazed. At least until…
'Masquerade! Paper faces on parade… Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you!'
As the song played Smiles did the dance number that went with it. Brightcloud looked at Masquerade and mouth 'I'm so sorry you have to see this'. KJ was cringing now. Masquerade looked torn between leaving the stage and not coming back or strangling Smiles.
'Masquerade! Every face a different shade… Masquerade! Look around- there's another mask behind you!'
Suddenly the music stopped making everyone look towards the place where the music had originated. Brightcloud came storming from that direction much to the confusion of the others.
"Dude, when did you go back there?" Smiles asked. Brightcloud smirked.
"About five seconds ago," the other gave her a look, "What I'm a ninja remember?"
Smiles tilted her head thinking about it before nodding.
"Yeah that's right you are. So, Masquerade what's it like having Alice as an alter ego?" Smiles asked.
"Difficult especially when I had to do Naga's dirty work," the blond said. Smiles glanced at Brightcloud.
"Who's Naga?" the masked author asked. Brightcloud anime fell.
"He was a power hungry Bakugan that was once Masquerade's boss," Brightcloud explained. Smiles nodded. KJ stood and left the stage.
"Yo KJ where ya going?" Smiles asked.
"To get the last guest," the author replied. Smiles looked confused but shook it off. Smiles grinned like a Cheshire cat, and Brightcloud's eyes widened. Brightcloud quickly glared at Smiles in an attempt to shut her up.
"What did you think of the song?" Smiles asked. Masquerade glowered.
"It was not amusing," the blond said.
"Hey I thought it was hilarious!" someone in the audience shouted.
"Shut it Kuso!" Masquerade returned.
"Okay then, so Brightcloud who's the next guest?" Smiles asked. Suddenly KJ returned followed by an orange haired girl. Smiles gaped at the girl, while Brightcloud grinned. Masquerade even looked surprised.
"But how… You two are supposed… I mean that he… And you were… But he's here… Your there… But he's… Uh…" Smiles stammered out, hopelessly confused.
"I'd stop there Smiles, don't want you to strain yourself." KJ told her friend sympathetically.
"Um where is this exactly?" the girl asked.
"This my dear Alice is the Talk Show stage," Brightcloud said. Alice then noticed Masquerade. She blinked in surprise before smiling.
"It's nice to see you again Masquerade," Alice said.
"Wait, why is it nice to see him? Didn't he, you know, use you to figure out what the Brawlers were up to?" Smiles asked. Alice nodded.
"Yes but he helped Dan out later when they went to Vestroia to combat Naga even though he wasn't there," Alice said. Smiles looked even more confused.
"Don't worry your head about that Smiles you'll just destroy what brain cells you have left," Brightcloud said. KJ nodded in agreement.
"You mean she has brain cells?" Masquerade asked. Alice giggled a little at the comment.
"I resent that," Smiles muttered. Brightcloud smirked.
"He has a right to think something like that after all just look at what you've done to other characters," Brightcloud said. Smiles glared.
"You never ever let me have anything… do you?" the masked author asked. Brightcloud shook head.
"Nope, and I never will," Brightcloud replied. Smiles sighed in defeat before turning to Alice.
"So, Alice, what was it like figuring out that Masquerade was using you as sort of a vessel?" Smiles asked.
"Technically, it was all Naga's fault." Brightcloud pointed out.
"Well pin a rose on your nose! Answer the question Alice…" Smiles grumbled.
Alice shuttered in fear. "It was awful! To think that I had done all of that to my friends! It was horrible!"
Masquerade shook his head. "You survived. Get over it…"
Smiles raised a brow at Brightcloud, who just shook her head slightly, as if to say 'Don't ask' surprisingly Smiles didn't. Alice then glanced at Smiles and said "I love your dress by the way! But why are you so dressed up?"
Smiles smirked mischievously "Oh, I'll show you!"
As Brightcloud face palmed and KJ groaned, Masquerade made a sour face as music started to pick up again.
'Masquerade! Paper faces on parade… Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you!'
It continued on like this for a while, with Smiles dancing around the entire stage, finally, Brightcloud leaned over to Masquerade and Alice and whispered "You can go now, if you want. She's going to keep this up for a while." Masquerade and Alice nodded thankfully before leaving the stage, and Smiles's dance number behind.
"Well, that's all the time we have for today!" KJ announced.
"Just so we're clear, we do not own any of the characters used in today's episode." Brightcloud told 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 chapters planned out, but if there is any certain character you want us to include in this show, any character whatsoever, just leave us a comment and we'll see what we can do!" KJ smiled at the audience.
Brightcloud turned to address the audience one last time. "Also, if you liked the Spoiler Alert feature and would like us to include it in future chapters, let us know. Until then, I'm Brightcloud0195!"
"And I'm KJ-Shadow!"
Smiles, who took a break from dancing to join her fellow co-hosts center stage, smiled brightly at the audience before doing a little twirl and adding "And I'm dancing around in a poufy dress!"
"Join us next time on… TALK SHOW!" The three authors said in unison as the song changed from Masquerade to Magic Dance by David Bowie and the three authors began to dance around stage.
The camera slowly started to pull away from the authors dancing on stage, when suddenly the song changed to loud, rock and roll music. The camera immediately snapped back to the now confused authors on stage.
"What's going on?" KJ asked.
"Smiles, did you plan this?" Brightcloud asked.
"Nope!" Smiles shook her head. "I'm about as confused as I always am, or maybe even more so."
"Well then what's going on?" Brightcloud asked. That's when Loki peeked his head in around the corner.
"If anyone asks I'm not here," the god of tricks said before vanishing backstage.
"Ok, now I'm nervous!" KJ said fearfully.
"If Loki's afraid of whoever's coming, it can't be good!" Smiles added.
"Please tell me that it's not someone capable of destroying this stage," Brightcloud said. 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 on the stage. The audience burst into applause.
Smiles laughed and shook her head before walking toward the man. "Ladies and gentlemen, Tony freaking Stark! AKA: Iron Man!"
The face plate on the suit flipped up to reveal a smirking Tony Stark's face. He turned toward the three hosts. "Thank you, for putting that convenient skylight… Right in my line of trajectory. Honestly, that was the perfect situation. Last thing I needed to do was destroy the roof."
Brightcloud nodded and smiled. "Yeah, that would've been bad."
"Wait, since when have we had a skylight there?" Smiles asked.
KJ 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 two address the authors/co-hosts. "One, why was Reindeer Games invited onto the show before I was?"
Brightcloud rolled her eyes. "Because it's how we planned it out."
"You and the other Avengers will be appearing in another chapter very soon." Smiles told him.
Tony nodded. "Alright, fair enough. I mean, I did, more or less, make a cameo."
"In true Marvel, end credit scene fashion, nonetheless." KJ added.
"Which brings me to my next point. You—" He said pointing at Brightcloud. "—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 Brightcloud.
"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."
Brightcloud and KJ smiled, as Brightcloud waved the man off. "Chill, Tony. Smiles took care of it."
"She did?" Tony asked skeptically.
"Yep. She wrote up a contract that allowed us to use any type of lines from any types of media we wanted without having to pay royalties." Brightcloud answered.
"Oh, well in that case, just show me the contract and I'll be on my way." Tony said.
"Yeah, Smiles. Show him the contract you wrote up." KJ said.
Smiles's eyes widened as she frowned in realization.
Brightcloud observed her friend. "Smiles… You did write up the contract… Right?"
"Um…" Smiles said, eyeing her fellow authors and Iron Man uncertainly.
"Smiles?" Brightcloud asked harshly.
"Um… Uh… You'll never take me alive!" Smiles shouted before throwing her hands down. Smoke exploded into the area. Blinding the two authors and billionaire. Smiles then dashed off stage frantically.
KJ coughed. "Where did she get the smoke bombs?"
"I don't know, and I don't care! But if she destroys my stage, she's gonna be in big trouble!" Brightcloud coughed.
"So I take it that's a no on the contract?" Tony asked.
"Where did she even go?" KJ asked.
That's when the three on stage heard something off stage. "Oh hey Smiles, how's the show going?" A stagehand asked the runaway host.
"GIVE ME THOSE KEYS!" Smiles shouted frantically. The three on stage heard what sounded like Smiles kicking the stagehand before the sounds of running could be heard.
"What is she doing?" Tony asked.
"I don't know, but I don't like it." Brightcloud glared.
"Hey Smiles! Get back with my car keys! Don't you dare ruining my new car, I just got it! Smiles? Smiles, what're you doing? NO! YOU GOT IT IN REVERSE!" The stage hand screamed. The three eyes onstage widened in surprise.
"Uh-Oh." KJ muttered.
"NO! SMILES STOP! SMILES!" That's when a loud crash sounded from off-stage. Smiles had backed the stagehand's car into the wall.
"My studio!" Brightcloud cried out before growling, "Smiles!"
As Brightcloud stormed off, KJ and Tony Stark stood there, unsure of what to do.
KJ 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.
"Probably," KJ replied. "But I'm not going 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. Ms. Shadow is going to need it."
"Right away, sir."
That's when a smaller red and gold suit flew in from the skylight and attached itself to KJ. Said author, was stunned. Tony smirked as his face-plate fell back into place. "Isn't that nice? Now come on, we should probably go check out back-stage."
As Tony walked back stage, David Bowie's Magic Dance started to play. Before the camera panned away, though, KJ looked down at herself and smiled. "I… am… Iron Man!" Then, the face-plate fell into place as she jogged to catch up with Tony Stark.
The camera panned away from the stage before the screen faded to black.