Track 3 - Set the Stage, Then Burn It

"You sure you wanna get off here, missy?" the grizzled bus driver asked Elsa as she fixed her official Radioactive Girl band pin, preparing to step off the bus.

"Yeah, this is the p-place..." Elsa assured him, looking out the door at a dingy dive bar and the row of intimidating motorcycles parked out front."...I th-think." Taking a deep breath, she stepped off the bus, clutching her backpack's straps and making her way to a glowing neon orange sign indicating the entrance.

At the door she was stopped by a burly fellow in a black leather vest, greying beard and ponytail tied off with what she'd consider adorable skull scrunchies, but she'd be damned if she voiced THAT out loud. "What's the password, lady?"

"P-password?" Elsa squeaked in bewilderment. "I, uh...they didn't t-tell me any password." Fumbling in her pockets, she produced one of the band's business cards Rapunzel had given her. "I'm...um...with the band?"

Taking the card and flipping it over, the man eyed Elsa dubiously. "Band? Oh yeah, you with Roadkill Reggie's Rioters?" His grin proudly displaying several gold teeth, he continued, "Ya don't look it...you sure you ain't lyin' to me?"

"I, I, I-I-I..." Elsa trailed off in mortification, about to turn tail and flee, before a familiar voice rang out.

"Ken, are you fucking with Squeaker?" Ariel growled, pushing past a drunk couple waiting for the bathroom.

"Oh, she's with youse?" Ken grinned innocently, putting up his hands in mock-fear. "Sorry Ari, just havin' a little fun. She's a spooked thing, that's for sure!" Beckoning for Elsa to enter, he gave her another shining grin. "Didn't mean ta mess with you there, I'm security and I'll make sure youse girls aren't bothered."

"Uh huh." Ariel spat, glaring at him before grasping Elsa's forearm and pulling her into the dusty bar. "Don't pull that password shit on newbie again, you know I see your wife every fuckin' Tuesday at the pawn shop and could have her on your ass so fast..."

"Yeah yeah, I got it kid. I'll play nice..." Ken groaned, winking at Elsa who gave him a queasy half-smile in return.

Elsa followed Ariel through the rowdy thong of patrons, to the back of the bar where her equipment was on the floor. Grabbing an empty table and dragging it over, Ariel huffed. "Didn't know if you'd show...trial by fire tonight!"

Elsa, not used to raising her voice, had to practically shout to be heard over the din. "It's not like your community center shows, that's for sure!"

"Right right, compared to tonight that shit's gonna seem PG." Producing a wrapped package from among the equipment, Ariel held it out to Elsa. "Little present from us...think of it as bribery to stick around if anyone messes with you tonight."

Blushing, Elsa took the package and unwrapped it. "Mouse-eared headphones...that's pretty c-c-cute. Th-thanks!"

"Come again?!" Ariel shouted.

"I said they're really cute, thank you!" Elsa yelled, glasses bouncing off her face at the force of her yell. Fumbling to catch them before they hit the ground, she smiled at Ariel lamely.

"Good, I'll tell Anna you like 'em. Her idea..." Ariel grinned, placing them around Elsa's neck.

"How'd she know I like Deadmau5?" Elsa asked, unzipping her jacket and cleaning her glasses off with her shirt.

"That one keychain there." Ariel returned, indicating the multi-colored, big-eared dangly mouse head hooked to one of her pockets' zippers. "She may look stoned half the day, but the girl's got a few brain cells yet."

Elsa smiled warmly, lowering her voice. "You always seem so cross with her..."

"Yeah, don't tell her I said that shit, she's liable to float away with a big head." Ariel laughed, patting Elsa on the shoulder lightly. "Okay, sound check's in 15, we're doing two 45 minute sets tonight. You good?"

Unzipping her backpack, Elsa shot her a tenative smile. "I th-think so. I guess...we'll, we'll see."

"Hey, relax. We can't suck more than we already have." Lightly punching Elsa's shoulder, Ariel turned to go, before adding, "You know you didn't stutter once when you yell, right?"

"Y-yeah, it kinda makes me dizzy so I don't yell a lot." Elsa called back, but Ariel was already shoving her way past a couple of howling frat guys. Touching the headphones around her neck, Elsa smiled widely.

"I c-can do this...I...I can!"