Set Me Free - Chapter 17
Rated: T
Turnaround
Chapter Summary: Reluctantly going back to the Moon Theater, Ash meets up with the rest of the group as they try and reassemble the theater for a concert.
I still can't grasp the support I continue to receive for this story! Over 200 follows and 180+ favorites not to mention all of the beautiful comments!? What!? You all are amazing and I sure hope you enjoy this next chapter because it's about to get interesting, y'all! ;-3
Ash still couldn't believe what she was doing even as she exited the bus and began the short walk to the pile of rubble that used to be the majestic Moon Theater.
What exactly brought her to this point in time - she wasn't sure. Going as far as to actually drag her ass out of bed at 9am (when she normally didn't wake til noon most days), catching a crowded bus without a lick of caffeine, and now approaching the theater she refused to even consider merely last night?!
…the only reasonable explanation is that she had gone completely insane…
Yet, another side of her saw her actions are more reasonable. For as the night went on after hanging up the phone with Buster and Johnny, she began to think differently. Whereas once she was so eager to never see any of those animals from the theater again - to move forward with her life and keep trudging forward despite her breakup and broken heart from her shattered dreams of singing…she found she couldn't.
At least not yet.
Ash stared at her phone for God knows how long last night. The clock ticking steadily as her father's number glaring back at her as if mocking her, daring her to call him - to beg for tuition money, head to college, graduate, and be forced to get a real job...
Yet something kept making her hesitate.
Wasn't exactly sure if it was her own damn stubbornness or what, but whenever the tip of her furry finger got near the green phone icon to make the call, she froze and eventually pulled back. How cowardly she felt by taking what seemed to be the easy way out; how simple it would be to call him - dad eagerly accepting her inquiry (moreso happy about her dumping Lance's bitch ass than him having to shell out thousands, but still, that counted, right?).
Staring at her dad's number and name, her mind went adrift to what she wanted…
What a concept, right?
Sitting down on that quill-punctured white couch she'd sat in so many times before…it was there Ash thought about what SHE wanted out of life. Not her dad or mom, not Buster Moon and especially not her ex! What did she want out out of this short time she had on this planet?
Ash considered her options, weighing them carefully into the rank of plausibility and best course of action. So many options that ranged from downright reckless to so boring and stuffy, she thought she may need to open a window. It would be easy to call her dad, go to college, get a steady job and have a relatively comfortable, uneventful life. It seemed like the cushy way out; the right thing to do…and that thought crossing her mind was when it was like a light went on in her head.
Ash didn't want easy - she never did before so why now?
Where the hell did the rebellious rocker go? The one hellbent and determined to make her dream come true regardless of circumstances?! Lance's betrayal held no leverage over her life and what SHE wanted to do with it…and she was going to do something because she was a rockstar, dammit!
Perhaps more in her own heart and mind right now, but since when did that forceful part of her personality become such a background character as of late? Perhaps Lance ripping her heart into pieces put that part of her heart dormant but the more she thought about it, that was the one voice in her she took most seriously for it WAS her.
She was that girl with those seemingly impossible dreams. One so determined to make them come true no matter what anyone else thought about it…and all Ash wondered is when the hell did that change!?
Glancing back down at her phone, Ash was suddenly appalled with the idea of college.
Some old fart trying to teach her music when she spent too many damn years of her life making sure she learned that guitar as if it was an extension of herself rather than just an instrument. Her strong vocals her own and she sure as hell didn't intend to sing the way someone else thought was perfunctory!
Fuck that!
It was as if a fire erupted in her chest. Johnny and Buster's words filling her head and how their words rang out with such truth she had been deaf to - she LOVED to sing, lived to play her guitar; rock out and express herself best through music. Lance may have tried holding her back, but even that distraction was out of the picture for good.
This was her life and dammit, she wanted to live it her way!
Buster's offer coming to mind and while she thought little of it before, it became much more appealing. Sure, it wouldn't make her a single penny but in the grand scheme of things, what did that matter? Wasn't her one shot at true happiness worth more than a few paychecks she'd miss out on?! Even if it ended up epically exploding in her face, at least she did it for HER and no one else! This was her one ultimate chance and she needed to follow it like the last chance it was and if her dreams went down in flames, so be it.
Why die wondering, after all?
It was as if a fire began rising in her chest - a desire to play and sing for her and her alone.
Screw Lance!
Screw college!
Screw the assholes who told her she was chasing a dream that could never be fulfilled and she was kidding herself if she really believed it would!
If there was even a one in a billion chance it wasn't going to blow up in her face, she was going to take it because it was a chance, dammit! Without even thinking about it, Ash threw her phone on the couch and grabbed her guitar.
The notes and chord progression for the song she wrote immediately fled out without nothing to stop it. Voice strong and radiating as it filled the apartment with the song she wrote. Knew in her heart of hearts she wanted to sing it in public - wanted the world (and especially Lance) to hear it and know she had moved on; that she was stronger than he ever gave her credit for - and dammit, she was going to do so even if it was the last thing she did.
Ash's steps halted as she made it to the front of what used to be the Moon Theater.
The rubble was a lot more organized than expected and the pessimistic part of her second-guessed her decision to come even if she already planned on sticking it out. A part of her even felt as crazy as Moon for even trying to go through with this but why would she do anything different at this point?
She had to…and that was it.
Yet, seeing the debris scattered and brushed into a large pile; recalling that fateful day nestled like a pang deep in her gut. So many dreams were crushed to the ground in that moment…including her own. It was sad to see the pieces of cement that used to sky-high columns now scattered in large chunks around her feet. A sudden sympathy for how she spoke to Moon rising in her throat but she swallowed it back when…speak of the devil -
"I'm glad you could make it, Ash!" Buster called to her, waving enthusiastically from where he'd just been on some make-shift platform. His round, perky, and fuzzy ears made their way into her version as she ran out from behind a rather large pile of rubble.
Ash froze for a moment when she saw the enthusiasm in his bright blue eyes and smile lighting up his whole animated body. So much different than the last time she seen him wearing an over-sized green shirt and looking like utter hell (or rather a shell of his former self).
It appeared as if the old Buster Moon was back.
"...Do you know how crazy this is?" the first words were out her mouth before she bothered to rethink them.
"Of course I do!" he laughed uproariously as he approached her with a spring in his step; one she was certain was forever dormant. "You must be too since ya showed up!"
Ash was glad that least Moon was honest about his (and her own apparently) mental health conditions…
"But ya just gotta try sometimes even if you're certain you'll fail! How would you know otherwise if you don't?" he continued and Ash had to agree with him there for it was the exact same conversation she had with herself last night.
"Yeah," was all she muttered out.
Ash was tempted to perhaps apologize for her attitude on the phone last night but she stayed silent and hoped her presence this morning was enough.
"It's wonderful you decided to show up even if was super late notice." Buster spoke as lively as ever, "Again, I apologize for my behavior and I-I can't thank you - or everyone else who showed up - enough for giving me one last shot. I'm really hoping you'll give it a chance and stick it out with us. I have a great feeling about this!"
While his optimism was heads and tails above his "woe is me" spiel back at Eddie's pool house, Ash still found it a bit unsettling. It did seem more of a fanciful fairyland to think this could be pulled off in such short notice but her inner-rocker was adamant to still try - and so was she.
"I'm here, Moon, that enough for ya?"
"Plenty." he smiled this time; the genuine appreciation in his eyes didn't go unnoticed.
"So…What did you call us here for exactly?"
"Oh yes! I-I didn't get to explain it to you over the phone but we're simply getting a stage prepared! There's plenty of undamaged seats we were able to dig out and part of the main stage is still standing! All we need to do is push the debris out of the way and install some kind of a ceiling to hold up the lighting and of course speakers, microphones, a sorta backstage so you guys can get ready, and -"
"Wait, wait, wait!" Ash finally had to break up his rambling, "…what the hell kind of time limit are we working with here, Moon? That list sounds a bit atrocious for the kind of venue we're working with now." she felt as if she had to lay it on the line as her hands couldn't help but gesture at the sad state the Moon Theater had been left. How the hell were a bunch of singing animals supposed to build a functioning stage setup?!
"I know, I know," Moon replied with hands placed up in a complacent manner, "I know it seems like a lot but with all of us, it shouldn't take more than a week."
"A week? Uh, Moon, I don't know if you noticed, but I'm a singer, not a construction worker."
"Heh. Of course not. I wouldn't have you puling up pillars or anything! You'd be perfect for more…uh, petite tasks such as -"
"Eh, sorry ta interrupt Mr. Moon, but what should I do with the - Ash!" a voice that had her heart jump in her chest suddenly filled her ears. There approached Johnny - sans signature leather jacket, green jumper sleeves rolled up; a bit of sweat slipping down his exertion-flushed cheeks as he smiled down at her, canines and all… and suddenly, that damn feeling was back.
"Hey." she responded with a nod of her head; hiding the fact she was actually really pleased to see him again…strange, she knew.
"It's alright, Johnny. I was just filling Ash in."
"Oh. Eh, sorry ta interrupt again, Mr. Moon. Just, where should I put the rafters Eddie's bringing over in an hour? He keeps texting me ta make sure we have 'nough room." Johnny asked, bashfully rubbing the back of his head.
"Backstage area for now. Oh, and while you're here, perhaps you can help Ash get started with the old costumes."
"Of course! Sure!" Johnny eagerly agreed smiling at her as she still tried to absorb whatever the hell was happening.
"Wait, I -" Ash tried to speak but Buster broke off anything she would say.
"I'm glad you decided to show up after all, Ash!" Buster interjected, gently resting a hand on her shoulder which she quickly flinched off. Even if she came back to do this, physical contact was not eagerly welcomed.
"Yeah, yeah…really didn't have too much going on, so…sure. Yeah." she shrugged off but Buster's smile refused to falter even a smidgen.
"Perfect! You can start digging out the costumes from an old trunk from my offices and hitting them with sticks to get the dust off!"
"...Are you fucking serious?"
"Yes! - and language, young lady." Moon admonished with a wag of a small furry finger, "We'll be on live television soon and there's no need for that. Now, you two get back to work, there's a lot to get done if we'll make this Saturday night's deadline!" Buster announced before he suddenly ran away toward Miss Crawly who was struggling with some boxes marked 'lighting'. The old lizard caught sight of her and sent her a smile which Ash found herself returning.
"So nice to see you again, Ash." Miss Crawly drawled as Moon took the boxes from her overloaded arms.
"Yes, it is! Remember, Ash, Johnny will show you where you need to go! I'll catch up with you in a bit to make sure you're staying on task!" Moon sent her an exuberant smile which Ash shook her head at. It appeared Moon was more excited about free labor but she made her bed and now she had to lie in it.
Too late to back out now…
"...well, that happened." Ash muttered, staring off after Moon as if he'd grown two heads.
"It's nice he's back to his old self, eh?" Johnny panted a bit, the back of his hand wiping some sweat off his brow. His eyes felt heavy on her but it wasn't completely unpleasant…
"Sure. Let's say 'nice'." she murmured more to herself as she finally glanced up at Johnny who was smiling down at her with that same smile that had her feeling partially nauseous and strangely warm.
"I'm really glad you decided to come, Ash. Concert wouldn't have been the same without cha." he gently bumped her arm with one of his knuckles and she instinctively flinched at the contact. Trying her damnedest to ignore how her heart fluttered at his statement; the genuine tone of his voice making her stomach do somersaults…she was certain she didn't like that feeling.
"Eh, can't let y'all have the fun, huh?" she shrugged it off, rolling up her sleeves a bit and knowing a long day of manual labor was ahead. If she was at all honest with herself, she was happy she decided to come too.
"That's the spirit." Johnny chuckled, "Now, c'mon. I'll help you with those costumes."