The Miss and The Music: A Marionette X story

Interruptions

•Janus's P.O.V.•

We crowded around center stage as Katie leapt up, taking the mic from Freddy. She looked straight at me and winked, and I knew I was completely doomed.

"Janus, get your ass up here right now you are doing this."

"But-"

"No buts!" Katie declared, turning to the animatronics. "This girl is the favorite in our schools choir class. She always gets the solos and anything she tries out for."

"Well let's hear her then!" Chica grinned, and I slumped up to the stage, pulling my phone out of my pocket.

"Any requests?" I called, forgetting they didn't know modern day music.

"The one you caught me humming to." Mars smiled at me. "Hell, I'll even come up there and sing it with you."

"You remember the lyrics?"

"I know the chorus for sure. The other bits I'm a little sketchy on." He chuckled, and I shrugged, handing him another mic as he hopped up beside me.

"That's all you need to know." I grinned, plugging my phone into the speakers. I found the karaoke version on YouTube, and watched as the screen lit up and the music began to play.

"A little sleep, a little slumber, a little fold of the hands, left you weak, left you hungry, when there's supply you still demand." I began the first verse, watching everyone's faces turn to shock and awe. "You're beginning to drag the ones you love down, will this phase ever end? A thousand arms to hold you but you won't reach for any hands."

"I don't feel like I'm getting through to you," Mars began singing as well, and it surprised me when his usual bass voice was hitting all the tenor notes. "Let me paint this clear, life is short my dear, see your mother here, her last painful year, I wish you only knew, she stuck around for you."

I was so into the performance, I hadn't noticed that Mars and I were almost competing for the attention. This is why I was never given duets; I always took the lead. But here, it seemed almost natural to be competing with him. And he looked like he was enjoying it too.

"And maybe you should just fall, leave the world and lose it all, and if that's what you need, to finally see that she loved you through it all." The song came to a close, and I found myself habitually reaching for my partners hand as we took the bow. He didn't say anything but just went along, his cheeks painted a light red.

I handed the mic to Katie as I walked off the stage, forcing her into the spotlight. She looked up something on my phone quickly before deciding on the song Helena to sing. She looked a little nervous as she stood there, but she was surrounded by friends.

"Oh god here I go." She laughed nervously, holding the mic to her lips. "Long ago, just like the hearse you died to get in again, we are so far from you." The music picked up and she grinned. "Burning on, just like the match you strike to incinerate, the lives of everyone you know."

"She's not half bad." I turned to look at Balloon Boy, who was sitting on a table, grinning at me.

"Hey you." I smiled. "Thanks for the balloon."

"Anything for the pretty miss." He nodded, and I laughed. "So, how's the night shift been?"

"Well when I saw you in the vent Saturday night I just about pissed myself, and I was pretty sure I broke the button to your vent."

"I backed out of that thing seeing nothing but white." He laughed. "Just about made me go blind."

"Serves you right for trying to sneak into my office." I smirked, looking towards the stage. Katie was enjoying herself thoroughly, and everyone else looked like they were doing the same.