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Rock and Roll All Night

The Electric Mayhem had been a band for a little over thirty years, they had released a handful of singles and had just recently come out with a greatest hits album that went to number 100 on the music charts (a pretty great accomplishment for the band.) and now they were on their millionth world tour. There was just one thing that the fans had been asking for for thirty years now. An album, where the heck was their debut album?

Speaking of the band, the band had just finished up their concert and were outside by their van signing autographs and taking pictures with fans.

“You did great tonight, Stevie.” A human boy complimented her.

Animal stood in front of his sister, snarling and growling at him. The human boy let out a yelp before scurrying off.

“Animal, what was that for?” Stevie asked her brother.

“Bad.” Animal replied, with a shake of his head.

“You guys. You brought that magic as always!” Exclaimed the band’s biggest fan Moog.

“Well, if it isn’t our most loyal number one Mayhead, my man, Moog.” Teeth greeted him, warmly.

“Moog!” The rest of the band exclaimed in unison.

“It’s always great to see you at every single one of our shows.” Stevie complimented.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Moog told her. “Y’know, when you guys added those six extra amps, I thought it would be overkill, but you sounded better than ever. It was so good!” He gushed. “Am I yellin’? I’m yellin’, aren’t I?”

“Yes, you are, and you are most welcome.” Floyd told him.

“Welcome!” Animal yelled, before handing him a cymbal that had a chunk missing out of it.

“What’s this?” Moog asked, taking the cymbal from him.

“Oh, it’s a cymbal which is like a symbol of our appreciation.” Janice explained.

“Moog!” The band exclaimed.

“And it’s totally not missing a chunk out of it.” Stevie added.

“I did that.” Animal admitted.

Moog looked as if he were on the verge of tears. “Thank you, guys!” He beamed. “Aye, aye.. imma see you in Austin, alright? First rack of ribs is on me, and for Janice vegan ribs, they’re supposed to be just okay. Oh and, Stevie, Dino chicken nuggets.”

Stevie smiled.

“Okay. Well, you have a great night.” Teeth bid him farewell.

“Moog!” The band exclaimed once more.

“You guys, too, man. I love y’all!” Moog said as he walked away.

“Bye!” Janice cried as the band walked back to the van.

Just as the band headed back to their van, Moog had called for their attention. The band came to a halt, and looked in his direction. Standing next to him was a girl with long dark hair and tan skin. Who was she?

“New Mayhead newbie, coming your way!” He announced.

“That’s one way to do it.” The girl muttered.

“They’re so cool!” He enthused. Moog walked away, leaving the band alone with the new Mayhead.

The band had started to pack up for the night just as the girl walked over to them.

“Um, hi. Excuse me, Mr.Teeth?”

Dr.Teeth chuckled. “Mr.Teeth is my father. I’m the Doctor in the house, and most posalutely excited to meet the last groupie of the group.” He corrected her.

“Not a groupie.” She informed him.

Stevie looked at her in confusion. “Then, what are you?” She implored.

“I’m actually Nora Singh. CEO of Wax Town Records.” Nora introduced herself.

Animal cocked his head to the side. “Nora?” He echoed.

“Right.” She confirmed.

“Nora.” He said in a daze.

“What’s happening?” She asked them.

“I think your name has become my brother’s new vocal stim, or he has a crush on you. Might be both.” Stevie explained to her.

“Okay then.” Nora replied.

Animal glared at his sister. “Mind business.” He ordered.

“Mind your own business.” She argued.

“Stevie, Animal.” Floyd warned.

“What? We’re getting along just fine.” Stevie fibbed.

Janice sneezed. Floyd shot her another look.

“Sorry.” She apologized.

“I think Animal digs you.” He said with a chuckle.

“I dig the Animal as well.” Nora said. “Anyway, I have some business to discuss. Where can we talk?” She asked Teeth.

“Well, step right into our office.” Teeth said, heading over to the van.

The band and Nora all got into the van. They closed the door, making it extra super classified.

“Welcome to our office!” He exclaimed.

“Livin’ the van life, huh? Respect.” Nora said. She looked up to the ceiling of the van, noticing the many Polaroid pictures from over the years. “Oh, cool photos.” She complimented.

“Mmm. Indeed. That’s just our family photo album of our truly faithful fans.” Dr.Teeth explained.

“Nora.” Animal said, hanging upside down.

“Still me.” She told him.

“Nora!” He said in a sing-songy voice.

“You’ll get used to it.” Stevie promised her.

“Anyway, I’m here because it’s come to my attention that back in the late ‘90s, you took a hefty advance from us to record your first album.” Nora reminded them.

“Oh, and what an album!” Floyd proclaimed.

“I love that album.” Stevie said with a nod.

“It truly is the greatest achievement of my lifetime.” The Doc expressed.

“It doesn’t exist.” She revealed. “There is no album.”

Stevie frowned. “No, I think it does.” She claimed.

“Trust me, it doesn’t.” Nora assured her.

“Wait, what?” Stevie said. Then, what album had she been listening to for her entire life?

The band looked at Nora as if she had two heads. What do you mean no Electric Mayhem debut album? What have they been doing for the last thirty years of their career? Oh, right. Touring.

“Well, then, it is the greatest disappointment of my lifetime.” Dr.Teeth corrected himself.

“The good news is, it’s not too late, because I have a plan to make it happen fast.” Nora disclosed to them.

“I’m listening.” Stevie said, leaning forward in her seat.

“Well, right on!” Doc exclaimed.

Lips mumbled out an agreement.

“Totally.” Janice agreed.

“We’ll hop to it as soon as the tour ends.” He promised her.

“But, your tour never ends.” Nora reminded him.

“That’s like kind of the whole point of our tour.” Stevie explained.

“So, either make the album, or you could always pay back your advance of $420,000.” She said.

“Heh, nice.” Stevie giggled.

“Woah! That’s a big number.” Floyd cried out.

“Anyone, remember where all that went?” Dr.Teeth then asked the band.

Stevie rolled up an imaginary blunt and pretended to smoke it.

“Haha, oh right. I forgot all about that.” He remembered.

“Says here, the check was cashed by a Mr.Zootowski.” Nora read.

Janice and Lips looked over at Zoot. He looked at the two of them, clearly confused.

“Uncle Zoot, that would be you.” Stevie reminded her dazed and confused uncle.

“I’d like to buy a vowel, Pat.” Zoot requested.

“Memory’s a little hazy.” Teeth explained.

“Ooh! I know. We’ll just like pay you back in groove.” Janice offered.

“Yeah, that’s not an actual form of currency.” Nora told her.

“Like, since when?” Stevie inquired.

“Yet!” Floyd threw in.

“Okay?” Was all Nora could say in response. “So, then..?”

“Then, album it is.” Teeth settled.

“It is?” She asked. “It is. Great. Perfect.” She replied with a smile. “Well, please contact me when you get into town, and we can put my plan into action.” She explained to them.

“Onward to the City of Angels.” Doc proclaimed. “We’ll crash with a friend, and lay it all down.” He planned.

*

Two Days Later

“Is this it?” Stevie asked as they pulled up in front of Nora’s house.

“According to my grooveified calculations, this would be the place.” Teeth confirmed as he and the band exited the van. (Heh, that rhymed.)

“Flowers for Nora!” Animal exclaimed as he ripped the entire flower bed out of the ground. He ran up to the door, and rung the doorbell. He breathed heavily, waiting for an answer.

A second or two later, the door opened revealing a very surprised Nora on the other end.

“Hi!” Animal greeted her. He held up the yellow flowers towards her.

“Hi?” Nora said back, confusion evident in her voice.

“Lady, I’m home!” Lips announced, as he entered the house with his suitcase in hand.

“Hope you don’t mind if we crash here.” Stevie said, coming in after Lips.

“Wait, crash here?” Nora repeated. “Woah! Wait, wait, wait, wait.” She yelled.

“Hey!” Zoot greeted, before snapping a photo of Nora.

“Woah, it feels like I stepped in a house catalog.” Floyd remarked.

“I said I’ll contact you!” Nora tried to say over the loudness of the band.

“Isn’t it great?” Teeth expressed as he came in with a bag of groceries.

“Excuse me!” She cried. To no avail, her voice had fallen on deaf ears.

“Hi.” Animal greeted again.

Nora looked at him before turning back to the remainder of the band who was busy unloading their stuff.

“Aren’t you crashing with a friend?” She recalled.

“Indeed, we are.” Teeth confirmed. “Much obliged for the hospitality, friend.” He complimented.

This made Nora even more confused.

“No, no, no.” She rejected.

“Hi!” Animal exclaimed.

“Where can we hang our hammocks?” Floyd asked her.

“Yeah, and which room is best for pants-free hot yoga?” Janice wondered.

“None of them.” Nora denied.

“Do you have an espresso machine?” Stevie asked her.

“Hi.” Animal said for the umpteenth time.

Nora turned back around. “Hi. Hello. Sure, come on in.” She invited. “Why not, everyone else has.” She mumbled, taking the flowers from him.

“Okay.” He said, walking in.

“Animal, help me with this espresso machine!” Stevie asked of him.

“Why did you ask if we had an espresso machine, if you already have one?” Nora questioned her.

“Well, you can never have too many espresso machines.” She replied as Animal helped her take the machine out.

“Nora, Nora, Nora! I’m kind of in the middle of a live stream here. What’s the deal?!” Yelled a female voice from down the hall.

Nora sighed, running down the hall to see what was the matter. Stevie, out of curiosity had followed her.

“Hannah, come, come please.” Nora motioned.

Hannah who Stevie could only assume was Nora’s sister had been doing a Instagram livestream when Zoot and Lips interrupted her.

“The band. Band, Hannah, my sis… Assistant.” Nora introduced her.

Stevie furrowed her brows in confusion. It sure sounded like Nora was about to say Hannah was her sister.

“Hi.” Animal greeted her.

“..Who was just leaving to pick up my juice cleanse.” She said as she lead Hannah to the door.

“Bye.” Animal bid her farewell.

“Hannah, please. Just trust me, I have a foolproof plan. Thank you so much. I love you. Bye.” Nora said before kicking Hannah out.

“You and your assistant must be pretty close to be on an “I love you basis.”” Stevie said to her.

“Oh, yeah. We’ve known each other for years.” Nora said. She turned back to the band, and cleared her throat. “Okay. It begins.” She told them. “Let’s put a pin in your living sitch, while we go over my plan to take you straight to the top.”

“W.” Animal said.

“Very good, Animal.” Floyd praised his son. “He’s learning the alphabet.” He conveyed to her.

“Also, where is Dr.Teeth?” She asked them.

“Oh! He spotted the hot tub out back.” Floyd told her.

“Mmm-hmm.” Janice nodded.

“So…?” She trailed off.

“You know, like he has that thing, you know, when he, like, sees a hot tub, he has, to like, go to the hot tub, and then, soak, in the hot tub because hot tub.” Janice rationalized.

Nora had gone out back to talk with Teeth, leaving the rest of the band to their own devices. They had grown bored, fast.

“How about we throw a party?” Floyd suggested.

“Like, that would totally raise my spirits. Figuratively and psychologically.” Janice accepted.

“A party sounds good right about now.” Stevie said with a nod.

Floyd got out his flip phone, and started to call up everybody the band knew.

A couple of minutes later, Nora had walked in on a total rager happening in her house. Loud electronic nonsense was blaring, while people danced, smoked, and drank. A look of confusion was read on Nora’s face, wondering how exactly did a party happen so fast in her house? She had only been outside for a couple of minutes.

Lips was dancing, while Zoot was flipping through Nora’s photo album with some groupie sitting next to him, Stevie was busy eating snacks, Floyd was about to wrestle with some other groupie, Janice was busy posing for an ice sculpture being made of herself, Teeth had just come back inside fully clothed, and Animal was just being Animal.

“How did this happen? I was gone for two minutes!” Nora cried. “No, no, no, no. So much damage, so little time!” She stressed.

“The party has arrived!” Moog exclaimed, holding a foam hose.

“Moog!” The groupies yelled in unison.

Meanwhile, Stevie was rolling up a blunt just as the human guy from the concert two nights ago walked up to her.

“Oh, hey. You were from the show two nights ago.” Stevie remembered, setting her blunt on the counter behind her.

“Um, is your brother around?” He asked nervously.

“He’s somewhere.” She replied.

“Just take it.” He said,as he quickly handed her a wad of paper.

“Thanks? What is-“ “Stay away!” Animal snapped, jumping down from the ceiling. The human boy let out a shriek before scurrying away. “Animal.” Stevie scolded. She unraveled the wad of paper revealing a phone number written on it. She smiled before rolling the paper back up, and slipped it into her pocket.

“Hey, excuse me, sir. That couch is not yours to move!” Nora yelled.

“I’m just making room for a wrestling ring.” The man explained himself.

Stevie walked over, with a now lit blunt in between her fingers.

“Billy Corgan? Wow!” Nora then gasped, now suddenly star struck.

“You’re about to get your pumpkin smashed, Billy Boy!” Floyd threatened. He was wearing a pink wrestling costume adorned with a neon green cape.

“Brother, your smack talk needs a little bit of work.” Billy advised him.

“Stevie taught me everything I know.” Floyd defended himself.

“I never said I was good at it.” Stevie said with a shrug.

“To be clear, there’ll be no smacking or smashing of any kind.” Nora ordered. “Everyone needs to leave before my-“ “Nora? Nora Singh! What is going on?!” Asked a very angry Hannah. “Heyyy! Look, who it is. It’s my sis-sistant.” She told everybody, as she walked over to Hannah.

“Don’t even. This is what you call, figuring it out?” Hannah questioned her.

“I promise. I have it under control, please, I have a plan.” Nora assured her.

Stevie could’ve sworn the manager of a big major music company would have her plan all figured out by now. Guess, she was wrong! Stevie took a hit of her blunt before passing it onto her father. “I don’t trust her.” She voiced.

“Well, I hope that plan involves getting these randos out of my home!” Hannah snapped.

Nora turned to the crowd, about to tell everybody to get out until Moog cut in and thought Hannah had said foam instead of home. He aimed the hose at Hannah, and started shooting the white soapy consistency directly onto her. Stevie could only assume just how angry Hannah was now. In fact, she was beyond livid.

“GET OUT!” She screamed.

*

The Mayhem were on the road again, and also homeless at the time being.

“Okay, you are correct. You do not like a plan.” Nora said, who was still slightly covered in foam.

“We prefer the word “unpredictable.”” Stevie informed her.

“I kind of figured.” She suspected, as she wiped the remainder of foam off her clothes. “That’s why I’m pivoting to a new approach, which is one step at a time.”

Lips rested a foam covered hand on Nora’s shoulder, and gave her a string of praises/encouraging words.

“I’ll pretend that was encouraging. Thank you.” She told him. “So, step one, Label has a place for you to live. Just need to get my boss’ approval.” She laid out.

Stevie furrowed her brows in confusion. “Your boss’ approval? But I thought you were your own boss?” She asked her.

“Uh-um yes! I am my own boss. But even bosses need bosses.” Nora quickly explained.

“Hmm.” Stevie said, finding that hard to believe.

Janice sneezed.

“Bless you, and my boss is Penny Waxman.” Nora told them.

Teeth had a dreamy look in his eyes. “Penny? That’s a name I recallize.” He claimed.

“Yeah, she’s a legend in the biz, but one tough cookie.” Nora put lightly. “So, you wait in the van, while I go in and work my magic. You can pull up right over here.” She ordered.

“No. No can do, Label Lady. If we stop, the van don’t start.” Floyd informed her.

“Yeah, only way out is a slow and go.” Teeth informed.

“A what, now?” She questioned.

“At first we slow, and then we go.” Doc put it simply.

“It’s always scary at first, but eventually you’ll get used to all of the bruises and broken bones in no time.” Stevie assured her.

“I’m not jumping out of a moving van!” She yelled.

Teeth chuckled, he was used to hearing everybody say that on their first time jumping out of a moving vehicle.

Nora then took a deep breath, she opened up her door and jumped out of the van.

“Hey, it doesn’t look like she sustained any threatening injuries. She may not sue us!” Floyd said with a chuckle.

Just as Nora collected herself, and walked inside Wax Records. Teeth opened his door, and jumped out of the van. He wasn’t going to miss seeing Penny for the world. Soon after, the rest of the band had jumped out, finding waiting in the van to be a boring mundane task.

“So, you’re still hangin’ around with all those other smuggegies, eh?”

“Smuggegies, smuggegies!” Animal chanted as they walked into Penny’s office.

“All right. How you is? How you been?” Floyd asked her, talking over the other band members greetings.

“Everyone just come on in. The more, the merrier!” Nora sarcastically welcomed.

“Shut up, all of ya’s!” Penny snapped, slamming her fist against her desk.

Stevie winced, cowering behind Floyd.

“Ohh kay.” Floyd replied.

“Ugh. If it weren’t for the very small, decaying piece of my heart, that I once had for this floppy top-hatted imbecile, I’d have you all wiped from the face of the Earth years ago, for taking my money and leaving me nothing!” Penny thundered.

“Yikes!” Stevie gulped.

“Ah! Until now, which is why I just need a tiny little favor.” Nora asked of her.

“No!” She was quick to reject.

“I didn’t even ask anything yet.” She said.

“Well, then ask.” Penny allowed her.

“You know how the label owns that house on Laurel Canyon, where you used to put up talent?” Nora reminded her.

“Like, in the old days.” Teeth reminisced.

“Don’t remind me. Now, get ‘em out of here!” Penny demanded.

The band began to head for the door.

“Okay, sounds good.” Nora told her.

“Go!” Nora’s Boss shouted.

“Bye, Twinkles.” Teeth bid goodbye.

“I hate you.” She reminded him.

“Ma’am, let’s get out of here.” Floyd suggested, as they exited Penny Waxman’s office.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Nora said, stopping the band from leaving. “Okay, a few unforeseen small, but hugely important details have slightly derailed my plan. Namely, you’re homeless, and also, my boss hates you.” She expounded.

“Well, I wasn’t necessarily receiving that sentimentation.” Teeth confessed.

“She literally said “I hate you.”” Nora reminded him.

“Yeah.” Teeth remembered. “Well, all I know is, I loved the lady, but I had to let her go.” He said, solemnly.

“So, you dumped her?” Nora came to the conclusion.

“Yes.” He confirmed with a nod.

“Yeah, okay, so now we need to win Penny over. Maybe, we can send her something nice. I don’t know like chocolates, flowers.” She listed.

“Compression socks. She loved to be squeezed!” Dr.Teeth remembered.

“Squeezed? Like oranges?” Animal asked, oblivious to the innuendo.

“I knew it.” Floyd mumbled.

Nora walked over to her desk, and got out a set of house keys in a chore.

“Listen, Penny can never find out that I gave you this.” Nora conveyed, handing Teeth the keys. “The label owns a house in Laurel Canyon. You can secretly crash there.”

“But, that would be lying.” Stevie pointed out.

“It’s just to get you guys into a house, so we can then work on the album.” Nora told her.

Stevie wasn’t so sure about this.

“It’s called The Shack.” She told them.

Floyd gasped. “The Shack?” He repeated. He then let out a loud chuckle. “No way, man!” He exclaimed. He turned to Zoot who may or may not remember The Shack.

“Woah!” Zoot exclaimed.

“You know it?” Nora questioned.

The band nodded their heads in confirmation.

“Back in the day, The Shack was a magical Mecca of music’s most melodic minds.” Teeth explained.

“Oh, yeah! It’s like where I made Meatloaf his first loaf of meat.” Janice reminisced.

“It’s where Pink Floyd made that wall.” Teeth shared.

“They hired The Carpenters.” Floyd threw in.

“It’s where Freddie Mercury wrote Bohemian Rhapsody.” Stevie included.

“The Who.” Zoot said referring to the band.

“No, no man. The Carpenters.” Floyd corrected him.

“Oh.” The Saxophone Player replied.

“Lot of history, but I’ll meet you there, okay? For now, go, go!” Nora ordered them.

The band scurried out of Wax Records once finding the correct exit, leaving Nora behind.

Now, onto Laurel Canyon!

*

“This is The Shack?” Floyd asked, as they were parked outside a normal looking home.

“I don’t remember The Shack looking like this. It looked more shack like.” Stevie recalled.

“They really sucked the heart and soul out of the joint, didn’t they?” The Bassman remarked.

“Mmm-hmm.” The whole band agreed.

“Like, Nora did say we should make ourselves at home.” Janice stated.

Floyd nodded in agreement.

“Well, you know what that means. Time to add some rave to this cave!” Dr.Teeth proclaimed.

“Ooh, some rad to this pad.” Floyd added.

Lips mumbled out a response, earning a laugh from Floyd.

“Righteous rhymin’, Lips.” Teeth complimented their trumpet player. “And, I know just the jam. A two, three, four!”

Everybody's lover, everybody's brother
I wanna be your lifetime friend (Dr.Teeth)
Crazy as a rocket, there's nothin' in my pocket
I keep it at the rainbow's end (Floyd)
I never think of money, I think of milk and honey
Grinnin' like a Cheshire Cat (Janice)
I focus on the pleasure, somethin' I can treasure (Zoot)

Can you picture that?
Can you picture that? (Band)
Can You Picture? (Dr.Teeth)

Can You Picture? (Dr.Teeth)
You know what’s quick, and easy to find (Stevie)
You don’t have to buy a frame (Janice)

Use it if you need it (Floyd)
Don’t forget to feed it! (Dr.Teeth)
Can You Picture That! (All)

The band had completely turned the house into one big psychedelic masterpiece. The house was adorned with peace signs, a welcome sign on the door, two big music note hedges, and rainbow painted grass.

“No, no, no, no, no!” Was the first thing Nora said when she arrived at Laurel Canyon. She had thought her words had been clear, especially since the band said they had been to The Shack before. What had gotten lost in translation? “What have you done?!” She thundered.

“Exactly, what you told us to do. We made ourselves at home!” Floyd answered her.

“Right. At The Shack!” She reminded them.

“Uhh, this is The Shack.” Stevie stated.

“No, it isn’t!” She snapped. “That’s The Shack.” She said, pointing to across the street.

The band looked to where she was pointing.

“Ohhh!” The band said in unison, now they remembered.

“Well, that makes way more sense.” Teeth admitted.

“Yeah, now that’s a place you don’t forget.” Zoot interjected.

“Now, I know why you’ve never made an album, because there is no plan in the world that could wrangle the stampede of chaos that is The Electric Mayhem.” Nora ranted.

“Well, we made a Greatest Hits album.” Stevie told her.

“Yeah, which has only two tracks on it!” She snapped.

“Yeah, and they were our greatest hits.” Floyd explained.

“I’m done!” She huffed. Nora slowly backed away from the band, still staring at the mess they had created. “Wow!”

“Sounds to me like The Label Lady is dropping us from the label.” Teeth relayed to the band.

“It’s not the first time, this has happened.” Stevie muttered.

“Wow!” Nora repeated herself, as she went back to her car.

“Nora.” Animal said, sadly.

Teeth looked to The Shack then back to the house. “Well, if that’s The Shack, then whose house did we psychedeliate?” He wondered out loud.

“Hey!” A male voice cried out.

The band turned to the source of the voice.

A slightly older man who was holding a poodle stood before them, pointing to what could only be his house. “Who did this to my house?” He questioned.

“Uh…” Floyd trailed off. “That depends, do you like it?” He asked him.

*

That night, the band was throwing a goodbye concert at the actual Shack. The whole neighborhood along with the band’s groupies and even the guy who’s house they defaced were in attendance.

“And they said the world wasn’t ready for a forty-five minute trumpet solo.” Teeth joked.

“And, they was right!” Floyd confirmed.

The band chuckled.

“All right, now, this one goes out to a real ma’am with a plan, determined to take us to the highest of highitudes.” The Doc started.

“Nora!” Animal yelled.

“Till, she fired us.” He added.

“Nora.” Animal said, dejectedly.

Teeth looked out into the crowd, making eye contact with Nora. “This one’s for you, Label Lady.” He said before starting to sing;

When the road gets dark
And you can no longer see
Just let my love throw a spark
And have a little faith in me
When the tears you cry
Are all you can believe
Just give these loving arms a try, baby
And have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
When your secret heart
Cannot speak so easily
Come here darlin'
From a whisper start
To have a little faith in me
When your back's against the wall
Just turn around and you will see
I'll be there, I'll be there to catch your fall
So have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
'Cause I've been loving you for such a long time, baby
Expecting nothing in return
Just for you to have a little faith in me
You see time, time is our friend
'Cause for us there is no end
All you gotta do is have a little faith in me (Have a little faith, ooh)
I will hold you up, I'm gonna hold you up
Because your love gives me strength enough
So have a little faith in me (Have a little faith)
All I want ya to do for me, baby
All ya gotta do is just to have a little bit of faith in me
(Have a little faith)
Oh, you gotta choose, just to have a little faith in me
(Have a little faith)
(Faith, have a little, faith, just a little)
Have a little faith in me (Have a little faith in me)
Have a little faith in me (Have a little faith in me)
Have a little faith in me (Have a little faith in me)
Have a little faith in me (Have a little faith in me) [Teeth]

*

The Next Day

The band was preparing to pack up and go back on the road again. Leaving any idea of a debut album all behind them.

“Hey Stevie, Animal, let’s pack that in the van.” Floyd requested as the siblings were carrying an amp.

“That was some farewell show.” Nora commented.

“They always are.” The Bassist told her before exiting The Shack.

Just as Stevie and Animal went to go inside to retrieve the second amp, they overheard Nora telling Teeth that the album was back on. Animal ran to the door, upon hearing the good news.

“Nora!” Animal exclaimed happily.

Nora walked over to him, and kneeled down to his level.

“Animal.” She beamed, as she reached out her hand and ruffled his hair.

Zoot appeared out of nowhere, snapping a picture of the two.

“That’s a good one.” He praised.

*

The Mayhem band were on the road, going on one of their celebratory roadtrips. Expect, this one was more special than the others. This time, they really had something to celebrate for. They were making their first ever album!

Just as they got on the road, Nora had called.

“Hey Nora, how are you?” Janice answered.

“Good. Now, that the Doc worked some magic with Penny. So, I’ll stop by later today, and we can get to work.” Nora purposed.

“Oh, wow, like, today, is not so great for us.” Janice informed her. “We’re taking a little R and R road trip.”

“What?” Was all Nora could say in response.

“But we’ll like totally see you in nine weeks!” She promised her.

“No, I promised Penny an album. You need to turn around right now!” Nora ordered.

“Right now?” The Lead Guitarist repeated.

“Right now, you got it.” Dr.Teeth obliged.

Dr.Teeth took a sharp turn, causing the whole band to almost fall forward out of their seats.

“Whoa!” The band cried out as the van violently swerved.

“Hello? Guys? Tell me what’s happening!” They could hear Nora yelling on the other end.

The van was now teetering off of a cliff, with Animal hanging onto the front of the van.

“Talk about a cliff-hanger.” Teeth remarked.

“Ha,ha! AO3 is going to love this.” Floyd joked.

“Oh, wow fer sure!” Janice exclaimed.

“Nora!” Animal called.

*

Chapter Text

*
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺
True Colors

The Mayhem band and Nora were on the road once more, yes the band made it out alive from the cliff hanger last chapter. The Mayhem almost always knew how to get themselves out of death defying acts, they learned everything they know from The Great Gonzo himself.

“Mixtape?” Animal offered Nora a very mangled up cassette tape.

“How sweet, thank you..” Nora thanked him, taking the very unplayable tape from Animal.

“Animal got date.” Animal told his sister who seemed to be in a world of her own.

“Me too.” Stevie said, dreamily.

“With who?” He asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

“A girl.” She lied.

Janice sneezed. “Like, that’s totally okay!” She told her.

“I’m joking, it’s with a boy. A human boy.” Stevie announced.

“Like, that is also okay!” Janice accepted, happily.

Animal shook his head in disapproval, very well knowing who she was referring to. He then started picking up various items from the van’s floor, and started to offer them to Nora.

“What’s happening?” Nora asked Dr.Teeth.

“Oh, they’re gifts of affection. That’s how Animal shows his love.” He told her.

“Yeah, you know, like when a cat brings a dead birdie.” Floyd used as example.

As if on cue, Animal had given her a whole peacock who luckily for Nora’s sake was very much alive.

“How did that even get in here?!” Nora cried.

“If you find a dead mouse at the foot of your bed, just know it’s his way of asking you out.” Stevie informed Nora.

“Great, so can’t wait for that.” She mumbled under her breath.

“Give me dead mouse.” Animal asked his sister.

*

“Hey, guys!” Nora greeted the band the next day.

“Mama, should I wear this or this on my first date?” Stevie asked, holding up two similar looking flannels.

“Uh, like neither?” Janice replied.

“What? Why not? They’re my extra fancy flannels, they sparkle!” Stevie cried, showing off the sparkle effect.

“I’ll pick out something.” She assured her before sticking another needle into Lips’ face.

“Guys? Hello?” Nora said, trying to get the band’s attention.

“Oh, hey.” Stevie greeted her.

“Seriously, you’re doing acpuncture?” Nora asked Janice. “I thought we agreed no more play time, road trips, and cliff-hangers?” She reminded them. “Shout out to Moog, who apparently lives here now?”

“Moog!” The band cried out in unison.

“Hey, where the band goes, I go. And they get into cliff hangers a lot, which is why I installed a winch and a pulley system on my Jeep.” Moog said with a nod. Then, he wouldn’t stop nodding, and just made things awkward.

“Okay, love that. Let’s use your second chance at life, to finally get to work, yay!” Nora motivated them.

“Yay!” Animal exclaimed, hanging upside down from the ceiling.

“Uh, we’re going to have to put the album on hold by one more day.” Stevie mentioned to her.

“And why is that?” She questioned.

“I’m going on my first date, and to me that is way more important than a first album.” Stevie explained to her. “Now, which flannel do you like better? Purple or dark purple?” She asked holding them both up for her to see.

Nora huffed.

“For your ratification, Label Lady, we are working.” Dr.Teeth said matter-of-factly.

“Oo nice!” Floyd complimented on Teeth’s video gaming skills.

“Thank you.” He said back. “Come get serene in a bean.” He invited her.

“For us, creating creativity requires a zone-in approach.” Floyd explained to Nora. “We gotta zone out in order to zone in.” He put it simply.

“Mmm. Indeed. A maximum relaximum.” Teeth joked.

Floyd threw his head back and chuckled.

“Yeah, it’s like only when we achieve true nothingness, can we create true somethingness.” Janice declared.

“We also have to like be super stoned in order to have our creative juices flowing.” Stevie informed Nora.

“So, are you stoned?” She asked her.

“I wish.” Stevie said with a laugh.

Lips sat up, mumbling out something so profound that not even the most sober would be able to distinguish.

“Well said, Lips.” Floyd praised.

“Mmm. Too true.” Teeth said in agreement.

“And I’ve always said that, Uncle Lips.” Stevie told him.

Okay, so maybe they weren’t all that sober right now. I mean, when were they?

Nora went over to Teeth and Floyd in the living room and got down onto their level.

“Hey, yeah. I get it.” She started. “I’m not some typical money hungry CEO that only cares about record sales. No, I respect the artist and the creative process.” She lied.

Janice sneezed.

Stevie narrowed her eyes at Nora. The only time her mother ever had allergies was when she was around someone who was spewing lies, was Nora lying right now?

“Bless you!” Both Dr Teeth and Floyd said in unison.

Stevie crossed her arms as she entered the living room.

“Nora, do you lie?” She asked her.

“What makes you think that?” Nora asked her, nervously.

Janice sneezed again.

“Bless you!” The boys said again.

“Hmm. No reason.” She said before going over to her mother and Lips. “Mama, can we talk?” She asked, lowering her voice.

“Like, not right now Wildflower. I’m a bit busy.” Janice rejected as she focused on putting another needle into Lips’ face.

Stevie eyed Nora. She just knew something was up.

“I’m fielding calls from talk shows, sponsors.” Nora listed.

Moog eyed her, also feeling skeptical of Nora’s big claims.

“Not to mention that all of today’s biggest producers are hitting me up, begging me to work with you guys.” She continued.

Janice let out yet another sneeze.

“Bless you!” The Mayhem band said in unison.

Stevie went over to Moog. “Are you believing any of this?” She whispered to him.

“To be honest with you, not really.” He whispered back to her.

“Now, why don’t you bless us with the specifics, Label Lady?” Floyd requested.

A look of panic washed over onto Nora’s face. “Uh, the specifics?” She asked, hoping she heard right.

“Yeah.” He confirmed.

“Producers?” She asked.

“Mmm.” He nodded

Stevie shook her head in disbelief.

“There aren’t any, are there?” Stevie questioned Nora.

“No, there are producers.” She promised. “Everyone. I mean, Pharrell, Mark Ronson, Rick Rubin, Zedd.” She started to list off.

“Oh, right on!” Teeth exclaimed.

“Fer sure!” Janice cried.

Lips mumbled out how he was good friends with Zedd.

“So, you know who Zedd is, great!” Nora said. “I mean, he’s a huge fan, and he wants it. I mean they all do.”

“What about George Martin?” Stevie interjected.

“Uh, yeah of course. He’s on the top of the list.” She replied.

“He’s been dead since 2016.” She then informed her.

“And, I totally knew that!” She lied.

Janice sneezed.

“Bless you!”

“Who knew that we’d have so many fancy-pants producers to pick from?” Floyd remarked.

“So many that it’s too good to be true.” Stevie scoffed.

“Too true, Songbird, too true!” He agreed.

“It’s unbelievable.” Moog spoke up. “Actually, ‘cause I could have sworn that Pharrell was on tour, and that Mark Ronson was vacationing in Ibiza, and that Rick Rubin had not left Malibu or shaved in thirty years.”

“Sounds like you’re not exactly telling the truth.” Stevie called her out.

“Oh, I’m telling the truth!” Nora assured them.

“Well, since you’re lying. I guess I can lie too. I’m a big time producer who owns five big mansions, and is running for president in the 2024 election.” Stevie joked.

“When did you do all this?” Floyd asked her.

“Dad, I’m lying.” She told him.

“Ohh. Could’ve fooled me.” He said with a shrug.

“Look, I’m not lying.” Nora assured them. “Besides, I don’t even know how you know all that stuff.” She said to Moog.

Moog and Stevie both rolled their eyes at her.

“I keep tabs on all the hottest producers, so I can be ready to give ‘em my demo.” Moog revealed. “By the way, do you want my demo?” He asked her.

“Good idea. Let’s talk over there.” Nora suggested, standing up.

“Yes. Okay. Yeah.” Moog accepted, thinking it was about his demo and not all the lies Nora had been spewing to the band.

While Nora and Moog were talking, Stevie had gone over to her Mom and Uncle Lips.

“Mom, are you done?” Stevie asked Janice.

“Yep. Just have to take out the needles.” Janice told her.

With a flick of her wrist, the needles from Lips’ face had come out magically.

“Like, how convenient.” She said. “Okay, let’s go.”

*

Janice had taken her into the bedroom they were staying in which was decked out in tons of fluffy pillows, peace signs, and dream catchers.

“What about this one?” Stevie asked holding up a teal sparkly flannel.

“No, flannels.” Janice rejected.

“Aww.” She pouted.

Janice scoured through her wardrobe, searching high and low for the perfect outfit for Stevie.

“Like, I think this rully matches your aura!” Janice then said, pulling out a long white dress with flowy sleeves.

“I do prefer the flannels, but this could work.” Stevie accepted.

*

Janice had worked her magic, figuratively and literally. Stevie looked like she was about ready to go to the ball. A hippie ball. Her hair had been curled and was adorned with white flowers, her makeup was done just right, making her look like a boho princess!

“I almost didn’t recognize ya.” Floyd said, looking up from the tv.

“Ha ha, very funny.” Stevie replied, sarcastically.

“Where are you going, looking all done up like that?” He asked her.

“On a date.” Stevie said, walking away.

“Oh, okay. WAIT, A DATE?!” Floyd exclaimed.

“Oh, like don’t mind him. He’s just being a stereotypical overprotective father.” Janice told her. “Now, remember if he tries anything, tell him you have boundaries and a telekinetic mother who can forget about her peace and love personality to kick his rear bosom if he tries anything.” She advised her.

“I will make sure to tell him all of that. Like, word for word.” Stevie promised her.

“Good.” Janice said. “Be back before sun down.” She told her, before leaning over and giving her a forehead kiss.

“I will. Love you.” She said, before leaving.

*

Stevie was waiting outside for her date for hours. Her feet had started to kill her, and the sun was practically melting her makeup off her face. Just as she went to go back inside to cool off, she heard music playing from the backyard. She followed the sound, seeing the band had been throwing a killer pool party. Guess, she was too busy looking for her date to notice the cars pulling into the driveway.

“Oh, Stevie! How was your date with that boy I totally don’t want to murder?” Floyd asked her.

“Dad, I don’t want to talk about it.” Stevie replied, walking past him.

“Huh, that bad. Makes me want to kill him more.” He muttered.

“I kill?” Animal asked, holding a drumstick that was on fire.

“Not yet, Cool Cat. What happened, Songbird?” He asked her.

“He didn’t show.” Stevie answered, taking a seat at the bar. “My heart hurts.” She said.

Lips eyes widened. “Heart attack!” He cried.

“No, Uncle Lips. Heart break.” Stevie corrected him. She then started to cry.

“Oh no!” Lips said, rushing over to Stevie’s side.

“Nora!” Animal exclaimed.

Lips wrapped his arms around Stevie, pulling her into his embrace.

“Like what happened, Lips?” Janice asked him, as she came over.

“Her date didn’t show.” Lips conveyed to her.

“Her aura is like the darkest blue I’ve ever seen.” She pointed out.

Stevie sobbed.

“Hey, party people!” Nora greeted the band. She looked to Stevie, and cocked a brow. “What’s wrong with her?” She asked them.

“Date didn’t show.” Janice replied, rubbing Stevie’s back.

“What’s all this about?” She asked, pointing to the party goers behind her.

“Huuuge news! We went shoppin’.” Floyd announced.

Stevie looked up from Lips. “You went shopping without me?” She sniffled.

“You were waiting on your date.” Floyd said.

“You could’ve asked!” She cried. Stevie pulled herself out of Lips embrace, and stormed off.

“I’ll go talk to her.” He said, before leaving.

Stevie had gone back inside the shack. She tore the flowers out of her hair, and started wiping off what was left of her makeup just as Floyd had gone inside.

“Songbird.” Floyd called.

Stevie let out another sniffle, as she scrubbed the makeup off her face. She fell to her knees, starting to sob again. Floyd scurried over to her, kneeling down on the floor next to her. “Oh Songbird, I’m sorry we didn’t invite you to the store.” He apologized.

“That’s not what I’m sad about.” She said, in between sobs.

“It’s the date, ain’t it?” He guessed.

“Yes!” She sobbed.

“Men are like that.” He stated.

“I hate men!” She snapped. “Well, I don’t hate you or Uncle Lips or Uncle Zoot or Uncle Teeth or Animal or Uncle Gonzo or Uncle Kermit and especially not Uncle Deadly. But the rest of men I hate. Especially, that human boy.” Stevie ranted.

“I understand. I hate him too.” Floyd sympathized with her.

Stevie laughed.

“Stevie, Floyd!”

Stevie and Floyd looked up in the direction of the voice that was calling them.

“Janice is dead!” Lips announced.

*

The ride to the hospital was one of panic, almost death to the rest of the band because Teeth was driving recklessly, one pullover, a extremely sad trumpet performance by Lips, and a panic attack from Stevie, and where was Nora in all of this? Nowhere to be found or so they thought.

“Oh, no.” Nora said walking into the hospital room. “What have I done?”

“Oh, come on, now. You had nothin’ to do with it.” Teeth assured her.

Stevie cried into Lips’ arms, as Lips was also crying.

“This is all Morg’s fault.” Zoot called out, totally butchering Moog’s name.

“It’s Moog, and again I am so sorry.” Moog apologized, taking the blame.

“Yeah, you should be. Lyin’ to cover up your goopy eye.” Floyd scolded him. “Janice is lucky to be alive.” He grumbled.

“No, it’s Nora’s fault. She’s the one who’s been telling all the lies.” Stevie accused, pulling herself out of Lips embrace.

“Bird of Song, what makes you say that?” Dr.Teeth asked her.

“She’s right.” Nora admitted. “None of this is Moog’s fault.”

“You? Why would you lie? You’re a high-rankin’ music executive.” The Doc questioned her.

“I’m not.” She revealed.

“Hmm?” Teeth said, hoping he heard right.

“Yeah, I don’t have big time producers calling me, I didn’t book you at The Hollywood Bowl, and I have deep issues with your creative process. It’s just the worst. But, it’s me. I’m the liar.” Nora confessed.

Janice gasped, becoming conscious again. Lips practically jumped out of his skin because he had thought she had been dead.

“Mama!” Stevie exclaimed.

“Oh wow, I feel amazing! This room feels amazing.” She expressed. “You all look amazing!” She complimented.

“Oh, baby, you came back to me!” Floyd cried, squeezing her hand.

“Yeah, Floyd, she sure do, and all ‘cause The Label Lady done told the truth about all them lies.” Lips said, narrowing his eyes at the perpetrator.

“Mmm.” Teeth hummed in agreement. “Classic Lips calling it out. ‘Cause she told the truth about all those lies. All this time, Nora, we thought you believed in us.”

“Yeah.” The Bassman nodded.

“I do! That part was true.” Nora promised.

Stevie shook her head in disbelief.

“Hard to know what to believe now.” Floyd said, honestly.

Dr.Teeth nodded in agreement.

“Bye-bye, Nora.” Animal said, angrily.

“How you feelin’?” Doc asked Janice as Nora left the room.

“I feel good.” Janice replied.

“I’m so glad you’re okay.” Stevie said with tears in her eyes.

“Are you okay?” She asked her.

“I am, now that you’re awake.” She answered her.

“So good to hear your voice.” Zoot told her.

“Thanks goodness, right?” Teeth said to the band.

“Thank God.” Stevie said, with a smile.

“Lips said you died.” Floyd conveyed to her.

“Yeah, I thought you were dead.” Lips confirmed.

“No, no, I’m good.” Janice assured him.

*

That Night At The Shack.

“Man, I’m just shook.” Teeth voiced.

“Huh?” Stevie went.

“Coolified way of saying you’re shocked.” He explained to her.

“Ohh.” Stevie said, she would have to ask Skeeter about that word later.

“All this time, we thought showbiz was a trusted haven of truth and honesty.” He vented to the band.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Animal said in agreement.

“Thank goodness, we’ll always have used-car salesman and politicians.” Zoot made a point.

“Mmm-hmm.” Teeth nodded.

Stevie bursted into tears. “But they’re all men, and men can’t be trusted!” She wailed.

Janice pulled her into her arms, cradling her.

“Animal go bye-bye.” Animal said, before making an abrupt exit.

Floyd sat down on the couch next to his wife and daughter, he wrapped his arms around Stevie, helping comfort her.

“You know, I’m just happy that Janice didn’t perish in Nora’s spider-web of lies.” Floyd said, relieved.

“Although, spiders are our friends. They’re natures knitters.” Janice stated.

“Too true, too true.” Teeth agreed.

The band’s conversation had come to a halt, when noticing just how upset Stevie was.

“I think a song’s in order.” Floyd suggested.

All of a sudden before Janice could sing Stevie her song, they heard knocking on the window. The band looked up, seeing Nora standing outside.

“Sorry, to barge in, but I’ve been banging on the door for like an hour.” Nora told them.

“That was on purpose.” Stevie told her.

“Can I come in?” She asked them.

Just as she asked, Zoot had taken her picture.

“Got it.” Zoot said, as the picture slid out of the camera.

Nora blinked, stunned by the flash.

“Hey, you can open up a scooch, but I don’t want you pollutin’ Janice with your toxic lies.” Floyd told her.

The whole band nodded in agreement.

Nora did as she was told, only opening the door far enough for them to hear what she had to tell them.

“Okay, look. The reason I lied and pretended to be someone I’m not, is because I didn’t think I was good enough for you guys. Truth is, growing up was complicated, okay? My Mom was a hot mess and after my Dad was gone, I had to take care of my little Sister and it’s.. I’m saying too much.” Nora explained herself.

“No, no. Please, go on.” Teeth encouraged her.

Janice nodded.

“Tell us, we understand.” Stevie told her.

“But back then, even when things got so crazy, I could always just blast my music, and sing, and dance around my room, until everything just felt.. better. You know? That’s why I always wanted to do this, because music was the one thing that was always there for me.” Nora expressed.

“Right on.” Teeth said.

“Yeah.” Floyd added.

“The problem is, I got such a late start and now I’m just making it up as I go along.” She said. “But I know one thing, I am working with the greatest band in the world.

“You got Jimmy Jam and The Flimflammers?” Zoot asked her.

Stevie laughed. “No, Uncle Zoot. She means us.” She corrected him.

“Oh.” He returned.

“Sure, you’re not playing The Hollywood Bowl yet, but I promise I will do everything I can to make that happen, because I believe in you.” Nora promised them.

“Was that a lie?” Steve questioned.

“No, this time it is not a lie.” She assured her.

The band all looked to Janice.

“Feelin’ sneezy or queasy?” Floyd had asked her.

“Nope. This is the real Nora.” Janice assured them. She got up from her seat, holding her acoustic guitar in hand. “Opening up her heart to us.” She said, as she walked over to her. “And, like, wow! You’re just shining.” She complimented her.

(Janice)
You with the sad eyes
“What’s happening?” Nora asked the rest of the band. “It’s really not necessary.”
Don't be discouraged
Though I realize
It's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
(Floyd and Stevie stood up, joining in on backing vocals.)
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you
(“Okay, you’re joining in too.” Nora commented.)
Can make you feel so small

Lips turned on all of the lava lamps, adding ambiance to the musical number.

But I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
Your true colors
Your true colors are beautiful
Like a rainbow
(Hmm-mmm)

Janice held out her hand towards Nora, to which Nora happily stepped in and took.

*

The Next Day.

“Stevie! Stevie!” Animal chanted from outside.

“What’s goin on?” Floyd asked as he went to the door.

Stevie followed him. Floyd opened the door revealing Animal holding the human boy by a chain.

“Say it.” He ordered him.

“I-I’m sorry!” He sputtered out.

“Apology not accepted.” Floyd said, before slamming the door shut.

“Thanks, Daddy.” Stevie said, giving him a side hug.

“You’re welcome, Songbird.” He said, caressing her cheek.

*

The Mayhem band, Nora, her sister Hannah, Moog, and Nora’s new pet goat were all on a hike together.

“Ah. Fresh air. Soothes my soul.” Janice remarked.

Stevie stopped to catch her breath.

“Ha ha, loser.” Rizzo The Rat commented sarcastically. Stevie had called him to keep her mind off the fact that she was hiking in a normally humid climate, and also to keep her mind off the fact that she wasn’t in her basement right now playing video games on stream.

“Shut up, Rizzo.” Stevie scoffed, once she had finally caught her breath. She slammed her flip phone shut with her chin and stuffed it in her front flannel pocket.

The band continued walking up the steep deserty hill.

“Now, I get why my doctor said I should be doin’ more healthy activities.” Floyd recalled. “Ain’t that right, Doc?” He asked his friend who was walking behind him.

“I suggest you get a second opinion on my opinion.” Doc said, also struggling to make it up the hill.

“We’re almost there!” Janice announced.

“Oh thank God, because I need to sit.” Stevie sighed of relief.

“Sit! Sit!” Animal exclaimed.

“And, like it’s totally easier on the way down.” The hippie guitarist assured her band members.

Janice was a hiking connoisseur, every morning she would go out and hike for a couple of hours before joining her family who would just be getting up by the time she came back home to a breakfast made by Floyd.

“This isn’t down?” Zoot then asked.

“How is this better than holding up a toilet to my face?” Hannah implored.

“Hang in there, Han. It grows on you.” Nora promised.

“Grows on you?! Like a disease!” Stevie panicked.

“Just a metaphor, Stevie!” Nora yelled.

“Oh.” Stevie said, she then turned to her parents. “What’s a metaphor again?” She asked them.

The band had all stopped when they had finally made it up the hill. Standing before them, out into the distance was the city which had a purple and orange backdrop, as the sun had just been waking up.

“Transpledent, isn’t it?” Janice remarked to the band.

“Wow.” Hannah said in awe. “As much as I love a green screen, this is something you can’t fake.” She stated.

Stevie took a step forward, and fished out her flipphone from out of her flannel. She opened it up with her chin, and opened the camera. She snapped photo after photo of the city and a few pictures of the sunset. Suddenly, her phone levitated out of her hand and flew past her shoulder. She turned around, seeing her Mom now holding her phone.

“Live in the moment.” She told her.

Stevie smiled, and went over to her parents. She stood in the middle of them, taking both of their hands into hers.

“I’m just hoping this being honest thing actually pays off.” The band overheard Nora say to her sister.

“I believe that’s called karma.” Janice said in a sing-songy voice.

All of a sudden, Lips’ phone started to go off. “Oh!” He said, taking his iPhone out of his pants pocket. “Mahna-Mahna.” He greeted the caller. “Hey!” He laughed. “Huh?”

The band, Hannah, and Nora all listened in trying their best to hear what the caller was relaying to Lips.

“Oh, yes, just a second.” He told the person on the other end. “Yeah, Nobu.” He called, turning to her.

“What? For me?” Nora asked him.

“Mmm-hmm.” He confirmed with a nod.

Nora took the phone from Lips, just as she asked; “Who is it?”

“I believe that’s karma calling.” Janice claimed.

“No way!” Nora exclaimed, looking at the caller ID.

The whole band leaned in, too curious to know what she was getting excited about.

“Hello?” Nora answered, holding Lips’ phone up to her ear.

*

Chapter Text

*
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺
Bridge Over Troubled Water

The Mayhem were as per usual starting off their day by going on their typical mini road trip. Animal was seated up front with Teeth, playing the Simon Says game he begged Floyd to get him at the grocery store.

“Ah, Simon.” Animal said, holding the round game like it was made of rubies.

“All be good to Simon.” Teeth mused.

“Yeah.” Floyd agreed.

“Yeah, yeah!” Animal rejoiced. He began to press buttons on the game, following the beep sounds to which button he needed to press next. The beeps soon started to sound like a song.

“Yeah.” Doc hummed, finding the beeps to be rather rhythmic.

Zoot snored along to the beat, while the girls (Stevie and Janice) tapped their fingers adding to the music.

“Feel that?” Doctor Teeth asked his fellow band members.

“Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m feeling it.” Floyd affirmed. He held up the empty coke bottle he had in his hand, and started to blow air into it.

Lips opened and closed an empty Funyuns bag, creating a crinkling noise with it.

“Oh, yeah!” Janice exclaimed, playing with the beads hanging from the van window.

“Come on!” Teeth sang.

Simon, Simon! (Janice)

Come on! (Teeth)

Simon, Simon (Stevie)

Come on! (Teeth)

Suddenly, the Simon game made a loud buzzing noise causing Animal to yell out in frustration and chuck the game out the window causing a car to swerve violently.

The band looked at each other, as silence fell amongst the very loud group. Animal looked to Teeth with his brows furrowed. “Simon.” He grumbled.

“Oh well, that would’ve made a great track for the album.” Stevie said with a shrug.

“Oh well, indeed.” Teeth said in agreement.

*

Nora and the band had met up with each other at Zedd’s studio, finally ready to lay down some tracks for their debut album.

“Do you understand how HUGE this is?” Nora asked them. “Zedd called and offered to produce your whole album in his studio, and… what are you doing?” She questioned Animal who was eating one of Zedd’s gold records.

“Gold.” Animal pointed out before taking another bite.

“Oh, uh… Animal’s got expensive taste.” Floyd explained to her.

“It’s best, if you just let him finish.” Stevie advised her.

“No, no, no! (She quickly snatched the record from Animal.) General rule of thumb, while we’re here okay? No eating, no touching, no eating what you touch.” Nora laid out. “Please, put this back carefully.” She requested Dr Teeth as she handed him the record.

Dr Teeth turned around, and handed it right back to Animal to which the red and orange fur monster gladly took.

“And be chill.” She said in a whisper.

“Hey, there they are.”

“Oh, snap. It’s happening.” Nora said, trying her hardest not to fangirl.

“Nora, be chill. It’s just a man.” Stevie assured her.

Nora pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

Lips mumbled out a string of words, which consisted of being rejoiced to seeing Zedd.

“Hey, Lips!” Zedd greeted him, doing their secret handshake. “Hey, it’s the goat lady from the hike.” He remembered.

“Shut up! What, you remember me?” Nora asked, feeling absolutely starstruck. “Cool! Do, I get a dope handshake too?” She questioned, going over to him as if they were the best of friends. She then proceeded to give him a handshake. “I remember something like this, a little finger, the elbow. What’s up? You know, we’ll workshop it later.” She said, before letting out a gasp. “Can I hold your Grammy?” She requested.

“Uh…” Zedd trailed off in an unsure voice.

“Is it heavy? It looks heavy.” Nora yapped, as she went and picked his Grammy award up. She let out an excited squeal as she turned to the band. “It is heavy.” She whispered to them. She started pumping her arm, as if she were lifting weights.

“Please don’t touch that.” Zedd asked of her.

“I don’t know if The Label Lady knows what “chill” means.” Floyd Pepper whispered to his best friend.

“Chill is not in her vocabulary.” Stevie said with a shake of her head.

“She’s totally freaking Zedd out.” The bassist conveyed.

Both Dr Teeth and Stevie facepalmed. The band was very much feeling the second hand embarrassment emanating off of their manager.

After, the weirdness of Nora fangirling.

“Wow, this place looks like a giant sexy spaceship.” Floyd commented, as the band entered Zedd’s recording both.

“Please, don’t say that again.” Stevie cringed.

“Which part? Spaceship or giant?” He asked her.

She sighed.

“I must say, a rather sleek and chic space for our laid back pace.” Teeth rhymed.

“Right on!” Nora agreed, popping her head out of the door. “Me as well. Also. Too.” She quickly threw in.

Stevie cocked a brow.

“If you need anything, I’m outside. Although, it’s a pretty big space, you know?” Nora pointed out.

“I’l let you know, it gets tight in here.” Zedd assured her, before closing the door and locking it on her.

“Okay.” She replied.

“Let’s do this.” He said, turning to The Electric Mayhem.

“Yeah!” The band exclaimed.

*

Floyd was in the recording booth, with his bass guitar in hand.

“So, uh, usually, the band all plays together in a group.” Floyd informed him. “I just play here, alone?” He implored.

“That’s the idea.” Zedd spoke into the speaker.

“All right.” The bassist accepted.

He started playing some chords on his bass guitar, flooding the studio with its sweet sound.

Zedd pressed and slid up some buttons, creating a remix of the conversation he had with Floyd Pepper.

Then it went to Lips, who was playing his trumpet. He sighed and mumbled indistinctly into the microphone. Zedd had proceeded to make a remix out of that as well.

Next was Janice.

“Ready to lay it down?” He asked the groove guitarist.

“Oh, like, totally, fer sure!” Janice answered, looking up from her mint blue guitar.

He began to put her words into a mix by making it come off distorted and scratchy.

Onto Zoot.

He just stood there, not sure what he had to do. He actually had no idea why he was even here in the first place. He just knew Lips was here, and that was what comforted him. Made him feel at home. Wherever home was for Zoot.

“I left my sax at home.” He confessed.

Then, Dr.Teeth was tickling the electronic ivories of the keyboard. He had never had a keyboard or let alone a piano with this many modern features on it before.

“Ready when you are, Doc.” Zedd told him.

“Well, all right!” He cried.

“Wait, that’s perfect.” He claimed.

“Well, right on.” Teeth commented, holding up a peace sign. “Also, how?” He then asked.

Flash forward to a little while later, the band excluding Stevie and Animal had been listening to the remix Zedd had made for them. It wasn’t their typical style, but the Mayhem band had been enjoying it regardless.

Well, alright! (Teeth)

I left my sax at home (Zoot)

“Yeah!” Teeth said, enjoying every second of the mix.

I just play alone? (Floyd)

“Consider us collectively blown away by your rhythmical beats and bytes.” Dr Teeth praised Zedd.

“Oh! Speaking of beats, I think Animal and Stevie’s all ready to lay down our drum and keytar tracks.” Zedd conveyed before looking to them from inside the control booth.

Animal looked down at the drum pad in confusion. Where was the drums and the cymbals?

“It’s Simon. You know how to play Simon, Animal.” Stevie encouraged his brother.

“Yeah! Simon.” He said, happily.

“Close, but that’s a drum machine. Hit it.” Zedd commanded.

Animal pressed a button by using his drumstick. It emitted a noise that resembled a snare drum, he jumped back in surprise.

“Got it, that was perfect.” Zedd complimented.

“Wha..wha?” Animal questioned. He didn’t even have the chance to go crazy on the drums yet.

“When’s it my turn?” Stevie asked him.

“I just have to mix Animal’s recording.” Zedd answered her.

Stevie began practicing, while Animal took it upon himself to press another button on the drum machine.

“I mean, honestly we ain’t got no need for any of our axes and saxes, man.” Floyd conversed with his fellow band members. “With all these high-tech gizmos, (He put his legs up on the sound board, accidentally turning on the call button.) and the way you create your musical magic. (He let out a hearty chuckle.) Just think about it. This band ain’t got need for Animal or Stevie and their drums and keytars.”

The band erupted into laughter.

“Oh, fer sure!” Their mother agreed.

Was Stevie and Animal hearing right? Did their Dad just say he didn’t need them anymore? Stevie couldn’t believe her ears, she felt like she was sucker punched in the stomach. Animal felt the same way, in fact he felt anger boil inside of him. He looked to Stevie. “Daddy, don’t need us.” He relayed. Stevie couldn’t speak, she felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. Animal shoved his drumsticks into his pants, and marched right over to his sister. He grabbed her by the hand, and dragged her towards the wall. He tore through the huge glass window, creating an Animal shaped hole in its place.

*

“Animal, stop!” Stevie yelled for the umpteenth time.

Animal stopped in his tracks, and turned to his sister.

“Where are we going?” She asked him.

“Miss.Robin’s.” He answered.

“But, Animal. Miss.Robin’s been dead for years.” Stevie reminded him.

Animal fell silent, the only sound coming from him were his heavy breathing. After a few moments of silence, he grabbed his sister’s hand again and resumed walking.

“Where are we going?!” Stevie asked him, exasperated.

“Find new job.” He replied.

*

Animal had gone to every place he could come across that he assumed would get them a job. So far, the siblings had been kicked out of a library, a school, a jailhouse, and a night club. With Stevie’s suggestion to read the store signs, she had finally found a business that was quite literally called “Get a job, quick.”

“Okay, let’s find you two a job, Mr and Miss…” The business man trailed off. “Is it pronounced Ani-mal and Ste-vie?” He asked them, while looking at their resumes.

“Animal.” Animal corrected him.

“Stevie.” She responded.

“What is it?” He asked again.

“Animal.”

“Stevie.”

“Animal. Stevie.” He mispronounced.

“Animal.” Animal repeated.

“It doesn’t matter.” He disregarded. “What type of work do you wanna get?” He asked, getting straight to the point.

“Animal.” Animal told him again.

“I can’t get you a job. Unless, you want your job to revolve around animals?” He implored.

“Bad idea.” Stevie rejected.

“Why is that?” He then asked her.

“Best if we just leave it at that.” She advised.

“Okay, no.” Was all he managed to say in response. “This is a job where you do something.” He clarified.

“Yeah.” Animal agreed, not really knowing what he was agreeing to.

“Hospitality industry, does that sound good?” He suggested.

“Yeah!” He accepted.

“Sounds good?” The man asked again.

Stevie hadn’t been so sure if any normal job for them sounded good. She wanted her old job back, she wanted her family back.

“Yeah, that sounds good. Are you blindly agreeing with everything I say?” He then inquired.

“Yeah.” Animal nodded.

“Yeah?” He returned.

“Yeah.” Animal repeated.

“Can I ask you a question?” He asked.

“Yeah.” Animal said.

“Am I the most handsome man, you’ve ever seen?” He asked with a smile on his face.

Stevie shook her head with a frown on her face.

“No.” Animal denied.

“No.” The man echoed, sounding dejected. “Honesty. Good, right off the bat.”

“Yeah.” Animal said with an assuring nod.

“Top five though, right?” The man asked him.

“Five.” He echoed.

Stevie started to tune out the man and Animal’s banter between one another. She then felt a buzzing in her pocket, she fished out her phone and looked at the caller ID. Lips was calling. She opened up her phone with her chin, and hit the reject button. She slipped the phone back into her pocket, just as she felt a pang of guilt in the pit of her stomach.

Before she could even process what was going on, Animal and Stevie now had a job where they cleaned houses. Animal was flying around the house, yelling as he made the house dirtier than it was when they arrived. Let’s just say, the clients weren’t very happy with the outcome.

*

“Okay, don’t worry about it. All right? The custodial arts aren’t for everybody.” Their job recruiter assured them or more so assured himself. “Can you please take my phone out of your mouth?” He then asked of Animal.

Stevie reached up and tore the man’s phone out of her brother’s mouth, setting it back onto its receiver. “Thank you.” He thanked her. Stevie nodded, before looking back down at her lap. When Stevie was sad or mad, she was quiet. Sometimes, if she was really upset, she wouldn’t speak for hours or even days.

“What about that, though? What about a job, answering phones? What do you think about that?” He suggested.

“Okay!” Animal happily accepted, reaching for his telephone.

“Nope! Not mine.” He rejected, stopping him. “You’re never gonna answer my phone.”

“Okay.” He nodded.

“You wanna practice?” Their recruiter then asked him.

“Yeah!” Animal said, nodding vigorously.

“Ready?” He asked him, taking the phone off its receiver and handing it to Animal.

Stevie looked out the window, thinking of how they had stormed out of the studio without telling the band where they were going. Suddenly, her phone went off again. It had been going off for the last couple of hours. She pulled it out once more and saw that it had been her Uncle Lips calling. Stevie let it ring before it finally came to a stop. A part of her had wished he never stopped calling.

*

While Animal answered or more so hung up on incoming calls. Stevie was off to the side, staring at her phone. Praying to get a call from Uncle Lips again. She even contemplated calling him, but a part of her was afraid that if he answered him and the band would be angry.

“I don’t think things are working out here.” Their boss conveyed to them.

“Okay, bye.” Animal bid her farewell. Just as he went to go grab his sister, he was then pulled back violently by the telephone cord that was wrapped around his entire body.

“Phone stays here, thanks.” Their now ex boss informed him.

*

The Next Day.

Animal and Stevie were back at The Recruiters Office, looking for yet another job.

“You are making me look bad.” Their job recruiter whose name they found out was Gus said to them. “We are running out of options, but you know what? I’m about to save you both, because I think I got the one.” He announced. “You ready for this?”

“Yeah!” Animal cried.

“Come here.” Gus motioned. “Have you ever thought…” He trailed off, as he leaned forward on his desk.

“Yeah.” Animal whispered.

“…About a job…” He continued.

“Yeah, yeah.” Animal repeated.

“As a drummer and keytarist in a rock band?” Gus asked them.

Stevie perked up, while Animal became angry and started to meltdown. Those were now trigger words for Animal.

“No, then!” Gus cried out, praying he would stop destroying his desk.

“Animal, heel.” Stevie commanded him, tugging on his chain.

“Heel.” Animal repeated her, before sitting back in his chair and calming down.

“What about an exciting career in the food service industry?” Gus suggested, his voice cracking out of fear.

“Yeah, okay.” Animal gleefully accepted.

*

Animal and Stevie were now working at a Sushi restaurant where customers watched them slice and dice their food as if it were a show. Stevie was the one serving the food to the customers, while Animal prepared the food. Animal seemed to be enjoying the job, while Stevie not so much. Actually, she wasn’t enjoying their new found career at all. She wanted to go home.

“Animal, I want to go home.” Stevie voiced to her brother after their shift was over.

“New home is here.” Animal said, pointing to the crappy apartment they shared together.

“This isn’t home. Home is where the band-“ “No band.” Animal cut her off. Stevie huffed. “You are impossible!” She snapped, before storming off to her bedroom which had been an extension of the living room.

*

The Next Night.

Stevie just about had it. The restaurant was too hot for her liking, and the customers were too loud. She turned to Animal ready to call it quits, right as she saw what she swore was the band in the corner of her eye walk into the restaurant. Stevie turned around, and was now face to face with her family. She made eye contact with her Dad who was standing in the front of the group. “Daddy?” She whispered.

“Hey Animal, hey Stevie.” Floyd greeted, making himself known to his son.

Animal briefly looked up at him, before resuming his cooking.

Stevie fought back tears, she turned her back to him.

“Come on you two, don’t be like that.” He said, letting out a small laugh. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on or why you guys split.” He conveyed.

“No need.” Animal quoted.

“No need?” He echoed him. “What are you talking about?” He probed.

Animal turned to him and said; “No need, Animal and Stevie. Ha, ha, ha!”

“Wait, wait, wait.” Floyd said. “Oh, look, you two thought that we were sayin’, that we didn’t need you?” He implored.

Animal looked up at him.

“No way, man!” He denied. “You know, I mean…” He trailed off, finding it difficult to find the right words to say. “Look, we’d never…not…” He stammered.

“Ugh!” Animal grunted, turning back to the stove.

“When we said that…” Floyd tried again. “Oh.” He sighed, coming to a complete fork in the road. He then turned around, and walked back over to the group.

Stevie looked up, hoping and praying the band wouldn’t leave.

A moment later, Floyd turned back around and took a few steps towards them.

“Hey Cool Cat, Songbird.” He called. Stevie looked up at him, while Animal kept on cooking. “I may be bad with words, but…” Floyd trailed off. He then began to sing a very familiar song to them;

When you're weary
Remember this one?
You’re feeling small (Floyd)

Stevie let out a gasp, just as tears welled up in her eyes.

Animal looked up, finally making eye contact with Floyd. “Baby song.” He remembered.

Floyd chuckled. “That’s right.” He praised him.

When tears are in your eyes
I will dry them all

“Baby song.” Animal repeated himself.

Janice started strumming her guitar along to her husband’s singing.

I'm on your side
Oh, when times get rough
And friends just can't be found (The rest of the band joined in with Floyd, making the song extra sentimental.)

Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

Animal had realized that the band needed them. They were incomplete without each other, that’s what made them a family. Unity.

Stevie couldn’t wait any longer. She ran over to her family, and embraced them in a bear hug. Animal soon followed suit.

*

The Band excluding Floyd had all been in bed for the night. After their long couple of days, Animal and Stevie had fallen asleep pretty quickly. Floyd pressed a kiss to his daughter’s forehead before going out into the living room where Animal was crashed out on his hammock. He gently rocked his hammock back and forth, before going over to his guitar case. Inside the guitar case was a picture of him holding Stevie and Animal as toddlers, next to it was a piece of paper that had the words “Keep” written on it. He picked up the piece of paper, reminiscing on the day he had met his children. If he were asked to do it all over again, he most definitely would.

*

When morning came, Animal had gotten up early to make a mean good breakfast with his new found talent. He had made eggs, bacon, pancakes, and sausage.

“Mmm! This smells delicious, Animal.” Floyd complimented him.

“I could get used to this.” Stevie said, walking over to her Dad.

“Most certainly.” Floyd agreed. “Cup of tea?” He then offered Dr Teeth.

“I won’t mind.” Teeth mumbled out.

The door to The Shack opened, and in came a very excited Moog. I mean, when wasn’t he excited?

“Yo. I just heard the new single, Making Mayhem. You guys crushed it!” He praised the band.

“We put out a new single?” Stevie asked.

“You weren’t there for it.” Floyd relayed, before catching her up to speed on what happened while they were gone but in a short condensed explanation.

“Ohh.” She said, nodding.

“You mean crushed my dream of having a hit single for our album?” Nora reiterated. “‘Cause yes, we still have no studio, no producers, and no new songs.” She listed.

“You just gotta believe, Thunderdome.” Moog motivated her.

“Thunderdome?” Stevie repeated.

“That’s the last time, you call me that.” Nora ordered.

“Got it, right. I don’t know why I said that.” Moog obliged. “Okay, look, just trust me. Okay?” He asked of her. “This band is gonna give you something awesome to drop.” He was certain of. Right after he said that, the floor caved in and there went Moog.

Everyone even the band all let out a collective gasp. They then peered into the gaping hole where Moog once stood.

“Oh my God, are you okay?!” Nora asked him.

“Talk to us, Morg.” Zoot said, butchering his name yet again.

“It’s Moog, and you know what? I think I’m okay, but um guys you aren’t going to believe what’s down here.” He revealed.

To be continued.

*

Chapter Text

*
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺
God Only Knows

The band were strolling down Vine Street, while having one of their typical on the road music sessions.

She’ll be coming round the mountain, when she comes
She’ll be coming around the mountain, when she comes

Jingle bells, jingle bells

Take me out to the ball game!

Stronger than yesterday, now it’s nothing but my way!

Ave, Maria!

With my banjo on my knee

The whole band cheered, when the last song had come to an end.

“That’s how you do it!” Floyd declared.

“Oh, fer sure!” Janice agreed.

“Life can’t get any better than this.” Stevie remarked.

“Too true Songbird, too true.” Teeth said in agreement.

Lips mumbled out a string of words that consisted of him also agreeing with Stevie. He patted her on the back, and let out a hearty laugh.

“Hey uh, what song do you wanna sing next?” The Groove Doctor asked of his fellow band members.

“Dancing Queen by ABBA?” Stevie put in.

“Metallica!” Animal suggested.

“Ooh, like how about The Beatles?” Janice requested.

“Ooh, maybe David Bowie?” Floyd threw in.

“Hendrix! Hendrix!” Animal chanted.

“All fantabulous options that we can most certainly afford to sing for free right here in our van.” Teeth commented.

“And I’ve always said that.” Stevie claimed.

“But I say we really break the bank, with a full twelve minute rendition of Led Zeppelin’s Stairway To Heaven!” He recommended.

The band all sounded in agreement.

*

The Shack.

The band and Nora after finding the stairs had gone downstairs to where Moog now was.

“Woah!” The band exclaimed as a flood of memories had rushed back to them.

“I remember this!” Stevie cried.

“Look at this!” Floyd remarked as Moog was dusting himself off.

“What is this place?” Nora questioned.

“Nora, you are looking at the secret studio under The Shack.” Moog revealed. “I always thought it was just the stuff of rock music myth.”

“Oh, it was real alright.” Floyd confirmed. He let a loud hearty chuckle.

“Yeah, back in the day, everybody would jam and party down here.” Moog recalled. “The Mamas and The Papas, Sonny and Cher…” He began to list off.

“Hey, Mayhem!” Yelled a voice.

The group turned around seeing two old men sitting on a sofa.

“Cheech and Chong.” Moog pointed out.

Stevie furrowed her brows in confusion.

“You guys went out for pepperoni pizza, and never came back, man.” The bandana clad man informed them.

“Yikes!” Stevie cringed. She had only been five when that happened, yet she had remembered that day all too well.

“And with anchovies, man.” The other man wearing a yellow shirt claimed.

“Yeah! Hey, where are the anchovies man?” The elder on the right asked.

“Uh well, we got a little sidetracked by the 2000s.” Dr.Teeth explained.

Floyd and Lips erupted into laughter.

“Okay, this is insane!” Nora intervened.

“No. This is home.” He corrected her.

Stevie smiled.

“Fate has fortuitously unified us, with our faithful friends, and our groovy gear.” The flamboyant Groove Doctor proclaimed.

Animal tore off the sheet that covered his drum set. “Woah! Drums! Drums!” He yelled.

“Wow! It’s Animal’s first drum kit.” Janice realized.

Stevie went and picked up a sheet covered instrument as well, revealing it to be a keytar with colorfully painted piano keys.

“And Stevie’s first ever keytar.” Floyd commented. “Look, our old home movies and TV VCR combo.” He then pointed out.

“Uh guys, this stuff has been down here forever. There’s no way it still works..” Nora cautioned.

Just as she said that, Moog had flipped a switch and the entire studio had been brought back to life. Filling the room with a nice subtle glow which came from the fairy lights, Janice had decorated the walls with. The television behind Floyd had also come back to life, showing an old performance of theirs from The Muppet Show.

“There’s a light switch?” The old man wearing a yellow shirt and wearing a beanie asked.

He rocks in the tree tops, all day long

“Hey! Remember that one?” Floyd asked the band as he pointed to the TV screen.

“Tweet! Tweet!” Animal exclaimed, scurrying over to the television.

“I remember how difficult it was for you guys to get out of the tree.” Stevie joked.

All of the little birdies on Jaybird street
Love to hear the Robin go (All)
Tweet, Tweet, Tweet! (Animal)
Rockin’ Robin
Tweet, tweet, tweet
Rockin’ Robin

“Shut up, all of yous!” A familiar grumpy voice sounded from upstairs.

Stevie practically jumped out of her lavender foam skin upon hearing the loud voice.

“What you do to my floor?” Penny Waxman asked, peering down into the gaping hole.

“Hey, now, there is my little Firecracker.” Dr.Teeth warmly greeted his ex.

“In your dreams, Chompers!” She scoffed.

Dr.Teeth laughed in response, finding her quips to be endearing and romantic. “Love you too, Twinkles!” He said, wiggling his fingers at her.

Stevie couldn’t help but cringe.

“Gross.” She whispered.

“Can you two please be professional and play nice?” Nora asked of them.

“Just like us. Right smooshie?” A man wearing a suit interjected.

“Smooshie?” Stevie mumbled.

“Bad! Bad!” Animal yelled.

Floyd grabbed onto his chain, holding him back from attacking. “Animal, no! Back!” He ordered. Stevie stepped in, helping her Dad hold her brother back.

“Um… Maybe, leave your guard dog down there and you come up?” The stranger asked of Nora.

Nora cleared her throat, as she smoothed down her hair. “BRB.” She excused herself, before going upstairs.

“BRB? What does that mean?” Stevie asked.

“Bring your own root beer.” Teeth answered

“Ohh.” She returned.

“Ah. Right.” Floyd nodded.

“Oh.” Lips said.

“Hey, we should get rollin’ too.” The beanie wearing elder said to his friend.

“Hey, you got a dime for a payphone?” The other elder asked Zoot.

Zoot brought up his hand which conveniently was holding a dime. The dime started to levitate.

“Hey, thanks, Dave.” The old man thanked Zoot.

“How you do that, man?” The other elder implored.

While Nora was upstairs conversing with her friend, and her boss. The band had been downstairs, singing Rockin Robin with Stevie on lead vocals and her parents on backing vocals.

Oh Rockin’ Robin, ‘cause we’re really gonna rock tonight!

“You did good, Songbird!” Floyd complimented her.

“Thanks, Daddy.” Stevie said sheepishly.

Nora had come back downstairs.

“See, now, that’s what I call classic Mayhem.” Moog remarked. “You guys should cover this for the album.” He suggested.

“Absolutely!” Nora agreed.

Janice shrugged.

“Why are you shrugging?” She asked Janice.

“Well, I mean like, we try not to make money off of our children.” She explained.

“But she’s in the band?” Nora reminded her.

“Yeah, but it’s like up to her to decide. Not us.” She pointed out.

“Uh, Stevie?” Nora said, turning to her.

Stevie shrugged in response.

Nora sighed. “Suppose, that’s a no then.” She said, admitting defeat. “Besides, I think everything on this new record has to sound super fresh.”

“Right on. Hey Floyd?” Teeth called.

“Hmm?” Floyd responded, turning to him.

“You cover the keys, I’ll slap the strings. We’ll do an instrumentation switch-ilation.” He initiated.

“Good idea.” Floyd agreed.

The band started giving their instruments to the other Muppet.

“No, no, no. Stop!” Nora commanded.

Lips handed Stevie his trumpet, while she gave him her keytar.

“I’m not just talking about changing instruments.” She explained.

“How about this?” Floyd asked her.

Suddenly, the band was now wearing an all white ensemble.

“Festive garments to wow the crowd.” Dr.Teeth said.

“Mmm.” Zoot hummed in response.

“Okay. Also, not asking for a wardrobe change.” Nora stated. “I’m talking about something, especially for that twelve to twenty-four demo. A whole new musical vibe. Look, how about a hot music collab huh?” She threw out.

“Ooh, like what we did last time with Zedd and Sofia Carson?” Floyd inquired.

“No, No, this time, we actually wanna keep the song.” The Label Lady elaborated.

“Oh!” The whole band said in unison.

“Yeah, that’s one way to go.” Teeth said.

“I’m not even talking about a producer just behind the scenes.” Nora started. “I’m talking about an artist on the mic, bringing a new sound. Think, like, reggae, EDM, K-Pop, modern pop, folk pop, country pop, hip hop.” She listed as the band nodded in agreement.

“Classic rock.” Lips threw in along with a load of mumbling about the very genre he mentioned.

Nora snapped. “Mumble rap.” She said.

“Oh, yeah!” Floyd cried.

“There you go, Lips. See now, the ideas are flowing.” She beamed.

“Why didn’t you say so? We love the collaborizations. Right, gang?” Dr.Teeth asked the band.

“Yeah, we do.” Floyd confirmed.

“We love it.” Zoot claimed.

“Yeah. What say we bring the old school?” Their piano player suggested.

“And you bring the new.” Floyd said to Nora.

“Hey, I know my way around a mixing board. You guys rock it, I’ll record it.” Moog offered.

“Oh, you the man, Gorp.” Zoot complimented as well as butchering his name once again.

“You know what, you can call me whatever you want, as long as I can help make this album, all right?” Moog requested.

“Right. For sure. Um, actually, can you help me with something outside real quick?” Nora then asked of him.

“Yeah, sure.” He accepted.

“Okay, perfect.” She replied.

Nora and Moog had gone upstairs, leaving the band to their own devices.

“They’re so in love.” Stevie remarked, once the two were out of earshot.

*

The band had all gone upstairs off to do their own thing until they felt like doing something else. Janice and Stevie were in their pillow fortress, meditating. Nora had come inside, rolling in her suitcase from her car.

“Welcome, roomie. Oh, I have such big plans for you!” Janice gushed. “We’ll stay up late and braid each other’s hair, and use astral projection to dream share. Tonight, we’ll be flying on the back of a liger to Las Vegas.” She planned out.

“Uh… Will I have a bed while dreaming about all this?” Nora inquired.

“This is your bed.” Stevie said, pointing to all around them.

“The pillows?” She questioned.

“Yeah, fer sure.” Janice confirmed. “I don’t believe one’s body should be imprisoned by a bed frame, which is why I subscribe to free-range resting. Just like, drop and sleep anywhere.” She added.

Stevie nodded.

“Okay, so it’s kind of like the world is our bed.” Nora said, sitting down.

“Now, you’re getting it.” Stevie praised.

“Exactly. This is gonna be so much fun. We’re gonna be just like sisters.” Janice declared.

“Trust me, I’m the last sister you’d ever want.” Nora muttered.

“Still no word from Hannah?” Janice asked her.

“No.” She denied. “For some reason, she’s still not over me calling her “a shallow, self-centered opportunist.””

Stevie cringed.

“I, like, totally feel like this is all my fault, because it totally is all my fault.” Janice lamented.

“No, it’s mine.” Nora corrected her. “I told Hannah, I don’t need her in my life and that’s clearly not true.” She added. “Plus, she’s the only one I know that has actual connections. So, I know I promised you guys a cool collaboration, but it’ll never happen without her help.” She vented.

“When me and my brother would get into fights, we would have to wear a hug it out shirt until we made up and hugged it out.” Stevie shared.

Nora laughed. “Yeah, I don’t think that’s going to work for us. I really ruined our relationship.” She sighed.

Abruptly, Lips had come in holding his phone. “Hey, I just booked us.” He started to say before mumbling out the rest of his announcement to the girls.

“What was that?” Nora asked them, when Lips had walked away.

“Um, Lips booked Kesha, Desiigner, Deadmau6, and Ziggy Marley.” Janice translated.

“Wha..how?” She questioned.

“When it comes to Lips, you don’t ask how, you just say “wow.”” The hippie guitarist put it simply.

“Wow” It is.” Nora echoed. “Okay, Lips, coming through with the epic collabs.”

“If you ask me, the only real collaboration that matters is the one with your sister.” Janice stated.

Nora sighed.

“Just tell Hannah, you really do need her. It’s that simple.” She told her.

“Janice, I tried, okay? But she totally iced me out.” Nora protested. “‘Kay. There’s really nothing left for me to do.” She concluded.

“Or is there?” Janice alluded.

“What?” Was all Nora could say in response.

“Nothing.” She said, playfully.

*

Later that day, Janice and Stevie had gone over to Hannah’s house for a very special live stream with her on her Instagram account. Little did Hannah know, they weren’t here for her to do their makeup.

“Hey, Fanahannas.” Nora’s sister greeted her followers. “Today, we have two special guests for our makeup tutorial. Janice and Stevie from The Electric Mayhem did a surprise pop-in to each get a makeover.” She introduced to her chat.

“Oh, like, hi!” Janice greeted them.

“Okay, so first, we’re gonna go in with some light shadow, just to open the eye a little bit.” Hannah said, before lightly tapping the brush into the powder.

“Oh like kind of like, opening your heart to your sister.” Janice threw in.

“Okay? To get the perfect blend, what you’re gonna wanna do is…” “Forgive your sister, because you never know when you’ll really need her.” Stevie cut her off.

“Sisters blend together, perfectly.” Janice remarked.

Hannah chuckled nervously. “Okay.” She said. “So, you two clearly have an agenda, and I refuse to acknowledge it.” She informed them.

“Like, what’s an agenda?” Stevie asked, playing dumb.

“I’m not falling for that.” Hannah told her, before turning her attention back to her iPhone. “So, how about we just slap on some lipstick and call it a day?” She prompted, bringing the pink lipstick over to Janice’s lips.

“Kind of like how sisters need to lip-stick together?” Janice probed.

“So true.” Stevie agreed.

“Okay, that one didn’t even make any sense.” Hannah insulted. She then remembered that she was live-streaming, she turned to her phone and chuckled nervously. “I mean, smash that like button, (Janice and Stevie nodded in response to everything she was saying.) and hit subscribe. Bye!”

“Okay, bye!” Both Stevie and Janice said to the camera.

Hannah ended the live stream, now there wasn’t over a thousand people watching them and recording them.

“Oh, wow! That was like so informative.” Janice praised.

“Okay, I get it. Nora sent you guys. Well, you can just go back and tell her to forget it.” Hannah scoffed.

“Oh no, this was all our idea.” Stevie corrected her. “I’ve also come here to give you this.” She said, before pulling out a t shirt.

“A t shirt?” Hannah questioned, taking it from her. She then folded the t shirt out, revealing it to be an upgraded hug it out shirt for both her and Nora. “It’s yours now, I don’t want it.” She said, throwing it into her lap.

“See, my life’s mission is to bring people together.” Janice conveyed. “Yeah, remember when The Backstreet Boys broke up?” She asked her.

Hannah’s brows furrowed in confusion. “The Backstreet Boys never broke up.” She denied.

“That’s ‘cause I kept them together.” Janice stated.

“Okay, honestly, I don’t need my sister, so just drop it.” She bellowed.

“Fer sure!” She disbelieved.

“No, actually. My life is better without her.” She assured herself.

“Fer sure.” Janice repeated herself.

“So, we’re good here?” She asked them.

“Sure.” Stevie said with a shrug.

“Fer sure!” Janice exclaimed.

“Okay. Is that a “fer sure” as in, you give up or a “fer sure” where you’re just humoring me?” Hannah inquired.

Janice leaned up from her chair and whispered into Hannah’s ear; “‘Fer sure!”

Her and Stevie then left Hannah’s recording room, leaving her more confused than ever before.

*

Janice and Stevie had rejoined the band down in the studio just as their celebrity special guest star Kesha had arrived.

“Kesha, hi! Wow. We’re just so…” Nora greeted. “Wow, you’re actually here to collab, in person, with the band. It’s honestly, it’s just…wow.” She fangirled.

“Anything for Lips.” Kesha told her. “He was the one that told me to drop the dollar sign out of my name.” She shared, wrapping an arm around him.

Kesha and Lips had gone way back. He was also the one who got her signed to her record label then got her out of the said record label, when he found out you know who was a creep.

“Ohh, Tik Tok. I don’t know nothin’ about that.” He said, being modest.

“Cool. Cool. Cool.” Nora said from in the control booth. “All right, let’s lay it down.” She commanded. “Yep, Mayhem meets modern pop. We need something catchy and cute.”

“About that, I did a deep dive into the lyrics and if you break it down, Rockin’ Robin’s story is so tragic.” Kesha exchanged.

“Oh, no.” Janice muttered.

“Think about it.” The singer started. “Rockin’ in the tree tops all day long.” She quoted. “Is that his choice or society’s?” She questioned.

“Whoa!” The Mayhem cried out.

“So deep.” Zoot commented.

Stevie furrowed her brows. “Dang, that’s got me thinkin’.” She confessed.

“Kesha just imploded my brain and broke my heart.” Dr.Teeth commented.

“And that is what we’re gonna do with this song.” Kesha revealed.

A short while later, the band hooked up their instruments and were now playing a funeral dirge of Rockin’ Robin.

All the little birds on Jaybird Street,
Love to hear the Robin go, (Kesha)
Tweet, Tweet, Tweet (All)

The band broke down into sobs, right as the song came to a sad close.

“Cool.” Nora complimented. Even though deep down, she hated it.

Next, the band were now performing a reggae version of Rockin’ Robin with Ziggy Marley. Just as they were about to sing the chorus, Ziggy had stopped singing.

“Yo, I’m sorry.” He apologized. “I can’t go on. My heart is broken.”

“Oh, wow. Like, that was a lifetime ago, Zigmund.” Janice said referring to their very short lived relationship.

“I’m sorry.” He apologized before leaving.

“What’s happening?” Nora asked Moog.

“In her day, Janice broke a looot of hearts.” Moog informed her.

“Tweedle-le-dee.” Animal said solemnly.

Time cut to Deadmau6 playing a distorted electronic version of Rockin’ Robin.

“Wow, it’s like, so dark in here.” Janice said trying to navigate around the studio with a huge mouse mask over her head. “Hello?” She called.

“I think I’m feeling claustrophobic.” Stevie whimpered.

“It is so hot, I’m gonna pass out!” Floyd complained before doing just that, taking Deadmau6’s DJ booth along with him.

“Really guys?” Deadmau6 asked, taking off his mask. “Oh. Fresh air. Why do I even wear this thing?” He questioned.

“Little help.” Floyd requested.

“Tweedle-le-dee.” Animal repeated himself.

A time skip and a jump later, Lips was now with Rapper Desiigner, Zoot, Stevie, and Animal. Lips walked up to the mic, and started doing a mumbled rap version of Rockin’ Robin.

*

That night the band, Nora, and Moog were listening to all of the demos they had put together earlier that day. Stevie yawned, trying her hardest to stay awake.

“Hey, listen, I don’t think the band is diggin’ any of this.” Moog relayed to Nora.

“Really? They seem happy to me.” Nora pointed out. “Hey, guys, you feelin’ this?” She then asked them.

“Oh, yeah, fer sure!” They all replied.

“We did it!” Floyd cheered.

Nora turned back to Moog, with an ‘I told you so’ look on her face.

Stevie started to wonder when they were going to record the real Rockin’ Robin. She didn’t understand why Nora wanted them to create something new, when the original had nothing wrong to begin with.

“Hey, uh, guys look. I got a fork!” Moog announced, holding the silverware up.

The band cheered in unison.

“You did it!” Floyd repeated himself.

Suddenly, Lips’ phone had started to ring. He took it out of his pocket, and saw that it was Skeeter FaceTiming. He turned to Stevie, and handed her his phone. “It’s Skeeter.” He informed her.

“Oh!” She said, before getting up and leaving the room. She swiped right, and answered the FaceTime call. Seconds later, Skeeter had appeared on the phone screen.

“Stevie!” Skeeter cried.

“Skeeter!” Stevie said back.

“When were you going to tell me, you guys were making an album?!” She asked her.

“I’m sorry, I should’ve told you.” Stevie apologized.

“And you told Rizzo first?” Skeeter scolded.

“Actually, I told Gonzo first. He told Rizzo.” Stevie corrected her.

“Don’t do that again, okay?” She said, half-jokingly.

“I promise, I won’t.” She assured her.

“Well, how is the album coming along?” Skeeter asked her.

“We’ve made some demos.” Stevie told her, as she made her way to the pillow fortress.

“You don’t sound too happy about it.” She pointed out.

Stevie looked around to make sure that nobody was listening. Once, she saw the cost was clear. She entered her shared bedroom, and sat down on the pillows.

“Well, for starters the demos are not our style.” She began. “And, Nora, our manager doesn’t know us at all.”

“Has she heard of your band before she became your manager?” Skeeter implored.

“Yes, she just doesn’t know our style. She thinks we’re modern, when we’ve always been classic rock.” Stevie explained.

“What was the style of music, she had you guys sing on the demos?” Skeeter questioned.

“Reggae, EDM, mumble rap. Just to name a few.” She told her.

“Yikes, those aren’t your guys’ style at all.” Skeeter agreed with her.

“Exactly, but she said this album has to sound fresh. Like, what does that mean? Like, you want us to sound like fresh produce?” Stevie ranted.

“Okay, first off. That’s not what she means by wanting the album to sound fresh. She means fresh as in new.” Skeeter informed her.

“Ohh.” Stevie understood.

“And secondly, maybe you should tell her what the band’s style of music really is.” Skeeter suggested.

Stevie sighed. “I’ll try.” She told her.

“It’s for the betterment of the album and the band.” Her friend made a point.

All of a sudden, an explosion went off on Skeeter’s end.

“I’ve gotta go, trouble at the theater!” She exclaimed.

“I miss you guys.” Stevie pouted.

“We miss you too! Now, I have to go or else I might lose my job. Bye!” Skeeter bid her farewell.

“Bye.” Stevie said, hanging up.

*

The Next Day.

Stevie, Zoot who was asleep, and Moog were sitting on the couch, watching an old episode of The Muppet Show together. Nora had come back from Wax Records, just as they were watching the band’s jam session on the show.

“You!” Nora snapped at Moog.

“Nora, hey, listen before you kill me.” Moog started, holding a hand up.

“No! You went rogue, okay?” She accused.

“You didn’t tell me, you went rouge!” Stevie gasped.

“I needed to play Penny our new song, and instead it was, God knows what.” Nora thundered.

Moog stood up from the couch. “You’re welcome. That was my cool version of the Mayhem’s Rockin’ Robin.” He boasted.

“No, Moog. Listen to me, okay?” She demanded.

Zoot who was now wide awake looked between Nora and Moog like a child who was witnessing his parents argue. He then looked to Stevie. “Mom and dad are fighting again?” He asked her.

All Stevie could do was laugh in response to his question.

“You are not making this album with us!” She barked.

Stevie let out a small gasp.

“All you are is some loud, clapping super-groupie who lives in a rented trailer in the driveway.” Nora insulted him.

“First of all, I own it.” Moog corrected her.

“Oof.” Zoot said.

Stevie was now eating popcorn, as she watched Nora and Moog argue.

“And at least, I’m not a fake pillow-pile-sleeping poser who’s so desperate for success, she doesn’t even realize the perfect sound for her band is right in front of her.” He called her out.

“I like this show. Lots of drama.” Zoot commented.

“Wow.” Nora responded to Moog. “You actually think you know what’s best for this band?” She asked him.

“More than you.” He stated. “At least, I know their history and what really makes The Mayhem, The Mayhem.” Moog argued. “Maybe, if you actually listened to my demo, you’d realize that.”

“This is a narrative of very heavy-duty proportions.” The blue haired stoner commentated.

Stevie nodded, agreeing with her uncle.

“A few songs you cut together in your car will never convince me you’re the future of this band.” Nora rebuked.

“My demo IS the band.” Moog bellowed.

Zoot and Stevie gasped in unison.

“It’s remixes of all their songs from all the concerts I’ve been to.” He revealed to her.

“Oh.” Nora said, feeling speechless and extremely guilty. “I didn’t know that.”

“That’s all you can say?” Stevie mumbled.

“Yeah, when it comes to their music, there’s a lot you don’t know.” Moog told her off.

“Well, that was a plot twist.” Zoot said.

Moog picked up the CD and threw it onto the coffee table. Written on the CD was the words ‘Moog’s demo’ in black sharpie. He walked past Nora, and went up the stairs.

“Yeesh.” Stevie winced.

Nora picked up the CD, took it out of its case and popped it into the CD player. The room was filled with the starting chords of their cover of God Only Knows by The Beach Boys. Nora let out a sigh, realizing how wrong she was. She looked up towards the staircase. “Hey, they’re great. Who are they?” Zoot questioned.

“That’s us, Uncle Zoot.” Stevie informed him.

“Oh. Never heard of them.” He replied.

Nora then reached down and picked up a VHS tape that was titled The Electric Mayhem At The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

I may not always love you
But long as there are stars above you
God Only Knows, what I’d be without you (Floyd)

A few hours later, Nora was now on the last VHS tape that was on the coffee table. She had soaked up every song they sang, and every Muppet Show episode that was available for her to watch that had the band in it. Floyd had come downstairs, just as the last episode had wrapped up.

“Good times. Seems like yesterday.” He reminisced.

“I didn’t realize how lucky you are.” Nora conveyed to him.

Stevie looked to her.

“I mean, you’ve spent a lifetime making music with your friends.” She exchanged.

“Yep, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.” Floyd was certain.

“Family is what makes us who we are.” Stevie commented.

Nora sighed, looking back to the TV. She had to make things right with Moog and Hannah.

*

That Night.

Nora was trying to desperately find a comfortable position to sleep in while Stevie was off to the side, half asleep. Janice stepped in the doorway, returning from her nightly stroll. “Hi, roomie.” Janice greeted Nora.

“Hey.” Nora greeted back. “This, uh, free range sleeping is hard on the back.” She remarked.

“I have something that totally might help.” Janice told her, before turning away from her. A few seconds later, Hannah had come into view. Totally surprising Nora.

Stevie sat up, wide awake now.

Nora stood up from the pillows, standing in front of her little sister.

“Hi.” Hannah greeted.

“I’ve been calling.” Nora started.

“I know. Um… I just… I wanted to um…” Hannah stammered.

“What? Do you need something?” She asked, her voice dripping with concern.

“Yeah.” Hannah replied, sounding emotional.

Stevie stood up, and went over to her mom.

“I need my big sis.” She revealed to her.

Nora pulled her sister into a tight embrace.

Hannah looked to Janice and whispered the words “Thank you.” To her.

Stevie smiled at her mom.

“‘Fer sure!” Janice whispered back.

*

“All right. Let’s get back to the basics.” Nora said after the band wrapped up recording God Only Knows. “Okay, no more collabs. Just you doing what you do best.” She instructed. “So, how about we start with some new stuff?” She encouraged.

“Yeah, the new stuff!” The band rejoiced.

“Count us in with the new stuff, o’fearless leader.” Floyd requested Teeth.

“A one, a two… a one, two, three…” Teeth counted down.

All of a sudden, the band was met with.. nothing? No ideas, no meaningful lyrics, no groove rocking beats, just blank stares and zero thoughts in their minds.

“Four?” Doc went.

“Okay, so, update. Um, it seems there is no new stuff.” Moog announced.

“I think we, like, have writers block.” Stevie admitted.

“It’s a work-in-progress.” Janice put it more kindly.

*