Courtesy Of Two Bands (Smiling Critters and Nightmare Critters)
"Love, love, love. Love, love, love. Love, love, love."
The voice had come from the inside of a music room labeled Smiling Critters Music Club, inside was a group of people who had formed the club, the decorations of the rooms were warm and filled with Beatles memorabilia. A red bear named Bobby Bearhug had sung to herself while sitting down on a chair, her music playing in her one earphone while she was entertaining herself and also getting some practice in for the coming program in the coming weeks.
"There's nothing you can do that can't be done, Nothing you can sing that can't be sung, Nothing you can say, but you can learn, How to play the game, It's easy."
By now the other members of the little club had stopped whatever they were doing before and were now watching and listening to Bobby's beautiful soprano voice.
"Nothing you can make that can't be made, No one you can save that can't be saved, Nothing you can do, but you can learn, How to be you in time, It's easy. All you need is love, All you need is love, All you need is love, love, Love is all you need."
A few other members being Kickin Chickin, Hoppy Hopscotch and Bubba Bubbaphant. Had gotten on their instruments and played along with Bobby. Kickin with a bass guitar, Bubba with a viola, and Hoppy "hopped" on their drum set.
"Love, love, love. Love, love, love. Love, love, love. All you need is love, All you need is love, All you need is love, love, Love is all you need."
Even Craftycorn and Pickypiggy, had came in with some backup vocals. In fact all of them were now harmonizing. The two boys had lower baritones, while all the girls were mezzo-sopranos, obviously Bobby having the highest soprano.
"Nothing you can know that isn't known, Nothing you can see that isn't shown, There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be, It's easy. All you need is love, All you need is love, All you need is love, love, Love is all you need. All you need is love, All you need is love, All you need is love, love, Love is all you need."
With the ending of the song coming soon, the people with free hands had started clapping according to their memory of the song.
"Love is all you need love is all you need x14"
The group had continued until the song ended and Bobby had ended it with a flourish. Everyone had applauded each other and Bobby had stood up to do a little bow.
Meanwhile on the other side of the Campus, were a room with a similar geometry to the other labeled Nightmare Critters Club for Music Rebels, except it had a darker and edgy aesthetic, instead being filled with Nirvana and other Grunge memorabilia. Inside two critters who had stood out were Catnap and Dogday sitting down on a desk with two others. Dogday being the club president of the Smiling Critters Music Club and Catnap being his vice-president. They were there meeting with the president and vice-president of the club, Baba Chops and Simon Smoke. While the rest of the club composed of Allister Gator, Rabie Baby, Poe, Icky Licky, Touille, and Maggie Mako, Just lounging around. "So we all agree that we're gonna do our contest on Friday on the 19th, correct?" Dogday had said to the both of them. "Yup, its good enough for us. Baba had said, while Simon only gave a slight nod. 'Okay, well we will relay this information to the principal, and we will figure out the whole program. Like you said?" Dogday had said to the both of them. "Mhm." Baba had replied, Simon giving a smaller nod. "Okay. Well now that we're all done, me and Catnap will just leave back to our club." Dogday had said while getting up from the chair, Catnap following suit. "Hold up." Baba had said to them, making the two turn around. "Isn't it your custom when visiting other clubs, you guys sing a little song chosen by the club?" Baba had commented. Catnap and Dogday had looked at each other, then back at Baba. "What did you have in mind?" Dogday replied. "Heart-Shaped Box by you already know who, and Catnap's singing." The purple feline had narrowed their eyes at Baba while Dogday flipped between the two surprised. "Fine." Catnap had simply replied.
After quickly setting up, with Dogday having the only instrument, an acoustic guitar, the both of them sitting down on chairs while the entire club would watch. Once Dogday had strummed the first few notes, Catnap who had an unchanged expression of neutrality the whole time, was now frowning. Feeling the music and the emotion behind it and its lyrics.
"She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak, I've been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks."
Catnap had sung with an experienced tone and emotion in his voice. Maybe because the usual soft and deep voice that he used to sing in had a secret bit of grunge hidden away, but he captured the song perfectly.
"I've been drawn into your magnet tar pit trap, I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black."
Slowly, the duo started bopping their head up and down to the beat.
"Hey, Wait, I got a new complaint, Forever in debt to your priceless advice, Hey, Wait, I got a new complaint, Forever in debt to your priceless advice, Hey, Wait, I got a new complaint, Forever in debt to your priceless advice, Your advice."
Catnap had sung with a heavy belt. The entire room was stunned at the power with Catnaps voice, even Dogday. But he kept playing and even chimed in a few times with an albeit softer belt, because his voice just couldn't do it.
"Meat-eating orchids forgive no one just yet, Cut myself on angel hair and baby's breath, Broken hymen of Your Highness, I'm left black, Throw down your umbilical noose so I can climb right back. Hey, Wait, I got a new complaint, Forever in debt to your priceless advice, Hey, Wait, I got a new complaint, Forever in debt to your priceless advice, Hey, Wait, I got a new complaint, Forever in debt to your priceless advice, Your advice."
Catnap had started to open his eyes wide while he sung, with almost a pained expression while he sung. Dogday had then almost stopped playing out of concern for Catnap's voice, but Catnap had held his hand up to Dogday and quietly said, "I'll be fine I'll go softer."
"She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak, I've been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks. I've been drawn into your magnet tar pit trap, I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black. Hey, Wait, I got a new complaint, Forever in debt to your priceless advice, Hey, Wait, I got a new complaint, Forever in debt to your priceless advice, Hey, Wait, I got a new complaint, Forever in debt to your priceless advice, Your advice."
Catnap had said true to his words and only sung with his usual soft voice, no longer with his pained expression but one of neutrality.
"Your advice. Your advice. Your advice."
Catnap had finished breathless as Dogday strummed the final notes. Everyone was silent until Baba spoke up. "Not bad, you guys can go now." He said as he walked away from the door, getting the entire club together for a huddle. then the duo quietly excited the room. And after relaying the information to the principal, they went to go back to their club room. "So um, where did you learn to sing like that?" Dogday said to Catnap while on the way to the room. "I always practice other songs even if its not really my thing. Just to broaden my sample size and my voice I guess." Catnap had replied while stroking his neck. "Well, its very powerful! And impressive!" Dogday had replied with a big smile. "And you know what, I think I know what we're gonna do for our part of the number." Dogday said while grabbing Catnap by the shoulders...
...
...
The day of the program rolls around, After classes at about 6:00 PM, everyone had went inside the auditorium to watch the show that would finally dictate who would be the better club. The Smiling Critters Music Club, or The Nightmare Critters Club for Music Rebels. In the agreement that the club presidents and vice-presidents had spoken about, the Nightmare Critters would go first. In the backstage area both clubs were getting ready with their makeup and costumes. The Smiling Critters had nice suits and dresses, referencing their idolized band. While the Nightmare Critters had dressed up in classic grungy and rebellious costumes and makeup. When the Nightmare Critters were about to go on-stage, Dogday had yelled out to them "May the best band win!" Which he then got a reply from the whole band of a bunch of middle fingers. "Ladies and Gentlemen, Teachers and Students. I am excited to tell you all that the contest for the best music club will now begin! Starting with the band, The Nightmare Critters! And their song of choice, a classic, with Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana!" The announcer had yelled out, making one half of the entire crowd cheer and the other half boo at the same time. The band then walked out confidently, silently doing some last minute instrument checks before they instantly started playing with no warning.
The first couple of notes made lots of people in the crowd start cheering, while the entire band had started playing their instruments. The crowd had quieted down when the lead singer Baba was about to sing.
"Load up on guns, bring your friends, It's fun to lose and to pretend, She's over-bored and self assured, Oh no, I know a dirty word. Hello, hello, hello, how low. Hello, hello, hello, how low. Hello, hello, hello, how low. Hello, hello, hello. With the lights out, it's less dangerous! Here we are now, entertain us! I feel stupid and contagious! Here we are now, entertain us! A mulatto, an albino, a mosquito, my libido! Yeah! Hey, yay."
When the chorus started the singers who had sung quite calmly but with a hint of grunge had started belting hard, with all of them banging their heads up and down to the beat, and even some people in the crowd doing the same with some even raising their arms.
"I'm worse at what I do best, And for this gift I feel blessed, Our little group has always been, And always will until the end. Hello, hello, hello, how low. Hello, hello, hello, how low. Hello, hello, hello, how low. Hello, hello, hello. With the lights out, it's less dangerous! Here we are now, entertain us! I feel stupid and contagious! Here we are now, entertain us! A mulatto, an albino, a mosquito, my libido! Yeah! Hey, yay."
The song had continued as normal, but the Smiling Critters had now started to listen and to even watch the other band perform. Until they started to get ready for they were next.
"And I forget just why I taste, Oh yeah, I guess it makes me smile, I found it hard, it's hard to find, Oh well, whatever, never mind. Hello, hello, hello, how low. Hello, hello, hello, how low. Hello, hello, hello, how low. Hello, hello, hello. With the lights out, it's less dangerous! Here we are now, entertain us! I feel stupid and contagious! Here we are now, entertain us! A mulatto, an albino, a mosquito, my libido! A denial, a denial, a denial, a denial, a denial! A denial, a denial, a denial, a denial!"
Once they had finished, The crowd had roared in cheering and applause, as the band had simply left. "Well that was certainly something eh? But now for the other band to give it a shot. Give it up for The Smiling Critters!" The announcer had said. The band then walked on stage waving and smiling to the now cheering and screeching crowd. And once that they were ready with their preliminary checks, the stage lights and the house lights had dimmed except for a few, all pointed at Catnap in front of a piano. The crowd had cheered and screeched again when they saw that Catnap was going to take the lead. Hearing this, Catnap had waved and smiled shyly to the crowd before he readied his fingers on the piano.
"Once there was a way."
Catnap had softly sung right after playing the first few notes. Making the crowd cheer again.
"To get back homeward"
At that point, Bubba with his viola had started to play as well.
"Once there was a way, To get back home."
Kickin had then started strumming on his bass guitar.
"Sleep, pretty darling, Do not cry, And I will sing a lullaby."
Hoppy then chimed in with her drumming.
"Golden slumbers fill your eyes, Smiles awake when you rise, Sleep, pretty darling, Do not cry, And I will sing a lullaby."
At this point Dogday had been strumming on his electric guitar. And on the next bit, the rest of the girls were harmonizing with Catnap to the music.
"Once there was a way, To get back homeward, Once there was a way ,To get back home, Sleep, pretty darling, Do not cry, And I will sing a lullaby."
Catnap then got off his piano as he grabbed the microphone next to him, walking next to Dogday.
"Boy, you gonna carry that weight, Carry that weight, A long time. Boy, you gonna carry that weight, Carry that weight, A long time."
Catnap had sung alongside Dogday, alongside the girls. After a short bit of moving to the music and giving Dogday a quick kiss on the cheek which made the crowd roar and Dogday blush, Catnap quickly got back on the piano.
"I never give you my pillow, I only send you my invitations, And in the middle of the celebrations, I break down. Boy, you gonna carry that weight, Carry that weight, A long time. Boy, you gonna carry that weight, Carry that weight, A long time."
As the song was transitioning into its next part, everyone had dramatically looked at eachother as the tone had shifted upbeat.
"Oh, yeah, all right, Are you gonna be in my dreams, Tonight?"
Catnap had belted out, making the crowd cheer again, but with not the same level of emotional intensity as he did last time with Heart-Shaped Box. This time it was lighter and more playful. And after a short drum solo by hoppy, the rest of the band continued as normal. With Bobby picking up and playing a second guitar alongside Dogday.
"And in the end, The love you take, Is equal to the love you make."
The band had finished off a bit later after Catnap had finished singing. The crowd had went wild with cheers, applause, clapping, and screaming. Even without any voting, the winner has already been selected. While the Nightmare Critters had silently acknowledged their defeat. The Smiling Critters then all got in a line, and bowed all together. Waving goodbye to the crowd as the curtains drew close.