you wanna be tough. (open!)

[heymcfly]

Who: Marty and YOU!
What: Nothing better than jamming out to MJ songs, right?
When: April 4th.
Where: Outside a shopping center, maybe? Somewhere super public!
Warnings: TBA.



[ Marty walks onto the plaza of the shopping center, with nothing but his guitar to keep him company. Lately he's just been aching to play something. Maybe it's because of the fact that this whole Fairy thing has made him completely scatterbrained. Also because he's expecting something bad to happen, since...well, he let some things slip. Or maybe worded them incorrectly. Either way, it's left him feeling uneasy, and maybe it's good to get some crap off of his chest.

He quickly opens his guitar case, turning it after a minute or two. Already he's gained the attention of some of the shoppers who can recognize him through the tweets and things like that, but majority are more focused on spending money. Which he doesn't really mind! Because honestly, he's not too sure what to sing, anyway.

There is one song that comes to mind, though.

Before he knows it, Marty starts to sing. This might be a bad idea considering the content of the song, but hey.

He starts off at the perfect tempo, the chords coming to him as natural as they can. Soon enough, he's on a roll! ]

They told him, "Don't you ever come around here.
Don't wanna see your face. You better disappear."
The fire's in their eyes and their words are really clear
So beat it, just beat it.

[ Marty won't object if you want to come along and join in! ]

Comments

[determinate]

[What do you do when you encounter a famous musician doing some kind of flash performance on the street?

Start dancing, obviously! Frisk stops right nearby, in the circle of space afforded Marty by the crowds, and begins to dance. They're actually quite good, like maybe they've performed on stage before.]

[heymcfly]

[ There's always a thrill when a crowd gathers around you to observe you, or maybe give a tip or two. Knowing that Marty was attracting so much attention was exciting. But there was also a feeling of satisfaction when someone approached you and started dancing. To Marty, that meant he was doing his job right!

A smile breaks out on his face as he watches her dance. He walks up so he's standing beside her before he starts singing again! ]

You better run, you better do what you can
Don't wanna see no blood, don't be a macho man
You wanna be tough, better do what you can
So beat it, but you wanna be bad!

Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right.

Just beat it, beat it!

[ Marty moves with the music, encouraging her to dance some more! ]

[determinate]

[Well hey, that works!

Frisk grins and starts dancing to the beat, glancing up at Marty occasionally as if to keep time. There seems to be a crowd gathering, but they don't mind - being seen with this guy is probably a lot less dangerous than with Sans.]

[heymcfly]

[ Marty smiles as she looks up to him, strumming the guitar extra hard. He waits for a nice point to let the music die off, gradually. Then he kneels down beside her, offering his guitar. It's still wrapped around his shoulder, but the invitation's still there. ]

Why don't you give it a shot?

[determinate]

[Oh! Frisk seems a little surprised by the offer, but certainly not hesitant. They reach out to curl one hand around the end of the guitar's neck, near where he's holding it. With the other, they strum a string.

It's obvious they've never handled a guitar before. But they light up at the note that emerges. Neat!]

i THOUGHT FRISK WAS A SHE OOPS i've never played undertale before srry

[heymcfly]

[ The crowd's attention zooms in on the little kid, who's eagerly trying out the guitar. Marty eventually lifts the strap off of his shoulders, wrapping it carefully around their shoulders. The people were loving it, the kid looked like they were happy! So why not let 'em try?

Marty looks to the crowd and grins. They're going wild! ]

no worries canon's vague anyway

[determinate]

[Frisk is actually not too sure about the crowd. They are supposed to be keeping a low profile. But at this point it would be weirder if they left - and anyway, it's not like they're on TV or anything!

They hold their hands in the way they've seen real musicians do it, pressing down on a few strings this time before strumming them. They're going cautiously, not wanting to make any bad sounds.

...wouldn't it be funny if this were a music-magic guitar? It probably doesn't work like that though.]

PHEW. okay, good to know! thanks!

[heymcfly]

[ How cute! Phones record the moment, professional cameras snap. This would probably be on the tabloids later; a good thing for him and Defying Atmosphere both! The more positivity they got, the better off things were. Marty straightens up, nodding encouragingly. ]

Keep goin'! You're doin' good!

[ if that were a magic-music guitar, Marty probably wouldn't know what to do with himself! One can only dream... ]

[determinate]

[Well, hopefully this isn't going to be a problem!

Probably not. They're just a kid. There's lots of kids that look like them! And this is Marty, not Sans, so why would they think they're Frisk anyway? It's fiiiine. Frisk strums a few more chords, striking a pose. They're clearly not exactly shy about crowds.]

[4thdimensional]

[Doc's going about his repair business as usual. He's toting a toolbox, and as he hears a familiar tune with an unexpectedly familiar vocal accompaniment. He knows that voice too well, and his heart catches in his throat.

Marty.

Doc finds himself slowing and joining the crowd, maybe two rows back---but he's tall enough to see over most heads. Oddly enough...anyone near the mechanic on the street might hear the mechanic's toolbox suspiciously jingling to the beat.

Should he approach afterward? Should he walk away? He could at least leave a tip, though he's likely hurting for money far more than Marty.

Despite the pain of separation, of knowing just what Marty thinks of him now, he smiles. His friend always did have a gift.]

[heymcfly]

[ The guy with the toolbox doesn't stand out to Marty at all in the beginning. He's lost in the music, stepping left and stepping right as his fingers dance over the neck of the guitar. He chomps down on his cheek, furrowing his brow as he plays through the harder bits of the song. But he manages perfectly fine. Not a note out of place.

He looks up to take a look at the growing crowd, to smile pretty for the cameras that are flashing away. In the corner of his eye, he can spot people holding up their phones, nodding to the beat. Marty scans through the crowd, whipping his head back...but then he notices Doc standing nearby.

All of a sudden he gets an image of a car. It steams, like it was hot. The door opens (upwards?) and a dog comes flying out and into a nearby van. Marty turns, and the same guy in the back of the crowd is there. He's beaming, his eyes twinkling. Something good happened, and-

There's a pressure behind his eyes; his head starts to hurt. When Marty regains his focus, he's missed a bit of the song. Cameras have been replaced with more phones, surely documenting this embarrassing moment for time to come. Marty has no idea where he left off at, or how much of the song he's missed. ]

S-Sorry, sorry. [ He lets his guitar rest, turning to the crowd apologetically. ] Guess I got distracted.

[4thdimensional]

[That's unusual, Doc can't help but worry. From his limited research into the bands of Vista City thus far, he knows that Marty's an excellent performer. Any confidence issues appear to have vanished with the rest of his past.

Was it his imagination, or did Marty's gaze pass over him just before that pause? Not that Doc would dare to get his hopes up. The most plausible explanation would be that the reaction was due to irritation---as the town madman, he's earned it.

But Doc won't let go---he can't. It was never an option. He hangs back, slipping around the crowds to give himself some space, but eventually the weirdo in blue coveralls will be there. He stays at a careful distance, painfully aware that he may well have made things worse.]

The new song's excellent. Everyone's come alive this morning.

[heymcfly]

[ After that last screw up, Marty couldn't concentrate anymore. After a few more tries, a rather disappointed crowd started to pack away their cameras and return to their shopping. A few people come up to ask him what happened, and Marty just gives the excuse of he's feeling ill. Which honestly isn't a lie.

He packs away his guitar, not bothering to check how much money he made off of that...if any at all. His head hurts, he's feeling a bit queasy. Maybe he ate something weird last night? Either way, he's ready to head home. Marty's hurt dignity was probably the worst thing of it all.

Guitar in its case, Marty stands...only to meet the crazy guy from before. The guy who wanted to make cars and had the look of a madman in his eyes. Or was it something else? ]

Guess so. [ Marty doesn't do much to add to the conversation, other than mumbles. ] 'Til I messed it up.

[4thdimensional]

[Something about this side of Marty yanks at his conscience. In this moment, he can clearly see the friend he knows and loves. He's more like the Marty in a fledgling garage band than the one from the glitz of here and now. He can almost hear Marty fretting about audition tapes.

Regardless of how nonexistent their friendship is at the moment, Doc can't help but feel guilty.]

And with error comes humiliation and possibly the end of the world as you know it?

[He gently shakes his head.]

The tabloids will have a new target by tomorrow. This town's attracting more and more...shall we say weirdness every day.

[Including himself, of course.]

[heymcfly]

[ There's something about this guy's tone that irritates him at first. How does he know about fame? Does he know how stressful it is to be on a tabloid? This was going to be all over the place: Marty McFly singing one of the best songs to date, and he couldn't even get it right. It would be embarrassing. There would be shame to himself and his band.

But he can't get angry. He just can't. ]

I hope so. The tabs are always such a bitch.

[ Oops, language. ] Sorry. I mean a pain.

[ Marty kind of wants to stay and talk to this guy, but this headache is seriously getting worse. ]

[4thdimensional]

Right, of course. They're absolutely a bitch from what I can see.

[He punctuates that with a little crooked grin. C'mon, Marty, you can't shock an old dude.]

I'm not normally a fan of metal, but your band's earned at least one convert.

[heymcfly]

[ Okay, that got him to smile. And even chuckle! Marty lets his guitar case rest against his legs, letting his hands rest in his pockets. What crowd he managed to summon up took a picture or two of him, before going on their way.

He's kind of curious now. ] How much have you listened to Defying Atmosphere's stuff? You know us a lot?

[psyvampexperiment]

[He might find he has someone behind chiming in on the second stanza, in a sonorous baritenor that almost raises the performance - or his end of it - to rock opera levels.]

You better run, you better do what you can
Don't wanna see no blood, don't be a macho man
You wanna be tough, better do what you can
So beat it, but you wanna be bad

[If he looks over his shoulder, he'll find a tall, pale gent in a black topcoat over a white silk shirt and a black waistcoat, dropping him a friendly wink with his good eye, the other impassive, suggesting it's a glass eye.]

[heymcfly]

[ From behind the crowd, Marty can hear someone singing. He looks up just in time to see a man standing nearby, offering him a wink. Marty stops strumming for a moment to wave him forward, offering a chance to join in! Playing for a crowd is fun, but it's always best when you have someone to play with. ]

Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right.

Just beat it! Just beat it!

[psyvampexperiment]

[The pale gent bows his head and lifts one hand in a formal but playful way, several people in the crowd turning to look at him, grinning their approval or applauding, a few youngsters (and young at heart) letting out squeals or sighs of delight. The crowd parts to let him through as he strides forward to join Marty in his improvised performance space, the skirts of his topcoat flowing behind him.]

They're out to get you, better leave while you can
Don't wanna be a boy, you wanna be a man
You wanna stay alive, better do what you can
So beat it, just beat it

[heymcfly]

[ Jesus, this guy has style. It's a little different than Marty's whole leather-and-hairspray kind of thing, but it adds a good touch! In a way, this guy looked pretty bad. Bad in a good way, especially when it came to songs like these.

Marty keeps hammering away on his guitar, stepping to the side to make some room for the newcomer. ]

You have to show them that you're really not scared
You're playin' with your life, this ain't no truth or dare
They'll kick you, then they beat you, then they'll tell you it's fair
So beat it, but you wanna be bad!

[psyvampexperiment]

[He'll come closer, certainly not shoulder to shoulder, but alongside the youngster, glancing to his hands thrashing out that lick, and he'll raise one eyebrow approvingly, even appraisingly, clearly appreciating the other's artistry. He might even be grooving a bit as he sings, enough to keep that flow going in the skirts of his coat.]

Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right

Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it

[heymcfly]

[ The two of them certainly have drawn a crowd! They dance with the music and cheer, especially when the stranger starts to move. He sings the chorus a second time, then a third. The lyrics and the tempo flow through his brain like butter, and when he finally cuts it off, Marty feels like he's glowing. The song is...kind of familiar, but at the same time it's not. For some reason he keeps thinking of fighting guys who are way taller than he is when Marty hears this song. In a way, it's kind of funny!

The crowd cheers when the music dies off, and he glanced up to his acquaintance with a grin. He might not be able to hear, but Marty mouths a 'thank you!" as the noise grows. ]

[psyvampexperiment]

[The tall gent will turn to him, smiling broadly, his good eye sparkling, and he'll return the mouthed 'thank you!' with a bow and a flourish of one graceful hand, as if to say 'Thank *you*, my young friend'. He's clearly been having the time of his life, just for the chance to jam with a fellow musician, to wow the crowd just for the sake of playing good music for music's sake.]

[heymcfly]

[ After a few moments, the crowd goes silent. They're more than happy about the duet, but they'd like some more, if the two were up for it! Marty looks up to his partner and smiles. ]

Wanna do another one? Or nah?