2019-09-19 - Karaoke At The Pourhouse

Mariah's behind the bar, she's always behind the bar. The owner just stares at Hank in horror and there's a shudder, "HANK! QUIT TWERKING!" she calls out as the man bends over, hands on his knees to push out his butt. The guys at the table on the edge of the perimeter get an UP CLOSE ENCOUNTER with a moon. "I'm going to hose you down!" she laughs.

Ignacio calls from the booth where he's sitting with Finch just endlessly charmed by something as glorious as a trainwreck in motion, "Don't let her be the boss of you, Hank! Live your dream, man!" Now that he's killing all the meds in his system is this a guilt free beer? yeah. yeah it is. Besides, public seems a decent test run of trying to stress test keeping his head together.

Finch is also staring at the stage where she sits with Ignacio, but her expression is wholly different as she gets an eyefull of Hank's fluffy rear twerking. "Jesus Christ, I might actually need an alcoholic beverage if it's gonna be like this," she mutters to Iggy. She doesn't drink often, but this seems to call for it, if anything does. She waves a hand to try and flag down a waitress and order a rum and coke. The woman's hair is back to pink, and she's in a black mini skirt over pink tights, a striped aqua long-sleeved tee under a short-sleeved grey hoodie with a black stripe, and a colorful bet with combat boots. There is a little black choker around her neck.

Lyric has been here a little while with her friends, but they got some of their drinking on before leaving the house. Now, she's holding a beer and watching Hank, laughing. "I'm glad I'm not singing a serious song either."

"Wow." Cameron is stunned, STUNNED, by the sight of Hank's magnificent butt-cleavage. It is a thing of legend and beauty, that shall be remembered throughout the ages. "That's hot." She comments dryly, slowly shrugging out of her leather jacket from just inside the door. No way was the Amulet's newest singer going to miss Karaoke Night! Plus, hey, maybe there'd be Happy Hour, too.

The woman is wearing a shirt that is designed to look like a bandana, all red with that weird floral pattern, a diamond shape that covers up the front of her torso, but leaves most of the sides and the back bare. A belt holds up her low-riding skinny jeans that probably don't need it, with a hint of a high-cut thong peeking out and a pair of heeled boots that make her already tall, lanky form just over six feet.

She enters with Madison, unable to take her eyes off of the glorious disaster happening on stage while ushering herself and her companion towards the bar with a hand on the small of the goth's back. She arrives near it, leaning a slim elbow on the bar top and motioning for Mariah's attention with an uplifted finger and a tight-lipped smile.

Ico sits with Lyric and the others, having a beer of his own. Chuckling as she watches Hank as well. "Oh? What are you singing?" Is asked to Lyric at that. Currently just relaxing and keeping to the side. Dressed simply in jeans and a faded blue shirt. Jacket hanging on his chair. Humming to the song though, seeming amused as he is still watching Hank's performance.

Mariah gives an upnod to Cameron and the others that approach the bar, "What can I get you ladies to drink?" she asks them. Ripping her gaze away from Hank's fanny.

Park is with Lyric (and Ico, and Scott) bouncing around to the music as she watches Hank; wide-eyed and with a grin on her face that could be total enjoyment or indicative of a mind destroyed. "He's good!" she yells out over the music. "I was gonna do 'Baby Got Back' but he is totally owning it. I really like that fur underwear he has on. Though, why is he wearing it in summer? Would be totally awesome in winter. Imagine having your gibblies all snug and warm. Not that I have gibblies. Do I have gibblies?" To Hank's farewell she adds, "Oh, is this going on all week? He'll be tired by the end of that." She is sipping on a light beer but it has already gone to her head...and most other places.

Lyric just wants to get hers over with so she can sit and listen to the others, but she made a promise to sing the worst song she knows. She lifts a hand and grins at Park. "Look through the book. "I'll go next." Following Hank would be hard though!

What does a woman do after a too-long day at work? Head to the bar, of course. At least, that is what Nicole has decided on this night. The Pourhouse isn't her usual hang out spot... but then, she hasn't really been seen around town much outside of the salon until recently. One of her clients must have told her what was going on tonight. What could it hurt to check it out? One drink and out, if she wants. She's still dressed for work; long, wide-legged black trousers, a pair of black ballet flats, and a black top of chiffon with a black spaghetti strapped cami underneath. Too bad she missed Hank's performance. A quick scan of the place doesn't bring her eye to anyone super familiar, so she heads to the bar and a free spot there.

Scott shakes his head a bit as he watches the stage. "That is either the scariest or one of the most awesome sights today. Possibly both," he remarks, before he takes another sip from his beer. "So, everyone's planned what they'll sing, hmmm?"

~Madison~

"Hey, I know you," says the security at the door.

"No, no, for SURE not me! Me no hablas, mm~? Not from here. Shame on you, profiling," replies Madison as she hurries past the man and zooms inside with Cameron, praying that the busy karaoke night can keep her shielded from the wrath of the guy.

Come here once, and make a scandal because a member of your band got snatched by some Youtube label, and you are -forever- stained. Don't these people know anything of forgiveness and mercy? So unChristian! The chimeric wardrobe malfunction that is Madison is a cross between goth and mid-2000 witch movie cabal villain, with fake, black cobwebs hanging from her every article of clothing, from her short jacket to her impossibly tight jeans. With a sliver of pale skin showing between her pants and corset, Madison is ready for some cemetery Vampire LARP and/or Ouija found footage event.

To the twerking, Madison pumps her fist in the air, "Oh yeah, baby, you got it! Shake it! Shake it! Mmf!" She yells out, before adding to Cameron, "Yeah, he doesn't have it. Not enough junk in the trunk, you know. Watcha gonna do, it is a plus sized world out there." She hugs Cameron's left arm, "Lead us, oh Fearless Leader, and tell me all about how you only found a napkin to wear to karaoke night!"

It's hard to take one's eyes off of Hank's beautiful derriere, but Cameron admires Mariah's steely resolve and ability to do so. For her part, the dark-haired Wiccan can't stop herself from glancing that way every few seconds, as if afraid she might miss something truly extraordinary if she stops watching for too long. Thankfully, the performance stops shortly after.

Cam lifts the hand of the elbow that is on the bar to touch her chin, her wrist limp and bent as she flicks brown eyes around for what might be available behind the bar. "Um... do you haaaave... Strongbow gold apple cider?" The brunette asks with a hopeful uptick in her voice. "Or just anything that doesn't taste like..." Eyes flick away, and then back again. "...beer."

She turns to limp-wristedly swap at Madison's forearm as she gives her true thoughts on the odes de Hank. "Be nice. He tried his hardest. This is an amazing shirt, totally how dare you. And tell the nice blonde lady what you want to drink." Cameron doesn't actually wait for Madison to say anything, before looking back towards Mariah. "She'll have one, too."

Ico grins as he listens to Park's excitement, shrugging a bit. Turning to Scott with a nod. "Indeed. Perhaps both." A bit amused, and then looking Lyric. Nodding. "Good luck!"

Jaime comes wandering in, because he frequents the Pourhouse fairly often. Had he even known that Karaoke was going to be a thing tonight? It's possible that he didn't, because he glances over at Hank with a raised brow before he ambles his way on over toward the bar. There, he settles and finds himself a drink before signing himself up, because why not. The guitarist lifts his beer to those gathered about that he has met -- Ico, and Nicole, primarily.

Ignacio gets a look at the people gathered at the bar. Still learning the locals as 'on season' kind of starts to die down. The waitress comes over to take their order and Ignacio can't help it, and asks, "Cuervo for me, Cuba Libre for her and... I think medical attention for Hank up there but shit, I'll buy em a beer after that. He deserves a bravery award." Looking back to the town murderbird girl he smiles offering, "It's like an art project. One of those time performance ordeals." He pauses as Hank puts himself together murmuring, "And it is an ordeal."

"Hi!" Lyric waves as soon as she gets up there with the mic. "I'm Lyric and I'm going to sing Whatever." Being about as nonspecific as possible? She tells Hank and the code is punched into the machine and soon the video comes up with the words for her to sing to as the music plays.

"I've got to save the world, liberate
Eat the food that's on my plate
Recycling is really great
Whatever I can do
To get in bed with you!"

"I'll be a Marxist, a Communist
A pacifict, an anarchist, a Democrat
Red, white, green or blue
Whatever I can do
To get in bed with you!"

"'Cause I know war is bad and love is really good!

Taking a stand starts in your neighborhood.
I do the best I can just like you say I should.
The ones who make a difference are few
So what can I do to get in bed with you?"

While she sings she dances, just in general making a fool out of herself. Not that she minds doing that now and then. She can't totally blame it on the alcohol.

"An ordeal for the audience maybe," Finch says with a snort. She rests her chin on Ignacio's shoulder for a moment. "How are you doing tonight? No buzzing in the head?" she whispers to him, concern crossing her expression for a moment. She squints up at Lyric. "I don't recognize that song whatsoever. Am I getting old or something?"

Ordering a whiskey sour on the rocks when the bartender heads her way, Nicole turns to get a better view of the stage, spotting Jaime as he walks in. She smiles at him and offers a bit of a finger wave. The smile lingers after. She is glad to know a face in the crowd; makes a person feel not quite out of their element. Lyric takes to the stage and Nicole claps before the music plays. Another face she at least sort of recognizes. She met her once, at least... at Amateur night. When the drink arrives, Nicoles fingers curl around the glass, lifting it for a sip.

Ico does cheer some as Lyric starts off, joining Hank in the applause. Sipping some from his beer as he glances to the other two. "So, what are you both singing?" He asks and grins. Anyone that look their way will be offered a raised bottle in greeting.

Mariah gives a look to down the bar and she gets people's orders as well as has the main bartender take care of things. She's working a double today. It's not like she's got stuff to go home to. "Play Freebird!" she heckles Hank with a smile.

There's a bridge here but Lyric isn't twerking or anything just dancing, enjoying herself. When the words come back on the screen, she continues to sing.

"I'd love to hear your world peace plan.
Why don't you tell me in my van?
We can discuss Camus
Whatever I can do
To get in bed with you."

"I've got to change my mind, masticate
Use condoms when I fornicate
Until I hyperventilate
Whatever I can do
Your balls are turning blue."

"I've got to save the world, liberate
Eat the food that's on my plate
Recycling is really great
Whatever I can do
To get in bed with you.... So what can I do? To get in bed with you!"

She laughs at Hank's reaction, "That was Whatever, by the Bastard Fairies." Taking a bow, she leaves the mic with Hank and rejoins her peeps, a wave to Nicole on her way to her drink, a few high fives and fistbumps given along the way.

~ Madison ~

"That -is- a totally awesome shit, like, ohmigod!" Madison goes full on valley girl to mimic her friend, gesticulating and letting her eyes roll heavenwards not in mockery, but in pure bliss at just how 'in' the article of clothing is. Like, oh my gosh. It is hard to discern the boundaries between parody and sincerity in Madison, but she helps by laughing heartily afterward, and nudging Cameron's shoulder like some baby goat trying to show they are just teasing and like the shirt.

"Yum! Fancy-ass Los Angeles drinks! Yes, Strongbow gold apple cider WILL do!" She smiles at Mariah, in the way that just gets her to be asked to show her ID every time. Madison looks young at all times she doesn't want to. It is kind of a curse.

"So, did you prepare a song, or are we improving? You know improving gives me The Dundies feelings! I always fuck it up!"

Lyric gets whistles of encouragement, even if Madison's attention is in getting her drink, even doing some gimme grabby hands motion towards the bartender before she is finally united with it. Communism is mentioned, and she raises a fist. She too is part of the resistance, and pro slutty lyrics, so this is all working for her just fine!

Anyone who looks in her direction gets a friendly smile, a friendly fingergun, a friendly shoutout if she has seen them before, or a friendly -something-. There is nobody she doesn't greet, other than the security eyeballing her.

Park leaps to her feet to applaud her bandmate and singer. She even tries the obnoxious whistling using fingers in her mouth but it comes out like a sputtered dribble; she still has to work on that. At least she can't get the clapping wrong. "She's sooo good" she sighs in heroine worship mode before shrugging at Ico. "Not sure what I'll sing now. 'All By Myself' might be a bit of a downer. 'Seasons in the Sun' would be a total downer. I'll think of something! I could sing one of my own songs but then no one would have any idea what I was singing." A pause. "Which could be true whatever I sing. But, hey, here to have fun...even if no one else will." Another mighty sip of her light beer.

Cameron accepts the cider as it's delivered to her with the happiest of smiles. Unfortunately for Mariah, she pulls out a roll of singles to pay for it. Crumpled singles, all wrinkly and everything, and one with a lipstick mark on it. #StripperLife "Thanks!" She beams at the blonde, before turning with both non-beer alcoholic beverages in hand to press one to Madison. "Not a word, you. I'm not drinking Budweiser tonight, I don't care how 'badass it makes me look.'"

"And it's a national brand, you ass. Not just from LA!"

But soon enough, topic turns to singing, and the newest singer for the Amulet suddenly looks unsure of herself, shifting her weight from one side, then the other, brown eyes rolling up towards the ceiling as her lips purse in thought. "Um... I was thinking of maybe doing 'Ships That Don't Come In'? Is that too sad? We could do one of our latest if you wanted to to turn it into an advertisement, maybe." A beat. "If you behave."

Cameron turns to another patron of the bar, reaching out a long, skinny limb to lightly rest on her target: Nicole. "Hi. Hey, um, do you know what you're singing? We're kind of having a hard time deciding." The brunette gestures between herself and the goth. "Maybe you could help us break a tie?"

Ignacio rests back in the booth order placed and arm against the back of the booth. The question draws a faint look of consternation from the consummate showman as he gives this an honest assessment. Turning his head he gives the pink-haired woman's forehead a smooch and promises thoughtfully, "I'm... I'm holding up so far. Buuuut I might have something planned for you soooo since he can't be here you gotta get it on film to blackmail me with later and sell to Itzhak so he can harass me for all of time."

When Lyric finishes there's a couple of shrill whistles and that gets a clap. "Way to go off top 40. , lady. Nice!"

That comment gets an arched brow from Finch as she looks at Iggy. "Something planned?" Uh oh, where Ignacio is concerned, surprises can go either way. Some days it's delicious almond cookies, somedays it's a baby chicken he thought was a canary. "Uh sure, I can film it on my phone."

Scott applauds Lyric's performance, offering her a grin. "Nicely done," he offers, before he shrugs at Ico's question. "Still working on narrowing down the choices, I think. There are too many songs I'd like to sing, all in all. How about you?" Another sip of beer.

Pausing on the other side of the door, Everett extinguishes a cigarette and exhales the smoke upwards before the large man opens the door and ducks under the door jam. He gives the room a quick and apparently disinterested look before heading towards the bar.

Mariah gives a smile to the girls at the bar, she knew all about looking young, she doesn't card people though at the moment. She delivers the drinks with a smile and a dip of her white blonde head as she gives a look to Hank and the others who are lining up to sing. "Just don't break another chair!" she laughs. Then she's back to getting drinks and food orders. Owners worked as well.

Lyric had fun and appreciates the whistles, cheers, applause with a gracious smile. She retakes a seat with Park, Scott and Ico and picks up her beer for a drink. "Now I get to settle in here and watch everyone else sing. That's the fun part. I feel like I'm at a concert." She drinks her beer and shoulderbumps Scott, "Thanks." Though she motions to Hank over there. "He sang one but you can still sing what you want. Sing the one you wanted to sing. You all should."

Ico shrugs to Scott's question. "Not sure. Pondering an upbeat, easy going and fun." He offers and shrugs. "But no real clue." He admits. Applauding Lyric as she finishes. "Nicely done." Offered as she returns. Nodding some about what to sing. "Can't make up my mind." He admits with a soft chuckle.

Glass of cold whiskey sour to her lips, Nicole pauses mid-sip as she sees Everett entire. She doesn't know the guy, but she smiles, laughing softly to herself and shaking her head. Seems he has left an impression on her at some point. Her attention shifts back to those at the bar; Madison and Cameron at the moment. Looking at them curiously, she asks, "what is the tie?" She doesn't seem upset at all about the limb resting on her. "Me? Oh... I am not singing." Shaking her head, her blonde hair swings over her shoulders and she pushes it back again. "You wouldn't want that."

Mid-way there, he shakes his jacket, casting off the light drizzle coming down from yon high before Everett uses the fingers of both hands to comb his hair back and resumes his forward progression. Once to the bar, he waits his turn to order something from the tap. Pointing, while extracting his wallet and leaves a tenner on the bar top. To the new announcement, Everett casts a glance at Hank, before looking back.

Lyric gets a greeting hug from Park on her return - at least the latter wiped the drool off her fingers from the failed whistle first. "You are sooo awesome" she grin-sighs before plonking herself down on her chair again. Tonight, she's gone the tights, mini-skirt, and t-shirt look. "There's a few here from amateur night. Like that guy." She points at the giant Everett. "He shook so hard the bottles of milk in the fridge became thickshakes." Park muses on the demand to sing what you want, even if it has been used before, but she will think of something else. "Someone better go up there" she notes.

~ Madison ~

Mariah calling Madison out on her rampage has the girl freezing in place, and looking nothing like she is doing -anything- but being frozen solid, deer caught in the headlights. It takes a few seconds of booting for her to do a slow "Ha. ha. I... T... That was my sister." And shrinking where she stands, she nods.

"Thanks." Who said the Pourhouse didn't know mercy?! Certainly NOT Madison. For sure Cameron did it. Speaking of which, Madison just raises her hands up in surrener, "Wow, sorry, I didn't know we had a connoiseur among us! You are always surprising, Tony Hawk."

Blowing a kiss to the other woman, Madison soon adds, "As for song, I was kind of hoping we would do something like Japanese Boy, or Mariah Carey's Without You, or Nemo, you know? To really work the chords! But okay, Ships That Don't Come In is Fiiiiiiiine!" The suggestion of doing self-promotion meets a hand.

"Never. We don't sell out like this. Our music needs to be shared and reach fans through fans. Like a living ecosystem, a net of feels, you know? Can't go around whoring. Like Pamela." She is going to go on a rant about Pamela tonight, and all that Youtube money singing crappy melodic shit!

The small dick joke immediately has Madison covering her mouth and going, "Motherfuckin' SLAMMED! High five, yo!" Some extra in the back gets a high five. Dude is ferocious and quick-witted, mad respects! As she is back, Nicole is there, and Madison smiles WIDELY at her, "Hey dude! Madison! Pleasure. Oh gosh, wow, your hair is like all a cascade of orichalcum, DAMN! I wanna!" She offers her hand to shake, not trying to steal Nicole's hair right now.

Jaime watches folk perform from where he sits with his beer, but eventually his phone keeps buzzing and he checks the messages, tapping a few respones out, until apparently whatever is going on is enough to fully distract him from the event, and he gets up to slip out, leaving cash on the bar for his drink and tip.

Mariah looks /upupup/ when she sees Everett approach and there's a smile as she goes about getting his drink from the tap and then sitting it down in front of him. Apparently some people did hand signals really well. She gives a look over to see how Hank is manning his station and there's a bit of a chuckle as she goes about things. She tries to make sure everyone is tended to in a timely manner.

"Nobody wants to have to sing." Cameron replies to Nicole with a wry smile. "But if it's your first night at Fight Club... you have to fight." The brunette gives a reassuring squeeze before she takes her arm back from inside of the hair dresser's personal space. "If you sing, I'll buy your next round. Whatever you want, even something top shelf. Just..." She eyeballs that expensie shelf. "...be gentle with my wallet."

As Madison goes about listing the options of what they should sing, bringing on the heavy sigh with the addition of Cameron's choice, the Wiccan shoots Nicole a bemused, but pointed, look and gestures at her gothy companion. "See what I'm dealing with? We could use an outside opinion on this one, or we're going to be debating all night long."

Very quickly, a finger is pressed to Madison's lips, Cam narrowing her eyes with a warning scowl that doesn't look very ferocious at all. "Not a word. Don't say it."

When Madison introduces herself to the hair dresser, the brunette waits for that oversharing debacle to come to a close. Then she reintroduces her hand back into Nicole's personal space for a light, limp shake. "I'm Cameron. Or Cam. She's right, you're hair looks really good."

If someone were to look at Nicole as she watches Madison, they might think she was mildly frightened. Perhaps she is! The abundant energy the other woman exudes has the hairdresser grinning a bit wide-eyed. "Oh." Her hand lifts, touching her hair lightly as if checking it is still there. "Thank you." The compliment is sincere and she reaches to accept Madison's hand. "Nicole. Nice to meet you." Turning to Cameron she shakes her head again. "Oh.. No no no... it's not that I do not want to have to sing. It's that -you- nor anyone else here would want to -hear- me sing... really. I am not good. Just observing, drinking, smiling." She punctuates that statement with one of those smiles. But then it goes a little lopsided. "This isn't Fight Club." She then leans in to whisper, "and we don't talk about Fight Club." She sits upright again, reaching for her glass. "What songs are you choosing between again? I heard Mariah Carey mentioned... please not that." She wrinkles her nose. Apparently not a fan of that particular diva. "Nice to meet you too... and, thank you."

Ignacio limps up to the stage in that urban cowboy swagger that is really his right leg pulling the weight. That said it seems shy and the Spaniard have never met. He punches a few buttons and hands Hank the piece of paper. and the Refreshments come up on the screen. The New Yorker warms a lop-sided half-smile to the bar giving them a wave, "Hey, I'm Ignacio aaaaand this... is going out to my best everything, and for all youse out there with yours. I'll share. Why the hell not." He gives Finch and her phone. This will either be really good or really bad. For all he is not a crooner he is a damn fine entertainer and can carry it.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2AssPxGJss]

"We could write our names here in the mud
No one's around to see them
We could hang our shoes here in a tree
No one's around to steal them
I could give you a star
You could give me one too
And that way we'd be even
And I could sing a song way out of tune
And not care a bit about it..."

He doesn't have to look at the words to tell this story a bit and not taking himself at all too seriously because that's half the damn fun. Especially when telling someone in front of a bar they can call you 'sweetheart' and try to get the other folks out there to sing along (LOUDLY) on teh damn chorus like it's Sweet Caroline.

"We could chase our shadows around the lawn
Until we're both exhausted
I could forget the words here one more time
and hope that no one notices"

>.> It's hard to tell if that's Iggy being Iggy or the song being of the same vain.

"And what's good for you is good for me
And what's bad for you is bad for me
Well, cars break down and people break down and other things break down too
So lets go dooooown together"

Accepting the drink with a nod, Everett would have sawed his own arm off then complained Mariah got the order wrong anyways. He turns around with it in his right hand, leaning not at all comfortably back to the bar, damp hair dangling. While he takes a moment longer than his initial assessment, his gaze stops at a few familiar faces.
Nicole is given a nod, his gaze lingering a little longer before the thug pushes away from the bar and heads over to Hank's station, and then starts perusing through the songs before pausing. Looking up at Hank, Everett points at one.

Oh lord. Finch dutifully gets out her phone to record Ignacio's performance, and she takes a real good gulp of her drink before he gets going. And go he does, and it's adorable. There is that enormous relief that he isn't doing 'It's Raining Men' or something She can't stop grinning and blushing and she sticks two fingers in her mouth to whistle for him as he performs. And the words, well, that's pretty much Figgy and Inch in a nutshell.

Lyric whistles for the next singer and when Park hugs her, she takes Park out to dance a little in a clear place. Lyric is wearing a pair of low rise faded jeans with slashes all the way down in front, a white belt and a midriff bearing t-shirt that says I'm with The Band on the front of it. Whether Park remains to dance with her is up to her, but Lyric is having a good time, clapping her hands together above her head in time to the music playing.

~ Madison ~

A hand comes to rest firmly upon Cameron's wallet, whether it is on her back pocket, or upon the counter. Madison raises her OTHER imperiously, "I declare NONSENSE! No paying for someone -else- to sing. Song must come from within! The stomach! Little scientific fact." She arches an eyebrow as if she had just Neil DeGrasse Tyson'd Cameron so hard.

She puts an arm around Cameron, as if posing for a picture in front of Nicole, "I have a waaaay better idea! Nicole, you are singing with US! The Lucas Fox to our Ian Kilmister and Larry Wallis! That will be -perfect-! You have the hair to rock on stage, Cam has the voice, and I have the X factor! It will be -spicy- as hell!"

She waggles her eyebrows, which, again, instantly erases all credibility Madison could have mustered with her previous spiel. "You will NOT regret it." She totally will, but on the other hand, Madison is smiling so much at the idea. Who would say no to THAT?

"I swear we won't sing anything about Cameron's love for Strongbow gold apple cider! That is her sponsor, not mine." She sips her DELICIOUS Strong gold apple cider, then, before wiping her lips with the back of her hand.

"Okay, now, decide whats gonna be, people are rocking that stage and we are still in the song phase! We are the DC to their Marvel, Cam! We don't wanna be that!"

Everett climbs to the microphone and adjusts the stand after Iggy. And lifts it a little more, using both hands after leaving his beer with Hank, a fatal mistake. The gorilla gives a somber look to Hank and nods after cradling the microphone with both hands.
And when he sings, it's clear he's no professional, the tattoos on his knuckles suggest his profession isn't in singing. But fortunately, this song is mostly speaking, in a sing-song fashion, and short. For the majority of it, he signs with his eyes closed or narrowed to thin slits, looking to the prompter for his lines or straight ahead.

[https://youtu.be/J_sEtNrYlC4]

In some places, he lets go of his double hold of the microphone to add hand gestures. The Rain Pouring Down, his left hand slowly falls down, fingers wiggling. Something Warm Flowing Down My Eyes, the same hand is caressed over his face. And at Hold Me, Darling, he wraps his left around his torso, hugging his shoulder.

"Being not good is what makes it great, Nicole. Nikki? Or Nicole?" Cameron inquires as to what the woman prefers to be called, before nodding knowingly at the woman, winking and pressing a slender digit to her own lips to indicate that she totally understands that one does not talk about Fight Club. That first rule. "If everyone was good, none of this would be any fun."

"Well, I want to sing Ships That Don't Come In. But I don't want to bring the mood down too much, you know? Kill the whole vibe. Make people cry in their beers. She wants to sing Japanese Boy. Or... what's left without Carey... Nemo? If this keeps up, we're just going to compromise and wind up singing something form Elton John."

The brunette gives a dubious eye on the fact that Madison now has her wallet, but she doesn't say anything about it. Yet. Not with her lips, anyway. But dem eyes do. Even so, she slips an arm around the midget Goth's shoulders as they are presented to Nicole for a mental picture.

"Okay, okay! Geez, um..." Letting go of the slick afterburn of her choice of drink, Cameron frowns at the stage, then at the two women she's conversing with. "Nic, you know any TLC? We could go classic. Smooth, jazz it up a little. Doesn't strain the vocal chords, nice and mellow, anyone can do it. If you don't, you're going to have this unhappy face to look at all night long."

Setting her drink aside, Cam places both hands on the sides of Madison's face, using her middle fingers to pull the corners of the shorter woman's lips down and out in a comical parody of a sad pout.

Oh goodness. The giant man that is Everett recognized her from that night. She remembers too, that moment was just on the cusp of when she was too drunk to remember much else after. Blushing, she nods quickly and looks back to the stage and the man giving a song absolutely all he has. She sets her drink down on the bar again to applaud the performance thoroughly. Madison distracts her again though and she blinks. "Wait... I'm... what?" A hand reaches up to run her fingers through her hair, nails lightly brushing against her scalp. "Uh....." Thankfully, Everett takes the stage. The very man whose mere presence made her blush not but a couple minutes ago. She listens to him and as he sings, the foot whose heel is balanced on the bottom rung of her stool taps in the air in time with the song.

"Nicole," she answers to Cameron. "Or Nic. Please, not Nikki..." A shake of her head but no explanation why. "Elton John is a lot of fun though... what's wrong with Elton?" She takes a breath and nods, reluctantly. "I know some TLC. Some...." Did she just agree to do this?

Leaving the stage, Everett returns to his drink. At least that's where he thought he left it, there with Hank. Ah. Hmm. Everett frowns softly, looks to the stage for a moment and then shrugs dismissively. He turns course then, towards the bar, already extracting his wallet on a chain from his back pocket.

Finch is already sending the video to Itzhak by the time Ignacio gets back to the table. "That was awesome," she tells him with a grin.

Park will happily dance with Lyric; which mainly involves bouncing up and down in time with any music that plays. But she's having fun! She always hasa fun. "I think I know what I'm going to sing!" is gleefully yelled to the world. Though when Everett starts up, she frowns a little. "Pearl Jam...the Eagles of grunge. And I don't mean that in a good way. We need some happy songs! Oh...and I wrote some songs for the band. First drafts. You can change them...or drop them."

"Ah, I think I found a good one," Scott says, mostly to himself as he takes another sip from the beer. "Might need a new one when done, though. This is going to be fun!" Listening to the performances, he grins widely, enjoying the music. Once it's time, he steps up, offering a grin to Hank as he tells the man the song choice, adding another grin. "Time to get this thing set to full fun, right?" Turning to watch the people in the bar, he grins. "There are so many songs I'd like to sing, but for now, it's time for this one, right?"

The start seems to be one with melodica and some string instruments, before the rest of the band on the track joins in. "Hey hey..." comes the start of Scott's singing.

"She was a be-bop baby on a hard day's night.
She was hangin' on Johnny , he was holdin' on tight
I could feel her coming from a mile away.
There was no use talking, there was nothing to say
When the band began to play and play.
And we danced like a wave on the ocean, romanced
We were liars in love and we danced
Swept away for a moment by chance
And we danced and danced danced."

He continues singing, next verse and the chorus again, more or less jumping around on the stage as he sings. Then comes the bridge part, starting a bit calmer.

"The endless beat she's walking my way
Hear the music fade when she says
Are we getting too close, do we dare to get closer
The room is spinning as she whispers my name..."

And then he launches into the chorus a few more times.

"And we danced, danced, danced, danced, danced..."

Then the song is over and he ends it with one more jump on the stage. "Thanks, it's been quite fun."

[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB1Q-PfUvN0]]

Ignacio pauses at the stage and laughs offering the guy a hug, "Eh why the hell not man." Fuck it, Hank gets a hug. On his way back, Lyric dancing and having a good time out there gets a high five. Getting back to the table he looks comfortably pleased with himself. Sure Finch's family carries a hella bad rap. The guy doesn't seem to care in the slightest. And then Everett is up and he flinches lightly. sliding back into the booth with Finch and his beer. On finishing he claps for the man that might be 2 stacked giraffes in a trench coat. "Right in the soul man!"

~ Madison ~

"The coven has been formed, there is no breaking of it. The punish for oathbreakers is three or four seasons of increasingly dubious writing and an undewhelming closure to their redemption arc!" Madison says so in a spooky voice, too, eyeing Nicole as she seals her fate for the night.

Then her face is grabbed, and made to pout, and OH she pouts, and lipquivers too. There is no low too low that Madison won't reach to get a stranger with godlike hair to join their one-night singing party. Those eyes get SO big, it is actually kind of weird.

"ELTON -Motherfuckin- JOHN, Cam! That is set! Lets Crocodile Rock this! Come, baby, I know you like it." It is Madison's turn to grab the other woman's face, one of her hands now containing Cameron's wallet, as she looks straight into the woman's eyes.

"We are going to be great. She is the last bit of the puzzle. The prophetized 'Sun-Maned One'! We will bury all those who oppose us in the karaoke night and -finally- I will win it! A dream of years, now within my grasp!" All bullshit, but hey, she speaks like a true goth Gandalf.

She is also not THAT short.

Turning around she grins at Nicole, "Nic! Are you ready girl? Are you ready to blow the roof of this?" She only stops her chaotic whirlwind of random to whistle at Scott's jumps, obviously drawn to the energy, her hips moving to some song. "Hell yeah! Nic, quick question: can you backflip? I would, but I can't and I am too worried I might fall on my face."

Finch gives Ignacio a kiss and grins at him. "Let's get out of here. Your performance has inspired me to a performance of my own, for your eyes only." Ew. Youngish love. Gross. She tugs his hand so they can go catch the bus back to Bayside.

Mariah just gives a laugh when Hank is doing so well, "I might have to hire him just to run karaoke." she muses quietly to herself. Then there's a few more tenders heading to the bar and there's a salute given to them, "I leave it in your capable hands." she tells them as she goes to sit at the end of the bar.

Putting his wallet away, Everett gives a nod of thanks to the waitress that returns his drink to him. Lifting his attention to catch the remainder of the song that follows his. When it finishes, with Hank's beckoning, Everett claps as well as one can, standing, holding a beer, from which he sips without a care that the drinks been out of his attendance for a few minutes.

"You are so damned right, Nic. And since you're both teaming up against me..." Cameron declares with a large smile, keeping one wary eye on what Madison does with her wallet. "Crocodile Rock it is. I'll sign us up." Yes, she just agreed to sing. In a backhanded way. But that is just how things go in a bar with strangers on karaoke night. The Wiccan witch lets go of Madison's face and mouth once the diversion has worked and their acoustic group is formed.

Cameron tries not to spill her thin-necked beer when Madison grabs her by the FACE, that wallet smushed into her cheek. It makes her lips pucker together and forward. She does her best to pat Goth Gandalf's hip until she's released, her jaw working a little side to side while Maddie asks Nic about her acrobatics expertise.

"No backflips, Mads. We are NOT having a repeat of the trampoline incident. And this time there's no safety net or soft landing waiting for us. It's just a no." The expression on her face indicates that it's going to be a HARD no. Disengaging briefly from Madison, Cameron gives her gothic companion a little pat on the rear before making her way down the bar to where Mariah has retreated from.

"Um, hi. Hey. Me and the girls down there, we want to do Crocodile Rock. Where do we sign up?"

There is applause for Everett as Nicole is confounded by Cameron and Madison. She's not protesting, but still looks a bit confused and not-quite-sure about... anything. "Coven?" Her lips mouth the word before her teeth capture the lower one. Brow arches as Madison gives an Oscar nomination worthy performance of inspiration and motivation. Though she isn't as jubilant nor as eager, she shrugs with a smile and says, "sure... What the hell. If you come into my shop for a your next haircut." Hell, if she is going to be sucked in, she might as well get some business out of it, right? However...

Nicole looks at the stage and says, "um... probably should not backflip there. I need more room than that...." Safe call, Nicole.

Scott likewise is listened to. It takes a moment, but finally, Nicole says, "oh, I know this song..." And she claps along with the beat, applauding when he is finished.

Thankfully, Cameron agrees to no backflips. This seems to make Nicole a little less worried. A little.

Mariah gives a look up when Cameron comes over and there's a smile, "Hey there." the blonde nods to her. She listens to the question and then there's another smile, "There's a little book over by Hank up there, he's very friendly and very harmless. You guys just put in your name and just tell him what you want to sing when he calls you up." she tells her.

At Scott's song, Park feels the need to yell out. "Hooters!! I love Hooters!! Blowable Keytars for the win." She will dance around but then it is her turn. "Wish me luck" she grins to Lyric before heading to the stage. A whisper of her song choice to Hank...who gives her an odd look in reply before shrugging...and Park bounces onto the stage. A big grin on her face as she waves to everyone. "Hello! I'm Park Mee! Or Mee Park if you like. At least my surname isn't Fook, am I right?" A tap of the microphone. "Is this thing on? I went into a boostore the other day and asked for a book by Shakespeare. The guy asked, 'Which one?". I said, 'William'." Thank goodness this is not a stand up night.

Techno music starts up and so does the singing. "Everyone join in!" [https://youtu.be/XqZsoesa55w]

Baby shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo
Baby shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo
Baby shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo
Baby shark!

Mommy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo
Mommy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo
Mommy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo
Mommy shark!

Daddy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo
Daddy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo
Daddy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo
Daddy shark!

The mini-skirted torturer bouncing as she sings, even doing the appropriate dance moves. If no one throws bottles at her, she will finish the whole song before waving happily. "You've all been a great audience. Come and see the band I'm in!" A pause. "We don't play that."

Lyric returns the highfive, "Nice job!" she tells him with a grin. Eventually she gets back to her seat and listens attentively to Scott, applauding, cheering and whistling once his song was complete. "Go get 'em Park!" She cheers on her other bandmate.

Ico does continue to cheer each person that goes up on stage. For now entertaining his beer, as Lyric and Park went to dance and soon enough Scott is going up to sing. And then Park. Sitting back and waiting, cheering the others. Chuckling some at Park's choice. Once it is his turn he will rise to head over. Offering over to Hank in passing as well. "Here's to Us." He offers before moving up and starting to sing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC0DNLDXJW8

He does seem to know what he is doing, to some degree at least. Slowing it down a little after Park's song again. Singing the verses and as the chorus comes holding up his own bottle, toasting all those out in the crowd.

"Here's to us, here's to love
All the times that we fucked up
Here's to you, fill the glass
'Cause the last few days have kicked my ass
So lets give 'em hell
Wish everybody well, here's to us, here's to us"

Continuing through the song and trying to get the crowd along, if possible. But at least trying to get Hank to sing along some it seems.
Once he is finished he will give a small wave. "Thanks, been fun!" He offers and head off back to where he came from.

Taking a long drink from his beer, Everett watches the goings on in the bar for a moment. Then a new emotion appears over the brooding man's appearance. He reaches out to pause a passing waitress, then pantomimes writing in the air. While she fetches a pen, Everett drinks all but two fingers of his beer and nods his thanks upon taking it.
Heading for the bar, the big guy pulls forth his wallet, extracts a bill and puts his wallet back before he starts doing a little arts and crafts involving the pen, bill and bar top. And when Park joins the stage, Everett looks up for a moment, frowns a little at the joke and looks to her table, since its their fault. As though it were. He applauds where appropriate, then returns the pen he's borrowed.

Scott makes a detour by the bar to get hold of something to drink, then back to the table. Grinning widely as he listens to both Park and Ico. "Such a fun night," he remarks.

Nicole blinks a few times as she watches Park. Is she really... oh yes, yes, she is. She did. Nicole's dark eyes look about with a smile at the end, applauding for Park tentatively. "That took guts. You could have been mauled for that song."

Ico goes up next. Nicole's lips go a bit sideways and she nods along. She lifts her whiskey drink as if it were a lighter and she were at a concert. "Tell them to go fuck themselves," she agrees at one point; applauding when he is finished.

Then reality dawns on her. "Oh shit... are we next?"

Ignacio finishes his beer and arches an eyebrow and that beer stops just before it reaches his lips. He stares at Finch for a long moment, goes to drink, pauses. nope finishing that Cuervo and flags the waitress down handing her the $20 and waving off the change. "Yeah ya know, I am strangely comfortable with this plan..." The young and rehabilitating are so adorably gross. He'll feel guilty about that likely at the speed of never. He does stop to slide Hank a tip though with that easy grin of his, "Hope to catch you next week man."

~ Madison ~

"No back- ... Oh my god, that trampoline thing only happened once, and Jessie was -fine- after three weeks! She has her memory back now, okay!?" Madison eyes Nicole, as Cameron leaves them to go put their name on the list. The goth shrugs, "She is blowing that coma out of proportion."

At Nicole's acceptance, Madison just screeches happily, before locking hands with the other woman again, Dillon and Dutch style, sans the biceps. No biceps. Noodle arms.

And as for the haircut, Madison eyes Nicole with wiiiiide eyes. "Whaaaaaat? You do hair cuts? GURL! Of course! I am tired of fighting my hair! That explains your blonde ambrosia over there! Of course I'll go! Unless it is uber expensive, then I won't, because I am kind of in-between gigs right now."

And my bandmates keep going into weird comas.

"We are NEXT, Nicole! The gods of night smile upon us! Oooooh boy. I am getting nervous. OOooh. My tummy! Damn it. I am nervous, Nicole. Damn it damn it. Come on. Say something calming! Please!"

Is there even time for pep talk? Maybe it is too late. It has always been too late!

Cameron makes her way back from signing them up with a double-thumbs up at the two women. She's smiling widely until the song that comes out of Park's mouth has her stumble as if physically struck. She looks back over her shoulder with a visible cringe. After a moment, she turns back to face the other parts of her singing group with a grimace. "I'm never getting that out of my head." The tall, willowy woman bemoans.

They are, indeed, next, Nicole. Your doom is upon you!

A pair of hands are placed on Madison's shoulders to guide the woman to the stage, and she will drag Nicole up there by the arm if she must. She can't pull off an Elton John alone. NO ONE CAN!

Cameron smiles at Hank as she takes the microphones in hand, passing one off to each of her cohorts. There's a deep breath taken, that rush of the stage, of all eyes on them. She can almost feel the crowd's heartbeats. She smiles. She nods.

The piano music flares up, a lively, jaunty tune. True to John's style. The dark-haired Wiccan rolls her shoulders side to side along with it, shifting her weight from foot to foot, cocking a hip one way, then the other as she glances at the two women she's going to sing with.

It's not... super awesome. Individually they are probably all decent(ish), but together they make a frightening clash of discordant noise. Oh yes, the trainwreck of the night is here, people. (I mean, it's no Baby Shark, but...)

Cameron leans into the microphone on the first notes, eager to get started.

"I remember when rock was young~
Me and Suzy had so much fun~"

The three women belt out the tune in this particular brand of chaotic cacophony, and throughout the song, Cameron dances around and with them, taking Madison's hand and twirling her around during the chorus. She dances back-to-back with Nicole, encouraging the hair stylist to get low and pop that booty with her. Because you can't not pop the booty when it's Elton fucking John.

"Life is too fun to be mauled!" Park grins to Nicole. "Unless you like mauling." She leans in to add, "Thanks for not throwing anything." Park gives Ico a high five as they pass. "Go get 'en, Tiger" she grins before back to the table. "I didn't know you liked Hooters, Scott? Awesome. And you're song was so clever, Lyric." Where is that half-finished light beer of hers? She sings along with Ico, finding her phone to turn the light on and sway it from side to side. And giggleblushing at swear words. Applause for Ico when he is done. Then the girls are on, and once the song is recognized, Park is on her feet and dancing along. And singing along too. At least she doesn't have a mic. And those Baby Shark moves can be used for Crocodile Rock too - snapping jaws for the win.

Ico smiles and offers a, "Have fun." To the last ones up as he passes them. Moving to get a new beer before rejoining his group. "Nicely done everyone." He offers before trying to look that song they are doing. Giving each of his bandmates a hug before sitting down. Cheering along to Crocodile rock. Humming and singing some with them from where he sits.

Madison is like Nicole on three times the speed. Half the time she or Cameron talk, Nicole stares at them while her brain tries to track the words. Too many chemicals she works with maybe. It takes a moment for her mind to catch up. 'Coma'? She mouths, again.

"Um... calming... Um... don't be nervous. It's just butterflies tickling your insides because they are happy you are about to sing?" Even Nicole sounds skeptical of her own words. "We'll do great... it's just for some fun, right?" She smiles then pats her hand. "I do. I own the Curl Up and Dye now.. come down, we'll work something out." She nods as Cameron comes back and Hank calls them up. "Oh shit..." is said again. She doesn't have to be dragged, she walks along her two brand new friends up to the stage.

When the music starts, Nicole of course can't help dance a bit, swaying in time to the tune; hip to hip, shoulder to shoulder.

Her favorite part to sing is the off-key 'laaaaa la la la la laaaaa" parts. She gets super into that.

The rest of the song is spent dancing with the other two women and just generally not giving a fuck about how bad or good they are. This is fun.

And she gets to end the song even... shrilling out a string of 'laaaaaa la la la la laaaaas" until the music fades out.

"Now that was a fun song choice you made," Scott offers in return to Park, with a grin. "I really liked it. And the Hooters made some very nice songs." He sips his drink, taking a few moments of pause as he listens now. When the trip starts on Crocodile Rock, he can't help it, he starts pretending that the edge of the table is a piano, playing along and singing along at a few points. "Awesome song."

Mariah claps during the song and there's a smile on her face as people are having fun. When Hank calls her out there's a little wave and then she's shooing attention elsewhere. She's good at that. "You guys okay closing or do you want me to stay just in case?" she asks one of her employees.

Tall, silent, Everett's tucked something into his front pocket while waiting for the next act, the trio to get started. When it does, they have his attention, one in particular, though he breaks to take slower drinks. Pushing from the bar, Everett leaves his empty beer glass at the bar and heads towards the stage slowly. But Elton John's not in his wheelhouse of music, so he gets there a little early before the song is over and tries to look natural by pursing through songs, clapping where indicated.

Waiting for the trio to get off stage, Everett ambushes Nicole. That's why he moved his way stealthfully to the
station. He's crafty like that. Sausage fingers dip into his front pocket, while he up nods to the tall
blonde, and tucks the folded paper bill he's written his phone number on into the collar of her cami, his
green eyes downcast to look.
"Now we're even," he murmurs with his deep voice. Unless he's stopped, Everett turns and heads his way out.

High from the silliness of the song and dancing on stage, Nicole is not expecting to run into the brick wall of
a man when she moves to leave the brief spotlight. She didn't quite, of course, run into him, but the way
she stops abruptly and looks at Everett it is almost like she had. She is too surprised to stop him from
tucking the paper into the top of her shirt, and it seems, too surprised to even respond. Her eyes wide,
lips parted as if she might say something if she could just think of words. Still stunned as he begins to
walk away, she finally finds words. Well, one. "Thanks..." It is not until then she pulls out the paper and
sees the number written there.