"And now, the group you've all been waiting to hear...The Misfits!"
As the announcer's voice rang out across the excited crowd, the stage
became bathed in lights of all different colours as the four musicians
that made up the headline act took their places, revelling in the
attention that their appearance had mustered. Roxy adjusted the strap
of her guitar as she gazed out at the audience, a warm glow settling in
her heart as she recognised
Link, Jake and her other hometown friends among the crowd. They were
there
to support her as much as anything else, and she appreciated it. For
the
first time she was beginning to see that she did have friends in the
world,
after all, and that she could maintain her independance and strength
without
shunning them.
"This is more like it!" She decided. "Fame and fortune, that's for
me...Back in Philadelphia a star, just like I always said I'd be. I
told 'em there
was more to Roxanne Pelligrini than just thievin' on the streets of
this
city...an' now I proved it!"
At that moment, at a signal from Pizzazz, the set began, and for the
time being she put her musings aside as she focused on her music. She
always
loved playing for a crowd, and the buzz it always gave her to hear them
cheering. This was, after all, what she had always wanted to be - in
the
limelight, a something and not a nothing. The Misfits were brash,
unconventional
and sometimes down-right violent, but they were also one of the best
bands
at what they did, and their following grew day by day. Jem and the
Holograms had secured the top spot where music was concerned in the
United States, but the Misfits ran them a close second all the way.
It seemed no time at all before the break in their set, and, as they
headed back to the dressing room, Roxy was hit by a sudden inspiration.
With her, to think had always been synonymous with action, and, without
explaining
anything to her bemused bandmate she grabbed Stormer by the arm,
pulling
her back out onto the stage.
"What are you doing?" Stormer's eyes were big and bewildered. "Roxy..."
"Stop complainin'." Roxy instructed. "You can improvise, can't ya?"
"Improvise? Sure, but I don't understand..." Stormer's brow creased.
"I wanna do my song." Roxy explained.
"Your song?" Stormer looked startled. "Roxy, are you sure? I thought
you didn't want other people to hear it."
"It's okay in Philly. This is home." Roxy replied with a shrug. "C'mon,
you gonna help me or not?"
"I'll try." Stormer nodded. "I'll do my best anyway, if you're really
sure you wanna play it."
"It's good enough to play, ain't it?" Roxy demanded. Stormer nodded.
"Plenty good enough." she agreed. "I just don't want you to do
something you'll regret."
"Stop being soft." Roxy chided her. "I said we're playin' it, so we
are."
"What if Jetta and Pizzazz hear?"
"Then they do. Maybe it'll teach them somethin' about what I can do."
Roxy was immovable. "I ain't no dumb no-talent and I ain't gonna be
taken for
granted...it's time they learnt that."
"Well, okay." Stormer shrugged. "Your call."
"Yeah." Roxy nodded determinedly. "So let's rock 'em!"
"What the hell does she think she's doin'?"
Pizzazz and Jetta, alerted to the fact something was up by the
non-appearance of the other two Misfits and the sudden commotion from
the stage had been drawn back to the wings, watching in disbelief as
the performance unfolded.
"She's singin'!" Jetta exclaimed. "An' what is she singin'? Something
Stormer wrote?"
"Probably..." Pizzazz growled. "When I get my hands on her...she knows
that nothing gets added to the set without my say so! How dare she just
saunter up there and start singing some song we hadn't even practiced!
I
sing the songs, not her!"
"The crowd seem to like her." Jetta observed absently as the song ended
to a rousing reception. "Guess it won't do our publicity any 'arm in
the long
run, Pizzazz."
"That's not the point." Pizzazz put her hands on her hips as Roxy took
her bow, and made her stage exit. "Roxy Pelligrini, what the heck was
that
all in aid of! You know the rule!"
"Well, I felt like breakin' it, and showin' you guys what I can do."
Roxy retorted with a careless shrug. "You all take me for granted
anyway, I wanted to prove to ya that I have got what it takes and that
you guys better realise it."
"What song was that?" Jetta demanded.
"Something I wrote, that's what." Roxy folded her arms.
"C'mon, Roxy, get serious." Jetta snorted. "You can barely write your
name!"
"You don't have to be able to write to be able to compose, dummy." Roxy
shot back. "And I did write it, so there. All of it."
"She did, Jetta. I only heard it for the first time a few weeks ago,
when she was playing it." Stormer added her bit.
"Well, well. So you wrote a song...don't think it's going on any Misfit
record." Pizzazz was still clearly sulking. Roxy smiled.
"I don't want it to. It's my song, not a Misfit song." she
replied calmly. "I was provin' a point, that's all. I told everyone I
was gonna change,
and I did. And now, if you don't mind, I'm gonna find myself a drink
before
we play again. I'm parched. Stormer, you comin'?"
"Right with you." Stormer nodded, casting a backward glance at Pizzazz
as she followed her new ally to the vending machine. Despite herself,
she
smiled.
Finally Roxy had realised what she had known all along - that her
contribution to the Misfits was a vital one. The stay in Philadelphia
had proved both eventful and emotional, but it had succeeded in doing
one thing - it had brought
her and her irreverant housemate closer together, and that was
something Stormer
was grateful for.
Because although Roxy had finally put her bad times behind her, she
wasn't quite ready yet to go it alone.
But that was okay, Stormer mused, as she watched the other girl kicking
the vending machine and getting a free can of soda for her trouble.
After all, Roxy didn't need to go it alone.
Whatever happened now, she knew they would have each other, and that
things would be okay.
No matter what.
(The Misfits and Holograms and other animated Jem characters are copyrighted to Hasbro Inc. All characters who do not appear in Jem episodes are my own creation. This story is copyrighted to E.A Woolley (2001). Background image was drawn and edited by me and therefore is copyrighted to me (E.A Woolley). Roxy is copyright of Hasbro Inc.