With a Song in Their Hearts

[Harmony]

It was spreading. Slowly but surely, it was spreading.

Perhaps it was the portal connecting Xaviers to Mutant Town, or one of Ashlie's many attempted improvements linking the two, but whatever had caused the strange outburst of song had not been isolated to the '80s or to campus.

♪♫It isn't right, it isn't fair
There was no parking anywhere
I think that hydrant wasn't there
Why can't you let it go?
I think I've paid more than my share...♪♫


♪♫ Fuck the flatscans and their fucking faces
Fuck the X-Men and their social graces
Fuck all the bad ideas that they ever had
And most of all, fuck Mom and Dad...♪♫


♪♫ Hey how you doing? Have a seat, have a drink
It's great to see you, what can I say?
Sorry; got to run, we'll get together again
What was your name anyway?
We're working on the problem, we'll get back to you soon
But don't try to call me I'll be in meetings every afternoon
For a year, maybe longer, who loves ya baby, keep in touch and have a nice day.♪♫


There was a general sense of confusion and concern, though not one of panic -- some strange things, definitely, were occurring, but this is London. Strange things happen all the time, and at least nothing was blowing anything up or trying to suck someone's brains out through their nose or something. It was going to be one of those days, for sure, but there were worse days both in the future and in the past.


At Kneadful Creations, even that low-level sense of worry wasn't around, as Will, Will, Will and Will opened the doors and got ready for the morning rush.

♪♫Woke up this morning bright and early
Plan to see a world so pearly
Catch a glimpse of sunshine twirl-y
Laughter fills the air
Breakfast town square
Pancakes stackin' without a care
Coffee brewing thick and fair
Smiles everywhere♪♫

♪♫We got plans for the day
Going to chase the blues away
In harmony we'll stay
Plans set in clay♪♫

♪♫Gonna hit the streets all singing
Joy from our hearts we're bringing
Harmony in our voices ringing
Life’s a sweet array
Every moment simple pleasures
Time spent with our treasures
No need for extra measures
Just sing all day♪♫

♪♫We got plans for the day
Going to chase the blues away
In harmony we'll stay
Plans set in clay...♪♫

Complicated four-part harmony notwithstanding, the bakery was running well and, if anything, had more customers than usual this fine morning.

[Ashlie Minamida]

It didn't take long for Ashlie to hear the infectious song and dance had reached the school and her portal and hurried to make sure the situation was as ultimately benign as it seems. Of course, with a higher density of people it seems the music propagates fast and soon she finds herself singing under her breath. Soon enough she attracts the attention of a couple people eyeing her with the usual hint of suspicion, chiming in in the form of intersttial and background vocals, joining Ashlie as she makes her way down the road.

♪♫"Alarm goes off at seven and you start uptown.
You put in your eight hours for the powers that have always been.
(Sing it, girl.)
'Till it's five P.M."♪♫

"Then you go."

♪♫"Mutant Town, where the folks are broke, you go
Mutant Town, where your life's a joke, you go
Mutant Town, with the powered folks, you go
Home, Mutant Town. (Home, Mutant Town.)"♪♫

"Yes, you go."

♪♫"Mutant Town! Where the cabs don't stop
Mutant Town! Where the food is slop
Mutant Town! Where the cops kick those who are low
Down Mutant Town."♪♫

♪♫"Uptown, you cater to a million jerks
Uptown, you're messengers and mailroom clerks
Eating all your lunches at the hot-dog carts
The bosses take your money and they break your hearts
And uptown, you cater to a million whores
You disinfect terrazzo on their bathroom floors
The jobs are really menial, you make no bread
And then at five o'clock you head (by the tube)"♪♫

♪♫"Mutant Town! Where the ceiling drips
Mutant Town! Where the power skips
Mutant Town! Where your fish and chips are so-so
Down Mutant Town. (Down Mutant Town.)
Down Mutant Town. (Down Mutant Town.)
Down Mutant Town. (Down Mutant Town.)
Down Mutant Toooooown."♪♫

A man in a worn but still halfway decent suit steps ahead of the group and they collectively come to a stop as the man with blue skin and a constant whistling of air around him cuts in.

♪♫"Fine, once before, I was doing fine.
Then my genes they drew a sharp line.
And my life fell in sharp decline.
Mutie scum, they said!
Oh, they kicked me out to the curb, out on the street
In Mutant Town.
They took me in gave me shelter, a bed, crusts of bread and a job
Found community, from necessity. You can’t trust;
Those out-side"♪♫

Ashlie and the whole group chime in again and pick up the song.

♪♫"Mutant Town! That's your home address, you live
Mutant Town! When your life's a mess, you live
Mutant Town! Where depression's just status quo
(Down Mutant Town)"♪♫

The crowd continues on with the background vocals as Ashlie's voice rises above them again.

♪♫"There’s no need for retreat; to get outta here.
Can’t improve on this place when you’re outta here.
Let me help make a better place outta here.
Everyone gets their shot in this spot here.
(Mutant Town) Show me how and I will, I’ll help out right here.
(Mutant Town) We'll start climbin' uphill, trust me I‘m your peer.
(Mutant Town) I tell you I’m not haughty as I appear.
We don’t need any luck, with some pluck here.
(Mutant Town) Look around we’ll build hydroponical gardens here.
(Mutant Town) Make new jobs and create something special here.
(Mutant Town) I'd move heaven and hell to improve Mutant-
I’ve got plans and the hands to improve Mutant-
(Mutant Town) Build a hell of a lot to improve Mutant-
(Mutant Town) All I need is your trust in my Mutant-
We can build an Utopia in Mutant Toooooooown."♪♫

[Will Stanton]

"Well, that seems a wee bit pessimistic, Headmistress," Will said, leaning up against a broom. "I mean, admittedly, it was no Krakoa before, but it's not like the place needed a Robot Savior to pop in," he grinned.

"I see the containment is going smoothly."

[Ashlie Minamida]

She probably should be embarrassed about this whole situation, especially bringing her musical number to a close right by Will's store, but this really didn't turn out too bad.

"It'd be going better if I knew what it was. I'll just have to trust that the team will get to the bottom of it. And I'm no savior, just concerned about the socio-economic situation and sustainability of a struggling neighborhood. Besides, I can't imagine the brighter future you came from build itself. And I just want to give people the tools so we can build a better tomorrow together." she says, taking the opportunity of the dispersing group of people that formed her impromptu choir still being around to make a point. Lisette would probably tell her that repeating platitudes isn't going to do much but it doesn't hurt. Hopefully.

[Will Stanton]

"It's definitely something new and strange," Will agreed. "But honestly? It's not so bad. I think it might be making people hungrier; I've been busy all day. That, or bakeries and coffee shops are great places for expository numbers."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"As long as it's not doing any harm... Still, sooner or later I'd imagine people are going to tire of this. It's a lot." she says as she makes her way inside the bakery.

[Will Stanton]

"Not quite your cup of tea then, headmistress?" a different Will asked, sliding an herbal tea across the counter towards Ashlie. "I don't know; I think it adds a certain... stylish flair to things. Gets people open and communicating with one another, which is a good thing, yes?"

[Ashlie Minamida]

"It... is." she says carefully. "But blunt honesty might not always be the best approach. Maybe I'm too used to keeping secrets." she says, picking up her tea. One of those concessions to having a human body. She drinks enough coffee as it is and being aware of her biomechanical systems means she's privvy to all the consequences of her diet.

"Can you get me a scone to go with it." she says, then after a contemplative pause adds, "And a latte and croissant, please."

[Will Stanton]

"Need some extra calories, do we?" Will asked with a twinkle in his eye as he selected a croissant from the display case. "Lots of choreographed dance numbers in our future, are there?"

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Very funny, as per usual." she says with the hint of a smile. "They're not for me."

[Will Stanton]

"Your friend often forget to eat? How kind of you to remind them," Will grinned.

[Ashlie Minamida]

"I'm simply being polite and thanking a hard-working colleague for her help."

[Will Stanton]

Will grinned as he pulled the latte, the music kicking up in the background yet again...a jaunty, teasing, playful melody.

"I think she doth protests too much
'Bout work and value and some and such
She comes in more than in the clutch
That's the waaaay she makes you feeeeel...

A coffee, tea, and fresh-baked scone
Is just an excuse to be alone
With sensations you have never known
And you hoooope that things are reeeeal..."

[Ashlie Minamida]

Ashlie looks comedically unamused but her response inevitably dissolves from words spoken alongside the beat into proper song.

♪♫"I bet you think you're really clever,
Push my buttons, pull on levers.
Just because I've lived forever,
Trapped in wires, chips and steeeel..."♪♫

♪♫"Remain professional and just
I will not let this budding trust
Crumble like rust from ill-advised and fledgling lust.
No matter the appeeaaal..."♪♫

[Will Stanton]

Oh, Ashlie, no need to worry at all
Your very Willing wingmen can see you through, Will said, being lifted onto the counter by a couple other Wills.
Wherever and whenever you get your kicks
It's all well and good if it's good for you.

I think it's cute and humanizing
The way you hide your womanizing
You try to hide it with a professional touch!
But I think the lady doth protest to much... (Toooo muuuuuch!), (the other Wills sang, in echoing backup)

[Ashlie Minamida]

Ashlie sighs wistfully and actually pirouettes through the first half before stopping and slamming both her hands flat on the counter.

♪♫"Perhaps there's no denying, a certain vying for
an attention that's both new and exciting, inviting
But!
Her safety precarious, under threat by nefarious
forces I clashed with befoooore."♪♫

♪♫"No fallacious hinting she's a pawn in this thinking
machine's machinations when this situation
could be thought to be linking
To ways she's been treated befooore"♪♫

[Will Stanton]

Did the nefarious forces
--According to your sources--
Dip to such drastic recourses
Of a latte and a baked good on the reg?

Or are you just projecting through
Your fear of her rejecting you
Because of the the 'protecting' cue
And terrified of an answer in the neg?

[Ashlie Minamida]

♪♫"You and your insight, into the foibles of my mind.
Calculated deceptions served as my protection,
For so long I might have lost track."♪♫

♪♫"Of how to act on a feeling that could send me reeling.
And my only excuse is this pitiful ruse,
of treats when she herself's such a snack."♪♫

Ashlie brings the number to a close, looking appropriately mortified by her choice of words.

[Will Stanton]

"See? Open communication; it's a wonder. I feel like I should charge extra for that," Will grinned.

Perhaps fortunately for Ashlie, the attention garnered by the impromptu duet was being taken by another song over at another table, as a Will stood between a couple arguing about whose turn it was to pay.

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Looks like your next customers are up already. Maybe it's not the setting but the staff that's turning this place into an open mic stage." she laughs.

[Will Stanton]

"We pride ourselves on full service here," Will quipped from behind her as she cleaned a table. "Service with a smile."


"...Do you suppose that's actually a thing?" the Will behind the counter mused. "Could...whatever this is be affecting people more around people more inclined to sing? Or some similar pattern of propagation?"

[Ashlie Minamida]

"It's possible... I wasn't able to determine a vector but more song and dance might certainly increase signal intensity. Assuming it behaves anything like a resonant waveform."

[Will Stanton]

"Well, you have listening posts all 'round town," Will said, with a grin. "We can report back in, track the number of songs sung, see if we can't find some sort of pattern?"

"A big map, with pins in it," another Will chimed in.

[Ashlie Minamida]

"How analog. But yes, that might actually be helpful."

[Will Stanton]

"Fine, fine, the map can be digital and the pins can be blockchain or whatever," Will said, waiving his hand. "But if we get the pattern, we can get a theory, and then we can make a fix."