Chapter Text
From afar the silhouette resembled only a vague female form with what outlined a ponytail. She stomped her foot to the beat of the song that played. Alvin’s eyes began to light up and couldn't stop his own foot from following along. Brittany took notice and scoffed, rolling her eyes with a mixed bag of disappointments directed at the chipmunk.
“Heyyy,” Alvin commented just loud enough to be heard from the sounds around them. “Nice song choice. And who doesn’t appreciate a little showmanship?”
“Yeah yeah,” Brittany answered. “It’s alright so far.” Her attention stayed more on the pitch black figure on the other end of the projection behind the singing. The music picked up and everyone listening could tell the mystery performer was at last going to sing. When it arrived, the crowd below erupted with cheer.
Let me hear your heartbeat
Let me hear your heartbeat
Let me hear your heartbeat
‘Cause I’m gonna change your heartbeat
The lyrics became easy to hear as well as familiar to those that orbited the stage, including Brittany and Alvin. The ramping up and proper start even managed to flow its energy into the less impressed Chipette and she too found herself tapping her fingers onto the guard rail to the rhythm. Her head bobbed just like everyone else who got into it.
“Alright, not bad newbie,” she said to herself with her mouth curving upward, catching Alvin’s attention. Alvin nodded to himself in satisfaction.
Children behave
That’s what they say when we’re together
And watch how you play
They don’t understand
And so we’re
The introduction flowed into the first verses and the crowd got their first real taste of the performer’s capability. Everyone went wild throughout the pavilion both below close to the stage and all around the two chipmunks on the second floor. Alvin jumped and hollered, getting caught in all of the hype.
Brittany watched him with a furled brow. Alvin was so moved by this performer that it appeared as if he forgot that she was standing right there. She then focused her attention back down below. Her glare became more than just condescending. It bubbled into something more: jealousy. But as quick as it formed, so quick it blew away like the wind of the air conditioning unit above them when she and Alvin crossed into each other’s view again. He made his brow dance at her with a smirk. Unable to hold it in, she giggled and after a shrug of her shoulders and a shake of her head, she decided to join him in the merriment. The pair cheered on the singing stranger and enthusiastically swayed in sync with the rest of the mall goers.
Running just as fast as we can
Holding on to one another’s hand
Trying to get away into the night
And then you put your arms around me
And we tumble to the ground
And then you say
The chipmunks within the crowd went along with the rest, enjoying themselves and the concert gifted to them. Feeling the energy in the air, Alvin turned back to Brittany and Brittany looked back at him. He gave her a warm and telling smile before extending his hand out to her. She wasted no time to return the expression and before long, the diva and bad boy of yesterday locked hands to dance together, forgetting the worries of any fight they might have started beforehand. Even if only for a moment, they reflected what they truly wanted from one another.
However, the more the performance went on, the more apparent the voice sounded-- as well as the pitch. Neither of them took immediate notice, but very quickly Brittany became the first between her and Alvin. In the middle of their dancing, her eyes opened up and she stopped mid step. Her face went from lovingly jubilant to inquisitive and pensive. That didn't stop her from letting go of Alvin’s hands so he was forced to come down with her.
“What happened,” Alvin shouted to be heard through the noise. “We were just gettin’ started!”
“Wait,” Brittany answered. “Wait a minute.” Despite her voice not being as desperate, it was enough for Alvin to understand. She lifted her head over the guard rail and her ear to the stage, then back to her partner. “Don’t you hear that?”
“The music,” he answered back with sarcasm in his tone. “Uh, yeah!”
“Not that! Listen harder!” Alvin rolled his eyes and leaned over as they remained connected by one hand without realizing. As the concert went, he focused the best he could purely on the vocalist.
I think we’re alone now
There doesn’t seem to be anyone around
I think we’re alone now
The beating of our hearts is the only sound
I think we’re alone now
There doesn’t seem to be anyone around
I think we’re alone now
The beating of our hearts is the only sound
At first Alvin didn’t know what he was listening for. To him the mystery singer continued on as he would and the crowd clapped along. He scoffed and looked back at Brittany with a raised eyebrow, but before answering back with words it finally struck him. His expression changed in an instant and much like his pink partner, he too lit up with suspicion.
“That,” Alvin started as he dropped back down to meet Brittany at eye level. “That sounds like…”
“A chipmunk,” Brittany finished his thought.
“Another chipmunk,” Alvin thought aloud. “In our neck of the woods? They wouldn’t dare!”
“Well, someone clearly didn’t get the memo!” The two of them leaned over for another time, hoping to get a better look. Unfortunately for them the performer continued to be the light of the event behind the complete shadow of the silhouette. The two then turned to one another. Alvin gestured to go down with a tilt of the head which Brittany answered with a head tilt of her own and the pair ran to the steps.
Running just as fast as we can
Holding on to one another’s hand
Trying to get away into the night
And then you put your arms around me
And we tumble to the ground
And then you say
Alvin and Brittany cleared through the audience who huddled on the stairs. Some just wanted a good sight of the concert while others recorded it for their online presence. When they landed back onto the ground floor, they found themselves put back all the way at the entrance due to the ever growing audience. They looked around for the best route, but as the sea of towering bodies of average sized humans made every path difficult, Alvin made a fierce decision and forced his way through with Brittany in hand.
I think we’re alone now
There doesn’t seem to be anyone around
I think we’re alone now
The beating of the hearts is the only sound
I think we’re alone now
There doesn’t seem to be anyone around
Brittany pulled fast around Alvin and instead led him through another portion of the outer cluster of onlookers to head deeper in. Completely lost below the waistlines of those around them, the two chipmunks had lost any idea of how the show went. All that they could see was the primary projection screen flashing glimpses of the silhouette and effects that reached the edges over everyone.
I think we’re alone now
There doesn’t seem to be anyone around
I think we’re alone now
The beating of the hearts is the only sound
I think we’re alone now
There doesn’t seem to be anyone around
I think we’re alone now
Just you and me the only sound now
The side projections offered little more for them, showing different pre-recorded scenes as well as brief intercuts of the performer. The more they ventured towards the stage, the easier they became to see but their diminutive size still made it a challenge to get the full picture. None of it satiated their curiosity. Every now and then quick moments and angles of the performer were filled in, but Alvin and Brittany would never see them with their heads down and forward, dedicated to making it to the front.
Look at the way
We gotta hide what we’re doing
Don’t care what they say
We’re making the only sound now
Can’t you hear my heartbeat?
Can’t you hear my heartbeat?
Dancing to my heartbeat
Let me hear your heartbeat
Let feel your heartbeat
Let me touch your heartbeat
Let me touch your heartbeat
Cause I’m gonna change your heartbeat
As the show headed towards its end with the song slowing down under the cheering and clapping of the crowd, so too did the pink and red duo reach the end of their own journey. With all eyes on the concert, no one noticed the small creatures peek out of the forest of legs and sneak off to the side behind the blockade. Brittany gestured for Alvin to get them into the underneath of the stage. Alvin’s eyes widened and he shook his head. After a brief back and forth, Brittany whispered “Come on, aren’t you curious enough to go a little bit further?” She egged him on in a way only she knew. Alvin kept quiet to think to himself. It wasn’t that he wasn’t curious enough, he was. Excited even. His pause came from the surprise that Brittany of all people would act like this. Daring and without regard for consequences like he was back in their youth. Taking her question at face value without knowing the full intent behind it, he grinned and nodded in agreement. Brittany remained on the look out as Alvin searched for a way in. He lit up and reached for her as he moved a piece of the stage's curtains to reveal an opening just big enough for a chipmunk. First Brittany then Alvin, staying low to the tiles and below the mysterious musician. Not even a few feet through they stopped as they heard the crowd die down and a larger, louder voice boom throughout the pavilion and shake the ground underneath them.
“Thank you everyone who enjoyed our special presentation,” the announcement began. “We also want to give our special Gallery thanks to the artist that made it all possible. Someone who came out today to give you a taste of her talent. Let’s hear it for: The Wallflower!” Alvin and Brittany looked at each other with a silent scoff. Alvin mocked the voice while Brittany pretended to gag before being shaken by the thunderous cheer of the crowd. The two then felt and heard the thumping of smaller footsteps walk above them. “If you are already a fan like I am, then please come see her grand debut at The Big City Festival!”
Hearing the next announcement caused the two chipmunks to gasp, their faces nearly mirroring each other. That’s when the footsteps above them shifted and headed further to the other end. The floor creaked and clanked from the pressure of each step despite the weight they knew the performer had to have been. Brittany pushed Alvin to rush and they crawled as fast as they could to catch up. At the end of the line, Brittany moved her partner aside and snuck a glance. All she could see without blowing their cover were a pair of small chipmunk sized legs walking beside a taller pair of black slacks and dress shoes.
The sound of the two strangers grew distant, invigorating Brittany to slide out from under the stage and pull Alvin with her. This was a struggle at first and caused them to tumble out. When the crowd began to die down again and the two collected themselves, the legs of the singer and her companion were already gone. Brittany whipped her head around in the hopes of a sign and eventually discovered a door open in the maintenance hallway before them. The room illuminated from within and that was enough for the former star to take her partner and run ahead.
Keeping the surroundings in mind, no doubt thanks to years of experience in mischief, Alvin and Brittany jogged down the hallway to catch up to ‘The Wallflower’. Further along they saw the man wearing the black slacks leave from behind the open door, waving goodbye to the person behind the facade. He left with a smile on his face but began to head towards the other two chipmunks. In a panic, Alvin grabbed Brittany and jumped into a nearby inlet at just the right time. The two were just small enough to squeeze under a drinking fountain attached to the wall. The man walked right by without a care in the world, none the wiser. Alvin remained vigilant, reaching out into the hall with his gaze fixed on the man to ensure they wouldn’t be caught along the way. Once the man was completely out of sight, the duo shared a sly low-five before getting out from the inlet and at last to the room where their target hid. Wasting no more time, Brittany knocked on the now shut door. There was a moment of silence. The two became restless with anticipation, though neither would show or admit to it. Until a voice spoke up from beyond the wall.
“Come on in,” The Wallflower let out a chirp. “The door is unlocked!” The voice, now clear as crystal, only fanned the flame within Brittany. Alvin’s mouth opened and he turned to the Chipette next to him. Her eyes almost bulged out of her head. Not furious, but no less shocked either. Her expression was so mixed that Alvin couldn’t make heads or tails of it, but he did know one thing. He stepped aside and let Brittany pull the door open with full force. She stormed into the room and terrified the musician with a striking call.