Set Free

AshxJohnny

It was midnight as Johnny skateboarded to the newly restored theater.

"Hello Ash!" The happy gorilla greeted her before she went up the steps. "How's your day been?"

"Fine," she said lifting her heavy guitar case.

"Do you need any help with that?" he asked as he saw the small porky pine struggle to lift it.

"I got it Johnny," she said nearly out of breath and noticed the concern look in his face. "What you don't believe me?"

"No, I do it's just-"

"Do you think I can't handle climbing up the steps by myself?" She placed her hands on her hips waiting for his response. "Well?"

"I don't think that," he blushed. "I'm sort of running late with my appointment with Ms. Crawl, and I don't want to just leave you out here by yourself. Are you sure I can't help you?"

"Thanks, but no thanks," she said picking up her guitar. " I can do it by myself."

"Okay then," Johnny said as Ash started towards the door. "Great, I forgot about the-" Johnny had opened the door for her. "Door."

She looked up at his beaming face. "I know you said you didn't need help but my Grams raised a gentlemen."

"Thanks Johnny," she said shifting her case and walking past him. "I owe your Grams one."

"Anytime Ash."

~~LATER~~

"Alright, that was a beautiful performance Ash," Buster, owner of the theater, stated as Ash left the stage. "However I have a proposition for you."

"What is it?" She said cocking her hip. "Another one of those pop teen songs?"

"Close. I want you to sing a duet with," the Koala paused for dramatic effect. "Johnny."

"Sorry Buster," she said walking past him. "I don't sing duets." Well not anymore, she thought back to her no good ex-boyfriend. I was only his back up... "Besides I doubt Johnny wants to sing with me."

"Actually he's the one who suggested it," Ash stopped in her tracks. "He's been making extra practices with Ms. Crawl to practice the guitar."

"Where is he?" Ash asked the Koala.

"I think he's in the studio practicing-Wait!"

"Thanks!" The porky pine took off ignoring the other words shouted by Buster. What did he think? That he'll just hold the door open and I'll sing with him?

~~~Studio Room~~~

She barged in.

"Hey Ash," Johnny said with a raised eyebrow. "Are you okay?"

"Am I okay? Am I okay! Who do you think you are!" She pointed a finger at him. "I don't remember agreeing to be your little backup singer!"

"Did Buster already tell you?" He frowned. "I don't recall tell'n him that you'd be backup. I said a duet."

"Yeah well why did you think I'd sing with you?"

"Well in all honesty," Johnny blushed a little. "You've been look'n good on stage, really good, you make the stage light up when you're out there!" Ash kept down the heat rising to her cheeks. "But after the show, you always look a bit down. I just wanted to cheer you up is all. Sorry, I didn't think you'd be mad."

"Oh my gosh," Ash groaned. "Johnny why'd you have to be so nice?"

"I'm sorry."

"No Johnny, I'm sorry. Listen," she slumped down against the wall. "I don't have the best experience in sharing the stage. Actually it was more back up rather than sharing. I didn't get to enjoy singing like I do now..."

"And that's why I said it'd be a one time thing," Johnny walked over to her and held his hand out. "Ash would you do me the honor of singing with me?"

Ash smiled. "Alright Johnny," she took his hand. "I'll sing with you but only this one time."

"Excellent! Now I had an idea for the song," he took out a piece of paper from his jacket. "Here, what do you think?"

"You and I?" She pondered at it. "Okay. This song is a piece of cake."

~~~A WEEK LATER~~~

"Why is this song so difficult!" Ash groaned hopelessly strumming. "How're you doing Johnny?"

"Please don't get me started on this,"Ash noticed his long fingers were clumsy on the strings. "It's always that one string."

"Here," Ash placed her small hand on his. "You got to put your finger on that one right there."

"Here?"

"No Johnny, right there."

He strummed it.

"Thank you," he said giving her a toothy grin. "Ms. Crawl's a good teacher but there are some things she can't teach."

"Like how to not drop an eye," Ash asked.

"No," Johnny out stretched his hands. "Where to place my long fingers."

"Ew," Ash laughed as he wiggled them. "They look like giant worms."

"Are you sure they're not some sort of... Tickle Monster!" He started to tickle her.

"Ahaha-Johnny s-stop it!" Ash continued to laugh. Luckily she managed to escape his clutches. "H-Hey! What are you doing?"

Johnny took off his guitar. "I'm getting ready to tickle!"

He started chasing her around the studio until he caught her. "Ahaha, J-Johnny!"

"I'm not Johnny, I'm the Tickle Monster!"

"T-Tickle Mon-Monster, p-pfft-please stop," Johnny saw that she was breathless so she moved back to give her a chance to catch her breath. "T-thanks, for listening, Tickle Monster."

"It's Johnny," Ash raised a brow at the sudden change of his name.

"What?" That was when she realized their current position, his body was hovering over her.

"It's Johnny, now," he said softly gazing down into the porky pine's blue eyes. "Okay."

"O-Okay," Ash blushed at the his sudden closeness. "It's you, Johnny."

"It's me," he whispered slowly leaning in.

Ash didn't move. It's Johnny, she thought looking back into his chocolate eyes. Sweet, innocent, caring, considerate-

"Johnny!" Both teens jumped back from each other. An older gorilla with a heavy British accent came in scolding Johnny."There you are, good heaven do you know how worried I was."

"Sorry Grams," Johnny apologized. "I forgot to keep track of time. I sort of forget when I'm with her."

"Who the devil is this 'her'?"

"Um, that'd be me," Ash said from the floor. Johnny realized they were still on the floor so he quickly got up then offered Ash a hand. "Thanks Johnny."

"It's all good," he said blushing at the memory of his attempts to kiss the porky pine. "So Grams I'll meet you in the car?"

"My dear" Johnny's grandmother walked up to Ash. "What a tiny thing you are?"

"I'm a porky pine," Ash said placing her hands on her hips. "We're usually smaller than most species."

"Well Johnny," Grams patted her grandson on the back. "Looks like you're going to have your hands full with this Free Spirit."

"Thank you Grams," Johnny took his grandmother's arm and started leading her out the studio door. "I promise I'll be right out. We just have to finish up this last bit of the song."

"Of course Johnny Boy," she gave him a wink on her way out. "Try not to squish her our family's men are known for there strength-"

"Thank you Grams," Johnny slammed the door in her face. "Heh, grandmothers. Am I right?"

"Yeah," Ash said.

There was a moment of silence. I hope I didn't ruin what we had, Ash thought mentally slapping herself.

"So can you make sure my fingers are placed correctly?" He said as if nothing had happen.

Thank goodness, Ash smiled at the way he manage to shift the awkwardness in the room. "Sure thing."

The next few weeks Ash and Johnny practiced all day long. Going over simple guitar lessons and specific lines to sing for the song. It was the most fun Ash had in a long while. Not only because she finally got to share a spotlight, but the fact that she had Johnny constantly making her smile.

It been of few of the best weeks she's ever had.

~~~SHOWTIME~~~

"Nervous?" Ash asked the tall gorilla beside her.

"I'm always a bit nervous before a performance," he said glancing down at the small porkypine. "Aren't you?"

Ash turned towards the stage. "I'm never nervous, Johnny." She flicked her red heart glasses on. "I'm free."

She carried herself on stage with her head held high. The crowd erupted in cheers.

She glanced back at the nervous boy. "You coming, partner?"

He smiled. "You bet your quills I am!"

They both set themselves on stage, and strapped there guitars on.

The lights dimmed.

A single spotlight shone on Ash as she started to play the guitar.

Another light shone on Johnny as he started to sing!

Johnny: "Without you, there's no reason for my story."

Ash: "And when I'm with you I can always act the same."

Johnny: "Forever!"

Ash: "Yeah if we're together."

Johnny: "We can make it better!"

They paused for a second.

Then Ash and Johnny started playing the notes on their guitars.

Ash: "You and I. We never get to sleep we're up all day! We're overworked and under paid."

Johnny: "You and I! We're always stuck in repeat day by day. Watching time drift away as we burn..." Johnny played the guitar. "Away."

Both started to play in sync with their guitars.

Ash: "Without you, there's no reason for my story."

Johnny: "And when I'm with you I can always act the same!"

Ash: "Forever."

Johnny: "Yeah if we're together."

Ash: "We can make it better!"

Johnny: "You and I, we've never felt so right."

Ash: "That just might be just what I need..."

Johnny: "To get me through the night. You and I We're the perfect fit you've got me hooked."

Ash: "So then I could never never quit, I just burn... away!"

Johnny: "Without you, there's no reason for my story!"

Ash: "And when I'm with you I can always act the same."

Johnny: "Forever, yeah if we're together!"

Ash: "We can make it better!"

Johnny: "Oh oh oh-oh oh oh-oh!"

Ash: "Oh oh oh-oh oh oh-oh!"

Then something about the rush of the crowd made Johnny look at Ash.

Slowly Johnny sang, "Without you, there's no reason for my story And when I'm with you I can always act the same."

Ash saw Johnny's eyes focusing their attention onto her.

Johnny: "Forever, yeah if we're together..."

Ash's stomach suddenly got butterflies which was odd because she didn't get nervous.

She dared look into his brown eyes and sang at the top of her lungs, "We can make it... We can make it...!"

Now both teens stared into each other's eyes as they sang out.

"Without you, there's no reason for my story! And when I'm with you I can always act the same! Forever, yeah if we're together! We can make it better! Oh oh oh-oh oh oh-oh, Oh oh oh-oh oh oh-oh!"

Ash finished off the song with her guitar.

Once they where finished they were panting breathlessly staring at each other. Smiling like idiots. However the crowd erupted breaking the spell as they both looked to the crowd and grinned widely.

"Thank you!" Ash waved at her fans.

Johnny held out a piece sign. "And goodnight!"

When they existed the stage they were greeted by Johnny's Grams.

"Both of you were positively brilliant out there," Grams nearly screamed. "I simply can not wait for your next duet!"

"Oh, um Grams this was a one time thing," Johnny said with a disappointed face. "We don't plan to-"

"Sing without making sure you'll allow more late practices," Ash quipped as Johnny rendered speechless. "We don't want you to be worried about your grandson, now do we?"

"Heaven's Johnny don't scare your Grams like that, absolutely Ash! You have my permission, now if you'll both excuse me I need to use the ladies room." She quickly took off towards the restroom.

"Ash what are you doing?" Johnny said with a confused look on his face. "I could have sworn you said one time thing."

"I did," Ash admitted taking off her glasses. "But I didn't realize how much fun it'd be!"

"What are you proposing?" Johnny asked shyly. "In all honesty, I don't want this to end, Ash."

"Me neither, it's fun being with you on and off the stage," Ash was feeling brave and swooped in to kiss his cheek. He went red. She smirked and started to walk away. "I'll see you tomorrow Johnny."

"O-Okay," the boy said beaming. "S-same time?"

"Always."

Ash exited the theater finally forgetting her past because as of right now, she had been set free.

This is just something I wanted to do because I don't think people are really watching the movie -I'm a huge fan- so I wanted to have fun with it! NEXT IS ROSITA!