Disclaimer: Sing and it's trademark characters belong to Illumination Studios. (Please don't sue me).

However, Abigail is mine (no touchy).

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter One

"Wait, wait... you want to do a-what?" Asked a flabbergasted sheep.

"A musical!" Reiterated a very confident koala. "They're coming back into popularity like crazy! It's perfect as our grand re-opening show!"

"Yeah, but... they're kind of a big step from a singing contest, Buster. They take a ton of rehearsing, choreography, props..." Eddie counted on his hoof.

"Don't dissect it so much, Eddie. You make it sound impossible." Buster interrupted him. "The details will find a way to work themselves out! Besides, if you recall correctly I've been practically adopted by a wonderfully loaded nana."

"Don't... say it like that..." Eddie visibly winced, sticking out his tongue as if he had a bad taste in his mouth.

"Come on Eddie." Buster reassured him. "I've got a really good one picked out. It's guaranteed not to fail. I've already got half my cast, who we know can all sing, plus I've still got my audition roster from the competition that can help us fill in the rest."

Eddie stared at Buster for a moment, his arms crossed and brow set in concentration. His best friend simply waited out his silence by staring at him, a huge grin on his face. With a defeated sigh, he dropped his arms.

"Fine...I know we're gonna regret this..."

"Yes! And he's on board!" Buster clicked his heels together.

"So what's the show anyway?" Eddie asked, taking the paper that Buster was holding to answer his own question.

--

"Beautiful forms girls, keep holding. Very good." A thick accent echoed off the walls and smooth floors of the entire space. It held grace and authority. "Almost there Daniella, try to focus on the goal ahead. Very graceful Abigail."

There was no other sound, except for the few strained exhales of air through several nostrils. The air was thick with concentration and endurance. If muscles could scream, the chorus of 12 pairs of calves would tear through the silence that hung thick in the air.

"Breathe Marie, that's it. Beautiful poise Gabriella. Almost there..."

Several of the girls began to clamp their eyes closed to fight the pain of the position they were holding. Several legs began to tremor from the strain.

"And...rest!" Madame Estelle punctuated with a snap of her hoof.

"Manufique girls, just beautiful!"

The groans reverberating off the walls were few, and none were in protest. After all, every one of the girls who were accepted into Academie de Ballet worked themselves raw to even apply for a position. Madame Estelle was a legend. Tough, but fair. Although being a lean antelope made ballet a breeze for herself, she never turned away any species who showed promise and gave it everything they could.

Needless to say, the class was complied of many different girls from all over the country: Marie the alligator, Gabriella, the mouse and Frances the Hippopotamus were probably the students that were the most out of place to an untrained eye. However, regardless of species and background, all of the girls were here because they earned it, with every blister, strained muscle and bead of sweat.

"You may perform your stretches girls, we are finished for tonight. I shall see all of you demain matin. Sleep well mi armours." Without a noise, madame then departed.

"Ow...ow...ow." A sheep, Hilde limped over to her bag piled up along the wall.

A chuckle brought her focus behind her.

"Easy enough for you, with those gigantic calves of yours." She teased.

"...should I be offended or complimented?" Abigail, a mountain gorilla, placed a graceful hand to her heart in mock surprise.

"Is that an offer to carry me home?" Hilde slung her bag over her shoulder, carrying her open water in her other hand and taking a generous swig.

"Can I bum a lift, while the offer is open?" Little Gabriella added in.

"Sure, I charge by the yard though." Abigail grabbed her own bag as they started for the door.

"Well, now I'm insulted. Friendship revoked." Hilde huffed, then joined in laughing with the rest of the girls who had over-heard her.

One of the biggest pluses being one of Madame Estelle's 4th year students was the complete lack of animosity between each other. Not only was there absolutely no time to build up a distaste for anyone, Madame Estelle had zero tolerance of hate and before you could fling a single insult at another, you would find yourself staring at a closed front door first, with your scholarship completely revoked and not a chance of redemption.

"Anyone going anywhere tonight?" Marie locked the studio door as the girls all grouped in the foyer.

"My bed." Abigail yawned

"Probably down to Chinos - my calves demand a taco." Hilde said

"I thought you could barely walk?" Abigail raised an eyebrow.

"That's the power of comfort food my love. Keep the light on for me?" She winked.

"Just don't forget your key, I'll be dead asleep when you decide to get in."

"You say that like I always forget." Hilde then focused on the group before Abigail could mention that yes, she practically did. "Ladies, any takers?"

A few of the girls followed Hilde and Marie, while the others said their goodbyes and the group split. Abigail and Hilde's apartment was five blocks away, so the gorilla plugged in her mp3 (which was also her phone) and headed east towards home.

"You, wanna be, set apart." She mumbled to the music "Burn all, of your art...repair the wasteful part..."

The night was young, the sun just start to set and the street lights were just coming to life.

"...who lived in the suburbs, let's live in the suburbs..." she began to daydream while walking. Just about 3 blocks to go, thoughts of a bed and a heated blanket started to encourage her to quicken the pace.

Just then, her phone rang, cutting off her music and jutting her back to reality. Looking at the screen before swiping to answer, she kept the headphones on and lifted the device to her mouth.

"Hey, mum - good early evening to you!" She was genuinely happy to pick up. It was a little over two weeks since they last spoke.

"Oh good, I was afraid you were still in class."

"Just walking home, what's up?"

"Well I'm fine, thanks for asking."

Abigail chuckled. "Well at least that knocks off a few reasons why you're calling me."

"And how's my darling daughter this evening?"

"Oh you are enjoying this too much."

She heard her mother laugh on the other end of the line. "Why can't I just want to call you and catch up?"

"Ok, now I'm getting worried - did you sublet my room or something?"

"Fine fine - cut to the chase, I see how it is... I got a call today."

"Are we secretly millionaires?"

"I wish, but sadly no. I'll let you guess though, just one."

"Hollywood?"

"Nope...ready?"

"Mother!"

"Buster. Moon."

That did put a pause in Abigails trek as her mind absorbed what she heard. Shaking out of her mini-stupor, she resumed her pace. "Well, never would've guessed that."

"Right? Just hung up with him about 10 minutes ago and couldn't wait until I could call you."

"So what does the infamous Mr. Moon want? Free choreography?" Abigail took a swig of water.

"Well, no. He offered a reasonable salary."

Abigail choked, "I was kidding!" She gasped.

"Apparently he isn't. He's planning a new show with the grand reopening of the repaired theatre."

"Always biting off more..." she mumbled to herself, then spoke up to her mom: "you told him no, right?"

"Of course! I can't teach anymore."

"Good." Abigail spoke, with a hint of sympathy in her voice. Her mother might understand that her body couldn't do what she needed anymore, but it still hurt to give up the one activity she loved.

"But I told him to call you."

Abigail paused, then blinked. "One more time now?"

"He should be calling you soon, I asked him to give me a minute to pre-warn you first."

The line was silent for a moment.

"You don't have to say yes dear, he just wants to talk."

The line was still silent.

"Answer your mother Abigail Anne."

Abigail sighed.

"That will do, call me when you hang up. I love you." Then the line disconnected.

Before Abigail could get her mind back into order, the line rang again, this time with an unknown number from the city she moved away from 6 years ago.

She swiped again to pick up the line. "Mr. Moon." Was all she began with.

"Hey kid." The voice was familiar, but it was from a different time and place entirely.

Busters greeting was soft and patient, as if he treaded into dangerous waters. Abigail just reached her apartment complex and was climbing up the stairs to the 3rd floor flat.

"Congratulations on the show." She said one she reached the landing.

"You caught that?"

"Paid an arm and a leg for it, but of course I did."

"How's the weather out west?"

"Sunny, beautiful, dry. How's the city?"

"Foggy, miserable, wet." He quipped. Abigail couldn't hold back the small smile.

She fit the key into the lock. "Glad you were able to restore the theatre, mom sent me the article." Once inside, she threw her keys into the bowl by the door and made for her bedroom where the aforementioned clipping was tucked away into her desk.

"Isn't it great, just like you remember as a kid, although the leaks are all repaired now."

"Those were my favorite parts." She playfully whined.

He chuckled. "It's great kid, I hope you come to see it."

Abigail sighed and fell onto her bed. "Ah, and here we are, the elephant in the room. No pun intended, the pipes on that girl were phenomenal."

"Oh, Meena! Yeah, shy girl, but once she opened up she literally brought the house down!"

"All of them were great, how did you find them?"

"That is a long story, one I hope to tell you all about in person...if you're interested."

"Go on, I'll listen." She sighed as if trying to relive a past long gone.

"I want you to be my head choreography teacher for the upcoming show I have planned. You would start as soon as you can get back home. You will be compensated, including a substantial sign on bonus. Short and simple, I want you specifically."

"Actually, you wanted my mom...specifically."

The was a heartbeat pause, then Buster spoke again in his soft tone. "I'm sorry what happened to her."

"Are you?" It was hard to launch the jab completely void of emotion, Abigail guessed Buster could hear the hurt in her voice.

"Every day." She was taken aback by his answer, but refused to let it jar her. "That's why I called her first, I wanted her back. I can live with different stage hands and costume designers, I can't do this without your family. I know she taught you well and from where I hear you're at now, I trust no one else but you for the show."

Abigail paused, her jaw slack as buster poured into her ear.

"I know what you'd be giving up, I'll let you sleep on it... will you think about it and at least give me a call tomorrow regardless?"

Another pause, then she cleared her throat. "I'll think on it."

"Thank you Abigail, I'll e-mail you what my offer is, keeping in mind that if this show takes off you're my choreographer from now until the theatre crumbles to the ground. Which, who knows, even then we might prevail through."

She audibly chuckled. "I refuse to be almost drowned for entertainment."

"Ugh, don't mention that day." She heard him wince. "Goodnight, kid."

She pursed her lips before replying, "Buster?"

"Yeah?"

"What's the show you're planning on?"

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Hullo friends!

One day while watching Sing my mind started to churn out some thoughts and I decided to take a whack at a potential sequel idea... anyway, let me know what you guys think! Feedback is always welcome. ️

Until we meet again.