A/N: I do not own Owl City's "Deer in the Headlights" nor Ashlee Simpson's "In Another Life". I don't own Danger Mouse either. Just my OC, Shirakage Mouse.

Chapter 14: Regaining Love's Power Through Music

After a few quick photos of ourselves, DM demanded that I wash my face off from the horrendous monstrosity that I had transformed myself into. I agreed, but only if he did the same. With a scowling glare, he reluctantly complied.

Now, we were eating a late lunch of hot dogs and French fried chips at the open food court near the amusement park and beach; yet I couldn't stop laughing at the memory of the priceless look on DM's face when he saw me as the hacked avatar of Kenji Koiso from the anime movie, "Summer Wars" from my human world.

"That. Was. Not. Very funny, Shirakage," he huffed in disgust. "You happened to look like a monster from the dead."

I smirked childishly. "Ah, come on, Kowai Mausu. I'm only messing with you. My creepy style hasn't completely dominated our whole date activities, right? I held onto you on the roller coaster when I was scared; I endured a clown performance just to see you laugh your tailless ass off…"

DM's anger suddenly dispersed. "You liked my laugh?" he asked in delightful shock. "Really!?" he grinned.

I sighed wearily. "Yeah, I love your laugh. Why do you think I watched the show with you?" I asked rolling my eyes. "Must I explain my true feelings all the time to you?"

"It would help a great deal if you did so for my sake," he answered with a clouded face. "Now look here. I must know why you enjoy Goth fashion and gruesome monsters like an older kid. Since we window shopped at that dark devilish store, an uneasy chill has been running down my spine the more you relish your enthusiasm in this genre.

"On top of all that, you have scared me half to death at least three times today."

I quickly held up my hand to him. "Twice, Nezu-Chan. I scared you twice. Haunted House rides don't count. I didn't create the mechanized creatures.

"However, I will confess this bit: Somehow, I find it more hilarious to scare you rather than Pen-Chan. There's just something about his new self that's different than the old video footage of him in the historical archives that I had seen of you two growing up.

"But back to your first question…. I enjoy Goth genre and monsters because it helps me escape the silliness of reality sometimes whenever I'd gotten pissed off as a teenager. It gives me a sense of cool trends, crowd groups and a bad ass style that calms my tsundere nature towards things I think are lame."

Danger Mouse turned his head away in bitter disappointment. "Good Grief. Even though I have made much progress in getting you to like me, learning this new fact about your life might convince me that we may never have anything in common."

"Don't say that," I snapped firmly. "You shouldn't give up just because you aren't perfect in my eyes. I kissed you on your cheek, remember?"

He blushed as he realized the success he had made in strengthening our growing relationship with one another. That sweet, platonic kiss was the next step that he had been waiting for for some time now.

"You're right," he replied with a confident smirk. "I shouldn't give up on you, Shirakage Mouse. So what if you didn't like my jokes? I've impressed you in other ways that has helped me earn a kiss from you."

DM grinned cheekily at me and I deadpanned. "You're pushing your luck again, Danger Mausu. I bet you're already wondering, 'What should I do next in order for me to win First Base?' "

He raised his brow in confusion. "'First Base'? Is that an American Sports metaphor using Baseball terms for dating innuendo?"

I grinned mischievously and whispered the naughty explanations of First, Second, and Third Base to him in his ear. My date's cheeks turned crimson.

"I-I would NOT have been thinking those thoughts through such words planned out by ungentlemanly Yanks! What fresh hell has Jeopardy Mouse's relatives from your mother's side of your family been teaching you during your family visits with them!?"

I shrugged nonchalantly, waving my hand dismissively at his incredulous reaction.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Nezu-San was sure taking his sweet ass time flying the Mark IV slowly back to London. He just wanted the two of us to hover in his car and watch the sun set before touching down towards HQ by the time the sky would darken.

He sighed dreamily. "Doesn't this remind you of the day I saved you when we first met, Shirakage-San?"

"That was the day before yesterday, you Baka," I corrected him in annoyance. "And if this turns out to be another idea of yours to get me to kiss you again, you're so wrong. Plus, I'm not gonna sit around in romantic silence while you're driving at this pace."

"Well now then, should I entertain you with some music?" DM suggested with a smile. "Tell me what artists you fancy…besides Goth rock," he added with a wry frown.

I turned towards his windshield in thought. "Well, I like Avril Lavigne; Ashlee Simpson; Puffy Ami Yumi; Good Charlotte-"

"Good Charlotte counts as Gothic rock," he cut in with a grimace. "One of their songs, 'My Bloody Valentine' was so chilling to hear in their lyrics.

"However, your other favorites inform me that you love Pop music." Nezu-San handed me his open Pear phone that featured his digital music library. "Here, have a good look at my own."

Scrolling down the alphabetical list of artists, I rolled my eyes at how some of the commonly well known names that I'd remembered back in the real world contained badly titled puns of their anthropomorphic animal identities.

"Oh, please. You like Justin Timbersnake?" I asked in exasperation.

He blushed in embarrassment. "Well, at least he wasn't part of 'All 4 It' when his former band broke up."

"Whatever," I replied and continued to scroll down through his list. Then a title caught my eye. " 'Owl City' ?" I said out loud.

He shrugged with a sheepish smile. "Er, yes. They may be from America. But I love Owl City." Then he gasped loudly.

"That's it! Why haven't I thought of this before!?"

I turned to his sudden burst of excitement. "Danger Mouse-San…?"

"Shirakage," he turned to me with a happy grin. "Do you fancy the band 'Owl City' ?"

I nodded meekly at him. "Um, yes. I have a few of their songs, like three of them with duets with a female singer. But not a whole lot, I'm afraid."

"Brilliant! If you know the duet songs, then this will make my plan work like a cinch." DM placed his hands onto the steering wheel and sped up really fast. "Hang on, Darling. We're going out of town again."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Nezu-Chan said that we were leaving London again, I didn't think he meant Great Britain. Traveling to San Francisco, California of America was only half of our overseas date night trip. Where DM had taken me was an open late hour karaoke bar in San Fran's Little Tokyo Town, which contained private studio rooms for their guests to sing and have fun around sound proof walls.

My only question was: "Why here, of all places for karaoke?"

He beamed happily while we were sitting in one of the available rooms at the joint. "America's West Coast's karaoke bars contain the best collection of Owl City songs in their music lists. But I also wanted to relish the thought of you enjoying the sights of this community, in case it might remind you of Japan.

"We can grab a bite of Yakitori as a refreshing snack, once we're done here."

I nodded in thoughtful compliance. "I do love Yakitori," I admitted fondly. "So, what Owl City song do you plan on singing for me?"

He smiled gently, if not a little smug. "First, tell me the songs that you know and own, Shira-San."

"Ano…I know 'Salt Water Room'…'The Yacht Club'…'Honey and the Bee'…'Unbelievable' that features Hanson…" I scratched my head sheepishly. "Gomen ne. Those are the only four I know and like so far."

DM laughed out loud. "Oh, Good Grief. I have so much to sing for you tonight, Darling. But according to London's time zone, our date night is still young. We're in no rush to head back anytime soon."

The skin underneath my white fur suddenly started to tingle with inspirational wonder. I haven't heard him laugh in that tone since the clown act during Blackpool's carnival hours. "You're not at all nervous to sing before me, Nezu-San?" I asked him curiously.

"Not anymore," he answered with a cocky gleam in his eye. "We're all alone, so that makes it easier for me to concentrate my focus on you without us drawing attention towards a public audience."

DM then scrolled down the song list on the T.V. screen with a remote until the highlighted bar stopped at a song title called, "Deer in the Headlights". His microphone was live with the speakers around the T.V. The music started to play, but he wasn't facing the lyrics which had already displayed themselves onto the screen. Instead, he was looking directly into my blue eyes with determined admiration.

And it suddenly dawned on me that he must have already memorized the lyrics by heart. Now, all I could do was watch and listen to his feelings as he sang for me in the spotlight.


"🎵🎶Met a girl in the parking lot,
When all I did was say 'hello'…
Her pepper spray made it rather hard
For me to walk her home.
But I guess that's the way it goes…


"Tell me again: Was it love at first sight…
When I walked by and you caught my eye.
Didn't you know love could shine this bright?
Well, smile because you're the deer in the headlights.🎶🎵"


As he danced during the instrumental break of the song, my heart fluttered when I heard him sing that first verse. I could now only imagine how the second part might convince my breathless suspicion. But it was proving to be the most heartfelt moment of belief in a confusing point of my impression on DM so far.

Oh. Second verse's up.


"🎵🎶Met a girl with a graceful charm.
But when Beauty met the Beast, he froze.
Got the sense I was not her type
By a black eye and bloody nose.
But I guess that's the way it goes….


"Tell me again: Was it love at first sight
When I walked by and you caught my eye.
Didn't you know love could shine this bright?
Well, smile because you're the deer in the headlights.


"It's suffocating to say,
But the female mystique takes my breath away.
So, give me a smile or give me a sneer,
'Cause I'm trying to guess here…🎶🎵"


As DM sang the chorus a couple of times more, I stared into his pumped up performance in stunned emotion. This song, really did describe our relationship. I couldn't believe it.


"🎵🎶…If life was a game,
You would never play nice.
If love was a beam,
You'd be blind in both eyes.
Put your sunglasses on, 'cause you're a deer in the headlights.🎶🎵"


Danger Mouse was grooving to the music's beat for me.


"🎵🎶You're the deer in the headlights.🎶🎵"


He did have a romantic plan all along from just a simple discussion on music.


"🎵🎶You're the deer in the headlights.🎶🎵"


Once the song ended and he struck a pose, pointing at me like a teenage boy, I stood up from my cushioned seat and approached him. My blue eyes shone brightly in a serious gaze of longing. DM immediately turned hot pink with an anticipated wriggling smile.

That idiot. Now, he's closing his eye and parting his mouth for what he thinks will be the moment of true love. So wrong.

I leaned in and kissed his blackened right eye and then gave butterfly kisses across his face and nose. This surprised him. But he smiled with a dreamy sigh and fainted in a melodramatic way.

What a dork. I guess it was my turn to wake him up with a song of my own.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"🎵🎶Everywhere I go is everywhere I've been,
You finish all my sentences before they begin.
And I know…that look in your eye…
Like I've seen it before, fella, million times.
In another life, in another life, maybe…
In another life, you must have been mine.


"Do you love me? Oh, say you love me….


"You're breathin' me in. I'm breathin' you out.
You're all around me.
No matter what we do,
I want to spend my life with you…Only you…🎶🎵"

I was too nervous to use the karaoke program for Ashlee Simpson's "In Another Life". So I simply sang the song from memory with my eyes closed, in order to use this style of focus on perfecting my vocal chords.

After I had finished singing, Danger Mouse gazed at me as if I was the most amazing thing in the world to him. But what then got me to internally freak out was that he was coming in to seal our relationship as an official item.

There was no time for me to think and figure out how to stop him. Because the next thing he'd know, he was then glomped hard on to the ground and laughing uncontrollably by my endless tickle attack.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Shira-'aha'-kage, WHHHAATTT 'haha' AARRRE-'hehha'-NO! DON'T GO-HAAAHHHAAAAAAA!"

Before his laughing could have gotten even louder to penetrate the walls, I stopped my attack and got off from the Joker gassed victim underneath me.

"Were you really going to kiss me, Danger Mouse?" I asked him softly with a blank expression once he had calmed down. As he sat up to look at me, I started to feel confused by a sudden rush of different emotions.

"But…" he started with drooping ears. "But I thought that…from what you sang in your song…that you wanted to spend your life with me."

"Look, I got caught up in the heat of the moment, Nezu-Chan," I explained sternly to him. "But the truth is…I'm not ready to hear the 'L' word from you yet. For God's sake, it's only been two days."

DM looked hurt by my response. But I embraced him into a comforting hug. "I'm sorry. It's not your fault. It's just me. You're trying your hardest.

"Demo…if you start to cry on me, I'll freakin' join in. And I can't let that happen on my watch."

A loud laugh that almost sounded like a sob escaped him. We stared back into each other's gazes until I heard my stomach rumble.

"All of this symbolic karaoke singing made me hungry and thirsty," I beamed sheepishly. "How about that Yakitori that you promised me?"

DM sniffed and wiped a stray tear which had apparently leaked from his right eye. "Anything for you, Shira-San. We can save our duet song for another date." He grinned.

"Hai, I agree. I need to memorize those four Owl City songs anyway."

A/N: The next chapter hasn't been completed yet. But I've been planning to write a chapter like this for my story ever since January. Only half of Chapter 15 has been written out in a notebook. But I haven't found the inspiration to continue from there, despite the little summary that I made for myself that details the Chapter 12/13 prelude earlier in the story.

I will post it whenever I can. I am a little disappointed that I am unable to see the new Danger Mouse stage play that had started going live since Easter Sunday recently. I do live on the other side of the pond, you know. That and I might have to wait for the second season of the DM reboot as well for more inspiration.

Sorry, but this is all I can make my mark of my imagination so far. Ja ne.