=== Merrin & Panette ===
--- C ---


[Merrin]
All right. It's time for our daily singing practice.
[Merrin]
Today we'll run through the princess's latest
composition, "Expect a Trifecta."
[Merrin]
We need to have it performance-ready in time
for our next rehearsal with her.
[Panette]
Performance-ready, you say...
[Merrin]
Uh, yes. Something wrong? You seem down.
[Panette]
In truth, I am. I overheard something that
bothered me greatly.
[Merrin]
Uh-oh. What was it?
[Panette]
Someone called us the Racket of Solm.
[Merrin]
Oh.
[Merrin]
The "Racket" is our singing voices, I take it.
[Panette]
That was my understanding as well.
[Merrin]
Ouch.
[Merrin]
Well, growing up, people always told me I was
a terrible singer.
[Merrin]
But the princess praised my singing voice as
unique, so... Guess I thought I improved.
[Panette]
It was the same for me, to the letter.
[Merrin]
Ugh. Suddenly it seems like we've got our work
cut out for us.
[Panette]
Perchance we should sing more...quietly?
[Merrin]
That might be a good idea.
[Panette]
Then let us begin posthaste. A one, a two,
a one, two, three...
--- B ---


[Merrin]
Hey. What's the scuttlebutt?
[Panette]
The what?
[Merrin]
You know, our singing practice the other day.
Were there any complaints?
[Panette]
Ah, no reason to fret. I have heard nary an
ill word.
[Merrin]
Phew. I was worried about that.
[Merrin]
Wait.
[Merrin]
No. This is all wrong.
[Panette]
What do you mean?
[Merrin]
Singing quietly so nobody calls us names?
Surely we can aim higher than that!
[Merrin]
There's no escaping it. We have to get better
at singing.
[Panette]
Yes. Quite right.
[Panette]
To hide our voices in shame... We sully the good
name Timerra!
[Panette]
If the boss learned of this, she would weep
with embarrassment.
[Merrin]
No, no. I couldn't live with myself if I made the
princess cry.
[Panette]
Nor I!
[Panette]
The question is, how to improve? Hm...
[Merrin]
Maybe we should ask the princess for advice.
[Panette]
You think so?
[Merrin]
But this time, we get serious feedback. None of
that "unique" wolfdung.
[Panette]
A grand idea! By all means, let us press for the
full, unvarnished truth.
--- A ---


[Merrin]
The princess's singing advice proved a bit,
uh...challenging.
[Panette]
Indeed.
[Merrin]
"Merrin, take all that oomph and hold it right
under your belly button!"
[Panette]
Mystifying. What is "oomph," and how does one
"hold" it?
[Merrin]
The funny thing is, I kinda get it now.
[Merrin]
When I focus on the spot right below my navel,
my singing voice does get steadier.
[Panette]
Though her counsel was nigh inscrutable, you
followed it well! Commendable.
[Merrin]
Haha! Thanks, Panette. And remind me, what
was it the princess told you?
[Panette]
She said, "You're at a WA-WA-WA. I need you at
a dee-dee-dee!"
[Panette]
I was dizzy with confusion. Dizzy, I say.
[Panette]
But when I tried to put her advice into action,
something unthinkable happened.
[Panette]
It worked!
[Merrin]
Perfect! Now no one will even think to call us
the Racket of Solm.
[Panette]
Certainly not. All across the queendom, we will
put smiles on faces.
[Merrin]
Instead of holes in eardrums!
[Panette]
At this rate, we may soon be ready to put on
a concert.
[Merrin]
A concert, huh?
[Panette]
Our listeners will be so mesmerized that they'll
call us...the Sirens of Solm!
[Merrin]
Ooo, that would be incredible! I want people to
call me a siren.
[Panette]
Now I'm all aquiver! Let us resume practicing
tout suite!
[Merrin]
I agree. We have to get "Expect a Trifecta"
ready for showtime.
[Panette]
Yes. We'll combine our voices into an angelic
harmony that does the boss proud!
--- S ---