I was overwhelmed.
Never in a million years did I imagine receiving such an honor from someone like Michael Jackson. The allegations against him might have made people question his character, but no one could deny his talent, his influence, or the weight his words carried.
Even if the name he gave me didn't stick (which I hoped it wouldn't), I would still cherish it forever because of Michael's intentions, which I knew were genuine. One thing I had learned during all my time with him was that he wasn't duplicitous like most people in showbiz. He usually meant what he said.
So when he gave me a moniker, he meant it.
"That was amazing."
Scarlett threw her arms around me as soon as I stepped into my changing room. Her embrace was warm and full of excitement, and I hugged her back just as tightly before kissing her. Performing live in front of thousands gives you such an adrenaline rush that it becomes almost impossible to describe. You just need to let it out somehow, and the girl in my arms was the perfect outlet.
"Ahem."
Someone cleared his throat nearby, but I didn't care much at that moment. Scarlett did, though, and she gently pushed me away, her cheeks flushing slightly.
Disappointed, I turned toward the source of the interruption, ready to give them a piece of my mind. But the sight that greeted me froze me in place.
One person I expected, Michael Jackson. The other was a surprise, to say the least.
She looked as beautiful as I remembered from the last time we were together, maybe even more so. She wore a short one-piece dress that ended mid-thigh, accentuating her figure with effortless grace. Her hair was cut short and straightened, framing her face in a sleek, sophisticated style. But what caught me most was how she avoided my eyes, as if meeting my gaze might burn her.
"Rihanna," I breathed. "I didn't know you were coming here."
"She is my guest," Michael explained. "We have worked on a few songs together. I may not be writing songs for myself, but I do like helping new artists out. Our biggest song together is 'Don't Stop the Music.'"
Huh. I hadn't known MJ had collaborated with Rihanna. To be honest, I'd cut my ex out of my life ever since that terrible conversation at the 2008 Grammys. The only major news I'd heard about her since then involved Chris Brown and the legal troubles for him that followed. I had almost called her to talk to her about the incident, but I changed my mind at the last minute.
Scarlett discreetly pinched my side, pulling me back to reality.
"I don't think you've met. Scar, this is Rihanna. And Rihanna, this is Scarlett." I made the introductions quickly.
The two women exchanged a smile so forced it could have been carved from glass.
"I'm going to go see my Mom," Scarlett said, stepping away from me. "Come find us when you're… free."
Her tone was careful, but I could tell there were a dozen things she wanted to say. She didn't linger and disappeared backstage.
I turned toward Michael and Rihanna, silently asking what was happening.
"I think you two should talk," Michael said before walking out.
"Hey!" I called after him, but the door shut before I could say anything else, leaving me alone in an awkward silence.
The quiet stretched between us until I finally gathered the courage to speak. "Are you okay, Ri?"
"You're asking me that now?" she shot back, finally meeting my eyes. Her voice was steady but carried the weight of everything unsaid. "I thought you said we could be friends again. Why didn't you call me when the whole world was trying to turn my personal life into a spectacle?"
She sighed before answering her own question. "I guess it's my fault for leaving things the way I did the last time we met. The worst part is that you were right about Chris. Just like you always are about everything."
I stepped forward and took her hand. "Hey. It is okay. I…I didn't contact you because I didn't want you to think I was in any way glad that something terrible happened to you."
The look she gave me said she did not find that answer satisfactory.
"You told me he was violent and abusive. I didn't believe you. I refused to believe you. Whenever he said or did something extreme, I would think about your words. But I wanted to prove you wrong, so I ignored his behavior, thinking he would change over time. Things got worse. At first, it was just verbal. I would fire back, so I told myself it was not abuse if it happened on both sides, right? The first time he got physical, I cried all night. In the morning, he apologized profusely, and everything seemed normal again. It kept happening, over and over, and I kept putting up with it. Until I couldn't anymore."
She drew a deep breath to steady herself. For a moment, she looked very small, as if the noise beyond the dressing-room door could swallow her whole.
"I am sorry for not believing you when you warned me. I am sorry for doubting you. I am sorry for that interview with Oprah and for everything that happened with Jay-Z. I am sorry for destroying what we had."
I wanted to pull her into a hug and tell her it would be all right, but I didn't, because I knew how that would look to her. I didn't want to give her the wrong signal.
"It's okay, Ri," I said softly. "It is ancient history now. And I meant what I said about being friends. If you want that."
"I would like that," she replied with a small, hesitant smile.
I smiled back and then, half-joking, asked, "Say, do you want me to ruin Chris Brown's career? After all, he hurt my friend."
She tilted her head, thinking. "And how exactly would you do that?"
I shrugged, pretending to be casual. "I own Spotify and YouTube."
She laughed bitterly. "Ah," she said, as if remembering that fact. "I had almost forgotten."
"So? Do you want me to?"
She considered the idea for a few seconds, then replied, "But did you not say earlier that you wouldn't meddle in other people's careers? Why change now?"
"Because the burden would not be on me this time. It would be yours to bear. Only you can decide whether he deserves it. And you would have to sign an NDA so I am not implicated anywhere."
Normally, that kind of thing could trigger a lawsuit, but I had written the clause into YouTube's terms and conditions: if anyone is convicted of a crime in a court of law, their account can be suspended.
"Don't get involved in this," she said after a long pause, shaking her head. "Just leave it."
I studied her for a moment and then asked again, "Are you sure?"
She hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. I don't want to ruin his career over something personal."
I suppressed the urge to scoff. She had given that interview with Oprah and said things that were untrue and could have hurt my career, yet now she would protect Brown. It struck me as the highest level of hypocrisy.
Maybe she had lost some of that immaturity that made her pull that move with me.
"Okay," I said, and meant it.
We stood there in awkward silence for a few moments, neither of us sure what to say next, until Rihanna finally spoke.
"I would love to collaborate with you again sometime. All my biggest hits have been the ones I sang with you."
"Okay," I agreed easily. "I'm busy right now with the tour, but once things settle down, we'll sit together and see what we can create. I already have a few ideas and themes we can explore."
Rihanna's eyes lit up at that. That spark, that pure creative passion, was what I had always admired about her. No matter how complicated our history had been, when it came to music, she was unmatched. We had spent countless evenings together, experimenting, layering sounds, and chasing that perfect note.
She gave me a small smile before bidding me goodbye and walking out. The door closed behind her, leaving me alone once more.
As the room fell quiet, my thoughts drifted back to Chris Brown. I hated men like him with every fiber of my being. Not just because of what he had done to Rihanna, but because of what he represented. Violence against someone you claim to love was something I could never tolerate. Even if it had been a stranger, I would have despised him just as much. If he ever crossed my path, I would make sure he regretted it.
I may not ruin his career, but I will make sure that my company, Phoenix, will never collaborate with him.
A knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts.
"Come in," I said.
The door opened, revealing a young Justin Bieber standing on the other side, practically bouncing with excitement.
"You were so cool out there, man!" he exclaimed, grinning wide as he stepped in. "You and MJ totally rocked the stage. And that whole King thing was totally deserved!"
"Thank you," I said with a small laugh at his enthusiasm. "I've heard some of your latest demos, and I can tell you this, if you keep practicing, when we debut you later this year, you'll do even better than me. Maybe one day, I'll be the one crowning you as the next King."
His eyes widened, glowing with pure excitement. "Man, I can't wait for that day when we release my first album. I hope it's as good as Taylor's."
"Your debut will be even bigger than Taylor's," I said confidently. "I'll make sure of it. She didn't have the kind of resources you do with my label during her first album. By the way, do you like the changes I suggested on 'Baby'?"
Justin nodded eagerly. I still remember being impressed when he first told me about his song idea, a track about young love titled 'Baby.' It had massive potential. I had helped him refine the lyrics and smooth out the melody. This new version, in my opinion, was far better than the one from the original timeline with that mediocre rap from Ludacris.
"I loved your changes!" he said, his voice brimming with excitement. "Thank you so much for taking the time to help me improve that song."
I waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. Just keep up with your vocal training and remember the code I taught you."
"No drugs, no alcohol, and no going to parties before I turn twenty-one," he repeated obediently.
"Yeah, and no taking exotic pets, like monkeys or snakes, to foreign countries," I added as an afterthought.
He scratched his head in confusion before half asking, "O..kay?"
I nodded proudly and ruffled his hair. "Good lad. Now go back to your mom. I need to change."
He nodded dutifully, grinning, and hurried out of the dressing room, leaving me with a faint smile. Hopefully, this time, he won't get to see the ugliness of showbiz for years.
(Break)
The King of Pop Crowns 20-Year-Old Troy Armitage as the "King of Entertainment" During Historic Concert Moment
In a moment that stunned fans and sent shockwaves through the entertainment world, Michael Jackson, the legendary "King of Pop", bestowed a new title upon global superstar Troy Armitage during a live concert on Saturday night, calling him "The King of Entertainment."
The unprecedented moment took place at Madison Square Garden in New York, where Jackson made a surprise announcement midway through their joint world tour's premiere concert. What began as a heartfelt address to fans soon turned into one of the most defining moments in modern pop culture.
"When I first heard Troy sing in [The Sixth Sense], he was just ten years old," Jackson told the crowd of over 20,000 fans. "I knew then and there that he would go far. Hearing him sing assured me that the future of music was safe. He's not just the best singer of his generation, but the best entertainer."
The audience erupted as Jackson continued, "So, Troy, my dearest friend, today I dub thee 'The King of Entertainment.' May you rule over the world of entertainment for decades to come."
Armitage, 20, appeared visibly emotional after the announcement, seemingly as surprised as the audience itself. The significance of Jackson's words cannot be overstated. Since Elvis Presley was crowned "The King of Rock and Roll," and Jackson became synonymous with "The King of Pop," no artist has ever been publicly granted a new royal title of such magnitude by one of music's greatest icons.
Armitage, who first gained fame as a child actor before transitioning into music with his critically acclaimed debut album [Echoes of You], has long been hailed as one of the most versatile performers of his generation, a singer, actor, composer, and dancer celebrated for blending cinematic storytelling with powerful live performances.
Industry insiders are already calling the event "a passing of the torch."
"It's not just a compliment," said Jim Gianopulos, CEO of 20th Century Fox Movies, in a statement to Variety. "It's symbolic. Michael sees in Troy what the next evolution of entertainment looks like, and I couldn't agree more. Troy is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of genius who was born to entertain."
Following the concert, social media lit up with reactions from around the world. Fans flooded platforms with messages of support and admiration, while entertainment outlets dubbed the moment "the new coronation of pop culture."
Whether or not the title "King of Entertainment" becomes a lasting moniker remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: on that unforgettable night in March 2009, the world witnessed a once-in-a-generation endorsement: from one king to another.
(Break)
MJfan4life89: Did that REALLY just happen? Michael Jackson just called Troy Armitage the King of Entertainment??? I've got chills. That's like the Pope naming his successor.
NovaKnight: You know, it makes sense that Troy should be considered a king. I'm part of the Trojan Army after all. Peasants don't have armies; only kings do.
SereneDreamer: I'm so mad at myself for missing that moment live! I was saving up for their concert seats in LA, so I didn't even watch the stream on YouTube because I wanted it to be fresh when I attended it in person. This moment will never be replicated. WHY couldn't it have happened in LA?
FireStarter12: I was there in person, and it was glorious! When Troy cried, I cried too. It was such a powerful moment. I swear, I'd love to tour with Troy and MJ as a groupie, just to see their backstage chaos firsthand.
LunaBliss: Girls all over the world would literally kill to be Troy's groupie, but he's too kind-hearted to ever allow that. Also, let's be real, Troy's not touring on a bus like normal people. He's probably flying between shows in a private jet.
Trucy123: I wasn't in New York, but I watched it live on YouTube. It was just as emotional online. I can only imagine how it must've felt being there in person.
CinePopFan: I would've been mad if MJ had just called Troy the new King of Pop. Troy is so much more than that. King of Entertainment suits him perfectly. Thank you, MJ, for recognizing a living legend.
PatAttack: This is a historic moment. My dad still talks about hearing Elvis being called the King of Rock and Roll for the first time. This is that moment for our generation. We're lucky to live in the same era as our King.
(Break)
Emma Watson: I'm so happy for Troy. He truly deserves this title and more. He's the most generous and talented person I've ever met. No one could deserve it more.
Christian Bale: Troy is an enigma, or at least that's what I thought when we worked together. But since then, I've come to admire his genius. MJ was right to honor him with that title. I'm even planning to see the two Kings perform live on tour.
Steve Carell: Troy is the humblest person I've met, especially considering all that he's achieved. I'm so happy for him. He deserves every award and honor that comes his way.
Emma Stone: I am who I am today because of Troy. He saw something in me that I didn't see in myself, but he never lost faith. That's true king quality. I was in New York to see him and MJ perform live, but honestly, once wasn't enough. I need more of their magic.
Steven Spielberg: Working with Troy on [A.I.] was a joy. Today, no one can deny that he's become a global phenomenon. MJ said it best, Troy is truly the King of Entertainment. I look forward to collaborating with him again.
Christopher Nolan: Working with Troy was the highlight of my career. He's not only an incredible actor but also possesses a deep understanding of cinematography and storytelling. He instinctively knows what looks right on camera and often suggests small changes that elevate a scene. I've never seen anyone his age with such insight and vision. He is truly worthy of being called a king.
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AN: Check out my second story, 'Swimmer to Superstar (A Hollywood SI)', which is now publicly available.
Link: www(dot)fablefic(dot)com