As soon as the first commercial break started, I stormed toward the audience, fully intending to break Kanye's nose. The energy in the room crackled with tension, but what I saw there made me second-guess my decision.
"You're a little piece of shit!" a woman was shouting directly in Kanye West's face. Her voice cut sharply through the noise of the crowd. "Who gave you the right to ruin someone else's moment? God, if there weren't thousands of people around, I'd have broken your nose, you smug motherfucker. No one's happy because of what you pulled, least of all Beyoncé. She's mortified, and of course she is. People will think she put you up to that."
She paused, studying him as if expecting him to show a hint of remorse. Instead, Kanye rolled his eyes and looked away with a dismissiveness that only made the tension spike. The woman, whom I now recognized as Pink, clearly didn't appreciate his attitude.
"I can tell you one thing for sure," she continued, jabbing a finger toward him, "you just ruined your career because of this. I'll make sure no one worthwhile ever collaborates with you. I'll personally write letters to every artist worth anything."
"You don't need to write to me," I added, stepping closer. Both of them turned to look at me. "No one at Phoenix will work with you in the future, Kanye West. And I'll make sure this is known publicly."
A statement like that coming from me would mean something to any artist. With the combined control of Spotify, YouTube, and Sony Music Group, I controlled music to a great extent, and I'll definitely make sure that Kanye's career is ruined. If it were just this incident, I wouldn't have gone that far, but I know that he's more problematic than just that. People like him shouldn't even be celebrities.
Kanye's jaw tightened. He looked ready to shout at me, but after a moment, he shut his mouth and simply turned away, deciding I wasn't worth the effort.
I didn't bother to say anything else. I just walked away, with Pink following a step behind me.
"Hey," I said once we were just a few feet from my seat. The lighting dimmed slightly as crew members moved around, preparing for the next segment. "Thank you for standing up for Taylor. She's like a little sister to me. I fully intended to punch the shit out of that asshole. If you hadn't been there, I'd have done it."
Pink gave me a small smile. "Don't mention it. Anyone with half a brain cell knows what he did was disgusting. Let me give you a piece of advice. Whatever you do to him, make sure it's legal. He can and will sue you if you lock him out of Spotify or YouTube."
"Who do you take me for?" I asked with mock offense before breaking into a grin. "As much as I want to, I know I can't block him on those platforms. Rest assured, his career won't ever be the same after today. I'll make sure of that."
The people around us talked noisily, pointing none-too-subtly at Kanye, while those who had gone to take a leak settled back into their seats.
Pink decided to change the topic. "You know, I'll be giving your award to you tonight."
I tilted my head sideways in confusion.
"How do you know it's my award?" I asked. "There are other nominees, including Kanye."
She scoffed. "Oh, please. There's no way the VMAs will miss the chance to give you an award tonight, especially after that banger of a performance. Best Video will go to Beyoncé. As much as I disagree with Kanye's methods, the 'Single Ladies' video was one of the best. That leaves Best Male Video as one of the big awards of the night, and that's the one I'll be presenting."
I couldn't argue with her logic, even if I didn't expect much from an award show like the VMAs.
"I have a question for you," she said suddenly.
"Yes?" I prompted.
"Would you be interested in having a one-night stand with me?"
I stared at her, stunned. "What?"
"You heard me."
I had. Of course I had. But I still found it hard to believe she'd asked it so casually.
"Didn't you just get back together with your husband?" I asked.
"My husband cheated on me," she said bluntly. "Yeah, we got back together, but only on the condition that both of us are allowed to sleep with other people occasionally. An open marriage, if you will. So what do you say?"
I gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry, but I'm not in an open relationship. Otherwise, I wouldn't need to think at all."
She leaned a little closer, her voice low enough to blend with the noise of the crowd around us. "Scarlett can join in. I'm very accommodating."
I laughed at her audacity before saying, "I'll give you her number. Convince her if you can."
"Oh, I will," she said with a playful smirk. Thankfully, she didn't push any further or do anything that might make someone misunderstand her intentions toward me.
I returned to my seat and frowned when I realized the chair beside me was still empty. Taylor hadn't come back yet after what she felt was a public humiliation. The bright stage lights flashed across the arena as presenters prepared for the next award, but her absence felt heavier than all that noise.
It's strange how the more things change, the more they stay the same. I remembered this incident vividly from my first life, yet I couldn't do anything to stop it. Any step taken prematurely would only expose that I knew what was going to happen. After the situation with Alan Rickman, I wasn't willing to risk even hinting that I knew anything about the future.
Even if I'd decided to intervene, I couldn't coddle Taylor forever. She's a big girl, and sooner or later she'll have to face the world. All I could do was be there for her as a friend, not as an all-knowing time traveler.
"Is she gonna be okay?" Lady Gaga asked from the seat beside Taylor's.
"I hope so," I said, then glared down the row toward the asshole sitting there completely unconcerned. "I hope she's all good soon, for Kanye's sake."
As if even some higher power understood what would happen if Kanye stayed any longer, one of the show's producers approached him. The lighting above the audience dimmed slightly as cameras repositioned, making the confrontation stand out even more.
"I'm afraid I'm gonna have to ask you to leave, Mr. West," the producer said firmly.
Two security guards stood behind him, ready to act if Kanye resisted.
"I'm not going anywhere," Kanye declared loudly. "I did nothing wrong. I just told the truth. Ask Beyoncé. She'll agree with me."
"It doesn't matter, sir. Multiple people have given us ultimatums that they won't let the show continue unless you leave the premises. It's for the sake of the show that I ask you to leave quietly. If you don't, you'll be escorted out."
Kanye stood up reluctantly and turned to glare at me, as if this was somehow my doing. It wasn't. In fact, if I'd had my way, he'd have stayed for the whole event so I could follow through with what I had planned for him. I'll have to tweak my plan a little, but it wasn't a big inconvenience.
The security guards moved to escort him, but he yanked his arm free and walked toward the exit on his own, muttering under his breath as the crowd watched.
"Well," Lady Gaga said, "that's one asshole gone. Anyway, they're calling me backstage for my performance. I'll check on Taylor to see how she's doing. See you later."
I nodded, and the commercial break ended right after she left. Two young women had taken the seats meant for Taylor and Gaga. Both looked like they were barely holding themselves together after realizing they'd be sitting beside me. I offered them each a handshake before turning my attention back to the show.
It was boring, honestly, at least when there wasn't a performance happening. No one besides Kanye West gave a rat's ass about who won a VMA. Most people were here to have fun, watch live music, and socialize with others in the industry.
Lady Gaga's performance was easily the best of the night. She gave it everything, even bathing in fake blood before ending it on a powerful high note. I loved her dedication. She was the kind of artist who poured herself completely into her craft, yet thanks to Kanye's stunt, people would talk only about him and Taylor tonight.
Just as that thought crossed my mind, something else bizarre happened that was guaranteed to make the news. Jay-Z and Alicia Keys were performing when someone climbed the stage uninvited. A young singer who went by Lil Mama.
Beyoncé saw what was about to happen and tried to pull her back, but she didn't manage to stop her. Within seconds, Lil Mama was onstage, jamming beside Jay-Z. He clearly didn't appreciate it and kept inching away from her, shooting daggers with his eyes the entire time.
I hadn't known who she was in my first life, and even in this one, I only knew her name through industry circles. Even then, I felt a wave of second-hand embarrassment. If I had to guess, she was probably drunk when she decided to crash the performance. Or maybe she was trying to get revenge on Beyoncé for Taylor Swift by crashing her husband's performance. The second option didn't make much sense to me, but one thing was certain. Jay-Z wasn't going to let this go. She wasn't big enough to walk away from this mess the way Kanye could originally.
The performance ended soon after, and both Jay-Z and Alicia Keys completely ignored Lil Mama as they walked offstage.
During the next commercial break, Lady Gaga returned and sat beside me again.
"That was the best live performance I've seen in a long time," I said seriously. "Maybe ever."
"Thank you," she replied with a grateful nod. "I'm just glad no one barged in on my performance. I don't know what the hell is happening tonight. Everyone thinks it's okay to waltz onto the stage when someone else is having their moment."
"The world is full of idiots," I said thoughtfully.
When the show resumed, the person called onstage was none other than Pink, and beside her stood a man who always gave off a very 'freaky' vibe: Sean Combs.
"And the VMA for Best Male Video goes to… Troy Armitage for 'Shape of You'."
I stood up calmly and walked toward the stage. Very reluctantly, I shook hands with Diddy before accepting a hug from Pink, subtly wiping my hand off on the back of her dress. God knows where the hand I shook had been.
"Told ya you'd win, didn't I?" Pink whispered smugly away from the mic. "Now what do you say about that one-night stand?"
"Ooh," Diddy said with a grin, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Getting a little deviant, Troy? You two can come to one of my after-parties. You'll love the ambience there."
I had to resist the urge to shiver. Pink was one thing. Going to a Diddy after-party was never gonna happen. The most disturbing part was how casually they talked like this on live TV. Sure, no one could hear them, but there were still expert lip readers out there in the world. I chose to ignore them both and focused on what I was here to do.
I took the Moonman trophy and stepped up to the mic, hoping to create another moment people would remember for years.
"First of all," I began in the driest, most deadpan tone I could muster, "if anyone comes up here to stop me or interrupt me in any way, shape, or form, unlike someone else, I won't let them finish, and I'll punch them in the face. I'm not kidding."
For some reason, the audience burst into laughter and applause. I really wasn't joking, but I kept rolling with it. I waited for the noise to die down completely before continuing.
"I met Taylor Swift a few years ago when she was just a young girl who'd come to my concert. She was one of the people who won a ticket to meet me backstage, and the moment I started talking to her, I knew she was a special girl. She told me she wrote her own songs and was really into country music, a genre I had little to no experience with. Nonetheless, I listened to her music, and I immediately knew she was gonna make it big someday. Her songs had this vulnerability and relatability that even I find hard to integrate into my own work. No one was happier than me when I found out she won her first VMA. So it was heartbreaking to see what followed."
I paused for a beat, then added, "The weird thing is that I don't even blame Kanye for what happened."
That surprised almost everyone. I could see heads turning. So I clarified.
"Kanye West is the biggest champion of mental health. Today, he showed everyone what happens when you refuse to consult a good therapist or take your medicines on time. It's my humble request to his friends and family to get him some help. If we as celebrities won't break the stigma around mental disorders, who will?"
I glanced around the room as if waiting for someone to answer. When no one did, I continued.
"Although Kanye is no longer among us here. Don't worry, he's still alive, just escorted out due to his psychotic episode earlier. I request everyone to stand up and give him an applause if you feel he should continue fighting this noble battle against his mental demons and consult a therapist."
No one stood up for a moment. For a moment, I thought my gamble wouldn't pay off, and I'd have to leave the stage in shame, but then something unexpected happened. Beyoncé was the first to rise and start clapping.
Lady Gaga stood next. Soon, Jay-Z, Katy Perry, Chris Martin, the team from Twilight, and more celebrities followed. Within less than five seconds, most of the hall, at least in the front five rows, was on its feet and applauding.
"Get help, Kanye!" someone shouted.
I pointed toward the voice. "Hey! That's a great idea. Let's start a new hashtag on social media. #GetHelpKanye. So that everyone knows Kanye West is seriously sick with a terrible mental disease and needs urgent help."
I was having too much fun onstage, making sure everyone knew what kind of nutcase Kanye was, but I knew I had to wrap up.
"Thank you all for not getting up on stage. I'm not very good at punching people."
Another wave of laughter rolled across the room as I walked backstage.
I found Taylor standing in front of a giant television screen that was showing the live telecast of the show. The bright glow of the monitor lit her face, still a little pale from earlier.
As soon as she saw me, she closed the gap between us and hugged me tightly.
"Thank you."
I patted her back gently before pulling away. "Are you alright now?"
She nodded slowly. "Yeah. I talked to Beyoncé and Lady Gaga. They assured me of the same thing you said earlier. But during your speech, when everyone stood up against Kanye, I realized the fault was his, not mine."
I nodded. "Exactly. Don't worry. This is just the beginning. I'll make sure he pays dearly for today. Legally, I can't block his music on my platforms, but I'll make it damn near impossible for anyone to find his songs."
"Don't get into this because of me," she pleaded.
I shook my head. "This isn't just about you anymore. Everyone knows you're a dear friend. He knew that too. I need to send a message to anyone who thinks it's okay to mess with my friends."
She gave me a look that tried to be stern, but a smile was threatening to break through. She might try to act otherwise, but I knew she loved that I had her back.
"Get ready," I said. "You're about to give your speech, finally."
The show's director and producer had already told me their plan to let Beyoncé give Taylor her moment back. A brilliant idea. It was the only reason I hadn't called Taylor up onstage myself. It would feel far more genuine coming from someone outside our circle.
As the show moved toward its finale, my mind drifted to tomorrow, when I'd be thrown back into training for [The Book of Mormon]. Only for this month, though, because soon I'd be going on an international tour to promote my upcoming movie [Avatar]. James Cameron was done with the post-production, and it was ready for an internal screening.
Honestly, I was excited to dive back into the world of Pandora, and this time, I'll actually get to see it on screen instead of imagining it in my head while acting.
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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