Sing: The Talented Furry

As Prince stepped onto the stage, countless thoughts flooded his mind.

Would he pass the preliminary round? Was this a mistake? What if he made a fool of himself? What if he ended up trending on YouTube for all the wrong reasons?

Shaking his head, he forced himself to focus. Overthinking wouldn't help now. Before he knew it, he was standing at the center of the stage, the bright lights making it difficult to see the audience.

As he approached the microphone stand, he smiled at the judges. Even though the mic was already in front of him, he remained silent for a few seconds, simply staring at them.

The judges sat in front of him, observing his posture and expression while the cameras zoomed in.

"How are you doing?" asked a monkey Beastman with a slightly intimidating presence.

Prince recognized him—Dexter Boots. A decade ago, he had been a famous singer, but as his career dwindled, he transitioned into coaching and judging.

"Fantastic. Thank you for having me," Prince said, trying to keep his voice steady. But if anyone listened closely, they could hear the slight nervousness in his tone.

Dexter let out a chuckle. "Good lord, you're a dreamboat."

Prince blinked. "Uh—what?"

Before he could process that comment, the third judge, a Beastman fox named Kitty Perry, leaned forward with an amused grin. She was a model, a songwriter, and an international pop star. Basically, this world's version of Katy Perry.

"Yeah, I gotta agree. My eyes just lit up," Kitty said, resting her chin on her hands. "What's your name, dreamboat?"

Prince cleared his throat. "My name is Prince Jefferson. I'm 22 years old, and I'm from Thousand Oaks, Calatonia."

"What's your story? Do you work?" Kitty asked, twirling a lock of her hair between her fingers.

"I'm actually working as a waiter. It's not my dream job, but it helps me support myself. Especially since—" Prince hesitated for a moment, then continued, "I'm an orphan, so I needed to work hard to reach my goal of becoming a full-time musician—"

Before he could finish, Kitty cut in, dramatically sighing. "And you're hot."

Dexter burst out laughing while Anos, the Doberman judge, smirked.

Prince, caught completely off guard, stammered. "Uhhm... thank you?"

Kitty grinned. "I mean, let's be real—only hot and charming guys get named Prince. Am I right?" She turned to Dexter, who was practically wheezing.

"Well, Kitty, maybe this is the man you need," Dexter teased.

"If you're not going to Hollywood, maybe you could go out with me," Kitty added with a wink.

Prince let out an awkward laugh. "Uh..."

"Are you engaged?" she asked suddenly.

"No?"

"Cool," she said, nodding approvingly.

Dexter laughed even harder, while Anos shook his head, amused.

"Kitty's rooting for you," Anos finally said, still smiling.

Prince took a deep breath, shaking off his embarrassment. Flirting from a judge—he hadn't expected that.

"Alright, let's start," Anos said, bringing the focus back to the competition.

Each contestant had three minutes to perform. Most sang famous songs, picking ones that showcased their strengths. Some even chose songs from the judges' discographies, hoping to impress them.

"What song are you going to sing?"

"It'll be my original," Prince said.

Anos raised a brow, intrigued. He had composed some of the most well-known songs in the industry, and while he had a soft spot for raw, unpolished originals, most weren't great. Either the melodies were awkward, or the lyrics didn't make sense.

"What's it called?" Kitty asked, tilting her head.

"I Guess I'm in Love," Prince replied.

"Oh?" Kitty smirked. "Is that about me?"

Prince choked on air. "Uhh—" He rubbed the back of his neck, completely flustered.

The judges burst into laughter.

Anos shook his head with an amused sigh. "Alright, dreamboat, the stage is yours."

Prince exhaled, adjusting his guitar. As he began playing the soft rhythm of his song, the playful atmosphere shifted. The melody was warm, gentle, and captivating. Though his nerves remained, he didn't have time to process them.

All eyes were on him.

Anos closed his eyes as the melody filled the room. It was calm, slow, and easy on the ears.

Then, Prince began.

"Oh, I'm obsessed"

"With the way your head is layin' on my chest"

"How you love the things I hate about myself"

"That no one knows, but with you, I see hope again"

As the first verse reached the judges, they couldn't help but notice Prince's naturally charismatic voice. His diction was clear, and he sang with an effortless grace that left a sweet aftertaste.

Kitty could already picture the scene—a guy falling deeply in love, realizing how much he cherished his partner.

"Oh, I'm a mess"

"When I overthink the little things in my head"

"You seem to always help me catch my breath"

"But then I lose it again"

"When I look at you, that's the end"

The song's pace picked up slightly. Prince strummed his guitar a little faster.

"And why do I get so nervous when I look into your eyes?"

"Butterflies can't stop me fallin' for you"

The song remained in a comfortable low-to-medium pitch, ensuring that he wouldn't risk any major mistakes.

"And darlin', this is more than anything I felt before"

"You're everything that I want, but I didn't think I'd find"

"Someone who is worth the wait of all the years of my heartbreak"

"But I know now I found the one I love"

As he sang the chorus, Prince found himself reminiscing about his first relationship. He let his voice linger on certain words, ensuring they carried the right emotion.

"And I love the way"

"You can never find the right things to say"

"And you can't sit still an hour in the day"

"I'm so in love, let's run away because us is enough"

The guitar in his hands provided the perfect backdrop, enhancing the emotions he was pouring into his performance.

"And why do I get so nervous when I look into your eyes?"

"And butterflies can't stop me fallin' for you"

He focused on infusing every word with emotion. Without it, the song would feel empty.

"And darlin', this is more than anything I felt before"

"You're everything that I want, but I didn't think I'd find"

"Someone who is worth the wait of all the years of my heartbreak"

"But I know now I found the one"

As the song neared its end, he slowed the tempo while keeping the rhythm intact.

"Come close, let me be home for anything"

"Good or bad, I know it's worth it, whoa

Whoa"

Prince transitioned into a medium pitch, a challenge even with practice, but one he executed smoothly.

"And darlin', this is more than anything I felt before"

"You're everything that I want, but I didn't think I'd find"

"Someone who is worth the wait of all the years of my heartbreak"

"But I know now I found the one I love"

One of the reasons he was able to perform despite his nerves was because he had rehearsed the song so many times that it had become second nature.

When he sang the final line, Prince glanced at the judges—each of them was smiling.

Kitty spoke first, leaning forward with a playful smirk. "Alright, let's get down to business. You're cute and all, but..." She paused dramatically, making Prince's heart skip a beat.

Then she laughed. "Just kidding!"

Prince let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding as the other judges chuckled.

"In all seriousness, I was really surprised," Kitty continued. "A lot of contestants tried performing originals today, but most of them just didn't work—either they lacked structure, or the lyrics felt forced. But your song?" She tapped her fingers against the table. "It was simple, heartfelt, and real. The emotions stuck with me, and your voice? Absolutely lovely." She smiled. "It's a yes from me!"

Prince exhaled, relieved. "Thank you."

Dexter chuckled. "Joking aside, I gotta agree with Kitty. You sing well. Your voice has this natural charm, and there's a lot of potential there." He nodded. "Just dig a little deeper into your tone, bring out more of that richness, and you'll be golden. But yeah, it's a yes from me too!"

Prince's heart pounded. Two yeses—he had passed.

Now, only Anos remained.

The Doberman, who had been silent all this time, finally opened his eyes and smirked.

"You remind me of a younger me," he mused.

Prince perked up. Was that a good thing?

"Talented, ambitious... and prone to overthinking." Anos leaned forward. "But unlike me, you have better fur."

The other judges burst into laughter.

Prince, caught off guard, chuckled as well.

"Jokes aside," Anos continued, "your song was solid, and I liked your voice. You have my yes."

Prince clenched his fists in excitement. He had done it.

"Just keep improving," Anos added. "And who knows? Maybe one day, I'll be singing your songs."

Prince grinned. "I'll hold you to that."

With that, he left the stage, leaving a deep impression on the judges.