Here's a new Static Shock oneshot I cooked up in my head after watching the episode "Duped" from Season 2 – the one with Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean (voiced by himself), which is so cool! (And I often wonder one thing sometimes – namely, who in the Backstreet Boys is "the deep, philosophical one". Sometimes I pick A.J., as he's probably that kind of guy.)

Anyway, I wondered what A.J. himself was thinking during the part where he meets with Virgil. So I typed this up. Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: Genius Dwayne McDuffie (may he rest in peace) owns Static Shock. I own the fanfics I cook up from time to time.

Pretty Girls

A.J.'s POV

"Yo, Adam! You got them tunes yet?"

I smiled as Virgil looked at me. He was surprised, but eventually he got over it.

"Whoa! You're A.J. McLean," he spoke up, breaking the silence. "You're a Backstreet Boy!" He grinned as he said the last part.

"Right on both counts," I replied, cool as a cucumber. I'm usually pretty witty when it comes to cool comebacks. After all, I'm pretty smart, and I prefer to think before I speak – it's a pretty cool thing to do, in my opinion.

"Now let me guess – you have all our CDs?"

Virgil blinked. "Well, actually, no."

"Ohh!" I feigned a heart attack, a look of half-shock and half-hurt on my face. (I've had a lot of practice being a pretty good actor too, when it comes to being theatrical.)

I could sense Virgil was being honest, though. I like people who are honest. They're pretty neat in my view.

Virgil noticed the look of shock, and then, doing his best to be positive (and make me feel better), said,

"But all the girls at school? They're crazy about you!"

Hmm...

The wheels in my head began turning. An idea was coming to my sharp brain.

No, not an idea. More like a fantasy. After all, even a Backstreet Boy like me often has those. What kind of man – or woman – doesn't have a fantasy every once in a while?

It was nighttime. I was walking along the sidewalks in Dakota, disguised in a black trenchcoat, which, luckily was a bit short in length, so I didn't have to worry about tripping over my own feet.

Suddenly I stopped upon hearing a very familiar song float through the air like snowflakes on a snowy day.

You know a dream is like a river
Ever changin' as it flows
And a dreamer's just a vessel
That must follow where it goes
Trying to learn from what's behind you
And never knowing what's in store
Makes each day a constant battle
Just to stay between the shores

And I will sail my vessel
‛Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
‛Til the river runs dry

Intrigued by how beautiful the song sounded, I then walked in the direction of where it was coming from, and soon came to a nightclub.

I looked around to make sure nobody saw me. Luckily, nobody was there. Then I stepped up to the back door, and walked over the threshold.

Luckily the interior of the nightclub (which happened to be empty) was all lit up, but not too brightly, so at least I didn't have to shield my eyes. And as I was wearing my trademark sunglasses, bright lights weren't a problem.

And the club wasn't all full of smoke either – something else I felt fortunate about. In my view, smoke is an irritation to the eyes, and I don't like it at all. When it gets in the eyes, it stings – like a bee when it puts its stinger in someone's skin.

Anyway, I focused on the two girls on the stage – and smirked, the Romeo in me suddenly lighting a fire I didn't know I had. When I was little – four years old to be precise – there was this girl who lived next door to me. One day I locked lips with her, but she didn't like it. So instead of telling me off, or saying "I'm sorry I didn't like that, but I hope you understand", she punched me in the stomach. Of course it did hurt, and it did put me off – for eight more years, until I was twelve, and ready to give love another try.

Now these were very pretty girls. One had red hair – like the fiery red of the sun when it sets, and the other had locks dark as the feathery wings of a raven.

As I sat at a table next to the stage watching them, I smiled. They were so deep, and the red-haired one reminded me of an orange-red, golden sunset.

They were both singing the song "The River" by Garth Brooks – which I believe is an awesome song. I had to admit, they sounded really good.

Too many times we stand aside
And let the waters slip away
‛Til what we put off ‛til tomorrow
Has now become today
So don't you sit upon the shoreline
And say you're satisfied
Choose to chance the rapids
And dare to dance the tide

Yes, I will sail my vessel
‛Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try

So I will sail my vessel
‛Til the river runs dry

There's bound to be rough waters
And I know I'll take some falls
But with the good Lord as my captain
I can make it through them all...yes

I will sail my vessel
‛Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
‛Til the river runs dry

Yes, I will sail my vessel
‛Til the river runs dry
‛Til the river runs dry

I smiled to myself as I blinked back to reality. After all, those girls Virgil had been talking about sure sounded cool.

"That's cool," I said to him as I turned to go.

I, Alexander James "A.J." McLean, have seen many girls in my lifetime. Most of them are pretty neat. And they sure are nice, of course.

After all, when most men see women they think they're mysteries that have to be explored, or puzzles that have to be solved. I, however, think they're pretty cool people that have all kinds of stories to tell. And for me, that's a pretty neat thing.

~Finis