A/N:This is my first fanfic, so don't criticize it too much... I wrote the story ignoring the episode "Frank and Len: Unplugged"

Disclaimer: I do not own Ruby Gloom characters and song "Stop It". But I do own Misery's relatives (Marine, Morrow, Menace, Misty, Macabre) and other characters I'll create. Also I own the songs "Mad World" and "Clock Strikes Midday".

Life is never fair, and perhaps it is a good thing for most of us that it is not.

Oscar Wilde

Chapter 1. The Beginning

(Once upon a time in Gloomsville...)

It was a usual morning in Ruby's mansion and Misery, Skullboy, Ruby, Scaredy, Frank and Len were sitting at the table having breakfast. Ruby was busy planning a new summer party, Skullboy was thinking if it's possible yo be a cooker and an artist at the same time (taking into consideration his new paintings made of spagetti), Scaredy was dreaming about a post-breakfast rest on the hammock, the brothers were creating some new beats with the help of a spoon and a fork and Misery was testing for durability her bad luck and a plate (by striking it with a knife). Suddenly Iris bursted into the room, stumbled over the carpet and fell with a yell "I'm good!" and without greetings atarted from the floor:

"Have you heard the great news? Today's the June, 1st!"

After a short pause Skullboy answered: "We all have checked the calendar, Iris. It's not news for us".

"Yeah, especially the great one", added Scaredy, who wasn't in a good mood that day.

"You guys just don't get it!" said Iris enthusiastically. "Today's the June 1st and a start of Grand Gloomsville Musical Festival!"

Frank and Len's faces brightened immediately: "Musical Festival?! Why haven't we heard about it?"

"There will be loads of stars, I think", said Ruby thoughtfully, peering at her notes.

"Yeah, a kind of 'only best of the best allowed' show", added Scaredy.

"You heard, Len, we need to create a hit!" exclamed Frank.

"Hey, brother, don't forget that you're talking to the last Gloomapalooza hero!"

"Hey, it is me who was a hero!"

No, I am, and I'll write a song for the contest!"

But the others haven't heard the rest of the argument, 'cause brothers ran out of the room to the garage.

"So, what about you, Misery", asked Ruby. "Are you going to sing this time?"

Misery hit the plate stronger and it finally cracked and split up into two parts. "I don't know. They didn't invite me to take part in all this" Misery's voice sounded even sadder than usual. "But if they will, I'd like to sing myself – I mean, not being asleep". Misery's voice faded. She can't explain properly why she thought this way about sleep-singing. It was like a feeling that it wasn't she singing. Or maybe it was dissatisfaction of understanding her possibilities... Misery sighed. She even couldn't explain why she was so disappointed about not being with Frank and Len now. But then the brothers ran into room and Len exclaimed:

"Are we always must wait you for ages, Misery?"

They grabbed her by both arms and pulled through the entrance.

"They think it goes without saying that Misery is always here for them", said Skullboy.

"Well, it's true, isn't it?" said Ruby. And Iris's words were impossible to understand, 'cause her mouth was full of cookies.

(In the garage...)

Frank and Len seated Misery on the old sofa and stood beside it.

"OK, listen"

And they started playing some deafening crazy music. It was strange that guitar strings and the house stood this. When they finished, Misery moved her hands away from ears and asked: "What was it?"

"It's called improvisation, Mis!" said Frank.

"Well. You'd better call it 'madness'", girl muttered under her breath. And added louder: "Don't you think it needs a bit of correction? This one was good, no doubt", she said in order not to offend them, "But what about making it... smoother?"

"No, of course it's not a final variant. We'll work on it", said Len.

"By the way, we haven't got any lyrics yet, so it's work for you, Misery", smiled Frank.

"For me? Are you kidding? It's not like writing a simple poem, I've never... I can't..."

"Don't be so shy, surely you can", said Frank with confidence.

"So, if you take the lyrics and we do the music, everything will be ready by afternoon and we'll be able to start a rehearsal", said Len.

"Yeah, and that's good, because we need to sign up at the contest during this week. Luckily, today's Thursday and we got four days!" said Frank.

"But you've just heard about the Festival! And you found out all the information within few minutes?!"

"We have a source we can rely on!" they answered in chorus and winked at each other. Misery wondered if this 'source' was Doom Kitty.

"Oh, and don't forget to follow the style of..." Len played several fast chords.

"See ya at afternoon, then. Good luck!" smiled Frank. Misery noticed that nobody asked her opinion, but she was not offended – she was too clever to be offended.

"No", she said to herself, "it's not the right time to pity myself or to suffer. I need to work. I wished to be with them in this business, anyway..."

***

WRITING LYRICS with Misery

Step 1. Listen to music, follow the music. Try to get its style.

Step 2. Create the first line. It should contain the main idea of the music.

Step 3. Make a rhyme to the first line.

Step 4. Complete the first couplet. Remember: the less sense you have here – the better song will be.

Step 5. Chorus is the main part of the song – everyone should remember it easily and hum it while being anywhere.

Step 6. Look at the composition of the first couplet and create the next one, then repeat the chorus twice.

Step 7. Try to follow the plan I wrote above – and it's not as easy as you think...

***

Misery sat on her bed of nails and took some ink and paper. She recollected in her memory the music Len played. Well, the first line will be... Maybe she can use one of her old poems? "Shiny emerald star" – no, it's too sweet. "I'm cold and hopeless" – too dark and doesn't fit with the music. Minutes were passing, but the paper was still pure white. Foreign thoughts started to attack her mind: and maybe there's no point in all the effort and pains, if they treat her as a tool of winning? But somehow she liked the situation and was sure that she could show and prove her possibilities. Frank and Len are nice guys, a bit selfish, none too clever, but always funny and talented. If only they could turn around and see the others properly. If only she could change something... Misery shook her head and ordered herself: "No inner discussions. I need to work, I need to concentrate. These thoughts are just too strange, so I'll brush them off for a while, as all my bad luck events. I just need to find a target and shoot... OK, there must be something that suites me for a song – gloomy but bright and interesting at the same time... Something unusual, unreal... Aha! Now I now what to write!" And Misery began making notes quickly, not noticing that she had overturned the ink bottle and ink spilled all over the floor. Rain started; it poured down through the open window and flooded the room, intermixing with ink and flowing around Misery like a black blood. Clock struck one.