(Author's comments – This is going to be a series of one shots that take place right after the "Rhinestone Eyes" video. By the way, a metalloid is an element (yes, like on the periodic table) that has qualities of metals and non-metals, like silicon.

I don't own Gorillaz in any way, shape or form, and that's probably a good thing.)

In the middle of the ocean stood a hill of trash.

The inhabitants of this hill called it Plastic Beach. This had been the "home", for the lack of a better word to two members of the Gorillaz—and was now also the place of rest for the other two members. One of said members was sitting primly on the shore, her head directed on the water lapping at the grainy trash. She had a mask that obscured her face, hiding scars she received in her time away from the band. She had sat there since dawn, and the sun was beginning to dip down into the ocean. She heard footsteps behind her and whipped her head around quickly to discover the lanky, blue-haired 2D. This appeared to startle him, and he pulled his hands in front of his face, peering out from behind his fingers. "Oh, uh, sorry to disturb ya, Noods."

Noodle's posture relaxed, and she nodded in reply. She hadn't spoken since her appearance on the plastic shore, communicating through writing notes and hand motions. She patted the ground next to her, and 2D sat down in the indicated spot. "So, uh..." The singer was having a hard time picking the right words. "...are ya, uh, gonna be able to talk anytime soon, luv?"

Noodle shook her head, and began tracing some words in the plastic particles. I'm not ready.

"When will ya be, tho'? You've been here for almost...uh...somefink like a month. Not a peep out of ya in that time and we're gettin' worried." Noodle nodded in agreement. Ever since her return with Russel, 2D was following her like a worried mother hen, and Murdoc had been awkwardly keeping an eye on her from afar when he wasn't disassembling the robot made to look like her or drinking. Russel was the only one who knew even a little bit—he told 2D and Murdoc how he found her on his way to Plastic Beach, but that was as much information he had. Noodle pointed back to the same words.

"Wozzat supposed to mean? We're ready! We've been ready ever since you popped outta Russ' mouf! We've been ready ever since you disappeared!"

Noodle looked away from 2D, and didn't write any more words in the ground. After a few silent moments, 2D sighed.

"It's jus'...we haven't seen you in years, Noods. The band collapsed with you gone. Russ went missin', Murdoc lost his freaking mind, and...I fink I lost it too."

Noodle had turned her head towards the ocean again, and watched as the final rays of sun melted into the water.

"I fink...I fink that me n' Russ jus' want to hear your voice again. Like if you saw a toy and ya got it for Christmas, and you didn't really think it was there unless you pressed that funny li'l button that made a kinda noise...okay, bad comparison," 2D admitted, at the masked head turned at him that he was certain hid a deadpan stare, "but... it's like we don't really know you're all the way there yet. You're real, for sure, but not the same Noodle we knew before..."

Noodle suddenly started scraping at the sand, teeth gritted, and when she was finished she jumped up and walked away, emotion shaking her still petite frame.

I AM NOT THE SAME.

Underneath the building the Gorillaz now called home, there was a tiny alcove that was just big enough for someone to go inside. Noodle had been using this space ever since she had come to Plastic Beach to live in, with only her guitar and her mask. 2D and Russel had found it already and had put some heavy blankets and a mattress inside for the chilly island nights. She was certain Murdoc had found it, too, because she continued to find his (rejected) peace offerings of pocky that smelled distastefully like vodka and rum. Noodle thought it was nice that the alcove looked over the water directly so she could just talk to Russel when she needed to. 2D had left a big, slightly used drawing pad inside so she could communicate with them, which she found helpful when she didn't have any sand. She now sat in the dark hollow, watching the moon rise slowly up. She had taken her mask off revealing a heavy bruise on her right eye and some scars that had, to the rest of the band, an unknown origin. Dried tear stripes were visible from her eyes to her chin when she watched something emerge from the ocean.

Russel came out of the water, head facing towards the moon, but he quickly turned around to face the alcove and dragged himself even closer, resting his arms on the junky rocks.

"Hey, Noodle. Everythin' okay?" Noodle shook her head vigorously and picked up her pad and marker. We can't ever be the same.

Silence fell over Russel for a minute. Then he sighed, making the fake palm trees bend. "I know, Noods. I know. You can't exactly have a gigantic drummer in a band, can you? And you? I dunno what's happened, exactly...but I can tell you've been dealin' with demons, and that's something you can't really forget and pretend it never happened." Russel waited patiently for her response, which was a tiny nod and rubbing her bruised eye.

"Well...I can't say everything will be fine, cus that'd be a lie," Russel began thoughtfully, "but I can say that we're all here to help you, Noodle. Me and 'D and Muds—yes, Noodle, him too." Noodle had glared skeptically at the last name. "In his own freakish way, he wants to help. I think." Noodle nodded again, rubbing both eyes now. Russel forced a smile. "Get some sleep, Noodle. It's gonna be another day...maybe the day we can all get off this stupid hunk of garbage." He began to sink back into the sea when he stopped and looked back to Noodle.

"Hey. I can tell you from experience that you'll get...better. Not perfectly, but close enough. Everything's changed, but that doesn't mean you have to sulk and fight the change. It's better to take it head-on. Night, Noods." He submerged himself in the water, leaving Noodle to her thoughts.

Russel was easy to believe. If anything, she could relate to him more then the rest of the band, since he had been possessed by lots of spirits. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to be better, for things to go back the way they were. She wanted to get rid of the horrifying images in her memories and replace them with good times with her bandmates. She crawled deeper into her alcove and grabbed her guitar, and starting playing a few chords. She bobbed her head for the words that she had nearly forgotten, then opened her mouth, struggling to use her voice. A creaking noise came out, impossible to listen to. She tried again, determined to make out some words.

2D was walking up to the building when he heard the music and the quiet, screechy noise. He tore up into the complex and slammed the door open to an almost certainly hung-over Murdoc.

"I...I fink she's tryin' to talk!"

Murdoc's previously out-of-focus eyes snapped over to 2D, and the two men ran outside to the cliff overhanging Noodle's alcove, listening for her voice.

She began the song again, and tried again...and again...and again...

The moon was almost on the other side of the sky, and 2D and Murdoc were about to give up and go back inside when she finally made a comprehensible noise.

"Feel good."

(Next chapter will be funnier, I swear. I'm so not used to writing angst...ish...things.)