Time For Change
Author's Note: Yes, as you have all seen, I've changed my name! (hears 'oohs' and 'aahs'…yeah okay whatever) Sorry people, I was on a cruise…and so this means I was away from internet (not really, they have it on board), but my parents weren't gonna pay a hundred bucks an hour for me to check emails, post up chapters, and whatnot. BUT! I did bring a notebook, so all of which you read is my work from the cruise! Oh, and I went to the Cayman Islands and Mexico (no, I didn't end up in jail like someone we've grown to accept…ahem, lol)
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No sunlight welcomed the young Japanese guitarist in her quiet bedroom as she opened her eyes to the usual morning arguments of the men downstairs. Scratching the tiptop of her head, she yawned, completely use to the once bothersome braces in her mouth. In fact, she hardly took notice of them anymore (aside from when she brushed and smiled). For five months straight now, the boys had been complaining, planning, dissolving…all of musical genre.
She had added in a point or two, but after realizing the arguments always ended in meaningless gibberish that finished with Murdoc either punching or kicking 2D and Russel throttling Murdoc, she had decided the best she was good for was breaking them up for her own 'time outs' and continue on with her day as if nothing had happened. Having an alarm like this one did get nerve pinching after a few days, let alone five months, but Noodle learned to stretch out her patience, and this won her something positive.
She kicked off her sheets and slunk to her closet, pulling out her usual tan shorts with a dark brown tang top, not bothering to pull on her jacket, and slipped her feet into her shoes. She rubbed her nose, heading to the bathroom to brush her teeth, use one of the stalls, wash her hands, brush her hair, and clip a piece out of her eyes. She stared at her reflection for a while, ignoring Russel's booming voice and Murdoc's scratchy whines. 2D's squeaks were in there once in a while, but hardly made it over the other two.
She had had a dream…a strange dream. It was a dream of…sleep. No…hibernation. Heavy medicated induced hibernation. She was…wet…unclothed…and there was dark green all around. A plastic mask was sucked onto her mouth and nasal cavities, giving her all the oxygen she needed. She knew she wasn't alone, but she couldn't prove it. All she saw was the fluid she floated in. Her knowledge was already fulfilled of what she needed to know. She hadn't learned it from anywhere or anyone…she had just always known. And she had a destiny…what was that destiny? It was when she was just about to remember that she would wake up, gasping for air, sweating crazily and terrified of living. She couldn't explain what it meant, and she hadn't told the others about it.
None of them knew where she had come from before Kong. Well, Osaka, Japan. Yet to her, it was only a place, a title, a simple meaningless name. But, it was a start. Still, it couldn't help her. What would Osaka explain about her dream? There was no point. The main bathroom door swung open with a slam, spooking the heck out of Noodle, who had been lost in daydreaming. It was one of those little trouble making creatures that liked to roam Kong, causing problems and blaming them on others. They sprayed the walls and tore carpeting, hid 2D's pills whenever they could and messed with Murdoc's bass right after he would tune it. They hardly fooled with Russel, he had Del with him and for some reason, they were afraid of that.
Almost as if Del could do something to them. Noodle tried avoiding them as much as she could. Their glowing red eyes did make her feel uneasy from time to time, and she always grew annoyed when one would sneak under her bed to try and catch her changing clothes. They were perverted, sneaky, rude little demons that needed a lesson or two, and how they managed to get into Kong was a mystery. As if zombies and ghosts weren't enough. "Are they still downstairs?" she asked quietly, unblinking. It grumbled something, flicking its tail from side to side. Grinning, it nodded and dove into one of the stalls, locking it, and from there, all Noodle heard was splashing and flushing. "Probably 2D-san's cell phone again…" she sighed, exiting the noisy room.
She took the lift downstairs, humming the simple tune of 19-2000, one of her favorites on their CD Gorillaz. 2D thought it would be cute if she added her own part in there, and as expected, it was a hit with the fans, finding her adorable and for some, realizing she was a girl. Shaking her head as she walked near the kitchen, hearing the heated talk grow louder with each advancing step, she wondered how people could think of her as a male. Okay, so she didn't care for the girly ways. That gave them no right to assume her a boy. Besides, couldn't her face give it away? Rolling her eyes, she only guessed talented people could tell the difference between a girl's structure of face and a boy's.
Peeking into the kitchen, she forgot her worries of strange nightmares, the monsters of Kong Studios, and mixed up genders, and became anxious of the sight before her. The talking (or nasty yelling) had ceased for a moment and the dark Brit was digging into the refrigerator for beer, milk, eggs, and frozen dinners. Murdoc had never taken those items to his Winnebago (aside from the beer), there was no need to. Russel always cooked with Noodle's help, or they would order out. The guitarist kept to the side of the doorway, not wanting to get caught. What exactly was Murdoc Nicalls doing?
"Wull…I…I 'aven't seen my pop in a while…" a voice piped up, and Noodle immediately searched for the singer who was peeking out from behind Russel. "'en go wit 'im! Maybe 'e can bloody babysit yeh an' knock some two bit sense inteh tha' no brain o' yo's!" Murdoc snapped, tossing the last of his loot into plastic shopping bags. The lanky man stepped to the side, strumming his fingers against each other, glancing between the drummer and the bassist. "U-Uhm, Russ?" he called, but the heavyset ignored him, obviously pissed over whatever had happened. A hard kick to the chest knocked the unaware 2D backwards with a nasty hiss, "Outta my fuckin' way, shit-for-brains!"
Noodle's eyes widened as Murdoc neared her, and she hopped backwards, hugging herself as he passed her, his dark cloud choking up her air. "M-Murdoc-san?" she barely whispered, but the bassist caught it, and he paused for her sake, not bothering to take a look back, "Yeh better find yo'self a place, girlie. Kong ain't safe for jus' yeh teh 'ang around in." Noodle took a step closer, but he cringed and barked at her, "Stay 'ere!" Her eyes watered up, wondering why he was being so nasty to her. What had she done? She was the only one Murdoc never yelled at, and now…now that special title had been ripped. "I'm leavin'." he announced in a strong voice, answering her questions, "An' I suggest you do the same."
With that ending memory, Murdoc continued down his way, never once giving a final glance at Noodle, or even bothering to bid her a farewell. The girl stood in complete shock, not at all knowing where to go from there. What kind of advice was that? And his own actions? He was just walking out on them? They needed a bassist! They needed a leader! She needed her big brother…
Shaking her head multiple times, she spun in a jolt, smacking into 2D who had gotten up from his recent fall. "Sorry, love…" he apologized sadly, his eyes filled with the deepest pity. He ruffled her just combed hair, but she didn't care. She only wanted to know why he was staring at everything as if it was to be the last time seeing it. Russel dumped his paper and mumbled to himself (or Del), disappearing down the hall to the elevator, and Noodle scrambled after him, leaving the term breakfast a forgotten memory. "(Russel-san! Russel-san! What's going on! Why is Murdoc-san leaving? What happened! Why is everyone acting so strange!)" she gibbered, incomprehensible to the English speaking drummer.
"Noodle! Girl, English please!" he sighed, rubbing his bald head. She took a few breaths, entering into the lift with him, "Murdoc-san is leaving!" she cried, her large eyes growing twice their size, "What has happened?" Russel closed his eyes, placing a gentle hand on her head, "Noodle…it's…complicated." She glared up, "I wish to know! I am part of this band, too!"
Russel's thick voice wavered, and his sentence seemed to smack her in the face, "Not anymore."
The guitarist's arms hung loosely as her jaw dropped, unable to understand the emotion she was feeling. The metal box they were in started to spin and everything went into a quick blur. Shaking her head, the girl pressed her fists against her eyes roughly, "W-What? W-What do you mean? What have I done?" she squeaked, thinking she was about to get kicked out for something she had committed wrong. The doors opened and Russel stepped out, heading to his room, "Oh, no, it ain't jus' you girl…its…all of us…things ain't exactly…workin' out." he explained, his white eyes filled with a mix of sorrow and annoyance.
"Not working out?" Noodle repeated, eyes searching the ground as if looking for something, "B-But…I do not understand! Why can we not fix what is not working?" The heavy drummer paused at his door, looking down at the child. She was still young. She had much to learn. "Noodle…Murdoc's headin' off. Without a bass player, we ain't a band…so I might as well take a break, too. I'm…I'm gonna head back to New York." Noodle's cheeks lost color, hands went clammy, and she could've sworn her heart skipped five seconds of beating. Her beloved Russel was leaving to another country, thousands of miles away, across sea…possibly gone forever. "NO!" she screamed, ramming into him with open arms.
"Please!" she sobbed into his shirt, barely able to hold her head up, "P-Please do not go! I will be good! I will do good things for the home! I will keep away the zombies and cook the dinner and clean what is dirty and-" Russel wiped her cheeks with his thumbs, "You'd do all that to keep me here?" The child nodded vigorously, tears trailing down her face nonstop. The New Yorker wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a close loving hug, "I love you, girl. You never forget that. No matter where I go, no matter how long it takes to get back to you, you'll always be my lil' girl."
Noodle sniffed, eyes puffed up, lip constantly trembling. His words were devoted and fairly soothing, but it couldn't fix the crack that was starting to develop in her heart. Murdoc was gone. Russel was leaving. In her eyes, that was big brother and daddy erased from the household. She lifted her head from his shoulder, looking into his warm eyes, "2D-san is also leaving…" The large man nodded, releasing her, "Yeah…he's plannin' on headin' back with his folks, where ever they are…" Noodle hung her head, wondering where she was going to go. Murdoc was right. Kong was a dangerous place to live in if you were by yourself. Many a time she needed backup when too many zombies found their way in, and mysterious forces foamed Kong once in a blue moon.
She couldn't stay here, though she knew it as home, it wasn't home without her family. Dragging her feet to her room, she quietly whispered in a broken voice, "I no longer have my family…" Russel, who had heard this, disappeared into his room, hoping to get his packing done before he could break down.
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Strange creeks accompanied the thunderous weather of Kong, yet, at night, it only worsened the preteen's dreams. Hugging her pillow, her mind filled with dark accidents happening to Murdoc, Russel, and 2D. Somewhere in her mind continued to repeat they would be fine, and it was okay, but her pacing heart and terrified feelings scared her so badly she couldn't even hear the first voice.
Her dreams of Russel involved planes crashing, the plane disappearing, the plane blowing up, or the plane getting lost at sea. They were like unwanted reruns of Lizzie Maguire, they wouldn't go away and once you thought it was done, another jumped right in your face. Turning on her bed, she whimpered as the Murdoc nightmares began, him getting into a fight and not making it, the Winnebago getting into a crash, him getting shot, stabbed, mugged…they were all heartbreaking, especially since she believed nothing could defeat him. Again, watching something you just never wanted to see tears at your soul, making you scream with angst. And then suddenly, they stopped.
Her dreams no longer focused on Russel or Murdoc. She had her mask on…the green liquid surrounded her…the others she knew but couldn't see…and the hidden knowledge. What did she know? How do you know you know something, but not be able to remember it? She floated lightly within the tank wherever she was. It was so quiet and almost relaxing. Then something happened that had never ensued before in her dream. Two large eyes peeked at her from outside the green.
She wanted to scream, but her mask prevented her from doing so. She knew those eyes. They weren't eyes one could forget easily, especially with permanent bruising lining underneath. A nose was pressed against the glass as if he was trying to peek inside to see her. "2D-san?" she wondered, heart about to pop out of her chest. She scrunched her unclothed body closely, hoping nothing had been seen, yet she couldn't help but stare at the blurry vision. His mouth was pressed against the glass, yet it was moving, as if he were trying to tell her something. He pouted an 'o', then pressed his lips together, his mouth opening at the end of his word, doing this over and over.
"Goodbye?" the child wondered, stretching one hand out to touch where he was. He quickly backed away and Noodle took her hand back, unsure of what she had done wrong. He neared again, huffing a layer of mist on the glass. With his thin finger he pressed, sliding his pointer, forming a number.
"71? No…it is facing him…17?"
If only she could talk to him…ask him what he meant…and before her eyes, he disappeared into mist, suitcase at hand. She thudded her fist against the tank, over and over, "No! Wait! 2D-san!" her mind screeched, waking her back into her room.
"2D-san! What do you mean!" she cried loudly, looking around her room, confused and cold. Sniffing, she wiped her forehead, hating to be alone. She hadn't seen 2D since that morning. She assumed Russel left after her talk with him. His suitcases were gone and so were his main necessities. Murdoc had left that morning, his presence had been gone. She looked around, eyes landing on Mike who had fallen on the floor. Her hand clasped around his soft arm, lifting him up into a comforting hug. "Do you think he is still home, Mike?" she questioned, nuzzling the stuffy. Lightning lit up her room, frightening her for a moment.
She slipped on her slippers and pulled on a navy hoodie over her thin t-shirt and shorts, exiting her room with Mike in arm. She took the elevator, not willing to face any zombies when she was most vulnerable, and took the only stairs she had to descend in order to reach the carpark. A frosty draft smacked against her, chilling her to the bone, but she knew 2D's room was nice and toasty. Wiping her nose, she knocked on his door lightly, "2D-san?"
No answer. Another knock.
"2D-san?"
She jiggled the handle, and the door opened. Peering in, her soul was crushed as 2D's usual pile of movies and a keyboard was missing. Half of the clothes in his mountainous clothing pile were gone and as she searched through his drawers, his wallet and secret stash were gone, too. "He is gone…" she whimpered, sitting on his bed. Had they just forgotten about her entirely to leave her in Kong alone, abandoning her to support herself? Giving herself a good shake, she decided. That was enough torture for one day. Noodle deserted the room, racing up the stairs, locked herself in her room and grabbed her own suitcase. Blindly grabbing anything that would fit into her luggage, she packed until she couldn't anymore. She glanced at her bed, she wasn't tired.
A change of clothes was needed. She dug into her closet, grabbing a black blouse and similar looking uniform she had worn when she had been rescued from that mysterious box, except that this one was red. She slipped her feet into her black slip-ons and broke her picture frame holding a group shot of them all. She snagged the photo from among the shattered glass on her floor and placed it on top of her packed clothes and items, zipping the bag up and grabbing her monkey toy. She slowly placed her radio helmet on her head, taking one last look at herself in her mirror as she took her baggage in a strong grip. Her face was blotchy and pale. Her eyes were cold and swollen. She had never looked worse.
Flicking off her lights, she glanced around her room one last time before closing her door, "He did not even say goodbye…"
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It was pleasant weather for a stroll, but even better weather for a welcoming. Two years. Two long years of waiting, figuring, finding, understanding, and finally, now, heading back. It was something within the soul of a more mature fourteen year old ex-guitarist that called her back to the haunted lands she yearned for all this time. The haunted lands she called home. She had lost all contact with her friends, but she always talked to them, bid them good night before bed and good morning when the sun rose, complained about problems or told them of good news or shocking news to be exact. Not physically told them, but she had them with her, always in her suitcase, now glued to the inside of her luggage bag, the photo of two years prior.
To see them again…them, would be a true prayer answered. Her dream come true, because though all she had met knew nothing of it, she missed her odd family like nothing in the world could fill. Walking down the familiar deserted streets, the teen recalled all she had learned on her journey. All she had suffered through. But most of all, all she had gained from her suffering. Greedy people would think of it as a waste, but no. Not she. She knew better. Noodle, a.k.a child 17, a child created so dangerously with twenty two others who could, in a flash, disintegrate their creator, armies, and take down the world if they wanted to, knew better than to take this information lightly.
According to her creators, she and the others were not considered people, though they had started out that way before they had been stolen from their homes as infants to be worked on as guinea pigs. The project had eventually been terminated, but all the children had gotten out safely, blending in with the rest of the world. They couldn't be returned to their homes. The government wouldn't allow it, and they doubted the parents wanted the children they had forgotten about through a special mind erasing experiment. Each child had a specific talent, and Noodle's had been musical. She could create an entire symphony if she wanted to in a second, but that wasn't in her soul, and that's what her creators didn't seem to understand when they treated them as animals instead of humans.
Her dreams…her daunting dreams were of where she had been in dorm for ten years before she was yanked out and sent off to another country to play for Murdoc and his band for a reasonable sum of money. It made sense. It was the only memory she could remember, and that was due to the clumsy mistake of her best friend, 2D. Dropping that box caused her to have a slight concussion which led to the amnesia of her past. "2D…" she smiled, her braces still in place. In one hand, her suitcase, in the other, the hand of a primate she had come to know as a loyal friend. He was about half her height, glistening spiky brown fur, large pink hands and feet, and a grin that could make anyone laugh if they were down.
He had been locked away as one of the experimental animals when she went to Japan to figure out who she really was. He had been worked on Lord knows how many times, giving her the most adorable and pitiful expression of 'please help me' an animal could ever muster. Making sure no one was around, she unlocked his cage and they both escaped before she could get caught. She labeled him Mike, named after her toy monkey and one of the first words she had learned in English (or not learned correctly). The unusual thing about Mike was that his eyes were just like Russel's. Pure milky white with no identifiable pupil.
Two years they had been friends and they stuck side by side. At the moment, Mike wore a black hood to keep from cold, scampering up the girl to ride on Noodle's back, arms wrapped around her neck, his legs resting on her hips, and tail swishing back and forth as Noodle walked on, not being able to wait a second longer before she could reach Kong. She wore a pair of jeans, white sneakers, white blouse with purple designs all over it, but this was covered by a gray windbreaker, protecting her from getting sick. Her dark hair was a little past her shoulders, the green specks in her eyes coming out more brightly. She had stretched and thinned, also growing in places that a woman expands in, and her mind was also established in a responsible deposit. Yes, she was still Noodle, the girl who had come from a box to be a rock star, the girl who had found out her past, but decided to accept it and move on as a normal person, but she was also Noodle, a teenager ready to be known as someone new.
Eyes rising up, the familiar view of Kong Studios stood strongly at the top of its peak, gray clouds floating above the roof, the tombstones untouched, and the gate still locked. Mike leaned over her shoulder, pouting as he made a short opinion about his new home. Glancing at Noodle, he arched an eyebrow with an, "Mm-ooh." Noodle giggled, patting his head, "Do not worry, Mike. You will love it. I do." He sniffed the air, head twitching back and forth as she neared the gates, sliding her fingers along the bars, savoring the moment before she finally pushed them open with some difficulty.
The gates hadn't been used in a long while; they had gotten rusty due to the constant moist air. Mike shivered a bit, his eyes searching for something he knew was there. He just had to prove it. "Mmm, mmm, mmm!" he cheeped in her ear, pointing at nothing in particular, but having tombstones and whatnot was a definite help. "It is alright, Mike. The zombies do not come out during the day. And if we do meet some, I will protect you." she comforted, patting his hand. This settled the monkey's nerves.
Sure to keep her steps on the thin gravel they had all called a pathway, she trudged on, her grip on her luggage stressing pain in her arm muscles, but she had to keep going. One wrong step could send her dangerously tumbling down into a tombstone, the gates, or into a zombie that was crazy enough to get up during the day. Noodle stopped right before the final step, the step that led right to the front doors of Kong. "I did it…" she whispered happily, tears twinkling in the corners of her eyes, "I am home…"
She placed her suitcase on the concrete before she took her step, taking a deep breath and lifting her foot, gently setting it down on the small stoop. Her front teeth held onto her bottom lip as she reached into her jacket pocket for her old key. A stick of gum, some change, an empty bag of chips she and Mike had shared, …the key. She admired the craftsmanship of it before sticking it into its designated hole. It had a flat round holder with KS engraved into it, and on the thinner part 'Noodle'. Murdoc had them specially made so in case someone lost one, they could all check their keys and make sure the right one was lost.
She had a feeling part of this idea was to pick on 2D, since he had a habit of picking up any key he had found, claiming it was his. Turning the lock, she quickly pushed the door open, taking a glance inside. Everything was as it had been left. Everything. It was almost as if two years hadn't gone by at all, except there was dust everywhere and Russel would've had a fit. "I will have this place cleaner than…the cleanest place on earth." she smiled, jerking her head at the alarm system that had suddenly started beeping.
That had been installed to keep crazed fanatics out of Kong during the night. Unless they were allowed in, they were unwanted. The four members of Gorillaz enjoyed peace like any other human, and besides, they really didn't want to have to save someone from zombies who shouldn't have been on their property in the first place. She flicked down the covering of the keypad, sneezing after a cloud of dust shot at her, typing the code as she rubbed her watery eyes, "Left Hand Suzuki Method 2000." she said quietly, pressing the first letter of each word, entering the number quickly after. The alarm siren ceased and Mike ruffled his hair, climbing down to investigate the new surroundings.
He sneezed a couple of times, rubbing his nose. "You will help me clean, of course." Noodle nodded, but the primate gave her an odd glace as if to say, 'Who, me?' "You can clean the areas I cannot reach, right Mike?" she pressured, crossing her arms with a tapping foot. He grinned and sat, soon to pick his nose. Noodle rolled her eyes, getting her suitcase, "Do not do that. You fit in with Murdoc and 2D. Trying to get away with things you are not supposed to do." she lectured, pausing for a moment with a forlorn sigh, "I miss them…"
An alarming screech sent her shooting a foot into the air, spinning her from her trip down memory lane, "Mike! What is it?" Her eyes grew as her friend jumped her, scrambling to get out of view of the walking carcass chasing after him. Removing the monkey from her, she placed him behind her bad, "Stay, Mike. I will handle this." Crouching, she glared at the creature, its horrid smell and disgusting view nasty enough to turn the bravest person down the hill and into a church in hopes the creature wouldn't follow. "Yah!" she huffed, swinging a harsh blow with her foot, sending it backwards.
"Nuuuaaaaarrrr…" it groaned, hand clutching onto the couch, forcing itself to get up. Not wanting to touch it with her hands, she threw another kick, this time knocking off its arm, but that didn't stop the monster. Her last shot had her flying in the air, the force cracking the head off its neck and the body fell down, helpless. Mike stared out, completely spooked and, above all, shocked. The thing shouldn't have been moving at all. Why was it moving? Were there more of these things?
"C'mon, Mike. It is safe now, and there is much to do. I sense something good to happen in the future and I will not lay back and wait. I must be prepared for it. Come." she called, picking up her back and headed off to the elevator. Mike shut the door, locking it shut, and raced after Noodle. There was no way he was going to be left alone in this place. Reaching the second floor, Noodle ran to her room, ready to jump on her bed in pure joy, when she froze, numbly dropping her bag as it thudded against the wooden floor.
Hanging out in her room were a bunch of demons, smoking and drinking, filling the air with foul chatter and polluted air. They all paused to stare at her in wonder. When had she come back? They thought the house was theirs now. No one had been there in years…
"GET OUT NOW!" she exploded, the rage in her eyes frightening enough to get them moving out and about. They tripped over one another, not wanting to become victim of her unexpected fury. Mike stood blankly as four or five of the little devils ran past him, hissing and cursing in their own language, bumping into him purposely. What kind of house had Noodle brought him to? In his slightly advanced brain he wondered: Would he've been better off back in the lab?
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After two weeks of back killing cleaning, the whole of Kong was finally done, and Noodle made a note to start tending to the graves out front. Though the undead bothered them a lot, everyone deserved to have a nice memorial. Mike was starting to get used to the oddness of Kong, at first unable to sleep, curling up with Noodle on the thundering nights of the haunted land, but he became accustomed to it after a week, realizing the weather was never going to change. He would just have to welcome it like everybody else.
Noodle was also giving a great amount of dedication to some interest of hers. Mike, having no idea what the Japanese scribbles meant along the sides of papers with lines across, funky little letters drawn in on the lines and arrows pointing every which way, he finally grabbed one when she was on her laptop, waving it in her face, "Mmm-ooh!" he questioned, sitting on her desk. "Mike! Do not play with that!" she scolded, her eyes squinting into slits. His curious look got through to her, nonetheless. "I'm working. It is just a few tunes here and there. Nothing really put together. But it will come together eventually. And when I am done, we will be back." she smiled, scratching behind his ears.
Mike grinned, enjoying the attention he was getting, but he tilted his head curiously. What did she mean?
It was a normal day when Noodle put her pencil down, arching an eyebrow at her work. She had her hair tied up purposely so it wouldn't be in her way. She needed to get a hair cut sometime soon. And the braces…stupid things. They had already corrected her teeth, but they hadn't been removed yet, nor did she have the power to remove them. That was in the hands of Russel Hobbs, who, at the moment, wasn't around anywhere in the country for that matter. Mike glanced at her from sitting on her window sill, his left leg swinging carelessly without a problem in the world.
He climbed down, noticing she was (or looked) finished with her work. He pointed at it, looking up at her with his clear eyes. "I call it…Demon Days." she said, her emerald eyes peeking up at the sky out her window. "That is what these days have felt like… these two years…" The guitarist gathered up her papers and stapled them so they wouldn't get lost. This was song number fifteen. Tapping her chin, she thought. She did have an extra song or two in her head, but it didn't go with the theme of what she was trying to achieve. No, this was it. Fifteen songs of greatness…of originality…of hard work and desperate calling.
Mike's ears suddenly perked up, looking over his shoulder, then at the door. A clash of thunder rumbled through Kong, and as expected, a heavy downpour fell, covering everything on the hill in rain. "You never miss a storm, do you, Mike?" she smiled, but arched an eyebrow when he didn't calm down. After two months of being here, he should know by now what the routine weather was. "Mike?"
Shaking his head, he scrambled to her door, opening and closing his hand, a signal for her to follow. Something was up. Noodle stood, giving her song script a last look before departing her room, "Mike…what are you doing? What is wrong?" He carefully and quietly made his way down the stairs and into the first hallway. "Probably another zombie…" she thought, rubbing her head. Getting rid of zombies was tiring work. Sometimes they just would not die. Or stay dead. Noodle was about to giggle when she heard a groan and a heavy thud. No zombie she ever faced sounded like that.
She stopped right before Mike who was peeking from the hallway's corner, careful not to get caught by the entering stranger. Noodle leaned her back against the wall, her eye barely able to see who it was. All she could she was a dark shadow and lightening from the storm outside. "Every time…it never changes…"
Noodle's heart almost skipped a beat. "No…" she whispered, peering out to see, "It cannot be…" The figure walked in, confused of why the house was so…clean, "Huh?" Eyes as large as tires, the teen charged at the soaked visitor, running straight into the gut, "RUSSEL!" The large dark man removed his dripping cap, squeezing the excess water out, looking down in shock. His glowing white eyes stared at the teen for a long time before registering that this young woman was the little girl of once ago. "NOODLE!" he boomed, his arms nearly crushing the life out of her, but she didn't feel it. She only felt happiness, her Russel was home.
Shutting the door behind him, he turned, unable to believe it was her. She had grown so much. But evidence of the past still haunted her, like those braces. "Baby girl, I missed you so much." he smiled, getting rid of his sopping coat, and forgetting about his luggage for the moment. "I missed you also, Russel…and I have many things to share with you." she nodded, her eyes calling for seriousness. He nodded, "Awright, but…where's everybody else?" Noodle blinked blankly, "Oh!"
Turning, she looked around, "Mike?"
"Mike?" Russel repeated confused, taking a seat on the couch, "Yo' stuffed monkey?" Noodle shook her head, taking the hand of her friend and leading him to the drummer, "No, my real monkey." Mike peeked out at Russel from behind Noodle, a shy veneer keeping him quiet. "Aww, ain't that cute?" Russel smiled, and Noodle giggled, "He has been with me for a long time. He is a good friend and well behaved." she assured, patting his head. Mike nodded, climbing up next to Russel.
Noodle held her arm behind her, rocking back and fourth, "He and I cleaned up all of Kong. He is a good helper." Russel's smile disappeared, "Wait, what?"
"Yes, he cleaned the cabinets, closets, lamps, and even the top of the refrigerator!"
"No, what you said before that!"
"We cleaned Kong?"
"What about D an' Muds?"
Noodle gave him a sad, strange look, "They…they are not here, Russel." The drummer's eyes widened, "At all?"
"…At all."
"Yo' tellin' me you've been here all by yo'self? For how long?" he interrogated, pissed out the matter. "About two and a half months," Noodle explained, "No one was here…I did not expect anyone to be, either." Russel growled, "What makes you think you can live by yo'self, girl? Yo' still a minor! What if somethin' happened to you? There's no one around to help!"
"Well, it is not like you cared to set anything up for me when you left! I was left alone in Kong when you all went, and I arrived in Kong alone, awaiting your arrivals." she snapped, crossing her arms. Russel's mouth slowly closed, beaten at this truth. The fact was accurate, how had he forgotten about her safety? Was he just so angry that he charged out of there without second thought? 2D had been there when he left…
"What about D? Wasn't he here?" he questioned, rubbing his head. Mike climbed onto the backrest and rubbed Russel's clear head, disappointed there was nothing he could search through. Noodle glanced down, remembering her last day in Kong. "He was…but then…he left, I suppose…" she said quietly, "Perhaps he did not know about me still around…" Russel could see the depression in her eyes, torn about 2D abandoning her in a haunted house when she was confused and hurt to begin with. "Aw, girl, I'm sho' he didn't realize…" Russel comforted, opening his arms.
Noodle saddled up next to him, feeling safe and warm in his embrace. Mike wrung his arms around the two's necks, offering a large grin as he leaned his head in between. Noodle and Russel exchanged glances and laughed, Noodle tickling her small friend. Russel sighed happily, looking around, "You guys really did a good job around here. No mess, no dust, no mold…" he approved, glancing at the kitchen. "Any food?"
"I have not opened the refrigerator…" she admitted, shivering a little, "There is a rotten smell if you even pass it. I dare not try. But there are ramen cups in the cabinet!" she offered cheerily, "You just add water and boil." Russel ruffled her hair, "Thanks." He stood, heading for the cabinets. He was starving. Noodle quietly followed, peeking into the kitchen, "Russel?"
"Yeah, baby girl?"
"May I say hello to Del? I have not seen him for a long time also." she smiled, eager to see her old comrade in crime. Russel paused as he reached for a ramen cup, his hand shaking a bit. Noodle raised her eyebrows, tilting her head just a fragment. Mike wrapped his arms around Noodle, getting a piggyback ride. He arched his head curiously at Russel, making his own small noises. "Del…" Russel sighed, lowering his arm. He peeked over his shoulder at Noodle, white eyes lost in a dark stare, remembering everything that had happened right before Noodle.
"Noodle…can you sit?"
She nodded quietly, seating herself at the kitchen table and Mike took a seat across her, waving his hand eagerly. Noodle snapped off a banana from the holder and handed it to him, it would keep him busy for a while. The large black man took down the cup and opened it, emptying the contents into a black pan he had taken out, adding water and turned on the stove on a medium heat. He took a seat, which crunched once sat on, and leaned his elbow on the table, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Noodle…" he rumbled in a soft slur, "Could you ever imagine…someone taking yo' best friend away?"
Noodle stared at her lap coldly, a little spooked by the way he was talking. "I…do not think I can, Russel-san…" she whispered, glancing up. "Think of someone…jus' randomly comin' along while you were havin' a good time…and jus'…does away wit yo' monkey…or…" he offered, waving his hand in the air, "Or, one of us." Noodle shivered, her emerald eyes glistening with fear, "Why are you asking me this?"
"I had a chance, you know…a second chance. Hell, it wasn't a first choice, probably the worst surprise I had eva' gotten…but it was because of that chance that my ma moved me over here. If I hadn't been possessed, I wouldn't've been the Gorillaz drummer. Del was like a brother, Noodle. Alive and in his afterlife, he was like a brother. He jus' kinda clung after he died. But I didn't complain about it. He even helped us, gave me some ideas, rapped for a couple of videos, babysat you when I needed some sleep…" he smiled, peering at Noodle adoringly.
Noodle smiled back, but it was weak. Where was Del?
"But…there comes a time when everybody gotta go…even after they've died, they gotta complete the journey, and Del thought he could cheat himself outta that. But…he found him."
Noodle's eyes widened a bit, "He? Who?"
The hefty New Yorker gazed out the window, remembering the day Del had written to him on the glass, "…Death." The creature of deliverance from one world to the next. The monster Del seemed to be afraid of. Yes, he had died, but he hadn't faced Death, the one with the silver scythe who came to collect lost souls or souls who wished to get away with haunting others. "Del is gone…" the Jap sighed, bringing up her knees to lean on them. That was a great loss and grand disappointment.
She would miss his joking style and immature nature. Although dead, he seemed to bring more life into Kong than all four of them put together. Well, there was nothing they could do. Noodle glanced up, lifting a zombie like finger, "…Your noodles are done." she announced, her eyes trailing back on the floor. Russel lifted himself, with some difficulty, and threw a soft glance over his shoulder, seeing Noodle was just as depressed as he was. "He said for you to stay cool an' to get in trouble once in a while." he chuckled, stirring the ramen.
Noodle giggled. Del would never change. She tapped her finger against the table, "Do not worry, Russel…we will all see him again one day." Shoving noodles into his mouth, he nodded, "Yeah…but hopefully not for a long time."
"Hopefully."
"Speakin' of hope, when you hopin' to get those braces off, girl? You over due."
"Can we go tomorrow? Please?" she begged, about ready to rip them off herself. Russel slurped up some soup juice, "If I can get an appointment in, then yeah." Noodle crossed her arms, suddenly in a deep thought mode. Her forehead scrunched her face tightly, and she almost looked angry. In an instant, she was back to normal, "After that, can we…can we please head to the mall?"
"The mall, too? Aw, girl, I gotta unpack an' get some res-…awright, awright, stop lookin' at me like that! We'll go."
Noodle squealed, removing the anime pout from her face and hugged the father-like figure in her life. It was good to have him home. "Do you think 2D and Murdoc will also come back?" she asked silently, resting her head against the drummer's large gut. He had gained some weight, but she assumed it was partially from the depression. "Well, what were the odds that we were gonna end up here around the same time?" the man offered, and she nodded happily. About to tell him of her new works of music, she shut her mouth and left him to his eating. She wouldn't tell him. Not yet.
This was a band project. Everyone needed to be there.
&&&
"Ready to get those off your teeth, young miss?"
"I cannot wait."
"Alrighty then!"
In less than ten minutes, the wires were snapped off and pulled out, the brackets were popped off, and the glue was scraped off her teeth, leaving her with an odd taste in her mouth. "Now we'll just clean you up and you're done." her orthodontist announced, grabbing a special cleaning brush to get access glue off.
Outside, Russel looked around the room, remembering the first time he went in there. The whole gang had been with him, 2D more nervous than Noodle would ever be, Murdoc being pissed off about something as usual, and Del popping conversations when bored. Yeah, those were the good old days. It was odd having his mind back to himself again. He felt a little greedy being able to think about anything without someone judging it, but that's how everyone else was. Now he just stared off, thinking to himself mostly, or completely blanking out into a lost sleep with his eyes in a tired glaze, as he was doing now.
"Russel?"
The large man blinked, shaking his head. Where was he? Oh, the dentist's office, that's right. Noodle getting her braces off, it was all coming back to him. Another bothersome side effect was that he had to force himself to recall what was happening before he had dozed into limbo. It put him into a bad mood, but coming back to see Noodle's wireless non-metal smile was worth remembering. "Whoa! Look how pretty!" he grinned, pinching her cheek. She smiled even wider. Now she had a reason to smile, and there was no obstacle that could get in her way from showing her happiness.
"What's that?" asked Russel, pointing to a small bag in her hand. The teenaged guitarist lifted it eyelevel, talking more to the bag than to Russel, "He gave me my braces…he said I could keep it and make it into a bracelet or something…" The two shared a glance and burst into laughter. Both knew Noodle would burn those things if she had to. Tossing them into the bin on the way out, Noodle waved her pointer at Russel, "Remember! The mall!" Russel patted her head, "Don't worry, girl. I remember." Good thing she had reminded him. It had totally slipped his mind.
&&&
The two entered into the glass door building, Noodle perkily excited about shopping again and Russel not as enthusiastic, remembering how noisy it was. He had grown to like quiet time to himself. "May I have some money, Russel-san?" Noodle pouted, tugging on his arm, "I will be back in an hour or so. We can meet by that bench?" she suggested kindly, pointing over to a bench between the isle of shoppers, glancing at display cases of the stores. Russel reached into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet, "Awright, but if I'm not there, check the music store." Nodding, Noodle accepted the currency and ran off, excited about her new ideas.
While the teen shopped, Russel discovered what 'an hour or so' meant in his time compared to Noodle's. It was about double or so. But while she store hopped, he stayed in one location, listening to old school rap, blues, R&B, and a few new songs as well. He had brought a cap and shades to purposely hide himself, not that one could avoid seeing his large size, but hopefully they wouldn't be able to recognize him. Last thing he wanted right now was swarming fans. It wasn't that he didn't like them, he loved his fans, but the stress was too much to handle in his mental state. He was still shocked from seeing Noodle after all these years. Adding fans on top of that was just too much.
Picking up a few CDs that had caught his eye, Russel paid without a word, leaving the store before the guy could ask him anything. He sat on the bench, taking out one CD, reading the songs on the back cover. Less than two feet away was an ice cream stand, there for customers to break for a nice treat from the pains of shopping. Maybe it was there specifically for teenagers and men, since woman seemed to stray away from it, and men seemed to be attracted to it. The teens came in groups, all buying ice creams for each other. Knowing he shouldn't, but not really caring, Russel stood, getting in line.
"Hello, sir. What can I get you?"
Russel glanced up at the menus, "Hmm…lemme get a chocolate chip an' a double mountain fudge cone." he said in a low voice. Hopefully Noodle's wouldn't melt before she came back. Russel took the two ice creams, starting on his before he felt someone tap his shoulder. Glancing back, he wanted to question, 'yeah?' but words couldn't even manage their way out. Eyes large and wide, he stuttered the first word, "N-Noodle?"
"Hai." a shy giggle replied, coming from an entirely different girl. Handing her the ice cream before he could drop it from astonishment, Russel took a seat on the bench, staring at her. "What did you do, girl! Go get an entire make over!" She smiled softly, "Do you like it?"
Her longer than shoulder length hair had been chopped into layers, bangs just about covering her eyes, shortest pieces in the back, and the longest pieces in the front, just before her ears. The muted raven shade it had been was no longer, now a dark tint of purple glistened from her hair, bringing out her emerald eyes like never before. The cut matched her round face, but that wasn't the only thing that had been changed. Along with the hair cut, make up had been bought and already put on by make up artists who stood by the tall stools, waiting for people to buy their products. Across her eyelids was a light shade of baby blue looming over the black liner that brought out the shape of her eyes. The mascara had blown her lashes up and the blush filled color into her normally pale face.
She looked like a young woman, even a bit past her age. As pretty as she looked, Russel couldn't find a way to tell her that this look was taking away from her innocence. She came in looking much younger than this, and now she seemed about sixteen. The young males of the mall gave their opinion as soon as they rested their eyes on her with hoots, howls, hollers, and whistling, compelling Russel to get more vicious than a pit bull. Noodle's painted cheeks flushed a shade darker as she glanced over her shoulder with a nervous smile. She wouldn't be known as just cute anymore…
Rubbing her arm, she glanced up at the dragon-like Russel, ready to pound the next guy who even dared to breathe Noodle's way, "Uhm, Rus-"
"No boyfriends." he snapped quickly, receiving a startled expression from her. "That is not what I was going to ask. Besides, I do not even know these people." she added uncomfortably. Russel's attitude softened, "What were you gonna say?"
"Clothes shopping? My old clothes…do not fit me." she admitted awkwardly. Two years was a big change for a girl.
&&&
Russel's foot tapped with impatience. Some old woman who shouldn't've even been buying teenage branded clothing was holding up the line, trying to return a bikini that hadn't fit right on her. First of all, an old woman (and she had gray hair that had been dyed green) shouldn't be caught buying a bikini. In anyone's opinion, that was just sick. Secondly, she should've tried it on before she bought it. Thirdly, she had a line filled with ticked off teens, waiting to buy their things and go. Noodle sighed, arms growing weary from holding her selection.
Between her and Russel, they had about four large bags worth of clothes. It was expected to hold her off for a while. In there were also a couple of new bits of clothing, the type that she was a bit embarrassed to buy with Russel, not exactly knowing her size, but even more embarrassed that there were guys behind her in line and in front, so she quickly shoved the pieces in between and under normal clothes as her arms shifted. After what felt like forever, the line finally began to move, and the older teens cheered, having many more places to go than just one store.
Russel dropped the clothing on the check out desk and Noodle added hers, heart suddenly racing as she realized each piece of clothing had to be scanned in order to gather up the amount's full price. Flushing darkly, her eyes were glued to her pile, knowing most shoppers were nosey and usually watched what other people bought. Finding it hard to swallow, she rubbed her cheeks, looking up at Russel who was reaching for his wallet. "A-Are you hungry, Russel? Can we get something to eat?" she asked in a rushed whisper.
This question didn't have to be asked twice, "Yeah…you wanna hold us a table an' I'll get lunch?" he asked, counting out an estimate of what would be charged. The clerk was almost done with Russel's pile of her clothes. Noodle nodded nervously, eyes constantly peeking at the worker. "I want pizza, okay?" she informed, and Russel gave a vague nod, waiting for everything to get charged up. She fled from the store, happy she was able to escape from her embarrassment. There were things about being a girl that she found irritating. A good example would be shopping for underclothes. Of course she knew she needed them, especially for the 'upstairs', but buying them, as she had just deserted doing, was uncomfortable, especially when the worker was male.
Buying pads was in the same boat as that, and just having a period was the worst possible torture a girl could get. The week was hell between pains, changing the mess, and constantly keeping a lookout for any coloration on clothing, not to mention the attitude change, practically throwing a sign in other people's faces that it was that time again. Noodle always wondered the machinery of the mind, what attracted what to what and whom to whom. She couldn't honestly figure why boys would try to impress girls when they were in their 'worst moods' or bother them when it was obvious. She saw it all the time, the signs and the jerks.
Waking from her thoughtful daydreaming, Noodle stepped on the downwards escalator, holding onto the moving railing, entering into the food court. She looked around as she descended one floor down, eyes scanning for an empty table for at least two. She spotted one, but it was taken by a young couple, probably their first date, talking quietly amongst each other, sharing an ice cream dessert. This simple scene had Noodle smiling as she went back to her original mission of looking for a table. She got off at the bottom and waited for someone to leave their table. A woman was finishing off her hamburger, gathering what was left of her fries.
Noodle neared her cautiously, "Excuse me, are you…going to be finished with the table?" she asked quietly, receiving a nod as the lady cleared off the top and dumped her garbage. Noodle sat in the empty seat, placing her feet on the other meant for Russel. Her eyes wandered over to the couple once again, a warm feeling in her belly for the cuddly scene. Part of the mystery she wished to figure out of the mind was emotion, especially love. It couldn't be explained, and it had different levels. Love could describe an action, or a feeling, and according to her knowledge of growing up with two British fellows, it was considered a nickname.
On her journey, she had wondered about it a lot, but now she knew family love. Not that she didn't love her family before, but now she understood the joy…the happiness that came with seeing a loved one again. It was a small piece of heaven knowing someone you loved was safe and well. The teen blinked as a large figure on the escalator shifted uncomfortably with five large bags of clothes. The Japanese guitarist stood, waving her arm to gain his attention. Head turning once, he spotted her and made his way over, dropping the bags by her side, "Pizza you said, right?"
"Right." she affirmed with a smile. The hefty man went on line, leaving her alone once again. He returned with her pizza and a lime soda, disappearing again to get his own selection of food. He came back with three orders of fried chicken, two orders of fries, a king sized soda, and a chocolate pie. Noodle bit into her cheesy lunch thoughtfully, glancing at Russel who was already getting a start on his fries. "Russel?"
"Yeah, baby girl?"
"What really happened?"
The dark man's colorless eyes focused on her curiously, "What chu mean?"
"I mean…what really happened that day? Why did everyone leave? I couldn't understand why everyone was splitting off…but I understand now why you wouldn't tell me before. I was…perhaps…too young…to maintain the whole of it, but I think I am capable of accepting the truth now." she explained delicately, receiving a large smile from Russel, "You've grown up so much, girl…I'm sorry I missed it…" he apologized sadly, giving her a lonely look.
The girl shook her head, "You've missed nothing, Russel. I still have much growing to do. Hopefully, if we all join again, we can avoid what happened in the past." she finished, sipping her soda, waiting for Russel to explain. "Well, speakin' of past…" the drummer cut off, giving her a curious arching eyebrow, "You neva' explained yo's." Noodle's expression morphed into a surprised one, remembering that she hadn't told Russel her side of the two years. "If I tell you, will you please tell me what happened?" she pleaded, and Russel nodded.
It took a lot for the large man to keep his deep voice to barely above a whisper, wanting to jump to his feet in shock. It was definitely hard to believe that his little Noodle was a killing machine (of course he would never think of her that way). She explained her dreams, her rank, her secret training with twenty two other children of her same age, her demarcation, and her being mailed off for a few bucks instead of being terminated or thrown into the streets like the others, her meeting with Mike and how she survived the streets of Japan for two whole years before coming back to Essex. All of this sounded like a terrible nightmare that wouldn't end for Russel, shaking his head constantly, never knowing that all this mess was connected to the little girl who had come to them as an innocent, scared, and shaken little angel.
"Oh my God…that's insane…" Russel murmured, taking a deep breath from it all. Glancing up with her big emerald eyes, Noodle tapped the table with her finger gently, "Now…your story?"
Russel sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I don't wanna say its Muds' fault…but there's no other way I can put it. I mean, we all, an' when I say this, I mean us guys, we all kinda added to the commotion of the craze, you know, the arguments an' fights. All over stupid crap, girl. Stupid crap. It started with the music. For some reason, nothin' was workin' with Muds. He didn't like anything we were doin'. I can say we did need a little time off to cool some jets an' concentrate on the music, we weren't payin' attention to it enough. Mistakes, mistakes, mistakes, an' Muds couldn't even handle his own. Then he started missin' practices, so no one kept up with it…D tryin' to follow everythin' that nut advised, it was monkey see, monkey do with him."
Noodle rested her chin against her hands on the table. She had ignored all of this at age ten, now knowing it could've been extremely dangerous at this instant. "Then I couldn't take it anymore…an' then everythin' was a fight, from cookin' to what we did with our spare time. Keepin' Muds from killin' D was some tiring ass job for me, Noodle…you can only do so much." he explicated, hands out in innocence, "In the end…we all gave up. An' that was stupid of us…because somethin' could've happened to you…and we were too blind by our emotions to care. If somethin' would've happened to you, Noodle…" Russel shook his head darkly, "There would've definitely been no returning to Kong…no Gorillaz…hell, who even knows at this point."
Quiet as death, Noodle took another bite of her pizza, truly wondering what had become of her other two friends. "I am assuming you have not heard from them?" she offered, and as expected, Russel shook his head negatively. "How can we get in touch with them, Russel? Your story worries me…your experience was not exactly a safe one and much less enjoyable…I can only imagine the worst for…" she stopped, knowing this was wrong. She shouldn't hold an assumption for two grown men (who should be eligible for an insurance of all their own). She knew better than that, but those dreams she had when she was younger…she hadn't forgotten those.
Russel patted her hand, "Don't worry, Noodle." She looked up, a blank expression on her face. "I know it sounds stupid to say, but don't worry. D an' Muds have been through hell an' back for fun, better or worst, or by fate. The only time I'd start worryin' is when those two are back together in Kong, an' who knows when that'll be." he shrugged with a smile, getting Noodle to smile, too. They started back on their lunches, acting as if the discussion had never happened.
&&&
Kong was still pretty quiet with only Noodle and Russel there. The occasional chatter from Mike and caws from the crows outside rang an echoing tune within Kong, but it was nothing unusual. Weeks passed, Noodle wanting to share her secret stash of musical genius, but wanting everyone there to see it. She was like a kindergarten child who had drawn their first picture in school, wanting to show the entire family their creation.
Wanting to check in on Noodle, Russel slowly opened her door, lightly knocking on it first. The lights were off, but her laptop was on, blaring a light blue radiance across her violet colored hair as she adjusted her head within the basket she had created with her arms. Mumbling something, she shivered a bit with a sniff. Russel smiled, snagging her blanket and draped it over her shoulders, glancing at what she had been doing. She had been researching new guitars. Now that he thought about it, she had outgrown her old especially made one. "Hmm…" he smirked, shutting down the PC. That was always a thought.
Pecking her lightly on the head, he left the room, but not before ruffling the hair of a dozing Mike, receiving a cheery grin in return. He went down the hall and entered into his own room, lying back on his bed. It was a different feeling being back home. He felt wanted…needed…depended on. He felt useful, but Russel knew where his real use was, and he just needed two others to come along so he could complete his purpose. Little did he know the next day would bring something new.
&&&
Author's Note: Hope I didn't disappoint. Remember, I'm trying to make this as descriptive as possible without being boring. So far for me the story is flowing (on my behalf), so please let me know if I'm doing wrong, and I'll fix it soon enough so I don't ruin my own story. Thanks.