Hope you guys are enjoying it so far.
Benson was still looking around in shock when he heard footsteps from behind him. He turned, ready to face an attacker. He looked up with angry eyes and then stopped.
The person the footsteps belonged to was a human, taller than Benson. He was skinny, with ripped-up black jeans that covered his long legs. His shoes were black high top Converse, obviously worn. His shirt was a flannel button-up, and underneath he had a white The National tee. His face was lean and handsome, with black eyes looking out. What shook Benson up, however, was not his clothes, or his face, or his height. It was the fact his hair was blue on the top layer, black underneath, done up in a style very similar to the blue jay's.
Benson took a step back. "Mordecai?" he asked, cautiously.
The human put a hand up in greetings. "Hey dude." His voice sounded exactly like Mordecai's.
Benson started pacing. "This, this is crazy. How did you get like that?" He gestured to the man's body.
The man gave out a small laugh, exactly like Mordecai. "Oh, dude, I've always been like this. See, I'm not the Mordecai you know. I'm his human incarnation, in his mind. Everyone has one. They thought about sending just the blue jay incarnation but," he leaned in and whispered, "he can't speak, like, English. So y'know, I'm here."
Benson stopped pacing and looked at him. "We're in Mordecai's mind?" Somehow, the thought wasn't too surprising, as crazy things were always happening to him.
The human Mordecai nodded. "Yeah, man. I was sent here to show whoever ventured in here where they should go to help Mordecai." He pointed to the gumball machine man. "You're the one who wants to help, right?"
Benson nodded, still awestruck.
"Okay, cool. You have to go through all his memories to find him."
"I have to go through all his memories? How long is that going to take?" Benson knew this would be a long process, but a whole lifetime of memories to go through, just to find the blue jay?
The human Mordecai shook his head. "Naw, man, I made a shortcut. It only takes you through the most important memories you should know about. Then it dumps you off at the end, and you go find Mordecai and save him, or whatever."
"Oh. Well, thanks." Benson awkwardly shook the man's hand.
"No problem," the human replied. He then pointed in a direction past Benson's head. "The memories start there. Good luck, Benson." He gave the gumball machine man a quick hug before disappearing.
Benson looked to the direction and instead of there being nothing, there was a door, labeled "Mordecai's Short Memory Route". He walked up toward it, then with a deep breath, turned the knob.
He walked into the first memory. His eyes were momentarily blinded by the sunlight, until he became used to the light. He looked around and realized he was on the top of a building. He looked over the edge and saw a sign for the local high school. So this is where we begin, he thought, looking for Mordecai.
It didn't take long. He and Rigby were sitting on the roof with blankets and soda they had brought up, talking and laughing. Benson rolled his eyes. Of course, the dynamic duo was always slacking, even back in high school.
He dared to walk a little closer, trying to hear what they were saying.
"Duuuuuude!" Rigby shouted. "Ugh, I'm so SICK of this stupid school. I'm just gonna drop out. Like tomorrow!"
Mordecai shoved his friend. "Dude, come on, you gotta stick it out for your high school diploma."
The raccoon pshawed."Like when am I ever gonna need one of those?"
Mordecai sighed. "Whatever, dude."
A moment of silence passed and Rigby opened another can of soda, taking a swig. Benson couldn't help thinking, Why is this moment so important? They're just slacking around!
Suddenly, Mordecai gazed back at him. Benson's panic skyrocketed. He had nowhere to hide, and the jay was looking right at him! He tried to think up excuses when Mordecai turned back to Rigby, as if he didn't see anything. Benson realized with a start, Of course. These are memories, I'm not actually here.
"Umm, so dude, I have something kind of important to tell you," Mordecai mumbled, his voice soft and worried. Benson's interest perked increasingly and he got so close, he could have touched the pair of friends.
"What is it, man?" The raccoon looked attentive, but not like he knew what was going on at all.
"Well, you know that party at Donny's that we went to last week?"
"The one that was off the hook? Yeah, man, best party ev-ah!" Rigby fist pumped, then took another gulp.
Mordecai remained uneasy. "Yeah, dude. Well, you remember Donny's cousin, Reggie?"
Rigby nodded. "Yeah, he was only there for, like, two days and then he went back home to wherever. He was a party animal! Swigging drinks down like nobody's business!"
Mordecai nodded. "Uh, yeah. Well, around one, I went down to the basement to see who was there, and he was just, lying on the ground, looking out the window at the stars."
"Was he high?" Rigby asked, putting his drink down.
Mordecai sighed, annoyed. "Dude, I don't know. He was just being weird. So I went to talk to him, right? And we were just chatting it up, laughing about some old movie, when he just started…" he hesitated, then continued. "He just started kissing me."
Rigby made a face. "Ugh, sick! Dude was probably too drunk to know what he was doing."
Mordecai put his head down, so Rigby couldn't see his expression.
"But, uh, dude…I kinda…let it happen."
Rigby stared at him, confused. "Like you let him continue kissing you?"
Mordecai nodded, still not looking at his friend. "Yeah. And I actually kinda…liked it."
Rigby looked on as the blue jay's face turned a bright red. Benson looked on in amazement. Mordecai had actually liked being kissed by a guy? This was news to him, thinking the blue jay was one hundred percent straight as a ruler.
Rigby was still confused. "But you said you thought Margaret was hot."
"I still do, man!" Mordecai argued defensively. "I still like girls, but, I just, I think I like guys…too."
Rigby continued to stare until Mordecai covered his head with his hands. "If you don't wanna be my friend anymore," he mumbled, "I'll understand."
Rigby snorted, making Mordecai look up. "Dude, that's a dumb reason to stop being friends with someone. I mean, you're still you, you just like swirl instead of vanilla."
Mordecai smiled a little. "Thanks, man."
Rigby took another gulp of soda. "Just don't talk about your guy crushes with me. I don't wanna hear about how you think Donny is hot."
Mordecai made a face. "Gross, man, Donny is disgusting!"
The two laughed and went back to talking. Benson sat behind them, looking amazed. He had always thought Rigby would be absolutely disgusted and want nothing to do with gay people, but he was totally cool with Mordecai coming out as bi. Maybe I misjudged him, he thought, smiling slightly.
He looked at Mordecai, and his heart raised a little higher with the smallest of hope. Maybe I do still have a chance.
The door where he had come from suddenly started to glow brightly, making Benson turn to it. He stood up and walked toward it, sure that he was on the path of the next memory.
Thank you for reading. The next one should be out relatively soon.