Author Notes: Longer chapter than normal. Enjoy. A lot of Deema and Oona.
CHAPTER NINE - TAKE ME AWAY
THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AGO
A guppy, about five years of age, swam into the auditioning room. Her heart soared with excitement.
The two judges, a snail and a crab, looked at the papers on their desk.
'So, Miss Swimmer...'
'Call me Deema.'
'Yes, Deema. There's only one role-'
She puffed her chest out, placed a fist on her heart and held her other hand up high.
'The lead role.'
'Oh, sorry sweetie. It's already been taken.'
Her heart plummeted.
'By... by who?' Her voice came out shakey and sullen.
'By a girl named Molly Andersfin. There's only one role left.'
The two judges watch the Guppy began to cry like an actress in a melodrama. She fell to the floor, and held her head down.
'All of my life, I was destined for this role. DESTINED! But now... Destiny has played her cruel game and stripped me of my-'
'You're hired.'
Deema snapped out of it immediately.
'Wait what?'
'The last role we needed was someone to play a zany drama queen kind of character. We see that you'll do it just fine.'
Her heart, once again, soared in an explosion of excitement. She danced around the room as if high on sugar.
'Yes! YES! This the greatest day OF MY LIFE! Ohmigosh, when do we start shooting?'
'Not for a little while. In the meantime, why don't you get yourself acquainted with the other young actors?'
Just outside the room, a woman with long straight yellow hair, blue eyes and an orange spotted tail cried tears of joy.
'Amazing! Aspiring! Ambitious! Awesome! Adorable! Admirable! Alluring!' The woman, her name Diane, cried, belting out every word beginning with 'a' she knew.
Her husband Daryl, a man with short curly brown hair and a greenish tail, patted her shoulder.
'Calm down, Di. No need to overreact.'
'Our darling daughter Deema... an actress!'
'Hey everyone!'
Deema waved to no one in particular as she entered the room with the other five Guppies, and a food table.
She gasped. 'Snacks!'
She dashed over to the table, and began devouring all the cookies laid out.
'Heh. Look at that. A new one.' A girl said.
'Woah! Look at that hair. Could probably get better table manners though.' A boy added.
She turned to the voices to see two other Guppies her age standing by the table. The pink-haired girl sipped from a can of soda, and the blue-haired boy had his own cookie.
'Hi! I'm Deema!'
The girl scoffed. 'Deema? I've met people with weird names, but that one takes the cake. And that hair... wow!'
The boy elbowed her arm.
'Hey! What the -?'
'Molly! Don't act like that in front of strangers.'
Deema just laughed.
'I know, right? My mom tells me I was gonna be named 'Deena', but she misspelt a message sent to her friend, and she kept it. Isn't that funny?'
The girl rolled her eyes and giggled. 'Okay then. I'm Molly.'
'And I'm Gil.'
Deema waved with the dumbest smile on her face.
'Hi Molly! Hi Gil! Hey, where are the others?'
Gil pointed to the other end of the rather large room.
'Somewhere over there. One of them's really shy, though. I tried talking to him, but he didn't seem to want to talk.'
'Shy? The shy ones are always the cutest!'
Deema swam around for a little while, until finding them sitting in the couch area. She felt giddy at the sight of three new people.
A ginger boy wearing goggles read a book about dinosaurs, staring intently at it. Another boy, with purple hair, sat in the corner to himself.
'Hi! I'm Oona. I love your hair!'
The voice came from the girl sitting next to the ginger boy. Deema's heart nearly died from the sheer amount of sugary cuteness packed into the one Guppy - her small brown eyes, lavender hair in pigtails, her pink tail that went up to her arms...
'AWWW! You're a-DORE-rable!'
Oona giggled, making Deema's heart explode a second time.
'I get told that a lot.'
The strange girl stood with her face just a bit too close.
'Can I pet you?'
'... sure!'
Deema got great enjoyment out of stroking her soft purple hair, and the sweetie seemed to love it.
The ginger boy watched them in shock and confusion.
'Doesn't that strike you as... a little bit creepy?'
He jumped and hid his face behind his book as the girl's head turned towards him.
'Please don't pat me.'
'I won't if you don't want me to.'
The boy revealed his face.
'Ooh. Nice goggles! Can I wear them?'
'I don't see very well without them.'
'Oh. They look cute... oh my gosh, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Deema!'
The ginger boy smiled for a second.
'I'm Nonny. Is that your hair?'
'Yep! It's like a stack of golden cinnamon rolls!'
Oona motioned to the boy in the corner. 'And that's Goby. He's a bit shy...'
Deema stopped stroking her hair and waved at Goby.
'Hi Goby!'
He turned his head, silently waved, and continued his work.
'You really meant it.'
He stood up from his corner, and walked towards them, carrying something behind his back.
'... h-hello Deema.'
She felt something odd looking at this boy. Something about his innocent face and shy demeanour...
'Hey Goby.'
'S-so Oona, I... I made you this.'
From behind his back, he revealed a woollen purple star.
'It... it clips onto your head.'
Goby clipped it into her hair, while she smiled wider than she ever did.
'Oh thank you thank you THANK YOU!'
She jumped from the couch and embraced him. He turned stiff from the sudden contact.
'Uh, you're welcome.'
'I'll wear it forever! I hope they let me wear it while filming. I love it!'
While the two hugged, Deema sat next Nonny. She gave him a big smile, and he returned a quizzical look.
'So ya like reading?'
He nodded.
'I really like reading about dinosaurs and fossils.'
'Foss-sils?'
'Dinosaurs may have died millions of years ago, but their bones may be reserved by rock or amber. Archeologists dig them up, and rearrange them into the shape they think after studying the bones.'
She zoned out at the word 'millions'.
'No offence, but I have no idea what you just said.'
'I hear that a lot.'
'You're a smart one, aren't ya Nonners?'
'Nonners?'
'Yeah, Nonners. It's a nickname I just came up with.'
He smiled and chuckled.
'Thanks Deems...'
SICK DAY
Eight-year-old Deema felt absolutely awful. Her head was hazy and ached. Her eyes were tired. Her nose was red and stuffy. Her throat hurt.
She slowly sipped her orange juice, and threw away her hundredth tissue away. She lay in bed, watching Adventure Time.
The sight of her best friend opening the door and swimming in with some canned chicken soup made her smile.
'Hi Oona...'
'Hi Deema!'
Oona placed the chicken soup on the tray that rested on Deema's lap.
'Banks... chiben soup is gread...'
'Eat it up. It'll make you feel better.'
She could hardly taste the flavour, but what she could taste was the best she ever tasted, with its herbs added to enhance the stovk flavour.
'You know... you didn'd habe do helb me...'
'I wanted to.' She placed her hand of Deema's forehead. 'Bit of a fever... I always want to help you. That's not ever gonna change.'
The curly-haired girl struggled to giggle before coughing.
'You really are my besd briend in da... da...'
Seeing her breathing jerk, Oona knew what was going to happen, and picked up a pillow and shielded her face with it.
'Ah... ahhh...!'
She tried to hold her breath to stop it, but failed miserably.
'Ahhh...!'
The irritating sensation seemed to stop. She sighed in relief.
'I dink I'm good.'
Oona, not wanting to take any chances, kept the pillow up.
'AaaaaaaCHOOOOOO!'
The sound made the both of them jump, while no attempt had been made to cover her mouth.
'... my droad hurds now...'
Oona giggled. 'Don't you remember the song? When you sneeze you gotta cover your mouth, with a tissue or your germ cell so come on! Wa-!'
'Don't mock me...'
'Oh, sorry. You know I'd never be mean to you.'
She noticed the episode playing on the TV. She vaguely recognised the scene of Finn in a branch cage surrounded by angry forest animals, but not the episode.
'What episode is this?'
'Storydelling. Dat's da episode where Finn goes oud to find Jape a good story so he feels bedder. Huh. How fidding...'
'Do you want me to tell you a story?'
Deema gave her the eyes of a lost puppy begging for food.
'Yes please.'
'Okay! Can we watch some BMO episodes next? Like the episode she sang that friendship song?'
'Oh, I love BMO! ... dough I dink I like Marceline or LSP more...'
'Once upon time... there was a princess named Deema. Her best friend was a cat named Oona...'
Oona found herself unable to continue, as Deema had immediately fallen asleep. With her red face, runny nose, and mouth wide open and possibly drooling, it wasn't exactly most people's idea of cute. But to Oona... she had never seen anything cuter.
'I'll tell you the rest when you awake up, okay?'
HIGHSCHOOL
Nonny sat, as he always did, by himself, locked away from all the other insane highschoolers he learned to hate.
Even if he was happy he had teachers who could actually teach him now, the teenagers, crowded hallways, loud noises, and confusing schedules made him hate school.
After the show did so much to make him like it.
'Arrrgh!' He heard Deema scream in pain.
She sat with Goby on a bench a fair distance from where Nonny sat.
'What's wrong?' Goby asked with less concern, more annoyance.
'It'ssh thhhess shtupid bray-sshhes!'
Nonny read on his phone, indulging himself with the dinosaur facts.
'Come on Pigtails. Fight back.'
He knew that voice. That voice belonged to the school bully Spectria. He looked up from his phone to see Spectria and her two friends surrounding Oona, who they forced against the wall.
'I... I don't wanna.'
Nonny forced himself to look away, and pretend it wasn't happening. He remembered the pain in his chest well, and knew he could do nothing.
'Don't be a wuss. Or I'll be forced to tear up that wittle star that dickhead gave you.'
'Just take it! I don't give a shit about it anymore anyway.'
He couldn't believe those words. He could've sworn she was adoring it the day before. Which one was the lie?
He noticed that Goby heard the words. He turned away, but hurt was strong in his eyes.
Deema stood up from the bench, and quickly made her way to the bullies.
'Hey! Leave my bessh friend alone!'
Spectria scoffed.
'Lookie here gals. The cinnamon roll chick thinks she can defend her pathetic little friend.'
'Oona isss not pathetic!'
'Shut up Metalmouth.' Oona spat. 'You're dead to me.'
Deema was on the verge of tears.
'I don't care about her anymore. Do what you want.'
The trio, grins of death on their faces, turned around and headed for Deema.
'Uh oh...'
Nonny hid his face deep in his book. The punches flew. The sound of fists hitting made him cringe.
'Hey! ... ow! Shtop it! Ah! ... ... ow...'
He peeked at the fight. Spectria punched her in the eye. Tears fell down his face.
Oona stood and watched. She turned her head, and swam away. Not once did she look back on the person who saved her.
Goby had disappeared, and returned with the principal.
'That ungrateful bitch...' Molly applied an icepack to Deema's black eye. 'You help her out, and she doesn't even thank you. Piece of shit.'
Deema cringed as Molly rubbed the disinfectant into her many cuts. Her aunt still at work, Molly offered to help with the injuries and come to her house.
'Don't sshay that about Oona. Shhhe's still really schweet, I just know it.'
'You shitting me? You think sweet little Oona would just leave you to get beaten up? You really are a dumbass.'
Molly took a break from tending to her 'friend's injuries, and gulped down a can of beer.
'Face facts Metal Head. She doesn't like you anymore. High school has broken her. Stop trying to reconnect. That bitch ain't coming back.'
Before the conversation could continue, Gil burst through the front door, panting and turning red.
'Gilly? What the hell are you doing here?'
'It's... it's Oona.'
'Oona? AHHH!' Deema shrieked as Molly dropped far too much disinfectant into her open wound in shock.
'What the hell has she done now?'
Gil breathed heavily for a few more seconds as his breath returned to him.
'She got into a car crash.'
'WHAT?!' The girls screamed at the same time.
'Oh my god... is sshhe okay?! Tell me my little star is sshafe!'
'She's still alive, and from what I saw, not gonna die.'
*THUD*
Deema fell to the floor as she fainted from the slam of relief.
'But... she didn't get out in one piece.'
'What do you mean?'
'She lost her arm.'
Molly couldn't find any meaningful words to say.
'I guess that's what she gets. The little c-'
'Molly...! What do we tell Blondie when she finally comes to?'
'Let her find it out on her own.'
Goby waited just outside the hospital. His hands turned sweaty from the stress. His heart refused to slow down.
'Hey...' The disgruntled voice spoke to him.
'Oona! Oh thank god you're...'
His mouth fell agape. He couldn't speak at the sight. Her short-sleeved shirt covered the wound, but her right arm was long gone. So was her purple star.
'Don't rub it in, dickhead.'
'I'm so sorry... I can't imagine how awful it must feel...'
She shoved him into the wall easily despite only having one arm.
'Don't bother with the sympathies. You think you can do something to make it all better, but you can't. The nerd can't. Pinkie can't. The coward can't. The dumbass can not.'
'I know we can't get your arm back, but maybe we can make you feel better.'
She dropped him to the ground.
'Too late.'
GOODBYE MR GROUPER
Molly lay back in her couch and sighed. Her phone rested in her hand. Gil had sent her the news.
'Oh god...'
Twenty-year-old Mia stood behind her.
'Are you going?'
Molly stared at the wall, her mind seemingly blank but rushing with incoherent thoughts.
She rested her head in her arms, and cried.
'Not Mr Grouper... anyone but him...'
Mia patted her on the back before retreating to her room to drug the sadness away.
Gil couldn't remain strong. He felt the tears and made no attempt to stop them.
Nonny stood up at front, unable to take his eyes off the coffin.
'Mr Grouper may not have been my real teacher... but he felt like he was. He was always an amazing person behind the set. He was the best teacher I ever had.'
He didn't say anymore. He sat back down in his seat, and broke down.
Deema, sitting next to him, put her arm on his shoulder.
'Let it out Nonners... it's hard for all of us.'
He embraced her as his emotions poured out.
'Why aren't you crying?'
'I'm trying to remain strong. I wanna explode into tears right down, but one of us has to stay strong. Gotta tell ya, holding in your emotions is a living hell. As soon as I get home, I'm turning my house into a salty swimming pool.'
He had to appreciate her attempt at lightening the mood.
'Molly didn't come...'
'Yeah... I doubt she cares about Grouper anymore.'
He felt comfort in hugging her.
'I don't know what to do...'
'I'll stay with you until you feel better, alright?'
'Thank you...'
Goby sat at the back, trying to hold back his tears. He tried to pretend none of it was happening.
He noticed Oona, sitting a few seats away from him. She wasn't crying, but looked ready to. She stood up from her seat, and swam away.
'Oona?'
She stopped and clenched her fist.
'I don't know why I came.'
'You do. The same reason the rest of us are here.'
She left, not daring to look him in the eye. She scratched the back of her neck like a tiger digging its claws into prey.
Gil swam to the front, and gulped his emotions down.
'We all know he was just an actor, but he was such an awesome person. Me and my friends loved him not only as a teacher, but as a person...'
Deema followed a teary-eyed Nonny into his house. She patted him on the shoulder.
'I still can't believe it... he's gone...'
'Death is always hard to cope with. I know it too well. I lost Momma a while back...'
He settled on the couch. She ran her hand through his scruffy orange hair.
'Listen, if you makes you feel better... does me patting you feel nice?'
'... a little.'
He savoured the odd relief of her stroking.
'Thanks... I needed this.'
'I know it's a bad time, but I've been meaning to ask you...'
PRESENT DAY
Nonny burst through Molly's door, his face red and sweaty and breathing heavy.
Molly, Gil and Goby sat on the couch, previously watching the times of old, now looking over at the exhausted boy.
'Oh my god...'
Molly launched off her seat and dashed over to him. She lifted him off the floor.
'What the hell is going on?'
Her eyes widened at the sight of him crying.
'It's... it was Oona.'
She groaned and rolled her eyes.
'Alright. What'd she call you now?'
'Deema found her... she's... she's...'
She had a strong urge to drop him.
'Can you just tell me alre-?'
'She's committed suicide.'
The room was swallowed by silence. She found herself holding him tighter.
'... what? No. That can't be true.'
He cried into her chest, unable to say anything else.
Gil couldn't comprehend the words. His mind was blank. He stared up at the ceiling, as if forcing the thought out of his mind.
Goby was gone, running into Mia's old room. He collapsed on the bed, closed his eyes, and thought of the happy times.
Molly could feel an old yearning to comfort the crying ginger.
'Are... are you that Deema didn't just see it wrong? Surely Oona wouldn't-'
'I saw her. She was dead.'
