Disclaimer: I do not own Metalocalypse or the characters within. The extra characters are of my own creation. I do not condone underage sex, drug abuse, rape, breaking and entering, or theft.
I want to apologize to my readers for the last chapter. I was in such a rush just to be done with the chapter and get it out to you, I forgot to do any disclaimers or P.O.V. breaks.
This is the beginning of what I like to call, the Japan Arc. There will be many twists to come. Hope you enjoy!
Ch.11
Pickles meandered down the halls of the submarine. It was evening time now, and he had just finished eating dinner. Eating had been tense and awkward with the band, their families, and Kay's friends together. Kay's friends were completely silent as they ate, avoiding any conversation and eye contact. Kay and Michelle had been absent from the meal. Pickles noted that Michelle's absence was probably for medical reasons, but Kay had just disappeared. After he and Nathan left Abigail in the infirmary, he walked around the sub, trying to find Kay. It seemed as if no one had seen where she was headed.
As he walked down the halls, muffled sounds of music played through the walls of a room. Pickles stopped and opened the door, revealing yet another random common room.
'How many fucking common rooms do we have?' the drummer thought to himself. He was pulled from his thoughts as he saw the blond singer standing in the middle of the room, facing the couches, singing to the music that was played. Her eyes were closed as she sang, and he watched silently as her body swayed and moved to the music, doing a few dance moves and hand motions to emphasize the lyrics. She lightly smiled to herself during the moments she wasn't singing, and swayed her body and her head, letting her long blond hair waft around her body, cascading over her shoulders. It was times like these that made the Irish-American drummer rendered silent and in awe of this seemingly ethereal creature.
When the song Kay sang to ended, the small woman opened her eyes and instantly locked hers with Pickles' eyes. He saw as a blush crept along her cheeks and her lips thinned out in a line. Her chest heaved with her intake of oxygen, rising her breasts out and making them seem larger. The simple, v-neck, black t-shirt she wore clung tightly to her torso, not making the view of her chest any better. At least for Pickles. The drummer felt heat blooming throughout his body as he stared at the lithe blond woman.
Kay cleared her throat, bringing Pickles out of his reverie, and compelled him to speak with her eyes. She walked closer to him, but stopped at a couch and sat on the armrest. She lifted a hand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she waited for Pickles to talk, though he was transfixed on the woman's every movement.
"You okay?" he finally asked her, hearing his voice a little higher-pitched than normal. He cleared his throat before he continued. "You ran off earlier, and missed dinner." Pickles watched as Kay turned her head away and stared towards a wall. He had the feeling that she wasn't actually looking at the wall, but beyond it, thinking of something else. "Something wrong with Japan?" he asked. He had a feeling it might be their port destination that was the cause of her reactions. Kay's stiffened body was the answer he needed to his question. "What happened?"
Kay looked at him at the corner of her eye, and sighed. She closed her eyes and turned back to Pickles. He waited patiently, letting the woman compose her thoughts. He realized then that he would wait as long as she wanted. He would do anything. His breath hitched in his throat as that thought crossed his mind. Just then, Kay opened her eyes and looked back at him, her eyes glistened as they took control of his, and Pickles found it increasingly difficult to find the ability to breathe again.
"I told you before that I lived in Japan," Kay began. "My only family lives in Tokyo, still. And so does the gang." She looked away from Pickles then. "Kale and I didn't leave on the best of terms. None of us have been back there since Half Breed signed its contract." Kay stood from the couch and walked up next to Pickles, facing the door. "I guess you could say… I'm terrified of returning home." She walked through the door and down the hall after she spoke.
Pickles stood in the common room alone for a few seconds, thinking over her words. His head perked up as he thought of something else. Immediately, he turned from the room and jumped out into the hallway, looking at the retreating woman.
"Why do you always walk away?" he called out to her. He watched as she stopped instantly and stood, frozen, in her spot. "Why do you always walk away from me?" Pickles watched as Kay slowly turned around to face him. Her brows were drawn together in concern, and her eyes were filled with tears about to burst. Her hands balled into fists as she turned her body fully towards the drummer. The blond singer took one hesitant step towards Pickles, then another. Slowly, she trekked her way to stand in front of him, never taking her eyes off him. He could see she struggled to keep her balance, and struggled to keep the tears down. Once she stood a few feet away, the small blond cleared her throat and inhaled deep through her nose.
"Because I'm terrified," she answered with a shaky voice. "Terrified of so much." Pickles placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled, hoping to calm her down.
"You're not terrified of me, are ya?" he questioned. "I'm not that scary." Pickles smirked, and was glad to see Kay smile and give a soft giggle. A blush crossed her cheeks again and she looked away shyly.
"No, not you," she answered. Tentatively, the blond woman lifted her right hand up and placed it on Pickles chest, over his heart. "You are… my friend," she confessed.
Never before had either of them discussed the relation between them. Pickles was never sure what Kay was to him. He knew he wanted her, and he knew he would do anything to spend more time around her, but he didn't know what they were. So, to hear Kay's confession of their relation, and to hear it as if she'd held it in like a dark secret finally being released, it caused emotions to stir inside him.
'Friends,' he thought to himself. It wasn't what he would hope for, but he figured it was better than the nothing they were before. And surprisingly, he was glad about this. The smirk that forever took its place on his face changed. Slowly, it evened out and became gentler. He himself knew he rarely smiled a real smile. This was one of those rare times. The drummer found himself enjoying the feeling of a real smile. He knew that if this blond singer could make him smile so easily with so few words, he wanted her around more. As he watched Kay's face, he saw as her smile grew wider and brighter as he smiled.
"Let's grab a drink," the drummer suggested. At Kay's nod, the two walked down the hall side-by-side heading to find the liquor. A dark thought crossed his mind as they walked, thinking of the many drinks they would probably have. A dark thought of stripping the lithe woman's clothes right off her silky smooth skin, and throwing her on his bed, holding her down as she struggled, and taking advantage of her intoxicated, shitfaced state. Pickles looked over at the blond woman in question, seeing her gentle smile, and realized he would have to fight hard tonight to not destroy anything that could be taking place.
Trista sat in the recording studio with the boys of Dethklok, Knubbler, and Abigail, along with Amara, Michelle, and Maggie. She looked around to the people in the room. Everyone, minus Pickles, seemed to be in perfect moods. Pickles sat on the couch with his bandmates, holding his head in his hand, groaning every so often. Trista smirked to herself, knowing the boy was recovering from a heavy night of drinking. She had passed him in the hall before they came into the recording studio, and when asked, Pickles explained that he and Kay had a few drinks together. Kay, Trista knew, was still asleep in her room, not wanting to be disturbed by anyone.
Trista knew Kay very well, and knew that after a night of drinking like she had, the blond singer would have a terrible hangover, and was terrified of the day ahead.
Yes, that day the submarine would be docking at Tokyo Bay for repairs and restocking. Trista was concerned for her best friend's well-being and sanity.
There were still a few hours before they would reach the harbor. These hours were agony for Trista and her friends. If everything went according to their plan, they would have no issues. But Trista knew they were not so lucky. So, to pass the time, they sat together in the recording studio, trying to forget about the 'impending doom' they saw looming over their heads. Knubbler sat at the helm of the electronics. He pushed buttons and looked at the digital display. Softly, in the background, there was a mix of Dethklok and Half Breed songs playing. The boys talked amongst each other about song ideas, with Abigail interjecting with a few ideas of her own. Trista wanted to laugh at how easy Nathan bent to her whims. Pickles looked like he wanted to stab a fork in his eye. The Swede and the bassist of Dethklok looked comically dejected when their ideas were shot down. Most of those rejected ideas came from the chubby bassist though.
Trista's ears perked up as chords from a guitar began to play, twining with the smooth strokes of a violin. She recognized the song instantly as one of theirs, remembering how Michelle worked even harder to master her arts. After a few seconds, there was a lull in the music, and instantly, a rush of fast peddled drumming and fingering of guitar strings blared. Trista glanced over at her friends, who in turn glanced at her, then to the others in the room. Abigail and the boys grew silent as they heard what could be called Death Metal. Amara's deep voice growled out lyrics, and were softened by Kay's melodic, opera style singing.
"Dis am snots our songs," the Swede proclaimed. Across from him, the girls giggled.
"Wait," Pickles spoke up finally, rising from his hangover crouch. "You guys know how to play Death Metal?" His voice was incredulous and filled with a type of wonder.
"Can't believe that I know how to drum like you do?" Michelle piped up, smirking at the male drummer. Pickles flushed with embarrassment, which only caused Michelle to giggle. "Kay had to teach me."
"What?!" the redhead exclaimed, belying any hint of being ill.
"Kay taught us most of what we know of music," Trista intervened. Everyone turned to her, the boys and Abigail waiting with bated breath for more. "We learned early on that she was something of a music prodigy. She can hear a concept once and be able to play it like a pro. All the music we play is dictated by her. She knows what the song will sound like in her head before she picks up an instrument. The guitar and piano were the first instruments we knew about." Trista paused, looking over at the rest of the girls. They smiled at her in response. "Our 'Death Metal' music was really just a small project. A test; to see if we could, and to try new ideas. We had gone to Italy and watched an opera. That's where she got the idea for some of these songs."
"That girl is really talented," Abigail calmly spoke, her words barely carrying over to the others.
"We had lots of time on our hands," Trista responded. "And there's more to Kay than meets the eye."
Kay sat cross-legged on the ground in the hanger, staring out the giant glass windows. The submarine had already risen through the water, now gliding on top, and the silhouette of the island country slowly grew in size. She had been sitting in the hanger for a while, and guessed a few hours had passed. She knew that within the next couple more hours, they would arrive at their destination.
Behind her, Kay felt a presence. The person silently walked up beside her and sat on the ground, staring out the window at the approaching city.
"Land of the Rising Sun," Trista's voice wafted. Kay grunted in response, giving a short nod. "It's been a while since we've been home."
The blond singer glanced over to her friend, knowing that Trista was fishing. She stayed silent, though, waiting for Trista to reveal her intent. Beside her, the blonde's best friend smiled softly into the distance of the city, her eyes glimmering, possibly with unshed tears.
"You look ready to run," Trista finally spoke, a little closer to being forthcoming. She was correct though. Kay wore loose flare jeans, a few rips along the legs accentuating a grunge look. A fitted white tank top lay stretched underneath a black midriff tank top with a white painted skull on the front. Her feet were adorned with worn running shoes, dingy from dirt, use, and lack of care; yet comfortable. A plain, light, black jacket rested unzipped over her shoulders. Kay hadn't worried about makeup for her face, and her hair was pulled haphazardly into a low, sloppy bun. She had found a small knapsack, black, and had her necessities within.
Kay blinked at her friends words, then looked back at the city that was coming closer than she would have liked. She inhaled slowly, and exhaled, mulling over her thoughts.
"I am," she responded.
"You want a wig?"
The question came out of left-field to Kay. She sat there, eyes wide in muddled confusion, blinking every few seconds. As the gears in her head finally began to crank again, the singer cracked a small grin, that slowly turned into a smile, which in turn became an open mouthed smile, and laughter began ringing out from her throat. Her eyes closed and she rolled back onto the ground, holding her sides as the giggling and guffawing intensified. Trista joined her in much the same manner.
As the laughter between the two began to die out, the two girls rolled back up to their sitting positions, smiling with remnants of the hilarity they shared, staring at the encroaching metropolis. Kay took a deep breath, breathing it out and loosening up her nerves.
"I think I might need a wig," she responded to the unanswered question before. "I don't know. We'll see, I guess."
"What are you going to do?" Trista questioned, digging for answers.
"Get a couple things I left." Kay offered nothing else in response. She knew Trista was hiding things from her, so she would offer nothing more. She had the distinct feeling that their paths wouldn't cross as is.
The two continued sitting there, staring out of the submarine, feeling dread encompass their beings. For a while, they sat together in silence, not needing to speak. Eventually, as the city grew even closer, and they entered the harbor to a docking station, the other guests aboard the sub began filling in. The families of Dethklok were clumped together, talking about sightseeing and shopping. The members of Dethklok stood together silently. When Amara and Maggie entered the hanger, Trista stood and went over to them, talking low of their plans once the door opened.
Earlier in the day, Charles had a team of Klokateers gather everyone's passports and paperwork, preparing for easy entrance into the nation.
"Kay!" one of the women from Dethklok's families called out to the singer, grabbing her attention. She looked over at the group, who had all turned their attention to her. "You're from Japan, right?" Nathan's mother asked. At Kay's nod, she continued. "Give us a tour of the city!"
Kay already had an answer, but she sat still for a few moments, acting as if she were mulling over the opportunity.
"I can't," she replied, watching the crestfallen expressions form on the masses faces.
"But, we want you to show us around. Find the best places to shop," Molly pleaded. She gave a good attempt at a pitiful expression, making Kay want to laugh.
'I might be safe in a group,' she thought to herself. 'They wouldn't look for me in a group of old people.' She sat for a moment and thought about the pros and cons of the situation. Finally, Kay stood with her mind made up and walked up to the group. Oddly enough, Molly had already gotten her hands on a map of the city. Kay took the map and pointed to a location on it.
"Meet me here in about three hours from when we leave. I should be there waiting. If I'm not, don't wait for me." She handed the map back to Molly, seeing the woman raise an eyebrow in question, but not stating it. The older woman produced a pen and circled the location on the map.
Kay walked back to the spot she had been sitting, and waited silently for their final docking procedures to be done. She noted that her feet began twitching and moving, without her permission. Her airways began to feel as if they were tied, and the butterflies in her stomach turned ravenous. She also noted beside her that Pickles had slinked his way over, in a not-so-subtle way.
"Hey Kay," he began quietly. "You wanna, I don't know, hang out in town?" he asked hesitantly. "Together?" he added, rubbing his hand on the back of his head, shrugging his shoulders, and giving a hopeful smile.
Kay sighed.
"I'd like to," she answered, making Pickles smile. "But I have a few things I need to do right now. And I just told your mom I'd show them around town in a few hours." Kay watched as Pickles' smile dropped instantly, his arm dropping to his side.
"Oh," he said. "Well, that's uh… y'know, that's cool. I get it." The drummer turned and took a couple steps away, heading back to his bandmates. Kay sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Maybe after," she said calmly. "We can find something to do."
Pickles turned back around to face her, his eyes open wide and a smile beaming on his face. Kay smiled in return.
The remainder of their time was spent silently, with the exception of the families, as they talked about what they wanted to do and see. Charles entered the hanger with a team of Klokateers, and spoke to everyone gathered in the hanger, but Kay didn't listen to anything he said. She couldn't focus on the man's words even if she had wanted to. She had her mind set and a plan in place. The less attention she could draw, the better.
Her stomach lurched as the doors opened, giving them an opening to the land. As the others filed out in groups, Kay zipped her jacket up and shouldered her knapsack, slinking around the others and darting off quietly into an alleyway.
She weaved in and out of different alleys and streets until she found a train station. As she entered, she glanced around for anything suspicious. At the ticket station, she paid her fee and slinked onto the next available train headed west for Mitaka. As she found a seat on the train, Kay pulled the hood of her jacket over her head, effectively hiding her hair and face from prying eyes. It was no concern of hers whether others on the train thought her to be a creep. The plan was to ride the train until her stop in Mitaka. And she doubted she would move from her spot, possibly feinting sleep.
Kay sat in the corner of the train compartment, leaning her back in the corner and propping a foot onto the seat next to her, glad there was space on the train. The butterflies in her stomach began to fall asleep as a glance around the compartment revealed no one acting suspicious. Kay knew the trip was going to be long, and she wasn't planning on lowering her guard once.
Thirty minutes passed, feeling like an eternity. She hadn't moved from her spot on the train, even during passenger exchanges. Her eyes glanced over every newcomer, viewing them with uncertainty and wary. No one paid her any mind, and even kept their distance. But now, the train came to a halt in Mitaka Station. Kay stood from her seat and walked off the train, weaving between people as she made her way out of the station and onto the streets.
She dared not stay on the streets for long, in case of prying eyes, and blended into the crowds on the street until she found a good back alley to duck into. Her photographic memory started up, making her smile, and Kay found it easy to weave between the main streets and alleyways, remembering her old haunt.
Eventually, she found herself in the suburbs of Mitaka. Decent looking, two-story homes lined the streets with a few apartment buildings she didn't recognize. Most of the homes along her path appeared the same, untouched with time. She vaguely wondered if the same people lived in these homes.
Along her path, she wasn't quite sure whether she was lucky or not to pass by few people. She could only hope no one was watching her from afar and recognized her. Before too long, she came to her target street. She walked along the wall in front of the houses, hugging them to avoid being seen by anyone that may possibly be home. As she neared her destination, she slowed her gaunt, peering around to see if anyone were near. Once in front of the house she came to, she peered at the driveway, not seeing the car.
'Doesn't mean they're not home,' she rationalized to herself. Kay peered further into the front yard, looking at the living room window. The blinds were slightly open, enough to see inside, and revealed vacancy of life. The blond took this opportunity to sneak into the yard, walking along the perimeter to the back. A tall fence ran from the edge of the house to the back wall of the property. Silently, Kay climbed over the fence, dropping down to the backyard. She didn't fear running into anyone here, knowing it was as unused now as it had been years ago.
Concrete and gravel created the ground for the backyard, the perimeter of the area lined with soil. Bamboo sprouted from the soil, along with small shrubs, trying to bud with new leaves in the early spring weather. In the center of the area, a wrought iron table with four matching chairs created a centerpiece for the decoration. Yes, the backyard was nothing more than a house decoration. Never used, never treaded on. Kay shook her head as she glanced around, seeing the exact same scene as many years ago.
The young woman walked over to the back of the house, and reached her hand between the crack of the soil and the house foundation. Gently, her fingers glanced over cold metal. Silently as possible, Kay pulled the small metal object out of its hiding place, revealing it to the sun for the first time in ages. The small key glinted in the sun, showing no wear but dirt.
With resolve, Kay walked to the other end of the backyard, and began climbing up the fence and house silently. She balanced herself on a few grooves on the back wall, and the top of the fence as she steadied her hands on the gutter drain. She maneuvered herself in a way that had her leaning from the edge of the house, one foot in another groove in the wall, the other placed on a metal strip on the gutter drain, her hand grasping a hold on the corner of the house, as she reached her other hand out to quietly pry open a window on the second story.
Once the window was open, Kay swung her foot around, getting a hold of the windowsill. Slowly and deliberately, she wormed her way inside the room without a sound. She sat on the sill for a moment, gathering her wits about her and regaining her breath. With any luck, none of the neighbors saw her climbing the wall. Once her breathing became even, and she was sure if anyone were home, they hadn't heard her, she dared to move. Kay looked up around the room, instantly feeling her eyes burn with tears. After all these years, the room was still untouched. An inch layer of dirt coated every surface. Gently, she stood from the windowsill and walked around the room, looking at the soccer bedspread on the twin mattress. A generic wood dresser adorned the wall to the right, facing the bed. Along the surface of the dresser were picture frames, coated in dust. Kay picked up one of the frames, looking at the picture within. Three blond children laughing together as they played in the front yard of a different house.
Unable to control herself, Kay felt the moisture fogging her sight drip down over the threshold and down her heated cheeks. She sniffed as she set the picture back down on the dresser. As much as she wanted to take the photographic memories, she knew it would raise many questions and concerns.
Kay knelt down in front of one of the drawers, softly pulling it out. The clothes that filled the drawer were the same ones from her memories. She rifled through the pants and shirts until she found a box. She pulled it out, looking at it. It was a simple wooden box with a key lock. The blond woman stood and gently placed the box on top of the dresser, pulling out the key she grabbed from the backyard earlier, and sliding the small metal key into the keyhole. The butterflies that had rested earlier flew around full-force then. She was nervous. Not that she thought the item within was gone, but nervous to see it after all these years. She slowly turned the small key and heard the soft 'snick' of the lock releasing. After taking the key out, she gently opened the top of the box, and peered inside for the first time in what seemed an eternity to her.
Her heart pounded in her chest, and her chest tightened as the tears rushed down her cheeks in fervor. Kay wept silently as she closed the box and hugged it to her chest. After relocking the box, she opened her knapsack and placed the box and key inside. She padded towards the room door, wiping the tears from her eyes. Bracing the door, she turned the knob slowly and silently, pulling the door open as she peeked into the rest of the house. The lights were off. Kay placed her ear in the opening, listening for any movement or sound within the house. She could hear nothing.
Still, not wanting to risk anything, she quietly pulled the door open wider and tiptoed down the hallway to another room. She slipped in the room easily enough, but left the doors open for easy escape. Once again, Kay looked around the room, seeing pink floral print sheets on the bed, whitewash walls, and a similar standard dresser with a mirror. The second item she sought wasn't on the dresser this time, but in the closet. She walked over to the closet and quietly pushed the door aside, revealing the contents. A few old girls clothes inside, and old tiny shoes. Kay reached her arm inside and to the right, grasping her hand around the handle of a hard plastic case. She pulled the case out, looking upon the case of a guitar shaped instrument. The lithe blond took the strap on the case and hooked it over her body, letting the case rest upon her back. Quickly, Kay closed the closet door and left the feminine room, closing the door as she tiptoed back into the hallway, but not before a flash of memory passed over her mind. She remembered sitting on that floral print bed, holding the instrument strung to her back in her hands. The door to her room would open occasionally and her young blond brother would shuffle his short legs in and sit on the bed with her, silently crying.
Kay tiptoed down the hallway, entering into the first room, closing the door in place. She padded to the window and twisted around to begin climbing out. As she closed the window in place, she sighed, remembering six months of hell for her and Alex. Her feet and hands deftly found holds easily enough for her to swing down. The moment her feet found the ground, she hastily walked to the other side, jumping over the fence spanning the side of the backyard, and slinked around the edge of the yard, turning back onto the sidewalk and walked back into Mitaka city.
The trip to the Mitaka Station was easy and uneventful, as was the ride on the train back into downtown Tokyo. She had planned this trip well enough to know that once she got into Tokyo City, she would have around fifteen to thirty minutes until the time she told Molly to meet her.
As Kay left the train, she entered the bathroom and opened her knapsack. She was the only one in the restroom, and was thankful, as she took off her old sneakers and pulled out a pair of nice running shoes. She stripped off the black jacket and dumped them into the trash. As a rush of women began entering the restroom, Kay weaved her way between them to get out, and melded with the crowd. She knew she stood out amongst the traditional Asians, but once she left the train station and reached the street, she would be able to see a few gaijin in the streets.
Kay weaved between the masses as she headed to the rendezvous point. Finally, she came to the entrance of the Meiji Shrine. And as if they had ants crawling in their pants, Dethklok and their families were gathered around with five Klokateers surrounding them. If that scene didn't draw attention, Kay didn't know what could. Though, they were in Shibuya, and she planned on showing them a place where them standing out was not a concern. The blond singer walked up to them, pulling the instrument case and knapsack from off her shoulders, walking straight to one of the Klokateers.
"Can you bring these back to the sub for me?" she asked. The Klokateer silently nodded, taking her things and walking off. Kay turned to the others, slightly unnerved that their attention was completely fixated on her. "Hey guys," she spoke. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
Collectively, the group muttered out words to the effect of 'it's okay.'
"So, where's ams you goings to be takings us?" Skwisgaar's mother asked in her sultry Swedish accented voice. Kay looked around at the group, then to their surroundings. She figured there would be no harm in a shrine visit.
"Well, if you all want, we can visit the shrine," the blond suggested. She watched as the others turned around to face the torii. "Couldn't hurt asking for luck," she elaborated with a smile.