Demon Days

- - The Swagga - -

Credits and copyrights for this chapter (and probably the entire story) go to Gorillaz, K.I.T.I. Productions (Atréu Nibori and much of the content), Elizabeth Underwood (Nephtys Rousseau) and many other puppets of their trade. (Paper In a Box Inc.)

x x x x

"Ooohh! Lookit that keyboard! Ooo! Skittles! Aahhh!" 2-D's admiration of the contents of the store was put to n abrupt halt when Atreu grabbed him by the wrist and began dragging him in the correct direction She shook her head, "I swear to God...you cannot be 23."

"'Ay! Wot's that s'posed ta mean!" he whined helplessly.

"Don't worry about it!" Atreu said as she let go of his wrist, "Just keep to the group. Getting lost is what we're avoiding, got it?"

2-D nodded, saw something behind Atreu that caught his interest and ran past her towards it screaming.

"'Ay! Kyo! Long time no see!" he said to what looked like one of the employees.

Atreu grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, "2-D! Don't terrorize the workers!" she turned to the man with an apologetic look, "You'll have to excuse him. He's...special."

By now, the rest of the group hadcome to see what 2-D was yelling about. Murdoc, Noodle and Russel recognized the worker in question.

"Kyooooo!" Noodle laughed and hugged him.

"Heya Noodle," he said, "Hey guys."

Atreu looked at 2-D, "you know him?"

"Yup!" he grinned toothy and proudly.

"Oh..." Atreu let go of 2-D, "Gomen."

The so called "Kyo" and the Gorillaz began to chat. Kyo was curious about he newcomers, "Two new members?"

"Well, not exactly. Atreu, here, is still deciding. This green pain in the ass with a bat is just living with us because they won't let her leave!" Murdoc said.

Just then, Mrudoc recieved a hard knock to the head by Nephtys's bat. Kyo stifled a laugh and then addressed Atreu, "Dude! I love your clothes!"

Of course, he was refering to the black and magenta outfit she'd arrived in almost five months ago (give or take).

She hid under her hat more than she already was, "Eh...sure."

"You're Japanese like Noodle, eh?"

"Hai."

He grinned knowing that was the Japanese word for "yes", "In fact, you look a lot like Noodle. You her bro, or something?"

Just then, something possessed 2-D to do what he did next, "Hey! Atreu's a girl! SEE!" he grabbed Atreu's almost flat chest.

There was an extremely awkward moment before Atreu growled in a tone of rage, "2-D..."

2-D could sense that he was about to be hit ad he tried to run, but Atreu grabbed him and pulled him back. She slapped him and then walked out of the store. Nephtys and Murdoc were laughing insanely while Russel, Kyo and Noodle were staring in shock.

It wasn't too long after that they had to drag 2-D out kicking and screaming to get him to aplogize and go home. Atreu was waiting near the jeep, her hat rim hiding even the lower portion of her face. She barely made any sign that she'd noticed then coming until they were actually there. Jumping into the backseat of the jeep, she droned, "Lets go."

2-D quickly and cautously headed for his place in the passenger's side front seat avoiding looking at Atreu. The rest got him silently, Nephtys and Murdoc still giggling from the scene just taken place. Atreu remained in her self enduced emotionless state for quite some time.

---

"So, Atreu, how long ya gonna keep 'im scared of ya?" Nephtys asked coolly while sucking a giant lollipop she'd gotten a while ago from the Butterfly Conservatory in Canada. Surprisingly, a lot of her stuff survived the crash even if her car didn't.

Atreu shrugged, "I dunno. Maybe until he actually apologizes."

"Haha! He scared shitless of you now! That might be a while!"

"Yup. I know," Atreu laid back against the couch.

Just at that moment, 2-D walked in. He flinched at the very sight of Atreu and tried to run away. Nephtys jumped up, grabbed him by the back of the shirt and made him stand near the couch. She walked out of the room grinning. Atreu didn't even look up at the cowering singer.

Atreu soon found herself staring up at the blue haired man. He looked like he was freezing in his larger, gray hoody, but that was because he was scared. It made him look kind of cute though. She flicked her head towards the emply seat next to her and he flinched.

"Come sit, Stu," she used his real name and a soft tone to emphasize that she wasn't going to kill him. He seemed to calm down from that and sat where she indicated.

"M'sorry," he said before she spoke.

There was a silence, "How are you?" she asked finally.

He was taken aback by this but answered anyway, "Fine. You?"

"Okay," she pulled her legs up and folded them insider her own purple hoody then held them in place while she rested her head on her knees. He scooted closer slightly.

"You know I could never stay mad at you forever, right?" she smiled.

2-D grinned so she could see the bare gums where his two front teeth were missing, "Does that mean you'll join the band!"

"Don't push it, zombie child."

There was more silence, longer this time. 2-D had moved a bit closer during this time and was smiling contently. Atreu laid her head on his shoulder suddenly dirfting into sleep. He flinched a bit but then realized what happened.

"Atreu?" he shook her softly. She didn't react. He carefully moved from under her weight and laid her on his lap.

---

2-D walked int othe cafe groggily at noon. Atreu was there, but seemed to have either just gotten up or hadn't slept at all. He sat down across from her completely forgetting his own drowsiness.

"Are you up late of early?" he asked curiously.

She sniffled groggily, "Heh, didn't sleep much, so early," the upper half of her body was literally laying on top of the table, he breakfast just inches away from her head, arms stretched to the other side of the table and latching on tightly, "So...tired..."

Nephtys had just walked in with her bat, awake as ever, "Well, you can go back to sleep you know. Sleep on the couch or something." she pulled Atreu.

Streu clinged to the table, "No. I don't want to sleep..."

"But you're sleepy, right?" 2-D asked worriedly.

Atreu yawned, "Yes, I am, but I still dun trust Murdoc. That's why I slept a total of two hours. I can't believe none of you heard the firecrackers going off in my room..."

Nephtys plopped down beside her and dropped her bat, "Well, I...WHAT! Firecrackers? Atreu, you're hallucinating!" she shook her.

She gave her an annoyed expression before pulling a string of burned out firecrackers from under the tabled and showed them the burn marks on her arm and side of her stomach, "See these! Don't you tell me about hallucinations! I could give you hallucinations to scar you for life! This was real!"

"Brainache, get some ice for Atreu!" Nephtys ordered.

He did so quickly and Atreu thanked them both, "Heh, oh and just so you know why I'm not wearing my hat, Murdoc has it. He says he's gonna take one of my hairs from it and try to clone me."

Nephtys rolled her eyes, "He can't do that...yet. I've been to his little funhouse in the parkinglot."

Atreu laughed, "Ha! Loads 'o fun, lemme tell ya!" she took a deep swig of her chocolate milk straight from the cartain.

Just then, Murdoc jumped out from behind her in mid gulp and grabbed her around the neck causing milk to spray out her nose. She yelled in pain and held her nose. Murdoc laughed sinisterly.

She glared at him, "Dear Muds, would you like milk?" she dumped the cartain on his head.

2-D was now scared. He didn't want Murdoc to hurt her. Atreu sat back down and crossed her arms as Murdoc cursed and tried to wipe the milk off, "I just love what you did to my alarmclock this morning Muds..." she shot a death glare to top off her sarcasm, "Really!"

Murdoc chuckled, "You're welcome!"

"Muds, I think she's being serious. You must be an amazing decorator!" Nephtys said sarcastically as well.

Atreu launched the burned out firecrackers at him, "You should do it again sometime! I enjoy loud explosions at three in the fucking morning!" she was screaming and being extremely cynical by theend of her statement. There was a long silence in which Atreu had clamed down and began to slip slowly into a slight slumber.

Murdoc glared evilly, apparently unphased by her yelling, "Wake up, coward!" he yelled across the table.

Atreu yelped and jumped up startled. She realized what was going on and glared back, "Well, not like being ignorant is much better than being a coward!"

Murdoc stood and glared more fiercly at her over the table, "Wot's yer problem girl!"

"Well!" Atreu also stood and her bangs parted away from her left eye, a black outlied deep frozen, aquamarine pit that was colder than anything Murdoc had ever seen in his life, "It's about five foot nine and smells like it hasn't been bathed since birth!"

"Are you sayin' I'm a slob!"

"Want me to say it again? And in how many languages!"

"Ah, shuddup!" He turned around and stomped out of the room in a fury. Nephtys grinned, "Yes! Creepy has left the building!"

"No, not yet, Neph..." Atreu held her finger up and listened. There was the sound of a slamming door and then she said, "Now he has."

"Woooohooooo!"

---

Later tat day, Murdoc had returned, no longer pissed. 2-D and Noodle had convinced Atreu and Nephtys to join them in band practice that day. They were performing their newest hit, "The Swagga."

"What the hell is a Swagga?" Atreu asked confused.

2-D shrugged, "I dunno, but it sounds cool!" he smiled.

Atreu and Nephtys rolled their eyes. How'd they walk into that one so easily? The four Gorillaz set to their normal positions; 2-D taking the lead up front behind his keyboard, Noodle standing near him with her guitar, Murdoc sitting on the other side of her with his bass and Russel behind them all at the drums, while the other two pulled up chairs to watch and listen. Russel snapped his drumsticks together three times, on the fourth time 2-D yelled, "Woooo!" and began playing a somewhat techno tune on the keys sticking to an easy rythm. Noodle soon started a blarring guitar after some vocals from 2-D and then Murdoc's bass joined in. Russel's drums could barely be heard over the light buzzing of the rest of the instruments and 2-D sang again.

"I wanna be a..." it started.

The lyrics went on and included things such as "at 4 o'clock in the morning...". Though, the main thing seemed to be 2-D yelling "Woooo!" like it would force the Gods to notice them again. Atreu and Nephtys's interested looks turned to 'My God you're stupid!' blunt looks at 2-D. By the time the song ended, 2-D was completely hyped up as if he'd just downed a jar of cherry flavoured frosting.

Wouldn't be the first time he did something like that either. In fact, things like that were normal for their dear sweet 2-D. Just yesterday he decided he wanted to know what the inside of a plugged in wire tasted like which almost happened if it weren't for Nephtys chasing him away from the cord of her tv with her bat.

A few days before, he accidentally drank the going-on-six-years-old grape juice from the cabinet. Amazingly, he didn't get sick, just went into a 2 day long anger-rage-depression stage. Atreu had felt so bad for him, she stayed with him in the living room in a sort of "camping out" thing with a tent and everything to help him get better. He'd given her a huge hug when he'd gotten over it all.

2-D looked at them cheerfully, "Come on! Say it! Woooo!"

Nephtys shook her head once, "Nah, that's okay. You just go ahead and have fun." Atreu could catch the sarcasm in her tone where s 2-D could not.

He eventually sang the song over a few times with the band. His "Woooo!" got louder and more unneccessary each time around. The two girls began to twirl their fingers in the air, "You're having way too much fun with this 2-D," Atreu said. The Gorillaz continued their practice ad 2-D to get more riled up.

"It's too early for this," Nephtys groaned recieving a look from Russel and the music stopped.

"But it's six in the afternoon!" Russel said.

Atreu and Nephtys shot him a death glare and he moved back, "IT'S STILL TOO EARLY!"

The band stared at the furious girls before quickly returning to practice. Needless to say, 2-D wasn't so enthusiastic anymore.

---

The impossible was proven possible a few mornings after the recording of The Swagga (day after practice); 2-D purposefully got up earlier than everyone else! Nephtys and Atreu's 'something's amiss' glands went off immediately and they just caught 2-D walking out the door to the car waiting in the carpark. Nephtys pulled him back, slammed the door and they interrogated him with her bat, "What're ya up to, 2-D?"

He cowered in fear, "O...out."

"Wrong answer!" both Nephtys and Atreu yelled as he was clubbed with the metal bat. Nephtys seemed to have a bat for every day of the week and made of different materials decorated with unique logos and colours.

"I have a date!" he cried in pain.

Nephtys and Atreu exchanged mischevious grins, "2-D's got a girlfriend! 2-D's got a girlfriend!" they chanted.

"So! Wot's wrong wif that?" he whined childishly.

"Nuthin'. I just never thought anyone would date you!" Nephtys said.

"Well, she did...can I go now?" he hid under his bony arms.

"Get going! Make sure you're back by eight!"

"Yes ma'am!" he clumsily ran through the door, hitting his head on it first.

The two girls laughed, "Awww! Our dear sweet boy is growing up so fast!" Atreu said trying to surpress her laughter. This made Nephtys laugh more which made Atreu laugh even more, They ended up on the floor holding their aching guts from too much laughing and they laughed still.

---

It was well past eight and Murdoc was complaining about Brainache's absence. He'd been at it since he'd woken up at 7 pm. Everyone was getting annoyed with him. Atreu finally had haf enough, "Fine! I'll bring him back if you promise to shut the fuck up!"

Murdoc shut his mouth and nodded approvingly, the rest of them sighed in relief. Atreu stomped out the door seemingly to the front door in the ground floor lobby, but took a round trip to the carpark where she found the keys to the jeep under the welcome matt outside of Murdoc's Winnebago. She knew she would be in deep shit if they caught her driving, but rage said she'd deal with it when and how she needed to.

For sixteen and not ever taking a drivings lesson, she drove very well. Atreu took off her hat, for slight fear that it would blow away in the wind and desire to feel the air on her face for once. She doubted anyone would recognize her without it and her hair not covering her face.

Though it did take a conciderably long time to find 2-D, she kept herself from being angry with him by keeping in mind that it would've taken much longer if she'd come by foot. Atreu was about to drag him away from the very preppy blonde woman in front of him, presumibly his date, but she realized that the blonde was angry. Atreu held back to see what was up.

She was insulting 2-D! Apparently the night had gone all wrong and her was being cheap about where he took her and what he got her. It was obvious to see that she was in it for money and shit, not because she actually liked him. It made Atreu angry that she and Nephtys had even let him go in the first place. So, that was the reason he'd gotten a date, huh? Because they thought he was loaded. Nephtys would torment the blonde to hell and back if she knew about this.

Atreu stepped forward boldly despite the fact that she was scrawny and much younger, "So, that's what this is about, ne? His money? Not the fact that he actually took the time out of his life to waste a day trying to do the obviously impossible job of pleasing you! Get the fuck out of here bitch!" she got the woman square in the jaw.

She began sobbing and ran off. That would be the last they ever saw of her. 2-D looked at her in surprise, "Atreu? Why are you here? Where'd you come from?"

She rolled her eyes, "I flew here from the goddamned moon to drag your ass back to Kong Studios because you're late, but because of the piece of shit I helped you deal with just now, I can see that one isn't your fault. Don't e afraid of getting trouble from me," she grabbed him by the wrist and led him back to the jeep.

2-D gaped in shock, "You know how ta drive? An' they let you?"

"Yeah, I know how to drive! It's easy until I get pulled over and they find out I don't have a lisence yet. And no, they didn't let me. They don't even know I have it, so lets get back before they notice."

"I'll drive, it'll save ya a world o' trouble..." 2-D got into the driver's seat.

"Fine, but...I'm hungry. Wanna go eat first?" Atreu's tone became soft and friendly.

He smiled happily, "Chicken!"

Before Atreu knew what had happened, 2-D had fired up the engine and was speeding to this week's favourite restaraunt. For a brainless, childish overdoser, 2-D could drive very well. When they'd finally got to theit destination, 2-D stared at her cutely, "Yeh look nice wiffout yer hat."

"Oh, shuddup! Don't get used to the sight," she flattened her bangs down over her eyes, "Cos it'll never happen again," she got out and walked into the restaraunt.

After ordering and eating half of the food in the menu booklet, 2-D decided he wanted to know something, "Atreu...'ave yeh decided on joinin' er not?" he wasn't saying it like a joke, he was asking as if he actually were 23 years old.

Atreu stared at her hands, "Yes..."

"Really? What's ya decide?"

"I've decided...I owe you guys a lot. So, I'll try making reparations by joining," it seemed to just tumble out messily, but 2-D got it.

He 'Wooooed' happily.

Atreu shook her head, "Back to being twelve again, ne?"

He merely smiled and giggled.

---

2-D and Atreu had retired for the night to playing video games together in the living room. No sooner had they started playing diud Nephtys walk in to cause chaos.

"Hey 2-D, I've been meanin' teh ask ya sumthin'..."

He looked at her curiously, "Yeah?"

"You have no eyes, right?"

"Righ'."

"So then, if you have no eyes, how do you see?" she smirked.

"I dunno. I jus' do..." he said helplessly.

Atreu, silent as usual, took this into consideration. Seriously, how could he see without eyes? The painful pondering of this subject distracted her and made her lose her game. When it became too late (or early, depending on how you looked at it) to play anymore, Atreu headed for her room, still puzzled by the controversy of 2-D's eye sight. (or lack of?) 2-D would've gone to his room if he hadn't already fallen asleep on the sofa and Atreu thought he looked too peaveful to disturb.

The next day the dellema was still on her mind. She wanted to know exactly how he could see with the lack of eyes. A computer aid? They did have the money for it. Magic from Murdoc's spell book? A make-shift pair of vision goggles somehow implanted into his skull without deforming his head that's hooked up to the vision nerves in his brain?

"How damnit!" Atreu yelled randomly at the table she, Noodle, Nephtys and Russel decided to eat breakfast at in the cafe.

They all jumped and then stared. Nephtys choked up her food, "What the hell!"

"How does her see? Russel, do you know?" she was becoming desprate.

"Hones'ly, I'm not sure m'self. Sorry, Atreu," Russel said apologetically.

"Goddamnit! I've been having dreams of opening that mindless zombie child's skull up and finding some sort of seeing aid in there! I want to know damnit!" she slammed her face down on the table.

"Know wot?" the 'mindless zombie child' asked as he just came in sleepily.

Atreu stared at him long and hard. He took a step back sensing danger was swift on it's way. She jumped up, tackled 2-D to the floor and duct taped him to a chair. Enjoying the show so far, the others watched in amazement as 2-D was beaten down by someone less than half his size. She retrieved something from the untensils drawer. It was a spork.

She apporached him dangerously. 2-D had been yelling his head off in fear, "Wot are ya gonna do ta me! Wot's that! Ahhh! Me brain!"

"Whoa!" Russel and Nephtys jumped at them, Nephtys pulled 2-D away and Russel throwing the manic and struggling Atreu over his shoulder and carrying her to another room.

"I'm gonna find out his secret! I'll open his head! You'll see! You'll all seeeeee!" her screams of despration disappeared down the hall as Murdoc entered.

He stared at the bound 2-D, "Wot in the bloody hell did she try to do to him! And why wasn't I invited!"

"Tried to open his brain to see how he is able to have sight without eyes," Nephtys said ripping the tape off and causing 2-D great agony. Nephtys smirked.

"Oh, is that all? I just hooked a seeing chip into his nerves is all," and with that, Murdoc walked onto the kitchen for his daily jolt of alcohol.

---