This next chapter is rather sad, but it's a change of pace from the humorous side. Get ready for a tear-jerker.
Chapter 6: I Never Got To Say Goodbye
"When do you think the song'll end?"
"Probably after our ears start bleeding uncontrollably!"
The four were now on their way to drop Kay off at her house. And the two in the front were going through more and more torture. From what, you ask? Why, more Gorillaz music, of course!
Now, Ed and Cris both regretted turning the radio on, but since they didn't want to hear Kay whine constantly about missing her favorite band, they let the song play out.
"I hate Gorillaz," Ed muttered.
"And I hate myself for turning the radio on," Cris complained.
Then, to their relief, the four had arrived at Kay's house, and Ed instantly turned the radio off.
"C'mon, Kayla," Al said, "Let's get this little 'meeting-the-parents' thing over with." The two exited the car, leaving Cris and Ed behind.
"You think they'll take long?" Ed asked.
"Can we leave him here?" Cris asked him with a smirk.
"Maybe we should wait; Al would kill me if I didn't wait for him. I'm still not the patient type though. If he's not out in five minutes, I'm drivin' home without him."
"Well, what are we gonna do while we wait for him?"
Ed instantly smirked evilly and looked right into Cris's eyes. "I've got a few suggestions."
"You horny bastard."
Just as Cris was about to enter into a kiss with Ed, Al came running out of the house as fast as his legs would allow. Even stranger was the fact that his face held a look of pure horror.
"Hey, that was quick," his brother said, looking up. He pressed a button and the window went down. "What's wrong, Al? Scared of her parents or something?"
"No, but there are three dead bodies in Kay's living room, and they belong to her parents and little brother!"
"Oh, shit!" Cris immediately got out of the car, and Ed did the same. "C'mon!" The three then all ran into the house.
The next sight they saw completely terrified them. Kay was kneeling right next to three corpses, all laying next to each other, but completely gashed and bloody. She was crying into 2D's arms, and the other three Gorillaz just tried not to let the contents of theirstomachs come out of their throats.
"Who did this?" the young girl cried harder and harder. "Who?"
"We 'ave no idea," Murdoc replied, his voice solid as rock to avoid showing sadness for his friend. "We were all downstairs playin' video games, and the next thing we knew, there was a loud crash comin' from up 'ere, like glass shatterin' or summink. We all ran up t' see this, an' Russ called 911. They're on their way right now."
"When did this happen?" Al asked him.
" 'Bout five minutes before ya came. We knew Kayla didn't 'ave a cell wit' 'er, so we couldn't call 'er an' tell 'er what 'appened."
"Oh, and guys," Russel spoke up and looked at the three, "there's somethin' you might wanna see."
Grasping a torn flap of Kay's little brother's shirt, he lifted it up. Carved into the young boy's chest was a strange design, which was formed by six triangles, three bigger than the others, and a strange snakelike creature wrapped around it with small wings. Right in the space in the center of the triangles was the branding of three letters, "ELG".
"I've only seen one episode of FMA," the drummer continued, "but I remembered seein' this on one of the characters. Any of you know what it means?"
"I do," Ed replied. "It's the Homunculus marking. The Oroborus."
"But, what does 'ELG' stand for?"
"..." Finally, Ed understood, and became instantly infuriated. "It stands for Envy, Lust, and Gluttony. They must've gotten to them."
By now, Kay had turned around and was now staring at he bodies of her formal family, disgusted but somehow entranced by it all. She then noticed a piece of paper wedged under her mother's arm. Breaking away from 2D's embrace, she snatched it out from under the arm to discover that it was a letter. Everyone else soon noticed this and watched her as she slowly opened the envelope and pulled the letter out.
"What does it say?" Cris asked.
Kay read it out loud.
"Kayla Hamilton,
By the time you are done reading this letter, I'm sure you will get a better understanding of why me and my followers had to do this. You see, we've currently noticed you being around the Full Metal and Black Dragon Alchemists. It was foolish to pick them as your new companions, because I highly doubt that they can do anything. Unlike them, we are practically immortal and do not know the meaning of the word 'death'.
So we offer you a chance, to join us. And before you can say 'no', we strongly advise you take this into account: since we know you will try and look for us to get your revenge, there's one secret that you will soon discover on your little 'quest', that will completely change your perspective on reality as you once knew it. If you still don't understand, I'll make it easier for you: you and I are not so different.
This little act was a warning. Just think of the things I can do to you if you turn our offer down. By the time we're done, you'll wish you could die.
-Envy, Lust, and Gluttony"
" 'Wish ya could die'?" 2D repeated. "What the 'ell is that supposed t' mean?"
"I don't know." Kay immediately stopped crying. "But I'll make them pay for this."
The eight immediately jumped at the sounds of sirens coming down the street. It seems their help ahd taken their sweet time getting there.
"I'm so sorry, Kayla," Al said, putting his hand on Kay's shoulder.
The girl was now currently sitting on her family's newly-formed graves, wearing a black, long-sleeved dress that she had chosen to wear to the funeral. She didn't cry at all during it, nor during the wake. She had wasted all of her tears that horrible night.
"Don't be sorry," she told her friend. "There was nothing you could do. I'm just upset that I said all of those hateful things about them, and I never got to apologize."
"What hateful things?"
"Ask Noodle. She and the others are coming right now." Kay could hear multiple sets of footsteps approaching.
Not only were Noodle and the other Gorillaz there, but also Cris, Ed, Meg, and Elly.
"Kayla, you okay?" Meg asked, walking over and sitting right next to her friend on the grave.
"I'll get over it." She looked at her and tried to give the most reassuring smile she could.
"Everyone else left a while ago," Elly said. "Don't you think you should be getting home?"
"Yeah, you're right. I'm kind of surprised that they left me the house, and that everyone was cool to let me stay in it alone."
"They must've figured you can take care of yourself. Still, what about all the stuff you have to do when you own a home."
Kay sighed helplessly. "Eh, guess you're right. I'll just try to live it out there as long as I can. Still, I have an idea." She stood up, and Meg followed.
"What do you have in mind, Kayla-san?" Noodle asked.
"I'm gonna train and become an Alchemist. That might help a bit."
"Kayla, you don't even know Alchemy," Cris pointed out matter-of-factly.
"I don't care. I'll learn." She turned and looked at all her friends. "I'll do anything to find out about the things that those three Homunculi meant in my letter."
"I know a bit of Alchemy," Meg said. "I can help you."
"So do I," Elly said.
"What's Alchemy?" 2D asked, only to receive an instant answer of a punch in the arm from Murdoc.
"Maybe I can learn a bit from all of you." Kay smiled. "But, still, I feel like I need to do this on my own."
"Hey, Full Metal!"
Ed turned around to see two people walking down the graveyard path to the group and groaned in agitation. The two people were Rize Hawkeye and Roy Mustang.
"What do you want, Mustang?" Ed asked, not really wanting to hear the Colonel blab on and on.
"Well, my good friend, the military is kind of involved in this little case, and we'd like to talk to Kayla."
"Sure, I can talk." Kay stepped forward towards the two. "About what?"
"We can help you track down those Homunculi who killed your family."
"That would be highly appreciated, but how?"
"Well, some of our officers are investigating the case as we speak. They only know one thing about it, that all of the Homunculi are located right here in New York State for God knows what reason. Maybe you should become a State Alchemist; we offer information that nobody else can gain access to without membership. This could probably help you."
"I'd try and become one, if I acually knew Alchemy." Kay now felt strongly ashamed.
"Well, I'm sure Black Dragon could give you a hand with that one." He looked at Cris, then at Ed. "And, of course, there's also the runt and his brother."
"Oh, no." Cris, Kay,Meg, Elly, and Noodle all covered their ears and braced themselves for Ed's temper tantrum.
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A RUNT SO SMALL THAT HE CAN ONLY BE SEEN WITH A MAGNIFYING GLASS!"
"Um, dude," Kay started, "he didn't say all that."
"He did a while ago!"
"Calm down, Edward," Riza said. "Anyway, the Colonel and I have to be going, so if you'd excuse us?" Riza quickly grabbed Mustang's arm and pulled him away from the group.
"You should really consider our offer!" he called as he was still being yanked.
"Okaaay...why does everyone want me to join their club?" Kay asked herself aloud.
"I dunno," Cris said, "but maybe you should become a State Alchemist." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a silver pocket watch, showing it quickly to Kay. "The testing's pretty hard, but it's the only subject I master in."
"Well, I guess there's nothing left to do but study. I'm gonna become a State Alchemist and get my life back in shape."
"Um, canI try to get in with you, Kay?" Meg asked. "Please?"
"Me, too!" Elly said.
"Sure, but we got a lot of work to do. I don't even know how to perform frickin' Alchemy!"
"My friend," Ed laughed, "you got a looong way to go."