The girl stood up aided by 2D; she let his hand a moment later, quietly, and looked down. Noodle and 2D were finally able to see her completely. She was as tall as 2D (perhaps a little lower), with long, skinny legs, such as 2D's. Her torso, despite not being thin or small, had a mild form at the waist. She was wearing a pair of blue jeans, probably new, and a cotton, navy blue t-shirt with long sleeves, and dirty white trainers.
The two Gorillaz remained silent looking at her, while she kept looking down.
Noodle approached to her and stared her face with her small and thin eyes; the stranger felt a little bit unconfortabble, and grabbed her left forearm with her right hand, smiling shyly to her. But just when Noodle was going to say something to her, 2D's cell phone rang: "M1A1, thousand miles an hour ... Gorillaz got the bass drum, Gorillaz say I want some, some! La la la la la la la la la hey! La la la la la la la la la hey! ".
2D jumped scared and took it out of his back pocket awkwardly, slipping it accidentally from his hands and bouncing it in the air repeatedly, untill he finally catched it.
"'Ello?" he asked denoting the scare in his voice, while the girls watched him from behind.
"Where the hell are you, face-ache?" asked a deep voice grumbling on the other side of the phone.
"I-I am here in the park,with Noodle..."
"Park? What park?" the voice asked. A lot of cars could be heard on the other side of the auricular.
"I-In the outskirts of the city, near the autopist" 2D replied haltingly.
"WHAT?!" Shouted the voice, causing 2D to put away the auricular off his ear before it causes him a migrane. The people that were walking near the group watched at him confused; Murdoc's voice was loud enough to be heard clearly in the park. "How on earth did YOU arrive THERE!!!!!! It's in the other side of the city, you IDIOT!!"
2D approached the headset again. "Y-you'told us to get lost, a-and we didn't want to bother you or Russ, so..."
"I didn't meant YOU to get LOST in the OTHER SIDE OF THE CITY, you'dullard, why the'hell you hav'to be to fuckin'retarded! Shit'stupid, now I'll have to spend half of the Geep's tank on getting your motherfuckin'ass back!!"
"S-sorry! W-we j-just took a-a t-taxi'ere, t-to Rowington Park, and-and we had n-no money to return to the G-GEEP, I-I'm s-sorry"
"MY ASS YOU'RE SORRY!!!!" Murdoc shouted, and then shutted. A hard, enraged breath could be heard on the other side of the cell phone, like low growls or unintelligible words.
2D was shaking in panic. The stranger was looking at him worried and a little bit confused too, while Noodle was looking at 2D with her ussual deadpan face, as she was used to see 2D being bullied by Murdoc Nicalls.
The blue haired boy took a breath. "Murdoc i-it'ook us a-at least 45 minutes to get'ere" he said frightened, knowing that anything he sayed was synonymous of "injures". There was a deep silence (excluding the low growls and the car's noise).
"...Listen, retarted ... " murdoc's voice was grim, dark and bloody "we're goin'to take you out of that bloody park, but when I catch you..."
The girls could not hear anything else about what the man was saying... but 2D gasped, trembling even harder from head to toe. "...until then, fresh meat. See you in 10 minutes"... and Murdoc hang up.
2D, who continued trembling sompletly scared, closed his cell and put it in his pocket. Noodle approached him, blankly.
"He comin'?" she asked, to what 2D nooded in agreement, trying not to tremble anymore, while the wind blowed again; the twilight was rising the place. They heard a sneeze from behind; both turned to the girl, who was rubbing her nose with downcast eyes. She walked to the two characters, and smiled shyly.
"Thanks ... for helping me, guys. Really... I owe you one" she articulated softly, nodding her head as a formal 'Thank You'. "Well ... I should better leave... it was a plessure to meet you" she murmured with brittled voice almost like a moan, sighing and turning back to start walking into the park.
But it was then when she felt something pulling the hem of her shirt, so she turned her head down. Noodle was looking at her with mild eyes, and she shook her head without letting her go.
"iie" she said decisively, making the stranger to look even more confused. Suddlenly, she felt something warm covering her shoulders; it was the same jacket that the guy was using.
"You're comin' wif us" 2D said with a warm smile from behind her, putting his wide hand in her shoulders, and after a moment, he put them off.
The girl turned to them, and shook her head frantically, worrying even more when she saw that the boy was only wearing his blue dirty shirt in that cold environment.
"N-no! I can't go with you, I cannot take advantage of your hospitality so deliberately, is not right!" she exclaimed. "You don't know who I am, and even I don't know that, how are you so sure that I'm not mentally sick, and that I'll kill you at night?!" she stoped them nervously; she was frightened because she didn't know anything about herself, and that was, for her, a synonym of "mad"... and she didn't want to hurt them accidentally.
Noodle stared at her, but 2D just denied with his head.
"A mentally sick person would never say somefink like dat, 'luv" he told her with comprehenssive voice. "I'know many finks about that subject, believ'mey".
The stranger couldn't say anything against that. Noodle pulled her hem again to gain her attention.
"Hai?" Noodle said.
She gulped forcefully, and looked at both in disbelief. 2D smiled innocently, standing next to the girls and putting his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "We jus'ave to wait for Russ and Muds to come for us, okay?" he said, unexpectedly without shaking.
Noodle took the cold hand of the girl and gave her another of her big smiles, beginning to walk like not allowing her to escape from them, followed by 2D. The stranger pressed her little hand with a strong sense of fear and warmth inside, unable to believe what was happening.
"... thanks" was all what she said with a choked whisper, leaving the center of the park.
They stood in the sidewalk of the park as Murdoc said. Noodle was still holding the girl's hand tightly, looking with her deadpan's face to the corner where the street bended. 2D had mis arms crossed, looking distractedly to the shops in front of the park that began to close.
"Hey" the stranger let out, calling their attention. "I don't know your names, or your ages" she said softly, making they exchange glances.
"Well, I'm 2D, and I'm 20 years old" the blue-haired boy said.
"2D? I mean, 2D like the animation?" She asked with wide eyes, surprised. "Is that a name? I didn't know that"
"Hum, no, it's not" he said. "My real name is Stuart Pot, and people used to call me Stu-Pot before I got two dents on my eyes"
"What do you mean? You injured your eyes?" She asked amazed.
"Yes, it was an accident I had some time ago... nofink to worry'about"
"But... why didn't you continue with that name? I mean, with 'Stu-Pot'"
"Because it was rubbish, it sounds goofy, and '2D' sounds a million times better! Don't you think?" he cheered.
"Hm..." she sighed, pensive, allowing Noodle to continue taking her hand. "... do you really think that?" 2D arched his eyebrows, confused. "I honestly think it sound adorable... I-I mean, 2D is great, but Stu-Pot doesn't sound bad at all. I don't see the bad thing on it... I mean, is just a short version of your nickname, isn't it?".
Stuart looked at her with surprise and confusion, and sighed, looking down for a little moment. "Many people used to call me with that nickname in a mocking way when I was younger".
"... I see" she added to finish that point, feeling bad for saying something that, surely, brought him bad memories. "Sorry, it was not my intention bothering you..."
"'Ey, no matter, you didn't say anyfink bad" he said with a soft smile, that she answered with another one. Then, she looked to Noodle, who was still holding her hand without taking her eyes off the street.
"And you, my savior?" the teen said to the girl. Noodle just looked at her with empty eyes, not understanding a word of what she said. "What, princess? You can't talk anymore?" she asked again.
"… nani?" replied the japanese girl with a confused expression on her face.
"She can't talk english fluently yet, so she can't understand you at all... she barely knows some words" 2D explained to the girl, while Noodle looked to the street again. "Her name is Noodle, and she is 11 years old, and... 'Ey, wait" 2D stoped, calling the girl's attention. "... you said she was a girl?"
"Hum? Am I wrong?... wait, she is a boy? Oh, I'm so..."
"N-no, you're not... how did you know that?" he asked astonished.
"Know what? That she was a girl?"
"Yeah... everybody finks she is a boy, it's said everywhere" he explained a little bit angry because of that rumour; no matter how many times Gorillaz said she was a girl, everybody who saw her in the videoclips, or even the interviewers, used to think that she was a little ninja boy. Only their fans could distinguish her properly, as good people they were.
"Are you in serious?" she exclaimed as surprised as him. "Why do they say that? Is obvious that she is a girl. You must be blind not to notice that... look at me, my eye is sick and I can't see at all with it, but I still can notice her gender"
Noodle looked at her with the same face, unfortunately missunderstanding every word that she said; 2D just could not say anymore, because of his disbelief.
Suddenly, the trio heard an extremely noisy and loud horn coming right from the other side of the street; then shouts, curses, extreme moans of surprise and wheels skidding on the asphalt, and then more curses and swearwords; music could be heard at the same time, first like a whisper, then like a noise, becoming even more clearer; the same song that rang on 2D's phone, but instrumental.
And finally, they could see how a militar geep got into the street. The moments passed really fast; when the stranger thought that the geep was going to crash into them, making her move some steps backwards, it stoped with an extremely loud skid in the right moment. The driver, who was wearing a leather jacket and whose head was hiding below the hood of a dirty grey jumper, took the keys off the car at the same time the music stoped. His companion, who was many times bigger than him, also had his head covered by the hood of his black jumper; he slowly opened the car's door that was on his side, and steped heavily on the asphalt, making the ground tremble a little. His completely white eyes were visible under the hood, making the stranger to look at him. The other man jumped from the car without opening his door, and rolled up his left sleeve, getting closer to the trio, but speccially to 2D, who started to shake.
'Soooooo, hey everyone and here we are againnn, that was M1 A1 from the new british band G-G-Gorillaz!! And here we are with Darrell Clark, the Wise Ass of the New Millenium music, HOWWWDY Darrel!'
'Thanks, Dave. Letting out their first album six months ago, the band has reached the first position on every rating on UK and it's fastly climbing the rating in the USA, something never seen before, and people seems to follow the band at every moment, as hipnotized. Their fans number is incrementing more and more everytime, and not talking about girls only; I think Gorillaz should start contracting bodyguards, before one of them got raped by this crazyed fans.
'What a good way to die, isn't it?? Wellll, nowwww we continue with our Gorillaz Revieww, and there it goes: STARSHINE!'
The song started with the same volume as the last song; while the broadcaster was talking before it started, 2D was being punched by the black-haired man, moaning and trying to protect himself of the hits. Noodle was not surprised, but felt a little bit of sad of his bandmate, still holding the scared teen's hand.
"You bloody idiot!!" growled the man in fury, taking 2D by his shirt's lapels, bringing him close to his hiden face. 2D was shaking and closed his eyes tightly because of his shouts, frightened and painfully.
"I-I'm s-sorry!! I-it was not my..."
"NOW WE'RE ALMOST OFF OF GASOLINE, YE'DULLARD!" he punched him again.
The black man was next to the girls, sighing. He generally did not get part in that kind of scenes, but he saw that the strange girl and Noodle were looking at that, so he walked to them and pushed the bully back, placing in front of the painfull blue-haired man who sat down in the ground, in order to stop the fighting.
"Enough man, hold it" the black man said with his airy and deep voice. Murdoc looked at him angrily.
"Ye'are none to tell me what to do, Lards! Take off ya dumbass" he shouted at him. Russel stared at him and let out a deep growl, making Murdoc to stare at him with the same eyes, but without getting closer to them.
2D was rubbing his punched head tightly, still on the ground, when he felt how the two girls approached him. Noodle, without letting of her hand, took 2D by the back of his shirt and impulsed him up, helping him to stand up. The stranger looked at him worried, but said nothing.
"Fanks, luv'" 2D said to her, smiling a little bit to her, and then looked to the other two males."I'm sorry for the troubles, guys, really".
"No problem, D" Russel said to him before Murdoc said anything. Murdoc took off his hood and grrumbled in a low voice.
"…Ye'lucky, dullard" he growled, putting his hands into the pockets of his dirty jeans, finally leaving all hope of continue punching him. Murdoc messed his own hair a bit, and looked contemptuous at the girl; she could not avoid a little expression of surprise when she saw that his iris were dispaired, one black and the other red. "And who's this one?" he asked to 2D and Noodle lifting his chin a little bit to point at her. Russel looked back at the girls, and took off his hood too.
"We don't know, Muds" 2D answered shrugging his shoulders, surprising the girl; he was punched a moment ago, and now he acted as nothing had happened… was that possible?
"So, what the hell is she doin'with ya?"
"We found her… she doesn'even know who is she"
"What?" the black man asked confused, looking at the girl who was still wearing 2D's jacket. She put her head down to avoid his white eyes.
"Yah, Russ… she is lost, and doesn't know anyfink'bout herself eifer"
"Well… there's something I remember" the girl said softly, calling the whole band attention, while the song said 'Jumping up, and low, low, low, low… show me down'."I'm seventeen… that's the only thing that I know from myself"
"You said you didn't know anyfink about ya" 2D replied confused.
"… I just… remembered that right now, Stuart… don't know how. I-I'm not lying, it's the truth" she said looking at him with her broken-doll eyes. Her look was honest and full of confusion, or that's what 2D could perceive.
"Can't believe this" Russel thought in loud voice, disconcerted and looking at Noodle, who was still holding her hand. "How can it be?"
"I don't know... maybe she has the same as Noods, don't ya fink?" 2D suggested, rubbing his head with one finger.
"Don't think so... I mean, what if..."
"So what?!" interrumpted Murdoc leaning his body on the geep's door with one foot steping it, with crossed arms. "Yeah, the girl has no memories, GREAT THING, NOW let's get out off'ere! this bloody place is getting frozen even more" he exclaimed abruptly, moving his body as to get into the car, and putting his hood on again.
Russel nooded with his head, and looked at the trio again. "We have to go, time is changing fast. We can bring she closer to her house, if she wants so" he offered with a soft smile, walking to the car as Murdoc.
"There's the problem, Russ..." 2D said, placing one of his hand on the stranger's shoulders. "She doesn't remember where she lives"
"God..." Russel looked at her again, while she was bitting her down lip, looking down. Then, he looked to Noodle, who was still holding her hand tightly, as decided not to leave her alone."Darlin', is that true?"
Noodle nooded, understanding Russel's glance.
"I see" Russel sighed, rubbing his bald head.
"You believ'us, don't you?" 2D asked.
"Of course I do, D..."
"No way in this life, hermano, You hear me?!?!" Murdoc interrumpted from the car, guessing what were they thinking about. "No way we're going to take'her home! We have problems'ennuf with Face-Ache to have ANOTHER ONE with us. What the hell do you think is our HQ, Hilton's hotel?!" he growled.
"B-But Muds, s-she has no home!" 2D replied with britteled voice.
"NOT MY PROBLEM!"
"She needs help, Muds" Russel said with calm voice.
"Ya don'decide NOTHING'ere!"
"B-but..."
"Hey" the girl whispered, poking 2D's shoulder twice, making him look back. She was not holding Noodle's hand anymore. "I told you it was a bad idea... I don't want to make troubles to anyone. As he said" she looked to Murdoc "I can be a pain in the ass, and you have been too gentle to bother you with my presence"
"Thanks!" Murdoc said to her phrase.
"Really... I don't want to..."
"She comin'!!" Noodle said abrutly. She was sat, with legs and arms crossed with an angry expression. The song stoped on the radio, and an add started. "MUD, she comin!!"
"SHUT UP" Murdoc let out. "And now, take your little down-back to the Geep, Noodle, We are outta here!" he ordered to the rest fo the band.
"No!" she replied staring at him. "No goin', no!"
"You want me to bring ya'ere, don'ya??" he theartened.
"Iie!" she shouted at him, as 2D sat down with her, with the same position, as joining Noodle in her decition.
"Don'shout at me, you little----"
"WATCH YOU MOUTH" Russel threatened him, taking Murdoc by his jumper, lifting him a bit from the Geep, facing him. "CLEAR?"
Murdoc was writhing, trying to get free of him.
"P-Put me down, you fucking----!!!!"
"Hey!!!!" the girl exclaimed scared. "Please, stop!" She beg Russel, and placed her hand in his big arm. "Don't hurt him".
Russel looked at her. She was teary and horrified of all that violence. He let out a sigh, and forcefully opened his hand. Murdoc fell in the car, stucked between the seats and bitting his head in the door.
"... Thanks" she said with a dead smile, looking at him mildly.
"Don't worry," Russel answered, looking at 2D and Noodle, who were still sat down. "I think we've no other choise" Russel whispered to her, amused by that scene. "If we don't bring you with us, the band will be in problems" he sighed.
"Why the bloody hell none hears me!!" Murdoc shrugged in the car, trying to sit further, still stucked and growling.
"Ya shat up, Muds"
"Russel" the girl said, now that she finally knew his name. "He doesn't want me to go, you can't make him accept me..."
"Don't listen to him. Ya are comin' with us" Russel proclaimed softly, what made Noodle and 2D stand up, joining him.
"Really?" 2D asked smiling, looking at the girl.
"Yeah D, we can't leave her here, someone would do anything to her" he said calmly.
"Arigato Russ-san!" Noodle said grateful, claping her hands happy.
Russel went to the Geep and took Murdoc by his clothes again, placing him corretly in the driver's seat.
"She is coming with us, you like it or not"
"Yeah, I don't want to"
"Mayority, three versus one. Democracy is great, don'cha think?" Russel mocked raising his brows. Murdoc looked at him with rage, but said nothing else.
"RIGHT, let the bitch to come'with us, NOW YOU GROUP OF IDIOTS, BRING YOUR SWEET ASS HERE! Let's move!" he shouted angry, while the song Man Research started in the radio. The girl approached him, and sighed shrugging her shoulders.
"I think I should say Thanks..."
Murdoc just looked at her with the same bad face, and rolled his eyes to look to the front again while
"... Thank you, Murdoc" she softly said following Russel to the back seats of the geep, sitting in between him and Noodle, who placed her head in the stranger's arm clossing her eyes. Russel looked at the scene pretty surprised, while 2D sat next to Murdoc. Murdoc muttered un-mentionable bad words quietly, and then, he started the geep, and speed down the street, leaving the eco of the song remaining in the city, missing between the buildings slowly.
At last I can upload! I had A LOT of thing to do, and I could not finish the second chapter... so, I hope I can upload soon, and I apologize of my terrible english grammar again. I hope you can understand it! Well, see you then!