Finding My Way

Part 2

Nostalgia

By Nick Maro

The night air smelled of the night's fresh rainfall. Oil slicked puddles rippled as David walked along the highway with his hands behind his back. He was reflecting in thought about his sister and friends. He looked up as a car sped by him and he avoided getting splashed by the spray from the puddle. He glanced up at the cloudy sky. Even though it was around three in the morning, he knew it would rain again before he reached the hotel. He didn't mind. Deep inside he enjoyed the rain.

David thought about the gift he'd just left on his sister's desk at Misfits Music. He knew she'd be thrilled to have their mother's engagement ring, but to also know that he and Kaori were back in America. A splash from a puddle brought him out of his thoughts. He looked up and saw a car slam on its brakes and begin to back up. It took him a second to recognize the car. Once he did, he ran up to the passenger side door. He didn't try to hide his smile as the window came down. "Is that how you welcome back all of your friends, Roxy?"

Roxy let out a giggle and opened the door. "Get inside will you? I swear you're gonna get picked up by the police for male prostitution walkin' around like that." She reached in her backseat and handed David a towel when he got in. After David dried his face, she leaned over and kissed him deeply. She then sat back and smiled. "That's how I welcome back my special friends. Well, you and Sheila at least."

"I'd love to see Phyllis' reaction to a greeting like that," David flashed his sideways smile. "I think she'd give you one of her what the hell looks. She's given me those before. Mostly when I first came back and I was still a bit unpredictable. I think I got that look from all of The Misfits now that I think about it. You guys had no idea what to think about me."

"We actually had a meeting about what to do about you. Me and Sheila didn't trust you at all. It took Phyllis to convince us to let you stay and prove that you weren't a spy from Eric or anything." Roxy made a left hand turn and glanced at David out of the corner of her eye. "So where are we going? Back to where you were heading?"

Shaking his head David opened the window a little. "Nah, I want to give Kaori some space while she's drawing. That was one of the reasons why I was out walking. The other was that I made a late night visit to Phyllis' office." He broke the few minutes of uncomfortable silence. "Kaori and I are back for good. We're just staying at the hotel until we decide where we want to live." He turned and gave a half smirk to Roxy. "This time I swear we're not getting involved in Misfits business."

Roxy made a face at David. "Yeah, I'll believe that when I see it."

Rolling his eyes and chuckling, David adjusted the seat back a little. "What are you doing out anyway? Shouldn't you be at home tucked safely in bed?"

"I couldn't sleep, to be honest. I found that driving around aimlessly helps me think and wear me out. For some reason I sleep better after a long drive." Roxy pulled her car into the parking lot of a convenience store. "C'mon, my treat." She climbed out of the car and led David inside. She noticed he was still a bit damp, but not too much.

David grabbed himself a bottle of chilled green tea from the freezer and an energy bar from the candy rack. He waited while Roxy grabbed what she wanted. She joined him a few minutes later with a pack of gum and a bottle of water. The cashier started to ring her up, he then stopped and voided out the purchases. He gave her a kind smile. "You're Roxy of The Misfits, right?" She just nodded. "You may not remember me, but you saved my life at the gas station robbery."

Thinking for a moment, Roxy flashed him a big smile. "That's right. It was just purely by accident really."

"Oh nonsense I quit that job soon after. This is a safer neighborhood, anyway." The cashier put their stuff in a bag and handed it to her. "It's on me. Anytime you come in and I'm working, I'm paying as a way to thank you." Roxy started to object. "I insist." He held the bag out until David took the bag. They said their farewells and David gave Roxy the bag after taking his energy bar and tea out.

David tried his best to hide his smile as Roxy started to blush softly. He got in the car and put on his seat belt. Roxy turned to him as he opened his mouth. "Just shut up, David, I didn't expect that. I thought that was one of those fifteen minutes of fame things." She gave a shrug and took a long drink of her water. "I didn't want to get anything that would keep me up, y'know." She started up the car and backed out of the lot.

"So, where to now? I just don't feel like going home yet."

"How about to someplace where we can sit and talk without being interrupted." David looked at Roxy in the pale light of the streetlights. "What about that beach that you showed Sheila?"

Roxy gave David a sly smirk and chuckled. "Sounds like someone wants to get me alone on a stranded beach." She lightly slapped his shoulder and chuckled harder. "Actually, we can't go there. The State put up a fence around where I would sneak down. What about Clashing VideoRats? I have the keys and I can check to see if anyone is there."

Sipping his green tea, David thought about Roxy's suggestion. He gave her a smirk. "I just realized something. I don't think I've been to that studio yet. Let's go." Roxy turned her car around and drove to the studio she had started calling her second home.

"Well, I guess we should address the proverbial five hundred pound gorilla that's sitting in the room here." David took his jacket and shirt off then pressed on a pressure point on his arm. A panel slid open revealing the intricate robotics inside. He turned his arm so that Roxy could see it better in the light. She let out a soft gasp of wonder. "I'd say I'm about ninety-nine percent efficient with this prosthetic arm and about ninety-five percent with my leg. I don't know if you noticed, but I still had a slight limp."

Roxy nodded and reached out to the arm but stopped. "Do you mind if I touch it?" She bit the inside of her cheek when he nodded. Running her fingers along the synthetic skin, Roxy was amazed at how it felt so real and natural. "I have to admit something here, David. I've always admired your ability to overcome obstacles in life. Most people would see losing and arm or a leg as a major defeat, but you've adapted and accepted your fate. I just wish I could be more like you."

David felt himself blush as he slid the panel shut. "You're forgetting that I ran away with Kaori to Japan. I had to first accept my new limbs. I saw them as alien objects. It was Kaori who actually helped me accept them as a part of my body. She's an amazing and wonderful woman. I've shown her things that most other women would have left me for." He looked up at his longtime friend. "That's why she and I are getting married. Phyllis already knows, but I asked her not to tell anyone else." He shrugged and smiled.

Roxy covered her mouth to hide her initial shock, then leaped from her chair and hugged David tight. "Congratulations! I knew she was the one for you. You two are just perfect together." She sat back in her chair and just beamed a wide grin. "So now it's you and Kaori getting married and Jerrica and Rio. I hope that you're not gonna do the whole double wedding on stage bit, because that would just be tacky."

Nearly choking on his drink David set his tea down. "Kaori would smack the hell outta me for even suggesting an idea like that!" He wiped his mouth while still laughing. He then pointed at Roxy's right arm. "By the way, that's a great piece of art you're getting done there. What was the inspiration?"

"I don't know. Just one day I was zoning out while watching TV and I got this idea. After a few sketches I came up with this. I plan on getting it colored soon." Roxy glanced up at the studio clock. "I should get home. I'll drop you off at the hotel, okay?" David nodded and followed the guitarist out of the studio.

Stepping off of the elevator car, Pizzazz opened a bottle of pain killers and tapped two tablets out. She popped both pills into her mouth and washed them down with a gulp of her coffee. She stood in front of the elevator doors for a moment and shuddered her whole body in place. It was a Sunday, but she wanted to get some work done for the tour scheduling now that Kimber and Stormer would be playing as well.

Walking to her office door, Pizzazz covered her mouth as she yawned. She unlocked her door and entered by lazily shouldering it open. Flicking on the office lights, Pizzazz made her way to her desk. She began to open the blinds, but closed them to half way. "Fuck its bright." Falling back to where her chair usually was, Pizzazz fell promptly on her butt. She looked around confused. Her chair was a few feet to the right.

"Oh what the hell?" Pizzazz stood and rubbed her bottom. She grabbed her chair by the arm and sat in it. She rubbed her temples and muttered under her breath that it would be one of those days. Opening her desk drawer she pulled out a folder she'd been working on the previous night. She spent a few minutes reviewing what she'd worked on when a box on her desk caught the corner of her eye.

Pizzazz picked up the small black velvet jewelry box. She turned it around curiously and looked at it from every angle. A little smile crossed her lips as she opened it. The golden band and the glittering diamonds of her mother's engagement ring flashed before her eyes. Pizzazz covered her mouth and let out a gasp. Inside the cover was a piece of paper. She took the folded note out and set the ring down. She unfolded the note and read it silently.

"Phyllis, I just felt that you should have this. I just didn't feel right carrying it anymore and knew that Mom would want you to have it. By the way, your chair is to the right if you haven't figured that out yet. Kaori sends her love and we'll see you and everyone soon. Your ever loving brother, David."

Sitting back in her chair again Pizzazz smiled. Her day suddenly got better.

The rain came down lightly over Stormer's face and hair. She sat on the railing of her porch with her eyes closed in her backyard. She rarely got a chance to enjoy a morning like this. The rain on her face, the peaceful sound of the birds chirping and the enjoyment of the rain falling around her. She took this time to let her mind wander and clear out. Her mind drifted from the duet album she was doing with Kimber to the new Misfits album.

Lost in her own thoughts, Stormer didn't hear the back door slide shut. She let out a small yelp when she felt the warm cup press against her arm. Stormer turned at her waist to see who pressed the cup to her flesh. That's when she let out another but more excited yelp. She leapt from the railing and hugged her older brother Craig. She made a confused face when she felt the hard plaster on the back of her neck.

Craig backed up a step and looked at his cast self-consciously. "Some crates were stacked poorly backstage at one of our concerts and they fell on me. It's just a fracture so I didn't want to worry you when we last talked." He handed her the cup of tea and kissed her on the cheek. "Let's go inside before you catch a cold."

Stormer sipped her tea and smirked. "I'm not worried about catching a cold. It's been forever since I could do this. I'm just enjoying the rain like I used to when we were kids. Remember that? You and mom would go running into the house like the rain was burning you. I'd be running around in the rain like some kind of wild girl." She whipped her head back, sending locks of damp blue hair behind her.

"You look like one now," Craig chuckled. "I decided to show up early for Jerrica's wedding and for the holidays." He slid open the backdoor and entered the house. "By the way, is that ninja girl still staying here with you guys? Because I was hoping to use your spare room while I'm here. I just don't feel right asking Aja if I can stay with her."

"It's funny but Yukio's been staying with Phyllis more and more. I think she's just moving in with her and Yuji subtly, but that's how she is. She's very subtle in her actions and intentions. Very quiet and reclusive when she wants to be, too." Stormer went to the closet after going inside her house and grabbed two towels. She handed one to her older brother. "But I'll ask her if you can use her room and ask Kimber if she'll mind having you here. I don't think she will."

"Great. I'll just put my things in your room for the time being." Craig picked up his suitcases and luggage and brought them in Stormer's room. Stormer began making breakfast for herself and her brother.

"ingrid?" Riot rasped, "ingrid, have you talked to eric raymond or pizzazz?" Riot instinctively put a hand to his throat and swallowed hard. He adjusted his darkened glasses that protected his light sensitive eyes.

The beautiful blonde formerly known as Minx came running up to the former lead singer of The Stingers. He had his eyes and throat severely burned by a group of assassins known as the Caustic Brothers. She took his hand and rubbed it slowly. "I'm here Rory. I called Eric this morning and plan on calling Phyllis this afternoon. I think its best that Misfits Music gets Stingers Sound. Phyllis will make sure The Stingers are properly remembered as a band."

"any word on phoebe?" Riot nodded when Minx shook her head. He went back to listening to The Stingers old albums and gave her a sad smile that said he knew he would never sing again.

With a wide smile on his face, David walked through the empty field. He turned to look at Kaori with his arms spread out. "[Well, what do you think?]"

Kaori looked at David obviously not understanding what he was talking about. "[Congratulations, you brought me to a field. An empty field I may add.]" She looked around again and let out an exhausted sigh. "[With weeds, lots and lots of weeds. You know how much I hate when you play games like this, David. Just tell me.]"

Letting out his own sigh David slumped his shoulders. "[This lot is for sale. I figured we could buy it and build our own dream house. It's a big lot, so we could build nice dojo and Zen garden in the backyard. I'm sick and tired of living with my sisters. Plus, I think they're tired of having me always around. Besides, I already called the realtor. I'm meeting with him later this afternoon. I just wanted to show you first.]"

"[Okay, we can do this, but I want my own art studio where I can draw and be creative.]" Kaori looked around the large plot of land. It was a nice, mainly level field atop a hill that overlooked Los Angeles. She had to admit that David was great at choosing places with a view. "[And I want a hot tub. I always wanted my own hot tub!]"

David chuckled and grinned wide. "[I already planned on both of those. I take it you want the studio facing east so you can draw in the morning light?]" Kaori looked up at David and nodded. "[I just need to find a good architect. I'm hoping Yuji or Kyoko can recommend one. I want a Japanese architect. Not going to pay good money to have this half assed.]"

Kaori hugged David tight around the waist and leaned up to peck him on the lips. She was happy to be starting her new life with David in the United States. She knew he was going to make this house the home they both wanted. It was just a matter of finding out where his music studio was going to fit in the house.

She wrapped a single arm around David's waist and walked with him back to the rental car.

Stretching slightly before ringing the doorbell, Roxy smiled at Jetta when she felt her shoulder pop. She let out a soft sigh of relief then pressed the button. "Remind me not to sleep on the couch again, Sheila. Thing is lumpy as hell." She grabbed her right shoulder and stretched it a bit before the door opened.

Yuji hugged each of The Misfits and let them in. "Roxy, Sheila it's great to see you both. It's been so long since you've visited. Phyllis is up in her room putting away her laundry, go on up. We can talk later and catch up on what's been going on in your lives."

Roxy and Jetta climbed the stairs to the second story floor where the bedrooms were. Jetta stopped Roxy from opening Pizzazz's room door all the way. The door was open a crack and she saw movement inside. She whispered to her girlfriend, "Look, luv. I think we're catchin' 'zazz in an I'm-all-alone-no-one-is-watchin moment." She made room so Roxy could watch as well.

Inside the room Pizzazz had her headphones on and was dancing along to the music on her MP3 player. She shook her butt a few times while she put a shirt on a hanger. Then she started singing loosely. "Yer love is like bad medicine! Bad medicine is what I need!" She shook her head to the beat and picked up another shirt. "Bad medicine!" It was then that she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. She looked quickly over her shoulder and didn't see anything then went back to her singing and dancing in place.

Jett and Roxy both snuck into her room and they grabbed both of her sides. Pizzazz shrieked and jumped in place while throwing her clothes into the air. The two women fell backwards laughing but equally surprised by her reaction. Pizzazz turned off her player and ripped her headphones off of her head. "You guys suck, you know that right?" She helped them both up from the floor. "And you're early, which is a surprise."

"Yeah, we figured it was time to grow up or something." Roxy rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Actually, we didn't have that much to do and we missed being around you. Especially when you're putting on a show like that, I mean, wow. Do you always sing and dance while doing laundry? I mean if you do, be careful. The tabloids will have a field day with you."

Pizzazz gave Roxy a bemused look. "Oh the scandal! Misfits' Washed Up Lead Singer Reduced to Singing Along to MP3 Player! I'm sure it'll be hot seller." She laughed to herself and finished folding her clothes. "Okay. Now we just wait for Mary to show and we can officially begin our unofficial meeting."

The three women made their way down the rear staircase near the entertainment room. Jetta and Roxy both flopped their bodies on a couch. Roxy grabbed the remote before Jetta could and started flipping channels. Pizzazz ducked behind the short bar that Yuji had recently had installed. "What do you guys want to drink? We have soda, juice, water, beer. The usual?"

"Water," Jetta said putting her hand up over the back of the couch.

"Fruit punch if you have it," Roxy said with her hand joining Jetta's in the air.

Pizzazz grabbed a bottle of each and placed them in each hand. "Thank you, Phyllis!" they both said at the same time. Pizzazz gave a grunt of welcome. She joined the two women on the couch to wait for Stormer.

About an hour passed when Stormer came in through the back door. "Sorry that I'm late. Craig and I were having dinner and lost track of time while catching up on each other's lives. He's surprising Aja right now with the fact he'll be here for the holidays. It's been forever since Craig and I celebrated Christmas together." She gave a slight shrug and smiled. "Sorry, I was rambling again. I'm just happy to see my brother."

"Great. I can't wait to see him." Pizzazz got up from the couch and hugged her half sister tightly. She walked over to a desk and pulled out a folder. "Now for what I called everyone over for, it's about our next album Role Models for a New Generation. I was able to pull a few strings and arranged for our photo shoot to take place in an actual prison. We'll be wearing the real orange jumpsuits. Have real mug shots taken. Everything we can think of. We even get to keep the jumpsuits afterwards. So I figured we could wear them on stage when we tour. What do you guys think?" She spread out the design ideas on the table for the other women to see.

Each woman looked over the pages carefully. Jetta looked up slightly over the last page. "I like it, 'zazz. It's got a fun feel to it. I say we do it." Roxy and Stormer quickly agreed. Pizzazz smiled to herself as she gathered up the pages and put them back in the folder. Now all they had to do was finish the tracks for their album.

Sitting up suddenly Rapture's eyes went wide. "Riot! Minx! Get out of the way!" she yelled startling Astral who was bringing her clean clothes. Rapture looked around the room wildly for a moment trying to get her bearings. She took a hard look at the young woman with the soft blue hair. "Maeve? What's happened? How—how did I get here?"

"Phoebe? Just take it easy." She handed the blonde woman a glass of water. "Drink it slowly. I enhanced it a nudge so that you'll recuperate faster. You've been somewhat catatonic ever since you," she let her voice drift off before looking up into her old friend's eyes, "since you teleported into my living room."

"I…. wait, what?"

Astral cleared her throat a little. "You teleported into my living room after escaping the Autobot City facility that was holding you. It was for your own safety. While Rory and Ingrid were being attacked at the studio, you somehow tapped into the primal eldritch energies. You were out of control and needed to be contained. You were taken into Autobot security custody after they had seen to Rory's injuries. He had a balloon filled with some chemical, an acid of some sort, burst in his face. The doctors say he won't be able to sing again." Astral looked away sadly.

Rapture sat on the edge of her bed staring at the floor. She could feel the energies within her body. Feeling them coursing through her veins, demanding to be released. Bits and pieces of the past few weeks shot through the memory of her fragmented mind. She finally looked up with a serious expression on her face. "I need to see Richard and I need to see him today."

Putting her dinner plate in the sink, Roxy looked at what Stormer was doing next to her. She gave the younger woman a perplexed look. "Just what the devil are you doing, Mary?"

Stormer squeezed a little more chocolate syrup onto her ice cream then started to mix it together. She gave Roxy a playful smile. "Making ice cream soup." She chuckled when Roxy just shook her head. "Craig and I used to do this all the time as kids." She sat down at the small table in the kitchen started to eat her dessert.

"I swear you're such a kid sometimes." Roxy turned her head when she heard the doorbell. "I'll get it." She walked quickly to the door and opened it a crack. She smirked to herself and then spoke loud enough so that the others could hear her. "Listen buddy! I don't know what you're selling but we're not interested. Plus, you're on private property, so fuck off. I don't want to hear your excuses, dammit!"

Pizzazz made her way to the door and lightly elbowed Roxy aside. She spoke without looking who was there. "You heard her, get fu—," she stopped in mid-sentence and let out a short curse then hugged her twin brother and Kaori. "About time you two showed up."

TO BE CONCLUDED IN "WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?"

PART 3 OF FINDING MY WAY