Hey, what's up! Please enjoy this new story I have to offer.

I DO NOT OWN GORILLAZ, OR ANY OF THE BAND MEMBERS FEATURED IN THIS STORY!

A Rather Cruel and Sick Joke

"Murdoc! Murdoc!" 2D entered Murdoc's bedroom with a smile, scrambling atop the bed and crawling over to reach said man. It was early. Around 8 a.m. according to Murdoc's alarm clock, and 2D was more than happy to let him know it. "It's morning! Wake up!"

"Go away, Face-ache!" Murdoc snarled as if giving a warning. He hadn't used that nickname in a while, but whenever he did now it slipped out by mistake. "Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?"

2D's smile fell, somehow not expecting the bassit to react this way. "B-but, you said we could go to the park today!"

When did I ever say that? "In case you haven't noticed this is my room and my bed, so get out!"

Becoming teary eyed, 2D began to tug at the covers. "But, you promised!"

"Look, I have no idea what you're talking about but you need to-!" Murdoc sat up to find that he wasn't talking to his band member, but a child instead who looked awfully similar to 2D. "What the-?" Where'd this kid come from? "Alright, who are you and how'd you get in here?"

"Huh-? I-I'm 2D!" The young counterpart looked hurt, shrinking under his gaze. "That's what you call me."

"Oh no, you can't fool me." He said, folding his arms and shaking his head. "You may look like him, but, as dumb as he is, 2D is an adult and you are not."

"B-but-I am the real 2D!" The boy began to cry, "It's-It's 'cause my eyes are dark, right? My real name is Stuart-Don't you remember?"

"Of course, I do." Murdoc shooed him away before moving his legs over the edge of the mattress. He then stood to leave, lifting kid 2D by the back of his shirt. "That doesn't explain who you are, though."

"B-B-But-but-!"

"'But' this, 'but' that! Is that...all you can..." Murdoc had begun to walk towards the door but stopped halfway, finding that the room was not as he remembered. Well, he saw that everything was in place, yet the atmosphere felt off. He also realized that he somehow managed to sleep fully dressed, which he never did. Ever. "...say? Hang on, where are we?"

"Um, th-this is your room." Young 2D gazed up at him timidly, wondering why the bassist was acting so strange. "We're at our house."

"I can see that, kid," Murdoc ran his hand over his face. "I mean, where is this house?"

"I heard you call it 'Kong' once," 2D sniffled and wiped his eyes. "Like, the big monkey from the movie... I haven't watched it, though."

"Still at Kong Studios, huh?" Murdoc released 2D, who caught himself with a slight stumble, then knelt down to his level. "Alright, if this," he pointed to the floor, "is Kong and you are 2D, then where are Russel and Noodle?"

"Oh, is this a test?" 2D brightened up a little. "Like, the one's at school?"

"Ugh, no-just-!" He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Look, do you know where they are, or not?"

"Mhm, Russel's room is near mine, but Noodle's is next to yours."

So, it is different. Noodle's room was never that close to mine. "Alright then, let's go. Follow me." When Murdoc stood to leave, 2D remained still and watched the older man curiously.

"Where are we going?"

Murdoc ignored the question and walked past him.

2D finally moved to follow the man. He had to jog every so often to match his pace since Murdoc was much taller than him. "Murdoc...?"

"What? And, how do you know my name?"

"You told me... That's your name, right?"

"Who's asking?"

"Um... I dunno. Me, I think? Right...?" This he asked himself more than Murdoc.

Murdoc rolled his eyes. He does kind of act like Stuart... "How old are you anyway?"

"Um," little 2D stopped mid-stride to count his age on his fingers, then held them up proudly for Murdoc. "This many!"

"Six, huh? Good to know..."

After a short walk down the hall, the two reached Noodle's room. "Noodle?" Murdoc knocked twice before entering. "Something strange is going on. There's this kid who-"

A string of babbling and slight Japanese gibberish cut him off as the pair entered the room.

"Aw, you've got to be kidding me!"

Before them was a brightly colored nursery filled with stuffed animals, children's toys, and baby furniture. At the back of the room stood a crib that held the source of the noise: a pint-sized Noodle.

Running his hand over his face, Murdoc struggled to contain his frustration. Two kids? Seriously!? She looked too old to be a baby, but she was definitely too young to walk and talk properly. "Ugh, as if we didn't have to raise you already! This better be some sick joke."

Noodle giggled sweetly, jumping up and down at the sight of Murdoc and 2D.

Leaning down to view her at eye level, Murdoc searched the toddler's face for any telling features that would verify if she was really Noodle. He gasped in surprise, however, when she suddenly hugged his face.

"Da-da!"

"Oh-ho-ho-NO," Murdoc pulled her hands away, shooting back into an upright position. "If I'm anyone's father, I better not know it! And, I know for a fact that I am definitely NOT yours!" He exclaimed, pointing to Noodle, who laughed again. 2D began to laugh as well. "Oh, you both find this pretty funny, huh? Well, I don't! Neither of you are supposed to be like this..."

Noodle reached out to him, "Da-da?"

"No, not 'Da-da.' It's Murdoc. MUR-DOC," he lifted Noodle from the crib, enunciating slowly. "Understand?"

Noodle looked confused at first, but caught on pretty quickly. "Mur...dah?"

"Hmph, close enough." Murdoc moved back and placed Noodle beside 2D, whose hand she sought for immediately. "Okay, now where's Russel?" He asked them, placing his hands on his hips.

Noodle seemed to recognize the name and began to speak up in a language all her own. The only words Murdoc actually picked up were 'Hai, Drum' and 'Ruffoo!' He automatically assumed 'Ruffoo' meant Russel. Weird, this Noodle knows words in both English and Japanese. More than she knew at ten...

"Ooh, I know where to go!" 2D said, raising his free hand and waving it about.

"Right, lead the way then."

Following the children to Russel's room, Murdoc all but pleaded to Satan that the drummer was normal; That way he wouldn't have to deal with his young bandmates alone. He also wondered if he were dreaming, or even drugged since this obviously wasn't the reality he lived in. If that were the case then this was one heck of a trip. Maybe a portal brought me here? Murdoc pinched himself to make sure he was at least awake, earning a curious look from Noodle, who happened to be watching.

Once they finally arrived, 2D peered into the doorway. The room held a wooden loft-playhouse combo bed along with matching furniture such as a dresser and a small table with chairs. There also were many records, posters, and decals decorating the walls. His eyes soon fell upon Russel, who had been lying on a rug in the center, calmly reading a book. "Hi, Russ."

Russel jumped a little then turned to face him, gazing curiously. "Oh, hey 'D," he waved with a smile. "Is that Noodle with you?"

"Yeah, and Murdoc, too."

Russel walked over to stand in the doorway next to the pair, arriving just in time to see Murdoc freeze in place then groan loudly before slamming a fist against the wall.

Whispering to 2D, Russel asked "Why'd he do that? Are we in trouble, or something?"

"No," 2D whispered back. "I don't think so... Murdoc's been acting weird, though."

"Weirder than normal?"

"Yeah," 2D affirmed with a nod. "He didn't remember me at all."

"Really? That is weird. Maybe he's sick, or something?"

"I dunno... He doesn't look sick to me..."

As the boys continued to talk amongst themselves, Noodle managed to slip away and waddle over to Murdoc. The man had been leaning his back against the wall with his hands over his face.

Lost in his thoughts, Murdoc failed to notice her. Only when she stumbled and caught herself on his pant leg did he finally look down. He stared at her with an annoyed expression before it changed to one of pure defeat. "Please tell me this isn't real."

Noodle made a sound that Murdoc couldn't quite register the emotion of, but he could almost see gears turning in her head as she stared up at him through thick, slightly parted bangs. Noodle then put her hands over her own face to imitate him before removing them. "Boo!"

"Ugh..." It felt like he was being toyed with. What on earth was going on? He couldn't remember yesterday at all, which probably held the clues to how he ended with pint sized band members. How'd it come to this?

Yesterday...

"We've got less than an hour!" Murdoc announced, reminding his bandmates of their collaborator meetings happening soon. Song Machine, or Strange Timez, was a hit in its first season and the band aimed to make the second even better; so finding the right artists to work with was crucial to its success. "I swear, if we're late I'll-"

"Chill Mudz," Russel strolled past the bassist, drumsticks in hand. "We'll be ready."

"Yeah Murdoc," Noodle called from another room, somewhat annoyed. "We're just as excited to record this album as you are."

"Then act like it," Murdoc grumbled under his breath before crossing his arms. "Has anyone seen 2D?"

"He's probably playing PACMAN again." Russel called back, rejoining the conversation. "Pretty much obsessed with it..."

"Seriously!?" Noodle stomped into the hallway where Murdoc stood, swearing in her native language and heading for the stairs. "I told him to take a break from that thing! He's literally been playing all morning."

"I'll get him off of it, just get ready to go."

Noodle gave him a skeptical look as he turned to leave, but decided she'd let him be. "Fine, but don't do anything stupid."

As he made his way up, Murdoc could hear the arcade console playing its usual jingle, but it didn't sound like anyone was playing. This was confirmed when he finally made it into the room; it seemed to have everything in it but the singer, though. Jeez, what a mess...

Re-entering the hallway, Murdoc continued his search, but was unsuccessful. He looked through each room, and even checked every bathroom stall. There was just no sign of 2D.

"Forget it," he said, rolling his eyes. "We'll just leave without him." Murdoc began to descend the stairs when a portal suddenly opened up from behind. He turned just in time to see a terrified 2D crash into him before they were both sent tumbling to the bottom.

Murdoc could vaguely remember hearing him and 2D's screams as they hit every other step. He also recalled being angry, very angry; But, most of all, he could vividly recount feeling a painful blow to the head before completely blacking out.