Caution: For those who cannot handle graphic or even semi-graphic horror-related imagery I suggest you not go any further than this.

Note: Gorillaz (2D, Murdoc, Noodle & Russel) © Jamie Hewlett & Damon Albarn

Wild 5 (Espio, Sakura, Bakura, Ryou-chan & Rave) & Cheez-It © Me

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Demon Days”

Day One: Nightmare & Reality

‘The scent of blood filled the cold air as 2D stood paralyzed among the smoldering debris. He stared blankly ahead then saw a winged creature slowly rise from a nearby pile of rubble. Was this monster responsible for the death and destruction surrounding them? Why had it done all of this? Was it hunting something?

He moved forward slowly along the cracked sidewalk in an attempt to follow this odd creature that had seemed to disappear as soon as it had appeared. It wasn’t long before he came across one of the gruesome scenes the creature had left. He stared blankly at the rubble then felt a wave of nausea rise from the pit of his stomach when he realized who were lying dead here. He knelt and figured this first person just had to be him. He then coughed as it sunk in that this was Murdoc lying there bloodied and lifeless. 2D tried to stand back up but felt the nausea grow stronger and he wound up struggling to keep his balance so he could check around for anyone else he knew.

He’d just gotten his balance back before he saw Russel near Murdoc then he saw two other members of Espio’s band lying near him. His head spun as he now staggered past those four then felt his nausea grow as he found the next two corpses. 2D sank to his knees bonelessly before checking both for any sign of life but sadly he didn’t feel a heartbeat from either one. Bakura had probably died trying to protect her too. He was that noble or at least that’s what 2D hoped for. He felt his stomach throb now as he realized Noodle and Bakura had died as well because of that winged monster. He held back whatever tears were forming then lowered his head before finding any strength and climbing back onto his feet to search for one last person. Hopefully she was still alive.

2D had broke into a run when he hadn’t thought about it then stopped as he came upon a high mound of debris. He looked up at it then saw that creature’s silhouette again before it threw aside a smaller one. He felt his heart stop for a minute then found the last shred of hope he had in him as he saw it was her.

Espio slowly stood back up from the rubble with fresh blood running from the open wounds it gave her before she lunged at this monster again. The creature allowed her attacks to hit before it threw her down the pile of debris once more. She laid there for a few moments then coughed and cursed under her breath in Japanese as she struggled to get back onto her feet. She attempted another leap at the creature then was thrown backwards as its sharp claws ripped into her. She fell once more and held her bleeding stomach as the creature towered over her. 2D wanted to help her or at least yell at her to get to her feet but by the time the words surfaced the creature had found some foreign item from the debris and drove it through her chest.’

------

2D sat up quickly as he panted hard. That felt so real but thankfully it was only a nightmare. Actually, it was more hopefully it was only a nightmare. He combed through his hair then decided to look around for a clock of some kind in the pitch-black room. As relieved as he would’ve been to see a clock in this room he was even more relieved to see Espio was still asleep beside him. It was only a nightmare after all. He smiled a little then blinked as he heard something rapidly squeaking at him. He looked around then blinked as he looked down at the floor and saw Cheez-It shaking one tiny paw at him and squeaking rather angrily. The tiny mouse had been sleeping on 2D’s chest before he was catapulted across the room from 2D’s abrupt awakening.

“Sorry little guy.” 2D laughed sheepishly as the mouse continued to squeak angrily at him.

The mouse fell silent then scurried to the hem of the sheets and scaled them before scurrying to 2D, sitting on one of his legs then tilting his head and chirping quizzically.

“It was only a nightmare. At least I hope it was.” 2D breathed out tiredly.

Cheez-It squealed sympathetically then scurried up toward the pillows and curled up while 2D remained sitting up and lost in his own thoughts.

‘It was only a nightmare D. Everyone’s all right and that creature doesn’t exist…right?’ He relaxed a little now.

That monster…something felt familiar about that monster didn’t it? But the only creature he remembered seeing that was remotely similar was Lineage. He finally laid back then checked to see if he’d squished the mouse before seeing he was okay. He really couldn’t shake off how real that felt and how disturbing it was to see everyone murdered by that thing. He couldn’t possibly tell Espio without making her upset could he? He rolled over and now held onto her tightly. He couldn’t bare the thought of letting her get killed even if that was only a dream.

“That Morning”…

Espio sat quietly on one of the couches before she glanced to her right to 2D.

“Something bothering you?” She asked worriedly.

“Huh? Oh…it’s nothing.” He shook his head.

“You’re awfully quiet.” She murmured before drinking from her glass of milk.

“Sorry. I’m just still getting over it I guess.” He shrugged.

“Getting over what?” Espio looked back at him.

“Oh nothing. It’s nothing at all.” He insisted.

“Are you sure?” She asked worriedly.

“Uh huh.” He grinned.

She let out a small disapproving growl then went back to drinking her milk as sounds from the TV resonated in the room.

Later…

“Eh, so Brainache had a nightmare. What do I care?” Sakura spat before she sat at the table then took a drink from the glass of scotch in her hand.

“Well I’m worried about it….” Espio murmured.

“Why doesn’t that surprise me? You’re both almost identical now.” Sakura murmured.

Noodle growled a little then turned and looked sympathetically at Espio.

“Where is he now?” She asked gently.

“He went to my room to take a nap.” Espio answered as she wrung her hands a little.

Sakura scoffed after taking another drink from the glass in her hand. Noodle looked back at the female Satanist disapprovingly before thinking silently. She was often good at helping 2D with his problems even if it was merely about a bad dream he’d had. She bit on her lower lip then looked toward were Espio had been standing then saw her sit toward the end of the long table with a deeply concerned expression.

“All I can tell you is to stay with him. The least you can do for him is wake him up when he shows signs of having a nightmare.” Noodle suggested.

“That’s what I want to do but he told me I didn’t have to do that.” Espio replied with a saddened tone.

“You don’t have to listen to him. Just keep insisting on it.” Noodle said.

Espio nodded slightly then glanced at Sakura who was flipping through the current book she was reading.

“No smarmy comments from you then?” Espio tilted her head a little.

Sakura glanced up at her then scoffed before taking another drink from the glass.

“I’d say something but Noodle’s in the room.” She simply answered before looking back down at the book.

Noodle glared at Sakura as Espio rose from her seat.

“Fine then. I’ll go check on him.” She sighed as the other two remained seated.

“Just tell him it’s for his own good. I guess anyways….” Noodle shrugged.

Meanwhile…

2D stared blankly at the ceiling as he waited for his painkillers to kick in. He figured he should’ve at least felt somewhat lucky to have gotten a migraine but he wished he could fall asleep. His migraine was probably caused from the lack of it. That creature still bugged him. Why did he seem vaguely familiar? Why didn’t he feel any fear when he saw it? If it was a demon or something then he could somewhat understand why he didn’t feel threatened. After all Espio was half-demon. But then why did it have feathered wings like a bird? Or more…an angel? Now he wondered if it was a demon since, horribly, it killed Espio in his nightmare without so much as a second thought. Then again, couldn’t demons fight amongst one another and even kill their own kind if they felt it was necessary? 2D’s head throbbed as he tried to analyze his dream. This was too much for getting too little an amount of sleep. Anyways, Muds or Saki or Espio would know more about demons than he did. He’d just ask one of them later. He now rubbed at his forehead and closed his eyes. He needed to sleep.

“Are you alright?”

He blinked slowly then propped himself onto his elbows and nodded a little as he saw Espio standing near the doorway. Figures he had to clumsily fall onto her bed.

“I just have a small migraine. I’m alright.” He nodded before lying back down.

Espio let out a small sigh then tried to sit beside him.

“You don’t have to stick around. I’ll be okay if I go to sleep.” He insisted lightly.

“I’m going to stay with you. After all, you’ve acted so strangely all morning on me.” She looked at her feet.

“Okay then.” He smiled a little.

He went back to staring at the ceiling then yawned after a few minutes.

“What do you know about demons, love?” He asked suddenly.

“What?” She laughed.

“What do you know about demons?” He propped himself up again.

“Other than knowing I’m half demon? Well…it also depends on what you want to know.” She said.

“Do demons kill one another?” He asked.

“I don’t know…probably.” She shrugged.

“Huh.”

“Why do you want to know that?” She looked at him.

“It’s part of the nightmare I told you I had.” He looked toward the door.

“You mean that I had to squeeze out of you?” She smirked.

“Yes. In it…well…umm…I saw two figures fighting and one resembled an angel…but angels wouldn’t kill would they?” He looked back up at her.

“So you assume they were demons?”

“Yes.”

“From what you told me, your nightmare sounded vague at best but to answer you…I think demons could kill one another…I’m not positive about angels or demons actually.” She looked at her clasped hands that rested in her lap.

“Oh…”

“If you went into detail I could probably answer you positively but otherwise I don’t know.”

“Oh…that’s okay then, love.” He laid back down.

“You sound disappointed.”

“Not really. I’m just so tired right now. I don’t wanna think.” He yawned.

Espio laughed a little then looked back down toward the floor as she remained seated beside him. Now she started wondering.

Later…

Sakura stared dully at the end of the lit cigarette between her fingers then looked up to Murdoc as he trudged down the hallway then sat beside her on the step.

“I take it they’re not coming down?” She asked.

“I couldn’t even get to ‘em. They locked it from the outside or somethin’. Probably a waste of time anyways.” He snorted before lighting the cigarette he’d pulled from his pocket.

“Probably. Russel didn’t say what he wanted?” Sakura asked as she looked down at her untied boots.

“Nah. Hell if I’d ever care anyways.” Murdoc shrugged before snorting out some smoke.

…

Espio stared out at the desolate land surrounding their studio before glancing to 2D who was staring down dully at some spot in front of him.

“Is something wrong?” She asked gently.

He didn’t reply. Actually, he didn’t even budge as he sat there. Espio now looked at him worriedly before sighing and getting up from beside him.

“2D?”

He kept staring dully at the spot ahead of him before breaking from his trance then looking back to see Espio was holding onto him gently.

“Please tell me what’s wrong.” She said quietly.

He let out a small sigh then returned to looking back at the small spot ahead of him. The truth was, he didn’t want to tell her what was bothering him. It probably would’ve worried her too much. He was still trying to analyze his dream and was worrying even more so about that winged creature.

“What did you give me?” He asked suddenly.

“Hm? What do you mean?” She slowly let go of him.

“Remember a while ago when you transferred a portion of your energy to me? Did it do something to me?” He asked quietly.

“I don’t know. Why, is something wrong?” She asked gently.

“I’m not sure.” He looked down before looking to one of his arms.

A strange, almost tribal-looking symbol had appeared a few days ago on his wrist and now was spreading up his arm. It wasn’t painful or anything but it was, at best, inexplicable. He then looked to his other arm and the same exact design was spreading from his wrist. He didn’t understand what this meant but he knew it was certainly above normal.

“That demon…” He muttered after lowering his sleeve.

“What?” Espio looked back from the door nearby.

He didn’t reply before getting up slowly. Espio watched him then tilted her head as something red began to glow through his sleeves on each arm. She blinked a few times then dug turned and dug through one of her pockets for the key to the door. It was a hassle but she didn’t mind having the door to the roof locked so she and 2D could meditate in peace or whatever.

She finally found the key then yelped and blinked a few times before looking back to 2D. His nails were almost like hers! She glanced at his face then saw his normally black eyes were now slightly tinged red.

“This really isn’t funny.” She swallowed as he kept holding onto her wrist.

He made a small growling noise before throwing her aside. Espio let out a yelp as she landed hard on the concrete then slowly sat up and rubbed her wrist before rubbing the shoulder she’d landed on. She then looked up to 2D as he stood above her.

‘I have a sickening feeling of déjà vu.’ She rubbed her shoulder as she attempted to slide back from him.

“What’s wrong with you?! This really isn’t funny 2D.” She trembled.

He only made a small growling noise as he grabbed one of her wrists.

To Be Continued….