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

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

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"Demon Days"

Day Three: What are We Going to Do?

Cheez-It hummed happily as he pulled another small feather from 2D's back before he darted back to his cage and dumped the small pile of feathers on top of the larger ones then hopped on them and scurried in a small circle before darting out of the cage and returning to 2D.

"I hope she comes back soon I'm gonna be featherless at this rate." 2D mumbled as the mouse resumed humming and pulling a couple more feathers out.

2D had gotten used to the small stinging pain that came with ripping out the feathers but he didn't like the fact that Cheez-It was so content with pulling them out now. At this rate 2D would've preferred Sakura or Muds mocking him. Hell, he'd even settle for Saki pulling out his feathers and using them for some unknown reason now.

2D was broken from his thoughts now by his stomach growling loudly. He groaned then looked back at the mouse once more before looking ahead dully again at one of the clocks on her wall. On top of his misery over the fact that Cheez-It was pulling feathers out left and right… he was starving.

…

"So where is Brainache?" Murdoc hissed as Espio placed items on the plate.

"He's in my room." Espio replied before growling slightly as Murdoc pulled an item off the plate then ate some of it before throwing it back on the plate.

"Why do you have blood in your hair?" Sakura asked after blowing smoke into the air.

"Huh?"

"'Huh?' You as stupid as he is. You have blood in your hair and I'd like to know why. And you wonder why I call you 'Female Brainache'." Sakura hissed before putting out her cigarette.

"I…" Espio tried to think of a good lie.

"You also got blood on your back. Well I should say all over your back plus your shirt's torn but I won't." Murdoc noted.

"I…was…I…fell." Espio stammered.

"Fell? Where the hell did you fall to get a wound like that?" Sakura rasped.

"I was putting a guitar back, I lost my balance and hit the corner on one of my dressers." Espio replied.

"Sure." Sakura snorted.

"It's true." Espio murmured.

"Then what's with the blood in your hair?" Murdoc asked.

"I guess it brushed on the dresser." Espio shrugged as she looked at her hair carefully.

"I ain't buying that." Sakura muttered after lighting another cigarette.

"You don't have to. But it's true." Espio sighed after picking up the plate then walking out of the kitchen.

Murdoc scoffed then looked to Sakura as she stared at the tabletop.

"Think that's the truth?" He asked.

"I doubt it. She and Hedgehog were on the rooftop all day." Sakura answered.

"Good point. I wonder what really happened then." Murdoc snickered.

"Probably the same thing we're both thinking." She shrugged.

…

2D looked dismally at the partially eaten food then gave some to Cheez-It. The mouse tried it then spit it out after a moment before trying to brush off his tongue with one of his paws.

"So then what did you tell them?" He looked up at her.

"I lied. I said I fell. It's not like Sakura or Murdoc will inspect my room for blood anyways." Espio answered.

"Sakura will look for clothes of yours to destroy but not blood right?"

"Yes."

"Muds probably wouldn't dare come in here since it would remind him too much of my room back at Kong."

"That's good."

Cheez-It spit out another bite of food after it had just barely gotten into his mouth before he stuck out his tongue then sighed as his little stomach growled.

"Well quit trying to eat it." 2D laughed.

Cheez-It spit into the air again then hiccupped and sighed.

"When he's determined, he's determined." Espio laughed.

"I can see that." 2D laughed.

…

"So how do I get back to normal?" 2D looked at the white-haired Japanese girl before scratching at one of the raw spots on his left wing.

"That's a really good question. How'd this happen in the first place?" She asked.

"My back started getting hot and I sort of blacked out or something." He turned back toward her.

"From what I read, when that energy transfer took place, you were only supposed to house the excess energy but your body decided to let you use it. I'm amazed you're still all right."

"Will it hurt him then Ryou-chan?" Espio asked worriedly.

"Well, if he's all right now then there's a pretty good chance it won't hurt him. It'll just be a pain in the butt trying to get him to change back." Ryou-chan answered as she pulled at 2D's right wing.

He watched her silently then looked down and resumed scratching raw spots that had appeared on his wings.

"I'll tell you this much, you turn into a really handsome demon." Ryou-chan laughed.

"Glad you think so." He muttered as he felt his face get hot.

"What about Noodle and the others? Do you think we should tell them that 2D's stuck as a demon or no?" Espio asked after putting aside her feelings to hit Ryou-chan.

"I wouldn't worry about them. If they find out, they find out. If not, oh well. No harm." Ryou-chan replied after pulling a small feather from near the top of 2D's left wing.

"What're you doing?" He asked.

"Just going to do something with this. Don't worry, I won't take more than I need." She answered.

"What a relief." 2D groaned as he sat there.

…

Espio stared at the can of soda in her hands dully then looked up as 2D let out a small groan. Cheez-It had merrily resumed pulling out 2D's feathers and seemed to be lining his cage with them. The mouse then darted out of the cage before looking up at 2D and squeaking for a moment before ripping out more feathers.

"What'd he call me?" 2D hissed.

"'Pillow stuffing'." Espio giggled.

2D growled then picked up the little mouse and pulled a few strands of fur from his fluffy little bangs. The mouse squealed painfully then rubbed his head as 2D smirked at him.

"I'll pull out every last piece of fur on you if you keep pulling my feathers out." 2D threatened him.

The mouse chirped then blinked a few times.

"He said: 'You wouldn't dare.'" Espio said before taking a drink from the can.

"Watch me." 2D growled at him.

Cheez-It gulped then squeaked for a few moments and covered his head.

"He said: 'I believe you but Espio won't let you.'" She noted dully.

The mouse then stuck out his tongue at 2D before Espio took another drink then cleared her throat.

"Not true Chee-kun. I have duct tape somewhere around here. I'll let 2D use that to rip out your fur." Espio looked around her semi-messy room.

The mouse let out a panicked squeal then looked up to 2D and chirped apologetically before holding up one tiny paw to him.

"He said: 'Okay, I'm sorry.'" Espio grinned.

Cheez-It nodded enthusiastically before getting lowered back down to the dresser.

"I believe you, but if you forget, I'm going to give you a bald spot." 2D laughed.

Espio laughed then looked at the nearest clock before taking another drink from the can.

"So, what are we going to do? Ryou-chan's smart but I doubt she'll get it right on the first try." Espio murmured.

"She's not really a scientist anyways is she?" 2D pressed his back to the wall.

"Nope. But she tries to be. Actually, she tries to be a lot of things but even then she's not successful. I think it's all part of a phase that's all." Espio shrugged.

"And Noodle doesn't help does she?" 2D murmured.

"Not really. Noodle encourages her I think though." Espio rolled her eyes.

"That could be a pain then. Ryou-chan might never come out of it with Noodle backing her up." 2D laughed.

…

"It's pretty." Noodle held up a feather to the light above her.

"You sure these aren't pigeon feathers though?" Bakura looked over another one that was in the small pile of the countertop.

"Espio didn't say where she found them. She just wanted me to check them over." Ryou-chan lied.

"I doubt pigeons had gray feathers with blue "veins" on them Bakura-kun." Noodle looked over to him.

"You never know, that's all I'm saying." Bakura shrugged.

"Hmm…" Noodle looked at the feather in her hands as she thought for a few moments.

Ryou-chan was quietly flipping through a book as the other two stood there behind her silently looking over the feathers they had in their hands.

"Sakura went onto the roof, she said there was blood splattered everywhere. Do you know why? Was Espio hurt or something?" Noodle asked as she looked to Ryou-chan.

"Not that I know of. Sakura's probably drunk again anyways don't rely on her." Ryou-chan answered without looking back.

"Actually she and Murdoc are quite sober. I should know since he threw something at me and almost hit me. If he was drunk he wouldn't have been so close to the target." Bakura rubbed his right shoulder.

"Why has Murdoc been throwing things at you?" Noodle asked worriedly.

"I dunno. He just started doing that. I kinda miss it when he used to just grab my hair and threaten to cut it off when I'm asleep." Bakura muttered flatly.

"He used to do that to you?" Noodle yelped.

"Well that and he used to call me names." He looked down.

"Idiot…." She muttered under her breath.

Ryou-chan kept flipping through various books and seemed to be pretending to ignore their conversation. She actually didn't know anything about what happened to 2D but she could try and make it look like she knew what she was doing at least.

…

Cheez-It strained then fell backwards and panted hard as 2D looked at him blankly.

"Apparently he thinks these retract like a knife." 2D groaned.

"He's only trying to help. No matter how useless it is…" Espio rolled her eyes

After recovering from the small blood rush to his head the mouse hopped back up then scaled one of 2D's wings before sitting on his shoulder and peeking through the feathers and checking the back of 2D's neck.

"Now what's he doing?!" 2D jumped.

"Let's see…knowing him…he's looking for a button to make your wings go back into your back." Espio snickered.

"Is he that daft?" 2D sighed.

"He's a simple-minded baby mouse, what do you expect? He doesn't know anything about demons." Espio answered.

2D thought for a moment then grabbed the mouse and held him in his hands before looking back to Espio.

"Do you think Sakura and Muds are suspicious?" He asked.

"Why?" Espio tilted her head.

"Well, you went and got food, you lied about the wound on your back, and they pretty much know that we were on the roof the whole time so that fall story has to be false…" 2D listed.

"Suspicious, maybe. Willing to double-check, highly unlikely." Espio answered.

"What makes you so sure?"

"Lessee…. Murdoc dislikes me and tries to avoid me. Sakura doesn't care so she thinks what she wants to and doesn't bother to learn the truth. In other words, they're alike." Espio looked up at the ceiling.

"Good point." 2D sighed before scratching at one of his wings.

To Be Continued…