Rebel: A Monstercat Fanfic

004 - Identity

Song of the Chapter: Pump It! - Rezonate (Electro)

(Monstercat's POV)

I explain my story to the artists and they tell me that they'll try their best to help me. Also, thankfully, they introduce themselves to me - Red Face is Stephen Walking, Pale is Varien, GQ stands for Going Quantum, though he still goes by GQ, Penguin is Ephixa, and Paper Bag - who still hasn't said anything - is Mr. FijiWiji, who goes by Fij sometimes. I find myself still calling him Paper Bag in my head. I decide to tell them that my name really is Monstercat, because they wouldn't be able to pronounce my real name, and I don't want to have to constantly correct them. The masked guy, Phantom, doesn't show up the rest of the night. Noisestorm explains that he sort of accidentally let a firework explode on top of him and that he's resting.

The producers tell me all about their problems, too, all of us hoping I can do something to help. They live in a world where everything art - music, dance, actual art - has been banished or modified to keep people from having ideas about overthrowing the government. They tell me that all of North America (whatever that is) is controlled by the same people, but a specific division of them, called the Music Industry, or the MI for short, has taken over Vancouver - their city. A lot of the artists are from different places, but they were all staying there with their music label group for a couple weeks when the MI took over. The MI threatened to imprison or even kill anyone who defied the law, and since the entire group was pretty much the definition of defiance, they took off. They told me that there were lots of other artists with their label, but when the MI broke in and crashed their meeting, they scattered, and a lot of them disappeared. The group around the fire suddenly grows somber and the atmosphere changes from enthusiastic to dark and depressing. They don't know if their friends are still alive or if they've been caught by the MI.

I sit down and stare into the fire, joining in their mourning to the best of my ability. I know how it feels to lose friends. That's what happens in a rebellion. People are killed. People go missing. People betray you. I shake my head wildly to clear the terrible memories.

Suddenly, Ephixa raises his weapon, which now looks like a gun, though I've never seen one quite like it before. We all fall silent as he readies it, aiming at a spot in the dark forest. Noisestorm grabs a handful of firecrackers, ready to light them and run.

I can hear the bushes rustling and branches snapping. Something's coming. It could be an animal, or an enemy. Everyone tenses up and Fij goes to wake Hellberg, the poor guy with insomnia and night terrors. If it is an enemy, we all need to be ready to run.

The rustling gets louder and the thing in the forest gets closer, until it's about to emerge. Ephixa aims, shutting one eye. We're all expecting the worst.

A hand pushes its way out of the branches, quickly followed by an arm and then a head, with eyes blinking to adjust to the new light. It's another human, this one with dark hair and triangle glasses resting on top of his head.

"Freeze!" Ephixa shrieks, his finger - or flipper - resting on the trigger.

The newcomer yells in surprise and leaps backwards. "Don't shoot!" he shouts, throwing his hands up frantically in surrender.

Everyone stops moving and stares at him, until Noisestorm laughs. "Tristam?"

"Noise?" the other says in confusion. "Ephixa ... Stephen ... you're all here?" His voice has a cool accent I've never heard before (though that's no surprise - in fact, they all have different and unfamiliar accents) and has changed from terror to disbelief to relief in two seconds. "I can't believe it! You're all here! This is crazy!"

Noisestorm grabs him in a hug and then shoves him, a gesture I don't really understand.

"Not quite all of us," Varien says, dampening the mood a little.

I'm not sure if Tristam heard him, because he's half laughing and half crying, too relieved to have found the ones who won't reject him. I feel awkward ... I don't belong here.

Quietly, I stand up to leave. No one notices, but I don't blame them. I can hear some form of running water and head toward that to be alone for a little while. Almost my whole life, I've been alone, but now it feels different, like I was almost accepted, but not quite. Now, I'm not only alone, but I'm lonely, too. I sit by the river and stare at my reflection, feeling sort of empty.

All of these people know who they are. They know what they want to be. Who am I?

I pull off the top of my space suit and drop it into the grass. I'm just a stranger from outside this world. I'm surprised they didn't run away from me the moment they laid eyes on me. I know I haven't known these people for very long, but already, I feel isolated. I yank off the bottom of my suit and throw it aggressively. I have to help them, no matter how they feel about me. Even if I can't stop the Destroyer from eliminating my own worlds, then I might be able to help this one.

"Hey, Monstercat!" Ephixa calls.

I look up in surprise. I thought they forgot me.

"Come and join us!"

"Really?" I smile brightly.

"Join the Party for the Living!" Noisestorm laughs, and I can almost hear Phantom inside his tent, groaning in annoyance.