The next morning Chip and Norm had gone to the Studio kitchen to see what they could find. Pixie heard them and came in.

‘Shall we have a little band try-out?’

‘We don’t have any music though.’ Norm told her.

‘I’ve written a few things.’ She replied, putting down some paper in front of them. Norm immediately picked up one called ‘Vale’. It had organ parts, guitar, keyboard and drums.

‘Wolfie isn’t here so we can’t do this one though.’ Chip sighed.

‘Who said I couldn’t play guitar? I’m better a bass but that doesn’t mean I can’t!’

‘Brilliant! So, can we record?’ Chip shouted, getting really excited, ‘I mean, we haven’t practiced but it would sound cool that way, yeah?’

‘I guess, but I only have a phone to record it on.’ Pixie said, unsure.

‘That makes the effect even better!’ Chip shouted. Norm and Pixie shrugged and went into the recording booth ready to play.

‘3 2 1!’

2D came in at one point and saw them playing. He had heard the song before when Pixie had played it to him. They had the electronic organ playing automatically otherwise they would’ve needed his help, but he was okay with that. He just watched as they played. They finished and Pixie plugged her phone into the computer to load it up.

‘We should write some lyrics to it, it could be our first single!’

‘Maybe, Norm, it’s a good idea but that’s what I’m missing; an idea for the song!’ Pixie said hopeful that it could be their first single. 2D went over to Norm and patted him on the shoulder.

‘You said we should get to know each other and become more of mates, why don’t we?’

‘Yes, well, where and how?’

‘Bowling, here in Kong!’ They went off sharing jokes and pastimes and getting to know each other at last.

‘What are you doing, Pixie?’ Chip asked, she was on Tripod editing a website.

‘I’m uploading our song so people can listen to it!’

‘Oh, cool!’ Chip smiled. He heard Wolfie coming down the corridor towards them.

‘Okay, what is with the “let’s exclude Wolfie” band practices?’

‘We were just recording something.’ Pixie reasoned.

‘No, not without me, I’m part of this hell-hole band too! And, Pixie, I heard about your back. A massive scar, eh? That’s why you’re so damn weak!’ Chip panicked a little, he didn’t like Wolfie being nasty about Pixie’s back.

‘Uhm, so, shall we join Norm in the shooting range?’ He quickly asked. Pixie nodded and went with him to the bowling alley. Wolfie stomped her foot and the door slammed behind Pixie and Chip just after they left.

‘I’m fed up with all this, I should train my powers more, and that’s it, I don’t care about them anymore, I never did anyway, I’m out of the commune centre and now I’m free, yes, that’s right!’ She told herself.

‘2D, I have to go!’

‘Huh?’

‘My wings, they’re coming and I can’t control it!’

‘Oh!’ 2D looked at Norm and Chip, sorting out the scores, ‘we need to go for a second, something we forgot!’ he told them, before following Pixie out. She ran to the car park, her wings escaping as she did so. 2D looked around for some easy route to a shower. Pixie tried opening the door but was struggling. Murdoc noticed her from his Winnebago. He spotted the wings on her back and dropped his cigarette.

‘Pixie!? What the fuck on Satan’s wish is going on!?’

‘Murdoc!’

‘I err… Drack! He bit me! Remember? How do I get normal again!?’

‘Well…’ He grabbed her wrist and took her into his Winnebago. He grabbed a book on curses and demons etc. He opened it up on Vampires.

‘Stop panicking and focus on get them away again.’

‘It’s not working!’

‘Uhm… It says you need to… ah…’

‘What?’

‘You need to taste the blood of the one who did this to you.’

‘I WHAT!?’

‘You don’t have to, though. You’d make a good little demon slave! Don’t worry, I’ll treat you fairly but it’s against the rules that you go out with 2D…’

‘No! That’s it!’ She took off her shirt and went to the door.

‘What are you doing?’

‘I’m going…’

‘Going? Where!?’

‘Italy. To find Drack.’

‘You… that’s stupid Pixie, how do you expect to get there? I’m not driving you that far!’

‘I’ll fly.’ She said, she opened the door and spread out her wings. He watched her again from the window. She flapped a little and jumped, her wings carrying her up. She flew out the exit and off into the sky. 2D came in quickly.

‘Pixie’s turned into a vampire thing, she didn’t want me to tell you but you have to help.’ Murdoc looked at him. It wasn’t the first time but it felt like it was, he felt bad for 2D.

‘Murdoc?’

‘She’s gone.’

‘Gone? What do you mean, gone!?’

‘She’s in Italy.’ Murdoc explained to Noodle, Russel, 2D, Chip, Norm and Wolfie. 2D put his head in his hands and began to cry. Russel shook his head, thinking about everything Pixie had done in her stay there. Chip’s eyes watered a little. Noodle picked up her phone and called Damon. Wolfie stared at Murdoc, wondering why he seemed upset himself about Pixie going.

‘She’s fifteen.’ Norm said.

‘And she’s on her own, going to Italy to find Drack.’ Murdoc said, nodding like a car ornament.

‘She’s looking for Drack!?’ 2D asked.

‘She’s looking for trouble…’ Russel said, holding 2D to his seat. Norm got up.

‘Do you know how old I am?’ he asked them. They shook their heads.

‘A hundred and fifteen, that’s a hundred years older than her but in my species that means I still have two hundred and eighty-five years of my life left, and I spent fifteen years as a monkey.’ They looked at him wondering why he was talking about this.

‘And your point?’ Wolfie asked.

‘I just wanted you to know before I went.’

‘You’re going too?’ Chip asked, getting up and grabbing him.

‘There’s a chance I could save her from any danger but it means I have to go back to my kingdom.’ Chip sighed.

‘I’m gonna go back to Kent and see if I can find her foster family.’ He said.

‘So you’re all going but me?’ Wolfie said.

‘Looks like it.’ Chip said. He and Norm went to the room they stayed in the night before and got their bags. Russel went to make some food to get people’s mind off it all and bring the peace back. Noodle was still talking to Damon on her phone. Murdoc went over to 2D and out his hand on his shoulder.

‘She’ll be okay.’

‘How do you know? She’s not that powerful.’

‘Listen, Wolfie will be with us so we’re not loosing everyone and I’m sure Pixie will return soon.’

‘I hope.’ 2D said, starting to cry. For once Murdoc didn’t smack his face in and tell him to shut up. Murdoc admitted to himself, he would also miss Pixie, she’d become a big part of their life and she had even told him he was like her dad. He loved that. He walked over to the table where there was a half used pack of headache pills left. He took it and gave it to 2D before leaving him there.

2D cried most of the day and didn’t eat a thing. Damon came round and cheered him up as much as he could; he stayed for the rest of the day and then went. Pixie was in Italy. Chip was in Kent. Norm was in his hidden kingdom and Wolfie was staying with Murdoc a little longer.