I've Been Runnin' with the Wolves

Chapter 1 - Identity Issues

The lights were vibrant, the music was pumping, and the bodies were spiraling around the metal poles; the majority of the crowd was either drawn to the heavy alcohol at the bar or being handed around by flashy waitresses, or the "entertainers" flaunting their mostly-exposed bodies around like fancy ribbons.

One of the top dancers was a beautiful woman named Elli, with pink skin and matching hair done up Odango style; she was only one of two of the best dancers in PacTokyo, though, for the top honor had always gone to…

"Alexa!"

She turned and smiled when she heard her name being cheered, as she strutted on the catwalk like a queen towards a waitress with an envelope and one hand, and a tray of beer in the other.

"What is it, Telly?" Alexa calmly asked the green-colored waitress, her voice raspy and heavy with a Brooklyn accent.

"It's another letter for you. Must be more fan mail. It must be so nice to have as many fans as you do," Telly admitted with a giddy laugh.

Alexa couldn't help but giggle, too, turning to walk back out to the crowd with a wave of her hand, "Thank you, Telly, but you can just leave it in my dressin' room."

Telly called, "Ok!" before carefully carrying the tray to the dressing rooms in the back, examining the letter for Alexa in great curiosity. She couldn't help but mentally admit that she was really jealous…

But who wouldn't be?

Alexa was usually voted the most beautiful by the male clients in the audience, and for good reason; her short, platinum blonde hair was always so shiny and silky, and it curled ever so perfectly over her adorable cheeks; her sparkling violet eyes that always hypnotized the mind and body; her dark blue eyeliner and lipstick complimented the two silver glitter stars she liked the decorate the left side of her face with, as well as the little beauty spot on her left cheek; when she was dancing, as she was now, all she wore were dark purple high heels with matching butterfly lingerie; and finally, her most noticeable feature, was her lemon skin.

Yes, Alexa was an elusive Yellow One—well, as elusive as germs in this huge city; there was a significant amount of Yellow Ones in PacTokyo, but only those in Japan knew of them, as to protect them from dangerous outside forces, such as ghosts. In fact, it was because of Japan's flawless security that the remaining Yellow Ones were secretly relocated to PacTokyo during Pac World War I.

And when they heard that the other Yellow Ones that stayed behind to fight against Betrayus and his army of ghosts had fallen, they were more certain than ever that it was safer to remain hidden in the orient city.

A middle-aged man flailed around his thick wad of cash—as well as something else, just not as subtly—when Alexa came walking up to his front-row seat at her catwalk. She gladly took the money, running her fingers through it until she was certain she had split it in half.

"I'm ain't greedy, Honey. And this place isn't cheap, so you probably better save what ya can, ya know?" she told him while handing back half of what he gave her, much to his delight.

"If the rest of the world could learn ta give like you, Young Lady, it'd be a much better place," the man complimented.

"Thanks."

"But what do ya say I give next, and then you receive?" The suggestive and even predatory look on the man's face was nothing short of lust, to which Alexa had dealt with countless times.

She simply chuckled while tilting her head and resting it in her hand, which was propped on her other hand, and she shook her head at him slowly, "I may look like a floozy, and I can understand where you'd get that idea, given this place's reputation. But I'm warnin' ya, Sir…"

The pause the occurred shortly after the gleam and snap within her free hand instantly snapped the man, as well as the others sitting around him, into the painful reality that is Alexa, "…I ain't some trophy ta be won. And I sure as hell wouldn't waste one of my nights with a reprobate like you."

Her voice was a low growl, and she waved the pocket knife up and down, further emphasizing its razor sharp presence to the drunkards before her. And once they left to drink away their sorrow and fear, Alexa abandoned her catwalk and retreated to the private part of the club in the back.

More specifically, she was heading for her dressing room, and she sighed heavily with relief to be alone with her scent and captured moments of her favorite memories posted up on the walls. But that wasn't the only thing waiting for her in the pale pink light, as a small yet pudgy mass came sprinting out from under the couch and headed right for her.

"BP, what did I tell you about hiding under the couch? You'll get stuck under there, Girl!" Alexa laughed when her pug jumped into her arms and licked her face. BP, short for Banana Pudding, was a pug that wasn't just as fat and flabby as a bag of pudding, but also as yellow and sweet as the said flavor.

Banana Pudding only gurgled in response, turning over in her owner's arms until she was facing upwards and her paws were sprawled out; she then stretched and yawned before literally falling asleep right in Alexa's arms.

"Oh, come on. Nobody falls asleep that fast," Alexa grumbled sarcastically. But she knew full well that after looking after her best friend in the whole world for nearly two years now, this banana-colored pug really could fall asleep at the drop of a hat, especially when she's being held.

Alexa eventually gave up in trying to shake the dog out of slumber, and adjusted her until she could hold her with one arm while she sat down at her desk. It was littered with make up, pills, and berry dispensers, and a vanity mirror decorated with star stickers and her favorite picture of her and her second best friend, Elli.

Just as Alexa let the thought of everything they've been through together sink in, a knock at the door made itself known, to which she replied, "Come in!"

As if by coincidence, none other than Elli walked in while holding a hand behind her back, but Alexa didn't seem to notice or care.

"Oh, hey, Elli. I was just thinkin' 'bout you," Alexa admitted, turning towards her mirror and pulling out a cotton swab to begin wiping off her eyeliner.

"What aren't you thinking about these days?" Elli chuckled pitifully, as she wore a worried expression that Alexa also failed to catch.

"You already know the answer ta that," Alexa replied matter-of-factly.

"Yeah." Elli's eyes drifted downward when she brought the envelope out from behind her back; it was the same one that Telly tried to give Alexa earlier, but when Elli had stopped by her room a few minutes ago to borrow some makeup, she noticed the letter sitting on her dresser and also assumed it was just more fan mail. But she couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the return address.

"So, who's it from this time? It ain't Aaron again, is it?" Alexa eventually asked with an obvious sneer.

"No, it's not—it's from Pacopolis," Elli reluctantly answered.

Alexa's eyes shot wide open, as memories came flooding back about that place; so many adventures, so many enemies defeated, and so many friends and family members left behind. And they were left there for good reason: She wanted to forget.

Elli eventually broke the awkward silence, "I think you should respond back this time, or at least read it."

"I can't," was Alexa's eloquent response.

"But what if it's important? What if they're in danger?"

"You know that's not possible. In return for the last living Yellow Orb, Japan sent one-forth of their armies and services to Pacopolis for protection. There's no way they're in trouble."

"How could you possibly know?"

"If there really was any danger, we'd hear about it on the news or social media. But I haven't seen anything, and I'll bet you haven't either."

"Well, no, but-."

Alexa whipped around in her chair, and sent a cold glare towards her best friend, "But nothing, Elliptica!"

Even Banana Pudding was rudely awoken from her slumber, and she quivered in her owner's arms at her harsh voice. Elliptica stood silently in defeat, but she never lessened her grip on the letter from Pacopolis.

Alexa soon inhaled and exhaled to cool off, instantly feeling guilty for snapping at the only person who understood her and vice versa, "Even if I wanted to go back, I couldn't. They'd never accept me—Spiral, Cyli, Sir C—they won't even recognize me."

"It's been three years. Things have changed," Elli reassured while bravely approaching Alexa, patting her shoulder reassuringly.

"Some things have changed a little too much," Alexa sighed.

"Well, the only way to find out what they think is if you reach out to them." Elli paused before placing the letter on the desk in front of Alexa, and then turned to leave. "I'm sure they'll understand, Pac."

Alexa flinched at her old name, once again being overwhelmed by the memories of what her friends and family had planned for her. They had such high hopes, and now look at her…

I'm nothing but a lost mutt with identity issues, Alexa thought in sorrow, sniffling as her makeup ran down her face when tears spilled over.

First off, this story is inspired by the song "Wolves" by Selena Gomez, to which I do not own, and I highly suggest listening to it because it's very pretty. I don't own Paceman and the Ghostly Adventures either, for it belongs to Namco. Please, support the official release.

And second, yeah, I have a bit of a theory that Mrs. Pacman is just Pacman if he were a transgender(that, and I watched the Drawn Together episode Gay Bash).

Until the next chapter, I'm TRikiD, bye-bye!