Hey guys, I'm back! Someone had suggested I cover a few things about Cyborg Noodle, so here it is! I hope this explains a little bit.
And just to clarify, this story won't contain any pairings.
Cyborg Noodle made her way casually through the grungy nooks and crannies of the plastic beach mansion, there was a briny scent all about the island, yet mixed in was another, far more offensive smell that was even able to permeate the thick walls of the mansion. Her small nose wrinkled as she entered a room well the smell was particularly strong. She had been so bored in the recent weeks. She was never around when tourists visited, and Murdoc spent his time pacing around his messy secret lair and waiting for some business that had to do with the book sitting on a pedestal down there.
She thought about her life; she'd been 'alive' for over a year now, but there wasn't much celebration. 2D managed to mumble an awkward 'happy birthday' one day. Murdoc had told him that it was her birthday and that he had installed a feature that gave her a bit more freedom of thought and speech.
'She's a big girl, afteh all. She might as well be able t' do something for herself when she ain't bringing me rum.' Murdoc's muffled voice said from behind the door.
Cyborg Noodle was well aware that she was eavesdropping, but somehow couldn't tear herself away. She stood close to the door leading to the studio, but remained concealed in the shadows cast by the cylindrical lift.
'I don' fink it's a good idea…' 2D protested. 'She might get angry and try to kill yew or someone else. She's dangerous an' she's awful good wif them guns.'
'Eh, she'll be fine, 2D.' Murdoc said. "Just tell her 'appy birthday or something. She'll need more attention than usual anyways.'
'Yew said she needed more attenshun 'ow she wos before.'
'Mechanical attention, yeah, but now she's more of a… real girl. She can fix herself, but she's probably gonna want teh learn stuff and smoke pot and have 'er period er whatever it is young girls like.'
Cyborg Noodle rolled her eyes, and then it hit her. She had expressed something human through her desire to eavesdrop, something a real girl would do. Murdoc wasn't spot on, but he was right, she did want to do things and learn, and she actually felt things.
'You ought to be careful 2D, she'll probably be trying to jump down your tight little pants, ya ponce.' Came Murdoc's rough voice.
'No!' 2D yelled.
Murdoc chuckled.
'Jest go to your room 2D, it's getting late.'
2D rose and exited the studio silently, and nearly jumped as he passed the Cyborg.
'Eh, um, 'appy birfday!' He mumbled quickly.
As 2D disappeared into the lift, Cyborg Noodle was left to ponder what she'd heard.
It was the first time she remembered 2D speaking to her, and still one of the few times he had. The useless mechanic was always too 'busy' for anything in the midst of banging away at perfectly functional wiring and piping. Murdoc had even told her to fire him and he seemed to not pay any attention. She'd pondered killing Dave a few times; it wouldn't be a loss of anyone important, anyways. Plus, his banging was constant and loud, and she'd come out of charging mode every few days to the unpleasant cacophony, then, dazed, try to focus on removing all the multicolored wires without tangling them while trying to shut out the banging. Then, she'd exit quickly to escape to noise and figure out what to do with herself for the next few days, a task more unpleasant than returning to her charging station. There was never anything to do.
A few days before, she'd decided to try to learn more about the people around her. She didn't care one way or another, but being able to relate to them, or at least pretend she could, made her feel... real. She wanted it if only for the validation of her existence. Everyone wanted that, right?
She managed to get Dave to talk to her the other day, and picked up that he had murdered his wife or some shady business, he cared a great deal about tea, but otherwise, his only passion was getting money out of people underhandedly. She'd talked to 2D about the accident, something she was truly interested in, and learned a great deal about his past, but she couldn't glean anything else from him. She checked her stored files on him to see if she had picked up anything else, but there was little to be seen, she tended to disregard whatever Murdoc said about him, which usually consisted of babble about how stupid he was.
Why did Murdoc hate 2D so much? One wouldn't hurt a person he or she cared about. Or.. would they? Murdoc did seem to like keeping 2D close enough to shout at, and they'd been working together for over ten years. Perhaps this was a matter that needed discussing. She stopped her brisk stroll and turned quickly on her heel, the movement creating a squeaking noise against the smooth floor. She stalked to the lift, finding comfort in the familiar messily tagged doors and interior of it. She tapped her metal-tipped boot against the ground, creating a dull clanking that filled the small space.
When she made it to the study, she looked feverishly for Murdoc but didn't find him. She called his name once, and was answered by a distant call coming from near the bookshelf. She paced over to it
"Murdoc?"
"Thank satan yeh came, love." He called, his voice a bit thick, probably from too much drink. "That stupid mechanic must've jazzed up the power to the bookcase again. I need yeh to go fix it."
"Of course." Cyborg Noodle replied.
She hurried to the lift and began the descent to the engine room. When she reached it, it was back to the typical banging and the mess of wires.
"Dave." She called.
No reply.
"Dave." She tried again.
Still nothing.
She pulled out a gun and shot past the mechanic. The bullet buried itself into the far wall. The small man jumped, squealing in a way that wasn't far off from an out of tune violin. His bushy eyebrows furrowed as he glared at her.
"What!" He snarled, frightened and angry at once.
"The bookcase is shut off." She deadpanned.
"Well there's no room for the plugs anymore, 2D came and took his multiplug back. It was either the bookcase or all the lights!"
She growled at the inconvenience and turned back to the lift. What did 2D even need the damn plug for? There were plenty of outlets in there already.
She reached the lowest level and made her way to his room in a less than optimal mood. She opened the door to his room quickly, to see 2D sitting on his bed in only his underwear.
"Wot te hell! I's called knocking!" He said, covering himself instinctively with his hands.
2D had never felt more violated in his life until he 'moved' to Plastic Beach. It was like this all the time what with Murdoc and the Cyborg barging in at all hours, and then the whale, swimming so close sometimes that he could swear he could feel its giant heartbeat. He tried to turn his thoughts from the big fish as he looked up at the cyborg's face, and observed her stone expression.
"Eh.. Did yew need sumfink?" He asked carefully.
"Do you have the multiplug?"
"Um, yeh, Dave said I coul' 'ave it back."
"I need it." Cyborg Noodle said.
2D knew there wouldn't be much of a point in resisting, and he didn't feel up to it. He dug around for the multiplug and unplugged a few various chargers and plugs. Afterwards, he handed the bulky piece of equipment to her
"Here. Just give it back t' me when yew're done." He said.
Cyborg Noodle took the plug and began to exit the room.
"I's te one good fing I 'ave around 'ere…" He mumbled quietly as she left.
She thought about his last words as she returned to Dave, and finally managed to get the power on for the bookshelf. 2D didn't want to be there, and she'd known that, but only recently had she really recognized the isolation he must have been facing. She went through the usual motions, not thinking about what she was doing until she reached the bottom of the stairwell leading to Murdoc's secret room. She would never understand why he kept going down there when he knew there was a chance of being locked in for days or weeks.
"Ah, there yeh are." Murdoc slurred, arms outstretched. "I wos beginning to think that.. yeh'd left me 'ere."
"No." She answered shortly. "But I did come to talk to you."
"Sure, sure, anything, but let's talk in the study shall we? I've 'ad about enough of this stupid secret room."
As the pair neared the top of the grueling staircase, Murdoc looked over his shoulder at the army-style clad young woman. She was beginning to develop a personality; she was trying to socialize herself. Just like a certain little ten-year-old girl that arrived on the doorstep of Kong Studios nearly a decade ago. He ginned half-heartedly at the irony. He never thought he'd have to raise another child. Hopefully she didn't plan to ask him about sex or boys, satan forbid it, that was hard enough the first time when Noodle began to come of age. He felt his Cuban heel click against the floor of the study. He leaned against the desk and looked at his creation, her face stoic as it always was.
"So how 'bout it? What d'yeh need, luv?" He said, straining to sound less buzzed than he really was.
"Why do you treat 2D like you do?" She asked, for once genuinely curious about something. "Did he do something bad to you? Do you hate him?"
Murdoc had to inwardly sigh in relief.
"No no, girl, it's none o' that. I don't love him, yeh know, but I guess I don' exactly hate him. He's just a li'l slow, takes a bit more for him to get the message, yeah?"
"Okay." She trailed off.
"Is that all?" Murdoc asked.
"Yes. That is all. Do you need me to get anything for you?"
"No, thanks. Off with yeh, then." Murdoc said, not harshly, but with a touch of affection.
She nodded and went off to tend to her own business.
Murdoc's answer was a mystery to Cyborg Noodle, it seemed ridiculous in fact, but he didn't have a problem with hitting 2D, and 2D seemed upset about it at times, but got over it easily. Maybe the violence was just... Acceptable.
Shivers traveled down the length of 2D's spine. The underwater floors were always cold, but the chill grew much more menacing as night began to come on. He curled up on his bed, facing away from the small window, determined not to look at the horrid whale, determined not to think about the shallow barrier that separated him from the scariest thing he had ever seen.
He reached over the edge of the bed and pulled a cigarette and lighter up in one quick motion. He lit the cigarette feverishly. The smoke filled his lungs in calm, rhythmic strokes. He didn't need painkillers today, thankfully, but hearing the water rushing in currents as the whale passed outside his window made him wish he had. He wanted to sleep it all away, wake up back in his flat, wake up to the smiling faces of his friends Russel and Noodle.
"I's not fair.." 2D mumbled, anger starting to fill him. "I's not fair!"
He stood up and stormed out of the room, trying very hard to ignore the moaning of the whale behind him. The overwhelming majority of his brain told him it wouldn't work, but at that moment he just didn't care. There wasn't much to lose, anyhow.
So, Cyborg Noodle learns a frightening and not entirely correct lesson from Murdoc, and where is 2D headed?
I tried to make her seem a bit like a child with adult mannerisms. Since she's recently gained higher self-awareness, she technically doesn't know right from wrong, a bit like a young child. I do think she'd know how to mind her manners though, which is why she's still written as having sophisticated thought and communication processes. So we shall see what types of lessons she learns. Mweheheheh…
This chapter was a departure from 2D, I know, but I shall return to him soon!
If you wish to leave reviews, alerts, faves, etc. it's always appreciated! Reminds me that I have a story to write.