It took a few weeks for things to settle down again in Kong. Russel had finally stopped grumbling at 2D about his stuff every time he either passed, or saw the young man. For 2D to stop flinching like he'd been punched in the arm every time Russel entered the room. Murdoc had even stopped smiling about how it had all worked out for him in the end. Noodle, well she was far too busy being Noodle to of even noticed there was a problem with any of her fellow band members in the first place. Murdoc makes his way to the guitar room, to try out a new piece of music he'd been writing recently. He takes his old battered note book and places it down on the stand in front of him, then picks up one of his numerous Bass guitars from the corner of the room and sits down. Turning the pages in his book to the piece of music, he stops for a moment at the plan he'd made to get Russel and 2D back for disrespecting him. He scans over it and chuckles quietly to himself, before turning the pages again to the one he'd originally been looking for, and starts playing. Noodle is quietly making her way down the hall from her bedroom with her favourite Tamagotchi, when she almost bumps into 2D coming the other way.
"Oh hi Noo. Have you seen Muds? Some guy rang this mornin' for him and I fergot ta tell him about it." The young man says, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck. Noodle shakes her head and silently continues down the hall, pressing a few buttons on her electronic pet as she presses the button for the elevator with her elbow. 2D sighs heavily and follows after her, standing next to the young girl and watching her feeding the small creature on the screen.
"Is that a new one?" He asks, taking a hand from the pocket of his jeans and pointing at the device in the girls hand. Noodle looks up at him and smiles faintly.
"Hai. And before you ask, I wish to take care of this one myself. Okie?" She replies. 2Ds smile flinches a little and he slowly slides his hand back into his pocket again. The elevator arrives and they both walk inside, 2D taking a position at the very back as Noodle presses the button for the lobby. She looks back at him briefly and can see the dejected expression on his face, but is a little too busy with her pet to worry about asking him what the problem is. So she faces the front of the car again and ignores him. The elevator arrives at it's destination and Noodle steps out, walking to the front desk to see if she'd gotten any mail. She fails to notice that 2D hasn't moved from his place against the back wall of the elevator and that he doesn't seem to care when the doors close again taking him back up to the first floor.
Murdoc puts his guitar back in place in the guitar room and, forgetting his note book, walks out of the room on his way to the kitchen for a bottle of Vodka he'd noticed the other day. Seeing Noodle leaning up against the desk in the lobby with her Tamagotchi, he grins and decides to have a little fun with her.
"Hmm, that's one of those stupid Tamooo'goti, things. Isn't it?" He grins as he reaches out a clawed hand and snatches it from her. Noodle yelps and reaches up her hands, trying to take her electronic pet back from him.
"Murdooooc! I was doing something. Give it back." She wails, jumping up as he holds it out of her reach. He waves at her with his other hand, turning his body away and finally safe from her grip, looks at the small creature on the screen.
"I will. I just want to look. Okayyyy?" He grins. Noodle stops struggling with him and folds her arms angrily over her chest, hoping he won't do anything to her pet. "What does this button do?" He suddenly says and presses it. Noodle leaps forwards trying to see what he'd pressed, but Murdoc eases her back again with his hand on her shoulder.
"What did you do? I want to see." She says with panic in her voice. Murdoc turns back tossing the pet back at her shrugging.
"I have no idea. It made some stupid noise, blinked a bit and the blob on the screen grew wings. Dumb game if you ask me?" He replies and walks to the elevator. Noodle stares at the screen in shock for a moment, her body stiff with anger. The elevator arrives and Murdoc quickly steps inside, pressing the button.
"You horrible man! You killed it!" Noodle screams and leaps forwards, kicking the doors as they close while Murdoc waves at her through the gap with a cheeky grin on his face.
"Ohhh, so that's what that button was for." He chuckles, smiling to himself as he rides up to the first floor. When it arrives he steps out and turns to the kitchen door, pressing it open and marching inside. For a moment he doesn't see 2D sitting at the table, as he's much more interested in the bottle of Vodka he'd seen by the sink. It's only when he fails to see the bottle that he finally looks around the room. "Now where...?" He looks at 2D and sees the young man has the Vodka and a glass in front of him, and that the Keyboardist has already drunk more than half of the bottles contents.
"Muds." 2D says dryly, with hardly any effort at emotion. Murdoc slits his eyes and glares at the young man, watching as 2D pours himself another drink. He's just about to snarl at him, when he sees the Keyboardist slug back the straight Vodka and instantly pour another. Murdoc baulks and wonders what might of happened as he'd never seen 2D drink like that before. Sure he'd seen him drink, but not so dispassionately. He shrugs and sits down, leaning back in the chair and watching him for a moment.
"You gunna share that? Or do I have to hit you a few times first?" He chuckles, trying to get the young man to look up from the table at him. 2D blindly reaches back to the sink for a glass and finding one, practically throws it onto the table in front of him, slopping in some Vodka and sliding it down to the old man in one go. Murdoc catches the drink a little stunned, and eyes him curiously. "Okay. I give up. Wwwwwhat's the problem D?" He drawls. But the young man doesn't answer, he just sighs and shrugs lazily at him and slugs back another drink. Murdoc reaches out and takes the bottle away, determined to have the rest for himself. This makes the Keyboardist finally look up at him, and Murdoc tries to not act surprised.
"Everybody hates me Muds. And I didn' even do nufink." 2D almost wails. Murdoc slowly puts the top back on the Vodka not really all that impressed by the young mans outburst. But realizing that he had to keep 2D happy, he decides to give a little and pulls up some fake emotions.
"Now that's not true. What about all them little fan girls of yers hey? They think yer wonderful." He smiles, doing his best not to cringe at the thought. 2D looks up from the table at him and slides down in his chair a little.
"Not talkin' bout them." He pouts, slumping down and looking really small. "I'm talkin' bout Russel bashin' me for his tools getting' wreaked. And his Softy album getting smashed. I didn' do that Muds, honest. Least I don' fink I did? I'm sure I didn'!" He yells, sitting forwards again and looking straight into Murdocs face. The old man holds his hands up and waves him down again.
"Shhhhhh, yes 2D. Shhhhh, quiet now. I know, I know. It's all confusing and hard. Trust me, I hear you." The old man replies in a gentle tone, he reaches out a clawed hand and pats 2Ds arm. "Sometimes things happen around here and noooooo one know why. But so what if RRRRRussel want to be a baby about his stuff. That's not everybody...." 2D sighs and sits back away from him, folding his arms over his chest.
"Noodle wouldn' even lemme look at her Tamagotchi jus' before." He moans and turns his face away. Murdoc smacks his lips and rolls his eyes at the back of 2Ds head.
"Yeah, that Tamo whatsit thing. So what. It's just a stupid piece of plastic crap D. Why are you letting a dumb kiddies game make you feel bad, huh?" He growls. 2D turns back and looks hard at him, making Murdoc wonder if he'd said that a little too harshly. So he softens his voice again and smiles. "I mean, really D. You have so many more important things to think about really... Eer? Doncha?" 2D looks down at the top of the table and thinks for a moment. Murdoc sits back watching hoping the next question out of 2Ds mouth wasn't...
"Like wot Muds?" 'Oh crap.' The old man thinks trying to hold a smile. He thinks quickly trying not to look like he's trying too hard and sits forwards, resting his elbows on the table.
"Weeeeell. Um? Your singing.... A,a,a,and your ability to play a mean Keyboard. Gotta admit that given yer not able to see too well, you can still hammer out a great tune. Eh? Not that many can say that. Well that Stevie Wonder guy maybe? But who gives a crap about him, when they have you?" Murdoc grins. 2D slowly starts to nod and smile again, sitting forwards at the table.
"Oh yeah. I can do that Muds. Real good to." He says excitedly. Murdoc nods back still smiling and waits to see if finally he'd snapped the young man out of it. "And I know lots about zombies and that to." 2D continues now grinning and looking more like his old self.
"Yeah, yeah. Can't ferget about those (cough) zombies." Murdoc feels his smile slipping, but luckily 2D is far too happy to of noticed now. The old man slowly slides out from the chair and walks around to where 2D is sitting. "Soooo, yer much happier now then? No more grumpy 2D? Eh?" He says, patting the young man on the back and pressing him to stand up out of the chair. 2D stands and turns to face Murdoc.
"Oh yeah. I feel real good now Muds. Thanks." The Keyboardist says, and before Murdoc can react he throws his arms around him, giving the old man a tight hug. Murdoc stares wide eyed for a moment, not really sure how to react to this show of affection without upsetting him again.
"Ah? Heh, heh? Yeah, great. Could ya, ahem, leggo now?" He asks as gently as he can. 2D does and happily walks from the room. "Thanks Muds." He calls as the door closes behind him. "Riiiiight. Mmmm? That was a really gratuitous display of joy, if ever I saw one. Blargh. But whatever keeps you happy 2D... Whatever." Murdoc walks back to his chair and sits down, grabbing the Vodka bottle and spinning off the top. Suddenly Noodle walks into the room with a devious smile playing on her lips.
"Oh Murdoooc. I was in the guitar room just now and guess what I fooounnnd?" She half sings, smiling at him and rocking back and forth while obviously hiding something behind her back. The old man rolls his eyes, not really wanting to play games any more.
"Oh I don't care. Just tell me." He waves her off, and swigs from the bottle. Noodle smiles and steps forwards.
"This." She says and quickly holds up his note book for him to see. Murdoc almost chokes on the Vodka, snatching the bottle from his mouth and falling forwards, begins coughing and spluttering loudly. "It is very interesting." She continues, opening it and flicking through the pages. Murdoc wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, growling softly.
"Gimme that!" He snaps, leaping forwards and snatching the book out of her hand. Noodle smiles, not really seeming to care if he'd taken it or not. This makes Murdoc curious, and he flips the pages himself, checking. Sure enough, the page with his "Plan for getting back at Russel and 2D" was gone. Noodle holds up the neatly folded page. Murdoc steps across to take it, but she steps away, snatching her hand behind her and out of reach.
"It not really matter if you do take it Murdoc. I have already read it. I have a feeling that if I was to say something to Russel. He would find what I have to say, much more believable than anything you might come back with." She grins, walking around the table and placing the piece of paper down in front of her. The old man knows she's absolutely right and gruffly folds his arms over his chest.
"Fine, ya little... (grumble). Whaddya want?" He snarls, looking away from her and out the window. Noodle smiles and picks up the piece of paper again, slowly making her way over to him.
"First, I want an apology from you, for killing my Tamogotchi." She says, stopping just in front of him and holding out the piece of paper, Murdoc goes to take it, but she snatches it back and waits.
"I'm sorry I killed yer stupid Tamo thing. Now gimme!" He snaps, reaching once again for the paper. But Noodle walks away again.
"I have not finished, and thank you for apologizing. Secondly, given you killed it. I want you to take care of my new one till it has reached the stage my other one was, before you killed it." She grins, turning and waving the page at him. Murdoc grimaces and hesitates for a moment, not really liking the second part of the deal. "Fine. If that is what you wish, I'll just have to go and find Russel." She adds, turning and beginning to step away to the door.
"No! That's fine." Murdoc snaps, stepping forwards and snatching the page from her hand. "I'll.... take care of the stupid thing." Noodle turns her head back to look at him, as he begins tearing up the page and popping it into his mouth.
"Good. And I suggest perhaps next time, you do not leave such things where people can find them." She grins, as he swigs back some Vodka to wash the plan down with. Murdoc swallows and shoot her an angry look.
"You really think ya have one over me, doncha?" He snarls. Noodle smiles and steps over to the door, opening it and stopping just before she steps through.
"I got you to take care of my toy pet.... Didn't I?" She grins. And with that, steps through the door closing it behind her.