thank you all for the wonderful reviews, it really means a lot :D

(authors note: the japanese word "tsukareta" means "I'm exhausted" and "yada" means "Nooo!") Enjoy :D

Noodle fell back on 2D's bed as a sudden wave of exhaustion came over her. "Noodle! You awright?" asked 2D worriedly. "Tsukareta…I'm tired, that is all. It has been a long trip," said Noodle with a weak smile, showing him the whip-like jellyfish stings on her arms.

2D winced and began to message his forehead in anxiety. "Awright," said 2D standing up, "First fings first. First, we got'a take care ov these wounds you got, then we get you sumfin' clean to wear…no first maybe you should get sumfink to eat then-" Suddenly 2D's face turned pale and his black eyes seemed to sink into his face.

"2D? 2D, what is the matter?" asked Noodle, sitting up. 2D slowly raised a trembling finger to the wall behind Noodle.

Noodle's head whirled around and found herself literally eye-to-eye with an enormous eyeball, peering through the underwater window. Noodle shrieked and scampered backwards of the bed, falling to the floor on her bottom.

"It's him…" 2D croaked, "The whale…" The massive animal's deep, haunting cry shook the walls of the room. "Gwaaaaaaaaah!" 2D yelled in terror. After her initial shock, Noodle leapt to her feet, shut the curtains, and sat back down.

"Oh, he's gone," grinned 2D serenely, suddenly as calm as ever. "That sod Murdoc paid that whale off to wotch me so I don't escape or nuffin." "Yes, Russel said you told him that in your message in a bottle," said Noodle. "Message in a booooot'le…" sang 2D absentmindedly. "Wait, did you say you talked wiv Russel?" Then 2D remembered the giant that towered over him on the patio.

"That was Russel wasn't it…" he said slowly, "But how did he get so massive? Murdoc told me he was a whale person but-" "Russel consumed some polluted material on the way here," said Noodle, cutting 2D's whale-people fantasy short, "But he's still the same Russel inside. We should go tell him that we're both alright." Noodle began to pull herself to a stand, but her thin legs gave out.

2D kneeled down on the floor to talk to Noodle on her level. "Russel can wait love, we need to get you all fixed up first," said 2D soothingly, "I'll carry ya upstairs, I don't wontcha gettin all wobbly again." Noodle blushed and nodded her head, and 2D hoisted her on his back.

"Wheeew, you're a lot heavier than in the Rockit video, eh?" said 2D, adjusting Noodle's weight on his back. Noodle giggled. "Well usually people don't give young adults piggyback rides." "Don't be a smartarse Noods, or I might drop ya!" "You would never do such a thing!," Noodle teased.

2D began carrying Noodle to the elevator. "I'm walking to the lift fing," sang 2D to the tune of Rockit, "Bla bla bla bla bla bla bla………NOODLECOLLAPSE!" He dropped his arms as if he were about to drop Noodle, but quickly hoisted her up again. "Yada!" squealed Noodle, and they both started to crack up. The two almost collapsed for real from their laughter.

Meanwhile behind the bookshelf…

Murdoc heard the "ding" of the elevator door opening, and immediately started to yell for help again. "Is someone there? Noodle? Faceache?" No reply. "Cat got your tongue, Noodle? Maybe you should take that mask off…har har…" said Murdoc, laughing at his own joke. He could have sworn he heard a giggle, but maybe the past 45 minutes behind the bookshelf and the morning's rum were playing tricks on his mind.

Murdoc gave one last cry of "HELP!" and slumped back down against the side of the bookshelf. "Trapped by my own sodding building…" he muttered under his breath, "It's like being back in the Feel Good Inc. tower, except without all the debauchery…mmmmm…."

Just before Murdoc's mind begain to wander to women and booze, he heard a door shut. "HELLO?" Again, no answer. He swore and shook his head of heavy black hair violently. He felt like he was going mad, even more tham usual. It seemed like the whole world was after him for unpaid debt in some form or another, and his anxiety was building.

To distract himself, he began to rummage through a pile of books that had fallen behind the shelf. "Treasure Island.......Moby Dick.........har har......G-Album?" He didn't even bother trying to remove the thick coat of dust on the cover before he opened the book.

The first page contained a Polaroid picture of him standing outside of Kong Studios, looking smug like a king next to his castle. "Who is this sexy fellow here?" Murdoc guffawed, "Mmm…good times at Kong…good times." He coughed. "But insurance money can't pay itself, eh? NEXT." He turned the page, and though he would never admit it, his small heart sank when he saw the picture.

It was Noodle at age ten, fresh from the FedEx crate and donning her initial samurai-style haircut. She was standing next to her new room with a toothy smile and holding her Les Paul guitar.

"Terrible haircut you got there, little love," said Murdoc softly as he turned to the next page.

Meanwhile in the engine room……

"D'you think we should've let Murdoc out?" asked 2D jokingly. Noodle smiled. "I think he deserved a little time-out."