The Photo Shoot.
Murdoc has organised for a series of test shots to be taken, for the cover of the Demon Days album. He's woke early and for the sixth time, at breakfast, explained to a rather confused 2D, that it's only a test to work out the best positions, and not to bother wearing anything too flash. Breakfast over, the band makes it's way down to the set, with Murdoc leading the way.
"Where are we goin again?" 2D asks, scratching his head and yawning. Murdoc slaps his hand to his forehead and drags it slowly down his face. He grits his teeth and turns on the blue haired young man, grabbing him sharply by his shirt and yanking him forwards, their foreheads colliding with a dull thump.
"Look! I've run out of cigarettes. So I haven't had one yet. And YOU! Are gettin' on my nerves. If I have to explain it to you, one more time. Then fine! But understand, that it will be rapidly followed, with me insertin' Russel in yer arsehole. HEAD FIRST! Got it?" the bassist snarls and finally lets him go. Russel looks up, raising an eyebrow.
"'Scuse me? You're goin' tah insert me where?" he furrows his brow angrily at the two men, before taking Noodles tiny hand in his, and walking by them grumbling to himself. 2D steps back from Murdoc, who is still angrily grinding his teeth.
"No, no, no! It's ok." he squeaks, holding his hands out in defence. Murdoc waves him off and follows Russel. Noodle, who is dragging her heels a little, yawns and looks up at the large American.
"Can we ahhh, not do this later?" she asks, rubbing her eyes sleepily. Russel reaches down and picks up the girl, resting her head on his large chest. 2D catches up and walks quickly behind them, passing Murdoc and almost catching up to Russel. Murdoc mumbling inaudibly about not having any cigarettes, swipes angrily at his head, making the young man duck out of the way and leaping almost into Russel's arms. The drummer growls and pushes him back and into Murdoc, who shoves him forwards and ahead of the group. 2D scrambles, almost on all fours, and moves further ahead and away from them. Covering the back of his head.
"Ahh! I'm sorry." he yelps, trying to stay out of reach. He runs into the studio and stops suddenly, dropping his hands to his sides. "Wow." the young man gasps, slowly walking on to the set.
The room is large, and for the most part, dark. Large halogen lights are aimed at scaffolding, that forms a stairway leading up to four windows. The front is white, and each window is bordered in black. Underneath, written in bold letters, are the words "Demon Days." 2D walks around the set slowly, before stopping directly in front of it. He squints towards the camera, but because of the lights, can't really see anything, apart from a bight white blur. He blinks hard and covers his eyes, as the light feels as though it's burrowing into his skull. He shakes his head sharply and walks around the light back into the darkness, blinking hard. Grumbling to himself that he's blind, and now can't see anything through the rainbow colors and tiny flashes of light, now infused in his vision. It clears a little in time for him to see Murdoc approach, and he points up at the set.
"Is that it Muds?" he smiles, still trying to shake his vision clear. Murdoc stops walking and rolls his eyes at the young man's question.
"Nooooo. That's the set for the new Dr Who. What do YOU think?" he snaps sarcastically, folding his arms over his chest, and leaning all his weight on one hip. 2D stops smiling and looks back at the set.
"Yeah? Wow. Do ya think I can get his autograph?" he inquires, looking about for the man. Murdoc finally snaps. His anger boils over like a volcano, and he leaps bodily at the unaware keyboardist. But his attack is rapidly caught short, by Russel's large hand, grabbing the back of his trousers and lifting him from the ground. Murdoc hangs there limply for a brief moment, a little shocked by the sudden stop in momentum. He looks around for a moment, calculating his next move, before struggling and flailing about. Determined not to let Russel stop him, he stretches out his arms, reaching and swiping just inches from 2D's neck. Russel, still holding a sleeping Noodle in his other arm, shakes his head at the flailing old man.
"Let it go Murdoc. It won' make any diff'rence." he sighs, watching Murdoc still fighting to be set free. Murdoc kicks out at the air and takes another swipe at the still unaware 2D, who is still looking for "The Doctor."
"Yes it will. Yes it will. It'll make me feel a whooooole lot better." the bassist drawls. Just then 2D looks back at them both with a smile, finally catching sight of Murdoc reaching for his throat. He stops smiling and winces painfully at the sight of Murdoc's sharp talons, slicing the air just inches from his face. He pulls away from him, not quite sure what he'd done to make the old man angry.
"Wot? Wot did I do?" he whimpers confused. Murdoc stops struggling and rolls his eyes, letting himself finally drop and hang there loosely in Russel's grip, like a rag doll.
"Arrggh! Why me?" he moans, then slowly lifting his head, starts massaging his temples, swearing under his breath. Russel looks down at him and seeing the fight seemed to of left the old man, finally sets him down on his feet again. Murdoc looks back at the large man with an angry sneer, before, shaking his legs and readjusting his trousers as he walks away.
The photographer signals he is ready, and the band members climb the steps at the back of the set. Once in position, Murdoc gives the signal and the photographer starts snapping away. 2D unfortunately, is still distracted by the idea that the Doctor might be around somewhere, and keeps looking everywhere, but where he's suppose to. The photographer tries to explain to him that he needed to pay attention to the directions he was given, but 2D doesn't really seem to be taking it in.
"What if I was to try a stuffed monkey? It works with kids?" the photographer asks Murdoc, who is leaning heavily on the window frame, holding his chin up with one hand and picking at the paintwork with the other.
"Give ME! The monkey. I know what I'd like to do with it." he mutters and looks out the window and down, towards 2D in the window below him. 2D leans his head out and looks straight up into Murdoc's angry face. Seeing the evil glint in the old man's eye, he pulls his head back in slowly. Not really liking the thoughts of what might of prompted it. Murdoc eventually begins screaming at 2D, that "this guy" is costing him a lot of money. And if he doesn't pull himself together, and let them get a few good shots out of it, he's going to come down there and kill him. 2D apologises and sighs, looking down at his feet and ruining another shot. Seeing the flash, he looks back up again quickly.
"Sorry. Sorry. I didn't know...?" he starts to say. Murdoc lets out a screech and stomps on the floor above 2D's head. The young man quickly drops to the floor and yelps. Covering his head with his hands. "Sooorry!" he whimpers, lying curled up in a tiny ball on the floor, trembling.
"I want this done! Stop messin' about!" Murdoc screeches, the veins in his neck popping out as if ready to break through his skin. The camera flashes, dazzling the bassist for a moment. Murdoc turns sharply towards the camera man and snarls at him. "Oi you!" he snaps, points angrily in the photographers direction. The photographer shrugs and gets ready for the next shot. Overwhelmed, 2D sits up and shakily lights his last cigarette. He nervously puffs at it and tries to calm down. Murdoc, still grinding his teeth and balling his hands into tight fists, suddenly stops and sniffs the air. Recognising the smell instantly, he looks out his window and down, seeing a faint trail of smoke waft from 2D's panel.
"Hey? You have cigarettes. Gimme one. NOW!" he demands, leaning out and reaching down towards the top of 2D's window. 2D, who had stood up and was leaning against the sill, sees the old man's hand reaching for him, and pulls away.
"No I can't. It's my last one." he snaps, turning his body to protect his precious cigarette. Murdoc pulls his hand back a little and fumes.
"Well... Gimme that one then!" he snaps back and swipes vainly at the window below him. But this just makes 2D pull further away.
"No." he replies and continues puffing away at it furiously, trying to finish it as quickly as possible. Murdoc pulls himself back into his window and looks around the small box grumbling, trying to work out what to do next. He looks down at the floor and is instantly struck by an idea. He smiles evilly, and begins stomping on the floor again. Eventually, the bassist makes a small hole and drops down to his knees, pulling at the broken board, and trying to make it big enough to shove his arm through. 2D yelps as the board above him disappears and smokes quicker. Murdoc tosses the broken board out of his window, towards the camera. Not really interested in the shoot any more, as getting that cigarette away from 2D, had suddenly become the priority. And Now that he'd made a larger hole, he felt this should happen in no time. He reaches down through the hole to the keyboardist below, and vainly starts swiping around in the hopes of catching him off guard. In the meantime, Russel's anger has been steadily building.
"Will dah both of you cut it out!" he bellows, his nostrils flaring, snorting like an angry bull. The camera man stands quietly by watching the band members antics. Not quite sure if he should be taking photos of this, or not. Noodle seemed to of gotten the right idea, and looks as though she has given up and fallen asleep. 2D finally finishing the cigarette, tosses the butt out the window.
"I've finished it Murdoc. You can stop trying to kill me now." he smiles. But this just makes Murdoc angrier.
"Nooooooo! That just makes me wanna kill you more." he hisses. Suddenly the wall beside Murdoc explodes, showering the old man in plaster and small splinters of wood. A huge hole appears and Russel sticks his head through it growling at the surprised bassist.
"I'm goin'a say it one last time." he growls in a deep calm voice. Murdoc calms himself and raises an unseen eyebrow at the large bald head, that has popped in beside him. "CUT IT OUUUUUUUT!!!" Russel roars suddenly. The wind from his shout bodily hits the bassist, slamming him against the opposite wall of his box, he slides down it and falls in a heap on the floor. Russel looks at the Bassist quietly, puffing and panting angrily. And hoping that finally the old man had got the picture. Murdoc slowly gets to his feet and brushes himself down, stepping back to the window as if he had. He turns his head slightly to look at the furious Drummer, his eyes slit.
"Yer breath don't half smell you know." he replies and turning back to the front, smiles at the camera. Russel rolls his vacant eyes and pulls his head from the hole. Finally, although Noodle is asleep in every shot, they get enough good ones to call it a day. Walking from the set, Murdoc turns to the band and smiles.
"Overall. I think that went rather well." he grins. 2D slowly makes his way past the old man, nursing a brand new black eye.
"Ahhh, yeah? I guess so." he replies and pokes at the growing bruise. Russel, cradling the still sleeping Noodle, stops in his tracks and stares at them both walking away.
"Yo ass gotta be jokin'! Right?" he remarks almost to himself, and shaking his head, follows them off both from the set.
"Now tomorrow will be the real deal. So I hope you both have summink nice to wear. Hopefully little miss Tsunami, will be kind enough to join us by then?" Murdoc snarls, opening the door and making his way through it. 2D follows closely on his heels with a nod.
"Oh yeah, I fought 'bout it for ages. Should be good." he grins. Russel stops dead in his tracks and watches the door slowly closing, stunned by the idea that he'd have to go through this whole thing again.
"Oh man! Why do I jus' know dem two Crackers goin'a make this t'ing an impossible dream?" he laments, bowing his head low and slowly plodding after them.