(Author's Notes)
Hello everybody! I'm happy to say that this is my second Gorillaz facfiction! Before I start, I wanted to share my inspiration for this story. I've been watching walkthroughs and clips of a new video game that just came out, Mass Effect 3. There was a scene between Shepard and Liara that really struck a chord in me and I figured that if I tweaked it a little bit, I could make it work for someone like Noodle.
Also, this takes place on Plastic beach after Noodle's return. Let's say that the setting is in the 'living room' next to the recording studio. Now that that's out of my system, let's get started.
(Story)
"10 years! 10 YEARS OF GORILLAZ!" Murdoc bellowed out, his rum coated, punch drunken voice filling in the living room before gulping down a shot.
"Yeah man! Not sure how da hell we made it this far though, ya dig?" Russel heartily agreed as he raised his beer bottle. 2D chuckled in agreement with Russel as he nervously glanced over at Murdoc, wondering how on Earth he managed to survive Murdoc's wrath. 2D then glanced back down at his own drink of the night, a Coke. Everybody remembered how angry Murdoc could get when he was drunk. He could beat the living daylights out of you…if he could catch you first. 2D wanted to be sober and alert it he had to make an escape from the drunken bassist.
Besides, he had another reason to be sober tonight. Noodle was back, and he wanted to remember this night; their first celebration together as a band. Not only that, the Cyborg was a nice addition to the team too. In fact, Noodle was sitting in the theatre chairs, helping Cyborg tweak some bolts and parts in her arm. It'd been hard for the Cyborg to function properly with all the dust, grime, and garbage from Plastic Beach getting into her system, and she wasn't getting the constant maintenance she'd required until Noodle showed up. However, Noodle's concentration was broken when she felt something heavy land on her shoulders. It was Murdoc, an arm thrown around her as he held a bottle of rum in front of her.
"Noodle-cup! C'mon girlie, this is a celebration and your of age…of AAAAGGGGEEE! Be a good big kid and have a cuppa doll!" Murdoc belted out. Noodle quickly shrugged him off, effortlessly pushing him to the floor.
"Murdoc please, I'm trying to clean up your precious 'gun-slinging body guard'." Noodle replied, teasing Murdoc as she mimicked his description of his creation. The others watched on as Murdoc effortlessly continued to tease Noodle. Noodle just smiled on as she listened to the bassist's so-called threats as she continued to clean the cyborg's arm parts. She knew that Murdoc was just trying to convince himself that she was no longer the tiny girl from the FedEx crate 10 years ago. She'd grown into a teenager before his eyes. And when she was gone, she grown into a woman. And what better way to convince yourself that your 'child' has finally grown up than by enjoying a drink together! He certainly didn't want the proof to be the scar that now sat on Noodle's face.
When Noodle first arrived, the left side of her face was covered with scratches and bruises. Murdoc instantly knew where she'd gotten them from, Hell. Bruises usually didn't have such a…evil and bloody looking appearance like hers did. Noodle wore her cat mask for a while to keep her facial wounds from getting infected. When her face was healed enough for her to expose it, she found out she'd earned a scar running from just above her eye, down her cheek, and stopping about where her lips were. The boys were worried that she might get upset that she'd have to live with such an obvious flaw. To their surprise, she laughed when she looked in the mirror. When asked why she seemed to happy, she responded,
"Boys, I was a soldier before I was a musician. To me scars are tattoos, but with better stories to tell!"
Even now, as she continued working on the Cyborg, she mindlessly let it show as she put her hair back behind her ears. Murdoc was now giving up on teasing her and started walking away.
"Oh fine! But if nothing else, have a Coke with some damn beer in it!" Murdoc said as he spotted 2D's coke in his hand. Russel beckoned for 2D to start getting away as he made his way to Noodle. He kneeled down next to her as she started piecing Cyborg's arm back together.
"Noodle…" He said in his deep, clam voice and Noodle finished up, sending the Cyborg away to charge in her storage room. She sat up and stared at him with alertness in her face.
"Hmmm?" She replied. Russel paused for a minute before continuing.
"…Knowing you, you probably won't tell me anything but…is dere something on yo mind? All day today you've seemed distant." Russel said, his pale eyes reassuring. Noodle relaxed a bit as she heaved a sign and looked away.
Russel was right…there was something on her mind. Tonight was supposed to be a night to celebrate. 10 years of success, 10 years of glory and fame for the Gorillaz. And furthermore, tonight was a reunion celebration. But, Noodle couldn't help but think back to something else that happened 10 years ago, something that led her to this very moment.
Noodle turned her head back to Russel, her bright green eyes full of reassuring.
"I was just…thinking about something that happened a while back." Noodle admitted in a calm voice. Russel rubbed her back with his large and warm hand.
"Wanna talk 'bout it girl?" Russel asked.
"Not right now." Noodle immediately responded. Russel gave away a tiny smile.
"Mk, but you tell me when you're ready, a'ight?" Russel said. He knew better that to push Noodle. She always seemed to know just what to say at the right time, and he trusted her with this ability now. With a final nod of his head, he stood up and headed toward the elevator to get to the floor where his bedroom was.
Noodle watched him walk away before turning her attention to Murdoc, who was now passed out drunk on the floor. Noodle knew she should be listening the voice in her head scolding the man, but she couldn't help but laugh.
"Not much has changed with you, has it Murdoc Niccals." Noodle whispered as she continued to watch the man. She then walked over, grabbed the man by his shirt, and dragged him over to the big black chairs in the living room. She knew he'd slept/passed out in those chairs before, so another night here shouldn't make that big a difference. After she finished sprawling him out on the chairs, she moved to the very front row and the seats and stretched. With a final sigh, she turned toward the windows, looking at her reflection some more.
She still couldn't quite soak in how she was already 21-years-old, how far she's made it in her life, how much she'd changed. She knew the others could see it and express how they felt about it, but she felt like she couldn't really talk back to them about it. She couldn't talk about how lucky she's been to make it to this stage of her life. She then tilted over to the bookshelf, knowing that was where Murdoc's 'secret' war room was. As she stared at the shelf, she heard snoring behind her row of seats. She smiled at the relief that Murdoc was sleeping and not just passed out. She heaved a sigh and stretched one more time before relaxing and falling asleep, knowing exactly what she wanted to do in the war room.
Now right now though, I want to sleep first. Tomorrow, when Murdoc's awake and sober, I'll ask him to help me make that phone call.
(Author's Notes)
Ugh…no matter what stories I write, these first chapters always seem so messy to me! I feel like I'm trying to cram a whole bunch on information into one chapter without it being too long! Oh well. It's only for this one though, so it's cool. Anyway, feel free to leave a review. There's more to come though. OH, and based on the title and game I told you about, feel free to take a wild guess as to which scene inspired this fanfiction! ^_^
