Gorillaz Imagenz, One-Shots, Etc.

Noodle Listens to 'One Percent' For the First Time

A/N: This one's a little short, my apologies. I made this while listening to One Percent on loop, so you best know I was on the verge of tears, girl. This is based off how J feel about the song, yes it is on my playlist of the most beautiful songs ever written. Yes, I wish I could listen to it for the first time again.

It was a new year, Murdoc was in jail, and Gorillaz was making another album. With Ace being Murdoc's replacement, they had everything they needed to make another great record! Currently, they were just in the demo stage. 2D seemed very keen on making them himself, but everyone was fine with that, so thats how it went. He would write the lyrics, make instrumentals to go with it and play it for each band member to hear.

One song, in particular, 2D was very focused on getting right. He needed the perfect amount of tranquility, but also slight sadness, but hope and happiness at the same time. He knew he needed Noodle's input since she seemed to think the most similarly to him.

He was thinking of calling this one 'One Percent' No particular meaning behind it but his phone was at one percent while he was writing the lyrics in his book, so why not name it that?

Once Noodle made her way down to the studio, she sat down in one of the many swivel-chairs Infront of the recording booth. She placed the headphones over her ears and 2D played the track from the beginning.

"Every sound... Every sound from everyone receiving"

It sounded slightly mysterious, but quite beautiful aswell. The instrumental began to pick up a bit, sound a little more summer-y.

"Come by the long way, deep in the summer day, I'll be there with you. Thats where I heard it for myself"

It made Noodle really proud to finally hear 2D sound happy and free in his music. She knew that this was his one emotional release and he truly put every emotion behind these albums, so to hear something like this, so beautiful and uplifting, somehow complex, even, it brought genuine tears to her eyes.

"There on the training ground for the new world... You heard it too"

She's seen 2D pretty close to his worst and watched him develop from someone suffering from Stockholm syndrome and many other mental disorders, to someone who enjoys life for it's little gifts. Someone who invites everyone to watch the sunset every weekend, and who gives everyone hugs when he would've been terrified of them two years earlier.

She was so caught up in the music to even notice that tears were running down her cheeks and she was sniffling not so discretely. Once the song finished, 2D quietly asked her

"A-Are you cryin'?"

Noodle sniffled again, replying back with

"sigh Yeah"

Before giggling a bit out of embarrassment.

"Well, w-why are you crying? I-It's just a song, Noods"

She didn't answer for a little bit. She needed to think of a way to say what she felt without it being extremely complicated. She was so ecstatic to see him be genuinely happy and to put out his full potential without fear of being shut down.

"That's a beautiful fucking song, man"

She said, half laughing, half sobbing at the end.

"I'm so p-proud to see you happy again, it feels like such a relief because of what you went through"

2D was a bit shocked. He wasn't great at taking compliments, but he knew Noodle was being genuine. He opened his arms to hug her.

"Oh Noodle... I-I don't know what to say..."

They hugged for a good two minutes while Noodle calmed her tears.

"You need to get the others to listen to it 'cause... I don't think I've ever heard a song that sounds that beautiful"

She said, finally calm.