summary:
This is as grand as it gets - Ace landed the gig with Gorillaz, and it's a chance of a lifetime for him. It is as clear as day - Murdoc landed himself in prison, and it's a chance for everyone to move on.
There's nothing more to it. Right?
Or: How to make sense of life when all its stories are sung at the same time?
Or all of them were part of the same song all along?
about the story:
This is an AU where most of the Gorillaz insane lore is alt-reality storyline they come up for the fans & publicity stunts. The reality behind the lore is somewhat similar but not always as epic.
The timeline is a bit more sensible - in 2017-2019 (phase 5) when the story is taking place, it's been about 13 years since D day.
The story is full of creepy supernatural lore and fae laws and, no joke, is nearly 50% flashbacks.
Expect the feels, the funny, and the drama.
Ace has his ice powers, but with a twist. Same for some other characters.
Aaand, big spoilers, this is an AU where Ace is Murdocs son! But no one knows about it yet :D
This silly little idea is one of the main reasons the story exists, and so we share it in advance because we can.
Ages at the start of chapter 1:
Stuart - 32,5
Russell - 31
Murdoc - 38
Noodle - almost 23
Ace - almost 22
Snake - 21,5
Big Billy - 19
Grubber - 20
Lil Arturo - almost 16
Damon Albarn & Jamie Hewlett - 40
pairings: 2doc, 2ace (one-sided), (past) Russell/Dell.
This is not as dramatic as it sounds, promise :'D
pairings (that are slow burn and SPOILERS): Snake/Ace, Russell/Ace, Russell/Snake, Snake/Russell/Ace.
This is the hill we built and are going to burn on, you guys are welcome to join :'DD
warnings:
There will be warnings for each chapter/parts of chapters, when needed.
generally there may be: drug abuse, mentions/discussions of child abuse, discussions of trauma, suicidal ideation, unhealthy coping mechanisms.
about the format:
There will be comics, short stories, text with illustrations, shitposts, basically anything that'll work for each piece.
Updates will not be regular after chapter 1, but we are very much set to finish this project!
tags guide:
PC!story - for the story bits
PC!art - for the additional art
PC!not in text but in spirit - for shitposts and inspo stuff
PC!spoilers - idk, may need this one
—
You may recognise the comics from couple years back, and yeah, this is doublebassstory (now with a proper name! that is also a pun, yes :'D).
The hiatus and real life got us, but the story didn't let go, it's too fun, and totally doesn't hold us at gunpoint (: So we're back at it, and the goal is to get this whole thing out, and have some fun along the way (':
Most of the story is already planned out - plot, chapters, episodes and all (g-d help us).
The links to read Perpetual Canon, and the chapter plans can all be found HERE.
Feel free to hit us with any questions you may have.
Perpetual Canon
Chapter 1. Light in The End of The Rabbit Hole
before / Special 2: from then to now / next
where it started / navigation / about the story
5 photos of Snake
1) The one that he kept on himself for years now, always hidden in a pocket or a wallet, or a beanie. Taken at spring of 2001 at NY.
2) Taken at September 1st of 2004. The one that got lost in-between old legal documents, and is now stashed with them in the attic in the dusty box that nobody opened for years.
3) Taken on a cheap Sony camera at winter of 2006. The remains of it are still stuck to the wall of the bathroom on the 2nd floor of the rundown orphanage.
4) The one from 2008, snapped by a daring teen at school during lunchtime. The bravery of the guy was duly noted by his click, but the photo of the "special needs" class itself was promptly forgotten about, and is still laying in some old textbook in his parents old house.
5) The one that is pinned on the fridge in the new tiny apartment (real apartment!) that GG now has. It was taken by Lil Arturo (held up by Billy) one summer night of 2013, and survived many years of fights, of bad luck, bad weather, and travel.
And it was a piece of home even before the gang got a real place to live in.
Perpetual Canon
Chapter 1. Light in The End of The Rabbit Hole
before / 11. reversed Taken - found / next
where it started / navigation / about the story
"We all understand that the famous origin story of Noodle from Gorillaz is too insane to be true – 10 year old shipping herself across the world in a FedEx box, this doesn't sound even remotely plausible, a joke, really.
But then again, across the years spent on the music stage Gorillaz always suppled us with unending array of the weirdest mind-blowing "events", that, however bizarre, can never be proven to be false or untrue. […]
No one in their right mind will believe that a man can be swallowed by a whale and live just fine inside of it, or that a child can travel via international mail. But sheer conviction and devotion to their story the band members show us crates this shadow of a doubt, little crack in our view of the world. […] And after all said and done, we don't care where Noodle or any other bandmate came from. All we should be concerned with is who they are now, and, even more so, their music.
And probably zombies. Better watch out for those."
Perpetual Canon
Chapter 1. Light in The End of The Rabbit Hole
before / 11. reversed Taken / next
where it started / navigation / about the story
That feeling when you lose your step dad after you already lost him in a teenage rebellion.
OR: Unwrapping 50 Levels of Guilt and Other Fun Activities for You and Your Family (The Flashback).
day 1
He’s not down for dinner, but Noodle doesn’t notice. She hasn't left her semi basement room for any type of evening meal in weeks and she will not be doing that until her mini-fridge runs out of supplies, and that’s just how it is.
day 3
She tends to skip lunches in the kitchen too, and Muds is never up or coherent enough when she swings by for breakfast.
This is not intentional, really. (That’s what Noodle would say, if anyone questioned her about it.) “We just live on different schedules”, she would probably add after that. “Whole time zones apart”.
It’s been years and no one ever once asked her why some days she barely sees her family. But Noodle still keeps the answer fresh and ready in her mind. Just in case.
She doesn’t even know Murdoc is not home.
day 5
Stu is in the living room and he’s pacing. He says that he’s fine, and that he’s okay, and that he’s grateful for a breather, and that it’s too early to worry anyway.
“Well it’s 6pm, and already getting dark”, Noodle notes airily.
“So his evening bar run is just starting”, adds Russ.
Noodle stays for dinner this evening.
Murdoc doesn’t come back.
day 6
Russ says Murdoc’s voice message box is full.
Would Muds be disappointed or sad that only five of those messages were from her, Noodle wonders.
"It has happened before”, she says to herself, mindlessly scrolling through the phone apps. “He’ll be back soon, maybe hungover, definitely apologetic, and will immediately fall asleep on the couch and-”.
He doesn’t come back that day either.
day 7
It’s the fourth time Noodle gets a phone call from this number. There’s an equal chance of it being a stalker, or a bar owner asking to pick up the trash-man from a sidewalk couple blocks over.
“Ugh, thank Satan, finally!” sighs Murdoc’s voice on the other side. “This is urgent, it’s the second day I’m trying- you know what, doesn’t matter. Ha-hah…” he cuts himself, suddenly sounding nervous. “Listen, I’m in prison and-”
Noodle hangs up.
day 8
She doesn’t get another call until noon. It makes sense – two attempts each day at the same time. She’s tempted to test it, to decline the first call, just because she can, her finger hovering over the red button.
Noodle hits the green one at the ninth loop of the bubbling melody.
First thing she hears is a relieved sigh. “Before you say anything – I’m sorry! But I am also not sorry at all, because, hear me out, it’s different this time“.
“And how so?” Her voice is more distant than tired.
“I’m not guilty”.
She hangs up.
day 8 still
He has called again of course. Explained how he couldn’t reach his lawyer, and “fuck her honestly”, because he “needs heavy artillery on this anyway”. Because, apparently, his case is already going to trial. And, somehow, he still was not sure what he was being accused of.
“They keep saying it’s “smuggling charges” but smuggling of what? How in the bloody hell this case on me was opened for what? Months? And I’m just finding out about it? They say I’ve missed all initial hearings, Noods, it smells bad all over, and I’m not speaking only about my lovely cell here”.
And it does really look bad. If he isn’t lying or exaggerating, of course. Wouldn’t be the first time. Maybe this is a simple misconduct charge blown out of proportion to excuse him running away for a while?
Still, yesterday Noodle found the worn looking card in the pocket of Murdoc’s old jacket, and called the K.D. number for him. He must feel really worried if he’s hiring this one. Noodle doesn’t know much about K.D., but “the best lawyer for the worst situations” rumor about her was low key circulating celebrity circles for quite some time now.
Noodle decides to wait until dinner before telling Russ and Stu.
“See, D? Knowing him, he’ll be back in two days, and twice as annoying as ever”, huffs Russel. Stuart doesn’t say anything, just sits down on the couch looking deep in thought. Way back in the days, when Stu got like this, Noodle would climb over the back of that couch to sit with him, and they’d end up playing video games until one of them fell asleep or they woke up Russel with lots of incoherent screaming.
But this was way back. In the Days.
Today-Noodle waves Stu goodnight and crawls to her room to pick on guitar and scroll the news feed ‘till 4am.
day 11
He doesn’t come back.
day 12
Noodle calls the number on her incoming calls list, and gets an unhelpful intern who seems to be first week on the job. She calls the local precinct and the closest prison and Murdoc is not there either. But nearly an hour of all “pleasestayonhold”s later she finally gets to a competent sounding official. Who, with automatic practised detachment, chatters that trial went smoothly and without a hitch, and Murdoc F. Niccals is currently being processed into prison next town over to serve his sentence, visitation will be available in a couple days after he is settled, thanks for understanding and cooperation.
“And how long is that sentence?” Noodle tries to ask, but they already hang up.
She sits in the dark for a while after that, petting Katsu and thinking about nothing. Then she gets up and goes up to the kitchen for dinner.
Better if they learn the news from her than from, well. The news.
day 13
She keeps thinking though.
Stuart went to his room last night looking absent. Even farther away than usual. But he didn’t ask Noodle anything, and didn’t comment on how strange the whole thing looks. He gave up, she saw it in the line of his shoulders and in the little rub Stu gave to his neck, to ease the oncoming migraine. Like all these days, right from the start, he just waited for the permission to stop waiting.
He just. Nodded and left. Like that was it.
Only a whole day and a broken kitchen cabinet later Noodle got that she is still angry.
Both of them just believed it, right away. When it all really sounds like total bullshit dropping out of the blue. She just hung up, and never called back, like there was no actual trial coming up, and there was no hint of real worry in Murdoc’s voice.
He hasn't asked her for help in ages. Not even once since she came back. So if he finally did… maybe it means something?
In the evening Noodle finds the stylish worn looking card again and makes an appointment with K.D.
day 20
She doesn’t see Stu much these days. He is in and out – of himself and the club in the city. She misses the times she could distract him from any worries. Or talk to Russ about hers.
Noodle looks over the business card again: K.D. in cursive with illuminati looking eye-logo over it, fax and phone number, and an email.
Murdoc’s visitation rights and phone-call time, she is informed, got revoked due to some “incident”.
This lawyer is her only lead for now.
day 21
K.D. is a pleasant looking woman past the prime of her youth. She walks and speaks like a person who always knows what she’s doing, and Noodle likes it. She likes it a lot. But she doesn’t like the things K.D. is saying to her.
“It was a good deal”, and here is one of those things. “He could’ve gotten a lot of time off his sentence, if he didn’t ditch it on a spot”. K.D. gives Noodle an all too understanding look of anyone who met Murdoc Niccals in person. “But don’t worry. I’ve got where I am for a reason, and despite Mr. Niccals’s attempts of self-sabotage, I navigated us to the best case scenario in the end”.
“With him in prison?” Noodle can’t help herself.
“Oh, I understand the distress, sometimes being family makes this harder to accept”, her smile is so professional it almost looks compassionate.
“But that was never a case he could’ve walked away from. Not at this point at least. If only he’d called me in sooner, we maybe could’ve thoroughly worked around some of the evidence… But alas”.
Noodle thinks it over for a second. “So you’re saying that he’s guilty”.
“Oh, I certainly do not”, K.D. waves her off, red nails flashing in the dim glow of the table lamp, “but it’s not a conversation you should be having with me”.
The following pause lingers a bit too long to be comfortable.
“So. Do you work cases like this one often?” Noodle tries, hoping to not come off as dismissive.
“Oh, on the backstage of Hollywood and so on? Regularly. But this one was actually a breather, pretty clean work. Usually”, she looks away for a second, something like pride or longing flashing by in her gaze, “I land way more challenging jobs”.
Noodle heard about some of them in passing and from recent late night googling. About murder charges being dropped and alleged drug dealers going free. She probably will never hear about a lot worse stuff at all, because, yes, apparently, K.D. is that good.
It just didn’t mean anything good for her reasons to believe in Murdoc.
day 25
She wants to stop thinking about it.
Noodle lays on her futon and Katsu purrs under her arm, and it still doesn’t really make sense. Him being gone. Or guilty. Or it really actually does, but she’s not quite there yet, with everyone else who sees it so clearly. They all have their “evidence” and their “experience”, and maybe she just needs some of this stuff of her own.
Katsu gives a surprised meow when Noodle sits up, scooping her up for some cuddles.
She’s going to look into it, snoop around, and figure everything out.
Who knows, maybe she’ll find more reasons to stay up for dinner along the way.
day 29
Evidence refuses to be found.
Noodle goes through Mudses room, through his contact list on the second phone, his secret contact list in the notes app, and in the hardcover notebook, and her own stash of burner phones. She gets nothing, apart from one really questionable flirty line and couple addresses.
Stu seems to be staying at home longer lately, and at the very least it calms Noodle a bit. She puts all her upcoming plans on hold, and digs out the pink hoodie from the bottom of the closet.
It’s her time to go clubbing it seems.
---
before / next
Perpetual Canon
Chapter 1. Light in The End of The Rabbit Hole
before / 9. easy come easy go / next
where it started / navigation / about the story
One, you think you’re done.
But, two, he smiles at you.
Three, you have that drink.
Four, you’re at the drugstore.
Five, are you alive?
When you wake up, it’s September and everything seems different.
OR: a story about how Murdoc went missing for a week and then turned up to be in prison. Too bad it happened to have a really bad timing. Everything went so normal - therapy, rehab, all the rocky promises starting to look real. Stuart started to believe that they can go on like that. That maybe it means something. But then again, 2D is just really, really stupid. And maybe Stuart is, too.
Perpetual Canon
Chapter 1. Light in The End of The Rabbit Hole
before / 8. axe rockstar / next
where it started / navigation / about the story
We present to you - Ace’s misconceptions about the life of a rock star
OR: Welcome to The Spirit House Where Dreams Break Every Day.
Expectations: riding around town, hanging from a sunroof of a cool car, having a nice time in the cool night air.
Reality: driving to the grocery store in Russell’s rusty old truck. And Noodle throws a smelly old jacket over your head when someone with a camera looks at you funny at the stoplight.
Expectations: you slide in the life of the gorgeous singer like honey over toast. You sweep him off his feet, make him question his sexuality and seduce for the life of crime (but not like, major “Law&Order” crime) until he falls for you like rose petals fall under the wind.
Reality: Stuart 2D Pot have been blankly staring at the wall most of the day, for most days of the week you were in the house. You never saw him move. Or eat. Or talk. Or react to anything beside Noodle shaking half full cereal box that one time.
“Honestly, same,” - She said with a hint of warmth in her tone, ruffled Stuarts hair, and placed a full bowl in front of him. - “That’s bi culture”.
So, you sign quietly, no “questioning the sexuality” part then.
Expectations: partying!
Reality: Noodle going “No, Jamie, we’re not going to that event now, that’s a waste of time” over the phone about 3 times a day since you moved in.
Expectations: now you can finally rock this Axe Rockstar image, gonna bathe in it! And the Band, they even have it stocked in the cabinet! Just like your sweaty teen self imagined back in the day.
Reality: everyone is looking at you funny for a couple of days until you find out that The Band uses Axe Rockstar as an air freshener in the bathroom.
Expectations: everyone is saying to watch out for the producer, Hewlett, because he’s a creep and generally a really nasty person or something.
Reality: Jamie is actually a polite, calm individual, really, an absolute champ! Very supportive, and is always interested in learning more about you and your gang. He never gets tired of going over the family photos in your phone, and that’s a rare trait.
Expectations: doing celebrity interviews for Big Channels or fashion magazines, dropping one-liners like you drop your fur coat on the floor, being suave and charming with the fans.
Reality: Noodle very hesitantly agrees with Jamie to go on one (1) radio podcast. The host immediately notices your sweaty teenage Axe aesthetic, and ironically notes how “you can always smell the bassist outta the band”. On air.
And for the next 40 minutes you’re stuck in the tiny room with everyone, answering an array of hosts armed with ridiculous twitter-submitted questions.
Expectations: having a nice car and a private driver to get you to places.
Reality: you’re the driver. Again. The designated one too, since Russ “can finally take a break from babying this kindergarten and enjoy his evening beer after work”. His old as balls truck scares you more than the haunted Fiesta you jacked that one time, but you decide not to argue. Maybe, if you’re driving, Noodle will not risk using that horrid jacket to hide you again.
Expectations: making meaningful connections with everyone in the band.
Reality:
1) After you get everyone home safely after the interview (despite Noodle tucking you under the steering wheel and driving the car herself for very scary 15 minutes) you smell more like old musty leather jacket than Axe now.
(You’re not sure which one is better by this point)
2) In the kitchen you find Stuart, calmly drowning, face in the full cereal bowl. You panic and freeze the milk, and then panic again, because the whole bowl got frozen to 2D’s face and he still can’t breathe. While you run around filling cups with hot water, Stuart tries to lift his head but ends up banging the bowl over the table hard. This should’ve given him another concussion, but at least the iced bowl breaks. You and Stuart both take a relieved breath to celebrate that.
(2d still remains as unresponsive as ever, and your subtle worry grows)
3) Later at evening very tired looking Russ finds you in the living room and presents you with a big box. “From all of us,” - He says. - “A housewarming gift.”
Box is stuffed to the top with Old Spice “Arctic Force”.
“Axe,” - adds Russell, looking you straight in the eyes, - “Is banned to bathroom use only.” He lets go of the box only after getting a hesitant nod in response.
(Next day, you feel very adult using Old Spice for the first time)
Perpetual Canon
Chapter 1. Light in The End of The Rabbit Hole
before / 7. the pyramid of success / next
where it started / navigation / about the story
It all comes together in The Pyramid - your dreams, your hopes, your will, and creativity, and drive. For Ace that is, who is scamming middle aged suburban moms via questionable new age sculpting lessons.
The cost of moving away up the coast is steep, after all. Especially if you need to do it fast and in secret.
OR: A Little Glimpse Into The Past (One Of Many To Come).
Perpetual Canon
Chapter 1. Light in The End of The Rabbit Hole
before / 6. i’ll be watching you - 2/2 / next
where it started / navigation / about the story
The chair in the corner of living room is the best place to see house life moving in front of your eyes. Where everyone goes, who didn't come back, who looks a little wary and strange and at whom.
The vague barely there visions in the air are just a little distracting. Tiny bit helpful, too.
