Generation Nothing

'Alright guys. It's time to rock and roll.' Mikey said as he poked his head into the room. Frank shifted away from me, slipping from the bed. I sighed softly, knowing Frank was still worried, but what could I do more than I had already? Silently accepting that he wouldn't cheer up until I came home alive I gave up on trying to reassure him, instead slipping from the bed. Mikey left us alone again, and I quickly began to strip myself down. Beside me Frank did the same, moving over to pull his own clothes on. Since he had arrived at the diner, he hadn't gotten himself any new clothes. Instead, he washed the same pair every two or three days, even pushing four some times if it hadn't been to hot. He just wouldn't listen when I tried to tell him he needed more pairs of clothes, he just wouldn't hear a word of it.

Sighing, I pulled out my own set of clothes from my rack. My favorite to fight in; the red, white and blue jacket, the gray singlet, and the faded out jeans. I quickly pulled my top over my head, shrugging into my jacket.
'Where's the spare battery packs?' Frank suddenly asked as I began to pull me pants up.
'Oh, under the desk...' I muttered, as I pulled the pants up over my thighs, 'Frank, do these – ugh –, do these look tighter on my then usual?' I grunted as I did them up. Frank turned around as he looked me up and down. He shook his head.
'No, not really. Why?' He asked, turning his attention back to pulling out the bag.
'Cause they feel tighter than normal. I think I've gained a bit of weight.' He snorted.
'Gained weight? Seriously? We're about to go fight Korse and you're worried you've put some on?' I shrugged.
'It was only an observation.' I mumbled, grabbing my holster and strapping it around my hips. I was half scared I would have to loosen it a bit, but I was just being paranoid. When Frank was dressed and standing with the bag of spare energy packs at his side, we both went out to the front room. We found Mikey and Jet Star sitting there, eating from a can of Power Pup. There were two more sitting out for Frank and I, and we went to sit down. I shuffled along to the side of the booth, Frank sitting down beside me.
'Not the tastiest,' Mikey mused, 'but it's good when you need the energy.' I picked up my can and turned it around in my hand, putting it back down and cracking open the lid. I grabbed a spoon and dug out the first spoonful of shredded meat, and begrudgingly ate it. Beside me, Frank was sniffing with agitation as he struggled to open his can.
'Damn these stubby fingers!' We both laughed.
'Here, do you want me to?' I offered, and he slid his can over with a pout on his face. I took the can and cracked it open, leaning over to kiss the corner of his mouth quickly before giving him the can back.
'Thank you handsome.' He smiled, before digging into his own can. Mikey had spoken the truth, Power Pup had never tasted the nicest. The taste sat somewhere between a week old steak and dog food. But it was strangely bearable. It was probably laced with Better Living drugs just enough to make it so. However, it did have a shitload of energy. It was the perfect meal to start a hard day in the zones with. That's probably why most people ate it. That, and it was easy to get your hands on large amounts for next to nothing. I also had a sneaking suspicion that Lady, where ever she was, had a role to play in us eating this crap.
'Hey, where's Lady?' I asked Mikey.
'She's taken the camero out to the arcade to pick the others up, she said she'd meet us on Guano.' I nodded, eating the last of my can before pushing it away. I sat patiently as the others joked about me being hungry and finished their own cans off, before we all slipped out of the both. Dr. D came rolling out of the hallway, Show Pony gliding along behind him.
'You boys ready to do this?' he asked us all, and we all looked at each other.
'Fuckin' ready.' Jet Star laughed.
'Yeah, I think we're as good as we'll ever get.' Frank threw in. Dr D nodded.

Grace came bounding up behind the Doc and Show Pony, a smile on her face. She walked passed the pair and came over to lace and fingers through my own. When she looked up at me, she wasn't wearing the frown I was expecting, but a smile.
'Gee, can I come with you? I want to come and shoot up Dracs with a ray gun with you guys.' I looked up at Frank with a pleading look. He shrugged, giving me back the same lost expression. I looked over at Mikey, who shrugged. My final glance was at Dr D, who was smiling.
'Hmm, I don't know, Grace. Taking out Draculoid's, it's tough business only for the toughest Motor Babies. I mean, they even got me. Do you think you can handle it?' She nodded enthusiastically, smiling brightly.
'Yeah, I can do it. I'm the roughest, toughest Motor Baby out there, Doctor D. I can handle it!'
'Well, I think it sounds a-okay with me, my little kinder-kid. So long as you listen to every word these boys give you without question. The mark of a good Killjoy is one who can follow orders in the face of a threat. Reckon you can do that?' She nodded enthusiastically, 'Well then you go kick some Draculoid butt, Darling.' She began to bounce up and down on her toes, and I couldn't help but chuckle at how much she and Frank were alike. That then brought me back to earlier that morning, and a tear formed in my eye. I was about to go out and fight the king of the exterminators, and it was only just now sinking in how it was more than possible that I would lose one of my loved ones in the fight. Mikey, my brother, the man I've known since the day he was born, the man I've watched grow up his entire life, and Frank, my love, my boyfriend, my fucking partner. I had pronounced my love for him, and his mine, earlier this morning. It took us the face of death but we finally admitted it, I had expressed something I had felt ever since I had wrapped my arms around him on his motorbike all that time ago, and we had done nothing but let our emotions grow since then. Even the fighting had done nothing but strengthen us. And now, now I was risking that and my family.

As a tear fell down my cheek I let go of Grace's hand and walked over to the Cr. Wrapping my arms around him tightly, I pressed my lips to his ear.
'If I don't come out of this alive, I want you to know I'm beyond grateful for everything you've ever done for us. You took us in, you saved us, you provided us with a home and you raised us. Me, Mikey, we're both so grateful for you, and we love you with all our hearts and a tiny bit more. I want you to know I'm so thankful for you, and that if I go down fighting today, I'll go down without a single regret and a head full of happy memories. Though I'm sorry for being such a bitch at some times.' I heard him sniff, and his voice came out nasally.
'Gee, you and Mikey are the best things that ever happened to me. You've helped me more than you'll ever know.' Suddenly, Mikey's arms wrapped around the both of us, and for a long moment we just stood there in silence, sharing what could possibly be our final moments together. Eventually, though, the Doc broke it.
'Alright, you two sucker-bugs. Get on out of here. You've got a date with an exterminator. Make sure you give him a big, lethal dose of his own vial medicine. And give those Dracs some for me. I'm counting on seeing our face around the dinner table tonight. And keep Grace out of trouble now, I'll kill you myself if anything happens to that little gem.' I smirked, tugging the zipper on my jacket up a little further.
'You were always one for motivation, Doctor D. Stick to the station, WKIL suits you better.' I began to turn, 'Oh, and on that note, give us some killer tunes to fight to. I'll keep the radio pumping.' I gave him one last smile before we all headed out, Grace gripping furiously to Frank's hand.
'I will boys, I will. Keep the good times rolling!'