Killjoys, Make Some Noise!
The News
"Bad news from the Zones, Tumbleweeds. It looks like Jet Star and the Kobra Kid had a clap with an exterminator that went all Costa Rica, and uh, got themselves ghosted, dusted out on Route Guano. So it's time to hit the red line and upthrust the volume out there. Keep your boots tight, keep you guns close, and die with your mask on if you've got to. Here is the traffic."
Then, simply static. Vampire Tabloid hung her head. Her first reaction was guilt. I was supposed to go with them, she thought. I should have protected them.
Stop it! another voice in her head scolded. They asked you to stay behind. You didn't do anything wrong.
She chewed on her lip, listening to her leather gloves squeak as she rubbed her hands together. "I've got to tell them," she whispered to herself.
She turned off the old radio, silencing the static, and stepped through the stainless steel doors that separated the cook's station from the dining area. Everyone was scattered in booths and at the counter, but all eyes were drawn to her when she cleared her throat. She tucked a lock of turqouise hair behind her ear, not even trying to conceal the sadness that was blatant on her face.
Static Memory was the first to speak.
"What did he say?" she little-more-than whispered. But the diner was quiet enough that everone could clearly hear her.
The diner was old, and tired. There were moldy food cans and discarded batteries littering the floor. Vampire Tabloid didn't know how long it had been since the diner had seen it's last occupants. It was a good safe house. Isolated, with a strong frame that had survived the harsh desert winds for years. It was one of a small handful of safe safe houses in Zone 1, but this Zone was fairly barren. Not many Killjoys wanted to make camp this close to Battery City. This was where Vampire Tabloid first met Kobra Kid. She sighed.
"Jet Star... And Kobra Kid. The pigs got 'em. They've been ghosted," she reported.
There were gasps, whispered 'no's, heads hung, and tears. Above all, tears. The group cried freely. After all, why would they conceal what they had worked so hard to defend? Vampire Tabloid ran a gloved hand through her hair, then stuck it back in the pocket of her motorcycle jacket.
"What about Party Poison and Fun Ghoul?" asked Grafitti Dream, his eyes hopeful.
Vampire Tabloid shook her head, and wiped dirt from the skirt of her tutu. She focused her eyes on the toes of her yellow Doc Martens as she spoke. "Dr. Death Defying didn't say anything."
"That's good, right? How else would Dr. D have known if Party Poison and Fun Ghoul didn't tell him?" Static Memory piped up.
Energy Emerald rebutted. "Maybe Show Pony told him. He's always wandering the zones for news to report: victories, losses, deaths."
"They might be at Planetary," Motivation Ghost whispered. He was met with death glares from all but one of his fellow killjoys.
"Even if they are," Vampire Tabloid spoke again, "We need to find Missile Kid. She's the most important thing right now. She needs our protection."
"So what do we do?" Grafitti Dream asked.
"What we always do. We fight. Take a minute to honor your fallen brothers, and what they died fighting for." Everyone bowed their heads, and all was silent for a moment. Then Vampire Tabloid picked her head up. "And we'll pick up where they left off. Gather your things, grab your guns, and tune your radios to Dr. Death Defying." Everyone nodded at her. She turned, and motioned for them to follow her. "Roll out."
They marched single file out the door, and into the dry desert heat.
Then, simply static. Vampire Tabloid hung her head. Her first reaction was guilt. I was supposed to go with them, she thought. I should have protected them.
Stop it! another voice in her head scolded. They asked you to stay behind. You didn't do anything wrong.
She chewed on her lip, listening to her leather gloves squeak as she rubbed her hands together. "I've got to tell them," she whispered to herself.
She turned off the old radio, silencing the static, and stepped through the stainless steel doors that separated the cook's station from the dining area. Everyone was scattered in booths and at the counter, but all eyes were drawn to her when she cleared her throat. She tucked a lock of turqouise hair behind her ear, not even trying to conceal the sadness that was blatant on her face.
Static Memory was the first to speak.
"What did he say?" she little-more-than whispered. But the diner was quiet enough that everone could clearly hear her.
The diner was old, and tired. There were moldy food cans and discarded batteries littering the floor. Vampire Tabloid didn't know how long it had been since the diner had seen it's last occupants. It was a good safe house. Isolated, with a strong frame that had survived the harsh desert winds for years. It was one of a small handful of safe safe houses in Zone 1, but this Zone was fairly barren. Not many Killjoys wanted to make camp this close to Battery City. This was where Vampire Tabloid first met Kobra Kid. She sighed.
"Jet Star... And Kobra Kid. The pigs got 'em. They've been ghosted," she reported.
There were gasps, whispered 'no's, heads hung, and tears. Above all, tears. The group cried freely. After all, why would they conceal what they had worked so hard to defend? Vampire Tabloid ran a gloved hand through her hair, then stuck it back in the pocket of her motorcycle jacket.
"What about Party Poison and Fun Ghoul?" asked Grafitti Dream, his eyes hopeful.
Vampire Tabloid shook her head, and wiped dirt from the skirt of her tutu. She focused her eyes on the toes of her yellow Doc Martens as she spoke. "Dr. Death Defying didn't say anything."
"That's good, right? How else would Dr. D have known if Party Poison and Fun Ghoul didn't tell him?" Static Memory piped up.
Energy Emerald rebutted. "Maybe Show Pony told him. He's always wandering the zones for news to report: victories, losses, deaths."
"They might be at Planetary," Motivation Ghost whispered. He was met with death glares from all but one of his fellow killjoys.
"Even if they are," Vampire Tabloid spoke again, "We need to find Missile Kid. She's the most important thing right now. She needs our protection."
"So what do we do?" Grafitti Dream asked.
"What we always do. We fight. Take a minute to honor your fallen brothers, and what they died fighting for." Everyone bowed their heads, and all was silent for a moment. Then Vampire Tabloid picked her head up. "And we'll pick up where they left off. Gather your things, grab your guns, and tune your radios to Dr. Death Defying." Everyone nodded at her. She turned, and motioned for them to follow her. "Roll out."
They marched single file out the door, and into the dry desert heat.