Tough Like A Bullet Shell
Title: Tough Like a Bulletshell
Author: ruthiestump a.k.a me. :)
Pairing: None yet.
Rating: R for swearing.
Warning: NONE
Disclaimer: FICTION which means fake.
Summary: In the desert right outside Battery City, You'll do anything to survive even if it means doing something you do want to.
A/N: My first Killjoy fic and because I'm slow, it isn't beta'd. :( I also suck a summaries and I'm sorry for coming up with that piece of crap. You won't the main character's (Killjoy) name until the last sentence of the story and I just want to point out that the killjoy name is actually mine. I put my full name into the killjoy generator and that's what it gave me. ISN'T A BALL OF AWESOMENESS?! :) Constructive Criticism is greatly appreciated!
The convenience store was abandoned, much like all the other small businesses out in the desert just outside of Battery City. A girl walked down the empty aisles of the store, stopping in front of a few white cans, reading the names of some of the food. Beans, Peas, Corn and other things that won’t spoil right away. She stuffed two cans of each in her bag making sure that the awful smiley face was turned to face the bottom.
Better Living Industries had made her life a living hell with their rules, the laws and the plain and boring WHITE. She knew she had to get out as fast as she could and once she turned 18 she stole a car, grabbed her father’s RYBlaster and drove away with the clothes on her back. It was just a day into her new life when the draculoids started to come after her. 3 year later and the fucking government were still on her fucking trail.
Her red sneakers thudded against the store floor as she walked into the freezer aisle. She saw the stack of water bottles equipped with the BL/ind smiley face. She scowled at the wrapper but took a water bottle in her hand. She scratched at the wrapper, letting it fall to the floor. She did this to every water bottle she could fit into her bag before it got heavy. That bag was the only thing she carried on her and ever since her car was destroyed by the brain-washed fucktards, the dracs, she kept it close. As dangerous as it was, she was walking from location from location, stopping only at night to sleep near boulders next to a fire she started.
She walked down the aisle, scanning the items that were on display. She noted that she didn’t need any more supplies from the store when a loud beeping sound suddenly erupted from her bag. She searched through all the canned food and bottled water until she felt the buttons of her hand-held device at the bottom of her bag. She took out the beeping electronic and checked the screen. Her Vend-A-Hack was almost out of battery. She sighed at the small machine. She just changed the batteries for it and she doesn’t know if there is a BL/ind vending machine around. The front of the store was bare except for painted letters across the wall “NANANA.” She thought nothing of it when she first saw it, she only wondered where the punks got the color paint from. She looked around the store seeing if she missed a large white vending machine when she walked in. She frowned when she didn’t see one of the bulky machines. The beeping was getting louder almost to an unbearable pitch. She looked around for something, anything that would give a clue to where a vending machine could be.
Near the back of the store, she spotted a wooden door that she hadn’t seen before. She stood before it, weighing the consequences if she did go through. The high pitch beeps from the Vend-A-Hack made up her mind for her. Touching the butt of her gun that rested in her hip holster, she walked to the wooden door and pushed it open when she reached it. The room was small and dark but from a dim white light she can see the shelves of paint cans; all different colors. She smiled at the rainbow array, her heart ecstatic for the sign of support for the killjoys; for outlaws like her. She walked towards the cans, her fingers running her hand over them and the dried paint that was caked around the rim.
“So fucking shiny.” She breathed, amazed at the sight.
She has only seen colored paint a handful of times in her life. Taking a good look at all the colors, she started to stuff some cans of paint she remembered, like Red. While stuffing her bag, she noticed the white glow of light behind her, the one illuminating the room. Turning around, she stood face to face with a BL/ind vending machine, the stupid black smiley face mocking her as she remembered her old life in Battery city.
That life was over now and she has to get new batteries for the Vend-A-Hack. Still wailing its piercing scream, the girl placed the chip dangling out from the device into the bill slot and looked intently into the screen. Pressing the right buttons at the right times, she managed to get 2 pairs of batteries, Ammo for her blaster, white sunglasses (She’ll paint them later) and a BL/ind issued RYBlaster just to be safe. Changing the Vend-A-Hack’s batteries, her ears picked up the sound of a car engine roaring louder by the second. Her heart stopped at the rare sound. It’s the dracs, she thought. They fucking found me again.
She quickly hid behind the side of the vending machine, straining to hear if the engine would pass through and not stop out front. She cursed under her breath when the dracs killed the engine in front of the store. She heard faint muffled talking and some laughter approach the store. The high pitched noise still rang from the Vend-A-Hack and the girl quickly dug out the batteries, shutting of the wail, and let them fall to the floor. The convenience stores door opened and her hand quickly reached her gun, her hand resting on the butt of her blaster while she was straining to hear voices. Hard thuds sounded on the floor as footsteps neared the back room.
“I’m just going to stock up on some things.” She heard a voice say loud and clear.
Another voice rang out through the store, this one sounding farther away from the backroom. “Just hurry up. I’ll be waiting out here. “
The footsteps became clear in her ears and her heart raced double time as she heard a Vend-A-Hack powering on. Why would a draculoid have a Vend-A-Hack?” She wondered. Don’t they have codes for it? It didn’t matter really. If the guy saw her hiding, He’ll pretty much shoot her before she can even get her gun out of her holster.
Taking a deep breath, she lifted her white and orange blaster from her holster, holding it close to her cheek.
Just one swift movement, She thought. And that douchebag is under my arm, begging for his life. Hearing something hit the bottom of the dispenser, she quickly removed herself from her hiding place. She swung her arm around the neck of the bent over figure and told him to shut up when he yelped for help. She was confused as to why he was wearing a large motorcycle helmet rather than the ugly white vampire masks the dracs usually wear.
“HELP!”
The drac yelled and she pressed the barrel of the gun into the bottom of the helmet and into his chin, the metal digging into skin.
“You call for help one more time and I’ll your brains out.”
She thought she heard the drac growl inside his helmet as he tried to claw at her arm. She dug the gun more into his jaw when she was a guy, maskless, block the doorway with his own RYBlaster in hand, pointing right at her.
“Let him go.” The drac, who was weirdly clothed in a black leather jacket with yellow sleeves, threatened. She scowled at the short man, taking her gun out f the motorcycle helmet and pointed it at him. Her arm instantly tightened around her the first guy’s throat making him cough and choke for air.
“Why should I, you dirty disgusting drac!”
She narrowed her eyes at the man at the door way, her hate radiating off of her. Her confidence was shook when the man laughed.
“Look carefully sweetheart, we aren’t one of those brain washed fuckers.”
The short man still had his green blaster raised at her.
“You’re lying to me.”
The girl stood her ground, her blaster raised high and arm gripped tightly around her hostage. She could see the guy roll his eyes, which were a light brown against his olive skin and long black hair.
“Oh yeah, everything about me screams ‘Korse’s bitch’ doesn’t it?” The guy had a point there.
“FRANK! Stop chit-chatting with this bitch and get me free.” The man in the motorcycle helmet yelled, his voice hoarse from the pressure of her arm. She smiled at the man’s plea.
“Ok, tell you what,” Frank said from the doorway. He lifted up his hands to show his dirty palms, his blaster hanging only by the trigger handle on his finger. “I’ll put my gun down if you put down yours.”
She stared long at Frank, her eyes in a narrow glare. She sighed before lowering her weapon and loosening her grip on her hostage. The guy fell to his knees wheezing and gasping for breath.
“You fucking whore!” The guy yelled, his voice muffled by the helmet. Still on his knees, he lifted his hands to the helmet and lifted it off of his head. The guy’s bleach blonde hair fell over the gasping figure’s face even though his back was faced to her. He lifted himself up to his feet, ready to curse this bitch out but once he faced her, a loaded gun was staring at him right in the face.
“I’m sorry,” The girl said behind her blaster. “But if you lunge at me, I’ll paint this room with your brains.”
The blonde guy’s jaw locked up as his hazel eyes narrowed at her. He put up his palms, signaling that he’s giving up and she lowers her weapon again.
“Dude! You have to join us.” Frank said from the doorway, a wide grin on his face. He moved away from the door and seemed to jump over to where she was. “A kick-ass chick like you can do some damage.” The girl just stared at him as she placed her RYBlaster back in her holster.
“What are you talking about?” She asked, eyeing the blonde guy who was glaring at her.
“We have this,” Frank started talking only stopping to think of a right word, his hand flailing as he searched for the word. “gang, I guess, and you should join.” She raised an eyebrow at him, showing her skepticism. Frank saw it and continued. “It’s better to be in a group than to be on your own. Trust me.”
She stayed staring at the short man, thinking about his offer. She was always alone even in her younger days in Battery City. In school she kept to herself with no friends to talk to. At home, her parents over looked her existence, always caring for her younger siblings rather than her.
“Forget it Frank. She doesn’t want to join. She probably thinks she’s better than us.” The blonde guy was resting against the vending machine, the white light illuminating the red shiny leather of his jacket.
“I’m just not sure,” She stated, eyeing the guy carefully.
The guy was pretty attractive when he kept quiet. His eyes bore into hers before he walked out of the back room, his helmet and supplies in hand. Her glare stayed on him, watching him reach behind the store counter and pick up a few packs of cigarettes to stuff them into his pockets before walking out of the store.
“I don’t think I could deal with whiney assholes.”
Frank shrugged. “Kobra’s always like that, especially if you threaten his life twice.” He chuckled while crossing his arms and looking behind him.
“Kobra?” The girl asked, her eyebrow perched in a questioning look at Frank. He looked back at her and nodded.
“Yeah, Kobra kid. Mikey actually but we call him Kobra kid.”
She nodded and walked around him, finally getting out of the backroom. She fished around her bag for the new batteries and started to place them into the Vend-A-Hack when she heard Frank following her.
“So, what do you say?” He asked, right at her heels.
“Why do you want me to join so badly?” She snapped, hating the feeling of someone following her. “What if I was on a killing spree and I’m just waiting for my next victims?” She stood above him, staring him down menacingly. She would do anything to get this short guy off of her back. She sighed deeply when Frank started to snicker under his breath. She continued to place her batteries into her device as Frank spoke.
“If you were on a killing spree, Kobra and I wouldn’t be alive right now.” She gave a small nod at his logic. “Join us; we take care of each other. We’ve become a family.”
She rolled her eyes at his words. Family wasn’t in her vocabulary. Frank caught her action and frowned.
“Look, it’s fucking dangerous out there and a pretty girl like you won’t make it alone. You need people to watch your back.” Frank’s words were appealing to her, her mind changing with every word. She looked out the store windows to see three men standing in front of a beat up Trans am. The one sitting on the trunk of the car was sporting a wild untamed bushy hair. They wouldn’t have let him live in Battery City with hair like that. Neither would the man in the driver seat be let in Battery City with his vibrant thin red hair. He was talking to the blonde guy, who was smoking and moving his hands as if he was retelling a story. It’s probably about her.
“What do you mean a girl like me can’t make it out there alone?” She questioned, overlooking the fact that he called her pretty. “I’ve been on my own for almost 3 years now.” She stood up straight when she said that, hearing the pride in her words.
“And I’ve been on the road for 8. Four years on my own and four with them. My life has gotten so much better and easier with them. I finally have somewhere I belong.”
She looked away from the window and looked at the short man beside her. She sighed deeply.
“I might not make the right impression. I mean I choked Kobra and almost shot both of you.”
Frank smiled. “I’m already over the whole shooting thing. Mikey, on the other hand, is just mad that he didn’t get to use his karate moves he swears he knows.”
She smiled at his joke. “Fine. I’ll join if the rest of them are up for it.”
“Oh, they’ll be up for it.” He convinced. “Come on.” Frank walked to the entrance of the store, looking behind him to see if she was following. He cheered out loud once he stepped on ground, making all eyes land on him. “We got a new one boys and this one is a girl!”
She felt the eyes shift from Frank to her and she kept her gaze on the ground.
“Uh, Fun ghoul can we talk to you for a second?” The guy with red hair stood up from his place in the driver’s seat, reaching Frank and dragging him away from the girl. All four men were huddled near the car, discussing Frank’s rash decision. She chewed on her bottom lip as she watched the men discuss her future in the group. Annoyed at the time she wasted by standing there, she sighed loudly catching their attention.
“If you don’t want me in the group, I’ll just leave. I do better on my own anyway.” Her brown eyes searched the men’s faces behind her glasses and noticed Frank smiling.
“See,” He said, hitting the unnatural red head in the chest. “I told you.”
Her heart fluttered in her chest threatening to fall to the pit of her stomach. She hated when people talked about her. It just reminds her of Battery City. She saw the red head sigh as he walked towards her.
“I’m sorry for Fun Ghoul, He’s….” The guy looked over his shoulder, looking at Frank than back at her. “He’s something.” She nodded in agreement. “It’s really hard to live and get by out here by you, and we just so happen to have enough room for one more.”
“Just so happen?” She questioned, hearing the attitude in her voice. She didn’t really like the tone of her voice but she doesn’t like his tone either. She doesn’t take handouts.
“I mean we want you in our group. The way you kicked Kobra Kid’s ass could really come in handy sometime.” A laugh escaped her throat joining along with the rest of the group with the exception of Kobra Kid.
“Welcome to our gang of Killjoys!” The redhead threw his arm over her shoulder, pulling her close and walking her towards the guys. “I’m Party poison and you already know Fun Ghoul and Kobra Kid and the guy with the fro is named Jet Star.” She gave a small wave at Jet star that waved back.
“She needs a nickname.” Fun Ghoul stated, jumping on the heels with excitement.
“What about Bitch?” Kobra suggested, his eyes now covered with dark sunglasses and a cigarette dangling from his lips. “I think it fits.”
She smiled at Kobra Kid’s hostility. “I actually have a nickname and this one suits me perfectly.”
“What is it?” Fun Ghoul asked.
“Bitch-Bot Violence.”