The ride back in the van was as silent as the grave. The killjoys had put their bikes in the van so they where all together. Party poisons cold glances stabbing her in the heart, as if the awkwardness of the van wasn’t bad enough. “We’ll get your father.” Promised Fun Ghoul occasionally, but the little girl said nothing. No one could tell if she was nodding or the bumps on the road were making her head move.
One cold glance too many from Party made Circuit snap. “If you have something to say, say it!” she grumbled and hardly had to wait for a response before it came. “You’re so...” he began
“So what?” she snapped
“So damn arrogant!” he shouted. She shot a look at him, burning him with her eyes. “I’m arrogant? How the hell can you sit there and call me arrogant?” she shouted, standing up and staring at him “you should hear yourself speak once in a while!” she cried a humourless laugh; which in more ways than one, was worse than the silence.
Party stood up to meet her, though his height gave him a rather unfair advantage. “what you did was stupid” he shouted and she laughed again, just as cold “please! We always say it doesn’t matter if we live or die but as soon as I come close to death—“she began but Jet star cut them both off “will both of you shut up! There’s a kid here.” He said and they both quietened down
Fun Ghoul turned around to look at the little girl “what’s your name?” he asked; looking genuinely interested. The little girl rolled up her sleeve to show small cuts on her arm, as if pricked by needles. “That looks like it hurt.” He muttered, holding her arm to inspect. “I would like to know your name, though.” He smiled slightly at her expressionless face.
Cobra looked at her “don’t speak much, do you?” he asked, only to have no reply “how about we name you until you feel you can tell us.” Ghoul suggested; now more toward the others. Party shrugged and slumped on a chair in the van. Circuit smiled, if just to show she’d disagree with whatever Party said.
“Like what?” she asked and Fun Ghoul thought for a moment. “Well, she has a lot of pricks on her arm like thorns, and she’s really quiet... Shy Thorn?” he asked and they nodded in agreement, apart from Party who just grunted. “you’re all getting way to attached to her.” he said around half an hour later.
Cobra Kid gave him a questioning glance and Party sighed. “For all we know she could be a spy, or a threat.” When he said this Circuit rolled her eyes “she’s six”
“You were 9” Party threw back at her. The whole van went silent, everyone knew about her past but no one brought it up. Circuit sat in the driver’s seat and stared at the dashboard “how long until the docs?” Even the van could sense the tension by sound of its voice “around 3 minutes.” Circuit nodded. “I didn’t mean to...” Poison began “shut up.” She cut him off
“But”
“I said shut the fuck up. Your only 4 years older than me but you think your better.”
Poison sat himself in the passenger’s seat, pushing high bright red hair back with a gloved hand “why do you keep... it’s not that no one thinks your good enough, if that’s how you feel.” He sighed, looking at her, even if she wouldn’t return the gaze “oh really? So what is it?” she said spitefully. “You’ve got potential to be a killjoy someday. No one wants to see you screw that up by getting caught.”
Circuit didn’t say anything, what could she say? She didn’t want to give him a bigger ego by asking if he meant it, but she didn’t want him to think that she didn’t want to be his equal. “yeah, well. I act on impulse” is all she could come up with. “so, what impulse made you take the kid?” he asked and she looked back at Fun Ghoul trying to make convocation with her.
Shrugging, Circuit turned her attention back to poison. “They wanted her more than the professor, I figure she’s more valuable than Lumic.” She stated and he nodded “Draculoids aren’t capable of alternate thought, so they made it pretty obvious “
Upon arriving at the docs he was immediately told of Shy and her unusual tale. “they wagered Lumic for her? Interesting. What did the van have to say?” Circuit shrugged “it knows as much as the M.A.D stick told it.” She confessed
“we should ask Unique.”
Circuit felt herself tense. “why her? Theirs plenty of other –“
“the head of BL/Ind trusts Unique.” Doc cut her off and circuit slumped “c’mon Shy.” Circuit grunted, grabbing the small girl by the arm and dragging her inside the hut. If Circuit had to pick a killjoy that would betray them in a second it would be Unique Violet. She slept with most men, it was no secret her and Fun Ghoul had more than a few flings.
Unique owned a bar around 4 miles from the shack called ‘Ol Joint’ it served cheep alcohol as well as cigarette’s and drugs. While it usually was flooded with killjoys and their army, once or twice she’d closed the place to have double-agent style meetings with the BL/Ind co founders; so it was natural for the boys to think she’d know more about Pill 2.0 than anyone else, but Circuit had her doubts.
“well?” Party asked, looking up from a wrecked sofa “the Doc wants to speak to Unique, see if she knows anything.” Circuit let the bitterness seep from the pours of her voice and Party smirked. “what?” Circuit bit and Party shook his head, still laughing slightly “nothing. Nothing.” Suddenly Fun Ghouls head swung around from the bathroom door “is Unique coming?” Circuit rolled her eyes “Jesus Ghoul, get a grip. I think it’s just the doc going.”
“oh yeah, who said?” Ghoul asked looking highly offended. “well I’m sure as hell not going, and no one is without my van.” She stated looking in the mini fridge for something to eat. “and how to you expect the doc to get there?” Ghoul said without really expecting an answer, only to have Circuit swear and slam the fridge. “damn it.”
