Yeah, Let's Ruin Everything

Chapter Ten

"Untie me now!" Rush was still screaming.

"How long is she gonna keep this up?" Grey yelled over her.

"I'm guessing until her vocal cords burst," Thrill answered.

"Sugar Rush!" Storm burst out, louder than anyone had ever heard her. "Shut the hell up!!!"

That finally did it. Everyone was shocked into silence. Rush was still scowling, but she didn't open her mouth. Thrill and Grey had jumped back. Rush would never admit it, but she was slightly scared, too.

"Now," Thrill said, furious. "You're going to listen to what we have to say, and you're going to listen well. And you're not gonna so much as open you mouth unless you want to take another little nap, okay?"

Rush was suddenly reminded of her head, which was throbbing. She gritted her teeth and nodded.

"Okay. So, I didn't really prepare a speech or anything, so bare with me. I guess I'll start off with this: the people at BLInd-or, er, 'Better LIving Industries'- wiped your memory clean. All the thoughts and ideas you once had are gone. They replaced those with their own thoughts and ideas. You're just a mindless little bot that does their dirty work. So what we're going to do is try to bring back the old you...any questions?"

"Yeah. Why would you think I was brainwashed? I happen to have a perfect memory," Rush said defiantly.

"Oh yeah?" Storm interjected. "I dare you to tell me your favourite childhood memory."

Rush started to open her mouth to prove Storm wrong, but after a second of thought, mumbled something angrily instead.

"What was that?" Grey asked, trying not to smirk.

"I said I don't remember any," Rush said aggresively.

"Exactly," Thrill pressed. "Now, are you going to willingly let us help you, or are you going to make this happen the hardest way?"

"Try all you want, but you can't turn me," Rush tried to shrug, but remembered she was tied up.

"Alright," Thrill clapped her hands together. "I'm assuming we can fix you by telling you some memories of you as a killjoy. So, I might as well start from the beginning, when you met me. It was about five years ago. I was fourteen and you were thirteen. I was on the side of the road near Battery City border. I had just lost someone really close to me, so I was completely devastated. I was just laying on the side of the road, crying and pitiful and all that. Then you walked by. Well, actually, you were running. A few Dracs had seen you trying to blow up their car. You saw me, and even though you were running for your life, you grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me to my feet. You kept yelling at me to run, and I was so shocked that I did. You kept shooting at those Dracs until they were all dead. Then I stared at you like you were insane. You were obviously younger and smaller than me and you were already a better shot than me-not to mention more mature. You told me to stop being all miserable or you'd leave me for the Dracs. So I stopped. You told me you were all by yourself, so I stayed with you. You taught me how to shoot and drive. It was like that for a year or two until we found Hail Storm. She was almost exactly in the same state as I was when we found her. You were the one that had to be convinced to take her in. You said it would be too much trouble to take care of three people, and I countered with the fact that after we helped her a little, she would be able to fend for herself. But of course she would stay with us. Finally, we shook her off, cleaned her up, and, because she already knew how to drive and shoot and all that, we had more time to ambush and go on runs. We were so much stronger with three of us in our group. We took down so many Dracs I can't even count, and even some S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W/S-well, seventeen, but who's counting. It was great. Then, we found this place. We decided it was good because it was far off, hard to follow, and we were literally living in our Impala. That made things even better, because being moblie all the time isn't always a good thing, y'know? We were doing everything we did before, but even better. It was great. Not to get all sentimental or anything, but you and Storm were like my sisters. Well, you two still are, it's just a bit complicated right now, as you can tell. Not much happened after that...actually, there was Storm's arm, which was shot during an ambush, so we had to lay low for a while, which you despised. And then, about...wow, I guess a little over a week ago? Stuff, er, everything went to Hell."

Thrill continued to tell Rush about all that had happened, including their fight; with Storm and Grey chiming in occasionally to add some details Thrill forgot or didn't know about.

At the beginning of Thrill's speech, Rush, though listening, was far from convinced.

Then, as Thrill went on, Rush started feeling like she remembered, like when something you dreamt happens in real life. Rush didn't want to admit this, though. She felt that if she did, then the others had won. She had planned to act like Thrill wasted her time and that she was being lied to when Thrill finished talking.

Instead, Rush felt like all the memories and things Thrill was telling her about had rammed through her skull and into her brain.

When Thrill had finished, she tried to put her hands up to her head, but forgot she was still tied up.

"I-you-lies..." Rush stammered, a lot weaker than she anticipated.

Thrill gave her a sad look. "I'm not lying. I'm so sorry for what happened to you, Rush. And I really hope you get over your stubborness and let yourself remember."

She stood up and left, with Storm and Grey behind her.