Kid and I are both a sort of terrified when Party, Ghoul, and Star return from behind the door with a sealed tote. Oh, hell.
Fabulous Killjoys have to be fabulous, right?
"Alright let's do this!" Ghoul exclaims, dropping the container onto the table with an intentional thud. These are our uniforms.
As we eye the container suspiciously, Star speaks up. "We've collected these outfits from old storage units, filled with articles of clothing from years ago... with a few updates of course."
Kid looks up and slowly begins to remove the top off of the box. Before I can get up to see for myself, his eyes go wide.
He reaches in and pulls out something neither of us would have never imagined him wearing.
The outfit consisted of a bright yellow t-shirt covered in a black pattern, similar to an animal print I have seen in pictures, a pair of sunglasses and fingerless, leather gloves, a pair of shiny, black skinny jeans, a pair of dark grey boots to match the other Fabulous Killjoys, and a vibrant, crimson jacket. The jacket has black stripes down the arms, with what looks to be racing numbers on one, from when car racing was a sport, and the word "KOBRA" on the other arm. On the chest, there is a patch with Kid's Killjoy Logo, a cobra head with baring its fangs, on it.
The clothing ensemble is just as colorful and daring as the others.
Kid looks up to the three Fabulous Killjoys, and they smile excitedly.
Star looks the most ecstatic. "Do you like the jacket? It was my design!" He exclaims.
Speechless, Kid nods. Ghoul scoots the box closer to me this time.
"Not as spectacular, due to the fact that another Fabulous Killjoy wasn't anticipated, but I can assure you will fit in with us." Ghoul smiles and proceeds to nod at the container.
I reach for the top, but freeze as I process his words.
Fabulous Killjoy.
He said Fabulous Killjoy.
Me.
My eyes are possibly the size of the moon as I can't even try to regain composure.
"F-Fab-" I stutter.
I feel a hand on my shoulder. Kid's. I turn back quickly, and he's smiling. He knows this is exactly what I've been dreaming of since I was nine. My biggest aspiration. A Killjoy. A Fabulous Killjoy.
"Is that not the title you expected? You're here, what else would you be?" Party says with a smirk on his face.
I realize after a few moments that I'm still frozen, so I snap out of it and Kid nods at the box.
With great curiosity and excitement, my fingers lift the lid. Like a small child on holiday, opening a gift, I am eager. I pull out one article of clothing at a time.
An indigo tank top with a black stripe down the front, a pair of shiny, black tight jeans, similar to Kid's, and the same dark boots, sunglasses and gloves.
"Woah." is all I can manage. This is almost unreal.
"Fabulous." Kid says with a chuckle.
I sit and stare at my new Fabulous Killjoy uniform.
Star turns to Ghoul and laughs. "She either loves it absolutely hates it."
"This is the coolest thing ever." I mumble.
Ghoul mock-whispers to Star. "Wait 'til we tell her that she's a Fabulous Killjoy, her head might explode from all the 'cool'."
The five of us laugh. I have yet to put down my new clothes. As I said before, this is almost unreal.
"That's not even the coolest part!" Star exclaims. Kid and I exchange looks of curiosity.
Star nods to Party and he walks over to the counter, pulling two things from behind.
One, a strange helmet thing, one that clearly belongs on some sort of urban motorbike. It is painted bright yellow, with a goofy, red and blue face painted onto the front. There is also a translucent, black visor attached to it, with white writing that simply reads, "GOOD LUCK" in all capital letters.
The other item is a simple black mask that covers the upper half of the wearer's face.
Party tosses the large helmet to Kid, which he catches after almost dropping it, and the black mask to me.
This is legendary.
Now our Fabulous Killjoy uniforms are complete. Kid looks over to me and I smile, "This is the best day ever."
Star speaks up after a moment, "Well? Are a you Fabulous Killjoys or not? Go get dressed!" He laughs.
Kid and I get up, Ghoul directs us to the ancient restroom stalls. I grab my clothes and enter one.
Stripping myself of my old clothes is like stripping myself of my old life. Goodbye, life as a Runner. Goodbye, webrays.
I slide into my indigo tank top and tight black jeans. The new tank top is a little big over my black tank top that I keep on, but the jeans fit fine.
I decide to keep my black jacket. The one I have worn for years now. I was wearing it the day I found the ashes of my house. I've worn it every day since. My last reminder that I had a family once. I had a life before joining the war. Before the war became my life. I'm not throwing my jacket away. I slip it on over my tank top.
Putting the boots on and wearing my new gloves, I exit the stall, where Kid stands, fully dressed in his Fabulous Killjoy ensemble.
We both put on our new sunglasses at the same time.
"You look Fabulous." I say with a short laugh.
"As do you." He replies.
Kid and I hold our old clothes in our hands, with the same idea in mind. As we go to exit the restrooms, we pass a trash can, pitching them in. We silently nod at each other. This is the right thing to do.
Pushing open the door, the other Fabulous Killjoys stand waiting for us.
Ghoul, Party, and Star gather around us and give both of us pats on the back.
I really feel like one of them. After the whole stockroom conversation, I thought for sure I wouldn't be allowed to participate, or I could have even been cast out. That would be a nightmare. Being left out, fending for myself. No Killjoy, or even human being, would want that. I thought I wouldn't be accepted, especially since I'm young.
But now there are five, or six, of us. And I won't let them down.
"Welcome to the team, Kobra Kid and, wait-" Ghoul pauses. Of course, he doesn't know what to call me. I never told them my name. Mostly because I don't have one.
Kid and I have never really referred to each other with a name. When we left our cities, we left our identities, for safety and metaphorical reasons, and our lives behind. So no one really has a name before they have their Killjoy names. Obviously, I've called him Kid forever, but that's just a nickname, same as him always calling me "Twerp".
"Damn it, we never learned her name. Who do we think we are?" Star says while he, Party, and Ghoul exchange questioning looks.
Kid jumps in before I can speak for myself. "The twerp- uh, doesn't have a name, exactly."
"You didn't bother to help find her one before you sneaked her out here? Where are your priorities, Kid? She's obviously a Killjoy now, so she needs an identity like one." Ghoul exclaims.
I shuffle awkwardly. The whole Killjoy thing is recent news to me, let alone the burden of finding a name. Especially if I can't change it.
A Killjoy. My own name, my own Logo.
I could feel eight eyes on me, waiting for a response. I don't know what to say.
Party surprises me when he speaks for the first time in a while. "Guys, back off. She doesn't need a name right now. In case you hadn't noticed, she wasn't even considered a Killjoy earlier this morning, so an identity isn't important right now. We have more things to worry about. She'll find a name eventually."
Thank you, Party Poison. Once he finishes speaking, I give him the most grateful look I can manage, and he just nods, expressionless.
For now, I will remain unnamed.
Unfortunately, Ghoul thinks otherwise as he approaches me, rubs my head, an action I'm not particularly fond of, and says, "I guess we'll just have to call you 'Twerp' then." He says, with his childish giggle. I roll my eyes while the others laugh.
"Come on, Ghoul. Don't be an ass." Star says, still smiling, as he opens the door to the stockroom, and disappears into it.
"Psh, whatever." He says, backing off. As Ghoul steps away, he pretends to cough, the cough suspiciously sounding like the word "Twerp!".
This little war isn't over, Ghoul.
At this moment, Star returns from the stockroom with a familiar-looking crate. Food. I hadn't realized how hungry I've been, since so much has occurred since this morning.
Star sets the crate on the table, and we all gather around. Opening it, he reveals five Cans and five water bottles. What is the sixth person supposed to eat? Are they even here? I suppose they aren't. I'm sure I will meet them soon enough, though, if they are accompanying us to Ravenkroft. Star also pulls out, much to my surprise, five packs of dried fruit. How do they even acquire this stuff? Probably because the Fabulous Killjoys usually get first picks on the Stations. This is where all the good stuff goes!
Ghoul, Kid, and I file back onto the benches. Party also appears from behind the corner, from whatever room he came from. All five of us pass around the Cans and water. The Cans are standard, vegetable flavor. Once everyone has opened their Cans. Ghoul speaks up, "Oh yes, you got the vegetable. That fake meat one tastes like shit!" Star laughs.
After that, everyone is silently eating the Industry-produced sludge that is every Killjoy's sustenance.
"So, what now?" Kid asks.
"Well, we went over the mission for tomorrow." Star says, finishing off his Can. For the record, no, they did not. All Kid and I know is that we are heading into Ravenkroft in the morning, not having any clue of the operation itself, or our roles in completing it. "And you guys look like Fabulous Killjoys, alright." He continues, gesturing towards our outfits. "We've done pretty much all we've set out to do for today."
My eyes wander out the window, which is another example as to why the Fabulous Killjoys are brilliant idiots because transparent walls are not the smartest when you are running from the enemy, to find that the sun has disappeared, leaving the sky an endless abyss of black. This day has both flown, but then again, this morning, when I was still a Runner, terrified by Dr. Death Defying's voice, seems years ago.
"Now what, then?" Kid asks again.
By now, all five of us have finished our meal, our Cans disposed of.
"We hit the hay, so tomorrow we can hit the road." Star replies.
It has to be approximately 10:00 by now. Sleep is necessary for whatever actions we have to carry out tomorrow.
Ghoul stands and nods to Kid and I, "You two will find some room the back for crashing. We got blankets and stuff."
Kid and I peer behind the corner to find a small hallway with two small alcoves, and four bunks.
Four bunks. Great, I shouldn't be surprised.
Without a word, I grab one of the folded blankets from what I assume is Kid's new bed, and sit on the floor, just to the side. Kid is seated on the thin mattress, under the bunk that Star has climbed onto.
Kid and I exchange looks, faces expressionless. He is the first to break into a smile. A few hours ago, when we were arguing over why we were here, I wouldn't have expected it.
"Are you prepared for tomorrow, Fabulous Killjoy?" He whispers, with a small salute.
I return the salute with a smile, "Prepared as I'll be ever be, sir."
With that he turns over, nothing left to say.
I am so ready for tomorrow. Even this morning, at the subway station, I never imagined this would happen. I thought I would remain a Runner, hopeful with a Killjoy at my side. Kid and I would stay with the group, waiting for the war to really begin.
But now that we are here, the war has really begun. And we are the front lines.
I relish this thought as rest my head on the floor. I glance around the hallway. Kid is just above me, Star on the bunk on top. Ghoul and Party share the bunk in the opposite alcove. Ghoul is motionless on top, probably already asleep, but Party is awake. I see him sitting upright, scrawling on a piece of paper, muttering to himself. Perhaps he is devising a plan?
I try to decipher his murmurs, but I can't make out even a full sentence.
"She'll be- listen...- the guys at the Pegasus- join the-"
What kind of plan is that? Party abruptly stops, and puts the paper he was writing on down, and he shuffles, turning away.
After dwelling on the nonsense I gathered, I shake it off, for I have to sleep eventually.
Closing my eyes, I think about my family.
I'll get to the bottom of this, now that I'm out here, doing something. I have all the power in the world. The Corporation will regret everything they've done to me. Taking my family, taking my home, taking the life I knew.
Prepare for the newest Fabulous Killjoys, BL Ind., because we're out for vengeance.
(A/N So! This is the night before the Ravenkroft raids! Plus, we're nearing two hundred reads! First, I would like to thank MajorShipper, for pointing something out. For you readers, please don't anticipate a romance between our main character and Kid. They have a different relationship, and that will become more clear as time goes on. Anyway! Continue commenting, and do the Killjoy name thing, please. If you have questions about that or anything, comment! Thanks for all the reads and votes so far! Remember vote/comment/do whatever. Keep running, Rock and Rollers, and never let them take you alive! -Benzedrine Parade)