Party Poison leaned heavily on the hood of the car, peering at the slow moving figure off in the desert. Couldn't be a draculoid, unless it lost its way. He frowned, wondering if it was a trap for people them. Maybe. He looked again, but it had been moving pretty solidly in one direction for a long time. He wondered why it was moving so slow. It didn't seem to be staggering or limping, just taking small steps. He slid down to the ground, leaning against the cool side of the car.
"Still there?" Fun Ghoul asked, poking a screwdriver into his gun, his face obscured by his rubber mask.
Poison smacked his hand, "You're gonna shoot yourself."
Ghoul smacked him back, "Probably gonna get shot anyway."
Poison gave his leg a kick, and Ghoul rolled over. He laughed. Poison said, "Yeah, it's still there."
Ghoul peeked up, peering through the windows. "Is it from SCARECROW?"
Poison leaned his head back, "Who knows."
Ghoul stands, "Let's just go see what it is."
A pair of legs flopped out from the back window, "Hot ***, are we finally going?" Kobra Kid wriggled awkwardly out the window, "It's hot in here and Jet is snoring."
"Shut up." Jet Star mumbled from inside the car. Poison popped up, and slid around to the driver's seat.
They roared over the desert, swiftly approaching the figure. As they closed in, it gave pause, then dropped down out of sight. They drove on further until they felt the distance was close enough for an encounter but far enough for a quick escape. Poison peered out, his gun ready. Kobra, though, was already out of the car, gun out, helmet on, ready to shoot. Poison got out after him, ready to shoot whoever killed his idiotic friend. Jet and Ghoul remained in the car, but Poison knew their guns were ready, and they were perched to fly to their aid.
"Who's out there?" Poison called.
There was no response, no movement other than Kobra's continuous whipping of his gun from left to right.
Poison put his gun away, "We're not going to hurt you." Kobra added, "As long as you're not a Draculoid!" His muffled chuckle made Poison grin, despite himself. Poison gestured to Kobra to put his gun down. Kobra visibly wilted, and put it away.
After a moment, a gloved hand appeared, held up. Poison trotted over, and came to a small ditch, where he found a young woman, a few years younger than himself. Her clothes were dusty, her boots worn. The tears in her jeans and jacket showed scratched and tanned skin. She looked intently up at him as she clutched a large bundle, from which poked a pair of small booted legs.
Poison jumped when he heard Ghoul's voice at his side, "***!" They quickly pulled her from the ditch.
She was a little taller than Poison, and he was pretty sure her hair was brown under the dust. No doubting her eyes were a cold shade of green, nearing blue. She set the bundle down, and a little girl threw the blanket off and jumped around, "Ha ha ha!" The child looked wild and carefree, far from normal these days. Her hair was wild and curly, and she appeared ready to go for a long run, but Ghoul caught her by the underarms. The young woman suddenly pulled a gun out, aimed at Ghoul, "Put her down." Ghoul stared down the barrel, surprised, as the girl kicked in his arms.
Poison held his hands up, "We're not gonna take her!" A second gun appeared in his own face, "Fu—" She cut him off, "Put her down." Ghoul set the girl on her feet, "I just wanted to keep her from running off." As soon as the tiny boots were on the ground, the guns were tucked into previously unseen holsters. In a moment, the little girl's hand was caught up in the other's. She eyed them, "Sorry, but I have to keep her safe and I don't know who you are."
Ghoul seemed surprised, and said, "You don't?" as Jet and Kobra jogged over.
She shook her head, "Should I?"
Jet said, "What's going on?"
Ghoul said, "This girl almost shot us."
Kobra flipped his visor up, "Why?"
The small girl threw her arms up, "I'm trouble!"
Poison laughed, "I can tell!" He smiled at the older girl, "I'm Party Poison. We're the Killjoys."
She seemed up understand, "Oh, I've heard of you. I haven't seen the posters, but I know who you are." She said, "You can call me Heart." She gave the little girl's arm a light jerk, "I've just been calling this one The Girl."
Jet gave Poison a nudge, "There's a big dust kickin' this way." Poison looked toward the road. He scowled, "We've gotta fly."
Looking at Heart, he said, "That's SCARECROW, come to ruin our party." Heart looked alarmed, and scooped The Girl up.
Kobra held his arm out, "Come on, get in the car, we'll get you guys out of here."
The group raced back to the car, placing Heart and The Girl into the middle, as the guys piled in. Heart tucked The Girl at their feet. Poison revved the car, and they sped off.
Back on the road, Poison leaned out his window, peering back at the cloud of dust chasing them. It was catching up. Jet and Ghoul both popped up, guns out, and began shooting at the Dracs on bikes. A few crashed out, and Heart appeared beside them, guns blazing. Between the three of them, the Dracs were made to fall back. A moment later, a roaring Firebird swerved around the bikes, and blazed quickly toward them.
Jet leaned back to Poison, "Pick it up, man!"
Poison shifted the car into a higher gear, and it lunged forward. Jet grabbed the rocket launcher beside The Girl, who scrambled up beside him, barely able to peek through the rear window. Her eyes grew wide as she watched the missile blow a crater in the road, causing the Firebird to turn quickly, and sideswipe a boulder, coming to a halt as a cloud of dust swirled around. Jet threw a victorious fist into the air, pausing when he realized The Girl was hugging his leg with a smile. He grinned at her, and ruffled her curly head.
An hour later, they squealed to a stop outside Dr. Death Defy's station. Cherri Cola was leaned against the door, scowling. Kobra hopped from the car, "Don't be pissed!"
Cola folded his arms tightly, "You didn't even wake me up!"
"We did! You punched me!" Ghoul pulled his mask off, sweaty and sporting a black eye.
Cola looked at his hand, "I wondered why my hand hurt." He grinned then, "Your face is as thick as you are." He suddenly noticed Heart as she jumped to the ground, holding her arms out to Jet, as he peeled The Girl from his leg. "Who's that?"
Poison clapped a hand on Cola's shoulder, "Heart and The Girl."
Cola looked confused, "What girl?"
Kobra says, "The Girl." He grins.
Jet, finding The Girl unwilling to be handed off, accepted his burden and walked beside a laughing Heart, and he looked toward Poison, "Can we keep them?"
Poison stared for a moment, as The Girl squeezed Jet Star's neck. Then he shrugged, "Up to them." And went inside.
Dr. D rolled around in his wheelchair, "You been vampire hunting?" Poison threw a cupboard open, pulling a can out, "So we thought, but no such luck." He started cutting it open, "Here it comes." Dr. D laughed, his shades bouncing sunlight into Poison's eyes.
The Girl barrelled in, stomping across the room. She stared at Dr. D, then noticed Poison's food. She shrieked, "I want that!" Heart said, "Don't be rude, Girl." The Girl bounced over to Poison, climbing into a chair. He sat across from her, and offered her a spoonful as she opened her toothy mouth.
Dr. D smiled at Heart, "I know who you two are." Heart straightened, suddenly nervous, and Dr. D said, "I knew your mom." He rolled over to the couch, and Heart followed, sitting near him. They spoke quietly, but Poison could hear well enough, even over the chomps of The Girl.
Dr. D leaned on his armrest, "I wondered what had happened to you."
Heart said, "We had to split when some burners tried to trade us for a better life."
Dr. D rubbed his goatee, "How industrious. Happens sometimes. I told your mom you'd be okay with me and mine, but…"
Heart seemed occupied by the cuff of her jacket, "Yeah, but she couldn't have known who would do what."
He nodded, "It's in the past now. You're welcome here, of course." Heart smiled, and glanced over at The Girl and Poison as he scraped the can theatrically. The Girl laughed, and Poison winked at Heart. She smiled.
Some months later—who can really tell when you live in a godforsaken desert—Kobra had a Vend-a-hack tucked into the BL Industries machine and was coding it up for new guns. The Girl watched over his shoulder, "I wanna gun!" He laughed, "You gotta learn to shoot first." He finished then said, "You gonna push the button?" She jumped down from the barrel and pushed hard on the gun dispenser with both hands. When the gun popped out into the tray, she reached for it but was beaten by Kobra's lightning fast reflexes. She gave a playful howl, and he scooped her up, "That's why I'm the Kobra."
Poison and Heart were walking out near one of the Danger Zone signs. Pausing in the shade of one, Poison stared out at the vista, "How long do you think it will be before she's ready to know?"
Heart laughed derisively, "Years." She joined him, leaning against his back, "Maybe it'll be better by the time she's old enough to be involved."
Poison smiled, and turned, draping an arm around her, "Wouldn't that be nice."
She suddenly pulled away, and kept walking, "We should go back."
He ran a hand through his red hair, feeling the grime and dirt from the days work on his fingers. With a sigh, he caught up to her, and they walked back in silence.
Jet and Cola were dragging wood to the bonfire pit while Ghoul toggled the radio. Jet threw a large piece of wood down as Kobra and The Girl came down a path, The Girl hopping from rock to rock as Kobra watched for any mishaps. Jet grinned, "Finally!" The Girl hopped from the last rock into Jet's arms, laughing. Kobra tossed a gun to Ghoul, who said, "What took so long?" The Girl threw her hands up, and Jet said, "You're trouble!" Jet threw her up into the air, and she shrieked, "Yes, I am!"
Poison and Heart scuffed in quietly, Poison kneeling beside Ghoul. Heart watched him until Kobra called, "Heart! Catch!" And she caught the gun he tossed her. She pulled her spent gun from her holster and tossed it into the dirt.
The sun was setting, the sky blurred and gray, but there was still the comforting oranges and reds there had always been. Poison had watched Heart climb out to some rocks to watch it turn to darkness. He approached her slowly, unsure if he was welcome. The light from the fresh bonfire cast his shadow beside hers and she glanced at him before looking back at the sky. He interpreted it as an invitation, and joined her.
He quietly spoke, "Are you mad at me?"
She took his hand.
He nodded, then squeezed it, "Then what?"
Heart turned into him, putting her forehead to his shoulder, "Something is going to happen. I can feel it."
He held her, "We'll take care of it. We always do." She stared at the ground beyond his shoulder. He felt her distance and held her away from him slightly, "Are you worried about her?"
Heart nodded. She put a hand to his face, "Promise me you'll take care of her, Poison."
He said, "Of course I will."
She put both hands on his face now, "Above everyone else. Even me."
A frown stole over his face. Her hands smoothed his jaw gently, "Please. I need this from you."
He kissed her, holding her tightly, suddenly feeling the dread she felt. Between kisses, he said, "I promise."
They returned to the group, hand in hand. Poison felt anxious, as Heart had never expressed so much affection before. And the whole duration of the evening, she remained near him, always in contact. And for the first and last time, she slept in his arms, rather than holding her sister.
The moment came the next day, as Poison and Heart drove with The Girl back to Dr. D's. They sped down the road, and Poison kept checking on Heart and The Girl in his rearview mirror. Heart held The Girl in her lap, in the backseat, her face pressed to her curled hair as The Girl toyed with her belt. Ghoul had collected and cleaned a collection of bottle caps, attaching them to a small belt for The Girl. She was still enamoured with it, oblivious to Heart's affections.
Poison noticed something up ahead, blurred in the mirage waves. He slowed and popped up to try to distinguish it. He found Heart at his side. Her gaze was intense and dark. Her hand rested on his, and she looked at him, "Poison…"
There was an explosion, and the car flipped off the road. They found themselves saved by a large rock, and Heart quickly pulled The Girl from the sideways seats. The Girl was absolutely calm and her face was alert. Heart held to her sister and crawled to Poison, who now realized his leg was stuck between the seat and the stick shift. "***!"
There was a deep, harsh voice calling, "Come out! You can't run from me!"
Heart set The Girl near them, and rolled beside Poison. She grabbed his face, "He doesn't know you're here." He held her waist, "What!" She smoothed his face gently, "Remember what you promised me." He gripped her jeans, "Wait!" She kissed him, "Take care of her, Poison." He held her, "No! Heart!" She kissed him again, long and hard, "I love you. Remember me." She pushed away from him, pushing The Girl into his arms.
He watched her crawl from under the car, and could barely see reflected in a piece of broken mirror as she stepped onto the road, where a bald man in a gray trench coat stood. She walked carefully, her guns in her hands.
The man spoke, "You expected me."
She said nothing, only stared.
He held his gun up, at the ready, "I can see my intel was right about you."
She held hers up.
The blasts were quick and it was over in a moment. Heart was on the ground, a pool of blood beneath her. Poison clutched The Girl close, who buried her face into his chest. The BL henchmen gathered her into the black Firebird.
The man paused, staring at the flipped car. He turned to the henchmen, "Take care of that. I'm sure they'll come looking for it." He then got into the car, and it sped off, escorted by all but four henchmen.
It took Poison one minute to kill them, even from his pinned position. It took 30 minutes to pull his leg free.
He walked, limping, back to Dr. D's with The Girl. His promise burned in his mind, and he added to it, swearing to avenge his Heart.