A bunch of villains in a bar. Six-Gum Gang, Ace, some OCs and even villains of lesser fame such as Crayon Boy and Bab-I mean Kid Jackson.


Dimly lit rundown soda bar? Check. Root beer with coasters? Check. Drinking buddies…? I looked up from my root beer to the various teens and one five year old at the same table as I. Check. Dreadful Silence? I tapped my finger on the round wooden table we sat around, hoping to get a response. Check.

We're an odd lot, frankly I don't think either of us would really associate with the other. A former associate of the Kids Next Door, five Western thug rip-offs, a fake psychic, a five-year old genius, a vengeful punk rocker, a diver with a gimmick and 'me'. But recent events have a weird way of bringing people together.

"So…" I spoke up, ending the long period of silence. "…anyone want to say something?" No response. "Alright then. I'm not going to beat around the bush here…I'm scared…there, someone said it." Of course I said it, everyone's too damn prideful. "So can we start talking about this?"

"There's nothing to talk about." Ace 'The Kid', the former associate of the Kids Next Door stated. "Face it, Benedict has won, 'we' have won. Let the golden age begin." He leaned back coolly in his chair. "Let the good times roll."

"How exactly does one exactly go from best pilot in the world to Benedict's propaganda puppet?" Runt, the leader of the Six-Gum Gang asked.

"I woke up one day and wised up to who really runs the show. And I'm not a puppet, I'm too good for that." Ace muttered.

"Sure you are." Dixie, one of the Six-Gum Gang rolled her eyes.

"Personally, I don't think Benedict has won just yet." The vengeful punk rocker, The Pioneer, spoke up before downing what was left of her root beer. "You've seen the news…images of a bald teen running around."

"Oh please, I thought someone who set an orphanage on fire would support Benedict." Ace shook his head in disbelief. I shook my head and stirred my drink. "Tell her Crayon Kid, you can see the future, right?"

"I could have sworn we've been over this." Crayon Boy, the fake psychic, rolled his eyes. "I'm more or less a con-man. I can't see the future, that's just a front I use to scam my classmates and cut lunch lines."

"As a five-year old…is it wrong of me to want Benedict to lose?" the five year old, Kid Jackson, asked.

"Well he wants to kill every one of your kind in existence so I guess you 'should' feel so you baby, heh." Runt laughed.

"I believe my current age labels me as a 'kid', not a 'baby'. Get it right, 'runt'." Kid Jackson said in a threatening manner.

"You're scared too, aren't you?" The diver, Seaweed, asked. "It's okay…I think we all are."

"A world without kids…sounds just like Grandfather." Lunk, another member of the Six-Gum Gang mumbled. "Does anyone remember Grandfather? Anyone?"

"I remember being nabbed by some old woman, everything went dark and next think I know I'm on the other side of the world." Crayon Boy spoke up. "I saw footage of what we all did…makes my skin crawl." He shuddered.

"And people call 'us' evil." Runt raised his hands up in the air. "Sure, we do somewhat questionable things." Runt glanced at The Pioneer, who flicked him off in response. "But we aren't exactly genocidal are we?"

"We steel lunch money, we burn down orphanages, we blow up rival fishing boats…" I looked to Seaweed who shrugged. "We steel teeth, which by the way is totally gross, and we cut lines…I don't exactly see us as genocidal conspirators."

"Not going to lie…" Wilbur, one of the Six-Gum Gang, spoke up. "…I too am indeed scared."

"Yeah…" Goof, that last member of the Six-Gum Gang agreed. "…I think we're all kind of scared…"

"Now you're all just paranoid!" Ace shouted. I rolled my eyes. I glanced at the entrance of the soda bar, noticing a girl with red hair watching us intently. I turned to The Pioneer beside me, who nodded having taken notice of the girl watching us.

"Alright then." I stood up from where I was seated and turned to the girl. "You got a problem with us? Cause I can't help but notice your interest in our little conversation." One by one the stood and walked up behind me, backing me up as I drew one of my fish hooks behind my water-proof poncho.

"You know, we should all team up, I think we would work well together." Seaweed mention, earning questionable looks from The Pioneer and Runt. "Hey, I'm an opportunist."

"Sorry if I come off as some little creep" the girl walked from where she stood to meet us. "But, I can't help but find we all have a lot in common."

"You mean you cut lines to?" Crayon Boy asked dreamily.

"No. I mean I don't exactly like the idea of genocide." She rolled her eyes. "Something big is coming, not a war, but something of that magnitude. I'd like to ask your help as judgment day draws near. To side against Benedict and save children everywhere."

"Forget this girl." I glanced at Ace, seeing him shake his head at the girl. "Benedict all the way! Am I right Castoff?" He looked at me. I said nothing; I just turned to watch Kid Jackson walk up to the girl.

"You guys know where I stand." Kid Jackson muttered. I walked forward, joining Kid Jackson. I burnt down tree houses, I played a hand in the destruction of the Kids Next Door Deep Sea Lab…I'm not a good person but I have to draw a line somewhere.

One by one The Six-Gum Gang walked over, as did Seaweed and Crayon Boy. "Are you guys serious?!" Ace shouted in disbelief. He turned to see The Pioneer join us. "You too?! I thought you hated kids? You burnt down an orphanage for Christ's sake!"

"I got my reasons for the things I do. Just like you." The Pioneer spoke coldly.

"So what now?" I asked the girl.

"Now, now we start recruiting." And with that, we left. Leaving Ace behind. Leaving behind any ties we had to Benedict. We're all messed up. But even we have to draw a line somewhere.