Chapter 06
Love Shocker Showdown

(Disclaimer – don't own JSR. OK? Honestly, why do we bother?
By the way, I'd just like to make a point to any small minded people that
just because Kell is an evil lesbian, this does not mean all lesbians are evil.
Most are perfectly nice people. Kell would be evil whether she were straight,
gay, bi or unsure. Right? (Phew, that's got the political correctness people off
my trail…) )

Gum groaned. Someone was shaking her awake. She rolled over, buried her
face in Beat's shoulder and tried to return to the dream she'd been having
involving him, her and a deserted beach.
"Gum, wake up, this is serious!"
Gum peeled her eyelids apart and focused grumpily on Slate. "What?"
she snapped. Or tried to snap. With a swollen tongue and bruised jaw talking
was not an easy option.
"Read this." He handed her a rain-spotted piece of paper.
Gum read it twice, trying to force her sleepy brain to take in the words.
"Some Love Shocker's after Cube? So what? The Love Shockers hate our
guts anyway."
"Yeah, but I heard stuff about this girl. She's different."
"Smarter than the average Love Shocker?" Gum sneered. "Which
wouldn't be too difficult…" Her jaw was becoming painful.
"Look, I'm heading out to the bus terminal right now. If I'm not back in
half an hour, come after me."
"Why?"
"The last girl who upset this Kell was found sliced to ribbons in Park
Street, okay?"
Gum swallowed as he continued, "All the rudies knew who did it, but no
one was brave enough to say anything."
"How come I didn't hear about it?"
"Maybe because whenever anyone mentions Love Shockers you put
your fingers in your ears. Look, Kell's dangerous and she hates Cube's guts."
"Wait…" Gum thought back. "When I got you guys out last night, a
Love Shocker said – said to tell Cube something like Kell was gonna get her
and she'd be dead. You think it's an ambush?"
"Yeah. I'm off. And remember what I said. Come in half an hour."

Cube leapt to her feet. Kell moved like a snake, and Cube saw the knife bite
down her arm. Blood trickling down her wrist, she turned and ran. If she
could just get back to the garage…
As she approached the exit, two Love Shockers dashed forward,
blocking her way. Cube saw the knives in their hands and stopped. She
clenched her fists.
"Go on, try it, GG!" sneered one Love Shocker. "I'd just love to slice
you a bit. Don't let Kell have all the fun."
Cube turned, and headed to the other exit, the one that led to the hill,
trying to ignore the jeering laughter. But two more Love Shockers appeared
there, and she dashed away. Her heart was going at light speed. She had to get
out – had to –
The half pipe. Did they know about that? Please don't let them, Cube
prayed as she skated. Please…
She was nearly there, and it was devoid of Love Shockers. She ran
forward –
" – Go on, GG. Let's see you crawl through barbed wire."
Someone pushed her, and she fell against the wire they'd stretched
across the top of the steps. She hardly noticed the scratches. She was trapped.
"Come on. Fun's over."
Someone grabbed her wrist. Terror shot up her spine, and she turned
and punched the Love Shocker in the mouth. Then she dashed forward, hardly
thinking about where she was going, just desperate to get away.
She saw the green railings in the distance. Jumped, ground along them,
slipping and sliding on the wet metal, jumped, ground again, and jumped again,
onto the side of the steps to the bridge. She could hear someone following her,
laughing, as she turned right and charged along the side of the walkway. They
were catching up. She tried to think clearly.
And then a hand shoved her back, and she fell off the bridge.
She landed on her knees, which seemed to burst into agony. Struggled
to stand, but the pain made her cry out and she dropped back down.
She heard the sound of skates, and saw the Love Shockers move to
circle her. Then Kell came towards her, kicking water into her face.
"GG, you disappoint me," she said. "I was hoping for some
excitement."
"Yeah, right. Don't pretend you're not loving this." Cube looked up at
them, hoping they'd think the agonized tears in her eyes were rain.
"You're right. This is the best high I've had in years. Honestly, think of
the trouble you could've saved yourself if you'd just been a good girl earlier."
"Drop dead." Cube tried to think tough. If she didn't, she'd collapse.
"You're a sick psycho bitch and I'd rather kiss Goji Rokkaku than you. No, in
fact I'd rather kiss Onishima than you. No – I'd rather have an orgy with both
of them than kiss you!"
Kell sneered. "Right," she said to the other Love Shockers. "Get her
up. It's party time."
Cube felt hands on her arms, pulling her to her feet. Putting any weight
on her them sent daggers of pain ripping down from her knees, so she let the
Love Shockers drag her. Not that she was gonna submit. She was gonna go
down fighting – well, hopefully not go down fighting. Escape fighting. Yeah.
They propped her up against the pole supporting the roof of one of the
bus shelters. Kell leaned in close to her. "Look," she said. "If you want, we
can play this the easy way. You do what I say, and I won't cut your throat.
You might even enjoy it."
"I don't believe you," Cube said. She watched the knife Kell held. The
Love Shocker was stroking it, like it was a pet. The blood was rubbing off on
her fingers. Cube saw San lying there, out of the corner of her eye, and fear
and anger tightened her throat.
"I'm not making any bargains with you," she said.
"Your loss." Kell clicked her fingers, and Cube felt damp fingers grab
her wrists, pull them back behind the pole. Rope snaked around them. She
tried to break free, but someone punched her in the stomach and by the time
she'd caught her breath, her hands were literally tied.
"This time we're going to have a fair fight," Kell said. "No running
away."
"Oh, sure it's fair. There's one of me and five of you, I can't walk, and
you just tied me up. Sure. Guess you're scared you'll lose again."
A few of the Love Shockers tittered, and Kell whirled on them, face
ugly. "You looking for the same as her?" She pointed to San.
"Yeah, your leader's hardly on your side, is she?" Cube said. "She
sliced her up real –"
Kell punched her in the mouth. Cube felt blood well up over her teeth
and dribble down her face, warm on her rain-frozen skin.
"Right," Kell said, "You know I've always liked the taste of blood…"
Cold fingers forced Cube's chin up, and Kell's lips closed on hers.
Cube bit down on them, and Kell shrieked.
Cube forced down a grin as Kell spun away from her, hands pressed to
her mouth. She could see blood welling between the Love Shocker's fingers.
"You are dead," Kell growled. "And I mean totally."
She grinned, blood spotting her teeth, and held up the knife. "Ever
wondered what would happen if this got stuck in your eye?"
"You wouldn't," Cube gasped.
"You bet your sweet life I would. And I will."
Kell raised the knife. Cube squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth.
Then there was a gasp, a yelp, and she felt the knife blade stab down –
under her eye – through her skin to scrape her cheekbone – she screamed –
then it was pulled out and she heard someone – Slate – yelling her name. She
opened her eyes.
Slate was fighting with Kell. He was gripping her wrists, holding the
knife away from him. The other Love Shockers weren't helping her, but they
weren't helping him either. They just stood there, stunned.
Now they were fighting over the knife, Slate trying to force Kell's
fingers apart, her spitting rage, him angrier than Cube had ever seen him, either
as Slate or Coin, neither giving an inch.
Suddenly Cube felt fingers on her wrists, undoing the rope. She looked
round to see one of the Love Shockers, who put a finger to her lips and then
untied the final knot. Cube wanted to rush forward and smash Kell's face, but
there was no chance. Throwing herself into the battle would lead to someone
getting killed.
And then Kell kicked out – Slate doubled over – and Kell shoved him –
as he fell to the ground she dropped to her knees and stabbed – once – twice –
three times –
Cube heard someone screaming. She felt her throat grow raw and
realised it was her. Kell looked round, and her bloodstained mouth grinned.
"Oh, dear," she said. "Did I kill him?"
Cube rushed forward. She heard Kell gasp as she slammed her down
onto the ground. Raindrops splattered them both, but Cube didn't care. She'd
killed him – killed Coin – she punched and punched, barely registering the
blows she was receiving herself, wanting only to hurt – the knife slid down her
arm again – glittered – Coin was dead – dead –
She had her hands round Kell's throat, and everything was quiet.
"Kill me…" Kell's chest rose and fell, quick and frightened, but she
had a smirk on her face. "Go on…won't…it won't bring him back…"
It was worse than any punch Cube could've been given. She looked
over at Slate. He lay there, blood mingling with rainwater. He'd come to save
her…
Kell moved too quick for her to realise. Hands gripped her shoulders –
she saw the pole rushing towards her – then there was a crunch. The impact
rang through her head, and her vision spun.
She saw Kell lean over her, and she felt something press against her
stomach. Then it was gone, and she felt something damp and warmer than the
rain soaking her shirt. She touched the stain, and her palm came up red.
She's stabbed me, Cube realised, oddly calm about it.
"Let's roll," Kell was saying to the other Love Shockers. Then she
turned, and kicked Cube's knees. Cube screamed as the pain bit into her nerves
again, and Kell snickered.
"Can you still hear me?" she said, dropping down to Cube's level.
"Well, listen good anyway. I think I showed you what happens to people who
mess with me. Next time you do what I say. Get it?"
Cube looked up at her, the scene dancing and wobbling like a distorted
mirror. The pain was making her sick.
"I said, got it, GG?"
"Bitch," Cube gasped.
"Whatever. See y'around, GG."
And finally, finally they were gone.
Cube pushed herself up on her hands, and dragged herself over to Slate.
There was a huge red stain on his jacket, and she couldn't tell if he was
breathing or not.
"Slate?" she called. "Slate, Coin – whoever you are – oh, god, please
don't be dead…"
There was more blood, slowly sinking into his shirt from the wounds
below. She had to stop it. She put her arms round him, rested on top of him.
He was cold, but not as cold as San had been. She reflected that when they
were found, dead together, there'd be sniggering about it for days afterwards.
Two rudies, entwined together passionately beneath the rainy skies…
She felt tears brim up in her eyes, but let them come. If she couldn't cry
now, when could she?
"Don't die," she whispered. "I mean it, Coin. I need you. Geez, you'd
laugh at this if you could hear me, wouldn't you? But you can't die. I mean,
I'd have no one to draw buck teeth on Mew's Westlife posters with. And you
taught me how to skate, and you always said you'd give me pointers…"
She rested her head on his shoulder. She was starting to feel dizzy. The
rain beat down on them both.

(Phew! Well, it nearly killed me *sniffs pathetically and puts on 'suffering
heroine' face* but I've done it. I've finished a fight scene. Now, you wouldn't
let me have put in all that effort for nothing, would you? Or, to put it another
way, R+ R OR DIE!
Sorry, I'm having mood swings again. Anyway, apologies for this
shortness, if not sweetness, of this chapter. I'll put the next part up soon!)