A/N: I have no idea why I'm giving Richie so much attention. He's not my favorite character or anything, so I really don't know why XD But he's definitely a fan favorite, so I guess it works out.

Anyways, this is the last chapter with a new member of the Losers joining the club. All seven will finally be assembled by the end of this chapter. So, that being said, this chapter takes place after When Bev Met Ben, and the last one to take place before the Halloween chapters. October must've been a very eventful month for the Losers in this AU.

One more thing, as a warning, there is a minor racial slur used in this chapter. So just bear that in mind if you need to.

The Losers all made their usual bike trip home after school. They passed by all the landmarks of their small town—the Paul Bunyan statue, the library, the butcher shop. Outside of the shop was one of the few black boys in Derry, about the same age as the rest of the Losers, delivering a package of meat. The Losers often saw this boy outside the butcher shop on their way back from school. He didn't go to their school, though. In fact, they didn't even know his name. He was only affectionately known by Richie as,

"Homeschool! Hey, how ya doin'?" Richie cried out as he rode by him on his bike. The origins of this nickname are quite self-explanatory—the kid was homeschooled, which is why the Losers didn't know much about him. But they continued along, passing by the butcher shop, ready to forget about him as quickly as they rode past him.

The next day, the Losers Club once again all rode on their bikes, coming along toward the butcher shop. But this time, Homeschool wasn't anywhere to be seen. Richie slowed down on his bike, causing the rest of the club to slow down as well.

"What's wrong, Richie?" Eddie asked.

"Where's Homeschool?" Richie wondered, looking inside the shop to make sure he wasn't in there.

"We probably missed him," Stan said. "Why does it matter anyways?"

"I dunno, it just doesn't feel right."

Suddenly, they all heard the sound of a loud, revving engine, accompanied by maniacal laughter. That could only mean one thing—the Bowers Gang. It was coming from the alleyway next to the shop.

"Come on," Richie said, "we gotta go help Homeschool!" He rode his bike into the alley.

"Are you crazy?!" Ben said. "Bowers is gonna kill us!"

Richie didn't listen to him, though, and he kept riding into the alley. The rest of the Losers figured that Richie was going to face off against Bowers no matter what, so they might as well help him. Thus, they all followed Richie down the alley.

At the end of the alley was a small lot, where Henry was at the helm of Belch's car, revving the engine and trapping Homeschool against a fence. "Got nowhere to run, Blackie!" Henry yelled. "Better watch out! Don't wanna get run over by the car!"

"Hey, asshole!" Richie yelled, causing all the members of the Bowers Gang to shift their focus away from Homeschool and onto the Trashmouth. "Why don't you leave him alone and go back to blowing your dad at home?"

"You losers think you're so fuckin' funny? Okay, lets' play!" Henry said as he backed up the car and turned it to face the Losers up the alley.

"We gotta fuckin' go, guys! We gotta fuckin' go!" Richie said as he started madly pedaling back up the alley toward the sidewalk. The other Losers all pedaled as fast as they could manage to get out of the alley. "We'll split up, then meet up back here when we've lost them!" Richie said. Henry started driving up the alley.

Ben was the last one in line. The deafening roar of the car engine filled his ears. He was so close to reaching the end of the alley! Just a little more! I can't die this way! Not by being run over by Bowers in an alleyway! Please, not now! Just a little more! Ben felt the front bumper of the car scrape against his rear bike wheel just as he got out of the alley and made a sharp turn to the left down the sidewalk. He made it! Henry turned right to follow the other Losers rather than left to follow Ben. He was scot-free!

That didn't mean the other Losers were, though. Eddie was the next one down the line. Once he saw Belch's car following him, he started to panic even more than he already was. "Oh, shit! Oh, shit!" he said as he steered his bike onto the sidewalk so that the car couldn't get to him. That didn't do much to relinquish his fear, though. Bowers still had his eyes hard-set on him.

Eddie was now on the Kissing Bridge, and the gang was still hot on his tail. He took this opportunity to jump his bike over the railing of the bridge and ride it downhill into the Barrens. He heard the roar of the engine fade away as it continued down the road. It seemed like he had lost them now. It was time for him to meet everyone back at the butcher shop.

Stan was the first one to make it back to the shop, with Bill and Beverly close behind. They found the homeschooled kid walking out from the alley with his bike. "I can't thank you guys enough," he said.

"W-w-well, it's really Ri-Richie you should be thanking," Bill said.

"Speak of the devil," Stan said, pointing attention towards Richie, who was riding down the sidewalk on his bike toward the shop.

"Hey, Homeschool," Richie said. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for saving my ass back there. I really owe you guys."

"Nah, it's no biggie," Richie said. "We're used to dealing with Bowers and his gang of assholes."

"What's your name, anyways?" Beverly asked. "So we don't have to keep calling you 'Homeschool'."

"Mike. Mike Hanlon."

"N-n-nice to meet you, M-Mike," Bill said.

"Welcome to the Losers Club, Mikey!" Richie joyously declared.

"Since when are you accepting new members of the Losers Club with open arms?" Beverly questioned.

"Since right now!" Richie said. "Mike truly belongs with us Losers."

"Uh…thanks," Mike said. "I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or an insult," he chuckled.

Eddie and Ben finally met up with the rest of the Losers in front of the butcher shop. "What's goin' on, guys?" Eddie asked.

"Mike here is the n-n-newest member of the L-L-Losers Club, apparently," Bill announced.

"Nice to meet you, Mike!" Ben said.

Then, the dreaded sound of a roaring engine broke their peace. "Oh, shit," Bill said. "That's Bowers. They're p-p-probably on their w-w-way back here."

"Hurry, let's go!" Stan said as he got back on his bike.

As the other Losers got on their bikes, including Mike, Bill said, "We'll be sure to keep in touch, Mike," as they all pedaled away toward their respective homes.

"Yeah, see you around, guys," Mike said as he rode back home as well.

Bill couldn't exactly put his finger on his current feeling, but it almost felt as if the Losers Club was "complete" now. As if these seven people were always destined to be friends with one another from the very beginning, and they had just fulfilled that prophecy this afternoon. After all, there's a power in numbers, and seven was the holiest, most powerful number of them all.

Then again, maybe Bill was just reading too many high fantasy stories lately.