Left for Dead

03

"This spot's another DND like you guys." She mused as they pulled up to the old gas station and off her bike. She checked that her shield bracer was in place and ready, then touched her holster for a moment before setting off after Mikey, who seemed right at home.

"Remember not to call me Mikey here." He paused at the door, then shoved it open. "Cola, Pony, you around?"

"The fuck do you want, Kobra?" Another voice answered immediately, though it wasn't unfriendly. A man with sandy hair and an old army jacket practically bounded into the makeshift living room. "Kobes! You brought a girl home! Pony, come see! And here I was, thinking I'd never see the day-"

"He definitely decided to shoot his shot." She pulled down her goggles, revealing laugh lines again despite her deadpan voice.

"What she means is, I owed her a favor." Mikey grinned for real, much more relaxed here than at his own hideout as he dropped onto the torn loveseat, draping an arm across the back. When she cocked an eyebrow and sat on the table, Cola dropped happily to sit next to Mikey, snuggling exaggeratedly under his arm.

"So what part of that favor brings you to us?" Cola asked as a man in star-spangled tights roller skated into the room.

"Show Pony! I didn't know this was your pad." She surprised Mikey, pulling down her bandana and revealing a proper smile as Pony rolled over and sat right up next to her on the rickety table, making it groan as their thighs touched.

"Sure is, sunshine. What brings you and the Kobra Kid out here? Actually, how do you even know each other?"

Mikey flinched a little, but she answered without even looking his way.

"Apparently he stops women for conversations by shooting out the wheels on their skates right before a dust storm hits. He told me "his friend" might have an extra pair for me and dragged me out here once it settled."

"So you really did come all the way out here just to see me." Pony nudged her with his shoulder, and she played coy, reaching up to twist a finger into her disheveled hair.

"Seems to be the case."

"Were you expecting this? Because I wasn't expecting this." Cola said casually to Mikey, gesturing at her and Pony.

"Not at all." Mikey frowned. "Pony, do you have extra skates lying around? I kind of owe... her a pair." He stumbled over her not having a name.

"Normally I'd never give up my spares, but for you... still no." Pony said to Mikey. "For sunshine, however, I think I have just the thing. What are you, eight and a half?" He sized her up and she nodded, only for him to scoot off back into the room he'd come out of.

"Sunshine? You said you didn't have a name yet." Mikey quirked an eyebrow, his face otherwise stoic.

"I haven't picked one yet. Probably never will." She shrugged. "Not around people enough. The other rangers have nicknames for me, though."

"Like what?" Cola chimed in. "Pony only ever calls you Sunshine."

"And that doesn't quite fit." Mikey snorted.

"I'm perfectly pleasant when I'm not getting shot at!" She sniffed. "It's always yellow jokes; Tweety, sunshine, canary, daisy, that sort of thing."

"I thought daisies were white?" Cola mused.

"Black-eyed Susan is a bit of a mouthful." She grinned back.

"Suzie Q." Cola tried, and Mikey bit back laughter, shaking his head.

"Call me Suzie & you'll get the Black-eyed part." She wrinkled her face in disgust, creasing the laugh lines deeper as Show Pony returned, holding something behind his back.