The Not-So-Fabulous Killjoy

Chapter Two - Through the Night

She froze.
She dropped the can, and it clattered loudly.
She managed to tighten her grip on her gun, and spun around, facing the voice. "Why should I tell you?" she said in her most confident voice. She couldn't pinpoint the stranger's exact voice in her mind, and their appearance wasn't helping. She couldn't make them out. It was just a male outline.
"Why are you trying to steal from me?" the man asked, ominous-sounding. "Haven't you got food of your own? It's easy to buy."
"Well- Um-" Her confidence faltered. "Of- Of course! You just left your food so out in the open, I just couldn't resist!" She shook her head mockingly. "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to put your stuff so out in the open?"
"Didn't anyone ever tell you to be nice to strangers?" the man said, approaching closer. Beatrix squinted, and couldn't make him out any better.
"After all..." He paused. "They might not be who you think they are." He stepped into the light, and she was suddenly struck by the realization of who this man was. The bright red hair, yellow mask, leather jacket...
"...Party Poison?"
"Shoot later, ask questions first, huh? Never met anyone like that in the wild before. Where'd you get that gun? It's mangled. You need a new one." He flicked at it, then yelled, "Ghoul! Jet! Kobra!"
As if on cue, the other Killjoys came out of the tents. Jet Star was the first to speak.
"Now, who's this kid?"
"I don't know. Found her trying to steal from our stash."
"What do we do with her?" Fun Ghoul asked.
"Don't talk about me in third person. I'm standing right here. And I'm an adult." Beatrix said, trying to sound independent and badass.
It's not working, Bee.
"Well then, who's the little killjoy?" Kobra Kid asked, smirking.
"First off, I'm twenty-three. Secondly, Beatrix. Beatrix Summer."
"Beatrix, huh? Hmm," Poison said. "But you can't go by just Beatrix out here."
"Well, um, sometimes I go by Bee, but..."
"We can't have just that," Jet laughed. "I mean a Killjoy name."
"Right, yeah, um..." She tried her very best to sound strong and smart and cool. "Sunny Side." She seemed strong on her outer shell, but inside, she was panicking. The Fabulous Killjoys just caught her stealing from them. What would they think of her? Would they kick her out? Would she meet their standards?
Poison nodded. "Ooh, like Summer... I get it. Very nice. Now, who are you really?"
"I told you. Beatrix F. Summer, a.k.a Sunny Side or Bee, twenty-three years old, vigilante. What else is there to know?"
"A lot." Ghoul started listing things and ticking them off on his fingers. "Who were you talking to earlier?"
"You heard me?"
"Of course."
"My cat, Trixie. She hangs around sometimes for my food."
I'm a cat now?
"How long have you been in these outskirts?"
"My family died when I was thirteen at the hands of a draculoid. I snatched his gun and shot his head off. I stole a radio. Repainted them. It's been ten years."
"Who'd you steal the radio from?"
"Some store. I don't know. I don't have money."
"Where do you get your food from?" Poison threw in.
"Normally? I steal it, too. Not too much, not commonly, I've learned to live without food for weeks."
"Water?"
"Same deal."
"That still the same gun from the draculoid?" Jet added.
"Haven't found another one. I don't steal guns. It's the one thing we defend ourselves with."
"How accurate are you with it?"
"I'm okay. I can hit stuff. I don't shoot blindly."
"Where'd you get that sweet jacket?" Ghoul interrupted.
"My mom. She made it."
"Thoughts on BL/ind?" Poison asked.
"Bitches." She flipped her hair dramatically.
"Should we let her?" Ghoul muttered to Poison and the others.
"Mmm... maybe?" Jet said. "Do you think she can?"
"What?" Beatrix asked.
Poison hummed. "She seems okay enough with her gun. And all she needs is a mask."
Ghoul put his hand on his hip. "Did you see her shoot?"
"No, but she has a good grip on the thing."
"What are you talking about?" she asked again.
"Why not?" Kobra shrugged.
"Yeah, let's let her," Poison smiled.
"What?" She folded her arms. "Let me what?"
"Congrats, Beatrix," Poison said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "You're in."
"In what?"
"You're a Killjoy now. Congratulations."
You got what you wanted, Bee! Ever since you were five!
"Really?" Beatrix said, in awe.
"Yep."
Aren't you happy? I'm excited!
She put her hand to her mouth, and smiled wide.
"Thank you!"
"You'll need some practice, but you can start going by Sunny now," Ghoul said.
"I'm ready!" She put her hands on her hips and grinned. "When can we tell Death-Defying? Can we broadcast this?"
Don't get ahead of yourself, Bee.
"I'm sorry, I'm just so... excited. It's always been my dream to be a hero. Or at least, be remembered. Have a legacy. You know."
"Chill, bud," Jet said. "Let's start with some target practice, okay?"
"Okay, but, I might need a new gun." She held up her mangled, broken one and shot at an old pile of rubble. "Just for practice."
Poison laughed. "Well, we better eat first. It'll get us through the night."