Sharp Shot: It's Called Living

Jem stared at the three Killjoys in front of her, her mouth slightly agape.
“Wait- What are you saying?” She asked. Her head felt like it was going to explode.
“Okay so remember back in 2012 and all the disasters?” Party Poison responded.
Jem nodded.
“Well through all the chaos Better Living Industries took the opportunity when the government and society was weak to take over. They built Battery City and using their drugs…those vitamins or whatever they erased all colour and emotion from life. To make sure that no one would rebel against them and expose their evil deeds.” Party Poison explained.
“So… this whole time I was just… being a zombie?” Jem rubbed her temples trying to combat the oncoming headache whilst trying to process all this new information.
“You’ve been taking those damn drugs for so long you’ve probably forgotten what emotions are, but don’t worry you’ll get used to them. And you have us now to help you,” Kobra looked up at her with his signature shy smile.
“So why don’t you tell us about yourself,” Fun Ghoul said steering the topic of discussion away from the depressing reality of the world.
“Well I’m twenty two years old, I work- Well… I guess I worked at a hair salon in Battery City. And uh….” Jem trailed off awkwardly “There isn’t much to say I… I don’t really talk about myself and there isn’t much to tell now that I think about it.” Jem laughed nervously and rubbed the back of her neck.
The guys all gave her sympathetic looks.
“You just can’t remember who you were, once the drugs start to wear off more you’ll start to remember.” Fun Ghoul said giving Jem’s shoulder a reassuring pat.
Jem looked down at the chipping paint on the table in front of her, picking at it with her fingernails, all the while she could feel Party poison’s heavy gaze analyzing her. She felt like a bug at the end of a magnifying glass.
“Alright guys it’s chow time!” Jet Star’s voice boomed as he re-entered the pain room of the diner, carrying a platter with tin cans with forks and spoons. He plopped the platter down on the table and pulled up two chairs at the end of the booth. “Power Puff chow time!” He hollered out in the direction of the door.
As soon as the words left his mouth, the girl came running in, her wild hair flying behind her, she seemed to have more car grease on her now, and she had a wrench in her hand. She hopped onto one of the empty seats and the Killjoys began grabbing cans of Power Pup.
“It isn’t much but it’s what we got,” Jet Star said handing Jem a can with a spoon in it.
She took a quick whiff of the contents, her nose wrinkling in distaste. The contents smelled stale. She heard Fun Ghoul laugh at the face she pulled.
“You’ll get used to it,” he said chuckling before taking another forkful from his own meal. He turned and looked at Jem again, this time more calculating.
“Are you wearing my clothes?” He asked.
Jem felt blood rush to her face as Ghoul’s eyes raked over her body once more, his lips twitching upwards into a smirk.
“Well I don’t really have any, and Power Puff said since we’re about the same height they would fit me.” Jem replied trying to use her hair to hide from the gazes of both Party Poison and Fun Ghoul.
Ghoul leaned forward, brushed away Jem’s long hair and whispered “As much as I love seeing you in my clothes babe, I’d prefer you with them off.”
Jem felt a fluttering feeling in her stomach and her heart rate increasing once again. Out of instinct she scooted to her right to widen the gap between her and Fun Ghoul. He laughed once again at her reaction and went back to eating.
“Ghoul can you not be such a sleazeball in front of the kid please?” Jet scolded him gesturing over to the ever-so innocent Power Puff that was too busy enjoying her can of food to pay attention to Ghoul’s antics.
“We’ll go get you some clothes and stuff once you can move around more,” Kobra said around a mouthful of dog chow.
Jem nodded and began to dig into the can of food in front of her. It wasn’t as bad as it smelled. Or maybe she was just really hungry, since the last thing she ate was that bagel she had for breakfast yesterday.
The table was silent as everyone was too busy eating. Jet Star was the first to finish announcing that he had to go and transmit some info to Dr. D. Power Puff went back outside to working on the Trans Am, and Fun Ghoul went to take a leak. That left Jem, Kobra and Party.
Party had not ceased his staring at Jem, even while he was eating, which he didn’t seem to do much of. Jem tried her best to ignore him. She didn’t know why he was so keen on boring holes into her skull at the moment. Finally after what seemed like an eternity of awkward silence and a one sided staring competition, Party Poison got up out of the booth, climbing over his brother.
“I’m gonna go help Jet,” he said over his shoulder as he walked off into the back of the diner.
Kobra cleared his throat “How’re you feeling Jem?” he asked
She shrugged, but winced at the pain the little action brought to her injury. Kobra seemed to notice this and a small frown took over his sharp features.
“I didn’t properly thank you yet for saving my brother, if you hadn’t been there…”
Jem shook her head “There’s no need to thank me, I just took a step in front of him.” She replied trying to dial down the severity of her actions.
“But you didn’t know him yet you took a blast for him, not many people would do that, even if they are Killjoys.”
Jem looked down at the chipping paint of the table once more.
“I just couldn’t let him get hurt like that. I don’t know why… it just didn’t seem right, and before I knew it my body was already moving.”
Kobra nodded in understanding. “Well it brought you here to us and away from BL/Ind, so I guess it was destiny.” He gave her his signature smile.
Jem returned it warmly. There was a very brotherly vibe to Kobra Kid, he was calming and he soothed her frayed nerves. Too much was happening to Jem all at once, but when she was talking to Kobra everything seeming to take a step back and she felt like she could properly breathe.
They chatted about anything and everything for a while, mainly arguing over what the best cup of coffee was. Before she knew it Jem could feel her eyelids becoming heavy as the afternoon sun was lulling her to sleep.
“You should get some rest,” Kobra smiled once more as he put one of Power Puff’s blankets over her as she girl began to nod off.

Kobra walked into the back of the diner to the small room where Party and Jet had just finished sending a message to Dr. D.
“What’d you guys say?” Kobra asked as he took a seat in one of the wooden chairs by the desk where Jet sat fiddling with the transmitter.
“We told him you guys got some supplies and about Jem, he seemed happy that we got another Killjoy on our side.” Jet replied looking up from the transmitter that’s static noise was bothering him.
“He also said that Show Pony has some more supplies for us in the storage house, and that we should stop by tomorrow to get them, and to bring Jem to get her some clothes and shit,” Party Poison continued
Kobra pursed his lips a bit “I don’t think it’s such a good idea for her to be moving around so much, I mean she got blasted just yesterday!” he exclaimed
“Look I know it isn’t the most ideal situation but it is what it is. Pony can’t hold onto the stuff for us forever, if we don’t show up tomorrow I’m sure there are plenty of other Killjoys that would be willing to take our shit.” Party knew that his brother was right but there really was no choice here. If they didn’t go tomorrow he didn’t know when they would get another chance to get what they needed. It wasn’t like you could easily slip into Battery City every time they ran out of toilet paper.
Kora sighed and raked a hand through his hair “Okay, but who’s going to stay here?” he asked
“You, Jet and Puff will hold down the fort here,” Party said “I’ll take Ghoul and Jem to get the stuff.”
“I’ll give her some morphine tomorrow morning so she should be good for the ride there,” Jet said giving Kobra a reassuring pat on the back.

Back in the main room of the diner Fun Ghoul had just come back from the bathroom where he saw the booth that he and his friends sitting at abandoned except for a sleeping Jem and the empty cans of Power Pup. He sighed and began collecting the garbage and putting the empty cans in their proper place.

He heard Jem stir in her sleep, whimpering and mumbling incoherent sentences. Ghoul finished tidying up as best as he could and sat in the booth across from the sleeping girl. He looked at her, her brow was furrowed in a frown and her lips were moving as she mumbled in her sleep. Whatever she was dreaming about it definitely wasn’t a very good thing. His gaze wandered down to her torso, where his shirt had ridden up due to Jem’s constant tossing and turning in her sleep, revealing the gauze that Jet Star had wrapped around her.
Fun Ghoul wondered why Jem would willingly throw herself quite literally into the line of fire for someone she didn’t even know. Mind you he was grateful to her, but with the hard knock life that he and the other Killjoys lived, miracles and free hand outs were few and far between. Which means to say that when one good thing happens, a bad thing will happen soon after to balance things out. Ghoul was anticipating for the other shoe to drop so to speak.
Ghoul didn’t know how long he sat there thinking, but before he realized it the sun was already setting, casting orange and red light through the windows of the diner.
Power Puff came in wiping her face clean of the dirt and grime that came with maintaining the Trans Am. Ghoul smiled at his little sister figure and stood up from the booth which acted as her bed.
“Looks like you have a bunkmate,” Ghoul joked.
Puff smiled and shrugged saying “I don’t mind, she’s really cool.” The little girl pulled off her shoes and took a sheet and blanket that were bunched up in the corner of the booth and laid them out of the side that Ghoul was sitting in previously. Her makeshift bed was complete when she took a small pillow out from underneath Jem’s sleeping body.
Jet Star, Party Poison and Kobra Kid all strolled into the main area of the diner, also gearing up for some shut eye.
“Alright piggies sleep time!” Party Poison announced as he flopped unceremoniously, face first onto his booth. Jet laughed and laid down on his back and Mikey walked over to where his booth was, to the right of Power Puff and Jem’s. He glanced at the older girl, worry blooming in his chest once again. He wasn’t sure if his new friend was ready to walk let alone go out for a whole day tomorrow. He dismissed his doubts and settled in for the night.

Soon there were no more giggles and jokes being whispered, and everyone’s breathing evened out. Ghoul had also begun snoring. Party Poison knew that all the Killjoys were asleep now. He sighed and ran a hand over his face in exhaustion. He had a long day ahead of him and yet he couldn’t fall asleep no matter how tired he felt. He knew Kobra was right to be worried about Jem tomorrow; what if they ran into more dracs? Or worse S/c/a/r/e/c/r/o/w/s? He shuddered at the thought.
The other thing that was keeping him up were the things he felt when he was around that girl. He remembered seeing her get blasted by that drac and the immediate cold fear that ran up his spine, nearly paralysing him. He only felt that way once, when Kobra was shot. He wondered why he felt that way towards a complete stranger. Then again she was the one that saved him.
Party clenched his jaw in irritation. For him to be saved meant that he was weak. In that moment of vulnerability he could have been ghosted. What would happen to the Killjoys then? Who would take care of Puff and Kobra? Who would help lead Jet and Ghoul? He heaved a great sigh and rolled over, letting his exhaustion get the better of him.

Jem woke up to the pounding pain in her abdomen, that and Power Puff shaking her shoulder as she looked at her with her big eyes.
“C’mon sis you gotta get up now! You’re leaving soon,” The little one said as she pulled the blanket off of her friend.
Jem groaned and slowly got herself up into a sitting position, then slipped on the shoes Fun Ghoul had also lent her. Se yawned and rubbed her eyes. “What do you mean leaving?” she asked
Power Puff had already crossed the room and grabbed a can of Power Pup for Jem to eat when the older girl had finally opened her tired eyes.
Jem nodded her thanks and dug into her breakfast.
“Party and Ghoul are taking you to get some stuff from storage, you can finally get some girl clothes now!” Puff exclaimed
Jem nodded. It’s not that she didn’t like wearing men’s clothing, but she would prefer anything that actually fit her. She and Ghoul may have been around the same height but his shirts and pants were awkwardly baggy on her. And not in the cute oversized clothing kind of way.
Jet Star came in from the back room carrying a syringe and clean bandages. He smiled kindly at Jem as he approached her and Puff.
“Hey kid why don’t you put some gas into the Trans Am and do a check on her before they head out.” Puff nodded and happily skipped away
Jet cleared his throat awkwardly “I need to change your bandages… so if you could take off your shirt…”
“Oh sure,” she slowly began to take off Ghoul’s shirt, careful not to re-open her wounds.
Out of the corner of her eye Jem saw Party Poison’s bright red hair. He sauntered over to the booth where she and Jet were sitting. His expression quizzical with one eyebrow arched.
“What’s going on here?” he asked looking from Jet to the now shirtless Jem who was self-consciously covering herself with her arms.
“I was just going to give Jem some fresh bandages before you guys head out today,” Jet explained
“Good idea,” the red head said, he turned to Jem who was picking at her fingernails, avoiding eye contact with the leader of the killjoys. “How’re you feeling sugar?” he asked giving her his lopsided smile.
Jem reluctantly met his gaze and tried to return his smile but winced as a wave of pain hit her midsection. Party seemed to notice this and sighed.
“Could you turn around so I can take off your wrappings now?” Jet asked.
Jem di as she was told and Jet began to peel off the gauze that covered her chest. Layer by layer Party and Jet saw how the blood stains on the white fabric became bigger. Party Poison felt the guilt in his stomach as all the dirty bandages were taken off, revealing her raw back. The mark of the blast was just below her right hand shoulder blade, it was starting to scab over and close thanks to Jet’s knowledge of medicine.
Jet frowned at the still healing stitches were cakes with burnt skin from the heat of the laser and Jem’s dried blood. He carefully wiped away the dried blood and cleaned the wound with some of his homemade antiseptic. Jem winced as the mixture made contact with her skin, hissing in pain.
“I know it stings but it’s better to clean it out than it getting infected,” Jet explained as he cleaned the wound, moving from the stitched up hole to the surrounding burns. Party poison clenched his fists as he looked at Jem’s still healing back. The whole upper right hand corner was most likely going to be scarred. All because of him.
Jem let out another whimper as the stinging in her back increased. How long did it take to clean out the wound? She felt tears roll down her cheeks and she began to shake from the amount of pain she was in. She grabbed onto the table to her left until her knuckles turned white. She clenched her teeth to silence the groans of agony that were escaping from her lips.
Party Poison slipped into the space between Jem and the table, and took her hand that was gripping onto the table’s edge into his own and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “It’ll be over soon don’t worry,” he looked back at Jet, urging him with his eyes for him to hurry up.
Jet began to wrap the clean bandages over Jem’s wounds and Party felt her death grip on his hand loosen up. Finally after what seemed like forever Jet secured the last of the gauze.
“I’m gonna give you some more morphine for the pain,” Jet said as Party Poison moved back behind Jet and Jem turned around and gave jet Star her arm for him to inject the morphine.
“You should be alright for the ride there,” Jet assured her
“What about coming back?” Jem asked, her voice was wavering as she was still recovering from the onslaught of pain caused by the antiseptic.
Jet just gave her a tight smile and turned to Party Poison.
“Make sure she doesn’t move around too much, the stiches haven’t completely sealed the wound so there’s still the risk of it reopening.”
Party Poison nodded, his expression now grim. “We should be back before sunset,”
He walked over to his booth and grabbed a somewhat clean shirt, and walked back over to Jem.
“Here, it’s a bit bigger than Ghoul’s shirt but I’m sure it’s a lot less smelly,” he grinned
“Hey I heard that!” Fun Ghoul said as he walked into the diner from outside where he was most likely helping Power Puff with the car preparations.
Jem smiled at him weakly and put the light blue long sleeve on.
“We should leave now, I think there may be a storm coming,” Ghoul said looking out the open door at the sky.
Party held his hand out to Jem who after a moment’s hesitation took it. He heled her stand up and they walked out towards the Trans Am. Jem looked down at their intertwined hands as Party made no move to let go.

Notes

A/N
Hey guys! Please let me know what you think of the story so far! All feedback is welcome :)