Sharp Shot: It's Called Living

Party slid into the driver’s seat of the Trans Am, Ghoul made his way over to the passenger’s side when Party shook his head and motioned for him to get in the back.
“But I wanna be shot gun!” Ghoul whined.
“No Ghoul, you need to watch our back in case some dracs try to sneak up on us. Jem doesn’t have a gun yet remember? And she’s in no shape to be fighting.”
At the mention of their new friend Ghoul nodded and got into the back seat without another complaint. The last thing Ghoul wanted was to see Jem in more pain than she already had.
Jem eased herself into the passenger’s side. The morphine was beginning to kick in and a small smile graced her face. Now she wouldn’t feel the pain every time she moved more than an inch. Party Poison revved the engine and soon the diner was getting smaller and smaller as Jem looked in the rear view mirror.
With his left hand on the wheel Party used his right hand to fidget with some switches and buttons under the dashboard and turned on the radio.
Jem jumped slightly when the heavy metal suddenly filled the air, but felt oddly nostalgic when the sounds reached her. It was almost as if she had heard the song before. But that was ridiculous right?
Out of the corner of his eye Party saw Jem tapping her fingers against the door and bobbing her head to the music.
The car was silent for a while as the trio enjoyed the sounds of the radio as they watched the desert scenery fly by. Soon Jem and Party heard Ghoul snoring in the back. Party rubbed a hand over his face and shook his head at his friend in the back. So much for watching our backs. He thought.
“Should we wake him up?” Jem asked glancing back at the slumbering Ghoul.
Party shook his head as a smile crept its way up has face. “Nah, just leave him. We all need as much sleep as we can get out here.”
She turned back to the window and Party took the opportunity to glance at her again. He couldn’t help but stare at her. She was beautiful yes, but there were tons of beautiful girls out there, no Jem was beyond just her physical appearance, she was absolutely ethereal.
He watched the way she bonded with Power Puff and the other guys, the way her dimples showed when she smiled and the twinkling in her deep brown eyes. She was so genuinely kind and compassionate that she was willing to literally put herself in harm’s way for a complete stranger.
He just wanted to protect her, from all the evil there was in this world. She was like a perfect cinnamon roll, too good for this world, too pure.
Man, when was the last time he had a cinnamon roll? When was the last time he ate anything besides a can of dog chow?
He shook his head to rid himself of his ridiculous thoughts. He’s barely known this girl for a week and he’s already acting like some lovesick puppy? That was so not Party Poison. He tore his gaze from the girl in the passenger’s seat and went back to looking at the desolate road ahead. He made it a point to not be attracted to Jem, no matter how many goddamn butterflies were in his stomach when he was around her, so help him god he would digest them.

Soon Party could see the run down Dead Pegasus station where Show Pony and his gang had set up a small shop for Killjoys. He pulled up and parked the Trans Am by the pump. Party got out of the car and opened the backseat, and roughly shook Ghoul until he was awake.
“C’mon jackass we’re here already,” Party said as he shook Ghoul’s shoulder to get him to move faster. The once slumbering killjoy grunted and hopped out of the backseat. Jem followed the two into the small building.
The interior of the shack was quaint. It made Jem feel safe. There were a few wooden and cushioned chairs around a small light wood table in one corner, there was the counter where there was a cashier behind the till that still had some candies on display underneath.
The cashier looked to be around Jem’s age with bright pink hair in high pigtails, she wore a neon green tank op and shredded white skinny jeans. The girl looked up from her copy of Danger Magazine and smiled at the trio.
“Hey Cyanide,” Party greeted her
“Well, well, well if it ain’t the King of the Zones himself, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Cyanide joked.
“Hey, what am I? Chopped liver?!” Ghoul whined. Cyanide and Party bot rolled their eyes at the other guy’s antics.
“And who are you sugar? Never seen you ‘round here before,” Cyanide looked over at Jem, leaning over the counter.
“Oh I’m new around here,” Jem said
“I should think so, I would have remembered someone as cute as you,” Cyanide winked
“Easy there Tiger,” Party said pushing Cyanide’s shoulder lightly “Why don’t you get Pony out here so we can get our shit,”
Cyanide eyed Party Poison and then glanced from him to Jem and back, a sly grin crossing her face.
“Ohhh I get it, territorial one now aren’t we, your highness?” Cyanide quipped
“No!” The red head replied, a bit too quickly “I mean, we just got her out of Bat City a few days ago. “
Cyanide’s lower lip curled in distaste at the mention of the city. “Good thing you guys got ‘er out. One less zombie walking around that shiny dump.”
She got out from behind the counter and walked through a door that must have led to a back room.
“Pony! Party’s here! He wants his shit!” she hollered
There was the sound of boxes being moved around and a few metal containers banging and soon Cyanide emerged with a man in a white cropped top that read “noise” on it with white and blue polka dotted tights under a black speedo, he had dramatic red eye makeup on his left eye and his dark brown hair was swept back. Show Pony, Jem assumed.
“Nice to see you two,” he nodded at Ghoul and Party “And who is your lovely little friend?” He asked glancing over at Jem
“That’s Jem, they just got her out of the city a few days ago,”
Pony nodded whilst looking at Jem, as if he were in deep thought.
Cyanide set down the wooden cate she had carried out from the back onto the counter. “Here’s your stuff,” she said to them.
Party handed over some carbons into Cyanide’s open palm. She looked down and frowned a bit.
“Party this is too much,” she made to give back some when the red head stopped her.
“We need some stuff for Jem too, clothes, shoes, gun, y’know the works.” He replied.
Show Pony made a squealing noise and clapped his hands together excitedly. “Oh I was hoping you’d say that! I was just dying to do her hair,”
“Oh but I only need clothes you don’t have to-“
“Oh come on, Jem, you’re a Killjoy now! You can’t go running around looking… like that!” Fun Ghoul exclaimed gesturing at Jem’s drab ensemble compared to everyone else’s colour pop clothing and hair.
She sighed and nodded. They were right. She was no longer in Battery City, she could wear and do whatever she wanted now.
“Don’t worry doll, Pony knows what he’s doing,” Cyanide assured her.
Jem gave her a smile and followed Pony into his make shift hair salon in the back room.


As Jem was getting her hair and clothing sorted out Ghoul, Party and Cyanide were chatting amongst themselves.
“So how’d you meet doe eyes?” Cyanide asked referring to Jem.
“Kobra and Party were on a supply run in the city when they got mixed up with some dracs, Jem happened to be there.” Ghoul said
“Right when one of them was about the ghost me, she pushed me aside and took the blast for me.” Party said with a note of sadness in his voice.
“So they took her with them and now she’s one of us!” Ghoul finished trying to lighten Party’s mood a bit.
“Wow, I’ve never heard of someone in the city doing something like that. They’re all so zonked out on happy pills they don’t even give us a second glance.”
Party shrugged “Maybe her morning dose was wearing off,”
“Or maybe she has a thing for red heads,” Cyanide winked at Party. “So is she Queen of the Zones now?” she joked
Not yet at least. Party thought, but shook his head ridding himself of such ridiculous things.

Meanwhile Show Pony was busy ‘working his magic’ as he called it on Jem’s drab locks.
“I mean I have a lot to work with here and that’s great,” he said snipping away at her hair, creating layers from her once blunt cut. He then trimmed her blunt bangs shorter to half an inch above her eyebrows. Then Pony took out a plastic tub ad began mixing in powder and chemicals. “I’m going to dye your hair now, I’m not going to tell you what colour because trust me honey I know best. I did Party Poison’s hair after all!”
“Alright I trust you,” Jem laughed. She liked how lively all the killjoys were. And they were all so friendly, nothing like the news back in Battery City made them out to be.
Jem could smell the chemicals in the air as Pony made her sit while the dye did its work. She wondered what colour it would be. She did work at a salon before but they never dyed anyone’s hair. They only did haircuts and even those were nothing like the killjoys had.
After what seemed like forever Pony finally washed out the dye and dried Jem’s hair.
“I won’t show you until the transformation is complete,” Pony said “I picked out an outfit I thought would suit you.” He handed her the clothes and Jem went into the make shift changing room in the corner which consisted of a ratty curtain hung up around the small space.
Jem pulled on the baby pink t shirt, grey acid wash skinny jeans and the teal leather like jacket. Jem knew it wasn’t real leather, otherwise she would have already been sweating in the desert heat. She tied the white bandana that was given around her neck as Pony explained that every Killjoy should cover their faces around dracs or in the city. Jem was given a pair of army green combat boots with pink and teal laces. She guessed that pink and teal were her “colours” now. Though she didn’t mind, it was nice to have some brightness to her wardrobe.
She emerged and Pony clapped his hands in excitement once more. “Now the finishing touch,” he said dramatically. Pony swiped on some bubble gum pink lipstick on Jem and turned her to face the mirror, he uncovered the cloth that hung over it and Jem gasped at the person staring back at her.
Her once straight dark brown hair was a bright lilac, with her natural waves coming out. Her shortened bangs revealed her defined eyebrows and brought more attention to her face. The bright lipstick brought more colour to Jem’s face and for once she actually liked the splash of freckled on her nose and upper cheekbones. She was colourful, she was vibrant, she was a killjoy.
Show Pony gave her a few spare outfits in a bag. “One final thing,” he said and handed her a bright pink gun with teal paint splatter with “Sharp Shot,” etched onto it.
“I now dub thee, Sharp Shot” Pony said ceremoniously, tapping the barrel of the gun on each of Jem’s shoulder before handing it to her.
“You’re an official Killjoy now, everyone gets their names from the gun they get.” He explained.
Sharp Shot. Jem mulled the name over in her mind. She only hoped she would live up to it with good aim.
“Thank you so much Pony, for everything!” she exclaimed.
“No problem, I always love bringing out everyone’s inner Killjoy.” He said giving Jem a short hug.
The two walked out into the front room where Ghoul and Party were waiting for Jem.

As Jem walked into the room Party felt the words that were supposed to come out of his mouth stutter to a halt. If he thought she was ethereal before, now she was a fucking goddess. Her lilac hair caught the afternoon sunlight and swayed gently as she walked towards them. Her pink lips looked like a blooming flower, and her clothing clung to every curve of her body. Party secretly thanked whoever invented skinny jeans.
“Nice,” Cyanide said smiling at the other girl
“Very nice,” Ghoul smirked, “Don’t you think P?”
“Y-yeah, uhhh, yeah.” Party cursed himself for stuttering. He cleared his throat and continued. “Thanks for everything guys” he nodded at Cyanide and Pony.
“You guys should swing by The Bottle sometime soon.” Cyanide said referring to a popular joint where killjoys hung out and drank, a makeshift bar where a few bands played.
“Sounds fun,” Ghoul replied “We’ll see you guys around, tell Jam I said hi,”
“Will do,” Cy said giving a small salute.
Party picked up the crate from the counter and led the way back to the Trans AM.
Jem eased herself into the passenger’s side. She winced as a stab of pain erupted from her torso. Apparently the dose of morphine had worn off. Her wound began to have a dull ache that was in sync with her pulse. Jem supressed the urge to cry out as she buckled her seatbelt.
Party got into the driver’s side after he put the crate of supplies and Jem’s bag of clothing into the trunk. Ghoul was already sprawled out in the backseat, prepared to take another nap on the way back to the diner. The trio drove off as Party noted the sun would be setting soon.
“Did Pony give you a blaster?” The red head asked
Jem took the gun out of the small holster that was in her boot. “Yeah,” she replied as Party glanced over at her. His eye raked over the weapon a grin crossing his face as he read the inscription.
“Sharp Shot huh?”
“I guess that’s me now.” Jem shrugged. She had no particular attachment to her name anyway. “I just hope my aim will be as the name suggests.”
“I’m sure you’ll be great,” Party assured her.
Jem- or Sharp Shot rather, smiled at the red head beside her, but that smile quickly turned to a grimace as another wave of pain shot through her. Party saw the change in the girl’s expression out of the corner of his eye. Taking his gaze off of the rode for a split second he saw Jem clutch at her shoulder, her face contorted in agony.
“Shit,” he muttered. He knew Jet’s morphine would only last so long. Party switched gears and sped up, hoping to reach their base before the drug fully wore off.
Sharp Shot didn’t know how long they were driving but it felt like an eternity until she could finally spot the tiny building in the distance. A sigh of relief left her lips as the diner became close and closer. They arrived and Ghoul had woken up, taking the crate of supplies and Sharp’s bag of clothes in with him.
Party opened the passenger side door as Sharp struggled to move. He pulled her out of the Trans AM and picked her up with one arm around her shoulders and another under her knees. He could hear her laboured breathing and her eyes were becoming glassy.
Power Puff came racing out of the diner as she saw Party carrying Sharp, her big brown eyes became filled with worry.
“What’s wrong with Jem?” She asked concern lacing her voice.
“Go get Jet!” Party cried

Notes

A/N

Hey guys! I am sosososososossosoooo sorry for not updating in forever but I was having major writer's block and I was super busy but don't worry! I'll try my best to be more consistent.

I hope there was no confusion with the Jem/Sharp Shot name thingy. She'll be called Sharp Shot or Sharp for short starting next chapter or so. It was only because The others have yet to address her new look/name because they're too busy worrying about her injury.

Anyway I hope you guys liked this chapter and I'm already working on the next one so please stay with me lol.

As usual please COMMENT/ SUBSCRIBE/ VOTE !!!!

Lots of love <3 MCD