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The Desert - December 31st, 2010
Star held onto her mother’s hand tightly with both hands, afraid that she would get lost within the crowd of Killjoys in front of her. Acid looked down at her daughter and smiled.
“Ain’t nothin’ to be afraid of, Star, it’s just a celebration,” Acid walked through the sand, leading Star away from their car towards the party. Normally, Acid would never want her daughter out here in Zone 1, as it was far too close to the city for a desert born child. But today was special. Acid knew that tonight, every ‘Joy here was family, and no one would let anything bad happen to her little girl.
“What’s a ceba—cella—abration?” Star stumbled over the pronunciation as she looked up at Acid curiously.
“A celebration! Uma celebração!” Acid chuckled. “It’s somethin’ worth throwin’ a party for. Tonight, we celebrate the New Year. Remember how I told ya that here on Earth, we dance around the sun?”
Star’s eye sparkled as she nodded eagerly. She loved learning about space.
“Well, the New Year means that we did it again. We went all the way ‘round the sun and we’re back to where we started and we’re ready to do it again,” Acid smiled at the look of wonder on her daughter’s face. “The ‘Joys here are having a party because we all lived to see another year. Think of it like one big birthday party for the whole desert.”
Star bounced on her toes and giggled. “Happy birthday, desert!” She beamed, and Acid laughed.
“Muito bom!” She squeezed Star’s hand and continued to walk her to the party. Zone 1 was alive that night. Everyone was dressed up, dancing to the music that blasted from speakers. Acid lit up at the sight of all her old friends, most of whom she hadn’t been able to see in many years. They all needed to meet Acid’s perfect little girl.
“Mama,” Star whined, holding Acid back. Acid’s excitement immediately shifted to concern as she knelt down next to Star.
“What’s up?” Acid said softly.
“I don’t…” Star started to rake her hands through her hair until the right side of her face was completely covered by her curls.
“Don’t you worry ‘bout that thing, Star,” Acid sighed and pulled Star’s hand away from her face. It had only been a year, and Star was still getting used to the eyepatch over her right eye. While Acid assured her again and again that she was still beautiful, that didn’t change what strangers tended to think when they saw a child with a missing eye.
“But—” Star always hated the weird looks she got from strangers, and this New Years Eve party was packed full of strangers.
“I want you to meet someone,” Acid suddenly stood up and pulled Star along until they reached a bright blue truck parked along the edge of the party where two Killjoys rested, sharing a cigarette between them.
“Acid, love? Is that really you?” One of the strangers asked, immediately pulling Star’s mom into a hug. Star watched cautiously, staring up at the stranger’s beautiful head of neon pink hair.
“It’s me!” Acid laughed. “Witch, I haven’t made it out here to one of these parties in—”
“Ten years,” the stranger nodded. “I know. I missed you. We missed you.”
Acid smiled sadly. “I know, I know. I’m so sorry. To both of you.” Acid sighed heavily. “I was just a little busy with, well, y’know,” she shrugged and glanced down at Star.
“No. Way. It can’t be!” The second stranger hopped off the truck and immediately crouched down in front of Star, startling the child. “Destroya, Acid, she looks just like you! Hi, I’m Violet! I know your Mama from way back when!”
Acid smiled proudly. “Her name’s Star,” she hummed.
“Star!” The pink-haired guy exclaimed. “That’s awesome! I’m Flame!” He waved, and Star’s jaw dropped. Flame’s right hand was completely bionic—made up of metal and wires and decorated with all sorts of cool designs.
“See, baby, there’s people like you out here,” Acid hugged Star tightly. “Now, come on. Countdown’s gonna start soon.”
“Countdown?” Star asked. Her mom held onto her tightly as the music suddenly went quiet and the crowd of Killjoys started to chant.
“10…9…8…7…6…”
“What we countin’ down to, Mama?” Star asked loudly over the noise.
“New Years, baby!”
“5…4…3…2…1…HAPPY NEW YEAR!”
Everyone cheered, grabbing onto one another in the midst of the celebration. Suddenly, a loud bang had Star jumping out of her skin. “What’s that!?” She shrieked.
Acid got down on her knees and picked Star up so her daughter sat comfortably on top of her shoulders. Star gasped as another loud bang vibrated the world around her and she glanced up, finally seeing the colourful explosion in the sky.
Star was speechless. The lights and colours danced through the sky. One after another, the fireworks lit up the night, sparkling among the stars. It was the most beautiful sight Star had ever seen.
Both of Star’s hands reached up towards the sky, as if she could touch the fireworks that continued to perform for the Killjoys below.
“ Feliz Ano Novo , Star!” Acid cheered.
Battery City - December 31st, 2010
“Only ten more minutes until we start counting down to a new year! A better year!”
The smiling woman on the television continued to repeat the same five recycled phrases, creating a numbing background noise to the loud conversations happening in the Shiro household. Kai and Abby sat together on the floor with a bowl of potato chips between them as they listened to their wine drunk mother chat with all of her friends who occupied the living room.
The New Years Eve party was nothing exciting to the two siblings. The kids were never allowed to have friends over, but Mom was allowed to have as many friends as she wanted. They gushed over what a handsome young man Kai was growing into for about five minutes until every last thought about the children escaped them and their attention was put on each other.
Kai and Abby faded into the background, bored out of their minds. When Kai grabbed Abby’s hand and led her back upstairs to her bedroom, none of the women even blinked.
“Mom says— hmm! Aye— No food in our rooms,” Abby pouted, pointing at the bowl of chips that Kai had carried up with him.
“Who cares? It’s New Years Eve, we can do what we want,” Kai shrugged and sat down on Abby’s bed, crunching a chip between his teeth.
“Really?” Abby asked, and Kai nodded.
“Why not?” He winked. “We can have our own party up here. Mom’s is boring.”
“That’s true,” Abby nodded. She sat down beside her big brother and grabbed a fistful of chips for herself. “What’s— huh—shush! What’s our party like?”
Kai grinned down at her. “Can’t you see it?” He asked, jumping to his feet. “Look up! We have a disco ball!” He pointed at Abby’s bare bedroom ceiling, which Abby stared at in wonder.
“And listen to that music! This song’s my favourite!” Kai started dancing to the song in his head, making Abby giggle.
“You suck at dancing,” Abby stuck out her tongue.
“Then you better come join me!” Kai grabbed Abby’s hand and pulled her up, twirling her around. “Show everyone at this party your awesome moves, Abbs!”
Abby jumped up and down, dancing with Kai, until suddenly she froze.
“What’s that!?” She pointed at the window and stared in awe.
Kai’s eyes widened as he rushed towards Abby’s bedroom window and sat down in the window cill. Abby’s room was on the opposite side of the house. Instead of looking out onto the city like Kai, Abby’s view was of the tall white walls that surrounded Battery City.
Usually, Kai and Abby would sit in the window and wonder what was beyond those walls. Tonight, they didn’t have to.
They listened to the muffled sounds of explosions going off as they stared into the distance, looking at the bursts of colour that danced on the other side of the city walls. Again and again, fireworks were set off, lighting up the sky.
“Aye! Aye! Aye!” Abby excitedly clapped her hands together. “Who’s doing that?”
Kai’s eyes sparkled. “I dunno…but it sure is pretty.”
He glanced down at his watch; 12:01 am.
“Happy New Year, Abby.”
Better Living Recorrection School - December 31st, 2010
Once again, Rio wasn’t allowed to go back to his dorm that night. He was used to this by now. The school doctors had pulled him aside countless times to run tests on him, giving him various medications to fix whatever was wrong with him. Rio didn’t know what his condition was. Rio never asked.
He followed the headmaster through the school until they reached an unfamiliar office. It wasn’t the usual lab that Rio had come to know very well. Instead of being seated on an examination table, Rio was sitting at a desk. On the opposite side, sat the Director.
“Good evening, Rio,” she smiled. “Do you know what today is?”
Rio swallowed hard. “New Years?” He whispered.
“Correct,” she nodded. “Tomorrow begins the year 2011, which means I will launch my latest project to protect Battery City. You know, just like how all you kids will one day protect Battery City, too.”
Rio nodded along to what the Director was saying. He watched her carefully as she turned to her assistant, who handed her a sleek black leather bag.
“I’m happy to report that your tests have been a success,” the Director continued. “Wouldn’t you say so, Rio? How does that hand feel?”
Rio glanced down at his right hand—the one that he had surgery on a month ago. Rio flexed his hand a few times, feeling the way the tech vibrated under his skin. “Good,” he said quietly.
“Excellent,” the Director placed a sheet of paper in front of Rio, who eyed it nervously. It was a blueprint, of sorts, that had a clear outline of a human that wore all sorts of android technology throughout its entire body.
“ This is my latest project, Rio,” the Director grinned and pointed at the body on the page. “And you are at the centre of it. We start tonight.”
The Desert - December 31st, 2019
Nine Years Later
“C’mon!” Jet pleaded. “It’ll be fun! The Witch knows we need some fun!”
Kobra looked up at her from where he sat on the diner’s sofa, comfortably wrapped up in a blanket. He was already settled in for the night when Jet decided that she would take the entire team to a party.
“What’s the big deal, anyway? S’ just a party, we go to those all the time,” Ghoul shrugged as he lay sprawled out in a booth in nothing but a pair of sweats.
“The big deal is that it’s New Years!” Jet exclaimed. “The biggest damn party of the year is happenin’ up in Zone 1, and we need to go!”
“What’s this about a party?” Poison chimed in as they walked into the room with the girl on their hip. “Who’s gonna watch Bug?”
Jet snapped her fingers. “Bug’s comin’ with!”
“What!?” Ghoul and Poison shrieked in unison.
“Relax! This ain’t no Hyperthrust party,” Jet shook her head. “This is a rite of passage for a lil desert born like Bug! I used to go to the New Years party wit’ my mom all the time!”
“I jus’ don’t get what’s so special ‘bout New Years,” Ghoul mumbled bitterly and shrugged.
“The fact that you don’t know proves that ya need to go and see for yourself,” Jet argued.
“Hmm— Do I have to go?” Kobra asked.
“No,” Poison sighed.
“Yes!” Jet interrupted. “We all goin’!”
“I wanna go!” Bug smiled.
“That’s my girl!” Jet grinned back at her.
“Jet,” Ghoul groaned.
“Please?” Jet suddenly begged. “Please, guys. It’s been so damn long since I had a fuckin’ family to take wit’ me to New Years. Just do this one thing. For me?”
“Fine.”
“Y’all will love this! There’s music, good people, an’ fireworks at midnight,” Jet beamed as she dragged her family into the bustling New Years party. She had gotten herself all dressed up in her favourite skirt and her mother’s jacket. The others cleaned up nicely, too, which easily got everyone into the partying mood.
“Fireworks, huh?” Poison hummed. “This close to the city?”
Kobra’s head snapped up to stare at them with wide eyes. “You think?”
Poison grinned and shrugged. “Just sayin’, I think this party might grab a lotta people’s attention, don’t you?” They winked at their brother before throwing their arm around his shoulders.
Ghoul had the girl’s hand in his as she wandered around the party, smiling up at all the strangers that walked by. “Hi! I’m Ladybug!” She introduced herself to anyone who would listen, making a lot of new friends who seemed to get a kick out of the fiery young Killjoy.
“Oh, fuck yes! They got food trucks!” Ghoul exclaimed excitedly. “Babygirl, you ever had french fries?” He asked, scooping the little girl up in his arms. “‘Cause you’re about to.”
Jet wandered off by herself, enjoying the peaceful thump of the music. She wrapped her arms around herself and smiled softly. It had been too long, and she missed this beautiful celebration. She tilted her head up to the sky and watched the stars twinkle.
“Happy birthday, desert,” she muttered to herself.
“Uh, hey,” a voice came from behind her. Jet jumped slightly and turned around. Suddenly, she found herself face to face with Mad Gear.
“Oh, fuck, hi,” Jet stuttered. “Hey.”
Mad Gear awkwardly stuffed his hands into his pockets as he stared at the ground. “I, uh, just came over to see how you were doing,” he shrugged awkwardly. “Haven’t seen you in a bit. Five months, to be exact. Not that I’m…counting…or whatever.”
“I’m good,” Jet cut Mads’ nervous rambling off. “I’m real good.”
Mads grinned softly. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” Jet nodded.
“That’s great!” Mads exclaimed. “So, the new team’s treating you well? I keep hearing about the Fab Four all the time. You guys are really making a difference, y’know?”
“No kiddin’,” Jet chuckled. “Uh, yeah, the team’s awesome. They really been helpin’ me. A lot.”
Something in Mads’ heart fluttered when he heard that Jet was finally getting the help she deserved. “That’s awesome! That’s…really awesome,” his smile softened, and he found himself getting lost in the starlight that reflected in Jet’s eye.
“Uh,” Mads quickly caught himself in the midst of his trance and blinked rapidly. “Jet, can I maybe get you a drink? Y’know. As a friend?”
Jet chuckled at Mads’ sweet attempts. “Thanks, but I don’t drink no more.”
Mads paused, catching the light in Jet’s eye again. “Really?” He asked genuinely. “Wow, uh, that’s…” he cleared his throat. “I’m really proud of you, Jet.”
“Thanks,” Jet tucked her hair behind her ear. “But I’ll take a juice on ya, if you’re still offerin’.”
“Yeah! Of course!”
Together, Jet and Mads walked towards the food trucks to pick up two cups of lemonade. Mads’ shoulder gently brushed up against Jet’s, and suddenly they were both staring at the ground awkwardly.
“Jet,” Mads exhaled softly. “Shut me up if I’m way out of line here,” he rocked on his feet nervously and avoided looking directly at Jet. “But, do you think that there’s a chance we could try again?”
Jet sucked in a quick breath as her eyes darted towards the other partygoers, and then down at her drink. She’d be lying if she said that she didn’t miss having Mads around all the time, but part of her was still terrified of jumping right back into where they left off. Jet was getting better, but she’d never know if it was enough. Nothing ever felt like it was enough to go back to the way things were.
She sighed. “Talvez um dia,” she shrugged, finally looking up to meet Mads’ hopeful eyes.
He smiled softly. “I can deal with that.”
Jet’s family found her again right before midnight. Poison and Ghoul were both buzzed, holding onto each other as they sang along to the music that played. Kobra and Jet danced with Bug until the music stopped and the countdown began.
“10…9…8…7…6…”
Kobra knelt down onto the ground in front of Bug and held her hands as they counted together. The little girl jumped up and down as she shrieked out the numbers, stomping her boots in the sand.
“5…4…3…2…1…HAPPY NEW YEAR!”
Bug giggled happily as Kobra hugged her and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
Poison cheered loudly with their arms in the air as Ghoul’s hands snaked around their body. They yelped as Ghoul dipped them down for a deep, passionate, and slightly sloppy kiss that got some cheers from a couple of bystanders. Poison melted into the kiss, refusing to break it even as Ghoul lifted them back up to stand.
Jet heard the first blast go off at the end of the countdown. She glanced around at the celebrating couples and decided,
“Fuck it.”
She reached out and grabbed Mads by the shoulders, pulling him in and crashing her lips against his. Mads couldn’t even protest with the way his arms instinctively wrapped themselves around Jet’s waist. They both pulled away, gasping, staring into each other’s eyes with shock and wonder.
“Jet, I—” Mads was cut off by the fireworks that exploded above everyone’s heads. Every Killjoy was mesmerised by the colours in the sky that signalled another year of not dying at the hands of BL/Ind.
“Bug!” Jet gasped, The kid was so small within the crowd, so Jet picked the little girl up and seated her on her shoulders. From her new position, Bug could see the night sky clearly. Her jaw dropped as she stared up at the fireworks.
She reached her hands up towards the sky, as if she could touch the fireworks that performed for the Killjoys below.
“
Feliz Ano Novo
, Bug!” Jet cheered.