Work Text:
It was a routine at this point after Kobra's latest meltdown.
Jet began her day by tying her hair back and getting dressed. He then went to Ghoul's makeshift room and gave him his various medicines that were dwindling fast–he'd have to go find more. Then it was off to Party's bedroom and like usual Party was heavily sedated from the Batt Acid. Last was Kobra. Kobra was sitting up in his bed barely asleep and gave Jet a small scowl at his light slumber being interrupted.
They then set about tending to random tasks around the diner as they waited for the next medicine dosage for Ghoul to arrive.
It was bland but it had to be done and Jet was the only one in the position to handle it all. She had to do it all.
As Jet was tinkering on a new weapon they heard the familiar sound of roller skates on busted up pavement.
Show Pony...
They weren't much older than Jet but they'd lived more lifetimes than he could ever dream of. Such was the cost of being a paper boy in the Zones. Seeing the way the draculoids slaughtered young and old killjoys with no mercy, spying on red dawns, seeing the way the few pornodroids who had managed to survive escape Battedy City and living in the harsh conditions of the Zone struggled to survive, selling their own body to the most gullible of Battery City scum–though never Korse, it was Show Pony's only rule, would've been enough for Jet to paint the walls with her brains thanks to the trusty acoustic she kept with her.
Sometimes blood was comforting than the electrocution of a ray gun. It reminded Jet that even in the worst the world had to offer at the end everyone was the same. Full of that enticing liquid.
"You seem lost in the static of your own head." Show Pony said bluntly as they pulled off their helmet.
Black hair at a medium length frame their face, eyes shining with that typical manipulative mischief.
Show Pony was attractive and they knew that. But no matter how pretty their face was there was nothing hiding the fact they were manipulative. A honey bun. Shane would say and do anything to get their way but Jet didn't mind.
"Who bought you this week? Seems they were rough." Jet hummed softly as she kept tinkering on the weapon.
Shane skated over to the booth and gracefully sat across from Jet.
"A new Exterminator in training. Quite the handsome thing. It's a shame Korse killed him before I could get a second night with him." Pony chuckled." I learned some very interesting things from that little thing. Would you like to know?"
"What's your price?" Jet demanded.
Show Pony hummed softly as if pretending to think.
"Tell me what has been going on with your crew. Party was spotted wandering around a few times. Most times just dead-faced and drifting in the static but once disheveled confused and terrified for the first time any in the Zones has ever seen. Kobra got into a fight with Tommy Chow Mein and nearly got his brains splattered everywhere. And little Ghoul over there is a step from death. Tell me what's going on and I'll tell you what Korse and City Proper are plotting."
Jet's hand tightened on the soldering iron before slamming it down." And when you spread this to the rest of the Zones then what? It's not my business to say what the others are dealing with. Now unless those things could help or harm us you'd be best off staying quiet while I work."
He could feel Show Pony watching his every move as he began adjusting the wires and trying to pretend he wasn't curious about what Show Pony had learned.
Get a grip Jet Star. They arw a honey bun. A spearey for crying out loud!
"Don't you trust me?" Show Pony said softly.
That tone. It was so sickeningly sweet but the words held a bit of truth. Show Pony hadn't dont anything that would warrant such distress.
"Back in City Proper I learned from a very very early age that while your body can get you carbon. Information can get you status and security. It's sort of the same in the Zones..." Show Pony rambled.
"I can't trust you as far as I can throw you." Jet huffed.
"You can throw me pretty far. I weigh next to nothing and you... you are a very very strong gal Jet." Show Pony leaned on their hands and grinned.
It made Jet blush a little. She rarely was called a gal or anything similar. In Battery City it never happened. It rarely happened in the Zones so being called something like that made Jet feel things they'd long repressed.
"It's just been the usual winter time troubles here Show Pony. Now what are those things you found out?" Jet said softly.
It wasn't a lie but it wasn't the full truth either. It seemed to suffice.
"Ritalin rats and screwheads alike have been dropping like flies. They vanish for two weeks exactly before they are found wandering. Dazed. Disheveled. Missing memories for the time they were away." Show Pony explained grimly, any trace of the overly sweet honey bun was gone and was replaced with something Jet was too familiar with.
The hollow gaze of a burn-out. It was what made up most of her life prior to jumping head first into the Juvie Halls scene.
"It's got to be something new from City Proper. None of the major sellers have created anything new with Batt Acids. It... it seems very similar to what I seen be given to the worst most disobedient of children raised up to become a high ranking member of BL/ind." Shane whispered hauntedly." If it keeps spreading there's no telling how many secret plans of rebellion will be spilled. There's no telling what they do to you and make you forget. It's what happened to Party Poison."
Jet's stomach sank but she turned and held her hand up towards the direction of the sun.
Time for Ghoul's medicine...
They got to their feet and made her way to the small bag she kept hidden away. It was practiced at this point, preparing the needle of medicine before going to Ghoul and hurriedly injecting it. He was always too exhausted to fight back or cry or wince.
"If what you say is true Show Pony then we need to do something. And it needs to be done tonight." Jet sighed.