Lost but Found

Techno Havoc tapped her finger on the window as she sat in the passenger seat of the truck her and Lithium Lunatic had found and managed to fix up. They were getting back late from a trip across the desert for water, it was closer to Battery City and that was somewhere they both hated getting close to. A town of zombies nearly. A whole town of drugged up people who knew nothing about emotion or mental freedom. Everyone was the same, plain and unable to think beyond what the pills let them think. The pills, were given out by the rulers of the town, the people who kept the towns people drugged up like puppets on strings, they did what they were told and didn't even know what it was to go against the rules of society or to question it. The only example they had were killjoys. People who had resisted becoming the things that were only hallow shadows of the person the body had previously been. Killjoys lived in the deserts, having had to flee from Battery to keep out of being drugged up and forced to listen.

Techno and Lunatic had been friends before Battery had been taken over, before the resistance. They were both very close to one another and though Techno could be a bit of a hot head and was a bit sarcastic at times, Lunatic dealt with it and didn't let it bother her. She knew it was Techno's way of dealing with things and she wasn't going to be the one to ruin it for her. She was more patient and would always just sigh out, soothing herself, before she ever dealt with a problem. She made sure that Techno didn't go getting hurt but still, she wasn't overbearing, not that Techno would let that happen.

"God. I just love riding all this way every time we need water," Techno's sarcasm began. "Remember the good old days when you walked into the kitchen and turned the tap on and viola, water."

"Yes. I also remember that if you want those luxurious you better give up your personality and practice being a robot," Lunatic said to Techno as she watched the road, reminding her that it could be much worse than it was. "We'll be home by nightfall," Lunatic said with optimism.  She really didn't want to be out in the zones in the dark. It risked damage to their vehicle, being spotted by dracs, or even just getting lost. The desert was hard enough to coordinate during the day, let alone in the dark without a road or signs. "The good thing is we got enough water for a month if we use it smartly. So all we have to do is keep from being greedy, only drink when it's needed."

"So everyday, all day?" Techno smirked at her own wording as she stared at the setting sun.

"Yes, everyday. As you know it's too hot to go a day without water, unless you want to get tired or possibly sick but not all day. You know how to ration," Lunatic said as she turned the truck a little more towards a certain direction.

The two rode in silence for quite a bit longer. It wasn't awkward or edgy, just a silence. It was a moment of peace, just the truck shifting through the sand and seeming like they had just left the city for a drive through the desert. Back before the town had been completely over run, they would bring their Go-cart out and mess up the sand, making donuts and other designs in the sand by gunning it and digging the wheels into the loose ground.

Lunatic sighed and just rested her eyes for the slightest second. They were in the desert, what could really pop up in front of them. She knew nothing could, unless the wall of rock to their right hopped out in front of them. "Lunatic! Stop!" Lunatic was jumped by Techno's shouts and hit the brakes quickly. The truck skidded in the sand until it slid to a stop, a little noise being heard from the front, a thump.

"Oh my god! What did I hit?!" Lunatic asked Techno quickly who was hurriedly unbuckling.

"It was a kid," Techno said in a rushed tone and they both quickly got out. Lunatic ran around to the front and was shocked at the sight. The child was a little girl, maybe seven or so, least that's what she guessed. She could tell she hadn't hit her that hard, hardly at all but the little girl was sunburned like she'd been walking in the hot sun for days. She was dehydrated, least her dry lips said she was. Her blond hair was laying out around her head and Lunatic quickly knelt beside the thin frame of the girl. "Techno! Get some water! Now!" She didn't mean to sound snappy but she was freaking out, shocked. It wasn't often you see kids in the zones alone. Most kids had parents and they were very protective of their children. If they died, someone in the party or their group would raise the child. The zones needed all the killjoys it could get.

Techno came back with a canteen of water and gave it to Lunatic. Lunatic carefully sat the little girl up a bit. Her tiny eyes opened and she squirmed in place, like she was going to fight until she saw the other two were obviously killjoys. She saw one with brown hair and soft brown eyes holding onto her with a bottle of what she hoped was water. She didn't mean to but her thirst got the better of her and she grabbed the bottle, bringing it to her mouth and beginning to chug it down, her eyes closed for a moment as she savored the water pouring down her dry throat.  

"It's okay. Take your time, there's more," Lunatic said softly and lightly brushed her hand through the little girls blond hair.

The girl opened her eyes and looked up to the other girl. She had red hair but it seemed to lean a little towards brown as well. Her eyes were an electric blue and it made the small one hesitate for a moment as she stared but she quickly went back to drinking down the water, breathing heavily through her nose.

"Who…Who are you guys?" The small child asked as she looked between the two of them, bringing her lips from the bottle for only a moment…

"I'm Lithium Lunatic and this is Techno Havoc," Lunatic said softly to the girl, trying to keep her calm. "Who are you?"

"I'm…I'm Popsicle Princess," she said quietly before she brought the bottle opening back to her mouth and tipped the bottle back.

"Where have your parents gone to?" Techno asked this as she looked around like they would come out of nowhere.

"My parents are back in Battery City," the little girl said. "I left."

"On your own?!" Lunatic's face was shocked at the little girl's words. "How did you escape?"

"Well I hadn't been taking my pills, I missed one day and then just decided they tasted gross and I didn't want them. I would flush them down the toilet," she said as she remembered back. "Then one day there was a group of killjoys there. I knew since I saw the purple ray gun, dracs don't have colored ray guns, just white, it was tucked in the back of her pants. So I crawled into the back of their car and left with them. Now out here…I'm all alone," she said quietly. "My parents aren't my parents anymore. They're like…it's like they're robots," the little girl said this sadly but then straightened up.

"How old are you, honey?" Lunatic lightly rubbed the little girls back.

"I'm going to be seven in a few weeks. How old are you?" She looked between the two, sipping more of the water.

"We're both fourteen," Techno said, kneeling in front of the small girl. "Well how would you like to come back with us? We'll be able to get you something to eat, more to drink. I know we're not much of a group but…I mean we have each other and you could become part of it if you'd like?" Techno wouldn't let the little girl go now. She was the cutest thing she'd ever seen and couldn't imagine anymore harm coming to the little one.

Princess seemed to think about it for some time before she softly nodded her head. "Sure," she smiled at the two of them as she sipped her water.

"Alright," Lunatic said with a soft smile. "Let's get into the truck. We have to beat the dark home," she said this while helping the little girl up. Princess went with Techno to her side of the truck and Techno helped her up into the truck and she was situated between the two of them.

The car ride was full of talk. The little girl told them of her long walk in the desert and how she'd been out there for two days trying to find any sign of a killjoy camp. She hadn't told the other group that she was there since she decided she didn't like them. They had used foul language and she thought they seemed mean.

Techno and Lunatic didn't have a hard time talking to her since she was such a happy kid. She smiled and giggled and was quite bouncy. When Techno mentioned how cute she would look with her hair dyed a whole rainbow of colors, Princess decided that sounded like a great idea. Techno planned to do it when they got back to their camp. They had a few containers of color they hadn't used since they'd gotten them from a trip to Battery for needed supplies.

They got back and took care of the water containers, storing it in a place where they had dug a deep hole in the ground. It kept them cooler, being buried under the sand in the tent, out of the sunlight and away from the heat. Once they finished with that they decided they would try to get Princess to eat. She wasn't overly fond of wet dog food but unlike most kids her age she bared through and ate down two cans, satisfying her hunger for the night.

A bit after Techno began to dye her hair, still talking to the girl about her life. If she had any other plans of leaving for another camp. "I don't think so. I mean…I like you guys. You're cool and I don't know where else I would go. Would it be okay for me to stay with you guys?" She asked this as she drew a flower in the sand beside her; she was trying to keep herself from reaching up and touching her hair that was covered in the dye that was setting in.

"Well we've decided that you're pretty cool as well. We'd like you to stay," Lunatic said with a soft smile and she smiled more, as well as Techno when the little girl beamed happily. She hugged both of them tightly but carefully, as her hair was still damp with the dye.

"I promise, I'll be the best killjoy ever," she giggled and the other two couldn't help but do the same, for the first time in a long time.

---

It was later that night and Lunatic's eyes slowly opened, something was wrong. She lifted her head to see Princess had been cuddled up behind her, her hair an array of color in the tent and she glanced over to Techno's sleeping bag, it was empty. She got up and slowly walked out of the tent, peaking out. She saw Techno perched by the fire, just poking at it with a stick.

This wasn't unusual. Lunatic had learned of Techno's nightmares. The ones that woke her with a cold sweat and cries. She didn't sleep very much since she was so afraid of her dreams. She dreamt of the tragedy of her parents and of what could happen to Lunatic. Lunatic knew it had been a week since a nightmare had disturbed Techno, so Princess's presents must have stirred them back up again.

She slowly walked over and sat herself beside Techno. "Hey," she said softly to her, sitting close. "Another dream?"

"Yeah," Techno sighed like she was defeated before she tossed her small stick into the fire.

"What about?" Lunatic looked to her, her facing saying that Techno could tell her anything.

"You…Princess," she said quietly as she stared to the small flames from the fire. "I've only just met her today but I…I feel protective of her. I don't want her life to be ruined, to be haunted like mine…like ours. I don't want her waking up like me with fear. I want her to stay the way she is…in there curled up and sleeping without a care in the world," Techno said softly as she gestured to the tent. "I just…I dreamt that they got her and you. They killed you and drugged her back up, she didn't even know me. It was just…This is the closest thing I've had to a family in a long time. I don't want to lose you or Princess."

Lunatic put on her soft smile and wrapped her arm around Techno's shoulder. "We're going to be okay. They won't catch us; we're all going to be just fine. Come on. Let's put out that fire and you should come rest with us. I don't' want Princess waking up or getting cold." Lunatic said as she stood, rubbing her arms. The desert was always so cold at night.

Techno stood up beside her. "Thanks for checking on me," Techno said softly.

"It's no problem," Lunatic whispered with her lips turned up into that gentle hold, the corners of her mouth curved up.

They both got into the tent and took their places on the tents floor. Princess rolled onto her side with a soft yawn and nuzzled into Techno the second she laid down beside her. Lunatic smiled softly as Techno seemed to freeze for a second but then relaxed and wrapped her arm around the small, little girl.

Lunatic reached over and grabbed Techno's hand. "We're all going to be alright," she whispered with a reassuring nod and Techno smiled, mouthing the words 'thank you.'

Lunatic moved close and the three girls were snuggled close to one another as they rested into the relaxing embrace. It calmed them all, helped them forget about the evil outside and concentrate on what they all had inside of their own little tent. The two older girls vowed in that moment, in the silence of their own minds to always protect Princess no matter what. They also vowed to protect the lives of each other and to make sure that there would never only be two girls in this tent after a battle but all three because they were all the others family and that was something they all desperately needed. They were all lucky that they had finally realized it, had finally found it.