END OF THE LINE
Chapter Ten: Kimber's Gauntlet
Nine p.m.
Kimber glanced up at the big clock on the mantle and frowned, toying
with
her hands as she did so. It was odd, she realised, spending time at the
Misfits'
place. The night she had spent with Roxy and Stormer watching horror
films
had been a lot of fun, but it was different now that Pizzazz was
returned
from Washington DC. Somehow Kimber realised that there was a lot more
going
on than her simply being a welcome houseguest. Pizzazz had seemed only
too
eager to make her feel at home, and that had made her suspicious. She
knew
that the Misfits' leader was as dubious about the truce as Jerrica, and
she
had confided to Stormer the night before that she was sure somehow
Pizzazz
was going to manipulate the situation to her own ends.
"It's not that I don't believe in the truce." She had whispered. "But
Pizzazz
is acting very strangely to me, and I can't help thinking she thinks
she
can get something out of me. Or use me to spite Jerrica. Perhaps both.
Is
that a terrible thing to think?"
"In any other circumstance I'd say yes." Stormer had responded. "But I
actually
agree with you. I asked Roxy earlier if she knew anything, but she said
Pizzazz
hadn't said a thing to her." She'd shrugged. "Mind you, the fact that
this
story appeared on the front page of the local tabloid this morning is a
bit
coincidental. Just be careful, okay? I love the Misfits to death and I
like
and respect Pizzazz but sometimes she can be hard to fathom out."
"She still hates me." Kimber had sighed. "And I don't love her very
much
either at the moment."
The redhead frowned, remembering the conversation. Stormer was not
there,
having retired to her room to write an hour earlier, and Roxy was idly
flicking
through channels on the television. Pizzazz had gone out with all of
her
usual fuss and noise and Jetta, after having sent the Hologram a
troubled
look, had settled herself in a corner to file her nails, not meeting
Kimber's
gaze.
"She knows something's up too." The Hologram decided. "I wish there
wasn't
all this behind the scenes manipulation! When we called a truce, the
idea
was for the two groups to get along. It wasn't for Jerrica and I to
fight
and then Pizzazz to take advantage of the mess!"
"There ain't nothing on." Roxy decided finally, tossing the handset
down
in disgust. "Cable TV blows. All it is is a bunch more channels playing
garbage."
"Depends on your intellect level, Roxy." Jetta responded absently. "In
your
case, if they ain't playin' Tom and Jerry I can see you'd 'ave a
problem
workin' out what was going on."
"Oh, drop dead, will you?" Roxy snapped back. "Else I'll do you over
like
I did before and there's no way Stormer will break it up this time."
Jetta raised an eyebrow, setting down her nail file.
"I don't want to fight you." She said sweetly. "I was jus' pointin' out
that
different people 'ave different tastes."
"Yeah, and you'll be tasting blood if you don't quit it." Roxy
muttered. She
got to her feet. "I'm gonna go out, take the car for a spin and get
away
from you and your smart alec remarks. Later, Big Nose. Later, Kimber."
"Bye, Roxy." Kimber cast the Misfit a slight smile, inwardly amused by
Roxy's
remark, for it had evidently annoyed the saxophonist. Once the blond
had
gone, she cast Jetta a doubtful look.
"Jetta, am I really welcome here?" She asked at length. Jetta looked
startled,
then she shrugged.
"Dunno. Kinda surreal to me." She admitted. "Look 'ere though, Kimber.
I
voted in favour of this truce because I were blinkin' sick an' tired of
us
worryin' after what you guys were doin' all the time. We're Misfits. We
shouldn't
care what the competition is doin', we should jus' be doin' our thing
and
doing it the best we can. But since this fight between you an' Jerrica,
things
are slidin' backwards. Pizzazz..." she faltered, shaking her head. "No,
it
don't matter. Just it bothers me, that's all. I don't want things to
end
up 'ow they were before."
"Pizzazz what?" Kimber pressed. "Jetta, Stormer and I both think she's
up
to something. Do you know what?"
Jetta fixed Kimber with a meaningful look.
"Kimber, we may 'ave a truce, but it don't mean I'm goin' to betray
everythin'
I know to you." She said quietly. "Pizzazz is a fellow Misfit, we look
out
for each other an' that ain't changed jus' because we called a truce
with
you guys."
"You weren't looking out for Roxy just then." Kimber pointed out.
"Yeah, an' that's because I 'ate her bleedin' guts." Jetta admitted.
"But
if anyone outside of the band went for 'er in any way, Kimber, I'm a
Misfit
an' I know which team I'm loyal to. You...you're outside the band, an'
it
ain't my business to tell you what Pizzazz says." She frowned. "Stormer
shouldn't
'ave said anything, neither. She'll only get 'erself into trouble."
Kimber frowned, pursing her lips.
"Okay." She said finally. "I guess I see that." She frowned. "I just
don't
like feeling like I'm a pawn in some big game, that's all."
"Then don't let yourself be." Jetta shrugged, leaning over and scooping
up
the handset. "Do what you wanna do. We all do."
"That's why Jerrica and I fought. Because she wanted to stop me doing
things
my way." Kimber remembered. "Well, fine." She smiled. "Aja and I are
going
to record my song, whether Jerrica wants to back it or not, because
half
of Starlight Music is mine, and I want the proceeds to go to the
Starlight Foundation, since if the Holograms aren't recording, they're
going to suffer. We can't use Shana, because she's so busy with fashion
design and stuff and
making clothes for the girls. Aja told me that on the phone last night.
And
Jem..." She faltered, "Uh, well, she sides with Jerrica. We have Raya
for
drums, but we're missing three players." Her deep blue eyes became
determined.
"You said I should do what I wanted to do. Okay. What I want is for
you,
Roxy and Stormer to help us make this record, and for Misfit Music to
help
back it. That's what I want. I want all of the proceeds to go to the
Starlight
Girls, and I figured if two music companies and two bands were
involved,
it would get a lot more hype and publicity."
Jetta stared at her, then she began to laugh.
"You don't 'alf want a lot of bleedin' things, Kimber." She observed,
amused.
"Well, you said..."
"Yeah, but I didn't realise you were livin' in fairy land."
"Jetta, stop laughing at me, I'm serious." Kimber put her hands on her
hips.
"Nobody believes that I can do anything myself, without my big sister's
backing.
Well, I can! As soon as Pizzazz gets in, I'm going to ask her about the
record.
And I'll make her say yes, too! You see if I don't!"
"Why would Pizzazz care about the Starlight Girls?" Jetta demanded.
"She doesn't. She cares about keeping me happy." Kimber's eyes twinkled
mischievously.
"You said not to let myself be a pawn. Well okay, two can play that
game.
If Pizzazz wants to keep me sweet in the rift with Jerrica, then she
can
back my project, can't she? That'd keep me happy."
Jetta stared at the redhead for a moment, then she let out a low
whistle.
"You're a bloody connivin' cow, that's what you are!" She exclaimed.
Kimber
grinned.
"Aren't I, though?" She responded, opening her eyes wide and adopting
an
innocent look. "But if Pizzazz says yes, will you play?"
"If she does - and I do mean if...then I'll play on your record." Jetta
nodded.
"But I'm lookin' forward to seein' the persuading session first.
That'll
make the whole thing worth it!"
"Good." Kimber looked satisfied. "Ooh, but now I have to run. I
promised I'd
be at Shana's outrageous fashion shoot and I'm gonna be late if I don't
scoot!"
******************************
"Everything looks so professional."
Shana stared around the auditorium, a look of awe on her face. "It's so
big,
I didn't realise how big a deal we were talking here. Regine, do you
have
goosebumps? I do."
"Oui." Regine shivered. "Just think, Shana, all those seats will be
full
of people coming to see our designs!"
"Not just ours, others too." Shana reminded her. "But ooh...it's quite
a
buzz."
"If you ask me, it's much deserved." A voice came from behind them and
the
two girls turned, Shana exclaiming in delight as she recognised the
speaker.
"Saffron!" She cried. "Are you modelling tonight?"
"Of course." Saffron, or Meredith Allen, a model the Holograms had
encountered
in the past cast the designer a grin. "As soon as Paul told me that you
were
designing for it, I leapt at the chance." She cast Regine an interested
look.
"Who's this?"
"Oh! Saffron, this is my good friend and fellow designer, Regine
Cesare. She's
a protegee of Danielle Du Voisin and very talented into the bargain."
Shana
hastened to make the introductions. "Regine, this is Meredith Allen,
otherwise
known as Saffron - we met her when we did the Rock Fashion Spectacular
some
months back."
"I 'ave seen your pictures, Saffron." Regine cast the tall model a
smile.
"It is nice to meet you."
"Likewise. Shana mentioned you to me, but I'm glad to make the
acquaintance in person." Saffron returned the smile warmly. "How go
things with you?"
"I wish I could say they were going well, Saffron, but the group's hit
a
bad patch." Shana frowned. "There have been some...things said. Maybe
you've
seen the morning's paper."
"I did, but I assumed it was idle tittle tattle." Saffron looked
concerned. "Nothing serious, I hope?"
"Well, fairly serious." Shana sighed. "Aja and Kimber have pretty much
left
the group. Raya and I aren't really sure where we stand on the whole
thing
- I'm burying myself in my designs, I'll admit it, this is a welcome
distraction
- and Jerrica is working way too hard."
"What of Jem?"
"Well, she rather takes Jerrica's view that Kimber's acting
irresponsibly." Shana groaned. "I don't like it, but I'm hoping it'll
blow over, and, in the
meantime, I'm staying with Anthony."
"I hope things sort themselves out soon." Saffron told her. "Hey, and
here's
some more faces I know! Hi Aja, hi Raya!"
"Hello, Saffron." Raya cast her a grin. "We're here to help Shana with
her
big show - are you to model in it?"
"Yes, me and a couple of the girls from the agency are modelling Shana
and
Regine's clothes." Saffron nodded. "I only hope there will be
enough...one of the girls had to pull out because of flu and everyone
else was booked out.
We're kinda short a model."
"Well, we can volunteer Raya." Shana's eyes twinkled. "She's good on
stage,
you know."
"Shana, don't tease me." Raya pulled a face. "I am a drummer, not a
model!"
"Actually, Raya, you'd make a good model." Saffron cast a cursitory eye
over
the other girl, making her blush. "You have good features and a nice
figure."
Raya blushed, shaking her head.
"You all tease me." She responded. "The only time I am good on stage is
behind
my drum kit - I am happy there."
"I dunno, Raya, you wore our threads like a pro." Shana told her with a
grin.
"That was only because you wanted a live model to stick pins in." Raya
retorted.
"Nothing else!"
"Do we know who else will be here tonight?" Aja wondered.
"I did hope Kimber would be." Shana admitted.
"She will be, I'm sure." Aja assured her. "She plans to come, anyway."
"Everything's ready backstage, sweetie." Anthony Julian, Shana's
longterm boyfriend emerged from behind the scenes at that moment. "They
want you to
make sure that everything's right, if you could."
"No problem. Regine and I will be right there." Shana agreed.
"So, tell me more about this fight within the Holograms?" Saffron's
dark
eyes burned with curiosity and she linked arms with Raya and Aja,
leading
them away from the others and taking a seat, indicating for them to do
the
same. "My twins will be heartbroken if they find out their favourite
act
is splitting up. They're quite the envy of their class, you know,
having met
you guys in person."
"We don't want the band to split up." Aja said slowly. "I assume Shana
told
you?"
"More or less." Saffron nodded. "What happened? That is, if you don't
mind
my asking."
"Jerrica happened." Aja groaned. "That basically sums it up."
"Jerrica Benton?"
"She is tired and works too hard - she takes it out on us a little too
much."
Raya responded. "Kimber quit, Aja went after her and Jerrica told her
not
to bother coming back. That is where we are now, and worrying about
funding
the Starlight Foundation."
"If there's anything I can do to help, just ask." Saffron offered. "I
make
enough to keep the twins and me plus more these days, and the Starlight
girls
are a worthy cause. I'm more than willing to help any way I can."
"You're an angel, but I don't know if there is anything you can do."
Aja
said. "Still, thanks for the thought." She rubbed her temples. "All
this
is giving me a headache, but somehow we really must work through this.
I
don't know what other option there is."
PART ONE
Chapter One: Ceasefire
Chapter Two: Teamwork
Chapter Three: A Stumbling Block
Chapter Four: Tackling Jetta
Chapter Five: Cracks
Chapter Six: Kimber's Escape
Chapter Seven: Confronting Jerrica
Chapter Eight: Dilemma
Chapter Nine: Begging Sanctuary
Chapter Ten: Kimber's Gauntlet
Chapter Eleven: The Plot Thickens
This story is copyrighted to E.A Woolley as of Spring 2002 when it
was
first begun. Any characters not appearing in the jem series are also
copyrighted
to myself (E A Woolley) and are not to be reproduced in form or
character
without express permission. Any character from the Jem series are
copyright
to Hasbro Inc, Sunbow and Christy Marx 1985-1988.