(Please, let me know what you think of this.)
Joe looked at the front of the shop with a heavy sigh, a tear nearly coming to his eye. For thirty-eight years, he ran this gas station near the center of Kings Row. He'd seen the Might for Right protests, both for and against. He saw the rise of groups out solely for themselves, and those that wanted to rule the world. He had autographed pictures of himself with both Statesman and Tub Ci. He'd seen the rise of the fortunes of Kings Row, and the fall. He'd even stood his ground during the Rikti invasion, famously blowing one through his front plate glass window with a shotgun.
But now, all that was ending as he hammered another piece of plywood into place over a window. The gas pumps had been turned off a week ago, since no one would risk delivering there. The delivery trucks had stopped a month before that, ever since the last one was blown up coming through Atlas Park on the way. He'd sold off the last of his merchandise just the other day.
That was what he was thinking as Shadowchill walked up to him. One of the lieutenants in the Skulls, he'd been frequenting the place for quite a few years. He actually liked the atmosphere here, as well as being the only place in the city to get Shock Cola in his favorite flavor. He waited respectfully for Jow to finish hammering the board in place before speaking. So this is it, I guess?
Joe turned and looked, nodding his head a little. Yeah, this is it. I can't get any deliveries here anymore. No gas, no snacks, no Cherry Shock, to which Shadowchill chuckled softly while he continued, nothing at all. I can't do it on empty space and wishes.
The Skull nodded a little. So I guess that means no more neutral ground?
The older man sighed again, something he'd been doing an awful lot of lately, and nodded. Yeah, no more. He'd managed, somehow, to make his shop the one place in all of Kings Row where it didn't matter who you were, or who you were, you left it outside. It wasn't unusual, then, to see Skulls and Hellions and Trolls, even the occasional hero type, mixing and talking and laughing. It was something he was pretty proud of, that he was able to pull it off.
So what are you and Elena going to do now? This place ain't gonna be the same without you guys. Shadowchill said, echoing the thinking of many in the neighborhood. The station had been a place of quiet, where nothing happened outside of the occasional gas skip at two in the morning. Sometimes, a regular person saying to a threatening gang member I'm heading to Joe's would be enough to get them to back off... once.
Joe shook his head a little as he set up another plywood board, which Shadowchill helped him set. Thanks. Oh, I dunno, maybe move down to Florida, or someplace like that. I've been here in Paragon City for some sixty plus years, I think it's time to head somewhere warmer. I could have tapped my retirement fund to keep this place going, got gas from black market places, y'know? The Skull nodded a little.
As Joe hammered the board into place, another set of hands came up to help steady the board. He looked over into the bandanna-covered face of Bioflame, one of the Hellion bosses, who just nodded and steadied the board. We're gonna miss you, Joe. he said. And I think, glancing over at Shadowchill, who nodded, knowing what he was thinking that I speak for a lot of people here. Not just us here, but a lot of others.
He chuckled softly. And honestly, I'm gonna miss you guys too. It's been a great run over the last four decades, but it's just a sign of the times, I guess. As the two of them steadied the final board into place, Joe wiped the sweat from his brow with a well-oiled shop rag, looking at them with a small smile. But at least let me pay you guys for the shop work you did when Elena was in the hospital six months ago.
Shadowchill shook his head first. It's cool, man. Just helping out a friend. Bioflame nodded in agreement, to which Joe just smiled a little bigger and put a hand on both their shoulders, looking at each one in turn. Then remember that. There will come a time when doing the right thing 'just because' comes up again. It's a lot more wonderful of a feeling than harassing someone for their purse, or sacrificing them in some ritual, or breaking into a pawn shop. Trust me on that one. he said with a small chuckle, hefting his hammer again and hammering the last board into place, leaving the two of them to look at each other behind his head with a bit of an incredulous look, then smile and get back to securing the board for him.
The echoes of his hammering sounded up and down Volent Avenue, with many pauses as the three of them stopped to share stories and laugh and down a few of the remaining root beers in the machine outside. The leaves stirred and swirled around the gas pumps, then blew away. They talked about different events they remembered, of people, of the time Manticore came in to get a snack and almost blew up the place with an explosive arrow when he saw all the different gangs there, of the Rikti attacks nearby, of Blue Shield and his Choco-Fizz addiction... non-fat, of course.
They helped load the machinery from inside the shop onto a large hauler in the back, still talking and laughing. The kid that swears he got super-powers from a bottle of LifeAde he bought from there. Bioflame's brother coming in, looking for advice because he got his girlfriend pregnant, and he didn't know what to do. Of the time that Joe had to stare down Dietrech from Longbow. And especially of when Joe physically threw Chris Jenkins out the front door, rather than let him and his PPD lackeys interrogate a kid whose powers had spontaneously burst into being, because some politician's spoiled brat kid got hurt from it.
After they loaded the last piece of machinery, Joe slapped the side of the hauler twice and gave a thumbs-up to the driver, who kicked it into gear and drove off. He let out a heavy sigh after the truck turned the corner, out of sight. Well, guys, I guess that's it.
Bioflame shook his head a little. Not quite yet, Joe. as Shadowchill closed the back garage door and locked it. There's still one thing left.
He looked over at the Hellion, a little puzzled. What do you mean?
Shadowchill nodded. Yeah, there's one last thing. Come on out front, but close your eyes first. It's a surprise.
Joe chuckled softly, shaking his head for what seemed to be the thousandth time that day. You guys know I don't like surprises. But okay, this once.
They both smiled and brought him outside the front door. Okay, open them.
When he did, he blinked in surprise. Outside was quite the large group of people. Hellions, Skulls, Trolls, Outcasts, PPD, even a few Longbow, and regular people that lived in the area, all gathered in one spot. With him standing there in disbelief, they said, with one voice:
Thank you, Joe!
