Sugar and Spice

Bright lights, cheers, and the smell of sweat fill the Halcyon City Youth Rec Center. Whistles blare as bodies collide on a flat track surrounded by excited onlookers. An announcer’s voice fills the eager crowd in on the action.

“Welcome back to D1 game 12 of the 2019 International WFTDA Championship. In today’s jam the Halcy-BRAWN City Roller Girls are squaring up against the Metrocity Maidens in a revenge match from Halcyon’s *devastating* loss back in August. The home team is hoping to turn things around with its talented new members: Bobby “Bruise CTRL” Ostenberg and Candice “Sugar Smax” Dulce and the crowd is just waiting on the edge of its seat to see what these girls can do.”

The skaters line up at the starting line and a whistle signals the start of the jam.

“We are entering the final jam of the second period and both of our talented teams are tied with 153 points each. Halcyon city has fielded both of its new players in the final jam with Bruise CTRL as pivot and Sugar Smax as jammer. Speaking of Sugar Smacks here comes the breakaway. Sugar Smax has pivoted around an opposing wall and has taken position as lead jammer with Metrocity’s own Brawly-pop following close behind. This is sure to be an interesting matchup folks as the two skaters had an all out brawl in the first period.”

“Sugar Smax is coming up on the pack attempting a scoring pass. Two of Metrocity’s skaters have linked together to try and block her but she jukes past them scoring 2 points for Halcyon city. She’s coming up on the larger pack and seems to be stuck behind the remaining two blockers. She passes the star to Ostenberg and Halcyon’s blockers whip her away from the pack. Here we go folks, Brawly-pop follows shortly behind and scores a GRAND SLAM! With Bruise CTRL as the lead jammer she’ll need to catch up with Brawly-pop on this next scoring pass. She’s picking up speed with Brawly-pop close behind her. She’s approaching for a scoring pass but Metrocity is walled up tight. BY GOD DID YOU SEE THAT- Bruise CTRL has busted clean through the opposing wall scoring a grand slam for Halcyon! Sugar Smax has forced Brawly-pop out of bounds without an earned pass. Bruise CTRL has ended the Jam. Folks this match-up is over with 159 points for Halycon, 157 points for Metrocity. Halcyon wins! By God what an exciting match today…”

The announcers voice trails off as Boon skates to the edge of the rink to catch her breath. Her teammates congratulate her and she gives them obligatory hugs and high fives. But her eyes are focused on the crowd. She spots her mark towards the front row and sees Rea holding the leash of an otherworldly Pitbull. She skates up to the pair to greet them. “Rea! Thank you so much for watching Brimstone for me during the game! He didn’t give you any trouble did he?”

At hearing her name and Boon's voice respectively, both Rea and Brimstone turn excitedly to see the source in unison. She chirps back, "No! He's a perfect sweet baby boy and couldn't **ever** trouble me." As if to punctuate it, she ruffles his jowls a little with a big grin. "But no accounting for YOU! You gave the other team a ton of trouble. Did you- Uh I was gonna say did you see it but that doesn't make sense... " Rea laughs awkwardly, "Heck yeah, though. I was glad to come watch you and Candace rock face and pet this soft boy."

Boon scratches the back of her head while grinning “Yeah I had a **ton** of fun out there. I always do. Y’know hero-ing’s one thing but Derby’s where I *really* shine. It’s nice to know that I’ve got some friends cheering me on this time. I don’t always get that...” Boon bends down and joins in on showering Brimstone in attention. “And plus I can skate better knowing this little guy has some company, isn’t dat wight widdle guy?” Brimstone responds the only way he knows how, by giving Boon a sloppy kiss on her cheek. Boon laughs and wipes her cheek with her sleeve. “So uh, what are- uh. You got uh- you doing anything the rest of the day or?” Boon asks while nervously twiddles her thumbs.

Rea starts to answer, "Oh, hell no. I cancelled everything to come do this. And I- Wait…" She pauses, tilting her head slightly. "I guess I never asked about your uh… you know." Mimicking demonic wings as best she can, "Does that make it hard to compete with these folks from out of town?" A casual smile creeps across her lips and the teen stands from her seat and starts to stretch and run in place. Rea Remington is good at a lot of things but sitting still for long isn't one of them.

Boon looks confused for a moment but realization eventually flashes across her face. “Oh! Thanks for reminding me!” Boon exclaims as she lifts her wrist to reveal a thick silvery wristband. She presses a button on it and a set of red LEDs turn green as the band loosens allowing Boon to remove it. “Yeah they make us wear these power nullification bands during competitions since I’m playing in the non powered league” Upon removing the band she looks noticeably less tired. “Don’t tell me you thought the muscles were part of my powers! I was strong way before becoming a superhero” Boon winks playfully at Rea while flexing. The nervous energy returns to Boon’s face as she scratches the back of her head again.”Anyway if you’re not doing anything today I was wondering if you um… wanted to. \*sigh\* I don’t know, go out for a celebratory ice cream or coffee or something?” She stares at Rea expectantly.
A sly half-grin manifests gradually across Rea's lips. The kind where just the right amount of teeth are showing through, "Hell yeah, I want a celebratory going-out-with-Boon. Besides, I never doubted your honest muscles." The climber flexes in return and offers, "We should arm wrestle, Boon. Before I forget- THERE'S A POWERED DERBY LEAGUE? No no wait that's not important right now." During this, her gaze has lingered on Boon's arms an amount of time that some might call rude. Sapphics wouldn't call it that, but like… someone probably would. Rea picks her jacket up off of the seat and pats Brimstone on the head, giving Boon an expectant look, "Wanna see who can get to the ice cream shop faster? You have those powers but I've got my tricks, too."

Boon sits down on a bleacher and shrugs. “Okay Rea. Tell you what. I’ll give you a five minute head start. But if you lose, you’ve gotta foot the bill. Deal?” Boon grins while holding out her hand for a shake.

Rea's curiosity is visible as she extends her hand to shake. "Yeah. Deal. Must be some powers you got if you're so confident, because I **know** you aren't underestimating me, Boon." The unpowered teen blows a kiss to Brimstone as she turns on a heel to start her run to the destination. When Rea reaches the wall out of the seating area she just phases through it and is gone.

Boon looks at where Faker phased through the wall and chuckles to herself. She pulls out her phone and sets a timer for 5 minutes. While she’s looking at her phone she checks her messages. 3 new messages from Atlanta, 2 new messages from Mom, 1 new message from Sunny, 7 new messages in the Flex Girls group chat. Boon sits patiently connecting with her friends until the timer begins to beep. After hitting the dismiss button Boon claps her hands to her knees and stands up. She picks up her gym bag and patiently walks towards the exit of the building with Brimstone in tow. As she steps outside into the cool November air she looks down at her dog. “Okay boy, all charged up?” Brimstone gives a woof of approval as the sigils in his fur begin to glow. Boon carefully picks him up and holds him in her arms. “T minus 5… 4… 3.. 2… 1…” As Boon counts down an arcane circle appears at her feet, glowing with increasing intensity. “Blast off” Boon yeets herself across the Halcyon city skyline while holding firmly to her companion. “FUCK YEAH!” She screams in excitement. At the top of her arc she sprouts a pair of large stone wings and uses her momentum to quickly glide towards the ice cream store. “Thanks for the boost buddy” She kisses the top of Brimstone’s head and the dog smiles, unfazed by the change in elevation.

If there's one thing Rea Remington knows, it's her way around Halcyon City on foot. By this point, she's settled into her running rhythm and has music on. Occasionally she bounds over something or, failing that, just phases through it entirely. It's actually a pretty staggering time for an unpowered human body, when she arrives at the ice cream shop. She's just glistening a little and her breath is faster and deeper but not quite desperate. Rea elects to open the door like a normal person for once, looking around to see which one of them is *more* full of surprises.

If there’s one thing Boon does not know, it’s her way around Halcyon city. She arrives at the ice cream store with a smooth glide and sets Brimstone carefully back on the ground. He gives an excited bark and wags his tail. “Good boy, that was very patient!” Boon exclaims. “Now. Time to see who won” Boon walks into the ice cream store to find Rea nowhere to be seen. “Heh, that’s what she gets for underestimating me” She walks Brimstone over to a table and takes a seat. After about 15 minutes of waiting she starts to get worried and pulls out her phone.*Hey Rea, what’s takin u so long?*

Getting the popup notification for that text, Rea closes her dragon game app and looks at the message in bored confusion. She looks around the ice cream shop and, not seeing Boon, sends a smug selfie with the Boonless shop in the background with, *Uh where you at more like I been here.*

A look of frustrated realization crosses Boon's face and she buries her head in one of her hands. *I'm assuming we weren't racing to the one on Pendragon ave then? Which store are you at?*

Rea starts to howl with laughter, cutting herself off with a sharp inhale and a hand over her mouth. She texts back, No! I'm at the one like two blocks from the community center. *Oh crap lmao we need a new hangout spot*

She steps out of the shop and looks around, knowing full well it won't help her see Boon but it makes her feel better.

She isn’t standing there long though. A gust of wind blows her hair to the side and standing before her is Boon, panting from exhaustion and holding an ice cream cone from the shop across town. Brimstone hangs smiling from her shoulders. “Hold on… gimme... a second...” she attempts to catch her breath and then sits down on a bench next to the shop and breathes a sigh of relief “I guess you win then huh?” Boon laughs “When Sunny and I race we don’t tend to pick destinations that are so close. I assumed you meant the further one. Sorry about that”

The force of Boon's appearance blows Rea's hair a bit and she looks reasonably surprised. A soft laugh under her breath precedes her saying, "Oh wow! You race Sunny? You must have taken it real real easy on me, Boon." She takes a few steps closer and puts on her best charming smirk, reaching out to pet Brimstone. "My bad! Well heck, you still want some ice cream?"

Boon holds up the pistachio cone she carried with her. Or rather, what’s left of it, which is to say just the cone. The camera cuts to an angry businessman covered in green ice cream somewhere between the two ice cream shops staring blankly at his ruined suit. We cut back to Boon and faker. “Yeah I could uh, I’ll need to get a new one” She tosses the empty cone over her shoulder, prompting Brimstone to walk over and start nibbling at it. “My treat?”

Her gaze lingers a moment on the nearly empty cone and Rea laughs, unrestrained this time, at Brimstone's retrieval of it. "You already had some! Can't blame ya, that was a hot minute. Hmm… Getting treated to ice cream by a buff hotty though. Hm!" She feigns having to consider it, pacing a half circle around Boon with her chin on one hand as she walks and a terrible smirk. "Yeah, okay. You talked me into it. I want a matcha scoop."

Boon’s face turns a bright shade of red at getting called a buff hottie, but she attempts to feign composure. “Heh heh I uh, yeah sure matcha scoop coming right up!” Boon steps up to the counter and orders a matcha cone and another pistachio cone, but not without a lot of nervous stammering. After getting the ice cream she shuffles nervously back to Faker. *Gods she’s so confident, Freyja give me strength* Boon thinks to herself; but it isn’t Freyja that gives her strength. Boon’s eyes turn a shade of red and her nervous expression is replaced with a look of confidence. “1 matcha scoop for the cutie with the side shave, don’t let it melt hot stuff” Boon gives a wry wink.

That confident gesture, statement, the body language from Boon gets an intrigued grin out of Faker. She takes the cone and decides to press the flirt, enjoying this side of her new friend. "My, my. Two green ice creams." She gives her own a taste and holds it out in offer with a mischievous curl to her lips, "Better taste them both to make sure there's no mix up. … Right?"

Boon laughs mischievously and accepts Faker’s offer, extending her own frozen treat in response. The two girls sit at the booth sharing each other’s ice cream and looking intently at each other’s eyes. In Boon’s eyes Faker sees a brilliant and haunting shade of red. After a moment of quiet Boon speaks up “Meeting you the other day. I was awestruck by you. Your strength, your cunning, your beauty… I want you Rea. And I know you want me too. I mean, who wouldn’t?” Boon flexes an arm and winks at Faker.

Now it's Rea's turn to be taken off guard. She pauses a moment and nips at her own lower lip, "Well… Jeez, Boon!" She laughs softly a moment, "Tuxedoes, speed, a puppy, and uh… this. And your eyes change color sometimes? Or maybe I imagined that…? Anyway, is there anything you can't do." The shortly flustered Rea manages to compose herself again. "Is mind reading somewhere in that power set? Because you've got me, there."

Boon gives a wide grin “I can’t read minds darling…” She leans in closer to Faker “But I don’t need it to know that we’re both thinking the same thing” Boon gets in closer to Rea clearly expecting a kiss.

The overtly confident Rea shows her fluster a bit on her face but she can't help but smile, reciprocating the lean. "I'm thinking that I want you to kiss me, Boon."

The two grin and begin a tender kiss across the table. Gently grasping each other’s hands as they share a quiet moment together. After what feels like ages Boon’s eyes fade back to their usual grey. There’s a brief look of concern on Boon’s face as this happens but she quickly relaxes. As the kiss ends Boon hears a voice in the back of her mind. “*Now… would you have been able to pull that off without me?*” As Boon and Faker pull away Boon looks worriedly at Faker and scratches the back of her neck while blushing. “Oh uh... yeah… so.... Guess I came on a bit strong there? Sorry if I overstepped any boundaries I’m not usually that pushy”

Rea tilts her head just a little, looking a bit off balance from the shift in confidence that Boon displays occasionally. But hey! We all have our thing. She exhales the smallest chuckle, smiling at the girl she'd just kissed and shrugs. "Hey, I thought it was really… I dunno. That did it for me. You're fine!" She relaxes a bit in her seat, offering, "You're fine, really. I'm having a good time. Are you?"

Boon relaxes upon hearing this and breathes a sigh of relief. “Yeah I’m uh, I’m good- I-I’m glad- that’s good- I’m uh- I’m having a good time” She stammers. “Sorry, I’m a bit thrown off. That was amazing it’s just uh… that wasn’t completely me for a second there. I-I mean it was. I mean, I really, really, wanted to do that. I’m just not that confident I-”

Leaning back as she listens, Rea pipes up mid-statement, "I dunno. You seemed pretty damned confident to me." Intending to tease, she raises a brow, "Like you were possessed by a sexy devil for a second there or something. You really went for it!"

“What th- wait. Did Gwen tell you!?” Boon says with surprise, not a hint of a joke to be found.

Another little chuckle leaves the climber but after a moment her raised brow becomes a wrinkle in her forehead and she has to ask, "Wait- You're serious? I was… I was joking but huh. No I've only ever talked to Gwen like once, she seems super cool, though. But uh… You wanna… talk about this? … Are you doing a prank on me?"

Boon stares blankly at Rea and blinks. With as serious of an expression as she can muster. “Yes. This was all just a prank. Tha-that’s silly there’s no way I’d be possessed by a demon named Sapphomet who used to possess my dad but after he died found me and wants me to killYamatowhoprobablykilledmyDadbutalsomakesmesayordothingsthatsometimesIwanttodobutwithincreasingfrequencyIactuallydon’tTHAT WOULD BE WILD AMIRITE!?” Boon looks winded as she finishes her run-on sentence and gives a tentative fake smile.

Rea listens as intently as she can, but especially seems to strain when Boon starts talking faster. She shakes her head a little, looking confused. "Okay, wait so at the embassy when you were like…" And she sort-of mimics Boon's cadence, "'SHE KILLED MY DAD!' At that lady? This is that? I'm not following."

Boon sighs. “Okay, so yeah. That was Yamato. When I was in Molecyon a few weeks ago Sapphomet, uh, the demon that gives me my powers, identified Yamato as my Dad’s killer. She’s the reason I’m here in Halcyon. I want to find out why she killed him, and, I dunno bring her to justice I guess? Apparently I’m not the only one who has beef with her.” Boon looks solemn. “Sapphomet isn’t always helpful though. She sometimes tries to make me do things I don’t want to. The other week when I saw Yamato for the first time? I let Demolio’s son get hurt because Sapphomet was making me attack Yamato” She thinks for a second. “Just now though. That wasn’t one of those times. I mean sure she took over a bit there, or lowered my inhibitions I guess... but I really did want to kiss you Rea. This may actually be one of the first things she hasn’t ruined. If uh… if you still want anything to do with me of course…”

Rea looks surprised as she listens. Her curiosity grows and she starts to lean forward, "Okay, okay… So… Sapphomet… Right. Okay. I'm used to weird stuff in Halcyon but uh- Good to know about the kiss because I like you, Boon. That would have sucked if it was like… I dunno, coerced." She seems to be trying to sort something in her head. "That's dangerous, damn. I wanna keep hanging out, though. Is there any way to know if it's you or Sapphomet?"

Boon’s face lights up “There is! Actually. Um, did you notice anything weird about my eyes before we kissed? They’re usually grey, but if Sapphomet’s piloting they turn red. Sometimes the line isn’t exactly clear as to who’s in control but that’s generally the best way to tell”

The light of understanding illuminates Rea's face, "Oh! That's what- I thought you just had like… appearance changing powers or something? Good to know! ...Is Sapphomet cool? Like is she a total cop or what. What are demons like?"

“Oh no. No. I would not describe her as cool in the slightest. Most of the time it just seems like she wants to stir up drama, and to laugh at my failure. But you know she still helps me towards my goal I guess” Boon stares out the window. “I don’t know if you’ve met Mini yet, but she also used to have a demon. Emphasis on used to, her and her friends took care of that shortly after I joined. Her demon, uh, I think it was Alastor, was a total piece of shit. He hurt people and manipulated people... he did nothing but lie...“ Boon trails off in thought for a second “I umm… I hope that Sapphomet is different. Besides, she’s probably not even from the same Hell, maybe they’re just, different types of demon?” Boon’s eyes betray a certain lack of confidence.

"Wait, there's more than one Hell? I mean there's a multiverse so why not I guess… Did **she** tell you that she's from a different one or… Hm!" Rea's brain seems to be turning quickly right now, "Like… Also, hey Sapphomet, I guess? If you can hear me. Anyway. I'm curious how this works but uh… you know. Super friends. So if you ever need anything with demon stuff hit me up. I'm good for it. One time I got sent to like a hell dimension with ghosts or something. It was pretty scary. Phasing is weird." She seems to ramble but catches herself, stopping her talking suddenly.

Boon chuckles at her new friend’s excitability. “I should show you around my cabin sometime, I have tons of books on demiplanes and paranormal creatures you might be interested in. Maybe that’ll help you figure out what happened with your phasing. I could even try to give your choker a bit of a magic touch to it as well to see if that helps. Anyway, you seem to be taking this all in stride. Does this mean there’s a chance for a second date?”
A look of pride displays on Rea, "Yeah. Like you said yourself… I kinda stride into super stuff head first powers or no. Which I guess could be kinda unwise but also brave. I wanna choose to believe brave?" She laughs a little. "I'd like all that, though. Second date, cabin, hell research. You're really cool, Boon. And if demonic stuff becomes a problem, we'll get the team together. Okay?"

Boon blushes and smiles warmly. “You’re certainly one of the braver people I know Rea… I think we’re going to have a lot of fun together” Boon thinks to herself while still keeping up a smile, *for however long I have left...*