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Oh, Gods. Gods, Gods, Gods.
She seriously fucked up for real this time, didn't she?
Amber held a hand to her mouth, eyes wide in shock as Janet's jetpack sent her spiraling around in the air haphazardly. The Bad Randoms stopped--Stu first, he had been keeping a close eye on Janet– in their current song, and the last few confused notes gave way to the robot jumping from the stage and wheeling out into the surrounding track, shouting out frantic instructions to the airborne gal.
Janet struggled with keeping aloft.
Amber's breath was held when she seemed to be tilting towards the audience, until Janet managed to yank the propulsion more or less back into her control.
The acrobatic skyrocketed at a downwards angle now, and Stu dashed towards the meeting point. Janet crash landed into his arms and they flew backwards. She was dazed for a few seconds. The rush of the whirling flight left her disoriented, and the metallic landing she had was rough, but it was better than the packed dirt floor, or the screen and stage itself, wasn't it?
No more than a couple of scrapes and bruises that would heal, Amber observed the scene with guilt and came to the conclusion. Janet was fine, Stu was helping her up. He said something nobody but them could hear, and she laughed. She waved to the crowd in reassurance and they cheered her on.
To Amber, it was muffled.
"Thank God she's fine." Buzz commented. "What happened, anyway?"
"Uhm…" Poco glanced over at Amber with a small, light hearted smile. He was all too used to the fire dancer's mistakes. He winked at her. "Well, who knows?"
Amber felt sick, shamefaced, and… and she didn't think she could go on with this show. Without a word, Amber turned and ran away backstage, through the halls, and out of the stadium. Away from the spectacle, and her mortifying actions.
In the crowd, most eyes were on the new pink-haired performer, but Shelly had seen the whole thing.
"It's fine, really. Live performances are always stressful, firefly." El Primo reassured her. He sat across from her in a booth at Bull's. "When I was just El Primito…"
Amber stared down at her full plate. That was the fifth time she's heard it. Stu, Poco, Buzz, Stu again, and now Primo.
"Yeah, I guess." She said distantly.
"You shouldn't blame yourself. Everyone makes mistakes." Strums of notes emphasized his words.
"And when I was just a lifeguard, people critiqued me for whatever reason. Sometimes, they just want to nitpick to make themselves feel better, ya know?"
"It's a-a-a-okay, Amber! Things happen all the ti-i-ime. I crash, people burn, nobody was t-t-truly hurt."
Memories of reassurances mixed together in her head as Primo's voice echoed away. Amber didn't feel hungry anyway. Maybe after this, she would just call it a day and head home. She's been feeling unenergetic lately. All of this mulling…
"Hey, no hard feelings!" A sweet voice chimed into the swirl.
Amber blinked, and she was back in Bull's instead of the clear vision of her in bed, ignoring everybody.
Janet herself stood at the tableside, hands at her hips, looking down on Amber with a smile. "I've heard a couple of things saying that you've been taking that little mishap with the jetpack as your fault! Sooo, I wanted to clear things up, Amber."
"Oh.. uhh…" Amber looked aside at El Primo. Did he invite her? Was this a setup?
Unfortunately, her professional wrestler cousin wasn't in the same page as her.
"Hey!" He greeted. "We were just talking about that too."
"So this was a good time, that's great!" Janet beamed. She turned to Amber. "Poco and Stu told me that it may have been your flame that sparked up and struck my jet. I think it was either that, or the fireworks on stage. There was a lot going on that night, so I'm sure if it wasn't one thing, it would be another, right?"
El Primo nodded along thoughtfully.
Janet continued. "Either way, I'm never one to take things personally, really. I mean, not unless someone messes with Bonnie, or is outright a jerk."
She was so well spoken. The red makeup she had on her face was simple, but very cute and fitting for her.
The acrobatic smiled kindly, genuinely. "Do you know what I mean? You could say family is the most important topic to me."
Amber smiled at her. "Yeah. Totally. That does take a weight off of my back." She told them both. "I'd also hate it if somebody did something to Primo or Poco, or any if my friends."
"So, there we go?" El Primo said brightly, "Problem solved! Come join us, Janet!" He slapped the seat next to him, and she shyly accepted.
"We performers gotta stick together, right?"
"Yeah! That sounds fun too! You know, maybe we can do a high-flying theme with you next time."
Amber smiled and took her turn speaking up in that conversation. But now, her vision of herself being at home was different. She wasn't in bed, ignoring everyone. She was screaming, stomping around and breaking things until her throat rendered her mute, and she owned nothing anymore.
"I just think that claiming your shoe flying off is a fighting technique is dumb!" Colt vented. "Like buddy, just admit you messed up, will you? Accept that you never learned to tie your shoes, and that I'm just better than you are." He finished with a cocky gesture, not realizing that Shelly stopped to look at a poster on a wall.
"Ah, Hell. Seriously?" She muttered, reading the advertisement. A second collaboration between the Daredevils and the Entertainers.
"Shelly?" Colt looked back at her.
"Yeah, Fang needs to learn what shoelaces are, I agree. I'll catch up with you later, Colt." She waved at him and began running to a different location of the park.
Colt frowned. Fine, next time she wants to rant, he'd find something more important to do. He shrugged and continued to walk down the way, whistling as he went. That little dispute with Shelly was already forgotten.
Amber was busy practicing on the stage she first performed on. The benches were empty. It was just her and her unlit baton.
She decided to try twirling the staff without her trademark skills. No flashy fiery breathing or fire dancing– just the basic, core skills.
Over and over, until she could stop stumbling. Until she could catch it without nearly messing up. She hurled the staff up high at a slope and somersaulted forward to catch it. She was really pushing herself, but Amber wouldn’t let herself catch her breath until she could look as graceful as–
She felt the staff graze her fingers and the sound of clattering filled her ears. She stared at the colorful staff, and felt flames burn inside of her. She’s always tried. She’s always practicing. Why was it only bothering her now?
A flash of the other gymnast invaded her mind and uncharacteristically, Amber glared. She knew why.
She leaned forward, planting her hand on the wooden stage with a slam, and scooping the stick up and out into the empty benches.
“OYE!!” An easily recognizable voice called out.
Amber looked over quickly with wide eyes. “Shelly! Sorry! I thought nobody was here– I mean, nobody was there. I was practicing, and didn’t see when you arrived! ….Are you okay!?”
The gunner was rubbing her head. The staff had whacked her right on the top of it. Yeah, so she was distracted by Amber’s intense footwork: sue her then!
“I’m fine, Amber.” Shelly said irritably. The pain would ebb away soon enough. She frowned up at the gal. She pointed a steady finger at her. “But you ain’t.”
“Huh?” She said, freezing in her way to stand up. That accusation… came out of nowhere. “...What do you mean?”
“...” Admittedly, Shelly was never the best at confrontations like these. She hadn’t even thought of what exactly to say to Amber. She looked down at the staff thoughtfully. Hell, she had thought the whole thing she saw at the show was resolved because it was Amber– she would cry if she bumped into somebody and didn’t get the chance to apologize right that instant. But that poster…
Shelly bent down to scoop up the staff, and then started walking to the stage. Amber watched her the entire time with bated breath.
“You know I can’t be subtle, Amber.” She said, looking down at the staff. Her gaze went up and she held out the staff. Amber, kneeling now, raised her hand to grasp it. ‘I saw you at the show. With the Bad Randoms and you and Janet. You shot at her jetpack on purpose.”
Amber stopped, and met Shelly’s gaze.
Shelly didn’t even falter. Her eyes bore into hers intently.
Amber sniffed. Twice, thrice. Her face crumpled up, and she sat back. Amber started to cry and Shelly was taken aback.
“Uh..!” She brought the staff back in her hands to fiddle with. “What did I say?”
“Nothing! I’m just a terrible person!” Amber answered. “How could I do that to her?! And I haven’t told her or anybody yet!”
Amber held her face in a hand, covering her nose and mouth to muffle the sound of her tears. Shelly sighed. Back to being blunt. She stepped closer and placed a hand on the stage to give herself leverage to hop up and sit on the edge.
“Look, it’s fine. If you don’t like her, then you don’t like her.”
“But!” She sniffed again and wiped an eye and cheek. “She’s really pretty… and elegant, and she sings so well. She can perform flawlessly! She just looks so.. graceful in the air.”
“Oh.” Shelly felt like she didn’t like Janet now. “So you do like her?”
“......No.” Amber said so quietly that Shelly wasn’t even sure she spoke.
“Huh?”
“I don’t like her, but I don’t know why.” Amber said that like she just realized it herself. “Everybody else does.”
Shelly’s look softened. “You’re not everybody.” she said.
“...” That was a very easy statement. But.. It didn't sit well with Amber. Flames burned deeply when she even thought about Janet. “I just don’t get why,“ she whispered so she wouldn’t have to listen to the embarrassing hiccups in her voice.
Shelly shrugged. “I hate a lot of the people in the park, and they hate me. It’s just life, Amber. Jacky hugged me once. Brock’s gonna be annoying to be forever. Hell, Buzz stole my fuckin’ drink once, and I was ready to pistol whip his brains out.”
Amber listened to her, and furrowed her brow in confusion. “I thought you liked Buzz?”
“Yup, I do. Now. He bought me a drink to replace the one he stole before he realized I wanted to pistol whip his brains out, so I never did.” Shelly explained curtly.
“Oh…” Amber hugged her knees and thought about that. “You know, sometimes, I forget we’re Brawlers. A lot of people here just let their anger out whenever. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it. Fighting was never my first instinct. I’m only good at accidentally getting things done, and that includes winning.”
Shelly blinked. She was lax and attentive. Amber continued.
“Even normally, a show never goes the way we plan it. Poco and El Primo have to work and improvise around me, because I’m always messing up. They say it’s fine every time. I believe them, because they’re just good people. It’s the fact that I’m the one who keeps on screwing up though. So, since Janet…” Amber trailed off.
“How do you feel about her?” Shelly asked. “Let it out.”
Amber shut her eyes, contemplating back to that day she was prancing with fire on that stage. The lively atmosphere was filled with the sounds of cheers, heavy metal, and fireworks. The crowd was dazzled, but not at the band they've gotten used to, and definitely not the klutz with the torch.
Janet was the real eye catcher tonight. She was new, and she was spectacular. Her dancing was much more lively and fluid than Amber stuck down on the ground.
Her heart was beating fast with anger and adrenaline. Without even thinking, she raised her staff right at Janet, while she hovered…
Amber blinked and she was back to now, with Shelly by her side.
"I'm jealous." Amber spoke. "I hate that it looks like she's not even trying when she's giving it her all. I'd bet that she does work hard, but so do I. Just because she's new they're acting like she's the most amazing person in the Park, when I know that's not true."
“Who do you think is the best Brawler?” Shelly asked Amber.
"..I don't know. " Amber said.
"You?" Shelly ribbed her playfully.
"Me!? No! I mean…" She sat forward, bashfully fiddling with her hands. "I don't think I'm better than anybody."
"Good answer." Shelly said. "Because I am. The first and only."
Amber blinked, and then laughed. She leaned on one hand comfortably.
"You think I'm jokin'?" Shelly asked.
"Not one bit!" Amber shook her head, once she was able to speak. "Honestly, I think if there was ever a free-for-all, you're likely to end up on top. You're hardy and you have practically everything up your sleeve!"
Shelly smiled, and gazed out at the benches. To think that nearly two years ago, she was out there, skeptically watching this new Brawler. Then everything went up in flames.
Shelly leaned back on her hands. "Y'know.. you have a good chance of getting far in that free-for-all yourself. You've improved a lot yourself. Yeah, Janet's the new star right now, but you went from accidentally starting a Brawl, to being able to shoot her down, no sweat." Shelly half-joked.
"...." Amber didn't answer right away, and the gunner looked at her.
"Hey, that's a good thing, Amber." Shelly said seriously. "Since you're not the sweetest angel that I thought you were, I don't have to feel as bad for being mean."
"Ogh… " Amber groaned at that reminder. "I should go and apologize to her."
"Nahhh." Shelly drawled lazily. "You don't have to do anything.”
The fire dancer still looked very uncertain.
Shelly sighed. Dig deep here. I can do it.
"Look. It sounds like shitty advice, Amber, but you don't have to be nice to everyone, just like you don't have to be flawless in your shows. I mean, every time I see you perform, it's breathtaking. Anything can happen, and that's exciting! …And, so…" Shelly felt warm, and she narrowed her eyes, looking aside.
‘ What the hell am I trying to do, confess or give her terrible advice? Choose one, you fool.’
Shelly cleared her throat. “My point is that nobody has to be the shittiest person on the planet to be on your bad side. You’re allowed to be mean. You don’t have to explain yourself to anybody, and you’re just going to be miserable if you force yourself to share the spotlight with her.”
“...Okay.” Amber nodded, listening intently.
Shelly continued. “Now, my way of dealing with someone is… well, shotgunning them pointblank, but you can take small steps.” She thought for a second. “Cancel that show. And if anybody insists on giving you trouble for it, send ‘em my way.” Shelly nodded.
“Alright.” The firedancer agreed. Shelly was a little taken aback at how easily she accepted that. She looked at her in question.
Amber was looking back at her. A small smile, almost…shy. Her smile was nearly parted. she was right on the verge of saying something.
“...What?” Shelly asked.
“More importantly…” Amber began. Her uncertainty melted away. Maybe because she wanted to know the answer Shelly would give. “Do you really like my shows that much?”
“Well…” Shelly swallowed. Now or never, take your shots, and whatever other sayings there were that applied to this moment. “Yeah. You’re like…fire personified. Exciting to watch, unpredictable… gorgeous.”
Amber…really liked the sound of that. This came from Shelly, the blunt, hard-headed, no-nonsense straight-shooter. She wouldn’t lie to her. Her heart drummed, and she felt like she could burst into joy-filled flames from how wide she grinned.
“...Not hot?” She asked, feeling giddy.
A short laugh escaped Shelly, but she placed a hand on Amber’s warm one. “Very. You’re passionate. I love watching you.”
There were so many questions shooting around in her mind. Pressing ones like ‘How am I going to call off the show with Janet?’ and ‘Does this mean Shelly and I are dating now?’ and ‘ Ahh! She just said she loved my shows!’
But Amber’s high spirits quelled to a soothing ember as Shelly gazed at her and leaned in.
There, on the wooden stage with an empty stand, they kissed for the first time. Amber felt Shelly’s coarse thumb stroke her hand gently.
That’s all that mattered right now.