SV Chapter 54 (Patreon)

Tiff was taking this upcoming meeting with Sugar Rush seriously. Last night after dinner, she sat down at the TAS and planned it out, including the upgrades. In fact, upgrading the soft serve machine was one of her core strategies. Her ice cream was not inferior to the Michoacana; losing here was simply unacceptable! Though it dug into her finances, Tiff decided to spend another $500 on purchasing a second soft serve machine, chalking it up as a necessary expense. She needed to put the Sidekick on the back foot and take charge of this partnership.

It was a pity 24-Heaven was only a convenience store. Tiff could really use a meeting room closer to her house, since traveling to the Italian restaurant wasn’t always feasible, and she didn’t want to let Sugar Rush into her inner sanctum just yet anyway. For the time being, Tiff would be satisfied with a simple table and some chairs, but there really was no room in the 24-Heaven to add one, not even by the arcade machine. She could put one outside, as the System recognized the sidewalk out front as part of her Controlled Area, too, but if she did, she’d run into another problem: the Stoners.

If they didn’t decide to trash the table with skateboard tricks, they’d simply sit at it instead of leaning against the building by the entrance, and Tiff would be right back to having nowhere to sit. If only the place next door would come up for acquisition…but by the looks of things, it might be going out of business or moving, because Tiff spotted some property management guys reviewing it and putting up signs looking to lease. Maybe the new tenants would open a cafe? And maybe they’d be interested in Dark Queen Protection Services?

These thoughts and more ran through Tiff’s head all day, up until the point where she was standing out in front of the convenience store in person. The Stoners were there and Tiff judged them critically.

…They were always there. Just…sitting, waiting for somebody to come by that might help them make illegal purchases. Tiff had to wonder…at this point, were they technically part of the shop itself? As a permanent fixture? She wrinkled her nose. They really didn’t add to the decor; if anything, they dragged down the face value. Surely Sugar Rush wouldn’t be impressed. If only she could upgrade them into something…better.

…what would a [Stoner] even upgrade into?

Tiff decided she really didn’t want to know, and now they were fidgeting awkwardly because she stared too long.

“Are you satisfied?” Victoria’s amused voice wafted down to her. Of course, Tiff was not alone. She had her whole crew with her: Victoria, Candice…and Amy. Because of course her little sister would not be left behind. Tiff tore her eyes away from the Stoners and nodded.

“Let’s go inside.”

The tinted doors slid open with a blast of cool air, and a tired-looking office worker squeezed past them carrying far too many energy drinks to be healthy.

“Welcome.”

The middle-aged clerk was working today, which was exactly what Tiff wanted. She looked around the shop and noticed it was empty once again. While concerning for the long-term success of the shop, it worked out in Tiff’s favor today. Besides, a man just purchased enough energy drinks to fuel an entire basement of gamers, so there was hope.

“Good afternoon,” Tiff said pleasantly. So long as she didn’t need to intimidate anyone, she tried to be friendly. The man clearly recognized her group (or at least Victoria), and he was still smiling, which was a good sign. “How are you today?”

His smile quirked a little and it looked like he wanted to laugh. Silently, Tiff squirmed. Why was talking to random people so difficult? Especially a random working adult?

“Things are well!” He said, committing to the bit. “Another fine day in wonderland.”

Tiff scrunched up her nose and gave him a flat stare.

“If you didn’t want to say anything, there’s no reason to be rude about it,” she muttered. The man chuckled and shook his head.

“Sorry. You work in retail long enough, you become…caustic. Anyway! What can I do for you?”

“We…wanted to ensure that the new ice cream unit arrived and has been installed without complications.”

“The…?” The man blinked. Instinctively, he leaned to the side and looked around Tiff to the back of the store, where the food bar had seemingly been stretched, and an entire buffet of frozen yogurt toppings had been added next to the two machines.

“I should have known it was you,” he groaned. “I convinced myself that I was hallucinating and that it’d be gone in the morning. Yes, it’s been working perfectly. I haven’t had to clean it once; the whole area seems to be self-sufficient.”

He gave Tiff an exasperated look and eventually spoke what was on his mind.

“What is it with you and frozen yogurt, anyway? Look, those are the nicest machines I’ve ever seen, but no way corporate was ever going to front for them. Why are you loading premium equipment into a cheap convenience store? And for that matter, what’s with everything else? I thought I was going crazy, but I’m pretty sure all the glass in here is bulletproof now. There was an accident with a can of soup…and, well, let’s just say instead of smashing a cooler door, all I had to do was mop the floor.”

“Good, so the upgrades are working,” Tiff nodded smugly. “You are indeed correct. I’ve taken the liberty of reinforcing everything in the shop. Your front doors should withstand a direct hit from a tank shell, so you should be quite safe.”

“What kind of neighborhood is this…?” Candice muttered, while the clerk blanched.

“As for soft serve,” Tiff continued, “It’s the future. Trust me. Before long, you’ll have crowds of customers clamoring for your goods. We will, of course, continue to offer it at a bargain price; the deal will be irresistible. Positively criminal. But that will come with time. For now, it was very important to confirm the setup with my own eyes, because I have a very important meeting taking place momentarily, and it needs to be perfect.”

“A meeting?” The clerk asked with disbelief. “In a convenience store?”

“Mhm,” Tiff nodded. “With a Sidekick. She should be here any moment.”

Judging from the look on the man’s face, the world was a record and it just scratched. His jaw slowly fell open…and as he realized he was gaping like a fish, it slowly closed.

“A Sidekick,” he repeated with a gulp. “Here. In my shop.”

“Yes?” Tiff questioned.

“You…do remember what we do in the back, yes?” The man squawked. “Where the money we give you every week comes from?”

“Of course,” Tiff nodded comfortably, before leaning toward Candice. “By the way, if there’s time and Sugar Rush isn’t around, make sure to pick that up.”

“And that doesn’t, I don’t know, bother you?”

“Why should it?” Tiff asked haughtily. “It’s not like you’re doing whatever it is you do out here in the open. And my…colleague won’t be visiting the back.”

“Col…?” The man started to complain, but he trailed off into dead silence as the doors slid open.

“Have no fear, Citizens! I’m just here to browse!”

There stood Sugar Rush, hands on her hips, backlit by the sun and thrust into a dramatic shadow. Tiff had to admit, the Speedster cut a very imposing figure, and if it weren’t for her…less-than-optimal delivery line, Tiff would have been impressed.

“Sugar Rush!” Candice bubbled, bouncing over to the girl. “So glad you could make it! You’re here just in time!”

“I gotta admit,” the heroine chirped in her rapid voice, “I was confused at first about why you wanted to meet in a 24-Heaven. But now that I’m here and I’ve looked around? This is a really nice place! Definitely the cleanest Heaven I’ve ever been to!” She turned to the clerk and jabbed her thumb out. “Great job!”

The clerk had gone completely still, his face a perfect, impassive mask. It was like the autopilot was fully engaged.

“Thank you,” he said performatively. “Thanks for shopping at 24-Heaven.”

Sugar Rush chuckled.

“I have that effect on people,” she said to Tiff. “So…why’d we need to meet in here? And what did you want to talk about?”

“First things first,” Tiff said. “It’s time for ice cream. Sugar Rush, may I introduce you to the finest selection of soft serve in the entire city? Do feel free to live up to your name; today’s treat is on me.”

“Hoh,” Sugar Rush said, suddenly getting serious. Behind her tinted glasses, Tiff could see her eyes narrow challengingly. “I see that I’ve been lured into enemy territory. Very well, Villain, do your worst.”

Tiff hesitated for only a fraction of a second, guessing (quite correctly) that Sugar Rush was being facetious and not accusing her of a particular morality. As expected, she was a die-hard stan of the Michoacana.

“Do you think a mere convenience store can stand up to the might of a real ice cream parlor? Don’t make me laugh.”

“You’ll be singing a different tune soon enough, Sidekick,” Tiff retorted. She led the way to the corner with the machines.

“You call this impressive?” Sugar Rush scoffed. “Only two machines? Yes, you have 6 spouts, but that still only leaves 12 selections! We have over 40!”

“Please,” Tiff balked. “That’s including fruit cups and frozen pops. And if we’re comparing flavors, we won’t lose in the slightest! We have Mango-fusion and Coco-blast! Tropi-freeze! Bery Berry Banana! We even have genuine Dole Whip! And we offer unlimited toppings for the price of weight! An entire 16 oz cup for only $0.35 per ounce!”

“Enough talk!” Sugar Rush declared. “Let your champion speak for itself!”

Victoria nearly stumbled, but before she could make a major faux pas, she caught herself and pretended to adjust her jacket. Sugar Rush didn’t seem any the wiser and immediately retrieved a cup. She studied the flavors, peering intently at each one, as if the images on the cards held secrets paltry commoners couldn’t fathom.

“I see…,” she said with the steeled determination of a judge, finally settling on plain vanilla. “If you can’t do the basics right, you have no legs to stand on.”

Amy and Candice gasped theatrically as she pulled the lever, but Tiff was unmoved. Sugar Rush maneuvered the soft serve into the bowl in a perfect swirl, befitting of a master.

“I see your machines are well maintained,” Sugar Rush said impassively, stopping half-full and critiquing her form. “Even distribution; no watery leakage; crisp and frosty texture. Not bad. Not bad at all. But how does it handle…combos?!”

The Sidekick reached for the combination of Double Dutch Deluxe (and incredibly rich dark chocolate) and Graham Cracker Cheesecake. The stark contrast of near-black brown and lightly dusted beige was striking. It, too, flowed flawlessly into the bowl.

“Do you dare add toppings?” Tiff challenged.

“Who do you take me for?” Sugar Rush retorted.

She slid seamlessly into the topping buffet and eyed them all critically. Fruity juice balls, slices of actual fruit, crushed-up cookies and grahams…an assortment of chocolate chips and sprinkles. As Sugar Rush had noted earlier, the selection wasn’t quite as thorough as a standalone Froyo joint, but what they did have was immaculate. Sugar Rush selected several cherries, some tiny “bitter chip” chocolate morsels, and artfully drizzled a fine web of golden caramel on top.

Sugar Rush contemplated her bowl as one does a masterpiece. She turned it from side to side to view it from every angle, and only when she was satisfied did she let out a satisfied huff.

“Impressive,” she said. “I’ve been to a lot of 24-Heavens, and I’ve never seen a soft serve selection this robust.”

“It’s a… location-specific offering,” Tiff crooned proudly. “Now go have the clerk weigh it so you can eat it before it melts. He already knows to put it on my tab.”

“You have a tab?”

“I’m a very…loyal patron of this shop.”

Once Sugar Rush moved away, Tiff and the rest of the gang were free to get their own bowls. Tiff went with her usual chocolate buried under an avalanche of maraschino cherries, but even with 8 bright red balls, the cup was only ¾ full. She knew her limits.

As did Sugar Rush, because when Tiff reached the counter, the clerk was still staring off into space while his brain rebooted.

“She put nearly 28 ounces of ice cream in a 16-ounce bowl,” he said with awe.

“Sugar Rush is a professional,” Tiff nodded sagely. “And not to be underestimated. Oh, and for future visits, make sure she eats free. Take it out of our percentage or however you need to handle it, but she is a valuable ally.”

“28 ounces in a 16-ounce bowl…” the clerk repeated. Tiff chuckled and knew he was a lost cause. She’d make sure Candice reminded him of his duties later.

​

Outside, they found Sugar Rush studiously ignoring the [Stoners] as they not-so-shamelessly stared at her. Victoria mean-mugged them as she passed, causing them to jolt and actually move from where they perpetually leaned against the wall, skating away furiously. Tiff started eating, and she was alarmed to find Sugar Rush had already finished her bowl.

“Did…you get enough?” She asked in a cramped voice. This Sidekick was going to make her regret her offer, wasn’t she?

“Oh, it was perfect!” The girl laughed. “Good enough to eat at super-speed before it melts!”

“Do you…even taste food if you eat it that fast?” Amy asked curiously.

“Yeah,” Sugar Rush said dreamily with a goofy smile, leaving it at that. Tiff figured it was simply something she’d never understand.

“Well, that’s good. Perfect, even. Now that the important task has already been taken care of, why don’t we settle for the boring bits? As much as I’d like to claim otherwise, we didn’t call you out here today only to eat ice cream.”

“Mmm,” Sugar Rush nodded. “Why don’t I go first? That way you can eat. Oh- don’t feel bad interrupting me if I start to speed up. Just tell me to slow down and I will.”

The girl took a deep breath and reached a hand up to her goggles.

…she was immediately interrupted before she could say a single word.

“Oooh, are those more than glasses?!” Amy cried out. “Do they have a heads-up display?!”

“Sure do!” Sugar Rush answered enthusiastically. “Though they’re rather limited compared to some I’ve seen. Our [Tinkerer] made ‘em! They’ve got a heart rate monitor, clock, and phone connectivity to show me any missed messages! Totally beats out a smartwatch! We tried to get a working map, but it took up my entire field of vision and wouldn’t always update in real time, so that’s scrapped for now. But I can also access my notes app, so here goes!

“[Enforcers]. In the week, we’ve encountered 8. They always work in pairs, and we caught 2 in the act of robbing a gas station. The other 6 were call-ins from locals and they got away before we arrived. We still don’t know where they’re coming from or who they answer to, but we’ve got several leads in that regard. Not enough to make any arrests, but we’ve got our eyes open. We’re hoping that’s where you can come in, like you did back with that mugging. Excellent work there, by the way!”

“Thank you,” Tiff muttered, unsure how to take the earnest praise. “Ahem. We, too, have not been idle. We didn’t encounter any [Enforcers], but we found something else. Ah…T? Can you explain?”

Tiff brought out her tablet while Victoria stepped forward.

“Right-o,” Victoria grinned. She stood behind Tiff and watched from above as she brought up a picture of the glowing serum in a syringe.

“We found something. Don’t know if it's the cause of all the sudden [Enforcers] popping up, but it’s dangerous. If you see any of this…call it in. Immediately.”

Sugar Rush looked up instantly at the intensity in Victoria’s voice and nodded seriously. Tiff swiped the screen to bring up the rat’s tail.

“We’re calling this ‘super serum’ for now,” Victoria continued. “When used on a rat, it turned a common rodent into a nearly unkillable monster. It, ah, only died after getting crushed by a heavy safe.”

“Source?” Sugar Rush frowned, motioning for Tiff to go back to the serum photo. “That’s…extremely good resolution. Where’d you get these?”

“We piggybacked off a crime scene unit,” Amy cut in. Tiff stared at her sister, then glanced at Victoria. What was this we business? But nothing in the VanDyne household stayed secret from Amy forever, so she obviously found out. Sugar Rush seemed surprised at first, then quickly nodded.

“Yeah, I’d be cagey about how my power works too,” she told Tiff. “Good work, though. Now that I know what to look for, I’ll totally keep an eye out. Is it really this blue?”

“It glows,” Tiff said, frowning. “Though it seems to degrade when exposed to air. After a minute or two, it turns into a gloopy mess.”

“Right,” Sugar Rush said. “Super serum, makes rats monsters, call it in. Got it. Any idea what happens if it comes in contact with a human?”

“We’re hoping to not find out,” Victoria sighed. “We’ve got a lead on the lab they sent it to and we’ve got a contact inside. We’re waiting to hear what they say, but for now, consider it A-tier bad. That dead rat? Started regenerating a crushed skull.”

“Woooaaah,” Sugar Rush drawled out. “That’s totally Villain level stuff!”

Tiff held perfectly still, showing nothing.

“You think a Villain is acting in our area?” She asked smoothly.

“Think?” Sugar Rush scoffed. “I’m like 90% sure there is!”

The other girls all froze, but if Sugar Rush found it odd, she didn’t say anything. Perhaps she considered this the natural reaction to her words.

“Where?” Tiff asked carefully. “Where’s your proof?”

“Actually, that’s where we were hoping you’d come in,” Sugar Rush said. “As I mentioned, we’ve got a couple of leads we want you to track down.”

“Okay, but where?” Tiff asked. “I’ve heard the 5th Street Gang recently underwent a change in management, so it shouldn’t be them….”

But if they were dealing drugs behind Tiff’s back….

“No, they’re actually fine right now!” Sugar Rush said brightly. “Actually, they’ve been strangely quiet! I suppose if you have the time, look into them too, but word on the streets is that they’re going soft. They’ve taken a step back from the drug trade and I’ve heard shootings have decreased by at least 25%!”

Oh? This was fantastic news! Tiff would need to reward her minions…later. Later.

“Noted,” Tiff said smoothly. Checking in on 5th Street was a matter of course. “Who else?”

“Well, there’s been some funny business over at a custom tailor shop,” Sugar Rush said awkwardly. That seemed incredibly out of character for the girl; Tiff almost thought she was impervious to blushing. “And nobody can really put their finger on what’s going on, or really prove anything….”

“Why don’t you tell us exactly what it is?” Candice asked, bringing out a notebook. Tiff glanced at it and quirked an eyebrow; Candice shrugged. Work, she mouthed, clicking her pen twice.

Sugar Rush took a deep breath.

“So it’s like this….”

​

Hacienda bordered Setma Heights and Santa Ronda. Setma was lower on the income scale and Santa Ronda was higher (not that any of them would ever be called “rich”), but Hacienda wasn’t a perfect gradient blending the two. It had pockets of revitalized economy and areas that looked like the 80s hit them hard and they got knocked down for the count. Some of the trouble bled across city lines, like the 5th Street Gang, as the titular street stretched for miles. Sugar’s team mostly focused on the neglected, rundown areas of Hacienda, but they’d venture everywhere within about a 5-mile zone, including some of the nicer areas closer to Santa Ronda.

Even with the recent Rift, they were doing just fine.

In fact, the clothing shop in question was run by an actual [Tailor]. The man had a dedicated following for his unique and trendy clothes that mirrored (but never imitated!) popular brands.

Now, none of that might sound strange. What was wrong with having an outlet for a fantastic skill? Especially in the world of fashion, where people’s opinions could change like the weather and where one day it was sunny, the next might be pouring rain? The man found his niche and he should be congratulated for making things work.

Except…was it possible to suffer from too much success?

Sugar Rush wasn’t convinced everything was as it seemed.

She couldn’t prove anything, but every time she heard about the popular new clothes coming out of the shop, her senses tingled. Something didn’t add up. So she visited. The place was perfect; not a single spot or speck was out of place. They had a poster near the door boldly proclaiming a 5-star rating on multiple review platforms, which was unheard of…if for no other reason than some shmoe was bound to put them down just to tank the rating.

But no. It was perfect, and it stayed that way.

And everybody Sugar Rush talked to could not say a single word against the brand! That shouldn’t be possible, right? Surely somebody out there would have been mildly inconvenienced at best? Did nobody buy something in the wrong size or color? Did nothing shrink in the wash? Did not a single seam tear?!

For fitted clothes, that was downright absurd, especially as Sugar Rush browsed some of the more scandalous clubbing dresses on display. Talk about LBD, she wouldn’t be able to fit her thigh in one without popping a stitch.

And yet, the [Tailor] himself seemed to enjoy helping customers personally, taking the time and effort to guide them into the perfect fit. Even Sugar Rush, with her…unconventional build. He flattered her with all the right words, took her to a mirror that showed her in just the right light…and sure enough, Sugar Rush was out $250 for a single pair of jeans. She knew she’d regret it in the morning, but it was almost like she was…compelled.

That was the first warning sign that something was off.

Sugar Rush was pretty frugal; she didn’t just go out to spend money. Yes, she might make a large purchase or two on occasion, but when she did, it was deliberate. Never an impulse buy. And she’d never set foot in that store in her life! But when buyer’s remorse hit, the moment she even thought about returning them, her mind changed. She couldn’t return them; there was nothing wrong with the jeans…et cetra, et cetra.

The same thing happened when she considered warning people on the app. Maybe she’d leave a high review, yes, but they were a very nice pair of jeans, so didn’t they deserve a 5? So by the time she finished writing an absolutely glowing review, there wasn’t a single trace of doubt that anybody should ever question spending money there.

Sugar Rush was at her limit. She knew something was happening at that [Tailor] shop, but she had no way to prove it! She couldn’t even really talk about it until Tiff came along, and then the floodgates burst wide open!

But the real kicker, what sold it for Sugar Rush (and everyone else in Tiff’s group), was the Quest. Sugar Rush summoned her Status screen (which Tiff swore exploded onto the scene with afterimages of donuts) and pushed it forward.

​

[Quest: Who Pulls the Marionette’s Strings?]

​

Find out what’s really going on at Fabulé.

Reward: +250 Fame

​

Tiff was no stranger to the System bribing people with Recognition or Notoriety. For her, a simple Quest she didn’t need to lift a finger for might net her 20 to 30 Infamy. For something she needed to stick her neck out for? Closer to 100, 150.

For something that would offer a cool quarter of a thousand?

Also considering that Tiff’s points came much easier than everybody else's?

This was definitely something she needed to look into.

Author's Note:

Good morning.

A quick question: I know I've introduced several new plot points recently and I wonder if people think it's too much to follow.

For long term points we have the Rifts and Young Justice.

Medium points that will either resolve or fold into the long points include Sugar Rush and crew as well as the [Enforcers].

Recent points are the super serum and this new [Tailor].

Is that too much to keep track of as a reader? I have another point that I planned to bring in (maybe not here but once the tailor segment closes), do you think that needs to be pushed back?

Thank you very much for reading, I hope you enjoy. Have a great day!