Sugarcoat's Laboratory
"You realize if Principal Cinch catches you here, she'll have a fit," Sugarcoat noted as she followed Twilight Sparkle through the hallways of Crystal Prep Academy. Their footsteps echoed through the empty hallways, with Twilight leading the way. "Not that I would mind seeing that. I enjoy seeing her suffer. But who knows what she'll do to you."
Twilight smiled over her shoulder. "Relax, I won't be here long, I just wanted to show you something." She led Sugarcoat through the rest of the school toward a secluded hallway on the far side of the building. They approached what looked like a door to an old janitor's closet, but when Twilight opened the door and stepped in, Sugarcoat could see electrical equipment stored in the dark, sparks and monitor light the only illumination in the darkness.
"What is this?" Sugarcoat gaped in awe as she stepped inside after her.
"When I first got here I couldn't stand spending my time out in the hallways and the library." Twilight ran a hand over the desk on her way to the computer, where she ran a hand over the keyboard almost affectionately. "I started spending all of my free time here in this unused janitor's closet."
Sugarcoat stared at her steadily. "You really hated it here." It wasn't a question.
Twilight hesitated only a moment before continuing. "When Dean Cadence found out, she agreed to let me convert it into my own personal laboratory, where I could devote myself to my studies... away from everyone else." Twilight turned back to her. "Of course, I don't need it anymore. I think it's a shame to let the space go to waste, though." Twilight approached Sugarcoat, looking her in the eyes. "I want to give it to you. As thanks for everything you've done for me. Besides, none of our other friends would appreciate a quiet study space as much as you and I."
"Twilight..." Sugarcoat moved past her, her eyes sliding over the broken-open electronics spread about the small desk, and the various papers and posters plastered all over the walls. She glanced down at the computer, which was displaying a picture of Twilight's dog, Spike.
Twilight walked up behind her. "The computer's pretty outdated, I have my good one at home, but it's still perfectly adequate for web searches. More than enough for research purposes."
"For once, I think I have no idea what to say." Sugarcoat turned back to Twilight with a soft smile. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Twilight smiled brightly. "Take care of it, will you? This has practically been my home for the last few years."
"I'll take care of it like my best friend." Sugarcoat nodded sincerely.
"Great." Twilight turned to head toward the door. "I'll let you get settled, then. Have fun!"
"I'll catch up with you later, Twilight." Sugarcoat waved after her, and once the door closed behind her, turned to appraise her new living space. Ah, the sweet taste of independence. Maybe it was just a small taste of it, but she had a feeling she could make pretty good use of this space.
***
Life at Crystal Prep Academy was getting busier with exams just around the corner. Two solid weeks of exams in every single subject were looming closer by the day. Students all over campus were crowding the library and the study halls after every class, and even after school, but Sugarcoat always found her way back to her own personal laboratory. The computer within became her window to everything she needed to know, searches including biology, history, and physics ended up in the temporary folders.
Sugarcoat stroked her chin and sat back in her swiveling chair, spinning around after a moment toward the small desk on her other side. She hefted her massive science book up into the desk and flipped it open to page 237, one hand reaching over to flip on a small table lamp she'd added to make things easier. It was stunning what a different atmosphere this room had compared to the rest of the school. The silence was broken only by the soft hum of the electronics in the room with her, as if nothing outside that door needed to exist.
Her concentration was broken when her phone rang out from her pocket, crying for attention. She whipped it out with one hand to see that she'd received a text message from Sour Sweet.
We know you're super busy with whatever you've been doing lately, and we hate to interrupt your super important business, but we're all standing out here in the parking lot like idiots waiting for you. GET OUT HERE!
Sugarcoat glanced back at the clock on the computer. She was almost half an hour late for their meet-up, she had been locked in her study lab for so long she completely lost track of time.
Her phone vanished back into her pocket and she slid from her seat, heading out the door and making sure to lock it behind her before making her way out front to join her friends out. They were all milling about the parking lot entrance, with bored looks all around. Well, almost everyone was. Twilight Sparkle wasn't anywhere to be seen.
"Is Twilight not joining us tonight?" Sugarcoat asked as she approached.
"I love you too!" Sour Sweet waved enthusiastically. "And we love that you made us sit out here for half an hour doing nothing just to ignore that and ask about Twilight Sparkle!"
Sunny Flare made the vein in her forehead rescind with a hand on her shoulder before speaking, "Twilight's busy with her Canterlot friends tonight. It's just us."
"They probably have exams coming up, too." Indigo shrugged and jumped to her feet from her position on the sidewalk. "She'll be around when she can be."
Lemon Zest slipped her headphones down to her shoulders once she came out of her music trance enough to see that Sugarcoat had arrived. "Now that we're all here let's get going! Group dinner and a movie! Just what we need to take the stress out of exam time!"
Lemon danced ahead of the group as they made their way down the sidewalk away from the school. As they walked, Sunny Flare slipped through the crowd to keep pace with Sugarcoat.
"You've been staying after school a lot lately," Sunny stated.
"More than usual." Sugarcoat nodded.
"What's so interesting about it?"
"Twilight Sparkle left me her personal laboratory. It's actually been really helpful in my studies."
Sunny blinked in surprise. "She had a personal lab in the school? Sheesh, she really was Principal Cinch's favorite."
"She has an IQ of 165. Her presence in the school raised its reputation, and average grade curve, by several points." Sugarcoat shook her head. "The rest of us could only hope to be half as important to this school as she was while she was here."
"I didn't know that. Hm, you know, you're pretty smart, what's your IQ?"
"120." Sugarcoat shrugged. "Not exactly school-shaping."
"But still really good." Sunny punched her shoulder lightly. "Give yourself more credit than that. You don't have to be an award-winning super genius to be important."
"Of course not." Sugarcoat agreed. "I'm not trying to be the next Twilight Sparkle. That simply wouldn't be mathematically possible."
"And it's not that important either." Sunny winked, then glanced forward again. "Come on, Lemon's getting away from us!" She rushed ahead after their friend, who had replaced her headphones and was dancing her way out of range of the others.
Sugarcoat just shook her head and quickened her own pace. Sunny was right, of course. Just because she had access to Twilight's personal lab didn't mean she would suddenly be infused with her nearly superhuman intelligence. She would just have to settle for being relatively smart.
***
The shuffling of papers in the classroom was familiar, but oddly discomforting. Sugarcoat didn't really mind exams, she tended to do fairly well, but there was always the risk that she would find herself slipping that she found unnerving. As Mr. Fancy Pants sat down at his desk with the history papers, a routine that was long familiar with him, she found time to ponder what her grade might be. She had checked, double-checked, and triple-checked everything, but she was known to make mistakes. Especially in history, where she was a friend to the B's.
"You probably did better than me." Fleur De Lis whispered from the seat beside hers.
"I always do better than you." Sugarcoat whispered back in a simple, inoffensive tone.
"True, but you looked like you needed the encouragement." Fleur smirked under a long lock of flowing hair.
"Did I?" Sugarcoat raised one eyebrow.
"I can tell." Fleur nodded solemnly. "Is something bothering you, darling?"
"Of course not." Sugarcoat shook her head. "I'm just expecting the same kinds of grades I always get."
"Is that not good enough?"
"It's how it is." Sugarcoat met Fleur's gaze, then looked away after a few moments. The two girls sat in silence while they waited for Fancy Pants to, at last, stand and begin passing out the exams to each student, giving them all feedback, as was his way.
"Lightning Dust, brush up on your pre-industrial era. Fleet Foot, I hope you're still good at soccer." He went down the line with his usual brand of honesty until he reached Fleur De Lis. "Fleur, a wonderful effort, as always." He laid her test down in front of her, taking in her bright smile and blush before turning to Sugarcoat. "Sugarcoat, I must say I'm surprised. For someone who doesn't like history very much, you've shown marvelous improvement." He laid her test in front of her with a grand sweep of his arm. Her eyes widened when she saw a 91 written on top of the test. "Keep it up."
"Y-yes sir." Sugarcoat lifted her test from the desk, peering at the numbers as if trying to comprehend their meaning. It was an A. She had just gotten an A on a history exam. She never got A's in history.
"Good going. You must've been hitting the books extra hard lately." Fleur leaned over to whisper.
"Something like that..." Sugarcoat mused to herself.
Once class was done Sugarcoat rushed through the halls of the academy, her steps reverberating loudly against the polished walls until she reached her private lab and slipped inside, closing the door behind her.
With her A test clutched in her hands and made her way over to the computer desk and plopped down in the seat. She had been spending most of her study time here, in this room. That was the only thing she did differently from normal. Was there really something about this room that made the difference? Whatever it was, she could practically feel new opportunities opening up before her... she just had to reach out and take them.
***
Crunchy popcorn spilled all over Sour Sweet's carpet, but she didn't mind so much, for now. She was more concerned with the open algebra textbooks sitting in their laps, as she, Lemon Zest, Indigo Zap, and Sunny Flare set about comparing notes for the exams they hadn't yet passed. Sunny had a pretty good GPA, and a solid understanding of the material. The rest of them, however... well, Crystal Prep was about more than high grades in algebra.
"I think my head is spinning..." Indigo Zap put a hand to her head.
Sour Sweet cooed sympathetically. "Awwww, are you having a tough time figuring out the work? Put an ice pack on it and suck it up."
"I keep telling you it's not as complicated as you're making it." Sunny insisted. "You just have to take these numbers and-"
"Stop saying that word... eugh, numbers!" Indigo covered her head with both arms.
"Ugh, baby." Sour Sweet rolled her eyes and glanced over at Lemon Zest, who was lying on her stomach and kicking her feet idly in the air behind her as she flipped to the next page, occasionally stuffing a handful of popcorn into her mouth. "See? Look at Lemon. She's got the right idea. Relax and take it in."
"She's not taking anything in, she's just zoning out." Indigo crossed her arms over her chest with a huff.
"Yeah, right. You're doing good, Lemon." Sour encouraged her friend, though she didn't seem to be paying any attention to them. "Lemon Zest?" Sour Sweet crawled over to her and leaned down. She could hear the faint sound of music coming from her ear. Sticking her tongue out, Sour Sweet reached down to gently pluck the small earpiece out of place, leaving the music blasting throughout the room. "Lemon Zest!"
"Gah!" Lemon jumped in shock and climbed to her knees. "What!?"
"We're supposed to be working on this together!"
"I know, I know!" Lemon groaned and leaned back as if in agony. "I just needed a chill break!"
"Oh, just a break! Is that all you need? Well of course you can take a break while the rest of us toil on without you!"
"Okay, okay, I get it..." Lemon whined with a sigh. "It's not even like we're all here. Sugarcoat's supposed to be here too."
"Yeah, she's the one who knows this stuff the best," Indigo agreed. "She could probably explain it to us in detail."
Sunny Flare put her hands on her hips. "I've been trying to explain it to you."
"She could do it better."
Sunny rolled her eyes. "Relax, I'm sure she'll show up at some point tonight. She probably got caught up with something at school. She has been dealing with some stuff lately."
"Well I'm not sitting here waiting around to find out." Sour Sweet took out her cell phone and thumbed out a quick text message on the screen.
Hey Sugarcoat, are you coming or not? Our heads are already hurting here.
Sour Sweet waited for several minutes before growling. "She's not responding, ugh, I'm gonna go get us some refills." She moved to gather up all of their cups and lump them onto the tray she'd brought in at the beginning of the evening.
Lemon raised her hand. "I want some grape this time."
Sour Sweet made her way downstairs, tossing her phone to the counter carelessly as she set the tray on the counter and began refilling each cup one at a time. Her eyes were drawn to her phone when she heard the ringtone ring out through the kitchen. A quick glance at the screen showed that it was a response from Sugarcoat.
Sorry, busy with my studies in the lab tonight. I'll have to join you next time.
Sour Sweet smirked as she responded. You have a lab?
I do now.
Where is it?
I don't want to tell you.
Why not?
I'm afraid you'll kick my door down someday and trash it.
You know me too well.
It's a curse.
So while you're in the lab studying the rest of us are out here not in the lab trying to comprehend stuff you already know.
Probably.
And you're not going to come help us.
Not tonight.
You're a jerk.
I can be.
Fine, stay in your little lab. But next time come join us okay? We miss your brain and we miss you too.
Melodrama isn't helping your grades any.
Neither are you.
Touché.
Goodnight.
Sour Sweet shoved her phone into her pocket with a grunt and moved to finish filling up the drinks for her guests. Whatever, she thought to herself. Sugarcoat could take whatever time she wanted away from the group... she would come back eventually asking forgiveness.
***
Sugarcoat approached her teacher's desk the next day, her heart pounding in her chest. The next exam was over and done with, and another chance to see if all of her hard work over the night had paid off, or if she was just being uncharacteristically stupid and optimistic. The line of waiting students thinned out one by one until she finally approached Professor Kibitz behind the desk. He looked up at her with a steady, pleased smile.
"Ah, Miss Sugarcoat." He lifted her test in one hand. "I'm very pleased to see you taking more of an interest in psychology." He held the test up toward her as his smile widened. "Good work, I hope to see further improvements going forward.
Sugarcoat stared down at the exam in her hands, clenching it like a prized possession. She'd gotten a 95. A solid A in psychology. She almost never got A's in psychology. She just didn't have it in her to understand, or really even care, about the messed up thought processes of others. Yet here was the proof of her hypothesis staring her in the face. She had spent most of last night in her lab, shutting out the world outside and focusing on her studies... and it had paid off.
"Miss Sugarcoat?" Professor Kibitz asked curiously. "Is something the matter?"
"Nothing at all. Things seem to be improving, actually." Sugarcoat turned to leave the classroom, keeping her eyes fixated on the exam until she emerged into the hallway.
"Hey, Sugarcoat!" Her eyes were finally drawn away as Sunny Flare approached from further down the hallway. "You look pretty pleased with yourself. Or hungry."
"A little of both." Sugarcoat stuck her exam paper in her bag and turned to move past Sunny. "Let's go get something to eat."
"Sounds good to me." Sunny fell into step beside her as they made their way through the hallways towards the cafeteria. The silence didn't last the whole way before Sunny spoke. "You know, everyone missed you last night."
"I gathered that from Sour Sweet's barrage."
"I missed you too. I know you like having that lab to yourself, but try not to forget about us."
"It's not even just a matter of liking it. It's actually raising my grades. I've taken several exams so far this week, and I've scored higher on both than my average in either subject."
"Really? That's awesome, Sugarcoat. Congratulations." Sunny Flare smiled. "It's hard to believe your grades can get that much higher."
"I'm a B student in multiple subjects."
"And an A in the rest." Sunny smirked. "I mean, don't get me wrong, that's great, but do you really think it has something to do with Twilight's lab?"
"I don't know what else it could be. It's the only variable that has changed."
"Maybe you're just trying harder lately."
"Nonsense." Sugarcoat huffed and adjusted her glasses on the end of her nose. "I always put everything I have into my education."
"Yeah, okay, I know you do." Sunny raised her hand defensively and fell into silence until they reached the cafeteria and made their way inside. Sunny didn't speak again until they were waiting in line for their food. "We're all meeting at my house tonight for another algebra jam session. We'd all like it if you'd come."
"I don't think so. I still have more exams of my own tomorrow to study for."
"Well yeah... but you're like a math whiz, even before Twilight's magic lab. We could sure use your help."
"We all have our own ways of studying, Sunny. You know I prefer to be able to focus on what I'm working on."
"Yeah, I know..." Sunny cleared her throat. "So we're going to see you more once exams are done with?"
"Of course. I'm not planning to go anywhere," Sugarcoat assured her with a soft smile.
Lunch began and ended, with the two girls splitting up to go their own ways immediately afterwards. As she walked through the hallway Sugarcoat found her eyes wandering, locking on the trophy case that stood near the front entrance hall. Twilight Sparkle's name glittered on every golden plaque and trophy, and probably would for years to come. She stopped to look over the trophies, peering at each one in turn. It would take someone truly exceptional to take those records from her...
Silently Sugarcoat turned away from the trophy case to make her way to her next class.
***
For days, Sugarcoat's lab became her home. The near darkness blanketed her existence, drowning out the world beyond the door, until all that was left was the knowledge she could soak in from the books and her studies on the computer behind her. The sun came and went, the teachers came and went, but still she remained in the darkness. Her grades across the board were seeing improvements over her last exams. An 83 became 90. 91 became 99. 93 became 100. On every test she managed to one-up herself, and this was just by devoting herself so entirely to her studies for two weeks. Imagine what she could do in the future.
Text messages came and went, flashing through the darkness like shooting stars in the night sky.
We're going to relax at the movies. You should come join us.
We're having another study jam at Indigo's place. There will be cupcakes.
We think you really need some time off, dude. We're hitting the ice-skating rink if you wanna join us.
Sugarcoat? Are you even there anymore? I just wanna say hi, I guess.
Her response was the same to each one. Not today. Every day on her way to her laboratory she passed the plaques in the hallway, and she could practically see her name engraved into each one. She would've never guessed they were so achievable, but she could see them in sight. The secret to Twilight Sparkle's successes had been revealed to her. All she had to do was reach out and use it.
On Friday, every exam for the two week marathon was finished except for one. Her algebra test was coming up tomorrow, along with everyone else's. Algebra, chemistry, and physics were her realms of expertise. She was no stranger to perfect scores in them, but she wasn't about to let up now. She had come so far already, she wasn't going to give it anything less than her best.
Her eyes scanned the book quickly in the low light of her desk lamp, her finger tracing the steps presented before her as the equations danced into order in her head like never before. Answers swam in front of her eyes even as she scanned the pages. It was almost surreal, but she didn't stop. She pressed onward, soaking in knowledge like never before.
Her eyes were drawn from the book only by the flashing of the screen on her phone, sitting on the desk beside her. Her hand snapped it off of the polished wood and lifted it to her eyes. It looked like a message from Sour Sweet.
We've had enough, Sugarcoat. GET YOUR BONY BUTT TO LEMON ZEST'S PLACE NOW!
Sugarcoat sighed in exasperation as she typed out a reply. Do you really have a problem with me studying?
It's a math test! We all know you don't need to study for it! But we do! And we need you!
Then I suppose you'd better stop bugging me and get to it.
BUGGING YOU? You punk, I have half a mind to come down there and get you!
Do you even know where my lab is?
That's not the point! I can find it!
And once you do?
That's not the point either!
You're all big girls, you can do your own studying.
We thought we would be able to count on our friend to help when we needed it!
Your friend is busy with her own studies right now.
Sugarcoat stared at her phone for a few minutes, but got no response. She thumbed out one more message, but no reply was coming. With a sigh and a shrug she dropped the phone to her desk again and turned back to her book. It was barely thirty minutes later when she heard footsteps approaching from the hallway.
They halted right outside the door, and there was a heavy thunk on the solid wood, and a yelp from outside. Followed by a second. On the third thunk she heard Sour Sweet's voice yelp, accompanied by the sound of a body hitting the floor. After a couple moments, more rapid bangs echoed through the small laboratory.
"Sugarcoat! Get out here!" Sour Sweet's voice was muffled slightly by the door.
"How did you find me?" Sugarcoat demanded.
"I texted Twilight for directions! Now open this door!"
"It's not locked." There was a moment of silence, after which Sour Sweet pushed the door open grandly and marched inside with her hands on her hips.
"We've had enough of this intellectual hermit act. You're coming to Lemon Zest's place tonight," Sour Sweet demanded.
"No I'm not."
"Yes, you are!"
"Am not."
"Are too!"
Sugarcoat sighed and rubbed her forehead with two fingers. "Are we really doing this?"
"You can stop it by coming with me."
"You just don't understand." Sugarcoat spun her chair away from her back towards the desk. "I think I finally understand how she did it."
"No, I don't understand." Sour Sweet approached the desk. "How who did what?"
"Twilight... she cultivated her vast intelligence through deprivation." Sugarcoat looked up at her friend again, with a look that made her take a step back. "By depriving her mind of all stimuli except for the books, it desperately soaked up all of the knowledge she could put into it. Razor focus, absolute concentration through the exclusion of all else..." She put her hands to her head. "I can feel my mind expanding! I think I really can be the next Twilight Sparkle at this school!"
"The next Twilight Sparkle? Is that really what you're after? Even Twilight Sparkle doesn't want to be the old Twilight Sparkle."
"Well it's possible to have a balance of course."
"Balance, of course! You've been a master of that! It's not like we haven't seen you outside of school in over a week!"
"It's just until exams are over."
Sour Sweet crossed her arms over her chest. "Is it? It's going to take a heck of a lot longer than that to take her place, isn't it?" Sugarcoat had no response to that. "You said that's what you're after, becoming the new Twilight Sparkle. Well congratulations, blowing us all off constantly puts you halfway there!"
"Ouch..." Sugarcoat put a hand to her chest. "That hurts..."
"Awwwww, did I hurt your feelings?" Sour Sweet cupped her hands together in front of her sympathetically. "Does the truth hurt your little heart? Well you know what the bigger truth is, Sugarcoat? If you don't come out of this closet you keep locking yourself in soon, you're going to be alone when you do come out!" Sour Sweet whirled away suddenly, marching to the door and slamming it behind her with a thunderous crash.
Sugarcoat stared at the door, feeling like she had just been slapped. The worst part of it all was, she was starting to feel like she might even deserve to be. She could see greatness sitting right in front of her, inches away. She had a clear path to it... but what would it end up costing her?
Could the cost be worth it?
***
Sour Sweet opened the door to Lemon Zest's place and marched inside, slamming the door behind her. Three other heads all whipped toward her at the booming sound, and all three took on disappointed expressions when they saw her alone.
"You couldn't get her to come out?" Lemon sighed. "Bummer."
"I told you, she just needs to deal with some things herself." Sunny Flare insisted. "You really shouldn't have bothered her. She'll come out when she's ready."
"If she's ever ready." Sour Sweet shrugged violently and marched over to plop down on the couch beside Lemon Zest. "She said something about following in Twilight Sparkle's footsteps or some crap. I think we've lost her to the dork side."
Indigo cackled. "Hahaha, dork side..." She cleared her throat when Sour Sweet glared at her. "Well whatever, right? It's her free time, and it's not like we're all joined at the hip."
Lemon shook her head. "No, but it would be nice to see her occasionally."
"It's nice to see you guys too." A voice from the front door pulled everyone's attention away from the television and toward Sugarcoat, who was standing in the open doorway.
"Sugarcoat!" Lemon leapt up from the couch excitedly. "You came!"
"I did... if I'm still invited." Sugarcoat's eyes drifted to Sour Sweet, whose expression remained hard, but softened quickly.
"Yeah, I guess you are. If you're gonna stop being stupid."
"I can only promise to do my best." Sugrcoat closed the door behind her and moved to join the girls around the TV, where their forgotten algebra books were opened to different pages lying scattered across the carpet.
Sunny grinned and slid down to the carpet beside her, plucking her algebra book off the floor. "So you're finished with your studying?"
"For the moment. I still think the lab will be good for me... in doses." Sugarcoat smoothed down her school uniform with both hands. "It gets lonely in there, though. The dork side has no cupcakes."
Indigo cackled again. "Dork side..."
"Well we've got plenty." Sunny assured her with a grin.
Sugarcoat cleared her throat. "Now tell me, what exactly has you all so stumped you need me to come teach a class to you?"
