Before the Friendship Games: Sugarcoat

Neon walked toward his first-period class, but stopped as he heard his phone buzz.

Principal Cinch wants the team to meet. Just a heads-up. - ???

Neon blinked in surprise.

Do I know you?

He waited for a moment, but got no response.

"Neon, old friend," Royal said as he walked up to him. "You look terribly confused. What's wrong?" Neon showed Royal the text message her received.

"Hmm," Royal said, cupping his chin. "That is indeed confusing, but we don't have time to investigate it."

Neon smiled. "We could just beat her to the punch."

Royal quirked an eyebrow. "What, by meeting all the members of the team? We don't have time for that either!"

Neon frowned. "Yeah, you're probably right. Maybe we should just set the bar to one."

"Care to make it interesting," Royal asked.

Neon smiled. "Go on."

"We each try to find Miss Sour Sweet. First one is the victor."

"Okay, but what's at stake here," Neon asked.

"How about ten dollars," Royal asked.

Neon thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Sure, why not? You're on."

"Excellent," Royal exclaimed as they shook on it. The warning bell for first period rang and the two went to their classes.

Sugarcoat walked the halls, minding her own business until she heard Sour Sweet scream.

"I don't want to hear a goddamn word out of your mouth or so help me I'll turn your entire fucking skin black and red to go along with your shade of blue!" Sour shouted.

Sugarcoat noticed Sunny Flare being the unfortunate recipient of Sour's rage. She slowly walked up to Sunny from the side, just barely staying out of her peripheral.

"What's her problem?" Sunny thought out loud.

"She and Lemon Zest had a falling out." said Sugarcoat, just a foot away from Sunny. Again.

Sunny let out a yelp. "Stop fucking doing that!!!" she yelled, then paused. "Wait...what did you just say?"

"I said Sour and Lemon had a falling out." Sugarcoat repeated. "Apparently Twilight told her everything that happened between the two of them and that pissed Sour off." Sugarcoat paused for a moment, then sighed. "I already regret telling you." she said as she walked away.

What was I thinking, Sugarcoat asked herself on the way to her first period class. She shook her head in shame and moved on.

First period ended, and Neon began his search for Sour Sweet. Sucks that I have no idea where to look, but I guess that's part of the fun, he thought as he looked through the halls. He sprinted through the hallways, keeping his eyes peeled all the while.

Neon maneuvered through throngs of students, trying to find Sour as it became increasingly apparent to him that he wouldn't find her in time. He sighed in defeat, and went to his second period class as the warning bell rang.

Sugarcoat left her first period class and noticed a spaced-out Lemon Zest. "Look where you're walking, you're going to bump into someone," she said.

Lemon rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Sugarcoat," she said sarcastically as she walked on by.

Sugarcoat smiled to herself as she continued on down the hallway. She took out a soda and downed it in one go, then tossed it a garbage can.

"Thank you," said an irritatingly familiar voice.

Sugarcoat simply gave the student the finger. Not gonna waste my breath on that asshole again, she thought as she moved on to her next class.

Neon exited his second period class and ran like hell in another effort to find Sour Sweet before Royal. He saw her walk out of one of the classrooms and skidded to a halt so he wouldn't bump into her. "Yo. Sour Sweet, yes?" He said.

Sour Sweet blinked. "I'm sorry...do I know you?"

Neon shook his head. "I wouldn't expect you to." He extended his hand to offer a handshake. "Name's Neon Lights. Some people call me Rising Star, but I can't for the life of me figure out why."

Sour Sweet shook Neon Lights' hand. "Ah, I see," she said. "You're part of the team for the Friendship Games." She broke the handshake. "I'm Sour Sweet." She said, gesturing to herself. "Any reason you want to speak to me?"

Neon shrugged. "Principal Cinch says she wants all the team members to meet each other. I was just taking some initiative, that's all." He said.

"You and Royal Pin both," said Sour, smiling.

"Royal Pin met with you first," Neon said, then sighed. "Damn. Lost a bet." he muttered under his breath.

Sour Sweet blinked. "What did you say," she asked, giving him a look of confusion.

"Nothing important, just a wager on who'd get to who first." Neon Lights said. "It's nothing you need to worry yourself over."

Sour Sweet shrugged. "Well, if you say so," she said. The warning bell for third period rang. "Well it was nice meeting you. See you soon," she said as waved goodbye, then ran off to class.

Neon made a sputtering noise as he walked to his third period class.

Sugarcoat left her second period class and sighed. That class was a complete waste of my time, she thought. I'd kill to get back the time I lost from that bullcrap. She pulled at her eyelids in frustration. Surely I can't be the only student here bored out of her mind... She took another soda out of her backpack and chugged it. Just to take the edge off, she thought. Her phone buzzed, snapping her back to reality.

Do you have any plans with Neon for lunch? - Mom

Not at the moment, no.

Why?

I need to talk to you. - Mom

In private. - Mom

Sugarcoat raised an eyebrow. Her mother almost never "needed to talk to her", which meant... Her eyes narrowed in determination and she walked swiftly to her third period class.

Neon left his third period class as he played a game on his phone. Well, that was a class that just happened. Never thought I'd hear a teacher rant about throwing a meal ticket out the window and putting your skeletons in jail. He shook his head. Whatever the fuck that means. He shrugged, then went about his day until he saw a smug Royal Pin standing before him.

"Pay up," Royal said with an extended hand. Neon sighed, rolled his eyes and forked over the promised ten dollars. Royal pocketed the ten, then extended his hand again. "No hard feelings, old friend," he asked.

Neon smiled and accepted the handshake. "None at all, Royal. None at all."

"Wonderful," Royal said as he broke the handshake. "Well, I had best be off. I just came to collect," he said. "See you later."

"See you later," Neon said as he watched his friend walk away. He turned his attention back to his phone, where a "Game Over" screen was displayed. "Dammit," he muttered under his breath, then headed off to his fourth period class.

Sugarcoat left her third period classroom, then found Sunny Flare. Sunny quickly looked behind herself, almost surprising her. "Okay, you got me this time," said Sugarcoat.

"Sugarcoat, Lemon Zest knows all of our deepest darkest secrets and she's blackmailing us into playing nice throughout the Friendship Games!"

Sugarcoat blinked, then narrowed her eyes. "I call bullshit," she said. Sunny Flare gave Sugarcoat the most frightening death stare she could muster. Sugarcoat's eyes widened. "I believe you." Sunny smiled and walked off. I really don't believe her, but I'd like to avoid any kind harm if I can help it. The warning bell for fourth period rang, and Sugarcoat stared in disbelief. Is it just me, or does it seem like the warning bells around here are arbitrary? She shrugged, then walked to her fourth period class.

Neon left his fourth period class and took out the soda Sugarcoat gave him before the two of them left her house. He cracked his neck, then his knuckles. "All right, soda, do your thing," he said as he popped the tab. He tried downing it all in one go, but sputtered and coughed about three-fourths of the way there. He caught his breath, then sent a couple of texts to Sugarcoat.

Hey, Sugar.

Got any plans for lunch?

Sugarcoat left her fourth period class and felt her phone buzz. She checked her messages and smiled.

Sorry, hot stuff.

I do.

Neon frowned.

Well that sucks.

Tell Crystal I said hi.

Sugarcoat smiled.

Will do.

Love you!

Love you too.

Neon sighed. Well, it's not the worst thing that could happen, he thought as the warning bell for fifth period rang.

Sugarcoat left her fifth period class and made a beeline for the cafeteria. She grabbed her food, then went straight to her mother's office. "Is Crystal Clarity open," she asked. "It's urgent." The receptionist checked the computer, then nodded. "Thanks," she said, then hurried over to the door. She knocked.

"Come in," Crystal said.

Sugarcoat opened the door, then silently closed it behind her. She sat at her mother's desk with concern in her eyes. "Okay," she said, "What's up?"

"Sugarcoat," Crystal said, her tone serious. "How would you feel if I asked Neon to join the cause?"