Sugarcoat left her sixth period class and felt her phone buzz. She took her phone out of her pocket.

Your mother told me you know someone who wants to join the cause. - Dean Cadence

Sugarcoat smiled widely.

I do.

Do you want me to send him over after school?

Yes. - Dean Cadence

I'd like to meet him. - Dean Cadence

Sugarcoat sent a text to Neon.

Hey, hon.

Dean Cadence wants to meet you after school.

Neon exited his sixth period class with a sigh, then felt his phone buzz. He checked his messages, then sent a response.

What does she want with me?

She's the head of the organization, hot stuff. - Sugarcoat

She wants to welcome you in person. - Sugarcoat

Neon's eyes widened in surprise.

Dean Cadence is the leader?

Yup. - Sugarcoat

I'll be right there with you, so don't worry. - Sugarcoat

The warning bell for seventh period rang.

You know not to tell anybody, right? - Sugarcoat

Of course!

Not even Royal Pin. - Sugarcoat

Understood? - Sugarcoat

Yes.

All right. See you then. - Sugarcoat

Later, Sugar.

Neon and Sugarcoat went to their seventh period classes.

Neon left his seventh period class, still in shock over the Dean's leadership of the secret operation. Dean Cadence doesn't seem like the resistance type, he thought. She seems more like the neutral type. She always looks at both sides of any story before making any sort of judgment. He sighed. As if I didn't have enough shit to wrap my head around... He shook his head rapidly in an effort to clear his mind. I'm probably better off focusing on the now.

He looked around the halls he walked through, each one sporting at least one poster for the Friendship Games. And I guess that means I should focus on the Games, he thought. He put his hands in his pockets and walked to his eighth period class.

Sugarcoat left her seventh period class with a smile. Can't wait for Neon to get into Dean Cadence's office, she thought. Her phone buzzed, and she checked her messages.

Just a heads up. Everything will be ready by the time you and Neon get back. - Dad

Sugarcoat smiled.

Thanks dad, you're the best.

You're welcome. - Dad

Sugarcoat covered her mouth and squealed in excitement. If Neon thinks sex with me is amazing now, then later today will be like a life-changing experience for the both of us! She grinned widely and ran off to her eighth period class.

Neon left his eighth period class and took a deep breath, then exhaled. Why am I so freaking nervous, he thought. It's not like Cadence is going to shine a light in my face and ask me where I've been and what I've been doing. He sighed. I've got to calm down. He closed his eyes, and thought of Sugarcoat. She can help me calm down before I meet with her. I just have one more class to worry about, then that's it.

Neon finally allowed himself to smile as he kept his thoughts on his girlfriend and the support he knew she'd give him. With that in mind, he traveled to his final class for the day.

Sugarcoat left her eight period class, unable to stop smiling. She already felt slightly horny already just thinking about what she had in store for herself and Neon this late afternoon. At least I'm keeping my libido in check to some degree right now, she thought. I just have to think of something else for the moment.

She looked around, and found the posters for the Friendship Games. Bingo, she thought, then she headed to her final period of the day.

Neon left his final class for the headed to Dean Cadence's office. There's no reason to be nervous, Neon Lights, he thought to himself. Even if she is apparently the head of some organization, she's still Dean Cadence...right? He sighed in another effort to calm himself down, then yelped when someone grabbed him from behind.

"Calm down, hot stuff. It's me," Sugarcoat said, then pecked Neon on the neck. He gently nuzzled his head against one of her arms, then sighed contently. "Why are you so jumpy, anyway," she asked.

"I've had a lot to try and process lately. I think it's really getting to me," Neon said.

Sugarcoat smiled warmly as she let go of Neon from behind, then walked up to face him. "Don't worry. She's still the same Cadence you know, no matter what role she plays."

"That's just it, hon," Neon said. "This is a Cadence I didn't know."

"It'll be fine, bright eyes," Sugarcoat said in a reassuring tone as she put her arms on his shoulders. "I wouldn't willingly thrust you into a dangerous situation."

Neon calmed down considerably. "Yeah. You wouldn't." He smiled. "I knew you'd be able to calm me down. Just thinking about you has the same effect," he said.

Sugarcoat giggled. "That's what I'm here for, babe. That's what I'm here for." The couple leaned in and quickly pecked each other on the lips, then broke the embrace. "Now come on. We can't keep Dean Cadence waiting, she's a busy woman." She took Neon by the hand and they both walked to Cadence's office.

"Here we are," Sugarcoat said. "Still nervous," she asked Neon.

Neon shook his head. "Not as much, now that you're here."

Sugarcoat lightly punched him on the arm. "Stop with sappiness, you're gonna kill my libido."

"Kill your libido," Neon asked with a mock gasp. "Madness!"

Sugarcoat smiled and rolled her eyes. "All right, enough with the banter. Let's get inside." Neon nodded as she knocked on the door.

"Come in," Dean Cadence said. Sugarcoat opened the door and entered along with Neon.

Dean Cadence's office was filled with bookshelves containing books of various subjects from the school, as well as a few books on psychology. There was a brown couch several feet away from Cadence's desk, and behind her desk were multiple diplomas and certificates of accomplishments she had earned over the years of her career. An open window shone light near the door to her office.

Cadence sat at her desk, eyeing Neon with interest. "Neon Lights," Cadence said. "You're interested in joining this...organization?"

"Yes," Neon said as he and Sugarcoat sat down.

"May I ask why?"

Neon took a deep breath, then exhaled. Sugarcoat took him by the hand and smiled warmly, then nodded. He proceeded to tell Dean Cadence about the effect the tryouts had on him, and poor choice he made as a result of it.

"I'll never forget that look she gave me," Neon said. "That's why I decided to join."

Dean Cadence raised an eyebrow. "You two are dating?" Sugarcoat and Neon nodded together. "Now I understand how you found about this operation." She smiled. "If Sugarcoat and her family trust you enough to let you in on this, I have no objections."

Neon smiled. "All right. So, what's this all about?"

"Well," Dean Cadence said, "The organization's mission is to stop the misery inflicted literally everyday."

"Fair enough," Neon said. "But doesn't this 'organization' have a name or something?"

Sugarcoat grabbed a piece of paper from the Dean's desk and wrote on it, then handed it to Neon.

Stop the
Misery
Inflicted
Literally
Everyday

Neon's eyes widened. "Huh."

"Neon Lights," Dean Cadence said with an extended hand, "Welcome to S.M.I.L.E."

Author's Note

S.M.I.L.E.