In The Lab

“You’re awkward, you’re asocial, and even though we celebrated you joining the mathletes and the chess club because we’ve gone undefeated for years, you never became part of our group. I sometimes say things like ‘you should try not speaking in public’ not out of malice, but— but because I want you to be part of the group. I want you to open up to us, to laugh and smile and celebrate and dance...” Sugarcoat took steps forward with each word, pressing Twilight further back until she landed in her chair, her hands still held firmly by Sugarcoat’s. “Because I like you, Twilight. You have a sharp mind that doesn’t let up to get what it wants.”

This reminds me of my high school days where I bullied people and people bullied me for these things, like being awkward, asocial, or being interested in math and chess instead of what they liked. The second part also makes no sense, how Sugarcoat would bully Twilight instead of just inviting Twilight to join the other Shadowbolts.

“Y-yo-y-you l-li-like m-me?” Twilight stared wide eyed up at Sugarcoat and then glanced at her surroundings: a small, almost closet-like lab most taken up by instruments and storage space, her chair pushed against the back wall, and a very persuasive girl confessing a long held crush. She blushed to the point that Sugarcoat could easily mistake her natural color for red.

The space they are in sounds so beautiful, yet the drama and the bullying that Twilight Sparkle and Sugarcoat both confess to does makes the mood and the setting a lot darker.

“Sugarcoat, wait.” Twilight pushed back and turned the pair around, Sugarcoat now with her back to the chair and Twilight with her back to the door. “This is a lot to take in,” she whispered slowly. “Is this really why you don’t want me to go, to leave? Because you think I’ll forget about you?”

Twilight sounds like she can either make the decision to leave or to stay, but that she really should not base her decision on what Sugarcoat asks of her.

“Right here!” Twilight held up her phone. She walked Sugarcoat through installing the game on her phone, too, so they could play together. The bell rang loud and drawn out; students stampeded through the halls. Their footsteps were drowned out by the cacophony of voices and slammed lockers. Twilight slid her door shut and relished the click that dulled the roar of activity in the hall behind her. Sugarcoat smiled a little brighter and they sat down across from each other, phones in hand. A few matches went by in relative silence as they played, sharing a few snickers and groans as they won and lost.

This part of the story is a lot lighter and funnier than the rest of the story. All that tension, all the bullying, and all that uncertainty getting dispelled as soon as Twilight makes her nerdy invitation for Sugarcoat to play cards with her. Very much true to how Twilight acts in the Equestria Girls movies and the original tv show episodes.

“Casablanca,” said Sugarcoat, in perfect imitation of Captain Renault. “The school has a copy and the theater room.”

“Then let’s go watch it.”

So cute. Love the little details in Twilight's dialogue and her characterization.

“Sugar!” Twilight hissed, “You didn’t tell me you were cutting class! You could get into trouble.”

Love how Twilight freaks out about skipping class while also having her anxieties of going on a date with Sugarcoat soothed immediately.

“Sit over there.” Sugarcoat pointed to a tall chair next to a humming bit of machinery, lenses, and wires. Twilight obeyed and watched as Sugarcoat flipped through stacks of little jewel cases with handwritten titles.

Scene transition here feels choppy, since there is no explanation of how Twilight Sparkle and Sugarcoat snuck into a movie theatre inside Crystal Prep itself without getting caught.

Sugarcoat shook her head and continued flipping through cases. Their rhythmic clack was oddly soothing, an easy contrast to Sugarcoat’s nearly endless stream of muttered profanities directed at the “incompetent nincompoop who organized this by lead actor’s last name, alphabetical, descending.”

Again Sugarcoat's mean side shows through while our poor Twilight Sparkle has to deal with her date constantly making rude and very un-Twilight Sparkle like comments.

By the time Twilight selected a seat in the middle of the theater, the fanfare was still going and credits rolled over a backdrop of Africa. Sugarcoat took the seat to her right, pulling her legs onto the seat and leaning against Twilight.

Such an adorable touch of sweetness where Sugarcoat finally reveals her sweet and caring side. Clearing out the entire movie theatre just for Twilight and her to watch Casablanca together, even while having to sort through the reels by actor's last name., alphabetical, descending.

Twilight’s eyes never left the screen; she watched in muted awe as Rick, Isla, Sam, Captain Renault, Victor, and Major Strasser matched wits over the exit visas, lost love, and the perils of being a citizen driven from one’s home. Sugarcoat’s cheek was warm against her shoulder, and Twilight found herself leaned against the top of Sugarcoat’s head. Her hand was clasped in Sugar’s and she had a smile that just wouldn’t go away.

So romantic.

“Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

Never mind.

“That was... amazing. Beautiful, moving. The techniques they used to achieve each shot, the little models for the planes, the total lack of any special effects...” Twilight gushed.

Good to see the nerdy side of Twilight coming out in this cute fic.

The unspoken rejection echoed in Twilight’s ears. The warmth lingered on her shoulder, and her cheeks burned bright red from Sugarcoat’s kiss, however brief.

Really fast moving fic overall. We moved from Twilight Sparkle and Sugarcoat just hanging out to Twilight and Sugarcoat going on a date to Twilight planning a second date all of a sudden. Feels too fast, since Sugarcoat moved from bullying Twilight to just asking her out on a date, and then watching an entire movie in one afternoon.

Maybe that's just how high school romance works, at least in this Equestria Girls headcanon.