//------------------------------//
// Fur Crying Out Loud Part 04 
// Story: The Shadowbolts Adventures 
// by DragonShadow 
//------------------------------//

Twenty minutes past the hour. The school bell had ceased to chime quite a while ago, and the last peep from the hallway had faded into the distance. Sugarcoat stared at the door from the safety of her hidden school laboratory, the website displayed on her computer forgotten as her ears strained for any trace of sound that might indicate a trap waiting to be sprung. But as far as she could tell the coast was clear... enough, at least.

She turned off the web browser on her computer and very cautiously pushed the laboratory door open. The hallways were empty on both sides, and there wasn't a sound to be heard, so she slipped out into the hall, made sure her laboratory was secure, and began to make her way towards the exit. It was a long ending to a long day, full of taunting, hooting, hollering, and general shenanigans from her fellow classmates. Every spare moment not in class had been spent in her little hidey-hole. Her stomach was growling from a skipped lunch, but she could make up for it simply enough with a big dinner.

She wasn't sure how she missed the sound, but somehow as she rounded the final corner to the exit she felt another body slam into her back, sending her tumbling to the floor with a heavy, pained grunt on her hands and knees. Her glasses tumbled from her nose and clacked against the hard polished floor.

"Ah, crap!" Sugarcoat felt through the blur in front of her for her glasses. When she finally found them she pulled them right up to her eyeball, where she could barely bake out a long crack spider-webbing across the lens. "Well if that isn't a perfect end to a perfect day..."

She could feel the air around her waving with some frantic motion, and she narrowed her eyes over the rim of her useless glasses to see another blur standing a short distance in front of her. It was moving, but those motions were nearly impossible to make out. "Well, are you happy? You got me, you broke the furfag's glasses, now go home and let me get outta here." Sugarcoat pushed the figure away irritably with one hand and climbed to her feet.

She brushed one hand against the wall as insurance as she made her way towards the bright light at the end of the hallway. She felt a hand trying to grab hers, but she lashed out with an irritable growl. "No, your job is done! Go away! I'm not falling for it!"

She heard a shrill squeak moments before an unfamiliar voice cried out. "I'm sorry, okay!? I didn't mean to do it, it was an accident!"

"Eh?" Sugarcoat narrowed her eyes at the blur again, trying to focus just enough to get a sense of who was standing in front of her. The long, luxurious ponytail and vivid raspberry colored eyes were the biggest giveaways. "Sonata Dusk?"

"I'm sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going!" Sonata took one of her hands in both of her own. "Please let me help you get home, it's the least I can do!"

"You can talk?" Sugarcoat asked dumbfounded. "What's with the silent treatment if you can talk?"

"I... it's my voice, as you can tell. I mean... it's terrible."

"Your voice? Don't be stupid, your voice sounds perfectly fine."

"No it doesn't..."

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"Wh-no! I wouldn't do that! I just... I mean..." Sonata squeezed her hand. "Right now just let me make it up to you. Tell me where you live and I'll get you there."

"I'm not that blind that I can't find my own house." Sugarcoat grumbled. "But it would make me feel safer, I guess. Just don't try any funny business."

"No way!" Sonata pulled Sugarcoat along with her as they sped more quickly towards the door. "Just tell me where to go and we'll get right there!"

"Thanks, turn right at the sidewalk." Sugarcoat rushed along behind her. Sonata followed her directions precisely, without variation, leading Sugarcoat home with quickness and urgency. "So what kept you at school so late, anyway?"

"I was trying to talk to Sunset Shimmer." Sonata Dusk whimpered. "But she seemed really, really angry at me for some reason."

"Really?" Sugarcoat mused. "Are you two close?"

"I think we're friends, but I tried to tell her what she did hurt you, and she just got mad at me for some reason. I'll try to talk to her about it tomorrow."

Sugarcoat grunted. "Don't do that on my behalf. I think I know what her problem is, and it's not something you can fix. It's not something anyone can fix."

"But she did something that hurt you... I'm sure if we can make her realize that she'll come apologize!"

Sugarcoat shook her head. "Life isn't always that simple, Sonata. Some people just won't learn a lesson unless someone teaches it to them the hard way. Others simply don't have control over their own lives."

"Oh..." Sonata trailed off for a moment. "Do you think that's why Dean Cadence told her to come to her office?"

"She did?" Sugarcoat asked curiously.

"Uh-huh. Right after Sunset Shimmer pushed me into the locker."

"Yeah... I guess it probably is. This is my place." Sugarcoat pointed, and Sonata made her way up towards the house with her in tow. They reached the door, which Sugarcoat opened before turning back to the ponytailed girl. "Well, thank you for bringing me home, at least. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome! Bye-bye!" Sonata turned away from the door, but her blurry form didn't seem to go anywhere. It stood looking up and down the street from Sugarcoat's doorstep.

Finally Sugarcoat sighed. "You don't know how to get back to the shelter from here, do you?"

"Nuh-uh..."

"Come inside for a minute while I get my spare glasses, and I'll walk you home."

"Really?" Sonata squealed. "Oh thank you!"

"Yeah, yeah." Sugarcoat blocked an incoming hug with one arm. "And keep that to yourself." She pushed Sonata inside the house with her arm and closed the door behind them.