//------------------------------// // July 24th New Beginnings. // Story: Seven Days in Sunny June: Innocence Lost // by FlashFrame //------------------------------// July 24th, Tuesday.         The hustle and bustle of the morning was never Sweet Pea’s strong suit. In her old life as Amelia, she’d usually sleep during the day, and be out all night—for obvious reasons. These days though, she was attempting to be the type of girl that was early to bed and early to rise. Of course, that didn’t mean she was entirely used to it, much less healthy, wealthy and wise. Pea currently wore a long, black skirt overtop stockinged legs, her white blouse and business jacket over top. It was similar to what Lemony tended to wear for work, and given she worked at a bank, if this wasn’t good enough until she got her uniform this weekend she didn’t know what would be. Lemony smiled brightly to her sister, looking the girl over she nodded approvingly. “Relax Pea, you’ll be fine.” She finished her toast and eggs, glancing at her watch. “I’ve gotta get going; got a meeting with Golden Desires this morning. You have a great day, okay?” She leaned over and pecked her sister on the cheek before gathering her purse and shouldering it. Pea for her part, smiled up to her older sister. “Yeah I’m sure I’ll be fine, just, bluh, mornings.” She ate the eggs and waved as Lemony took off, Buck not far behind his wife. “You’ll do great, sis. Don’t forget the bus will be at the stop in thirty, so you’d better get going.” Buck adjusted his suit and reached out to squeeze Pea’s shoulder affectionately before picking up his briefcase and heading for the door. “See you tonight, bro!” With those words, the door closed, almost echoing through the house as Sweet Pea sat at the table, munching on the buttered toast and finishing the eggs. Sipping the large cup of coffee her eyes drifted to the clock, she could push a few more minutes, before she had to brush her teeth then get out the door. The tone of “Love is an Insane Chimera” escaped her cell, indicating a text. Sugarcoat: Morning, if you want when you get here, Lemon Tart and I will be waiting for you near the main office, since you’ll have to turn in your paperwork and get a schedule. Sweet Pea hammered out the return text on her phone quickly, thankful for the full keyboard. Sweet Pea: Thanks, you two are going to be a huge help, I’ll see you in around 30, still have to catch the bus, speaking of, gotta run! With that, she hit send and rushed off to finish getting ready for her first trip to a new school.         Lemon Tart squeed yet again as she danced to the music pumping through her earbuds, the upbeat J-pop tunes keeping the teen moving as her best friend leaned against the wall next to the admissions office of Cornerstone Academy, the dark-skinned girl twirling one of her twin pigtails around a finger as they waited. It was a nervous habit, and one that Sugarcoat rarely engaged in, but today, with Sweet Pea attending for her first day.... “Aww come on, relax Coat, you look super tense!” The cheery voice of Lemon Tart met Sugarcoat’s ears as the shorter Asian girl danced in front of her, grinning. “Pea’s going to be here any minute, and I doubt she’ll want to see you all grumpy and tense. Relax, feel the good vibes yo!” Coat scoffed. “After yesterday I’m finding it relatively difficult to find those ‘good vibes’ you speak of, Lem.” She grumbled. “I can’t help but feel like Pea’s going to get dragged into this mess with Lightning, simply by association.” Lemon waved it off, rolling her eyes. “Come on, Lightning Dust is old news, and while she’s a total bitch, that doesn’t mean we should let her get us down. Our new friend’s attending our school, and this is pure, unlimited 100% Awesome with a Capital A!” Sugarcoat couldn’t help but find her friends energy infectious as she found a smile on her lips. “Yeah, well, I guess you do have a point there.” Lemon Tart lost herself in the music for a few minutes longer, before she glanced up at the entrance, her eyes falling on the form of none other than Sweet Pea. Lemon’s eyes went a bit wide as she took in the look of the girl waving their way, the business attire suiting Sweet Pea nicely in the girl’s mind. She blinked a few times, before pulling the earbuds free of her ears and waving. “Yo, Pea, glad you made it early!” Her smile was bright as the sea-green haired girl walked up and smiled to them both. “Hey girls, yeah, I made it. Though, is everyone here as cold as the reception I got on the bus?” She asked curiously, rubbing her arm a bit. “I swear, I’ve gotten more welcome receptions in… “ she trailed off. “Anyway, let me slip in and turn in my paperwork, shouldn’t take too long to get the schedule and all, then maybe you two can show me around before class starts?” Sugarcoat shrugged. “Some students can be cold, but for the most part, we haven’t had any issues. Then again, we’re not the new girl.” She smiles softly. “Yeah, we’ll be here…” her eyes drifted to Lemon Tart who had shifted a bit closer to Sugarcoat and though her smile hadn’t left her face, her eyes seemed to be almost drinking in Sweet Pea. “Yeah, no, we’ll totally wait for you Pea, go do what you gotta!” Lemon’s eyes drifted over her new friend’s retreating form, leaving Sugarcoat to shake her head as she watched her closest friend check out their newest.          Being at a new school, with new friends, Sweet Pea felt on top of the world. Having gathered her schedule and met back up with Sugarcoat and Lemon Tart, as the pair toured her around, showing her where her classes would be. She found out that she shared third period History with Tart, but sadly, as of right now, that was the only class she shared with her friends, as many of her classes specialized to help propel her to the proper grade level that would match her with Sugarcoat. “This place is a lot bigger than I thought, but it seems like I’ll have time to get everywhere.” She checked her watch and noticed it was nearing first period as they stopped at her locker for her to stow most of her books between classes. “Yeah, it’s a pretty big school, but you get used to it. Trust me, you’ll love it here, Pea!” Lemon practically danced around her as Pea found the smile on her face brighter than it had been in almost a month. “With you two looking out for me, I’m sure I’ll be fine.” She smiled to the others as the first period bell rang, and the three parted ways. Maybe things won’t be so bad here, Pea thought, running a hand through her hair as she walked into her home room. Though in the back recesses of her mind, that dark laughter echoed across her mind. “Oh sure, everything will go totally fine, after all, how many boys are here that you can totally fuck? I’m sure it’ll up your standing, being the top slut of the school.” Pea pushed the thoughts to the side. After all, it wasn’t like she wanted to take the cute boy up front with the frost blue hair and blow him till he popped or anything.         Third period came and Mr. Yearly’s history class was in full swing. After introducing the new student to the class—which Sweet Pea was experiencing in each of her classes—she’d found a spot not too far from Lemon Tart that was empty and took a seat. Lemon, for her part, couldn’t help but cast a warm smile her way as she tried to focus on the lesson the teacher was droning on about—something about Greece and the Spartans—she’d essentially tuned out the lecture as her eyes drifted back to her new friend, who sat hunched over her notes, scribbling down everything she could. Lemon Tart sighed softly, letting her mind wonder. Not something she did too often in class, at least, not over actual people. Now if it was Yuki and Midori… or some other pair she found attractive in one of her many anime, sure but outside of a couple of crushes, and only one she’d acted on in her two years at this institution, she tended to keep her head level while in class. “Miss Tart, would you please read the current paragraph?” The voice of Mr. Yearly drew the teen out of her thoughts. “What? Oh, right got it Mr Yearly, we were uh…” She rubbed the back of her head, and sighed. “I kinda lost my place, um…” A chorus of laughs escaped the class, causing her to shrink back into her seat a bit, though a glance at Sweet Pea saved her as pea mouthed “Paragraph five.” “Oh right… yeah uh….” Taking up the textbook she began to recite the paragraph from it. Thankfully, she was spared further embarrassment as the bell rang, signaling the end of class, and the start of the lunch period. Exiting the class with everyone else, she blew at her bangs. “You totally spaced out in there, Lemon. You ok?” Pea asked as she walked up behind the slightly younger teen who just nodded. “Yeah I know, I just, I dunno, I’ve been kinda out of it today, must just be excited you’re here.” She smiled up to Sweet Pea and shrugged. “Anyway thanks for the save in there. Seriously, lifesaver much?” Sweet Pea giggled. “Don’t mention it. Anyway I need to stop by my locker before lunch. Catch you and Coat in the cafeteria, okay?” Lemon Tart nodded in agreement. “Yeah, we’ll see ya there.” She waved as she headed off, giving the girl one last longing look before turning and nearly running straight into Sugarcoat’s rather ample bosom. The taller girl reaching out to steady her friend. “Wow, you’re seriously out of it Lem. You okay?” She asked, her eyes meeting Lemon’s, whose own darted to the side.“Lem… you’re not crushing on Sweet Pea are you?” Coat’s voice was filled with concern at her friend as Lemon whirled around and blinked owlishly “What?! No way, Coat! I mean, yeah she’s cute but I barely know her, and well, I wouldn’t want to make her uncomfortable.” She shifted a bit side to side, looking to one side. “I mean, yeah she looks good and all, but…” Coat chuckled and shook her head. “Just be careful. Like you said, we barely know her and I’d hate for you to get burned like you did with Yin.” Lemon stuck her tongue out at Sugarcoat. “Oh come on, that’s not even fair. I didn’t even know Yin Yang was dating someone already… besides, she looked super cute in her gym uniform and well…” She kicked at a pebble. “Besides, it wouldn’t have worked out with us anyway, even if she is super cute.” She sighed lightly. Coat could only reach out and squeeze her friend’s shoulder as they worked their way to the cafeteria. “Where is Sweet Pea anyway?” Lemon shrugged. “She said she had to hit her locker first.”         The thud of the stall door echoed through the empty bathroom as she closed and locked it, slumping against the wall as she fought to hold on. The voice had been getting steadily stronger all day, mocking her, making light of her insecurities, pointing out all the hot guys and girls and how well she could pleasure each and every one of them. Not even her thoughts of Sugarcoat or Lemon Tart had been safe. Images of her face buried between chocolatey thighs, or the imagined moans of a rather cute Korean girl under her ministrations. Her eyes closing tight she sat back onto the toilet, holding back the tears and the sobs she wanted to let out, fighting against the scream that was just at the back of her throat. The sound of the bathroom door opening was almost deafening as two girls walked in, their voices carrying over the stalls. “You have no idea, ok? I mean that bitch and her dyke girlfriend just got in my way yesterday. Seriously, you don’t have to take up the entire hallway with your makeout session, ya know.” Sweet Pea’s head shot up, the voice in the back of her mind quieting, seemingly just as interested in the conversation. “Yeah but L.D., come on girl, I’ve heard a lot of shit, but Sugarcoat and Lemon Tart? I know they’re close but you can’t actually be serious you caught them making out.” Pea’s eyebrow raised a notch. Sugarcoat and Lemon Tart a couple? “I’m completely serious, Ember! Look, I know I’m new here, but I swear to you they were taking up the whole hall basically.” Ember made a noise, and dug through her purse. “Well I’m not about to jump to conclusions, but I’ll keep an eye out, L.D. I mean, I’ve known those girls for a while, and while Sugarcoat can be...well blunt, and Lemon Tart has her head in the clouds constantly, outside of them seemingly being friends, I’ve never seen anything that could indicate they are more. Still, they are close. I’ll put out the word, see if others notice stuff.” It wasn’t long before the two girls had walked back out. Leaving Sweet Pea to her own devices in the Stall, she blinked away her shock. Sugarcoat and Lemon Tart were totally not a couple right? So why was that L.D. person claiming so? Slowly, she slipped out of the bathroom, lunch had only been going for about ten minutes, leaving her fifty minutes of the precious time to catch back up with her friends, her earlier worries nearly forgotten. Lemon’s head bobbed back and forth to the music pumping through her headphones as she listened to the beat of the new K-pop running through the earbuds, savoring the taste of a rather wonderful hamburger (given their meals were provided via outsourcing to local businesses, and these burgers came straight from a local In-N-Out franchise). She sipped the cola she’d grabbed and her eyes brightened, seeing the form of her newest friend coming to sit across from her and Sugarcoat. “Yo, so Sweet Pea finally decides to join the cool kids!” Her grin went ear to ear as she held up the cola. Though she took a moment as Sweet Pea’s gaze shifted between the two friends. “Hey Lemon, Coat… did… are you two?” Sweet Pea pointed between the two of them, motioning with a finger. Sugarcoat for her part, raised an eyebrow. “Are we...what?” she asked, having been mid-bite on a couple of french fries. “Ya know, are you two, together?” Pea asked, slumping a bit, feeling bad even asking. “Because while I really don’t care, there’s someone spreading some kinda fucked up stuff about you two, I heard someone talking about it while in the bathroom a bit ago.” Coat’s jaw tightened, and Lemon blushed furiously, deciding to answer. “Um, no, we’re not. Though I do kinda swing that way, Coat’s straight as they come.” The darker girl nodded, “Yeah, and this is the second time this week something came up like this.” her eyes drifted over the crowd of students. “Did you talk to them, do you know who was saying it?” Sweet Pea shook her head, holding up her hands. “No, I was using the stall, but it was two girls, one of them was... well not discounting it but she was kinda going to bat for you two, admittedly. The other girl though…” she considered for a second. “I think the one called her L.D?” Sugarcoat’s eyes rolled. “Great, Lightning Dust… most likely.” she groaned again, letting her head hang. “You know, after yesterday, you’d think she’d have learned her lesson.” Sweet Pea’s eyes darted between her friends. “Something going on I should be aware of?” Lemon Tart sighed. “Yeah, yesterday Coat and Dust got into a bit of a scuff, after Dust made some rather rude comments that implied me and Coat were together.” She shook her head. “Coat’s trained, and likely could have dropped her, but she’s always careful of how she uses her skills, and Dust... well, she has a history.” Sugarcoat nodded, and pulled out her tablet, bringing up some information she had saved. “As a matter of fact, I did some more digging on her.” She looks up to Sweet Pea. “Just so you get up to speed, she’s a transfer from Canterlot. Nasty character, implicated in quite a few things, mostly talking trash and sexually harassing some people, but the big one was the assault of another student.” She slid the tablet over to Sweet Pea. On the screen was a headline from a local blog: Local Teen Attacked in Industrial District, Two Suspects Caught. Pictured, was none other than Sunset Shimmer with mugshots of her attackers below her: Gilda Griffon and a face shot of Lightning Dust. “I know her.” Sweet Pea said, “I met her and her sister when I was in Canterlot for a while.” she blinks, “I wasn’t aware she’d been attacked.” She checked the date, noticing it was just before she met Sunset and Twilight. “November, huh? That was just before I met them.” Lemon Tart smirked. “Oh, so you used to live in Canterlot?” She asked, eager to get a bit of new information on her friend. “What? Oh, uh, yeah, I lived there for a while.” she said, rubbing her neck as she handed the tablet back to Sugarcoat, her gaze downcast to her burger as she took it up and took a big bite to hopefully change the subject. Sugarcoat saved her that trouble. “Yeah, she’s dangerous, and apparently has a family that had money or something, she got lucky enough to basically be ran out of town instead, and her skills at running were good enough to warrant her getting brought in to this school.” Lemon nodded. “She’s also super rude. Like seriously, we didn’t do anything, she just barreled into us and then started tossing around insults and all.” She made a face as she sipped her cola. “I don’t even know why.” Coat grunted, “I do. She thinks that’s the way to the top,” she grumbled, shaking her head as her eyes finally landed on the girl in question. Who was over by a good few of the jocks, laughing and having herself a good time. “What she forgets, is that the higher you get, the harder the fall to the Bottom.” Lemon and Pea both winced at that, but Lemon couldn’t argue. “Ya got that right, Coat… just hope it’s not you that has to give her that push.” Steam billowed off the freshly poured coffee as Buck looked over the screen on his computer. He’d pulled up all the information he could on Tripwire, which wasn’t much, Served in Operation Desert Storm was about all he’d been able to really pull up outside of the news of his arrest and holding for trial. He ran a hand through his hair, they hadn’t told Sweet Pea yet, only informed her to come straight home after school. Buck’s eyes shot to the clock, 3:40pm. The clock almost seemed to mock him in his worry, and he pinched the bridge of his nose. It would be fine, he was positive, she’d be home soon then they could all talk. Lemony for her part, was sitting across from him, looking a bit worse for wear herself, her hair a bit disheveled and her eyes held dark bags under them from a fitful night’s sleep. They had both called off from work, deciding to try to take the day to figure out just how they were going to tell Sweet Pea about the situation. “Do you really think we should tell her?” Lemony asked. “I mean, I know we should but… She’s finally settling in again, and now this.” She shook her head as Buck reached out to take her hand and give it a squeeze. “She needs to know, and we need to be the ones to tell her, and you know it.” Her eyes shifted to his, losing herself in them for a moment, before she nodded. “Yeah, I know.” The door opened, and Sweet Pea’s voice called out “I’m home.” causing both adults to breathe a sigh of relief they didn’t quite realise they were holding in… now to break the news. Joints popped as shoulders rolled under the new shirt. Breaking into an older store in the outskirts of Palo Verde had been easy. And Tripwire was glad to finally catch a break, as well as get the chance to break a neck. The owner of the shop had been doing inventory, and had threatened to ring the alarm, and he couldn’t have that. Decked out in a white t-shirt and jeans, as well as a brand new pair of sneakers and a dark blue ball cap, he felt just a bit like a new man, checking his image in a mirror after sliding home a pair of aviator sunglasses. After liberating the remaining cash from Jingle Sales’ wallet, and then from the cash register, all he had to do now was get a weapon. Exiting out the back of the shop, he counted the cash. Around five hundred dollars to his name. “Well, this should get me through the next couple of days.” Pocketing the cash in the leather wallet he’d gotten, he began to make his way towards the town proper, getting a drink, then catching a bus or other means out of town should be fairly simple, worse comes to worse, hotwiring some piece of junk truck the locals had would prove easy, and stay fairly non-descript. His sights set on his destination, he headed out, whistling a tune as he went, hands in his pockets, leaving behind the body without a care in the world, after all, he had a mission.