Author's Notes:

Yes, the chapter title is a reference to the Team Fortress 2 series of the same name.

"Sour..." said Lemon.

"Let me cut you off right now, Lemon. One." She raised her pointer finger. "We'll talk after team introductions. "Two." she said as she raised her middle finger, making a peace sign. "It'll be just you and me. It's always been just between you and me."

Lemon nodded in understanding.

Sour pointed to Twilight. "I don't want her getting any more involved than she already has." She looked at Twilight. "Understand?"

Twilight blinked, then nodded.

"Good." said Sour. "Now that we've reached an agreement, let's get this over with."

Lemon and Twilight followed Sour to a room with the remaining Shadowbolts, each of them glaring at the two friends.

"Obviously you know me, Twilight, Sugarcoat, Indigo Zap and Sunny Flare." said Sour. "But here's the other half of the team." She said as she gestured toward six others.

"First off, this is Suri Polomare." Sour said, pointing to a student with light pink skin and light purple hair with a pale yellow headband.

Suri gave Lemon a nasty look. "Sunny Flare gave us your message. We all agree to your terms, but once the Friendship Games are over, we're going to make your life hell...okay?"

Lemon gulped nervously. "Actually...about that..." she said before Sour moved on to the next introduction.

"Not now, Lemon." said Sour. "This is Trender." she pointed to a dark brown-skinned student wearing glasses and blonde hair.

"Hello." he said. "I don't know how you found out all of our secrets, but I assure you that we will find yours...and when we do..." He made a fist with one hand and punched his other.

Lemon sighed, realizing that even if she apologized to them it wouldn't change their minds. Sour snapped Lemon out of her thoughts by moving on to the next introduction.

"This is Neon Lights." said Sour, gesturing towards a light blue-skinned student with black hair and sunglasses.

"You are so dead after the games." he said, snarling.

I am so fucked. thought Lemon. Stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"This is Royal Pin." Sour said as she pointed to a dark-blue skinned student with white wavy hair.

Royal Pin scowled at Lemon. "How dare you." he said. "The knowledge you uncovered was meant to be confidential."

Oh, shit! thought Lemon. I got so wrapped up in all their animosity that I forgot Twilight was here with me! she glanced behind herself to see her friend slowly pulling at her hair with her mouth open and teeth clenched.

Lemon frowned and put her hand on Twilight's shoulder. Twilight jerked a little, clearly startled by the sudden pressure she felt from Lemon's hand. Lemon gave Twilight a reassuring smile. "Hey." Lemon whispered. "I've got your back."

Twilight calmed down slightly and smiled back. "Thanks." she said.

"Hey. What are friends for?" said Lemon, grinning.

"Oh get a room, you two!" said Sour. She paused for moment, then put the palm of her hand on her face as she sighed. "Anyway...moving on."

"Jet Set and Upper Crust, Crystal Prep Academy's power couple." Sour pointed to a gray-skinned male student with light black hair and a small pair of glasses that were near the tip of his nose. Next to him was a light yellow-skinned student with light purple hair that had a streak of white in the very middle.

"I'd say 'pleased to make your acquaintance'," said Jet Set, "but we all know that I'd be lying, given the circumstances."

"Indeed!" said Upper Crust. "The nerve!"

"And of course you already know me, Sunny Flare, Indigo Zap, and Sugarcoat." said Sour.

"Mark my words, Lemon Zest...we will find out how you got that information. One way or another." said Sunny Flare.

"Yeah, Lemon, what the hell? I don't think anyone here's gone so far as to get dirt on other students just to protect themselves." said Indigo.

"That's a new level of fucked up, Zest." said Sugarcoat.

"But as you've heard, we agree to your terms." said Sour. "After the Friendship Games, however, all bets are off!"

Lemon nodded in understanding.

"Now that we have all that established...get the fuck out of our sight." said Sunny.

Lemon and Twilight left the room, the latter visibly shaken. Lemon checked her surroundings to see if anyone was within hearing distance. Satisfied, she leaned over to Twilight and whispered into her ear. "Don't worry, Twilight Sparkle. I'll protect you. I promise."

Twilight started to tear up. "Oh god, Lemon Zest... I'm so scared right now..." she said, her volume barely at a whisper. She sniffled. "I don't think I've ever been this frightened in my life!" she buried her head into Lemon's chest and cried.

"It's okay, Twilight. I've got your back." said Lemon, using a soothing tone as she stroked her friend's hair to calm her down. "Why don't you sit next to me on the bus to Canterlot High tomorrow? I'll keep you safe, so you don't have to worry."

"You can't...guarantee that!" Twilight said between sobs. "They're going to find out that I did the digging, then the rest of my time here will be a living hell!"

"Twilight." said Lemon. "All of the right people know what you did. You, me, our parents, Radiant Hope and Dean Cadence."

"But what if Principal Cinch knows?!" said Twilight.

Lemon smiled. "If Principal Cinch knew about all this, she would have used that knowledge as leverage for whatever agenda she has. Besides, Dean Cadence and Hope wouldn't tell her anyway. I get the feeling that while she may be their boss, neither of them trust her."

Twilight wiped a tear from her eye, having finally calmed down. "I suppose you have a point there." she said as she smiled.

"There you go, then." said Lemon.

"I know I said 'get a room' to you two," said Sour, "but I was only kidding. Keep this up, and the school will start to think you two are an item."

"Twilight's a dear friend to me, Sour Sweet." said Lemon.

"Yeah!" said Twilight, feeling empowered by Lemon's words. "Besides, I'm straight."

Sour rolled her eyes. "Okay. Fine. Whatever. Speaking of dear friends..." she took Lemon by the hand. "You and I still need to have a little chat." Sour said as she walked away with Lemon.