“That’ll be 38 bits for the whole lot.”
Smiling, Bon Bon dropped the heap of coins on the grocer’s counter, picking up her bag and offering a quick, “Thank you!”
She was eager to get home. Bon Bon didn’t usually mind shopping- she found it quite relaxing, in fact. But some of her favourite stands had gone missing, and she was forced to look around to find her usual groceries. It had taken far longer than normal and she was beginning to feel a bit fatigued. Trotting hurriedly with a full bag in her mouth, Bon Bon’s eyes failed to keep up with her feet.
“Oof!” Bon Bon’s bag of groceries spilled over the ground. “Hey!”
“Oh, I’m very sorry!” The mare she had bumped into lowered herself to the ground and quickly began scooping up the spilled goods. “Clumsy me! I should have- oh! Bon Bon! Fancy meeting you again!”
A reply caught in her throat as she sized up the mare. Had… they met? Yellow coat, orange mane… she seemed familiar, but so did everypony. It wasn’t a big town, after all. A carrot cutie mark?
Think, Bon Bon! “Yes! Fancy meeting…” Golden… Carrot… um… “Me again…”
“Well you’ve certainly been busy!” Carrot or Golden something-or-other stuffed the remaining groceries back into her bags. “It couldn’t have been 15 minutes since we last talked and you look like you’ve been through a couple hours of shopping!”
But I have been through a couple of hours shopping… she thought. “Yes, well, the… busy bee… catches the worm, as it were.”
Carrot Golden’s smile became unsure for a moment. “Ah… that old saying…”
Bees and worms? thought Bon Bon, an uncomfortable silence floating into the conversation. What is wrong with me? Early bird catches the worm, Bon Bon. Maybe I should start drinking coffee before going out. Am I always so off the ball after shopping? I don’t recognize this mare at-
“Excuse me? Bon Bon? Are you feeling alright?”
She shook her head and snatched up her bags. “Yes, I’m fine. Sorry, um…” Carrot Harvest? “…But I’ve really got to get going.” Bon Bon quickly trotted off, fuming to herself.
Busy bee catches the worm?! Oh, smooth, Bon Bon. Real smooth. Now you look like a crazy mare. But I’m one to talk! There’s no way that Carrot pony was talking about me. Maybe she had me mistaken with somepony else?
Bon Bon caught herself getting lost in thought again just in time to avoid winging a couple walking down the road, more engaged in each other than she was in her self-deprecation. Looking at the couple pulled a sigh from her bitter well of moodiness. She just needed to get back home to Lyra. If anyone could pull the tension from her, it would be the mint green unicorn. …So long as she hadn’t broken anything.
Long out of the market district, the calming scent of flowers laid out on the windowsills helped Bon Bon resist the overpowering urge to run the rest of the way home and finally declare this shopping trip over. She turned a corner and smiled at the sight of their little house, blue and red flowers in the window like all the buildings in the residential area. The house, too, looked to be pulled from the same simple urban-cottage template, built almost adjacent to the sidewalk. They were still paying it off, but the feeling of coming home to the perfect life that she had worked so hard to craft was worth more than any amount of money to Bon Bon.
Her kitchen would soon be fully stocked with all of the ingredients for her trademark sweets, and she’d refill every bowl in the house. Lyra, who would be waiting inside right now, would soon empty them. Maybe she’d be in the kitchen, snooping around for a leftover candy. She could be in the living room, writing more music and practicing on her favorite lyre or maybe the new harp. Or she could be sleeping peacefully, waiting for Bon Bon to return.
The homemaker smiled and began to trot home. Her short trip came to a sudden stop, however, when her eyes met with the strangest sight. Coming out of the house was a familiar crème colored pony with a blue and pink taffy twist mane. Bon Bon looked on in shock as Bon Bon left her house, waving goodbye to Lyra.
“I’ll be back really soon,” said the other Bon Bon in a painfully nasal voice that sounded nothing like the original.
“I’ll be waiting!” Lyra piped up cheerfully, waving goodbye before closing the door.
The other Bon Bon began to trot away, her back to the original. It took the stunned candy mare a moment to recover from the sight. She shook her head vigorously, shouting “Hey!” through a mouthful of groceries before galloping after the imposter. The second Bon Bon’s ears shot up and she looked over her shoulder, a shocked expression crossing her face. Then a heavy wooden door was suddenly between the two.
“Bon Bon! Don’t forget to get some strings for the harp- oh.”
The candy-maker skidded to a stop to see Lyra waiting in the doorframe with a big grin.
“Wow, that was quick! I thought your talent was candy, not super speed! I’m joking, though. I know it’s candy. You want to make some candy? Because I could really go for some candy right now!”
Bon Bon (mark I) peered around the door for some sign of the mysterious imposter, but Bon Bon (mark II) was gone.
“Uh… Bon Bon? You alright?”
“Hm? …Oh, yes! I’m… fine. Just fine.”
“Then what are you doing standing out there for? Come on in!” Lyra snapped up some of Bon Bon’s groceries and trotted merrily towards the kitchen. “Wow these are heavy. I mean, they’re always heavy so I’m not that surprised. But why do groceries have to weigh so much? I had less trouble getting the harp in here!”
Bon Bon followed at her own leisurely pace, rolling her eyes. She tossed around the idea of telling Lyra she was talking to herself again.
“Ooh, this looks delicious! Goes right here… We were out of those. Put it right here… I have no idea what that is… maybe I’ll leave it for Bon Bon. Wonder what’s taking her so long? I thought she snapped out of it when I found her spaced out at the door.”
“I do not ‘space out’,” harrumphed Bon Bon as she stepped into the kitchen.
The lyrist jumped, golden eyes wide with amazement. “How do you always know what I’m thinking? Could you at least warn me when you’re gonna read my mind?”
It was no use explaining it to her (not that she hadn’t tried in the past). Bon Bon sighed, but she also smiled. “I never stopped,” she said simply.