//------------------------------// // The Pony With the Minty Fresh Breath // Story: The Symphony of a Winning Lyrist // by JaketheGinger //------------------------------// Judging from how Bon Bon and I spent the night together, I can safely say that Hearts and Hooves day was a success. After a couple of days, life was settling back to the norm for me now: get up, eat, socialize, play music, spend time with Bon Bon, sleep. It sounds mundane, but it also means I live at my own pace. At the moment, I was in the ‘spend time with Bon Bon’ portion of the day. With Hearts and Hooves day behind us, we were back to following the ‘no passion in public’ rule, so we were just strolling along in Ponyville side by side. By now my wounds had healed, meaning I didn’t have to wear any embarrassing band-aids in public. Bon Bon did ask about my injuries, but I think I gave her a pretty good excuse. It’s a common mistake to accidentally fall into a bush, isn’t it? We were strolling past Sugarcube corner--neither of us feeling particularly peckish right now--when I suddenly remembered something important. “If all goes well, I should get my monthly bits from my parents in a couple of days,” I stated. Mom and Dad were always reliable like that, giving me enough every month to get by, but nothing extra for luxuries. Bon Bon’s ears twitched and she blinked. “Oh... good.” She smiled, although looking at her I could tell it was incredibly forced. I stopped myself from sighing out loud. “Yep,” I said as neutrally as I could muster. I couldn’t deal with that talk right now. “Hm, not many ponies around,” I continued, looking around. “I was hoping we’d bump into Colgate.” My fillyfriend gave me a curious glance. “Yeah, I want to ask her how the rest of Hearts and Hooves day went for her.” I hadn’t seen her since then, mainly because she has a job and I don’t. And trust me, the dentist’s is not a fun place to hang out. “You’ll see her sometime soon, I’m sure.” Bon Bon stared off into the distance, and a big grin appeared on her face. “Cherry Berry! Over here!” she called out, waving over a pink mare with a golden mane. Cherry noticed and, of course, trotted our way. “Bon Bon!” She gave her a hug, before turning her head to look at me. “Lyra.” “Cherry,” I replied, trying to sound civil. Gah. I wanted a distraction, just not this annoying mare for one. She then ignored me, going back to Bon Bon. “Feels like I haven’t seen you in ages!” There’s a reason for that, Cherry. “How are you?” “Pretty good! What about you? How did Hearts and Hooves day go?” Bon Bon asked cheerfully. I prepared myself for the ordeal that was about to come. “Well I had this really romantic date with this hunk of a stallion. And he doesn’t come from Ponyville either. No no, he’s from Manehattan!...” Manehattan? Give me a break. I’d actually be impressed if he came from Canterlot. And even then, he would have to be a noble. Despite my family being quite well off, I would have trouble finding a stallion noble of my own. But why would I bother, anyway? I got Bons right here. “...and we went in my hot air balloon and had such a romantic picnic in the skies! Then we watched the sun go down together...” Yep. Because doing something you do almost everyday is really making an effort. “...when we landed, he surprised me by taking me out on a evening dinner! Oh, it was perfect!” Bon Bon just stood there and took everything in, smiling. I found Cherry’s tale a bit hard to believe; names are important, you know. I went ahead and asked her, “What’s his name?” “Snow Whip,” Cherry answered, her grin slightly smug as she ran a hoof through her golden mane. I still wasn’t fully convinced. “So, can we see him?” “Yes!” Bon Bon exclaimed, excitedly stamping her hooves on the ground. “I want to know what he’s like!” Cherry glared at me for just a second before answering confidently, “Well it was just a one time thing. You know, for fun! Besides, I’m not looking for a relationship anyway.” Forget it, this is Cherry we’re talking about here. Obviously, Bon Bon was more worried than I was. “You sure, Cherry?” Cherry rubbed Bon Bon’s mane affectionately. I tried my best to hide the slight scowl on my face. “Of course I’m sure. No stallion could ever meet my standards anyway! So, how was your day?” Cherry asked my fillyfriend, not even sparing me a look. “Oh, it was wonderful. Truly wonderful...” Bon Bon sighed happily, leaning onto me and I allowed myself to relax for a moment. It didn’t last long though, and soon we were standing next to each other again. “I suppose it would’ve been.” There was a hint of sarcasm in Cherry’s voice, but Bon Bon didn’t notice it. “Yeah...” Bon Bon trailed off, then snapped back to reality. “Lyra and I were just walking around town. Wanna join us?” Dammit, Bon Bon. Cherry took no hesitation in accepting the offer, and now our pair had turned into a trio. I just looked forward, trying to block out Cherry’s grating voice, and resigned to my fate as the third wheel. “Got any new jokes?” Bon Bon asked Cherry. Cherry nodded swiftly. “Duh! Okay, I got this really good one.” Here we go. “So, a earth pony, a pegasus and a unicorn are--” Oh good grief, not one of these ones. They have the longest build up for the most disappointing pay off. “...finally, the unicorn looks into the magic mirror and says ‘I work--’ and then was sucked into the mirror for lying!” Did she just...? I looked at them both; Bon Bon was giggling madly. Cherry was snickering and gave me a sneaky glance. Yeah. She totally made that about me. I could see where this was going. “Heh, that was alright I guess. But as much as your jokes are hilarious, Cherry, I think I’m going to go play my lyre.” I tried to make a swift exit but Bon Bon pecked me on the cheek before I could get away. “See you later then. Have fun!” “Yeah, you too, Bons.” I gave her a sweet smile, then waved at both of them before trotting off. I had backed down again, but it’s always better to do that than let the pony you love get caught up in the crossfire. I walked off, grumbling to myself and started to head back home. I could think of something else to do there. At the very least, my lyre was there. Playing some music would lift my spirits. Music lets you channel your emotions through it. It’s so easy to just let yourself go on the dancefloor, breaking out all sorts of embarrassing dance moves, and not having a single care in the world. See, I really did know my music; I had studied music and its history at Canterlot College. I didn’t get anything to show for it, though. Some may call that a wasted opportunity, but I think that was when I found myself. I peered around Ponyville. Bon Bon and Cherry were gone, and there wasn’t anypony else I could recognize. I shrugged and kept on walking towards home. I had no obligations to fulfill, so I thought I would go ahead and get my lyre. “Lyra!” I jerked my head to the side, and sawColgate galloping towards me. “Colgate! Good to see you, I’ve been wondering how your date with Caramel went.” “That’ll have to wait. Sorry, but I’m only here to remind you that you have an appointment with me tomorrow.” She had her ‘professional’ voice on, which always felt weird hearing. I was her friend--I didn’t mind if she relaxed a little when it came to me and her job. I tilted my head slightly, raising an eyebrow. “I made an appointment? I don’t remember doing that.” “Well you did. Unfortunately, I can’t rearrange it either. My schedule is filled to the brim with patients and I can’t switch any appointments around.” I assumed she wasn’t working today because she wasn’t wearing her white coat. “It must have slipped my mind then. What time?” “Eleven AM.” I mentally scribbled that down in my head and put it in the recesses of my memory. I’d probably remember it anyway since I had nothing planned for tomorrow. “I’ll be there. Now with that out of the way...” I leant closer to her. “How did your date go?” She took a step back from me. “Sorry, Lyra, I don’t have time to talk. I’m on break and I don’t want to be late for my next patient.” She broke her professionalism for just a moment, giving me a sincere smile and dropping the voice. “We’ll talk later, okay?” “Alright. See you later, then.” I waved at her, giving her permission to gallop off. It’s really boring having friends who work, because you sometimes end up being by yourself and having nothing to do. It was so much easier when I had friends in school, who had a bunch of hours off to mess around. It’s a good thing I have my music to waste away the hours. When I got home, I found Derpy stuffing some letters into my mailbox in her usual, clumsy manner. She was so busy trying to get them in, she didn’t notice me stride up to her and tap her on the shoulder. “Oh! What?” She looked around rapidly, her eyes going in different directions. Once she spotted me, they settled back to normal. “Hi, Lyra! Mail call!” “I can see that,” I teased. A letter that wasn’t properly in the mailbox fell to the ground and I was quick to pick it up with my magic. “Er... looks like one letter really wanted to escape the bag.” Derpy did a double take as I showed her the intended address. “Oh! Sorry!” She hastily put the letter back in her saddlebag, and smiled sheepishly. “Don’t worry. It happens.” She probably had to leave like Colgate had, but I couldn’t resist asking her the question. “How did Hearts and Hooves day go?” “Oh.” For a second, I swore I saw sadness in her eyes. It was quickly replaced by her normal bubbliness. “Nothing eventful. Just stayed at home with my darling muffins.” “Aaaw. Your children are adorable, so I bet you had a great time together,” I replied. “Yeah, I don’t think my life would be complete without them,” Derpy replied and I couldn’t stop a warm smile appearing on my face. Unfortunately, she couldn’t stop to chat. “But I need to deliver more mail! Bye!” The mailmare closed my mailbox, even though I was right there, and took off into the air. I couldn’t imagine what it must have been like to have two fillies, a taxing job and being a single mother. I don’t know how Derpy manages. What I do know is that she needs somepony of her own. It’d do her wonders, probably. I re-opened the mailbox and got out the small stack of letters it contained. It was mostly junk, but there was one nice surprise. A letter from Canterlot meant a letter from my parents, and that meant bits. I went inside my home and threw the junk letters in the bin, then tore open the letter from my parents and got out the enclosed bits, putting them in the glass money jar in my kitchen. It was hidden in one of the top cupboards, right behind loads of cooking ingredients like sugar, spice, and everything nice. Then I turned my attention to my mother’s hoofwriting. I only got letters from my parents two times a month at most, so it was always nice to hear how they’ve been doing. Lyra, Your Father and I both hope that you had a lovely Hearts and Hooves day with Bon Bon. When you write next, please tell us how it went! As for us, we went to the fountain where your father proposed to me. Years on, and he still knows how to make a big splash. Aaaw. The image of my parents enjoying their company together and feeling young again was adorable. It wouldn't take much for them to feel like young lovers again though; the passage of time had not worn down their love for each other. A couple of days before that, we went to see a concert. One of the headlines was that Octavia mare. Her talent, especially for her age, never ceases to amaze us. She performs with such elegance and grace. The way she looks when playing, so focused and poised, it just seems to add to the music. She reminds me of you, dear. I’m sure she’s around your age and she’s doing so well for herself. I suspect she’s very much enjoying it too. Then again, I don’t think she knows what it’s like to be with a mare like Bon Bon. That’s just like you, Mom: sugarcoating your desires for me so much, that they’re almost like compliments. That said, my parents had taken a liking to Bons, which really helped when I first introduced her to them. As always, your bits are enclosed. Spend them wisely--perhaps invest in something? Please write back when you get the chance. You must visit sometime soon. We both miss the music you can make on your lyre. Lots of love, Mom & Dad xxxx Seeing as I had nothing much else to do, I decided to write the letter back now. I got myself some ink, quill and paper and started writing as neatly as I could, a task made far easier with magic. Mom & Dad It’s so great to hear that you two had a good time! Bon Bon and I had a lovely time as well and we both managed to surprise each other. In a good way, of course! Ponyville’s really nice around that time of year. Next year, maybe we could do a location swap? I could show Bon Bon that fountain and you and Dad could soak up the romantic atmosphere Ponyville always has on Hearts and Hooves Day. I loved my parents dearly, and I cherished the fact that they were still together after so long, but nopony wants to bump into their parents on Hearts and Hooves day when they have their partner with them. You know I really admire Octavia, but I don’t think I’m like her at all. The world she lives in is different from mine, and I wouldn’t want fame getting in the way of my relationship with Bon Bon. You and Dad understand that, right? We’d discussed this many times before and we always came to this: it was a topic that no side could agree with the other on. Even so, each side still accepted the other’s views. Whenever the subject came up, I always casually brushed it aside and my parents never pushed it any further. They’re understanding like that. And, as always, I’ll spend my bits wisely. Thanks for sending me them each month. I know I say this a lot but it’s true every time; I’m truly blessed to have parents like you. I’ll try to arrange a visit to Canterlot sometime, I promise. It just depends on how life goes here. Love both of you lots and lots, Lyra xxxx I quickly skimmed through my words, checking if they were any glaring errors. I didn’t see any, so it seemed good to envelope. With family business out of the way, I went over to my bedroom and pulled out the black case from under the bed. I unlocked it, and gently lifted my golden lyre out. I gave it a quick look over, deciding that I’d polish it in a couple of days. I pulled a song from my memory, closed my eyes and began to make sweet music. Dentists. Why are dentists’ offices such hellish places to be in? The waiting room of Ponyville’s dentistry was white. And so was the entry room. And the toilets. Probably the basement too, if they had one. I know teeth are white, but this was ridiculous. I was starting to think it was all a trick--they’d blind me at the dentists so I’d have to go to the optician’s. Money for medics all around! Then there’s the fact that you’ve got a pony ramming Celestia knows what into your mouth. I sat on a plain brown chair that wasn’t very comfortable and avoided looking at the beaming walls, instead focusing on the beige carpet. There was a small coffee table in the waiting room, a stack of boring magazines on it about trivial things I didn’t really care about. There were also toys for children, many of which looked like they’d been chewed on. As I looked around, I began to think that Colgate didn’t have a tight schedule like she claimed; more than half the seats were empty, this place wasn’t busy at all. Ponyville’s dentristry had multiple dentists, too. Most of them were alright but Colgate was the nicest and she always kept to her schedule very well. It's like she changed time itself whenever she was running late. She wasn’t in charge around here, though I wish she was--she’d probably spruce the place up a bit. I gazed up at the ticking clock. A few minutes to go. I simply sat there, humming a little tune, when an unicorn filly and her father came into the waiting room. “Into the bathroom, Tootsie.” The stallion ushered his daughter into the toilets and stood outside, waiting for her. I hid a smirk, knowing their game. The last-minute brush before examination. I’d done it myself many times before. Colgatecould always tell when I did, because my breath smelled fresher than normal. It’s kinda obvious when you think about it. The funny thing is that none of the dentists really care, so it has sort of turned into a joke for us. My ears twitched when I heard the sound of a door opening. “Lyra Heartstrings?” Colgate poked her head out of the doorway, looking around the room. “Here!” I cheerfully announced, trotting over to her. She let me in and closed the door behind us, that is, after looking into the waiting room again. I had no idea why she did that. Like the rest of the building, the examination room was terribly bland. A big chair was in the middle, accompanied by a tray that had tools on it. Colgate’s desk sat in the corner, her paperwork all in order. For such a boring job, Colgate really put a lot of effort into it. I got out my toothbrush and toothpaste from the small saddlebag I had brought with me, giving Colgate a playful grin. A quick brush, then I’d be set for this. To my surprise, Colgate shook her head. “No Lyra, no brushing this time.” For a moment, I was worried the rules had changed. Then I grew even more worried when Colgate took off her coat and entered ‘normal mode’. I tucked my brushing things away, raising an eyebrow at my friend. “Er, what’s this about, Colgate?” “I just...” She wandered over to the chair, reclining on it. “Wanted to talk.” “Colgate, we could’ve done that anytime and without you setting me an appointment,” I replied, a hint of annoyance in my voice. The dentist let out a frustrated groan. “No, I don’t mean that. I mean...” She picked up one of the tooth torture tools from the tray, fiddling with it in her hooves. “I need your advice.” My curiosity was piqued as I leant on the armrest.“Oh. Fair enough then. Ask away.” “I... erm... I kinda like ‘like’ Caramel.” Oooo! So something was going on between them! I giggled like a school filly, leaning closer to Colgate and turning her head so she faced me. “Before you say anything else, tell me how your date went with him!” Her cheeks grew red and the cutest of smiles appeared on her face. “Well, after we left you and Bon Bon, we just walked around for a bit. I know it doesn’t sound like much but... we really got close. I think... I think he might be the one, Lyra.” Her voice suddenly went more desperate, her eyes widening slightly. “And I think he ‘likes’ me too, so I can’t let this opportunity slip by!” My excitement died at that, replaced by seriousness. I backed away from her a bit and put my hooves on her shoulders. I needed to know one thing before I could approve of this. “Colgate, do you love him or do you love the idea of being with him?” Colgate blinked in confusion. “What?” “Just answer the question, please.” “I... love him, yes.” I took my hooves off her and nodded sharply. If anything was going to happen between Colgate and Caramel, it would have to start off on the right hoof. Colgate needed to really love Caramel, and not just use him to escape loneliness, if that was indeed the case. If that happened, the spark between the pair would quickly die out and they’d drift apart. So potentially...we could have another new blossoming romance on our hooves! My eagerness built up within me again and I asked Colgate another question: “Did you kiss?” “He did...but only a little one.” Colgate scratched her left cheek, smiling awkwardly. “That’s so adorable!” I let out a little squee, jumping on the spot. I then stopped when I remembered what Colgate had really brought me here for. “So, you wanted advice?” Colgate nodded eagerly. “Yes! I want to know how to...tell him. About me. That I love him.” “Just be sincere and dive in.” That was really the only answer I could give her. When I asked Bon Bon out, I was a nervous wreck. But the nerves only served to show how much I did love her. “If you go in and tell him without any acts or something, he’ll know that you love him.” Colgate didn’t look convinced. “Are you sure?” “Very. Don’t try too hard, because then you look desperate and clingy.” Colgate looked down, eyebrows furrowed. “So...I literally just go up to him and ask him out?” “It’s best that you do it in private.” I smirked, waving a hoof around the room. “But don’t do it like this.” Colgate giggled, getting off the chair and going to one of the cupboards. “Not for him, no. But I’d do it with you becauuuuse...” Her horn glowed and I heard something rattling. I licked my lips in anticipation of what was to come. “Mints!” I galloped over to Colgate and snatched the mints as soon as her magical aura had left them, a full tin of them no less. I tossed a mint in my mouth and took a moment to relish the taste. “Mmmm...” I swallowed, then let out a satisfied, minty breath. “So, what do you love about him?” Colgate rubbed the back of her neck, and muttered a few incoherent mumblings. I twitched my ears, letting her know that she was inaudible. “He’s really...nice?” Colgate finally answered. I gave her a flat look. “Nice? That’s it? C’mon Colgate, you can do better than that.” To my knowledge, Colgate had never been in a relationship before, so I put this down to first time nerves. “Well...he’s such a gentlecolt. And he always puts other ponies’ needs before his own, but he’s not a doormat either. Plus...” And she went back to mumbling. “Plus...?” “He’s good.” She let out an embarrassed cough. “Good looking and... yeah.” It sounds superficial, but if you want a special somepony for life, you do have to find them attractive. Especially if you wanted to get more intimate with them. I shrugged half-heartedly. “I guess so.” Colgate raised her eyebrows at me. “You don’t think so?” She sounded a little offended, but that’s understandable. “Colgate, I’m not really into stallions.” I was when I was young, but what filly doesn’t have fantasies of living in some grand castle with a beautiful prince for a husband? Upon glancing around the room, it did occur to me that it was really odd having Colgate bring me here just to talk about Caramel. “Colgate, did we really have to talk about this here?” “Not really.” She shrugged, magicking over her coat and putting it on. “But I figured you could use a quick check up before the party.” I blinked rapidly a couple times. “Party? What party?” “You didn’t get an invite?” Colgate gestured to the chair and I went ahead and sat down, mint tin in my hoof. “No worries. I’m sure Pinkie will give you one.” “Yeah, she will.” Pinkie always set aside some cupcakes with mint frosting for me at her parties...okay, not specifically for me, but nopony else ever got the chance to have one when I was around. “So, whose birthday is it? Or is this just a ‘party for the sake of partying’ thing?” I asked, resting my head against the back of the chair. “It’s a surprise party for Cloud Kicker and Blossomforth. Apparently they got promoted.” She levitated a dentist’s mask near her and put it around her neck. “Huh. Good for them!” I always thought promotions were a double-edged sword. Sure, you got more pay, but your workload increased too. I think that’s the case for most jobs. “When is it?” “A couple of days. I wouldn’t worry about remembering the specific time--not even I know--because Pinkie will probably drag you to Sugarcube Corner anyway. That’s where the party’s being held.” Colgate’s mask then went up, covering her mouth. “Alright.” I left my mouth open, allowing Colgate to poke around my teeth with that tool with the mirror. As in, the only tool in Colgate’s arsenal that didn’t make me squirm. Then she sent a blue beam of magic that covered my teeth. After that, she inclined her horn towards the wall and sent a projection at it. Images of my teeth lined the walls and Colgate started to poke her tool at my teeth, occasionally glancing to the images and muttering some dentist mumbo jumbo. The medical field was perfect for those unicorns who lacked magical power but had precision. They dominated the profession because only they could operate with a delicate touch. It was rare to see an earth pony doctor and even rarer to see even a pegasus one. But the ones that existed excelled at their craft. It didn’t take long for Colgate to finish. She took down her mask and went over to the sink, washing her tool. The projection of my teeth disappeared and I looked at her, to see her verdict. She turned around slowly, a serious look on her face. “Lyra, you’re pregnant.” I would’ve fallen out of the chair, but the armrests blocked me off. So instead I just kinda flailed about. It was obvious in hindsight that she was joking around, but that didn’t make it an excuse for laughs--there’s a reason Bon Bon and I use protection. “Colgate! That isn’t funny!” I cried, probably a little harsher than intended. I ran a hoof through my mane, sighing. “Oh,” Colgate looked down, sliding the mask over her lips. “Sorry.” I got off the chair, walking towards her. “It’s fine, Colgate. Every joker has a misfire.” “Yeah.” She coughed, adopting her professional voice. “You’re all clear, Lyra, good job.” “Great. Who’s your next patient?” The dentist went over to her desk, looking through a stack of papers. “Ah, here we go, a filly called Tootsie.” A sly smirk formed on my lips. “I saw her in the waiting room. Very naughty--she did the last-minute brush.” “How dare she!” Colgate cried dramatically, walking to her tools. “Looks like I’ll have to use this then.” She raised one of them before my eyes and I shuddered in horror. It was pretty much a mini drill. “Well, I’m out of here!” I cantered over to the door, opening it ajar. “See ya later, Colgate!” “Bye, Lyra,” Colgate replied, putting down her mask and giving me a smile. I closed the door behind me and left the white prison as quickly as I could. Finally, more interesting colors entered my view. Pink, for example. Actually, pink was all that I could see for a moment, as a blob of it suddenly came out of nowhere, accompanied by a high pitched, “Hi!” I blinked a couple times, recovering from the ‘Pinkie daze’. “Oh, er, hey, Pinkie.” She retrieved something from her...coat? I couldn’t tell. At least what I got was clean. It was also what I expected: an invite. “Hi, Lyra! Here! Here!” She waved the invite in my face, which made it surprisingly hard to get it with my magic. “I’m throwing a super duper party ‘cause Cloud Kicker and Blossomforth got promoted, so they really really deserve it!” Everypony has a different tactic for dealing with Pinkie. Mine was getting wrapped up in her excitement. “”Oo! That’s great! Good for--” “Don’t worry! I invited Bon Bon too!” The only problem with my tactic, was that it was hard to keep up with her and impossible to do so for more than a while. “Yay! Then this party just got more awes--” “Now I gotta go ‘cause I still gotta hoof out more invites for everypony, so I’ll see you at the party, Lyra, bye!” And before I knew it, she was gone. Looks like I had a party to go to. At some point in the future, anyway. Since it was a surprise party, Pinkie got us all crammed into Sugarcube Corner and told us to wait for Cloud Kicker and Blossomforth. The lights were off, we were all waiting and I was really bored. We must have been waiting for fifteen minutes or something, it was ridiculous. I was positioned behind Bon Bon and a few others, which meant that I was kind of obscured. I wasn’t about to settle for that, no no. I wanted to look like I was making an effort! So I did the natural thing and put my forehooves on Bon Bon’s flank, lifting myself up. “Lyra,” Bons said bluntly, not turning her head to see me. “What are you doing.” Aaaw, I loved it when she put her questions like statements. It’s one of her quirks that makes me giggle. “Just getting a better view. They’ll be here soon, anyway,” I reassured in a hushed voice. Some other ponies were murmuring between themselves, but on the whole, the room was quiet. Waiting for the pair to arrive was made much harder by the fact that I could smell all the treats Pinkie had laid out for everyone. I just knew that there would be something minty there. And it would taste amazing... The door suddenly swung open and the lights immediately switched on, making us all visible to the working duo. “SURPRISE!” I wasn’t the loudest (with Pinkie around, that’s impossible) but I was definitely enthusiastic, giving the promoted pegasi an excited wave, a huge smile on my face. Cloud gave Blossomforth a grin, who facehoofed, before they both headed into the party. Didn’t she want a party or something? Ah well, who cares? There was food to be eaten now. I got off my fillyfriend and rushed to the tables, covered in treats. One was covered in muffins and I knew that it would be launched upon by Derpy. I kept my distance from it, like others were doing. Anyway, I had things I wanted to eat too. I wandered over to another table, scanning it. If anything was green, it’d probably be mint. Green is the universal color for mint, afterall. It must have been my lucky day, because there was a whole plate full of cupcakes, decked in light green icing. I let out a squee of delight and brought a cupcake to my mouth, chomping on it. The taste was beyond amazing, so it wasn’t surprising that one led to another, and that led to another... “You’re going to get fat if you eat too many of them,” Bon Bon said, coming up to me. I blinked, looking down at the plate. There were twelve to start off with and now there were only nine left. I brought a hoof to my mouth, stifling a burp. “It’s a party, Bons. And these are just so good.” My gaze slowly drifted from her to the cupcakes. “Just pace yourself. I don’t want you getting sick.” She grimaced, shaking her head a little. “Nopony does.” She was right about that. If I ate them all now, I’d have nothing left for later. I broke free from their hypnotic trance, giving Bon Bon my full attention. “You want anything?” I asked. Bon Bon nodded, pointing to a couple of brightly colored sweets on the table. “Those please.” I focused my magic on her treats, then brought them to her face. She soon snatched them out of the air with her mouth, mumbling something that resembled a thanks. “No problem. Have you seen any drinks around?” There wasn’t any on this table, so I glanced at the others. “There’s apple cider,” came a familiar voice. Bons and I turned to see Berry Punch, a mug of cider in hoof. I gave her a short wave. “Oh hey, Berry, whereabouts is it?” She gestured to the tables on the other end of the room, then drank some of her cider. Bon Bon gave Berry a welcoming smile, then looked at me. “I wouldn't mind some of that. How about you, Lyra?” “Sounds good,” I simply replied. “Alright then.” Before I could offer to bring the cider over, Bons was already on her way. “I’ll go get them.” I nodded at my fillyfriend, then turned back to Berry. “So, how have things been?” “Pretty decent. Business is good, so I can’t complain.” A lot of ponies assumed that Berry was just some drunk and while she was sometimes, the truth was that she was a winemaker. She made some of the best wines in Equestria, enough to rival those in Canterlot. She was a mare who knew her limit and had the best hangover cures. “So, up for a drinking night anytime soon?” Berry asked. It was a fun little thing me, Berry and a couple others would do. We would play drinking games, get drunk and just have a little fun. These events were hardly frequent though. “Yeah, we could arrange something sometime,” I answered. To be honest, I wasn’t really a planner because I have so much free time. There’s really not much need. “Arrange what?” Bon Bon was back, two mugs of cider in hoof. I took of one them away from her with my magic. “Thanks, Bons. Berry and I were just talking about the next drinking night.” “Oh really? Sounds good, I guess.” She shrugged, taking a sip of cider and licking her lips. “Mm, that’s good. But anyways, depending on the date, I’m not sure if I’ll join you girls or not.” “We’ll let you know as soon as possible, Bon Bon.” Berry said. She then looked at me with a playful grin. “Want to see who can chug their cider down first?” I locked eyes with her. “Fine. You’re on.” Bon Bon giggled, then came to an abrupt stop. “Wait a second.” She came closer and peered into our mugs. “Lyra, drink just a little bit of your cider first.” That’s my Bons, always the rational one. I took a little sip until the amount of cider we had was about equal. Then, when we were both ready, Bon Bon started the countdown. “Three... two... one... GO!” I quickly jerked my head back and poured the cider down my mouth. A part of the liquid lost its mark, trailing down the sides of my lips. I think I may have overestimated the amount of cider left because I nearly ran out of breath. Oh, and I almost choked. I hung my head low, hacking like a sick mule. Bon Bon was quick to come to my side, putting a leg around me. “Lyra, are you okay?!” Through my repeated coughing, I managed to splutter, “Yeah... just fine... A-OK.” I honestly didn’t want Bon Bon to squeeze me like some filly with a teddy bear. Although that would’ve be nice in another context. She did know CPR and basic first aid--it was something her parents taught her, knowing it would be helpful. Luckily, it hasn’t seen much use. When my coughs had died down, Bon Bon passed me a napkin and I wiped my wet mouth. “Thanks, sweetie.” Berry did look concerned but her lips soon formed a victorious smile. “Sorry, Lyra. I won!” Well of course she did, didn’t she? For an hour or so, Bon Bon and I had mingled with several others, including Carrot Top and Colgate (who was trying to avoid Caramel, bless her). After a while though, it ended up with just the two of us by ourselves, which I was perfectly fine with. We were sitting at one of the few tables that didn’t have food on it, watching the party go on. I have to say, I enjoyed the party a lot. It had a nice atmosphere: not too rowdy but happy all the same. Plus, the mints helped a lot too. But I had never expected to talk to the guest of honor herself. “Hey, you two,” Cloud Kicker greeted us. She then looked at me and I could tell she was just barely holding back a grin. “How’s the flank?” “Fine! It’s fine,” I blurted out. Bon Bon ignored that, thank goddess. “I have to say, you must be feeling pretty proud of yourself right now. Oh! And thank you so much for your help on Hearts and Hooves day!” “No problem. It was pretty good training, flying around everywhere,” Cloud Kicker responded. Bon Bon and I exchanged a curious look. “What do you mean?” Bons inquired. The pegasus sighed a little. “It’s a long story.” I simply shrugged. “Alright, then. Still, it was all worth it. Especially for you.” I pointed a hoof at her. “We know exactly what thank you present we’ll give you.” I grinned devilishly at Cloud Kicker, who soon did the same to me. We were exactly on the same page here. Bons was a little slower to catch on. “What?” She looked at each of us in turn. “Oh. Oh! Yes, it’ll be something I think you’ll enjoy, Cloud Kicker.” “Definitely. When were you thinking of ‘thanking me’?” “Whenever you want. It’s up to you,” I offered. We all had a little arrangement: basically, we would occasionally get together and, well, bang. It began when Bons and I first started dating. Cloud Kicker offered some really good times together and I didn’t want that to go away, but I wasn’t going to cheat on Bons either. So I persuaded her to go through with this idea. She was a little reluctant at first but now, it feels routine. These days, there was actually a benefit to our get togethers. My relationship with Bon Bon had gotten to the point where we needed to use protection when we banged, otherwise one of us could’ve ended up pregnant by the way of the magic of love. I didn’t want to be careless, yet at the same time it reduced the fun a little. With Cloud Kicker around though, we didn’t have to worry about unexpected surprises. “Sounds good--” Cloud Kicker cut herself off, her focus drifting away from us. We followed her gaz and saw Blossomforth waving her friend over. “I’ll let you two know when I’m available. Don’t worry, you shouldn’t have to wait too long.” She winked at us and trotted over to the white pegasus. Well, now I had something fun to look forward to. After Cloud Kicker left, Bon Bon and I mingled for a bit more. Eventually though, the party began to die down, as every one does. The stars were out as we left Sugarcube Corner and the both of us were a little tired. Bons led the way home and we fell into a companionable silence. I always prefer living in her house for two reasons. The first is an obvious one--she lives there. The second is because her house is so much better than mine. Unlike my own, her house has an upstairs and every room is decorated in such a nice way. She has nice furniture, flowers and other things like paintings. When we got to the front door, Bon Bon put a hoof on it. Strangely, she didn’t open it just yet. Instead, she let out a quiet sigh. “Tired, sweetie?” I put a leg round her and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “No worries. We can just cuddle up in bed together.” Bons shook her head. “It’s not that.” The serious tone of her voice sparked up concern in me. “Then what is it?” She looked up at me, not sad or angry. She just looked worn out. “Lyra, we need to talk.” My stomach turned. Those four words never meant anything good. Ever. “Yeah? Uh, what about?” I asked. My voice quivered slightly, but I couldn’t help it. Bon Bon put a hoof on my chest. “You need to get a job, Lyra.” Uh-oh. Not this again...