The silence of the night seemed to grow quieter as the darkness appeared to grow darker. But, that all depends on who you ask. All around the quiet town of Ponyville, every resident was either asleep or preparing to sleep. Lights emanating from candles, lanterns, and the newest invention of the incandescent light bulb faded to black one by one behind the curtains of residential window panes. The full moon hovered high in the sky as it approached its peak point directly above the town.
It was a peaceful night like any other.
Three giggling mares strolled side by side down a wide cobblestone path that ran from Ponyville square all the way to the edge of town and beyond. The moonlight illuminated their surroundings just enough for them to see where they were going. The night was still young, but they had enough fun to satisfy.
“So Bon-bon,” said the pony in the middle, flicking her maroon hair upwards and out of her eyes. “Why did you come to the party alone?”
“What do you mean?” Bon-bon replied.
“Didn't you ask your friend to come?” asked the orange Earth pony furthest from Bon-bon.
“Who?”
“Your roommate, of course.”
“Lyra?”
“Who else?”
“Oh yeah,” Bon-bon lowered her voice for she wanted to drop the subject faster than in was brought up, hoping she'd succeed. With herself on the rightmost side, it wasn't easy keeping up with her two companions who had more energy left from the party Pinkie Pie threw at Sugarcube Corner. Her pace was slowed and sloppy. “She's got a lot of work to do. I didn't want to bother her.” That was both a lie and the truth. She shied off into another subject. “So, uh, did you like my new vanilla candies I brought, Rose?”
“Say...” Rose ignored Bon-bon's tangent in the conversation and turned her head. “We haven't seen Lyra in a while, have we Junebug?”
Junebug wondered the same thing while trotting alongside Rose. Ever since Princess Luna's frequent visits to Ponyville, they had seen less of Bon-bon's roommate recently.
“Does it have something to do with her social anxiety?” Junebug inquired.
As soon as Bon-bon heard those words, she fought to control her anger silently. She hated when ponies talked about her friend like that, even though it was sorta true to some extent. Though Rose and Junebug were her friends and she didn't want to give them a piece of her mind as she would a mean bully. Her friends weren't bullies. They just didn't know any better.
Bon-bon refused to answer that question, rhetorical or otherwise.
“She should get out more.” Rose suggested without actually giving an answer either. “Ya know, hang out more with us. Make some more friends.”
“I don't know,” Bon-bon finally said. “I can't force her to do anything.”
“Who said anything about force?” Rose cocked her head at the statement. “I was simply saying that somepony should encourage her to loosen up a little. It's like she's a stranger all over again.”
Rose, Bon-bon, and Junebug continued to jump around topics of interest as they made their way through town in the moonlight. Eventually the conversation went so far as to ponder about their respective childhoods in Ponyville. It wasn't until their small talk circled around to a specific topic that Bon-bon had not expected, one that she could remember quite vividly.
“What ever happened to the rumors of that one stallion that made a scene through here last year?” Rose asked without hesitation. Bon-bon half-expected that any pony who asked that would hesitate. “I wonder if they were true.”
Bon-bon was quiet for a few seconds, when Junebug added her own speculation.
“Yeah, I heard ponies saying it was a ghost of an old alicorn legend,” she said. “I don't remember what the details were, but I think they were all just hallucinating.”
“Isn't it strange that over a dozen different ponies hallucinated the same thing? That doesn't make any sense. I wish I was there to see it myself. If you ask me, I think Princess Luna is hiding something from us. So far we haven't been given an clear explanation. Everypony is so vague about what happened or just doesn't wanna talk about it. She's up to something.”
Bon-bon continued to listen to her friends' speculations about an alicorn stallion running around Ponyville and disappearing without a trace. She wondered if that one turquoise stallion she met had something to with it. He certainly had something to do with those mythical creatures called humans after Princess Luna's surprise visit. She would never forget that face, but she sure forgot his name. If her memory served her right, she only talked to him twice and the last time she saw him was in Sugarcube Corner to be questioned said Princess. After that, it was like he vanished without a trace. Lyra refrained from talking about it the days and weeks that followed and would not disclose any information regarding the matter. It was like Lyra changed into a completely different mare since that day.
Bon-bon still had trouble adjusting to the new Lyra.
“So, Bon-bon?”
The tan Earth pony snapped out of her train of through. Rose and Junebug gave her a look.
“Huh?”
“So do you think about all of it?” Rose repeated.
“All of what?” Bon-bon lied.
“Were you listening?” Junebug added.
“I know nothing about it.”
“We know that's not true. You've talked to Princess Luna, she must have said something.” Rose clearly knew something was bothering Bon-bon, but was not intrude on personal matters. Junebug, on the other hoof, knew Bon-bon was holding something back.
“I'm surprised you two remembered to care about what happened that day,” Bon-bon finally answered.
Right then, the trio came to a stop at Rose's house. They wished the maroon-maned pony good night and the remaining two ponies continued down the same road the were previously trekking. Just before they came to a crossroad where they would go their separate ways, Junebug stopped.
“Are you hiding something from us?” she bluntly asked while staring unblinking at Bon-bon. The near complete stillness of the air added to the unease Bon-bon swam in, sending a brief chill crawling down her spine. Junebug narrowed her eyes at the light-brown Earth pony. “You've been acting weird lately.”
“Um...” she tried coming up with something convincing to stall Junebug, but failed. She thought of something better. “OH! Well look at the time. I'd better be going.”
Just like that, Bon-bon trotted away before Junebug could protest. She felt bad for doing that to her, but she couldn't let ponies get too suspicions of her behavior lately.
It didn't take long for Bon-bon to reach her house. Before she could run straight in and relax in the safety of her own home, the lights were still on on the second floor. Lyra must still be awake. For some reason, that worried Bon-bon even more. She knew Lyra hadn't been getting any sleep lately.
She would find Lyra a total mess in the morning with her head drooling on the desk. It was a adorable sight, but because it started to become a regular thing recently, it began to annoy her. Bon-bon used to pity her roommate often for her troubles, but after that event of running after humans and stuff, empathy had lost its meaning. Every day she'd put some effort into caring for Lyra, but it seemed she was losing her best friend bit by bit.
Bon-bon shook her head of her pondering and slowly made her way inside. The only source of light on the first floor was white moonlight shining through the windows. She carefully shut the door and walked silently up the stairs. With every step that brought her closer to the second floor, it started to feel like one of those horror stories where a mare tiptoes through a creepy house at night while being haunted by ghosts.
She stopped to realize how ridiculous that sounded. One, her house was not creepy, and two, there's so such thing as ghosts. She took a beep breath and continued on with less fear. She walked up to Lyra's bedroom door to find a rectangular ring of light seeping through the cracks.
Before she raised a hoof to knock on the door, she could hear something that distinctly sounded like music. She took a moment to listen a little closer. It was definitely some form of music, but none she had ever heard before.
“Lyra?”
She knocked three times.
“Are you in there?” she repeated and knocked harder.
After several seconds without a response, Bon-bon couldn't wait any longer. She pushed the door open and let herself in. She found a huge mess all over the room. It was riddled with papers and books, here and there, everywhere. Not a single corner of the room was spared. However, it was as expected, but the messes seemed to get worse every day.
Bon-bon spotted Lyra sitting down at her desk with a small lantern off to the side. It flickered a dim speck of yellow light onto the chaotic environment, just enough so she could see where she was going. Bon-bon waddled up to Lyra and tapped her on the shoulder.
“Are you feeling alright, Lyra?”
Bon-bon could barely hear slow breathing from the mare over the sound of the music like she was in a dreamless sleep. It was too late to walk away and let her rest when the mint-green unicorn began to roll her head on the desk. She then pulled out of her slumped position and let out a loud yawn.
“Hnnh?”
Lyra fought to keep her eyes opened, and looked down at the mass of parchments on her desk and continued to work, unaware of the pony behind her.
“Lyra?” Bon-bon mumbled.
“AH!” Lyra jumped at the voice, jolting an inch or two off her chair. She immediately snapped her head behind her to see who snuck up on her. “Don't do that, Bon-bon. You scared the magic out of me.”
“Sorry, I didn't mean to.” She paused and searched around. “Where is that music coming from?”
After asking, Lyra lazily lifted a hoof and touched a small metal box. The music suddenly stopped. She would ask later what the box was, but for now a pep talk.
“Have you been working all night? What is so important that you have to submit to this kind of torture.”
Lyra quietly yawned once more.
“It's just some stuff I've been researching, it's the last of it and then I'm done. I've only been at it for almost twelve months.”
“Only? You're getting too invested in something that isn't necessarily useful to your life. I still don't even know what you're up to.” As soon as Bon-bon finished that thought, she finally made the connection in her head. “Wait, twelve months? Almost?”
Lyra's heartbeat started to wake up after regretting her slip of the tongue. The expression on her face became fearful of the possible ways this conversation would go with Bon-bon the moment she realized why she's been working herself to death lately.
“Um... yes.”
“Since last February?”
“Mm hm,” Lyra hummed.
“Exactly how long since?”
Lyra looked away for a second. “One day short of a year,” she mumbled.
Bon-bon cocked her head a little while a smug smile was molded out of her lips.
“Don't tell me this has something to do with what happened on...” Bon-bon paused, creating a fill-in-the-blank scenario which both mares knew the answer to.
Lyra stared at Bon-bon half asleep, hoping the conversation wouldn't transform into an argument. She reluctantly sighed and nodded in confirmation.
“Come on, Lyra, you have to let that go.”
“I know, but I've been dreaming of what a human would actually look like, but they always come up weird looking and not what I picture it to be.”
“I hope you're not trying to do what you're trying to do.”
“No, I'm not,” Lyra said, firmly.
“That's good to hear. I thought you might have gotten too far this time.”
Bon-bon felt a wave of relief wash her fears. She wanted to leave the unicorn be, but since this was the perfect opportunity to talk to Lyra—because she hadn't in a while—she stayed a couple more minutes. A few questions remained unanswered.
“So what's the last of your research that you're working on here?” Bon-bon leaned in to see the paper on the desk.
Lyra immediately sat up and covered her papers with her forelegs.
“I just want to know if what you're doing is...you know...legal,” Bon-bon clarified.
Lyra naturally assumed Bon-bon wouldn't understand the complexity of unicorn spell books and her horrible hoofwritting, so she slowly retracted her forelegs and slumped back in her chair. This night would never end with these kind of distractions.
After watching the beige Earth pony struggle to understand a single phrase on the parchment in front of her that contained confusing spells and old incantations, Lyra leaned forward.
“Are you gonna let me work?” she snorted. “Or are you gonna stand there all night making sure I don't blow up Ponyville?”
“Okay, no need to get all fussy about it. I was just worried this was getting to your head, which it might already have.” Bon-bon furrowed a brow at the implications of Lyra's last question. “Wait, you're no gonna blow up Ponyville, are you?”
Lyra frowned. “Of course not! Don't be absurd. Why would you suggest such a thing?”
“But you said—“ Bon-bon grunted and facehoofed. “Come on, Lyra, you need to sleep.”
“No!” Lyra grumbled with a drooping face, still half asleep. “I'm fine. I just need to finish this spell. I'm so close!”
“Listen to yourself,” Bon-bon argued. “You're throwing away your life with this ridiculous work schedule that has you staying up all night doing Luna knows what.” She spun Lyra around in her chair and pulled her over her shoulders, dragging the exhausted unicorn to her bed. Lyra simply whined without resisting.
“But Bonnie-”
“No buts, young lady.” A hoof was raised up to the mint mare's lips. “You can do your work tomorrow.” Bon-bon glanced over to the analog clock that poked its face from Lyra's nightstand, reading ten minutes past midnight. “Or later today.” She caressed Lyra's messy mane and throwing the bedsheets over her body, tucking her in good and tight. “Now get some rest. I don't want you waking up at three in the morning to work.”
“Okay mom,” Lyra yawned and then smiled. She laid her head on the pillow and left reality for the dream world. Hopefully a visit from Luna would take her mind off magic for the night, unless she was in on it, too. Bon-bon shuddered at that last thought.
With such an adorable sight in front of her, Bon-bon stayed a few more minutes. In spite of Lyra's frequent late night study sessions, this worked out rather well. She wanted nothing more than for her anxious companion to go to bed and take it easy.
Although far from understanding Lyra's recent endeavor to investigate mysterious and dark magic assigned by Princess Luna, Bon-bon was convinced there was something she wasn't telling her. Lyra never worked this hard on anything before, even for the Princess. Why now? What is so important that she needs to drop sleep in exchange for late night research? Where did she get all these books and paperwork anyway?
Bon-bon set those questions aside for later, she could use some bedrest herself. It had been a long night and she needed to wake up early for a few housekeeping chores and then open her newly founded candy confectionery, Candy Castle. Working at Sugarcube Corner for the last few years has given her the confidence and experience to start her own business in Ponyville. The candy industry was thriving on the rising demand and popularity of anything with high doses of sugar.
That meant she needed to be prepared for a new day in making and selling candies to the good ponies in town, and in order to do that, she needed to look her brightest and act professional. Sleep deprivation was her mortal enemy.
Bon-bon kissed Lyra on the cheek, eliciting a small smile from the peaceful unicorn snuggling her pillow. She got up and walked over to Lyra's desk to douse the lantern. Before she did that, she took one last look at her friend's “secret” work. She searched for the one word that caught her eye the first time she skimmed over words on the pages.
Teleportation.
That sent a new series of oddly structured questions swirling in her mind. She wondered why that word resonated with more meaning than any other next to it. It made her forget about the chaotic mess that surrounded the desk and more on the strange placement of items strewn along the desk. The practice of personal teleportation by individual unicorns was hardly mysterious. Maybe it was to find out how unicorns used magic in general. Magic itself was a subject ponies knew little about, according to Lyra, and it would make sense to study it for the sake of knowledge.
Bon-bon realized that all she was reading was nonsense to her. When complex words and strong vocabulary littered the pages that only intellectuals would understand, she wasted no more time trying to decipher the passages and finally extinguished the flickering candle flame dancing inside the glass lantern. How can Lyra read with so little light? She'll damage her eyes or impair her vision.
“Okay, I really need to sleep,” Bon-bon told herself out loud, causing Lyra to stir in her bed. She covered her mouth with a hoof to keep herself from uttering another sound. Fortunately, the mint-green mare ceased all movements and fell silent again.
Bon-bon quietly breathed a sigh of relief. She carefully weaved around the mess on the floor in the dark, feeling for each step along the way. When she reached the door, she turned to glance at her roommate in bed, illuminated only by the light streaming from the window beside her.
“Goodnight, Lyra.”
She smiled and closed the door.
- - -
Not ten minutes later, Lyra slowly opened her eyes. She had hoped her fake sleeping noises would be sufficient enough to fool Bon-bon that she was asleep.
Quietly lifting the covers off her body, she slowly got out of bed and walked quietly to her desk. It was dark, but the reflection of moonlight on her window provided enough light for her to traverse the mess of her room.
On her desk were the papers she had laid out to fool Bon-bon yet again into thinking that she was working on something other than her work regarding humans. Thankfully, Bon-bon did not ask any further than that or she would have discovered the lies she kept hidden away.
Lyra opened the bottom drawer located by the left leg of the wooden desk and took out the short letter on the top. She read it over once more before both smiling and frowning simultaneously. She folded it twice across the middle and slipped it into a white envelope with only one thing written in the center; Bon-bon.
Putting the letter aside, she sifted through her other drawers to find a blue gem she borrowed (stole) from Princess Luna straight from the Lunar Artifacts room in Canterlot Castle on her last visit. She hoped Luna would understand and not hold the crime against her. I was the final piece she needed to stabilize her magic and provide enough power to begin her spell.
To conserve her magic, she picked up the gem with her hoof and walked to the center of her room, kicking away all the papers and books to reveal a white, 5-pointed star painted on the maple wood floor. A messy room was the perfect disguise.
Lyra placed the gem at the very center of the star and returned to her desk to search for the right parchment that would complete the spell. Once she had that, she put on her packed saddlebag of everything she needed and her lyre for good measure. She placed the parchment on the ground next to the sapphire.
Looking it over twice, Lyra closed her eyes tight and concentrated her magic on the gem. As her horn lit up, so did the gem. Within seconds, the gem began to vibrate, but only slightly. Lyra opened her eyes when the first phase of the spell was complete.
Now came the hard part.
With every ounce of energy Lyra had in her, the magic poured from her horn in massive pulses. It was an effort long overdue, having underestimated her own potential since she was a filly. It just took this long to put her raw power to the test.
Phase two of the spell took no more than a minute to preform, and when the final stage commenced, her eyes started to glow.
Lyra could feel every bone, every hair, every nerve in her body succumbing to an intense barrage of countermagic that shot back at her from the the dark blue gem that was spinning a few inches off the ground now. If she wanted the spell to succeed, she needed both a stabilizing agent and an amplifier to mirror her magic and loop the energy on herself, doubling the output of the spell. ThT was the purpose of the gem.
The sensation overtook the mint-green unicorn. With enough energy to light all of Ponyville for fifteen seconds, she nearly blacked out. Of course, this wasn't her first attempt. She learned to control the flow by the time she reached the point of no return, and in this case, everything was going more smoothly than she expected.
Everything was white, and she could barely hear the sound of the swirling vortex that had erupted in the room. Lyra had not been this far before.
This was it.
This was point of no return.
All of her work would pay off.
Months of planning and a year of research.
She'd finally get to experience her dreams.
She'd finally get to see another world.
She'd finally get to meet-
CRASH!
Lyra heard a loud noise coming from behind. The spell was at near full capacity, but that didn't limit her movement.
She spun her head towards the window to see what the loud sound was, but because her vision was impaired by white, she saw nothing but a blank void of light.
“LYRA STOP!” shouted a voice so loud that it shook the entire house.
That voice. She recognized that voice. Regal and pure. Elegant and ancient.
Lyra could not think straight, the spell draining her cognitive ability to form a single thought.
Right then, something hit her. Rather, something tackled her. Strangely enough, she felt the spell intensify rather than break down. The unicorn could feel pain ripping through her body as she and the perpetrator fell away into brief abyss before she and Princess Luna both disappeared through the portal Lyra had created to transport her to a world unknown.