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// -69- Dear Brother... 
// Story: The Anthropologist 
// by Weavers of Dreams 
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Apparently Mercury Melody adored bubble baths. The moment she had stepped into the room, she let out a shriek of glee and dove in. This led to a playful bubble fight with the foals, then they sculpted each other funny hats and beards. They had almost sculpted a full pirate crew before the maids insisted on readying the foals for bed.

"Aw, we'll play some more tomorrow," Mercury pouted as the two mares began rubbing shampoos into the foals' manes. She then turned her attention to her daughter, who had Bon Bon doing something similar to her mane. "Mind if I join you girls? It seems my maids have revolted."

"It is what you pay us for, mistress," Marmalade Spread responded as she made sure not to get any shampoo in the colt's eyes. "You may be nocturnal, but these foals can hardly claim as much."

"They're right," the thestral sighed with a shrug as she turned her attention to her daughter's tails, applying some scented conditioner. "Good mares, really. Take their job description seriously and are paid well as a result."

Bon Bon watched as her daughter, much to the delight of the maid, helped rub the suds into her curls. Henry, however, just seemed a little confused and nervous at this sort of treatment. Odd, but she supposed it was a human thing. After all, bathing was a social thing to ponies, and she had helped him bathe during his earlier days in their household. Until he learned to do it himself, then he insisted on bathing alone. She had just accepted it. But, now, he was a member of the herd. There were bound to be a few more changes he would have to adjust to.

"How did you raise Lyra if you're nocturnal?" she found herself asking after turning back to the task at hoof. It was Lyra's big night, so she was getting a lot of attention to detail.

"Lots of love, will power, determination, and enough coffee to sink a battleship," the mare responded with a giggle. Then she got a faraway look in her eyes. "She and her brother were such delights when they ran throughout the manor, playing games and hunting bogeys. Speaking of which..."

"Already have somepony on it, mistress," Syrup Sweet spoke up from washing the shampoo from the filly's mane. "We'll have none of those slimy ruffians in this house."

The satisfied the thestral.

"Her brother?" Bon Bon asked, thinking back. "Oh, yes. I remember reading about the... incident during the background check." She noted Lyra's slightly deflated expression. "Would you care to tell me about him?"

Lyra sniffed and nodded. "He and I crossed over together. We appeared right in the middle of the street, here in Canterlot. You can imagine the panic."

Mercury sighed, shaking her head, but had a hint of smile. "Somehow, Peter, her brother, managed to recognize her in her new form and beat off the law enforcement who were just trying to reassure them they were safe. Using the wheel of a carriage that had come off when the driver swerved really sharp to avoid them."

Bon Bon tilted her head to the side. "Recognized her? But, I thought that the aligned were erased from their world."

"We are," Lyra said reaching up and wiping away some shampoo that threatened to fall on her face when Bon Bon stopped to talk. "However, my brother traveled with me through the portal, so he wasn't on earth when my fact was torn away."

Her mother sighed wearily. She loved the girl, really she did. But, she really could be hard to communicate with at times. Bon Bon looked like her brain was about to snap in half.

"What?" the earth pony asked timidly, fearful of hearing another explanation, but too curious to help herself.

"My fact," Lyra said carefully. "Like, I'm here, that's a fact. You memories and experiences with me, that's another aspect of my fact. It's the impression I leave on space and time. It's the part of me that got dragged along for the ride, leaving time to heal over itself and write me out of the picture, permanently."

"That's... better?" Bon Bon responded after a moment. "So, he didn't forget you because...?"

"Eye of the storm, Bonny," Lyra answered with a sigh. "Though he wasn't completely unaffected. The reason he recognized me was because his memories about me changed. partially anyone. And there were things he forgot. Didn't get away totally unscathed."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Having a brother with his brain partially fried was better than having no brother at all." Lyra managed a chuckle at that. "He was always there for me while he was alive."

Mercury gave her daughter a tight squeeze and kissed her cheek. "He would be so proud of you, Lyra."

Bon Bon joined in on the hug. "Just like we all are."

Some time later, the foals had been properly cleaned up and prepared for bedtime. Mercury and Bon Bon as well had cleaned up nicely, and the massages the maids gave them afterwards had almost made the earth pony pass out. Lyra on the other hoof, was a nervous wreck, so much so that it took both maids and Bon Bon's earth pony strength the massage the tension from her muscles. It took a while, but, Lyra was finally ready. Mostly, that is.

"Now, as I promised," Mercury began, bouncing her brow and leaning in close to her daughter's ear after making sure the foals were out of earshot, "I am going to give you some advice that will make your first experience so much more amazing."

Lyra gulped. She was almost positive that, by the end, she'd need another massage before joining Noteworthy tonight.