//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Tour // Story: Secret Search // by computerneek //------------------------------// Yes!  She made it!  … And now she’s completely exhausted.  Unlike the new pony, she doesn’t have any of that earth pony vitality.  Fortunately, she’s still got a few seconds left, while the train grinds to a halt.  Hopefully, the new mare isn’t as much of a hooffull as somepony like, say, Pinkie Pie.  That would be a disaster waiting to happen, especially to an already-exhausted unicorn. Not that her magic agrees with that exhaustion.  She’s a very powerful unicorn- not as powerful as, say, Twilight, even before her ascension…  But there aren’t many ponies more powerful than she. Not that anypony knows. No; she’s made sure that nopony knows how powerful she really is.  They think she’s a rather typical, run-of-the-mill low-level unicorn- a perception that lets her run her alibi for months, complete with its ‘magic usage’...  without pausing to recharge.  As a matter of fact, the only reason she’d have to switch it off at all is because her horn would get tired and stop working on her; her body naturally produces magical power faster than her alibi spell can use it- even with its “maximum” power use! But the train has stopped now.  She quickly diverts her mind back to the present; just because her power reserves are full and her horn is rather well-rested doesn’t mean she needs to show any sign as to the depth of those same reserves. She watches the ponies trailing out of the train.  One, two, three. She’d been told to expect- Oh, that must be her!  … Maybe? She’s not sure. All she’d been told was ‘earth pony mare’- and there’s three of them getting off the train right now.  One with a briefcase, one with black sunglasses, and the third with a suitcase.  Wait- suitcase? Is that the one she’s supposed to be greeting?  Or… Her eyes flicker between the three. No, not the suitcase.  That mare had headed straight out of the station and begun navigating, already discussing something with a unicorn stallion that had gotten off with her.  That leaves the glasses and the briefcase… speaking of which, where’d the briefcase go…? A hoof waves in front of her face.  “Equestria to Unicornia,” the mare states.  “Anypony home?” She blinks.  “What? Uh…” She almost takes a step back, as she refocuses on the mare in front of her…  The one with the glasses. “Maybe?” The mare tilts her head down, drawing the glasses down with one hoof to peer over them with deep blue eyes.  “You waiting for somepony?” she asks. “Uh, yes, theoretically.  They didn’t tell me much.” “Ah.”  Her glasses return to their place.  “Do you happen to know where I might find one Lyra Heartstrings?” “She’s- huh?  Wait, are you…?” Sigh, which nearly became a facehoof.  “She’s supposed to be showing me around town- unless she’s late, in which case I suppose you’ll do.” “Um…  So, you are…  And, um, I kinda am Lyra Heartstrings.” “Called it.  Whelp, the name’s Bonbon.”  She offers a hoof for the shaking.  “How much did they tell you?” “Lyra Heartstrings, nice to meet you.”  She takes the hoof briefly. “And, uh, ‘earth pony mare’.” She raises an eyebrow.  “Earth pony mare? That’s all they said?” “Yep.  Didn’t exactly help when I saw three.” The two look at each other, and let out a sigh in tandem. “So, uh, how about we start with the road outside the station?” Lyra asks. “Is it just me or is there something missing?” Bonbon eventually asks. Lyra glances over at her.  “You’re noticing it too?” She shakes her head.  “Nah, you look like somepony missed an appointment.” “Ahh…  Well, I haven’t seen Pinkie Pie yet today.  With a new pony in town, that’s unheardof.”  She glances up and down the street again.  Bonbon had opted to go on a walk through the residential sectors first- presumably to get more of a feel for who I am.  They’ve now toured through the business sector- for some reason, Bonbon wants to reach the market last- and just hit Main Street, on approach to the market at last.  “By the way, expect her to throw you a surprise welcome party.” “Oh?  Where might that be?” “It changes, from pony to pony.  She never throws them inside private homes, but anything else- and I do mean anything- is fair game.” “Oh boy.  So, where’s best for such a party?” “Most of the planned parties happen in Sugarcube Corner; it’s where she lives and works, aside from being quite the bakery.”  She points a hoof. “Sugarcube Corner?  I’ve heard of it- they’re famous for…”  She trails off, staring at the building for a second.  “For their cakes… Is it just me, or is it made of gingerbread?” Lyra laughs.  “No, it’s not just you, and it’s not made of gingerbread- it’s only made to look like it is.  With Pinkie in the kitchen, I daresay I’m not surprised by that kind of reputation.” “Ahh…  How about we go there next?” “Sounds like a good plan- she’ll probably have the party waiting there if we do.” Bonbon looks at her.  “What?” Shrug.  “Beats me.  Pinkie’s got this ‘Pinkie Sense’...  and something about it tells her where to throw the party.  Any new ponies that head for Sugarcube Corner during their first day or so in town generally encounter their welcome party inside.”  She smirks suddenly. “Much better than what happened the first time she tried throwing a welcome party for somepony that was only in town for a business visit to the Carousel Boutique.” “Oh?  What happened?” “Let’s just say that cakes and sewing machines do not mix…  for most ponies.”  She shudders. “Ahh…   okay, I think I get it.” At this, Lyra just laughs. It’s somewhere near this point in time when they reach Sugarcube Corner, and Lyra opens the door dramatically…  to find a fairly empty bakery. While Bonbon casts her gaze across the room, Lyra scowls at the counter, trotting over.  The earth pony follows, though unsure of where the general uneasiness penetrating the room is coming from. Lyra trots right up to the counter.  “Pinkie pie!” The earth pony on the other side looks up from where she’d been staring at her front hooves.  “Lyra.” She doesn’t even acknowledge Bonbon’s presence before she returns to her studying. “You know, not exploding in everypony’s face is not the same as not throwing them a party,” Lyra states. The ruler-straight tail lying on the floor twitches slightly.  “She didn’t want me to- Mmmph!” Lyra, having taken advantage of her horn to interrupt Pinkie’s oration, lets out an onerous sigh as she releases the spell.  “She didn’t want you to frighten ponies as soon as they arrived,” she states.  “In short, she wants you to do more like what you did for Twilight than, say, Cranky.” She tilts her head.  “Oh…?” “Besides, I actually missed your interruption earlier.”  She turns to Bonbon. “Right?” Bonbon nods.  “No arrival is complete without a proper welcoming, yes.” Whoosh! “Yes, she’s fast when she wants to be.” Close to half an hour later, the two mares finish exploring the market, and come upon the final building, by Bonbon’s request:  The old candy shop, which had been closed when the owner moved out six months back. This request confuses the unicorn- at least, until the earth pony pulls out a key and unlocks the front door. “Ooh, this place needs some redecorating,” Bonbon comments, as she trots inside.  She glances back at Lyra, still standing in the door. “Yes, I bought it. Figured I might as well do what I enjoy.”  She checks the backroom. “Ahh,” Lyra finally utters, stepping inside and allowing the door to swing back shut again, complete with the ‘Closed’ sign.  “You like selling candy?” She almost laughs.  “Nah- more, I like making candy.  You?” “I’ve…  never tried, to be honest.” “Not surprising.  Candy doesn’t have much in common with a lyre, after all.” She glances briefly back to her flank.  “It might be easier, though.” “Easier, maybe.  But you also probably don’t live in a store.” “Huh?  Wait, you’ll be staying here?” “Yep.  With how much it’s gonna cost to outfit this place for an earth pony to use, and for the initial stock, I’m not gonna have much left over for housing.”  She looks back towards the backroom she’d abandoned. “I should be able to make do with a sleeping bag.” “A sleeping bag?  But…”  She lets out a sigh.  “But I’ve got three empty bedrooms…” “Lucky you.” She raises an eyebrow.  “Four bedrooms, one pony.” She shrugs.  “You pick which room you want to sleep in each night or something?” She facehooves.  “No! No, I sleep in the same bed every night.  I’m inviting you to fill one of those bedrooms.” Her turn to raise an eyebrow.  “Oh?” She glances at the backroom door again.  “What’s the terms?” “Terms?  Um, don’t overheat the water heater, don’t stab me in the middle of the night?” She lets out a chuckle.  “Realistically?” “As a friend?”  She offers her hoof. She tilts her head to the sides, as if weighing her options.  “Sounds good to me… how far away is it?” “It’s about a ten minute walk from here.” “As friends, then.”  She shakes the hoof. “I don’t suppose this is an earth pony kitchen, is it?”  Bonbon asks, peering at the oven. “Ah, no, I’ve got unicorn appliances…  Though, if you promise not to tell…” She raises an eyebrow.  “How serious?” “Pinkie Promise?” “Ahh…  so, Pinkie Promising an NDA, right?” “NDA?” “Non-disclosure agreement…  it’s the official way to require a secret be kept.” “I’d rather not go official…” “We don’t have to.  So, unless I feel it represents a clear and present threat to the safety of Equestria, I promise I will keep your secrets, whatever they be.  Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” “Uh…  Unless you feel…?” “I’ve talked to too many lawyers to not use that particular caveat.  I’ve heard stories of ponies who didn’t use it…  and the secret revealed could have spelt doom to the entirety of Equestria.  I’d rather not risk putting myself in that situation.” Lyra laughs.  “Ah, no, it’s a kitchen.  If there is something that dangerous in there, I’mma want to get rid of it anyways.” She glances around the kitchen.  “So…” “Um, no.  It’s my other kitchen, in my basement.  It should be earth pony friendly.”