//------------------------------// // Tugging at Her Heartstrings 2 - Chapter 6 // Story: Tugging at Her Heartstrings // by neutralmilk //------------------------------// Tugging at Her Heartstrings 2 - Chapter 6 -neutralmilk “Bon-Bon, you’re not going to believe it!” Your voice is brimming with delight as you step through the front door of your apartment. You casually attempt to toss your keys onto the end table in the living room, but they miss horribly and fall on the couch. Eh, you’ll get them later. You walk into the kitchenette and go for a glass of water, your throat and lips parched from your fit in the street and your excited dash back home. “Bon-Bon?” you call, waiting for a response before turning on the sink. Nothing. You pour your glass and down it, your throat slightly sore from the sensation. You’re surprised you haven’t seen or heard bon-Bon yet – especially since she was the one who set you out on town for this mission. Scanning the apartment, you find her keys and favorite saddle sitting by the front door in their usual spot. Huh… so she’s not out, I guess… you think to yourself. The clock ticking above the kitchen table is the only sound you hear in the apartment. You walk towards the hallway to check her room but stop when you notice a slight mist pouring out from the cracks around the bathroom door. It is only then you become aware of the slight sound of the shower running. “Bon-Bon?” you ask aloud, feeling slightly awkward to be speaking to a door and not the pony in question. A minute passes – no response. Well… This is awkward… Unsure of how to proceed, you raise your fist and gently knock it on the bathroom door. Silence. You lean towards the door and hear what sounds like a muffled voice amongst the pitter patter of the water. It only takes you a second to realize that Bon-Bon was singing in the shower. Horribly out of tune, at that. A sheepish grin crosses your face as you contemplate standing out there, hidden from her existence, and listening to whatever may come. Several off-key notes from some made-up Bon-Bon ditty later, you change your mind. How can she live with Lyra for all this time and not even carry a tune?! “Bon-Bon?” you try her name again, this time a bit louder. Her response is more oblivious singing. Your hand instinctively clenches into a fist and you bring it to the door, rapping on it a few times to get her attention. “SWEET CELESTIA!” her voice shrieks from behind the door followed by what sounds like somepony slipping in the tub. Clearly, you knock on the door harder than you intended. “Uhm, sorry!” you call out, making an apologetic face to the empty hallway. If only she could see it, maybe she’d forgive you… “I tried calling your name but, you know, no response!” “Oh, it’s you.” Her voice did not sound pleased to hear from you. “You scared the crap out me!” Her voice is loud from the shower, even then barely rising past the sound of the water. “Give me a few minutes. Bathroom means privacy.” You’re still excited about how the plan has turned out so far. You have no intention of waiting however long for Bon-Bon to finish showering, get dried, do up her mane, etc. etc. etc. “But Bon-Bonnnnn…” you draw out her name as long as your voice can last. The last bit of air in your lungs pushes itself out forcing you to take a slightly gasping breath and prepare for more whining if she doesn’t respond in an appropriate manner. You can barely make out her sighing from over the ambient noise. “Oh, great. I’m a captive audience. Ok, tell me the what happened. Don’t spare the details, alright?” You crouch by the bathroom door and attempt to get comfortable. You can’t help but be momentarily transfixed by the steam coming from underneath the door. Finally, you relay your tale. “And you’re sure she understood the plan?” You can still hear the shower in the background as Bon-Bon finally speaks up. Then, lower, you barely make out “I never would of thought of Roseluck… Of all ponies…” “And what’s that supposed to mean?” you shout, mockingly offended, before slamming your hand on the bathroom door. “Whoa, whoa, hey – it’s just, you know, it’s gotta be strange to be into a different species – even pretend.” The sound of the shower stopped suddenly. You could hear Bon-Bon step onto the floor, the sound echoing slightly in the small bathroom. “So,” she starts after a pause, “I’m gonna repeat myself: she understood the plan?” She repeated it slowly and deliberately. Your reply was quick – matter-of-fact. “Yeah, she got it right off the bat.” “She… didn’t have any questions? Any concerns? Nothing but a ‘Yeah totally’?” Bon-Bon’s voice was betraying her surprise – and what sounded like concern. You do your best to recall the conversation with Roseluck in its entirety, but the memory is clouded from the adrenaline pumping through your veins earlier. “I mean, she didn’t even let me finish. She just kinda sorta… understood everything?” Silence. The steam slowly stops pouring from beneath the door and the sounds of Bon-Bon moving around the bathroom stop entirely. Suddenly, the door blows open, revealing a drenched Bon-Bon standing before you, her wet mane plastered to her face. She stares down at you, inches away. It is only then you realize that she’s buck naked. “Oh, my Lord, where is your towel?!” you scream, shielding your eyes. “Keep it PG-13!” Bon-Bon smacks the top of your head with a hoof and makes her way to her room, trailing wet marks on the floor behind her. “Do you have to do that every time we take a shower? We’re always ‘naked,’ moron!” With that, she disappears behind her door, leaving you sitting in the hallway once more. To be fair, she did have point. “Anyway,” her voice continues, “That whole situation sounds, well, sketchy to say the least. No questions or anything?” “Yeah, like I said: she just got it.” The sound of drawers opening and closing breaks up your conversation momentarily. “Where the hay did I put that brush…” Bon-Bon’s voice mumbles barely audibly. “Did Lyra borrow it again… Oh. There it is.” Your legs are starting to cramp from sitting in the hallway for so long, so you slowly rise, cracking your back a bit as you do so. “Anyway,” the mare’s voice starts up again – clearly directed at you once more. “If you’re so certain that she gets the plan and you didn’t screw it up, then it’s time to act.” The bedroom door opened to reveal Bon-Bon fully made up as normal, her blue-and-pink mane back to its trademark poofed manner – albeit damp. She eyes you as you continue to stretch. “So, what’s the plan?” Your eyes widen in confusion as a frown slowly crosses your face. “What do you mean?” The cream-coloured mare rolls here eyes and brushes by you towards the living room. “Are you joking? Your plan! You know, your date?” She turns to stare at you, waiting for your response, but your mind is blank. “So let me get this straight.” She starts, clearly frustrated. “You went through all that trouble and you haven’t even come up with, you know, a fake date yet? How are you gonna make Lyra jealous if you don’t go somewhere and do something?!” You open your mouth to counter, but she made perfect sense. It’s true, you needed a second-step to make Bon-Bon’s plan truly come to fruition. Furthermore, a secret fake relationship would kind of defeat the whole purpose. You needed to draw Lyra into the open and win her back – not sneak around like: well, like she’d been doing to me. That last thought makes your stomach drop. You suddenly find yourself deflated, your energy and confidence from earlier long gone. You hardly remember where it had come from in the first place. “You know,” your voice is timid, perhaps more than you cared to admit “You’re right.” Your eyes stared at the floor and refused to leave their spot. “But, I’m calling it before it gets out of hand. Don’t you think that maybe this plan is a bit, well, much?” Bon-Bon’s eyes refused to leave you, waiting for you to continue. Her face was blank, showing neither surprise nor disappointment with your sudden change of heart. Sighing, you start again. “I mean, look at me. Running around and lying to win back Lyra dishonestly. I… don’t even understand what I’m doing. I’m scared this won’t work. I’m terrified this will backfire. I’m flat-out petrified to follow through. I love Lyra and want her back. But…” your voice trails off as tears begin to well in your eyes. “Maybe I can’t do this. Maybe I’m not supposed to, you know? I… don’t know.” Bon-Bon nods and runs her hoof through her mane. “Listen, I get it.” Her voice is low, soothing – entirely unlike her usual sarcastic persona. “I’m not a huge fan of this either. This isn’t some stupid sitcom we’re talking about. This is your life. She’s your marefriend – and I know how much she means to you. She’s my best friend and means the world to me too.” Her icy blue eyes are locked on yours. “You love her. And while I support her whole-heartedly, even I have to admit what she’s doing to you is dead wrong. If she doesn’t want to be with you that’s one thing. But to be so… so… deceitful about it. I won’t stand for it. You need to try. If this plan isn’t going to work, then what other ideas do you have?” She waits for your response. The apartment is dead silent as you desperately attempt to fight back the tears. You refuse to meet the mare’s eyes and stare at anywhere and everywhere in the hallway all at once. Your face is on fire. Finally, Bon-Bon breaks the stillness. “Then let me help. How about you take Roseluck to see a concert?” You clear your throat. “What do you mean?” She arches an eyebrow. “I mean a concert. You know, with bands and music and instruments and-” “Ok, smartass, I know what a concert is. But, like, tell me about it.” “I heard word recently that Equestria’s only 100% Angus Beef rock band, Eversteer, is going to be playing at the Sugar Shack. I got a friend named Ticketmaster who works the door. He still totally owes me and can get you two in for nothing.” You nod, appreciating the idea. “I mean that’s cool and all, but how exactly does that help with Lyra?” A smug smile crosses your roommate’s face. “You’ve dated Lyra for how long and not noticed the name of one of her favorite bands? Dude, I’m gonna tell her about the show when she gets home! There’s no way she’d miss a show – especially when it’s on me! And when she gets there, she’ll see you having a good time with Roseluck. Then BAM!” she stomped on the floor to emphasize her point. “She’ll grab you and never let you go again.” “Whoa.” The simplicity of the plan caught you off guard. It was so easy it couldn’t possibly fail. Unless, of course, it did. But that contingency didn’t even cross your mind. “So, when’s the concert? How long do I have to prepare for this?” She looked at the clock on the wall. “Let’s see…” her voice trailed off. “I’d say about three hours. The show’s tonight.”