It was a rare moment that Bon Bon didn’t want to get out of bed. But today, she didn’t have a reason to. The cafe was closed, so work wasn’t an option. And while she had planned to do some exploring of the town, her body didn’t seem to agree.
She yawned, pulling the blanket up to her chin and rolling to her side. Bon Bon rubbed her face into her pillow and sighed, savoring the warmth trapped beneath the blankets. Ponyville could wait: she was far too comfortable to get out of bed at the moment.
Her bliss was shattered by a knock at the door.
She froze mid-yawn and grumbled to herself, her smile slowly sliding off of her face. When the knocking persisted, Bon Bon threw off her blankets and trudged over to the door, rubbing sleep from her eyes and shaking her mane loose. “Coming!”
Bon Bon approached the door, half-expecting to find Pinkie Pie awaiting her. But when she peered through the peephole, she was surprised to see a shock of minty green instead of pink. Hurriedly, she unlocked the door and pulled it open.
“Oh, thank Celestia, I found you!” the unicorn panted. “I went by the cafe today, but I realized it was closed, so then I had to go find Pinkie and ask where you lived!”
Bon Bon raised an eyebrow, her sleepy mind still struggling to process everything she had just said. “Wha… Oh. Sure?”
She stood in the doorway for a few more seconds before Lyra cleared her throat. “So… can I come in?”
“Oh, yeah. Sure.” Bon Bon took a few steps backwards and let Lyra in.
“Thanks! Thought you were gonna just leave me hanging,” she chirped, undoing her scarf with her magic and taking off her hat. She glanced around the room before raising an eyebrow. “You don’t have a coat hanger?”
“Never needed one,” Bon Bon replied. “Plus I wasn’t really expecting a guest.”
“Yeah? Tell me about it, barely looks like you live here,” Lyra replied, tossing her clothing items onto the coffee table and flopping down on Bon Bon’s sofa.
Bon Bon kicked the door shut, unsure of what to make of this strange mare who had just showed up on her doorstep and claimed ownership of her couch. “So, uh… how was the party?”
Lyra perked up at that. “Oh, really fun, actually! That Pinkie Pie really knows how to throw a party!”
“I guess she does. Well, that’s what everypony else says, anyways. I’ve never been to one,” Bon Bon replied as she eased into the armchair next to Lyra.
Lyra raised an eyebrow. “I thought Pinkie threw a party for everyone when they show up?”
Bon Bon shrugged. “Yeah, but… I dunno, I’m not really the partying type.”
“Yeesh. So you’ve been avoiding her for what, two weeks now?” Lyra shuddered. “That’s gotta be a challenge.”
Bon Bon chuckled, shaking her head. “You have no idea. So, what brings you by?”
Lyra’s gaze dropped to the carpet. “Well… I was actually heading out today.”
“Oh.” Bon Bon hoped her voice didn’t crack and came across as even. “That was fast.”
“Yeah,” Lyra replied, rubbing a foreleg. “This was just a layover stop. I was really heading for Dodge Junction. There’s this music festival there… ah, you wouldn’t care.”
“No no,” Bon Bon hastily cut in. “It sounds… interesting. What happens there?”
Lyra blinked. “Oh, well it’s this gathering of musicians from all over Equestria. They call it Burning Mare. It’s… not like a typical festival. There’s all sorts of genres that come together and play their hearts out for a week. Some of my heroes go there every year, and it’s so inspiring to hear them play, too!”
Bon Bon couldn’t help but smile when Lyra’s voice took on a melodious tone, as she bounced up and down excitedly, waving her hooves around while she spoke. In her eyes she could see an energetic spark that seemed to dash around the room.
And she felt a smile forming on her face.
“It’s so amazing there,” gushed Lyra. “And… and every year I go because maybe one day…” The spark in her eyes shimmered as the unicorn faltered. “Maybe one day someone will notice me,” she muttered, slumping back against the sofa.
Bon Bon blinked, caught off guard by the mood swing. “Is… is something wrong?”
Lyra coughed awkwardly into her hoof. “I… no, it’s just some stupid thing. I’ve been going for so long, you know? Kinda hoping that someone there could acknowledge that I exist. Or something… I mean, is it really so much to ask?”
An uneasy silence fell upon the apartment. Bon Bon shifted nervously, clearing her throat before speaking. “I’m… I’m sorry to hear that, Lyra. I really am. Wish I could help you.”
“Oh, you already have,” Lyra insisted, the spark returning to her eyes. “Trust me! And I came by to say thanks for yesterday. It… it meant a lot to me to have someone to hang out with, even if it was only one night.”
Bon Bon smiled. “For sure, it wasn’t a problem.”
Lyra nodded and glanced at the clock. “Oh, I should probably get going. My train’s leaving soon.”
They stood up almost simultaneously. “I could, uh, walk you to the station?” Bon Bon offered.
“That… that’d be wonderful,” Lyra said with a warm smile.