"Sweetie Drops, former S.M.I.L.E.," said the mare, walking into the room.
Twilight quietly, slowly looked up from the map laid before her on the table. She recognised her visitor, if a little vaguely, and definitely recognised the name she'd brought up.
"I want to help with whatever is happening here," Bon Bon continued.
Twilight briefly pondered her options. More help was certainly needed, and doubtlessly welcome, and the pony was probably qualified enough to help enough to make up for the added problems her presence may cause. "Sure," she said, nodding. Then she frowned, as she noticed the other pony following behind Bon Bon. "What about-"
"I can help too," Lyra cut in before Twilight could finish asking.
"But wh-"
"A battle, huh?" Lyra's smile, Twilight could swear, had smugness dripping off of it enough to rival Trixie on a good day.
The alicorn turned to Bon Bon, who just offered a confused but accepting shrug. "She hasn't told me, but yeah, definitely something up with her." She turned to Lyra. "I'm fine with having her with me."
Twilight softly shook her head, and looked down at her map again. "Alright then. A better pony would send you away, but now isn't a time I can afford to be that pony. Both of you can help, if you'll still want."
Lyra gave a somewhat cheerful but still moderate hop, while Bon Bon respectfully bowed her head. "What are we dealing with, then?"
"An attack," Twilight said bluntly. "Soldiers potentially in the thousands, certainly in the hundreds, and worse things along with them."
"From where?" asked Bon Bon, confused. "Equestria doesn't have enemies in any of her neighbouring countries. Another invasion like the Storm King's?"
Twilight shook her head. Without looking up, she continued, "You're putting your lives on the line if you stay here, and if you were with S.M.I.L.E. I can trust you with information. It's not coming from anywhere in this world."
"The portal to Earth was shattered," Bon Bon commented. "But that would still be unlikely. Another universe, then?"
Twilight stopped what she was doing briefly, and her lips curled into a tiny smirk just for a moment. "That's a good enough explanation." Finally she looked up. "Remember the night Nightmare Moon came back?"
"Of course," said Bon Bon.
"Like it was yesterday," Lyra agreed.
"Take all the dread you felt when you saw her up there instead of Celestia, multiply it by a hundred, and make it physical," said Twilight. "That's what's going to hit you just by being here when the time comes. We have spells to make it less bad, but some of the things you'll see might still be quite bad on that front."
"I can live with it," said Bon Bon, though her gaze turned worriedly to Lyra.
Twilight studied them both. "This isn't the kind of battle I want regular ponies to be fighting. It won't be against regular ponies, for one. But if I can count on your help, I can find a use for the two of you in helping us prepare and deal with the situation when the time comes. Are you sure you want to stay?"
"It's part of my duty to help the Crown," said Bon Bon, bowing again.
Lyra looked at Twilight for a moment. "Can I see them?"
Twilight almost smirked again. "I guess some explanations are needed then," she said, standing up.