Moondancer
Lyra gave a yawn as she and Bon Bon laid on the couch and I flicked through the TV channels.
“Thanks for letting us stay here,” Bon Bon propped herself up with a hoof. “Any plans for tomorrow?”
I gave a shrug as I settled on a comedy movie, wrapping my tail around myself and tucking my forelegs under me as I curled up in a ball in my chair.
“Work. I have to get this paper mailed to Manehatten so I can get paid,” I answered as Lyra focused intently on the tv.
“What’s there to do in Canterlot?” Bon Bon asked and I paused as Lyra laughed.
“Well there’s art gallery’s but that’s more Twinkleshines speed. A museum, a few arcades, an amusement park on the west side of the city but it’s kinda small and boring,” I answered and she nodded.
“I’m sure we can find something to do,” Lyra commented casually as she wrapped a foreleg around Bon Bon and pulled her closer to her. “So how’s Cotton? Heard she had a puking incident at Bons stand.”
I glanced up at the ceiling and strained to listen to her snoring.
“She’s doing okay. She just had too much candy is what I think it is. Gave her some soup and medicine and a shower then sent her to bed. She seemed better after that.”
“That’s good. You’re a good cook Moondancer,” Bon Bon said as I blushed and smiled.
“I’ve been practicing with Lemon Hearts and Minuette. It’s been fifty percent a failure and fifty percent a success but it’s been fun.”
“Well, we might be here for a few days so we can work on something together!” Bon Bon suggested eagerly with a wide smile.
“I suppose we could. As long as Lyra isn’t cooking with us. She’d burn my house down!” I laughed as Lyra shot me a dirty look.
“You’re right I would,” Lyra admitted with a sigh. “I can burn water and that’s at least an achievement that neither of you have!”
I paused and looked at Bon Bon as we both rubbed our chins with a hoof.
“You know, she’s got a point there,” Bon Bon admitted after a moment of silence. “Certainly an achievement I don’t think anypony except her and Vinyl have gotten down pat.”
I snickered as Lyra gave a yawn.
“I’m going to bed I think,” Lyra muttered as she flopped back down and started snoring instantly.
“I can never figure out how she does that,” I mumbled as Bon Bon nodded.
“Me neither and I’m dating her for Celestia’s sake!”
I laughed quietly as Bon Bon pulled the blankets over her and Lyra, fluffing her pillow as she let out a yawn of her own.
“Thanks for letting us stay here. I know the others offered as well but Lyra wants to spend time with you because she rarely sees you. This is the most she’s seen you in years she said.”
“It’s no problem. It’s nice to see you two,” I admitted sheepishly.
“Friends?” Bon Bon suggested hopefully as she covered a yawn with a hoof.
“Friends.”
I left the two hugging on the couch bed as I trotted up the stairs to my room, pushing the door open with my magic and divebombing my bed as I slammed the door shut with my magic and pulled the blanket over me with my hooves.
I yawned as I levitated a book in front of me and started reading where I had left off the last time I had read. I had to hide my secret collection of mature books from Cotton so she wouldn’t read something she was way too young to understand.
I bit my lip slightly as my hoof subconsciously slipped between my legs and I groaned quietly.
I continued reading as my hoof worked faster as somepony screamed and I flung the book across the room and jumped out of bed, wiping my hoof off on my bed.
I galloped to the door and flung it open with a hoof, stepping into the hallway. A sleepy looking Lyra and a worried Bon Bon were galloping up the stairs.
“Was that one of you?” I asked nervously as they both shook their heads. The three of us slowly looked at Cottons blue door and a look of realization crossed our faces as we all three pushed the door open and galloped inside.
Mine and Lyra’s horn both glowed as Bon Bon crouched slightly in an attack position as we examined the room.
Cotton sat up in bed as she rubbed her eyes and I examined her closer and I raised an eyebrow. I’d never seen her cry but it was pretty evident she had been no matter how hard she tried to cover it up.
“Are you hurt?”
“Is there somepony hiding in here?”
“Are the waffles attacking?”
Bon Bon and I blinked at Lyra who gave a sheepish smile.
“I was having a good dream about breakfast, sue me.”
I quickly shook my head. That mare worried me somedays.
“I got this. You two go back to sleep,” I said as Bon Bon nodded, dragging an exhausted Lyra behind her. I watched her shut the door as I climbed on the bed. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Cotton grumbled as she flopped back down and turned her back to me. I sighed and rolled her over with my magic. “Hey!”
“Answer the question.”
“Eugh fine. Nightmare about changelings. Now are you happy?” Cotton growled with narrowed eyes as I nodded.
“It’s okay to be scared. Lyra still has nightmares about them she said. So does Minnie and Twinkie. They all three were under the Queens mind control and forced to attack Twilight and Princess Cadence.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I wasn’t friends with them back then but it sucked to know, especially with how close we are now.”
“But they said you’ve known them for years,” Cotton pointed out with a frown.
“We had some complications with a party I threw and I just slowly drifted away till they knocked on my door one day with Twilight and tried to be my friends again. If I remember correctly, Minuette, Spike and Twilight watched me for three days. When they couldn’t, Lemon Hearts and Twinkleshine did. I only reconnected with Lyra when I received a letter from her a few months ago.”
I had the letter framed in my room, primarily because it was sentimental to me. Lyra usually expresses herself in a way that’s unique to her which just makes it all the more meaningful. Mainly just her apologizing for her being late to my party and losing contact with me.
“I don’t really have many friends. Sunny Daze is nice I suppose.”
I nodded as I wiped some of her tears with a hoof and she grumbled incoherent speech.
“Are you okay now?” I asked as she nodded. I faintly made out a pair of mint green legs and cream colored legs outside the door through the crack under the door but whatever.
“Yeah I am. You can go back to your room and sleep,” Cotton admitted. “Sorry for the uhm yelling?”
“No. And it’s fine.”
“No?”
I shook my head as I levitated a blanket over us and wrapping my forelegs around the filly, pulling her closer to my chest.
“I’m staying here just in case. And you’re pretty cold so I’ll just sleep here tonight.”
“Ugh why are you this way and so annoyingly selfless?” Cotton scoffed as she curled into a ball and pushed back against me. I paused as she relaxed slightly.
“Because,” I answered and paused as I searched for the right words. “Because I love you. It’s my job to protect you and take care of you. And this falls under that responsibility.”
Cotton gazed at me as she yawned and I smiled faintly.
“I-” Cotton yawned and covered her mouth with a hoof. “Love you too.”
I turned red as I kissed her forehead as she yawned again and pressed her head against my chest.
“Goodnight Cotton.”
“Goodnight Moondancer.”
I closed my eyes as we both fell asleep with her in my forelegs.