In the land of Equestria, harmony was not just a way of life; it was the very essence that kept the magical realm flourishing. From the towering spires of Canterlot to the humble villages at the very borderlands, ponies thrived in a symphony of peace and unity.
However, from the shadows, Opaline sought to undermine the very essence of the quindom. As a fire alicorn, she didn’t command just physical fires, but could ignite the fires of desire within mares’ hearts. Like a plague, she let her magic flare up the very flames of love into wildfires of desire.
A peculiar phenomenon began to unravel Equestrian tranquility—a surge of yuri relationships that disrupted the natural balance of harmony. It wasn’t the love itself that caused concern, but rather the intensity and unpredictability of these flaring lesbian connections. The curse corrupted each mare in a unique way, enhancing one or more of their distinct emotions, and creating an inner drive that was even stronger than their cutie marks.
The phenomenon brought about an unsettling disruption to the order Princess Twilight loved so much, and soon, she decreed that any couples affected had to enroll in the Yuri Anonymous program. This initiative aimed to help these ponies understand and manage their emotions, ensuring that their love did not disrupt the delicate balance of Equestria.
Among the attendees at one of these meetings that happened to take place on the Hearth's Warming Eve were Bon Bon and Lyra, a couple as steadfast as the mountains themselves. Despite their contrasting personalities, they shared a bond that was as strong as steel. Their presence at the meetings was both a comfort and a mystery to the other ponies, for they seemed unaffected by the chaos that the yuri phenomenon had brought to others.
One particularly dreary evening, as the rain pattered against the windows of the meeting hall, Lyra’s shoulders slumped with a sigh. “I never have enough time to practice my music,” she lamented, her voice tinged with frustration. “Free time just slips away.”
It was Octavia, the cellist with a perpetually disinterested demeanor, who responded. “I always find at least a few hours a day to practice, even more so since my yuri curse expressed itself.”
Lyra raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. “How do you manage that with all your chores and taking care of a cursed yuri?”
Octavia’s gaze drifted lazily across the room. “Actually, I only do each chore once. Then Vinyl takes over.”
“How does that happen?” Lyra asked, genuinely intrigued.
“Vinyl’s yuri’s curse expresses itself as an unwavering dependency on me, which sure helps a lot with that.”
“How?” Lyra inquired. “Things can’t be easy with her being a mute, but with her particular curse on top, surely she demands even more of your attention, right?”
“You’d think that, but my own yuri curse is more of a blessing that keeps saving me from that. Let me give you an example. Just yesterday, I got out of cooking, saving me loads of time for the foreseeable future. Here's how it happened:”
I spent the entire day cooking for my beloved Vinyl. When she came home, I proudly presented my culinary creations.
Upon tasting it, she said nothing. How rude, right?
I asked her, "So, what do you think?"
She stared blankly at me, remaining silent.
"Do you want another bite?" I offered, pushing another morsel towards her.
She swallowed it but still said nothing.
"Do you hate it?" I pressed.
She blinked at me, but not a word came out of her mouth.
"Is there something wrong with my dish? I poured my heart and soul into making it perfect for you."
She stayed silent.
"A penny for your thoughts?"
She opened her mouth, but no sound emerged.
"Look, if you don't like it, just say it. I won't be mad. I just want to know what you think."
She remained mute.
"I was planning to cook for you every single day, all five meals. But now, with your silence, I'm not sure if I should continue. I gave you my best effort, but I'm getting nothing in return."
She offered no response.
"A simple 'I hate it' would suffice, you know?"
She continued to stare blankly.
"If you tell me you hate it, I won't be mad. In fact, I'll appreciate your honesty. But this silence is driving me crazy."
A tear silently rolled down her cheek.
"You know what, forget it. I'll never cook for you again, you heartless mute!"
“And now, I never have to cook again,” Octavia concluded with a satisfied smirk, her tale met with a mixture of amusement and bemusement from the group.
Lyra exchanged glances with Bon Bon and then with the others. She shook and leaned her head to the side as she narrowed her eyes at Octavia. “Are you like a psychopath or something? Is that how your yuri curse expresses itself?”
“You two think you have it so great, don’t you?” Octavia scoffed. “It must feel wonderful to look down at us yuris. But my concerts are booked for years in advance while you, Lyra, get daily apples from a welfare program just to get by because your skill with lyra is moderate at best.”
Lyra stood up with clenched teeth. “You take that back!”
Bon Bon put her forehooves around her and forced her back to her sit. ”This is what you wanted, Lyra, a spice to our routine. I told you that we’re not missing anything in our relationship, and especially not the yuri curse.”
“But she insulted my cutie mark!”
Octavia’s lips curled into a thin smile. “You needed a dose of reality to knock you out of your throne.”
“My throne?” Lyra looked down at her chair in confusion.
“I’m sorry, but I got fed up with your constant judging. That’s what you come here for, right? To feel great about your stable relationship while you watch others struggle.”
“No, that’s not the case at all!” Lyra stood up again.
Bon Bon just smiled knowingly as she watched her mate rise up.
Lyra looked around the room. “I don’t come here because I think your relationships are messed up; I keep coming here because I think mine is.”
The room fell silent at the revelation. Only Bon Bon’s snicker disturbed the stillness.
“It’s true, Bon Bon and I don’t argue. Yes, our relationship is stable and will never break. But…”
“But what?” Octavia raised an eyebrow.
“But that’s it. We don’t have what you have.”
“Chaos, conflict, fighting, injustice, violence, turmoil, strife, discord, upheaval, arguments, clashes, disputes, disagreements, tension, friction, hostilities, resentment, bitterness, animosity, misunderstandings, grievances, adversity, hardship, discontent, quarrels, rivalries, jealousy, envy, mistrust, betrayal, heartbreak, sorrow, grief, anguish, despair, turmoil, unease, disharmony, dissonance, ruptures, meltdowns, breakdowns, feuds, wrangles, altercations, confrontations, skirmishes, tumult, agitation, contention, discordance, acrimony, polemics, grievances, rancor, alienation, estrangement, antagonism, vexation, distress, disruptions, ructions, commotion, contention, harassment, impasses, spats, disarray, difficulties, suffering, recriminations, rancor, convulsions, conundrums, predicaments, quandaries, trials, tribulations, crises, calamities, catastrophes, …” Octavia started listing the features of her own relationship.
“Um… yeah…” Lyra sat back down, scratching her head behind an ear.
“Are you like, stupid or something?” Octavia reappropriated Lyra’s previous phrase back at her. “Is that how your yuri curse expresses itself?”
“Umm…” Lyra slumped down, looking at the floor. “Maybe…”
Bon Bon caressed her back, smiling as if she had already seen it coming.
Lyra hadn’t spoken another word until the meeting was adjourned and the others left the room.
She slowly leaned her head on Bon Bon’s chest. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Bon Bon petted her head. “You needed this.”
“Our relationship is perfect, but I acted as if we were missing out because we didn’t get the order to join the yuri meetings despite being cursed like everypony else.”
“This void chase of yours reminds me of that phase you had when you insisted that our hooves could be more functional if they were shaped differently.”
“I still think that…”
“I know you do.” Bon Bon kissed her on the forehead.
As the sun touched the horizon, Lyra wrapped her forehooves around Bon Bon. “Let’s go home,” she whispered. “We have each other, and that’s more than enough. We don’t have to keep coming to these stupid meetings anymore…”
“I wouldn’t miss them for the world.” Bon Bon grinned, feeding her own personal yuri curse.
Walking out into the cool evening air, Lyra and Bon Bon knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together. And in a brave new world where the very harmony was challenged, their love remained unshakable.