//------------------------------//
// Who is the better musician? 
// Story: Lyra vs. Bon Bon 
// by Alkem 
//------------------------------//

"Is it on?"

"Is what on?"

"The camera!"

"Oh, right. Yeah. It should be on now. So you two can start whenever you're ready."

"Alright, now just stand across from us and keep filming."

"Right, I'll just step back—"

"Wait! Ditzy, look out for the coffee table behind—"

"Whoa!" Ditzy's voice was followed by a loud thud. "Ouch."

"Oh boy… You know, maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all."

"What are you talking about, Bon Bon? This is perfect. She just needs to get used to handling the camera. You alright, Derpy?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. But that table came out of nowhere."

"Yeah, out of nowhere… right behind you all this time."

"Well if you're alright and so is the camera, this time, let's start filming. Ahem. Welcome back everypony, I'm sure you all remember me. But if you've somehow forgotten, I'm Lyra."

"And I'm Bon Bon. Hey… Wait a sec—"

"And we're back to bring you more in our competition to settle which of us the better pony."

"Uh, Lyra, wait a second. I think—"

"I guess you're all probably asking the same thing. 'Why haven't you made a new episode in awhile?' Well the answer is simple."

"Lyra, hold on. I think we've got a problem."

"What, Bon Bon? What is it?"

"Look at the camera lens."

"What camera lens?"

"Exactly."

"Wait, what? Oh for crying out— Ditzy, you forgot to take off the lens cap again."

"Oh, oops. Sorry." Following the sound of a few scratches, everything comes blurrily to life. Bursting in an array of vivid colors that comes to focus on Lyra and Bon Bon seated on the couch. "Oh! Now I can see you two," said Ditzy, waving at the two mares. "I was wondering why everything was dark."

With Bon Bon sitting beside her who was placing a hoof over her chuckling mouth, Lyra resumed where she left off. "As I was saying, we're back after a bit of a hiatus. Truth is Bon Bon and I were talking, and we figured we could use some help."

"Yes. Especially when it came to the camera work," said Bon Bon. "Normally we set up the camera on a tripod and did our shots there, which limited our range of filming.

"Yup. So we decided to rope in— I mean hire two ponies to help us." Lyra pointed her hoof straight to the camera. "Let me introduce you all to our first new camera mare, Ditzy 'Derpy' Doo." The camera view suddenly flipped, giving an upside down close up of a smiling gray, blond haired pegasus.

"Hi everypony out there," she greeted, before flipping the camera back to the duo in front of her.

"After the whole mother's day competition—"

"More like a fiasco." Bon Bon commented.

"Ditzy wanted to get involved in what we were doing. So, Bon Bon and I decided to make Ditzy be our new camera mare and help film us as we go about whatever competition we happen to be in."

Bon Bon leaned forward and looked into the camera. "Except that there was one problem. With only one camera, we could only film what one of us was doing at the time. That is unless we were together all the time, which wouldn't work out for some competition ideas."

The camera flipped once more to Ditzy's inverted face. "That's when I suggested bringing in a friend of mine to help out too."

"So, without further ado, let's introduce our second camera mare, Golden Harvest!" Lyra yelled out, clapping her hooves together along with Bon Bon as the camera panned to the upside down trembling earth pony standing by the living room entrance.

Bon Bon waved her hoof at her. "Come on Carrot Top, say hi to everypony."

Knees rattling, she stared down at the floor and slowly looked up until vibrant green eyes locked onto the camera. "He-hello everypony. My name is Golden Harvest, but I'd rather go by Carrot Top." Her head suddenly jerked back, noticing something wrong with the camera. "Pardon me, Ditzy, but you're holding the camera upside down."

"I am?" The camera view flipped putting the pale, light grayish olive coated mare with the orange mane right side up. "Oops, my bad."

"See that mares and colts, she just got here and she's already hard at work with camera duty," said Lyra as Ditzy turned the camera back on her and Bon Bon. "Now that we've gotten that aside it's time for us to tell you what the competition's going to be this time. Boy I got to say that this one's going to be a cake walk for me. Why? Because, this time were going to see who the better musician."

"Now you may be thinking, 'Bon Bon, why would you agree to such a one sided competition? Her special talent is music related after all.' Well it's because I'm a fair pony and I'll always do my very best against her even if the competition this time is a little one sided. And I expect Lyra to do same when I suggest a contest that's in my favor."

"No I won't" Lyra bluntly replied with a shake of her head.

Bon Bon turned to her with a frown. "What do you mean 'no I won't'? I just agreed to a competition I stand no chance of winning. You could at least do the same when it happens to you."

"Why would I agree to do something I know I don't have a chance of winning. Especially when I'll have to do something humiliating when I lose? That'd be dumb."

"This competition is can—"



Who is the better musician?



"No!"

"Sorry Bon Bon, but there's the title. No take backs."

Infuriated, Bon Bon got up and walked away. "This is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous!"

With her steamed partner now off screen, Lyra looked to the camera with a content little smirk. "Mares and gentlecolts, I give you, the musician challenge.

After a few minutes, and a lot of persuading, off camera, Bon Bon returned seated with Lyra on the couch.

"Okay…" Bon Bon announced begrudgingly. "Here's how this one's gonna work. The two of us will have one day to pick out our instruments and practice. After that, we'll have a face off in Ponyville Park where the crowd's reaction will decide who is the winner. And now for the rules," she said, leering over to Lyra. "No sabotaging each other's equipment whatsoever.

"That's fine."

"It must be you who's playing. That means you can't have somepony else impersonate you and play on your behalf. And lastly, no interrupting the other pony's practice sessions. So, Lyra, what do you think of these rules?"

"Not bad," she replied with a nod. "There's just one thing I'd add to it."

"What's that?"

"No whining when you lose."

Shooting the mare laying across from her the evil eye, Bon Bon let out a scheming little smirk. "Oh you think you've got this one do you! Well I'll be practicing all day and night." She rose up and stomped her way up the stairs. "You'll see!" she shouted, slamming her door.

Carrot Top, stunned by the theatrics looked as Lyra who was taking it all in stride. "Is she gonna be okay?"

Lyra leisurely waved a hoof at her. "Don't worry. She'll be fine. She's always had a short fuse. Just give her some time and she'll calm down. You'll see. After all, you're going to be her camera mare." Lyra hopped off the couch and then headed to the kitchen with Ditzy Doo right behind her. "Seeing how I've got this competition in the bag, I'm gonna take it easy and have a little snack."




An hour had passed and Carrot Top waited patiently downstairs with camera in hooves. With each passing minute weighing heavily on her, she made her way upstairs. Carrot top made her way up the stairs, turned right, and stopped in front of the door at the end of the hallway where she inched her hoof slowly to knock.

The door suddenly swung open wide and before a terror stricken shriek could come out of her mouth, Carrot Top was pulled inside. Still holding tightly onto her camera, she filmed everything around her finally and then turned to the pony who pulled her in.

Holding her between her hooves, Bon Bon put one hoof to her lips. "Shhhh"

Silently nodding, Carrot Top looked past Bon Bon and noticed something strange about her room. It had a bed, a nightstand, and a dresser just like another other bedroom. The only thing that would've seemed slightly off if not for this thing was the drum set placed in the center. Carrot Top looked to the walls, observing them in all their soft, yellow, spongy glory. "Bon Bon, why are your walls covered in padding?"

"So Lyra can't hear me practice. I placed it in every corner. We're completely sound proof in here."

"Then why'd you shush me?"

"Oh! Uh, I guess I was caught up in the moment." The door closed, sealing them within the cushiony room where Bon Bon, pulled her closer to the center with a smile on her face. "Anyways, now that you're here I can show what I've got planned."

"Are you planning to play the drums?" Carrot timidly asked.

That smile quickly vanished. "Aww. I wanted to make a big reveal of it, and you had to go and get it on the first try."

"But it's right there." Carrot Top answered, directing her hooves over to the kit in the corner. "It was one of the first things I noticed the second you pulled me in. Maybe you should have hidden it under a blanket or something."

"Yeah… I guess I forgot about doing that after putting up all this styrofoam. Well, since my reveal is ruined, I may as well explain why I picked drum for the competition." Carrot readied her camera. "I know there's no way I can beat Lyra if I play the same instrument she does. Plus there's no way I'll be able to learn quick enough to be a match. So I figure I'd go with something unconventional."

"But.. drums, Bon Bon? Why not something else? Anything else?

"Because hooves don't work well with flutes and a triangle would be too simple—I don't know. I just decided to go with it. I just need to stay here and practice. I've sound proofed my room, so Lyra can't hear me improving and try to pull anything sneaky."

"But wouldn't that be against the rules?"

"She always finds a way to get passed them. But I'm catching on to her. Carrot Top, What I'll need you to do for me is keep an eye on her while I practice and tell me if she tries anything funny. Can you do that?"

The camera bobbed along with Carrot. "Sure thing. But… Bon Bon… Do you think you have a chance of winning this one?"

With a smirk on her face, Bon Bon walked to the corner, circled around the drums, took her seat on the stool, and grabbed hold of the pair of sticks lying on the toms. Using straps attached to each stick and tying them on her hooves, she brushed her hair back, raised her front hooves to the air and looked over to Carrot Top. "Have a listen and tell me what you think."




Downstairs, Lyra and Ditzy were enjoying a bowl of cereal, with the camera set on the kitchen table to record their mealtime chat.

"So what do you think Bon Bon's going to play for the competition?" Ditzy asked, as her mouthful of soggy sugar frosted oats slurring her voice.

"Bon Bon's never really played any instruments before." She checked, staring into her bowl. "Maybe she'll play the triangle."

"I'm not so sure about that," said Ditzy, finishing another mouthful. "You know how determined she can get."

"Don't worry, Ditzy, she doesn't stands a chance?"

"I'm just saying that she's surprised us before. If you underestimate you, she might surprise you again."

Seeing the surprising wisdom in her words, Lyra looked back down at her bowl, the possibility of losing now loomed in her head. While she gazed into the faded white in her bowl, twirling the colorful wheat puffs with her spoon, she suddenly sprang up from her seat and walked out. "I gotta go practice."

Surprised by Lyra's abrupt leave, Ditzy quickly wolfed down the rest of her bowl and grabbed her camera. "Hey Lyra, wait up. What happened? Why do you wanna practice all of a sudden?" Something in Lyra's bowl caught her yellow eyes; something that she felt needed to be caught on camera. "Look at that. It looks like it spells Bon Bon."

Back in Bon Bon's safety padded room, Carrot Top's back was sinking against the wall, stand in awe after hearing Bon Bon's performance. She clumsily doubled checked her gear, making sure she got that all on tape and walked over to her. "That was great!"

Bon Bon beamed, coupled with a tint of rose the accessorized each corner of her mouth. "Thanks. I've been practicing for awhile now."

"So you've been practicing even before this competition huh? When did you start?" asked Carrot Top, training her lens on Bon Bon.

"Well, I started about a few months ago, ever since I heard Lyra play the guitar. I thought it would be nice to play along with her some day. I winded up practicing the drum in secret and slowly been getting better. I've kept it secret from Lyra, which wasn't easy, because I wanted to surprise her with it. But ever since we started our little competition, I had to cut back on practice."

Carrot Top placed a hoof against her chest. "Aww, that's such a sweet thing to do for a friend."

Bon Bon's once bashful grin vanished, turning into a sinister grin while she rubbed her front hooves together. "But now I'll get the chance to surprise her and win a competition at the same time." She stood up, menacingly laughing. "This time she'll have to do what I say! Victory shall be mine!"

That warm sentiment that quickly emptied the room also left Carrot Top, staring at the mad mare in front of her and quietly whispered. "Are you two sure you're best friends?"

For the rest of the day, melodious music poured out from the house. All while Carrot and Ditzy took shots of ponies passing by, enjoying their fruits of their friend's rehearsal.




Night had fallen, and Ponyville was now under the watchful gaze of the moon. The entire day had been spent practicing, yet something still dug at Lyra who sat at the edge of her bed with guitar in hoof. Ditzy sat across from her, watching Lyra get up, walk to her door, and open it slightly.

"Do you hear that, Ditzy?"

"Hear what? I don't hear anything."

Lyra closed her door and faced her. "Exactly. We haven't heard a sound coming out of Bon Bon's room all day."

"Wouldn't that mean she isn't practicing? Do you think she forfeit?"

"If only, Ditzy, if only. But I know Bon Bon. She'd never do something like that. No. She's up to something."

"But didn't she make up the rule about no sabotaging each other? Why would break her own rules?"

"I've got to figure out what she's up to," said Lyra, pacing around, completely engulfed in paranoia.

"But…"

Lyra galloped out the door. Grabbing hold of her camera, Ditzy caught up to the runaway unicorn that now leaned against Bon Bon's bed room door with her ear against it. "Ditzy, come here," she whispered, waving her over. "Do you hear anything?"

Placing her ear against the door as well, Ditzy listened in. "No." She stayed against the door with Lyra, waiting to hear something. "Maybe she and Carrot went out somewhere?"

Lyra grinned into the camera. "Good. Then this is our chance to strike." She reached for the knob and turned, but it was locked. "Locked? She never locks her door. Okay, she's definitely hiding something in there."

On the other side of the sound proof room Lyra was trying to break into, Carrot Top noticed the door handle jiggle while Bon Bon was busy drumming away. "Hey, Bon Bon," she said, pointing towards the door. "Look. Someone's trying to get in."

The mighty clangs against the skin of her drums came to a halt as Bon Bon placed her drumsticks down and moved to the door. Removing a small square piece of foam covering the walls, she spoke through the door. "What do you want Lyra?"

"Aren't you gonna open your door?" Lyra voice answered back.

"It's late and I want to get some sleep. So what do you want?" Standing behind her, Carrot Top held one hoof against her mouth, trying hard to hold back a chuckle. "Come on Carrot," she whispered, trying not to laugh herself. "We don't want her to know you're still here."

Lyra's voice sounded off through the door. "I was just wondering what you've been up too. I mean I have seen you since you stormed off this morning. So I was…"

"Aww, are you worried about me, Lyra?"

"No!"

On both sides of the door, the camera mare duo, were doing the best not to crack up.

"Good. Now leave me alone, I want to get a good night's rest before our competition tomorrow. I still plan on beating you after all."

"Oh yeah? You should get some sleep, because the only winning you'll be doing is in your dreams! Come on Ditzy let's go."

Hearing their hoof steps fade away, Bon Bon put back the foam block in her hoof and walked back to her drum set. "Ok Carrot, just a few more minutes of practice, then we'll call it a night."

"And here I thought Lyra was about to do something to mess you up," Carrot Top sighed.

"She probably still has something up her sleeves. But as long as she can't get in here I'm not too worried."




Hours passed, Carrot Top had already left for home and Bon Bon was asleep peacefully on her soft cushiony bed. Clueless of what was taking place just outside her bedroom door.

"Ditzy, did you bring the earplugs?"

"Check. I got these special looking ones that cover your whole ear."

Taking one of the headphones from her accomplice, Lyra placed it on. "Perfect. Now, have you plugged in the speakers?"

"Check. I also plugged in those other two."

"Other two—never mind. Did you make sure that they're facing her door?"

"Uh… Check."

With a guitar that matched the color of her coat, Lyra turned the volume knob to max. "Okay, Ditzy, hold on to your hooves, cause this is gonna rock the house." She stood on two hooves; hold her axe in one hoof with its strap wrapped around her neck while the other loomed high over her head. With the power to rip the ground asunder, she let gravity take hold, swinging her hoof down to strike a chord.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Every window in Ponyville instantly lit up. Ponies awaked by what could only be described as a pair screaming in agony, observed a quaint domicile rattling violently. Inside the cracked walls of the quaking home, Lyra and Ditzy were on the floor outside Bon Bon's bed room.

"Ditzy! what the hay! Those 'special' earplugs of yours were actually my headphones!"

"What?! Sorry, Lyra, I can't hear you over all the ringing in my ears!"

Racked with agony and a constant ring in her ear as well, Lyra staggered onto her hooves. "You know what? Forget messing with Bon Bon for now. I'm going to bed. Hopefully the ringing will be gone by then." Agitated, tired, and defeated, Lyra stumbled back to her room. Leaving her guitar on the ground, not realizing she still had her headphone on.

"Hey Lyra, where you going?! What about all this stuff?!" said Ditzy, walking after her in the dark, luckily avoiding stepping on the neck of the abandoned instrument with her front hooves. The same couldn't be said for her back right hoof, which hit with enough precision to hit another chord.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!"

Everypony was wide awake thanks to their antics, all while Bon Bon tussled around a bit under her blanket, smiling at the tranquil dreams in her head.




It was show time. Everypony had long since been awake, aside from Bon Bon who had a remarkably great night of sleep. Over in the Ponyville clinic, Lyra stepped out the door with Ditzy recording everything.

"So Ditzy and just paid a visit to the doctor. Turns out, thanks to our little screw up last night, Ditzy and I have lost our hearing, temporarily. Isn't that right Derpy?" Lyra said, nodding to the camera.

"You say something to me Lyra?"

"Exactly. The competition's soon… and I'm in big trouble. All I can do now is show up and play… and hope… I don't know. Hope a swarm of parasprites eats our instruments or something." She let out a long drawn out sigh before she headed to the park. "Let's go."

Arriving at the park to find a very crudely build stage surrounded by a group of mares and colts all looking a Bon Bon who was already on stage. Unwillingly joining her friend on stage, Lyra waved to the crowd who applauded her.

Both of them set up, Lyra putting on her guitar and Bon Bon sat behind her drums. Before getting started, Bon Bon stared down her competitor who seemed slightly out of it. But as she as she noticed her gaze, Lyra shot back a stare of her own. The stage was set, both mares were ready, the crowd was pumped, and the competition began.


Bon Bon wins!


Back home, a cheery Bon Bon was dancing on the coffee table. Slumped on the couch with her forelegs crossed, Lyra sat there and endured her best friend's victory dance. "You know you only won because I'm temporarily deaf."

"Point is I won!"

Lyra groaned. "So since my hearing's been momentarily shut off, I couldn't hear how I was playing. And to save you the torture I decided to not show you guys what happened and cut away till now."

The camera flashes back to the scene on stage. After Bon Bon's performance won her some applause, Lyra came on stage and shocked everyone. She played her heart out, energetically strumming the strings, dancing around the stage, and finally finished with a power slide as she plucked her last chord. Unfortunately, despites her efforts, the crowd remained silent.

Lyra cleared her throat as the flash back ended. "If I'd have known my guitar was out of tune. I would have won. But because I didn't check it, not that I could anyway, I ended up playing horribly. The moral of the story is have a guitar tuner with you."

"But she didn't. And because of that I won! Yes! So, Lyra, you know what that means. Oh right, I forgot you still can't hear me. Hehe. I was planning to have her spend the whole day listen to a recording of her performance, but I think temporary hearing loss is a much better punishment for now." Bon Bon looked over to Lyra. "But when your hearing comes back you're definitely going to listen to it."

Lyra only stared back blankly. "What?"