I slept alone that night. It was the first time I had ever done that since Bons and I had become a couple, at least, on such tense terms. I didn’t sleep well; I felt too lonely.
I wasn’t surprised that when I woke up, Bon Bon was gone. I knew that she would be working at her stand but... for some reason, I felt like a part of me had been torn away. I didn’t waste any time in getting ready and meeting Colgate at Berry’s house--I needed a drink in me. And no, I wasn’t going to drink my problems away; Berry wouldn’t allow it. It’s just that a little bit of drink in the system helps you to relax.
The three of us were reclining around Berry’s small coffee table in the center of her living room. A single bottle of pinot noir was being shared between us.
“Looks like you have to actually get off your flank and do something,” Berry remarked after I had the told the pair about my dilemma.
I snorted in annoyance. “Yeah, I think I’ve figured that out by now.” I took a swig from my glass, almost drinking every drop of wine.
Berry gave me a warning look. “Slow down, Lyra. That’s your second glass nearly down and it’s only the middle of the day.”
“Stop worrying about it. I said I wasn’t going to drink myself to death today,” I replied, putting the glass on the table. I wasn’t going to touch it for a while now. Nope.
My vintner friend rolled her eyes. “Whatever. That’s what they all say.”
“Then maybe you shouldn’t have gotten out the bottle in the first place?” Colgate interjected.
Berry just leant back and shrugged. “If I didn’t, Lyra would find another source anyway.”
“Can you stop assuming I’m going to become an alcoholic? It’s not the end of the world for me, just a little hiccup.” I nodded at the pair, confirming my statement. As soon as Bons sees that I’m looking for work, she’ll lighten up and everything will be fine.
“Yeah, but it could turn into something more,” Colgate said, a hint of worry in her face.
I felt my hooves reach for the glass. “Maybe...”
“Colgate’s right and you know she is,” Berry said decisively, drinking the rest of the wine in her glass and licking her lips afterwards.
“I don’t know... Bon Bon isn’t petty enough to break up over one thing,” I reasoned She was a pretty reasonable mare, which was why her assertiveness last night was so unsettling.
“Doesn’t matter if it’s just one thing, Lyra. If it’s important to her, then you should go ahead and find a job,” Colgate replied, taking a careful sip of her wine. I suppose she had a point...
A small smirk formed on Berry’s face. “Yeah. Committing adultery is just one thing too, but it’s probably the worst thing you could do in a relationship.”
Colgate ignored Berry’s ‘joke’. “You could easily work as a cleaner at the Dentist’s.”
Bless her. She was trying, but that was the worst idea ever. I’d probably have to wear sunglasses all the time I worked there. “I don’t think so, Colgate. No offense, but I really don’t like that place.”
“Yeah, seriously, how can you even work there?” Berry questioned. “It’s whiter than Rarity’s plot.” Both Colgate and I snickered at that.
The dentist shook her head. “You get used to it. Besides, it was only a suggestion.”
I gave her a little smile. “Thanks for the offer Colgate, but I can’t see myself working there, sorry.”
“It’s fine.” Colgate took a quick sip of her wine. “So that’s one job off the list. Hmm... how about--”
A high pitched voice then came out of nowhere. “Berry’s got the adult drinks again!” exclaimed Berry. Not Punch. Pinch.
The pink filly trotted excitedly into the room, seemingly having come from the stairs in the hallway. She ignored me and Colgate, opting to hug Berry.
“Wait up, Pinchy!” came another adorable voice, followed by another little filly running into the room at a pretty fast speed and joining her older sister. This filly, Piña Colada, was a lighter pink than her other siblings.
So you’ve got three sisters: Berry Punch, Berry Pinch and Piña Colada. The reason for their similar names (at least in the Berrys’ case) was obvious. Hm. Now that I think of it, why does Piña have such a different name? Either she was adopted or it was something else--Berry never discussed it with me at length.
Berry gestured at the bottle and Colgate quickly performed a spell to make it disappear, either by invisibility or teleportation. Berry--forget it, I’m calling her Punchy for now--mouthed her a thanks and attended to her sisters.
“Hey girls. What are ya doing down here?” Punchy asked them, putting a foreleg around the two and hugging them. The bond between these three was very strong, and it would be, given that Pinchy and Piña pretty much saved their older sister from a life of alcoholism. Punchy wasn’t that close to her parents (for reasons she’d never tell me), but she was very attached to her siblings and never drank around them.
“Pinchy can do something with her tongue and it’s really yucky!” Piña pointed a hoof at Pinchy, who sat there grinning.
“Yeah, watch this!” The darker filly then stuck her tongue her and reached it upwards right into her nose. I can’t lie--I was impressed.
“Wow, that’s pretty cool, Pinchy. But watch this.” Punchy put a hoof on her stomach and pressed it lightly. A few seconds later, she let out a powerful burp that could give most stallions a run for their money. The fillies were both giggling, but had different opinions on Punchy’s feat. Colgate and I exchanged amused glances.
Pinchy looked up at her older sister, beaming. “That was so awesome!”
Piña on the other hoof, wasn’t looking up at Punchy, but was snuggling into her. “Ew! Gross! You’re so silly, Punchy!”
“Yeah, I am, but that’s what big sisters are like.” The three shared a warm embrace, Punchy stroking her little sisters’ manes. “But I’m kinda chilling with my friends here, so you think you two can play in the garden for a little while?”
The two fillies nodded and chirped in unison, “Okay, Punchy!” before galloping out of the room. The bottle reappeared a couple of seconds later.
“How long do you have them for?” Colgate asked, refilling her glass only slightly.
“A couple of days. So no drinking nights in that time, sorry.” Colgate and I nodded in response, myself hiding my disappointment. Getting drunk with Berry was always great, even if, being a unicorn, I wasn’t allowed to get utterly smashed. Kind of. Look, it depends on the unicorn, okay?
“Some time after they’re gone, then?” I asked.
Punchy shrugged. “Yeah, sure.” She then pointed a hoof accusingly at me. “But only if you bring Bon Bon.”
“Well, obvious--” The gears in my head clicked. “Hey! I’m not going to become a stupid drunk, okay?!”
I was beginning to regret my decision in coming here. Luckily, Colgate was level-headed as usual. “She’s just worried about you... in her own way.” Berry scoffed at that. “Calm down, Lyra.”
She was right, I did need to calm down. Good thing I had my drink at the ready. I took a big swig, wiping my mouth afterwards. “Yeah, sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Berry said. Then she took my glass from me, much to my annoyance.“But that’s all you’re having today.”
“Berry!” I protested. Honestly, I could’ve handled one or maybe even two more.
“Lyra, she is right, you know,” Colgate said calmly. “If you want to get drunk, the middle of the day is not the time to do it.”
I crossed my forelegs over my chest, pouting. “Fine. But that doesn’t mean I was planning to get drunk now!”
“Moving on... you should do something to do with music. You’re brilliant at it,” Colgate offered. I gestured for her to continue, a little unsure. “You could teach kids how to play the lyre.”
I weighed my options. Or, rather, option. It’s not like I had any other ideas myself. For the time being, that is. “That idea does have potential. How would I start?”
“You’ve got the lyre part down,” Berry stated.
I snorted, then gave her a fake grin, tilting my head a little. “You don’t say?” Berry just laughed.
“Why not do a talk at the school?” Colgate suggested. Punchy gave a grunt of approval, pouring herself another drink.
I grinned at the blue unicorn. “You’re making up for that terrible dentist idea, Colly. So, I’ll just ask Cheerilee then?”
“Nah, don’t do a talk there,” Berry groaned. “A tiny building packed full of excitable, young kids? You’ll go mad.”
“Aren’t your sisters excitable, young kids?” I questioned, raising an eyebrow.
“They’re my sisters. There’s a difference,” Berry told me firmly, sipping some of her wine afterwards.
Not really, Berry. Granted, I was an only child, so maybe her argument had some weight to it. “Right...” I turned to Colgate. “So, where were you suggesting? I’m not going to Canterlot.”
“The high school, you dumb flank,” Colgate replied, bonking me lightly on the head.
“Oh yeah... Ponyville has one of those.” I’ve never really had to go there before or talk about it, so why the hay would I know it exists?
“Yep. She’s drunk too much.” Was Berry intentionally trying to annoy me? She was really good at it.
“The hay is your problem?!” I may have slammed a hoof on the table in my annoyance.
“Whoa, calm down, Minty. I’m only teasing.” Berry offered me a small smile. “So you’re going to do this talk? That’s cool. Maybe you could become a private tutor.”
“Private tutor, eh?” I stroked my chin, thinking it over. It did seem like a pretty good job to have. I mean, you pretty much set your own hours, right? And you work for yourself! “Girls, I think you may have just given me a career path.” I reached for my glass... but Berry had taken it already. “Right, so, how do I start?”
“Send a letter to the headmaster or somepony else, then work from there. It really shouldn’t take long,” Colgate answered.
I shrugged. “Doesn’t sound too hard.”
“Yeah, but you have to make sure your talk is actually good. What were you thinking of presenting?” Berry raised a good point. Music is a broad subject and I needed to narrow down what I would talk about.
Hm... maybe my college days weren’t a complete waste after all. Not that they were to begin with, of course, but... you know.
“Music history! There we go. I’ll decide on the era later.” So that was that sorted. I have to admit, it felt kind of good knowing that I had something to work towards now. Still, I knew that it might not turn out quite like I suspected.
Colgate gave me a proud smile. “Well, now you’ve got something to tell Bon Bon.”
“Mhm-hm! I’ll tell her after work! She’ll come home after a long, tiring day and I’ll be like: ‘Hey, Bons, guess what I’m doing?’ And then I’ll tell her, she’ll be thrilled and then we might bang to celebrate!” The awkward cough from Colgate and Berry’s snickering told me that I might have gone a little too far with that. “Sorry, heh,” I apologised, smiling sheepishly.
Berry shrugged lazily. “I’d say you’ve drunk too much, but you tend to be that tactless anyway.” I flared my nostrils, but I kept quiet. Berry was a great friend, but sometimes her snarkiness was too much. “Before you ask--no, we’re not having another round to celebrate.”
Oh come on! “Shut up, you,” I told her, somewhat halfway between actually joking and being serious.
“Love you too, Lyra.” She blew me a cheeky kiss, winking at me. Sometimes, you couldn’t win with Berry. For me, that was most of the time.
I simply rolled my eyes. “Whatever.” With a sudden burst of energy, I slammed my forehooves on the table and stood up. Colgate jumped and Berry tried not to, but she definitely did, I swear it. “Right! Time to get a move on! C’mon, Colgate.” Colgate could be trusted to help me with this; she was always reliable and a much better worker than myself.
Berry raised a hoof, looking at me skeptically. “Hold on a second. Why should she help you with your problem?”
“Because she’s my friend?” Good friends do help each other with their problems. That’s why they’re good.
Berry gestured to Colgate with a frown. For her part, Colgate just sat there, looking a little awkward. “You haven’t even asked her.”
She had a point there. My ears flattened as guilt seeped into me. I slumped back down and looked at Colgate apologetically. “Sorry... I just got a little carried away.” I mean, there it was: a solution to my current dilemma. Of course I wanted it done with as soon as possible!
Colgate held my hoof, smiling. “No need to apologize, Lyra. You’re new at this and I--we,” She glanced over at Berry, “wouldn’t be very good friends if we didn’t help you along.”
I smiled at the two of them. They were both right, really. I could get along, with some help, but for now, it was time to just relax with two good friends of mine.
“One more round?” I asked, giving Berry a pleading look.
She frowned, looking slightly disappointed of me. “Lyra...”
I laughed awkwardly and hastily added, “Of orange juice? Please?”
Once I had narrowed down what I would even talk about at the school, and sent a letter there, Colgate and I ventured to the library and got a stack of books, as well as some spare ink, quills and parchment. Now came the taxing part.
We were both at my house, sitting on my bed. I was lying on my back, forehooves propping my head up and one of my hindlegs hanging over the other. Above me was a book, floating above me in a magical aura. To my side were other books and papers, all messily strewn about.
Colgate was the polar opposite. She was on her front, forehooves resting on a book in front of her, and research materials stacked neatly beside her. She really had a knack for detail, which was just as well, seeing as she is a dentist and all.
“This is all coming back to me now,” I muttered, turning a page.
Colgate made a curious noise. “It is?”
“Yeah. I covered all this at college. Completed most of it before I dropped out...” I thought I was pretty qualified to do this. I was only talking at a high school and all the stuff they do is dumbed down a bit anyway.
“Uh-huh,” Colgate replied. I took my eyes off the book and glanced at her. She was looking at her book, but her eyes weren’t focused on the words. I know that look. It’s a thinking one.
If this research was beyond her scope, then I wasn’t going to let her fry her own brain for nothing. “Is this too complicated for you?”
“No... not that.” Colgate kept a hoof on her book and looked to me. “Why did you drop out?”
My book fluttered in the air a little and, as if almost instinctively, I curled up a little. “It was one of those crazy, thoughtless decisions you make when you’re young.” I never gave anypony a straight answer to that question. But did it even matter? What’s done is done.
Colgate wiggled her lips a little. “Why didn’t you go back?”
“You don’t just go back after having a fresh start, Colgate. What’s the point?” Seriously, if anypony did that, then they would have wasted two chances instead of just one.
“Well... nevermind.” Colgate went back to reading.
I didn’t though. Something was nagging me. “Colgate? Why are you even helping me?”
She looked at me, confused and a little offended. “Because I want to?”
I shrugged. That was all well and good, but... “You’re not gaining anything from this, though. Don’t you find this boring?”
It was Colgate’s turn to shrug now. “Not really. It’s kind of interesting to be honest. And besides, wouldn’t you rather have company?”
That was some logic that I couldn’t argue with. “Yeah... thanks, Colgate.” I offered her a smile, a gesture which she returned. “So, how’s Caramel?”
“He’s... good, I guess.” She rubbed her foreleg. “I haven’t seen him much lately. Haven’t asked him the question either.”
I rolled over on the bed, getting a bit closer to her. “I think you should spend more time with him. As friends, of course. You need to know whether this is actual love, or just some silly filly crush.” There is a difference, and trust me, you need to know it. Crushes can turn into true love, yes, but more often than not they fall to pieces.
Love’s thorns are something you don’t want to get pricked by.
“Makes sense, I guess.” Colgate sighed, looking up. “Sometimes I just wonder...”
“Wonder what?”
She stuttered a few times before coming out with something coherent. “It’s just--there is somepony out there for me, right? I’m not... ugly or anything bad, am I?”
“You? Bad?” I put a foreleg around her, laughing quietly. “With your clean teeth and fresh breath, you’re probably the best kisser in all of Ponyville!”
She smiled slightly, but it quickly disappeared. “You never hear of dentists getting the pony of their dreams in stories, do you?”
I snorted, frowning slightly. “Hold up. A: Most love stories are complete rubbish.” Fifty Shades of Neigh? Give me a break. “B: I’ll be honest with you: you’ll never get the pony of your dreams.” Colgate let out a gasp, looking at me with a genuinely hurt expression. I ran a hoof through her mane slowly. “Not because you’re terrible, no, you’re wonderful, but you’ll have your expectations set far too high. They won’t meet reality. Ever. But you know what? That’s okay, since that means when you do fall for somepony, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”
That nice, gentle smile returned to Colgate’s face. “So... it’s just a matter of waiting?”
“Kind of. You’re a great pony and all, but you have to put in the effort. Ponies won’t come to you, you’ll have to go to them. Socialise and stuff like that. Which is why you should spend some time with Caramel more and see what happens, okay?” To be honest, I wasn’t thinking about what I was saying. It’s... almost like instinct, I guess...? My cutie mark should have been a heart, but I suppose that’s already been taken.
Colgate nodded. “Thanks, Lyra.” She smirked playfully. “You might be lazy, but if ‘love doctor’ was an actual profession, you’d have your own office.”
I nudged her shoulder. “Yeah, and the reason dentists aren’t in love stories is because pulling out somepony’s teeth isn’t most ponies’ idea of a good time.”
“Don’t make me strap you to a chair and put tools down your... mouth...” Much blushing occurred on her part. If it wasn’t obvious already, Colgate was still a virgin.
“Only two ponies have permission to do anything remotely like that: Bons and Kicky,” I retorted, grinning mischievously.
She raised an eyebrow. “Kicky?”
“Cloud Kicker,” I elaborated.
“Oh, yeah... you two got the whole... thing going on,” she mumbled, fiddling with her hooves. “I don’t really get that, to be honest. You’ve never explained it to me.”
“Well, it’s simple: Kicky and I are good friends, more than that in my opinion, and we bang because that’s how we show our love for each other. Get it?” I explained with a smile. I didn’t blame her for thinking it was weird, since I thought it was too, at first.
Colgate scratched her head. “I guess... but it still seems really odd. When my parents had the whole sex talk with me, they said only romantic couples did it.”
“I thought that as a filly too, but Kicky helped me open up a little more.” I snickered and lightly nudged Colgate’s side. “She could help you too, if you wanted.”
Judging from the redness in her cheeks, I could tell I had successfully flustered my friend. “No! We barely know each other and I wouldn’t feel right with it!”
I really didn’t expect quite a defensive response from her. “Banging isn’t bad, y’know. It’s one of the best things ever!”
“That may be, but with somepony I don’t know well? No thanks,” Colgate asserted, waving her hoof at me dismissively. I could see her point; banging was a trust thing, essentially. Unless you just had a quickie for the pleasure of it.
I grinned and leant closer to her, so she could smell my minty breath. “How about me, then?” I joked. I wasn’t planning to bang Colgate anytime soon and she knew it. Not that she was bad, far from it, but I already had two ponies I could bang while being in a relationship. Adding one more could have made things complicated.
Colgate snorted, then her horn glowed. I suddenly found myself levitating in the air, then being dropped right in front of my books. Papers flew everywhere as I landed, while Colgate giggled like a schoolfilly.
As I gathered up the books and papers, Colgate managed to calm herself down to say something. “Okay, back to research, you.” In all fairness... okay, I guess she was right. I wanted to make sure that I did this talk right and to do that I needed the research.
I shot her a playful smirk. “Yes, Doctor Colgate.” I then opened up a book and began to read once more. Both of us fell silent again. Then the boredom settled in.
Good Goddess, this was going to be a long night... but I knew it was going to be worth it.
So there I was, in the school, wearing a saddlebag full of my things. Colgate and I had researched all the... research that I needed over the past few days and with her help, I managed to fall asleep only three times! Now, I was prepared, I was ready.
And I was lost.
I was standing in the middle of a hallway, students weaving past me, as I peered at the school map I levitated in front of me. It had a mind bogglingly confusing design.
“Geeze... seriously? How the hay am I meant to find the classroom? How do any of the students find anything?!” I let out a frustrated groan. Honestly, life is too cruel sometimes--there I was, raring to go, and what happens? I can’t find where I’m supposed to go.
One of the students trotted by, a unicorn, her saddlebags weighted down by books. “You a new professor or something?” I was so focused on trying to figure out the map, that I failed to notice her coming.
“Oh! Nono! Just a visitor doing a talk... but I can't find the classroom... eugh.” I shook the map in a vain attempt to somehow make it clearer.
The student took one look at my map and simply turned it ninety degrees to the left. Suddenly, everything was clear. I blinked in amazement, color rushing to my cheeks. “Oh... yeah, that'd make a lot of sense...” I said with a laugh. It was very awkward.
The unicorn snorted. “We live in a society that's half-pictographic in nature. Happens to Mom all the time.”
“Heh heh... yeah ... “ I glanced at my helper, then back the map. “Wait a second. “ I took a double take at the teenager. “You're Derpy's kid, aren't you?”
“One of 'em, yeah. I'm Sparkler.” She took a quick look at the clock, probably to make sure she had time to kill.
Out of all the students in this school, I was lucky enough to bump into the one who I knew. Kind of. I gave her a bright smile. “I’m Lyra! Anyway... “ I looked back at the map and finally found where the hay I was meant to go. “That's the classroom I got to get to,” I stated, pointing at a small classroom a short distance from our current position. At least, I thought it was.
This time, it was Sparkler’s turn to double take at me. “You're the guest speaker?” She sighed in relief, then looked up, tallking to herself. “Thank Luna, I thought it was that crazy minotaur...”
I let out an annoyed huff. “ Iron Will? Yeah, what a jerk. With his creepy goat minions... “ I began mumbling to myself, and a few words may have slipped out that Sparkler didn’t need to hear. Thankfully, she didn’t seem to notice.
I cleared my throat and stopped before I had an outburst. “Enough about that though.” I snorted, replacing my annoyed expression with something warmer. “We better get going then...uh...you can lead the way if you want, heh heh...”
“Yeeeeeah... c'mon, we've got another few minutes. This place isn't big, but it's still pretty crazy on Monday.” True to her word, a fellow student accidentally bumped into her, receiving a bit of a glare from Sparkler.
I gave her a grateful smile. “Thanks for this, heh.” Sparkler nodded at me and began to lead the way, myself following close behind. “So, uh, is this a good school?”
Sparkler shrugged, then sidestepped out of the way of another pony. “I don't really have a lot to compare it to, but I like it.”
I quickly got out of the way of the incoming student that Sparkler had just bypassed. “Well, as long as you enjoy going--makes school life tolerable.” I laughed quietly.
“It's a balancing act. Homework, but cool professors, and stuff like that. Couple of jerks, but …” Sparkler trailed off, watching a dark green earth pony colt with a toolbox cutie mark, trotting along ahead of us.
“But a couple of good guys too, eh?” I asked with a sly grin. I knew that look she had.
When I called her out on her ‘inspection’, her cheeks went a definite shade of red. “Totally, yeah.”
She followed the colt into a classroom and at first, I thought she was just trying to spark up a quick conversation with him. But she didn’t leave my side, nor did any other students entering look at her funny. My grin vanished.
I let out a deep sigh. “Well... this is it, I guess...”
“It's not so bad. Silver Platter's out sick, so you get to skip the worst of the bunch.” I looked over at some of her classmates. They seemed like an alright bunch, I guess...
I was slightly relieved, but still a little nervous. “Ah, good...here goes nothing then. Thanks again!” I looked to the front desk and my stomach turned.
There was no teacher.
Was I meant to do this on my own? Was I just a scapegoat so that the teacher could trot along to the spa? Whatever the case, I had a classroom of twenty something teenagers, all staring at me. Judging me. That’s what teenagers are best at: judging.
I turned away from them, getting my stuff together. And my nerves. The more I thought about it, the more this seemed like a performance. My first formal performance in years...
Oh sweet Celestia, why was I doing this?!
I considered my options. I could dismiss the class, or tell them to goof off for an hour... or I could run away.
I nearly slapped myself in the face for thinking that. No. No running away from my problems. Not this time.
But why was I so ill-equipped to deal with them?
I ran a hoof through my mane, collecting my composure. I turned around and--oh Goddess, was I really doing this?! “Hello... class!”
I got a few mumbles out of them. Well, they certainly had their breakfast, didn’t they? I snorted and took a course of action to wake them up.
Wham!
That was the sound of my hoof hitting the front desk. I regretted it immediately, wincing holding my now red hoof. Seriously, that table was tough.
“That’s mahogany for you,” said one of the students. “Mahogany.” I’m not sure what unsettled me more: the fact that all the students were staring me as I clutched my hoof, or the fact that that student seemed to take a weird pleasure in saying mahogany.
I had to say something. Anything--no! Not anything! “Um... yes... I am Lyra Heartstrings and today, I shall be talking to you about music during the time of the Lunar Rebellion.”
The reaction to that was mixed. Some students sat looking eager, their backs straight, while others slumped onto their desks. Sparkler was somewhere in between.
“So, let’s start with some context! Have you learnt about the Lunar Rebellion yet?” I got a few lazy shrugs and murmurs as an answer. Thanks for the enthusiasm, guys. “Well, Equestria was united, but not to the extent that it is today. There were still a lot of tensions between the three ‘tribes’,” I used that word lightly; they were hardly primitive, “and their different cultures hadn’t really meshed yet. Which meant that the tribes each had distinct differences in their expression of music.”
I froze, hearing some really loud chewing at the front of the class. Some young mare at the front of the class was chewing gum. You could tell--what else makes your jaw move like your grinding rock with your teeth?
I moved towards her. She kinda looked a little zoned out. “Er, are you allowed to chew gum in class?” I knew I wasn’t. When I chewed gum in class, I always got caught. Not because of the chewing, no, because I stuck it on other ponies.
I was a little prankster back then, sue me. I still am now.
The student looked up at me and shrugged. “Nah.”
“I don’t think you should be doing it then...” This was awkward. Was I allowed to discipline this lot?
Snorting, the mare spat out her gum and stuck it on the underside of the table. I grimaced and backed off. I used to put that stuff on other ponies? What the hay was wrong with me?
“Anyway... music back then was commonly used as a... sort of like a propaganda device. This was done through patronage, which was ponies paying musicians to write music about them, and then perform it. All three ‘tribes’ did this, but all did it differently,” I explained, trying hard not to stumble over my words.
“First: the pegasi. They were quite a militaristic society, and although a lot has changed, some elements of their ways are still around today. For example, the Guard in Canterlot.” I actually knew this from experience. Cloud Kicker had taken me around West Hoof and her clan hold a few times while I was in college. “Most pegasi would get musicians to write songs glorifying their clan, or their personal achievements on the battlefield. War songs, basically.”
“The odd thing was that pegasi lived in a society without any form of money at the time. So in return for their services, musicians were freed from any obligations of the state, essentially allowing them to pursue a full time career in music.” To be honest, that did sound awesome to me. No money to worry about, but all your time for music? Count me in. “ A lot of musicians stuck with their patrons in this manner, and often became associated with the patron’s clan.”
“As for unicorns... well, their kind of patronage still happens today, at least in Canterlot. It was mostly a noble thing--if you had your own music, it was another step on the path to power. Their music was very different from the pegasi’s. While pegasi loved strong, loud instruments such as trumpets or drums, unicorns preferred instruments that were more refined and quieter, such as violins, cellos, or lyres.”
“Wait,” said one student, raising his foreleg, “what’s a lyre?”
I smiled, glad for this opportunity to arise. I glanced back at the front desk, my lyre resting on it alongside other stuff, and levitated it for all the class to see. I got ‘oooo’s and ‘aaaaaah’s, which was pretty encouraging.
“This is a lyre. An instrument that can be beautiful and invigorating at the same time. Depends on how you play it.” I shrugged, putting my lyre back down. “Perhaps I may play it later for you lot.”
“Regardless, earth ponies used patronage too. Mostly, if they could afford it, to advertise their goods or services. Some even used it in political campaigns to become Chancellor.” I snorted with laughter. “Like they ever had a chance.”
Yeah... nopony got what I was laughing at. Damn it.
“Um... ‘cause Celestia always won,” I explained. Awkwardly. I got a few nods from the class, but most of them just stared at me like I was a freak.
“Earth ponies generally weren’t as picky as others when it came to preference in instruments, by the way.” Why, oh why did I say those last three words. This was an educational talk, not a meet up with some mates. “They were also fans of songs. Most of the earth pony population back then weren’t very literate, so stories were told through songs and music. Which leads me onto my next point.”
I levitated a scroll and unfolded it in front of the class, showing a map of Equestria at the time. Most of the towns were a lot smaller than they were today, although some places, particularly Canterlot, were still huge.
“Bards were very common at the time. These were ponies who would travel from town to town, playing music in the hopes of earning some bits. They were essentially free ponies, bound by only the laws of the land.” I grinned, scuffing a hoof over my chest. “I consider myself a bit of a bard, even if I don’t travel. I just play around town.”
I saw a pink young mare raise her hoof. “Yes?” I asked, giving her permission to speak. She seemed to be quite attentive at the time, and at least she was polite--
“Are you homeless, then?”
I resisted the urge to facehoof. “No. I am not homeless,” I answered bluntly, before trying to lighten up a little. “And while most bards were, they were hardly lazy, and knew the lay of the land well enough to gather food for themselves. So, if you wanted a travelling companion, there’s no better pony out there than a bard.”
I went and got one of my books that I had taken with me and flipped through it. “Accounts about or from bards are rare, considering the fact that most were homeless. However, I managed to find some sources.” I stopped at a page, clearing my throat. “Right, here we go: ‘I always looked forward to bards coming to town. Of course, we never knew when that might happen, so it was always a pleasant surprise. The town certainly felt more cheery when one was around.’”
A blue colt with glasses raised a hoof. “How do we know that source is reliable?”
Really. Feathering seriously? Okay, there’s not paying attention in class and then there’s trying too hard. Deep breaths, Lyra. “It’s a diary entry from a simple villager--it won’t be intended to persuade anypony. Of course, some ponies weren’t so appreciative of bards...”
I flipped through the pages, finding the right source. “Here’s one from a blacksmith: ‘That infuriating bard came into town again. So, of course, the effort my apprentices put into their work has decreased dramatically. All they wish to do is to listen to that stallion’s music while getting drunk.’ So, as you can tell, bards could really shake up a town.” I smiled sweetly. “Such is the power of music.”
I put the book back on the desk. “My ancestors were bards, actually. The Heartstrings began as them, but they rose to prominence in the musical world after the Lunar Rebellion. It’s why we’re nobles now.”
A stallion decked in black sunglasses rose his hoof. I nodded at him and he spoke. “So, like, why was music so boring back then?”
What.
My eye twitched very slightly, but I laughed it off. “Ohohoho, it wasn’t boring at all!”
“But it is and, like, some still is today, dude.” Question: do I look like a dude? I mean, seriously? I know I cut my mane shorter after college, but come on! “That Octavia mare puts me to sleep.”
Oh no he didn’t. You do not deserve the right to insult Octavia like that! “Well, I rather enjoy her music--”
One of the mares turned around to talk to that ‘dude’. “Oh my Goddess, did you listen to DJ PON3’s new album? It is so wubbin’!”
The young stallion replied to her and before I knew it, the whole class was yammering on about something or other. I wasn’t going to bother shouting or anything, since I had already committed the most offensive crime a performer could ever do: I had bored my audience.
I know they were still kids, but... it really hurt. They obviously didn’t respect me enough or enjoyed my talk. All that hard work...
As I looked over the class, dismayed and defeated, I caught a glance of Sparkler. She was looking at me, and despite her friend nearby trying to get her attention, she gave me a smile and rolled her eyes, gesturing to everypony else.
I nodded at her, smiling thankfully. At least she seemed to be invested, but even if she wasn’t, she was at least being polite. That meant a lot, really. I wasn’t going to carry on though, so I gestured at her friend. She got the message and entered a typical teenger conversation.
Myself, on the other hoof, just leant against the desk and started reading one of my books. I glanced up at the clock. At least I had cut into the lesson considerably--only twenty minutes left until the end.
I could hardly call this a success, though. A good performer has their audience’s attention from start to finish. I had to face facts: I wasn’t good with teenagers.
After awhile of me burying myself in my books, trying to distract myself from my failure, the bell suddenly rang, making me jump, and the students shuffled out of the class like I wasn’t even there. I groaned and brought my face to the front desk. “I'm not doing that again... Nope. No. Never,” I told myself, sighing.
“That was .... nice,” said Sparkler, coming up next to me. So she didn’t like it too. Great.
“A nice piece of grade A bucking up...” I replied, rolling my eyes.
“Nothing caught fire. You're fine.” I didn’t have anything that could make flames anyway... so that statement was just random.
I blinked at her, a little confused. “Wait, what? How could anything catch fire?”
Sparkler raised an eyebrow at me. “I did explain who my Mom is, right?”
Damn it. Silly me. I bonked my own head with a hoof. “Yes, yes. Derpy's your mom, right.” How could I forget that? “My mind is all flustered now, eugh. I could use some food or something...”
“Heh.” She looked to her saddlebags, rummaged through them, and got out a fresh muffin, holding it in her hoof. “I always have a few spares on hoof. It's one of the few foods she gets right. They're almost like bits around here.”
I stared at the muffin and did the only logical thing. I grabbed that muffin-y goodness and snapped it right up. “Mmm... mmm,” I mumbled while chewing. It was heavenly--been too long since I had Derpy’s muffins. “Okay... Okay I'm good now,” I said after swallowing. Much like Derpy herself, they really brightened up your day. “I think. Thanks... for what, the third time?”
Sparkler snorted, grinning. “No prob, I--”
Something whooshed past her in the air and slammed into my mane, hitting my head. “What the hay?!” I looked around, trying to find the source, but I came up with nothing. I deflated a little, letting out a defeated sigh. “Just when I thought my day was getting better... I hate school.”
Sparkler was giving the doorway a piercing glare, looking at a few students who were giggling and making their escape. “Aaand you've met Velvet Cushion. The local stuck up, twice-feathered, brown-nosing nag.”
Aah. One of those girls, huh? “Every school... every school always has its sons of mules. Eugh... mind getting this out?” I pointed at my mane. I didn’t need to say what was in it--the warm spit trailing down my head was enough. “ I can't see it.”
Sparkler’s horn glowed, and after a little painful tussle, the spitball was out. “Thanks,” I said, with a small smile. Somehow, this scenario got a little chuckle out of me. “Again. I owe you, definitely.”
“Careful, I might start keeping count.” Oo, she’s witty for her age. That’s a very good quality.
“At this rate you'll get to at least twenty,” I retorted, smirking.
That made her laugh, shaking her head. Unfortunately, she began to wander to the door. “I gotta get to my next class. See you around?”
“Sure! I got...” Uh... what did I have to do after this? “...nothing to do. I'm sure I'll find something, though.” Sparkler nodded and gave me a hoof bump on the shoulder, before going on. That was nice. Great, actually--we were on good terms.
I grinned happily, watching her leave. “See you,” I called out, then started to pack my things up.
Now, what could I do? I felt like getting revenge on that little spitball brat... but my conscious told me that pranking a teenager in their own school wasn’t a smart idea... I guess all I could do was tells Bons what had happened.
I smacked a hoof on the front desk (not as hard as last time) and let out a frustrated groan. This was meant to be a nice surprise for her, but now it was just a bitter failure and disappointment. Worse still, I had no back up plans. I had to go back to the drawing board, but my chalk was crumbling apart.
I grabbed my things and left the classroom, shuffling between students hurrying to their classes. I felt inferior around them. I was like them once: young, hopeful and fairly hard working. I had dreams that I was going to pursue. But I got careless, I made too many mistakes, and soon my dreams fell apart at the seams before me. Then I wound up here.
I wouldn’t leave Bon Bon for the world. The mere thought alone disgusted me.
But... she might leave me if I don’t succeed at this...
I slipped through the double doors of the school’s entrance and wandered back through Ponyville. I was thankful for the quiet, but now I had to face the music.
I stumbled through the front door of Bons’ house, feeling kind of tired. It was only afternoon, but for whatever reason, those kids had drained me of all my strength. Geeze, thank Goddess I didn’t go to the younger fillies’ school.
Was Bon Bon home? I didn’t know, but I was too tired to call out for her. Couch. I needed the couch. I shuffled over and collapsed upon it. That’s better--sweet comfort.
I probably would have fallen asleep right there and then were it not for the sound of shuffling hooves. I turned my head to see Bon Bon standing in the entryway to the living room, a mug of coffee in her hoof.
“You look exhausted, sweetie,” she said, tilting her head slightly. I could smell that coffee from here... mmm...
“I am,” I replied simply, resting my head on a cushion.
Bons came over and started stroking my mane gently. I couldn’t help but smile at the contact. She was pretty strong, being an earth pony, but she could be really delicate when she wanted to be. “Want some coffee?”
“Please.” I grabbed her forehoof and started nuzzling it. I wanted to sleep in all honesty, but I had to tell her what happened. Couples don’t keep secrets.
“I can’t make it if you’re here nuzzling me, dear,” Bons said, with one of her delightful little giggles. Music to my ears.
“True, true,” I agreed and let her go. “Just don’t take long, yeah?”
Bon Bon leant down to peck me on the lips. Mm. I definitely needed that because I immediately felt a little more refreshed. “I won’t.”
She went to the kitchen and within minutes, a cup of fresh coffee was levitating beside me and I was nestled up next to the most beautiful mare in the world. We sat there in companionable silence, just drinking our beverages, yet despite the plainness, I couldn’t imagine anywhere else in the world where I would rather have been right then.
Love is funny like that. It makes you cherish and hold simple moments like these close to your heart. Maybe that was because we were both doing what we set out to do when we first became a couple--living together.
Bons nuzzled my neck and broke the silence. “So, what happened today?”
Aah, hay. Here we go. Time to ruin the moment. I fiddled with my hooves, trying to come up with the best answer I could. “I did a little talk at the high school, about music and stuff... y’know, as I way to start my career.”
I got the response I expected, which made what I had to say next even worse. Bon Bon hugged me in a vice, planting big kisses on my face. “That’s fantastic! How did it go?!”
I closed my eyes. Just say it, Lyra. Speak the damn truth. “Horribly. The kids lost interest halfway through so I... I...” I swallowed harshly, before saying the real truth. “I gave up again, okay?”
In our current position, I couldn’t see Bon Bon’s face, and that really unsettled me since there was a silence after I had spoken my piece. I bit my lip, trying to keep under control. I could have apologised, repeatedly, but I didn’t think that would have looked right.
One thing did slip out, though. “I failed you.”
Suddenly, I felt Bons grab my face and turn me around so that our eyes met. She wasn’t angry at all, in fact, she was smiling! “You really think going out there, by yourself, and trying something that you’ve never done before is a failure? That’s a massive success, in my book.”
My ears twitched, as if they couldn’t believe what they hearing. I know I couldn’t. “What? No, no you don’t get it. I tried, yeah, but it didn’t work out!”
Then Bon Bon lunged forward and her lips touched mine. She wrapped her hooves around me as she passionately kissed me. I was only too happy to reply. I didn’t know why, but she wasn’t mad at me, and that’s all I cared about. We stayed together like that for a while, our eyes closed and bodies close to each other.
Then, after awhile, she broke off and grinned at me. “All that happened is that you found out you weren’t good at something. There’s still plenty of areas of work to try out.” She put her forehooves on my cheeks, bringing me close. “I’m not disappointed in you, Lyra. I’m proud of you. So proud that you’d go out of your comfort zone...” Her eyes then started watering. Was she really this happy at my apparent failure? Whatever the case, I didn’t feel tired and downcast anymore. I had brought my love to tears of joy and that filled me up with joy. “Just to make me happy.”
Then the tears fell down her face. I kissed her cheeks, wiping away the tears. “I love you, Bon Bon.” I might have been a unicorn, but Bons was the magical one here.
“And I love you too, Lyra.” Then we shared another fiery, loving kiss. We both knew where this was leading up to, so we broke off and got off the coach, going upstairs together.
Even with protection, that was one of the best nights of loving I ever had.
My reward for braving the school was Cloud Kicker herself, only the next day. Apparently, she had run into Bons during the day and had set up one of our ‘get-togethers’ for the evening. When I heard, I couldn’t wait.
Bons and I sat on the couch, cuddling each other. Thanks to my efforts yesterday, Bon Bon had completely warmed up to me. I felt safe and secure once again as she covered me in kisses.
Then I heard a knocking at the door and was rushing towards in less than ten seconds flat. “Coming!” I yelled, grinning as I reached the door and swung it open, Cloud Kicker standing right in front of me. “Hi, Cloud Kicker! All set for some fun?” I snickered, eagerly anticipating the fun we’d all share.
Our guest banger held up a baguette, looking from it to me. “Oh right, I'm banging you two tonight, not Raindrops.” She frowned at the food. “Well, I guess we can use this as a post-banging snack.”
I blinked, staring at the baguette. “What the hay do you use a baguette for...?”
“It's long and thin. Think about it, Harpflank.” She had me there. She trotted in, meeting with Bons, who had just joined me. “Hey, Bon Bon. How's life?”
“Hey, Cloud Kicker. Pretty good. How about--”She glanced at the baguette, “not going to ask--yourself?”
“Doing good. Loving the new job,” Cloudy replied.
“I bet you are,” Bons replied, with a sweet smile. “Do you want anything?”
I closed the door, thinking that it wouldn’t hurt to freshen my breath a bit. “I could use a mint myself. Hold on.” I entered the kitchen and opened a cupboard, getting out a box of mints. I mulled it over, thinking that two should have suffice.
I heard Cloud Kicker from the hallway. “You,” she said in a sultry tone, then dropped it, “But for now, some lemonade if you have any.”
“You can have her when I'm done with her!” I shouted, laughing as I popped the mints into my mouth.
I heard a small giggle escape from Bons. “Never a dull moment with you two. Anyway, I'll get right on that lemonade.” She then went into the kitchen, Kicky following her.
She popped her baguette onto the table. “Guess we might as well do something with this bread too.”
I ate one more mint, just because they’re so damn good. “For eating or banging? 'Cause I'm fine with either.”
Bon Bon poured a glass of lemonade for Kicker, sliding it over to her. “I think she meant eating, Lyra.”
Cloudy nodded a thanks at Bons and sipped some lemonade before tearing off a chunk of bread. “Yeah, eating. Bread really doesn't hold up too well to banging.”
“Sounds like Raindrops would say otherwise. Is she into the...'eccentric' side of banging?” I asked, ripping off some of the baguette. Raindrops didn’t strike me at that sort of pony, but I couldn’t say I knew her very well.
“Sorry, I don't kiss and tell,” Cloudy answered, beginning to eat her chunk.
Bon Bon poured herself a glass. “That's good to know,” she said, nodding at Cloud Kicker and taking a sip.
“I guess... doesn't take a genius to figure out what we get up to though.” I cast my magic hands, waving one lazily in the air.
Kicky let out a chuckle. “Well, some ponies have more obvious interests than others.”
I nodded in agreement. “That's true. I like mints, Bons loves her sweets,” I grinned slyly at my fillyfriend, “and her sweetie, Pinkie is all about cupcakes and Derpy loves her muffins. So yeah, some of us are kind of easy to figure out.”
“Yup. Speaking of, how's the candy stand doing, Bon bon?” Cloudy asked, before eating another piece of bread.
“Business as usual, really,” Bons replied with a shrug. “It's not really an eventful job--pretty good for socialising though.”
I began to cut off a slice of bread for myself, looking at Cloud Kicker. “Well, as long as you're making a solid profit,” she said.
“The profit lets us get by. For now,” Bon Bon replied, stealing a quick glance at me.
Cloudy frowned slightly. “Hmm. What about you, Lyra?”
I blinked. She knew my work position. Or, she should’ve done. “What about me?”
Our bang buddy smirked. “Still being a lazy bum,” she teased, playfully nudging me with her wing.
“Hey! I'm not lazy! I'll have you know that the other day, I went to Sparkler's school and did a talk on music.” I nodded at her, stuffing some bread into my mouth.
Bon Bon shook her head. “ It didn't go well... but!” She raised a hoof in my defence. “She did try, and that’s a start.”
I swallowed my mouthful. “You didn't have to provide more material for Kicky here, Bons...” I rolled my eyes. Kicky was great, but sometimes I wasn’t in the mood for her teasing.
Instead of leaping at the chance to joke at me some more, she wrapped a wing around me. “Wanna talk about it?”
“Now? Pfft. Not when we got some fun to get to!” I paused, mulling it over. I guess I could’ve used more ponies to talk to about it. I leant closer to her, whispering, “Later, okay?”
“Sure,” she whispered back, before speaking normally. “Sounds like you've got your priorities straight, Lyra. So, what did you and Bon Bon have in mind?”
“Well, we can start nice and relaxed by preening those wings of yours, if you wanted us to,” Bon Bon offered, sneaking a bit of bread into her mouth.
“Ooooh. Sounds lovely,” Cloud Kicker responded, withdrawing her wing from me.
“In that case, my lovely mares, we shall move to the bedroom!” I took the initiative, beginning to leave the room.
“Sounds like a plan.” She downed the last of her lemonade, then looked at my fillyfriend. “Shall we, Bon Bon?”
Bons quickly put the glasses near the sink, then started to follow me and Cloudy. “Right away, Cloud Kicker.”
We made our way up the stairs and into my and Bons’ bedroom. I stood by the bed, inviting Cloud Kicker onto it. “Make yourself comfy, Kicky.”
She took her usual place in the middle of the bed, making herself comfortable and spreading her wings out, grinning. “So ... you two gonna give me anything to play with while I'm getting preened?”
I saw the chance for a quick tease and I seized it. “Like what? A chew toy?” I snickered at my own joke.
“Oh, I was hoping for a little something sweet,” Kicky retorted, eyeing up my fillyfriend. I didn’t mind--I trusted her.
“Hm. I thought we could still have a nice chat before we -really- get going. How are things with you, anyway?” Bons asked as I began preening.
“Life is good,” she answered, grinning. “Oh, speaking of Lyra's whole music talk at Sparkler's school, I kinda have a thing going with Derpy now.”
I stopped, looking at Cloud Kicker, beaming. “Oh, that's wonderful!” Honestly, I had been waiting for this day for a while.
“Aww, go on,” Bon Bon added, gesturing for Cloudy to keep talking.
“Not much to say, really. We just kinda hooked up and banged on whim, and liked it enough that we decided to stick with it.” Huh. That didn’t sound very romantic, and I knew that Kicky was perfectly capable of romance.
“So you're more friends with benefits...?” I asked, dreading the answer.
Cloudy nodded. “Yeah, pretty much.”
I held back a sigh. “Aah. That works too.” I shrugged and went back to preening in order to hide my disappointment. One day, Kicky, one day...
“What about her kids...? Isn't that a bit awkward?” Trust Bons to ask the important questions.
“A little, yeah. Dinky's too young to know what's going on, but Sparkler...” Cloudy trailed off, frowning a little bit.
“I can talk to her about it, you know,” I offered. After the whole school fiasco, I did want to see her again.
“If you want to, sure,” Kicky replied. To be honest, I would have anyway even if she said no.
“Right then, I'll make sure to track her down.” I looked at Bons, a beautiful idea forming in my head. “Hey Bons, want to go grab the chocolate or shall I?”
Bons grinned suggestively at me. “Well you suggested the idea.” That I did. I guess it was up to me then.
“Now that brings back some memories,” Cloud Kicker said, nipping at my fillyfriend’s flank. Again, I didn’t mind, especially since she let out an adorable squeak in surprise.
Some good memories indeed. It wasn’t a fact I told many ponies but... Cloud Kicker and I had more history than most ponies would suspect. It was true that we banged relatively quickly, though... geeze, that was more than a couple years ago now, wasn’t it?
“Just getting things ready. I won't be long!” I snickered, then rushed downstairs to execute my plan. Straight up banging with those two was all well and good, but I wanted to maximize the fun factor as much as possible. And you know what’s really fun?
Chocolate. Chocolate is fantastic fun.
I looked through the kitchen cupboards and found a bottle of chocolate sauce soon enough. I levitated alongside me and went back to the banging center.
There was a brief pause when I returned. Cloud Kicker licked her lips. “So... what are you up to? Lots of fun things a pony can do with chocolate sauce...”
“Mmmmmm...” I winked at Kicky, then licked the tip of the bottle free from chocolate.
“Oh. I know exactly what she's thinking,” Bon Bon said. From the tone of her voice, I just knew that she looking forward to this.
Cloudy looked between me and Bons. “So... who's getting sauced up?”
I gave her sly grin. “Everyone.”
Bon Bon blinked. “That'll make cleaning up... awkward.”
“It'll be worth it,” I assured her, settling on the bed next to Cloud Kicker.
“Definitely,” Kicky agreed, reaching over to the bottle and stealing it from me. She then squeezed, squirting chocolate all over my chest. She licked her lips. “Yum.” The moment she started cleaning up was the moment I definitely knew that this was a brilliant idea. Good times, here I come!
“Oi. I'm the squirter here!” I teased, stealing the bottle back and squirting sauce all over the other two.
“Stop whining,” Kicky retorted, then licked more chocolate off of me. “Don't worry about the premature squirting. It's a common issue. Though usually more of a stallion thing.”
“Oh shush, you,” I replied. I nodded at Bons, she nodded back, and we both started licking chocolate off the mare in the middle.
“As much as Cloud Kicker probably enjoys this, we all know the real reason why she's here,” Bon Bon said, grinning at me. Yep, it was really no secret that Cloudy really enjoyed my magic touch.
“Hey, don't forget the foreplay, Bonsy.” Cloud Kicker switched off, licking my fillyfriend free of sauce. “Always nice to get in the mood for a bit before jumping into into the main event.”
“Didn't your parents teach you anything about sharing sweets, Kicky?” I shuffled over so I could lick Bon Bon too. She just sat there and took it, enjoying every lick.
“Oh, there's plenty of Bon Bon left, Lyra. I'm only using a bit of her,” Cloudy pointed out, before rubbing her hooves over Bons’ flanks.
Bon Bon giggled delightedly at the contact. “Lyra, you missed a spot on Cloudy.” She leant over and began to lick Cloudy’s neck.
“Oh, is Lyra slacking on us. Well, that won't do.” Cloud Kicker gave me a playful spank on my flank with a wing. An individual feather is nothing, yet a whole wing is... something else.
“Well for that, I'll give you a thumbs up.” I cast my magic hands and pointed a thumb up in the air. Apparently it was a gesture creatures with digits, mainly Minotaurs, used that meant ‘good job’, or something like that.
I ran a finger down Kicky’s back and she shuddered. “Ooohoho. Well if we're going into tit for tat, I think I'll make out with your fillyfriend.” And then she did. Going by her grunts of pleasure, Bons was having a great time.
“Come on, don't make me the third wheel now,” I joked, planting kisses on both of their necks.
Cloud Kicker broke away from Bons. “Perish the thought. Biggest threesome foul out there is turning a threesome into a twosome.” Then she moved a hoof to the base of my tail. I couldn’t help but shudder slightly.
“Really, Cloud Kicker, you spoil us,” Bon Bon said, with a grin.
“And you spoil me right back, Sweets.” Kicky paused for a second. “Y'know, maybe we should do more interesting things with our mouths than using them for talking.”
“Is that our cue, then?” I asked. Here we go...
“Yup.”
And then there was a big bang.
I woke up, feeling very groggy, my ears twitching slightly. I couldn’t tell how far into the morning it was, since the curtains were drawn. Grumbling, I rolled over in bed, only to find myself with Cloud Kicker, who was very much awake.
She grinned at me and kissed the top of my horn. “Good morning, sunshine,” she said, then gave me a smirk. “Though if you don't wake up soon, I might have to change that to 'Good afternoon, Sunshine.'”
I yawned and rubbed my eyes. “Whatever... works for me. We don't have to get up yet...” I could’ve stayed there forever, really; it was cosy.
“Well, I do kinda have to go to work at some point.” Eugh. The dreaded work. I mean, it was good that Kicky was concerned about her job, but I placed a higher priority on our time together.
I cuddled up to Cloud Kicker, yawning again. She was really soft, like a pillow. And for the time being, she was mine. “Screw work... Rainbow Dash won't mind...”
“I've got a while yet, I'm on the late afternoon shift.” She nuzzled my head affectionately and I happily returned the gesture. “So, there’s still a lot of ‘us time’ available.”
“Mmm. Good...” I closed my eyes and let out a content sigh, perfectly fine with lying there by Kicky’s side.
“So…” Kicky began idly running a hoof through my mane. I sighed contently, enjoying the contact. “What do you wanna talk about?”
I gave her a half hearted shrug. “I don't know... what about you?”
“What about me?” Cloud Kicker asked, kissing the base of my neck.
“You seem to have it all under control... you got promoted and your sex life is great--especially now with your thing with Derpy...” I didn’t envy her for it, but in comparison to myself, Cloud Kicker left Canterlot in a better position than I had.
“Not to mention you and Bons, which is kinda what’s on my mind right now.” She nibbled my neck for a bit, licking her lips. “Minty...”
That got a little laugh from me. “I know I am.” I fell silent, thinking. “It's great that you still come around... I mean, it probably sounds shallow, but what with Bons there,” I gestured to my sleeping fillyfriend, “it kind of sucks to use protection all the time... I'd rather be careful though.” There was also the fact that I loved spending time with Kicky, which was something we both knew.
“Yeah, a pregnancy would kinda complicate things. Though really, you two have been together for how long now?” she asked musingly.
I smiled, thinking back over happy memories past. “Over a year now... The last Hearts and Hooves day? Our second.”
Cloud Kicker nodded. “And you've been living together for a while now.”
“Sometimes I go back to my place but... mostly, yeah.” I yawned, burying my face in Kicky’s chest. Moments like this--moments of peaceful snuggling--I always cherished.
Kicky gave me another nip, this time at my ear. “Sounds to me like you two are pretty close to hitched already.”
I returned the gesture, attacking her neck. “Yeah... yeah, I guess we are...” I glanced over to Bons. She looked so calm, lying there.
“Might be something to think on. I mean, I love you both to bits, but you two clearly have something.” Cloud Kicker and I were more than just banging partners, but what we had was nothing in comparison to what Bons and I shared.
“You're such a sweetheart, Kicky.” I gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “And yeah... I know we have something special. And I want to hold onto it forever... I know it's probably cliché but I'll say it anyway because it's true: she completes me.”
“Aww.” She smiled... but it gradually faded. “So ... what's wrong in paradise?”
I sighed quietly, realising that she really wanted to talk. Not just talk, but talk talk. “This is probably going to sound really pathetic but... Bons wants me to finally get a job... I think we're fine but she doesn't...”
“Money trouble?” I shook my head in response.
“Not now... but if we want to settle down then yeah... probably... Bon Bon is just planning ahead...” I traced a little circle on the mattress.
“Yeah. Plus ... look, don't take this the wrong way Lyra, but you're a little old to still have your parents paying the bills.” Great, now Cloud Kicker was getting on my case too?
“But it's a system and it works!” I defended, yet quickly calmed down. I didn’t want wake Bon Bon, after all.
Cloud Kicker sighed. “Lyra, are you really okay with being well into adulthood but still living like a filly?”
What was the issue here? Parents help their children. That’s why they’re parents! “I... I'm sorry but... I don't see the problem.”
“I know you don't It's just ... look, the baby bird has to leave the nest eventually.” Hmph. I wasn’t a baby at all.
“I have though... I'm here, aren't I? It's only bits, Kicky...” If you took the bits factor out of the equation, I was living without support from anypony. I was definitely a normal adult.
“Bits are a pretty big deal. Kinda hard to live without them.” Well of course I knew that. It’s probably lesson number two in life 101. “I just—what do you wanna do with your life, Lyra?”
I nuzzled her, mentally pleading for a return to the cuddling. “I want to spend the rest of my days with Bon Bon... and I want us to be happy.”
There was a little pause before she answered. “Is that it? Nothing else you want out of life?”
I smiled, although it was a tired one. “It's all I need.”
“So ... you got nothing of value in your life except Bon Bon?” I didn’t expect that question--it had far too many implications for my liking.
“Well... no. You're important to me, Kicky.” I kissed her neck a few times, just to prove my point. “And so are my other friends...”
My kisses were returned, Cloud Kicker covering my face in them. “Thanks, sweetie. It's just ... a pony needs something in their lives besides romance. You ever thought about picking the whole music thing back up? More than just playing in the park for a couple bits, I mean.”
“What... you mean, go back to college?” I shook my head. I left there once and I wasn’t going back. “No... no, I can’t do that.”
“Why not?” That made me fall silent.
It was only a nudge from Kicky that prompted me to start speaking again. “I... I-I just... I didn't like it there and...” I let out a shuddered sigh. “I wasn't... motivated enough...”
“Hmm. Maybe you need to get motivated,” Cloud Kicker mused.
“But... that isn't me! I live in the moment! I-I...” I don’t know why... maybe because it was the truth or it was bringing back bad memories, but for some reason, I found myself crying into Kicky’s chest. “I just can't! And I know that's awful but... I'm so useless! I can't do anything other than play my l-lyre and even I botched that chance up...” I wiped my eyes, trying to calm down. “I'm sorry...”
I felt Cloud Kicker tighten her hold over me. “Lyra, sweetheart, you are not useless.” Then she leant me down and gave me a deep kiss on the lips, one which I happily returned.
We kissed for a short while, before breaking off. I sniffled, the tears beginning to stop. “Then why haven't I accomplished anything...?”
“Lyra, sweetie, if you wanna make something of yourself, then go out there and do it.” I had told myself that quite a few times in my life... except there was always one issue...
“I wouldn't know where to start...” I laughed weakly, a curious idea coming to mind. “Maybe I can sprout wings and join your team?”
Kicky smiled back at me. “I wouldn't mind that. But ... Well, you've got your music, right?”
“Yeah but... there's the thing...” I fiddled with my hooves.
“Yes?” My anxiety died down, for one peck on the lips was all that was needed to calm me down again.
“I don't want to become famous because... that'll change everything... and I might lose sight of what's important: the music. This right here? I don't want to change it, Kicky. I really don't...” That’s how the music industry works; either you’re famous and have a very extravagant lifestyle, or you’re pretty much a nopony and need a second job to support yourself. “See? I don't even know what I want with myself...”
“So, what? You're worried that if you really try to make something of your music, you'll mess it up?” Oh, I knew what that was like.
“No no... the opposite. You've heard of Octavia, right? I love her work but... her life isn't one I want to live. I'd probably have to leave all this behind...” I looked right into Kicky’s eyes, giving her a determined glare. “I've started something here... and I'm not leaving it.”
“So, you'd have to leave Ponyville to really pursue your music,” Cloud Kicker said.
“Ponyville isn't big enough to support a career like that... I do play in the streets sometimes... only get a couple of bits for it though.” I enjoyed playing in Ponyville, but only because myself and others enjoyed the music I made.
“So you'd have to go do a couple concerts and tours and stuff.” Hah... if only...
“P-pretty much... that, or move to somewhere like Manehattan and only perform in small clubs...” I looked away, pondering things. “Music might be my passion but... I don't think it's my job. You love banging, but look at you!” I prodded Kicky’s chest. “Promoted and almost calling the shots...”
“So you love music, but it's a hobby.”
“Yep...” I nodded and squeezed her gently.
Kicky ran a hoof through my mane comfortingly. “So then ... what do you want for a job?”
“I don't know! Like I said, I'm pretty much useless... I don't know where to begin... I'd need so much training to get anything good...” I could feel the floodgates opening again, but Kicky was there to stop any of that from happening.
“You are not useless,” she said in that firm, military like tone she rarely uses. She then followed that up with a slightly forceful kiss.
After returning, I pulled back and slowly nodded. “Yes... you're right. Sorry... this is all new to me and it's kind of daunting...”
“Yeah, but you'll figure it out.” She gently took my hoof in her own. “Besides, Bon Bon will be there to help. You just need to let her.”
“Yeah... I have to try at least. Thank you, Kicky.” This is what I needed; a pep talk after I had get knocked down (and knocked up, heh heh). “Even if Bons and I get married, you'll always have your special place here.” Grinning, it was my turn to make the first move and kiss Cloudy.
“Glad to hear it.” Kicky glanced over Bons, thinking. “Say... think she'd mind if we had a quick little...” She looked back at me, waggling her eyebrows. “Think you could use a bit of a pick-me-up.”
“I don't think she would...” I grinned, liking the idea. Bon Bon knew Kicky and I had banged a ton of times before anyway.
“Well then...” She slid a hoof under the covers. “Let's forget about all this job stuff for a bit.” She kept moving her hoof, then hesitated a bit. “Y'know, Lyra, I love you and Bons to bits. Not love love, but still... y'know.”
“Do you love love anyone, Kicky...?” I had asked this question before, but the answer was always the same.
She hesitated before answering this time.“Nah, it's not really my thing.” Normally she was a lot more definite. One thing I knew though, was not to press her on the issue.
At least, not too much. “ I've always believed that there's a special somepony for all of us... you're a wonderful mare, Cloud Kicker. I think you'd make somepony feel very special, you know?”
She fell conspicuously silent and my suspicions were raised. I looked at her with concern, asking softly, “What's wrong?”
“Nothing. Just... old history.” Another answer I had gotten before.
“Oh... I'm sorry, Kicky.” I kissed her forehead, regretting that I couldn’t do more. Sometimes, I really wished she’d open up more and actually let me help her like she had to me. “But that stuff I said about you is still true. Remember that. And if you ever need a talk, or a song, I'm here,” I said, giving her a reassuring smile.
“Thanks.” She resumed sliding her hoof right down to my... yeah. “So... how about we go from sappy talking time to me showing you how important you are to me?”
I giggled in anticipation. “Show me.”
“Gladly... but one thing first.” She smirked at me and I raised an eyebrow in reply. “So far I haven't gotten any reciprocation on the whole love-as-a-friend thing...”
I moved a hoof slowly down her chest. “You really need me to tell you that?” I questioned, with a teasing grin.
She grinned right back at me. “It's nice to hear it, sometimes.”
I cleared my throat before speaking. “Allow me to show you why they call me 'Heartstrings'.” It didn’t take me long to think of what to say. It was the truth, after all. “Cloud Kicker. You are perhaps the most trustworthy friend a pony could ask for. Also the most radiant, like the cutie mark on Celestia's plot itself. I think I am truly blessed to know you as I do today. And although my love for you burns brightly, it is not the same as the flame that burns for Bon Bon.” I laughed lightly--some of that stuff was a bit corny. “Good enough?”
Kicky enjoyed it though, laughing joyfully and beaming right at me. I saw a bit of her younger self, right there. “I guess it'll do. And now... we'll bang,okay?”
“My flank is ready.” I gave her a challenging grin. Bring. It. On. “Let's do it.”
What happened next was easy to guess. And wonderful, all the same.