//------------------------------// // I. Lyra in the Sky with Diamonds // Story: Uniformity // by adcoon //------------------------------// O sister, Humble Soul, sing me to where thou know'st I long to be, with friends at home in world set low'st. Lift thy voice and sing, farthest stars alight. Weave strings, a melody, and sky with stars bestow'st, To light a path 'cross distant shores of night With flame of kinship, answer of my plight. Please sing me home from heavens high. Please sing for me, O sister why? — Sapphiro (589 BH), Polaris et soror mea As Bonbon went to bed on Hearth's Warming Eve she wondered, as she so often did, what you got if you scraped the gold off a lyre. Could be you got something that sounded exactly the same, but also seemed a lot less noble. She lay down on her bed and gazed at the snow-covered trees outside her bedroom window. Underneath that cover lay a well-tended garden, waiting to bloom at the first signs of spring. Ponies liked to say it wasn't the cover, but what it covered, that mattered. The big problem with liars was, you never could tell what was under the cover. They could be golden through and through, or it could be a simple paint job. Bonbon had hoped to spend the evening with Lyra, but Lyra had to visit her own family in Canterlot. Bonbon had suggested they could go there together this year; Lyra had said, “maybe next year.” Bonbon wondered what a Hearth's Warming with Lyra and her family would be like. Lyra often visited her family and talked eagerly about them when Bonbon asked. From all this, Bonbon had formed certain images of a lively and happy family, much like the image she had of Lyra herself. They were also a lie, much like the image of Lyra. Bonbon had known for a while now that no Sonorous and Gale lived in Canterlot. It wasn't hard to find this out if you looked in the public records, but that was also about as far as you would get. She hadn't confronted Lyra about it yet, but she had been tempted. Instead she had kept pressuring Lyra about meeting them, and Lyra kept finding excuses and ways to avoid it. Bonbon pulled her pillow towards her and hugged it between her hooves as she gazed out the window. It had been a quiet and entirely normal Hearth's Warming Eve for her at home. Her own family were not the most exciting ponies, Bonbon had to admit as she fluffed the pillow. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy spending the evening with them—they were good solid ponies—she just wished Lyra could be there too. Lyra, for all her lies and secrecy, always made things seem brighter somehow. Bonbon dropped the pillow back on the bed and got up slowly, turning to gaze at the quiet village beyond her walls. The stars were out, and not a cloud or trace of mist obscured them on this night. A single tiny star shot across the darkness and vanished as she watched. Bonbon recalled that there were supposed to be many shooting stars this week, but this was the first one she had seen herself. She stood for a time in the heavy silence of her room and empty house, looking at the reflection in the glass of her window. With a glance towards the floor, Bonbon turned and walked across the room. She picked up a scarf and cloak and wrapped herself in the cloth before unlocking the balcony door. The world outside was quiet, and not a wind stirred the air. Bonbon closed the door behind her and trotted down the stairs from her balcony to the street in front of her shop. The streets of Ponyville lay empty, and only a few lights in some of the windows suggested that anypony was still awake, sitting inside in the warmth with their friends and family. Bonbon walked down the street in the first direction that came to mind. With its streets and homes draped in white and lit up by the silvery moon, Ponyville looked like something out of a fantasy or bedtime story. Bonbon smiled to herself and looked at it all as she walked quietly down the street, the only sound coming from her hooves as they crunched the soft layer of fresh snow beneath her. She stopped at one of the bridges and stood up, leaning her front hooves on the railing to gaze into the river flowing beneath and under her. The river hadn't fully frozen over yet, and if she listened quietly, she could hear the gentle lapping of water and bits of ice as it moved, always on the search for somewhere else. She could see the stars dance in the rippling surface. A tiny star came to life and flashed across the sky, gone as suddenly as it had appeared. Bonbon looked up. It was the second one tonight. She stepped down from the railing and turned around, eyes scanning the skies. Far across the town, a shadow moved at the top of the dark library, and a bit of glass caught the moon's light for a second as the lens of a telescope was adjusted. Nothing else moved. But something did make a sound. Bonbon's ears perked up and turned to the source of a distant tune. She listened in silence for half a minute before she caught another faint but unmistakable trace of a tone on the air. She turned around and followed, walking carefully to make no noise. A soft, solitary melody soon emerged, played upon the familiar strings of a lyre. It led her towards the fields and forests surrounding the town and would have gone entirely unnoticed had it not been such a quiet night. The melody picked up confidence and volume, as if it had been unsure of its purpose or direction before. Bonbon approached through the deep snow. She had barely left the fields behind and found the first line of trees around her when a light made her stop in her track. It didn't come from the forest but from behind her. Bonbon turned around and looked up, back at the night sky and the stars seen through the trunks of the forest. A star vanished in a short-lived streak across the sky. Bonbon marveled as another followed, then a third and a fourth. Behind her, the lyre played its solemn melody, as if it was asking for somepony to join its solitude. And the stars joined in its song. Bonbon gazed in awe at the sky as stars lit up everywhere and vanished just as suddenly. Little lights were born in the dark and fell towards the earth as if summoned or called. With each star come and gone, the sound changed a little, as if they were singing in the thousands. Far-flung voices called out, yet were barely heard except as a whisper upon the strings. Bonbon kept her eyes on the sky in breathless silence as she followed the sound of the lyre through the woods. She had listened to that sweet lyre so many times, there was no way she could mistake its unique sound for another. But Lyra was in Canterlot—was supposed to be in Canterlot, she corrected herself. “Lyra?” she called out and received no answer. She raised her voice slightly as she called again. “Lyra? It's me, Bonbon.” The melody died suddenly, and silence filled the void, startling Bonbon. She stepped around a bush and through a thicket of underbrush. She heard a gasp and spun around in shock as something burst through the copse not far from her. Bonbon blinked as the shadow of a creature leapt over a log and fled into the darkness of the forest before she could react. A wild scrambling and rustling followed from bushes and trees all around her. Birds rose up in screeches of surprise and warning. “Lyra!” The northern sky lit up like fire, far in the direction of Canterlot. Bonbon nearly fell backwards and gasped at the sudden flare of orange and yellow. Before she could process the sight or count the distance, a second light lit up behind her. Bonbon spun in time to see a small streak of fire a few seconds before it struck Ponyville. A loud crash and rumble rolled across the forest not a second later. Bonbon dared not breathe as she stared in horror. All around her, silence followed. The sky returned to black, aside from the familiar stars and moon shining down upon her, as they had done for eons before. She gulped and looked around the dark forest. There was no sign of whatever creature she had surprised, or of Lyra and her melody. Bonbon bit her lip. Something had just hit Ponyville. Ponies could be hurt. But Lyra could be hurt too, if that creature had attacked her before running off in the confusion. “L-Lyra!” Bonbon called, hoping she didn't attract any other monsters. She pushed through the thickets, trying to see anything in the gloom. “Lyra, please say something!” Her hoof stepped on something soft. She looked down at a blanket folded in two and laid out on the forest floor. An empty bag had been dropped nearby. Somepony had been sitting here, but there was no sign anywhere of them now. Had Lyra run off in the panic and confusion? Perhaps she had been frightened by the creature and the explosions, or didn't want Bonbon to know she had been here. Lyra could be a little excitable sometimes. But what was she doing out here in the first place? Bonbon picked up the blanket and quickly stuffed it in the bag. She took another look around before hurrying back towards Ponyville, where all the windows were now alight. * * * Bonbon galloped down the road, trying to hold on to the emergency kit she had grabbed from her shop in a haste. Ponies could have been hurt, she kept thinking. Her hooves echoed loudly against the stones of the bridge as she steered towards the center of activity in town. Based upon what she could pick up as she ran, something had plowed right through the roof of the Town Hall before ending its crash in Carousel Boutique, which was now smoking lightly but otherwise looking like it had avoided the worst destruction. This was not the impression one got from Rarity, its proprietor. The elegantly frazzled unicorn, still dressed in her silken nightgown, was being fanned by some of the gathered ponies while acting as if her entire world had been smashed to pieces. It was not entirely clear what had crashed, because the crowd gathering around the site was in an uproar when Bonbon arrived. The general mood seemed to suggest that the entire sky had fallen and hit everypony over their heads, perhaps knocking them out of their senses. Bonbon was getting quite ready to grab somepony and shake them until they stopped yelling and told her something instead. She was saved from the contemplation of random acts of violence by a brief flash of purple. “Listen up, everypony, and please calm down.” There was some general murmur and complaining as everypony turned to Twilight Sparkle. The young princess landed on the front steps of the boutique next to the frazzled white unicorn and barely got a chance to fold her wings before several questions and demands were thrown at her, making the calm very short-lived. Twilight raised a hoof to try and calm the crowd. “Calm down, everypony. There is no cause for panic or concern. The chance that anything more will happen tonight is virtually zero. You can all return to your homes and rest easy. We will organize repairs in the morning, and if you have any questions, I am sure there will be time for that in the morning as well.” More shouting ensued, but Twilight cut it off. “Honestly, everypony, haven't you all signed up for the science letter I started? Or the study groups? The bi-monthly symposium?” There was some embarrassed shuffling and sidelong glances in response. Twilight groaned and dragged a hoof down her face. “If you had, then you would know that the Ursid meteor shower is an annual event around the winter solstice, or Hearth's Warming. This year was very dramatic and extremely fascinating. It will be studied closely, but I am certain further observations will reveal nothing for you to worry about.” Twilight paused to help Rarity up before turning back to the crowd. “I can assure you that Princess Luna is well aware of tonight's events as well, and I remain in close contact with her on the matter. If she has anything more to offer, I am sure she will make it known in good time. That is all.” She wrapped a wing around her friend and turned. “Return to your homes and families, everypony. There is nothing to worry about.” The crowd slowly dispersed, though unhappily, as it became clear that Twilight was not going to answer any more questions, and nothing more dramatic was looking to happen. Twilight followed her shocked friend into the damaged boutique and closed the door behind them. Bonbon grabbed the nearest familiar pony on her way to leave. “Minuette,” she said as she caught up with the pony. “Have you seen Lyra anywhere?” Minuette smiled, though her eyes suggested that she had been sleeping only moments ago and would be happy to do so again quite soon. “Oh, good evening, Bonbon. Isn't Lyra still in Canterlot?” “Apparently not,” Bonbon remarked sullenly. “If you see her, tell her I've got a pegasus to pluck with her about that.” “Aww, don't be so hard on her,” Minuette said with a bit of a pout. It was the standard response; everypony loved Lyra. “She's always such a nice pony. I'd swear she hasn't got a single mean bone in her body. Never done a wrong in her life, I bet.” Bonbon knew all that. It made it harder that she could never hate Lyra either. Whatever the truth of her life, whatever it was she was trying to hide and why, Lyra made Bonbon happy, and Bonbon just couldn't explain it. “Just tell her I need to talk to her, okay?” “Will do.” Minuette gave her a playful wink. “Somepony's gotta warn her you're coming, right?” Bonbon didn't comment on that. She looked around at the largely empty streets. “Hey, what do you think this was all about, anyhow?” Minuette shrugged. “I was asleep, didn't catch it. You know, it's funny,” she continued on a sudden train of thought. “I had this beautiful dream where the sky was full of shooting stars, just before that awful crash woke me from it. Shame too, 'cause I think the stars were singing to me, and it was all so pretty.” She gave a shrug and turned around with a wave back at Bonbon. “It was good to see you, Bonbon. Happy Hearth's Warming.” “Happy Hearth's Warming,” Bonbon echoed in a monotone as she watched Minuette trot across the street and disappear. Only a few ponies were still trotting on their way home, leaving the streets once again empty as Bonbon processed Minuette's dream. She glanced back towards the forest and wondered where Lyra had disappeared to. If she was trying to hide that she had been there, then she wouldn't be showing up in town until she was supposed to return from Canterlot anyway. That meant she could be anywhere out there, hiding and waiting in the cold. Bonbon looked at the bag she had found in the forest and now regretted taking the blanket with her. “Silly filly,” she sighed and trotted back home. * * * A young robin who was wintering in a tree outside her window woke her in the morning with its song. Bonbon stared blearily at the clouds outside and turned over, pulling the blanket up to her ears and drifting back to sleep. She had left her doors unlocked, in case Lyra decided to come in from the cold during the night. She had even left a blanket and pillow on the couch, and a thermos of hot tea on the table. It hadn't been touched as she came down the stairs an hour later, but this didn't surprise her. It was Lyra's own bloody fault if she got to spend Hearth's Warming alone in the cold, dark forest. What in Equestria was she out there for anyway? And not just any night, but on Hearth's Warming when ponies were supposed to come together by the fire, not sit out in the monster-infested woods by their lonesome. Bonbon shook her head and trudged into her kitchen. She yawned and rubbed her eyes as she set water to boil and rummaged through her pantry for some leftover apple pie. She had just poured the water into the cup and left the tea to steep on the table when there came a scrambling noise from under her kitchen window. She stood up, resting her hooves on the kitchen table and opened the window to look outside. A young filly’s face met her with a mischievous grin and guilty eyes. “Heya, Miss Bonbon. What's up?” “Good morning, Scootaloo,” Bonbon said blankly at the filly outside her window. “I'm sorry, I'm closed today, but have a nice Hearth's Warming.” She made to close the window, but an orange and purple head swiftly got in the way. “Oh gosh, you don't say. Hey, did you hear about last night?” Bonbon sighed and pushed her cup of tea safely aside as the filly crawled through her window, entirely uninvited. “What about last night?” “The whole town dreamed the same thing,” Scootaloo began as she plopped herself down from the kitchen table. “Well, the ones that weren't already up, anyway. They say—” she pointed questioningly at Bonbon's cold apple pie “—that all of Equestria dreamed the same thing at the same time.” Bonbon gave her a dash over the hoof and quickly rescued the poor apple pie. “All of Equestria?” She would have dismissed such a tall tale if she hadn't been there last night and seen the shower of stars … and then heard Minuette's tale to hoof. “Did you see it?” Scootaloo rubbed her hoof. “Yeah, it was real pretty and cool. There were like stars everywhere. Everypony is talking about it.” “Sounds like Princess Luna got a little carried away,” Bonbon mused as she removed the tea infuser from her cup and set about cleaning it. “Probably wanted to give us a show to remember.” Scootaloo jumped up with her front hooves on the table, dangling slightly above the floor, to look on as Bonbon worked. “Nah,” said the filly with more conviction than one should expect. Bonbon raised an eyebrow at her, and Scootaloo quickly added, “I don't think so, at least. I think it was some kind of magic, like, something really big! My friend Sweetie Belle says it was a diamond that crashed into Rarity's shop.” “Well, ain't that lucky for her,” Bonbon grunted. “Bet the mayor wishes it had been stuck in the Town Hall instead.” She shook the infuser and hung it back on its hook on the wall. “Maybe it would cover the damages.” Scootaloo laughed and let go of the table. “I think Twilight Sparkle took it, though. It was probably magical too.” She was silent as she followed Bonbon into the living room. “Did you see it? I hear you were outside last night when it happened.” Bonbon set her breakfast down on the table and glanced at the filly. “You sure are digging your nose into this stuff, aren't you?” Scootaloo grinned mischievously and entirely avoided answering the question. “What did you see?” “Nothing more than everypony else,” Bonbon lied and sat down. The filly frowned a bit and watched Bonbon. “So, um, can I still buy some candy?” Bonbon sighed and got up. Maybe it would get rid of the filly. “Sure, kid. What do you want?” “Surprise me.” She grinned and sat down expectantly. The filly was acting strange, Bonbon mused as she shook her head and trotted off towards her small shop. “If you eat my pie while I don't look, I'll dip you in syrup and roll you in sugar,” she warned through the door. “You'll be sticking to everything for a year after I'm done, I swear.” “I won't touch it,” Scootaloo's voice came from the other room. Bonbon grabbed an already-filled bag of assorted candies from a shelf behind the counter and turned back with a satisfied smirk on her face. If the kid thought she could distract Bonbon, she would be sadly mistaken. Bonbon walked quietly back and stepped into the living room. “I'll pretend I didn't see you there, if you tell me everything you know,” Bonbon said, surprising the young filly. Scootaloo jumped and spun around, trying to hide the open drawer behind herself. The filly blushed as she realized that she had been caught red-hoofed in the act. “I-I don't know anything, I swear!” “Well then, perhaps you can tell me why you were snooping outside my window,” Bonbon said and dropped the bag of candy on the table. “And why you're snooping through my drawers.” “Look,” Scootaloo began, shuffling her hooves. “I'm just asking around about stuff from last night. I thought maybe I could get my cutie mark for investigating and stuff.” Bonbon wasn't sure she was telling everything, but they were making progress. She approached the filly. “I see, and what did you expect to find in that drawer, if I may ask?” “Well …” Scootaloo looked away from Bonbon and rubbed her shoulder. “They think … that is, there's talk that they think maybe more diamonds fell than just that one, and that maybe it's important and stuff. And I heard you were out there in the woods last night, so I thought maybe you had found something.” She looked up with big eyes to add, “I wasn't going to steal anything! Honest!” “You were just going to tell them that I had a diamond, am I right?” Bonbon was impressed; the kid wasn't without talent. Perhaps Bonbon should get her to stick her nose in Lyra's business instead. Scootaloo nodded and looked down at her hooves. “Y-yes, Ma'am.” Bonbon smiled. “Well, let me save you the bother, because if I ever found a diamond, I sure as hay wouldn't keep it around where it wouldn't do me any good,” she said solemnly. “Now run off with you.” “Y-you won't tell anypony about this, right?” “Nah. This'll be between you and me. You can take the candy too.” Scootaloo grinned and edged her way around Bonbon. She grabbed the bag on the table and set into a gallop, sprinting for the kitchen and the window. “Thanks, Miss!” Bonbon shook her head and looked down at her breakfast. The tea was getting lukewarm, but there was something she had to do first of all. With a huff, she trotted back into her shop and grabbed an empty bag, quickly filling it and replacing the one now gone. It paid to be prepared for kids doing their worst to distract you from what they were doing behind your back. Bonbon took pride in being prepared. * * * The train station was filled with ponies waiting for friends and relatives returning home to Ponyville. Scootaloo had not been kidding when she said the whole town was talking about last night either. Bonbon heard several mentions of the dreams and star shower as she pushed her way through to the front. Apparently everypony really had been dreaming the same thing. Bonbon watched the train in the distance as she listened to the idle chatter of her fellow ponies. It seemed the rest of the town knew no more than what Scootaloo had shared, and perhaps even less than that. The filly had done a pretty good job of snooping up rumors and sorting out facts. After a minute, as the conversations dragged on and the train was getting closer, she tuned out the discussions around her and focused on the more pressing concern: what if Lyra wasn't on the train from Canterlot like she was supposed to be? Bonbon sat down and studied her hoof uncertainly as she waited for the train to crawl its way along the tracks. She gnawed at the hoof and glanced at the clock on the building behind her. It was a minute late, which wasn't even enough to complain about. Finally, the train pulled into station and gave off a puff of steam as it came to a complete stop. Bonbon stood up and watched the doors as they opened. Ponies began to file out onto the already crowded platform, and Bonbon had to stretch her neck to see who was coming out. A light cyan mane caught her eye, and a heavy weight rolled off her heart at the sight. “Lyra!” Bonbon pushed her way through the masses towards the unicorn stepping off the train. Lyra perked up and turned around, smiling brightly, though the shadows under her eyes suggested she hadn't slept very much this night. Bonbon didn't have to guess what the reason for that was. “Oh, hi there, Bonbon! Didn't expect to meet you here this early. Crazy night, huh? Meteors and dreams, just wow, am I right?” “Right. We need to talk,” Bonbon said and followed the unicorn as they trotted through the crowd and down the steps from the platform. Lyra was wearing a new sweater, with a large musical note embroidered on the front in gold. “Sure. You had a nice Hearth's Warming? The family all doing well?” She paused only for a second to drop her used ticket in a trash bin before moving on. Bonbon stopped and quickly picked up the ticket Lyra had dropped, before catching up with her again. “Oh yes, lovely evening all around,” she said and glanced at the ticket. Hoofington to Ponyville it said, bright and bold. Bonbon gave a quiet huff at the proof before her. “And you?” Lyra didn't notice about the ticket, being busy smiling and waving at everypony as they left the station. “Oh, I had a very lovely evening too,” she replied while waving at Derpy flying overhead. The cross-eyed mare waved back before returning to her flight. Bonbon nodded and stuffed the ticket in her bag. When she pulled her muzzle back out and looked at Lyra, she was surprised to find that the other mare hadn't continued chatting. Lyra loved to chat and could sometimes go on for a while if not stopped. The silence was unusual. “You're usually more talkative,” Bonbon said and gave her a crooked glance. “Am I?” Lyra laughed lightly and gave her a reassuring smile. “I'm sorry, I hope I'm not disappointing you. My train left so early, and everypony was so chatty about last night that I simply couldn't get any sleep. I really just want to get home and get a few hours of shuteye in my very own bed. You understand, right?” “Yes, I imagine you didn't have much time on that train to sleep,” Bonbon said pointedly. Lyra nodded, oblivious to the hidden meaning, and smiled at Golden Harvest and Dinky on their way to somewhere else. The two brightened up at the sight of Lyra, and both waved back happily. Bonbon watched the smile suspiciously. Lyra was working to act her usual self today. It was not as effortless and natural as Bonbon was used to seeing. She was pretty sure something was upsetting Lyra, even if you had to know her well and look closely to see it. “You didn't really go to Canterlot,” Bonbon said, stating the fact. She had decided to plow ahead and finally stop the charade. “In fact, I don't think you have a family in Canterlot.” “What are you talking about? That's absurd.” Lyra stopped and turned around with a confused chuckle. “Of course I do. You know I always visit my family for Hearth's Warming. Of course I was there.” “I checked, there are no Sonorous and Gale living in Canterlot. If you have family there, then their names are not what you claim.” Bonbon took a step closer to the unicorn and reached out to place a hoof on her shoulder. “Look, Lyra, I don't care who your family are. You don't have to make up stories about them for me to think you're special.” Lyra's smile flickered for a tiny second, reflecting a hint of doubt before returning with a raised eyebrow. “What's gotten into you today? Look, Canterlot is a big city, and not everypony has their name and address in the public records, you know. Ponies in the big city like their privacy sometimes. You simply missed them for the forest,” she said and made a wide gesture with one hoof. Bonbon wasn't convinced. Determined to end the lies, she went on. “Alright, but—” she searched her bag and held up the discarded ticket “—you got on the train in Hoofington, not Canterlot. Hoofington, which is conveniently located between here and Canterlot and within trotting distance of here. I know you were here last night, Lyra. I called out to you, and you ran off. You must have hurried off to Hoofington after that and taken the train there; that's why you're so tired. You can't have had more than an hour or two of sleep.” Lyra shook her head with a mild smile. “Come on, Bonbon, that's just silly. I got on in Hoofington—” she said and continued on her way towards her home “—because I had to make a stop to visit my aunt and uncle there. My uncle couldn't make it to Canterlot this year because of a bad knee, so I promised my dad I'd stop by and wish them a good season and give them their presents.” Entirely plausible, completely reasonable, it was almost like she had explanations and excuses prepared. Bonbon almost admired her ability to lie her way out of every corner. “Then where's your ticket from Canterlot to Hoofington?” “Threw that out in Hoofington,” Lyra said without a skip in her beat. Bonbon had to admit, that one had been too easy. “Alright, fine!” Bonbon felt like throwing her hooves in the air in frustration, or maybe sitting down and crying. “I heard you play your lyre out in the woods last night. I know you were there, and I want to know why! You know I invited you to celebrate the season with us, and then you do this to me?” Lyra gave Bonbon a sorry smile. “I don't know what to say, but you must have been dreaming. I'm sorry, Bonbon, I really am, but I'm terribly tired and just want to get home. It sounds like you could use a bit of sleep too.” “I was not dreaming,” Bonbon insisted. “Then you were mistaken.” Lyra sighed. It was not a reaction Bonbon was used to hearing from Lyra. Lyra did not often sigh. “I'm not the only musician, or even the only lyrist here in Ponyville. It could have been anypony. It could have been just a random traveler.” “I know your sound, Lyra. I don't know if there's some fancy word for it, but your lyre has its own sound. There's no way I could have mistaken it.” “You were mistaken, Bonbon. I'm sorry, but you were,” Lyra said, and the finality in her voice threw Bonbon off. “I really have to go. Sorry to be such a bore right now, and sorry that I couldn't be here last night. I'll see you later,” she added with a little smile before trotting off. Bonbon sat down on the side of the road and stared at the departing mare. * * * Work on repair of Town Hall and Carousel Boutique had been going on all day, with a noticeable absence of Twilight organizing the effort. The mayor had picked up the slack and was even doing a fairly decent job for once. Bonbon could only imagine that the poor mayor was trying to make herself look useful and present herself as an important part of the city now that Ponyville had its very own princess running the show. Bonbon twirled her tail around her hoof and stared blankly at the ponies working on Town Hall across the street. The bench she was resting on provided her a great view of the work, but the focus of her attention for the last twenty minutes was a random poster stuck on a random wall. It read in bold letters, “Have you seen this pony? Because she is awesome!” The 's' in 'she' had been repeatedly struck out or rewritten, and the original picture plastered or drawn over so many times by seemingly everypony in town that it now looked like a crazy circus pony who had crashed through a paint and costume store on a rocket sled. For all Bonbon knew, the poster was hiding fewer faces than Lyra. Bonbon even had a pretty good idea of who had originally graced the poster with her face. What the hay was she supposed to do? Her nightstand back home was stacked with cheesy romance novels and bricks with titles like “Romance 101”, “The Science of Romantic Love,” and “Egghead's Guide to Relationships,” many of them enthusiastically provided by Twilight before she became a pretty princess who didn't have to make the slightest effort to have love and affection thrown at her. And then there were the fancy-looking books by smarmy pricks giving advice on everything from how to smile to the correct and timely application of mustang musk, not to mention how to battle dragons, rescue mares, and the proper technique for kissing frogs and—just in case—other lizards, reptiles and swamp monsters. Bonbon's 'favorite' of these was the catastrophically and singularly useless “A Young Pony's Guide to Dating.” Bonbon had read them all, in the vain hope that somewhere in one of them was The Secret. She had dug through heaps of horse apples and nonsense to pick out the few bits of solid and sensible advice. She had done everything she imagined she was supposed to do. She had known Lyra for a few years now, since Lyra came to Ponyville from the-sun-only-knew-where. She had been smitten by the unicorn and done her best to befriend her and get to know her. And then nothing worked as it was bloody well supposed to. They had spent hours on the bench in the park, just talking. Lyra probably knew more about Bonbon than Bonbon did, while blankly refusing to let Bonbon know a single real thing about herself. Lyra listened and gave nothing but vapor and lies back. Bonbon had invited Lyra on dates, given her flowers and candy, declared her love in letters and to her face, in poem and in song on more than one occasion. Lyra bashfully rejected it all, like she really wanted to but couldn't. Bonbon had begged her. She had tried every trick in the books, and Lyra rejected it all. And it wasn't even a real rejection. Why did Bonbon have to love somepony like that? She could probably find a hundred other mares, but they weren't the one pony she wanted in her life. “Hey Bonbon, wanna help me with—” Bonbon turned her head an inch to give Junebug a cold stare of indifference at the interruption. The smile on the other pony's face wilted away under the gaze. “N-never, uh, never mind,” she said, ears drooping. “I-I can see you're busy.” Junebug spun around and galloped off. Bonbon returned to staring at the multi-faced poster. A whisper and minor commotion broke her out of her stupor again. Bonbon looked up and followed everypony's gaze to find Twilight strolling down the street towards the Town Hall, a little dragon runt riding on her back. Bonbon sat up a bit at the arrival. Twilight walked up to the front of the hall and let Spike crawl off her back, smiling at the dragon as he scampered off on his own business. The alicorn princess returned her attention to the scattered ponies, a smile still in place. “Greetings, everypony,” she began. “First, let me say that you are all doing a great job on Town Hall, and I know my friend Rarity is very thankful for all your generous help with her boutique. On behalf of her, myself, and Ponyville: thank you all for your hard work!” Her face took on a slightly more serious expression. “I am here to tell you that last night, one or more objects fell during the annual meteor shower, as you are all aware by now. We have the one which fell here in Ponyville, and we are keeping it so far for study. If you know of any other fallen objects, or come across one, leave it where you found it and come to me or my assistant, Spike. Do not pick up or keep any objects that you think may have fallen from the sky last night.” Twilight brightened back up. “If you have any questions, I am available now, but I must tell you that I cannot give much more information on last night's events.” Many voices broke out at once, many voicing the same concern. Twilight raised a hoof for silence and shook her head gently. “I can only advise general caution, as we do not know what else may have fallen. We are not aware of any threat, but we are doing our best to investigate this event and learn more. Any help or information would be appreciated.” Ponies all around were eager to ask or generally whine. Bonbon watched the princess try to pick out questions from the masses. She was just about to answer another when a swooshing of air and wings above the crowd brought everypony's attention up. Bonbon groaned quietly from her spot on the bench, a safe distance from the whole debacle. Up on the porch of the Town Hall, a pegasus dressed up in full Wonderbolt uniform landed and turned with a graceful and proud flick of her rainbow-colored mane to Twilight. Rainbow Dash smiled and kissed Twilight—in a way that was obviously and intentionally visible to the audience, Bonbon noted. A few words were shared between the two that Bonbon could not hear, and then a blushing and mildly stuttering Twilight turned back to the crowd. “I, uh, I'm terribly sorry to have to cut this short, but royal duty calls. If you have any information or concerns, please see my assistant at the library.” Twilight turned around and spread her wings to take off. Rainbow Dash followed, posing for a second in front of the crowd before flying off with Twilight. Bonbon huffed and turned around, staring at something else, somewhere … elsewhere. That pegasus was insufferable! First she sailed right through the academy to become a bloody Wonderbolt, like it was nothing all that special. Next thing anypony knew, she had trotted right up to the newly crowned princess during a public speech, given her flowers out of nowhere and bold as day asked her out on a date. Just like that. And of course the wildly blushing and utterly surprised alicorn had stuttered out a yes. Just like in the stupid fairy tales and books on Bonbon's nightstand. Just like that, and the smooth bastard had landed herself a pretty princess. How the bloody hay did she make everything look so easy? It bloody well wasn't fair. Bonbon had tried the same trick on Lyra, and what did she get for her effort? Bonbon huffed again and climbed off the bench. She had seen quite enough for one day. * * * It did not take long for things to return to normal, relatively speaking. Ponyville was used to its fair share of odd events, and when nothing more seemed to happen, most ponies soon forgot it all in the humdrum of their daily lives. To most ponies it was enough that Twilight was probably dealing with it anyway, so that they didn't have to. Days went by in this way. What didn't return to normal was Lyra, who seemed to hide away in her small rented room above a jewelry store and spent less time playing her lyre in the park than Bonbon was used to. Bonbon dropped by when she had the time, but it never seemed to be at a time when Lyra had the time. It was still dark as Bonbon began another day, closing the door behind her as she left her shop. Today was Dinky's birthday, and Bonbon had agreed to help Golden Harvest and Written Script with the early morning surprise party. She was a little early, but it paid to be in good time. The snow lay thick across Ponyville, and the fields and farms outside the village were all white. Bonbon crossed a bridge and trotted at a brisk pace down the road. She turned off the road and cut across the fields towards the carrot farm in the distance. At a small frozen stream, she paused for a moment to check that it was safe before stepping over on the other side. She looked up and caught a movement among the trees and shadows of the forest. She stopped and watched somepony wandering in the shade, searching the ground. The light of the moon caught the wanderer's face for a moment, long enough for Bonbon to recognize the distinctive black and white stripes of the zebra. Bonbon never had much to do with the strange shaman living in the Everfree Forest. She came to Ponyville once a month for some shopping, but rarely seemed to have a craving for candy. Bonbon had asked her once or twice about new herbs for her herbal drops; the zebra knew a lot about herbs. Bonbon wasn't entirely unschooled in that field herself, since she picked or grew many of her own herbs, but she couldn't match an expert like Zecora. An idea drifted silently through the depths of her mind. Bonbon gnawed her lip and looked down at her hooves for a moment, then turned and hurried across the field towards the forest to catch up with the wandering zebra. “Excuse me?” she called out. Zecora turned around, surprised to be approached like this. She smiled politely, but didn't seem to recognize Bonbon. “And who do we have here? I am at a disadvantage, I fear.” “I apologize,” Bonbon began as she came to a halt at the outskirts of the forest. “My name is Bonbon. Could I bother you with a question, Miss?” “Ask away, and what wisdom I have I shall impart,” she said with a tilt of her head. “But be quick about it before I must depart.” “Right,” Bonbon said. “I've got this friend who I want to tell me the truth. I've tried everything, but she's impossible.” Bonbon grimaced at what she was asking and looked to the side. “Is there a way, maybe some kind of plant, to make her speak the truth? I wouldn't do this normally,” she hastened to add, “but I think she might be hurting herself with her lies and need help.” Zecora leaned closer and stretched her head to catch Bonbon's eyes. Bonbon frowned at the piercing blue gaze but tried to stand her ground. After a long and uncomfortable silence, the zebra leaned back. “Many a remedy there are for a lying tongue. In the winter, pick a single grain when the frost is young. Wash the seed in water from a river frozen still, a liar will soon find it a bitter pill.” Bonbon took careful note of the instructions and nodded. “Sounds easy. Thanks.” “But beware!” Zecora said with sudden volume, surprising Bonbon. “By forcing truth, her trust you forswear! Getting the truth, and getting your heart's desire, these are two opposite notes of a lyre.” The zebra winked and turned around. Bonbon watched her wander off into the forest. How could she … Bonbon blinked and called out, “Wait! Please, you know something, don't you? About the other night? About the meteor shower and the lyrist who was out here that night?” The zebra stopped in the distance and turned her head. “Much I hear and much I have seen, many a face with mask and mien, but for every star at night there was a story and a time, and for that which you seek I have no ken nor rhyme. For you, my wisdom is all I can provide: follow your heart, and trust her melody as your guide.” Bonbon stared blankly as the zebra turned around once more. “What the hay is that supposed to mean?” She called out and jumped ahead to catch up. “Hey! Wait up,” she called, but the zebra was gone. Bonbon stomped the ground and looked up. The sun was just peeking above the horizon. “Bloody hay, I'm late!” She spun around and galloped back towards the farm. * * * Bonbon settled down on the bench next to Lyra. The lyrist was strumming the instrument in her hooves ponderously, a notebook and pen by her side. She was wearing a criss-crossed scarf along with the boots Bonbon had given her the day before she left for Hearth's Warming. It took a few seconds before Lyra looked up and realized that somepony else was on the bench beside her. Lyra jumped slightly as she noticed Bonbon. “Oh, hi there Bonbon.” She gave a little grin. “You walk so quietly, I didn't even hear you. How are you? Everything going well? Love the boots!” She waved a hoof happily. “Oh, you know, the usual. I can't complain … all that much.” Bonbon smiled and dropped a few bits in the little tin can on the ground. “Penny for your thoughts, Lyra? I've barely seen you all week.” “Yeah,” Lyra said and looked down at her lyre as she plucked the strings idly. “I picked up some material while I was in Canterlot, for some research, and it's kept me busy.” She finished and brightened up significantly as she looked up at Bonbon. “I'm busy busy busy, like a bee, but don't worry, I'm not going to forget my best friend.” Friend, yes. Bonbon considered the word choice and looked down, but said nothing. Lyra had fired her old smile and cheer back up. “Hey, I've been thinking, and you know, if you want, maybe next time I visit my parents you could come with.” Bonbon smiled. “I'd love that,” she said, though wondering whether she should dare to hope there was even the slightest chance Lyra was going to keep this promise. She did notice the sneaky ‘maybe’. “Great!” Lyra resumed her strumming more freely. “Excellent! Hey, you don't have any sweets with you, do you? I have a wicked craving for something sweet right now.” Bonbon looked back at her saddlebag and the sweets she had brought with her. One of them would end all these lies at last. She picked up the bag and stared at the light green candy on top. “You alright?” Lyra asked behind her over the tune of her lyre. One sweet, just one, and she would have the truth at last. Bonbon closed her eyes and sighed, before scooping the green sweet out and offering the rest of the bag to her minty friend. “Yeah, knock yourself out.” * * * The bell above the door chimed. Bonbon pulled her head out from under the counter and looked up to find Scootaloo grinning back at her. “Oh, it's you again, is it?” she said with a playful gleam in her eye and stood up fully. Bonbon blinked as a little green head poked out from behind the filly's mane. “And your … turtle, too.” “Tortoise, actually,” the filly said proudly and jumped up with her front hooves on the edge of the counter. The tortoise remained hanging in the air, kept up by a whirring propeller attached to its shell. “His name is Tank, and he's the coolest pet in Ponyville! I'm petsitting him for Rainbow Dash. Well, I get help, but I'm head petsitter!” She puffed up her chest and lifted her chin. “Busy posing and prancing about with her pretty princess, eh?” Bonbon said while rearranging some stuff on her shelves. Scootaloo laughed while utterly failing to notice the thick layer of sarcasm. “Yeah, she's the most awesome pony in all of Equestria! I want to be just like her someday.” Bonbon pulled down a glass of sweets to inspect it. “Oh? Pretty princess and all?” To her credit, Scootaloo did a good job of playing it cool. “Yeah, except for that, maybe,” she said. The maybe at the end was added a little more quietly. Bonbon rolled her eyes in secret. Kids needed heroes, though, and Rainbow Dash was the biggest bloody hero around. If she taught the kid to be confident and headstrong, then that was a win in Bonbon's book. There was such a thing as becoming too much like Rainbow Dash, though. “Right. You want a handsome prince,” she teased. The young pegasus blushed slightly and scoffed. “Yeah right.” She coughed and quickly moved on. “So anyway, I need something for Rainbow Dash. Like a gift, you know.” Bonbon looked between the filly and the tortoise. Scootaloo was petsitting and needed a gift for Rainbow Dash. It was too late for Hearth's Warming, and Bonbon was quite sure it wasn't the Wonderbolt's birthday until summer or something. It didn't take a genius to add those twos together. “I see. So where's she going, and what will it be, kid?” Scootaloo frowned. “I didn't say she was going anywhere.” Bonbon tilted her head. “She's trying to keep it a secret?” Scootaloo's mounting panic confirmed the hunch, but that didn't explain why. “Rainbow Dash trying to keep something secret? She's always showing off and telling everypony about everything she does.” The poor filly looked down at her hooves. “I wasn't supposed to tell anypony that she's leaving.” Bonbon smiled and ruffled her mane. “Don't feel bad, kid. I've got years of experience dealing with liars. Well, liar.” She pulled the pegasus up on the counter. “Come on, let's get her a gift then.” “Are you coming with me?” Scootaloo asked uncertainly. “You bet!” Bonbon grinned. “I wouldn't miss a chance to watch Rainbow Dash when she doesn't want me to. That's gotta be a once-in-a-lifetime thing.” * * * “Lyra?!” Lyra spun around and shrank back at the same time as she saw Bonbon and Scootaloo step onto the platform of the station. “O-oh, h-hi Bonbon,” she said and held up a smile in front of her like a shield. “I-I thought you were at—I mean, um,…” She sat down heavily on her haunches, the smile threatening to crack and falter. Bonbon looked between the unicorn and the two large saddlebags and rolled-up tent strapped across her back. She looked up at the train schedule. Scootaloo sat down and followed her gaze with a curious look. After a moment of calmly reading, Bonbon looked back at Lyra. “Manehattan, Lyra?” Lyra looked at the schedule. “Oh …” She stood up again, slowly recovering. “Yeah, I got some friends there. I, uh, sent you a note about it. I see it didn't reach you. I'm so sorry, Bonbon,” she said and smiled in apology. It was a blatant lie, but it seemed to boost Lyra's confidence. Bonbon looked at the saddlebags Lyra was wearing. She estimated that they could easily contain almost everything the unicorn owned, except the furniture. “You're planning on staying there a while, I gather,” she said and trotted resolutely towards the unicorn. Lyra scraped the ground with a hoof and bit her lip. “It won't be too long. Don't—Hey, what are you—” Bonbon snatched at one of the saddlebags and pulled it open before Lyra could stop her. It contained mostly clothes. The rest of the content included rope, a blanket, and things that were not much use in the city but would be essential for survival in the wild. Bonbon glanced at the tent. “You'll be camping too, I see.” She let go of the bag and gave Lyra a hard glare, daring her to say another lie. “Lyra?” Lyra let the smile drop and looked at Bonbon sadly. “I've got to leave, Bonbon. I wish I could stay, I really do, but I've got no choice.” “Why?” Bonbon tried to look Lyra in the eyes. “Where are you going? What's happened?” “I really can't say,” Lyra said. “I'm sorry, Bonbon.” Bonbon shook her head. “When did you expect to come back, then?” The hint of pain on Lyra's face made her add, “Or did you expect to come back at all?” “What? No no, I'll return,” Lyra said and perked up. Bonbon didn't believe her, and she didn't believe that Lyra believed it either. “I just don't know how long it'll be. I know I haven't been the … the kind of friend you wanted me to be,” she said and looked down, her face conflicted. “But it's only 'cause I always knew I'd have to leave one day. Maybe—” Bonbon looked at Lyra standing before her, then stepped forward and wrapped a leg around the other mare in a tight hug before she could continue that sentence. “Lyra,” she said as the unicorn returned the hug a little uncertainly. “I'm not going to wait for you. Ever.” She could feel the surprise in Lyra. “Bonbon—” she began. “I'm going with you,” Bonbon interrupted and let go of Lyra. “Whether you want it or not.” Lyra tensed visibly and tried to laugh, but her eyes betrayed the shock and mounting panic. “Bonbon, that's silly. You can't just run off like that.” “Seems to me like I can,” Bonbon said. “It's what you're doing, isn't it?” “But …” Bonbon could see Lyra trying to find something to say that would fix things, that would change Bonbon's mind somehow. “Please, Bonbon, I have to go alone.” A voice broke in, “Got a problem here?” “Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo jumped up from where she had been waiting while the two argued. She galloped past Lyra and Bonbon to tackle the other pegasus in a hug. “Hey there, squirt!” Rainbow Dash grinned and ruffled the filly's mane. “What's up?” Bonbon turned around and looked at the Wonderbolt. Unusually, she was wearing a plain cloak and hood, hiding her distinctive mane. She was also wearing saddlebags and a rolled-up tent. Bonbon looked back at where Lyra was sitting with a sheepish look on her face and added another two and two together. “You're running off with her?” Bonbon demanded. “I hired her,” Lyra said quietly, which actually sounded like the truth. “As a guide.” Rainbow Dash let go of Scootaloo and trotted up to Lyra and Bonbon. “Wanna fill me in here?” Bonbon looked at Lyra. Lyra looked at Bonbon, her eyes pleading, but Bonbon stood her ground. She was coming along, even if she had to run behind the train all the way to Manehattan. Lyra broke the gaze and looked at Rainbow Dash, forcing a very weak smile. “I … I thought it was best if we were three.” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Your call. As long as we get going on time.” She turned and looked along the tracks into the distance, then at the empty platform except for themselves. “Scootaloo?” Bonbon turned to the young filly, who was still standing in baffled and mildly terrified silence behind Rainbow Dash. “Here are my keys,” she said and threw the filly a set of keys. “And a few bits for your trouble. I want you to hurry back to my shop before the train gets here. Get the dark blue saddlebags with the number eight on them from the closet just inside the back door. There is a note attached to them. Hang that note on the front door when you leave, then lock the house after you.” She glanced at the clock. “You've got five minutes max. You can take all the candy you like, too.” Scootaloo caught the keys and bits, a momentary confusion replaced by a grin and salute. “Got it! I'll be back in two minutes flat,” she said with a glance towards Rainbow Dash. The filly jumped up on her scooter and set off. Her wings buzzed as she raced down the platform, leaving a cloud of dust behind. Bonbon nodded in satisfaction and returned her attention to the other two. None of them said anything as they waited. After what could very well have been two minutes to the second, a sweating and huffing Scootaloo rounded the corner with two heavy saddlebags and a large bag of candy. “Geez, lady, what did you put in these bags?” she huffed as she dropped said bags on the ground. “Everything a pony might need on an unexpected journey into the wild,” Bonbon said proudly and strapped the bags across her back with a bit of help from Lyra. “I'm always prepared.” “What, you’ve got saddlebags lying around prepackaged and stuff?” Rainbow asked incredulously. “I'm always prepared,” Bonbon repeated with pride. “I have several specialized saddlebags strategically located around the house and with friends, ideally located for fast retrieval based on what emergency they are meant for. They are all carefully stocked with the most essential items for any situation.” “Bonbon is a major geek with this stuff,” Lyra whispered to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash snickered and whispered back, “Egghead.” Bonbon said nothing and looked down the tracks for the train. It amazed her how many ponies didn't make sure they were prepared, even after living in Ponyville for years. How many monster attacks and magical catastrophes did they have to suffer before they saw the value in spending a bit of time preparing for such situations? Well, they wouldn't be the ones laughing in the end. The train rolled slowly into station and stopped with a puff of smoke. The doors opened, and a couple of ponies got off. Bonbon followed behind Lyra as they boarded the train and found an empty car. Rainbow Dash turned in the door and gave Scootaloo another ruffling. “Take good care of Tank for me, kid. And don't forget to practice every day! I want my mind blown when I get back, got it?” The filly grinned and wrapped her hooves around her hero. Tank sneaked an affectionate little nuzzle in the confusion. “You got it, Rainbow Dash! I'll write you every day too!” “I bet you will,” Rainbow Dash grinned and let go, a mild blush to her cheeks. “But seriously, leave some room for Twi in those letters. I want to see you move your wings, not swing a pen, when I get back.” Scootaloo chuckled and looked up at Rainbow Dash. “It's a deal!” Rainbow Dash smiled and drew back her hood, standing up tall for a moment before boarding the train. She sat down across from Bonbon as the train set into motion and smiled through the window at the waving filly. Bonbon watched as the platform drifted away behind them, the town growing smaller and smaller along with it. Lyra avoided her gaze as she looked back. Bonbon settled back on her seat and kept her gaze on the unicorn. Even if it took her to the end of the world and back, Bonbon was going to find out what that lyre hid under all its gold.