As a general rule, ponies did not go to Campolina per se: they went to the Campolinian beach. The town was essentially an accessory to the miles and miles of fine white sand, and the flawless expanse of sea beyond. Flawless meant expensive, and expensive meant that the train lines to Campolina stayed well away from the shore, so that neither steam nor noise would put a dent in the happiness of a single paying tourist.
Thus, Bon Bon could not see very much through the train's open window—just a sliver of white under a band of blue. Even so, if she breathed deeply, she could smell the sea air. It felt like home again, and she let herself relax. The tourist season was dying, leaving the train almost empty; it was safe to relax for a little while.
Several minutes later, she'd exited from the train to the station, and was on her way to exiting that when a voice stopped her in her tracks. “Hey, BB!”
She looked around and saw her brother Scone Bon approaching her from across the station. Relaxation was no longer possible. She managed a smile. “Hello there, Scone! Didn't expect you to be here.” Remember, she told herself, you like him. He's your brother and you like him.
“I figured I'd meet you here. Just to make sure you didn't get lost.” He grinned and walked past her.
Okay, maybe you don't like him that much. She clenched her jaw for a moment, then started walking again, trotting until she'd passed him in turn. “Oh, like, thank you so much!” she whined, pitching her voice high and nasally. “Could you, like, show me to the mall? It's not like I've ever, y'know, been here before.”
He winced, then sped up a bit until the two of them were walking side by side. “Just when I'd gotten used to you not being around to do that.”
“Get used to it, if you're gonna keep saying stupid stuff.” Remembering that she liked him, Bon Bon flashed a smile at her brother and gave him a little noogie; it seemed like the right thing to do.
They walked out of the station and into the town—such as it was. Ignoring the hotels, souvenir shops, and other tourist-centric buildings, Campolina was basically a school, a store, a doctor's office, and a few dozen houses—not even as big as Ponyville. It was a wonderful place to spend a few weeks, but Bon Bon had no idea how her family stayed sane for years on end.
Even so, it was home. “It's good to be back,” she said, and she meant it. “How are things?”
Scone Bon shrugged. “Same old. Dad's working with the council; they're petitioning the weather service to have the summer last longer. Mom and I are still ba—” He caught himself, and amended, “We're still doing the same old thing.”
“You can say baking around me, you know.” Bon Bon frowned. “I'm not a bomb.”
“If you say so.” He chuckled nervously.
“And what's that supposed to mean?”
He rolled his eyes, but didn't answer. They continued down the main road in silence for several minutes, flanked on both sides by brightly-colored shops, still open for the last days of the season. Each had, at best, a few customers inside. I came at a kind of depressing time.
“Hang on,” she said, struck by sudden realization. “We missed the turn for our house—it was two blocks ago.”
“Really?” Scone Bon looked back at her, and his eyes widened—too much. “Whoops! Didn't notice.”
Her brother was a horrible liar. “What's going on, Scone?” she demanded. “Where are we really going?”
“Bon Bon, dear!” This voice came from further down the road. Bon Bon followed the voice to its source, and saw her mother waving from outside a bakery.
“BB?” her brother asked, probably seeing the scowl that Bon Bon was making no effort to hide.
“I can't believe you,” she snapped, looking him in the eyes for a moment. Then she trotted forward and directed her glare at her mother.
“Hello, my little sweet and sour,” her mother said, smiling warmly as Bon Bon approached. “How was the train?”
"Did you put him up to this?"
The warm smile changed to a frown. "I don't understand, Bon Bon."
“Drop the dreck, Mom.” she said, before switching to a crooning imitation of her mother's voice. “Oh hello, my little sweet and sour. Fancy meeting you here at the bakery, when—imagine that—I've got a big order of pastries I need help with! So why don't you just stop being a crazy actress and help your poor mother out!”
Her mother's mouth hung open. Good, Bon Bon thought. Saw right through you, didn't I? Even better, she noticed several shoppers jump at her outburst in the corners of her eyes.
“Well, you're sort of half-right.” Scone Bon appeared at his mother's side. “I mean, we're done baking for today by a long shot, so you're wrong there. But you're absolutely crazy. Heck, you've always been crazy.”
Bon Bon flicked her tail. “Say that again.”
“Oh, come on.” Scone snorted. “If you hadn't always been crazy, you wouldn't have done the whole acting thing after you got your cutie mark. That's not rational, BB.”
“You arrogant little snot—”
“You two!” The two siblings froze at their mother's tone. “Scone Bon, go inside and sweep up for the day. Your sister and I need to talk.”
Scone walked to the door of the family's bakery. Just as he entered, outside of his mother's peripheral vision, he gave Bon Bon a little wink—then he was inside. Bon Bon bared her teeth at the door, before her mother took her shoulder and led her around the side of the bakery, where the smell of fresh food overpowered the sea air.
“Sweetie, please,” her mother said. “Hear me out.” Bon Bon didn't look at her—and if she was being honest with herself, she couldn't.
“We won't force you to do anything. And I know every mare needs to do her own thing for a while.” Her mother smiled. “Why, the things your father and I got up to in our early days... you'd hardly believe them.”
Bon Bon rolled her eyes, still turned away from her mother. “Filibustering a town meeting for three days? Baking a dozen cakes in one crazy afternoon?”
She felt her mother's hoof laid across her back. “Bigger and crazier than you can imagine. And do you know, I wouldn't undo it for the world. But everyone has to settle down in the end, don't they?”
“Is that what you think this is?” She turned and looked at her mother, trying to sound angry, or at least convincing—but she couldn't do it. “Just some phase? Mom, this is—it's who I am. Don't make me change that.” She wished that last sentence had sounded like an ultimatum instead of a plea.
“Never, sweetie. But it's hard, isn't it?”
“What is?” Bon Bon asked, as if she didn't know the answer.
“Why, going against your cutie mark—and keeping it up for years, you stubborn little thing.” Her mother put her other hoof around Bon Bon's other side and hugged her tight. “Your father and I are proud of you, but how can you keep it up for so long? Don't you ever need a break?”
Don't you get tired, keeping up the facade? Out of her memories came Discord's voice, soothing and deceitful. Don't you wish you could stop? I can help. Bon Bon gasped and broke away from her mother's hug.
“Sweetie, what's wrong?” her mother asked, real worry on her face.
“Nothing,” she managed. “And I—I don't need breaks.”
“Everypony needs a vacation now and then, right? Just to rest for a while? And you're in the perfect place for it.” She gestured at the town around them. “Maybe it'll be easier for you after you take this vacation.”
It was like a whole frame of springs were pressing from within Bon Bon's body, compressed to within an inch of their lives and trying to get out—and it was like she couldn't stop them any longer. Her breathing sped up. Her mother continued, “It's not the same thing as giving up, sweetie.”
Bon Bon looked back at her cutie mark. Damn you, she thought, stopping a sob in her throat before it could escape and do any damage. Then she turned back to her mother. “Maybe....” She took a deep breath before forcing the words out. “Maybe just one batch.” She imagined the springs bursting out of her body all at once, tearing bits from her as they left.
Her mother smiled. “You always liked making the little hard candies, didn't you?” She took Bon Bon by the shoulder once more and led her into the bakery. “Oh, it'll be like old times. And you can tell me all about your acting career!”
“Just like old times,” Bon Bon repeated, not really thinking about the words. It's not the same thing as failing, she told herself. But as she entered the room, she saw her brother look up from his sweeping and wink at her.