//------------------------------//
// University Days (Lyra's POV) 
// Story: Changes 
// by Talon and Thorn 
//------------------------------//

University Days
 
The room was hot, and crowded, full of happy ponies. This was the third stop on the pub crawl organised by Frederick. Alcohol had done a good job of breaking the ice and the new intake for the magic school were all chatting amongst themselves. Lyra was cheering as Frederick was challenging some blue unicorn she’d not met before to a ‘yard of ale’ race. It seemed like the ale was winning.
 
She glanced around the bar, everypony seemed to be having a good time, then she saw a solitary grey mare sitting in the corner with a glass resting on her hoof. Octavia had been doggedly following them from bar to bar, although she didn’t seem to want to join in the festivities. Excusing herself from the group around her (Confidant nodded and went back to chatting to the mare next to her) Lyra walked over to the older mare.
 
“Would you like to come over and join in the fun?” she asked. Behind her the blue unicorn proclaimed herself the victor and demanded Frederick provide bourbon for everypony present.
 
“Thank you, but I do not think I would fit in,” said Octavia sipping at her small drink, it looked like an ale of some sort. Lyra didn’t recall her drinking anything stronger, or larger in any of the previous bars.
 
“Hey, I thought I’d have nothing in common with anypony here but I’m having a good time! Don’t be a party pooper.”
 
“I am not against ponies having a good time, but in moderation. I have seen too many squander their talents. Take Frederick, he is a very talented pianist, he could possibly be as good if not better than his father, but he does not put his all into his craft. We have played together many times, he can do wonderful things with his hooves...”
 
“That’s not a euphemism is it?” joked Lyra.
 
“No, it is not,” said Octavia blushing, “But so often he doesn’t try and his work is merely adequate rather than superb. He has no goal, he is happy to just live each day as it comes.”
 
“Is that so bad?”
 
“Not in all cases, but, we are all talented ponies, even those sponsored by their family must pass certain tests to show they are worthy of entry to the school, but to not use that talent to its fullest extent, that is a sin.” She slammed a hoof down on the table, then looked a little shamefaced. “I am sorry I do not normally drink as much as this.”
 
Lyra mused for a moment, was Octavia right? She had just taken her abilities for granted, she didn’t really have a plan for her life. She hadn’t even chosen to be here, it just sort of happened. She liked music and she liked magic but did she really deserve to be here, would it be better if she just went home to be with Bon Bon? She really needed to think about it more, probably when she’d had less, or more, to drink.
 
“I can see your point,” she admitted. “I’m not very driven, I tend to go with the flow. Maybe you can help me?”
 
Octavia smiled. “I will do what I can, but ultimately only you can motivate yourself.”
 
“Fair enough, and in return I’ll help you chill out a little.”
 
“Thank you, I do not need any help,” said Octavia with a frown.
 
“Yes, you do,” said Lyra taking her new friend by her hoof and gently tugging her towards the crowd of celebrating ponies. “Let’s get you another drink, and talk to somepony. Timber over here seems to think for some crazy reason that Beethoven’s early pieces are better than his later work, I’m sure we can talk him out of his madness.”
 



 
Lyra wandered into her room with just the slightest of sways to her step, it was late and her head felt heavy. Most of her new friends were still out enjoying themselves, they had asked her to stay but she had heeded Octavia’s words and had walked back to the dorms with the grey mare. She assumed Confidant was back already as the curtains around her roommate’s bed were drawn and quiet snores could be heard. Lyra tried not to giggle as she made her way to her bed on tip hoof. She slumped onto her bed and laid back, what a day!
 
She lay there for a while waiting for sleep to take her. She couldn’t wait to tell Bon Bon all about it when she saw her... oh right, that would be months. The reality struck her like a glass of cold water to the face. It would be months until she saw her marefriend again. She couldn’t remember a time when more than a few days passed without her seeing the cream mare. She rolled over and took the bag of sweets she’d been given, already it was half empty, she took one in her hoof and looked at it for a moment. She should ration herself, she popped the treat in her mouth, she’d start tomorrow.
 
Drawing herself up from her bed she walked over to the window, and looked out, the moon was high in the sky. She wasn’t sure in which direction Ponyville was, but it felt good to think that Bonny could be looking out at the same moon out there somewhere.
 
“Good night Bonnie,” she whispered, “I miss you.”
 
She looked down at the desk next to the window, there was one last thing to do before she let herself fall asleep. She levitated a quill (a present from Dad), ink and parchment from a drawer and laid them out. She thought for a moment and started to write.
 
Dear Bonnie
        Missing you already...