Lyra raises an eyebrow at you. "So, our anniversary?"
You tilt your head in thought, trying to find a more appropriate term for it. "I mean, I guess that's it. Yeah."
Bon Bon giggles from across the table. "Oh my god this is so exciting! Are we going to do something?"
"What about that little seafood place at the corner of town? Harpoon Harbour or something?" Lyra chimes in.
"Sounds perfect." Bon Bon gets up from the table and grabs her computer, flipping the cover open. She taps the keys, her fingers shifting from one letter to another and finally pressing the enter button. "Oh I know! We can have a picnic for lunch down at the park! You guys run out and grab some food, and I'll make the reservations."
Lyra groans. "Grocery shopping? Bon... You know I hate supermarkets."
"Oh come on Lyra. It'll only take 20 minutes tops." Bon Bon dismisses her with a small wave of the hand, her wrist loosely hanging. Lyra's tail swishes with frustration, and her face contorts into a frown.
You smirk. "It's cool. I'll run down there myself, just gimme a list and I'll head off." Lyra's face visibly relaxes. Bon Bon huffs.
"Fine fine. I think we have most of what we need in the fridge, but there'll be a couple of things. I'll write 'em down for you. Lyra?" Lyra runs off down the hallway, but she's back within a matter of seconds. A small notepad floats in the air, the telltale cyan aura gently pulsing around it. It floats slowly towards Bon Bon.
"Thanks." She gets to scribbling down a list of food, meanwhile Lyra has collapsed dramatically on the sofa. You walk over to her slowly, looking down at your friend and her strange position. She huffs the hair from her face, and smiles up at you. Her grin beams out, illuminating her beauty and highlighting her glorious sunglow eyes. You try so hard not to stare. To not show how you feel.
"TICKLE FIGHT!" Lyra yells out, suddenly reaching for your chest. You pull back, but her hands are locked solidly around your shoulders, and she flips you over the sofa. You fall clumsily onto the carpeted floor, struggling to roll away from her. Her fingers dig into your sides, pressing on the nerves and sending spasms through your body.
You shift and wriggle on the floor, Lyra pinning you down with the weight of her body. Loud yelps of laughter escape your mouth, your cheeks flushing red as you scream on the ground. "Lyra! Ly-ha HAH. Lyra stop! Stohohop! Stop it! Get off." You squirm out from under her, turning around and roaring as you throw yourself on top of the mare.
She squeals as you begin to assault her feet with your fingertips, circling the areas that you know from experience will elicit a response. The fur rubs softly against your fingers, and you slide your hand around her heel. Her cackling does nothing to slow you down.
You shift position, keeping Lyra nailed to the floor with your knee. Bringing your hands around the back of her neck, you gently press into the soft flesh and feel her shoulders tense. “Nononono don’t you dare! Do NOT do that! I’m, I’m warning you! Don’t do it!” Her cries for mercy fall on deaf ears. You pinch down with your hands, and immediately Lyra screams out.
She arches her back and pushes against you with all the force she can muster, but you’ve already locked your hands around her neck. You wriggle your fingers around, prodding at nerves and poking the sensitive muscles under her skin. But your attack is over as quickly as it had begun.
You can only watch as you begin to float away from Lyra, encased in a bubble of magic that drifts slowly towards the ceiling. Looking through it, you see Lyra stand up, brushing lint and dust off her shirt and smoothing out wrinkles. She turns to face you.
Very slowly, very deliberately, she walks up to your cage and places a hand on the bottom of it. You call through it. “Lyra. Get me out of this thing.” You try to contain your grin, putting on the face of a father scolding his child. She smiles at you, a wicked shine in her eyes.
“I told you not to do it. I very specifically told you not to, but you did it anyways. And now I’m exacting my revenge.” She pushes gently on the base of the sphere, sending you floating helplessly towards the ceiling.
It bumps gently into the roof and remains floating there, a good 3 meters off the ground. “Lyra you started all of this! Don't make me finish it!” Other than a small swish of the tail, your comment evokes no reaction from Lyra. Bon Bon has picked up the phone and is speaking to someone, you presume them to be from the restaurant, and so she’s oblivious to everything going on.
“If I say the magic word will you let me go?”
“Depends. Do you even know what it is?”
You shrug. “Lyra is the greatest?”
“Y’know, that is true. But no, that’s not it. This is.” Lyra scrunches up her face and, without a moments pause, releases a tremendous burp that echoes off the walls of the house. You groan.
“That was disgusting.”
“That was the magic word.”
You roll your eyes. “That wasn't even a word.”
“You get the idea. Now come on! You don't wanna piss off Bon do you? I tell you, if you don't get those groceries she’ll flip her shit.”
You groan again. Alright, let’s do it. You begin swallowing air, feeling your stomach bloat slightly with gas. Finally it begins to feel full, and you swallow one last time for good measure. You make a ‘wait for it’ gesture, then let loose a barrage of gas that rumbles your throat and tickles your tonsils.
It begins to trail off, and you breathe out the last of it. Lyra laughs sharply, a bark of noise that leaves her with a huge smile on her face. “Hey man not bad. Let’s get you out of there.”
The bubble pops and you flail in the air for a few seconds before landing on the sofa with a soft ‘oomph’, burying yourself in a mound of pillows.. Lyra’s head pops up from the other end of the sofa, and her hand is extended out to you. You grab onto it, and together you manage to haul yourself out of the mass of pillows. She smiles at you.
You smile back. “Well then, I’d best be off.”
Lyra puts on a posh accent, and daintily places her hand in front of you. “Oh indeed my dear, that seems like it would be the most efficient use of time!”
You roll your eyes, bringing her hand up to your mouth. “As you wish, madam.” You plant a soft kiss on the back of her hand, her fur tickling your lips gently. You pull back, grabbing the list and heading out the door.
As you hear the click of the door closing behind you, you take a deep breath through your nose, inhaling the fresh scent of the towns many stores. Strong cinnamon wafts over from the local bakery, a strong earthly mix of wood and soil coming a nearby construction site, and natural sweetness from a flower store. Other aromas drift in the wind, and you smile once again. Today’s gonna be a good day.
You’ve barely made it five feet from the door before you’re charged from behind. You stumble forwards, almost tripping over the curb. Regaining your balance, you turn your head to shout at whoever was blind enough to run into the only Human in all of Equestria.
Of course it’s Lyra.
You lean back into her, feeling her warm breath on your neck, her arms around your shoulders, and her chest against your back. “You do realise this looks extremely intimate.”
You feel her jaw dig into you as her smile widens. “Bon ain't looking, so we got special allowance to be frisky.”
Your grin splits your face from ear to ear. “I thought you hated shopping.”
“Yeah well, my love for you surpasses all else.” You roll your eyes, and as if in response Lyra elaborates. “Seriously though. You don't get out enough and I was worried you’d get lost. Supermarket’s down this way.” She points down the road, in the exact direction you were heading previously.
Once again your eyes roll around in their sockets, but Lyra locks her fingers in between yours and you start moving. She skips happily along the pavement, her arm flying back and forth, swinging yours along with it. You walk beside her, indifferent to the stares you receive from some of the Ponies.
A sudden thought strikes you. You lean over to Lyra, whispering in her ear. "Doesn't everyone know about me by now? Considering, y'know. Do I need to explain?"
Lyra shrugs. "I know all of our friends know about you, and they're sorta used to the idea of you, but I cant say for these guys. Maybe they haven't seen you? I'm sure they know, but even if you had known we existed, you still would have been shocked when you got here, right? Seeing one of us in the flesh?"
"Fair enough."
"Plus they probably never thought you'd hook up with the hottest pony in all of Equestria." Lyra sweeps her hair behind her shoulder and bats her eyelashes. You reach the supermarket. Thank god.
The bags of shopping weigh down your arms, your shoulders and back struggling to maintain good posture. Lyra, of course, continues to waltz around next to you, her arms completely free of any baggage. Trudging along the sidewalk, you make your way back home.
Lyra reaches for the door knob, twisting it and swinging the door open. “We’re home Bon! And look! I brought presents!”
Bon Bon’s head peeks around from the corner, and she smiles. “Good. I’ll get the picnic arranged and then we can head off!”
You place the bags down on the kitchen counter, sighing with relief. “Cool cool. I’m gonna have a quick shower.” Slipping your shirt over your head, you chuck it into the wash pile in the corner of the room and walk into the bathroom.
With your pants resting on the counter, you slip into the shower and turn on the water. The warm liquid runs down through your hair and over your stomach, down your back and sliding off your legs into the drain.
You squeeze your eyes shut as you massage the shampoo into your scalp, and then immediately washing it out. The bubbles of soap run down the drain, and you step out and reach for the towel.
Feeling cleansed and refreshed, you step out of the bathroom and grab a shirt from your room. Bon Bon calls out to you from the kitchen. “You want anything particular in your sandwich?”
You step out of the room and make your way along the hall. “Not really. Just some ham and lettuce is fine.” As you reach the kitchen Lyra thrusts something into your hand. “What i…”
“Ssshhh sshh shut up. Just try some.” She bites into some sort of biscuit, the crumbs scattering in the air and drifting to the floor, settling in the fur of the carpet. You try some of your own, your teeth clamping around the wafer and biting down.
Caramel immediately floods your mouth, a sweet, thick mixture that sticks to the roof of your mouth. You pick up on a gentle, underlying taste of lemon, and you smile with your mouthful. You catch the crumbs as the biscuit breaks up around the edges, catching Lyra’s own grin.
“Good right? Shush though, Bon’s only making a certain amount and she watches them closely. But not close enough.” You pop the rest of the biscuit into your mouth, crunching down on the flakey shell and chewing on the gooey centre.
Dusting the crumbs into a nearby bin, Lyra in tow, you step into the kitchen. Bon acknowledges your presence with a nod of the head and a basket of food. “Hold this.” You do as you’re told, the basket now hanging from your hand.
Lyra grabs another, slightly smaller basket from the counter, peeking inside to get a look at the contents. Bon Bon smacks her on the back, and she drops the lid of the container back down. After dusting herself off, Bon Bon’s face lights up with a smile.
“Alright! Let’s go.” She nods towards the door, and you make your way out. You hold the door open for the two mares, then let it drop as they step into the street. The door clicks as it closes, and you twist the key to lock it.
Dropping the key into your pocket, you catch up and match pace with Bon Bon and Lyra. Through the crowded streets, you gently push your way through the crowds of ponies that line the streets. Some glance in your direction, but fewer than there were last time. You shake your head slightly. I wonder if they’ll get used to me. The sight of me. The thought of me. Generally the fact that I exist.
About a foot behind you, Bon Bon chimes in. “Don’t worry sweetie. They’ll understand that you’re here to stay soon enough. Give it time.” You smile. She always knows how someone feels.
Lyra on the other hand, replies in a way that can only be described as, well, Lyra-y. “They’ll get used to you, but you’ll always be the ugly little duckling. Ugly ugly duckling.”
“Gee, thanks Lyra. I was feeling so down until you gave me that support.”
She walks up to you, linking her arm in yours. “Oh lighten up kiddo. I’m sure you’ll find someone who can look past you various, glaringly obvious flaws. Or at least, sweep them into a dark little corner of the room.”
“Oh boy! You think someone could manage that?” You widen your eyes and force a smile, your tone dripping with sarcasm. Lyra grins and pushes you away.
Turning a corner, you’re welcomed by a vast land of lush green and tall trees. Lyra drops her basket right in front of you, proceeding to sprint into the field, giggling like a psycho. Bon stands next to you, her hands on her hips. “She, uh, really likes this place.”
You flash Bon Bon a smile. “Dog’s gotta be able to run around right?” She puts her hand to her mouth and almost spits, a smirk peeking out from her palm. She raises her hand, motioning for some space. Finally a giggle escapes from her mouth, before she regains her composure and straightens up.
“That wasn’t very nice.”
You throw your arms outwards, pointing to the turquoise dot that zooms across the grass. “Look at her! She’s gone barking mad! Next thing you know she’ll be scratching her ears for fleas.” You shake your head, picking up Lyra’s discarded basket and heading into the centre of the field.
"Better get used to it. You guys are gonna be with each other for a while longer.”
Bon Bon hums happily behind you as Lyra continues to spin her way around the grass. You reach into your basket and pull out a large cloth, fanning it out and spreading it on the ground. Bon Bon smoothes out the wrinkles and gently lowers herself onto the cloth, her legs tucked neatly by her side.
You drop onto the large weave, the grass poking through the fabric and prickling your legs. The beige mare plucks an apple from one of the baskets, crunching through the skin and tearing out a chunk of the sweet flesh. Juices squirt out from the fruit.
Grabbing one yourself, you swivel your head around to search for the other pony. Still scanning the surroundings, you take a huge chunk out of your apple, chewing it thoroughly and savouring the crisp taste. As you turn back around, something knocks into you from behind.
You drop your apple as a ball of light blue and mint white balls into you, fur and hair alike swishing in your face and tickling your nose. A pair of arms wrap around your shoulders, squeezing you much softer than you had anticipated. “I bloody told you she’s like a dog.”
Bon Bon laughs, a short and precise chuckle that fills the small hill with its sound. Lyra blows a strand of hair from her eyes, sporting a smile that dwarfs even the shine of the moon. Her face is only inches from yours. You feel her breath warm on your neck, her body pressed against yours.
Abruptly she jumps off you, showing no signs of embarrassment. “Happy one-year-since-you-arrived celebration! I haven’t said that yet!”
Her girlfriend huffs. “Lyra you doof. You’re supposed to say that when we give him the cake, and preferably NOT give him a concussion while doing it.”
She twists her hair around her finger, batting her eyelashes. “But I didn’t mean to hurt him! I was just trying to have a widdle bitta fun!” Flashing you a grin, she dives into the picnic basket, chucking you your sandwich without any warning. You catch it nonchalantly, biting into the soft bread and chewing slowly.
Finally Lyra pulls out the cake from the bottom of the basket, placing it in the middle of the cloth gently. "There we go!" Planting a small kiss on your cheek, the mare's horn sparks and the candles ignite, wavering ever so slightly in the breeze. Bon Bon comes round and cheek kisses you, a quick peck on each side.
You can't contain the look of complete bliss that crosses your face, and both the women giggle simultaneously. Pulling them close with your arms, you embrace them in a tangle of limbs and hair. Loud chortling echoes down the field, two happy ponies and one ecstatic human all guffawing in tandem.
Leaving the huddle, you take another bite of your sandwich. Bon Bon has finished hers already, neatly wiping away at crumbs with a napkin. Lyra, although she hasn’t even started yet, soon begins to chow down and her sandwich is gone within seconds. She gulps down her meal.
The rest of the picnic goes as you had more or less expected, besides the cake. You share stories among yourselves, tales of your life in the early stages of your arrival. Lyra roars with laughter. “Oh my god! Do you remember that time, the time when we all got absolutely shit-faced and you ended up performing ‘magic’?”
“Okay, so what you do is, this is a magical horn.” Lyra places a stick-like object in front of you, and although your vision deceives you, your mind is sure that it must be a horn. Like the one Lyra has. You nod intently, completely lost but at the same time focused.
“Yes.”
“So it’s a magical horn. And what. What you do is.” Lyra sways on her feet, a sudden hiccup rocking her body forwards. She stumbles on the table, falling to the floor. Bon Bon wheezes with laughter, slapping her thighs and gasping for air. She teeters towards the table, picking up the magic horn in front of you.
“Whud Lyra’s trynna say is ya gotta just.” She smacks you in the face with the stick, her hand sliding further up to your forehead. She tapes on the horn, then, for some reason, places a lighter at the base of the horn.
Thinking logically, your brain comes to the conclusion that the reason for this is to help weld the horn in place. Of course that’s why. Why else would she need fire?!
Bon Bon shouts at you suddenly. “And then, POW! Do some magicy stuff widdit.”
You nod fervently, the horn bobbing up and down. Standing up, you widen your legs slightly, loosen your shoulders and lean forwards. Lyra roars with laughter on the floor, throwing off your concentration. “Lyra! Shut it!”
She jumps up from the floor, hitting her head on the table on her way up. “Fucking shit! Bon! When did this table get’ere.” Her girlfriend shrugs. The turquoise mare turns her attention back to you. “Alright.” She slurs her words.
“Try and shoot somin out of it. Like, a fireball or stuff. Threetwoone GO!”
You blink and tense yourself, squeezing every ounce of strength into your attempt at releasing a projectile from your newly acquired horn. A spark ignites and suddenly a bolt of light erupts from the tip of the horn, and your jaws gape at the sight.
Behind you, Bon Bon and Lyra are struggling to breathe through bouts of snickering, their hands slapping floor, backs and thighs alike. You throw your arms around in a bewildered manner. “Ohmygodman! Thas amazin! How come, how come.” You fall to the floor in a drunken stupor.
This only brings about more laughter, and Bon Bon’s face goes visibly red from a lack of oxygen. She releases short bursts of breath that struggle to become even a most feeble laugh, but her smile splits her face. You continue your drunken rambling.
“How come Bon diddun just ged wunadeez? Then we could do magic togetha!” Lyra roars with laughter, her chest heaving on the floor. You turn around and yelp as a flame licks at you, originating from the hole where you had just performed ‘magic’.
Bon Bon swears for the first time in a while. “Fuck! We need uh, we need, water! Water!” She careens across the room towards the tap, surprisingly intelligent for the current state she’s in. Filling a bucket with water, she runs carefully, albeit losing some of the precious liquid, and douses the flames rather efficiently.
You scratch your head, struggling to comprehend the situation and stand at the same time. So you take the only evident course of action. With your entire body supported by the floor, you can now start to think clearly. Or as clear as a drunk man can think. Something rolls towards you on the floor.
You pick it up in your hand, squinting at it in the dim lighting of the sitting room. It looks oddly familiar, like a slightly larger sparkler. You turn to look at the two mares, one of which is almost unconscious on the floor. “Is this a firework.”
Lyra looks up at you, her head heavy and saliva drooling down her chin. She looks closer to dead than sleepy. She giggles profusely, then abruptly falls asleep on the carpet. You look to Bon Bon for an explanation. She burps, then shrugs gently. “Congrads ontha magic. Im bed now.”
You nod carefully, as if someone has explained to you the mysteries of the universe and you’re attempting to comprehend them. But that’s not what’s happened. You hear Bon Bon drop onto her bed, and you begin to crawl to your own one.
You make it to your room, but not into the bed itself. You’re granted a small bit of satisfaction when it occurs to you that you made it further than Lyra. Opening your hand, you find it clenched around a small stick of thin metal, with a ruined canister at the end. “Is this a firework.”
Sleep hits you hard and fast.
You scratch the back of your neck awkwardly, now en route to your house. “Yeah, I, uh, WE, had a lot to drink that night. Besides. You guys could bloody turn an apple into a snake or vice versa. In a state like that I’m not surprised I fell for your trick.”
Lyra scoffs. “We had more than just quantity. The fact that BON, out of all people, decided giving you a firework and lighting it indoors was a good thing means we had something a hell of a lot stronger than just beer.”
In contrast to her girlfriend, Bon Bon frowns slightly at the thought of the incident. “I’m actually quite upset that all of that occurred. Usually I never would have let something like that happen. You should have seen all the damn work I had to put in to fix that wall.”
Lyra nudges her. “Chill out Bon. You were the only one who was able to think properly in that situation. I was totally fucked, I mean I woke up with my face covered in spit and my face squashed into the folds of the carpet, and when I went to check on him” She raises her eyebrows and nods at you. “The dirty bastard had puked all over his bed.”
A cheeky grin flashes across your face. Lyra releases a jokingly exasperated sigh. “You were on the bloody floor! How had you managed to get it all up there?”
You shrug. “I have some very specific talents.”
Bon rolls her eyes, a smile crossing her lips. The sun is starting to set, the blazing orb drifting closer and closer to the horizon. Swinging the door to the apartment open, you dump the baskets by the kitchen sink and retreat to your bed. Small pockets of light float around in the space of the room, and you trace your finger along the bright rays.
”Alright kiddo, time for bed.” You tuck the blanket over the small boys chest, stopping just under his chin. He releases a yawn, stretching his legs under the cover and offering you a weak smile.
“Goodnight daddy. Sleep well.”
“Night night boy. Love you lots.” You close the door gently as the child turns in his bed, reaching out for his stuffed toys and drawing them nearer to him. You check the next room, finding that your daughter is already fast asleep. You plant a gentle kiss on her forehead, sweeping her hair out from her eyes.
Quickly going through the house, you flick off any light switches and double check on the dogs. ”Honey? Are you coming to bed?” You hear your wife call out to you from the bedroom.
“Shh, kids are asleep. I’m coming.” You slip into the bed with her and she snuggles into you. Her smaller frame slots perfectly into the space of your own, and you wrap your arm around her chest, pulling her closer. Your hands run gently over her soft skin, feeling the various bumps, moles, hairs and small scars. She is human, yet she’s perfect.
You breathe in the scent of her hair, a sweet fruity smell from her shampoo and a more natural one from her face wash. She breathes deeply as sleep washes over her, and soon she’s lost in the realm of dreams and glee. Your own eyelids begin to feel heavy, and soon you’re drifting away with her. You let out a deep breath, smiling to yourself and letting your body rest.
You open your eyes abruptly, looking frantically around the room. Your brain pounds away in your skull, throbbing violently and thumping against its shelter. You place one hand on your temple, and soon the pain subsides. You still feel fuzzy, and cant quite recollect what you had just experienced although it had only been mere seconds go.
You screw your eyes shut, trying to reel the dream back before it is lost in the expanse of your mind for good. Nothing comes back except for the pounding against your skull. You bury your palms into your eyes, shutting out the pain and releasing a grimace of anger. They never stay too long. They’re never long either. They’re just… fragments.
A door clicks shut, and you listen to the sound of water spraying from a shower head and splashing on the fibreglass bottom of the bath. You’re brought back into this world by the sounds of life coming from the small house. The gentle gargling of the liquid echoes from the bath as you sift through the vast oak wardrobe, picking out a pair of navy blue pants and a grey collared shirt to match.
You slide your feet into your shoes, quickly tying the knot in the laces and smoothing your pants out. Slicking your hair back from your face, you step back outside and wait in the living room. A quick look in the mirror confirms that you’re good to go. Already you’ve put the incident behind you, filing it away as another hallucination. You glance down at your watch. 6:45. You call out. “Hey Bon! What time’s our reservation?”
A few seconds pass before you get an answer. “7 O’clock. Why?”
“Just might wanna get a move on. We got 15 minutes.” You hear an audible ‘mmhmm’ of agreement, and within another 5 minutes both mares are done with their preparations for tonight. Your eyes widen slightly as they settle on the stunning sight before you, and you shake your head to stop from staring.
Lyra’s dress is a simple dark black dress, silky smooth with a v neck that reveals a small amount of her cleavage. The dress is slit along the length of her leg, revealing it as she walks along. Part of her hair is tied into a bun, the rest of it falling neatly and symmetrically on her shoulders, loose waves of mint coloured strands. You’re overcome with a sudden longing.
Bon Bon is wearing a long purple dress, the lower half of it ruffled but not overly so. It stops just before the ground, bouncing gently as she walks along. Her hair sweeps across her face, parted on one side and hanging slightly above her eye, the curls imitating the motion of her dress.
Lyra places her hand gently on your shoulder, a genuine smile lightening up her face and eyes. “You’re looking very nice. Shall we go?” She nods to the door.
“Nothing compared to you two. I feel like a bloody homeless person among gods.”
Lyra’s laugh is hearty and only serves to further your desire to be with her. You start to drift off, thinking of a life with Lyra and how you would be together. Her girlfriend’s sudden chuckle reminds you of her existence, and the barrier it presents. You shake your head, talking to yourself. Christ man you’re making it sound like I want her gone. Fuck, that’s not how it is at all.
You force a smile, although it’s not the hardest thing to manage at the time. As Bon Bon makes her way towards the door, Lyra takes your hand in hers, a much more gentle gesture than you’re used to with the woman. Your skin prickles with goosebumps, and she leads you outside into the fresh evening air.
You wrap your arms around yourself as a sudden breeze of cold air runs through you. Lyra huddles slightly closer, while on her right Bon Bon tucks a scarf around herself. She takes the lead, turning right and heading out towards the restaurant. You follow closely behind, Lyra still snuggling you for warmth.
Nothing pierces the evening silence apart from a quiet howl of animals, coming from a distant location, a mixed echo of wolves, owls, deers and other woodland critters. The night sky is littered with stars, pinpoints of brightness in the void of the heavens. Bon Bon quietly whistles a tune to herself, and Lyra starts to join in.
Lyra’s lower mimic combines gracefully with the higher notes of Bon’s tune, creating a melodic masterpiece that begins to fill the atmosphere. You look down at Lyra as she continues to form music from her mouth, her lips puckered gently and her eyes lost in the rhythm. It’s one of the most beautiful things you’ve heard since you arrived.
You cant help but lose yourself in the tranquility of the moment, the amalgamation of noises that your brain registers as a single chorus, a strange mess of beauty and order. Lyra pinches you gently in the ribs, and you look down to catch her grinning up at you. You rest your head on hers, and after a while you’re finally at the restaurant.
The small mare shifts her head to look up at you. “You okay honey?”
You raise your eyebrows, refocusing on the world in front of you. “Hmm? Oh right. Yeah I’m fine.”
“You sure? You just seem a bit, distant.”
You nod your head, this time more assertive. “Just another fragment. I’m fine now.”
Lyra nods slowly, finally understanding what’s happened. She tucks her head back into the nook of your arm. “Well, if you wanna talk, I’m all ears.” You exhale through your nose, a quick burst that signifies acknowledgement. Up ahead, a neon sign flashes with the words “Harpoon Harbour.”
Bon unfurls the scarf from her neck and tosses it over her shoulder. “Hello, I called earlier making a reservation for 3?”
The waiter nods, and gestures for you to come. “If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you your table and tonights menu.” The grey man walks briskly through the busy restaurant, pulling out the chairs at a table and beckoning for you. You take your seat on one side, Lyra and Bon Bon place themselves on the other. The stallion places three menus on the table.
He goes through the usual waiter talk of the specials, wines, chef favourites and any special deals. Sifting through the menu, you pick out a simple lobster dish, while Lyra goes for scallops and a mixed vegetable salad. Bon Bon chooses the special, a sea bass ceviche with grapefruit and fennel, and you order a bottle of red wine for the three of you.
The waiter nods and goes to relay the order, while you sit with the two mares patiently awaiting your food. Glancing around the restaurant, you look at the tiled walls that match the floors, the little booths to your left with sofa chairs, the large windows that look out on the vast fields of the town. The place is well lit, with lamps placed above each table, illuminating it but not overly so. There is no music playing, but frankly you think it only helps with the ambience.
You pass the time with small talk, and there’s no other way you would want it to be. Most of the stories have already been shared, so Bon Bon asks about what you’d like to do in the future. “I don’t really know. I guess visiting Canterlot would be nice, considering it’s the capital of this place. Plus, I mean, I’d imagine I might get a free ticket to see Celestia. Y’know. Me being the only human ever to grace this world and whatnot.”
Lyra chuckles at your comment. “Trust me, you really don’t wanna spend too much time there. Everyone’s either a snob or they’re too busy kissing Celestia’s ass to be stuck up. Either way, they’re boring as all hell.”
“Come on Lyra, you were in the choir for a while.” Bon Bon reminds her, sounding like a mother scolding a child, verging on condescending.
She scoffs. “Yeah, until I realised that the only reason they had their mouths open during performances was cause they were hoping Celestia would stick her dick in them.” She winks at you and grins. “You’d be amazed what magic can achieve.”
Bon Bon raises her eyebrows at Lyra as you try to choke down your laughter. Soon enough the waiter returns with a tray of food, placing each item in front of their designated recipient. He pops the cork off of the wine bottle and proceeds to pour around half a glass for each of you, then places it in the middle of the table. “Enjoy your meal and please let me know should you need anything else.”
You nod at him. “Thank you very much.” He nods back, his eyes lingering on you for a couple seconds more than normal. You ignore him, not taking any personal offence but still choosing to not respond. You pour some of your melted butter over the lobster tails, taking in the sweet smell of the lemon, parsley and garlic, as well as the salty sweet smell from the lobster.
Stabbing one of the tails with your fork, you cut it up into a more manageable size and pop it into your mouth. The meat is sweet and perfectly cooked, the sauce strong and ever so slightly overpowering. The butter coats your mouth with its spiced flavour, and you take another bite of your lobster.
Lyra swallows another chunk of her scallops, while Bon gracefully chews on her sea bass. You smile as you compare the three of you, Bon with her prim and proper manner of eating, elegantly lifting her glass and sipping on the wine. Through another bite of seafood, you dump a large amount of the contents of your wine glass into your mouth. Your nostrils flare as you swallow, the strong alcohol tickling your throat. Lyra tears through another one of her scallops, and much like you she is a bit over the top with her wine.
Doesn’t mean you’re not enjoying it though.
You wipe away butter and bits of lobster from your mouth, crumpling the napkin and placing it down next to your glass. Bon Bon puts her cutlery down neatly next to her plate and coughs. “Lyra? Colgate’s going to have a spot open for a job as her assistant, and I thought maybe you’d consider taking it. Not that money’s tight, but you might find it enjoyable. And we could use some more bits for the store.”
Lyra pauses mid chew, her eyes moving to look at the mare but her head still down. She swallows her food, and answers cautiously. “Bon? Is there something you’re not telling me?”
Her girlfriend laughs. “No no. Honestly Lyra, we’re fine on money. I had just heard of the job and thought maybe you’d want to consider it. That’s all.” The turquoise mare nods her head slowly, evidently thrown off by Bon’s statement. She gives a final shake of the head, returning to her food and dismissing the conversation.
You swallow down the last of your meal, setting your knife and fork down in the centre of the plate. Placing your hands behind your head and leaning back, you stretch out your stiff spine. The bones crack and click, and repeat the movement with your neck. Everything loosens up a bit.
Bon Bon suddenly erupts into a coughing fit. You sit up straight, momentarily startled by it, and you extend a hand. She motions that she’s fine, but continues coughing. Lyra pats her on the back, and hands her a napkin. She coughs into it, finally finishing with her bout of sickness. She places the napkin on the table and there’s a spot of blood. Lyra yelps.
“Oh my god Bon! Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine. Must have been something in my throat. Yeah, I’m good.” She nods her head and takes Lyra’s hand, presumably reassuring the frightened mare. You stare at the small crimson stain on the otherwise stark white fabric, a hint of worry in your expression. But the cream coloured mare seems okay now, so you sweep your concerns away.
Bon puts on a smile and calls for the waiter. “Excuse me sir, could we have the bill please? Thank you very much.” A few minutes later he comes back and places the receipt on the table. Lyra reaches for her wallet but you stop her.
“Please. You guys have paid for everything else today, so let me get this one.” Before either of the women can complain you empty your wallet onto the table. Sifting through the money, you hand the man 5 gold bits and 3 silver ones. “Keep the change.” He nods his head in thanks, and you make your way out of the restaurant. The streets are illuminated by the bright lamps overhead, and you turn to wait for Lyra and Bon Bon.
They come out together, Lyra’s arm around her girlfriends waist and her head on her shoulders. As they catch up to you, you smile at the pair. “Thanks a lot for today guys. It’s nice to get out a bit more.” Bon walks away from Lyra and wraps her arms around you.
“Don’t even mention it. I know for a fact that I had a lot of fun, and I hope you did too. It was kinda the whole point of it all. For you to enjoy yourself.”
Lyra slides next to you and throws herself into your arms. “And we would be happy to do it again. Now come on. It’s getting late and I need my beauty sleep.” She places her arms around Bon Bon’s and your shoulders, walking in between you two while humming happily. You stroll through the streets back to the house, admiring the stars that are dotted across the sky. Lyra points out constellations, naming each one as she scans through the darkness. Bon Bon smiles at you when your eyes meet, and you smile back.
Slipping into the house, you dump your pants and shirt on the floor and throw your shoes into the corner. Lyra lingers by your door, and you turn to face her. She flicks her hair behind her head. “Night night. Sleep well yeah?”
“You too.” She nods and begins to walk off, but you call her back. “Wait!”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks. Again.”
She smiles at you in the dim light of the hallway. “Always a pleasure. See you tomorrow okay?”
You bury yourself in your blankets as the lights go off outside, and rest your head against the pillow. You can’t shake the memory from before, of the red spot on the napkin, of Bon Bon’s horrible cough. You frown slightly, screwing your eyes shut and forcing yourself not to worry. You finally drift away, focusing on the memories of earlier today rather than the slight scare at dinner. Night night Lyra. You fall into a slumber.