The door creaked.
Bon Bon walked in from the night, wearing a scarf.
"Whew! It's real nippy out there!" With a pleasant hum, the mare trotted across the establishment. She looked at the bar. "Good evening, Benjamin!"
"That's a new one," the bartender droned. "Tall Midnight Express?"
"Heehee!" Bon Bon batted her eyelashes. "The classier the names, the better!"
"Usual Tuesday starter, coming up."
Bon Bon sighed happily, doing a single pirouette before approaching the booth. "Good evening, good evening, good evening, girls!" She beamed. "If it isn't the absolute best week for—" She scuffled to a stop, blinking. "...oh."
Vinyl Scratch and Caramel winced, gesturing Bon Bon to "quiet down." They resumed gazing at a limp blue pegasus with bloodshot eyes lying her head down amidst a forest of empty glasses.
"Hmmmm... right..." Bon Bon cleared her throat, undoing her scarf as she sat at the booth. "Well, good days are just... good days, after all. But let's just brush it under the rug for the time being. Ahem." She sat across from Rainbow Dash, smiling awkwardly. "So... uhm... at least you got a medal this week, r-right?"
"Uggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhh..." Rainbow groaned into the tabletop.
Bon Bon blinked. "What?"
"Zero for one, Bon Bon. Good job." Vinyl muttered as she shuffled through her music sheets. "Still, Caramel's zero for ten, so you're instantly ahead of the game."
"But..." Bon Bon blinked. "B-but I thought that Rainbow would be proud of what she did with the tornado—"
"You mean—HIC—what Gary did with the—HIC—tornado!"
Bon Bon's muzzle scrunched. "Who's Gary?"
"She means Stu," Caramel droned, turning a half-empty pineapple shot. "But, y'know... you heard one colt name you heard 'em all."
"This again?" Bon Bon pouted. "Oh, Rainbow. You've been back and forth so much. Just because you were born on a cloud doesn't mean you can't be grounded for once in your life!"
"Mrmmmfff..." Rainbow lifted her dreary head. "Easier said than—HIC—diarrhea."
"Weren't you happy a few days ago?"
"Meh. I guess."
"What's the difference between then and now?" Bon Bon shrugged. "You're still the most awesome pegasus around! You still have your friends! You still... y'know... have Applejack's trust!"
"Mrmmmmmmmmfffff..."
"We all know you have the ability to think positively about things! So... why not choose to... y'know..." Bon Bon smiled crookedly. "Choose to be happy permanently?"
"It's just that—HIC—I know that it's all an act." Rainbow stifled another moan by digging her muzzle into a glass of watering, half-melted ice. "I don't wanna be sad or happy." A sigh, fogging up the glass. "I just wanna be with Applejack."
"Oh Rainbow Dash..." Bon Bon sighed. "We all come here every other night for a reason. Sometimes... there are things in life that are just beyond reach. The key is learning to enjoy life for what we can have instead of choosing to be miserable!"
"You mean settle," Rainbow droned.
Bon Bon blinked. "Errrrm..." She shifted uncontrollably.
"I could have settled with things a longggggggtime ago," the pegasus continued. "Could have settled with telling Applejack how I felt. Could have settled with stomping Stupid Leaves' head into the ground." Her nostrils flared. "And now AJ and Stu are settling... together... without me."
"Wait." Bon Bon blinked. "You mean that you want to be included with—"
"Rrrrrgh!" Plop! Rainbow collapsed against the table again. "I don't know what I want anymorrrrrrrrrrre—hic!"
Bon Bon winced. "Oh dear... she's in it deep this time, is she?"
"Like a submarine," Caramel exhaled.
"Congratulations, Bon Bon. You're zero for eleven."
"What?!" Bon Bon did a double-take at Vinyl. "How?!"
"I keep very... very careful count," the Deejay explained. "Like the beat to a good track."
"But... b-but..."
"That puts Caramel in the lead."
"Yes!" Caramel pumped a hoof, grinning. "I'm winning!"
"Mehhhhhhhhhh..." Rainbow Dash slurred.
The bartender trotted over, placing Bon Bon's drink on the edge of the table.
"Phweeeee..." Bon Bon leaned forward, rubbing her head. "Maybe Lyra can jolt her out of her funk..."