Bon Bon had turned on the kotatsu's heater for Henry, leaving him alone so he could sleep. Which was a little surprising, usually a child that age would loudly protest taking a nap at this time of day. But, she supposed, his predicament could have taken a lot of the fight out of him. Transfer Trauma, as Lyra would put it.
Speaking of Lyra...
"He thought I was a stallion," she muttered darkly as she ate her way through a box of chocolate chip cookies.
"There-there," Bon Bon said comfortingly, patting her back in a soothing way, before going about making a batch of soft barley candies. "He's new."
"I've never been mistaken for being male before," Lyra sniffed, then scarfed down the next cookie. They were a little stale, but sugar was always a girl's best friend during such times. "Rainbow dash and her young Padawan, Scootaloo, are the town tomboys. I'm feminine... right?"
"A bit childish, perhaps, but, yes, you're feminine, Lyra," the earth pony replied.
Lyra sniffed again. "I know it's a little silly that I'm this upset over a little thing like this."
"No," Bon Bon said. "If he had mistaken me for a stallion I would probably be sulking too."
"I'm not sulking."
"Oh? Is there a new name for it now?"
Lyra just grumbled a response, unwilling to fight just yet. She first finished the last of the cookies and wiped her hooves with a paper napkin.
"Given any thought to Milky's business proposal yet?"
Bon Bon knew her game. "I'm surprised you remember that, Lyra. What, with you panicking and kissing my stallion and all."
"I really need to think ahead," the mint mare mumbled, facehoofing. "You're a bad influence on me, Bonny."
"But, to answer your question," the other mare started, depositing a fresh piece of candy before her friend as a peace offering, "yes, I have been thinking it over. I'm going to do it."
"Told ya," Lyra smiled, the fresh candy warming her attitude. Bon Bon rolled her eyes, but smiled as well.
"Don't tell her just yet. I'm working on a counter proposal while she stews a bit. I'll just have to wait her out a bit, then she'll be willing to accept my terms."
"Things that bad for her?"
Bon Bon shrugged. "She's not in the red just yet. Mare milk is the most digestible food to us ponies, which is why her product is so popular in Ponyville. But, she's the only milkmare for miles. My poor cousin, daily draining herself dry, and hardly having enough for her own family. Fortunately, her husband has a job to help keep them afloat."
Lyra felt a twinge of guilt. "Does this mean I shouldn't charge her any more milk for her son's therapy?"
"Of course not," Bon Bon huffed. "It's worth every drop she can squeeze out to help her little colt."
"Getting a little graphic there," Lyra cringed, holding up a warning hoof.
The other mare quickly shut her mouth and blushed, looking aside. "Ahem, forgive me. Suffice to say... it would hurt her pride for you to acknowledge her situation."
"Good." Lyra breathed a sigh of relief. "It's a pity her profession isn't very popular these days."
"You can thank the Bovine Trade Union," Bon Bon snorted. She noticed the look Lyra gave her. "Like Milky said, there have been milkmares in our family for generations. Of course I know the cause for a drop in the market."
"Okay," Lyra nodded slowly, "I understand. So... what was the Bovine Trade Union?"
"A group of cows that decided to flood the market with super cheap, inferior products, while making all sorts of ridiculous claims, like, cow milk products will keep your teeth clean and even up to stating that it would increase your life span." She sighed with a shallow scowl on her face. "Of course that was found to be false, but by that time the damage was already done to the milkmare market. Cow milk is very hard to digest the older you get, and can even make you sick. It's really a food for the young. Pony milk, on the other hoof, is softer, and actually meant to be digested by ponies. Hospitals cook their food with it to help calm patients' stomachs. I know this, because I went to Princess Twilight's new library and read several books on the... are you even listening anymore?"
Lyra shook her head to clear the fog. "Sorry. You were going a little long, I didn't mean to..."
Bon Bon held up a hoof. "No-no. It's my fault. This is why I leave Twist's bedtime stories up to you and Noteworthy. I would take too much time trying to explain unimportant details and backgrounds with random useless bits of information. I'm a horrible storyteller really. Don't deny it."
Lyra shook her head with a grin. "I wasn't."
She ducked to avoid the swipe at her horn and bolted soon after, cackling in a low tone as to not wake the houseguest.
Bon Bon huffed, but then smiled once Lyra was out of sight. "What are we to do with you, Lyra?"