XII. That's All She Wrote
“Whoa whoa whoa,” Rainbow Dash made a cutting motion with her hooves and stood up to face Lyra. “So let me just get this one straight,” she said as the other two looked up to hear what she was about to say. “You’re saying you’re related to that vile little traitor?”
“Yes,” Lyra said in a quiet voice as she watched Rainbow Dash carefully across the fire. “I am distantly related to Humble Soul. But I don’t know how, or even whether it is a direct line.”
“Right,” Rainbow Dash continued, waving off the details. “And she was cursed to be a pony because of what she did to her sister and to everypony else? Starting a war between the pony tribes and all that?”
“During the day she would be a pony,” Lyra corrected. “So that no one would trust her. The ponies wouldn’t trust her during the night, and her own people would drive her away during the day. She wouldn’t truly be welcome anywhere because of the strife she herself had sown.”
“Uh huh. Right,” Rainbow Dash said with a harsh look in her eyes as she gestured to the landscape around them. “And now she’s following us because she’s oh so sad and sorry for what she did or something?”
“Rainbow!” Bonbon glared at the pegasus standing on the other side of the flames. “She’s been alone and hunted for thousands of years. You—”
“Yeah? Well, boo hoo! Let her do that for a thousand million more!” Rainbow Dash dug her hooves into the ground and spread her wings, the fire reflected in her eyes as she turned to face Bonbon. “She left her sister to the same fate, you know, or am I the only one who remembers that little detail? I say she got exactly what she deserves! Let her bawl her eyes out all she wants; if I ever see her, I’ll give her something else to cry about!”
Bonbon jumped to her hooves, a stab of anger in her heart. “You will leave her alone, Rainbow Dash! You hear? She doesn’t deserve your hate!”
“You’re defending her?” Rainbow Dash snarled at Bonbon and took a step forward. “You’re defending a monster who left her sister to an eternity of cold and loneliness!”
“I would give her a chance, at least!” Bonbon yelled. “I suppose you also think Lyra deserves your hate, then?” Bonbon hit back, feeling the anger burn in her chest as she faced the pegasus. Memories of the fragile human spirit crying in her hooves drifted to the surface. Her own reaction surprised her, but she pushed it aside as she stared down Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to respond but quickly closed it again, her brow furrowed and jaw tensed in an expression of restrained anger and thought. She turned her head to look at Lyra, who was watching them with guarded resignation. Rainbow Dash looked back at Bonbon, the fire still in her eyes but now controlled. “No,” she said through gritted teeth. “This has nothing to do with Lyra. This is about a traitorous little snake hiding among us.”
Bonbon kept her eyes locked with Rainbow’s, trying to force out some sort of confession from the pegasus. Was that doubt she detected in that brief moment of hesitation? Did Rainbow Dash really question whether Lyra deserved to be hated and ostracised by everypony for what her distant ancestor had done?
Rainbow turned around and sat down, ignoring Bonbon except for the occasional suspicious glance. “I think Humble got less than she deserved, and I bet there was a reason her family was given the curse too. They must have done something to deserve it, right?”
Bonbon narrowed her eyes, but Lyra reached out to steady her before looking at Rainbow Dash. “I don’t know,” she said. “Nothing of what I’ve found says anything about that.”
“Whatever it was,” Bonbon said, “it was thousands of years ago. Lyra had nothing to do with it.”
“I know that,” Rainbow said coldly.
The only sound came from the crackling of the fire and the wind in the trees as they all sat there in the light of the flames, looking at each other. Bonbon breathed out a low huff of air and looked up as the sun disappeared below the horizon, giving way to the moon. She looked back down at Lyra, who was sitting uncomfortably under the attention her change in appearance was getting.
Rainbow Dash was looking at Lyra too, giving the creature before her a good look. “Look,” she said after a pause to take in the change, “I don’t mind that you are … this thing.”
“A human,” Bonbon reminded her.
“Right.” Rainbow Dash glared at her for interrupting. “It’s not like I didn’t already suspect it, like I said. Though I guess I expected something really cool, with lots of fur and huge fangs and claws. What’s the point of an ancient curse like this if you don’t get to turn into something fearsome and cool, like a wolf? Just saying.”
Bonbon rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Just remember that you can’t say anything about any of this to anyone,” she said and fixed Rainbow with a cold glare. “Not even Twilight.”
“Yeah, um,” Rainbow said and raised a hoof to scratch the back of her neck. “Not even—”
“No,” Lyra cut her off, suddenly alive again. “Not ever! No exceptions!”
“Gee, let me finish, alright?” Rainbow Dash sulked and lowered her hoof again. “I mean, I won’t tell her anything about you, I swear, but I don’t see why I can’t tell her about that thing that fell and the song and, you know, the whole story about all that. I’m sure I could tell her all that without saying anything about you, and it would really help her with her investigation. Maybe it would even get her off your tail.”
“And how long would it take her to piece everything together?” Lyra glared at Rainbow Dash. “You can not tell her anything!” She stopped herself and sighed before adding in a somewhat calmer tone, “Please? This is very important to me, and you already promised.”
“She’s not going to like it if she finds out I’m keeping this from her,” Rainbow Dash said and looked down, her ears flat against her head. “And, uh, I kinda already made a drawing of what I saw in Mais. I told Scootaloo to show it to Fluttershy. That’s at least three ponies who’s probably seen it, or will soon enough.”
Lyra slumped over, staring into the fire with sudden horror.
“Was it … a good drawing?” Bonbon asked, clinging to a bit of hope that maybe it just looked vaguely like nothing at all.
Rainbow Dash bit her lip and rubbed her shoulder nervously. “Uh, maybe?” She looked up and frowned. “I’m not that bad at drawing, you know.”
“Show me,” Lyra whispered, her voice hoarse.
Rainbow dug out the book from her saddlebag and opened it on the page where she had drawn the creature she had seen that night in the alleys of Mais. Bonbon stared at the page. It wasn’t exactly a work of art, but in its own crude way it managed to capture the essential shape of a human rather well. If anypony back home had seen at human before, they would probably recognize it in this picture.
“I’m doomed,” Lyra sobbed and reached out for the book.
Rainbow Dash pulled it back and closed it shut. “What are you doing?”
“Reading it, of course!” Lyra said and stood up. “I want to know everything you’ve told them! And I don’t want you writing anything else without me reading it, either.”
“I haven’t told them anything other than that drawing, and I already promised I wouldn’t,” Rainbow Dash said and held on to the book. “I’m not letting you, or anypony else, read this book.”
Lyra stared at Rainbow Dash, who returned the stare with equal fervor. Bonbon quickly got in between them, standing painfully close to the flames. “No more fighting!” she said and glared at both of them, but mostly at Rainbow Dash, while ignoring the heat blasting her flank.
Lyra looked past Bonbon at the pegasus on the other side. “What are you hiding?”
“I’m not hiding anything from you,” Rainbow said. “But there’s no way I’m letting you read my personal letters to Twilight.”
Lyra fumed for a few long seconds before turning around, stomping her feet as she walked away from the fire. Bonbon sighed and stepped away from the blasting heat. Why couldn’t they just get along and trust each other? At least for now—
“Hey!” Rainbow Dash yelled as the book tore itself from her grip, nearly pulling her into the fire with it, and flew straight into Lyra’s glowing hand before anypony could react.
“Lyra, wait!” Bonbon yelled and spun around, but too late.
Lyra opened the book with a grim look of determination in her eyes. There was a bright flash and a hiss of electricity as the book snapped back shut with a clap like thunder. Lyra fell back with a soundless scream and collapsed in a spasming heap of limbs on the ground.
Rainbow Dash flew up and snatched the book before it even hit the ground. “Don’t you dare touch my book again!” she said and turned, looking like an angry storm cloud as she flew off with the book.
Lyra twitched slightly, but didn’t move. Bonbon hurried up to her and shook her, but the shock had knocked her right out. Bonbon sighed and glanced back at where Rainbow Dash had disappeared into the shadows of the trees.
* * *
My love,
I went to see Fluttershy about your drawing. She told me that Scootaloo was over for tea earlier but never mentioned anything about a drawing. Scootaloo says she lost it and don’t remember what it looked like or how, where or when she lost it. She seemed very strange when we talked about it, and I know for a fact that she has an excellent memory. I’m going to have to talk to Luna about her student’s behavior.
Could you please draw it for me again? I’m keeping this book away from Scootaloo until I get an explanation from her, and it had better be a good one.
♥ Your Princess,
Twilight Sparkle.
*
Never mind about that drawing, it was probably nothing. Scoots has a lot on her mind, too. She probably just left it somewhere and forgot about the thing.
*
I suppose you’re right, but I’m still going to have a talk with Luna anyway. Perhaps she is putting a little too much pressure on Scootaloo. I know she means well, but she is still a bit old-fashioned in her ways and can be very demanding.
Are you okay, my dear? You’re not usually so terse in your letters.
♥ Twi
*
It’s nothing. Just had a small argument with the others, but don’t worry about it.
I love you too, Twi.
*
You know you can always talk to me about anything. If there are any issues between you, please talk to me. Maybe I can help, or just listen if you need me to.
♥ Twi
*
I know, Twi. But right now I don’t think I should write anything, or I might write some things I shouldn’t say. Just don’t worry, okay?
*
I understand completely, and I don’t want you to say anything you will regret later, even if it’s just between you and me. That never helps anypony. Just promise me you’ll tell me about it once you’ve had some time to calm yourself down.
♥ Twi
* * *
Bonbon was tired, but she didn’t feel like sleeping. If not for the cool night air, her eyes would have betrayed her and closed long ago without her noticing. Behind her in their shared tent, Lyra turned around in her sleep, dreaming uneasily. Bonbon had no idea where Rainbow Dash had gone off to, but her saddlebags were still sitting by the last remains of the fire, only without the contested book. Bonbon watched the bags sadly and hugged herself to ward against the cold.
She hadn’t meant for it to go like this. It was meant to bring them closer together and help them do what they came here to do as a group, as friends do. Wasn’t that how things were supposed to work? All that talk about the magic of friendship, of loyalty and honesty and all that? Sticking together, talking openly with each other about things both big and small … it was supposed to overcome every challenge.
She thought of her friends back in Ponyville. She had never had many that she would truly call friends in hindsight. There was Lyra, of course, and a few others that she talked to and sometimes helped with stuff, often enough that she had never thought it odd to call them friends before. But she had left them all without a word, except for the letter she had asked Scootaloo to pin on the door of her shop. She had barely thought about any of that until now.
Perhaps Lyra had been her only true friend in Ponyville, while the rest were just … Bonbon searched her mind for a fitting word. Colleagues, acquaintances, ponies she talked to daily, ponies she sometimes helped. She had never thought about it before, or thought that she was missing anything.
The wind played with the straps on Rainbow’s abandoned saddlebags where they sat in the dark. Bonbon watched them, her shoulders hanging. The hatred and suspicion which Rainbow Dash had shown towards Humble still made her angry and defensive, but she had come too far to let it break them apart now. She had to try and stay rational.
At least Rainbow would come back in the morning—she’d have to, if she wanted her bags—and then they could work to sort it out and hopefully put the mistrust behind them. Bonbon just had to get them both to understand. She just had to knock some sense into both their heads until they saw that Bonbon was right.
A little smile lit up Bonbon’s tired face at the thought of banging their stubborn heads together. Her heavy eyes were lost on the saddlebags and the smoldering remains of the fire. The warm glow of the embers drew her in, quelling the world and soothing her mind. Weariness filled her and turned to restful peace where she sat.
The human shape of the princess looked down at her hands, a distant shadow on the far side of the flames. Her lips moved, but her words were nothing more than ghosts on this side of the fire, carried across a vast distance between them, bereft of all but the emotion in her eyes.
Sadness and worry gave way to a stab of betrayal, and hate; the fiercely cold and crushing resentment of Winter’s heart. Hopelessness and sorrow followed. Bonbon watched her eyes go from icy malice to hollow despair and regret as she spoke her silent tale.
“… and all she ever loved in this world was you,” the ghosts whispered from across the vast flickering abyss. “And all she ever loved … was you.”
A large black bird fluttered in the darkness, drawing their eyes as it disappeared into the night among the stars. An omen, the ghosts whispered, and the princess rose to her feet, gazing up at the moon with her side turned to Bonbon.
Bonbon startled and sat up straight from her unintended nap. The fire had gone out, and behind her Lyra was gasping and crying in her tent. Bonbon stumbled to her hooves and stuck her head into the tent. “Lyra? What’s wrong?”
Lyra struggled with her blanket, horror written all over her face. “They’re going to find out everything! The whole world will know it all,” she cried. “There’s just no stopping it.”
Bonbon crawled into the tent to wrap her shaken friend in a tight hug. “Just a nightmare,” she reassured her. “You just had a nightmare, that’s all.”
“It doesn’t matter. Don’t you get it?” Lyra said with sudden harshness. “They’re going to find out, Bonbon. And they’re going to react just like Rainbow Dash, or worse.” She pushed Bonbon away from her. “I should never have listened to you! I should never have listened to my heart and stayed. Now it’s too late.”
“You’re overreacting,” Bonbon said. “Rainbow isn’t going to leave or tell anypony, and she doesn’t really hate you. You know that, Lyra. She’s not writing anything about you in—”
Lyra leaped forward and shoved Bonbon hard to the ground, hard enough to knock the air from Bonbon’s lungs. Bonbon fell backwards and held up her hooves to cover her face, staring in shock at Lyra standing above her, breathing like an angry bull.
“S-shut up!” Lyra stammered, shaking all over. “Shut up! Don’t talk to me! All you ever say are lies! Lies that make me do all the wrong things!” she cried out.
“L-Lyra …” Bonbon said, tears trickling down her cheeks to her lips, mixing with a taste of blood from the lip she had bitten in the fall.
“Shut up!” Lyra shouted and pushed her way out of the tent, past Bonbon. “Don’t ever talk to me again!”
Bonbon slumped down on the blankets, staring at the flap of the tent where Lyra had just left.
* * *
The stale, murky water reflected Bonbon’s face only barely, but well enough to show off the many streaks of tears in the fur of her cheeks. The place where she had bitten her lip was still sore and slightly swollen as well. She closed her eyes and sighed before looking back up as Rainbow Dash hefted her saddlebags and slung them over her back.
Bonbon stood up and walked up to her. “Rainbow?”
“Yeah?” Rainbow didn’t look at her. “What do you want?”
Bonbon searched for words for a moment. “Please tell me you won’t leave Lyra now, or tell anypony about her secret. I told her you wouldn’t, because … I still want to trust you, and I just want all three of us to work together as friends. Please don’t make me a liar.”
Rainbow turned and gave her a cold, indifferent look. “Why the hay would I do any of that?” she said and gave the straps on her bags a good pull. “I already promised I’d follow Lyra, and I swore not to say a word either. I’m not going to go back on any of that now, but she better be working on an apology, and it better be a damn good one.” She turned around as if the conversation was over.
Bonbon followed her, not quite done with the conversation yet. “Look, this is very difficult for Lyra. If you’d just try to reassure her.”
“How?” Rainbow spun around again. “Tell me that, Bonbon. How am I supposed to reassure her if my word isn’t good enough for her? I’m not going to let her read my private letters to Twilight, if that’s what you’re going to suggest.”
“Just … try to go a little easy with her,” Bonbon said. “Getting angry at her isn’t going to help.”
Rainbow sighed. “Look, don’t think this is easy for me either, alright? I’ve got to find a way to explain to Twilight that I’ve found the answers she’s been looking for all this time, but oh dear, you know I love you and all, but I’m afraid I can’t tell you about it. For reasons. Do you think I like that, huh?”
“No,” Bonbon muttered.
“Good.” Rainbow Dash turned around once more and headed off. “Now come on. Lyra’s already way ahead, and I for one would like to make some real progress today.”
Bonbon sighed and trudged along after the pegasus. Lyra was indeed far ahead, just a tiny dot of minty green against all the darker greens and browns of the marshy lands stretching out forever beyond the eastern edge of the map. Few ponies or griffons knew what lay beyond this point, except unexplored marshes for untold miles around.
The stale water squelched unpleasantly with each step of her hooves, bringing ancient air up to the surface. Bonbon wrinkled her nose at the smell. She already imagined she would soon look back at the icy wastes of the north, or the endless open seas, with longing.
* * *
A long, narrow scar cut through the soft and muddy ground, leaving the clear impression that something—somepony—had crashed into the ground with a great deal of speed. The worst of the scar had healed over and the rest filled with stagnant water, suggesting it was not so recently made. There were no obvious signs of the one who had made such a sudden landing here, or what had become of her.
Lyra was sitting off by herself with her back to Bonbon, well away from where they were standing, while Rainbow Dash inspected the long crater. The pegasus occasionally kicked at the marshy ground, as if she might, by chance alone, uncover something hidden in the soft mud. Bonbon watched her in silence, occasionally poking at some roots or shrubs half-heartedly. She didn’t expect to find anything, and therefore wasn’t surprised when she didn’t.
“What now?” Bonbon said at last, as she came up next to Rainbow Dash. None of them had said anything for a long time, and Bonbon got the feeling that Rainbow was keeping an eye on her the whole time. But whatever the pegasus was thinking, she kept it to herself.
Rainbow kicked a stone and watched it disappear with a plop into a pool of stale water. “Nothing, I guess,” she said with a heavy shrug of the shoulders. “She crashed here, then continued on by hoof. At least that means she’d be moving slower than before.”
“She’d still be way ahead of us by now,” Bonbon pointed out.
“Like I don’t know that.” Rainbow began moving ahead again. “At least now we don’t have to stop before sundown. We’ll keep marching until midnight, get up before dawn and continue marching. That way we may yet catch up if she was slowed down.”
Bonbon doubted it. She also doubted any of them, except Rainbow Dash herself, would be able to keep up with a schedule like that in the long term. She said nothing, however, and Rainbow quickly took the lead again, leaving Bonbon to walk with Lyra a few lengths behind her. Bonbon glanced back at the unicorn, but Lyra kept her gaze firmly on the ground beneath her hooves.
The land seemed to continue gently downhill all day. The ground became softer, cut through by streams and large pools of gurgling green water. Dead and broken trees dotted the landscape, overgrown with moss and creepers. A few birds sat around, watching the waters with grim stares like tiny gargoyles, but Bonbon saw few other signs of life.
The sounds, however, were different. The noise of insects and strange birds slowly pecking away at old wood permeated the air. Every now and then, Bonbon had to look around because she thought she heard something more—a slurping or gurgling noise of water and mud, a branch snapping, a whisper among the trees—only to see nothing but the swamp and its silent shapes of birds.
She wondered what other things lived in this swamp at the edge of the known world, forsaken by ponykind and all of civilization. She kept her eyes and ears focused, in case it included anything dangerous, and looked back at Lyra again. She wished the unicorn was in a mood to talk, because she bet Lyra had a story or two about the world out here beyond the maps. She missed listening to Lyra’s tales and songs of ancient legends. She lifted a hoof to her aching lip briefly, reminding herself that it was a better idea to wait.
With a sigh, Bonbon turned back to the task of trudging endlessly through marsh and mires in silence. After another minute of that, she looked up again. Maybe Rainbow Dash was up for talking instead, she thought. The pegasus was quite a way ahead of her, drifting in and out among the dead trees and under leaning trunks, scouting this way and that in the light mist.
Bonbon picked up her pace a bit to catch up with her. Rainbow Dash landed on a fallen tree and looked around, then took to the air again and wove through the minor forest of trees ahead. Bonbon frowned, as she was getting no closer than before, and called out. “Rainbow Dash? Could you—”
“I don’t believe it!” Rainbow said suddenly and stopped, staring ahead.
“What?” Bonbon called back and set into an awkward trot through the low water and dense undergrowth of the swamp, pulling at the small creepers tangling around her hooves.
“It’s her!” Rainbow called, taking off before Bonbon had a chance to catch up with her.
A moment later, as she pulled herself onto a relatively dry patch of land and hurried forward, Bonbon saw the other pony coming towards them, her turquoise coat and bright orange mane torn and covered by weeks or even months worth of mud and filth. Nothing remained of the uniform she had once worn. She didn’t seem to notice them, walking slowly and unsteadily on her hooves, before she was tackled to the ground by Rainbow Dash.
Bonbon slowed down and watched as Rainbow hugged her lost friend in the mud.
* * *
“Might as well just set up camp here for the night,” Rainbow Dash announced and dropped her saddlebags on a relatively dry patch. She turned around and trotted off, followed like a second shadow by Lightning Dust. “LD and I will gather some wood for the fire. You two set up camp and unpack the food.”
Bonbon watched them go. Lightning Dust hadn’t said a word except to Rainbow Dash, and she seemed to show no interest at all in Bonbon or Lyra, not even sparing them a glance. Bonbon wasn’t sure if she was entirely well, in fact. She seemed very distant, and it made Bonbon uncomfortable. From Rainbow’s description, Bonbon got the impression of Lightning Dust as a bit of a free spirit. Where had that gone? Had the thing that possessed her perhaps not quite left? Or had the experience simply changed her?
Bonbon gave a thoughtful hum and sat down to open up her own saddle bags. It was still early in the evening, but they would have to set up camp before the sun set anyway, now that Lightning Dust was around. Bonbon wondered how they would deal with that in the long run. She doubted it would be easy to convince Lyra to let yet another pony in on everything. She sighed and buried her head in the bag, like she could just hide away from it all for a while.
She sat like that for maybe a minute, too tired of it all to pull her head back out of the bag. Finally she sighed deeply and lifted her weary head. She found Lyra standing in front of her, looking at her. The unicorn was looking awful, dark rings under her eyes and dirt in her mane and coat. Bonbon edged away from her, an instinct that she hadn’t expected and which frightened her.
Lyra took a step back, her eyes filling with sorrow as she looked down. “I’m sorry,” she said.
Bonbon relaxed a bit, but said nothing.
Lyra looked back up at her. “I’m sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted to hurt anypony or make them hate me. I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“That’s good,” Bonbon said and watched Lyra.
Lyra watched her back, shuffling in the long, awkward silence.
“It’s not good enough, Lyra,” Bonbon said when the unicorn didn’t seem to comprehend. She said it softly, but she wanted Lyra to know it was serious. “You attacked me, and you’re starting to scare me, do you understand?”
Lyra stared at her, tears glittering at the edges of her eyes.
“You need to start pulling yourself together instead,” Bonbon continued. “If you’re sorry, then show me that you can do better.” She looked down, feeling her own tears threatening to break out. “I want the old Lyra back, the one I fell in love with. I want the carefree Lyra who always smiled and made everypony fall in love with her songs and tales.”
“Bonbon …” Lyra choked on the words and sat down heavily. “There never was a Lyra like that. It was just a carefully practiced act, because … because I never wanted anypony to hate me or think of me as a monster. I wanted everypony to like me like I was just another pony, but I’m not, Bonbon. I’m not a pony, and I’m not like that. I’m …” She didn’t look at Bonbon as she said it. “I am a monster, Bonbon.”
“Shut up, Lyra.” Bonbon looked long and hard at her. “Do you hear me? Just shut up. You are not a monster.”
“Everypony else will think so,” Lyra muttered.
Bonbon didn’t take her eyes off Lyra. “I don’t believe that for a second.”
Lyra looked up at where Rainbow Dash was talking to Lightning Dust. They didn’t seem to have picked up any wood yet. Lightning Dust had a hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder as she spoke. Bonbon caught a glance from Rainbow Dash.
“They’re going to leave and go back to Equestria together,” Lyra said as she continued to stare at Rainbow Dash. “And I know she says otherwise, but I don’t think she really trusts me, Bonbon. And even if she does, other’s won’t.”
Bonbon shook her head and took a long breath. “Lyra, do you really think Rainbow Dash would just leave you here?”
“I don’t know,” Lyra admitted and looked back at Bonbon. “Would she just leave Lightning Dust now that she’s found her? She doesn’t look very well either. Would Rainbow want to drag her along with us, or send her back alone?” Lyra looked Bonbon in the eyes. “What if she does leave?”
“So what if she does?” Bonbon looked up and watched Rainbow Dash. “And what if the whole of Equestria does find out about you? What’s going to happen, do you think? Are they going to hunt you down, all the way out here?” she looked back at Lyra with a slightly raised eyebrow.
“I don’t want them to hate me, Bonbon.” Lyra rubbed her nose with her hoof and looked down. “And what if I never find what I’m looking for? What if there is nothing for me out there and this whole journey is a waste of time? Where will I go then, if the whole world knows what I am?” She closed her eyes and covered her face with her hooves. “All I want is to belong, to be just like everypony else. I never want them to look at me and see anything but a fellow pony.”
Bonbon got up to sit next to Lyra, wrapping a hoof around her shoulders.
“I never wanted you to look at me like this, either,” Lyra continued. “Or Rainbow Dash. And besides, you know that I need her. I still don’t have wings of my own, and I doubt I’ll ever grow a pair. I’m not exactly Twilight Sparkle.”
“But you are technically of royal blood,” Bonbon said. She couldn’t decide if it was the right thing to say, or why she had said it at all. Maybe it was stupid, but sometimes stupid things were just what you had to say. “Perhaps you should be a princess.”
“I’d rather not,” Lyra said. “But thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” Bonbon said and watched the sky. Her stomach broke the silence and announced that it was displeased at all this waiting. All this marching through the wilderness all day was taking its toll on her good figure, she decided, as she let go of Lyra and stood up. “Let’s get something to eat.”
* * *
Bonbon turned around and opened her eyes to the darkness around her. It was still in the middle of the night, and only the faint light of the moon filtered through the fabric of the tent and lit up the world inside.
She sat up a bit and looked at where Lyra was crawling past her, trying not to wake her up.
“Lyra?”
Lyra stopped and looked around. “Sorry. I can’t sleep,” she said.
“Is something wrong?” Bonbon rubbed her eyes and sat up a little more.
“I just need some air.” Lyra turned and looked down as she opened the tent to the night outside. “And some time to think about everything,” she added before slipping out and closing the tent behind her, leaving Bonbon alone inside.
Bonbon looked down in thought before resting her head back down and staring at the side of the tent. She wasn’t sure if it was a dream when she heard the soft tones of the lyre playing outside, a slow but happy tune that Lyra had often played for Bonbon in the park, back in Ponyville. Bonbon rolled up and smiled as she let the tones lull her further into sleep, a glimmer of hope kindled in her mind.
The breezy melody of the lyre stopped abruptly, giving off a discordant twang. Bonbon frowned and turned uneasily in her sleep.
* * *
The sun shone brightly as she crawled out of the tent in the morning, stretching her tired body and aching muscles. She yawned and rubbed her eyes as she got on her hooves and took in the campsite. “Good morning,” she said to the lone pegasus by the unlit fire.
Lightning Dust turned her far-away gaze from the marshes around them to Bonbon. “Good morning,” she echoed back blankly.
Bonbon sat down at the cold campfire and watched the landscape around them. “Is Rainbow Dash still asleep?” she asked when she noticed no sign of the pegasus. She wouldn’t mind, as it gave her a chance to talk to this mysteriously silent pony and pry a bit into her secrets.
“She went to find some clean water a while ago,” Lightning Dust replied.
“Hah, good luck with that,” Bonbon muttered and glanced at the stale puddles of green water around them. She looked back at Lightning Dust, giving the pegasus a closer look. She had cleaned up a bit since being found, and she looked surprisingly neat now, some scars but surprisingly no wounds. Hardly the image of a pony who had been lost in the swamps for weeks. “What happened to you? Why did you come all the way out here like this?”
“I don’t know,” Lightning Dust replied, a mildly apologetic look in her eyes as she shrugged. “I don’t remember.”
Bonbon wasn’t surprised at the noncommittal answer, but she would be surprised if it was entirely honest. Something about the way the pegasus spoke told her she was being careful, but about what exactly, Bonbon didn’t know. “You’re a Wonderbolt, right?” Bonbon tried, hoping something unrelated would spur her to talk more freely. “Must have been pretty cool,” she added with a smile.
“Yeah,” Lightning Dust said and gave a grin, a careful grin. “I can’t wait to return home to Equestria and get back with the team.”
Bonbon felt a twinge of fearful suspicion in her heart. “So you’re planning on going home, then? It’s a long way on your own.”
Lightning Dust was about to respond when a shadow drifted in over their heads. She and Bonbon both looked up to see a small, puffy cloud settle nearby.
“She won’t be alone. I’m taking her back with me,” Rainbow Dash said as she jumped off the cloud and gave it a kick to release the rain within. She quickly began filling her bottles with the water pouring out of the cloud. Bonbon mentally groaned; pegasi had it so easy sometimes.
“Just like that?” Bonbon stood up and turned to look at Rainbow Dash. “You promised you’d follow Lyra, and now you’re just going to leave her?”
Rainbow Dash dropped down to the ground and began packing everything back up. “What else? It’s not like we could take Lightning Dust with us anyway, and I can’t let her go back alone. You two should be fine on your own anyway.” She turned her head and gave Bonbon a look.
“And what do you intend to do once you get back?” Bonbon frowned as she watched Rainbow Dash packing her bags.
“Dunno.” Rainbow Dash stuffed the water bottles into the bags last and closed them up tightly. “I’ll decide that when I get there.” She stopped and turned around, looking at Bonbon. “But you know what? Twilight’s going to find out everything anyway.” She picked up her bags and strapped them on tightly. “Come on, LD. Let’s get you back home.”
Lightning Dust stood up and took to the air along with Rainbow Dash, offering Bonbon only a brief look.
Rainbow Dash turned around and stopped in midair. “I’m sorry, Lyra. It’s just that I’ve gotta do this,” she said to the space behind Bonbon. “I would have stayed if I could.”
Bonbon turned around and looked at Lyra sitting in the opening of their tent, staring coldly at Rainbow Dash. The unicorn said nothing.
Rainbow Dash frowned. “You could at least say you’re sorry too, you know,” she said and fell silent. She sighed. “Goodbye, then. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”
Bonbon watched her turn her back on them and fly off to catch up with Lightning Dust. “You made a liar out of me after all, Rainbow Dash,” she said and looked down at the ground.
“We’re better off without her anyway,” Lyra said in a voice so cold that Bonbon had to look up and make sure that it really had been Lyra saying it. With that said, Lyra turned around and disappeared back into the tent, leaving Bonbon to stare.
* * *
Hey Twi.
I just wanted to tell you that I found Lightning Dust, and I’m taking her back to Equestria with me. I’m coming back home, Twi. I can’t wait to see you and all our friends again.
I really hate to leave Lyra alone with Bonbon, though. I don’t know if I trust her anymore. I used to think she loved Lyra, but I think something’s changed, and it worries me. Can you ask if Luna would keep a close eye on her dreams?
I love you, Twi.
Rainbow Dash
*
If you’re worried about them, shouldn’t you stay with Lyra yourself? I love you too, and you know I miss you terribly, but I can wait for you as long as you need me to.
♥ Twi
*
Lightning Dust can’t make the journey on her own, Twi. She’s too weak right now and needs my help. I don’t want to let Lyra down, but I have no choice. Besides, I kinda had a bit of an argument with her, and LD suggested it was better if we parted ways now before it got worse between us. I think she’s right, we would just end up in each others’ manes if I stayed.
*
Don’t worry, then. I have a meeting tonight with Luna anyway. I’ll see what she can do.
♥ Twi
* * *
Lyra remained quiet for the rest of the day, as they packed up and continued the journey east through the swamps. Bonbon wasn’t sure if she should talk to Lyra or leave her be. The change in mood since the night before was disturbing to Bonbon, and she wondered what had caused it. She decided to stay quiet as she trudged through the marsh several paces behind Lyra.
It was strange not having Rainbow Dash along anymore. Bonbon kept looking up, expecting to see the colorful mare coming towards them from one of her short scouting ventures up ahead. Instead she only saw Lyra and the endless, empty marshes. She had never thought she would have to say it—even if it was only to herself, and especially after the last couple of days—but she was already missing having Rainbow Dash there with them.
She thought about how envious she had been of Rainbow’s good fortune. And here she was now, trudging through swamps in the vain hope that things might change, while Rainbow Dash still had everything and Bonbon still had nothing but her stubborn hope.
Bonbon sighed and stared at the soggy ground ahead of her. It wasn’t Rainbow’s fault that it was this way, though. It wasn’t Lyra’s either. It was just awful bad luck, and somehow that was all Bonbon could seem to attract.
They hadn’t talked all day, and the sun was already setting when they saw a green light up ahead in the early gloom of dusk. Bonbon stopped, her legs already too heavy to carry her much further anyway, and looked up at the strange glow. “What’s that?” she said in a whisper.
Lyra had stopped as well. “I have no idea,” she said and began walking slowly towards it.
Bonbon hesitated, debating whether to grab Lyra and pull her away from the glow, but ended up following behind instead. The ground was more dry here than in most of the swamp they had walked through so far, and the trees and plants looked more alive and green.
Lyra pushed through the thicket and stopped.
Bonbon came up beside her and looked into a small circle of trees, their crowns glowing with a soft and soothing green in the growing darkness. “It’s … beautiful,” Bonbon said and felt her heart lighten at the sight.
A bright smile formed on Lyra’s lips, in stark contrast to her icy silence all day, as she looked at Bonbon. “Let’s camp here for the night,” she said, her eyes sparkling green like living emeralds in the light of the trees.
They walked into the green glow under the boughs of the trees. Bonbon walked as if in a wonderful dream, looking up at the marvelous branches and leaves above her until they reached the middle of the small circle. The air was much warmer in here too, compared to the dreary, wet cold around them, like stepping into a miniature tropical jungle in the middle of the swamp. Bonbon dropped off her saddlebags and stood there, basking in the light and warmth.
Lyra slipped out of her bags as well and stood beside Bonbon. She watched the trees for a time without speaking.
Bonbon turned around and decided this was the time to break the silence as she looked at Lyra. “Do you wish to talk?” she said and moved a little closer to Lyra. “You’ve been silent all day.”
“What is there to talk about?” Lyra said, like she had resigned herself to her fate and didn’t much care. Bonbon found the reaction strange, after how much Lyra had worried.
“You were right,” Bonbon said and looked down. “Rainbow Dash just left us, and … and maybe you were right that they’re all going to find out, too. And who can say how they’ll all react. I’m sorry, Lyra.” She felt a weight around her heart starting to give and closed her eyes. “I’m sorry that I followed you and … Everything I’ve done just made it all worse for you. I should have just stayed home and forgotten about you.”
Lyra was silent, but when she spoke again it was in a quiet voice. “I’m glad you didn’t, Bonbon.”
Bonbon opened her eyes and looked at Lyra, staring into her eyes. “You … are?”
“I don’t know what’s going to happen anymore,” Lyra said. “But … I can’t do anything about it now anyway. It’s over, and all I can do is continue on. I’m …” She looked down at Bonbon’s hooves. “I’m just glad you’re here with me. Somehow … that’s all that’s important.”
Bonbon stared at Lyra in the warm, green glow of the mystical trees.
Lyra turned a bit in the light and looked at Bonbon, causing her eyes to reflect the glow around them again, the gold turning a vivid green as she smiled softly.
“All the times I’ve tried to show you how I feel, all the times I’ve told you how much I love you,” Bonbon said as she leaned forwards, their faces inches apart. “All those times, all I ever wanted … was this.”
“I know,” Lyra whispered and reached out to place her hoof around Bonbon’s back just before their lips met. Bonbon returned the gesture and pulled them closer together. In the warm, dreamlike silence of the grove, surrounded by the soft glow of the trees, the kiss was everything Bonbon had ever imagined, and more.
Bonbon was first to break the kiss, more out of a necessity to breathe than any desire to do so, and stared into Lyra’s deep, sparkling eyes. “I love you, Lyra.”
Lyra smiled, and Bonbon leaned in to kiss her again. Lyra broke the kiss this time and leaned her head next to Bonbon’s ear, whispering softly, “You’re so sweet …”
Bonbon smiled as Lyra nuzzled her cheek and kissed her neck. If this was a dream, she thought, she didn’t want to ever wake up again. She nuzzled Lyra back and sighed at the bright green glow and the soft touches of Lyra’s muzzle behind her.
And in the silent bliss of the grove, the thought never occurred to her that, while the moon had long since risen and night covered the world in the soft blanket of shadows, the mare in her embrace was in fact still a mare.
And as she closed her eyes and gave herself over to this mare of her fantasies, Bonbon never felt the two sharp points piercing the back of her neck, or the venom slowly seeping into her veins and clouding her mind.
“I love you …” she whispered, the only thought left replaying in her mind.
“… forever.”
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Maybe you want to repeat your words in front of the Regal Sisters, Rainbow.
Oh noes... wat bit her? :P
3667034
lol which would you think she'd be punished to... the Moon or the Sun
3667046
A radioactive spider!
3667034
Not quite the same, because Luna and Celestia's roles are kinda reversed in the story of Humble and Melodious. Supposedly Melodious was innocent, but got banished. The proper comparision would be if NMM had banished Celestia and then become cursed after trying to take over Equestria.
3667069
a... sp-sp-sppi-sppider??
*SCREAMS*
3667069
Luna may feel guilty for betraying her sister in her jealousy (not to mention all the damage and deaths she may have caused as NM in this continuity), and Celestia may feel guilty for not noticing in time her sister unhappiness and unfair treatment by their subjects, which caused her fall and millenarian exile on the Moon.
3667092
Sure, but I doubt any of them would disagree with Rainbow that what Humble did was vile, and what Rainbow says is not the same as "Celestia was wrong to banish Luna," in fact it's the exact opposite. She says, "Humble betrayed her sister, so she deserves her punishment." This is the same as "Luna betrayed her sister, so she deserved her punishment." I even doubt Luna would disagree with that. Nightmare Moon would, of course.
3667136
Punishment´s purpose is some sort of atonement. Eternal punishement serves no purpose.
How much has Humble suffered until now? Does she feel guilt over he actions?
3667164
Remember that until a few weeks ago, Melodious was supposedly still trapped in empty space with no hope of escape, having suffered for thousands of years. Rainbow's thinking is no doubt that Humble's punishment should at least last longer than the suffering she caused her innocent sister.
Yes, Rainbow Dash is harsh, but that's how she is in matters of loyalty, and it's likely that time will mellow her stance. Celestia and Luna might also be more willing to give Humble a chance for atonement (if it were up to them), or at least to consider the possibility depending on what else is learned about the whole thing, but I doubt they would really disagree with Rainbow Dash that she deserved what she got.
Well, still tagged Incomplete, so that’s not quite all she wrote.
I hope not, at least.
I’m serious, if that’s where you end, I am finding you.
Was just wondering earlier today about when the next update would come around. Enjoyable and thought provoking as always.
One credit I have to give to this story is if I were to recommend one fic to someone, this would be the one if I thought my single favorite would not. Not exactly pushed to second place, but first is a spot that can never be stolen.
3668594
So don't worry, there's plenty left of this story 
If this was the end, it would be the WORST. POSSIBLE. END!
3669428
This chapter took longer than I would have liked, but hopefully future chapters will come a little faster.
Thanks
Lyra has the worst trust issues I have ever seen. Though I can't say they're undeserved given her life so far.
3670060
img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/shadowslayer/Humor/9ec30ddbe3ac1ff991fe2b890e99a077.jpg
Yeah I figured you weren't going to pull a hard turn into some abrupt kissing scene.
But now I need to know what the hell just happened to her.
That ending... I'm guessing it's not real? Because if it is, I'm gonna have to write something like this: ''Oh god! It felt so weird! WHY YOU ASK?! I don't know! I mean... I am a huge fan of shipping, and Lyra and Bonbon is one of my favourite, and at the first half of the movie* I was like 'Oh god! Just kiss already you too!' but now I thought it was so weird for them to make love like that. Maybe it's because the situation was so sad and tragic that I lost my interest in their relationship or I paid so MUCH attention to TwiDash I forgot about them and It made feel like 'Oh yeah, Bonbon had a thing for Lyra'.'' Either way, I'm gonna have to take a closer look at the chapters once the story is finished to grasp the whole concept just like I had to do with 'II'... But overall I LOVE THIS STORY TO DEATH as it still keeps it's adventurous spirit. And as for this chapter? It was perfect! I can safely say it was the chapter that I've given most bucks to (It was really hard to pull that sentence off
). I mean seriously the whole I was like ''NUUU!Lyra y u no trust dashie?!'' and ''NooooOOOooOOOoOooO, Dashie don't leave them''. As in more professional terms my heart has been broken at severel parts and I felt reassured at some parts. And btw Merry Christmas my very talented friend! 
(Sorry I'm a bit late 
)
Movie = I just can't help it! It feels so much like an Adventure Movie!
3680996
Thanks. I'm glad you liked the chapter, because I wasn't entirely sure about it myself. And don't worry, there's much more to come. I'll make sure to actually write "The End" when it's the end
Merry Christmas
Bonbons situation just keeps getting worse as time goes on when will she catch a lucky break
Such a cliffhanger! This should be interesting. Keep going, please. This story is very good
And suddenly, Lyra became a changeling and/or vampire. Either the weird green, glowy did some mind magic on Lyra, which wouldn't be surprising considering the stuff that's happened so far, or Lyra got swapped out somehow after the green, glowy stuff happened.
It's gotta be changelings. 'Lightning Dust' is one, and she's warped Dash's mind, which explains Dash's sudden, casual departure. And Lyra, of course, was attacked and replaced during the night. Poor Bonbon... her actual first kiss with Lyra is going to be awkward as hell, now...
Ha. Well, I knew it couldn't be that easy.
3924231
I agree with ^. Likely Rainbow and Bon Bon were both ensorcelled by a changeling or some such.