Lyra's True Feelings

by OtenBrony

Chapter 3: Positive Thoughts

About a week or so had passed since Bon Bon had first given Lyra the job at her sweet store, and Lyra felt like the only way her life could get any better would be if Bon Bon and her were together. The job, first off, paid quite well. Bon Bon had made the payment offer when Lyra stepped into the shop of her first day. Lyra still couldn't believe the amount of bits Bon Bon offered her per hour.

"18 bits an hour!? Just for playing the lyre? Bon Bon, you don't have to pay me that much!" said the unicorn in disbelief.

"Oh nonsense. You'll be a great help here at the store. And plus, business has been so well that I can easily pay you that much, so no worries," replied Bon Bon with a huge grin across her face. Lyra wanted to argue some more against the outrageous pay to work ratio, but she had learned through their times as friends that Bon Bon will hardly ever change her mind. Lyra didn't even know if it was possible for Bon Bon to change her's; she's never seen her friend change her mind before. So in the end, Lyra reluctantly accepted the offer and was truly grateful for it.

Secondly, Lyra got to spend practically almost the whole day close to the mare she loved. Sure, Lyra played her lyre in the reception room to easily reach the customers and Bon Bon was only there to take the customers' orders, but Lyra still loved the thought of the amazing mare being close to her. There were several times during the work day that Lyra just wished to stop playing her songs to the customers and just talk to Bon Bon, but she always resisted the urge since she knew that Bon Bon and her both had a job to do, and neither of them needed interruptions while working, especially Bon Bon. In the end of these urges, Lyra just sighed and refocused her mind on playing her lyre for the continuous waves of customers.

"Jeez, they REALLY don't ever stop coming," said Lyra to herself one day while observing the enormous crowds of ponies swarming into the shop, "but I know Bon Bon can handle this crowd easily." And it was true; Bon Bon seemed to always stay calm, collected, and organized when faced with huge crowds of customers. She quickly took the customers' orders on her notepad, expertly rushed to the kitchen when the order was written down, and collected the complete order in an amazing time frame. Everypony that came into the shop seemed to be pleasantly surprised with the fast service that Bon Bon did along with a smile upon her face when she delivered the order to the customers.

The customers also seemed very pleased with the music that Lyra presented to the them. She sat upon a stool in her usual bipedal formation behind the reception counter, but out of Bon Bon's walking path. The bipedal sitting position made some of the customers confused and slightly uneasy, but these feelings were pushed aside when they heard the beautiful sound produced by Lyra with her lyre. The customers were quickly surprised by the quality of the music and were soon enticed and mesmerized to the point that they slightly forgot why they were in the shop in the first place.

While at work, on this particular day, after Lyra had finished one of her songs, a little unicorn filly walked up to the reception counter. "Miss Unicorn?" squeaked the young foal shyly. Lyra's eyes sprung open at the new sound, and they soon found their way to the filly. Lyra looked at the filly for second before smiling kindly at her and stepping off her stool.

"Hehe. You can just call me Lyra. What's your name?" asked Lyra while trotting closer to the counter towards the filly.

"It's...it's Rising Hope," was the soft reply. "I..I just wanted to tell you that your music was really good." Lyra looked at the small unicorn while a huge grin began to spread across her.

"Well thanks. I try my best to make sure you all are happy while here," replied the smiling Lyra.

The unicorn foal suddenly began to smile back at Lyra, her shyness seeming to almost fade from existence. "It definitely made me happy while I was here. It was really beautiful," said Rising Hope before quickly looked behind her towards a stallion and mare. The stallion and mare seemed to be ushering Rising Hope towards them. Lyra could only assume that they were her parents. Soon Rising Hope returned her gaze back to Lyra, "Well I have to go back to my parents now. I hope I get to see you play again someday!"

"That'd be amazing! I hope to see you then," said Lyra while waving goodbye to the now leaving filly. Lyra watched as Rising Hope's parents smiled at their foal as they left the shop. Lyra's happiness began to swell at the loving sight of the family. Lyra then trotted back over to her stool and sat back on it. As she did, a thought began to rise in her head, Will Bon Bon and I ever be a family like that?

The question lingered in her mind for a bit as she sat in the stool. The thought of actually having a family with Bon Bon only made Lyra happier, but there was a doubt in her mind about her being able to get Bon Bon in the first place. The gloomy doubt made Lyra question if any of her work towards winning over Bon Bon was even worth it. The smile that had spread across her began to fade from the thoughts. She could just be trying to move an unmovable force. She would spend all her days trying for a dream that would never come true. She would die without Bon Bon in her life because she could never bring Bon Bon to love her back.

But as quickly as the doubt came, she shook it away and told herself that one day she and Bon Bon would be together. They would live happily together one day. Lyra would eventually win Bon Bon over, and her dreams of the two being together would come true. The sunlight would beam in through the window waking her up, and she would be able to wake up next to her cream colored lover. The thoughts soon reawakened the smile that had been dashed by the doubt. She then proceeded to pick her harp up again with her magic and began to play another song she had been practicing at home.

The crowd listened with perked ears at the new song that was emitted from the instrument. Several turned towards the source of the elegant song and smiled towards the player of the lyre. The fact that she was well received with the customers and even made a little fan made Lyra proud and extremely happy. When Bon Bon had first offered her the job, Lyra was so excited for it. Yet, when she returned back to her apartment, she began to worry and panic about it. Lyra began to drift off and recollect of her panicking of that day as she let her magic play the customer's music for her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What if the customers don't like the music or don't care about it? What if they yell at me to stop playing? I'm supposed to make them happy while they wait, but what if I fail? I don't wanna let Bon Bon down....she hired me to help her and I need to help her as much as I can." Lyra had paced around the apartment room for quite some time while contemplating such ideas out loud. The ideas only made her fear of going to the job even worse. The only thing that brought Lyra away from such thoughts was somepony knocking at her door. A questioning look grew upon Lyra's face as she began to wonder who was knocking on her door.

When the unicorn opened the door, she was greeted by her neighbor, Berry Punch. She was a purple hued earth pony that had a distinct love for drinking alcohol and was also a mother to a filly named Ruby Pinch.

"Oh hey, Berry Punch. What's up?" asked Lyra. She and Berry Punch were friends for sure, but not to the point in which they drop by each other's rooms for no reason. So Lyra was curious as to the reason why her friend had dropped by randomly.

"Hey, Lyra. Well I was just at the store getting a refill on my drinks and when I walked by your room, I heard you talking about something and you sounded a little distressed, so after I set down my groceries I wanted to check to see if everything was okay," was the friend's reply. She was obviously sober at the moment.

Wow. I'll admit, I'm slightly surprised that she's sober. I can't even remember the last time I saw her like this. A year, I think? Something like that..., thought Lyra.

"Oh. Well it's nothing. Just a little worried about a new job I have. But thanks for the concern."

"Alright. Well if I may ask, does the job have to deal with you playing your lyre?" questioned Berry Punch.

"Uh...yeah it does. Why?"

"Are you worried that you may do bad or fail in front of some ponies?"

Can she read minds or something? asked the unicorn to herself. Lyra just simply nodded towards her friend.

"Well I might not be a music pony or anything of the sort, but why not try to think happy thoughts while you're playing? Don't worry about messing up, just keep thinking about succeeding," suggested Berry Punch. Lyra just stood there for a moment, thinking about what her friend had said. Lyra had to admit it, Berry Punch was right. If she kept focusing and thinking about failing the job, then it would only worsen her performance when she did perform. She had to keep her head held high and keep her eyes on the prize.

"You're actually totally right, Berry Punch. I've just gotta keep a positive attitude and keep my thoughts on succeeding. Thanks a whole bunch, really," replied Lyra with a new outlook on her new job.

"It's no problem. Anything for a friend in need. So I'm just wondering, but what are you trying to succeed in?"

"Oh...it's uh....noth...nothing...,"stammered Lyra while her cheeks began to turn red since succeeding to her meant getting Bon Bon to love her.

"Ooohhhh. I gotcha. I'll leave you alone about it then," replied Berry Punch, catching on to Lyra's blushing. The two mares stood in awkward silence for a moment with neither of them knowing what to say.

"Well you wanna hang out for a bit?" offered Lyra trying to break the silence.

"Oh I'd love to Lyra, but Ruby's still at home. Plus, my drinks are there," answered Berry Punch with a wink to Lyra. Lyra just smiled and shook her head while rolling her eyes.

"Alright, well see ya later then."

"Goodbye, Lyra. See you later," replied Berry Punch before turning and walking towards her own apartment room. Lyra shut her apartment's door after she had heard Berry Punch open her own.

"I can only imagine the good she could do for ponykind if she didn't drink so much."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lyra suddenly snapped back to attention when a certain noise penetrated her thoughts. When she opened her eyes, she quickly realized the noise was cheering. All of the customers in the store were all turned towards Lyra with their mouths in full open smiles and wide eyes. Lyra sat there in shock in confusion. Her eyes scanned the reception room to any hints of what had happened, but no hints were to be found. Then, in her peripheral vision, Lyra saw a cream coat standing near her. She turned towards Bon Bon and noticed that even Bon Bon was cheering at her.

"Bon Bon, what's going on? What happened?" asked Lyra in a hushed voice while leaning towards her friend.

"Lyra, you....you just played the most beautiful song ever! I've never heard anypony play something as amazing as that! How did you do it?"

Lyra was stunned and taken back at what Bon Bon had just said. The most beautiful song ever....from me? No way... thought Lyra to herself.

"Come on, Lyra! Tell me your secret, please!" begged Bon Bon while placing her hooves close to the back of one of Lyra's hindhoof since she was sitting in her bipedal formation. Lyra looked towards Bon Bon's hooves with wide eyes. She could practically feel her face burning with redness. Lyra gulped and tried to gain her bearings.

Don't think about her hooves....just don't think about them....even if they are close to...NO! Stop thinking about it! she kept mentally telling herself.

"Well, um....I just think po...posi...positive thoughts and...and keep my mind on succeeding. It re..really helps," stuttered Lyra to her friend, hoping that Bon Bon either didn't notice her blushing or blamed it on the sudden publicity she was getting. When Lyra looked at her, Bon Bon was staring at her with an awe struck look and her beautiful deep blue eyes were beaming into Lyra's.

Damn it! Why does she have to be so cute and sexy at the same time! thought Lyra frantically. The hooves were practically impossible for Lyra to ignore.

"Well combined with your skills, those thoughts made a beautiful song, Lyra. I'm so glad I hired you; you truly are a help around here. I mean, just look at all the customers," said Bon Bon while removing her hooves from Lyra and gesturing a hoof towards the crowd that was still excited and cheering from Lyra's song, "I've never seen them so happy before! It's great!"

"Oh, well I'm just happy I could help you out, Bon Bon. Don't mention it," replied Lyra while smiling at her friend. The smile coming from both sincerity and the fact that Bon Bon had removed her hooves.

"Well you just keep doing a great job out here while I head back to the kitchen," said the earth pony while leaving to fill customers' orders.

"Alright! I'll do just that." After saying that, Lyra looked towards the customers that were still in awe of Lyra's previous performance. Lyra thought about it for a second, and decided to step off the stool, stand on all fours, and bow towards the crowd of happy customers. She then proceeded to sit back on her stool and play more songs from her lyre for the crowd.

What you don't know, Bon Bon, is that you're what I was thinking of...

Comments

[HumanFlea]

I really like the idea of berry punch being wise when she's sober.
It was a good chapter, can't really think of anything wrong with it so keep up the good work.

[OtenBrony]

2956487 Thanks for the positive feedback I'll admit, the idea for BP just suddenly popped into my mind while planning this chapter, and I just decided to put it in. It's good to know that it worked

[Ink Sword]

Thissshhss wuss ta bshed stry erver.
Berry, how the hell did you get here?!
I can do whatever I want when I'm drunk.
Wait, why didn't you slur in that last sentence?
Um, no reason, got to go, bye!
Sorry about that.