Tugging at Her Heartstrings

by neutralmilk

Tugging at Her Heartstrings 2 - Chapter 11

Tugging at Her Heartstrings 2 – Chapter 11
-neutralmilk

The interior of the Sugar Shack was surprisingly tame – especially considering this was supposed to house one of Equestria’s biggest (only) Angus Beef Band. The pit was empty, save for a few members of sound crew setting up last minute rigging and the band was nowhere to be seen. The back half of the venue still remained decked out as a fairly classy restaurant – mood lighting, embroidered napkins, the works. Despite the odd dichotomy, the overall setting was pleasant. Fantastic for a first date.

The cream-coloured mare looks around excitedly and upon zeroing on her perfect seat, practically drags you over. Before long the booth of you were seated and admiring the venue up close. “I really can’t believe this place is so empty!” Her voice was incredulous as she scanned the meager crowd for ponies she recognized. You joined in mindlessly scanning the rather meager turnout for familiar faces when you spotted somepony you hadn’t expected. A chill cuts across your spine.

“Wait, is that…” Rose’s voice fades momentarily. IT seems your date had noticed her too, her eyes locked on target.

“Bon-Bon?” You both say in unison – though a tinge of anxiety edges into your voice alone. True enough, your roommate is sitting alone at a table in the far back, wearing a pair of comically oversized sunglasses. If she was attempting to disguise herself, she had failed miserably. She is dimly lit by a tea candle flickering with its last breath – adding to a ridiculous sense of mystery around the mare. Although she is pretending not to notice you or Roseluck, you can’t help but notice the quick sideways glances she continuously tosses your table from the side of her lenses.

“I, uh, guess she’s a fan?” You genuinely offer Roseluck. You have no idea what she could be doing here, so it wasn’t exactly a lie, you tell yourself. Isn’t she supposed to tell Lyra that the concert is going on? You think to yourself. Why is she here?! Images of worst-case scenarios start to leak into your already overworked brain, but you push them out.

“Hm... Guess so.” She chirps, satisfied, turning her attention back to the table. She flips over her menu and begins to study it, gently humming a tune as she does so. You try to place it, but figure it’s one of the Evesteer songs that Roseluck was trying so desperately to hype you up about earlier.

Stealthily, you begin looking over at the candy pony, hoping to understand her presence. It takes a moment, but once the candy-coated mare discerns that the coast is now clear she nods her head knowingly at you. After a dramatic glance behind her back (what the hell is she looking out for?! You think) she starts motioning her forelegs at you wildly.

The look of confusion on your face says it all: “I have no idea what you are doing.”

Though you can’t hear it, you can clearly see the beige mare sigh dramatically. She repeats her bizarre attempt at communication, only slower – a sort of drunken form of jazz-hands. Somehow this only manages to leave you more confused. You attempt to maneuver yourself so that you can comfortably look at Bon-Bon, just secretly enough not to draw Rose’s attention. When you finally feel secure, you shrug at your coconspirator. What? You mouth at her.

She smacks a hoof to her head, frustrated, and succeeds in knocking her sunglasses off her face. Bon-Bon fumbles desperately for a moment and hurriedly places them on her face, albeit crooked. It takes some serious effort not to laugh, but you manage to win the battle. You watch her reach into her saddlebags, desperately searching for something.

What in the world…? You find yourself thinking. You can’t help but grin as your frequent tormentor struggles with her bag. Her face grows increasingly twisted with frustration at each passing second until she finally flips the bag upside down and dumps its contents on the table in front of her, random bits-and-bobs tumbling onto the floor. Out of the random pile, she pulls a single pen, holding aloft as if a diamond stuck among filth.

“Been looking at this menu. Pretty crazy stuff.” Roseluck interrupts. You hurriedly pivot and adjust your body to a more natural sitting position. No way you were going to alert your “date” to your (poorly hidden) attempts to communicate with the mysterious Bon-Bon. “What are you thinking about getting?”

“Oh, uh, a hamburger probably.” You say absently, grabbing at your menu for the first time. Your eyes scan the selections of salads, sandwiches and other pony-fare. Suddenly, you realize your slip. Your eyes slowly drift up from the menu and land upon your date’s disgusted face. “Uhhh, I was joking?” You offer, smiling awkwardly.

“EverSTEER.” Her tone is unamused. “Equestria’s only 100% angus beef rock band.” She points a hoof at the stage where a group of cows and steer are awkwardly working at setting up the stage – a task dramatically complicated by the lack of apposable thumbs or magic. A young steer from the soundcrew shakes his head at you disapprovingly.

“Not cool man, not cool.” His voice cracks, and so does your heart.

You wave apologetically and bury your head into the menu further, but not before making sure Roseluck’s attention is off you and back on the menu.

You slowly peer away from your table and see Bon-Bon holding up a napkin. Written in big bold letters you can make out: “Meet me in the B-” The rest of the napkin appears too faded to read as if her pen had died halfway through.

Shit.

You shrug considerably, causing the candy pony to look at you dumbfounded. Desperate to relay your message, you mimic her pose and point wildly at your hand where the napkin should be. A lightbulb seems to go off for the mare as she takes a look and groans audibly – probably louder than intended as you see her cover her face, embarrassed.

“What was that?!” Rose drops her menu and begins to search for the source of the sound.

“Vocal exercises maybe?” You offer immediately. You can’t have Roseluck noticing Bon-Bon’s efforts to communicate.

The mare sitting before you laughs. “That’s some voice then, huh?” She smiles at you warmly and you feel you’re a thumping in your chest. Not nervousness, something far more concerning considering your situation: contentment. Your eyes are drawn into hers. They seem to bare her pure intentions to you. She was there for and only you. The roof of your mouth is noticeably drier than before…

“Um, excuse me.” A soft voice cracks. You and Rose immediately turn, breaking the spell, only to find Bon-Bon standing before you both. On her face she wears a deep blush of embarrassment. And her still crooked sunglasses.

A scream rushes to tear itself from your lungs, but you swallow it down alongside bile. “Oh, why hello-” your voice breaks for a moment, as you realize you’re shouting. “Hello Bon-Bon!” You try your best to cover up your dread with a plasticine smile.

“May I, uh…” Her voice trails. Shye looks sheepishly towards the floor. “…borrow a pen?”

Rose looks taken aback by the odd request. “Um, yeah. Sure.” She darts a hoof into her saddlebags and fumbles around aimlessly, the air growing increasingly toxic. You fight the urge to make eye-contact with Bon-Bon and wonder why this desire for apparent self-destruction has come over you. Finally, after what feels like ten hours Roseluck successfully pulls out a single pen. In your mind it looks like salvation. “Found it!”

She sticks the pen towards your unwanted guest. “Here you…”

The candy pony snatches it expertly and gallops back to her table before anything else can be said. Once back she slams her head onto the tabletop with an audible THUNK.

“…go?” Roseluck sounds confused and turns a worried gaze to you, as If asking you for some sort of explanation. Your plastic grin from earlier is waning, but with serious effort you force it to remain as you shrug nonchalantly.

“Guess she’s having a hard day.”

Leaning in, Roseluck whispers, “Don’t you think we should talk to her? She seems really-”

“Nah, she’ll be fine! She’s always like this on…” Your voice trails as you realize your brain is entirely empty. No clever excuse is coming to mind and every attempt to come up with some sort of lie makes your heart begin to hurt. Your date is staring back at you concernedly, her emerald eyes captivating you even as your body twitches in panic. You feel both drawn in and repelled by her compassion.

From the corner of your eye, you spot Bon-Bon waving her hoof furiously in the air. A quick glance reveals she has finally finished her note:

Meet me in the Batrooon!!!!! Though misspelled, the word is clear; bolded, underlined, and (perhaps due to the pen change) mostly in a different color.

“You alright? You’ve been acting a bit off today.” Rose’s voice is silken. “Though I guess I was acting a bit weird earlier too…” She looks away. You can feel her adoration swelling behind each word. It’s almost unbearable. “If you feel like you need to talk to me about anything, I’m here for you. I’m a pretty good listener when I want to be. And you just so happened to catch me in a listening mood!” She smiles playfully at you. “Normally I charge extra for that.” She winks.

“I…” your stomach begins to hurt. “I…”

Her gaze is soft, yet penetrating.

“Whoa, nelly!” You shove your seat back from the table, the chair screeching against the floor. “I gotta GO!” The flowerpony gives you a puzzled look, no doubt from your sudden outburst. “I’ll be back in a minute!” With that you practically leap from your seat and sprint to the bathrooms. Though you don’t turn around, you feel Roseluck’s eyes follow your every step.

Once you’re out of eyesight you collapse against the wall, gasping for air to calm your racing heart. “I can’t… keep… this up…” you say to yourself between breaths. The lying, and deceit of the plan was getting to you. And to make matters worse, it had all but exploded into sheer chaos with Roseluck’s confession. This was nothing like how you had imagined this going earlier in the afternoon…

“What the hay is happening out there?!” The unmistakable sound of hooves stomping towards you rings violently in the small bathroom hallway. “I left a note for Lyra and figured: ‘Oh! I should see how everything is going with your end of the plan!’ And what do I see on my way to the Sugar Shack?!” The familiar voice of Bon-Bon is pricked with rage. “The two of you looking like a pair of perfect strangers! I just knew you’d find a way to screw it…” Her tirade stops. You look up and see Bon-Bon staring at you, her sunglasses finally removed from her face. Her voice is suddenly softer. “You look like you got ran over by Mr. Waddles’ cart.” She eyes you over again. “And then got Sonic Rainboomed.”

“Yeah?” You slowly rise to your feet, forcing Bon-Bon to look up at you with her icy gaze. “Well, I’m happy you’re here, because your plan? It’s gone to shit!” The panic in your voice is palpable; you throw your arms defeatedly in the air and take to pacing around. Anything to help bring your racing mind under control.

The beige mare stares at you, a deep frown forming on her face. “What do you mean?”

“Roseluck…” you take a deep breath and release it slowly, feeling your buddy shuddering from the stress. “She thinks the date is real.”

You can make out Bon Bon’s brain trying to process this surprise. Suddenly it must have clicked because her eyes widen in absolute shock. “W-what?!” is all she can manage.

A sigh escapes your lips, and you return to sitting against the wall. “Rose thinks this is a real date. Has this entire time.”

“WHAT?!” She repeats, significantly louder. “But you said she understood!” Suddenly she takes to pacing in your place. “You said that she was fine with the plan! That she understood it immediately! I just don’t…” her voice trails off. You can tell she’s wracking her brain for anything more. She freezes and thrusts her head towards yours so her eyes are mere inches away from your own. “HOW?!”

“I guess I wasn’t as clear as I thought I was. I mean, she seemed to totally get it! I guess… I didn’t really say it was fake exactly when I tried to bring it up to her…”

“Are you kidding me?! Lyra’s going to be here soon! If Roseluck thinks this is real then things…” You watch Bon-Bon’s face scrunch up in dread.

“Ok!” She bursts forth suddenly. “We need to escape! What if we… uh, say that you need to go home because I…” she pauses, bringing a hoof to her face deep in thought. “Well, I guess I can’t pretend to be dying if I’m here, huh? You think Rose recognized me in the sunglasses?”

“Bon-Bon,” you say softly.

“Maybe if I break my leg…” she continues, oblivious. She wobbles her foreleg lamely, mimicking some sort of damage. “Nah, I’m too built for that to work…”

“Bon-Bon, I appreciate it, but-”

“No! I break YOUR leg! Right here! Say you fell in the bathroom and you need-”

“Bon-Bon!” you practically shout at the mare next to you. She pauses, mouth still half open from her ramblings. “I-I think everything’s worse than you might think....”

“How. Can this. Be any worse.” Her voice is matter-of-fact; she’s not asking, she’s saying that this was the worst possible outcome. “Your fake date is apparently real to Roseluck. Your real marefriend is coming soon to see a show and is going to find you on a date. A REAL date. And me? I’m stuck here watching it all when both mares absolutely murder you. And if you survive? Guess who’s going to be responsible for at least some of this?! I’m not getting out of this unscathed either!”

She wasn’t wrong in the slightest. Every wors of what she said was true. But little did she know how far from the whole truth she truly was. Yes, the date was real to Roseluck, but that was only half the problem. The other half lay squarely on you and how you were feeling about the date.

You can’t bring yourself to make eye-contact with your roommate. Your coconspirator. Your support system. Truly, the only friend you have who you hadn’t screwed everything up with. “I, well…”

“Yes?” Her voice is cold.

“I think… I might…”

“Spit it out!” She smacks a hoof against the wall, angrily. “We have to get this thing sorted out before Lyra sees us! Unless you wanna tell Rose you’re sorry for taking so long but had to swim in the toilet!” She leans forward towards you again. “Believe me, that one would get you out of this stupid situation.”

You grit your teeth and force the words out, bittersweet though they are.

“I think… I maybe kinda like… Roseluck?”

Comments

[Emerald Flash]

Two words for ya, bud: Good luck.

[SPANIARD KIWI]

Another resurrected story! Wow, this good spell doesn't end. This is great!

[DMDash71]

I love the direction this is going and the awkwardness.

[AlanSmithy]

This guy's so screwed it's kinda hilarious. Hey, could be worse! He could have something culturally offensive to an all Angus beef band! ...oh god.

[HumanSVD]

There really needs to be answers. I wanna see if Lyra is cheating or not. I think she is or is at the minimum, acting like a single mare and leaving her boyfriend behind while she parties. Quite frankly, Roseluck seems to really enjoy his company and she seems to care about him.

He really should just drop Lyra, it is clear there is no trust and she hasn't acted trustworthy too. I hope to see two endings, with either one leaving Roseluck's heart intact.

I eagerly await the next chapters.

[HumanSVD]

11532575
Roseluck, Bon Bon, and the guy wouldn't be here if Lyra wasn't shifty.

[neutralmilk]

11534846
The way I see it, why stop at two?! I’m going for broke on this one!

Also thanks for sticking with the story!

[HumanSVD]

11534961
More than two endings? Oh boy, a Lyra, Roseluck, a bad ending and.....man....

I need to see what will happen. I am rooting for Roseluck though.

[Gambling_Sam]

“I think… I maybe kinda like… Roseluck?”

YES

[Comet_Chaser]

To be honest, with the way she treats him and the way shes been acting for this long, I'm honestly kinda hoping Lyra is indeed cheating on him. Reason being is that Roseluck actually seems to genuinely enjoy being around him and really seems a much better fit for him anyway. But, that's just me.

[Nueva]

Oh boy, things are heating up!

[Rikkity]

“Spit it out!” She smacks a hoof against the wall, angrily. “We have to get this thing sorted out before Lyra sees us! Unless you wanna tell Rose you’re sorry for taking so long but had to swim in the toilet!” She leans forward towards you again. “Believe me, that one would get you out of this stupid situation.”

You grit your teeth and force the words out, bittersweet though they are.

“I think… I maybe kinda like… Roseluck?”

Should drop Lyra at this point. If she breaks down at the end I can care less. She should very CLEARLY see that he actually was in love with her but NOPE! She gotta be secretive. Rose deserves human more than Lyra does. Honestly there needs to be consequences for her actions, and there should be no recourse for her. Wouldn't be surprised if Bon Bon gave her the boot as well.

Point: If ( VERY BIG IF ) Lyra really wanted to assuage (or confirm) his worries, she should have been upfront from the get-go! Not string him along!

PS: Next chapter when?

Deep think...
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