Shellstrings

by shortskirtsandexplosions

Beyond the Flashy Thing

485 Faust Lane – That Very Evening – In an Atmosphere of Fuzz and Giggles

"Omigosh... Omigosh... Omigosh...!" Bon Bon danced in place, her hooves a peach blur over the living room carpet. She finally settled into a giddy stance, grinning from ear to ear. "I just... I-I just can't get over it, Lyra!"

"Yes..." Lyra rolled her eyes with a smirk. She popped open a can of Dr. Pony and reclined on the sofa. "...so I've gathered."

"First, you're given the title of royal minstrel by Princess Twilight! It's like all of your dreams come true! And then... you've committed to vacationing at Appleloosa, which is like—"

Lyra glared. "Don't you dare say that that's your 'dream come true.'" Her nostrils flared. "Because that would be very lame." She sighed, taking a sip of her soda. "...and lacking in tiaras."

"But Lyraaaaaa..." Bon Bon smiled, her cheeks rosy. "Don't you see how... how healthy this all is?" She gulped. "It's like you're fulfilling something for yourself and for us all in one go."

"Yeah, well... just because Twilight's letting me pluck the lyre strings at her Castle in a few weeks doesn't mean I've got the job yet."

"What makes you say that?"

Lyra took another sip, stifled a belch, then muttered: "Because—let's face it—I have a history of monumental screw-ups, B-Squared."

"Oh Lyraaaaa..."

"Hmmm... it's true!" Lyra sighed. "I'll be lucky if I'm still there a month from now."

Bon Bon hopped up onto the touch cushion beside her, turned around three times, and squatted down with a smile. "What matters is that you're giving yourself a chance." She winked. "And the Princess of Friendship is giving you a chance."

"Eh... she's just taking pity on me because we haven't talked in ages." Lyra gulped. "For all I know, I'm guilt-tripping her into it without meaning to."

"Lyraaaa—"

"Stop saying my name like that!" Lyra couldn't help but giggle. "You sound like a goddess-damn llama."

Bon Bon simplys miled. "After all you've worked for... all the bumps in the road... can't you be happy for yourself? Just for once?"

"Mmmm... yeah, well..." Lyra swiveled the soda can in her grasp. "It's... h-hard to be that happy when I'm not so proud of myself." She gulped. "And... I-I haven't done much to be proud of... not for you... not for us..."

Bon Bon rested a hoof on the unicorn's shoulder. "I knew you would come around eventually." Her eyes briefly hardened. "Even if this is all about pleasing the Princess and not so much making Lemon Hearts happy."

Lyra winced. "Yeah... but... like..." She turned to look at Bon Bon. "Do you care about making Lemon Hearts happy?"

Silence.

"No. Not really," Bon Bon eventually blurted.

Both mares laughed.

Eventually, as Bon Bon's giggles subsided, she smiled at her roommate. "You're going to be okay after all of this, Lyra." Her dimples showed. "We're going to be okay."

"Hmmmmf..." Lyra smirked. "Why shouldn't we be okay?" She took a sip, burped, and rubbed her muzzle. "I'm going to head-shrink camp... and you?" A nervous laugh. "You're a top secret agent who can dart a changeling at half-a-mile! What do I have to be scared of?"

Bon Bon's smile faded slightly.

Even Lyra saw it. "B-Squared?" She emptied her can and slapped it on the table beside her. "Something wrong?" She blinked. "I... I shouldn't have brought it up, huh?" She smiled crookedly. "I mean... it's been over a month and you haven't zapped my memories away, so it must be cool... right?"

"Oh... oh yeah..." Bon Bon nodded. "It's cool." Nevertheless, she sniffled, then leaned over to nuzzle Lyra's shoulder. "I'm just... happy, Lyra." She gulped, her eyes closed. "What can I s-say?"

Lyra stared at her. Deadpan. "Well... what d-do you have left to say?"

Bon Bon's teeth clenched. She squeaked forth: "I'm... s-sorry that I get on your flank so much... y'know... about secrets." She winced. "When... when I'm always... always—"

"Shhhhh..." Lyra raised a hoof, hesitated, then eventually patted Bon Bon's fluffy head. "There... uh... there. No sweat, Bae. You can't compromise stuff. I dig it."

Bon Bon bit her lip.

"Just as I dig the fact that... y'know..." Lyra smirked. "I know so much and yet I'm still standing."

"It's not like that," Bon Bon muttered.

"Maybe. Maybe not." Lyra winked. "Doesn't make my roommate any less cool."

Bon Bon managed a smile, even if it was a faint one.

Lyra glanced at the empty soda bottle, then at her best friend. "But... like... if all the Dr. Pony in Equestria was secretly brewed from the butt slime of a nightmarishly oozing chaos lord, you'd tell me, right?"

"Heeheehee... deal..."

Lyra smiled, and the two passed the fuzzy evening away in tranquil silence.

Comments

[Sharp Quill]

"Stop saying my name like that!" Lyra couldn't help but giggle. "You sound like a goddess-damn llama."

Obligatory video:

[youtube=OqAkq8v6LuQ]

And the original with llamas:

[youtube=kZUPCB9533Y]

[zaponator]

Bon Bon hopped up onto the touch cushion beside her, turned around three times, and squatted down with a smile.

Catponies. Always catponies. Yes.

[DoContra]

"But... like... if all the Dr. Pony in Equestria was secretly brewed from the butt slime of a nightmarishly oozing chaos lord, you'd tell me, right?"

You have nothing to worry about there. She's not a chaos lord.

[Razzy]

... I now have a mental image of Chryssie cackling evilly while rubbing her butt against a Dr Pony production machine.

[ZanyZapper]

Dr Pony is fine. Slurm on the other hoof...

[IceKitsune]

This is why I love to read this after Austraeoh, its the lighthearted jab I need after the usual feels generator that is that series.

[Leftover of Saikano]

Never had Dr. Pepper. Does it taste like real pepper or more like pepper spray?

[terrycloth]

7432416 No.

I think it's a sort of cherry/vanilla/cola flavor? It's weird and kind of sweet-spicy (not hot-spicy).

[Cloverleaf]

7431740 nah nah. Dr Pony is an ancient recipe originally brewed by Discord himself. It's a perfectly mundane soda....just high in caffeine and sugar. It was created by him to sow chaos in ancient times by getting foals so hopped up on it they'd drive their parents bonkers.

Ponykind has earned its tolerance over the last 1000 years.

[RB_]

If the ludicrous number of times Dr. Pony has been brought up isn't foreshadowing for some sort of soda-marketing/sugar-based supervillain, I will be sorely dissapointed.

[DOOMRIDER]

That slurm reference though. Futurama for the win.

[Skeeter The Lurker]

~Skeeter The Lurker

[Scorch215]

Bon Bon hopped up onto the touch cushion beside her, turned around three times, and squatted down with a smile.

Bon Bon confirmed to be part dog.

7431653
And for some reason that actually makes total sense.

[Dream Seeker]

There are so many nonchalant references in this story that I'm not even sure how many of them are actually references...