• Published 15th May 2012
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Be Human: the All-American Girl Sidestories - Shinzakura



Sidestories for the All-American Girl series

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COMBS: Can Obsolete Marriages Be Salvaged?

October 9, 2046
Washington DC

Just a quiet Tuesday post-holiday morning spent on paperwork in her office, Lyra thought, hoping a slow week. And she needed it, too: Paul was out in California arguing a case in front of the 9th Circuit out in San Francisco. She’d planned to spend the weekend with the kids at King’s Dominion down in Richmond, but then Paul’s parents showed up and said that since they were headed that way, they’d be happy to take the kids. And at the time, it was a good idea, because it gave Lyra a free weekend; something she hadn’t had in quite some time. And right now, she needed the break, because….

On second thought, as her mind went to Saturday evening’s debacle, maybe I should hope for yet another warlord popping up in Somalia to keep my mind off of things.

No such luck. The phone built into her desk chimed and as Lyra hit the speakerphone function, her secretary’s voice spoke on the other line. “Lyra, got someone here to see you. Personal matter.”

Lyra felt her throat clench. She should have expected this. “Sure, Scent, send ‘em on in,” she finally said, wondering if she was about to make a big mistake.

A few seconds later, a unicorn mare walked in. Walking bipedally, as was the norm when on human-Earth, she had a turquoise coat and baby-blue eyes framed by fiery orange mane. At the moment she was wearing a jean jacket, a French navy long-sleeved t-shirt, and a pair of slacks topped off by typical casual pony shoes.

“Lyra,” Waterfire said, standing in the ambassador’s office, “We need to talk.”

The celeste mare looked at her younger friend nervously. After last night…. As a trained diplomat, Lyra was used to getting out of trouble and issues using negotiation and other time-honored tricks of the trade. But Wai’s not some minor functionary from another country I can’t stand. She’s a friend. “I didn’t….” the older pony said. “I didn’t expect it to happen. I didn’t want it to happen.”

“I know,” the younger mare replied, her voice a soft whisper. “I saw. You thought I was asleep, but I saw. And….” Waterfire looked past the other unicorn, adding, “I don’t blame you, not one bit.”

Lyra led the younger pony to a sofa by the coffee table. “Care for some coffee? Just got another batch from the Colombian ambassador. He’s trying for a favorable trade agreement, so he thinks bribing me with coffee is a good thing. Personally,” she said with a forced grin, “I’m all for it.”

“Please,” Waterfire said, taking a seat. The unicorn mage was fidgeting nervously, Lyra noted. Something was wrong, and that atop what was already wrong to begin with. Putting together two cups, Lyra floated one over to Waterfire and placed the cream and sugar tray on the table. She then took the other in her forehooves, pouring in a small amount of cream and a huge amount of sugar. Sitting down and taking a drink to steady her nerves, she then became forthright; it was the only way to get to the bottom of this.

“Waterfire, are you two…?”

The mage understood the implication immediately. “Oh, dear Celestia, no – I would never! My heart only belongs to her, Lyra, ever since the day I met her in the chocolate shop back in Manehattan. And for five years – five wonderful years – it has been just us. I love Bonnie more than I can ever say. And I know, without a doubt, that she loves me. In fact, last night she and I…well, I….” Waterfire blushed.

“One of the best things about living in an ambassadorial home is that it’s professionally sound-proofed, just in case. I assure you I had no idea what you two were doing.”

But that brought scant relief to Waterfire as she added, “But she still loves you, Lyra. And I know you still feel the same way about her, too.”

The elder unicorn shook her forehoof to dismiss that thought. “Doesn’t matter how I feel, Wai. I’m a happily-married mare, and a monogamous one. I don’t ‘run in the field’ like some ponies do; never have, even when I was with Bonnie. And there’s something else, too: I have children, and they mean the world to me. So doing anything to upset the boat that is my marriage is out of the question.” Lyra then turned the tables on the younger mare, asking, “So…why did—”

“Please don’t say that,” Waterfire interjected. “I know what you’re going to say; believe me, you have every right to say it. But you know she’s not like that.”

“Really? Then how am I supposed to react? Because she’s one of my closest friends and….” The look on Lyra’s face was one of hurt, resignation and anger as her mind slipped back to the previous weekend.


Lyra practically hugged the two as they arrived. “It’s great to see you two!”

“I’m always glad to be seen by you,” Bon-Bon said, kissing her old flame gently on the cheek. “But since we were in town, we were stopping in anyway.”

“Yeah, it’s good to see you,” Waterfire said, the younger turquoise unicorn hugging Lyra. “Besides, we’re celebrating! I just got promoted – now I’m a Command Mage! I assume command of the Manehattan Regional Guild facility in February.”

“Wow, congrats, Wai,” Lyra said. “So young and already a command mage – must’ve been hard going up against people at least a decade older.”

She blushed slightly. “Well, fortunately there were a couple of ponies my age, so I don’t feel too bad about it. I do feel sorry for Star Swirl over in Ponyville, though – for such an important town, it’s a pretty dead-end post for a mage to be assigned to. But Sweet Sunset? Ugh – there’s a sore loser if I ever met one.”

Bon-Bon patted her partner on the flank. “Watch it, Waifu, that’s my hometown,” the earth pony said with a soft grin. Turning back to Lyra, she asked, “So where are Paul and the kids? I was hoping to get tackled by three kids happy to see their Aunt Bonnie and demanding lots of chocolate – which I did bring, by the way.”

Lyra shrugged. “Paul is arguing a case before the 9th Circuit Court out in California. His assistant was supposed to handle it, but she caught the chickenpox – some weird human disease, if I recall correctly – and now he has to handle the case; he’s already been in San Francisco for the past week and for this coming week, too. Really sucks, because I was hoping to take the kids down to King’s Dominion for the weekend. But as coincidence would have it, Paul’s parents were headed down to Richmond this weekend and took the kids with them so I could get a few days of peace and quiet. But what are you guys doing in town?”

“Well, it’s a working vacation,” Bon-Bon replied. “I’m checking with a few of my business partners and making sure they’re on the up and up. I know I can trust my partners in Equestria, but being out of country, the ones here aren’t as scrupulous.”

Due to her skills as a trained diplomat, out of the corner of her eye she noticed the unicorn mage rolling her eyes at Bon-Bon’s last statement; there was something in that statement but it was their business – she just hoped they weren’t fighting. “Well, I’m sure things are on the up-and-up. Economy’s good right now, and people tend to be more honest during booms.”

“I doubt it,” the earth pony grumbled, but that frown went away as she said, “Well, since we’re in town for a couple of days, why don’t we go out for the first one? Fillies’ night on the town and all that?” Both unicorns agreed and the three settled down to chat, just breezily talking the day away while waiting for the bars to open that night.


As the trio stumbled back into Lyra’s place, she regretted agreeing to tonight’s whole plan. Celestia, am I getting old – I just can’t keep up with them! Maybe it’s because I have kids and they don’t. Sure enough, it started out with drinks at the King’s Court Tavern just off King Street, then across over to dancing at the Colonial Bar, then over to the Blue and Gray Bar, then finally at the Taverna. And while ponies had a generally higher tolerance for alcohol than humans, the three had spent enough on drinks that they were well and truly drunk by the time they stumbled into Lyra’s place at two in the morning.

Both Lyra and Bon-Bon plopped on the couch, while Waterfire dropped into the loveseat. After a few seconds, the celeste unicorn swore she heard snoring as Waterfire instantly fell asleep. Well, as soon as the room stops spinning, I’ll crawl to my bedroom; they know how to get to the guest room, so no worries there, Lyra thought as her consciousness not too surprisingly wandered off into Morpheus’ domain.

An hour later, Lyra felt tender touches on her face her neck and a tongue darting between her lips. Mmm, Paul’s feeling kinda randy tonight, she thought. Well, we haven’t done anything since my per—

Wait.

Something at the back of her mind set off alarms. Paul’s lips don’t have fuzz. Even when he’s got stubble it doesn’t feel like….

She opened an eye and found her shirt half-open, and there, unbuttoning it with her teeth, was Bon-Bon.

“Bonnie,” Lyra asked in a slurred voice, “What are you doing?” Part of her liked it. Part of her wanted it. But the alarm bells in the back of her mind reminded her that this was how it all started in the first place and the stakes were so much higher now. Besides, she loved her husband; her marriage to Paul wasn’t crumbling like her last one did when they first met.

“Ly-Ly,” Bonnie breathed, “I want you.” The look in Bon-Bon’s eyes was one of lust and desire, the kind that Lyra had so often wanted…

…but not now. “But I’m married,” Lyra protested. “And your wife is asleep over there!”

“Don’t care. You and me, just like old times,” Bon-Bon said, reaching over and undoing Lyra’s pants. “You want it just as much as I do.”

“No!” Lyra said, the alcohol-induced haze suddenly replaced by icy reality. Bon-Bon wasn’t her spouse, not anymore. And Lyra had made the mistake of cheating once – she’d never do it again.

Bon-Bon laid a series of kisses on Lyra’s chest. “I remember, just like old times, just like you used to like it. I want you, Ly-Ly. I want you more than I can ever say.”

“NO!” Two blasts from Lyra’s horn lit up the room. The first slammed Bon-Bon hard, sending her crashing into the coffee table and shattering it. The second teleported Lyra into her bedroom, where she had enough presence of mind to seal the bedroom door with a locking spell before shivering in fright and what had just happened.

She spent the rest of the weekend in her room, teleporting food in, too afraid to step out into the rest of her own house, and as Tuesday came, she quickly dressed, then teleported herself directly on her motorcycle and rocketed away, even before Terry could arrive with the limo. She needed to get away, and fast.


Lyra sighed. “I feel….” She looked at her coffee, and then it suddenly boiled as it was superheated, sympathetic magic from Lyra’s sudden anger as she moved into the second stage of grief. “I was violated, Wai! My ex-wife violated me! One of my closest friends violated me!

“I know,” Waterfire said sadly. “She doesn’t even know I’m here. I placed a deep sleep spell on her because I needed to talk to you about this.”

“If it wasn’t for the fact that you’re my friend and she’s my….” Lyra got up, walking around with nervous energy. “If she was anyone else – anypony else – I’d have her ass in the Leesburg jail right now! Do you understand?” Lyra started crying right then and there, falling on the ground, shaking. Waterfire got up to help her, but was rebuffed and all she could do was stand there as Lyra shuddered.

After a few minutes, the celeste unicorn looked at her and asked, “Why?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you – and bear in mind I’m her spouse now, not you.” Waterfire helped Lyra back to her feet and back to her couch. “She wants a foal.”

“Well, we always thought about adopting,” Lyra mentioned, “but obviously we didn’t get around to it. I’m assuming you two have discussed it?”

But the turquoise mare shook her head as she said, “Lyra – she wants your foal.” Then after a few seconds she added, “She honestly suggested that I carry a foal that’s both yours and hers, and then after we could have one of our own.”

The older mare was suddenly dumbstruck. “Uh…she did pay attention when they explained the birds and the bees, right? I mean, yeah, human geneticists have figured out how to make two females conceive offspring, but there are ethical issues involved and…look, it’s so disgusting I don’t even want to think about it right now.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe I’m even having this conversation! I mean, what, did she think we’d just stare into a mirror together and out would pop a foal like the old wives’ tale?”

“I don’t know where she got the idea, but she’s hell-bent on it. And while we’re at it, there’s something else I think you should know….”


Asleep from an extended spell Waterfire placed on her, in the home she once shared with Lyra, Bon-Bon dreamed.

Bon-Bon stood in the middle of the house’s living room, but it wasn’t like anything she remembered. The furniture was burnt and charred, the curtains dusty and almost entirely nothing but spiderwebs. The room didn’t smell like chocolate and vanilla as when she lived here or the sandalwood and cinnamon that had been yesterday’s scents, but burnt rubber and a pungent charred smell that Bon-Bon was sure she didn’t want to know the origin of.

How does it feel to be home? a voice said behind her and down the stairs from the bedroom came Nightmare Moon, the demonic alicorn, the tormentor of dreams. You really must give me the name of your interior decorator sometime. This is a lovely place.

The tan earth pony found herself standing before the demon, and her first instinct was to run. Her second was quickly tempered by realization: where could she run that would get her away from such a monster? Not even Princess Luna herself could find shelter from Nightmare Moon; what could a mere earth pony do?

You were wise not to run, Nightmare advised. Those who attempt to do so in their dreams find they don’t ever wake up from them. A smile formed on the face of the mistress of nightmares as she sat down before Bon-Bon. And I am sure you are wondering as to my earlier statement about you being in your home.

“But this isn’t my home,” Bon-Bon replied. “It stopped being so when I left.”

When you left or when you were forced out? Nightmare asked. The candymaker looked at her oddly and Nightmare chuckled softly. The response made her seem more pony, more approachable. When humanity conspired to force you away from the mare you loved? When they staked a claim on her and made her theirs?

“I don’t understand,” Bon-Bon asked. “How did they make her theirs? She’s always been a pony interested in humanity.”

And that’s the difference, Nightmare explained. She’s no longer a pony. Nightmare Moon pointed up the stairs towards the room she’d just come from, and Bon-Bon heard some murmurs from upstairs, two of the voices familiar. Taking step by step, she moved forward, into the bedroom. And in there, was a sight Bonnie never expected to see.

There, in her human form and an in an intimate moment with Paul, was Lyra – the green-and-white hair made it obvious. But there was someone else there in their loveplay, a second female. Bonnie was shocked at their behavior until she got a better look at the girl with dusky skin and the fire-orange hair.

“No….” Bon-Bon gasped. There, making love with Lyra and Paul, was her beloved Waterfire, now human and enjoying the pleasures of human sex.

As one, Lyra and Waterfire turned to Bon-Bon and said, “Come join us, Bonnie. Be human – there’s no need for a silly dead-end pony body.” Waterfire leaned forward and kissed Lyra passionately, holding the other girl close. “I never want to be an animal again,” Waterfire breathed as she went with Paul next.

“No!” Bonnie screamed and suddenly found herself standing in a field overlooking a factory of some kind. Standing next to her, Nightmare Moon, a concerned look on her face, pointed at the building with disgust.

There. Hassenfeld Laboratories, here in Omaha, Nebraska. People thought of it as just a pharmaceutical company that made aspirin and bandages. But the truth was more sinister. Tell me, Bon-Bon, have you heard of Sweetie Drops? Nightmare asked her.

“It’s a kids’ vitamin made for foals. My cousin Bon Voyage has her daughter take them,” the candymaker answered. “Why?”

Did you know that Sweetie Drops is actually a poison? Nightmare replied. For most ponies, it’s designed to kill the next generation by making those taking it sterile. But for those with certain genetic markers in their DNA, instead it…changes them. Twists them. Warps them.

“How so?”

See that woman walking out of the building? A beautiful human woman in her twenties walked out of the building, wearing a lab coat and business attire, a smug smile on her face as though she were completely satisfied with something she saw in the building. A few more seconds went by before Bon-Bon realized the woman had long hair colored in beige, magenta and burgundy shades.

She used to be Princess Cadance, the demonic alicorn said. Now she owns part of this company, both her and her fellow ex-alicorns – Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. They spend more time partying now than tending to the needs of the ponies they abandoned. The scene shifted to a nightclub; the background chatter Bon-Bon recognized as French. In the center of human bodies grinding, two scantily-clad women danced, one fair and one dusky, both with similar features. But their unique hair signified them as who they were…or rather, used to be. They were once great and admirable leaders, earning respect from even one such as I. Now they’re just bored socialites spending their time in human entertainments and with human men.

And where in all this are the Bearers? the Nightmare inquired, her tone despondent. The scene shifted to Castle Canterlot, now aflame and in ruins, just like the rest of the town. Five bodies lay on the ground, their lives ended: Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow, Pinkie and Twilight. And, silhouetted in the distance, Bon-Bon gasped as she saw two more forms, the one on the left, a human, decapitating the one on the right, a pony. The hairstyle of the human was very long, trailing down past her waist, but it was the manestyle of the pony that made Bon-Bon’s heart stop.

Rarity had been killed before her eyes. Rarity, one of her oldest friends, and while the latter had found sisterhood and true companionship with the other Bearers, it didn’t stop the close friendship between Rarity and Bon-Bon.

The human spoke into a phone, “It’s done.” The voice was hauntingly familiar. And as a tan-skinned woman with long brown hair, purple eyes and blood splattered on her walked past Bon-Bon, she knew: DJ, now just as human, had murdered her own mother.

Bon-Bon wheeled on the Nightmare, horror in her eyes. “Why are you showing me this? Isn’t this just a nightmare?”

No, the demonic alicorn said sadly. It’s the future, what will come in a few short years. The look in Nightmare Moon’s eyes was sad as she murmured, I know what other ponies say about me: the monster, the demon, the beguiler. But I am pony as well and I weep for the genocide of our species that is to come.

“But we can ask the gryphons and the others for help!” Bon-Bon cried. “Once the humans show their true colors, then we ca—” Her words were drowned out by a blinding flash, a deafening roar and fire as a burning red mushroom cloud rose to the sky.

Russian ICBM, Nightmare explained. That was Quaggaton. At the same time, American, French, British and Chinese nuclear missiles are striking every capital of all the other Alter-Earth nations. By the time the other species realize what is happening, troops from the other human nations will storm in and commit atrocities on a scale no civilized being has ever seen. Our world will fall and those that survive will be enslaved to humanity – or will be forced to join it. The Nightmare leaned forward and said, They will then have access to our magic and through that will counter and slaughter countless more realities.

“We have to stop them!” Bon-Bon had never liked humans, but this…this was beyond sanity, beyond reason.

There is a way, Nightmare began.

“Tell me!”

I cannot act on my own, you realize. I need a partner, an agent if you will, somepony who will help me to rage against the dying of the light. And that pony is you, Bon-Bon. You called to me, whether you realize it or not. You somehow knew what was coming and turned to the only one who could help. And I can – but I need your help as well. Nopony can do this alone, but together, ponies are formidable. Nightmare placed a gentle wing on Bon-Bon’s withers, a gesture that would be frightening otherwise…but was now comforting. Will you help me save our ponies?

“I…” Bon-Bon began.

I understand. It’s a weighty request. Think about it; we still have time. But not much. Until then, brave Bon-Bon. With that, the Nightmare waved her wing gently across Bon-Bon’s face…


…and Bon-Bon woke up. As she stirred to, she realized she was still in Lyra’s guest bedroom.

“Good, you’re awake.” The earth pony turned her head to see Waifu sitting there in a chair, a concerned look on her face. “Get dressed, Bonnie. We have to be somewhere in an hour.”

“Where are we going?” Bon-Bon asked as she got out of bed. “Where’s Lyra?”

“Bon-Bon, I want you to know something: no matter what, I will always love you and I will always be here for you. Do you understand that?” The older mare nodded, and Wai rose from her seat. “I’ll wait outside. We’ve got unpleasant business to attend to.”


“We can be there by tonight,” Harper said over the phone. “Now will you please tell me what’s wrong, little sister?”

“I…I can’t. Not now,” Lyra said, her voice shaking. “And with the kids coming home tonight and Paul still out for another week…I’m afraid, Harper.”

“Serenade and I are on the next flight. Hell, we’ll drive if we have to. But we’re coming, Lyra. Stay safe, and don’t forget I love you. Bye.” Once Harper hung up the phone, Lyra placed hers in her pocket. She knew her brother and his wife would be here soon enough, but until then, it was going to be rough going for her.

Seated in her favorite bar, the Döner Bistro, Lyra sat sadly as she drained her Köstrizer. Some poppy German band played on the speakers, while on the TV there was a game between Borussia Dortmund and SC Freiburg; normally she’d have been enraptured, but not today. The very fact that she was here was not lost on her.

And this is where it all started…and where I thought it all ended, she thought, trying to hold back tears. And now it’s really going to end here.

The bartender dropped another black lager on the table. “Hey, Lyra, you okay?”

She shook her head. “No, Lisa, I’m not. Is the private room available? Need some privacy for something coming up in a couple of minutes.”

“Well, we normally charge for that, but since you’re our best customer….” The girl fished in her pocket for the keys and handed them over. “Just don’t lose that. Kurt lost our other set last week and that’s the only one until we change the lock.”

Lyra’s horn flashed leaf green, and a second later a replica key appeared on the table. “You don’t need to now,” she said with a sad smile.

“Thanks!” Lisa said, grabbing the newly-made spare key and leaving Lyra alone. But before she did, she said, “You know, Lyra, just because I’m the bartender doesn’t mean you can’t talk to me about your problems. You’ve been coming to this place for twenty years now, and Kurt and I do consider you and Paul friends.”

Lyra flashed the older human a smile. “I’ll keep that in mind, Lisa. Thanks.” And, picking up her beer in her TK, Lyra walked down the second set of stairs towards the private room. She’d held a couple of events here; also attended quite a few that the German ambassadors had held here as well. It was by far smaller than the private room used at one of the other three Döner Bistros that Kurt and Lisa had opened up over the years, but to her this was part of its charm.

Reaching over to turn on the lights in the small room, Lyra had just enough time to turn on the TV and set it to the Dortmund-Freiburg game when both Bon-Bon and Waterfire came in, carrying beers of their own. “Wai, close the door, please.” The younger unicorn did so and both ponies walked towards the table Lyra sat at until they approached one just before that. “Sit there,” Lyra commanded. “I don’t particularly trust you right now, Bonnie.”

Bonnie looked shocked at that. “Lyra! I—”

“—sexually assaulted me. I looked it up, did you know? City and state statutes. The moment I said no, it became attempted rape,” Lyra said, her eyes watering. “But you know what hurts me more? The truth that you hate my husband and children. Those little dears love you – they love their Aunt Bonnie and for me to find out….” The tears started flowing. “How could you, Bon-Bon? How could you?”

She called me ‘Bon-Bon’, the earth pony realized. She hasn’t called me that in years. “Because you’re mine, Lyra. Humanity did something to you, trying to turn you into one of theirs. Your children should be foals,” Bon-Bon insisted, “and they should be ours, but now they’re tainted with—”

“Tainted?” both unicorns said at once.

Bon-Bon nodded. “I know the truth now: about Sweetie Drops, about humanity’s plans for Alter-Earth, for everything. Lyra, it’s not too late! Come home with me – with us!” she said, putting a foreleg around Waterfire. “The three of us will be happy and you won’t have to worry about the lies anymore, not from your so-called friends or so-called husband or tainted ch—”

A new feeling for Bonnie started to build in Lyra and it wasn’t one she ever wanted: disgust. Looking at Waterfire, it was clear that all of this was new to her as well. “Stop right there, Bon-Bon. Don’t you ever refer to my children as ‘tainted’, understood? You’re drawing a line right now and if you cross it, I swear to Celestia I’ll—”

“Bonnie, hon, I’m not sure you should continue this,” Waterfire warned. She shot Lyra a quick look of apology, seeing the writing on the wall.

“Don’t do this to yourself, Lyra! Stop being a tail-lifter for humanity! You’re being used, can’t you understand? These are monsters and murderers and they’re turning ponies into the same thing! Your children shoul—”

Lyra, now infuriated, threw her glass angrily at Bon-Bon; only a quick telekinetic catch by Waterfire prevented it from hitting. “Bon-Bon, I don’t know what your problem is, but this isn’t you. I really thought you loved my children, but to find out this…? Did you know that Orchid was hoping to see you again sometime soon? Did you know that Colby wanted to learn how to make chocolates just like you tried to teach him last year? And Ovie….” Lyra slammed her hands on the table; while she wasn’t an earth pony, her hooves left clear indentations. “They love you, and now to find out that you think of them as dirt, I….”

But Bon-Bon wasn’t getting the hint. “Lyra, you’re not thinking clearly! Just resign your job and come home. We can move back to the old house in Ponyville, okay?”

“Isn’t that the house you sold five years ago?” Waterfire interjected. “It cost a small fortune to get it back up to snuff.”

“Bon-Bon,” Lyra snarled, “get the hell out of my life. I don’t want to see you ever again, not until you’re the Bon-Bon I knew and used to love. Because of what you mean…meant…to me, I won’t press charges, but I want you gone.” Turning to Waterfire, she kept her emotions under control as she said, “I’m sorry, Wai, but it has to be this way.”

“I know, and I’m sorry too.”

Bon-Bon, however, was shocked. “Go away? But Ly—” The words were cut off as Waterfire teleported both ponies out of there. Based on the discussion Lyra and Waterfire had earlier, the younger unicorn had arranged for a hotel in nearby Ashburn in case the worst happened. She’d put Bon-Bon to sleep again, and then teleport back to Lyra’s house to get their luggage. And then….

…if things continued, she’d never see Bon-Bon again. Lyra still remembered how they met, the time when a teenaged Lyra performed as part of her conservatory’s concert for the Summer Sun Celebration in Ponyville. It had been a blast then: her on her harp, Octavia on her cello and Vinyl on her classical guitar, the instrument she learned long before she became fascinated with turntables. After the concert, the teenaged trio had chatted with many a fellow teenager until two of them, a unicorn and an earth pony, both females, approached to chat. The unicorn, named Rarity, was a transplant from Maneapolis and spent most of the time discussing issues with Octavia and a very bored Vinyl. But it was Rarity’s friend, the starry-eyed earth pony, who had spoken to Lyra, not because she found her playing beautiful (she did), but because she found the other mare beautiful.

It had been first love at first sight. And just a few years later, Lyra defied her father’s wishes and moved to Ponyville to marry Bon-Bon. And all those years, and all that time, they always loved each other, even after the divorce and their respective new lives. And now it was all gone.

She put her head down and cried for what she lost – and this time it was likely gone for good.


“C’mon, Lyra, let’s go.” She looked up and found Harper’s wife, Serenade, looking at her. Serenade was a pegasus that had been vacationing in Nashville when she met Harper, and she never left; they’d married shortly before Lyra gave birth to Ovie. “Harper’s at your place with the kids and your in-laws. We were all worried about you, but then Lisa called your house and said you passed out here. What happened?”

“What’re you doing here?” Lyra asked.

“You’ve been here for hours. We just landed in Dulles an hour ago, rented a car and floored it here as fast as we could,” Serenade answered.

“Has anyone called Paul?” Lyra asked as Serenade helped her to her feet. “I…I need him right now.”

“He’s on the next flight back. Court was willing to adjourn while he came home to take care of this emergency. What happened?” Serenade asked.

“Something that I never wanted to happen. And maybe something that should have,” Lyra said, feeling the sting of tears come to her face again.


“Bonnie, what in Tartarus were you thinking?” Waterfire asked. “I thought you loved Lyra’s kids!”

“I can’t,” Bon-Bon said. “Not now that I know what they should have been and what they’ve become. Can’t you see that?” She looked at Waterfire with sadness. “Those should have been my foals – mine and Lyra’s – for the three of us to raise! Paul stole them from us. From me!” The look in the earth pony’s eyes was wild. “They were supposed to be foals with lives and cutie marks and happiness – and humans stole them from us!”

Waterfire’s horn flared and Bon-Bon collapsed on the bed, asleep. “I’m sorry, love, but I can’t bear to see you like this,” Waterfire said, her heart breaking as she knew what had to happen next. Knowing that calling Lyra for help was no longer an option, she reached in her pocket for her phone, dialing a number. “Yes, is this Dr. Redheart’s office?...Yes, I’d like to speak to her….My name is Waterfire. My wife, Bon-Bon, was once treated by Dr. Redheart for a condition, and I’m concerned she may be relapsing….Yes, I’ll wait. Thank you.”


In her dreams, Bon-Bon screamed. She now saw herself, a thing of flesh and hands, breasts and feet, fingers and toes. She’d become the very thing she loathed, hated and feared most.

This is what you will look like if you’re lucky, Nightmare said, suddenly appearing. That is, if Lyra and Waterfire can save you. But since you know the truth, even they may not be able to save you from the fate that your foalhood friend suffered.

Bon-Bon gasped, her eyes growing wild as she remembered what was to happen to Rarity. “I have to save them!” she shouted. “I have to save them all and stop...this!” she said, pointing at her human form.

Then will you partner with me? the Nightmare asked. Will you accept me as your liegelady, take my power and use it to save ponykind?

Bon-Bon looked at what she’d become, and then remembered the man who had stolen the twin loves of her life from her, as well as the fiend that had murdered her dearest friend. “My answer is….”

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