In Twos
Bon Bon breathed in the scent of sugar cookies as she trotted down the snow-covered main street. A cold winter’s evening made everypony into a baker. Ponyville’s streets looked so picturesque during sunsets, not big and imposing like Canterlot’s, Manehattan’s, or any of the other cities she’d set hoof in. Everything was so clean here, and the ponies were so friendly. If only she’d been able to appreciate that sooner.
She tossed back her mane, partly to dislodge the snowflakes threatening to take up residence. “But I see it now! I couldn’t pick a nicer place to… retire.”
That word still didn’t feel right. Retirement was something ponies twice her age were only starting to plan for. Retirement meant nursing homes, fiftieth anniversaries, and waiting for the grandkids to visit. She wasn’t ready for any of that, but she was ready to let the board of trustees take over Bons, her Equestria-spanning confection empire. Mom and Dad would be so proud; she’d brought their candy to the world, one detail-oriented batch at a time.
“I’m not retiring. I’m… resettling?”
That wasn’t it, either. Resettling is what she’d been doing for six years in a row, moving from city to city to expand her empire by day and run covert ops by night. Not that she could ever talk about the second part, of course. It all sounded so ridiculous in retrospect. It wasn’t like she needed the extra bits, or didn’t have enough to do with her time. It was probably all Lyra’s fault, or even Candy Heart’s. Getting a share of the former’s creativity and the latter’s drive certainly made for an interesting life.
“So what are you doing, Bon Bon? You’re walking through the town where you kind-of sort-of grew up, about to meet up with your… sister?”
She and Lyra never formally defined their relationship. They didn’t really need to. Lyra tried anyway, once, and got lost after the bit about rescuing each other from their burning childhood home. Up until today, the term penpal might have sufficed. She’d started writing the moment they went their separate ways, if only to keep her promise to a then-bawling Lyra. Just like their inaugural day of running the candy shop, the first awkward letters grew into something familiar and indispensable. At times Bon Bon even caught herself humming one of Lyra’s old tunes while she read about her latest antics.
The letters never stopped flowing, not even when Bon Bon moved to a yet another new city, or when she had to fudge a date or a description to keep her now-former espionage career under wraps. At least once a week she’d bolt the door, sit down by her bedside, and write. Lyra always listened, and always offered great advice on what new candy flavors to try, or where to open a shop next; she possessed creative insights that couldn’t be gleaned from Bon Bon’s never-ending numerical analysis of the buying and selling of sweets.
Lyra’s letters were always bursting with energy, regardless of if she was regaling Bon Bon with her latest musical accomplishment, tearfully admitting another breakup, explaining how hard the Princess’s school was, or formally announcing her engagement to one of her music buddies. Somehow reading about all those experiences just wasn’t enough. Bon Bon had always known that, and at long last she’d found the impetus to do something about it. Lyra’s final letter, the first one postmarked from Ponyville since they both moved away, set everything in motion.
Bon Bon paused. She read and reread at the address printed on the mailbox before her. This was definitely the right place. She didn’t need to recheck the letter in her saddlebag, not with her legendary memory. The house wasn’t as big as their old one, but that hardly mattered. Unless Lyra planned on having more kids than hooves, all of that extra space would’ve just gone to waste. Granted, this was far from a tiny cottage. Some of the neighboring houses looked to be half this size.
She stole a quick glance down the street. The burned-out husk of a candy shop had been replaced with something new. Bon Bon couldn’t quite make out the sign at this distance. Part of her wanted to wander down there and take a look, if only to give herself another moment to think. ‘Retirement’ wasn’t it, and neither was ‘resettlement.’ Identifying details like this is what she did for a living, so why was this one so hard? Lyra would probably know. They could talk it over at length for as long as it took. It wasn’t like Bon Bon couldn’t afford to stay a few extra nights at the Ponyville hotel while she figured out what to do next with her life. She could buy the whole hotel if she wanted to.
Knocking once was all it took. The door flew open and Lyra nearly tackled her with a hug. “Bon Bon! You’re finally here! You’ve gotta come inside. I made hot chocolate, and I’ve got this great idea for how we’re going to redo the wallpaper in your room, and—”
Bon Bon laughed and, with practiced ease, slipped out of Lyra’s crushing embrace. “Slow down. I’m glad to see you too and… did you say my room?”
Lyra’s smile was almost too big for her face. “Yeah! You didn’t book a room at the hotel, did you?”
“Well… actually…”
Lyra patted her on the head. “Good ol’ Bon Bon: always planning, always missing the big picture.”
Bon Bon rolled her eyes. “Well we didn’t talk about me staying over and… You’re getting married, Lyra. Why would you want me living under the same roof as you? Is your fiancé even okay with that?”
Lyra beckoned her inside. The entryway’s walls were lined with picture frames, some immortalizing a moment with friends, some showcasing Lyra’s artwork, and one of her playing the lyre on a park bench. “He’s cool with it. He knows you’re my family… and he knows you make crazy-good peanut brittle. Anyway, when he said he wanted to settle down in Ponyville, I knew just what I wanted: a big house with enough room for me, my big hunk of a stallion, and my bestest friend in the whole world.”
Bon Bon breathed in the scent of chocolate, her one true love. “Are you sure? What if we just end up fighting and getting in each other’s way again?”
Lyra pulled her into another hug. “That’s family for you. Welcome home, Bon Bon.”
Bon Bon started to smile. That was it exactly. She was coming home.
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Was that it?! Noo-
I gues it was a satisfying ending
Awww. Cute.
But what a strange story. Whatever BlazzingInferno writes turns to gold.
This is a very thought provoking piece about the nature of family, nature vs nurture, and oneself. Thanks for writing it.
This was really good, the only thing I could say story-wise is that the parts about Candy Heart, have a 'sketchy' feeling compared to others, as if saying 'lacking character',
.
Very well written but I don't like the message.
I often find your writting style heavy and hard to get trough, but each, keeping on going further in the story is always rewarding.
you've always get these litle idea that make fine story.
In this case, I liked how you analysed what makes a personality, how one isn't complete without depth, without some aspect that may contradict each others.
But I think you cutted things just a bit short. when Bon Bon claim that her and Lyra have grown, it is hard to agree with how little we saw of that growth. and the litle deus ex machina to make them suddenly whole was nice and all, but a bit too predictable and ... cheap? It would've been so much more rewarding to see Lyra and Bon Bon define themselves and learn how to be a complete person by themselves rather then getting it all served on a golden plate like still.
I also think that Candy Hearth should've been more develloped and expended on. Although I get that the story wasn't about her.
It is just that we spent a lot of time on her, more then necessary for a imple plot device and yet not nearly enough for a major character.
Still, something nice to read, have a thumb up1
This takes dissociative personality disorder to a whole new level...
This is what The Underappreciated Story Society is made for. What a hidden gem!
Edit: Oh, it doesn't look like I can upload other people's stories to that group anymore.
7420623 I know its my fault for skimming comments before reading the story, but could you please *spoiler* your quote? I don't even want to read the story now that I can pretty much guess it. Sorry.
7433135
That's less of a story-ruiner than you think
7420623
Spoiler-tagging that would be a good idea, if you'd be so kind
Well, that was certainly interesting.
I can't help but wonder if what Lyra was thinking and what he is thinking about what Lyra said to him are the same thing...his thoughts might be more along the lines of 'Jackpot!'.
7357528 Or perhaps that was the point?
I seem to recall reading this, it was good.
7602861
Oh, don't stomp the old bad joke, it tends to make its replies serious looking, and rather sarcasm ambiguous.
Like this.
Beautiful ending.
reviewed
7637121
Awesome! Thanks for the review
7637233 no problem. check it our and leave a comment, then share with your friends. It was a pleasure to have added thi story to my list.
I didn't even realize this had been released!
7686290
Dang, I must've given Bon Bon the wrong address for your editor 'thank you' basket.
Happy Halloween!
7686440
Guh! The feels! Can't breathe....passing out....from the adorableness!!!!
7707341
Thanks! Using names from the very beginning was a conscious choice to aid in readability and to stave off tiresome clichés like lavender unicorn syndrome. Plus it helped make for a snappy hook
7707414
Very well written. I don't read many Lyra and Bon Bon stories but I must admit this one was most refreshing! The character's reactions and how they were brought to life was very creative.
I loved this. I could conceivably see this on the show or in comics, minus the rib-kicking of course.
The only thing confusing me is time. This takes place before the show(seeing as BonBon lives in Ponyville during the show). Applejack is a very young mare during the show and she appears to be one when talking to BonBon as well. How long exactly did BonBon take to build her confection empire?
7874037
Thanks!
I haven't kept up with the latest comics, but this always struck me as a shade darker than they'd do since Candy Heart is mentally unwell, and likely a sociopath; she's outside of the typical good/evil/reformed labels we stick on characters.
The timeframe is admittedly vague, but I presume this is the sixish years immediately prior to the show: Rarity is just starting her fashion career, Applejack is out of school and about the family business, and Twilight and Lyra attend Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.
7885642
Thanks
Oh god it's so good
8186634
That’s what Bon Bon’s customers say
I quoted the tail end of your review in the description
8204670
Making candy, eating candy, making candy just so she can eat candy,
telling ponies to shut up and stop judging her…This sounds gruesomely terrifying. I’ll have to give this a look-see.
Exquisitely done. Even the title was a brilliant choice, given its two contradictory definitions. Thank you for a fascinating experience.
What a fantastic opening hook this story has! The rest of the fic didn't disappoint, either: strange and disturbing, and I didn't see a certain reveal coming. (I may just be dense.
) I'm not entirely keen on the Secret Agent Sweetie Drops stuff, even if it is canon, but a clever and original fic. Faved.
8260312
Thanks!
I honestly have a hard time accepting most of anything from that episode as canon… but part of the impetus for this story was the whole "best friends" bit, so I figured I might as well succumb the fullness of the Episode 100 fever dream
8229811
Thanks! I believe Titanium Dragon pointed out its contradictory meanings in a group chat once, and immediately I knew I had to use it as this story's title
This story now has a dramatic reading on YouTube
More chapters to come shortly. Hope you enjoy, I sure did :)
8596300
Wow, thanks!
8596913
BE sure to let the other Va’s and your fans know that too if you I’ve the time
The full playlist is here!
It’s all over and was one wild ride ^^’ Thanks for the wild ride ^^’ would love to hear what you thought of the reading in one form or another!
8624104
Awesome! I've updated the story description accordingly.
(Psst, the playlist is missing part 4)
Please pass along my thanks to the VAs; you all did a great job!
8624923
there isn’t some viewing problem is there? ^^’ https://youtu.be/npCjMRPwags
Thanks and... part four?
This was really interesting. Very creative concept and execution.