Devotion

by _Undefined_

Chapter 7 - Lyra’s Heartstrings

Lyra had gone to bed early that night. But the exhaustion of everything she had gone through during the day, when combined with the lack of sleep she had gotten the night before, caused her to sleep all through the night and well into the morning.

When she woke up, she found her forelegs wrapped around Bon Bon’s pillow and her face nuzzled against it. The sun was already streaming in through the window. Panicked, she checked the clock.

8:15. She hadn’t missed the beginning of visiting hours.

She went downstairs and put some of the leftover soup into a pot on the stove. She lit the burner, then realized that she had no idea how long she should cook it. Afraid of burning her breakfast, she took it off of the burner after just a couple of minutes. She sat down at the table and ate the lukewarm soup straight out of the pot.

After eating, she had just enough time to freshen up before she left for the hospital. She trotted a little more quickly than she would usually make her way through town. She arrived seven minutes before 9:00, and although she hoped the doctor would show up and let her go in early again, this time, she was forced to sit in the waiting room alone. Seven very long minutes later, the receptionist allowed her to head into the ICU.

“Good morning, Bon Bon,” she said as she immediately took a seat on the stool that was still in the same spot as the night before. “How are you doing?”

There was no response other than the usual sounds of the medical equipment.

“Yeah, that’s what I was afraid of,” Lyra said. She tried to force a chuckle. It quickly turned into a sad sigh.

“So, you probably heard me and your dad yesterday,” she said. “It… got worse after I had to leave for the night. Now I understand why you never wanted to talk about it. I… I may have said some harsh words to him last night.” A pause. “Or maybe I just thought them. It’s all kind of a blur. I felt like I was almost literally seeing red.”

She placed her hoof near Bon Bon’s shoulder. “But you know what it made me realize?” She looked Bon Bon directly in her closed eyes. “You are an incredibly strong pony. You had to be strong to deal with that kind of ignorance while you were growing up. I always knew that you’re amazing, but now that I know what you had to put up with… I really admire you, Bon Bon. I wouldn’t have been able to do it. I wish I could have been there for you back then. The fact that you were able to get through it by yourself and still be the wonderful mare you are today… I mean it – you really are amazing.

“So you need to use that strength again now. Dig down, deep inside yourself, and use that strength to kick this coma’s tail. You’re going to fight this thing, Bon Bon. You’re going to fight it, and you’re going to win. Because you’re strong. The strongest pony I know. And even though I couldn’t be there for you then, I’m here for you now. While you’re fighting, I’m going to be right next to you, cheering you on. If there’s no other way I can help you – if there’s no spell or potion I can find – then at the very least, I’m going to root you on, as hard as I can. Because I will always be there for you.”

She leaned down closer. Her voice got quieter.

“Fight it, Bon Bon. Fight that coma. You can do it. I know you can.”

Nurse Redheart walked in, pushing a cart with medical supplies on it. “Good morning, Lyra,” she said.

Lyra got off the stool and took a couple of steps back so the nurse could do her job. “Good morning.”

“It’s nice to see you here again today.”

“I’m going to keep talking to her until she responds,” Lyra said. She let out a single, wry laugh. “Usually, she hates it when I wake her up. But what I wouldn’t give for that to happen right now…”

Nurse Redheart smiled. “I’m sure she’d forgive you in this case.”

“Has anything changed? Since last night?”

Redheart’s smile turned to pity. “You know I can’t say anything.”

Lyra raised her head to the ceiling and grimaced.

“Have you asked her mother or father to talk to Doctor Horse? If they authorize it, then we can give information about Bon Bon to you, too.”

Lyra remembered the previous night. “I don’t think I’m on the best of terms with them right now.”

“I’m sorry. I really am.”

Lyra watched as Nurse Redheart began to remove one of the IV bags hanging above Bon Bon.

“I know you’re not allowed to tell me how she’s doing,” Lyra said, “but can I at least ask what you’re doing? If you don’t give me specifics?”

Nurse Redheart paused and considered the question.

“Pretend you’re talking to a random schoolfilly,” Lyra said. “What would you be able to tell her?”

“Well,” Redheart said, resuming her work, “right now I’m changing the IV bags. They deliver fluid to the patient on a regular, consistent basis. IVs can be used to administer fluids and/or medication, though I can’t tell you specifically what’s in these bags.”

“That’s all right,” Lyra said. “I’m still learning. And what are all of those wires on her chest for?”

“The wires are connected to the heart monitor. The heart monitor records her heart rate so we can tell whether any abnormalities develop without having to watch her all the time.”

“Having all of those wires stuck in you… how much does that hurt?”

“The wires are only attached to the electrodes that are attached to her coat.” Nurse Redheart saw Lyra’s eyes widen at the mention of electrodes. “But they don’t hurt,” she quickly added. “The electrodes are just attached to the coat with a mild adhesive. It might sting a little when we take them off because they’re sticky, but until then, they don’t hurt at all.”

“What about the tubes in her mouth?”

“The tubes in her throat would be uncomfortable, yes. That’s why the doctor cast an anesthetic spell to numb the area.” She walked around to begin changing the bag on the other side of the bed.

“He never said he cast a spell on her forelegs,” Lyra said, referring to the two IV tubes. “Aren’t those needles hurting her?”

“They do hurt a little bit when the needle first goes in,” Nurse Redheart conceded. “But once it’s in, you get used to it. Or at least, it doesn’t hurt all the time.”

Lyra gave her a skeptical look.

“Although nothing is really hurting her at the moment – because she’s comatose, she can’t feel any of this.”

Lyra frowned.

“Sorry – as soon as I said that, I knew I shouldn’t have.”

Lyra sighed. “It’s all right. You’re just giving me the facts. And that’s what I wanted. Thank you.”

Nurse Redheart gave her a small smile as she finished switching out the bag.

Lyra added, “And thank you for doing all of this for Bon Bon. All of you. I really do appreciate it.”

The nurse had a pencil between her teeth as she wrote some numbers on Bon Bon’s chart, so she didn’t immediately respond. When she did, she said, “You’re welcome. We all want Bon Bon to get better.”

“I know,” Lyra said. “I just wish it would happen right now.”

“So do we,” Redheart said. She got behind her cart. “We’ll be back later today to check up on her. In the meantime, let me say, it warms my heart to see somepony who cares so much about her loved one. Have a nice morning. Don’t give up.”

“I won’t.”

When the nurse left, Lyra sat back down on the stool.

She looked at Bon Bon’s chest and forelegs. “I don’t know whether she was telling the truth or if she just didn’t want me to get upset,” she said. “I wish you could tell me, Bon Bon. I wish I knew how you feel.”

Lyra had been dating Bon Bon for so long, she could imagine her marefriend’s response. So she did.

How I feel? Look at me. I feel like I’m in Frankenshire.

Lyra responded aloud. “It’s really not that bad. It’s just wires and IVs. And… that breathing hose.” She paused, swallowing awkwardly. “But hey – at least there aren’t any bolts in your neck.” She offered a nervous chuckle.

Mm-hmm – very convincing. Are you sure there aren’t any lightning storms scheduled this week?

“Don’t worry. If I see the doctor start trying to raise your bed into the sky, I’ll put a stop to him.”

You’d better. I can’t get very far with all these wires attached to me.

Lyra smirked in response. She instinctively looked to Bon Bon to return the expression. Instead, she saw the breathing tube strapped across Bon Bon’s muzzle. The smirk fell from her face.

She returned to monologuing. “You still don’t have to worry about how I’m doing. Golden Harvest was waiting for me last night when I got home. She somehow knew that I hadn’t eaten dinner. Which is weird, because I hadn’t even realized that I hadn’t eaten dinner. Anyway, she made a whole bunch of carrot soup – I still have enough for tonight.

“So that’s another reason you need to get better fast. I want to give her some kind of thank-you gift for being so nice to me. It wasn’t until last night that I realized that you’re the one who makes all of our thank-you gifts. I mean, I could try to cook up some pralines, but just imagine how they’d turn out.”

She looked at Bon Bon for a few seconds.

“Okay, so scaring you into waking up doesn’t work.”

She continued to talk about thank-you gifts, muffin baskets, mail delivery, what it’s like to be a pegasus, walking through fog, Nightmare Night, inheriting clothes from her sister, Bridleway, and other ways to measure when a year has elapsed. As the morning wore on, there was a knock on the doorframe. Lyra turned her head to see Mrs. Cake.

“Hello, dearie,” she said. “Is this a good time?”

“It isn’t going to be a good time,” Lyra said, standing up. “But come on in.”

She did. “Carrot sends his regards,” she said. “He had to mind the shop and the twins.” She looked at Bon Bon. Quietly, she said, “Oh my.”

Lyra nodded in agreement.

“I had heard she was in a coma,” Mrs. Cake said. “I suppose I don’t know what I expected to see. This was all because of that snake?”

Lyra told Mrs. Cake everything that had happened two days ago. She hated that it was becoming easier and easier to tell the story.

“That’s terrible,” Mrs. Cake said when she had finished. “Has there been any change since then?”

“Not that I know of.”

Mrs. Cake looked at the motionless Bon Bon. “I guess I stopped by hoping that there was something I could do to make her feel better.”

“I’ve been trying to figure out the same thing,” Lyra said. “But everypony says it’s up to her to come out of this.”

They both stood in silence for a few seconds.

To change the subject, Lyra said, “So… she’s probably not going to be able to make anything for a little while. I hope you’re stocked up.”

“Don’t worry – we’ll make do,” Mrs. Cake said. “If need be, we can find some time to create some of the decorations on-site. Or just not use those recipes. As soon as she’s ready to get back in the kitchen, though, we’ll go right back to buying from her. Her candies always taste a little better than ours.”

“Thanks,” Lyra said on Bon Bon’s behalf.

She looked at her marefriend for a few seconds.

“What if you asked Twist?” Lyra said, referring to the adolescent filly that Bon Bon had recently taken on as a sort of apprentice.

“Twist?”

“I’m sure she could make some candy for you – Bon Bon says she’s got a real knack for it. And it’d be good practice – she’s said she wants to move to the city to make it on her own someday.”

“If you’re okay with it, then we’ll ask her,” Mrs. Cake said. “I don’t want it to seem like we’re abandoning Bon Bon, though. Especially when she’s like this.”

“I think she’d be okay with it,” Lyra said. “It’s not like she can make anything right now, anyway. And on the off chance she gets upset about it, I’ll make sure she blames me for the idea.”

“You are so thoughtful,” Mrs. Cake said. “Worrying about other ponies at a time like this. We should be the ones worrying about you. Now, how are you holding up, dear?”

Lyra hesitated.

“You don’t have to answer. I’m sure this is hard for you. If there’s anything that you need, you be sure to let us know.”

“Thanks.”

“And don’t worry – as soon as Bon Bon is back home, we’ll be ready to buy more of her treats. You just give us the word when she feels up to it.”

“I will,” Lyra said. “Thanks,” she said again.

“Is there anything else I can do?” Mrs. Cake asked. “Carrot and I have really come to think of Bon Bon as part of the family. I hate to see her like this.”

“You and me both,” Lyra said. “But unless you want to try talking to her, there’s nothing else to do. I’m staying here until she wakes up, but I know you have things to get back to. We don’t want to—” she corrected herself “—I don’t want to hold you up.”

“You’re such a sweet pony,” Mrs. Cake said, giving Lyra a hug. “She’s really lucky to have you.”

“I’m just trying to do whatever I can.”

Mrs. Cake turned to leave. “Oh, I almost forgot,” she said. “Pinkie said she’d be stopping by soon. I thought I’d give you some advance warning.”

“Thanks for the heads-up.”

“Take care.” She left the room.

Lyra sat back down on the stool and addressed Bon Bon. “I assume you’re okay with Twist taking over until you feel better, right?”

So long as you’re not trying to replace me, then yes.

“You know that we could never replace you. I could never replace you.”

What about that pillow this morning?

“Come on… that’s no replacement for you. A pillow isn’t nearly as much fun to hold as you are.” She slowly raised her eyebrows. “Not to mention all the other things you do for me that a pillow can’t.”

Lyra, we’re still in public.

“A private hospital room.”

Close enough. Ponies can still overhear. So by “things I do for you,” you’re talking about things like making candy, right?

“Right. Making candy. A pillow would be terrible at making candy.” She took a moment to consider that. “Well, maybe it would understand marshmallows.”

Yeah… it’s probably best that Twist handles the candy while I’m lying here.

One side of Lyra’s mouth slightly curved upward. She might not have had any control over her marefriend’s treatment at the hospital, but she could still make decisions that were in Bon Bon’s best interests at home.

“Anyway… what should we talk about next? Mrs. Cake is looking well. I knew she meant a lot to you for all that she did when you first moved here, but I didn’t know she thought of you as family. That’s really nice. Maybe once you get better, we can try to come up with—”

“SURPRISE!” Pinkie Pie shouted as she jumped through the door amid an explosion of streamers.

Lyra fell off the stool. “Jeez, Pinkie,” she said as she got back up on her hooves. “You’re the only pony who can still catch someone off-guard even when they know you’re coming.”

“Aw, thanks!”

Lyra put her hoof to her chest to feel her heart racing. She looked at Bon Bon’s face. No change. She looked up at the heart monitor. Also no change.

“I heard what happened with the snake,” Pinkie said in a tone of voice that was concerned yet still perky. “And I knew that meant that somepony needed cheering up. So I’m not leaving this hospital until I get a smile from that pony.”

“That’s nice of you, Pinkie,” Lyra said, “but Bon Bon—”

“That’s why I brought this!” She reached behind the doorframe and produced a double-layer cake slathered in chocolate frosting and topped with multicolored confetti sprinkles. “It’s a ‘feel better’ cake!”

Lyra felt herself involuntarily drool a little bit. “That looks really good,” she said. “But she can’t—”

“Baked with chocolate fudge batter!” Pinkie explained. “And these sprinkles were made by Bon Bon herself!”

“Yes, I see,” Lyra said. “But, Pinkie. Look. Bon Bon is in a coma right now. She isn’t able to eat that.”

While still holding the cake up with one hoof, Pinkie Pie feigned the action of being deep in thought. “Hmm…” she said. “So she is. I guess that means you’re going to have to eat the entire thing for her.”

Lyra looked at Pinkie. Pinkie stared at her, her eyes slowly getting wider.

“Do you think you can handle that responsibility?” Pinkie asked. “Of eating this ‘feel better’ cake?” She gave her a meaningful look.

Lyra returned it with her own look of comprehension. “Yes. I can.” With a small smile, she added, “Thank you, Pinkie.”

“There it is!” Pinkie exclaimed, pointing to Lyra’s mouth triumphantly.

Lyra picked up the cake in her magic and carefully levitated it onto the counter-height cabinet on the other side of the room.

Pinkie walked over to the side of Bon Bon’s bed. In her usual chipper manner, she asked, “So, how’s the patient doing?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Lyra said. “The doctor will only tell her parents.”

“But her parents aren’t here.”

“Yeah, they are. They got here on the train yesterday morning.”

Pinkie looked shocked. “Are you telling me that Bon Bon’s parents are here in Ponyville? Right now?”

Lyra nodded.

A wide grin appeared on Pinkie’s face. “I’ve never met Bon Bon’s parents!”

“I’m sure you will,” Lyra said sadly.

The grin fell from Pinkie’s face. “What’s wrong?”

“Like I said, the doctor will only tell her parents. And her dad won’t tell me anything. Every time he sees me, he kicks me out of the room.”

Pinkie said, “Kicks you out of the room? That isn’t right. You should be here at Bon Bon’s side.”

“I am. Most of the time. And I will be. Any time that he’s not here at the hospital, too, at least.”

“What about her mom?”

“Well, she at least tolerates me,” Lyra said. She paused. “Or at least, she did. After last night, I’m not so sure about that anymore.”

“Aw, who couldn’t like you?” Pinkie said, slowly and gently swinging her hoof past Lyra’s jaw. Suddenly, she stopped, a sheepish expression appearing on her face. “Oh. Yeah. You just said.”

“Maybe you should have stopped at the cake,” Lyra said wryly.

“No!” Pinkie declared. “I never stop at cake! I only stop for cake! But as for you, you already have your cake. So you can stay right here with Bon Bon. And while you’re here, I’m going to go and get ready to meet two new ponies!”

“Okay,” Lyra said, “but please don’t overdo it. I don’t think her dad would be a big fan of your typical welcome. And the last thing I need is for him to be even angrier.”

“Oh, don’t you worry about old Pinkie Pie,” she said with a smile. “I’ll give Bon Bon’s parents the welcome they deserve.”

“…That sounded kind of ominous.”

“Lyra,” Pinkie said with a friendly scold, “you know me better than that. They deserve to be happy. Everypony deserves to be happy! Especially you! Enjoy your cake!” With that, she was gone.

Lyra stared at the cake for a few seconds. She wondered where she was going to find a knife and a plate in a hospital.

Just then, Nurse Snowheart walked by. She looked at the streamers strewn across the floor. Then she looked up at Lyra.

Together, both Lyra and Nurse Snowheart said, “Pinkie Pie.”

---

As it turned out, finding a knife and plate was easy – the nurses let her borrow them from their break room. Lyra offered to cut some slices for them, both to thank them for all of their hard work and because she wasn’t sure how she was going to eat the entire cake by herself. But the nurses declined – Pinkie Pie had dropped off a couple dozen cupcakes for the medical staff before she had stopped by the ICU.

After eating a sizeable piece of cake, Lyra left to return the knife and plate, then stepped back into Bon Bon’s room. She looked at the nearly whole cake still sitting on the cabinet.

“Now you don’t have to worry about me eating dinner or dessert,” she said to Bon Bon. “This cake is really, really good, by the way. You should come out of that coma so you can have a slice.” She paused, then added, “Also because otherwise, I’m going to be a lot heavier than you when you see me again, and I don’t want that.”

She stopped talking for a moment and just listened. The heart monitor continued to softly beep. She was of two very different minds about that sound. She hated how it served as a constant reminder that her marefriend was in critical condition. However, it was also a reassurance that even though Bon Bon hadn’t moved for two days, she was still alive.

Suddenly, Lyra’s ears swiveled toward the door. She heard the faint voice of Straight Lace, talking to someone about limiting which ponies could visit Bon Bon’s room.

Lyra panicked and looked at the door. She didn’t want Straight Lace to see her and then decide to take any kind of drastic action. But if she tried to leave, he’d spot her in the hallway. She scanned the room. The bed was too low to the floor. And there wasn’t anywhere else to hide.

It was then that she noticed the window. She hurriedly tried to use her magic to push the sash horizontally – to her relief, it slid right open. Grabbing the rest of the cake in her telekinesis, she said “I’ll be right back” to Bon Bon, took one large step toward the open window and jumped through it to the landscaped area outside. Quickly pressing herself against the wall next to the window so she wouldn’t be seen, she used her magic to slide the sash shut again.

After taking a few moments to let the pounding in her chest abate, she slowly tuned her head to look at the window. She tried to listen for any sounds coming from the room, but with the window shut, she couldn’t hear anything. She took that to be a good sign – if she couldn’t hear Straight Lace ranting about anything, then it meant she probably wasn’t currently in his crosshairs.

Relief soon turned to sadness as she was hit with the realization of what had just happened. Rather than be at her sick marefriend’s side, she was jumping through windows like some kind of criminal. Lyra wiped at her eyes with her foreleg. With nothing else that she could do, she decided to carry the cake home so she could store it properly.

She avoided the marketplace again, but this time, her friend Noteworthy managed to catch her as she walked through the streets. He expressed his concern; Lyra, without breaking stride, told him that she was doing fine – she just needed to stop by the house before returning to see Bon Bon. He asked if there was anything she wanted to vent about over lunch – his treat – but she politely declined.

Leaving him behind, she reached her home, put the rest of her cake away, then decided to go upstairs to retrieve a black case from her bedroom. She was about to open the front door and return to the hospital when she considered what Noteworthy had said. She looked at the clock, and sure enough, it was lunchtime. She stepped into the kitchen, quickly put a sandwich together, and carried it and the case back to the hospital.

Since she hadn’t been gone that long, she was sure that Straight Lace was still inside. So she walked toward the landscaped area, into the bushes, and lay down so that she could see the doorway but ponies walking in and out wouldn’t be likely to see her. As she watched and waited, she ate the cucumber sandwich that she had made. It was literally a whole cucumber placed between two slices of dry bread.

Several minutes passed. As she struggled to eat the remaining couple of bites of her sandwich, she saw both of Bon Bon’s parents walk out the door. When they passed by the bushes, she could overhear Sugar Plum suggesting to Straight Lace that they get a quick bite from Sugarcube Corner. Shoving the rest of the sandwich into her mouth, Lyra left the bushes, went inside, and returned to Bon Bon’s room and the stool beside the bed.

After swallowing, she said, “I’m back. How are you doing?”

The same.

“You’ll be happy to know that I’m being very responsible. I stored the cake in the icebox and everything. I even made myself a sandwich for lunch.”

Now you’re making your own food? Are you trying to prove that you don’t need me?

“Oh, Bon Bon. You know that I need you. Fixing my own sandwich doesn’t change that. Although… I realize now that I need you for sandwiches, too. You see, I tried to make a cucumber sandwich.”

And…?

“And I made it by just sticking the cucumber between the bread.”

The whole cucumber?

“…Yes.”

Lyra… really? I know you know that the cucumber is supposed to be sliced.

“Yeah, but I figured it would taste the same either way.”

…

“It did not.”

You can’t see it, but I’m rolling my eyes right now.

A small chuckle escaped from Lyra’s lips. She looked at Bon Bon. For lack of anything else to do, she reached over the tubes and slightly adjusted her mane.

“You know,” Lyra said, “it looks like I’m talking to myself. Ponies are going to think I’m crazy.”

Now, Lyra… you don’t need to talk to yourself for ponies to think you’re crazy.

“Hey – you’re the one dating the crazy pony. What does that make you?”

Lyra had used that particular comeback before. She remembered Bon Bon’s response.

The luckiest mare in the world.

Tears returned to Lyra’s eyes. She pulled another tissue from the box nearby.

As she levitated the used tissue into the wastebasket, she heard a young male voice.

“Hello? Lyra?”

She turned her head to see Spike standing in the doorway.

“Can I come in?” he asked.

She nodded.

Spike walked toward Lyra. As he did, she glanced over at Bon Bon.

“You know,” she said, “now I’m starting to wonder whether I should be letting everypony come visit. It just occurred to me that Bon Bon might not want the whole town seeing her like this.”

“Do you still want me to come in?” He was already standing next to her.

“Well, you’re here now. What’s up?”

He still wasn’t quite tall enough to meet her eyes without looking up. Especially because she was currently sitting on the stool. “I wanted to make sure you were okay,” he said. “I didn’t want to interrupt you while you were talking to Twilight, but then you left and you looked so sad… I would’ve come to see you yesterday, but Twilight said you needed the day to be with Bon Bon. I just tried visiting you at home, but obviously, you weren’t there. Have you been in here all day again?”

“Of course,” Lyra responded. “Well, as much as I can. Where else would I be?”

“At home? At the park? At the theater? The Ponyville Drama Club just opened Les Fouettés.”

“I have to be here with Bon Bon. She needs me.”

“But…” Spike said. He looked like he wasn’t sure whether he should continue.

“But what?”

“But isn’t she unconscious?”

Lyra scowled.

“I’m sorry – that came out harsher than I meant it to sound. What I mean is, you say that she needs you. But… for what? You’re not a doctor, so you’re not treating her. And she can’t respond to you when you talk to her. If she was awake, I’d understand keeping her company, but right now… are you just going to stay here day after day after day?”

“Spike, she’s my marefriend. You wouldn’t understand.”

“Maybe not completely. But remember, you’re looking at the assistant to Twilight Sparkle.”

“That’s not remotely the same thing.”

“I’m not talking about myself. I’m talking about Twilight – a pony who also happens to be a princess who also goes way, way out of her way to be everypony’s friend. As her assistant, one of the things that I’ve learned – and one of the things that it’s taken years to get Twilight to accept – is that while it’s great to be there for everypony else, you need to remember to take care of yourself, too.”

“This is different.”

“Is it? Lyra, you know that I’m your friend, right?”

“Yeah…”

“Good – remember, I’m saying all this as your friend. Your friend who wants to make sure that you’re okay. Twilight said that she told you that your friends will be there for you. And we are. But you have to let us be there for you. So come on, Lyra. Think about yourself for a moment. Your own needs. What can we do for you?”

“What I need isn’t important right now. This is all about what Bon Bon needs.”

“You’re wrong – what you need is important. Your happiness matters, too.”

“Not right now.”

“Yes right now. Bon Bon wants you to be happy.”

“But I can’t be happy. Not while she’s like this.”

Spike took a moment before responding. He dipped his head in acknowledgement of Lyra’s point. “Okay, I get it – you can’t be happy right now. But you shouldn’t be sitting here making yourself feel worse, either.”

“Look, I’m not leaving Bon Bon’s side until she’s out of this hospital. I appreciate your concern – I really do – but this is how it’s going to be. I’ve had to leave this room a few times already, and each time I have, the only thing I’ve wanted is to get back in here and be next to Bon Bon. Being here is what’s best for me.”

There was another pause. “Okay,” Spike said. “I’m not going to argue with you right now.” He started to walk toward the open door. “I’ll let you be with Bon Bon.” He took the doorknob in his claw. “Here – I’ll even shut the door so ponies will give you two some more alone time with each other. In the quiet.” He stepped back and stood in the doorway. “But don’t forget: You need to make some time to see your friends, too. Lyra Heartstrings still needs to have a life of her own.”

“Thanks for visiting, Spike,” Lyra said somewhat coldly.

Spike closed the door the rest of the way. Instead of latching it, he left it ajar by an inch. He looked through the door’s window at Lyra, waved, then left.

Lyra turned back to Bon Bon. She looked at her for a few seconds.

“I know, I know… he means well,” she said. “But he just doesn’t understand what we have. What we mean to each other. I forget that not everypony has that. I guess sometimes I don’t realize just how special…” she started to tear up again “…how unique… how incredible our relationship is.”

She began to cry. This time, she didn’t bother grabbing a tissue. She just let the tears fall to the floor.

Meanwhile, an older, ivory-colored earth pony walked by herself down the hallway. Unlike all of the other times she had visited her daughter’s room in the ICU, this time, the door was closed.

Sugar Plum peered in through the window. She saw Lyra sitting by Bon Bon’s bed, crying. Sugar Plum’s breath caught in her throat until she realized that through the crack in the door, she could hear the heart monitor still beeping.

She reached her hoof up toward the knob. But halfway there, she stopped. For a few seconds, she just looked inside. Finally, her hoof went back to the ground. She remained outside the door, watching and listening.

Inside the room, Lyra looked back up toward the head of the bed.

“I’m sorry, Bon Bon,” she said. “But I can’t keep hiding this from you. I’m scared. I’m trying to be brave, because I know that’s what you want me to do, but I’m really scared. I’m scared that you won’t come out of this. I’m scared that you’re going to leave me. Please… please don’t leave me. You need to get better. I need you to get better.

“I hate feeling so helpless. I hate that everypony is saying that this is all up to you. I want to be there for you. I want to be able to do something for you. I just wish somepony would tell me what to do…

“I’m going to keep talking to you, Bon Bon. I don’t care what your father says. I’m never going to stop. I’m never going to abandon you. I’m never going to give up. Because I know that you’re not going to give up. I’m going to keep telling you that you can do it. Because I know you can do it. You can do it, Bon Bon. Do it for us. You know and I know that we’re supposed to always be together. And I can’t imagine what I’d do if… if… no. I’m not even going to say it.

“Spike is wrong. I don’t need to have a life of my own. I can’t have a life of my own. Because Bon Bon… you are my life. There’s no better life for me than you. Every minute of every day, you are my life. Even when we’re apart, you are my life.

“Like when I started rehearsing with the band… I thought about you whenever we played. How supportive you were, how you told me to go after my dream. To know that I had your love and your encouragement… it made me play better.

“And then, the night of our first show, it meant so much to me to see you there in the front row. Heh… Melody told me that it looked weird that I kept staring in one direction the entire night. But seeing that look on your face… that smile… that smile meant more to me than the performance itself.

“The second half of the tour was tougher than I said it was. Every night, I missed you. I mean, performing was great, but at the same time, I was counting down the days until I’d get to see you again. When we were done and I was riding that train back to Ponyville, I was so excited. I couldn’t wait to get home, burst through the door, and surprise you with a huge hug…

“I should have known you’d be right there on the platform.

“Whenever I see you after we’ve been apart – even the times when it’s just been a few hours – those are some of my favorite moments ever. Getting to see you again. I… I can’t imagine never having another one of those moments to look forward to. I can’t imagine a life without you.

“I can’t believe I almost let that happen with the portal. And then you were so understanding about it. More understanding than you should have been. When you were actually happy that I figured out the meaning of my special talent while I was over there…”

Using her magic, she picked up the black case, opened it, and removed the instrument within.

“…when you said that it was all worth it for me to find out how I was meant to use my lyre to bring happiness to ponies who need it.

“Well, right now, I really need it. So…”

She held the lyre in the air, suspended by her magic. Before she did anything else, she placed her front hooves on the bed. Careful to not disturb the IV needle, she held Bon Bon’s left hoof between both of hers. She closed her eyes and began to play the beginning notes of “Unified.”

She used the beeping of the heart monitor as a metronome. The beginning of the song was slow to begin with, but with the monitor beeping roughly every two seconds, Lyra found herself playing even more slowly than usual. It made the first theme sound melancholy and even lonelier.

Outside the room, Sugar Plum continued to stand at the door. She didn’t dare walk in and interrupt. Instead, she watched and listened as Lyra played. The song had just shifted to its second theme when Straight Lace approached her in the hallway.

“What happened to you back there?” he grumbled. “Why would you actually listen to some random pony when they tell you that I’ll catch up to you? After you left, she attacked me! Just because it was with aggressive pleasantries instead of violence, it was still an attack! That crazy pony held me in there like I was some kind of hostage! First she told me to smile, then she started singing, then confetti started to fall all over everything… how is that sanitary for a bakery?” He finally took stock of his surroundings. “Why are you standing outside the door?”

Craning his neck, he looked over Sugar Plum’s head into the room. “Her again?!” he growled. “Why in Celestia’s name is she playing a harp? That’s it! Where are the authorities? I’m having that lunatic banned from coming anywhere near our daughter ever again!”

Sugar Plum turned to her husband. “No,” she said sharply.

He froze. “I… what?”

“No,” she repeated. “You can’t do that to her.”

It was the first time she had ever spoken to him in that tone of voice. His reaction was like that of a lion who, when faced with a small mongoose, didn’t expect it to take a swipe at him.

Unsure of how to respond, he simply stood still and looked through the glass. Sugar Plum also turned and continued to watch.

Lyra had just finished the part of the song where she stopped switching between the two melodies. She was too focused on playing to notice the noise in the hallway. Subconsciously, she felt as though the tempo of the music had gotten slightly faster. She didn’t check the heart monitor for confirmation, though – her eyes had been closed the entire time, allowing her to concentrate completely on the song. But even though her eyelids were shut, it didn’t stop the tears.

She moved forward into the section where the two melodies became one. As tears continued to run down her cheeks, she bared her emotions with her lyre, simultaneously playing two distinct melodies that together, formed a perfect whole. As she kept playing, she continued to feel every note emanate from and return to the core of her very heart.

She didn’t see Bon Bon’s ears swivel.

The song grew in intensity. It flowed from her magic and through her lyre as naturally as if she had been talking. It was as though the instrument was speaking on her behalf, both celebrating the transformation of two ponies together and crying out for that union to never be broken.

When she felt the hoof move between hers, the music suddenly stopped.

Lyra opened her eyelids. All she could see was a watery haze. Hastily, she wiped at her eyes with her right hoof while her left held onto Bon Bon’s. Finally, she was able to make out the sight of Bon Bon, her eyelids half open and her eyes glassy, slowly raising her right foreleg. Lyra felt the left foreleg press against hers. Instinctively, Lyra pressed back.

With the left foreleg unable to move, Bon Bon’s right began to clumsily swipe at her chest in an effort to break free from the wires. As soon as the first wire was disconnected, the heart monitor started to emit a louder, steady tone.

With most of the wires loosed, Bon Bon reached across her body. After she managed to pull the IV out of her left foreleg, Lyra finally quit staring in shock, dropped the lyre at the end of the bed, and tried to speak.

“Bon Bon, stop!” she said. The third word came out as half a sob. “Stop!” she tried again, with the same result.

She reached her left hoof out to push Bon Bon’s foreleg back to the side, using her right hoof to hold the other foreleg down. “It’s okay!” she cried. “You’re all right!”

She wanted to give Bon Bon a kiss, but given the awkward way she was positioned over the bed, she couldn’t do so without upsetting the tubes coming from Bon Bon’s muzzle.

Instead, she continued to try to speak through her tears. “You’re okay, Bon Bon. You’re in the hospital. Just relax. I’m here. You’re okay.” She continued to cry. “You’re okay…”

Outside the room, Straight Lace pointed and yelled, “She’s going to hurt our daughter! Get her out of there!”

Sugar Plum turned and glared at him through watery eyes. “She just saved our daughter!” she cried.

Two nurses came trotting over in response to the various sounds and commotion.

Meanwhile, Lyra had climbed up onto the bed in an effort to get around the breathing tube. Still holding Bon Bon’s forelegs down with her front hooves, she stepped between Bon Bon’s rear legs and tail at the end of the bed and climbed down to the other side. Bon Bon, upon hearing Lyra’s voice, stopped struggling.

The nurses approached Sugar Plum and Straight Lace.

“She’s awake!” Sugar Plum cried.

One of the nurses ran off to get the doctor. The other nurse entered the room, followed by Bon Bon’s parents.

They saw Lyra with her rear hooves on the floor and the upper half of her body lying next to Bon Bon. She was using one of her hooves to gently stroke the top of Bon Bon’s mane. Her face was right next to Bon Bon’s as she repeatedly reassured her marefriend that she was crying happy tears.

The other three ponies stood and regarded the scene before them for a few seconds. Lyra only briefly glanced in their direction to even acknowledge that they were there. Bon Bon appeared to stare off into space.

Doctor Horse ran into the room with the other nurse behind him. Upon seeing Bon Bon, he said, “Get her vitals immediately.” Turning his head toward Lyra, he said, “You’ll have to get off the bed.”

One of the nurses helped Lyra reluctantly climb back onto the floor. With six ponies crowding the room, there wasn’t far for her to go, so she stood at the end of the bed.

The doctor said, “I need everypony who doesn’t work here to step outside while we assess Bon Bon’s condition and reattach everything.”

Straight Lace immediately jumped on the doctor’s words. “You heard him – get out!” he said to Lyra.

Lyra didn’t move. “I have to know how she’s doing,” she said to the doctor.

He replied, “I won’t be able to tell anypony anything until we examine her. And we won’t be able to do that until we get some space.”

“But you won’t tell me—”

Sugar Plum took one step forward so she was standing next to her. “Lyra, it’s okay,” she said, her voice just as shaky as Lyra’s. Turning to the doctor, she said, “As soon as you know what’s happening, please tell us and Lyra.”

Straight Lace scowled at her. “Why would you—”

“I have just as much right to make that decision as you do.” Turning again to the doctor, she said, “From here on, any information that we get, Lyra gets, too.”

Tears continued to roll down Lyra’s cheeks. She had long ago given up on trying to wipe them away. “Thank you,” she said. She wanted to hug Sugar Plum, but Straight Lace was standing right there.

Sugar Plum took a step toward the door. “Let’s let everypony do their job. For Bon Bon.”

Lyra nodded. Placing her hoof on Bon Bon’s right rear leg, she told her, “I’ll be right back. Listen to the doctor and the nurses and do what they say.” Bon Bon’s gaze slowly traveled toward the end of the bed.

Lyra followed the parents into the hallway. They all took a couple of steps away from the door.

Sugar Plum said, “Lyra, can I talk to you alone?”

Lyra hesitated. “But when the doctor comes back…”

Sugar Plum said to her, “Straight Lace will wait here for the doctor.” Turning toward her husband, she said to him, “And as soon as he has an update, you’ll come and get both of us. Because I know you wouldn’t keep any news from me, right?”

Straight Lace paused before answering. Finally, he simply said, “Right.”

“Good.” She walked down the hallway toward the waiting room. Lyra followed her. When they entered the otherwise empty waiting room, Sugar Plum took a seat in the far corner opposite the receptionist’s desk.

The first thing Lyra did was give Sugar Plum a long hug. Sugar Plum hugged her back. They shared in some cathartic crying. Then some time simply breathing so they would be able to speak to one another without breaking into more tears.

Eventually, Lyra sat down on a seat kitty-corner to Sugar Plum.

“Thank you,” Lyra said.

Sugar Plum responded, “I think I’m the one who should be thanking you. I saw you with your instrument.”

“Oh.”

“And what you said before that.” She looked directly at Lyra. For a moment, neither spoke. “You really do love her, don’t you?”

Lyra looked back at her. “More than anypony or anything else.”

Sugar Plum looked down for a few seconds. Then off to the side. Finally, she looked back at Lyra. “But you’re both mares.”

“I’m attracted to mares. That’s part of who I am.”

Another pause. “I guess what I don’t understand is… why? Why don’t you like stallions?”

“It’s how I’ve always been. It wasn’t a choice for me to make.” She thought for a moment. “What about this: Why are you attracted to stallions?”

“Mares are attracted to stallions. That’s just how it is.”

“So you don’t know why it is.”

“Well… no.”

“Neither do I. So maybe then it isn’t a fact that all mares naturally like stallions.”

“But…” Sugar Plum responded. However, she didn’t have anything else to say.

Lyra continued, “I like mares. It’s how I was born. And it’s how Bon Bon was born, too. She’s just being true to who she is. Even though there are ponies out there who will tell her that she’s awful just for existing.”

She looked directly into Sugar Plum’s eyes. “Have you ever had someone tell you that you’re a bad pony? For a reason that you can’t control? I have. It hurts. It really hurts. I’ve tried to stay positive, and I’m lucky – my family and friends have always been there for me. But it still hurts.”

Lyra opened her mouth, then closed it. She looked across the room for a few seconds. Finally, she took a deep breath and spoke again.

“Bon Bon doesn’t talk about you much, because it hurts her. It breaks my heart to see it. I can tell that she wishes she could be close to you again. But you’ve told her that you think there’s something wrong with her. Maybe not in those words, but that’s what you’re saying by refusing to accept who she is.

“She could have kept it a secret, you know. But she told you that she’s gay because she didn’t want to lie to you. Because she loves you.”

Sugar Plum had her head down and her eyes shut. New tears made their way down her face.

After a few seconds, Lyra said, “I’m sorry… I know this isn’t a good time. But I had to get that off my chest. For Bon Bon’s sake. Because I know she’d never say it. But it needed to be said.” She waited until Sugar Plum looked at her again. “I know you didn’t want to hurt her – I can tell that you love her. But you need to know how Bon Bon feels.”

For over a minute, the two simply sat in silence. A couple of times, it looked as though Sugar Plum was about to talk, but then didn’t.

Just as Lyra was about to ask what she wanted to say, she spoke.

“I… I’m sorry for anything I might have said or done that hurt you. And I’m sorry for the way Straight Lace has been acting. You don’t deserve that.”

Lyra put her hoof on Sugar Plum’s. With genuine appreciation, she said, “Thank you.”

“It’s just… we don’t understand. It doesn’t make sense.”

Lyra was sad to hear that. But she took some comfort in the fact that she was sad and not angry.

Lyra said, “How about this: I think we can agree that we all want Bon Bon to get better and back on her hooves.”

Sugar Plum nodded.

“So for now, let’s just put the whole same-sex couple thing off to the side and focus on doing what’s best for Bon Bon’s recovery. We don’t say anything that would stress her out. I know it’ll make Bon Bon really happy to see that you and I get along. And later, if either of you want to try to understand, I’d be happy to talk to you out of her earshot. But for now, that subject stays out of Bon Bon’s room. No saying anything judgmental to her, like suggesting that she needs to start liking stallions. And nothing to anypony else, either, like asking the doctor what he can do to make her straight.”

Sugar Plum looked away from Lyra, toward the ground.

“…Your husband already tried asking the doctor about that, didn’t he?”

Sugar Plum looked back up. “It isn’t the first doctor he’s asked.”

---

Eventually, Straight Lace and Doctor Horse stepped out and summoned the two back into the room. Bon Bon’s eyes were closed again – she looked exactly the way she did the day before. Lyra gasped.

“It’s okay,” the doctor said. “This is normal. In real life, nopony comes out of a coma instantaneously. It’s a slow process. Bon Bon should gradually become more lucid as the days go by – she’ll be conscious more frequently and for longer periods of time. But it can’t be rushed. Don’t expect any quick fixes. She still won’t be able to eat or hold conversations for a while.

“We’ve reattached the monitor and her IVs. If she tries to pull at them again, gently restrain her and talk to her so she doesn’t panic.”

Lyra saw the opportunity. “So should we stay here in the room with her?”

“If you want to, then yes. The nurses will be able to do it if nopony is present, but it will help keep Bon Bon calm if she hears a familiar voice.”

Lyra couldn’t help it – one corner of her mouth turned upward.

Sugar Plum said, “Does this mean she’ll eventually get back to normal?”

“I don’t want to celebrate yet,” the doctor said. “She’s still in a coma – just a less severe coma. However, this is the first step on the road to recovery. We won’t know for a while what the long-term effects will be. But seeing this, it does appear to be likely that she’ll at least pull through.”

Lyra and Sugar Plum looked at each other. They both smiled.

---

A second stool was brought into the room and placed on the other side of the bed. For the remainder of the day, Lyra and Sugar Plum sat by Bon Bon’s side. Straight Lace, saying that he didn’t want to sit around while nothing was going on, left the hospital to go find something else to do.

Sugar Plum pointed at the lyre that was still lying on the bed. “You’re really good with that,” she said.

Lyra, remembering that it was there, picked it up in her magic. “Oh, yeah. Thanks.” She strummed a few notes. “This lyre is my second-favorite thing in the world.” She put the instrument back in its case.

“What’s your— oh. Right.”

Lyra allowed herself a giggle. It felt so good to laugh.

“What was that song you were playing earlier?”

“It’s called ‘Unified.’ It’s our song – Bon Bon’s and mine.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard that one before.”

“That’s because I wrote it. It’s literally our song – a song for the two of us. Actually, you’re the only other pony who’s ever heard it.”

“It was beginning to sound really beautiful before you stopped.”

“Thanks. That song means a lot to me. To us.” She looked adoringly at Bon Bon.

“I think the idea of a musician writing her own couple’s song is sweet.”

Lyra blushed a little bit.

“Have you heard of ‘The Nicest Thing Under the Moon’?”

“I think so.” She began to talk-sing the lyrics. “When darkness paints over the heavens / With Tyrians, navies, and ebons / Your beauty still shines like the noon / It’s clear you must be / Unquestionably / The nicest thing under the moon.”

Sugar Plum smiled. “That’s it. I’m surprised you know it so well, since it’s an older one. That’s our song – Straight Lace’s and mine. It was the first song we slow-danced to on homecoming night. Eventually, it became our wedding song. Even today, it’s still a reminder to the both of us of the love we have to share.”

When Sugar Plum mentioned Straight Lace, Lyra glanced away and shifted in her seat.

Sugar Plum noticed. “Again, I’m sorry. There really is more to him than what you’ve seen. I know he can be a little… stern, but he also really cares. He just has his own way of showing it.”

Lyra gave a single, small, half-hearted nod. “Let’s keep this a happy room. Only positive energy. Positive energy will help you get better faster, right, Bon Bon?”

As it had been the previous night, Bon Bon didn’t respond. There was only the sound of the medical equipment.

Lyra sighed. “I know the doctor said this is normal, but after seeing her awake… this is going to be just as stressful, isn’t it? I’m glad my mane already has white in it.”

They continued to talk, both to each other and to Bon Bon, into and throughout the evening. The only break in the conversation came when Sugar Plum volunteered to leave and pick up something to eat. Straight Lace didn’t return until five minutes before visiting hours were over. And although Bon Bon didn’t wake up again that day, the two mares were hopeful that they would get to see her open her eyes again the next morning.

Lyra’s walk back to her house was still dark and lonely. Even though she was optimistic that she would be walking it with Bon Bon soon, it was still difficult in the moment. When she turned the corner onto her street, a blue unicorn in front of her house jumped up from where she was sitting and came running over to meet her.

“Lyra!” Minuette said. She was about to spring into a leaping hug, but caught herself at the last second and instead calmly placed one foreleg over Lyra’s withers.

“Minuette? What are you doing here? And why do ponies keep camping out in front of our house?”

“Twilight sent us a message yesterday evening about what happened. She said that you needed to have your friends by your side. So the girls and I all worked out a schedule to be with you for the next week! I’ll be here tonight and tomorrow night. Moondancer will be here the next two nights. Then Lemon Hearts for the next two, and Twinkleshine after that. And that’s as far as we’ve gotten.”

“And you were waiting outside my house because…?”

“Oh! I was going to visit you at the hospital, but when I got in this afternoon, Spike said that you were worried about how Bon Bon would feel about so many ponies seeing her.”

Lyra smiled.

“I’m glad to see you’re smiling. I don’t even know how I’d take it if I had a stallionfriend and something like that happened to him.” Her usually bright countenance got a little bit dimmer. “How is she?”

“For the past two days, completely unconscious. But she woke up for a couple of minutes today.”

Minuette’s face lit back up. “That’s good, right?”

“It is. It’s still going to take some time for her to recover, but she’s on her way.”

“So this is a happy visit!”

“Yes. This is a happy visit.”

Minuette wrapped Lyra in a hug. It knocked Lyra into a sitting position, but from there, she hugged Minuette back.

---

The following day, before the hospital’s visiting hours began, Lyra sent a message to Healing Hooves and Gentle Presence to give them an update on Bon Bon’s condition. The message was in the form of the largest fruit basket she could find, half the size of an adult pony, across which she strung a banner displaying the words THANK YOU.

Lyra was grateful to have each of her Canterlot friends come visit her. They kept her company during mornings and evenings, as well as provided a sympathetic ear when she needed to vent her feelings and frustrations with the slow but necessary healing process. It also gave Lyra a chance to get to know Moondancer better – although Lyra saw her whenever she visited Canterlot, she felt like she hadn’t gotten the chance to reconcile with her the way her other three friends had.

For the next few days, Bon Bon had no shortage of company. In addition to brief visits from each of Lyra’s friends, Lyra and Sugar Plum stayed in her room throughout visiting hours each day. To pass the time, the two talked and told stories. At one point, Sugar Plum sang songs from Bon Bon’s foalhood while Lyra accompanied her on her lyre.

Straight Lace would only stop in for a couple of minutes at the end of each night to receive an update. But he didn’t object to Sugar Plum’s spending all day in the hospital room. He never said anything to Lyra, but after the way he had treated her the first couple of days, she counted that as its own little victory.

As the doctor predicted, Bon Bon began to wake up slightly more often and for slightly longer periods of time each day. After a couple of days, even though she still wasn’t completely cognizant of everything, she began to understand that she was in the hospital as well as recognize and respond to both Lyra and Sugar Plum.

After they had been in Ponyville for a week, Straight Lace declared that it was time for Sugar Plum and him to return to Connecticolt – they couldn’t afford to keep paying for a hotel room for however long it took Bon Bon to recover. Sugar Plum balked upon hearing that, and although Lyra didn’t push her luck by also objecting in front of Straight Lace, she was in complete agreement with her. The two had quickly grown to appreciate one another after spending so much time together over the past few days.

She offered to let the couple stay at her house until Bon Bon was out of the hospital, but Straight Lace refused. Sugar Plum tried to reason with him, pointing out that his work in Connecticolt was finished and that they could have their mail forwarded until his next assignment. He still refused. Lyra suggested that Sugar Plum could stay in Ponyville while he went home, but Straight Lace said no to that, too.

Sugar Plum was upset, but Lyra promised her that she would send them weekly updates through the regular mail. While Straight Lace got everything packed up and squared away at the hotel, Sugar Plum spoke to the hospital staff and officially gave Lyra the authority to make all of the decisions regarding Bon Bon’s care in her absence. Lyra gave Sugar Plum a long hug good-bye before she left. Sugar Plum readily returned the embrace.

In the following days, Bon Bon continued to recover. It was an especially happy day when the feeding and breathing tubes were removed. Lyra was overjoyed to be able to nuzzle her marefriend and to give her kisses again. No matter how dry Bon Bon’s lips might have been.

With the removal of the tubes came the end of Bon Bon’s stay in the ICU. She was moved to a physical rehabilitation center located not too far from the hospital. Originally, the plan was to have Bon Bon live at the center for however long it took for her speech and motor skills to improve to a minimally independent level. But when it became clear that Lyra was going to spend every waking moment with Bon Bon anyway, not to mention insist on helping with every aspect of her treatment, the therapists at the center agreed that it would be better for Bon Bon to just move back home and have a physical therapist and an occupational therapist check in each day.

Once she had the familiar comforts of home surrounding her, combined with her marefriend being by her side every step of the way, Bon Bon improved more rapidly than any of the therapists could have predicted. Lyra knew that everything was going to be okay the day Bon Bon asked, “Would you believe me if I said the coma has permanently taken away my ability to clean the rugs?” Within a couple of months, she was nearly back to 100%, both physically and mentally.

It was at that time that all of the members of Lyra’s band were available to travel to Canterlot to rehearse and prepare for their next tour. Lyra was ready to inform them that she couldn’t make it, no matter what the consequences for her absence. But Bon Bon refused to let her stay in Ponyville and give up her dream. Ultimately, everything worked out with a minimum of debate, as Lyra’s parents were more than willing to let both of them stay at their house – they also agreed to help Bon Bon finish her convalescence while Lyra was rehearsing.

Soon after, Lyra wrote her final update to Sugar Plum. In it, she relayed the happy news that Bon Bon had made a complete recovery. With her life back to normal, Lyra threw herself into her music, which her bandmates all agreed sounded even more joyful than it had during the first tour.

During the following weeks, Lyra stuck even closer to Bon Bon than usual, determined to treasure every moment they had together. They both knew that eventually, their relationship would return to the state it had been at before – merely an extreme desire to be with one another as opposed to an unrelenting desire.

Regardless of the intensity, every day, each mare cherished the opportunity to be with the pony she loved.

Comments

[Sunset_Shimmer83]

this chapter made me cry happy and sad tears

[lillytheomegawolf]

Wow... What a way to spend a decent part of my day thus far. This story has continued to pull me in and not let go, its soo good. I just had to keep going till Bon Bon recovered as a seriously wanted to know what happened.

That impact...
Made me get all teary eyed there from the recent happenings in the story. Well done

I hope Bon Bon simply goes along with her mare on tour, then they can have all the snuggles at night and neither one will be lonely and then Lyra will also play better too.

[Captain_Cosmos]

“…Your husband already tried asking the doctor about that, didn’t he?”

Sugar Plum looked back up. “It isn’t the first doctor he’s asked.”

Great, now I’m imagining someone asking a doctor to cure homosexuality, which I am fairly certain is completely impossible.