dasher

by The Red Parade

ii: just some stratospheric strays, we wait

A snowflake fell from the sky, trickling downwards at its own pace, unaware or ignorant of the mare who watched it. There were millions more around it, but Bon Bon found her focus drawn to this one in particular. It danced and wavered through the air as the ground welcomed it with open arms, and when it landed, it became one with the snow that littered the ground.

It reminded her of a life that once was, a life that she missed sorely with every passing day. But while she stood there, watching as snow blanketed the town, she was rudely reminded that her old life was gone. And it was never coming back.

“Bon Bon?”

She flinched and glanced behind her. “Yeah, boss?”

Caramel sighed, his breath fogging up in the air. “Bon, I told you a million times, just ‘Caramel’ is fine.”

Bon Bon blinked, then shrugged. “Sorry.”

“It… it’s fine. Why are you still out here?” he asked.

“I just…” She looked past Caramel and into the cafe, where chairs were stacked on top of tables and half the lights were off. “Had stuff on my mind.”

Caramel sighed again and tried to smile at her. “Alright. Well, you better get going. Busy day tomorrow.”

Bon Bon nodded. “Sure. Good night, bo—Caramel,” she said with a wave.

“Oh, wait, before I forget…” Caramel disappeared back into the cafe for a second before emerging with a small brown box. “Here.”

Bon Bon blinked, accepting it. “A… gift?”

Caramel beamed at her. “Yeah! I know you haven’t been here long, but you’ve been working so hard I figured it’d be a crime to not reward you somehow.”

She shrugged and carefully balanced the box on her back. “Oh… you didn’t have to, you know. You really shouldn’t have.”

“It wasn’t any trouble,” Caramel insisted.

“Right… thanks,” she said. “Really.”

“No problem. Good night, Bon Bon, stay safe. And happy Hearth’s Warming Eve,” he replied, turning back into the cafe.

She watched him go before finally moving, setting off at a carefree pace down the snow-covered streets of a town she didn’t quite belong to. Caramel was a good pony, and a nicer boss than she was expecting, but he was still her boss. It’d be strange to consider him anything else.

Bon Bon held back a shiver, letting her thoughts distract her from the biting cold. She thought of her home: not the cozy but lonely apartment mere blocks away, but of her true home. One that she could never go back to.

Her heart throbbed at that, and Bon Bon gave a bitter sigh at the memories that flooded into her mind. Because this wasn’t her home, and she was beginning to feel that it never would be.

“Hiya, Bonnie!”

Bon Bon was abruptly and rudely pulled from her thoughts as her field of view became pink. “Wha—oh, hello Pinkie,” she stammered out.

Pinkie Pie giggled, reaching out to tap her on the nose. “Hi, silly! So, didya decide yet?”

Bon Bon blinked, still scrambling to regain her composure on the inside. “Decide… what?”

“When you want your Welcome to Ponyville Party!” Pinkie declared, throwing confetti into the air. “Come on, Bonster, I’ve thrown a party for every new pony who’s come to Ponyville, and you’ve been here for two whole weeks and haven’t come to any of the welcome parties I’ve planned for you!”

Bon Bon cringed at the reminder, feeling a strange wave of despair wash over her. Two weeks. She had been here for two weeks already. “I, uh… I dunno, Pinkie,” she muttered. “Maybe not tonight. I’m… I’m pretty tired from work.”

Pinkie seemed to deflate a little bit. “But you’re always tired!” she protested. “And when you’re not tired, you’re working, but even when you’re working you’re tired, and Caramel always says you need to take a break but you don’t, you just work even harder, and…”

She tuned out the party pony as her conversation with Furlong echoed in her mind. “I hear it’s a quaint little place with friendly ponies. You’ll like it there.”

How was it possible, she wondered, that in a town filled with friendly, warm faces, she was still alone?

“... but never mind all of that!” Pinkie was saying as Bon Bon snapped back to reality. “I need to know how you keep avoiding me! It’s like you’re a secret agent or something—”

“I’ll tell you if I’m ready for a party,” Bon Bon said hurriedly.

Pinkie fell silent, and she seemed to freeze mid-bounce. “...if you’re ready?” she repeated.

Bon Bon took a deep breath. Her heart beat quickly as she struggled to form words. “Look, I’ll tell you whenever I want my party, okay? I’m just very tired right now, and I’d like to go home.”

Pinkie was taken aback and folded her ears. She quickly shook it off, though, and sprang back up. “Okiedokielokie! You just need time! I get it! Let me know, and I’ll have it ready faster than you can say Bon Bon’s bonbons!”

With that, the pink pony bounced down the road, giggling madly to herself and leaving Bon Bon alone. She squeezed her eyes shut and scowled. How are you supposed to make friends like this? With a bitter sigh, she half-heartedly kicked at the snow and kept walking.

She watched as ponies passed her by in pairs, talking and laughing with each other. She watched as a mare pressed into the coat of her companion, nuzzling his neck while giggling.

It hurt. Because in their faces all she could see were her old friends. In their voices she heard Furlong and Foxtrot, and Bravo and Alpha, discussing missions and monsters. Stark reminders that here, she was alone.

Bon Bon glanced behind her, back at the cafe. She watched as a pegasus landed in front of the building to greet Caramel and pull him into a hug.

She turned away and kept walking.

The stars above seemed dull tonight.