Since You Came Along

by Sky Scraper

Ch. 15 - Since You Came Along

It was a warm and sunny Saturday morning, and the Canterlot High students who had spent the past week at Camp Everfree were now returning home. As the bus turned onto the road that led to CHS, Principal Celestia turned back to address the students. "Well, class," she said with a smile, "I hope you enjoyed our trip to Camp Everfree. Although not everything went to plan, I'm very proud of how you all came together to make the most of the circumstances."

"That's a bit of an understatement..." Sky whispered to Lyra. When he signed up for the trip, nearly getting trapped in a cage of brambles by a possessed camp director was not something he had envisioned.

"You can say that again," Lyra chuckled. "But at least we had a fun gala in the cave, which gave me an excuse to wear my Spring Fling dress again!"

"That's true!" Sky agreed. "Certainly not a bad way to end the week. A cave is way more romantic than a regular old gym, anyway."

"Oh, totally! It's also better for millipedes." Lyra looked down at the wooden box sitting in Sky's lap. It had originally been full of leaves, but Bertram had eaten most of them during the ride.

Sky nodded. "Yep! My new friend here enjoyed the gala too."

Lyra smiled. "Where are you gonna keep him when you get home?"

"Hmm... I'll probably set up a terrarium for him in the spare bedroom upstairs. That way, he'll have his own little space."

"Good idea. Now you've got two pets!"

"I sure do!" chuckled Sky. "I'll have to keep them separate, though. Duke is gentle, but I'd rather not take any chances. You never know what he might try to put in his mouth!"

The bus turned into the parking lot behind the school and stopped next to the sidewalk. "We're now back at CHS," Principal Celestia announced. "I wish you all a wonderful long weekend!"

The students excitedly began grabbing their bags and rushing toward the exit to begin their Memorial Day weekend. Sky carefully placed Bertram's box on the seat next to him, then put his duffel bag over his shoulder and picked up Bertram's box with both hands. When the aisle was clear, he and Lyra got off the bus together.

"Bertram's asleep now, so I'd better get him home," said Sky. "If you want to hang out this weekend, feel free to call or text me at any time. I'll always be available for you!" He kissed Lyra goodbye, then went off to find his dad's dark blue hatchback in the parking lot.

Since it was a Saturday, both Air and Evening had come to pick Sky up. When Air spotted his son, he got out of the car and waved to him. "Hey, buddy!"

"Hi, Dad!" said Sky.

"How was your trip, sweetie?" Evening asked.

"It was great!" Sky replied. "I enjoyed my first proper camping trip." He held out the wooden box to present Bertram to his parents. "Speaking of which, here's Bertram, my new millipede pet. Remember how I sent you a picture of him earlier this week?"

"I remember!" said Evening. "Since I ordered a terrarium on Wednesday, it'll be on the kitchen counter when you get home."

"Wow!" Sky exclaimed. "Thanks! That makes things a lot easier."

"You're welcome!" replied Evening. "I also have a bag of potting soil that you can fill the terrarium with."

"Your mother likes to have everything set up ahead of time," added Air.

"Of course," agreed Sky. "But since he's my pet, I'll buy the decorations for his terrarium."

"That would be good," said Evening. "But for now, let's get you home."

Sky put his duffel bag in the back seat, then got into the front passenger seat with Bertram's box sitting in his lap. Air started the car, and they set off for home.

---

Sky was as good as his word. Once he'd gotten all of his stuff sorted out, he filled the new terrarium with soil and placed Bertram in it. Later that day, he went to the local pet store to buy decorations, and by Sunday afternoon, he had finished setting up Bertram's new home. The giant millipede had a little log for a house, along with plenty of fake flowers, vegetation and painted rocks to give the terrarium some color. Sky placed the terrarium on an empty table in the spare bedroom, which his parents had been using as a storage space. Duke, always a good boy, did not interfere.

After Memorial Day, the remainder of the week was very laid-back. The track season was over, and the school year was beginning to wind down, but final exams were still two weeks away.

On Friday evening, Sky fed Bertram an assortment of leafy greens and watched him eat them for a while. He then went downstairs to the living room, where his parents were watching TV. As soon as he sat down on the couch, Duke scooched over to be next to him. "Good boy, Duke!" Sky giggled as he massaged Duke's ears.

Moments later, Sky's phone began to ring. He pulled it out of his pocket, expecting it to be Lyra. To his surprise, it was Sugarcoat. He quickly answered the call. "Hi, Sugar! Long time no see!"

"Hello, Sky!" said Sugarcoat. "It has indeed been a while since we've seen each other. That's why I decided to call you. How have you been doing lately?"

"I've been great!" Sky replied. "Since Lyra became my girlfriend, I honestly don't think I've ever been happier. What about you?"

"I've been doing quite well too. Shortly after the Friendship Games, Cadance replaced Cinch as principal, and most people at Crystal Prep seem to be much happier now. I certainly am."

"I can imagine," Sky agreed. "Cadance was always much nicer than the rest of the administration."

"Indeed," said Sugarcoat. "Cadance is also planning to make changes to the school calendar for next year, such as adding more vacation time and reducing the number of days in the school year. That will be much appreciated by everyone, I'm sure!"

"Oh, that's definitely a good move!" Sky agreed. "I never understood why they were so stingy with vacations in the first place. All that does is burn people out."

"Exactly. I may be one of the top students there, but I too have experienced severe burnout on several occasions. Anyway, straight to the point. Would you like to have lunch with me at Coppertop Grill tomorrow?"

"Of course I would!" replied Sky. "What time are you thinking of?"

"How does one o'clock sound? Or thirteen hundred, if you prefer that notation."

"Works for me! I'll see you then."

"Excellent. Anyway, I'll be having dinner now. See you tomorrow!" Sugarcoat hung up, and Sky put his phone down.

"Ah, was that Sugarcoat?" Air asked.

"Yep!" replied Sky. "I'm having lunch with her tomorrow. We're going to Coppertop Grill."

"Cool!" said Air. "I was thinking of going to Chip's Electronics tomorrow myself. So how about I drive you there, and then drive you and Sugarcoat home when you're done?"

"Sure!" said Sky. He was really looking forward to seeing Sugarcoat again.

---

Sky slept in on Saturday morning and had a late breakfast. At around 12:40, he and Duke were both in the spare bedroom, watching Bertram slowly crawl around the terrarium. "This must be like watching TV for you, huh?" Sky chuckled as he pet Duke on the chest.

Air knocked on the door. "Hey, bud. You ready to get going?"

"Yep!" replied Sky. "Hang on." He said goodbye to Duke, then headed downstairs to the living room. Once he was ready to go, he went outside and got into the front passenger seat of Air's car. Air put the car in gear and began driving east along Malachite Avenue.

To avoid traffic, Air took a route that avoided the urban districts. Instead, he drove north toward the Mistmane River before heading east along Atlantic Boulevard, the main road through the Canterlot Bay neighborhood. It had a median lined with tall green trees, and was home to numerous upscale businesses and residential complexes. "This is when you know you're in the rich part of the city," Air quipped as he drove past a row of stores selling various luxury goods.

After coasting along the boulevard for another mile, Air and Sky arrived at Riverview Landing, located just west of a big rotary interchange with Interstate 99 and the Mistmane River Parkway. Riverview Landing was the newest mixed-use development in the city. It had opened two years ago, at around the same time that Sky and his parents had moved back to Canterlot. In a way, it almost functioned like a miniature city in itself, featuring a diverse collection of restaurants, stores, condos, and green spaces. At the entrance to the complex, Air made a left turn onto Riverview Drive and pulled into the main parking lot. He parked in a space close to both Coppertop Grill and Chip's Electronics, which were conveniently located next door to each other.

"Well, we're here," said Air. "Do you need any money to pay for lunch?"

"Nope, I think I'm good," Sky replied.

"Cool. Enjoy your lunch, buddy!" Air shut the car off and began walking over to the electronics store, while Sky headed over to the grill. He found Sugarcoat waiting on a bench nearby.

"Sky!" Sugarcoat exclaimed.

"Sugar!" Sky called back. The cousins shared a warm hug.

"It's so good to see you again," remarked Sugarcoat. "It's been a long time - not in absolute terms, of course, but certainly by our standards."

"Yes indeed!" agreed Sky. "I'm sure we've both got a lot to catch up on. Anyway, let's go in and grab some food! I'm getting hungry."

"Me too." Sugarcoat pulled open the main door, and she and Sky entered the restaurant together. Coppertop Grill's decor was rustic, fitting its reputation as a classic burger joint. "Where do you want to sit?"

Sky looked around. "How about over by those big windows? We can see the river from there."

"Excellent idea!" said Sugarcoat. She followed Sky to one of the tables next to the windows, and they sat down and waited for a server to come by.

Sky noticed a large green metal sign bolted on the wall next to the table. It was a square sign for Exit 87, which was the exit number of the nearby rotary. "I think that's new!" Sky remarked. "I love it!"

Sugarcoat nodded. "I don't believe it was here the last time we came. I wonder how they acquired that."

At that moment, a young man with a dark red beard walked up to their table. "Afternoon! My name's Brick, and I'll be your server today. Can I start you off with something to drink?"

"I'll have a glass of fruit punch, please," said Sugarcoat.

"And I'd like a vanilla milkshake," said Sky.

"Got it!" Brick said as he scribbled on his notepad. He then handed them a pair of menus. "Here you go! I'll be right back."

"Well, before you go," Sugarcoat interjected, "may I ask how exactly you acquired that exit sign on the wall?"

Brick chuckled. "Our manager bought it from the DOT when they replaced some of the signs on I-99 last winter. We're right off Exit 87, so it's a perfect fit."

"Oh, cool!" said Sky. "I didn't know you could do that."

"Neither did I!" agreed Brick. He went to take an order at another table, while Sky and Sugarcoat looked over the menu.

A few minutes later, Brick returned. "Here you go... milkshake for you, fruit punch for you! Do you know what you want to order?"

"Yep!" replied Sky. "I'll have a classic bacon cheeseburger."

"Make that two," added Sugarcoat.

"Sure thing!" said Brick. He took the menus and walked briskly back to the kitchen.

"So, how was your trip to Camp Everfree?" Sugarcoat asked. "I heard you were one of the students who got to go."

"It was good!" said Sky. "Spending a week in the forest up north was a nice way to get out of my element. I also ended up acquiring a pet millipede there!"

"Really?" Sugarcoat remarked. "You didn't tell me about that! How did that happen?"

"To be honest, I don't really know," chuckled Sky. "I just found him on my bedpost on the first day of the trip, and then he was practically glued to me for the rest of the week! I fed him leaves and bark that I found in the forest, and he rode on my shoulder whenever I went for a nature walk."

Sugarcoat smiled. "Aww, that's cute. You always did like millipedes."

"Well, they have more legs than any other type of bug, and they're a lot cuter and nicer than centipedes," Sky replied. "So they're just cool. I named this one Bertram. I figured that if he's going to be my pet, he ought to have a name."

"That's a good name. It sounds strong and dignified."

"I thought so too!" Sky took a sip of his milkshake and licked some whipped cream off the straw. "Millipedes are very durable and honorable creatures, after all."

"How does Duke feel about your new pet?"

"Duke finds him fascinating! Bertram's terrarium is in our spare bedroom, so when I go in there to check on him, Duke likes to follow me. And then sometimes he'll sit and watch Bertram go slowly about his daily millipede activities. I think it's like watching TV for him!"

"I'm sure it is," chuckled Sugarcoat. "Dogs and cats enjoy watching anything that moves. That's why Alaric and Eric are so useful at hunting bugs in my house. They watch until it gets close, and then they kill it!"

Sky laughed. "Duke is useless at that. He'll just stare at the bug and then look up at us. I think he's just too pure to hurt a little thing like that."

"That could very well be the case. He has always been a bit of a marshmallow. Anyway... how's your relationship with Lyra been going?"

"It's been going wonderfully," Sky said with a twinkle in his eye. "She was on the Camp Everfree trip too, so we got to spend plenty of quality time together there. We're both looking forward to hanging out even more this summer."

"I'm glad to hear it. It sounds like meeting her has really helped you turn your life around during the last few months."

"Honestly, she really has. Being with Lyra has given me a new feeling of fulfillment in my life that I just didn't have before." Sky paused, then chuckled. "Remember back in March, when I wasn't sure if Lyra liked me back? It turned out I was getting worried over nothing."

"Of course I remember," replied Sugarcoat. "It was just over two months ago. But the important thing is that it worked out well in the end. You simply needed to stop second-guessing yourself."

Just then, Brick arrived with two glass plates. Each one was carrying a bacon cheeseburger and some French fries. "Here are your burgers! Enjoy!"

"Thank you!" said Sky. He took a bite of his burger, then drank some of his milkshake to wash it down. "Ah, a great meal as always!"

Sugarcoat nodded in agreement. "I've always considered this to be the best burger joint in Canterlot. I appreciate how they don't mess around with too many exotic condiments or extra toppings."

"Oh, me too," Sky agreed. "It's a nice contrast from all those other places that try to be all fancy and trendy."

"And this part of the city contains many such places," Sugarcoat chuckled. "So the presence of a Coppertop Grill here is certainly welcome."

Sky looked out the window, where the shimmering water of the Mistmane River was clearly visible. "You excited for our trip to Montreal in a few weeks?" he asked with a smile.

"Of course I am!" Sugarcoat replied. "There's no need to ask me that. I'm glad your parents extended the invite to mine."

"Me too," Sky agreed. "I've never been to Montreal before, but I've heard it's a really cool city. It's going to be an awesome way to start the summer."

"I'm sure you're going to miss Lyra, though," Sugarcoat teased.

"Yeah..." Sky admitted. "I'll definitely video call her at some point while we're there. Probably more than once! I love her too much to go a whole week without seeing her."

After a while, Sky and Sugarcoat were done eating. Sky finished off the rest of his milkshake, then got up from his seat. "I'm going to go wash the grease off my hands," he explained.

"That's a good idea," said Sugarcoat. "I'll do the same." They walked down to their respectively gendered bathrooms to wash their hands. Shortly after they returned to their table, Brick arrived with their receipt. Sky and Sugarcoat calculated the totals for their respective meals, and each paid the appropriate amount, along with an extra tip for Brick.

"Have a good one!" Brick called as Sky and Sugarcoat left the restaurant.

"You too!" Sky replied.

When Sky and Sugarcoat walked out of Coppertop Grill, they found that Air had not yet returned. "Whenever my dad goes to Chip's, he always takes forever," Sky chuckled.

"Well, he's quite the computer aficionado, so that's to be expected," said Sugarcoat. "Let's just wait on a bench until he's done."

There were plenty of benches scattered around Riverview Landing. Sky and Sugarcoat found one in a small garden nearby and sat down there. The bench had shade from a tree overhead, so it was a comfortable place to wait. "I appreciate that even though this is a big modern shopping complex, it still takes the time to integrate some nice green spaces into the layout," Sky remarked.

Sugarcoat nodded. "I agree, the designers did a very nice job at that. That's one of the reasons why my friends and I enjoy hanging out here. Even if you're not interested in shopping at the stores, it's still quite a nice place to take a walk and relax."

"Lyra and I have been discovering a lot of places like that," said Sky. "Meadowbrook Park, Marina Park, the lake at Camp Everfree. We just like chilling out together."

"As I imagine most couples would. It's important to have those kinds of people in your life. The ones with whom you can spend time doing nothing and still enjoy yourselves together."

"That's actually a great way of putting it. It's not necessarily about what you're doing, it's about who you're spending the time with."

"Precisely. That described us for quite a while, and now you have Lyra to fill that role as well."

A few minutes later, Air returned from the electronics store, and sat down to chat with his niece for a little while. However, Sugarcoat soon had to leave as she still had some homework to do. So Sky and Air hugged her goodbye, then walked back to their car and began heading home for the afternoon.

---

That evening, Sky was sitting in the armchair in his room, looking at the Boogle Maps satellite view on his phone. As he admired the bird's-eye view of Canterlot City and the surrounding towns, he thought back to his first date with Lyra on the night before the Friendship Games. That night would always be special to him, especially their first kiss at the top of the hill in Meadowbrook Park. He thought about how he had discovered the spot on a whim while walking with Duke one night, and how that discovery had led to a wonderful moment with Lyra just under a month later. He began replaying the moment in his mind, and as if on queue, his phone began ringing with an incoming call from Lyra. He picked it up and answered immediately. "Hey, angel..."

"Hey, babe!" said Lyra. "How's your day been?"

"It's been good!" Sky replied. "I had lunch with Sugarcoat today, then came home and relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. How about you?"

"Mine's been good too. I slept in and stayed in my PJs for a while, then went out and played my harp in the backyard. You know, the usual stuff I do on a weekend."

"Sounds like a nice day to me. I'm looking forward to spending even more time together this summer."

"Of course! So am I. Are you busy with anything tonight?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to go to Meadowbrook Park with me tonight. We can go to our favorite spot and watch the sunset together!"

Sky's eyes twinkled. "Oh, I would love to! Funnily enough, I was just thinking about our first date there when you called me. I'll come by your house after dinner, and then we can walk to the park just like we did back then."

"Lovely! I'll see you then, cutie pie."

"You too, sweetheart. Mwah." Sky feigned kissing Lyra through the phone. Lyra giggled, then hung up. Sky put down his phone and continued smiling to himself. It was going to be a lovely night.

For dinner that night, Evening made ketchup beef with rice, one of Sky's favorite dishes. Sky ate a full bowl of it, then had an ice cream sandwich for dessert. After that, Sky grabbed his sunglasses and went to the front door to put on his shoes. "I'm going to Meadowbrook Park to watch the sunset with Lyra," he explained.

"Fine by me," replied Evening. "Enjoy it! Good to see you're bringing sunglasses too."

"Yep. I figure that's a good idea so I don't get blinded."

"Definitely. I'm glad you're taking more responsibility for yourself now, even when it comes to little things like this."

"Me too. After what happened back in February, I realized that I really needed to. Anyway, I've got to get going now, so that Lyra and I can make it to the park on time." Sky opened the front door and stepped outside.

It was a lovely summer evening. The air was warm and still, and the final remnants of daylight still lit up the sky. Summer nights had always been Sky's favorites - there was something so uplifting and soothing about how the daylight lingered long past dinnertime. He smiled as he began walking west along his street, in the direction of both Lyra's house and the setting sun.

About twenty minutes later, Sky arrived at Lyra's house and rang the doorbell. Lyra came downstairs and opened the door in no time. "Hey, Sky..." she said with a calm smile. She gently brushed her hand against Sky's, and he held onto it.

"Ready to go?" Sky asked.

Lyra nodded. "Of course." They began strolling down the road together, toward their favorite park in the whole city.

Like Sky, Lyra was also wearing a pair of sunglasses. "Do I look cool with my shades on?" she giggled.

Sky smiled. "You look cool with anything on, Lyra. How about me?"

"Like the coolest man in the world," Lyra replied with a wink.

Sky and Lyra continued on their relaxing walk through Canterlot, enjoying the warm summer breeze and the fading sunlight. "You know, Lyra... before I came to Canterlot High, I hardly ever gave romance a second thought," admitted Sky. "My mind was always weighed down with other things, whether it be frustration over past mistakes I'd made or petty grudges that didn't actually matter in the long run. These things ended up making me needlessly unhappy a lot of times, and going to Crystal Prep made it worse. But then I met you, Lyra, and all the negativity in my mind was instantly washed away. You brought me happiness and fulfillment when I needed it most, and so I always tried my best to do the same for you."

Lyra leaned against Sky and gave him a warm smile. "Aww, Sky... that's one of the most heartfelt things I've ever heard. Before I met you, I never thought much about romance either. I had some amazing friends already, and most other people just thought I was weird. I've never been one to care that much about others' opinions, though, so that never really bothered me."

"As well it shouldn't," added Sky. "Your quirks don't make you weird, they make you amazingly cute and fun to be around. I love that about you."

Lyra promptly stopped, got in front of Sky, and gave him a nice long kiss on the lips. Sky immediately leaned in and reciprocated. When their lips parted, they took each other's hand again and continued on their way.

"I bet you liked that, huh?" teased Lyra.

Sky grinned. "I loved it. I love you. Never stop being you."

"I'll always be me. I'll always be here for you. And I love you too." Lyra promptly burst out with laughter, as did Sky.

"Ah, we're so perfect for each other!" Sky snickered.

"Totally." Lyra sighed happily. "I'm so grateful that I have you, Sky. When we first met back in February, I could tell I was going to like you. The way you opened up about everything was just so sweet. Especially since I could kind of sense that you had a crush, which just made you even cuter!" She gave Sky a peck on the cheek, as she often did whenever they were walking together. "Thanks for making these past few months amazing."

"You're very welcome," Sky replied with a smile. "And thank you for doing the same for me. This is just the beginning, though. We've still got a whole summer ahead of us."

"You bet!" agreed Lyra. "It'll be the summer of... Skyra? Oh goodness, that is perfect! You're Sky, I'm Lyra, and together we're Skyra!"

"Oh yeah!" Sky exclaimed. "I can't believe I never thought of that before! Guess we really were meant to be. Skyra. I love the sound of that."

The couple soon arrived at the west entrance to Meadowbrook Park. The sky overhead was just beginning to turn from blue to red in the distance. They entered the park together and began walking along the loop path. Much like the previous times they had visited, the park was quiet and calm, with hardly anyone else there, and nothing that could possibly distract them from the warm presence of each other.

"This really is just like our first date," said Lyra.

"Mm-hmm," agreed Sky. "Except this time, we're officially a couple. Ah... so many amazing memories packed into just a few months."

When they reached the fork, they followed the path that led up the hill, feeling absolutely certain of their destination. It had become comfortably familiar, like a dependable friend that would always be waiting there for them. At the clearing atop the hill, the place where they had shared their first kiss on that wonderful night in April, the panoramic vista of Canterlot City greeted them, every bit as beautiful as they had remembered it.

"And here we are..." said Sky. "There really is nothing quite like this, is there?"

"Nope..." Lyra agreed. "Especially when we're up here together, just the two of us. It doesn't get any better than this. But I think we'll have to look the other way if we want to watch the sunset." She giggled and pointed in the opposite direction, where the sun was beginning to set beyond the western horizon.

"Oh... right," Sky chuckled. "The city is to the east. Too bad I'm not enough of a morning person to watch the sunrise."

"Yeah... me too." Lyra then noticed a large flat rock on the other side of the hill, near another clearing in the trees. "I think we'll get an even better view if we stand on that."

"Ooh, yes!" agreed Sky. "You're amazing." He followed Lyra to the rock, and they climbed onto it and stood side by side. They put their arms around each other, and Lyra gently placed her head on Sky's shoulder. As they watched the sun go down, turning the sky a beautiful shade of red, Sky and Lyra also took time to admire the view of the suburbs and trees below, all basking in the final light of the day.

"We live in such a beautiful place, don't we?" said Lyra.

"We really do," agreed Sky. "Though I have to admit, I never fully appreciated it until recently. In these last few months, my outlook on life has brightened in a way that I never would have expected at the start of this year. I feel like a new person now, and I've felt this way ever since..."

Lyra's eyes twinkled. "Since I came along?"

Sky smiled knowingly, and gave Lyra a kiss on the cheek. "Mm-hmm. Since you came along."

Author's Note:

And thus, the story of how Sky and Lyra first met draws to a close.

I can't put into words how satisfying it feels to finally complete this story. This is a story that I've wanted to tell since the early months of 2019, when Lyra first became my favorite pony. However, I never had the writing skills and experience to see it through until now. To everyone who's supported my writing over the last few years, thank you so much. I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Comments

[Postwarmonkey50]

Aw, that's so cute.
It's rare to see good couples on MLP nowadays.

[Bronycommander]

loved it! Any plans what to do next?

[Sky Scraper]

11511524
Thank you! I agree that MLP OC shipping doesn't seem to be as popular as it used to be, but I still enjoy it. I'm glad you enjoyed the voyage of the SS Skyra too.

11511528
I doubt I'll do another long story like this, but I do plan on writing more about Sky and Lyra in the future.

[Bronycommander]

11511681
well, if you need any help or see more uses for hanzal and candy, you know where to find me