Chapter Six
Lyra’s mind swam with the events of last night, playing and replaying the disaster as it unfolded. She tossed and turned in bed, sleep eluding her save for the briefest of moments. Was there anything we could’ve done differently? At all? She left bed and the Confectionarium before Bonbon was awake and wandered about Ponyville for a bit, straying close to Quills and Sofas or Curry's Comestibles, but never quite going up to the front door. Her long travels eventually brought her to the Residency. With a moment's hesitation, she opened the gates and walked inside.
Pokey was at the front desk, a stack of paperwork in the 'in' box. He looked up at Lyra, then jerked his head in the direction of Trixie's office. His horn glowed and the door opened. “Trixie, she's here!” he shouted.
Lyra half-smiled at Pokey, then continued into Trixie's office. She walked in to find Trixie at her desk, reading Don Rocinante of Equestria.
Trixie's eyes were glued to the book, but her horn glowed and the liquor cabinet opened. A bottle of bourbon and glass floated out, but both suddenly stopped in midair. “No, no,” Trixie muttered. The glass suddenly floated back into the cabinet, while the bottle continued on its way to Lyra. “That's better.”
Lyra took the bottle with her own magic, opened it up and took a swig of the amber-colored liquor. The bottle spasmed in her grip and she herself shuddered, her head twitching. “Oh, wow!”
Trixie finally looked up from her reading and smirked. “That is why Monsieur Bourbon and I are so intimately acquainted.” She took the bottle and put it away. “I heard a bit about last night. And I expect to be hearing more about it this afternoon. Since A'la Cart is still standing, the night didn't go nearly as bad as the rumors made it out to be?”
Lyra rolled her eyes and waved Trixie off. “The building still standing is one of the better things to happen. We're looking about about fifteen-hundred bit's worth of fines, probably more. Pop has a black eye and his horn hurts even worse than before. Skyla's primaries were damaged and Dad got a nasty kick to the ribs. I'm not sure the condition of Bonbon's parents, but at least Curry's glasses were broken and Honeydew was a wreck.”
Trixie finally closed the book and put it away. She slid off her chair and walked around to Lyra. “Better than the rumors, then. I have no idea if there's anything I can do, even as the Official Representative of The Night Court and Princess Luna. But if there is, I offer my services to you and Bonbon in this hour of need!”
Lyra sighed and slumped. “I don't suppose you could have Luna issue a decree that our parents have to get along, or else?”
Trixie glanced to her hat, currently on the desk. She rubbed her chin, but waved Lyra off. “Tempting, but I'm not sure that'd fly. Besides, it is really necessary for them to get along?”
Lyra stared down at Trixie from the couch. “Well, yeah? I mean, okay, absolutely strictly speaking it's not legally necessary for them to get along, but it would make things a hay of a lot smoother and easier!”
Trixie shrugged. “I'll take your word for it. Not exactly my area of expertise.” She rubbed her chin. “How's Bonbon handling the fallout?”
Lyra opened her mouth, but stopped short of speaking. Her cheeks turned a slight shade of red as she suddenly began studying the ceiling. “We basically went to bed with barely an exchange, and then I... kinda sorta left the Confectionarium before she woke up. Wasn't entirely sure what to say to her, or do.” She looked back down at Trixie and scratched the back of her head. “Whoops?”
Trixie stared at Lyra. She slapped her forehead, slowly dragged hoof down her face, then pointed to the door.
Lyra slid off the couch and sighed. “Yeah, you're right.” She started walking, then stopped and looked to Trixie. “Think she's gonna be angry with me for leaving before she even woke up?”
Trixie eyed her. “I'll have one of the guest rooms ready, in case the worst happens.” She suddenly held up a hoof. “Not that it's gonna happen!” She slowly walked out of her office, Lyra following along. “You two will be fine. I'm sure of it!” She opened the front door and the pair walked to the gate. “Now go back to Bonbon and make up. Then talk to your families and get this entire thing sorted out!”
Lyra grinned and kicked the air. “True love shall triumph!” she called out as she galloped off.
Trixie waved her off. “Yes, go do that... true love thing you do with her.”
Pokey walked out and followed Lyra's departure. He leaned in close to Trixie. “Shall I get one of the guest rooms ready?'
“Make sure we're stocked up on ice cream, too. Lots and lots of ice cream!”
Tin, Davenport and Skyla sat down at the kitchen table, each one groaning slightly and shifting in their chair. Skyla slowly extended her wings, wincing with each movement. Davenport's right foreleg was wrapped around his barrel and his breath came in short, pained gasps. Tin, meanwhile, had a bandage around his horn and his right eye was almost swelled shut.
Skyla retracted her wings back to her body. She looked to the two. “I seriously hope neither of you are even going to try to go to work today. You both look like you went ten rounds with Tirek himself.”
Davenport looked down at a cup of coffee in front of him. “Quills and Sofas can do without me for one day. I'll leave a note for them. As soon as I can move from this chair.” He tried to slide off the chair, but stopped and turned back to his coffee. “They'll understand when I'm not there.”
Tin nodded. “I've got a lot of sick-time accrued. I'll talk to my boss tomorrow.” His horn glowed, then dimmed and his eyes crossed. “Next week, next week!”
Skyla nickered and waved the pair off. “Sure, just do that after we make amends with Curry and Honeydew.” She gasped and curled her wings back in. “Maybe I can send a letter to the weather factory and let them know I'll be in Ponyville for a week, too.”
Davenport narrowed his eyes. “Wait, 'make amends'? What the Tartarus do we have to make amends for? They were the ones acting like immature foals! Curry blew everything out of proportion and assaulted poor Tinny.”
Skyla canted her jaw to the left. “Well, yes, that's actually true, but you two still should reach out to them and try to fix things, if only for Lyra.” She sighed. “Come on you, two. Be the bigger stallions, all right? I know you got it in you.”
The two stewed for a minute, but finally dropped their heads. “Okay, we'll go,” Tin muttered. “We'll do it for Lyra.” He rubbed his horn. “I'll head to Curry's shop after I stop off at Ponyville General, okay?”
Skyla smiled. “I'll walk you there, Tinny.” She looked to Davenport. “Well?”
Davenport nodded. “I'll head over right away.” He shifted in his chair. “A little help?”
Skyla extended a wing and brushed it against Davenport's shoulder, but winced and pulled it back. “You, first.”
“It's just your wings, Skyla, not your entire body!”
Lyra galloped down Main Street, slowing down slightly as she approached the Confectionarium. She swallowed and sweat formed on her brow as she noticed the 'open' sign in the front window. She canted to the side and craned her neck to the right, trying to look in while keeping as small a profile as possible.
Bonbon was inside, waiting on Thunderlane and Rumble. Her head suddenly shot up and locked eyes with Lyra. Her grin turned brittle and she jabbed her foreleg at the floor.
Lyra swallowed, but squared her shoulders and marched through the front door. She passed by Thunderlane and Rumble, past the main counter and over to Bonbon's side. “Hi, dear,” she said, grinning from ear to ear.
Bonbon kept her eyes locked ahead. “Thank you, come again,” she said to Thunderlane and Rumble. She waited for them to speedily depart before turning and glaring at Lyra, eyes lit with an inner flame. “Where the Tartarus have you been?! I've been worried sick about you. I was about to close up shop to go round up a search party!”
Lyra shrank down with each word, finally ending up on her belly with her forelegs over her head. She peeked out at Bonbon from behind a lock of her mane. “Bonbon, I am so sorry I made you worry. I didn't mean to. I just got a bit nervous about what we'd talk about and kinda bolted. I was a foalish idiot and didn't think things through.”
Bonbon's expression gradually softened. She let out a breath and stepped back. “Okay, you're forgiven. It's all right, Lyra.” She reached out and helped Lyra to her hooves. The two embraced briefly. “You're still sleeping on the couch tonight.”
Lyra sighed. “Yeah, figured that. I wandered Ponyville, had a talk with Trixie, and she sent me back here after some actually good advice. Not exactly the stuff of ballads, but a decent quest for enlightenment.”
Bonbon blinked. “I'll have to buy her a fruit basket for Hearth's Warming at this point.” She leaned in. “What'd she tell you?”
“Well, she reminded me that, legally speaking, there's nothing our parents can do to us. We're both adults and neither of us live with them. They can't forbid us from seeing each other, being marefriends or going further in our relationship.”
Bonbon's jaw moved to the right with an audible crack. “Well... I suppose that's good news in the legal sense. Although it's gonna play merry Tartarus with any wedding we have.”
Lyra snorted. “We'll have to make sure the aisle is lined with guardsponies to make sure they don't try anything.” She straightened up and her face turned mock-serious. “Make sure to dispose of all weaponized plants, tools and couch cushions before attending the ceremony.”
Bonbon bit her lip, but soon began giggling. Lyra soon joined in, and the two spent the next few minutes laughing. Bonbon eventually sucked in a breath and steadied herself. “As much as I'd like to sweep it all into the stable, our parents trying to kill each other is still gonna make our lives a living Tartarus, no matter what they legally can or can't do. Yeah, sure, they can't stop us from being together, but they're still gonna make it difficult no matter what.” She shook her head. “It'll play merry havoc with our lives and the lives of our friends.”
Lyra draped a foreleg over Bonbon and pulled her in for a hug, nuzzling her. “I know, I know.”
Tin and Skyla slowly made their way to Ponyville General, located on the outskirts of town. Skyla flanked him, a wing gingerly draped over his body as the two slowly made their way there. They briefly stopped off at an unfinished building that construction company Tin worked for was building to let them know of his condition, before continuing on their way.
Ponyville General quickly came into view. However, Honeydew also came into view, approaching from the opposite end of the road. The three slowed down as they reached Ponyville General's main gate. “Well, this is awkward,” Skyla said, chuckling lightly.
Honeydew adjusted her glasses and sneered. “Ah, Tin Taylor, my arch-nemesis!” She suddenly paused and looked to the side. “No, wait. I already have an arch-nemesis. Sorry, the position is filled. You can be part of my rogue's gallery, though.” Her horn glowed and a clipboard floated out of a saddlebag. “I'll just have to take a few notes and it will be all set!”
Tin rolled his eyes and slapped his forehead. “Sure, fine, whatever.” He grimaced and his legs wobbled as his hoof brushed against his horn.
Skyla gasped and wrapped a wing around him, keeping the tips away from his body. “Steady, Tinny! Steady!” She gasped as he leaned into her wing, but kept it firm against him.
Honeydew stared at the two for a moment. She walked up to Tin and craned her neck up and around his head. “Hmm, appears to be physical trauma caused by blunt force. What are your symptoms?”
Tin and Skyla both stared at Honeydew for a moment. “Well... it's hard for me to perform telekinesis, even small items,” Tin began. “After a few minutes I can get lightheaded and have to stop.”
Honeydew nodded. “Shall I assume you're getting the usual exercises and therapy for it?” She clicked her tongue at his mute nod. “It's a step in the right direction, but I think your internal channels are partially obstructed. You have to funnel far too much magic for even the simplest tasks.”
Skyla glanced between the two unicorns. “You seem to know quite a bit about this. Not that I'm ungrateful or anything for you helping him.”
Honeydew threw her head back and cackled. “My dear, dear Skyla! I'm a unicorn myself. More importantly, I am a SCIENTIST! And I have had more than my fair share of accidents in the lab.” She tapped her horn and blushed. “I've had more blows to the head and horn than I can count, and I own an abacus!”
Both Skyla and Tin barked a laugh. “Good point,” Skyla said.
Tin looked down at the ground and kicked up a small clod of dirt. “Listen, Honeydew. I wanna – “
“No, don't,” Honeydew said, waving him off. “We parents came off as immature foals, posturing and preening like at a rodeo. Curry and I are as at fault as you and Davenport.” Her eyes shifted to Skyla. “And you were caught in the middle, trying to wrangle some semblance of order from a hurricane of chaos. I'm sorry you were hurt, my dear. Can you forgive me?”
There was silence for a solid minute from Skyla and Tin. Their jaws hung open and their eyes were the approximate size of saucers. Skyla closed her mouth, swallowed, and then spoke. “Apology more than accepted, Honeydew. Thank you. That was remarkably... coherent from you. And no talking about weaponized vegetables, even,” she said, winking.
Honeydew grinned, but it quickly fell away. She slowly tapped her right temple. “I am broken, here. In my mind. It wasn't an accident, or something deliberate. I was born like this.” She waved at Ponyville General. “Here, they help me. I get a bit better, but it never lasts. And the worst is, I know.” She smiled at their looks of confusion. “I know when I'm not well. I know when I get better. The worst is, I know the difference between the two, and that I'll never be fully better.”
Tin swallowed and wiped his eyes, now suddenly wet. “Sorry,” he said, his voice rough.
Honeydew shrugged. “I've dealt with it all my life. My bad times are not nearly as bad as they could, and the medicine helps.” She leaned in close and grinned. “Besides, I have a reputation to maintain as the town's 'mad scientist', yes?”
Tin half-smiled. “That's one way to look at it.”
Honeydew slid back and her grin fell away. “I want what is best for my darling Bonnie. That's Lyra.” She turned her head to the side and stifled a giggle before continuing. “I'm not sure how well we can get along for extended periods of time, but I'm willing to try, at least, to keep any arguments or fights to a minimum.”
Skyla nodded at her. “Darned good to hear, Honeydew.” She looked to Tin and gently prodded him with a hoof. “Come on, Tinny.”
Tin playfully batted her away. “Okay, okay! I'll do my best, Honeydew.”
Skyla blew out a breath and wiped her forehead. “Well, nice to see you're both doing your best for the sake of your kids and keeping collateral damage to a minimum, both important goals. I'm certain your bank accounts are thanking you already.”
Davenport stopped in front of Curry's Comestibles. His ribs hurt less, but there was still a dull ache in his midsection. He squared himself and, with barely a moment's hesitation, strode inside. He spotted Curry standing next to a display of canned vegetables, talking with a customer. He walked over to the pair, but stopped short of saying anything.
Curry glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and his mustache, still disheveled from last night's altercation, twitched. The handles for his glasses were bent and taped up, and he sported a large bruise on his cheek. “Hello, may I help you?” he asked, his voice somewhat flat.
Davenport backed up slightly. “I'm sorry for interrupting. I'll wait until you're done.”
Curry's brow furrowed for a moment, but he quickly turned back and talked to the customer for a moment, sharing a laugh with her before breaking off and turning to Davenport. “Thanks,” he said, looking around his shop.
Davenport followed his gaze, noting a few other ponies milling about. He turned back to Curry. “Are you... by yourself here?”
Curry hurried over to a customer waiting at the register, Davenport following. “Yes.” He rang her up and bagged her wares, waving her off. “Thank you!” he called out, smiling. He looked to Davenport, the smile gone. “Here to try and make some sort of amends? I've kind of got my hooves full.”
Davenport nodded as he looked around again. “Yeah, I can tell. Where's your help?”
Curry stopped short and turned to Davenport. “My 'help'? I don't have any. It's just me.” He held up a hoof even as Davenport opened his mouth. “Honeydew helps out, but mostly behind the scenes. Her out on the sales floor can lead to... accidents.”
Davenport's mouth opened wide. “Just you? Running your shop? How? I've got eight employees under me and it's still a bit hectic.”
Curry leaned back slightly at Davenport's words. “Eight other employees? What does a furniture/stationery store need that many hooves for?”
Davenport chuckled. “Trust me. I sell a lot of furniture. The residency has a bulk-buying discount with me, and I still make bank! And between them and city hall, my stationery puts me in the black almost by itself.” He looked around at the various customers around. “Need a hoof?”
Before Curry could say anything, Davenport sidled up to Coconut, who was examining heads of lettuce. After a few minutes, Coconut scooped up a half-dozen heads into his basket, trotted over to Curry and placed the basket on the counter. Curry looked over at Davenport. “Okay, you talked me into it.”
The pair tended to customers as they walked in, Davenport chatting them up while Curry rang them out and helped with details about the product that Davenport didn't know. After the mid-noon rush, Curry pulled out a small basket and set it on the counter. He motioned to the somewhat-emptied shelves. “Whatever you want, it's on the house. You more than earned it.”
Davenport grabbed the last bushel of carrots and a pair of radishes, then walked over to the counter. “Thanks,” he said, sighing and slumping his shoulders. “Either I'm getting old, or I rely a bit too much on my employees.” He looked up at Curry, a look of respect on his face. “How do you do it?”
Curry munched on a sandwich before speaking up. “A lot of running back and forth, a lot of terseness and clipped answers.” He held up a hoof and looked at the underside of it. “And investments in extra-strength horseshoes.”
They both laughed for a moment. Davenport looked around again. “Still impressive, Curry.” He swallowed and looked down at the floor. “Listen... I'm sorry about last night. I got carried away and egged Honeydew on. And I was pretty harsh to you, too. I'm a medium-business owner and should know how hard it can be.”
Curry shook his head. “I think we four of us acted quite badly and ruined the night for Bonbon, Lyra and Skyla. They wanted a nice family dinner and we trashed the place.” He looked down at the register. “And we'll be paying for that in more ways than one.”
Davenport nickered. “Yeah, Tinny and I aren't looking forward to that hit either. A shame we couldn't do this last night, Curry. You're a pretty good stallion.”
Curry nodded to him. “So are you, Davenport.” He looked up as the front door opened and Tin, Honeydew and Skyla walked in. Skyla looked at the two, then around the shop. “I'm really hoping business was good?” she asked, a nervous smile on her muzzle.
Davenport and Curry exchanged a glance, then Curry's mustache shifted as he smiled. “Yeah, I'd say business is doing just fine between us.”
Bonbon and Lyra made their way straight for Curry's Comestibles. “Okay, we'll start with your parents, then mine,” Lyra said, keeping her head high. “If they can't get along, then it's like what Trixie said. It's not our fault and they can deal with it.”
Bonbon narrowed her eyes. “And if they can't deal with it, then tough on them!” She thrust a hoof into the air. “We're not foals and they can't forbid us to see each other or live together or anything!”
They slowed down as they approached the storefront. Their ears waggled a bit as voices could be heard inside. Bonbon slowly walked up to the front window and peered inside. “No, way!” She dashed for the door and want inside, Lyra following.
Inside, Tin, Davenport, Skyla, Honeydew and Curry all stood in a loose semicircle, smiling and listening as Davenport continued speaking. “So I asked Blueblood, 'If that's the couch, then where's the conch?'!”
The other four laughed. Honeydew cackled and patted Davenport on the arm. “Ah, my dear Davenport. When I rule Equestria from my candy-encrusted castle, I shall give you Manehattan!”
Davenport slowly nodded. “Thanks, I think.” He looked over at Lyra and Bonbon. “Hey, you two! Great to see you, here. We've all got something to say to you.” He sucked in a breath. “We're sorry about last night. We acted like morons last night. Can you forgive us?”
Bonbon's mouth quavered. “Well, I... am glad to hear that, Davenport,” she finally said.
Curry spoke up. “And don't worry about the money for the damages from last night. We four will take care of it.” He pointed at Skyla. “We mean it, too. No money from you, Skyla.”
Skyla shrugged. “Okay, fine.”
Lyra's eyes darted among the five. “Okay, I'm not gonna complain about you getting along, but how'd you manage it?”
“Yeah. You four were about to go to war last night,” Bonbon said. “Not that I'm complaining either.”
Davenport looked down at Curry's hooves. “I guess we just had to get to know each other a little better, walk a mile in each other's horseshoes for a bit. I can't promise we won't always get along, but last night was the worst of it.”
Lyra waved him off. “We'll take it, Dad.”
Skyla frowned and rubbed her chin. “Hey, were you two looking for us?”
Lyra and Bonbon looked to each other before dissolving into fits of giggles. Honeydew frowned at them and adjusted her glasses. “I'll just never understand these young fillies. They can act so weird sometimes!”
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I love the turn about with Honeydew, she's gone from being a clown to such a tragic character now you know about her illness.
Is that a Don Quixote reference?
I love this mare.
I like her. She's willing to be mature.
Oh, oh, geez, I kinda feel bad for her now...
A happy ending! Good job on that.
I really loved this story. I really liked the humour but also the drama in it. Honeydew especially was a fun character to read about. This story was indeed worth the wait. I give it 9 out of 10 Pinky smiles.
The fic was awesome, there was a lot of good points that I already discussed.
Here is the live read's first chapter
Finally got around to finishimg this story and I loved it. Very cute slice of life.
This is a cute little fic.