The Seasons

by Scootareader

Summer - Part 2

Sea Spray's eyes snapped open. What a nightmare.

Just as quickly, he realized he was not in his home in Manehattan. He groaned and rolled over in the unfamiliar bed, recounting the previous day's events to himself.

He knew he was with two crazy mares. Lyra seemed a bit more reasonable, but Bon Bon was utterly insane. He was going to leave today, no ifs, ands, or buts. This had been a mistake, and he was going to fix it.

With any luck, the two mares would still be fast asleep, considering what they'd been doing late into the night. It would probably be best to spirit himself away before they were up and about.

The turquoise pegasus rose silently from his bed, creeping into the hallway. He arrived at the stairs, tried to remember if any of them creaked, and gave up on his imperfect memory, praying to Celestia to not let these wooden steps creak just this once.

He placed his hoof upon the first step. It let out a tiny creak. So far, so good. He continued his descent, testing the next step, and the step afterward, each time experiencing only a small disturbance caused by his passing.

Finally arriving at the bottom of the stairs, he began to sneak towards the doorway. It appeared illuminated, the rising sun almost directly on the other side, calling to him, a beacon of hope in his disturbed mind.

A pan fell from the kitchen and landed on the floor.

Sea Spray froze as he heard Bon Bon chuckle, saying to herself, "Oh, clumsy little mare you are. Breakfast isn't cooked on the floor."

Sea Spray let out a quiet, slow breath of air that he'd been holding. He crept up to the entryway, peeking around to see what Bon Bon was doing.

Her back turned to him, the mare appeared to be nodding her head to some unheard tune. Sea Spray, seizing the opportunity, decided he would sneak past now, before he had a chance to psych himself out.

He made several tiny steps into the illuminated entryway. Still, the mare continued to work at the oven. Emboldened, he took several long, silent steps, watching his captor warily for any movement all the way. She never reacted.

Sea Spray arrived at the other side of the entryway, his head still turned around, looking back at the opening he'd just managed to pass without being spotted. He smiled triumphantly as he silently celebrated his victory. Turning around, he went to sneak to the door.

His nose came into contact with a mint-green one. "Uh, hi there."

Sea Spray gave a small cry of surprise, his euphoria dashed as he gazed upon the judging unicorn. "I, uh—why'd you scare me like that?"

"Well, you weren't actually looking where you were going. I trotted in about 5 seconds before you decided to run into me. Why were you sneaking, anyway?"

By now, Bon Bon had finished whatever it was she was doing and joined the conversation. "Oh, I was about to call to you and ask if you'd like some breakfast! I'm making waffles!" Judging by her face being coated in a thin layer of batter, she wasn't as experienced as she was leading Sea Spray to believe.

Lyra was still looking questioningly at Sea Spray. He coughed nervously, his mind racing to come up with something. "I, uh, was trying to be quiet. I saw Bon Bon was awake, but you may still have been sleeping."

The minty musician nodded knowingly. "I know what you mean, but I can't get an extra wink of sleep with—" she nodded toward Bon Bon "—this one."

Bon Bon blushed and disappeared back into the kitchen.

Sea Spray asked, "So, why aren't you helping her with breakfast, anyway?"

Lyra gave a quiet giggle. "When we're both in the kitchen, nothing ever gets done. Toast burns, dough rises too high, and eggshells are accidentally mixed in with cake. I'm nothing but a distraction to her, and I can't cook well enough to feed an insect, let alone myself and other ponies."

Sea Spray nodded knowingly. "I usually just eat prepared meals, or I go out and eat often."

"Where'd you say you were from?"

"Manehattan. I'm part of the weather team."

Lyra nodded. "Oh, um, where were you going, anyway?"

Ack. Time for another excuse. "I was, uh, just going for a morning walk. I like walking while the sun is still low, it's nice and cool out." In reality, he got plenty of fresh air doing his job, but he wasn't about to mention that.

"Ah, makes sense. Wait... aren't you a part of the weather team? Your job is outside."

Oh, horsefeathers. "Yeah, but, uh... the atmosphere... it's pretty polluted. With all those, uh, ponies. We have to clean smog out for a good portion of our shifts. I don't get any fresh air on the job." Wow, he was even convincing himself.

The unicorn nodded understandingly. "All right, fair enough. Mind if I join you?"

He gave an inward sigh. "Fine."

---

Against his better judgment, Sea Spray found Lyra to be quite a genial and pleasant mare. He considered this a little during their walk.

On the one hoof, she was completely and utterly insane. Not Bon Bon insane, but insane nonetheless. He didn't know how these ponies could be so friendly and open about... their lives. He didn't consider it a problem, but it was a foreign concept to him.

On the other hoof, she seemed genuinely good-natured and fun to get along with. Perhaps the kind of mare he'd like to meet someday. He liked her boldness, too.

After several minutes of silent trotting, Lyra said quietly, "So, uh... what are you thinking about?"

Sea Spray looked into the green-and-russet mottled patterns of the trees and slowed down, considering his reply. "Finding a special somepony."

She glanced at him, amused. "And what brought that on?"

"I, erm..." he stammered. "Well, I, uh, I see how happy you and Bon Bon are, and I've never found somepony who can make me happy."

Lyra looked shocked. "How'd you know we were together!?"

Sea Spray stated offhandedly, "The walls aren't that thick," continuing his leisurely canter.

Lyra turned a vivid shade of red, then, realizing her legs had stopped, forced herself to keep moving. "Yeah, uh... sorry about that. We're not all that used to visitors."

---

Sea Spray enjoyed the remainder of his trot back to the cottage. Lyra had hurried on ahead, claiming to want to help Bon Bon prepare breakfast, but her nervousness bespoke the embarrassing moment she wanted to recount to her special somepony before their guest made it back.

He arrived at the door, considering whether he should knock on it, opting instead to just let himself in. "I'm back!" he announced as he entered once again. He then froze, looking back at the door he'd just walked through.

He could have left.

All too quickly, Lyra had rounded the corner, followed by Bon Bon, who had a rosy glow highlighting her cheeks. It appeared they'd just been talking about it.

Bon Bon stuttered, "I, er, ah... sorry. We got a bit carried away."

Sea Spray smiled nonchalantly. "Carried away with what?"

The eggshell-colored earth pony flushed a deeper shade of red. "Oh, um, never mind, then." There were a few seconds of uncomfortable silence before she said, "Oh! Breakfast is definitely ready."

For all the strange things that had happened so far, Bon Bon had definitely done a good job making the waffles. Sea Spray's had disappeared moments within his tasting it, and Bon Bon courteously served him another, which he also subsequently began eating.

These ponies were still crazy, but he'd walked back here. Why? Why do I find myself wanting to spend time with these two mares?

Lyra was an obvious choice. Her pragmatism and offhanded way of looking at things was something to be admired.

Bon Bon, however, he found quite anomalous. He found himself sneaking glances at her as he devoured his second waffle.

The mare he saw standing there was eccentric and spontaneous. Nopony could ever expect the same thing out of her twice. She was refreshing, unpredictable, adventurous.... Ah, that's what Lyra sees in her.

So, Lyra was the brains and common sense of the pair. She likely went out and made the money for the two of them to afford this house and be able to hold random visitors like himself.

Bon Bon was the housewife. She was the one to cook, clean, and keep things maintained. When Lyra got home at the end of the day, she would be looking forward to the sweet earth pony who'd been missing her.

Sea Spray liked Lyra because she was like him. He also just realized he liked Bon Bon. He looked upon her with newfound admiration. Eccentricities aside, she'd been nothing but sweet and caring towards him. He'd love to have a mare like that.

“That wall's real interesting, huh?”

The turquoise pegasus blinked and looked at Lyra, who was smiling confidently at him. He nodded quietly.

“Is something wrong, dear?” Bon Bon's concerned face hovered into his vision as well.

Sea Spray could feel his face begin to burn. “I-I, um, I was thinking about, uh-uh...” he stammered. His face was getting hotter now. He was almost certain they could see it.

“Oh, c'mon, silly little colt! We can take it!” Bon Bon beamed at Sea Spray encouragingly.

He took a deep breath. “I was, uh, thinking of how wonderful the both of you are. As mares.”

Silence pervaded over the table as the stunned mares stared at him incredulously. He blushed a deeper shade of red, his visage burning as he attempted to swallow his embarrassment.

To his side, Lyra giggled. “Well, I'm taken, sorry.”

Bon Bon joined Lyra in her laugh. “And I as well.”

“No, no! I didn't mean it like that!” Sea Spray exasperatedly tried to think of a way out of his predicament, then realized there was no way. “I... just see the both of you so happy together... and I'd love to find a mare to make me feel half as special as the two of you must feel right now.”

The two mares blushed and held each other's hooves. Lyra looked toward him. “Uh... thank you.”

Bon Bon added, “You know you get to stay here as long as you want, right? Such a charmer, and only one day in!”

Sea Spray smiled contentedly. This wasn't such a bad place after all.

Author's Note:

A legitimate chapter on April Fool's Day. Such dedication!

--Scootareader