Relationship Questions

Relationship Questions

Chris gargled and swished the water in his cheeks, rinsing the toothpaste from his mouth before spitting it into the sink. It had been a long day working in Princess Twilight's new library reorganizing all the books, and tomorrow he would have to work with the slave driver Rarity. She wasn’t a mean employer by any means, she was just very demanding. Everything had to be perfect and she loved keeping Chris on his toes when he was working for her, so a full nights rest would be required.

He stood in front of his mirror admiring himself a little, wearing nothing but his favorite pair of horizontal striped light-green and cream colored boxer shorts that Rarity had so generously made for him once she found out what his favorite colors were. She might be a pain to work for, but her generosity was endless.

Chris noticed a little stubble around his jaw line in his reflection. He could use a good shave, but that could wait till morning, or perhaps he would just let it grow out. He always thought he looked pretty suave with a beard when he kept up with it. Plus his marefriend had been bugging him to grow it out for the past few months. She was curious about what he might look like with a full beard after she found out humans could actually grow hair on their faces.

“My marefriend,” Chris muttered aloud to himself, chuckling in disbelief at his own words. It was a wonderful thought to think that he was lucky enough to find love in this crazy world of pastel colored ponies. He never would have guessed that something so life changing could ever happen to him. Especially after he was so abruptly ripped from his old home world and dropped straight into the middle of the Everfree Forest, only to find out that this new world was filled with all kinds of crazy mythical creatures, except humans.

But, despite how out of place he was, there was one mare who could see past his differences and actually love him for who he was, and her name was Lyra Heartstrings. She was a beautiful mint green unicorn that he loved and cared for more than anything. It was an amazingly uplifting thought for him to know that she loved him as well, and she was such a wonderful mare.

Finally after being stuck in this crazy world for so long, it seemed like his new life in Equestria was turning out to be better than the one he was forced to leave behind, but something had been bothering Lyra lately. Chris had known her long enough to tell when something big was on her mind. She would always stare out into space and flick her tail every so often when she was lost in thought. Chris had no clue what could be plaguing her mind so much, but what he did know was that it all seemed to start after that fateful day when he first became her lover.

Once Lyra awoke in Chris's arms after a night of passionate lovemaking, she explained to him that she needed to go back home to tell her friend Bon Bon why she didn't return that night, but promised to be back. Then when Lyra finally came back an hour later, she started to explain that her friend needed help wrapping candy for her shop in Ponyville. She wanted Chris to lend a hand and get to know Bon Bon a little more.

Chris loved the idea, of course. He knew that the two mares had been close friends for a long time and it was only right that he go out and become friends with the cream-colored earth pony. Plus It wasn't like he’d never meet her before, in fact he had seen her a lot from being around Lyra so much, but she would usually shy away from him and never speak to him directly... or at all for that matter, now that he thought more about it.

Chris was used to that kind of treatment from most of the ponies around town. They feared him and he couldn’t really blame them for keeping their distance. He was something completely foreign from anything they had ever seen before, and their world had no shortage of dangerous creatures that constantly threatened their way of life.

The good news was that most of the ponies had started to warm up to him by now. Unfortunately Bon Bon was a completely different story. She could never seem to relax around him and the whole time he was at her house helping to wrap her candy creations, she just kept to herself and would only talk to Lyra. She would only ever glance at him to see what his hands were doing for some reason. She seemed enthralled with them, but not in the good way like Lyra was. No, it was more like a fear, like she was expecting his hands to explode at any minute.

He wished he could show Bon Bon that he wasn't a threat. Honestly, he really did like her just from seeing how well she got along with Lyra. She seemed like an amazing friend who was always looking out for the unicorn. If he could just reach out to her somehow and get to know her more...

Maybe it was more than him being different from her that she didn’t like. It could be possible that she resented him for taking her best friend away. Lyra did move out of the house she shared with Bon Bon to be with him in his new home...

Chris grunted heavily, rubbing his tired eyes with his thumb and index finger. He hated thinking about how apprehensive Lyra’s best friend was toward him. He would make an effort to talk to Lyra about Bon Bon later. Maybe she knew what was up with her friend, but that was a matter for another time. For now there was still a beautiful unicorn laying in his bed that hadn’t had her daily dose of cuddling and he needed to correct that travesty.

The human gave himself one last glance in the mirror before blowing out the candle that illuminated the bathroom. He then walked into the bedroom where Lyra was waiting for him on his bed. She was laying on her side with her back facing him and head lifted up. Her tail flicked from side to side as she stared out of the open window in the room, gazing up at the beautiful, summer night sky with her brow furrowed in deep thought.

Chris took a moment to gaze upon her. Watching as the moonlight reflected off her mint-green coat and silky cyan mane, creating a soft white aura around her shapely figure. Her bright golden eyes reflected the starry night sky as she continued to stare out into the distance, adding to her majesty. She was beautiful, and she was his to hold and to love. He smiled to himself, thinking how lucky a schmuck like him would have to be to land such a mare.

The human continued to ogle the unsuspecting unicorn, letting his eyes drift lower down her back, stopping on those perfectly round flanks of hers: one of the more erotic features he loved about his marefriend. They were so soft, but firm at the same time. Perfect for squeezing and massaging with his hands.

Lyra's tail flicked up, then fell on the bed’s red comforter with a soft thud sound, interrupting Chris’s erotic thoughts. She was thinking hard about something. Perhaps tonight she would share some of those thoughts with him.

Chris slowly crept onto the bed, crawling toward the contemplating mare. He laid down next to her, wrapping his arm around her barrel, pulling her towards him until her back was pressed firmly against his chest as he kissed her softly on the cheek.

Lyra giggled as she was pulled into her coltfriend’s warm body, her expression of deep thought melted into one of delight as his kiss tickled her cheek. She turned her head slightly, looking into Chris’s hazel colored eyes. “Hey there handsome,” she cooed softly, letting her eyelids drop slightly.

“Hey yourself, sexy,” Chris countered with a deep sensual voice, bobbing his eyebrows up and down in an overly exaggerated manner.

Lyra giggled at his absurd expression. She always loved how he would wiggle his furry eyebrows like that, it was just such a silly looking gesture.

“Wait! Do that other thing with your eyebrows!” Lyra requested happily with giddy joy, smiling up at him.

Complying with the request, Chris preceded to move his eyebrows in a wave like motions from left to right, causing Lyra to burst out laughing.

“Okay… Okay, stop now," she requested between giggles. “I still don't know how you can do that so well.” She added, catching her breath slightly.

“Years of practice,” Chris answered with a smug smile and one last eyebrow wiggle.

Lyra bit her lower lip, trying not to laugh again at the thought of her coltfriend trying to master his eyebrow wiggling technique over the years, but her thoughts were dropped once she noticed Chris’s face fur was starting to come in again. “Hey! Are you going to grow your beard out now!?” Lyra asked, beaming up at him.

Chris chucked at how enthusiastic she was about him growing a beard. “Well, maybe…” he mused, scratching his chin stubble a little. “But I'm glad all those year of eyebrow training could cheer you up, you were looking pretty down a moment ago. Something on your mind?” he asked, placing his hand back around her barrel again.

Lyra frowned, turning her head back to the opened window, looking up into Luna's starry night sky. “No… well... yeah” she admitted with a sigh.

“What's bugging you? You know you can always talk to me,” Chris reassured her, kissing her on the cheek again.

“I know… It’s just… It’s silly.”

“Oh, come on now. Whatever it is, it seems anything but silly. I know it’s been on your mind for a while. You can tell me,” Chris reassured as he petted her side gently, trying to comfort and encourage her a little more.

Lyra wanted to tell him everything, but thought it would be better to wait a little longer before bringing up more serious topics about their relationship. Topics like forming a herd.

Bon Bon’s words from that day when she first asked the earth pony if she wanted to join her family kept ringing in her head.

‘Don’t you think you're putting your cart before the pony?’

Lyra cringed a little at the memory of what Bon Bon said. She was right of course. Lyra was moving too fast, and shouldn’t have asked her friend to join her herd right after becoming Chris’s lover. She should have talked to Chris about it first, but the unicorn couldn’t help it. She loved Bon Bon, and longed to see the beautiful mare by her side in the same bed she shared with Chris. It just felt wrong not having her there and Lyra knew that Chris and Bon Bon would be perfect for each other, if only that stubborn mare would give her coltfriend a chance to show her how loving he could be.

“Hey…” Chris called out gently, rubbing Lyra’s abdomen to get her attention. She had gone silent for a little while. “You okay?”

“I’m sorry…” Lyra replied, looking down a little more. She might as well talk to him about all this stuff now. It was important to her, and he wouldn’t rest well knowing that something was troubling her this much.

“Okay... I’ll tell you.” she said, positioning herself on her other side, so she could face Chris.

Chris laid down on his back, extending his arms out in a welcoming manner.

Lyra knew what he wanted and inched a little closer to him, laying her head on his chest, wrapping her foreleg around him so she could hold him tightly.

Chris wrapped his arm under and around her, using his other hand to pet her foreleg that was holding him.

The unicorn let out a happy sigh, enjoying the warmth of his body, thinking for a moment before saying anything to him. She thought it would be wise to know Chris’s opinions about having a foal one day before asking him anything about bringing Bon Bon into their family. It was something that was important to her, and even more important to Bon Bon. She knew one of the bigger reasons the earth pony wouldn’t join her family right away was because they couldn’t have a foal of their own with Chris since he wasn’t a pony.

Unknown to Chris though, Lyra found a way that they could have a healthy foal, so she had to know if he would be willing to do something like this with her in the future. That way she could tell Bon Bon that they still had that option, if it was something that he wanted as well. It might be best to ask the questions as something hypothetical since she wasn’t a hundred percent sure if the method would even work with him yet. She didn’t want to tell him there was a way they could have a foal together only to break his heart later when she finds out it would never work, but she was pretty sure it would work.

“Chris…” Lyra finally spoke gently, looking up into his bright hazel colored eyes that she loved so much.

“Yes?”

“Would you…” Lyra began to say, but hesitated for a moment, looking away from him, thinking over the questions in her mind before turning back to him. “Would you ever want to have a foal someday?”

Chris was taken aback by the question. Honestly he had never given something like that any thought, considering he was the only human in this world. He thought the option of raising a family of his own was taken away from him when he was dropped into Equestria. Even if it was a possibility the child could be born with a lot of issues and defects.

His thoughts started to drift into images of what a half-pony half-human hybrid might end up looking like. He winced a little at the mental image of a man with hooves for hands and feet, danced around while he whipped his rainbow colored mane back and forth.

“Umm… well, sweetheart... I don’t think that’s really an option for me," he answer truthfully. "Or for us...” he added regrettably. The thought was a little depressing to him and he was sure Lyra didn’t like that fact either. He hoped that wouldn’t be something that ended up damaging their relationship in the future.

Lyra nodded her head against his chest in understanding, causing Chris to let out a soft sigh of relief. “I know, but… what if… hypothetically speaking…. there was a way we could have a foal together. Would you want to do that then?”

Again Chris thought back to the mutant pony-man, making him cringe a little. “Honey, I think if we did that, then the foal might not look right…”

“But... what if the foal came out to be a perfectly healthy pony like me? You know with no abnormalities or defects, but they were still apart of you,” she asked, lifting her head up from his chest a little, rubbing his side lovingly with her hoof. "Would that be something you would want to do someday?"

"If the foal came out to be a healthy pony like you?" Chris repeated Lyra’s words to himself, holding his chin in his hand, considering all the possibilities of that question.

'If the foal was just a normal pony like Lyra that would be pretty wild.' Chris thought to himself. What if the foal shared some traits with him like his eye color. That would be pretty mind blowing if it was possible, but is that something he would want?

Chris continued to ponder about what it would be like to play catch with a little unicorn of his own and how hard it would be to make sure that they stayed out of trouble once they master their magic.

But, what if it came out as a pegasus? They might just fly away from him and cause all kinds of mischief. He would have to get Lyra to use her magic to bring them down so he could ground them both literally and figuratively.

An Earth pony might be a little easier for him, just as long as he stayed in shape. Playing around with the little tyke would be quite the challenge since earth ponies were naturally very strong.

Chris chuckled to himself as he continued to think how much of a challenge raising a foal would be, but he couldn't help the smirk spreading across his lips as his thoughts drifted to visions of how proud he would be when they finally got their cutie mark, or took their first flight, or levitated their first object. He could even picture his little colt or filly growing up to do wonderful things in Equestria, maybe even moving on to create a family of their own someday. It was a heart-warming idea and the more he thought about it the more he wished it could be a reality.

If all of this was indeed somehow possible, he would definitely need to get a more stable job. Working odd job to odd job wasn’t really the best financial situation to be in to raise a foal. He would need something more substantial to help Lyra pay for their child’s schooling and making sure they grew up in the most positive environments they could provide.

Lyra started drawing little circles into Chris's chest, using the soft edge of her hoof, impatiently waiting for him to respond. It was a big questions that she needed to know the answer to before she could ask him about bringing Bon Bon into their family. “Chris?” She called out, gazing up at him with a slightly worried expression.

Chris smiled at Lyra, wrapping both of his arms around her, giving her a loving squeezing. “You know... I think I would really like that, but… hypothetically speaking of course, if this could happen... then I would need to get a more stable job before we actually considered having a foal...”

Lyra beamed up at him, squeezing his chest with her forelegs lovingly. “Thanks big guy,” she replied softly, feeling more relaxed after getting the answer she was hoping for. Now they could talk about what has been on her mind for so long.

Chris smiled, leaning his head down, giving Lyra a quick kiss on the lips. “So is that what has been bothering you this whole time? I’m sorry that dream can’t be a reality…”

Lyra didn’t respond to that last part. Instead she laid her head back down, rubbing her cheeks into his bare chest, nuzzling him affectionately before speaking again. “Well… there was something else on my mind…” she said barely above a whisper.

“Oh? Well what is it then?” Chris asked, feeling good about getting to talk about all this important stuff with his marefriend before it became a bigger issue later.

Lyra said nothing for a while before getting up off of Chris’s body, much to his disapproval. She propped herself up with her forelegs, looking down at him with a slightly worried expression. “Chris...” she finally spoke, looking him straight in the eye. “What do you think about Bonny?”

Chris looked up at her and blinked a few times. “What do I think of your... best friend?” he asked, making sure he heard the question right.

Lyra only nodded in response.

Luckily for Lyra, Chris was just thinking about this topic only a moment ago, so he could answer her pretty quick. “Well honestly… It’s hard for me to say… She definitely doesn’t seem to like me too much...”

Lyra splayed her ears back against her skull, furrowing her brow in disappointment, knowing that he was right.

“But,” Chris added, causing Lyra to perk her ears up again. “from what I have seen and know about her, she seems like a really nice mare and I know you two are really close. I would love to get to know her more; just wish I could get her to be more comfortable around me so we could become friends,” he finished with a long drawn out sigh.

“I just can’t understand why she still hates me,” Chris mumbled to himself, looking away from Lyra for a moment. He started to open his mouth to ask Lyra if she knew why her friend seemed so hostile towards him, but before he could say anything Lyra spoke again, interrupting him.

“Do you think she’s pretty?” Lyra asked, giving him an intense look as if she was scratching his eyes for the answer.

Chris’s jaw snapped shut with an audible clicking sound. He stared into Lyra’s intense eyes for a while as the gravity of her question hit him. “...W-what?”

“Do you think Bonny is pretty? Do you find her attractive?” Lyra repeated the questions with a more clear tone, keeping her intense gaze fixed on him.

Chris wasn't a stranger to these types of questions. He had been in this position before with his ex-girlfriend back in his old world, and after answering said question there was a lot of yelling and things being thrown at his head.

“This is a trick questions isn’t it? No matter what I say I'm going to be in trouble, right?” Chris asked, trying to stall her a little until he could think of a better way out of this trap.

Lyra tilted her head to the side in confusion. “What? Why would I be trying to trick you?" she asked, puzzled. "Chris please, this is important to me. I just want to know if you think she's pretty or not,” she pleaded, feeling slightly frustrated that he couldn’t just answer her right away like he did with her last question.

“So you're not trying to trick me here? If I say something like ‘Yeah, Bon Bon is really pretty’ or ‘Your friend is really ugly’ you won't freak out on me right?” Chris asked, sitting up a little so he could better defend himself against flying objects.

“What? W-well which is it? Do you think she’s pretty or ugly?”

Chris scratched his head in confusion. He couldn’t figure out if he was about to get a hoof to the face or not. He sighed in defeat, thinking that it might be best to give her an honest answer and hope she wouldn’t react like his ex-girlfriend did. Plus Lyra didn’t seem the type to be pulling these kinds of trick questions on him just to give her an excuse to punch him.

“Well…” Chris started to answer, but hesitated, thinking a little more about what he really thought of the earth mare. He’d never even looked at Bon Bon that way before, but if he wasn't afraid of offending Lyra would he find Bon Bon attractive?

Chris visualized Bon Bon in his mind, lying seductively on his bed, looking away from him as purple rose petals mysteriously floated down from the sky, decorating her sleek, cream-colored coat and curly mane as they settled on top of her. Slowly she started to turn her head, causing the rose petals in her luxurious mane to fall off gracefully. She flicked her head up slightly, making her blue and pink curls to shimmer and glisten in the ambient candle light as they dance around her.

She was indeed beautiful…

The fantasy Bon Bon looked up at Chris with a half-lidded gaze, scanning him with her glimmering cerulean eyes, licking her lips suggestively before speaking in a soft sensual tone. “Hey there...”

She started to pick herself up slowly, keeping her seductive gaze locked on Chris before turning around and pressing her chest down on the bed, lifting her luscious cream colored flanks high it the air. She wiggled her rump at him as she swished her tail back and forth, almost revealing what lay beneath.

"You want a peek, don't you, you naughty little human," Bon Bon cooed, looking over her shoulder. "Don't worry. This can be our little secret..." she whispered softly, slowly lifting her tail up.

Chris swallowed the lump in his throat, feeling his boxers shorts getting a little tighter from his runaway fantasy. He shook his head, interrupting his own lewd daydream before Lyra could notice his swelling pride.

“Umm… y-yeah... I think she's a pretty attractive pony…” he answered as his words trailed off into a soft mumble, looking away from Lyra, trying to hide his blush. He was just glad unicorns aren't mind readers.

“Really?!” Lyra exclaimed excitedly, startling Chris, causing him jump a little and jerk his head back to look at her.

Chris stared blankly at Lyra’s who was now happily grinning from ear to ear. He wasn’t expecting such a good reaction from his marefriend. “Umm… well yeah, I mean, I think she’s extremely beautiful,” Chris answered, but soon started to panic once he realized what he had just said. “I-I mean not as beautiful as you, of course, no pony can compare to your beauty,” he proclaimed quickly, laughing nervously, trying to dig himself out of his own grave.

Lyra just tilted her head to the side, giving him a little smirk. “Really now?” she asked, holding back a laugh, not sure why he felt the need to express his approval of her beauty so suddenly. It was nice, but a little strange. It wasn't like she was jealous that he thought Bon Bon was pretty. She knew Bon Bon was beautiful.

“It’s okay, I’m happy you think she's pretty.” she said, leaning in to give him a quick kiss on the lips, helping to prove that she was okay with his answer.

Chris returned the kiss, but was still puzzled that she was taking this so well. "Really? You’re not mad that I think another mare is pretty?"

Lyra giggled at him. “Of course not! I think it's great! And since you said you wanted to get to know her more and you think she's pretty, we can ask her on a date together!” she blurted out, bouncing a little in place as she giggled in excitement.

Chris’s eyes shot open. “A DATE?!” he shouted, sitting up a little more.

Lyra’s ears folded down as her happy expression turned into one of worry. “W-well yeah… I was hoping we could take her out on a date together…” She explained, placing her hoof on his chest, petting him softly, hoping it would help him to relax a little more. He was obviously not taking this idea as well like she had hoped.

“You want to take your friend on a date!?” Chris asked, raising his voice, sounding a little panicked. “L-like a romantic date!? A-are you trying to tell me you’re not happy with me?" he asked in a slightly shaky voice, worried that his new relationship was already hitting a rough patch. "I-if I’m not doing something to satisfy you we can talk about it."

“What? No, Chris it’s not like that,” Lyra tried to reassure him, wrapping her hooves around the nape of his neck, laying her whole body on top of him. “I love you; you're perfect for me, but I love Bon Bon just as much and I want this family to be complete with her by our side,” she explained, sounding a little scared. She didn’t think Chris would react so negatively to all this.

Chris looked into Lyra’s terrified eye’s as she held him, not sure how to take all this new information. “Y-you love her?!” Lyra flinched a little at that. “You… and her… f-family?... I…” Chris babbled, trying to piece everything together in his mind.

“Chris, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you would react like this! I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Lyra held him tighter in her panic. It looked like he was about to get up and leave which scared her to no end.

“I-I thought…” Chris stopped himself, placing his hand on his forehead as his thoughts began to clear up. He started to remember something extremely important about the pony culture that he would often forget... The ponies were polygamists…

Chris let out a loud groan, slamming the back of his head against the bed’s wooden headboard with a very loud thud.

“Chris! Are you alright?!” Lyra shouted in worry, petting the top of his head with her hoof. That sounded like it really hurt. “I’m sorry I brought this up so soon. We don’t have to ask her out yet if you don’t want to.”

“I’m… I’m fine, Lyra…” Chris finally responded in a tired voice, lifting his head up to look at her again. She was staring back at him with a slightly panicked expression. “Really, I’m fine… I just… That was a lot for me to take in all at once.”

Lyra hugged him tightly, nuzzling her cheek against his, holding back her tears from the scary moment. “I-I didn’t mean to upset you so much Chris. I know bringing in another mare at this point is too soon; we can wait if you want.”

Chris pushed her back a little so he could look directly into her eyes. “No, Lyra it’s not that… I just... I forgot you ponies do the whole herd thing… and I'm guessing you want Bon Bon to join our little... herd now?” he asked with a heavy sigh.

Lyra gave him a dismal look, not liking the way he asked his question. “You don’t sound too happy about it… I know Bonny can be—,"

“That's not it…” Chris interrupted Lyra, wrapping his arms around her back. “It’s just something new to me. I’m not used to dating two peop—I mean, ponies at once. I come from a culture where we pick one partner and live with them for the rest of our lives, and I just kind of freaked out a little when you said you wanted to start dating Bon Bon...”

Lyra didn’t know what to say. This was all pretty new information to her. Chris never really talked about his past life unless asked about it, so subjects like his culture being a monogamous one were never brought up. It never even crossed her mind that he might be uncomfortable bringing in a second mare into their relationship. That might mean he would never want to complete a family with her like she always dreamed... She was confident that she would be happy with just Chris, but she couldn't deny how empty she would feel without Bon Bon by her side as well.

Lyra could feel a hole forming in the pit of her stomach the more she thought about not being able to have Bon Bon in her life the way she wanted. Chris noticed her downhearted disposition pretty quick. "Lyra..." he called out gently, placing his hand against her cheek causing her to look up at him."Why do you want Bon Bon to join us?"

Lyra leaned into his hand, closing her eyes, enjoying the comforting feeling it brought her. "I love her just as much as I love you… and I have always loved her, ever since we were fillies," she explained, relaxing a little in his arms. “I know both of you well enough to know that you're perfect for each other, just like you’re perfect for me,”

“This is nuts…” Chris muttered softly to himself, taking his hand away from Lyra and smoothing his hair back with it. He turned his head to the open window and gazed out into Luna’s beautiful night sky as he held Lyra in his arms.

“You’ll love Bonny. I know it in my heart to be true...” Lyra explained with a pang in her voice, hoping her words would help him.

Chris only continued to stare out the window in thought, softly rubbing Lyra's back with his hand that was still holding her.

Lyra said nothing more and laid her head down on his chest, sighing to herself and getting a little more comfortable on top of him. She didn’t want to keep pushing the subject, at least not now. He might need some time to think about everything.

Chris was lost in his thoughts about this whole dilemma. On one hand it felt really awkward and weird thinking about what life would be like if he had two mares to love. Could he even love two mares like that? Bon Bon doesn’t even seem to care for him, but Lyra does know her better than anypony. It seemed that she truly believed he could find love with her friend that she also loved apparently.

Surprisingly, her declaration of love for Bon Bon wasn’t that big of a shock to Chris. He had seen them together for so long, it was actually pretty apparent the more he thought about it. It just didn’t click with him until now. He had to keep telling himself that this was normal behavior for the ponies and Lyra still loved him even if she was saying that she loved Bon Bon as well.

But could he be apart of something like a herd? Well, what could be the harm in trying? It seemed like this was something that Lyra really wanted, and he couldn't deny Lyra what ponies considered a normal family just because he wasn’t used to a relationship like that.

He wasn’t in his old world anymore. The least he could do was try it and see what happens. Plus, it was like the ultimate male fantasy, right? Having two lovely ladies to hold in both arms every night? He couldn’t deny that it was a pleasing thought, but that left one big problem to solve. He still didn't know if he could love Bon Bon like he loved Lyra, or if Bon Bon could even love him for that matter. He wouldn’t want to bring a second mare into his life like that if she couldn’t love him for who he was, or if he couldn't love her the same.

“Lyra…” Chris finally spoke up, making the unicorn look up at him again. “You said that you wanted us to take her on a date right? Like a way for us to get to know her more and see if this would work?”

Lyra simply nodded her head in response.

“Well… I do want to get to know your friend more… She seems to not like me to much, but you seem pretty confident that I could end up liking her… so, maybe… a few dates would be fine...” Chris rubbed the back of his head, feeling a little awkwards about all this.

Lyra’s pushed herself up a bit as her eyes lit up with a new hope. “R-really? You're not upset? You mean you would want to give Bonny a chance!?” she asked, sounding more and more excited.

“Y-yeah… I mean this is obviously important to you, and it might not be what I am used to, but I can’t see the harm in giving it a shot,” Chris explained, mustering a weak smile.

“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!” Lyra blurted out, wrapping her hooves around his neck, pulling him into a deep kiss which she quickly broke. “And I know Bonny seems like she isn’t your biggest fan right now, but she just needs to see you for who you really are; she will come around. I just know it!”

Chris laughed nervously. “Y-yeah? Well, I guess I’ll just take your word for it… so, umm... when are we going to start dating Bon Bon?” he asked, trying to sound like he was just having a normal conversation with his marefriend. The irony of which did not go unnoticed.

Lyra’s bright smile faded a little, as she thought about that. It might be awhile before they could ask Bon Bon out knowing that this was something Chris wasn’t too comfortable with in the first place. He might want some time to get used to the idea.

Lyra sighed heavily, laying her cheek back down on his chest, nuzzling herself between his neck and chest, wrapping her hooves around him again. "I know this is something new for you,” She admitted. “I’ll let you decide when you're ready. Then we can ask her..."

Chris started to feel a little more relaxed about this whole ‘dating Bon Bon’ situation after Lyra offered to do this at his own pace, but what was the difference between now and later down the road? He wouldn’t want to make Lyra wait too long, but he also wanted to enjoy his time with her when it was still just the two of them.

“Thank you, love,” he praised, holding her tightly against his body. “How about we wait a few months then ask her? Maybe sometime in the fall when the leaves start turning, would that be okay with you?”

“I'd love that,” Lyra responded soflty, smiling a little to herself. She could wait a few months for him to be ready. Now all she had to do was ask Bon Bon out on a date again. Hopefully she could convince her to join them on at least one date, thats all she would need. Then Bon Bon would have no choice but to talk to Chris and get to know him. It shouldn’t be too hard...

“Well… it’s getting late. We should head in now. Plus, I really need to make sure I’m well-rested before I help Rarity tomorrow. Could you close the window before we sleep?” Chris asked, yawning a little as he rubbed her back with his hand, getting himself ready to fall asleep with this lover in his arms.

A mischievous smirk started to spread across Lyra's lips. She lifted her head up from Chris's body, giving him a sultry gaze. “Oh? Well, I think I know a good trick that could help you rest even better,” she sang in a seductive tone, using her magic to close the window and draw the curtains down.

[Clop will be continued in part 2]

Relationship Questions-Part 2 [Clop]

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Relationship Questions [CLOP]

Chris frowned a little, not noticing Lyra’s sudden change in tone. “Aww, why did you close the curtains too? Luna had such a beautiful starry sky out tonight.”

Lyra giggled playfully at how oblivious Chris was to her flirting as she used her magic to turn the lamp on the the night stand on. She picked herself up off of his chest—much to his added disappointment—giving him a more lustful stare.

“Oh, you’ll see... And I have something that I know you’d love to see more than some silly stars,”

“Stars aren't silly...” Chris grumbled to himself, pouting a little. He always admired the stars ever since he was little.

The unicorn chuckled at his adorable pouting before leaning in and pressing her lips against his.

Chris embraced the sudden kiss, placing a hand on the nape of Lyra's neck, parting his lips so his tongue could meet hers. He had a pretty good idea of what she was getting at now.

Lyra met his tongue with hers, letting them slowly dance around each other for awhile, tasting the mint-flavored toothpaste he used just a moment ago. She could also detect a faint vanilla flavor that still lingered from the dessert they both shared after dinner that evening. It reminded her of Bon Bon and how she always tasted of vanilla when they would kiss or make love.

Chris pushed harder into their kiss, running his hand through Lyra’s silky smooth mane and down her back. He leaned his head to the side slightly to get better access, exploring more of her maw with his tongue.

After a while, Lyra lightly pressed a hoof to Chris’s chest, using it to gently guide him back down on the bed, breaking off their kiss. She smiled down at him, humming playfully before speaking. “I know I put you through a lot of stress... so tonight I just want you to lay back and relax. Let me take care of everything,” she cooed, licking a little excess saliva off her lips while she rubbed Chris’s chest lovingly with her hoof.

A warm blush started to appear around Chris’s cheeks as his heart rate shot up. Her words excited him to no end. The blood that was powering his brain decided it was time to take a vacation down south, causing his boxers to become increasingly more uncomfortable to wear as time passed. “O-okay…” he answered in a slight daze, not really sure how else to respond.

Without saying a word, Lyra picked herself up so she could stand directly above Chris. She smiled down at her lover, leaning her head towards him and softly pecked him on the lips. "I love you,” she whispered softly.

“I love you too.” Chris replied as he tried to steal another kiss, but Lyra quickly turned her body around and flicked her tail in his face playfully before he could do so. She then laid down, pinning him under her. Once she was settled on top of him, she lifted her tail up and held it against her back, exposing her cute tail hole and her already aroused marehood to him.

“See? Isn't this a much better view than some silly stars?" Lyra asked, giving her rump a little wiggle to help prove her point.

Chris stared at her exposed backside in stunned silence. She wasn't wrong... Her butt was a beautiful sight and it took him a moment to realize he hadn't answered her yet. “Y-yes…”

Lyra giggled at his simple answer. "You can look and touch, but that's all. I don't want you to worry about me tonight," she ordered, rolling her hips on his chest a little, inviting him to play with her.

"Uh-huh..." Chris replied, not really paying attention to her words as he gazed upon her winking sex. Every once in a while it would reveal her pink love button between her glistening folds, adding to his arousal. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he slowly cupped both of her pliable, pony buttcheeks in his hands, giving them a firm squeeze.

Lyra gave a surprised squeak at his sudden touch. “Oooh, somepony’s eager,” she cooed, looking over her shoulder. "You like my little pony plot, don't you?"

"Y-yesss..." he hissed softly, still transfixed on the gorgeous flanks in his hands. He pushed her cheeks apart, opening her tail hole and marehood a little, exposing more of her soft, velvety insides to him.

Lyra gasped, loving the way he manipulated her with his hands like that. She would let him play with her all day if he preferred, but he needed his release if he was going to get a good night’s rest. She turned her attention to Chris’s green and cream colored boxer shorts, noticing the massive bulge that was pointing right at her.

"My handsome stallion must be so uncomfortable wearing this awfully tight clothing," Lyra cooed, talking more to herself than to Chris. She bit her lip in anticipation, focusing her magic on his boxers and proceeded to slowly remove the constricting fabric from his body, throwing them to the floor, causing his hard member to spring up in front of her.

His stiff manhood stood proudly in the cool summer air that filled the room. Lyra watched it throb and twitch in front of her, demanding her attention. "My poor big stallion... you can't possibly sleep with this uncomfortable thing," she sang, grasping him at the base with the crook of her hoof and holding him firmly. "No, this won't do at all..." She said as she licked the small pearl of precum that had accumulated on his tip, causing Chris to let out a soft groan as his hips tried to buck up into her muzzle.

Lyra quickly noticed his desperate attempt to reach her mouth, showing her just how worked up he was. “Don’t worry honey, I'll take good care of this bothersome affliction of yours." She cooed, squeezing his base a little tighter as she started to slowly pump her hoof up and down, lightly peppering his tip with delicate kisses.

"S-sweet Luna..." Chris moaned to himself, feeling Lyra’s soft, stroking fur tickle his sensitive length, causing him to clench her flanks even tighter on reflex, drawing out an adorable squeak from the unicorn. He relaxed his grip on her plump cheeks and started to move his hands towards her marehood, tracing her soft, winking lips with his thumbs, coating the tips of his digits with her natural lubricant.

Lyra wiggled her hips at him slightly, knowing exactly what he was intending to do. It was adorable how infatuated he was with her marehood, and she would be lying to herself if she said she didn't enjoy it when he explored like he was about to. She hummed to herself in delight before pressing her lips against his sensitive pink crown, rolling her tongue around his tip a few times, letting him know she wanted him to continue.

Chris gritted his teeth, trying to hold back his moans as he continued to gaze at Lyra’s marehood. He pressed his thumbs between her warm nether lips, using them to slowly stretch her now dripping entrance apart, exposing more of her delicate insides to him. Her tight love tunnel twitched and convulsed in front of him, fueling his arousal even more. He could already taste the sweet minty flavor of her mare juices on his tongue. It always reminded him of the mint-flavored green tea he would make for himself back home and he loved how she tasted similar to his favorite drink.

Lyra giggled to herself with his tip still between her lips as he exposed her most private place for his own viewing pleasure. She stopped what she was doing and looked over her shoulder at Chris again. "Enjoying the view, love?" she purred, peering at him over her luscious rump, but he seemed too lost to respond to her. "I'll take that as a yes," she turned back to his member in her hoof, licking her lips slightly, before gently peppering his stiff manhood with moist kisses, stopping occasionally to lick lightly where she had kissed him.

Chris grunted in frustration. Lyra's kisses and gentle licks were driving him nuts. He moved one of his thumbs to her slick love button, keeping one side of her sex open to him with his other digit. He pressed on her clit and started to rub it softly in a circular motion, trying to encourage her to do more.

Lyra yelped in surprise, shivering slightly at his aggressive touch. She quickly got the message and began to lick Chris from his base to the tip with her soft, broad tongue in one long drawn out lick. She hummed in delight, licking him as if he was a delicious treat she wanted to savor, and to her he definitely was.

“Oh buck…” Chris moaned, using his new favorite curse word as he continued to massage her clit with his thumb. After a while he stopped his rubbing and started to trace around her exposed love tunnel with his index finger, feeling exactly how soft and warm she really was. He continued to manipulate her pliable insides with his fingertip, watching as her delicate inner flesh spread around his touch before slowly sinking his finger inside her warm depths.

Chris held his breath as her burning-hot entrance parted for him, swallowing his digit eagerly while squeezing and clenching around his invading fingertip, making his member twitch in Lyra’s grasp to a painful degree.

Lyra gasped and shivered in delight as her marehood convulsed around his penetrating finger. She continued to lick him with her warm tongue, coating his entire length with her slick saliva, squeezing his base a little harder with her hoof.

Chris expelled the breath he was holding in a long, drawn-out moan as he pressed the tip of his middle finger up against Lyra’s burning entrance, easing it inside her to join its counterpart. His eyes widened slowly as he watched his second finger sink into her velvety insides, feeling her tighten and clench around him even more.

Lyra moaned, shutting her eyes tight as his second digit slowly spread her apart. Without a second thought, she completely consumed his tip in her mouth and started to eagerly nurse and suckle on his warm length, trying to draw out his seed from within him.

Chris’s whole body shivered in ecstasy. It took all of his willpower not to lose himself right then and there, but he held back. He started to push his fingers deeper inside her, burying them to the very base before slowly pulling them back out. Her entrance tightened and formed around him as he slowly moved his now soaked digits out of her. It felt like she was trying to suck him back in, making him swallow tightly as his heart pounded faster in his chest.

Lyra scrunched her eyes shut, enjoying what Chris was doing a little too much. She pressed her lips around his length tightly, descending lower on him, taking half of his stiff member into her warm, moist muzzle. She used her broad tongue to massage him as he traveled deeper within her hungry maw, sending shock waves of pleasure through his now slightly trembling body.

Chris groaned in delight as the urge to lick and taste Lyra clouded his mind. He could vaguely remember Lyra telling him that he could only look and touch, but he had to have a taste. He couldn’t just sit still and watch her sweet nectar go to waste as it dripped down onto his bare chest.

Chris slowly removed his fingers from her warm nethers, placing both of his hands on her perfect flanks, holding her firmly as he leaned in to lick her glistening slit, lapping up her leaking mare cum, causing Lyra to let out a muffled cry of pleasure. Feeling encouraged by her moans, he pressed his tongue as deep as it could go between her folds, giving her a few long, firm licks, making her push her hips back into him on reflex.

Lyra let out a loud muffled moan around her mouthful, sending small delightful vibrations through Chris’s body as she nursed harder on his throbbing length, making him double his efforts. He pressed his tongue against her winking clit and started to knead her button with his wet muscle for a while, trying to get her to make even more of those adorable muffled sounds of pleasure.

“Hmmm-nnmh!” Lyra cried out around his member, fighting to keep her composure, but it was all just too much. She released his length with an audible wet popping sound, then turned to look over her shoulder at Chris who was still eagerly lapping at her clitorus. “N-no f-fair!” she whimpered. “I-I’m… S-uppo-po-sed to…” she babbled as Chris pressed harder into her sex, sending sharp shivers of bliss up her spine “Haaaah! N-no… Chris.. I’m... s-supposed… to t-take care of you!” she finally managed to say in a shaky voice, trying desperately to move her hips away from his stimulating muscle. She should have known that he wouldn't listen to her.

Chris grabbed her hips with his hands and held her tightly, so she couldn’t squirm away. He stopped his assist in her sensitive clit and continued to lick between her puffy lips, diving deep into her recesses.

Lyra whimpered, trying once more to escape his strong grasp, but he wouldn’t let go. She was trapped…

She turned back to his still throbbing member in her hoof and consumed him once more. She pressed his shaft against the roof of her mouth with her tongue, letting the soft, ridged texture tickle his underside as she descended on him. She stopped once his tip hit the back of her throat, making her gag and swallow around him reflexively.

Chris groaned and bucked his hips up into her muzzle again, causing him to ease up on his licking a little. This gave Lyra the opening she needed. She started to pull her head back, keeping him pinned to the roof of her mouth, then pushed back down, taking all of him into her for a second time.

This caused Chris to stop his licking completely. He gritted his teeth, trying to hold back a loud moan with little success. His mind started to blank from the pleasure once his tip entered her constricting throat again. He could feel his delicate underside grind against the roof of her soft, ridged mouth, adding to the pleasure he was experiencing and making it that much harder for him to suppress his moans. He regained some of his focus and started to desperately lick her sensitive fleshy crevice with a fierce determination, not wanting to be outdone.

Lyra shut her eyes tightly as she whimpered in delight around his hard member, fighting the waves of pleasure running through her. She wrapped her hooves around Chris’s thighs, keeping him in place as she started to bob her head up and down with a steady rhythm, determined to draw out his warm essence as quickly as possible.

Chris groaned loudly, wrapping his arms around Lyra’s flanks, pushing her down on to him a little more as he pressed his lips on her over sensitive clit and began to suckle on her desperately.

Lyra’s hips started to twitch and jerk from the overwhelming stimulation. If she didn’t stay focused she might climax soon and this thought caused her to double her efforts, making her pick up speed as she bobbed up and down on him. She stopped and swallowed thickly around him every once and awhile, pulling on his length, as she tried to clear away some of the saliva that was building up inside her muzzle.

Chris moaned against Lyra’s swollen nub as he tried to hump up into her muzzle more, but he had little to no room to move. She was holding him too tight for his mindless thrusting to do anything. He was at her mercy and could feel a pressure starting to build deep within himself.

Mustering all his strength, Chris slid one of his hands under the mare, pushing it between their warm bodies until his fingers grazed against one of her erect nipples. He gave it a firm pinch and started to lightly twist it between his thumb and index finger making Lyra’s body shiver then lock up on top of him.

Lyra pushed her lips all the way to his base, consuming him completely as her whole body froze in place. She whimpered and moaned around him, unable to deal with two of her more sensitive spots being stimulated at once. Her head was buzzing with pleasure and all she could do was stay frozen in place and suck on him urgently, hoping he would climax before her.

Chris could feel his release quickly approaching and knew he wasn't going to last much longer. He pinched her tender teat harder as he sucked more on her clit, tickling her sensitive nub and causing her locked body to quiver over him.

Lyra could do nothing to escape the bombardment except whimper in delight. Her legs started to tremble as her climax quickly approached making her suckle and swallow on him all the more. She could feel him start to swell inside her maw, hinting at his own climax. He was so close now, she just had to hold on a little longer.

Chris made one last effort to draw out her climax, so he could taste more of that sweet minty nectar of hers. He gave Lyra one last long lick on her clit, twisting her nipple in his fingers a little harder, causing Lyra to let out a muffled scream of ecstasy as she finally reached her orgasm. Her mare cum squirted out of her rapidly convulsing entrance, coating Chris’s chin in her essence. He quickly pressed his mouth against her opening, not wanting to waste any more of her heavenly fluids, swallowing everything she gave him, triggering his own climax.

Lyra groaned while her whole body trembled as she continued to cum into her lover’s mouth. She could feel his member starting to swell and throb within her and could do nothing to prepare herself as his warm essence burst inside her muzzle, hitting the back of her throat and quickly filling her maw.

Chris arched his back, groaning loudly against her sex as he shot rope after rope of his hot cum into his lover’s mouth, making him hold her hips even tighter.

Lyra tried to keep everything he gave her inside her maw, but it proved too much for her to take in her petrified condition. His warm liquid started to drool from the tight seal she had around her lover's member, causing it to pool at his base and travel down his sack. She did her best to hold it all, but it just kept coming.

Soon her body started to relax enough so she could start to swallow what had accumulated in her muzzle, but it was far too late; some still managed to escape her.

Chris panted heavily as his whole body started to relax. The last of his seed started to dribble out of his tip and into Lyra’s mouth as she continued to nurse on him.

“Oh... buck me…” Chris moaned, letting his head fall back onto his pillow as he slid his hands up and down Lyra’s thighs, petting her slightly trembling legs, taking a moment to enjoy the view of her soaked backside and savor the flavor of her sweet minty love juices that still lingered on his tongue.

Lyra pulled her head back, keeping her lips tightly pursed around his length, cleaning off anything that remained. She released him with an adorable ‘pop’ then proceeded to lick his shaft greedily, cleaning him of anything she might have missed.

Chris trembled and moaned as Lyra’s broad tongue massaged his still hard and now oversensitive member.

Lyra continued to lick up the warm essence that had pooled on his lower abdomen and trailed down his sack, cleaning him completely. She nuzzled his still hard length against her cheek a little before lifting herself up on shaky hooves. She turned her whole body to face her lover, laying back down on top of him and relaxing her worn out body. She took a moment to catch her breath as she gazed up at him with an exhausted, but smiling, expression.

Chris smiled at her, still panting slightly as he wrapped his arms around his lover. He started to lean his head towards Lyra, intending to kiss her on the nose, but Lyra giggled softly and shook her head left and right. “Nu-uh, It’s got to be on the lips,” she demanded, smirking a little.

Chris rolled his eyes. He knew what she wanted and he didn’t really mind it too much, but he wasn’t a big fan of it. He leaned in again, kissing Lyra deeply on the lips as he pushed his tongue into her muzzle.

Lyra returned the kiss, caressing his tongue with hers, mixing together what remained of their flavors in a delightful cocktail of love making. She leaned back, breaking the kiss, leaving behind a small strand of saliva and love juices connecting their lips, causing the mare to hum in delight.

Chris chuckled at her antics. He wasn’t very fond of his own flavor, but Lyra always seemed to enjoy kissing like that whenever they got the chance.

“Thanks, love. I already feel more relaxed," Chris whispered, kissing her on the lips once more.

Lyra giggled weakly, getting herself a little more comfortable on top of him. She lit up her horn with magic, using it to pull the bed sheets over their bodies. After that, she used her magic a second time to open the curtains for Chris since he always loved to look out at the stars before falling asleep. She let out a content sigh, laying her head on his chest, getting herself ready to fall asleep in his arms before responding. “Next time I don’t want you to worry about me okay? I just want to please you...”

Chris chuckled a little. “Well you're going to have to tie me up to get me to agree to that.”

“Can I!?” Lyra shouted in excitement, peeking her head up and smiling brightly at him.

Chris gave her a nervous laugh and blushed a little. “Well, umm… maybe… we’ll see…”

Lyra huffed at him. “You're no fun…” she pouted, sticking her tongue out at him.

Chris smiled at her before responding. “Well, I didn’t say no… but, maybe...”

Lyra nuzzled back into his chest, closing her exhausted eyes. “You’re always such a tease… you know that?” she mumbled, wrapping her hooves around his chest and giving him a loving squeeze. "Do all humans tease their mates like you do?"

“Yes, it is the human way,” Chris lied, chuckling as he rubbed her back with his hand.

Lyra huffed at him again in annoyance. "Gonna have to work on fixing that," she grumbled.

"Oh come now, I know you love it,"

Lyra blew a very childish raspberry in response, making Chris laugh. "Tell you what, how about I work on not being such a tease and tomorrow I'll make you your favorite breakfast to make up for teasing you tonight?"

Lyra grumbled to herself a little before responding. "We will negotiate the terms of your apology in the morning, but oatmeal with extra blueberry and vanilla yogurt is a good start... Oh, and some banana slices... with fresh orange juice on the side... and toast..."

Chris chuckled softly and kissed the top of Lyra's cyan mane, before laying back and getting himself ready to sleep. “It’s a deal... Good night my love.” he said, as he reached to turn the nightstand lamp off.

A comfortable silence filled the now dark room as Lyra slowly drifted off to sleep on top of her lover. Her mind was buzzing with thoughts of what moments like this would be like with Bon Bon here. She couldn’t wait to ask her friend out on a date and then she would finally open up to Chris. It was all going to be so perfect...

And all she needed...

Was one...

Date...

‘U’ is for Bon Bon

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‘U’ is for Bon Bon

It was a dark, cold, and snowy winter’s day in Ponyville, and Bon Bon’s candy shop was suffering because of it. Business had started to steadily drop ever since winter started.

No pony wanted to tread through the deep snow and blistering cold for a simple sweet these days. Everypony would much rather spend their time in a cozy cafe or some other location where they could indulge in the company of friends and get a steamy hot beverage to warm their bodies.

Places like Sugar Cube Corner took most of Bon Bon's customers away around winter time. It was more convenient for ponies and they always served hot beverages and baked goods with plenty of places to sit around and chat with friends. Even the little fillies and colts returning home from school rarely stopped by this time of the year. Bon Bon missed getting to see their adorable smiling faces as they bit into one of her delicious sweets.

It wasn't all bad though. Bon Bon would get some good business before Hearth's Warming Eve that helped with various expenses, and it was always fun for her to hear what everypony had planned for the holiday.

Bon Bon sat back on her stool behind the checkout counter of her quiet little shop, sighing deeply as she rolled a spoiled lemon drop sweet between her hooves. It fell on the floor a while ago and she needed to throw it away... eventually.

She dropped the sweet on the counter and watched as the sullied candy rolled around until it bumped up against the bit register, stopping its short voyage.

Feeling bored again, the earth pony propped her elbow up on the counter, using her hoof to support her head as she looked around her shop that was still filled with candy.

It was the same story year after year. The summer time was always a pain trying to keep her shelves stocked since she was the only one making the candy—with a little help from Lyra of course—and the winter time was always a struggle just to sell what little stock she had left. If she could afford to take the winter time off she would, but she needed the few customers she got during this time to help her pay bills until after winter wrap up when business would start picking up again.

Her good friend Berry Punch suggested that she expand her store and add in some kind of hot or cold drink bar, that way customers could come in to get a warm beverage and a place to sit and chat. It was a good idea and Bon Bon definitely wanted to give something like that a shot, but there were a few complications with the plan.

First of all, she didn’t really know how to manage something like that and second she’d need somepony to run the bar while she took care of the store. She couldn't make candy, help customers, and ring up their purchases all while trying to mix drinks and bus tables. Berry Punch offered to work as the bartender, but she wasn’t really known for her... work ethic. Lyra might be able to help, but she was always busy with her music gig and her coltfriend, or more accurately, her human coltfriend.

Bon Bon frowned, feeling slightly depressed that her best friend wasn’t around as much as she used to be. It was always a challenge trying to find a time when they were both free. She couldn’t help but feel like Lyra’s human was to blame for her constant absence and she resented him for it... Still, it was pretty adorable seeing Lyra so hopelessly in love, and she hated to admit it, but the human really made Lyra happy. So at least it seemed like he was treating her properly.

Even though she wasn’t the human’s biggest fan, she couldn’t truly blame him for wanting to spend every waking moment with the unicorn. Lyra was a beautiful and wonderful mare and he was a very lucky stallion to have her. Though sometimes she felt like he didn't really understand how lucky he truly was.

It was pretty easy for Bon Bon to relate to the human’s affection for Lyra and see why he would want to be with her, but she couldn’t for the life of her understand what Lyra saw in him. Sure from the outside he seemed like a nice enough stallion, especially when Lyra was around, but his hand things were just, so… odd… and he was just so… so...

The sound of bells ringing snapped Bon Bon out of her thoughts. She looked up to see a young pegasus couple that had just entered her store. One was a pale-gold mare with a tiffany-blue mane. Her cutie mark had three blue raindrops on it. The other was a larger blue stallion with a white mane and a rainbow for his cutie mark. It looked like the two were lovers, judging by how they both entered side by side with their wings draped over each other. That was something that Bon Bon knew pegasi did with their loved ones, especially when the weather was as cold as it is now.

Also the fact that they were both wearing a matching set of red booties and scarves was a dead giveaway.

Bon Bon jumped down from her stool and looked toward the couple, mustering a bright and cheerful smile. "Good afternoon and welcome to Sweetie Drops Candy Shop! Can I help you two find anything in particular?"

The blue stallion shook his head before responding. "Nah, we're just looking around. Don’t mind us." The two lovers separated themselves for a moment and proceeded to wipe their hooves on the big welcome mat they were standing on, cleaning off the wet snow and dirt before leaning back against each other.

"Well if you two need anything at all, I'll be happy to help!" Bon Bon offered in a cheerful tone, smiling all the while. She stood by the checkout counter and watched as the couple walked into her store with their wings still wrapped around each other. Once they had turned away, Bon Bon let out a sad sigh and jumped up on her stool once more. She sat up straight and waited for the first customers of the day to peruse her candy.

With nothing else to do, Bon Bon watched the couple while they nuzzled each other and observed various candy selections. Every once and a while they would stop to laugh at some inside joke they made or peck each other with a light kiss on the cheek. It was painfully adorable.

The sappy couple only helped to remind Bon Bon of how unlucky she was when it came to finding love. Her past experiences were... not the best. But, it wasn't like she didn't have love in her life at all. No, in fact she loved her friend Lyra, but even that relationship was a complicated mess and it only became more complicated when the human first popped up in Equestria almost 2 years ago.

Lyra quickly became friends with the strange creature and it didn't take long after that for her to fall hopelessly in love. She was obsessed with him, but could never bring herself to actually tell him her true feelings.

That all changed thanks to Bon Bon’s encouragement. She helped Lyra build up her confidence and made a plan of action for the unicorn to confess how she really felt for the human. It worked—much to Bon Bon's surprise—and now she was courting the human. She even moved out of the house they shared to live with him.

Bon Bon's home just wasn’t the same without Lyra's cheerful and uplifting personality there to brighten up the gloomy days like today.

The earth pony wanted to lay her head on the counter and wallow in her own self-pity, but couldn't while customers were in the store. She missed living with Lyra and longed to hear her infectious laughter and beautiful music fill the empty rooms of her home again. If only she could go back in time and stop herself from encouraging Lyra to admit her feelings for the human. Then she would have her friend back… Honestly, she never would've guessed that the human would actually return Lyra’s feelings. He was supposed to have the common sense to tell Lyra ‘no’ and then she would’ve moved on to a better mate, like a real stallion.

But, all that barely matters now. Lyra was happy and that's what was truly important. Bon Bon was grateful that her friend could find joy in her life with the human by her side and if she was being completely honest with herself, she was even a little envious of her friend. It would just be selfish of her to want to change all that now. Even if she had the option to change the past, she wouldn’t really do it. She could never take Lyra’s happiness away from her... No matter how much she might want to. Especially now, since Lyra started to constantly pester her to join their little herd.

It all started several months ago in the fall. Lyra would come down to see her when she had the time, and at some point during her visit she would ask Bon Bon out for a date and if Lyra was dating a normal pony, then she would’ve gladly gone out with the unicorn… But that just wasn’t the case.

Bon Bon sighed deeply, taking a moment to fantasize about what life would be like if Lyra was with a normal stallion.

She could clearly visualize Lyra and their dashing stallion lover getting ready for the coming Hearth's Warming Eve celebration, one of her favorite holidays of the year. Their bright and happy foals would be running around the house, overcome with the holiday spirit.

She would be in the kitchen with Lyra, using her magical talents to help making all the festive holiday treats for their family, while their strong, handsome stallion played with their children in the other room.

Their stallion lover would offer to help them in the kitchen because he was always a gentlecolt like that, but Bon Bon would refuse him and shoo him off to tell the children more stories of why they always celebrated Hearth's Warming Eve. Which he would always love doing and their foals would grow up to be wonderful ponies with their father's guidance. It would just be so perfect and she would live happily with Lyra for the rest of her days...

The more Bon Bon thought about her fantasy with Lyra the more she really wanted it to be real, but it would never be true. Not when she was with the human.

Her fantasies started to shatter as she thought more about what it would really be like to try and date the tall human. She couldn’t really imagine how to even go about it. Not only that, but what would her family think if she joined a herd with the bipedal stallion? Her family was very traditional and had a long history of joining ‘pony only’ herds. Her parents would surely expect her to do the same.

Her mother especially would constantly pester her about finding some nice stallion to settle down with and start making some grandfoals for them. Something that she knew was impossible with the human. He wasn’t a pony or even from this world. That meant they would never be able to have a proper family with him, but that fact never stopped Lyra.

The unicorn kept going on about Princess Cadance and her new spell that allowed a griffon and a pegasus couple to have a foal together. Which Bon Bon later found out was indeed true, but it was a complicated spell and there was still no telling if her magic would even work on the human. Not to mention what the Princesses might think of all this. Would Princess Cadance even support them settling down with the human when Princess Twilight was still trying to find a way to return him to his own world where he belonged? There’s no doubt he’d still want to go back if there was a way to send him home, right?

Though even if all did go as planned and Princess Cadance was willing to help them, then that would still mean trying to make love with the bipedal creature, and that would just be…

Bon Bon shuddered slightly as her thoughts ran wild with visions of the bizarre human reaching out with his creepy, spidery limbs, grabbing and holding her as he tried to stick his... what ever weird thing he had, inside her. She could clearly visualize those long, spindly 'hands' of his, crawling all over her body, making a cold chill run down her spine.

How Lyra could stand sleeping in the same bed with him was beyond her. It wasn’t that he was particularly unattractive, but he was so tall and scary looking at times, and he was just… just... so different! She couldn’t compare him to anything else she had ever seen. Minotaurs maybe, but even that was a stretch. Trying to become intimate with a normal stallion was strange enough for her, and she was confident that trying to do that with the human would be a far worse experience.

Bon Bon had been intimate with a stallion once before and that experience was painful to say the least. She knew that the first time with a male was always supposed to hurt in the beginning, but there should have been pleasure after the pain, or at least that's what her friends kept telling her.

It seemed her first time was a unique one because after the pain had subsided she couldn't feel much of anything else, and before she knew it the experience was over. This was part of the reason why she preferred mares when it came to intimacy, but it wasn't like she hated stallions or anything like that. She did find a lot of them attractive and always dreamed of starting a family with one, but her next stallion lover would have to be somepony special before she went through that again.

Bon Bon lost her train of thought when she noticed the pegasus couple whispering sweet nothings to each other in the middle of her store. She figured they would be doing that for a while and decided to lean back on her counter and keep herself occupied with the spoiled lemon drop again while she contemplated more about her depressing love life.

It had been a while since she was last intimate with anypony. Her last partner was… well... Lyra. She really missed these quiet winter nights with the unicorn. Normally at this time of the year they would snuggle up nice and close and use their bodies to keep each other warm. They would just cuddle like that and swap stories about their days or talk about various common topics and just enjoy each others company. That is, until it turned into something a little more intimate... and in most cases it did.

Bon Bon blushed brightly, chuckling a little to herself at the naughty memory of how their cuddle sessions often seemed to end in a night of passionate lovemaking and Lyra was such a wonderful lover to her. She always knew just how to push her buttons and get her going, even when she wasn’t in the mood. Oh Celestia, how she missed those pleasurable and romantic nights.

Sadly, she couldn’t share those kinds of moments with Lyra anymore. Not when she was busy with her coltfriend… She had to move on from the beautiful unicorn and accept the fact that she might never enjoy another intimate night with her, but it wasn’t all bad. They were still the best of friends, she’d just hoped they could still be more than that.

Bon Bon wished Lyra was here now. She could really use a friend at the moment, but the unicorn was on tour with her orchestra in Canterlot for the week and it might be a few more days until she was back in Ponyville.

Bon Bon sighed sadly to herself, rolling around the lemon drop on the counter that she just now realized needed to be cleaned. Dust was starting to accumulate on its surface and would need to be wiped off before her customers brought up their purchases.

She was about to reach for her rag and cleaning solution under the counter, but the sound of more bells ringing stopped her, making her sit up on her stool as she turned and looked to see who her next customer was. Her eyes started to widen and a bright smile crept onto her lips once she realized who had just entered her store and was now standing on the welcome mat with a beautiful smile on her face.

A mint green unicorn wearing a dark grey coat-like outfit with two darker green saddlebags at her side was looking and smiling right at her. “Hey Bonny! Did ya miss me?”

“Lyra!” Bon Bon shouted in excitement, jumping down off her stool and galloping towards her friend, embracing the unicorn in a tight hug.

They stayed like that for a while, until Bon Bon thought she overheard one of the pegasus in her shop say something that sounded like. ‘Hey, isn’t that the unicorn that’s courting the human now?’ but it was so faint that it could have just been her imagination. Nevertheless it caused her to awkwardly break off their hug that she was really enjoying.

Bon Bon took a step back and brought a hoof up to her lips as she cleared the back of her throat slightly before speaking. “So umm, L-Lyra… It’s really good to see you back so—,” She paused when she noticed something was very odd about the coat Lyra was wearing. It didn’t seem to fit her very well at all. The midsection was a little baggy and the bottom part of her sleeves seemed tight around her hooves. She also noticed a little hood accessory on the back, but it was far too small for it to reach the top of her head making it virtually useless to the unicorn.

“Umm, Lyra… What are you wearing?”

Lyra paused for a moment, raising a questioning eyebrow at her friend, but a small smile started to spread across her lips once she seemed to remember what she had on. “Oh, you mean this?” Lyra asked, pointing to the fabric on her chest with a hoof.

Bon Bon nodded. “Yes. It doesn’t really seem to fit you… Do you need to borrow a better coat?” she asked, feeling concerned that her friend might be in a tight spot and had to buy a cheap thing that didn’t fit her very well.

“Nah, it’s okay. I got my own at home, but this one isn’t mine,” Lyra said, smiling brightly. “It’s Chris’s hoodie that he commissioned from Rarity a while ago. He said if I was careful with it, I could wear it while I was on tour,” she explained, rubbing the hoodie into her chest a little with her hoof.

Bon Bon blinked a few times, tilting her head slightly, giving Lyra a confused look. “Why would you wear his… umm, hoodie if you have your own coat that actually fits you?”

Lyra laughed nervously. “Well…” she began to explain, drawing bashful circles into wooden floor of the shop with her hoof. “I-It umm… smells like him... so I wanted to bring it to help comfort me before I went out and performed in front of everypony.”

Bon Bon raised her eyebrow and gave Lyra a bemused expression, but curiosity got the better of her. She leaned in slightly, taking in a deep breath through her nose. She could smell Lyra’s natural minty scent and there was a faint fragrance of the human that lingered on her, but that was nothing new. His aroma was always mixed with hers now. “It doesn't smell that much like him...”

“W-well I've worn it for a few days, so his scent is almost gone by now…” Lyra said, blushing slightly, avoiding eye contact with Bon Bon.

Bon Bon rolled her eyes, but smiled at the love-struck unicorn. It was pretty adorable to see her get so flustered talking about the strange things she did with her coltfriend, but if she was courting a real stallion, then she would be wearing a coat that actually fit her right now. Nevertheless, Bon Bon couldn’t help but feel jealous of her friend’s adorable fondness for her mate. Even if he wasn’t a pony and she was slightly crazy for loving him in the first place.

“Well, I’m glad you took the time to come visit me, but I thought you were going to be in Canterlot for a few more days. Did something happen?”

"Yeah, kind of...” Lyra sighed, wiping her hooves on the welcome mat. “Somepony in Cloudsdale scheduled a big snowstorm for Canterlot a few days early on accident, so we had to cut our tour short and head home before the storm got really bad,” she explained, walking into the store, making her way towards the checkout counter while she used her magic to lift her saddlebags off her sides.

“Oh, I’m sorry you guys had to leave so early. I know how much you love to play your music up in Canterlot,” Bon Bon replied, following Lyra as she walked.

"Ehh, it happens," Lyra responded nonchalantly, using her magic to set her saddlebags down, leaning them against the checkout counter. "It feels so good to finally get those heavy things off,” Lyra sighed in relief, stretching her hind legs out one after the other, cracking her aching joints. “I’ve been carrying those instruments around all day."

That confused Bon Bon a little. Why didn't she drop her equipment off at her house? And didn't she want to see her coltfriend? From the looks of it, she just got off the train, but the human’s house was closer to the station than her shop. "Did you just get back this morning? Why didn't you go home first?"

Lyra turned and gave Bon Bon a bright smile before answering her question. "Well I wanted to come and see you, and I know it's been hard to find time to see each other lately. So, I figured I could come by and help around the shop a while I'm free. Plus, business is always slow for you around this time and I know you could use some company." She used her magic to teleport the human’s hoodie off her body, floating it in front of her as she folded the expensive hoof-stitched clothing, then set it inside one of her saddlebags.

Bon Bon’s eyes started to tear up slightly from Lyra’s words. It was so sweet that Lyra would come straight down after her long and tiring day of traveling just to spend time with her. "Oh, Lyra... that's so sweet of you. I would love it if you spent some time with me in the shop," she replied, beamed brightly with a light blush on her cheeks.

"And…” Lyra added, walking towards the middle of the store before turning to face Bon Bon again with a sly grin. “I also wanted to stop by so we could make plans for our... date? Let’s say... end of this week, once the sun sets?" she asked confidently, giving Bon Bon a smug stare.

Bon Bon was not amused. Suddenly, Lyra's offer to spend the day with her wasn't looking as generous as she originally thought it was. "Lyra..." Bon Bon deadpanned, frowning slightly, feeling exhausted from having to constantly give the unicorn the same answer.

"Wait!" Lyra shouted, holding a hoof in the the air, interrupted Bon Bon before she could continue. "Before you say anything, Chris told me to tell you something next time I saw you."

“He... did?” Bon Bon questioned, raising an eyebrow. What could the human possibly want Lyra to tell her? Did he even care about this whole thing? She honestly thought he would be against this just as much as she was.

Lyra took a small step forward, flicking her silky cyan mane to the side, giving Bon Bon a sensual half-lidded gaze. The unicorn looked deep into her friends bright cerulean eyes, smiling gently for a moment, letting her seductive stare enchant the earth pony.

Bon Bon’s cheeks started to heat up as her eyes darting left and right, making her step backwards a bit. Lyra was giving her a look that she hadn’t seen in a while. It was a look that the unicorn always gave her before things between them got a little more… romantic. “L-Lyra… w-what are you doing?” Bon Bon asked in a shaky whisper, trying not to draw any attention to herself. They were in public after all, and the two pegasus customers were still in her store. She wanted to be intimate with Lyra again, but not like this. Not in public!

Lyra smile widened as she took another step closer to the flustered earth pony holding her seductive gaze.

Bon Bon swallowed the lump in her throat, taking another step back as her heart started to pound faster in her chest. “L-Lyra… W-we can't—,”

“You know…” Lyra cooed, interrupted Bon Bon‘s shaky words while taking another step forward. “I always thought that happiness... started with an ‘H’, but that just can’t be right…”

“W-what?” Bon Bon asked, blushing brightly as she kept slowly backing up until her rear bumped up against the checkout counter, causing her to sit back on her haunches and press her back against the cold wood, still trying to move away from the mint-green seductress in front of her. “W-why can’t that be right? H-happiness always starts with an ‘H’.”

Lyra inched herself closer to the trapped earth pony giving her a toothy grin before responding. “Because Bonny…” she paused, leaning her head towards Bon Bon’s ear before softly whispering: “my happiness starts with... ‘U',” Lyra finished by lightly nibbling under the earth ponies ear where she was the most sensitive, causing her to let out a lewd moan that she couldn't stop.

Bon Bon covered her lips with a hoof and quickly looking around to see if her customers had heard her, but she couldn’t see them and Lyra's body was blocking half of the store from her view. She crossed her hind legs over each other, hoping that would help quell her excitement, which it didn’t.

Lyra had used lines like that on her before, but this was a new one and the way she said it was so… so... Oh, Celestia…

Was this what the human told her to do? Did he tell her to say those things and flirt with her in such an aggressive way to try and persuade her? And why was it working so well?

Perhaps she was just more lonely than she originally thought. It had been a long time since she was last intimate, but it didn’t matter what the reason was. Her back was now pressed up against her checkout counter and she was cornered by a beautiful mare, feeling extremely hot and embarrassed. She knew what it looked like and could only imagine what the pegasus couple in her shop might be thinking about the whole situation. She just hoped her customers didn’t notice what was going on.

Lyra stepped back a little, keeping her seductive stare locked onto Bon Bon’s eyes. “So how about that date, beautiful?” she asked in a sensual and charming tone.

If Bon Bon was a weaker mare she might have shouted ‘YES!’ but she knew what the consequences were if she did that. She took a deep breath, calming herself down for a moment before slowly standing back up, giving Lyra a serious frown before answer her. “Lyra… we have been over this... I just can’t be a part of your herd,” she whispered, trying to keep their conversation quiet.

Lyra let out a loud groan of disappointment, kicking the wooden floor with her hoof in frustration. “Buck! I really thought you would’ve liked that. Chris said that worked for him back in his other world...”

“Lyra, not so loud. And I know you're upset, but there’s no need for profanities,” Bon Bon quietly scolded, not liking the way she used the word ‘buck’ to express her disappointment.

Lyra sighed deeply hanging her head down slightly for a moment. “But, why Bonny…” she looked back at Bon Bon with a sad and pleading expression. “Just one date... That’s all I’m asking.”

Bon Bon hated having to see her so upset. It wasn’t easy having to constantly turn her friend down, but she had to. She just knew that she wouldn’t find anything to love with the human. “I’m sorry Lyra, I just don—,”

“Just one date! That’s all I ask!” Lyra interrupted her, raising her voice, begging the earth pony to reconsider. “We’ll pay for everything, our treat! H-how can you say no to a free meal!?” she asked, raising her voice.

“Shhhh. Please not so loud. I just—,”

“It will be fun! We’ll get to spend time with each other and Chris is a really great stallion! You’ll have a good time, I just know it!”

“Lyra...”

“Bonny… I know that if you just give him a chance, you’ll be able to find love with him as well. You're right for him, just like he’s right for you.” Lyra reassured, speaking a little softer now.

Bon Bon only stood there in silence, frowning sadly at the unicorn, not really knowing what to say. She just couldn’t picture her self being with a creature like that.

“I-I promise… if… if you go on just one date with us and you’re still not interested… t-then… then I'll never bug you about this again!” Lyra offered in desperation as her words got louder towards the end.

Bon Bon went to reply and tell Lyra to keep it down again before her customers overheard their embarrassing conversation, but paused and thought about what the unicorn had just said for a moment. It sounded like she just offered her a chance to never hear of this dating business ever again.

"Wait, so… If I agree to one date with you and your umm, coltfriend... and if I still don't want to join your herd after that, then you'll stop pestering me about this?” Bon Bon questioned, perking her ear up a little higher to make sure she could hear Lyra’s response clearly.

Lyra thought about that question for a moment, looking away from Bon Bon, but eventually she looked back. She stood up straight and took a deep breath, giving the earth pony a serious look. “Bon Bon… I promise that I will never ask you out on anymore dates if you would do me the honor of attending at least one night out on the town with me and my coltfriend."

Bon Bon furrowed her brow, placing a hoof on her chin, looking down slightly as she pondered the pros and cons of Lyra’s offer. The unicorn was always true to her word when it came to promises, so that meant all she had to do was get through one date and then be done with this bothersome topic forever.

It was a simple plan, and at the end of the night she would just give her thanks and gently explain to Lyra in a very calm and well thought-out way that she still wasn’t interested. Then hopefully they could remain friends, but that meant she would have to… talk... to the human. She couldn’t just ignore and avoid him the whole time like she always did, it would break Lyra’s heart if she did something like that on their date. She would have to be hospitable and try to socialize for Lyra's sake. It wouldn’t be all bad though. Lyra would be there the whole time, so she could stand talking to the human for a few brief moments if it meant spending more time with the unicorn and making her happy. Even if it was for just one date.

“Okay...” Bon Bon sighed, looking back at Lyra with a serious expression, causing the unicorns ears to perk up a little.

“If you can promise me that you will never bug me about joining your herd again, then…” Bon Bon paused, looking away for a moment, thinking if there was any possibility that she might somehow regret this decision.

Lyra’s eye’s started to widen a little as Bon Bon spoke, but furrowed her brow when she paused in the middle of what she was going to say.

Bon Bon looked back at Lyra, before speaking in a calm and clear tone. “If you can PROMISE me that you will stop asking me out on a date after this one is over… then… yes… I will go out with you and your... stallion...”

“Y-you… W-will?” Lyra asked in a shaky voice as her eyes started to widen.

Bon Bon nodded her head. “Yes... I will join you both on ONE date." Even though she was dreading this already, she couldn’t help but smile a little, knowing that Lyra would be excited about her finally saying yes.

Lyra tackled Bon Bon in a tight hug that swept her off her forelegs, knocking the wind out of her. “OH, BONNY YOU’LL LOVE IT! AND I PROMISE I’LL NEVER ASK YOU ABOUT THIS AGAIN!” Lyra shouted in excitement, causing the earth pony to pin her ears back against her head to try and soften the loud unicorn shouting in her ear. “This date is going to be perfect and you’ll have so much fun!” Lyra added, nuzzling her cheek against Bon Bon’s before kissing her deeply on the lips, overcome with joy.

Bon Bon blushed a deep crimson and squeaked in surprise at the sudden kiss, but soon let herself melt into Lyra’s embrace, closing her eyes and enjoying the moment. She tilted her head to the side slightly as the kiss lingered, but before she could get too lost in the moment, Lyra let go of her and stepped back so she could look her in the eyes again.

“This is so awesome!" Lyra cheered, shuffling her hooves up and down in giddy joy.

Bon Bon tilted her head down a little trying to hide her blush and bright smile before responding. “Y-yes well… we’ll see…” She tried to sound serious, but it was hard when she was as flustered as she was. “S-so… umm, w-where are you taking me for our... date?”

“Oh, it’s a wonderful place!” Lyra blurted out suddenly, causing Bon Bon to jump back in surprise. “Chris and I found the perfect spot! We looked all over and found a restaurant that we both loved and I know you'll love it as well! It has everything you can possibly imagine, plus their service is outstanding!” Lyra cheered, unable to contain her excitement as she lightly bounced in place.

Bon Bon giggled a little at Lyra’s overwhelming reaction to all of this; it was really heartwarming to see her so happy. It almost made her want to join her herd right then and there, just so she could always see her smile. But something about what the unicorn said confused her a little, making her frown again.

“Lyra... Did you say that both of you went out and looked for a place to take me?”

Lyra stopped her bouncing and gave Bon Bon a questioning look. “Of course… Why wouldn’t we?”

“It’s just…” Bon Bon hesitated, thinking a little more about what she wanted to say. “You mean to tell me that your coltfriend helped you look, right? I mean, he is okay with dating... me?” she asked in a questioning tone. It was a little strange to think that the human would actually go through with this. She could understand if he was doing this just to make Lyra happy, but if he was helping her pick out a spot for the date and giving her pick-up lines to use, then was he genuinely interested in having her be a part of their herd?

“Well… Yeah, he told me that he really wants to get to know you more… I mean, you don’t really talk to him that much..."

Bon Bon frowned sadly, looking down and away from Lyra. She felt guilty about that and knew how rude she was being to the human. It really wasn’t fair to Lyra that she was so apprehensive towards her coltfriend, but she wasn’t doing it on purpose. The human was just so foreign and big; he was just so intimidating to her...

“But,” Lyra continued happily, causing Bon Bon to look up again. “he said that you seem like a really nice mare and a good friend...,” she paused for a moment, remembering something else the human said.“Oh, and he told me he thinks you’re... ssssssexy,” she hissed slowly with a sultry gaze and a light rump wiggle.

Bon Bon's eyes shot open and her pupils dilated as her cheeks started to heat up again. Even her heart started beat a little faster after Lyra said that. She wasn’t really sure how to respond to that, but apparently her body did. “H-he… said that?” she asked in a softly shaky voice, feeling quite shy all the sudden.

Lyra chuckled, noticing her friend's shy demeanor. “Well, he used the word beautiful, but with him it means the same thing.” Lyra shrugged.

“H-he think’s I’m… beautiful?” Bon Bon muttered to herself under her breath, not wanting Lyra to hear her.

“You know what else he told me about you?” Lyra asked in a softly teasing tone, grinning ear to ear.

Bon Bon scrunched up her muzzle thinking about that for a moment. She couldn’t imagine anything the human would say about her to be very nice, but the way Lyra asked that question made it sound like it was something... good. “W-what did he say?”

Lyra stepped a little closer giving Bon Bon a sensual gaze again before whispering to her as if she was telling her a dirty secret. “He told me that he loves the way your bright blue eyes glisten and shine in the bright sunlight."

"M-my… my eyes?" Bon Bon questioned, feeling her heart beat a little faster for some reason. Has he even seen her eyes before? She couldn't remember ever looking directly at him. When did he ever look at her eyes?

"Uh-huh… And, he also told me that he loves it when your curly mane dances and shimmers in the gentle breeze,” Lyra continued, whispering sweetly.

"M-my... mane... d-dances?" Was Lyra telling the truth? Did he really think all of this about her? It always took her hours to maintain her curls and nopony ever seemed to notice.

"But do you know what he said he loves the most?"

"N-no..." Bon Bon whimpered, looking back and Lyra.

"Your ffflllaankssssss." Lyra hissed in a slow sensual tone.

Bon Bon's body froze in place as her whole face burned in a bright blush. Had he really been looking at her... her... butt!?

The more she thought about it the more she could start to feel a tickling feeling in the pit of her stomach, but she couldn’t quite understand what it was that she was feeling. She figured it had to be fear. She wouldn’t be getting all flustered from some weird stallion's silly comments… would she? No, she wouldn’t care even if what Lyra was saying was true, which it most certainly wasn't. Was it?

“D-did… did he really say all that to you?” Bon Bon asked, looking into Lyra's eyes.

“Yep!" Lyra chirped happily. “I mean I had to coax him into giving me the all juicy details, but it’s all one hundred percent true!" Lyra said happily, giggling a little.

Bon Bon wasn’t going to believe that. There was no way that the human could possibly find her attractive. She could understand him finding Lyra attractive―she was practically a model―and she couldn’t possibly be feeling sappy emotions just because some stallion said she had nice…umm... flanks. Even though she couldn’t really recall the last time one told her that she was pretty or attractive… and in such detail... No, it had to be a lie. Lyra was just trying to get her to warm up to him more.

Bon Bon shook her head, clearing her mind of the thoughts and pushed all her emotions away, before straightening herself up and clearing her throat a little. “Well then... I am sure whatever spot you two picked out will be lovely. Just let me know where it is and what time.” She said, back in her more natural voice as she quickly composed herself.

“It's more than nice, but we can talk more about that latter. I’m going to go in the back to put my stuff away, so I can wash up and help you run the shop for a while,” Lyra said, smiling brightly. She used her magic to float her saddlebags in the air next to her as she walked into the back room, but stopped when she noticed a stray lemon drop candy that was sitting on the check out counter. “Oh, I love these things! You going to eat that?” She asked, pointing to the candy with a hoof.

Bon Bon followed her pointing hoof to see the tainted candy she was supposed to throw away. “Oh no, you don’t want to eat th—,” but before she could say any more, a golden aura of magic started to surround the soiled sweet and shot straight into the unicorn's mouth.

Lyra suckled and savored the candy, taking in its flavor. “Mmm… Nice and sour, just like I like’m. Thanks, Bonny!” she hummed in delight as she continued to gallop into the back room, shutting the door behind her.

Bon Bon was left stunned and extremely grossed out. “Eww, Lyra… Gross…” she whispered to herself. If only Lyra knew where that candy had been… But it was a little too late to tell her now.

Actually, on second thought, Lyra would probably still eat the candy even if she knew where it had been.

Bon Bon sighed deeply to herself, reflecting on everything that had just transpired. “I really hope I won't regret this later…” she mumbled to herself. “Maybe I should have made her do the Pinkie Promise just in case…”

Suddenly, Bon Bon's eyes shot open when she remembered that there were still two customers in her store. Slowly she turned around, scanning the shop for the pair, hoping that they didn't see or hear anything that happened between her and Lyra.

Her stomach started to sink once her eyes fell upon the two lovers in the back corner of the shop, standing next to her gummy parasprites displays. They were both looking right at her with wide eyes, but soon turned away once they saw her looking at them, pretending like they were still shopping. The stallion even started to whistle a nameless tune as he randomly eyed the different items next to him.

It seemed like they had heard and seen everything and were no doubt judging her for accepting the date with Lyra and her human.

Bon Bon’s embarrassment shot through the roof as her whole face burned in a bright red blush. She looked away from the couple, biting her lower lip, frowning sadly as she groaned to herself, thinking that she definitely made a mistake.

“Oh sweet Luna, what have I gotten myself into…”

Author's Notes:

If there are any mistakes in this chapter then please let me know. I went back and changed a bunch of things after my editors went thru it, so if there are mistakes its all my fault.

Anyways... I was going to wait a little while to post this chapter since it seems like chapter 3 is going to take me a while to get out and I didn't want you guys to have to wait too long in between chapters, but chapter 2 is a pretty important one and helps set up the story, so I figured it was time to post it.

I really like how the this chapter came out, but I have to give credit where credit is due. This chapter would not have been what it is now if it wasn’t for the help of my buddy Mephistokiller, and JeremyStorm. They both told me that the Bon Bon I originally had was too unlikable and they were right. I originally had her supper hateful and sour, but that's wasn't want I wanted at all. So if you like this chapter then go thank them.

Also I highly recommend you read JeremyStorms's story To Find a Rainbow. It's a great read, and if you like this story then you will love his.

And now I return to writing about the date! Will Bon Bon see Chris for the stallion he really is?! And will Goku make in time to save his friends for the 50th time this week!? Find out next time on Bon Bon's Acceptance-ball Z!

Date Night-Part 1, The Everfree Moon.

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Date Night-Part 1, The Everfree Moon.

Luna's moon glowed brightly in her starry night sky, illuminating all of Equestria in its soft white light while Chris and Lyra waited in front of the restaurant they picked out for their date. They both stood outside next to a small bonfire that was set up to help warm customers while they waited to be seated.

The restaurant was called The Everfree Moon, and it was built inside of a large hill located between Ponyville and the Everfree Forest. It was a pretty fancy establishment, a bit on the pricy side, but Chris and Lyra had plenty of time to save up enough bits to really spoil Bon Bon tonight. Chris was especially excited about that. He wanted to buy Bon Bon the best hard cider they could afford and make sure she could eat any fancy dessert her heart desired, but the fancy food and drinks weren't the only reason why they picked this location for their date.

One of the more charming aspects of the restaurant was its crystal moon theme. The interior looked like a typical cave, except it was decorated with beautiful crystals that would glow brightly with a warm, white light, similar to Luna's moon. It made the whole place feel like you were in an enchanted cave on the moon itself. It painted a wonderful and soothing atmosphere, which was only enhanced by the wonderful staff that owned and operated the place.

The establishment was mainly run by bat ponies since it only opened once the moon was out, but even though The Everfree Moon only operated at night, it still got plenty of customers thanks to its wide variety of exotic cuisine. It catered to all kinds of different species that inhabited Equestria, serving everything from meat to hay, which was one of the main reasons why Chris and Lyra decided to give the restaurant a chance in the first place.

It was difficult for Chris to find a decent source of meat in this world, so he was forced to live the life of a vegetarian for the most part. He didn't mind too much, but nights like tonight were golden opportunities for the human to get his meat fix and Lyra didn’t mind in the least. She knew that Chris had a specific diet and was understanding of his occasional carnivorous urges. So every once and awhile, Lyra would make an extra effort to find a restaurant where Chris could get his fix while still having something that she could enjoy as well.

Such places were uncommon around Ponyville, and they would often have to travel a little ways for those special kinds of dates, but this Everfree Moon place was one of the better locations that they both loved to visit when they could. But, there was one dish at The Everfree Moon that caught Lyra’s attention the most, and it was one of the main reasons why she wanted to take Bon Bon there in the first place.

Every time Chris and Lyra went to a new restaurant, Lyra would order the carrot soup for her first meal. It wasn’t her favorite dish, but she knew Bon Bon well enough to know that the soup would be the first thing the earth pony would want to order. Knowing that, Lyra would always test the soups at every establishment they visited, and the soup at The Everfree Moon was the best by far. She knew Bon Bon would absolutely love it, plus Chris could satisfy his meat craving. It was a win-win for everypony.

Lyra was confident that Bon Bon would enjoy herself and Chris was inclined to believe her. He just hoped Bon Bon would show up soon. His nerves were getting the better of him and it was freezing outside.

It was also a slightly snowy night out tonight, so Chris had to wear his long, dark grey pea coat that Rarity had tailored for him last year. He always felt guilty asking Rarity to constantly make outfits for him, but he didn’t have any other options.

Rarity never seemed to mind, though. She would often tell him that she enjoyed making him different outfits, since he was the only one of his kind. It was refreshing for her to make something new and unique every now and then. Still, it bugged him that he had to constantly pester her for new things to wear, and she would never take tips or make him pay the full price.

The coat was definitely of high quality, just like all of Rarity’s works, but it was in need of some minor repairs. The seams on the left shoulder were coming undone slightly. It was still wearable, but there was a noticeable hole on his left shoulder now.

Sadly, the pea coat was the only thing Chris had to protect himself from the cold at the moment and it didn't help his nerves knowing that it wasn't as pristine as it once was.

Lyra didn't have to worry about the cold as much as Chris did since her fur kept her pretty warm around this time of the year. The only thing she had on that protected her from the cold was a thick, rose-red cloak that draped over her body, with a large hood that covered her head. She was wearing a dress under it as well, but that was more for appearance than practicality. Ponies would often dress up for special occasions and tonight was indeed special.

Chris started to tap his booted foot impatiently on the snow-covered ground as he fidgeted with the decent sized black box in his hands that held the gifts they’d gotten for Bon Bon. He drummed his fingertips on the sides nervously as he stared down the cobblestone path their date would be coming up on. He continued to stare until he felt a weight lean itself against his thigh, causing him to turn his head to the right and look down.

Lyra was peering up at him through her hood with an encouraging smile as she pressed her side against his. "Don't be nervous. You'll do great," she reassured him sweetly, rubbing his lower leg with a hoof for added encouragement.

Chris smiled back slightly, nodding his head in thanks, but soon turned his head away to stare down the path again. Her words and actions helped to calm him a little, but he was still nervous. In fact, he couldn't recall ever being as nervous as he was now. Even his first date with his ex back in his old world wasn't this bad.

Chris scratched his small but well-trimmed beard that he’d grown out for Lyra as he contemplated more about this whole dating-two-ponies thing.

He could never imagine himself ever doing something like this a while ago, and it was both scary and thrilling all at the same time, but he came prepared. Ever since that night when Lyra asked him if they could date Bon Bon, he had started to educate himself about the pony cultural norms and what it meant to be a part of a herd. He read over a dozen books on the subject, and the more he read, the more he started to really like the idea. Twilight even helped him to try and understand things a little better, which was… really awkward… but she was so enthusiastic about teaching him that he had to sit through her many detailed and thorough lectures. She even gave him a pop quiz on the subject once which was an interesting experience.

Eventually, even Fluttershy found out that Chris was trying to learn more about herds and was kind enough to loan him a romance novel about a lonely pegasus mare that fell in love with a unicorn stallion and two earth pony mares. The novel was a surprisingly... erotic for a book in Fluttershy’s possession, but it was a fantastic read, and he found it fascinating how the characters in the story eventually all shared a love for one another. It was like they all completed each other to make one big whole.

The story was very touching, and it gave Chris more confidence in becoming a part of something like that. In fact, he liked the story so much that he thought he should look up the author, Yellow Quiet, to see if she had written any more stories similar to that one. Maybe Fluttershy knew who this Yellow Quiet mare was and where he could find more of her books.

Chris was definitely more comfortable with the idea of starting a herd with Lyra now but it wasn't any less nerve-racking. He still wasn't really sure what to think about Bon Bon. She was definitely a beautiful mare and was an amazing friend to Lyra, but she still didn't want anything to do with him, as far as he could tell. This whole date was riding on him making a good impression. He knew that Lyra and Bon Bon were already very close, so the night was resting on his shoulders to try and persuade the earth pony to accept another date. Somehow...

Still, even if Bon Bon ended up not liking him in a romantic kind of way, he had hopes that this little outing would be a step in the right direction to finally becoming friends with the earth pony. He would consider this night a success if she opened up to him even a little bit, but guessing from how often she rejected Lyra’s offer for a date, that outlook was looking pretty bleak. He knew she was saying no because of him, and it felt like someone was twisting a knife into his heart every time Lyra came home downhearted after being rejected. He had to win over Bon Bon tonight, or at least make amends with her.

Chris took a deep, calming breath, placing the hand that wasn’t holding the black gift box on Lyra's back as he turned to look at her, giving her a slightly worried expression. "Lyra…” he called, trying to hide his nervousness.

Lyra peered up at him through her red hood with a bright smile before answering. “Yes?”

“Do you... do you think I look okay? I mean, is my outfit for tonight acceptable for this kind of thing?" Chris asked, knowing that Lyra wouldn't really be able to give him a useful answer. She wasn't really into the fashion scene that much, but he really needed some positive reinforcement to help calm his nerves.

Lyra hummed softly before standing up on her hind legs, wrapping her forelegs around Chris's midsection for support as she held him tightly. She leaned her head in, pressing her soft lips to his now more fuzzy ones, kissing him deeply.

Chris embraced the sudden kiss, wrapping his free arm around Lyra's back, pulling her body closer to him as he closed his eyes and pushed a little more into her lips.

Lyra rubbed his side with a hoof before slowly breaking off the kiss, giving him a loving gaze as she held him. "You look wonderful. Just be yourself and everything will be fine," she whispered sweetly, giving him a loving squeeze with her forehooves.

She was right, of course. He wouldn't get anywhere trying to be something that he thought Bon Bon would like in a mate. "Thank you, sweetheart. That makes me feel a lot better," he replied, smiling a little more. He started to feel less nervous about this whole dating Bon Bon thing, thanks to Lyra's confidence in him. As long as she was with him, he felt like he could do anything.

Lyra smiled warmly before leaning in for a second kiss. She held back a giggle as his new whiskers lightly tickled her nose, making her pull her head back and snort lightly as she scrunched up her muzzle. It was a fun sensation, but a little distracting sometimes. “You know, maybe you should shave that beard off,” she mused in a teasing manner, sticking her tongue out slightly.

Chris arched an eyebrow high into the air, giving Lyra a questioning look, feeling a little less secure in himself again. “You were the one that kept begging me to grow one,” he pointed out, matter-of-factly. “Are you trying to say I’m ugly right before our big date?” he quipped, hiding his insecurity, knowing Lyra was just messing with him.

“That's exactly what I am saying. Honestly, I’m not even sure why you listened to me. And I’m shocked nopony has run you out of town yet,” she responded sarcastically, biting her lip trying to hold back her giggles.

Chris smiled and chuckled before softly kissing Lyra on the tip of her nose, which caused Lyra to start giggling as his whiskers tickled her again. “Thanks, honey. You always know how to make a guy feel loved,” he joked, rubbing her back with his hand, but his expression soon turned into a more worried one as he thought about what Bon Bon might actually think of his beard. “But, I mean. I look okay, right? You don’t think Bon Bon will hate the beard, do you?”

Lyra rolled her eyes at him. “Yes, dear, I think Bonny will like the beard. In fact, I know she has a little thing for stallions with a rugged edge to them,” she cooed, swaying her hips slightly.

Chris continued to give her a slightly unsure look, but kept smiling. “I hope you're right…” he said, pausing for a moment.

“Trust me. I know Bonny, she’ll love it,” Lyra added with a wink.

Chris smiled brightly at his marefriend, wanting to believe in her words. “I guess we'll see. But, I’m definitely keeping the beard,” he added in a stern tone, standing his ground on the matter.

Lyra smirked, giving him a half-lidded, sensual gaze. “Oh really? Well I think I can deal with that. I still think it’s ssssexy,” she hissed in a lustful tone. “You look so wild and fierce with that beard,” she added, flicking her tail from under her cape in a very suggestive manner.

Chris started to chuckle again at Lyra’s flirting, giving her his own lustful, but playful, stare. “Well in that case, maybe I should shave it off after all,” he countered, in a very childish tone.

“Humans can never make up their minds, can they?” Lyra sighed, squeezing Chris a little tighter as she closed her eyes and laid her head over his shoulder, enjoying the feeling of embracing him. “Just remember that no matter what you do, I’ll still love you," she whispered lovingly.

“You know, you're adorable when your're sappy,” Chris replied, sighing in content as he nuzzled the side of her head, leaning into her embrace some more. “And you know I'll always love you no matter what you do,” he added in a loving whisper of his own.

They stayed like that for a short while before Lyra let go and dropped back down on all four hooves, looking up at Chris all the while. "Don’t stress about tonight. You’ll do great, and I know Bonny will have fun. Everything will be fine. I promise," she reassured him with a loving smile.

Chris nodded his head in agreement, believing in her words. She had to be right about all this, but they had been standing in front of The Everfree Moon for a while now with no Bon Bon in sight. He hoped she didn't stand them up, but he felt like she would never do something like that. She might not like him, but he couldn't picture her ditching a date she agreed to. He felt like maybe they should have gone to pick her up or something, but Lyra insisted there was no need.

"Oh, I think I see her!" Lyra shouted excitedly, causing Chris to turn around and look down the path again. Sure enough, a small figure of a pony could be seen trotting towards them at a quick and steady pace. It was difficult to see the pony in the moonlight, but they seemed to be wearing a dark blue cape, similar in style to Lyra's. Chris thought he could make out what looked like pink and blue curls poking out from under the pony’s hood. It had to be Bon Bon.

Chris’s stomach started to twist into a knot as his nerves once again began to eat at him. He wanted to fidget with the box in his hand some more, but he knew that that would send the wrong message. He needed to show that he was confident, and mindlessly fidgeting with Bon Bon’s gifts like that wouldn't help convey that.

Chris leaned against Lyra, placing his free hand on the back of her cape, gently stroking her to help keep himself calm as he watched Bon Bon approach.

'I really, really, really hope she likes our gifts...' Chris thought to himself. He knew from his herd studies that if a group was interested in bringing in another mare or stallion, they would give that pony a gift from each member of the herd. Lyra had gotten her something he thought was really nice, but he wasn’t as confident in his gift.

Meanwhile, Bon Bon trotted towards the restaurant, thinking to herself about why she was running late. It took her a lot longer to fix her mane than she originally thought it would. She was still used to having Lyra help her with that kind of stuff and she felt terrible for making her friend wait like this.

Lyra had explained to her that this place had a unique and 'awesome' atmosphere to it. It all sounded interesting and she would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't at least a little bit excited to find out what it was like. Although, her excitement wasn’t enough to help keep her distracted from how scary this date was going to be. The realization that she would have to talk and interact with the human frightened her.

Maybe if she just kept to herself, avoided looking at the human, and just kept talking to Lyra, then he would ignore her as well. Perhaps Lyra wouldn’t even notice that she was avoiding him during the date if she kept the unicorn distracted with a good conversation.

Bon Bon sighed to herself. Deep down, she knew that that plan wouldn’t work for long. She’d agreed to this date and it was so important to Lyra. Eventually, she would have to talk to the human; she just hoped it wouldn’t be that often.

Bon Bon's thoughts were interrupted when she could see the restaurant up ahead. Lyra was standing in front of the establishment, next to her human, which made her stomach turn in fear as her trotting slowed down slightly.

She was getting closer to the pair and could see them more clearly, but something about the human made her slow down even more. It looked like there was something new about him. She hadn't really seen him in a while, but it looked like he had a… a beard on his face?

This caused Bon Bon to stop completely for a moment. She was still a little ways away from the restaurant, but was close enough to see that there was clearly fur on the human’s face now. She didn't even know that he could grow a beard like that. It made him seem more... like a pony. In fact, it reminded her of an an old crush she used to have. It was strangely comforting seeing the human with a beard like that, but there was something else on him that caught her attention. He was holding a strange black box in his, spidery, hooves. It must be a gift for her.

Bon Bon wondered what the human thought a good gift for a date would be. Maybe he would give her some kind of weird clothing, or some kind of human custom thing. She remembered back to when Lyra told her that his kind gives bundles of roses when they are trying to court a mate. It could be that, but the box was too small to be a bouquet of flowers and he would never go so far out of his way like that to give her such a gift. Whatever it was, she would find out soon enough.

Bon Bon swallowed the lump in her throat as she started to slowly walk towards the restaurant, keeping her head down, hiding behind her dark blue hood, and avoiding the human’s gaze.

Once Bon Bon got closer, Lyra started to trot up to meet her with the human close behind, which made the feeling of butterflies in the earth pony’s stomach all the more noticeable. She kept her head down, not wanting to risk looking in the human’s direction. She just wanted to see her friend and not deal with the bipedal creature yet.

"Bonny! You made it!" Lyra exclaimed happily, trotting up to embrace her in a warm hug. The human seemed to keep his distance and just watch them as they embraced each other, which was good. She just hoped he wasn't expecting a hug as well.

“I-I'm sorry I was late, L-Lyra," Bon Bon apologized nervously in a slightly shaky voice, squeezing the unicorn a little tighter in her embrace. "M-my mane took me longer to do then I thought it would…”

“It’s okay, Bonny,” Lyra reassured her warmly, breaking off the embrace to look her in the eyes. It looked like the unicorn was about to say something else, but was interrupted.

“We’re both really glad you could make it here safely,” The human’s deep and gentle voice spoke to her from above her hood.

The sound of his voice made her heart start to beat a little faster. The date hadn’t even started yet, and he was already talking to her! Her plan of trying to avoid him was failing already, just like she’d feared it would, but she couldn’t avoid him like she did before. She had to say something to him. “I-I… I-I’m…h-h-happy to be here...” she stammered, trying her best to say something coherent, but was just too nervous.

Lyra could see her friend wasn’t exactly comfortable yet, which she was expecting, but it was a good sign that she was actually acknowledging Chris. Bon Bon would have never done that before and the surprised look on Chris’s face told the unicorn that he was thinking the same thing.

Lyra smiled to herself, thinking that this really was going to work out just like she knew it would, but Bon Bon still had a ways to go before she would open up completely.

Stepping closer to her shy friend, Lyra put a hoof over her withers and pulled her into her side, knowing that her close presence would help to keep her calm. “It’s pretty chilly out here. How about we head inside and get our table? ” Lyra asked Bon Bon in a calming voice.

Still looking down slightly, Bon Bon nodded her head in agreement. “T-That would be lovely,” she said, looking up to Lyra, mustering a small smile.

Lyra started to lead Bon Bon to the front entrance of The Everfree Moon as she looked up to Chris, giving him a bright smile that told him she thought things were off to a good start.

Chris gave Lyra an awkward smile back as he watched the two mares head for the wooden door. He followed a little ways behind them thinking that Bon Bon’s stammerings were probably the first time she had ever made an effort to communicate with him. If he played his cards right, there might be a chance that Bon Bon would actually warm up to him.

He continued to follow the two mares until they stopped in front of the restaurant. Both of them stepped to opposite sides of the entrance as Lyra used her magic to open the door. She looked back at Chris expectantly with a soft smile, while Bon Bon kept her head hidden from him, behind her hood.

Chris knew what they both wanted him to do, and he HATED this part. Unfortunately, all of his studies about dating in pony culture told him that it was rude for the mares to enter a building first. He had to do it, even though every fiber of his being told him that he should be the one holding the door open and letting them enter first.

Swallowing his pride, he reluctantly walked forward, passing the two mares as he entered the door. “Thank you ladies,” he said politely as he turned his head to speak to them, bowing slightly so he didn’t bump his forehead on the door frame.

Lyra snorted, trying to hold back a laugh, not thinking of herself as a lady. “Yeah, I’m not sure about that one, big guy,” she quipped. “There's only one lady here tonight. Right Bonny?” she asked in a joking tone, nudging the earth pony with her elbow a little.

Bon Bon laughed nervously before responding to her friend, even though she didn’t seem to catch what Lyra was implying. “Y-yeah…”

Chris rolled his eyes at Lyra as he entered into the small waiting room of the restaurant, the two mares close behind him. The round room was lit by a large, glowing crystal that hung from the ceiling high above their heads, illuminating the normally dark, cave-like room. The lighting revealed a large set of wooden double doors with a highly detailed profile shot of Princess Luna carved into it. There was also a bat pony hostess on the right side of the door, sitting on a stool behind a tall wooden podium.

The bat pony mare had a dark brown coat with a deep violet mane and light-yellow slitted eyes. She seemed to brighten up when Chris walked up to her. "Oh, hey! You're the Heartstrings party of three, right?" the bat pony asked cheerfully, wagging her tail slightly.

Chris chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head with his hand. "Oh... you, umm... remembered us?" he asked, a little shocked the mare recognized them so quickly. Lyra had taken him to dine at The Everfree Moon a couple of times before, but he didn't think that it was enough for the staff to start remembering them.

"Of course I do! We don't get a whole lot of couples here that are as unique as you two," the bat pony explained with a bright smile. "Your name was... umm," she paused, tapping a hoof to her chin in thought. "Crest, right?!" she shouted excitedly, pointing a triumphant hoof in Chris’s direction.

Chris gave an awkward smile before correcting her. "Umm… well, you're actually really close, but it’s Chris."

The bat mare gave an adorable pout that only a bat pony could manage, disappointed that she got the name wrong. "Well, I almost got it," she shrugged.

Chris wanted to try and guess the bat pony’s name as well, but he couldn't remember ever seeing her before. "Let's see... You're... ummm." He tried to look at her name tag that was around her neck, but the bat pony saw what he was trying to do and covered it with her hoof.

"Nope! You gotta guess," she teased.

Chris scratched his beard in thought. He leaned to the side, trying to see what her cutie mark might be, thinking her butt tattoo might help him guess her name more accurately.

Her cutie mark had a small crescent moon on it with seven smaller stars around it. He had no idea what it could mean, so he took a shot in the dark. "Your name is... Lunar Sprinkles?"

The bate pony snorted, holding back a giggle. "Wow, Lunar Sprinkles? How did you even come up with that one?" She asked, giggling. Even Lyra started to laugh at that and Chris could have sworn he heard Bon Bon giggling as well.

"No, my name is Star Dust, but you guys can call me Dusty. All my friends do," she added with friendly smile.

"Well, it’s nice to meet you, Dusty," Chris replied warmly.

"Likewise, but I'll let my boss, Ember, know you guys are here as well. She'll definitely want to say hi to you and your date there," Dusty said, lightly pointing a hoof in Bon Bon's direction.

Chris raised an eyebrow at that. He vaguely remembered Ember from the last few times he was here with Lyra and he knew she was the owner of the restaurant. She would occasionally walk by their table to check if their meals were okay, which was something he thought most restaurant owners did. He wasn't sure why Ember needed to know when they arrived. He looked back to Lyra and Bon Bon, thinking his marefriend might know why Ember wanted to say hi to them, but she only shrugged. Chris turned back to Dusty, giving her a puzzled expression. "Really? Why is that?"

"Are you kidding me? You guys are like her most favorite couple that come in here!" Dusty shouted excitedly. "She'll want to come by and say hello. Trust me," Dusty explained, chuckling a little.

Chris wasn’t really sure what to make of that. It felt a little weird being somepony’s ‘favorite couple’, but it must be a good thing that the owner has taken special interest in them. He looked back to Lyra who was now smiling brightly. Apparently, she approved of the news.

Lyra giggled, looking up at the bat pony with a smug smile. "Well, we are pretty awesome, and we’re looking to expand our awesomeness," she said, wrapping a hoof around Bon Bon's back, pulling her into a tight hug, making the earth pony squeak in surprise and slump down into her cloak a little more.

"So I see," Dusty giggled, flapping her leathery wings once to help her hop off the tall stool she was sitting on before landing right in front of the group. “Anyways, now that that's out of the way, hello, and welcome to The Everfree Moon!" she chirped happily. “Your table is ready, and I’ll be happy to take your cloaks and coat. We have a safe place where we can store them until your meal is over,” she added as she walked up to Chris.

"We would greatly appreciate that,” Chris replied, setting Bon Bon’s gift box on the podium for a moment before taking off his coat, revealing his outfit he picked out for the night. He wore a pair of black dress pants with a black leather belt and a light-blue, long-sleeve dress shirt that was tucked into his pants and buttoned all the way up, except for the very last button that held his collar together.

Dusty flew up, holding her forelegs out, offering to take his coat. He carefully draped his winter wear around the bat pony’s left foreleg before picking up Bon Bon's gift box again. “Thank you,” he said, causing Dusty to smile and fly over to Lyra, waiting for her to disrobe her cloak as well.

Chris turned and watched Lyra take off her cloak with her magic, revealing the silky white dress with gold accents and matching saddle she had picked out. The top part of her dress fit around her barrel just so and had no sleeves around her forelegs. She wore a gold belt around her midsection that held her saddle on and gave way to a long white and silky smooth skirt that draped all the way down to the floor, covering her back legs completely.

Her mane was brushed out and flowed freely over the left side of her face and down the back of her neck. Chris had actually helped her brush it. He loved brushing Lyra's mane, even though she was fully capable of doing so herself. It was relaxing for him and a good way to spend some time with her and just enjoy each other’s company. Plus, she really seemed to like it.

There was no doubt, Lyra was absolutely breathtaking in that dress with her mane combed out like it was. He would have to ask her if they could try something a little more intimate with that dress on her sometime...

Chris smiled to himself, thinking about all the things he would love to do with Lyra in that dress before he noticed Bon Bon having trouble with her cloak. He could see Bon Bon was struggling to get the small facet in the front of her hood undone. Her hoof kept slipping over the button that held it together. Chris was about to offer help, but Lyra beat him to it.

“Here, Bonny, let me get that for you,” Lyra offered as she used her magic to lift Bon Bon’s cloak up and over her head, revealing what she had on for the night.

Chris’s eyes started to widen in awe as he gazed at Bon Bon’s enchanting, dark blue dress with pink accents that matched her mane perfectly. The top half of her outfit fit around her barrel much like Lyra’s did, only hers had long, lacy pink sleeves that cascaded down her forelegs, passing her knees slightly. Her midsection was wrapped multiple times with a large pink ribbon that covered most of her abdomen and was tied off in the back by a bow. Her skirt draped down her hips, covering most of her back legs, but stopped an inch away from the ground. It also looked like the edges of her skirt were decorated with the same pink lace that covered her forelegs.

Chris looked up from Bon Bon’s dress to see that she had actually styled her mane as well. It looked like her curls were stretched out longer and were fuller looking in the front. The back of her mane reflected the same treatment, making it look like small waves of blue and pink curls were cascading down the back of her neck. She was also wearing some light blue eyeshadow around her eyes, as well as a light pink shade of lipstick.

She looked amazing. ‘Stunning’ and ‘beautiful’ were a few other words that came to Chris’s mind as he continued his gawking. He thought Bon Bon was an attractive mare before, but her dress and makeup only served to enhance all those features he really liked about her.

“Th-thank you, Lyra…” Bon Bon said nervously as she watched the unicorn take her cloak and set it in Dusty's hooves.

Dusty flew back with their winter clothing between her forelegs, stopping in front of the wall behind her podium before turning and speaking to the group again. "I’ll put these away for you three and be back in a second to help you to your table. If you’ll please wait here, it’ll just be a moment,” she said, pushing through a hidden door that easily swung open as she pressed her shoulder against it and disappeared into the back.

Bon Bon watched the bat pony leave and turned her head back to Lyra, who was now looking at her with a really bright smile for some reason. The unicorn’s eyes kept darting from her to something much taller that was standing right next to her. Feeling curious about what Lyra kept looking at, she turned her head to see what it was.

Her eyes soon fell upon the human’s waist, which made her slowly look up to find that the tall stallion was staring right at her with wide eyes and mouth slightly agape, making her squeak in surprise. She quickly jerked her head away, looking down at the floor, trying to hide herself, wishing she was still covered with her cloak. “Wh-wh-what’s w-wrong?” she managed to stutter quietly, not sure why the human was staring at her.

“You look... beautiful!” he complimented loudly, causing Bon Bon to blush brightly and squeak a second time. Her heart started to pound faster in her chest.

Bon Bon rubbed her foreleg with her hoof awkwardly, not sure what to say to the compliment. This date was already looking like it was going to be difficult to get through with the human always trying to talk to her like he was actually interested. Although, it did seem like he really meant what he said, but that look he was giving her was a little scary. She didn’t know how to react to his words, but she had to say something for Lyra’s sake and there was no way he could actually think she was beautiful, not when he had Lyra to compare her to. “ I-I’m… n-not… th-that pretty,” she managed to stammer softly, making herself seem as small as possible.

“You are!” the human replied a little louder as if he was offended by what she said, causing Bon Bon to flinch a little. The tall stallion seemed to noticed that his shouting scared her, making him lightly cover his mouth with his hand. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to shout, but you are very pretty,” he added in a softer tone.

“I… I-I…” Bon Bon tried to respond again, but was a little shaken and nervous about the human still trying to talk to her. She took a deep calming breath before responding to him. “Th-Thank y-you, th-that’s very… s-s-sweet of you to s-say,” she stammered quietly, looking at the floor. She still didn’t believe he would actually think she was beautiful, but she didn’t want to argue.

Suddenly, Bon Bon could feel a hoof being placed on her withers, making her look up to see Lyra smiling warmly at her. “He’s right, Bonny. You do look beautiful tonight,” Lyra said, kissing her sweetly on the lips. Bon Bon returned the kiss, closing her eyes, letting the unicorn’s warm embrace melt all her fears and worries away. However, before she could really start to enjoy the moment, the hidden door behind the podium swung open again, breaking off their kiss.

Dusty flew back into the room from the hidden passageway, landing behind her podium. She picked up three menus, placing them under her wing before trotting up to the double doors that lead to the main dining room. “Okay then. If you three will just follow me, I'll happily show you to your table,” she said as she pushed the wooden doors open with a hoof, revealing The Everfree Moon to the trio.

Bon Bon watched from the side with Lyra as the bat pony opened the door and went inside with the human following close behind, but not before he made some kind of grumbling sound, almost like he didn’t want to walk in the door for some reason. She had to wait for the tall stallion to enter first, then she could walk in with Lyra.

Once the bipedal creature disappeared through the door, Lyra followed after him, leaving Bon Bon in the waiting room all alone.

Taking a deep breath, Bon Bon pushed herself forward, catching up with Lyra. Once they were on the other side, Lyra trotted up next to Chris’s left side. Bon Bon looked away from her dates for a moment to see what this place was really like. Her eyes widened as she took in the stunning sight.

The entire area was illuminated with a multitude of soft white glowing crystals that were scattered all across the outer walls of the surprisingly large, cave-like room. The center of the dining area held a large, rounded stage where a group of pony musicians were playing an enchanting melody that seemed to flow all around them and could be heard clearly over the clanging plates and multiple table conversations being had.

Bon Bon looked above the stage to see a very large and even brighter crystal chandelier that took up most of the ceiling. There were over a dozen lines of little cords that connected the chandelier to the outer edges of the ceiling. Each strand of cord had a bunch of strategically placed crystal lamps that would illuminate the table it was placed over, adding a little extra light for the restaurant patrons to enjoy their meals with.

She followed one of the strands of cord with her eyes, leading her to what looked like a bar area built into the cave’s wall. Maybe later that night she could go up and ask the bartender there what it was like to run a place like this.

It was all very dazzling and beautiful and Bon Bon was definitely impressed. She thought that maybe one day she might come back here if she ever got the chance, but her thoughts were interrupted when she noticed her dates were now standing a little ways away, looking back at her to see why she stopped.

Lyra grinned at her with a knowing smile. “Told ya this place is awesome,” she said in a cocky ‘I-told-you-so’ tone. Even the human was smiling at her, which made her blush again for some reason.

“I-it is pretty,” Bon Bon admitted in a bashful tone, catching up to her dates. She trotted up to the human’s right side, opposite of Lyra, making sure to stay away from his, hand, as much as possible. Just the thought of his spidery limb accidentally grazing her coat made her shudder slightly. She would much rather be by Lyra’s side, but she had to be hospitable and play her part as the second mare interested in the herd. Plus, both of his hands were still busy holding that black box, so she didn’t have to worry as much.

They continued their short journey to their table, which seemed like it was going to be somewhere in the back. Bon Bon took this time to look around and see some of the couples that were dining in the restaurant.

Once she did, she quickly noticed there were only a couple of ponies here, but there were plenty of bat ponies and even some griffins, with even a few zebras here and there. Lyra told her that this place was a popular spot for all kinds of different species, so this didn’t really shock her. What really surprised her was how almost everypony in the establishment was looking in their direction with shocked or curious expression. In fact, they seemed to be staring right at the human she was walking next to.

Bon Bon instantly felt embarrassed and uneasy. She knew why they were staring, and she was ashamed to admit that, if she were in their hooves, she would be gawking as well, but could the human see all of this?

The earth pony looked up slightly as she walked, and saw that the human was indeed witnessing all the stares that were being directed at him. He seemed to have a sad and uneasy expression on his face as his eyes slowly scanned across the room. It was kind of hard to tell from her position, but it seemed like the human knew why they were staring and it saddened him.

Bon Bon felt a little strange seeing this. She almost felt bad about it, and she wasn’t exactly sure why. She knew that the human was a unique creature, and the stares were to be expected, but the sad expression on his face made her feel pity towards the human.

She looked down to see if Lyra was also seeing all of this, but she seemed oblivious as ever. It looked like she was practically skipping as she trotted alongside her human coltfriend. Did she not see all the hard stares everypony was giving them? It was really difficult to miss; she had to have seen what was going on. Or maybe she just didn’t care?

Bon Bon’s thoughts were interrupted when she noticed that they had reached their destination. Dusty stopped in front of a wide, half-circle entry way that was carved into the side of the cave wall. The entrance was covered with a wall of glowing crystal beads that streamed down, providing privacy to who ever entered through them. Lyra and her human must have really gone all-out to afford a private room for them, which she was grateful for. Now she wouldn’t have to see everypony in the restaurant staring at them throughout the entire meal. This date was going to be hard enough without all the curious and judgmental eyes peering at her.

Dusty trotted up to the wall of crystal beads and parted a group of them with her hoof, revealing a small rounded room, with their table in the center. “Fillies, and gentlecolt,” Dusty announced, winking in Chris’s direction, “your table awaits.”

Author's Notes:

Oh look... This story finally updated... yay.

Sorry this took so long to get out, but I was having a lot of trouble with this chapter. Not so much this part but the second part was killing me. You might see why once I post it.

Also I know I wanted to post all the chapters parts up at once, but I really want to make sure that the next part is working, and my editors are still combing through part 2 for you guys. So enjoy the first part for now, and the second should be out shortly.

Special thanks to ButtonSweetiePuff, Laven_Eclipse and EvergreenPony for helping me edit this.

Also... I'm so freaking excited for you guys to read the next part. A lot of fun stuff happens!

P.S. If you guys find mistakes or anything like that, feel free to let me know so I can update this.

Date Night-Part 2, Gifts for Bon Bon

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Date Night-Part 2, Gifts for Bon Bon

Chris entered first, sighing heavily with Lyra and Bon Bon following close behind.

Once inside, Bon Bon looked over the room they would be dining in, noticing their table had a silky white cloth draped over it, similar to all the other tables in the establishment. The table itself was round in shape and was just big enough for four ponies to sit around but there was only a set of three chairs and white plates. Each plate had what looked like a red napkin set next to it as well.

Bon Bon quickly noticed that each of the napkin sets had a gold ring in the middle that held them together. There was no doubt that their silverware was wrapped inside the napkins. She cringed a little seeing the gold rings. It was always a little difficult for her to get those things off when she went to these kinds of places but she would manage.

Bon Bon was about to take her seat but the tall human stepped behind the chair she was heading for and moved it away from the table, giving her a bright smile as he waited for… something. She wasn’t really sure what he was doing with her chair but she figured he wanted to sit there, so she turned around and made her way to a different spot before Lyra stopped her by placing a hoof on her chest.

“Bonny, he wants you to sit in that seat,” Lyra explained with an encouraging smile.

“Wh-what?” Bon Bon asked, feeling confused and a little frightened. She looked back to the human who was giving her a downhearted look, then turned her head back to Lyra. “Then why is he holding the chair out? I-I thought he wanted to sit there,” she whispered to her friend, not wanting the human to overhear them.

Lyra giggled softly. “He does it for me all the time,” she reassured her in a soothing tone. “It’s a custom from his old world. The stallions there like to pull the seats out for the mares to help them sit down. It’s a romantic gesture for him,” she explained happily.

Bon Bon swallowed the nervous lump that was caught in her throat. “R-r-really?” she asked, looking back slightly to see that the human was still waiting for her.

“Yeah. Go on, it’s kind of nice. You’ll see.”

“O-okay…” Bon Bon whispered nervously as she turned and started to slowly make her way to the seat that was being held out for her, trying to muster the best smile she could.

The human started to smile again as she approached. “Your chair, milady,” he said in a strange accent.

Bon Bon stopped just in front of the chair, giving it an unsure look. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before awkwardly climbing up on the seat, being careful to avoid touching the human’s hand that was holding the back edge of the chair. Once she was up, she turned herself around and sat back on her haunches. Immediately after that, her chair started to slowly move forward into the table, causing her to squeak in surprise. Once she realized that the human had just pushed her in, she calmed herself a little before responding shyly, “O-oh… umm… thank you.” Lyra was right, though. It was kind of nice to be pushed in like that. It made her feel… special.

Lyra held a hoof to her lips, trying to hold back from laughing at her friend’s expense. She waited on the other side of the table for the human to help her with her seat. Once he pulled it out, she quickly hopped up and sat down as the bipedal stallion pushed her in. “Thanks, love,” Lyra cooed, leaning her head up to give her coltfriend a quick, loving kiss, which he returned before taking the seat next to her that was the closest to the entryway. He then placed the black box he was still holding on the table in front of him.

Dusty smirked slightly, raising a questioning eyebrow after having witnessed all this. “You know, it’s going to take you guys forever to sit down when you bring a third or fourth mare into your herd,” she teased, causing Chris to almost fall out of his seat.

Lyra busted out in laughter. Even Bon Bon started to smile and chuckle softly. Chris was not as amused. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, you two,” he huffed in mock annoyance.

Dusty chuckled lightly before biting the menus out from under her wing, then proceeded to hoof them out individually. Once everypony had a menu, she flew up and hovered next to the table, clearing her throat slightly. “Well, I hope you guys enjoy your meals tonight. I would recommend that you try our fried tofu with blood sauce, or if you’d prefer a more traditional pony dish I would recommend our hay with rose petals salad. It’s one of our more popular items among all our pony customers. I haven’t tried it myself, but I hear really good things.”

Lyra perked her ears up a little at that suggestion. “Oh, that does sound good. I might have to try that tonight,” she mused.

“Well, I know Ember will be wanting to personally serve you guys tonight, so she’ll be happy to take your orders. Would you three like me to get you some drinks while you wait?” Dusty asked kindly.

Chris raised his hand slightly, grabbing Dusty’s attention. “Yeah, actually, would you be so kind as to bring us the best hard cider you have for the table?” he asked.

“Oh? Somepony wants to spoil these two lovely mares tonight I see,” Dusty chuckled, which caused Bon Bon to blush brightly and sink down into her seat a little. “I would be happy to get that for you. Can I get any waters for the table as well?”

Bon Bon sat up in her seat before answering Dusty’s question. “Umm… Yes please. I'll have a water with my cider,” she answered softly.

“You got it, ma’am,” Dusty confirmed, giving a salute. “You three sit tight while I get those drinks and Ember should be around shortly to take your orders.” With that, she flew out of the room, pushing the crystal beads aside and leaving the trio to themselves.

Bon Bon started to nervously fidget with her hooves under the table. She looked up to see that both Lyra and the human where looking at her with wide smiles, making her feel even more nervous. She gave them both a small, sheepish smile but quickly opened the menu in front of her, biting the edge in her mouth and unfolding it, attempting to avoid the attention that was now on her.

Chris looked towards Lyra, giving her a concerned look, but she just smiled and shrugged while using her magic to pick up her own menu.

Chris sighed to himself, picking up the menu in front of him. The Everfree Moon had very few choices for meals with meat in them but there was one dish that he already knew was good and he figured he would go with that tonight. Having made up his mind, he set the menu down as he waited for the two mares to make up their minds.

With little else to do, Chris looked back at the black box that was on the table, which made him start to feel nervous again. The gift he had gotten Bon Bon was something that he feared she might not like. It was a hard gift to obtain and a simple one at that, but he had done his research and Berry Punch told him that the earth pony would really like it. She had explained that the item was something important from Bon Bon’s past and when she explained why, he knew that was the gift he had to get for Bon Bon no matter what. He wanted to show her that he really cared and wanted to give this herd thing a shot, he just hoped that the slightly inebriated mare was right about everything she had told him.

After a while, Bon Bon closed her menu and pushed it to the center of the table with her nose. It seemed like she had picked out what she wanted. Chris thought this would be a perfect time to try and talk to her again. Hopefully, if he opened up with a simple conversation topic, then Bon Bon might feel a little more comfortable around him and start enjoying herself.

Chris cleared his throat slightly before turning his attention to Bon Bon. “So… uhh, Bon Bon,” he called to her, causing the earth pony to let out an adorable squeak before she slowly turned to look at him. “Have you decided on what you're getting?” he asked gently with a friendly smile, causing Lyra to peer over the edge of her menu to watch the two as their conversation began to unfold.

Bon Bon looked away for a second, biting her lip a little before turning back to Chris. “I… uhh… wanted to get... the, umm... carrot soup,” she finally answered softly, obviously still feeling uncomfortable with him.

“Ha! I told you!” Lyra chimed in, dropping her menu down while smirking triumphantly at Chris.

This seemed to confuse Bon Bon. She darted her head back and forth between the two, expecting some kind of explanation. Chris chucked softly before explaining. “Lyra told me that you always loved to order the carrot soup when you went out to places like this, but I didn’t believe her,” he said in a friendly tone.

“That’s right, sucka! I know my Bonny, now pay up!” Lyra added, holding out her hoof expectantly.

Chris huffed as he pulled out a small bit from his pants pocket. He placed it in Lyra’s hoof, which she quickly snatched up and stuffed in the front of her dress.

Bon Bon watched the two as they interacted with each other, causing her to place a hoof over her lips so she could hide her smile and soft giggles from them.

Chris saw this and started to feel like they were making some good progress with their date. It seemed like Bon Bon was actually enjoying herself.

“So, I take it you're a fan of carrots?” he asked, trying to keep the conversation going. However, Bon Bon’s smile started to slowly fade. It seemed like she still wasn't comfortable talking to him for some reason.

"Oh…umm… yes…” Bon Bon answered with a light bashful nod, putting her hoof back down under the table.

“Well, I’m a pretty big fan of carrots myself. In fact, back when I was living in my old world, I was a little overweight, so I tried almost every diet imaginable to slim down.”

Lyra's ears perked up a little at Chris's words. “I remember that! You used to be all chubby when you first got here!” she interrupted loudly, which made Chris wince a little. “You looked so cute with that little belly! You should get fat again! I bet you would be so cuddly!” she added excitedly, hugging herself with her forelegs to demonstrate how she would cuddle her plumper coltfriend.

Chris sighed, shaking his head. “I will not destroy my health for your amusement,” he retorted dryly, scowling a little at Lyra.

“Awww… killjoy...” Lyra pouted as she playfully shoved him with a hoof.

Chris laughed and lightly shoved her back, then turned his attention back to Bon Bon. She was surprisingly smiling once again, which made him smile as well. "Well, as I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted,” Chris continued, giving Lyra an accusing stare which she responded to by sticking her tongue out at him. “I used to do a lot of different diets and one of them was an all-carrot diet.” This seemed to catch Bon Bon’s attention a little as she perked her right ear up slightly.

Chris mentally cheered to himself, thinking that he was finally getting Bon Bon to come around. “Well, basically, I would eat nothing but carrots for several weeks straight. It was great at first but you can eat only so many carrots before you start to get sick of them. And sadly, I stopped halfway through the diet, so I didn’t lose any weight." He sighed a little before continuing. "But, I did learn a lot of good carrot recipes from that experience, so if you like I could give you a few of them that I think you’d really enjoy,” he said, with a bright and genuine smile as he looked into Bon Bon’s eyes.

Bon Bon blinked a few times before looking away slightly, not wanting to keep eye contact with the human. The idea of an all-carrot diet was actually pretty fascinating. She wanted to ask more about it and wondered what a human recipe for carrots would be like. Perhaps she would even try the same diet herself if it would work for her. She felt like she could lose a little weight. Working in a sweet shop all day made it hard to resist the temptation to mindlessly snack on sugary confections and her flanks had to pay the price.

Bon Bon was about to ask more about his diet but quickly stopped herself once she realized what she was about to do. She shouldn't be trying to lead him on too much and get his hopes up when she knew things wouldn’t work out between them, but she had to answer him with something.

“T-That is interesting… but I have plenty of carrot recipes at home, so there's no need... but, thank you...” she stammered regrettably with a small smile before turning her head away from him. It made her feel terrible that she did that... but she had to.

It seemed like the human was about to say more but much to Bon Bon’s relief, another bat pony mare entered their private room carrying in a tray with their drink orders on her back, interrupting the human.

Bon Bon looked up to see who the new bat pony was. She looked a lot older than Dusty, by a few decades at least. Her coat was dark-grey in color and her long, maroon-colored mane flowed freely down the right side of her face, covering one of her light blue eyes completely. When Bon Bon Looked down at her flank, she could see a small charcoal-colored rock with red, yellow, and orange flames coming from it that made the shape of a heart for a cutie mark. It seemed like a really unusual mark for a bat pony to have.

"It's so lovely to see you two again," the older bat pony cheered brightly as she trotted up to the trio, carefully sliding the tray with their drink orders onto the table with her wing. The tray held a large bottle of hard cider that had a simple red label with gold foreign text written on it that Bon Bon couldn't recognize. There were three empty cinder glasses and a full glass of water next to the bottle as well. "My little Star Dust told me you two had finally arrived and I simply had to rush over," she chimed with a soft smile.

"Hey, Ember!" Lyra greeted, waving a hoof in the air.

"Well hello, Ms. Heartstrings!” Ember chuckled warmly. “I was so thrilled when I saw your name in the books with a reservation for three. I simply had to stop by and see who the lucky addition was. And I must say you two have quite the eye for beauty," Ember stated sweetly, giving Bon Bon a wink, causing the earth pony to blush brightly and slump her head down slightly.

Chris scratched his beard in thought, not sure what to really think of Ember’s obsession with him and Lyra. "You seem quite infatuated with us. I hate to be rude, but can I ask why?"

"Oh, I mean no offense dear, I assure you. I just simply adore a love that is as pure and unique as the one you share for your marefriend," Ember explained warmly, smiling in Lyra’s direction. "You see, I was once a part of something very special, just like what you two share, and I understand how difficult it can be when you love somepony that isn’t of your own kind, which is part of the reason why I started this restaurant shortly after retiring from the Royal Guard. I wanted to create a friendly place where friends and lovers such as yourselves could come and indulge in each other’s company and still be able to enjoy a wonderful meal.”

This answer helped Chris to understand why she seemed to take special interest in him and Lyra a little more, but something about what she said bothered him. “Did you say that you were once a part of something like this? Are you no longer with your special someponies now?” he asked, wondering if her relationship didn’t quite work out in the end.

Ember’s smile started to fade slightly. She paused, looking away from the trio for a moment as if remembering older times before turning back to answer Chris’s question, “Well, you see, my dear… My loves are sadly no longer with us..."

Lyra covered her lips with her hooves in shock as everypony at the table gave Ember a sorrowful expression. Chris suddenly felt terrible for even bringing it up. “Oh, Ember… I’m so sorry to hear that. I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories,” Chris mourned, giving the bat pony an apologetic expression.

Ember chuckled softly before smiling and waving a dismissive hoof in the air. "All in the past now, love, but you two are as exotic as they come. A living testament that proves love has no bounds and it warms my heart to see you two expanding upon that love now," she clarified, looking back at Bon Bon with an encouraging and sweet smile.

Bon Bon couldn’t help but smile back a little, feeling moved by the bat ponies words. She never really thought about what the human and Lyra shared quite like that, but she liked the idea of it. It was… sweet.

Ember sighed softly before looking back to Chris with a cheerful smile. “I’m always delighted to see you two in my restaurant. And I must admit, I am a bit envious of the bond you both share. If only I was lucky enough to be a part of something so pure again," she sighed sadly.

"Well,” Lyra spoke up, tapping her chin with a hoof in thought. “We might have room for one more," Lyra suggested, giving Ember a sly smile and suggestive wink.

"What!?" Chris shouted, jerking his head to look in Lyra’s direction, not sure how to react to what his marefriend was implying.

Ember giggled, playing coy as she covered her nonexistent blush with a hoof. "Oh, Ms. Heartstrings, you flatter me with your offer,” she cooed. “However, you don't want an old mare like me slowing you down. Perhaps if I was but a year younger, I would’ve gladly accepted your offer," she teased with a friendly chuckle as she dropped her hoof down and flicked her tail slightly. “But enough of that. Tonight is a special one! I’ll be personally serving you three. So please, tell me. Have you decided on what we can make for you?” she asked, while using both of her forehooves to place the drinks on the table. She gave Bon Bon her glass of water first, then proceeded to distribute the empty cider glasses around.

“Yep!” Lyra chirped happily. “I was going to try that hay and rose petals salad that Dusty suggested earlier. It sounded really nice.”

“A favorite for most of our pony guests. Definitely a fine choice,” Ember complimented. “And as for your lovely date, miss?” she asked, facing Bon Bon as she poured the bottle of hard cider into her empty glass first.

“You can call me Bon Bon... a-and I would love some of your carrot soup, please,” Bon Bon asked politely with a small smile.

“A wise choice. We grow our own carrots and only use the best ones we have for our soups.” Ember explained with a chuckled as she turned to Chris and began to fill his empty glass with cider. “And for the handsome stallion of the group?” she cooed sweetly.

Chris smile but rolled his eyes a little at Ember's comment before answering her. “Well, I was thinking about going with what I normally get, the rabbit with coconut cream sauce, if it’s not too much trouble.”

This caused Bon Bon to jerk her head towards the human in shock. She looked to see if Lyra had heard the same thing she did but the unicorn seemed oblivious as always. In fact, she was smiling up at him. But, he just ordered... meat! Rabbit meat! He was about to eat some poor, adorable little bunny and she didn’t seem to care at all! What if he came from a world where his kind ate ponies?!

“Oh, it’s no trouble at all, my dear. And I must say, that is another fine choice. Most of our gryphon patrons tell me that that is one of our best meat dishes,” Ember complimented as she filled Lyra’s cider glass and proceed to place the half-full cinder bottle in the center of the table. She bit the tray that she used to carry the drinks in with and placed it under her wing before turning back to the entrance. “I will be back shortly with your orders. Do enjoy yourselves and if you need anything at all, feel free to ask any of my lovely little darlings for assistance,” she added, before ducking out through the strings of crystal beads, leaving the trio to their romantic evening.

Chris turned to Lyra with a bright smile, which she returned. “You know, I really like her. She’s really nice,” Chris praised, smiling brightly.

“I agree. Plus, she’s pretty hot for an older mare,” she added, giving Chris a half-lidded gaze, bobbing her eyebrows up and down.

“I’m not even going to go there,” Chris replied sternly.

“Yeah, yeah, big guy, I get ya,” Lyra replied with a soft chuckle, waving a dismissive hoof at him. She frowned a little when she noticed something funny about Bon Bon in the corner of her eye. She turned to look at her friend who was staring at her with a surprised and shocked look. “Umm… you okay, Bonny?”

“Did you not hear what your coltfriend ordered!?” Bon Bon half shouted, causing both Chris and Lyra to give her shocked looks of their own.

Lyra started to panic a little once she realized that she’d never told Bon Bon that Chris was a meat eater. She had gotten so used to him eating meat around her that she’d completely forgotten that other ponies had no clue about Chris’s special diet. “Oh my gosh! Bonny, I’m so sorry! I completely forgot to tell you he’s an omnivore,” Lyra apologised franticly, looking back to Chris with a worried expression, hoping he could help save the situation.

Chris was in the same boat as Lyra. He was so used to her being okay with him eating meat that he forgot Bon Bon didn’t know about that side of him. “I'm sorry, Bon Bon, I can go flag Ember down and change my order if that will make you more comfortable. They have really nice salads here that I enjoy,” Chris offered quickly.

Bon Bon looked back and forth between both of her date’s worried expressions as the shock of the new information settled in. It seemed that Lyra knew about her coltfriend’s taste for meat and was fine with it, which was a little reassuring to her. At least it seemed like he didn’t eat pony meat but it didn’t make the human any less intimidating.

“N-no... that’s okay. I'm sorry... that was rude of me. I just… didn’t know, that's all,” she reassured them, looking down slightly. She wasn't really comfortable with the fact that Chris was about to eat a cute little bunny in front of her but she had to be hospitable.

“I’m really sorry, Bonny, I completely forgot that you didn’t know,” Lyra apologised again.

“It’s fine… r-really, I’m fine,” Bon Bon lied, mustering a reassuring smile. She knew that this was just another reason why things wouldn't work out between her and the human. She couldn’t be with somepony that ate meat, could she?

Chris could tell this new turn of events was steering the night in a bad direction. He thought now might be a good time to give Bon Bon her gifts. He looked over to Lyra as she did the same to him. Their eyes met and they both nodded to each other. It seemed like Lyra was thinking the same thing he was.

They both looked back at Bon Bon, who was looking down and away from the two. “Bonny,” Lyra called out softly, causing Bon Bon to look up to her. “Chris and I, well, we both got you something for tonight.” she said as Chris slid the black box across the table.

Bon Bon’s eyes widened as the human’s hand began to push the box closer to her. She watched as his creepy looking appendage slowly moved closer and closer to her, making her lean back a little. She started to relax again once he’d stopped pushing the box and pulled his hand way. She looked down at the box that was now in front of her, perking her ears up with a curious expression on her face.

Lyra started to smile before encasing the black box in her magic, using it to unfold the top lip back, revealing red, crumpled-up tissue paper inside. “This first gift is from me,” Lyra said as she removed the layer of tissue paper by floating it up into the air, revealing a beautiful blue gemstone necklace that glowed with a soft light underneath it. The necklace itself laid in the center of the package, on top of what looked like a second black box within the first one.

Bon Bon’s eyes started to widen as a gentle smile spread across her lips. “Oh, Lyra..." she paused for a moment to admire the blue glowing gemstone. "You shouldn’t have. How did you even afford this?” Bon Bon asked excitedly, knowing full well what the necklace was. She had been wanting jewelry like this for ages but could never bring herself to buy one, since enchanted jewelry was so expensive.

“Well, it’s actually a normal gemstone necklace that I bought, but I have been practicing my magic and was able to learn that little glow enchantment that I know you like so much,” Lyra explained, using her magic to lift the jewelry out of the box, levitating it towards Bon Bon so she could fasten it around her neck. The necklace easily snapped on with its magnetic clasp in the back and was a perfect fit for the earth pony.

Bon Bon looked down at the necklace smiling brightly as she adored it’s beauty. “Oh, Lyra, it’s lovely. Thank you so much, but aren't enchantment spells difficult?” she asked, looking back to Lyra, knowing full well that it took a lot of dedication and time for ponies to get their magic to a point where they could cast such spells.

Lyra chuckled lightly before answering her. “Yeah, they’re not that difficult. It does take a while to be able to do those kinds of things but I have been practicing. And now I can enchant any gem you like with that same spell, easy peasy,” she explained happily, flicking her hoof in the air like it was no big deal. “The spell might not last as long as the real ones do, but in a few year’s time, you can just ask me to recharge it for ya,” she added with a wink.

Bon Bon beamed brightly at Lyra before looking back down at her new necklace again. "It's really beautiful, Lyra. Thank you," she replied with a grateful tone. She really did love the gift and it was so sweet of her friend to go out of her way to teach herself that spell just for her. This was such a wonderful gift to receive and part of her felt like she didn't really deserve it. But, there was still one more gift in the box and honestly, she was a little curious about what Lyra’s coltfriend had got her.

Lyra bit her lip slightly, wagging her tail from side to side as her excitement grew. "Yeah, it’s pretty cool. But not the best gift you're getting tonight," she teased, causing Bon Bon to look up from her necklace with a raised eyebrow. "I actually got you that blue gem so it would match the gift Chris got you. That way you could wear them together," the unicorn admitted happily.

This caused Bon Bon to raise a concerning eyebrow. What could he have possibly gotten her that had Lyra so excited?

Lyra looked up at Chris, giving him a knowing smile. Chris looked back at her with a more awkward and unsure smile of his own. He didn't seem as confident in his gift as Lyra.

Lyra’s just giggled softly before turning back to Bon Bon. “You’ll see. I just know you're going to love this,” she sang as she used her magic again to open up the second box.

Bon Bon looked down as she watched the top lid slowly fold back. The earth pony’s eyes started to widen as her mouth slowly fell open once she realized what was sitting inside. “Wh-wh… wh-wha…” She could barely form words as she gazed upon a beautiful and well preserved flower that she thought she would never get to see again.

There, resting in the box, was an orange firelily flower. Something that Bon Bon remembered fondly from her childhood when she used to live close to Neighagra Falls. “I-I… I-I…” she stammered in shock.

Lyra bit her bottom lip, knowing that the gift was registering well with Bon Bon. She used her magic to gently lift the flower out of the box and slowly drifted it towards the speechless earth pony.

Bon Bon closely watched the floating flower as she slowly held out her trembling hooves to catch it. Lyra released her magic, letting the lily land softly in her cradling hooves.

Bon Bon couldn’t believe what she was seeing. It was an actual firelily and it looked just like she remembered. This special kind of flower was rare in Equestria because they could only ever grew in a few hard to reach places. Places like the forest she would spend most of her childhood playing and exploring in when she was a more adventurous little filly.

There was one small spot in that forest that she loved to visit the most and it was where these particular flowers thrived. It was a small secluded area deep in the forest that only she knew about and the whole ground there was covered in the same firelilies that she was now holding in her hooves. It was her secret little spot where she would go when she needed to cheer up or just relax and enjoy herself before it was destroyed once other ponies found it.

She would spend hours there, laying in the small cluster of firelilies that covered the ground, letting their sugary, orange aroma fill her senses. She loved their sweet scent the most and it would always remind her of the delicious candies that she loved trying to make. In fact, if it wasn’t for those sweet-smelling flowers, she might have never realized that her special talent was making delicious treats for other ponies.

Bon Bon held the flower close to her muzzle and took a soft whiff of the flower, letting the sugary sweet fragrance overwhelm her, causing even more nostalgic memories to hit her. It smelled just like she remembered. Just like that forest she spent so much time in.

But, how? How is she holding this delicate flower in her hooves? How did Lyra's coltfriend even get this? Did he even understand the sentimental value that this firelily held for her? Did Lyra tell him that this was her favorite flower?

Bon Bon slowly tore her gaze away from the flower and looked up to Lyra, expecting her to answer some of the many questions that flooded her mind. She expected her to say that she told her coltfriend about this but the unicorn only smiled and turned to look up at the human. Bon Bon slowly followed her gaze and locked eyes with bipedal stallion as he looked back at her with a gentle, but shy smile that sent a warm and pleasurable shiver down the earth pony’s spine.

The human started to rub the back of his head with his hand, blushing slightly. “Do you… umm... like it?” he asked nervously.

Bon Bon nodded her head slowly, not saying a word as she held her stunned gaze on the human, expecting him to start explaining why there was one of the rarest flowers in all of Equestria resting in her hooves right now.

The human cleared his throat a little before giving Bon Bon the explanation she was obviously wanting. “W-Well, umm, y-you see…” he tried to explain, but coughed into his hand a little to try and calm his nerves some more. “I-I talked to Lyra and a few of your friends a while ago because I, umm... didn’t know what to get you for when we took you out on a date. They all had a lot of nice suggestions but your friend Berry Punch told me about this one flower from when you were growing up that you really liked. I knew I had to get that for you, but I had no idea where to get it,” he explained, looking away slightly as his blush deepened.

Bon Bon just continued to stare at him as a small smile started to spread across her lips. He’d actually took the time to try and find a gift that she would enjoy? Even going out of his way to talk to her closest friends for ideas?

“Well, anyways,” he continued, “I went to talk to Roseluck about the flower and she told me how rare, expensive, and hard to maintain flowers like that were and I was a little heartbroken when she told me the exact price for one. And that was only if I found a store that sold them.” He paused, looking back to Bon Bon with a warm smile. “But, she said that if I was really lucky I could find some out in the wild next to the forest around Neighagra Falls. So, I scrapped some bits together and bought a few train tickets for a couple trips up there. It took a few trips back and forth, but one day I finally found one growing deep in the forest. I-I guess I got pretty lucky that time,” he chuckled awkwardly as he started to fidget with his hands a little. "I wanted to get you a bunch of them, but I could only find the one."

Lyra giggled before adding to Chris’s explanation. “When he got home, he was so excited that he found that flower and when I saw it I knew exactly what it was. I even helped him turn it into a nice mane accessory that you can wear,” Lyra pointed out.

Bon Bon looked back down at the flower and saw that she was right. There was no stem on it. Instead, there were three long prongs that she could easily place in her mane, but it was still a real flower and would no doubt die and shrivel up soon, right?

“I also placed a preservation spell on it that will help it to stay like that for years to come. It was a little harder to do than the glowing spell but Princess Twilight really helped me to get it right and I put a lot of magic into it. So it should last a long time,” Lyra added.

Bon Bon was speechless. She didn’t know how to react to all of this, but she could feel her eyes start to water, causing her vision to blur slightly.

Nopony had ever gone so far out of their way to give her such a beautiful gift and it was from that… that… No, he wasn’t just that human. He had a name and Chris had just given her a lovely gift. The fact that he did so much just to show her that he was actually interested in her becoming part of their herd made her heart skip a beat.

Chris was such a caring stallion and the love he shared with Lyra was so genuine and warm. It felt like she could finally understand what Lyra saw in him and perhaps she was starting to see something in him as well. She would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't really enjoying this little outing with the two of them, even if she was being a little weird about this date from the start. So, maybe... maybe she could join them for just one more date after this one.

Plus, Chris’s new beard was kind of, charming.

Bon Bon smiled softly as she turned her head and placed the firelily in her forelock, next to her right ear. She looked up again, giving Chris a warm, bashful smile. “Thank you, Chris. It’s wonderful,” she said in a soft and gentle tone as she slowly blinked away her tears.

Chris smiled brightly. “You’re welcome, Bon Bon. I’m really happy you like it,” he said in a gentle voice. Before he could say more, the wall of crystal beads that led to their private room started to spread open, making him look back to see who was coming in.

Dusty could be seen holding the beads apart for Ember, who was carrying their food in on a tray that was being balanced on her wings.

Lyra looked over to them with an excited smile. “Wow, that was fast,” she commented in a joyful tone.

Ember chuckled as she stood in front of the table while Dusty flew to her side and started to help distribute the dishes accordingly. “Well, let’s just say I asked my lovely chefs to take very special care with your dishes tonight,” Ember explained.

"Good thing, too! I'm starving!" Lyra stated rather loudly, rubbing her abdomen slightly with her hoof.

"Lyra, please don't be rude. Say thank you," Bon Bon playfully scolded, feeling more comfortable now.

Lyra smiled sheepishly at Bon Bon. "O-oh yeah, sorry Bonny," she said before looking back to Ember. "Thanks Ember," she thanked with an embarrassed smile.

Bon Bon looked to Chris as well, nodding her head slightly as she smiled at him, expecting him to do the same.

Chris couldn't help but chuckle under his breath but he knew what Bon Bon's was asking of him and knew he should follow her advice as well. He turned to face Ember, giving her a genuine and grateful smile. "Thank you, Ember. We do appreciate it."

“Yes, that was very sweet of you, Ember. Thank you,” Bon Bon added, smiling warmly at the bat pony.

Ember and Dusty both exchanged a look, raising a questionable eyebrow at each other before smirking, then laughing at the trio, finding their banter quite amusing. “Oh, of course, darlings! It’s a special night, and I want everything to be perfect for all of you,” Ember explained, giving Bon Bon a bright smile and a wink, which caused her to blush and smile even more.

“Whoa! What kind of flower is that?” Dusty asked as she set Bon Bon’s soup down in front of her.

Bon Bon opened her mouth to answer, but Ember spoke up before she could. “That, young one, is a firelily, I do believe,” Ember mused. “It’s been ages since I’ve last laid eyes on one. It looks lovely on you dear,” she complemented Bon Bon warmly.

Bon Bon turned to look at Chris, blushing brightly with a gentle smile. “It is beautiful," she added before turning back to Ember, "and thank you."

“Yeah, that’s pretty cool looking,” Dusty added as she finished hoofing out everypony’s meal, then flew back next to Ember. “You guys have a nice meal. And if you need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask,” she added before flying out of the room.

Ember flashed the trio a bright, toothy grin, showing off her fangs a little before turning around. “Enjoy your evening, darlings,” she added before exiting, leaving the group alone once more.

Bon Bon turned back to her dates and saw them smiling brightly at her, making her smile back. It felt nice to be here with the two of them enjoying a meal together. She felt warm inside, almost like she belonged there.

Bon Bon looked down at the carrot soup that was laid out in front of her. It smelled wonderful and she couldn't wait to dig in but this was the part she was dreading.

She looked to her napkin, which was laying next to her bowl of soup and sighed deeply. She reached for the napkin with her hooves, pressing down on one end with her left hoof as she started to paw at the gold ring with her right hoof with little success. The ring just kept spinning around against the smooth fabric. “Oh, horsefeathers…” Bon Bon muttered to herself. She might have to use her teeth for this one.

At the same time, Chris was about to reach for his own napkin set when he noticed Bon Bon was having trouble with hers. She was obviously struggling and needed some assistance. “Here, let me help you with that,” he called to her as he started to lean forward, making his way to help her.

Bon Bon heard what Chris had said but kept fidgeting with her napkin. "Oh, no, that’s alright. I got it,” she tried to assure him, feeling slightly embarrassed, keeping her focus on the task in front of her. She didn't notice that Chris was already standing up and leaning towards her.

Meanwhile, Lyra was in the middle of undoing her own napkin with her magic but paused to watch what was going on.

"Really, it’s no trouble," Chris insisted as he reach his left hand out to grab Bon Bon's napkin.

"No, it's fine, really I can―,” Bon Bon interrupted herself when she saw Chris’s long spindly digits come into view from the corner of her eye as he reached out.

Time seemed to slow down as she looked up at his spindly appendage that was now inching its way closer and closer to her hoof, making her heart pound in her chest. The whole room seemed to go dark and all she could see was the human’s bizarre, spidery hand in front of her. Her pupils constricted to sharp pinpricks as the thought of one of his digits touching her hoof flashed through her mind, making the fur on the back of her neck stand on end.

“NO!!” Bon Bon cried as she threw her right hoof up before bringing it back down, smacking the human’s creepy hand away. His hand was sent crashing into her bowl of hot carrot soup, causing Chris to shout out in pain as the bowl tipped over, spilling all of its hot contents across the table and onto Bon Bon’s lap.

Bon Bon yelped in surprise as the hot liquid splashed on her dress and thighs, making her jump back suddenly, knocking over her chair as she quickly retreated from the table until she was a few feet away.

She stood there feeling panicked and embarrassed as she placed a hoof to her chest, taking in several long gasps of breath as her mind tried to process everything that had happened. Chris was just trying to help her, but he almost grabbed her with his spidery looking hand, and she just... just freaked out, then hit him.

Bon Bon looked up slightly and could see her now-tipped-over seat next to the table that Chris was standing over as he cradled his left hand in his right one. He stood there, frozen in time with a shocked and horrified expression on his face as he looked back at her. Even Lyra was looking over the table with her hooves over her mouth with the same expression, making the earth pony feel terrible and ashamed for what she had done.

“B-Bon Bon, I-I’m sorry. A-are you okay?” Chris asked in a panic as he stayed frozen in place, cradling his soup covered hand.

"C-Chris, I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean... I―,” she tried to apologise, as she looked up at the tall bipedal stallion that was now towering over the table. Seeing him like that in her panicked state caused her to remember how large and intimidating he really was, which lead her to realize how out of place she was with him. She didn’t belong there... she couldn't be with him like this.

Bon Bon could feel her hooves start to tremble slightly as she started to remember why she could never be with a stallion like Chris. She couldn’t let herself get close to somepony like him. He wasn't a real stallion and he was so different from her. What would other ponies think of her or what would her parents think of her if she told them she was dating the bizarre stallion? Her mother would disown her for sure.

Bon Bon darted her eyes back and forth between her dates as her thoughts continued to run wild and conflict with each other. Why did Chris have to go and get her a firelily?! A bucking firelily! One of the rarest flowers in all of Equestria!? Why couldn’t it have been a nice, simple orchid or something? She liked orchids but he didn’t. He got her that beautiful, rare, meaningful, firelily.

What if Chris was just playing with her emotions just like every other nice stallion that came trotting along with promises of love and compassion? She was a fool to let him swoon her so easily, but he was so sweet and kind to Lyra and he sacrificed so much to give her that flower. He must have known what the firelily truly meant for him to go through all that trouble, which meant he really cared about her. He really did want this herd to work... but... but he.

“Bonny? Are you okay?” Lyra asked, calling out to her in a concerned tone, jerking her out of her thoughts for a moment.

“I-I didn't mean to surprise you like that. Please, let me help you,” Chris offered in a soft voice as he moved closer to her with a red napkin in his spider-like hand, wanting to clean the spilled soup that was on her dress.

“N-no, Chris, please... j-just... just stay away,” Bon Bon whimpered softly, not knowing what else to say as she took a small step back, moving away from him. She couldn’t just tell him that his hands freaked her out and that she didn't belong there. Not after how well the two of them had been treating her.

Chris stopped his forward movements, freezing in place at her command, giving her a confused and worried look. "Why? I don't understand. What's wrong?”

“I… I-I just...” Bon Bon stuttered as her mind melted into an even more confusing mess. Why couldn't Chris have just given her a simpler gift that wasn’t so sentimental to her? Why did he have to be so kind and caring? Why did he have to treat Lyra so well and why did she want to be a part of that?!

Wait…

Did she really want to be a part of what Lyra and Chris shared?

She did… and that realization scared her even more.

“Bonny, what's going on?" Lyra asked in a soft and worried tone, interrupting her thoughts again.

Bon Bon bit her lower lip, turning her head away from the confused pair, trying to hide the tears that were building up in her eyes. She knew she was being vague and confusing but what could she say? She couldn't really be considering being a part of their herd, could she?

What if she did start to fall in love with the human and he ended up leaving like the last stallion she tried to get close to? Princess Twilight was still trying to send Chris home and he would surely leave her and Lyra if he had a way back. A future with him could only lead to a future of heartbreak.

“I... I-I...” Bon Bon continued to stammer, trying to organize her thoughts.

She just couldn’t let herself get close to another stallion like him, not when things were this uncertain. He even ate meat. She couldn’t be around somepony that ate poor, defenseless bunnies and he had those strange-looking hands that kept reminding her of creepy spiders. Even if he didn't have those hands and she let herself fall in love with him, they still wouldn’t be able to start a family like she always wanted.

This was a mistake. She shouldn't have agreed to this.

“L-Lyra… I... I shouldn’t have done this… I can’t do this..." she finally managed to whimper softly, still not looking at the two.

Lyra’s eyes started to widen after hearing those words. “Wh-what? But why?” she asked almost in a panic. “B-Bonny, please. This was just an accident. W-we can get you some more soup…”

The soup wasn't the issue at all. She shouldn't have agreed to this date and strung them both along but she didn't think Chris would actually care about her! They both cared and they gave her two wonderful gifts that she didn't deserve. She’d hurt Chris and no doubt offended Lyra and she needed to leave now before she continued to lead them on and hurt them even more.

Bon Bon finally managed to look back at her bewildered dates as a tear streamed down her cream colored cheek. She whimpered softly while trying to hold back her sobs as she took another step back, making her way to the exit.

“I-I’m sorry… both of you… I… I had a lovely time,” she wept softly. “But this… I-I just can’t… I can’t do this…” she finally managed to admit, frowning sadly as she turned around and started to make her way out.

“Bon Bon, wait!” Chris called out to her, stepping forward as he reached his hand out, causing Bon Bon to halt for a moment and look back over her shoulder at him. “Please. We can fix this. I’m sorry for what I did,” he apologized franticly.

Hearing his words only caused more tears to leak down the side of her cheek. Why did he have to be so persistent about this? “I-I’m sorry I hurt you…” she apologised in a soft, whimpering whisper before running out of the private room.

“Bonny!!” Lyra shouted as she lit up her horn with magic, casting a teleportation spell that sent her outside of the room in a flash. She looked up and saw Bon Bon running between the restaurant tables at a fast and frantic pace as everypony in the establishment watched her.

Lyra quickly gave chase as Bon Bon ran straight for the dining room's double door entrance. Bon Bon stopped in front of the door and flung one side open with her hooves then quickly entered into the waiting room.

“Bonny! Please wait!” Lyra called to her a second time as she quickly entered into the same room before the door could close but Bon Bon didn’t respond.

Bon Bon bolted through the waiting room, making her way up to the main entrance of The Everfree Moon, pushing the big door open, bursting into the cold winter night, not caring to grab the cloak she came in with.

Lyra lit up her horn again, casting the teleportation spell a second time, teleporting herself in front of Bon Bon’s intended path, causing the earth pony to skid to an abrupt halt in the snow. They both stood in the cold snow next to the restaurant's small roaring bonfire for a brief moment as they gazed into each other’s eyes.

“Bonny,” Lyra finally spoke in saddened tone. “I thought you were enjoying yourself back there. You looked so happy but then you just, freaked out," she added, pausing for a moment to take in her friend’s saddened expression. "Please, just tell me what's wrong,” she pleaded, giving Bon Bon a worried and concerned look.

Bon Bon jerked her head away from Lyra, shutting her eyes tightly. “Lyra…” she whimpered softly.

Lyra stepped forward, wanting to comfort her in some way. “Bonny, Chris didn’t mean to―,”

Before Lyra could say more, Bon Bon lunged forward and pressed her lips against Lyra’s, catching her completely off guard as she kissed her deeply.

Lyra froze completely as her eyes widened in surprise. Before she could even begin to process what had happened, Bon Bon broke the kiss and stepped back from her. “Please forgive me, Lyra… I just... I can’t be a part of what you and Chris share…”

Lyra started to regain her awareness and furrowed her brow in confusion. “B-but… I-I thought…” Lyra stammered softly, not sure what else she could say at this point.

“Please... just... keep your promise… never ask me about this again…” Bon Bon begged as a tear ran down her cheek.

Lyra stood there in the snow, dumbfounded as she started to panic. “W-Wait, B-B-Bonny... I-I-I thought you were… b-but...”

Bon Bon stepped closer to Lyra, giving her a gentle and loving kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for a lovely night… and... I’m sorry,” she whispered softly in a shaky voice, before galloping past the petrified unicorn. She ran as fast as she could, heading down the cobblestone path she’d come from.

Lyra stared blankly in stunned silence at The Everfree Moon’s main entrance. She saw the door swing open as Chris ran out to meet her. “Lyra!” he called as he ran up to her, coming to a slow stop right in front of her. "What... happened? Did you catch Bon Bon?" he asked, panting slightly.

Lyra sat down on her haunches, pressing her nice silk dress skirt into the cold, wet snow as she looked up to Chris with tears in her eyes. “S-she left... and she wouldn’t tell me why...”

Hearing those words and seeing the sad look in Lyra’s eyes made Chris cringe as his heart sank in his chest. They both had run so far ahead of him that he couldn’t catch up in time and he had hoped that Lyra would have stopped Bon Bon so he could try to talk to her. “I’m so sorry, Lyra… I fucked up... this is all my fault...” he admitted.

Lyra looked down at her forelegs, shutting her eyes as she shook her head slightly. “It wasn’t your fault...” she whimpered softly.

Chris frowned sadly at her reassuring words. Of course it was his fault. If he hadn’t persisted in helping Bon Bon like that then maybe they would still be inside, laughing it up with her and having a good time. But, now... now it looked like they would never get a chance again.

Chris knelt down in front of Lyra, running his hand through the top of her mane, pushing her hair out of her eyes as he petted her tenderly. “Did... did she say anything to you before she left?” he asked, fearing the answer.

Lyra nodded her head up and down slightly. “She… she just said that… she doesn’t want to be a part of what we share…” Lyra whimpered in a creaky voice, causing Chris’s stomach to feel like it was being twisted into a knot. He’d really fucked up. “I just can’t understand why…” she continued.

Chris knew exactly why she had run. It was because of what he had done and maybe even what he was, but Lyra wouldn’t want to hear him blame himself again, even if it was the truth.

“She was enjoying herself… Y-you saw it, too, didn’t you?!” Lyra asked, jerking her head up to look at Chris again. “She looked so happy back there! I saw it in her eyes!” she added suddenly, raising her voice as a tear trailed down her beautiful, mint-green cheek.

Chris looked into her tearful eyes and nodded his head in agreement. It was true that he did see that Bon Bon was actually enjoying herself and it really felt like he was starting to connect with her but the way she bolted out like that had taken him by surprise.

"I haven't seen her smile like that in so long..." Lyra whimpered in a soft whisper while Chris placed his hand on her cheek. He slowly rubbed away her tear with his thumb before it could freeze and mat her fur. She placed a chilled hoof on top of the arm that was rubbing her cheek as she closed her eyes and leaned into his hand.

Chris sighed deeply before leaning down. “Come on, let’s get you home,” he said softly, scooping her up into his arms as he lifted her up, holding her close to his body.

Lyra quickly wrapped her cold forelegs around the back of Chris’s neck, laying her head on his right shoulder. She nuzzled his fuzzy cheek as she whimpered softly to herself, letting her body go limp in his arms. He was about to turn back to The Everfree Moon to get their coats and pay for everything they had ordered but was interrupted by somepony calling out to them.

“Are you two okay?!”

Chris turned around and saw Ember gliding towards them from The Everfree Moon’s entrance. She was holding what looked like his coat and both Lyra and Bon Bon’s cloak’s over her right foreleg.“I just heard what happened. Is everything alright?” There was a note of deep concern in her voice as she landed in front of them.

Chris shook his head slightly before reaching into this pants pocket with his left hand, still holding Lyra up with his right. He pulled out a small pouch with the bits they had saved for their date and handed it to Ember.

The older bat mare squinted her eyes slightly, looking at the offering. “What is this?” she questioned, looking back up at Chris.

Chris sighed, thinking she didn’t know what he was giving her. “Payment for the food and the… mess…” he explained, giving the bag a little shake so she could hear the bits inside.

Ember scowled at him and shook her head, refusing his offer. “Now, now. I won't have any of that. From the looks of it, your night with your beautiful date was completely ruined and in my restaurant, no less.”

“But, it wasn’t your fault. You guys were amazing and everypony here treated us so well. At least take it as a tip?” Chris kindly argued.

“I just can’t do that, dear. Not after what happened,” Ember retorted. “Keep your bits. I don’t want anything to do with them,” she added in a friendly tone, giving Chris a genuine smile.

Chris sighed in defeat, putting the pouch back into his pocket. “Thank you, Ember.”

Lyra turned around in Chris’s arms a little so she could look back in Ember’s direction. “You’re a wonderful mare, Ember. Thank you,” she added softly.

“Of course, dears. Now, take your coat and cloaks. I don’t want you two catching colds on the way home,” she added in a more somber tone, handing Chris the pile of winter clothing that was draped over her right foreleg.

Chris extended his left arm, keeping Lyra held up with his right as Ember draped the fabric over his forearm.

“I believe your date’s cloak is in there as well,” Ember pointed out with a soft smile.

Chris pulled his arm back, pinning it under Lyra again to help hold her up before nodding. “It is. And… I’m sorry about the mess…” he apologized before turning around and making his way down the cobblestone path to their home.

“Do be safe dears and come back soon!” Ember cheered with a small wave of her hoof.

“Have a good night, Ember, and thank you for everything,” Chris called back as Lyra lightly waved back to her from over his shoulder.

They both walked off into the cold winter night, not stopping to put their protective clothing on. Chris didn’t need it with Lyra so close to him. She was helping to keep him warm and he was sure he was doing the same for her. Chris couldn’t stop thinking about what they were going to do next. He didn’t want to give up on Bon Bon and he was sure Lyra felt the same, but what could they do now?

Author's Notes:

Anyways... This might be a little weird, but I cried when I was writing the firelily part... I'm sure I'm the only one that will cry at that part, but I thought it was moving.

This is my message to Lyra and Chris.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxGRhd_iWuE&feature=youtu.be

So anyways... This chapter... Let me tell you guys about this chapter... Holy Luna did I have trouble with this one. But thank Celestia for good editors like JeremyStorm. He really helped to save this. I sent him this chapter part for editing and things, and he basically sat me down and explained to me why everything I had wasn't working. Boy was he right. I mean I'm embarrassed to think that what I had before was a good way to go about it...

After that I spend days rewriting the whole end after the gifts part, trying to get things to work. I think I finally got it to a point that I'm happy with and I think its working a lot better now. But I am supper excited to here what you guys think. So if you guys like this chapter, go thank JeremyStorm. And if you hate this chapter still go thank him, cause it would have been 100 times worse with out his critique.

Also I have to give a special shout-out to Laven_Eclipse, ButtonSweetiePuff for taking time out of there day to help me make sure this was all nice and pretty and readable. Also thanks to my buddy Mephistokiller for helping me with fixing Bon Bon's freak out and making sure things weren't to crazy.

Part 3 is a short one and will be out soon.

Date Night-Part 3, Returning Home

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Date Night-Part 3, Returning Home

Bon Bon galloped as fast as she could, heading straight for home. She just wanted to curl up in her nice warm bed and try to forget everything that happened.

‘Why!? Why did you have to go and do something like that!? Why did you hit him like that!?’ Bon Bon mentally shouted to herself as she pressed on through the night, ignoring the biting cold on her cheeks. ‘Stupid Bon Bon, stupid, stupid, stupid, STUPID!'

She was only a few feet away from the front door when her back leg caught on the hem of her dress. She fell flat on her side, hitting the ground hard, but ignored the pain. She quickly picked herself up and flung the door open before stumbling inside. Making it only two more feet, she tripped over her own forehooves, falling again, face first onto her hard living room floor.

The force of the impact made her curly mane unravel slightly, causing the firelily to fall out of her hair and land several inches away from her. She kept her eyes shut as she whimpered softly to herself on the cold wooden floor, wallowing in her own self pity.

Bon Bon clenched her eyes shut as tears streamed down her cheeks. “You’re such a bad pony…” she softly scolded herself, whimpering as she wrapped her forelegs on top of her head. “You should've never agreed to that date. You just made everything worse.”

The night wasn’t supposed to end like it had. She was just supposed to humor her friend to one date, then kindly turn them down. Chris wasn’t supposed to go so far out of his way to show her that he actually cared. She honestly thought he would be against the herd idea just as much as she was, but he wasn’t at all. He even tried to get her to talk and help her enjoy the night but she just tried to drop every conversation that he had started like some kind of... horrible... rude... meany, pony!

They both treated her so well and sacrificed so much to make the night special for her and what did she do to show her gratitude? She smacked Chris away when he was just trying to help and broke both their hearts.

Bon Bon continued to whimper and moan quietly to herself on the floor, sniffling a little, when her senses were suddenly hit with the pungent aroma of sweet, sugary oranges, causing her to slowly open her teary eyes. Her blurry vision fell upon the beautiful firelily that Chris had given her, causing her to stifle her whimpering for a moment as she paused and took in its nostalgic beauty. A soft smile started to appear across her lips as she remembered Chris’s words—

‘I knew I had to get that for you.’

She wrapped her hooves around the flower, bringing it closer towards her muzzle, taking in a slow, deep breath through her nose. She let its sweet fragrance transport her back to that forest where she used to run and explore in.

It was a simpler time back then. A time when her life wasn’t such a confusing mess and she didn’t have to deal with herd problems or stressful candy shop expansion issues.

Bon Bon wished she could go back there one day. Back to her little secret spot deep in the forest. She could use a secluded place like that to escape to right now but she knew she couldn’t go back even if she wanted. That area of the forest was no longer there. Eventually, other ponies had found her small patch of flowers and harvested them all. She spent months looking for a similar spot but could never find another group of firelilies like that ever again.

Bon Bon groaned to herself, remembering that painful day when she was younger. Thanks to Chris’s gift she could now relive those days, if only in her memory. She clenched the flower a little tighter as she started to realize exactly how much Chris wanted her to be happy. Maybe all that stuff about her parents not liking Chris and not having a foal didn’t matter. What if Lyra was right? What if Chris really could make her happy? She knew she would be happy with Lyra but maybe, maybe Chris could do the same for her? Maybe she made a mistake.

No. No, she didn’t.

She couldn’t be with him. She just couldn’t.

He ate meat like some kind of savage griffin and her parents would surely disown her once they found out she was with the human. She would have to give up her dreams of raising a family as well. Even if Cadance’s spell worked, Chris wouldn't want a foal that wasn't a human like him and he certainly wouldn’t want to raise a foal with somepony like her.

Plus, she couldn’t let herself fall in love with another stallion that would just leave her in the end. Chris’s presence in this world was no doubt a temporary one and she'd learned her lesson the hard way about getting involved with stallions like him. Twilight would eventually find him a way back to his real home and he would leave as soon as he had the option. Lyra must not be aware of this herself but Chris would eventually leave them both, just like the first stallion she let into her heart all those years ago.

Bon Bon would never forget that hurtful day when she realized how she had been used by that pegasus stallion she thought loved her. She didn't think Chris could possibly be as cruel as him but the fact still remained. Chris would go back to his own world where he belonged once he had the option and she couldn't go through something like that again. Not to mention, she attacked Chris like some horrible, rabid, pony monster.

He must hate her now. Lyra might hate her now, too. She hoped that she didn’t destroy her friendship with the only pony she ever truly cared about other than herself. She could understand if Lyra never wanted to speak to her again but knew Lyra wouldn’t really do that. She was a determined mare and would no doubt be here tomorrow, wanting an explanation. But what could she say? She just hoped that Lyra would keep the promise to her and never ask her out again.

It was just better for everypony this way.

Bon Bon laid on her side, feeling exhausted from her frantic galloping. She curled up into a ball on her hardwood floor, cradling the firelily in her hooves as she softly wept to herself. She hardly noticed the cold breeze blowing through her opened door as she slowly fell into the dreamscape while thoughts of how the whole night played out drifted through her mind.

"I'm so sorry, Chris..." Bon Bon whispered to herself before the darkness finally took her.

Plan B

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Plan B

Celestia’s warm sun shined brightly in the early morning sky as Lyra tiredly dragged herself through the snow that covered the path leading to Bon Bon’s home. The earth pony’s dark blue cloak that was abandoned the night before was neatly folded and held aloft within a golden aura of magic. Lyra was on her way to return the clothing but not without getting some answers from her friend.

Lyra had been up all night thinking about what happened at The Everfree Moon. Chris couldn’t sleep, either, and kept her company throughout the night, which she was grateful for. Even though they didn’t talk much, Chris let her lay on top of him while he petted her mane and massaged her hooves. She loved it when he would rub her soft and sensitive frog with his fingertips. However, she still couldn’t fall asleep, even with the relaxing hoof massage.

Lyra grumbled to herself as she tried to keep her eyes open. She walked up to the home she once shared with Bon Bon, stopping at the front entrance. She floated the clothing behind her before taking a deep breath. She raised her hoof, knocked on the door three times, and waited. She knew today was Bon Bon’s day off from the candy shop and it was too early in the morning for her to be out with her other friends, so she had to be home.

The unicorn waited impatiently for her friend to answer, tapping her hoof on the ground as she organized her thoughts. She really just wanted to know what went wrong, aside from Bon Bon smacking Chris’s hand away and spilling her soup all over. If she knew what was really bothering her friend, perhaps then they could start working towards some kind of solution.

“Come on, Bonny. I know you’re home,” Lyra quietly grumbled to herself. She moved her hoof up to knock again but the door started to slowly creak open before she was able to make contact.

Bon Bon peered through the crack of the door with only a single, cheerless eye showing. “Oh… hi Lyra,” she greeted softly as she opened the door completely, revealing the very stressed looking mare. Her eyes were puffy and red, clear evidence she had been crying most of the night. Her mane wasn't brushed out yet, her curls stuck out in every direction and she still had a little bit of her make-up on. She wasn’t wearing her dress or the firelily that Chris had given her. However, she was still wearing the gemstone necklace, which could be a good sign. It meant she didn’t throw it away in anger or something. Lyra really hoped Bon Bon didn’t throw away the firelily. Chris would be so heartbroken if she had.

Lyra cleared her throat and tried her best to not look like she had been up all night moping, forcing a bright, everything-is-okay smile. “G-good morning, Bonny,” she greeted in a friendly and cheery tone. “I-I umm… hope you’re, ehh, doing okay?” she asked awkwardly, trying to break the ice a little.

Bon Bon frowned sadly as she slowly looked down at her forelegs while she drew a little line back and forth with her hoof, not saying anything for a moment. “I-I’m… okay,” she finally answered, obviously lying as she looked back up to her friend. “H-how’s Chris’s hand?” she asked softly, sounding genuinely concerned.

Lyra’s smile started to turn into a more genuine one at her friend’s concern for Chris. It was reassuring that she cared enough about him to have asked. “Oh, he’s fine. No burns or anything,” Lyra reassured her.

Bon Bon closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh of relief, “Thank goodness.”

“Yeah, he’s a pretty tough stallion. Takes more than a little tap on the wrist and some warm soup to bring him down,” Lyra chucked lightly, hoping to ease the tension a little. “But, he’s really worried about you, you know,” she added in a soft, serious tone.

Bon Bon looked away slightly as she rubbed her foreleg with her hoof shyly, not responding.

Lyra’s smile slowly faded into a dejected frown. Sighing, she used her magic to float the cloak that was still behind her towards Bon Bon. “You, umm, left this at the restaurant last night,” she explained flatly.

Bon Bon looked up. “Oh, thank you. I guess I kind of forgot about it,” she admitted softly, reaching out her hoof to grab the clothing.

Lyra released her magic, draping the folded fabric over her friends foreleg. Bon Bon retracted her leg, pressing the clothing to her chest. She remained in the doorway, looking away slightly as she rubbed the cloak on her fur, not really sure what else to do with herself.

The two mares stood in awkward silence for what felt like forever before Lyra finally let out a loud, exhausted sigh. “Come on, Bonny. Tell me what's wrong. Whatever happened back at the restaurant, we can work through it. Please, just talk to me," she pleaded.

Bon Bon winced a little at the question before looking back to Lyra with a sorrowful expression. “Lyra, y-you promised," Bon Bon softly reminded her, stepping back into her home a little.

"I’m not asking you for another date," Lyra quickly defended herself, holding up a submissive hoof. "But, I know you saw something in Chris last night. I just want to know why you left like you did. Please, Bonny, just tell me?"

Bon Bon clenched the cloak in her hoof a little tighter as she turned her head farther away from Lyra. She bit her bottom lip as she thought about what to say. "I-I… I just..." she stammered, causing Lyra to perk her ears up a little so she could hear more clearly.

Bon Bon hesitated for a moment before sighing deeply. "I just can’t, Lyra," she finally answered regrettably, clenching her eyes shut, not wanting to look directly at her friend.

Lyra sighed heavily before taking a small step forward. "Bonny. You keep saying that, but why can't you? Is it because of the foal thing?" she asked gently, speaking to her in a more concerned tone.

"N-no, i-it's more than that," Bon Bon admitted softly, opening her now slightly teary eyes, still not looking in Lyra’s direction.

"More?" Lyra asked, a little confused. “Does this have to do with Silver Wing? That was almost five years ago, Bonny,” Lyra pointed out sadly. “You shouldn't assume every stallion you meet would be like him.”

“I-I know Chris wouldn’t be as cruel as he was, but… but...” Bon Bon paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. She didn’t want to remind Lyra that Twilight was still finding Chris a way home. “I’m just scared, okay,” she admitted in a soft whisper that was barely audible.

“Scared?” Lyra questioned, raising an eyebrow at her friend. “Scared of what?”

“I-It’s complicated,” Bon Bon answered simply, looking down at the ground.

Lyra pulled her head back a bit and blinked a few times. "C-Complicated?" she repeated Bon Bon’s words to herself, dumbfounded. "Bonny, Chris has been here for almost two years now. He's one of the kindest stallions around and has never done a thing to hurt anypony. You can't still be afraid of him like that, can you?"

Bon Bon shook her head a little. “I-It’s more than that,” she trailed off.

Lyra groaned loudly and placed a hoof on her forehead knowing they were just going around in circles at this point. This was always something that bugged Lyra about her friend. Bon Bon would never open up to others when things like this were troubling her. “Bonny, you keep saying that," she exasperated, placing her hoof back down. "I can understand that, really I can. But, you have to let me in that beautiful little head of yours,” she lightly teased, hoping to make Bon Bon a little more comfortable with the current topic. “I’m sure whatever it is that you’re afraid of, it isn't as bad as it seems. We can all work this out together. Chris is understanding and would be more than willing to help you,” she added with a reassuring smile. “Chris really cares, Bonny. He's not just doing it for me. He wants this to work out.”

Bon Bon shook her head slightly. "I know. But, I just can't afford to be close to somepony like him," she explained vaguely as a single tear trailed down her cheek. "It’s just better for everypony this way."

Lyra's eyes started to widen in shock, not believing the words that were coming from her friend. "B-Better for everypony!? H-how can you say something like that!? Bonny, just let us help you please!" She begged as she raised her voice, feeling a little angry at her friends continued stubbornness.

"F-Forgive me, Lyra," Bon Bon whimpered as she took another step back into her home, placing her free hoof on the door.

"Bon Bon!” Lyra shouted. “You don't know what you're saying!" she argued, raising her voice a little more as her frustration mounted. "Chris is right for you! You need somepony like him in your life! You need to open up and learn to take risks and enjoy the moment. Chris can help you do that!"

Bon Bon only frowned sadly as more tears streamed down her cheeks. "Thank you for bringing my cloak back to me," she said softly as she started to slowly close her front door. "I love you, Lyra. Please keep your promise to me and don’t make Chris ask me about this either. This is hard enough as it is," she whispered sadly before softly closing the door.

"Wh-wha... I-I... B-Bon Bon!" Lyra yelled as the wooden door shut in front of her. "Y-you... y-you, stubborn MULE!"

Lyra grunted angrily, furrowing her brow. “Bonny, I forgive you now! Just come out here and talk to me!” she shouted as tears started to accumulate in her eyes. She glared hard at the door as thoughts of bucking it down, dragging Bon Bon out by the tail, and taking her to Chris’s house crossed the unicorn's mind several times.

Lyra stomped her forehooves on the ground repeatedly, grunting and growling angrily to herself. “You won't even give him a chance! Chris could bring you so much joy and happiness if you would just let him!" she yelled into the door as tears started to stream down her cheeks. "He needs you in his life just as much! He needs you like I need you!" she added, panting heavily.

After no sound was heard from the other side of the door, Lyra jerked herself around and started to stomp her way back home, but stopped and turned her head to say one final thing. "I’M NOT GIVING UP ON YOU! YOU HEAR ME!" she shouted as loud as she could before quickly galloping away.

Lyra stormed into Chris’s home, bucking the door shut behind her, causing Chris to run out of his bedroom. "Lyra?" he called out in concern. "What happened? What did she say?"

Lyra grunted in frustration as she sat on the floor and dropped her head down slightly. "She said she was afraid." She whimpered slightly as a single tear fell from her eye. "I asked her why and all she said was, ‘it's complicated,’" Lyra growled, feeling her anger rise again. "She always does this. Whenever something serious is bothering her she just locks up and doesn't talk to anypony about what's wrong."

Chris pondered Lyra’s words. "Maybe she’s just afraid of how we would react if she told us what she was really feeling," he muttered to himself softly.

Lyra huffed angrily, not hearing Chris’s comment. "She’s just so stubborn. I just can’t understand why she won't tell us what's bothering her!”

Chris rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, having a good idea about what Bon Bon was afraid of and why she was keeping it to herself. "I should’ve gone with you. I could have talked to her," he sighed sadly.

Lyra shook her head. "No, that would've made it worse. She probably wouldn't have even come out of her house if she saw you there."

Chris clenched his tired eyes shut as he rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger, knowing she was right. He sighed sadly as he walked towards Lyra. He sat down on the floor next to her, wrapping his arm around her withers and gently pulled her into his side. “I'm really sorry, Lyra. I bucked everything up.”

Lyra growled, not wanting to hear Chris blame himself again for something that wasn’t his fault. She scowled and pressed the side of her head against his chest, shutting her eyes. “I don’t want to hear that anymore. You were only trying to help. Nothing that happened last night was your fault.”

“But I should have known that Bon Bon would react like she did,” Chris admitted dryly. “She’s still afraid of me…”

Lyra shook her head against his chest. “No, she isn’t afraid of you like she used to be. Its something else that's bothering her,” Lyra pulled her head back to looked into Chris’s eyes. “We just have to help her get through whatever it is that she’s having trouble with.”

Chris frowned slightly as he gazed back into Lyra’s eyes. “Lyra, I just don’t know if we can… I mean, you saw what she did back there. She’s not going to want to come anywhere near me again, let alone talk to me."

“Don’t say that!” Lyra exclaimed, raising her voice a little as more tears started to build up in her eyes. “You don’t want to give up on her, do you!?” she asked loudly in a near-panic.

“N-No Lyra that’s not—,”

“Bonny could use somepony like us in her life!” Lyra interrupted him. "And I know you can help her to enjoy life and loosen up. You can make her so happy, just like you make me happy.”

Chris paused for a moment as her words settled in. “You really think I could do something like that for her?” he asked with an unsure tone.

“I know you can,” Lyra retorted with a sad sigh as she laid her head back against Chris’s chest.

Chris frowned for a moment. “I believe you, Lyra. I really do, but I just don’t know what we can do now. You told me last night that Bon Bon made you promise her to not bring this up with her again.”

Lyra groaned a little, knowing he was right. “We'll think of something,” she sighed sadly. "I'm not giving up on her."

Chris nodded his head even though Lyra couldn't see the gesture. "I don't want to give up, either," he said as he sighed deeply. “I would give anything to have a second chance with her. I really thought we were just starting to connect," Chris said, exasperated. "If only I had more time with her, I know I could get her to come out of her shell. Or at least get her to tell me what's wrong.”

"I know you can," Lyra agreed. "We just need to get you two together for a while. She needs time to get to know you more and open up."

Chris wrapped his other arm around Lyra, holding her a little tighter as he laid his head on the back of her neck. "Assuming I could get her to hang around me for more than a second," he mused.

Lyra knew that getting Bon Bon to spend enough time around Chris was going to be next to impossible at this point. Bon Bon could be a very stubborn mare at times, but she knew if anypony was going to get Bon Bon to come out of her protective bubble it would be Chris. But, how could she get them together?

Maybe I can tie them together with a rope. That way, Bon Bon would have no choice but to talk to Chris, Lyra thought to herself, giggling slightly at the ridiculous thought.

Wait...

Could she actually do that?

What if there was a spell that would let her do something similar to that? Like, make it so that they couldn't leave each others side for a while. That way Chris could start talking to Bon Bon, then she would...

Lyra jerked her head up, startling Chris a little. "Whoa, you okay?" he asked, relaxing his hold on her.

"Y-yeah, I... just.." she trailed her answer off, not really paying attention to his words as she stared off into space, losing herself in her thoughts.

She couldn't really be considering trying to tie Chris and Bon Bon together like that, could she? Chris wouldn't agree to something like that and Bon Bon definitely wouldn’t want that. She would have to make it seem like it was an accident of some kind and it wouldn't be too hard to play it off as some kind of spell mishap.

But, was there even a spell like that? She would have to do some research at the library, but if she could find such a spell, then she could bind Chris and Bon Bon together. That way Chris could start to get Bon Bon to open up and he could even help her in her shop and keep her company! Oh, this idea was almost too perfect!

Chris did say that he would do anything to have another chance with Bon Bon, so he couldn't be too mad at her about doing it, right?

This could really work. It was crazy, nuts even, but it could work! Plus, this little plan wouldn't really be breaking her promise to Bon Bon. She wouldn't be asking her friend to another date or anything like that. It would just be a happy little accident and they didn't need be stuck together for long. Just long enough for—

"Lyra?" Chris called to her, waving a hand in front of her face, snapping her out of her thoughts. It seemed like he had been calling to her for a while, but she was zoned out. "You alright?"

"Oh! Uhh, yes! I, umm, just remembered! That I need to, umm... help... Twilight… at the library, today! Yeah!" she explained a little nervously with an awkward smile.

Chris cocked his eyebrow at her a little. “Uhh, you do?”

Lyra nodded her head. “Yeah, sorry I didn’t tell you before. I just almost forgot about it after what happened, you know?” she explained, almost a little too quickly as she picked herself up, making Chris release his hold on her completely. “I might be out for a bit, though, so I’m not sure when I will be back,” Lyra clarified as she backed up in the direction of the front door.

“You will?” Chris asked sadly. “Well, will you be home for supper?”

“I’m not sure,” Lyra answered as she turned around and used her magic to open the door. “Just save me some of whatever you make. I love you, bye!” she added as she practically leapt out of the door.

“I love―,” Chris tried to say, but the door slamming cut him off, “―you too.”

Chris sighed to himself, not quite sure what got into his marefriend so suddenly. He picked himself up off of the floor, thinking about what he could do about the Bon Bon situation. He wanted to just go over to her house and talk to her, but knew Lyra was right. Bon Bon would just run away from him. Maybe he should just lay low for a while and wait for Lyra to return before he planned his next move. That is, whenever Lyra got back from… whatever it was that she was helping with at the library.

Come to think of it. Why didn’t Twilight ask him to help out at the library?

“No… This won't work either,” Lyra grunted in frustration as she closed yet another spell tome. She used her magic to set the tome on the large, already-read tower of books and picked out another one from the smaller too-be-read tower. She had spent hours in the crystal castle library, looking over dozens of spell books. Nothing seemed to match what she was looking for and the candle she was using for extra light was slowly melting into a wax puddle on the table’s surface.

Lyra found lots of spells that could fuse Chris and Bon Bon together, but she didn’t want them to have to share one body. From the looks of it, if she messed up any of those spells even a little it could end in disaster and getting them separated would be even more of a complex nightmare.

One spell she found was a little closer to what she wanted. It would’ve linked their minds together, but that couldn’t work, either. They would both have to be placed into a coma and if the spell lasted too long their minds would eventually meld into one, which meant cutting the link between them could cause a lot of irreversible damage.

She found dozens of mind controlling spells. If she was desperate enough she could just make Bon Bon fall in love with Chris, but she didn’t want that. She wasn’t about to take her friend’s free will. Even thinking about it made Lyra sick to her stomach. It was bad enough that she was thinking about forcing the two of them to be close to each other, but she wasn’t going to just brainwash her friend. That would be horrible. No, Bon Bon had to open up to Chris on her own.

Lyra slammed her head down in the book she was reading, feeling like she should just give up. Nothing seemed to come close to what she wanted and she wasn’t talented enough to make her own magic like Twilight was.

Maybe she could just teleport them both to some island where they would be forced to live together. Then Bon Bon would have no choice but to talk to Chris at some point. Well, maybe she didn’t have to teleport them to an island. Maybe she could just lock them in a closet together and force them to do ‘seven minutes in heaven’ or more like seven days in heaven...

Lyra tilted her head to the side, laying her cheek on the cold pages of the book as she looked towards the almost completely melted candle, thinking more about how ridiculous an idea like that would be. “I should just lock Bonny in with Chris and let him give her the best hoof massage of her life. Then she would come around for sure,” she remarked sarcastically to herself.

Lyra closed her exhausted eyes, smiling to herself as she thought about Chris giving her friend an enlightening massage with those magical fingers of his while they were sealed in a room. “Yeah, that would do it, all right,” she sighed as the sleepless night finally started to catch up with her.

Suddenly Lyra’s eyes shot open as she jerked her head up. “WAIT!” she shouted a lot louder than was necessary.

Lyra quickly looked towards her already-read tower of books and knocked them over, spilling them out across the table in front of her. She started to frantically dig around for a book that she previously read. “Where is it?” she questioned herself, pushing the books around with her hooves. There was one spell she remembered reading about, but passed over it, thinking such a spell couldn’t really help in this situation.

The unicorn quickly found the book. “Yes!” she cheered, using her magic to quickly open it. She flipped through all the pages until her eyes fell upon the section of spells she was looking for.

“Seals and Barriers,” Lyra read the chapter title aloud to herself, continuing to read until she found the spell in question. “Restriction Barrier,” she mumbled as her eyes started to frantically read the spell’s history, usage, and execution.

Lyra quickly learned that the spell itself was mainly used to detain evil creatures that threatened Equestria long ago. It was a lesser form of banishment that they could easily use on smaller threats like manticore and timberwolf attacks. The spell would imprison anything within a barrier for any desired amount of time set by the caster. It could last over one thousand years if necessary, but you would have to be an alicorn to achieve that spell level.

This was a difficult spell for sure. It was definitely beyond Lyra’s current abilities to cast, but not impossible for her to learn and be able to use in time. She would need to practice and memorize the spell for it to last longer than a minute. She wouldn’t need long to learn it. If she really tried hard and concentrated enough, she could get it to work for a week, maybe two.

Lyra read the spell’s instructions over and over again, burning it into her memory before turning her attention to the candle next to her. She was confident she could do a small test of the spell and see if she could cast it correctly. If done right then she shouldn’t be able to touch the flame at all.

Lyra lit up her horn with magic, focusing on the candle in front of her until a small light of gold flashed around the flame. She slowly inched her hoof towards the flame, until her forward moments were halted just before the edge of her hoof could touch the small, flickering fire.

It worked.

Lyra relaxed her foreleg, letting it drop down on the table. She could cast the basic level of the spell easy enough, but how would she get those two together in the same room? She shouldn’t be thinking about locking them in just one room for two weeks. If she was planning on putting them together for longer than a day, then she would need to find a place were they could live comfortably, but where?

A home of some kind would be preferable, but she couldn’t put them in their own homes. If somepony came by and saw them, they would know something was up and help them get out. It would have to be somewhere secluded.

Lyra massaged her temples with her hooves as she tried to think of a place she could act out her plan. Her parents had a cabin a few miles away from Ponyville that they lived in during the summer when they came down from Canterlot. It was small with only one bedroom and bathroom in it, but she didn’t really have a lot of other options at this point.

It would have to do and it had everything they needed to live comfortably. All she had to do was make sure it was stocked with food and any other essentials. That would cost a pretty bit, but it would all be worth it if this worked out. She might even be able to join them in that cabin to make sure that everything went smoothly.

No… That wouldn’t work. She had to leave them alone to their own devices. If she was there, they would only pester her to break the spell and let them leave. Bon Bon would cling to her as well and not warm up to Chris. They had to be left alone for this.

But how can she get them in there together? Bon Bon wouldn’t agree to going into a cabin if Chris was there. She would have to fib a little… Yeah, just a tell a little white lie. If she could get them both to agree to a two week long vacation with her, she could get them to meet her there, then before they could notice each other, she would slip out and cast the spell.

It was a solid plan. A crazy one, but it could work. Chris might be upset, angry even, but he would understand and forgive her. Wouldn’t he? Bon Bon might be less forgiving, but if things worked out, then she might be thanking her by the end of this.

She had to do this if she was going to be with the ones she loved for the rest of her life, but did she have any other options at this point?

Lyra looked down at her open spell book, and stared blankly at it for a moment before nodding to herself. It had to be this way. It was her only option in order to get through to Bon Bon, and it still wasn’t technically violating her promise she made to her friend.

It was settled. She would start working towards making this plan a reality, starting with practicing the spell.

Lyra started to read more about the barrier spell and its execution, getting herself ready to start practicing it for the rest of the day.

Berry Punch downed the rest of her sangria, slamming the glass down on the bar counter’s surface as her whole body shivered in delight. “Oooo, that’s good,” she cooed. “My two favorite things. Punch and alcohol,” she sang with another slight shiver as she turned her head to look at her depressed friend. “Hey miss mopey pants. You going to tell me why you dragged me out to this bar tonight? Not that I’m complaining or anything,” she added as she started to munch on the little pieces of fruit left in her glass.

The bar Bon Bon took Berry Punch to was one of the smaller ones in Ponyville and was practically empty at the moment. They had gotten there shortly before dusk, right when the moon was just starting to come out, so the nighttime crowd hadn’t started to flood in yet.

Bon Bon kept her hooves on the side of her head as she stared down at the untouched mojito in front of her. “I’m sorry, Berry, I just have a lot on my mind,” she sighed deeply. “I just needed to get out of the house.”

“Yeah, doesn’t take a genius to see that you're down in the dumps,” Berry Punch stated as she waved an eager hoof in the air, trying to get the bartender's attention.

A brown unicorn mare with a dark red mane in a white vest walked up to Berry. “Yes ma’am?” she asked with a small smile.

“Another sangria!” Berry cheered, almost too excitedly.

"Right away, miss," the barmare replied, as she used her magic to pour out another glass while preparing to garnish the drink with various fruits.

Berry smiled as the barmare started to make her next drink, then turned to Bon Bon again. “Well, you came to the right mare to help you forget about all those pesky problems of yours,” she stated with a bright smile as she patted her mopey friend on the back. “We’ll have lots of fun tonight.”

Bon Bon groaned a little before placing her hooves down on the counter. “Berry…” she gently acknowledged her friend as she kept her saddened gaze fixed on her drink.

“Hmm?” Berry happily hummed.

“What did you tell Chris about the firelily?” Bon Bon asked, turning her head, giving Berry Punch a concerned expression.

Berry cocked her head to the side slightly. “Umm, who?”

Bon Bon sighed as she looked back down at her drink. “You know, the human that lives here. The stallion Lyra is dating.”

“Oh! You mean Crackers,” Berry stated in remembrance. “I talked to him about that a while ago.”

Bon Bon turned her head back to Berry with a scowl. “His name is not Crackers. It’s Chris,” she corrected in a slightly agitated tone.

“Chris, Crackers, whatever,” Berry shrugged. “I’m not real sure I remember telling him that much, though…” she paused, tapping a hoof to her chin for a moment as she thought back. “I do remember him pestering me a bunch about gift ideas for you, for some reason. I kept telling him to get you a cookbook or something, but he said others already suggested that to him.”

Bon Bon looked up at her friend again, raising an eyebrow. “Wait, so you told him to get me a cookbook?” she questioned.

“Yeah, but he wouldn’t leave me alone after that. He said there had to be something else that you might like, so I thought of something impossible for him to get you, just so he would leave me alone,” Berry huffed in annoyance, remembering how persistent the human was.

“So, that’s when you told him about the firelily?”

“Yeah, but that was like months ago,” Berry smirked as her new drink floated down in front of her from the barmare’s magic. “Thank you!” she cheered before turning back to her friend to continue her story. “He asked me why the firelily would be a good gift and I told him how it helped you find your cutie mark, then he thanked me and dashed off.” She chuckled before she took a small sip of her drink, savoring it this time. "I didn’t even bother telling the poor sap how rare a flower like that is. You want this cherry from my drink?” she added, pushing her cup over to Bon Bon a little.

"You told him that!?" Bon Bon goaned loudly, slamming her head down on the counter, causing Berry to jump in surprise and pull her cup back.

“Ahh… you okay there, Bon?” she asked a little worried.

Bon Bon tilted her head to the side, keeping her cheek on the cold countertop as she peered up at her friend with a saddened frown. “He found one Berry… He found a firelily and gave it to me as a gift on our date.”

Berry punch almost spit out the sip she was taking from her sangria, making her cough and choke. She hit her chest with her hoof a few times as she coughed. “Wh-what!?” she finally managed to choke out. “He actually went out and got you one?! You're lying. I want to see it! Do you still have it!?” she asked frantically in shock.

Bon Bon only groaned, ignoring her friends questions and request as she lifted her head up so she could stare back at her mojito. “What would you do Berry?” she asked with a sad sigh.

“Ehh, do about what?”

“If you were me and the human gave you a gift like that on a date, and asked you to be a part of his herd would you give him a chance?” Bon Bon asked, looking over to Berry.

Berry Punch furrowed her brow a little. “I, ehhummm, don’t know…” she said, wincing a little. “I mean, I don’t really know him all that well. And he’s kind of weird.” she admitted rubbing the back of her neck with a hoof. "I mean, a gift like that is sweet and all, but if I was going on looks alone I'd say no."

Bon Bon frowned a little. “I don’t think he’s that bad looking…” she mumbled in a soft whisper as she looked back down at her drink again.

Berry cringed a little at her friends admittance to liking the humans appearance. “Listen Bon... I think what you really need to do is―,”

“THERE YOU ARE!” somepony from the bar’s entrance yelled, causing everypony in establishment to jerk their heads around to see who it was.

Bon Bon’s eyes widened when she saw a sickly-looking Lyra Heartstrings in the entryway. “L-Lyra?!” Bon Bon shouted out in shock, covering her mouth with her hooves. “W-What happened to you?! Are you okay?!” she asked in concern. The unicorn looked like she had been through tartarus and back. Her mane was sticking out in every direction and her whole body glistened with what looked like sweat.

Lyra galloped up to Bon Bon and Berry, jumping up into the stool that was closest to her friend. “Bonny! IcameheretosayI’msorry!” Lyra exhaled quickly in one breath, before starting to pant lightly, staring right into the Bon Bon's eyes.

Bon Bon dropped her hooves to her chest as she furrowed her brow slightly, examining Lyra’s condition a little closer. The unicorn’s eyes had heavy bags under them, like she had been up for days. Bon Bon fought the urge to scrunch up her muzzle at the overwhelming minty musk that was coming from the unicorn. “L-Lyra. What happened to you?”

“What? Oh, nothing! I was just, umm, running around all day, yeah! And I was thinking that it was wrong of me to keep pestering you about joining my herd, so I wanted to say I was sorry,” Lyra quickly explained, smiling brightly.

Bon Bon raised a confused eyebrow at her haggard-looking friend. “O-oh? N-no, Lyra. It wasn’t your fault. I understand why you did it, b-but I’m sorry things just can’t work out,” she sighed deeply, turning her head away from Lyra a little, “and for what I did…”

Lyra grabbed Bon Bon on the shoulders and shook her a little, causing her to jerk her head back up. “Forget all that! I feel bad for what happened and I want to make it up to you!”

“Y-you do?” Bon Bon questioned, frowning in confusion a little.

“Yes!” Lyra responded quickly. “I know since I’ve moved out, it’s been hard for us to hang and stuff, so I was thinking we should both go out and take a short vacation together. Say for… two weeks?!” she asked loudly, giving Bon Bon a wide toothy smile, nodding her head slightly to try and coax her friend into saying yes.

Bon Bon turned her head back to see how Berry Punch was taking all this. The plum colored mare just sat there with a stunned, wide-eyed look, but shrugged quickly when she noticed that she was being looked at.

Bon Bon turned her head back towards Lyra. “I-I don’t know Lyra. That sounds nice and all, but this is kind of sudden. And what about Chris?”

“Don’t worry about Chris, he’s TOTALLY cool with it,” Lyra reassured her. “He knows how close we are and he wants us to spend some time together.”

"H-he does?" Bon Bon questioned. “B-but what about my sho―,”

“Your shop will be fine for two weeks," Lyra quickly countered, interrupting Bon Bon. "It’s not like you get that much business this time of the year anyways.”

Bon Bon frowned a little more, deep in thought, looking down at the floor for a moment as she considered Lyra’s offer. It would be nice to get some time alone with her again, and she really could use a break from everything that’s been going on, but…

“I won't mention anything about the herd, or Chris, or the date. Pinkie promise!” Lyra quickly added, interrupting Bon Bon’s thoughts as she placed a hoof over her eye.

Bon Bon looked back at Lyra’s still-smiling face, as a small smile of her own started to spread across her lips. “I… I think I would really like that,” she answered in a soft and warm tone.

“Yes!” Lyra cheered, pumping a hoof in the air.

Bon Bon chuckled a little at her friend's enthusiasm. It was a little surprising and at the same time relieving to see Lyra taking this whole herd rejections thing so well now. Especially after how she left both of them last night. “Thank you for being so understanding about all this, Lyra,” Bon Bon thanked with a soft smile.

Lyra smile faded just a little at her friend words. “O-oh, umm, yeah of course, Bonny. I-I understand completely,” she answered awkwardly, darting her eyes left and right.

“So, where are we going for our vacation and when?” Bon Bon asked gently, with a slight blush.

“I, umm, have this nice little cabin a few miles from here where we can stay. It’s really cozy and we can go hiking and light a bonfire, it'll be fun!” Lyra chirped.

Bon Bon smiled a little wider at that, giving Lyra a more dreamy-eyed daze. “Oh, that sounds lovely Lyra.”

Lyra nodded her head a little. “Yeah, it’s pretty bucking awesome! So, how soon can you go?”

Bon Bon thought about that for a moment. “Well, I guess I can leave as soon as next week if you like.”

Lyra winced a little, thinking she might need a little more time to perfect her spell. “Ummm, h-how about two weeks from now?” she asked in a more shaky voice.

“Two weeks should be fine,” Bon Bon responded with a slightly nod.

“Perfect!” Lyra cheered, quickly kissing Bon Bon on the lips, causing her to blush a little more. Lyra broke the kiss before hopping down off her stool. “Don’t forget! Two weeks from now, okay, Bonny,” Lyra stated as she slowly backed her way towards the bar entrance.

Bon Bon giggled. “I won't forget, plus I’m sure you’ll keep reminding me,” she slightly teased as she watched the slowly retreating unicorn.

Lyra gave her an awkward smile. “Y-yeah you know me, always the reminder," she chuckled nervously. "A-anyways, I got to go, but I will talk to you later, okay! Bye!” she said as she quickly turned around and bolted out of the bar, heading towards Chris’s home.

Bon Bon giggled softly and shook her head before turning back to Berry, who was now giving her a very smug smile. “What?” Bon Bon asked flatly, giving her a confused look.

“You really know how to attract the weird ones,” Berry teased, chuckling.

Bon Bon puffed up her cheeks and scowled angrily at her friend. “I thought that was very sweet of her to do,” she retorted.

Berry chuckled a little more. “Yeah, yeah,” she said, waving a dismissive hoof. “How about I buy you another mojito once you finish that one,” she kindly offered with a wink, pointing at the still full glass in front of Bon Bon with a lazy hoof.

Bon Bon’s scowl slowly turned into a more friendly smile. “I would enjoy that. Thank you, Berry.”

Chris tiredly pulled out a small container from his kitchen cabinet. He was going to use it to store some of the vegetable stew he made for himself and Lyra that night.

Earlier in the day, he tried to take a small nap, but just couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened at The Everfree Moon and how he could approach Bon Bon about it. He thought he should at least head over to her home and tell her that he was sorry. He understood why Bon Bon reacted the way she did, and he wanted to tell her that he understood and wanted to at least be her friend.

Chris let out an exhausted and sad sigh as he scooped up some of the vegetable stew from the pot with his wooden ladle. He slowly poured it into the container he was holding as he continued to think. Maybe he should talk to Lyra first before going over to apologize to Bon Bon. That is, once she got back from the library.

Chris knew that Lyra was a big pony and could take care of herself… sometimes. But he couldn’t help how worried he felt about her. She did leave kind of suddenly and her explanation of why she left was a little strange, to say the least. He just hoped she was okay and would return soon.

Suddenly, Chris could hear the sound of his front door opening and closing, followed by an all too familiar clip clop of hooves on the hardwood floor.

Chris let out a long sigh of relief. Lyra was home now.

“Hey Lyra! I’m back in the kitchen! I was just about to save you some supper but I can pour you some stew in a bowl for you if you like!” he called out to her as he poured the stew in the container back into the pot.

Lyra didn’t respond.

Chris listened to her hoof steps as they got louder but stopped once she hit the tile flooring of the kitchen. “Lyra?” he called out softly as he turned his head to see her. His eyes started to widen once he saw how haggard, sweaty, and out of breath she looked. “L-Lyra?! Are you okay!?”

Lyra just smiled up at him with a half-lidded gaze as she panted slightly. Without saying a word, she slowly started to make her way towards him, keeping her gaze fixed on his surprised and worried eyes.

“W-what happened? You look like you just ran a hundred miles,” Chris quickly pointed out, sounding even more worried the closer she got. His senses were hit with a strong minty fragrance that was no doubt coming from the mare since she had been sweating so much. It was a good thing ponies smelled nice when they perspire.

Lyra giggled at his comment. “Twilight needed... a lot of help... at the library,” she answered simply in between pants. Once she was close enough, she stood on her hind legs and wrapped her forelegs around Chris’s chest, hugging him tightly. She laid her head under his neck as she leaned her hot and sweaty body against him.

Chris wrapped his arms around her, ignoring how wet she felt as he held her close. “Lyra, you're burning up, is something wrong?” he asked, concerned about his marefriend's condition and odd behavior. Well, more odd than usual.

Lyra sighed lightly as she squeezed Chris a little tighter. “Everything is going to be alright, Chris,” she whispered sweetly as she rubbed her cheek against his collarbone.

“What do you mean?” Chris asked, feeling very confused at this point.

“Do you love me?” Lyra asked suddenly, throwing Chris off guard.

“Do I love you?” Chris repeated her question, almost as if he was offended that she asked something so ridiculous. “Lyra, I love you more then anything. You're the best part of my life. Why would you think otherwise?”

Lyra let out a heavy sigh as she rubbed his side with her hoof. “Would you still love me even if I did something really stupid?”

“Something really stupid?” Chris repeated her words again, this time sounding more confused. “Well, you do stupid stuff everyday and I’m still around, aren't I?” he teased lightly with a small chuckle, rubbing her soaked back with his hand as their embrace continued.

Lyra didn’t laugh like he thought she would. “Chris, I’m serious…” she responded softly, almost as if she was on the verge of tears.

Chris frowned a little. “L-Lyra…” he called out to her gently. “I don’t know what has gotten into you, but I would never stop loving you no matter what you did. You bring me nothing but joy and happiness and I want that to last forever,” he explained as he laid his head on top of hers. “I’m afraid you're stuck with me,” he added.

Lyra smiled as she lifted her head up, causing Chris to do the same. She locked eyes with him, giving him a loving gaze. “Chris, l-let’s…,” she paused, frowning sadly for a moment, losing herself in his eyes before smiling again. “Let’s go on a vacation together. Just the two of us,” she offered, sounding a little unsure for some reason.

Chris tilted his head to the side and cocked his eyebrow at her. “But, what about Bon Bon?”

Lyra slowly shook her head left and right. “Don’t worry about Bonny. She’s not going anywhere.”

“But, I think it’s important that we go to her and―”

Lyra interrupted him by pressing her lips against his, kissing him softly before pulling her head back. “Don’t worry. I think Bonny just needs her space right now. When we get back, we’ll go talk to her,” she stated calmly, keeping her loving gaze on Chris.

“I…” Chris thought for a moment. Lyra could be right. Maybe Bon Bon just needed time to think things through. Plus, it wouldn’t help if they kept pestering her. “I guess you're right…” he admitted with sad sigh. "So, when did you want to do this little adventure?"

"Two weeks from now."

"That soon!?" he questioned, raising his voice a little. "I don't know, Lyra. I have appointments to work for the Elements of Harmony for the rest of this month and I don't think they would be happy with me canceling on them like that."

Lyra frowned a little. “The Elements are kind mares. They will understand. And when was the last time you had time off?”

Chris couldn’t respond to that one because he has never had an extended amount of time off. “Ummm…”

“Exactly. And if they have an issue with it then I’ll talk to them personally. You work your flank off for them and deserve a break,” Lyra huffed angrily, standing her ground on this issue.

Chris chuckled nervously. “Th-that’s okay, honey. I can talk to them, but where would we go for a vacation?”

“A nice little cabin a few miles away from here,” she quickly explained, giving Chris a sultry gaze. “But, I’ll tell you about it more later,” she cooed as she kissed Chris deeply on the lips.

Chris pushed into the kiss a little, pressing her still warm and damp body against his. Her sweat was getting his shirt wet, but he didn’t care. He slowly broke off the kiss and smiled warmly at Lyra. “Well, I know you have been out for a while. I left you some vegetable stew if you’re hungry.”

Lyra hummed as she massaged Chris’s chest with a hoof. “Oh, I’m hungry alright,” she cooed, giving Chris a lustful stare as she licked her lips suggestively.

“Well, I can heat a bowl up for you,” Chris happily offered, as he let go of Lyra and turned to pour her a bowl of stew.

Lyra blinked a few times and she dropped back to the floor. “Wh-what? Chris!” she called, raising her voice a little.

Chris looked over his shoulder at Lyra, who was giving him a confused look. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

Lyra groaned, dropping her head down slightly. “Sweet Celestia, you’re dumb sometimes,” she sighed, looking back up at Chris. She took a deep breath and shut her eyes tight as she scrunched up her face in heavy concentration.

Chris turned around to face her, giving her a confused look. “Umm, what are you doing?” he asked as Lyra started to grunt and growl, clenching her eyes shut even tighter.

Lyras face started to turn a bright red as her horn slowly started to flicker and spark, but the unicorn soon gave up, exhaling the breath she was holding. “Oh, for buck’s sake,” she breathed, panting heavily.

“Did you exhaust all your magic today?” Chris asked, feeling very concerned. He had only seen Lyra struggle to cast a spell once before and that was when she was constantly practicing her preservation spell for the firelily he got Bon Bon. But, she had never been this exhausted before.

“Twilight... needed... a lot... of help—” she panted as she slowly made her way up to Chris. She bit the hem of his shirt and started to weakly tug him out of the kitchen.

Chris raise his eyebrow at her, but let himself be dragged along as she pulled him out of the kitchen and made her way towards his bedroom. He saw where Lyra was taking him and was finally able to put two and two together. "Umm, Lyra, you seem really worn out. You sure you want to do something like this?"

"Yesh," Lyra growled through the fabric in her mouth.

"Why don't you eat something and I can just give you a nice massage. I mean, it's not like I'm going anywhere anytime soon. We can do this once you're rested," Chris pointed out.

Lyra stopped her tugging for a moment as she looked up to Chris. She wasn't about to tell him she was going to be busy for the next two weeks getting things ready for him and Bon Bon to live together. She wouldn't be able to be with him for a whole month and wanted to spend the night with him while she could.

"When your marefriend axe you fur sex you don't question it," Lyra mumbled through the fabric in her teeth as she started to tug again, continuing to lead Chris.

"O-okay..." Chris surrendered as he was dragged into the room.

[Clop will be continued in part 2]

Plan B-Part 2 [Clop]

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Plan B-Part 2 [Clop]

Chris allowed himself to be dragged along by his weary marefriend as they entered into his dark bedroom. He felt tired from the lack of sleep he’d experienced the night before and was a bit confused at Lyra's strange behavior, but he couldn't help how aroused he felt. The act of being dragged into his bedroom by the hem of his shirt to perform sexual intercourse with his detainer was quite the turn-on.

Lyra weakly tugged on Chris’s shirt, directing him towards the side of the bed. Once they reached their desired destination, Lyra released the fabric from her mouth with a soft and exhausted pant.

Chris turned on the bedside lamp, illuminating the dark room with a soft, ambient light, making it easier to see. Lyra started to lightly nuzzle her head against his crotch while humming softly in content, causing Chris’s heart to beat a little faster in his chest. He could feel himself start to swell as she rubbed his sensitive member through the fabric of his mock jean pants.

He took off his white t-shirt, dropping it to the floor while Lyra continued to nuzzle his waist affectionately. He would’ve taken his belt and pants off as well, but he knew Lyra liked to do this part herself, so he waited patiently for her as he pinched one of her ears between his fingertips and gave it a nice firm rub.

Lyra purred softly, taking a moment to enjoy the light ear massage as she tilted her head into Chris’s crotch a little more. It felt wonderful to her, almost too good. She could feel herself nodding off as he pinched her a little tighter, rubbing deep into her ear. She took a few steps back, moving away from his enchanting touch, causing him to stop and let go.

She cooed softly in the back of her throat as she gazed upon his bare chest and abdomen, slowly letting her gaze drift lower to his dark blue jeans. It wasn’t hard to tell that he was already growing excited and the sight sent a warm shiver down her spine, helping her to wake up a little more.

The unicorn held her breath as she scrunched up her muzzle, concentrating what little remained of her magic on Chris’s belt buckle. Her horn sparked and flickered twice before she exhaled the breath she was holding, giving up on using her magic. “For buck... sake,” she panted in frustrated disappointment, taking a step forward.

She bit the edge of Chris’s leather belt, gripping it the best she could and gave it a light tug. She did all she could in her weakened state, but the leather wouldn’t come undone from the buckle. After a few more small tugs, she whimpered in defeat and let go. She looked up to Chris with a disheartened frown, pawing at his leg with her hoof, pleading for his help.

Chris frowned a little as he looked down into Lyra’s sad and expecting eyes. Seeing her struggle reminded him of how overworked she was at the moment. “Are you sure want to do this now? I can just give you a nice massage until you fall asleep, if you like,” he offered kindly with a loving and gentle tone.

Lyra whimpered helplessly, frowning a little more at his suggestion.“Please?” she begged with a shaky voice, keeping her saddened gaze fixed on him as she continued to paw at his leg.

Chris furrowed his brow a little more in confusion, not sure why Lyra was being so persistent about this. Sure, he wanted this as well, but she couldn’t possibly have the energy right now. She obviously wanted this no matter how tired she was and he wasn’t going to deny her any longer. “Okay, sweetie, but if you get too tired we can stop,” he stated, smiling softly as he complied with her request. He started to unbuckle his belt, pulling it off and letting it drop to the floor. He then unbuttoned his jeans, letting both his pants and boxers fall to his ankles, exposing himself completely to his lover.

Lyra smiled warmly before looking down at Chris’s member. He wasn't completely erect yet, but that was an easy fix. She got up on her hind legs and placed her forehooves on his chest for support, giving him a quick kiss on the lips. She gently pushed him back, guiding him to sit back on the bed.

Chris allowed himself to be directed, sitting back like she wanted. Lyra dropped her forelegs down, gently placing her hooves on top of his thighs while she nuzzled his furry cheek lovingly.

Chris leaned into her cheek as he ran his hands up and down her slightly sweaty forelegs and shoulders, rubbing them gently.

Lyra hummed in delight as he massaged her sides. She slowly pulled back, giving Chris a half-lidded and sensual gaze before slowly sitting back on her haunches, making it so that she was now at eye level with his waist.

Chris started to slowly spread his legs out for her, taking his hands off her as she dropped down.

Lyra wrapped both of her hooves over the top of Chris’s thighs, holding him open a little more for her so she could reach his still semi-hard length. The scent of his musk overwhelmed her, helping to excite her even more. She pressed her muzzle against his length, taking in a deep breath through her nose. She let his natural scent fill her senses before slowly exhaling in a soft, blissful moan.

Chris shivered slightly as Lyra peered up at him through heavy, lust-filled eyes. She lightly kissed the back of his hardening manhood, causing it to twitch. He moaned in approval at her touch, making her giggle tiredly.

She squeezed Chris’s thighs firmly with her hooves, opening her mouth slightly. She pressed her soft, broad tongue on the underside of his length and began to slowly lick upwards, savoring his salty flavor that she loved so much.

Chris let out a soft moan as Lyra continued to caress him with her broad, slick muscle. He gently grabbed her horn with his hand, giving it a firm squeeze and began to rub little circles on the side of the tip with his smooth thumb, causing her to gasp in surprise.

Lyra froze in the middle of a long lick as she moaned loudly in relief. Chris’s smooth but firm hand felt amazing on her aching, overused horn. “Ooohh, Chris… that feels... s-sooo, good right now,” she cooed softly, letting her muzzle rest just above his fleshy orbs as her eyes started to slowly roll in the back of her head.

Chris chuckled a little at her reaction. “Well, it seems like you used a lot of magic helping Twilight today. I’m sure your horn is aching by now,” he stated as he started to slowly but firmly stroke her horn up and down.

Lyra groaned loudly in pleasure as her tired eyes started to shut on their own. Chris’s hands seemed to soothe away all the aching pain within her horn, replacing it with a blissful relief. “O-o-oh, s-sweet Celestia,” she moaned softly as she tilted her horn into his hand a little more, completely forgetting what she was doing.

Her eyes shut completely as she laid her head down against Chris’s thigh. Her breathing started to become more constant and steady and her grip around his thighs began to weaken as his ministrations tightened and increased in speed.

Lyra could feel herself slipping into the dreamscape as Chris kept up his wonderful assault on her sore appendage with those magical hands of his. Everything started to go dark as her thoughts were replaced with the overwhelming sensation of her aching horn being kneaded into submission. She started to dream about Chris and Bon Bon together in the cabin as they― “No!” she shouted suddenly, jerking her head up once she realized she was falling asleep, causing Chris to let go of her horn.

Chris frowned sadly at her. “Honey, just let yourself sleep. You need your rest,” he pleaded with her.

Lyra quickly shook her head to help herself wake up. “N-no, I want this,” she responded tiredly. She looked between Chris’s legs and saw that he was now at full-mast and throbbing, begging for her attention.

She smiled weakly as she picked herself up, standing on her hind legs again. She leaned on the bed for support as she pushed Chris down with her hoof, gently guiding him to lay on his back.

Chris laid back at Lyra’s implied command, while she slowly got up onto the bed. He watched intently as she positioned herself until she was standing directly above him, aligning her hips with his.

Lyra let out an exhausted giggle as she peered down at her lover through heavy eyelids. “Just... enjoy the ride... big guy,” she cooed tiredly between her soft panting as she lowered her hips and started to straddle him. She slowly ground her wet, pliable marehood up and down on his stiff length, pinning him to his lower abdomen as she did so.

Chris moaned in pleasure, slightly pushing his hips up into Lyra's slow and steady rocking motions. She coated his entire length in her slick lubricant, making it even easier for her to glide along him. His hands quickly grasped the back of her flanks, holding her steady as she continued to slowly rock her hips back and forth on top of him.

Lyra let her eyelids close a little as she cooed in content, enjoying the feeling of Chris's hot and hard length running between her folds. She gasped suddenly as her sensitive clit ran over his tip, sending a small jolt of ecstasy through her spine, waking her up a little more. Her legs started to tremble as she rocked, causing her to stop her movements. She was losing her strength and had to hurry before she collapsed completely.

Lyra lifted herself on shaky legs, reaching back between their bodies with her hoof, using it to help prop Chris’s now soaked member up. She tried desperately to direct him to her winking entrance, but she was having a difficult time moving him into position with one hoof. She looked down between her legs, trying to see what she was doing. “C-Come... on...” she whimpered helplessly between her heavy panting. Her legs started to ache from holding herself up after all the running around she had done looking for Bon Bon. Normally she might have used her magic to do this part, but that wasn't an option at this point.

Without saying a word, Chris reached his hand down between them and gently pushed Lyra’s hoof aside. She watched as he held himself up for her. He lined his tip up with her entrance, parting her nether lips with his member, causing Lyra to coo in relieved delight. She wasted no time in letting her hips fall ever so slightly, taking his smooth, round crown into her eager depths.

Chris grunted in pleasure as Lyra slowly lowered herself onto his large, throbbing manhood. She cooed softly as his hard length started to spread her delicate walls apart. She could feel her legs starting to weaken, but before she could adjust or do anything, her muscles gave out, causing her to fall and spear herself on top of him, suddenly hilting him inside her.

Lyra yelped in surprise as his thick and long member filled her completely. His tip kissed her deepest barrier, causing her tight, rippling walls to convulse and clench around him in reflex. She whimpered helplessly as her love tunnel tried desperately to adjust to the sudden intruder, causing her hind legs to shake and jerk.

“A-are you alright?” Chris asked in concern, rubbing her trembling thighs.

Lyra panted heavily, keeping her head down and her eyes shut tightly as her whole body shuddered above him. “Y-yeah,” she answered weakly. “I just... wasn't ready,” she panted as her legs began to steady. “Just... give me a second.”

Chris started to massage and rub her flanks where her cutie marks were, helping her to adjust to him. She could feel her walls slowly starting to relax around his thick member.

After a short while, Lyra took a deep breath, opening her eyes to peer down at Chris. “O-okay,” she breathed, as she started to slowly lift herself up, then proceeded to lightly bounce on Chris’s hard length. She moved up a few inches then relaxed her aching muscles, letting gravity guide her back down until her hips collided with his.

Lyra’s legs started to tremble every time she went to pick herself up, which Chris seemed to notice. He tightened his hold on Lyra’s hips, causing her to stop her slow bouncing completely. She opened her tired eyes a little wider, giving him a worried look. “W-what’s w-wrong?” she asked in a weak voice. Before she could protest more, Chris rolled himself over, taking her with him and causing her to squeak in surprise. He gently placed her down on her back before pulling himself out of her depths.

Lyra whimpered helplessly as she felt Chris’s thick and throbbing warmth leave her body completely, much to her dismay, but she was too weak to do anything about it. It seemed like he wanted to stop and make her sleep again. “N-no, Chris, please... I-I’m not… tired. I just―,”

Chris silenced her by pressing his lips against hers, kissing her softly before leaning back a little, giving her a calm and loving gaze. “It’s okay. I know you’ve had a long day. Just let me take over,” he reassured her sweetly, slowly smoothing his hand down her sweaty coat and across her barrel.

Lyra smiled up at him with tired eyes. She weakly nodded her head in agreement and waited for him to continue their love making.

She watched as Chris pushed himself up and grabbed the closest pillow he could reach. He placed it under her flanks, helping to raise her hips up a little more. Once the pillow was in place, he pulled her towards him so that her hind legs were hanging off the side of the bed. “Comfortable?” he asked with a sweet and loving tone.

“Uh-huh,” Lyra answered weakly, nodding her head a few times and letting her eyes shut just a little.

Lyra peered at Chris through half-lidded eyes as he ran his hands over her slightly damp chest and abdomen, slowly making his way to her teats. He let his hand linger there, cupping both of her mounds and giving them a firm but comfortable squeeze, causing her to moan softly in response. He let go of her soft breasts, letting his hands lightly glide up and down her inner thighs, spreading her legs out a little more for him.

Lyra was enjoying all the extra attention he was giving her, but she was struggling to keep her eyes open. “C-Chris…” she pleaded softly with a quiet moan.

Complying with her implied request, Chris stepped closer to the bed, using his hand to direct his throbbing manhood into her winking entrance. He easily parted her glistening folds with his tip before slowly pushing his hips forward.

Lyra cried out in pleasure as his hard length penetrated her again. He felt so much better in this position with her hips propped up. She could feel everything about him as he slowly sank deeper. His smooth, rounded tip hit all the right spots, making her body shiver in delight. “Y-yesss,” she hissed in content as she lazily rolled her hips into him.

Chris reached his hands out, lightly rubbing Lyra’s chest, causing her to groan in approval. She weakly wrapped her hooves around his forearms as his hands gently kneaded her soft and wet coat. He started to pull himself out of her marehood only to push back into her, building a smooth and steady rhythm, which she was enjoying immensely.

He started to move his hands up her forelegs, grasping her hooves tightly. He brought them up to his lips, giving them both a gentle squeeze and a tender kiss on their soft undersides while he pumped in and out of her. He slowly licked her clean and well maintained frog on each hoof, causing her body to shudder. His firm and slick tongue felt incredible on her sore hooves. It tickled, but in the best way possible.

After leaving a few more gentle kisses on Lyra’s hooves, Chris released his grip, letting them drop down to her chest. He leaned down, placing his hands on the bed for support as he thrust all the way inside her, letting their hips press up against each other as he kissed her on the lips deeply.

Lyra groaned loudly into Chris’s lips, loving the feeling of being filled completely. She wrapped her forelegs around his chest and held him tightly as she opened her mouth, sliding her tongue into his. He gladly welcomed her tongue with his own, letting her explore his mouth while he caressed her wet muscle with his own. He started to move his hips again, causing her to moan even louder into his mouth as their kiss lingered.

Chris started to pick up speed, causing Lyra to pull her head back, breaking their kiss as her breathing became more drawn-out and heavy.

Lyra looked up to her lover, smiling warmly as he kept his steady pace, pushing in and out of her. She truly was a lucky mare to have such a loving stallion in her life. It was hard to picture her future without him… or without Bon Bon for that matter.

She knew her plan to get them together was wrong, but it was the only way. Bon Bon was perfect for Chris and Chris was perfect for Bon Bon. They would make each other so happy, if only her friend would give him the chance, but she would see for herself what a wonderful stallion he was in the cabin.

Lyra could feel tears start to build up in her eyes as she thought more about her lover and what she was about to put him through. He wasn’t going to like it, but she hoped he would forgive her in time. Even if he ended up hating her, she would still love him, but she didn’t think it would come to that… but if it did.

Lyra peered up at her lover with teary eyes, causing him to give her a worried look. “I-I… I love you... I love you... so much,” she stated in a weak, doleful tone between her steady panting.

Chris frowned a little more in confusion, but he kept his steady rhythm going. “I love you too, Lyra,” he whispered lovingly with a gentle smile.

Lyra smiled up at him and nodded her head, sniffling a little between her panting. “I-I’ll… I’ll always… love you… no matter what... happens,” she added in a soft and saddened whimper between her heavy breathing.

“And I’ll always love you, Lyra, no matter what happens,” Chris reassured her lovingly.

Lyra smiled up at him blinking away her tears, leaning up to nuzzle his furry cheek, holding him tightly. She could feel her walls start to convulse and tighten around him as a pressure began to build within her, signaling her impending release. She pressed her cheek against his a little harder. “C-Chris…” she whispered lovingly into his ear. “I’m close…”

Hearing this made Chris lean back, causing Lyra to let go of him and fall back onto the bed. He grabbed one of her hind legs and lifted it up, letting her hoof rest on his shoulder. He repositioned himself a little, getting ready to bring her to climax. “Cum for me, Lyra,” he demanded as he sank deeper into her aching marehood.

Lyra gasped in surprise, then moaned loudly in delight. Her inner walls squeezed and clenched around him as she weakly arched her back, pushing her hips forward ever so slightly, trying to force more of him into her.

Her breathing started to become louder and more constant as Chris started to firmly hump into her. He would slide back until only his tip remained, just so he could shove his amazingly hard length all the way back inside her, causing her to moan loudly.

Chris groaned with delight every time his tip kissed her deepest barrier, causing Lyra’s love tunnel to clench around him. Her own liquids made it easy for him to slide in and out of her, helping him to keep a fast and steady rhythm even with the powerful resistance of her tight marehood.

He squeezed the leg draped over his shoulder a little tighter as he moved his other hand to her throbbing clit. He pressed his thumb down on her delicate nub, kneading it in with firm circular motions, causing her to scream her approval to the ceiling. “Let yourself go, my love,” he demanded as he thrust into her at a faster pace, spreading her to the root each time.

Lyra propped herself up with an elbow, fighting the tiredness and overwhelming waves of pleasure being pumped into her delicate marehood as she reached her hoof out. She panted heavily between her helpless cries of pleasure as she limply petted Chris’s chest and abdomen. “C-C-Chris―AHHH!,” she cried as his member repetitively hit her most tender spots, deep within her.

Chris didn’t let up. He started to pick up speed, slamming himself into her fully as her walls squeezed around him ever tighter, trying to coax him deeper inside her.

Lyra kept trying to paw at Chris’s chest limply as her vision started to blur and her mind started to blank from the onslaught of blissful pleasure of her clit being kneaded firmly and her soft inner walls being filled to the brim over and over again. She felt like she was going to explode and there was absolutely nothing that could stop it. Her horn started to spark every once and a while as her climax started to surface. “C-Ch-Chris!” she managed to stutter out loudly between her fast panting. “C-cum with meeee!” she cried.

“Let me see you cum, Lyra. Let yourself go for me,” Chris ordered in a deep and loving voice as he thrust harder into her tight, suckling marehood. He gave her one final but powerful thrust as he pressed harder into her clit, sending her over the edge.

Lyra clenched her eyes shut as she slammed her back against the bed’s soft comforter, stretching her forelegs out, arching her back high into the air. “I LOVE YOOOOOOOU!” she cried out at the top of her lungs as she came hard, splashing Chris’s lower abdomen and thighs with her warm essence, coating his skin in her liquids as her marehood convulsed and squeezed around his hard length.

Her horn flashed briefly and flickered into nothing as her climax peaked. She could feel her consciousness leave her as her mind started to blank. She fought to stay awake, but it was pointless. Her walls continued to twitch and spasm, trying desperately to milk Chris’s member as she came down from her explosive euphoria, slowly drifting into the dreamscape.

Chris let go of her hind leg that he was still grasping, letting it retract to her body. Her whole body fell limp and her head tilted to the side as she finally passed out.

He watched Lyra’s chest rapidly rise and fall as her sleeping body tried desperately to fill her lungs with much needed oxygen. He stayed hilted inside her for a moment, feeling her insides twitch and convulse around him as her orgasm lingered. He wanted to keep going, but with Lyra passed out like she was, it just wouldn’t feel right.

Reluctantly, he started to pull himself out. Even though Lyra was passed out, Chris could feel her walls constrict around him as if she was trying to keep him inside her. His member slipped out of her tight, velvety entrance with a faintly audible, wet popping sound, making him shudder as his wet member hit the cold night air.

Chris gently picked Lyra up and shifted her so she was laying on her side in her usual spot on the bed. He pulled the covers up and laid them over her, making sure her head was resting on her favorite pillow before taking a few steps back and gazing down at her sleeping form. She was still breathing pretty hard, but she was sound asleep with a slight smile on her lips.

Not wanting to fall asleep with a raging hard on, Chris made his way to the bathroom, utilizing Lyra’s generous amount of natural lubricant to help finish himself off. It didn’t take long with the mental image of her explosive climax and the minty, musky scent that filled the room.

Chris returned from the bathroom after cleaning up to see Lyra still passed out in his bed and her breathing had returned to normal. As he got a little closer he noticed her smile had faded into a thin line, and her brow was furrowed.

He took a moment to gaze at her, thinking about what she had said earlier. It wasn’t what she said that bothered him, it was how she said it. She sounded so sad when she said ‘I love you’ and it was even stranger that she would say that no matter what happened she would still love him. What did she think was going to happen?

Lyra was a strange pony sometimes. It was a quality that he really loved about her, but the way she said those three little words just gave him a funny feeling. He would have to ask her if she was okay in the morning.

Chris sighed to himself as he thought about cleaning up the wet mess that was now on his bedroom floor, as well as go out and try to save some of that vegetable stew he’d made, but he was so exhausted. He figured he would clean his carpet in the morning and just let the stew go bad and throw it out.

With an exhausted sigh, Chris climbed into the bed and laid down next to his passed-out lover. He wrapped his arms around Lyra’s chest and pulled her into him. As soon as he did, she placed a hoof on his arm and held him firmly in place.

Chris propped himself up a bit to see if Lyra had woken up, but she was still sleeping. He noticed her brow was furrowed and her lips had turned into a small frown. Her eyes were screwed shut and every once and a while her eyebrows would twitch. It seemed like she was having a nightmare.

He was about to lean in to kiss Lyra on the cheek, but stopped when he heard her mutter something. “B-Bonny…” she whimpered quietly.

Chris paused for a moment to see if she would say anything else.

“C-Chris… forgive me…”

Chris raised his eyebrow. She was dreaming about him and Bon Bon, but why would he need to forgive her?

“Don’t... leave me…”

Chris sighed and shook his head. Lyra was obviously still stressed out about everything that happened between them and Bon Bon. That could be why she was saying all those things in such a sad tone. She must think he would leave for some reason. “Silly pony. I'd never leave you,” Chris whispered into her ear, giving her a gentle kiss on the her cheek.

Lyra’s grip on Chris’s arm seemed to relax at his words, making him smile to himself. He snuggled up nice and close to his lover, laying his head on top of her messy mane as he shut his heavy eyes.

“Good night, my love. When we get back from our vacation, I promise to make this right,” he whispered sweetly as he entered into the dream world.

Trapped

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Trapped

Chris stood a good distance away from the homely and rustic-looking cabin he would be spending the next two weeks in with Lyra. He was told to meet her here at this exact time, which was a little bizarre. He didn’t quite understand why she couldn’t join him on the walk up here, or why he had to stay in the cabin until she arrived, but she had stressed that it was very important.

Perhaps she was planning some kind of surprise for him. He didn’t mind surprises as long as Pinkie Pie wasn’t involved in some way, but he never really took Lyra for a pony to plan something like that. It would be a little out of character for her, but a nice little surprise could be fun.

The cabin was a cozy little place, rectangular in shape with several snow-covered mounds that had to be shrubbery or bushes surrounding the exterior. It was made entirely out of wood and stones that matched the surrounding forest. Each stone varied in shape and size and was layered on top of one another in a cobblestone pattern. They stretched a few feet up from the ground and covered the entire base of the cabin. The remaining portions of the walls were made from smooth planks of wood that had been stained a faded red color. The front door was a similar color and placed slightly off-center to the right, with two small windows to the left of it.

Chris couldn’t really tell what the roof looked like since it was covered in snow, but he assumed it was also made out of wood.

What really stood out about the cabin was the copious amount of thick vines that seemed to grow wildly from the top of the structure. They cascaded down the sides, spilling onto the snow-covered ground. It looked like a group of them had actually started to wrap around the tall chimney that was placed on the backside of the roof, near the middle of the cabin. The tangled plants extended outwards from the top of the chimney, spreading out into the air in different directions, making it look like a small tree. Chris had never seen vines quite like that before and he wondered if they grew any flowers once spring came around. That would be an amazing sight to see.

Chris took a small step back to really study the dwelling up and down. He thought the place was definitely… awesome!

He instantly fell in love with the cabin and was excited to stay here with Lyra. It reminded him of so many fairy tales he’d read and more fantasy-oriented video games he’d loved to play back in his old world. It was like he was in some kind of enchanted forest. Well, he was in a magical land with talking ponies now, but still, this place was pretty amazing to him and the dense trees that surrounded it provided a lot of welcomed privacy. It was easy to see why Lyra’s parents liked to live here during the summer.

Chris couldn’t believe that Lyra’s parents had agreed to let them use their cabin while they were up in Canterlot. It was incredibly nice and generous, even though he had yet to meet them. In fact, he wasn’t sure they even knew who he was or that he was dating their daughter yet.

Chris paused and thought about that for a moment, but shrugged it off and picked up his large, brown backpack that he had hand-crafted himself and threw it over his back. It wasn’t the sturdiest thing in the world, or the most pleasing to look at, but it got the job done.

Once the pack was secure Chris started to walk towards the door. He gripped his hand over the hoof-friendly handle and pulled the door open. He had to duck his head a little to walk through the doorway since this was a typical pony-sized dwelling.

He shut the door behind him and looked around the living room. It was rectangular in shape with a red wood floor, similar to the wood that the walls were made from, only more polished. In the middle of the room, several feet in front of him, was a small, rounded table that had two stools on opposite sides. Past that was a large black ‘L’-shaped couch. It faced a stone hearth that was settled in the back-left corner of the room.

Chris noticed an extremely large pile of what appeared to be freshly-chopped wood next to the hearth that was stacked against the back wall, which seemed strange. He wasn’t expecting some wood to be cut up and ready. In fact, he was really looking forward to really roughing it out here and chopping some himself.

Shrugging and looking to the right of the firewood, Chris saw a large countertop that separated the living room and the kitchen. The counter touched the back wall and stretched out all the way to the middle of the room. He could also see two bar stools in front of it, right behind where the couch was.

The countertop itself looked like it was fashioned similar to something he would see in a local pub. Above it was a large rack that hung from the ceiling. It held what looked like all kinds of alcoholic drinks and even some mixers. He guessed that the glasses and other items used for the alcohol must be on the other side somewhere.

Seeing the replica bar was quite pleasing to Chris and it looked like Lyra’s parents were quite the connoisseurs of alcohol. They had almost everything he could ever need just on the rack, and there was no doubt more in the cabin somewhere. He thought he might be able to show off his sweet juggling and drink mixing skills to Lyra and really impress her. He had never really had a chance to wow Lyra with that special talent he picked up in his old world, but now that opportunity was staring him right in the face.

Chris smiled at the thought before turning his sights towards the left side of the room where he could see three doors. He walked over to the door closest to him before opening it and saw the bedroom he would be sharing with Lyra. There was a small window to the left, and to the right was a decently sized bed. It was positioned in the center of the right wall with a nightstand that had a bedside lamp and a small picture frame. The bed was small and could only fit two ponies at most, but that was fine. It could fit him and Lyra just fine and gave him an excuse to cuddle up nice and close to her every night. Not that he ever need an excuse.

Chris walked up to the nightstand and picked up the picture frame. He instantly bit his lip, trying desperately to hold back his laughter. In the picture was a filly-sized Lyra, who seemed to be enjoying her time playing in a puddle of mud. Her adorable and cutie mark-less rump was high in the air while her side was pressed down into the puddle. She was looking up at the camera with her bright golden eyes and the biggest smile he had ever seen on a filly. She was absolutely covered in mud and she couldn’t have been happier about it.

Chris let out a loud laugh and smiled brightly at the picture. It was incredibly cute and sweet, but he thought if he looked much longer then he might collapse into a diabetic coma. He put the picture back and made a mental note to tease Lyra about what a dirty little filly she was when she arrived. Perhaps he could convince her parents to give him a copy of that picture some day.

Walking out of the bedroom, Chris proceeded to the next door over. He opened it to see a flight of stairs that snaked around to what looked like some kind of cellar or basement. It was too dark to see what was down there at the moment, so he thought he would check it out later.

He closed the door and turned his attention to the final door. He opened it and saw that it was a bathroom. It had one sink, one pony-sized tub that doubled as a shower, and one squat toilet that was built into the floor. Chris despised those things when he first arrived in Equestria, but over time he had adjusted and actually started to like using them. It just felt more natural to him.

Chris closed the bathroom door and turned around, facing the kitchen. He dropped his backpack next to the couch before walking up next to the bar, standing in the kitchen’s entrance. He looked to his left and saw that the bar actually connected to the kitchen countertop and looped all the way around the back wall, making a shape like a ‘U’. There was a sink in the middle of the counter on the back wall with a small window over it. The outside of the window was covered in vines and snow, so he couldn’t see out of it. The countertop to the right of the sink contained the stove and oven. At end of the of the ‘U’ was a very large and magically powered refrigerator.

To Chris’s right was a wall with a door in the middle. He opened it to see a large pantry with shelves filled to the brim with various food items, which was surprising to him. All the food looked like it was just bought at the market. There was no dust or cobwebs, but he knew this place hadn't been used since last summer, so it was strange to see all this fresh and new-looking food. In fact, now that he thought about it, the whole cabin seemed suspiciously clean.

He closed the door and walked to the refrigerator to see if there was also food in it. Much to his added shock the fridge was also filled to capacity with everything they could possibly need. He saw all the essentials like eggs and milk, along with all kinds of vegetables, cheeses, and other various food and drink items. He saw an overabundance of carrots, which was a little odd, as well as a strange brown bag.

On closer inspection he saw that the bag was from the Griffin market on the outskirts of Ponyville. Sometimes Lyra would go there to pick up some meat for him for those rare and more special nights and that must be what was in the bag.

Chris opened the bag and saw that the meat was wrapped in pink paper, which meant it was chicken. He smiled a little at the sight. Lyra knew chicken was his favorite meat and he thought that was very sweet of her to get it for him. He closed the bag up and placed it back before shutting the refrigerator door.

It seemed that Lyra had gone out and stocked the whole cabin before he arrived. It was a little silly how much food she managed to cram in there since Ponyville was only a few miles away and they could easily just walk back into town to get more supplies if they really needed it.

Chris shrugged at the thought. Maybe she just wanted to spend every waking moment with him in the cabin and hiking around the woods. He was fine with that. He was really looking forward to spending time with her since she had been so busy the past two weeks. She never really mentioned why, but every night she would come home exhausted and pass out after dinner. Perhaps she was just getting the cabin ready for them that whole time? But then why didn't she ask him for help?

He thought Lyra must have wanted him to just relax and not worry about getting things ready.

This vacation was going to be a lot fun, but he wasn’t just looking forward to spending time with Lyra. He was also hoping this little outing would help get Bon Bon off his mind. It was killing him inside not being able to talk to her about what happened and offer his friendship, but Lyra wanted them to give her space and wait until after this vacation before they approached her.

Chris thought that Lyra was right to suggest giving Bon Bon her space, especially after what happened at the restaurant. He could understand that the mare needed some alone time now, but still...

Chris sighed sadly to himself as he continued to think more about Bon Bon. Ever since that fateful night at The Everfree Moon he hadn't been able to stop thinking about the way she looked in her dress and the beautiful smile she had. She looked so radiant and enchanting when she took the firelily. It was heartwarming to him to have seen her so happy.

Bon Bon truly was beautiful, and for a short moment Chris really thought he might have felt something with her. She just seemed to click with him, but it was so brief that he couldn’t really tell if it was something real or just his imagination. He needed to go back and try to make amends with her and see if there truly was something between them and find out why she had run out on them like she did.

He couldn’t think about that now. At least not for the next two weeks, as long as his dreams didn’t interfere. Bon Bon was in almost every dream he had now. Sometimes she was just in the background and other times she would talk to him in strange voices, mentioning something about not putting things in her bags. It was all very lucid and strange, but there was one dream that bugged him the most. Bon Bon was hanging off the side of a cliff and he had to save her before she fell. He couldn't remember if he saved her or not, but he did wake up in a panicked sweat. Thankfully, that particular dream had only visited him once.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the front door of the cabin swing open, followed by the sound of hooves on hardwood flooring. The hoofsteps were strange because it sounded like it was coming from two ponies. Did Lyra’s parents come to say hi to them or something? He hoped that wasn’t the case. He didn’t want to go out there and say hi to them without Lyra here. Maybe they would―

“Oh my, Lyra. This place is wonderful,” an eerily familiar voice sang from the living room, jerking Chris out of his thoughts.

‘Was… was that Bon Bon?’ Chris thought to himself in disbelief.

“Y-yeah, it’s, uhh, g-great,” Lyra responded in a more quiet and nervous tone.

‘That was definitely Lyra. What the hell is going on?’ Chris thought to himself as he slowly walked out of the kitchen. He peered around the corner to see that Bon Bon was indeed standing a few feet from the entryway. She was looking around the room and hadn’t noticed him yet. She was wearing what looked like dark, cream-colored saddlebags around her sides. Did that mean she was staying with them as well? Why didn’t Lyra tell him about this? Was Bon Bon staying with them his surprise?

Chris looked over to see Lyra standing in the entryway. She was looking right at him with a worried or scared expression on her face, but she didn’t have any saddlebags with her. Did she not bring anything for the vacation? Did she already unpack when she stocked the place with food?

“What’s going on here?” Chris asked softly from the kitchen’s entryway, causing Bon Bon to jump back and jerk her head towards him in surprise.

“C-C-CHRIS!?” Bon Bon shouted as she stared at him with wide and shocked eyes. “Wh-wh-what are you d-doing here?!” she asked in a shaky, loud voice before quickly turning her head towards Lyra. "You told me he wasn’t going to be here!”

Chris arched an eyebrow in confusion at Bon Bon’s shocked reaction. He looked back towards Lyra, who was now giving them both a nervous and sheepish smile. “You told her I wasn’t going to be here?”

Lyra laughed nervously as her horn started to light up. Before Chris could process what she was doing, she was gone in a bright flash and the front door had slammed shut.

“LYRA!!” Chris and Bon Bon shouted in unison before the whole cabin was engulfed in a golden aura.

There was a loud humming sound followed by a bright flash of gold light that temporarily blinded Chris, causing him to squint his eyes. He held his hand up to help shield his eyes as the light faded and the loud hum diminished into a more ethereal sound.

Chris’s eyes quickly began to readjust to his surroundings. He dropped his hand and walked out to the middle of the living room. He could see Bon Bon was rubbing her eyes with her forelegs.

Chris turned his attention to the door and quickly walked up to it. He turned the handle and pressed his side against the wood, but it didn’t move. He pulled back and slammed his body against the door with some force, but the door remained close. It didn’t even move an inch.

“W-What's going on?” Bon Bon asked, rubbing a single eye now. It looked like she could see again.

“I’m not sure,” Chris replied softly. “The door’s stuck," he added looking back at Bon Bon with a worried expression.

“What!?” Bon Bon shouted, dropping her hoof to the floor as both her eyes widened in disbelieving terror. "Th-that can’t be!"

Chris slammed his side into the door even harder, expecting the door to break from his force, but nothing happend.

“Oh no, oh no, oh no,” Bon Bon repeated as she took a few quick steps back, away from Chris. “A-are we trapped?”

"I-I'm not sure," Chris replied in a slightly shaky voice. He looked to the window next to the door and stepped in front of it. He undid the latch and tried to push it open, only to have the same result as the door.

Chris looked out to see if something was outside obstructing the door and window, but all he could see was Lyra passed out in the snow. “LYRA!” Chris yelled.

“What?! What’s happening? Is she okay?!” Bon Bon asked from behind him.

“I don’t know. She’s passed out in the front of the cabin!” Chris quickly answered.

“WHAT!?” Bon Bon shouted.

Chris looked back to the door. He could see a small mailslot in the middle and thought he might be able to look through it and call out to Lyra and get her attention. She probably could hear him otherwise. He moved to the slot while Bon Bon ran up to the window, no doubt worried about her friend’s condition.

Bon Bon reared up on her hind legs and placed her forehooves on the windowsill as she pressed her muzzle against the glass. "Oh no! What's wrong with her?!' she asked in a horrified tone, not taking her eyes off the passed-out unicorn.

Chris bent down to his knees and lifted the small metal flap to peer out of the mailslot. “Lyra?!” he called loudly.

Chris could barely hear Lyra groaning, but that was a good sign, right? At least she was still breathing. "I think I can hear her breathing," he reassured Bon Bon.

Lyra started to slowly lift her head up, grunting loudly as she rubbed her head with a hoof before looking around, getting her bearings. She eventually looked towards the cabin with a deep, saddened frown that worried Chris.

“Lyra!" Chris called out to her loudly, causing her to flinch and look towards the mailslot. "What happened? Are you okay?”

Lyra’s frown deepened before she looked down and away from the door, still rubbing her head. “I-I’m... f-fine,” she answered in a soft whimper that Chris could barely hear, causing him to let out a sigh of relief. At least she was okay.

"What did she say? Is she okay?" Bon Bon asked, turning her gaze away from the window to look down at Chris.

“I think so. She said she was fine," Chris replied to her, keeping his focus on Lyra outside. “Lyra, the door is stuck. Do you think you can help us get out?”

Lyra kept her saddened gaze focused on the ground as she drooped her hoof down. She didn’t respond to him right away. “No…” she finally replied in a whisper while she mindlessly pushed some snow around with her hoof.

Chris leaned his head to the side a little so he could hear better. “I couldn’t hear you. Are you able to stand and help us?”

“No,” Lyra answered louder in a more normal tone.

“No!?” Chris repeated to himself loudly. “Are you hurt!?” he asked, fearing the worst.

"She's hurt!?" Bon Bon questioned, sounding panicked as she turned to look back out the window at Lyra.

Chris could see tears starting to well in Lyra’s eyes as she continued to stare down at the ground. “Lyra, what’s going on?” he asked softly.

“Please forgive me!” Lyra shouted as she jerked her head towards the cabin, peering at Chris with a saddened scowl as a single tear ran down her cheek.

Chris raised his eyebrow in confusion and worry. “Forgive you for what?”

“This was the only way to get Bon Bon to give you a chance!” Lyra added loudly as more tears started to stream down her face.

"What’s she saying?" Bon Bon asked.

Chris ignored Bon Bon’s question, starting to feel a little panicked. “Lyra… Love of my life and everything that is precious to me… You're really starting to scare me right now.”

“I can’t hear anything,” Bon Bon muttered to herself as she pressed her ear to the window.

“Please just tell me what’s going on,” Chris gently pleaded with Lyra.

"You two will be living in the cabin for at least two weeks... " Lyra stated in a somber tone, looking down at her hooves in the snow.

"What?" Chris questioned feeling even more panicked. "What do you mean?"

“I-I cast a restriction barrier around the cabin. It… it’ll last two weeks,” she explained a little more as she shut her teary eyes. “You won't be able to leave until the the spell... fades," she added, sounding regretful.

“You mean we’re stuck in here!?” Chris questioned loudly in horrified shock.

“WE’RE STUCK IN HERE!?” Bon Bon shouted next to him, causing Chris to flinch and cringe a little.

Chris looked up at Bon Bon with a worried expression that he couldn’t hide. “Lyra said she put a spell over the cabin to seal us in for two weeks.”

“T-t-two WEEKS!?” Bon Bon shouted with wide terrified eyes. “N-no! That can’t be! H-how did she even learn a spell like that?”

That was a good question. Chris turned back to the mailslot and peered back at Lyra. “Lyra, how did you even learn to do this? Is this even legal!?”

Lyra started to pick herself up on shaky legs until she was standing upright. She kept her head down and away from the cabin as she responded to Chris in a shaky voice. “T-twilight… helped me. She gave me some spell books to study at the library.”

“Twilight knows about this?!” Chris half shouted. There was no way Twilight would help Lyra do something like this.

“No," Lyra said, shaking her head slightly. "She only let me read her spell books at the library. I didn’t tell her why I wanted to study them.”

This was unreal. Why would Twilight give Lyra access to spell books like that? Chris knew that Lyra and Twilight had become very close friends since they were both helping him to get adjusted to life in Equestria, but did Twilight really trust Lyra enough to let her look at dangerous spell books?

There wasn’t much he could do about the situation now. He had to try and talk some sense into Lyra. She was the only one that could let them out. “Lyra, honey, listen to me. I know you really want Bon Bon and I to get to know each other, and trust me, so do I. But this isn’t the right way to go about it. You can’t just force us to live together and hope it will work out,” he stated, trying to keep his composure.

Lyra looked up at him with a serious but teary-eyed expression. “I know this will work out and I’m so sorry, Chris, but this is the only way. Bon Bon wouldn’t have given you a chance otherwise.”

Chris looked back to Bon Bon to see her still propped up on the windowsill. She was looking down at him with a scared and worried look. She was probably waiting to see if he could talk some sense into Lyra. It was probably true that Bon Bon might have never given him another chance to get to know her, but this was still wrong.

“Y-you said yourself you would give a-anything for a second chance with her,” Lyra added in a soft and shaky voice, causing Chris to turn back to her.

“Not like this, Lyra,” he answered softly in a somber tone. “Please, just let us out. Let's just talk about this,” he pleaded with her.

"I'm so sorry, Chris. I love you," Lyra whispered just loud enough so he could hear. "I love you both, and even if you both hate me when this is over I will still love you," she stated softly.

"This is nuts!" Chris shouted, feeling angry at this point. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "Just let us out so we can all talk about this like sensible adults," he offered in the best mellow tone he could muster, hiding his annoyance.

Lyra turned her body around and looked over her shoulder at Chris. "This is the only way," she whimpered sadly as she quickly galloped off into the distance.

"Lyra! LYRA!" Chris shouted through the slot as he watched her disappear into the dense forest.

“She’s leaving?!” Bon Bon questioned loudly as she pressed her muzzle up against the glass.

"How could she do this!?" Chris asked himself loudly as he sat back on the hardwood flooring. He groaned, rubbing his eyes and bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. "I can’t fucking believe this." Suddenly, he remembered that he wasn't alone.

Chris stopped his frustrated rubbing and slowly removed his hand before looking over to Bon Bon. She was still on the windowsill, but she was now looking down at him with a frightened and saddened look on her face. "So, umm, Bon Bon... how are you?" he asked forcing a bright smile.

"Y-you don't eat p-ponies do you?" Bon Bon asked suddenly in a soft and frightened voice as she dropped down from the window.

"Wh-what?" Chris questioned, shocked at the implicating question. "No! I would never eat a pony!" he answered her, raising his voice slightly, feeling offended that she would think that.

"O-oh t-that’s, ahh, g-good," Bon Bon stuttered, taking a few steps back towards the opened bedroom door. "I-I'm just goingtobeinhere!" she stated loudly as she flung herself around and bolted into the room, bucking the door shut. Chris could hear the lock on the other side click in place.

"Great!" Chris groaned loudly, falling back, letting the back of his head hit the hardwood floor with a loud thud. He moaned as he placed both of his palms on his face. "This is unbelievable!"

So this is what Lyra had been doing this whole time. She had been running off to act out this little scheme of hers. How could he have been so blind, so stupid!?

Chris sighed deeply, throwing his arms away and letting them fall to the floor. He should’ve know she was up to something and he should’ve tried harder to find out what Lyra was doing. She had been acting so odd ever since that day at the restaurant, but he trusted her so much. He never would have thought she would do something this extreme! They were definitely going to have a serious talk when this was all over. How can he trust her after what she just did?

But if this whole thing was Lyra’s big plan all along, then why in all of Equestria was there a bag of chicken sitting in the refrigerator right now?

“Lyra you idiot!” Chris groaned loudly, rolling over on his side. How could she think that was a good idea? She knew how Bon Bon reacted when he ordered the rabbit at The Everfree Moon. He would have to throw the bag out if he could, but if he didn’t have a proper way to dispose of it, it would just rot and stink up the place. He couldn’t cook and eat something like that with Bon Bon around, especially knowing how uncomfortable she was with the stuff. Maybe he could flush it down the toilet, but these pony toilets clogged so easily. It would have to stay in the refrigerator for now until he could think of a better way to dispose of it. Perhaps Bon Bon wouldn’t even know what it was as long as he kept it in the bag.

Chris sighed in frustration, trying to piece together everything that happened. Lyra had just gone crazy and sealed him away with her best friend who was now locked in the bedroom. Guess that means he would be sleeping on the couch. That was fine, but this was going to be a long two weeks if Bon Bon didn’t come out of that room. He would go insane if he didn’t get some kind of interaction with someone, or in this case somepony.

Meanwhile in the bedroom, Bon Bon frantically paced back in forth. “Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no,” she quietly repeated to herself in a panic. “This can’t be happening. This just can’t be happening.”

Bon Bon let herself collapse to the floor, throwing both her forelegs over her head as the weight of her current situation started to sink in. She thought about how she had never been alone with the human before and the thought scared her. Chris was a nice stallion, but he was intimidating to be alone with.

Her natural pony instincts kept pecking away in the back of her mind, telling her to run and escape this horrible situation. There was still so much that was unknown about Chris, other than he had scary-looking spider hooves and he ate poor little bunnies. She prayed to Celestia that he wouldn’t grab her with those hands of his. Why did they have to look so much like spiders!?

'Lyra, what in the hay were you thinking?!' Bon Bon mentally chastised her friend as she whimpered to herself on the floor. Lyra had done a lot of crazy stuff over the years, but this was something else entirely. Did Lyra even thoroughly think about this little plan of hers? How in the hay were they supposed to live in a small cabin for two whole weeks? What would happen if one of them got seriously hurt? Or what if they ran out of food!?

Wait, did they even have food in the cabin?

Bon Bon jerked her head up in sudden realization. She didn’t know what their food situation was like, and knowing Lyra it wasn’t unlikely that she didn’t think this plan through enough to remember important things like that. She needed to go out and make sure they had something to live off of, but Chris was still out there...

Bon Bon whimpered as she cowered at the thought. Just thinking about the tall stallion on the other side of the door frightened her, which lead her to think what would happen if they did start to starve. There was no doubt that Chris had to eat a lot since he was so gigantic. And he was a meat eater. That meant if he got hungry enough he might turn his sights to her.

She had to get out of here!

Bon Bon quickly jumped to her hooves, causing her saddlebags to slip off her sides as she scanned the room for any possible way out. Her sights fell upon the window and she galloped up to it, rearing up on her hind legs. She unlocked the latch with her teeth, then pressed both hooves up against the cold glass and pushed hard, but the window stayed frozen in place. “Oh, horse apples!”

Bon Bon groaned but took a deep breath to help calm herself down a bit. “Okay, Bon Bon. You’re an earth pony. You can break this easy,” she quietly encouraged herself as she reared her forelegs back. She shut her eyes tight before slamming her hooves against the glass with all her strength. She hit the sturdy, unyielding window hard, making a shockwave of pain run up her legs.

“GAHH!” Bon Bon yelped, falling back against the floor. She curled up around her aching forelegs, pressing them between her thighs, hoping it would somehow dull the pain. “Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!” she whimpered helplessly.

No sooner after she had fallen did she hear several hard knocks on the door. “Bon Bon!” Chris cried from the other side. “Are you okay in there?!”

Hearing Chris’s concerned voice actually helped Bon Bon to relax, which was a little surprising to her. She started to realize how ridiculous she was being at the moment. Chris wouldn’t eat her. Nopony that would go so far out of their way to get her that firelily would ever wish her harm. He even said himself that he doesn’t eat ponies, or so he says. He could just be saying that to get her to drop her guard then when she wasn’t looking he’d―no he wouldn’t. She had to stop thinking like that, but it was so hard when she knew so little about him.

“Bon Bon, can you hear me? Is everything okay?” Chris asked in a slightly more scared tone as he jiggled the door handle.

“Y-yes! S-sorry!” Bon Bon quickly reassured him. “I-I just, umm, dropped s-something that’s all! N-No need to come in,” she added in the best cheerful tone she could manage, helping to hide her pain. “I-I’m fine really,” she giggled nervously.

There was a small moment of silence, before Chris spoke again. “Can I come in?”

Those four simple words made Bon Bon’s heart start to beat faster in her chest and caused her to curl up tighter on the floor. It scared her… “Uhh, n-no, I just want to,” she paused, trying to think of any excuse she could to not open that door. “T-take a-a... little nap… y-yeah! S-sorry. I’m just super tired from walking and everything,” she stammered quickly with an unconvincing laugh, unable to hide the nervousness in her voice.

Bon Bon could hear a heavy sigh through the wooden door, followed by a long moment of silence before Chris spoke again. “Look, Bon Bon I...” he paused, “I just wanted to say... I’m sorry about what happened today with Lyra. I had no idea she was planning all this.”

Bon Bon frowned a little, letting her body relax so she could look up at the door. “Also... well, I’m sorry for what happened at the restaurant,” Chris added in a disheartened tone.

That apology took Bon Bon by surprise. He didn’t do anything wrong at the restaurant. Why is he blaming himself for what happened when she was the one that brutally attacked him?

Bon Bon sat upright a little more and was about to open her mouth to respond, but Chris continued, interrupting her again. “And I hope we might be able to become friends?”

She wasn’t ready for that question. She wanted to say something, anything, but what could she say? It wasn’t that she didn’t want to become friends with him, but… It would be better for everypony if she just kept her distance from him, but what could she say to him right now? Could she just simply explain to him why things wouldn’t work? Or would he not understand and just end up even more hurt?

“Well, if you need anything,” Chris said softly with a pause, interrupting her thoughts, “I’ll just be on the couch, I guess,” he offered sadly before walking away. Bon Bon could hear the sound of his two long legs stepping across the floor, causing the wood to creak as he walked away, leaving her all alone.

Bon Bon furrowed her brow sadly, looking down at her forelegs. The pain in her legs had faded, but was replaced with a strange pain in her chest. She should’ve said something to him, shouldn’t she?

She had to try and avoid him from now on and the only way to do that was staying in this room. She might not be able to eat much if she did that, but that was fine. Surely she could last two weeks without food. It couldn’t be that hard, plus she needed to go on a diet anyway, but she wouldn’t last long without water. She could get it from the sink in the bathroom. That would be the only time she could leave, and she would have to do it when Chris was sleeping.

It was a terrible plan, but it was the only option she had. Hopefully there was a little food in the cabin somewhere for Chris so he wouldn’t be tempted to eat her later.

Bon Bon sighed heavily, dropping her head down. ‘Stop thinking like that Bon Bon,’ she mentally scolded herself. These next two weeks are going to be a living Tartarus.

Bon Bon turned her head to the window again and saw that she actually managed to crack it a little, but it didn’t matter even if she did break it completely. She couldn’t break the barrier spell behind the glass.

She sighed deeply again, letting her body fall limply on the floor. With nothing else to do, she curled up and let herself drift off to sleep.

Author's Notes:

Hindsight is 20/20 Chris.

Here, I'll let you guys have a small preview of what the sitcom cabin will be like.

Make sure to play this while you read it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbgrSdRs9bQ

~~~

“Bon Bon!” Chris shouted from the kitchen. “Did you eat all my cheese crackers again?” he asked in annoyance.

Bon Bon rolled her eyes at him from the couch she was sitting on. “I don’t know what your talking about Chris,” she countered with a huff. “I never ate your crackers that were hidden under the kitchen counter.”

“You ate my hidden crackers to?!” Chris yelled in disbelief. “One of these days Bon Bon. One of these days!!” He groaned angrily as he ball up his fist and shook it firmly in her general direction.

~~~

Nah, but seriously. I'm so freaking excited to finally be at this part!! I can't wait to show you guys what happens next lol.

Also I have to give a shout out to my editors Laven Eclipse and ButtonSweetiePuff. They really helped me to make sure the cabin stuff was sounding good and it wasn't to confusing to read.

Let me know what you guys think and if anything is missing or misspelled just let me know so I can fix it!

I hope you enjoyed. and for chapter progress updates you can check it out over here.

Bon Bon the Hikikomori

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Bon Bon the Hikikomori

‘This cabin is a living nightmare,’ Chris thought as he slowly dragged himself up to the front entrance of the cabin, trying to wake up from his early morning nap. He tiredly gripped his hand around the door handle and pushed it down while pressing his side against the wood. Just like yesterday and the day before, the door didn't budge.

Each day he had checked to see if Lyra’s spell was still working. He held out hope that she might have cast the spell incorrectly and it would break any day now.

Chris turned around and pressed his back against the cold wooden door before he slowly slumped down, sitting on the floor. He banged the back of his head against the hardwood a few times before looking towards the bedroom where Bon Bon was still locked inside. She still refused to come out and had stayed locked up the whole day yesterday. He remembered hearing her quickly dash out to use the bathroom once when he was trying to take a nap on the couch, but that was the only time she ever exited the room. She probably did that just because it looked like he was asleep, so she didn't have to worry about confronting him.

Chris spent all day yesterday trying to coax Bon Bon out, but she refused to even talk to him through the door. She managed to mumble something like ‘it was better for everypony this way', which confused Chris to no end. If anything, what she was doing was the exact opposite of that statement, but no matter how much he tried to reason with the mare, she just wouldn't come out.

Lyra was right, Bon Bon was an extremely stubborn mare.

Bon Bon wasn’t eating either. Chris made her a nice lettuce and tomato salad with just a touch of oil and vinegar yesterday, since the tomatoes were more likely to expire first, but she wouldn’t come out to eat it. He thought if he left it in front of her door then she would take it, but she never did.

This really worried him. She could sit in there and ignore him all she wanted, but she had to eat something.

After failing to get Bon Bon to do anything yesterday, and with little else to do that day, Chris went off to explore the cabin. He found the basement pretty amusing. It was a very large room that had two doors on the left side.

One door led to a big cellar with lots of exotic and expensive wines, along with other, less fancy alcoholic drinks, which was a pleasing sight to him. The other door was, unfortunately, locked.

The main room of the basement was used as a large storage space. It looked like Lyra’s parents were hoarders from how much stuff they seemed to cram onto the shelves and from all the old furniture and random items piled in the middle. He even found what looked like some of Lyra’s old toys from when she was a filly, which Chris found to be quite adorable. One toy was a crystal top that would spin when magic was applied to it. Chris had seen these before and he knew it was meant to encourage younger unicorns to start using their magic early.

There were a lot of books on the back wall of the basement that Chris thought would be helpful to keep his mind preoccupied if things continued to be as calm and boring as they were. One of the books that he pulled out at random was a parental guide book about foal health and proper care. The book reminded him of the hypothetical question that Lyra proposed to him before she asked if they could take Bon Bon out on a date. He thought it could be an interesting read, and if Lyra truly wanted a foal then they could always adopt, so he would need to learn about this stuff eventually.

That is if he was still going to be with her after all this was over. He still had no idea how to deal with what Lyra had done, but there were definitely going to be some words exchanged.

Chris could only imagine what would happen if the Princesses found out. He wasn’t really up to speed with the laws of Equestria yet, but surely what Lyra did would be considered criminal. They might want to punish her for her actions.

Chris sighed deeply, rubbing his temples as he pressed the back of his head against the door. Deep down he didn’t want that to happen. He cared for Lyra too much to see her get locked away or worse, but what she did couldn’t go on without consequences.

All these thoughts about Lyra mattered little at the moment. Right now he was trapped in a small cabin with a pony who had locked herself up in the bedroom. Bon Bon might not like him, and she might still be afraid of him, but if they didn’t start having some kind of interaction with each other then they were both likely to lose their minds in this tedious, mundane, and boring cabin.

There had to be a way to get her to come out. Chris was confident that if he could just get face to face with her, then he could get her to talk and even find out why she felt it was necessary to lock herself away. Or at the lest find out why she wasn’t eating.

Chris shut his eyes as he thought about that for a moment. He could always kick the bedroom door down, but that wouldn’t help at all. He didn’t want to force her out if she really didn’t want to be around him, and if she was already afraid of him, then doing something like that would just make things worse. In fact, that was probably the worst idea ever. Why had he even considered that as a possibility?

Bon Bon did leave the room yesterday to use the bathroom. It was only a matter of time before she would have to do so again. Then he could…

Chris slowly opened his eyes as his little plan started to become clear in his mind. Once Bon Bon left to use the bathroom he could stand in front of the bedroom doorway and block her from re-entering, then she would have no choice but to confront him. It was a simple and silly plan, but it was all he had to work with. He would have to wait until she came out and he would need to pretend he was asleep on the couch. It would also be a good opportunity to get her to finally eat something.

It was settled. Chris would act out this little plan of his, but first he would make Bon Bon a sandwich to try and entice her to eat. He picked himself up off the floor with renewed energy and quickly made his way to the kitchen to prepare the best damn sandwich he could make.

Chris hid behind the couch and waited for Bon Bon to sneak out. He used some of his clothes and a few couch pillows to fashion a crude form that looked like he was curled up and sleeping on the couch with his back facing the bedroom. He hoped Bon Bon would buy the poor excuse for a ruse. Upon close inspection it was easy to tell that he just dressed up some pillows, but it was pretty convincing from afar.

After a few agonizing hours Chris finally heard the bedroom door slowly creak open. He stayed ducked down and listened to the familiar sound of soft hoofsteps creeping across the floor, heading towards the bathroom. He figured she must be trying to make as little noise as possible so ‘he’ wouldn't wake up. It only took a few more seconds before he heard the bathroom door slowly shut.

This was it. It was time to activate operation Get Bon Bon to Eat a Sandwich and Stop Being a Hikikomori.

Chris picked himself up and quickly, but quietly, dashed off to the refrigerator where he was saving Bon Bon’s sandwich and water. He picked up the plate of food and glass of water before shutting the door, then dashed towards the dining table. He set the items down next to the seat that was facing the bedroom, then stood in front of the doorway with his arms crossed.

‘Checkmate, Bon Bon,’ Chris thought proudly to himself with a smug smile. He was happy that his little scheme was working so far, but now he needed to wait for the shut-in to return.

It only took a moment before Chris heard the bathroom door open. He saw Bon Bon’s head poke out from the doorway. She was looking right at the clothed couch pillows with a worried expression. It seemed like she was still taking the bait, even though she was closer to the terrible replica.

Chris bit his lip, trying not to laugh as Bon Bon kept her focus on the pillows and started to slowly walk out of the bathroom, heading right towards him. She was making a crawling type motion as she slowly crept across the floor. She was only a few feet away from him when she finally turned her attention away from the couch and looked in front of her. Her eyes fell upon his legs, making her whole body freeze mid step. She slowly lifted her head up until her eyes met with his, making her pupils constrict to small pinpricks.

“Good afternoon, Bon Bon. Fancy meeting you here,” Chris sang smugly, giving her a playful smirk.

Bon Bon let out a terrified yelp as she quickly scrambled backwards, falling back on her haunches. She scooted back a bit farther before finally freezing in the middle of the room, keeping her terrified gaze locked with Chris’s eyes.

Chris’s smirk turned into a sudden frown after seeing Bon Bon’s reaction. He knew she was afraid of him, but he didn’t mean to scare her that much. He lifted his hand and rubbed the back of his neck, feeling guilty. “Sorry about that. I didn't mean to scare you like that,” he apologized gently.

Bon Bon’s eyes quickly darted left and right, but fell back onto him as the corner of her lip lifted slightly as if she was trying to smile, but fell back down again. She stayed there, saying nothing as the situation become increasingly more awkward.

“So, ehhh, nice... weather we’re having,” Chris pointed out with a sheepish smile. He knew the weather outside was snowy and terrible, but that was all he could think of to try and break the ice.

Bon Bon turned her head to the window for a brief moment then looked back at Chris, raising her eyebrow in confusion, but continued to say nothing, scooting away from him a little more.

Chris let out a deep sigh and dropped his hands to his sides in defeat. “Look, Bon Bon, I know why you're locking yourself in the bedroom and why you smacked my hand away at the restaurant,” he admitted dryly, giving Bon Bon a disheartened look, causing her eyes widen a little more. “You're afraid of me, just like all the other ponies in town,” he added in a sympathetic voice.

Bon Bon’s wide-eyed expression melted into a more guilt-stricken one. Her ears splayed back as she looked down and away from Chris, rubbing her foreleg with her hoof as if she were ashamed of herself. “N-no, I… I-I didn’t mean to,” she defend herself weakly, in a soft whimper that he could barely hear.

Chris could tell that she actually felt bad about what happened, which gave him an idea. Perhaps he could have a little fun with her. He could act all dramatic and over the top about the incident and make up something ridiculous about humans. He might be able to get her to laugh and open up once she realized he was just teasing her.

He knew Lyra would’ve gotten a kick out of him goofing around and acting all dramatic. It might work for Bon Bon as well.

Chris’s smile slowly started to return as he pictured his little prank in his mind. “Oh?" he said, sounding unconvinced. "No, I’m pretty sure that you did it because you were afraid. I mean why else would somepony just attack me like that?” he questioned, looking at her with a sarcastic pouting face.

Bon Bon looked back up at Chris, furrowing her brow sadly. “W-what, n-no Chris, I-I―,”

“You know, I got pretty hurt back there,” Chris added, interrupting her as he started to rub his left hand with his right.

Bon Bon's ears snapped up as she quickly looked to Chris's hand then back to his eyes with a worried and shocked expression. “C-Chris, I-I didn’t mean to do that!” she half shouted in a panicked voice, lifting a hoof to her chest.

Chris looked down at his hand, feigning a saddened expression as he held it tighter. “I had to go to the hospital that night.” he deadpanned.

Bon Bon's pupils constricted in surprised disbelief. “Wh-what?” she asked in a soft whimper.

Chris nodded his head, keeping his saddened gaze down and away from her. “The doctor... he told me I only have two more months to live… I,” he paused, fabricating a sad sobbing sound. “I haven’t even told Lyra yet...”

“NO!” Bon Bon shouted, covering her muzzle with her hooves. “That can’t be! H-how?! You can’t be serious!”

Chris nodded his head in response, sniffling, taking his over dramatic facade to the next level. “Human hands are very sensitive and important for our survival,” he stated in a serious tone, looking at Bon Bon with a deep and troubled frown. “Even the lightest tap in the wrong spot can cause serious problems for us in the future and it’s even worse when they get too... wet.”

Bon Bon gasped in horrified shock. “NO! Oh sweet Celestia, no! Chris! I didn’t mean to do that! I’m so sorry! I’m a terrible, terrible pony!” she cried loudly on the verge of tears.

Chris busted out in a fit of loud laugher, finding Bon Bon's gullibility immensely amusing. He was confident that she would find it funny as well, once she realized he wasn’t serious.

Bon Bon quickly looked left and right before looking back at Chris with a confused and worried expression. “W-what’s so funny!? I seriously hurt you!” she stated loudly in a panic, as she pressed her hooves to her chest.

Chris calmed down from his laughter before looking back at Bon Bon with a goofy grin. “None of that is true and you didn’t hurt me at all,” he stated with a soft chuckle.

Bon Bon dropped her hooves to the floor as his words slowly processed through her mind. Her confused and worried expression slowly morphed into a more neutral one. “That… was a prank?” she asked softly, blinking away her tears.

“Yep!” Chris chirped proudly, chuckling. "It was funny though, right?”

“FUNNY?!” Bon Bon shouted, jumped up to her hooves as she glared angrily at Chris. “Y-you, you!” she stammered loudly, trying to form words before puffing up her cheeks in anger. “How could you do that!? I was scared out of my mind!”

Chris’s smile faded as it became clear that Bon Bon had taken his playful act the wrong way.

“That was a terrible and mean thing to do! You should feel ashamed for tricking somepony like that!” Bon Bon shouted, scolding him loudly.

Chris rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, looking away, feeling terrible about upsetting her. He started to think that he might have overdone it. “I-I’m sorry, Bon Bon. I… I didn't mean to take it that far.”

Bon Bon huffed at him. “Well, you should be sorry!” she snapped. “You scared me half to death! I already felt terrible for hitting you, then you tell me that you only have a few months to live!? I thought I had just killed my best friend's lover!”

Chris cringed, feeling even worse about his poorly thought-out actions. She had a good point and now that he thought about it, even Lyra would've found that bit in poor taste.

Chris dropped his hand down to his side and gave Bon Bon an apologetic look. “I-I’m really sorry, I really shouldn't have done that," he admitted, frowning sadly. "But I just wanted to make you laugh and try to get you to talk to me,” he explained, making Bon Bon’s angry scowl fade. “I mean, I’ve been trying to get you to at least tell me why you feel like you need to lock yourself up. I understand that you might not like me, but we’re both going to go crazy if we don’t at least say hi to each other.”

Bon Bon's anger seemed to slowly disappear as Chris’s words started to sink in, making her sit back on her haunches. She looked away from him as she started to rub her foreleg with her hoof again, frowning sadly. “N-no, it’s… it’s not that I don’t like you, Chris… it’s just… just...” she started to admit, but teetered off as she held her foreleg tighter, not daring to look up at him.

Chris waited a moment to see if she would continue, but she never did. “It’s just what? You can tell me, I won’t be offended,” he reassured her in a calming tone.

“It’s…” Bon Bon tried to explain, but sighed sadly, dropping her foreleg back to the floor. “It’s complicated…”

Chris groaned in frustration, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and index finger before he dropped his hand back down. “Was it something I did during our date? I’m sorry for trying to help you like that. I should’ve stopped when you said ‘no’,” he apologized gently, thinking that might be one of Bon Bon’s issues.

Bon Bon shook her head slightly, still looking away from him. “N-no, that was sweet of you, but I just… I just…” she tried again to explain as tears started to well up in her eyes.

Chris could see this was something that she was really struggling with and pushing the subject any further would only make things worse. If she didn’t want to tell him what was bothering her, that was fine. At least she was making an effort to talk to him now and if she really felt like she couldn’t tell him, then so be it. Maybe they just weren't meant to be together like he thought, but he would be damned if he was going to let her continue to lock herself away and starve.

“It’s fine, Bon Bon, you don’t have to tell me and I won't ask you about it again,” Chris stated firmly, causing Bon Bon to slowly look back up at him with a slight frown. “But I can’t have you locking yourself in that room for the whole two weeks we’re stuck in here.”

Bon Bon bit her lip with a worried expression on her face as her ears started to flatten. She obviously didn't like the direction Chris was trying to steer the conversation.

“Look, I’ll make a deal with you,” Chris added, causing Bon Bon’s ears to perk up again. “How about I won't disturb you when you're in the bedroom if you come out at least once a day, just for a little while?”

Bon Bon raised her eyebrow in confusion. “C-come out. L-like... out here?” she questioned, sounding unhappy about that proposal.

“Yes,” Chris nodded. “I know you love to cook. Lyra talks about it all the time. So how about in the afternoon, when the sun is setting, you come out and help make dinner and I'll make us breakfast and lunch. Sound good?”

Bon Bon looked down a bit, peering up at Chris threw her curly forelock. “I-I don’t know…” she started to protest, drawing a small line in the floor with the edge of her hoof.

Chris couldn't help but think of how adorable she looked right now. He knew Lyra liked to do the same thing when she was nervous about something, only Lyra liked to draw circles.

“I-I don’t need to eat or cook. Y-you should eat what's left of the food,” Bon Bon continued in a nervous voice, looking up and forcing a smile.

“Why don’t you want to eat? Aren't you hungry?” Chris asked, sounding puzzled.

“No, I’m not hun―”

Bon Bon was interrupted by a loud roaring coming from deep within her stomach, making her whimper slightly.

Chris chuckled softly. “Well your body is telling me otherwise,” he pointed out in a friendly tone. “I made you a sandwich,” he stated warmly, smiling while using his hand to gesture towards the food and water that was prepared for her on the table.

Bon Bon’s gaze followed Chris's hand, directing her to the offering, but she frowned and looked back at him. “T-that’s very kind, b-but I can’t eat that… y-you should eat it. I-I don’t want you to go hungry,” she retorted in a nervous tone.

Chris raised his eyebrow in confusion. It was quite bizarre that she was so worried about him going hungry. “You know, this whole cabin is filled to capacity with food, right? In fact if we don’t start eating some of this stuff now it’s just going to go bad.”

“I-It is?” Bon Bon asked with wide eyes, sounding shocked.

“Yeah, Lyra apparently made sure we were set for a while,” he added dryly, rolling his eyes, not liking the memory of what Lyra had done to them.

Bon Bon blinked a few times, then looked back at the sandwich as her stomach growled at her again, causing her to bite her bottom lip. She looked back at Chris, then back and at the sandwich, licking her lips a little. “Wh-what's… in it?” she questioned softly.

Chris smiled smugly to himself, feeling proud of his simple creation. He knew it was something that Lyra loved, but he thought his little addition of carrot slices would please Bon Bon quite well.

“Oh, it’s nothing special,” Chris answered nonchalantly. “It’s just a daisy and carrot sandwich with some tomato slices, lettuce, and a pinch of salt. All on two delicious pieces of grain bread,” he added, waving a dismissive hand as if it was no big deal.

"C-carrots?" Bon Bon whimpered, licking her lips at his description. “A-and you’re sure we have enough food… you won't go hungry?” she asked, looking back up at Chris with a concerned expression.

Chris tilted his head to the side, giving Bon Bon a confused look. It was baffling to him that she was so persistent about him starving. He shrugged it off and nodded his head. “Trust me, we have plenty of food. Nopony is going hungry. Now I’m not moving from this door until you eat something,” he stated, crossing his arms and giving Bon Bon a serious and stern look.

Bon Bon looked to the sandwich then back up at Chris a few times, before holding a hoof to her stomach, whimpering slightly. “Okay,” she finally agreed in a soft whisper.

Chris watched as she slowly walked up to the stool her food was next to. She jumped up onto the seat and got herself comfortable before looking down at the plate. She looked back up at Chris with an unsure look, making him smile brightly at her. He nodded his head a few times, trying to encourage her to eat.

Bon Bon smiled briefly then looked down again, picking up the sandwich with her hooves. She brought it up to her muzzle, but stopped to look over at Chris one more time. His smile only increased as the food got closer to her lips. She looked back to the food and opened her mouth, taking a small bite and chewing it thoroughly. After a few more seconds her body seemed to relax as her eyes shut slightly. She let a delighted humming sound escape her lips as she savored the food.

Chris chuckled quietly to himself, seeing that his sandwich was a hit with Bon Bon already. She continued to take larger bites, but he could tell she was pacing herself. He’d bet if he wasn’t in the room with her right now she would be scarfing it down. He let her finish the food in peace as he watched her, making sure she ate everything.

Bon Bon finished the last bit, then washed it down with the water. She put the glass down and let out a soft sigh of satisfaction. She looked up to Chris with a soft smile and light blush. “Thank you… It was very good.”

“You’re welcome, Bon Bon,” Chris replied with a warm and kind voice. “So, about that little deal?” he softly reminded her.

Bon Bon’s smile slowly faded into a slight frown, making her look down and away from Chris. “I-I don’t know Chris…” she argued weakly.

Chris groaned in disappointment. “Come on Bon Bon,” he moaned dropping his arms to his sides. “I know you have your reasons to think that you need to lock yourself up, but I’m losing my mind being all alone out here. I mean, it’s only been three days and I’m already about to go crazy.”

Bon Bon looked up at him with a saddened and guilt-stricken expression, but didn’t say anything.

“Please, Bon Bon. I won't bug you that much. I think if you just come out for a little while and say hi to me or something, then I would feel a lot better,” Chris begged in desperation.

“I-I’m not sure if I should,” Bon Bon tried to protest in a soft and nervous voice that could rival Fluttershy.

“What’s the harm in just a few hours?” Chris questioned gently, giving Bon Bon a pleading gaze. “I-I know it has to be torture for you too. You can’t tell me that staying in that room all day by yourself isn’t driving you mad.”

Bon Bon looked down at the floor, pausing for a moment. “W-well…”

Chris dropped to his knees, grasping his hands together, holding them up in front of him, shaking them slightly as he mustered the best impersonation of cute puppy dogs eyes. “Bon Bon. I’m begging you. Please come out, just once a day. Please!”

Bon Bon looked at Chris with a sad frown. She bit her lip and looked around the room for a moment, but turned back to him before sighing heavily in defeat. “Oh… okay.” she whispered.

“Thank you!” Chris shouted, jumping up to his feet with stretched out arms as he made an attempt to rush up and hug Bon Bon out of pure joy, but her sudden frightened squeak and look of terror made him think twice. He quickly stopped himself half way between the bedroom door and Bon Bon. He forgot that she was still wary of him, and thought it would be best to keep his distance.

Chris held up a fist and coughed into it, turning his head away from Bon Bon for a moment. “Sorry about that. I got over-excited,” he explained before looking back with an apologetic smile.

Bon Bon’s terrified look slowly melted into an awkward smile. “O-oh, th-that’s o-okay,” she reassured Chris in a shaky voice. She took a deep breath before looking back at the bedroom door, then back at him.

Chris turned to look back at the bedroom then back at Bon Bon, who was now giving him a pleading look. He knew she wanted to go back to the bedroom, so he walked back and stepped to the side of the door, opening it for her.

Bon Bon hopped down from her stool and slowly made her way to the room, keeping her head straight and forward.

Chris watched her as she walked. “Bon Bon,” he called to her once she was past the door frame. She turned her head and looked up at him with a confused look. “Promise me you'll come out?” he pleaded in a sad tone.

Bon Bon sighed softly, but nodded her head.

Chris smiled and reached to grab the door handle and started to close it.

“Chris,” Bon Bon called, causing him to halt right before he could close the door completely. He opened it back up, just enough so he could look back at her. “Thanks again for the food.”

Chris beamed brightly at that. “You're welcome,” he answered warmly as he gently shut the door.

On the other side, Bon Bon watched the door close. As soon as she heard it click shut, she quickly turned around and hit the lock before sitting back on her haunches. She took several deep breaths as she felt her legs trembling slightly beneath her.

“Oh Celestia, that was scary,” she whispered quietly to herself as she slumped her chest down to the floor, her forelegs fanning out in front of her. She stayed like that for a moment and thought about everything that had just happened.

She wasn’t expecting Chris to confront her like that. It was downright terrifying when he appeared in front of her. She could have sworn he was on the couch sleeping. She had to pee so bad and he had been quiet for so long she thought she would be safe to go out. ‘Did he have teleportation magic or something? Can humans be in two places at once?’ She thought to herself. ‘Then he pulled that horrible excuse for a prank! How could he have thought something like that would be funny?!’

Bon Bon started to scowl angrily to herself at the memory. She didn’t know anything about humans, so how was she supposed to know that he was just pulling her leg? He needed to learn that you can’t just joke about death like that.

But he was only trying to get her to talk. She knew he meant for that little prank to get her to laugh, even though it was a cruel one. She might have overreacted just a little and it was so sweet of him to make her that surprisingly good sandwich. It never occurred to her that adding salt would taste so good. She had been so hungry and it helped her feel a lot better. It was also nice to know that they had food in the cabin. It was one less stressful thing she had to worry about.

It broke her heart seeing Chris so distraught. She wasn’t sure why he dropped down to his knees and started to do that thing with his hands. It was such an odd looking gesture, but at the same time, sad. She could tell he was taking this whole cabin thing really hard and she couldn’t say no while he was suffering. Plus, she wasn’t faring much better.

Chris had made a good point. They would have to at least say hi to each if they wanted to keep their sanity. Still, she would like to keep the conversations to a minimum if possible.

Bon Bon sighed, lifted herself off the floor and looked out the window of the bedroom. It was hard to tell from the grey and cloudy sky where the sun was, but she figured once it started getting darker she would go out to make dinner like Chris wanted her to.

It was terrifying to think she would have to go out there again, but she had promised Chris and she was losing her mind sitting in the bedroom all alone. She would have to do it, but she prayed to Celestia that he would just keep those hands of his to himself and not try to get close to her.

Bon Bon tiredly pushed herself up off the bed and looked towards the window. It seemed like the sun was finally setting, so it was time to leave the safety of the bedroom. She had tried to take a small nap, but it was difficult when all she could think about was how she had to go back out there with Chris.

She sighed, then slumped out of the bed before making her way to the door. She placed her hoof on the handle, but paused for a moment.

‘Okay Bon Bon, Chris is a very nice stallion and there’s nothing to fear about him. Just as long as he keeps his hands to himself,’ she thought, nodding her head, agreeing with her own thoughts.

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, helping to calm her nerves. ‘Okay, three, two… one,’ she pushed the handle and opened the bedroom door as her heart beat faster in her chest. She poked her head out to see if Chris was close by and quickly saw that he was sitting up on the couch, looking right at her with a wide smile.

“You came out!” Chris cheered excitedly.

Bon Bon smiled sheepishly at him, forcing a soft laugh to try to hide her nervousness. “U-umm, h-hello,” she greeted softly.

Chris chuckled at her, making her cheeks turn a light crimson. “Hello to you as well! Thank you for coming,” he replied happily.

Bon Bon smiled a little more. It was kind of heartwarming to see Chris so happy, and that goofy smile of his was kind of infectious. She slowly walked forward, making her way to the kitchen with her head forward, eyes locked on the human. He just sat there and watched her from the couch, smiling as she walked by, which she was grateful for. At least he was keeping his distance.

She turned her attention to the kitchen and took in her surroundings before turning her head to the right, where she saw a door. She assumed the door lead to the pantry and thought that would be a good place for her to start looking for something to cook. She walked up, opened the door, and stepped inside, quickly discovering that Chris was right. This place was completely filled with all kinds of food.

Bon Bon scanned the shelves quickly, hoping for something to pop out at her. She didn’t want to cook something that would take too long or was too complex. Her sights soon fell upon a whole shelf devoted to all kinds of pasta and in the middle was a small bag of spaghetti noodles along with the sauce she would need. It was simple and boring, but it would have to do. She thought if they had some basil then she could spice it up, but she couldn't see any herbs or spices in the pantry. She bit the bag and balanced it on her back, and did the same with the jar of spaghetti sauce.

She carefully walked out of the pantry balancing the food items, but stopped, startled, when she saw Chris sitting behind the kitchen bar. She wasn't expecting him to have moved from the couch.

Chris ducked down to see her from under the alcohol rack. He smiled brightly as he looked to the items on her back. "Whatcha got there?" he mused happily.

"Oh, u-umm, s-spaghetti?" she answered nervously, unsure if Chris would even like the meatless meal. "I-I hope that's okay..."

Chris chuckled lightly. "Simple, but a classic. I approve," he reassured her with a wide smile, extending his arm out and balling up his hand, but kept his stubbier digit up and out, using it to point up at the ceiling.

Bon Bon stared at the strange gesture for a moment, then looked up at the spot he was pointing to, but she didn't see anything out of the ordinary. She looked back at Chris's still extended hand and frowned in confusion, tilting her head to the side in question.

Chris’s smile faded as he followed Bon Bon's gaze to his hand. He chuckled a bit before shaking it a little. "It's a thumbs-up," he explained vaguely.

Bon Bon had no clue what he meant. She didn’t want to be rude or offend him, but at the same time she didn’t really want to ask what the meaning behind a thumbs-up was. “O-oh, o-of course. L-Lyra told me about those,” she lied with a nervous giggle.

Chris dropped his thumbs-up and raised his eyebrows with a slight smirk. “Really?” he questioned in an unbelieving tone. “What did she tell you it meant?”

Bon Bon’s heart started to beat faster in her chest. He was on to her lie and would surely feel offended and hurt if he knew that she didn’t truly know its meaning. She didn’t think he would ask to prove her knowledge of human gestures that Lyra never talked about!

“U-umm… y-you know… i-it’s…” She tried desperately to think of what it could mean, rubbing the back of her curly mane with her hoof, but nothing was coming to mind. He did do the thumbs-up when he found out she was making spaghetti, and he said he approved before doing it, so...

“It means… you really like... spaghetti?” she asked in an unsure tone, giving Chris a bright and awkward smile, dropping her hoof to the floor.

Chris started to frown, making Bon Bon feel terrible. She must have gotten it wrong and he was hurt now. She shouldn’t have lied like that! That was so rude of her to jus―

“That’s absolutely, one hundred percent correct,” Chris reassured her brightly, interrupting her thoughts.

Bon Bon let out a soft sigh of relief. “S-see? I told you I knew,” she giggled nervously, walking over to the countertop where the stove was. She placed the food on the countertop and looked around for where the pots might be.

“Pots and pans are in the cupboard to the left of the oven,” Chris chimed in happily from behind the bar.

“O-oh, thank you,” Bon Bon answered as she opened the cupboard. Chris seemed to know the layout of the kitchen pretty well already and she wondered if he knew if there was any basil in the cabin. “Umm, did Lyra give us any basil?” she asked as she picked up the large pot she needed for boiling the noodles with and placed it on the counter.

"We pretty much have everything you could ever want here," he answered, sounding annoyed by that fact. "The herbs are next to the sink just behind the cutting board. They’re growing in a few small pots and the one in the middle is the basil.”

Bon Bon looked to the sink, and sure enough Chris was right. She wasn't sure why she hadn't seen it before. It was nice to know that she could have her plain meal tasting a little less mundane.

She got up on her haunches and placed her forelegs on the counter before leaning towards the basil plant. She bit off a small branch with four small leaves from it, then dropped it on the cutting board. After that, she filled the large pot with water, placed it on the stove, and started the burner. She pulled out a small sauce pan from the cupboard and placed it next to the larger pot on the stove. Next, she reached for the jar of spaghetti sauce with her hooves and placed it in front of her.

Bon Bon despised jars. It was always so hard for her to get them open, even with her strength, but she could manage okay. It was just easier with Lyra's magic around to help.

With a deep sigh, Bon Bon gripped the base of the jar with the crook of her hoof while placing the other on top of the lid. She took a deep breath, then began to twist both her hooves in opposite directions as hard as she could. She grunted and groaned to no avail before finally giving up and exhaling the breath she was holding.

“Need help?” Chris offered from a few feet away from her, making her yelp in surprise and jump away from the sound of his voice. She jerked her head to the right, where Chris was leaning against the refrigerator.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to surprise you like that,” Chris apologised with an awkward smile as he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.

Bon Bon took a deep breath before responding in a shaky voice. “T-that’s, okay… I-I just… didn’t hear you come up.” It was strange to her that she didn’t even hear his hooves clopping against the wood. ‘Wait, did he even have hooves?’

She quickly looked down and saw that his oddly shaped hooves were covered in some white cotton socks. That explained why he was so quiet.

“So, need help?” Chris asked again, softer this time.

Bon Bon looked up to him, forcing an everything-is-okay smile. She didn’t really need help with the jar, she could get it eventually. Plus she still didn't want those spider-hands of his too close to her. “N-no I-I got it,” she answered nervously, fearing a repeat of the night at The Everfree Moon.

Chris smiled and nodded as he crossed his arms over his chest, calming Bon Bon down since his hands were now hidden. It seemed like he wasn’t going to try and push helping her this time, for which she was grateful.

Bon Bon faced the jar again and thought it would be better to just use her mouth for this one. She bent down and bit the lid between her teeth, placing both her hooves on the side of the jar. She took a deep breath again before shutting her eyes tight and using all her strength to try and twist the lid off, grunting and groaning all the while.

“You sure you don’t want help?”

“Nuu… I... guddet” Bon Bon grunted at him through the lid. It didn’t take much longer before she started to feel the lid give, making her bite down harder and putting all her remaining strength into one final twist that caused the jar to pop open.

Bon Bon lifted up her head with the lid in her mouth and let a muffled, but excited giggle escape her throat. “Tul yuu!” she stated triumphantly, looking towards Chris, smiling through the lid.

Chris chuckled lightly and smiled back at Bon Bon. “Good job,” he congratulated her, holding his hand up and making that weird thumbs-up gesture again.

‘That must mean he's really hungry for spaghetti’ Bon Bon thought. She got Chris’s message and turned back to focus on making their dinner. She spit out the lid onto the countertop and lifted the jar over the saucepan and started to pour it out. She placed the empty jar down and turned the burner to a low heat before looking around for where she might find the kitchen utensils.

Bon Bon pulled out the drawer that was under the cutting board thinking that was the most logical place to start looking. Sure enough, she found everything she needed and it was all surprisingly well organized, considering this was Lyra's parents’ dwelling. She pulled out a ladle for the sauce and a large wooden fork to stir the pasta. The only thing left to get was the knife she needed to cut the basil, but the sight of the knives made her whimper sadly.

They were made special for magic users, which meant the handles on the blades were almost non existent. It was too small and thin for her cumbersome hooves and would be too dangerous if she tried to used them. She wouldn't be able to use her mouth either since it would make it too hard to see the small leaves to cut them properly. Maybe she could just throw the whole stem of leaves into the sauce and cook it that way? No, then it would get all soggy and wouldn’t help the flavor at all.

Bon Bon groaned sadly to herself, staring at the knives in the drawer, trying to think of some kind of solution to her dilemma.

"Want me to cut the basil for you?" Chris offered from behind her, making her look over her shoulder at him.

Bon Bon frowned a bit. She wasn’t sure he could even help with this. "Can... can you use these knives?"

Chris chuckled, pushing himself off the refrigerator door, giving her a friendly smile. "They are a little funky, but I used those same knives to help make that little sandwich of yours."

Now that Bon Bon thought about it, he did have to cut up all the ingredients for that lunch earlier. "Do you... know how to cut fresh basil?" she asked, feeling unsure.

"You mean like the chiffonade technique?" Chris answered with a knowing smirk.

Bon Bon’s eyes widened and she blinked a few times in surprise. It was a little shocking to her that Chris even knew the proper name for the way to cut basil leaves. Lyra wouldn’t know what the word even meant, let alone how to do it. She would always have to tell Lyra to just cut it into little strips and even that was hard for the unicorn to manage properly without bruising the leaves. Maybe it would be okay if Chris helped just this once, plus his spider-hands would be busy cutting the basil so she didn't need to worry about them.

"Umm, could you… do that? I-I mean... i-if it's not to much trouble?" Bon Bon asked in a nervous voice, smiling awkwardly.

Chris's smile widened into a big toothy grin. "Bon Bon," he answered. "I would love to do that for you."

Bon Bon couldn’t help but giggle at his overly-enthusiastic response. He was quite a silly human at times. "Thank you," she replied gently with a warm smile, stepping away from the cutting board.

Chris stepped up to the counter and plucked all the basil leaves off the stem Bon Bon had picked out. Much to her amazement, he started to stack the basil leaves up and rolled them just like the chiffonade technique required him to do. Then she watched as he went to grab one of the blades from the drawer. He was able to wield the knife with little effort and his digits gripped the tool easily, almost as if the knife was made just for his hands to use. He started to slice the rolled-up leaves perfectly and quickly. It was almost hypnotic the way he moved, but within a few seconds he was done and pushed the thin strips into a small pile on the side of the board with the knife. He put the blade down then turned around and smiled brightly. "Anything else you need?" he asked hopefully.

Bon Bon blinked a few times, still trying to process how well he did that. It was so quick and precise and a lot better then what Lyra could do with her magic. "O-oh, no. I can get the rest now, but thank you," she said politely with a friendly smile.

Chris smiled and nodded his head and moved out of the way. He pressed his rump against the kitchen bar and crossed his arms again while he waited.

Bon Bon turned back to the stove and bit open the bag of pasta with her teeth, preparing to put it in the water once it started to boil. She waited a little longer, stirring the sauce every so often as the room suddenly became quiet.

Every now and then Bon Bon could hear Chris fidgeting behind her, which made her uneasy. She wanted to look back to see what he was doing, but at the same time she didn’t want to risk talking to him any more than she already had. After another moment of uncomfortable silence, Chris spoke up. “So… you, umm, you like to cook?”

This is what Bon Bon was afraid might happen. He wants to get to know her more, but she knew that couldn’t happen. As much as it pained her to do so, she would have to keep these conversations short. “Umm, Y-yeah…” she answered softly, keeping her eyes fixed on the almost bubbling water in front of her.

“That’s... cool,” Chris respond, disheartened.

The room fell silent again as another long and uncomfortable moment passed by. Soon the water started to boil, breaking the quiet tension in the room. Before Bon Bon could reach for the package of noodles, Chris spoke up again. “So, what do you enjoy the most about cooking?” he asked.

Bon Bon paused for a moment. There was so much she loved about cooking, especially when it came to her candy creations. The smell, the taste, the rush of having created something delectable and enjoyable. But the thing she enjoyed the most was getting to see the delighted looks on all those who bit into one of her sweet candy treats. Just thinking about it made her feel all warm happy inside, but she couldn’t say any of that to Chris…

Bon Bon looked back over her shoulder at Chris and gave him a small smile. “It’s... just fun,” she stated simply before turning back and pouring the noodles into the boiling pot.

Chris let out a frustrated sigh, making Bon Bon feel even worse. He was getting irritated at how vague she was being and she hated to be so blatantly rude, but what could she do? It was just better this way. No pony would end up hurt in the end.

Bon Bon watched the noodles cook as she continued to listen to Chris fidget behind her. He seemed to be trying to say something else to her but couldn’t follow through with it. This continued for a while before she heard him mutter something angrily under his breath that she almost didn’t catch. “Great plan, Lyra.”

Bon Bon furrowed her brow at Chris’s words. They were faint, but she heard them clearly. He sounded so angry and his words were obviously directed towards Lyra. She turned to look up at him with a worried frown.

Chris’s eyes widened a bit, before he turned his head away. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”

Bon Bon’s sad frown deepened. “Are you... upset with her?”

Chris jerked his head back and gave her a very confused and almost shocked look. “Upset?!” he almost shouted. “Let’s just say I can’t really find the right words to express how upset I am,” he huffed, scowling. “Don’t tell me you're not angry about this?”

Bon Bon didn't like the tone in Chris's voice. He was right and she was very upset with Lyra, but she didn't want him to be angry at her like that. What Lyra did was definitely wrong and they would need to have a long talk with her when this was all over, but Chris made Lyra so happy and she didn't want to see them split up.

“I would say," Bon Bon started to answer him. "I'm severely disappointed in her,” she admitted sadly. “But I'm less upset now, knowing that she has provided us with so much food," she added, smiling warmly as she turned around to face him completely. “And I’m proud of her for cleaning the cabin up for us. The bedroom is practically spotless and I’m impressed with how glossy these counters look.” She giggled as she looked over the kitchen for a moment, before turning back to Chris.

Chris huffed angrily, turning his head away.

Bon Bon sighed. "Look, I’ve known Lyra for most of my life and she’s always doing things without thinking of the consequences. Especially if she’s really passionate about something. Lyra…” she hesitated, looking up for a moment as she thought of the right words. “Lyra gets tunnel vision,” she stated, turning her head back.

Chris sighed heavily, rubbing his eyes with his hand before dropping it and looking back at Bon Bon with a deeply troubled expression. “But... this isn't right. She lied to us both; how can I trust somepony after something like this?” he asked desperately, almost as if he expected her to have the answer.

“Well, that’s for you to decide,” Bon Bon answered him warmly, giving him a soft smile. “But I’ve been best friends with Lyra for so long now that I can’t say I’m too terribly shocked by what she did. I’m very upset, yes, but I’m a firm believer in giving ponies a chance to be forgiven. Or several when it comes to Lyra,” she added with a soft giggle.

Chris frowned sadly at Bon Bon and she could have sworn she saw his eyes water up, but he turned his head away before she could really see. “I-I… I just don’t know what to think right now…” he admitted in a slightly shaky voice.

“Don’t worry,” Bon Bon reassured him. “We’ll have a serious talk with Lyra once we get out of here and everything will be fine."

"I hope so," Chris repled quietly as his sad frown became more troubled.

Bon Bon let out a dejected sigh. She felt a strong need to continue and confront Chris, but there really wasn’t much she could do now. She turned back to the stove and placed her hooves on the counter. She used the large wooden fork to stir the noodles and used the ladle to stir the sauce. The noodles seemed to be almost cooked, so she reached into the cupboard and took out the strainer and placed it in the sink.

She stared down into the sink for a moment, looking at the strainer and smiling to herself as she started to remember what it was like to have Lyra as a kitchen helper. “You know…” she began happily. “I used to have Lyra help me in the kitchen all the time. She was never the best at cooking on her own,” she giggled softly, “but she always loves to help.”

“Yeah,” Chris admitted, sounding a little more upbeat. “She always likes to try and help me in the kitchen too, but she just makes a mess of things. She can be be kind of a klutz sometimes.”

Bon Bon giggled as she turned her head to look up at Chris. “She really is, but that’s why you have to give her a task she can handle well,” she explained almost excitedly. “She loves to chop things, or pour melted chocolate out with her magic....” she paused for a moment, remembering a particular time they tried to make cookies and the dough came out too lumpy. “Just don’t ask her to stir anything. It'll never get mixed up properly.”

Chris laughed loudly, which made Bon Bon laugh as well. “That couldn’t be more true,” he agreed. “And don’t let her measure things out for you. I can’t tell you how many times I tried to tell her that a teaspoon doesn’t mean a tea-spoon and a cup doesn't mean any cup.”

Bon Bon snorted, trying to hold back a laugh, making her hold up a hoof to her muzzle as she blushed a bit. “Oh, pardon me,” she excused herself from her unlady-like noise.

Chris chuckled softly. “No worries,” he reassured Bon Bon, causing her to giggle in return.

Bon Bon placed her hoof back to the floor as a certain memory of Lyra popped into her head. “Oh, I just remembered something!” she half shouted excitedly, looking up to Chris with a goofy grin. “This one time Lyra tried to make me cookies for Hearts and Hooves Day when I was out minding the shop,” she explained happily with a few soft giggles.

Chris smiled brightly. “Oh yeah?” he chuckled, sounding very interested. “What did she do?”

Bon Bon bit her lip trying not to laugh. She took a deep breath and calmed herself so she could tell her story properly. “Well it was Hearts and Hooves Day, right? So Lyra wanted to surprise me with some treats that she baked herself,” she paused, holding up a hoof to her chin in as she thought back to that day. “I think they were cookies… but they were so burnt it was hard to tell,” she reminisced with a soft smile, before putting her hoof back down. “Anyways, I got home that afternoon to the smell of something burning, so I ran into the kitchen to see the whole place covered in flour, and there was a cookie sheet on the counter with all these burnt little lumps on it,” she giggled.

“Yeah, this is already sounding like something Lyra would do,” Chris mused with a light chuckle.

“Oh, that’s not the best part,” Bon Bon continued, trying hard not to laugh. “I walked up the stairs, following the trail of flour hoof prints on the carpet.”

Chris winced a bit. “That must have taken a while to clean all that up.”

“Oh, yes,” Bon Bon agreed, nodding her head. “It was quite a pain to clean up,” she giggled. “Anyways, I followed the hoof prints into the bathroom and when I opened the door I found Lyra in the shower, trying to scrub all the flour out of her coat, but the water just turned it into a sticky batter and made it even harder for her her to get out! She was absolutely covered in it!” she explained, unable to contain herself anymore and busted out into a fit of infectious laughter, to which Chris quickly followed suit.

They both laughed together for a while until Bon Bon started to collect herself. “Oh... my,” she breathed, catching her breath. “I couldn’t stop laughing for days after that. And it took me hours to get all that stuff out of her coat and the shower drain,” she finished by wiping a tear from her eye with her hoof.

Chris’s laughter slowly died down as he wiped away his own tear from his eye. “Oh wow,” he breathed. “I can definitely see her doing that,” he agreed, chucking. “I wish I could have seen what she looked like covered in all that batter.”

“Oh I should I have taken a picture!” Bon Bon stated loudly, giggling some more. “It looked like I could have baked her into a nice big, mint-flavored Lyra cake,” she teased, sticking her tongue out.

Chris laughed out loud again, which got Bon Bon going again as well. “That would have been amazing,” he added as his laughter slowly died down. “She really is something special,” he stated, smiling fondly.

Bon Bon beamed up at him, nodding her head. “She definitely is,” she agreed. “She can be a hoofful, but she always means well, and it was awfully sweet of her to try and do that for me,” she added looking down a bit and blushing as she drew a little line into the floor with her hoof, feeling very shy all a sudden.

“Yeah, she’s one of a kind,” Chris mused happily.

They both smiled at each other for a moment until the sound of bubbling and sizzling water hit Bon Bon’s ears. “The pasta!” she yelped, turning around. She bit the wooden fork, getting up on her haunches and started to quickly stir the boiling over pot, making the bubbles die down.

“Anything I can do?” Chris asked from behind her.

“I guddet” Bon Bon mumbled quickly with the fork in her mouth. She could tell that the noodles were cooked, and placed the fork down. She found the oven mits and used them to help her strain the noodles in the sink. She took the strainer out and set it on the counter.

Bon Bon let out a soft sigh before turning her head and looking up at Chris with a gentle smile. “Dinner is ready,” she chimed happily.

Chris took in a small breath through his nose and smiled. “It smells wonderful. You did an amazing job.”

Bon Bon rolled her eyes at his overly-enthusiastic compliment. “Thanks, but it’s just spaghetti,” she pointed out with a giggle. “But I’m glad you humans like it so much.”

Chris chuckled, which caused Bon Bon to raise her eyebrow. “Yes, we humans are well known for our love of spaghetti.”

Bon Bon giggled, but she wasn’t sure why Chris was laughing. She figured it must be a human thing. “Oh, that’s nice,” she said before turning around. She got herself a plate and started dishing herself up. After that, she bit half of the cut-up basil and dropped it on top of her food, then placed the plate on her back and started to walk out of the kitchen, making her way to her room. “Wh-what,” Chris called in a shaky voice from behind her.

Bon Bon stopped right before she exited the kitchen and looked back at Chris in confusion.

Chris was looking back at her sadly. “A-are… you going back to the bedroom?” he questioned.

“O-oh… I,” Bon Bon frowned sadly and looked away from him for a moment before looking back. “I was.”

“Oh…” Chris responded, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand and looking away slightly. “Well… I was wondering if maybe...” He paused for a moment, looking at something behind her.

Bon Bon looked back to see the dining room table and was able to figure out what he was trying to say. He wanted her to stay with him so they could eat together.

“Never mind,” Chris sighed sadly, making Bon Bon turn her head back to look at him. She watched him as he walked up to the pasta and started to dish up his portion of the meal.

Bon Bon stood there for a moment and watched him before looking back at the table. She wanted to stay, she really did. It was surprisingly a lot of fun getting to talk to somepony else that knew how unusual Lyra was and she wanted to continue talking. Maybe even vent about her... but just a little.

“C-Chris.” she called softly to him, making him stop what he was doing and turn his head to look at her.

Bon Bon bit her lip once she realised what she was doing. She couldn’t let this go on; it was bad enough that she let their earlier conversation get so out of hoof. She was enjoying herself so much that she got distracted, but she had to say something to him now. “U-umm… G-good night,” she said simply, not sure what else to say.

Chris frowned for a brief moment before putting on a friendly smile. “Good night, Bon Bon, and thank you for coming out to make dinner.”

Bon Bon smiled sadly. “Y-you're welcome, Chris.”

With that, Bon Bon turned around and headed for her room, shutting the door so she could eat her meal.

Alone.

The Scary Truth

View Online

The Scary Truth

Chris tried to open the front door of the cabin with no success. Lyra's spell was still in effect and prevented it from opening. He stretched his arms out over his head and yawned loudly before turning around and making his way back to the couch. The sun was just starting to rise over the horizon, so he had some time to kill before he made breakfast for Bon Bon.

He shivered as he reached the couch and stopped to rub his arms in an effort to keep himself warm. It was an extremely cold morning and his mint-green winter pajamas were doing little to fend off the chilly air. He wished he had some kind of blanket to help keep him warm at night, but using his old laundry as cover did enough to let him fall asleep, so he didn't mind.

Chris thought now would be a good time to start a fire to help warm up the cabin. He threw a few chunks of wood into the hearth and used the enchanted flint and steel to start a fire. He struck the arrowhead-shaped stone with the "C" shaped steel, causing a small group of bright sparks to fly out instantly, setting the logs aflame within a few seconds. It was a pretty handy tool and worked better than any match could.

Chris watched the flames for a moment, then placed the flint and steel next to the hearth. He turned around and picked up the book he was reading off the floor before flopping back on the couch, finding the exact spot where he left off.

The book was appropriately titled Your First Foal and was proving to be an interesting read. He discovered a lot of differences and similarities in the way ponies and humans develop. One similarity was that a foal’s head was just as soft and delicate as a human's when they were born. A big difference was that foals started to walk a lot faster than humans. In fact, they didn’t even have a crawling phase.

Reading about all of these fascinating things made Chris wish he could actually have a foal with Lyra one day. Adoption was still a good option that he would love to look in to, but he couldn't deny how much he would like to have a foal of his own with her. He thought he would make a pretty good father and she would be a wonderful mother, so long as she didn't lock their colt or filly away for two weeks in a cabin.

Chris sighed sadly, thinking it was unfair to assume that Lyra would do anything that extreme to their child. He knew Bon Bon was correct in saying that Lyra got tunnel vision when she was passionate about something, and Lyra was very passionate about him and Bon Bon being perfect for each other. He figured Lyra wasn't acting with a clear mind and she might have honestly thought her actions were justified.

Bon Bon really helped him to see that this bump in their relationship might not be as bad as he originally thought. Plus, he couldn’t deny how much he still loved Lyra, and he couldn’t just give up on her. Sure, he was extremely pissed off, but it was only fair to give Lyra a chance to explain herself and make things right.

"Chris..."

He couldn’t picture his life without Lyra by his side and honestly? He never wanted to. She made his new life in this strange world worth living and just being around her made him feel like he could accomplish anything. He loved her and he couldn’t just leave her like―

"C-Chris..."

Chris paused for a moment. He could have sworn he heard someone or somepony calling his name. It couldn’t have been Bon Bon, she wouldn’t be calling for him. He figured it was just his imagin―

“Chris!”

That time he definitely heard his name being called, and it was pretty clear that it was Bon Bon's voice, but what did she wan―

“CHRIIIIS!”

"BON BON!" Chris shouted as he threw his book down and jumped to his feet. He ran straight to the bedroom door and jiggled the handle hard, trying to open it, but it was locked.

“Bon Bon! What’s going on?” Chris called loudly through the door.

“CHRIS, HELP!” Bon Bon yelled from the other side.

“BON BON!" His heart started to pound in his chest, making him jiggle the handle even harder. "The door's locked, can you unlock it?!” he shouted in a panic. He didn’t want to have to break Lyra's parents’ door if he didn’t―

“HELP MEEEE!”

"Fuck it!" Chris shouted as he brought his leg up and kicked with every ounce of strength he had, causing the door to burst open with a crash. He rushed into the room and saw Bon Bon with her back pressed into the far left corner. “What happened?! Are you okay?!”

“S-S-SPIDER!” Bon Bon yelled, with wide eyed horror, pointing a shaky hoof out towards the wall just above the bed’s headboard.

Chris jerked his head to the right and jumped back a bit when he saw that there was indeed a large white spider on the wall. It must have been eating pretty well because it looked like it was about the size of his entire hand. To Bon Bon's credit the spider was indeed scary-looking at first glance, but there was something about the spider that told him it was safe. He slowly made his way towards the arachnid to see if his suspicions were correct.

“Don’t let it bite you!” Bon Bon cried in terror from behind him.

Chris ignored her as he stepped closer to the wall, squinting his eyes slightly. The spider turned to face him, which caused Bon Bon to let out a terrified shriek. “Be careful! It might jump on you!” she shrieked in a panicked frenzy.

Chris stopped in front of the bed and leaned his head in closer. It was obvious to him now that this spider was one of the most friendly spiders in all of Equestria, or as far as he knew it was. The only reason he was able to identify it was because Fluttershy had one at her cottage that she loved dearly. He also had to help her take care of it in addition to her other woodland critters when he worked with her.

Fluttershy loved to talk about all of her little friends, and she had told Chris a lot about this particular spider. She said they made great pets since they had such a mellow disposition and were wonderful to keep around. They were amazing hunters and ate the more dangerous insects and arachnids that nopony wanted in their home. Plus, they were just so adorable.

The spider itself looked similar to a tarantula. Its whole body was covered in short white hairs, making it look quite fluffy. It had four cute little black eyes that could actually be pretty expressive, which was part of the reason why a lot of ponies preferred this particular spider as a pet. If it was sad, happy, or angry you could easily tell just by looking at it. If he had to make a comparison he would say that these spiders were a lot like house cats.

It was clear that this spider was a male since it had a red ring on top of its abdomen. Or at least that’s what Fluttershy told him indicated the sex.

Chris chuckled as he turned to look back at Bon Bon with a bright smile.

“Wh-what’s so funny?!” Bon Bon asked in worry from the corner, her terrified eyes darting between Chris and the spider.

Chris pulled back and started to laugh, which caused Bon Bon to frown in confusion. “You’re afraid of this guy?” he teased, using his thumb to point back to the spider.

“YES!” Bon Bon yelled, causing Chris to wince. “It’s a creepy, scary, terrifying, spider!”

Chris chuckled awkwardly at Bon Bon’s reaction. He knew that spiders where pretty scary things and it was a common fear, but he thought Bon Bon was overreacting just a little. He figured he better explain to her how harmless this guy was before she had a heart attack. He cleared his throat before looking at Bon Bon with a reassuring smile. “Bon Bon,” he called gently, trying to get her to focus on him. “This cute little guy might look scary at first, but he is actually harmless to ponies. He's called a Theraphosidae afratos.”

Bon Bon blinked a few times in confusion. “Wh-what?”

“A Theraphosidae afratos, or more commonly known as a Fluffy Tarantula,” Chris explained with a friendly, calm smile.

Bon Bon looked to the spider with a horrified expression, then back to Chris. “It’s a terrifying Fluffy Tarantula!” she corrected loudly. “Take it away, please!” she begged with sad, pleading eyes.

“Honestly, it’s harmless and very friendly," Chris tried to explain. "See look,” he said as he reached his hands out towards the spider.

“CHRIS, BE CAREFUL!” Bon Bon yelled, covering her muzzle with her hooves in shock. "DON'T LET HIM BITE YOU!"

Chris ignored Bon Bon's unfounded warning, holding out his hand in front of the spider while using his other to gently push its back side, guiding it onto him. Once the spider was resting in his palm, he turned around and held it out. “See? He’s not doing anything to harm me.”

“EEEEEE!” Bon Bon screeched. “You’re touching it! Take it away, please!” she shouted, shutting her eyes and turning her head away.

Chris could see that he wasn’t going to win this one. Bon Bon was downright terrified, but there really wasn’t anything he could do to get rid of it. He pulled the adorable arachnid close to his chest and used his other hand to help cradle it. “I don’t think I can take him away, Bon Bon. He’s kind of stuck here with us,” he pointed out sadly.

“Just do something! Anything! Please!” she pleaded loudly, keeping her eyes shut tightly.

Chris looked around the room as the tried to think of a solution to this dilemma. “I-I don’t know what to do… I… I don’t want to kill him,” he admitted in a disheartened tone.

“NO!” Bon Bon yelled, opening her eyes and jerking her head towards Chris. “Don’t kill the poor thing! I just want him away from me! Far, far, far away!"

Chris furrowed his brow in deep thought. He put his hand over top of the spider so Bon Bon couldn’t see it. The gesture seemed to help because he could see her body start to relax. There really wasn’t anywhere in the house that he could put the little guy where he wouldn’t crawl back into the bedroom or anywhere else in the cabin. If Bon Bon wasn’t so afraid of him, then he would've just let him roam around.

Suddenly, Chris got an idea. He remembered seeing a decent-sized aquarium down in the basement. They could use that to keep the spider in so he couldn’t crawl around and they could keep an eye on him. "I got an idea," he stated aloud.

"W-what ide―EEEE!” Bon Bon squealed as she scooted up against the corner, pressing herself farther into the tight space as Chris walked passed her and out through the bedroom doorway.

Chris walked down the stairs to the basement and was able to quickly find the aquarium on top of the organized junk pile in the center of the room. He placed the spider on his shoulder and waited to see if it would move, but the spider stayed perfectly still, seemingly content with just resting there. Chris smiled to himself, already feeling attached to the little fella as he picked up the aquarium with both hands before walking back up the stairs.

Once Chris was half way up the stairs he looked up to see that Bon Bon was peering down from the top, but quickly dashed away once she saw the spider resting peacefully on his shoulder. He chuckled quietly at her terrified reaction as he exited the stairwell and made his way to the pile of firewood. He picked up the smallest piece of wood he could find and dropped it into the tank.

"Wh-what are you going to do with him?" Bon Bon asked worriedly from the other side of the room, peering out of the bedroom doorway.

"I'm going to make him a little home," Chris explained brightly as he walked into the kitchen.

“A-a home?” Bon Bon questioned, following Chris, but keeping her distance. “Wh-what do you mean?”

Chris placed the aquarium on the kitchen countertop to the left of the sink and reached for a clean washcloth before soaking it with water. “He needs someplace to stay so we can keep an eye on him,” he explained, taking the aquarium’s lid off before wiping the inside of the glass with the damp cloth, cleaning it thoroughly.

"W-we're keeping him?!" Bon Bon shouted, slowly inching her way into the kitchen. "C-can't we take him somewhere else?" she asked softly, peering around the corner of the bar at Chris while keeping herself crouched down.

Chris put the wet cloth down and grabbed a dry one before looking back at Bon Bon, who was barely visible from behind the bar. "Well, he's kind of stuck here with us," he pointed out sadly before he turned back to his work and began to dry the aquarium.

Bon Bon stepped a few feet into the kitchen and sat back on her haunches, still keeping her distance. "B-but..." she tried to argue, but hesitated.

"Don’t worry," Chris reassured her as he finished drying, setting the cloth down on the counter. "He won't be able to get out of this. I promise you’ll be safe," he said with confidence as he reached out and grabbed a few of the potted herbs and started to pull the plants out.

"W-what are you doing with our herbs?" Bon Bon asked, sounding upset. "We need those for cooking."

"I'm just going to use the soil in the pots to give our little friend a better habitat to live in," Chris explained as he emptied the small pots into the aquarium. "I'll put the plants in water so they’ll stay fresh and won't die on us."

"O-oh... O-okay," Bon Bon answered in a soft, unsure whisper that Chris almost missed.

Chris poured out the last pot into the aquarium. He started to push the soil around with his hand, making a smooth surface before adjusting the small piece of wood. Once everything was to his satisfaction, he gently took the spider off his shoulder and placed him in the middle of the aquarium. As soon as the spider left his hand he could hear soft hoofsteps, creeping closer.

"I-is it safe?" Bon Bon asked in a worried whisper.

Chris chuckled at her question before turning to face her. "It was always safe. We were never in any danger," he teased.

Bon Bon stopped several feet away from Chris, sitting back on her haunches again, but kept her eyes locked on the spider in the aquarium. She made a soft whimpering sound, splaying her ears back before looking up at him. "Y-yeah, but," she began to argue but hesitated, darting her eyes back to the spider. "H-he won't jump out? A-and he can't climb out right?"

Chris couldn't help but laugh at Bon Bon’s questions. "Bon Bon," he chuckled, causing her to gaze up at him. "Trust me. These spiders are terrible at jumping and he can not and will not climb out of this aquarium. You have nothing to be afraid of."

Bon Bon looked back at the spider with a worried frown, biting her lip.

Chris rolled his eyes at her, knowing she wasn't convinced. "Well, he's going to be the new member of our little family now so you have to name him," he stated firmly in a friendly and playful manner, crossing his arms over his chest.

"W-what?" Bon Bon perked her ears up, gazing up at him again. "Why do I have to name him? Can't you give him a name?"

"I think it’s only fair since you're the one who found him, so you should name him," Chris countered with a playful smirk.

Bon Bon blinked a few times before looking back at the spider. "B-but... I'm no good with names," she muttered, drawing a little line on the floor with the edge of her hoof.

"Come ooooon, Bon Bon," Chris softly sang in a motherly tone as if he was trying to convince a small child.

Bon Bon whimpered quietly as she fidgeted with her forelegs. Suddenly, the spider started to crawl towards the piece of wood, causing her to wince. "C-can I name him Scary?" she asked in a timid voice. "He's really scary."

Chris chuckled softly and nodded his head. "You can name him that. Now come here and say hello to Scary,” he ordered gently, stepping aside from the aquarium.

“W-what!?” Bon Bon shouted. “N-no, I’m good here,” she said softly, forcing a bright, but nervous smile.

“Come on now. Don’t be shy. He won’t hurt you and I’m here to protect you just in case. Now come say hi to Scary before you hurt his feelings,” Chris held out both of his hands, gesturing towards Scary as if inviting her over.

Bon Bon darted her eyes back and forth between Chris and Scary. “B-but―,”

“Booooonny,” Chris sang, interrupting her.

“Oh… f-f-fine,” Bon Bon agreed, sighing in defeat. “Just… keep an eye on him, please,” she pleaded, standing up.

Chris chuckled. “Of course.”

Bon Bon took a deep breath before taking slow, timid steps towards the aquarium, keeping her worried and frightened gaze locked on Scary.

Chris watched Bon Bon closely, noticing that her legs were trembling as she walked, which concerned him. He didn’t think she would be this frightened, even with Scary behind glass. She seemed to really be struggling, more so than he thought she would.

Bon Bon stopped a few feet away from the aquarium, placing her hoof on her chest, biting her lip for a moment. She took a few quick breaths before looking up at Chris with a worried expression.

Chris smiled warmly, hiding his concern and nodded his head. “It’s okay. I got you,” he reassured her with a soft and gentle voice.

Bon Bon smiled briefly at Chris before frowning again and looking back at the aquarium. She leaned in slightly, looking right at Scary, who was on top of the piece of wood and facing away from her at the moment. “U-umm,” she started to say, but stopped once Scary started to turn to face her, making her squeal in fright and pull her head back.

“Hey, it’s okay," Chris reassured her softly. "He just heard you speak up and wants to say hi as well.” His words seemed to help her. He could see Bon Bon’s body start to relax.

“Umm…” Bon Bon started again, but hesitated. “H-hi… Scary,” she finally greeted timidly, which caused the spider in the tank to tilt his head and slowly lift one of his front legs in the air.

Chris chuckled seeing the spider’s reaction to Bon Bon’s words. It was amazing to him how expressive and understanding these spiders were. In fact, all creatures in this new world seemed to be pretty intelligent. “See? He isn’t so frightening now that he’s behind glass and has a name, right?”

“I-I…” Bon Bon started to answer, but paused and smiled softly. “I guess not,” she admitted, watching Scary for a moment.

Chris gazed them both, finding the two of them to be quite adorable. Scary seemed to like Bon Bon, but she was obviously still terrified by the spider. She was a jumpy pony for sure, but he had never seen her or anypony that terrified before. It reminded him of that brief moment at The Everfree Moon when she smacked his hand away and only served to raise more questions in his mind.

“Bon Bon,” Chris called softly, causing her to blink and look up at him. “Why do spiders frighten you so much?” he asked simply, leaning back against the counter, giving her a concerned look.

Bon Bon’s eyes went wide for a brief moment before she took a step back and looked away from him. It seemed she didn’t like that question. “O-oh I…” she started to explain, but hesitated. “T-they just creep me out is all,” she admitted, keeping her focus on the ground, obviously not telling the whole truth.

Chris sighed quietly to himself. He could tell this was going to be another one of those things that he would probably never get an answer to, but he had to try and push it this time. She had no reason to fear Scary as much as she did and he wanted to help her in some way if he could.

“Bon Bon,” Chris gently called to her in friendly voice, causing her to slowly look up at him. “I know there's more to it than that. You can tell me,” he said warmly, giving her a comforting smile before continuing. “I think you’d feel a lot better if you talked about it.”

Bon Bon frowned before darting her eyes down at Chris's hand then back to him, which he found peculiar. “I-I…” she started to say, almost as if she was really going to explain, but stopped and looked away. “I-it’s, it’s just a normal fear. L-lots of ponies are afraid of s-spiders,” she explained, not daring to look up at him.

“Yes,” Chris agreed, nodding his head even though Bon Bon couldn’t see it. “A lot of ponies have this fear, but I can tell just from how you approached Scary a moment ago that this fear runs deeper for you.”

Bon Bon stayed motionless, making a soft whimpering sound.

“It’s okay to be terrified of spiders, but if you keep this stuff locked up and never talk to anypony about it, then it’s never going to get any better,” Chris explained in the friendliest tone he could muster. He knew that it was better to talk to somepony you trust about these things and it was doubtful that Bon Bon trusted him at this point, but he still wanted to try and help. “I’m willing to listen,” he added happily.

Bon Bon started to mindlessly rub her right foreleg with her hoof. Chris watched her mouth open a few times as if she was about to say something, but she hesitated and closed it every time.

Chris waited a while, but frowned once it was clear Bon Bon was going to stay quiet. He let out a disheartened sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger before dropping his hands to his side. “I’m… sorry,” he apologised, regretting his actions. Phobias like this were sensitive subjects and he’d overstepped his bounds asking her about it. “I didn’t mean to push you like that, I just wanted to help.” He sighed again, turning around to face the sink. He started to reach for the cupboard, knowing he could use a small dish in there to provide Scary with some water.

“W-wait,” Bon Bon whimpered softly, causing Chris to freeze in place, just before his fingertips touched the handle of the cupboard. He slowly turned his head around to see that Bon Bon was now looking up at him with slightly teary eyes and a troubled frown, making him turn around completely to face her.

“I-I… I found this spider... when... when I was just a filly," Bon Bon began to explain, looking directly into Chris’s eyes.

Chris stayed silent, giving her his full attention, listening intently.

“I was just…j-just so... curious and fascinated by it... b-but I was too young to understand how... h-how dangerous s-spiders could be, and that..." She paused for a moment, frowning deeply as her eyes started to glisten with more tears. "T-that almost cost me to lose... m-my foreleg,” she whimpered, looking down while rubbing her right leg tighter.

Chris frowned, noticing how she was holding her leg. “Was it your right one?” he asked somberly.

Bon Bon closed her teary eyes and nodded.

“What happened?”

Bon Bon opened her eyes and looked up before continuing. “I reached out to the spider and… I let it crawl onto my hoof and…” she paused, taking a deep breath, exhaling slowly before continuing, “i-it bit me...”

“Was... it venomous?” Chris asked in a worried tone.

“I-it was,” Bon Bon explained simply. “I ran home as fast as I could… then when I-I told my parents what happened they... they rushed me to the hospital… I-I’d never seen them so scared before… a-and it really frightened me.”

Chris couldn't imagine how scared Bon Bon must have been as a filly seeing her parents react in such a way.

“O-once they got me to the hospital they gave me anti-venom, b-but the bite... got... infected..." Bon Bon said, pausing and glancing at her leg again. "I was in so much pain... They had to keep me at the hospital for days after that. I-I remember overhearing the doctors too… They told my parents that... my body wasn’t responding to the medicine... and the magical treatment they used only stopped the infection from spreading.” She shut her eyes again and bit her lip, squeezing her foreleg tightly. “I also overheard heard them say… say that they would have to... a-amputate my leg if I got worse…”

“But you got better, r-right?” Chris asked quickly even though the answer was obvious. He hated the thought of Bon Bon having to suffer like that.

Bon Bon opened her eyes and looked up at him with a slight smile. “O-of course I did, silly,” she said, waving her unharmed right hoof at him before dropping it down and frowning again. “B-but I never forgot the pain and how scared I was about losing my leg… ever since then s-spiders have just terrified me,” she sighed sadly. “S-sometimes it’s so bad that even things that look similar to spiders can s-scare me,” she admitted in a soft whisper, glancing down at his hands.

Chris was a little confused by that remark. He wasn’t sure what could look similar enough to a spider that could scare her. A rake perhaps? He opened his mouth to ask, but stopped when he remembered something peculiar about Bon Bon. She would always look at his… hands.

His eyes started to widen in sudden realization as memories of how Bon Bon reacted to his hands flooded his mind. The day right after he became Lyra’s coltfriend and Lyra had invited him to help Bon Bon wrap candies. The night at The Everfree Moon when he was handing her those gifts and when he tried to help her with the napkin set. Even yesterday when he tried to jump out and hug her; she was afraid of his… his...

Chris slowly lifted his hands up, looking down on them in a new light. Everything was starting to fall into place. His hands reminded Bon Bon of spiders! That had to be why she’d hit him at the restaurant!

“C-Chris...” Bon Bon’s soft and timid voice broke him out of his thoughts. He lowered his hands from his view, keeping them out in front of his chest as he gazed down at her. She was looking up at him through teary eyes, sitting back on her haunches and holding her hooves against her chest.

“I-it’s not like that. I-I-I shouldn’t have said that," Bon Bon stammered quickly, trying to defend herself. “I-I didn’t mean―”

“That’s why, isn't it?” Chris asked softly, interrupting her. “That’s why you hit my hand away.”

Bon Bon pressed her hooves to her lips as a tear ran down her cheek. She said nothing for a moment, staring intently into Chris’s eyes, before nodding her head slightly.

Chris didn’t know what to do or say. His first thought was to hide his hands from her, so he quickly put them behind his back.

Bon Bon’s eyes widened. “C-Chris, no!" she cried as she took her hooves away from her lips and pressed them to her chest again. "I’m so sorry! I didn’t want to hurt you! I just saw your hand moving towards me and I, I-I―”

“Bon Bon.”

“―freaked out! You and Lyra were so sweet and kind a-and loving and I had such a wonderful night, but I just slapped you for no good reason!”

“Bon Bon!”

“I was so rude to you! I’m a terrible, mean pony that should be locked away where I can’t hurt you anymore! I just―”

“BONNY!” Chris shouted, taking a knee in front of her so that they were at eye level, which got her attention. She quickly covered her lips with her hooves again as more tears started to stream down her cheeks.

Chris fought the powerful urge to just reach out and hug her. He wanted to comfort her and tell her that it was okay like he often did with Lyra, but he couldn’t now that he knew her fears. He could only rely on his words. “It’s okay. You're not a terrible, mean pony. I understand now and it’s okay,” he reassured her with a friendly, warm smile.

Bon Bon shook her head behind her hooves in disagreement. “I-I am a terrible pony,” she whimpered as more tears started to stream down her beautiful cream-colored cheeks. “I-I was so rude to you, a-and you just wanted me to enjoy the night and have a good time, but I just… I just…” she trailed off, shutting her eyes tightly, sobbing quietly.

This was unbearable for Chris to watch. He felt so helpless and couldn’t stand seeing Bon Bon in tears. He had to do it… He had to hug her.

Thinking quickly, Chris pulled his long sleeves over his hands, hiding them from sight. He stretched out his now completely covered arms and called out to her. “Bonny.”

Bon Bon slowly opened her watery eyes and looked up at Chris. Her eyes widened and she flinched backwards once she saw what he was doing.

“Can... we hug?” Chris asked awkwardly with a kind, friendly smile.

Bon Bon’s eyes darted back and forth between Chris’s hands, or where they would be if they weren’t currently hidden. "I-I... I" she stuttered as her eyes slowly fell back onto him.

Chris kept his smile, moving his outstretched arms up and down slightly, trying to entice her to say yes.

Bon Bon stared at him for a while, making him believe that she was still uncomfortable and was going to say no. He was about to give up, but she started to remove her hooves from her lips, revealing a soft smile underneath. She blinked away some tears before nodded her head a few times in agreement.

Chris’s smile widened as he leaned forward, wrapping his arms around her and gently bringing her into his body.

Bon Bon resisted at first, but let her body go limp in Chris’s arms. She kept her hooves pinned to her chest as she fell forward, guided by his embrace. She let her head rest on his shoulder as she shut her eyes.

Chris held her tightly, giving her a moment to gather herself before speaking. “Everything is okay, Bonny,” he reassured her in a whisper.

"I'm so sorry, Chris," Bon Bon responded in a sob. "I didn't mean to hurt you." She sniffled a few times before continuing in a soft whisper. “I-I don't want to be afraid.”

"I know, but it’s okay now. And you didn’t hurt me," Chris reassured her sweetly.

"I-I did," Bon Bon whimpered in protest. "I hit you and hurt your feelings when I ran away."

Chris shook his head. "No, Bonny,” he protested softly. “I was a little surprised and confused, but you didn't hurt my feelings and my hand is fine," he reassured her. "I understand why you did it and I forgive you. Everything is okay."

Bon Bon sniffled a few times and sobbed quietly. Chris could feel her tears on his shoulder, soaking his pajama shirt, but he didn’t care. “T-thank you,” she whispered quietly into his ear.

Chris smiled to himself, feeling happy that Bon Bon could finally open up to him. He could tell that the events at The Everfree Moon had been haunting her this whole time and she needed to let all this out. “Don’t you feel better now that you’ve gotten all of that off your chest?” he asked kindly. He could feel Bon Bon nod her head on his shoulder in response.

They stayed like that for a time, enjoying the friendly embrace. Chris was happy that he could finally get through to Bon Bon. Yet at the same time, this new information was troubling. It seemed like there was no way that they could work as a herd knowing how his hands made her uncomfortable, but he saw hope that they could at least become friends. He slowly pulled back from the hug, letting her sit back on her haunches.

Bon Bon wiped away the tears from her cheeks with her forehoof before smiling up at Chris.

“Don’t worry about Scary, okay," Chris reassured her, smiling back. "He can’t do anything to hurt you and I promise he will never leave that aquarium.”

Bon Bon looked towards Scary for a moment, then back at Chris and nodded her head in understanding.

Chris chuckled lightly and stood up, letting his hands fall out of his sleeves and put them behind his back. “And don’t worry about my hands. They won't go near you,” he added happily.

Bon Bon frowned. “Chris, you shouldn’t have to worry about that. I-I’ll be fine,” she argued weakly. “I mean... I don’t think your hands are that scary…” she added, looking away as she softly tapped her hooves together.

Chris wanted to believe those words, but he knew they weren’t true. She must feel terrible that he had to keep an eye on his hands now, but he didn’t mind as long as it helped her to be more comfortable around him. “It’s okay, really. I don’t mind,” he reassured her.

Bon Bon looked up at Chris through her curly forelock with a disheartened gaze. “But… that’s not fair to you."

“Nonsense,” Chris retorted playfully. “Come on,” he said, walking out of the kitchen. “You’ve had a pretty emotional morning so let’s get you back to your room and I can make you some breakfast.”

"O-okay..." Bon Bon answered quietly, following Chris out of the kitchen, staying close behind him.

Chris stopped before he entered the bedroom and looked to the door. He noticed that a chunk of wood was snapped off where the handle was supposed to be. He reached out to the door and pulled it closed. It worked and stayed in position against the door frame, but locking it was no longer an option.

He looked back to Bon Bon with an apologetic smile, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. “I guess I, umm, broke it,” he admitted with a chuckle. “I don’t think you will be able to lock it anymore. Sorry about that.”

Bon Bon looked to the door, then back at Chris. “It’s okay. You did it to help me,” she reminded him with a soft smile. “Thank you for that.”

Chris smiled and chuckled awkwardly. “Of course, but umm,” he started to say, but hesitated looking back at the busted door. “If you keep this closed then I’ll respect your privacy. I won’t bug you or anything,” he said, looking back at her.

Bon Bon frowned for a moment, but smiled again, nodding her head.

“Well, I’ll go check to see if there are any more spiders.” Chris pushed the door open and entered the room. He looked over everything thoroughly and couldn’t find any other insects or arachnids that could scare Bon Bon. He found the door handle under the bed and grabbed it. The handle was still intact and working, so he figured he would save it and buy Lyra’s parents a new door.

With everything checked, he turned back and walked out to the living room. He saw Bon Bon was patiently waiting for him, but she was frowning. “It’s safe. I couldn’t find a single spider.”

“Oh, thank you for doing that,” Bon Bon said, smiling briefly.

“So what would you like for breakfast? We have eggs. I can cook you up a mean omelette,” Chris boasted with a cocky grin.

Bon Bon smiled. “That sounds wonderful. I would love to have one with tomatoes and some carrots if you wouldn't mind.”

Chris chuckled lightly before nodding his head. “Coming right up,” he chirped happily as he started to walk towards the kitchen. He only made it a few feet before he heard Bon Bon start to follow him, which made him stop. He turned around and gave her a confused look. “Is everything okay?”

Bon Bon bit her lip, glancing around the room for a moment before looking back to him. “Would…” she started to say, but hesitated. “Would it be okay if I… if I stayed out here with you for a little while?”

Chris blinked a few times in shock before responding. “Y-yeah…” he answered softly, still trying to make sure he heard her right. “I mean yeah! Of course you can. I would love that,” he added quickly with a joyful smile. “Would you like a book to read while I make you breakfast?”

Bon Bon smiled shyly and nodded her head. “Yes please.”

Chris walked over to the couch with Bon Bon close behind. He had a pile of books that he was reading there and knew of one that Bon Bon might like. It was called Equestria’s Book of World Records and he thought it would help distract her from the terrifying morning she had. He didn’t think she would be interested in the parental guide book he was reading earlier, or the amazing romance novel To Find a Rainbow he read last night.

He picked the world records book up and was about to hand it to Bon Bon, but thought twice. His hands were still an issue, so he placed the book on the couch cushion and turned around. “You can read this one if you like. It's a pretty interesting read.”

Bon Bon looked to the book and delicately bit its spine in her mouth, picking it up. She looked up to Chris and flashed him a small smile.

“You can stay here on the couch and read it if you like,” Chris said as he started to walk into the kitchen to make Bon Bon’s breakfast. He smirked to himself when he heard Bon Bon’s hoofsteps still following him. He thought it best not to question it, though. She must be afraid of a second spider appearing and wanted to be close to him in case he needed to save her again.

Chris placed the door handle he was still carrying on the bar before walking to the refrigerator to gather his ingredients. He pulled out eggs, butter, cheese, and the tomatoes and carrots Bon Bon wanted. He placed all the items on the counter next to the stove before grabbing the skillet, a bowl, and an egg beater.

Once he started to break the eggs over the bowl he could hear Bon Bon walk up next to him. She turned around and laid down on the floor, placing the book down in front of her. Opening it with her muzzle, she began to read while she waited for her breakfast.

Bon Bon was lying on the smaller end of the ‘L’ shaped couch while Chris laid across the larger portion. She used her nose to turn another page of the book she was currently reading called The Theories and Practice of Good Cooking. It was all very interesting and she learned quite a bit, but most of it she already knew.

Chris had gotten it for her earlier that afternoon once she had gotten bored of reading the world record book, which did little to distract her from the frightening and emotional morning she’d had. She couldn’t stop thinking about spiders attacking her, and everything she’d talked about with Chris. She felt lot more comfortable around him, now that he understood her fear. She didn't have to worry about him grabbing at her anymore. Still, just the thought of him touching her sent shivers down her spine.

The sun was setting, so Bon Bon figured it was time for her to start making their dinner for the night. The book she was reading gave her an idea for a pasta and hay salad that she wanted to make, but she didn’t want to be alone in the kitchen.

Bon Bon looked over to Chris and saw that he was still reading that book about foals, which puzzled her. She couldn’t really understand why he would be so interested in something like. Maybe he was thinking about adopting a foal with Lyra and thought he should prepare himself. It was a sweet thought, but she knew that couldn't be it. Lyra wasn’t really looking to have a foal in her life at the moment. So why was he so intent in reading that book?

Bon Bon pushed the thought out of her mind and closed her book with her muzzle. She held a hoof up to her lips, clearing her throat softly in an attempt to get Chris’s attention.

Chris dropped his book down and glanced her way.

Bon Bon smiled once their eyes meet. “I-I was thinking about starting supper, a-and I was just wondering if maybe you could, umm... help me?”

Chris gave her a wide, enthusiastic smile and nodded his head a few times. “I’d love to!” he said almost too excitedly.

Bon Bon couldn’t help but giggle at how willing Chris always was to help. “Thank you. And do you like feta cheese?” she asked, knowing that most ponies didn’t really like feta, but she loved the taste.

“You kidding me?” Chris asked as if he was offended. “Feta is one of my favorite kinds of cheese,” he stated, closing his book before sitting up.

“Oh, good. I wanted to add some in the salad I want to make for us tonight,” Bon Bon explained as she hopped down from the couch and headed for the kitchen.

“What kind of salad?” Chris asked as got up and followed her.

Bon Bon stopped right before the kitchen entrance and quickly looked around, making sure there were no spiders. Scary was there, but he was in his aquarium so that was fine. She walked into the kitchen, making her way to the refrigerator before responding to Chris. “Well I was thinking about making a nice refreshing pasta and hay salad.”

“H-hay?” Chris questioned softly from behind her, stopping right before entering the kitchen.

Bon Bon froze as she was about to reached for the refrigerator handle, looking over her shoulder at Chris with a small frown. “Y-you don’t like hay?” she questioned. She thought everypony loved hay. It was a pretty common thing to eat and she was really in the mood for some.

“Oh no, I-I, umm, love hay!” Chris quickly defended himself with a sheepish smile, walking into the kitchen.

“You don’t like it, do you…?”

“Hay’s great! Honestly, I love it. I eat it with Lyra all the time!” Chris finished, giving Bon Bon a bright and nervous smile.

Bon Bon couldn’t really tell if he was telling her the truth or just trying to be nice, but she figured he must be okay with it. “Well, if you're sure.” She turned back to the refrigerator and opened the door. She gasped in surprise when she saw the whole thing was packed with food. There was even a whole shelf dedicated to all kinds of different cheeses. She reached out with her muzzle to grab the packet of feta, but stopped when she noticed a brown bag that was stuffed towards the back, hidden behind some cabbage. The bag looked familiar and she hoped it wasn’t what she thought it was, but a small talon symbol on it was a dead give away.

Bon Bon frowned before pulling her head back. “Chris…” she called sadly, looking up at him.

“Yes?” Chris answered. “Is everything okay?”

“What's in that bag?”

Chris froze, his eyes widening in surprise. “I-it’s nothing. D-don’t worry about it,” he responded quickly. “It’s just some grapes I was saving for myself.”

Bon Bon knew that was a lie. “I-I know where that bag is from… I see griffons carrying them around when they come from the market on the outskirts of town... and I know what they sell there...”

“Bonny, I―,”

“It’s not a bunny, is it?” Bon Bon asked in a soft disheartened tone, interrupting him.

Chris rubbed the back of his neck looking away from her. “It’s…” he started to say but hesitated, sighing deeply. “It’s chicken.”

Bon Bon gasped, turning her head back to the bag, placing a hoof over her lips. “A poor, adorable little chicken?”

“Yes,” Chris admitted, sadly. “I’m sorry, Bonny…”

Bon Bon knew it wasn’t his fault. Lyra was the one that filled the cabin with food, but she still didn’t like the idea of a cute, little chicken that had passed away was in their refrigerator. She hoped that he wouldn’t eat it in front of her.

“Don’t worry, Bonny, I’m not going to eat that; I promise you,” Chris reassured her, sounding a little closer to her now. “I don’t need to eat meat, and I’m completely fine with eating just fruits and vegetables.”

“I’m sorry,” Bon Bon whimpered sadly, looking back into Chris’s eyes. “It’s just… just…”

“It makes you uncomfortable, I know,” Chris finished as he walked up next to her and knelt down. “And it’s sad that a living creature had to die just to be eaten. Trust me, I understand why it upsets you and I won’t eat things like that around you.”

“Thank you,” Bon Bon whispered softly. “Maybe… maybe I would feel better if you explained why you eat meat.”

Chris frowned a little and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand again. “Well… umm,” he started to explain. “I guess I’m not really sure exactly why I do. I just know that my body needs the proteins and nutrients from it in order to function properly.”

“So you do need it?” Bon Bon questioned in a disheartened tone, frowning.

“No, no, it’s nothing like that,” Chris countered quickly. “I can live off of what you ponies eat and I can get all those nutrients and proteins from stuff like beans and mushrooms, so I don’t need to eat meat.”

Bon Bon smiled a little after hearing Chris's explanation. She was glad that he still had a way to maintain his unusual diet without meat. “That… that does help me feel better, thank you, but...” she paused, frowning again. “Can we get rid of the bag?”

Chris shook his head. “I don’t have a proper way of getting rid of it. If I throw it in the trash then it will just rot and stink up the cabin,” he explained, sadly. “It has to stay in the refrigerator so it doesn’t rot.”

Bon Bon sighed, looking back into the refrigerator. She didn’t like the idea of having the smell of death in the cabin, so if it had to stay where it was then so be it. At least it was in a bag so she didn’t have to see it. She bit the package of feta and closed the refrigerator door before gathering the rest of the ingredients she needed for the meal.

Chris helped her cut up the tomatoes and hay exactly how she requested. It still amazed her how helpful he was in the kitchen. All she really had to do was focus on cooking the penne pasta she picked out from the pantry. She also found some cannellini beans that she thought would be nice to add to the salad. Plus, it would help Chris get those nutrients he needed.

Bon Bon finished cooking the beans and pasta, rinsed them in cold water then let them strain for a while before adding all the ingredients into a large bowl. She mixed everything up before serving up a generous portion in a smaller bowl. “Here you go, Chris,” she said, pushing the bowl of salad across the counter towards him with her hoof.

Chris smiled and picked up the bowl. “Thank you, Bonny.” He turned around and walked towards the dining table, taking a seat.

Bon Bon dished her own salad up and balanced it on her back before making her way to the bedroom, but stopped at the kitchen entrance when she remembered what happened that morning. She figured tonight she would stay out in the living room just a little longer and eat with Chris. Just this once.

She made her way to the stool opposite of Chris and placed her bowl in front of her before sitting down.

Chris stared up at her, blinking in disbelief. “A-are you going to eat out here?”

Bon Bon giggled nervously. “U-umm, yeah… I-I hope that’s okay,” she said shyly, looking away with a small blush. “I-I mean I don’t want to bother you any more than I already have. You’ve helped me so much today, and―,”

“I don’t mind!” Chris said, interrupting her.

Bon Bon giggled nervously, still not daring to look directly at him. “T-thank you.” She leaned down and started to take small delicate bites of her salad, quietly enjoying her meal.

They both continued to eat their meals in silence, but Bon Bon noticed that Chris wasn’t really eating his. She looked up to see that he was using his fork to try and pick around the pieces of hay. After a while he gave up and speared a decent bite sized portion on his fork and slowly lifted it to his lips. He winced a little before closing his eyes, putting the food in his mouth and chewing it slowly.

Bon Bon furrowed her brow as she watched Chris slowly make his way through the meal. “You really don’t like hay, do you?” she pointed out sadly.

Chris froze with his next bite only inches away from his mouth before looking at Bon Bon with his mouth open. He slowly lowered his fork, frowning. “N-no I just―,”

“Why didn’t you tell me? I could have made something we could both enjoy,” Bon Bon interrupted, heartbroken that Chris didn’t like the meal she prepared.

Chris sighed, placing his fork in his bowl. “It’s just…” he started to explain, but hesitated. “I know how much you ponies love your hay and it’s not that I don’t like hay. I mean it’s kind of tasteless to me, but the texture is kind of weird…” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Oh, I just feel awful. I’ll go make you something else,” Bon Bon said sadly, getting up off her seat.

“No!” Chris shouted, causing her to stop and look up at him. “Really, it’s fine,” he reassured her, taking another bite of the salad, chewing it quickly and swallowing. “I do like it. It just takes me a while to get used to it.”

“A-are you sure… I-I can just go―,”

“Positive!” Chris chirped happily, taking another bite and chewing it thoroughly before swallowing. “I really like the beans you added and the feta goes well with the, umm… hay,” he added, smiling awkwardly.

“You’re sure?” Bon Bon asked again, raising her eyebrow.

“Absolutely!” Chris chimed with a friendly smile.

“Really, it’s no trouble. I can make you something else,” Bon Bon tried to reason with Chris, smiling reassuringly.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. Please just sit and enjoy the meal with me.”

Bon Bon sighed in defeat and sat back in her seat. It was obvious that Chris was only being nice and she felt terrible about making something that he didn’t like. She made a mental note to make him a sandwich he could eat before she went to bed to make it up to him. She leaned down, and took a few bites of her salad, savoring her meal as the room fell into silence once more.

“So,” Chris spoke up, interrupting the quiet atmosphere.

Bon Bon looked up at him with a mouth full of food. She chewed it and swallowed quickly. “Yes?”

“Well, I couldn’t help but notice that you have candy on your butt,” Chris pointed out with a teasing smirk.

Bon Bon blushed brightly as her eyes widened. “M-my b-butt?” she stammered quietly. Lyra warned her about this. She said that Chris really liked her… butt.

“Yes, you have little pieces of candy for your cutie mark,” Chris clarified, using his finger to point to her flank.

Bon Bon let out a small sigh of relief. “Oh, y-yes I do,” she said with a slight nod. “Making candy is my special talent.”

Chris nodded his head in understanding. “Yes. I could tell from what Lyra told me and from the shop you own in town,” he chuckled, pointing out the obvious. “But I would love to know what it is that you like about making candy so much.”

Bon Bon frowned slightly at Chris’s question. He was trying to get to know her more again, but this time... this time she was okay with that. “Well, there’s so much about making candy that I love, but I would have to say getting to see all the smiling faces of my customers once they bite into one of my treats is the best part,” she explained with a giggle.

Chris beamed brightly at her explanation. "I bet that's an amazing feeling."

"Oh, it’s wonderful," Bon Bon agreed, letting out a dreamy sigh. "Especially when you get to see all the smiling faces of the young fillies and colts when they come by after school."

"So, what's it like running your own shop?" Chris asked, intrigued.

Bon Bon frowned at that question, looking down at her half full bowl of food. "Stressful," she admitted with a heavy sigh. "Lyra helps when she can, but I'm pretty much running the shop on my own and it can be... difficult."

Chris leaned back, scratching his charming beard for a moment as he contemplated. "Have you ever thought about hiring somepony to help?"

Bon Bon looked up and nodded. "Yes I have. But I'm afraid I don't make enough bits to hire somepony that knows how to cook and could help me at a reasonable salary.” She let out a disheartened sigh before continuing. “Business has just been too slow lately, but I saved up some bits to help expand the shop!” she said excitedly with new found energy. “Perhaps then I could get some more customers to come by and then I could afford some more help.”

“That sounds like a great idea!” Chris cheered.

Bon Bon smiled, looking away as she scratched the blush on her cheek with her hoof. “W-well I wouldn't say it's a great idea,” she whispered softly before looking back at Chris. “Risky perhaps, but if it works out then I'll be able to hire somepony else that can help me make the candies and run the shop."

Chris nodded his head in understanding. “So, whats this big expansion going to be like?”

“Oh it’s just a silly idea that Berry Punch gave me,” Bon Bon said nonchalantly, waving a dismissive hoof.

“Berry gave you this idea?,” Chris questioned, raising his eyebrow in disbelief. “This is already sounding questionable,” he teased.

“Oh, she's not that bad,” Bon Bon giggled, waving a playful hoof at Chris. “She has good ideas… sometimes,” she admitted with a sheepish smile.

“So, what was this little idea?” Chris asked is an unsure tone.

“Well, business is usually slower during the winter time, so she gave me the idea to have a place where ponies could come and have a nice warm drink with friends.”

“I guess I really have to ha―ehh, I mean hoof it to Berry,” Chris chuckled, correcting himself. “That does sound like a wonderful idea.”

Bon Bon smiled and nodded, but soon her smile melted to a frown. “It is a idea nice, but I'm still not sure about it,” she admitted, sighing sadly. “There’s still so much that has to be done first, and I’m going to have to close up the shop for a while until the construction gets finished, and it's so stressful trying to find somepony that can work at the ba―,” She stopped herself once she realized that she was rambling. “Oh pardon me. You don't want to hear about all this boring stuff,” she giggled, waving a limp hoof. “So, tell me. What do you like to do?” She questioned with a gentle smile. “I-I know you work for the Elements of Harmony. I'm sure that’s... umm, exciting.”

Chris frowned slightly, but chuckled. “It's great working for the girls and they’re all very nice, but it's not really all that fun,” he admitted with an exhausted sigh. “Especially when I'm working for Applejack bucking trees or running errands all over town for Rarity.”

Bon Bon nodded her head in understanding. “Yes, I can imagine that can get tiring.”

Chris’s frown deepened as he looked down at his still-full bowl of food. “The Elements have been so kind to let me work for them. I know they don’t really need me to do that stuff,” he admitted sadly, causing Bon Bon to frown. “But it’s the only work I can find here… No pony wants to hire the weird new alien. Even after I’ve been here for―,” he paused to take a deep breath before looking back at Bon Bon with a soft smile. “I’m just grateful they're willing to help me out so I can afford a home.”

Bon Bon felt like she was being stabbed through the heart. She had never seen Chris so sad before. Ponies must not be hiring him because of what he is. Though she hated to admit it, she would have done the same if he had asked her for a job. “W-well do you have any plans or dreams for the future?” she asked in a cheerful tone, wanting to change the subject.

Chris scratched that rugged beard of his and hummed to himself as he looked up to the ceiling. “Well,” he mused, before dropping his hand down and looking back to Bon Bon. “Before I was, umm… ripped from my old world I was studying in the arts. You know, like painting and sculpture.”

Bon Bon arched an eyebrow into the air. “Y-you were studying art?” she questioned, not taking Chris for the artsy-type.

“Yeah,” Chris reminisced with a chuckle. “I took pretty much every art course I could apply for. I was still trying to find what I was good at, but all I knew was that I loved creating things,” he explained, smiling briefly. “I even tried a cooking class and ending up loving it. I wanted to keep going with it, but I never got to finish the full course,” he admitted sadly.

“R-really?” Bon Bon questioned. ‘No wonder he knew what the proper technique for cutting basil was,’ she thought to herself.

“Yep,” Chris responded happily. “I was never really a great cook, but after that class I started to really enjoy it and I even started to make plans to open my own restaurant someday.”

“Did... did you ever get to start your restaurant?” Bon Bon questioned, perking her ears up.

“No…” Chris repled with disheartened sigh. “Like I said, I never got the chance to finish the cooking classes I needed. Money got tight for me so I had to take a bunch of odd jobs to try and pay bills,” he reminisced with a deep frown. “Oh!” he shouted suddenly, with a smile. “I did have this one job that I absolutely loved doing!”

Bon Bon blinked, taken aback by his sudden outburst. “W-what did you do?”

“Well, I was a―,” Chris paused for a moment as his smile melted into a cocky smirk. “Actually,” he said, stroking his fuzzy chin with this hand. “I could tell you, oooor... I could show you,” he mused.

“S-show?”

“Yeah!” Chris cheered excitedly as he jumped to his feet and headed into the kitchen. “Come on, it will be fun!” He waved his hand for Bon Bon to follow him.

Bon Bon hopped off her seat and slowly followed Chris, but he stopped at the kitchen’s entrance and turned around. “Okay, you sit on the bar stool over there,” he said, pointing a finger at the stools.

“U-umm, okay,” Bon Bon agreed, walking up to the closest stool and hopping up. She got herself comfortable then looked towards Chris expectantly.

Chris positioned himself on the other side of the bar and placed both his hands on the counter, leaning on them for support. He smiled down at Bon Bon which made her smile as well. She wasn’t really sure what he was going to do, but she had to admit this was kind of fun.

"So, what'll it be, Miss?" Chris asked kindly with a wide grin.

Bon Bon blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Chris chuckled and pointed to the hanging rack of alcohol. "What would you like to drink?"

"Oh! Well, what do we have?" Bon Bon asked with a smile, looking over all her options on the rack.

"Everything!" Chris exclaimed excitedly throwing his hands up in the air. "We pretty much have it all here, so give me your best shot. What's your favorite drink?"

Bon Bon tapped her chin with a hoof in thought. "Well..." she started to answer, putting her hoof down once she thought of something. "I guess I’ve always really liked mojitos. Would that be okay?"

Chris laughed loudly at her order, causing Bon Bon to tilt her head, giving him a puzzled look. "What's so funny?"

Chris quickly stifled his laughter, looking back at Bon Bon with a wide knowing smirk. "I should have known that would be your favorite.”

“What do you mean?”

"Don't worry. That's my favorite drink too," Chris reassured her with a wink. "One mojito coming right up!" he said happily as he bent down behind the bar and opened a cabinet door. He pulled out a two-piece shaker and a small bowl of sugar, setting them on the bar along with a small club-like tool. Next, he walked towards the collection of herbs, picking off a small stem of mint. He then stepped towards the refrigerator and pulled out two glass bottles of fresh squeezed lime juice and sparkling water before placing all the items on the bar. He looked up to the rack and glanced around, before frowning.

"What's wrong?" Bon Bon asked, concerned.

"We don't have the white rum here," Chris responded with a pout.

"Oh, well then I don't nee―,”

"Wait," Chris interrupted her. "I remember seeing some in the cellar," he said as he quickly moved out of the kitchen and opened the door that lead to the basement. He stopped before entering and turned to look back at Bon Bon. "I'll just be a second. Will you be okay by yourself?"

"I-I'll be fine," she answered with a bright blush and sheepish smile.

"Don't worry. I'll be back soon," Chris said with a gentle smile before turning around and heading down to the cellar, shutting the door behind him.

Bon Bon stared at the door for a moment, but with little else to do she started to look around the room. She cringed when she saw some of Chris’s old clothes draped over the couch along with the messy, haphazard pile of books he was reading. He was kind of a messy stallion, but Lyra was a messy mare so she was used to seeing this.

Still, there was no reason that Chris couldn't be a little more organized and clean. He should at least have a dedicated spot to keep his dirty clothes, seeing as he had so many. He might need to wash some of his clothes as well since he seemed to wear that stuff all day for reasons that escaped her. She made a mental note to help him with that later.

Bon Bon continued to look around the room and kitchen until her sight fell upon the aquarium next to the sink, where Scary was currently residing. She squeaked in surprise and flinched when she saw him next to the glass, looking right at her. She blinked a few times and started to relax once she remembered that he was trapped, but he just kept staring at her. “W-what?”

Scary slowly lifted one of his forelegs and started to pet the glass, making a terrifying chill run down Bon Bon’s spine. It was creepy the way his little legs moved. She could just picture how horrible it would be to feel them touching her. Creepiness aside, it seemed like he was trying to tell her something. "D-do you need s-something?” she asked in a shaky voice. “I-I can’t really let you out…" she added in regret. She didn’t like the idea of having to keep Scary locked up like he was, but she couldn’t just let him run around so he could crawl all over her when she slept.

Scary backed away from the glass and turned towards the tiny saucer that Chris had placed in the aquarium as a makeshift water bowl. He slowly crawled up to it and pawed at the center.

Bon Bon could see now that Scary's saucer was empty. "D-do you... need... more water?" she questioned softly, raising an eyebrow. She was no Fluttershy, but it seemed pretty clear what he wanted.

Scary turned back, giving her an expectant look.

Bon Bon whimpered to herself, fearing the idea of having to reach in and change the dish for him. "I-I'm sorry... I-I can't give you more water.” She looked back to the basement door then back to Scary. “I-I’ll ask Chris when he comes back, okay?”

Suddenly the basement door opened, making Bon Bon turn around to see Chris. He walked back into the kitchen with the white rum in hand. "I found some! Sorry that took so long," he apologized as he made his way behind the bar again.

"U-umm, Chris?" Bon Bon called as he placed the rum on the bar, making him look at her. "I-I think Scary wants some water,” she pointed out softly, pointing her hoof to the aquarium.

Chris followed her hoof and turned his head to the tank. “Oh wow, you're right,” he said, scratching his head in confusion. “I didn’t think spiders needed that much water. Guess I should’ve kept a better eye on that,” he admitted, walking towards the aquarium.

Bon Bon squirmed in her seat, holding her breath as she watched Chris reach his hand into the tank. She had to keep telling herself that Scary was a nice spider that couldn’t hurt anypony, but she couldn’t help worrying as she watched Chris lift the saucer out.

Chris filled the small dish with some water and placed it back into the aquarium. As soon as his hand left, Scary crawled over and sat down in the middle of the dish. He started to use his creepy little feelers to rub some of the water over his head a few times then became motionless as he started to drink. “Wow. You were right. He was pretty thirsty.” He looked back at Bon Bon, raising a curious eyebrow. “How did you know?”

“Oh, I just, umm... could tell,” Bon Bon explained shyly.

“Hmm,” Chris pondered as he stroked his beard in mock thought. “Maybe I should have you take care of him for me,” he teased, sticking his tongue out at her.

“NO!” Bon Bon yelled in surprise, looking up at him with wide, worried eyes. “I-I can’t!”

“Don’t worry Bonny. I was only teasing you. I’ll take care of him,” Chris reassured her with a laugh as he pulled out a tall glass from the cabinet just above where Scary was. He moved back to the bar, placing the glass down and turned his attention to the items in front of him. “Now then. Time for your mojito,” he stated as he put a scoop of ice into the glass that he got from the mini ice box that was behind the bar. “Watch closely.”

Bon Bon did as Chris told her and looked down at the items, tilting her head slightly and perking her ears up.

Chris began by pulling the mint leaves off the stem and placing them inside one of the shaker cups. He then sprinkled some sugar on top of the leaves before taking the club-like tool and using it to softly crush them together. Placing the club down, he reached for the glass bottle of lime juice and tossed it into the air.

“CHRIS!” Bon Bon shouted in shock, covering her lips with her hooves, expecting the bottle to come crashing down. She watched in horror as the bottle flew up and arched back down.

Chris turned around with his arm behind his back and caught the bottle then tossed it up again, sending it spinning straight up into the air. He turned back as the bottle started to decent again and caught it by the neck just above where the shaker was and poured a small amount of the lime extract into it.

Bon Bon watched with wide-eyed amazement, keeping her hooves pressed to her lips as Chris reached for the bottle of rum, tossing it up along with the lime juice bottle and started to juggle them for her. He set the lime juice down and flicked the rum bottle up into the air, sending it spinning to his opposite hand. He rolled the bottle down his arm and popped it up with his shoulder, catching it in the air above the counter before pouring in a decent amount of the alcohol into the shaker.

Chris smirked as he set the rum down and picked up the other half of the shaker. He cupped it over the half with the ingredients in it and lifted it up, giving it a good shake. Once everything was mixed properly he poured the concoction into the tall glass and set the shaker down. He picked up the bottle of sparkling water and filled the rest of the glass before handing it to Bon Bon. “One mojito for the lovely mare,” he chuckled with a smirk.

Bon Bon remained motionless with her hooves over her lips. Her wide eyes darted from Chris to her drink as she tried to process what just happened. He was juggling just like Pinkie Pie always did and the way he used his hands was amazing! She never thought of making a spectacle out of mixing drinks and the way he used his hands to spin the bottle was mesmerizing. It was so much fun to watch and it didn’t take him long to make her mojito even with the show. “C-Chris…” she called softly, removing her hooves from her lips.

“Yes?” Chris answered with a cocky grin.

“T-that’s what you used to do for work?” Bon Bon asked in disbelief.

“Yeah! I used to love putting on a show at the bar I worked at,” Chris reminisced with a bright smile. “But what I loved most of all was getting to talk to all the customers. They all had a new story to tell and they all had their reasons for being there. Some sad, some happy, but it was always fun getting to know everyon―I mean everypony,” he chuckled as he corrected himself.

Bon Bon lowered her hooves back down onto the stool and looked down at her drink, thinking for a moment. She thought Chris’s little show would be something that all the little fillies and colts would get a real kick out of, but could he do something like that for more family friendly drinks? “U-umm, do you...” she started to ask shyly, but hesitated, looking up at him. “Do you think you could do something like that with drinks like... chocolate milk or tea?”

Chris scratched his beard as he thought for a moment. “Yeah…” he answered with a pause, thinking a bit more. “Yeah, I think I could make something like that work,” he said. “Why do you ask?”

“W-well…” Bon Bon started to explain but hesitated as she thought more about if asking him to help her was really a good idea. She didn’t have the bits to hire him on a decent salary and he might not even be interested in helping her after the horrible way she treated him in the past…

Bon Bon stared out into space as she continued to ponder what she wanted to do. She had to at least ask him and see what he would say. He could really help her out and he even had prior knowledge about cooking. It was possible that he might be able to help her make candy as well. She could definitely teach him and he’d already shown her that he knew his way around the kitchen, so it would be easy to just―

“Umm, Bonny?” Chris called, breaking her out of her thoughts. She didn’t realize she had gone silent.

“Oh, S-sorry,” Bon Bon responded with a slight blush. “I-I was just wondering…” she started to ask again, looking away as she traced a line into the bar stool, feeling shy all the sudden. “Well, remember when I said I was expanding my shop?” she asked, looking up to him through her curly forelock.

Chris nodded his head. “I do.”

“I-I was actually thinking about adding in a bar... like the one you worked at where ponies could come in and get a nice drink,” Bon Bon continued, keeping her head down as she looked up at him.

“Y-yeah?” Chris questioned, hanging on her words.

“I-I don’t make a lot of bits, s-so I wouldn’t be able to pay you much at first, b-but would y-you―,”

“I’D LOVE TO!” Chris shouted, causing Bon Bon to jerk her head up and flinch back in surprise.

“B-but, I haven’t even told you how much I’d pay you yet,” she tried to argue, thinking Chris might have jumped at her offer a little too fast.

“You can pay me whatever you think is fair,” Chris reassured, giving her a gentle smile. “And I can work something out with the Elements to see if they need any help at night. That way I can work for you full time.”

Bon Bon sat there dumbfounded at how willing Chris was to work with her. Would he really go that extra mile just to help her out? She couldn’t let him do something like that. “Oh, no,” she responded to him sadly. “I-I wouldn’t want you to over work yourself. I-I mean I would pay you more once business picked up,” she explained quickly, fidgeting with her hooves.

“Bonny. If you're giving me an opportunity to do what I love and if you think it could help your shop, then I would absolutely love to do it,” Chris explained happily.

Bon Bon gazed into Chris’s charming hazel eyes as he smiled down at her. It was easy to see that he genuinely wanted this. Plus she was confident that his talent could really help boost her business, and she couldn’t deny how wonderful it would be to have somepony else to help her run things. “Well, then if you're sure…” she agreed shyly. “I would love it if you helped me in my shop.”

“Yes!” Chris cheered, doing an odd arm pumping gesture. “My first real job!”

Bon Bon stifled a small giggle at his excitement. “I’m glad you’re so eager to help, but the bar might not be ready for a while,” she stated sadly, causing Chris to look back at her with a frown. “But, umm,” she started to say as a warm blush started to appear on her cheeks. “I-I was also kind of thinking… well, since you have knowledge of cooking… m-maybe while we’re stuck here…” she started to explain but hesitated as she swayed back and forth on her stool, looking away. She felt so nervous about wanting to show him how she made her candy. The only other pony that she let watch her do what she did best was Lyra, but she couldn’t deny how nice it would be to show him as well. “I-I could, umm, w-well―”

“Teach me how you make candy?” Chris finished for her, smiling again.

Bon Bon giggled, holding a hoof up to her lips. “Yes, exactly,” she said happily, dropping her hoof back down.

“That sounds like it could be a lot of fun,” Chris expressed as he picked up Bon Bon’s mojito. “How about we talk more about this and finish our dinner,” he added walking over to the dining table.

“That would be lovely,” Bon Bon said as she hopped down and followed him to the table.

At the table, Bon Bon explained to Chris how she ran her shop and when they would need to make candy while they both ate their salads. Bon Bon finished hers, but Chris only took a few more bites before he said he was full.

Once their meal was over, Bon Bon insisted that she do the dishes since she left Chris to do them last night. He reluctantly agreed to let her do them and went to lay down on the couch to read that parental guide book book again.

Bon Bon finished putting the dishes away then went into the pantry to pull out some grain bread, as well as some daisy flowers for the sandwich she was going to make for Chris. ‘He should enjoy this. A nice simple comfort food. Everypony loves daisy sandwiches,’ she thought happily as she practically skipped back into the kitchen to make his sandwich.

She placed the offering on a plate and bit it in her mouth, carrying it to the couch where Chris was laying on his back, absorbed in his book. She gently placed the plate on his stomach and smiled at him.

Chris lifted his book up and looked at the sandwich. “What’s this?” he asked in confusion, placing his book down, looking back to Bon Bon.

“Just a little something to make up for dinner,” she explained warmly. “You hardly ate so I’m sure you're still hungry.”

“Oh, Bonny, you shouldn’t have.” Chris picked up the sandwich, giving Bon Bon grateful smile. “You're too sweet you know that?”

“Yes, well I do have candy on my flanks,” Bon Bon teased playfully with a warm blush and a giggle, wiggling her hips slightly.

Chris blushed and chuckled before he shut his eyes, taking a bite of the sandwich. He chewed it thoroughly but stopped suddenly. He slowly opened his eyes and looked back to her.

Bon Bon frowned and tilted her head slightly in confusion. “Is everything okay?”

Chris put on a wide smile and started to slowly chew again before swallowing, letting out a relieved breath. “Yes. T-thank you for the generous food; it’s very good,” he reassured her with a bright, friendly smile.

Bon Bon smiled back, feeling relieved that Chris liked the sandwich. “Well, you enjoy and I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said as she turned around and headed for her room. She stopped several feet before the bedroom and frowned, before cautiously walking up to the doorframe and glancing around. It was dark inside, but the moonlight from the window provided enough light to illuminate the room. She didn’t see any creepy-crawly things on the walls or the floor, so she figured it was safe. Plus, Chris would help her again if she was in trouble.

“Bonny?” Chris called to her gently.

Bon Bon turned her head to look back at him on the couch. “Yes?”

“I just wanted to say, umm, well. Thank you for hanging out here with me and offering me a job,” Chris thanked kindly.

“You're welcome Chris,” Bon Bon replied with a warm smile. “Maybe tomorrow I can show you how I make caramel.”

Chris nodded his head and gave her a big thumbs-up, which confused her. Why was he saying he liked spaghetti now? Did he want her to make him some? No, he wouldn’t want her to do that. He still had his sandwich to eat. “W-well, good night, Chris,” she added turning back to the bedroom.

“Good night, Bonny,” Chris replied as she softly shut the broken door behind her. She got up on the bed and wormed her way under the covers, turning around to poke her head out before laying it on her pillow and closing her eyes. Thoughts of everything that had happened that day immediately clouded her mind. Chris was quite a charming stallion, and a lot of fun to talk to. She was actually kind of excited to show him how she made her candies, and she was happy to call him a friend.

It didn’t take long before Bon Bon drifted off to sleep.

Revenge and Candy

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Revenge and Candy

Lyra tiredly held up her lyre in her hooves as she mindlessly plucked away at the strings with her magic, going through the motions of the Winter Wrap Up melody that she had done a million times before. She struggled to keep her eyes open as she played along with the orchestra around her, watching her lyre as the strings vibrated with each note she played.

Sleep had been a struggle for her lately. She couldn't stop thinking about Chris and Bon Bon. She hoped that they were getting along and Bon Bon wasn’t being her usual stubborn self.

Lyra knew Chris wouldn’t let Bon Bon do that. He would go nuts if she wasn’t at least talking to him by now. If anypony could get her to come out of her shell, it was him, but Lyra couldn't help wondering what they might be doing in that cabin right now. Maybe she could check on them later, just to see if things were going smoothly.

The more Lyra thought about it the more she realised she couldn't do that. It would just be too risky. What if somepony saw where she was going and followed her? She would have to stay away from the cabin until the spell wore off, but she might be able to just peek into the window and… No, she couldn’t.

“Lyra?”

Maybe she made a mistake. What if her plan was doing the exact opposite of what she thought it would do? What if Bon Bon and Chris weren't really meant to be together like she originally thought?

But, that couldn't be true. Bon Bon definitely saw something in Chris at The Everfree Moon; there was no doubt in her mind. The way Bon Bon looked at him when she took the firelily said it all. It was the right choice to put them together and it was the only way Bon Bon would even give Chris a chance.

“Lyra?”

But would they even forgive her once this was all over?

Lyra could feel her eyes start to water as she thought about losing the ones she loved the most because of her actions. It was a scary and horrible thought, but she couldn’t blame them if they didn’t want to see her anymore. Maybe it wouldn’t be too late to dispel the barrier, tell them she was sorry and try to make it up to them. All she would have to do is―

“LYRA HEARTSTRINGS!”

Lyra jumped, jerking her head up and looked towards the source of the voice that called to her. She saw Octavia in the front of the room, looking directly at her with a confused and worried expression. The grey earth pony was standing up, holding her cello in her hooves as if she was in the middle of playing a note.

“We’ve moved on from Winter Wrap Up a while ago. Can you please keep up with us?” Octavia asked in a kind, yet exhausted tone.

Lyra glanced around the room and saw that everypony had stopped playing their instruments to glare at her. The crowd of ponies were giving her a mix of bemused and frustrated looks.

Lyra smiled sheepishly in embarrassment and looked back towards Octavia. “S-sorry. I-I wasn’t... paying attention.”

“Yes, I could hear that,” Octavia said in a disheartening tone before sighing deeply. “How about we conclude practice early today,” she said as she started to put her cello away in its proper case. “Everypony played exceptionally well and I expect the same performance during tomorrow's practice,” she added as everypony in the room started to pack their instruments away.

Lyra took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before using her magic to put her lyre in its case. Thoughts about Chris and Bon Bon continued to plague her mind as she placed the case in her saddlebags. She fought back a tear as she set the bags on her haunches and slowly made her way towards the exit, hanging her head in despair.

“Lyra,” Octavia called softly from behind her, causing her to freeze just as she was about to reach the exit. “I want you to stay. We need to talk.”

Lyra groaned to herself, knowing what was going to come next. She stepped away from the door, making her way towards Octavia, who was standing in the middle of the room with her cello case strapped to her back.

Once everypony had left Octavia looked directly into Lyra’s exhausted and baggy eyes with a worried frown. “Lyra… what's been going on with you lately?”

Lyra knew this question was coming. “I-I’m sorry Octavia, I just…” she started to explain, not daring to look directly into Octavia's eyes. “I know I haven’t been performing at my best. I-I’ll make sure I do better tomorrow.”

Octavia frowned deeply. “You've just been so distant and distracted,” she pointed out, sounding concerned. “You're one of our best musicians here, but you keep playing off tempo and you even started to play that… that really strange and sad melody in the middle of Beethoofen’s 5th yesterday.”

Lyra sighed tiredly, knowing exactly what song she was talking about. “I-I’m sorry..." she said softly, not really sure what else to say.

"I've never heard that song before. Is it one of your own?"

"O-oh, no it's..." Lyra started to explain shyly, hesitating as she drew a small circle in the floor with her hoof. "I-it’s just this song from Chris’s old world that he, uhh... told me about. He loves it when I play it for him,” she reminisced with a gentle smile, but frowned once she remembered where he was at the moment.

“Has... everything been okay with you and Chris?”

“Y-yeah... we're fine,” Lyra responded nervously, keeping her gaze down.

Octavia walked up to Lyra’s side and placed her hoof over her withers in a comforting gesture. “Lyra, I can tell that’s not true. I’m your friend and you can tell me what's wrong.”

Lyra shut her eyes and turned her head away from Octavia. “It’s nothing, really, everything's fine,” she argued weakly.

“You two haven’t split up or anything, have you?” Octavia asked softly. “He hasn’t... hurt you, has he?” she added in a whisper.

“What?!” Lyra shouted, jerking her head towards Octavia, looking directly into her eyes with a scowl. “He would never do something like that! And we didn’t break up!” she snapped loudly.

Octavia quickly took her hoof off Lyra’s withers and held it up in a defensive manner. “M-my apologies. I meant no offence.”

Lyra groaned, shutting her eyes as she massaged her temple with a hoof. “I’m sorry, Octavia," she said, placing her hoof back down. “You're just looking out for me. I didn’t mean to snap.” She let out a long exhausted sigh, opening her eyes slightly so she could peer down at her hooves. “I've just been so on edge ever since...” she started to explain, but stopped once she realised what she was about to say.

“Since what? You can tell me.” Octavia tried to reassure her. “I’m willing to lend an ear and help if at all possible.”

Lyra continued to stare down at her hooves as she contemplated Octavia’s offer. She really wanted to talk to somepony, or anypony about what happened. “I-It’s just…” she began to explain again, but hesitated, shutting her eyes tightly. She couldn’t just tell Octavia what she did to Chris and Bon Bon.

“It’s okay, Lyra,” Octavia reassured her in a sweet, friendly voice. “I'll swear to secrecy if I must.”

Octavia's offer was extremely tempting. Lyra needed a friend to talk to right now and Octavia was one of her best. She had known the earth pony for most of her musical career and she knew that Octavia was a trustworthy and kind-hearted pony. If there was anypony that she could trust to keep a secret it was her.

“If... I tell you…” Lyra began to say, opening her eyes, looking up to Octavia with a sad, pleading expression. “You have to promise me that you won’t say a word to anypony else.”

Octavia nodded her head in agreement, holding a hoof over her chest. “I swear on my honor as a musician I will tell no pony," she stated, dropping her hoof down, smiling warmly at Lyra. "Now, I would like to know what has been troubling one of my dearest friends so much.”

Lyra smiled briefly at her remark before taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. “You remember what happened after… Chris and I took Bonny out for a date?”

Octavia nodded her head. “Yes, I remember that. I can’t imagine why Bon Bon would hit Chris so suddenly like that,” she admitted with a frown.

“I know right!?” Lyra shouted in frustration. “It was so strange and I tried to talk to her about it afterwards, but she wouldn’t tell me what was wrong!” she half shouted, stomping a hoof down in annoyance.

“So, is that why you've been so distracted lately?” Octavia asked, frowning in concern.

“Well, no…” Lyra admitted, rubbing the back of her neck with a hoof, looking away. “I-I mean, yes… but no...” she added vaguely, dropping her hoof back down.

“Then what is it? Please tell me, I’m really starting to worry about you,” Octavia pleaded.

Lyra looked back to Octavia with saddened eyes. She hesitated, thinking whether this was really a good idea or not. She squeezed her left foreleg with her hoof, biting her bottom lip for a moment as she thought about what she would say. “I… I think I did something… terrible... to Chris and Bon Bon…” she finally admitted with teary eyes.

Octavia raised a confused and concerned eyebrow, tilting her head to the side ever so slightly. “What do you mean?” she asked flatly.

“I…I lied to them.”

Octavia blinked a few times in confusion. “Is that it?”

“N-no… I-I tricked them into spending time... with each other," Lyra half mumbled.

“You… did?” Octavia asked, sounding baffled.

Lyra nodded her head slowly. “I…” she started to say, but paused, thinking that it would be best not to tell Octavia the whole truth. She took a short moment to think more about her little lie before continuing. “I umm, tricked them into going on a… long... cruise... together…” she lied, trailing off into a soft whisper.

Octavia lifted a hoof to her lips and scrunched up her muzzle, trying to hold back her laughter. “Y-you… t-tricked them... into...,” she tried to say before finally burst into a fit of giggles.

Lyra forced herself to laugh awkwardly with Octavia. It was good that her friend could at least find what she did funny. That was a good sign that she bought her little lie and didn't think what she did was terrible.

Octavia quickly calmed herself, dropping her hoof down. “Oh... my,” she breathed. “I’m sorry, Lyra. I didn’t mean to laugh,” she apologised gently with a brief giggle. “I just can’t believe you managed to actually trick them into going on a cruise together.”

Lyra let out a aloft and nervous laugh, rubbing her foreleg tightly. “Y-yeah... p-pretty crazy, huh?”

Octavia took another deep breath before smiling back at Lyra. “That is indeed crazy,” she agreed jokingly. “You’ll have to tell me how you pulled that one off later.” She giggled under her breath a few times before. “But I do feel that what you did was wrong," she admitted somberly. "Even if it was just to send them away on a fun cruise together, you really shouldn't be tricking ponies like that.”

Lyra sighed deeply, hanging her head down in shame. She knew Octavia was right. It was a good thing that she didn't know the whole truth.

“Knowing you, though, I’m sure you had a good reason,” Octavia continued with a soft smile. “So why did you feel it was necessary to get those two together?”

Lyra looked back at Octavia with a tired and stressed expression. “I tried to talk to Bonny about what happened, but you know how she gets sometimes,” she started to explain, sounding worn out and beaten. “I think it has something to do with Silver Wing, but she refused to talk about it.”

“Bon Bon was rather hurt after what he did to her. I can see why she would be apprehensive towards another stallion if that was the case.”

“That was so long ago, though," Lyra argued, frowning deeply. "And I don’t even know if that’s the real reason why she left that night. I have a feeling there’s more to it, but she won't tell me. And I know she doesn’t have to fear Chris hurting her like Silver did.”

Octavia hummed to herself in thought, looking away for a moment. "I would have to agree with that. I can't see Chris ever doing what Silver did.”

"That's not the only reason I did it," Lyra added in a soft, somber tone, looking down at the floor. "I know them both extremely well and it's obvious that they would be happy together. They even share a passion for cooking!"

Octavia nodded her head in understanding. “So that’s why you felt like you had to trick them into spending time with each other?” she asked in a serious tone. "Because Bon Bon wouldn't have given Chris a chance otherwise?"

“Yes,” Lyra admitted simply, nodding her head.

Octavia frowned in thought for a moment, humming to herself before replying to Lyra. “I know Bon Bon can be… oh, what's the word?” she paused, rubbing her hoof over her chin. “Unreasonably difficult when it comes to talking about personal matters,” she said, placing her hoof back down, looking back to Lyra. “And if you're certain that they would make each other happy, then I can see where you're coming from.”

Octavia placed her hoof on Lyra’s shoulder, causing her to look up. “I do have to admit though. I am a little disappointed that you would lie to them, but at least you sent them on a nice cruise where they can relax and enjoy themselves.”

“Y-yeah,” Lyra stuttered, feeling even more ashamed. She wished that was true. It would have been nicer if she sent those two on a nice romantic cruise, but even that might not have worked considering Bon Bon would've just stayed away from Chris the whole time. “I… I know what I did was wrong… I just… I just wanted all of us to be happy together,” she half-babbled as tears started to well up in her eyes. “But now… now I’m afraid they won't forgive me when they get back… I’m… I-I’m afraid of losing them.”

“There, there, dear,” Octavia cooed reassuringly as she wrapped her hoof around Lyra and pulled her into a friendly embrace. “Don’t say such things. I can’t see that happening at all.”

Lyra held Octavia tightly with her foreleg as she leaned her head against Octavia’s neck. “Y-you… don’t think they'll leave me?” she whimpered sadly. She wanted to believe her friend’s words, but how could Chris and Bon Bon ever forgive her? “W-what I did to them was awful.”

Octavia shook her head in disagreement, giving Lyra a reassuring squeeze. “I don’t believe that,” she countered in a warm, friendly tone. “What you did wasn’t very nice, but I’ve seen the way Chris looks at you,” she added with a giggle. “He loves you and he’s practically attached to your hip. And Bon Bon has loved you for longer than I’ve known you," she reassured Lyra, giving her a tight, friendly squeeze. "I was so delighted when you told me you were finally taking Bon Bon out on a real date; it was about time you two made it official.”

Lyra shut her teary eyes tightly, nodding her head and taking a moment to enjoy the much-needed hug. “T-thank you, Octavia,” she sniffled.

“Of course,” Octavia responded, pulling away from the hug but keeping her hoof on Lyra’s shoulder. She looked into Lyra’s eyes with a comforting and reassuring smile. “I know things will work out. Who knows, maybe your little trick worked,” she teased lightly before giving Lyra a more serious look. “But if I was in your position, I would be thinking of a way to apologise to them. And I wouldn’t be pulling stunts like this ever again.”

“Y-yeah,” Lyra agreed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hoof. “I won’t lie or trick them ever again," she said, dropping her hoof down, breaking their embrace and taking a small step back.

Octavia’s opened her mouth to say something else, but was interrupted when somepony opened the door and trotted into the room. “Yo, Tavi!” called a loud and energetic voice.

Lyra and Octavia both turned their heads and saw Vinyl Scratch. The white unicorn grinned at them both, wearing those purple sunglasses that she always had. “Oh hey, Lyra!” Vinyl greeted warmly as she happily trotted up Octavia. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.”

Octavia sighed softly, shaking her head slightly. “Hello, Vinyl,” she greeted as she turned to face the unicorn.

“Hey, babe," Vinyl cooed lovingly. "I thought I'd come by and see if you wanted to get lunch," she added, wrapping her foreleg around Octavia, pulling her into a loving kiss which the earth pony gladly accepted.

Octavia broke their kiss, blushing softly. “Could you just give us a moment, sweetheart? I need to finish talking with Lyra.”

“Oh, yeah?” Vinyl asked, letting go of Octavia as she faced Lyra. She stared at the unicorn for a moment, then lifted her purple shades with her magic, letting them rest on her horn, revealing her concerned, rose-colored eyes. "Woah, you don't look so good, Harps. You been sleeping at all?"

"I'm fine," Lyra replied weakly. "I've just had a lot on my mind lately."

“Sorry about bustin' in like this, then,” Vinyl apologised with with a frown. "I'll just come back later, Tavi," she said, making her way back out.

“O-oh, it’s fine,” Lyra reassured them both, causing Vinyl to stop mid-step. “We're just finishing up and I should really be heading home.”

“Are you sure, Lyra?” Octavia questioned. “We can keep talking if you'd like.”

Lyra nodded her head. “Yeah, I’m okay now. Thank you so much for listening to me, Octavia.”

“Yeah, Tavi's pretty awesome," Vinyl chimed in happily. "Always helping ponies and looking sexy as ever,” she teased with a wide cocky grin, kissing her lover on her now-rosy cheek.

Octavia giggled, playfully pushing Vinyl away with her hoof. “Oh, stop it! You know flattery doesn't work on me.”

Vinyl snickered before turning her attention back to Lyra. “So, it’s been awhile. How’ve you and Chips been doing?”

“Vinyl!” Octavia chided, with a scowl. “His name is Chris, not Chips. Please don’t embarrass me in front of our friend.”

Lyra laughed out loud, which caused Octavia to look back at her in surprise. “It’s okay. I like that name. I’ll have to remember that one for later. Chris would get a kick out of it,” she reassured Octavia, before facing Vinyl. “Chris and I are doing fine and thank you for asking.”

“Cool! You two are a pretty badass couple, ya know?” Vinyl complemented with wide smirk and a wink. "I wish I could date a weird alien. Well... aside from Tavi here, of course."

Octavia huffed in mock-annoyance at her lover, trying to hide her smile with little success. “Yes, yes. Very funny.”

Lyra snorted, stifling a laugh at her friends.

“Are you sure you’re okay now, Lyra?” Octavia asked with concern.

Lyra nodded her head. “Yeah, I’m sure. And I promise I’ll be at my best for tomorrow's practice.”

Octavia waved a limp, dismissive hoof at Lyra. “You go practice at home. I think it would benefit you to take some time off and relax a little.”

“Thanks," Lyra replied, smiling happily. "And thanks again for listening.”

“Of course, Lyra. Anytime."

“Hey!” Vinyl shouted in excitement. “Since you're off tomorrow, we can go out for some drinks and have some fun! You can bring Chips with you!”

“Thanks for the offer Vinyl, but I think I’ll take a rain check on that. I just want to stay home and chill for a while.”

“Lame!” Vinyl said, with a mock frown before flashing Lyra a big toothy smile. “Nah that’s cool, I getcha. Have fun with your day off!”

“Feel better, Lyra and I’ll see you later,” Octavia said as she started to walk out of the room with Vinyl close behind. “Do try to take it easy, won’t you?” she added looking over her shoulder.

“I will.” Lyra waved her hoof as they both exited the room, closing the door behind them, leaving her all alone. She slowly lowered her hoof back to the ground as her smile melted into a sad frown.

Lyra stood in the empty room, mulling over everything Octavia told her. She wanted to believe that Chris and Bon Bon would forgive her, but how could they? She sat back on her haunches and whimpered quietly to herself as her eyes started to water again. She just hoped they were doing okay.

Bon Bon kicked the bathtub’s stopper out with her hoof, letting the water drain out completely before shaking some of the excess off of her. She hadn’t been able to have a proper bath since this whole cabin fiasco had started and she was starting to feel pretty grimy. She figured it was time to clean herself, plus she couldn't let her coat get all dirty and frazzled with Chris around.

The only downside was that she couldn't clean her mane or back very well since she left her special earth pony bathing brush and grooming combs at home. Bon Bon had left all those behind, thinking Lyra would have been in the cabin to help her bathe. If she got her mane wet now without properly combing it afterwards it would just get matted, so it would just have to wait until she got home. Luckily her mane was still intact for the most part.

Bon Bon stepped out of the tub and walked up to the sink, opening one of the drawers. She found a collection of unicorn combs that she could use, but the sight only made her sigh in despair. Most of the brushes had no handle to speak of. This wouldn’t have been a problem if Lyra was here to help her.

Sighing to herself, she pulled out one of the larger brushes and set it down on the floor. She then bit a towel that was hanging from the wall and draped it over her back. She used her forehooves to rub the fabric into her coat as best she could, drying of the water that reminded in her coat.

Once she was dry enough, she bit the towel and laid it down, flat on the floor. Curling her tail under her legs, she sat down and folded the fabric over her tail before pressing down with her hooves, patting it dry.

“That should do it,” Bon Bon quietly whispered to herself, unwrapping the towel before taking the comb in her teeth. She scooped up part of her tail in her forelegs, lifting it closer to her muzzle before running the comb through her hair. It was difficult, but she knew it would be. She continued to work out the knots and tangles for what felt like hours before giving up and putting the comb back in the drawer.

“There,” Bon Bon breathed, looking down at her now straight and combed out tail. She looked around the room for her curlers that were nowhere to be found. They were still in her saddlebag in the bedroom; she forgot to grab them.

“Oh, shoot,” she pouted to herself, frowning with disappointment. It looked like she might have to walk around with a straight tail for most of the day. She just hoped that Chris wouldn’t mind.

But, why would it matter what he thought?

Bon Bon blushed and rolled her eyes at the silly notion. 'It's not like I'm trying to impress him or anything,' she thought with a giggle. She figured Chris wouldn’t even notice, but she did remember Lyra saying something about him liking her curls... No, that couldn’t have been true and it really didn’t matter what he thought. She could go the rest of the day, and even the rest of the two weeks without curling her tail. It was just one less thing to worry about.

Bon Bon stood up and looked back, flicking her tail around in the air a few times before letting it fall back. Part of it was dragging on the floor now, making it look similar to the way Fluttershy wore hers.

She admired her work for a moment, thinking that she did a pretty decent job considering she wasn’t using her normal brushes. She opened the bathroom door and saw that Chris was on the couch reading that parental guide book again. “I’m done now. Sorry I took so long,” she said as she walked into the living room.

Chris closed his book before setting it down and standing up. “It’s okay; I don’t mind,” he reassured her as he bent down and picked up a neatly folded pile of new clothing before standing up and facing her again. "I know how troublesome manestyling can be," he teased with a wink.

"Y-yeah," Bon Bon giggled nervously. If only Chris knew exactly how long it took her to brush and style her mane when she could do it. She might have been in there for hours if that was the case.

Chris started to make his way to the bathroom, but stopped suddenly, giving Bon Bon a curious look. “Did you... change something?”

Bon Bon blushed, darting her eyes left and right. “W-what do you mean?” she questioned, taking a small step back, shying away from his gaze.

“Your tail… it’s all straight now,” Chris pointed out, sounding slightly disappointed.

Bon Bon looked back at her tail. “O-oh, I-I just… umm,” she started to explain, facing her back end away from him, hiding her tail behind her. “J-just forgot my curlers in the bedroom, s-so I haven't put them in yet,” she reassured him with an awkward smile.

“Oh, good." Chris replied in relief. "I mean, the straight look is really nice on you, but I really like your curls.”

“Y-you d-do?” Bon Bon asked shyly as her heart start to beat faster in her chest.

“Yeah," Chris replied with soft blush, looking towards bathroom door while rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "I just always thought they were really cute and, umm... pretty," he admitted shyly.

Bon Bon blinked up at him, feeling like her cheeks where going to catch fire. She didn't even know how to respond to that. "I-I... Th-thank you." Lyra was right, Chris really did like her curly tail and mane. She didn't think anypony ever cared or even noticed, especially not... the human.

Chris coughed into his fist, keeping his gaze fixed on the bathroom door. "I'll just, umm, take my shower now so we can start making some candy."

"O-okay," Bon Bon replied softly as Chris entered the bathroom.

She stared at the door for a moment before looking back at her tail. She lifted it up, swaying it back and forth in the air a few times. 'Maybe... I should curl it after all,' she thought to herself before her eyes widened in realization. "N-Not because Chris said he liked it or anything... It's just... dragging on the floor... a-and I don't want it to get dirty again," she tried to convince herself as she trotted into the bedroom to find her curlers.

It didn't take Bon Bon long to put her curlers in and Chris was still in the shower when she walked out of the bedroom. She didn't know how long it took humans to wash and groom themselves, but as far as she knew, he didn't have a lot of fur and his mane was on the shorter side. He might not be in there much longer, but she figured she still had time to get the kitchen ready.

Bon Bon walked into the kitchen to gather all the ingredients they needed to make caramel. She found everything she needed pretty easily and placed all the items on the counter.

With some time to kill she thought she could start cleaning up Chris’s mess in the living room for him, or at least organize it a little. She started to make her way out, but stopped once she noticed Scary’s aquarium. She cringed a little, remembering there was a spider in the area. At least he was still in his little tank, so that was good, but she thought she should check on him really quick, just to make sure he had some water.

Bon Bon slowly crept up to the aquarium, getting just close enough see Scary’s little saucer dish. It was still filled with water and seemed untouched, which made her look around for Scary. He was nowhere to be found which caused her to panic a little. Did he get out and was now crawling around in the cabin somewhere?

“S-Scary?” Bon Bon called out softly as she moved closer. She leaned in, darting her eyes all over the aquarium in a frenzied panic, trying to see if he was hiding somewhere. “Scary!?”

Suddenly a small patch of dirt next to the piece of wood started to move.

“Eep!” Bon Bon squeaked, flinching her head back as Scary slowly crawled out of the dirt and moved to the center of the aquarium, covered in the soil he was hiding in.

Bon Bon let out a sigh of relief, holding a hoof over her chest. “Y-you frightened me!”

Scary shuddered his little body in response, shaking all the dirt off his fur before turning and looking up to Bon Bon.

Bon Bon raised a curious eyebrow at Scary. She had to admit that was kind of cute, even for a terrifying creature like him. It reminded her of something a little bird might do when taking a bath in a small puddle of water. “You know…” she mused softly, “you don't seem all that terrifying when you do cute things like that.”

Scary’s little eyes started to widen and glisten in response as he stared up at her.

Bon Bon frowned in confusion at this, tilting her head to the side. “Are… are you giving me… puppy dog eyes?” she questioned in disbelief.

Scary kept his gaze on her as his adorable little eyes started to shimmer in the light.

Bon Bon winced, feeling very uncomfortable with how adorable Scary was being at the moment. “S-stop that… You're not supposed to be cute… you're supposed to be scary and terrifying.”

Scary’s expression melted into a more sad and hurt frown as he slowly turned away from her.

“W-wait, I’m sorry,” she said, causing Scary to stop and turn back. “I didn’t mean to say those mean things it’s just… spiders really scare me, okay…” she admitted with a sad frown.

Scary walked up to the glass of the aquarium and pawed at it lightly with one of his forelegs.

Bon Bon sighed, hanging her head down and shaking it in disbelief. “I can’t believe I’m talking to a spider right now,” she mumbled under her breath before looking back up to Scary who was still staring at her. There was no way she would be doing this if he wasn’t behind that glass. She looked back to the bathroom to check that Chris was still in there. She stared at the door for a moment, frowning as she thought deeply before looking back to scary. “Scary… What do you think of Chris?”

Scary placed his leg down and backed away from the glass, taking a moment to rub his face a few times with his little feelers.

“You think he’s nice?” Bon Bon continued, causing Scary to stop his rubbing and look up at her. “I mean… he’s a really kind and sweet stallion, but… oh, I’m not sure what to think,” she admitted sadly. “I just wish I wasn’t so afraid of his... hands… touching me...” She shivered at the unwelcomed thought.

Scary remained motionless as he gazed up at her.

“I just don’t know… part of me thinks that Lyra might have b―”

Suddenly the door to the bathroom opened, interrupting Bon Bon. She looked over and saw Chris standing in the doorway of bathroom. He was wearing clean clothes now and had his old dirty ones from this morning draped over his arms. His mane and beard seemed to be trimmed as well. It was a really good look for him and she had to admit that, for being a weird alien, he really wasn’t that bad looking. In fact he was quite charming.

Bon Bon watched as he walked up to the couch and dropped his dirty things down, adding to the mess in the livingroom. She walked out of the kitchen and towards the couch, cringing slightly.

“You okay?” Chris called to her, making her look up at him. He seemed to have noticed her discomfort.

“I-I hate to be rude,” Bon Bon said shyly, glancing back at the mess. “But… can we clean this place up later?”

Chris scanned the room for a moment and cringed when he saw the mess. “I guess I kind of let this place go, huh?” he admitted, turning back to Bon Bon and gave her an embarrassed smile. “How about I clean it up after we cook?”

Bon Bon smiled up at him. “That would be fine. Oh, and I can help!” she stated excitedly which caused Chris to tilt his head and raise an eyebrow.

“What?” Bon Bon asked, blinking up at him.

“Well, for a second there, it sounded like you were super excited about cleaning.”

“Cleaning is fun!” Bon Bon expressed happily, which caused Chris to shake his head in disagreement. She furrowed her brow at him, but kept her smile, feeling a little deja vu. Lyra would always give a similar reaction whenever she tried to get her into the spirit of cleaning. “Don’t worry. I’ll show you just how much fun it can be later, but for now,” she paused for dramatic effect, grinning with excitement, “I’m going to teach you how to make some delicious candy the Bon Bon way!” she cheered, holding up a triumphant hoof in the air.

Chris contorted his face and bit his lip, trying desperately to contain his laughter.

“What?” Bon Bon questioned, giving him a confused look.

Chris burst out laughing which caused Bon Bon to blush brightly and slowly put her hoof back down. “Wh-what's so funny?”

Chris stifled his laughter, wiping away a happy tear from his eye before looking back to Bon Bon. “You’re a dork.”

Bon Bon already knew this and she wasn’t ashamed of her dorky nature. She huffed playfully in mock-annoyance, shutting her eyes and holding her nose up in the air. “I’m just passionate about cooking,” she stated firmly. “And this dork is going to show you a thing or two, so hurry up and get in here,” she demanded as she turned around and started to head back into the kitchen.

“Yes, ma'am,” Chris said before following her.

Bon Bon happily trotted up to the wide variety of items she had collected and turned back to Chris, beaming with eager excitement.

“Somepony’s excited,” Chris pointed out as he walked up to the counter and glanced over the ingredients. “So let’s see,” he mused, stroking his fuzzy chin. “We have white and brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, unsalted butter, and some heavy cream.” He hummed to himself before looking back to Bon Bon with an almost disappointed expression. “This all seems really simple and standard for making caramel, but your candies always seem to come out a lot richer than the stuff I’m used to back home. I was half expecting to see some secret ingredient that you use or something.”

Bon Bon giggled under her breath. “Don’t start putting your cart before the pony, mister. We’ll get to that part later.”

"Well, alright then!" Chris said excitedly, gave her an eager smile, clapping his hands together. “So what are we doing first?”

“We aren’t doing anything.” Bon Bon corrected. “But you,” she stated, pointing a hoof in Chris’s direction, “are going to be making our sweets today. And I want you to follow my instructions to the best of your abilities.”

“Okay, sounds easy enough,” Chris replied with confidence.

“We’ll see about that. Now I want you to start mixing the sugars, syrup, and cream in that pot over on the stove,” Bon Bon ordered, pointing a hoof at the pot in question. “I’ll tell you how much you need of everything.”

“You're the boss,” Chris replied as he started to reach for the sugar first, but hesitated. “Wait.” He glanced over all the ingredients again with a confused look.

“What’s wrong?” Bon Bon asked, puzzled.

Chris frowned, looking back to Bon Bon. “We don’t have the vanilla extract. And I don’t think we have any in the cabin.”

“Oh that? Don’t worry. I got some in my saddlebags back in the bedroom," Bon Bon explained happily.

Chris snorted, trying to hold back a laugh. “You keep vanilla extract in your saddlebags?” he questioned with a smirk.

Bon Bon blushed, looking away from him. “W-well, n-no, not all the time... I-It’s just a special blend a-and I thought I would need it to…” she tried to explain herself, but grunted in embarrassment. “J-just focus on the mixing.”

Chris snickered. “You're weird,” he teased.

“Hey! You’re the weird one here, mister… mister alien from another world!” she retorted playfully, trying to sound stern and hold back her smile, but failed.

“Hmmm, you make a good point,” Chris agreed, turning his attention back to the task at hoof.

Bon Bon watched as he worked. She made sure he was adding in the right amount of ingredients before telling him to turn the stove on and start mixing everything together. His experience in the kitchen was evident and only made the idea of working with him all the more exciting for her.

Bon Bon got up on her hind legs and placed her forehooves on the counter for support. “Okay now,” Bon Bon started to explain carefully, peering into the pot to make sure everything was still going smoothly. “Turn the heat up just a little to bring everything to a nice, steady boil.”

“Can do,” Chris replied, doing as she asked of him.

“Perfect!” Bon Bon cheered. “Now all you have to do is keep stirring. You want to make sure all that sugar dissolves nicely.” She placed her elbows on the counter, propping her head up with her hooves as she slowly wagged her tail back and forth. She had to admit that getting to watch somepony else cook with her was a lot of fun. It reminded her of how Lyra would always try to do her little part to help in the kitchen, which led her to reminisce about the last time she made caramel with Lyra.

Bon Bon let out a soft, muffled giggle at the memory, which caused Chris to turn and look at her. “What’s so funny?” he asked as he kept stirring the caramel.

Bon Bon blinked a few times, not realizing she giggled out loud. “Oh, I-I was just remembering this time I cooked caramel with Lyra,” she explained with a sheepish smile.

“And you were just going to hold on to another great story about Lyra and not tell me about it?” Chris questioned in disbelief, almost as if he was hurt by that fact. “Come on, you gotta tell me.”

“I-it’s not really a silly story,” Bon Bon admitted with a frown, not knowing if she should really tell Chris about this particular moment. “I-I’m not sure I should…”

“Oooooh,” Chris sang in a knowing tone. “It’s one of thooose stories.”

“W-what?!” Bon Bon shouted in shocked embarrassment, jerking her head towards Chris as she placed her hooves back on the counter. “N-no! I-It’s not that kind of―I-I mean it’s not what you think!” she quickly tried to defend herself, blushing uncontrollably.

Chris chuckled, focusing on his stirring. “It’s okay, you don’t need to feel embarrassed. I know you two love each other, and I know how things can heat up when she’s around,” he teased and with a knowing grin.

Bon Bon’s whole face turned a bright crimson as her embarrassment shot through the roof. “N-n-no... I-It’s not like that... I-I wouldn’t, I-I mean I would, b-b-but not in the,” Bon Bon babbled, then growled in frustration. “I’ll just tell you!”

Chris kept up his stirring as he turned his head towards Bon Bon, eagerly awaiting her story.

“I-it was before you were Lyra’s coltfriend.” This caused Chris slow his stirring and raise an eyebrow. “I was in the kitchen making caramel like you're doing now, but Lyra was making it difficult for me to concentrate.”

“Oh, I know all too well how ‘distracting’ Lyra can be in the kitchen,” Chris teased her with an amused smirk.

Bon Bon puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. “Not like that!” she said loudly, knowing that he was just trying to get her flustered again. She shoved him playfully with her hoof in retaliation. “You need to get your mind out of the gutter.”

“Okay, okay,” Chris chuckled, “I’m sorry, please continue.”

“Thank you,” Bon Bon replied kindly. “As I was saying. Lyra was just pacing back and forth, muttering about you and making it difficult for me to focus on what I was doing.”

“Wait, about me?” Chris asked, sounding shocked.

“Yes,” Bon Bon answered, nodding her head. “She was absolutely obsessed with you for the longest time. It’s all she ever wanted to talk about!” she said in an exhausted tone. “She had been wanting to confess her feelings for you, for…” she paused, looking down at the counter, tapping a hoof to her chin as she thought back for a moment. “Well, for as long as you've been in Equestria.”

Chris’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really? That long?” he asked. “I mean, I know she was trying to get me to notice her for a long time, but I didn’t think…” he trailed off.

“Yeah, she was pretty taken with you,” Bon Bon said softly, with a sigh. “But she could never muster up the courage to ask if she could court you, so I offered to help her get over her fears and confess everything to you that day.”

“Wait, what!?” Chris asked in shock, causing his stirring to stop completely. “You helped her do that?!”

“Y-yeah,” Bon Bon replied nervously. “I-I mean she was so infatuated with you and it was driving her insane that you didn’t seem to return any of her feelings even though she was constantly flirting with you.”

Chris winced a bit at that. “Yeah... I... wasn’t in my right mind back then…” he admitted sadly, looking back to the pot.

“No, you weren't,” Bon Bon agreed. “But, I helped get her ready to try and woo you. We even went out and bought a dozen or so roses, which were very expensive by the way,” she added with a scowl and a ting of agitation to her voice.

“S-sorry about that…”

“Oh, it’s not your fault…” Bon Bon reassured him, but paused and thought twice about that answer. “Actually, it was your fault, but it helped Lyra to come clean and I’m glad she did.”

Chris stared down at the now almost boiling mixture in the pot. “I just can’t believe that,” he muttered softly.

Bon Bon frowned and perked her ears up to hear him better even though she got the gist of what he said. “You can’t believe what?”

Chris looked back to her with an almost puzzled expression. “You helping Lyra,” he clarified. “I kind of thought you didn't like me back then.”

Bon Bon’s ears splayed back as she looked down at her hooves on the counter. “W-well… I-I―”

“It’s okay, I understand why,” Chris interrupted her with a hint of sadness, sighing deeply. “I mean, now I understand.”

Bon Bon felt her heart drop into her stomach. She felt terrible about the way she had been treating him. She thought back to all the times she ran from him, or ignored him when he tried to say hello.

“I’m… I’m sorry about the way I treated you…” Bon Bon apologised softly, keeping her gaze down and away from him.

“It’s alright, Bonny, I under―”

“No!” Bon Bon shouted in anger, jerking her head up towards Chris. “It’s wasn’t fair that I acted like that. You were only trying to be my friend and I just ignored you like some kind of rude pony,” she argued sadly. “I let my fears get the better of me and―”

“But, we’re friends now,” Chris interrupted her, looking back at her with a warm smile.

Bon Bon froze as she looked up at him. She did consider them to be friends now, but it was heartwarming to hear him say it. “Yeah,” she agreed softly with a smile. “We’re friends now.”

“Then all the stuff before is just water under the bridge,” Chris stated, turning his attention back to the caramel mixture in the pot. “And I should thank you for helping Lyra. By doing that, you helped me discover how much I truly love her. If she hadn’t come up to me that day then I might have never come to terms with my own feelings, so… thank you for helping me find the love of my life,” he said in a genuine and sincere tone.

Bon Bon felt wonderful knowing that she was able to help Chris confess his feelings as well. She might have been sour about it before, but now she was happy. “You're welcome Chris, but I’m sure you would’ve come around eventually. It’s hard not to fall in love with that pony,” she teased, sticking her tongue out at him.

Chris let out an awkward and shy laugh. “Yeah, that’s true,” he agreed softly as the mixture in the pot reached a steady boil. “Looks like this is ready for the next step.”

Bon Bon leaned over the counter to check, seeing he was right. “Okay, now you can stop stirring and you’re going to need the thermometer over there.” Bon Bon pointed with her hoof to the thermometer that was on the counter.

“Okay,” Chris confirmed, placing the wooden spoon down before picking up the thermometer.

“Just clip that to the edge of the pot and keep an eye on the temperature. We need it to be at exactly 250°F before we do anything else.”

“250°F? Got it,” Chris repeated as he fixed the thermometer to the side of the pot, letting the end rest in the now bubbling, gooey mixture.

“While you watch that I’m going to get my vanilla extract from my saddlebags,” Bon Bon stated as she started to make her way out of the kitchen.

“What ever you say… dork,” Chris muttered under his breath, but just loud enough for Bon Bon to hear.

Bon Bon whipped her tail against Chris’s rear end in retaliation, letting the curlers that were still in bump against his firm back side. “Hush you,” she said before joyfully trotting out of the kitchen and into the bedroom. She thought now would be a good time to take her curlers out and put them back in her bag. She quickly found her vanilla extract carried it back to the kitchen, setting it down on the counter.

Chris looked down at the bottle then back to Bon Bon. “So, what’s so special about this vanilla that you thought it was necessary to pack for a two week long stay in a cabin?” he asked in a teasing manner.

“Well, I thought I was going to be here with Lyra and I wanted to use this to make her some candies while I was here,” Bon Bon admitted with a sigh. “But, remember before when you thought I had a secret ingredient for my candies?” she asked, looking up at him with a smile.

Chris only nodded his head.

“This would be one of those little secrets,” Bon Bon stated, pushing the small bottle closer to Chris with her nose.

Chris raised a curious eyebrow. “No kidding? What’s so secret about it?” he asked with curious wonderment.

“It’s a special formula I make myself,” Bon Bon explained proudly. “Once we get out of this cabin I can show you how it’s made, but you can’t tell anypony about any of it!” she demanded firmly, giving Chris a serious look.

Chris pinched his thumb and index finger together and move them across his mouth. “My lips are sealed.”

Bon Bon smiled before turning her attention to the thermometer, letting the room fall into silence as they both watched.

“You know…” Chris spoke up, interrupting the silence. “I was thinking about Lyra and your plans for expanding the shop last night.”

Bon Bon looked up at him, raising a curious eyebrow. “You… were?”

“Yeah, I was thinking that Lyra might be able to help with the store as well.”

Bon Bon rolled her eyes. “Lyra already helps me in the shop when she can,” she explained as if he should’ve already known that. “But that is a lovely idea.”

“No, not like that,” Chris retorted quickly, looking down at her. “I know she helps a little in the kitchen and helps with customers, but I think she should help with her music.”

“Her… music?” Bon Bon questioned, blinking up at him.

“Yeah, think about it. She only practices with her orchestra group in the mornings and her concert gigs are pretty far apart, so she could play some music for all the shop patrons during the afternoon, or just play a few shows when we’re the busiest.”

“I…” Bon Bon started to say but paused to think about that. It was actually a pretty good idea. She never thought about having Lyra help with her special talent before, but it seemed so obvious now. “I think that’s a great idea, Chris,” she complemented. “I’m not sure why I haven’t thought of that before. We’ll have to ask her about that once we get out of here!”

Chris nodded his head in agreement, looking back at the thermometer. “But, you know…” he started to say, but hesitated, stroking his fuzzy chin in thought. “We can’t just let her get away with this.”

“Get away with what?” Bon Bon asked in confusion.

“You know,” Chris said with a frown, looking back to Bon Bon. “This whole cabin thing,” he explained, fanning out his hand, gesturing to the whole room.

“Ooooh,” Bon Bon replied, but furrowed her brow in confusion. “What do you mean exactly?”

Chris rolled his eyes. “I mean we need to get a little revenge on her,” he explained with a mischievous smirk.

Bon Bon scrunched up her muzzle for a moment. She never really thought about getting revenge for what Lyra did. She knew that she wanted to have a long talk with her, but pulling a prank on her might be… fun. She couldn’t deny that the idea was a pleasing one, but she didn’t know what they could do. “What did you have in mind?”

“I was thinking,” Chris mused as he looked back to the pot, watching the temperature. “I saw these little ring things at this… umm… store” he explained vaguely, which caused Bon Bon to look up at him curiously.

“What store?” Bon Bon questioned, noticing Chris’s soft blush on his cheeks.

“Umm, well… i-it was at an adult shop,” Chris admitted shyly, which caused Bon Bon to blush.

“Oh… I-I see,” Bon Bon replied shyly.

“Anyways,” Chris continued, clearing his throat. “I saw these little rings there that cancel out magic that unicorns can wear. They had a locking enchantment on them, so she wouldn’t be able to get it off without the key that comes with it. I figured we can trick her into putting one on and make it so she couldn’t use her magic for a while.”

Bon Bon frowned Chris’s idea for a prank. “I don’t know about that… It seems a little too cruel. I mean Lyra relies on her magic all the time and she needs it to play her instruments. That’s her whole livelihood.”

Chris hummed to himself in thought, scratching his beard. “I guess you’re right. I didn’t really think about that… that would be a little much.”

Bon Bon looked back to the thermometer as she brainstormed more ideas. “I got it!” she shouted excitedly, causing Chris to jump back a bit in surprise.

“What is it?” Chris asked with wide-eyed excitement. “You got a good idea for a prank?”

“Yes!” Bon Bon chirped happily. “And it’s a hilarious one,” she stated, holding back her giggles.

“What is it?”

Bon Bon held a hoof to her lips trying not to giggle from her clever little idea. “How about instead of a magic canceling ring,” she started to explain, pausing for dramatic effect. “We tie a frilly pink bow to her horn and she’ll have to walk around all day with it!” she blurted out, breaking out into a fit laughter at her own idea, finding it immensely amusing.

Chris just grinned and raised a questioning eyebrow. “A pink bow? Really?” he questioned, not sounding convinced of the idea.

Bon Bon stifled her laughter and looked up at him. “Yeah! It would be perfect! Lyra hates girly things, and it would embarrass her so much!” she explained, fighting back more giggles.

Chris shook his head in disagreement. “Not that I don’t think that’s a super hilarious prank or anything, but I think we can go a little bigger.”

“Awwww,” Bon Bon whined in disappointment. “But she would look sooooo cute with a pink bow on her horn!”

Chris laughed loudly. “Well, I can’t deny how adorable it would be to see Lyra like that. Maybe we could do that and something else. Like a big prank combo.”

The room went quiet for a short moment as they both continued to think before Chris spoke up. “You know. I’m half-tempted to get Twilight to put a spell on my hands to make them look like hooves,” he mused with a snicker. “That would really freak Lyra out.”

Bon Bon frowned, knowing exactly why Lyra wouldn’t enjoy that. She always talked about how wonderful and amazing Chris’s hands were.

‘How could Lyra like Chris’s hands so much?’ Bon Bon thought to herself. It seemed like Chris's digits would just feel like creepy, spindly spiders trying to crawl all over her. In fact the idea of him having hooves instead of hands was a pleasing one. She actually wanted him to do that for her own sake, which in turn just made her feel terrible. She shouldn’t want her friends to change what makes them who they are. No matter how much she wanted it.

“N-no. I don’t like that idea… Can we do something else, please?” Bon Bon asked in a sad and dry tone. She just wished she could get over her stupid fear of spiders and stop comparing Chris’s hands to the terrifying creatures.

“Hmm, well,” Chris continued, not noticing Bon Bon’s change in mood. “We could get Pinkie Pie to hide all of Lyra's instruments for a short while and replace them with balloon replicas. I think that might be pretty funny.”

Bon Bon started to smile again, picturing the confused look on Lyra’s face as she held up a balloon lyre with a cute pink bow on her horn, making her giggle in the back of her throat. “Yeah,” she replied softly, nodding her head in agreement. “I really like that one. We’ll add that to the list for sure.”

Chris chuckled as he watched the thermometer gauge reach exactly 250°F. “The caramel’s at the right temperature now,” he pointed out, looking back to Bon Bon, waiting for what her next step was.

Bon Bon double checked the thermometer and saw that he was right. “Perfect! Now take it off the heat and turn the stove off.”

Chris did as ordered, and turned back to Bon Bon with an excited gleam in his eye. “So, is this secret vanilla extract time?!”

Bon Bon bit her lip trying not to laugh at how excited Chris was. He was quite the silly and excitable human at times. “Yes, but you don’t need much for this batch. My vanilla extract is pretty strong, so just add in a teaspoon.”

Chris reached out to the tiny bottle and added the right amount into the bubbling mixture, then placed the bottle back down.

“Now add the butter and salt, and mix it all together," Bon Bon continued, watching him carefully. “This part’s important, so make sure it all gets nice and blended before we move on to the next step.”

Chris nodded and did as directed, grabbing the wooden spoon and using it to stir everything in the pot.

Bon Bon opened the cabinet under the counter and pulled out a small, thin non-stick pan and placed it down on the counter before looking up to Chris. “Once you’re confident everything is mixed and ready, I want you to pour it all onto this pan, but slowly and evenly.”

“You got it, candy butt,” Chris teased.

“Oh, ha-ha,” Bon Bon laughed sarcastically, blushing. “That joke is even funnier the second time,” she teased back, trying to hold back a smile. “Just focus on pouring that caramel onto the pan, mister.”

Chris chuckled lightly as he continued to stir. After a short while, he placed the spoon down and lifted the pot by its wooden handle, moving it over to the waiting pan and started to slowly pour the thick, gooey candy out. Once the pan was filled, he placed the now empty pot back on the stove and faced Bon Bon. "So, how long do we have until we can start cutting it up?"

Bon Bon stuck her tongue out and scrunched up her muzzle, thinking for a moment. "Well… It normally takes a few hours for it to cool, but it's pretty chilly in here, so it shouldn’t take that long.” She got up on her haunches and held on to the counter with her forelegs as she inspected the caramel in the pan for a moment. “You did really well,” she praised, looking up to Chris. “I know cooking caramel isn’t the most complicated thing in the world, but you made a good batch of candy a lot quicker then I could’ve done working alone.”

Chris shrugged. “I was just following your instructions, besides we haven’t even tasted it yet. It could taste awful.”

“I guess there is still the taste test to perform,” Bon Bon mused, stepping off the counter. “But we’ll have plenty of time for that later once it's cooled off. Then we can cut it up and start wrapping the individual pieces.”

“That could be fun,” Chris happily added.

“And speaking of fun,” Bon Bon sang, giving Chris a wide, dorky grin. “I can show you how fun it can be to clean while we wait for the caramel to cool!” she expressed with an excited little bounce before happily trotting out of the kitchen. “Come on, you’ll see!”

Chris rolled his eyes, but followed Bon Bon into the living room.

It took an hour to clean the whole cabin and Bon Bon failed in her quest to help Chris see how magical and fun cleaning can be. “You mean you didn’t think any of that was fun?” she asked with a hint of sadness. “Don’t you feel all warm and happy inside now?”

Chris rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “I mean, it feels great having a clean and organized cabin again, but I’m just not good at singing like you ponies are,” he admitted, walking back into the kitchen.

Bon Bon huffed in sad disappointment, following close behind. “You didn’t even sing with me!” she chastised softly with a frown, puffing up her cheeks.

“I didn’t know the lyrics!” Chris retorted quickly. “Besides, I just can’t enjoy all that scrubbing and dusting, but it was a lot of fun getting to hear your singing voice,” he admitted as he leaned against the kitchen counter next to the caramel. “I’d love to hear that again.”

Bon Bon giggled nervously with a bright blush. “Y-yes w-well,” she stuttered, before clearing her throat. “Maybe next time I can get you to sing with me.”

Chris grumbled quietly to himself in response as Bon Bon walked over and placed her hooves on the counter. She giggled softly at him before looking to the now cooled candy. “It looks like this is ready to be cut up. Then we can start wrapping them in wax paper for storage.”

“Awesome!” Chris blurted out excitedly. “I saw a folding table down in the basement. I’ll go get it and set it up next to the couch.”

“That sounds good,” Bon Bon replied, opening the drawer with all the knives in it with her hoof. “I’ll just use the pizza cutter to cut these up while you do that,” she said as she bit the cutter in her teeth and set it down on the counter. It was the only cutting tool in the kitchen she could easily use on her own.

Chris nodded and walked out of the kitchen.

“Oh, and Chris,” Bon Bon called, causing Chris to stop mid step and look back. “Please make sure the table is clean.”

“Don’t worry,” Chris said reassuringly. “I’ll make sure it’s nice and sanitized.” He gave a salute with his hand before heading down to the basement.

While Chris was busy setting up the folding table, Bon Bon finished cutting the caramel into small rectangles. She placed the pieces in the center of a clean cloth before folding the four corners of the cloth over the pile of candy. She bit the joined corners it in her mouth and carried it to the living room where Chris had just finished wiping off the table.

“Cwuld ywu get da wax papwa?” Bon Bon mumbled through the fabric in her teeth.

Chris muttered something under his breath about ponies and something being adorable, but Bon Bon couldn’t make it out. “Whwt?”

Chris chuckled to himself and shook his head slightly. “Nothing. I’ll go get the paper,” he said as he walked into the kitchen.

Bon Bon got up on the couch and placed the cloth down in the center of the table and waited for Chris to return. It didn't take long for him to walk in with the wax paper and some scissors. He quickly took a seat next to her and started to cut the paper into small squares, putting them into a small pile between them.

Bon Bon reached her hooves out and gripped a piece of candy, popping it in her mouth. She savored the treat, humming in delight.

"Is it good?" Chris asked in concern.

Bon Bon simply nodded her head in approval, unable to answer as she chewed the candy. The texture was nice and it tasted like a caramel should, but it wasn’t the same as what she made and sold in her shop. That was more the ingredients fault then it was Chris’s. The sugar and cream were a cheaper brand than what she normally uses, but he did a wonderful job considering. She couldn’t wait to get home and really put him to the test.

“I gotta try a piece,” Chris stated as he reach out and pick up a caramel, popping it into his mouth. He suckled and chewed it a few times, but shrugged his shoulder. “It’s okay I guess. I think yours are better,” he admitted as he continued to chew the treat.

Bon Bon giggled in the back of her throat at him, before chewing and swallowing the candy. She then grabbed a small square of wax paper and placing it in front of her, then grabbed another piece of candy. She placed it on the paper and wrapped it the best she could. It took her a while and it was a little awkward wrapping candy with her hooves, but she managed okay.

They both continued to work in a comfortable silence until Chris spoke up as he finished cutting the last piece of wax paper. “So, umm…” he started to say shyly, hesitating for a moment. “How long have you, ehh, known Lyra for?” he finally asked, placing the scissors down, reaching out towards the pile of caramel so he could start wrapping as well.

Bon Bon hummed to herself as she thought. “Well, it was right after I moved to Ponyville when I was just a filly. We met because we were attending the same school at the time.”

“Oh? Did you guys… umm, become friends right away?” Chris asked sounding curious as he turned to face her.

Bon Bon blushed lightly as she started to remember when she first became friends with Lyra. “N-not exactly,” she answered in a bashful tone. “Lyra actually wouldn’t talk to me at all when I first arrived. She would talk to everypony else, but she’d shy away from me if I approached her.”

“Really?” Chris asked,

Bon Bon giggle under her breath, smiling softly. “Yes, but everypony in my class kind of ignored me back then, so I didn’t think much of it at the time.”

“So how did you two become friends then?”

“Well, one day at recess a few bullies decided they would pick on me for being the new filly in town,” Bon Bon replied, which caused Chris to frown deeply. “Don’t worry,” she said in a comforting tone, noticing his saddened expression. “They didn’t hurt me or anything, and you know how foals can be when somepony new comes into town.”

“Yeah, but I still don’t like hearing that you got bullied,” Chris admitted, sounding disheartened.

“It’s just what foals do,” Bon Bon explained nonchalantly with a shrug. “But, Lyra came to my rescue that day...” she paused, letting out a dreamy sigh before continuing. “She was so brave to help me and she told those bullies off pretty quick.”

Chris grinned to himself. “I can only imagine what she told them,” he chuckled, which caused Bon Bon to giggle as well.

“Let’s just say she had a pretty colorful vocabulary for being such a young filly,” Bon Bon said as her smile widened and her eyelids fell slightly. “But, once the bullies left... Lyra turned to me and tried so hard to ask me if I wanted to go play with her.” Bon Bon sighed deeply with a warm blush on her cheeks as she continued to reminisce. “It took her forever to finally stop babbling and invite me over to her house after school, and ever since then we’ve been the best of friends.”

“That’s a very sweet story,” Chris said, smiling softly before frowning with a sigh as he reached for another candy to wrap. It was obvious that something was bothering him.

“What's the matter?” Bon Bon asked, frowning in concern.

“It’s just… well…” Chris started to say, but took a breath and exhaled slowly, not daring to look back at Bon Bon as he continued to wrap candy. “I’m... sorry.”

Bon Bon blinked in confusion. His apologie seemed so spontaneous and he hadn't done anything wrong as far as she knew. “What ever are you saying sorry for?”

“I just… I feel like I got between you and Lyra,” Chris admitted in a somber tone as he placed the wrapped candy into the finished pile he had started.

“Oh…” Bon Bon slowed her wrapping before stopping completely, letting out a soft sigh. She used to resent Chris for Lyra moving out, but hearing him apologize for it now just felt sour and wrong. She might have resented him in the past, but she couldn’t really blame him for wanting to spend time with the one he loves the most. Plus he didn’t do anything to change her friendship with Lyra. “It’s okay. We’re still great friends.”

Chris looked back to Bon Bon with a deep frown. “It’s just… it seems like ever since I started dating Lyra, you two haven’t been as close as you were before and I don’t want you to stop loving her because of me.”

Bon Bon paused at that comment. Did he think that she didn’t love Lyra anymore because of him? That wasn’t true at all. She still loved Lyra with all her heart, she was just avoiding her because she didn’t want to be... around… him…

Bon Bon winced once she remembered the real reason why she would never spend as much time with Lyra. She couldn’t admit any of that to him though. “I-it’s not like that at all. I-I still love Lyra,” she reassured him sweetly. “A-and you didn’t do anything to change that, honestly.” She reached her hoof out and pulled another caramel to wrap towards her. It was true that she still loved Lyra, but he didn’t need to know that she was spending less time with her because of him.

Chris smiled for a brief moment. “Thanks Bonny… That makes me feel better,” he said, sounding more upbeat. “You should come by and hang out with Lyra more. It would really make her happy.”

“I promise that after we get our revenge, then I’ll spend more time with her,” she reassured him sweetly. “A-and you…” she added softly in a bashful tone, blushing deeply.

Chris’s smile widened at her words. “I would love that,” he replied, as they continued to wrap candy in silence.

“You know,” Chris mused, breaking the silence as he reached for another piece of caramel. “It’s still kind of strange to me that you ponies are a polyamorous culture.”

“Why is that?” Bon Bon questioned as she fiddled with the candy in her hooves, wrapping it in the wax paper. “It’s a normal thing.”

“I know,” Chris replied, finishing his wrapping and moving on to another piece. “It’s just that I came from a world where you picked one mate and lived with them for the rest of your life.”

“Really?” Bon Bon questioned. “Well, that’s not completely unheard of. There are some ponies that only fall in love with just one mate, but most ponies will find a herd to start a family with. It’s really common.”

Chris nodded his head in understanding. “Did you, umm…” Chris started to ask in a bashful tone, but paused.

“Did I what?” Bon Bon asked, tilting her head to the slightly to the side as she looked up to him.

“Did you ever fall in love with anypony else? Other than Lyra?”

Bon Bon froze completely at that question, making her drop the half wrapped caramel candy that was in her hooves. There was only one name that entered her mind when he asked that question… Silver Wing. “I-I… I, umm,” she stuttered, feeling very uncomfortable.

“Oh? So there was another?” Chris asked sounding curious, not picking up on her discomfort. “Was it another pretty mare?” he teased with a strange eyebrow wiggle.

“N-no… I-I―”

“Or a dreamy stallion?” Chris added, interrupting her as he continued his playful teasing. “I bet it was that Time Turner guy wasn't it? He seems like the dreamy type.”

“N-no, it wasn’t―”

“Oh! I bet it was Big Mac, huh? Hey, I don’t blame you for wanting a piece of tha―”

“His name was SILVER WING!” Bon Bon yelled, scowling at Chris as tears started to well up in her eyes, causing him to flinch back in surprise.

“H-hey, I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I-I was just playing around,” Chris quickly tried to defend himself, leaning away from her.

Bon Bon’s scowl slowly melted into a sad frown, making her sigh when she realized what she did. “No… I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at you,” she apologized, slowly blinking away her tears as she looked away from him.

“I-it’s okay,” Chris reassured her, relaxing a little more as he sat up again. “So, umm, his name is Silver Wing then?”

“Yes,” Bon Bon admitted dryly as she slumped back, letting her herself sink into the surprisingly comfortable couch cushion.

“I see,” Chris replied softly. “I’m going to guess that this Silver Wing wasn’t the best guy around.”

“No,” Bon Bon confirmed flatly. “He wasn’t very nice at all,” she added with a huff, scowling again.

The room fell into silence once more. Both Chris and Bon Bon stayed motionless for a time, until Bon Bon spoke up again. “I’m sorry, he just... really hurt me.”

Chris frowned, scratching his beard in thought for a moment before replying. “So… how can I find out where this Silver Wing dip shit lives?

“Dip... sh-eet?” Bon Bon sounded out the unfamiliar word quietly to herself. Whatever that word meant it didn’t sound nice. Chris was obviously upset. “I wouldn’t know where he lives,” she admitted with a sigh. “He left me after…” she started to explain but stopped, unsure if she should be telling Chris these more personal stories.

“After what?” Chris asked, sounding deeply concerned and worried. “You can tell me.”

Bon Bon sighed as she thought. Maybe it would be okay to tell Chris what happened. It would feel good to talk to somepony else about it; like when she talked to him about her fears. Besides, it’s not like it was some big secret. Pretty much half the town knew what Silver did to her.

Having made up her mind, Bon Bon sat up and took a deep breath. “Maybe I should start from the beginning.”

Chris said nothing, but turned his body to face her more, giving her his full attention.

“It was… about five years ago when I met him at this traveling stunt show Lyra took me to,” Bon Bon began to explain, fidgeting with her hooves on the couch. “Silver was one of the main pegasi performers there. He was great at really wowing the crowd when it was his turn to perform.”

She started to fidget with her hooves as she dug up the painful memories. “In one of his more daring acts... h-he flew past the crowd but slowed down when he flew by and gave me a wink. I-I didn’t think much of it at the time, but... but after the show he came out and found me,” she continued, hanging her head down in shame. “I shouldn’t have been so blind,” she mumbled under her breath, going quiet for a moment.

“What happened next?” Chris asked in a disheartened tone.

Bon Bon took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “He asked me out on a date and I stupidly agreed,” she said, with a tinge of anger and self hate. “He was a great liar too,” she huffed. “He would say all these nice empty things like, you're so beautiful, babe, and you’re the one for me.” Bon Bon shook her head in disgust as tears started to well around her eyes. “I was such a foolish little filly back then.”

“What did he do?” Chris asked dryly, sounding more worried.

“He just kept asking me out on nice dates and bought me fancy flowers. H-he was so kind and generous... I-I thought he... actually cared about me... t-then one day... I-I," Bon Bon stuttered, trailing off as her eyes started to water more. She took a deep breath, calming herself before continuing in a flat, exhausted tone. "I made the mistake of sharing a bed with him." Her body shivered in disgust at the memory.

“I thought he loved me and I knew I loved him,” Bon Bon said dryly as she wiped away a tear with her hoof. “Or a-at least I loved the lie he portrayed himself as,” she added, sniffling a few few times.

“Bonny…” Chris said softly, reaching out a hand, but stopping and placing it back down. “It wasn’t your fault, he played with your heart, you couldn't have known.”

Bon Bon shook her head in disagreement. "I should’ve known. Even Lyra told me he was no good, but I didn't listen to her."

"It wasn't your fault," Chris protested gently, trying to reassure her.

“The worst part,” Bon Bon continued sadly. “After he was done… u-using me!” she spat in anger. “He left the very next morning before I even woke up. He didn’t leave me a note or anything, and I never could figure out why he left.” Bon Bon fought back the tears as she became more heated and angry. “W-was I that bad in bed? Did he just do all that stuff to sleep with me? W-what pony would do such a thing? A-are all stallions like him?!” she whimpered angrily.

“Bonny… don’t say that. Not all stallions are like that,” Chris tried to comfort her in a gentle voice.

Bon Bon sniffed and wiped away her tears with both hooves. “I know, but―," she stopped, sighing deeply. "I-I’m sorry Chris… I didn't mean to say those mean things,” she said, collecting herself more. "I know not all stallions are like him, but it's just―,”

"hard for you to trust them," Chris finished for her softly. "I've been there before and know what it can be like when someo―I mean somepony just leaves you and breaks your heart."

Bon Bon sniffled a few times, then turned her head to look up at him. "You... you do?" She questioned sadly. "D-did your lover leave you after they slept with you?"

"Not exactly,” Chris admitted, looking down and away for a moment. “It was a similar situation. Only… I had been dating her for over a year at that point."

Bon Bon frowned. “W-what happened?”

“Well, this was before I ended up here in Equestria. I was dating this, ehh, human mare. Her name was Rebecca.”

“Rebecca?” Bon Bon questioned, blinking a few times. “So, all you humans have those, umm, interesting names?”

Chris smiled briefly and chuckled. “Yeah, we’re weird creatures, but I’m sure you already knew that,” he said with a giggle which caused Bon Bon to smile in response. “Silly names aside,” he continued, frowning again. “I was in love with Rebecca. She was everything to me and I thought she loved me too.”

Bon Bon sat up a little more and turned her whole body, facing Chris as she listened intently to his story.

“Just like Silver Wing, Rebecca would always tell me that she loved me and would often talk about our future together. I was actually starting to make plans to marry her when the time was right,” Chris explained with a smile as he reminisced about the good times they’d had together, but sighed sadly. “But one day… out of nowhere she just stopped talking to me. I couldn’t figure out why she was ignoring all my calls and text messages.”

“Text… messages?” Bon Bon questioned, giving Chris a curious look. “What is that?”

Chris laughed softly shaking his head. “It’s a little hard to explain, but lets just call them instant letters. Like what Spike does for Twilight, only everypony could do it and without the baby dragon.”

“Oh, wow,” Bon Bon said in awe, wanting to know more about these text messages, but stopped when she realized she was she was getting off track. “W-well, you’ll have to tell me more about that sometime, but why did Rebecca stop talking to you?”

Chris scowled and shut his eyes, turning his head away from her. “She… slept with another... man... I mean stallion.”

Bon Bon frowned in confusion. “D-did, she not want to try a herd with you?” she questioned, but remembered Chris told her that humans were monogamous. She quickly covered her mouth with her hooves, regretting what she had just said. She hoped Chris wasn’t offended now. “I-I’m sorry. I forgot you humans only stay with one partner.”

“It’s okay,” Chris reassured her softly. “I know the herd thing is normal for you ponies.”

Bon Bon removed her hooves from her lips and gave Chris a sympathetic frown. “But, that's terrible she did that to you. It must have been awful to find out she betrayed your love.”

“It was very painful,” Chris admitted with a soft sigh. “She called me the next day after I found out and told me that she never loved me and I was a fool to think she thought the same.”

“That’s horrible!” Bon Bon cried loudly. “Why would somepony say such a thing?”

Chris shrugged his shoulders. “I wish I knew.”

“What did you do after that?” Bon Bon questioned.

“Moped around my house for months,” Chris replied flatly.

Bon Bon did that as well after Silver left her. She never left her house and it took Lyra months to get her to come out and walk amongst the living again. “I know how that is… I didn’t want to leave my home ever again after what Silver did.”

Chris nodded his head. “It’s not fun having your heart ripped out, and for a time I felt like I never wanted to love again.”

Bon Bon could relate to that. She was lucky to have Lyra in her life, but she didn’t know if she could ever trust a stallion with her heart again. “I-I know what you mean…” she admitted sadly, hanging her head down, looking away from him.

“But you know what?” Chris said in a more upbeat tone, causing Bon Bon to slowly look up to him. “After a while I realized I couldn’t just wallow in self pity and let one person make me give up on love completely. If I did that then I would’ve never given Lyra a chance.”

Bon Bon sat up straight and perked her ears up.

“I just couldn't give up on finding love because of what one mare did to me. I took what Rebecca did as a... learning experience.” Chris looked towards Bon Bon before continuing. “I look at it this way: there are lots of ponies out there that could make you happy, but you just have to live your life and keep your eye out for them.”

Bon Bon looked up and smiled at him, feeling a little better. His words where surprisingly comforting. She could definitely learn from what Silver did to her. Plus, she didn’t want to be afraid of loving stallions all her life. She wanted to raise a happy family one day when she found that special somepony. That dream would be impossible if she never gave ponies a chance.

“I… I like that,” Bon Bon said, softly. “Thank you Chris… I’ll remember your words.”

Chris’s smile widened. “Yeah? Well, I’m glad I could help,” he said happily, reaching out to the pile of candy to start wrapping again.

Bon Bon looked down at her hooves on the couch as she mulled over everything Chris had said some more. He was a little dense at times, but he could be a wise stallion when he wanted to be. She smiled to herself as she mindlessly reached her hoof out to start wrapping candies again.

Once her hoof reached the pile, something soft yet firm landed on top of her hoof. It was a strange feeling, but had a certain pleasantness to it. She turned her head and looked down at her hoof and saw that Chris’s hand had accidentally grabbed onto her. Time slowed down as her pupils constricted and that strange feeling started to morph into a prickly, burning sensation. Memories of the spider that crawled on her hoof and sent her to the hospital flooded her mind, sending chills down her spine.

Bon Bon squeaked loudly, jerking her hoof away and pinning it tightly to her chest, cradling it with her other hoof as she looked up to Chris in a panic.

“Bonny!” Chris cried, pulling his hand away quickly, hiding it behind his back. “I’m so sorry! I-I wasn’t looking where I was reaching! I didn’t mean to do that honestly!”

Bon Bon rubbed her hoof, petting the spot that Chris touched over and over again as she heaved. Her whole body started to tremble as she tried to speak to him, but only her heavy breathing could be heard.

“Bonny… are you okay?” Chris asked, frowning in concern.

Bon Bon’s eyes started to water as she struggled to calm herself. ‘It wasn’t a spider, it was just his hand. It wasn’t a spider, it was just his hand. It wasn’t a spider, it was just his hand,” she thought over and over again, trying to convince herself to let go of her unreasonable fear. ‘It didn’t even feel like a spider at first. It was nice. Focus on that feeling. Just focus on that feeling.’

“Bonny?”

Bon Bon shut her eyes and took several long and deep breaths, calming herself down. The thoughts of how his hand felt before she knew what was touching her helped as well. She kept her hooves pressed against her chest and slowly opened her eyes once she was in control again and looked up to Chris. “I-I’m s-sorry… I-I didn’t…. mean to f-freak out,” she stuttered breathlessly. “I-I know you, d-didn’t mean … t-t-o d-do that.”

Chris frowned deeply. “Are you going to be okay?”

“Y-yes… I-I’m fine now,” Bon Bon replied weakly, trying to act like everything was normal. She didn’t want to show Chris that she was still afraid and wanted to keep wrapping candies with him. She turned back to the caramel pile on the table and slowly reached out a trembling hoof and knocked part of the pile away. “O-oh… s-shoot.” she said shakily as more tears started to well in her eyes.

“Maybe you should take a break and go rest,” Chris offered, sounding even more concerned.

“N-No!” Bon Bon practically shouted. “I-I’m fine, h-honestly… I-I want to k-keep... w-wrapping w-with you.” She reached out a shaky hoof again and managed to grab a caramel and pull it towards her. Just to help prove her point she started to wrap it, but only managed to crush the sweet, causing her to whimper softly.

“You're still shaking,” Chris pointed out sadly. “I’ll finish wrapping the candies while you go rest.”

“I-I don’t want that!” Bon Bon shouted in anger, feeling frustrated that her hooves wouldn’t stop shaking as a tear streamed down her cheek. “I-I don’t want to be afraid…” she whimpered sadly as she held her hooves to her chest again and shut her eyes.

“You shouldn’t force it. I’m not mad or anything, but I’m worried about you. Please… for me… just go rest.”

Bon Bon shut her eyes and whimpered softly for a moment. “I-I’m sorry,” she sobbed.

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Chris reassured her in a friendly tone. “I’ll finish up here and bring you some dinner later, okay?”

Bon Bon wanted to stay and try to wrap another caramel, but she knew that would only end in the same result as before. She felt absolutely terrible for her actions, but Chris was right. She needed to calm herself and get some rest.

Without saying a word, she slowly put her hooves down on the floor and started to walk on shaky legs towards the bedroom. She stopped just as she was about to enter the door and looked back towards Chris. “I-I promise, I-I’ll be out again soon. O-okay?” she stuttered.

Chris nodded his head, giving her a soft, reassuring smile. “I would enjoy that, but don’t push yourself.”

Bon Bon forced a smile, entered the bedroom, and shut the broken door. She walked over to her saddlebags and used her nose to open the loose flap. There was a black box in the center of the bag with a small white string around it that acted like a handle. She bit the string and lifted the box out before turning and jumping up on the bed.

After sliding into the covers, she dropped the box in front of her and opened it with her snout. She peered inside and saw the firelily Chris had given to her at The Everfree Moon. She let her muzzle drift inches away from the flower before shutting her eyes. She inhaled deeply, letting the nostalgic fragrance fill her senses, helping her to relax even more.

Whimpering to herself, she let her head fall to the pillow as she pressed the box against her chest. “C-Chris…” she whimpered softly as she tried desperately to fall asleep.

The Past

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The Past

Chris stared up at the ceiling as he laid on the couch, using his dirty laundry as a makeshift blanket. His mind was buzzing with thoughts of everything that happened yesterday after he grabbed Bon Bon's hoof by mistake. She came out of the bedroom later like she promised, but she was a lot less talkative and upbeat for the remainder of the day. It was obvious that she was still shaken from the event and it pained him to see her like that.

He pulled his right hand out from under the shirts that covered his chest and glared at it, frowning in disappointment. He flexed his fingers a few times as he thought of ways he could prevent another accident. It was almost comical how Lyra was obsessed with his hands yet Bon Bon was terrified of them.

Chris sighed before resting his seemingly cursed appendage on his chest. Bon Bon was such a sweet mare and fun to be around. She’s strong, passionate, and downright beautiful. Not only in body, but in mind. He wanted to keep getting to know her more and find out if these feelings he was having for her were true, but his spider-like hands were making that impossible.

Chris rubbed his tired eyes before staring up at the ceiling again. No matter what, he wanted Bon Bon to stay in his life and he felt that in order to do that he had to think of a way to help her with her phobia, or at least make it easier for her to deal with. The only problem was he didn't know how to go about it. The best he could think of was to somehow turn his hands into hooves, but that wasn't an option… at least not at the moment.

A cold shiver ran through Chris's body, breaking him out of his thoughts. He got up and collected all his dirty laundry, putting it into a small laundry basket he had found instead of letting it lay around the room. He then added a few logs to the hearth. Once the logs were in place he grabbed the enchanted flint and steel and used it to start a fire. He placed the enchanted tools down, then stretched out with a big yawn.

It was also that time in the day when Chris would normally check to see if the front door was still sealed. He walked up to the door and jiggled the handle, but just like every morning he checked, the door remained shut. He wasn’t even sure why he was still checking at this point. It seemed that Lyra had cast the spell correctly and it was foolish of him to think it would just wear off soon. Plus, he wasn’t really looking forward to the inevitable talk he needed to have with Lyra.

Chris looked towards the bedroom where Bon Bon was still resting inside. He hoped she was feeling better today. If not, then there might be something fun they could do together that would cheer her up, or at least keep her mind off his hands. There really wasn't a whole lot to do in the cabin, aside from talking, cooking, and reading. Maybe he could find something fun in the basement like a board game, or even some playing cards. It was worth a look.

With this in mind, he walked down to the basement, only to find that his search for something fun was going to be a lot harder than he originally thought. This basement was like a hoarder’s dream, but nothing seemed to catch his eye.

Chris was about to give up when he noticed a strange wooden box that was on top the pile of junk in the center of the room. The box looked like an old phonograph, except the flower-shaped cone part was missing. He glanced around for the missing part and found it resting in an open box on the floor that was also filled with some vinyl records. He sat down next to the box and attached the missing part to the phonograph before setting it down in front of him.

“Let’s see if this thing still works,” Chris said to himself as he thumbed through the small collection of music. He couldn’t recognize any of the band names, so he picked one out at random and set it down on the phonograph turntable. He was about to wind it up, but noticed that the crank was missing. Before he could turn to look for it, the record started to glow with a golden aura of magic and spin on its own.

“Well, that’s handy,” Chris mused, reaching for the needle before placing it on the record. He sat back and listened, but only soft static could be heard until a gentle waltz began to play. It was a beautiful song and he took a moment to listen. The quality wasn’t the best, but it was clear enough to enjoy.

While the song played, he looked through the other records and found one that read simply as Swing. A smile started to appear on Chris’s lips as he took the waltz record off and replaced it with the new one. Almost immediately a new song began to play, causing him to bob his head to the beat. It had been a while since he had gotten a chance to listen to music like this and his body started to sway in-time with the rhythm.

Chris kept thinking how much fun it would be to get Bon Bon to let loose and watch her swing it with him. Perhaps he could surprise her with it one day, but now might not be the best time. She was probably still shaken from what happened yesterday and wouldn’t be up for dancing.

He let the song play to completion before placing the records back into the box. He put everything away into a safe spot that he could easily come back to later.

Standing up, he looked around the basement again, glancing over all the shelves once more. He looked over one shelf in particular that was filled with what looked like some gardening tools, until his sight fell upon something interesting. “What’s this?” he asked himself as he reach out to the soft, rubber-like items. His eyes started to widen once he realized what he was now holding. “These are perfect!”

Celestia's sun shone brightly in the cold winter sky, illuminating the bedroom and shining directly onto Bon Bon’s face, causing her eyes to slowly flutter open. She yawned loudly, stretching out all four limbs under the bedsheets before curling them back into her body. She nuzzled her head deeper into her pillow as memories of what happened yesterday filled her mind, making her frown. She still felt awful for freaking out and did the best she could to act like everything was normal around Chris, but her shaky hooves made that difficult. She felt a lot better now and wanted to make it up to Chris somehow.

Bon Bon pushed herself up with her forelegs, letting the covers slide off her body completely. She sat there, contemplating what she could do for Chris. Making him a tasty treat was definitely an option. He might like some of her cookies. It had been a while since she had made those for anypony, but she was confident Chris would enjoy some.

“What kind of cookies do humans like?” Bon Bon mused to herself as she rubbed the underside of her chin with the back of her hoof. She remembered he ate that daisy sandwich she made for him, so perhaps he might like some oatmeal cookies with daisy petals. Those where some of her favorites growing up.

Smiling and nodding to herself, she went to hop off the bed, but stopped when a wonderful and calming fragrance of sugary oranges filled her nostrils. She looked to the source and saw the black box with the firelily inside, sitting there on the nightstand. It was still out and opened, next to that adorable picture of Lyra playing in the mud. She was using the flower last night to help her calm down enough to sleep. It worked, but she didn't need it anymore now.

Bon Bon got off the bed and closed the box before putting it back in her saddlebag were it was safe. She then started to make her way out, but paused when she thought she heard Chris walk up to the bedroom door. “Bonny!” his excited voice called to her from the other side. “Are you up? I have a surprise for you.”

Bon Bon blinked a few times in confusion before answering him. “Y-yes. I was just about to come out.” What could he possibly have that would be a surprise? She couldn't think of anything, but that didn't stop her from getting excited.

“Come out here, quick!”

Bon Bon smiled and shook her head. “Okay, okay. Just hold your ponies,” she said happily as she opened the door to see Chris standing there with a big goofy grin on his face that caused her smile to widen. She looked down to see that his hands were behind his back. “So, what's the surprise?”

“Check out what I found in the basement,” Chris said with eager excitement as he brought his arms around, revealing brown, hooved shaped gardening boots that covered his hands and half his forearms.

Bon Bon’s smile slowly melted into a frown as she inspected the boots. She had a bad feeling about why Chris was wearing those things and it caused her to look up at him with a questioning expression. “You found… boots?”

“Yeah! My hands look like hooves now!” Chris said, pointing happily. “You don’t have to worry about me touching you with my hands again.”

Bon Bon didn’t like this at all. The fact that Chris felt like he needed to cover himself made her stomach twist into a sickened knot. Her frown deepened for a moment before she forced a smile. “That’s very sweet of you to do and I’m grateful that you're thinking of me, but you really don’t have to do that. I’ll be fine I promise,” she reassured him sweetly. “You can take those silly things off.”

“Nuh-uh." Chris shook his head in playful disagreement. "Look, it’s fine. See?” he said, bopping Bon Bon on the nose with his booted right hand, causing her to reel her head back and scrunch up her muzzle. “I can touch you now and you don’t have to worry.”

Bon Bon blinked a few times then rubbed the bopped spot with her hoof, then looked back to Chris. “Y-yes, but I don’t―”

“Boop,” Chris chirped, interrupting her with a second bop to the nose.

Bon Bon wiggled her snout then contorted her face, trying to hold back a sneeze. Once the feeling faded she glared up at Chris with a slight scowl. “Chris, please I d―”

“Boop.”

Bon Bon scrunched up her muzzle, shutting her eyes tight before letting out a dainty little sneeze then glared angrily up at Chris. “This isn’t funny! Just sto―”

“Boop, boop, bo―”

“STOP!” Bon Bon yelled, batting his hand away, interrupting his bop assault which caused him to frown sadly. “I don’t want you to wear those things!”

“But… these will help you,” Chris argued sadly, holding up his booted hands. “You don’t have to be afraid now.”

Bon Bon sighed dropping her head down for a moment before looking back up. “I know you're just trying to be nice and help, but you don’t understand how much this upsets me.”

“I-I know how much it upsets you,” Chris countered softly. “That's why I can wear these an―”

“No, Chris. That's not what I meant," Bon Bon interrupted sounding irritated. “It’s upsetting to me how afraid I am of your hands. I don’t want you to think you have to cover up part of yourself just because of my fear. It’s not fair to you and it won’t help me get any better.”

“But, I really don’t mind,” Chris protested gently with a forced smile, waving his booted hands. “I can keep them on an―”

“CHRIS!” Bon Bon yelled, scowling deeply. “Please… just take them off.”

Chris opened his mouth as if he was going to try and protest more, but closed it and nodded his head. “Okay, Bonny,” he replied dejectedly. He took off the boots and made his way back down to the basement.

Bon Bon didn't like shouting at Chris, but he just wouldn’t listen. She knew he meant well, but she couldn’t live with herself if he had to walk around all day like that. Sighing, she started to make her way to the kitchen. She stopped once she saw Scary’s aquarium and walked up to it.

Glancing around for a moment, she found Scary in the back corner of the tank with his head buried in the dirt and his back side held high in the air.

“S-scary,” Bon Bon tried to say without laughing. “W-what in all of Equestria are you doing?” she questioned, giggling softly at the end.

Scary pushed his front half up, letting the dirt fall off his head as he looked up to her.

Bon Bon shook her head. “Good morning you silly little spider,” she sang, watching him slowly crawl up to the glass, heading in her direction. “Sleep well?”

Scary stopped in front of the glass and faced her. He lifted one of his front forelegs up then set it back down gently. It looked like he was trying to wave.

“Aww,” Bon Bon cooed as she placed her elbows on the kitchen counter, crossing her forelegs over each other before resting her head on top of them. “You know, I’m really getting used to the idea of having you around. You’re not so bad for a creepy spider.”

Scary crawled closer and started to paw at the glass with his foreleg.

Bon Bon might have found something like this terrifying before, but now it was just cute. She started to wag her tail slightly as she watched him. This was the first time she could actually look at a spider up close without being terrified, so she took a moment to really study him. He was surprisingly a lot less intimidating up close. It was hard to tell if he had fangs or not and she wondered if he did. He must have something to eat his food with, which reminded her that she had no idea what he ate. She knew some spiders ate flies, but Scary was too big for a fly to make a decent meal. She made a mental note to ask Chris about that later.

Bon Bon looked over to the basement door, then looked back to Scary with a frown. “Did you notice what Chris was trying to do today?” she asked in a sad tone.

Scary faced the basement for a short moment, then turned back.

“Do you... think I was too mean for shouting?” Bon Bon asked softly. She tilted her head to the side, letting her cheek rest on her forelegs. “I know why he did it, but he shouldn’t have do that just because I'm…” She trailed off, shutting her eyes. “It's just not fair. I hate that I’m so afraid of his… touch.”

Scary pressed both of his forelegs on the glass in response.

Bon Bon opened her eyes and smiled softly at him. “And I hate that I’m afraid of to you too. You're too adorable to be considered scary,” she admitted, stepping back and dropping her forelegs back to the floor. “But, let's face it. If you weren't behind that glass I wouldn’t be talking to you right now.”

Scary stayed motionless, watching her as he kept his forelegs on the glass.

“I want to make Chris something to apologize for the way I acted yesterday. Do you think he would like some daisy and oatmeal cookies?”

Scary moved back and quickly shook his body in response.

Bon Bon raised a questioning eyebrow. “No? But everypony loves daisy and oatmeal cookies. It’s a well-known classic,” she argued passionately.

Scary repeated his little shake.

Bon Bon hummed to herself in thought. “How about… oatmeal and… chocolate chips?”

Scary remained motionless for a moment, then shrugged with his legs in response.

“You're not sure?” Bon Bon questioned. “Well I think I remember Lyra buying him chocolates a while ago.” She thought for a moment, then shrugged her shoulders. “I’m pretty sure he likes chocolate, I don’t know a single pony that hates it.” With that she turned and walked into the pantry to start collecting the ingredients she needed for Chris’s cookies.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” Chris muttered angrily to himself with each step he took down the stairs. He felt terrible about upsetting Bon Bon. He shouldn’t have tried to push her to accept his help when she didn’t want it. “You always find the best ways to make a fool of yourself in front of the pretty girls, dontcha, Chris?” he grumbled as he reached the basement. It was just like what happened back at The Everfree Moon when he tried to help her with her napkin set and she refused him.

Chris reached the shelf of gardening tools and placed the boots back where he found them before continuing to think about how badly his little plan backfired on him. He might have just made things worse between him and Bon Bon, or at least it felt that way. He was so embarrassed, but Bon Bon was right. Hiding his hands from her wasn’t going to help matters.

Even though his plan failed horribly, Chris was still determined to cheer Bon Bon up some how. He looked to the phonograph from earlier and stroked his chin in thought.

“No,” Chris said to himself. “She wouldn’t be up for that.” He looked around the basement some more, but stopped once his sights fell on the only locked door in the whole house. That door had been taunting him the whole time. His curiosity started to eat at him, making him walk up to the door and look around for a spot where the key might be hidden.

After looking with no success, he knelt down to inspect the keyhole. It was a simple and older looking lock. He thought he might be able to pick it if he had a hairpin or something similar. He found a few things like nails and some paper clips laying around in the basement and used those to mess with the lock for a while, but nothing seemed to work. The paper clips were too thin and bent easy and the nails he found were too big. He ultimately gave up.

Chris let out an exhausted sigh, figuring he had spent way too long in the basement trying to open the stupid door. He shouldn’t be trying to break into Lyra’s parents’ locked room anyways. It must be locked for a good reason, but it was just so tantalizing sitting there with its hidden secrets.

Before heading back upstairs, he figured now would be a good time to see if there were any good books to read since he had finished the parental guide book a while ago. He scanned the shelves, but stopped on one large book that seemed out of place, having been sandwiched between the other smaller ones.

Chris pulled the book out and looked at it. His eyes widened once he realized what he was looking at. There was a heart shape that was carved into the hardcover of the book and in the center of that was a picture of three smiling ponies.

There was a tall light blue pegasus stallion on the left, sporting a wide, toothy grin. He had bright golden eyes that seemed to radiate a familiar sense of warmth and welcome, while his white mane was cut short and left in a mess. To his left was a yellow unicorn mare who was smiling, but not as wide as the stallion was. She was more calm and reserved, but still managed a warm, happy smile. Her beautiful, two-tone cyan mane flowed down one side in a wave like pattern, passing her chin by a few inches. Her eyes were a light green color, but she wasn’t looking directly at the camera. No, she was looking down between her and the stallion at an adorable mint green unicorn filly. The filly was smiling just as wide and bright as the stallion, showing off her braces as she looked into the camera.

This was Lyra’s family photo album.

Chris had never seen Lyra’s parents before, but here they were. It was a little strange seeing Lyra with just two parents. With how persistent she was about starting a herd, he would’ve guessed she was raised in one herself.

Shrugging the thought away, he continued to look at the delightful family. He could tell where Lyra got her looks and he could see who influenced her personality more just from the two bright smiles being shown. This was almost too perfect. Bon Bon would get a kick out of this and they could look at some embarrassing family photos of Lyra. Maybe if they were lucky they could find a cute foal picture or two of her.

With the photo album in hand, Chris turned around and forced himself to calmly walk up the stairs, suppressing his excitement. He walked into the living room and saw Bon Bon in the kitchen. She was in the far back corner with her forelegs on the counter and her back facing him. There was a mixer and a cookie sheet next to her as well as a carton of eggs along with some other of ingredients like flour and oatmeal. She even had her special vanilla extract out and was mixing everything in a large bowl with a wooden spoon that she held in the crook of her hoof. All the while, humming a pretty catchy tune to herself, swaying her hips back and forth to the happy rhythm.

He stepped into the kitchen as Bon Bon continued her work, seemingly unaware of his presence. His eyes watched her closely as they drifted lower to her hypnotically swaying hips and tail. Her tail swayed from side to side, taunting and teasing him with thoughts of what she might be like under there. His eyes drifted upward, following her spine as he continued to take in her strong and shapely body. She started to shift her shoulders, grooving to her own tune as her humming got louder and more passionate. The way she moved was enchanting and even a little erotic, making him swallow the lump that was forming in his throat.

Chris could feel himself blush and start to sweat as his excitement grew, but he knew he shouldn’t be thinking about Bon Bon like this. He looked away and took a deep breath to help collect himself before calling out to her. “H-hey, Bonny. What’re you making?”

Bon Bon jumped in surprise from his voice. “C-Chris,” she stuttered, looking over her shoulder at him. “You frightened me. I didn’t hear you come up.”

Chris's blush deepened, making him look away to try and hide it as he rubbed the back of his neck. “S-sorry. I didn't mean to sneak up on you.”

Bon Bon smiled at him. “Oh, it’s okay. You just startled me is all,” she said as she turned back to her work.

“So, ehh, what are you making?” Chris asked again as he walked up behind her and peered over her shoulder. He could put two and two together and tell that she was making cookies, but he still felt the need to ask.

“I’m just finishing up making you a little treat as an apology for my behaviour last night,” she stated happily, going back to her work, humming again, but softer than before.

“An apology?” Chris questioned in disbelief. “Bonny, you don’t have to―”

“Nuh-uh, I won't have any of that,” Bon Bon said quickly, cutting him off. “I still feel bad about it and I want to make it up to you.”

Chris rolled his eyes. He still didn’t think she needed to do anything for him. Her reaction was perfectly reasonable considering her phobia, but he wasn’t going to be rude and turn down a delicious treat from her. “That’s really nice of you, Bonny. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome!” Bon Bon sang in tune with the melody she was humming.

Chris couldn’t help the wide smile that spread across his lips. The way Bon Bon sang and hummed as she worked was unbelievably adorable and it made his heart skip a beat. “So, you're making me some cookies then?” he asked, leaning against the counter behind her.

Bon Bon nodded her head. “I wanted to make you some oatmeal and daisy petal cookies.” Chris cringed slightly at the mention of daisies behind her back. “But Scary thought you wouldn’t like it.”

Chris raised a questioning eyebrow, looking towards Scary. “He did?” he questioned in disbelief. It always shocked him how intelligent creatures seemed to be in this world.

Scary was now looking up at Chris from his aquarium. He held up his foreleg and waved it a few times.

Chris mouthed the words ‘thank you’ to him, which Scary responded with a little salute.

“Yeah,” Bon Bon continued. “So I decided to make some chocolate chip ones instead. Not as good as daisies, but still a good choice. I hope that's okay.”

“Chocolate chips and oatmeal just so happens to be one of my favorite cookies,” Chris explained warmly.

Bon Bon giggled then looked towards Scary. “Then we made the right choice,” she said with a wink in his direction.

Chris glanced back and forth between Scary and Bon Bon, smiling to himself. He was happy that they were getting along so well and were able to bond with each other, despite Bon Bon's fear of him. It was a heartwarming sight.

“Oh, Chris,” Bon Bon said suddenly, jerking him out of his thoughts. “I just remembered, I wanted to ask you something about Scary."

Chris gave her a confused look as she turned back to her mixing. “What about him?”

“Do you know what he likes to eat? I don’t think he’s eaten at all since he’s been in that aquarium.”

“Oh well, his kind like to eat other insects and arachnids, especially the more dangerous and venomous ones.”

Bon Bon’s eyes widen. “Wait, really?” she asked, sounding shocked and turning her head to look over her shoulder at Chris.

“Yeah. Scary is immune to all that venom and his fluffy body makes it difficult for his prey to bite or sting him.” He paused for a moment, scratching his beard as he tried to recall what Fluttershy had told him. “Or at least that's what I think.”

Bon Bon blinked up at him. “But… he... eats his own kind?” she asked sounding disheartened.

Chris winced a bit, remembering how sensitive Bon Bon was about that kind of stuff. "Well… yes, he does in a way I guess," he admitted sadly. "But he eats the more dangerous bugs that you really don't want around your home," he added quickly, trying to defend Scary, hoping that this new information would help Bon Bon to accept him.

Bon Bon didn't say anything and looked over to Scary with a small frown.

Chris rubbed the back of his neck, thinking of what he could possibly say to help Bon Bon feel better about her new friend. "He's a, umm very friendly spider and… he’d never hurt anypony," he started to explain, dropping his hand down to his side. "Besides, he doesn't really have a choice in what he needs to eat in order to live. He was just born that way. I’m sure if he could, he would have picked plants to live on. Much like what you ponies have to eat to survive."

Bon Bon slowly looked up to Chris. "I... I guess you're right... It's just in his nature."

"Exactly," Chris agreed happily. "And he can protect you from the more evil and venomous spiders," he added with a wink.

Bon Bon started to smile again and look back to Scary. "That is true."

“And dont worry about feeding him,” Chris continued. “Spiders don’t really eat that much. They can go weeks without food and I’ve been dropping small bugs in his aquarium whenever I find some. He ate yesterday so he should be fine.”

“Oh?” Bon Bon said, keeping her gaze on Scary. “That’s... good to know. Thank you Chris.” She turned back to her mixing, going quiet, seemingly lost in her thoughts.

Chris wasn't sure if what he said helped her feel more comfortable about Scary or not, but he quickly remembered what he was holding. “Hey, guess what I found it the basement,” he asked in eager excitement, stepping away from the counter and hiding the family photo album behind his back.

Bon Bon looked over her at him, raising an eyebrow, smirking slightly. "Did you find more silly things to put on your hands?" she teased, sticking her tongue out at him.

Chris rolled his eyes, knowing she was having a little fun with him. "Nope, even better."

“Oh?" Bon Bon said in a questioning tone. "Well, I already know you have a book behind your back. You weren't doing a good job of hiding it before.”

Chris chuckled softly. “Yes, but you'll never guess what kind of book.”

Bon Bon tilted her head slightly, looking down where his hands were behind his back, before looking back up. “Okay, I’ll bite. What is it?”

Chris brought the book around, making sure the front cover was in full view for Bon Bon and held it up for her.

Bon Bon gasped loudly, getting off the counter, turning to face him. “Is that Lyra’s family photo album?!”

Chris nodded his head. “Yep!”

Bon Bon squealed in delight, tapping her hooves up and down in rapid succession. “Oh my gosh, we have to look at it!”

“That’s the plan,” Chris said, keeping the book held up for her to see. “If we’re lucky we might stumble upon some embarrassing photos of Lyra.”

“Awwww,” Bon Bon cooed as she gazed at the family portrait on the front cover, letting her eyelids fall slightly. “I forgot how adorable Lyra was when she had braces.” She let out a soft giggle, then looked up to Chris. “I bet we could also find some cute foal pictures!” she added with happy excitement. “That would just make my day!”

Chris smiled triumphantly to himself. So far his find was a hit and he was just as excited as she was. “I’ll go put the book on the table in the living room, then we can both look at it together,” he said, turning around and making his way out of the kitchen.

“Okay, but don’t start without me, please,” Bon Bon said as she turned back to her bowl of cookie dough. “Let me just put these cookies into the oven and I’ll join you.”

Chris stopped and turned around to face her. “You need help?”

Bon Bon got up on her haunches, putting her forehooves back on the counter before waving a dismissive hoof in the air. “I got it, sweetie,” she reassured him. “Besides these cookies are for you. Just go sit down and I’ll join you in a moment.”

Chris shrugged his shoulders and turned to make his way out again, but froze as his eyes widened in sudden realization. ‘Did… Did she just call me... sweetie?’ he thought to himself. That was something that Lyra would call him all the time, but she only called him that once they became intimate. Did Bon Bon mean to say that, or did it just slip out without her knowing?

He looked over his shoulder at Bon Bon who was busy, happily humming to herself, scooping out small chunks of cookie dough from the bowl before putting it on the cookie sheet. She must not have realized what she said, or perhaps he was reading into it a little too much, or maybe… maybe he just wanted it to mean more.

Chris sighed sadly to himself and walked out of the kitchen, taking a seat at the dining table. He placed the book down in front of him and waited for Bon Bon.

Bon Bon placed the cookie sheet in the oven, then closed the door before skipping out of the kitchen. She was overcome with joy, and could hardly wait to look at Lyra’s family photos with Chris. She got up to the table and started to push the empty stool with her muzzle next to Chris. She then hopped up and got herself comfortable before looking up to him. “Ready!”

Chris smiled at her before looking down to the book. He opened it to the first page, revealing another family portrait, similar to the one on the cover, except this one was obviously an outtake. Lyra’s father was using one of his wings to tickle Lyra, causing her to laugh hysterically as her mother was caught mid eye roll.

Bon Bon smiled down at the picture. It was nice to see Lyra and her father acting like they always do, even way back then.

“Lyra’s father seems like a fun stallion,” Chris said.

Bon Bon nodded her head. “He’s very sweet and loves to clown around,” she explained fondly. “He and Lyra are very close.”

“Yeah it seems like it," Chris said. "I can tell just from this picture that they’re best friends.”

“Lyra looks up to him a lot,” Bon Bon added happily.

“What's her mother like?” Chris asked, sounding curious.

“Well,” Bon Bon started to explain, thinking back for a moment. “She’s a lovely mare, very caring and a saint for having to put up with those two,” she teased, pointing a hoof at Lyra and her father in the picture.

Chris chuckled. “Yeah, I could imagine. That poor mare.”

“Let’s just say… she had to put up with a lot,” Bon Bon added, reaching a hoof out to turn the page. The next few pages revealed two large photos. The photo on the left showed Lyra’s parents at some restaurant, only they both looked much younger than they did on the cover. They were both sitting in a booth with a gigantic plate of what looked like a mountain of hay fries. Lyra’s father had a big smile on his face and was gesturing to the fries with his hooves while Lyra’s mother looked to the camera with a more sheepish and worried smile.

Bon Bon recognised the restaurant and knew Lyra’s parents were doing the couples challenge that was held there. The goal was to eat all the fries before the time ran out and the reward for finishing everything was a weeks worth of free meals for both of them. They would even get their names put on the wall of fame, along with their picture. It was a difficult challenge and only a few had completed it.

The next photo was at the same booth, except the plate was now empty. Lyra’s parents were now both leaning over the large plate, while smiling brightly at the camera, obviously trying to hide their nausea.

“Did they eat all of that food?” Chris asked sounding astonished.

Bon Bon nodded. “It looks like this was their first date together,” she explained warmly. “Kind of a strange place for a first date, but knowing Lyra’s father, I’m guessing that was his idea.” She reached her hoof out again and turned the page.

There were multiple photos of Lyra's parents on random dates on the next few pages. There was one picture in particular that Bon Bon stopped at. It was one of Lyra’s parents, kissing each other under a shady tree.

“They’re pretty cute together, aren't they?” Chris asked happily.

Bon Bon blushed and looked up to him with a soft smile and nodded her head before looking back and turning the page.

Next was a large photo of Lyra’s mother smiling softly with a warm blush on her cheeks, posing in a beautiful white wedding dress. The dress was made out of a silky material that glistened in the light. She wore a matching white saddle that gave way to a large frilly skirt that cascaded down with multiple layers of lace fabric. The skirt itself made up most of the dress and trailed several feet behind her. Her normally wavy-looking mane was straight and flowed down the right side of her face. She also wore a light-blue rose tiara around her forehead with a clear veil that fell over her eyes.

“She looks... amazing,” Chris said under his breath.

Bon Bon couldn’t agree more. “She's beautiful. They must have spent a fortune on that dress.”

There was a charming picture of Lyra’s father on the next page. He was wearing a black tux with a white dress shirt underneath. He had a yellow bow tie around his neck and a yellow rose in his now combed out and straightened mane. His attire made him look quite handsome and it was easy to tell he was nervous when the picture was taken. It showed in his worried smile and how his forehead glistened with beads of sweat.

"Looks like somepony's nervous," Chris pointed out.

"Well he should be. He's about to marry a beautiful mare," Bon Bon said with a giggle before turning the page, revealing some pictures of the wedding celebration. The last picture was of Lyra’s parents kissing at the altar with a crowd of cheering ponies.

After a few more pictures of the after party, they stumbled onto a picture of Lyra’s mother lying on her side in a field of tall grass. Lyra’s father had his eyes closed as he pressed an ear and a hoof to her now somewhat swollen belly. Chris and Bon Bon both gasped in unison, and looked at each other with a happy and knowing smirks. They continued to flip through the pages, which showed her pregnancy progression.

It all ended with Lyra’s mother lying on her side in a hospital bed, looking extremely frazzled and exhausted. Her mane was an absolute mess, she had large bags under her eyes, and her whole body was covered in sweat. Despite all this, she still had a bright, glowing smile on her face as she peered down at a pink bundle of fabric nestled between her forehooves. The very next page showed a closer shot of the bundle, revealing a sleeping mint green unicorn foal in the middle.

“Awwww!” both Chris and Bon Bon sang together as they took in the cute scene.

“She’s even more adorable than I could have ever imagined,” Chris admitted softly.

“She’s so precious,” Bon Bon added, placing a hoof to her chest. The photo only made her want a foal of her own even more. Lyra looked so peaceful resting in between her mother's hooves.

“It’s hard to believe that innocent little foal grew up to be such a weirdo,” Chris teased, looking towards Bon Bon.

Bon Bon snorted, trying to hold in a laugh before looking up at him. “Yes, a very energetic and foolish weirdo.”

“But a lovable, energetic and foolish weirdo,” Chris clarified.

Bon Bon giggled and nodded her head in agreement before looking back to the photo album, turning the page. They both saw a cluster of pictures with Lyra as a newborn, learning to walk and putting random toys into her mouth.

Suddenly Chris burst out laughing, pointing a finger at a couple of the pictures. Bon Bon looked to where he was pointing, then bit her lip trying to hold her own laughter.

One photo was of little Lyra in a highchair, passed out with her head half in a bowl filled with applesauce, sleeping peacefully with a goofy, little grin spread across her tiny lips. The second was another one of Lyra sleeping on a couch. Her chest and head rested on the seat cushion, with her forelegs stretched out in front of her, while her belly was pressed up against the back pillows. Her rump and hind legs were up above her, causing her tail to fall down over her head, covering her face almost completely except for her little snout that poked out.

Unable to contain herself anymore, Bon Bon joined Chris, laughing at the silly pictures. “We have to save these some how,” Chris said weakly as their laughter died down.

“We should ask Lyra’s parents if they have anymore copies,” Bon Bon added quickly. “Maybe we can make our own copies and hand them out to all her orchestra mates.”

Chris smirked a little. “I like that idea. We’ll have to come back for these when we're out of here. You know, to help with our revenge plan.”

“Oh, yes. I couldn’t agree more,” Bon Bon said as she turned the page.

They continued to look through the rest of Lyra’s foal pictures, watching as she slowly grew up before their eyes. Every picture made Bon Bon’s heart melt, but after a while she noticed that Chris had gone quiet. She looked up to see him frowning with a deep, concerning look of his face, which puzzled her. “Chris, what's the matter?” she asked sweetly.

Chris blinked a few times, then looked back at her. “Sorry, I kind of got distracted,” he admitted sadly.

The tone in his voice told Bon Bon something was troubling him. “Is everything okay?” she asked in concern, placing a hoof on his thigh.

Chris sighed. “Yeah, it’s just…” he started to explain, but hesitated, taking a deep breath. “Looking at all these pictures of Lyra as a foal has me thinking.”

“Thinking of what?”

“I think Lyra really wants a foal of her own someday,” Chris admitted, placing his hands on the table, gripping them together. “I’m just worried that it might be a big issue for us later down the road.”

This was very strange to Bon Bon. As far as she knew, Lyra didn't want a foal at the moment. “Why do you think Lyra wants a foal so much?” she asked, taking her hoof off of his thigh.

“Awhile ago she asked me this hypothetical question,” Chris started to explain. “She asked if I wanted to have a foal with her. Like if there was this… spell or something that could help us. I think she only asked me because she really wants one." He sighed deeply, twiddling his thumbs around. "But she knows we can’t really have one together and I think that might be upsetting her. I don't know why else she would ask a question like that...”

Bon Bon realized right away that Lyra had asked that question for her sake. She was the real one that wanted a foal in the future. “Is… is that why you've been reading that parental guide book so much?” she asked softly.

“Yeah,” Chris answered, nodding his head slightly. “I’ve been trying to learn as much as I can about taking care of foals and what it takes to be a good father. If Lyra really wants one, then we can adopt and I want to be ready for that."

Bon Bon blinked up at him, stunned. Chris sounded so genuine about becoming a father, but was that something he wanted himself? "Is this... is this something you want?" Bon Bon asked nervously, but thought she should clarify her question. "I-I mean, would you want to raise a foal of your own with, umm Lyra, because you want that too and not just because she wants to?

Chris turned to her, raising a questioning eyebrow. "That's a pretty heavy question."

Bon Bon smiled sheepishly in response. It was a little bit overboard, but she just had to know his answer. "S-sorry, but, umm... would you… really want that?"

“Honestly?” Chris said, looking down at the photo album again. “Ever since Lyra first asked me that question I’ve been giving it a lot of thought and, well... I really want to be a father. I want to see our little colt or filly grow up to do great things, and the more I think about it…” He paused, turning to look back into Bon Bon’s eyes. “The more I wish that hypothetical spell was real.”

Bon Bon smiled at his answer. She could tell that he really did want to be a father. But, why was he getting ready to have a foal with Lyra? Wouldn’t he leave once Twilight found him a way home?

Chris sighed sadly, interrupting her thoughts. “I just don’t know if Lyra would want to adopt,” he said, disheartened. “I’m really worried that she wants one of her own, but it’s impossible for us to do that. I’d hate for her to have to sacrifice something like that just to stay with me, but if she left me...” he hesitated, fidgeting with his hands before giving her a worried look. “You don’t think Lyra would leave me because of that do you?”

Bon Bon looked into his eyes, placing her hoof back on his thigh, rubbing it reassuringly before responding. “Trust me. I know Lyra and you have nothing to worry about. She loves you and won't let something like that get in the way."

Chris smiled at her. “Thank you, Bonny… that makes me feel a lot better.”

Bon Bon patted his thigh and smiled before going back to flipping through the photo album. She wondered what it would be like to raise a family with him. It would be an interesting experience, that's for sure. One that she was surprisingly comfortable with now that she thought more about it, but she couldn’t help but wonder why he wanted a foal when he was just going to lea―

“WAIT!” Chris shouted suddenly, causing Bon Bon to jump. “Go back!”

Bon Bon looked down and saw that she had been mindlessly flipping through pages. She wasn’t really paying attention, so she wasn’t sure why Chris wanted her to go back. She slowly started to turn the page and what she saw caused her her eyes to widen and her face to burn in a bright blush. “Oh my gosh!” she shouted, covering her face with her hooves.

There in the photo album, was a big picture of a young, teenage Lyra, happily leaning against a familiar cream colored earth pony mare. The younger and more unfashionable Bon Bon was smiling proudly at the camera, supporting some very large, very blue, and very thick pair of… of...

“You used to wear glasses?!” Chris asked, sounding excited.

“Oh sweet Celestia, this is so embarrassing,” Bon Bon muttered, hiding herself behind her hooves, not daring to look at Chris. She didn’t think there would be an older picture of her in this album. Now Chris knew her terrible secret. She wore unattractive, hideous, and nerdy glasses. “J-just laugh and get it over with.”

“Laugh?” Chris questioned. “Why would I laugh? You look amazing in this picture.”

Bon Bon quickly shook her head behind her hooves in disagreement. “I look like a dork!”

“Well... you are a dork,” Chris pointed out. “But, I really like your glasses in the photo.”

Bon Bon lowered her hooves slightly and peered up at him. “You… do?” she questioned, finding his words hard to believe. Nopony ever complimented her glasses and it was something other ponies would often ridicule her for when she was younger. “Why would you like them?”

“W-well, I mean…” Chris started to explain, sounding bashful all of a sudden as he looked away from her. “I-I kind of like glasses on mares, and I think they looked really... pretty on you.”

Bon Bon’s blush deepened. She could feel her heart start to pound a little faster in her chest as she lowered her hooves a bit more. "R-really?"

"Y-yeah," Chris answered softly before he coughed into his fist, clearing his throat. “So, umm, how come I’ve never see you wear glasses before?”

Bon Bon started to lightly tap her hooves together. “W-well, I don't like wearing them in public… I just wear contacts now, but I keep a pair with me... You know... just in case I need to take my contacts out,” she explained softly, looking down at her hooves.

“T-that makes sense that you’d carry some around just in case,” Chris relayed awkwardly. “S-so, uhh a-any chance you could… u-umm,” he started to say, sounding nervous.

Bon Bon had an idea of what he wanted to ask. “W-would you... like to see?”

Chris turned to her with a blush and a smile, nodding his head.

Bon Bon’s heart started to beat faster in her chest and her hooves started to tremble slightly. “O-okay, just wait here. I-I’ll be right back,” she said nervously with a smile that wouldn’t go away no matter how hard she tried. She walked into the bedroom, but stopped in the doorway and looked back. “J-just be ready to laugh,” she added before walking into the room.

It didn’t take her long to find the case that held her spare glasses in her saddlebag. She popped it open, revealing her pair of light pink wireframe glasses. They were nicer than her older ones that looked like ones only a librarian would wear, but she still wouldn’t be caught dead wearing them around anypony. Well, except Lyra and Chris, but that was just for this one time… since he liked them.

She put the glasses on and adjusted them slightly before walking up to the bedroom door. She took a deep breath and pranced out, holding her head high, ignoring the warm blush on her cheeks and butterflies in her stomach. “T-tada!” she sang in a shaky voice with a sheepish smile, striking a poor excuse of a fashion model pose with one foreleg lifted off the ground.

Chris’s eyes widened and his mouth opened slightly. “Wow,” he said simply, taking her in for a short moment. “I love that pink color on you. It matches your mane perfectly. You look amazing!” he half shouted excitedly.

Bon Bon held her hoof over her lips and stifled a giddy giggle. She then turned around with her back facing him before glancing over her shoulder with an exaggerated duck face.

Chris laughed out loud at her new pose before whistling playfully. “Sssexy.”

Bon Bon giggled in response. “Okay, you’ve had your fun,” she said happily. “I’m going to put them away now.”

“Awwww,” Chris groaned in disappointment. “Alright...” he sighed sadly, looking back to the album. It was pretty obvious that Chris wanted her to keep the glasses on.

“Well...” Bon Bon mused, causing Chris to look up at her with a hopeful expression. She tapping a hoof to her chin, acting as if she was deep in thought before dropping her hoof down, giving Chris a more flirtatious gaze. “Maybe if you're a good little colt, then I’ll put them on again for you later,” she teased.

Chris raised an eyebrow. “O-oh really? Then I’ll be sure to be on my best behavior,” he teased back, playing along. “But…” He paused, stroking that gorgeous beard of his with his hand for a moment. “What would I get if I was a bad colt?” he asked, giving her a half lidded gaze.

Bon Bon blushed brightly. “O-oh my goodness,” she giggled, covering one of her rosy cheeks with a hoof. “T-then you can’t have any of my delicious candy after dinner,” she retorted, wiggling her flanks suggestively, not wanting to be out done.

Chris blinked a few times, seemingly shocked at her response as a warm blush appeared on his cheeks. “I-I see…” he said in a shaky voice before composing himself, grinning wickedly. “Well, if it’s your candy that you're offering, then I'll just have to be extra good. I'd do anything for a taste of one of your… bonbons,” he ended with an eyebrow wiggle.

Bon Bon burst into a fit of laughter, which caused Chris to laugh as well. She had to admit that last line was a good one and even though they were just playing around, she couldn’t deny how thrilling it was to flirt with him.

“W-we’ll see about that,” she replied sweetly, calming her laughter. “I’d love to wear my glasses more for you, but I really should put them away now. It hurts my eyes to wear these and my contacts at the same time,” she explained as she walked back into the bedroom. She put her glasses in her saddlebag, then trotted back out, hopping up on her stool and scooted a little closer to Chris.

They continued to flip through the photo album until they saw a photo with Lyra and her parents in front of a tall building. The camera was pointed up, capturing the whole skyscraper in the background while they all looked down into the camera with wide happy grins.

“They must be in Manehattan,” Bon Bon said, leaning closer to the picture for a better look.

Chris chuckled lightly in the back of this throat. “You know, there’s a similar city back in my old world, except it was called Man-hattan, not Mane-hattan.”

Bon Bon looked up to Chris with a bewildered expression. “Really?” she questioned in disbelief.

“Yeah, I could hardly believe it myself. You know that big pony statue that’s in that city?”

Bon Bon raised a curious eyebrow, sitting back up again. “Yes?”

“There’s one in my world just like it, except it’s called the Statue of Liberty and it's not a pony mare. It’s a human, ehh mare.”

“What? No way!” Bon Bon replied in disbelieving tone, smirking slightly. “You're just pulling my leg. I’m not as gullible as I look, you know.”

“Honestly!” Chris replied quickly, trying to defend himself. “It’s all true.”

Bon Bon rolled her eyes. “What ever you say!” she sang in a teasing manner.

“Wish I could show you somehow…” Chris muttered under his breath.

Bon Bon giggled and turned the next page, revealing some more family vacation photos. There was one photo that looked like it was taken in an old west town. Lyra and her father were both sitting on a bench, getting their caricature done by an artist pony.

“Is that Appleloosa?” Chris asked, pointing a finger at the photo in question. “I'm almost positive it is. I went there once with Applejack to help her cousin with some construction work. It’s a really interesting place.”

“I've been there once myself,” Bon Bon added. “I wasn't there very long though. I know they have a fun rodeo they have down there. It would be nice to go back and see it someday.”

“We should go,” Chris offered, excitedly. “We can all go. You, me and Lyra, it’d be a blast!”

Bon Bon nodded her head. “That would be fun. I’d love to go with you two! When we get out of here, we should make plans,” she said as she flipped to the next page, showing more pictures of Lyra and her parents dancing at what seemed to be some kind of hoedown. A crowd of ponies formed a circle around them as Lyra and her father danced like buffoons in the center, wearing huge ten gallon hats that covered their eyes. Lyra’s mother was biting her lip, trying not to laugh at them while she danced along as well.

“Looks like Lyra and her parents know how to have fun,” Chris mused fondly.

Bon Bon rolled her eyes at that remark. If only he knew. “You have no idea,” she said as she turned a page.

Chris started to chuckle, which confused Bon Bon until she saw the picture he was looking at, causing her to giggle as well. There was a photo of little Lyra being hugged tightly by her mother while she kissed her cheek. Lyra was struggling to get out of her mother's bear hug, shutting her eye tightly and sticking her tounge out in disgust.

“That’s adorable,” Chris said.

“Lyra’s mother loves trying to embarrass her like that,” Bon Bon explained happily, taking a moment to reminisce. “I remember she would always give her big kisses like that when I would come over, just to get her to blush in front of me.”

“That’s just too cute for words,” Chris admitted, looking over the photo. “This picture reminds me of how my sister and mother would act. In fact, I used to have a picture just like this with them in my wallet." He leaned back and stroked his beard for a moment as he thought. "It should still be in my house somewhere,” he mumbled to himself.

“You have a sister?” Bon Bon asked, looking up at him curiously.

“What? Oh, yeah!” Chris answered, breaking out of his thoughts as he looked back to Bon Bon. “She's about a year younger than me, so we were pretty close growing up. We looked out for each other,” he added proudly.

Bon Bon smiled. “She sounds lovely. Was she your only sibling?”

“No, I had an older brother too, but he was much older than me and wasn’t around that much. He left the house to live on his own when I was really young. He was nice, but I just wasn’t as close to him as I was to my little sister.”

“So it was just you and your sister growing up together?” Bon Bon asked, turning on her stool a little more to face him. “And I’m guessing you only had one mother and father like Lyra?”

“Well, actually,” Chris started to say, but paused, leaning back on his stool a little more. “I never really knew my father. He passed away when I was really young, so I only knew my mother.”

Bon Bon gasped in shock, covering her lips with a hoof. “Oh, no... I-I’m so sorry to hear that. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories," she apologized, placing her hoof on her chest. "That must have been awful for all of you. How did it happen?”

“Car acc―I mean, his chariot crashed,” Chris explained. “But I was only about two years old when it happened. I never really got the chance to meet him.”

Bon Bon frowned sadly. “That must have been so hard for your poor mother.”

“Yeah, she took it pretty hard,” Chris admitted, sighing deeply. “I could tell she never got over it. Just from the way she would constantly tell us stories about him… I wish I could remember him.”

“I couldn’t even begin to imagine what that was like for your mother. It must have been hard for her to raise all of you on her own.”

“It was, but she’s very strong and pushed through for our sake...” Chris said, pausing with a smile as he reminisced some more. “She worked herself half to death and made sure we had a decent life growing up. I’ll always remember and love her for that.” Chris frowned and shut his eyes, taking a deep breath before exhaling slowly. He opened his eyes again and looked back to Bon Bon. “She’s a pretty great mother.”

“She sounds wonderful,” Bon Bon said warmly. “And she would have to be to raise such a sweet human like you,” she complemented with a gentle smile.

Chris laughed loudly before responding. “Yeah, I don’t know about that, but she was pretty amazing to put up with me and my sister.”

Bon Bon giggled softly, but her smile slowly started to melt into a frown. It was obvious that Chris missed his family. There was no doubt now that he wanted to go back and be with his family again. “You… must really miss them,” she said sadly.

“I do,” Chris said, disheartened.

Bon Bon nodded her head in understanding, looking down at the table. “I’m sure Twilight will find you a way home soon. Then you can see them all again.”

Chris looked down at her with a puzzled look. “What do you mean?” he questioned.

“You know…” Bon Bon said as if it should be obvious, looking up to him again. “I mean, I’m sure it will take Twilight a while, but she’s a smart pony. She’ll find you a way back home so you can leave Equestria and get your old life back again.”

“Leave… Equestria?” Chris repeated her words, sounding baffled. “Why would I do that?”

Bon Bon blinked a few times in confusion, raising an eyebrow. “What do you mean ‘why?’ Don’t you miss all your family and friends?”

“Well... yeah, of course I do,” Chris admitted. “I would love to see them all and tell them that I’m okay, but I would only do that if I could come back here. I wouldn’t leave this place.”

“W-what?” Bon Bon stuttered as her eyes widened, trying to process what he just said. “B-but… but, but.”

“Hey, missy, butts are for sitting,” Chris teased, sticking his tongue out. “Honestly, though. I didn’t have many friends back in my old world. It would be great to see my family again, but I would only do it so I could tell them what happened to me and let them know I'm happy living here.”

“Y-you’re... h-happy here?” Bon Bon half mumbled.

“Yeah, of course I am. I met Lyra, the love of my life here and made some awesome friends. I might not have the best job… yet,” Chris said with a wink, “and some ponies might still be afraid of me, but I love it here. Plus, I’m sure that over time more ponies will get used to me.”

Bon Bon stared up at him in stunned silence. If he wasn’t leaving then that meant…

“Ehh, Bonny?” Chris called to her after a few moments.

Bon Bon was still having trouble believing his words. “S-so… you wouldn’t leave… Not even if Twilight found a way to send you home?”

Chris laughed out loud, which only confused Bon Bon more. “You want to know a secret?” he asked after stifling his laughter.

“W-what?” Bon Bon asked softly.

Chris leaned into her ear before whispering softly. “Twilight gave up finding me a way home a year ago.”

“SHE DID!?” Bon Bon shouted, causing Chris to flinch and cover his ear with his hand. “S-sorry.” She covered her lips with her hooves when she realised how loud she’d been.

Chris stuck his finger in his ear and twisted it a few times before taking it out. “That’s… okay,” he replied. “I didn’t think you'd be that shocked.”

Bon Bon blushed, and looked away as she tried to piece together all this new information. “But… w-why did Twilight give up?” she asked softly.

“Well… that might have been the wrong way to put it,” Chris admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “She actually told me she was close to finding a spell that could work, but I told her to stop.”

Bon Bon jerked her head up to look at him with a wide-eyed expression that demanded he continue.

“I just realized how happy I am living here in Equestria and how happy I am with Lyra. I’m extremely upset with her right now, but I still love her and I wouldn’t leave unless she could come with me.”

‘This… this can’t be. He’s really staying?’ Bon Bon thought as she looked into Chris’s beautiful hazel-colored eyes.

“Y-you're staying f-forever?” she asked in a soft and shaky voice.

Chris rolled his eyes. “Yes, Bonny, I’m staying,” he answered sounding annoyed. “I don’t plan on leaving now or ever. I love it here and I would never leave you or Lyra.”

Bon Bon’s eyes widened at Chris's words. Did he really say that he would never leave her and Lyra, or did she just imagine that? Did he even realise what he said? Or… did she just hear what she wanted him to say? Whatever the reason was, hearing him say that sent a warm tingle down her spine. He was staying and he wouldn’t just leave her and Lyra behind if they started a herd. That explained why he wanted to have a foal with Lyra.

Suddenly, Bon Bon realized that there was so much about Chris that she still didn’t know. Like what his old world was like, or what other humans were like. She didn’t even know what his favorite color was yet, or what type of music he listened to, or what hobbies he enjoyed.

Food was still a mystery as well. She always just guessed at what kinds of food he ate, but maybe it was time she actually asked him what he liked. Maybe it was time she got to know him and find out who Chris really was.

“Bonny?” Chris called to her softly. “You’re kinda scaring me.”

Bon Bon shook her head, realizing she had been staring at him for a while. “S-sorry.”

“You're acting really strange. Is everything okay?” Chris asked, sounding deeply concerned.

“Y-yeah, I was just,” she started to say but hesitated. If she wanted to get to know Chris more, then now would be a good of a time as any. “I-I was just wondering what your old world must be like. Do you think you could tell me more about it?” she asked, looking up to him with a soft smile.

Chris smiled back. “I’d love to. What would you like to know?”

“Well…” Bon Bon started to say, but thought of her question for a moment. “I think I remember you talking about those text message things the other day. So… how do those work?”

Bon Bon slowly walked to the bedroom but stopped just before entering and turned her head. “Good night, Chris. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said happily, looking over her shoulder at Chris who was in the living room, fluffing one of the couch pillows.

“Good night, Bonny,” Chris replied, putting the pillow down before looking through his backpack for some clean pajamas. “It was fun talking and learning about how you make fudge with you,” he added, looking back to her with a gentle smile.

“Yeah, it was fun,” Bon Bon agreed warmly. “We’ll cook some more tomorrow. Sweet dreams.” She turned towards the bedroom and slowly walked in, then closed the broken door behind her before making her way to the bed. She immediately hopped up and plopped her head face first into the pillow with a loud groan.

Bon Bon stayed like that for a while until she had to breathe again. She tilted her head to the side and hugged her pillow tightly to her cheek with her forelegs. “Chris…” she whispered in a soft and sad tone.

They had spent the rest of the afternoon talking about each other. He talked all about his old world. It was fascinating to learn about and it made her want to visit it someday. She also learned that Chris’s favorite colors were green and yellow and the music he listened to ranged from classical to something he called electronic. He explained that electronic music was something similar to what Vinyl likes. Bon Bon could relate to his taste in music when it came to classical and things, but she wasn’t into the strange stuff that Vinyl made. She preferred the kind of music Octavia played.

Chris also had a lot of hobbies and interests. He liked to read, which she already knew, but he also loved to draw and sketch things as a way to relax. He also said he loved growing things and wanted to start his own garden at some point. Back in his old world he had a rather large garden and enjoyed growing herbs and vegetables to cook with.

Bon Bon also enjoyed this and had a garden of her own. She thought Chris might like to help her take care of it sometime. It would be a nice way for them to spend some time with each other and talk more.

Eventually, she got Chris to admit what his favorite foods were after some persistence. She learned that he loved pasta dishes, which wasn’t that big of a surprise. Humans wouldn’t have a whole hand gesture dedicated to spaghetti if they didn’t like it. He also admitted to really liking meat, which was a little sad to hear, but he told her that he was fine without it about a million times.

Chris also admitted that humans didn't eat hay or flowers. He said humans can digest them, but it wasn't something they really liked. It made her feel so embarrassed that she made him that daisy sandwich. She should have asked him about all this stuff before, but she was just too stubborn and afraid.

They talked until the sun started to set, or rather until the cookies that she had been making started to burn. She just got so wrapped up with getting to know Chris that she completely forgot about them. They both had a good laugh then decided to make dinner together. They had a nice, quiet meal before reading some books on the couch. Overall, it was a really nice day but Bon Bon couldn’t stop thinking about Chris and Lyra and this whole herd business.

Bon Bon groaned, rubbing her cheek deeper into her pillow. Chris was turning out to be a lot more compatible with her then she originally thought. He was sweet and caring, and shared a lot of common interests with her. She would have never found any of this out if Lyra hadn’t…

“Lyra…” Bon Bon moaned softly. Could Lyra have been right about everything? Was Chris truly somepony that could make her happy in life like Lyra so stubbornly believed?

Chris was unlike any stallion she had met before. She had never known somepony that would go so far out of their way to find her such a beautiful gift like the firelily that she cherished so much. Not only that, but his love for Lyra was so genuine and real. He loved and cared for Lyra, and perhaps he could love her the same...

But what would her parents think of all this? They would be against her dating Chris. Plus, how could she be with somepony that couldn’t even touch her?

Bon Bon buried her face deep into the pillow and let out a muddled scream. Her stupid parents and stupid fears wouldn’t let her give Chris a chance, but what could she do? She rolled over on her back and stared up at the ceiling as she continued to think. If Chris was a pony then would she give him a chance?

‘Yes.’

‘Yes?’

That answer came to her a lot quicker then she thought it would, but it was the truth. If Chris was a pony then she wouldn’t have to fear his hands and her parents would have no issues with him. But did it really matter if he was a pony or not?

‘No…’

‘Wait, no?’

‘No, it didn’t.’

She didn’t care that he wasn’t a pony; in fact, that was part of his charm. She liked Chris for who he was. Sure, if he was a pony it would solve a lot of her issues, but at the same time she liked the fact that he was different. He was so exotic in all the best ways possible. He was tall, strong and would never hurt her. She could feel safe with him. Before he seemed intimidating and scary, but now that she knew him for who he truly was, he seemed to be the opposite of that… if only his hands…

“Oh... buck,” Bon Bon muttered softly in frustration, slamming her hooves down on the mattress. She hated that his hands still freaked her out so much. They weren't even spiders, but they just...

Bon Bon sighed deeply, thinking that worrying about all this now was pointless and lied on her side before shutting her eyes. She could try to figure stuff out more tomorrow when she was rested.

Bon Bon tossed and turned for a long while, trying desperately to fall asleep, but just couldn’t get her mind off Chris. She sat up in the bed, frustrated. Maybe if she got a light snack and some water, then she could sleep easier.

Hopping off the bed, she made her way out. The moonlight from the window provided just enough light so she could see clearly. She slowly walked across the floor, trying her best to not wake Chris. She only made it a few feet before she heard him shift and groan.

Bon Bon looked over to him and frowned at what she saw. Chris was curled up and covered in his dirty laundry on the couch. “What in all of Equestria…” Bon Bon quietly questioned to herself as she walked up closer to get a better look. She stopped just in front of the couch and watched him for a while until his body shivered.

Why was he so cold and why was he covered in his dirty laundry?

Bon Bon noticed that he was still fully clothed, just like he always was. It never really occurred to her until now that she had never seen Chris without his clothes on, but why was that? He did seem to lack a proper coat of fur on his body. The cold must affect him a lot more than it did ponies. That would explain why he always had clothes on and why he was covered in his laundry now. He was trying to keep warm.

But, if that was the case then why didn’t he say anything? She could have slept out here on the couch and he could have taken the warmer bed. Was he just trying to be nice again and not say anything so she could sleep more comfortably?

Sweet Celestia! How long has he been putting up with the cold nights like this?

“Chris, you dummy,” Bon Bon whispered angrily to him before walking back to the bedroom. “I can’t believe he didn’t say anything to me. He’s going to make himself sick,” she muttered in annoyance as she trotted up to the bed. She bit one of the bedsheets and started to drag it out into the living room. She brought it up to Chris and draped it over him, letting it slowly fall across his body. She adjusted it so it was covering the entirety of his legs and shoulders.

Chris smiled softly as his body started to relax under the warm blanket. He let out a soft, content sigh, nuzzling his pillow slightly.

Bon Bon smiled at Chris as he slept. He looked so calm and peaceful, it was quite adorable seeing him like that. She had come to really enjoy the way he smiled. It was always so warm and reassuring and she loved it dearly.

She let out a soft, dreamy sigh as she continued to gaze at him. The soft glow of the moon outlined Chris’s handsome and rugged features. His small and well-trimmed beard glistened in the light as he took in long and deep breaths. She let her gaze travel lower, stopping at his chest, watching it slowly rise and fall. She couldn't help but wonder what he would look like under all those clothes.

Bon Bon shook her head in disbelief. She could hardly believe how attracted she was to this alien, but she was fine with that. She could admit to herself that he was good-looking. In fact she had always thought he was quite handsome.

Lyra might have been right this whole time. The unicorn was a little out there at times, but Lyra was her best friend and she knew her better than anypony. Not only that but she also knew Chris better than anypony. She was the only pony to give him a chance and was able to find love with him. Chris made Lyra so happy…

‘Could Chris make me happy?’ Bon Bon thought to herself, frowning slightly as she pondered for a moment.

Bon Bon had no real answer for that question. From what she knew and saw of Chris, it definitely seemed like he could make her happy in life. The only way to know for sure was to… give him a chance.

Bon Bon closed her eyes and started to daydream about one of her favorite fantasies with her dream stallion.

She could clearly visualize Lyra and Chris getting ready for the coming Hearth's Warming Eve celebration while their smiling and laughing foals ran around the house, overcome with the holiday spirit. She was in the kitchen with Chris, using his help to make all the festive holiday treats for their family while Lyra goofed off and played with their children in the other room.

Once everything was ready and cooking, she would shoo Chris out of the kitchen so he could spend time with their foals. He would tell their children stories of why they always celebrated Hearth's Warming Eve and even tell them all about his old world which would always fascinate them.

She could clearly see their foals growing up to be wonderful ponies with their father's guidance. Chris’s guidance... It would all be perfect and she would live happily with Lyra and Chris for the rest of her days...

Bon Bon slowly opened her now-watery eyes and looked back to Chris, who was smiling even wider now with that infectious smile of his. She could clearly picture herself with him and that made her... happy. She was happy... happy to see him with their foals sitting around a warm fire as he told them stories or played with them. It didn't stop there, it didn't matter what the scenario she pictured in her mind. No matter what she fantasized about, Chris was there and she wanted him to be there. She was surprisingly content with how easily she could fit him into her daydreams.

She wanted to give Chris a chance to make her fantasies a reality.

But, what if she did find love with Chris and her parents found out? What would other ponies think?

‘Why does it matter what others think? What does it matter what my parents think? I’m a grown pony and if others can’t be happy for me, then who cares what they think.’

What if Cadance’s spell didn’t work?

‘We could always adopt. There are plenty of little colts and fillies in Equestria that need loving homes.’

What if he could never touch her?

‘…’

Bon Bon frowned deeply, rubbing her foreleg with a hoof as she blinked away her tears. Her stupid fears were still getting in the way. She hated herself for being so terrified of his touch. It just wasn’t fair. His hands couldn’t be that bad. They weren’t even real spiders and Lyra talked about them all the time.

“You've never had him scratch behind your ear, Bonny.”

“You really should have him rub your belly, Bonny. It’s the best.”

“If only you could experience one of his hoof massages. They’re unbelievable, Bonny!”

Lyra loved Chris’s hands so much. They couldn’t feel that good… could they? Maybe they didn’t feel like spiders at all. She could still remember how his hand felt when he touched her hoof on accident. Before she knew what was touching her she thought it was… well it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling.

Bon Bon sighed sadly and turned back to the bedroom. She had a lot to think about and she was going to need a lot of rest to do it. If she really wanted to try the herd and give Chris a chance, then she had to find a way to beat her fears.

Somehow...

Author's Notes:

Bon Bon... What are you thinking? What are you going to do Bon Bon? I don't think Chris is ready!

Sooooooooooooo... Again I am sorry this chapter took so long... Had a lot of stupid things come up this week that slowed me down and I agreed to do some art work for a brony convention, so I had to work on that stuff as well. I'm still working on that art, so the next chapter might not come out for a while. Also I should say... Next chapter is a big one and it will be split into 2 parts. I will do my best to get it out fast, but I can't promise anything.

I really hope you guys like this chapter. It was a lot of fun to write and a pain at the same time.

Tell me what you think! Let me know if stuff is messed up or missing. You can check for chapter updates and progression here!

For all those asking.... The clop is very, very, very. very soon! Alright! Geez.

I love you all.

Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire-Part 1

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Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire-Part 1

The walls of the cabin creaked and groaned as the howling winds outside blew by. The noise became louder as the weather grew darker and more intense, waking Chris from one of the best sleeps he'd had in a while. His eyes slowly opened, but quickly shut again as he curled up under the warm blanket.

"Mmmm, just 5 more hours..." Chris mumbled weakly, pulling the blanket over himself a little more. He smiled to himself as he nuzzled his head deeper into the couch pillow, getting ready to fall back asleep.

'Wait...'

Chris gripped the blanket a little tighter and frowned in confusion before his eyes shot open in sudden realization. He quickly sat up, letting the blanket fall off his upper body, exposing himself to the harsh cold as he looked down at the thick bed sheet that now covered his legs. "The hell? " he questioned quietly to himself, picking up the fabric in his hands. It was obvious that the sheet was from Bon Bon's bed, but how did it get on him?

Bon Bon must have come out during the night and put the blanket over him, but why? It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the gesture, it was just kind of bizarre.

A cold chill ran through Chris's body, making him wrap his arms around himself and shiver. He looked out the window and saw that a storm was brewing. There must be a snowstorm scheduled for today, which meant he needed to get up and start his normal morning routine before it got any colder. He quickly got up and added a few logs to the hearth, then started a fire before checking the front door that was locked… still.

Chris stretched out and yawned, then looked out the window again to try and gauge the time. The dark clouds made it difficult to see the sun, but he guessed it was still pretty early in the morning. He had enough time to take a nice warm and relaxing bath before Bon Bon would wake up and want to use the bathroom. Afterwards, he could start making them both something to eat for breakfast, and then, they could do something fun together. What that something was, he wasn't sure yet, but he had some time to think of a few ideas.

With his mind made up, he walked over to his backpack and started to look for some fresh clothes.

Meanwhile in the bedroom, Bon Bon laid on her bed, wide awake. She had woken up a while ago, and the howling winds outside made it difficult for her to fall back asleep. Not only that, but the thought of what she might have to do in order to give the herd a chance was a nerve-wracking one.

Bon Bon could hear Chris in the living room moving around. She needed to get up as well, but she wanted to wait until Chris was out of the room. It wasn't that she didn't want to see him. It was quite the opposite, but she wasn't ready to talk to him about the herd yet. Just the thought of being in the same room with him gave her mixed feelings. It was like she was back in high school and found out she was sharing a class with somepony she had a crush on. Only, this was a hundred times scarier.

'This is ridiculous,' Bon Bon thought as she rubbed one of her blushing cheeks. If she was going to talk to Chris about everything, then she was going to have to pull herself together.

Bon Bon heard the bathroom door shut, letting her know that Chris wasn't in the room anymore. She then sat up and hopped off the bed before slowly making her way out of the bedroom. She trotted through the living room and entered the kitchen were Scary's aquarium was. She smiled brightly and walked over to him.

"Good morning, Scary," Bon Bon sang as she looked around for her friend, but he was nowhere to be found. He had to be hiding somewhere again. "Hmmm, so, where are we hiding today?" she mused playfully as her eyes glanced over the aquarium, looking for any suspicious looking mounds of dirt. She didn’t see anything in the middle, except for the small piece of wood, but sure enough, there was a spider-sized lump in one of the corners. “Oh, geez. I wonder where he could possibly be.”

Suddenly, Scary appeared from behind the piece of wood and perched himself on top of it, waving a foreleg.

“Eep!” Bon Bon squeaked in surprise and flinched back at his sudden appearance. “S-Scary! You startled me.” She looked back to the mound of dirt that she could have sworn was his hiding spot, then looked back at him. “You planned that, didn’t you?”

Scary made a shrugging motion, playing innocent.

Bon Bon smiled and rolled her eyes. "Well, good morning to you, too. Did you rest well?"

Scary preceded to stretch out each of his limbs, one after the other before giving his little body a shake.

"That's good,” Bon Bon said warmly, “At least you could get a good night's rest."

Scary looked up at her and tilted his body to the side in confusion.

Bon Bon sighed and frowned. "I… just didn't get a lot of rest last night," she admitted sadly, letting her tired eyelids fall a little. "I was up most of the night thinking about… well... things."

Scary stared at her for a while. After a short moment of silence, he made a small twirling motion with his foreleg that told her to go on.

Bon Bon wasn’t sure if she should be telling Scary about all her stupid and bothersome issues. But, what could be the harm? If anything, getting all this off her chest might help her figure out what she really wanted to do, or how to go about it. Plus, Scary was her friend and would want to know what was wrong. “To tell you the truth, Scary... I was up most of the night thinking about… Chris,” she admitted shyly.

Scary continued to stare up at her, listening intently.

“I don’t know if you know this, but Chris and my best friend Lyra wanted to start a herd with me,” she explained softly with a blush. “At first, I didn’t want to do it, but Lyra kept persisting and telling me that Chris would… make me happy. I didn’t want to believe her, but now that I got a chance to truly meet him, I―” She glanced to the bathroom, then back to Scary, and leaned in close to his aquarium. She put a hoof up to the side of her muzzle before whispering. “I think Lyra might have been right.”

Scary titled his head to the side curiously as he listened.

Bon Bon pulled her head back a bit, dropping her hoof down and smiled. “He’s a very kind and loving stallion, and I don’t think he would ever lie to me,” she continued. “I feel like I can trust him, and he wouldn’t just use me or Lyra.”

Scary nodded his head in understanding.

“I’ve found that I really like Chris… a lot,” she admitted shyly, drawing a little line on the kitchen floor with the edge of her hoof. “And I love Lyra, but I don’t know if I can love Chris the same yet. He’s a wonderful stallion, and I want to give him a chance. The problem is…” she hesitated, looking away and biting her lip for a moment before continuing. “T-the problem is, I’m still afraid of his… touch.”

Scary scratched the top of his head with a foreleg, looking confused, and waited for her to explain herself.

Bon Bon looked back to Scary and sighed deeply. “I-I know what you're thinking. It’s silly and dumb, but it’s true!” She hung her head down in shame, hating herself. “It’s ridiculous, and I know that. But, his hands keep reminding me of... terrifying spiders.” She looked up to Scary once she realised what she just said. “Umm, n-no offense,” she added with a sheepish smile.

Scary simply shrugged, showing her he wasn’t offended.

“I-I mean, I’m not afraid of you,” Bon Bon quickly added with a nervous laugh, trying to defend herself. “Y-you know… j-just as long as you stay in that aquarium… a-and don’t crawl on me… o-or jump out at me...” Her voice trailed off into a whisper as she dug herself into a deeper hole.

Scary rolled his eyes—or at least that's what it looked like he did. It was hard to tell.

“S-sorry,” Bon Bon apologized softly. “W-well, anyway. I have to get over my fear of Chris’s hands if I truly want to give him a chance… and I do. I really do! But every time I think about him touching me, I just get chills. I can't stop thinking about being in that hospital all those years ago... and the fear of losing my leg… and the pain.” She sighed and shook her head in disappointment. “I know that could never happen, and I know his hands won't bite me. I-I just... can't help it. It's like my brain won't listen to me! Even now, I can feel my legs starting to get all tingly just talking about it." She closed her eyes and sighed deeply. “I just don't know what to do, Scary,” she admitted sadly, frowning as she looked back to him. “What do you think I should do? How can I get over my fear?"

Scary rubbed his chin with his foreleg―or what would have been his chin if he had one―before looking back to Bon Bon. He started to rub the top of his left foreleg with his right one in response, petting it slowly for her so she could get the message.

Bon Bon winced at his actions. She knew exactly what he was trying to tell her to do, and it scared her. “Y-you think I should… l-let him… t-touch me?” she asked softly. She could already feel her heart start to race in her chest and butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.

Scary nodded his head firmly.

“B-but.. but maybe we can make it work without touching each other… I-I mean he could jus―,”

Scary scowled and shook his head before rubbing his legs together even faster.

“O-oh, S-Scary…” she stuttered, feeling even more nervous, knowing that he was right. It was the only way for her to get over her fear, so they could have a healthy relationship. “I-I know you're right, b-but it’s not as easy as it seems...” She shuddered, feeling a slight burning sensation in her right foreleg. “I just don’t know how I can do it without freaking out on him. W-what if I panic and hit him again? I mean, maybe if I had some way to relax, o-or if I had something to distract me while he... touched me.” She bit her lip and fidgeted with her hooves as she thought more of what could help in this situation. “I-I could close my eyes. That might help," she added before grunting in frustration. "Oh, I just don't know! I have to think about this some more. I haven’t even talked to Chris about all this yet, and that’s going to be just as hard. I need to tell him how I feel…"

Scary nodded his head in agreement.

“I really should talk to Chris about all this soon,” Bon Bon said, sighing deeply. “Thanks for talking with me, Scary.”

Scary gave her a little salute in response.

Bon Bon smiled at him before frowning. “I just feel so nervous about bringing it up with him. What if he doesn’t feel the same now? Maybe we can talk about it over a nice breakfast,” she said, glancing around the kitchen before looking back to Scary. “Did you see Chris eat breakfast yet?”

Scary shook his head.

“Hmm... well, I’m sure he’s hungry. I’ll make us both something to eat, then we can… talk.” Bon Bon winced at the thought of confronting Chris about her feelings and his hands. “I just hope I can muster up my courage before then,” she added, trotting into the pantry.

Chris looked at himself in the mirror as he trimmed away the last few out of place hairs in his beard before setting the scissors down. He moved his head from side to side for one last check, but was interrupted as a pleasant and familiar aroma filled his nostrils. The wonderful fragrance of freshly-cooked pancakes caused his stomach to growl. Bon Bon must be up now and making herself some breakfast. He really hoped she was making some for him as well.

He hummed to himself in delight as he thought about biting into some of Bon Bon’s cooking. Knowing her, those pancakes would be pretty tasty. He was sure she would have some secret ingredient or something else that would liven them up. Once he was dressed, he made his way out of the bathroom and looked around, expecting to see Bon Bon in the kitchen. Instead, he found her sitting at the dining room table, looking right at him with a sweet smile.

Chris noticed there were two plates of pancakes on the table. One was a smaller plate with what looked like just plain pancakes lightly coated in syrup and butter. The other plate was much larger and covered in all kinds of different toppings. He questioned if they were even pancakes at all. It also seemed like she had been sitting out here for a while. Was she just waiting for him to come out? She even placed a fork and a napkin on his side of the table, along with a tall glass of milk.

“G-good morning, C-Chris!” Bon Bon said in a happy and shaky voice as she waved a timid hoof at him.

Chris raised an eyebrow, but smiled as he made his way towards the table. “Good morning to you, too, Bonny. I see you made some breakfast.”

“Y-yes, I did!” Bon Bon half shouted before pushing the larger plate across the table towards him. “I-I made you some pancakes.”

Chris looked down and saw that his stack was drenched in syrup and whip cream. There were even some strawberries and what looked like some chocolate shavings on top. It seemed like she was trying to give him a heart attack, but that didn’t stop his mouth from salivating at the sight. “Bonny, these look incredible!”

Bon Bon blushed and giggled softly. “W-well, you told me yesterday that you really liked pancakes, s-so I, umm... thought I would make you some, special ones today,” she muttered quietly, looking away while tapping her hooves together nervously.

Chris sat down on the stool and picked up his fork. He was about to just dig right in, but there was something about the pancakes that caught his eye. He couldn’t really see it before, but now that he was sitting down in front of them, it was hard to miss. “You, umm, made them into a heart shape?” he questioned, looking up to Bon Bon with a raised eyebrow.

Bon Bon bit her lip and nodded her head slightly.

Chris looked down at Bon Bon’s plate and saw that her food was in a more normal, round shape. She didn’t take as much care into making her own meal. Why would she go out of her way to make his food so special and even shape it into a heart of all things? Was she trying to hint at something? If he didn't know any better, he would have thought she was going to confess her love for him just like Lyra tried to do. He started to get a strange feeling of deja vu.

But that couldn’t be it. He was just reading into things too much again. This must be one of those pony things that he didn't quite understand yet. Ponies could be an overly friendly bunch once you got to know them. That must be it. Bon Bon was just being friendly towards him. “Well, thank you so for making this for me. They look quite adorable and delectable,” he teased with a light chuckle before sinking his fork into his food, then took his first bite.

“Y-yeah,” Bon Bon said quietly, staring down at her own meal as she continued to slowly tap her hooves together.

Chris moaned in delight as he savored his first bite, finding a sweet strawberry jam surprise layered in between the pancakes. He took a moment and let the sugary goodness take over his taste buds as he closed his eyes. “Mhmm, Bonny. These are wonderful. You're an amazing cook!” he praised, opening his eyes again as he went for another bite. “Maybe now that I’m working with you, some of your talent will rub off on me,” he joked with a wink.

Bon Bon smiled and laughed weakly. “Yeah,” she said again but softer this time, still not looking directly at him.

Chris gave her a confused look. She was acting weird again. She had been acting like this ever since their conversation yesterday. Something was definitely up, and he wasn't reading too much into it this time. He had been around these skittish ponies long enough to know that something was on her mind. “Okay, what's going on? Are you okay, Bonny? You’ve been acting kind of strange lately.”

Bon Bon finally looked up to him and forced a smile. “Y-yes. I’m fine,” she reassured him quickly, hesitating for a moment with a frown. “B-but…” she added sadly, looking away again.

Chris’s eyes widened in concern. He didn't like the way she said that word. “But... what?”

Bon Bon took a deep breath and looked into Chris’s eyes. “B-but, I-I think we should… t-talk.”

Chris blinked a few times, feeling even more concerned and worried now. The way she said that didn’t sound good at all. She was nervous or even frightened about whatever it was she wanted to talk about. “T-talk about what?” he said nervously. Did he do something wrong? No, he couldn’t have. Why would she be giving him such a wonderful meal if that was the case. Not only that, but Bon Bon was a mare that would let somepony know right away when they were doing something she didn’t like. She wouldn’t be this hesitant about it.

Bon Bon opened her mouth for a moment, but closed it as she fidgeted with her hooves on the table. She did this a few more times before finally saying something. “I just… want to t-talk… a-about,” she stuttered, then paused and bit her lip. Chris could see her hooves start to visibly shake on the table. What ever she wanted to say, she was having a lot of trouble communicating it. “I-I mean I was just... wo-wondering…” she finally continued before shouting, “Whatyouwantedtodotoday!?” she finished with a bright and awkward smile, clapping her hooves together.

Chris blinked in confusion and stared at her for a moment. “You... want to talk about... what I wanted to do today?” he repeated in a questioning tone.

Bon Bon nodded her head quickly. “Yes! What would you like to do today?” she said again with a nervous giggle. “I-I was thinking we could read together, o-or maybe I could teach you how to make gummy parasprites, or w-we could, umm… read?”

Chris was having trouble swallowing all of this. “Alright…” he said as he set his fork down and gave Bon Bon a serious look. “What's really going on? You make me special pancakes and sit out here, waiting for me to come out and say we need to talk, but you just want to talk about our day plans?” he questioned before sighing. “You know you can talk to me about anything, right?”

Bon Bon bit her lips again, harder this time as she started to fidget with herself. “I-I…” he frowned deeply as beads of sweat started to appear on her forehead. “I’m fine… r-really, I am... I just wanted to make you a nice breakfast. T-that’s all,” she answered, still not daring to make eye contact with him. “A-and I waited because I… well, I wanted to eat with you and thought we could… y-you know... make plans for the day together.”

She almost sounded sad the way she said that. Was that really the truth?

Chris wasn’t sure if she was telling the truth or not. Ponies could be pretty confusing at times. He wasn’t sure if he should persist more or not. Maybe it was best to not push it anymore. The cabin fever might be finally getting to her. He hoped that wasn’t the case, but it had been a full week since they got locked up in this place. Besides, Bon Bon was a strong mare, and if there was something that she really needed to talk about, then she would bring it up to him eventually.

“Well, as long as you're okay. And you know that I’m always here if you need somepony to talk to.” Bon Bon looked up to him and nodded her head in understanding. Chris smiled before continuing. “I guess if you really want to talk about our day plans, then I could tell you about the idea I got when I was in the bath earlier.”

“O-oh? What’s that?” Bon Bon asked, looking up at him curiously.

“My sister and I used to do this a lot back in my old world,” Chris started to explain as he picked up his fork again. “Whenever we had the house to ourselves, we would try to make a cake together, but we would each decorate one side in any way we wanted. It’s a lot of fun, and the cakes always came out looking pretty... interesting,” he said with a light chuckle as he reminisced of those days with his sister. “I think you'd get a kick out of it. And once it's done, we get to grade each other's creation.”

Bon Bon started to smile softly. “That... does sound like a lot of fun. Yeah, okay, let’s do that!” she cheered, sounding more like her old self, much to Chris’s relief.

They both finished their breakfast discussing the rules for their little cake baking game for the remainder of the morning before heading to the kitchen. Chris was still confused about Bon Bon’s strange behavior, even though she was acting normal again. He made a mental note to keep an eye on her and try to figure out what was truly bothering her.

Bon Bon was happy that Chris suggested baking a cake together. It was a struggle trying to bring things up with him in the morning. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't muster up the courage to say anything. She really needed something to help calm her down after the ordeal and baking was a perfect outlet for that. She was already starting to feel better and was going to give talking to Chris another try when the time was right. For now, she was just enjoying the moment with him.

It took them a while, but their cake was finally ready for decorating and Bon Bon couldn’t help but laugh at their creation. They didn’t have any baking pans that were similar in shape and size, but Chris said that was okay. Their cake ended up looking like a very abstract, three layered pyramid.

They both sat at the bar and placed the cake on the counter, so they could be a little more comfortable while they decorated. They had all kinds of frosting, candy, and flowers to add to the cake. They even had some plates and silverware ready so they could eat it when it was done.

“Oh, this is so exciting!” Bon Bon cheered as she clapped her hooves together. “I can’t wait to see what we come up with, but... are you sure it’s okay if I use flowers?” she asked, knowing Chris’s dislike for them.

“Yes, it’s completely okay. I can just pick them off if I don’t like them, but don’t hold back because of me. The name of the game is to decorate your side in any way you want,” Chris explained as he started to gather some of the candy and green colored frosting.

Bon Bon smiled and nodded her head as she grabbed the pink frosting. She wanted to make a cute display with all the red and white flowers they found in the pantry. She wasn’t sure what Chris was going to do, but that was half the fun.

She covered her side with the pink frosting and started to arrange the flowers on the cake. She placed a few red ones on the top layer and put a mixture of white and red on the middle layer. The bottom one was left empty, but she used the spatula to make small flower petal patterns in the frosting that spread out from the center. It was a little difficult for her to get right, but she managed to make it look okay. She placed the spatula down, then finished the cake off with some red licorice to decorate the edges, trying her best to make it look nice and stylized. She wished she had something better to use, but their options were fairly limited.

Finished, she leaned back and admired her work. She thought hers turned out pretty decent, considering what she had to work with, but now she was curious about what Chris had done. She looked over to see how he was doing and saw him covering what looked like a clump of marshmallows and toothpicks with a cream colored frosting.

“What’s that?” Bon Bon asked out of curiosity, sitting up a bit more.

Chris just turned away from her, hiding the decoration from her sights. “No peeking yet! You’ll see soon enough.”

Bon Bon rolled her eyes, then rested her forelegs on the counter, laying her head on them while she waited for him to finish.

“There!” Chris said as he placed the object he had been hiding on his side of the cake.

Bon Bon sat up again. “Can I see now?”

Chris nodded his head. “Yep. It’s time to grade each other's work,” he said as he turned the cake, revealing his side. His half was covered completely in the green frosting. Different colored candies were used to make a bunch of flowers and shrubbery all around the cake. There was even a river of blue jellybeans that flowed down on each level until it turned into a pond at the bottom layer. It all looked very nice, but what caught Bon Bon’s eye the most were the two pony shaped figures next to the pond. They both had toothpicks for legs and marshmallows for a body, neck and head. Jellybeans were used for their manes and frosting for their coat colors. One was mint green with a cyan mane. The other was cream colored with a blue and pink mane. Both figures were leaning against each other in what could be considered a loving manner.

Bon Bon burst out laughing at the sight, then turned to Chris with a sly smile. “You think you're cute, don'tcha?”

Chris shrugged. “I’ve been known to do cute things from time to time,” he said nonchalantly.

Bon Bon giggled and slugged him hard in the arm.

“Ouch!” Chris whined, faking a hurt expression as he rubbed the spot she hit, but soon started to chuckle. “I couldn’t really do anything for the tails, but I think you get the picture.”

Bon Bon giggled. “I do, and it’s very cute and adorable. You get an A+, but I could be biased,” she teased with a bright smile. “Okay, now you have to grade me,” she added with excitement as she turned the cake to the other side.

Chris hummed to himself in thought as he stroked his chin. “I see…” he mused as he looked over her half up and down. “I don't know... looks kind of weird…”

“Oh, come on!” Bon Bon shouted, knowing he was just teasing her. “Don’t make me hit you again,” she joked, sticking her tongue out at him.

Chris chuckled and smiled at her before giving her his serious answer. “It’s great! I really like the detail you put into the frosting. It matches the flowers. I give it an A-.”

“A-?” Bon Bon questioned sounding shocked. She crossed her forelegs over each other and scowled. “And after I gave you such a good grade,” she mumbled.

“Hey, them’s the breaks kid,” Chris teased, reaching for the plates and knife. “Now, it’s time for the best part. The taste test!” He started to cut a corner of his side, putting it on a plate, then placed it down in front of Bon Bon. He then cut himself a piece from her side.

Bon Bon smiled and leaned down, taking a big bite out of the slice of cake. It was pretty plain tasting, but that was only because they made a basic vanilla cake. Nothing fancy, but it wasn’t bad. She was more happy about decorating it with Chris. It was a lot of fun, and she thought it would be even better if they could get Lyra in on it. She wasn’t sure how that would work though. They might have to make a triangle shaped cake if they―

A chuckling sound could be heard next to her, interrupting her thoughts. She swallowed the cake she was chewing and looked over to Chris, raising an eyebrow. “What’s so funny?”

Chris smiled and started to lean closer to her, moving his hand towards her muzzle. “You got a little―,” he started to say, but stopped almost immediately, drawing his hand back as his smile melted into a frown. “Ehh, I-I mean… y-you got a little, umm.” He used his finger to point to the side of his nose.

Bon Bon crossed her eyes and looked down. She could see the green frosting on the tip of her nose. She could even feel it now that she was aware of it. It must have gotten on her when she took that bite and Chris was about to… to…

Her eyes constricted to pinpricks as her heart started to pound in her chest when she realized what Chris almost did. He wanted to wipe it off for her with his hand. He was trying to help, but couldn’t because of her fear.

Was this the moment she was waiting for?

It had to be…

She had to let him touch her...

Bon Bon swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat. It had to be now. The opportunity was too perfect. She took a deep breath, trying to get her heart to stay in her chest and her hooves to stop shaking. She closed her eyes and practiced the words she wanted to say in her head. ‘Could you get it for me? Could you get it for me? Could you get it for me?’ Six simple and easy words. All she had to do was say them and let Chris... touch her.

“Umm, Bonny?” Chris called to her in concern after she went silent for a while.

This had to be it. It had to happen now. All Bon Bon had to do was ask for help. It was a simple plan, but why did it feel so impossible? She slowly opened her eyes and turned to Chris, seeing him giving her a very worried look. “C-C-Chris…” she stuttered in a soft whisper. Her breathing became more pronounced as she tried to build up the next words she wanted to say. “C-c-could… y-you…” Why was this so hard!? Six simple words, and she couldn’t push them out.

“Bonny… are you okay?”

Bon Bon’s heart felt like it was going to explode. Her body tingled as thoughts of creepy spiders crawling all over her flashed through her mind. She was panting quickly now, holding her right foreleg with her hoof tightly. “C-could… c-c-could you… could you…” she repeated, unable to finish her sentence. Tears welled in her eyes as her foreleg started to burn all over.

“You're shaking! What’s going on? Are you okay!?” Chris asked in a panic.

Bon Bon shut her eyes tightly and turned her head away from him. “I-I… I… can’t...”

“You can’t what?” Chris asked in concern. “Bonny, please talk to me. You’ve been acting so strange lately. What’s going on?”

Bon Bon opened her eyes and picked up a napkin that was on the table. She used it to wipe the frosting off her nose and placed it back on the table. “I’m sorry, Chris…” she muttered, barely above a whisper.

“Sorry?” Chris asked in confusion. “I don't understand. What are you sorry for?"

Bon Bon took a few long, drawn out breaths, calming herself. Her legs stopped shaking, but her heart was still beating out of her chest. She had to tell Chris everything, but she couldn't now. She needed rest and time to get her mind ready for what needed to be done. For what had to be done. If she was going to do this and do this right, then she needed to be relaxed and comfortable enough to tell Chris everything.

“Chris…” She started to say, not daring to look up. “I-I know I’ve been acting strange lately, and I’m sorry for scaring you like that, but... I’m okay. Honestly, I am.”

“Then, what's gotten into you lately?” Chris asked softly. “I’ve never seen you like this before. Was it something I did?”

Bon Bon shook her head. “No... I want to tell you what's going on, but… I just need to rest.”

“Rest?” Chris repeated in disbelief. “Can you at least tell me why?”

Bon Bon shook her head again. “I’m not ready… I’ll tell you, but I… I can’t right now… can we please just... wait a bit?”

Chris frowned and opened his mouth to protest, but quickly shut it. “Just… promise me you'll tell me eventually… please?”

Bon Bon nodded her head in agreement. “I promise…” she reassured him sweetly, looking up at him with a soft smile. “I just need time to… clear my head.”

Chris looked towards the cake they made together and sighed, saying nothing for a moment, then turned back to her. “Do you… need me to save you some supper?”

“I-I shouldn’t be away that long,” Bon Bon said shyly. "I’ll be back soon." Without another word, she hopped off her barstool and made her way to the bedroom.

Bon Bon tried to rest, but couldn’t. She put her face into her pillow and screamed into it. She was so upset with herself for freaking out on Chris again. Everything was perfect; why couldn’t she just go through with it?! For most of her life she was able to tackle most everything that life threw at her, but this was just so hard. It was frustrating and aggravating.

'Why was it so hard to talk to him and let him touch you?!'

Bon Bon stayed there, listening to the harsh winds outside as they picked up speed. She then turned her head and looked over to the nightstand where the black box with her firelily was. She had it out in hopes that its scent would help her sleep.

Sighing deeply, Bon Bon rolled over onto her back. There had to be a way she could stay calm while Chris touched her. She shut her eyes and cleared her mind as she thought of ideas. ‘When am I the most calm? What keeps me relaxed?’ she thought. ‘I feel safe in this room...’ That was true. Whenever she needed to get away or go somewhere to relax, the bedroom served as a safe spot for her, but that wouldn’t be enough.

‘Maybe if I close my eyes... Then, if I just focus on how his hand felt that one time before I knew he was touching me, then maybe...’ Bon Bon grumbled to herself. That idea wasn’t as great. She hated not being able to see where his hands were. That thought actually scared her more.

‘Come on, Bon Bon. When are you the most calm? Think!’ she mentally shouted as she scrunched up her muzzle and placed her hooves on her temples. She stayed like that for a while before relaxing her body, letting her hooves fall to the bed. “It’s hopeless… isn’t it?” she mumbled as she kept her eyes shut.

Bon Bon took a deep breath through her nose, taking in the sweet orangey fragrance that filled the room. She let the sweet aroma take her back to the past. Back into that small patch of firelilies where she would gallop and play, forgetting that the world even existed. She let her mind wander and watched in her mind as her filly self would run and laugh, dodging in and out between the trees with a bright and happy smile. Her younger self would lay in the flowers, giggling as she read one of her favorite books. Then, she remembered the moment when she got her cutie mark.

She was happy then…

Calm…

Relaxed...

Bon Bon’s eyes shot open, and she quickly sat up before turning her attention towards the black box on the night stand.

Chris opened the refrigerator and pulled out a handful of carrots. He figured a nice carrot soup would help Bon Bon feel better. He was still worried about her and spent most of the day trying not to check in on her constantly. She had been in that bedroom for hours now, and it was starting to get dark outside.

He gathered an onion, some sweet cream, and a small piece of ginger for added flavor before shutting the refrigerator door. He placed all the items on the kitchen counter and pulled out one of those weird unicorn knives. He started to peel some of the carrots with the knife over the sink as he thought more to himself. ‘I still haven’t thanked Bonny for giving me that bed sheet.’ He placed the now peeled carrots on the cutting board and started to chop them into small pieces. ‘I need to do that when she comes back out… if she comes back out.”

Just then, Chris heard the bedroom door slowly creak open, followed by the familiar sound of soft, slow-moving hooves on the hardwood floor.

Chris let out long sigh of relief at the sound. It made him smile knowing that Bon Bon was finally coming out. “Hey, Bonny! I’m making us some supper. I hope you like carrot soup!” he sang in a happy and joking manner, knowing full well that it was her favorite meal.

There was no response to his question, only the sound of soft hoof steps as they got closer.

“Oh, and I wanted to thank you for the blanket last night. It was really nice of you to do that for me. I just hope you were warm enough last night.” She still didn’t respond, but the sound of her steps stopped right at the kitchen entryway, making him stop what he was doing.

He placed the knife down and slowly turned around to see Bon Bon standing there, looking down and away from him. She had an almost sad or worried look on her face and something in her mane. Something familiar, but…

Chris’s eyes widened in surprise once he realized she was wearing the firelily he had given her. He thought she had thrown it out, or at least kept it at her home, stuffed in some drawer, never to be seen again. Why did she have it now? And why was she wearing it? “Bonny… you... kept the firelily?” he asked sounding shocked, not sure what else to say.

Bon Bon’s eyes darted up to Chris for a moment, but fell back to the ground. He could see her mouth open and close a few times. She started to draw a little line into the floor with the edge of her hoof while she kept trying to say something, but nothing came.

“What’s... wrong?”

Bon Bon clenched her eyes shut for a moment, then opened them before taking small, timid steps towards Chris, keeping her gaze on the floor. She stopped just in front of him and bit the hem of his sweatshirt, then started walking backwards. She looked behind her as she lightly pulled him along.

Chris allowed himself to be dragged, feeling deja vu all over again, but didn’t question it and let her drag him into the bedroom.

They entered into the room, stopping once they were both by the side of the bed. She let go of his shirt and said nothing, not daring to look at him directly.

Chris felt odd being in the bedroom. For a while, it had always Been Bon Bon’s place. A forbidden zone. He felt a little uneasy being in here, but he stayed standing there in front of her, waiting for her to do or say something.

“Please… sit,” Bon Bon asked in a soft whisper.

Chris did as she asked and sat down on the edge of the bed, placing his hands in his lap.

Bon Bon quickly followed suit and jumped up, sitting down next to him.

A moment of awkward and nerve-wracking silence slowly crawled by, making Chris feel increasingly more uncomfortable. He just wished Bon Bon would say something. Why was she wearing the firelily, and why did she drag him into her room?

Chris patted his thighs as he listened to the winds of the storm outside and the creaking of the cabin. Unable to take the silence anymore, he spoke up. “So, I see you, umm... kept the firelily,” he pointed out as he turned to face her.

“O-of course I did,” Bon Bon admitted softly, not looking at him. “It was the nicest gift anypony had ever given me... I even got a case for it to keep it safe,” she explained, pointing a lazy hoof to the black box that was resting on the night stand. “I take it practically everywhere.”

“I see,” Chris replied. “Well, I’m glad you like it.”

“I love it,” Bon Bon corrected him. “No pony had ever gone so out of their way to give me such a wonderful and meaningful gift, b-but… you… you did… and you did it without even knowing the real me, even after I treated you so poorly. You did it because you wanted me to know that you actually cared and wanted to give me a… a chance. I’ll never forget that.”

“I…” Chris was speechless. He didn’t think she would actually understand why he tried so hard to find that flower for her. “I really did want to give you a chance… To give us a chance.”

Bon Bon nodded her head in understanding, still not looking at him. “I know…” The room fell into silence once again. Bon Bon was fidgeting with her hooves on the bed now and acting like she was going to say more, but was having trouble.

Chris could see were this was going now. She was going to tell him that they should just stay friends. He knew why and figured that's what she had been so frightened about all day. She didn’t want him to feel rejected and was worried about hurting his feelings. He wished they could be more, but he knew that wasn’t possible. “It’s okay Bonny. I understand that we can’t work like that, and I just want to be your frie―,”

“Iwanttogiveyouachancetoo!” Bon Bon shouted suddenly, shutting her eyes tightly.

Chris blinked a few times in shock. “You… do?”

Bon Bon nodded her head, keeping her eyes shut. “I-I’ve been thinking, and… I really want to try.”

“Bonny…”

“I like you, Chris. I like you a lot, a-and I think we can work together,” Bon Bon explained softly, opening her now teary eyes to look up at him with an almost saddened expression. “That is if.... you're still interested in giving a mean pony like me a chance.”

Chris’s eyes widened in shock. “What?! O-of course I’m interested! Bonny, you're a great pony, and I think we’ve really been connecting here. Spending time with you in this cabin has been a lot more fun than I ever would have guessed, and I would like to keep getting to know you more.”

Bon Bon smiled softly and blinked away some of her tears. “I’d like that too.”

Chris smiled briefly, then frowned. “But, Bonny… As much as I would like to give the herd with you a chance… I can’t really say how well it would work if I can’t even hug you…”

Bon Bon frowned as well and looked down at the floor again. “I… know,” she admitted, taking in a deep breath through her nose, letting the fragrance of the firelily calm her before exhaling slowly. “T-that’s why… we're here.”

“In the bedroom?” Chris questioned.

Bon Bon nodded her head. “I feel safe here. A-and the firelily… Its scent helps me stay calm and relaxed.” She took another deep breath. “I-I want you.. t-to… to...”

Chris waited for her to go on, but spoke up after a while. “To... what?”

Bon Bon clenched her eyes shut and looked away. “To touch me.”

“I’m sorry? I didn't hea―,”

"To touch me!" Bon Bon cried loudly.

“What?!” Chris half shouted, going silent for a moment as he processed what she just asked of him. “I don’t know if that's a good idea Bonny. Wouldn’t that make your fear worse if I just… touched you?”

“I-I don’t know…” Bon Bon admitted, looking up at him with a worried expression as she fidgeted nervously with her hooves on the bed. “B-but I want to try... I need to get over my fear if we’re going to give us a chance.”

Chris rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “I… but…” he tried to protest.

“It’s the only way... Just do... whatever it is Lyra likes!”

Chris blushed lightly. “I’m not sure you want me to do… that.”

“Please, Chris!” Bon Bon shouted, turning to face him more, holding her hooves against her chest. “J-just... s-scratch my ear, o-or rub my belly, or something!” she begged. “Lyra always talks about how nice your hands are. Maybe if you do that then… then I can get over my fear!”

Chris groaned and leaned down, putting his face in his hands. This was all happening so fast. He didn’t know the first thing about phobias or how do deal with them. Could this really help? He didn’t want to make things even worse for her.

“Please, Chris… Please?” Bon Bon asked softly.

Maybe she was right. Perhaps if she experienced his touch and found out it was harmless, then... it would help her. He would have to be careful about it though, and as long as she wanted this, then he would do his best to help.

Chris sat back up and sighed deeply before turning to look back at Bon Bon with a serious expression. “Are… are you sure you want this?”

Bon Bon nodded her head quickly. “Yes. I’ve thought about it enough, and… I really want this.”

“Okay…” Chris agreed softly, turning his body to face her a little more, getting ready to reach out. “If you start to get scared, I’ll stop.”

“W-what… what will you do?” Bon Bon asked in a shaky voice, already leaning away from him slightly.

“I’m just going to touch your shoulder… is that okay?”

Bon Bon bit her lip and slowly nodded her head, looking down at his hands.

“Okay… I’m going to go slow.” Chris started to reach a hand out towards her, inching closer to her body.

Bon Bon held her breath as her eyes followed his hand. Her heart started to beat faster and faster as he got closer, making her whole body tingle. ‘It’s fine. It’s fine. It’s fine,’ she thought to herself, trying to get her body to listen to her, but she kept leaning farther and farther away. His hand was only few inches away now, making her release the breath she was holding and start to hyperventilate. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through Bon Bon’s foreleg, causing her to cry out. “A-ahh, s-stop!”

Chris retracted his hand quickly and frowned. “I-I’m sorry. Was I going too fast?”

Bon Bon was panting heavily now, still leaning away from him. “I… N-no, I just… I just…” she tried to explain. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath through her nose, letting her mind go blank for a moment as the nostalgic scent of the firelily calmed her. Opening her eyes again, she sat up and looked back to Chris. “I’m sorry. You were fine… I just... lost control.”

Chris sighed. “Bonny… I don’t think this is a―,”

“Do it again… please,” Bon Bon pleaded, interrupting him. “I’ll be okay this time. I’m ready.”

“Okay… I’m going again,” Chris said as he lifted his hand.

Bon Bon turned her head away and shut her eyes tightly this time, hoping that it might help. Her whole body locked up, but she could feel herself leaning away from Chris again, expecting his hand to be close to her by now. She could even feel the heat emanating from his fingertips, making her whimper and clench her hooves to her chest tightly. Her foreleg hurt again, but she did her best to ignore it. Then, suddenly, she felt it on her shoulder. It burned! A wave of tingling pain shot through her body making her yelp out. “Gahhh!”

“Bonny… I’m not touching you yet.”

Bon Bon opened one eye and looked over to see that Chris’s hand was nowhere near her. The pain that she thought she was feeling faded and her whole body went limp, causing her to fall onto the mattress. Lying there, she whimpered. “I’m sorry, Chris… I’m a… a terrible pony,” she criticized herself with a sob as tears started to well in her eyes.

“Don’t say that,” Chris argued quickly. “You're not terrible. Phobias can be hard to deal with. At least you’re trying, and that’s a step in the right direction,” he tried to comfort her.

Bon Bon sniffled a few times. “I just don’t want to be afraid anymore…” she sobbed sadly. “I thought the firelily would help… I’m sorry.”

Chris frowned and looked down at his hands as he thought to himself. Bon Bon was really taking this hard, and it pained him to see her so sad. He wanted to give it another try, but what could they do? She was obviously still too stressed and scared to sit still. Maybe if they tried something where she could lay back, or do something that was more comfortable for her. But what?

He thought for a moment, then remembered something that Lyra told him she really loved to do with him. She would always tell him it was the most relaxing thing to her, and she would often fall asleep because of it.

Chris looked over to Bon Bon, who was still laying down on her side sniffling as she stared ahead at the blank wall in front of her. He cleared his throat, causing her to look over at him with a sad expression. “Listen…” he started to say as his cheeks turned a deep crimson. “I, umm… might have an idea…”

Bon Bon’s eyes started to gleam with a new hope as she sat up a little. “You do?” she asked, sounding curious. “What is it?”

“Umm, well. Maybe we could try a different approach to this, but... it might be a little strange,” Chris admitted shyly. “It’s something that Lyra really likes, and it might help you… That is, if you want to try.”

Bon Bon quickly sat up straight and nodded her head. “Yes! What is it? I’ll try anything!”

“It might be easier to explain if I show you,” Chris said as he pushed himself back on the bed, then positioned himself so his back was against the headboard. He spread his legs out slightly, then looked back to Bon Bon. “Lyra would sit here,” he said, patting the spot on the mattress between his legs. “Then, she would lay back on my chest and just let herself relax on top of me.”

Bon Bon looked at him and blinked a few times. It seemed simple enough, but was there more to it? “T-then what?”

“Well… then I would just kind of hold her, or give her a hoof massage… you know, ehh... stuff she likes me to do,” Chris tried to explain vaguely, sounding quite bashful.

Bon Bon wasn’t sure about this new idea. It was definitely a more intimate way to go about it. She would often do this with Lyra when they would watch movies or talked together on those cold winter nights. She liked being close to somepony in that way, but she wasn’t sure if it would be the same with Chris. Plus, she’d never really done something like that with a stallion, and he was so much larger than a pony. “I... I don’t know…”

“How about… I’ll put my hands behind my back for now, then you can lay down and see if you think it could work,” Chris suggested, placing his hands behind him. “You can take all the time you need to get adjusted, and if you feel uncomfortable, then we can try something else.”

Bon Bon bit her lip and rubbed her right foreleg with her hoof as she thought about his offer. She couldn’t really see a reason why they couldn’t at least give it a try. She just wasn't sure how much it would actually help.

“O-okay…” Bon Bon agreed weakly, stepping over Chris’s leg. She turned around and sat down where he told her to, then slowly laid back onto him.

Bon Bon stayed like that for a while, getting a feel for the foreign body against her. It was definitely strange and a little awkward. She wasn’t entirely sure what to make of it. She started to wiggle against him, trying to get comfortable.

“You okay?” Chris asked, sounding worried.

“I-I’m fine,” Bon Bon reassured him. She wanted to give this an honest try and didn’t want to give up just yet. She took a deep breath through her nose, taking in the firelily’s sent, then shut her eyes. She started to relax a little more, becoming more adjusted. It didn’t take long after that for her to notice how surprisingly comfortable he really was. The best way she could describe it was like resting on a... large teddy bear. She could also feel his warmth radiating from his body, helping her to relax even more.

Bon Bon laid her head back against him, and as soon as she did that, she could feel the soft rise and fall of his chest, gently rocking her. His breathing was a lot more pronounced than Lyra's, but that could be because of how large he was. It was surprisingly kind of thrilling thinking about how big Chris truly was compared to ponies. It actually helped her to feel... safe... strangely.

She noticed something else as well. It was faint, but if she concentrated enough, she could actually hear Chris’s heart beating. It was slow and steady. A lot more calm than her own, but her heart soon started to slow down just enough to match his as she listened to it.

Bon Bon let Chris's breathing and heart beat gently rock her into a calm state of mind. She took a few more deep breaths through her nose, completing her transcendence into a very relaxed state.

“Bonny?” Chris called to her softly.

Bon Bon acknowledged him with a blissful hum.

“You’ve been quiet for a while. Is everything okay?”

Bon Bon slowly opened her eyes as she remembered what they were supposed to be doing. She could feel her heart starting to beat fast again, and she sighed deeply. She tilted her head up and looked over her curly forelock at Chris, who was looking down at her with a concerned expression. “I’m okay,” she answered him sweetly, “I… I like this… I think it could help.”

Chris smiled gently at that, but kept his concerned expression. “That’s good. Do you want to try again now?”

Bon Bon’s smile melted into a frown as she looked down at her hooves that were resting against her chest. She started to rub them together, building up her courage before nodding her head. “Y-yes… I’m ready.” She wasn’t as ready as she would’ve liked, but at this rate, she would never be ready. It was time to be strong and just do it.

“Okay. I’m going to move my right hand now,” Chris explained gently, moving his hand into her line of sight. He let it hover there, just above her hooves.

Bon Bon shifted slightly against him, whimpering as her foreleg started to tingle again. ‘It’s not a spider. It’s NOT a spider!’ she thought, trying to reason with herself as her hooves started to tremble lightly.

“I’m going to place my hand on your hoof. Are you ready?”

“W-wait…” Bon Bon asked in a shaky whisper. She closed her mouth and started to breathe through her nose, focusing on Chris’s breathing. She let it all help relax her before responding. “O-o….okay… I-I’m… I’m ready.”

With that, Chris’s hand started to slowly descend on her. Her first instinct was to get away, but she had nowhere to go in this position. She started to press herself harder into Chris’s stomach as his hand inched closer and closer. She could see his digits start to spread out, getting ready to rest itself on top of her right hoof. The same hoof that was bitten all those years ago. ‘No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no―’

“Gahhh!”

Chris’s hand finally made contact with the top of her hoof. Her whole body froze and tightened up as she held her breath. A burning tingle ran up her leg, making her limbs start to tremble and shake even more as her heart felt like it would pound out of her chest.

“It’s okay. I got you,” Chris reassured her sweetly.

The sound of Chris's voice actually helped her feel a little better. Her breathing slowed, but her limbs wouldn’t stop shaking, and that burning feeling wouldn’t go away, making her eyes tear up. “C-C-Chris…”

“Shhh, it’s alright, Bonny,” Chris cooed softly, “I won’t hurt you. You’re safe.”

Bon Bon clung to his words. She believed in them as she breathed in and out quickly, fighting the powerful urge to push Chris’s hand away and bolt out of the room.

“C-Chris, I-I―A-AHH!” she cried as he started to move his hand ever so slowly down her hoof. His hand began to move back up, making her whole body stiffen up. The pain she was feeling started to leave, but only to be replaced with a numbness. Her breathing became more steady as she watched his hand in awe.

Suddenly, something out of the corner of her eye came into view, making her jerk her head to the left. Chris’s other hand was now slowly descending onto her other hoof. She watched as it too made contact with her, causing her to whimper, expecting it to hurt, but there was no pain this time. Only more numbness.

“There, you see?” Chris said sweetly, “It doesn’t feel that bad, does it?”

“I-I-I don’t know,” Bon Bon answered honestly, “I-I can’t… f-feel anything.”

Suddenly, Chris’s hands gave both of her hooves a firm squeeze, making her take in a sharp, surprised gasp. It felt… strange and… comforting.

“Could you feel that?”

“A-a little…”

“I’m going to move my hands to your belly. Is that okay?” Chris asked in a calming whisper.

“J-just… k-keep talking to me, p-please?”

“Everything will be fine. You're safe with me,” Chris reassured her softly, doing as she requested. “I’m going to move now, okay?” As soon as he said that, his hands started to slide down her hooves. She could really feel it this time. His hands glided gently over her hoof before making contact with her belly, sending a warm shiver up her spine. She bit her lip and spread her forelegs out so she could watch him more closely.

“Lyra always enjoys this,” Chris continued to say as his hands started to move slowly up and down on her abdomen, letting his fingertips run over her soft coat. Her body quivered slightly at strange, tickling sensation. “She would make me do this for hours if she could,” he said with a soft chuckle. Her muscles tightened at the strange feelings, making her body lock up tightly.

“Just relax. Everything's okay,” Chris cooed as his hands pressed down flat on her stomach. His hands were smooth and felt soft, but firm at the same time. It was all so strange and foreign and felt nothing like a hoof. She could feel her body start to relax as he continued to stroke her fur. The feeling definitely wasn’t painful or unpleasant like she thought it was before.

“How are you feeling?” Chris asked kindly.

“I-I… I…” Bon Bon tried to answer but words escaped her. She felt Chris’s left hand start to move up her chest. Without even thinking, she started to spread her forelegs out for him, allowing him easier access. His hands seemed to grow warmer as he continued to explore more of her body, adding to the sensation. It all felt so different, and it was starting to feel… nice.

Suddenly, each one of Chris’s fingers on his right hand glided over her navel, causing her body to shudder as a new pleasurable jolt ran through her. “A-ahh… w-what…” she stuttered in confusion. She had never been touched there quite like that before, and it surprised her how sensitive she was.

Chris’s chuckled softly. “Lyra likes that spot too,” he said as he used his pointer finger to lightly trace around the edge of her navel, causing her to whimper as a warm tickling sensation flowed through her.

“C-Chris…” Bon Bon said barely above a whisper.

“I got you,” Chris whispered softly into her ear.

Bon Bon could feel her body start to heat up from all this attention. She started to pant softly as her eyelids became heavier.

Chris’s finger drifted away from her belly button and went back to gently petting her abdomen up and down. She felt more sensitive to his touch now. He started to make longer and bolder strokes over her while his left hand simply held her chest tightly.

This was unbelievable. Chris was actually touching her and it wasn’t hurting! She was okay with this and didn’t mind what he was doing at all! In fact, she wanted him to keep touching her...

It had been so long since she had been close to somepony like this, and she was happy to share this moment with Chris. It made her heart flutter with excitement instead of fear now. He was actually holding her with his hands, and they could really give this herd a chance! A real and honest chance! She felt so happy in that moment, being able to conquer her fears and discover the truth about Chris’s hands.

But, there was something else now… Something in the back of her mind that picked away at her curiosity…

What else could his hands do?

Author's Notes:

Just so you guys know. I took the days out of the chapter titles because I felt they where to much of a spoiler. Jsut in case you were wondering...

Anyways... I hate that I had to cut things off here... It's kind of painful... a lot of stuff happens in the next part. I almost wanted to say that you guys should read the next part anyways because there is a lot more development in there. Oh, well… For those that want to skip it you still can. There will be a 3rd part that takes place after part 2 so don’t worry. The chapter doesn’t end here. Just don’t be shocked when the scene jump a little.

Still… it sucks that I had to cut things here, but this was the best spot I could do it.

Anyways! It’s finally out! And the good news is... BON BON ISN'T AFRAID OF HANDS ANYMORE! IT'S TIME TO PARTY―

https://youtu.be/XivpeO_ZUys?list=FL0DZjBM2JUL6uamiHzBtE0g

―AND LET THE REAL BONDING AND DRAMA BEGIN!

I don't know why, but I had this song on a loop while I wrote and it just helped me focus so much.

The next 2 parts should be up within the next few hours. I just wanted to post this first for you guys so you can start reading.

Tell me what you think! Let me know if stuff is messed up or missing. You can check for chapter updates and progression here!

Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire-Part 2 [Clop]

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Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire-Part 2 [Clop]

What else could his hands do?

Her mind started to wander with thoughts of what his touch might feel like elsewhere. She was really enjoying the feelings he was giving her now, but what would it feel like behind her ears? Or on her back? What would it feel like if he…

Bon Bon could feel her cheeks burn in a bright blush as her thoughts drifted into more questionable territory, causing a warmth to rise in her loins. She clenched her eyes shut, trying to drown out those thoughts, but she couldn’t help her curiosity.

She started to remember all those stories Lyra would so rudely tell her about Chris’s hands, and all the places they would go, only adding to her arousal. She bit her lip harder, as visions of Lyra twitching and jerking wildly from his hands entered her mind. Lyra would coo and giggle as he traced every inch of her with his fingertips. Then, she would cry out in blissful pleasure once he pushed his digits all the way into her wet and awaiting...

Bon Bon’s legs started to tremble with anticipation as her thoughts of Lyra and Chris became more explicit and detailed. She could feel herself becoming hotter, causing her to pant softly and wiggle against the warm body behind her. She had to stop thinking like that, but she couldn't help it. What if all those stories Lyra talked about were true? She couldn’t stop her imagination from picturing what his hands mi―

Suddenly, a tingling jolt of pleasure shot through her as one of Chris’s fingers lightly grazed across her sensitive and hard teat, causing her eyes to shoot open. “H-huh!” Bon Bon cried in surprise, clenching her legs shut, covering her breasts.

Chris pulled his hand back quickly. “B-Bonny! I-I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to go that far! I wasn’t looking… A-are you okay?”

Bon Bon’s whole body quivered briefly. She wanted to feel that again, but was this going too far? Should they stop now?

“A-are you alright?” Chris asked again, softer this time.

Bon Bon didn’t know what to tell him. Could they continue now? Did she really want to? Her mind went blank and words fell to pieces in her mouth. She panted as her hind legs started to relax, revealing her most delicate parts to Chris again. All she could do was lay there and hope…

Hope that he would…

...keep going.

Chris stayed motionless for a while. She was worried that she might have frightened him with her sudden reaction, but soon, his hand came back down and rested on her belly. He moved it back and forth slowly, as if he was testing the waters, making sure it was okay.

Bon Bon could feel her heart beating out of her chest as she nodded her head gently, hoping that was enough for him to understand.

Chris’s hand started to move down, rubbing her just above where her delicate breasts rested. He was teasing her as he lingered there, just centimeters out of reach, causing her to whimper helplessly. Her hips started to shift and move on their own, seeking out his touch.

His hand moved lower, making Bon Bon gasp sharply once his hand made contact with her right breast. He held her there, cupping the small, delicate mound with his firm and strong hand. Her right hind leg twitched slightly at the sensation. It was unlike anything she had felt before, and she had nothing to compare it to. Lyra would often touch her there, but it wasn’t anything like this. While Lyra’s hoof could only massage and rub, Chris’s hand could wrap around her and hold her securely. It felt so comforting and warm.

Chris gave a firm squeeze, making her press her lips together, trying her best to not make any embarrassing noises as he manipulated her. She could feel her over-sensitive nipple being pressed down by his powerful hand, causing her whole lower half to tingle with eager anticipation. She began to drip with arousal, wanting him to play with her more.

His left hand slowly began making its way down her side, and she watched as it inched its way over to her other lonely, cold and wanting teat. His fingers reached out and lightly grazed her hard nipple, causing her to moan softly through her pursed lips. She tried desperately to hold back any more embarrassing sounds as his index finger and thumb pinched her sensitive nub, giving it a firm squeeze and a twist.

She arched her back and covered her lips with her hooves, suppressing another moan as she shut her eyes tightly. Her cheeks burned brightly as her pleasure shot up. She couldn't believe how much Chris was affecting her. She was putty in his hands, and she was loving every second of it.

Chris started to rub her teat between his fingertips even harder, sending her mind spinning with ecstasy and making it increasingly more difficult not to cry out. There were so many new sensations, but just when she was starting to get used to the assault, his right hand let go of her breast, only to come back and pinch her nipple tightly. He tugged it a few times, making her squeak and buck her hind legs involuntarily as sharp jolts of tingling pleasure ran through her. He then let go of both of her now tender nipples and cupped his hands over her breasts before massaging and squeezing them caringly.

Bon Bon opened her eyes slightly and peered down between her legs. It felt wonderful having him cradle and knead her after all of the rough playing he did. She wanted his hand to stay there forever, holding her, keeping her safe in his palms. It was such a blissful sensation, and she thought she could fall asleep in his strong and powerful arms if they stayed like that. In fact, she wanted to.

Before she could get too comfortable, Chris’s left hand let go of her―much to her dismay―and wrapped itself around her belly, holding her securely. His other hand smoothed over both her breasts, moving from side to side. He then stopped, resting his hand between her soft mounds.

Bon Bon frowned in confusion as she watched his hand. She wasn’t sure why he stopped all of a sudden; she wished he would go back to holding her. Eventually, she could feel his hand start to tremble against her. His breathing became heavier, and his heart rate shot up. Was he scared about something?

Chris’s hand began to move up and down slowly, inching lower and lower. She could feel his fingertips come just centimeters away from her pulsating clit, only to retreat back.

'Was he going to…'

Bon Bon bit her lip hard. She could feel her marehood ache and wink in anticipation for what Chris wanted to do, but he wasn’t making a move. Was he scared? She could feel his body shudder slightly behind her, making his intentions known to her. He wanted to… but he was too nervous and uncertain to continue. It was actually kind of adorable.

She felt just as nervous and shy about what he wanted to do, but she couldn't deny how much she wanted him to keep going.

Chris sighed sadly and started to lift his hand away, interrupting her thoughts. Bon Bon quickly placed her right hoof on top of his hand, catching him before his touch could leave her completely.

“Bonny?” Chris whispered softly.

Bon Bon was too shy to speak. She just held him there, lightly rubbing the top of his hand with her hoof reassuringly.

Chris stayed motionless as his hand lingered between her breasts. She could still feel him trembling a little. She used her shaky left hoof to reach out and pet his forearm up and down as she tried to vocalize her desires. Every word fell to pieces in her mouth. Her bashfulness was overwhelming her, causing her to let out a helpless whimper every time she tried to speak.

Eventually, Chris leaned forward, placing his head on her mane as he inched closer to her marehood, causing her to shiver with eager excitement. She let his arm slide through her grip while his hand slid over her vulva. She spread her legs out even more for him as he cupped her. He then pressed his palm against her winking entrance while lightly petting a small spot on her thigh with his thumb.

Bon Bon cooed softly in approval. His warm hand felt wonderful over her aching sex, and she could feel her convulsing lips coating him in her arousal. She panted softly as her hips started to roll on their own.

Chris started to move his hand up, letting his middle and ring fingers lightly brush against her wet, quivering folds. She gasped sharply and quivered slightly as his fingertips lightly traced her entrance. He started to spread her warm arousal around as he explored and teased her to no end.

His touch tingled in all the best ways possible, making her clench her teeth together, trying her best to stifle her cries of pleasure. She squeezed his arm tighter, pressing it against her cheek as she watched; she didn't dare to let go.

Chris pressed his fingers down harder on her entrance before rubbing her delicate folds in a hard but slow circular pattern.

Bon Bon held back a moan and splayed her ears flat. It felt so strange having him massage her like that. His fingers were so precise and only added the right amount of pressure to where her body desired it the most. It was so much better than her own hoof and only aroused her more. She could feel herself becoming wetter as Chris’s fingers glided around her marehood with more ease, letting him move faster and harder.

The aroma of sweat and sex started to fill the room, and Bon Bon could smell her own natural musk now. The air was thick with it, and it made her blush brightly. There was no doubt that Chris noticed it as well, and she wanted to apologise... but her mind was too drunk with pleasure for her to think straight. She just hoped he wasn’t offended by it.

Chris took a deep breath through his nose, making her blush even harder. There was no doubt now that he was smelling her awful and repugnant feminine musk. He then hummed softly to himself and slowed his circular motions before starting to massage her up and down in a ‘V’ pattern, stimulating her folds. He then moved his left arm up her chest and held her tightly as he kissed the top of her mane.

Bon Bon whimpered in embarrassment as her hips started to move up and down with a mind of their own, working against his ministrations.

After a while, Chris’s fingers began to move upward until they reached her pulsating clit. He used his index and middle finger to press down on her sensitive button, making her squeak and shiver with delight.

Bon Bon let out a muffled groan as her hind legs twitched at his touch. She squeezed his arm tightly as her whole body locked up in preparation for what he was about to do. What she hoped he was about to do.

Chris pressed down firmly and started to knead her love button in fast circles. Her body shivered as waves of blissful pleasure rocketed through her, making her wiggle and arch her back against him. It was becoming increasingly more difficult to hold back her moans and screams now, but she held on as he continued to assault one of her most delicate and sensitive areas.

Bon Bon’s mind was drowning in ecstasy, and she could feel a powerful pressure starting to build up, deep within her. She couldn’t believe how close she was already, but she had to hold on. It would be so humiliating if Chris saw her… make a mess like that and she could tell a big one was coming. Bigger than she had ever felt before. She needed to tell him to stop before it became too much, so she could finish herself in the bathroom.

Before Bon Bon could say anything, Chris stopped his ministrations―much to her disappointed relief―before sliding his fingers back down to her convulsing entrance. His fingers slipped between her lips, then started to spread out, pinning her folds back as they did so. She squeaked in surprise as he exposed her most sacred spot to the harsh cold.

The chilled air helped to soothe her burning marehood and quell her impending climax, but her cheeks felt like they were on fire. She hid her face in his arm as a helpless and embarrassed whinny escaped her lips. There was no way Chris could see from his position, but the thought of how open she was at the moment was so... shameful, but... thrilling at the same time.

And, it was cold… so very cold...

Her legs started to close together in an effort to shield herself from the harsh winter air, but it was no use. She squeezed Chris’s arm tightly, trying to make her discomfort known, and as soon as she did, his fingers started to relax. She could feel herself slowly start to warm up again.

Just then, Chris took his middle finger and pressed the burning hot digit up against her love tunnel, making her look back between her legs and gasp sharply in surprise. She closed her legs completely around his hand, trapping him there. His finger radiated warmth on her now overly sensitive marehood and it felt so delightful to have his burning touch there. It was like jumping into a warm bath on a chilling day, only so much more soothing.

Chris pressed the tip of his finger into her entrance, causing her whole body to stiffen. Her sensitive walls clenched and convulsed around him as he penetrated her. “Mh-nmm,” she cried with a muffled moan as his finger pushed through her resistance, disappearing half of his digit inside her until her body involuntarily tightened around him, trapping him there.

“Bonny,” Chris cooed softly, tickling her ear with his warm breath. “Just relax. It’s okay.” He tried to move again, but her muscles were still squeezing him tightly. He kissed the top of her mane sweetly while his left hand started to rub her belly in a comforting manner.

Bon Bon clung to his gentle and reassuring words. She shut her eyes and took a breath through her nose. The air was still thick with her musk but she could still smell the firelily. Her body started to relax just enough so Chris could slowly work the rest of his way into her squeezing depths. She whimpered and pressed her forehead into his arm while her tail flicked from side to side as his entire finger disappeared inside her. Her walls clenched around the invader, wanting to take him even deeper as she groaned through her tightly pursed lips.

Chris kept rubbing her belly with his left hand while he started to pull his finger out, only to work his way back in.

Bon Bon shivered as he built up a slow and steady rhythm. Over time he started to pick up speed as his finger became slick with her essence, making it easier for his single digit to stimulate her delicate insides. She could feel her climax peaking again, and she started to pant softly against his arm.

Chris pushed his finger in as far as it could go, pressing his knuckles against her hips, causing her body to quiver. He then drew back and brought his ring finger up, letting it rest next to its counterpart before pushing back in.

Bon Bon suppressed a moan as the additional digit slipped inside with little resistance, thanks to the copious amounts of her own shameful arousal. She could feel her inner walls convulse and stretch around him in order to accept the increased girth. He pushed all the way inside and rested there, nuzzling his cheek against the top of her mane.

“How are you feeling?” Chris asked in a sweet whisper.

Bon Bon could only respond with a soft whimper while stroking his forearm with her hoof lightly. Her hips started to roll into his hand, letting his fingertips rub against her rippling inner walls, desperate for his attention.

Chris chuckled softly, letting his fingers feel around for a bit, making her let out muffled groans of pleasure. “Lyra loves this,” he cooed before suddenly flexing his fingers straight up.

Bon Bon gasped loudly in surprise as his fingertips grazed over a sensitive spot on the top of her inner walls, causing her back to arch up as a surge of blissful pleasure shot through her. This new feeling was confusing to her, but before she could wrap her head around the sensation, Chris started to tickle that spot with his fingertips. She screwed her eyes shut and choked his arm tightly, doing all she could to hold back a moan. Her hind legs started to rub against each other, clamping down on his hand even harder in response to the new feeling.

She never knew that spot even existed inside her. It was so intense and feeling him touch it made her imminent climax all the more apparent. If he kept that up, she wouldn’t last long at all.

Without giving her much time to adjust, Chris quickly started to move his fingers in and out, making sure he kept hitting that spot as he did.

“NMMMM!” Bon Bon moaned loudly through her pursed lips as she quivered in Chris’s arms. Her whole body tightened up, trying desperately to hold back her orgasm. She pawed desperately at his forearm and shook her head into his biceps, trying hard to tell him to stop before it was too late.

“Let go,” Chris whispered sweetly into her ear as he continued his fast ministrations. “Let me hear that beautiful voice,” he added, moving even faster now.

Bon Bon did her best to hold out, but ultimately gave up. “N-NAHHHH! C-Chris!” she shouted to the sky, granting his wish as her hips wiggled and rolled, trying to escape those wonderful and magical fingers of his with little success. “I-I’m, g-gon―ahhhh!”

“Let go for me, Bonny,” Chris cooed, pressing deeper into her twitching marehood.

Bon Bon couldn’t hold out any more even if she wanted to. She was completely helpless and at his mercy. “W-w-wai―Ahh!” She tried one last time to tell him to stop, but couldn’t as she felt herself being pushed over the edge. She buried her face against his arm, squeezing him tightly as she came and cried out.

Her whole body arched up to the sky, and her hind legs stretched out onto the bed, pushing herself up as her whole body shook with pleasure. Her marehood clenched and spasmed around his fingers in earnest while a hot gush of her liquids spilled out, drenching his hand in her warm essence. Her mind went blank as wave after wave of pure ecstasy rolled over every inch of her body.

The feeling was only amplified as Chris kept his fingertips pressed up against that sweet spot. He pressed in deeper and massaged her harder, prolonging her climax, coaxing more and more of her essence to come spurting out until she had nothing left. Her body gave one last shudder before relaxing, slowly calming down from her orgasm. She fell limp atop of Chris panting heavily, releasing her power hold on his arm.

Chris slowly withdrew his fingers from her, then placed his hand over her spent marehood before lightly massaging it with his palm.

Bon Bon’s blank mind started to return as she regained control of her now sore limbs. It felt like she had galloped over a hundred miles and was completely out of breath.

Chris held her there for a while, letting her ride out her orgasm and collect herself.

Soon, Bon Bon’s mind came back into focus. The world stopped spinning, and she started to realize what she had done. “O-oh, n-no,” she whimpered in a soft shaky voice. She let things go too far, and she just… came all over Chris’s hand. The bed was no doubt covered in her shame as well. She felt so embarrassed… how could she let it go that far. She should have tried harder to tell Chris to stop before it was too late.

“How do you feel?” Chris asked sweetly.

Bon Bon slowly rolled over until her belly rested on top of his. She looked back at him with a sad expression as she tried to apologize for what happened. “I-I’m… I-I…” she tried to say, but was too shy and ashamed of herself. Tears started to well in her eyes while she fought to push out the next few words.

“H-hey, what's the matter?” Chris asked in worried concern. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?” he asked, running his left hand through her mane and placed it on her cheek.

Bon Bon closed her eyes and leaned into his hand. “N-no,” she admitted, collecting herself before speaking again. “I-I’m sorry I let it go that far. I-I should have told you to stop before I… I...”

“Came?” Chris questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Bon Bon blushed deeply and buried her face in his shirt before nodding her head.

Chris laughed and held her tightly with his left hand. “Bonny, that's ridiculous. I wanted you to enjoy it. Why in all of Equestria would you apologize for that?”

“Cuz it's embwrrwssing,” Bon Bon mumbled into his shirt before looking back up at him, resting her chin on his chest. “I-I didn’t think it would go that far, and I do... that… when I'm really turned on… A-and then you just started to do that thing with your finger, a-and I just… just,” she babbled and whimpered, looking away from him. “A-and the smell…”

“Hey, now,” Chris said sweetly, using his left hand to move her now frazzled curls out of her eyes. “It’s really nothing to be ashamed of. That’s just silly,” he added with a light chuckle. “I really like it when mares do that and to be honest, all you ponies smell wonderful when you're turned on.”

“R-really?” Bon Bon asked, looking up at him with a raised eyebrow. She was having trouble believing that.

“Yeah,” Chris confirmed with a smile. “I still think it’s crazy how all you ponies smell like some kind of sweet candy or something when you're excited or sweating.”

“Rotten candy,” Bon Bon corrected quietly. Chris took a deep breath through his nose, making Bon Bon blush even harder. “D-don't do that!” she cried, jerking her head up.

“Smells like... fresh vanilla. It’s wonderful.”

“Oh, sweet Celestia,” Bon Bon whimpered, covering her blushing face behind her hooves. “It smells nothing like fresh vanilla. It smells like sour Vanilla.”

Chris laughed loudly before moving Bon Bon’s hooves away from her face. “Well, I love it.”

Bon Bon sighed. “Well then, you're just as weird as Lyra… and I still... made a mess…”

Chris rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry about it. We can clean the sheets, and you don’t need to feel embarrassed by it. I try to get Lyra to do that all the time. Honestly, it’s something I really enjoy.”

Bon Bon shook her head. “You are just like Lyra," she groaned. "Both of you like that. I guess I should've expected as much.”

“Did you enjoy yourself at least?”

Bon Bon rested her blushing cheek on his shirt. She used her hoof to rub his chest for a moment, then nodded her head against him. “It was wonderful... I’ve never had a… well… a big one quite like that before.”

“You know what's even better though?” Chris asked happily.

“What?” Bon Bon asked, lifting her head up, looking up at him curiously.

Chris wiped his right hand on the bed sheet. “I can do this now," he said, lifting his now dry hand up with a soft grunt. He pinched her left ear with his thumb and index finger before rubbing it between them.

Bon Bon gasped in surprise, then cooed in delight, letting her head lean into his hand as her eyelids fell slightly. “Oh my sweet Luna… Lyra was so right about you,” she admitted in a happy moan.

Chris chuckled softly, then grunted in pain, letting his arm drop down to the mattress.

Bon Bon gave him a worried look. “A-are you okay?”

“Yeah, my arm is just a little sore,” he tried to reassure her. “You earth ponies really are strong. For a while there, I thought you were going to snap my arm in half,” he teased with a light chuckle.

Bon Bon’s eyes widened in shock once she remembered how hard she had been squeezing him. “O-oh Chris! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt you like that!”

Chris smiled and shook his head before rubbing her back. “It’s okay, really. Like I said, it's just a little sore. I’m sure it will be fine in the morning,” he said softly. “I’m just happy you could get over your fear.”

Bon Bon sighed and let her head fall to his chest again. She wrapped her forelegs around his barrel and nuzzled into him. “Me too.” She was happy, ecstatic even, but she still felt awful about hurting him. She sighed deeply, enjoying the warmth and closeness of Chris’s body. But then she noticed something... something that had been there for a while, but she was too preoccupied to feel it until now. There was a hard and warm lump that was poking her stomach.

She leaned to the side and looked down. Her eyes widened and her cheeks reddened once she saw the large bulge in Chris’s pants.

“Ehh… S-sorry,” Chris apologised. “I guess it’s my turn to be embarrassed. But, in my defense, that was really hot,” he teased lightly.

Bon Bon didn’t hear what he said. She kept staring down at his―what seemed to be quite large―member. Her curiosity started to peak once more as she tried to guess what he looked like down there, but it was difficult to tell with the fabric in the way. She remembered Lyra saying something about it having a helmet, which only added to her curiosity. Would she even like it? Or would it look like one of those weird diamond dog ones? She remembered seeing what one looked like in an old anatomy book once, and it was strange, to say the least.

“Ehh… Bonny?” Chris called to her, trying to get her attention. “Are you oka―aaay!?”

Chris gasped as Bon Bon placed her hoof on top of his hard erection. She rubbed it up and down, trying to feel it’s shape though the fabric. There didn't seem to be a middle ring or anything like that. It was difficult to picture what it could be like in her mind… she had to see it.

“B-Bonny?” Chris breathed.

Bon Bon looked up to Chris with curious and almost worried eyes. “C-can… can I see it?” she asked shyly.

Chris blushed deeply. “I-I, umm―”

“Please?”

Chris winced at her words. He had been in this position before, and just like his first time with Lyra, he found himself feeling extremely nervous. He knew he was completely different from stallions and was worried Bon Bon wouldn’t like what he had. But, if they were going to give this herd a real shot, then she had every right to see. “O-okay, but…” he hesitated, biting his lip for a moment. “Just know that… it’s going to look a lot different than what you're used to.”

Bon Bon frowned slightly but nodded her head in understanding. She sat up, pushing herself off of his body.

Chris moved back a bit and untied his sweat pants before moving to take them off.

“W-wait…” Bon Bon said, interrupting him before laying down between his legs, getting closer to his crotch. She stayed there, staring for a moment before speaking again. “O-okay.”

Chris gave her a confused look, but shrugged it off before sliding his pants down. The hem of his pants pushed his member down, causing it to spring straight up, much to Bon Bon's surprise. She flinched back a bit as it stood proudly before her, twitching in the cold winter air. He sighed deeply, then laid back and waited for her to cast judgment down upon him.

Bon Bon looked at it up and down, tilting her head to the side as she studied the specimen. “It’s…” she started to say but hesitated, making Chris feel even more nervous. “It’s… really big.”

“U-umm, in a good way, right?” Chris asked, uncertain since she was giving him very odd and confused looks.

Bon Bon didn't answer right away. She kept looking at him, gauging his size. The only thing she had to compare him to was Silver Wing, and Chris was about the same as him… maybe a bit smaller, which was good. She was worried Chris might have been a monster given how tall he was. Still, her experience with her ex was a painful one, and it worried her that it might be the same with Chris. That is, if they ever go that far.

His shape was a different story. It had no middle ring, and his tip was rounded instead of flat... and pink... almost like it was wearing a...

"Lyra was right," Bon bon said quietly to herself.

"A-about... what?" Chris asked shyly.

Bon Bon looked up to him with a small smile. "It has a pink helmet on it!"

Chris's blush deepened and he groaned loudly. "Not you, too!" he whined before sighing deeply. "I'm never going to hear the end of that, am I?"

"Oh, I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend," Bon Bon apologized softly, noticing his annoyance. "I was just surprised that Lyra was right. I didn't really believe her, but... it does look like a..." she stopped herself when she realized she was just making things worse. "S-sorry."

"It’s fine," Chris reassured her. "It's just a little embarrassing to hear it called that." He paused for a moment before speaking again. "So, Lyra told you all this already?"

"Kind of," Bon Bon admitted softly. "She tells me a lot, whether I want to hear it or not. She doesn't really have a filter."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I shouldn't be too surprised... So, umm anyways," Chris said, then hesitated. "W-what do you think so far?"

Bon Bon blinked up at him a few times before going back to study his erection. It wasn't anything like a diamond dog’s, which she was grateful for. It had almost no similarities to a normal stallion other than the girth and length of it. She kind of hoped it would’ve been a little more similar to a pony stallion, but... there was something appealing about how unique it really was. It wasn't so different that it weirded her out, but it was just the right amount of exotic to be... charming? Perhaps that wasn't the right word, but Chris was waiting for an answer.

"I... I like it. It's, umm... nice," Bon Bon admitted, looking up at Chris with a soft smile.

"Nice?" Chris questioned, raising a questionable eyebrow.

"Y-yeah," Bon Bon replied awkwardly. “It's different, but... in a good way."

"Well, that's good... I guess," Chris said, sounding uncertain.

Bon Bon sighed, knowing she wasn't helping him feel any better about the awkward situation. "I'm sorry. It's hard to put into words, but I really do like it," she admitted sweetly, rubbing his right thigh with a hoof, giving him a warm, reassuring smile.

Chris smiled and chuckled a bit. "Thanks," he replied simply, sounding a bit more comfortable now.

Bon Bon looked back at his still throbbing erection. It twitched and pulsed in the air, peaking her curiosity again. Her past experiences with the opposite sex were... well, she never really had any except Silver, and that was rather short lived. This would be her first time getting to really look at a stallion up close, and she wondered... what it would be like if she could… hold it.

She bit her bottom lip and started to fidget with herself. "Would…” she started to ask, but hesitated, feeling way too bashful to actually ask. “W-would it be okay... if... I, umm―”

“Touched it?" Chris finished for her.

Bon Bon smiled nervously, not daring to look directly into his eyes as she nodded her head softly in response.

Chris chuckled lightly before giving her a gentle smile and a shrug. "Sure. Go for it."

Bon Bon could feel her heart starting to pound in her chest again as her excitement grew. She shifted herself, getting more comfortable as she placed both of her forelegs over Chris’s thighs. She took a moment to gather her courage, rubbing his thighs gently with her hooves as she stared at his length. This would be the very first time she would even get to touch a stallion like this.

Chris’s member stood proudly in the air just inches away for her, demanding attention… her attention. She slowly moved her hooves up his thighs, then let them rest just at the base of his stiff manhood for a moment. She peered up to him one last time to make sure he was still okay with this. He responded with a smile and nodded his head.

This was it…

Bon Bon swallowed the lump in her throat, then grabbed onto both sides of its sizable girth, causing Chris to sigh softly. She hardly noticed the sound he made as she stared in awe at the member between her hooves. The first thing she noticed was how amazingly warm he was. He seemed to radiate heat, but that could just be because of how cold the room was. She squeezed him a little tighter, making him gasp in surprise as his member pulsed and twitched in response. She could feel him pulsating in her hooves. Beating as she gripped him tightly… like a heart… like his heart.

Bon Bon gasped as her eyes widened in shock. “I can feel it,” she muttered quietly in amazement.

“F-feel what?” Chris asked, sounding weak.

“Y-your heart. I can feel your heart beating!” Bon Bon half sounded in excitement, but bit her lip once she realized how loud she had said that. She tilted her head down, hiding herself behind her curls as she peered up at him. “Sorry. I’ve, umm... never had a chance to… really touch a stallion like this before,” she admitted shyly with a blush. “It’s kind of a new experience for me.”

“It’s okay, there’s no need to apologize,” Chris reassured her, “I’m happy to be your first, umm… stallion to touch?” he said in an unsure tone.

Bon Bon smiled and giggled nervously. “I-I’m happy too,” she replied shyly before looking back down, still feeling embarrassed by her outburst. She could still feel his heart beating, as if she was holding his very life in her hooves. The harder she gripped him, the quicker and faster his heart would pound. “It’s just… so unreal,” she muttered softly under her breath.

"Well, you can touch me as long as you like. I don’t mind in the slightest," Chris said as he shifted a little, getting more comfortable.

Bon Bon swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat. “T-thank you…” she said awkwardly, not sure what else to say. Taking him up on his offer, she leaned in closer and started to move his length around in her hooves, turning it gently back and forth as she studied it. A soft, pleased sigh from above told her just how much Chris was enjoying himself. It was wonderful to hear him react to her touch.

After a while, she gripped the back of his member with the crook of her hoof, supporting him as she used her other hoof to gently touch and rub his tender underside. He felt so smooth and soft, but solid at the same time. It was kind of thrilling to see him as hard as he was. She was causing his body to react in this way, and that thought sent a warm shivers down her spine.

Bon Bon squeezed his base with the crook of her hoof, trying to gauge exactly how hard he was, drawing out a soft groan from Chris. He felt so amazingly stiff... so much so that it looked painful. She didn’t know much about stallion anatomy, but she had heard that they could have painful erections if they got too... excited.

“Does... it hurt?” she asked shyly, keeping her firm grip on him.

“A-a little, I guess,” Chris admitted weakly.

Bon Bon could feel her excitement growing at his words. She started to slowly stroke him up and down, knowing exactly how to soothe his pain. “D-does... that feel better?” she asked in a quiet and shy whisper.

“Y-yes,” Chris replied weakly as his body gave a faint shudder.

The sound of his strained voice made Bon Bon quiver. He was loving the attention she was giving him. Her touch alone was enough for him to start trembling and grow weak. It was a powerful and thrilling feeling. She started to pump faster, squeezing a little harder, trying to coax out a moan.

Chris groaned in delight as he laid back a little more, becoming more relaxed. "B-Bonny..." he breathed softly.

Bon Bon smiled to herself as she watched his eyelids fall slightly, thinking she was making him feel good. It made her happy knowing she was the cause of his pleasure. She then let her sights fall back to his throbbing member and noticed something forming on the tip, causing her to slow her ministration. There was a small, clear pearl of precum at the end of his crown. She wanted to get a closer look, but as soon as she moved it closer, the pearl trickled down the length of his shaft. More started to appear on his tip, causing her to freeze, contemplating as she watched.

“H-hey... why did... you stop?” Chris asked between his soft pants.

Bon Bon knew about this stuff and started to remember something Lyra said a long time ago. Something about it and how it… tasted. She could feel her mouth starting to salivate just a little as her thoughts about what it would be like flooded her mind. Why did Lyra like it so much? For the most part she had heard a stallion's semen was awful tasting, but Chris wasn’t a normal stallion, so maybe he was different. Her tongue started to slowly slip out of her mouth while her body leaned forward all on its own. Maybe Lyra was right about it. Maybe… she would like the taste as well...

“What are―ahh!” Chris yelped in surprise as Bon Bon pressed her smooth tongue over his sensitive tip, licking him slowly.

Bon Bon leaned back a bit and licked her lips, trying to savor his taste. There wasn’t really enough for her to get a clear idea of what he was like, but she could taste a small amount of… well she couldn't place. She leaned down again and gave him another lick. This time, she started at the bottom of his shaft and slowly licked upwards, lapping up the trail of precum that had trickled down his length.

Chris goaned in a shaky voice as his legs quivered under her.

He really liked that.

Bon Bon stopped her licking when she noticed how much her tongue was affecting Chris. She pulled back slightly and peered up at him. “Y-you… like that? D-don’t you?”

Chris panted and nodded his head dumbly.

Bon Bon smiled and planted a soft, delicate kiss on his tip, causing him to buck his hips up slightly in a desperate attempt to seek out more of her affection. She giggled quietly to herself at his reaction. He wanted more. More of her attention, and she wanted to give him it. To please him, like he did for her. To make him call out her name. She never got a chance to do this stuff with Silver, and she had little knowledge of what she was doing, but she was going to do her best to please him.

She squeezed the base of his painfully hard length with her hooves and planted a few more gentle kisses on his crown, teasing him. She could hear Chris start to pant harder as she used her hoof to resume stroking him up and down again.

Chris moaned as his member jerked in her hooves. He let his head fall back onto the head headboard while his hips started to roll on their own.

Bon Bon placed her elbows on his thighs, using her body weight to keep him steady as she continued to stroke him with her hoof. She then started to lick him from the base to his tip, pressing her tongue harder into his burning hot member. He tasted a little salty, much to her delighted surprise. She also loved how smooth his texture felt on her tongue and how he would twitch in response to her ministrations. It only encouraged her to lick more.

Chris’s reaction was almost instantaneous. His tried to buck up again, but she didn’t let him. She kept him pinned there while she held him tightly in her hoof, pressing her wet muscle into him harder. He groaned softly before looking back down at Bon Bon, panting heavily now.

Bon Bon started to move her head around him, licking anywhere she hadn’t in hopes that she would find some kind of sweet spot as she coated him in her saliva. Most of Chris’s reactions were more of the same, but he seemed to love it when she licked his tip. She started to focus on that area more. Kissing his sensitive crown again before licking it quickly, lapping up more of his precum that had accumulated in the process.

Chris groaned in delight as his hand reached out to her and placed itself on top of her mane. He held her tightly as if telling her to keep going, never wanting her to stop.

Bon Bon's loins tingled with excitement. She could feel herself becoming wet again as the realization of how much she was affecting Chris ran through her mind. It was thrilling to know she could please somepony as large as he was. It was like he was at her mercy, like she was soothing the savage beast, bending him to her will for a moment. Well... Chris was anything but a savage beast, but he was larger than anypony in Ponyville and intimidating. Knowing that such a powerful being like him was now putty in her hooves was one of the best feelings in the world.

She wanted to make him feel good. To see him climax and cry out in joy like Lyra often did with her.

Feeling bolder, Bon Bon closed her lips around his tip, holding him tightly. She let her tongue flick back and forth over his crown, drawing out more delighted moans from Chris as his whole body trembled.

“Ha-ahh,” Chris breathed loudly as his other hand placed itself on the back of her neck. She loved feeling him hold her there, telling her all she needed to know.

Bon Bon was more than happy to oblige him. She started to descend a bit lower, taking more of him into her muzzle. She was at a loss of what to do next, but she knew that this act was called a blow-job. It had to be called that for a good reason. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath through her nose before gently blowing into Chris’s throbbing member.

“U-umm… Bonny?” Chris’s shaky voice called to her as his grip on her mane loosened, making her stop what she was doing so she could peer up at him. “What are you doing?”

Bon Bon's eyes shot open and her heart sank in her chest. Was she doing something wrong? Was Chris not enjoying himself anymore? She frowned and leaned back, letting his length slip out of her mouth. “I-I was just… y-you know, giving you a… b-blowjob?” she stuttered shyly with a bright blush. “W-was I doing it wrong? D-did you... not like it? I’m so sorry.”

“No, no I loved it! You were wonderful, but…” Chris started to say, but hesitated, making Bon Bon feel sick to her stomach. The way he said ‘but’ made her believe she wasn’t doing it right, and he wasn’t enjoying himself like she thought. “That’s not really how it, umm works,” he said with a sheepish smile.

“Oh, no…” Bon Bon whimpered in embarrassment. “I’m so sorry. I-I just... I wanted to make you feel good, a-and I just thought you would like that, and I… I-I―”

“Hey, hey! It’s okay,” Chris reassured her, petting her cheek with the back of his hand, “You were amazing, and I was loving what you were doing before.”

“Y-You were?” Bon Bon asked, looking up at him with new hope.

Chris nodded his head. “It felt great. Just keep doing that.”

Bon Bon smiled briefly and nodded her head. “O-okay, but… I’ve never done this with a stallion before. I-is… there something you like?”

“Oh, well…” Chris started to answer, rubbing the back of his neck with his left hand. “I, umm was really liking it when you… used your... mouth,” he admitted awkwardly.

“Oh?” Bon Bon replied softly.

“Yeah, umm just do that and like…” Chris hesitated for a moment, blushing deeply. “You know… s-suck on it,” he said shyly.

“Suck?” Bon Bon questioned. “L-like a... straw?”

“Y-yeah,” Chris replied awkwardly. “Or like, you know… what you would do with Lyra’s horn?”

Bon Bon blinked up at him in confusion before it finally hit her. “Oh!” she said loudly in understanding, looking back at his still throbbing erection. “S-so like…” she whispered before consuming him again, taking in half of his member into her mouth before suckling on him gently.

“Y-yeeees!” Chris moaned in delight, letting his body fall back against the headboard. “O-oh, sweet L-Luna, yes!”

Bon Bon smiled around his warm girth, feeling happy to hear him moan for her again. She could feel her excitement growing once more now that she knew how to really please him. His member even pulsed and twitched against the roof of her mouth as she sucked, letting her know how much he was enjoying this new treatment.

It was unbelievable how good she felt having Chris in her mouth. It was nothing like a horn. There was a warmth to it that filled her so perfectly and pulsed against her tongue, making her marehood wink in excitement. She wanted to take in more and started to descend lower and lower. She kept going until his crown hit the back of her throat, causing her to gag and reel back.

Opening her eyes slightly, she saw that she couldn’t fit all of him inside her, much to her disappointment. Normally, she would be able to take all of Lyra’s horn, and she knew how much Lyra loved that feeling. Maybe it worked the same for Chris, but he was way too big to fit in her mouth.

Bon Bon closed her eyes again and pulled back until only one third of his length was in her maw. She pressed her lips around his girth tightly before suckling on him urgently, pulling his tip up into her throat. Even though she couldn’t take all of him, she still wanted to pleasure him in any way possible.

Chris let out a load moan, rewarding her actions as his legs shaked and his member twitched inside her.

Maybe this was the sign that he was close? Bon Bon was still in the dark about stallion anatomy, but she figured he had to be close by now. He had already lasted a lot longer than Silver did, and she knew that most stallions never lasted more than a few minutes, at most.

Bon Bon started to double her efforts, keeping her tight seal around his girth as she slowly moved up and down his now slick, wet shaft. She kept nursing on him, desperately trying to coax his seed to come out, but it never did. Trying another tactic, she started to use her tongue to massage his soft underside, pinning him against the roof of her mouth. Lyra always loved it when she used her tongue to play with her horn’s ridges. Chris didn’t have anything like that, but perhaps it would still feel good for him.

Her actions earned a loud cry of pleasure from Chris as his hands found their way back to her mane. This was a good sign. Like before, it meant he was enjoying this immensely and wanted her to keep going, but why hadn’t he cum yet?

Bon Bon pushed that thought out of her mind and just focused on pleasing the stallion before her. She wanted to keep enjoying this moment with him: make him quiver and throb inside her muzzle. She started to bob her head faster, making sure to keep him pressed against the ridged roof of her mouth. His member pulsed in earnest as he slid in and out of her, tickling her as he did so. She started to hum in delight at the pleasurable feeling of him filling her, making Chris buck his hips up in resonance.

He really liked that.

Bon Bon shifted a bit, placing her hooves on his thighs, pinning him there as she started to make small humming and moaning sounds around his member.

“Oh, b-buck, Bonny,” Chris groaned as he tried to push up into her maw again, but she pressed down, keeping him in place so she could work.

Hearing him call her name like that only encouraged her more. She started to twist her head as she bobbed, moving faster as more saliva accumulated in her mouth. Eventually she had to swallow, clearing away the excess saliva and pulling at Chris’s member, causing him to groan in delight.

“B-bonny… I-I think I’m―aah!” Chris tried to say, but was cut off as she swallowed around him again, sucking at him urgently.

This was it. There was no confusing the signs now. He was about to cum, and she wanted to see him at his peak, to give him this pleasure. She started to moan louder around him, moving up and down, letting his hard length slide in and out of her tightly pressed lips. She could feel his member throb and grow inside her. He was so close… so tantalizingly close.

“B-Bonny, w-wait!”

Bon Bon wasn’t going to do that. She wanted this and knew what was coming. She wanted to feel him lose himself and hear more of those adorable sounds he made. There was a chance that he would taste awful, but she didn’t care. She pushed down, taking as much of his length inside her maw that she could while keeping his legs pinned. She wrapped her forelegs around his waist and clenched her eyes shut tightly before nursing on him like a starving foal desperate for her milk.

“I-I can’t―” Chris tried to say. He closed his eyes tightly as he gripped her mane hard and his hips tried to buck.

Bon Bon felt his member swell inside her, making her press her lips tighter around him as her body tensed in preparation for what was to come. He cried out as his whole body locked up and he released himself for her. The first shot of his hot essence hit the back of Bon Bon’s throat, making her swallow instantly. Another volley came soon after in a larger amount, coating the inside of her mouth. She tried to swallow again, but more came, filling her maw and making her pull back to make room for it all.

She could feel the warm gooey liquid coating her tongue as he continued to cum. It tasted… salty, but sort of sweet at the same time. It wasn’t so salty that it was offensive or disgusting. In fact, she… liked it. It didn’t taste bad in the slightest. She started to relax more, knowing she could savor his seed with ease now. She kept her lips locked around him and waited until he was finished, letting his load fill her muzzle completely.

Chris’s body started to fall limp as the last of his climax was pumped into her mouth. He let out a long drawn out moan as his hands fell to her forelegs and started to rub them softly.

Bon Bon loved all the sounds Chris was making and how relaxed he was now. He was weak and worn out, filled with pleasure and it was all because of her.

She swallowed her mouthful in one big gulp, keeping her lips around his still hard and convulsing shaft. She didn’t want to let him go just yet and kept sucking on him, drawing out anything that remained inside.

Chris groaned as his member started to soften in her mouth. She let him slip out before licking his deflating length, cleaning off anything she might have missed. Once she was confident he was clean, she stood up and walked over his body before laying down on top of him. She wrapped her forelegs around his barrel and laid her cheek on his chest, nuzzling into him as she hugged him tightly.

Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire-Part 3

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Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire-Part 3

Bon Bon closed her eyes for a moment and pressed her ear to Chris's chest, listening to how his heart raced, and his lungs tried desperately to fill his body with much needed oxygen after his climax. The sound was music to her ears. She wanted to stay on top of his large body, listening to his breathing and fall asleep in his arms. It was a wonderful feeling. She felt safe with him in this moment.

Chris seemed to be completely passed out, but his hand soon found its way to her back, causing her to jump a bit in surprise. He started to rub her up and down, soothing her as he did so. She loved how his hands felt on her body as they ran across her coat. Everything Lyra boasted about Chris was true and she hated herself for ever doubting her friend, and she hated herself for being so afraid of his touch. Now that he was touching her, it seemed so idiotic and foolish of her to ever consider him as somepony to be afraid of. He would never hurt or lie to her, and his hands were nothing like spiders. Not even close.

She ignored and avoided Chris for so long and for no good reason.

Bon Bon could feel her eyes starting to water as she continued to think of her past actions. She was a fool… a terrible, mean pony that had no reason to be so rude to Chris or Lyra. She wanted to go back in time, back to when Lyra first asked her to join their herd and tell them both ‘yes’. She wanted to enjoy her time with them both and get to know Chris more, instead of slapping his hand away after he tried to help her. Chris was such a wonderful stallion and deserved somepony much better than her. So did Lyra.

It wasn't fair...

Bon Bon could feel tears streaming down her cheeks. She sniffled a few times, trying to hold back her sobs as she nuzzled deeper into Chris’s chest.

“Bonny?” Chris’s soothing and comforting voice called to her. She looked up to him, seeing him give her a concerned and worried expression. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

She wasn’t sure why, but hearing Chris ask that only caused more tears to stream down her face. “I’m so sorry, Chris,” she sobbed, hugging his chest tighter. “I shouldn't have been so afraid. I shouldn't have hurt you like I did.”

“Hey...” Chris said softly, using his left hand to wipe away her tears. “Where is all this coming from? You don’t need to apologize for anything and you never hurt me. You got to stop thinking like that.”

Bon Bon sniffled and frowned, looking away from him. “I-I know I keep saying it, but I feel so bad about everything. A-about what I’ve done. I just can’t say it enough… I'm so sorry for ignoring you for so long and treating you so poorly," she sobbed, sighing deeply before looking back into his eyes. “I just wish I could do it over... I wish I could go back in time and redo our date. It just makes me feel terrible every time I think about how that night ended.”

Chris frowned as he ran his hand through her mane, pushing her tangled curls out of her eyes. “I wish you would stop beating yourself up about the past. You had every right to be scared and worried."

"I still feel bad..." Bon Bon said sadly.

"Well… what if we…” Chris started to say, but paused as he thought to himself, looking off into the distance for a moment.

Bon Bon stared at him, waiting for him to continue. “If we... what?”

Chris looked back to her and gave a smile. “How about tomorrow night, we have a special dinner together? Then we can pick up where we left off on our date. You know, like after you ran out.”

Bon Bon winced at that, but perked her ears up in interest. “You mean... l-like a… romantic dinner? Here? In the cabin?”

Chris chuckled lightly. “Yeah. Why not? There are some nice candles in the basement we could light. I think I saw a fancy table cloth down there as well. And I can even make you some nice carrot soup,” he explained with a gentle smile.

Bon Bon looked away and thought about his proposal. The more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea. She might not be able to turn back time, but the idea of picking up where they left off at The Everfree Moon was the next best thing. She started to smile as she slid her foreleg up and started to draw a soft and slow little line with the edge of her hoof in Chris's chest. “I… I think I would really enjoy that,” she said shyly.

“Then, it's a date!” Chris cheered happily. He started to pet her back with his hand as the room fell into a calming silence.

Bon Bon closed her eyes, getting more comfortable on top of Chris. It was surprisingly easy to find relaxing position on top of him. He made for a nice bed. She sighed in content, nuzzling herself into him a little more before speaking again. “I think we should go back to The Everfree Moon again…”

“Oh?”

“Yeah,” Bon Bon answered softly. “With Lyra… I want to do our date again with her, too.”

“I think Lyra would love that.”

Bon Bon giggled softly, watching her hoof as she rubbed his chest softly. “Lyra’s going to be so happy when we tell her the news.”

Chris chuckled. “Yeah, I guess she would be pretty ecstatic, huh?”

Bon Bon nodded her head against him in agreement. “You know… I’m really glad.”

“Glad?” Chris questioned, letting his fingers trace up and down her spine. “About what?”

Bon Bon shivered at the sensation. Why was she ever afraid of his touch? “I’m glad Lyra put us together. I don’t think I would've found out who you were if she hadn’t.”

Chris smiled softly as he continued to let his fingertips glide over her coat. “I'm glad too.”

Bon Bon sighed happily, getting herself ready to just fall asleep in Chris’s arm.

“We’re still getting revenge on her though, right?” Chris asked, taking the firelily out of Bon Bon’s mane and placing it back in its box.

“Of course,” Bon Bon answered simply with a little yawn.

“They hate me now…” Lyra muttered to herself as she lay wide awake on her bed. “I just know it. H-how could they not?”

Lyra tried desperately to get at least one full night of restful sleep, but could never manage. Thoughts about what she had done to the loves of her life continued to eat away at her, driving her mad. She curled up, holding one of Chris’s shirts tightly in her hooves as she tossed and turned on her bed. No matter what she did, she couldn’t get comfortable. How could she?

“They're never going to forgive me,” Lyra whimpered as her eyes started to water. “How can I ever make this up to them? How can I make things right?”

Lyra had no answers. There seemed to be nothing that she could ever do to help the ones she loved the most in life forgive her. They might not even want to be her friend anymore. They must despise her, and why wouldn’t they?

“No, Lyra!” she shouted to herself, quickly sitting up in her bed. “They’ll make each other happy! You know they will! Bonny needs somepony in her life like Chris to help her open up, and Chris needs Bonny... Just like I need Bonny… Like I need Chris... I-I just... know we’ll all be happy together… I know it...” her voice trailed off into a quiet whisper as tears streamed down her face. She couldn't even believe in her own words anymore.

Lyra groaned, hanging her head in despair. “What am I going to do… What can I do? Did I make a mistake?” Annoyingly, she had no answers. The more she thought about things the more she started to realize that she might have made a huge mistake. But, there was still that flicker of burning hope that told her everything was alright, that she made the right choice.

That hope was dying now.

Lyra leaned down and put her head in her hooves as her thoughts continued to conflict and fight against each other. She was so tired… so very, very tired.

Sighing heavily, Lyra lifted her head and raised her forelegs up. She used her magic to float Chris’s shirt over and slip it on before getting off the bed and making her way to the kitchen. There were some herbal tea remedies she used to help her sleep, or they used to help. She figured she would make some while she tried to think of how she was going to beg for her lovers’ forgiveness.

That is, if they even wanted to talk to her anymore.

Twist and Shout

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Twist and Shout

Chris groaned as an awful, stinging odor invaded his nostrils, causing him to grudgingly wake up. “What time is it?” he mumbled tiredly, keeping his eyes shut as he felt around the bed for Bon Bon, who was no longer there. “Bonny?” he called as he opened his blurry, unfocused eyes.

Suddenly, the sound of muffled coughing could be heard coming from the other room, making him perk up a bit. The offensive odor was becoming stronger as his senses returned to him. It was starting to smell like something was... BURNING!?

Chris’s eyes widened, and he sprang up in a panic. “BONNY?!” he shouted, jumping off the bed before running out of the room. He could see Bon Bon standing in the kitchen next to a smoking frying pan with a spatula in her mouth. “Bonny, what's going on?!”

Bon Bon jerked her head towards Chris in shock before covering the smoking pan with a lid, dousing the smoke and covering whatever it was she was cooking. “Kwis!?” she mumbled before spitting the spatula out on the counter. She quickly took the pan off the burner before turning it off completely. “What are you doing up?”

Chris gave her a confused looked. “I just smelled something burning and… wait, what are you even cooking and how did you burn it?” he asked, walking up to her. Bon Bon was an amazing cook and he was having trouble believing she could burn anything.

“I-I… umm,” Bon Bon started to say before looking away from him, biting her lip for a moment. “I’m... sorry I woke you up. I just wanted to do something nice for you to start off our romantic day,” she admitted sadly, looking back at him with disheartened eyes.

“For our date today?” Chris questioned.

Bon Bon nodded her head before taking in a large breath of air. “I just wanted to surprise you with a nice breakfast in bed but I tried to cook it on high heat because I know it needs to be cooked well, a-and it just started sizzling then I couldn’t get it unstuck from the pan for a long time and I kept cooking it to make sure it was done, then i-it just started―”

“Whoa hey, slow down. It’s okay,” Chris said calmly, interrupting her fast babbling. “What were you even cooking?”

Bon Bon sat back and took a deep breath, still looking away as she rubbed her left foreleg with her hoof nervously. “I-it was the… t-the...” she started to say, but stopped.

Chris knelt down next to her and rubbed her back reassuringly. He wasn’t sure why it was so hard to say what she was cooking, but for whatever reason it was really bothering her. “The what?” he asked sweetly, trying to help her feel more comfortable.

Bon Bon turned her head towards Chris, keeping her eyes to the floor. “The... chicken,” she whimpered quietly as tears started to well in her eyes.

Chris’s eyes widened in shock. “The meat in the refrigerator?!” he half shouted. He completely forgot that was still in there.

Bon Bon nodded her head softly. “I-I wanted our romantic day to start out nice... a-and I saw the chicken in the refrigerator and remembered you told me that you really liked meat… s-so I―”

“But, Bonny, I told you I don’t need to eat meat. I know that stuff upsets you. You didn’t have to do that.”

“I know I didn’t have to, but,” Bon Bon paused and looked up at him with watery eyes. “I wanted to. I wanted you to know that… that I can accept you for who you are.”

“Bonny…” Chris said simply, not sure how else to respond. He pulled her into a hug, which she gladly accepted. She wrapped her forelegs around his chest before laying her head on his shoulder. “That’s so sweet of you to do, but you really don’t have to do all that. I’m completely fine without eating meat, honestly.”

Bon Bon shook her head. “No, you’re not. You told me yourself that your body needs meat, and I want to be okay with that,” she argued weakly. “When I saw the meat in the refrigerator I remembered what you said about Scary. I remembered how you said he didn’t get to choose what he ate and… and it's the same with you. You didn’t choose your diet, and I should be okay with that part of you.” She squeezed him a little tighter, nuzzling her head against his neck. “Fluttershy feeds her animal friends meat all the time. It’s just a part of nature, and it’s sad that something had to die, but I realized…” she paused for a moment and sighed softly. “I realized that... it died so that something else may continue to live… it’s just a part of life.”

Chris smiled and leaned back so he could look Bon Bon in the eye. “Bonny… that's so amazingly sweet of you to do. I appreciate that you’re trying to accept that part of me, but I don’t want you to do something that you aren't comfortable with.”

Bon Bon blushed and smiled back at him, then looked away and laid her head on his chest. “I might not be comfortable with it yet, but I’ll… I’ll support you if you want to eat meat. Just don't ask me to cook it for you. I don't think I could go through all that again.”

Chris chuckled and rested his head on top of hers as he held her tightly. “Thank you, Bonny. That really means a lot to me,” he said sweetly. “I’m sorry your surprise didn’t work out the way you planned, but you should be more careful. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you got hurt.”

Bon Bon frowned. “I’m sorry… I thought I could cook it,” she said sadly. “I heard Griffins like their meat cooked, and it needs to be cooked really well. So I turned the heat up, but I didn’t think it would stick to the pan as much as it did. It was so hard for me to get the spatula under it and it just kept burning.”

“I’m just glad you're safe,” Chris said sweetly with a sigh of relief as he held her a little tighter. “I thought the cabin was on fire or something."

“I must smell like gross burning meat now… and my mane is such a mess,” Bon Bon despaired with a heavy sigh, then gasped and pushed herself off of Chris. “I have to get ready!” she half shouted.

Chris gave her a confused look. “Ready? For what, our date tonight?” he questioned.

“Oh my gosh!” Bon Bon shouted again. “It’s going to take me forever to brush my mane!”

Chris blinked in confusion. Why was she worried about her appearance all of a sudden? “Bonny, you look fi―”

“It’s been over a week since I brushed it!” Bon Bon said in a panic. “I must look like an absolute disaster!”

Chris rolled his eyes. “Bonny, calm down. You look―”

“It’s going to take me so long! I can already feel the mats in my mane!” Bon Bon groaned as she backed away from their embrace and started to pace back and forth.

It was pretty apparent that this date was important to Bon Bon. She took a lot more pride in her appearance than Lyra did and wanted this redo date to be something special and real. It seemed she really wanted to look her best and have everything be perfect.

Chris didn't think that she really needed to worry about her appearance as much. She was already beautiful to him. Admittedly though, her mane did look a little tangled. He thought he could help her if she was comfortable with it. Lyra would often let him brush her mane, so he had plenty of experience. “Well, if you like, I can―”

“Oh, Celestia, it’s going to take me hours to get this mane dematted!” Bon Bon continued, interrupting him as she patted the top of her head, feeling around for all the knots and tangles. “I’llberightback!” she said, galloping into the bathroom.

“Wait, I can―”

Bon Bon shut the door behind her in her frantic rush, not hearing what Chris was saying.

“―help you.” Chris sighed and shook his head as he got up. He walked over to the pan and opened the lid. The chicken inside was completely charred and parts of the skin were caked onto the pan.

Chris shook his head in astonishment as he studied the ruined meat. It was incredible that Bon Bon was willing to put herself through so much to give this herd a real chance. He smiled to himself, thinking about everything they had done together and how wonderful Bon Bon truly was. She was definitely a one of a kind mare, and he was a pretty lucky guy to have her and Lyra in his life now.

This little redo date was more than just a do-over. It was his chance to give Bon Bon a special night that she truly deserved.

Chris walked over to the front door as he thought more about how he could make this night special for Bon Bon. ‘I wonder if Bonny would be up for some dancing tonight,’ he thought happily to himself as he placed his hand on the door handle. ‘I bet she’d enjoy a nice slow dance, then I can try to get her to really shake loose,” he chuckled as he pushed the door handle down, causing the door to open slightly.

...

‘The door opened?’

Chris’s eyes widened in shock, and his heart skipped a beat. “W-what?” he muttered to himself in shock. “No… No way.” He gently pushed the door, letting it swing open the rest of the way. He stood there in disbelief as the snow covered forest was revealed to him in all its beautiful winter glory. A gentle breeze of fresh air touched his face, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

This couldn’t be true… Was he just imagining things?

Chris closed his eyes and rubbed his face and looked again. The door remained open, and he could still see the entire forest. The trees swayed in the gentle wind while the white snow glistened in the sunlight. He could even hear the sound of birds singing in the distance.

Lyra’s spell had faded… She must have cast the spell wrong, or she just didn’t have the capabilities to make it last as long as she thought. Whatever the reason was, the door was open now! His constant checking really did pay off!

“I can't believe this,” Chris said quietly with a joyful laugh and bright smile. “This is perfect!” he shouted excitedly into the forest, throwing his arms up into crisp air. They were finally free, and they could return to their lives and the timing couldn’t have been better! They could go out and find Lyra and tell her what happened and…

Lyra…

Chris’s smile slowly melted into a frown. They still needed to talk with Lyra about this whole cabin incident. As much as he wanted to see her again, he still wasn’t ready for that stressful conversation. What would he even say? How would he go about saying it? Not only that, but he might not get another chance to give Bon Bon a romantic day if they returned now. He still wanted to do that, and he knew how much this redo date meant to her.

He stroked his small beard with his hand slowly, contemplating what he should do. Should he not mention anything to Bon Bon about the door yet so she wouldn’t have to worry about it? Maybe they could wait just one more day… Just one more nice, fun and romantic day before they stepped back into Ponyville…

Chris glanced around at the forest for a moment, taking in the refreshing scenery before slowly closing the door.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow,” Bon Bon whimpered as she gave the unicorn brush that was caught in her hair a couple firm tugs. Brushing out her mane was proving to be a lot more trouble than she thought. The brush kept getting stuck, making it painful to try and get out. Not only that, but it was almost impossible to get a good grip on it with her clumsy hooves. It’s moments like this that made her wish she could use magic.

Bon Bon tried to brush her mane earlier, but had ultimately given up and jumped into the bath. Her mane was silky smooth now after she washed it, but all the knots and tangles just got bigger, just like she feared they would.

After a while of working and tugging, Bon Bon finally managed to free the tangled brush and set it on the sink. “This is hopeless,” she sighed, resting her forehooves on the counter as she looked at herself in the mirror. If she had her normal brushes this wouldn’t be as hard, and she could work her mane out more easily. All she’d managed to do so far was make her mats worse.

Suddenly, a knock came from the door and she jumped slightly.

“Hey, Bonny. Are you okay in there?” Chris called from behind the door.

“I-I’m fine,” Bon Bon replied weakly. “I-I’ll be out soon,” she lied and winced, knowing it was going to take the rest of the day.

“Are you sure?” Chris replied, “You’ve been in there for a long time already.”

Bon Bon groaned, knowing he was right. “I’m sorry, Chris… I’m really having trouble with my mane,” she answered him honestly in a sad tone. “I just don’t think I can get it dematted until I get home. I’ll come out if you need to use the bathroom.”

Chris said nothing for a moment, then spoke up. “You know, I brush Lyra’s mane a lot. I could help.”

“You… do?” Bon Bon questioned as she thought about that. Lyra’s mane did seem to be more under control since she started dating Chris. “I-I… umm,” she started to reply shyly as she thought some more. She couldn’t help but feel a little nervous about him brushing her. The only other pony she ever let brush her mane out was Lyra, and that was because of how close they were with each other. Should she let Chris do the same? After last night, there really wasn’t any reason why he couldn’t help. They might have gone a little fast with things, but she felt like she could trust him. “I-I… I guess so. I-I mean, if you're okay with that.”

Chris opened the door, causing Bon Bon to smile a little. She started to feel more comfortable as he walked in. He moved behind her and inspected her mane for a moment, humming to himself.

“I know… it’s bad,” Bon Bon admitted sadly. She couldn’t see the back of her mane, but she knew it had to be a disaster. She expected him to say that it was hopeless, even with his help.

“Oh, it’s not that bad,” Chris reassured her happily. “I think I can work this out easily. You already washed it?”

“I did, and I put some conditioner in as well,” Bon Bon said with a sigh. “I let it sit for a long time, but I just made things worse.”

“Hmm, okay then. I just need to see what kind of brushes and combs we have here.” Chris reached his hand over her so he could pull out the drawer filled with unicorn grooming tools. He picked out one small comb and one large brush, then closed the drawer. “This might take a while. Let’s sit down here where it's more comfortable,” he said as he sat cross-legged on the floor, placing the brush and comb down next to him.

Bon Bon blushed a little and looked down at him, tilting her head to the side. “How do you, um… want me to sit?”

“Just right here in front of me. I want to get the back of your mane first.”

Bon Bon blinked down at him a few times before doing as he explained. She turned around and sat down in front of him, then scooted back until her rump touched his legs.

Chris placed his fingertips on the back of her mane, causing her to yelp softly and flinch in surprise. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” he apologized quickly.

“I-it’s okay,” Bon Bon replied nervously. “You just startled me is all. I-I thought you were going to use the brush first.”

Chris didn’t say anything and started to slowly run his fingers through Bon Bon’s hair, causing her to shiver slightly. She couldn’t really understand why, but feeling his digits slowly running through her mane was a pleasant feeling. She did her best to ignore it and stayed perfectly still for him. He felt around for a little while longer, finding all the mats and tangles he could. “This isn’t so bad,” he said as he pinched one of the larger tangles with his fingers.

Bon Bon winced as she felt him touch where she knew a big mat was. “W-what are you going to do?” she asked nervously, preparing herself for the pain that was sure to come.

“I’m just going to break this up a little,” Chris replied as he started to pull apart the knot of hair with his fingers.

Bon Bon could feel him working, and surprisingly, it wasn’t hurting at all. He tugged on her hair every now and then, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable or painful feeling. It actually felt kind of comforting and she was able to relax a little.

After awhile of picking away at the clump of hair, Chris reached out and picked up the small comb. Bon Bon shut her eyes and winced again when she saw him grab it. This was the part that she hated when letting Lyra comb or brush her mane. She was always so aggressive when trying to work through mats.

Bon Bon kept her eyes closed and waited, but she couldn’t feel much of anything. Was he even combing her hair at all? She tilted her ears back and heard Chris using the comb in quick, little strokes. She slowly opened her eyes and looked into the mirror to see what he was doing, but couldn’t see from this angle. “U-um, Chris?” she asked quietly.

Chris replied with a focused humm.

“This might be a little weird to ask, but… are you brushing my mane right now?”

Chris chuckled softly at that. “Yes, I am. I just have a section of your hair pinched off with my hand so I don’t keep pulling at it.”

“Ooooh,” Bon Bon said in understanding. “S-so that’s why I don’t feel it... T-that makes sense,” she said awkwardly with a blush.

Chris laughed. “Indeed it does,” he said while he kept working on the knot before letting her hair go and working on another section.

Bon Bon smiled to herself, feeling pretty happy about the painless grooming treatment she was getting. Lyra was a lucky mare to have a coltfriend that was willing to brush her mane like this. She never would have thought any stallion would be willing to help out with such a boring and time consuming task. “S-so, umm, you do this with Lyra a lot?” she asked shyly, unable to wipe the smile from her lips.

“When she lets me,” Chris answered as he continued to a new mat.

“What do you mean? Does she not like this?” Bon Bon asked quite puzzled. How could anypony not enjoy this?

“Oh, no. She likes it a lot actually. She tells me it’s really soothing, but you know how she is,” Chris said, working away at the knot he was holding. “She doesn’t care for this kind of stuff, so she never comes out and asks me to do it. I just ask her if it's okay.”

“You ask her if you can do this?” Bon Bon questioned in disbelief. “Why would you want to?”

Chris shrugged his shoulders. “I just really like doing it. It might be a little weird, but I like spending time with her while brushing her mane or tail. It’s relaxing, in a way.” He laughed softly under his breath as he placed the small comb down and picked up the large brush. “I love it when I can get her to fall asleep when I brush her coat.”

Bon Bon kind of wanted to see that herself. It would be cute seeing Chris brush Lyra and watch her slowly fell asleep in his arms. She had to suppress a giddy squeal at the adorable and happy thought.

Suddenly, she could feel Chris running the larger brush through her mane. She locked up out of reflex, expecting him to hit a bunch of mats, but it never happened. The bristles on the brush glided through her silky mane with little resistance. It felt so smooth and just... wonderful.

Bon Bon closed her eyes and let herself relax some more, letting out a content sigh. It felt like she was back in the spa, being tended to by professional ponies. Well, perhaps not that nice, but it was definitely enjoyable. She could see why Lyra would fall asleep like this.

“Ever think about being a mane stylist?” Bon Bon tested playfully.

Chris laughed. “No, I don’t think I’m cut out for that kind of career,” he replied as he ran the brush down her mane slowly, then repeated the process. “I’m perfectly okay with just brushing you and Lyra.”

“Good; we get to keep you all to ourselves,” Bon Bon stated with a cheeky smile.

Chris rolled his eyes as he continued his gentle brushing. After a few more strokes, he set the brush down and ran his fingers through her hair.

Bon Bon sighed softly in delight at his touch. There was just something about the way his fingers parted her hair that was just so delightfully unexplainable. It just felt more intimate than magic.

“Okay, I think the back is done. Can you turn around so I can get the front?”

“O-oh, o-of course,” Bon Bon replied timidly as she stood up and turned around to face Chris. Their eyes met, and he smiled warmly at her, causing her to smile back and blush lightly. She let her eyes fall to the floor as she sat down in front of him, keeping her soft smile. “I-Is this okay?” she asked in a bashful tone.

“It’s perfect,” Chris said as he picked up the small comb again and started to feel around her forelock with his fingertips. He found a few knots and leaned in closer to her before picking them apart with his fingers.

Bon Bon looked up and crossed her eyes, watching as Chris worked. After he pulled apart a few knots, he used his left hand to pinch off a section of hair the knot was on before working at it with the small comb. ‘So, that’s what he does,’ she thought to herself. Her eyes started to slowly drift towards his body and she saw him looking right at her again with that charming smile of his. She blushed even brighter and looked away. She didn’t know why she felt so embarrassed about him looking at her all of a sudden.

Bon Bon closed her eyes and took in a breath before releasing it slowly, enjoying all the pampering Chris was giving her as she thought to herself. Any mare would be lucky to have somepony like Chris in their lives. She still couldn't believe how stubborn and mean she was to him in the past. She didn’t think she would ever get over that. It felt like she didn’t deserve such a kind and caring stallion like him in her life… like she was unworthy in some way.

She used to think of Chris as some scary bipedal beast with freaky spider hooves, and she couldn't have been more wrong. What if Chris thought of her as some monster? She sure acted like one for so long...

“Chris,” Bon Bon said with a hint of sadness.

“Yes?” he answered as he switched the comb for the brush and continued his work.

“Can I ask you another... silly question?” she asked, slowly opening her eyes again.

“Sure, whats on your mind?” Chris asked, slowing his brushing.

Bon Bon looked into his eyes with a frown. “What did you think of me before we came here?”

Chris stopped mid stroke and froze at that question. “I-I, umm―”

“It's okay. I want you to be honest with me,” Bon Bon said softly. “I won’t be hurt or offended. Please... I really want to know.”

Chris gave her an uneasy look. He let his brush hand drop down as he rubbed the back of his neck with his left hand awkwardly. “Well… I,” he tried to say, but sighed deeply. “Honestly, Bonny, I wasn’t really sure what to think. I mean, you never talked and would always avoid me. I knew you were afraid, but you were like that for so long, and it just seemed to get worse when I started to date Lyra,” he admitted, dropping his left hand into his lap as he looked into her eyes. "I thought you hated me and only saw me as some evil monster, which... I could understand. "

Bon Bon’s ears splayed back, and her frown deepened. She looked away, but nodded her head in understanding.

“I never hated you for it though,” Chris continued, causing Bon Bon’s ears to perk up again. “I was more just… confused and frustrated. All I wanted was to be your friend, but you were always so cold and distant.”

"And even after the way I treated you, and hurt you at the restaurant… You still wanted to give me a second chance?” Bon Bon asked sadly, still looking away. “Why? Was it just because Lyra wanted you to?”

“I did want to make Lyra happy, yes,” Chris admitted. “And she was so passionate about how we could be good for each other. She knows us both better than anypony and I believed her when she told me that. But…” he said, then hesitated for a moment

Bon Bon perked up a bit more and looked up to him curiously, peering through her long, brushed out strands of hair.

“It was more than that,” Chris continued softly. “I could’ve easily said no when Lyra asked me if I was interested in starting a herd with you and with how you acted, I might've. But I knew what good friends you two were and every time I saw you… there just seemed to be more to you than a cold shoulder. I know it sounds kind of dumb, but I could tell there was something more about you and I wanted to find out what that something was. I wanted to find out who the real Bon Bon was, because I knew you weren't the mare that you seemed to be.”

“S-so,” Bon Bon started to say nervously, looking into Chris’s hazel-colored eyes, “What kind of mare am I?”

“You're a very sweet and caring mare, and anypony would be lucky to have you as a friend,” Chris said honestly. "Plus, you’re really cute," he teased lightly.

Bon Bon giggled softly at his words. She laid her chest and forelegs in his lap before leaning her head into his body, pressing her cheek against his chest. “Thank you for seeing past the monster I was,” she said softly as she nuzzled him, getting more comfortable in his lap.

“I think that’s my line,” Chris teased as he ran his hand through her mane, petting her lightly.

Bon Bon snorted, trying to hold in a laugh. “Sweet Celestia, you’re corny,” she said, then sighed happily. “I like that about you.”

Chris laughed quietly before taking his hand away so he could continue brushing her mane again. They both let a short moment pass by before Chris spoke up again. “Hey, umm… Could I brush your tail and coat too?” he asked kindly.

‘He really does like to brush ponies,’ Bon Bon thought to herself in disbelief. "Are all humans from your world as weird as you?"

Chris thought about that for a moment. "No, I was pretty much the weirdest alien on my planet," he joked warmly.

"No wonder you get along with Lyra so well," Bon Bon teased back with a soft, relaxed sigh.

"So... is that a yes?" Chris asked again, sounding hopeful.

Bon Bon nodded her head against him in response. “Would you like to put my curlers in for me as well?” she asked sarcastically.

“Yeah!" Chris replied excitedly, which caused Bon Bon to snort again. “But, you’ll have to show me how to do that. I’ve never done that before.”

“That’s fine,” Bon Bon replied happily. “It’s easy.”

“Hey, after this, we can start setting up for the date,” Chris said as he started to mindlessly brush her mane. “There's a cellar in the basement that's filled with all kinds of fancy alcohol. You should go pick something out for us.”

“I can do that. I'll look for something nice to compliment our meal."

Later that evening, Chris shooed Bon Bon out of the kitchen and insisted that he would cook while she relaxed. She wanted to help, but he really wanted to do it on his own. It was possible that this was just one of those strange customs from his old world, but it felt so weird letting him do all the cooking for her. Normally it’s the mare that treats the stallion, but he was happy and that helped her feel a little better about not assisting in the kitchen. He also told her that this recipe was a one pony job since she couldn’t really help with cutting the vegetables up.

With little else to do, Bon Bon went into the cellar to pick out a nice wine for their dinner. She found a bottle of a crisp, fruity rosé from Canterlot and bit the top of it in her teeth before she trotted up the basement steps. She didn't know much about fine wines, but she knew enough to know that anything with the made in Canterlot label on it was some of the best and more expensive ones out there. At least that's what Berry Punch kept telling her.

She made her way into the living room and saw that Chris was still cooking their dinner. He was busy boiling all the ingredients of their soup in a vegetable broth when she returned. She made her way to the bar and hopped up on a stool, then placed the wine bottle on the counter.

“Chris!” Bon Bon shouted excitedly, causing him to break his concentration and turn to look at her. “Look what I found! Wine straight from Canterlot!” She turned the bottle around so that the label was facing him.

Chris squinted, then smirked a little. “That looks great Bonny. It should go perfectly with the carrots.”

“And it’s from Canterlot!” Bon Bon stated again.

Chris gave her a confused look. “I’m guessing that's good?” he said, sounding unsure with his answer. “Sorry, I’m still not all that familiar with the quality of wines in this world. If you told me it was from Italy or something, then I would know what you’re talking about.”

“It-ally?” Bon Bon questioned, tilting her head slightly to the side. “Kind of a silly name. Is it a city like Canterlot?”

“It’s a country from my old world, but they do have a lot of nice cities there,” Chris explained, tuning back to the soup. “I can tell you about it later. It’s a beautiful place.”

“I’d like that,” Bon Bon said happily, watching him stir the vegetables in the boiling broth for a moment. “Are you… sure you don’t need help?”

“Positive,” Chris replied quickly. “I just want you to enjoy yourself.”

Bon Bon was about to remind him that she enjoyed cooking, but shrugged her shoulders and looked towards Scary in his aquarium. He was watching Chris cook, but turned towards her and glanced up.

“How are you doing in there, Scary?” Bon Bon said with a soft smile.

Scary walked up and placed his forelegs on the glass, then stared at the bottle of wine on the counter, causing Bon Bon to frown a little. She looked over to the wine, then back at Scary. Did he want some? That can’t be good for him… can it?

“Chris,” Bon Bon called gently, looking back at him.

“Yes?” he answered, still stirring the soup around.

“Spiders can’t have wine... can they?” she asked, criously.

Chris turned his head and looked over at Scary. “I, uhh, don’t think so.”

Bon Bon looked back to Scary with saddened eyes. “Sorry, Scary.”

Scary dropped his foreleg down and slowly backed away, looking quite depressed over the fact that he couldn’t partake in any of the fun.

Bon Bon instantly felt bad. “Chris, is there anything special in the house we can give Scary? I think he should have a nice meal, too.”

“Well…” Chris said as he contemplated that question for a moment. “I’m not really sure. I know some spiders can eat plants, but I think he only eats insects and things like that. I’d have to talk to Fluttershy about that,” he said before turning back to the now simmering soup. “I tried looking for something to feed him this morning, but I couldn’t find anything.”

Bon Bon frowned, feeling terrible that Scary couldn't have a nice meal. He was probably feeling all cooped up being in that small aquarium this whole time. Maybe he could come out and...

She winced at that thought. Hands might not be an issue for her anymore, but she was still afraid of spiders. As much as she cared for Scary, she just couldn't let him out yet. She would have to make it up to him once they got out.

Bon Bon perked up and smiled before leaning closer to Scary’s aquarium. She placed a hoof on the side of her muzzle before whispering softly to him. “Don’t worry, Scary. Once we get out of here, I’ll make sure to find you a nice fancy meal that you'll like, okay?”

Scary rubbed his forelegs together in approval, which caused Bon Bon to smile even wider as she sat back on her stool again.

“The soup is almost done,” Chris said as he pulled out a blender and turned off the heat to the stove. “I just have to blend this up, and it’ll be ready.” He then lifted the pan and poured the warm contents into the blender before covering it and turning it on.

Bon Bon clopped her hooves together in eager excitement, then bit the bottle of wine in her mouth and made her way into the living room. Since she wasn’t allowed to cook, she took charge of getting the table ready.

She trotted up to the dining table, feeling pretty proud of what she managed to put together for their date. She used a beautiful red cloth that she found in the basement that had some lovely dark red flower patterns on it. There were also some simple candles in the middle of the table next to a small metal bucket that was filled with ice for the wine. She had already placed two wine glasses on either side, along with some folded cloth napkins and one spoon for Chris to use.

Bon Bon took a step back from the table and admired the scene for a moment. It was exciting to see their little set up all ready to go, even if it wasn’t the most elaborate thing in the world. She was actually more thrilled about getting a real chance at spending some romantic time with Chris. But, this was more than just a nice dinner to share with him: it was also her chance to make things right. A way for her to undo the things she did at The Everfree Moon and act like a civilized pony this time. She could never go back in time to fix things, but if everything went well, then she could forgive herself for her past mistakes.

She hopped up on her seat just in time to see Chris walking out of the kitchen with two bowls of soup. If she was a betting mare, she would wager that he would deliver her soup with some kind of corny or cheesy line.

“One order of carrot soup for the lovely and beautiful mare with the gorgeous mane,” Chris said politely, acting like some waiter as he placed her soup down in front of her, which caused Bon Bon to start laughing. He smirked a bit and raised a curious eyebrow. “You really like that line, huh?”

Bon Bon covered her muzzle with her hooves, stifling her laughs before relaxing and looking up at him. “You’re adorable, you know that?”

“Yeah, I know,” Chris said, setting his soup down on his side of the table before picking up the bottle of wine. He filled each glass with a small, but generous amount before setting it back into the bucket of ice. He then sat down in his seat and picked up his spoon. “Careful, this soup is still a little hot,” he warned before blowing on his spoonful of soup.

Bon Bon leaned down to her bowl and gently blew on it, before lapping up a small portion. She leaned back and closed her eyes, savoring the flavor of the meal, humming to herself in joyful delight. Opening her eyes again, she looked over at Chris. “This is really good. I like the ginger you added. It really enhances the flavor.”

“Glad you like it,” Chris replied happily, taking his spoonful and tasting it. “It’s a recipe I picked up back in my old world.”

“You'll have to give me that recipe,” Bon Bon said, leaning down to take a bigger, but still well-mannered lap of her soup.

“We’ll have a lot of time to talk about recipes and stuff when we're together in your shop. Oh, that reminds me,” Chris said quickly, causing Bon Bon to look up at him again, curiously. “When do you think we can start working together?”

“Oh, well,” Bon Bon said shyly with a light blush. “I was actually thinking about that earlier, and umm... I’m really excited about you helping and I have just enough bits saved up for the renovations, s-so, umm…” She looked down at her forelegs and started to fidget with her hooves nervously. “I was actually going to add the bar in as soon as we got out and I was kind of hoping that maybe… you could start right away?” She looked up at him with a hopeful smile. “I-I don’t think I’ll be able to pay you much until after winter wrap up… business won't pick up until then, but I would like to start getting you adjusted to the shop and have you help me cook some of the candy for spring. I-if that’s okay with you.”

“Yeah, that sounds great!” Chris answered with eager excitement.

“E-even though I can’t really pay you much at first?” Bon Bon asked nervously, reaching out to her glass of wine with both of her hooves. “I’ll give you what I can, but I can’t promise it will be a lot… and what will the elements say if you can’t work for them?”

Chris waved a dismissive hand. “The girls only give me small, menial tasks and pay me for them because they’re trying to help me. No pony really wants to hire me because of… well, because of what I am. The girls don’t really need my help.”

“B-but, I mean, I’m sure you still have bills to pay,” Bon Bon pointed out sadly, taking a small delicate sip of her wine.

Chris nodded his head. “I do, but I should be okay for a while. Honestly, I’m just really excited to start working with you. It’s going to be a lot of fun, and we can spend a lot of time with each other that way. If things get a little rough, I’m sure I can always ask the girls if I can work nights with them or something.”

Bon Bon smiled softly and relaxed a little more at his response. She hoped Chris wouldn’t have to start working nights to pay his expenses, but if things work out and business picked up, then she could afford to pay him half of the profits. “That’s actually kind of why I want you to start so soon. It would be nice to get to know each other. I think it would be a lot of fun,” she admitted as her blush deepened.

“We should get Lyra in on it as well,” Chris added, eating another spoonful of his soup.

Bon Bon giggled softly. “I’m pretty sure she’s going to be there whether we ask her or not.”

“Thats true,” Chris agreed with a nod of his head before taking a sip of his wine.

Bon Bon smiled as she watched him, then looked down and gently rolled her glass of wine around in her hooves for a moment. “So, Chris…” she said softly, looking back up, which caused him to lower his glass and stare into her eyes. “I think I remember you were telling me about this… carrot diet that you did in your old world. Can you tell me more about that?”

Lyra stared into the eyes of the tired and sickly-looking mare in her mirror. The unrecognizable, mint-green unicorn looked terrible and her mane was an absolute mess.

‘Bonny would have a fit if she saw my mane like this.’

Lyra used her magic to levitate her brush up to her mane, but stopped and let it float next to her. She continued to look at herself, noticing the large bags under her eyes from the lack of sleep and stress.

‘If Chris was here, he would have demanded I sleep until I was better.’

Lyra sighed and hung her head in despair, dropping the brush to the floor with a loud clatter. She glanced over the sink, seeing Chris’s tooth brush and blades he used for shaving, which caused her to sigh heavily. She missed him so much and felt out of place being in his home now. Like she was unwelcome there. It was an awful and sickening feeling.

She turned away and started to walk out of the bathroom, then plopped down, face first on the bed she shared with Chris. Her mind was flooded with memories of her loved ones and what she had done to them. Even Octavia’s reassuring words were becoming lost in the chaotic sea of doubts and regrets. She could hardly even remember why she thought putting them together would be a good idea in the first place.

“NO!” Lyra shouted to herself, lifting her head up. “Stop thinking like that! They’ll… they’ll be fine!” she tried to reassure herself, but it wasn’t working.

Groaning to herself, Lyra slammed her face into the mattress while using her magic to pull out a small book from one of the shelves in the room. The book floated down in front of her and she lifted her head up to see her old scrapbook. The front cover had a crudely cut picture of herself and Bon Bon as young fillies on it. They were both smiling brightly into the camera in their little bathrobes with mud covering their faces. It was a photo from the first sleepover they ever had together.

Lyra smiled a little, remembering that night clearly in her head. Bon Bon brought the mud, thinking it would help their complexions. Lyra wasn’t as interested in that as Bon Bon was, but she went along with it and acted like a monster the entire night, much to Bon Bon’s amusement. Though, her face did feel a lot nicer once they were able to clean it off. But, that could’ve been because their faces were covered in mud for so long.

Lyra’s smile widened at the treasured memory as her eyes started to water slightly. She picked herself up and sat on the mattress, using her magic to open the book. She continued to flip through all her preserved memories with her best friend until she stopped at one special picture. It was a photo of Bon Bon at a carnival, grinning happily with a giant teddy bear being squeezed to death in her forelegs. Lyra could remember that day clearly, and she won that large plush for her in a ring toss game. She also remembered why they were at that carnival in the first place.

Silver Wing…

Lyra always knew that stallion was trouble and in the end, she was right. He left Bon Bon without a word and she took it really hard, locking herself in her home for months. Eventually, Lyra finally convinced her to come out and have some fun. They went to the carnival soon after that.

“We’ll always have each other,” Lyra whispered sadly to herself as she remembered the words she told Bon Bon that day as a tear fell onto the photo.

They had been through so many dark times together, but they always had each other in the end, no matter what. Bon Bon was everything to her and she just…

More of Lyra’s tears hit the pages of the scrapbook as she stared into Bon Bon’s beautiful cerulean eyes in the picture. She loved Bon Bon and she just threw her into a situation that she wasn’t comfortable with. Even if Lyra couldn’t fully understand it, Bon Bon just wasn’t comfortable around Chris, and now, she was trapped in a cabin with him. Was that really okay of her to just force the ones she cared about the most into a small space and hope they got along?

“I-I… I had no choice… Bonny wouldn’t…” Lyra’s quivering voice trailed off into a quiet whisper as her words dissolved to nothing in her mouth. Was that really the only way for them to get to know each other? Couldn’t there have been another way for her to show Bon Bon how Chris could make her happy? A better way?

Were they even meant for each other to begin with?

“O-of course they were… I-I saw it in Bonny’s eyes when she…” Lyra whimpered, but stopped as she thought more about what she was about to say, doubting her own words. “N-no it has to be true… I know them both and they’re right for each other… THEY ARE!” she yelled, scowling deeply as she slammed her hooves down on the mattress, trying to convince herself.

But, was she really the one to say if they were right for each other or not? It might seem that way from her perspective, but was that really the truth?

Her breathing became more heavy as more tears started to stream down her cheeks once her clouded mind finally started to realize. Chris and Bon Bon might not be compatible with each other at all. They could be in that cabin right now driving each other crazy! She could have been wrong about everything and was just looking at the situation through fog-covered glasses.

Lyra’s eyes widened in disbelief at her own thoughts. “Was I wrong?” Lyra muttered quietly. “I-I was wrong,” she said with a quivering lip as her heart started to beat faster in her chest. She quickly sat up and covered her muzzle with her hooves while sobbing to herself. “I-I w-was wrong! Oh, sweet Celestia, what was I thinking!?”

She shouldn't have locked them in a cabin like that! How could she have done that? She forced her lovers into a situation they didn't want to be in. She destroyed any trust they had in her and completely threw away their friendship. How could she even make it up to them? How could anypony forgive her for what she did?

They must hate her now.

“No! NO! I don’t want to lose them!” Lyra cried loudly. She prayed that wasn’t the case. How could she ever live with herself if they never wanted to talk to her again? How could she live without them in her life? They must hate her with a burning passion by now! It might even be too late to save their friendship.

But, what if it wasn’t too late? She could go to them and cancel the spell then beg for their forgiveness. What else could she do? There wasn’t anything else she could do. She had to release them as fast as she could and try to get them back! She would rather have Chris and Bon Bon in her life as friends than not at all!

Lyra jumped to her hooves as her heart raced in her chest. “I’M COMING!” she cried, jumping off the bed and bolting out of the house. She galloped through the cold winter night, running as fast as she could through the snow as her tears froze on her cheeks.

“I LOVE YOU BOTH! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!”

Chris ran his hand through Bon Bon’s soft and curly mane, who was now resting her forelegs and head in his lap while they cuddled together on the couch. The fire was burning brightly, keeping them warm as they continued to enjoy each others company. They had finished dinner a while ago and moved their conversation to the couch as they finished the last of their wine.

Bon Bon nuzzled her head a little deeper into Chris’s lap and let out a soft, dreamy sigh. “I wish Lyra was here,” she said softly.

Chris nodded his head in agreement as he scratched behind her ear, causing her to lean into his hand and hum in delight. “Me too” he admitted with a heavy sigh. “I wonder what she’s up to right now. You think she’s thinking about us?”

Bon Bon laughed softly at that. “I’m pretty sure that’s all she’s been thinking about this past week,” she said, as if it should have been obvious. “I bet she’s wondering if we’re getting along yet.”

Chris smirked a little. “Yeah, I guess you're right. Have you thought about what you want to tell her yet?”

Bon Bon sighed sadly. “I have, but… I think we should talk to her about locking us up before we give her the good news. I’m just not sure what I want to say yet.”

“Yeah, same,” Chris admitted sadly, rubbing her back with his hand.

“It’s okay,” Bon Bon said in a cheerful tone, gently petting his thigh with her foreleg. “We still have another week to think about it.”

“Y-yeah. We do,” Chris lied awkwardly.

Bon Bon started to rock her head slowly back and forth in his lap, humming a catchy little tune to herself that Chris recognized. It was the same tune she hummed while she was baking those cookies for him a couple days ago. It had a very sweet melody that he thought matched her pretty well.

“What’s that from?” Chris asked.

Bon Bon stopped her humming and lifted her head to look up at him. “What’s what from?”

“That song. I’ve heard you singing it before.”

“O-oh, that?” Bon Bon answered with a light blush. “It’s just… this silly little thing Lyra made for me a long time ago.”

“It sounds really nice.”

Bon Bon nodded her head in agreement. “It was one of the sweetest gifts I’ve ever gotten,” she said, laying her head back down on Chris’s lap. “You should hear Lyra play it sometime.”

“I’d like that,” Chris said, going back to running his hand through her mane. He paused a moment, remembering something he was saving in the basement for a special moment just like this one. “Hey, I got an idea,” he stated as he started to get up―much to Bon Bon’s dismay―causing her to sit up so he could get off the couch.

“An idea?” Bon Bon questioned, watching him walk away. “What is it?”

“You’ll see, just wait here!” Chris said excitedly as he walked down to the basement. It didn’t take him long to find the phonograph and pick up a few records before walking back into living room were Bon Bon was still waiting on the couch.

“What is that?” Bon Bon asked, trying to see what he was carrying in his arms.

“It’s a phonograph I found in the basement,” Chris said, placing the musical device down on the floor, next to the hearth. He then placed one of the records on the turntable and set the needle down on top of it.

Bon Bon tilted her head to the side and perked her ears up. “Wh-what are you―”

Suddenly, a gentle waltz filled the room with its soft and beautiful melody. Chris turned around to face Bon Bon with a soft smile before bowing slightly, stretching out his left hand to her. “Care to join me for a dance?”

Bon Bon's eyes widened and she blushed before looking down at his hand. “O-oh, I-I don’t really dance,” she answered shyly, looking up at him with a nervous laugh.

“Nonsense,” Chris replied, quickly. “Everypony dances. It’ll be fun."

Bon Bon looked away, with a little smile. "Oh, I-I don't―”

"Come on! I’ll show you how humans do it," Chris persisted, keeping his hand stretched out to her. He flexed his fingers in and out a little, prompting her to give him her hoof.

“A-a human dance?” Bon Bon questioned, sounding skeptical as she looked into this eyes, holding her right hoof to her chest as if she was contemplating giving it to him. “But, I can barely do pony dancing.”

“That just means it’ll be easier to teach you how us humans do it,” Chris teased with an eyebrow wiggle. “Come on. It’ll be fun. I promise.”

Bon Bon’s smile widened ever so slightly and she looked back at his hand as she contemplated for a moment, slowly rubbing her chest with her hoof. “W-what… do I, umm... do?”

“Just place your right hoof in my hand, and I'll show you,” Chris said sweetly.

Bon Bon bit her lip nervously and fidgeted with herself for a moment, then slowly placed her hoof in his palm. Chris gripped it gently before walking back, leading her off the couch. He guided her to stand up on her hind legs and placed her left hoof on his hip while holding her right hoof stretched out to the side. “Just hold me like this,” he said softly as he placed his right hand on her back.

“We just… dance like this? On two legs?” Bon Bon questioned timidly, getting a feel for the new position she was in. “It feels like it would be hard to dance like this.”

Chris chuckled quietly. “Don’t worry, you'll get a feel for it,” he reassured her, rubbing her upper back softly. “Now, just follow my feet and mirror my steps.”

“O-oh, o-okay,” Bon Bon relayed nervously. She looked down between them and watched as Chris stepped to the side with his right foot. She quickly followed him, stepping over with her left hoof, keeping up pretty easily so far. He then took a step back and she followed again. They continued to step around the room in a circular pattern until Bon Bon started to feel more comfortable.

“There you go,” Chris said cheerfully. “See, you’re getting it.”

Bon Bon giggled excitedly as she kept up with Chris. “This is strange, but… kind of fun,” she admitted as she looked up into his eyes. “I kind of like this human dance.”

“I knew you would,” Chris said softly with a warm smile as he picked up the pace a little. Eventually, they started to move with the rhythm of the music, gliding across the wooden floor.

The music started to die down, and Chris stopped leading their dance. Bon Bon groaned softly in disapproval, but before she could say anything, a new softer and slower song began to play.

Chris placed Bon Bon’s right hoof to his hip, and she wrapped her forelegs around him tightly, laying her head against him just under his chest. He placed both of his hands on her upper back and started to slowly move around the room in small circles, matching his movements to the rhythm of the new song.

Bon Bon closed her eyes and sighed happily, nuzzling a little closer to him. “This is really nice,” she admitted quietly.

Chris said nothing and closed his eyes, nodding his head in agreement, even though she couldn’t see it. He was really enjoying this tender moment with her. They both let the music fill them, guiding them around as they embraced each other. For a moment, nothing else in this crazy world of candy-colored equines mattered to Chris except for the mare in front of him. The cabin seemed to spin around them as he held one of the mares he cared so deeply for in his arms, enjoying the closeness and warmth of her embrace. He had only truly known her for a week, but he had already fallen for the beautiful earth pony, just like Lyra always said he would. This whole cabin experience had been a crazy ride, but he wouldn’t have traded it for anything.

Time seemed to escape him. He hadn’t even realised the music had stopped and the sound of static filled the air. Chris stopped his movements and relaxed his grip on Bon Bon. She squeezed him tightly before looking up at him.

“Thank you for this, Chris,” Bon Bon said sweetly. “I had a lot of fun tonight.”

Chris smiled and ran his hand through her mane. “So did I,” he admitted warmly, letting her go so she could step back, standing on all four hooves again. “But the night's not over yet! I still want to see you swing it,” he said excitedly, turning towards the phonograph. He knelt down and switch out the record on the turntable with a new one.

“Swing?” Bon Bon said, sounding worried. “I’m not sure I know how.”

“It’s easy,” Chris said as he put the needle on the new record, causing a more upbeat song to start playing. He bobbed his head to the music for a moment before getting up and turning around. “You just gotta let yourself go!” he said, shuffling his feet swiftly as the beat started to kick in, making it look like he was walking in place. He started to snapped his fingers to the beat, matching the tempo perfectly.

Bon Bon stared down at his feet blankly with wide eyes. “How are you doing that thing with your, umm, feet?”

Just then, the music started to pick up, and Chris followed suit, lifting his legs a little more and crossing them over each other as he twisted his feet in and out, shuffling them swiftly across the floor. He moved his arms in and out, in time with the rhythm, losing himself to the music. “Come on, just move!” he shouted excitedly.

“There’s no way. I can’t dance like that!” Bon Bon said, mesmerised by Chris’s movements.

“It doesn’t matter!” Chris said, stopping his fast dancing so he could lean down and grab Bon Bon’s forehooves.

“Eep!” Bon Bon yelped as Chris pulled her up so she was on her hind legs again. “H-ahh!” she shouted in surprise as Chris held her foreleg up and spun her into him, catching her in his arms as her back hit his chest. He spun her out, twirling her away from him like a yo-yo as he held onto her hoof. She giggled uncontrollably as she reached the end of her twirl and was pulled back into his embrace.

“Oh, my,” Bon Bon said before giggling again.

Chris turned her around so she was facing him, holding on to both of her forehooves as he shook his legs out and moved her forelegs around to the beat. “Come on! Let yourself go! It doesn’t matter how silly you look; just go with it!”

Bon Bon smiled and bit her lip before slowly shaking her hips to the music, lifting her hind legs up and down as she swayed her tail back and forth. She was starting to get into it, but Chris could tell she was still holding back.

“There you go! Now, just roll with it!” Chris said, letting go of her forelegs, letting her step back.

Bon Bon finally took his advice and started to shake her hips wildly as she shuffled her hooves around, kicking them out and losing herself to the music. Her head bobbed left and right in time with the beat as her tongue stuck out the side of her lips.

Chris followed her lead and danced away next to her, but before long, the song started to die down.

“Aww,” Bon Bon whined. “That was so much fun and I was just starting to get into it.”

“Just wait for it,” Chris said, coming to a stand still.

Soon the next number started to play and Chris reached his hand out, which Bon Bon took right away. He pulled her up and she placed one hoof on his hip. She gave him a determined and somewhat cocky grin as she swayed her hips to the soft beat as the song started to build up.

Chris gave her a playful smirk back and moved his hips with hers. The beat picked up and they both began to move their legs together, matching the rhythm. The music started to break down and so did they, losing themselves and looking like complete fools, but they didn’t care.

They started to hop and swing around the room in wide, fast circles, really getting into the music.

Chris dropped Bon Bon under his legs then pulled her back up, causing her to laugh uncontrollably. He lifted her up and twirled her in the air, catching her as she came down, guiding her back to the floor.

“This is so wild!” Bon Bon shouted excitedly as they continued to dance around the room.

The song started to reach its climax and Chris went for one final move to end their dance. He lifted Bon Bon up and twirled her in the air. She went with him, putting all her weight into the spin, sending her soaring. He went to catch her, but misjudged how far she went and missed her.

Bon Bon landed on the edge of her back right hoof, causing it to bend inward as all her weight was dropped down on top of it.

A loud, horrible snapping sound echoed through the cabin, causing Chris's heart to stop beating for a moment. Time slowed as he watched Bon Bon fall to the floor in slow motion. His eyes widened as he pushed himself forward, trying to catch her as she fell towards him. He grabbed onto her, letting her back fall against him as he knelt down with her. Time sped up again and Bon Bon screamed in pain as they both collapsed to the floor.

“Gahhh, C-Chris!” Bon Bon yelled as she held her back leg up in the air. Her hoof dangled loosely to the side, causing her to scream in pain. “I think it’s broken!” she cried, trying to keep her hoof steady.

‘Oh, fuck!’ Chris thought as his mind raced and adrenalin coursed through his body. Bon Bon was seriously hurt, and all he could think about was how bad it was when equines in his old world broke a leg. He remembered hearing how they could never walk or run the right way again if it wasn’t treated. That couldn’t happen to Bon Bon! It wouldn’t happen to her so long as he could stop it, but he had no idea how to mend an injury like this! He had to move fast and take her to the hospital. NOW!

“We have to go!” Chris shouted, acting quickly as he reached for his backpack that was lying next to the couch. He pulled out a large sweater and quickly wrapped Bon Bon in it as best he could while she cried out and thrashed around in pain. He picked her up in his arms, cradling her like an infant and stood up with a grunt. She was heavy, weighing a lot more than Lyra, but he couldn’t think about that now. He had to move before it was too late.

“Na-ahhh!” Bon Bon cried in a shaky voice, and she clung onto Chris’s chest, baring her face into his body. “It hurts! It really hurts!”

“Just hold on, Bonny!” Chris cried as he ran to the front door, kicking it open, then bursting out of the cabin like a bat out of hell. He was careful to watch where he was stepping, staying on the dirt path where the snow was the thinnest, running with all his might.

“C-Chris,” Bon Bon whimpered as she looked around in a daze. “W-we’re… we’re… outside?”

“Just... hang on, Bonny!” Chris said again between his frantic breathing as he pushed his way through the dense forest, heading straight for Ponyville. “Y-you’re… going… to be okay.” Nothing was going to stop him. Not even the aching pain in his legs that was already starting to burn.

“W-hy… why are,” Bon Bon muttered incoherently as her grip on his chest relaxed and her eyelids fell slightly. “Why’re we… out… side?” she asked right before passing out, falling limp in Chris’s arms.

“BONNY!?” Chris cried as a new panic took hold of him. “BON BON!”

Author's Notes:

When I first started to plan out this story, there were three chapters that I was worried about the most. The date when Bon Bon hits Chris’s hand at the end and ran out, Lyra’s plan and this one. I have a feeling that a lot of people are going to hate how this chapter ended and for those people I just want to say… This kind of had to happen. I have my reasons and I ask that you don’t give up on this fic just yet. I promise the ending will be worth it!

I really hope you guys have been enjoying the story so far. We're coming pretty close to the end now and I hope to see you all there!

Tell me what you think! Let me know if stuff is messed up or missing. You can check for chapter updates and progression here!

Please don't hate me.

Oh yeah and JeremyStorm came up with the chapter title.

Love or Lies?

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Love or Lies?

Lyra galloped hard, running as fast as she could through the dense forest. She ignored the aching pain in her legs and the cold, stinging sensation on her cheeks as she pressed on. Her horn glowed with a bright golden aura, helping to illuminate her path as she weaved through the trees, quickly approaching the cabin.

“PLEASE DON’T HATE EACH OTHER! I’M SO SORRY!” Lyra yelled as the cabin came into view. She could see that the lights were on, which could be a good sign. But there was something off about the dwelling that made her slow her approach.

Her eyes widened in horror once she noticed the now completely open entryway. The front door looked like it was ripped off its hinges and cracked in half. Both pieces lay in the snow only a few feet away from the cabin. She could barely sense her spell, which meant that the barrier must have been down for a while now.

Did some monster rip the door off and attack Chris and Bon Bon?!

Lyra’s heart pounded in her chest and she jumped into a wild sprint. “CHRIS! BONNY!” she cried as she leaped through the doorway and skidded into the living room, almost running into the dining table. She quickly stopped herself and stepped back a bit, noticing that the table was different now. It was completely covered with a red cloth and had two melted candles on top, with a bucket of water next to it. There was also an empty wine bottle floating in the center of the bucket.

"Wh-what?" Lyra whimpered in confusion, but was snapped back to reality once the sound of skipping music invaded her ears.

"CHRIS, BONNY! WHERE ARE YOU!?" she shouted into the empty room as she looked around, seeing that the bedroom door was broken into as well. She gasped in horror at the sight and bolted into the room, half-expecting to find two lifeless bodies in there, but there was nothing. The bed was a mess and Bon Bon's saddle bags were in the corner of the room. If they left the cabin then why wouldn't they take their belongings with them? They had to still be in here somewhere.

Lyra ran out of the bedroom and headed down into the basement, frantically calling for her loved ones between her heavy breathing. She received no answer, finding the basement just as empty as the rest of the cabin.

"Where are they?" Lyra whimpered in a shaky voice as she dashed up the stairs, almost tripping herself in her hysteria. She checked the bathroom before heading into the kitchen pantry, finding both areas completely empty.

Lyra walked out of the pantry scared out of her mind, but stopped when she noticed the aquarium that she used for her old pet fish sitting on the kitchen counter. She moved closer to investigate and could see a fairly large and white fluffy spider that was looking right at her in the tank. The strange arachnid was waving a foreleg at her.

"What in all of Equestria are you doing here?! Bonny hates spiders!" Lyra half shouted before turning around and quickly trotting into the living room again. She looked around frantically and saw Chris’s backpack tipped over on the floor next to the couch. Some of his clothes were scattered around, but why would both Bon Bon and Chris leave their things behind if they left?

Lyra also saw her old phonograph on the floor that was still playing one of her swing records, but the song kept skipping as the needle jumped around. Why was that even out?

There was a small fire in the hearth as well, but it was already starting to die down. It was obvious that Chris and Bon Bon left the cabin in a hurry. They must have left recently, but where did they go? Something horrible must have driven them out, but what?

Lyra ran out into the cold winter night and lit up her horn. She inspected the shattered remains of the front door that were lying in the snow. She wasn't even sure what she was looking for, but there had to be some clue that told her where they went or what happened. Nothing jumped out at her until she turned her head to the snow and discovered a single set of tracks, separate from her own, that lead away from the cabin. She must have missed seeing them in her panic when she ran into the cabin. The trail seemed to be heading straight into Ponyville and followed the path where the snow was the thinnest.

"That must be them!" Lyra shouted as she charged off, following the trail. She ran on through the night, ignoring her body's pesky pleas for rest. She couldn’t stop now, not if the ones she loved were in danger. The bright street lamps of Ponville started to come into view, helping to light her way as the trail turned to the right, heading away from her loved ones’ homes. Why wouldn't they head right home? Where could they be going?

Lyra looked up and stopped completely when she realized where the trail was taking her. Her eyes widened, and her pupils constricted into small dots as she gazed at the large, white and terrifying hospital building that was only a short distance away from her. "N-no..." she whimpered helplessly as her mind instantly thought of all the worst possible scenarios imaginable. Her heart sank into her stomach and she started to feel light headed. Her vision blurred for a moment and she nearly toppled over, but she caught herself before she could fall.

"No!" Lyra shouted, bursting into a frantic gallop, heading straight for the hospital entrance. ‘Please be okay! PLEASE JUST BE ALRIGHT!’ she thought to herself as she ran. She slammed into the double doors and slid into the large waiting room before coming to a complete stop. Her body tried desperately to fill her lungs with much needed oxygen as she quickly looked around, hoping to see her lovers in the waiting room, safe and sound. Her sights instantly fell upon Chris, who was sitting on an empty bench with his head in his hands. She should have felt relieved to see him, even excitement or joy, but all she could feel now was fear.

Where was Bon Bon?

“C-Chris,” Lyra called softly in a scratchy, hoarse voice, barely audible to her own ears.

Chris moved his head up slightly, as if he was surprised to hear his named being called. He slowly moved his hands away from his face and looked towards Lyra. She could see the tears trailing down his cheeks and the fear in his eyes. He smiled briefly as if he was happy to see her, but his happy expression soon melted into a more neutral and unreadable one. He slowly got up and walked over to Lyra, keeping his eyes locked with hers.

Lyra froze in place and her ears fell flat as she tried desperately to form words, but only soft whimpers and heavy panting managed to escape her lips. She had so much that she wanted to say. She wanted to tell him that she was sorry, that she loved him, and ask where Bon Bon was, but nothing came out. Her breathing slowed down as they continued to stare into each other's eyes.

"Why?" Chris finally asked after an agonizing silence that lasted for what felt like hours.

Lyra felt a sharp stinging pain shoot through her heart at his question. She could feel all of Chris’s anger and disappointment just from the tone in his voice, and it ripped at her very core. Tears started to well in her eyes and her mouth felt dry as she tried desperately to answer him. Her mouth opened and her lips quivered, but she could only manage to make a few soft whimpering sounds. What could she even say?

Chris’s frowned deeply when he didn’t receive his answer. “Why, Lyra?” he asked again, louder this time. “Was this really the only way? Couldn’t we have sat down like adults and talked things out?”

Lyra knew what her older self would have said to that, but she knew it wasn’t right. She bit her bottom lip and took a step back, hanging her head low and averting her eyes away from him as tears started to stream down her cheeks.

Chris scowled and clenched his teeth together in anger. He balled his fists up tightly before opening his mouth like he was going to say more, but hesitated as a tear rolled down his cheek. He glared at her for a moment before shutting his eyes and turning his head away. “Bonny…” he started to say, but paused as his fists started to relax. “Bonny was... hurt in the cabin, Lyra.”

Lyra whipped her head up. “Wh-wh-wha...” she whimpered softly as she tried to reply.

“She broke her ankle,” Chris said flatly, looking back to Lyra with a somber expression.

Lyra sat back on her haunches in shock. “N-no… no…” she muttered softly, shaking her head in disbelief at his words. Her stomach twisted into a sickening knot, making her want to throw up.

“Did you even think about what would happen if one of us got hurt or sick?!” Chris asked loudly, scowling at her. “What do you think would’ve happened if we couldn’t get out?! Did you ever think about that?! Was that in your little plan, Lyra?!”

Lyra sat there, speechless. That thought never once crossed her mind when she planned to put them together. How could she have overlooked something as important as their safety? Why did she ever think this plan would work, and why did she put her loved ones in so much danger!?

“I-I, I… I-I... ” Lyra sobbed helplessly, clenching her eyes shut tightly as tears poured freely down the side of her face. She messed up more than she could have ever imagined. There wasn’t anything she could do to make up for what she did and now... her loved ones hated her.

"How could you think forcing us into a small space with no way out was a good idea?" Chris asked dryly. "What were you thinking?"

Lyra started to whimper, desperately trying to hold back more of her tears as she sat there in front of Chris. “Y-you... hate me now,” she sobbed in a whisper, hanging her head in shame.

This was it… Her fear was now a reality. It was all over now.

She pushed the ones she loved away thanks to her reckless actions. Her plan to get Chris and Bon Bon together failed and there was nothing she could ever do to save her relationships with them. She had to run away from here and go somewhere far, far away where she couldn't endanger her loved ones’ lives anymore. Maybe she should just turn herself in to Twilight and confess everything. If she was lucky, then Twilight would banish her to Tartarus where her lovers would be safe from her.

Lyra was about to get up and bolt out of the hospital, but something large surrounded and embraced her, pulling her into its warmth. Wasting no time, she quickly latched onto Chris, wrapping her forelegs around his barrel and pressed her cheek into his chest. Her tears streamed down endlessly, staining his nice button down shirt as she cried out, “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean for this to happen! I love you! I love you both and now you hate me!”

Chris held her tightly and rested his head on her and he rubbed her back reassuringly. “I don’t hate you, Lyra."

"You do! You both do!" Lyra sobbed loudly between her cries. "There's nothing I can do to make this right! I pushed you away!"

"You didn’t push me away," Chris reassured her firmly. "I love you.”

“I love you too!” Lyra cried in a shout that she couldn’t control and let out everything she ever wanted to say to him. “I love you both so much! Please forgive me! I’m so sorry!” She squeezed him tightly as if he would drift away at any moment and buried her head into his shoulder. “I’m sorry! I’m so, so sorry!”

Chris’s grip on Lyra tightened, pressing her into his body. He rubbed her back, letting a long moment pass by them as he slowly rocked back and forth.

Lyra’s cries started to slowly die down as she took in the calming warmth of his body, letting herself be lulled by the gentle rocking motions he was making. She just wanted to stay there in his arms forever. “I’m... so sorry,” she repeated in a quiet whimper.

“You can't be doing stuff like this, Lyra,” Chris said sternly. “If we’re going to make this work, then we need to be able to talk to each other. No more secret plans or rash actions. We need to be able to work things out and find solutions together.”

“I’ll never do this again…” Lyra half babbled softly. “I don’t want to lose you two.”

“I don’t want to lose you either, Lyra. I love you, but we need to work this out. I need to know that you won't pull stunts like this anymore.”

Lyra sniffled and nodded her head in understanding. “I’m so sorry,” she mumbled quietly, almost to herself. They stayed like that, embracing each other on the floor in the center of the waiting room. Every pony in the hospital might be watching them, judging them or giving them dirty looks, but Lyra could care less. She was with Chris again and he was safe, but... what about Bon Bon?

“Is Bonny going to be okay?" Lyra asked in a soft whimper. "Please tell me she’s going to be alright.”

“She’s in surgery now,” Chris answered sadly. “The doctors wouldn’t tell me how bad it was. They just rushed her into the O.R.”

“Bonny has to be okay,” Lyra sobbed and shook her head as she pressed her face into Chris’s shoulder even harder. “She just has to be!”

Chris shut his eyes and ran his hand through Lyra's mane, helping her to calm herself.

This whole week had been a living nightmare. Lyra felt so tired and sore. Everything from her heart to her worn out muscles hurt. Her body and mind screamed at her to sleep, but she still couldn’t rest, not when Bon Bon was still in surgery. There was no way she could ever forgive herself if something awful happened to her. She should have never pushed Bon Bon and thrown her into a situation that she wasn’t comfortable with. But, what happened in the cabin? How did she manage to break her ankle? She was about to ask, but Chris started to push her back, locking eyes with her.

“Lyra, I need you to stay here and make sure Bonny’s okay. I have to go back to the cabin,” Chris stated in a somber tone with a deep frown.

“Wh-what?!” Lyra cried, grabbing onto his arm tightly. “N-no, no, no, no! Don’t leave! Please don’t leave me! I’ve missed you so much. Please don’t go!”

Chris placed his hand on Lyra’s cheek before leaning down to gently kiss her. She shut her tired eyes and leaned into his kiss, but before she could enjoy the moment, he pulled back. “Lyra, I’m not going to leave you. I love you and I promise I’ll be back shortly. But, I need you to stay here for Bonny.”

“But, why?!” Lyra half shouted, opening her eyes to look up at Chris as she squeezed his arm tighter. “Why do you have to go back to the cabin?”

“I have to pick up a friend.”

Bon Bon groaned, slowly rocking her pounding head left and right. Her whole body ached, but her back right leg hurt the most. There was a painful, sharp burning sensation there that wouldn't go away. She tried to open her eyes to see, but found that to be a difficult task. Her mind felt fuzzy, and she couldn't recall anything. The only thing she could really think about was the pain in her leg and the throbbing in her head.

She laid there for a moment, fighting the powerful urge to just go back to sleep before trying to move, but her body wouldn’t respond. Every muscle she had felt weak, like she’d just finished galloping a hundred miles uphill.

After a while, Bon Bon was able to crack one eye open, but her blurry vision made it hard to see. She closed her eye and moaned softly, before giving moving another shot. She managed to get her forelegs to respond and she raised her left one up and placed it on her temple, trying to sooth the powerful headache she had.

Bon Bon finally managed to open her eyes. Her vision started to focus, revealing an aqua colored room with a green ceiling. She looked down at her leg that was still hurting and saw that it was wrapped in a thick, pink cast. It was elevated up, suspended in the air by a sling that was connected to the bed.

“W-what?” Bon Bon mumbled quietly, then looked around for somepony that could tell her what happened. The room was completely empty with nopony in sight. She groaned, weakly rubbing a forehoof against her temple as she tried to think back.

Suddenly, the sound of soft tapping on glass broke her concentration. She frowned, glancing toward the source of the noise. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw an aquarium on the nightstand with a giant white spider in it. The frightening, but somehow familiar arachnid was up against the wall of the tank, looking at her worriedly.

Bon Bon studied the spider for a moment. She squinted her eyes as she tried to think back, but her foggy mind made that difficult. “S-Scary?”

“Oh, you’re awake!” a bright and cheerful voice called from the doorway, interrupting her thoughts.

Bon Bon looked over and saw a snow-white earth pony mare with a light pink mane approaching her bed.

“How are you feeling, Dearie?” the mare asked, checking the clipboard that was attached to end of the bed for a moment.

“Tired,” Bon Bon admitted weakly, taking her hoof off her forehead. “W-what happened?”

“You fractured your ankle pretty bad, sweetheart,” the earth pony said, placing the clipboard back before walking to the side of the bed. “We were able to repair the fracture with a small plate and a few pins, but you’ll need stay in the hospital for a few days so we can treat it with magic.”

Bon Bon moaned in response, closing her eyes as she tried to take in all this new information. “I… can’t... remember,” she half mumbled.

“You might have some temporary memory loss from the pain medication and healing spells we used on you. Your memory should start to return to you shortly,” the earth pony explained sweetly. “Do you remember me? I come by your shop a lot.”

Bon Bon opened her eyes again and looked to the white mare. Her clouded mind started to clear up a bit as her thoughts went back to her little candy shop. “Y-you’re… Nurse... Redheart?” she said, questioning her own answer, but started to remember more details about the earth pony. “You… you like those... chocolate-covered peppermint sticks I make.”

Redheart nodded her head. “You always have the best peppermint candies around, Bon Bon. I can never get enough of them,” she said with a friendly smile.

Bon Bon smiled at her comment. “T-thank you,” she said weakly, making a move to try and sit up more, but a sharp pain from her leg shot through her body, making her wince and fall back onto the bed.

“Careful, dear,” Redheart warned softly. “It’s best to just take it easy for now.”

Bon Bon nodded her head weakly in understanding.

Redheart turned and walked over to the end of the bed to inspect the pink cast for a moment before turning back to Bon Bon. “I’ll be looking after you today, so if you need anything at all, you can press that little red button on the wall next to you and I'll come down,” she explained, pointing a hoof to a spot on the wall next to her bed.

Bon Bon tilted her head to the side and saw the bright red button she was talking about.

Redheart picked up the clipboard at the end of the bed, then bit the pen that was attached to it before jotting down a few notes. After she made a few more scribbles, she placed it back on the end of the bed before speaking again. “Your, umm, tall friend brought you in last night. He’s in the waiting room right now.”

“Tall... friend?” Bon Bon questioned.

“Yes, he’s that, umm… what did Twilight call it,” Redheart said as she looked away and tapped a hoof on her chin. “Hoo-men? You know, that tall alien creature that moved into town? He stands on two legs like a minotaur,” she explained, looking back to Bon Bon. “Oh, I always forget his silly name. It sounds like ‘kiss’ or something.”

Bon Bon eyes widened as more of her memories started to return to her. “Y-you mean... Chris?”

“Yeah, that sounds right,” Redheart said, happily. “He brought in your little spider friend there too,” she said, looking towards the aquarium. “He said you’d really like to see him.”

“He did?” Bon Bon questioned, looking towards Scary.

Redheart nodded. “He’s with Lyra in the waiting room right now. They've both been worried sick about you.”

Bon Bon frowned as she started to remember everything that happened to her. The cabin, Chris, Lyra and even how she got to the hospital. “I… remember now,” she said sadly to herself.

“That’s good!" Redheart said with a bright smile. "It seems like your memory’s finally coming back. Would you like to see them now?”

“Wh-what?” Bon Bon asked, almost missing what Redheart said as she thought back to last night.

“Your friends. Should I send them in to see you?” Redheart asked softly. “They've been in the waiting room all night. I’m sure they would love to talk to you and make sure you're okay.”

That was a good question. Did she really want to see them right now?

Bon Bon looked away for a moment as she thought about what happened with Chris. She did have some questions for him, like how did they get out of the cabin so soon? They had at least six more days if she was remembering right. If the barrier spell was down, then why didn’t he tell her?

And what about Lyra?

Bon Bon still had no idea what to even say to her yet. She wanted to see them both, but after what happened, she just wasn’t sure if she should. Her mind was still feeling clouded, but there were so many questions floating around in her mind with no answers. She looked up after a while and saw Redheart giving her a worried look.

“Would you like me to send them in?” Redheart asked again.

Bon Bon sighed and forced a smile before she nodded her head.

Redheart smiled as well. “Okay, dear. I’ll tell them you're awake. You just take it easy now and don’t forget to call if you need anything.” She turned and started to walk out of the room. “I'll be back later today to help brief you on your medical treatment,” she added on her way out, closing the door softly behind her.

Bon Bon looked over to Scary, who was still staring at her with a worried look. “I'll be okay, Scary. I’m glad to see you’re here with me,” she said softly with a smile before frowning again. Her head was still killing her, but she couldn’t stop thinking about what happened yesterday. She just couldn’t understand how they were able to leave the cabin. Did Chris find a way out and not tell her?

She groaned, placing both hooves on her brow, then shut her eyes. It was so hard to think straight with her mind as fuzzy as it was. The urge to just go back to sleep overwhelmed her, but the sound of the door creaking open put a stop to that.

Bon Bon dropped her hooves down and opened her eyes to see Chris standing in the doorway―that was way too small for him―with a weary and saddened look in his eyes. He was still wearing the same dress shirt and pants that he wore on their date last night.

Lyra was in front of him, sitting back on her haunches with her hooves covering her mouth. Her eyes were glistening in the light with tears. Her mane was a disaster and it looked like she hadn’t slept in days.

"B-Bonny..." Lyra whimpered softly. “BONNY!” she shouted, galloping up to the bed before getting up and wrapping her hooves around Bon Bon's barrel, hugging her in an airtight death grip.

“H-AHH, Lyra!” Bon Bon shouted, wincing in pain.

Lyra immediately let go and rested her forelegs on the side of the bed. “I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt you, I-I just―”

“It’s okay,” Bon Bon said softly, putting her hoof on top of Lyra’s forelegs. “My leg just... it really hurts right now,” she grunted, trying to get comfortable again.

Lyra quickly looked to her cast as tears streamed down her cheeks. “I'm so sorry, Bonny...” she whimpered softly, looking back at her. “I didn't mean for any of this to happen!” She clenched Bon Bon’s hoof in her own. “I-I was an idiot to think what I did was right. I should have never forced you to be with Chris like that!”

Bon Bon furrowed her brow sadly. She was about to say something, but Chris started to walk up to the bed, interrupting her train of thought. She watched him as he moved over to stand next to Lyra, staring at her cast sadly as he approached.

“How are you... feeling?” Chris asked in a sad and tired voice, looking back into her eyes.

Bon Bon forced a small smile. “I’ve… been better, but… I’ll be okay,” she tried to reassure him softly.

Chris let out a sad, deep sigh. “The doctor told me that you should be able to make a full recovery."

"That's... good..." Bon Bon replied awkwardly, trying to sound happy.

“I’ll never do this again! I promise!” Lyra half-shouted, cutting in as she gripped Bon Bon's hoof tighter. “I-If you don’t want to do the herd, then that’s okay! I love you and I want you in my life, even if we just remain friends. I-I don’t want to lose you.”

“L-Lyra… I-I... ” Bon Bon stuttered softly, unsure how else to respond. She still loved Lyra with all her heart and she cared for Chris, but with what happened yesterday… she was just so confused.

“I’m… really sorry, Bonny,” Chris said, walking a little closer to the bed. “This is all my fault…”

Bon Bon looked up at him with a frown. “N-no, it wasn’t your fault… I was having a lot of fun and we... we both just got carried away,” she admitted sadly.

Lyra blinked a few times, relaxing her grip on Bon Bon’s hoof. “Wh-what?” she whimpered in confusion, looking back and forth between Chris and Bon Bon. "Y-you had... fun?"

Chris sighed softly, rubbing his eyes with his hand. “I still feel responsible,” he admitted, dropping his hand to his side. "I'll make this up to you, I promise."

“It’s okay… really,” Bon Bon reassured him awkwardly, looking down and away from him. "It was... just an accident."

Lyra's eyes darted between Chris and Bon Bon as the room went quiet for a moment.

“W-why?” Bon Bon asked suddenly in a whisper. “Why didn’t... you tell me?”

Lyra looked up at Chris, perking her ears up at him, eagerly awaiting his response.

“I…” Chris started to say, but hesitated with a deep frown. “I just… I just wanted you to enjoy the day.”

Lyra’s eyes widened in surprise and twinkled in the light. She jerked her head over to Bon Bon, awaiting her response.

"But, why?" Bon Bon asked sounding confused, looking up at him again with a confused expression. "Don't you think I would have liked to know that we could leave?"

Lyra quickly turned her sights towards Chris again.

"I..." Chris paused, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "I wanted to give you a special day. Something fun and romantic with just the two of us before we went back."

Lyra gasped, covering her muzzle with her hooves in shock as her eyes darted between them. “R-romantic?” she muttered quietly behind her hooves.

Bon Bon didn’t hear or see Lyra’s reaction. Her mind was overwhelmed with conflicting thoughts. If what Chris was saying was true, then why keep it a secret? Did he think he could get lucky again? “I-If… if that's true… then why didn’t you tell me that? I would have understood and stayed with you.”

“I-I…” Chris started to say, but hesitated and looked away from a moment as if he trying to gather his thoughts. “I don't know, I just... I didn’t want you to have to stress about going back,” he tried to explain, softly. “I wanted you to relax and enjoy yourself and not worry about things.”

Bon Bon looked away from him as she thought to herself for a moment. Could she believe what Chris was saying? Sure, it sounded sweet and innocent enough, but so did Silver Wing all those years ago. She remembered all the things that Silver would say to her and how she thought he was the nicest stallion alive, but it was all an act. Was Chris just another Silver Wing waiting to happen?

That couldn’t be true… Chris was so sweet and kind hearted. His words felt so genuine and warm, but she used to think that about Silver too…

Bon Bon shut her eyes and groaned, causing both Chris and Lyra to flinch forward. “Bonny?!” they both called to her in concern.

“Are you okay?” Chris asked.

“I’m just…” Bon Bon started to say, but paused and opened her eyes to look back at Chris. “H-how long… How long was the spell down for? Was it… was it before we… we―”

“No,” Chris answered quickly, interrupting her. “I didn’t find out until the very next morning. It was right after you tried to cook breakfast.”

“W-what?!” Lyra shouted as her head quickly darted back and forth between them. “Wait, what do you mean? What did you two do?”

Bon Bon’s mind was overwhelmed with so many questions now. If Chris was keeping the spell being down a secret from her, then what else could he have lied about? That thought scared her more than anything. How much of what Chris told her in the cabin was real?

Was the whole cabin a lie?

Bon Bon whimpered sadly at that thought. She didn’t want to believe it, but it seemed so possible. The whole cabin could have all been a part of Lyra’s plan to get her to agree to the herd and Chris could have been playing along. He seemed so perfect for her, almost too perfect. Not only that, but the spell that Lyra put up could have just been a clever ruse. She never once tried to open the door herself to see if it was still in effect after the first day. Maybe it wasn’t real…

‘No! That couldn't be true!’ Bon Bon thought to herself as she bit her lip, clenching her eyes shut tightly. There is no way Lyra of all ponies would do that to her… But, she was so persistent about Chris being right for her. She very well could have… ‘NO!’

Bon Bon placed both her hooves on her temples as her headache deepened and tears started to well in her eyes. “I’m just… so confused,” she whimpered sadly, almost to herself.

“I’m really sorry about lying to you like I did,” Chris apologized, kneeling down next to the bed. “It was wrong of me, and I shouldn’t have done that. I should have told you like you said.”

“Chris means well, Bonny,” Lyra said, cutting in. “He would never hurt you.”

“I…” Bon Bon tried to say, but stopped herself. She didn’t know what to say to Chris or Lyra right now. The fear of Chris becoming another Silver Wing consumed her mind. She didn’t want to go through that pain again. There was just so much uncertainty, and she didn’t know whether to believe Chris or Lyra at this point.

“Bonny,” Lyra called to her, putting a hoof on her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

“Was… was it all a lie?” Bon Bon whimpered sadly, taking her hooves away from her temple to look up at Chris. “Was anything you said in the cabin true?”

“W-what?” Chris asked confused. “Of course it was... I wouldn’t lie to you about any of that.”

“E-even the stuff about your family and you wanting a foal some day?” Bon Bon asked weakly. “O-or did Lyra just tell you that I wanted a foal of my own, so you made that up to make me happy?”

“W-what?!” Chris shouted in shock. “Wait, you want―”

“Wh-what about you loving to cook and wanting to work with me?” Bon Bon whimpered sadly. “Was that a lie, too? Were you just trying to impress me?”

“How can you say that!?” Chris asked loudly, dumbfounded. “Everything I told you in the cabin was true!”

Bon Bon groaned softly and averted her eyes. She couldn’t believe what she was saying, but she felt so hurt and betrayed. “I just… I’m sorry, but I need to be alone…” she whimpered sadly.

“Alone!?” Chris questioned in disbelief. “Bonny, please just talk to us. You always try to isolate yourself like this when you're scared or confused, but we can talk about this. We can work this out together! Please, I’m so sorry about how I lied to you, but everything I told you in the cabin was real! My feelings for you are real!”

Lyra jerked her head towards Chris and her eyes lit up at his words.

Bon Bon shook her head slightly, not sure how to respond. Her mind was such a mess now, and she couldn’t make coherent thoughts anymore. She still had feelings for Chris, but wasn’t that the problem? She didn’t want to get hurt a second time.

“Bonny, please just talk to me! You don’t have to be alone anymore. We can work this out," Chris almost begged, sounding disheartened. "I care about you, and I want us to work.”

Bon Bon winced at his words. Silver Wing said the same thing before he... used her. "Chris... I just... I really need to be alone right now."

"You... you don't trust me... do you?" Chris asked softly in disbelief. "A-after everything we've been through together, you're just going to shut me out… just like that?"

“Please, just leave," Bon Bon whimpered softly, not daring to meet his eyes.

"Bonny... I..." Chris said in confusion, but paused as he clinched his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose before he rubbed his tired eyes with his fingertips. He dropped his hand down and stood up quickly. "If you want to be alone, then fine," he said firmly. "I'm sorry for what I did, but I'm not going to give up on you." With that, he turned and walked out of the room.

"Chris, wait!" Lyra shouted reaching a hoof out to him, but he was already out of the door. She turned to face Bon Bon again with a demoralized look. "Bonny, what happened in the cabin?"

"Leave Lyra," Bon Bon said flatly, still looking away.

"Chris cares about you. Couldn't you see that?” Lyra questioned, moving a little closer, gently placing her hoof on Bon Bon’s chest. “Didn't you see how hurt he was? He... he lo―”

“You know, I have half a mind to report you to Twilight for what you did!” Bon Bon snapped in anger, jerking her head towards Lyra with a deep scowl.

Lyra quickly pulled her hoof back and stared at her in shock, but frowned sadly and hung her head. "You’re right... you could, and maybe you should..." She looked over to Bon Bon's cast. "Maybe that's what I deserve."

Bon Bon frowned at her friend’s despairing words and sighed deeply. "I'm... sorry Lyra… I just need to be alone. Please, just go."

Lyra looked back to Bon Bon and stared at her with a worn out and desolate expression. She opened her mouth, as if she was going to say something, but stopped and shut it. Without saying another word, she turned around and slowly made her way to the door. She stopped just in front of the open entryway and turned her head to look back for a moment. “I’m… the one that should be sorry,” she admitted. “I just want you to know that… no matter what happens now… I love you.” She turned back and walked out, closing the door behind her.

Bon Bon stared at the door for a moment. She felt a tear run down the side of her cheek, and she sniffled as she looked around the dark and quiet room. Her sights fell upon Scary, who was looking at the door. He slowly turned around and looked up at her with a sad and disheartened look in his small eyes. She frowned and sighed. “He... lied to me, Scary… They both could have lied,” she tried to explain herself to him, but it only served to make her feel worse.

She groaned, looking away from Scary before shutting her eyes. Maybe she could think more clearly once her body and mind were well rested. She tried to rest, but the room felt so cold and eerily empty all of the sudden, making sleep a difficult task.

Maybe… she made a mistake.

Author's Notes:

I'm sorry this short chapter took me so long to write... I was really struggling with it.

Poor Bon Bon. She's so confused and still can't let things go with Silver Wing. Hasn't she learned anything from the cabin? Or will she just fall back into old habits? I guess we'll see if she comes around in the next installment!

I have a feeling that people are going to hate this chapter, but this is the part of the story when the heroine is tempted to repeat her last mistake. It's just like The Everfree Moon all over again. Also, idk if people have noticed this, but a big theme with this story has been communication. That's a lesson that all these characters need to learn. I'm sure people will be pissed at me anyways, since people can't seem to take a little drama, but I want these characters to bond in a real way. If this does upset you, just member that there is no sad or tragic tag on this fic.

Tell me what you think! Let me know if stuff is messed up or missing. You can check for chapter updates and progression here!

Moving Forward

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Moving Forward

Berry Punch walked through the calm and empty streets of Ponyville, making her way to the local hospital on the edge of town. It was a surprisingly warm and sunny day, but it was difficult for her to enjoy the nice weather when one of her good friends was in the very place she was heading. The rumors going around town about what happened to her didn’t help either. Some ponies said they witnessed the human running in the middle of the night with Bon Bon in his arms. Most seemed to think that he hurt her in some way, but that didn’t make any sense.

Crackers was a weird alien for sure, but he didn’t have a vicious bone in his body. In fact, he was kind of a wimp. It just didn’t seem right that he would hurt Bon Bon like most ponies wanted to believe. At least, he wouldn’t have done it on purpose. Even if he did harm her for whatever reason, then why did he rush her to the hospital?

There was also the question of why Crackers was with Bon Bon in the first place. From what Berry remembered, she was supposed to be off vacationing with Lyra in some cabin for two weeks. It had only been a little over a week since they left. So if Bon Bon got hurt, then wouldn’t Lyra be the one taking her to the hospital? There were just so many questions floating around in her head. She needed to find out if her friend was okay and get the real story.

“Hey, mom,” the soft and sweet voice of her beloved little broken condom called to her.

“Yes, Ruby, my dear?” Berry replied sweetly, looking over at her pink-coated daughter who was walking next to her. Her little unicorn filly insisted on coming along when she heard what happened. Apparently, all her classmates were spreading rumors around as well and she wanted to find out the truth.

“You don’t think Crackers really hurt Bon Bon, do you?” Ruby Pinch asked, looking up to her mother with worried eyes.

“I really don’t know, Pinchy,” Berry admitted as she continued to talk. “I can’t see him hurting anypony, but I’m sure we'll find out soon enough.”

Ruby went silent as she followed alongside her mother before speaking again. “I know everypony thinks he hurt Bon Bon, but I know he didn’t! He just couldn't have,” she insisted, picking up her pace a little. “I bet he was saving her from a giant manticore!”

“Oh, you think so?” Berry replied with a small smile, holding back her laughter at the ridiculous notion. “And what makes you think that?”

Ruby stuck her tongue out, contemplating her answer. “Well, why else would he be carrying her to the hospital? I bet he used his alien powers to save her, because he’s awesome like that and he loves her so much!”

Berry raised a curious eyebrow at that comment. “Alien powers?” she questioned, looking back to her naive, but oh so lovable daughter. “I don’t think he has any alien powers, Pinchy. I don’t think he even has any magic in him like we do. He’s about as magical as a rock.”

“He does!” Ruby argued quickly with a little hop in her step. “He told me so! I bet that’s what happened.”

“You really like him, don’t you?” Berry asked, smiling lovingly at her daughter.

“Are you joking!?” Ruby half-shouted, slowing her pace as she stared up at her mother in shock. “He’s, like, the coolest alien ever!”

Berry rolled her eyes before looking ahead again. Ruby’s infatuation with the human all started shortly after she let him babysit her daughter for a day. She had to do some emergency errands and everypony else was busy or out of town. Crackers was her only option at the time, but she knew him well enough through Lyra to trust him. Now, Ruby thought the alien was the coolest thing in all of Equestria.

“He even helped me buy a cupcake at Sugar Cube Corner once!” Ruby continued excitedly as she reminisced.

“He did?” Berry asked, a little surprised. “You never told me that.”

“Yeah! He walked in when I was hanging out with my friends. I ordered a big cupcake, but I didn’t have enough allowance left to pay for it. But he gave me the extra bit I needed!”

“Really?” Berry asked, trying to sound fascinated in her daughter's tale as they got closer to the hospital. "That was quite generous of him."

“Mhmm!" Ruby agreed happily with a couple of nods. "After that, I asked him to hang with us and he told us all about the weird planet he came from!” she continued with a few little skips in her step. “He said that he used to have this small box thing that he could play games on, like the ones in the arcade! And he had something on it called the inn-err-web, or something that he used to find information on anything he ever wanted. Like his own personal library!”

“That’s nice, Pinchy,” Berry replied, zoning out as her daughter rambled. She placed her hoof on one of the double doors to the hospital and gently pushed it open, letting her daughter enter first.

Ruby happily skipped into the building and stopped to look around. "Aww... I don't see him," she mumbled quietly to herself.

“Maybe he’s with Bon now,” Berry said, following her daughter into the waiting room. She continued to walk up to the front desk where she could see a light yellow earth pony mare with a two-tone light-blue and curly mane sitting at the front desk. She actually recognized the mare and knew her pretty well.

"Hey, Snowheart," Berry greeted nonchalantly as she reached the front desk.

"Oh, hi, Berry," Snowheart replied, looking up from her work. "What brings you in? Is little Ruby due for her check up?" she asked, glancing down towards the filly that wasn’t paying attention. Ruby was still searching the large waiting room for the tall alien.

"No, nothing like that,” Berry replied. “I'm actually here to see Bon Bon. Is she able to have visitors now?"

Snowheart nodded her head. "She is and I'm sure she'd love to have some company. The poor thing had quite a day yesterday."

"So I've heard," Berry replied flatly.

"Yes, but...” Snowheart paused, glancing around quickly before leaning in a little. “Did you hear how she got to the hospital?" she asked in a soft whisper as if she was discussing something extremely taboo and secretive. "That... human thing brought her in."

Berry sighed tiredly and nodded. "Yeah, I heard all about that. Maybe later tonight we can get together for some drinks and talk about it," Berry said in an effort to drop the subject. "Can you let Bon know I'm here?"

"Oh, sure!" Snowheart said as she pushed off from her desk and got up from her stool. "I'll go see if she's awake and let her know she has a visitor. I'll only be a moment," she said as she made her way into the recovery rooms, pushing the large double doors open before walking in.

Just then, Berry heard the front door of the waiting room open behind her.

"Crackers!" Ruby shouted almost instantly, causing Berry to turn around and see the human and Lyra both standing in the entryway. The first thing she noticed about the pair was how stressed they both looked. The second thing she noticed was a pretty sizable bouquet of different colored daisy flowers being levitated in a golden aura next to Lyra. There was no doubt that the flowers were for Bon Bon.

"Ruby? What are you doing here?" Chris asked once he saw her running up to him.

“I came here with mommy to see Bon Bon!” Ruby explained happily before sitting back on her haunches once she was in front of him. “That’s why you're here too, isn’t it!? You both want to make sure your marefriend is okay after you saved her, right!?”

Both Chris and Lyra’s eyes widened at the filly’s blunt statement. “O-oh, well, you see...” Chris said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “What I mean is... Ehh―”

“Y-yes, we umm… Well, she’s not really our… well,” Lyra tried to continue for Chris, only adding to the awkwardness.

“Hey, Crackers. Hey, Lyra. You guys look like you've been through Tartarus and back. Everything okay?” Berry asked as she walked up to them, saving them from having to answer her lovably naive daughter.

They both sighed deeply in response. “Things have been better,” Lyra said, hanging her head.

Ruby stretched her forelegs out and beaming up at Chris. “Crackers, can you pick me up, please? I want to be tall like you again.”

Chris smiled softly for a moment, then looked towards her mother for approval.

Berry simply shrugged her shoulders at him.

“Well, sure. I guess,” Chris said, bending down before scooping the little filly up in his arms.

Ruby instantly burst into a fit of giggles as she was lifted up into the air. She rested her forelegs on Chris’s chest before looking around once he was standing upright again. “This is so much fun! I wish I was this tall all the time!”

Lyra and Berry both smiled up at them as they watched Ruby look around from her new height.

“So, how you been, Ruby?” Chris asked, giving the little filly a little bounce in his arms. “You making sure your mom stays out of trouble?”

“Yep!” Ruby chirped happily.

Berry shook her head in disbelief at how much her daughter seemed to really like the human. “Wow, Crackers. I didn’t know you were so popular with the fillies,” she teased with a cocky smirk.

Chris simply shrugged his shoulders with Ruby still in his arms. “What can I say? I give some pretty awesome piggy-back rides,” he teased back.

Ruby gasped excitedly. “Can you give me one!? I want to be even taller!”

“Mmm, maybe later, if you’re good,” Chris said, bopping her little nose with this fingertip lightly, causing her to rub the spot with her hoof.

“But, I’m always good. Miss Cheerilee gives me gold stars all the time!” Ruby argued, puffing her cheeks out at him in an angry pout.

“Hmmmm," Chris hummed in mock thought. "Well, Cheerilee's a pretty smart mare, and she's doesn't hand out gold stars to just anypony," he mused with a pause while Ruby give him the biggest puppy dog eyes she could manage. "Alright, you win,” he said, lifting her up over his head before placing her on his shoulders.

"Yay!" Ruby cheered loudly, giggling again as she was placed behind his head. She wrapped her forelegs around his forehead tightly for support before looking down at her mother. “You look so small from up here mom!”

Berry giggled softly as she watched Chris and Ruby. It was actually kind of nice seeing how good the human was with her daughter and it was heartwarming to see how much Ruby was helping to cheer him up. It only reaffirmed how inaccurate all those nasty rumors the other ponies were spreading about him were. If only he was a pony and didn't have those… small eyes.

“Just be careful up there, Pinchy,” Berry said, before turning towards Lyra, who had been quiet this whole time. She was smiling up at Chris as she watched him play with Ruby. She was still holding that bouquet of flowers in her magic. “I’m guessing those are some get well soon flowers for Bon?”

Lyra jumped a bit at the mention of the flowers and jerked her head towards Berry as her smile melted into a frown. “Oh,y-yeah,” she admitted softly, floating the bouquet in front of her. “I really hope she accepts them,” she muttered quietly under her breath.

Berry had never seen Lyra so down before. It was kind of depressing and almost scary to see the normally happy and outgoing mare so down in the dumps. "Why the long face? Bon’s not dying or anything, is she?”

“W-What? No!” Lyra half shouted in shock. “T-the flowers are just for… well, we wanted to tell her, e-ehh, I mean―”

“It’s for an apology,” Chris cut in with a hint of sadness.

“An apology?” Berry questioned, looking up to Chris with a confused expression. Why would they need to say sorry for? Were the rumors actually true then? Did Chris or even Lyra hurt her in some way? “What do you two have to apologize for?”

Chris sighed heavily. "It's... complicated.”

“Did you not get to her in time to save her with your alien powers?” Ruby questioned, resting her chin on top of Chris’s head.

“Not exactly,” Chris said with a soft smile. “You see, the planets weren’t aligned right, so I couldn’t get the energy I needed to charge my powers.”

"Oh, no…” Ruby despaired. “That’s not good... But, at least you could get her to the hospital in time, right?”

Chris chuckled softly. “Yeah, I got her here in time. Bon Bon will be okay, don’t worry.”

"Yes, that’s a real cute story,” Berry said sarcastically. “But what happened to Bon? Why did you need to rush her over here, and why were you with her?” She paused as both Chris and Lyra glanced at each worriedly. “You guys do know that the whole town's been speculating about what happened, right? They’re not saying very nice things.”

“That explains all the looks we’ve been getting,” Lyra said sadly, hanging her head in despair.

Berry frowned at Lyra, then looked up at Chris. “Ponies are saying you hurt Bon Bon intentionally.”

Chris shook his head. “That's ridiculous. I would never do something like that,” he answered tiredly with a hint of anger in his voice as he adjusted Ruby on his shoulders. “But, I was there when it happened… it was my fault that she got hurt.”

“Chris, don’t say that,” Lyra snapped quickly, jerking head towards him. “I caused all this to happen in the first place. I’m the real one to blame.”

“No, Lyra. It was out of your control,” Chris countered quickly. “I was there when it happened and I was responsible. She wouldn’t have gotten hurt if it wasn’t for me.”

Lyra stomped her hoof down in protest. “Chris, that's ridiculous! This all started because of me! I’m the one who’s really at fault here! She would have never gotten hurt in the first place if I hadn’t tricked you two!”

Chris goaned in frustration and pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingertips. “I don’t want to hear you blaming yourself anymore, Lyra. Bonny got hurt bec―”

“Stop!” Berry shouted, covering her ears with her hooves so she didn’t have to listen to the lovers quarrel anymore. “Sweet Luna you two, just stop!” She dropped her hooves back to the floor and looked between both of their shocked expressions. Berry felt even more confused now after listening to their argument. Their endless loop of self pity only managed to bring on more unanswered questions. “I just want to know what happened. Please, will somepony just explain it to me?”

The room fell silent as Chris frowned and looked down at Lyra.

Lyra darted her eyes away from Chris and hung her head in shame. “It’s a really long story,” Lyra admitted, dryly.

At this point, Berry was pretty frustrated that she wasn’t getting any clear answers. She didn’t care how long it would take; she just wanted to know what happened to her friend and why they were acting like somepony just died. Was Bon Bon’s condition more serious than she originally thought? She started to open her mouth to ask them to continue but the recovery room door swung open, interrupting her.

“Bon Bon is ready to see you, Berry,” Snowheart called, holding the door open.

Berry groaned in frustration, but it wasn't like Bon Bon wouldn't tell her what happened. “Well, I guess that’s us," she said, looking up to her daughter. "Come on, Pinchy. We don’t want to keep Bon waiting too long and I’m sure Chris and Lyra want to see her after us. Unless… you two want to come with us?”

“Thank you for offering, Berry, but you go ahead. We’ll wait out here,” Lyra said, putting on a soft smile.

“You sure?” Berry asked.

Lyra and Chris both nodded in unison. It was actually kind of adorable seeing them match each other's actions. “We’d both like to speak with her in private, so you go on ahead,” Lyra replied, shooing her off with her hoof. “I’m sure Bonny would like to see you much more than us right now.”

Berry raised an eyebrow at that comment, but shrugged her shoulders. “Well, if you say so. Come on, Pinchy dear. Get off the nice alien’s head so we can go see Bon.”

Ruby tightened her grip on Chris’s head, hiding herself behind what little mane the human had. “Do… I have to?”

“Yes, Pinchy. Now come on, let’s go,” Berry said as she turned around to face Snowheart.

“Can I stay with Crackers and Lyra?” Ruby asked softly.

Berry turned back towards her daughter. “You don’t want to see Bon? I’m sure she‘d be happy to see you. You know how much she likes you.”

“But... I wanna play with Crackers,” Ruby half-mumbled into the human’s mane, causing both Chris and Lyra to laugh lightly.

“Don’t worry, Berry. Lyra and I will watch her for you,” Chris reassured her.

“Well, if you don’t mind,” Berry said, turning back around before making her way into the recovery rooms. “You guys can watch the little twerp for me.”

“Yay!” Ruby cheered with a little bounce.

Berry could hear her precious little angel starting to babble on all about her day to them, causing her to smile to herself as she approached the recovery rooms.

“Right this way,” Snowheart said, taking the lead as she walked to the room Bon Bon was staying in. Once they reached the room Snowheart held the door open for Berry. “Take as long as you like, and if you guys need anything, don’t be afraid to call.”

“Thanks, Snow,” Berry said as she stepped into the rather large room. She saw Bon Bon laying in the bed with her hind leg wrapped in a pink cast that was elevated from a sling.

‘So, she broke her leg? That’s it?” Berry thought to herself, thinking Bon Bon would be in a worse condition considering how Crackers and Lyra were acting. Bon Bon herself looked almost as miserable as Lyra and Crackers did, but she managed to put on a soft smile and waved a timid hoof.

“H-hey, Berry... I’m glad you're here,” Bon Bon said sweetly.

“Yeah, well, I had nothing else better to do, so I figured I might as well,” Berry teased with a smirk as she approached the bed. “So, I guess you really messed yourself u―” Berry stopped herself once she saw a glass tank sitting on the nightstand next to Bon Bon’s bed. Her eyes widened considerably when she noticed a very large, white spider in the center of the aquarium that was looking right at her.

‘What in Tartarus is that doing next to Bon!? She hates those things!’ Berry thought as she looked over to Bon Bon who was still smiling softly at her. For whatever reason, Bon Bon didn't seem to mind that there was a freaking huge spider within a few feet of her, which puzzled Berry to no end. Was she even aware that thing was next to her?

“Ehh, Bon… you know there’s a gigantic spider next to you, right?” Berry asked worriedly, pointing a hoof at the aquarium.

Bon Bon stared at her blankly, then looked towards the spider. “Oh, that’s just Scary.”

“Scary? You mean it has a name?” Berry questioned, dumbfounded. “How are you not freaking out right now? I thought you hated spiders!”

“Shhhhh!” Bon Bon quickly shushed Berry, holding a hoof to her lips. “I don’t hate spiders, they just… freak me out sometimes,” she explain quietly in a whisper as if she was worried about offending the creature. “But, I like spiders… they can be nice.”

Berry’s mouth hung open in disbelief as she stared at Bon Bon with wide eyes. “You… like spiders now?”

“Well, I mean...” Bon Bon started to say, but hesitated, biting her lip. “S-Scary’s a nice spider. He’d never hurt anypony.”

Berry walked up to the aquarium to get a better look. The spider was just laying there in the dirt, with a tired and dreary expression. “Ehh, he seems kind of... sad… is he okay?”

Bon Bon sighed as she watched her spider friend. “He’s not sick or anything... at least as far as I can tell he’s not. But he is kind of… upset with me.”

“The spider is upset with you?” Berry questioned, finding that statement utterly ridiculous. She groaned softly and rubbed her temple with a hoof as a headache started to form. It was hard for her to wrap her mind around this spider that Bon Bon didn’t seem to have any issues with. The last she remembered, Bon Bon was deathly afraid of spiders, but now she likes them? Not only that, but the thing was upset with her too?

“Alright, I’ll bite,” Berry said dryly, dropping her hoof down. “Why is the spider―I mean, Scary, upset with you?”

“Well…” Bon Bon started to explain, but hesitated as she looked down at the sheets that were covering her chest. “He’s upset that I told Chris and Lyra to leave yesterday after they came to see me.”

“So, you kicked them out, huh?,” Berry mused as she thought about why she would want to do that. “Is that why they’re both in the waiting room right now with a large bundle of flowers for you?”

“Oh, no. They are?” Bon Bon asked, sounding worried.

Berry blinked a few times in confusion. “Umm… is that bad?” she questioned, sounding befuddled. “What? You don’t like flowers, or something?”

“No, it’s not that,” Bon Bon said, as she fidgeted with her forehooves on top of the sheets. “That’s a very sweet thing for them to do, but I just… oh, I don’t know. I’m just so confused.”

‘You and me both, sister,’ Berry thought as she sat back on her haunches, getting a little more comfortable. “So, would you like to explain to me why Crackers and Lyra are out there, acting like somepony just died? And can you tell me why you now have a pet spider, when I know for a fact that you have a phobia of them?”

Bon Bon kept her head down, not daring to make eye contact with her friend. "It's complicated, Berry."

'Where have I heard that before,' Berry questioned to herself sarcastically, fighting the powerful urge to groan in frustration. “Well, I'm a pretty good listener. And while you're at it, I'd also like to know why Crackers was the one that rushed you to the hospital when you were supposed to be on a vacation with Lyra.”

“I-I… I don’t know, Berry,” Bon Bon said quietly. “It’s just… It’s a long story”

Berry rolled her eyes, aggravated that she had to hear these same excuses for a second time today. She looked around the room and spotted a stool in one of the corners. She walked over to it and used her muzzle to push it over to the bed. Once it was in position next to Bon Bon, she sat on it and got comfortable before crossing her forelegs over each other, then faced Bon Bon expectantly. “Well, I’m in the mood for a good long story. So, let's have it."

Bon Bon stayed quiet for a moment, tapping her hooves together nervously. “If… If I tell you what happened… will you promise me that you won't repeat what you hear to anypony?”

“Right, because you know me. Always spreading around gossip about my friends,” Berry joked sarcastically.

“I’m serious, Berry,” Bon Bon said sternly, looking towards Berry with pleading eyes. “What I’m about to tell you can’t leave this room.”

"As your friend, I promise, I will tell nopony.” As added insurance Berry carried out the motions of the Pinkie Promise while chanting, “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

Bon Bon smiled gently at her friend. “Thank you, Berry,” she said before sighing deeply. “Where do I even begin…”

“Well, usually when you’re telling a story, it's best to start from the beginning,” Berry pointed out bluntly.

“Then, I guess I should start by telling you I wasn’t in the cabin with Lyra," Bon Bon admitted quietly, looking down at her hooves that were nervously rubbing the sheet on her chest.

Berry tilted her head in confusion. “Were you up there by yourself?”

Bon Bon shook her head. “I was with Chris… Lyra tricked us both into thinking that we would be taking a vacation with her in the woods. But when we got to the cabin...” she paused and looked towards Berry with a worried expression. “Please don’t tell anypony about this."

"Bon..." Berry said flatly, glaring at her sternly. "You can trust me. I'm not going to tell anypony."

Bon Bon took a deep breath before continuing. "Okay… I wasn’t in the cabin with Lyra because she… she sealed me in there with Chris. She put a barrier around the cabin that was supposed to keep us locked in there for at least two weeks.”

“Whoa, what?!” Berry half shouted in shock, perking up as her eyes widened. “You’re joking, right?”

Bon Bon shook her head in response.

“Wow,” Berry said simply, placing a hoof on her forehead in disbelief. “I always knew Lyra was a bit of a nut, but I never would have thought she would do something that extreme!” It was no wonder Lyra was blaming herself for what happened earlier, but what she did was kind of a big deal. But, Berry knew how much Bon Bon loved Lyra, and she swore to keep everything she heard in this room a secret. She wasn’t about to go against her word to her friend; she just hoped Bon Bon knew what she was doing.

Berry took a deep breath, dropping her hoof back down before continuing. “Okay, so what happened when you were left with Crackers?”

“A lot happened…” Bon Bon said simply. She proceeded to tell Berry about everything that went on in the cabin. She told her how she locked herself up in the bedroom for the first couple days, but Chris begged her to come out and even brought her food. Then, she explained how he broke into the bedroom on the very next day to save her from the spider that was currently resting in the aquarium next to her.

“After Chris saved me, he just didn't seem as terrifying anymore… We just… I don’t know, we just started to talk and get to know each other,” Bon Bon explained with a soft smile as she reminisced. “I started to see what kind of stallion he really was, and I found out that we actually share a lot of similar passions and interests. He was just so nice and we actually had a lot fun together in the cabin...”

“Okay, wait…” Berry said, scratching the back of her head with the edge of her hoof, giving Bon Bon a confused look. “You're saying that you started to have fun and actually ended up liking Crackers just like Lyra said you would?”

“I did,” Bon Bon admitted with a slight nod. “But, then I broke my leg... Right after that, Chris picked me up and rushed me to the hospital. That's when I blacked out and woke up here.”

“I thought you said Lyra’s spell was supposed to last two weeks,” Berry questioned. “How did he carry you out?”

“That’s the problem!” Bon Bon shouted, throwing her for legs in the air before letting them fall back to the bed. “Chris knew the spell was broken and he never told me!”

“Whoa, hold on a second!” Berry said quickly, holding a hoof up in the air. “Let’s rewind a bit. You're telling me that you started to talk to Crackers and found out that you actually like him, right?”

Bon Bon nodded her head in response.

“What kind of like are we talking here? Like the romantic kind? Or―”

Again, Bon Bon nodded.

“Really?!” Berry shouted in shock. She started at her friend in disbelief for a short moment, but then started to gain a devilish grin. “Sooo…” she started to say, pausing as she leaned in, gazing into Bon Bon's eyes with a seductive stare. “Did you two... you know?” She ended her question with a suggestive wink.

“Berry!” Bon Bon shouted with wide eyes and a bright blush.

Berry leaned back and held her hooves up in a defensive manner, unable to hide her now wide and knowing grin. “Hey, I’m not judging. All I’m saying is that it can get pretty boring being in a cabin with nothing else to do.”

“I-it’s not like that!” Bon Bon shouted quickly, trying to defend herself.

“You're all alone. Just you and Crackers, stuck in some strange, boring cabin. I mean, he is a pretty tall alien. He has to have a really unique and huge―”

“T-that hardly matters!” Bon Bon shouted angrily as her whole face burned in a bright crimson. “He lied to me and betrayed my trust!”

“Okay, okay, I get it,” Berry said, waving a playful hoof at her as she tried desperately to hold back her laughter. "I was just messing with you."

Bon Bon scowled and turned her head away, still blushing brightly.

“Hey, come on now,” Berry said, placing her hoof on top of Bon Bon’s foreleg that was resting on the bed. “I’m just trying to lighten the mood here. So, you're upset that he didn’t tell you that you two could leave?”

Bon Bon nodded her head.

“Do you know for sure if he knew about it before you broke your leg, or did he get lucky and find out after it happened?” Berry asked, rubbing Bon Bon’s hoof reassuringly.

“He said... he knew that it was open before the accident,” Bon Bon said, slowly looking back to Berry.

“Did he have a reason for not telling you?” Berry asked softly.

Bon Bon’s frown started to soften as she thought back. “He… He told me that... he didn’t want me to stress about coming back to Ponyville.”

Berry waited to see if Bon Bon would go on, finding that excuse a little disturbing. “Was that it? That’s kind of questionable if you ask me.”

“No, there was more…” Bon Bon admitted with a sigh. “He said he just wanted me to relax so he could give me a nice romantic day. He thought that if I knew about the door being open, then I wouldn’t enjoy our date that we planned together.”

“You two had a date planned?" Berry asked as she leaned back and let go of Bon Bon's foreleg, thinking to herself. “Hmm… okay, well, that sounds a little better than just not wanting you to worry about going back home... I can kind of see why he would think that. Still, it’s strange that he wouldn’t tell you about it.”

“I know! I just can't understand why he did that,” Bon Bon said softly as she messed with the sheets on the bed. “Why couldn't he just tell me? If he would’ve told me that he wanted to stay in the cabin for a little while longer, I would have stayed… I just don't know what to think about him anymore...” Her eyes started to water as her voice began to waver. “I just got so upset and confused. I just couldn’t think... I-I got so scared.”

“Why were you scared?” Berry questioned softly, frowning sadly at her friend.

“What if Chris was just lying to me about more than just the door being open? What if he lied about who he was?” Bon Bon sobbed softly. “What if he becomes another Silver Wing?”

“Silver Wing?” Berry repeated, surprised to be hearing that name again. “That featherbrain you dated years ago? Why do you think Crackers would become like him?”

“I-I… I don’t know… I just… I like him so much, Berry,” Bon Bon admitted, wiping her tears from her eyes with a hoof. “He seems so perfect for me… almost too perfect. Just like I thought Silver was...”

“Well, let’s just think ab―”

“What if he was lying to me about everything and just wanted to sleep with me!?" Bon Bon half-shouted in anger. "Lyra could have told him what to say so he could impress me. It’s just not fair! Why do stallions have to be so complicated!?” She groaned loudly before covering her face with her hooves.

"You don’t have to tell me about complicated stallions,” Berry grunted sarcastically thought gritted teeth, remembering her own experiences with them.

Bon Bon sniffled a few times before taking a deep breath. She dropped her hooves back to the bed before facing Berry again. “I’m sorry, Berry. I didn’t mean to drop all this drama on you.”

Berry shrugged her shoulders. “Hey, it’s what friends are for. Plus, I’m used to a little drama from you every now and then.”

Bon Bon frowned sadly, looking hurt about her her blunt statement.

“Hey, I’m just teasing ya,” Berry reassured her. “Now, about this Crackers lying business. Do you really think he would lie about everything just to get under your tail?"

"I-I don't really know..."

"Kay, well, how long have you known him? Like, truly known him? Has he lied about anything else?”

Bon Bon started to roll her hooves around each other slowly as she thought about that question. “H-he wouldn’t tell me that he couldn't eat certain flowers when I tried to cook for him…” She paused as she reminisced some more. “Other than that, I'm not sure... I... I haven’t really known him for that long. I used to avoid him… It wasn’t until we started talking in the cabin that I started to actually ‘meet’ him.”

Berry hummed to herself, rubbing her chin with the back of her hoof. “Well, to be honest with you Bon, a week really isn't long enough to truly know somepony in my book.”

Bon Bon glanced at Berry, then looked back to her hooves. “But… I…” she started to argue, but stopped. “I guess… it really hasn’t been that long, but I still don’t know if I can trust him."

"Hasn't he been with Lyra for what... like a year now?" Berry questioned. "And Lyra has been your friend for almost your whole life. I mean, do you really think they would both lie to you just so they could take advantage of you?"

Bon Bon opened her mouth to reply, but hesitated and slowly closed it as she thought more about that question.

"Don't get me wrong," Berry continued, "I'm not saying what they did to you wasn't wrong, but maybe it's not as bad as you think it is."

Bon Bon stayed quiet, frowning sadly as she stared up at the ceiling, contemplating Berry’s words.

“Listen, Bon,” Berry said, scooching the stool a little closer to the bed. “I know what Silver did to you was awful. I’m not going to deny that. But, the thing is, we’ve all been hurt in life. I've learned first hoof that you can’t let what happened in the past stop you from actually living. I was pretty out of it when Pinchy's father decided to leave me after she was born, but I realized that it was for the best. He wasn't cut out for the family life and I would have been miserable if I tried to make things work with him. But, I'm happy with my little Ruby now and I don't know if I would be if I couldn't let go of the past. She's the best part of my life now."

Bon Bon smiled after Berry admitted her love for her daughter, but her expression soon turned into a more neutral one. She remained motionless as she gazed up at the plain, white ceiling as if it was the most interesting thing in the world, seemingly lost in her thoughts.

“Well, that’s all the advice I got for ya,” Berry said flatly. “I know your situation is a lot different than mine, but don't let that Silver Wing jerk stop you from living your life. Don’t let him have that too."

“Maybe you're right, Berry…” Bon Bon finally said, turning her head towards her friend. “I’ve been hurt for so long and I've never been able to truly get over what Silver did. That's not exactly fair to Chris or Lyra..." she sighed deeply. "Do you think I shouldn’t have gotten upset? Did I overreact?”

Berry shrugged her shoulders. “I wasn’t there, so I’m not sure. From the sound of things, I think you had every right to be angry.”

“What do you think I should do?” Bon Bon asked with a hint of strain in her voice. “Do you think Chris is like Silver Wing?”

“What do I think?” Berry asked in shock, holding a hoof to her chest. “I honestly have no idea. I don’t know Crackers as well as you or Lyra. I mean, he seems friendly enough, but that's something you need to figure out yourself." She paused, then smiled as she remembered how well the human was with her daughter. "I will say this though. Little Pinchy can’t seem to get enough of him.”

“Ruby likes him?” Bon Bon questioned, perking her ears up.

“Yeah. She couldn’t stop talking about him on the way up here. I’m not sure what Crackers did, but Ruby thinks he's the coolest thing ever. She’s actually with him and Lyra right now, playing in the waiting room.”

Bon Bon smiled at that before sighing deeply. “So, Chris and Lyra are both here, and they brought flowers for me?”

“Pretty ones, too,” Berry added with a knowing grin.

Bon Bon fidgeted with her hooves nervously, as she thought about that. “Well, thank you for talking with me, Berry. I’m really glad you came over and I think you’re right. I have to let go of Silver… I can’t keep comparing every stallion I meet to him."

“That might be a good start,” Berry agreed. “So, what are you going to do now?”

“I’m not sure yet, but I need to talk with both of them," Bon Bon said as she smoothed out the sheets on her chest. “Maybe we can all figure something out.”

Berry placed a hoof on top of Bon Bon’s foreleg, stopping her movements. “I think that's a great idea. Get their side, and if I could put in my two bits, I think they both really care about you."

"I always know how to attract the weird ones,” Bon Bon said with a soft smile.

Berry smirked knowingly. "Buck yeah you do!” she shouted, slugging Bon Bon in her shoulder playfully. “That's what I keep tellin’ ya!"

The two friends laughed at their lame inside joke before letting the room fall into a peaceful silence. After a while, Bon Bon’s smile slowly melted into a concerned frown and she took in a deep breath before letting it out slowly. “I do know they both care about me… and I might have forgotten that in my panic last night... I just hope they’re not too upset with me for kicking them out yesterday."

Berry chuckled lightly. "Hey, you can always blame it on the painkillers, right?"

"That is true I guess," Bon Bon agreed softly. "I was pretty out of it yesterday."

Berry leaned back on her stool and stretched out her forelegs, yawning loudly. She blinked a few times and looked to the clock that was on the wall. “Oh, wow. We talked for quite a bit, didn’t we?” Berry turned back to Bon Bon, who was also looking at the clock now.

“Yeah, we did. I’m sorry I kept you here so long,” Bon Bon apologised softly. “I hope you didn’t have somewhere to be.”

“Nah,” Berry said, waving a dismissive hoof at her. “It’s like I said. I had nothing better to do, so I figured I’d come over to see how messed up you were,” she teased with a toothy grin. “I probably should go, though. Plus, I’m sure Crackers and Lyra are just dying to talk with you.” She got up from her stool and stretched out all her limbs one at a time.

“Yeah,” Bon Bon said with a sigh. “Thanks again for talking with me, Berry.”

“No problem,” Berry said nonchalantly as she turned around and made her way to the door. She stopped just a few feet away from the entrance and looked back to Bon Bon. “We should go out for some drinks when you're feeling better.”

“I’d like that,” Bon Bon replied warmly.

Berry smiled and turned to the door, placing her hoof on the handle, but paused with a slight frown. “Bon…” she called in a serious tone, looking back to her injured friend.

“Y-yes?”

“Be careful, okay?” Berry said in concern. “I know you care for Lyra and Chris, but what they did to you was pretty serious. I won’t tell anypony, but I just want you to know that I’m always here if you need a friend.”

Bon Bon smiled and nodded her head in understanding. “Thank you, Berry. That means a lot to me, but I’m sure everything will be okay.”

Berry nodded as well and opened the door before heading out of the room. “Later, Bonster,” she said, shutting the door gently behind her.

Bon Bon watched as her friend left, leaving just her and Scary all alone in their room. She looked over to Scary and was surprised to see him up and about. “Feeling better?”

Scary just tilted his head at her curiously.

“It’s okay, Scary. I think I know what I should do now,” Bon Bon said softly.

Scary shook his body quickly before settling himself into the ground. He used his back legs to flick some of the dirt in the aquarium onto his back before relaxing himself completely.

Bon Bon wasn’t sure why he did that, but it was quite amusing. She held back a laugh at the spider’s expense as she watched him fondly. “Oh, Scary. I’m glad you're here with me.” She let out a soft sigh, then turned her gaze towards the closed door. Chris and Lyra would be walking in any moment now and she needed to collect her thoughts. Talking with Berry definitely helped her to see things more clearly. She had every right to be angry, but there was no doubt that she overreacted to what happened yesterday.

Taking in a deep breath to help calm her nerves, Bon Bon thought about what she wanted to tell Chris and Lyra. Suddenly, the sound of hoof steps in the hall could be heard, breaking her concentration.

Bon Bon perked up, listening intently as the steps got closer, then stopped right in front of her room. Soon the sound of soft mumbling could he heard. Whoever was out there now, they were talking to themselves, but it was hard to make out what they were saying. She tilted her head and perked her ears right at the door so she could hear the voice better. She could make out two voices and instantly recognized them as Chris and Lyra, but it was impossible to make out what they were saying through the thick hospital walls.

Giving up on trying to hear them, Bon Bon relaxed and laid back on the bed, waiting impatiently for them to come in. She was nervous about confronting them both about what happened, but this needed to be done. If they were all going to move on from this, then she needed to come forward and tell them where she stood.

No more hiding her fears and concerns.

No more shying away from what she felt inside.

The handle started to move, interrupting her thoughts again. Bon Bon watched closely as the door creaked open, revealing Chris, who was holding the door open with one of his arms hidden behind his back. He looked tired and stressed, just like Berry had mentioned before, but most of all, he was sad.

Lyra walked out from the edge of the doorway, looking even worse than Chris did. In fact, she looked the same as she did yesterday; maybe even worse. She slowly walked into the room, keeping her haggard and exhausted eyes locked with Bon Bon’s the entire time as she approached.

Chris shut the door behind them, making a valiant effort to keep his back out of sight, still holding his arm behind him.

Lyra reached the edge of the bed first, with Chris only a short distance behind her. She sat back on her haunches and looked away, biting her lip nervously.

The room fell silent as the trio remained motionless for a time. Bon Bon opened her mouth to say something but was quickly cut off.

“B-bonny, wait,” Lyra said in a wavering voice as she looked into her eyes. “Before you say anything, we have something that we both want to tell you.”

Bon Bon blinked a few times, glancing between them as she waited for one of them to speak.

Chris and Lyra both glanced at each other before nodding. “I-I’ll go first,” Lyra said as her eyes began to water and glisten in the light. She turned back to Bon Bon, taking a deep breath. “Bonny…” she said, hesitating as she gazed into her eyes with a worried and sorrowful frown. “W-we’ve… we've been friends for... as long as I can remember... and I’ve… I’ve loved you for just as long.”

“L-Lyra I―”

“Wait!” Lyra interrupted quickly, placing her hoof on top of Bon Bon's chest. “I want you to hear this before you say anything.” She removed her hoof, placing it back on the floor as more tears started to well in her eyes. “I love you and I always will, no matter what happens, a-and... I know… I know what I did was wrong...” she admitted softly, shutting her eyes as a single tear trailed down her cheek. “I betrayed your friendship and love, all because I thought you belonged with Chris... like I belonged with him. I wasn’t thinking clearly… I truly believed what I did was right.” She visibly clenched her teeth for a moment, trying to hold back more of her tears, screwing her eyes shut tightly. She relaxed again, taking a deep breath before continuing. “It's… It’s only now, when it’s too late that I can see how blind and… stupid I was!”

Bon Bon frowned deeply. She couldn’t stand to hear Lyra beat herself up like that. She went to reply, but Lyra continued.

“I was a bucking idiot for what I did to you both, and I’ll never forgive myself for what happened.” Lyra slowly opened her eyes again, looking over to Bon Bon. “I… I wasn’t thinking about your safety when I came up with my plan, and I thank Celestia that my spell broke when it did.” She paused and sniffled a few times before wiping her slightly runny nose with her hoof.

‘Eww, Lyra!’ Bon Bon thought as she winced, but stayed silent and listened.

“What I’m trying to say is… I-I love you Bon Bon… I love you with all my heart, and I don’t want to lose you because I wasn’t thinking clearly. I know I messed up big time and I’ll never do anything like this again. You don’t have to do the herd if you don’t want to and I’ll and never bring it up ever again. But…” she hesitated, looking away for a moment, “but, I need you in my life. If not as my lover, then as my friend. Please just… don’t leave me.

“Lyra…” Bon Bon said sadly. She was going to say more, but Chris walked up next to Lyra and knelt down.

“Bonny…” Chris started to say, hesitating for a moment as he looked into her eyes nervously. “I… I want to apologize for lying to you and keeping the door a secret. I really have no excuse for why I did that. I know what I did has caused you to lose your trust in me, but I’m being completely honest when I say that…” He paused, taking a deep breathing, letting it out quickly as his eyes started to water as well. “Everything I said in that cabin was true. Every word of it. The… person you met in that cabin was the real me. I was never trying to impress you or take advantage of you, I… I just wanted to be your friend.”

Bon Bon stared up at him, frowning deeply, not sure what to say.

“I know it must be hard for you to believe me, but —” Chris said sadly, but hesitated, as he if he was trying to think of something else to say. “I… I just hope you can forgive me somehow. I don’t know what I can do to gain back your trust, but I don’t want to lose your friendship... I’ll do whatever it takes to prove to you that I’m honest when I say that I care about you.”

“We both want you in our lives, Bonny,” Lyra continued for Chris. “We know this isn’t enough to make up for what we did, but… we hope it’s a start.” Lyra’s horn started to glow causing a large bouquet of blue, pink and yellow daisies to float around from behind Chris's back.

Bon Bon watched the flowers slowly drift towards her. She reached her forelegs out and took the offering, holding it gently in her forelegs. The first thought that entered her mind was how much this must have cost them. It wasn’t cheap to buy flowers like this during the winter time.

“We wanted to find you some firelilies, but you know how rare and expensive those are,” Lyra said with a forced laugh.

“If you want us to leave you alone again, we will,” Chris added. “We just wanted to let you know how much we care about you, Bonny.”

Bon Bon looked down at the bundle of flowers in her hooves, tilting them around a bit, studying them.

Chris sighed deeply. “We’ll leave you alone now,” he said, making his way to stand up with Lyra following his lead.

“Wait...” Bon Bon said softly, causing them both to freeze and look towards her with confused expressions. She smiled to herself and took a moment to smell the flowers. “These flowers are lovely, Thank you both... and, I guess... it’s my turn to apologize,” she said, looking up at their now stunned faces.

Chris and Lyra both glanced at each other, but turned back, taking their original spots next to the bed and waited patiently for Bon Bon to continue.

Bon Bon’s smile slowly melted into a frown and she looked back at the flowers in her hooves as she stroked them gently. “I feel like I… overreacted to what happened yesterday. I got really scared and panicked, and I’m sorry for kicking you both out like I did…”

“But why?” Chris half shouted, sounding distressed and hurt. “Why are you afraid? I just don’t understand. Are you still afraid of me? I just don’t understand.”

Bon Bon stroked the flowers again, not daring to look up at him as she thought about what she wanted to say. “I… I hate to admit it, but I was. I was afraid because of what we went through in the cabin.”

Lyra looked back and forth between them with a worried and puzzled expression.

“I-I don’t understand…” Chris said quietly, sounding baffled. “Was it something I did to you?”

Bon Bon shook her head before looking up at him. “It wasn't what you did. It was what Silver did.”

“That jerk you dated before?” Chris questioned. “But I’m not Silver. I would never do something like that.”

Bon Bon sighed deeply. “I know you're not Silver Wing, but I was afraid you could become him. I want to explain to you why I felt like that, but before I do...” She paused and turned her gaze to Lyra, who was giving her an odd stare. “Lyra...”.

Lyra raised an eyebrow at her. “Y-yes?”

Bon Bon smiled softly at her. “You were right.”

Lyra stared at her blankly, blinking a few times. “I… was right?” she questioned sounding confused. “Whoa, wait… Y-you mean…” Her eyes widened in realization and her head darted to Chris before quickly turning back to Bon Bon. “You mean about you and... Chris?!”

Bon Bon looked to Chris curiously. “Did you not tell her what happened yet?”

“NO!” Lyra quickly shouted in frustration. “He wouldn’t tell me anything! He said he wasn’t sure what to say and he wanted to wait until you were ready to talk about it!”

“I just didn’t know if you wanted to keep what happened in the cabin private,” Chris admitted sadly. “It seemed like you were really upset and didn’t want do the herd anymore, so I didn’t know what to say.”

“Wh-wh… WHAT!?” Lyra shouted even louder this time. “You mean you wanted to do the herd?!”

Bon Bon smiled a bit more and blushed lightly at Lyra. “I’ll tell you what happened later, but I need to explain to you both why I got so upset yesterday.” She looked towards Chris with a frown. “You have to understand Chris… I really care about you. I really started to like you a lot, and that’s what scared me.”

Chris and Lyra both gave her a confused look, but waiting eagerly for her to continue.

Bon Bon sighed heavily. “I cared about Silver Wing, too. I even thought of him as the love of my life. The one that I would raise a family with, and we would grow old together. But, you both know how that ended.”

Both of them nodded their heads in understanding.

“I don’t have to tell Lyra how hard I took it when he left me,” she said looking towards Lyra sadly. “But that’s why I freaked out when you told me you lied about the door, Chris,” she continued turning back to him. “I thought I could trust you. Then, I found out that you were keeping the door a secret from me… I just… I couldn’t handle it. I started to remember how much I cared for Silver Wing and how everything he told me turned out to be a lie, and… I didn’t know what to think. I don’t even know how to describe it, but I just wasn’t thinking clearly. I… I just panicked.”

Chris frowned deeply. “I’m… sorry I did that, Bonny… I… I don’t know what else to say. I don’t have a good excuse for what I did except that I was an idiot and messed up.”

“It’s really not your fault, Chris,” Bon Bon admitted, placing the flowers she was still holding down on the bed, letting them rest next to her. “I’m still not over what Silver Wing did to me, and it might take me a while before I can put that behind me. But, it wasn’t fair of me to think that you would be like him. That doesn’t mean I’m not upset for what you did. That was a big thing to keep from me, Chris,” she said with a hint of sadness. “I understand that I overreacted yesterday, but you should have told me we could have left.” She turned her attention to Lyra before continuing. “And I’m still upset about how you sealed us both in that cabin, Lyra.”

Lyra frowned and looked away, drawing a circle in the floor with the edge of her hoof. “I’m really sorry, Bonny,” she said in a shaky voice. “I really messed up… big time.”

“I’m just very disappointed in you both,” Bon Bon said flatly.

“So, does… does this mean that you don’t want to do the herd now?” Lyra asked in a somber tone.

“Well…” Bon Bon started to say, smiling softly as she fidgeted with her forehooves. “I didn’t say that.” She blushed and started to tap her hooves together nervously. “I’m... actually kind of... glad this happened,” she admitted, glancing over to her broken leg.

“You’re glad?” Chris questioned in disbelief. “W-what do you mean?”

Bon Bon pressed her hooves together and looked up at Chris. “I think we let things get a little out of hoof when we were in the cabin, especially after I got over my fear.”

“Fear? What fear?” Lyra asked in concern.

“You… You don’t regret what we did… do you?” Chris asked sounding hurt and worried.

“What?!” Lyra half-shouted. “What did you guys do!?”

“No, Chris,” Bon Bon said, ignoring Lyra's outburst as she shook her head. “I really enjoyed myself, and I don’t regret anything.”

“What are you two talking about?” Lyra asked, rubbing the side of her face with her hoof in confusion.

“I’ll tell you later, Lyra,” Bon Bon said with a blush.

“Maybe we did move a little fast,” Chris admitted sadly.

Bon Bon nodded her head. “This whole event helped me to see that, and I think we should just take things slower from now on. I already know that Lyra is the love of my life, but―” she paused, blushing even brighter, which caused Lyra to perk her ears up at her. “But I know that because of how long I’ve known her for. I honestly can’t see living my life without her now.”

“B-Bonny…” Lyra whimpered as she lightly covered her lips with her hooves, tearing up at her words.

Bon Bon smiled at her before looking back at Chris. “Chris…” she said softly, pausing for a short moment. “I think you’re a wonderful stallion. You’re kind, caring, and… well…” she hesitated, as she bit her lip for a brief moment. “I-I find you... quite attractive. But, I feel like I still don’t know the real you. We’ve only really known each other for a little over a week. I still want to try the herd, but I want to get to know more about you before we do anything else.”

“Y-you… you mean that?” Lyra stuttered in a soft whimper as more tears started to form in her eyes. She sniffled a few times as her nose started to run again. “Y-you really want to give the herd a chance!?”

Bon Bon giggled softly and nodded her head.

“Oh, Bonny!” Lyra cried as she lunged forward as she wrapped hooves around her, squeezing her chest tightly as she wept softly.

“A-ahh,” Bon Bon grunted softly as a light pain shot through her leg once Lyra collided with her. The pain wasn’t as bad as it was before, thanks to the magical treatment and pain medication she was given. It hurt, but she could deal with it.

Bon Bon embraced the hug and wrapped her hooves around Lyra, holding her lovingly. Chris came in from behind Lyra and wrapped his arms around both of them, hugging them tightly.

Bon Bon wrapped one of her hooves around Chris, pulling him deeper into their embrace. They stayed like that for a long while, enjoying the closeness of one another as the room fell into a warm and comfortable silence. Only the sound of Lyra’s sniffling could be heard between them.

“I want to redo our date at The Everfree Moon,” Bon Bon said softly, causing them all to loosen their grip on each other and lean back a little. “The doctor said I should be able to leave in a few more days. As soon as I can, I’d love to take you both there. My treat.”

“Bonny, you don’t need to do that,” Chris said. “I think we still have the bits we saved up from last time that we haven’t used yet.” He looked to Lyra for confirmation, and she nodded in response.

Bon Bon shook her head. “I want to treat you both. Think of it as an apology for how I ran out the first time.”

“How about…” Chris mused, pausing to think for a moment. “We pay for the main course, then you can pick up the dessert and wine.”

Bon Bon rolled her eyes, but smiled all the same. She knew Chris wasn’t going to let her get away with paying for the entire night, but she could agree to the compromise. “Okay, deal.”

They leaned back, ending their embrace and Bon Bon rested herself on the bed before looked up to Chris. "I might need you to help me in the shop right away... that is, if you still want to. I don't think I can get much done with this broken leg now."

"Of course I do," Chris reassured her quickly, with a slight nod. "I'll let the girls know today that I'll be working with you now."

"Thank you, Chris," Bon Bon said softly before sighing. "The doctor also told me that I might be in this cast for a month or more. It's going to be difficult trying to do things at home for a while."

"I'll help you!" Lyra offered quickly. "I can move back in and help you until you're all better. I'll even cook for you!"

Bon Bon visibly winced at that, but before she could say anything, Chris spoke up.

"No offence Lyra, but your cooking isn't exactly the best. How about I come down and cook for both of you?"

"Well..." Bon Bon mused as she thought about both their offers. "I think I could definitely use some help at home, Lyra. That is, if you don't mind moving back in with me for a while."

"I don't mind at all!" Lyra said quickly. "I would love to be there for you."

Bon Bon blushed lightly at Lyra. "Thank you. That really means a lot to me," she said softly, looking up to Chris again. "And I think I can manage well enough on my own to cook for both of us, so you don't have to worry about me eating Lyra's cooking," she teased, sticking her tongue out slightly. "But, that doesn't mean I wouldn't enjoy it if you came down to see us and... well, if you're in the mood to cook, I wouldn't stop you."

"Deal," Chris said simply with a warm smile.

Lyra leaned back and smiled at them both. She sniffled a few times before wiping the tears from her eyes. “I can’t believe this,” she muttered softly.

“Believe what?” Chris asked.

“You two… you both really like each other, just like I knew you would,” Lyra said happily, holding a hoof to her chest with a soft and loving smile.

“Well, I may be willing to give the herd a try now, but... Chris and I have one condition,” Bon Bon said, looking up to Chris with a sly smirk.

Chris blinked a few times in confusion, but soon started to grin wickedly before nodding his head in understanding.

Bon Bon looked back to Lyra, unable to hide her now-wide smirk. “If you really want us to give the herd a chance, then we have something you must do for us.”

“Wh-what is it?” Lyra questioned nervously. “Whatever it is, I’ll do it! I’ll do anything!”

Chris and Bon Bon looked into each others eyes, before laughing softly.

Lyra watched them both and frowned worriedly. “I’m not going to like this… Am I?”

A New Beginning

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A New Beginning

Luna's moon shone brightly overhead in the beautiful night sky, casting its soft and soothing light across all of Equestria. Most of the snow had already started to melt as the weather began to warm up in preparation for the coming Winter Wrap Up.

Lyra stood in front of The Everfree Moon, waiting impatiently for Chris and Bon Bon to arrive. She tapped her hoof on the ground as she stared down the road where her dates would be coming from. She was wearing the same white and gold dress she had on during their first date together, only she didn't bother with a cloak this time. Although, she was wearing something else with her attire that she wasn't particularly fond of at the moment.

“Stupid... girly... bow thing!” Lyra groaned as she batted the long and frilly purple lace out of her eyes, only for it to fall back in front of her face. “Why did they have to make me wear this?” she grunted in frustration at the large frou-frou bow that was attached to her horn. With a heavy sigh, she used her magic to move the long lace of the bow behind her ear, then looked down the road where Chris and Bon Bon would be coming from.

Lyra had been standing outside for a while now, but there was still no sight of them. It was a little odd that they weren’t here yet, but she remembered Bon Bon saying that they needed to do a few things at the shop before they came down. Still, it shouldn’t have taken them this long. She started to worry and the thought of going out to meet them halfway crossed her mind several times. Bon Bon only recently got out of the hospital, so she might need some assistance getting around. Chris was with her though and that thought helped to ease her concerns.

Just then, two figures appeared in the distance, interrupting her thoughts as they made their way towards her. It was too dark to really get a good view, but the tall stature of the second figure was a dead give away.

“That's them!” Lyra cheered to herself excitedly with a happy squeak. Unable to contain herself, she started to gallop over to them.

Lyra could see them both more clearly as she approached. Bon Bon was wearing a different outfit than the one she had on last time. This new dress was a more simple light pink one that fit snugly around her chest. It had no sleeves like her last one did, but it did have a small skirt attached to it, which draped down her back side smoothly. She was also wearing her firelily in her curly mane as well as her blue gemstone necklace around her neck. Her outfit wasn’t anything too fancy, but that might have been because she couldn’t wear anything else with the pony wheelchair she was using.

The two-wheeled metal contraption held her back end up and fit tightly around her midsection. It was a little clumsy, but it helped her move around easily with just her forelegs.

Chris was walking next to her, supporting her gently with his hand as they walked together. He was wearing the same black dress pants and light blue dress shirt that he always had for special occasions. It was the only nice outfit he had, so it wasn’t too surprising to see him in the same one.

“What took you guys so long?” Lyra asked as she approached, slowing her pace as they got closer.

“Sorry, Lyra,” Bon Bon said softly, coming to a stop in front of her. “It took us a lot longer than I thought it would to get the shop ready for the construction workers tomorrow.”

“What did you guys have to do?” Lyra asked, looking between them.

“Take all the candy off the shelves and store it all in the back mostly,” Chris explained.

“That, and I had to show Chris around. Then we did some much needed cleaning,” Bon Bon added happily. “The shop was a little dusty since I was away for a few weeks.”

“Well, I’m glad you guys made it,” Lyra said with a relieved sigh before wrapping a foreleg around Bon Bon. She pulled her into a gentle embrace, kissing her lovingly on the lips, which Bon Bon returned in kind.

“We didn’t keep you waiting long, did we?” Chris questioned as Lyra let go of Bon Bon and walked over to him.

“Nah,” Lyra answered nonchalantly getting up on her hind legs before wrapping her forelegs around Chris's midsection. “Only about an hour or so." She smirk before leaning in, kissing him on the lips lovingly. He wrapped his free arm around her and leaned into the kiss as they embraced each other.

Lyra let go of him and gently fell back to the ground before taking a few steps back from her dates. “You guys look amazing tonight.”

Bon Bon visibly blushed at the comment, but smiled wickedly. “And you look simply adorable with your little bow, Lyra.”

“Oh, yes. You look so cute; I could just pinch those rosy little cheeks of yours,” Chris teased, making a pinching gesture with his fingers.

Lyra huffed in annoyance at them before turning around, smacking her rear end with a hoof. “If you’re going to pinch something, then you can pinch this," she retorted, rubbing her flank in a taunting manner, playing along with their little joke.

“Careful,” Chris warned playfully. “I might just take you up on that offer later," he added, wiggling his eyebrows at her suggestively.

Bon Bon rolled her eyes at both of them. “Oh, stop it you two. We’re in public, you know. And besides..." she paused, looking between them as her grin grew wider. "everypony knows I have the most pinchable flanks here." She wiggled her backside the best she could in her wheelchair, which caused Chris and Lyra to start laughing.

"She has a point," Chris agreed with a light chuckle.

"Hey, no arguments here!" Lyra added happily before the frilly lace of her bow fell in front of her, blocking her view again. She groaned in annoyance and used her magic to place it back behind her ear. “Do I really have to wear this thing for a whole month? It keeps getting in the way and it’s kind of itchy,” she complained as she started to scratch behind her ear with her forehoof.

“That’s the deal,” Chris confirmed firmly. “But, don’t worry, honey. We tease you, but you really do look beautiful tonight. And I actually like the bow a lot.”

“He’s right, Lyra,” Bon Bon said softly as she walked up and placed her hoof on her shoulder. “You look wonderful tonight.” She leaned in and kissed her gently on the cheek.

Lyra blushed and smiled at them. “Th-thanks, but... it’s just... so embarrassing…” she admitted softly, rubbing her foreleg with a hoof. “I just hope nopony I know sees me with this thing on.”

“Oh, come on now,” Bon Bon replied, holding back her laughter as she started to walk towards The Everfree Moon. “It’s not that bad.”

“Says you,” Lyra grumbled softly, following next to her as all three of them approached the front of the restaurant.

Lyra started to walk ahead of Chris and Bon Bon as they got closer. She stepped to the side and charged her horn with magic, using it to hold the door open for them.

“Thank you, Lyra,” Chris said sweetly, helping to support Bon Bon as they both entered the waiting room together.

Once they were inside and out of sight, Lyra took a moment to squee happily while prancing in place with excitement. She could hardly believe what was happening. The loves of her life were getting along! They were even helping each other now! Bon Bon was even comfortable enough to play along and join in on their teasing. She would have never done that several weeks ago. Whatever they did in that cabin together must have finally brought Bon Bon out of her protective shell. Tonight she needed to get all the juicy details of what went on between them. They both kind of told her what happened already, but never got a chance to talk about everything they did.

Lyra could hardly wait to get this date started and she silently prayed to the princess of love that this date would go perfectly. She happily clapped her hooves together in excitement before taking in a long and deep breath, letting it out slowly to help compose herself. She cleared her throat and tried to wipe the smile from her lips with little success before walking into the restaurant.

“I wonder where the hostess is,” Chris said as he looked around the empty cave-like waiting room.

Just then, the hidden door behind the wooden podium swung open, followed by a familiar dark brown bat pony mare that flew into the room. “Sorry! I’m so sorry! It’s been a crazy night and we had an emergency in the kitchen,” Dusty explained quickly as she landed behind the podium. She got up on her stool, keeping her sights on the reservation book in front of her before clearing her throat. “Hello and welcome to The Everfree Moon! My na―” she stopped herself and gasped loudly as soon as she looked up and saw the trio.

“H-hey, Dusty,” Chris said awkwardly, waving a hand. “We're here for the Heartstrings reservation.”

“Oh, my gosh, you’re back!” Dusty half shouted in surprise. “I saw your name in the books, but I wasn’t expecting all three of you! Ember's going to be so excited!” she cheered, happily clapping her hooves together, but her smile slowly melted into a frown once she saw Bon Bon’s wheelchair. “Oh, no... what happened? Are you okay?”

“Oh, don’t worry about me,” Bon Bon reassured her sweetly, looking back to her pink cast that had a few signatures from friends on it. “It’s just a broken leg.”

“Ouch. Well, that’s no fun,” Dusty said with an adorable pout before looking towards Lyra. “W-whoa! Wh-what… what are you…” she tried to say, but stopped and held a hoof up to her lips as she tried desperately to hold back her laughter.

Lyra stared daggers at Dusty for a moment before sighing in defeat. “Just… get it out of your system.”

Dusty proceeded to laugh loudly, holding her belly with her hooves while flapping her wings sporadically to help keep her from falling off the stool.

Lyra blushed deeply and looked away from the cackling mare, rubbing her foreleg in embarrassment. “Stupid… bow,” she mumbled to herself quietly.

“I’m… I’m sorry… it’s just,” Dusty started to say in between her laughter. She stopped herself and took a deep breath before grinning. “It’s just that I’ve never seen such an adorable bow on a pony’s horn before. I like it!”

Lyra rolled her eyes before looking back to Dusty again. “Yeah, yeah… Well, in my defense, it wasn’t my idea to wear this thing.”

“Oh? What, did you lose a bet or something?” Dusty asked, perking an eyebrow up.

“Yeah… something like that,” Lyra lied with a heavy sigh, feeling terrible for what brought this punishment upon her.

Dusty chuckled a bit at that. “Well, I’m glad you're all back! I know Ember is going to be so excited to see you’re all here!” She jumped down from the podium and bit three menus before putting them under her wing. She turned to the large wooden, double door with the detailed Luna silhouette on it, then looked back to the group. “If you would kindly follow me, I shall guide you to your table." She then opened the door and proceeded to trot inside.

Lyra stood back and let Chris and Bon Bon enter first before following them in. Once she caught up with them, she looked around the restaurant, seeing a lot of ponies and griffins staring at them as they walked. This wasn’t anything new to Lyra. She was used to ponies staring when she was with Chris, but they were getting some unusual looks this time around. Some were looking at her, trying not to laugh while others stared at Chris or Bon Bon with strange, and almost worried looks. She did her best to ignore it, but what really caught her attention was how packed the place was. “Wow, Dusty. This place is really full.”

Dusty looked over her shoulder at Lyra as she trotted along. “Yeah, we always get busy right before Winter Wrap Up,” she explained, looking ahead as she weaved her way through the main dining room. “A lot of ponies like to celebrate the end of winter before the big day hits.”

“I hope you didn’t give our table away. It looks like every spot is taken,” Chris said in concern as he looked around the room.

“Oh, don’t worry,” Dusty reassured him as she approached the back of the restaurant. “Ember has a special table for you guys.”

“A special table?” Bon Bon questioned curiously. “But we reserved a normal one in the dining room tonight.”

“Ember upgraded you guys,” Dusty explained vaguely with a slight giggle as she came up to a round and narrow tunnel that was located in the very back of the restaurant. The cave-like hallway was faintly lit by a string of small crystal lights that hung down from the ceiling, painting an almost mysterious atmosphere.

“I think you guys will like the room she picked out for you,” Dusty said before walking down the tunnel.

Lyra looked to her dates, who were now looking back at her with confused expressions. Chris simply shrugged his shoulders, then followed Dusty in. Bon Bon did the same, staying next to him as they all entered into the hallway. It didn’t take long until they reached the end, where a round wooden door surrounded by a cluster of glowing crystal awaited them.

Just like the entrance to the dining room, this door also had a carving on it as well. It depicted the moon in the center with multiple silhouettes of the lunar guard around it.

Dusty stopped just before the door and placed her hoof on it, then turned to the group. “This is one of our more luscious private dining rooms. Nopony reserved it, so Ember decided to let you guys have it.” She started to open the door slowly, causing the sound of rushing water to fill the air.

Lyra peered in and gasped when she saw where they would be dining. The walls where completely covered in lush, colorful plant life that could only be found in the Everfree forest. Thick vines, spotted with strange glowing flowers extended up onto the ceiling where a giant lotus-shaped crystal hung down. It glowed brightly and illuminated the wooden table and chairs under it. There was also a small waterfall in the back that spilled down into a moat that surrounded the platform the table was on.

“Right this way,” Dusty said as she walked over a wooden bridge that was above the moat, breaking Lyra out of her slight daze.

“D-Dusty! This is too much!” Bon Bon shouted in disbelief as she looked around the room in awe.

“I have to agree,” Chris said sadly. “We’d feel terrible taking such a wonderful private room we didn’t pay for and don’t deserve.”

Dusty stopped and looked back with a smile. “Hey, don’t worry about it. This room hardly gets used anyways. Plus, Ember really wanted to make it up to you guys with how things went last time. She felt pretty bad about it.”

“Oh, no…” Bon Bon said in despair. “That’s so sweet of her, but it wasn’t her fault… oh, I just feel terrible.”

“Hey, come on now,” Lyra said as she walked up next to Bon Bon, wrapping her hoof around her withers. “I think it’s great that Ember wants to treat us. We should accept her generosity and we can thank her when we see her,” she said happily in an effort to help her dates feel more comfortable.

“If it helps you to feel better, this was the only table we had available… we were pretty filled up when you guys made your reservation yesterday,” Dusty admitted softly. “It kind of worked out though. Ember really wanted you guys to enjoy yourselves and nopony had this room reserved.”

Lyra turned back to her dates, who were giving her uneasy looks, but Chris sighed softly before looking around again. “Well, as long as we're not taking this from somepony else, then… we might as well,” he said as he started to walk in.

“I guess it would be rude to turn down Ember’s hospitality,” Bon Bon added, following behind him.

Chris got to the table first and pulled out a chair as Bon Bon approached. He walked over to her and started to help unstrap her from the wheelchair. As soon as she was free, he lifted her up in his arms and set her down gently in the seat before pushing her in.

“Thank you, Chris,” Bon Bon said softly with a blush as he moved her wheelchair to the side and locked it so it wouldn't fall over.

Lyra bit her lip, holding back all the happy squeaking sounds she wanted to make as she watched them. She could still remember the first time Chris tried to help Bon Bon in her seat. She was so hesitant about it before, but now she was comfortable enough to let him pick her up. It was like a dream come true.

Chris walked over to the chair next to Bon Bon and pulled it out. He smiled at Lyra and waited for her.

Lyra practically skipped up to him before taking her seat, letting him slide her into the table. “Thanks, Honey Bear,” she cooed lovingly as he pecked her quickly on the cheek. After that, he took the only remaining seat and sat down.

Dusty giggled softly at the trio. “I was hoping you guys would do that again,” she teased, sticking her tongue out before taking flight to hoof out the menus. Once that was done, she hovered in the air next to Bon Bon. “Well, you already know my name, so can I start anypony off with some drinks?”

“Could you get us a bottle of your best hard cider for the table, please?” Bon Bon asked in a friendly tone. “If you remember what you gave us last time, that would be perfect.”

Dusty rubbed her chin in thought for a moment. “I can’t say I remember exactly what you guys had before, but I know a cider that you’ll love. I’ll be right back with your drinks and I’ll let Ember know you’re here. Hopefully she’ll get to you guys soon, but it's been a crazy night.” With that, she turned around and flew out the door, shutting it softly behind her.

“I can’t believe this place,” Chris said in awe, glancing around the room as he picked up his menu. “It’s like we're actually in a forest.”

“It is beautiful and very romantic,” Bon Bon added happily as she opened the menu on the table in front of her. “We have to thank Ember when she shows up. Maybe we can do something to repay her hospitality.”

“I wonder what we could do for her though,” Chris pondered as he flipped through his menu.

Lyra let out a dreamy sigh, feeling her heart flutter as she watched her loved ones actually holding a conversation with each other. So far, this date had been going much better than their first one, which made her want to cry, but she held back and took a deep breath. “Maybe we should ask her out on a date?” she said, using her magic to hold her menu open in front of her.

Both Chris and Bon Bon looked back at her in shock. “A date?!” Chris almost shouted in confusion.

“Yeah, like… show her a good time,” Lyra explained happily. “She obviously likes us, and she said before that she wanted to be a part of what we have together.”

“I don’t know, Lyra,” Bon Bon added softly. “I-I mean, it’s a lovely idea and she’s a sweet mare, but maybe we should wait.” She started to tap her hooves together with a light blush on her cheeks. “I-I mean... I’m still not entirely sure if I, umm―”

“I know, I know,” Lyra said, waving a dismissive hoof in the air, interrupting her. “It doesn’t have to be like a romantic thing, but just keep it in mind. I think she really misses her herd and would like to spend some time with us. Not now, but maybe sometime in the future we can take her out on the town as a thank you. What do you say?”

Both Chris and Bon Bon looked at each other for a moment with uncertain expressions. “Well…” Chris started to say, rubbing the back of his head as he thought about her proposal. “I… I mean she is really nice... I guess that would be fine… Yeah, I don’t see why not.”

Bon Bon smiled and nodded her head in agreement. “I think I'd like that as well.”

Lyra giggled and clapped her hooves together in excitement. "Perfect! I'll ask her today if she'd be interested in something like that."

“You're not going to lock us in a cabin with Ember next, are you?” Chris joked with a laugh, which Bon Bon quickly joined in, giggling uncontrollably.

"N-no!" Lyra blushed fiercely, pulling the frilly lace of her big purple bow down, hiding herself behind it as she looked down in shame. “I-I… I would never do that to you guys again…”

Bon Bon and Chris stifled their laughter and frowned sadly. Chris placed his hand on Lyra’s back, rubbing her reassuringly, causing her to let go of her bow and look up at him. “I’m sorry, Lyra. We both know you wouldn’t do that. We were just having a little fun.” He leaned in and gently kissed her on the lips which she gladly accepted before he sat back in his seat.

“Chris is right, Lyra. I would kiss you too, but… I’m kind of stuck here,” Bon Bon said sadly, looking down to her cast. “Can’t move that far.”

Lyra smiled and leaned towards Bon Bon, kissing her lovingly on the lips, then sat back again. “I know you guys are just joking around, but I really regret what I did. I just want you to know that I would never do something like that ever again.”

“We know, Lyra,” Bon Bon said casually. “Cause if you do, then there’s a lovely pink dress in my closet with your name on it.” Chris burst out laughing at Bon Bon’s comment before they all joined in, laughing together.

Just then, the door to their private room opened, interrupting them as an older, dark-grey bat pony mare flew in. Her beautiful maroon colored mane was tied up in a bun and she was sporting a pair of half moon shaped spectacles that dangled from around her neck. “I’m so sorry, dears!” Ember said quickly as she landed just in front of their table. She took a moment to catch her breath before smiling gently at them. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long. Things have been hectic all night.”

“No worries, Ember,” Chris said. “We haven’t been waiting long at all actually.”

“Oh, good,” Ember said in relief, holding a hoof to her chest. “I was so thrilled to hear that all of you came back, I just had to rush o―” She stopped herself, blinking a few times when she saw Lyra.

Lyra sighed deeply. “Just... laugh and get it over with.”

“Laugh?” Ember questioned, blinking in confusion. “What ever do you mean, darling? Why would I laugh? You look lovely! That bow you’re wearing really enhances the beautiful gold color in your eyes. Do you not like it?”

“O-oh?” Lyra stuttered with a blush. “W-well… I-I guess it does kind of match my eyes,” she admitted, looking away with a bashful smile.

Ember smiled warmly at her before looking towards Bon Bon. Her smile started to slowly leave her face once she saw the wheelchair and the cast. “Oh, my! What happened to your leg, dear? Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for asking, Ember,” Bon Bon said softly. “It was just a little accident.”

“Thank the stars you're alright,” Ember said breathing a sigh of relief, before looking towards Chris. “No doubt this noble stallion saved you at the very last second, no?” she teased with a playful wink in his direction.

Bon Bon giggled, holding a hoof to her lips before answering her. “No, nothing like that, but the funny thing is... he kind of did save me. He carried me all the way to the hospital.” She looked back to Chris before continuing, “I haven't had a chance to properly thank you for that yet, so… thank you, Chris.”

Chris smiled at Bon Bon. “I wouldn’t call it saving, but you're welcome, Bonny.”

Ember chuckled lightly under her breath at the two before using her wings to place the glasses that were hanging from her neck on the bridge of her muzzle. “Well, I do hope all of you are enjoying the private room. When I heard that you were coming back, I simply couldn’t let you dine at one of our normal tables; not after what happened last time.”

Bon Bon frowned at this. “About that, Ember… It wasn’t your fault that I ran out. You and your staff were wonderful and you have a lovely restaurant. I… I just wasn’t in my right mind at the time,” she admitted sadly. “I hope I didn’t cause too much trouble, and we do appreciate the accommodations, but... you really didn’t have to do this.”

“Oh, nonsense, my dear!” Ember stated as she walked up to Bon Bon, wrapping a wing around her, hugging her gently. “There is no need to blame yourself for what happened. I could sense that you were uncomfortable the last time you were here and I hoped I could remedy that. Sadly, it seemed I failed, and for that... I felt terrible. It simply broke my heart when I heard you ran out, but you couldn’t imagine the joy I felt when I heard you were coming back. I simply had to make sure this night went perfectly for you three.”

Bon Bon smiled and blushed at that, leaning into their hug a little. “Thank you so much, Ember. That’s very sweet of you to do, and this place is lovely.”

“It’s like we’re actually in the Everfree forest,” Chris added happily. “Thank you so much for doing this for us,”

“Yeah!” Lyra shouted excitedly. “It’s awesome! We can’t thank you enough. We really owe you one.”

Ember stepped back, letting go of Bon Bon and smiled at the group. “Having you three back here and enjoying each others’ company is thanks enough.”

“Well, actually, Ember… we were all talking earlier an―” Lyra started to say, but was interrupted once Dusty came in from the entrance with a tray of cider and several glasses on her back.

“Ahh, my little Star Dust is back with your cider it seems. I see she brought some of our finest from Canterlot as well,” Ember said as Dusty placed the tray on the table before hoofing out the glasses.

“I figured you guys would really enjoy this,” Dusty said as she held up the bottle, showing off its label to the group.

“I’ll just have to take your word for it,” Chris said as Dusty started to open the bottle for them. “I’m not too familiar with the quality of hard ciders.”

Ember smiled at him, but then sighed deeply. “I’m terribly sorry about this, dears. I would love to stay and chat, but it's been such a busy night. Has everypony decided on what they would like to order?”

“Yes, I’m ready.” Bon Bon closed her menu before pushing it over to Ember, who took it under her wing. “If it’s not too much trouble, I would love to try that carrot soup again.”

“It’s no trouble at all, darling. We would be happy to make that for you,” Ember reassured her sweetly as Dusty filled her glass with a generous amount of cider. “And for you, Miss Heartstrings?”

“Oh, umm,” Lyra said quickly, fumbling with her menu. She got so caught up talking to her loved ones that she nearly forgot to pick out a dish to eat. “W-well, I never did get a chance to try that hay and rose petal salad... Yeah, I think I'll take that, if you don’t mind.” She used her magic to close her menu and floated it towards Ember, who placed it under her wing with the other menu.

“And for the handsome and heroic stallion?” Ember asked with another wink in his direction while Dusty filled his glass next.

Chris laughed briefly, picking up his menu. “I was thinking I’d ge―” he started to say, but hesitated, glancing towards Bon Bon for a moment, which she quickly noticed. “I-I, umm… I’ll just have the carrot soup as well, please.”

“Chris…” Bon Bon said softly with a frown. “We talked about this. I’ll be fine.”

“I know, but―”

“No ‘but’s, I don’t want to hear it,” Bon Bon said firmly, shaking her head at him as Dusty filled Lyra’s glass with the cider. “When was the last time you had any meat?”

“U-umm, it’s been about… maybe… two months now?” Chris answered regrettably.

“Exactly! It’s been far too long. You need to eat some.” Bon Bon turned her head towards Ember with a sweet smile. “He’ll have the rabbit with coconut cream sauce, please.”

“Is that what you really want?” Ember questioned, while Dusty placed the half-full bottle of cider in the center of the table.

Chris nodded his head. “Yeah, I’d really enjoy that, actually,” he confirmed, holding his hand up, making a thumbs up gesture.

“No!” Bon Bon shouted quickly, looking back to Ember, who was now giving her a confused look. “Don’t listen to him, and don’t give him spaghetti!” She turned back to Chris with an angry scowl. “Chris, you need to eat some meat! I know it’s been awhile and you need the protein!”

Everypony in the room looked at Bon Bon with a baffled expression. Even Chris was confused for a second, but eventually he started to laugh loudly.

“You still think…” Chris started to say, but started to laugh again.

“What’s going on?” Lyra asked in confusion. “What’s so funny? And what's this about spaghetti?”

“Yeah, he didn’t ask for spaghetti… did he?” Dusty asked as she put the empty tray she carried in under her wing, then looked to Ember who shrugged her shoulders.

Chris calmed himself from his laughter. “I told Bonny that a thumbs up means I like spaghetti,” he explained with a soft chuckle.

Lyra raised an eyebrow at him before smirking and laughing loudly. “Y-you believed that?”

“W-wait… it doesn’t mean…” Bon Bon started to ask, but frowned and looked towards Chris. “Well, then… what does it really mean?”

Chris wiped a happy tear from his eyes before taking a breath. “It means I’m happy, or I agree. It can even mean I think something is awesome, or I approve.”

“O-oh… T-that… makes more sense,” Bon Bon said in a whisper, blushing brightly in embarrassment. “N-never mind, Ember.”

Ember laughed uncontrollably before shaking her head at them. “Oh, my. You three are just too much fun. What I wouldn’t give to be a part of what you all share again.” She took a deep, calming breath before sighing softly. "Oh, to be young again.”

Lyra was going to try and bring up the date a second time, but Ember spoke up before she could.

“I’ll inform the cooks of your orders right away and your food should be ready in just a moment,” Ember said as she and Dusty took flight, making their way out of the room. Ember stopped just before the entrance and turned back to the group, hovering over the wooden bridge. “I’ll try to come back if I can, but if I don’t see you again, then I hope all of you have a pleasant evening. Enjoying your meals and… each other.” With that, she flew out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Lyra sighed sadly, causing Bon Bon to look back to her.

“Are you okay, Lyra? What’s the matter?”

“Huh? Oh... yeah, I’m okay,” Lyra said her, perking up again. “I just never got a chance to ask Ember if she would be interested in a date sometime.”

“Well, we can always ask her later,” Chris said, picking up his glass of cider. “It might be better to wait, anyways. I mean, I don’t know if we’ll have a lot of time to take her out with how busy we’re going to be.”

“That’s right,” Bon Bon added. “The construction in the shop will be done in a few days, and we'll be getting things ready for the grand re-opening. Then, we’ll be pretty busy for the first couple of months if everything goes smoothly.”

“How’s that going, by the way?” Lyra asked as she placed her elbows on the table, propping her head up with her foreleg.

“Lyra, elbows off the table,” Bon Bon lightly scolded.

“O-oh, right,” Lyra replied, quickly putting her hooves in her lap. “Sorry, Bonny.” She smiled sheepishly, then continued with her question. “But, how are things going with the shop?”

“Kind of scary to be honest,” Bon Bon admitted with a heavy sigh.

“Don’t worry,” Chris reassured her, placing his hand in her lap, giving her thigh a gentle squeeze. “Everything will work out fine. I know ponies are going to love the bar.”

Bon Bon smiled up at him. “I sure hope so… I still need to teach you how I make the candy too, and we need to buy supplies for the bar, and… oh, there’s just so much left to do.” She groaned loudly, sounding stressed and worried as she rubbed her temple with a hoof.

“That doesn’t sound too bad,” Lyra said, hoping she could help Bon Bon relaxed a little. “Besides, Chris is a great cook. He’ll learn pretty fast.”

“And you don’t need to worry about getting supplies for the bar. I know what we need. I can shop around for it once the construction is done,” Chris added, helping to ease Bon Bon’s worries.

“See, Bonny? It won't be that bad," Lyra added happily. "I can even pitch in when I can. I’ll help stock shelves or whatever you need me to do.”

Bon Bon smiled at both of them. “Thank you both. It makes me feel better knowing you'll be there for me. It’s just such a risky move. I’m using all my savings to expand the shop and it might not even help, but with you two by my side … I know it has work out in the end.” She beamed brightly at them, then perked her ears up, as if she remembered something. “Oh, Lyra... speaking of helping out.”

Lyra raised a curious eyebrow at her, tilting her head slightly. “Yes?”

“Well, Chris and I were going to ask you if you would be interested in playing some shows at the shop.”

“Shows?” Lyra questioned. “Like, play my lyre for the customers?”

“It was Chris’s idea,” Bon Bon said, looking up at him for a moment. “He thought that you might like to play during the more busy hours. You know, like when you're not with your orchestra group.”

“You kidding?” Lyra questioned with a bright smile. “I’d love that! I could definitely use some more work in between our concerts, and I’d love to work with you guys!” She took a moment to fantasize about what life would be like, running the shop with her loved ones. She had to bite her lip to suppress all the happy squeals she wanted to make.

“I think it would really help to bring in more customers, especially with your music, Lyra,” Chris added before taking a small sip of his cider. “You really don’t see a lot of places around here with music playing in the background unless it's a nice fancy restaurant like this one. Back on my home world, you couldn’t go anywhere without hearing some music playing, and I know ponies would really like it.”

“Really?” Bon Bon questioned, looking up to him. “So, you mean everywhere in your world, there is music playing?”

“Well, not everywhere. But, a lot of shops and restaurants would have a radio or some other device playing music in the background. ”

“Wow, ” Bon Bon said in awe. “I remember you telling me about that before. It must’ve been nice.”

“Ehh, not… really,” Chris admitted softly, rolling his cider glass around in his hand. “I prefer the live bands and stuff that you get here. Plus, you get pretty sick of hearing the same pop song being played over and over again.”

“Yeah, I kind of get sick of playing the same songs every day when we're on tour,” Lyra added, using her magic to levitate her glass to her lip, taking a small sip. “I can see why hearing the same songs everywhere you went would get old.”

“It just sounds so fascinating to me,” Bon Bon said as she looked up to Chris. “Every time you tell us about this world of yours, it makes me wish we could see it somehow.”

“Yeah!” Lyra agreed excitedly, cutting in with an eager bounce, causing her big bow to bob up and down. “That would be the best! We should go see where you came from sometime!”

“I-I don’t know about that…” Chris said nervously. “My world isn’t like Equestria.”

“All the more reason to check it out!” Lyra added happily. “I think it would be fun!”

Chris opened his mouth to say more, but closed it as he thought for a moment. “Well… if there ever was a way for all of us to just visit it for a while, then I’d really like to introduce you guys to my family.”

“Your mother must have been really sweet,” Bon Bon added softly. “I’d really like to meet your sister too.”

“That reminds me,” Lyra said, cutting in as she leaned towards Chris. “You still need to meet my mom and pops. I think you and Dad would get along great!”

“Yeah?” Chris questioned with a chuckle. “I’d love to meet them someday. Still not sure why I haven’t yet...” he deadpanned, giving Lyra a mock glare of disappointment.

Lyra shrugged. “It just hasn’t happened yet, but it will. Maybe once they come down from Canterlot this summer, then you can meet them.”

“That would be nice,” Chris said before sighing deeply. “I still need to fix all the damage we caused to their cabin before they get back. That might take a while.” He took a sip of his cider before looking towards Bon Bon, who was now looking down at her lap sadly. “So, how about you, Bonny?”

“Wh-what?!” Bon Bon half-shouted in surprise, jerking her head up. “Wh-what about me?”

“Well, what about your family?” Chris clarified with a smile. “I don’t think we ever talked about them before. What are they like?”

“O-oh...” Bon Bon answered awkwardly with a nervous laugh. “Well, y-you know, they’re, umm… they're like any other family. Both my mothers and father still live together, and my siblings are all off doing their own thing.” She ended with a bright and forced smile as a bead of sweat started to roll down her forehead.

“So, you were raised in a herd with two mothers and one father?” Chris asked curiously, facing her a little more.

“She’s got three sisters and a brother, too,” Lyra added with a smirk.

“Wow, really?” Chris asked in disbelief, glancing at Lyra before facing Bon Bon again. “So, you had a pretty big family growing up then?”

“Y-yeah…” Bon Bon answered softly, looking down and away from him as she fidgeted with her glass of cider.

“Well, I’d love to meet them all one day. I mean… you know... if you want that is,” Chris said with a sheepish smile.

“Y-yes, umm, p-perhaps someday...” Bon Bon said awkwardly, pausing to take a generous sip of her cider before looking towards the room’s entrance. “I-I wonder what’s taking them so long with our food... I hope everything is okay.”

“Oh, I’m sure it’s fine,” Lyra reassured her, waving a dismissive hoof.

“You saw how packed this place was. I’m sure it’s going to take a little while,” Chris pointed out before taking another sip of his drink. He placed the glass down and tilted it back and forth a few times, watching the cool liquid move around for a short moment. “So, umm... speaking of the future and… family stuff…”

Both Lyra and Bon Bon gave each other curious glances before looking up to him.

“Y-yes?” Bon Bon asked softly.

“Well, umm…” Chris started to say, but hesitated, taking a large gulp of his cider before placing it back on the table, then sighed deeply. “I know it’s kind of soon and all for this kind of talk, but…” He looked toward Bon Bon with a worried and almost fearful expression. “I know you're still not sure about the herd and everything, but... you said back in the hospital that you… you want to… have a foal of your own someday?”

Bon Bon frowned sadly at this and looked back to her drink. “Oh, I… I-I guess I did kind of say that.”

Chris sighed sadly, taking another large gulp of his cider. “So... you both want to start a family then?”

Lyra rubbed the back of her head awkwardly as she remembered what she told Chris all those months ago. She didn’t want him to learn about the spell until they were ready for that kind of talk, but now that he knew the truth about Bon Bon, she had to come clean. “Chris… I… I don’t necessarily want a foal of my own,” she admitted softly, looking up at him. “At least, not anytime soon.”

Chris looked back to her, seeming baffled. “What do you mean? I thought you wanted to start a family.”

“She does, Chris,” Bon Bon cut in, grabbing his attention. “But, I’m the one who really wants to have a foal.”

“I-I don’t understand,” Chris replied, sounding bewildered. “Then, why did you ask me all those questions, Lyra?”

Lyra took a deep breath and let it out slowly before putting on a more serious expression. “I did it because I knew it was Bonny’s dream to start a family someday,” she explained softly, looking towards Bon Bon with a smile. “I needed to make sure that was something that you wanted as well before we asked her out on a date.” She looked back up to Chris before continuing, “I wasn’t going to ask her to join our herd if you were uncomfortable with the idea of having a foal.”

“It’s true, Chris,” Bon Bon cut in sadly. “Ever since I was little, I've always dreamed of one day holding my little filly or colt in my hooves and having a family, much like the one I grew up with.”

“It’s been your… dream?” Chris repeated in a disheartened tone, slumping down into his seat with a troubled frown. “But… you both know that I… I can’t really give us a foal… as much as I want one myself, it’s simply impossible for us to… well, we just can't... conceive.”

“That’s… not completely true,” Lyra admitted placing a hoof on his thigh.

“What do you mean?” Chris questioned, curiously.

“Do you still remember the question I asked you before we talked about bringing Bonny into our family?” Lyra asked softly.

“Of course I do,” Chris confirmed.

“And you remember when I said the foal would be a healthy pony if we did do it?”

Chris nodded his head. “Of course, but I know it was just a hypothetical question.”

Lyra shook her head before smiling up at him, rubbing his thigh gently. “Actually, it's not as hypothetical as you think. There might be a real way for us to have a healthy filly or colt.”

Chris’s eyes widened in disbelief. He stared at Lyra for a moment as if searching her eyes to see if she was telling the truth. “Are… you serious?”

Lyra nodded.

“I didn’t believe it at first either, but it does seem to be true,” Bon Bon added.

“Well, what is it then!?” Chris half-shouted, perking up a bit more as he looked between them. “Please, tell me what it is. Do I have to do anything? What can I do?!”

“Well…” Lyra started to explain, rubbing the back of her neck with a hoof. “I’m not entirely sure myself. From what I could gather, it’s a spell that only Princess Cadance knows. The spell is supposed to help couples that are a different species have foals together. It worked for one couple that I know of. It was a griffin and pegasus pony and they successfully had a healthy pegasus colt.”

“That’s… that’s great!” Chris shouted excitedly. “So, it can work for us then, right?!”

“It’s not guaranteed to work,” Bon Bon pointed out sadly.

“Wait, w-why not?” Chris asked sounding nervous and worried again. “If it worked for the pony and griffin... then why can’t it work for us, too?”

“Magic affects you differently,” Lyra said with a heavy sigh. “I can’t really explain why. It might be because you're not from this world, but you seem to be somewhat immune to spells. I have to focus if I want to use my magic on you.” Lyra lit up her horn, using her magic to embrace Chris’s hand. Her golden aura flickered a few time before leveling out, then she slowly lifted his hand into the air as a demonstration. “It’s a little easier for me to do now, but that's only because I’ve been doing it with you for so long. I basically had to figure out the right amount of magic to use and how to use it.” She released his hand, and Chris looked at it, flexing his fingers a few times.

“Well… if you know how to use magic on me… then can’t you tell Princess Cadance how to do it so she can make the spell work?”

“That might be possible, but I really don’t know how Cadance’s spell works,” Lyra pointed out sadly. “There’s just too much uncertainty right now. We just won't know for sure until we talk to the princess about it.”

This didn’t seem to help Chris feel better at all. His frown deepened as he looked into his almost empty glass of cider. “What… what if it does fail…” he whispered sadly. “Bonny,” he called to her, placing his hand on her hoof. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to give up your dream to be with us. If you don’t want to do the herd, then that’s fine. We’d still be your friends.”

Bon Bon smiled warmly at him, placing her other hoof on top of his hand. “That’s very sweet of you, Chris. But, I’ve actually thought about this quite a lot.”

Chris gave her a confused looked, which caused her to smile even more.

“I know there's a chance that we won't be able to start a family like I want, and honestly... I’m okay with that. You both make me very happy and I want to give things a try. If I do join the herd someday, and the spell doesn’t work out, then... we’ll look into other options,” Bon Bon reassured him, rubbing his hand gently. “It’s like you said before, Chris. We could always adopt, and I’d be happy to give a little colt or filly a deserving home. But, that’s far into the future from now.” She let go of his hand, and sat back in her seat, taking her glass into her hooves again. “Right now, I think it’s best to just concentrate on the present and see where that takes us.”

Chris seemed to relax after hearing her words. His smile returned, and he nodded his head in understanding. “You’re right, Bonny.”

Just then, the sound of the door opening caused them all to look over. They all watched as Dusty trotted in with a tray of food being balanced on her back.

“Dinner is served!” Dusty said as she placed the tray on the table with her wing. She panted softly a few times before taking in a quick breath. “I rushed over as fast as I could. Ember told me to give you guys her best, but she won't be able to come by again.”

“That's too bad,” Bon Bon said with a frown. “I was hoping we could see her again. Please tell her thank you for us.”

“Oh, I definitely will, next time I run into her,” Dusty reassured them as she took flight and picked up the plate of hay salad. She glided over to Lyra and gently placed the plate in front of her before going back for the carrot soup. “Now, be careful with this soup,” she warned as she carefully brought it over to Bon Bon. “It’s still really hot.”

“Thank you, Dusty,” Bon Bon said sweetly as Dusty placed her bowl of soup in front of her, then flew back to pick up the rabbit dish.

“Same with this one,” Dusty warned, as she guided the plate over to Chris, setting it in front of him. “This came straight from the kitchen, so I would let it cool a bit before you dig in.” She picked up the now empty tray with her forehooves before turning to the group again, hovering next to the table. “Is there anything you guys need before I head out? Another bottle of cider perhaps?”

“I think we’re okay, Dusty. Thank you,” Chris said, picking up his napkin set that was next to his plate, unfolding it before placing it in his lap.

“Well, then I hope you guys enjoy your meals!” Dusty said with a bright smile. “I’ll be back to check on you guys in a little bit, okay?” With that, she turned away and quickly flew out the door, shutting it behind her

Lyra charged her horn with magic so she could unfold her napkin set, but stopped when she saw BonBon looking down at hers. She was about to help her with it, but Bon Bon spoke up before she could.

“Chris,” Bon Bon called in a kind and gentle voice, grabbing his attention, “could you please help me with my napkin and silverware? These things always give me trouble.”

“I’d love to, Bonny,” Chris replied sweetly, reaching over to pick up her napkin set. He unfolded it and placed her silverware in front of her before laying the napkin in her lap.

“Thank you, Chris.”

Lyra gazed at her loved ones as they helped each other, feeling tears well in her eyes. It was a beautiful sight to see them getting along so well now. This whole date had been an amazing dream, and she never wanted to wake up. She silently prayed to all the princesses that things would only get better from here.

With a soft, loving sigh, Lyra used her magic to unfold her napkin and place it on her lap. She levitated her fork in front of her before digging into her salad.

Bon Bon leaned down to her soup and gently blew on it a few times, helping it to cool.

Chris, on the other hoof, had picked up his fork and knife, but seemed a little apprehensive about diving into his meal. He used his fork to poke at the steamed vegetable, taking a few bits from the side, before moving to his roasted potatoes.

Bon Bon seemed to notice this and watched him as he ate everything around the meat. “Chris… are you still worried about me?”

Lyra lowered her fork down and watched them both to see what would happen.

Chris froze as he went in for another bite of his vegetables, looking over at Bon Bon with a sheepish smile. “I-I, umm… kind of...”

“Chris… I want you to eat a piece of that meat while I watch.”

“B-but… I-I...” Chris stuttered, worriedly.

“Please, Chris. I want to be okay with this side of you. Just take a bite, for me.”

Chris opened his mouth as if he was going to protest more, but closed it and looked back to his plate. He pierced the meat with his fork and cut himself a piece, then looked back to Bon Bon who was still watching him with a soft smile. She nodded her head for him to continue, and he obeyed, placing the fork into his mouth and bit down. A soft moan escaped his lips as soon as the juicy meat hit his tongue, causing his eyelids to fall slightly.

Bon Bon smiled a bit more as he closed his eyes completely, slowly chewing his first bite of real meat in a long while. “That good, huh?” she asked with a giggle.

Chris stayed silent for a moment, chewing his food in content, then nodded his head. He swallowed and opened his eyes, looking back to Bon Bon, who was still happily watching him. “It’s just been so long since I had this,” he admitted. “It's really good.”

“See? And I’m fine,” Bon Bon reassured him sweetly. “Now, will you promise me that you’ll finish your meal and try not to worry about me, okay?”

“I promise,” Chris agreed, as he went in for another bite.

Lyra couldn’t help the wide grin that spread across her lips as she watched them. It was still hard for her to believe how far they’ve both come after only being with each other for a little over a week. She just had to get the juicy details of what went on in that cabin from them.

Bon Bon picked up her earth pony-friendly spoon with her forehoof and dipped it into her soup. She placed it into her mouth and hummed in delight, savoring the sweet flavor.

“That good, huh?” Chris teased.

Bon Bon only nodded as she went in for another spoonful.

“Is it better than my soup?” Chris asked with a light chuckle.

“Sorry, Chris,” Bon Bon said, taking another spoonful, “It's a lot better then yours.”

“I told ya, you'd like it Bonny,” Lyra boasted proudly.

“You were right, Lyra,” Bon Bon admitted as she continued to enjoy her soup.

Lyra glancing between her loved ones as they ate together in a comfortable silence before a wicked smile appeared on her face. “Sooooo…” she cooed innocently, twirling around the long lace of her bow with a hoof.

Bon Bon looked up from her soup, giving Lyra a questionable look. “Soooo, what?” she asked in confusion.

“So, tell me,” Lyra said, glancing between them again, placing the lace behind her ear again. “What happened between you two in that cabin?”

Chris chuckled a bit before responding. “A lot, actually,” he admitted. “Bonny locked herself in the bedroom for the first two days.”

“You did?” Lyra questioned, looking towards Bon Bon in surprise, finding that hard to believe. She knew Bon Bon was afraid of Chris to some extent, but she didn’t think it was that bad.

Bon Bon frowned sadly and nodded her head. “I did… I was afraid he would eat me,” she admitted softly, sounding ashamed of herself.

“You thought he was going to eat you!?” Lyra half-shouted before bursting into a fit of laughter. “B-Bonny! That’s ridiculous!”

“I-I know…” Bon Bon admitted shyly, stirring her soup around a little. “I was being… really silly…”

“But, you came out eventually,” Chris reminded her gently.

“Only after you saved me from Scary,” Bon Bon pointed out, smiling a little more.

“Yeah, then we finally started talking and getting to know each other."

“We had a lot of fun cooking things together too,” Bon Bon said, with a soft blush.

Lyra coughed into her hoof, grabbing their attention. She smirked at them both and flicked her tail in eager excitement as she gazed at them in a sultry manner.

Chris raised an eyebrow at her, bringing his glass of cider to his lips. “What’s with the goofy look?”

“Well, you guys already told me about all the stuff you did together, but there's something you still haven’t told me about yet,” Lyra said, confident in her assumption of what really went on in that cabin.

“What do you mean? I’m pretty sure we told you everything,” Chris said, taking a sip of his cider.

Lyra shook her head, keeping her wicked smile. “When did you two... buck?”

Chris almost spit out his drink, practically choking on the liquid. He set his glass down, trying to hold back his coughing and hitting his chest a few times. He swallowed hard and quickly caught his breath. “I wasn’t ready for that question,” he admitted, taking a calming breath. “What makes you think we did?”

Lyra’s smile only grew wider. She pointed a hoof to Bon Bon, who was now blushing in a bright crimson all over her face, giving away everything Lyra needed to know. “So, what did you guys do!?” she asked excitedly, bouncing a few times in her seat, making her big bow flop around on her horn. “Come on, I need details! How did it start!? And how many times did you do it?!” Her ears swiveled forward, ready to pick up any sound as her tail started to wag from side to side, eager to hear the juicy details.

“J-just once!” Bon Bon shouted quickly, but squeaked and covered her lips with a hoof in embarrassment. “W-well… w-we just… I-I mean, w-we didn’t do… that much,” she stuttered, trying to explain it as she stared down at her soup, tapping her hooves together nervously.

“Is it okay if I tell her?” Chris asked, rubbing Bon Bon’s back reassuringly.

Bon Bon nodded quickly, looking away from them both as her blush deepened, making her look redder than a apple.

“So, you guys did do it!?” Lyra shouted, clapping her hooves together as she squealed happily. “I want to know every detail! Tell me what your first time together was like!”

Chris laughed awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. “Man, this kind of thing sure wouldn’t fly in my old world,” he said as a warm blush started to appear on his cheeks.

“Well, you're in Equestria now!” Lyra pointed out quickly with another bounce. “So, tell me, please?! I really want to know!”

“Okay, okay, just calm down,” Chris said, holding back his smile as he placed a hand on Lyra’s lap to get her to stop bouncing. “You're embarrassing Bonny.”

Lyra looked over to Bon Bon, who was now hiding herself behind her curly forelock and forehooves.

“She’s fine!” Lyra said nonchalantly, waving a limp hoof in the air. “Now, tell me already!” She beamed up at Chris like a eager filly, awaiting her new bedtime story.

Chris rolled his eyes at her. “Well, we were both on the bed an―”

“Where these things tend to start,” Lyra interrupted quickly with a smirk.

“Indeed,” Chris deadpanned before continuing. “Anyways, we were both kind of excited since, Bonny just got over her fear of my hands an―”

“What?!” Lyra shouted in shock, interrupting him again as she glanced towards Bon Bon, who was trying to make herself as small as possible. “She was afraid of your hands?!”

“Umm, y-yeah,” Chris answered. “Wait, you didn’t know that?”

“No!” Lyra shouted.

“Yeah, they reminded her of spiders. That's why she smacked my hand away on our first date,” Chris explained.

Lyra’s eyes widened in disbelief. Suddenly, all her regret seemed to consume her again with this new information. She knew of Bon Bon's terrible phobia of spiders, but she had no idea about her fear of his hands. Was that what she was afraid of this whole time? As ridiculous as it sounded, it made a lot of sense and Lyra mentally kicked herself for not seeing that issue sooner. But, why didn’t Bon Bon say something about it? “B-Bonny, why didn’t you tell me that?”

“I-I know, I-I should have told you,” Bon Bon answered softly, still hiding herself behind her hooves out of embarrassment. “B-but it’s... it’s okay now. C-Chris will tell you.”

Lyra looked up to Chris with worried eyes, which he seemed to notice.

“It’s okay, Lyra. She got over her fear with the help of my magic fingers,” Chris teased, wiggling his fingers at her. “We started off slow, but then one thing lead to another and we…” He hesitated for a moment, grinning a little. “You know that thing we do when we’re watching movies together, or just laying on the couch?”

Lyra thought for a moment, but then quickly remembered. “Oh, yeah, I do... Wait! Is that what you guys did!?”

“That’s what we did,” Chris confirmed with a nod and a small chuckle.

Lyra gasped loudly in excitement, covering her muzzle with her hooves. She turned to face Bon Bon, feeling giddy as she started to bounce in her seat again. She never had a chance to talk to anypony else about the magical experience that is Chris’s fingers, and she was eager to talk about it. “Did you like it, Bonny!? Wasn’t it great!?”

Bon Bon slowly dropped her hooves down and pressed them together in front on her face, not daring to look at Lyra in the eyes. “I-It was… very nice,” she answered simply in a whisper.

“Did he touch that spot?” Lyra asked with a smug grin and an eyebrow wiggle, trying to mimic the way Chris always does it, but failed miserably. “I think you know the one I’m talking about.”

“Oh, my gosh, Lyra!” Bon Bon said in embarrassment, hiding herself behind her hooves again. “Y-yes, okay!? Yes, he did, a-and I liked it a lot!”

“A lot better then my tongue, eh?” Lyra teased, sticking her tongue out slightly.

“L-Lyra!” Bon Bon shouted from behind her hooves, slumping down in her chair a little more.

Lyra giggled at her bashful friend. “So, what happened next? You guys didn’t stop there did you?”

“Nope,” Chris said, looking over to Bon Bon. “After that, Bonny got a little curious about me, so I showed her the equipment.”

Lyra rolled her eyes at how Chris described his dick, then turned to Bon Bon to ask her some more questions. She opened her mouth, but Bon Bon beat her to it.

“Yes, Lyra!” Bon Bon shouted with a hint of annoyance, dropping her hooves down to scowl at her. “He looked very nice, okay?”

Lyra giggled softly and was going to ask what else happened, but Bon Bon continued before she could.

“I-I touched him, alright!? A-and… played with him a little too…” Bon Bon admitted awkwardly, rubbing her foreleg in embarrassment.

“She gave me a blow-job,” Chris clarified with a chuckle. “Which she was amazing at, even though she tried to actually blow on me at first.”

“W-wha―” Lyra started to ask, but bit her lip and contorted her face, trying to hold back her laughter.

“I-I didn't know what to do!” Bon Bon shouted quickly, trying to defend herself. “I-it was my first time doing something like that with a stallion...”

Lyra calmed herself and shook her head. “Don’t worry, Bonny. I’ll teach you some new tricks later.”

“Oh? Can I be the test dummy?” Chris teased with a smirk.

“Of course you can, big guy,” Lyra cooed lovingly at him. “You’re always the dummy.”

“S-shouldn’t we wait a bit before we start doing that?” Bon Bon asked nervously, tapping her hooves together.

“Don’t worry, Bonny. We’re just joking around,” Lyra reassured her with a playful wink. “So then, what did you guys do after that?”

“Well… nothing,” Chris said, much to Lyra’s disappointment. “We just cuddled up and slept together.” He smiled at Bon Bon, looking deep into her beautiful eyes before continuing. “It was just a wonderful night.”

Bon Bon smiled softly at him, still blushing brightly. “I-it was really nice… and you were so warm. I think I had the best sleep ever that night.”

“B-but…” Lyra started to say, pausing as she looked between them. “That’s all you guys did? You didn’t like… you know?” She tapped her hooves together in a very lewd-looking gesture.

“Go all the way?” Chris questioned. “Umm, well, I guess not… Why? Is that bad?”

"No... I just kind of hoped you’d..." Lyra started to say, but trailed off, sighing deeply. “Did you guys do it anymore after that at least?”

“N-no,” Bon Bon answered her softly. “The first time we became intimate was the day before we got out of the cabin.”

Lyra groaned in disappointment and hung her head down, letting the frilly lace fall out from behind her ear. “So, I guess that means you guys didn’t get to use the sexnasium either?”

“S-sexnasium?!” Chris half-shouted, raising his eyebrow in confusion. “There wasn’t a sexnasium in the cabin!” He started to laugh at the ridiculous idea, and Bon Bon joined him, giggling softly.

“Yes there was! It was in the basement.”

“Lyra, honey,” Chris deadpanned, rolling his eyes. “Thats a very funny joke, but we both know that there wasn’t a sexnasium in the basement. It was just some random stuff and a wine cellar down there.”

“I know,” Lyra replied quickly, using her magic to move the lace out of her eyes. “The sexnasium was next to the cellar.”

Chris paused at this, giving Lyra a strange look. “Wait… you mean there was an actual sexnasium behind that locked door!?”

“It was locked!?” Lyra shouted in surprise. “Oh, no! No wonder you guys didn’t use it… I forgot to unlock it for you!”

“L-Lyra…” Bon Bon stuttered in shock. “A-are you saying that… your parents have a sexnasium?! And you wanted us to use it?!”

“Y-yeah?” Lyra replied awkwardly. “What's wrong with that?”

“That's so gross, Lyra!”

“What? It’s not like they don't clean it…” Lyra said as if it wasn’t a big deal.

“Eww, Lyra!” Bon Bon shouted in disgust.

“That’s…” Chris started to say, but hesitated as he tried to process all this new information. “Actually… that’s kind of hot…”

“Chris!” Bon Bon shouted at him in wide-eyed surprise.

“What?” Chris questioned, not daring to make eye contact with her. “ I-I mean… I wouldn’t use it or anything, but… I don't know. It just sounds kind of fun and... kinky.”

“Hay yeah, it is!” Lyra cheered loudly, holding her hoof high in the air towards Chris so he could bump it with his fist.

“Oh, sweet Celestia,” Bon Bon groaned, placing a hoof on her temple before shaking her head in disapproving shame. “What am I going to do with you two…”

The trio walked together through Ponyville, heading towards Bon Bon’s home after their date. The rest of the night went perfectly in Lyra’s eyes and she couldn’t have been happier to spend time with her loved ones. The only problem was that it had to end. She would have stayed with them, laughing and enjoying their company in that private room for all of eternity if she could. But, it wasn’t all bad; they had plans to get together again in the near future. It just sucked that she had to wait sixteen hours, thirty-two minutes and twenty-one seconds until they could all be together again. She mentally kicked herself for having to be at practice with her orchestra group all day tomorrow, but at least Chris and Bon Bon would be together while she was busy.

Lyra wanted to try and find Ember at the end of the night again, but she was nowhere to be found. Dusty did say she would tell Ember their goodbyes though. That helped Lyra to feel a little better about leaving without seeing her.

Bon Bon’s home came into view, and they all approached the front door. Once they were in front of the entrance, Lyra used her magic to open it for Bon Bon, then they both turned around and faced Chris.

“Well, this is us,” Bon Bon said as she smiled up at him. “Thank you for a lovely evening, both of you. I can’t remember the last time I had such a wonderful time. It was really nice.”

“I have to agree,” Chris said as he walked up to them, putting his hands in his pockets. “It just sucks that it had to end.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Lyra added with a sigh.

Bon Bon giggled at them both. “Oh, come on now. We’ll all see each other again tomorrow. You both just need to be a little more patient.”

“But, it’s hard!” Lyra whined. “I hate being patient!”

“Yes, we know. Chris and I learned that first hoof,” Bon Bon retorted with a smirk, causing Chris to laugh.

Lyra whimpered sadly, making an adorable pouting face at her, quivering lip and all.

Bon Bon giggled before leaning in and kissing her pronounced bottom lip. “You know we’re just teasing you,” she reminded her softly before yawning. “Oh goodness… I forgot how late it is.”

“Yeah, we stayed at the Everfree Moon for a while. I think it’s almost midnight now,” Chris added, looking to the moon to try and gauge the time.

“Midnight!” Bon Bon shouted in surprise. “Were we really out for that long? Chris, we should head in soon. We need to get up early in the morning for work.”

Chris nodded his head. “Yeah, I’m going straight to bed as soon as I get home.”

Bon Bon smiled tiredly at him, extending one of her forelegs out before waving him to come closer, since she couldn’t stand up in her pony wheelchair.

Chris obeyed and knelt down next to her.

Bon Bon wrapped her foreleg around his side and pulled him into a tight hug. She laid her head on his chest as he embraced her in his warmth, wrapping both of his arms around her. “Thank you so much for a lovely night, Chris,” she said in a soft whisper. They stayed like that for a time before breaking up their hug and stepping back from each other.

“I should start getting ready for bed now. With this broken leg, it’s going to take me forever,” Bon Bon said in despair, sighing sadly.

“Don’t worry, Bonny. I’ll be there to help you,” Lyra said sweetly.

“Thank you, Lyra. I’ll go start the bath now,” Bon Bon said as she turned towards her home and walked inside. She stopped just in front of the entrance and turned back with a gentle and exhausted smile. “Good night, Chris.”

“Good night, Bonny,” Chris replied gently. “Sleep well.”

Bon Bon nodded and continued into her home, heading straight for her bathroom.

Lyra watched her as she wheeled along, then turned to face Chris once she was out of sight. “Tonight was pretty amazing, wasn’t it?”

Chris nodded. “It was,” he agreed softly.

Lyra smiled at him, before looking back into Bon Bon’s home, then up to Chris again. “Are you going to be okay living by yourself for a while?” she asked in concern, before smiling wickedly. “I know how lonely you get at night.”

Chris chuckled. “I’ll be fine. I still have Rosie Palms to keep me company,” he teased, holding his hand up and exposing his palm to her.

Lyra gave him a confused look. She knew almost everypony in town and never heard of a Rosie Palms before. “Is that somepony you know...? Is she nice?”

“No, it’s… you know,” Chris started to explain awkwardly, pointing to his palm. “When I masturbate, it makes my palms look all rosy and red...”

"I-it... does?" Lyra said, contorting her face trying to hold back her laughter from the silly idea. "N-no... I had no idea." She calmed herself and shook her head in disappointment. “You know, when you have to explain a joke, then it kind of kills the joke.”

Chris shrugged his shoulders, putting his hand back down. “I guess that one worked better on my old world. Can’t win them all.”

Lyra rolled her eyes at his failed attempt at humor, before putting on a more concerned expression. “Seriously though, Chris. Are you okay with me moving back in with Bonny for a while?”

“Of course I am,” Chris reassured her. “Plus, it’s not like I can’t come down and see you two all the time. Trust me, I’ll be fine. You just focus on helping her heal.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of our little Bonny,” Lyra reassured him, with a gentle smile.

Chris smiled down at her for a moment, but his expression started to slowly melted into a more serious one. “Lyra…”

Lyra blinked at him a few times in confusion at his sudden change in tone. “Y-yes?”

“I know I told you that I was really upset that you locked us in that cabin together, but honestly…” Chris started to say, but hesitated as he looked back into Bon Bon’s home. “I really can’t be too upset with you.”

“Umm, what do you mean?” Lyra questioned, giving him a confused look.

“Well, I can’t really be mad when you were right.”

Lyra tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. “You mean… about you and Bonny?”

Chris nodded his head. “Bonny and I… we both had a really great time in that cabin together,” he admitted happily. “I don’t know what it is, but there's just something about her. We just seem to click, like you and I do.”

Lyra smiled at him before looking over her shoulder, into Bon Bon’s home. “She’s a wonderful mare, isn’t she?”

“She really is amazing,” Chris agreed. “But, I don’t think we would have ever truly met if you hadn't pushed us together like you did. I’m just… really happy that you got us to meet.”

Lyra looked up at him, letting his words surround and consume her. It was heartwarming to hear him say how happy he was to have met Bon Bon, and her stomach fluttered with excitement. She wanted to jump for joy, but held back the urge. “W-well… it was pretty obvious that you two would get along.”

“Still, I would prefer it if we talk about things together from now on.”

“I know…” Lyra said with a deep and sad sigh. “It was just dumb luck that things didn’t end up worse. If… If Bonny… If she―”

Chris leaned down and wrapped his arms around her, taking her into a his warm and loving embrace. Lyra quickly latched onto him, getting up on her hind legs as she leaned into his body, laying her head on his shoulder. “It’s okay, Lyra,” he cooed softly. “Bonny is fine and things turned out for the better. I now have two wonderful mares in my life.”

Lyra smiled and giggled softly at that, nuzzling herself against his neck lovingly.

“That bow of yours kind of tickles,” Chris teased with a chuckle.

Lyra just shook her head before leaning back, gazing into his beautiful hazel colored eyes. “You know… I really missed you.”

“I missed you, too,” Chris admitted, closing his eyes as he leaned in slowly before kissing her on the lips.

Lyra shut her eyes as well and pushed into the kiss, tilting her head slightly as she tightened her grip around him. Chris started to rub her back as their kiss lingered, but before long, they both broke the kiss at the same time, leaning away from each other.

“I love you, Lyra, and I always will. No matter what you do,” Chris said in a soft whisper as they gazed into each others eyes.

“I love you too, Chris,” Lyra replied, rubbing his sides slowly with her hooves. “I should probably go and help Bonny with her bath, so she can sleep. She gets cranky when she doesn’t get enough sleep.”

“Yeah, she looked pretty tired on the way here,” Chris said, before yawning loudly into his fist. “I don’t blame her though. It is pretty late and we both need to get up soon.” He let go of Lyra and stood up. “Take good care of Bonny, and cuddle up really close to her for me, okay?”

“I will,” Lyra reassured him sweetly. “Rest well, Big Guy, and we’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Good night, Lyra,” Chris said as he waved a hand and turned to walk back to his own home.

“Good night, Chris.”

Author's Notes:

This chapter is just like the first date only better!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxU2eqZtYmc

It's how the date would have gone if Bon Bon wasn't such a bitch the last time. I mean can you believe her! God, Bonny... But, I am happy to finally be at this point in the story. It felt so good to have all these characters being happy and enjoying each others company.

Oh, and guess what? We got one more chapter! And it's going to be a big one... I'm not sure when I will have it done, but it might be a while... There is a lot that is going to happen, but I think it's gonna be great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0248pUAteWk

Also, I was planing a small bonus chapter after the end if you guys want it. Still not sure if it will be an extra chapter at the end of this one, or post it as it's own story, but we will see.

Tell me what you think! Let me know if stuff is messed up or missing. You can check for chapter updates and progression here!

I hope you guys like this chapter as much as I did.

And If you don't know what a sexnasium is, then think of a gymnasium only it's built for sex.

Bon Bon's Acceptance-Part 1

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Bon Bon's Acceptance-Part 1

The soothing melody of gentle lyre music filled the air of the Sweetie Drops Candy Shop, mixed with the sounds of laughing foals and idle conversations. It was a busy day, and the whole place was completely packed with ponies, much to Berry Punch's surprise.

"Wow, Bon. This place is pretty crowded," Berry said as she walked up to Bon Bon, who was sitting on a stool behind the checkout counter. She approached her with an alcoholic sangria in hoof, one of her favorite drinks that she had just gotten from the new bar that the human was currently working at.

"I know! I can hardly believe it!" Bon Bon replied excitedly as Berry came around the counter to sit down next to her.

Berry smiled at her friend, then glanced over the countertop where she spied a small, portable aquarium next to the cash register. Inside was a familiar looking spider, who she quickly remembered was named Scary.

“You got the spider working for you now, too?” Berry teased whimsically with a smirk.

This seemed to get Scary's attention, since he turned around and looked up at her, waving a foreleg.

“He likes to say hi to all the customers with me,” Bon Bon explained. “Plus, he gets pretty lonely when he’s at home all by himself. Lyra actually found this little aquarium for him, so I can take him everywhere with me.”

“And the customers don’t mind that a spider's up here helping you ring up their purchases?” Berry asked, arching a curious eyebrow.

Scary seemed to take offence to that remark and scowled at Berry, shaking his little body in protest.

“Well, so far, nopony has said anything. They don’t seem to mind,” Bon Bon explained as she looked down to the spider lovingly. “In fact, a lot of customers seem to like him.”

This seemed to cheer Scary up, and he turned to face Bon Bon with a smile. Or at least, what looked like a smile. It was hard for Berry to truly tell, but he looked happy nonetheless.

“Well, that’s good,” Berry said before looking down at her friend’s hind leg, seeing that her cast was no longer there. “How’s the leg?”

Bon Bon took a moment to stretch her back right leg out, flexing her hoof up and down to show off her mobility. “It's all healed up now! I didn’t lose any movement in it, which was a relief. I only had to do a couple weeks of therapy and magic treatment once the cast was off; the doctors said I made a full recovery.” She flexed her hoof a few more times before letting it fall limp against the stool again, then turned to her friend. "So, how's your drink?"

Berry took a small and disciplined sip from her cup, savoring the flavor and studying it for her appraisal. "Not bad at all. Crackers really knows how to mix a drink." She looked over to the new bar area where Ruby and her friends were sitting, watching in awe as the human juggled a few bottles in the air.

"Isn't he amazing?" Bon Bon said with a dreamy sigh, causing Berry to bite her lip, holding back her laughter at her lovestruck friend's expense. "It's so mesmerizing to watch him work, and the foals just love him. Everypony in town seems to be more friendly towards him now, too. We don’t get as many weird looks when we go out anymore."

"Yeah, he seems to be a big hit," Berry replied as she watched the human juggle three bottles, catching a few of them behind his back before tossing them in the air again. The fillies and colts in front of him cheered and stomped their hooves on their stools, enjoying the show. Even her adorable little Ruby joined in, a look of wonderment and joy frozen on her face.

Berry giggled at her daughter before glancing towards the other side of the shop. There sat Lyra, levitating her lyre in the air as she played in front of a group of fillies and colts that had gathered in front of her. Each of them had some kind of candy treat or drink in their lap as they listened to her play, all of them swaying and moving their bodies to match the soothing melody of the unicorn’s song.

After a while, Lyra picked up the beat, playing a faster and more joyful tune. She got up and started to dance and move around, which caused all the foals in front of her to follow suit and dance along with her.

“Looks like Lyra’s a pretty big hit, too,” Berry pointed out happily.

“Is she getting them to dance again?” Bon Bon asked excitedly as she looked over to where Lyra was. “She loves doing that.”

“The foals seem to love it as well,” Berry added, taking another sip of her sangria. She put her drink down on the counter next to Scary’s aquarium, then faced her friend before continuing. “So, things with the shop have been pretty smooth then?”

“Things have been great!” Bon Bon replied brightly. “It was pretty rough at first though… We hardly had any customers after the grand reopening… No pony came in for the longest time. I think it might have been because ponies knew Chris was working at the shop now.”

“I remember that, but it seems to be okay now,” Berry pointed out brightly. “I mean look at how many customers you have.” She fanned out her hoof, gesturing to all the ponies that were in the shop, shopping for candy.

Bon Bon nodded her head, looking around her store. “We do have a lot of customers now,” she admitted. “I think the word has been spreading around town.”

“It has been, actually,” Berry said with a gentle smile. “I know I’ve been hearing ponies talk about this place all over town. I even heard a few of the mares at work talking about your shop.”

“Really?” Bon Bon asked curiously. “I hope they’ve been saying good things.”

Berry shrugged her shoulders. “They mostly just talk about Crackers and how your shop has a new place to get drinks now. They don’t really say anything good or bad. I just hear ponies say they want to come down and see what all the fuss is about.”

“Oh? Well, that’s good to hear, I guess. At least it’s nothing bad,” Bon Bon said before looking over to Chris and Lyra, letting out a soft sigh. “I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to be working with both of them, Berry. It’s been like a dream come true. The shop has never run so smoothly before, and I’ve never seen it this busy during the spring time.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen this place so filled with candy before,” Berry added as she looked over all the shelves that were practically overflowing with sugary sweets. “Is Crackers helping to make all this?”

“He’s been such a help, Berry! Its so nice to have somepony else helping in the kitchen, especially somepony like him who knows his way around.” Bon Bon gazed lovingly over at Chris, who was now happily taking a new drink order from Ruby Pinch. “It’s amazing how fast we can cook things when we’re together.”

Berry smiled wickedly at her obviously smitten friend. “So, how are things with those two? Get locked in anymore cabins lately?”

Bon Bon laughed lightly at her friend’s cheeky little joke. “No, I haven't been locked into any cabins,” she replied, rolling her eyes a little. “But, things have been wonderful. Chris and Lyra have both been so helpful and supportive these last few months. I just don’t know where I would be now if I didn’t have them in my life.”

Berry chuckled a bit at her friend’s corny statement. “Well, that’s about the cutest thing I’ve heard all day,” she teased, picking her cup up off the counter and taking another sip of her drink.

“It’s true!” Bon Bon replied quickly with a light blush. “They've both been wonderful and have helped me so much.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Berry deadpanned, taking a large gulp of her drink before setting the cup down on the counter again. “So, is Lyra still living with you now that your leg’s all better, or did she move back with Crackers?”

“Lyra moved back in with Chris, but it hardly matters,” Bon Bon replied nonchalantly, waving a limp hoof in the air. “We spend most of our time at his place anyways.”

“Oh, do you now?” Berry cooed with a devilish grin. “I couldn’t possibly imagine why.” She paused to look over at Chris, who was now supporting Ruby in his arms, letting her pour some juice into a cup. “Just remember, Bon. Breathe through your nose and make sure you keep your jaw loose. Oh, and use lots of tongue!”

Bon Bon blinked at Berry in confusion. “Use… lots of tongue? What do you mean? What would I use my tongue on?”

Berry chuckled, not the least bit surprised that her fellatio joke went over her friend's head. “You know,” she said with a suggestive wink. “Stallions love it when you use your tongue.”

Bon Bon stared at her friend for a moment as the cogs in her mind started to turn. Her eyes widened, followed by a bright blush that appeared on her face once she finally got it. “B-Berry! I-It’s not like that!”

Berry held a hoof to her lips, suppressing her laughter. “Sure it’s not. Whatever you say, Bon.”

Bon Bon scowled and puffed out her cheeks. “Really, Berry. We haven’t done anything like that yet… I-I mean again... a-and watch what you say around the foals!”

Berry waved a dismissive hoof in the air. “It’s fine. They don’t know what I’m talking about anyways. Plus, they’re all too busy with your lovers over there to even hear me.” She finished off her drink in one giant gulp, then set the now empty cup on the counter next to Scary. She let out a loud, relieved sigh before wiping her lips with her hoof, then turned back to Bon Bon. “So then, I guess the bigger question here is...” She hesitated with a wide grin, pausing for dramatic effect. “When are you going to make things… official?”

“Official?” Bon Bon questioned with a nervous chuckle. “Wh-what do you mean?”

“Oh, come on now!” Berry shouted, giving her friend a playful shove. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. You spend every waking moment with those two, and you even said yourself that you practically live at Cracker’s place.”

“S-so?” Bon Bon questioned again, blushing deeply.

“Soooo, when are you going to make things official with them? You know... When are you going to join their herd?” Berry clarified with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

“W-well… I mean,” Bon Bon paused, unable to hide her smile as she looked over to Chris and Lyra. “I-I’m not sure yet.”

Berry rolled her eyes at her stubborn friend. “You practically live with them now, but you're not sure?” she questioned, shaking her head in disappointment. “Come on, Bon. I know you're smitten with those two. What are you waiting for? Just go for it already!”

“I’m just, you know… waiting for that... special moment,” Bon Bon clarified, tapping her hooves together nervously as she looked down to her pet spider.

Scary looked up to Bon Bon and shook his head. Obviously, even he agreed that she should have joined their herd by now.

“Well, that special moment,” Berry repeated, making quotes in the air with her hooves, “ain’t gonna happen. This isn’t some cheesy romance story, Bon. If you're confident that they can make you happy in life, then just go for it already! I know you want to!”

Bon Bon smiled to herself as she looked down to her hooves in thought. “Well, maybe… maybe we can all talk about it on our vacation.”

“Wait, you guys are going on vacation?” Berry asked curiously. “When is this happening?”

“Umm, well, we leave tomorrow when the weekend starts.”

“Well gee, thanks for telling me,” Berry teased lightly. “So, where are you guys going?”

“I-I really don’t know,” Bon Bon admitted shyly. “They won't tell me where we’re going exactly. They keep telling me it’s a surprise. All I know is that our train for Neighagra Falls leaves early tomorrow morning and we'll be staying up there for a couple days.”

Berry hummed to herself in thought as she tapped a hoof to her chin. “Maybe they're taking you back to your old secret spot. You know, the one from when you were a filly.”

Bon Bon held a hoof to her lips and giggled softly. “I highly doubt that’s where we’re going. No, that place is long gone now. Plus, all the firelilies have been completely harvested from that forest... it’s rare to find just one of those flowers. I still can’t believe Chris found this one,” she said, pointing a hoof to the flower in her mane. “It would be fun to see that place again, though. But, I think I know where they're really planning on taking me.”

"Oh? And where would that be?"

"Well, I told them a while ago that I’d like to go and see the waterfalls up there sometime," Bon Bon explained with a cocky smirk. "They think I don't know what they're up to, but I’m fairly certain that's where we're going."

"You really think so?" Berry asked, a little puzzled.

"Positive," Bon Bon answered quickly, nodding her head. "I mean, why else would we be going there of all places? There really isn't anything else up there except some old farms and a few small museums."

Berry shrugged her shoulders. "Well, if you're certain, then I guess you can act surprised when you get there."

"I've been practicing my shocked look," Bon Bon said as she widened her eyes and opened her mouth, placing her hooves on her cheeks, showing off her acting skills.

Berry laughed and shook her head. "Don't drop your jaw down so much, then I think they'd believe it."

Bon Bon closed her mouth and dropped her hooves back down, then smiled at her friend. They both giggled at each other before Ruby ran up to them.

“Mommy, look!” Ruby shouted excitedly as she quickly trotted up to them, carefully holding a drink in her magic. “Look! Crackers helped me make this!”

Berry squinted her eyes and looked down at her daughter's floating cup. It looked like some kind of fruit punch drink. “What is it?” she asked sweetly.

“Crackers said it was a sparkling iced tea sangria,” Ruby explained happily, beaming up to her mother. “It’s just like your grown up drink, only this one is for fillies! And Crackers let me make it, just like you make your drinks at home Mommy!”

Berry smiled at her little Ruby. “Oh, yeah?” she asked, sounding as interested in her daughter's accomplishment as she could. “What did he let you do?”

“He let me pour in the grape juice and tea in, then showed me how to mix it up!” Ruby explained with a little bounce before putting the straw of her drink in her mouth, sucking on it gently with a happy smile.

“That’s wonderful, Pinchy,” Berry said warmly. “But, are you ready to go home so you can work on that homework of yours?”

Ruby’s smile slowly left her face, and she stopped sipping on her straw. “Yeah… I guess we should go now…”

“Go tell your friends goodbye, then we'll head home. We can pick up some dinner on the way, too. How does Hay Burger sound?”

Ruby gasped in surprise. “Can we?!” she asked excitedly, to which Berry nodded in response. “Okay Mom, I’ll be right back. I have to say goodbye to Crackers, too!” With that, she turned and started to gallop off to the back of the store where Chris and her friends where.

“Don’t run, sweety! There’s no rush!” Berry called to her daughter, then sighed lovingly. “I tell ya, Bon,” she said looking over to her friend again. “I don’t know what I would do without my little Pinchy.”

Bon Bon frowned slightly, but kept her smile. “She is very sweet. Must be nice to have a foal of your own.”

“It is… it can change your whole perspective on life, y’know?” Berry explained warmly. “Little Pinchy wasn’t planned, but I’m glad I have her in my life now.” She smiled happily, watching her daughter say goodbye to all her friends and the human, but started to frown as she thought some more. “I just worry about her sometimes.”

Bon Bon titled her head to the side slightly in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Ehh, it’s nothing,” Berry said nonchalantly as her smile returned. “I just feel like little Ruby over there could use a father figure in her life, you know?” She sat up and stretched her back legs out one at a time before picking up her empty cup from the counter. “But, I’m just being a stick in the mud. I’m more than enough stallion for both of us.”

Bon Bon giggled at her friend and nodded her head in agreement. “You’re a great mother, Berry. I think Ruby will grow up to be a very strong and wonderful mare some day.”

“Yeah?” Berry questioned with a laugh. “Well, I’ll take your word for it, but I think we should be going now. Ruby has a lot of homework, and I know we’ll both be up most of the night working on it if we don’t get home soon.”

“Okay, Berry,” Bon Bon said, sweetly. “Thank you for coming down.”

“Yeah, no problem. I’ll make an effort to come down and see you more often,” Berry said as she started to walk towards her daughter, who had no doubt forgotten she was supposed to say goodbye and was now babbling at her friends about random things. “Tell me when you get back from your vacation. I’d love to hear how it went.”

“I will, Berry,” Bon Bon said as she waved goodbye to her friend.

Just then, a yellow pegasus customer walked up with a big bag of candy in his mouth. He set the bag down on the counter and waited patiently.

This got Scary’s attention. He turned to the pegasus, then waved his foreleg in greeting, causing the new customer to smile.

Bon Bon smiled as well, then cleared her throat so she could properly greet the gentlecolt. “Hello and welcome to Sweetie Drops Candy Shop and Bar! Would that be all for you today?”

“Thank you for coming! We hope to see you again soon!” Bon Bon said as she escorted the last customer of the night out of the store, then waved them goodbye. She turned and walked back into the shop, locking the door behind her before flipping the open sign to closed.

“Today went well. I think this was the busiest we've been since reopening day,” Chris pointed out happily as he leaned up against the wall that was next to the entrance.

Bon Bon smiled up at him. “You might be right, but we won't know for sure until we count the bits we made today.”

Chris nodded before getting up off the wall, yawning loudly. He stretched his arms out, easily touching the ceiling with the palms of his hands and causing his now untucked dress shirt to lift up slightly.

Bon Bon couldn't help but stare as he reached up, towering over her while revealing part of his lower abdomen. She couldn’t quite explain why, but seeing him stretch out like that, exposing part of his body that was normally covered was just so thrilling. If he would have done this before, she would've been terrified, but now it was exciting and admittedly... sexy. She had to take a moment to close her eyes and suppress all the lewd thoughts of him holding her tightly in those strong arms of his before speaking.

“Somepony's a sleepy bear, I see,” Bon Bon said with a light giggle, opening her eyes to look up at him once she composed herself.

Chris snorted, holding in a laugh. “Sleepy bear?” he questioned with a smirk, letting his arms fall limp at his sides. “You know, I love it when you call me cute and adorable things like that.”

“I know,” Bon Bon teased, sticking her tongue out at him.

Chris chuckled a bit before holding a fist to his lips, yawning again as he looked out of the window of the shop. “Well, it’s getting pretty late, and we still need to finish packing for our trip tomorrow.”

“Can’t you give me at least one little hint about where you guys are taking me?” Bon Bon pleaded softly, giving him the biggest puppy dog eyes she could muster with an over exaggerated, pouty bottom lip. She had a good idea about where they were taking her, but a little hint to help confirm her suspicions wouldn't hurt.

“Nope!” Chris answered quickly yet playfully as he turned to head back to the bar area. “Don’t worry, though. You'll see soon enough. I’m going to start cleaning up the bar.”

“Fine… be that way,” Bon Bon grumbled, watching Chris walk away as he hummed one of those strange songs from his old world. “I guess I'll start counting the bits we made today.” She started to walk to the sales register, but stopped halfway there once she saw Lyra leaning over the counter, resting her head on her forelegs. Her tail lightly swayed from side to side while she stared at Scary in his portable aquarium.

“What?! No way,” Lyra said in disbelief.

Bon Bon creeped up to them, getting a little closer to listen in on what they were talking about.

“You had over two hundred brothers and sisters?!” Lyra questioned, loudly. “That’s crazy! I bet you guys fought over who got to use the bathroom first a lot.”

Bon Bon raised an eyebrow at their bizarre conversation, but crept closer. She looked over to Scary, who was waving his forelegs around in the air and nodding his head at Lyra.

“Oh, yeah... I guess when you live in the woods, then the forest is your toilet,” Lyra said, nodding her head in understanding. “That must be kind of nice to just go wherever, you know?”

“What are you two talking about?” Bon Bon said as she cut in, walking up next to Lyra.

“Hey, Bonny!” Lyra cheered happily, turning her head to face her. “We were just talking about pooping in the woods and Scary’s family.”

“His family?” Bon Bon questioned, ignoring the part about pooping in the woods. She looked over to Scary, who was now waving at her. “How come he’s never told me about his family before?” she asked, sounding a little hurt and offended.

Lyra blinked at Bon Bon a few times before responding, “Well… did you ever ask him?”

Bon Bon frowned sadly. “N-no… I guess I just never thought to ask…”

Lyra giggled before pushing herself up off the counter. “Well, he told me that his mother left them pretty early on, so it was just him and his siblings left to fend for themselves for a while.”

“Oh, no. Scary, you poor thing,” Bon Bon said in despair, holding a hoof to her chest.

Scary dismissively waved a limp foreleg in the air at her, saying it was no big deal.

“It’s okay, Bonny,” Lyra added, stepping off the counter. “That’s a pretty normal thing for spiders. Their mothers and fathers don’t stick around when they’re born.”

Scary nodded his head in confirmation.

“Really? I… didn’t know that,” Bon Bon admitted, tapping a hoof to her chin in thought. At that moment, she realized that she really didn't know a whole lot about spiders. She made a mental note about going to the library at some point in the future to learn more about them.

“Yeah, you should ask Scary sometime,” Lyra said as she dropped her chest down to the floor, stretching her forelegs out in front of her much like a cat would while yawning loudly. She then lifted her chest up and proceeded to stretch her back legs out one at a time. “What a day. I can’t believe how busy we were.”

Bon Bon blushed as she watched Lyra flex that slim and toned body of hers. She could never understand how Lyra was able to stay in such good shape so easily, but oh Celestia, did she love watching her stretch and move like that. It was a beautiful sight and she had to take a moment to clear her mind before speaking to her. “W-we were really busy today... Thank you for staying to help us.”

Lyra stood up straight again and smiled at Bon Bon. “Of course! I love working with you guys,” she said as she looked out the window. “I wish I could stay to help you two close, but I really need to meet up with Octavia before it gets too late.”

“It’s okay, Lyra. We understand,” Bon Bon replied warmly. “Are you going to get your new practice time and concert schedule from her?”

“Yeah. Octavia said she would have it ready for me by the end of the day today,” Lyra answered, using her magic to place her saddlebags that were behind the counter around her flanks. “I’ll just meet you guys back at Chris’s place, okay?”

“Wait! Before you go...” Bon Bon said quickly. She put on the sad puppy dog look again, hoping it would work better on Lyra. “Can’t you give me just one little clue about where you two are going to take me before you go?”

Lyra smirked a bit before responding. “Sure.”

“Really!?” Bon Bon half-shouted excitedly, but quickly covered her mouth with her hooves once she realized how loud she was being. She turned her head and looked over at the far end of the shop where Chris was. He didn’t seem to catch her little outburst and was currently washing a few glasses in the sink, still humming that strange human song, much to her relief. She looked back to Lyra and took a few steps closer to her before whispering, “Okay, tell me. I want a hint.”

Lyra gestured with a hoof for her to move closer.

Bon Bon did as she was asked, leaning in before tilting her ear to face Lyra.

Lyra leaned in and whispered into Bon Bon’s ear, causing a slight shiver to run down her spine. “Are you sure you want a hint? It could ruin the surprise, you know...”

Bon Bon bit her lip and nodded her head eagerly.

Lyra chuckled quietly, then leaned in a little more until her lips where practically touching Bon Bon’s ear. “This whole thing was…” she hesitated, causing Bon Bon to whimper. “This whooole trip was aaaall… Chris’s idea.” She leaned back and gave Bon Bon a wicked smile before turning around to make her way out the door.

Bon Bon stood there confused. She blinked a few times as she processed what Lyra just told her. “W-what? Wait! That wasn’t a hint at all!”

“Bye, Bonny!” Lyra called as she unlocked the door with her magic, then walked out the front entrance. “I’ll see you later tonight!” She closed the door behind her, locking it again with her key before heading straight for Octavia and Vinyl's home.

Bon Bon puffed up her cheeks in an angry pout. “Can you believe that, Scary? That wasn’t even a hint!” she grumbled, then turned to face her friend.

Scary beamed up at her, snickering.

Bon Bon rolled her eyes at him. “Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, Fuzzball,” she said as she walked around to the back of the counter, but stopped when she noticed something. “Scary… Your aquarium is filthy!” She took a moment to look around his little tank, noticing all the dirty imprints of little spider legs on the glass and loose cobwebs all over the place. Not to mention the half eaten corpses of his older meals lying buried in the dirt. “Honestly, Scary. I don’t know how you manage to get your aquarium so dirty.”

Scary looked around his little space, no doubt seeing what Bon Bon was seeing. He looked back at her and simply shrugged his furry, little legs.

Bon Bon sighed. “Well, I guess we should…” she started to say, but hesitated, gulping in fear once she realized what she had to do in order to properly clean his tank. “W-we should get you... o-out… so we can... clean it.” She laughed nervously, fidgeting with her hooves on the ground for a moment before turning her head. “C-Chris... Chris!”

“Yes?” Chris called from the bar, stopping his humming as he put away the last clean glass.

Bon Bon turned to face him before calling out again. “C-could you come over here and help me, please?”

Chris put the cloth he was using to dry dishes with away, then walked over to Bon Bon. “Yeah, what's up?” he asked, once he was close to her. “What do you need help with?”

Bon Bon frowned, but tried to put on the best smile she could before pointing to Scary with a hoof. “S-Scary’s aquarium is dirty again… C-could you… Could you help me clean it, please?”

Chris looked over at Scary’s aquarium, studying it for a moment. “It does look pretty dirty. Yeah, we should probably clean it up, now. I'll do it, so you don’t have to worry,” he said as he picked up the aquarium.

“T-thank you,” Bon Bon said as Chris started to walk into the back of the store where the kitchen was. She followed close behind, then shut the door once they were in the back room together.

Chris placed Scary's aquarium on a counter, next to a sink. He then opened a cabinet under the sink and pulled out a small bag of new substrate for the aquarium before setting it down on the counter. “This shouldn’t take too long,” he said as he started to unlatch the top of the aquarium. He set the lid down and reached a hand in to pick Scary up.

Scary quickly crawled onto his hand and stayed still, letting Chris pick him up.

“C-Chris…” Bon Bon uttered as he was about to place Scary on his shoulder, causing him to stop.

“Yes?”

Bon Bon closed her eyes, taking a deep, calming breath. She took a moment to mentally prepare herself for what she wanted to do, then opened her eyes again and looked up to Chris and Scary. “I-I… I want… I want to try and… h-hold Scary again… while you clean his tank.”

“You want to try again?” Chris questioned, sounding unsure. “Do you think you can do it this time?”

Bon Bon looked towards Scary and chewed her lip nervously as she thought for a moment. She wasn’t afraid of Chris’s hands anymore, but spiders still freaked her out. She still couldn’t touch or pet Scary, and that thought saddened her. For the past few months now, she had been trying desperately to beat her fear altogether and be able to hold her little friend without freaking out. She wanted this more than anything, and today… today she felt like she could do it. “I… I think I’m ready… Yes… I can do it this time.”

Chris smiled before slowly taking a knee in front of Bon Bon, cradling Scary in his hands. “Are you sure?”

Bon Bon sat back on her haunches and held out both of her hooves. She put on the best smile she could muster and nodded her head.

“Okay,” Chris said, using a hand to gently hold one of her forelegs for added support, which helped to calm her immensely. “We’ll take it slow, okay?”

Bon Bon quickly nodded her head again in understanding, then watched as Chris slowly brought his hand that was holding Scary forward. She could feel her hooves start to tremble as her heart rate shot up once Scary came within centimeters of her.

“It’s okay,” Chris said, gently squeezing the leg he was holding, letting her know that he was there in case anything happened. “Just remember. Scary would never hurt you.”

“O-okay…” Bon Bon whimpered as she felt a familiar burning sensation start to build up in her hooves. She knew from her past experience with Chris that this pain was only in her mind, and she did her best to ignore it. ‘Scary won't bite you. He won't bite you!’ she thought to herself, hoping it would help her to relax.

Chris touched his fingertips to the edge of her hoof, creating a small bridge for Scary. As soon as his fingers made contact with her, Scary started to slowly crawl forward.

Bon Bon clenched her teeth together and squinted her eyes, turning her head away slightly as she fought the powerful urge to run out of the room. Her eyes stayed locked on Scary as he slowly approached her, stopping right at the edge of Chris’s fingers. She could feel her hooves start to shake even more, causing her to tighten her muscles, locking her forelegs in place as best she could.

“It’s okay. I got you,” Chris reassured her which did help to calm her nerves a little.

After a short moment, Scary, very delicately, reached a leg out and gently placed it on the hard edge of her hoof.

Bon Bon whimpered, but stayed still for him.

Scary looked up to Bon Bon before slowly inching his leg a little farther, touching the soft frog of her hoof and making sure it was okay to proceed.

Bon Bon clenched her eyes shut, expected his touch to hurt in some way, but she couldn't really feel much of anything, except that pain in her leg.

After a while, Scary started to slowly inch forward again, making his way onto her hooves completely.

Bon Bon whimpered again as she actually started to feel his little legs on her hooves. Her forelegs trembled, but she held on, doing everything she could to just stay still.

As soon as Scary made it onto Bon Bon’s hooves, Chris used both of his hands to hold her forelegs, helping to support her. “Are you okay?” he asked gently. “Do you think you can hold him now?”

Bon Bon slowly opened her eyes a little wider and stared down at Scary. She bit her lip, unsure if she could keep him on her hooves like this. She had never gotten this far before and for the first time since she was a filly, she was actually holding a spider!

After waiting a bit longer for Bon Bon to answer him, Chris slowly let go of her forelegs, then waited some more. “Bonny… are you okay?”

Bon Bon managed to answer him this time with a timid nod, her eyes staying locked onto Scary the whole time.

“Okay… well, I’ll be right here if you need me. I can take Scary away whenever you want,” he said, watching them for a moment before standing up. He turned back to Scary’s aquarium, then started to scoop out the old substrate, glancing over every once in a while and keeping his eyes on Bon Bon to make sure everything was going as well as possible.

Bon Bon stayed frozen in place as she gazed straight into Scary’s eyes. He stared back at her with a warm and friendly expression on his face, but Bon Bon wasn’t sure what to do now. Her hooves were still trembling, and she was frozen with fear. The urge to bolt picked away at the back of her mind. She fought hard to not throw Scary in the air and run out of the room as her panic started to rise. Her breathing became heavier and more erratic the longer she held him. She just wanted to tell Chris to take Scary off her, but before she could do anything, Scary started to lightly pet her hoof with his forelegs, causing her to tighten up and hold her breath.

After that, Scary slowly wrapped his forelegs around her right hoof, causing her to gasp and flinch back a bit. He went slow, moving his body down so he could better embrace her leg, hugging her lovingly.

Bon Bon could feel her panic attack slowly die down from his actions. “S-Scary…” she muttered softly as tears started to well in her eyes. Without knowing it herself, she started to slowly bring him closer to her as the burning feeling in her legs began to fade. It was at that moment that she realized how wrong she had been. Scary wasn’t something to be afraid of when he was out of his aquarium. He wasn't some terrifying creature that was going to bite her and send her to the hospital again... No… far from that… Scary was, and always has been… her friend.

“SCARY!” Bon Bon shouted in a happy cry, overwhelmed with emotion as she pressed the little guy to her cheeks in a tight hug.

Chris jumped back in shock from Bon Bon’s sudden outburst. He quickly turned, ready to take Scary off Bon Bon, but stopped when he saw her practically crushing him against her face with tears streaming down her cheeks. “Ehh, Bonny… you might want to let him breathe a little.”

Bon Bon looked up to Chris, then quickly took Scary off her cheek. “Oh, no!” she cried out, worried that she might have hurt her friend. “Scary! Are you okay?!”

Scary shook his body, using his legs to fluff up his fur before looking up at Bon Bon. He gave a little salute, telling her that he was alright.

Bon Bon smiled warmly at him as more tears streamed down her cheeks. She slowly brought him into her chest, being more gentle now as she hugged him. “Oh, Scary… I’m so happy right now.”

Scary wrapped his forelegs around her chest, and hugged her back.

Chris chuckled at the two before going back to cleaning the aquarium, wiping down the glass before replacing the old substrate.

Scary started to fidget a little in Bon Bon’s grasp, causing her to relax her grip on him.

“What is it, Scary?” she asked as he started to crawl up on her. She had to stifle her laughter as his little, furry legs tickled her to no end. He made his way up her neck and eventually made it to her mane, easily crawling up on her curly locks.

“W-where are you going?” Bon Bon asked, still trying not to laugh as he reached to top of her head. She could feel him turn around a few times before stopping, staying perfectly still between her ears, content in staying there.

Bon Bon giggled up at him. “Comfy?” she asked with a soft smile.

“Okay, all done,” Chris said as he turned to face Bon Bon again, taking a knee in front of her. “I can put Scary back now.” He reached his hands out, ready to take him away.

Bon Bon frowned and took a small step away from Chris. “W-well… you know…” she started to say, causing Chris to drop his hands down, giving her a curious look. “He’s in that thing all day… I mean… he’s not hurting anypony, s-so… maybe he can stay out here? You know… with us while we close the shop?”

Chris raised an eyebrow, then smiled warmly before standing up again. “I think that's a great idea, Bonny. And I know Scary would love that, too.”

Bon Bon smiled at him before wiping her happy tears away with a hoof. She got up and turned around, keeping her head steady as she made her way out of the shop’s kitchen. “Come on, Scary. You can help me count the bits we made today, then we can sweep the floors.”

Chris chuckled and shook his head, watching Bon Bon walk out the door with Scary on top of her mane. He looked to the freshly cleaned aquarium, then shrugged his shoulders before walking out of the room, shutting off the lights and closing the door behind him.

The cozy passenger car of the train gently rocked back and forth as it chugged along, heading straight for Neighagra Falls.

Bon Bon looked out the window next to her, watching the beautiful scenery pass by as they neared their destination. She was sitting next to Lyra while Chris sat on his own seat in front of them. It had to work out that way since Chris was so large, but it hardly mattered since both sets of seats faced each other.

"It's been ages since I last saw this place," Bon Bon said with a happy sigh as she watched the slow moving horizon. The tall trees and towering, rocky mountains reminded her of her old home from when she was a filly, and she enjoyed the small nostalgic trip.

"It really is a very pretty area," Chris added as he looked out the same window. “Every time I came up here looking for your firelily I wished that I could stay longer and visit some of the local towns. I couldn’t really do that though, since I spent all that time wandering the forest.”

Bon Bon looked away from the window and faced Chris with a curious expression. “How long did it take you to find my firelily?”

“Didn’t it take you at least a week of trips back and forth to find one?” Lyra asked, scratching her head in thought.

“Well, I found that one,” Chris said, pointing to the firelily resting in Bon Bon’s mane, “on the third or fourth day I came up here. But, I came back a few more times after that to see if I could find anymore. I think I spent about... four to five hours each day looking for some.”

Bon Bon frowned at this new information. “You really dedicated that much time just to find me this one little firelily?”

“Yeah,” Chris admitted with a soft smile. “I wanted to get you a whole bouquet, but we all know how that plan turned out.”

Bon Bon smiled at him and leaned forward, placing her hoof on his thigh. “It’s okay, Chris. The one you found me is perfect, and I’ll cherish it forever.”

“Well, I’m really glad you like it,” Chris replied happily, placing his hand on her hoof and giving it a gentle squeeze. “Still… I wish I could find you more of them...”

“That’s very sweet of you, Chris,” Bon Bon said as she leaned back in her seat before sighing sadly. “It’s just too bad those flowers are practically extinct by now.”

“Yeah…” Chris added with a hint of sadness to his voice before shrugging his shoulder. “Oh well. What can you do?”

“It sure does suck a big one,” Lyra added in a nonchalant manner with an odd air of confidence, smirking as she closed her eyes and leaned back in her seat, putting her hooves behind her head.

Bon Bon raised a curious eyebrow at Lyra, finding the way she said that comment a bit odd, but shrugged it off. She looked out the window again, seeing her old home town coming into view. Her excitement grew as they got closer to their destination, eager to see what this big surprise was. Even though she was certain about where they were going, she still had a few doubts. Maybe she could try a different tactic to get a few more clues from them. She just had to ask the right questions...

“I hope you two didn’t spend too much on this little surprise…” Bon Bon said in concern, looking between them in hopes one would say something that would give her a clue. “I’d feel terrible if you two spent too much on this trip just for me.”

“Don’t worry, Bonny,” Lyra answered. “We didn’t spend a single bit.”

“Well, except for the train tickets to get up here,” Chris added with a chuckle.

“Ehh,” Lyra shrugged, waving a lazy hoof at him blindly. “Details.”

Bon Bon smiled wickedly, having the confirmation she needed. She had to stifle a happy laugh, feeling proud of herself for figuring out their little secret. She was a hundred percent sure that they were going to see the famous waterfalls now. Camping out there was easy and free of charge, so that had to be where they were going. “Well, whatever you two have planned, I’m sure it'll be lovely,” she said calmly in an attempt to thwart any suspicions they might have of her catching on.

“I sure hope so,” Chris said with a hint of worry and sadness in his voice.

Lyra simply chuckled softly as she continued to relax in her seat.

Bon Bon kept her smile as she sat back. She took a moment to think about how fun and romantic this trip was going to be. There was only one other thing that she could think of that could top a camping trip like this, but beautiful waterfalls were just as good and way more realistic than seeing some rare and extinct flowers again.

Even though Bon Bon was excited about their first vacation together, she couldn’t help but worry about their little friend back home. “Do you guys think Scary will be okay at Fluttershy's place?” she asked in concern. “I’m kind of worried about leaving him over there with all those other animals running around… w-what if one eats him?”

“You kidding me?” Lyra half-shouted excitedly, quickly opening her eyes as she sat up again. “Did you see the way Scary was checking out that lady spider Flutters had there?”

Bon Bon gave Lyra a confused look before responding. “You mean… that one that looked like Scary?” she asked. “D-do you think they’ll get along?”

“Ooooh, yeah,” Lyra cooed, nodding her head slowly with a sly, knowing smile. “I have a feeling they'll be getting along juuuuust fine.”

“Don’t worry, Bonny,” Chris reassured her. “Fluttershy knows what she’s doing, and her other animal friends won't harm Scary. I promise you.”

Bon Bon smiled a bit at that before tapping her hooves together in front of herself worriedly. “I know you’re right, and Fluttershy is great with animals, but… I just worry about him.”

“Next stop, Neighagra Falls train station!” one of the attendants called as he walked through the aisles.

The train came to a complete stop at the station, letting all of its passengers off. After that, Chris, Lyra, and Bon Bon went to gather their minimal luggage. Chris had a rather large backpack that held their single tent and sleeping bags, along with some other random items that they would need. Lyra was carrying the food and other survival essentials in her saddlebags, while Bon Bon really didn’t have much of anything to carry, except the firelily in her mane. She tried to offer some assistance with some of the load, but they insisted that she not carry anything for reasons that escaped her.

Once they gathered their belongings, they walking into town, then stopped at the side of a long stretch of road. Lyra waved a hoof in the air, flagging down a local carriage being pulled by two stallions to take them the rest of the way. The carriage stopped just in front of them and Lyra walked up to the driver before whispering something into her ear.

Bon Bon walked up to them to try and hear what they were saying, but the red earth pony carriage driver simply smiled and nodded her head at Lyra, ending their conversion.

“What did you tell her?” Bon Bon asked as she approached Lyra.

“Oh, nothing,” Lyra teased smugly as she opened the door to the carriage with her magic, holding it open for Bon Bon and Chris to enter. “Just giving her directions about where we're going.”

Bon Bon rolled her eyes. “Right, of course… It’s all a biiiig secret,” she said sarcastically, sighing deeply before hopping up into one of the seats. Chris climbed in next and sat down beside her, dropping his large backpack to the floor. Lyra climbed in next, sitting on the seat opposite of them.

As soon as they were all settled in, the cart started to move, taking them to their destination.

Lyra and Chris both smiled at each other, then nodded, causing Bon Bon to raise a curious eyebrow at them. Using her magic, Lyra pulled out a thin piece of cloth from one of her saddlebags and floated it over to Bon Bon.

“What’s this for?” Bon Bon questioned curiously.

“It’s a blindfold,” Chris explained. “If you see where we're going, it could ruin the surprise.”

Bon Bon gave an adorable snort, holding in a laugh. “Wow, you two are really going all out with this surprise thing,” she said with a hint of sarcasm before giggling softly. It was hardly a surprise to her anymore, but she figured it would be best to play along. “Okay, I'm ready. Blindfold me.” She closed her eyes and tilted her head up, letting Lyra use her magic to tie the pieces of cloth around her eyes.

“Can you see?” Chris asked, waving a hand in front of her.

“Not at all,” Bon Bon said truthfully, turning her head towards the sound of his voice. “How long do I have to keep this on?”

“It might be a little while,” Chris replied. “We have about an hour ride and a little ways to hike before we get there.”

“And how do you two expect me to hike with this blindfold on?” Bon Bon asked, thinking she found a flaw in their little plan.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be carrying you up there,” Chris answered sweetly.

Bon Bon giggled and leaned against his side with a gentle smile, causing him to wrap his arm around her. She had to admit that being carried around in Chris’s arms was a lot of fun, so if he needed to carry her on their little hike, then she wouldn't mind. “I think I’d like that. But, are you sure you can carry my big candy-butt all the way up there?” she teased as she nuzzled into him a little deeper, getting ready to take a small nap.

“I think I can manage okay,” Chris reassured her, chuckling softly as he gently began rubbing her side with his hand. Soon after that, he started to quietly sing that weird song again, helping to lull her into a gentle sleep. It was kind of a catchy little tune, if only a tad strange.

“Bonny, wake up,” Chris’s soft and warm voice called to her, rousing her from her restful nap.

Bon Bon yawned and stretched out, then tried to open her eyes, but then quickly remembered the blindfold. “Are we there?” she asked groggily.

“Not yet,” Chris said gently as he scooped her up into his arms.

Bon Bon quickly latched on to him, wrapping her forelegs around his neck and resting her head on his shoulders. She sighed happily as she felt Chris step off the carriage and touch the ground.

“Thanks a bunch for the ride,” Lyra said to the carriage driver.

“Y'all have fun out there,” she said before whipping the reigns, causing the stallions in front to rear up and take off down the road.

“You guys ready?” Lyra asked as she trotted up to them.

“Yep,” Chris replied, adjusting Bon Bon in his arm a little.

“You two really didn’t need to do all this,” Bon Bon said as she nuzzled herself into Chris’s neck. “I mean, I’m not complaining or anything, but this is all just too much.”

“For you, Bonny... It’s worth it,” Lyra said as she started forward to their destination.

“She’s right, you know,” Chris whispered into her ear.

“Oh? Well, I really don’t know about that,” Bon Bon argued weakly as Chris started to follow behind Lyra. She let herself relax in his arms, enjoying the little ride to the waterfalls.

Bon Bon's ears perked up and flicked around, picking up any sound they could detect as they traveled. The first thing she could hear was snapping of twigs and the crunching of old leaves as Chris and Lyra stepped on the ground. It reminded her of the noise her own hooves would make when she was a young little filly, galloping through the forest. “So, you're both taking me into the forest? Should I be worried?”

They both laughed before Chris turned his head to respond to her. “Well, Lyra's with us, so maybe a little.”

Bon Bon giggled at that before listening to their surroundings a little more closely. She could pick up the sounds of the trees gently swaying in the cool breeze, adding to her feeling of nostalgia. The beautiful sound of birds singing in the distance helped to enhance the eerily familiar symphony of the forest, and it filled her with a happy feeling that she just couldn’t place… Why did these sounds make her feel so joyful and safe?

She kept listening, trying to pinpoint the reasons why these sounds made her feel so warm inside, but the smell of something sweet and earthy interrupted her thoughts. It smelled wonderful and instantly reminded her of her youth, of those more innocent days when she would just run and play, losing herself to her more adventurous side that she had long forgotten about.

Bon Bon continued to listen, finding something strange about that song that the birds were singing. “W-wait…” Bon Bon muttered softly, perking her head up as her ears flicked around some more. She knew the song these birds were singing! She knew it well and the birds that sang this particular melody only flock to one forest in the spring time that she knew of. And those smells… It smelled like…

“Wait! Wh-where are you two taking me…?” Bon Bon asked in a helpless and frantic whimper, feeling confused and almost panicked. There’s just no way that they were taking her to… “A-aren't we going to see the waterfalls?”

“Not today,” Chris answered nonchalantly as he continued to make his way through the forest. “Just wait, we're almost there.”

Bon Bon whimpered as the sound of Chris and Lyra’s steps start to die down. The crunching of leaves and twigs were soon replaced with the familiar sound of rustling, as if they were walking through a field of tall grass.

Suddenly, Bon Bon’s senses were hit with an overwhelming, sweet and sugary aroma that could only come from one source that she knew of. But, was she just smelling her own flower that was still in her mane? It couldn’t possibly be anything else… There's just no way! “C-Chris... Lyra?"

“Its okay, we’re here now,” Chris said as he slowed down, coming to a complete stop. He gently lifted Bon Bon up before lightly setting her down.

Bon Bon could feel her hooves touch something soft and delicate before she hit solid ground. Whatever it was that was touching her, it kept swaying in the breeze, gently tickling her legs. She wanted to just rip the blindfold off and see where she was, but a hand on her back stopped her.

“Just wait. Don’t take it off yet,” Chris said sweetly.

Bon Bon could hear him walking away from her, causing more of the same rustling sounds to be heard. Her senses were hit again with a wave of that same sugary scent as he did so. “C-can I take this off now?” she asked desperately.

The sound of Lyra’s magic humming filled the air and she could feel the fabric slowly untie itself, freeing her sights from its dark prison. Her eyes fluttered open, but were immediately assaulted with a bright light, causing her to look down and shield herself with a hoof. She had to squint a little, just to help keep some of the light out.

After a while, her eyes began to adjust, and her sights were met with a wall of blurry orange objects at her hooves. She focused on one of the larger objects in front of her leg, trying desperately to see what was tickling her so much. Soon, her sight cleared and there before her, lightly touching her leg as it swayed in the breeze was a small, delicate and beautiful… firelily.

But, there wasn’t just one firelily at her leg. There were hundreds of them all around her.

Bon Bon started to slowly look up in utter shock, following the endless trail of orange flowers. Her sights eventually came up to Chris and Lyra, who were standing next to each other only a short distance away. They both smiled at her lovingly.

“W-what… what is… h-how...” Bon Bon muttered in an incoherent stutters as her heart started to pound out of her chest. Her mind began to spin as she tried to process the impossible. She turned her head, glancing over the whole forest only to find that the field of flowers kept going. She slowly spun around, seeing a sea of never ending orange. In fact, it seemed to stretch on forever, covering absolutely everything. She couldn’t even see the grass or fallen leaves of the trees scattered on the ground… just more and more… firelilies.

Rays of sunlight shone through the dense tree tops, revealing tiny specks of pollen that danced and sparkled in the air, creating a beautiful scene before her. The whole forest seemed to shimmer and come to life, causing her eyes to tear up, overwhelmed with a mix of emotions. She was excited, confused, happy, lost and exactly where she belonged all at once. It was almost too much for her mind to process. This place wasn’t the famous Neighagra Falls; it was so much better. It was her old sanctuary, only larger. Her old spot to run to when life seemed to be at its worst. It was her childhood, manifested into the physical form all around her.

But, how?

Why?

“I-I… I don’t understand…” Bon Bon whimpered as more tears started to form around her eyes. She turned back to face Chris and Lyra, who were still gazing at her lovingly, waiting. “H-how?”

Chris walked up, taking a knee in the field of flowers in front of her. He looked her in the eyes and smiled brightly. “Lyra and I had the idea to try and find that secret spot of yours.”

“It was your idea,” Lyra sang happily from behind him.

Chris rolled his eyes, keeping his happy smile. “Yes, well… we both worked together to make this happen for you, Bonny,” he clarified, placing a hand on her withers.

“B-both of you?” Bon Bon asked, looking into his beautiful, hazel-colored eyes as a tear ran down her cheek.

Chris nodded his head “We both took turns come down here on different days to try and find your old spot, but we failed every time. We tried for a whole month to find that place, but it just wasn’t here anymore.”

“B-but… but, t-this―”

“All of this,” Chris said, glancing over the forest before looking back into her eyes. “Was Lyra’s idea. She thought if we couldn’t find it, then maybe we could try and recreate it. We had to ask Princess Twilight to help us with that part though. I called in a few favors and she was more than happy to assist with our gift to you.”

“Y-you had... Twilight… g-grew all these flowers?” Bon Bon whimpered as more tears streamed down her cheeks.

Lyra walked up from behind Chris and stood next to him before happily explaining. “She used a powerful spell to magically grow all these flowers. They’re all real, but will die within a few days. The spell she learned wasn’t a permanent one, only temporary. But, it gives us enough time to enjoy it and camp out here for a while.”

Bon Bon couldn't believe what she was hearing, or even seeing! She had to take a few steps back and turn away from them as she processed everything. This was the same forest she knew as a filly, but it wasn’t the same spot where she used to hide away... it was better than that… This was some kind of impossible dream come to life. She could feel her more adventurous and long lost inner filly screaming at her to be set free, so she could run amuck in the field and just… have fun.

“Bonny?” Chris called in concern after she went silent for a while. “Are you okay?”

Bon Bon slowly turned her head around, blinking her tears away as she looked at them both. Her legs started to tremble with anticipation as a wide and toothy grin spread across her muzzle. She burst into a fit of laughter before galloping off as fast as she could though the field of flowers, kicking up a cluster orange petals in her wake.

Chris and Lyra both gave each other shocked looks before smirking playfully. They dropped their saddlebags and backpack, then jumped up and gave chase.

Bon Bon continued to gallop and skip through the forest, giggling all the while. She tumbled into a thick grouping of firelilies and started to roll around. Taking a moment to catch her breath, she laid there on her back, then turned over onto her belly. She scooped up a large group of the flowers in her forelegs and pressed her muzzle into them, taking in their nostalgic scent.

“Bonny!?” Chris’s voice called from behind her, causing her to look back.

Bon Bon suddenly got an evil idea and quickly hid herself behind a nearby fallen tree. She stealthily crawled over to the end of the tree, peering out from under some of the exposed roots as she watched Chris and Lyra run up.

“Bonny! Where did you go?!” Lyra called as she followed next to Chris. They both slowed down and started to slowly walk around as they looked for her.

Bon Bon smirked to herself before slowly crawling back into her little hiding spot. She listened carefully to the rustling of the flowers as Chris and Lyra walked, gauging where they were. Once she was confident that they were close enough, she quickly jumped on top of the fallen tree, then aimed herself at them before springing into action. “Surprise!” she shouted as she jumped towards them, intent on tackling one of them in a deadly hug.

Chris jerked his head towards Bon Bon, then quickly rolled out of the way. Lyra yelled in surprise and jumped back as well, causing Bon Bon to miss them both.

Bon Bon landed on the ground, almost tripping in the process, but quickly regained her balance. She spun around, taking a more predatory stance, ready to pounce again as her tail wagged from side to side.

“Whoa! Good one, Bonny,” Lyra praised with a laugh. “You scared the buck out of me.”

“Yeah!” Chris added, picking himself up, brushing off some of the flower petals that had caught on his clothing. “I thought you had me there for sure.”

Bon Bon chuckled menacingly, then stood up a bit more before turning her back to them. “I bet you two can’t catch me,” she said with a cocky grin as she looked back, swaying her hips in a taunting manner.

Lyra and Chris both blinked in confusion before grinning with excitement. Chris was the first one to jump out to try and catch her, but Bon Bon was too quick. She jumped forward, causing him to miss and land on his face.

Bon Bon laughed uncontrollably at his expense, snorting a few times before taking off into the forest of firelilies. “You’ll have to do better than that!”

"Come on, Chris!" Lyra cheered, using her magic to help Chris to his feet. "We have to catch her!" They both ran off together, chasing after Bon Bon.

It had been way too long since Bon Bon felt this alive. She couldn’t have been happier to be sharing this moment with Chris and Lyra, running through the woods like a bunch of immature foals. They all continued to chase each other back and forth, playing a spontaneous game of tag, or something similar to it. Honestly, Bon Bon didn't know what they were doing, but it hardly mattered.

In the middle of all this fooling around, Bon Bon jumped Chris in a full sprint. She wrapped her forelegs around his chest as their bodies collided, tackling him to the soft ground of firelilies underneath them. They both started to laugh uncontrollably as they laid together in the field of flowers.

“Oh, wow!” Chris breathed as he came down from his laughter, wrapping his arms around Bon Bon, holding her close to his chest. “You really got me good that time.”

Bon Bon giggled a bit, then paused as she looked into Chris’s eyes, taking a moment to admire his well trimmed beard and charming features. The longer she gazed at him the warmer she felt. Her smile started to fade ever so slightly as their embrace lingered.

Chris’s smile started to leave his lips as well. His eyelids started to fall and his head began to inch closer to hers, all on its own.

Bon Bon slowly leaned down, as if being pulled by some unknown force, and she welcomed it. This felt right to her… Like it was meant to be… This was the moment. The moment she was waiting for. “Chris… I…” she whispered as her lips came within centimeters of his. “I-I… I―”

Chris pressed his lips against hers, kissing her for the very first time before she could finish.

Bon Bon closed her eyes as she leaned into Chris. His lips where soft and smooth and his whiskers tickled her nose in a delightful way. It was just like she imagined kissing him would be like and she loved every second of it.

Chris closed his eyes as well, bringing his right hand up to gently hold the back of her head as they deepened their embrace.

Bon Bon hummed into his lips, feeling a tear roll down her cheek. It felt like a piece of her life that was missing had been found. It was at that moment she knew without a doubt what she wanted. She knew that she belonged here with Chris and Lyra. They were a part of her as much as she was a part of them and she wanted this feeling to last forever.

Lyra walked up and laid down in the grass next to them as they slowly broke their kiss apart.

Bon Bon smiled happily with misty eye as she looked over towards Lyra. “I… I want this…” she said softly, wiping away some of her tears. “I want to be with both of you.”

Chris and Lyra glanced at each other, smiling before looking back to Bon Bon. “We were actually going to ask you if you wanted to make things official and join our herd when this trip was over,” Chris replied warmly, running a gentle hand through her curly mane.

Bon Bon quickly nodded her head in response with a wide smile as more tears started to well up in her eyes. “Yes! Yes, of course I do!”

Lyra leaned in and kissed Bon Bon on the lips. They lingered there for a moment before slowly breaking their light embrace apart. “We would be more than happy to have you as part of our family, Bonny,” Lyra cooed lovingly.

Chris slowly rolled over, taking Bon Bon with him. He gently laid her on her back in the field of firelilies and smiled down at her. “Bonny,” he said in a soft, sweet voice. “Are you sure this is what you want? To be with Lyra and I?”

“I do… I truly do, more than anything in the world.” Bon Bon admitted happily. “I want this… I want you both in my life. I love you. I love you both so much!”

“We love you, too, Bon Bon.” Lyra said softly, stealing another kiss.

“And we always will,” Chris added, running a hand lovingly through her curly mane, causing some of the orange petals in her hair to fall back into the field of firelilies behind her.

Bon Bon nodded her head as she wiped away the tears from her eyes. She couldn’t have been happier to be here at this moment with the ones she loved. She wanted to be one with Chris and Lyra and share her life with theirs... forever.

She was ready to accept her feelings for Chris and finally be a part of their family.

Author's Notes:

I have to say... I'm sorry this took me so long to get out. I was having a lot of trouble with it. I do hope you guys like part 1 of this chapter, but this isn't the end. There are 3 parts to this and I will be posting them one at a time every day.

With that said... Let's talk about part 2 for a second... Okay... so... part 2 is... All Clop For those that don't enjoy that kind of thing, you CAN skip it. All you need to know is that they all got together and there will be a part 3 that you can enjoy that will bring this story to it's close. I hope to see you there!

And for those that do enjoy the clop stuff, I have to warn you... It's 15k words of sex. Did it need to be that long just to show that these characters coming together? No, not really... But I wanted it to be. There was a lot that I wanted them all to do, and that's what I did. They also help Bon Bon along with some things that she's still not completely over yet, so there is some story to it. It's not all just pure sex, but it's a lot. With that said, I know reading about stuff like that for so long can be tiring if you're not into whats going on, so I recommend reading it in parts, or skim though the scenes that you don't like. I would not be offended if you had to do that in order to read all of it. But, I do hope you enjoy it. Just makes sure you know what your getting yourself into before you start reading 15k words of human on pony lovemaking.

Now with that out of that way... I plan to have part 2 up tomorrow and part 3 up Tuesday if all goes well!

Tell me what you think! Let me know if stuff is messed up or missing. And I always love to hear what you liked, so feel free to let me know if you enjoy something about this chapter. Or if you didn't like something, then you can tell me that as well. I won't like it as much, but it does help me to be a better writer, so let me know.

Bon Bon's Acceptance-Part 2 [Clop]

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Bon Bon's Acceptance-Part 2 [Clop]

After everything they'd been through together, and all the amazing times they'd shared and experienced, it was more than clear to Bon Bon that this was right. She belonged with Chris and Lyra and she was ready to join them and call them her lovers. Nothing else mattered anymore. Not her parents, nor what other ponies thought of them being together, or even the risk that they might not be able to have a foal one day. She was happy and knew she could be happy with both of them.

It was time they made their little family official and finally became a herd.

Even though Bon Bon wanted this more than anything, the fear of how her last time with a stallion went flooded her mind, but she did her best to purge those thoughts. Her first time hurt and was short lived, but she loved Chris and Lyra more than anything and would gladly take any amount of pain or discomfort to be one with them.

Chris smiled at Bon Bon before delicately pressing his lips against hers. They lingered for a while before Chris pulled back, then laid down on top of her, lightly kissing her chest as he moved down her body. His soft and furry lips tickled as they brushed against her coat, causing her already racing heart to pound even faster.

Bon Bon whimpered anxiously as she watched Chris descend, leaving a loving trail of subtle kisses in his wake, heading towards her belly. He stopped at her navel, then lightly bit its outer edge, causing her hind legs to twitch suddenly as a jolt of pleasure shot through her. “C-Chris…” she whimpered as he kissed the spot he nipped, then continued his descent.

Just then, a gentle hoof placed itself on Bon Bon’s cheek, guiding her head to the side. The earth pony allowed herself to be manipulated, locking eyes with Lyra’s beautiful golden ones. “Lyra…” she whispered.

Lyra smiled at her with a half-lidded gaze, then leaned in, pressing her lips against Bon Bon’s, locking them in a loving embrace.

Bon Bon closed her eyes and reached a hoof out to gently caress Lyra’s cheek. She could feel the unicorn part her lips and she gladly reciprocated, letting Lyra's tongue slip into her mouth. She hummed in delight as their muscles massaged and danced around each other, letting their flavors mix together.

Below, Bon Bon could feel Chris peppering her lower abdomen with loving pecks, just above her teats, driving her insane with nervous anticipation. She wanted this, but was afraid of how close he was to her now. Not because of what he might do, but what he would see. She might’ve had some sexual experiences with him before, but this was different. He had never truly seen what she looks like down there. In fact, no stallion had ever been so close to that part of her before. She was no fool and knew that her breasts were slightly larger than the norm, and her marehood was small and odd looking compared to other mares. She was afraid that he would see all of that and not like her in some way, but she stayed still for him the best she could.

Chris continued to travel down in a straight line, purposefully avoiding her delicate mounds as he kissed between her breasts, tickling her coat with his beard.

Bon Bon fought the urge to close her legs and hide herself from him by doing the opposite of that, by opening up even more and allowing him easier access. She could feel herself growing hotter and even more embarrassed as he drew closer and closer to her most private area, causing her to press harder into Lyra’s lips and moan softly.

Chris stopped just inches away from her pulsating clitoris. He repositioned himself, getting more comfortable as he laid down in the field of flowers between her legs. He moved his hands down her body, then wrapped his arms under and around her thighs, holding her there firmly.

Bon Bon reflexively tried to close her legs out of the overwhelming feeling of doubt and embarrassment, but they wouldn't budge. Chris’s powerful arms held her firmly, keeping her open and available to him. That thought alone made her heart jump out of her chest and blush even more. She nervously whimpered into Lyra's mouth as they continued to kiss, waiting for his judgment.

Meanwhile, Lyra glided her hoof down Bon Bon’s neck and chest as their tongues wrestled with each other. She stopped at the side of the earth pony’s barrel and started to gently rub her affectionately.

The gesture helped Bon Bon to relax a little as Chris continued to gaze at her lower half, but she was still worried. She knew Chris was used to seeing Lyra up close like this, but she could never compare to Lyra's beauty. Even Silver Wing admitted that she looked strange before they slept together.

Without warning, Chris lightly kissed the tip of Bon Bon’s left teat, tickling her with his prickly and soft lips, sending a jolt of pleasure down her spine. She jerked her head back, separating her lips from Lyra’s as she gasped out in shock. She reflexively tried to close her legs again, but Chris held her open. “C-Chris…” she whimpered nervously, peering down at him. Their eyes met and he smirked before descending again, giving her stiff nipple a firm lick, pinning it back against her soft mound. She had to bite her lip to try and suppress a lewd moan, with little success.

Lyra smirked and nuzzled a little closer to Bon Bon, pressing their cheeks together while she gazed down to where Chris was. She then wrapped her foreleg around Bon Bon and held her close. “Bonny looooves it when you suck on them.”

“L-Lyra!” Bon Bon half-shouted, covering her muzzle behind her hooves as her embarrassing and shameful secret was revealed. “D-don't say stuff like that!”

“Oh?” Chris questioned, raising an eyebrow at Lyra before humming to himself in mock contemplation. “Is that a fact?” He hovered his lips over her nipple that was covered in his saliva, letting his warm breath tickle her before blowing on it softly.

Bon Bon's whole body shivered as cold air hit her wet teat, causing her muscles to tighten. She whimpered through her pursed lips while he continued to tease her to no end.

Chris chuckled a bit at her reaction, then hovered over her erect nipple. He licked his lips seductively as he gazed into her eyes, opening his jaws to let her sensitive nub enter his hungry mouth, then sealed his lips around it firmly. He rolled his tongue around the stiff flesh, causing her hind legs to kick out and jerk in his grasp.

“A-hhh, C-Chris,” Bon Bon whispered in a helpless stutter. She started to unknowingly roll her hips as he massaged and caressed her teat with his warm, wet muscle. She shivered in delight once he started to suck on her, pulling her tender teat into his mouth, which only added to the sensation. Her imagination ran wild with fantasies of Chris as her hungry little colt suckling on her, trying desperately to draw out her milk. That little fantasy alone sent a pleasant tingle through her body and she moaned loudly into her hooves.

Chris smiled around the firm flesh trapped between his lips as he listened to Bon Bon's muffled cries of pleasure. He started to suck harder, pressing the tip of her nipple to the roof of his mouth with his tongue, drawing out even louder, muffled reactions from the helpless mare.

Lyra lit up her horn, using her warm magic to hold Bon Bon’s neglected teat. She twisted it firmly, causing Bon Bon to clench her eyes shut. “You like that… don’t you, Bonny?” she teased, sending more magic through her horn to help stimulate her lover even more.

“L-Ly... Lyra!” Bon Bon gasped loudly with a bright blush. “I-I… I…” she tried to say between her pants, but was silenced when Lyra pulled on her teat while Chris continued to suck on her like a starving foal. “Ahhh!” Her whole body trembled as her arousal started to peak. She couldn’t believe how much this was turning her on. It was so exciting to have both of them tending to her in such a way, but she had to hold back. She would be mortified if she climaxed now, and right in front of Chris!

Chris pulled his head back, letting Bon Bon’s now tender and wet nipple pop out of his mouth, while at the same time Lyra relaxed her magic, much to the helpless earth pony’s relief. But, before she could relax, Chris released her legs and brought his hands around to rest on the inside of her thighs. He smoothed his palms over her coat, causing her to spread her legs out even more as he lowered his head to her most private area.

“N-noo...” Bon Bon whimpered in a nervous whisper. This was it. Soon she will know what Chris truly thought of her. He didn’t say anything about her breasts, but he hadn't seen the worst part of her yet. She silently prayed that he would like what she had to offer, but mentally prepared herself for rejection.

“It’s okay, Bonny,” Lyra reassured her in a whisper, sensing the earth pony’s discomfort while she rubbed her chest with a hoof. “This is kind of his... thing. He likes to see.”

Bon Bon wasn’t entirely sure what Lyra meant by that. She was about to ask, but Chris’s hands started to drift closer to her aching marehood, interrupting her thoughts. She peered out over her hooves at him, wondering what he was going to do, but before she could even begin to speculate anything, he placed his thumbs at her entrance and lightly traced her labia up and down. She remembered him doing something like this before and it felt nice, but it only confused her more. What was he―

Suddenly, Chris dipped the tips of his thumbs into her slit, then pulled his hands apart, spreading her delicate marehood open for his viewing pleasure.

“Oh my gosh!” Bon Bon half-shouted with a bright blush as her eyes widened in surprise. Her legs twitched and her marehood tried to contract in an effort to close itself, but it was no use. Chris held her labia open, revealing her soft, pink insides to him. She had never been this exposed in front of anypony before! Not even Lyra had ever seen that part of her, but now… Now Chris could see everything! It embarrassed her to no end, and she covered her face behind her hooves again. She could feel her love tunnel spasming in the cool breeze, making her picture the horrific scene that Chris must be seeing in her mind. She prayed to Celestia that he wouldn’t turn away in disgust. “D-don’t look! It’s horrible!”

“Bonny...” Chris called to her softly, causing her to lower her hooves just enough so she could see him. “You’re beautiful.”

Bon Bon's heart skipped a beat and her blush deepened at his words. The look in his eyes and the tone in his voice told her that he was being completely honest. “Y-you… you like it?” she asked awkwardly in a quiet whisper, causing Lyra to giggle next to her.

Chris smiled as he gazed into Bon Bon’s eyes. He leaned down and tenderly kissed her sensitive love button in the middle of a lewd wink, causing her to gasp sharply and jerk her hips up at the sudden sensation. “I love it,” he breathed softly.

Bon Bon smiled happily behind her hooves. He truly thought she was beautiful and wasn’t disgusted in the slightest. She still felt a little dirty and embarrassed for being so... open. But, if he loved it… Well, then she wouldn’t mind if he wanted to keep looking... even though it was a little strange.

Chris’s sights drifted back to Bon Bon's exposed marehood. He leaned in closer, sticking his tongue out before slowly licking over her convulsing love tunnel, causing her to gasp in response. He put his tongue back into his mouth and paused, humming to himself in thought.

“W-what is it...?” Bon Bon whimpered, worried that Chris was having second thoughts.

Lyra grinned, snuggling a little closer to Bon Bon, tenderly rubbing her belly with a hoof. “How does she taste?” she asked Chris is a sensual voice.

“Lyra! D-don’t ask him that!” Bon Bon shouted in embarrassment.

Chris chuckled before going in for another long and agonizingly slow lick, gathering up more of her sweet nectar on his tongue before pulling it back into his mouth, smacking his lips a few times. “Tastes like... vanilla… I like it!”

Bon Bon squeaked in embarrassment, hiding behind her hooves again. She couldn’t believe what he was saying about her, but before she could dwell on it further, Chris leaned down again, pressing his broad muscle to her entrance before sweeping upwards. She gasped in surprise, feeling her fur stand on end as his warm tongue firmly kneaded her exposed and delicate insides.

“Bonny,” Lyra cooed as she leaned up a bit, pushing Bon Bon’s hooves away from her face. The earth pony looked over to Lyra, biting her lips to quell any and all lewd sounds she wanted to make while Chris continued to tend to her from below. “Just relax and enjoy yourself.” Lyra kissed her on the nose, then moved to nibble under her ear.

Bon Bon moaned in delight from being assaulted on both ends. She reached her hoof out and gently placed it on Lyra’s side, rubbing her coat up and down gingerly. Oh, how she loved and admired Lyra's body, and with how aroused she was, she wanted her more than anything.

Without knowing it herself, Bon Bon’s hoof started to slowly move down Lyra’s sleek form, heading towards her petite and perfectly shaped breasts. The beautiful unicorn’s body started to warm up as her hoof glided across her soft mint-green belly, inching closer to its intended goal. It had been so long since they last made love. She just wanted to make Lyra happy and enjoy her beauty some more.

Lyra smirked, then leaned back. She placed her hoof onto Bon Bon’s foreleg, stopping her movements before she could reach her desired destination.

Bon Bon whimpered sadly as she gazed into Lyra’s eyes. She was about to complain, but Lyra stopped her with a kiss.

“I got an idea,” Lyra whispered in a sensual and sweet voice as she stood up. She positioned herself directly above Bon Bon’s body before turning around, flicking her tail to the side, revealing everything to her. “Is this what you want, Bonny?” She wiggled her backside in a suggestive manner, teasing the moaning earth pony with its perfection.

Bon Bon could see how aroused Lyra was, and it excited her even more. Her glistening slit winked and dripped with arousal as she swayed her hips, taunting her with its beauty. She quickly nodded her head in response to Lyra’s question before reaching her hooves out to hold the unicorn’s cutie marks. She then pulled Lyra back, guiding her to sit on top of her muzzle. Lyra’s marehood came within inches of her lips and she held the unicorn there, taking in the view for a moment before leaning up to tenderly lick her soft folds.

Lyra gasped as Bon Bon lapped at her outer edge, flicking her tail from side to the side, brushing the top of Bon Bon’s head. She bit her lip while the earth pony tended to her.

Bon Bon’s broad and thirsty tongue went right to work on Lyra’s clenching nethers with eager laps, causing the unicorn to pant as her body shuddered in delight. She gave a long, deep lick into her lover, savouring her minty flavor that she enjoyed quite a lot… maybe a little bit too much.

Lyra groaned and pushed her hips back into Bon Bon’s stimulating muscle. “B-bonny…” she breathed as her hind legs started to tremble.

Chris was still enjoying Bon Bon’s sweet nectar from below, licking slowly so he could savor everything. Once he had his fill, he let go of her labia, letting her pliable lip slowly close before wrapping his arms around her thighs again. He closed his eyes and pressed his lips to her entrance, dipping his tongue in as far as it could go before sweeping upwards, massaging her love tunnel with his firm muscle.

Bon Bon clenched her eyes shut before moaning loudly into Lyra’s backside, sending tingling vibrations into the unicorn's body. She did her best to ignore the feelings Chris was giving her, but that was next to impossible. Her hips trembled and pushed up into his mouth all on their own, seeking out more of his affection. With how worked up she was, she could already feel her climax peaking once again, but she held back the best she could, focusing on the beautiful mare before her, increasing her efforts to please the unicorn.

Chris hugged Bon Bon’s thighs in his powerful arms, diving deeper, causing her hips to roll and squirm in his grasp as if she was trying to escape. This only encouraged him more and he pressed his tongue deeper into her honeypot, lapping and drinking up her warm essence greedily, determined to send her over the edge.

Bon Bon desperately tried to wiggle out of Chris’s grasp and close her legs, feeling her climax quickly approaching. He was driving her insane, and with Lyra’s beautiful backside directly in front of her, she knew she wouldn’t last much longer. Her whole body locked up, and she started to lick into her lover even more, doing everything in her power to hold herself back. She couldn’t let herself go! This was their first moment together as a herd and she couldn’t do something so shameful and... rude. Especially not when Chris was right there!

Lyra’s hind legs trembled weakly, making it increasingly more difficult to keep her balance while Bon Bon’s tongue thrusted into her wildly. Her marehood grasped down on the invading muscle, signaling her end. She pressed her hips down onto Bon Bon’s muzzle even more as she rocked back and forth, letting her tongue loll out of her mouth as she moaned loudly into the forest.

Just then, Chris pulled back before diving in again, wrapping his lips around Bon Bon’s clit in the middle of a hard wink, trapping her sensitive nub in his mouth. He started to aggressively lick and suck on her tender button, causing the earth pony to let out a loud muffled cry.

Bon Bon had no chance now. Try as she might, she couldn’t hold it back any longer. She desperately tried to push Lyra off her so she could warn Chris, but it was too late. Her hind legs extended outwards in his grasp and her muscles tightened up. Her whole body twitched as she splashed Chris’s chin with her warm essence, groaning loudly into Lyra’s backside as wave after wave of pure bliss hit her. Her mind buzzed with a pleasurable fog while Chris continued to hungrily suck on her clitoris, proloning her climax.

The intense vibrations emanating from Bon Bon’s cries were enough to send Lyra over the edge. She closed her eyes while her horn started to glow with a bright golden aura as she came. She groaned loudly while her body was rocked with waves of bliss. Soon her horn fizzled out into nothing, and she collapsed forward onto Bon Bon’s body. Each one of her limbs twitched and spasmed as she convulsed over the incapacitated earth pony below her. She whimpered helplessly, wrapping her forelegs around Bon Bon’s hips, nuzzling her head between her lover's soft breasts, letting her orgasm subside.

Chris kept his hold on Bon Bon as her peak slowly died down. He finally released her sore clit and started to lick her now dripping marehood, lapping up as much of the sweet nectar as he could.

Bon Bon panted heavily, coming back down from her high. Her back legs twitched every time she felt Chris lick her now overly-sensitive marehood and her breathing became more steady once her mind began to clear. Unfortunately for her, she quickly realized what she had just done. “O-oh no…” she whimpered helplessly as a deep blush appeared on her face. She hid herself behind her hooves again, feeling mortified for what just happened.

In a daze, Lyra lifted her head and opened her eyes, seeing Chris’s smiling face in front of her. She drunkenly smiled at the glistening mess on his lips and beard. She giggled before leaning in to lick Bon Bon’s arousal off of him, cleaning his face and beard.

Once she was done, Chris smirked and kissed Lyra deeply, letting their tongues wrap around each other, giving her a full taste of Bon Bon’s orgasm. They lingered for a little while before slowly pulling apart.

Lyra hummed in joyful delight, savoring Bon Bon’s flavor. “You always taste amazing, Bonny,” she teased playfully, leaning in to lick Chris's lips. After a while without receiving an answer, Lyra lifted her hips and right leg up, peering under her body at the unresponsive mare below her. “Bonny, are you alright?”

Bon Bon peeked out from behind her hooves with tears in her eyes. “I… I just… I tried to warn you, but I-I… I’m so sorry, Chris!”

Lyra dropped her leg down slightly, then looked back at Chris in confusion. He seemed to be just as baffled as she was. “Why are you sorry?” Lyra asked in confusion, standing up and turning around to face Bon Bon before finally getting it. “Wait… are you sorry for cumming on Chris’s face?”

“Lyra!” Bon Bon shouted from behind her hooves as her blush deepened. “D-do you have to say it like that?”

Lyra rolled her eyes, then laid down next to her. “Hey, come on now,” she cooed lovingly, pushing Bon Bon’s hooves away from her face. “Chris loves that kind of stuff, you don’t need to feel ashamed about it.”

“Especially when you're with us,” Chris added as he crawled over to lay next to Bon Bon’s other side. He placed his hand directly on her belly, rubbing her reassuringly. “Besides, Lyra’s right. I really enjoy it when mares do that. I was actually kind of hoping I could get you to squirt like that again.”

Bon Bon whimpered bashfully. “Do you have to use... that word?”

“What, squirrrrt?” Lyra asked with a sly grin. “That’s just what it’s called, Bonny.”

“Would you prefer if we called it your happy fun fountain time?” Chris teased with a chuckle, causing Lyra to burst into a fit of laughter.

Even though Bon Bon was as red as a cherry now, she couldn’t help but smile. “N-no… the other word is fine I suppose,” she admitted in a bashful tone before looking between her loved ones, feeling a little more at ease. “So, y-you mean… you really like it?” she asked nervously, tapping her hooves together. “You don’t think it's weird or rude of me to just… s-squirt on you?”

“Well, a warning would’ve been nice,” Chris teased. “But, of course I love it.”

“It’s just…” Bon Bon started to say, but hesitated. Taking in a small breath, she continued. “I feel so embarrassed when I do that. I-I know it’s more than what most mares, umm… produce.”

Both Chris and Lyra snorted, trying to hold in their laughter. “Well, that just means there’s more for us to love, so don’t feel ashamed, okay?” Chris said, rubbing her chest reassuringly.

“See, Bonny?” Lyra added happily. “Now, you have two lovers in your life that like it when you cum an ocean.”

Bon Bon sighed and shook her head, but kept her smile all the same. She was still unbelievably embarrassed by what she did, but she was definitely feeling a lot more comfortable with herself now. “Well, it certainly is nice to have two weirdos in my life that could love a mare like me,” she teased back at them, sticking her tongue out a little.

Both Chris and Lyra nodded their heads in agreement. "Can't argue with that," Lyra admitted happily.

Chris ran his hand through Bon Bon’s curly mane before placing his palm on her cheek, holding her there for a moment. “Did you want to keep going?”

Bon Bon wrapped her forelegs around his arm and smiled up at him before nodding her head. “I do… I’m ready.”

Chris smiled and pushed himself up, sitting back in the field of flowers. Both Bon Bon and Lyra did the same, sitting up on their haunches as they watched him. He reached for the hem of his shirt and started to take it off, but was stopped once Bon Bon placed her hoof on his lap.

“W-wait,” Bon Bon said nervously.

Chris gave her a concerned and confused look, releasing his grip on his shirt. “What’s the matter? Are you okay? We don’t have to do this now if you're uncomfortable.”

Bon Bon shook her head in response, keeping her hoof on his lap as she scooted a little closer to him. She bit her lip, studying him up and down slowly before setting her sights on the hem of his shirt. “I just…” she started to say, but stopped as she timidly placed her other hoof on his stomach, feeling his smooth skin though the fabric. She took a moment to admire his unique form through those pesky clothes he always wore, letting her imagination run wild with thoughts of what he looked like before sighing softly. “You’re always wearing these silly things...” she said while she fidgeted with the edge of his shirt. “I just… I’d like it if… I-I could…”

Meanwhile, Lyra slowly crawled up behind Bon Bon and wrapped her forelegs around the unaware earth pony. She let her head rest against Bon Bon’s neck, just above her shoulders, then looked down, watching her play with Chris’s shirt. “You want to take his clothes off yourself?” Lyra asked in a sly, knowing whisper as her tail swayed from side to side.

Bon Bon blushed and nodded her head, keeping her gaze downward. She slid her hooves under his shirt and gently rubbed his lower abdomen, feeling the comforting warmth emanating from his body.

Chris sat up straight, giving Bon Bon easier access and letting her know that it was okay for her to continue.

Without any hesitation, Bon Bon moved her forelegs up, taking Chris’s shirt with them as her hooves glided across his smooth skin. He ducked down a bit so she could reach the top of his tall body, then raised his arms up, helping her to lift the clothing up over his head, letting it fall off to the side somewhere. She let her hooves rest on his bare chest, and stayed there, studying his semi-naked form with a half-lidded gaze.

Chris chuckled lightly as he sat perfectly still. “What do you think?”

As if in a daze, Bon Bon mumbled something that sounded like a 'yes', not actually hearing anything Chris had said, which caused Lyra to giggle.

Bon Bon had seen Chris with parts of his clothing off before, but this would be her first time seeing him up close and she really did like the way he looked. No, he wasn’t a pony, but he was charming all the same. His large and intimidating stature was enough to send shivers down her spine, but it was so much more than that. The exotic shape of his body and the way his muscles formed on his chest and arms had always appealed to her. It was so different than what she was used to, but different in the best way possible. He was incredibly handsome and she was no longer ashamed to admit that she loved him inside and out.

“Having fun, Bonny?” Lyra teased as she kissed her cheek.

"Mm-hmm," Bon Bon hummed happily, letting her hooves glide down Chris’s fit form, stopping at his waist. It didn't take her long to notice a very large and quite painful looking bulge in his pants. It twitched every now and then, demanding to be released from the fabric prison, showing off just how aroused he was. There wasn't a lot about stallion anatomy that Bon Bon was familiar with, but she knew enough to know that there was no way he could be comfortable right now.

Bon Bon whimpered sadly, feeling terrible for Chris's condition. She needed to get him out of there, but she wasn't really sure how to do that. Her hooves were too bulky to really work the button on his pants, but maybe she could use her teeth?

“Here, let me help,” Lyra cooed as she nuzzled Bon Bon’s cheek, using her magic to unfasten Chris’s pants so she could take them off easier. “The buttons can be tricky with hooves.”

“Thank you,” Bon Bon said quietly, moving her hooves to Chris’s sides, letting them rest just above the waistband. Chris sat up on his knees, giving her easier access, letting her slowly pull his pants down only to reveal more clothing underneath.

Bon Bon groaned quietly in disappointment, gazing at the boxers that seemed to be suffocating his stallionhood. She completely forgot that he liked to wear clothes in layers. She knew he had to do that to help protect himself from the elements since he didn’t have fur, but sometimes she thought he went a little overboard. There just didn’t seem to be any reason that he needed to wear this under layer of clothing when the outer layer kept him perfectly safe and warm. Perhaps one day she could convince him to wear less, but for now, he needed to be set free.

Smiling to herself, Bon Bon leaned forward, then gently bit the fabric that contained his impressive bulge. She could feel the heat emanate from him. His scent was strong now and she closed her eyes, taking a moment to let his aroma fill her senses. She couldn’t explain why, but there was something about his musk that she just loved. Other stallions seemed far more offensive in comparison... not that she had a lot of stallions to compare with except for Silver Wing, and Chris was a hundred times nicer than him.

Opening her eyes again, Bon Bon pulled Chris’s boxers down. The elastic band caught on his stiff erection, pulling it down before letting it pop out, causing it to spring up in front of her.

Bon Bon released the fabric in her mouth, letting it fall to Chris’s knees as she watched his member throb and twitch in the air, standing proudly before her. Admittedly, it had been a while since she'd last seen this part of him and he seemed even larger than she remembered. It was both thrilling and a bit frightening to see.

Lyra walked up from behind Bon Bon, then stood next to her as she gazed at Chris’s completely exposed form, smirking wickedly. She placed a hoof on him, then gently guided him to sit back.

Chris gladly obeyed, sitting back before kicking off the rest of his clothing and shoes, letting them fall somewhere in the field of firelilies. He sat there with his legs stretched out before him and waited patiently.

Lyra purred playfully, then laid over his left leg, pinning him under her. She reached a hoof out and placed it on the back of his throbbing member, keeping him steady so she could press her nose against his spire. She nuzzled him for a moment before taking in a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. Her tail flicked from side to side as she hummed in delight before turning her head back to Bon Bon with a sultry gaze. “Are you going to help me with this?” she asked, fluttering her eyelashes a bit. “I don’t think I can handle it all on my own.”

Bon Bon swallowed nervously as her heart rate quickly shot up. Seeing the way Lyra was nuzzling Chris made her excitement grow even more. There was just something so erotic and thrilling about the scene before her. It was admittedly very… sexy.

Without saying a word, Bon Bon joined Lyra, lying down on Chris’s other leg. Once she was comfortable, she leaned in and pressed her nose against his throbbing stallionhood, closing her eyes as she nuzzled him in the same way that Lyra did. She cooed happily at the feeling of his wonderful hardness against her muzzle before taking in a deep breath herself, letting his natural scent fill her nostrils.

Lyra giggled, going back to rubbing her snout up and down Chris’s length playfully, breathing softly though her nose all the while.

Chris took in a breath as both mares pressed into him, pinning him between their muzzles while their warm breath tickled his aching erection, causing it to twitch in anticipation.

Bon Bon let her tongue slip out of her mouth before licking Chris from his base to tip in one slow motion, coating his underside in her saliva. She went in for a second lick, but paused halfway, pressing her warm, wet muscle against him as she hummed quietly to herself, enjoying his familiar taste.

“I like the way you think, Bonny,” Lyra said as she copied Bon Bon’s actions, slowly licked Chris on the other side, which caused him to groan in pleasure.

Bon Bon continued her delicate ministrations, taking her time to enjoy Chris's salty taste. After a while, she started to get a little more curious and wanted to see what else she could do to please him. This was the perfect time to explore and even learn a little more about stallions in the process. Hopefully, she would find something that he would really enjoy.

Opening her eyes, Bon Bon looked up at Chris with a half lidded gaze before pressing her lips against the side of his twitching member. Their sights met, and she began to tenderly suck on the side of his tall spire, lightly pulling his smooth skin into her mouth.

Chris groaned in pleasure, giving Bon Bon the reaction she was hoping for. She giggled at the back of her throat, then continued to suckle on him, making a mental note that he liked what she was doing.

Meanwhile, Lyra moved her head up, then placed Chris’s pink tip against her lips. She let her tongue roll around his head for a while, coating him in her saliva and cleaning off any pre-cum that had formed. She hummed softly in anticipation before taking his sensitive crown into her awaiting maw, pressing her lips around him tightly as she slowly descended around him.

Chris groaned loudly and his legs quivered beneath both mares as they tended to him. His breathing became more labored and he flexed his stomach muscles in a vain attempt to try and quell his impending climax that was already started to well up.

Bon Bon relished in the sounds they were eliciting from Chris, which in turn, caused her own arousal to build once again and only encouraged her to continue onward. Feeling more playful and adventurous, she tried to think of new ways she could please him. But, with her limited knowledge and experience with stallion anatomy, she was at a loss. All she had to go on were stories Lyra and her friends had told her. She had to keep exploring and experimenting to see what else Chris would like. With that in mind, she started to descend lower to where she had heard stallions are very sensitive, gently kissing and sucking on the side of his stallionhood in the process.

As Bon Bon moved, Lyra began to bob her head up and down, taking more of Chris’s length into her hungry, suckleing muzzle. She swallowed a few times, attempting to milk him as she slowly worked her way down, taking inch after inch of his member into her mouth.

Bon Bon quickly reached her desired destination, letting her nose brush against Chris’s hefty balls, taking in his musky scent where it was the strongest. Her mind buzzed, drunk with pleasure and she sighed happily before trying to think of what to do next. She knew that a stallion's testicles were very delicate and she was sure it was the same way with Chris. He wasn’t that different after all. She remembered hearing a few of her friends say that some stallions enjoy it when a mare tends to their… beanbag, so maybe Chris would like that as well. With that in mind, she let her tongue slip out of her mouth and slowly licked his sack. Almost instantly, she heard a deep moan come from above her, signaling that her actions were bearing fruit.

Feeling more confident, Bon Bon took one of Chris’s delicate orbs into her maw and started to tenderly suck on it, rolling her tongue over it, feeling exactly how fragile it was.

“S-sweet Celestia, Bonny,” Chris groaned in a shaky voice as his legs started to tremble beneath them.

Bon Bon mentally cheered to herself, feeling giddy and victorious for having found something else that Chris really enjoyed. She made another mental note before continuing to suckle on him lovingly, humming around him in joyful delight.

“Gwwd jwb, Bwnny,” Lyra mumbled through her mouthful as she peered down at the earth pony.

Bon Bon pulled back, letting Chris’s fragile testicals pop out of her mouth before looking up to Lyra with a slight scowl. “Lyra, don’t talk with your mouth full,” she chastised in a teasing manner, then leaned down and wrapped her tongue around Chris’s sack, guiding him back into her mouth.

Lyra giggled, going back to slowly bobbing her head on Chris’s stiff member, following the natural curve of his erection as she moved. She worked her way down, inching her way closer to his base as Bon Bon tended to him from below.

“Girls...” Chris grunted helplessly, placing his hands on the back of their manes. “It’s too much… y-you have to stop.”

This only made Lyra work even more. She descended even more, taking him to the base, cramming everything he had against the back of her throat. She hummed and swallowed thickly, letting her throat muscles massage his tip, desperately trying to milk him for all he was worth.

Bon Bon also doubled her efforts, sucking on his delicate orb even harder.

Chris’s whole body trembled. His hands gripped the back of their manes and his eyes screwed shut. “G-girls!” He tried to warn them a second time, but they weren't listening. They both knew what was coming.

Bon Bon wanted to give Chris the best feeling she could, and she didn’t mind if they had to wait a day or two until he was in the mood again so they could finally be one. As long as Chris was happy, she was happy, and she knew Lyra would feel the same. With that in mind, she started to swirl her tongue around his sack, moaning loudly as she worked.

“Not f-fair!” Chris moaned his shaky complaint as his legs locked up under the two mares.

Bon Bon could feel Chris’s balls start to recede into his body, which surprised her. Determined not to lose the one between her lips, she started to suck and swallow even more, trying to pull him back out. She then opened her eyes and looked up to Lyra, who was still pressing her lips against his base, holding him inside her muzzle as she swallowed thickly.

Chris threw his head back and cried out as his orgasm overwhelmed him. His whole body became stiff and his hips tried to jerk upwards, wanting to fit more of himself inside Lyra’ mouth.

His testicle pulsed inside Bon Bon’s maw as he released his powerful load deep into Lyra’s throat. The inexperienced earth pony watched as Lyra smiled around her mouthful and pulled back slightly, revealing some of Chris’s now glistening length while it throbbed between her tightly pressed lips. She could see his veins starting to pop out as his stallionhood continued to pulse and pour hot seed into Lyra’s awaiting muzzle over and over again. Her eyes widened in awe and wonderment as she witnessed her stallion―for the first time―climax up close. It was an amazing sight, and in a lot of ways, she was strangely jealous of Lyra.

“O-oh, f-f-fuck…” Chris stuttered, relaxing his grip on both their manes, then collapsed backwards into the field of firelilies. He laid there, desperately trying to catch his breath as he rode out his high.

Bon Bon released his sack from her mouth, then sat up, keeping her sight locked on Lyra.

The unicorn kept her lips sealed around Chris’s slowly deflating member, humming in contentment. She started to pull back slowly, cleaning off his twitching phallus, not letting any of his precious essence escape her lips. His tip popped out of her mouth and fell against his lower abdomen, glistening with her saliva and as clean as could be.

Bon Bon pouted slightly. She knew it was a little perverted, but she actually really enjoyed the way Chris tasted, and she kind of wanted to get that chance to taste him again.

Just then, Lyra turned to Bon Bon with half-lidded gaze and placed a hoof behind the earth pony's back, gently guiding her to lean forward.

Feeling slightly confused, Bon Bon did as Lyra directed, letting their lips connect in a loving embrace. She could feel Lyra’s lips slowly part once they connected, and she gladly reciprocated. As soon as she did so, Chris’s thick and warm seed poured out of Lyra’s mouth and began to fill her own, much to her shocked and welcomed surprise.

Bon Bon shut her eyes and wrapped her forelegs around Lyra, pulling her close while pushing harder into their kiss. She swallowed thickly as Chris’s wonderfully sweet and salty liquid continued to spill from Lyra’s lips, tickling her taste buds. Both mares hummed in delight as they consumed the tasty treat together. They soon pulled apart, ending their kiss, leaving behind a thin line of white that connected their lips together.

Lyra giggled before leaning in, licking Bon Bon’s lips, severing the thin bridge that connected them.

“H-holy shit,” Chris said weakly in dumbfounded awe as he propped himself up with his elbows, causing both mares to turn and look at him. “That… was hot…”

Lyra smiled and licked her lips in a teasing manner. “You like that, Big Guy?” she cooed playfully, bringing Bon Bon closer to her, pressing their cheeks together while hugging her tightly.

Chris nodded his head quickly, finding talking a difficult task.

Bon Bon blushed brightly and giggled at Chris's reaction, hugging Lyra a little closer as her gaze drifted lower on Chris’s body. Her eyes widened and she gasped in surprise once she saw how hard he still was. “W-what?” she stuttered in confusion. “H-how are you still…” She cut herself off and pointed a hoof to his crotch.

“After what you two just did!?” Chris asked in excitement. “How could I not be excited!?”

“W-wait… so you can keep going?” Bon Bon asked in disbelief, relaxing her grip on Lyra.

“Don’t you remember what I told you about stallions from his world?” Lyra asked, causing Bon Bon to look at her with a bemused expression. “His kind can go a lot longer than the stallions we’re used to. Come on... you remember. Think back to when I told you about how we spent our first night together.”

Bon Bon frowned as she thought back. She did remember the very detailed and unbelievable story of their first night when they became a couple, but she thought Lyra was making half of that stuff up. “Y-you mean… you two really went at it all night?” she asked in disbelief. “I-I thought you were just pulling my leg…”

“It’s true,” Chris added, causing Bon Bon to face him as he sat up straight. “I was pretty sore for a couple weeks after that, but we spent that whole night getting to... know each other.” He winked at Lyra, and she stuck her tongue out at him in response, blowing him a very childish raspberry.

Bon Bon still couldn’t really believe what she was hearing. She might be in the dark about most things that involved the opposite sex, but there was one thing that she knew, and that was that stallions had little to no stamina. And yet, Chris was right in front of her, throbbing and wanting more. They didn’t have to wait another day for him to be in the mood again; they could finally be together right now.

That thought both excited and scared Bon Bon.

“S-so, we can… k-keep going?” Bon Bon asked nervously, hiding herself behind her curly forelock a little. She wanted this, but she couldn’t help the fear that was slowly building inside her. Thoughts of how rough Silver was with her and the pain that soon followed entered her mind.

“If you're ready,” Chris said sweetly as he reached out a hand, placing it lightly on Bon Bon’s cheek and holding her gently.

Bon Bon whimpered quietly, leaning into his hand while his thumb tenderly rubbed her cheek. It helped to calm her nervousness a little, but not quite enough. She was still afraid of the pain that mating with a stallion came with. She wasn’t a stranger to penetration, but most of her experiences were with smaller toys that she and Lyra would use on rare occasions and Chris was much larger than any of those. Plus, it was no secret that her… well, her vagina was on the smaller side and that's why they had to use smaller toys. She was afraid to use anything bigger, especially after her time with Silver, and Chris was around the same size he was.

But that hardly mattered. She wanted to be with Chris and Lyra, no matter what. “I-I am… I’m ready” she finally answered in a whisper as her forelegs started to shake in nervous anticipation.

“Are you okay, Bonny?” Lyra asked in concern, sensing that something was wrong. “You’re shaking…”

“Is everything alright?” Chris asked, giving Bon Bon `a worried look.

“I-I’m fine,” Bon Bon said as she looked to Chris, putting on the best smile she could. “It’s just…” she started to say, but paused, biting her lip. She didn’t want to offend him and say that she was afraid of having sex. It wasn’t his fault that she was afraid.

“It’s just what?” Chris asked softly, moving his hand to her side, petting her reassuringly in hopes that it would help to ease her worries.

“You can tell us, Bonny,” Lyra added as she rubbed her back, tightening her grip around her.

Lyra was right and Bon Bon knew it. She could tell them both anything, and that thought helped her to relax a little more.
“Well…” she started to explain, feeling more confident in herself, looking between her loved ones. “It’s just that my first time with, you know… Silver Wing?” Chris and Lyra both nodded in understanding, listening intently as she continued, “It wasn’t exactly the best first experience with a stallion for me...”

“Wait,” Lyra said, suddenly realizing. “You’re not afraid it's going to hurt again, are you?”

Bon Bon nodded her head slowly. Chris was looking a little confused, but Bon Bon spoke up to clarify. “Silver Wing was the first stallion I ever had sex with and it was… really painful.”

“And you’re afraid your first time with me will hurt, too?” Chris asked, sounding worried and disheartened.

“I’m sorry, Chris,” Bon Bon said in a sad whisper. “B-but, I don’t care! I want to be with you, even if it hurts a lot!”

“Bonny,” Lyra deadpanned, rolling her eyes. “I keep telling you that your first time hurt because you both went too fast. Don’t worry, this time it will be nice. I promise.”

“A-are you sure?” Bon Bon asked, looking to Lyra hopefuly.

“It’s okay, Bonny,” Chris said, placing a hand on her cheek and guiding her head to face him again. He smiled and leaned in, kissing her tenderly on the lips before pulling back. “I don’t want to hurt you. We’ll go as slow as you're comfortable with, okay?”

Hearing Chris’s words brought a smile to Bon Bon’s face. The idea of going at her own pace was like music to her ears. She was hoping that’s how they could do things and she felt a lot better knowing that Chris was okay with that. “Thank you. I’d like that,” she said in a gentle whisper, letting go of Lyra and wrapping a hoof around his arm.

Feeling better, Bon Bon looked down to try and gauge Chris’s size again, but frowned once she saw how limp he was. “W-what’s wrong?” she asked in concern. “Are you not, umm... excited anymore?”

“Well, I was really worried about you,” Chris explained.

“Oh,” Bon Bon said sadly, looking away from him and feeling slightly ashamed. “I-I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to make you worry and kill the mood...”

Lyra giggled before getting off of Chris’s leg, then turned to face both of them. “Don’t worry, Bonny. I know how to fix him,” she teased with a wink in her direction. “You just relax, okay?”

Bon Bon gave Lyra a confused looked. She wasn’t sure what she meant by fix him. “Well, if you’re sure,” she said awkwardly.

Chris chuckled a bit, then gently picked her up off of his leg, then laid her down in the field of flowers in front of him.

Bon Bon smiled up at Chris, but furrowed her brow slightly, feeling confused about being placed on her back like this. She thought they were going to finally be one together, but this was a position that she often did with a mare, not a stallion. Did he want to see her… vagina again or something? “U-umm… why am I on my back like this?” she asked criously. “I mean… don’t you need me to be, umm―”

“It’s okay, Bonny,” Lyra reassured her as she walked up to Chris and sat down next to him. “This is how Chris and I first did it, too.”

Bon Bon gave them both a bemused expression. “S-so we do it… just like this? With me on my back?”

“I know it doesn’t make a lot of sense right now and it can feel a little weird at first, but trust me. You’ll like it,” Lyra reassured her.

“It’s just easier for me,” Chris admitted, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “If it’s too uncomfortable for you, we can do it the traditional pony way.”

Bon Bon wiggled around a bit, getting herself a little more comfortable. The feeling of the flowers around her helped to calm her immensely, but it was still kind of strange trying to picture how this was going to work. But if it made it easier for Chris, then she wouldn’t mind. “This is fine,” she said with a smile. “We can do it like this if you want.”

Lyra smirked and got up to face Chris. “You heard the mare,” she teased, gazing down at his semi-hard length with a sultry expression. “Now… Let’s get you ready.”

Bon Bon watched curiously as Chris got to his knees and Lyra leaned down until she was at eye level with his waist.

Lyra tenderly kissed his soft phallus, causing it to twitch in response. She giggled then closed her eyes, letting her tongue loll out of her mouth before lapping at him eagerly.

Chris placed his hand on the back of Lyra's head, taking in slow, drawn out breaths as she tended to him. He ran his fingers through her cyan mane as she licked his stiffening member. She made sure to pay close attention to his tip, covering his already wet length in even more of her glistening saliva.

Bon Bon watched in amazement as Chris’s stallionhood responded to Lyra’s attention. It throbbed with every lick, growing larger and firmer by the second. Even though she was still nervous, she couldn’t help but feel her own arousal start to grow from the sight. Her marehood winked and ached in anticipation, becoming wetter the longer she watched Lyra tend to their stallion.

Lyra started taking longer strokes as Chris continued to grow, letting her tongue run over his smooth skin from his base to tip in one long motion. Once he was at full mast, she smiled to herself and opened her eyes, leaning back to admire her work. "That's better," she chirped happily as his member stood proudly in the air once again, hard as ever. She got up and walked over to Bon Bon, then laid down in the field of flowers next to her. She scooted closer to the nervous earth pony and wrapped her foreleg around her, holding their bodies close in a loving embrace.

Chris took a moment to admire the beautiful mares before him. He smiled and shook his head in disbelief, thinking about how lucky he was to have fallen in love twice. He sighed happily, then leaned over them, placing his hands on the ground next to his lovers to help prop himself up.

Bon Bon looked up to Chris and whimpered nervously as her heart started to pound out of her chest. She bit her lip and pulled her forelegs back to her barrel, holding them there in a protective manner. It was incredibly intimidating to see him looming over them like that, but thrilling at the same time. He was like a predator, ready to take his prey… As strange as it was, that idea helped her feel even more aroused.

"Don't worry, it won't be as bad as you think. You’ll like it," Lyra whispered to Bon Bon reassuringly, kissing her gently on the cheek.

Bon Bon nodded, trusting in Lyra’s words. She chewed on her lip nervously as she watched Chris line his hips up with hers. She spread her legs out and made an effort to help by adjusting herself to him. Once their hips were lined up, he let his hard length rest right on top of her soft vulva, letting her feel the intense heat emanating from him. She shivered and cooed softly at the feeling.

Slowly and gently, Chris pulled his hips back, using his hand to grip his member so he could better guide himself. He paused just a few inches away, then looked into Bon Bon’s eyes. "Are you sure you’re ready?"

Bon Bon whimpered quietly, grabbing hold of Lyra's foreleg that was wrapped around her chest for added comfort, peering down at his throbbing erection. Her body started to tremble as she thought about his question and mentally prepared herself for what was to come. She was as ready as she would ever be and with a deep breath, she nodded her response.

Chris started to move forward, but was stopped.

"Wait!" Lyra shouted, causing Both Chris and Bon Bon to give her a confused look. “I’ve always wanted to do this!" she said happily as her horn started to glow.

Bon Bon could feel a tingling warmth at her marehood, then a sudden sensation of being spread open again as the cool air of the forest hit her delicate insides. “A-ahh, Lyra!” she shouted in shock as her most private treasure was forced open by the unicorn’s magic.

“She’s waiting for you, Big Guy,” Lyra cooed with a half-lidded stare and sly, seductive grin.

“Sweet merciful Luna,” Bon Bon muttered bashfully as she tried to hide herself behind her forelegs and curly forelock.

“Beautiful…” Chris mumbled as he gazed down at Bon Bon’s spread marehood one last time before slowly moved forward. With his hand still on his member, he guided his tip towards her throbbing entrance.

Bon Bon gasped in shock once she felt Chris’s crown tenderly kiss her love tunnel, causing her body to stiffen and her marehood to clench down in response. ‘This is it! He’s going to be inside me!’ she thought anxiously as her heart pounded in her chest.

Chris sighed softly as she applied more pressure, forcing his crown to sink into her warm depths with little success. Her walls sealed around him firmly as if she was trying to push him back out, making it difficult for him to enter. He began lightly rocking back and forth, prodding her entrance in an effort to try and help her loosen up. Once he thought she was ready, he took a deep breath then give a firm hump forward, pushing past her resistance and popping his head inside.

Bon Bon gasped loudly in surprise at the sudden penetration. Her hind legs bucked up as her soft inner walls reflexively clamped down on him, halting his progress.

Chris grunted through gritted teeth at the sudden pressure. He tried to move, but her powerful earth pony muscles held him tightly, trapping his tip inside. “B-bonny…” he groaned in a shaky voice, “You have to relax.”

“It’s okay,” Lyra cooed into Bon Bon's ear, kissing her cheek while rubbing her belly in a slow circular motion. “Just relax. It'll be okay, I promise.”

Bon Bon whimpered nervously, not really hearing what Chris or Lyra had said. She was too focused on the warm pressure between her legs that was trying to make it’s way inside her. It was painful, yes, but not overwhelmingly so like it was with Sliver Wing, which was a small relief to her. Regardless, she held her breath and locked her body up, expecting more pain to come soon.

“Don’t worry, Bonny. It’ll be fine,” Lyra cooed again, nipping gently under the tense earth pony’s ear, helping her to release her breath and relax just enough so that Chris could progress.

Chris took a moment to compose himself, then tried to push forward again, finding little resistance this time. It was still a struggle, but he could move in much easier now. Taking things agonizingly slow, he continued to enter her well lubricated and warm passage, sliding back and forth gradually until half of his shaft disappeared inside her.

Bon Bon bit her bottom lip, suppressing a moan as Chris moved deeper, stretching her inner walls apart. Her muscles spasmed and clenched around his impossibly hard stallionhood, trying desperately to accommodate for his size. He felt almost too large for her small passage to take, but his slow movements helped her, giving her time to adjust to him as he entered.

Silver Wing never gave her the courtesy of taking things slow and only now did she realize why her first experience with him was so painful. Even though she felt pain with Chris as well, it didn't feel like she was being ripped in half like it did with Silver. This was a good pain, which was a strange sensation for her. She had never felt so pleasantly stretched before, but… she wanted more…

Lyra stopped her nipping and looked down to where her loved ones were joining together. She rubbed Bon Bon’s chest reassuringly, snuggling a little closer to the earth pony. “There you go, Bonny. Just relax and it will be fine," she said in a soft whisper, enjoying the sight of the lovers finally become one.

Once Chris was a little more than half way in, he let go of his member, then placed his hand back on the ground to help support him. He looked into Bon Bon’s eyes, starting to pant as he continued to slowly move his hips towards hers.

Bon Bon took in a quick and shaky breath as he pushed past where no toy had ever gone before, feeling every little detail about him. Something that she never had a chance to experience with Silver Wing when she slept with him. Silver was just a blunt and painful force and nothing more, but Chris was different. He was smooth and gentle. His exotic and round tip pulsed inside her, tickling her rigid walls as he progressed, sending all kinds of pleasant tingling sensations coursing through her body. He was the complete opposite of her ex.

Eventually, Chris’s hips pressed up against hers, giving her everything he had as he hilted himself inside her. He shuddered faintly, reveling in the feeling of being completely surrounded by Bon Bon’s warm, wet, velvety passage. “Bonny…”

Bon Bon shivered and her hind legs involuntarily wrapped around Chris’s hips once she felt his tip gently kiss her deepest barrier. She whimpered at the sensation of being completely and utterly full. Her walls were stretched as far as they could go and they grasped around his wonderfully warm and hard phallus, trying desperately to massage him deeper inside her. “C-Chris…” she said in a breathless whisper.

“A-are you okay?” Chris asked weakly, giving her a concerned look. “I-is this too much?”

Bon Bon didn’t respond to him right away. All she could do was focus on the amazing feeling of being filled to the very core. The pain she was feeling before had long faded and was now replaced with a blissful warmth that radiated from their union. It was like he was meant to be there, to fill her emptiness and complete her. She never wanted that feeling to end and she smiled up at him, reaching out her forelegs to warp around the back of his neck. “W-warm…” was all she could mutter as she gazed into his eyes fondly.

“You, uhh, alright there, Bonny?” Lyra questioned with a smirk, raising a curious eyebrow at the dazed earth pony.

“Mh-hmm,” Bon Bon mumbled quietly with a small nod as she pulled Chris down, guiding him into a loving kiss, which he gladly accepted. They lingered there for a moment, enjoying their sensual embrace before slowly breaking their lips apart.

Chris smiled down at her with that wonderful, caring, and infectious smile of his. “You… ready?” he asked weakly, between his soft panting.

“C-can we just... stay like this? J-just for a little while?” Bon Bon asked nervously as she gazed up at him, rubbing the back of his neck with her hoof.

Chris chuckled lightly. “We can if you like,” he said sweetly. “Just tell me when you're ready.”

Bon Bon tightened her grip around his neck, guiding him to lean down so she could nuzzle his cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered into his ear before closing her eyes, letting out a happy sigh. She let herself melt under him, focusing on the wonderful throbbing sensation between her legs. It felt like Chris’s actual heart was inside her, beating alongside her own. It was an amazing feeling and she just wanted to enjoy it for a little longer.

The sweet smell of sugary oranges, mixed with their combined musk filled the air around them as they embraced. It was admittedly a very relaxing aroma that caused Bon Bon to intentionally take in a few drawn out breaths through her nose, just so she could get a better sample of their combined scent with the firelilies. She wasn’t a fan of her own fragrance, but when it was mixed with her loved ones’ and the surrounding forest, it made her feel safe and she loved it.

Lyra snuggled a little closer to Bon Bon, resting her head against the earth pony's neck, then sighed happily. “I told you you’d like it, Bonny,” she boasted in a whisper, rubbing Bon Bon’s chest gently.

Bon Bon nodded her agreement against Chris's cheek, opening her eyes. She took another short moment to enjoy their embrace before leaning up to Chris's ear. “I’m ready,” she whispered, relaxing her grip on him.

Chris propped himself up again, then gazed into Bon Bon’s eyes with a gently smile. He adjusted himself slightly, then pulled his hips back, taking that wonderful warmth with him, leaving Bon Bon feeling empty again. He kept his tip inside, then paused, taking a few breaths. “I’m going to move now.”

Bon Bon bit her lip and nodded in understanding as he pushed his hips forward again. She gasped faintly and shivered as his warmth returned, tickling her compressed walls as he hilted inside her again, stretching and filling her to completion. “So… big,” she muttered quietly under her breath, feeling like she might burst once his tip delicately kissed her inner most barrier for a second time. He pulled back faster this time, causing her insides to quickly contract around him in a desperate attempt to keep him inside her, only for him to come crashing back, pushing her back slightly as their hips connected.

“Na-ahh...” Bon Bon moaned from the sudden, but welcomed force.

“S-so… tight,” Chris breathed with a shiver as he started to hump into her, pulling back only to shove himself deep inside again.

Bon Bon’s breathing became more steady and pronounced as Chris picked up his pace, pumping in and out of her in a steady and firm rhythm, burying himself as far as he could go with each eager thrust. She cooed in pleasure, dropping her forehooves down onto his chest, feeling his pecs expanding in and out as his lungs tried to fill his body with much needed oxygen. His sweaty skin glistened in the light, creating a glossy look to his body, something that she found quite thrilling. His naked body was reacting to their lovemaking, and she wanted to see more of it. She wanted to see him quiver with pleasure, to feel him release himself inside her… Oh, sweet Celestia did she want that.

“C-Chris…” Bon Bon muttered, gently massaging his chest with her hooves.

Hearing his name being called only encouraged Chris to move faster. His breathing became more laboured as he picked up speed, ramming himself inside her over and over again.

“Ha-aaa…” Bon Bon breathed in a shaky voice as his curved length kept brushing past a particularly strange spot deep inside her that she never knew she had. It felt very sensitive and tingled every time his tip grazed it, causing her to quiver with excitement. She could feel more of her feminine essence trickle down from their union, soaking into her curly tail as her arousal started to peak, making his journey into her tight, rippling passage feel even smoother. That warm feeling emanating from him was starting to spread through her, causing her own body to start sweating in response.

Chris panted heavily, thrusting his hips harder into her, causing the sound of wet skin colliding with damp fur to echo into the dense forest.

But that wasn't what Bon Bon was hearing.

Bon Bon’s ears were focused on the pleasant sounds of Chris's heavy breathing and soft moans. It was like music to her ears, and she just wanted more. She wanted him to cry out in pure bliss from the pleasure she was giving him, to hear him call out her name as he climaxed with her. That thought alone sent shivers down her spine. She wasn’t going to last much longer like this and he had to be on the brink as well.

Lyra hummed happily to herself, rubbing Bon Bon’s lower abdomen between their bodies, letting her hoof glide over her lover's breast as she watched Chris thrust into her. “How does she feel, Big Guy?” Lyra cooed seductively as she looked up to him.

Chris slowed down, then giving a firm hump forward, quickly driving himself in as far as he could go, causing Bon Bon to let out an adorable squeak. He stayed there for a moment, then twisted his hips left and right, letting his sensitive crown graze against her compressed and delicately textured walls, panting heavily. “U-unbelievable…” he finally answered weakly.

Lyra smirked and turned her head towards Bon Bon, letting her hoof rest between her lover's breasts. “How does it feel to have Chris inside you, Bonny?” she whispered into her ear, sending shivers down the earth pony’s spine.

“H-he… he-ahh!” Bon Bon tried to answer, but was cut off when Lyra pushed her hoof down on her lower abdomen, pressing that particularly strange spot inside her, down onto Chris’s solid and throbbing length.

“Does he feel good?” Lyra questioned seductively, massaging between Bon Bon’s breast, applying more pressure as she worked her hoof in slow circles and causing that tender area inside her to rub up against Chris’s member.

“A-ahhh! L-Lyra…” Bon Bon stuttered as her mind began to fog over with pleasure.

The feeling of Lyra’s grinding hoof wasn’t lost on Chris. He groaned as Bon Bon’s velvety walls were forced down on top of his aching erection, encouraging him to keep going. He slowly pulled his hips back and slammed in again, grinding his tip against her spasming walls.

Bon Bon bit her lower lip, letting out muffled cries of pleasure from both her partner's actions.

Chris started to pick up his rhythm again, grazing over that ticklish spot inside Bon Bon with that exotic tip of his over and over.

Bon Bon could feel a large pressure deep inside her start to build, demanding to be let out, but she chewed her lip hard, holding back as best she could. She wasn’t going to climax until she felt him do so first. She just hoped it would be soon. There was no way she could keep going like this for long.

“Come on, Bonny,” Lyra cooed with an evil smirk as her horn started to glow. “I want to know… How does Chris feel when he’s deep inside you?”

Just then, Bon Bon could feel a tingling warmth surround her pulsing clit. She opened her mouth to speak, but Lyra’s magic solidified around her tender nub, cutting her off as it sent warm jolts of ecstasy through her body. “Gah-ahh!” she cried out loudly in a shaky voice, locking herself up as her mind was assaulted with pleasure. Her marehood reflexively squeezed down on Chris, causing him to slow down, but her well-lubricated walls made it easy for him to keep going, even with the vice-like pressure.

“I’m sorry, Bonny, I didn’t catch that?” Lyra teased, tilting her head to the side, perking her ears up so she could hear better. “What did you say?” Her horn glowed brighter, sending more pleasurable tingles through Bon Bon’s throbbing clitoris while she contiued to rub her hoof between her breasts, pushing her walls against Chris’s thrusting member.

“He-aaahh! H-he… f-feels,” Bon Bon tried to answer, but was just too overwhelmed. It was impossible for her to make any kind of coherent thoughts anymore. She tightened her stomach muscles in a last ditch effort to hold back her quickly approaching climax.

Chris groaned loudly as he continued to buck his hips into her tightly squeezing passage. His breathing became louder and heavier to match Bon Bon’s as he worked.

“Come on, Bonny,” Lyra cooed again, leaning down until her lips were inches away from the poor, incapacitated earth pony’s ear. “Tell me how he feels,” she whispered softly, then nipped just under her ear where she was the most sensitive, sending magic through her horn to tickle her lover and send her over the edge.

“Wonderfulllll!” Bon Bon cried out into the dense forest, arching her back towards the sky as she lost herself to a barrage of ecstasy. Her marehood convulsed and squeezed around Chris’s member, massaging him into her hungry love tunnel as she splashed his hips with a volley of her feminine juices. Her vision blurred and her mind melted into a mushy pile of pure bliss as her locked body twitched with every wave of orgasmic pleasure that washed over her.

Chris grunted through clenched teeth as Bon Bon’s inner walls grasped and kneaded him tightly, halting his movements. He flexed his stomach muscles, letting her ride out her orgasm as he fought tooth and nail to hold his own end back.

“Whoa!” Lyra shouted excitedly after having witnessed Bon Bon soak Chris’s hips. She sat up and relaxed her magic, taking her hoof off of Bon Bon’s lower abdomen. “That was so awesome!”

Bon Bon’s back slowly fell back down to the field of firelilies as her orgasm slowly died down. Her lungs tried desperately to fill her body with oxygen as her mind began to collect itself. Her body relaxed and her hooves fell limp at her sides as her head slowly rocked back and forth.

Chris groaned and shivered as he slowly pulled himself out of Bon Bon’s squeezing marehood. Her insides seemed to suck him back in as he worked his way out. He had to use a little force, but eventually his tip slipped out of her with a wet ‘popping’ sound, springing upwards once he was free. He fell back onto his rear with a hard thud, then leaned back, propping himself up with his elbows and he tried desperately to catch his breath. The cool air of the forest brushed past his wet and aching erection, causing him to shudder, helping him to calm himself from his near orgasm. He stayed there, panting heavily as he watched Bon Bon’s heaving chest and twitching legs.

Soon, Bon Bon’s vision started to come back into focus and she saw Lyra peering over her with a bright and happy smile.

“Bonny!” Lyra shouted enthusiastically. “That was amazing! I don’t think I’ve ever seen you cum so much!”

Bon Bon’s dizzy mind was able to piece together what Lyra was saying and she smiled up at her tiredly. “Y-yeah? Y-you… liked it?” she replied weakly.

Lyra quickly nodded her head. “That was so hot!”

Bon Bon giggled weakly, then lifted her head up and peered over at Chris. She started to frown once she saw how stiff he still was. It was then that she noticed how empty she felt as well. Not because he wasn’t still inside her. No, there was something else missing. Something that she knew from experience should be there. She remembered when Silver Wing had... finished, he left something behind that wasn’t the most pleasurable thing in the world. In fact, she felt rather disgusted by it, but Chris was different than her ex. She wanted to feel him there, but there was just… nothing. Was he not able to… climax? Was she bad? Did he not like the way she felt?

All these thoughts started to scare Bon Bon and she whimpered sadly, afraid to ask Chris what was wrong. “D-did… did you not... like it?” she asked him worriedly as she slowly got up on shaky hooves, sitting back on her haunches.

Lyra got up as well, sitting next to Bon Bon, then turned towards Chris, who was still trying to catch his breath.

“Huh?” Chris breathed, confused for a moment. “N-no, Bonnie, you were amazing!” He leaned up a bit more and propped himself up with his hands before continuing. “I held myself back. I came really close, but I just wanted you to enjoy yourself.”

“B-but… you were supposed to―” Bon Bon whimpered sadly, but a hoof on her shoulder interrupted her, causing her to turn her head towards Lyra.

Lyra gave her a reassuring smile, rubbing her shoulder gently. “It’s okay, Bonny. He did that to me the first time, too. He knows a weird trick that can help him hold it in, but I know for a fact that he was enjoying himself.”

This helped Bon Bon to feel a little better, but she was still upset that Chris hadn’t finished yet. She wanted to make him happy, and for him to… well… finish with her.

Bon Bon looked to Chris sadly then back to his still throbbing erection that simmered in the light from her juices that still coated him. She bit her lip and fiddled with her hooves nervously. “D-do you… want to keep going?” she asked nervously.

Chris blinked up at her a few times in confusion. “W-well… yeah I’d love to, but... Do you want to keep going?” he asked awkwardly.

Bon Bon nodded her head gently. She wanted to please him more than anything, even if her body was still recovering from her earth-shattering orgasm moments ago. This time though, she wanted to do something special for him and make him happy. He had been pleasing her this whole time with no regard for his own pleasure, but this was her chance to do something just for him. Maybe there was something that he’d like that she could do, but she had no idea what his preferences were when it came to intimacy, and she was too shy to just flat out ask him.

“Lyra…” Bon Bon whispered quietly, so Chris wouldn’t hear.

Lyra raised a curious eyebrow at Bon Bon, then leaned towards her a bit. “Yes?” she responded quietly, playing along with her secretiveness.

“Is there something that… Chris likes?” Bon Bon asked timidly as a darker blush started to appear on her already flushed cheeks.

Lyra gave her a confused look, but then grinned once she caught on to what Bon Bon was asking. “You want to do something for him, eh?”

Bon Bon nodded quickly.

Lyra giggled a bit before scooting closer to her. “Alright. I’ll tell you what he reeeally likes,” she said as she leaned in to whisper some of Chris’s more dirty kinks directly into Bon Bon’s ear.

Bon Bon turned her head and flicked her ear up so she could hear better. Her eyes started to widen, and her cheeks turned a deep crimson as Lyra quietly explained. She quickly jerked her head back from Lyra, feeling her heart race once she finally understood what Chris liked. “R-Really?” she asked nervously.

Lyra nodded. “It’s simple, I know, but it drives him wild.”

“I-I don’t know if I ca―”

“Don’t worry. I’ll help you,” Lyra said quickly as she hopped to her hooves, turning towards Chris. Her horn glowed brightly and she used her magic to gently push him back.

“What’s going on?” Chris asked confused, laying back into the field of fireflies.

“Don’t worry about it, Big Guy,” Lyra reassured him with a wink. “Bonny wants to take over for a bit.” She walked over to his side, then patted his thigh gently with a hoof, looking back to Bon Bon with a half-lidded gaze. “Your seat awaits you,” she teased.

Bon Bon whimpered, nervously fidgeting with her hooves before swallowed the lump in her throat. She was feeling a little unsure of herself, not confident in her abilities to act out this particular fetish for Chris. Not to mention how weird the position would be. She just wasn’t good at this sort of thing, but she got up on shaky hooves regardless, preparing herself for what was to come.

Chris watched Bon Bon curiously as she got up, then walked over to him. She sat down on his thighs, straddling him with his aching erection directly in front of her. She scooted up a bit, brushing his sensitive underside against her soft coat, letting his length rest between her delicate breasts, causing him to flinch a bit.

Bon Bon adjusted herself slightly, unintentionally tickling Chris’s member as it shifted between her teats, then placed her shaky hooves around his stallionhood, holding him there for a moment.

Once she was settled, Chris looked up at her with a confused expression.

Lyra quickly hopped up and got behind Bon Bon. She sat on Chris’s legs, then wrapped her forelegs around Bon Bon's cute little tummy before scooting up so that her stomach was flat against her back. Once she was in position, she leaned her head next to her lover, then smiled playfully as she gazed down at the bewildered human beneath them. “Ready, Bonny?”

Bon Bon nodded nervously, then took in a deep breath before slowly lifting her hips up on wobbly legs, still holding onto Chris’s hard phallus. She positioned herself just above his throbbing member, then guided his tip to her quivering and sore entrance, letting his crown part her soft lips. Once she was confident he was lined up, she let gravity take over and dropped down quickly, taking all of him inside her all at once as she impaled herself on him. “Gahh...” she moaned softly in surprise, feeling that wonderful rush of warmth stretch and fill her now overly-sensitive love tunnel.

Chris sucked in a breath through clenched teeth once he was consumed again by Bon Bon’s amazingly warm and strong body. “B-Bonny…” he groaned.

Bon Bon’s legs quivered and her body twitched a few times as she squeezed down on him, welcoming him back inside. She closed her eyes and took a moment to catch her breath, placing her forehooves on his lower abdomen for support.

Lyra nuzzled Bon Bon’s cheek. “Okay, Bonny,” she said in a quiet whisper, tilting her lips towards Bon Bon’s ear. “Tell him this…”

Bon Bon opened her eyes and whimpered nervously as her blush deepened once Lyra told her what to say. She wasn’t sure she could even say it. It was so dirty and embarrassing, but at the same time it was something that she wanted herself. The only problem was… she had to repeat it… out loud… for Chris to hear… with his ears…

“Y-you okay, Bonny?” Chris asked in concern after she went silent for a while.

Bon Bon shifted nervously, gazing down at him with an unsure look.

It was now or never.

“C-Chris…” Bon Bon called to him shyly, causing him to look into her eyes. She darted her sights between him and his waist where they were connected, not daring to look at him directly. “D-do… do you want… t-to… to...” She hesitated, struggling with the last part. “To… c… c-cum inside me?”

Chris’s eyes widened in disbelief at hearing those words escape her lips. His stallionhood gave an eager twitch inside her. “W-what…?” he asked dumbfounded, making sure he heard her right.

Bon Bon could feel him responding to her words, causing a small shiver to run down her spine. That silly little sentence really was having an effect, it seemed.

Lyra giggled and leaned in to whisper more lines into Bon Bon’s ear.

Bon Bon squeaked in embarrassment, then looked back to Chris. “P-please, Chris…” she said in a bashful tone, trying her best to sound sexy and seductive for him. “P-pour your hot c... c-cum into my… w-womb.” She started to roll her hips in a small circle, causing his tip to grind against her silky, textured walls.

“B-Bonny...” Chris groaned in shock as his member pulsed, giving several eager twitches inside her. He slid his hands up and down her thighs as his hips started to flex upward.

Bon Bon couldn’t believe the responses she was getting from him. He really did like dirty talk! It was even starting to have an effect on her. She couldn't deny that she wanted him to do all the things she was saying, no matter how perverted it sounded.

Lyra grinned devilishly, letting her right hoof slide down between their bodies, making its way to her aching and dripping marehood. She started to rub herself in small, tight circles, holding Bon Bon close to her as she peered down at Chris. “Bonny…” she panted as she continued to play with herself, then whispered more things for her to say and do into Bon Bon’s ear.

Bon Bon nodded softly, panting every now and then. “C-come on, Big Guy,” she cooed with a little more confidence in her voice, working her hips a little harder, rolling them around in wider circles. “F-fill me with your...” she couldn't bring herself to blurt out the last word Lyra wanted her to say, so she improvised, hoping Chris would still like it. "L-love..."

“O-Oh, f-fuck… Bonny,” Chris groaned in a shaky voice, gripping her thighs as his hips started to roll against hers.

Lyra was panting heavily now, still stimulating herself as she continued to coach Bon Bon, whispering more lewd things into her ear.

Bon Bon bit her lip, preparing herself for what she needed to do next. “I-I’m not going to stop,” she started to say, pushing her hips up on wobbly legs until half of Chris’s member was exposed to the cold air of the forest, “until…. u-until you… give me everything!” With that she dropped down, letting gravity take over as she impaled herself his throbbing length, causing her to cry out, feeling stretched to her very core once again.

Chris bared his teeth and shivered in delight, grasping Bon Bon’s cutie marks firmly, as every inch of his solid member was crammed deep inside her. Before he could recover, she quickly lifted her hips up again and dropped back down, hilting him for a second time.

Bon Bon moaned loudly as her over-sensitive marehood was assaulted with intense pleasure, feeling his tip kiss her cervix every time she dropped down. Her mind buzzed and her legs trembled from the intense stimulation, but she fought through it for him, moving up and down the best she could. It didn’t take her long to find her balance and rhythm, bouncing herself off his hips every time they slapped together. His hands dug into her flanks, sending chills down her spine. He helped support her, guiding her movements and making it easier for her weak, trembling legs to lift herself up.

Lyra moaned as she rubbed herself even faster, watching all the cute expressions Chris was making as Bon Bon desperately tried to milk him with her body. Her horn started to glow all on it’s own as she continued to watch the single most arousing thing she had ever seen.

“Y-you… like that, C-Chris?” Bon Bon whimpered between her heavy breathing as she slammed down on top of him over and over again, feeling confident enough to try her own line. “Y-you like it when my... m-my vagina hugs your... p… p-penis?”

Lyra giggled lightly between her heavy breathing, feeling proud of her lover for at least trying.

Bon Bon didn’t hear Lyra’s giggles. All she could hear were the loud groans and grunts of pleasure coming from Chris after she said those words.

“Y-you feel... a-amazing, Bonny!” Chris groaned weakly in response to her questions. He started to hump upwards, meeting her halfway as their bodies collided, shoving everything he had inside her.

Bon Bon could feel him start to swell, stretching her out even more. It had to be a sign that he was close and her whole body trembled in anticipation at what was to come. “Cum inside me, please!” she breathed without a second thought, no longer needing Lyra's prompts. Her oversensitive and aching marehood convulsed around him, massaging his length as she increased her efforts, hammering her hips into him. “P-please... Oh, please cum inside me, Chris!” She was begging for her own sake now, breathing heavily as she lost herself to her primal and perverted urges. Her own climax was building quickly, but she was too focused on Chris to notice. She wanted to feel him release everything he had inside her and she wasn’t going to stop until he did. “I-I want it all, p-please!

Lyra was losing herself to the scene before her, feeling her own end quickly approaching as her hoof worked feverishly and her horn glowed brightly. Seeing the loves of her life finally come together was pure bliss to her. Their moans and cries of pleasure combined to make a beautiful sound that caused Lyra's heart to flutter and sent chills down her spine.

“I-I’m so close, Bonny!” Chris growled, gripping Bon Bon’s hips firmly, halting her movements as he held her down against his hips, burying himself inside her as far as he could go.

“Y-yes! Chris!” Bon Bon moaned loudly, feeling his tip swell deep inside her. Her vaginal muscles convulsed and squeezed him, desperately trying milk him for everything he had. “Give it to me, please! I want to feel it inside me!” she cried in desperation, not caring about, or even hearing what she was saying anymore.

“Oh, Bonny!” Chris cried loudly as he arched his hips up off the ground, lifting both Bon Bon and Lyra up as his tension finally broke. His member throbbed eagerly, shooting powerful bursts of his seed deep into Bon Bon’s suckling marehood, flooding her womb instantly.

“Ha-ahhhh!” Bon Bon cried loudly as her eyes widened in shock. She could feel hot streams of thick liquid splashing against her deepest barrier, pooling inside her very core. His member throbbed and pulsated, sending a never ending volley of constant warmth deep inside, filling her more and more. Another orgasm rocked her helpless and exhausted body, letting loose what little marecum she had left, letting it coat Chris’s hips as she came for the third time that day.

Hearing both her lovers’ cries was enough to send Lyra off the edge herself. Her horn glowed with an intense golden light, then exploded into a golden shower of dancing lights that scattered around the forest. She cried out loudly as she held onto her lover, nuzzling close to her trembling body as her orgasm sent her to new heights.

Bon Bon’s mind buzzed with ecstasy, reveling in the pleasure of Chris’s warm essence coating her insides. Her body embraced him passionately, trying to draw out everything he had, sending blissful chills down her spine. She clenched down on Chris in a futile attempt to save as much of his exotic seed as possible, but it was no use. There was just too much for her stretched passage to hold. It started to dribble out from their union, dripping down Chris’s sack and onto the soft ground of the forest beneath them.

Even though Chris couldn’t really get her pregnant and she wasn’t in heat, the experience alone warmed her core and made her feel more like a mother, even if it was just a fantasy. She loved this feeling so much more with Chris than she ever did with Silver Wing. It felt absolutely wonderful… it felt... right…

Chris quivered as his orgasm tapered off. His hands and body relaxed, letting go of Bon Bon as his hips slowly lowered to the ground.

Bon Bon followed soon after, shutting her eyes before going limp and falling onto Chris’s heaving chest with Lyra falling down with her. The trio stayed there in a heaving pile of sweat and musk as they all tried desperately to catch their breath and come back from the clouds.

Lyra slowly rolled off to the side, falling next to Chris’s right in a blissful daze.

Bon Bon did much the same, collapsing next to Chris’s left side.

After gathering parts of his mind, Chris slid his arms under both mares, holding them close to his body in a loving embrace. Both Lyra and Bon Bon reciprocated, wrapping one hoof over his body as they clung onto him lovingly.

The small herd stayed like that for a long time, reveling in their afterglow as they held on to each other in the forest of firelilies.

Bon Bon's Acceptance-Part 3

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Bon Bon's Acceptance-Part 3

Bon Bon lay next to her naked coltfriend, resting her head on his chest. She sighed in contentment after having made love with him, and her marefriend Lyra, who was snuggling against Chris’s other side, purring happily. She opened her eyes and looked towards the unicorn, noticing the happy smile across her lips as she nuzzled her head just under their stallion’s chin.

Lyra truly was a beautiful mare.

Bon Bon smiled to herself as she gazed upon the joyful and relaxed unicorn, then looked up to her coltfriend, who was taking in the dusking sky above.

“Amazing…” Chris whispered in awe.

Bon Bon reluctantly raised her head off of Chris's warm body, then gazed up at the golden sky through the tree tops. Rays of fading sunlight shone through the leaves, illuminating the tiny specks of firelily pollen that floated through the air, creating a beautiful and relaxing atmosphere that brought back many nostalgic memories to her. She would often spend many late afternoons in this forest, completing homework, reading, or just relaxing at the end of the day.

“I can see why you would spend so much time in a place like this…” Chris said softly, running his hand through the back of her curly mane.

Bon Bon blinked, then looked back to Chris, meeting his eyes as he smiled at her. She smiled back with a light blush. “It is beautiful…” she admitted, looking over the forest fondly.

“It really is,” Lyra added, lifting her head from the safety of Chris’s neck as she peered around. “I’m glad I could finally see this place for myself. I always remembered you telling me stories about it when we were fillies and I always tried to picture it in my mind.”

“Is it what you thought it would be like?” Bon Bon asked curiously.

Lyra shook her head. “Not at all! It’s so much better than that! It really sucks that this all of this will be gone in a few days.”

Bon Bon nodded her head sadly in agreement. “I’m just grateful I got a chance to see it again,” she said with a blush, taking in a slow breath through her nose, letting the sweet fragrance of fresh firelilies fill her nostrils before looking back to her loved ones. “But, I’m even happier that I got to share this part of my past with both of you… I honestly can’t express how much this moment means to me, but… thank you both so much for this wonderful gift.”

Lyra and Chris both smiled at her lovingly.

“You’re welcome, Bonny,” Chris said, leaning in to steal a small kiss from the blushing mare.

“I guess this means I can start calling you my coltfriend now,” Bon Bon said with a half-lidded gaze as she looked into Chris’s eyes, then turned towards Lyra. “And after all these years, I can finally call you my marefriend.”

“Took ya long enough,” Lyra teased with a wink, sticking her tongue out. They both giggled before exchanging a small and loving kiss.

“So…” Chris said, rubbing them on the back, causing the two mares to look at him curiously. “Since we’re going to be a herd now… whose house are we going to live in?”

“Well…” Bon Bon started to say, but paused, drawing a little line in Chris’s chest with her hoof. “I was kind of hoping we could all move into your place.”

“My place?” Chris questioned. “Why is that? Your home is pretty nice and closer to town than mine.”

“Yes, but your house is a lot larger…” Bon Bon pointed out softly. “Plus, I really like the location it’s in. It’s just far enough away where it's not too inconvenient to walk into town, and we can have our privacy.”

Lyra nodded in agreement. “And your home is custom-made for you already, so you don’t have to keep ducking your head when you walk through doors,” she added happily with a soft giggle.

Chris ran his hand through his hair, rubbing the top of his head. “Yeah, I guess that’s a good point.”

“Also, your bed is really big… We can fit all of us on it,” Bon Bon pointed out shyly.

“Can it?” Lyra questioned with a teasing smirk. “I don’t know about that one, Bonny… maybe we should test that.”

Bon Bon giggled, then hummed, tapping a hoof to her chin in mock thought. “You know, maybe we should test it a few times. Just so we can get more accurate results,” she teased with a sly grin.

Lyra’s eyes widened in shocked surprise, not expecting Bon Bon to play along, but she quickly composed herself. “Yeah!” she shouted excitedly. “I agree! I mean, we want to really make sure it can fit all of us, and we should also test its durability! You know, cause it’s better to be safe than sorry!”

Chris laughed loudly, holding both mares close to him. “I’m likin’ this idea,” he admitted, wiggling his eyebrows in a playful manner. “Count me in for testing.”

Bon Bon giggled before humming playfully at him. “Well… Maybe if you're a good colt,” she teased before leaning in and kissing him gingerly.

Chris reciprocated, pressing his lips to hers as he placed a hand on the back of her mane. His tongue pressed up against her entrance and she gladly opened, allowing their wet muscles to slowly dance around each other. They let their embrace linger for a moment before pulling back. “I love you, Bonny,” he said softly.

His words sent pleasurable tingles down her spine. She loved hearing him say that. Silver told her the same thing, but it always felt so hollow and empty. Chris was different. His words were warm, honest and true. He really did love her, just like Lyra did. “I love you too, Chris,” she cooed, lying her head back down onto his chest, wrapping her hoof around his barrel.

Chris turned to Lyra and placed his hand behind her head, then gently guided her to lean towards him. “And I love you, Lyra.”

Bon Bon watched as her lovers kissed. They tilted their heads to the side as they leaned in, letting their tongues dance around each other. After a while, they slowly pulled apart, leaving behind a small line of saliva that connected them for a moment before it thinned out into nothing. It was a very arousing and pleasant scene for her to watch and she pouted a bit when they broke it off.

Lyra giggled softly, licking her lips as she leaned back. “And I love you too, Big Guy,” she cooed before joining Bon Bon in lying down on his chest, shutting her eyes once she was comfortable.

Bon Bon let out a happy and content sigh, thinking Lyra had a pretty good idea. Chris was just so warm and cuddly, like a big teddy bear. She never wanted to leave this spot.

Chris laid his head back into the field of flowers, then ran his hands through both Lyra and Bon Bon’s manes, looking up to the darkening sky. They stayed like that, embracing each other and letting the sounds of the forest wash over them before Chris spoke up again. “Girls?” he called to softly, moving his hands to scratch behind both of their ears.

Oh, Sweet Celestia did Bon Bon love it when he did that.

“Hmmm?” Both mares hummed their responses in delight as they leaned into his hands.

“It’s getting pretty dark out,” Chris pointed out. “We should probably go back and find our stuff, then set up camp.”

“Mhmmm… just five more minutes,” Bon Bon muttered softly as she snuggled closer to his body. She wasn’t ready to get up anytime soon and she was half tempted to just ask them both to stay here with her forever.

“Yeah. We got plenty of time,” Lyra added, yawning loudly. “Let’s just chill here for a little while longer.”

Chris chuckled at them both, then shook his head before lying back again. “Just five more minutes. That’s all you two get,” he said firmly.

Lyra groaned softly in disapproval. “Fine…”

Bon Bon smiled and giggled softly at Lyra’s adorable pouting. She nuzzled into Chris’s body a little more, reaching her hoof over and placed it onto Lyra’s, enjoying what little time was left to cuddled with her lovers. She thought to herself a bit while Chris went back to gently petting her mane with that magical hand of his. She just couldn’t believe how much her life had changed in such a short time and she couldn’t have been happier about it. She was in a herd now with the loves of her life, something that she honestly never expected to happen so soon, if at all. It was a wonderful feeling.

Truly. It was the best day of her life.

Author's Notes:

It's nice to see Bon Bon smiling after all this... I hope you guys like the little picture at the end there lol.

Well... this is it... the end of Bon Bon's Acceptance... Kind of hard to believe it’s really over. I wrote over 200k words and people read it… some were even crazy enough to like it...

But! This isn’t the end for these characters. I do plan to do some kind of a continuation of this story as long as people want it. I also plan on making a bonus clop chapter for this story if you guys are interested. It will be about Bon Bon's first heat after a month or so of them being a couple. I might just add it as a bonus chapter or have it as it’s own separate story. Either way, if this is something that you guys want to read, let me know! Also if you liked this story then leave a comment or give me a like!

Now for credits!

A lot of people have helped me with this and I would like to thank them. I'm not a great speller or even that we'll educated when it comes to grammar. I also have dyslexia, which makes it difficult for me to write, so I needed a lot of help to make sure I could provide you guys with the best possible experience. In fact, you can see how bad I am just by looking at this authors note. I don’t let my editors touch these notes, but it’s even worse when I’m moving things around and changing stuff constantly in an actual chapter… I just want you guys to know that my rough drafts are pretty much unreadable and all these guys helped to make it legible.

If I have forget anyone to thank that helped, please let me know.

I would like to thank all my main editors and proofreaders. These are the people that helped me the most and where there from day one pretty much.
Mephistokiller
JeremyStorm
Alcatraz
Laven_Eclipse
Eppie Genetic
BikerPon3
Ven Rose
The Great Reader
Regreme

I would also like to thank my guest editors and proofreaders as well. They came in to help whenever I asked for added assistance or new opinions on chapters when I needed it, or when my main editors couldn’t help on certain chapters.
Flammenwerfer
YourHalfStepTwinBrother
JimboTex
WickedLSDragon
PhucknuckL
Etherealunessence

And I want to thank everyone in the comments that pointed out all the mistakes I made so I could fix them later!

But, most of all I think I need to make a special shout out and thank you too… JeremyStorm... this fucker… this piece of shit right here... really helped me a lot... and he’s the best!

Jeremy! You’re so awesome!

He really helped with how this story played out, and I want to tell you guys what he did to help the story. It’s only right that I give credit where credit is due.

The first and most important thing he helped with was the first date chapter. He read it and gave me his honest opinion, saying that Bon Bon was a complete bitch and not likable at all. She was too mean and there was no reason for people to what her to be with Chris and Lyra, and he was right. After he told me this, I went back and changed a lot in the chapter and I think it worked out for the best.

Another thing that was going to be in the story, but Jeremy pointed out was… Luna… Yes… I was going to have Luna in this fic. At first, I wanted to have more dream sequences with Bon Bon and Chris throughout the week in the cabin, then Luna was going to be the one to come down and help Bon Bon see that she can trust Chris after the whole door fiasco. I’m so glad he pointed out how deus ex machina that was, and how bad it would have been to have multiple dreams in the story. It worked out so much better when Berry was the one that came in to talk to Bon Bon… Sooo much better!

There was also the deal with the door being open… Ahhh the door… we argued quite a lot about that… Originally, Chris was supposed to find out the door was open before he had sex with Bon Bon for the first time, but Jeremy argued against it and made a lot of good point, so I changed it to after the intimacy scene. I wish it didn’t work out like that so that things were not so coincidental, but I think it worked out for the better.

Other than that, Jeremy’s pretty much a shit!

No, but seriously, thank you Jeremy for the help!

So… I think I could have handled thing better in this story for sure, but I'm not ashamed to say that I'm proud of what I made. I always hear people tell me "you know, I hated Bon Bon at first, but I loved her once I got to know her." I can't tell you how happy that makes me. That was one of the bigger goals of this story. To have a pony that was a little unlikable turn into somepony sweet and kind once we got to know her and see her get over her prejudices.

I also wanted to write a story that didn't have the pony falling for the love interest right away. There are too many stories that have their character just click instantly and I can't stand that. It feels so fake and forced when the pony just loves the human within seconds of meeting him/her. I wanted to tell a story where it wasn't so black and white like that. Something that showed some grey area when it came to the romance and had some hurdles to overcome.

And I wanted to do a decent herd fanfiction.

I love the idea of a herd. It’s so much fun to read when all the characters just come together in a real way and become apart of each other. Sadly thought… I haven’t read that fic yet! I can’t tell you how many shitty fics I’ve read with this awesome herd idea and they just leave a bad taste in my mouth. Too much of it seems like a crazy mix match of ponies that don’t work well with each other, all because the author wants their OC to bang all of his/her waifus. So, I decided I would try my hand at a this herd thing and see if I can make something that was more believable and enjoyable to read. Did I do that here? I really have no idea, but I like to think I did something decent with it...

Also something that I’m kind of proud of is how we got to know Chris. I know he’s not the best character in the world, but what I like about him is how I introduced him. In the beginning we really don’t know a whole lot about him, but as time went on we started to see who he was at the same time Bon Bon did. I thought that was kind of fun. Would I do that again? No, probably not… I don’t think that’s the best way to tell a story to be honest, but it was fun none the less.

In conclusion. Thank you everyone that read this story to the very end and I truly do hope you enjoyed it. I started writing fic this at a bad time in my life as a way to escape it. I also wrote this as a way to give something back to this community that’s brought me a lot of joy and wonderful memories.

So once again thank you all for reading and I hope to see you in the next story!

If you do want to see more from me, then let me know by watching my account! I have a lot of ideas for things that I would love to write, so stick around!

I love you all!