> Lyra's Candy Shoppe > by Alaborn > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > A Very Tasty Candy > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lyra’s Candy Shoppe By Alaborn Standard disclaimer: This is a not for profit fan work. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is copyright Hasbro, Inc. I make no claim to any copyrighted material mentioned herein. Further disclaimer: Contains clop. For mature audiences only. All characters, although fictional, are intended to portray consenting adults. “No, no, no! Absolutely not!” Lyra Heartstrings’ ears perked as her marefriend’s words carried across the door separating their home from Bon Bon’s storefront. It was the third time this week she had heard her lose her temper while working. This time, Bon Bon left the shop. She opened the door to their home and closed it with more force than necessary. Lyra ceased concentrating on her magic. The strings of her lyre fell silent, and she carefully lowered it into its felt-lined wooden case. As she did, Bon Bon stomped past her music room. “Bonnie?” Lyra called. But Bon Bon didn’t stop. Lyra followed her marefriend to their bedroom. Bon Bon was sprawled on the bed, her face pressed into a pillow. Lyra slid up next to her, and pressed her hooves to Bon Bon’s withers. “Mmmm,” Bon Bon moaned as Lyra massaged her. “You look like you needed it. I mean, you even closed the shop for lunch ten minutes early. What was it this time?” “Amethyst Star. She wanted... I’m a candy maker, not that!” Lyra moved her hooves to Bon Bon’s rump. “And are you going to tell me what’s going on now?” “It’s silly. A stupid, silly thing, and I’m not going to have any part in it!” “I could make it worth your while,” Lyra said with a smile. One hoof went lower, gently rubbing under Bon Bon’s tail. Bon Bon scrambled back, moving to a sitting position. “Lyra! We can’t, not now! You know I need to go shopping.” “You need to work out your frustrations before you scare your customers away,” Lyra said. “Look, why don’t I handle the shopping? You can take a break.” Bon Bon frowned, and Lyra knew why. She always wanted to be in control of the purchases, and Lyra had to admit that her offers to help hadn’t always gone the best. Lyra turned on the charm. “Please, Bonnie?” “Fine. The list’s on the counter,” Bon Bon said. “Just make sure you get the exact items on the list! We don’t need another occasion where you get the wrong sugar.” “I promise I’ll be careful,” Lyra said. “Now you relax and calm down the way you always do.” “Thanks, Lyra,” Bon Bon said. “And by that, I mean with your hoof.” “Bye, Lyra,” she said curtly. “And by that, I mean masturba-“ The pillow Bon Bon threw smacked Lyra in the muzzle, interrupting her. “I get it! Go!” Lyra checked the shopping list against the items in her basket. Sugar, vinegar, corn starch, flavorings. Each item in the basket matched the detailed and specific description of one item on Bon Bon’s list. Satisfied everything was right, she paid the clerk at Barnyard Bargains and departed. The remaining items on the list were fresh foods that Bon Bon preferred to pick up from the ponies in the marketplace. She wanted apples from the Apples, cherries from Cherry Berry, and blackberry juice from Berry Punch. Lyra knew where to find these ponies, but her attention was focused on finding somepony else. Fortunately, Lyra found Amethyst Star in the market. “Hey there!” she called. “Oh, hi, Lyra,” Amethyst Star replied. “What happened with Bon Bon at the shop?” “It’s, um, nothing,” Amethyst Star said, nervously looking around. “It wasn’t nothing. You asked for something from my Bonnie, and she didn’t want to do it. That’s fine, but it’s bothering her, and she won’t tell me what’s going on. I need to know.” “I had a special candy request. I don’t know if....” “Then let me do it,” Lyra interrupted. Unsurprisingly, Amethyst Star looked skeptical, so she continued. “I help Bon Bon in the shop all the time. She’s taught me everything about making candy. I don’t have the creative spark to make new candy creations, but I can follow a recipe. And I’m willing to listen to your request with an open mind.” “I don’t know,” Amethyst Star said. “Can we talk? Somewhere away from the crowd?” The two ponies left the market, finding a bench off the main road. Amethyst Star sat in the normal way, while Lyra balanced on her rump, hind legs dangling over the edge. “There. Everypony will be looking at me, not you,” Lyra said. “Why do you always sit like that?” Amethyst Star asked. “Picture I’m an earth pony who plays the lyre. My instrument would rest on my lap, supported by one hoof, while the other is used to play. So even though I’m perfectly capable of playing my instrument while standing, I have to sit like this in any professional orchestra. It’s tradition, you know. So I take the chance to practice holding this pose any time I’m sitting on a bench.” “I never would have guessed that.” “Orchestras have a lot of silly traditions like that. Now, what did you want Bon Bon to make for you?” “I... I wanted her to change the flavor of my horn.” Lyra stared at Amethyst Star. “You do know that, despite what Pinkie Pie claimed, our horns aren’t actually made of candy, right?” “I know! It’s just that....” Amethyst Star sighed. “My coltfriend is an earth pony, so he doesn’t know how wonderful hornplay feels. He’s just not interested. But I thought that, with the right flavor, he could be tempted to give it a try.” Lyra nodded. She could see why Bon Bon was so upset. Making candy was her calling, and though she wanted to see joy on ponies’ faces, that was not the kind of joy she had in mind. Bon Bon made the right decision. “I was going to offer her fifty bits if she would do it.” Lyra sat up straight. That was a lot of bits, and while they didn’t need the extra money to keep the shop open, Lyra knew there was a lot of equipment Bon Bon wanted to buy, if only they had the money.... “I’ll do it,” Lyra said. “I want to surprise him Friday night. Can you do it by then?” “Of course. Come by the shop after 9:00 PM.” “What am I going to do?” Lyra muttered. She stood in the kitchen as doubt crept into her mind. It was easy to sound confident before actually thinking about the task at hoof. But now, recalling all she knew about candy, she wondered if it was even possible. Many of the candy recipes she knew involved temperatures near the boiling point of water, or sometimes even higher. That would be far too painful. Even holding her head underwater while taking a hot bath caused her horn to ache. Lyra mused that there was no better temperature for her horn than the warm confines of Bon Bon’s mouth. Work first, sexy thoughts later. The clock showed ten minutes to ten, so Bon Bon was certainly asleep. Lyra, a notorious night owl, normally used the late evening hours to practice her music; a silence ward surrounded their bedroom so that Bon Bon could sleep comfortably. But there were plenty of evenings, during Bon Bon’s busy seasons, where Lyra spent the night doing the prep work to help her marefriend better create her signature candies the next day. None of these thoughts were getting Lyra any closer to creating a recipe. She opened the corner cupboard, which was stuffed with both cookbooks and Bon Bon’s mouthwritten recipes. Surely she could find something there. After an hour of reading recipes, Lyra was drooling hungrily, but she was still without ideas. She lifted the cookbook she was reading with her magic in order to return it to the cupboard, only for a loose paper to fall out. Lyra picked it up. “That’s it!” The recipe was for a chocolate syrup for ice cream that, when properly made, would harden into a shell after being poured over the frozen treat. What Lyra needed wasn’t actually candy, but syrup! She pushed aside the cookbooks devoted to hard candy and looked for recipes in the general cookbooks. Hours later, after many failed efforts, the kitchen was a total mess. Dirty pots were stacked by the sink. Lyra’s mane was sticky, tangled with the drips from past culinary experiments, and her coat fared little better. But she wasn’t ready to give up. Her latest attempt simmered on the stove over very low heat. The viscous liquid had thankfully not seized up, and looked thick enough to cling to her horn. “Here it goes.” Lyra lifted the pot off the stove with her magic and set it down in the sink. She took a pastry brush in her magic and dipped it in the syrup, and then lifted the brush to her horn. Unlike her past attempts, the syrup clung to her horn; the combined effects of the syrup and her magic created a tickling sensation. Even when she brushed the underside of the horn, the syrup didn’t drip onto her muzzle. She channeled her magic, and a slight breeze blew over her horn. Lyra looked at her reflection in the window. A perfect sugary glaze coated her horn. Now if only she could taste it! She was happy to have found a recipe that worked, but that feeling was tempered by the sheer amount of work remaining. Lyra had to clean up the mess, so that Bon Bon would be none the wiser. With a sigh, she grabbed a sponge and started cleaning. Lyra waited in the storefront that Friday night. A lantern cast dim light over the space, just enough to alert a certain customer that her special order hadn’t been forgotten. A soft tapping on the door came at precisely nine o’clock. Lyra unlocked it and opened it with her magic, revealing Amethyst Star. The mare looked around, and then slipped into the shop. “Do you have it?” Amethyst Star asked. “I have a syrup prepared,” Lyra said. “But you never told me what flavor you wanted. I hope it’s one Bon Bon has.” Amethyst Star smacked her forehead. “I can’t believe I forgot to say that! Well, Chocolate really likes those hot cinnamon candies that Bon Bon makes. Do you think you can make that?” “I’m sure Bon Bon has plenty of cinnamon extract,” Lyra said. “Let’s go.” The two ponies quietly walked into the kitchen. The only other sound was the soft bubbling of the simmering sugar syrup. Lyra poked her head in the pantry, where she found the cinnamon extract. She added just a little to the syrup and stirred. Lyra levitated a spoon with a bit of the cinnamon syrup. “Give it a try.” Amethyst Star blew on the syrup to cool it. “It needs more cinnamon.” “Okay,” Lyra said. “Do you want the red food coloring, like the candies?” “Oh, yes,” Amethyst Star replied. “I want him to know exactly what he’s going to taste. Lyra obliged, and soon she was stirring a syrup with the same bright red color as Bon Bon’s famous hot cinnamon candies. Once it was ready, she pulled it from the stove to cool. “Come stand with your head over the sink,” Lyra said. “This will get a little messy.” After double-checking the syrup’s temperature, Lyra dipped a brush in the mixture. She brushed Amethyst Star’s horn with the syrup. “That tingles,” she said. Lyra brushed the underside of her customer’s horn. A glob of syrup dripped into her mane. “Sorry,” she said. “It’s okay. It’s supposed to be messy, right?” “Try channeling magic through your horn. I think it will make it dry faster,” Lyra said. Lyra continued to work as Amethyst Star’s horn glowed with a faint purple aura. She dabbed smaller amounts of syrup on the uncovered portions of the horn, and avoided more drips. “I’ve got your horn covered,” Lyra said. “Could you add some more layers?” Amethyst Star asked. “Like any good candy, the flavor needs to last.” Seeing plenty of syrup remaining, Lyra was happy to oblige. By the time she was finished, Amethyst Star’s horn was encased in a solid candy shell, the coating thick enough to conceal her horn’s natural grooves. Amethyst Star looked at her reflection in the window and smiled. “I can’t wait to show my coltfriend!” Lyra collected the bits her customer placed on the counter. “You two have fun!” With a final strum of the strings of her lyre, Lyra concluded her ballad. She placed her instrument in its case, rose, and bowed. The small crowd in the park stomped in applause. Ponyville Park was no proper theater, but Lyra enjoyed playing to crowds of any size. To make even one pony happy with her music made for a successful day. A few of the listeners came up, tossing coins into the hat at Lyra’s hooves. She looked up when she heard a particularly loud clink from the last pony’s tip, and she recognized the pony. “Amethyst Star!” she said. “How was your date?” “It was the best ever!” Amethyst Star gushed. “You should have seen Chocolate’s expression when I showed up with my horn. He still only started with a hesitant lick, but once he tasted it, his tongue was all over my horn. He was so determined to get every bit of cinnamon goodness from every spiral of my horn. I orgasmed three times by the time he was done!” “Well, I’m glad it was such a success,” Lyra said. “Do you think he’ll do it again?” “Probably. Of course, it helps that I returned the favor by sucking his horn.” “I thought you said your coltfriend was an earth pony.” “He is,” Amethyst Star said, a sly grin on her face. “I’m glad I could help you,” Lyra said. “Do you think I could come by again?” Amethyst Star asked. “His birthday is coming up soon.” Lyra pondered for a moment. “Let’s try this. I can practice my music anywhere, so I’ll set up a chair in Bon Bon’s shop certain evenings. If you see a candle in the window, I’m ready for a customer.” Amethyst Star smiled. “I can do that.” “Great. I’ll see you around,” Lyra said. “And be sure to spread the word!” Lyra’s magic played over the strings, a soft melody filling the dark kitchen. On nights like this, when the sky was clear and the moon full, she enjoyed practicing by the light of the moon. The moonlight and the glow of her magic always made the strings of her lyre sparkle like the stars in the sky. A small amount of light also came from the candle in the window. It made the scene less poetic, but she did want ponies to know Lyra’s Candy Shoppe was open for business. As she practiced an ancient melody, she wondered if anypony would visit. Five nights she had practiced here, and she remained undisturbed each time. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she almost didn’t notice the soft knocking on the door. Lyra concentrated, opening the door, but finding nopony there. Was she hearing things? She was about to close the door when a pony scurried inside, shutting the door behind him. The nervous unicorn stallion peeked out the window, and breathed a sigh of relief. “Don’t worry. The streets are quiet this late at night,” Lyra said. “Can I help you?” “I’m looking for a... special candy gift for my marefriend,” he said, almost in a whisper. “Would it be a new... flavor?” “Yes, that,” the stallion said. “Don’t be nervous. I won’t tell anypony about your visit,” Lyra said. “I would like to know your name, though.” “It’s Written Script,” the stallion said. “I work in the mayor’s office, and for the last week, I’ve been working long hours. Taxes are due by Thursday, and of course everypony’s waiting until the last minute to pay.” “How thoughtless of them,” Lyra said, making a mental note to dig out her tax bill from the mess in her music room. “But Friday, I’m free, and I want to give my marefriend a special treat.” “Give her a treat?” “Yes. Carrot Top’s always been open to hornplay, even though my flavor is terrible,” Written Script explained. “So, for one night, I want to taste like something she loves.” “I’m sure your flavor isn’t bad,” Lyra said. “She says I taste like porridge. But I’ve tasted myself on her tongue when we kiss. It’s more like the paste we used in school,” Written Script said. “And how, exactly, do you know what that tastes like?” Lyra asked. “I was dared to eat paste,” Written Script explained. Lyra just looked at him. “It was a double dog dare! A colt does not turn down a double dog dare!” “Colts,” Lyra muttered. “What flavor are you looking for? Something carroty?” “Yes. She loves me even more than she loves her carrots, and I want to express how much that means to me.” “You know what they say, the way to an earth pony’s heart is through her stomach,” Lyra joked. “I’ll work on a carrot-flavored horn coating. You just come by Friday night after nine.” “Oh, thank you. Thank you very much!” Written Script gushed. Having successfully made the candy horn coating before, Lyra was able to concentrate on the flavor. In one of Bon Bon’s cookbooks, she found a recipe for glazed carrots. That recipe suggested a flavor profile for her syrup, with brown sugar, spices, and a hint of orange. She juiced a carrot and started experimenting. It took several iterations to capture the right consistency for the syrup. The end result was far sweeter than any carrot dish Lyra had ever eaten, but the carrot flavor popped in her mouth. That Friday, Written Script arrived at precisely nine o’clock. Lyra was ready with her carrot-flavored syrup. “Let me know what you think of the taste,” she said. “Delicious,” Written Script said. “But could you make it more orange-colored? I want my horn to be as bright and vivid as the carrots my sweetheart sells every day.” “Sure thing,” Lyra replied. The carrot juice had given a slight orange tinge to the syrup, but the addition of some food coloring turned the syrup a brilliant orange. Just like Amethyst Star, Written Script wanted a thick candy coating on his horn. This time, she avoided dripping any syrup into the stallion’s mane. Written Script grinned as he looked at his reflection in the window. “This is going to be the best night ever!” he said. It must have been, Lyra later thought. When she paid her taxes the following Monday, Written Script even waived the usual late fee. Lyra’s next customer wasn’t a unicorn. In fact, it turned out not to be a pony at all. Three nights later, the door to Bon Bon’s shop was pushed open by the small form of Ponyville’s resident dragon. “Hi, Spike,” Lyra said. “You know, the shop’s closed.” “But the candle in the window!” Spike protested. “I have a special candy order!” Lyra facehoofed. While she wanted word of her side business to spread, she didn’t want to cut into Bon Bon’s business. The alternative, that Spike wanted her special services, was even worse. “Just so you know, Spike, Bon Bon’s the one with the special talent in making candy,” Lyra explained. “If you want a special candy order, you should be talking to her.” “I, um, don’t want anypony to know about it. Please?” Spike turned his deadly puppy-dog stare on Lyra. “Fine. I’ll at least listen to your request,” Lyra said. “I want a big marshmallow-flavored hard candy,” Spike said. That’s nothing that Bon Bon couldn’t do, Lyra thought. “And, um, can it be shaped like a unicorn horn?” And there it is. “I’m not sure I’m the best mare for the job,” Lyra said. “I brought this to pay for it,” Spike said, holding up a sizable ruby. Lyra’s eyes opened wide. “So, what size candy do you want?” Spike spread his arms. He wanted a candy horn that was life-sized, Lyra noted. “I’m doing this for Bonnie,” Lyra told herself as she worked on the candy. Every time her thoughts strayed, wondering whose flavor she was imitating, she reminded herself that she was helping her marefriend. Lyra had plenty of experience making hard candy, so once she found the marshmallow flavoring, it was simply a matter of gathering the remaining ingredients. She carefully measured the sugar, water, and vinegar, mixed them together, and set the mixture on the stove, inserting a candy thermometer. She watched the pot carefully as the candy cooked. Once it hit 320 degrees, she removed the molten sugar mixture from the stove and stirred in the marshmallow flavoring. After the sugar mixture cooled some, Lyra started rolling it with her magic. She wrapped a silicone mat around it at an angle, shaping it into a conical shape. Once the candy started to set, she traced a spiral groove in it with a metal pick. Lyra’s candy work was amateur at best. But Spike didn’t care. The little dragon was drooling, eyes focused on the candy horn. “I know you’re eager to try it, Spike, but you need to wait at least thirty minutes for it to finish setting,” Lyra said. “You wouldn’t want that beautiful horn to be misshapen, would you?” “No ma’am!” Spike said. After waiting for it to cool, Spike finally left with his prize, and Lyra examined Spike’s ruby. She had visions of all the equipment Bon Bon could buy with it. Oh, and she could get something for the kitchen, too. Two nights later, as Lyra played by candlelight in the darkened kitchen, the door to the shop opened. She was hoping for a repeat customer. Instead, Princess Twilight Sparkle strode in, a frown on her face. Lyra jumped to her hooves. “Princess!” “Lyra, you’ve known me since we were little fillies. I think you’ve earned the right to call me Twilight.” “But your expression! You looked like you were upset. It didn’t look like a social call.” Twilight Sparkle smiled faintly. “You’re right. I am upset. Spike got his claws on a... highly inappropriate candy. And he said he got it from you.” “That little snitch,” Lyra muttered. “I take it Bon Bon doesn’t know about... all this?” “No, it’s a surprise! Please don’t tell Bonnie,” Lyra pleaded. “I won’t,” Twilight Sparkle said. “But I want you to know I’ve been trying to fix Spike’s obsession with a certain mare. He’s mature enough now to know better. Giving him a candy like that isn’t helping matters. And I didn’t want to wake up to him making out with it.” “I’m sorry, Twilight,” Lyra said. Twilight Sparkle embraced her. “I’m not mad, Lyra. Just... please think next time.” Lyra nodded. And she thought. Specifically, she recalled talking to Twilight Sparkle in the marketplace yesterday, and in the park just that afternoon. She could have raised her concerns at either of those points.... “Do you want something from my candy shop?” Lyra asked. Twilight Sparkle stepped back. “What? No!” But even in the dim light, a blush was evident on her face. “If you wanted to change your flavor, what flavor would you choose?” Lyra inquired. Twilight Sparkle looked down, one hoof fidgeting nervously. “Blueberry ice cream,” she admitted. “I don’t know; that’s a tricky flavor to capture in candy form. It might take me a few days to get it right,” Lyra said. “No! He’s leaving tomorrow!” Twilight Sparkle shouted. She gasped, covering her mouth with a hoof. “So there is a stallion,” Lyra said slyly. “Relax, Twilight, I won’t tell anypony. And since it’s so important for you, I’ll make the candy tonight.” Lyra hadn’t quite lied. The flavor Twilight Sparkle wanted was harder to create than most candies. But she had helped Bon Bon create a similarly-flavored candy; her strawberries and cream hard candy was popular once the first strawberries of the season were picked. Of course, Twilight Sparkle hadn’t been entirely honest, either. The fact that she had exactly fifty bits ready in her pouch made it abundantly clear that she came here for a specific reason. Finding Bon Bon’s recipe, Lyra set about making her candy. Twilight Sparkle volunteered to help. While her knowledge of candy making, acquired from reading books, was no substitute for Lyra’s practical experience, her help did make the process go faster. It was a good thing; it took the two mares three batches to make a syrup that adequately captured both the fruit and cream flavors. “Perfect,” Twilight Sparkle said. “Okay. I’m ready.” Lyra dipped a brush in the syrup and laughed. “If you’d asked me the strangest thing I’d ever do in my life, I never would have guessed ‘applying a candy coating to a princess’s horn’.” “You think that’s strange? I never would have guessed that one day I would taste Princess Celestia’s horn,” Twilight Sparkle said. Lyra gasped. “You did? What’s her flavor?” “I’m afraid that’s a state secret.” “Meanie.” Lyra stopped talking and focused on her craft. The candy coating dried quickly; Twilight Sparkle used some kind of magic. Unlike her past customers, she didn’t want a thick coating on her horn, so Lyra was soon finished. “So, how do I look?” Twilight Sparkle asked. “Good enough to eat,” Lyra said. Twilight Sparkle smiled. “That’s the idea.” While Lyra never heard from Twilight Sparkle how her evening went, she did hear talk around town about a strange glow seen coming from her castle that night. And the next time she saw her, her smile was just a little brighter. Another satisfied customer for Lyra’s Candy Shoppe, she thought. The next night, Lyra had her first repeat customer. Amethyst Star returned, looking for that special gift for her coltfriend. As Lyra prepared the cinnamon syrup, Amethyst Star giddily described the other gifts she had bought for the night. “And the best part is, even the straps are edible!” she said, finishing her story. “Sounds like you have quite the night planned,” Lyra said. “And where did you say you got those?” Amethyst Star leaned in and whispered in Lyra’s ear. Lyra smiled. Her next anniversary was going to be something special! “Come on. Let’s get your horn ready for your special somepony.” After five minutes of careful brushing, Amethyst Star’s horn was covered in a shiny cherry red candy shell. The sharp odor of cinnamon wafted from it. She caught her reflection in the window and smiled. “Thank you! Thank you very much!” she said. “No, thank you!” Lyra said, scooping up a stack of bits. “And how about a little something extra?” “Hmm?” Amethyst Star said. Lyra poured the remaining syrup into a jar and levitated it to Amethyst Star. “My treat. I’m sure you and Chocolate can find something to do with this.” Amethyst Star tucked the jar into her mane. “Thanks. You’re the best!” Amethyst Star trotted out of the shop, humming a happy tune. Lyra just wanted to join her in song, but her lyre would have to wait. She needed to clean the kitchen. She turned to the dirty pot on the stove and froze. The door to their home was open a crack. Bon Bon pushed the door open. “So this is where all my ingredients have been going.” “Oh, hey, Bonnie,” Lyra said, a forced smile on her face. “I thought you’d be asleep.” “I was, until the sound of you two talking woke me up,” Bon Bon said. “Seems like somepony forgot to renew the silence ward on the bedroom door.” Lyra scratched the back of her head nervously. “Heh heh. Yeah. Sorry, Bonnie.” “Did you really cover that mare’s horn with candy?” “It’s more a syrup than a true candy, but yeah. She really likes it.” “I can’t believe you’re spending your time on such a foolish endeavor,” Bon Bon said. “Neither can I,” Lyra replied. “I feel like such a klutz in the kitchen, just faking it, you know? But some ponies want to change the flavor of their horns. I like making them smile, but more than that, I like helping you.” Bon Bon raised an eyebrow. “The money they paid me, I wanted to give to you, so you could buy all the equipment you wanted.” Lyra opened a cupboard with her magic, withdrawing the tin where she stored the earnings from her candy shop. “Here.” Bon Bon’s eyes bugged out when she saw the pile of coins in the tin, topped by Spike’s ruby. “You got all that, in....” “Two weeks, more or less,” Lyra answered. “This is the stupidest... most wonderful thing anypony has ever done for me!” Bon Bon said. She pounced on Lyra, wrapping her strong forelegs around her neck, and pulling her into a sensual kiss. Lyra was barely able to avoid spilling coins as she dropped the tin. The spark of her horn ceased, and she focused on the different sparks that came where their lips met. These sparks were truly magical, even if it wasn’t the kind of magic she studied in school. Bon Bon broke the kiss, and then placed her lips on the base of Lyra’s horn. Lyra shivered as she felt Bon Bon’s tongue slowly caress it. “Bonnie! You need your sleep!” Lyra said. “The shop can open late tomorrow,” Bon Bon replied. “Now get over here.” Lyra and Bon Bon stumbled toward the bedroom, their steps interrupted by countless kisses, nips, and nuzzles. Lyra felt her legs bump against the bed, and Bon Bon lifted her onto the mattress. She felt the bed shift as Bon Bon joined her. Lyra gasped as Bon Bon engulfed the tip of her horn with her mouth. She lowered her head, giving her marefriend a better angle. Bon Bon responded by going down on her horn, her tongue slathering it with saliva. Bon Bon reached the base of Lyra’s horn and kissed her head. She then slowly, carefully drew back, her tongue tracing one spiral as she went. Already, magic was collecting in Lyra’s horn. The peppermint flavor of her horn was brightened by the effervescence of her magic. Bon Bon’s mouth tingled. Lyra’s horn was very familiar to Bon Bon. Her tongue knew every twist, every bump, every chip. She lavished attention on each spiral in turn while her hooves stroked Lyra’s mane. Each time she opened her mouth, the air cooled her tongue, just like a peppermint candy. It was a flavor she could never hope to duplicate in her kitchen, but even if she could, she wouldn’t. Lyra’s horn was special, for it was a candy given only to her. Bon Bon flicked Lyra’s ear. Lyra squeaked, and the magic collecting in her horn intensified. Bon Bon could feel the vibrations; Lyra was close. She pulled off and gently blew air over Lyra’s horn. Then she engulfed her horn again, her lips encircling its base, its tip tickling her throat. Lyra climaxed. Bon Bon eagerly soaked up the burst of magical energy; her mouth tingled like she had just consumed a blast of seltzer water. She pulled off Lyra’s horn with one last lick, and then brought her lips to Lyra’s. Lyra’s tongue pushed into Bon Bon’s mouth. She craved the lingering feeling of her own magic in her lover’s mouth. She caught the fading taste of peppermint, but what she really wanted was Bon Bon’s own flavor. She pressed forward, gently lowering Bon Bon to the bed. As she lay on her back, Bon Bon spread her hind legs, revealing her slit. Lyra wasted no time, bringing her mouth to Bon Bon’s marehood. Her arousal was evident; moisture dampened her coat around her nethers. She licked Bon Bon’s lower lips, collecting her nectar, before probing with her tongue. Bon Bon tasted like pink bubblegum, and that first lick deep into her marehood was like the burst of sweet juice from chewing a fresh piece of gum. She continued her ministrations, licking Bon Bon’s inner walls, but shying away from her clit. Bon Bon whined with every teasing lick. Lyra made as if to withdraw from her slit, earning more pleas from Bon Bon. Then she wrapped her lips around her clit. Bon Bon screamed. Her hind legs clamped around Lyra’s head, trying to keep her mouth in just the right place. Lyra, for her part, was just where she wanted to be. She focused all her attention on Bon Bon’s button, determined to bring her marefriend to her own climax. Lyra placed her hooves on Bon Bon’s cutie marks and rubbed her plump flanks. She lifted her rear, giving her easier access to her tunnel. Now, she plunged her tongue deep into her slit, probing for that special spot that made Bon Bon go wild, remembering to caress her clit with each stroke back. Finally, she struck gold. Bon Bon squealed and her legs bucked as she came. Lyra’s muzzle was soaked with Bon Bon’s sweet juices. Lyra moved up the bed, bringing her mouth to Bon Bon’s. They kissed, but not with the frenetic energy they enjoyed in the kitchen. Rather, they enjoyed each other’s warmth and closeness. Bon Bon wrapped her forelegs around Lyra and spooned her marefriend, Lyra’s back pressed against her barrel. She nuzzled Lyra, inhaling her scent, catching a hint of mint underneath the sweat. “I love you, my minty mare,” Bon Bon said. Lyra turned her head and nuzzled Bon Bon. “And I love you, my bubblegum babe.” They basked in the afterglow of their lovemaking, content just to brush muzzle against muzzle. Lyra closed her eyes and sighed. “Thank you, Lyra,” Bon Bon said quietly. “I know you don’t like making candy. It means so much to me that you’d give up practicing your music just to help me.” “I like music, but I love you, Bonnie,” Lyra replied. “Though I wouldn’t say no if you wanted to take over my candy business.” “No. The whole thing is foolish, and I refuse to sell that kind of candy,” Bon Bon said. “Still, if you want to stay in business, I think I can improve on your recipe.” “I’d love your help,” Lyra said. “There’s a demand for this horn flavoring, and seeing the ponies I helped? It’s even better than the bits I earned. Is that how you feel?” “With every candy I sell,” Bon Bon said. She gave a little lick to Lyra’s horn. “I just don’t understand it. Your flavor is a part of you, Lyra. I love everything about you, and wouldn’t want to change a thing.” “Are you sure? You wouldn’t even be tempted by a layer of dark chocolate over my horn?” Bon Bon’s eyes widened. She pushed Lyra to the mattress and rose over her, looking her in the eye. “You. Me. In the kitchen. Now.”