Surprises
Back when Lyra was a little filly, she celebrated each upcoming holiday in a special way of her own. She liked to quietly search through the house, and peek at her presents ahead of time.
It wasn't that she didn't LIKE surprises. But what she liked even better was knowing in advance exactly what the surprises would be.
Sometimes that worked out pretty well. Like the time Lyra found a half-assembled bicycle, and went to a friend's house to learn how to ride on her friend's bike. When Lyra's birthday came, the unicorn's parents were so happy to see their daughter ride her new bike up and down the street right away, without any trouble at all!
Sometimes it went a little differently. Like the one Hearth's Warming season when Lyra very carefully unwrapped presents to peek inside, only to find that her parents had gotten her things she didn't even want.
Lyra's solution had been a bit drastic: after rewrapping the presents, she'd switched the tags.
Her brother had been rather surprised to receive a "My Little Mane & Tail Salon" playset for Hearth's Warming. But when Lyra unwrapped her new "Ox Files Investigator's Kit," she'd felt it was totally worth it.
As for the mane & tail salon playset? That was why stores had exchange policies.
***
When Lyra grew up, and got involved with Bon Bon? Things became more challenging.
Lyra was an old hand at present peeking. She'd even learned some extra-advanced techniques from her Ox Files Investigator hobby. But Bon Bon was a worthy adversary, almost like the earth pony was secretly a black ops agent. (It would be some years before Lyra found out that was entirely, literally true.)
Lyra still remembered the time before Hearts & Hooves Day when Lyra had been looking for presents or clues to presents, and accidentally found a secret weapons cache built into one wall of the home she and Bon Bon shared.
At first, Lyra hadn't been sure what to think. She hadn't exactly WANTED a self-stabilizing crossbow or a grappling hook. But she hadn't NOT wanted them either. The more she thought about it, the more she decided it would be fun to go to the edge of the Everfree Forest with Bonny and practice with them.
Lyra hadn't even known she'd wanted them. But Bon Bon had known. Bon Bon was the pony who knew Lyra better than the unicorn knew herself. That was why Bonny was so perfect for her!
The more Lyra thought about it, the more Lyra looked forward to showing Bon Bon her gratitude. Lyra started making plans that involved...well, a lot of things. The dozen roses, and the special recipe to make roses taste even better than they usually did? Those were a big part of it.
When Bon Bon's Hearts and Hooves day present to her very special friend Lyra had turned out to be a toaster oven? Lyra was more surprised by a present that day than she'd been in years.
The next year, a bugbear attacked Ponyville. Bon Bon confessed to her longtime special friend that Bonny had always been a secret undercover agent. Not that Lyra hadn't already figured that out, but she'd never told Bon Bon she'd known.
Lyra was glad she'd already put in so many years of practice at acting surprised. She hadn't wanted to distract Bon Bon from the emergency, by startling her secret agent special friend with the news that Lyra had already known, and Bon Bon's cover had already been blown. Lyra didn't think Bon Bon could handle the extra stress and shock, on top of the bugbear and all the other crises happening all over Ponyville that day.
Starting that night, Lyra had asked Bon Bon artful, casual-sounding questions, to get her marefriend to open up about things. Nowadays, the pair didn't keep many secrets from each other. Lately, Lyra had even helped Bon Bon with a few undercover missions. It had become another fun part of their relationship.
***
But on Lyra's birthday this year, all that had changed. Bon Bon was keeping secrets from her special friend, and Lyra wasn't sure she liked it.
"But why can't you just TELL me?" Lyra wheedled. "You know you can trust me with anything. I won't mention any examples."
Bon Bon smiled, and hugged her marefriend. "I know I can trust you with anything. That's why I called in some favors this year to get you something really special, because you're my favorite pony in the whole world. But I don't want to ruin the surprise."
Lyra mock-whined, "This had better not be another TOASTER OVEN. Because even though I like the toaster oven well enough, it wasn't as cool as a grappling hook."
Bon Bon giggled at Lyra's pouty face. "I promise you'll really like it. But it'll be the most fun as a surprise."
Lyra sighed, and stuck her lower lip out farther. Bon Bon giggled some more. "I have to put this blindfold on you. Promise you won't peek?"
Lyra said nothing.
"Lyra, I know if you really want to peek, you could use your investigator skills to get around it. But I have to ask you to promise me you won't. This will be worth it, I promise you. No, I double promise you."
"Triple promise?"
"Triple promise." Bon Bon kissed Lyra's cheek. "Pretty please?"
"Ok. I won't peek unless there's an emergency."
Bon Bon nodded. "That's the best way to do it. Always be prepared." She carefully tied the blindfold over Lyra's eyes, and kissed her marefriend's cheek again.
"Huh," Lyra said. "That's...nice. I like when you kiss me like this."
"I'm glad you like it. But it isn't the main surprise. It's just part of the thank you for letting me blindfold you." Bon Bon held Lyra's hoof, and led her special friend outside.
"Upsy daisy. This is a step up." Bon Bon helped Lyra climb into a wagon.
The wagon went up and down roads for a while. As the wagon traveled, Lyra tried to estimate distances and keep track of the ups, downs, and bumps.
When the wagon went down a short slope and rattled across a bumpy bit, Lyra said, "Ponyville Theater?"
Bon Bon said, "You're too good at this. But wait until you find out what's inside the theater."
Lyra grinned. "I can hardly wait."
When the wagon stopped, Bon Bon helped Lyra climb down out of the wagon, and led her indoors. Bonny led her very special friend through a room that had the echoes of a lobby, through a large doorway, and down a steep slope. From echoes (and because they weren't having to dodge around anypony) Lyra thought the room was almost entirely empty of ponies except for herself and Bonny.
"I know you like to see things close up," Bonny said. "So how about you sit...here."
"Ok." Lyra sat.
Lyra felt Bon Bon's hooves working at the blindfold. The cloth fell away, and Lyra could see everything.
On the stage, Rick Astley waggled his eyebrows and HANDLED a microphone. He started singing "Never Gonna Give You Up."
Lyra reached over and pulled Bonny tightly against her flank. "You're right," Lyra sighed into her marefriend's ear. "This is the best surprise ever."
