Sweet Treats and Royal Delights

Chapters

The Two Nerds
A Trip to the Castle
Preparations
The Astronomer
Discussions
The Arrangement

The Two Nerds

A long line of ponies stretched through Ponyville, everyone in the queue waiting for the latest and tastiest treat that had entered the scene. Word had spread that these new candies were like an explosion of goodness in your mouth and eating just one left you dying for a dozen.

But perhaps the most interesting thing about the sweets was where they came from. They were not the product of a large company, or a family one. No, these candies came from a single mare, running a single stand.

Well, it wasn’t solely Bon Bon who made the candies; she needed the zap apple ingredient from somewhere. Of course, the Apples were understandably a bit reluctant to let some of their zap apple jam go for some other pony’s personal gain, but Bon Bon had always intended to share some of the profits with them. At first, it was a 60/40 split in favor towards herself, but due to Applejack’s stubbornness, it ended up at 50/50, much to Bon Bon's disappointment. Sometimes, there was just no way you could argue against an Apple. At least Applejack was kind enough to hoof over the zap apple supplies for free, and Granny Smith helped Bon Bon with the other ingredients she needed.

Not that Bons minded all that much. She had so many customers today she swore some had come from out of town just to have her candies. It was lucky that she made a large supply to meet this huge demand.

She was just done giving some candies to a nameless customer, when a familiar face was next in line.

Bon Bon greeted her friend with a welcoming smile. “Oh, hi Colgate! Here for the zap apple sweets, right?”

Colgate nodded. “Of course I am. Everypony in town is going crazy over them, so I’m not missing out.” She cast her eyes over the famous sweets. They were small, oval pieces of rainbow colored candy that had the scent of zap apple on them. So, essentially, they smelled of the rainbows that were made in Cloudsdale, with a hint of apple.

“Got it.” Bon Bon ducked, her head disappearing behind the stand. Seconds later, she got out a box of the candies for Colgate. “That’ll be five bits.”

Colgate passed over the change, which was quickly put in a money box. “Thanks, Bons. So, how does it feel, being the most popular candy maker in all of Equestria?” she asked with a smirk.

“Er, haven’t really thought about it yet. It just sort of happened,” Bon Bon replied, keeping an eye on the queue. She frowned, then gave Colgate a small smile. “Sorry Colgate, but I don’t have time to chat like I usually do.”

Colgate blinked, then looked behind, facing a rather disgruntled stallion. Smiling sheepishly, she turned back to Bon Bon and began sidestepping away. “Oh, sorry! I’ll be out of your mane now!”

Bon Bon nodded at her, then turned to her next customer. Then she realized that something was between them. And it wasn’t just the stand. “Heh, sorry about this,” she said to the stallion, with an apologetic smile.

She watched Colgate go, clearing her throat and shouting, “Colgate, catch!” Then, in one swift movement, she swiped her friend’s sweet box off the counter with a hoof, while also throwing a new one in its place using her long tail. Colgate caught her box with her magic, laughing awkwardly, before swiftly trotting off.

“Five bits please, sir,” Bon Bon finished, leaning against the stand like nothing had happened.

“Well...” the stallion began, swallowing, “that was efficient.” He put his bits forward, then gave Bon Bon a respectable nod. “Have a good day, miss.”

“You too!” Bon Bon waved him off, then welcomed her next customer. She kept on a warm smile as an alicorn strode forward. “Hi, Twilight.”

“Hello, Bon Bon. Enjoying the revenue?” Twilight smirked, levitating over the required bits for her purchase.

“It has exceeded expectations, yeah,” Bon Bon replied, casually tossing a box onto the counter before Twilight. “Enjoying Princesshood?”

“It’s a new stage of my life, that’s for sure. But I’m ready to tackle it head on.” The alicorn opened up her box with her magic and began to munch on a sweet. As she chewed, her eyes widened and a shiver coursed through her. When she swallowed, her mouth was agape slightly. Not long after, she blinked and shook her head, inspecting one of the sweets. “Bon Bon, these are... amazing!”

“Heh, thank you, but that’s just the zap apple in them, no doubt.” Bon Bon shrugged. Sure, she put them together, but the Apple family had to take credit for the flavour.

“You don’t give yourself enough credit. I’m serious, these are great, and you should be proud.” She closed up her box, then eyed the rest of the candies on display, tapping her chin. “Do you mind if I buy another box? It’s not for me, of course. I think Princess Celestia needs to try these herself.”

Bon Bon blinked at Twilight as if she had just been on one of her scientific ramblings that nopony but her understood. “She... she’d really try them?”

Twilight gave Bon Bon a firm nod. “She would. After all, everypony has a sweet tooth somewhere, right?”

The candy maker chuckled, running a hoof through her mane. “I guess so, heh.”

“So, am I allowed to take another?” Twilight asked.

“Oh! Yes, please do!” Bon Bon hastily answered, swiping up the bits that Twilight gave her.

“Excellent. I’m sure she will enjoy them.” Twilight levitated the two boxes near her, then spread her wings. “Take care of yourself, Bon Bon.”

“You too, Twilight. I’ll see you... whenever I see you.” Twilight giggled a little at that, then took off to the skies, flying towards home.

When Twilight became a Princess, it was a little odd at first. She still stayed in the library like she always did, yet she was royalty. For a couple of days, nopony knew how to react towards her. But it quickly became apparent that she hadn’t really changed at all. Granted, her visits to Canterot were a lot more frequent than they used to be.

As soon as Twilight left the ground, Bon Bon resumed her work. She kept working in a flowing motion, rarely stopping, even if one of her friends happened to appear. A couple of times she took a quick break to get a drink and wipe the sweat off her brow, before continuing like a flawless machine. Many ponies commended her on that, which helped keep her going.

Even so, she couldn’t keep going forever. Another sale made, she rubbed her eyes, her vision starting to blur. She smiled at the next customer, but it was tired and merely a mask. At this point, she just wanted to go home and sleep. She went down behind the stand and searched for any more boxes.

She blinked, realizing that she was having to search now. Had she really run out? Could she go home now? After a frantic check, lifting up other boxes and supplies, she cheered to herself in her head and raised up to meet the new customer. Finally, I can go home...

“I’m dreadfully sorry, but my stock has run dry. I’m afraid that’s all for this year.” She turned the sign on her stand around, showing the words ‘closed’ to the queue. Sighs of disappointment headed down the line as everypony discovered what had happened. “Once again, I apologize. But come back tomorrow, and I’ll have my standard, but delicious line of sweets available!”

As the ponies grumbled and started to leave, Bon Bon made her exit. Grabbing her money box and other bits and bobs into her saddlebags, she closed up her stand and then quickly headed for home, even if the evening was only just beginning. She knew half of the ponies there wouldn’t come back, although she didn’t really care—another rush like today and she would collapse.

Picking up the pace when she saw home, she rushed inside, ignoring the full mailbox by the front gate. In the hallway, she dumped off her things and raced upstairs, before collapsing onto the bed.

She was fast asleep, face in pillow, in a matter of minutes.

Knock knock knock!

Bon Bon slowly opened her eyes, grumbling. She rolled over, trying to get a few more moments of rest.

The knocking did not cease.

“Eugh, go away,” she moaned.

Another three thumps came from the door.

“Okay, fine, fine, you win!” Bon Bon hauled herself off the bed and started storming downstairs to the front door. Swinging it open, her grumpy frown immediately switching to a smile when she saw who was standing before her.

“Ah, hey sugarcube,” Applejack said.

“Hi, Applejack!” Bon Bon replied, struggling to keep the grin on her face. “Sorry if I look like a mess, I wasn’t expecting anypony to come by this early.”

“It’s nearly twelve o’clock,” Applejack bluntly stated. Then she put on a concerned frown. "I can come back later, if you want."

Bon Bon coughed, shaking her head. “It's fine, really. Yesterday’s rush kind of wore me out, that's all.”

Applejack nodded. “Can’t say I blame ya. Anyhoo, it’s time to split the profits.” She looked past Bon Bon, into the hall, raising an eyebrow at the fallen saddlebags. “Is that it right there?”

Bon Bon turned her head, spotting the saddlebags. She giggled awkwardly. “Um, yes. I was in a real rush to get some sleep yesterday.”

“Okay then.” Applejack entered when Bon Bon went back to pick up her saddlebags. The two went to the kitchen, where Bon Bon got out the money box on the table. Applejack let out a whistle as the box was opened, many bits pouring out.

“Whew! That’s gonna be a lot to count,” Applejack commented, drawing some bits away with a hoof and putting them into piles.

Bon Bon longingly eyed her toaster. “Yep...”

And thus began the long, gruelling process of counting money. Bon Bon tried to keep the yawns at bay, but only ended up with a trembling mouth whenever she tried to fight them off.

Eventually, after what seemed like forever for Bon Bon, the money had been tallied. Applejack grinned, whistling once more. "Nine hundred bits! That’s mighty impressive, Bon Bon!”

The end result shocked Bon Bon, her eyes fully open and alert. “Wait, what?!”

“You heard me,” Applejack smirked, beginning to split the bits fairly. “Means you must have sold, er, lemme think...” The farmer tapped a hoof on the floor. “A hundred and eighty, I think.”

Bon Bon took a step back. “I really made that much? Wow...” She rubbed her head, then beamed at Applejack. “Thanks, AJ. I couldn’t have done it without your help.”

The farmer chuckled. “Don’t worry ‘bout it. This here’s a mutual thing. Y’know, I think we could make the same arrangement next year.”

Bon Bon’s ears perked up. “Really? You think so?”

Applejack smiled. “I reckon so. Two hundred and ten bits between ourselves? That’s mighty respectable.”

“Heh, yeah, I suppose it is.” Bon Bon began taking some bits for herself and after some more counting, both ponies had equal sized piles of money.

“Well, thanks for the opportunity, Bon Bon,” Applejack said, giving the candy maker a firm hoofshake.

Bon Bon bit her lip as Applejack firmly shook her foreleg. “No, thank you, Applejack.” She let out a little sigh of relief when the farmer let go. “It was really generous of you and your family to help me out. Tell them I said thanks, yeah?”

“Will do, sugarcube.” Applejack put her bits safely in her saddlebag, then headed for the front door. "You take it easy now, you hear?"

Bon Bon scoffed. "Don't worry. I plan to."

They said their goodbyes, then Applejack headed back to her farm, Bon Bon slamming the door shut when she disappeared from view.

Finally, she thought to herself, going back to the kitchen, breakfast time. She licked her lips as she put two slices of bread in the toaster, waiting for them to pop back up.

For her, today was going to be a day of rest.

Bon Bon stood in front of the desk, holding onto a paintbrush, delicately painting a small figure of a pegasus decked in silver armor. Gently, she lowered her head, applying a new coat of paint to the pegasus’ armor. Once she was done, she dumped the paintbrush into a jar of water and admired her work.

The pegasus wasn’t the only soldier on the desk. Behind it, a whole army of ponies stood, some in robes, some with staffs, some with chainmail and others with swords. Here, in what Bon Bon’s friends called ‘The Nerd Room’, she put together her secret obsession.

Bon Bon loved the realm of fantasy. Epic quests with a band of merry heroes, castles being defended against a siege of monsters, all that heroic stuff. And Bon Bon took her love of it very seriously. Figures weren’t the only thing she had in the ‘Nerd Room’. Rows of shelves were lined up with huge novels, grand tales on their pages. In two wardrobes were an assortment of cosplay outfits Bon Bon made herself (although sometimes Rarity helped too)—perhaps the coolest yet most disturbing thing she owned were weapons. On the walls, axes, bows and swords were held up by hooks. Of course, most were replicas with dull blades, but some were the genuine article.

Thankfully, she had the licence to own all of them.

Bon Bon was about to re-apply paint to a worn looking Minotaur figure, when she heard the door open and the sound of hooves trot in the room.

She rolled her eyes. Only one pony had the nerve to do that. “Lyra...”

“Hey, Bon Bon. Not planning to be cooped up in here all day, are you?” Lyra asked, her horn glowing.

Bon Bon snorted. “I will if I want to.” She moved the minotaur figure away. Another time, perhaps.

“It’s a bit... weird, though,” Lyra said, coming up next to Bon Bon. “I mean, come on, Bons, how many figures do you have here? One hundred? Two hundred?”

“I haven’t counted—” Bon Bon did a double take at Lyra’s horn. “Uh, you do realize your horn is glowing, right?”

“Oh! Yeah, that.” A stack of letters floated into the room and settled on the desk. “Your mailbox was full, so I took the liberty of emptying it.”

Bon Bon grunted, tossing the first letter aside. Just some bills. “You better have not opened any.”

“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t do that. Unless Derpy messed up the mail and you got a letter for me. But...” Lyra pointed at a pink envelope tucked under the others. “That one looks important to me.”

“Hm?” Bon Bon took the special envelope out from beneath the rest and flipped it over. Her eyes widened, a gasp escaping her lips. “That’s... the royal seal?!”

Lyra grinned, nodding eagerly. “Yeah! That’s the one I was tempted to open, but... yeah, I didn’t.”

Bon Bon wiggled her lips. “Hmm... don’t you think that this letter is for my eyes only?”

Lyra shrugged. “Maybe. Who’s gonna find out if I read it too?”

“Me,” Bons deadpanned.

“Okay, apart from you and me.”

“Lyra, please? I was kind of planning to spend today by myself, anyway. I need a break from...” She waved a hoof in the air. “Social interaction in general.”

Lyra gave her a skeptical frown. “Bon Bon, I don’t think that’s healthy.”

“I’ll tell you what isn’t healthy. Greeting pony after pony with the same smile on your face, taking no breaks, while desperately wishing you were in bed asleep. That isn’t healthy,” Bon Bon retorted, prodding Lyra in the chest.

Lyra’s eyes gazed up, as she considered her best friend’s argument. “Hm. Okay, good point.” She went back to the door, pointing at the earth pony. “But you’re coming out tonight and hanging out with me and the others, alright?”

“Probably, yeah. Depends on what the letter says and how urgent it is,” Bon Bon replied, waving the letter around. “But, yes, see you later, Lyra.”

“Have fun in your fantasy world,” Lyra said with a smirk, before closing the door behind her and exiting the house.

Bon Bon snickered, shaking her head. Lyra could be... a bit odd at times, but she was a free spirit. If Bons was feeling upset, Lyra always had the solution. And if Lyra was upset, then Bons was the firm support that she needed. Really, what else could you ask for in a pair of best friends?

Bon Bon stared back at the seal. In hindsight, telling Lyra to go was a bad move. She felt a lump in her throat form and butterflies dart around in her stomach. What if she had done something wrong? She glanced at the weapons on the wall, biting her lip. Had her license expired without her knowing?

Taking a deep breath, she ripped open the envelope and quickly skimmed the letter. Her eyes darted from left to right, a drop of sweat trailing down her head.

She couldn’t find any sign of words related to crimes or punishment. Letting out a relieved sigh, she laughed quietly. Okay, she was in the clear. With that established, she started from the top and read the letter for real.

Ms. Bon Bon,

After trying one of your confectionaries, our glorious Princess Celestia has offered you a once in a lifetime invitation. Our Majesty would like to give you the chance to become the Royal Confectioner for herself, Princess Luna and their servants in the castle. Know that this is not a royal order and therefore, this offer can be declined. However, should you accept, many benefits shall be yours.

Yet, before you can be chosen for this esteemed title, you must pass a simple test. The test is as follows:

You must make the Royal Sisters a selection of your best confectionaries.

To assist you in this task, we would like to invite you to Canterlot Castle, where you shall have access to the royal kitchens and the ingredients therein.

To notify us of your choice, simply speak to Princess Sparkle. She shall take over matters from there.

Yours honorably,

Raven,

Personal aide to Her Royal Highness Princess Celestia

Bon Bon almost lost her grip on the letter. She stumbled back, her heart racing. Was this really happening? She looked over the letter a third time. The words remained the same.

That’s when it fully hit her. Celestia had tried her zap apple candies and clearly she had enjoyed them enough to give Bon Bon the chance to make sweets for her full-time. She couldn’t believe it. This was, no, could be the chance of a lifetime. Furthermore, one question lurked in her head and would not leave. How did the letter get here so soon?!

Bon Bon stood there, trying to take everything in, unaware of the newcomer behind her.

“Wow, Bon Bon! I had no idea you had all this neat stuff!” Twilight chimed, looking around the room in awe.

Bon Bon squeaked and jumped around, dropping the letter. “Twilight!” She took a moment to catch her breath. “What are you doing in my house?!” she demanded.

Twilight let out a little cough, smiling awkwardly. “Uh, Lyra said it would be okay if I entered.”

Bon Bon rolled her eyes. “Of course she did...” She shook her head then pointed at the letter. “And what is this?!”

Twilight picked the letter up with her magic and quickly read it. “Ah, so you did get it. Goodie.”

“But, what, how—” Bon Bon stopped, clearing her throat and tried to sound coherent. “How did it get here so soon?!”

Twilight chuckled to herself and explained, “I was one of your earlier customers, and when I left for Canterlot, the first thing I did was give the Princess your sweets. Suffice to say, she loved them, and got her aide to write a letter for her—she was in the middle of other affairs—then I teleported back to the library and put the letter in your mailbox myself.”

Bon Bon blinked, slowly comprehending Twilight’s words. “She... she really liked them that much?”

“That she did. Said they were almost as good as cake.” Twilight blinked and let out a little squeak. “Okay, don’t tell her I told you that. That’s our secret, okay?”

“Okay—” She was cut off by Twilight’s hoof on her lips.

“I’m serious. That’s a part of her private, personal life and I will not have that spread around town. Understood?” Twilight commanded, her wings twitching, although they never spread out.

Bon Bon nodded, backing off. “Er, yes, understood.”

Twilight brushed her brow with a hoof, wings folding back to her sides. “Phew, good. Now that’s clear... your thoughts on the letter?”

“Um...” Bon Bon rubbed her foreleg, looking away. “I’m not sure what to think yet. It’s an honor, certainly, just...”

“A lot to take in?” Twilight smiled reassuringly. “Not to worry. You can have all the time you need to make a decision.” Spotting Bon Bon’s hooves shuffling on the spot, she opted to change the topic. “So! You like fantasy novels?”

“Oh, yes! I do! I love how a few pages are all that’s needed to whisk me away to another world. It’s just... pretty amazing, really,” she eagerly replied, beaming.

“I know how it is. Not everything I read is non-fiction, contrary to what other ponies might think.” She raised an eyebrow, seeing the figures on the desk. “Are those...?” She gasped. “They are!” Grinning like a little filly, she levitated over a unicorn magus figurine and examined the craftwork, her mouth forming an ‘o’ shape. “Whoa... Bon Bon, this is incredible! An actual Clover the Clever figure! And by that looks of it, limited edition too! The painting is perfectly precise and the colors completely accurate, up to her violet eyes! Did you paint this all by yourself?”

Bon Bon smirked proudly. “Indeed I did.”

“That’s really impressive. I mean it!” Twilight glanced around the room, eyes searching for something. “I assume you’ll have the roleplaying games too, then?”

“Obviously.” Bon Bon replied with a snort. “Dungeons and Darkness, The Eternal Shadow, all the good stuff like that.”

Twilight giggled like a child, hopping about on her hooves. “That’s great! We have to play them some time!”

“Definitely!” Bon Bon beamed, reveling in Twilight’s excitement.

“What class do you usually play? I tend to go for the Archmagus, although sometimes, if I’m feeling a bit sneaky...” Twilight paused, eyes darting left to right in a suspicious fashion. She then continued, whispering, “I go for the Warlock.”

“I go for the Barbarian, most of the time. If you set it up right, you’re practically unstoppable!” Bon Bon let out a dorky squee, picturing various game scenarios with Twilight.

The two kept babbling on about their treasured hobbies for quite a while. Yet it soon disappeared when Bon Bon remembered what the young Princess had came here for. Bon Bon came to a stop, eyeing the letter and letting out a sigh. “But first... this letter business.”

Twilight gradually slowed down, taking in a deep breath and regaining her composure. “Yes, the letter. You should know that if you become the Royal Confectioner, you will receive generous pay, your own quarters in the castle and plenty of days off to come back to Ponyville, if you wanted to do so.”

Bon Bon grunted in acknowledgement. It was good to know that if she passed the test and stepped up for the job, then she would still have time for herself and her friends. She knew that they, especially Lyra, would be devastated if she were to go away for an extended period of time.

Actually, she doubted Lyra would take this news well at all.

Bon Bon rubbed her head, thinking. No, this wasn’t about Lyra, as much as she cherished her best friend. This was about herself and what she wanted to do.

Twilight smiled reassuringly. “I can see that this will be a tough decision and I don’t blame you for that. Would you like me to leave so you can think it over?”

“Yes, I think that would be helpful. Thanks,” Bon Bon mumbled, not really paying much attention to Twilight. Despite that, the alicorn wasn’t offended, merely nodding once and stepping back.

“I hope you make the right choice. That is, the one you want.” Twilight then turned and walked away, admiring the weapons on the wall as she went. She then froze, peering at them searchingly, before muttering to herself and going onward. Bon Bon could only just hear the door close as Twilight left.

She rested on the desk, trying to imagine the possibilities in her head. Being the Royal Confectioner would be a dream come true. It would be something that would allow her to push her talents to the limit and get recognition for it. She would be set for life too; almost guaranteed job security if she worked hard—and she knew she would—plus generous pay. Those things didn’t even take into account the fact that she would be working for and meeting the Princesses themselves. Sure, Twilight was a princess, but Celestia and Luna were something else entirely.

On the other hoof, she knew things would be a lot different. She wouldn’t see her friends as much, that was for certain. How friendly and welcoming were the castle staff too? The guards she had seen always looked pretty stoic and intimidating. Sure, the servants can’t have been like them, but were they nice?

Bon Bon cast her eyes over to one of the bigger figures on the desk. It was Celestia, decked in golden armor that had a shine to it. Sighing, she grabbed it and idly tilted it around in front of her, examining all the features.

Can I really satisfy you? Am I truly worthy enough? She mused, setting the figure down. A troubled frown formed on her face as she asked the next question.

… do I really want to?

A Trip to the Castle

Bon Bon shuffled in her seat.

What am I doing? This is totally crazy and irresponsible! I should be at home, working on my next batch of candies. Instead, I’m doing...

She looked around at her surroundings, nearby ponies ignoring her.

This! Come on, Bon Bon, you were fine back there. Why take the risk? It’s foolish, doing all this...

Her ears twitched. The whistle had been blown. The escape of steam could be heard.

… and yet, it’s exciting.

While she contemplated in her house, Bon Bon thought it best that a walk outside would make her feel less conflicted and perhaps even provide an answer. But as she walked by the library, a voice nagged her mind.

Do it. What is there to lose? It’s a test. That’s all. Take the plunge now and make your mind up later.

It was her own voice. It told her to step into the library and talk to Twilight. She arranged everything for Bon Bon’s arrival and told her to take the train to Canterlot, but it was the voice that made her sit down. It was the voice that told her to stay.

This won’t be something you’ll regret. It’ll be an experience.

The train jerked forward and Bon Bon squeaked, jumping in her seat. She looked out of the window to see Ponyville station slowly moving away from her. Then a lump formed in her throat when the station disappeared from view and she could see Canterlot in the distance.

You can’t do this, not without the zap apples. It was because of them that you’re here.

That other voice was back. The voice that kept her awake last night. The voice that made her hesitate as she stepped onto the train. The voice that made her squirm in her seat.

Princess Celestia will deem you mediocre and send you back the way you came. That is inevitable. Why are you doing this?

Bon Bon shot up from her seat. “Bathroom!”

The other ponies on the train turned their heads, some eyebrows raised and some giggles stifled. Bon Bon felt her cheeks go warm as she briskly trotted down the aisle and found the bathroom, swiftly locking herself in.

Bon Bon turned on the taps and splashed some water on her face. She rubbed her eyes and stared at herself in the mirror. A few hairs in her mane were out of place and her eyes were beginning to become bloodshot. Something was eating at her. It wasn’t anxiety about the test.

It was the indecision. The lack of clarity. The inability to predict what would happen to her. To have such an important, life changing decision placed upon her, yet without any clear answers of what would happen... it terrified her.

She gripped the sides of the sink and leant closer to her reflection. Her brows furrowed as her eyes pierced into those of the scared pony in front of her. Slowly, but surely, that mare became determined.

“This is only a test,” she told herself. “A free sample of what might come. After this, I will know what to do.”

She smiled slightly and repeated her words. “I will know what to do.” She repeated them again. Her smile turned into a grin. “Okay, I’m good now.”

She swung open the door and marched back to her seat, ignoring the passing stares some ponies gave her. Settling back into her seat, she looked out of the window to see Canterlot in the distance. Not long to go now.

The journey was relatively short, so there wasn’t enough time to catch a quick nap. After a while of darkness in Canterlot Mountain, the train zoomed out of the tunnel and light was instantly everywhere. A few minutes after, the train wheezed and slowly came to a stop at the station. Out of the window, Bon Bon could see Twilight, flanked by several royal guards. That gave her a little start. She hadn’t expected something so... official. But given that Twilight was preparing things, she thought she should have guessed.

Taking her saddlebags (she had packed light for this trip), she stepped onto the platform and approached the royal procession. Twilight spotted her and began to wave with a overly-enthusiastic smile on her face. Bon Bon coughed, holding back a laugh; such a friendly welcome did not fit in with the stoic guards besides her.

Bon Bon casually trotted up to Twilight, ignoring the guards’ presence. “Hello, Twilight.” A guard next to the Princess let out a little cough, looking at Bon Bon out of the corner of his eye.

Twilight’s ear flicked and she shot the guard an assertive, but disappointed look. “I shouldn't think a friend would need to conform to royal customs. At least, not in front of me.”

The guard nodded firmly. “Yes, your Highness.”

Twilight frowned a tad. “You don’t need to call me that all the time, by the way.”

The guard nodded again. “Yes, Princess.”

The alicorn raised a hoof, about to bring it to her face, but she thought better of it, shaking her head. Her demeanor did a complete one-eighty when she looked at Bon Bon. “Anyway... yes! It’s good that you’re here! Follow me and I’ll take you to the castle.” She peered at the saddlebags and her horn began to glow. Yet, that stopped as soon as she looked at her own procession. Bon Bon heard a little sigh as Twilight turned around.

They went out of the station and towards a royal chariot for Twilight. It was like Celestia’s, except the colors were reversed. Purple was the dominant color, making up the framework of the chariot, including the front wheels. The back wheels had Twilight’s cutie mark in the middle of them, as did the flag on top of the chariot.

Twilight and Bon Bon stepped on and reclined against the golden fabric as the guards took their places. The candymaker couldn’t help but grin like a child as she inspected the transport she was in. She a ran a hoof over the purple metal of the chariot, her mouth going agape. This was something extravagant, amazing and beautiful.

Then it suddenly took off into the air. Bon Bon was jerked back into her seat as she felt rather weightless. Twilight chortled quietly, then looked ahead at Canterlot Castle. Guards surrounded them, two pulling the chariot along, their wing strokes measured and powerful. They were going at quite a pace, to the extent that Bon Bon felt chilly as the wind passed them. She hunched up, rubbing her forelegs. At least her teeth weren’t chattering. Twilight noticed this but didn’t say anything. She knew what she wanted to say, but...

“Wings are good for keeping warm!” she blurted out, then immediately covered her mouth with her hooves. Bon Bon blinked, then looked at her, eyebrow raised. She said nothing, allowing Twilight the chance to go on.

Twilight lowered one hoof, keeping the other close to her mouth. “They have lots of blood vessels in them, so...” She awkwardly extended her wing and wrapped it around Bon Bon. Soon, the earth pony felt all warm and snug. Particular emphasis in her mind went towards snug; the pair were now incredibly close to each other.

“So, um, that’s good because then the heat energy from my wings can go to you and that’s why we’re so close together because that will reduce the distance needed for the heart—heat energy to travel from my wings to you!” Twilight rambled, shuffling a little.

Then there was silence. Even the guards were looking away from them.

Twilight scratched her head, staring off into the distance. “I’m sorry, I’m—”

“A silly pony?” Bon Bon interrupted. What was wrong with this? Twilight was keeping her warm. That was all there was to it. Although, she thought Twilight’s rushed spiel was cute in its own right.

Twilight chuckled. “I guess. My friends have called me that before. And admittedly, I’ve done some things I could’ve handled better.”

“I suppose not even princesses are perfect?” Bon Bon suggested.

A little smile crept onto Twilight’s face. “I’ll agree with that.”

The chariot began to make a slow, controlled descent down to the castle. Butterflies began to fly around in Bon Bon’s stomach as they neared the ground, but the firm wing hug Twilight was giving her prevented any of them from escaping through her mouth.

Twilight withdrew her wing when they landed, somewhat reluctantly. She gestured for the guards to open the huge, solid looking doors before them. Slowly but surely, they creaked open and Twilight led Bon Bon inside.

Bon Bon struggled to keep up, for her legs wanted to stop so she could properly admire the stained glass windows on either side of her. Each told a story of heroes of Equestria, forgotten to some but always honored within the castle walls. Only now, as the pair walked along the lush, velvet carpet that stretched the hall, had Bon Bon fully realised that she was staying here.

“I’ll take you to your room so you can have time to adjust,” Twilight said. She looked back at Bon Bon, smiling. “Then maybe you’d like a tour?”

Bon Bon gasped and jumped in excitement. “Yes! That would be amazing!”

“Sounds like a plan,” Twilight affirmed, then stared back ahead. The two kept walking, turning corners and going down more corridors. Bon Bon was too much in awe to say anything and Twilight let her revel in it.

Eventually they came to a series of doors lining the walls. “This is where guests of the castle tend to stay,” Twilight explained, peering at the doors. “And your room iiiis... ah! Here!” She patted one of the doors, then opened it and stepped on through.

Bon Bon actually expected something bigger, yet it was still no less impressive. A white double bed took up most of the space, the pillows looking very cushiony with gold trims. There was a grand wardrobe opposite and a bedside cabinet next to the bed, with a rather regal looking lamp. The walls were painted white and on the ceiling was a big image of Celestia’s cutie mark. There was another door, which Bon Bon assumed led to the bathroom. Oddly enough, there were no kitchen facilities to speak of.

“Um...” Bon Bon went in the center of the room, peering about. “Twilight, there’s no oven or washing machine or anything like that.”

Twilight scoffed. “This isn’t a hotel. The servants do the menial tasks for guests.” Twilight then squeaked, placing a hoof over her mouth. “I didn’t mean it like that! I don’t look down on them at all! No! I admire them for getting their hooves dirty and I know I could never do that but you could and that’s why you’re here and I think that’s amazing because it shows—”

Bon Bon laughed quietly to herself and put a reassuring hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Twilight? You’re being silly again.” Twilight’s cheeks started to flush with color. “Just show me where they do those things when you take me on the tour.”

Twilight nodded and collected her breath, then simply levitated Bon Bon’s saddlebags off her and placed them neatly on the bed. “You’re just like Applejack. In a good way, of course!” she hastily added. “I respect a pony who’s willing to do everything herself.”

Bon Bon nodded, then went to unpacking. She only took a few necessities with her, such as toiletries and a few snacks. “It’s not the servants’ job to do stuff that’s normally my job, you know?”

“Well, actually it is, but I see your point,” Twilight replied.

“Mhm.” Bon Bon kept putting things out on the bed. And kept it on doing it for far longer than she should have. Grumbling, she looked inside her saddlebags. The toothbrush was inside and that was the first thing she unpacked. Bon Bon scratched her mane, a puzzled look on her face.

“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked, joining Bon Bon’s side.

“I think I’m going mad. Stuff that I thought I had unpacked is now... packed!” She took out the toothbrush and firmly placed it on the bed, staring intently at it for a few seconds, before returning to her saddlebags. Now her manebrush was back in. Bon Bon rubbed her eyes. “Just... what?!”

Twilight’s brow furrowed as her horn began to glow, a faint hum emanating from it. Then her face turned deadpan. “Okay, you can come out now. I know you’re here.”

“Are we both going mad?” Bon Bon snarked. “We’re the only ones in here.”

Twilight’s expression didn’t change. “No, we’re not.” Trotting around, she looked everywhere around the room for something. “Stop being annoying and reveal yourself right now!” she ordered, stamping a hoof irritably on the floor.

Bon Bon blinked, watching Twilight move and rant at nothing.

“Rather mad, isn’t she?” said the pillow next to her.

Bon Bon turned to the pillow. “I’ll say...” she said, gazing back to Twilight. Then the gears in her head finally clicked. She whipped her head towards the pillow, eyes wide. “WHAT?!”

Twilight shot a look towards the commotion, then flew forward, landing on the bed. She stared down at the pillow. It had two yellow eyes and a mouth with a very distinct fang. “Discord,” she said tersely.

Bon Bon jumped at the name. The news that he had apparently ‘reformed’ and was under Celestia’s care was certainly a shocker to everypony back home. Most were paranoid that he was plotting something. He hadn’t unleashed any horrors yet, though Bon Bon understandably kept wary.

“Twilight,” he replied civilly.

“Stop inhabiting the pillow,” Twilight told him, an annoyed expression on her face.

A giant ear appeared on the side of the pillow. It looked like Twilight’s and it twitched. “I didn’t hear the ‘p-word’.”

Twilight huffed. “Are you really going to do this?” Bon Bon looked between the two, halfway between amused and completely baffled.

“Yes, because Celestia told me of the importance of saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’,” Discord said matter-of-factly. Bon Bon quirked an eyebrow.

Twilight grinded her teeth together and Bon Bon swore she could start to feel heat coming from her. But, abruptly, she stopped. She raised a foreleg and let out a deep breath, waving her leg to the side as if clearing away baggage. Her next words were completely calm. “Please get out of the pillow, Discord.”

“Thank you,” he said, stressing his words. Then the pillow began to ripple slightly, as his long, chaotic form slipped out of the pillow until he was floating above the bed.

Bon Bon took a few steps back from the bed, eyes wide. “Okay, I might have to burn that now.”

“I can arrange that.” With a snap of his fingers, Discord quickly burnt the pillow away until not a speck of it was left. Miraculously, the rest of the bed was left unharmed.

The quickness of the flames and their raw ferocity caused Bon Bon to stumble back onto her rear, placing a hoof on her chest. “Um... okay, that works...”

Discord stroked his beard with his taloned hand, inspecting Bon Bon with his red, beady eyes. “So, Twilight, aren’t you going to introduce me to our new guest?”

“Yes. Discord, this is Bon Bon.” Twilight gestured at said pony with a hoof. “She is here so she can prove herself worthy to become the royal confectioner.”

Discord clasped his hands together, letting out a delightful chuckle. “A confectioner? Oh, how wonderful! I think we’re going to have a lot of fun with her.”

“Discord, you are not to mess around with her, okay?” Twilight said, although it was close to sounding like an order.

The draconequus waved a paw dismissively towards Twilight. “Oh, fine. You’re such a grump sometimes.” He then snapped his fingers, disappearing in a flash, then reappearing next to the alicorn, grinning. “I’ll just have to focus my fun on you instead.”

Twilight rolled her eyes, while Discord ran his eyes over Bon Bon. Literally. His eyes popped out of their sockets and began rolling all over Bon Bon, from her hooves to her neck. Her hairs stood on end and she tensed up. His eyes felt so cold and... weird.

As his eyes ran down her tail, Discord’s chest started heaving as he laughed. “Oh, this is priceless!” The eyes then made the jump back into their sockets, rotating a little so they could get in the right position. “Have you seen her tail?!”

Bon Bon twisted around so she could get a look at her tail. “It looks normal to me...” she muttered.

Discord grabbed Twilight and pulled her to the back of Bon Bon, pointing at her tail. “Just look at it!” he exclaimed, picking up the pink strand of Bon Bon’s tail and lifting it up and down. “This bit is longer than all the rest! Talk about a bad mane day.” He then dropped the tail and tapped his head. “No, that doesn’t work.” Another snap of his fingers and Bon Bon found her tail and mane switched places. “Now it works!”

Bon Bon’s face was obscured by the strands of her former tail dropping down over her. Despite that, her grumbling made it clear what her mood was. Her neck strained as she struggled to keep her neck up. Unfortunately, she couldn’t maintain that and her head ended up hanging close to the ground.

“Well, I like her tail!” Twilight defended. She cleared her throat before going on, “As a tail.”

“I suppose hair has always been a subjective matter,” Discord conceded, correcting Bon Bon’s mane and tail, to which she raised her head and let out a sigh of relief. “I’ve had my fun here. For now, at least. It’s time to mess around with the Princess of the Night.”

Twilight raised a hoof. “But, isn’t she sleeping?”

Discord knocked a fist on his head, looking at Twilight like she just stated the obvious. Before the two ponies could say anything, there was another flash and he was gone.

Twilight patted down Bon Bon’s mane, a little messy from its abuse. “Sorry about him,” she said, giving her an apologetic look. “I promise he’s not so bad most of the time.” She paused. “Kind of.”

Bon Bon rubbed her neck. “As long as he doesn’t cause trouble when I’m working I... think I can deal with it?” she said, her words full of uncertainty. “Can you just take me on the tour now?”

“Gladly,” Twilight responded, smiling. She led Bon Bon back into the corridors and the pair walked alongside each other at a steady pace. “The halls do look similar to each other, I’ll admit, but if you get lost you can always ask a guard for directions. Or me, if I’m around.”

The duo headed down some stairs and the presence of more servants became apparent. Bon Bon watched as ponies in different uniforms rushed about, some carrying items such as towels or food. Her attention soon broke away from them though, in favor of Twilight’s wings. “What was it like, gaining new limbs?”

Twilight shrugged, looking nonchalant. “Natural, really. It’s like they’ve been with me the whole time.” She flexed her wings a little.

“Huh...” Bon Bon watched as Twilight moved her wings. “I guess that make sense?”

Twilight nodded like she was a sage. “Indeed. I still have all the nerves in them and they’re connected to my brain. So my brain makes me think that it’s perfectly normal for them to be there. Nerve impulses travel down my neurons...” she kept on babbling about things Bon Bon didn’t really understand. Not that she stopped her though. Bon Bon found it rather cool how a pony could be so passionate about something so intricate.

“And that’s how nerves work,” Twilight finished. “It’s fascinating, really. Our bodies are the most complex piece of ‘technology’ out there.”

“Oh, yes, I completely agree,” Bon Bon affirmed. “Maybe not the coolest out there, though.”

“Nothing’s perfect. We’re far from it in more than one aspect.” She paused and let out a barely audible sigh. “I’m a princess but I’m still...” She gave a resigned look at the nearby guards. “Me.”

“I’ve never thought otherwise,” Bon Bon spoke in a reassuring tone.

Twilight gave her a soft smile. “Thanks.” Her vigor was renewed as they approached another door, bigger than the others nearby. “And here we are: the castle kitchens.” Twilight opened it with her magic and the sight that lay before Bon Bon completely stunned her.

The room was massive, rows of kitchen facilities next to one another. Ponies in white uniforms hurried about from station to station, cleaning, preparing and cooking. It was hectic, yet strangely orderly. It was relatively quiet, save for the occasional talk about the job from ponies and the sound of hooves going against the white tiles. The walls were painted in a tasteful amber, making the whole room seem less like a hellhole of a work place.

That said, it was vastly different from anything Bon Bon was used to. She was used to baking candies by herself, in her own time, her own space, as she pleased. Here, those things were not guaranteed. The place was like a machine, every pony a cog. She wondered whether she was the right shape to fit in.

Twilight noticed Bon Bon pawing at the floor with her forehoof, so she carefully got closer to her. “You’ll have your own work station and plenty of assistance to help you settle in. Don’t worry, I know everypony here looks like a drone in a hive, but they’re all very nice.”

Bon Bon nodded slowly. “Well, that’s good to know...”

“Come on, there’s still plenty for us to see,” Twilight said, turning back and leaving the room.

Bon Bon gave the kitchens a final glance before following her. When she returned to the halls, Twilight closed the door behind them. Bon Bon’s ears twitched as she tried to listen out for any sounds from the kitchen. Nothing notable could be heard, if anything at all; the door was pretty thick.

“Next, I’ll show you where the servants wash their clothes and such. Then after that, their mess hall,” Twilight announced, setting off at a light trot.

Bon Bon started to follow, although she was a little slower. She watched the kitchen doors as they got smaller and smaller. It was only when they turned a corner, did she look forward.

“So that was the recreational room for the servants...” Twilight scratched her ear. “I’m not sure what else I can show you...”

Bon Bon sulked a little. The two had seen more of the same old halls than actual rooms and while they were impressive at first, they became old very quickly. She wanted to see the armory and where the magi practice their magics! All the cool fantasy stuff like that! But, nope, instead they trudged around boring servant rooms.

“Aren’t you a princess?” Bon Bon asked, a little snappier than she had intended.

“Yes, but I’m still answerable to the Royal Sisters.” Twilight stopped in the middle of a crossroads. Bon Bon looked down all four directions, then grumbled as she quickly realised that they all appeared the same. Of course! “I’m not sure they’ll approve of me letting you see the important parts of the castle...” Twilight itched her neck.

Bon Bon snorted. “Isn’t there something vaguely interesting you can show me?”

Twilight rapidly turned to face Bon Bon, her face a mixture of surprise and offense. “I can’t just ignore royal protocol. I’m sorry, but...” Her lips burbled out some incomprehensible nonsense. She fell quiet, only just looking at the confectioner. “I’m sorry.”

Bon Bon let out a deep breath, almost deflating. She raised a hoof off the ground and examined it. All her hooves were throbbing. “No, I’m sorry.” She set her hoof down and gave Twilight an apologetic look. “It’s been a long day, there’s things on my mind and my hooves ache. I’m normally patient, but... I’m just tired, I suppose.”

“No, I’m sorry.” Twilight rubbed the left side of her face, groaning a little. “Everypony who comes here has such a high expectation and the castle rarely meets that.” She chuckled weakly. “I remember when Rainbow Dash first came here. She was prepared to bounce off the walls, she was that bored.” Twilight brought a hoof to a chin. “Actually, Pinkie was already doing that.”

Bon Bon smirked. “Okay, that I can imagine very clearly.”

“Yeah, I get the feeling the castle would be a lot more lively if she were around all the time...” Twilight looked down the halls, a slightly pained look on her face. It quickly changed when she a nearby guard exchanged glances. Her face went to a neutral state as she looked back at Bon Bon. “There is one room I can show you, I guess.”

Bon Bon leant forward, tilting her ear slightly. “And that would be?”

“My personal quarters,” Twilight revealed.

Bon Bon blinked twice. “What? Oh no, you don’t have to show me them. That’s your personal space, isn’t it?” Bon Bon caught a fleeting expression of hurt on Twilight’s face and resisted the urge to apply hoof to face.

“I don’t see it any different from me inviting you to the library back in Ponyville,” Twilight reasoned.

Bon Bon nodded rapidly, replying with enthusiasm. “Yes! Silly me, of course it’s just like that. Sorry, must be the tiredness, heh. Lead the way, Twilight.”

Twilight beamed and Bon Bon swore she heard a squee come from her. “Goodie. Let’s go then.” Twilight went ahead, her movements purposeful and energetic. Bon Bon did her best to keep up, despite the protests of her aching hooves.

Amazingly, the halls began to change in design. So did the guards. The pair went through an archway, flanked by guards covered in even more ornate armor than those Bon Bon had seen before and the stained glass windows had even more intricate designs. Everything seemed ten times grander.

Twilight made a left turn and went down a thinner hallway, coming up to another archway. Above it was a replica of Twilight’s cutie mark, made entirely out of gems. Guarding the entry were two guards in very unique armor indeed, unlike anything Bon Bon had seen before.

Unlike the other guards, these ones did not wear helmets. Instead, they were equipped with steel circlets with a purple jewel in the middle, just at their forehead. Both were unicorns, their horns were in grey metal rings for protection. Most of their barding was hidden under an elegant and extremely regal dark purple caparison, which made them appear as if they were wearing robes. To top it off, leaning against each of them were their weapon of choice: a beautifully carved violet spear.

Twilight gave the two a firm nod as she strode past them and they returned with a stern salute. Bon Bon found it hard to tear her eyes away as she went by. “Are those your personal guard? I thought—why weren’t they with you at the station?”
Twilight giggled, her wings practically twitching with excitement. “They are my guards, yes, but not just any sort of guard. They’re my battle magi.”

Bon Bon’s jaw dropped. “Battle magi?!” Now things like this were what she wanted to see.

“Indeed. The unicorns in Celestia’s guard are adept with magic, but not to the extent of mine. Many of these ponies were just magi before I became a Princess. Which helps me explain your second question; many of them still do the research they did before. In fact, I had a library set up here for that very purpose, as well as some labs.” She smiled at a passing battle magus, who strolled by, a book floating in front of him. “They’ve all been trained in close combat, so they’re very skilled fighters. I can’t say the idea was all mine, though.”

Bon Bon raised an eyebrow. “Who suggested it?”

“Princess Luna did,” Twilight confirmed, with a short nod. “Although it was my suggestion to allow them to continue their hobbies and research.”

“Wow... this is... wow...” Bon Bon felt her leg shaking and she nearly collapsed onto the floor. It was only her foreleg instinctively digging into the ground that saved her from a tumble. “Eugh...”

“Bon Bon?” Twilight asked, frantically going over to Bon Bon and helping her get up with a tender touch. Her face slackened as she gave her friend a grave look. “Are you okay?”

“I think it’s my body telling me to take a break,” Bon Bon replied, blinking slowly. “Like I said earlier... long day.”

“In that case, allow me to escort you to your room,” Twilight said, smiling sincerely. “Don’t worry about walking anymore!”
Her horn started to glow as a magical field enveloped Bon Bon, her hooves gradually lifting off the ground. Her body tightened up, becoming alert. “I won’t drop you,” Twilight reassured. “Promise.”

Bon Bon swallowed, the butterflies from earlier back in her stomach. “Er, right...”

“You don’t like being off the ground, do you?” the princess inquired. Bon Bon replied with a shake of her head. “Alright, sorry. Plan B.” She narrowed her eyes, concentrating as Bon Bon was carefully lifted towards Twilight, being set down on her back.

Twilight’s legs buckled under Bon Bon’s weight, yet they stood up straight and firm after a second of adjustment.
Bon Bon blinked as she felt her stomach press against Twilight’s back. Then she gripped onto her as the alicorn almost fell down. “Sorry! I’m a little heavy...”

“It’s fine,” Twilight said through gritted teeth, still adjusting to the load. “You’re an earth pony, so you have more muscle than most. And muscle weighs more than fat.” She looked back at her charge. “You alright back there?”

“Comfy,” Bon Bon responded instantly. “Er—secure too.” Twilight shrugged and took slow, steady steps forward, unaware of the small blush forming on Bon Bon’s cheeks.

That was embarrassing... I must be really tired to be that tactless, Bon Bon thought, covering her mouth with a hoof as she yawned. Perhaps her worn out state wasn’t so surprising; after a troubled train journey, followed by Discord of all beings messing around her, followed by trailing after Twilight down the long hallways of the castle... yeah, she was done for the day.

Before she knew it, Twilight had walked into Bon Bon’s room and knelt down so the earth pony could get off. Bon Bon slid off, wincing a little as her tender hooves made contact with the floor. She shuffled towards the bed, which looked very appealing at the moment.

Twilight stifled a giggled as she watched Bon Bon hug the bed, then climb onto it and sprawl herself out. “You seem good by yourself for now. Have a nice rest, okay?”

Bon Bon barely nodded. “Yeah...” When she heard the sound of hooves moving, she rose and stared at the alicorn. “Twilight?”

The princess froze, then looked back at her, smiling. “Yes, Bon Bon?”

“Thanks for...” Bon Bon sluggishly waved a hoof about. “Everything today.”

Twilight’s grin grew. “It was my pleasure, Bon Bon. Now, sleep. Tomorrow, you’ll have to prepare for your test.”

Bon Bon smiled tiredly at her, then laid her head back down. “Yeah... see ya then.”

“Sleep well,” Twilight said, her voice dripping with sincerity. Bon Bon barely heard the sound of the door closing when she left. Her eyes were struggling to keep open at this point, so she gave into her body’s demands and slowly fell asleep...

Wait.

Her eyes shot open and she rose from the bed as if a spring had been placed under her. She brought her hooves to her mane and twiddled a stray strand of hair.

Prepare? Tomorrow?! This...

“This is really happening...” she told herself, then fell onto the bed, eyes now refusing to close.

The night was going to be a very long one indeed.

Preparations

Bon Bon stood in front of the mirror in the en-suite, diligently brushing her mane. A servant had brought her breakfast, then she had a quick wash in the shower, and now she was waiting.

She stroked her mane with the brush, gazing into her eyes. Bloodshot; the night had not been a forgiving one. She wasn’t in her own bed for one thing and her mind hardly helped matters. She grumbled as she got rid of a knot in her mane. Should’ve brought eyedrops or something...

Looking down at the sink, she splashed some water onto her face. It didn’t seem to help much. She resumed her brushing, waiting. The door to her room was just in sight in the mirror. Eventually, Twilight was going to walk through that door and direct her to the kitchens. Bon Bon hoped it would be her; seeing a pretty face in the morning would make her feel better.

Another brush stroke, interrupted. Her cheeks were a little red. Had she put on that much make up? She thought she had enough to look presentable, but... perhaps a little more would help?

But it seemed time had other plans. Bon Bon heard a few knocks on the door, then watched as it slowly opened and a purple head poked out. “Bon Bon?”

The confectioner looked back at herself. She was smiling, if it was only slightly. A final brush stroke, then she turned on her hooves and walked out of the en-suite. “I’m here Twilight. I’m...” She trailed off for a little bit. It’s not a lie when I’m not even sure, right? “... ready?”

Twilight offered her a knowing smile. “Nervous?”

Bon Bon swallowed, scuffing a hoof on the floor. “Yes...” She felt a strong wing wrap around her, and Twilight’s body brushing against her own. The Princess was awfully soft and... just nice in general.

“Don’t worry about it.” Twilight hesitated, then tightened the hug, bringing them closer. “I get nervous too, but if I go ahead and try my best, it usually works out.”

Somehow, Bon Bon doubted the validity of that claim. “Wasn’t there that one time where you went a bit... cuckoo? With the doll?” Twilight shuffled and the embrace became a little looser. “Sorry!” Bon Bon hastily spoke out. “That was a bit harsh... sorry. Nerves and all that.” She looked down, avoiding Twilight’s gaze.

There was a small silence, but the hug did get a little tighter. Yet they never did reach the level of closeness they just had. “It’s okay. Anxiousness makes ponies do silly things,” Twilight said.

Bon Bon let out a light laugh. “Like being jerks?”

Twilight snickered, leading Bon Bon towards the door. “Sometimes. It all depends on the pony.”

Bon Bon figured that was true enough. Lyra tended to go overboard on crazy when anxious, while Berry Punch would turn to the bottle. It just so happened that Twilight tended to blow up—quite literally—when she got nervous.

That’s... actually very unsettling. Bon Bon glanced at Twilight as they left the room. She was powerful enough before, but as an alicorn...

“Something wrong?”

Bon Bon blinked, squirming a little. “Nothing...” Twilight raised an eyebrow, having a calculating look that just told Bon Bon that she knew it was definitely not ‘nothing’. Bons sighed, shifting her gaze away from the princess. “It’s just... how does it feel, knowing you can raze an entire town in less than a minute? Not even that, probably.”

“Doesn’t feel like anything,” Twilight replied, Bon Bon noting that it sounded way too neutral and distant. But before she could voice her concerns, Twilight’s horn began to glow. “Shall we teleport to the kitchens? Easier and quicker than walking.”

“Er, oka—”

There was a flash and in the blink of an eye, Bon Bon found herself in the castle kitchens. She swayed on her hooves a bit, trying not to vomit. Twilight held her steady and gave her a couple of moments to recuperate.

“Sorry,” Twilight said after a pause. “I’m just used to travelling that way.”

“I guessed as much...” Bon Bon rubbed her head but kept her legs firm, preventing any further stumbling. She looked around and noticed that she wasn’t in the kitchen proper. Aprons hung on hooks around the small room, so Bon Bon guessed this was where the uniform for the cooks was kept.

Twilight levitated an apron off a hook and put it on Bon Bon. Next, she took down a chef’s hat but Bon Bon’s raised hoof stopped her from putting it on the confectioner.

“I’m not wearing that,” Bon Bon affirmed. “It looks too... silly. I mean, what’s the point in a hat so big when you’re cooking?”

“It’s the toque or a mane net,” Twilight told her.

“Hat,” Bon Bon instantly replied. She shivered a little as the toque was put on her; probably magical feedback from Twilight or something.

“Now that you’re dressed for success,” Twilight briefly paused, smiling at her own little wordplay, “it’s time to introduce you to the head chef.”

“Anything I should know about him beforehoof?” Bon Bon asked as the pair entered the workplace.

“He’s... orderly?” Bon Bon tilted her head. “... you’ll see what I mean,” Twilight continued, leading the way.

Bon Bon raised an eyebrow at that. Her eyes soon fell upon the surrounding area, however. It was surprisingly calm, most work being washing up. A lot of it. Judging from that, she assumed that Twilight had intentionally made her miss the morning rush. She smiled, thinking that she had somewhat of a guardian angel in the alicorn. All Twilight had done so far was help make things easier for her. It was all rather unroyal like, instead being something way friendlier.

Well, Bon Bon felt there was something sorely missing from all this; she needed to repay her for her kindness.

The two approached a single stallion who oversaw the entire kitchen, standing firm with a stoic look on his face. His uniform was a little more ornate than the other chefs’ uniforms, but that was all that was different about him. He sniffed as he looked over Bon Bon.

“This the new recruit?” His voice was gruff and to the point.

Twilight nodded. “Yes, this is Bon Bon.” She looked back to her friend. “This is the head chef: Iron Utensil.”

Bon Bon looked into the stallion’s eyes. They give her an intimidating, inspecting glare back. She felt the need to lighten the mood somewhat. “Sort of like Iron Chef? Haha...”

Iron didn’t laugh.

Twilight scratched her neck. “Erm... not really...”

Bon Bon blinked once. “Oh...”

“I think you should be okay here...” Twilight sidestepped a little out of the way. “I have my own duties to attend to.” She began to trot off, stopping before she left and turning back round. “Oh! Good luck!”

Bon Bon gave her a short little wave. “Thanks. I’ll see you later, I guess...” She looked back at Iron. His facial expression had not changed. “Um...”

“This way, recruit,” he simply ordered. Bon Bon followed him to a workstation that looked like all the others. “This is where you spend most of your time doing hard work.”

Bon Bon nodded, examining the facilities.. “It kind of looks like my kitc—”

“This is the oven! You will use this to bake many different types of food!” He shouted, pointing at said device, the knobs on top in particular. “Always remember to adjust the temperature accordingly or you will suffer a burn on your product!”

Bon Bon winced at his loud, booming voice. “Okay sir, I think I get—”

He gestured at something new. “This is the basin! You will use this to wash up dirty items!”

Bon Bon tried to speak out and explain that she knew all that, but Iron had gone into full rant mode. She thought ten minutes went by, her frowning all the way, before he stopped.

“Is that all clear?!”

Bon Bon immediately stood to attention. “Yes sir!”

“Now recruit... show me what talents you possess.” He highlighted to Bon Bon a large steel door across the room. “Ingredients are in there. Hop to it! I’ll be back for tasting in a couple hours.” He marched off, leaving Bon Bon to her own devices.

First things first: ingredients. She went to the food store in an orderly manner, finding the steel door an ease to open. Being an earth pony, she was naturally strong. Maybe not as powerful as Applejack, but... back in school, she had worked out quite a bit. Not as much today, what with business, but she still made an effort. Healthy body, healthy mind after all.

The food store was a simple affair. Rows and rows of ingredients were sorted out in categories, with a room at the back for frozen things. Bon Bon grabbed what she needed and went out, shutting the door behind her.

It didn’t take long for her to familiarize herself with her work station. It was just like her kitchen back home, but far more sophisticated. She thought it’d be best to start off simple: chocolate sweets, with a chocolate cream center.

Things started off smoothly, with Bon Bon pouring the chocolate that she required into a bowl. But after this, she suddenly felt a tug on her mane and watched as her hoof jerked towards the cream, which was actually caramel that she didn’t plan on using for this particular dish. She tried jerking her limb away, resulting in more hair tugging and more rebelliousness from the leg.

Frowning, she grabbed her leg and tried to wrestle it under control. When that didn’t work, she did the next logical thing: she slammed it against the workstation.

Her limb made a loud thud against the metal of the oven. “Argh! Damn it...” Her gambit had paid off; she was free to shake her leg to get rid of the pain.

Her leg throbbed in pain, and she could see the telltale signs of a bruise forming, but that didn’t stop her from carrying on. “No clue what that was abou—”

Another pull of her hair and her other foreleg was out of control, reaching towards the caramel. “What the hay?!” she cried out, frantically checking around to see if any of the chefs had noticed this oddity. Thankfully, she had not attracted a crowd.

Just as she was struggling with her leg, her ears twitched; she heard a snicker from somewhere. It was close too. Bon Bon quickly glanced about. Just as she thought: nopony nearby. Things were getting stranger and stranger—

Oh you have got to be kidding me.

Bon Bon snorted, her hoof stomping on the ground as she glared about. “Okay Discord, you’ve had your fun. Come out where I can see you!”

“Oh, alright then. Keep your apron on,” he muttered. Out from underneath Bon Bon’s hat scurried a small little thing, which went down her muzzle and leapt onto the workstation, near the sink.

Bon Bon almost sneezed as the thing climbed over her. Once she saw it, she couldn’t help but be... a little weirded out by it. In front of her was a brown rat, Discord. His signature eyes were present, as were his horns and large fang. The naked tail that such creatures should normally have was replaced by a green scaly one.

“Okay...” Bon Bon started, still taking in the curious sight. “Mind explaining what you’re doing?”

“Helping you, of course,” Discord replied casually.

Bon Bon scoffed. “Helping me? How is pulling on my mane and controlling me like some... puppet helping me?!”

Discord kept a plain look on his face. “Because you clearly don’t know what you’re doing.”

“What?!” Bon Bon grinded her teeth together. “If that were the case, I wouldn’t be here, now would I?”

“While that may be the case, you are only used to serving commoners. Connoisseurs are an entirely different beast altogether. By using just chocolate and chocolate only, you would’ve risked giving off the impression that you’re... boring,” he added, somewhat grimly. “No one likes boring, least of all me.”

Bon Bon tilted her head. “So, what was the hair pulling thing about then?”

Discord checked his nails, shrugging. “It’s either that or mind control.” Bon Bon gulped, backing off. The chaotic rat merely snapped his fingers and appeared on top of her head. “Oh, come now, I was only joking.” He paused for a moment. “Partially.”

Bon Bon squirmed, feeling his ratty paws on her skin. “So... what you’re saying is... you’re helping me?”

“I suppose you can call it that.”

“Why?” Bons questioned.

“I see someone still doesn’t fully trust me,” Discord replied tersely.

“Oh, really?” Bon Bon tapped her chin, pretending to be lost in thought. “I wonder why...”

“Let’s not get too deep into this. Primarily because if you keep talking, you’ll look insane. The bottom line is...” He pulled on Bon Bon’s mane, forcing her to lower herself onto the ground, where a black line had just been etched into the ground. “Chaos is neither good or evil. It is what it is.”

Bon Bon raised herself as Discord let her mane go. “Right...” She adjusted her chef’s hat, covering her rat companion. “Even so, I need to do this myself.”

Underneath the hat, Discord pouted. “Fine. But I’ll come and go as I please. If you really mess up, then you can’t say it was my fault.”

“I know, I know...” Bon Bon looked between her ingredients for a while, becoming still.

“You’re going to use the caramel aren’t you?”

“... yes,” Bon Bon admitted.

“Well then...” Discord started, running a claw through the confectioner’s mane. “Impress me.”

Bon Bon immediately leapt into action. She got her things together and began her magic. She worked hard. She worked precisely. She worked...

… at a very slow pace.

Discord groaned, peeking out from under the hat, after what felt to him like hours. “Could you take any longer?!”

“This isn’t just a hobby,” Bon Bon said, as she put the final touches on her small round chocolate sweets. That being vanilla icing. “It’s a craft.”

“I didn’t think time wasting could be referred to as such,” Discord snarked.

Bon Bon kept a steady hoof as she worked, calmly saying, “Well, if this bores you so much, why not leave?” She heard a low, thoughtful hum come from him. A few seconds later, there was a poof and he was gone.

Just as well too, she thought. Almost done with her sweets, she didn’t need a trickster distracting her when she presented them to Iron. She finished up with the icing, having it swirl around the chocolate. Then was the best part: the taste test. Popping one in her mouth, she chewed slowly and savored the taste.

And what a taste she experienced. It was hard to believe, but Discord may have been right. The combination of caramel and chocolate was to die for, and the icing was... well, you know what they say about that. The texture was soft, but the chocolate wasn’t too rich. All in all, it was a delightful little treat that was easy to keep down.

She carefully lifted the tray her sweets were on and trotted on over to Iron, who was still maintaing his vigil over the kitchen. “I’m done.”

Iron simply nodded, picked up a chocolate and ate it. He chewed, slowly bobbing his head as he began to taste the flavors. His eyes twitched slightly and for a brief moment, he almost looked very surprised. After a little while, he swallowed, then cleared his throat. “You might stand a chance yet. Back to work with you,” he ordered, looking down firmly at Bon Bon.

She gave him a politeful curtsy. “Thank you, sir.” She hurried off back to her station, smiling to herself. If she stood even the smallest chance, then she was taking it. She had gone this far. All she had to do now was go the extra mile.

After eating her chocolates, of course.

Twilight sat at a wooden desk in her private quarters, looking over and signing various royal documents. Ever since her coronation, her work load had gotten slightly heavier due to the royal sisters giving her more responsibility. Even so, she was a princess without a kingdom. Her only duties involved assisting Celestia and Luna with theirs.

This had its advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side, she could still spend a lot of time with her friends in Ponyville. Without a doubt, that was the biggest benefit of all. Yes, sometimes she needed to be called to the castle, but most of the time her work could be done at home. Spike made the transportation of documents an ease.

Yet having the mantle of a Princess meant that many others acted different towards her. Making friends was going to be a lot tougher now. She had one of the highest ranking titles in the whole of Equestria and that meant she had power. Passing strangers suddenly became something more. They gawked at her. Pointed at her. Some took photos. Some could even be threats, so her personal guard told her.

Only the citizens of Ponyville acted the same towards her. Probably because they knew she hadn’t changed. They still saw that obsessive, slightly crazy control freak and yet she was lovely all the same.

She ran a hoof through her mane as she read through the papers. Truth be told, she wasn’t sure if she did want more responsibility.

She cleared her mind of those thoughts and formed new ones involving that blue and pink maned mare. Bon Bon... they had certainly gotten quite close in a short amount of time. That really didn’t surprise her though. After all, she had many admirable qualities.

First, she seemed to be down to earth and level headed like Applejack, but without the stubborness. Twilight knew she wasn’t really any of those things, even if she tried hard to be. Sometimes she needed ponies to calm her down. Bon Bon seemed like she would be good at such.

Second, she seemed to be a bit of what Rainbow Dash would call a ‘nerd’. Those figures and books in that room of hers... it’s just like what Twilight wanted, but never had the time to collect. Surely they could have very passionate discussions on what they both liked.

Thirdly was a reason rather superficial, as much as Twilight hated to admit. She didn’t normally judge ponies on their appearance—it’s the mind that counts—but Bon Bon didn’t look bad at all. Pretty respectable, really. Not a pony like Rarity, who could wow a crowd, but something more... simple. Humble, even. And she had plenty of earth pony muscle...

Twilight suddenly stopped and twitched her wings. They had oddly become stiff. Also strange was that she was starting to feel warm. She gazed down at her papers and put them into two piles: one for completed ones, the others for those that still needed doing.

“I think I need a break...” she told herself, getting off her chair and opening the nearest window. The cool air that went into the room felt very refreshing and her wings became loose again. She stepped up to the window sill and took off for a flight, closing the window behind her with her magic.

Bon Bon trudged back to her quarters, wiped out. While she had worked at her own pace, it was one that meant little room for slacking. She only took ten minute breaks after completing each batch of sweets. Her longest break was only an hour, and that was lunch. She skipped dinner; eating what she made was enough.

She had hoped that Twilight would come down and see, but no luck could be found there. Seeing her face would’ve certainly been all she needed for a quick pick-me-up. She cut her losses though. For now, sleep was needed.

Although judging by one of Twilight’s guard coming towards her, it seemed that had to wait. A yellow unicorn stallion marched towards Bon Bon and gave her a short nod. “The Princess of Magic requests your presence.”

That got a small jump out of her. Princess of Magic? Was that Twilight’s official title, or something her guard preferred to call her by? Or maybe it was something used to differentiate her from the other princesses?

Bon Bon mentally scolded herself for thinking too deep into that. Twilight wanted to see her! She smiled at the guard. “Very well. Let us go—”

She experienced one of those dreaded flashes and suddenly felt queasy. A set of forelegs held her steady as she stumbled a bit.

“Next time, try not to use teleportation. I know it’s quick and easy, but she’s not used to it yet,” Twilight told her guard while she kept her friend upright.

The stallion nodded. “I apologise Princess. Shall I leave you two be?”

“Yes, dismissed.”

The guard saluted, then walked off, leaving the pair alone. Bon Bon slowly looked around, realising that they were on a balcony, the night sky above them. She had no idea what time it was. All she knew was that she had worked practically all day.

“You look exhausted,” Twilight said, her voice heavy with concern. “Do you need anything?”

“A lie down would be nice,” Bon Bon replied, scoffing. Then she felt a familiar, but comforting sensation around her body.

Twilight took her to the edge of the balcony and the two of them sat down, the princesses’ wing draped over the confectioner.

It was all very nice, but something bugged Bons. “So... you wanted me for something?”

Twilight gave her a soft smile. “I just wanted to see you, especially after a long day, which I think we both had. Nothing wrong with that, is there?”

Bon Bon soon felt a smile form on her own face. “You’re right.” Her expression then turned into a mischievous smirk. “Even if sending a guard to get me was a bit much.”

The dark of the night concealed Twilight’s embarrassed blush. “It was better than me running around the castle looking for you.”

Bon Bon giggled, picturing Twilight galloping around the castle, all in a tizz, shouting ‘Bon Booooooooon!!’ “Maybe.”

The two fell into a tranquil silence as they looked up at the night sky, a pattern of beautiful gems on a dark sheet that transcended the world. The air was cold, but their bodies kept each other warm.

“I never look at the stars enough,” Bon Bon admitted.

“Then you should more often. Luna takes great pride in her work, and it shows,” Twilight spoke, gazing at the moon.

“I guess this is the greatest free show on Equestria, right?” Bon Bon offered.

Twilight’s smile grew a little bigger. “I think you’re not far off.” A quiet, satisfied sigh escaped from her lips.

Another period of silence occurred, during which Bon Bon looked down at her hooves, fidgeting slightly. “Twilight?”

She blinked and looked at her companion. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Bon Bon quickly replied, sure of herself at that much. “But I’d just like to say thank you.”

A flash of surprise appeared on Twilight’s face. “For what?”

“Looking after and being with me during all this.” She fidgeted a bit, getting closer to her. “I just... your company has been really nice to have. It’s made everything a bit easier for me.”

Twilight rubbed her cheek, hiding part of the red that had appeared. “I, er—it’s no problem. I enjoy your company too.”

Bon Bon raised herself, looking at Twilight. “Really? We’ve only really talked extensively these past couple of days.”

“Does that matter? I think it just shows something, if anything.” She felt her side rub along Bon Bon’s as she shifted closer.

Bon Bon suppressed a squeak, feeling Twilight’s body move on hers. “Y-Yeah... it does, doesn’t it?”

Then, silence fell.

Many things raced through Bon Bon’s mind as she figured out what to say next. She only got parts of sentences, all trailing off into nothingness. Why couldn’t she think of anything?! Maybe it was the tiredness getting to her. Her eyelids were beginning to get heavy. Whatever the case, if her mind wasn’t willing to cooperate, then she’d have to improvise...

“I like this,” she said. Much to her surprise, it came out better than she expected.

“Me too,” Twilight calmly said. Everything else in the world didn’t seem to matter now because this felt so right. But... it could be just a little bit better. “Um...” she stroked her mane, trying to look ‘smooth’. “You like... nuzzling?”

“It’s not something you really ask to—”

“Sorry, sorry,” she hastily interrupted, turning her head away. “I’m just being silly again...”

She was going to explain herself further, when she felt Bon Bon nuzzle her cheek softly. Her heart skipped a beat.

“What if I like silly?” Bon Bon posed. Her gesture was immediately returned after that.

“Then... that’s fine with me.”

“Good,” Bon Bon confirmed, then she yawned. Her eyes closed as she kept nuzzling Twilight, smiling tiredly.

It took Twilight a while before she noticed the heavy breaths of her friend and the fact that she had stopped nuzzling back. Standing up, she very carefully picked her up and carried her back into the castle halls.

She would walk to bed. Teleportation would just cut the moment short.

The Astronomer

Bon Bon woke up with a rather ungraceful yawn, stretching her limbs in her comfy bed. It felt a little bigger than it had been last night, but that thought was pushed to the back of her mind. She had to get up, get ready and get cooking. Opening her eyes, she sat up.

“Oh, you’re awake. Good morning!”

She blinked, staring at Twilight. Had she come to greet her again? It was nice, but seemed a little excessive. Then she looked down at the bed.

It was Twilight’s.

“AAH!!” Bon Bon screamed, throwing off the covers and skittering out of the bed, landing in a heap on the floor. It was most unceremonious.

“What?! What’s wrong?! Was it something I did?!” Twilight exclaimed, trotting around the bed and over to Bons.

Bon Bon pointed at the bed, staring at Twilight. “We didn’t—” She clenched her teeth. “Did we?”

It took Twilight a few moments to board Bon Bon’s train of thought. When she did, she squeaked, her wings flaring as she hopped back. “No! I would never!” Blinking, she quickly shook her head. “No, I—I’m not trying to imply that you’re not attractive—far from it actually—but I’m not trying to put the moves on you either because that simply isn’t polite etiquette and—”

Bon Bon bit her lip, then burst out with, “And I’m not saying that doing that stuff with you is a bad thing but it’s something you should really ask me first although I’m not wanting you to ask but maybe somewhere down the line it could be something to consider and—”

The room filled with the sound of two mares rambling incessantly. Just when Bon Bon thought the awkward levels had reached their height, the door swung open, revealing the one pony she really didn’t need to see right now.

“Ah, good morning, Twilight.”

Twilight’s eyes widened, her body becoming stiff as a board. “P-Princess Celestia?” Meanwhile, Bon Bon immediately dropped to a bow, hiding her red face.

“Please, Twilight, we are equals now,” Celestia said with a smile, then brought her gaze upon Bon Bon. “Is this the mare responsible for all the racket I heard just now?” she asked, her voice gentle.

Bon Bon slowly looked up at her. “Er…”

“No!” Twilight hastily said, zipping next to Bon Bon and raising her up. “She’s the confectioner you requested, Prin—Celestia. Remember the Zap Apple candies?”

The ancient alicorn paused, licking her lips so quickly that Bon Bon completely failed to notice it. “Ah, yes, I remember. Those were quite lovely indeed. It is little wonder I enjoyed them so greatly.” She stepped closer to the earth pony, smiling. It was exactly the same as her statues; serene, tender, but also extremely knowing. “Bon Bon, I presume?”

Bons gave her a shaky nod, her voice equally so. “Y-Yes, P-Princess.”

“A pleasure.” She held out her hoof and it took Bon Bon a few moments to register that she actually had to shake it. “Don’t be so nervous. There really is nothing to worry about.”

“R-really?” Bon Bon stammered.

Celestia nodded. “Indeed. For you see, you have already passed.” Her lips twitched, barely forming a smirk right when both Bons’ and Twilight’s jaws dropped. “I tried the treats you made yesterday and I must say, there were even more delicious than the Zap Ppple ones,” she explained, her smile growing. “Congratulations.”

Bon Bon was a broken Bon, her eyes twitching. “B-but—how—why?!”

“I figured that you would not perform as well if you were under pressure. Therefore, I made the request that some of your treats from yesterday were delivered to me and my sister, which we both thoroughly enjoyed.”

Twilight gathered her composure, then let out a little snicker. “That’s just like you.”

Celestia chortled quietly. “Am I getting that predictable?” She looked to Bon Bon, who had fallen onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. “I’ll allow you some time to take in the news, and to also travel back to Ponyville to collect your things, should you accept the offer.”

“Y-yes, Princess,” Bon Bon replied, without much thinking. Really, how could she say no to a Princess?

Celestia made her way to the door, nodding. “Excellent. I feel that we’re going to get along swimmingly.” She stopped just before exiting the room, looking back at Bons. “Oh, one more thing. Your cousin is here in the castle, working with the other astronomers.”

Bon Bon’s ears perked up. “Twinkleshine’s here?”

“Twinkleshine’s your cousin? I had no idea. Although…” Twilight narrowed her eyes, looking at Bon Bon closely. “I can see a slight resemblance.”

“My mom’s side,” Bon Bon replied, then peered at the door. Celestia was gone. Without her presence, she could let out a huge sigh of relief.

She took the time to finally evaluate her surroundings. The bed was of a modest size, but could definitely hold a pair with room to spare. There was a lot of purple around the room, although it didn’t make up the majority of the paint on the walls. They were mostly a light cream, with violets and pinks complementing it in wavy lines and designs. Apart from those things, it really didn’t look very grand. There wasn’t a chandelier suspended from the ceiling, nor were the wooden drawers and wardrobe particularly big. It felt basic, but appealing in it’s simplicity.

Bon Bon ran a hoof through her mane, her foreleg shaking slightly. “So… I did it…?”

“Yes! I knew you would!” Twilight cheered, hopping once on the spot. “You’ll get your own quarters at the castle and I can make it so they’re relatively near mine. It’ll almost be like we’re co-workers, or something to that extent.”

“Aren’t I technically your subject?” Bon Bon asked, slipping off the bed.

Twilight snorted. “Yes, but I’m not going to start treating you as one. I see all my friends as equals.” Trotting over, she gave Bon Bon a nice, warm hug. “Congratulations! You definitely deserve it.”

“Thanks,” Bon Bon replied. With a coy smile, she returned the gesture. Working at the stand never got her this many great hugs and affection. Although the path she was going down was about to change drastically, she actually felt it was a good one. Sure, butterflies still fluttered around in her stomach, but that was just pre-job nerves.

All she had to do now she had to go back home and break the news. That might end up being the hardest part, actually. She didn’t imagine all her friends would take the news so well, especially Lyra.

A pang of guilt struck Bon Bon and she wormed her way out of Twilight’s grip.

“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked, stepping back.

“Nothing,” she lied, shaking her head. “It’s just a lot to deal with, you know? Anyway,” she swiftly said, “Can you take me to Twinkleshine? I’d like to see her before we go back.”

“Sure thing. But first, we should have breakfast. You only just got up, remember?”

Bon Bon’s stomach grumbled in anticipation of food, prompting an embarrassed giggle from her. “Heh, okay, that’s true. Let’s go then.”

After a very filling breakfast, Twilight took Bon Bon to the Royal Observatory. It wasn’t very big, as there was one already in Canterlot, but it served the astronomers’ needs just fine. After escorting her there, Twilight left Bon Bon to explore and find Twinkleshine.

The main section of the research center was a large, round room. The lighting was appropriately dark, as were the walls and ceiling. Some of the light came from a few small candles suspended around the room, but the majority came from the ceiling. Bright, shining lights represented different stars and constellations, which Bon Bon couldn’t help but be impressed by.

But what was more amazing was what stood in the middle of the room. A large, bronze tube going up at the ceiling in an angle: the telescope. It wasn’t the biggest in Equestria, but it certainly stood out and had presence. It had gears on its sides, turning and churning as a violet stallion adjusted some levers and knobs to make it move ever so slightly.

The low lighting made it difficult to identify ponies, but Bon Bon did her best. While she was more of a mare who would get her hooves dirty, Twinkleshine was an avid researcher. A bit like Twilight, in a way, but a lot more outgoing. Unlike Bon Bon, Twinkle had grown up in Canterlot and became obsessed with the stars after reading about them in children’s stories. She had gone through higher education and eventually became an astronomer at the Canterlot Observatory.

Bon Bon couldn’t see Twinkleshine anywhere, so she headed to the end of the room where there were two doors. A few moments of pondering, and she entered the leftmost one. This room, although still dark, was smaller and rectangular. It had shelves and shelves of books and scrolls, as well as tables in rows. Twinkleshine sat at one of them, her nose in a book.

“Twinkleshine, you never told me you relocated here!”

Twinkle blinked, turning around in her seat, beaming the moment she saw her cousin. “Bon Bon? What are you doing here?! It’s great to see you but… what?!”

“I’ll explain what I’m doing here after you do,” Bon Bon shot back. She began to frown, staring Twinkleshine down. The astronomer shifted in her seat, almost bending over backwards as she tried to find a way out from Bon Bon’s glare.

All the tension in the room instantly died when Bon Bon burst out laughing, almost struggling to stand.

Twinkleshine relaxed, pouting, but her lips trembled as she tried not to laugh. “That was a mean trick, Brawn. Geeze, you still have that death glare…” She casually waved a hoof. “Fine, fine, I’ll tell you. All it took was a lot of requesting, saying please, and…” She looked down, tapping the table. “... what else… oh—yes! Being great at spotting stars!” She gestured at her cutie mark, grinning proudly. “Now, seriously, what are you doing here? No offense, Bon Brawn, but you’re not the type of pony I expect to see in the royal castle.”

Bon Bon snorted, flicking her tail. “I haven’t worked at a forge since I was in Dodge Junction, Twinkie.”

“Touché. But the muscle you got from that has never gone away, so the moniker still fits. Anyway, stop delaying—answer the question!” Twinkle exclaimed.

“Yes, I’m getting there, calm down.” Bon Bon rolled her eyes, then cleared her throat and explained. “Princess Celestia just so happened to try out one of my candies, and she liked it so much, she’s chosen me to be her royal confectioner.” The way she phrased sounded like there wasn’t even a choice in the matter. Like it was all meant to be. Somehow, that felt good.

“Wow, that’s fantastic, Bons!” Twinkle suddenly shot up from her seat, engulfing Bon Bon in a tight hug. “I’m so happy for you! Plus, this means we’ll get to spend more time together; I never see you enough.”

“I’m looking forward to it. First I have to go back home, pack and all that. So, I really can’t stay too long.” She tapped Twinkle on the shoulder, causing her to end the embrace. “I’ve got time for a little chat though. What’s the atmosphere like?”

“I’ll describe it to you in three words: quiet, formal, relaxed. As long as you’re not a troublemaker, that is. But even then, I’ve seen some pranks committed around here from time to time.” She leant in, whispering, “I think Celestia enjoys them. It’s a break from the norm, y’know?”

“Having Discord around isn’t unusual enough?”

“Point taken,” Twinkle said, sitting back in her seat.

“And another thing, which I’ve always meant to ask you, but never found the time. Isn’t astronomy a bit…” She bit her lip, mulling over her next word. “... iffy? What with Princess Luna back and everything.”

If Twinkle had taken offense, she didn’t show it. An enthusiastic smile flashed across her face instead. “Not at all! Princess Luna sometimes does change some of the stars’ positions, yes, but there’s always a set of constellations that never change their position. Ones like the Great Ursa. You’ve heard of that one, right?”

Bon Bon confirmed such by nodding. “Yes, you showed it to me when you visited Dodge.”

“Well, those constellations are a constant, so that ponies at night can use them to track their position,” Twinkle explained. “Astronomers in the past found them and we advised Luna to keep them the same way. We actually have a very close relationship with her, you know. Sometimes she comes in and checks how we’re doing.”

“Huh. So you’ve actually spoken to her face to face?”

“Yep. She’s pretty nice. A little bit out there, but hey, who can blame her. Right?”

“Good point,” Bon Bon said. While she had never met Luna, she had seen her during Nightmare Night that one time. She did initially think that Luna had only the best intentions, but the Royal Canterlot Voice, creepy looking guards, and oddly well timed lightning strikes tend to give a pony the jitters. Still, everything turned out for the best in the end.

“We also develop better telescopes, track falling objects from the Great Beyond and—our current project—mapping the moon.” Twinkle let out a happy sigh. “I love my job, I really do.”

“The Great Beyond?” Bons asked skeptically. “Don’t most ponies use the term ‘space’, these days?”

“Pfft. The Great Beyond sounds more epic. Plus, this—” She waved a hoof around in the empty air, “is technically space.” Then, she looked up, stars in her eyes. “I mean, it is The Great Beyond. Who knows what’s out there? Stars, comets, maybe even new worlds!”

Bon Bon scoffed, shaking her head. “New worlds? You’re such an oddball, Twinkie.”

“Excuse me for exploring possibilities. You always were a bit of a stick in the mud, Bon. Except for your fascination with those silly fantasy toys. Speaking of, you should probably get back to them, right?” She revealed a cheeky grin. “They’re probably gathering dust.”

Bon Bon turned, whapping Twinkle in the face with her tail. Ignoring Twinkle’s squeak, she started walking. “Yes, yes, I’ll be getting out of your mane for now. See you in a few days or so, Twinkle.”

“You know where to find me.” Twinkleshine gave her a short wave, then went back to reading. Bon Bon left the castle observatory, a pleasant smile on her face. With Twilight and Twinkle around, she’d have at least some ponies to talk to until she made some new friends. And really, that couldn’t be too hard.

After packing her saddlebags, Bon Bon stood on the Canterlot train station platform, Twilight by her side. She had said that she wanted to see her friends again, which Bon Bon had no complaints with. It made the journey home much more pleasant.

Still, she had questions. And that awkward morning definitely had to be talked about. But even if she had every intention to do so, the execution of it all utterly failed her. At the moment, they were standing in a companionable silence, waiting for the train. A perfect time to say her piece, if only the words would come out.

“So…” For her great start, Bon Bon mentally gave herself a medal. Made out of cardboard.

Ears twitching, Twilight faced her. “Hm?”

For a moment that felt way too long for her, she blanked out. “Train’s taking a while to arrive, isn’t it…?” For that combo of awkwardness, she received a trophy made out of paper mache.

“We’ve still got five minutes, although taking into account several factors that come into play with public transport, I want to say six.” Smirking, she turned Bon Bon’s head so she could see the list of train times. “See?”

“Er, yep. I see it. Guess I just forgot,” Bon Bon said, forcing some laughs to come out. “Why did we get here so early if you know the train is going to be one minute late?” It wasn’t where she had intended the conversation to go, but hey, it brought some of the heat off her.

“I like to be early. You never know what might happen—I’ve learned to expect the unexpected in life,” Twilight said.

“And we both know living in Ponyville really trains you up for that.” Bon Bon nudged Twilight, who nudged her back.

The train pulled in a minute late, just how Twilight predicted. They found a pair of empty seats next to a window and sat down, comfortably close to each other. Their tails entwined right when the train started to depart.

As much as she appreciated the contact, Bon Bon felt a little… confused. Everything was going a bit fast. A few days ago she would have never considered herself Twilight’s friend and vice versa. But now they were close. Really quite close. Even if they hadn’t slept together, Twilight had taken Bon Bon to bed. Clearly a line had been crossed, but what?

She shuffled around on her seat, her mind quickly becoming a muddled mess. The two of them needed to talk about, well, them. Now seemed like a good time as any, but…

“Nervous?”

Bon Bon jumped, looking at Twilight. “Uh, yeah. I’m not sure how my friends are going to take all this.” Especially Lyra.

She felt a gentle touch on her back, rubbing up and down. “When I became a Princess, I knew I couldn’t stick around Ponyville all the time, like normal,” Twilight began. “So when I told my friends that, they were understandably a bit shocked. Sad too. But mostly? They were happy for me, and I think your friends should be too.” She grinned, brimming with optimism. “You have to meet them soon, by the way!”

Bon Bon simply nodded, prompting a curious look from Twilight. “Sorry, not much else to add. Like I said, nervous,” Bons explained.

“Are you sure?”

“Sure.”

“Hm, well okay then,” Twilight said, leaving it at that.

Bon Bon looked out of the window, Equestria below them, green hills rolling and stretching for miles. “I’ll get to come visit, right? Like you do?”

Twilight tried to follow Bons’ gaze, but didn’t really find anything she hadn’t seen before, so she looked back at her. “Of course. Why wouldn’t you?” Bon Bon shrugged. “You’re having doubts, aren’t you?”

“What? No!” Bons hurriedly said. “Well, not really. I think it’s just nerves. I like having constants in my life, and this is a really big change, so…”

Twilight draped her wing around Bon Bon, pulling her a little closer. “I know how you feel. But look at it this way; change can be good.” After a beat, she added, “Right?”

Bons stared at her, and couldn’t help but smile at that pretty face. True, things had been hectic recently, but she had found a new constant of sorts in Twilight. She wasn’t always there with her at the castle, but she did her best to make sure she was alright. “Yeah, definitely.”

And without any prompting, the two shared a quick nuzzle. The moment felt nice enough that it made Bon Bon drop the serious talk she had intended. It wasn’t like she knew what to say to Twilight anyway. It didn’t matter much now; she was happy, and she was sure as hay Twilight was too. No problems here.

“So, you know Twinkle?” Bon Bon asked.

“A little, yes. We spoke only occasionally before I moved to Ponyville.” Twilight sighed, gazing back towards Canterlot. “I really wasn’t her friend—spent all my time studying, like a fool. Sometimes I shudder to think what would have happened to me if I never moved to Ponyville…”

Bon Bon moved to hug Twilight, wrapping her tail around her. “But that didn’t happened, did it? Heck, you may well be the luckiest mare in the world; a Princess, surrounded by loving, great friends.”

“I wouldn't call myself the luckiest pony in the world, but…” The smile she once wore returned. “My life is a lot better than it might have been.”

“See? Stop your worrying. It’s not healthy.” Especially for a unicorn as powerful as Twilight. Bon Bon shuddered to think what would happen if she lost control of her magic or something. She was bad enough sometimes when she was in control.

The rest of the journey was pleasant, involving a lot of small talk. Twilight seemed eager to talk about her friends, which Bon Bon didn’t mind so much; it was endearing seeing her so engaged and happy about something.

The train pulled into Ponyville station, puffing out steam like a dragon blows out smoke. The two mares got off, then set into town, both feeling relieved to be back in the casual, relaxed atmosphere. Ponies trotted about here and there, but neither of them had seen their friends yet.

“I’ll tell you what, it feels good to be back,” Bon Bon said, then paused. “Can’t believe I’ll be leaving it all behind.”

“You’ll get to visit, just like I do. It won’t be gone from your life forever,” Twilight replied. “The first couple of weeks are the most difficult, when you’re still adjusting. But after that, it does feel like a routine.”

“Mhm. I guess I’ll get use—”

“Bon Bon?!”

She jumped, spinning around to spot whoever had shouted.

Lyra came galloping towards them, a worried scowl on her face. “Bon Bon? Where the hay have you been?!”

Bon Bon felt a lump in her throat begin to form. “I was just in Canter—”

“You’ve been missing for days! What happened?!”

Her stomach tied up like a knot. I’m not so sure I thought this through enough…

Discussions

“Lyra, I—”

“Save it, Bon Bon,” Lyra cut her off, holding up a hoof. “We can talk about this back at your place. Let’s go.” Before Bons could get any word in edgewise, Lyra was already trotting off. Bon Bon and Twilight shared a look, the latter seeming very confused.

“I... guess I’ll see you later then…?” Twilight said, voice full of uncertainty and bemusement.

“Er, yes. Thanks for taking me home.” Bon Bon gave her a quick smile, then blinked when she realized how far ahead Lyra had already gotten. “Bye!” she hastily said, making a dash for her friend.

Was Lyra overreacting? Maybe. She did have a tendency to be a little out there. On the other hand, there had rarely been a day when Bon Bon hadn’t seen her, let alone several in a row. Perhaps she had a right to be worried.

Once they got to Bons’ house, she fiddled through her bags to find her key. “At least I know you wouldn’t have mooched around my house,” she said, laughing quietly. It sounded terribly forced.

Lyra didn’t respond, going into the house as soon as Bon Bon opened the door. They went into the living room and sat on the red sofa. Lyra looked at Bons with a hard, piercing stare. The candymaker shuffled in place. “What?”

“I don’t know, Bon Bon. You tell me,” Lyra replied.

“Lyra…” She sighed tiredly, rubbing her forehead. “Please, don’t be like this. I’m not even sure why you’re this upset.”

“Because I had no idea what happened to you?!” Lyra snapped. “Okay, one or two days where you’re not around, I could handle. But after that, I started getting worried. I asked around, and nopony seemed to know where you had gone. You just up and vanished. And now you’re back like nothing’s happened and—” She stopped, settling into the couch and looking down. When she next spoke, her voice was quieter. Subdued. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Guilt dropped down into Bon Bon’s stomach. “Lyra, I… I’ll tell you everything, okay? It’s not that bad, promise.”

Lyra slowly nodded. “Thanks.”

Bon Bon took a deep breath, then… nothing. Her news wasn’t bad at all, but it was big. Life changing, even. And given how Lyra had acted, she was not going to take it well at all. But seeing her friend start to look at her suspiciously forced the words to come. She explained almost everything, the only parts she omitted were those intimate moments with Twilight.

Honestly, she wasn’t sure what to think of them.

“So… I’ll be moving there. Can’t imagine it’ll take longer than a week,” Bon Bon finished, staring at Lyra. Her friend’s face had fallen, her body still. “I’m sorry, Lyra. It kind of just… happened.”

“So you just took it up on a whim?” Bon Bon nodded. Lyra looked up at her. “That isn’t like you.” Her words had no sting to them. Not much of anything, actually.

But they still hurt Bon Bon. She couldn’t help but flinch a little. “Lyra, that’s not fair.”

“Yes it is,” Lyra quickly replied. “You’re the rock of the town. Patient. Rational. You always think before acting. I’m the other way around, but you… you’re not prone to leaping into things without a moment’s thought.”

Bon Bon frowned, tensing up. Being told who she was… Who did Lyra think she was? She was her own mare, and Lyra didn’t know everything about her. “If that was the case, I’d have never left Dodge Junction,” she retorted.

Lyra went silent, fiddling with her forehooves. The silence hung for quite a while, the two unable to so much as look at each other.

“You think this will make you happy?”

Bon Bon’s ears twitched. She turned to Lyra, speaking with confidence, “Yes.”

“And I can’t stop you from going?”

“No,” Bon Bon replied, quicker than she would have thought.

Lyra nodded, going quiet again. She hung her head, the bands of her mane falling over her eyes, shadows cast over her face. Bon Bon tried to get a look at her expression, but failed. “Lyra, I’m—”

She was suddenly wrapped up in a warm embrace. “Promise you’ll visit?”

Bon Bon smiled, returning the hug. “Promise.” She looked towards the kitchen, hatching an idea. “Want some potato chips?”

Lyra’s tail started wagging slightly. “I’d love some, thanks.”

Moments later, a bag of crisps was in Lyra’s lap, her forehooves getting greasy as she munched on the snacks. “I’ll miss your chips.”

“Not me then?” Bon Bon asked.

“Of course I’ll miss you!” She wiped an eye with her foreleg. “But your chips always tasted better than mine, so…”

“So what you’re really saying is that the ‘tastiest things in life are free’?” Bons said, smirking at her friend.

Only one response would do for this situation. “Shut up.” Lyra stuffed another chip in her mouth. Bons allowed herself a little giggle, breaking the straight mare act she normally put up around Lyra. Her friend grinned, crumbs over her teeth and all.

“Lyra, please close your mouth.” For some reason, saying those words brought huge relief over Bons. A sense of normality that had once been lost was rooted back into her life. She knew it wouldn’t last, but she’d hold onto it while she could.

“Sorry.” She did so, licking her teeth, then swallowing. “You’ll have to tell everypony.”

“I will,” Bon Bon replied, stealing a chip from the bag. “And I want you to do it with me.”

“You can count on me. I’ll gather the girls up, and you can tell them all at once. Or do you want to talk to them one by one?” she suggested.

“The former; easier and quicker.” Bon Bon let out a calming breath. “Gets it out of the way, so I don’t have to worry so much.”

Lyra shrugged. “I can’t imagine they’ll take it any worse than me.”

“Mhm.” Bon Bon moved up the couch, closer to Lyra, placing a hoof on her foreleg. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Lyra smiled at her. “I’m just hiding the pain.” It was difficult for Bon Bon to tell whether she was being sarcastic, ironic, or truthful. Her puzzlement must have showed, since Lyra went on to say, “If you’re happy, then I’ll be fine. And you said you’d visit, right? Maybe I could visit you. That’d be great.”

“Yeah, so you can eat all the food in the castle.” She snickered at such a thought. Then chuckled harder at the image of Lyra getting thrown out by the guards.

“Plus you said you’ve got about a week left, right? That’ll be enough time for me to get to grips with things and spend time with you,” Lyra said.

Bon Bon’s heart almost leapt out of her chest. While spending time with Lyra sounded nice, especially since it would be their last proper moments in Ponyville together, there was also the question of Twilight. They needed to talk. And being with her sounded just as lovely, if not more so.

Bon Bon put on a smile and hoped it’d stick. “Yes, sure.”

“Great!” Lyra chirped, seemingly back to her normal happy self. Her lack of any sadness surprised Bon Bon, but as her parents had said, ‘never look a gift horse in the mouth’. If Lyra really wasn’t fine, she’d say so. It seemed like now she was just trying to cope, to make things easier on everypony.

Another hug was in order. “Thank you, Lyra.”

“Somepony’s huggy today. I like.” She giggled, hugging Bon Bon, swaying a little. “No problem, Bon Bon. This is your decision, and I can’t really stop you. I could whine, but that’d probably get me a slap ‘round the head.” Stealing a quick nibble at the chips, her brow furrowed when she saw that the bag was empty. The empty bag was thrown onto the floor. “Got any more chips?”

Bon Bon rolled her eyes. Yep. If food was on her mind, Lyra was doing A-OK.

A round of drinks was placed on the table by one Berry Punch, the mare sliding them to her friends without ever spilling a drop. Most of the drinks were either wines or ciders, it being the home of a pony once notorious for being a drunkard.

“So, just to be clear, Lyra: this isn’t an excuse for you to get everypony drunk?” Berry asked, her eyebrow raised, giving the minty mare a skeptical look as she took her place at the table.

“Nah, we’ll do that next week,” Lyra replied, grinning wickedly. “This is just a simple get-together of sorts. Kind of a celebration.”

Derpy, who sat next to Berry, tilted her head. “I hope we didn’t forget something important, like a birthday.”

Lyra waved a hoof passively. “No no, don’t worry about remembering anything. We just have an announcement, that’s all.” Everypony’s mouths dropped, except Lyra and Bon Bon’s. “No, not that type of news.” They closed, a few relieved sighs escaping.

Bon Bon wiggled in her seat, glancing at everypony in the room. This all felt a bit too much. She wasn’t a shy mare by any means, but having to get up and announce this new chapter in her life… she should’ve taken the slower option and told her friends one by one. She didn’t need to have a fuss made over her.

“Are you alright, Bon Bon?”

She jumped, almost spilling her drink. Luckily, her wine glass was caught in a field of blue magic. “Colgate,” she said, more to herself than anything. “Yes, I’m fine.”

Colgate turned, giving Bon Bon an inquisitive look. “You don’t look fine.” She pointed at a specific spot on Bon Bon’s head. It took Bons a while to realize she was gesturing at a drop of sweat.

“Feels a bit stuffy in here,” she said, taking a sip from her drink to calm her nerves.

“Hm. Fair enough.” Colgate settled in her chair, sipping some cider. “So, Lyra said that you’ve been in Canterlot for the past few days?”

“Yes, something like that.” Bon Bon coughed into her hoof. “Well, not something like that. Yes, I was in Canterlot. On business.”

“You could’ve left a note or something.” Colgate sighed, hastily adding, “Not that I’m mad or anything, but it was just a little bit weird that’d you disappear for three days. Kind of odd not seeing you in the market selling candies.”

“Heh, yep,” Bon Bon smiled stiltedly, sipping from her cider. While it didn’t exactly calm her nerves, at least Colgate hadn’t pressed on with her questions.

“So, what sort of business was it?” Bon Bon froze at the sound of Blossomforth’s voice. The pegasus was opposite her, leaning over the table, wine glass in hoof. To her side, Berry and Derpy were involved in a conversation, and Lyra had gone around the table to join them. Evidently she felt the need to make exaggerated gestures as she spoke. “Bon Bon?”

She blinked, bringing her attention to Blossom. “Uh, well, candy business.”

Blossom raised an eyebrow, taking a sip before saying, “Oh?”

Bon Bon twirled her mane, never looking directly at her friend. “The usual boring stuff. Buying ingredients… researching… uh…”

“Bon Bon’s going to be the Royal Confectioner!”

Every head in the room turned towards Lyra, who had placed herself next to Bon Bon, foreleg wrapped around her. “Lyraaaaa…” Bon Bon whined quietly.

Minutes passed in absolute, suffocating silence. All eyes in the room were on Lyra and Bon Bon. Even Derpy’s were more in line with each other than usual.

“Well…” Berry started, frowning slightly. “That is… the biggest load of rubbish I’ve ever heard.” She pointed at Lyra, then jerked her hoof towards the door. “Lyra, you’re drunk. Go home.”

“Hey,” Bon Bon spoke up, snorting angrily. “It’s true. I am going to be the Royal Confectioner, whether you all like it or not.” She finished her statement with a light hoof stomp on the table. It almost echoed.

Bons sunk in her seat, drawing back her glass. “Uh… so that’s a thing.”

And then all at once, five mares had surrounded her, bombarding her with cheers and praise.

“That’s brilliant, Bon Bon! Congratulations!”

“Well I’ll be… damn, Bons! Looks like you’ve really moved up in the world.”

“This certainly is a pretty big surprise, but congrats!”

“Wow! Just… wow!”

“Bon Bon bombards the competition!”

Berry shot Lyra a deadpan look. “Never say that again.”

Lyra returned with a goofy, embarrassed smile. “Sorry.”

Bon Bon rubbed her neck, feeling the sweat roll down. “Girls… a bit of space, please?” A chorus of apologies, and the mares backed off. Bon Bon sighed and nodded a thanks. “You do realize what this means, yes? I’ll have to move to Canterlot.”

“Oh…” Derpy said, going back to her seat and drinking some cider. The others followed suit.

“Yeah. I’m sorry, but it’s a big change in my life and—”

“Don’t apologize, Bon Bon,” Blossomforth interjected, holding up a hoof.

“Mhm,” Colgate added, putting down her glass and wiping her lips with a napkin. “It’s your life, and this is a great opportunity. We’re happy for you, really.” She smiled, her brilliant white teeth showing, as the others agreed with her.

“I won’t be gone forever, just so you know,” Bon Bon said. “And I’ll have still have a little bit of time here before I go. So…”

“A toast,” Berry cut in, holding up her glass of wine. “To Bon Bon, a mare who deserves to move up in the world.” She winked at the confectioner. “We’re proud of you, girl.”

“Hear hear!” Lyra chimed, bumping her glass next to Berry’s. The others then joined in, Derpy spilling a little bit of her drink. Bon Bon felt the heat rise in her cheeks, but joined the others. When all the glasses were in the center, everypony let out a loud cheer and downed their drinks.

Derpy leaned against her seat, wide eyed. “Wow… working for the Princesses. That’s something most ponies can only dream of, let alone actually do.”

“Can you imagine if we all worked for the Princesses?” Blossomforth asked.

Colgate smirked, walking over to Lyra, saying politely, “Would you mind opening your mouth, your Highness?”

Lyra titled her head up, opening her mouth, trying to keep it fixed as she giggled.

“And maybe you would like some of my fine wines to go with that?” Berry added, stalking next to Lyra, wine glass in hoof. Before the minty mare had time to react, she shot forward and tipped her glass’ contents right down Lyra’s mouth. Lyra squirmed and choked a little, but Berry was quick to make sure everything was okay. “She’ll be fine,” she said, nodding at the others.

Blossomforth rolled her eyes, turning to Bon Bon. “Are you ready for such a drastic change?”

“No, not really.” Bon Bon brought her glass to her lips, frowning as she only got a drop of cider out of it. She looked over at Berry and the others, but they were far too preoccupied with Lyra and Derpy having a foreleg wrestle.

“Think about it like this,” Blossom began, staring at Bon Bon evenly. “It’s like you learning a new roleplaying game. You know the basics, but it’s still a whole different game. But eventually, you settle in and you get good at it—especially you. How many wins to losses am I to you?”

“Something like forty to sixty,” Bons replied.

“Huh. I thought it was worse.”

“Nope.” Bon Bon pushed her glass to the center of the table. “Besides, Blossom, that’s a totally unfair comparison. That’s a game, and this is work. Completely separate things.”

Blossom nodded concedingly. “Okay, true. But how about all those tournaments we entered?”

Bons paused, then sighed. “I see your point. You always get jitters before doing new things. Got it. But knowing that doesn’t make them go away.”

“I know.” Blossom smiled, putting her hoof on Bons’ foreleg, rubbing it gently. “Try not to get too nervous this week, okay? Enjoy the time you have left, and don’t pull a Twilight Sparkle.”

Bon Bon straightened up in her seat. “What did you just say?”

Blossom sharply withdrew her hoof, staring at Bon Bon in confusion. “Enjoy the time you have left, don’t pull a Twilight?” she repeated.

“That’s a bit…” Bon Bon grumbled, thinking of how to phrase it. She didn’t want to come off too strong, but Blossom had been a bit harsh. “Silly, isn’t it?”

Blossom quirked an eyebrow. “That’s because it was a joke, Bon Bon.”

“Oh.” Bon Bon slouched, rubbing her neck. “Right, yes. Of course.”

Blossom took her drink, eyeing Bons suspiciously. “Have fun, yeah? Get plenty of sleep too.”

Bon Bon stared at her glass, peering at the few drops of cider that clung to the sides, slowly trailing down. “Yeah, will do.” I should’ve asked for something stronger...

Bon Bon’s idea of relaxing definitely did not involve getting up at seven o’clock to answer the door for an early bird. Somepony was knocking, three perfectly timed knocks in particular. That ruled out Lyra already. It also ruled out Derpy, since her mail call was an hour from now.

She got out of bed, shuffling across the room and allowing herself a quick stretch before heading downstairs. The visitor was still knocking as she went up to the door. Bons swung it open, not even caring for her no doubt disheveled appearance.

“Too early?” asked a sheepish Twilight.

Bon Bon wanted to smile, but her facial muscles weren’t cooperating. Or her brain. “Morning.”

“Yes, too early.” Twilight brought her head down, looking away and muttering something to herself. “I’m sorry,” she said as she looked back at Bons. “I can come back later.”

Bon Bon held up her hoof to wave it, but ended up using to cover her yawning maw. “It’s fine.” She shambled to the side, allowing Twilight entry.

“Thanks,” she replied, wiping her hooves on the welcome mat. She smirked when she eyed Bon Bon’s mane. “Nice bed mane.”

“You too,” Bon Bon responded tiredly, walking to the kitchen.

“... I’m going to take that as morning drowsiness talking, and not an actual insult,” Twilight said, following.

When they entered the kitchen, Bon Bon blearily made her way to the cabinets in order to prepare breakfast. To her surprise, they were covered in a purple aura, their contents flying out by themselves.

“Let me take care of breakfast,” Twilight stated, bringing down a box of oats to eye-level and reading the ingredients off the back. “It’s the least I can do after disturbing you.”

Bon Bon stood there for a couple of seconds, then smiled tiredly and took a seat at the table. “Thanks, Twilight.”

“No problem.” In went the oats and then came the milk, filling up the white bowl. “So… was Lyra okay in the end?”

“After a bit, yes.” Bon Bon watched as Twilight set the bowl before her, swirling it with a spoon. The utensil dropped when it was released from her magical hold, allowing Bons to use it herself. “Managed to tell my friends about it too. They were happy for me.”

Twilight smiled, popping some bread into Bon Bon’s toaster. “Great.” She halted once she set the timer. “You do like toast, right?” Bon Bon nodded. “Ah, good. Now,” she said, looking at the mess of a mane on Bon Bon’s head, “You need a brush. Where can I find one?”

Bon Bon mumbled the directions, too focused on getting some oats in her belly. Twilight was gone for less than a minute, then came back trotting down the stairs, levitating a brush. She sent it through Bon Bon’s mane in long strokes, occasionally getting stuck on the odd knot or two.

It was weird, but Bon Bon honestly enjoyed the sensation. Okay, occasionally it hurt when Twilight yanked a bit too hard, but just knowing that she was just behind her, helping her get ready for the day… something about it made her feel very secure.

The toast popped out and Twilight spread them evenly with strawberry jam. When she put them on the table, she went back to brushing Bon Bon’s mane. It was mostly silent, but only because Bon Bon was too busy eating.

Wiping her mouth with a napkin, she turned towards Twilight, smiling. “Thanks. You can sit down now.”

Twilight nodded, but the look of concentration on her face betrayed any acknowledgement. “One second… just sorting out this knot.” She tugged on Bon Bon’s mane. Bon Bon shut her mouth and bit her tongue, face contorting in pain as Twilight lifted the brush away, it covered in Bon Bon’s hair. Twilight’s concentration immediately switched from concentration to shock as she knelt down besides Bon Bon. “I’m sorry!”

Bon Bon waved her off, rubbing the affected area. “It’s fine.” If the food hadn’t woken her up, the pain definitely had. Still, with her fully alert, now seemed like a good time to talk. “Twilight… I think we have to talk.”

Twilight backed off, walking around the table and sitting opposite Bon Bon. “What about?”

“About where we stand.” Bon Bon’s mouth open and closed several times, as her mind debated what to say. She cursed it for setting up tasks as easier as they really were. “I… lo—” She stopped herself. No, that was too blunt, too quick. She had to begin with something else. “We had a great time in Canterlot, didn’t we?”

Twilight smiled, cute little dimples appearing. “Yes. Yes we did.”

Bon Bon covered her mouth with a hoof, suppressing a giggle. Why did thinking of those moments make her laugh? Okay, she already knew the answer, but now was a time to be serious. “Well… I really enjoy spending time with you.” Her mind set its course, running through Twilight’s many qualities. “You’re smart. Very smart. Maybe too smart? But it’s not intimidating. You’re warm. Approachable. You know how to have fun, but in moderation. That’s what I like about you. You know how to set your priorities and stick to them. You’re orderly without being strict.” Bon Bon fumbled with her hooves. “And, uh, you’re a really big nerd… but I like—”

“Can I have my turn now?” Twilight was blushing, but her voice had confidence to it. Bon Bon slowly nodded, rubbing her cheeks and feeling the warmth from them. “I know it hasn’t been that long, but… I think you’re really nice, Bon Bon. You’re grounded and stable, unlike me.” She chuckled to herself. “I know that sometimes I can overreact. But you don’t. You take things in your stride and I really admire that. And we share the same hobbies, and, well…” Rubbing her foreleg, she continued, “That seems like a small thing, but for me its huge. My friends don’t really share my interests. At least, not to the extent that I do. But from the looks of your collection…”

Bon Bon coughed, her eyes wandering over to several painted figures on the window sill.

“We have something. For me, it’s a big something. And I wouldn’t mind seeing where that something takes us…” She put her forehooves on the table, her confidence falling apart as she bit her lip, glancing at Bon Bon for a few seconds, then looking away. “... what happens now? I mean, do we…”

“I…” Say it, Bon Bon. If you do one thing in your life, say those words now. “I wanna see how it goes, yes.”

It wasn’t exactly what she had wanted to say, but it felt right. Take things slow and don’t jump into things. Those were the type of things her parents stood by, and they had drilled them into her more than enough times.

Twilight nodded in understanding. “Good idea. It sounds like we’re both new at this…”

Bon Bon reached towards Twilight’s hooves. “We’ll learn together.”

Twilight smirked, grabbing Bon Bon’s hooves and squeezing. “I do love learning.”

“So…” Bon Bon found herself leaning forward, but she didn’t care. “How about we spend the day together?”

“I’d like that,” Twilight answered. Her eyes flashed with excitement, but then her ears fell. “I would, but… duty calls.”

Bon Bon patted Twilight’s hoof. “That’s fine. Another time?” She hesitated for just a second. “Make it a date?”

The alicorn let out an odd noise. It was probably meant to be a giggle, but it came out more like an excited hiccup. “Yes, a date.” She got up, walking around the table. “I’ll choose a time that fits into both our schedules.” Gently, oh so gently, she reached out and grabbed Bon Bon’s hoof. “Always a pleasure, Miss Bon.” Then she kissed it, making a swift exit.

Bons brought her hoof to her face, lips hanging above the spot where Twilight had kissed it. Heat started filling her cheeks.

She deduced that it was probably a good time for a shower.

All spruced up and ready for the day, Bon Bon decided to go out for a walk; Ponyville wouldn’t be her home for much longer and she wanted to take in what she could before she left.

But first, a trip down memory lane.

The market was already a hub of activity, most of the stalls already open. Carrot Top was selling her carrot cakes, carrot juice and just plain carrots, while Roseluck was busy prettying up her flower stall. Both ignored Caramel as he chatted with a customer who had just bought his caramel treats.

And standing there, all closed up, was Bon Bon’s stand. It felt odd to her that she was just only getting attached to it now. The phrase ‘you never fully appreciate something until it’s gone’ came to mind.

She walked up to it and ran her hoof down one wooden side, feeling all the cracks and bumps on it. Even the large dent caused by Lyra when she had accidentally slammed her head into it. Just thinking about it was enough to bring a giggle to the surface.

Applejack had set up shop nearby like she usually did. Luckily, her sister wasn’t there this time to fill her bags with apples. Bon Bon hadn’t put those in her bag, but she hadn’t had to pay for them either. It sounded good, until she’d had thirty rotten apples lying around the house.

Still, that encounter alone had shown that Applejack was the honest mare everypony in town said she was. Bon Bon already knew that, but the free apples had just proven the lengths Applejack would go to just to keep her integrity. Out of all of Twilight’s friends, Appplejack was probably the one Bon Bon would get along well with the best.

Unfortunately, she was prevented from talking to her by a new arrival. “Excuse me, Miss Bon?”

The voice sounded way too classy for anyone from Ponyville. That was all Bon Bon needed to prove who was talking to her. “Rarity?” Bon Bon asked as she turned around. “I’m sorry, but the stall isn’t open anymore.”

“Oh, I’m quite aware,” Rarity replied. “That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about, among other things.” She looked around, then tutted to herself. “But here won’t do. How about we have a cup of tea at my house?”

Bon Bon stood there, blinking once. She wasn’t quite sure what to make of this offer. However, with a mare like Rarity, who was highly educated in the social graces… well, it was obvious she wanted something.

The problem was that Bon Bon had no idea what that was.

The Arrangement

A fine porcelain cup of fresh, steaming hot tea was set down in front of Bon Bon, the aroma slowly wafting into her nose. Getting comfortable in her seat, she looked across the table at Rarity, who was settling down with her own cup. Bon Bon forced a smile and frigidly sipped her drink, not bothering to blow on it first. In all honesty, she preferred coffee; it had a lot stronger kick than this ‘hot leaf juice’.

“This tea is imported from Zebrica, you know,” Rarity began, levitating a small paper fan to cool down her tea. She chortled a little, continuing. “Not that I would personally have it delivered to me, but I did manage to purchase some in Canterlot. They have everything there, if you look hard enough.”

Bon Bon nodded. “I see.”

“Oh yes. It’s the trading center of Equestria—even with Manehattan and Vanhoover being ports. All sorts from around the world are attracted to it, seeing as it is a hub for all things magical. So as you can imagine, a lot of goods get sold there. From exotic Zebrican instruments to Griffonian paintings.” She took a moment to let out an excited sigh. “And don’t even get me started on the dresses, darling.”

Bon Bon clenched her jaw, it trembling as she fought down a yawn. “Interesting.”

“Indeed. And you get to work in the castle, of all places! A small part of me is jealous.” Rarity gave Bon Bon a devious smirk, then sipped her tea. Bon Bon blinked, unable to read her intentions. “But that’s not what I’ve invited you here for. I’d like to have a chat about you and Twilight. If that’s okay with you, of course,” she added.

“Aah, right.” Bon Bon gently set down her cup. She’d expected Rarity to bring up the topic, although her true intentions were still uncertain.

One random thought later and a figurative dagger had twisted itself in her stomach—what if Rarity had a claim to Twilight first? What if she was in love with her? What if Twilight loved her back?

Bon Bon shrank in her seat, eyes focused on the magnificent mare that was Rarity. Her name was perfectly apt. So was Bon Bon’s; it was such a bland name. She hastily took her cup again and drank from it.

“Are you alright, darling?”

She looked at Rarity, then at the cup in her hooves. Empty, save for a few drops that had collected at the bottom. “Yes. Fine, just fine.” She waved a hoof at Rarity. “Please, continue.”

“Well first of all I was going to say that I’m very happy for you both,” Rarity said, smiling sweetly.

Bon Bon blinked, her mouth twitching, but shutting up just in time. “Er, thank you.”

“I know it hasn’t been too long, but Twilight is certainly very happy about it. Not a moment goes by these days where she doesn’t mention you. It’s really rather adorable.” She set down her fan, then took a sip of her drink.

The confectioner allowed herself a small smile, sitting up straight. “I wish I could see her face during those moments. With her cute little dimples and rosy cheeks she gets when she blushes…” She finished with a blissful sigh, prompting a chuckle from Rarity.

“And it seems you’re quite into her too,” the unicorn said, hiding a smirk behind her tea cup.

Bon Bon coughed, staring at Rarity. “Well, obviously.” She offered a sheepish smile. “Sorry, went somewhere else there.”

“It’s quite alright, dear. You’re still a new couple—it’ll happen a lot,” Rarity explained.

“I suppose so.” She fidgeted. Aside from her off-the-rails moment about Twilight, she really hadn’t said much. “It sounds like you have experience.”

“No, never,” Rarity replied with a curt laugh.

Bon Bon winced, dropping the subject like a baking tray from the oven. “Right, right.” Already, she could feel the awkward silence settling in, surrounding the two mares and threatening to kill what little atmosphere there was.

Luckily, a high-pitched noise drove it away.

“Rarity! Look what I drew! Look!” Sweetie Belle practically bounded into the room, a piece of paper precariously balanced on her back. It dropped off the moment she fell into the mares’ vision.

“Rats.” The filly frowned, stopping in her tracks and bending down to pick up the sheet.

“Rats?” Rarity almost charged off her seat, approaching her sister. “Sweetie Belle, please don’t tell me you brought those… vermin into the Boutique!” she said, but it sounded much more like a desperate plea.

Bon Bon resisted the urge to flick her ear. “She meant the figure of speech, Rarity. It’s fine.”

“Well with Sweetie Belle you never know.” Rarity stroked the filly’s mane, then continued. “Right then, what must you show me?”

She didn’t answer, instead staring at the stranger in the building. “Rarity, she’s not one of your friends.”

Rarity tilted her head. “Not quite yet, no. But I think we’re getting there—”

“And she’s not a customer…”

The dressmaker’s eyebrows twitched, forming a frown for a brief moment. “Where are you going with this, Sweetie Belle?”

“Why are you drinking tea with a complete stranger?” the child asked innocently.

“She’s not a stranger,” Rarity affirmed. “She is Twilight’s new fillyfriend.”

Sweetie’s jaw dropped. As did the paper. Again. “What?” The corners of her mouth turned up, her cheeks getting rounder by the second, as her eyes started to almost shimmer with filial curiosity. “That’s so cute!” Zooming over to Bon Bon, she looked up expectantly at her. “You have to tell me everything!” Pausing, she looked down and rubbed her chin. “Er, including your name, please.”

Bon Bon chuckled, ruffling the filly’s mane, unaware of the glare Rarity gave her when she did that. “I’m Bon Bon. And I’m sure you’ll find out more details of my relationship with Twilight in good time.”

“But for now,” Rarity cut in, “we have to ask you to leave, Sweetie Belle. We were having a nice, adult conversation.”

“Hey,” Sweetie started, completely oblivious to her sister, “aren’t you the candy mare?”

Bon Bon smiled, giving the filly a firm nod. “That I am. But I’m afraid I don’t have any candy on me right now.” Upon seeing Sweetie’s ears droop, she swiftly changed tact. “Why don’t you show us your drawing?”

Immediately, Sweetie brightened up again. “Oh yeah! Look!” She picked up the paper for Bons and Rarity to see.

Objectively, it was a standard child’s drawing; the dimensions weren’t quite right and the coloring sometimes crossed the lines. Still, Bon Bon couldn’t help but smile. The picture depicted Rarity and her friends, along with the infamous Cutie Mark Crusaders, all sitting down and sharing a picnic on a lovely sunny day.

Sweetie started to talk, but of course dropped the picture. Rarity was there to hold it aloft with her magic. “You recognise everypony there, right?” Sweetie looked up, especially at her sister, with pleading eyes. “Is it good?”

“Very,” Rarity said, holding up the drawing higher. “One to put on the fridge… if I can fit in somewhere.”

“Or a frame!” Sweetie exclaimed.

“Yes,” Rarity answered. “A frame.” The picture was levitated over to the kitchen and disappeared from view.

“That was an excellent drawing, Sweetie,” Bon Bon praised, smiling warmly. She leant down to speak with the filly at eye-level. “But me and your sister really were having a boring ‘adult talk’. Maybe I can…” Her eyes narrowed as she peered around shiftily. “Bribe you to go away with some candy?” she stage whispered.

Sweetie held back a laugh, nodding eagerly. “Sure thing. But you better provide. Miss…”

“Bon Bon,” she clarified. “Drop the ‘Miss’. It’s only a boring adult formality.”

“Right, gotcha. I’ll see you around, Mi—Bon Bon. Keep your word though, or I’ll…” Sweetie Belle backed off, looking up. “I’ll… scream really loud.” She hopped up the stairs, swiftly departing to her room.

“I have to say,” Rarity commented, sitting back in her seat. “You handled her rather well. Do you have a little sister of your own?”

Bon Bon shook her head. “Unfortunately—or fortunately depending on your view—no. I have always wanted children of my own though, someday.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow, finishing off her tea. When done, she dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. “Understandable, I suppose. But moving back to the topic formerly on hoof…” Leaning forward, she gave Bon Bon a small smirk. “So, when’s your first date?”

Bon Bon almost choked. First date?!

“You did what?!”

“Now calm down, Twilight. You had to arrange one eventually, I’m just speeding things along before the spark between you turns into a flickering ember. Besides, it’ll only be a casual thing—nothing to worry about.”

“And that’s why you’re measuring me for a dress then?” Twilight questioned, motionless on Rarity’s stand.

“Well…” Rarity took the last of the measurements with her tape, then backed off with a sheepish smile. “You do have to look good for her, dear. And the same applies for her to you.”

“You’re doing her dress too?”

Rarity shook her head, putting away the tape and jotting down some numbers in a notebook. “No, actually. She said her friend Lyra would be able to find something. Can’t imagine why she’d turn me down, though.”

Twilight looked down at her hooves, standing there since… she couldn’t remember. Rarity liked to take her time with these things. “Me neither.”

Rarity carried on, closing her notebook and gesturing for Twilight to get off the stand. “I’m thrilled for you, darling. I really am.”

Twilight, stepping off the raised platform, raised an eyebrow. “I hear a ‘but’ in there.”

The dressmaker was about to protest, when she sighed and rolled her eyes. “You’re not exactly the most social-smart pony.”

“Social-smart?”

“Yes, dear. You can be a bit…” Rarity licked her lips, wondering. Finally, she settled on something. “Awkward, at times. And sometimes you can’t read other ponies very well.”

Twilight bristled. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Well, for example. During my talk with Bon Bon, I picked up on a few things.” Twilight leant forward, brow raised. “She doesn’t care for the finer things.” Rarity flicked her ear. “Such as shopping and the like. And from the way she interacted with Sweetie Belle, I can tell she wants children of her own, someday.”

Twilight spluttered, almost collapsing onto the floor. “She what?!”

“Only calling it on how it appears to me, darling,” Rarity calmly stated.

“How can you even know that?!” Twilight blinked, then turned away, grinning. “But you don’t know that. You’re only deducing. And that’s something that’s pretty subjective, considering we’re talking about reading ponies’ emotional states and all…”

Rarity huffed and cut in before Twilight even had a chance to ramble on. “Perhaps I did get that part wrong, but it’s still something to consider if you’re looking into a long-term relationship.”

“Long-term?” Twilight froze, her back to Rarity. Complex equations she could efficiently run through her head were just fine for her. This, however… it was a different matter entirely. One that she hadn’t really researched. Not that it could be researched… was love a science? If so, that meant there were rules. Rules that could help Twilight be happy with Bon Bon. She wondered if there were any books in the library when a hoof on her shoulder snapped her out of her trance.

“Twilight? You’re over thinking it, dear.” Rarity rubbed her head, quietly sighing. “My fault, I suppose. Perhaps try thinking from here,” she softly touched Twilight’s chest, where her heart was, “as opposed to there,” she said, pointing at Twilight’s head.

Twilight let out a deep, calming breath, motioning her foreleg in the same manner Cadence had taught her to. Anxiety was washed out by a tide of serenity. Almost. “Okay… so where are we having our date?”

“Just the local restaurant. Exactly as I had said: nothing too formal. The dress I have in mind for you is nothing like the Gala,” Rarity elaborated, selecting a color chart and comparing it with Twilight.

“Alright.” Twilight allowed herself a small smile. “Sounds nice. I just hope Lyra doesn’t pick out something that’s too fancy… otherwise I’ll look bad.”

Rarity chortled quietly. “Lyra? That laidback mare? Please Twilight, I’m sure it won’t be too much.”

Bon Bon stood in Lyra’s living room, running out of air. Her throat was constricted, while her friend just observed her suffering.

“L-Lyra… it’s too tight!” she gasped, tugging at the light blue dress that was strangling her.

“You know what the problem is, right?” Lyra asked, walking around Bon Bon, inspecting her. “Your flank’s too big. Just look at that Bon Butt.”

Bon Bon snarled, thrashing her behind right at Lyra, causing the unicorn to stumble and almost fall onto the sofa. “Okay! Okay!” Lyra pleaded, correcting herself. “I’ll get you out.”

With the help of magic, Bon Bon was soon freed from that accursed fabric and spared the embarrassing fate of dying by dress. Rubbing her neck, the only thing she had to say wasn’t words at all. Instead, she chose to glare at Lyra.

“It’s not my fault if Earth Ponies are…” Lyra rubbed the back of her head, touching over a reminder of what not to say around mares. “... big boned.”

Bon Bon sighed, rubbing her face. “I can’t believe this would work…”

Lyra folded up her dress, frowning as she saw small tearing in places. “Why do you need a dress anyway? Isn’t this supposed to be a casual thing?”

“It was.” Upon seeing Lyra’s puzzlement, she continued. “Rarity arranged the thing. And you know she’s going to dress up Twilight to make her look fantastic. Which is all well and good for her, but I have to impress too.”

“Why don’t you just get Rarity to help you?”

“Several reasons. One: I’m not going to stand around for hours, while she sizes me up, listening to her… prattling.” Bon Bon started pacing around the room. “She isn’t a bad mare, but I really don’t have the patience to be with her for hours at a time, especially when I don’t know her. Second: I wouldn’t look good in the type of dress she does. I don’t think she does simple.”

Lyra raised a hoof to object, but was silenced. “Thirdly: it’d seem cheap and lazy to get something off one of Twilight’s friends. Rarity’s best asset is her generosity, and she’d no doubt try to sell me the dress for below cost, and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Something I can’t really stand for; I need to impress Twilight on my own merits, and that means looking to you for help.” Bon Bon tugged at her neck again, but there wasn’t anything to tug.

By this time, Lyra had chosen to sit on the couch in her usual strange manner. “I really think you’re worrying too much about this. It’s casual, it’ll be fine. Just relax, follow your heart, and enjoy the ride.” She offered a kind smile. “You’re a great gal, Bons. Your personality is all you need.”

Bon Bon returned the expression. “Thanks Lyra. But…” Her smile faded as she turned away. “She is a Princess…”

“Who lives in a tree. That’s a library,” Lyra deadpanned. “Your point?”

“My point is that I have to really step up my game here! I’m just a lowly candymaker—” She hesitated. “Okay, royal confectioner… but my new position doesn’t mean much. Dating a Princess means the stakes are higher, Lyra. A lot higher.”

“Not really,” Lyra made a dismissive gesture with her hoof. “Twilight’s a Princess, sure, but she’s not Celestia or Luna levels. She’s the same as she always was, wings or not.” She patted the empty spot next to her, prompting Bon Bon to come forth and sit down (on all fours). Lyra slung a foreleg over Bon Bon’s shoulders and gave her a quick squeeze. “Calm down, enjoy it, and you’ll have a great time. Trust me, I know these things.” Lyra flashed a confident grin. “I’m Lyra Heartstrings.”

Bon Bon groaned, rolling her eyes. “That’s what I’m worried about…”

“Look, if you’re really worried, I’ll help you out during the date,” Lyra said.

“During the date?” Bon Bon snorted, then shook her head. “So, what, you’re going to sit next to me and whisper advice into my ear?”

“Kind of.” Lyra tapped her chin, looking towards the ceiling. She got a brief moment of focus, then lost it. “Okay, not really. But I have a spell that’ll let me set up a telepathic link.”

Bon Bon just gave Lyra a level look. “You? Setting up a telepathic link?”

The minty mare performed a literal handwave; a glowing amber hand, transparent and ethereal, surrounded her forehoof. “Don’t put me down so easily, Bonnie. You can trust me. I’m a Heartstrings, for Celestia’s sake.”

Bon Bon took a long hard look at her best friend. Heartstrings were known for being experts in romance, hence their name, but… Lyra was an oddball. Actually, it’d be more accurate to call her a curveball, with extra oddity packed in. Sometimes she acted too rashly, or followed her heart a little too closely.

“Besides, I got a few tricks up my…” Lyra looked down at her naked form and lost her words.

It wasn’t like Bon Bon had much experience on dating, though. Lyra had more of that, definitely, despite being single. Taking a single breath, she made her choice. It’d be better than being alone, without any advice.

Her decision made, she grabbed Lyra’s attention. “That big butt of yours?” Bon Bon finished for her, looking at Lyra with a challenging smirk.

“Hey! It’s smaller than yours, Bon Butt!” A silence fell after Lyra’s outburst. Pointing at Bon Bon’s flank with a finger, Lyra asked, “Butt bump?”

“No,” came the instant response.