Forever and Always Together

Chapter 1

Brand New Best Friend

Lyra Heartstrings sat on the park bench and allowed herself to be carried away by the melody of her own music. Eyes closed and ears open, the tune of her lyre was gentle and sweet and it lifted her spirit to enjoy her passion and forget her troubles, if only for a little while. In the quiet outdoors of Ponyville’s park her instrument helped bring a tranquil mood to all who passed by and came to see her.

Lyra was unable to guess how many ponies had already paid her a visit today but she left her lyre’s case open for whatever loose change they wanted her to have. Even if they had nothing to give her it was reward enough to the unicorn just to be enjoyed by an audience. After her magic strummed the last note of her song Lyra kept her eyes closed for another minute as an applause came from the ponies who stopped to listen.

It couldn’t have been very many who stopped to enjoy her song, judging by the volume of their applause. After they dispersed Lyre opened her eyes and looked in her case to see what she made. It was a modest amount but it made the minty green pony happy just to see something in there.

“Twelve bits... I guess that’s alright. It’s better than not making anything I suppose.”

Lyra pocketed the loose change into her saddlebag and was about to continue playing before she realized it was getting dark out. When it was nighttime all the visitors upped and left the park, which meant no pony would be around to listen anyways. Deciding she had played enough for today, Lyra put her instrument in its case and hopped down from her bench. She then walked along the path aimlessly and wondered where her late night stroll would take her this evening.

After walking just a short distance Lyra notice an ice cream stand. Lyra realized it had been a long time since she tasted anything sweet in her mouth, but she knew she couldn’t spend her hard earned money on something like that, even though it was tempting. Looking away, she tried not to notice the ice cream stand as she passed it by.

But just when she wasn’t looking she suddenly bumped into somepony else and was startled. Lyra didn’t think she bumped the pony that hard, but she looked just in time to see a scoop of ice cream splat across the ground.

The pony she bumped into turned her head and gave Lyra a piercing glare that made her back away. “Crazy pony, didn’t you look where you were going!?” she yelled. “That was the very last scoop of strawberry! Where am I going to get another one this late at night!”

Lyra lowered her head and felt ashamed of herself for her clumsiness. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to bump you.”

The cream colored pony named Bon Bon looked down at her angrily. A lot of pent up anger and frustration was threatening to come to the surface if she didn’t get control of herself immediately. Inhaling a deep breath, she sighed and tried to look passed the accident.

“Well... I guess it’s not that big a deal,” the earth pony moaned. “It’s just... the last thing I need is spending three hard earned bits on an ice cream I was only going to loose in a silly accident. I came out here trying to get away from my life... but even here I can’t do it.”

Lyra stared and became curious of the stranger she happened to bump into. “Why would a pretty mare like you be trying to get away from your life?” she asked.

Bon Bon shrugged. “It’s nothing really,” she answered in a much calmer voice. “I’ve just been having problems lately with both my business and my rent. I considered abandoning them both but I don’t know where I’d escape to next if I did. In the evenings, strolling through the park is the thing I can do to forget I’m going through such a rough patch in my life right now.”

Lyra paused. She couldn’t begin to describe how much she sympathized for this earth pony she happened to bump into. “I understand exactly how you feel,” she eventually said.

“Oh, do you?” Bon Bon said mockingly.

“Yes, I do,” Lyra insisted. “I used to live in Canterlot. I was a student practicing under a mentor to hone my education and my abilities. My advanced schooling was always about making my father proud... until something happened between us. When I couldn’t take it anymore I ran away from home and decided on a whim that I’d come to live in Ponyville where life seemed so much simpler. At least... that’s how it sounded before I actually arrived.”

Lyra became distracted remembering that little story; especially the details concerning her father. When Bon Bon realized the pain in Lyra’s expression, something inside of her just melted. When she understood the kind of rough patch this fellow pony must have been going through as well, it made her stop and consider.

“I guess maybe you do know something about how I’m feeling,” Bon Bon sighed. She paused and a curious expression suddenly crossed her face. “Actually, I’m quite surprised that I bothered to tell you anything about myself. We haven’t even exchanged names, and I don’t normally talk to anypony I don’t know.”

Lyra understood completely, even though she had to be the more social of the two. But looking across at Bon Bon, their eyes made contact for the first time and something strange suddenly passed between them. At first, Lyra was oblivious to this strange feeling when she noticed Bon Bon’s sparkly blue eyes. Only when Bon Bon’s mouth curled into a smile did Lyra smile as well.

It was then that Bon Bon noticed Lyra’s brilliant golden eyes, which made her realize that she liked Lyra. But when she realized it, she quickly turned her head away and became ashamed of herself for thinking such a thing. It couldn’t have been natural to think they liked each other, but Bon Bon decided that had to be her queue to leave.

With a heavy sigh, she turned around and prepared to walk away. “I should be getting back,” she said. “It’s getting late, but it’s been nice talking to you.”

Lyra frowned. Just when she thought she was getting to know her first friend since arriving at Ponyville she felt disappointed to say good bye all of a sudden. “Wait!” she exclaimed. After Bon Bon looked back the green unicorn waved to her. “I’m Lyra, by the way. Lyra Heartstrings.”

Bon Bon blushed. “My name is Bon Bon. Not much of a name, I suppose.”

“Well, I think it’s lovely,” Lyra smiled. After a pause, she suddenly remembered. “Can I buy you a new ice cream? You know... to make up for the one I made you drop.”

Bon Bon was a little startled by Lyra’s offer. Nopony had ever done such a thing for her. Maybe it was her own short temper than drove them away but Lyra was the very first pony who ever wanted to buy her a new ice cream cone.

“I... really couldn’t,” she said.

But Lyra searched her saddlebag and got the twelve bits she still had. She counted three, which should have been enough, before putting the rest away. “I’ve earned a little money today playing my lyre in the park,” she smiled. “I think I can afford to get you an ice cream cone if the ice cream stand is still open.”

Bon Bon frowned. “Was that all the money you made?” she wondered. “My dear Lyra... where have you been staying at night with so little?”

“Oh, just around the park,” Lyra answered. “It’s not that big a deal, really. Saving enough money’s been kind of hard, but I’m trying my best.”

Bon Bon approached and put a hoof on top of the money. Looking into Lyra’s eyes, she tried to be sincere with her new friend as she forced her to take the money back. “You shouldn’t have to do this for me,” she said.

“But I want to,” Lyra chuckled. “It would make me very happy to do something good for a nice pony such as yourself.”

Bon Bon blushed again. This was another first-time thing for her; to be called a nice pony by somepony else.

When Bon Bon didn’t raise any further objections, Lyra took her bits and strolled up to the ice cream pony who had been hearing everything between them that whole time. When he saw Lyra coming it surprised him that somepony was trying to be nice to Bon Bon.

Lyra laid the bits across the counter of his stand, quite cheerfully. “I’d like to purchase one scoop of ice cream in a cone,” she said. “I... don’t suppose you have anymore strawberry, do you?”

The ice cream pony frowned. “Sorry kid,” he said. “We’re out, just like Bon Bon said.”

Lyra turned to her new friend who was watching from a distance. “Is there any other flavor you care for!?” she called.

Bon Bon wasn’t sure at first. “Mint chip would be fine, I suppose. Does he have any of that?”

Lyra asked and the ice cream pony ducked below the counter and began fetching a mint chip ice cream cone like they wanted. When he came back up, he handed the cone to Lyra who immediately took it to Bon Bon. The green unicorn was quite happy to give it away.

“I hope this makes up for my silly mistake,” she apologized.

“It’s alright, I’ve already forgiven you,” Bon Bon said, reluctant to take the cone.

“Even so, I want you to have this,” Lyra smiled. “It’s been a long time since I did anything nice for somepony else. It would make me feel better if you would take it.”

Bon Bon felt awkward but honored at the same time as she took the cone. After taking it, the two ponies looked at each other for a moment and that same special feeling from before return. But after a second, Lyra realized she must have been taking up Bon Bon’s time and began looking away.

“Well, I guess I’d better get going,” she decided. “I think I’ve wasted enough of your time.”

Bon Bon was surprised Lyra would just up and walk away like that. After they seemed to be getting along so well it just didn’t feel right for some reason. As she was preparing to leave, Bon Bon found herself doing something she never thought herself capable of.

“Lyra Heartstrings... would you mind... well... could I offer you a place to stay for the night?”

Lyra was taken aback by the offer. “Uh, thanks, but no thanks,” she responded. “I don’t want to be a bother. I’m sure you don’t want a pony like me staying at your place.”

“I seriously mean it!” Bon Bon insisted. “Lyra... it would mean a lot to me if I could pay you back for buying me this ice cream. No pony has ever done something so nice to me before. So what do you say? I’m sure it would be nice having a roof over your head for a change. I’ll make us a nice meal and I could fix you a bath if you want. That would be better than sleeping out here with no one looking after you, right?”

Lyra couldn’t deny, it was a very generous offer for Bon Bon to make. She was, indeed, a nice pony like she knew she was. She shook her head and smiled. “Is there no way I’m leaving without saying no?” she wondered.

“I insist,” Bon Bon stated. “I know we’ve both hit rough patches in our lives. But if you need a place to help get your life back together I’d love to lend you my place. At least until your money problem is sorted out, I wouldn’t mind if you stayed.”

Lyra didn’t know what to say. She went day by day believing the park bench was really not that bad and she was happy playing her lyre every day to anypony who listened. But being given a place to stay at long last was almost too good an offer to accept. She tried not to let it show how excited she was.

“Okay,” she smiled, “but only if I won’t be too much of a burden!”

“I promise, we’ll get along fine if you obey just a few simple rules,” Bon Bon answered. “Come on and I’ll show you.”

Lyra couldn’t begin to express how grateful she was. As she walked with her new friend out of Ponyville’s park she felt like the luckiest mare in the world to have bumped into somepony like Bon Bon. They got off to a bad start, but Lyra knew better when she recognized the sweeting caring pony underneath that Bon Bon was. Together, they walked out of the park and enjoyed each other’s company some more as they left.