Long ago, Equestria wasn't the happy, colorful place it is today. Actually, it was the complete opposite. It used to be dark and depressing. Like a painting without the paint. If anyone was ever happy, it would only be the slightest bit. But how is it so cheerful now, you ask? Well, it was all because of one pony...
Lyra looked out the window and sighed at the grey clouds. She would have to do her weekly shopping before it started raining.
She put on her coat and went outside, where the wind was blowing hard. She struggled to get to the market, and then noticed something extraordinary. Somepony stood out. She was brighter and more colorful than the others at the market. She seemed to be looking for someone.
Lyra decided to pay no mind to this new pony. She started to feel drops of rain, warning her to hurry home. She picked up the food she needed and started to head back to her house when she bumped into the yellow earth pony with a curly, pink and blue mane. She seemed to brighten everything around her, if only a little.
"Sorry!" she exclaimed. Then she smiled really big at the sight of Lyra. "Oh! Hi! I'm Bon-Bon! Pleased to meet you! You must be Lyra!"
"Um...yeah." Lyra replied awkwardly. "Do I know you?"
"Sorry! Again!" Bon-Bon's smile turned to an embarrassed grin. "No, you don't. I mean-never mind." It was now starting to rain heavily. "Hey, I don't have any where to stay. Do you think I could come home with you?"
"I guess. Makes no difference to me."
"Great!" And so, they both walked (ran, really) back to Lyra's house. Just in time, too. Outside, it was pouring rain.
The minute Bon-Bon entered the house, she frowned at the lack of color and decoration. How could somewhere so plain and boring be Lyra's home? Of course she didn't know who Lyra was exactly, she just knew her mission was to cheer this pony up. And she would not fail this mission.
"So, what kinds of things do you do for fun around here?" Bon-Bon tried to start up a good conversation. "You know, when it's raining you can't play outside, so you do something inside."
"Fun?" Lyra asked, a confused look on her face. "I wouldn't consider watching the rain fall outside fun."
"Don't you do anything else? Like color or draw or read or write?" This may be harder than Bon-Bon first thought.
"No. There really isn't much else I enjoy."
"I have an idea! Since there is two of us, we could play hide and seek!" Bon-Bon waited for an excited response, but all Lyra did was stare at her blankly.
"What's that?" she asked finally.
"Are you kidding me?! You don't know what hide and seek is?! Well, it's simple. One pony hides, and the other counts to a certain number before looking for them. It's funner than it sounds."
"I guess I could give it a shot. Funner isn't a word, by the way. It would actually be 'more fun'."
"Tomato tomoto." Bon-Bon giggled. "I'll count to 20, and you hide! Ready...GO! 1...2...3..." She covered her eyes and started counting while Lyra hid underneath the couch.
"20! Ready or not, here I come!" She looked in other rooms, on top of things, under things, around corners, until she finally looked under the couch. "Gotcha!"
"Whoa!" Lyra jumped in surprise, and Bon-Bon could see a hint of a smile. She was making progress.
"So, do you agree that this is better than just sitting around doing nothing?" she asked.
"Of course!" Lyra replied. "What's next?!" These words made Bon-Bon so happy. If she kept this up, she'd be done in no time, which meant another job well done. I could easily cheer this whole town up! she thought.
"Hey! It stopped raining!" Bon-Bon pointed out the window. There were puddles everywhere. "We could jump in the puddles!"
"Wouldn't we get soaked?"
"That's the idea! Come on!" She ran outside and jumped really hard into a puddle, splashing mud and water everywhere, leaving her laughing covered in the icky stuff. Lyra hesitated, then finally joined the soggy mess, giggling all the while.
"Told ya it was fun!" Bon-Bon noticed other ponies watching them, and they all looked disgusted. But eventually, most of the crowd had joined in and didn't care if they were dirty. Nopony noticed, but since Bon-Bon arrived, everything was way more bright and happy.
Lyra dried herself off with a towel. Everyone had gone home and made sure to thank Bon-Bon.
"Hey, Bon-Bon?" Lyra asked. "Um, since we're friends-Wait, we are friends, right? Ok, so, can I call you Bon?"
"Of course!" Bon answered. "I don't mind one bit!" They both smiled. "But I don't have anywhere to live unless you let me stay a little longer." Lyra nodded and said it was fine with her.
"Hey, Lyra?" she said slowly. "There's...something I have to tell you..."
"What is it? You know you can tell me anything." Bon-Bon really wanted to tell her secret, but then she remembered what would happen if she did. Maybe she could save that for another time, or else she would have to leave before she needed to. No, she won't tell her yet.
"I, uh, never mind." Bon answered. "Maybe later." She felt really bad about not telling Lyra, but it just couldn't be done.
Lyra and Bon were snuggled side by side in Lyra's bed as it became night time. The lights were off and outside, the stars glittered in the dark sky.
"I can't believe that I've been missing out this whole time!" Lyra whispered. "You're a really great friend, Bon." She closed her eyes.
"So are you." Bon whispered back. Then she realized something. She didn't want to go back to the future. She didn't want to say goodbye to Lyra. She wanted to stay and be her friend forever. Even though all of her other friends were waiting for her back at home, including the future Lyra. But staying would worry them, and maybe even ruin the past. What she was most worried about, though, was how to break it to this Lyra.
Bon-Bon woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs. Her eyes blinked open to see a breakfast plate in front of her with Lyra standing beside the bed.
"Breakfast in bed." she said, smiling. "Hope you like it."
Bon said thanks and finished the food. She really wanted to tell Lyra everything right then and there. She felt like a terrible friend for keeping such a big secret from her. If I tell her now, and I haven't completed my mission, I'll fail and have to go home earlier. she thought. She promised herself that she would tell her once she completed what she had come here for in the first place. Then she would be ready to go home.
Bon-Bon carried her empty plate downstairs. "Lyra, why don't we go on a walk at the park." she suggested, eager to see if she had made a difference on the old Ponyville.
"That sounds fun." Lyra looked out the window to check if the ground was still damp. Sure, she had fun in the rain yesterday, but today she was hoping for a relaxing walk. Luckily, the sun had dried up all the puddles. The warm, bright, yellowish-orange sun that lit up every inch of Lyra's hometown. No more dark shadows lurking everywhere you went. And now Lyra knew this was Bon's doing. She didn't know how she lit up a whole town in a day and a few hours, but she did.
The two were now walking down the sidewalk. Lyra being so happy almost frightened Bon. Her constant smiling and such. But she wasn't so surprised. She knew that Lyra's backstory in this Ponyville wasn't the best, and she hadn't smiled often.
As they passed ponies along their way to the park, they waved happily, and the others waved back. It's like she wasn't in the past anymore, but back home. This was perfect. Bon's job was done. She sighed almost sadly, though. It meant her time here was also done. At least she could now tell Lyra what she had been holding back.
"Lyra, I-I have to tell you something that I didn't tell you before." she stuttered as they arrived at the park. "Please don't be mad or anything that I didn't tell you. This is the complete truth, no lies, whether it's sad or not. Do you understand?" Bon was standing in front of Lyra, staring into her eyes.
"Ok. Yeah, I understand." Lyra said nervously. "What is it?"
Bon took a deep breath. "Well, I-I'm not actually from here. I'm from the future and I was on a mission. To brighten up your life a bit. You see, that's what I do. I try to do everything I can to clear out the dark spots and make places better to be in. And I can't stay. I wish I could, but I can't. Now that I've told you, I have to go soon. My mission's over." She looked up to see Lyra's reaction. She was frozen, mouth open, staring at her. She was stunned.
"I have no idea how to respond to that." she finally answered.
Then, out of nowhere, a roaring noise called out from the sky. They both turned to see the sky turning black, about a fifth of the formerly blue area covered.
"What's that?!" Lyra exclaimed, looking to Bon for an answer.
"Oh, no." was all she could say at the sight of the darkness spreading across Ponyville, heading towards them both. "RUN!!"
Lyra did as she was told and followed her away from the black sky, staying in the places the sun still shined. They stopped to catch their breath.
"Lyra. This is the reason I didn't tell you before. This would have drove me back home, and I fail my mission. Now I have to go!" Tears were rolling down Bon-Bon's cheeks, and soon Lyra was crying to. They gave each other one last hug and started heading away from the darkness again. "Come on, my portal is down here somewhere!" Neither of them stopped for a second, until Bon did when she saw two metal doors magically appear.
This is it. she thought. Through these doors is my real home. I'll be gone from this world-the past-for good. She sighed and turned around to look at Lyra. At the same town she would return to, but different. Lyra gave a fake encouraging smile, but deep down, she was really sad.
"Goodbye, Bon." she sort of choked. "I'll miss you." A crowd was gathering around the two and the metal doors, that Bon opened. Lyra came over for another hug.
"I'll never forget you." Tears formed in Lyra's eyes as Bon pulled her in.
"Neither will I" she whispered back and pulled away, walking into the portal. She stared into her friends eyes as the doors separating their worlds closed forever. Both knew they would never see each other ever again.
