The Road Back From the Start

by Skylarking the Stargazer

Rating: teen
Tags: Bon-Bon, Adventure, Alternate Universe, Lyra, Drama, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 8870

Lyra Heartstrings has set her hoof on a expedition where nopony ever been off to... And it wasn't long before she realized how much she can see and feel on her way back... To home...

Lyra Heartstrings has been long in a bending relationship with her best friend, Bon Bon. Not only that, her talent of harping has been rejected by others and thus ignored often. Not feeling useful and helpful enough, furthermore overwhelmed by many obstacles bringing her down, Lyra decided it was the time to leave Ponyville and set on a journey to... Wander in nothingness...

Then, after the tiresome strain expanding within her body, Lyra sees lights that no other pony can see and finds it... But is it right for her to do this? As the light leads her back... Home...?

Published 2015-07-09 15:50:02 UTC
Last updated 2015-07-09 15:50:02 UTC

Coming Home

"Look Bon Bon... Or stupid Agent Sweetie Drops whatever. I'm through with you being such a fool, thinking that you can hide this secret of yours from me!"

"Lyra, please! I didn't mean for this to happen! The bug bear was an undercover mission! I can't trust anypony to keep it when it's supposed to be my responsibility!"

"Your responsibility? YOUR RESPONSIBILITY?! You know that I'm stressed over just about where you are when I'm... *Sniff* alone... I don't want you to get hurt... It's *my** responsibility too. How can you not trust your best friend to keep a secret, whether it's political or not?"*

"And I didn't want you to get hurt either! You were never meant to be involved with my missions, just... Enough already okay?! I have far more experience than you as an agent..."

"I DON'T WANT TO LISTEN TO YOUR CRAP! What does it even matter to me if you can't even stay safe?!"

"If you can't stop worrying, Lyra... Then I'm afraid that's your problem..."

"I... This is about you! Idiot! It's about your safety!"

"........"

"........"

"You know what?! Fine! I'm going to leave, RIGHT NOW!"

"Lyra... Please... Just stop being so... stressed out and anxious about me."

"And that's why I'm leaving you, so even when you're gone. I wouldn't have to worry, because I would never know."

"Lyra wait! That's not what I meant..."

The old voices shrank weaker and weaker as I heard new sounds interrupting my thoughts, like a pony being hit by the Friendship Express. I looked up, it was a blue maned unicorn spinning her disks, putting her large, black basses on, polluting our dear Ponyville with poisoned noises. I angrily glared at Vinyl Scratch, she noticed me and waved her hoof, I stuck out my tongue in disgust and left off. Enraged at the fact that ponies nowadays enjoy "this" type of music, 'Oh it must be so fascinating and energetic to listen to DJ Pon3 scratching and making everything so DAMN LOUD!' My inner mind broke out.

Shaking my head, I left off to practice my harp in the park, not until I heard some splendid notes flowing gracefully from my left, the music bounced up and down, enhancing its popularity around all other ponies, and many more followed it like me. In the end, it was the doing of a cello; Octavia's cello to be exact. The love spread from this gray mare had been successful and pretty effective, her tune had manipulated us all and paralyzed us into listening it. 'This is what I call music', my mind said, now up from the noises of Octavia's roommate. While we were charmed along with the beautiful sound carved out from Octavia's sweet piece, she eventually finished it and we clapped out hooves in delight, then left to do our own things.

Even motivated and provoked to bring my style of music into town, I took out my harp once I reached the solid grass of the park, and began plucking the strings one by one. The melody was a missing piece which can be put into anywhere, bringing harmony towards all and resonate at the impossible. Blue jays and hummingbirds came by, just to sing along and enjoy the moving moment with me. The wind was adjusted at the finest pace too, it made the music even sounder and more attractive... Well, for me at least... No other pony passed by and showed gratitude towards my play, and some even jeered, not because I played badly, but the fact that they don't appreciate this style of music. I now grew hot, I gritted my teeth back and forth, I can just feel the next eruption coming out of my volcano, but the thunder has been longing to force the lava to spill out, and burn everything nearby. It was a resonance of disharmony: Hatred and absurdity.

"What the hell do you know about music?! ALL YOU PONIES KNOW IS SCRATCHING NOISES AND LISTENING TO CELLOS! Either the party idiots and royal music only made for elegant bastards! You ponies have no lives when it comes to entertainment!" I yelled and screamed and shouted at them, spurring all my feelings out on them, putting a heavy toll on their heart. They deserved it anyways, they are just fools who do not understand the beauty of the harp...

SNAP!

Wha... What was that...? I felt scared once I realized something was missing from my hoof... I dared not to look down, but the truth was there, and I was stupid to still do so even after warning myself. There, at all of the harp's holes, missing the strings...

The strings...

No...

"NO!" I screamed to the top of my lungs, and hurriedly galloped to the instrument store, praying to Celestia that there were still additional parts to my dying harp.

I bashed through the door of Sweet Sixteen Music Store, and demanded in my most patient and calmest way possible for strings that can make up for my harp to the store owner, Fuzzy Beard. Fuzzy Beard swiped his mustache, and thought for a long good moment, taking my seconds of life away, my nose began breathing louder until the steam itself could be seen. He finally said,

"That's 2,000 bits, for the total of strings you lost, which is basically all of them."

I dropped my harp, and squeezed my face, rubbing it back and forth with my hooves, "Tw-two thousand...? I don't even have that many in my total savings!"

He simply shrugged and said it was too bad then, I wanted to use my horn and destroy this accursed and damned store, but then I was not pushed over to that limit of mine yet, therefore I only knocked down the door and trotted off back home to find what I have left in my wallet. On the way, I could see and smell the horror of garbage and trash littered all over the place, I was disgusted and wanted to throw up, but I kept going on, knowing that something more important than to take care of trash... Trash like the ponies all around me. Fillies and colts were fooling around, showing no discipline to their elders, young stallions bullying and harassing mares, broke hobos on the streets begging for money...

CRASH!

I fell over to my left, while it wasn't fatal, the injury on my head almost had me fainted. I looked up, it was an old nemesis of mine when I was in high school: Topaz Glaze, a light lavender colored earth pony with curly golden mane. She recognized me too, and purposely did not apologize with her crooked smile across her face. Topaz has done many cruel and horrible things to me and my friends, while I always tried to ignore her, she still aggravated me to get myself into trouble. I had been suspended due to my out-of-character violence, and random craziness when I feel insecure. I would never forgive somepony who hurts others for their own thirst, I simply can't.

After the bull confrontation, I glared at her silently, then slowly trotted off into her, and picked her up with my magic. I threw her into a tree, then went pressing up on her, stomping and goring her with my horn, biting her until a piece of her skin was off. She screamed and tried to retaliate, but I already had the upper hoof. I picked her up again with my magic, and she prayed for mercy... Mercy is right, until I threw my door key against her with my most brutal force, making her nose bleed severely. She perhaps can't even stand for the rest of her life. Topaz's wicked blood trickled down my face, I wiped it off and threw it back onto her, and finally left to gather my money from my wallet.

After reaching home, I found out that Bon Bon was not home. That's terrific, because I didn't want to see her ever again with her dumb agent missions. I went into my bedroom to get my wallet, and turned it upside down to see how many bits do I still have left. I can hear the drops of

One bit...

Two bits...

Three bits...

Three bits...

I continued shaking my wallet, but the little mouth does not seem to cough anymore out. I was furious, three freaking bits isn't enough to cover 2,000 for my strings. I only brought 50 bits along with me! I surrendered to fate and laid down on the floor, crying and sobbing. Why did this have to happen? Why is my life such a disaster and pain? Why is it so hard for me to even feed myself and keep fair enough from poverty? I tried getting a job just so I could earn some money, but either I was rejected or that I wasn't "talented" enough to fit that job. The only talent I have was playing harp, it should be an excellent instrument to play, but thanks to all the idiotic ponies around me, my talent was a waste. A WASTE I say! I never heard of any harp musicians from all over Equestria, it was pure bullshit.

I then remembered what I have done horribly wrong back there: The fuse was too short for me to even cease it. Octavia and Vinyl are some of the greatest friends a pony can have, yet I returned them with false gratitude: Insulting their pride and what they love, because I was being selfish since nopony wanted to respect mine. Topaz Glaze may have been a fly in my eye, but that doesn't mean I should put all my anger out onto her. I only wanted to teach her what is fear, but I suppose fear is an excuse for not standing and proving to oneself what they're capable of. That's what I made my arch-nemesis into; a self hating fool who will forever be ruined by cowardice. It's a shame for her then, but the one who made that happen was me. I was the absolute monster, it was I who made and forced her into this state, I didn't know any better myself. While it was unknown whether Topaz was now the condition of what I just had thought of, I was certain that my crime was truly guilty. This not only far exceeded making up for what she has done to me and my friends, but I have took myself too far today, I was mad and uncontrolled everywhere, I was broke and helpless, I was... I was...

Nothing.

I lowered myself closer to the floor even more, and cried silently alone with my hooves covering my head.

'There was only one other road I can take,' I thought within, 'all by myself and forever myself...'

"Thank you sir, for taking your precious time just to bring somepony like me here."

"Well... No problem I guess, ma'am. Glad I can help."

The wagoner marched off, into the dust and there was nopony left to be seen anymore. I almost felt flattered after hearing that the wagoner was glad to actually help me... Wow what love and friendship has Princess Cadence and Twilight spread to all of Equestria! Anyways, the wagoner stuttered and trembled while on the way to this place, because this place is a vast nothingness of emptiness. I even said I had no clue where was I going to go, so I just gave him random directions until I felt it was perfect to halt and mark this the starting point. This place is rather chilly and damp, I can feel the tinge of mist on my nose as I briefly scanned the woods.

Right... The woods...

I had no idea how lost and trapped I was, but I did not care, because right now what's important isn't my life, but where I can find comfort and privacy for myself. The nightlight yawned, and flipped over to the flaming daylight. The leaves and whatever that's dark blue and dark turned back into green itself. I continued walking to find a good place to temporarily sleep into, there were no caves, but then again, I would not want to be eaten by a bear or some sort of beast like that during my distant death and dreams. The drops of water dripped and splashed onto the brown soil, wetting it and moisturizing it into mud... Then came crashing the sunlight through the tall trees and repainting the shrubs and bushes into golden yellow, which then dried up the ground quickly, and burned out all of the liquid on it.

"Wow," I said to myself, and smiled the impressed smile, "This is how nature functions!"

While I may have said that a bit too early, I'm pretty confident that this process is just one example of the naturally cycled lifestyle wildlife strives through. I then noticed a spark of life floating between the gaps of hard and thick tree trunks, it flashed and gleamed, it was blinding to just even take a peek at it. Nevertheless I wasn't intimidated, and ran through the fuzzy plants to reach for the possible clue that may lead me to somewhere new...

I was outshone by the burning sun once I skipped past the last row of those enormous trees. I put my right hoof in front of my forehead, covering the sunlight to locate the life force I discovered. It was... An insect...? No, an angel? No! A fairy! That's it! The white wings, while the body shines white itself, flying around in one place leaving white traces of light, it was a holy fairy no doubt! By now I reached an open space of plain grass and flowers of all colors, tulips that dance, and roses that grin with love. Then again, this paradise was limited, as it's surrounded by deciduous woods, but the unfortunate news did not stop me from attempting to touch the beautiful spirit with my hooves. It suddenly flinched and avoided the interaction, but I wasn't angry or annoyed at all, it must've been scared of me since it never socialized with the outside world at all but rather living in this beautiful scenery. The fairy gleamed again, and glowed my horn a white bulb. I felt excited, as it could probably give me some sort of special power that will bring me meaningful explanations to my gloominess.

The wind picked up as I activated the fairy's gift, a bright sphere was formed, the grass collapsed and I received nothing but a blast of fresh air entering into my body. I closed my eyes to enjoy the welcoming blow, while it did send chills down my spines just thinking about what is going to happen next, I laughed and was darn ready for the surprise. Flocks of birds flew above my head, chirping and flapping their tiny wings into the endless blue. Many leaves left their home branches and combined into a large group of a new family... While I may not have seen all this, I could feel and hear them being done, it was truly magical as I began to see new things once I reopened my eyes...

"Caw! Caw! Caw!" Was the noise I heard once I reopened my eyes. The fairy was still there, beautiful and white like before, and I was still myself, turquoise brilliant, cyan for a stallion! Sigh, that was my theme motto when I feel full of myself, and perhaps not anymore now, after what happened back at home... Welp, now I don't have one, I'll just explore this place...

My mouth now was wide open, I cannot express my delight as it holds my breath in place: Again with the giant trees, but this time, more wild and... Forest-y? These are not the deciduous woods I have been at when the wagoner brought me here, but rather the hot red leaves blended with shining yellow, euphoric orange, chocolate brown all on one tree? I looked down and picked up one of the leaves from the ground, the leaves were either three or five lobes, veined partly shallow at the end but clear at the center. No doubt these are the leaves produced by the Red Maple, one of my favorite trees of all time. My heart exploded as I saw them falling constantly and gliding through my sight, they cut and danced through the wind as I walked by. Two squirrels chattered for acorns and played with each other, leaping through the branches and sliding on the trees. Poor things! They were being persecuted as the squirrels left their heavy and deep scratch marks onto their skins! I should not be sympathetic for them as ONE DECIDED TO JUMP INTO MY MANE! Then the other one flew onto my face, one trying to catch the other, but the one trying to escape was tangled into my mane, and the attacker finally had its moment of triumph...

Both little rodents were picked up by my magic, and listened throughout my following words,

"You both are really getting carried away by your naughty tag. You can have fun, but don't disturb others while doing so, okay?"

The two critters looked at each other, and nodded their heads. I smiled thankfully at them and let them go. Wait a sec! Did I just solve a friendship problem?! No wait, that had nothing to do with it, I was just telling the squirrels not to disturb and respect the nearby neighbors and living things around them. But respect is part of friendship! No no no! Think again Lyra! It was plain simple, they were not actually my friends, they're just some passerby innocent strangers who...

'Will become your friends?' A voice popped out, not from my head, but somewhere outside, and nearby.

I froze, I turned around and observed my scenario: It was quiet, and I'm alone... With a fairy that is. Unless the fairy can talk? I twisted my head back to the white creature, staring at it in a confused and clarifying way, to see if it can actually talk. I didn't want to ask it directly because my sudden voice could scare it away, I did not want such a beauty to strip off from my sight. How did this mysterious voice even know what I was thinking? I didn't get it, so I supposed it was some sort of dynamic interference I was going through because I have transported into this new place...

It was silent, just too silent, other than its movements like a figure skater. Giving up, I continued to trot and watch the wonder of the Red Maples doing their job: providing comfort by generously sacrificing what they have, which were those colorful leaves finely distorted and lying on the ground.

"Caw! Caw! Caw!" The noise returned again, but this time I was ready to seek it out. I concentrated on the voice's direction to determine its origin. I looked up, and there it was, a couple of crows, still cawing, but their frequency was rather loud, it was almost as if they're... sad. A droplet had splashed onto a maple leaf, and the gland's wetness soon covered the whole leaf itself. I now knew what was going on with them, but why is this going on with them? I looked everywhere, listened everywhere, and even sniffed the clean air exhaled and inhaled by Mother Nature. In the end my hooves were empty, I didn't know why were they crying in vain.

Suddenly, the fairy buzzed around and flew up into one of the trees. It circled around a specific location, near the tree hollow, and out came a large flying squirrel, who was ready to open the egg in a nest...

Oh dear...

I quickly used my magic, to move the nest and the egg away from that hungry critter. Without hesitation, the squirrel leaped to retrieve back its meal, I brought the nest down next to me, and I angrily glared at the flying squirrel as it glided down. It shrieked as it sees my eyeballs and ambitious set of teeth, and changed its direction while crashing into another tree. I sighed with relief, and knew that the squirrel was just curious and stole it away from the couple, and the crows were much smaller than the flying squirrel (somehow, because usually it was the opposite), therefore they couldn't fight with it, and even hurting their newborn chicks in the process. The fairy magically picked the nest up and returned it back to the crow couple, and they rejoiced and cawed at me. I smiled at them and waved them goodbye. It was a wonderful experience to actually communicate and socialize with wild animals whom I never even bothered to be with, I should tell this to Fluttershy and maybe she can get me some few tips!

I resumed walking down the splendid Red Maples contented and enlightened of what I just did, enjoying my privacy in this wonderful Autumn... Wait... Autumn...? I refocused my senses onto the setting; all over the place, the dying leaves, primarily their symbolic colors, descended but determined wind rushed through this forest. It was another mystery, when I left Ponyville it was Summer, and the environment was healthy green, crickets and insects plundered into... Well almost everywhere. The sun was bright hot, and the temperature was nowhere as low as what I'm in now. This was definitely the better place, but it dared me to wonder: Did I take myself too far to even know what limits do I have? Because right now, for some unknown reason, my hooves could not take me any farther. Everything looked like floaters as my legs bended and I collapsed hard onto the ground. I then didn't know why this happened, that thought soon transited to not mattering at all. The world I used to view became blurrier and foggier. The wind was picking up again, and the leaves were tingling me as they flew into me, all colors went no colors. I was exhausted and asleep...?

I tried unleashing my vision, but the drowsiness had invaded into my body and was ready to pin me down even more as soon as I realized that I was in water. Panicking because I don't know how to swim, I swung my hooves at all eight or sixteen directions, but it was more of a hindrance because now I was going to drown even quicker, deeper and much more painfully. This stabbing should be a good reason to resist and fight back against, nopony wants to die like this, but since now I'm already empty of myself, worth not even a single "bit" of life, there's no purpose for me to live on any longer. I closed my mouth and shut my eyes back down, ready to accept my fate...

SPLASH!

I fumbled upwards, choking and coughing out saltwater. I then re-entered the ocean, not fully recovered and barely got a good grip on myself. I then realized what I was touching: I looked down, and it was a shiny skin full of blue, resembling the heaven in the sky while at the same time correlating to the vast sea that eats the whole of a pony. I was stuck on figuring that out until I was thrown off the creature and smashed into the warm sand. I turned back to see what or who was my savior: and there it was, a group of friendly bottlenose dolphins waving and whistling me farewell. I showed my full gratitude towards them with a bow, then watched them leap off back into the mass marine habitat, their every splash of soggy blue was a tinge of refreshment.

Waves chattered, seagulls barked on the yellow shore, then there was I, who picked up beautiful seashells and shiny minerals that were worth the memory to keep. I hugged them tightly around my chest, then used my magic to bring them along with me. Now the season felt like Summer, I was on a beach all of a sudden, and the sun was a fire thief, exhausting me out as I walked. Therefore I chose to enter the palm tree bushes and advance deeper into the center of this island, leaving me in thought of what would come next...

The palm tree bushes soon were seen as a palm tree jungle once I trespassed a certain limit closer to the center of the island, still, it was very silent and quiet when no animals came out and talked, no insects buzzed around sucking blood (definitely not on me!). There were only the trees oscillating at the slightest and that was all to it. Perfect spot to lay down and relax, I grabbed some coconuts from the palm trees and sipped until the fresh liquid flowed through my throat and into my stomach, the cool temperature plus its sweet and addicting dew can leave nopony behind its juice. I dreamed of my Summer, licking the cream off my ice cream cone, my shades working onto my eyes, on a rainbow colored beach chair, legs crossed and folded, and staring out to the humongous ocean, beating the sand rapidly with a gush of low wave, and the breeze coming once per few seconds. That is how I'm going to enjoy my life here. Until a heavy rainstorm swarmed in and spurted out water on me. Thunder clapped while lightning was feared to strike down trees and burn the island.

I ran for my life to seek shelter, but then a tree was hit by the lightning, I may not be religious but god has certainly punished me for a reason, because now my chest was heavy and my head was hurting like hell. I could not accelerate any longer, and began to slow down and await Lord Death. I didn't know why all this would happen all of a sudden, what have I even done wrong to suffer in the first place? First a nice sunny beach, perfect for vacation, turned the tide into a colossal disaster of pain and agony? The fairy too, fluttered around and made all these confusing patterns, the only problem is its language that I cannot understand, which made things even more worse as I now stressed out too about what the impatient spirit was talking about...

I woke up again, and found myself in a passive coma. I slowly got up to my hooves, and found myself deeper into the palm forest. Sunlight peeked through the trees like back in the deciduous woods I began from. I tried to walk, but I only wobbled and leaned against a tree forcefully, I heard the creatures living inside the brown trunk producing beautiful sounds that nopony has ever heard. It was like a woodwind instrument being played! The compassion and love the creature spread with its song cheered the whole environment up, and some flowers grew quicker than ever, Venus Flytraps moved along with the music while opening its mouth to express its ecstasy. It not only was music, but medicine to quickly heal me up and thoughtlessly join the fun, I spun and twirled around the palm trees and dived into the clean and green plants, rolling and flipping (somehow) all over. If my friends could come here from Ponyville and enjoy with me, then I would be fully satisfied...

Oh right, my friends, Bon Bon, Ponyville. I had forgotten how much grief I ate from them, but now I feel dependent on their hooves, for they're the most reliable and best-est ponies I will ever encounter in my whole life. Their existence is the main reason why I'm me, and why I remained to be who I am.

'I want them, I need them, I LOVE them...' The unknown voice repeated through my mind. I flinched and jumped, what in the world was that noise? Who spoke that? How did it know what I was going to say?

Nevertheless, I continued to dance along with the splendid woodwind creature, I closed my eyes, bended my back front hoof onto my right, spread my front hooves side by side, and ballet spun. I was in a deep trance addicted to this splendid melody. Despising and disregarding the presence of the mysterious voice, I waved in joy, smiling happily, the sunlight was all upon me when the spot's at high noon. I did not seem to remember what I was depressed about earlier, I didn't care either, because now I finally found my domicile utopia...

'What about your loved ones? Do you think you'll be truly happy with your temporary "woodwind" craze?'

Just that second with my mind being caught in distress within the same voice, I tripped over the roots of a tree and plummeted onto the ground. I paused my imaginative moment and rethought about my purpose. Woodwind was never really my favorite, but it was enjoyable and lovely, but it was one reason why I could not fit into what used to be my society. Woodwind overpopulated harps, and nopony loved harps... Then I took the other end of the stardust's tail: I was feeling happy and solid if it wasn't for that stupid voice invading my personal space of mentality, now I regret for being such a fool into taking delight of others and ignoring myself. That regret was an awful mistake to make because I didn't want to be sad and depressed, I wanted to live a happy life, full of myself no matter where I go, and that's why I came here...

'No. You were mistaken. You had no clue what you're putting yourself into, you have underestimated nature and put no faith into yourself.'

I winced, as a different headache arrived to my door, tearing my welcoming carpet.

'What happened to your talent? What happened to your love? What happened to your harp? What happened to the Heart wired by the unbreakable Strings? That all sums up to Lyra doesn't it?'

My eyes are wet and soggy now, as the tears over flooded my body and rushed out again. I put my hooves in front of my eyes and realized how much trouble I was actually receiving. The fact that I couldn't survive in this alienated world, everywhere is wilderness, nothing for me to count on to live. I only survived for this long is because the fairy was teleporting me to these different places, for me to see what should be resolved a long time ago... Yet I failed that challenge haven't I?

I punched the ground with my bare hoof, bared my teeth with frustration, but now I didn't want to go back, I wanted to stay here. This paradise is like a drug, caging everypony who's ever been through here (probably not) and slowly smother their breathing to death. While I have found this out, I am in a civil war with myself trying to fight either to die happily, or trudging back and live on. Both answers are efficient yet consequently insane.

'Why did you think of leaving in the first place?'

I paused my mood and let my thoughts take over control; and felt the brisk ice breath from the ocean coming through. The only reason I left in the first place was because of Ponyville's societal state and atmosphere, nopony showed enough respect for one another these days. I even got myself into a brutal skirmish with my former enemy who I don't even see as a potential threat any longer, the fact that I'm being fed with the negativity possessed by my hometown makes me a hypocrite and no different from those cruel ponies.

Then there was Bon Bon, or Sweetie Drops now (what a stupid name for somepony like her) who never told me about her secrets, despite we were best friends for years, and lived with each other for years. Her secret agency in Canterlot was absolutely ridiculous, because of that revelation, it stressed me out, it worried me, it made me anxious. I was worried that Bon Bon was in a road full of spikes and other sharp obstacles the whole time since we met, one hoof and it will be nothing but fresh blood dirtied on the ground. I was stressed out by the fact that Bon Bon's life was now a great burden eternally burning inside my heart, I was anxious because now she would be even more worried to keep me out of her private business so that I could stay safe. But she still is hurting me by not keeping my feelings contented and safe, and putting herself into danger because her nobility for her friend proved her to be selfish at the same time by abandoning something else more valuable, but in her view it wasn't as important but she failed to think for me and and...

I swallowed as much air as possible, for I almost choked myself to death after thinking so hard and painful without taking a break. I collapsed onto the ground, asking myself why this was so hard to accept. Why isn't there an inner peace found inside me? A toucan cackled and flew by my side, poking me with its long and yellow beak. Not enjoying its language, I ignored it, but I couldn't shoo it away because I was weakened. A feminine heart cannot tolerate as much as I thought it could, my energy was being sucked out again by the sun glimpsing through this forested cage. I wanted to get up and prevent this all from happening and what's coming next is surely likely to torture me the worst and longest, even if I have no idea what it is. I wanted to make myself useful and satisfied by actually contributing to this world. I wanted to...

'Tell your friend your secret instead?' That damn voice came back. This time however, I knew what to do already. I peeked at the white fairy next to me, on my top left. It did not realize me yet as it continued whispering my thoughts out loud. Then I stared at it when it was done (as my thoughts went blank). It stopped, looked back at me, and finally began speaking on its own,

"So you finally reformed yourself and found your way back?"

The question strangled me all over, it was complicated to let myself go from moving. I unhappily shook my head. It sighed,

"Remember what I just read from your mind earlier?" It asked as if it was its credit for plagiarizing what I had thought of, but then again if it wasn't for its help, I wouldn't help myself either. "You have to give her a piece of your mind too, to make it even and satisfying, isn't sharing secrets between best friends always the most fun? The unbreakable trust between friendship?"

What the fairy said did make some sense, but I was still scared to reveal to anypony my personal story, especially when it would not benefit them either, and it would get me into trouble.

"I-I-I... I don't know..." I replied, feeling relieved as I finally spoke since the beginning of my trip, but still unsure whether the fairy's suggestion was acceptable, "That would just escalate the boiling water."

Then all of a sudden, I shook a bit. I believed that was my heart banging on my chest rapidly because I had no other knowledge on my surroundings...

A bunch of coconuts came colliding onto my head. Then followed the mother palm tree herself, then another, and another. The toucan followed by bunch of other birds of versatile species sped off, as far and quick their wings could carry them. I tried to get up but was shook back down. The ground began to crack, then the volcano which I never paid attention to since I came onto this island growled and grumbled. I tried to crawl slowly back to the shore where I stepped on here for the first time, but it was too slow as the force of the earthquake caused me to rumble back.

Wait... EARTHQUAKE?!

Now realizing what kind of distress I was in, I somehow stood up and dashed with my hooves, every time in the air the front and the back crossed one another. I can only look front as the volcano erupted and large amounts of lava were vomited out. Huffing and taking a short brief rest after my heart been hurting, I looked behind me... And there was the crowd of large and heavy avalanche flow producing large ashes filling into the atmosphere, COMING RIGHT TO ME!

I cancelled my break a second short. No. A second delay is the ultimate killer to my life, I had to hurry and run back into the water, not caring whether I could swim or not. If lucky, I could be teleported again by the fairy or maybe get another free ticketed ride with the dolphins. All these hopes were shattered by a coconut as I tripped over it, injuring my ankle. Unable to get up, but I had to get up, or else I would be dead! The volcanic flow was now right behind me, catching up quicker than I thought. I knew not how else to save myself, climbing trees wasn't what I was capable of in this emergency, running away was impossible now, the fairy was nowhere to be spotted. There... There was nothing I could do to save myself!

Now it was too late, I closed my eyes not for a nap or a long sleep, but a time when my soul shall be released forever from my own body, and it shall cease all the movements inside my body painlessly: The heart, the lungs, the brain, the muscles, the bones, the cells, the... It was all over. I wished I could've at least apologized for my sins back in Ponyville, and wished they would forgive me, especially Bon Bon who I used emotions to treat her and get in my way at the same time. I wished I never arrived to this place anyways, nor saw that beautiful fairy, nor even set my hoof on this expedition at first place. At least my heart could finally rest in a coffin and never have to be disturbed by mental troubles ever again.

I gave up my clash with my injuries and expected the worst to punish me: which was to take my life away and never return it back...

My spirit officially was in deep thought (again), about my whereabouts, I dared not to open my eyes and see, for it was just... too... misbelieving and gruesome to perform such a simple task. The air around me did not perish, but instead spirited and swiftly as I was being tugged by some sort of magic force.

Wait a minute... Force?

Without realizing, I opened my eyes and gazed at all directions. I was on water, flying through it, the water was actually endless if seen by a pony's eye, no islands to be seen, nor anything else, but the ocean... Just full of water... My body was now in a horizontal shape, with my hooves parallel at my body, my mane was so straight as if it was stardust shooting through the night. I could not budge an inch from my current posture, other than moving my head around. Looking up, there was the fairy, glowing hot as sunlight, yet still beautifully white. It emitted tiny stars as they drifted around me. Then, many other stars followed behind one another, reaching to a halt as they came back from...

The moon...

This moon was not like the daily moons. Its piece of silver was enormous, absolutely gigantic, I had never seen a moon that size ever. It was at the horizon of the line while the sun was still falling down like a gravity sucked meteor. The moon was far more larger than the sun itself, I was puzzled to see why it reached into this planet so far and close. There were clouds covering some parts of it, and light was emitted from many directions, clouds are also vast and common in the sky.

"That isn't the moon." The fairy told me. I simply looked at her with disbelief, the object was silver, it was bright and it shined, it was round, it was...

"How about you take a closer and more careful look and you wouldn't have to be illunaminated by such an image?" The fairy spoke again, this time adding a pun that was way too simple to be laughed at. I frowned, rubbed my eyes, and took a second attempt:

She was right, the round object this time wasn't the silver and calm feeling I used to see awhile ago, it was mixed with blue and green, that was the only difference. The object looked familiar, and what was even more clear now is that I was flying STRAIGHT AT IT!

"Wha-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" I yelled at the fairy, "ARE YOU CRAZY?!"

The fairy sighed lightly, and only flickered a beam of white dust into my eyes. I shrieked and tried to shake it off, but it was proven to be fruitless as the fairy said, "That will only be worn off when I say so."

Disappointed, I gave up the struggle and let the spirit pick on me, but I was still shook up by the fact that I was being launched into an unknown place. I mean, despite having actually going to unknown places myself today, I did it without the recognition of fear or anxiety, but this time it is. Even if the fairy blinded my eyes with its "dust", it was too late to have done so before I actually saw where I was heading to. The breeze was cool as it tickled me everywhere once I passed them every second, the lights were so bright that it still lit me up a dim spot in the darkness where right now I cannot see. Everything felt so real, as if I was alive...

"Wait! I'm freakin' ALIVE?!" I angrily yelled out. Okay, maybe angry wasn't the right word but I was pretty sure that I was up in the beautiful and peaceful heavens already now, yet I was here suffering from dust and my fate was against a giant planet. I pictured all sorts of bloody results of me after colliding into it, it was gruesome and horrifying: the blood was sticky as my body pieces were all torn apart by the impact, my bones were either broken or shaped into something else that was disgusting, my eyeballs were shot out, one of it was squashed into jittery blood, my lungs and other systems in my body were laid out fresh and wet.

"Argh! No! I'm killing myself like this!" I shouted again, this time, the fairy growled unpleasantly and covered my mouth with the same damn dust. I now was even more tempered with my match, I began insulting the little spirit with the most disrespectful and trash words I could find, as she can read off my mind, she will feel offended.

"Sigh, never knew you were such an annoying pest. I'm trying to help you here! Yet you are making a fool out of yourself by making the wrong choices..." The fairy replied, my face was full of guilt and blushing. I stopped my protests, and let my body float on its own. INTO A LARGE MASS OF DESTRUCTION THAT WILL END MY LIFE!

"So, do you know what you're gonna do once I get you home?" She asked.

Haven't thought of this at all, I imagined what would happen after returning: Ponies will glare at me for my crime acted against Topaz Glaze, Bon Bon won't care about me anymore, Topaz Glaze will seek for revenge that's at least twice as painful as what I have done to her. Princess Celestia will banish me to the sun, or Princess Luna will banish me to the moon. Oh dear oh dear oh dear what am I supposed to do?!

"No." The fairy answered straightforwardly, finally detaching the dust off my mouth and eyes. I was about to scream again because of my situation, but kept a level head and thought of the aftermath: more dust. "That would definitely NOT happen."

"Why not?" I retorted, "I have been a bad girl since..."

"You'll see, Ms. Heartstrings." The fairy sped up. Ignoring the fact now that I was being sent to a LARGE MASS OF DESTRUCTION THAT WILL END MY LIFE.

I felt other minor details getting into my way: There was the cool sea breeze, spitting salt and vapor into my face, I stuck out my tongue to taste the last gift given by nature before I head home (if the fairy said so). There was the warmth given by the lights that shined the planet that enthused me because they were so beautifully well emitted when they painted and drew the skies and clouds... Oh yes, the clouds... They flew and shaped themselves rapidly, making all these images and symbols that I couldn't even expound, such as shapes of candies, or a bow, or a head of a dinosaur. Okay, they were pointless after all. Nevertheless, what was truly exciting is that all of these factors served as distraction to let me transit from the fact that I'm being flung towards a LARGE MASS OF DESTRUCTION THAT WILL END MY LIFE!

Okay I can't get over that part!

I took a deep breath, and instead of exhaling it out, I kept it all in my mouth, as an emergency kit for me to breathe if there was no oxygen to grab by the time I crashed into that planet.

"Won't you calm down already?" The fairy demanded, "I told you everything's going to be fine."

"Bu-b-but."

"No butts, and I don't see one anywhere."

"But what if you're wrong?!"

"I won't be wrong! Trust me! Besides, we're right in front of it now."

And already in front of my eyes, I could see a sphere a hundred times zoomed in from what I have seen earlier. It was scary, my hooves shook and wobbled like jelly, I was so damn weak now as salty sweat poured out from my body and re-entered the ocean, creating a cycle of life by the nature and a pony (I had no idea what I just thought up there). What's worse, I am entering the green part of the planet...

"What's wrong with that?" The fairy spoke again, "You should be happy that I'm not throwing you into the ocean."

It then became all clear, the blue part of the planet was the ocean, as I compared the ocean I'm flying on right now and the blue on the planet. If that's the case, then the green part must be the land...

"Ready to say goodbye?" The white spirit asked, lighting up its body as it threw me into the large object.

"Wai-WHAT?!" I screamed as I shot straight through the planet, and into a completely different place. I saw the sky and a large number of cumulus clouds, they agglomerated as if they could save me from falling and smashing into the ground.

"And be sure to take my advice! Your journey was to make you accept who you are and make it up to your troubles!" The fairy yelled out as she left the planet and disappeared, oh now that's wonderful isn't it?!

"Oh crap..." I said before I was pointed downwards and at the top speed, far faster than when the fairy took me. Tears fell backwards and my mouth was wavy with high frequency. The fairy lied, it wasn't fine, it wasn't safe, I was finally done for...

"GAH!"

"So let me get this straight again: You ate all of my 7200 oats that costed at least 5 bits each piece that I kept for a "secret occasion"... And you COOKED THEM?" Sweetie Drops asked surprisingly.

"Well, yes... But I did them because they were going to waste anyways, the expire date was just around the corner." Lyra responded without a wisp of guilt.

"Ya know Lyra... That was the reason I was out on that day: To get a unicorn to lengthen the expiration."

"Oh... really... Well why didn't you tell me that?"

"Because I kept it for "personal privacy". I mean, that's the same thing, but you know..."

"Oh! Again with your personal stuff Bon Bon! I knew you for so long! How can you keep TWO secrets from me while I told you my ONLY secret to you?"

"Well, I'm sorry okay? Those oats are part of my secret agency in Canterlot..."

"SHUT UP WITH THAT!"

"... Fine then... But at least we shared our secrets to each other! Doesn't that feel great?" Sweetie Drops changed subjects, and smiled at her friend nervously.

"......"

"......"

"......"

"......"

"Well now that you said it, it does feel amazing! I love you Bon Bon! You're my bestie!"

Sweetie Drops could only shake her head and smile, and did the same back, "I love you too Lyra..."

The two looked up into the sky, when dawn arrived and the sky was divided between burning orange and dark night blue. Few stars showed up, one glided down and exploded into light. The sun and the moon met each other at the horizon, glistering at the world. The two ponies now are lucent, and Lyra fell onto Sweetie Drops yellow hooves as they both sat on the grassy cliff of hills, watching a rainbow forming below over a crystal blue stream that separated a small grassy town. The two mares looked at each other in silence, until Lyra spoke with a tremulous voice,

"I guess I'm sorry for getting mad at you Bon Bon..." Lyra was ready to cry from that long and adventurous dream.

"Oh Lyra! That was just a simple misunderstanding! I knew it would be stressing to tell you all about it, but the Bugbear just had to make it happen." Her friend smiled and rubbed Lyra's cyan head, then tickling her neck and ribs.

"H-hey! Stop that!" Lyra burst out crying finally, but she cried in the happiest way ever instead of melancholy. "I'ma use my magic on you!"

Not wanting to be levitated again, the beige coated mare obeyed, and asked her a question instead.

"Hey Lyra, what if I told you that I had more secrets that I don't even know about? Would it still be my fault then?"

Lyra paused as she got up, and slowly turned her head around towards her best friend. She still levitated Sweetie Drops up anyways, and spun her around, then once she stopped, she jumped onto her friend as she fell. The two laughed again with Lyra answering,

"I don't think that would ever happen again! Not unless another fairy can launch me back into this planet!"

Confused and ignoring her last sentence. Sweetie Drops hugged Lyra tighter, until Lyra took out a harp and started playing it. Every single pluck, a bunny would hop out with the beat. Every twice or three times, leaves from the sleepy trees would rustle, and the wind would follow the pace of the beat. Every multiple times, the flowers and grasses would dance along, while other plants would even potentially move to show that they enjoy the strings followed from her heart. Whenever she played a tune or a song however, the whole galaxy swirled, the sun and the moon spun, many stars were sent to beam down onto Equestria, while others blinked and flashed at the infinite stretch of spectrum distance away from the land. What's more than ever, is her best friend feeling more and more in love with her whenever she plucked.

"That was tremendously fantastic, Lyra! I was speechless! I never knew anyone who could create such lovely music with just a harp!" Sweetie Drops complimented.

Blushing, Lyra put down her harp and hugged Sweetie Drops again, "If it weren't for you helping me buy it, if it weren't for you appreciating my talent..."

Lyra then wiped a tear, "...Then I would never know my place! Perhaps trapped in that dream forever!"

Sweetie Drops was confounded again with her "dream" and shook her head. Then the two shared friendly tongues, and giggled like two best guinea pigs living in a cage. They soon got tired and worn out, and finally went to sleep: Sweetie Drops with her "secret" missions and Lyra with her exhausted but adventurous dream that took her back to Ponyville.

Surrounding the hills were large and vivid oak trees, and inside one of the trees was a white spirited fairy watching over the two. The fairy, like Sweetie Drops, smiled and shook her head, and disappeared into the comforting leaves.