A Changing Duet

The room was like the calm after the storm.

Sheets of paper, quills, and a few empty ink bottles littered the small, dimly lit room, candles carefully placed so paper was out of the flames flickering reach. The floor was a carpet of black-streaked white sheets, like crazed tiling, a few pages hanging limply over the tables edge threatening to add to the design.

Two small windows, covered in thick curtains dominated the one wall, a door into a smaller room between them, while an empty fireplace's cold hearth dominating the wall directly in front of the small, overloaded coffee table and a well used couch. The wall to the left of the couch had a small staircase leading upwards, papers and books littered upon the steps, a few scrolls shoved between the banisters in the same chaotic manner as the rest of the room. The final wall was ruled by a wide entrance into a small kitchen. A voice floated out from that entrance, breaking the silence that had dominated the paper littered space. "Lyyyraaa."

The couches lone occupant's head shot up at the remark, tired golden eyes blinking a few times as they fixed themselves on the speakers slightly chubby form, still not quite focusing right.

Bon-Bon smiled at the other mare, shaking her head a little. Lyra was always adorable to her. When she wasn't writing or playing music, she was overly energetic, a bubbling personality usually up to some strange mischief, or, as was the current case, almost passed out, looking a bit bedraggled, wide amber eyes a little unfocused on her thin face in a weirdly endearing way. The knowledge that she'd almost lost her in the aftermath of the royal wedding disaster made it seem all the more important and wonderful.

Bon-Bon trotted over to the couch, making the route around the cluttered papers stacked about haphazardly from Lyra's recent musings, the mess dominating the already cozy room. Usually it was kept much cleaner, but with Lyra getting into one of her moods, moving anything could cause the mare to go mad. As if to accent this mood, she had closed the curtains earlier, blocking out the late afternoon sun, only candles provided light for the room.

"What's wrong Hun?" Bon-Bon questioned, knowing the answer full well as she carefully moved a ink bottle from a cushion and laid down on the cluttered sofa, snuggling against Lyra's minty smelling coat, resting her head on the others chest.

Lyra perked up a little at the others soft voice, one hoof raising to gently stroke the others mane, looking thoughtful as she muttered out a response, "Just tired Bons."

Blue eyes raised to look into amber. Bon-Bon smiled softly up at Lyra, a warm, loving gesture that seemed to transfer into a bit more of a lively unicorn. It didn't take long for Lyra to beam down at the cream coloured mare, the candle light playing across her features, before pulling the other mare a bit closer and wrapping her in a soft embrace.

Bon-Bon let out a happy little hum, half mumbling out a little line of verse, the small snippet of lyrics flitting into Lyra's ear, causing her to look down at the other mare, an odd little look on her face. Bon-Bon just rolled her eyes, quoting the line again, "I only know what I've been working for; another you so I could love you more."

Lyra's eyes took on a glossy look, and the unicorn stopped. Bon-Bon softly rubbed at the mint coloured mares barrel, letting the quiet stretch for a while. The candle light threw shadows that danced along the walls, the odd stacks of papers and other miscellaneous objects becoming parts of a grand image in light and shadow.

Bon-Bon smiled, watching the little light show and enjoying the warmth of the moment before she gently broke the silence, "You totally forgot to get carrots."

Lyra raised a hoof to rub at her temple, moaning, "I knew I forgot something..."

The earth pony smirked, softly prodding the other in the gut, the thinner mare squirming a little. It quickly devolved into Lyra flailing about on the couch as she was lovingly 'attacked', panting and giggling the whole time, hooves doing a very poor job of warding her from the onslaught of Bon-Bons affection.

After a while the scene calmed down and Lyra was found still giggling between gasps for air as Bon-Bon softly got to her hooves, softly flicking the unicorn with her blue and pink tail as she walked around the furniture and clutter towards the kitchen.

"Off with you now! And remember the carrots!"

The market was slow today. The normal bustle of the crowds was subdued, the warm, late summers day slowing the normal flow down. The occasional passerby would stop and pay top dollar for a cold beverage, drinking happily on a day like this, and would likely hang around and decide on something else to go with. Almost everypony was lazy today.

Almost.

Carrot Top smiled at Lyra, nodding slightly, the unicorn bouncing around her stall, mouth running on about some music she had composed. Something about a waltz? Not that it mattered much, the unicorn had been on several different subjects already and as things went this was a relatively sane line of thought.

Usually Carrot would pay attention, but the other mare had been at it for a long while now, starting when the morning was young, loitering about until now, sun past its zenith, so she had more or less tuned the minty menace out, responding on occasion with little nods and soft little questions, hoping the other would burn herself out.

Apparently, that was not the case, as Lyra spewed forth line after line. "Bonnie keeps leaving these little snippets of lyrics lying about the place and I keep getting inspiration from them, and every-once in awhile I come home and she's made a few little modifications to my sheet musics, little notations. She always denies it, it's kinda really cute!" Lyra giggled at the thought, grinning like a mad mare.

Carrot rolled her eyes, moving to restock an empty spot on her table, vegetables soon making way from the cart behind the stall to the front, taking enough time to reply as she moved about. "She doesn't want to steal your thunder."

Lyra waved her off, "Nothin' to steal! She's the best and she knoooows it!"

With a little laugh, Carrot nodded, "Yeah, Between her store, her cooking," She stuck out her tongue before adding on, "And her temper."

Bon-Bon was well known around town, Carrot knew, and for good reasons. The first was her Store, where she always had the best, and Carrot meant best, candy. The Cakes dominated the pastry and baked goods market in town, but Bon-Bon's candy shop ruled the Candy market. Lollipops, rock candy, taffy, chocolate covered confectioneries, bon-bons, you named candy, she could, and most likely did, make it, with a little help from Berry Punch.

Secondly, She was just a great cook. Carrots stayed tender under her care, potatoes hit that wonderful melt in your mouth zone and peas actually tasted good, even when cooking them into something, be it a soup or stirfy concoction. Hardly anything turned out bad in her hooves. Plus she made the best pancakes this side of the Everfree.

And finally, to Lyra and everypony else's occasional dismay, she had a temper. She was usually a great big softie, but on occasion, well... Lyra had not been aware cast-iron frying pans bounced that high off cobble stones, Carrot recalled.

Apparently Lyra had been reliving the same experience, because she winced a little at the mention of 'Temper,' mumbling about flying cooking utensils.

"Right in the shins..." The minty mare looked down, mumbling something, fidgeting with her candy-coloured saddlebags, energy gone from her in an instant.

Carrot backpedaled. "Woah, woah, don't worry about it Lyra, gosh. It happened ages ago! Here, have a drink!"

Some things healed slowly, Carrot thought, watching Lyra sip at the glass of vegetable juice slowly. Her and Bon-Bon had had some wicked fights in the past, usually with one accusing the other of something or another, usually one recalling one thing while the other would swear they were out shopping, working or with friends. They always seemed to work it out in the end though.

As of late - for the last year or so at least - it seemed nothing could break them apart, Lyra usually shining with energy and Bon-Bon humming and prancing about. Speaking of-

"Hey Lyra."

The Unicorns head snapped around, hoofs fumbling her drink. A soft gold glow caught it, hovering it to softly rest on the counter beside the mare as she beamed at the approaching earth pony.

Bon-bon smiled at her love, who gave her a quick little smooch on the end of her muzzle the moment she was under the stalls canopy. Carrot rolled her eyes before speaking up. "Afternoon Bon-Bon!"

The pink and blue maned pony smiled softly at Carrot, looking a bit tired, "It is, isn't it?"

Carrot laughed, "Yeah, sure is! Pretty nice day for a Saturday."

Bon-Bon nodded. Carrot worked through the weekends, taking Monday and Tuesday for herself, mostly because no-one else would work on what others considered their regular days off. It kept her just a little ahead of the game, and opened up her time for foalsitting Dinky Hooves for Derpy.

Meanwhile, Lyra had retrieved her drink and was sipping away at it, faint golden glow fading as she took it in hoof. She looked over Bon-Bon. Her soft frame looked a little wobbly, like she was having problems standing. "Are you okay?" Lyra asked, a worried look coming over her face.

The other pony laughed, a musical sound, before replying a bit softly, "Yes Lyra. Just going to do a little quick prep for tomorrow, and then right back home," She paused for a moment, looking a bit lost in thought. "OH! Don't forget to bring some carrots back for dinner," She grinned a little sheepishly before continuing. "I'd get them, but I forgot my saddlebags..."

Lyra chuckled. "Sure thing sweets."

"See you later Carrot! Meet you at home Lyra!"

Lyra watched Bon-Bon trot around the corner, the unicorn humming softly to herself. Carrot shook her head, knowing full well the tune was in time with the other Pony's tail as it swayed behind her. She sighed.

Then a silly grin took the orange maned mares face as she mentally went over Bon-bons orders to Lyra. "So, you're bringing me home for dinner?"

Lyra spluttered into her juice.

The unicorn softly trotted into the kitchen, doing her best to be stealthy as she snuck past the small round table that filled the corner near the entrance. Her prey was humming softly while fiddling with a sauce pan on the range, the small stove throwing off enough heat that anypony who stayed in the room long enough would feel drowsy. Not that It seemed to be affecting the cream colored mare as she tinkered with her cooking.

As she snuck up, mindful of the cupboards that lined the wall on one side, Lyra did her best to remain quiet, hoping the sizzle from the one frying pan would drown out any accidental noises. It seemed to, and Lyra grinned, throwing her forelegs about the mares neck, pressing softly against the other. "Hey sweetheart."

Maybe it wasn't the stove that was warming the air, Lyra considered, as Bon-Bon giggled, wriggling in the embrace, her smile warmer then the summers day.

Lyra hung there, resting against Bon-Bon as she continued to cook, the warm scent of ginger and spices filling the air as the mare masterfully maintained the various dishes that simmered on the stove top.

"Smells so good." Lyra was almost drooling.

Bon-Bon laughed before deftly flipping a pan-full of buttered broccoli. "Needs something yet to be a meal!"

Lyra rolled her eyes, a golden glow deftly laying the carrots in the sink, letting water run over them before setting them down on the wooden cutting board.

"You need to get off me if you want dinner."

"Nah..."

"Lyra..."

"Bon-Bon."

Bon-Bon flicked her tail in agitation, whipping Lyra across the flank. "Stop it, or I'm not going to get this done."

Lyra smirked in response before sliding off Bon-Bon, setting her forehooves back on the ground with a tiny clip-clop, barely heard over the pots and pans on the range. She made the short trip to the table, sitting down on a cushion, leaning back against the table lazily. "How did the prep work go, by the way?"

Bon-Bon looked over at Lyra, knife in mouth, looking a bit puzzled for a moment before making a noncommittal noise, turning back to the cutting board.

"Oooooh, exciting! Tell me more."

Bon-Bon was most likely rolling her eyes as she she transferred the carrots into the pan with the other greens, the hot butter sizzling as it impregnated the carrots. She turned back towards the unicorn, taking a moment to wipe the mess from the counter into the sink, where Lyra would have the pleasure of dealing with it when she went to do dishes later. Lyra frowned. Bon-Bon smirked.

The smell of butter and ginger invaded the air as Bon-Bon twirled back to the stove top, deftly flipping the pans contents. The Carrots would be firm and full of flavour, the broccoli the same, heated just enough in the hot butter and ginger. "Now, who's ready for dinner?" With practiced skill, Bon-Bon filled two plates with her culinary creations, buttery greenery and a pasta.

Lyra grinned, energetically bobbing up and down.

Bon-Bon looked out the window of her shop, biting her lower lip. Night had fallen, and she had shut herself in hours before-hand, barring the door from the inside. Now she found herself lighting a few candles, working hard to stop the inky darkness from invading the small backroom.

Shivering, she turned away from the windows, legs wobbling slightly under her. The night bothered, no, terrified her. Whenever she was left in its inky grasp, even if the moon happened to be shining, she was gripped with fear. In her mind, the night was a living thing, and it could see her at all times. It would find her and that thought chilled her to the core. It had been more than two years since that Summer Sun Celebration, and still it haunted her every night.

Mind you what had happened would haunt anything.

Shoving that train of thought out of her mind roughly, she turned to the kitchen equipment that lined the smallish room. She was here for the night, and the candles would be burning for a while yet. She had some work to do.

The living room's destruction was spreading, flowing outwards like a strange tide. The mass of papers from before had exploded outwards, a waterfall of sheets flowing down the stairs read of grand music before a blast of black swallowed what had been written. It was looking less like a den and more like and explosion, a monochromatic crater, wadded up balls of paper thrown into the fireplaces otherwise empty hearth while stray sheets adorned every flat surface and books lined the walls, pulled from the singular bookshelve.

Lyra sat at the couch, the colourful epicenter of it all, rear hooves draped over the front edge, leaning against the back with an all together uncomfortable looking posture, the green glow from her horn surrounding a quill as it zipped along a page, her writing less legible than normal as she jotted notation out on the staff, mumbling tiredly. The lyrics were scrawled underneath, the messy script shaky as Lyra's magic kept threatening to cut out from exhaustion.

Bon-Bon walked over softly, meandering through the mess of papers to carefully take a seat beside the faint looking unicorn. "Hey there."

Lyra looked up from her work, quill stopping mid scrawl and floating to the side, emerald glow cutting out as she raised her tired eyes to smile up at the other mare, stray strands of her cyan mane falling across her face. "Hey Bon-Bon," came the weak little whisper.

The earth pony softly brushed the others mane back out of her face, leaning in to give her a soft kiss. "You're not looking that good there hun," she whispered, voice filled with worry.

The minty mare sighed, slowly looking a bit better as Bon-bon snuggled close, cooing softly. Lyra smiled down at her, seeming to just soak up her warmth. The response was the same as it always was in these situations. "Just tired Bons..."

Lyra trailed off for a moment, looking into the middle distance again before slowly shaking her head. "And maybe a-" The unicorn found herself cut off, a chocolate bon-bon in her muzzle, a hoof carefully keeping her mouth shut.

The chubby little goddess of all things sweet smiled up at Lyra again as the unicorn slowly chewed it, savoring the soft core and the sweet taste. Bon-Bon leaned in again, nuzzling Lyra's neck softly as she finished the little treat, a small smile on the unicorns muzzle as she swallowed before kissing the top of the cream coloured mares head. "You're the best, you know that, right?"

"Only because of you."

The response got another little pause form the unicorn, eyes focusing into the mid-distance again. Bon-Bon giggled before kissing the unicorn quickly.  "Mmmm, mint chocolate."

Lyra giggled, then coughed a little. Bon-Bon snuggled a bit closer, her soft body radiating warmth to her love.

"You really don't sound good Lyra," The pink and blue framed face that looked up into Lyra's was lined with worry. Lyra looked a little to the side as Bon-Bon looked over her features. She didn't really look sick, just tired, that weary look when one has been up far too late, or eating far too little. A little spell of silence fell for a while, candles softly flickering.

Lyra broke it first. "Don't worry, I'll be just fine."

Bon-Bon looked unconvinced and opened her mouth to say so, only to be cut off by Lyra. "I'm going for a little late morning walk. I'll be back in a bit, okay little fireball?" Bon-Bon laughed.

As Lyra left, shivering ever so slightly, the earth pony turned to the music the unicorn had been creating, looking over the messy writing. A title was hastily scrawled atop the page. Change of Seasons. Looking to the mudroom and the front door and hearing it close quietly, she moved in to inspect it better.

A year or so of listening and watching Lyra at work had given Bon-Bon enough insight to read sheet music. She had struggled at first, but pushed on and managed an acceptable grasp, actually understanding lyrical composition better then her mint colours companion. Also, unlike Lyra, she found she could sing amazingly well. Where the unicorn warbled off-key, Bon-Bon found herself covering all of three octaves, voice chiming like a bell or roaring and swelling like a river surge, though she never sang in public.

Her eyes scanned the sheet. This song was interesting. It had a few different instruments in it, and compared to Lyras normal musings, was stripped down, the almost finished (Or so she assumed) notation calling for a simple, plain rhythm, piano, Drums, bass, lyre (It had guitar, of all things, scrawled in brackets beside it) and altogether seemed like something that a young filly in some local band would write instead. The simplicity of it compared to Lyra's usual attempts at making something grandiose made it stand apart, if even for the fact that it resembled something complete as opposed to a thousand smaller pieces tacked together.

It was the lyrics that caught her eyes of course. Sections where blank still, obviously not intentionally, but what was there...

Humming the tune softly to herself as she glossed over the notation, Bon-Bon set to work, taking the pen in her mouth and re-writing the song on a new sheet, adding and subtracting from the lyrics, slowly molding the song.

"You want love, but you fear it," She swung her vocal range, hitting the octave that sounded right.

She smiled as the music took shape.