"C'mon Bon-Bon..." Lyra Heartstrings whined out, her large brilliant-gamboge-orange eyes looking around the Ponyville Marketplace for anything that would interest her long-time marefriend. Roses? No, too typical and small-time. Chocolates? Same thing. How about some...carrots? Lyra facehoofed, her light-aquamarine hoof hitting home over her muzzle of the same color. "...I never know what to get you for Hearth's Warming, and you never tell meeeee!" she exclaimed, whipping her short cyan and white-striped mane back and forth as she shook her head in frustration, her same-colored tail swishing behind her in annoyance.

The Ponyville Marketplace was swarming with the residents of the town just like it did every year, even at this time of night, last-minute shoppers grabbing their last-minute gifts. The time of Hearth's Warming Day was quickly approaching and indeed daybreak was mere hours away, with many ponies trying to make the deadline.

Lyra and Bon-Bon had to go shopping late this year, given how much candy had to be produced for the season, leaving Bon-Bon the confectioner tied up until nearly the last minute. Now, as they stood in the middle of the market square at night, in the cold of winter, the tents were now lit by lanterns. They didn't even know where to start looking.

Bon-Bon, also known by her real name and occupation of Secret Agent Sweetie Drops by only those she upmostly trusted, gave a huff as she did every year they went Hearth's Warming shopping for each other since they were together. With a beige-colored hoof reaching up to tug at her winter jacket, a swish of her cobalt-blue and light-fuchsia mane made everything settle into place, before locking her arctic-blue eyes on her partner. "...and you never tell me what you want either, so fair's fair." she rebuttaled, shivering a bit as a gust of wind blew, "Just...go look around. See if you can find anything I may like. I'll do the same...and hurry up! I'm freezing my tail off already!" Both nodded and went their separate ways, as they did each time they shopped for a gift for the other.

As Lyra kept walking, she eventually started to come across the deeper tents with darker interiors, passing the 'No Ponies Without A Cutie Mark Beyond This Point' sign and continuing on without realizing it, too deep in thought about what to get Lyra.

"Uh, miss? Can I help you?" A deep stallion's voice asked, startling Lyra from her stupor.

"H-huh?" Lyra asked, somewhat stunned at suddenly coming virtually muzzle-to-muzzle with a large, brown-coated, unicorn stallion.

"I asked if I could help you?" he asked again, undeterred by her confusion, and quickly going into a sales pitch; "Can I interest you in one? Mares love these models; they're so flesh-like, it feels just like the real thing! They're on sale really cheap too, starting at only fifty Bits!"

Confused once more, Lyra looked down to see what the stall was selling – only to see the entire table was covered in various sizes, colors, and mottlings of realistic, anatomically-correct stallionhood dildos, as well as some modeled from other species' males. Blushing heavily, Lyra shook her head, not realizing how far from the fruit and vegetable stands she'd strayed. She'd never ventured in this far, never having the nerve to. She'd completely forgotten that the night market tended to have more...'adult' themed items available, for when foals were asleep at home and single mares and stallions, or those couples without children, tended to shop for more sensual items.

"Aw c'mon, it's never too early to get yourself or your lover one before the Spring mating season comes! Feel free to touch them, feel how real they seem!" the stallion's pitch came again, making Lyra's blush deepen even more.

"I...uh...m-maybe later. T-Thanks." Lyra mumbled, quickly making her exit, with the stallion trying to call her back with a ten percent off offer. After clearing the dildo stand and unknowingly heading deeper into the 'Adults Only' section of the market, Lyra eventually came across a very interesting looking stand, the scent of strong herbs and sweet fruits attracting her.

As she looked down at the table, all Lyra saw were some innocuous-looking glass bottles filled with various colored fluids and with their effects listed on an attached tag, undoubtedly natural remedies or concoctions and the like to what Zecora the zebra, Ponyville's resident alchemist, sold around town.

"Merry holiday greetings to you pony of mint and white, what brings you to my tent of delight this most of festive of night?" a mare's deep voice asked, having an accent from a land far outside of Equestria. A grey-coated, black-striped zebra mare with a white-and-grey colored mane, styled in a Mohawk, stepped forward into the light of the single lantern, backlit by a faintly-glowing flame beneath a huge, black, bubbling cauldron. As she came into the dim lantern of the tent, she revealed herself as none other than Zecora the alchemist in the flesh.

"Ah, I see you are looking at my brews, many from which there are to choose. Please be warned these night-time potions, are not for curing a malady, but instead for the more...fiery emotions. Those of sexuality."

"Huh?" Lyra asked, always a bit weirded out and confused by the rhyming potion-maker. Every time she'd order an herbal cure from Zecora, Lyra always felt like she was deciphering a riddle each time she talked, her constant rhyming both creepy and beautiful at the same time. This mention of sexuality however, had gotten her attention.

"Like I said, these potions' effects should not be taken light, although the results from them can be enjoyed with great delight." Zecora repeated, hoofing one of the potions closer to Lyra as an example.

As she read the label, her eyes widened a bit. "Wait, these are all..." she muttered, hardly believing what the label said: 'Warning: Potent Aphrodisiac Concentrate! Use Single Drop Only!'.

Zecora smiled softly. "Yes, my friend pony, I conjure potions of all varieties, including those for not only aches or anxieties. But also I create others for infertility or other melodies preventing having a child, or my other potions can make even the most docile pony in the sack...quite wild." Zecora said, before looking away a little with rosy cheeks, "This is so ponies otherwise unable may choose to have a foal, or so lovers may have sex, for whatever goal."

"So...these are like, just infertility treatments, or aphrodisiacs?" Lyra asked, nudging a pink-green vial before reading the label; 'Estrus Regulator'.

"Yes and no, for these are both true; I have many other a brew, than those that help stallions and mares breed here too." Zecora said, giving a casual wink; "Feel free to look around my stall and labels read, for some of these make mares something... quite more indeed."

Taking her up on her offer as Zecora turned back to the boiling cauldron she was tending and poured a few herbs in, making it boil violently and its contents changing from purple, to white, then back again, Lyra looked over the various potions before one's label caught her eye. "How much for this one?" she asked, pointing to a two-tone blue mixture as she'd read the label. She knew that, given the zebra's potions' reliability, this would be one hay of a Hearth's Warming gift.

"Ah, this one, hun! This slightly pricy potion is one of my very best sellers, but for you my friend, this holiday time I'll make the price quite stellar. For a mere forty bits I'll let it go, but remember my friend, this potion's results will not come slow." Zecora warned, looking Lyra dead in the eye; "The use of this potion as well is at your own peril, as the results can even make a calm pony quite...feral. Be sure your mate and you, understand those possible consequences of this version of the potion's use too, through and through."

Giving a shudder, Lyra nodded several times. Zecora's warnings always had a way of creeping her out, but she knew the wise zebra didn't give them lightly. "Alright, I'll be sure to let her know the risks and possible outcomes of using this," Lyra said, before another, bright pink potion's tag caught her eye. As she read it, her eyes widened, and a huge smile crossed her face. "This one! How much is this?!" Lyra asked excitedly, the possibilities of the two potions' results being combined making her giddy. This was perfect, the perfect gift!

"Ah, I see by your selections and excitement what you plan I believe, just be warned that indeed through these potions, that you can achieve. The season or weather matters not for this brew, but be wary of them surely doing what you think they'll do. They combined can do just what I believe you seek, so be sure to discuss this with your lover before, or after she may very well shriek." Zecora once more warned, knowing full well the power of the minty unicorn's potion selections when combined, and just how it had ended in the past for previous customers, for better or worse. "These potions will passions surely stoke; beware, or you two may end up a pig in a poke. Beware too, and do not fear, that this potion contains a safe, controlled amount of poison joke.”

Lyra nodded, knowing a warning from Zecora was indeed very important to heed, but she knew exactly what she was getting into, and knew Bon-Bon would undoubtedly agree to it. After all, this was an opportunity of a lifetime they'd been long looking for, and hadn't known even existed!

"I'll take them both." Lyra said flatly, hoofing over the blue and pink potions and pulling out her bit pouch, "How much?"

"Very well, though I ask that despite being warned; through your actions, do not become yet another lover scorned." Zecora said, one last warning accompanied by a serious look. "Since your desire for these combined you've chosen not to quit, for both potions that will total sixty-one Bit.

After paying and acquiring the potions, and being told in great detail the directions and warnings for using both, as well as receiving two small scrolls with the same written instructions and warnings, Lyra nodded. "Alright, I'll be careful with these. Thank you again for making our long-time dream a possibility, this is exactly what we've been looking for, and we didn't even know it!"

Zecora smiled, knowing the unicorn's plans through her selections, and offered a final warning; "Used right, a mere possibility it will not be; I guarantee these potions' success, or their replacements will be free! Though be sure to time their uses right, and it will lead to delight! Or else you may end up in an unsuccessful plight. Also thank you, Lyra Heartstrings; have a happy Hearthswarming tomorrow, and Hearthswarming Eve this night!"

Lyra nodded and left the zebra with another wave and thanks, wishing her a merry Hearth's Warming of her own, then looked into her saddlebag once more. "Bon-Bon's so gonna love this! I can't believe these kinda potions actually exist!" she quietly cheered, "This is gonna be the best Hearth's Warming ever!"

~

As she later met up with her life partner, Bon-Bon couldn't help but notice the foal-like exuberance of Lyra, the mare indeed almost glowing in excitement, pronking a bit and smiling the whole while. "So, did you find something special this year?" Bon-Bon asked, a small bag of her own hanging around her neck.

"Yep! I think I found the most perfect Hearth's Warming gift ever!" Lyra exclaimed, her smile beaming even brighter.

Bon-Bon couldn't help but smile too at seeing her lover so happy, and over a Hearth's Warming gift for her. "I'm glad to hear it." she said, feeling a small weight forming in the pit of her stomach. Could her gift even hope to compare, she wondered, though it was only a few more hours to find out.

Author's Note

What will the potions do? Is it naughty? Probably!

Also, I really love doing Zecora rhymes. It's so much fun!