Through Bon-Bon's Eyes...

My eyes slowly drift open, and I look towards the nearby window. It would seem that night time has passed, and the daylight has returned.

I try to recall what happened prior, when the memories suddenly hit me. Sean and I were in the zebra's hut... or rather, Zecora, as she addressed herself last night.

I spoke with her about the situation we were in - of the arguments I had with Lyra, and all of the problems that came up because of her idiotic nature. To my relief, Zecora seemed to be understanding, and spoke her words of wisdom to me.

Long story short, she agreed that I had every right to be concerned about my friend, but that I could've handled things a lot better... and I'll admit, I might've been a bit harsh on her, even if she had it coming...

Then after going over the plans, she told me that Lyra would wake up the following morning, or this morning, technically... but that she's under a sedative to ensure she gets healed as much as she needs to handle the trip. She then suggested that I bring her to a doctor after we return to Ponyville, for further medical help.

Seeing her in her current condition, I couldn't agree more.

Soon she lets out a loud, audible yawn, which catches my attention. I approach her bed, and place a hoof on her chest.

Her eyes slowly drift open, and she looks down at me.

We both just stare at each other for what feels like eternity, until she weakly smiles at me and raises a hoof a couple inches off the blanket.

"H-heya, Bonnie..." she simply says.

At once, I'm overwhelmed with a cluster of emotions. Of all the things she could've said, of all the things I did that she could've addressed... all she does is 'Heya Bonnie' me?!

I glare at her and instinctively arch my left hoof back, causing her to flinch.

...

... But this time, I can't even have the heart to hit her.

She slowly opens her eyes and gasps. "B-Bonnie! You're crying!"

Am I? I haven't even noticed! I feel my cheeks and, sure enough, a large stream of tears have started falling down.

I sniffle a bit, still glaring at her. "S-shut up, you... y-you idiot!"

Closing my eyes, I lower my head to her chest and stretch my hoof up, embracing her in a hug - carefully so as to avoid her wounds.

She hisses slightly at the contact, but wraps her hooves around the back of my head and returns the hug. Once again, flashbacks of the past begin to haunt me, as I recall a promise I made all those years ago... a promise I broke in two the second I let her step into this Makers-forsaken forest.

I was trotting through my house with an eager kick in my step. I was already done with homework, and already done with breakfast.

Daddy was sitting at the table, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper, when he looked up from the article and raised an amused eyebrow my way.

"Hmm... you're a lot more chipper this morning, Sweetie. Something you want to talk about?" he asked.

I looked back at him and nodded my head, bouncing up and down. "Uh-huh! Today I get to hang out with my new friend again!"

"Ah... that Lyra character you mentioned last night over dinner?" he inquired, recalling the conversation we had when I got back from school yesterday.

I nodded my head again. "Yes, sir! And we agreed we'd hang out a little bit before the school bell rings, too!"

"That's great, but just remember, Sweetie."

"I know, Daddy. I'm always going to be Bon-Bon to them at school, including my friends I make along the way."

"Correct... because?"

I sighed. "Because the bad ponies would be able to trace me to you, and take you away forever."

He smiled at me and rubbed my mane. "Good job. Who knows? Maybe someday you'll grow up to be an agent like me!"

"Heh... I doubt it, Daddy. I kinda wanted to make candy, to be honest."

He nodded his head. "Both can be arranged, actually. Perhaps-"

Suddenly both of our ears twitched at the sound of the door knocking rapidly. I hurried to the door behind my Daddy, who rushed there first, and opened it.

Lyra was standing on the other side, worriedly looking up at Daddy, who in turn, looked calmly and casually at her in response.

"Pwease! Hewp me!" she said between tears.

"Lyra!" I called out, rushing over to my friend. I looked over and saw a group of older-looking ponies glaring at her. I then looked up at Daddy worriedly. "D-daddy? W-who are they?!"

He sighed and closed his eyes, adjusting the tie on his jacket. "Get inside, little ones. And Bon-Bon, please fix her up a glass of water."

"Yes, sir!" I said. Lyra and I immediately rushed inside while Daddy stepped out and closed the door behind us. I then did as instructed and get some water for Lyra. "What happened?" I asked her, passing the glass to her.

"I-it was howwible, Bonnie! Dey twied to huwt me! And... a-and now dey aww gunna huwt youw daddy!" she cried.

I smirked and shook my head. "I doubt it... come, let's watch and see what happens!"

She nodded her head and followed me to the window. There, I saw my daddy approach the bullies with a stern look in his eye.

Through Bon-Bon's Dad's Eyes...

As I approached the brutes, I already had a plan on how to defeat them easily... question was, would I need to resort to such actions, for the sake of a strange filly that my daughter befriended?

I figured not.

And so, I spoke to their ring leader. "Excuse me, sir. Mind if I ask what exactly is going on here?"

"Beat it, Grandpa! We're here for the unicorn!" one of them, the Ring Leader, said to me.

The one at his left nodded his head. "Yeah! After what she said, she's got it coming to her!"

"And what, pray tell, did she say?" I asked them, knowing fully well that there's no reasoning with these ones.

"Doesn't matter, Gramps! Now step aside so we can deal with her!" the leader says.

"Or we'll deal with your daughter as well!" the third one said.

This made me smirk a little. "I'm afraid neither option will be available to you lot. Your only option will be to leave this place. Your condition, of course, depends on your next course of action."

They laugh before the leader motions towards me to his comrades. They both quickly rush over to my sides and grip onto my upper hooves, holding me for the leader to possibly get some free shots in.

I, however, am more focused on the door opening and my daughter and her friend, Lyra as she called her, stepping out.

"Daddy!" my dearest daughter cries out, looking at me worriedly.

I look over behind my shoulders and urge her, "Bonnie, Lyra, close your eyes! You don't want to see this!"

Through Young Bon-Bon's Eyes...

I closed my eyes and heard the sound of punches, grunts, and yelps. It only took a few seconds, however, before I slowly opened my eyes. Lyra opened hers as well, and together, our jaws dropped at the sight before us.

The bullies all three fell to the ground, unconscious, while Daddy simply dusted off his jacket and approached us.

Lyra was the first to word our her thoughts. "Whoa..."

Daddy said nothing on his way over to us. Then, when he was within reach, he gently patted me on the head and winked. "Don't worry, girls. Those ruffians won't be an issue to you both again, as long as I'm around!"

He then looked over at Lyra, who was still staring at him like a child would look at their biggest idol. "Young Lyra, was it? Would you care to join us on our way to school? I'll explain the situation to your teachers, so you don't have to worry about being late."

"I-I'd... I'd LOVE to, mittthter!" she cheered through her retainer. Then we all had a nice, lovely introduction to each other, before Daddy, true to his word, brought us both to school.

School was a fairly boring day, but to me, it was a lot more enjoyable with Lyra around. I found her quirky behavior to be something else. She definitely stood out from the rest of my peers... if anything, I was beginning to think she was more than just some random filly I met yesterday.

I almost felt like we're practically sisters by now! Or, you know, gal-pals at least...

When we were on our way back home, I invited her to hang out with me. She said she would, but she'd have to talk to her parents first. I agreed to go with her, then, as my Daddy was very understanding and lenient when it came to me arriving at home. That, plus his work always kept him very busy, so it was usually just me taking care of myself while he was working.

Eventually we reached her house, and this time it was me who was caught off-guard! Her home was... a luxurious mansion, about three stories high! Her walls were about as minty as her coat, and her roof was about as white as her mane... it was almost like the entire house was built for her!

"C'mon! I'ww intwaduthe you to muy famiwy!" she said, leaning up and patting on the door.

Immediately, a tall, skinny unicorn stallion answered the door, snout held high, and tuxedo donned on. His front hooves were in white gloves, and he was, without a doubt, giving off the impression of a "butler".

Then, when he spoke, he spoke in a formal tone, addressing it towards Lyra.

"Ah, Misses Heartstrings! Welcome home! Would you and your company care for an escort to the Game Room? Your sister has already left it for you, and is now assisting Master Heartstrings with her baking, after all!"

I just continue to stare slack-jawed. Of all the lovable idiots that I rescued in my life... the first and only one happened to be a freakin' NOBLE'S DAUGHTER?!

... AND THEY HAVE A GAME ROOM!

We sat there in the Game Room for what feels like hours, playing the Pony Station 2. It was an intense battle between friends, as round after round, I found myself getting my flank kicked by Lyra. Who knew a weenie like her could memorize combos and moves like that?! It's... it's almost like she was a trained killer with a controller!

"C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER!" the announcer shouted on the TV as my fighter finally managed to land a hit after the Minotaur Warrior landed, like, 99 hits on me.

Lyra then smiled and tsked, tapping a shoulder button as I hit the breaker move.

"COUNTER!" the announcer shouted, catching my fighter's hoof with those odd digits, before balling up his other fist, flexing back, and crashing it into my Fighter's face, knocking him out in a massive strike that made a crashing sound similar to an explosion, and sent my poor Fighter flying all the way across the screen.

"KO! METAL HEART WINS!" the announcer finally called out, while I growled and tossed my hooves in the air, letting the controller fall to the floor.

"Oh, COME ON!" I shout, while Lyra giggled and gently placed her controller on the coffee table.

"It's awwight, Bonnie! We can pway thomething elthe together!" she offered, to which I groaned and sat back in my beanbag chair.

"Yes, please... this game cheats too much..." I grumbled, having had enough defeats for one lifetime. The 50 victories to 0 on her side only tells me as such that either Lyra's Maker-Tier at this game, or I just plain suck at it... or both.

Lyra looked worriedly at me and gently placed a hoof on my shoulder. "I'm thorry, Bonnie. I should've gone eathier on you... I jutht haven't won that game in tho long, thinth my thithter beatth me... like, punchies on the thoulder every time I win..."

I smiled back at her and placed a hoof on her own. "Don't worry, Lyra. Despite me doing a horrible job at that game... I had fun! And that's what games are all about, isn't it? Just having fun?"

She perked up at that and nodded her head. "Y-yeah! Hey! What if we played Pranth-Pranth Wevoluthion together, inthtead?!"

I, myself, perked up at that. A game where we move a lot? Now that sounds right up my alley!

As the arrows kept rising up, we moved our hooves with the beat, knocking the whole scoreboard up with our teamwork. Lyra and I just kept moving with the beat, dancing to the pop music playing in the surround-sound speakers, and before long, we took the Leaderboard with flying colors.

We panted and looked at each other after the announcer went, "NEW HIGH SCORE!" and squealed happily, hugging each other for our perfect synchronized victory.

"We did it! We got a new high score!" I called out.

She replied, "Yeth! Firtht time I actually won thith game, too!"

Then we soon realized that we were cuddling, and our cheeks started to fluster up. We quickly broke from the hug and giggled, looking away from each other.

Then she looked over at me and smiled a bit more brighter. "Hey... thankth for hanging out with me... and for thticking up for me."

I looked back at her and smirked. "Hey, don't sweat it! I've gotta say thank you for inviting me here! Your place is amazing, Lyra!"

She then looked over at the wall clock and frowned. "I gueth it'th about time to go, though, huh?"

I sighed, nodding my head. "Yeah... but hey! Maybe we can hang out again tomorrow?"

She smiled and nodded her head. "I'd LOVE to!" She then started to shift into a more uncomfortable expression. "But... what if thothe bullieth come back again?!"

I rubbed my snout in thought before giving her a determined look. Then I walked over to her and placed a hoof on her shoulder, making her look towards me again, and into the eyes.

"Listen to me, Lyra... no matter what happens, remember this!"

I then smiled once more at her and gently brushed her cheek. "As long as we're together, I will never let anything hurt you!"

"I will never let anything hurt you!"
"... never let anything hurt you!"

Author's Note

And we're back, My Little Bronies!

...

*Crickets chirp.*

Anyways... if anyone needs me to translate anything from Lyra, please let me know and I'll add it to this footnote here... whenever I can, at least!