Dawn's new day.

Bon Bon/Sweetie Drops pov.

I was not a happy mare today. I should have been, considering my store was finally ready to open and my recent injuries had healed, yet I was feeling overwhelmingly lonely. Loneliness had become a poison for me as it always brought back memories.

[Five Years ago.]

“Get up!” The instructor yelled at me this was already my third year of training so I received no slack. “Do you want to eat today Drops?! If so then Get. up!”

I, shakily got to my hooves after falling, a process made difficult by the mud and constant rain. I had given up crying years ago but some of my new, younger sisters had yet to learn. I looked further back on the training course and the instructor had already found her next victim, a younger brown unicorn wearing a null ring who was in much worse shape than I was.

I was about to take my next step forward but found myself running back to help the filly. The instructor said nothing then actually smiled when I got us both moving through the mud. “Good. Now both of you keep moving!”

I don’t know how long we were forced to run in the rain that day. I had to eventually Leave the filly behind for fear of not getting dinner.

”What in Tartarus is going on here!?” I watched in awe as Princess Celestia herself, my Princess, landed on the training field, the mud and rain steaming in her presence.

I and one other filly were still running with four others collapsed on the field near death.

I watched as the our Princesse’s eyes angrily fell upon my instructor and grasped the aging mare in her magic. “What. Have. You. Done to these fillies?” Celestia demanded before she noticed the two us still running. I didn’t understand why my Princess was so angry.

“My little ponies you can stop now.” Her voice was filled with pain yet I had to ignore it. Only the instructor could tell us to stop during training. We weren’t ready to serve the Princess yet.

“Order them to stop.” My Princess yelled at the instructor.

When I received orders from the instructor my legs gave out under me and I knew no more.

I shook my head as the timer for the oven went off. Carefully opening it with oven mitts I grabbed the first tray and set it out to cool. Reaching for the next I set it next to the first and loaded the oven with another tray of candy. “Just one more batch.”

[Four Years ago]

“Hello there Bon Bon.” I didn’t know why my Princess preferred that name but who was I to question her. Ever since she collected my sister’s and I, life has been much nicer. I still had to keep asking her for orders though.

“Hello my Princess. Need me today?” I couldn’t understand at the time why she flinched then sighed.

“Actually yes. I have a… unique assignment for you involving a four year old filly. She is a bit of a unique case I have my eye on for now.” My Princess explained.

“Do you need me to retrieve her?” I didn’t know what else she could want.

“No! No, I just need you to become her foal sitter for a few days while her parents are away on a trip. She needs special attention so when they asked for a sitter I decided to send you.” My Princess finished.

“I won’t fail you princess.” I gave her a salute and took the book on foal sitting she gave me.

Lyra’s pov

I was alone in my dorm room. Raven had kindly led me into one of the coveted single rooms that were typically reserved for the older fillies. “Can’t believe this is mine.”

I curled up under the covers of my new bed and began to cry. “Why couldn't they love me?” She eventually fell asleep crying into her tail.

[Four years ago, a fuzzy memory]

“Hi.”

“Hi.” I looked back at my strange reflection in the bath water.

“You look funny.”

“You look funny.” I said to the pony reflection of me sitting in the woods.

“Want to be friends?”

“Sure.” The other me rose from the bath water and wiggled her fingers.

“These things are weird.”

I laughed with her as we compared features and played in the tub.

“Lyra are you about done in the bath?” My mom asked through the door, it was her first time letting me bathe alone so she sounded concerned.

“Yes mom.” Me and my reflection answered with a shared smile. After we both spoke I tried standing up and tripped into the tub water. When I finally surfaced I found myself in the strange forest, my hands were gone and my fur was soaked.

“Mom? Mom!” I screamed until my mom found me or, something that sounded like her.

“Oh thank Celestia, there you are Lyra your father and I were worried sick.” It had to be mom, she had recognized me.

Since mom was a pony It made sense that I was a pony. In fact I wasn’t just any pony but a magical unicorn and riding on my momma unicorn’s back after she used magic to lift me.

Was I always a pony?

“Sorry mom, I fell in the water.” My new ears drooped. Or were they my old ears?

“It’s ok sweetheart let’s get you dried off and back to the town.” She gave me a loving nuzzle.

[Last Hearths Warming]

‘Hey Bon Bon,

I know it’s been a while but as my first best friend I thought I should write you a letter. Things at home… haven’t been the best lately and I know you’re always a great listener so thought we could talk. Hope this letter finds you.

Lyra

PS: Happy Hearths Warming’

There were tear stains on the paper.

~~~

‘Lyra,

Yes it has been a while. I will be moving soon so my new address is included. What can I help you with? I will always be available to help my first best friend. Happy Hearths warming to you too.

Bon Bon’