The Agents of SMILE and the Case of the White Rabbit

This was her last day in Ponyville, Bon Bon thought to herself as she was outside selling candy to passersby. She had seen all these ponies throughout her time here, just living their lives without a care in the world. They had no idea the danger they were constantly in and how the agents of SMILE were there to keep them safe. Worse, her mission parameters were clear: to get close to the ponies but not grow too attached. So, she maintained her cover for the past few months as a pony who set up her stall selling candy to those passing by. Her mission was simple today: make sure that Twilight Sparkle landed safely in Ponyville. The agent watched as a chariot led by two royal guards landed nearby, and she then watched as a violet unicorn got off with a small dragon. Bon Bon then put a watch to her mouth and whispered, “The Eagle has landed. I repeat, the Eagle has landed.”

“Good work, just keep an eye on that bi-I mean Eagle,” an angry voice grumbled back. Bon Bon blinked seeing that Stargazer her handler almost just called Twilight a not so friendly word then asked, “Agent Stargazer, you seem annoyed with Eagle. Should I be concerned?”

“It's nothing; just keep on her as ordered.”

Bon Bon did not understand why they were being tasked to keep track of this unicorn or why she was so important; this Twilight looked rather stuck up and didn’t seem all that interested in the other ponies passing by. But the orders to keep her safe came down from Princess Celestia herself. Usually, the princess would let her guards do this kind of busy work. Seeing how most were rather incompetent and were there for "security theatre" but seeing how much effort was put into security it's clear the princess really didn’t want anything happening to this unicorn.

Regardless, it wasn’t her concern, nor did she care about Twilight. This was a job and, luckily, a super easy one. She just milled about with her candy cart, keeping track of Twilight, who went about looking for ponies to help with the Summer Sun celebration. as Bon Bon tailed her target Twilight continually acted like a jerk or seemed less than interested in them. From her observations, giving her the task to help host the celebration in Ponyville was a big mistake. Pinkie Pie, the eccentric pink earth pony from a Rock Farm in the south, was more than capable of the job. But there was obviously another big reason why Twilight was here.

But as the day went by, Bon Bon noticed another pony, Lyra, nearby. The teal green unicorn caught her eye and was sitting on a bench playing her harp. She was absolutely gorgeous, her gold eyes shined in the daylight, and she was just so happy. Of all the ponies in Ponyville, Lyra Heartstrings was the one pony she broke the rules for. The unicorn eventually noticed her and waved a hoof, “Hey Bon Bon, how ya doing!?”

The agent could feel her heart beating faster and a cold sweat breaking over her forehead as she waved a hoof back adn replied, “I'm doing great, just ya know, trying to sell some candy for the Summer Sun Celebration!”

“Oh, that's great, I heard Princess Celestia is making an appearance here this year, so I wanted to try playing a melody for her, but I'm not sure if it's too mellow…maybe it should be more jovial."

“No, it's great; I…um…have to admit it's actually very nice.”

“Thank you! It means a lot coming from you!” Lyra cried as she got up and trotted over. “Say, did you see that unicorn being escorted by the royal guard?”

“Yeah, I did, I guess she’s a guest of honor or something?”

Lyra snickered, “Yeah, I actually kind of know her. Her name’s Twilight Sparkle. She was an old classmate of mine when I lived in Canterlot.”

“Oh, were you friends?”

“Oh no! She was always burying her head in books; I barely knew her. Anyways, are you just going to sell candy, or are you going to the surprise party Pinkie is throwing later!?”

Bon Bon sighed as she would love to attend the party with Lyra, but she had a mission. “Sorry, after I wrap up selling my wares, I’ll be too busy with ot-”

The agent looked back at Twilight Sparkle, she was talking to an old mare pegasus. They were discussing books…then she started to lead her to an old run-down looking bookstore and Bon Bon was now growing a bit concerned and stammered. “I um…”

“Too busy with what?” Lyra asked pleadingly. "Come on, it’s the Summer sun celebration. Ever since you moved here, you have always had an excuse when we throw a party. Heck, Pinkie Pie and I threw you a birthday party last week, and you showed up at the end of it.”

Bon Bon winced as the truth was, she was facing off with a Hydra and lured it away from Ponyville. But she swore to the agency to keep her life as an agent of SMILE a secret. “I know, I’m sorry, alright? I know I'm not the best at making it to parties and I havea bad habit of being late all the time, but I have important stuff going on?”

“Like what!?”

She then turned to see Twilight going inside the bookstore. Buck!? " I just remembered I needed to get a book!”

“Bon Bon!” Lyra shouted as Bon Bon ran down the street to that bookstore…she memorized the entire layout of Ponyville and, thanks to Pinkie Pie, knew just about everypony who lived there. That old mare and that bookstore should not be here! Bon Bon then opened the store and saw it was just an old rustic bookstore on the inside with the old pegasus mare showing off some old tomes to Twilight, who started going off about her first edition of this and that. The young dragon with her looked annoyed and kept mentioning they should get going, but Twilight continually blew him off.

Bon Bon did her best not to look conspicuous trotting towards the back of the store but keeping an eye on them. She then decided to check if there were any enchanted objects as she took out her watch and scanned the area and looking back on it a small magical screen appeared with Negative. She was still suspicious as she sat down and opened a book and read one, passage seeing it was an old fairy tale about a small filly chasing a rabbit down a rabbit hole. Then she adjusted her watch and whispered, “Stargazer, are you there?”

Static came off, then a voice, “Yeah, what!?”

“The Eagle is talking to an old mare in a bookstore that should not exist.”

“You're kidding, right? This is what you're concerned about; of course, the Eagle will go to a bookstore! All she cares about is books! Have you not read her profile?”

“That is not what is concerning; this bookstore should not exist.”

“Have you detected any magical properties?”

Bon Bon checked her watch still showing as negative for enchantments. “Negative.”

“Then there’s nothing to investigate; maybe it popped up recently?”

“I surveyed this area just days before Mother Hen planned the celebration here. I would have known if this bookstore was around.”

There was a pause, “what about the enchanted bookstore in Canterlot? Do you think they're connected?"

“Wasn’t that place shut down?” Bon Bon growled under her breath knowing full well about that Bookstore and how some of its books suck you into the books literally.

“I’ll check the records, keep an eye on Eagle, and do not lose sight of her.”

“Yes, mam.” Bon Bon maintained her vigilance. Then suddenly, Twilight and Spike collapsed, and she looked up from her book to see the old pegasus smirking over their unconscious bodies. Bon Bon threw her book aside and jumped forward. With a karate kick, she slammed her back hooves into the pegasus, who threw her wings up to protect herself and then flung Bon Bon back as she landed onto her hooves. Looking up, the pegasus growled, “Who are you!?”

Bon Bon didn’t respond; instead, running around her and then twirling over her, took out her watch, and shot a dart into the neck of the pegasus, who looked dazed for a moment. She then threw open a book, and then magic swirled around them. That was when Bon Bon realized it was going to suck them in! But if there was a magical book here, why didn’t her watch work!? She then took it out and adjusted it, and sent a beam of green energy hitting the book and disrupting the magic before Twilight, and Spike got sucked in and then stood there gasping for breath. She then turned to see the old pegasus who was now unconscious, along with Twilight and Spike. She picked her watch to her mouth and asked, “Stargazer, you there?”

“Stargazer, here, I found the archive on the Enchanted Bookstore. We have it monitored, and it cannot be the same one.”

“It doesn’t matter. Eagle is knocked out with her egg.”

“Are they hurt?”

“Negative.”

“Was the old pegasus you mentioned involved?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, we’ll inform the royal guards in the area to assist in arresting the suspect and getting Eagle and her egg to safety.”

“Understood,” Bon Bon grumbled as she used her watch to levitate both Spike and Twilight out the back of the store. She saw no pony around and adjusted them near a tree. Afterward, she turned back, and it was gone. The store vanished, and instead, ponies just walked about as if it was never there!?

Bon Bon cursed herself for not nabbing the pegasus to question her, but that didn’t matter. She then took off to see two bewildered guards as she waved them over and shouted, “Hey, you two over here!”

One turned and asked, “Where is this bookstore?”

“The Bookstore should be here…” Bon Bon looked around, seeing it was nowhere to be seen. “It was just here?’

The other scoffed, ” Seriously, you better not be playing tricks, and where’s Eagle?”

“I wasn’t playing tricks, for now, forget the bookstore Eagle and her Egg are napping under a tree,” she pointed in their direction. “Go make sure they’re ok. I can’t have them see me and blow my cover.”

They both nodded as one scoffed, “Secret agents.” they ran off to Twilight as Bon Bon trotted back to her candy cart and grumbled, “Bucking royal guards.”

As Bon Bon started selling her candy again, she then went to her watch and whispered, “Stargazer.”

“Yes, I'm here.”

“That bookstore is gone along with the suspect.”

“That is odd? How is that possible?”

“Unsure, and my watch didn't detect any magic, but the old pegasus tried to trap me and Eagle into a book.”

“That sounds concerning. Does the area need to be sanitized?”

Bon Bon paused as she thought it over. “Sanitized " was the code word for wiping any trace of a unidentified magical incident whether it be magic or from a creature from existence, including memories of witnesses. But Twilight and Spike lost consciousness so fast they probably didn't realize it was the pegasus. She gritted her teeth and said. “No Eagle and Egg went unconscious before the pegasus unleashed the book's power."

“But they will be aware of a bookstore that no longer exists. It could mess with their psyche."

“Eagle is unfamiliar with the area and may not remember when she passed out, nor did Egg. I'll talk to the guards when they wake up to fully understand what they think happened before making a judgment call.”

There was a pause, “understood, continue to monitor the situation as it unfolds.”

“Yes, mam,”

The evening went as planned as far as she was aware. Princess Celestia knew this night was coming. They all knew Nightmare Moon would return and that Twilight, this rather standoffish unicorn, and a group of ponies would save her and unveil the true identity of Nightmare Moon as Princess Celestia’s sister, Princess Luna. Throughout the night, she continued to keep an eye on Twilight and her friends through the party and when they ventured into the Everfree Forest. After the Mane six defeated Nightmare Moon everypony was celebrating early that morning. Meanwhile Bon Bon groggily finally went home dreary-eyed and dead tired. She opened her doors and sat down at a typewriter, as she started typing a full-length mission report. The exhausted agent was trying to get it done as soon as possible so she could go to sleep. Luckily, from what the guards relayed to her, Twilight seemed to think she was overwhelmed with her new duties and didn’t think anything of it. Spike seemed more concerned, but they both dismissed the event entirely, which was a bit odd. Regardless, as she finished it, she hit a send button, and it erupted in green flame, sending it to her supervisor. She stretched her limbs and yawned it was time to hit the sack. That was when she heard a knock and got up, opening it to see Lyra trotting inside. “Hey, we missed ya at the party last night.”

“Yeah, well, I uh saw what happened with Nightmare Night and uh ran home, ya know? I was super scared when Nightmare Moon appeared, so I ran home as soon as possible.”

Lyra eyed her, then asked, “ok, sure. Would it be ok if I come in?”

“Yeah, sure.” Bon Bon cried, choking on her words a bit. Despite being tired, she wouldn’t mind hanging out with Lyra as it could be the last time they saw each other. The unicorn trotted into the rather clean home with not much inside other than her typewriter, a small kitchen, a bed, and a wardrobe with a few clothes piled in it.

“Huh, kind of plain?”

“Just because I'm a candy vendor doesn't mean my place would look like Pinkie Pie’s,” Bon Bon mumbled.

Lyra sat down on the bed and asked, “Why are you lying to me?”

“What!? I'm not lying!”

The unicorn then looked up at her. “I saw you save Twilight’s life from that bookstore lady.”

Bon Bon stepped back, sweat forming on her brow. “What. No, you're mistaken.”

“No, I'm not. She put Twilight to sleep, and then you did some ninja flips and fought her. Then you hit her with a sleeping dart from that watch of yours and took Twilight and her dragon outside. I saw the whole thing.”

“But how!? Where were you-” Bon Bon put her hooves over her mouth as Lyra threw her hooves and scoffed, “See, you just revealed yourself!? Who are you!”

Bon Bon gritted her teeth and snapped, “That's none of your business!”

“Yes, it is!” Lyra shouted, “Ever since you moved here, you’ve been lying to me, and I can't be your friend unless you tell me the truth about what you do! Or who you are!”

Bon Bon groaned, seeing she was risking a lot, but there wasn’t any choice. Despite every protocol telling her this was a bad idea, she didn’t want to stop being friends with Lyra and said, “I…I’m a secret agent.”

Lyra was taken aback by the response and replied, “You’re a what?”

“A secret agent, alright? I…I only came down here because I was helping Princess Celestia ensure that her student Twilight got here safely. The worst part is that my mission ends today now that Twilight is here, and she stopped Nightmare Moon. My mission is done, and I'll probably be leaving soon.”

Lyra stopped her heart beating in her chest. “No, come on, you can’t be serious.”

Bon Bon looked up as she pulled at her mane. " Buck!” She then plopped down on the bed, looking angry, as she explained, “I'm sorry, Lyra. In our agency, we were constantly told not to get too attached to ponies because we move around a lot. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.”

“I get it now, it's just…” Lyra then sat by her friend and added, “I finally got you to open up to me, but I guess it's a little too late, huh?”

“I'm sorry,” Bon Bon whispered.

Lyra stopped, then said, “Well, it's not like you’re definitely leaving just yet.”

“Well, not yet…”

“And Twilight and her friends stopped Nightmare Moon, but who was that bookstore mare!? Why was she trying to kidnap Twilight?”

Bon Bon paused as she talked it over with Stargazer quite often and yet they had no leads on the and explained, “I don’t know, but we have no evidence of a bookstore ever existing in this area or information about that bookstore owner. So, at this point, there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“Yeah, but what if she tries kidnapping Twilight again?"

Bon Bon blushed, seeing the solution to her predicament unfolding, and said, “What you're saying is make a case to my agency to keep me here?”

Lyra got up and hugged her, and they held each other. Then she asked, “Can you at least try?”

Bon Bon paused, looking back at her friend. " Sure, I’ll try, but I’m not making any promises. OK?”

“Ok, that’s good enough for me!” Lyra chirped as she jumped back up .

Bon Bon then yawned and added, “Also, I'm rather tired. I got no sleep last night…if you don't mind…”

“Oh sure, well, have a good night, and you better come see me again, leaving or not,” Lyra replied with a smile as Bon Bon saw her trot out and close the door behind her. As soon as Lyra left the agent plopped back onto her bed and buried herself under the covers. The truth was she wanted to say more to Lyra, and it was hard to admit it, but she had a crush on her and didn’t know how to say it, at the same time, if she did get transferred, it would just make things that much harder if she did. Bon Bon laid there looking up at the ceiling and deciding that if she can convince the agency to keep her, she’ll try to open up her feelings to Lyra more and maybe ask her out on a date.