It was a beautiful summer day at the beach. Surprisingly, there were not that many ponies enjoying the warm weather and gentle breeze with the exception of a few couples walking beside the ocean. One earth pony in particular was content to sit under a palm tree, her cream colored coat blending into the sand. As she laid under the cool shade with the breeze ruffling her mane, she picked up one of her homemade candies from a bag lying beside her and placed it in her mouth. After she finished her candy, she reached for another but hesitated when she heard a delicate and soft sound drifting upon the breeze. She placed another candy in her mouth and sucked on it thoughtfully as the notes on the breeze grew stronger and more confident until they formed a beautiful melody. Closing her bag, she rose to her hooves and set off, seeking the source of the sound.
She was drawn to a dense clump of trees situated a few hundred meters away from the waterfront. As she drew closer, she spotted a unicorn sitting among the trees playing a lyre. Her sky blue mane and cyan coat were easily visible amongst the browns and yellows of the tree trunks that surrounded her. The unicorn finished her song and sighed happily as she set down her instrument, glancing around. Her eyes widened as she spotted the cream colored pony approaching.
The earth pony decided to make the first move. She smiled and nodded her head slightly. The unicorn narrowed her eyes in response.
"Anything I can help you with?" Taken aback slightly, the earth pony hesitated but continued anyway.
"That was beautiful. Uh, the music, I mean." The unicorn blushed and mumbled something inaudible. The earth pony stepped forward, "I'm sorry, hun, what was that?"
"I said, I don't like to play for others."
"Why? You play beautifully. You shouldn't hide your gift. I mean, look at me. I love to share my gift. Here, have some candy." As she offered one of her candies, she remembered her manners. "By the way, my name is Bon Bon."
"Lyra." The unicorn mumbled as she took the candy and cautiously tasted it. Her eyes widened again, "This is good." Bon Bon smiled sweetly.
"And so is your music. Would you play me another tune?"
Looking down at her hooves, Lyra was about to refuse; she knew she had trouble playing in front of other ponies. As she looked up, however, she found that she felt strangely comforted by the presence of the friendly earth pony. The hesitance she usually felt about such requests simply wasn't present and she decided that she may as well give it a go. Picking up her instrument, she gave a silent nod and started to play.
Her first piece was a simple song that she had learned when she was a filly. Her inhibitions further subsided as she discovered that not only could she play without any real difficulty, she was also feeling more at ease with the pony who was swaying happily to her music. The minutes melted away into hours as Lyra played increasingly complex pieces for her new friend. The sun was sinking low in the sky as she finished her last song, the most difficult piece in her repertoire. Bon Bon clapped enthusiastically as Lyra plucked the last few notes with a flourish. "Oh that was wonderful! I've had so much fun spending time with you. You must let me treat you to a meal." Lyra suddenly noticed how hungry she was. Gratefully, she accepted Bon Bon's offer.
Clearwater Cafe was a cozy little restaurant that had been built at the top of a cliff overlooking the ocean. Bon Bon had eaten at this restaurant before and found the service and food to be quite pleasant. She led Lyra inside and requested a table by the window. It was a slow day and the waiter was happy to oblige. Lyra shifted uncomfortably in her chair as menus were brought to them. Lyra fiddled with her silverware as Bon Bon perused the menu, "I think I'm going to order the potato and leek soup. What about you, Lyra?"
"Oh, I'll just have a order of hay fries." Bon Bon looked up from her menu in surprise.
"But aren't you hungry? You can have hay fries any day of the week."
"I'll be fine with hay fries. It really is no big deal." Bon Bon wasn't convinced and decided to press the issue.
"You looked rather hungry, before. Why don't I order you a nice plate of roast vegetables?" Lyra looked down at her napkin and once more mumbled something unintelligible. Bon Bon leaned forward and raised her eyebrows at her. Lyra gave a small cough.
"I said, you don't need to spend that much money on me." Bon Bon tilted her head.
"You didn't have to play music for me, but you did. This is the least I can do." Lyra blushed slightly before replying.
"I suppose I'm not used to this. I don't eat out very often. I usually don't have enough money for it."
"But... you're vacationing here, right? Why vacation when your financial situation is so stretched?"
"That's because I'm not vacationing." Lyra looked down once more before continuing. "I travel and do odd jobs to support myself. I have been trying to find a more permanent home for quite a while now, but I never have any luck. I often stop by this area during summer because there's more work available, but for some reason, there are barely any vacationers this year."
Before Bon Bon could reply, the waiter returned and asked for their order. Bon Bon ordered her soup and Lyra, after some thought, ordered the roast vegetables. There was little conversation while they waited for their meals. When their food was brought they ate in silence, Bon Bon looking thoughtful. When they finished eating Lyra looked up from her plate and gave a small smile.
"It was delicious. Thank you for this, Bon Bon. I haven't eaten like this in ages." Bon Bon returned the smile in kind and decided to make an offer.
"Lyra, I've been thinking. Have you ever worked at a candy shop?"
"No..."
"Would you like to? I've been looking for a new assistant and I'd love to hear more of your music. I have an extra bedroom in my house in Ponyville so you can have immediate lodging." Lyra fiddled with her glass and looked up with a slightly flushed face. "I haven't been to Ponyville for a while." She put down her glass before replying, "I'll think on it, but if I'm going to play music, then I'll only play it for you." Bon Bon leaned forward, smiling.
"I think that can be arranged."
It was a beautiful summer day at the beach. Surprisingly, there were not that many ponies enjoying the warm weather and gentle breeze with the exception of a few couples walking beside the ocean and a curious looking bear hunting for seashells. One unicorn in particular was laying next to her companion of five years, a cream colored earth pony whose coat complimented the unicorn's own cyan. Lyra was playing her lyre, oblivious to the occasional passerby. As she finished her song, she glanced over at her cream colored companion. Bon Bon got the message and placed a candy in Lyra's mouth. As Lyra proceeded to start another song, Bon Bon nuzzled up against her neck causing her to miss a beat. As the waves crashed against the beach, Lyra's melodies intermingled with the cries of seagulls against the backdrop of the setting sun.
