The Talk

“Today is the day.” Lyra muttered softly to herself as she paced back and forth on the kitchen floor. “I... I have to tell him”

Bon Bon rolled her eyes at her friend mutterings. She was trying to concentrate on the candy thermometer that was sticking out of a pot filled with her caramel candy mixture. She needed it to be exactly 250°F before she could add in her special vanilla extract. Unfortunately a certain mint green unicorn was making it very difficult to stay focused.

“Lyra...” The light cream colored earth pony turned her head from the caramel mixture, looking back at her frantically pacing friend. “Could you please take your pacing and grumbling somewhere else? It’s very distracting.” She asked gently, trying to hide her annoyance.

Lyra paused for a moment to look up at her friend, who was now glaring back at her. “Oh, sorry Bonny.” Lyra said with a noticeable strain in her voice. “It’s just… I can’t stop thinking about… Him.”

Bon Bon let out a heavy sigh before turning back to her work. She knew all to well about Lyra’s unhealthy obsession with her new human friend that popped up in Ponyville almost a full year ago. The earth mare knew Lyra wasn’t going to be going anywhere until she gave her little speech about how amazing he was while proclaiming her love for the weird, bipedal… Thing.

Lyra continued, not noticing her roommates obvious disapproval of the current topic. “I just can’t stop thinking about him Bonny. He’s just so… And his hands are just… Gahh!” she grunted in frustration, keeping her declaration of love surprisingly short this time. “I can’t stop thinking about him! What if somepony else has already asked to court him. I bet it was one of the Elements of Harmony. I see the way they look at him! Always helping him and stuff,” she half shouted in jealous anger. “I have to tell him! I have to tell him how I feel before it's too late!” she announced, kicking a hoof on the cold tiled floor.

Ignoring the ridiculous comment about Equestria’s national heroines wanting to engage with that strange creature, Bon Bon responded in an agitated tone “Lyra, you have been saying that for months now... Honestly, I don’t see why you can’t find a nice normal stallion to obsess over. You know, somepony that walks the right way and doesn’t have those weird…” She paused with a grimace, looking up to the ceiling, trying to find the right words. “Spidery, spindly, things on his hooves.” She mocked, holding a limp hoof in the air.

“You mean his hands.” Lyra deadpanned. “Besides you’ve never had him scratch behind your ears with those hands of his,” she hummed almost as if she was in a dreamy daze. Her eye lids started to droop slightly as she recalled all the times he would use those wondrous extremities to pet her when they sat around reading books together, or just laying next to each other under a nice shady tree. Sometimes if she was really lucky he would run those wonderful smooth digits of his through her mane. Oh dear Celestia how she loved that. The unicorn shivered in pleasure at the memory.

“They're so soft and firm at the same time. They don’t poke or cut you like griffon claws do, and they're not as bulky as a hoof. Then when he starts to massage them into your fur…” Lyra started to trail off as her eyes closed and a slight blush appeared on her now smiling face. She lifted a hoof to her chest, rubbing her coat, as if to try and recreate the same feeling the humans hands would give her. She stayed like that for a little while before snapping back to reality. “Plus he gives the best belly rubs!” Lyra finished, placing her hoof back on the floor, looking back at her friend.

Bon Bon closed her eyes and shook her head in disgust before looking back at her work.

The thermometer in the caramel mixture was now at 250°F, the perfect temperature to start adding in the vanilla extract. She turned the stove off, then quickly picked the pot up, biting on the wooden handle with her teeth. She then set it on an oven mitt that was laying on the counter. She grabbed the small bottle of vanilla extract in her mouth then poured out just the right amount into the pot before setting it back down. She got up on her back legs, resting her forelegs on the counter before picking up a mixing spoon in her hoof—somehow—and mixed in the vanilla.

“Yes, yes, I know how much you like those 'hand' things.” Bon Bon said, in a dry tone, still stirring the vanilla into the mixture. “You talk enough about them in your sleep.” She muttered softly to herself, not expecting Lyra to hear her.

Lyra’s ears perked up at the mention of her sleep talking. She stepped up next to the earth ponies side, smirking a little. “Do I really talk in my sleep? What do I say?” The unicorn asked, genuinely curious.

Bon Bon turned her head slightly to look at Lyra. A light shade of red started to appear on her cheeks as she thought back to what Lyra liked to mutter in her sleep. She was about to say something, but thought better of it. “Umm, you know what, never mind. Honestly though Lyra, I know you two are really good friends and all, but he might not even like ponies in that way.” She said, avoiding the awkward conversation, turning her attention back to the caramel.

“Gaah, I know!” Lyra groaned loudly before slamming her head on top of the counter, causing Bon Bon’s pot to almost topple over.

“Lyra!” Bon Bon shouted, as she steady the pot with her free hoof.

“Swwry bwnny…” Lyra apologized, mumbling into the countertop.

Bon Bon looked down at her depressed friend with concern. She has been obsessing over this stallion for almost as long as he has been in Equestria, and she just seems to get worse with every passing day. This was also not the first time she wanted to confront the human about her feelings. She would always say that she was going to confess her love, but then chicken out at the last minute, or something else would stop her from admitting anything to him.

Bon Bon knew this had to stop. Lyra needed to go out there and finally admit that she loves this human thing. She didn’t believe that he would ever actually be interested in a pony. At least not in the way Lyra wanted him to be, but a ‘no’ was still an answer. Then once Lyra had her answer, she could forget all about him and turn back into her normal, obnoxious, but lovable self. Then while she’s at it, she can find a nice stallion to sweep her off her hooves and forget this whole human mess.

The earth mare knew she had to help her friend somehow. She couldn’t just sit still anymore and watch Lyra turn into a depressed lump. She might not understand her friends love for this thing, but it was painfully obvious that if this continued any longer it would destroy the unicorn.

Reaching her free hoof out, Bon Bon patted the back of Lyra’s head, that was still pressed into the counter. “Look… Lyra, You really need to tell him how you feel, and really do it this time. You can’t let these feeling consume you.” She said, with that warm and friendly tone she always used when trying to comfort her friend.

Lyra turned her head, so that only the side of her cheek was touching the counter. She looked up at Bon Bon with slightly teary eyes. “B-but… What if you're right? What if he doesn’t like ponies like that… Then he might think I’m a weirdo… I might lose him as a friend and I don’t want that. I would rather have him as a friend then not at all.” She almost cried, with a slight crack in her voice.

Bon Bon winced a little at her friends sadden expression and cracky voice. She hated it when Lyra was down like this. Still she managed a soft loving smile, looking down at her mopey friend, petting her mane softly. “Well, everypony already knows you’re a weirdo...” Bon Bon teased with a chuckle. “And I’m pretty sure he does too, so you don’t have to worry about that.” She giggled with a warm smile.

Lyra sniffled, but smiled a little at that. She had to admit to her self that she was a pretty strange pony.

“I might not understand him at all, but I do know that you two are pretty much inseparable when you're together. You have both been such good friends for so long now, I doubt he would stop wanting to be your friend just because you’re having these feelings for him.” Bon Bon said, giving Lyra an encouraging smile.

“Yeah? You think so?” Lyra asked, smiling brightly, blinking away her tears. She was starting to feel a lot better now.

“Well of course.” Bon Bon chirped happily, feeling good that she was able to get her friend out of her little funk. “Now could you be a dear and help me with this caramel. I just need you to pour it into that pan over there.” She said as she pointed her hoof to the awaiting pan, next to Lyra’s head.

Lyra finally lifted her head up and looked. “Oh sure Bonny!” She said, with a little bounce, and a big smile. Her horn started to glow with a bright, golden hue of magic. The same glow appeared around the pot of caramel. Soon the pot was floating in the air, hovering over the pan. Lyra tilted the pot within her magic, slowly pouring its contents down, while Bon Bon used her mixing spoon to help spread the contents out evenly.

Bon Bon knew Lyra loved helping her make her candy creations and this would help lift her spirits a little more. Even if Lyra wasn’t the best cook, she still could do simple things to help with her magic. Still something needed to be done about this ‘human obsession’ situation. Bon Bon’s expression changed to a more serious one as she tried to think of her next words carefully. “Lyra, listen…”

Lyra finished pouring the last few drops of the caramel into the pan before turning to face her friend. She gave her a questioning look, waiting for her to continue.

Bon Bon put the mixing spoon she was using in the sink before turning back to Lyra with a furrowed brow and determined look on her face. “If you can promise me that today will be the day you finally tell your human friend these feelings, then I will help you.”

Lyra raised an eyebrow, cocking her head to the side in confusion. “You will help me? But you don’t even seem to like him." She said with slight concern and puzzlement in her voice.

Bon Bon nodded, hopping down off the counter, facing the unicorn. “Yes, I know I don’t really understand him, or why you seem to like him so much, but I want to help you. You’re my friend and I’m not going to let you continue to mope around this house. We can make a plan of attack together, so you can finally tell him these feelings and stop beating yourself up over this." She paused, taking in a deep breath before continuing. "But only if you can promise me that you will tell him no matter what!” She said with a commanding tone, giving her the most serious look she could muster.

Lyra sat back on her hunches, looking down at her forelegs, while drawing little circles in the tile flooring, feeling hot and embarrassed. “I-I don’t know Bonny… I-I mean, I keep getting really scared when I start to confront him, a-and what if I-“

Bon Bon cut her off, poking her in the chest with a hoof. “No! Like you said ‘Today is the day!’ No more excuses. You need to tell him your feelings now, or else you're just going to get worse. You know its true.”

“B-But… What if he isn’t interested in ponies like that? What if he isn’t interested in me like that? What if he thinks I’m ugly! Or he tells me he’s with somepony else! I’m not sure my heart could take it.” Lyra protested frantically. She looked away from Bon Bon, avoiding eye contact as her circle drawing quickened.

The earth mare sighed. “If that happens, then at least you can say you have your answer. Then you can start moving on with your life, and no matter what happens…” Bon Bon stepped a little closer to the panicky unicorn, putting a hoof under her chin, so she could lift her head up. She smiled lovingly to her friend before continuing. “You will always have me.”

Lyra met Bon Bon’s eyes, making her panic melt away and her smile return. She slowly wrapped her hoof around her friends neck pulling her in close for a tight hug. “Thanks Bonny, you’re the best friend a mare could ask for,” Lyra said, nuzzling her cheek with her friends.

Bon Bon returned the hug, but quickly broke it to look Lyra in the eyes again. “Yeah, yeah, I know, but you still have to promise me,” she stated as her tone turned to a more serious one.

“Okay I promi—“

“No!” Bon Bon interrupted, furrowing her brow. “It has to be a one of those silly pinkie promise thingies, so you can’t break it!" She said, waving a hoof lazily in the air, mimicking the pinky promise gestures.

“A pinkie promise?!” Lyra half shouted before sighing. “Oh, fine…” She took a small step back from Bon Bon so she could properly act out the promise. “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” She finished by placing her hoof over her eye.

Bon Bon nodded her head once. “Very good. Now tell me. Does he like anything in particular? Like is there something that you could do that would help you get a message like this across?"

Lyra sat there, while placing a hoof on her chin in thought, looking down to the floor. “I’m not sure… I know he doesn’t understand our culture too well, so anything I would normally do to pick up a stallion won't work, trust me I tried...” Lyra gave out a heavy sigh, placing her hoof back down, looking sad again. “It all just seems to go over his head.” Lyra said as her voice got softer and more depressed.

“Really? I guess that’s to be expected.” Bon Bon scoffed. “Well you two spend a lot of time with each other. Has he ever told you how he would do that sort of thing on his old world?”

Lyra sat in thought for a little while longer, thinking back to all the times they talked about that kind of stuff. It didn’t seem to come up to often, but she did manage to remember something. "I think I remember him saying something about how he would try to court this one mare from his home world…"

“Oh? What would he do?” Bon Bon asked curiously.

“Well he told me that he was trying to take her out to this ‘prom’ thing when he was younger. He said that he would get all dressed up and groomed, then he would buy a bunch of flowers, like a dozen of them. Roses I think…” She paused to think some more. “Well anyways, he would give her the flowers, then ask her if she wanted to go to the thing with him.” Lyra explained.

“And that would let her know he’s interested?” Bon Bon asked, raising and eyebrow, sounding extremely confused.

“I think so…” Lyra responded. She thought back some more, then placed a hoof behind her head, rubbing the back of her mane while looking off to the side as she remembered more of his story. “But then there was something about dancing too hard, then spilling punch on her, then getting a call or something the next day, then something about crying…” Lyra paused with a wince. “You know what, I’m not really sure the prom part is what we need to focus on.” She said matter-of-factly, placing her hoof back on the ground and looking back at her friend. “I think its more about the dressing up, grooming, and the flowers.”

“Hmm… right, okay” Bon Bon responded, still processing all the new information. “well from the sound of it, the flower thing is pretty similar to what we do, except its just a dozen of them. Roses might be hard to find, but I think Rose Luck still has a bunch to sell. It will be expensive though… The rest should be easy to address.” She finished with a warm smile.

“What do you mean easy?” Lyra asked, tilting her head in slight confession. “I think you're forgetting the dressing up part. My only good dress is still being repaired at Rarity's, and I don’t have enough bits to buy a new one right now. I doubt I even have enough for the flowers!”

Bon Bon waved a hoof in the air dismissively. “You still have that nice orange and white one in your closet. You know the one with all the yellow hearts around it.”

“That old frilly thing?!” Lyra shouted, jumped back in shock and disgust. “I haven't worn that in ages! I thought I told you to throw that away or sell it! Even Rarity thinks that thing is a fashion disaster. Remember she told me... To my face… When I was wearing it…” Lyra’s shouting tapered off as she remembered that little run in with the unicorn/fashionista.

Bon Bon thought back to that time for a moment. “Yes, I do recall her saying something like that, but then she made you that nice new one for free!” she added happily.

“Yeah, the one that’s being fixed right now.” Lyra whined.

Bon Bon opened her mouth to say more, but was quickly cut off.

“No, I will not wear one of yours! blue and pink just aren't my colors,” Lyra snapped. “Can we just forget the dressing up part,” she pleaded.

Bon Bon wanted to argue, but sighed knowing that Lyra was right. “Well I guess if we can’t get you to dress nice, then we will just have to work extra hard with the makeover.”

Lyra shuddered a little at the word ‘makeover’. She wasn’t one to really enjoy such things, but at a time like this, she was willing to give it a try. “Okay Bonny, but don’t go to crazy with it please?” Lyra begged, with an unsure look on her face.

“Oh don’t be silly! You will love it and you're going to look amazing!” Bon Bon chimed, grinning ear to ear. “This will be so fun! Its been awhile since I did somepony's mane and tail. I think I still remember a few old tricks form when I worked part time at that barber shop all those years ago." Bon Bon reminisced.

Lyra rolled her eyes. Which did not go unnoticed by her friend.

“Oh, come now! I know you're not into the whole make-up and mane styling scene, but trust me. You will enjoy it, and it will help you feel a lot better.” Bon Bon said, smiling brightly.

Lyra sighed in defeat, blushing slightly. Bon Bon was right in a way. Getting her mane and tail done, did cheer her up at times, but it wasn’t something she really liked to keep up with. Her and Rainbow Dash were similar in that respect. It just kind of felt like a waste of time. But the mane and tail grooming wasn’t what she hated the most. It was the make-up part that she despised. That stuff was itchy. Plus she didn't like to hide her self behind all that junk. It was like wearing a mask that hid her true self from the world, but this was a desperate time, and if it would help, she was willing to try. “Just… Go easy on the make-up…” Lyra pleaded, frowning slightly.

“Eeek!” Bon Bon squeed happily, clapping her hooves together. “You're going to love it! Trust me!” Bon Bon said excitedly. She was looking forward to giving her tomboyish friend a well overdue makeover. It might be for something that could lead her to a broken heart, but she was still going to have fun beautifying her friend. “Now, let me finish cutting the caramel candies here. You go jump in the shower. I will be with you in a minute. Then after that we we'll give Rose Luck a visit. I'm sure she still has some roses we could buy from her. Then its off to confess your feelings!” Bon Bon said in earnest, giving Lyra an encouraging smile.

Lyra smiled, feeling a lot more confident in herself, now that Bon Bon was helping and supporting her. She really was a great friend.

Lyra slowly made her way to the shower, but before she entered the door to her room she stopped, turning her head back to Bon Bon. The earth pony was still standing in the kitchen, watching her walk away with that lovable smile on her lips. Lyra’s own smile grew a little more at the sight. She had to thank the mare for going so out of her way to help. “Bon Bon… I just wanted to say… Well, thanks for everything.”

Bon Bon closed her eyes and giggled a little at that. Lyra only used her real name when she was really emotional. This truly must mean a lot to her. Even if she was setting her friend up for a broken heart, she knew this had to be done and would be better for Lyra in the long run. She just couldn’t see that human wanting to be with the unicorn. They were both just too different of species. It wasn't that she was against cross species relationships, but this human thing was just so different from anything they had ever seen before and a little scary if she was to be completely honest. He was a nice enough stallion, but it just wouldn't work out like Lyra wanted it to. Plus she was pretty sure he felt the same way about ponies. Surely he would rather be with a nice human mare than a pony.

Still, she knew that this was the right thing to do. She couldn’t just tell Lyra that he wouldn’t be interested, no that wouldn’t help her. It would just keep her thinking 'what if'. Lyra had to know for sure what the human's feelings for her were from his own mouth and when he rejected Lyra it would hurt at first, but she would heal in time. That way she could forget this whole mess and move on, but no matter what happened, Bon Bon would be there for her friend.

“You're most welcome Lyra. Now go get ready. I shouldn’t be long with these candies.” Bon Bon respond, shooing her away with a lazy hoof wave.

Lyra nodded then turned back to her original path, heading toward the shower. Her mind was buzzing with all kinds of wonderful and horrible thoughts. She was frightened and excited all at the same time. There was no telling how the day was going to end, but no matter what happened, it was going to be a scary day.

Author's Notes:

So yeah... I hope you guys enjoy the story. This is my first attempt at anything like this ever. I'm more of a painter then a writer, but I was tired of being a creeper on this sight, so I decided to give back a little. Plus I wanted to do a fic with Lyra since she is my favorite pony.

I have to say if my grammar and spelling is really bad, its because that's something I really struggle with, and have always struggled with, but a good friend of mine helped edit everything, so it should be pretty legible now.

More chapters to come soon. Pleas let me know what you think.