The Past

Chris stared up at the ceiling as he laid on the couch, using his dirty laundry as a makeshift blanket. His mind was buzzing with thoughts of everything that happened yesterday after he grabbed Bon Bon's hoof by mistake. She came out of the bedroom later like she promised, but she was a lot less talkative and upbeat for the remainder of the day. It was obvious that she was still shaken from the event and it pained him to see her like that.

He pulled his right hand out from under the shirts that covered his chest and glared at it, frowning in disappointment. He flexed his fingers a few times as he thought of ways he could prevent another accident. It was almost comical how Lyra was obsessed with his hands yet Bon Bon was terrified of them.

Chris sighed before resting his seemingly cursed appendage on his chest. Bon Bon was such a sweet mare and fun to be around. She’s strong, passionate, and downright beautiful. Not only in body, but in mind. He wanted to keep getting to know her more and find out if these feelings he was having for her were true, but his spider-like hands were making that impossible.

Chris rubbed his tired eyes before staring up at the ceiling again. No matter what, he wanted Bon Bon to stay in his life and he felt that in order to do that he had to think of a way to help her with her phobia, or at least make it easier for her to deal with. The only problem was he didn't know how to go about it. The best he could think of was to somehow turn his hands into hooves, but that wasn't an option… at least not at the moment.

A cold shiver ran through Chris's body, breaking him out of his thoughts. He got up and collected all his dirty laundry, putting it into a small laundry basket he had found instead of letting it lay around the room. He then added a few logs to the hearth. Once the logs were in place he grabbed the enchanted flint and steel and used it to start a fire. He placed the enchanted tools down, then stretched out with a big yawn.

It was also that time in the day when Chris would normally check to see if the front door was still sealed. He walked up to the door and jiggled the handle, but just like every morning he checked, the door remained shut. He wasn’t even sure why he was still checking at this point. It seemed that Lyra had cast the spell correctly and it was foolish of him to think it would just wear off soon. Plus, he wasn’t really looking forward to the inevitable talk he needed to have with Lyra.

Chris looked towards the bedroom where Bon Bon was still resting inside. He hoped she was feeling better today. If not, then there might be something fun they could do together that would cheer her up, or at least keep her mind off his hands. There really wasn't a whole lot to do in the cabin, aside from talking, cooking, and reading. Maybe he could find something fun in the basement like a board game, or even some playing cards. It was worth a look.

With this in mind, he walked down to the basement, only to find that his search for something fun was going to be a lot harder than he originally thought. This basement was like a hoarder’s dream, but nothing seemed to catch his eye.

Chris was about to give up when he noticed a strange wooden box that was on top the pile of junk in the center of the room. The box looked like an old phonograph, except the flower-shaped cone part was missing. He glanced around for the missing part and found it resting in an open box on the floor that was also filled with some vinyl records. He sat down next to the box and attached the missing part to the phonograph before setting it down in front of him.

“Let’s see if this thing still works,” Chris said to himself as he thumbed through the small collection of music. He couldn’t recognize any of the band names, so he picked one out at random and set it down on the phonograph turntable. He was about to wind it up, but noticed that the crank was missing. Before he could turn to look for it, the record started to glow with a golden aura of magic and spin on its own.

“Well, that’s handy,” Chris mused, reaching for the needle before placing it on the record. He sat back and listened, but only soft static could be heard until a gentle waltz began to play. It was a beautiful song and he took a moment to listen. The quality wasn’t the best, but it was clear enough to enjoy.

While the song played, he looked through the other records and found one that read simply as Swing. A smile started to appear on Chris’s lips as he took the waltz record off and replaced it with the new one. Almost immediately a new song began to play, causing him to bob his head to the beat. It had been a while since he had gotten a chance to listen to music like this and his body started to sway in-time with the rhythm.

Chris kept thinking how much fun it would be to get Bon Bon to let loose and watch her swing it with him. Perhaps he could surprise her with it one day, but now might not be the best time. She was probably still shaken from what happened yesterday and wouldn’t be up for dancing.

He let the song play to completion before placing the records back into the box. He put everything away into a safe spot that he could easily come back to later.

Standing up, he looked around the basement again, glancing over all the shelves once more. He looked over one shelf in particular that was filled with what looked like some gardening tools, until his sight fell upon something interesting. “What’s this?” he asked himself as he reach out to the soft, rubber-like items. His eyes started to widen once he realized what he was now holding. “These are perfect!”

Celestia's sun shone brightly in the cold winter sky, illuminating the bedroom and shining directly onto Bon Bon’s face, causing her eyes to slowly flutter open. She yawned loudly, stretching out all four limbs under the bedsheets before curling them back into her body. She nuzzled her head deeper into her pillow as memories of what happened yesterday filled her mind, making her frown. She still felt awful for freaking out and did the best she could to act like everything was normal around Chris, but her shaky hooves made that difficult. She felt a lot better now and wanted to make it up to Chris somehow.

Bon Bon pushed herself up with her forelegs, letting the covers slide off her body completely. She sat there, contemplating what she could do for Chris. Making him a tasty treat was definitely an option. He might like some of her cookies. It had been a while since she had made those for anypony, but she was confident Chris would enjoy some.

“What kind of cookies do humans like?” Bon Bon mused to herself as she rubbed the underside of her chin with the back of her hoof. She remembered he ate that daisy sandwich she made for him, so perhaps he might like some oatmeal cookies with daisy petals. Those where some of her favorites growing up.

Smiling and nodding to herself, she went to hop off the bed, but stopped when a wonderful and calming fragrance of sugary oranges filled her nostrils. She looked to the source and saw the black box with the firelily inside, sitting there on the nightstand. It was still out and opened, next to that adorable picture of Lyra playing in the mud. She was using the flower last night to help her calm down enough to sleep. It worked, but she didn't need it anymore now.

Bon Bon got off the bed and closed the box before putting it back in her saddlebag were it was safe. She then started to make her way out, but paused when she thought she heard Chris walk up to the bedroom door. “Bonny!” his excited voice called to her from the other side. “Are you up? I have a surprise for you.”

Bon Bon blinked a few times in confusion before answering him. “Y-yes. I was just about to come out.” What could he possibly have that would be a surprise? She couldn't think of anything, but that didn't stop her from getting excited.

“Come out here, quick!”

Bon Bon smiled and shook her head. “Okay, okay. Just hold your ponies,” she said happily as she opened the door to see Chris standing there with a big goofy grin on his face that caused her smile to widen. She looked down to see that his hands were behind his back. “So, what's the surprise?”

“Check out what I found in the basement,” Chris said with eager excitement as he brought his arms around, revealing brown, hooved shaped gardening boots that covered his hands and half his forearms.

Bon Bon’s smile slowly melted into a frown as she inspected the boots. She had a bad feeling about why Chris was wearing those things and it caused her to look up at him with a questioning expression. “You found… boots?”

“Yeah! My hands look like hooves now!” Chris said, pointing happily. “You don’t have to worry about me touching you with my hands again.”

Bon Bon didn’t like this at all. The fact that Chris felt like he needed to cover himself made her stomach twist into a sickened knot. Her frown deepened for a moment before she forced a smile. “That’s very sweet of you to do and I’m grateful that you're thinking of me, but you really don’t have to do that. I’ll be fine I promise,” she reassured him sweetly. “You can take those silly things off.”

“Nuh-uh." Chris shook his head in playful disagreement. "Look, it’s fine. See?” he said, bopping Bon Bon on the nose with his booted right hand, causing her to reel her head back and scrunch up her muzzle. “I can touch you now and you don’t have to worry.”

Bon Bon blinked a few times then rubbed the bopped spot with her hoof, then looked back to Chris. “Y-yes, but I don’t―”

“Boop,” Chris chirped, interrupting her with a second bop to the nose.

Bon Bon wiggled her snout then contorted her face, trying to hold back a sneeze. Once the feeling faded she glared up at Chris with a slight scowl. “Chris, please I d―”

“Boop.”

Bon Bon scrunched up her muzzle, shutting her eyes tight before letting out a dainty little sneeze then glared angrily up at Chris. “This isn’t funny! Just sto―”

“Boop, boop, bo―”

“STOP!” Bon Bon yelled, batting his hand away, interrupting his bop assault which caused him to frown sadly. “I don’t want you to wear those things!”

“But… these will help you,” Chris argued sadly, holding up his booted hands. “You don’t have to be afraid now.”

Bon Bon sighed dropping her head down for a moment before looking back up. “I know you're just trying to be nice and help, but you don’t understand how much this upsets me.”

“I-I know how much it upsets you,” Chris countered softly. “That's why I can wear these an―”

“No, Chris. That's not what I meant," Bon Bon interrupted sounding irritated. “It’s upsetting to me how afraid I am of your hands. I don’t want you to think you have to cover up part of yourself just because of my fear. It’s not fair to you and it won’t help me get any better.”

“But, I really don’t mind,” Chris protested gently with a forced smile, waving his booted hands. “I can keep them on an―”

“CHRIS!” Bon Bon yelled, scowling deeply. “Please… just take them off.”

Chris opened his mouth as if he was going to try and protest more, but closed it and nodded his head. “Okay, Bonny,” he replied dejectedly. He took off the boots and made his way back down to the basement.

Bon Bon didn't like shouting at Chris, but he just wouldn’t listen. She knew he meant well, but she couldn’t live with herself if he had to walk around all day like that. Sighing, she started to make her way to the kitchen. She stopped once she saw Scary’s aquarium and walked up to it.

Glancing around for a moment, she found Scary in the back corner of the tank with his head buried in the dirt and his back side held high in the air.

“S-scary,” Bon Bon tried to say without laughing. “W-what in all of Equestria are you doing?” she questioned, giggling softly at the end.

Scary pushed his front half up, letting the dirt fall off his head as he looked up to her.

Bon Bon shook her head. “Good morning you silly little spider,” she sang, watching him slowly crawl up to the glass, heading in her direction. “Sleep well?”

Scary stopped in front of the glass and faced her. He lifted one of his front forelegs up then set it back down gently. It looked like he was trying to wave.

“Aww,” Bon Bon cooed as she placed her elbows on the kitchen counter, crossing her forelegs over each other before resting her head on top of them. “You know, I’m really getting used to the idea of having you around. You’re not so bad for a creepy spider.”

Scary crawled closer and started to paw at the glass with his foreleg.

Bon Bon might have found something like this terrifying before, but now it was just cute. She started to wag her tail slightly as she watched him. This was the first time she could actually look at a spider up close without being terrified, so she took a moment to really study him. He was surprisingly a lot less intimidating up close. It was hard to tell if he had fangs or not and she wondered if he did. He must have something to eat his food with, which reminded her that she had no idea what he ate. She knew some spiders ate flies, but Scary was too big for a fly to make a decent meal. She made a mental note to ask Chris about that later.

Bon Bon looked over to the basement door, then looked back to Scary with a frown. “Did you notice what Chris was trying to do today?” she asked in a sad tone.

Scary faced the basement for a short moment, then turned back.

“Do you... think I was too mean for shouting?” Bon Bon asked softly. She tilted her head to the side, letting her cheek rest on her forelegs. “I know why he did it, but he shouldn’t have do that just because I'm…” She trailed off, shutting her eyes. “It's just not fair. I hate that I’m so afraid of his… touch.”

Scary pressed both of his forelegs on the glass in response.

Bon Bon opened her eyes and smiled softly at him. “And I hate that I’m afraid of to you too. You're too adorable to be considered scary,” she admitted, stepping back and dropping her forelegs back to the floor. “But, let's face it. If you weren't behind that glass I wouldn’t be talking to you right now.”

Scary stayed motionless, watching her as he kept his forelegs on the glass.

“I want to make Chris something to apologize for the way I acted yesterday. Do you think he would like some daisy and oatmeal cookies?”

Scary moved back and quickly shook his body in response.

Bon Bon raised a questioning eyebrow. “No? But everypony loves daisy and oatmeal cookies. It’s a well-known classic,” she argued passionately.

Scary repeated his little shake.

Bon Bon hummed to herself in thought. “How about… oatmeal and… chocolate chips?”

Scary remained motionless for a moment, then shrugged with his legs in response.

“You're not sure?” Bon Bon questioned. “Well I think I remember Lyra buying him chocolates a while ago.” She thought for a moment, then shrugged her shoulders. “I’m pretty sure he likes chocolate, I don’t know a single pony that hates it.” With that she turned and walked into the pantry to start collecting the ingredients she needed for Chris’s cookies.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” Chris muttered angrily to himself with each step he took down the stairs. He felt terrible about upsetting Bon Bon. He shouldn’t have tried to push her to accept his help when she didn’t want it. “You always find the best ways to make a fool of yourself in front of the pretty girls, dontcha, Chris?” he grumbled as he reached the basement. It was just like what happened back at The Everfree Moon when he tried to help her with her napkin set and she refused him.

Chris reached the shelf of gardening tools and placed the boots back where he found them before continuing to think about how badly his little plan backfired on him. He might have just made things worse between him and Bon Bon, or at least it felt that way. He was so embarrassed, but Bon Bon was right. Hiding his hands from her wasn’t going to help matters.

Even though his plan failed horribly, Chris was still determined to cheer Bon Bon up some how. He looked to the phonograph from earlier and stroked his chin in thought.

“No,” Chris said to himself. “She wouldn’t be up for that.” He looked around the basement some more, but stopped once his sights fell on the only locked door in the whole house. That door had been taunting him the whole time. His curiosity started to eat at him, making him walk up to the door and look around for a spot where the key might be hidden.

After looking with no success, he knelt down to inspect the keyhole. It was a simple and older looking lock. He thought he might be able to pick it if he had a hairpin or something similar. He found a few things like nails and some paper clips laying around in the basement and used those to mess with the lock for a while, but nothing seemed to work. The paper clips were too thin and bent easy and the nails he found were too big. He ultimately gave up.

Chris let out an exhausted sigh, figuring he had spent way too long in the basement trying to open the stupid door. He shouldn’t be trying to break into Lyra’s parents’ locked room anyways. It must be locked for a good reason, but it was just so tantalizing sitting there with its hidden secrets.

Before heading back upstairs, he figured now would be a good time to see if there were any good books to read since he had finished the parental guide book a while ago. He scanned the shelves, but stopped on one large book that seemed out of place, having been sandwiched between the other smaller ones.

Chris pulled the book out and looked at it. His eyes widened once he realized what he was looking at. There was a heart shape that was carved into the hardcover of the book and in the center of that was a picture of three smiling ponies.

There was a tall light blue pegasus stallion on the left, sporting a wide, toothy grin. He had bright golden eyes that seemed to radiate a familiar sense of warmth and welcome, while his white mane was cut short and left in a mess. To his left was a yellow unicorn mare who was smiling, but not as wide as the stallion was. She was more calm and reserved, but still managed a warm, happy smile. Her beautiful, two-tone cyan mane flowed down one side in a wave like pattern, passing her chin by a few inches. Her eyes were a light green color, but she wasn’t looking directly at the camera. No, she was looking down between her and the stallion at an adorable mint green unicorn filly. The filly was smiling just as wide and bright as the stallion, showing off her braces as she looked into the camera.

This was Lyra’s family photo album.

Chris had never seen Lyra’s parents before, but here they were. It was a little strange seeing Lyra with just two parents. With how persistent she was about starting a herd, he would’ve guessed she was raised in one herself.

Shrugging the thought away, he continued to look at the delightful family. He could tell where Lyra got her looks and he could see who influenced her personality more just from the two bright smiles being shown. This was almost too perfect. Bon Bon would get a kick out of this and they could look at some embarrassing family photos of Lyra. Maybe if they were lucky they could find a cute foal picture or two of her.

With the photo album in hand, Chris turned around and forced himself to calmly walk up the stairs, suppressing his excitement. He walked into the living room and saw Bon Bon in the kitchen. She was in the far back corner with her forelegs on the counter and her back facing him. There was a mixer and a cookie sheet next to her as well as a carton of eggs along with some other of ingredients like flour and oatmeal. She even had her special vanilla extract out and was mixing everything in a large bowl with a wooden spoon that she held in the crook of her hoof. All the while, humming a pretty catchy tune to herself, swaying her hips back and forth to the happy rhythm.

He stepped into the kitchen as Bon Bon continued her work, seemingly unaware of his presence. His eyes watched her closely as they drifted lower to her hypnotically swaying hips and tail. Her tail swayed from side to side, taunting and teasing him with thoughts of what she might be like under there. His eyes drifted upward, following her spine as he continued to take in her strong and shapely body. She started to shift her shoulders, grooving to her own tune as her humming got louder and more passionate. The way she moved was enchanting and even a little erotic, making him swallow the lump that was forming in his throat.

Chris could feel himself blush and start to sweat as his excitement grew, but he knew he shouldn’t be thinking about Bon Bon like this. He looked away and took a deep breath to help collect himself before calling out to her. “H-hey, Bonny. What’re you making?”

Bon Bon jumped in surprise from his voice. “C-Chris,” she stuttered, looking over her shoulder at him. “You frightened me. I didn’t hear you come up.”

Chris's blush deepened, making him look away to try and hide it as he rubbed the back of his neck. “S-sorry. I didn't mean to sneak up on you.”

Bon Bon smiled at him. “Oh, it’s okay. You just startled me is all,” she said as she turned back to her work.

“So, ehh, what are you making?” Chris asked again as he walked up behind her and peered over her shoulder. He could put two and two together and tell that she was making cookies, but he still felt the need to ask.

“I’m just finishing up making you a little treat as an apology for my behaviour last night,” she stated happily, going back to her work, humming again, but softer than before.

“An apology?” Chris questioned in disbelief. “Bonny, you don’t have to―”

“Nuh-uh, I won't have any of that,” Bon Bon said quickly, cutting him off. “I still feel bad about it and I want to make it up to you.”

Chris rolled his eyes. He still didn’t think she needed to do anything for him. Her reaction was perfectly reasonable considering her phobia, but he wasn’t going to be rude and turn down a delicious treat from her. “That’s really nice of you, Bonny. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome!” Bon Bon sang in tune with the melody she was humming.

Chris couldn’t help the wide smile that spread across his lips. The way Bon Bon sang and hummed as she worked was unbelievably adorable and it made his heart skip a beat. “So, you're making me some cookies then?” he asked, leaning against the counter behind her.

Bon Bon nodded her head. “I wanted to make you some oatmeal and daisy petal cookies.” Chris cringed slightly at the mention of daisies behind her back. “But Scary thought you wouldn’t like it.”

Chris raised a questioning eyebrow, looking towards Scary. “He did?” he questioned in disbelief. It always shocked him how intelligent creatures seemed to be in this world.

Scary was now looking up at Chris from his aquarium. He held up his foreleg and waved it a few times.

Chris mouthed the words ‘thank you’ to him, which Scary responded with a little salute.

“Yeah,” Bon Bon continued. “So I decided to make some chocolate chip ones instead. Not as good as daisies, but still a good choice. I hope that's okay.”

“Chocolate chips and oatmeal just so happens to be one of my favorite cookies,” Chris explained warmly.

Bon Bon giggled then looked towards Scary. “Then we made the right choice,” she said with a wink in his direction.

Chris glanced back and forth between Scary and Bon Bon, smiling to himself. He was happy that they were getting along so well and were able to bond with each other, despite Bon Bon's fear of him. It was a heartwarming sight.

“Oh, Chris,” Bon Bon said suddenly, jerking him out of his thoughts. “I just remembered, I wanted to ask you something about Scary."

Chris gave her a confused look as she turned back to her mixing. “What about him?”

“Do you know what he likes to eat? I don’t think he’s eaten at all since he’s been in that aquarium.”

“Oh well, his kind like to eat other insects and arachnids, especially the more dangerous and venomous ones.”

Bon Bon’s eyes widen. “Wait, really?” she asked, sounding shocked and turning her head to look over her shoulder at Chris.

“Yeah. Scary is immune to all that venom and his fluffy body makes it difficult for his prey to bite or sting him.” He paused for a moment, scratching his beard as he tried to recall what Fluttershy had told him. “Or at least that's what I think.”

Bon Bon blinked up at him. “But… he... eats his own kind?” she asked sounding disheartened.

Chris winced a bit, remembering how sensitive Bon Bon was about that kind of stuff. "Well… yes, he does in a way I guess," he admitted sadly. "But he eats the more dangerous bugs that you really don't want around your home," he added quickly, trying to defend Scary, hoping that this new information would help Bon Bon to accept him.

Bon Bon didn't say anything and looked over to Scary with a small frown.

Chris rubbed the back of his neck, thinking of what he could possibly say to help Bon Bon feel better about her new friend. "He's a, umm very friendly spider and… he’d never hurt anypony," he started to explain, dropping his hand down to his side. "Besides, he doesn't really have a choice in what he needs to eat in order to live. He was just born that way. I’m sure if he could, he would have picked plants to live on. Much like what you ponies have to eat to survive."

Bon Bon slowly looked up to Chris. "I... I guess you're right... It's just in his nature."

"Exactly," Chris agreed happily. "And he can protect you from the more evil and venomous spiders," he added with a wink.

Bon Bon started to smile again and look back to Scary. "That is true."

“And dont worry about feeding him,” Chris continued. “Spiders don’t really eat that much. They can go weeks without food and I’ve been dropping small bugs in his aquarium whenever I find some. He ate yesterday so he should be fine.”

“Oh?” Bon Bon said, keeping her gaze on Scary. “That’s... good to know. Thank you Chris.” She turned back to her mixing, going quiet, seemingly lost in her thoughts.

Chris wasn't sure if what he said helped her feel more comfortable about Scary or not, but he quickly remembered what he was holding. “Hey, guess what I found it the basement,” he asked in eager excitement, stepping away from the counter and hiding the family photo album behind his back.

Bon Bon looked over her at him, raising an eyebrow, smirking slightly. "Did you find more silly things to put on your hands?" she teased, sticking her tongue out at him.

Chris rolled his eyes, knowing she was having a little fun with him. "Nope, even better."

“Oh?" Bon Bon said in a questioning tone. "Well, I already know you have a book behind your back. You weren't doing a good job of hiding it before.”

Chris chuckled softly. “Yes, but you'll never guess what kind of book.”

Bon Bon tilted her head slightly, looking down where his hands were behind his back, before looking back up. “Okay, I’ll bite. What is it?”

Chris brought the book around, making sure the front cover was in full view for Bon Bon and held it up for her.

Bon Bon gasped loudly, getting off the counter, turning to face him. “Is that Lyra’s family photo album?!”

Chris nodded his head. “Yep!”

Bon Bon squealed in delight, tapping her hooves up and down in rapid succession. “Oh my gosh, we have to look at it!”

“That’s the plan,” Chris said, keeping the book held up for her to see. “If we’re lucky we might stumble upon some embarrassing photos of Lyra.”

“Awwww,” Bon Bon cooed as she gazed at the family portrait on the front cover, letting her eyelids fall slightly. “I forgot how adorable Lyra was when she had braces.” She let out a soft giggle, then looked up to Chris. “I bet we could also find some cute foal pictures!” she added with happy excitement. “That would just make my day!”

Chris smiled triumphantly to himself. So far his find was a hit and he was just as excited as she was. “I’ll go put the book on the table in the living room, then we can both look at it together,” he said, turning around and making his way out of the kitchen.

“Okay, but don’t start without me, please,” Bon Bon said as she turned back to her bowl of cookie dough. “Let me just put these cookies into the oven and I’ll join you.”

Chris stopped and turned around to face her. “You need help?”

Bon Bon got up on her haunches, putting her forehooves back on the counter before waving a dismissive hoof in the air. “I got it, sweetie,” she reassured him. “Besides these cookies are for you. Just go sit down and I’ll join you in a moment.”

Chris shrugged his shoulders and turned to make his way out again, but froze as his eyes widened in sudden realization. ‘Did… Did she just call me... sweetie?’ he thought to himself. That was something that Lyra would call him all the time, but she only called him that once they became intimate. Did Bon Bon mean to say that, or did it just slip out without her knowing?

He looked over his shoulder at Bon Bon who was busy, happily humming to herself, scooping out small chunks of cookie dough from the bowl before putting it on the cookie sheet. She must not have realized what she said, or perhaps he was reading into it a little too much, or maybe… maybe he just wanted it to mean more.

Chris sighed sadly to himself and walked out of the kitchen, taking a seat at the dining table. He placed the book down in front of him and waited for Bon Bon.

Bon Bon placed the cookie sheet in the oven, then closed the door before skipping out of the kitchen. She was overcome with joy, and could hardly wait to look at Lyra’s family photos with Chris. She got up to the table and started to push the empty stool with her muzzle next to Chris. She then hopped up and got herself comfortable before looking up to him. “Ready!”

Chris smiled at her before looking down to the book. He opened it to the first page, revealing another family portrait, similar to the one on the cover, except this one was obviously an outtake. Lyra’s father was using one of his wings to tickle Lyra, causing her to laugh hysterically as her mother was caught mid eye roll.

Bon Bon smiled down at the picture. It was nice to see Lyra and her father acting like they always do, even way back then.

“Lyra’s father seems like a fun stallion,” Chris said.

Bon Bon nodded her head. “He’s very sweet and loves to clown around,” she explained fondly. “He and Lyra are very close.”

“Yeah it seems like it," Chris said. "I can tell just from this picture that they’re best friends.”

“Lyra looks up to him a lot,” Bon Bon added happily.

“What's her mother like?” Chris asked, sounding curious.

“Well,” Bon Bon started to explain, thinking back for a moment. “She’s a lovely mare, very caring and a saint for having to put up with those two,” she teased, pointing a hoof at Lyra and her father in the picture.

Chris chuckled. “Yeah, I could imagine. That poor mare.”

“Let’s just say… she had to put up with a lot,” Bon Bon added, reaching a hoof out to turn the page. The next few pages revealed two large photos. The photo on the left showed Lyra’s parents at some restaurant, only they both looked much younger than they did on the cover. They were both sitting in a booth with a gigantic plate of what looked like a mountain of hay fries. Lyra’s father had a big smile on his face and was gesturing to the fries with his hooves while Lyra’s mother looked to the camera with a more sheepish and worried smile.

Bon Bon recognised the restaurant and knew Lyra’s parents were doing the couples challenge that was held there. The goal was to eat all the fries before the time ran out and the reward for finishing everything was a weeks worth of free meals for both of them. They would even get their names put on the wall of fame, along with their picture. It was a difficult challenge and only a few had completed it.

The next photo was at the same booth, except the plate was now empty. Lyra’s parents were now both leaning over the large plate, while smiling brightly at the camera, obviously trying to hide their nausea.

“Did they eat all of that food?” Chris asked sounding astonished.

Bon Bon nodded. “It looks like this was their first date together,” she explained warmly. “Kind of a strange place for a first date, but knowing Lyra’s father, I’m guessing that was his idea.” She reached her hoof out again and turned the page.

There were multiple photos of Lyra's parents on random dates on the next few pages. There was one picture in particular that Bon Bon stopped at. It was one of Lyra’s parents, kissing each other under a shady tree.

“They’re pretty cute together, aren't they?” Chris asked happily.

Bon Bon blushed and looked up to him with a soft smile and nodded her head before looking back and turning the page.

Next was a large photo of Lyra’s mother smiling softly with a warm blush on her cheeks, posing in a beautiful white wedding dress. The dress was made out of a silky material that glistened in the light. She wore a matching white saddle that gave way to a large frilly skirt that cascaded down with multiple layers of lace fabric. The skirt itself made up most of the dress and trailed several feet behind her. Her normally wavy-looking mane was straight and flowed down the right side of her face. She also wore a light-blue rose tiara around her forehead with a clear veil that fell over her eyes.

“She looks... amazing,” Chris said under his breath.

Bon Bon couldn’t agree more. “She's beautiful. They must have spent a fortune on that dress.”

There was a charming picture of Lyra’s father on the next page. He was wearing a black tux with a white dress shirt underneath. He had a yellow bow tie around his neck and a yellow rose in his now combed out and straightened mane. His attire made him look quite handsome and it was easy to tell he was nervous when the picture was taken. It showed in his worried smile and how his forehead glistened with beads of sweat.

"Looks like somepony's nervous," Chris pointed out.

"Well he should be. He's about to marry a beautiful mare," Bon Bon said with a giggle before turning the page, revealing some pictures of the wedding celebration. The last picture was of Lyra’s parents kissing at the altar with a crowd of cheering ponies.

After a few more pictures of the after party, they stumbled onto a picture of Lyra’s mother lying on her side in a field of tall grass. Lyra’s father had his eyes closed as he pressed an ear and a hoof to her now somewhat swollen belly. Chris and Bon Bon both gasped in unison, and looked at each other with a happy and knowing smirks. They continued to flip through the pages, which showed her pregnancy progression.

It all ended with Lyra’s mother lying on her side in a hospital bed, looking extremely frazzled and exhausted. Her mane was an absolute mess, she had large bags under her eyes, and her whole body was covered in sweat. Despite all this, she still had a bright, glowing smile on her face as she peered down at a pink bundle of fabric nestled between her forehooves. The very next page showed a closer shot of the bundle, revealing a sleeping mint green unicorn foal in the middle.

“Awwww!” both Chris and Bon Bon sang together as they took in the cute scene.

“She’s even more adorable than I could have ever imagined,” Chris admitted softly.

“She’s so precious,” Bon Bon added, placing a hoof to her chest. The photo only made her want a foal of her own even more. Lyra looked so peaceful resting in between her mother's hooves.

“It’s hard to believe that innocent little foal grew up to be such a weirdo,” Chris teased, looking towards Bon Bon.

Bon Bon snorted, trying to hold in a laugh before looking up at him. “Yes, a very energetic and foolish weirdo.”

“But a lovable, energetic and foolish weirdo,” Chris clarified.

Bon Bon giggled and nodded her head in agreement before looking back to the photo album, turning the page. They both saw a cluster of pictures with Lyra as a newborn, learning to walk and putting random toys into her mouth.

Suddenly Chris burst out laughing, pointing a finger at a couple of the pictures. Bon Bon looked to where he was pointing, then bit her lip trying to hold her own laughter.

One photo was of little Lyra in a highchair, passed out with her head half in a bowl filled with applesauce, sleeping peacefully with a goofy, little grin spread across her tiny lips. The second was another one of Lyra sleeping on a couch. Her chest and head rested on the seat cushion, with her forelegs stretched out in front of her, while her belly was pressed up against the back pillows. Her rump and hind legs were up above her, causing her tail to fall down over her head, covering her face almost completely except for her little snout that poked out.

Unable to contain herself anymore, Bon Bon joined Chris, laughing at the silly pictures. “We have to save these some how,” Chris said weakly as their laughter died down.

“We should ask Lyra’s parents if they have anymore copies,” Bon Bon added quickly. “Maybe we can make our own copies and hand them out to all her orchestra mates.”

Chris smirked a little. “I like that idea. We’ll have to come back for these when we're out of here. You know, to help with our revenge plan.”

“Oh, yes. I couldn’t agree more,” Bon Bon said as she turned the page.

They continued to look through the rest of Lyra’s foal pictures, watching as she slowly grew up before their eyes. Every picture made Bon Bon’s heart melt, but after a while she noticed that Chris had gone quiet. She looked up to see him frowning with a deep, concerning look of his face, which puzzled her. “Chris, what's the matter?” she asked sweetly.

Chris blinked a few times, then looked back at her. “Sorry, I kind of got distracted,” he admitted sadly.

The tone in his voice told Bon Bon something was troubling him. “Is everything okay?” she asked in concern, placing a hoof on his thigh.

Chris sighed. “Yeah, it’s just…” he started to explain, but hesitated, taking a deep breath. “Looking at all these pictures of Lyra as a foal has me thinking.”

“Thinking of what?”

“I think Lyra really wants a foal of her own someday,” Chris admitted, placing his hands on the table, gripping them together. “I’m just worried that it might be a big issue for us later down the road.”

This was very strange to Bon Bon. As far as she knew, Lyra didn't want a foal at the moment. “Why do you think Lyra wants a foal so much?” she asked, taking her hoof off of his thigh.

“Awhile ago she asked me this hypothetical question,” Chris started to explain. “She asked if I wanted to have a foal with her. Like if there was this… spell or something that could help us. I think she only asked me because she really wants one." He sighed deeply, twiddling his thumbs around. "But she knows we can’t really have one together and I think that might be upsetting her. I don't know why else she would ask a question like that...”

Bon Bon realized right away that Lyra had asked that question for her sake. She was the real one that wanted a foal in the future. “Is… is that why you've been reading that parental guide book so much?” she asked softly.

“Yeah,” Chris answered, nodding his head slightly. “I’ve been trying to learn as much as I can about taking care of foals and what it takes to be a good father. If Lyra really wants one, then we can adopt and I want to be ready for that."

Bon Bon blinked up at him, stunned. Chris sounded so genuine about becoming a father, but was that something he wanted himself? "Is this... is this something you want?" Bon Bon asked nervously, but thought she should clarify her question. "I-I mean, would you want to raise a foal of your own with, umm Lyra, because you want that too and not just because she wants to?

Chris turned to her, raising a questioning eyebrow. "That's a pretty heavy question."

Bon Bon smiled sheepishly in response. It was a little bit overboard, but she just had to know his answer. "S-sorry, but, umm... would you… really want that?"

“Honestly?” Chris said, looking down at the photo album again. “Ever since Lyra first asked me that question I’ve been giving it a lot of thought and, well... I really want to be a father. I want to see our little colt or filly grow up to do great things, and the more I think about it…” He paused, turning to look back into Bon Bon’s eyes. “The more I wish that hypothetical spell was real.”

Bon Bon smiled at his answer. She could tell that he really did want to be a father. But, why was he getting ready to have a foal with Lyra? Wouldn’t he leave once Twilight found him a way home?

Chris sighed sadly, interrupting her thoughts. “I just don’t know if Lyra would want to adopt,” he said, disheartened. “I’m really worried that she wants one of her own, but it’s impossible for us to do that. I’d hate for her to have to sacrifice something like that just to stay with me, but if she left me...” he hesitated, fidgeting with his hands before giving her a worried look. “You don’t think Lyra would leave me because of that do you?”

Bon Bon looked into his eyes, placing her hoof back on his thigh, rubbing it reassuringly before responding. “Trust me. I know Lyra and you have nothing to worry about. She loves you and won't let something like that get in the way."

Chris smiled at her. “Thank you, Bonny… that makes me feel a lot better.”

Bon Bon patted his thigh and smiled before going back to flipping through the photo album. She wondered what it would be like to raise a family with him. It would be an interesting experience, that's for sure. One that she was surprisingly comfortable with now that she thought more about it, but she couldn’t help but wonder why he wanted a foal when he was just going to lea―

“WAIT!” Chris shouted suddenly, causing Bon Bon to jump. “Go back!”

Bon Bon looked down and saw that she had been mindlessly flipping through pages. She wasn’t really paying attention, so she wasn’t sure why Chris wanted her to go back. She slowly started to turn the page and what she saw caused her her eyes to widen and her face to burn in a bright blush. “Oh my gosh!” she shouted, covering her face with her hooves.

There in the photo album, was a big picture of a young, teenage Lyra, happily leaning against a familiar cream colored earth pony mare. The younger and more unfashionable Bon Bon was smiling proudly at the camera, supporting some very large, very blue, and very thick pair of… of...

“You used to wear glasses?!” Chris asked, sounding excited.

“Oh sweet Celestia, this is so embarrassing,” Bon Bon muttered, hiding herself behind her hooves, not daring to look at Chris. She didn’t think there would be an older picture of her in this album. Now Chris knew her terrible secret. She wore unattractive, hideous, and nerdy glasses. “J-just laugh and get it over with.”

“Laugh?” Chris questioned. “Why would I laugh? You look amazing in this picture.”

Bon Bon quickly shook her head behind her hooves in disagreement. “I look like a dork!”

“Well... you are a dork,” Chris pointed out. “But, I really like your glasses in the photo.”

Bon Bon lowered her hooves slightly and peered up at him. “You… do?” she questioned, finding his words hard to believe. Nopony ever complimented her glasses and it was something other ponies would often ridicule her for when she was younger. “Why would you like them?”

“W-well, I mean…” Chris started to explain, sounding bashful all of a sudden as he looked away from her. “I-I kind of like glasses on mares, and I think they looked really... pretty on you.”

Bon Bon’s blush deepened. She could feel her heart start to pound a little faster in her chest as she lowered her hooves a bit more. "R-really?"

"Y-yeah," Chris answered softly before he coughed into his fist, clearing his throat. “So, umm, how come I’ve never see you wear glasses before?”

Bon Bon started to lightly tap her hooves together. “W-well, I don't like wearing them in public… I just wear contacts now, but I keep a pair with me... You know... just in case I need to take my contacts out,” she explained softly, looking down at her hooves.

“T-that makes sense that you’d carry some around just in case,” Chris relayed awkwardly. “S-so, uhh a-any chance you could… u-umm,” he started to say, sounding nervous.

Bon Bon had an idea of what he wanted to ask. “W-would you... like to see?”

Chris turned to her with a blush and a smile, nodding his head.

Bon Bon’s heart started to beat faster in her chest and her hooves started to tremble slightly. “O-okay, just wait here. I-I’ll be right back,” she said nervously with a smile that wouldn’t go away no matter how hard she tried. She walked into the bedroom, but stopped in the doorway and looked back. “J-just be ready to laugh,” she added before walking into the room.

It didn’t take her long to find the case that held her spare glasses in her saddlebag. She popped it open, revealing her pair of light pink wireframe glasses. They were nicer than her older ones that looked like ones only a librarian would wear, but she still wouldn’t be caught dead wearing them around anypony. Well, except Lyra and Chris, but that was just for this one time… since he liked them.

She put the glasses on and adjusted them slightly before walking up to the bedroom door. She took a deep breath and pranced out, holding her head high, ignoring the warm blush on her cheeks and butterflies in her stomach. “T-tada!” she sang in a shaky voice with a sheepish smile, striking a poor excuse of a fashion model pose with one foreleg lifted off the ground.

Chris’s eyes widened and his mouth opened slightly. “Wow,” he said simply, taking her in for a short moment. “I love that pink color on you. It matches your mane perfectly. You look amazing!” he half shouted excitedly.

Bon Bon held her hoof over her lips and stifled a giddy giggle. She then turned around with her back facing him before glancing over her shoulder with an exaggerated duck face.

Chris laughed out loud at her new pose before whistling playfully. “Sssexy.”

Bon Bon giggled in response. “Okay, you’ve had your fun,” she said happily. “I’m going to put them away now.”

“Awwww,” Chris groaned in disappointment. “Alright...” he sighed sadly, looking back to the album. It was pretty obvious that Chris wanted her to keep the glasses on.

“Well...” Bon Bon mused, causing Chris to look up at her with a hopeful expression. She tapping a hoof to her chin, acting as if she was deep in thought before dropping her hoof down, giving Chris a more flirtatious gaze. “Maybe if you're a good little colt, then I’ll put them on again for you later,” she teased.

Chris raised an eyebrow. “O-oh really? Then I’ll be sure to be on my best behavior,” he teased back, playing along. “But…” He paused, stroking that gorgeous beard of his with his hand for a moment. “What would I get if I was a bad colt?” he asked, giving her a half lidded gaze.

Bon Bon blushed brightly. “O-oh my goodness,” she giggled, covering one of her rosy cheeks with a hoof. “T-then you can’t have any of my delicious candy after dinner,” she retorted, wiggling her flanks suggestively, not wanting to be out done.

Chris blinked a few times, seemingly shocked at her response as a warm blush appeared on his cheeks. “I-I see…” he said in a shaky voice before composing himself, grinning wickedly. “Well, if it’s your candy that you're offering, then I'll just have to be extra good. I'd do anything for a taste of one of your… bonbons,” he ended with an eyebrow wiggle.

Bon Bon burst into a fit of laughter, which caused Chris to laugh as well. She had to admit that last line was a good one and even though they were just playing around, she couldn’t deny how thrilling it was to flirt with him.

“W-we’ll see about that,” she replied sweetly, calming her laughter. “I’d love to wear my glasses more for you, but I really should put them away now. It hurts my eyes to wear these and my contacts at the same time,” she explained as she walked back into the bedroom. She put her glasses in her saddlebag, then trotted back out, hopping up on her stool and scooted a little closer to Chris.

They continued to flip through the photo album until they saw a photo with Lyra and her parents in front of a tall building. The camera was pointed up, capturing the whole skyscraper in the background while they all looked down into the camera with wide happy grins.

“They must be in Manehattan,” Bon Bon said, leaning closer to the picture for a better look.

Chris chuckled lightly in the back of this throat. “You know, there’s a similar city back in my old world, except it was called Man-hattan, not Mane-hattan.”

Bon Bon looked up to Chris with a bewildered expression. “Really?” she questioned in disbelief.

“Yeah, I could hardly believe it myself. You know that big pony statue that’s in that city?”

Bon Bon raised a curious eyebrow, sitting back up again. “Yes?”

“There’s one in my world just like it, except it’s called the Statue of Liberty and it's not a pony mare. It’s a human, ehh mare.”

“What? No way!” Bon Bon replied in disbelieving tone, smirking slightly. “You're just pulling my leg. I’m not as gullible as I look, you know.”

“Honestly!” Chris replied quickly, trying to defend himself. “It’s all true.”

Bon Bon rolled her eyes. “What ever you say!” she sang in a teasing manner.

“Wish I could show you somehow…” Chris muttered under his breath.

Bon Bon giggled and turned the next page, revealing some more family vacation photos. There was one photo that looked like it was taken in an old west town. Lyra and her father were both sitting on a bench, getting their caricature done by an artist pony.

“Is that Appleloosa?” Chris asked, pointing a finger at the photo in question. “I'm almost positive it is. I went there once with Applejack to help her cousin with some construction work. It’s a really interesting place.”

“I've been there once myself,” Bon Bon added. “I wasn't there very long though. I know they have a fun rodeo they have down there. It would be nice to go back and see it someday.”

“We should go,” Chris offered, excitedly. “We can all go. You, me and Lyra, it’d be a blast!”

Bon Bon nodded her head. “That would be fun. I’d love to go with you two! When we get out of here, we should make plans,” she said as she flipped to the next page, showing more pictures of Lyra and her parents dancing at what seemed to be some kind of hoedown. A crowd of ponies formed a circle around them as Lyra and her father danced like buffoons in the center, wearing huge ten gallon hats that covered their eyes. Lyra’s mother was biting her lip, trying not to laugh at them while she danced along as well.

“Looks like Lyra and her parents know how to have fun,” Chris mused fondly.

Bon Bon rolled her eyes at that remark. If only he knew. “You have no idea,” she said as she turned a page.

Chris started to chuckle, which confused Bon Bon until she saw the picture he was looking at, causing her to giggle as well. There was a photo of little Lyra being hugged tightly by her mother while she kissed her cheek. Lyra was struggling to get out of her mother's bear hug, shutting her eye tightly and sticking her tounge out in disgust.

“That’s adorable,” Chris said.

“Lyra’s mother loves trying to embarrass her like that,” Bon Bon explained happily, taking a moment to reminisce. “I remember she would always give her big kisses like that when I would come over, just to get her to blush in front of me.”

“That’s just too cute for words,” Chris admitted, looking over the photo. “This picture reminds me of how my sister and mother would act. In fact, I used to have a picture just like this with them in my wallet." He leaned back and stroked his beard for a moment as he thought. "It should still be in my house somewhere,” he mumbled to himself.

“You have a sister?” Bon Bon asked, looking up at him curiously.

“What? Oh, yeah!” Chris answered, breaking out of his thoughts as he looked back to Bon Bon. “She's about a year younger than me, so we were pretty close growing up. We looked out for each other,” he added proudly.

Bon Bon smiled. “She sounds lovely. Was she your only sibling?”

“No, I had an older brother too, but he was much older than me and wasn’t around that much. He left the house to live on his own when I was really young. He was nice, but I just wasn’t as close to him as I was to my little sister.”

“So it was just you and your sister growing up together?” Bon Bon asked, turning on her stool a little more to face him. “And I’m guessing you only had one mother and father like Lyra?”

“Well, actually,” Chris started to say, but paused, leaning back on his stool a little more. “I never really knew my father. He passed away when I was really young, so I only knew my mother.”

Bon Bon gasped in shock, covering her lips with a hoof. “Oh, no... I-I’m so sorry to hear that. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories," she apologized, placing her hoof on her chest. "That must have been awful for all of you. How did it happen?”

“Car acc―I mean, his chariot crashed,” Chris explained. “But I was only about two years old when it happened. I never really got the chance to meet him.”

Bon Bon frowned sadly. “That must have been so hard for your poor mother.”

“Yeah, she took it pretty hard,” Chris admitted, sighing deeply. “I could tell she never got over it. Just from the way she would constantly tell us stories about him… I wish I could remember him.”

“I couldn’t even begin to imagine what that was like for your mother. It must have been hard for her to raise all of you on her own.”

“It was, but she’s very strong and pushed through for our sake...” Chris said, pausing with a smile as he reminisced some more. “She worked herself half to death and made sure we had a decent life growing up. I’ll always remember and love her for that.” Chris frowned and shut his eyes, taking a deep breath before exhaling slowly. He opened his eyes again and looked back to Bon Bon. “She’s a pretty great mother.”

“She sounds wonderful,” Bon Bon said warmly. “And she would have to be to raise such a sweet human like you,” she complemented with a gentle smile.

Chris laughed loudly before responding. “Yeah, I don’t know about that, but she was pretty amazing to put up with me and my sister.”

Bon Bon giggled softly, but her smile slowly started to melt into a frown. It was obvious that Chris missed his family. There was no doubt now that he wanted to go back and be with his family again. “You… must really miss them,” she said sadly.

“I do,” Chris said, disheartened.

Bon Bon nodded her head in understanding, looking down at the table. “I’m sure Twilight will find you a way home soon. Then you can see them all again.”

Chris looked down at her with a puzzled look. “What do you mean?” he questioned.

“You know…” Bon Bon said as if it should be obvious, looking up to him again. “I mean, I’m sure it will take Twilight a while, but she’s a smart pony. She’ll find you a way back home so you can leave Equestria and get your old life back again.”

“Leave… Equestria?” Chris repeated her words, sounding baffled. “Why would I do that?”

Bon Bon blinked a few times in confusion, raising an eyebrow. “What do you mean ‘why?’ Don’t you miss all your family and friends?”

“Well... yeah, of course I do,” Chris admitted. “I would love to see them all and tell them that I’m okay, but I would only do that if I could come back here. I wouldn’t leave this place.”

“W-what?” Bon Bon stuttered as her eyes widened, trying to process what he just said. “B-but… but, but.”

“Hey, missy, butts are for sitting,” Chris teased, sticking his tongue out. “Honestly, though. I didn’t have many friends back in my old world. It would be great to see my family again, but I would only do it so I could tell them what happened to me and let them know I'm happy living here.”

“Y-you’re... h-happy here?” Bon Bon half mumbled.

“Yeah, of course I am. I met Lyra, the love of my life here and made some awesome friends. I might not have the best job… yet,” Chris said with a wink, “and some ponies might still be afraid of me, but I love it here. Plus, I’m sure that over time more ponies will get used to me.”

Bon Bon stared up at him in stunned silence. If he wasn’t leaving then that meant…

“Ehh, Bonny?” Chris called to her after a few moments.

Bon Bon was still having trouble believing his words. “S-so… you wouldn’t leave… Not even if Twilight found a way to send you home?”

Chris laughed out loud, which only confused Bon Bon more. “You want to know a secret?” he asked after stifling his laughter.

“W-what?” Bon Bon asked softly.

Chris leaned into her ear before whispering softly. “Twilight gave up finding me a way home a year ago.”

“SHE DID!?” Bon Bon shouted, causing Chris to flinch and cover his ear with his hand. “S-sorry.” She covered her lips with her hooves when she realised how loud she’d been.

Chris stuck his finger in his ear and twisted it a few times before taking it out. “That’s… okay,” he replied. “I didn’t think you'd be that shocked.”

Bon Bon blushed, and looked away as she tried to piece together all this new information. “But… w-why did Twilight give up?” she asked softly.

“Well… that might have been the wrong way to put it,” Chris admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “She actually told me she was close to finding a spell that could work, but I told her to stop.”

Bon Bon jerked her head up to look at him with a wide-eyed expression that demanded he continue.

“I just realized how happy I am living here in Equestria and how happy I am with Lyra. I’m extremely upset with her right now, but I still love her and I wouldn’t leave unless she could come with me.”

‘This… this can’t be. He’s really staying?’ Bon Bon thought as she looked into Chris’s beautiful hazel-colored eyes.

“Y-you're staying f-forever?” she asked in a soft and shaky voice.

Chris rolled his eyes. “Yes, Bonny, I’m staying,” he answered sounding annoyed. “I don’t plan on leaving now or ever. I love it here and I would never leave you or Lyra.”

Bon Bon’s eyes widened at Chris's words. Did he really say that he would never leave her and Lyra, or did she just imagine that? Did he even realise what he said? Or… did she just hear what she wanted him to say? Whatever the reason was, hearing him say that sent a warm tingle down her spine. He was staying and he wouldn’t just leave her and Lyra behind if they started a herd. That explained why he wanted to have a foal with Lyra.

Suddenly, Bon Bon realized that there was so much about Chris that she still didn’t know. Like what his old world was like, or what other humans were like. She didn’t even know what his favorite color was yet, or what type of music he listened to, or what hobbies he enjoyed.

Food was still a mystery as well. She always just guessed at what kinds of food he ate, but maybe it was time she actually asked him what he liked. Maybe it was time she got to know him and find out who Chris really was.

“Bonny?” Chris called to her softly. “You’re kinda scaring me.”

Bon Bon shook her head, realizing she had been staring at him for a while. “S-sorry.”

“You're acting really strange. Is everything okay?” Chris asked, sounding deeply concerned.

“Y-yeah, I was just,” she started to say but hesitated. If she wanted to get to know Chris more, then now would be a good of a time as any. “I-I was just wondering what your old world must be like. Do you think you could tell me more about it?” she asked, looking up to him with a soft smile.

Chris smiled back. “I’d love to. What would you like to know?”

“Well…” Bon Bon started to say, but thought of her question for a moment. “I think I remember you talking about those text message things the other day. So… how do those work?”

Bon Bon slowly walked to the bedroom but stopped just before entering and turned her head. “Good night, Chris. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said happily, looking over her shoulder at Chris who was in the living room, fluffing one of the couch pillows.

“Good night, Bonny,” Chris replied, putting the pillow down before looking through his backpack for some clean pajamas. “It was fun talking and learning about how you make fudge with you,” he added, looking back to her with a gentle smile.

“Yeah, it was fun,” Bon Bon agreed warmly. “We’ll cook some more tomorrow. Sweet dreams.” She turned towards the bedroom and slowly walked in, then closed the broken door behind her before making her way to the bed. She immediately hopped up and plopped her head face first into the pillow with a loud groan.

Bon Bon stayed like that for a while until she had to breathe again. She tilted her head to the side and hugged her pillow tightly to her cheek with her forelegs. “Chris…” she whispered in a soft and sad tone.

They had spent the rest of the afternoon talking about each other. He talked all about his old world. It was fascinating to learn about and it made her want to visit it someday. She also learned that Chris’s favorite colors were green and yellow and the music he listened to ranged from classical to something he called electronic. He explained that electronic music was something similar to what Vinyl likes. Bon Bon could relate to his taste in music when it came to classical and things, but she wasn’t into the strange stuff that Vinyl made. She preferred the kind of music Octavia played.

Chris also had a lot of hobbies and interests. He liked to read, which she already knew, but he also loved to draw and sketch things as a way to relax. He also said he loved growing things and wanted to start his own garden at some point. Back in his old world he had a rather large garden and enjoyed growing herbs and vegetables to cook with.

Bon Bon also enjoyed this and had a garden of her own. She thought Chris might like to help her take care of it sometime. It would be a nice way for them to spend some time with each other and talk more.

Eventually, she got Chris to admit what his favorite foods were after some persistence. She learned that he loved pasta dishes, which wasn’t that big of a surprise. Humans wouldn’t have a whole hand gesture dedicated to spaghetti if they didn’t like it. He also admitted to really liking meat, which was a little sad to hear, but he told her that he was fine without it about a million times.

Chris also admitted that humans didn't eat hay or flowers. He said humans can digest them, but it wasn't something they really liked. It made her feel so embarrassed that she made him that daisy sandwich. She should have asked him about all this stuff before, but she was just too stubborn and afraid.

They talked until the sun started to set, or rather until the cookies that she had been making started to burn. She just got so wrapped up with getting to know Chris that she completely forgot about them. They both had a good laugh then decided to make dinner together. They had a nice, quiet meal before reading some books on the couch. Overall, it was a really nice day but Bon Bon couldn’t stop thinking about Chris and Lyra and this whole herd business.

Bon Bon groaned, rubbing her cheek deeper into her pillow. Chris was turning out to be a lot more compatible with her then she originally thought. He was sweet and caring, and shared a lot of common interests with her. She would have never found any of this out if Lyra hadn’t…

“Lyra…” Bon Bon moaned softly. Could Lyra have been right about everything? Was Chris truly somepony that could make her happy in life like Lyra so stubbornly believed?

Chris was unlike any stallion she had met before. She had never known somepony that would go so far out of their way to find her such a beautiful gift like the firelily that she cherished so much. Not only that, but his love for Lyra was so genuine and real. He loved and cared for Lyra, and perhaps he could love her the same...

But what would her parents think of all this? They would be against her dating Chris. Plus, how could she be with somepony that couldn’t even touch her?

Bon Bon buried her face deep into the pillow and let out a muddled scream. Her stupid parents and stupid fears wouldn’t let her give Chris a chance, but what could she do? She rolled over on her back and stared up at the ceiling as she continued to think. If Chris was a pony then would she give him a chance?

‘Yes.’

‘Yes?’

That answer came to her a lot quicker then she thought it would, but it was the truth. If Chris was a pony then she wouldn’t have to fear his hands and her parents would have no issues with him. But did it really matter if he was a pony or not?

‘No…’

‘Wait, no?’

‘No, it didn’t.’

She didn’t care that he wasn’t a pony; in fact, that was part of his charm. She liked Chris for who he was. Sure, if he was a pony it would solve a lot of her issues, but at the same time she liked the fact that he was different. He was so exotic in all the best ways possible. He was tall, strong and would never hurt her. She could feel safe with him. Before he seemed intimidating and scary, but now that she knew him for who he truly was, he seemed to be the opposite of that… if only his hands…

“Oh... buck,” Bon Bon muttered softly in frustration, slamming her hooves down on the mattress. She hated that his hands still freaked her out so much. They weren't even spiders, but they just...

Bon Bon sighed deeply, thinking that worrying about all this now was pointless and lied on her side before shutting her eyes. She could try to figure stuff out more tomorrow when she was rested.

Bon Bon tossed and turned for a long while, trying desperately to fall asleep, but just couldn’t get her mind off Chris. She sat up in the bed, frustrated. Maybe if she got a light snack and some water, then she could sleep easier.

Hopping off the bed, she made her way out. The moonlight from the window provided just enough light so she could see clearly. She slowly walked across the floor, trying her best to not wake Chris. She only made it a few feet before she heard him shift and groan.

Bon Bon looked over to him and frowned at what she saw. Chris was curled up and covered in his dirty laundry on the couch. “What in all of Equestria…” Bon Bon quietly questioned to herself as she walked up closer to get a better look. She stopped just in front of the couch and watched him for a while until his body shivered.

Why was he so cold and why was he covered in his dirty laundry?

Bon Bon noticed that he was still fully clothed, just like he always was. It never really occurred to her until now that she had never seen Chris without his clothes on, but why was that? He did seem to lack a proper coat of fur on his body. The cold must affect him a lot more than it did ponies. That would explain why he always had clothes on and why he was covered in his laundry now. He was trying to keep warm.

But, if that was the case then why didn’t he say anything? She could have slept out here on the couch and he could have taken the warmer bed. Was he just trying to be nice again and not say anything so she could sleep more comfortably?

Sweet Celestia! How long has he been putting up with the cold nights like this?

“Chris, you dummy,” Bon Bon whispered angrily to him before walking back to the bedroom. “I can’t believe he didn’t say anything to me. He’s going to make himself sick,” she muttered in annoyance as she trotted up to the bed. She bit one of the bedsheets and started to drag it out into the living room. She brought it up to Chris and draped it over him, letting it slowly fall across his body. She adjusted it so it was covering the entirety of his legs and shoulders.

Chris smiled softly as his body started to relax under the warm blanket. He let out a soft, content sigh, nuzzling his pillow slightly.

Bon Bon smiled at Chris as he slept. He looked so calm and peaceful, it was quite adorable seeing him like that. She had come to really enjoy the way he smiled. It was always so warm and reassuring and she loved it dearly.

She let out a soft, dreamy sigh as she continued to gaze at him. The soft glow of the moon outlined Chris’s handsome and rugged features. His small and well-trimmed beard glistened in the light as he took in long and deep breaths. She let her gaze travel lower, stopping at his chest, watching it slowly rise and fall. She couldn't help but wonder what he would look like under all those clothes.

Bon Bon shook her head in disbelief. She could hardly believe how attracted she was to this alien, but she was fine with that. She could admit to herself that he was good-looking. In fact she had always thought he was quite handsome.

Lyra might have been right this whole time. The unicorn was a little out there at times, but Lyra was her best friend and she knew her better than anypony. Not only that but she also knew Chris better than anypony. She was the only pony to give him a chance and was able to find love with him. Chris made Lyra so happy…

‘Could Chris make me happy?’ Bon Bon thought to herself, frowning slightly as she pondered for a moment.

Bon Bon had no real answer for that question. From what she knew and saw of Chris, it definitely seemed like he could make her happy in life. The only way to know for sure was to… give him a chance.

Bon Bon closed her eyes and started to daydream about one of her favorite fantasies with her dream stallion.

She could clearly visualize Lyra and Chris getting ready for the coming Hearth's Warming Eve celebration while their smiling and laughing foals ran around the house, overcome with the holiday spirit. She was in the kitchen with Chris, using his help to make all the festive holiday treats for their family while Lyra goofed off and played with their children in the other room.

Once everything was ready and cooking, she would shoo Chris out of the kitchen so he could spend time with their foals. He would tell their children stories of why they always celebrated Hearth's Warming Eve and even tell them all about his old world which would always fascinate them.

She could clearly see their foals growing up to be wonderful ponies with their father's guidance. Chris’s guidance... It would all be perfect and she would live happily with Lyra and Chris for the rest of her days...

Bon Bon slowly opened her now-watery eyes and looked back to Chris, who was smiling even wider now with that infectious smile of his. She could clearly picture herself with him and that made her... happy. She was happy... happy to see him with their foals sitting around a warm fire as he told them stories or played with them. It didn't stop there, it didn't matter what the scenario she pictured in her mind. No matter what she fantasized about, Chris was there and she wanted him to be there. She was surprisingly content with how easily she could fit him into her daydreams.

She wanted to give Chris a chance to make her fantasies a reality.

But, what if she did find love with Chris and her parents found out? What would other ponies think?

‘Why does it matter what others think? What does it matter what my parents think? I’m a grown pony and if others can’t be happy for me, then who cares what they think.’

What if Cadance’s spell didn’t work?

‘We could always adopt. There are plenty of little colts and fillies in Equestria that need loving homes.’

What if he could never touch her?

‘…’

Bon Bon frowned deeply, rubbing her foreleg with a hoof as she blinked away her tears. Her stupid fears were still getting in the way. She hated herself for being so terrified of his touch. It just wasn’t fair. His hands couldn’t be that bad. They weren’t even real spiders and Lyra talked about them all the time.

“You've never had him scratch behind your ear, Bonny.”

“You really should have him rub your belly, Bonny. It’s the best.”

“If only you could experience one of his hoof massages. They’re unbelievable, Bonny!”

Lyra loved Chris’s hands so much. They couldn’t feel that good… could they? Maybe they didn’t feel like spiders at all. She could still remember how his hand felt when he touched her hoof on accident. Before she knew what was touching her she thought it was… well it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling.

Bon Bon sighed sadly and turned back to the bedroom. She had a lot to think about and she was going to need a lot of rest to do it. If she really wanted to try the herd and give Chris a chance, then she had to find a way to beat her fears.

Somehow...

Author's Notes:

Bon Bon... What are you thinking? What are you going to do Bon Bon? I don't think Chris is ready!

Sooooooooooooo... Again I am sorry this chapter took so long... Had a lot of stupid things come up this week that slowed me down and I agreed to do some art work for a brony convention, so I had to work on that stuff as well. I'm still working on that art, so the next chapter might not come out for a while. Also I should say... Next chapter is a big one and it will be split into 2 parts. I will do my best to get it out fast, but I can't promise anything.

I really hope you guys like this chapter. It was a lot of fun to write and a pain at the same time.

Tell me what you think! Let me know if stuff is messed up or missing. You can check for chapter updates and progression here!

For all those asking.... The clop is very, very, very. very soon! Alright! Geez.

I love you all.