Twist and Shout

Chris groaned as an awful, stinging odor invaded his nostrils, causing him to grudgingly wake up. “What time is it?” he mumbled tiredly, keeping his eyes shut as he felt around the bed for Bon Bon, who was no longer there. “Bonny?” he called as he opened his blurry, unfocused eyes.

Suddenly, the sound of muffled coughing could be heard coming from the other room, making him perk up a bit. The offensive odor was becoming stronger as his senses returned to him. It was starting to smell like something was... BURNING!?

Chris’s eyes widened, and he sprang up in a panic. “BONNY?!” he shouted, jumping off the bed before running out of the room. He could see Bon Bon standing in the kitchen next to a smoking frying pan with a spatula in her mouth. “Bonny, what's going on?!”

Bon Bon jerked her head towards Chris in shock before covering the smoking pan with a lid, dousing the smoke and covering whatever it was she was cooking. “Kwis!?” she mumbled before spitting the spatula out on the counter. She quickly took the pan off the burner before turning it off completely. “What are you doing up?”

Chris gave her a confused looked. “I just smelled something burning and… wait, what are you even cooking and how did you burn it?” he asked, walking up to her. Bon Bon was an amazing cook and he was having trouble believing she could burn anything.

“I-I… umm,” Bon Bon started to say before looking away from him, biting her lip for a moment. “I’m... sorry I woke you up. I just wanted to do something nice for you to start off our romantic day,” she admitted sadly, looking back at him with disheartened eyes.

“For our date today?” Chris questioned.

Bon Bon nodded her head before taking in a large breath of air. “I just wanted to surprise you with a nice breakfast in bed but I tried to cook it on high heat because I know it needs to be cooked well, a-and it just started sizzling then I couldn’t get it unstuck from the pan for a long time and I kept cooking it to make sure it was done, then i-it just started―”

“Whoa hey, slow down. It’s okay,” Chris said calmly, interrupting her fast babbling. “What were you even cooking?”

Bon Bon sat back and took a deep breath, still looking away as she rubbed her left foreleg with her hoof nervously. “I-it was the… t-the...” she started to say, but stopped.

Chris knelt down next to her and rubbed her back reassuringly. He wasn’t sure why it was so hard to say what she was cooking, but for whatever reason it was really bothering her. “The what?” he asked sweetly, trying to help her feel more comfortable.

Bon Bon turned her head towards Chris, keeping her eyes to the floor. “The... chicken,” she whimpered quietly as tears started to well in her eyes.

Chris’s eyes widened in shock. “The meat in the refrigerator?!” he half shouted. He completely forgot that was still in there.

Bon Bon nodded her head softly. “I-I wanted our romantic day to start out nice... a-and I saw the chicken in the refrigerator and remembered you told me that you really liked meat… s-so I―”

“But, Bonny, I told you I don’t need to eat meat. I know that stuff upsets you. You didn’t have to do that.”

“I know I didn’t have to, but,” Bon Bon paused and looked up at him with watery eyes. “I wanted to. I wanted you to know that… that I can accept you for who you are.”

“Bonny…” Chris said simply, not sure how else to respond. He pulled her into a hug, which she gladly accepted. She wrapped her forelegs around his chest before laying her head on his shoulder. “That’s so sweet of you to do, but you really don’t have to do all that. I’m completely fine without eating meat, honestly.”

Bon Bon shook her head. “No, you’re not. You told me yourself that your body needs meat, and I want to be okay with that,” she argued weakly. “When I saw the meat in the refrigerator I remembered what you said about Scary. I remembered how you said he didn’t get to choose what he ate and… and it's the same with you. You didn’t choose your diet, and I should be okay with that part of you.” She squeezed him a little tighter, nuzzling her head against his neck. “Fluttershy feeds her animal friends meat all the time. It’s just a part of nature, and it’s sad that something had to die, but I realized…” she paused for a moment and sighed softly. “I realized that... it died so that something else may continue to live… it’s just a part of life.”

Chris smiled and leaned back so he could look Bon Bon in the eye. “Bonny… that's so amazingly sweet of you to do. I appreciate that you’re trying to accept that part of me, but I don’t want you to do something that you aren't comfortable with.”

Bon Bon blushed and smiled back at him, then looked away and laid her head on his chest. “I might not be comfortable with it yet, but I’ll… I’ll support you if you want to eat meat. Just don't ask me to cook it for you. I don't think I could go through all that again.”

Chris chuckled and rested his head on top of hers as he held her tightly. “Thank you, Bonny. That really means a lot to me,” he said sweetly. “I’m sorry your surprise didn’t work out the way you planned, but you should be more careful. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you got hurt.”

Bon Bon frowned. “I’m sorry… I thought I could cook it,” she said sadly. “I heard Griffins like their meat cooked, and it needs to be cooked really well. So I turned the heat up, but I didn’t think it would stick to the pan as much as it did. It was so hard for me to get the spatula under it and it just kept burning.”

“I’m just glad you're safe,” Chris said sweetly with a sigh of relief as he held her a little tighter. “I thought the cabin was on fire or something."

“I must smell like gross burning meat now… and my mane is such a mess,” Bon Bon despaired with a heavy sigh, then gasped and pushed herself off of Chris. “I have to get ready!” she half shouted.

Chris gave her a confused look. “Ready? For what, our date tonight?” he questioned.

“Oh my gosh!” Bon Bon shouted again. “It’s going to take me forever to brush my mane!”

Chris blinked in confusion. Why was she worried about her appearance all of a sudden? “Bonny, you look fi―”

“It’s been over a week since I brushed it!” Bon Bon said in a panic. “I must look like an absolute disaster!”

Chris rolled his eyes. “Bonny, calm down. You look―”

“It’s going to take me so long! I can already feel the mats in my mane!” Bon Bon groaned as she backed away from their embrace and started to pace back and forth.

It was pretty apparent that this date was important to Bon Bon. She took a lot more pride in her appearance than Lyra did and wanted this redo date to be something special and real. It seemed she really wanted to look her best and have everything be perfect.

Chris didn't think that she really needed to worry about her appearance as much. She was already beautiful to him. Admittedly though, her mane did look a little tangled. He thought he could help her if she was comfortable with it. Lyra would often let him brush her mane, so he had plenty of experience. “Well, if you like, I can―”

“Oh, Celestia, it’s going to take me hours to get this mane dematted!” Bon Bon continued, interrupting him as she patted the top of her head, feeling around for all the knots and tangles. “I’llberightback!” she said, galloping into the bathroom.

“Wait, I can―”

Bon Bon shut the door behind her in her frantic rush, not hearing what Chris was saying.

“―help you.” Chris sighed and shook his head as he got up. He walked over to the pan and opened the lid. The chicken inside was completely charred and parts of the skin were caked onto the pan.

Chris shook his head in astonishment as he studied the ruined meat. It was incredible that Bon Bon was willing to put herself through so much to give this herd a real chance. He smiled to himself, thinking about everything they had done together and how wonderful Bon Bon truly was. She was definitely a one of a kind mare, and he was a pretty lucky guy to have her and Lyra in his life now.

This little redo date was more than just a do-over. It was his chance to give Bon Bon a special night that she truly deserved.

Chris walked over to the front door as he thought more about how he could make this night special for Bon Bon. ‘I wonder if Bonny would be up for some dancing tonight,’ he thought happily to himself as he placed his hand on the door handle. ‘I bet she’d enjoy a nice slow dance, then I can try to get her to really shake loose,” he chuckled as he pushed the door handle down, causing the door to open slightly.

...

‘The door opened?’

Chris’s eyes widened in shock, and his heart skipped a beat. “W-what?” he muttered to himself in shock. “No… No way.” He gently pushed the door, letting it swing open the rest of the way. He stood there in disbelief as the snow covered forest was revealed to him in all its beautiful winter glory. A gentle breeze of fresh air touched his face, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

This couldn’t be true… Was he just imagining things?

Chris closed his eyes and rubbed his face and looked again. The door remained open, and he could still see the entire forest. The trees swayed in the gentle wind while the white snow glistened in the sunlight. He could even hear the sound of birds singing in the distance.

Lyra’s spell had faded… She must have cast the spell wrong, or she just didn’t have the capabilities to make it last as long as she thought. Whatever the reason was, the door was open now! His constant checking really did pay off!

“I can't believe this,” Chris said quietly with a joyful laugh and bright smile. “This is perfect!” he shouted excitedly into the forest, throwing his arms up into crisp air. They were finally free, and they could return to their lives and the timing couldn’t have been better! They could go out and find Lyra and tell her what happened and…

Lyra…

Chris’s smile slowly melted into a frown. They still needed to talk with Lyra about this whole cabin incident. As much as he wanted to see her again, he still wasn’t ready for that stressful conversation. What would he even say? How would he go about saying it? Not only that, but he might not get another chance to give Bon Bon a romantic day if they returned now. He still wanted to do that, and he knew how much this redo date meant to her.

He stroked his small beard with his hand slowly, contemplating what he should do. Should he not mention anything to Bon Bon about the door yet so she wouldn’t have to worry about it? Maybe they could wait just one more day… Just one more nice, fun and romantic day before they stepped back into Ponyville…

Chris glanced around at the forest for a moment, taking in the refreshing scenery before slowly closing the door.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow,” Bon Bon whimpered as she gave the unicorn brush that was caught in her hair a couple firm tugs. Brushing out her mane was proving to be a lot more trouble than she thought. The brush kept getting stuck, making it painful to try and get out. Not only that, but it was almost impossible to get a good grip on it with her clumsy hooves. It’s moments like this that made her wish she could use magic.

Bon Bon tried to brush her mane earlier, but had ultimately given up and jumped into the bath. Her mane was silky smooth now after she washed it, but all the knots and tangles just got bigger, just like she feared they would.

After a while of working and tugging, Bon Bon finally managed to free the tangled brush and set it on the sink. “This is hopeless,” she sighed, resting her forehooves on the counter as she looked at herself in the mirror. If she had her normal brushes this wouldn’t be as hard, and she could work her mane out more easily. All she’d managed to do so far was make her mats worse.

Suddenly, a knock came from the door and she jumped slightly.

“Hey, Bonny. Are you okay in there?” Chris called from behind the door.

“I-I’m fine,” Bon Bon replied weakly. “I-I’ll be out soon,” she lied and winced, knowing it was going to take the rest of the day.

“Are you sure?” Chris replied, “You’ve been in there for a long time already.”

Bon Bon groaned, knowing he was right. “I’m sorry, Chris… I’m really having trouble with my mane,” she answered him honestly in a sad tone. “I just don’t think I can get it dematted until I get home. I’ll come out if you need to use the bathroom.”

Chris said nothing for a moment, then spoke up. “You know, I brush Lyra’s mane a lot. I could help.”

“You… do?” Bon Bon questioned as she thought about that. Lyra’s mane did seem to be more under control since she started dating Chris. “I-I… umm,” she started to reply shyly as she thought some more. She couldn’t help but feel a little nervous about him brushing her. The only other pony she ever let brush her mane out was Lyra, and that was because of how close they were with each other. Should she let Chris do the same? After last night, there really wasn’t any reason why he couldn’t help. They might have gone a little fast with things, but she felt like she could trust him. “I-I… I guess so. I-I mean, if you're okay with that.”

Chris opened the door, causing Bon Bon to smile a little. She started to feel more comfortable as he walked in. He moved behind her and inspected her mane for a moment, humming to himself.

“I know… it’s bad,” Bon Bon admitted sadly. She couldn’t see the back of her mane, but she knew it had to be a disaster. She expected him to say that it was hopeless, even with his help.

“Oh, it’s not that bad,” Chris reassured her happily. “I think I can work this out easily. You already washed it?”

“I did, and I put some conditioner in as well,” Bon Bon said with a sigh. “I let it sit for a long time, but I just made things worse.”

“Hmm, okay then. I just need to see what kind of brushes and combs we have here.” Chris reached his hand over her so he could pull out the drawer filled with unicorn grooming tools. He picked out one small comb and one large brush, then closed the drawer. “This might take a while. Let’s sit down here where it's more comfortable,” he said as he sat cross-legged on the floor, placing the brush and comb down next to him.

Bon Bon blushed a little and looked down at him, tilting her head to the side. “How do you, um… want me to sit?”

“Just right here in front of me. I want to get the back of your mane first.”

Bon Bon blinked down at him a few times before doing as he explained. She turned around and sat down in front of him, then scooted back until her rump touched his legs.

Chris placed his fingertips on the back of her mane, causing her to yelp softly and flinch in surprise. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” he apologized quickly.

“I-it’s okay,” Bon Bon replied nervously. “You just startled me is all. I-I thought you were going to use the brush first.”

Chris didn’t say anything and started to slowly run his fingers through Bon Bon’s hair, causing her to shiver slightly. She couldn’t really understand why, but feeling his digits slowly running through her mane was a pleasant feeling. She did her best to ignore it and stayed perfectly still for him. He felt around for a little while longer, finding all the mats and tangles he could. “This isn’t so bad,” he said as he pinched one of the larger tangles with his fingers.

Bon Bon winced as she felt him touch where she knew a big mat was. “W-what are you going to do?” she asked nervously, preparing herself for the pain that was sure to come.

“I’m just going to break this up a little,” Chris replied as he started to pull apart the knot of hair with his fingers.

Bon Bon could feel him working, and surprisingly, it wasn’t hurting at all. He tugged on her hair every now and then, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable or painful feeling. It actually felt kind of comforting and she was able to relax a little.

After awhile of picking away at the clump of hair, Chris reached out and picked up the small comb. Bon Bon shut her eyes and winced again when she saw him grab it. This was the part that she hated when letting Lyra comb or brush her mane. She was always so aggressive when trying to work through mats.

Bon Bon kept her eyes closed and waited, but she couldn’t feel much of anything. Was he even combing her hair at all? She tilted her ears back and heard Chris using the comb in quick, little strokes. She slowly opened her eyes and looked into the mirror to see what he was doing, but couldn’t see from this angle. “U-um, Chris?” she asked quietly.

Chris replied with a focused humm.

“This might be a little weird to ask, but… are you brushing my mane right now?”

Chris chuckled softly at that. “Yes, I am. I just have a section of your hair pinched off with my hand so I don’t keep pulling at it.”

“Ooooh,” Bon Bon said in understanding. “S-so that’s why I don’t feel it... T-that makes sense,” she said awkwardly with a blush.

Chris laughed. “Indeed it does,” he said while he kept working on the knot before letting her hair go and working on another section.

Bon Bon smiled to herself, feeling pretty happy about the painless grooming treatment she was getting. Lyra was a lucky mare to have a coltfriend that was willing to brush her mane like this. She never would have thought any stallion would be willing to help out with such a boring and time consuming task. “S-so, umm, you do this with Lyra a lot?” she asked shyly, unable to wipe the smile from her lips.

“When she lets me,” Chris answered as he continued to a new mat.

“What do you mean? Does she not like this?” Bon Bon asked quite puzzled. How could anypony not enjoy this?

“Oh, no. She likes it a lot actually. She tells me it’s really soothing, but you know how she is,” Chris said, working away at the knot he was holding. “She doesn’t care for this kind of stuff, so she never comes out and asks me to do it. I just ask her if it's okay.”

“You ask her if you can do this?” Bon Bon questioned in disbelief. “Why would you want to?”

Chris shrugged his shoulders. “I just really like doing it. It might be a little weird, but I like spending time with her while brushing her mane or tail. It’s relaxing, in a way.” He laughed softly under his breath as he placed the small comb down and picked up the large brush. “I love it when I can get her to fall asleep when I brush her coat.”

Bon Bon kind of wanted to see that herself. It would be cute seeing Chris brush Lyra and watch her slowly fell asleep in his arms. She had to suppress a giddy squeal at the adorable and happy thought.

Suddenly, she could feel Chris running the larger brush through her mane. She locked up out of reflex, expecting him to hit a bunch of mats, but it never happened. The bristles on the brush glided through her silky mane with little resistance. It felt so smooth and just... wonderful.

Bon Bon closed her eyes and let herself relax some more, letting out a content sigh. It felt like she was back in the spa, being tended to by professional ponies. Well, perhaps not that nice, but it was definitely enjoyable. She could see why Lyra would fall asleep like this.

“Ever think about being a mane stylist?” Bon Bon tested playfully.

Chris laughed. “No, I don’t think I’m cut out for that kind of career,” he replied as he ran the brush down her mane slowly, then repeated the process. “I’m perfectly okay with just brushing you and Lyra.”

“Good; we get to keep you all to ourselves,” Bon Bon stated with a cheeky smile.

Chris rolled his eyes as he continued his gentle brushing. After a few more strokes, he set the brush down and ran his fingers through her hair.

Bon Bon sighed softly in delight at his touch. There was just something about the way his fingers parted her hair that was just so delightfully unexplainable. It just felt more intimate than magic.

“Okay, I think the back is done. Can you turn around so I can get the front?”

“O-oh, o-of course,” Bon Bon replied timidly as she stood up and turned around to face Chris. Their eyes met, and he smiled warmly at her, causing her to smile back and blush lightly. She let her eyes fall to the floor as she sat down in front of him, keeping her soft smile. “I-Is this okay?” she asked in a bashful tone.

“It’s perfect,” Chris said as he picked up the small comb again and started to feel around her forelock with his fingertips. He found a few knots and leaned in closer to her before picking them apart with his fingers.

Bon Bon looked up and crossed her eyes, watching as Chris worked. After he pulled apart a few knots, he used his left hand to pinch off a section of hair the knot was on before working at it with the small comb. ‘So, that’s what he does,’ she thought to herself. Her eyes started to slowly drift towards his body and she saw him looking right at her again with that charming smile of his. She blushed even brighter and looked away. She didn’t know why she felt so embarrassed about him looking at her all of a sudden.

Bon Bon closed her eyes and took in a breath before releasing it slowly, enjoying all the pampering Chris was giving her as she thought to herself. Any mare would be lucky to have somepony like Chris in their lives. She still couldn't believe how stubborn and mean she was to him in the past. She didn’t think she would ever get over that. It felt like she didn’t deserve such a kind and caring stallion like him in her life… like she was unworthy in some way.

She used to think of Chris as some scary bipedal beast with freaky spider hooves, and she couldn't have been more wrong. What if Chris thought of her as some monster? She sure acted like one for so long...

“Chris,” Bon Bon said with a hint of sadness.

“Yes?” he answered as he switched the comb for the brush and continued his work.

“Can I ask you another... silly question?” she asked, slowly opening her eyes again.

“Sure, whats on your mind?” Chris asked, slowing his brushing.

Bon Bon looked into his eyes with a frown. “What did you think of me before we came here?”

Chris stopped mid stroke and froze at that question. “I-I, umm―”

“It's okay. I want you to be honest with me,” Bon Bon said softly. “I won’t be hurt or offended. Please... I really want to know.”

Chris gave her an uneasy look. He let his brush hand drop down as he rubbed the back of his neck with his left hand awkwardly. “Well… I,” he tried to say, but sighed deeply. “Honestly, Bonny, I wasn’t really sure what to think. I mean, you never talked and would always avoid me. I knew you were afraid, but you were like that for so long, and it just seemed to get worse when I started to date Lyra,” he admitted, dropping his left hand into his lap as he looked into her eyes. "I thought you hated me and only saw me as some evil monster, which... I could understand. "

Bon Bon’s ears splayed back, and her frown deepened. She looked away, but nodded her head in understanding.

“I never hated you for it though,” Chris continued, causing Bon Bon’s ears to perk up again. “I was more just… confused and frustrated. All I wanted was to be your friend, but you were always so cold and distant.”

"And even after the way I treated you, and hurt you at the restaurant… You still wanted to give me a second chance?” Bon Bon asked sadly, still looking away. “Why? Was it just because Lyra wanted you to?”

“I did want to make Lyra happy, yes,” Chris admitted. “And she was so passionate about how we could be good for each other. She knows us both better than anypony and I believed her when she told me that. But…” he said, then hesitated for a moment

Bon Bon perked up a bit more and looked up to him curiously, peering through her long, brushed out strands of hair.

“It was more than that,” Chris continued softly. “I could’ve easily said no when Lyra asked me if I was interested in starting a herd with you and with how you acted, I might've. But I knew what good friends you two were and every time I saw you… there just seemed to be more to you than a cold shoulder. I know it sounds kind of dumb, but I could tell there was something more about you and I wanted to find out what that something was. I wanted to find out who the real Bon Bon was, because I knew you weren't the mare that you seemed to be.”

“S-so,” Bon Bon started to say nervously, looking into Chris’s hazel-colored eyes, “What kind of mare am I?”

“You're a very sweet and caring mare, and anypony would be lucky to have you as a friend,” Chris said honestly. "Plus, you’re really cute," he teased lightly.

Bon Bon giggled softly at his words. She laid her chest and forelegs in his lap before leaning her head into his body, pressing her cheek against his chest. “Thank you for seeing past the monster I was,” she said softly as she nuzzled him, getting more comfortable in his lap.

“I think that’s my line,” Chris teased as he ran his hand through her mane, petting her lightly.

Bon Bon snorted, trying to hold in a laugh. “Sweet Celestia, you’re corny,” she said, then sighed happily. “I like that about you.”

Chris laughed quietly before taking his hand away so he could continue brushing her mane again. They both let a short moment pass by before Chris spoke up again. “Hey, umm… Could I brush your tail and coat too?” he asked kindly.

‘He really does like to brush ponies,’ Bon Bon thought to herself in disbelief. "Are all humans from your world as weird as you?"

Chris thought about that for a moment. "No, I was pretty much the weirdest alien on my planet," he joked warmly.

"No wonder you get along with Lyra so well," Bon Bon teased back with a soft, relaxed sigh.

"So... is that a yes?" Chris asked again, sounding hopeful.

Bon Bon nodded her head against him in response. “Would you like to put my curlers in for me as well?” she asked sarcastically.

“Yeah!" Chris replied excitedly, which caused Bon Bon to snort again. “But, you’ll have to show me how to do that. I’ve never done that before.”

“That’s fine,” Bon Bon replied happily. “It’s easy.”

“Hey, after this, we can start setting up for the date,” Chris said as he started to mindlessly brush her mane. “There's a cellar in the basement that's filled with all kinds of fancy alcohol. You should go pick something out for us.”

“I can do that. I'll look for something nice to compliment our meal."

Later that evening, Chris shooed Bon Bon out of the kitchen and insisted that he would cook while she relaxed. She wanted to help, but he really wanted to do it on his own. It was possible that this was just one of those strange customs from his old world, but it felt so weird letting him do all the cooking for her. Normally it’s the mare that treats the stallion, but he was happy and that helped her feel a little better about not assisting in the kitchen. He also told her that this recipe was a one pony job since she couldn’t really help with cutting the vegetables up.

With little else to do, Bon Bon went into the cellar to pick out a nice wine for their dinner. She found a bottle of a crisp, fruity rosé from Canterlot and bit the top of it in her teeth before she trotted up the basement steps. She didn't know much about fine wines, but she knew enough to know that anything with the made in Canterlot label on it was some of the best and more expensive ones out there. At least that's what Berry Punch kept telling her.

She made her way into the living room and saw that Chris was still cooking their dinner. He was busy boiling all the ingredients of their soup in a vegetable broth when she returned. She made her way to the bar and hopped up on a stool, then placed the wine bottle on the counter.

“Chris!” Bon Bon shouted excitedly, causing him to break his concentration and turn to look at her. “Look what I found! Wine straight from Canterlot!” She turned the bottle around so that the label was facing him.

Chris squinted, then smirked a little. “That looks great Bonny. It should go perfectly with the carrots.”

“And it’s from Canterlot!” Bon Bon stated again.

Chris gave her a confused look. “I’m guessing that's good?” he said, sounding unsure with his answer. “Sorry, I’m still not all that familiar with the quality of wines in this world. If you told me it was from Italy or something, then I would know what you’re talking about.”

“It-ally?” Bon Bon questioned, tilting her head slightly to the side. “Kind of a silly name. Is it a city like Canterlot?”

“It’s a country from my old world, but they do have a lot of nice cities there,” Chris explained, tuning back to the soup. “I can tell you about it later. It’s a beautiful place.”

“I’d like that,” Bon Bon said happily, watching him stir the vegetables in the boiling broth for a moment. “Are you… sure you don’t need help?”

“Positive,” Chris replied quickly. “I just want you to enjoy yourself.”

Bon Bon was about to remind him that she enjoyed cooking, but shrugged her shoulders and looked towards Scary in his aquarium. He was watching Chris cook, but turned towards her and glanced up.

“How are you doing in there, Scary?” Bon Bon said with a soft smile.

Scary walked up and placed his forelegs on the glass, then stared at the bottle of wine on the counter, causing Bon Bon to frown a little. She looked over to the wine, then back at Scary. Did he want some? That can’t be good for him… can it?

“Chris,” Bon Bon called gently, looking back at him.

“Yes?” he answered, still stirring the soup around.

“Spiders can’t have wine... can they?” she asked, criously.

Chris turned his head and looked over at Scary. “I, uhh, don’t think so.”

Bon Bon looked back to Scary with saddened eyes. “Sorry, Scary.”

Scary dropped his foreleg down and slowly backed away, looking quite depressed over the fact that he couldn’t partake in any of the fun.

Bon Bon instantly felt bad. “Chris, is there anything special in the house we can give Scary? I think he should have a nice meal, too.”

“Well…” Chris said as he contemplated that question for a moment. “I’m not really sure. I know some spiders can eat plants, but I think he only eats insects and things like that. I’d have to talk to Fluttershy about that,” he said before turning back to the now simmering soup. “I tried looking for something to feed him this morning, but I couldn’t find anything.”

Bon Bon frowned, feeling terrible that Scary couldn't have a nice meal. He was probably feeling all cooped up being in that small aquarium this whole time. Maybe he could come out and...

She winced at that thought. Hands might not be an issue for her anymore, but she was still afraid of spiders. As much as she cared for Scary, she just couldn't let him out yet. She would have to make it up to him once they got out.

Bon Bon perked up and smiled before leaning closer to Scary’s aquarium. She placed a hoof on the side of her muzzle before whispering softly to him. “Don’t worry, Scary. Once we get out of here, I’ll make sure to find you a nice fancy meal that you'll like, okay?”

Scary rubbed his forelegs together in approval, which caused Bon Bon to smile even wider as she sat back on her stool again.

“The soup is almost done,” Chris said as he pulled out a blender and turned off the heat to the stove. “I just have to blend this up, and it’ll be ready.” He then lifted the pan and poured the warm contents into the blender before covering it and turning it on.

Bon Bon clopped her hooves together in eager excitement, then bit the bottle of wine in her mouth and made her way into the living room. Since she wasn’t allowed to cook, she took charge of getting the table ready.

She trotted up to the dining table, feeling pretty proud of what she managed to put together for their date. She used a beautiful red cloth that she found in the basement that had some lovely dark red flower patterns on it. There were also some simple candles in the middle of the table next to a small metal bucket that was filled with ice for the wine. She had already placed two wine glasses on either side, along with some folded cloth napkins and one spoon for Chris to use.

Bon Bon took a step back from the table and admired the scene for a moment. It was exciting to see their little set up all ready to go, even if it wasn’t the most elaborate thing in the world. She was actually more thrilled about getting a real chance at spending some romantic time with Chris. But, this was more than just a nice dinner to share with him: it was also her chance to make things right. A way for her to undo the things she did at The Everfree Moon and act like a civilized pony this time. She could never go back in time to fix things, but if everything went well, then she could forgive herself for her past mistakes.

She hopped up on her seat just in time to see Chris walking out of the kitchen with two bowls of soup. If she was a betting mare, she would wager that he would deliver her soup with some kind of corny or cheesy line.

“One order of carrot soup for the lovely and beautiful mare with the gorgeous mane,” Chris said politely, acting like some waiter as he placed her soup down in front of her, which caused Bon Bon to start laughing. He smirked a bit and raised a curious eyebrow. “You really like that line, huh?”

Bon Bon covered her muzzle with her hooves, stifling her laughs before relaxing and looking up at him. “You’re adorable, you know that?”

“Yeah, I know,” Chris said, setting his soup down on his side of the table before picking up the bottle of wine. He filled each glass with a small, but generous amount before setting it back into the bucket of ice. He then sat down in his seat and picked up his spoon. “Careful, this soup is still a little hot,” he warned before blowing on his spoonful of soup.

Bon Bon leaned down to her bowl and gently blew on it, before lapping up a small portion. She leaned back and closed her eyes, savoring the flavor of the meal, humming to herself in joyful delight. Opening her eyes again, she looked over at Chris. “This is really good. I like the ginger you added. It really enhances the flavor.”

“Glad you like it,” Chris replied happily, taking his spoonful and tasting it. “It’s a recipe I picked up back in my old world.”

“You'll have to give me that recipe,” Bon Bon said, leaning down to take a bigger, but still well-mannered lap of her soup.

“We’ll have a lot of time to talk about recipes and stuff when we're together in your shop. Oh, that reminds me,” Chris said quickly, causing Bon Bon to look up at him again, curiously. “When do you think we can start working together?”

“Oh, well,” Bon Bon said shyly with a light blush. “I was actually thinking about that earlier, and umm... I’m really excited about you helping and I have just enough bits saved up for the renovations, s-so, umm…” She looked down at her forelegs and started to fidget with her hooves nervously. “I was actually going to add the bar in as soon as we got out and I was kind of hoping that maybe… you could start right away?” She looked up at him with a hopeful smile. “I-I don’t think I’ll be able to pay you much until after winter wrap up… business won't pick up until then, but I would like to start getting you adjusted to the shop and have you help me cook some of the candy for spring. I-if that’s okay with you.”

“Yeah, that sounds great!” Chris answered with eager excitement.

“E-even though I can’t really pay you much at first?” Bon Bon asked nervously, reaching out to her glass of wine with both of her hooves. “I’ll give you what I can, but I can’t promise it will be a lot… and what will the elements say if you can’t work for them?”

Chris waved a dismissive hand. “The girls only give me small, menial tasks and pay me for them because they’re trying to help me. No pony really wants to hire me because of… well, because of what I am. The girls don’t really need my help.”

“B-but, I mean, I’m sure you still have bills to pay,” Bon Bon pointed out sadly, taking a small delicate sip of her wine.

Chris nodded his head. “I do, but I should be okay for a while. Honestly, I’m just really excited to start working with you. It’s going to be a lot of fun, and we can spend a lot of time with each other that way. If things get a little rough, I’m sure I can always ask the girls if I can work nights with them or something.”

Bon Bon smiled softly and relaxed a little more at his response. She hoped Chris wouldn’t have to start working nights to pay his expenses, but if things work out and business picked up, then she could afford to pay him half of the profits. “That’s actually kind of why I want you to start so soon. It would be nice to get to know each other. I think it would be a lot of fun,” she admitted as her blush deepened.

“We should get Lyra in on it as well,” Chris added, eating another spoonful of his soup.

Bon Bon giggled softly. “I’m pretty sure she’s going to be there whether we ask her or not.”

“Thats true,” Chris agreed with a nod of his head before taking a sip of his wine.

Bon Bon smiled as she watched him, then looked down and gently rolled her glass of wine around in her hooves for a moment. “So, Chris…” she said softly, looking back up, which caused him to lower his glass and stare into her eyes. “I think I remember you were telling me about this… carrot diet that you did in your old world. Can you tell me more about that?”

Lyra stared into the eyes of the tired and sickly-looking mare in her mirror. The unrecognizable, mint-green unicorn looked terrible and her mane was an absolute mess.

‘Bonny would have a fit if she saw my mane like this.’

Lyra used her magic to levitate her brush up to her mane, but stopped and let it float next to her. She continued to look at herself, noticing the large bags under her eyes from the lack of sleep and stress.

‘If Chris was here, he would have demanded I sleep until I was better.’

Lyra sighed and hung her head in despair, dropping the brush to the floor with a loud clatter. She glanced over the sink, seeing Chris’s tooth brush and blades he used for shaving, which caused her to sigh heavily. She missed him so much and felt out of place being in his home now. Like she was unwelcome there. It was an awful and sickening feeling.

She turned away and started to walk out of the bathroom, then plopped down, face first on the bed she shared with Chris. Her mind was flooded with memories of her loved ones and what she had done to them. Even Octavia’s reassuring words were becoming lost in the chaotic sea of doubts and regrets. She could hardly even remember why she thought putting them together would be a good idea in the first place.

“NO!” Lyra shouted to herself, lifting her head up. “Stop thinking like that! They’ll… they’ll be fine!” she tried to reassure herself, but it wasn’t working.

Groaning to herself, Lyra slammed her face into the mattress while using her magic to pull out a small book from one of the shelves in the room. The book floated down in front of her and she lifted her head up to see her old scrapbook. The front cover had a crudely cut picture of herself and Bon Bon as young fillies on it. They were both smiling brightly into the camera in their little bathrobes with mud covering their faces. It was a photo from the first sleepover they ever had together.

Lyra smiled a little, remembering that night clearly in her head. Bon Bon brought the mud, thinking it would help their complexions. Lyra wasn’t as interested in that as Bon Bon was, but she went along with it and acted like a monster the entire night, much to Bon Bon’s amusement. Though, her face did feel a lot nicer once they were able to clean it off. But, that could’ve been because their faces were covered in mud for so long.

Lyra’s smile widened at the treasured memory as her eyes started to water slightly. She picked herself up and sat on the mattress, using her magic to open the book. She continued to flip through all her preserved memories with her best friend until she stopped at one special picture. It was a photo of Bon Bon at a carnival, grinning happily with a giant teddy bear being squeezed to death in her forelegs. Lyra could remember that day clearly, and she won that large plush for her in a ring toss game. She also remembered why they were at that carnival in the first place.

Silver Wing…

Lyra always knew that stallion was trouble and in the end, she was right. He left Bon Bon without a word and she took it really hard, locking herself in her home for months. Eventually, Lyra finally convinced her to come out and have some fun. They went to the carnival soon after that.

“We’ll always have each other,” Lyra whispered sadly to herself as she remembered the words she told Bon Bon that day as a tear fell onto the photo.

They had been through so many dark times together, but they always had each other in the end, no matter what. Bon Bon was everything to her and she just…

More of Lyra’s tears hit the pages of the scrapbook as she stared into Bon Bon’s beautiful cerulean eyes in the picture. She loved Bon Bon and she just threw her into a situation that she wasn’t comfortable with. Even if Lyra couldn’t fully understand it, Bon Bon just wasn’t comfortable around Chris, and now, she was trapped in a cabin with him. Was that really okay of her to just force the ones she cared about the most into a small space and hope they got along?

“I-I… I had no choice… Bonny wouldn’t…” Lyra’s quivering voice trailed off into a quiet whisper as her words dissolved to nothing in her mouth. Was that really the only way for them to get to know each other? Couldn’t there have been another way for her to show Bon Bon how Chris could make her happy? A better way?

Were they even meant for each other to begin with?

“O-of course they were… I-I saw it in Bonny’s eyes when she…” Lyra whimpered, but stopped as she thought more about what she was about to say, doubting her own words. “N-no it has to be true… I know them both and they’re right for each other… THEY ARE!” she yelled, scowling deeply as she slammed her hooves down on the mattress, trying to convince herself.

But, was she really the one to say if they were right for each other or not? It might seem that way from her perspective, but was that really the truth?

Her breathing became more heavy as more tears started to stream down her cheeks once her clouded mind finally started to realize. Chris and Bon Bon might not be compatible with each other at all. They could be in that cabin right now driving each other crazy! She could have been wrong about everything and was just looking at the situation through fog-covered glasses.

Lyra’s eyes widened in disbelief at her own thoughts. “Was I wrong?” Lyra muttered quietly. “I-I was wrong,” she said with a quivering lip as her heart started to beat faster in her chest. She quickly sat up and covered her muzzle with her hooves while sobbing to herself. “I-I w-was wrong! Oh, sweet Celestia, what was I thinking!?”

She shouldn't have locked them in a cabin like that! How could she have done that? She forced her lovers into a situation they didn't want to be in. She destroyed any trust they had in her and completely threw away their friendship. How could she even make it up to them? How could anypony forgive her for what she did?

They must hate her now.

“No! NO! I don’t want to lose them!” Lyra cried loudly. She prayed that wasn’t the case. How could she ever live with herself if they never wanted to talk to her again? How could she live without them in her life? They must hate her with a burning passion by now! It might even be too late to save their friendship.

But, what if it wasn’t too late? She could go to them and cancel the spell then beg for their forgiveness. What else could she do? There wasn’t anything else she could do. She had to release them as fast as she could and try to get them back! She would rather have Chris and Bon Bon in her life as friends than not at all!

Lyra jumped to her hooves as her heart raced in her chest. “I’M COMING!” she cried, jumping off the bed and bolting out of the house. She galloped through the cold winter night, running as fast as she could through the snow as her tears froze on her cheeks.

“I LOVE YOU BOTH! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!”

Chris ran his hand through Bon Bon’s soft and curly mane, who was now resting her forelegs and head in his lap while they cuddled together on the couch. The fire was burning brightly, keeping them warm as they continued to enjoy each others company. They had finished dinner a while ago and moved their conversation to the couch as they finished the last of their wine.

Bon Bon nuzzled her head a little deeper into Chris’s lap and let out a soft, dreamy sigh. “I wish Lyra was here,” she said softly.

Chris nodded his head in agreement as he scratched behind her ear, causing her to lean into his hand and hum in delight. “Me too” he admitted with a heavy sigh. “I wonder what she’s up to right now. You think she’s thinking about us?”

Bon Bon laughed softly at that. “I’m pretty sure that’s all she’s been thinking about this past week,” she said, as if it should have been obvious. “I bet she’s wondering if we’re getting along yet.”

Chris smirked a little. “Yeah, I guess you're right. Have you thought about what you want to tell her yet?”

Bon Bon sighed sadly. “I have, but… I think we should talk to her about locking us up before we give her the good news. I’m just not sure what I want to say yet.”

“Yeah, same,” Chris admitted sadly, rubbing her back with his hand.

“It’s okay,” Bon Bon said in a cheerful tone, gently petting his thigh with her foreleg. “We still have another week to think about it.”

“Y-yeah. We do,” Chris lied awkwardly.

Bon Bon started to rock her head slowly back and forth in his lap, humming a catchy little tune to herself that Chris recognized. It was the same tune she hummed while she was baking those cookies for him a couple days ago. It had a very sweet melody that he thought matched her pretty well.

“What’s that from?” Chris asked.

Bon Bon stopped her humming and lifted her head to look up at him. “What’s what from?”

“That song. I’ve heard you singing it before.”

“O-oh, that?” Bon Bon answered with a light blush. “It’s just… this silly little thing Lyra made for me a long time ago.”

“It sounds really nice.”

Bon Bon nodded her head in agreement. “It was one of the sweetest gifts I’ve ever gotten,” she said, laying her head back down on Chris’s lap. “You should hear Lyra play it sometime.”

“I’d like that,” Chris said, going back to running his hand through her mane. He paused a moment, remembering something he was saving in the basement for a special moment just like this one. “Hey, I got an idea,” he stated as he started to get up―much to Bon Bon’s dismay―causing her to sit up so he could get off the couch.

“An idea?” Bon Bon questioned, watching him walk away. “What is it?”

“You’ll see, just wait here!” Chris said excitedly as he walked down to the basement. It didn’t take him long to find the phonograph and pick up a few records before walking back into living room were Bon Bon was still waiting on the couch.

“What is that?” Bon Bon asked, trying to see what he was carrying in his arms.

“It’s a phonograph I found in the basement,” Chris said, placing the musical device down on the floor, next to the hearth. He then placed one of the records on the turntable and set the needle down on top of it.

Bon Bon tilted her head to the side and perked her ears up. “Wh-what are you―”

Suddenly, a gentle waltz filled the room with its soft and beautiful melody. Chris turned around to face Bon Bon with a soft smile before bowing slightly, stretching out his left hand to her. “Care to join me for a dance?”

Bon Bon's eyes widened and she blushed before looking down at his hand. “O-oh, I-I don’t really dance,” she answered shyly, looking up at him with a nervous laugh.

“Nonsense,” Chris replied, quickly. “Everypony dances. It’ll be fun."

Bon Bon looked away, with a little smile. "Oh, I-I don't―”

"Come on! I’ll show you how humans do it," Chris persisted, keeping his hand stretched out to her. He flexed his fingers in and out a little, prompting her to give him her hoof.

“A-a human dance?” Bon Bon questioned, sounding skeptical as she looked into this eyes, holding her right hoof to her chest as if she was contemplating giving it to him. “But, I can barely do pony dancing.”

“That just means it’ll be easier to teach you how us humans do it,” Chris teased with an eyebrow wiggle. “Come on. It’ll be fun. I promise.”

Bon Bon’s smile widened ever so slightly and she looked back at his hand as she contemplated for a moment, slowly rubbing her chest with her hoof. “W-what… do I, umm... do?”

“Just place your right hoof in my hand, and I'll show you,” Chris said sweetly.

Bon Bon bit her lip nervously and fidgeted with herself for a moment, then slowly placed her hoof in his palm. Chris gripped it gently before walking back, leading her off the couch. He guided her to stand up on her hind legs and placed her left hoof on his hip while holding her right hoof stretched out to the side. “Just hold me like this,” he said softly as he placed his right hand on her back.

“We just… dance like this? On two legs?” Bon Bon questioned timidly, getting a feel for the new position she was in. “It feels like it would be hard to dance like this.”

Chris chuckled quietly. “Don’t worry, you'll get a feel for it,” he reassured her, rubbing her upper back softly. “Now, just follow my feet and mirror my steps.”

“O-oh, o-okay,” Bon Bon relayed nervously. She looked down between them and watched as Chris stepped to the side with his right foot. She quickly followed him, stepping over with her left hoof, keeping up pretty easily so far. He then took a step back and she followed again. They continued to step around the room in a circular pattern until Bon Bon started to feel more comfortable.

“There you go,” Chris said cheerfully. “See, you’re getting it.”

Bon Bon giggled excitedly as she kept up with Chris. “This is strange, but… kind of fun,” she admitted as she looked up into his eyes. “I kind of like this human dance.”

“I knew you would,” Chris said softly with a warm smile as he picked up the pace a little. Eventually, they started to move with the rhythm of the music, gliding across the wooden floor.

The music started to die down, and Chris stopped leading their dance. Bon Bon groaned softly in disapproval, but before she could say anything, a new softer and slower song began to play.

Chris placed Bon Bon’s right hoof to his hip, and she wrapped her forelegs around him tightly, laying her head against him just under his chest. He placed both of his hands on her upper back and started to slowly move around the room in small circles, matching his movements to the rhythm of the new song.

Bon Bon closed her eyes and sighed happily, nuzzling a little closer to him. “This is really nice,” she admitted quietly.

Chris said nothing and closed his eyes, nodding his head in agreement, even though she couldn’t see it. He was really enjoying this tender moment with her. They both let the music fill them, guiding them around as they embraced each other. For a moment, nothing else in this crazy world of candy-colored equines mattered to Chris except for the mare in front of him. The cabin seemed to spin around them as he held one of the mares he cared so deeply for in his arms, enjoying the closeness and warmth of her embrace. He had only truly known her for a week, but he had already fallen for the beautiful earth pony, just like Lyra always said he would. This whole cabin experience had been a crazy ride, but he wouldn’t have traded it for anything.

Time seemed to escape him. He hadn’t even realised the music had stopped and the sound of static filled the air. Chris stopped his movements and relaxed his grip on Bon Bon. She squeezed him tightly before looking up at him.

“Thank you for this, Chris,” Bon Bon said sweetly. “I had a lot of fun tonight.”

Chris smiled and ran his hand through her mane. “So did I,” he admitted warmly, letting her go so she could step back, standing on all four hooves again. “But the night's not over yet! I still want to see you swing it,” he said excitedly, turning towards the phonograph. He knelt down and switch out the record on the turntable with a new one.

“Swing?” Bon Bon said, sounding worried. “I’m not sure I know how.”

“It’s easy,” Chris said as he put the needle on the new record, causing a more upbeat song to start playing. He bobbed his head to the music for a moment before getting up and turning around. “You just gotta let yourself go!” he said, shuffling his feet swiftly as the beat started to kick in, making it look like he was walking in place. He started to snapped his fingers to the beat, matching the tempo perfectly.

Bon Bon stared down at his feet blankly with wide eyes. “How are you doing that thing with your, umm, feet?”

Just then, the music started to pick up, and Chris followed suit, lifting his legs a little more and crossing them over each other as he twisted his feet in and out, shuffling them swiftly across the floor. He moved his arms in and out, in time with the rhythm, losing himself to the music. “Come on, just move!” he shouted excitedly.

“There’s no way. I can’t dance like that!” Bon Bon said, mesmerised by Chris’s movements.

“It doesn’t matter!” Chris said, stopping his fast dancing so he could lean down and grab Bon Bon’s forehooves.

“Eep!” Bon Bon yelped as Chris pulled her up so she was on her hind legs again. “H-ahh!” she shouted in surprise as Chris held her foreleg up and spun her into him, catching her in his arms as her back hit his chest. He spun her out, twirling her away from him like a yo-yo as he held onto her hoof. She giggled uncontrollably as she reached the end of her twirl and was pulled back into his embrace.

“Oh, my,” Bon Bon said before giggling again.

Chris turned her around so she was facing him, holding on to both of her forehooves as he shook his legs out and moved her forelegs around to the beat. “Come on! Let yourself go! It doesn’t matter how silly you look; just go with it!”

Bon Bon smiled and bit her lip before slowly shaking her hips to the music, lifting her hind legs up and down as she swayed her tail back and forth. She was starting to get into it, but Chris could tell she was still holding back.

“There you go! Now, just roll with it!” Chris said, letting go of her forelegs, letting her step back.

Bon Bon finally took his advice and started to shake her hips wildly as she shuffled her hooves around, kicking them out and losing herself to the music. Her head bobbed left and right in time with the beat as her tongue stuck out the side of her lips.

Chris followed her lead and danced away next to her, but before long, the song started to die down.

“Aww,” Bon Bon whined. “That was so much fun and I was just starting to get into it.”

“Just wait for it,” Chris said, coming to a stand still.

Soon the next number started to play and Chris reached his hand out, which Bon Bon took right away. He pulled her up and she placed one hoof on his hip. She gave him a determined and somewhat cocky grin as she swayed her hips to the soft beat as the song started to build up.

Chris gave her a playful smirk back and moved his hips with hers. The beat picked up and they both began to move their legs together, matching the rhythm. The music started to break down and so did they, losing themselves and looking like complete fools, but they didn’t care.

They started to hop and swing around the room in wide, fast circles, really getting into the music.

Chris dropped Bon Bon under his legs then pulled her back up, causing her to laugh uncontrollably. He lifted her up and twirled her in the air, catching her as she came down, guiding her back to the floor.

“This is so wild!” Bon Bon shouted excitedly as they continued to dance around the room.

The song started to reach its climax and Chris went for one final move to end their dance. He lifted Bon Bon up and twirled her in the air. She went with him, putting all her weight into the spin, sending her soaring. He went to catch her, but misjudged how far she went and missed her.

Bon Bon landed on the edge of her back right hoof, causing it to bend inward as all her weight was dropped down on top of it.

A loud, horrible snapping sound echoed through the cabin, causing Chris's heart to stop beating for a moment. Time slowed as he watched Bon Bon fall to the floor in slow motion. His eyes widened as he pushed himself forward, trying to catch her as she fell towards him. He grabbed onto her, letting her back fall against him as he knelt down with her. Time sped up again and Bon Bon screamed in pain as they both collapsed to the floor.

“Gahhh, C-Chris!” Bon Bon yelled as she held her back leg up in the air. Her hoof dangled loosely to the side, causing her to scream in pain. “I think it’s broken!” she cried, trying to keep her hoof steady.

‘Oh, fuck!’ Chris thought as his mind raced and adrenalin coursed through his body. Bon Bon was seriously hurt, and all he could think about was how bad it was when equines in his old world broke a leg. He remembered hearing how they could never walk or run the right way again if it wasn’t treated. That couldn’t happen to Bon Bon! It wouldn’t happen to her so long as he could stop it, but he had no idea how to mend an injury like this! He had to move fast and take her to the hospital. NOW!

“We have to go!” Chris shouted, acting quickly as he reached for his backpack that was lying next to the couch. He pulled out a large sweater and quickly wrapped Bon Bon in it as best he could while she cried out and thrashed around in pain. He picked her up in his arms, cradling her like an infant and stood up with a grunt. She was heavy, weighing a lot more than Lyra, but he couldn’t think about that now. He had to move before it was too late.

“Na-ahhh!” Bon Bon cried in a shaky voice, and she clung onto Chris’s chest, baring her face into his body. “It hurts! It really hurts!”

“Just hold on, Bonny!” Chris cried as he ran to the front door, kicking it open, then bursting out of the cabin like a bat out of hell. He was careful to watch where he was stepping, staying on the dirt path where the snow was the thinnest, running with all his might.

“C-Chris,” Bon Bon whimpered as she looked around in a daze. “W-we’re… we’re… outside?”

“Just... hang on, Bonny!” Chris said again between his frantic breathing as he pushed his way through the dense forest, heading straight for Ponyville. “Y-you’re… going… to be okay.” Nothing was going to stop him. Not even the aching pain in his legs that was already starting to burn.

“W-hy… why are,” Bon Bon muttered incoherently as her grip on his chest relaxed and her eyelids fell slightly. “Why’re we… out… side?” she asked right before passing out, falling limp in Chris’s arms.

“BONNY!?” Chris cried as a new panic took hold of him. “BON BON!”

Author's Notes:

When I first started to plan out this story, there were three chapters that I was worried about the most. The date when Bon Bon hits Chris’s hand at the end and ran out, Lyra’s plan and this one. I have a feeling that a lot of people are going to hate how this chapter ended and for those people I just want to say… This kind of had to happen. I have my reasons and I ask that you don’t give up on this fic just yet. I promise the ending will be worth it!

I really hope you guys have been enjoying the story so far. We're coming pretty close to the end now and I hope to see you all there!

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

Please don't hate me.

Oh yeah and JeremyStorm came up with the chapter title.