Date Night-Part 2, Gifts for Bon Bon

Dusty trotted up to the wall of crystal beads and parted a group of them with her hoof, revealing a small rounded room, with their table in the center. “Fillies, and gentlecolt,” Dusty announced, winking in Chris’s direction, “your table awaits.”

Chris entered first, sighing heavily with Lyra and Bon Bon following close behind.

Once inside, Bon Bon looked over the room they would be dining in, noticing their table had a silky white cloth draped over it, similar to all the other tables in the establishment. The table itself was round in shape and was just big enough for four ponies to sit around but there was only a set of three chairs and white plates. Each plate had what looked like a red napkin set next to it as well.

Bon Bon quickly noticed that each of the napkin sets had a gold ring in the middle that held them together. There was no doubt that their silverware was wrapped inside the napkins. She cringed a little seeing the gold rings. It was always a little difficult for her to get those things off when she went to these kinds of places but she would manage.

Bon Bon was about to take her seat but the tall human stepped behind the chair she was heading for and moved it away from the table, giving her a bright smile as he waited for… something. She wasn’t really sure what he was doing with her chair but she figured he wanted to sit there, so she turned around and made her way to a different spot before Lyra stopped her by placing a hoof on her chest.

“Bonny, he wants you to sit in that seat,” Lyra explained with an encouraging smile.

“Wh-what?” Bon Bon asked, feeling confused and a little frightened. She looked back to the human who was giving her a downhearted look, then turned her head back to Lyra. “Then why is he holding the chair out? I-I thought he wanted to sit there,” she whispered to her friend, not wanting the human to overhear them.

Lyra giggled softly. “He does it for me all the time,” she reassured her in a soothing tone. “It’s a custom from his old world. The stallions there like to pull the seats out for the mares to help them sit down. It’s a romantic gesture for him,” she explained happily.

Bon Bon swallowed the nervous lump that was caught in her throat. “R-r-really?” she asked, looking back slightly to see that the human was still waiting for her.

“Yeah. Go on, it’s kind of nice. You’ll see.”

“O-okay…” Bon Bon whispered nervously as she turned and started to slowly make her way to the seat that was being held out for her, trying to muster the best smile she could.

The human started to smile again as she approached. “Your chair, milady,” he said in a strange accent.

Bon Bon stopped just in front of the chair, giving it an unsure look. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before awkwardly climbing up on the seat, being careful to avoid touching the human’s hand that was holding the back edge of the chair. Once she was up, she turned herself around and sat back on her haunches. Immediately after that, her chair started to slowly move forward into the table, causing her to squeak in surprise. Once she realized that the human had just pushed her in, she calmed herself a little before responding shyly, “O-oh… umm… thank you.” Lyra was right, though. It was kind of nice to be pushed in like that. It made her feel… special.

Lyra held a hoof to her lips, trying to hold back from laughing at her friend’s expense. She waited on the other side of the table for the human to help her with her seat. Once he pulled it out, she quickly hopped up and sat down as the bipedal stallion pushed her in. “Thanks, love,” Lyra cooed, leaning her head up to give her coltfriend a quick, loving kiss, which he returned before taking the seat next to her that was the closest to the entryway. He then placed the black box he was still holding on the table in front of him.

Dusty smirked slightly, raising a questioning eyebrow after having witnessed all this. “You know, it’s going to take you guys forever to sit down when you bring a third or fourth mare into your herd,” she teased, causing Chris to almost fall out of his seat.

Lyra busted out in laughter. Even Bon Bon started to smile and chuckle softly. Chris was not as amused. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, you two,” he huffed in mock annoyance.

Dusty chuckled lightly before biting the menus out from under her wing, then proceeded to hoof them out individually. Once everypony had a menu, she flew up and hovered next to the table, clearing her throat slightly. “Well, I hope you guys enjoy your meals tonight. I would recommend that you try our fried tofu with blood sauce, or if you’d prefer a more traditional pony dish I would recommend our hay with rose petals salad. It’s one of our more popular items among all our pony customers. I haven’t tried it myself, but I hear really good things.”

Lyra perked her ears up a little at that suggestion. “Oh, that does sound good. I might have to try that tonight,” she mused.

“Well, I know Ember will be wanting to personally serve you guys tonight, so she’ll be happy to take your orders. Would you three like me to get you some drinks while you wait?” Dusty asked kindly.

Chris raised his hand slightly, grabbing Dusty’s attention. “Yeah, actually, would you be so kind as to bring us the best hard cider you have for the table?” he asked.

“Oh? Somepony wants to spoil these two lovely mares tonight I see,” Dusty chuckled, which caused Bon Bon to blush brightly and sink down into her seat a little. “I would be happy to get that for you. Can I get any waters for the table as well?”

Bon Bon sat up in her seat before answering Dusty’s question. “Umm… Yes please. I'll have a water with my cider,” she answered softly.

“You got it, ma’am,” Dusty confirmed, giving a salute. “You three sit tight while I get those drinks and Ember should be around shortly to take your orders.” With that, she flew out of the room, pushing the crystal beads aside and leaving the trio to themselves.

Bon Bon started to nervously fidget with her hooves under the table. She looked up to see that both Lyra and the human where looking at her with wide smiles, making her feel even more nervous. She gave them both a small, sheepish smile but quickly opened the menu in front of her, biting the edge in her mouth and unfolding it, attempting to avoid the attention that was now on her.

Chris looked towards Lyra, giving her a concerned look, but she just smiled and shrugged while using her magic to pick up her own menu.

Chris sighed to himself, picking up the menu in front of him. The Everfree Moon had very few choices for meals with meat in them but there was one dish that he already knew was good and he figured he would go with that tonight. Having made up his mind, he set the menu down as he waited for the two mares to make up their minds.

With little else to do, Chris looked back at the black box that was on the table, which made him start to feel nervous again. The gift he had gotten Bon Bon was something that he feared she might not like. It was a hard gift to obtain and a simple one at that, but he had done his research and Berry Punch told him that the earth pony would really like it. She had explained that the item was something important from Bon Bon’s past and when she explained why, he knew that was the gift he had to get for Bon Bon no matter what. He wanted to show her that he really cared and wanted to give this herd thing a shot, he just hoped that the slightly inebriated mare was right about everything she had told him.

After a while, Bon Bon closed her menu and pushed it to the center of the table with her nose. It seemed like she had picked out what she wanted. Chris thought this would be a perfect time to try and talk to her again. Hopefully, if he opened up with a simple conversation topic, then Bon Bon might feel a little more comfortable around him and start enjoying herself.

Chris cleared his throat slightly before turning his attention to Bon Bon. “So… uhh, Bon Bon,” he called to her, causing the earth pony to let out an adorable squeak before she slowly turned to look at him. “Have you decided on what you're getting?” he asked gently with a friendly smile, causing Lyra to peer over the edge of her menu to watch the two as their conversation began to unfold.

Bon Bon looked away for a second, biting her lip a little before turning back to Chris. “I… uhh… wanted to get... the, umm... carrot soup,” she finally answered softly, obviously still feeling uncomfortable with him.

“Ha! I told you!” Lyra chimed in, dropping her menu down while smirking triumphantly at Chris.

This seemed to confuse Bon Bon. She darted her head back and forth between the two, expecting some kind of explanation. Chris chucked softly before explaining. “Lyra told me that you always loved to order the carrot soup when you went out to places like this, but I didn’t believe her,” he said in a friendly tone.

“That’s right, sucka! I know my Bonny, now pay up!” Lyra added, holding out her hoof expectantly.

Chris huffed as he pulled out a small bit from his pants pocket. He placed it in Lyra’s hoof, which she quickly snatched up and stuffed in the front of her dress.

Bon Bon watched the two as they interacted with each other, causing her to place a hoof over her lips so she could hide her smile and soft giggles from them.

Chris saw this and started to feel like they were making some good progress with their date. It seemed like Bon Bon was actually enjoying herself.

“So, I take it you're a fan of carrots?” he asked, trying to keep the conversation going. However, Bon Bon’s smile started to slowly fade. It seemed like she still wasn't comfortable talking to him for some reason.

"Oh…umm… yes…” Bon Bon answered with a light bashful nod, putting her hoof back down under the table.

“Well, I’m a pretty big fan of carrots myself. In fact, back when I was living in my old world, I was a little overweight, so I tried almost every diet imaginable to slim down.”

Lyra's ears perked up a little at Chris's words. “I remember that! You used to be all chubby when you first got here!” she interrupted loudly, which made Chris wince a little. “You looked so cute with that little belly! You should get fat again! I bet you would be so cuddly!” she added excitedly, hugging herself with her forelegs to demonstrate how she would cuddle her plumper coltfriend.

Chris sighed, shaking his head. “I will not destroy my health for your amusement,” he retorted dryly, scowling a little at Lyra.

“Awww… killjoy...” Lyra pouted as she playfully shoved him with a hoof.

Chris laughed and lightly shoved her back, then turned his attention back to Bon Bon. She was surprisingly smiling once again, which made him smile as well. "Well, as I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted,” Chris continued, giving Lyra an accusing stare which she responded to by sticking her tongue out at him. “I used to do a lot of different diets and one of them was an all-carrot diet.” This seemed to catch Bon Bon’s attention a little as she perked her right ear up slightly.

Chris mentally cheered to himself, thinking that he was finally getting Bon Bon to come around. “Well, basically, I would eat nothing but carrots for several weeks straight. It was great at first but you can eat only so many carrots before you start to get sick of them. And sadly, I stopped halfway through the diet, so I didn’t lose any weight." He sighed a little before continuing. "But, I did learn a lot of good carrot recipes from that experience, so if you like I could give you a few of them that I think you’d really enjoy,” he said, with a bright and genuine smile as he looked into Bon Bon’s eyes.

Bon Bon blinked a few times before looking away slightly, not wanting to keep eye contact with the human. The idea of an all-carrot diet was actually pretty fascinating. She wanted to ask more about it and wondered what a human recipe for carrots would be like. Perhaps she would even try the same diet herself if it would work for her. She felt like she could lose a little weight. Working in a sweet shop all day made it hard to resist the temptation to mindlessly snack on sugary confections and her flanks had to pay the price.

Bon Bon was about to ask more about his diet but quickly stopped herself once she realized what she was about to do. She shouldn't be trying to lead him on too much and get his hopes up when she knew things wouldn’t work out between them, but she had to answer him with something.

“T-That is interesting… but I have plenty of carrot recipes at home, so there's no need... but, thank you...” she stammered regrettably with a small smile before turning her head away from him. It made her feel terrible that she did that... but she had to.

It seemed like the human was about to say more but much to Bon Bon’s relief, another bat pony mare entered their private room carrying in a tray with their drink orders on her back, interrupting the human.

Bon Bon looked up to see who the new bat pony was. She looked a lot older than Dusty, by a few decades at least. Her coat was dark-grey in color and her long, maroon-colored mane flowed freely down the right side of her face, covering one of her light blue eyes completely. When Bon Bon Looked down at her flank, she could see a small charcoal-colored rock with red, yellow, and orange flames coming from it that made the shape of a heart for a cutie mark. It seemed like a really unusual mark for a bat pony to have.

"It's so lovely to see you two again," the older bat pony cheered brightly as she trotted up to the trio, carefully sliding the tray with their drink orders onto the table with her wing. The tray held a large bottle of hard cider that had a simple red label with gold foreign text written on it that Bon Bon couldn't recognize. There were three empty cinder glasses and a full glass of water next to the bottle as well. "My little Star Dust told me you two had finally arrived and I simply had to rush over," she chimed with a soft smile.

"Hey, Ember!" Lyra greeted, waving a hoof in the air.

"Well hello, Ms. Heartstrings!” Ember chuckled warmly. “I was so thrilled when I saw your name in the books with a reservation for three. I simply had to stop by and see who the lucky addition was. And I must say you two have quite the eye for beauty," Ember stated sweetly, giving Bon Bon a wink, causing the earth pony to blush brightly and slump her head down slightly.

Chris scratched his beard in thought, not sure what to really think of Ember’s obsession with him and Lyra. "You seem quite infatuated with us. I hate to be rude, but can I ask why?"

"Oh, I mean no offense dear, I assure you. I just simply adore a love that is as pure and unique as the one you share for your marefriend," Ember explained warmly, smiling in Lyra’s direction. "You see, I was once a part of something very special, just like what you two share, and I understand how difficult it can be when you love somepony that isn’t of your own kind, which is part of the reason why I started this restaurant shortly after retiring from the Royal Guard. I wanted to create a friendly place where friends and lovers such as yourselves could come and indulge in each other’s company and still be able to enjoy a wonderful meal.”

This answer helped Chris to understand why she seemed to take special interest in him and Lyra a little more, but something about what she said bothered him. “Did you say that you were once a part of something like this? Are you no longer with your special someponies now?” he asked, wondering if her relationship didn’t quite work out in the end.

Ember’s smile started to fade slightly. She paused, looking away from the trio for a moment as if remembering older times before turning back to answer Chris’s question, “Well, you see, my dear… My loves are sadly no longer with us..."

Lyra covered her lips with her hooves in shock as everypony at the table gave Ember a sorrowful expression. Chris suddenly felt terrible for even bringing it up. “Oh, Ember… I’m so sorry to hear that. I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories,” Chris mourned, giving the bat pony an apologetic expression.

Ember chuckled softly before smiling and waving a dismissive hoof in the air. "All in the past now, love, but you two are as exotic as they come. A living testament that proves love has no bounds and it warms my heart to see you two expanding upon that love now," she clarified, looking back at Bon Bon with an encouraging and sweet smile.

Bon Bon couldn’t help but smile back a little, feeling moved by the bat ponies words. She never really thought about what the human and Lyra shared quite like that, but she liked the idea of it. It was… sweet.

Ember sighed softly before looking back to Chris with a cheerful smile. “I’m always delighted to see you two in my restaurant. And I must admit, I am a bit envious of the bond you both share. If only I was lucky enough to be a part of something so pure again," she sighed sadly.

"Well,” Lyra spoke up, tapping her chin with a hoof in thought. “We might have room for one more," Lyra suggested, giving Ember a sly smile and suggestive wink.

"What!?" Chris shouted, jerking his head to look in Lyra’s direction, not sure how to react to what his marefriend was implying.

Ember giggled, playing coy as she covered her nonexistent blush with a hoof. "Oh, Ms. Heartstrings, you flatter me with your offer,” she cooed. “However, you don't want an old mare like me slowing you down. Perhaps if I was but a year younger, I would’ve gladly accepted your offer," she teased with a friendly chuckle as she dropped her hoof down and flicked her tail slightly. “But enough of that. Tonight is a special one! I’ll be personally serving you three. So please, tell me. Have you decided on what we can make for you?” she asked, while using both of her forehooves to place the drinks on the table. She gave Bon Bon her glass of water first, then proceeded to distribute the empty cider glasses around.

“Yep!” Lyra chirped happily. “I was going to try that hay and rose petals salad that Dusty suggested earlier. It sounded really nice.”

“A favorite for most of our pony guests. Definitely a fine choice,” Ember complimented. “And as for your lovely date, miss?” she asked, facing Bon Bon as she poured the bottle of hard cider into her empty glass first.

“You can call me Bon Bon... a-and I would love some of your carrot soup, please,” Bon Bon asked politely with a small smile.

“A wise choice. We grow our own carrots and only use the best ones we have for our soups.” Ember explained with a chuckled as she turned to Chris and began to fill his empty glass with cider. “And for the handsome stallion of the group?” she cooed sweetly.

Chris smile but rolled his eyes a little at Ember's comment before answering her. “Well, I was thinking about going with what I normally get, the rabbit with coconut cream sauce, if it’s not too much trouble.”

This caused Bon Bon to jerk her head towards the human in shock. She looked to see if Lyra had heard the same thing she did but the unicorn seemed oblivious as always. In fact, she was smiling up at him. But, he just ordered... meat! Rabbit meat! He was about to eat some poor, adorable little bunny and she didn’t seem to care at all! What if he came from a world where his kind ate ponies?!

“Oh, it’s no trouble at all, my dear. And I must say, that is another fine choice. Most of our gryphon patrons tell me that that is one of our best meat dishes,” Ember complimented as she filled Lyra’s cider glass and proceed to place the half-full cinder bottle in the center of the table. She bit the tray that she used to carry the drinks in with and placed it under her wing before turning back to the entrance. “I will be back shortly with your orders. Do enjoy yourselves and if you need anything at all, feel free to ask any of my lovely little darlings for assistance,” she added, before ducking out through the strings of crystal beads, leaving the trio to their romantic evening.

Chris turned to Lyra with a bright smile, which she returned. “You know, I really like her. She’s really nice,” Chris praised, smiling brightly.

“I agree. Plus, she’s pretty hot for an older mare,” she added, giving Chris a half-lidded gaze, bobbing her eyebrows up and down.

“I’m not even going to go there,” Chris replied sternly.

“Yeah, yeah, big guy, I get ya,” Lyra replied with a soft chuckle, waving a dismissive hoof at him. She frowned a little when she noticed something funny about Bon Bon in the corner of her eye. She turned to look at her friend who was staring at her with a surprised and shocked look. “Umm… you okay, Bonny?”

“Did you not hear what your coltfriend ordered!?” Bon Bon half shouted, causing both Chris and Lyra to give her shocked looks of their own.

Lyra started to panic a little once she realized that she’d never told Bon Bon that Chris was a meat eater. She had gotten so used to him eating meat around her that she’d completely forgotten that other ponies had no clue about Chris’s special diet. “Oh my gosh! Bonny, I’m so sorry! I completely forgot to tell you he’s an omnivore,” Lyra apologised franticly, looking back to Chris with a worried expression, hoping he could help save the situation.

Chris was in the same boat as Lyra. He was so used to her being okay with him eating meat that he forgot Bon Bon didn’t know about that side of him. “I'm sorry, Bon Bon, I can go flag Ember down and change my order if that will make you more comfortable. They have really nice salads here that I enjoy,” Chris offered quickly.

Bon Bon looked back and forth between both of her date’s worried expressions as the shock of the new information settled in. It seemed that Lyra knew about her coltfriend’s taste for meat and was fine with it, which was a little reassuring to her. At least it seemed like he didn’t eat pony meat but it didn’t make the human any less intimidating.

“N-no... that’s okay. I'm sorry... that was rude of me. I just… didn’t know, that's all,” she reassured them, looking down slightly. She wasn't really comfortable with the fact that Chris was about to eat a cute little bunny in front of her but she had to be hospitable.

“I’m really sorry, Bonny, I completely forgot that you didn’t know,” Lyra apologised again.

“It’s fine… r-really, I’m fine,” Bon Bon lied, mustering a reassuring smile. She knew that this was just another reason why things wouldn't work out between her and the human. She couldn’t be with somepony that ate meat, could she?

Chris could tell this new turn of events was steering the night in a bad direction. He thought now might be a good time to give Bon Bon her gifts. He looked over to Lyra as she did the same to him. Their eyes met and they both nodded to each other. It seemed like Lyra was thinking the same thing he was.

They both looked back at Bon Bon, who was looking down and away from the two. “Bonny,” Lyra called out softly, causing Bon Bon to look up to her. “Chris and I, well, we both got you something for tonight.” she said as Chris slid the black box across the table.

Bon Bon’s eyes widened as the human’s hand began to push the box closer to her. She watched as his creepy looking appendage slowly moved closer and closer to her, making her lean back a little. She started to relax again once he’d stopped pushing the box and pulled his hand way. She looked down at the box that was now in front of her, perking her ears up with a curious expression on her face.

Lyra started to smile before encasing the black box in her magic, using it to unfold the top lip back, revealing red, crumpled-up tissue paper inside. “This first gift is from me,” Lyra said as she removed the layer of tissue paper by floating it up into the air, revealing a beautiful blue gemstone necklace that glowed with a soft light underneath it. The necklace itself laid in the center of the package, on top of what looked like a second black box within the first one.

Bon Bon’s eyes started to widen as a gentle smile spread across her lips. “Oh, Lyra..." she paused for a moment to admire the blue glowing gemstone. "You shouldn’t have. How did you even afford this?” Bon Bon asked excitedly, knowing full well what the necklace was. She had been wanting jewelry like this for ages but could never bring herself to buy one, since enchanted jewelry was so expensive.

“Well, it’s actually a normal gemstone necklace that I bought, but I have been practicing my magic and was able to learn that little glow enchantment that I know you like so much,” Lyra explained, using her magic to lift the jewelry out of the box, levitating it towards Bon Bon so she could fasten it around her neck. The necklace easily snapped on with its magnetic clasp in the back and was a perfect fit for the earth pony.

Bon Bon looked down at the necklace smiling brightly as she adored it’s beauty. “Oh, Lyra, it’s lovely. Thank you so much, but aren't enchantment spells difficult?” she asked, looking back to Lyra, knowing full well that it took a lot of dedication and time for ponies to get their magic to a point where they could cast such spells.

Lyra chuckled lightly before answering her. “Yeah, they’re not that difficult. It does take a while to be able to do those kinds of things but I have been practicing. And now I can enchant any gem you like with that same spell, easy peasy,” she explained happily, flicking her hoof in the air like it was no big deal. “The spell might not last as long as the real ones do, but in a few year’s time, you can just ask me to recharge it for ya,” she added with a wink.

Bon Bon beamed brightly at Lyra before looking back down at her new necklace again. "It's really beautiful, Lyra. Thank you," she replied with a grateful tone. She really did love the gift and it was so sweet of her friend to go out of her way to teach herself that spell just for her. This was such a wonderful gift to receive and part of her felt like she didn't really deserve it. But, there was still one more gift in the box and honestly, she was a little curious about what Lyra’s coltfriend had got her.

Lyra bit her lip slightly, wagging her tail from side to side as her excitement grew. "Yeah, it’s pretty cool. But not the best gift you're getting tonight," she teased, causing Bon Bon to look up from her necklace with a raised eyebrow. "I actually got you that blue gem so it would match the gift Chris got you. That way you could wear them together," the unicorn admitted happily.

This caused Bon Bon to raise a concerning eyebrow. What could he have possibly gotten her that had Lyra so excited?

Lyra looked up at Chris, giving him a knowing smile. Chris looked back at her with a more awkward and unsure smile of his own. He didn't seem as confident in his gift as Lyra.

Lyra’s just giggled softly before turning back to Bon Bon. “You’ll see. I just know you're going to love this,” she sang as she used her magic again to open up the second box.

Bon Bon looked down as she watched the top lid slowly fold back. The earth pony’s eyes started to widen as her mouth slowly fell open once she realized what was sitting inside. “Wh-wh… wh-wha…” She could barely form words as she gazed upon a beautiful and well preserved flower that she thought she would never get to see again.

There, resting in the box, was an orange firelily flower. Something that Bon Bon remembered fondly from her childhood when she used to live close to Neighagra Falls. “I-I… I-I…” she stammered in shock.

Lyra bit her bottom lip, knowing that the gift was registering well with Bon Bon. She used her magic to gently lift the flower out of the box and slowly drifted it towards the speechless earth pony.

Bon Bon closely watched the floating flower as she slowly held out her trembling hooves to catch it. Lyra released her magic, letting the lily land softly in her cradling hooves.

Bon Bon couldn’t believe what she was seeing. It was an actual firelily and it looked just like she remembered. This special kind of flower was rare in Equestria because they could only ever grew in a few hard to reach places. Places like the forest she would spend most of her childhood playing and exploring in when she was a more adventurous little filly.

There was one small spot in that forest that she loved to visit the most and it was where these particular flowers thrived. It was a small secluded area deep in the forest that only she knew about and the whole ground there was covered in the same firelilies that she was now holding in her hooves. It was her secret little spot where she would go when she needed to cheer up or just relax and enjoy herself before it was destroyed once other ponies found it.

She would spend hours there, laying in the small cluster of firelilies that covered the ground, letting their sugary, orange aroma fill her senses. She loved their sweet scent the most and it would always remind her of the delicious candies that she loved trying to make. In fact, if it wasn’t for those sweet-smelling flowers, she might have never realized that her special talent was making delicious treats for other ponies.

Bon Bon held the flower close to her muzzle and took a soft whiff of the flower, letting the sugary sweet fragrance overwhelm her, causing even more nostalgic memories to hit her. It smelled just like she remembered. Just like that forest she spent so much time in.

But, how? How is she holding this delicate flower in her hooves? How did Lyra's coltfriend even get this? Did he even understand the sentimental value that this firelily held for her? Did Lyra tell him that this was her favorite flower?

Bon Bon slowly tore her gaze away from the flower and looked up to Lyra, expecting her to answer some of the many questions that flooded her mind. She expected her to say that she told her coltfriend about this but the unicorn only smiled and turned to look up at the human. Bon Bon slowly followed her gaze and locked eyes with bipedal stallion as he looked back at her with a gentle, but shy smile that sent a warm and pleasurable shiver down the earth pony’s spine.

The human started to rub the back of his head with his hand, blushing slightly. “Do you… umm... like it?” he asked nervously.

Bon Bon nodded her head slowly, not saying a word as she held her stunned gaze on the human, expecting him to start explaining why there was one of the rarest flowers in all of Equestria resting in her hooves right now.

The human cleared his throat a little before giving Bon Bon the explanation she was obviously wanting. “W-Well, umm, y-you see…” he tried to explain, but coughed into his hand a little to try and calm his nerves some more. “I-I talked to Lyra and a few of your friends a while ago because I, umm... didn’t know what to get you for when we took you out on a date. They all had a lot of nice suggestions but your friend Berry Punch told me about this one flower from when you were growing up that you really liked. I knew I had to get that for you, but I had no idea where to get it,” he explained, looking away slightly as his blush deepened.

Bon Bon just continued to stare at him as a small smile started to spread across her lips. He’d actually took the time to try and find a gift that she would enjoy? Even going out of his way to talk to her closest friends for ideas?

“Well, anyways,” he continued, “I went to talk to Roseluck about the flower and she told me how rare, expensive, and hard to maintain flowers like that were and I was a little heartbroken when she told me the exact price for one. And that was only if I found a store that sold them.” He paused, looking back to Bon Bon with a warm smile. “But, she said that if I was really lucky I could find some out in the wild next to the forest around Neighagra Falls. So, I scrapped some bits together and bought a few train tickets for a couple trips up there. It took a few trips back and forth, but one day I finally found one growing deep in the forest. I-I guess I got pretty lucky that time,” he chuckled awkwardly as he started to fidget with his hands a little. "I wanted to get you a bunch of them, but I could only find the one."

Lyra giggled before adding to Chris’s explanation. “When he got home, he was so excited that he found that flower and when I saw it I knew exactly what it was. I even helped him turn it into a nice mane accessory that you can wear,” Lyra pointed out.

Bon Bon looked back down at the flower and saw that she was right. There was no stem on it. Instead, there were three long prongs that she could easily place in her mane, but it was still a real flower and would no doubt die and shrivel up soon, right?

“I also placed a preservation spell on it that will help it to stay like that for years to come. It was a little harder to do than the glowing spell but Princess Twilight really helped me to get it right and I put a lot of magic into it. So it should last a long time,” Lyra added.

Bon Bon was speechless. She didn’t know how to react to all of this, but she could feel her eyes start to water, causing her vision to blur slightly.

Nopony had ever gone so far out of their way to give her such a beautiful gift and it was from that… that… No, he wasn’t just that human. He had a name and Chris had just given her a lovely gift. The fact that he did so much just to show her that he was actually interested in her becoming part of their herd made her heart skip a beat.

Chris was such a caring stallion and the love he shared with Lyra was so genuine and warm. It felt like she could finally understand what Lyra saw in him and perhaps she was starting to see something in him as well. She would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't really enjoying this little outing with the two of them, even if she was being a little weird about this date from the start. So, maybe... maybe she could join them for just one more date after this one.

Plus, Chris’s new beard was kind of, charming.

Bon Bon smiled softly as she turned her head and placed the firelily in her forelock, next to her right ear. She looked up again, giving Chris a warm, bashful smile. “Thank you, Chris. It’s wonderful,” she said in a soft and gentle tone as she slowly blinked away her tears.

Chris smiled brightly. “You’re welcome, Bon Bon. I’m really happy you like it,” he said in a gentle voice. Before he could say more, the wall of crystal beads that led to their private room started to spread open, making him look back to see who was coming in.

Dusty could be seen holding the beads apart for Ember, who was carrying their food in on a tray that was being balanced on her wings.

Lyra looked over to them with an excited smile. “Wow, that was fast,” she commented in a joyful tone.

Ember chuckled as she stood in front of the table while Dusty flew to her side and started to help distribute the dishes accordingly. “Well, let’s just say I asked my lovely chefs to take very special care with your dishes tonight,” Ember explained.

"Good thing, too! I'm starving!" Lyra stated rather loudly, rubbing her abdomen slightly with her hoof.

"Lyra, please don't be rude. Say thank you," Bon Bon playfully scolded, feeling more comfortable now.

Lyra smiled sheepishly at Bon Bon. "O-oh yeah, sorry Bonny," she said before looking back to Ember. "Thanks Ember," she thanked with an embarrassed smile.

Bon Bon looked to Chris as well, nodding her head slightly as she smiled at him, expecting him to do the same.

Chris couldn't help but chuckle under his breath but he knew what Bon Bon's was asking of him and knew he should follow her advice as well. He turned to face Ember, giving her a genuine and grateful smile. "Thank you, Ember. We do appreciate it."

“Yes, that was very sweet of you, Ember. Thank you,” Bon Bon added, smiling warmly at the bat pony.

Ember and Dusty both exchanged a look, raising a questionable eyebrow at each other before smirking, then laughing at the trio, finding their banter quite amusing. “Oh, of course, darlings! It’s a special night, and I want everything to be perfect for all of you,” Ember explained, giving Bon Bon a bright smile and a wink, which caused her to blush and smile even more.

“Whoa! What kind of flower is that?” Dusty asked as she set Bon Bon’s soup down in front of her.

Bon Bon opened her mouth to answer, but Ember spoke up before she could. “That, young one, is a firelily, I do believe,” Ember mused. “It’s been ages since I’ve last laid eyes on one. It looks lovely on you dear,” she complemented Bon Bon warmly.

Bon Bon turned to look at Chris, blushing brightly with a gentle smile. “It is beautiful," she added before turning back to Ember, "and thank you."

“Yeah, that’s pretty cool looking,” Dusty added as she finished hoofing out everypony’s meal, then flew back next to Ember. “You guys have a nice meal. And if you need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask,” she added before flying out of the room.

Ember flashed the trio a bright, toothy grin, showing off her fangs a little before turning around. “Enjoy your evening, darlings,” she added before exiting, leaving the group alone once more.

Bon Bon turned back to her dates and saw them smiling brightly at her, making her smile back. It felt nice to be here with the two of them enjoying a meal together. She felt warm inside, almost like she belonged there.

Bon Bon looked down at the carrot soup that was laid out in front of her. It smelled wonderful and she couldn't wait to dig in but this was the part she was dreading.

She looked to her napkin, which was laying next to her bowl of soup and sighed deeply. She reached for the napkin with her hooves, pressing down on one end with her left hoof as she started to paw at the gold ring with her right hoof with little success. The ring just kept spinning around against the smooth fabric. “Oh, horsefeathers…” Bon Bon muttered to herself. She might have to use her teeth for this one.

At the same time, Chris was about to reach for his own napkin set when he noticed Bon Bon was having trouble with hers. She was obviously struggling and needed some assistance. “Here, let me help you with that,” he called to her as he started to lean forward, making his way to help her.

Bon Bon heard what Chris had said but kept fidgeting with her napkin. "Oh, no, that’s alright. I got it,” she tried to assure him, feeling slightly embarrassed, keeping her focus on the task in front of her. She didn't notice that Chris was already standing up and leaning towards her.

Meanwhile, Lyra was in the middle of undoing her own napkin with her magic but paused to watch what was going on.

"Really, it’s no trouble," Chris insisted as he reach his left hand out to grab Bon Bon's napkin.

"No, it's fine, really I can―,” Bon Bon interrupted herself when she saw Chris’s long spindly digits come into view from the corner of her eye as he reached out.

Time seemed to slow down as she looked up at his spindly appendage that was now inching its way closer and closer to her hoof, making her heart pound in her chest. The whole room seemed to go dark and all she could see was the human’s bizarre, spidery hand in front of her. Her pupils constricted to sharp pinpricks as the thought of one of his digits touching her hoof flashed through her mind, making the fur on the back of her neck stand on end.

“NO!!” Bon Bon cried as she threw her right hoof up before bringing it back down, smacking the human’s creepy hand away. His hand was sent crashing into her bowl of hot carrot soup, causing Chris to shout out in pain as the bowl tipped over, spilling all of its hot contents across the table and onto Bon Bon’s lap.

Bon Bon yelped in surprise as the hot liquid splashed on her dress and thighs, making her jump back suddenly, knocking over her chair as she quickly retreated from the table until she was a few feet away.

She stood there feeling panicked and embarrassed as she placed a hoof to her chest, taking in several long gasps of breath as her mind tried to process everything that had happened. Chris was just trying to help her, but he almost grabbed her with his spidery looking hand, and she just... just freaked out, then hit him.

Bon Bon looked up slightly and could see her now-tipped-over seat next to the table that Chris was standing over as he cradled his left hand in his right one. He stood there, frozen in time with a shocked and horrified expression on his face as he looked back at her. Even Lyra was looking over the table with her hooves over her mouth with the same expression, making the earth pony feel terrible and ashamed for what she had done.

“B-Bon Bon, I-I’m sorry. A-are you okay?” Chris asked in a panic as he stayed frozen in place, cradling his soup covered hand.

"C-Chris, I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean... I―,” she tried to apologise, as she looked up at the tall bipedal stallion that was now towering over the table. Seeing him like that in her panicked state caused her to remember how large and intimidating he really was, which lead her to realize how out of place she was with him. She didn’t belong there... she couldn't be with him like this.

Bon Bon could feel her hooves start to tremble slightly as she started to remember why she could never be with a stallion like Chris. She couldn’t let herself get close to somepony like him. He wasn't a real stallion and he was so different from her. What would other ponies think of her or what would her parents think of her if she told them she was dating the bizarre stallion? Her mother would disown her for sure.

Bon Bon darted her eyes back and forth between her dates as her thoughts continued to run wild and conflict with each other. Why did Chris have to go and get her a firelily?! A bucking firelily! One of the rarest flowers in all of Equestria!? Why couldn’t it have been a nice, simple orchid or something? She liked orchids but he didn’t. He got her that beautiful, rare, meaningful, firelily.

What if Chris was just playing with her emotions just like every other nice stallion that came trotting along with promises of love and compassion? She was a fool to let him swoon her so easily, but he was so sweet and kind to Lyra and he sacrificed so much to give her that flower. He must have known what the firelily truly meant for him to go through all that trouble, which meant he really cared about her. He really did want this herd to work... but... but he.

“Bonny? Are you okay?” Lyra asked, calling out to her in a concerned tone, jerking her out of her thoughts for a moment.

“I-I didn't mean to surprise you like that. Please, let me help you,” Chris offered in a soft voice as he moved closer to her with a red napkin in his spider-like hand, wanting to clean the spilled soup that was on her dress.

“N-no, Chris, please... j-just... just stay away,” Bon Bon whimpered softly, not knowing what else to say as she took a small step back, moving away from him. She couldn’t just tell him that his hands freaked her out and that she didn't belong there. Not after how well the two of them had been treating her.

Chris stopped his forward movements, freezing in place at her command, giving her a confused and worried look. "Why? I don't understand. What's wrong?”

“I… I-I just...” Bon Bon stuttered as her mind melted into an even more confusing mess. Why couldn't Chris have just given her a simpler gift that wasn’t so sentimental to her? Why did he have to be so kind and caring? Why did he have to treat Lyra so well and why did she want to be a part of that?!

Wait…

Did she really want to be a part of what Lyra and Chris shared?

She did… and that realization scared her even more.

“Bonny, what's going on?" Lyra asked in a soft and worried tone, interrupting her thoughts again.

Bon Bon bit her lower lip, turning her head away from the confused pair, trying to hide the tears that were building up in her eyes. She knew she was being vague and confusing but what could she say? She couldn't really be considering being a part of their herd, could she?

What if she did start to fall in love with the human and he ended up leaving like the last stallion she tried to get close to? Princess Twilight was still trying to send Chris home and he would surely leave her and Lyra if he had a way back. A future with him could only lead to a future of heartbreak.

“I... I-I...” Bon Bon continued to stammer, trying to organize her thoughts.

She just couldn’t let herself get close to another stallion like him, not when things were this uncertain. He even ate meat. She couldn’t be around somepony that ate poor, defenseless bunnies and he had those strange-looking hands that kept reminding her of creepy spiders. Even if he didn't have those hands and she let herself fall in love with him, they still wouldn’t be able to start a family like she always wanted.

This was a mistake. She shouldn't have agreed to this.

“L-Lyra… I... I shouldn’t have done this… I can’t do this..." she finally managed to whimper softly, still not looking at the two.

Lyra’s eyes started to widen after hearing those words. “Wh-what? But why?” she asked almost in a panic. “B-Bonny, please. This was just an accident. W-we can get you some more soup…”

The soup wasn't the issue at all. She shouldn't have agreed to this date and strung them both along but she didn't think Chris would actually care about her! They both cared and they gave her two wonderful gifts that she didn't deserve. She’d hurt Chris and no doubt offended Lyra and she needed to leave now before she continued to lead them on and hurt them even more.

Bon Bon finally managed to look back at her bewildered dates as a tear streamed down her cream colored cheek. She whimpered softly while trying to hold back her sobs as she took another step back, making her way to the exit.

“I-I’m sorry… both of you… I… I had a lovely time,” she wept softly. “But this… I-I just can’t… I can’t do this…” she finally managed to admit, frowning sadly as she turned around and started to make her way out.

“Bon Bon, wait!” Chris called out to her, stepping forward as he reached his hand out, causing Bon Bon to halt for a moment and look back over her shoulder at him. “Please. We can fix this. I’m sorry for what I did,” he apologized franticly.

Hearing his words only caused more tears to leak down the side of her cheek. Why did he have to be so persistent about this? “I-I’m sorry I hurt you…” she apologised in a soft, whimpering whisper before running out of the private room.

“Bonny!!” Lyra shouted as she lit up her horn with magic, casting a teleportation spell that sent her outside of the room in a flash. She looked up and saw Bon Bon running between the restaurant tables at a fast and frantic pace as everypony in the establishment watched her.

Lyra quickly gave chase as Bon Bon ran straight for the dining room's double door entrance. Bon Bon stopped in front of the door and flung one side open with her hooves then quickly entered into the waiting room.

“Bonny! Please wait!” Lyra called to her a second time as she quickly entered into the same room before the door could close but Bon Bon didn’t respond.

Bon Bon bolted through the waiting room, making her way up to the main entrance of The Everfree Moon, pushing the big door open, bursting into the cold winter night, not caring to grab the cloak she came in with.

Lyra lit up her horn again, casting the teleportation spell a second time, teleporting herself in front of Bon Bon’s intended path, causing the earth pony to skid to an abrupt halt in the snow. They both stood in the cold snow next to the restaurant's small roaring bonfire for a brief moment as they gazed into each other’s eyes.

“Bonny,” Lyra finally spoke in saddened tone. “I thought you were enjoying yourself back there. You looked so happy but then you just, freaked out," she added, pausing for a moment to take in her friend’s saddened expression. "Please, just tell me what's wrong,” she pleaded, giving Bon Bon a worried and concerned look.

Bon Bon jerked her head away from Lyra, shutting her eyes tightly. “Lyra…” she whimpered softly.

Lyra stepped forward, wanting to comfort her in some way. “Bonny, Chris didn’t mean to―,”

Before Lyra could say more, Bon Bon lunged forward and pressed her lips against Lyra’s, catching her completely off guard as she kissed her deeply.

Lyra froze completely as her eyes widened in surprise. Before she could even begin to process what had happened, Bon Bon broke the kiss and stepped back from her. “Please forgive me, Lyra… I just... I can’t be a part of what you and Chris share…”

Lyra started to regain her awareness and furrowed her brow in confusion. “B-but… I-I thought…” Lyra stammered softly, not sure what else she could say at this point.

“Please... just... keep your promise… never ask me about this again…” Bon Bon begged as a tear ran down her cheek.

Lyra stood there in the snow, dumbfounded as she started to panic. “W-Wait, B-B-Bonny... I-I-I thought you were… b-but...”

Bon Bon stepped closer to Lyra, giving her a gentle and loving kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for a lovely night… and... I’m sorry,” she whispered softly in a shaky voice, before galloping past the petrified unicorn. She ran as fast as she could, heading down the cobblestone path she’d come from.

Lyra stared blankly in stunned silence at The Everfree Moon’s main entrance. She saw the door swing open as Chris ran out to meet her. “Lyra!” he called as he ran up to her, coming to a slow stop right in front of her. "What... happened? Did you catch Bon Bon?" he asked, panting slightly.

Lyra sat down on her haunches, pressing her nice silk dress skirt into the cold, wet snow as she looked up to Chris with tears in her eyes. “S-she left... and she wouldn’t tell me why...”

Hearing those words and seeing the sad look in Lyra’s eyes made Chris cringe as his heart sank in his chest. They both had run so far ahead of him that he couldn’t catch up in time and he had hoped that Lyra would have stopped Bon Bon so he could try to talk to her. “I’m so sorry, Lyra… I fucked up... this is all my fault...” he admitted.

Lyra looked down at her forelegs, shutting her eyes as she shook her head slightly. “It wasn’t your fault...” she whimpered softly.

Chris frowned sadly at her reassuring words. Of course it was his fault. If he hadn’t persisted in helping Bon Bon like that then maybe they would still be inside, laughing it up with her and having a good time. But, now... now it looked like they would never get a chance again.

Chris knelt down in front of Lyra, running his hand through the top of her mane, pushing her hair out of her eyes as he petted her tenderly. “Did... did she say anything to you before she left?” he asked, fearing the answer.

Lyra nodded her head up and down slightly. “She… she just said that… she doesn’t want to be a part of what we share…” Lyra whimpered in a creaky voice, causing Chris’s stomach to feel like it was being twisted into a knot. He’d really fucked up. “I just can’t understand why…” she continued.

Chris knew exactly why she had run. It was because of what he had done and maybe even what he was, but Lyra wouldn’t want to hear him blame himself again, even if it was the truth.

“She was enjoying herself… Y-you saw it, too, didn’t you?!” Lyra asked, jerking her head up to look at Chris again. “She looked so happy back there! I saw it in her eyes!” she added suddenly, raising her voice as a tear trailed down her beautiful, mint-green cheek.

Chris looked into her tearful eyes and nodded his head in agreement. It was true that he did see that Bon Bon was actually enjoying herself and it really felt like he was starting to connect with her but the way she bolted out like that had taken him by surprise.

"I haven't seen her smile like that in so long..." Lyra whimpered in a soft whisper while Chris placed his hand on her cheek. He slowly rubbed away her tear with his thumb before it could freeze and mat her fur. She placed a chilled hoof on top of the arm that was rubbing her cheek as she closed her eyes and leaned into his hand.

Chris sighed deeply before leaning down. “Come on, let’s get you home,” he said softly, scooping her up into his arms as he lifted her up, holding her close to his body.

Lyra quickly wrapped her cold forelegs around the back of Chris’s neck, laying her head on his right shoulder. She nuzzled his fuzzy cheek as she whimpered softly to herself, letting her body go limp in his arms. He was about to turn back to The Everfree Moon to get their coats and pay for everything they had ordered but was interrupted by somepony calling out to them.

“Are you two okay?!”

Chris turned around and saw Ember gliding towards them from The Everfree Moon’s entrance. She was holding what looked like his coat and both Lyra and Bon Bon’s cloak’s over her right foreleg.“I just heard what happened. Is everything alright?” There was a note of deep concern in her voice as she landed in front of them.

Chris shook his head slightly before reaching into this pants pocket with his left hand, still holding Lyra up with his right. He pulled out a small pouch with the bits they had saved for their date and handed it to Ember.

The older bat mare squinted her eyes slightly, looking at the offering. “What is this?” she questioned, looking back up at Chris.

Chris sighed, thinking she didn’t know what he was giving her. “Payment for the food and the… mess…” he explained, giving the bag a little shake so she could hear the bits inside.

Ember scowled at him and shook her head, refusing his offer. “Now, now. I won't have any of that. From the looks of it, your night with your beautiful date was completely ruined and in my restaurant, no less.”

“But, it wasn’t your fault. You guys were amazing and everypony here treated us so well. At least take it as a tip?” Chris kindly argued.

“I just can’t do that, dear. Not after what happened,” Ember retorted. “Keep your bits. I don’t want anything to do with them,” she added in a friendly tone, giving Chris a genuine smile.

Chris sighed in defeat, putting the pouch back into his pocket. “Thank you, Ember.”

Lyra turned around in Chris’s arms a little so she could look back in Ember’s direction. “You’re a wonderful mare, Ember. Thank you,” she added softly.

“Of course, dears. Now, take your coat and cloaks. I don’t want you two catching colds on the way home,” she added in a more somber tone, handing Chris the pile of winter clothing that was draped over her right foreleg.

Chris extended his left arm, keeping Lyra held up with his right as Ember draped the fabric over his forearm.

“I believe your date’s cloak is in there as well,” Ember pointed out with a soft smile.

Chris pulled his arm back, pinning it under Lyra again to help hold her up before nodding. “It is. And… I’m sorry about the mess…” he apologized before turning around and making his way down the cobblestone path to their home.

“Do be safe dears and come back soon!” Ember cheered with a small wave of her hoof.

“Have a good night, Ember, and thank you for everything,” Chris called back as Lyra lightly waved back to her from over his shoulder.

They both walked off into the cold winter night, not stopping to put their protective clothing on. Chris didn’t need it with Lyra so close to him. She was helping to keep him warm and he was sure he was doing the same for her. Chris couldn’t stop thinking about what they were going to do next. He didn’t want to give up on Bon Bon and he was sure Lyra felt the same, but what could they do now?

Author's Notes:

Anyways... This might be a little weird, but I cried when I was writing the firelily part... I'm sure I'm the only one that will cry at that part, but I thought it was moving.

This is my message to Lyra and Chris.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxGRhd_iWuE&feature=youtu.be

So anyways... This chapter... Let me tell you guys about this chapter... Holy Luna did I have trouble with this one. But thank Celestia for good editors like JeremyStorm. He really helped to save this. I sent him this chapter part for editing and things, and he basically sat me down and explained to me why everything I had wasn't working. Boy was he right. I mean I'm embarrassed to think that what I had before was a good way to go about it...

After that I spend days rewriting the whole end after the gifts part, trying to get things to work. I think I finally got it to a point that I'm happy with and I think its working a lot better now. But I am supper excited to here what you guys think. So if you guys like this chapter, go thank JeremyStorm. And if you hate this chapter still go thank him, cause it would have been 100 times worse with out his critique.

Also I have to give a special shout-out to Laven_Eclipse, ButtonSweetiePuff for taking time out of there day to help me make sure this was all nice and pretty and readable. Also thanks to my buddy Mephistokiller for helping me with fixing Bon Bon's freak out and making sure things weren't to crazy.

Part 3 is a short one and will be out soon.