In less than twenty four hours, Lyra and Bon Bon left Ponyville and boarded a red-eye train leaving for Equestria's capital city. They needed to travel overnight if they wanted to arrive in time for the broadcast. On the long ride to Canterlot, the two marefriends sat in silence, trying to doze off. In spite of their efforts, neither of them could fall asleep. Lyra was too nervous to rest as she sat there with her heart pounding in her chest. Bon Bon was concerned for her marefriend and tried to comfort her.

"Nervous?" Bon Bon asked, as she listened to Lyra's erratic heartbeat.

"We're about to go on a broadcast with the most misogynistic chauvinist in all of radio," Lyra said, "How are you not nervous?" Bon Bon nuzzled up to her marefriend and kissed her on the cheek.

"Because I'm with you," Bon Bon said, "You know just what to say in stressful situations. Remember when we met for the first time?" Lyra smiled and stared off into the distance as she reflected on their past.

Bon Bon had moved to Canterlot with her parents when she was a little filly. Her mother and father were renowned chefs who had come to Canterlot to teach haute cuisine at the Canterlot Culinary Institute. Bon Bon had acquired her cutie mark that same summer and was eager to attend her new middle school in the fall.

During her first day of classes, Bon Bon found it hard to be accepted by the other students, because she was the only non-unicorn in the class. She felt self-conscious as the other fillies and colts stared at her hornless head like she was some kind of freak. They told unicorn superiority jokes in class, just loud enough for Bon Bon to hear.

"Why do non-unicorn parents have such bad breath?" one student whispered loudly.

"I give up," the other unicorn said, "Why?"

"You'd have bad breath too if you had to change diapers with your mouth." the colt replied, smiling as he glanced at Bon Bon. The ponies giggled quietly at her as she blushed and shrunk down in her seat, trying to act like she didn't hear them.

In the following days, Bon Bon was picked on and teased with increasing regularity. The other students mocked her for being a 'dumb earth pony who couldn't do magic.' After a particularly tough day of name-calling, the distraught filly went home and cried. That night she told her earth pony parents that she hated her school and wanted to move back to their old home.

"Everypony picks on me because I can't do magic," Bon Bon sobbed. She cried into her mother's lap as the mare gently stroked her daughter's mane.

"They're wrong, you know," Bon Bon's mother said, "You can do magic." Bon Bon looked up at her mother, confused.

"Look at your cutie mark," the mother said, "It represents your love of sharing sweet surprises. It's just like those knock knock jokes you enjoy telling. Whether it's through your good food or your good humor, you have a talent for making ponies feel good through unexpected, selfless acts." Bon Bon smiled as her mother wiped away her tears.

"You have a magic that those unicorns don't," the mare said, "You know how to take a recipe and make it taste sweeter than ever. Your bonbons are memorable because you surprise ponies with unexpected flavors. It takes real magic to do that." Bon Bon cried some more, but not out of sadness. She hugged her mother tightly and told her how much she loved her.

"Thanks mommy," Bon Bon said, happily.

The next day Bon Bon brought a tray of her hoof-crafted bonbons to school to share with her classmates. Food wasn't allowed during school, so Bon Bon waited until after class to share her treats. When the school day had ended, Bon Bon stayed behind until all the other children ran outside to wait for their parents. When she was alone, Bon Bon collected her books in her saddlebag and clutched a covered tray of bonbons in her mouth. She trotted outside happily, remembering what her mother had said.

"I have magic," Bon Bon thought, confidently. The filly walked towards her class to share her treats, when her path was suddenly blocked by three little unicorns named Baubles, Bangles and Beads. Out of all her classmates, these three were the most vehement in their insults.

"Well, if it isn't Non Bon, the non-icorn," Baubles said, "What cha' got in your mouth, Non Bon?" Bon Bon blushed. She was determined to show these bullies that she was just as capable as them. She set the tray down and stood her ground.

"I can do magic," Bon Bon said, defiantly. The three unicorns burst out laughing.

"Earth ponies can't do magic!" Bangles said, derisively, "Where's your horn?"

"I don't need a horn," Bon Bon said, proudly, "My parents taught me a special magic. It's called haute cuisine!" The three fillies stared at her blankly.

"What's hoet kwazeen?" Beads asked.

"The art of fine cooking," Bon Bon said nonchalantly before lifting the cover of the tray off with her mouth. The jeers of her classmates were suddenly silenced as they looked at the tray filled with delectable confections. Bon Bon's father had taught her that with haute cuisine, presentation was half the battle. Bon Bon clearly took his advice to heart, because her chocolates were immaculate. They were spaced on the tray equally and each one was drizzled with a different syrup or icing. A small amount of dew-like moisture formed on the chocolate shell, causing the confections to glisten in the afternoon sun.

Bon Bon encouraged the fillies to try one of her treats. Unable to resist the allure of free sweets, the unicorns each levitated a bonbon with their horns and took a bite. Bon Bon's happy smile turned to a look of devastated disappointment as the fillies scrunched up their noses and spat the desert onto the ground. The three fillies expressed how nasty the chocolates were. Bon Bon was crushed and started to cry.

A few moments earlier, a punishment was being exacted on a student in the next grade above Bon Bon. A unicorn with a lyre cutie mark was staying after class and levitating a piece of chalk against a blackboard. She had to write on the board one hundred times "humans don't exist." Her teacher sat at her desk grading papers as she made sure the filly completed her punishment.

"Lyra Heartstrings," Ms. Slide Rule said, disappointingly, "Ever since you set hoof in my class, I knew there was something queer about you. I will never understand your obsession with humans. They are nothing but myths and nopony in this school will tolerate your conspiracy theories regarding them." Lyra pressed the chalk hard into the board as she spelled out the words. She imagined that the front end of the chalk was Ms. Slide Rule's head and she was rubbing her teacher's face off with every letter. It was the little things that helped Lyra get through detention.

"Some days I think that your cutie mark has less to do with your musical talents and more to do with your bad habit of harping on issues nopony cares about," Ms. Slide Rule said, "If you don't cease these flights of fancy, you're never going to find a nice young stallion to marry you." Lyra shot her teacher a dirty look.

"Or if I really wanted stallions to avoid me all together, I should just become a spinstery schoolmare." Lyra said loud enough for her teacher to hear. Ms. Slide Rule's face turned crimson. She looked angry enough to swear, but she didn't say anything. She levitated the papers she was grading and trotted briskly for the door. As she was leaving, she told Lyra to add another one hundred lines to her punishment. Ms. Slide Rule slammed the classroom door behind her as she left. Lyra smiled.

Now that the teacher was gone, Lyra levitated up three more pieces of chalk and began writing her sentences four lines at a time. Her punishment was interrupted by the sound of crying coming from outside. Lyra went over to the window and saw a cream-colored earth pony hanging her head down and crying, while three unicorns taunted her. Setting the chalk pieces down, Lyra went outside to stop the bullying,

"We should've known an earth pony couldn't make anything good," Beads said. Bon Bon sat silently with her head down. Her lip was trembling and her eyes were filled with tears. Suddenly, Bon Bon saw a shadow on the ground that stopped between her and the bullies. She looked up and saw that it was a unicorn filly from the next grade.

"What are you three doing?" Lyra asked angrily. She hated anypony who bullied others, especially those who were different, "Why are you picking on the new filly?"

"Because her bonbons suck," Baubles said. The other two unicorns echoed her sentiments. Lyra commented that the chocolates looked delicious and asked the unicorns what was so bad about them.

"The chocolate is fine, but she ruined it by filling it with nasty stuff," Bangles said.

"Like what?" Lyra asked. The three fillies answered Lyra's question simultaneously, but each one gave a different answer.

"Gross coconut," Baubles said.

"Yucky caramel," Bangles said.

"Nasty nougat," Beads said.

The three unicorns looked at each other in surprise. Clearly they thought that all of Bon Bon's chocolates were the same. It hadn't occurred to them that each one had a unique and distinctive filling. Moreover, they were surprised to learn what flavors their friends didn't like.

"What's wrong with chocolate and caramel?" Baubles asked Bangles, "I think they go great together."

"I like the taste of coconut," Beads said to Baubles.

"And nougat is my favorite!" Bangles said to Beads.

Lyra smiled as she looked at the three sheepish fillies, who were still levitating their half-eaten bonbons.

"It sounds to me like you three should trade chocolates," Lyra said, smirking. Baubles, Bangles and Beads gave their bonbon to the filly who wanted it. Once they had their preferred flavors, they each took a bite.

"Mmmmm!" the three fillies said as they chewed happily. While they were still enjoying their treat, Lyra spoke to the humbled bullies.

"Not everypony is going to like the same thing, and that's okay," Lyra said, "What leaves a bad taste in your mouth just might be another pony's favorite flavor." Lyra held out her hoof and helped Bon Bon stand up. She listened intently as Lyra continued to speak.

"You shouldn't judge somepony just because she looks different from you or likes different things," Lyra said, "If somepony wants to fill their bonbon with something you don't like, you shouldn't try to stop them from enjoying it. Bonbons aren't meant to be filled with the same thing every time. That's what makes them special." Bon Bon blushed. It would be years before she fully understood what these feeling she had for Lyra were.

Baubles, Bangles and Beads apologized for bullying Bon Bon and thanked her for the treats. The three unicorns then ran off to their parents, who had come to take them home. Bon Bon put the lid back on her treats. She brushed back her curly hair with her fore-hoof.

"Thanks for sticking up for me," Bon Bon said, bashfully, "It's tough when you're different and everypony thinks you look weird."

"Don't let those neighsayers get you down," Lyra said, "Ponies are like bonbons. The inside is what really matters. If your heart is half as sweet as your chocolates look, then you're gonna make somepony very happy someday." Lyra and Bon Bon stared into each other's eyes as the autumn leaves fell around them.

"We haven't been properly introduced," Bon Bon said, "My name's Bon Bon."

"How appropriate," Lyra said, chuckling, "I'm Lyra Heartstrings, but my friends just call me Lyra."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lyra," Bon Bon said.

"Likewise," Lyra responded. Bon Bon asked Lyra if they could play together during recess tomorrow. Lyra explained that she was still a grade above Bon Bon.

"The only way we can have classes and recess together is if I get held back a grade," Lyra said.

"That can be arranged," a gruff voice said behind the two fillies. Lyra quickly turned around. Standing behind her was the school principal, Mr. Academia. He stared at Lyra, looking cross with her. Beside the principal stood Ms. Slide Rule. Her eyes were red and puffy, as though she'd been crying.

"You were on thin ice before, Heartstrings," Mr. Academia said gruffly, "but making your teacher cry and skipping out on your detention just earned you a trip to my office. Follow me."

"Yes, sir," Lyra said, glumly. Bon Bon was too shocked to speak as the Lyra was led away by Mr. Academia and Ms. Slide Rule. Bon Bon was about to call out to them and tell them to stop, but at that moment, her parents arrived to pick her up.

"How was class?" Bon Bon's mother asked, "Did everypony enjoy your treats?"

"Today was great," Bon Bon said distractedly as she watched Lyra head inside the school, "I actually made a new friend today. Can we play together before dinner?" Bon Bon's parents smiled at each other. They said it would be alright as long as she was careful. Having received her parent's permission, Bon Bon ran inside the school to find her new friend.

Lyra was already in the principal's office, so Bon Bon waited outside the door with her books and leftover bonbons. She gave some of her treats to the teachers and janitors who passed down the hall. An hour later, Lyra emerged from the principal's office; her cheeks were stained with tears. She looked to her right and saw that Bon Bon had stayed and waited for her. Lyra felt a warm feeling stir within her. Bon Bon pushed her tray of treats in front of her friend. Lyra sniffed back tears as she levitated one of the chocolates to her mouth and took a bite.

"Mmmm," Lyra said, "Peanut butter. My favorite."

Lyra walked Bon Bon back to her house so she could make it in time for dinner. As they walked, they talked about their favorite things and the events of the day.

"I still can't believe those three fillies were giving you a hard time over your bonbons," Lyra said, "They're delicious!"

"It's a good thing they didn't try the booger or earwax-filled ones," Bon Bon said, solemnly. Lyra stared at her new friend, growing slightly concerned. Bon Bon calmly stared at Lyra, before the earth pony's face slowly broke out into a smile.

"Gotcha!" Bon Bon said, teasingly. Lyra and Bon Bon both burst out laughing as they continued to walk down the leaf-strewn path.

Back in the present, Lyra let out a sigh as she and Bon Bon relived a shared memory together. Lyra did end up having to repeat a grade, which worked out fine, because it allowed her and Bon Bon to spend more time together. Adversity brought them closer together and allowed them to discover the feelings they had for one another. All of their previous misadventures had brought them to this point; a showdown with a griffin who had made a career out of being a grade school bully on the radio. In spite of her earlier nervousness, Lyra soon fell asleep, resting her head on Bon Bon's. The earth pony gave a contented sigh as she also drifted off to dreamland. The two mares rested peacefully as the train pushed on through the night.

It was morning by the time the train pulled into Canterlot station. Before they could get to the city, Lyra and Bon Bon had to navigate through a sea of morning commuters who came from Manehattan and Fillydelphia. The morning air was abuzz with commerce as shopkeepers sold their goods to busy ponies. Bon Bon's nose filled with the sweet smell of fresh-baked pastries. She was tempted to get one, but the clock was ticking and they had an appointment to keep.

As they stepped out onto the streets of Canterlot, Lyra was hit by a wave of nostalgia. Canterlot was her old trotting grounds and she was amazed by how much the city had grown in the few short years since she moved to Ponyville. New, larger buildings towered over the skyline she remembered from her youth. Fortunately for Lyra, the streets hadn't changed. She had walked the roads of Canterlot countless times and felt confident enough to traverse them with her eyes closed.

Fortunately for her, Bon Bon was there to stop the headstrong mare from walking blindly into traffic. Bon Bon tugged on Lyra's tail to prevent her from trotting headlong into an oncoming cart. After a couple more near misses, Lyra stopped outside the Canterlot Broadcasting System building. She opened her eyes and looked up.

"I told you I could find this place blindfolded!" Lyra said, boastfully. Bon Bon shot her marefriend a reproachful look and snorted. Bon Bon eventually glanced up at the intimidating building. The top floor is where they needed to go for their interview. Taking deep, calming breaths, Lyra and Bon Bon walked inside.

The Howie Tern Show was broadcasted through Ursa Satellite Radio. Its mascot was a side profile of an Ursa Minor with a star for its eye. As Lyra and Bon Bon stepped off the elevator, they walked down the semi-lit hallway to where Howie Tern recorded his broadcasts.

Once they stepped inside, Lyra and Bon Bon gazed around Howie Tern's studio. It looked more like a nightclub than the set of a professional radio griffin. The room was was bathed in dim blue, purple and green lights. There were neon signs of stars and lightning bolts that overlaid a painting of Howie Tern. On the far wall was a framed poster form his biographical movie. The griffin stood behind a suggestively-placed tower of Canterlot castle. The film's tagline said, "Never has a griffin done so much with so little."

Howie Tern was a gaunt griffin with a skinny neck and yellow claws. The feathers on his face were white and he wore tinted glasses that rested on the bridge of his yellow beak. He also had long, black feathers which hung down like hair and covered the sides and back of his head. Howie's griffin fur was charcoal-black and his wings were the same pitch-black color as the feathers that drooped down atop his head.

When the mares walked in, the griffin was sitting behind his desk, which had three computer monitors on it. They served as a makeshift fence between him and his guests. Beside the monitors was a console with all manner of knobs, dials and buttons. Some were there to adjust the mic settings or to take calls. Other buttons contained crude, obscene or humorous sound files which Howie would employ throughout his broadcast whenever he felt they were needed.

Howie acknowledged the mares' presence as he took a sip of coffee. Still slurping from his cup, the griffin gestured for them to come closer. Lyra and Bon Bon sat on red, velvet pillows that were reserved for Howie's guests. As they sat, Lyra and Bon Bon looked around and took in more of their surroundings.

Behind Howie were several shelves filled with his collection of booze. Row after row of various kinds of liquor sat there, unopened. Above the bottles he displayed his black electric guitar. On one shelf he had a hockey mask with a bill on it that was especially designed for griffins. Other various items were littered about the studio, all of which Howie had acquired during his infamous career as a shock jock. Lyra and Bon Bon braced themselves in nervous anticipation as they waited for the interview to begin.

The mares jumped as the studio door opened behind them and another griffin entered the studio. This one was female, with brown fur and wings. The feathers on her head were off-white and speckled black. Her beak and claws had the color and texture of onyx stone. She locked the door behind her and walked up to Lyra and Bon Bon. The griffin introduced herself as Robin Quillers, Howie's on-air sidekick.

Using her claws, she adjusted the mics in front of Lyra and Bon Bon to make sure they were at the appropriate height. Lyra stared hypnotically at the griffin's talons as she turned the little knobs with ease. Lyra licked her lips hungrily. Bon Bon noticed this and jabbed Lyra in the sides.

"What?" Lyra whispered defensively.

"I caught you staring at her claws," Bon Bon whispered, perturbed.

"It's not like it was a sexual thing," Lyra said, quietly, "Well, not entirely... I'm just fascinated, is all."

"You should be careful what you wish for," Bon Bon said, passively, "Those claws look razor sharp and would probably make mincemeat of your marehood."

"Yeah," Lyra said, absentmindedly, as she watched Robin give Howie a 'thumbs up' sign. The female griffin then walked away from the mares and took a seat behind her own mic. Lyra felt her mouth go dry as the radio show started.