Ask Lyra

I’m sorry, Strawberry. I was just trying to lighten the mood. I don’t really know what to say about it anymore. Statistically speaking, with your memories being gone as long as they have, you probably won’t ever remember. Unless your memories were magically drained or locked, I don’t think there’s anything that can be done.

The only consolation, though it is a big one, is that you’re still able to form and retain new memories. When memory loss is involved, that’s a big deal.

I know it can be hard- even painful, but at this point it might be best to just… move on. Forget the past. Focus on the values you have now, the interests you have now, and the skills you have now and enjoy life like you have no past. No standard to compare to. No bar to set. You can have fun learning and growing all over again and- Who knows? You might end up being something you’re even more proud of than you ever could have been before!

I mean, that’s what I did.

Is this still a thing? Is the whole leet thing still a thing?

1) It’s new. Well, newish. Twilight’s been a princess for a while now, though.

3) Says the one who’s favorite gem is Pearl.

2) You did. And I replied, vehemently.

4)

6) Uh… I mean, I’m not going to just trust that some random stranger is going to be safe to meet on a “more than a friend“ basis. Gotta start small.

5) … Okay, my name is Mintgreen.

1) Okay?

2) Thinking back, that was a strange episode of a strange show, wasn’t it?

3) You mean the out-of-place, crystalline, treehouse-shaped palace? That’s Twilight Sparkle’s. Princess of Friendship, if you can believe that.

4) Bon-Bon: Because I’d trust a random phone number from a stranger?

5) Well, let’s go down the list. Spoken Language? No. Written Language? No. Calendar? No. The Plow? No. Irrigation System? Electricity? Printing Press? Sewage Management? No. No. No. and No.

Your definition of technology seems to be combustible engines, phones, and computers. Sorry, we had other means of automated movement/sending messages and we couldn’t copy computers if we didn’t first have ones to discover your kind existed, could we?

6) I’ve never heard a single bad thing about that game.

With everypony else gone, you turn to Silver Spoon. She keeps opening and closing her mouth, like she’s struggling to find what to say.

“That was…“ She finally looks up and extends her neck toward you, “Really weird!“ You both draw back from that and she starts to look around. “I-I mean… In a good way?“ Her gaze rests on you and she lifts her hoof, “I know this whole trip was supposed to be Diamond Tiara’s present for me. But it never really felt like that, you know?“ Her eyes wonder again, “What I mean to say is…“ Then they fall back to you, “If you wanted to come to my birthday party, I wouldn’t turn you away or anything.“ She looks down and kicks at the ground with her hoof, “Not like it’s a big deal. It’s, you know, whatever. I mean, you already gave me a present. It’d be silly to give me a present and you weren’t invited.“

She looks up again, this time with her head tilted, “So, I guess I’ll see you there. You know, if you want to come, that is.“ Then she turns and walks away without waiting for an answer. You watch her until she disappears into a side street.

You suddenly feel very tired, and your head starts to pound. You definitely still have that knot on your head, though the swelling has gone down a lot. You release a long sigh, then head home. There’s still plenty of choices left to make, but you think you can manage for now.

The group slows to a halt on the edge of town, panting after their run.

“I can’t believe we pulled that off without Princess Twilight finding out!“ Blossomforth sighs, “I’m going to go home and try to forget any of this ever happened!“ Then she stretches her wings wide and takes to the skies.

“Well, there’s still plenty of time left in the day. “ Bon-Bon shields her eyes and glances up towards the sun. It’s still resting high in the sky. “Guess I’ll head into the shop. See if I can’t get some revenue coming in.“ She puts a hoof on Lyra’s shoulder, “We’ll talk at length about this later. But for now, how about I trust you to never do this again.“
Lyra lifts her hoof and puts it on Bon-Bon’s, “That sounds fair. And I’m sorry.“
“We’ll see.“ Then Bon-Bon walks off into town, disappearing in the crowd.

“I have a lot to look through.” Lyra taps the saddlebag on her back, “And I have to get ready for work tonight. And somewhere in there I gotta get some real sleep.“ Lyra waves to you and walks backwards, “Catch you back at the house, Liza. Good thing there was no school today or you fillies would be swimming in trouble, huh?” Then she turns to round a corner and slips out of view.

“Hmm. It was a far cry from what we were promised,“ Diamond Tiara yawns, “But I guess you’re in the clear.“ She smirks, “I’ll bet our adventure was loads better than yours, though. Maybe we’ll tell you about it sometime. You know, if we feel like it.“ Diamond Tiara turns her back to you, “For now, I have a party I’ll be attending and I need some beauty rest.“ She turns her head back toward you, “But you probably wouldn’t know anything about that.“ Then she gives a coy smile and trots away.

“Alright! You did it!“ Spike cheers! “Owlowiscious, the book!“
The owl gives a soft, “Who?“ Then flies up to the top of the large machine and picks up the book with its talons. Lyra backs away from the machine and its quiet hum and lights slowly fade. The bird drops the book into Spike’s waiting claws, then flies over to the cover on the ground and starts to fumble with it.

Lyra drops to all four legs and approaches the little purple dragon, “Spike, I-“
Spike puts the book under his arm and holds his other claw up to stop Lyra, “You can explain later. For now-” Spike jumps and points to the door, “Everypony needs to get out! Twilight’ll be back any second now! Rear stairwell and out the window! Go go go!“

Everypony breaks into a run and, lead by Blossomforth, snakes their way to and down the stairs. Once there they each jump out the nearest window, one at a time. Lyra leads the group outside, hugging the wall as they head toward the front of the castle. She then gives a signal to go, “Twilight just went inside! Move!“

Then the group makes their final sprint back toward town.

You feel like you’re falling, and can see bright lights pass before your closed eyes. You try your best to brace for impact, but you don’t know which way is up! You start to feel sick when suddenly the lights disappear and fresh air impacts your face. Then, something soft catches you and you open your eyes.

“Gotcha.” You find yourself on Blossomforth’s back, who has just landed. You roll off and stumble for a dizzy moment. Once you get steady, you take a look at your hand, which has turned back into a hoof. Looks like you made it!

You look around the room. Blossomforth is next to you, looking like she’s ready to dive and catch you if you lose your balance. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are beside one another. Bon-Bon is off to one side; there’s an owl perched on a box near her. And Spike is in the middle.

Spike claps, “Alright! That just leaves Lyra left, right? She’s still coming, isn’t she?“

The portal starts to flash and Blossomforth pulls you out of the way with one of her wings. Then she steps in front of you and bends her knees, ready to fly into action. Literally. The mirror glows and Lyra slowly walks out, standing on her hindlegs.

“I was going to come back, you know.“

You turn around and find Lyra walking past the statue toward where Bon-Bon is standing. You want to stop her, to tell her to leave Aunt Bon-Bon alone, but Bon-Bon turns around with her arms crossed and a stoic expression. The kind she normally has when she’s upset with Lyra. You wouldn’t be able to tell she cried at all, if you hadn’t already seen it.

“You think I knew.“
Lyra spreads her arms out, “I wouldn’t just leave.“
Bon-Bon, arms still crossed, starts to walk toward the statue, “And why wouldn’t you? You’re a free spirit, aren’t you? That’s why you didn’t tell me anything.“ She passes by Lyra and turns her head to say, “That’s why you never tell me anything.“
Lyra yells back at Bon-Bon, “I don’t tell you anything because you can’t ever trust me!“
Bon-Bon pauses in front of the statue for a moment, then turns her head toward you, “Come on, Liza.“ Then she passes through the statue and vanishes.

You and Lyra both stand next to each other in front of the statue.
Lyra pats you on the shoulder, “Go ahead, Liza. Unless you think I won’t follow.“

You take a deep breath, close your eyes and, slowly this time, pass through the portal.

Aunt Bon-Bon hugs the other Lyra, “I’ll be back before you know it. And when I get back… I’ll tell you all about Paris. And I’ll have had such a good time. And I’ll wish you could have come with me.“
This only seems to make Lyra cry harder. Then you hear a bell ring and Lyra swings around to look back at the school. She looks back at Bon-Bon with a panicked look on her face, breathing very fast.
“Please go.” Bon-Bon grabs Lyra’s hands again, clasps them together, and raises them up to her chest, “You know I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me. It’s better this way. It’s better that you don’t see me fade away.“
Lyra’s face is red and she’s shaking all over.
“If you trust me, go before you miss the second bell. Please!“

Lyra abruptly turns and runs toward the school’s main door. Bon-Bon turns to watch her. The front door opens and Lyra stops to stare back at Bon-Bon. Bon-Bon cups her hands over her mouth and yells, “I love you!“ Then Lyra disappears inside.

It’s over, and things become very quiet, and very still. You watch Bon-Bon stand there and stare off into the distance for what feels like a very long time.

“Lyra…“ You step away from Aunt Bon-Bon, who walks towards Lyra. The other Lyra.
“Bon-Bon, is everything alright?“ Her expression looks clouded with worry.
“Yes,“ Bon-Bon replies, then shakes her head, “No… Lyra, I have to go.“
They both reach for each others’ hands and hold on.
“You’ll be back though, right?“
“Yes… But I won’t remember any of this.“ Lyra’s mouth hangs open. “I won’t remember anything that happened before I left for Paris.“
“I-I don’t understand.“ Lyra’s breathing is heavy and you can tell she’s already on the verge of crying.
Bon-Bon looks away, “I don’t understand either, but when I come back- the last time I’ll have seen you will be before I left. It’ll be like the last three days never happened. It’ll be like I never got back early.“
Lyra’s lower lip quivers and tears start to drip from her eyes, “Is this a dream?”
“I don’t know.” Bon-Bon inhales deeply and you see her start to cry too, ”But I love you,“ you watch Bon-Bon squeeze Lyra’s hand, “And I’ll still love you when I get back. I promise.“

All at once it hits you and you cover your mouth to silence your gasp. This world’s Bon-Bon is in some place called Paris. And Bon-Bon, your Bon-Bon, was pretending to be this Lyra’s girlfriend. You stare at the pain and confusion in this Lyra’s face and… It’s not right. Bon-Bon would never hurt anypony.

“Well,” Blossomforth interrupts, “If you don’t mind, we won’t be waiting for her to get here. You two,” She points to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, “Through the portal, now. And you’d better not try to run off again while I find Spike. Bon-Bon already told me who your parents are.“

With heads held low, the pair walk toward the statue. But before they pass, they both turn toward you. “See you on the other side, Liza.“ Diamond Tiara says. Silver Spoon just waves. Then they both step through the statue and vanish.

Blossomforth approaches the statue after them, “When I get home I’m taking a nice long bath. And I might not get out until Winter Wrap-Up.“ Bon-Bon muffles a laugh and Blossomforth too vanishes through the statue.

Only you and Aunt Bon-Bon remain. She puts her arm around you and pulls you in close, “Well, should we wait for Lyra? How long did she say she’d be?“

“Bon-Bon?“

You and Bon-Bon spin around to find Lyra standing behind you. But it’s not the Lyra you were expecting.

“… Ran around all day like a crazy pony!“ Blossomforth points at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon in turn, “All I asked of you was to say put but no~! You wondered unsupervised in a strange world were you could have been hurt… or worse! And what was I supposed to do, huh? Once the students starting pouring in I had to escape and leave poor Liza behind! What if she was hurt more than I thought?!”

Blossomforth turns her head, sees you, and rushes over. As she walks away, you see Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon roll their eyes at her.

“There you are! Are you alright?“ You nod and tell her that your head still hurts a little, but otherwise you feel fine. She looks relieved. This has probably been very stressful for her. You thank her for her help and give her a hug. She seems confused at first, but eventually hugs you back. Then you both let go and return to the statue.

Aunt Bon-Bon claps to draw your attention, “So, what did Lyra say?“ You tell her that she’s coming home, but skip everything else. Bon-Bon closes her eyes and sighs slightly, “I’m glad to hear that.“

After one last glance around town, you head back to the bus stop and wait for the bus. When it arrives the driver, remembering who you are, is worried at first. However, once you show him the green note he seems pleased and hands you two coins in return. You take your seat against the window and watch the world speed by again. It’s a shame you can’t see such a view more often.

Once the bus passes by the school you get ready to get off at your stop. You wave goodbye to the driver on your way out, who returns the gesture with a smile. While you walk back to the school you reflect upon your trip here. The wound on your head still hurts a little. You wonder if it will still be there when you get home.

In front of the statue you find Blossomforth scolding Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Aunt Bon-Bon is there too, but seems to be staying out of it. She sees you approaching and waves. Evidently she was already told you were coming. As you get near, you can hear Blossomforth.

You slide out of your chair and hug Lyra, who immediately squeezes you back.

“You’re a good kid, Liza. Just… stay out of trouble, alright?“

You nod and Lyra lets go. She wipes her eye and opens her laptop back up, “You should go ahead back to the statue. I need to finish up here, but I’ll be along shortly.“ She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a green piece of paper, “You can use this like money. Did you ride the bus? You can see the bus stop from here.“ You nod and Lyra smiles, then looks out the window, “Looks like your friends are gone. You can either chase after them, possibly get lost in the process, or trust that they’ll get back on their own. I’m sure you’ll make the right decision.“

Lyra turns her body away from you and back to the laptop without another word. You thank her and she smiles again, then you head back outside. She was right, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are nowhere to be found.

You fight to resist it, but you start to cry a little. You don’t understand why Lyra is acting so mean. She’s probably done worse than you did. But maybe that’s the point. She wants to scare you into keeping it that way? You wipe your face and ask one last question: What information is she looking for?

Lyra turns away and stares out the window. Then down at her laptop, which she closes. Then back to you, seemingly judging whether you deserve an answer or not. When she finishes, she looks up. Evidently, you passed.

“For a long time now, ponies have been… expecting something from me.“ She starts to poke at the fork beside her. “I’m supposed to… do something, but I don’t know what. Everypony seems to connect me with humans, and I reject it, but maybe I shouldn’t. Maybe that’s somehow related to the thing I’m supposed to do.
Suppose my theory about humans and ponies is true. Suppose we do live in different time periods on the same world. If they came first, suppose there was a way to stop… whatever ultimately happens to them. What if I could find the answer and give it to them?
What if it’s the other way around? What if I could stop us from fading away? If it’s possible- if the answer can exist- if it can even be found… If it’s sensational, obvious, easily discovered, so be it. But if searching the fringe is the only way… Wouldn’t you say we deserve that chance? Surely they don’t deserve to disappear either, if it can be avoided.
I wanted this to be the human world. I wanted proof that we live on different planes of existence. That neither of our fates are sealed. But if I can’t disprove it… I can’t risk being right. I know I’m grasping at straws here, but… Ponies are expecting something from me.
But nopony will believe me- nopony will trust me. Everypony is concerned about something else. They all want me to just… click my hooves together and fix a problem. But maybe the answer isn’t so direct. Maybe my answer isn’t the answer they need.“

After she finishes, Lyra becomes quiet. You aren’t really sure what to say.

That’s a lot to ask. You start listing each one with “how she broke in” and “why she didn’t leave a note”, but you stop. Lyra leans forward and rests her head on her crossed arms. Uh oh. She’s smiling, but it’s a mean smile. The kind you see Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon do a lot.

“You don’t think very highly of me, do you Liza?“
You bite your tongue.
“The only reason you’re sitting in front of me right now is because I allowed it. If I wanted to vanish off the face of Equestria, I would have. Even if you knew I was in this world- if I hopped a train to the next town over, you’d never find me before I moved again. The only reason Bon-Bon knew I was here was because I left a fairly obvious hint on my tumblr, in case I ran into trouble. And whether you realize it or not, all you did was follow her. The only thing I didn’t count on was exactly how fast Bon-Bon would come looking for me. Or that she’d leave you alone to follow her. I expected her to be more responsible than that.“

That was clearly the wrong question to ask. You want to argue about Bon-Bon, but Lyra lifts her head up and the smile vanishes. Replaced with something much more stern.

“As for how I broke in, I’m an ex-criminal. I practically waltzed through the front door singing our national anthem. Trivial is an understatement. The real question is how you tricked two fillies and conned an adult into helping you get here. I did what I did because those are the skills I have. The skills I grew up with. I expected better from you. I live with my decisions. They haunt me in my sleep. Are you proud of yours?“

You sink into your seat and look away. Maybe you didn’t always make the best choice. You didn’t mean to hurt anypony. You just… You were only trying to help.

She left without warning. She was gone for days. Why?

Lyra turns her laptop around to face you. On the screen are a lot of words. They look like pages of a book.

“Information. The human internet has all this information blocked behind paywalls- inaccessible to Equestrians. Historical details, reports, science journals, textbooks. I knew if I could get here, get some money, I could start to get ahold of it.
I thought this was the human world I’ve been communicating with all these years. Disappointingly, turns out it’s not. No Middle Eastern conflict. Less environmental destruction. And to top it all off, once Twilight got here, magic.
But there are similarities. My current theory is that this is some kind of amalgamation- a combination- of both our worlds. It’s been difficult trying to piece together which side influenced what. But when I can, I can start to get a better picture of human earth- beyond the internet.“

Is she coming back? Is this just… what she wants to do now?

Lyra pulls the laptop back, “Liza… Of course I’m coming back. In fact, I was getting ready to come home- I have work tonight! I wouldn’t just leave.“

You…You came all this way and she was about to come home anyway? You sink in your seat. Well, at least you found Bon-Bon.

Something seems missing, though. Is there anything else you should ask?

“I’ll be honest, I was expecting Bon-Bon.“

You look up, but Lyra is still staring at the computer. Did she say that?

“She’d never let me go on my own, but she couldn’t trust that I’d come back either.“ She finally looks up from the monitor and motions to the seat across from her. “Have a seat. I’m sure you’re hungry.“ Lyra slides a paper bowl of… they look like slices of potato. “It’s not hay fries, but they’re pretty good.“

You pick one up and take a bite. A strong salt flavor overwhelms your senses. It’s sooo good! And you didn’t realize how hungry you were either. You shovel one after another into your mouth.

“Looks like you hit your head on entry.“ You look up from your salted potatoes and Lyra lifts her hair off of her forehead, revealing a bandage like yours. “Me too. At first I thought I broke my horn off. Pretty scary stuff.“ You pause, then go back to eating. “Your friends were being a little cryptic. I’m figuring they came with you, but I’m not sure why. Who else? Where’s Bon-Bon?“
You tell Lyra that Bon-Bon was already here and who you came with.
“Blossomforth? Sounds familiar. Pegasus, I think.” She taps her chin in thought, the continues, “So Bon-Bon was already here? I haven’t exactly been hiding. Must have just missed each other. I take it Twilight knows I sneaked in and used her portal by now, then.“
As far as you know, Spike is the only one on the outside that knows about this. You tell her that.
“Spike isn’t exactly a well of fortitude, but it’s nice that he’d try to keep it secret. Not sure if he’s doing it for me or not.“

It feels strange talking to Lyra so casually. You two hardly ever speak. She’s very mysterious. It’s a little intimidating. You have lots of questions, but you know you’ve only so much time. What should you ask about?

You enter the cafe and pause. Diamond Tiara pats you on the back, “We’ll leave you two alone.“ Then she and Silver Spoon step outside.

That is a lot less than you thought. Something worth so little must be tiny, though. Like a grain of sand.

Ask her something she’d know…

Your face turns flush again. Maybe save that as a last resort. You don’t want her to get upset.

Step-by-step, you slowly approach. You expect her to look up, but she’s so busy with her laptop that she doesn’t even notice you. Before you know it, you’re standing right next to her.

Your mouth dries up and your heart beats fast. If it’s not her- then what will you do? You don’t want Aunt Bon-Bon to get in trouble. Something only an Equestrian would know. The EUP? Hearth’s Warming? Nightmare Night? Summer Sun Celebration? You can think of subjects, but not content. What if this is the right Lyra and she doesn’t understand? What if you accidentally bring back the wrong Lyra?

You stare in awe at the world passing you by at surreal speeds, between stops. You’re so invested that when Silver Spoon nudges your shoulder, you gasp in shock!

“Chill out! We get off at the next stop.“
Diamond Tiara leans forward so you can see her, “We found her inside of some kind of cafe less than an hour ago. We talked to her and, unless she lied, she should still be there.“
You nod that you understand. But, even if what they say is true, you have no idea if she really will be there. 

The bus screeches to a stop one last time and the three of you get up and head to the exit. The driver eyes Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, who both completely ignore him, then turns to you, “If you plan to use the bus again, try to find some change.“
You don’t know what that means. You nod anyway and step off of the bus. It takes a moment of looking around before you spot Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon already heading down the sidewalk. You walk quickly to catch up.

Diamond Tiara points to the next building ahead, “It’s that one right there, with the green and white awning. She’s sitting by the window.“

You look through the windows as you pass and spot a girl with the same minty green and white hair that you saw at the school. It’s definitely a Lyra. Now it’s time to find out if it’s your Lyra.

The bus door opens and the three of you climb aboard. Up ahead, you hear the bus driver talking to Diamond Tiara.

“You two again?“ He sounds annoyed, “I hope you know I left a message at your school’s office. They’ll be telling your parents about you skipping school like this.“
“And when my daddy finds out you’ve been harassing us, he’ll make sure you’re out of a job. Now, drive this hunk-of-junk like a good boy and I might forget this insult.“
The driver mutters something under his breath and the two bullies head back and find a seat. Feeling uneasy, you climb up to the driver and he stares you down, “Come on, ma’am. Pass or fare.“
Diamond Tiara stands up in her seat, “She’s a student like us! Just let her through!“
The driver tilts his head toward Diamond Tiara, then back toward you, “I don’t recognize you. I either need to see a bus pass or you have to pay the fifty cent fare.“

Fifty cents?! If cents and bits are interchangeable here like they are in Equestria, that’s an astronomical sum! You ask if you can trade something instead.
He drops his head into his hand and sighs, “I don’t get paid enough for this…“
You search through your bag and, after pulling aside your bloodied cloths, find that all you really have left are a few bottles of water and a wash cloth.
He reaches his hand out, “Fine. I’ll take the water. Just go sit down, please.“
You hand over the water bottles and sit down across from Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. You hear the metallic click of the door locking and the bus begins to move.

Aunt Bon-Bon said she trusted you. That means she trusts you to make the right decision. And right now, the right decision is to find Lyra. You nod to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon in acceptance.

Diamond Tiara leans forward, hands on her hips, “Finished hiding behind the coattails of whatever adult you can find? Good.” She turns and begins walking toward the street, “That’s the filly I took a risk on.“
Silver Spoon doesn’t seem quite so eager to accept you, but seems happy to move on regardless.

The pair lead you along the sidewalk. You watch with fascination as automated carriages wiz by at speeds far faster than any vehicle you’ve ever seen! Well, any ground vehicle anyway. Eventually they lead you to a sign beside a covered bench; a bus stop. 

“If you think Manehattan is wild, you haven’t see anything yet.“ Diamond Tiara warns.
“There are cars, everywhere!“ Silver Spoon insists. ”That’s what they call those horseless carriages.“
“And the noise!“
“And the zoo! The zoo was amazing! They had these huge ponies with these long necks.“ Silver Spoon stretches her arms up, “Like, super long!“
Diamond Tiara covers her mouth and laughs to herself as a large “car” stops next to the bus stop.

“Leaving already?“ You hear a familiar voice taunt.
“Just pitiful.“ Another voice adds.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon round either side of the statue, arms crossed, with smug, judgmental glares pointed at you.

“Have you even seen anything other than this boring old school?“ Diamond Tiara asks with a flick of her wrist.
Silver Spoon spreads her arms out and slowly spins in a circle, “This world is amazing! And you’d throw away this opportunity, just like that?“ She crosses her arms again and shakes her head at you.

You tell them you found who you came here for. Now you just want to go home.

“Did you?“ Diamond Tiara turns her head and looks at you from one eye. “Did you really?“
Silver Spoon glances toward Diamond Tiara, “Didn’t she come here looking for two ponies?“
“Did you think that too?” Diamond Tiara begins to circle around behind you, “I wasn’t going to say anything, but that’s what I thought as well.“
Silver Spoon laughs, but somehow it doesn’t seem as mean-spirited as normal.
“Quitting is for commoners, Little Liza. It doesn’t suit you. And it doesn’t reflect well on your traveling partners either.“
“Especially after they went through so much trouble-”
“Sneaking away from that stick-in-the-mud you dragged along-”
“Hiking into town.“
“Finding Lyra all on our own.“
Your eyes widen and they both smile. “Oh, so you do remember?“ Diamond Tiara stops next to Silver Spoon and puts her arm on her shoulder, “Well? We can take you to her. It’s not far.“

You promised Bon-Bon, but…

You kneel down and wrap your arms around Aunt Bon-Bon. You don’t fully understand what’s happening here, but it hurts you to see her in so much pain. You tell her it’s okay and give her time to calm down.

After she stops crying you both stand back up and talk about what to do next. Bon-Bon asks you about the ponies you came here with and, after describing her, says she’s seen Blossomforth. She hasn’t seen the Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon you came with, but says not to worry.

“I’ll find everypony you came here with one at a time if I have to. But Liza…“ She puts her hand on your cheek, “This world is a lot more dangerous than ours. And you’ve already gotten hurt once.”  She reaches out to the statue and puts her hand into it. You see an image of her hand turned back into a hoof before she pulls it back out. “I want you to go home. Tell Princess Twilight. I’ll suffer whatever punishment I’m due.“

You argue with her. Lyra was the one that went through first. She should be the one that’s punished when everypony gets back!

Bon-Bon looks away, “… I don’t think Lyra is coming back… But don’t worry. She’ll be okay. I promise. For now, I’d feel a lot better if you went home. Will you trust me?“ You nod instinctively. “Then I’ll trust you to go back on your own. Stay safe, and I’ll see you soon.“

Aunt Bon-Bon gives you a tight hug, turns around and races off back toward the school. You watch her until she disappears from view. Then you turn toward the statue and stare. Your hand reaches out toward the statue, and…

The two of you reach the statue in front of the school as you get to the part where you found Bon-Bon and Lyra. You weren’t really paying attention to her while you were talking. You take another good look at Aunt Bon-Bon’s face. She… looks like she’s in so much pain. Her face is red and twisted. You ask her if she’s alright. She looks over at you and smiles through the pain. Then drops to her knees and puts her hands on your shoulders.

“I’m… so sorry, Liza.“ She sobs and shakes her head. “I never… I only meant to come here, find Lyra, and bring her back. But…” She swallows. “At first I was angry. Then confused. Then…“ Bon-Bon’s eyes glaze over and she stares out into the distance, “She’s just like her. She’s funny. And sweet. And smart. And she cares… so much.“ Bon-Bon looks deep into your eyes, like she’s trying to see if you understand. “It was like a dream,“ she whispers. “Here… It was everything I ever wanted. It was like a dream… and I didn’t want to wake up.“ Her eyes go wide and she covers her mouth, like she said something she didn’t mean to. She breaks eye contact and sobs quietly into her hand.

Bon-Bon stands up and grabs you by the hand, “Come on. We need to get home.“ Then turns to Lyra, “I have to go.“
Lyra takes a step back, “What?” She glances at the school, “Now?“
“It’s an emergency.“
“A-alright. Sure.“ She hesitates, “Sh-should I-?“
“No. You go ahead to class. We’ll be fine.“
“Okay.“ Lyra answers slowly. Bon-Bon starts to lead you away when you hear Lyra speak up behind you, “I’ll see you later, right?“
Bon-Bon stops and closes her eyes, “Sure. I’ll see you soon.“
“Alright.“ Lyra’s voice still sounds uneasy, “Bye.“
Bon-Bon never replies. She just continues to lead you away.

You look back as you round the corner and see Lyra still just standing there. That didn’t seem like something Aunt Bon-Bon would do. You start to say something, but when you look over to her face, you see tears crawling down her cheeks. She wipes them away and asks you how you got here. You begin to tell her the whole story, beginning with when you got home from school yesterday.

…

…

…

”HEY!”

The voice sounds foreign. You’re not sure where it came from, but the pair are both staring at you now. You’re out in the open and your hands are clinched into fists so tight it hurts. Your entire body is trembling. The world begins to blur, but you blink back the tears. All you can do now is stand there.

Bon-Bon’s smile is gone. Her jaw is slack and the color fades from her cheeks. Her hands fall to her side. Her eyes are wide with horror. With recognition. She mouths the word “Liza“.

“Isn’t that your niece?“ You hear Lyra ask.

Bon-Bon turns to look at Lyra, then rushes toward you. Her run is off-balanced and she almost trips once. When she reaches you, she drops to her knees.

“Liza, are you alright? I’m so sorry. Are you alright?” She pushes your hair away from your bandage, “What happened to you? Are you alright?“ She keeps repeating herself.
Lyra catches up to her and bends down to you, “Hey! Eh Tootsie, right? That’s a nasty bump you got there.” Why is she acting like she doesn’t know you? “What are you doing here?“ Her head is tilted to one side and she has a soft, kind smile across her lips. Why is she acting like she doesn’t know you?

You take another look. They’re holding hands and talking. You try to find some kind of fault- some way to disprove them. The way Lyra is standing? Her weight is on one leg with her other leg spaced out behind her. Her body is tilted forward and her head is curved down. You try to picture your Lyra standing that way. Proud, but humble… it matches up perfectly. Both on four legs and on two.

But Aunt Bon-Bon is always busy. She always looks like she has something else on her mind. She’ll hardly ever look directly at you when she’s talking. You’ve watched her eyes shift down and to the left and right countless times. And sometimes she’ll pause mid-sentence when she does it too! You don’t know anypony else that does that the way she does!

You stare into this Bon-Bon’s eyes and watch her mouth. Sure enough, you catch her mouth hanging open and her eyes dart down and to the side.

They… look like Aunt Bon-Bon and Lyra. The only Bon-Bon and Lyra you’ve ever known. Smiling. Laughing. They look happy here. Happy away from Ponyville. Happy without you…

You’re not comfortable watching them kiss! Not because it’s kissing, but because it’s them kissing! It’s just so… wrong! Kissing is for when you love somepony. But all Aunt Bon-Bon and Lyra do anymore is fight! They don’t sit together. They don’t play together. They don’t even hug!

You’re frustrated and confused and angry and… scared?

You expected them to be in trouble. You thought you were going to be the hero. But now it’s like you’re watching something you can’t understand- impatiently waiting for somepony to come along and explain what’s going on. Only… nopony is coming. You feel helpless. Like a foal. Like a baby.

Why is this happening? Was this a mistake? Was it a mistake to look for them? Should you just… go?

What should you do?

Minus Princess Twilight? Okay… Well let’s see… There was Rainbow Dash. And… Um… Roseluck? Was Aunt Bon-Bon an Element of Harmony? She always seems to be busy.

As you approach the pair you quickly realize exactly why they seem so noteworthy. That mix of pink and blue next to that blend of minty green and white. That’s Aunt Bon-Bon and Lyra! You found them! Although, you still have no idea why they’re here, what they’re doing, or why they left in the first place.

You’d run over to them as fast as you could if your stupid, backward legs would let you! As you get closer you get a good look at their faces. They’re not pony faces, obviously, but it has to be them! You can see it in their eyes! There can be no doubt!

They slowly turn away from you. Fearing they might walk off you get ready to call out to them. But just before you do, Aunt Bon-Bon leans close to Lyra. Is she whispering? Telling a secret? You expect Lyra to turn her head so she can hear, but instead she copies Aunt Bon-Bon. Is this a game? Are they playing mirror?

…

You practically fall behind a column to hide yourself. You try to make sense of what you just saw, but how can you? Nothing makes sense anymore!

Yesterday you were a pony. Today you’re some kind of minotaur-dragon… thing. But this…? This is too much even for fantasy!

Aunt Bon-Bon and Lyra… kissing?

You quietly slide your pack over your shoulders and walk out of the clinic. A few steps down one hallway and a few steps down another places an exit right in front of you. You almost expect an alarm to go off when you push the door open, but everything seems clear! That was easy! Now, the hard part will probably be leaving the school’s grounds. And even if you do, where do you go from here?

That might be a little more difficult. Clothes still cost money, right?

As you step away from the building someone walks past you and heads inside. It startles you, but they barely give you a backward glance. There are other people outside, too. Probably students. You try to hide at first, but a few of them look right at you. They don’t seem to care, though. You must not look out-of-place to them.

There’s about four different groups sitting, standing, or leaning against the building. They’re talking and laughing and everyone genuinely seem to be enjoying themselves. Is this what recess looks like for big kids?

In the distance, there are two students far away from the other groups, standing very close. Something about the way the colors of their hair, skin, and clothes blend together sticks out in your mind. You head toward them.

The nurse slips behind the curtain and out of sight. You can’t hear what she’s doing, so she probably can’t hear you. You take this opportunity to stand up and practice walking back and forth. It’s… not so hard. Kind of like balancing on your forelegs if your forelegs were your hindlegs. Running is still out of the question, though.

You start to hear the nurse talking quietly and curiosity gets the better of you. One quiet step after another, you slowly sneak up to the wall next to the curtain and listen.

“If I knew that I wouldn’t have called.“ There’s a pause. “She won’t give me a phone number and she won’t tell me anything about her parents.“ Another pause. “It’s not terrible, but it could have been self-inflicted, or she was-.“ This is starting to sound bad. “I didn’t know who else to call! She’s not a student here and legally she’s not allowed on campus!“ This is starting to sound really bad. “It was either Social Services or the police. I didn’t think I’d get much out of the latter.“

Social Services?! The whole reason you started this crazy adventure was to avoid anypony getting in trouble! You can’t seem to catch a break here!

“The story isn’t consistent either. I think she’s withholding information.“

Okay, it sounds like it’s time to go. There’s a map by the door. It shows a side exit not far from where you are. Best to slip out now while she’s still busy.

You hear a bell ring just before the pair lead you into what must be the clinic. There’s a desk, a few chairs and a few of those uncomfortable school beds. The lady at the desk looks up as you enter and stands up right away.

“Goodness! What happened here?!“ Her voice and appearance reminds you of Nurse Redheart back in Ponyville. She points to one of the beds and the pair set you down on it.
“She had a bit of a fall and she can’t walk on her own,“ the boy says.
With a flick of her wrist, the nurse gestures for the two to back away and begins examining your bandage, “What’s her name?“
“Her name’s Tootsie, but she doesn’t go here.” The girl replies, “She said she’s Bon-Bon’s niece.“

The nurse turns her head back to look at the girl, but you could swear you saw her eyes flash in that angry way that adults do when you say something they didn’t want to hear. When she turns back to you, it’s gone, “I’ll handle this in a moment, let’s get you two back to class.“

The three of them step into the hallway. You can’t hear much of what they’re saying, but you definitely pick out, “-can’t be here. Not allowed.“ They’re out there for a while, and only the nurse comes back. She gets some things out of her desk and brings them over to you.

She talks to you while she re-bandages your cut, “Tootsie is your name, and you’re Bon-Bon’s niece. You got chased all the way here? Where are you staying?“
Uh…
“Where are your parents? What’s their cell number?“
Um…
“Can’t tell me that either, huh?“ She finishes with a sigh and walks over to a separation curtain, “Well, don’t worry about it right now. I need to check something; I might be a few minutes. You just relax and try to get some rest. Everything will be alright.“

The wrong Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon? Is that a thing that can happen here? No one said that was a thing that can happen here. They were wearing the same clothes. Looking back maybe they were a bit… cleaner than you remember. But who knows how long you were asleep and what they could have done in that time. They work fast.

You haven’t seen Blossomforth again, yet. No one you’ve asked even recognizes the name.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon race down the hall on their hindlegs while you’re helped along in the opposite direction on yours. When you get a chance, you need to try walking on your own. You haven’t taken a single step by yourself since you got here.

As Blossomforth said before, there are posters all along the walls. There’s no ponies, or griffins, or cattle, or donkeys; they’re all the same thing. The thing you are. They’re all wearing clothes and standing or sitting in poses that look a little too happy for whatever the setting of the picture is.

“So what grade are you in?“ The boy suddenly asks. Distracted by the posters, you answer “third” without thinking. “Third year? You must be home-schooled.“
The girl rolls her eyes, “I think she meant third year of junior high.“

How old do they think you are? You can’t help but ask.

“Hmm…” The girl looks you in the eye when she answers, “Fourteen?“
The boy nods, “Yeah. Fourteen/fifteen.“

Holy crap they think you’re almost twice as old are you are! You do some math in your head as fast as you can. Fourteen to fifteen would put you in either eighth or ninth grade. That means you could pass off as a freshman! You can’t resist daydreaming for a moment about all the cool stuff you could do if you were that old.

The boy kneels down close to you, “I think… Maybe you hit your head a little harder when you tripped than you thought. Maybe you’ve seen those two before and just though you knew them?“

He pauses to check your reaction. You don’t know what to say. Looking at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon… If they are just acting like they don’t know you, it’s an award-winning performance.

“I think we need to take you to the nurse right now. Is there anyone else you might know? Anyone you could call?“

You agree to go see the nurse and mention Bon-Bon and Lyra. While the boy helps you to your feet, the girl asks how you know them. At this point if what you say isn’t true they’ll just think you’re nuts. You tell her that Bon-Bon is your aunt and her eyes go wide.

“Bon-Bon’s mentioned a niece before!“ She clasp her hands together and points to you, “Tootsie, right?“ Your expression must have given away your excitement because she smiles, “We’ll get you to the nurse and get this sorted out. Don’t you worry!“
“Can we go then?“ Diamond Tiara asks, pointing to the door, “We’re gonna to be late for class.“
The girl cringes, “Shoot! Class! Right! You two hurry along!“ She looks back to you again and helps the boy shoulder your weight while the three of you walk together, “We’ll get you to the clinic anyway. The nurse will handle the rest. She’s nice! You’ll like her!“

You don’t have much time to think about that at the moment. The girl from before returns with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon! You somehow manage to be happy to see them and greet them warmly, but they only look at you in confusion.

“This is her?“ Diamond Tiara questions and they both look at each other. “I-I’ve never seen her before.“

You’re completely devastated, though it’s hard to place why. You probably should have seen this coming. Of course they’re going to act like they don’t know you. They’re them and you’re you. Jerks.

“Is she alright, though? Is there something we can do to help?“ Silver Spoon looks sincere when she asks. They both do. At least they really do care about you. Or can at least fake it. You ask if they’ve seen or “know of” a Blossomforth, but they only stare at one another and shrug in response.

Everyone present looks around at one another, avoiding eye contact with you. No one seems to know what to say. You catch a glance from Silver Spoon and it looks… strange. Maybe they really don’t know who you are. What if they lost their memory?

Well that’s a weak way of looking at things! You’re Liza Tootsie Flute Doolots and you’re not about to so easily admit defeat!

You make up a story that you were on your way home last night and noticed you were being followed. When you tried to run, they started chasing you! You were afraid of them following you home, so you ran and ran until you lost them. You got lost yourself in the process, but you recognized the school and sneaked inside.

He stops you several times and you clarify on the spot. You slipped at one point when you were running and cracked your head. You must have lost the one chasing you before then. The belts and wash cloths were from an arts and crafts project. Your home wasn’t very far from where you were and you didn’t bring a coat. You found the clothes lying around and changed into them. He never mentions the knife, so neither do you.

All-in-all a pretty good story, if you do say so yourself. Although, you might be a little too good at lying.

“I’m glad you’re safe now, but that’s insane,“ He runs his fingers through his hair and pulls a little, clearly stressed, “I have to tell the resource officer. That wacko could still be on the loose out there!“

Oops. If they don’t know who Blossomforth is and they find her running around…

You try to ask who they are, but the words don’t seem to form past a quiet “Wh’ sound. Your mouth feels dry.

“Should we tell Principle Celestia?“ The boy asks.
“No way!” The girl shouts back, “They’ll call her parents! What if she’s been abused?“
“What about the clinic then?”
“Same thing!“

You interrupt them to ask about your missing friends you came with, naming off each one.

The boy turns to the girl who puts a hand to her head in thought, “Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are freshmen. I don’t know a Blossomforth, though. Are you a new student? Do you know Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon? We can take you to them.“
The boy shakes his head, “What she needs to see is a nurse. She’s obviously hurt and that bandage needs to be changed.“

Principle. Freshmen. Student… You’re in a school! Probably a high school or a college. This must be their library. They know where Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are, but everything they’ve said is making you nervous. If you just walk around the hallway, someone is going to notice you don’t belong here. I mean, you’re just a grade school kid, right?

You ask if they can bring Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon to you, which the girl agrees to. The boy says he’ll stay with you in case you need anything.

Once the girl is gone, the boy sits down in the chair next to you, “So… What happened to you?“

That’s a good question. What do you tell him?