Bon-Bon: I hate that we’re stalking her. Why didn’t I just ground her again?
Lyra: Because once we confront Liza, she’s gonna lie. The only way to know for certain what she’s been up to is if we see it ourselves.

Bon-Bon: What if she’s endangering herself? We’re already outside of town.
Lyra: Well, she’s nearing the fork. Either Liza’s sneaking into Twilight’s Castle to go to the human world, or possibly mack on Spike… which’d mean I’d have to kill him… Or else she’s sneaking into the Friendship School… for some reason.
Bon-Bon: PleaseBeTheFriendshipSchoolPleaseBeTheFriendshipSchool-
Lyra: There’s no way its the Friendship School.
Bon-Bon: Shut up! PleeeeeaseBeTheFriendshipSchool!

[Long Pause]

Lyra: What the hay.
Bon-Bon: Why is she sneaking into the Friendship School?!
Lyra: I thought that’s what you wanted!
Bon-Bon: Shut! Up! I’m putting a stop to this!
Lyra: Nooooononononononononono no no no no. No. No. We can’t give her any opportunity to act like this is a misunderstanding or the first time. We see this through. Then we ground the snot out of her.

Bon-Bon: My sister’s gonna kill me…

Lyra: Yeah probably. [Pause] What? Ow!

Bon-Bon: Thank you for seeing us, your highness. And on such short notice.

Princess Luna: Consider it no inconvenience. One of our duties is to hold court, there is just… rarely a need.

Lyra: I’m… sorry?

Princess Luna: Do not concern yourself. Tis but a consequence of our work ethic. And to be frank, we prefer it that way. But you are here regarding Liza Doolots, are you not?
Bon-Bon: Yes! Y-Your majesty

Princess Luna: Investigation of her dreams continue. Alas, the trail has grown quite cold. My perception begins and ends with her own. If she cannot create a clear vision, there is little I can resolve, save to dispel the sight.

Lyra: So she is seeing blood!

Princess Luna: That certainly appears to be the case. However, the context is absent. And to that end, her psychological reaction is… extreme.

Bon-Bon: Seeing blood isn’t supposed to be extreme?

Princess Luna: Throughout the night you will witness countless images devoid of context. While some invoke stronger reactions than others, tis not until you begin associating these that you truly dream. Liza often fixates on the color red. And that red often takes on a liquid form of varying consistency. Most would have only a mild reaction to such a vision, but Liza is quite disturbed by it. The cause of her fixation and why she is bothered are unclear. And yet, rarely do true dreams manifest from these visions. We do not presently consider them a cause for concern. Many ponies have strong fixations-
Lyra: Wait! It’s not affecting her sleeping? Then why isn’t she sleeping well?

Princess Luna: Oh… She’s sneaking out at night.
Bon-Bon: WHAT?!

Bon-Bon: Lyra… You really never said anything to Liza?

Lyra: What? No.

Bon-Bon: No backward comment. No sideways remarks.
Lyra: No!

Bon-Bon: Nothing that could be interpreted or lead somepony to start imagining-?
Lyra: No! I don’t want Liza to know she was adopted! I never wanted to know I was adopted!

[Pause]

Bon-Bon: I’m wondering if maybe she should know, before-
Lyra: Absolutely not. All it does is lead to a lifetime of insecurity. Trust me, I know. [Pause] Ribbon was right. Liza looks enough like her and Champagne that she should never question it. [Pause] She has said something to you, hasn’t she?

Bon-Bon: I was thinking back… and I remember a few months ago she mentioned something about a nightmare. Said there was a lot of red, and she thought it might be blood, but that she wasn’t sure. And… I’ve been noticing bags under her eyes on and off lately. I questioned it- she’s obviously not sleeping well, but she just shrugged it off. Maybe it’s reoccurring?

Lyra: Do we know anything about what happened to Liza’s real parents?

Bon-Bon: If Ribbon knows, she’s never brought it up.

Bon-Bon: You look upset.
Ribbon: [Sigh] Liza’s teacher assigned one of those “who do you most admire” essays…

Bon-Bon: I’m sure she didn’t mean anything by it.
Ribbon: It was a top five! How is your own mother not in the top five? My husband was there, of course.
Lyra: I wasn’t there, was I?
Ribbon: Praise Celestia, no!
Lyra: Oh good. I don’t have to be in this conversation then.

Ribbon: I don’t understand… Does she hate me?
Bon-Bon: Have you tried talking to her about this?
Ribbon: Oh sure. That’ll go over about as well as any other time I try talking to her about literally anything. To this day, she has still avoiding explaining that unsightly knot that wound up on her head a few years ago.

Lyra: It just sounds to me like teen rebellion. You’re the authority figure.
Ribbon: Well I certainly never signed up for this!

[Pause]

Bon-Bon: Technically… You literally did sign up for this.
Ribbon: Yes I-… You don’t suppose that…? Liza doesn’t know does she?

Bon-Bon: She’s never made any indication to me.
Lyra: Me neither. Though you have to figure she’s going to piece it together eventually.
Ribbon: There is literally no reason she should ever “piece it together”!
Lyra: Hey! I’ve said nothing to her! I still think it’s just teen rebellion!
Ribbon: Well I hope you’re right… The last thing I want is for her to start looking for answers she’s never going to accept.

Lyra: He… [Shutter] He was an undercover guard… When I turned him in, I blew his cover. There were tons of arrests, but he said he had almost traced the source… And I ruined everything…

Bon-Bon: Lyra… I…

Lyra: He was furious. Said he never loved me. That it was all part of the act. That he secretly hated me. I don’t know how much of it was true and how much was just anger, but it hurt… It… It never stopped hurting. [Pause] And I failed. I failed Princess Celestia again. Took another 6 months before they stopped the drug trade, and however many ponies died along the away. Because of me.

Bon-Bon: It… It wasn’t your…

Lyra: After that was when I got the job working on the castle grounds… Sometimes I wondered if it was just to keep me out of the way.
Bon-Bon: Princess Celestia wouldn’t… She couldn’t have blamed you.

Lyra: I spent all my bits getting drunk. I wanted to forget everything. Everything that happened; everything I was- If I could… If I could just be somepony else… It didn’t work…

Bon-Bon: That was when…

Lyra: I’m still alive, but I can’t speak to her. I don’t deserve to. Any social event she’s at I make it a point to avoid her. Whenever I’m involved I just make things worse for her…

Bon-Bon: And how do you think that makes her feel? Avoiding her, I mean.

Lyra: Relieved?
Bon-Bon: Relieved… Does that sound like Princess Celestia? Look, I can’t speak on behalf of the princess… but I’m gonna! Princess Celestia loves you! You may not have believed in yourself, but all those things you said to that imposter were true. I’m sorry about what happened, but I can’t believe you allowed this to stand between you two! You need to reunite. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but this… This can’t end like this. And I know she wouldn’t want it to…

Bon-Bon: Hey, Lyra.

[Pause]

Lyra: Hey, Bon-Bon.

Bon-Bon: We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.

[Pause]

Lyra: So… How was the play?

Bon-Bon: I didn’t go. I caught Raindrops after the show. She said Princess Celestia wasn’t even in it. She was behind-the-scenes working stage direction. Said it was good, though.

Lyra: I’m sorry…

Bon-Bon: Raindrops is the one you should be apologizing to. You never promised me you were going to be there. [Pause] I get it. It’s one of those “complicated things”. No use in even asking, so I won’t.

Lyra: I just… I don’t deserve to be around her…

Bon-Bon: Why? Princess Celestia raises the sun for everypony, not just you.

Lyra: It’s not the same.

Bon-Bon: Why? Without her none of us would be here. All of us owe our lives to her, not just you.

Lyra: It’s more personal than that.

Bon-Bon: Why? Because she gave you a place to stay? Your actions contributed to the eventual end of the gangs in Canterlot! You can’t seriously believe you owe anything! You spoke out and turned in your own coltfriend! [Long Pause] That was another lie… wasn’t it?

Lyra: I mean, you’re going, right?

Raindrops: Oh absolutely! I can’t wait to see Princess Celestia on stage. And… Um…

Lyra: You’re leanin’ in kinda close there-
Raindrops: I’ll actually be there on official Wonderbolt business, watching over the Princess. Shhh~…

Lyra: Oh, okay.

Raindrops: I bet you’re so excited! This must be a big deal for you!

Lyra: Eh heh heh… Ah W-why would…? [Pause] Why would it be a big deal to me specifically?

Raindrops: Oh… I don’t know… I always got the impression that Princess Celestia meant a lot to you. She helped you or something, right?

Lyra: Yeah… Kinda…

Raindrops: You’re going to be there though for the play, aren’t you?

Lyra: Eh-I… Y-eah! Of course!

Raindrops: Oh good! I’ll try to find you so we can sit together. It’ll be nice to talk to Bon-Bon some more, too. I don’t think we get to talk enough these days.

Lyra: Hey Bon-Bon.

[Pause]

Lyra: Hu… How’s it-?
Bon-Bon: You haven’t heard.

Lyra: Heard wha-?
Bon-Bon: Princess Celestia- No… Princess Twilight’s friendship school is putting on a play. It- Oh, in Ponyville. It’s going to be about how Princess Celestia first rose the sun. And THE REAL DANGED PRINCESS CELESTIA IS GOING TO PLAY HERSELF!

[Pause]

Bon-Bon: If you manage to pick your jaw up off the floor in the next hour, I could use some things from the market before it closes.

[Long Pause]

Lyra: Nice of Rarity to invite us over for a fashion show, eh Bon-Bon?

Bon-Bon: Why are you talking like that? And I didn’t think it was her fashion show. I thought she was just participating.

Lyra: No, you’re right. Strange that she had to leave early.

Bon-Bon: Did she and her friends say anything as they left?

Lyra: I heard Rainbow Dash say something to Applejack. Something about, “Fluttershy taking a level in Pinkie Pie.“

Bon-Bon: Hmm. Cryptic.

Lyra: Sorry we got separated in the crowd.

Bon-Bon: It’s alright. Raindrops was with me.

Raindrops: Raindrops is still with you.

Bon-Bon: And we’re delighted to have you!

Lyra: Yeah! You should’ve told us you’d be there!

Ribbon: So… That new school of Twilight’s looks… lovely.

Lyra: Ugh… As if the castle wasn’t enough of an eyesore.

Ribbon: Well, at least it’s for a good cause.

Bon-Bon: Twilight had quite a bit of trouble getting the doors to stay open.

Ribbon: So I heard. It’s a shame how the EEA caused such a ruckus. Behavior like that is what starts conflict.

Lyra: Really? You’re one-hundred percent on board with an international school of friendship?

Ribbon: Hmm? Oh certainly. We’re lucky so many other nations are willing to participate.
Bon-Bon: Wait for it…
Ribbon: It’s the perfect opportunity to elevate these other species away from their antiquated traditions.
Bon-Bon: There it is.
Ribbon: Did you know Hippogriffs don’t even have a standardized currency? An established society like theirs? You’d only expect something so backwards from Yaks or Dragons.

Bon-Bon: It continuously amazes me how you can manage to be in the right, yet do so for all the wrong reasons.

Ribbon: Oh dear Bonnie. If you didn’t come to the same, financially-profitable conclusion you’re simply not being creative enough.

Lyra: That Maud Pie sure was… somethin’ else! I mean, Pinkie had said so much about her “humor”, but it really… uh… pales in comparis-
Bon-Bon: Are we seriously going to trot around how incredibly uncomfortable that was?
Lyra: Oh thank Celestia you said it instead of me. You are an Earth Pony, so I didn’t-
Bon-Bon: No, that was weird.
Lyra: Okay good! What the heck?! Was the joke supposed to be that it wasn’t funny? ‘Cause it wasn’t funny!
Bon-Bon: I mean, it’s not like I have wings or magic to lift things with. Of course I have to walk everywhere and use my mouth. There’s no other timely way to accomplish day-to-day tasks.
Lyra: Right? And it must taste awful too. It’d be impossible to never touch anything with your tongue.

[Pause]

Bon-Bon: This is not an open forum to discuss-
Lyra: Yes! NO! I’m so sorry! I-I’m just trying to be sensitive and-and-
Bon-Bon: Well stop it! Earth Ponies are a proud race and we’ve never needed extra consideration. Our Equestrian society may have developed in a direction that doesn’t glorify the use of Earth Pony magic, but it’s still there! I use it everyday!

Lyra: Yes! I’m sorry! I-
Bon-Bon: Stop! Being! Sorry!

[Pause]

Lyra: Okay…

[Long Pause]

Lyra: The rock jokes were funny though, right?
Bon-Bon: Oh yes! That was hilarious!

Lyra: Well that blew chucks.

Bon-Bon: Yes. Being held captive for 3 days isn’t what I would call “fun“.

Lyra: It’s a good thing for them that Twilight and her friends came back. ‘Cause I was about to give each and every one of those ogres a left… and a right!

Bon-Bon: Right…

Lyra: And a left.

Bon-Bon: Fantasies aside, that might have been the worst things have ever gotten.

Lyra: Nah. Discord was still out there, so even Tirek had him beat. And Chrysalis 2: Electric Boogaloo actually managed to capture all 4 princess and get away. It took Emo Backstory and The B Cast to save the day that time, with a little help from us. I’d rate Storm Drain right around a Nightmare Moon; lot of flash, not a lot of substance.

Bon-Bon: … You are so full of crap it’s dripping out of your ears.
Lyra: Heh.

Bon-Bon: I am starting to get a little worried though. I mean, these attacks seem to be happening more and more frequently. Where are we now? Bi-yearly plots to overthrow Equestria?

Lyra: Well, among those that manage to get off the ground.

Bon-Bon: That makes it even worse.

Bon-Bon: You’re… not looking so hot.

Lyra: Mmm.

Bon-Bon: More nightmares?

Lyra: Yee.

Bon-Bon: Reoccurring nightmares?

Lyra: Uh-uh.

Bon-Bon: You… sometimes make Tumblr posts about new ones. Did you-?
Lyra: No.

Bon-Bon: That bad?

Lyra: And graphic.

Bon-Bon: Yeesh.

Lyra: Why am I like this? I never hear anypony else having nightmares all the time. Isn’t Luna supposed to be watching over the dreamscape or something? Are my nightmares not bad enough? Is it just me? Am I overreacting?

Bon-Bon: You’ve talked to her one-on-one half a dozen times. Why haven’t you ever asked?

Lyra: “Oh hey, Princess Luna! I wake up multiple times every night weeping from the ghastly visions my broken mind won’t stop producing. What, may I ask, the [omitted], your majesty?“

Bon-Bon: I’m sure you could think of a better way to word that.

Bon-Bon: Oh, I forgot to ask you yesterday. What kind of pie did Pinkie Pie give you?

Lyra: Apple.

Bon-Bon: Really?

Lyra: Yes. Why?

Bon-Bon: Well, I got an apple pie too.
Lyra: Hey! We got the same… Wait a minute. You got an apple pie? Not, oh say, chocolate fudge?

Bon-Bon: What a strange question. Are you accusing me of lying?

Lyra: No no. It’s just that Pinkie Pie made everypony their favorite pie. I thought yours was-
Bon-Bon: Chocolate fudge- I’m flattered you noticed. Upon reflection I believe you are right and it was a chocolate fudge pie. So then, your favorite pie is apple?

Lyra: Yes.

Bon-Bon: I see. I wonder how she makes apple pies for you. I’ll go ask Pinkie Pie how she makes hers.
Lyra: Go ahead.
Bon-Bon: Yes. I believe I’ll say “Pinkie Pie, how do you make Lyra’s favorite pie?“

Lyra: Wh- That’s a strange way to word that, isn’t it? You wouldn’t just ask how she makes apple pies?

Bon-Bon: What if she does something special for your apple pies? I’d like to know for your benefit, after all. [Pause] Or is there some even more specific way I should ask? [Pause] Maybe you have something you’d like to share?

[Pause]

Lyra: ALRIGHT IT WAS STRAWBERRY VANILLA CREAM!
Bon-Bon: I KNEW IT!

Bon-Bon: Uh… Hi. I went to use the bathroom and I saw your light on-
Lyra: Then why were you in the kitchen?

Bon-Bon: Alright… My fat flank rolled out of bed deliberately to get a snack. Happy?

[Pause]

Bon-Bon: So uh… Whatcha eatin’?

Lyra: Expired novelty gummies.

Bon-Bon: Ah… [Crinkle] September… of last year. Closer to hard candy than gummies these days.

Lyra: Mmm.

Bon-Bon: I got these for you, what, four Hearth’s Warmings back? I assumed by now you were just going to keep them.

Lyra: Mmm.

Bon-Bon: Having one of those introspective nights then. I guess I’ll leave-
Lyra: You don’t have to.

[Pause]

Lyra: You can stay, if you want.

Bon-Bon: Okay.

Lyra: Want a gummy?

Bon-Bon: Sure. Why not?

[Pause]

Bon-Bon: Huh. They start off hard, but then they slowly turn back to normal.

[Pause]

Lyra: Yeah…