At Three There Will be a Thunderstorm
A BonBon and Lyra story by Mr. AlexII
It's eight AM on a Thursday, in seven hours there will be a thunderstorm.
Lyra's hind leg twitched and knocked itself against her other still leg, she was still in bed, and drooling. Her light blue-green hoof brushed her unkempt hair away from her face. Then she rubbed each of her eyes against an adjacent shoulder. BonBon was awake already and out of bed, much to the mare's dismay, most likely making some kind of sugary breakfast. Probably pancakes, maybe some "hash browns" as well. She chuckled briefly at the idea; everything BonBon made was sugary or fatty. Most likely the "hash browns" consisted mostly of high fructose syrup instead of actual potato.
BonBon loved to cook; well, that wasn't accurate, she loved to feed. Lyra wore several weeks of marriage and lard on her like a shroud her mother forced her to wear. The unicorn had been trim and showcased her looks with her music, but once she accepted BonBon's proposal the giddy earthpony seemed more interested in filling Lyra with her sweets then selling them at her shows. One thing that really made Lyra uneasy was that BonBon never made so much food or insisted on giving it to her lover until they were going steady. The unicorn didn't doubt BonBon's love or suspect foul play but she couldn't convince herself that BonBon loved her more then the mare's stomach.
Lyra pushed herself over to the side of the bed, her blankets and stomach showing the effort. Then the lazy mare finally lifted herself out of the sheets and wandered out of the bedroom. The couple owned a two floor home in the southern parts of Ponyville, the decorating more fitting to a bakery then a home for newlyweds.
The upstairs corridor resembled the inside of a light blue cake, consisting of both small novelty trinkets and pictures of the couple doing goofy things when they were just dating. Lyra's nerves only became tighter at the sights, BonBon was always obsessed with cooking and nearly every picture had her wearing an apron, pulling a homemade sweet out of the oven with her teeth (with mitts, of course) or nuzzling the unicorn as she consumed her confectionary efforts. An awkward grumbling sound was heard from Lyra's stomach; she forced herself from the walls and kept her eyes focused on the rug. She could smell breakfast from the top of the staircase.
Down the steps the cake texture of the walls shimmered in the sunlight and gave a faint illusion of musical scales. The staircase worked the illusions a lot better then the hallways did. BonBon insisted that their ideas to be merged, music and munchies, although Lyra always felt that BonBon's designs were much more present then her own. Thinking about BonBon's strange behavior sprouted up once again and the unicorn's stomach simply loved the attention. Lyra quickly recovered from nearly losing her footing on the staircase and resumed looking at the floor and kept it there until she reached the opening that led to the kitchen on her right.
The moment Lyra reached the bottom of the stairs the smell was completely overwhelming. BonBon was humming to herself as she cooked, flipping the last of a stack of chocolate chip pancakes with a spatula in her teeth. BonBon hadn't noticed her wife yet and that stack of chocolate chip pancakes was awfully high. Given past experience with BonBon's breakfasts, the unicorn guessed she had cooked about fifteen pancakes. BonBon probably wouldn't eat any either. Rather then risk a huge stomachache from a breakfast feast, Lyra decided to step out and grab a bite to eat at Sugarcube Corner.
"Good to see you're awake, Ly!" BonBon must have had eyes on the back of her head or forced Lyra to eat a tracking device or something because the chubby unicorn was sure that she didn't make a sound. Lyra froze, turned and forced a smile. "How'd you sleep?" BonBon was smiling and speaking in a very cheerful voice, Lyra kept forcing the smile.
"I slept- umm… pretty good! Thanks!" Maybe if she avoided bringing up breakfast BonBon would forget.
"I bet you're hungry! I got all these yummy-yummy pancakes made up for you~" It was a terrible idea, baking was practically BonBon's life.
"Thanks, but I'm not hungry at all." She punched her stomach with a hind leg to get it to be quiet for once, BonBon just laughed in response.
"You could have just said you were sick of pancakes." BonBon seemed a little disappointed, but quickly rebounded. "I made muffins too! Want some?"
"No, I'm good! I'm good!" Damn was she persistent today.
"Well how about-" BonBon began, Lyra quickly cut her off in a hungry rage.
"I said I'm not hungry!" Both women were silent. BonBon didn't appear to be angry, or disappointed, or have any emotion. She just blinked. Lyra attempted a smile then stopped. It wasn't a good time. She turned around and left.
It's eleven AM on a Thursday, in three hours there will be a thunderstorm
Lyra was still hungry. BonBon hadn't followed her during her cool-down walk and it didn't look like she would either. Whenever the other ponies approached heading to their own destinations she faked a good mood hoping that her confusion wasn't contagious.
Strangely enough, she felt… guilty. She felt horrible for yelling at BonBon, despite her attempts to stuff her to a bursting point. If she hadn't left, then BonBon would have just held her down, tied her up, and fed her all day. BonBon just wasn't herself anymore.
Another growl. Lyra decided to take up her earlier idea of stopping by Sugarcube Corner and pick up a snack. Hopefully Pinkie Pie wasn't cooking today.
Pinkie Pie was a cheerful earth pony and as pink as she was unbearably hyper and random. She grew on you though and if you had ever heard her cutie mark story you probably would want to hug her. Working in a bakery sounded like an excellent job, she had the personality for it. She just always had some trouble cooking, or at least that's what BonBon thought. Pinkie always seemed to know how to bake, the ingredients, the temperature, the secrets that Mr. and Mrs. Cake added to each recipe, so Lyra always had doubts. Then again, she never could think of a time that she had a Pinkie Special. BonBon did once, oh boy those were some bad cupcakes. She was vomiting all day.
Sugarcube Corner was just about three minutes away from the park and entering brought back a lot of bad memories of the morning. Lyra shyly kept her snout to the floor and attempted to ignore the smell and sight of sweets that leapt and bound much like Pinkie Pie – being Pinkie Pie.
Suddenly a pink face was pressing against her own. "Hiiii Lyra! Whatta surprise! I haven't seen you and BonBon in forEVUR!" Three things resonated in Lyra's mind; why Pinkie was jumping around instead of selling goods (oh right, she's Pinkie Pie), if BonBon had been following her, and how in Celestia's name she was able to say those three sentences and pronounce "forever" incorrectly and hold it so quickly (which the answer to was Pinkie Pie).
"Hi Pinkie, good to see you too." Lyra attempted to fake a smile; Pinkie already had a cheerful momentum going.
"Huh? What are you looking at? Is someone following you? Are you playing Hide and Go Seek? I love that game! Can I play too? Can I can I canIcanIcanIcanI?"
Lyra kept to the fake sincerity hoping that Pinkie wouldn't catch on any further. "Actually I'm just here to get some bread so I can make toast. You wouldn't happen to have something I can cook the bread with do you?"
"Bread? Just boring ole bread? This is a bakery, Lyra! You're friends with the bestest pony baker ever too!" Pinkie meant BonBon, although the ecstatic pony attended the wedding (and arranged the party before and afterwards) she found herself strangely uncomfortable to consider the two married. So she just called them friends. It worked pretty well. "Why'd you want bread when you can have cake?"
Lyra shook her head. "I'm good! I don't need any more sugary stuff!"
"No kidding! You look like you've been eating lots and lots of it!" Pinkie prodded Lyra's overhanging tummy, Lyra kept back a harsh reaction to being poked, simply because Pinkie Pie wasn't trying to get on her nerves, that's just who she was: Hyper. "I'm jealous; Mrs. Cake never lets me eat that much cake or anything really! She says I got to make it myself if I want it but it's no fun doing it by myself! Everyone's so busy though! Hey Lyra, maybe you can help me make some cake too! You can eat it with me!"
"Pinkie! I'm serious!" Lyra spat, "I don't need anything sugary, just plain old bread will do."
"Are you okay Lyra? You seem grumpy-wumpy. It's never fun to be grumpy-wumpy! Maybe you can get BonBon and-"
Lyra gave Pinkie the look. After another half-minute of nonstop speech, Pinkie stopped and let the gaze soak in.
"Lyra, I don't like seeing anypony so sad." Make no mistake, Pinkie was still hyper but she still could think of her friend's best interests. "Is there something you wanna talk to me about?" Pinkie was very very good with keeping secrets, Lyra didn't give it a second thought. Plus when Pinkie listened, even if she was a little crazy, she knew what to say.
"I'll tell you," Lyra began, "but you better not tell anyone. Especially BonBon."
"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" Sayeth the Pinkie Code. "You know your secret'll be safe! I won't tell a single pony!"
Lyra paused and turned around to make sure she was completely alone. When she turned back she was greeted with Pinkie's smiling face inches away. After a quick shock and recovery, Lyra whispered "I think BonBon's fattening me up on purpose. She's never been like this before we were engaged; she just cooked – a lot."
Pinkie held a hoof to her mouth in surprise, complete with gasp. "Doya think she's gonna make you into a cupcake?"
"What? Why would you think that?"
"No reason." Even if it was Pinkie Pie that was still completely out of left field. "Anyways what's wrong with a little pudge?"
Lyra looked away shyly, a present blush tinting her aquamarine face. "A little chubbiness is okay really, I think it looks cute too to be honest, but I think BonBon's obsessed with it. She keeps making more and more sugary foods and expects me to eat it all. If I don't she guilts me into it. I just don't know what to do."
"You could talk to her! Tell her 'no I don't wanna be your pudgy pony! I like being just a chubby pony!' that'll show her!"
"We do live alone. With neighbors we haven't exactly gotten to know yet. Alone. In a house shaped like a cake." Pinkie blinked absentmindedly, the blue unicorn sighed. "Alone."
"I don't know what you mean by that!" chimed Pinkie.
"She could tie me up and forcefeed me and nopony would find out!"
Another overly dramatic gasp. "BonBon wouldn't do that!"
"You don't know BonBon." snarked Lyra.
"Shouldn't you? She's a baker," replied Pinkie, "like Mr. and Mrs. Cake! That means she sells what she makes right? Didja think that she could just be having you try the foods she's gonna sell?"
"She hasn't sold anything!" was Lyra's frantic reply, "I haven't had a concert in – forever! And she only sells what she makes during her concerts!"
"That's your problem then right there! You should have more concerts so she can sell more of her baked yums! Or maybe she could make a stand during a party!"
"Nopony wants to give me a chance, Pinkie Pie." the unicorn gave an empty sigh and let it sit, "My attempts have – well, they've stunk. It's really hard to play my lyre with this gut; it completely throws off my hoofwork." The rage in her voice returned, rebounding as Pinkie would, "And I can never get any practice in because BonBon's always making those Celestia-darned sweets! It's madness!"
"Have you talked to her about that?" Pinkie questioned with a half-cocked eye.
"Yeah I – Oh." The exchange grinded to a halt. "No. I haven't."
"Well, shouldn't you? She is your friend after all."
Lyra gulped, after a bit of mental preparation she replied. "I'm scared, Pinkie Pie. BonBon hasn't been herself; there might seriously be something wrong with her."
"Is she sick?"
"Maybe in the head."
"Her head's sick?" Pinkie Pie could make a good actor if she stayed in character long enough.
"I mean mentally sick. Like she's not thinking right. Like a mental disorder or something." Lyra shrugged. "I dunno, somepony thought of it."
"I don't know anything about heads being sick but I don't think BonBon's as bad as you think she is. I think you should go over and just talk. Maybe do something fun together – like friends!"
"I just… I just don't know Pinkie."
"I would go with you," Pinkie's expression was temporarily downcast, "but Mrs. Cake wants me to stay here until after the thunderstorm passes."
"After that time with Rainbow Dash, right?"
"Yeah. It was really shocky though! Gave me the bestest idea for shocky treats!" It was a 'you had to be there' sort of moment.
Lyra chuckled a little. "I suppose I should get going, the thunderstorm could hit any time now and I'd rather not be stuck in it."
"See ya later gator! – Oh wait! Do you still want that bread?"
Lyra froze in mid-step. "Good idea actually, how long will that take?"
It's two forty PM on a Thursday, in twenty minutes there will be a thunderstorm.
It took a long time. There was no freshly baked bread ready so Pinkie Pie had to make up a fresh batch. Pinkie was a pretty good cook but misplaced a couple ingredients, and then burned a loaf, and then made another and gave it to Lyra for no charge. Lyra had just enough time to get back home when the clouds seemed just about ready to pour.
Lyra panted and stepped inside her home. The lights were lit and the cheery atmosphere didn't appear to be any different then it had been this morning. The smell of baked goods still hung in the air but was beginning to stagnate. BonBon had settled down in a chair near the burning fireplace.
She blinked. "Oh, hi Lyra! I didn't think you'd get back home in time. Is that bread?"
"Not a lot, but yeah, it's bread." Lyra walked into the living room. The winds closed the door for her and the moment the overcast outside was beyond her reach the shadows caught the room in a particularly sinister fashion. BonBon was still smiling but the original cheerful attitude seemed as distant as any way of escape. "BonBon, we need to talk, alright?"
"Is there something wrong Lyra?" BonBon's expression shifted a little, Lyra gritted her teeth and willed herself just a little closer. She wanted to believe Pinkie Pie, that Lyra was just a baker and not some sort of sadist.
Nopony will ever find you.
Oh Celestia this wasn't working.
"BonBon have you… have…"
BonBon seemed genuinely concerned. "Lyra, you don't look so good, come sit down."
Lyra the blob. What a fool to have married to a baker. Why couldn't she have married a musician like her sister? At least she would still be alive.
"Is it okay if I stand?" Lyra's voice was shaking.
"You're looking really pale Lyra!" BonBon stood up and approached, the first few drops of rain hit the ceiling. Lyra backed up. "Lyra, calm down."
Clop. Clop. Clop. Clop.
It just came out, no build up or anything, to make it worse the lights went out. "Stay back BonBon! I know what you're up to! You're trying to fatten me up for your own sick amusement!"
Clop. Clop-
BonBon's eyes were wide open. No expression, no emotion. The fireplace went out and when the thunder struck BonBon had leapt at Lyra.
"So you knew huh? I mistook you for a fool, Lyra. But as you simply aren't the same filly I used to know. You're better now. You're my big ole mare~" Lyra couldn't move, all her limbs were tied and she couldn't use any of her unicorn magic either. BonBon had sawn off her horn entirely while she was unconscious. The thunder outlined the sadistic mare that just a few weeks ago had been her whole world.
And now she was BonBon's world.
"I won't start slow, I know you're hungry, I know that you skipped breakfast. But you simply can't run from me Lyra. We're married, you and I. I know everything about you, just as you knew everything about me." The helpless once unicorn tried to speak but her mouth was held wide open by hooks; a tube was placed in the opening. "This first dish is pancakes. It's your favorite. Bon appetite~"
It's three twelve PM on a Thursday, it's currently storming.
Bonbon was standing over her. Lyra screamed and backed away.
"PLEASE BONBON! I WON'T TELL ANYONE ABOUT ANYTHING JUST PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME A BLOB! PLEAAAASSSSEEEEE!" Lyra cuddled her round self into a ball in the corner sobbing uncontrollably. After a minute she heard the quiet clops of her partner's hooves over her choked tears. She twitched and tried to brush away the mad mare like a bad dream. BonBon brushed one hoof against Lyra's back. Lyra looked up into a face of similar sorrow.
"L-Lyra… Why would you think – that I was trying to – make you – a blob?"
Lyra was still the size she was minutes ago, her horn was still there, she could move, BonBon hadn't lunged at her, she had dreamed the whole thing out of shock. Lyra took advantage of the moment and changed from sorrow to full anger.
"Because you keep feeding me all of those sugary foods! You never make anything different and you force me to eat all of it! It's always pancakes swimming in syrup for breakfast! It's always cake for lunch! It's always pies for dinner! I'm huge because of your sick wants! I used to be so thin! I can't even play my damned lyre anymore because of the stupid thing! It's all your fault – and you don't even care! I can't believe I married someone as crazy as you!" Lyra gasped for breath and refused to take her eyes away.
Lyra wasn't expecting a response. Much less one that was just as angry. "What do you think I made you this morning? Huh? I knew you were getting fat from my sweets so I spent all week trying to make a low fat pancake recipe! I even put it in the damn muffins!" Lyra tried to stop crying herself but found it hard to meet BonBon's gaze before being swallowed by sorrow. "I don't care that your're fat but I knew you did! I knew you had a lot of trouble playing your lyre!" She turned to show her flank. "My cutie mark is of candies! I'm a baker, I make sweets! Do you know how hard it is to have business in Ponyville? Mr. and Mrs. Cake already have their own shop! I just- I just want to sell my baked goods but I have no idea how the hell I can if everyone thinks they're just second-rate. At least with your shows I had business. I – I – I wanted you to be happy Lyra, I never forced you to eat those sweets. I always thought you loved them, like you loved me. But I don't think I can think that anymore."
The two shared their pain.
It's four PM on a Thursday, the thunderstorm is dying down.
The couple cried bitter tears of hatred, but couldn't pull themselves away from an embrace.
Lyra, the one to take the first shot, decided to take another. "I'm sorry BonBon, I should have asked you this morning."
BonBon still sounded choked up, she sounded a bit relieved though. "…It's fine – Lyra. I'm – sorry that I yelled at you."
"It's my fault really." Lyra solemnly replied, "If I listened to Pinkie Pie and just talked to you instead of thinking that you were fattening me up to eat me or something then you wouldn't have had to have yelled at me."
"Eat you?"
Lyra admitted that it sounded silly. "I don't want to think about it." The slow quiet pitter patter of the raindrops brushed against the windowsill. The fireplace quietly illuminated the two lovers with an orange glow. "Do you like that I'm fat?"
"Well, no, not really." BonBon blushed very very faintly.
The chubby unicorn grinned. "Really?"
"No really," it seemed forced, "it isn't something I like."
"Really."
The earthpony gave up. "Okay fine, I think it looks really cute on you, well, just a little that is. Like now. Well, maybe less." The two locked heads and giggled.
"So," started Lyra after a good minute of silence, "I guess I need to practice some more so I can reserve some more avenues and you can sell your delicious treats." Said Lyra.
"They're good?" Replied a shocked BonBon
"Of course," she just smiled, "just like I said all the other times, everything you make is amazing."
"But what about Mr. and Mrs. Cake?"
Another seemingly forced reply. "They're okay, you're a lot better to be honest."
"You're just saying that."
"Seriously." Lyra would be the first to admit she was pretending to lie to tease BonBon.
BonBon was convinced. "Really?"
"Of course!" Lyra could barely fight back laughter.
"Really."
"I'm not lying! I'm serious!" The two gazed into each others eyes, BonBon caught on.
"…really?" Lyra and BonBon laughed harder and embraced one another; soon they were seated in front of the fireplace, smiling again.
"I think I ought to try that lowfat pancake mix you were talking about." Lyra said.
"It's not my style really," BonBon replied sweetly, "but, we do crazy things for love."
"You said it not me." They kissed, locked in each others arms, then slowly relaxed before falling asleep.
It's six PM on a Thursday, it's currently sprinkling.