Chapter Text
Lyra stretches. The thousand thread count sheet slips off the bed, and she reaches a spidery appendage across Bon Bon’s back while scratching her own chest with her hoof.
Eyes still closed, Bon Bon absently brushes the arachnid leg aside, rubbing the spot it had touched.
Lyra turns her gaze to Bon Bon. It’s still hard to believe they’re now, undeniably and irrevocably, married. Bon Bon had saved several copies of the newspaper with the announcement, which Lyra thought was silly. She doesn’t need artifacts to remember their affection by. She has her memories, and will never forget the moment she said I do, holding Bon Bon’s hoof in hers while they kissed.
The chitinous legs protruding from Lyra’s back absently reach for Bon Bon’s hoof, one smoothing the fur and two more holding it gently.
Bon Bon shivers, retracting the hoof to her chest, holding it protectively with the other.
“Bonnie, is everything okay?”
Bonnie mutters something under her breath and rolls away.
Lyra scoots in closer, enwrapping Bon Bon with four of her spindly legs and a pedipalp.
Bon Bon pushes them away, sitting up sharply, and looks around. “Oh, Lyra, I had the worst dream.” She blearily rubs the sleep from her eyes as she speaks. “I was caught in an enormous web, and millions of spiders climbed over me.” She shivers again, blinking the last of the sleep from her eyes and looking around their tiny cabin as if searching for something. “I think I’ll talk to the captain. I’d feel better knowing they do something about bugs so I don’t have to worry about it.”
“Sure,” says Lyra, “But get back here first.” She reaches around Bonnie—
And Bon Bon screams, jumping out of bed and twisting around to face Lyra. “Don’t move. There’s something on your back.”
“Hm?” Lyra twists, grabbing the pillow defensively with her pedipalps. “What is it?”
“Don’t you see, Lyra, it’s right there holding the pillow.”
Lyra glances at the pillow in her pedipalps and rolls her eyes. “Bonnie, I’m the one holding the pillow.” She plumps up the pillow and sets it back on the bed then rolls out and onto her hooves pulling the sheet back onto the bed with her claws. “See? Nothing to worry about.”
A knock sounds on the door and Lyra reaches to open it. A uniformed griffon peers inside. “Is everything okay in here? We heard a scream.”
“Yeah,” says Lyra. “Everything’s fine, just a bad dream. Thanks for checking on us.” She reaches out to him with a pedipalp.
The griffon takes it, shaking. “Alright, sorry to disturb you, miss.” He turns to leave, pulling the door with him.
“Wait!” cries Bon Bon, rushing over to jam a hoof into the door and stop it from closing. She points at Lyra. “Don’t you see anything wrong with this?”
The griffon looks her over. “Uhm, I don’t…”
“Oh for Celestia’s sake just let him go Bonnie. You’re keeping him from doing his job.” Her spidery limbs pull Bonnie’s hoof from the door to close it, but Bon Bon ducks under them into the hallway.
“Actually, I think I’d like to visit the captain now. Do you think you could show me the way…” she glances at his name tag, “Geoff?”
“Uhm…”
“Now!”
Geoff flinches, blinking. “Yes ma’am.”
“Come along, Lyra,” says Bon Bon, reaching out to grab her by the hoof, pointedly avoiding looking at her back.
Geoff leads them out of the passenger cabins, onto the deck, and into the cockpit. The hippogriff captain sits at a desk reviewing papers intensely until Geoff clears his throat. “Uh, Captain, I have a guest who wants to speak with you.”
Geoff is gone by the time the captain looks up. “How may I help you today…”
“Bon Bon. I need you to turn us around and take us to Canterlot.”
“I see. And why would that be?”
Bon Bon shoves Lyra forward. “This is why.”
Lyra grins widely, saluting the captain with her pedipalps. “Sorry, captain. I don’t know what’s come over her. She’s usually the calm one.”
“Lover’s quarrel? I can’t turn this ship around, but I could offer you a separate cabin, although it’s a bit smaller than the suite.”
“Oh for… it’s not a lover’s quarrel. Can’t you see?” Bon Bon grabs one of Lyra’s claws, shoving it forward before Lyra yanks it back. “See!”
“I’m afraid I don’t,” the captain says, frowning.
“Her legs! Look at her legs! Can you at least see that she has too many?”
The captain stands, walking forward to Bon Bon. “I see. Why don’t we get you back to your cabin and I’ll see what I can do for you while you rest.” He puts a talon on her shoulder, gently pressuring her to turn.
Bon Bon dodges out of his grasp. “Oh for buck’s sake! She’s got spider legs growing out her back! SPIDER LEGS!”
Lyra runs a pedipalp through her hair. “Gee, I’m real sorry captain. I don’t know what’s going on. Come on, Bonnie. Let’s go back to the cabin like he says.” She gestures with a claw at the other passengers now gawking at Bon Bon through the cockpit doorway. “You’re going to upset the other passengers.”
“Doesn’t anypony see?” yells Bon Bon to the gathering crowd. “Look at what’s wrong with her.” She grabs Lyra’s pedipalp, holding it firmly as she stares from passenger to passenger, each of them averting their eyes as she focuses on them in turn.
“Bonnie, you’re starting to hurt me.”
The captain gestures towards two earth ponies in uniform who step towards Bon Bon.
Bon Bon shoves Lyra at them. She glances around, locks her gaze on the ship’s wheel, and shoulders aside the helmsman. “I’m turning this ship around.”