Twilight breathed in the smell of old parchment and dust. Even in the sparkling clean halls of her new castle, that familiar smell was still there.

The library was her favorite room, not just for its amazing collection of rare and informative books, but because it felt so normal. The Golden Oaks Library might be gone, but Ponyville would always be the same familiar, predictable, comfortable town she’d known for years now.

“Excuse me? Princess Twilight?”

She turned around at the sound of the voice and saw a pony standing by the door. It was Bon-Bon, the candy maker who lived just a few houses away.

“Oh, hi there, Bon-Bon! Anything I can help you with?”

Bon-Bon took a hesitant step into the room, and cleared her throat. “I was wondering if you could help me find a certain book.”

Twilight’s face brightened. “No problem!” she said, trotting over to the shelf. “Come on in. Don’t mind all the new décor, this is still the official Ponyville public library.”

Bon-Bon followed her into the room, staring up at the crystal walls and vaulted ceilings. “Rather flashy for a public library.”

“Yeah, it is, isn’t it?” Twilight said. “Even with all that's happened, I still like to keep acting as Ponyville's librarian. The castle is starting to grow on me, but that map keeps sending us all over Equestria for all kinds of dangerous adventures. It gets so tiring.”

“Yes, I suppose it would,” Bon-Bon said.

“Now, what were you looking for?” Twilight glanced over her shoulder.

“Oh, it was…” Bon-Bon paused to think. “I believe it was The Field Guide to Treants, Trolls and other Two-Legged Titans.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “That’s an interesting choice. Didn’t expect that from you.”

“You thought it was…? Oh, no!” Bon-Bon shook her head, and gave a polite laugh. “It’s just something Lyra asked me to pick up. You know how she is.”

“Of course.” Twilight smiled and turned back towards the shelf, running a hoof along the titles. “It should be an interesting read, though. I heard rumors a treant was just spotted over near the Haysead Swamps a few weeks ago.”

“You don’t say.”

“It’s fascinating, really. I’ve heard they’re related to timberwolves, but obviously a lot more rare. There’s very few first-hand accounts available about them. Seems like exactly the kind of thing Lyra would be interested in.”

“It certainly does,” Bon-Bon muttered. “That book is supposed to be the only one with a detailed description of their behavior patterns and how to spot one among the regular trees…” Her voice trailed off. “Or at least that’s what Lyra said. She insisted I get that one specifically.”

“And I’m sure she’ll find it an excellent read,” Twilight said. “She has a pretty diverse range of interests. She’s always finding out about these rare monsters most ponies haven’t even heard of.”

“Trust me, I’ve known Lyra for years and I’m still getting used to all her… eccentricities,” Bon-Bon said.

“I guess that’s one way of looking at it.” Twilight lifted the book off the shelf, and brushed some dust off of it. It was an old volume, and the cover illustration of a treant, striding through a dense forest, was faded. ”But I do have to say I appreciate anypony who’s eager to learn.”

“She’s certainly a hooffull,” Bon-Bon said. She took the book, flipped through the pages, then deposited it in her saddlebag. “But it can be nice to have somepony like that around.”

“Anything else I can help you find? We’ve had a few more recipe books donated that you might be interested in,” Twilight said.

“That does sound wonderful, but I’m afraid I’ll be quite busy the next few days,” Bon-Bon said. “Perhaps another day. Thanks for your help.”

---

It was the middle of the afternoon a few days later. Twilight had breezed through her daily checklist, and the castle map had been thankfully quiet for the past week. No better time to take a stroll through town for some fresh air.

The park was bustling at this hour of the day. Some giggling fillies ran in front of Twilight’s path, and she paused to let them through. She glanced up and saw a familiar unicorn resting on a park bench, gazing up at the sky.

“Hello there, Lyra,” she said. “I was just thinking of you. Did you hear the news? Apparently they caught the treant from Haysead Swamp out near Baltimare. I’ve never heard of one getting so close to a city before. Crazy, right?”

Lyra blinked at her. “I guess I’ve never heard of that happening, either,” she said. “Actually… I’ve never heard of a treant at all.”

“Really?” Twilight frowned. “Just a few days ago Bon-Bon stopped by the library to pick up a book about them for you.”

“Nah, I’m pretty sure I never asked for anything like that. Actually, right now I’m more into gargoyles! I could’ve sworn I saw one flying overhead a few hours ago. I came out here to get a better look.”

Twilight glanced up at where Lyra was pointing above their heads, not expecting to see anything. She didn’t. Not even a cloud in the sky.

She shook her head. “Maybe I’m just not remembering right… I thought it was Bon-Bon. It could have been somepony else.”

Lyra glanced around, scanning the ponies around them, and lowered her voice. “You know, Bon-Bon’s been acting weird again these past few days. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was her. She’s always doing stuff like this.”

“Bon-Bon? Acting weird?” Twilight said. “You’re kidding, right?”

Anypony in town could tell you that Lyra rarely took an interest in normal ponies. Hearing her call somepony else weird almost made Twilight want to laugh out loud.

Lyra sighed, and gave a shrug. “I hate to say it, but it looks like you’re involved now, so I’ll tell you what I know.”

“Involved in what? She checked out a library book.”

Lyra held up a hoof. “That’s how it would look to an outsider, yes. But it’s all about perspective, Twilight. Once you get closer, you start to see there’s more to Bon-Bon than meets the eye.”

Twilight nodded slowly, even though she didn't entirely get it. “So… what makes you say that?”

“Get this. I heard from Rarity that she’s always seeing Bon-Bon at some big, fancy parties in Canterlot. Like real suit-and-tie affairs. The kind that you actually wear clothes at,” Lyra said.

“And…?”

“And she never tells me about them! She just says she’d be ‘out of town’ a few days and left me in charge of the house. And she should know better than to do that, especially by now. But anyways, what would she be doing at a place like that?”

“Ponies usually go to parties because they like them,” Twilight said.

“Nah, that couldn’t be it. I’ve been to parties in Canterlot before. As a musician, not as a guest. They’re super long and totally boring,” Lyra said. “Nobody would ever go to one willingly. She’s got an ulterior motive.”

Twilight put a hoof to her forehead. “I know I’m going to regret asking, but… what else do you think she would have been doing there?”

Lyra’s eyes narrowed. “I bet she was meeting a contact.”

“What do you mean by ‘a contact’?”

“You know. Some secret dealing with undercover agents. Instructions for her next secret mission.”

Twilight had to stifle a laugh. “Lyra, this is Bon-Bon we’re talking about. She’s about as normal as a pony gets.”

“That’s just what she wants you to think,” Lyra said. “Like I said, Twilight. Perspective. Keep your eyes open.”

---

For some reason, that phrase was still repeating itself in Twilight’s mind for the next few days as she trotted through town. It was ridiculous, of course – this was Lyra, after all – but Twilight just couldn’t shake it. Ponyville had its share of weirdness, but there was definitely nopony more normal than Bon-Bon.

It didn’t matter. She checked her shopping list for the third time – the first item was quills. The store was just up ahead, past Rarity’s shop. She shook her head. All that business with Lyra telling her to “keep her eyes open” was a distraction, nothing more.

As she passed by Carousel Boutique, the door abruptly swung open, nearly hitting her in the nose. She let out a yelp.

“Oh, Twilight! I’m terribly sorry. Are you alright?”

She looked up to see Bon-Bon, wearing a new wide-brimmed hat. Clearly one of Rarity’s designs, on the tastefully elegant, less flashy side.

“I’m alright,” Twilight said. “What brings you here?”

“Just picking up an order,” Bon-Bon replied. “Rarity designed this one especially for me, you know.”

“It looks great on you. I… don’t suppose you’re heading to Canterlot anytime soon, are you?”

An expression of shock briefly flashed across Bon-Bon’s face. “What? Who told you that?” Her voice was a harsh whisper.

“Um, lucky guess?” Twilight said. “Lyra mentioned you go there sometimes. I remember seeing a lot of parties when I lived there. I never went, of course, but I saw them all the time.”

“Oh… Oh, yes, certainly.” Bon-Bon let out a deep breath. “Which reminds me – Lyra finished that book you let her borrow, so I should make sure I come by to return it soon. You know she’d never remember to do it herself.” She shook her head, a small smile at the corner of her mouth.

“It’s no problem at all,” Twilight said. “Except… I actually saw Lyra a few days ago, and she said she didn’t know anything about that book.”

“Really?” Bon-Bon reached up to adjust the brim of her hat, casting shade over her eyes. “You don’t say.”

“Maybe I’m just not remembering right. I suppose it’s possible it slipped her mind.” Twilight shrugged.

Bon-Bon gave a shrill laugh. “You know how Lyra is. Always hopping on board one crazy theory after another. One week it’s centaurs, the next she’s putting up a poster of that Ahuizotl creature from the Daring Do novels. And you certainly didn’t help matters, with all those stories you brought back about the mirror.”

Twilight sighed. “Lyra still hasn’t let me hear the end of that.”

“So in all likelihood she’s forgotten about that book already. This happens absolutely all the time with her,” Bon-Bon said. “I just hope she hasn’t lost it already. I’ll be sure to look for it as soon as I return home. Living with somepony as strange as she is, it’s always up to me to be the responsible one, you know?”

“Uh… yeah, I totally see that…” Twilight said. “Listen, it’s really not a problem with the book. Ponies aren’t exactly scrambling to learn about obscure monster lore, so if Lyra’s still reading it—”

“I told you she probably forgot all about it,” Bon-Bon cut in. “I’ll bring it back tomorrow. No, tonight. This very evening.”

Before Twilight could say another word, Bon-Bon had turned tail and was halfway down the street. She watched her gallop off, then gave a shrug and turned her attention back to her shopping list.

---

Twilight stepped out of the shop's front door, using one of the new quills to cross off “Quills” on her shopping list. It was about then that she noticed somepony creeping up beside her.

“So? Any news to report?” Lyra said.

“Huh?” Twilight jumped back.

“You’re my second pair of eyes now. Got any news on Bon-Bon’s covert operations?”

“I wouldn’t say it’s a ‘covert operation,’ but I saw her just a little while ago at Rarity’s shop, and—”

“Again!” Lyra said, her eyes wide. “It’s just like I told you. Getting ready to go undercover in Canterlot again! I wonder if I should trail her.”

“For the last time, maybe she just likes to go to fancy parties. There’s nothing suspicious about that.”

Lyra shook her head. “You know, it’s not just all these fancy Canterlot galas. Bon-Bon’s always just vanishing for a day or two. I’ll get up in the afternoon and find a note on the fridge saying she’s gone across Equestria to visit family.”

Twilight frowned. “Well, there’s your answer. She went to visit a family member. Nothing strange about that, right?”

“Well, apparently she’s got at least two hundred and forty-six cousins across all of Equestria. I’ve been keeping track. Here, let me show you.”

Lyra’s horn glowed as she lifted a notebook out of her saddlebag. She flipped it open and scanned the pages.

“Here!” She tapped a hoof on the page, and turned it around so Twilight could see. “You’ve gotta admit this sounds like a cover-up, right?”

“Uh, are you keeping an entire book of secret notes on your own best friend?”

“Yeah. What about it?”

Twilight squinted at the messy script on the page. It was hard not to be a little intrigued by the whole situation. Maybe there really was... No, she was letting her curiosity get the better of her. This was idle gossip.

She shook her head. “Look, this is between you and Bon-Bon. I shouldn’t get involved. I mean, haven’t you tried just talking to her about all this?”

Lyra raised an eyebrow. “Are you crazy? Kind of defeats the purpose of keeping a secret file on her, don’t you think?”

“Are you even listening to yourself?”

“I can assure you, Bon-Bon is no ordinary small-town candy maker.” Lyra flipped through her notebook. “It’s all in here. Letters in the mail from strange confectionaries, unusual sequences of color in her candy canes, inexplicable changes in the fudge recipe…”

“All you’ve really told me is that Bon-Bon goes to fancy parties, likes to visit family, and based on her visit a week ago, she might like to read books about rare magical creatures – just like the ones you read,” Twilight said.

“I also found a grappling hook in the cabinet behind the powdered sugar once,” Lyra said.

Twilight blinked. “I suppose that’s... fairly strange.”

“Anyways, you said Bon-Bon was just at Carousel Boutique, right? I’d better catch up to her,” Lyra said. “Whatever you do, tell nopony about this meeting,”

“I’m sure I won’t.”

Lyra trotted off, as abruptly as she appeared. Twilight let out a sigh. Did this count as a friendship problem? It was a good thing she didn't have to write letters to Princess Celestia again, because this might take several pages to explain.

Hopefully she wouldn't be seeing either of them until this cooled off.

---

She ran into them again the next morning. Lyra and Bon-Bon were seated at one of the tables outside the café, sipping on milkshakes.

Twilight took a step back and began to walk away. No need to get any more involved with this than she already was. Whatever “this” might be. She had to admit, she wasn’t even sure.

“Oh, Twilight, is that you?”

She heard Bon-Bon’s voice and froze.

Forcing what she hoped would look like a friendly smile, she turned around. “Hi, Bon-Bon. Lyra. How’s it going?”

“Just fine, thank you. I’ve been meaning to apologize for the confusion with the library book earlier,” Bon-Bon said.

“What confusion? You said it was…” Twilight caught a glimpse of Lyra watching her, resting a hoof on the table and raising an eyebrow. She couldn’t think of how to finish the sentence. Everything looked normal between the two of them, but there was some inexplicable tension in the air.

“To be perfectly honest,“ Bon-Bon said, her eyes darting over towards Lyra, “I was simply trying to take a discreet interest in Lyra’s hobbies. I was just feeling too self-conscious to tell you the truth.”

“Is that all it was?” Twilight said. “I'm glad it's settled, then.”

“I was surprised too. Bon-Bon’s such a boring and normal pony, it was pretty cool to see her take an interest in…” Lyra paused. “Um…”

“Treants?” Twilight offered.

“Yeah! Those. They’re awesome. Can’t read enough about ‘em.”

“I haven’t heard anything more about the one that they caught near Baltimare, but I’ll let you know.”

“Assuming there’s any more to tell,” Bon-Bon said. “I have a cousin who lives out there, and she said the whole matter was wrapped up nice and quiet. I’m certain nopony will be hearing any more news about that anytime soon.”

“Which cousin is that, again?” Lyra said.

“Oh, um…” Bon-Bon took a slow sip of her yellow milkshake. “It’s my cousin Lemon Merengue. I’ve told you about her before, haven’t I?”

Twilight saw Lyra begin to lift a small notepad out of her saddlebag, then decide against it and let it fall back in.

“Probably, once or twice,” Lyra said.

“Well, I certainly hate to cut this short, but I’m going to have to get back home,” Twilight said, already beginning to take a step backwards. “Thanks for the chat, there’s certainly never a dull moment with you two around.”

Bon-Bon laughed softly. “I’m certainly thankful to have Lyra as a best friend. She certainly creates enough excitement for the both of us.”

“I’m going to choose to take that as a compliment,” Lyra said.

“Yeah…” Twilight said, with a slow nod. “Come to think of it, the two of you are just about perfect for each other.”

She glanced over her shoulder. The crowd was thin. She had a clear path to get away, go back home, and have a nice quiet night of studying.

Lyra leaned over towards her. “I’ll be by the library later tonight. Got some new findings to discuss with you.”

Twilight took a step away. “Anyways, bye!”

She hurried off down the street, into the crowd of ponies. Maybe once you looked closer, Ponyville wasn’t quite as normal as it looked.