The last few hours had sped by like a blur. I didn't do much though. After dropping off Applebloom and Sweetiebelle, I went back into the empty room I found earlier, stretched my wings, and cried.
How could so much happen in only four days? It seems to be an eternity since I ran into Lyra that one night...
I hear ponies in the hallway, and a few call out that it's dinner time. I put back on my cloak and head out.
I go inside the mess hall and pick up my dinner, salad and a cup of water. The lettuce looks wilted, all the food here is stale or out-dated.
I sit down at my table, where Lyra and Bon Bon are waiting. I notice that Lyra has a bandage on her front right leg, and Bon Bon has a very visible black eye.
Then two more ponies sit down next to me, Applebloom and Sweetiebelle.
"Wow, those two really do like to follow you around," Lyra comments.
I stay silent. Lyra looks at me, a worried look on her face, "Hey, what's wrong Bluebell? You okay?"
"Nothing...I'm fine," I answer quietly.
"Come on Bluebell, buck up," Lyra replies, "Why do you look so down? You can tell me, I'm your friend."
"Lyra, she says she's fine," says Bon Bon, "Just leave her alone."
"I'm just trying to help," Lyra responds, "Hey, the Commander looks pretty upset too. And so is your little filly friends Bluebell. What's going on?"
"Nothing's wrong, everything's great!" I lie, a fake smile on my face.
"Please stop lying to me," says Lyra, "I can tell that everything isn't great. Please tell me what's wrong, I can help."
"Lyra leave her alone," mutters Bon Bon, agitated, "There's no reason for you to get in her business. If she doesn't want to talk about it, then she doesn't have to."
"I just thought she'd feel better if she would just tell me," replies Lyra, but the look Bon Bon gives her makes her drop the subject.
Bon Bon sure looks pretty menacing with that black eye.
"Maybe I'll tell you later," I murmur, "I don't feel like talking right now."
"Alright," replies Lyra.
Then we all turn around as Nurse Redheart walks in the mess hall, accompanied by a few bandaged ponies.
"Looks like some of the rescued are healed enough to hang with the crowd," Bon Bon says.
"Hang on a sec, is that," Lyra starts, but doesn't finish and leaves the table.
A few minutes of silence passed, until we hear Lyra coming back. She's smiling at another pony walking beside her. This pony has bandages over a couple hooves, but that's it. A unicorn with a light blue coat with a dark blue and white mane which is styled very similar to Lyra's. Her cutie mark is an hourglass.
"Hey guys this is my cousin Minuette," introduces Lyra, "But she likes to go by her nickname, Colgate. Colgate, this is Bluebell, and those two fillies are Applebloom and Sweetiebelle. And of course you know my friend Bon Bon."
Colgate looks at the ground and whispers a hello.
"Nice to meet you," I reply.
"Hello," says Applebloom and Sweetiebelle.
"Long time no see," says Bon Bon, smiling.
Colgate smiles nervously and takes a seat between Lyra and Bon Bon. Lyra puts an arm around Colgate.
"You're going to be okay here," Lyra reassures her, "We may not have been down here too long, but it's safe. They can't hurt you anymore."
"R-really?" Colgate asks.
Lyra nods, "Of course. You'll like it here. We have food, and water though it may not be fresh, places to sleep, and a lot of ponies that you can make friends with. The Commander is pretty nice too."
Colgate relaxes a bit, but then looks at me with a worried look, "But what about her?"
"Who? Bluebell?" Lyra asks, glancing at me with an apologetic look, "She's fine. Just doesn't want anypony to know who she is that's all."
Colgate looks puzzled, "But if she doesn't want anypony to know who she is, then why does she tell us her name?"
I'm taken aback. That's a good question, one that I hadn't thought about.
"Uh..." Lyra replies, looking at me for a second before continuing, "I'm sure she has, um, reasons."
Colgate looks at me. She swallows and shakes a bit before asking in a worried tone, "Bluebell isn't your real name, is it?"
"Wha? Uh...n.no...it isn't," I say, she had backed me in a corner with no way out, "B-but don't ask for my real one. I-I'm not telling."
"Okay, enough," cuts in Bon Bon, "Let's not worry about who Bluebell really is. Does it really matter? But to be honest, I knew all along that she was using a fake name."
"H-how did you know?" I gasp.
Bon Bon rolls her eyes, "Because of the exact reason Colgate said. Why would you tell us your real name if you wanted to be hidden? I'm sure most ponies know that your name's not Bluebell. But like I said, it doesn't matter. It's clear you are no enemy. So what if you want to keep hidden? You have a reason. And besides, the Commander never reveals herself either, and we aren't asking her to show us who she is."
"Good points," replies Lyra, "though I don't know about the 'everypony knowing that Bluebell isn't her name' part."
Bon Bon raises an eyebrow, "Lyra, you didn't seriously believe that that was her name. Did you?"
Lyra blushes, "Well, I really didn't think about it too much."
Bon Bon facehoofs, and Colgate laughs quietly.
I turn to the two fillies, who have been silent. I put my arm around them for a moment.
We finish our meals with little talking.
After a while, the Commander stands up and speaks.
"We've had a long day today," she announces, "We should get some rest."
With that, everypony gets up and puts their dishes in a pile. I wave good-bye to Applebloom and Sweetiebelle as they go back to Cheerilee, and to Colgate, who has to sleep in the infirmary because of her wounds. I follow Lyra and Bon Bon to the sleeping quarters.
Today has been a long day, I think as I lay my head onto the pillow and cast a spell so my cloak doesn't fall of in the night. I shed a few more tears until i finally fall asleep.