//------------------------------// // Chapter Forty-One // Story: Two's Company, Three's a Crowd // by Lithe Kamitatsy //------------------------------// "Well, that should about cover it," Octavia said with a satisfied sigh. Each and every spot that she felt was an appropriate place for furniture had been marked with an "X" made out of duct-tape. "Uh, Octy...you completely emptied the roll of tape. There are marks everywhere," Vinyl said as she looked around. "Where are WE gonna fit?" "Vinyl, we will have space, do not worry," Octavia said as she took one last look around. "What a lovely little home we have here, Vinyl..." she said as she made her way over to Vinyl, gently nuzzling her. "Yeah, I've really grown to like this place," Vinyl smiled, returning the nuzzle. "You're being strangely affectionate." Octavia simply shrugged. "I just felt like being affectionate, is all...do you have a problem with that?" she questioned. "No way...to be honest, I think it'd be great if you did it more often," Vinyl said. "Hmm...maybe. If I feel like it," she winked. Octavia began to make her way towards the front door and ran her tail down Vinyl's back, sending a small chill up her spine. "Well? Are you coming? We have done all we needed to do here for today." "Uh...yeah..." Vinyl said, "Right behind you..." Vinyl said with a small blush as they left the house. When they stepped outside, they discovered that the sun had already set, and most of the shops in the market were closed for the evening. "Wow...we were in there for a lot longer than I thought." "Well, we probably would have finished sooner if you were not absolutely terrified of the second floor for the first hour and a half we were there," Octavia said. "How was I supposed to know it was just a loose board?" Vinyl asked defensively. "It is called 'looking down,' Vinyl. You should try it sometime," Octavia snickered. Vinyl then began to move her head around Octavia's rear, even going as far as lifting her tail slightly. "VINYL! What is the MATTER with you!?" Octavia yelled, embarrassed as she immediately recoiled and covered herself. "Oh, just checking to see how far the stick in your rump goes," Vinyl said, sticking her tongue out at Octavia as she walked past. "It's so far in I can't even see it anymore," she chuckled. "Oh, ha ha, Vinyl. Very funny," Octavia said, feigning laughter. "I wonder when that filly I saw in the house will be back..." Vinyl froze in her tracks. "...W-What filly?" "You mean I was the only one who saw her?" Octavia asked, a surprised expression on her face. "Octy, quit it..." Vinyl said, feeling a cold chill run up her spine. "It was very peculiar...she had white fur and big blue eyes, a short, blond mane. She said, 'Wait here, I'll bring more friends.' She walked around a corner, and when I went to follow her she was gone..." Octavia said, recounting her 'tale'. "...Octy...seriously...stop it..." "I am simply stating what I saw, Vinyl..." Octavia said, turning to leave, hiding her smile. Alright, I'm done messing with her for today. Vinyl quickly approached Octavia, moving as close to her as possible, her eyes wide and fearful. "No need to worry, Vinyl..." Octavia started. "...I am sure she was friendly." At this point, Vinyl gave an uneasy groan, and Octavia simply smirked. Okay...NOW I'm done... The two entered Bonbon and Lyra's home, finding the two sitting on the couch, reading two separate books. "Oh, hello girls," Lyra said as she looked up from her book. "Everything go okay next door?" "..." Vinyl simply walked past them. "...I'm going to go take a bath..." Once she was out of earshot, Octavia began to laugh. "What's so funny, Octavia?" Bonbon asked, curious. "Well, Vinyl was dead-set on proving to Twilight and Trixie that I was born with a stick in my rump, so I decided to get back at her by telling her I saw a ghost in the house as we were preparing it," Octavia said as she took a seat in one of the chairs. "Vinyl's afraid of ghosts?" Lyra asked, somewhat stunned. "Somepony like her? Wow...kind of unexpected." "You have no right to talk, Lyra. I remember the one time you saw a mouse in here you were practically hanging from the chandelier in fear," Bonbon laughed, to which Lyra blushed. "Bonbon! I thought you said you would keep that a secret!" Lyra said in protest. "Oh, come on, Lyra. I thought you were so cute the way you hid behind me until I swept the mouse out of the house," Bonbon said as she gave Lyra a quick peck on the cheek. "See? Bonbon understands. It is simply a harmless trick," Octavia said. "I think I might join Vinyl on the couch tonight, though..." Octavia then blushed. "...I do not feel comfortable sleeping alone..." "Aww, how sweet," Bonbon said. "Well, whatever you feel most comfortable doing, Octavia." Bonbon then thought of something. "Oh, I'm such a foal! Why didn't I think of this sooner? Lyra, get up for a minute." "Um...alright," Lyra said, doing as she was told. Lyra took a few steps back as Bonbon moved over to the side of the couch and pressed a button. She removed the cushions from the couch, and pulled out what appeared to be a bed with a folding mattress from within the depths of the couch. "Oh yeah! I totally forgot we bought a couch with a retractable bed. See, this is why I keep you around," Lyra joked. "Keep me around? Honey, you WANT me around," Bonbon winked. "Yeah, you're right," Lyra said as she trotted up to Bonbon and gave her a peck on the cheek. "I'm going upstairs for the night. Have a good night Octavia," Bonbon said. "...I'll be waiting, Lyra." She flicked her tail slightly as she disappeared from view. Lyra stared at the empty spot where she was standing before, and then looked at Octavia. "Go," Octavia laughed. "Thankyouthankyouthankyouuuu!" Lyra said, rushing off upstairs. Octavia climbed onto the bed, grabbing the sheet that was folded up in the center of the bed and laying it out, grabbing a few of the cushions for pillows. A little while later Vinyl headed back downstairs, and blinked in surprise when she saw Octavia laying in bed, waiting for her. "Enjoy your bath?" Octavia asked as she looked up at Vinyl. "Uh, yeah...that shampoo Lyra and Bonnie talked about is awesome! My mane feels like it's made of silk!" Vinyl headed into bed, laying down next to Octavia. "Go on, feel!" Octavia then surprised Vinyl by nuzzling her instead of using her hoof. "They were not kidding. That really is good...I may start using it myself." "Octy...why are you being so sweet with me all of a sudden?" Vinyl asked, raising an eyebrow. "Who are you and what have you done with Octy?" Octavia laughed. "Vinyl, I assure you that nopony else has taken my place," she said as she leaned in and shared a gentle kiss with Vinyl. "Now, we need to get to sleep...Good night, Vinyl." "Night Octy..." Vinyl said, laying down with a smile. The two snuggled into bed together, quickly falling asleep. *~*~* Several hours later, Vinyl rolled over and discovered there was a lack of a body. She opened her eyes and looked around in the darkness, and saw the front door cracked slightly. She slid out of bed and made her way to the front door, and opened it. She found Octavia sitting on the bench on their front step, just looking out at the night sky. "Octy...you alright?" Octavia looked over at her, and smiled softly. "I am sorry I woke you, Vinyl...no need to worry. I am alright." Vinyl made her way over to Octavia and took a seat next to her, watching her as she stared out at the moon. "Something on your mind?" Vinyl asked. Octavia sighed, and gave a warm smile. "I am simply reminiscing about all the times you and I have had together...the trip to Echelon Gardens...the trip to Hoofington...the first time coming to Ponyville, the party, all the different memories we have made along the way since we found out I was having a baby...it is incredible to think back to the terribly sheltered life I lived before I met you..." Octavia then looked over at Vinyl, her violet eyes looking at her lovingly as they twinkled in the moonlight. "...If not for you, I would not be moving forward to what I am coming to understand will be the most exciting part of my life...and it is all because of you, Vinyl..." Octavia then leaned into Vinyl's shoulder. "Thank you," she said in a soft tone. Vinyl blushed at Octavia's words. "Octy...I knew from the moment I met you that you were special. Yeah, you were snooty. Yeah, you had an attitude. Yeah, you were stuck up...but you know what? I know that that's not REALLY you. That was the 'you' that you created, to survive in a place like Canterlot, where everypony expects the best out of you," Vinyl said. "Me? Nah...I don't care about all that stuff. I just want to live my life the way I want..." Vinyl then focused her vision on Octavia. "...I don't wanna live my life any other way than the way we are now- traveling all over the place, meeting new ponies...and with you next to me," Vinyl said with a warm smile. "Especially after today...I mean, we got to see our kid, Octy...our baby..." Vinyl blushed as she brought a gentle hoof to Octavia's belly. "I discovered something today, Octy..." "What did you discover, Vinyl?" Octavia asked as she placed her own hoof over Vinyl's. "...After seeing our baby for the first time...I discovered that, well...I think I'm ready to be a mom," Vinyl said softly. "I was excited before...but now? I'm counting down the minutes until our baby arrives." Octavia felt tears well up in her eyes. She had never heard Vinyl say sweeter words. The fact that Vinyl had come to such a profound conclusion on her own eased her heart in ways she previously thought impossible. "Vinyl, you have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that...I have been so worried about how I am going to handle being a mother, about if I will be taking care of the baby right, and-" Vinyl cut her off by bringing her other hoof to Octavia's mouth. "Don't worry...we'll get through it. You'll always have me," Vinyl said with a smile. Octavia pushed past Vinyl's hoof, pressing her muzzle to Vinyl's, completely swept away by Vinyl's words. After several breathless moments, they separated, and Octavia wiped her face clean of tears. "I know...and that is why I love you so much," Octavia said as she leaned her head against Vinyl's neck, closing her eyes. "I love you too, Octy..." Vinyl said softly, closing her eyes as well. The two sat together on the front porch, enjoying every moment of being in each other's grasp as Luna's moon bathed them in its beautiful white light.