//------------------------------// // My Little Tamby // Story: A Tale of Two Mares // by CharmingChaos //------------------------------// Octavia pushed open the door with a sigh and was welcomed with the sound of Tambourine crying and Vinyl pleading with her, to no avail. Though she hesitated to admit it, the name Tambourine was beginning to grow on Octavia, despite her earlier doubts. She hurried into the kitchen, where the crying was coming from, to find Vinyl trying to reason with a three week old foal, despite the fact that she could hardly understand any words at all. "Great Celestia, Vinyl, do you really expect her to listen to that?" Octavia accompanied her words with a hug from behind, which her marefriend shrugged off, looking hurt. "Of course I do. She's my filly as much as yours. She's got to learn to like my music, too." Vinyl huffed indignantly, and for the first time, Octavia noticed the oversized headphones sitting on the table next to them. "You didn't seriously try to make her wear those, did you?" Octavia was incredulous. " They're already bad for your ears, think of what they must do to hers. She's only a month old, you know." "So? You don't see me getting all mad when you're playing your cello at her, do you?" "Cello music is soft and gentle on young ears," Octavia retorted, smug. "Not to mention boring," Vinyl muttered, just loud enough for Octavia to hear her. "My music is not boring. Yours is just chaotic!" Octavia shouted foalishly. "It's organized chaos in the form of awesomeness!" Vinyl was improvising randomly now. Tambourine began to cry harder, and both mares assumed a shocked appearance. "Well, there you go." Octavia smirked. "This just proves that you don't know a thing about fillies. Just look at her!" "That doesn't even make sense. You've been home more than long enough to enforce your all-powerful foalcare abilities," Vinyl sneered. "I am better with foals, and you know it!" "Can I remind you of all the nights when I got up, and I kept little Tamby from crying and I let you sleep all night so you could play your stupid cello well in Orchestra, or-- or whatever you call it?" "Only after I asked you to about a million times!" Octavia was shouting now, trying to be heard over poor little Tambourine, who she held protectively against her chest. "And, more importantly, my music is not stupid. I play at formal gatherings, like weddings and Princess Celsetia's own festivals, and you only play at nightclubs, where ponies only go to get drunk and forget their responsibility." "Ponies go to nightclubs to have fun, unlike your uptight little rich pony parties. All you ever do at those is stand around with your nose in the air and talk about politics and which celebrity ought to do what when. It's no fun, and it's not worth a lick of anything!" "If you insult my music on more time--" "Try me." Vinyl glared at her. "Well, for now at least, Tambourine and I are going out. I'm sorry, but I can't spend time with ponies who don't appreciate good music." Octavia dropped the now only whimpering quietly Tambourine into the pram and stomped out in a huff, slamming the door behind her. "Your Mommy," Octavia told the wide eyed foal. "Can sometimes be a complete idiot." Tambourine just stared at her, eyes still shiny with tears, and Octavia felt her anger melt away somewhat. She scooped the filly's out of her pram and hugged her tightly, planting a light kiss of the top of her head. "I'm sorry, Sweetie. We shouldn't have been acting like that in front of you." She shook her head. "But Vinyl had it coming to her. No pony insults my music without getting insulted right back." Tamby cooed, her tears forgotten, and waved a hoof through the air, batting at Octavia's muzzle playfully. Octavia smiled. At least she had the filly. Octavia and Tambourine spent the afternoon at the Park. They played on the grass for a while, then Tamby slept and Octavia read a book that she happened to have in her bag. Lastly, they went to a cafe with a view of the Coltiseum, where the waitress warmed a bottle of milk for the filly and Octavia enjoyed an absolutely delicious dandelion sandwich, which Tamby kept trying to push off the table. It was such a nice evening that Octavia almost forgot about her fight with Vinyl. But not quite. She sighed, thinking of how much Vinyl would have enjoyed the day. But Vinyl insulted my music, Octavia convinced herself, her face hardening again. She doesn't deserve it. Eventually Octavia got up, dropped a few bits on the table, and pushed the sleeping Tambourine back to the park. She wouldn't stay there all night, but the sunset over the city skyline was nice, and besides, Octavia wasn't quite ready to forgive Vinyl and go home. As Octavia sat on the wooden bench, watching the last of the sun drip behind the buildings, she felt somepony else sit down near the other end. "Hey," a familiar, scratchy voice said nervously. Octavia refused to look at her, and kept her eyes on the horizon, silent. "'Tav, I-- I'm really sorry about this afternoon. It... Wasn't called for." Vinyl dropped her eyes, letting a tear trickle down her cheek. "Oh?" Octavia asked, still not looking at her. "No. I don't hate your music at all, really. I was just frustrated because Tamby was crying all morning." "Is that so?" Octavia answered with another vague question, trying her best to sound disinterested. "Yes." Vinyl frowned. Usually Octavia was more forgiving. "Octy, I love you, for pony's sake! And you know I can't sleep when I'm worried about you. So, will you please just come home and forgive me so we can go to bed?" For the first time, Octavia turned her head to look at the frustrated mare sitting next to her. "Okay. But you have to listen to me practice my cello tomorrow. Or no cuddling." Vinyl scooted over to hug Octavia, relieved that she'd finally been able to convince the stubborn mare to forgive her. "Okay, Octy. I promise not to complain." "Heh. You sound like a filly, Vinyl." Octavia felt the beginning of a smile tugging at her lips. "I know. I have to act like one to make up for your grown-uppish-ness." "Isn't that Tamby's job?" "Yes. But she's too young to know that, so I have to do it for her." Octavia swatted at her, but Vinyl jumped out of the way, chanting, "Missed me, missed me, now you have to kiss me!" Octavia laughed outright at that. Vinyl really wasn't the type of pony she could stay mad at for long, even if she tried. "I wasn't going to until morning, because technically I'm still mad at you, but that was a challenge. So, watch out, Vinyl. Here I come!" They chased each other the rest of the way home, with Tambourine's pram wheeling ahead in Vinyl's blue magic aura, unspeakably glad to be back together.