//------------------------------//
// Small Town Rumors 
// Story: Latex and Lace 
// by starshine_dash 
//------------------------------//

Octavia entered the marketplace with her bits in hoof and a pair of empty saddlebags ready to be filled with the essential items two mares would need for the house to truly become a home. Her first destination appeared, a small stand that offered various toiletries and sundries that everypony needed, but only so often. Several dozen bits later, and with everything carefully balanced between her containers, the cellist had procured new toothbrushes, a set of manebrushes for herself and a few fresh rolls of papier de toilette.

Humming one of her tunes to herself, trying to find a spot to add in another flourish when she subconsciously began to add some of Vinyl's particular brand of backing beats. The cellist rolled her eyes and moved on to a particular vegetable stand nestled between Applejack's cart full of fresh apples and a stand specializing in herbs and spices, "Hello, Carrot Top!"

"Octavia! Great to see you. Finally back in Ponyville?"

"Indeed. I arrived about an hour ago, my possessions should arrive this evening."

"And your marefriend?"

"M-marefriend!?" Octavia shouted, perhaps a little too loudly. Applejack raised a single eyebrow before returning to polishing the apple in her hoof, "Vinyl is not my marefriend. She is a friend who has fallen on hard times."

The ginger behind the counter smirked and nodded, "Uh-huh, sure. She's just a roomie. Stop lying to yourself, Tavi. You saw what that did to Twilight last year, right?"

Rolling her eyes, the cellist grabbed a few carrots, placing them in her bag and returning the requisite bits to the table, "As much as I admit she is very attractive, I doubt she would be willing to pursue a relationship with a freak like me."

Carrot facehoofed, "Sweetie, you're not a freak. Berry can drink about 8 barrels of Sweet Apple's Own before she even feels buzzed, does that make her a freak?"

A very quiet, "Yes," came from the apple seller next door, followed by an innocent whistle. The vegetable merchant sighed and turned back to her friend, "Look, you like this filly, right? Tell her, figure it out, and go with it."

Sighing, Octavia maneuvered closer to the stand and picked up a few other vegetables she needed. Her friend's carrots were the best quality anywhere, but all her vegetables were top notch, "In a small town like this? The rumors alone..."

"Rumors? Oh, like Berry's a full blown alcoholic because she's always drunk at social functions? That's the only time she's drunk. Caramel being a coltcuddler cause of the way he hangs out with Big Mac? They're cousins! It's rumors, that's all and if you let them get to you, well, you could end up like the entire town did during the Discord Incident."

A shiver ran through the cellist, "Don't remind me!"

"Sorry. Seriously though, ignore the rumors and tell her. I saw the way you two looked at each other before your little 'show' before your show."

Nodding, Octavia waved a hoof, "I'll try and work up the nerve later. At the moment, I have more supplies to buy. Remodeling tends to leave the cupboards a bit bare."

"Right, well, stop by Berry's stand, she's got a new liquor you might like."

"I will," the gray pony said, trotting over to Applejack's stand to procure a bushel for snacking before making her way through the rest of the market towards a tent set in the shade with a very happy magenta pony standing underneath it, a still bubbling away next to her.

"Tavi! You're back!" Berry Punch shouted while getting out a bottle and two small glasses, pouring a small bit of liquid into both.

"Before you say anything about Vinyl, your wife took care of it."

"Right, right. Still, I'd like you to try my new brew. I think it almost has enough punch to be Berry's Punch..."

Octavia sniffed the glass offered to her, noting the heady aroma of a good whiskey with undertones of a multitude of berries. As the smell flowed through her nostrils, she raised an eyebrow, "Is there even alcohol in this?"

"I know, can't smell it right? I guarantee, this much?" she said, holding up the bare centimeter in the glass before knocking it back, "will knock Big Mac right on his flank."

The other mare blinked, her mind glazing over slightly, "Oh, wow, I can feel it just from that sniff. I think I'll pass on tasting it until this weekend."

"This weekend?"

"I'm having a house warming party, of course. I may be a bit 'stuffy' but I do like company as much as anypony. She's right behind me, isn't she?" Octavia asked with a downcast expression.

Berry nodded and shrugged as she slipped down behind the counter in case it came to blows. Her cellist friend was still a bit sore about the Gala incident a few years back and she did not need to be a part of this.

For her part, the gray pony turned slowly with a sigh, "Hello Pinkamena. You heard 'party,' didn't you?"

The pink party pony nodded vigorously, "Yup! And it's Pinkie, silly Tavi! I didn't know you were having a housewarming party! You absolutely have to let me cater it. You can't have a party in Ponyville without Pinkie or it wouldn't be a good story!"

"Story? What? Ugh, Pinkie, look, if you can promise me not to invite everypony in town, just mutual friends, no more than 10, and bring cupcakes that go well with Berry's new blend... Then you can plan it."

"Oh, don't worry about a thing! Also, what's this I hear about DJ-PON3 being your marefriend? Her and I go way, way back!"

Octavia sighed and facehoofed, too tired from shopping and moving to wish to deal with this pink menace, "She is not my marefriend at the moment, she is simply a guest who is down on her luck. Perhaps later, but for now... Also, how did you know she was even here?"

"Silly Tavi, Pinkie knows everything! Now hurry home, she should be waking up soon," Pinkie said, shoving Octavia out of the tent after placing two bottles of wine in her saddlebags and placing some bits on the counter. The cellist stammered out a few questions, but the party planner was already gone.

Sighing, the earth pony trotted back through town, stopping to pick up some bread and muffins at Sugarcube Corner, noting the suspicious absence of their premier salespony.

Making her way back home, saddlebags laden with the fruits of her labor, the cellist though about the situation she found herself in. She had only planned on inviting Berry, Carrot, and if Star had the time, her as well. However, now that Pinkie Pie of all ponies was involved, she had no idea how many ponies would be filling her home Saturday night. Entering the main room and making directly for the kitchen, Octavia began to put away her groceries as a moaning came from the stairs. The light clop of hooves followed as Vinyl descended the stairs. Before the DJ had even reached the kitchen, her housemate had already filled a glass of water and set it in easy reach of the unicorn.

Sipping it and obviously wishing her sunglasses were darker, she croaked out a thank you before slipping into the dining area and leaning against the bar, "Never let me drink like that again."

"Sorry to say, Miss Scratch, but Berry is bringing a new blend over on Saturday night for a housewarming party, and Pinkie is catering."

"PINKIE?!" the DJ shouted, then winced at the volume of her own voice before burying her head in her forelegs and moaning, "I love her parties, hopefully my rig gets here so I can spin some tracks for her."

"Oh, I'm sure it will be here sometime this evening. Also, you may want these," Octavia said, sliding over a small pouch of nuts.

Recognizing them immediately, Vinyl smiled and levitated them into her mouth, chewing briefly before grimacing, then swallowing, "Aaah, my headache is already fading..."

"I had a feeling you would need something and no one in town sells aspirin or any other artificial pain relief."

"Sometimes the natural stuff is best," the unicorn said taking a sip of her water and smiling. She relaxed in the chair and watched Octavia put away groceries, eyes hidden by opaque glasses gluing themselves to the cellist's toned flank. A sparkle appeared in those hidden orbs as she grinned, "You know, you do have a sexy flank."

The cellist blushed at the complement and continued putting the apples away, along with some preserves she had acquired on her way back, "Must you tease me?"

"Hey, you're the one who kissed me."

"True, I suppose. I was actually thinking about that on my way home, and I was wondering something."

"Mmm? What would that be?"

"W-would you like to go out for dinner tomorrow?"