PLEASE NOTE: I have nothing against Christians or any other religious groups. The term Celestian has no reflection on any religion, and is merely fictitious, and made for the logic of this story. So please, for the love of Celestia, don't get mad at me for bad-mouthing them. It's not supposed to be insulting to anypony. If you are insulted, stop reading. I didn't mean to insult you, but I also didn't expect you to be so touchy.
Thank you.
Octavia was woken up by a sharp knock at the front door. She and Vinyl Scratch had collapsed on the bed, Tambourine happily sprawled across their stomachs, a happy smile on her face. Exhausted from their afternoon of arguing, the entire family had opted for an early bedtime, hence their rather bedraggled, heaped sleeping position.
The knock sounded again, and Octavia untangled herself from the pile, pulling on a robe and glancing at the clock before staggering out to the front door, muttering. "Who in Equestria comes banging on somepony else's door at six in the morning on a Saturday? Confounded salesponies... maybe there was an emergenc--Ahh!"
"Good morning, darling daughter," Sonata said briskly, pushing past the stunned Octavia into the little sitting room. "Oh, you're still living in this dump? Really, Octavia, I thought you had classier taste than this..."
"What-- darling daughter?-- Who said you were still my mother, Sonata? I thought you disowned me for being a fillyfooler!" Octavia sputtered, following helplessly as her former mother circumnavigated the apartment.
"Oh, that." Sonata waved a hoof dismissively. "I suppose I let my temper get the best of me. When I heard you had a filly of your own, I figured you'd seen the light and mended your ways."
"No, I haven't," Octavia said sulkily, feeling toyed with.
"You aren't still with that nasty little DJ, are you, darling?" Sonata continued. "She was such a nuisance."
Who're you callin' a nuisance, Sunny?" Vinyl said suddenly, emerging from the bedroom with Tambourine draped over her neck, braiding three of the spikes of her hair together.
"Oh, dear, I suppose I was wrong." Sonata looked at Octavia with that not-quite-pitying look one often gets from somepony who knows they're right. "But I had to come anyways. Now that my grandfoal is old enough not to be a bother, I simply couldn't stay away."
Octavia glared at her, eyes flashing. Vinyl mouthed let me handle this and crossed the room so she was nose to nose with the pastel blue unicorn, who in turn glared back at her, lavender eyes gleaming.
"Who do you think you are, Sonata, coming here, where I'm pretty sure it's damn clear you're not welcome, and acting like you own the place?"
"Oh, my. Such language," Sonata pretended to be shocked bringing a hoof to one delicate ear with a dainty little gasp of disgust. "Is this the darling little filly I've heard so little about?"
Vinyl opened her mouth to give some other sharp retort, but Tambourine interrupted her with a gentle tug on her mane. "Mommy, is that the big bad woof that used to be Mama's mommy?"
Vinyl grinned. "Yes, precious, that's the ugly old hag who says she's your grandmama."
"Have some respect!" Sonata said through her teeth.
"What's respeck?"
"It's like kindness, Precious," Vinyl explained.
"Yes, quite. I'm surprised a common pony like yourself would know the meaning of such a complicated word." Sonata sneered.
Tambourine launched herself at her grandmare clamping her baby teeth on the older mare's ear. "Stop being mean to my mommy, you big meanie!"
"Oh, but darling, I'm not being mean, she's just not a good enough mother for a little princess like yourself." Sonata said smoothly, turning her head to nuzzle the fierce-looking Tambourine astride her back, who in turn flinched away slightly. "That's where I came in. You see, Sweetums, your mommy isn't really... good enough to take care of you, or Octavia, come to think of it. So I came to rescue you, because I love you, and I love your mama, and I want to protect you from this terrible pony who says she's your mommy. That's impossible, you know. It's against Celestia and the rules of logic to have to mothers. You have to have a papa somewhere."
"No I don't." Tambourine said stubbornly, stomping a hoof on her grandmother's back. "Mommy and Mama made me with Mommy's unicorn magic. They didn't need a stallion."
"Atta-girl, Tam'." Vinyl whispered, doing a little cheer for her defenseless filly.
"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, my little angel. It is a sin against Celestia to do that, as you would know if you were brought up as a good Celestian. "Your parents are very bad ponies for acting the way they do, and they don't deserve to keep a precious little thing like yourself. It's too dangerous for you to be around them. You might catch their disease. You don't want that, do you, Precious?"
"Mommy and Mama are sick?" Tambourine's eyes widened. "Mommy, are you and Mama okay?"
"No, precious. We're fine," Octavia expained, crossing the room and picking the filly off her not-mother's back. "And, Sonata, Vinyl and I love each other. it's not a disease, it's a blessing. As is Tambourine. So, would you please just leave us alone and take your stupid, prejudiced ways elsewhere?"
"Alright, Octavia," She sighed dramatically. "I'll go. But this isn't the last you've seen of me, no indeed. I won't give up until I have my grandfilly all to myself."
With that, the cruel mare swept dramatically out, leaving the little family in silence, listening to the faint echo of the slamming door.
At last, Octavia laughed nervously. "That was weird. What do you think she wanted?"
Vinyl turned to her, her face deadly serious. "She wants to ruin our lives, 'Tav. We have to make sure she doesn't, alright? Promise me you'll help keep our family together.
Octavia nodded, a tear slippind down her cheek. She wrapped her hooves around Vinyl's neck. "I promise. But there's not much we can do. Mother usually gets what she wants."
"Well, all the more reason to make sure she doesn't this time. We have to stay strong."
"You seem remarkably unfazed by this, Vinyl. When did you get so brave?" Octavia asked, her face half buried in Vinyl's mane.
"When I realized that I love my marefriend and filly very much, and I'll stop at nothing to protect you two." Vinyl replied, looking fierce.
Octavia giggled. "That's very nice, Superhero, but don't you think you should get dressed before you go to save the world from evil mother-in-laws?"
"Maybe. But it doesn't hurt to start early, does it?"
"I suppose not. Now, do you want to have breakfast or go back to sleep? It's only seven in the morning, you know."
"Breakfast." Vinyl yawned. "I'm too worked up from the Villain's visit to go back to sleep."
"Mommy, what's a sin?" Tambourine asked earnestly, interrupting their little conversation.
"Your grandmare. No more questions though, okay Tambourine?"
Tambourine nodded. "Okay Mommy."
"But, Octy?" Vinyl said quietly. "I got something to say to you."
"What is is, Darling-- Ugh, I don't think I can ever you use that word again. It reminds me of Sonata now. Anyways, Sweetie. You were saying?"
"Ah-hem," Vinyl coughed into her hoof.
"I will love you 'til the end of time,
probably a million years.
Promise you'll remember that you're mine.
Baby can you see through the tears?"
Octavia smiled. "That doesn't seem very wubsy."
"What? I like some un-dubstep music. Besides, Lana Del Neigh is badflank."
"Whatever you say, Sweetheart."