//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 // Story: Paradiso // by Syvvak //------------------------------// Paradiso Chapter 8 Written by Syvvak Story Concept by Lynked --------------------------------------------------         Octavia rose from the couch and walked over to Vinyl, who was staring at the little green unicorn filly straddling her father's head. Glancing at Copper, Octavia saw the filly sitting with her front hooves in the air and a Cheshire smile, not unlike the ones Vinyl often showed, adorning her lips. The filly let out a giggle, bringing a smile to the cellist's face.         When she reached the stunned DJ, Octavia nuzzled her neck and whispered, "Come sit down, Dear," as she began to lead her to the couch. The white unicorn gave no resistance, following Octavia's guiding hoof without thought, her mind still focused on the filly. She felt the stress on her legs relieve as she sat down, as well as soothing warmth as Octavia sat beside her.         Feeling a nudge on her shoulder, Vinyl turned to her left. When she turned, Octavia gave her a sweet smile and motioned in front of them with her head. Wordlessly looking ahead, she saw the little green filly floating in an orange aura reaching her hooves out toward her. Looking past her to her mother, whose blue horn was alight with magic, Vinyl's eyes met hers, silently asking a dozen questions.         When the elder mare smiled and nodded, Vinyl hesitantly whispered, “Okay.” As the foal floated toward her, she raised her right foreleg to hold her. When she was close enough, the green filly wrapped her hooves around Vinyl's neck. Vinyl wrapped her hoof around the filly as their mother released her magic.         Unsure of what to do, she just held onto the filly as her mind raced. She felt the filly start to squirm and adjusted her grip so she could lean back. When the filly stopped moving, she was looking up at Vinyl, who gave her a once--over. Her coat was a green similar to Lyra’s but slightly darker. Her mane, still messy from a long night's sleep, was similar to Vinyl's but shades of purple instead of blue. Her eager eyes were blue, just like her mother's.         "Hi, Sissy," the filly said, her voice as happy as any Vinyl had ever heard.         "Hello," she responded, a smile slowly forming on her face.         "She's gorgeous," she heard Octavia comment from beside her. "What's her name?"         "Stormy Breeze," Copper Girder said, smiling as he saw the aforementioned filly climb over her older sister's shoulder and atop her head, both of his daughters giggling all the while.         Everypony just sat there for a few minutes. Nopony spoke as they basked in the happiness that was present, thinking. None of them wanted to start the conversation they all knew was going to happen eventually. Except Stormy. She was too young to know what was going to happen, or what exactly would be said. She was just content to lay atop her sissy's head and chew on her mane. At least, until Vinyl realised what she was doing.         "Ewwwww, she's getting drool all over me," Vinyl whined when she felt the drool coalescing on her head start to dribble down her face.         Octavia raised a hoof to her mouth to try and stifle her laughter, while Copper just let out a hearty guffaw. Vinyl's mother let out a light laugh as she rose to her hooves.         "Stormy, Sissy's mane isn't food," she said as she lifted the filly from her sister's slobbery head, causing the little unicorn to start giggling.         "*sigh* I am going to assume that that was a clue for me to get started on breakfast," Copper said, looking completely downtrodden.         "That would be lovely, Dear. Now, let's get you two slobber covered fillies all sparkly clean." Vinyl sighed as she rose from her seat to follow her mother up the stairs.         Octavia sat for a moment, unsure of what to do. Copper let out a sigh and rose out of his chair.         "Welp, might as well get on that food," he said, turning towards what Octavia assumed was the kitchen.         "If you would like, I could help you," Octavia offered. Copper turned around to face her and smiled.         "That'd be awesome. Thanks." --------------------------------------------------         Vinyl sat beside the bathtub, her mane wet from a quick rinse, as Stormy Breeze splashed around in the water. Vinyl used her magic to rinse the filly's coat, causing her to giggle. I can't believe I have a sister, she thought. I've always wanted a sibling... But, now I live so far away. I won't really get to be around her much.         "So, who was that mare with you?" Vinyl heard her mother ask from the doorway. Turning her head, she saw the older mare entering the room with a brush running through her mane. "I got so caught up in everything I seem to have forgotten to introduce myself."         Turning back to the tub, Vinyl continued to rinse Stormy's coat, much to the filly's delight. "That was my marefriend, Octavia," she said, her voice even. Satisfied with rinsing the filly’s mane, tail, and coat, Vinyl lifted her from the water and pulled the plug to drain the tub.         As she turned around to grab a towel, she saw one float past her, enshrouded in her mother's orange aura. As she dropped the towel atop the happy filly's head, the older mare spoke again. "She's very pretty."         Sitting the filly on the sink, Vinyl used her magic to dry her off with the towel, using the opportunity to tickle Stormy, causing the filly to shriek with laughter. "Yeah, she is," she finally said with a smile, lifting the filly from the sink top.         Placing Stormy Breeze upon her back, Vinyl turned towards the door. "Let us break fast, mother," she said, mimicking a Canterlotian accent, before quickly dropping it. "I can't have Dad corrupting Tavi's poor, innocent mind."         "Why you-" she heard Octavia shout from downstairs.         "Damn it." --------------------------------------------------         Her mane plastered to her head with a mixture of pancake batter and orange juice, Octavia hid behind a chair to avoid being splattered with anything else. Looking around, she saw a small pile of batter. Scooping it up in her hoof, she peeked around the chair, looking for her target. Spotting Copper crouched behind another chair, she stood up, took aim, an-         "Daddy!"         The filly's shrill voice caused Octavia to freeze and her eyes to widen. Dropping back to all fours, she spun around, coming face-to-face with the three unicorn mares, a fierce blush blooming on her cheeks. The eldest of the three's face was unreadable, a stoic mask of stoicism. The youngest was happy, always happy. And why not? Octavia mused. She's young, healthy, and has a great family. But the middle? Vinyl's face was an odd mixture of disbelief, anger, and mockery.         "Um, I- EEP!" Octavia began, trying to explaining herself, but was cut off by a blob of batter hitting her in the back of the head. She quickly dived behind Vinyl as she heard Copper shout in victory.         "That'll teach you to mess with me, Missy!"         "Just what do you think you’re doing?!" Octavia heard Vinyl's mother shout. "Look at the kitchen. It's a mess! WHY?!"         "She started it!" Copper Girder called out indignantly.         "I did not!" Octavia shouted back, not moving from behind Vinyl lest she risk being pelted with more batter.         "Did so! You spilt juice on me!"         "I spilled the juice because you tripped me!"         "I didn't trip you, you weren't watching where you were walking!"         "I thought you were more mature than to stick your hoof out in front of me as I walked past!"         "You have a lot to learn," Vinyl chuckled to herself.         "I did no such thing!" Copper cried. "I stretched my leg to release the tension that was building in my knee. It's no fault of mine you decided to see if you had the ability to become incorporeal and attempted to walk through it!"         "ENOUGH!" the matron of the household shouted. Octavia peeked around Vinyl to see Copper glaring at her. She proceeded to stick her tongue out and blow a raspberry at him. "You two are arguing like a couple of school foals."         "Yeah," Vinyl said. "I leave you two alone for all of ten minutes and look what you did. You trashed the kitchen, didn't even get food started, and you corrupted Tavi! Look! She's using the mare she supposedly loves and a defenseless filly as flesh shields and making fart sounds with her mouth.         "I... I don't think I can handle this. Is the room spinning?" Vinyl said as she lifted Stormy Breeze off her back, rose to her hind legs and spun around a few times. After a few rotations, she fell backwards, smiling as she heard a satisfying yelp and felt Octavia underneath her. Raising a giggling Stormy Breeze in front of her face, she sighed dramatically.         "What will I do if everyone finds out I was raised by a hoodlum and am dating another, Sis? My career would be ruined! I would be a pariah in the music industry! I wouldn't be able to get any gigs, so I wouldn't be able to make any money. Tavi would have to support me an-"         "Vinyl," Octavia said vehemently. "Get. Off. Me."         "But you're so comfy," the DJ replied, floating a cooing Stormy Breeze around in invisible patterns.         "Now."         "Fiiiine, Grump," Vinyl said, rolling off the grey mare and onto her hooves, depositing the floating filly on her head. "Hear that, Stormy? Tavi's a grump. Don't you ever forget that."         "Tabi grumb," the filly mimicked. Vinyl smiled, her eyes lighting up.         "Yes, Tabi grumb."         "Octavia, dear, could you come over here please?" Octavia sighed and hung her head in shame as she approached the blue unicorn.         "Ooh, Tabi in twouble."         "Vinyl."         "Sorry, Mom." Vinyl walked to the table and pulled out a chair to sit in and sat Stormy Breeze on the table to play.         "So, Octavia, I am Ruby. Obviously, I am Vinyl Scratch's mother."At the mention of her name, Vinyl smiled and waved. "Now, seeing as you helped make this mess, I am going to ask you to help clean it up while I get food cooking, since somepony can't seem to do that right."         "Octavia," Copper said, looking at the aforementioned mare out the corner of his eye.         "Shut it. Now, Copper will show you where everything is and the two of you can get started."         "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let things get out of control like they did. I won't let it happen again," Octavia said, her head hung low.         "Oh, Dear, it's not a big deal," Ruby said, wrapping the cellist in a quick hug. "I'm used tod to it, anyways. When you live with two ponies who act like your marefriend," --she motioned at Vinyl, who was making faces at Stormy Breeze to make her laugh-- "you have to be. Maybe you can get her to start acting like an adult, or at least a bit less eccentric. Luna knows I haven't been able to get either to."         "But their eccentricities are why we love them. To change that, to any degree, would change who they are. If we did that, would we be able to love them the same?"         Ruby looked Octavia over. "Pretty, well mannered, and smart," she said, causing Octavia to blush. "You'll be a good influence on my beloved daughter."         "You forgot talented," Vinyl chimed without turning her attention from Stormy Breeze, causing Octavia's blush to deepen.         "Talented, too? My, my. And you fell for Vinyl?"         "Hey!" Vinyl said, affronted. "Not cool!"         "Eat!" Stormy Breeze chirped, looking at her mother.         "I know, Honey. I'm sorry. Mommy'll get food started soon," Ruby said with a smile. She turned back to where Copper Girder had been sitting quietly. "Copper, get the st- Goddamnit, Copper! Get your ass back here!" The outburst caused Octavia and Vinyl to jump, and the former mare to cringe in pain due to her close proximity.         "Ruby, language. There is a foal present." Copper came around the corner behind Octavia carrying a bucket filled with water, along with some rags and a mop. "Ya see that, Octavia? I go to do something nice and I got yelled at for it. Nice ponies like us can't seem to win, eh?"         Ruby sighed, shaking her head as she walked over to her daughters. "You want some help with the cooking, Ma?" Vinyl asked.         "No, just keep an eye on your sister. Thanks though," she said, nuzzling the white unicorns cheek. "And foals are very impressionable, so watch what you say around her, and what you tell her to say. She may repeat rude things or act rudely towards a pony if she sees you do it, okay?"         "Alright, Mom." Vinyl turned back to Stormy Breeze as her mother started preparing more pancake batter. Vinyl noticed Octavia cleaning a splotch of batter off the table near her and pointed at her. "See that, Breezey? Tabi not a grumb no more. Tabi happy!"         Stormy Breeze swivelled on her rump to face Octavia, who had a small smile on her face. "Tabi habby!" she crowed with delight, flinging her front hooves to the sky.         "Yes. Now, give Tabi a hug," Vinyl said, lifting the filly in her aura and floating her to the startled cellist.         "Hi, Tabi," Octavia heard from her neck, as Stormy wrapped her little hooves around it, burying her muzzle into her coat.         "He-hello," she stuttered, her lips slowly slipping into a half-smile.         "Alrighty. 'Nough pleasantries," Vinyl said, pulling the filly away, much to Octavia's dismay. "Tabi has to work. Can't be bothering her. Let's go into the other room, shall we?"         Vinyl rose from her seat and placed Stormy Breeze upon her back. Turning towards the living room, Vinyl side-stepped and turned her head, placing a fleeting kiss upon Octavia's lips. Giving the stunned cellist a wink, she left the room. Slowly gathering herself, Octavia returned to cleaning.         "Hey, Octavia?" she heard Copper say from behind her. Turning around to face him, she smiled.         "Yes, Copper?"         "I'm sorry I got you into this. Things kinda... escalated. Didn't mean to."         "It's fine. It was pretty fun. Besides," the grey mare said, turning back to the table to clean, "it's not like this is the first time I have had to clean food from every surface of a kitchen."         Copper smiled and also went back to cleaning. "Heh, me either, Octavia."