“Bye, Lyra!” I said as Lyra left her apartment to go to work. “So… you must want to know why I’m here, right? It’s about…” Bon Bon sat down on the chair in front of me, placing a cup of coffee in front of me and taking a sip of her own.
Bonnie wasn’t the most patient person in the world, but she was surely one of the kindest. She is a angel, literally; well, she was. She had been a cupid, one of the jobs an angel takes before becoming someone’s guardian. But no angel — neither guardian nor cupid — can ever fall in love. This law was imposed by Gaia when the world was created, and whoever broke it would pay a price: they would lose their halo forever. They become mortal and cannot go to the heavens anymore — or at least not until they pass away. This is a fallen angel.
Bon Bon is one of the fallen angels. She fell in love with Lyra Heartstrings, one of Vinyl’s many friends. Lyra was the girl whose love life Bon Bon had been assigned to oversee, but fate is a funny thing, and she ended up falling head over heels in love with the lyrist herself.
Bonnie wasn't an angel anymore and never had the chance to become a guardian angel, but I felt like she was my own guardian angel. She gave me support on those occasions when I was struggling and Vinyl was unable to help; I couldn’t be more grateful for that.
“You don’t need to tell me — it’s about you and your ‘inner demon’, that’s actually not THAT inner,” she joked, smiling. I didn’t said anything. “Oh, so it isn't?”
“No, it’s about my parents.”
She widened her eyes, “Oh… then it’s bad news?”
I sighed. “Yes. Well, it’s good in a way, but — argh! — it’s simply killing me! They’re coming here to visit me. And… don’t get me wrong, I really want to see them and spend some time with them, but I don’t see how this could work.” I lowered my head.
Bon Bon gave me a kind smile. “Don’t be like that, Octavia, this isn't the end of the world! Of course, your father doesn’t often come here because he’s always busy in Tartarus and everything. But he won’t compel you to use your powers, and if he does then…” Bon Bon stopped for a moment and realised why I worried. “Okay, I understand. I don’t want to have to be the one who tells you, but you need the truth, and the truth is that you’re really screwed. Dante only comes here for important events, and he will probably want you to show your skills.”
“Thanks for your reassurance…” I murmured and beat my head against the table.
Bon Bon laughed. We sat in silence for a minute. She looked at me after some time and then her eyes widened. “Oh!” she exclaimed, “There is actually a way you could spend time with them.”
“How? They’re demons; you know that Vinyl can’t find out about that.” I said clumsily, still resting my head on the table.
“Your bowtie has a spell, right?”
I nodded. My mother had put a spell in it so I always wore it. It kept people safe from my skills; it ensured that people could never see my wings or my tail or my cat-like eyes; it disabled my succubus skills. It was lucky that Vinyl found it sexy so never asked me to remove it. “Yes, sure, what about it?”
“They could use that spell on themselves and look like normal humans! Then you could spend time with them, and they could meet Vinyl, and learn to accept her. Mainly your father, of course. How about that?”
“I don’t know, Bonnie…”
“Oh, Octavia, don’t be so unsure of yourself; you’re not like that! Think about it! It could work, couldn’t it?” She smiled at me.
I scratched my chin. “I suppose it could work. But they would never agree to it! You know how dad is: stubborn as a horse, I told you many times.” I took a sip of my coffee. Despite my uncertainty, the idea held a certain appeal.
“You’re not the perfect demon daughter he wanted to have, but if he loves his daughter then Dante will have to accept you and the way you want to live.”
I widened my eyes. “Bonnie, you’re a genius!” I downed the rest of my coffee, and sprung up from the couch with a burst of enthusiasm. I hugged Bon Bon and she looked at me curiously.
“What is it? What are you planing?”
“My master plan! My salvation, Bonnie, my salvation!”
“But what is it?”
“You’ll see, Bon Bon, you’ll see. Now I need to go and practice my cello!” I smiled and went to the door. She shrugged. Bonnie knew that when I practice cello it’s usually because I’m sad, or happy, but at that moment I was just relieved.
“Good luck, Octavia.” I heard her say as I left. My parents could come here at any time, but I had a way to deal with everything they wanted.
“I just hope it works…” I murmured.
The sound of my cello permeated the apartment until late at night, when I lay down to sleep. I couldn’t remember going to sleep; it seemed like I’d just closed my eyes for a moment, and then opened them again seconds to find that my room was light and I could hear noises coming from the living room. Voices and barking and… something like a cat meowing?
I murmured a little before turning over onto my other side. Vinyl wasn't there; she was already awake and out of bed. That usually meant one of only three things on a Saturday: the world was ending, we had made love last night, or somebody was coming to visit — well, somebody she cared enough about to tidy up for.
“Oh, of course, we’re going to Rainbow Falls…” I remembered the trip Vinyl had planned with her Canterlot friends. That pink-haired one… I thought while I sat in bed and rubbed my eyes, stretching. I opened my eyes to see Wub Wub strolling into the room and looking at me. “I know,” I yawned, “I’m getting up.”
I showered, put on some decent clothes and went downstairs, to be greeted by smiles coming from Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Sunset Shimmer, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.
“Hey, sleepyhead, you’re finally awake!” Vinyl came at me and gave me a kiss. I looked at her, confused. “Ya know Tavi, it’s almost noon now — we should hit the road.”
I shook my head. “Yes, of course. You’ve already packed everything?”
“Of course not, darling. I had to do that.” Rarity said stroking her cat. Opal glared at Wub Wub and hissed, but started purring again once Rarity resumed stroking her white fluffy fur. Cats are weird animals, I must say. Maybe that’s why Vinyl always liked cats.
“Vinyl! How rude!”
“You know she’s a lazy bitch. Can we go now?” Rainbow threw herself onto the couch.
I sighed. “Okay, let’s go.”
I told you how my parents could appear at any time and I wouldn’t worry or freak out about it, right? Yes, that’s what I said, but I said it because I hadn’t remembered that I was going on this trip to Rainbow Falls, which would be just about the worst possible time they could choose to show up.
I gulped. I didn’t have a good feeling about this.
Rainbow Falls was beautiful. I hadn’t been there since the day that the orchestra had played at the qualifying rounds of The Equestria Games. It was amazing how all the water there was made of rainbow, something that you’d normally only expect in a city like Cloudsdale. The sunset there had been beautiful; the night, even more so. We’d been able to see all the stars so much more clearly than was possible in the big city. Luna had excelled herself that night.
We spent most of the day on the water goofing off. By the end of the afternoon, we were laughing in the living room of the comfortable log cabin while Sunset Shimmer and Rainbow Dash told stories about the hijinks of their youth.
Vinyl hugged me from behind while we were sitting on the couch, and nibbled at my ear. “Remember what I said, Buttavia?” she whispered. I turned towards her and raised my eyebrow. She whispered into my ear, “you remember yesterday, we still haven’t had round three.”
I widened my eyes and gave her a punch, but then a playful smile. I stood up and forced a yawn. Rainbow was talking about some girl named Gilda she had known when she was teenager and how they had learned to drive together, and I chuckled at her story.
“Oh, Celestia, I’m tired. I’m going to go to bed, girls. I need to rest a little.”
Rainbow pointed at me accusingly.“You’re just making an excuse so you don’t have to tell a story!”
Vinyl stood up. “Nah, Dash, I’m tired too. We had a lot of fun today, but I think it’s time to hit the hay. Goodbye you weird people.” They laughed and turned their attention to Twilight, who was next in line to tell a story.
Vinyl and I headed out towards our hut where we would have some more privacy. But on the way, she suddenly scooped me up into her arms. “Vinyl!” I squealed.
“What? You don’t need to walk now!” She gave me a smirk. I started to kiss her neck and her smirk turned into a grin.
We arrived at the hut and she opened the door with a kick. I looked at her disapprovingly but she didn’t care. Vinyl threw me onto the bed and climbed on top of me.
“You’re an idiot, you know?”
“Yeah, but I’m your idiot! Now c’mere…” Vinyl smirked and I smiled back. Vinyl leaned in to kiss me as she ran her hands over my body and--
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
We looked at each other. “I’ll get it. Must be one of them asking for--”
“No, no, I’ll go. You need energy tonight so I’ll get the door.” I smiled nervously.
“Okay, Buttavia, hurry up then.”
I gave her a kiss and she squeezed my butt, making me blush. Vinyl seemed to love it when I was blushing.
I walked to the door while Vinyl lay in bed. I opened the door expecting something normal. But no, I'm Octavia, so that’s exactly why it was something else. I mean someone else.
“Hello, Octavia, my dear daughter.”
It was my mother and father in front of me. I felt light-headed and struggled not to faint.