Cooo… cooo…. Cooo…
It was late one evening in Ponyville and Octavia was fast asleep in her bed. The soft comfy pillow in her face, the warmth of her blanket, the fresh cool air of the night in her nostrils-
Cooo… cooo… cooo…
-the cooing of a pigeon…
Octavia’s brain still hadn’t reached the deepest recesses of slumber like she had hoped, when it realized there was a pigeon and her window was open. Octavia shot up like a bolt of lightning and quickly glanced around to see if the pigeon was in her home.
Cooo… cooo….
No, there was definitely a pigeon somewhere, but where? She wondered picking up a broom from her closet. The grey mare slowly trotted around her home, until she realized the sound was coming from outside.
Cooo… cooo…
“Ugh, why me?” Octavia complained readying to go outside and shoot the pigeon away.
She slipped on a purple robe and some warm comfy slippers before taking her broom in her mouth and went to the front door. She peeked out through the window and saw nothing but her lawn and birdbath outside but no pigeon.
Opening the door she poked her head out and glanced side to side. There was no pigeon here and best of all the cooing finally stopped. Happy with the turnout Octavia went back inside her home, her roommate Vinyl was on the couch snoring away the night completely unaware of what’s transpired around her.
Octavia smiled at her mute roommate. She leaned over the couch and laid a blanket over the mare and ruffled her lighting blue mane, making Vinyl smile and curl up in her sleep. She then walked back to her room, threw her broom to the side and flopped onto her bed and instantly fell asleep.
The next morning Octavia awoke to the smell of hay bacon in the air. The sweet aroma of coffee and the promise of eggs enticed her out of bed with great vigor. Not bothering with her bowtie Octavia brushed her mane like she did every morning.
She picked up her bruh in hoof, sat in front of a mirror, began to slowly brush her mane. The soft rhythmic motions were almost therapeutic to the mare. She loved the feeling of her mane being brushed. As she's at there brushing her mane she thought back to the few times she could convince Vinyl to brush it for her. It always felt different when friend did it.
Cooo… cooo♪♪
Octavia felt at ease. She could already feel her body becoming more relaxed. As if all the stress was washing away-
Coo Coo...coo coo coo coooo♪♪
Octavia’s ear twitched. Her brow flexed.
Coooo♪♪ Coooo♪♪ COOOO OO♪♪
“AURGHGAHG!!! That bloody pigeon’s back!!”
In a flash Octavia to rush out of her room, taking the broom with her, and was at the door in ten seconds flat. She reared back on her hind legs then kicked the door open. Less than a second later she leapt out of her house and readied her broom overhead to strike the annoying pigeon when she found it.
“Where are you?” She asked to herself, shooting her eyes around wildly.
“Bloody bastard pigeons.”
Coooo♪♪
Octavia’s ears perked up and homed in on the sound of the delicate cooing. She immediately charged back towards her house and went to the opposite side were her back door was. There in her delicately maintained garden at the center was a masterpiece she was very fond of. A marble birdbath she had commissioned when she first moved to Ponyville. It was her pride and joy.
Until she realized the cooing was coming from the bath.
In her birth was a very odd sight that gave her pause. There, in her birdbath, was a grey pegasus mare. She had her left wing stretched out and was wiping it with a soap covered brush, scrubbing the wings delicately. Her fur was light grey and her hooves were lit tan. From her neck up her fur was a darker grey with a hint of green sheen on it and her feathers were light grey with distinct dark grey stripes across them.
The first thing Octavia did was gawk at the pony, as she cooed brushing herself happily unaware of the earth pony behind her. Octavia couldn’t believe a pony was in her expensive and lavishly decorated bird bath. A pegasus no less. She had never seen nor heard of such peculiar behavior from a pegasus before or anypony for that matter. Then she remembered there was a pony in it and wanted her out of it before the bath was ruined.
Octavia stomped angrily over towards the strange mare raising her broom and ready to strike. Suddenly the grey pegasus stopped hearing the sound of approaching hoof steps and turned with the brush still under her wing and smiled at Octavia. Octavia paused as the broom loomed over the pegasus who didn’t seem the least bit intimidated by the broom wielding mare.
“...”
“...”
“... Hiya! Cooo.” The mare squawked at octavia happily. “Have you come to ‘shoo’ me off?”
Octavia regarded the strange pegasus for a moment. “...Yes?”
“Oh, okay! I’m almost done so can you give me juuuuuusst… one more minute?” The mare asked nicely continuing to scrub her wings.
Octavia shrugged casually, “Sure just don't’ be long-” She suddenly stopped mid step and whirled around on the pegasus. “I MEAN NO! You may NOT use my birdbath-what are you even in there?!”
The grey pegasus looked at the earth pony oddly.
“But, if I can’t use it then why is it here?” The pegasus asked, pointing at the bath.
Octavia gawked at the mare again. “I-I you-they but-no… You don’t use birdbaths for ponies! It’s for birds! BIRDS I SAY!!” Octavia said, swinging her hoof across at the words birds for emphasis. “Who are you anyways?”
The pegasus folded her wings back to her sides flopping her ears down at Octavia’s raised voice. The poor pegasus whimpered under Octavia’s intense glare and harsh words before answering, “Pigeon.”
Octavia tilted her head. “Excuse me?”
“My name, you asked for my name,” The pegasus said gesturing to herself. “My name is Pigeon Hooves. I’m Derpy Hooves sister.”
Octavia stared at the mare, Pigeon. She couldn’t believe what she heard.
“Perhaps I misheard you. You said you name was, Pigeon?” She asked.
Pigeon nodded stepping daintily out of the bath. She then shook herself dry and faced Octavia.
“-and your sister’s Derpy?”
Again Pigeon nodded.
“Oh, my I just…”
Octavia was unable to comprehend what was told to her. She always heard the saying, “Truth? You can’t handle the truth!” from a movie she once saw, but it was unreal ow something like this could leave her so baffled.
Giving up, on account it was early and she hadn’t had her coffee, Octavia slouched and dragged the broom back to her house glumly. As she opened the door there was a gentle ‘coo’ behind her. Octavia looked back to see Pigeon standing there with a hopeful look in her eyes.
“Umm, pretty lady, c-can I ask you something?”
“Octavia,” The earth pony said.
Pigeon cocked her head sideways. “Huh?”
“My names Octavia Von Cleff. It’s nice to meet you Pigeon,” Octavia said shaking Pigeon’s hoof.
Pigeon remained silent regarding the hoof shake before cooing happily at Octavia.
“Nice to meet you too Miss Cleff, but I had another question too, coo,” Pigeon said fluttering her wings.
Octavia chuckled at the pegasus, “What is it?”
“Coo, got any bread crumbs?”
Octavia rolled her yes at the pegasus. *Of course she'd want bread with a name like that.* Octavia mused to herself. She gesture for the pegasus to wait for a minute and entered her home. Moments later she reemerged with an entire loaf of bread. Octavia offered the loaf of bread to Pigeon who took the bread with a bit of hesitation.
"Oh! A whole loaf?!" Pigeon blushed clutching the bread close. "This is just so sudden, I couldn't-"
"No, I won't have a friend I just met go hungry," Octavia said tapping her chin. "In fact, would you want to join me and my roommate for breakfast?"
Pigeon blushed even more hiding nervously behind the bread. "Oh, um no thanks. That's very kind of you, Octavia, bu I need to go now thanks for the bread!"
Octavia smiled at the cute little pegasus as she flew away embarrassed. Octavia ventured a guess she wasn't use to pony interactions hence her odd behavior. Yet, she was glad she got up when she did. She was happy to have met Pigeon even if she was an odd ball. Watching her new friend go Octavia waved to her and then returned inside to sit down at the table where Vinyl was waiting politely for her to join before eating.
"Thank you for waiting Vinyl," Octavia said sitting down.
Just when the two mares began to eat there was an abrupt knocking at the door. Octavia was going to get it, but Vinyl silently insisted she do it. Octavia thanked her friend and continued to eat while Vinyl answered the door. A few moments later Octavia felt a tap on her shoulder and saw Vinyl gesturing to the door.
Octavia got out of her chair and dusted herself off and went to the foyer to see her coltfriend Thunderlane at the door looking pale. She smiled and felt her heart flutter at the sight of the stallion and rushed to greet him. Octavia leapt into his arms and hugged him affectionately.
"Thunderlane! What a pleasant surprise! What are you doing here?" She asked kissing his cheek.
"I came to see you and, um, ask you something," Thunderlane said scratching the ground with his hoof.
Octavia felt her heart swell and her eyes went wide. *Was he going to propose!?!* For her part Octavia had been waiting for the stallion to ask her for sometime now, dropping hints left and right, but never seemed to get through to him. Now, after all the waiting and heart wrenching days and nights he was ready!
Octavia did very well to hide her excitement, mostly because she didn't want to scare off Thunderlane. She quickly tidied her mane and waited for him to pop the question with great anticipation.
Thunderlan etwitched his ear nervously and scratched his neck like a dog. Octavia grinned, she really liked it when he did that. She thought it was so adroable when he acted submissive.
"Octavia?"
"Yes Thunderlane?"
"I just wasnted to say-"
"Yes!?"
"I support your desicrion." Thunderlane finaished lamely.
Suddenly Octavia's perky attitude deflated. "... My, what?"
"If you're like that then I support you. I just wish you told me sooner," Thunderlane said scratching his wings. "I thought we had something special."
"Thunderlane we do! I love you..." Octavia said sadly reaching for him.
Thunderlane pulled away as tears ran down his face.
"I know you think I'm a silly pony Octavia, but... why!?!" He yelled at her.
Octavia pulled back, startled by his sudden outburst. "Why what? Thunderlane if I did something wrong tell me! We can work this out!" She pleaded to him. "Just tell what's wrong.'
"Bread."
"E-excuse me?" Octavia asked, not seeing a connection.
"Why? If you love me then why did you give bread to Pigeon? A WHOLE LOAF AT THAT!?!" Thunderlane cried flaring his wings. "I thought you loved me!!"
Octavia was now getting scared by Thunderlane's unstable behavior. She had never seen him act like this before. It was troubling to her. She looked at him straight in the eyes seeing nothing but hurt and betrayal in his eyes. She'd seen this look in him once before. The day he and Octavia both found out the Flitter was cheating on him with her own sister.
That's what brought them together, although Octavia never admit it, she liked the stallion long before that. She always admired him, wanting to be a Wonderbolt even against competition like Rainbow and her partner Lightning Dust. Though she found the power couple to be a rather troublesome pair. (Always pulling pranks with Pinkie Pie) She thought Thunderlane was something she felt all stallions should aspire to be. Gentle, kind, and above all else determined no matter the odds. After all she and Vinyl did, and this hurdle she and him would get over together.
So, steeling her resolve to save her relationship with Thunderlane Octavia took a deep calming breath and looked him straight in the eye.
"Thunder, what are you saying?" She asked trying to get some seasonable answer out of him. "You're not breaking up with me are you?"
Unable to hold back anymore, Thunderlane openly cried leaning into Octavia's lips and gave her one last kiss before flying off in the distance leaving her both aroused, confused, and stunned. She touched her lips and looked up at the fleeing form of Thunderlane and then back at her hoof.
"That's it. I'm seeking help," Octavia said going back in her home.
She trotted upstairs as Vinyl poked her head out from the kitchen and watched the grey mare skip upstairs. Once there Octavia went to her room and quickly wrote a letter to Princess Twilight Sparkle seeking her council. Using a magical candle she sent it off, presumably to Spike, and awaited a response which returned moments later.
Octavia saw the green swirling flames closing towards her and into her room. The flames circled on themselves and with a loud 'pop' formed a scroll. Octavia took the scroll and unrolled it and read it. She was shocked by the response and almost dropped it when she read it. Vinyl looked into the room just as Octavia dropped the scroll and walked ot her bed and flopped on it.
Curious Vinyl silently picked the scroll up, adjusted her shades, and read it. It was a rather informal letter from Twilgiht she quickly determined.
Oh Octavia! I'm so happy for you! Congratulations on your marriage! I know you and Thunderlane would eventually get married, you two are inseparable! I'm so happy for you, although I'm surprised you used the pegasus traditional 'Loaf Offering of Marriage'. From what I know of it not many non-pegasi know about it.
You must really love him to do such a thing and such in depth research! Again congratulation and I look forward to being at the wedding!
See you later!
Princess Twilight Sparkle
P.S. Are we still on for tea and cake later today?
Vinyl smiled and rushed to hug her friend when she realized Octavia was crying. Vinyl cautiously stepped forward and rubbed the mares back. Octavia was face first in her pillow. Muffled sobs flowed from beneath and Vinyl kept rubbing her friends back hoping to make her feel better. She didn't understand why Octavia was crying when she got what she wanted after all this time.
Finally after many attempts vinyl got Octavia to look at her with her tear strained eyes.
"Sniff, what is it Vinyl?" Octavia asked not bothering to get up.
Vinyl pointed to the scroll and Octavia shook her head.
"No Vinyl, it wasn't Thunderlane. I apparently gave a 'Loaf of Marriage' or whatever, to a pegasus mare I meat today. Her name is Pigeon," Octavia said, and Vinyl made a 'oh' with her mouth. "I din't know it was like that! I thought I was just being nice offering her some bread after she asked for bread crumbs!"
Vinyl nodded.
"I know! How was I supposed to know? And Thunderlane came here and-he-he... HE BROKE UP WITH MEHEEHEEEEE!!!"
Vinyl patted her friend supportingly allowing Octavia to cry it out. After ten minutes Octavia managed to cry herself to sleep and Vinyl, wondering what she could do, decided to pay Twilight Sparkle a visit. After covering Octavia under the covers Vinyl took the scroll and went on her way to Twilight's Castle, hoping to clear the misconception, and get some help.