> How to Raise a Filly
>  by CharmingChaos
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Bad Beginning
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tambourine, or 'Rine, as she prefered to be called crashed into the house, making sure to slam the door behind her.

She flung her bag onto the sofa in the sitting room before sitting down heavily next to it and moaning. "Mom, I'm home!" she yelled in the general direction of the kitchen. 

Said mare trotted out and sat down next to her eight-year old daughter. "Afternoon, Tamby. How was your first day of Secondary School?"

"Yuck," Tambourine made a face as she pulled out her PonyPod. "The kids are stupid and mean."

"Oi, Tamby, don't say that already. You've only just met them. What's the matter with them?"

"Lots of things," she answered dramatically. "They don't like me at all, except Rose Bud and Notes, well, actually his name is Half Notes, he's a music nerd like you and Mommy. The other foals call him Half-pint because he's short."

"Well, that doesn't sound very nice. I'm glad you don't do that." Octavia smiled her usual gentle smile, and Tambourine felt some of her worries and anger melt away just from the loving look her mother gave her. "But who's Rose Bud?"

"She's a pink filly from Ponyville. I think Mommy might have known her mom, Roseluck," Tambourine answered, brightening. "Anyways, Rosie and I get along 'cos we both want to sing when we grow up. 'Cept I already know that's what I'm gonna do, because of my cutie mark, and hers is a quill and a paper with musical notes on it. So maybe she'll write the songs, and I'll sing them."

"Well, I'm glad you made some new friends. I'm sure everypony else will be nicer once you get to know them." Octavia got up and moved toward the door. "I've got to start dinner. I told your mother I would make roasted squash tonight."

"Do you have to?"

Yes, you know how much she likes it. And Vinyl has been working an awful lot lately. That Surprise character she's always talking about has a lot of parties. But she's related to Pinkie Pie, so I guess it's logical. Now, Tamby, honey, be a dear and do your homework, before it gets too late."

"Do I have to?"

Octavia nodded shortly as she disappeared into the kitchen. "Yes. Come out here, and we can talk at the same time."

"Fine," the filly moaned again as she grabbed her saddle bag and followed her mother into the kitchen.


oOo


"Hola, Chiquitas Bonitas!" Vinyl Scratch's loud, somewhat masculine voice exploded from just inside the front door.

Tambourine glanced up from her maths to say hello, watching as Octavia left the stove momentarily to kiss Vinyl Scratch lightly on the lips. She wrinkled up her nose, averting her eyes in disgust. "Ew, guys, save it for the bedroom! I'm too young to die!"

"Aw, lighten up, Tamby-cat!" Vinyl said, using an old nickname. She tousled her daughter's mane with the hoof that wasn't wrapped around Octavia. "You won't die, and if I don't get my kiss, I will, so that's that."

Tambourine gave her mother a sulky look. "I doubt that. Mom, I finished my maths, can I go watch the telly now?"

Octavia snorted. "The telly? What's with the Canterlot phrases all the sudden, Cat?"

"I heard Rose Bud say it, and it sounded cool. Besides, tv is a boring abbreviation. And I wish you would stop calling me Cat, it doesn't even make sense."

"Oh, somepony's grumpy today," Vinyl observed snidely as she lightly spanked Octavia's flank before flopping ungracefully into a chair at the table. "Jeez, Cat, what in Equestria happened to our happy little Tamby?"

"School," Tambourine observed shortly, leaving the table and floating her bag and her homework binder in front of her face as she went to her room. "Anyways, I promised Rose I'd text her, and I have... stuff to do in my room, so see you at dinner."

Octavia sighed as her daughter left, and turned away from the stove to face her wife. ""Do you think she's alright? I don't know if she's ready for Secondary School yet, she's so little."

"Our baby is growing up, 'Tavi," Vinyl said sadly, losing her brash attitude for a moment. She stroked Octavia's hoof with her own in a comforting manner. "She'll be fine, trust me. We need to let her grow up sometime."

Outside the door, Tambourine scowled, she left for her room on silent hooves, knowing full well that the blatant display of affection coming next wasn't something she wanted to witness.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," she muttered as she shut the door. "I'm eight years old, for pony's sake! Why do they still think I'm a baby? I hate them. I hate everypony, everypony in the whole entire world! Why don't they just leave me alone?"

The grey filly flopped onto her bed in a dramatic way, staring at the pale lavender wall sulkily. She pulled her phone out of her bag to message Rose.

'Rine Scratch: This sucks.
Rosie: What sucks?
'Rine Scratch: Everything. My moms think I'm a baby.
Rosie: No they don't
'Rine Scratch: You don't know them. They do. They don't even think I'm ready for 2nd scool.
Rosie: That's silly. Noponys parents think that.
'Rine Scratch: Mine do
Rosie: :(
'Rine Scratch: exakly
Rosie: dad is calling me 4 dinner. by.

Tambourine let the phone drop from her magical f=grasp onto the duvet. She sighed and tilted her face into her pillow. "At least you have a dad to call you."


oOo


"So, Tamby, how was your first day?" Vinyl asked brightly, trying to loosen the awkward silence that surrounded the dinner table.

"I hate everypony, and everypony hates me." Tambourine pushed her squash around in her plate, trying to hold onto her bad mood. She had decided that she was mad at her mothers - she had every right to be - and she was sticking to that, and not being friendly. It was a final decision, and there was nopony to stop her from executing the master plan of sulking all evening.

Except herself.

Even as Tambourine did her best to block out her mothers' happy voices across the table from her, she could feel her attitude melting away, try as she might to hold onto it. By the end of the meal she was chattering away, as cheerful and silly as she usually was, despite her promise to herself to be unhappy.

Octavia smiled at Vinyl, mouthing it worked before turning her mind back to listening to her filly. She glanced at the clock. "Oh, my. It's nine o'clock, Tambourine. You really ought to get to bed."

Tambourine stopped talking to give her mother a sad look. "But, Mo-om, I'm not even tired."

Octavia shook her head. "Sorry, Sweetie. It's only the first week of school, you should get your rest so you'll be fresh for tomorrow. Go brush your teeth, and we'll come tuck you in when you're ready."

Tambourine grumbled halfheartedly, but the evening had been a pleasant one, once she'd stopped sulking, and, whatever she might say, she was tired, and her bed was beginning to seem like a very nice place to be.

A few minutes later, the blue-maned filly trotted back out, clad in a fuzzy blue robe, and quietly moved to sit next to her mothers on the sofa, where they had moved after the dinner dishes had been cleared. She curled up in the warm space between them, letting Vinyl Scratch stroke her mane softly.

"Are you ready for bed now?" Octavia asked kindly, interrupting the current conversation.

Tambourine nodded, yawning.

"Well, get up, then, off to bed with you," Vinyl gave her a playful shove. "Your mom and I need our peace and quiet. We have some very important things to discuss."

"What is it? Is it about my birthday? It's coming up, you know."

"Three months doesn't quite count as coming up, Tamby-Cat." Vinyl grinned. "But no, it's not. It's a secret. We'll tell you in the morning."

"Okay, fine." Tambourine slid off the sofa. "But can you come and say goodnight, please?"

Octavia got up, turning to help Vinyl as well. "Of course, Tamby. Lead the way."

Once she was tucked into her bed, Tambourine eyed her mothers sleepily. "This big secret you guys are gonna talk about. Is it in any way related to me? Am I in trouble?"

Vinyl shook her head. "No, Tamby-Cat. You're not. I guess it has to do with all of us, really. But mostly, it has to do with somepony none of us know yet."

"How do you know about it then?"

"Well, my little filly, that is what we're going to be discussing. Now, go to sleep, it's been a very big day."

Tambourine burrowed down further under the duvet. "Isn't that something all parents say to their foals if they want them to sleep?"

"Yes," Octavia kissed Tambourine's forehead. "But that doesn't mean it's not true."

Vinyl followed suit, giving her filly a light peck at the tip of her horn, before using her magic to pull the sheets up around her chin. She turned away and clicked off the light with a soft, "goodnight," before leaving the room.
> Decisions, Decisions
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Octavia sat in a relaxed slump on the sofa, absently playing with a bit of Vinyl's mane between her hooves as they talked. She glanced at the clock, stifling a yawn. It was getting late.

"I really want to do this, Octy - are you even listening to me?!" Vinyl sat up from Octavia's lap abruptly, pulling her hair out of the other mare's grasp and looking into her blank stare. 

Octavia shook her head to clear it. "What? Oh, I'm sorry, Sweetheart, it's late. You know I can't hold onto a suject at this time, I just start to doze off..."

"Well, don't," Vinyl snapped. "This is kind of an important subject, you know."

"I know, Sweetheart, but... I don't know if I'm ready."

Seeing the worried look in her wife's eyes, Vinyl decided to take the foalish option. She hugged her around the neck and kissed her cheek. "Don't worry, 'Tavi, I know you'll be fine. I was, and, no offense, but I think I'm smaller then you."

Octavia poked Vinyl's exposed stomach, feeling her hoof sink slightly in the thin layer of pudge. "Maybe then, but I think we're at least equal at this point. Besides, since when is calling your wife fat a good way to persuade her to cooperate?"

"Since now," Vinyl kissed her squarely on the lips this time, remembering how often they had done it before they were married. She pulled away to look into the purple eyes blinking close to her own. "We should do that more often."

Octavia gave her a little half-smile. "We used to. But look who's getting distracted now."

Vinyl Scratch was busy with Octavia's neck now. "I don't know... Who...'s... distracted... ?"

"Ooh, you're right... we should do this more often." Octavia moaned softly, not at all surprised by how pleasant it was to pretend they were just lovers again, not a care it the world, only each other. But still she tried to push her intoxicating lips and tongue away from her body. "We have to... talk, Vin'. This is important."

Vinyl had worked her way down to Octavia's stomach now. She trailed her tongue up her wife's abdomen with a sigh, tasting the mixture of salty sweat and something sweet that she couldn't identify. She stopped for a moment, resting her head on the damp fur, and looked up. "I know. That's why I'm showing you how the spell will feel."

Octavia let out a short, breathless laugh at that. "You're kidding me. You're kidding me, right?"

Vinyl shook her head. "No... no, this is how it felt when Twilight... you know, ugh, this makes it very awkward."

Octavia patted the blue head at her stomach, smiling slightly. "I... think I understand. But seducing me into agreeing this is the right time for another foal was a very dirty trick, Vinyl. I'm rather proud of you."

"What? Oh, that. Well, actually, I just wanted to do it again.  But yeah, I guess it was." She grinned cheekily. "Sorry."

"Oh, no, it was no problem. No problem at all. Now, let's go to the bedroom so Tambourine isn't woken up by seeing... well, this."

They entered the dark blue room and Vinyl gestured at the bed. 

Octavia raised her eyebrows. "What?"

"You have to lay down. I mean, you don't have to, it'll be easier for me that way."

Octavia nodded slowly and lay down, propping her head up against her hooves. "Alright... But how will this make it easier?"

"I have to touch your stomach with my horn, duh." Vinyl rolled her eyes. "I thought that part was obvious."

Octavia took a deep breath and let it out slowly, blowing through pursed lips and watching the tiny specks of dust disturbed by her breath swim in the soft lamplight. "Alright, Vinyl. I'm ready."

Vinyl Scratch closed her eyes for a moment before climbing up onto the bed below her still somewhat nervous wife. She patted the grey mare's leg, next to her own. "It's okay, Octy. It's not gonna hurt or anything. It felt really good, at least to me. And it won't take more then a couple of minutes, I promise."

Octavia nodded, and she felt the cool, slightly rounded tip of Vinyl's horn come to rest low on her stomach. She watched as the customary bluish magic aura surrounded it, and then her entire torso.

Vinyl's eyes were squeezed shut in concentration. She forced a part of herself into the spell, letting her mind go white with the power in her horn. 

Octavia jumped, letting out a hastily stifled cry as a blue-white lightning surrounded her abdomen. She could feel something deep inside her tingle, itch in a way that made her want to claw herself open to get it out. She clutched the electricity surrounded part of her body with her front hooves, a wordless scream escaping her lips as the feeling in her abdomen grew more and more powerful. 

Vinyl's eyes shot open, white with raw power, unnatural and strange to her earth pony... victim? prize? maybe it was as simple as 'wife', but Octavia had never before witnessed or experienced such a thing.

The light from Vinyl's eyes made the room as bright as day, illuminating the couple on the bed in a ghostly, shadowless halo, and Octavia screamed.

Vinyl Scratch blinked and pulled her horn away, her eyes their familiar crimson color again. "I'm sorry, Octy."

The grey mare said nothing, merely lay panting, eyes wide and staring. She clutched her stomach with both of her forehooves, rubbing her fur into a damp grey mat against her skin.

Vinyl crawled up and lay half on top of her wife. "Octy? Octy, are you alright? Octy, talk to me! Octy..." She kissed the half-open lips, stroked the flushed cheeks, rolled onto the mattress and lay with her hooves around the stricken mare's shoulders. "I-I'm so sorry, Octy..."

Octavia blinked, shook her head, noticed Vinyl curled around her waist. She stroked the soft, tangled blue mane, grasping the shaking shoulders, finally hearing the soft sobs stifled in her coat. "Vinyl, did we do it? Did you do it? Are you okay?"

Vinyl looked up at her with a terrified expression on her tearstained face. "I performed the spell, yes, but I also almost killed you! I don't know what happened, it wasn't like that for me. I'm so sorry, Octy. I'll never forgive myself, I'm practically a murderer!"

"That's a stupidest thing I've ever heard," Octavia said sternly, pulling Vinyl's head up so she could look into her eyes. "Vinyl, you are the stupidest mare I have ever met."

"What? Why?"

"Because you helped invent a new spell to help ponykind in general, you performed it on very short notice, perfectly as far as I can tell, and now you're wailing about being a murderer. Go on. Tell me, who did you kill?"

"N-nopony, but - "

"There. You see, you adorably stupid thing? You're fine," Octavia's voice had changed from sharp to soft and comforting, filled with a motherly sort of love Vinyl had never experienced from anypony but her. She stroked the white cheeks in her hooves gently. "It's alright, Vinyl dear. Everything's alright."

"I-I'm still sorry..."

"No need to be sorry, Vin'. I understand." Octavia gave her a gentle kiss, wiping away a last tear. "Let's go to sleep though, we both need our rest."

"We all three need our rest," Vinyl corrected, a weak smile playing on her lips. "I'm so glad you're okay, Octy. I was so worried."

"It's alright, Vinyl," Octavia soothed, hugging her close as they slid between the sheets. "Goodnight. And thank you. You did a wonderful job."
> Time-Sped
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wheee, randomness chapter! 
Also, just for the record, I was kinda high on sugar and caffeine and so sleep. So, yeah. it's veyr weird. But it's only because I'm impatient :p 
Also, names. I need names, ponies! Can be male or female, because I haven't decided whether it's a filly or a colt yet. I guess I'd kinda like them to be music related, to go with the rest of the family, but ifyou think you have an awesome, not music-y name, bu=y all means, tell me those ones, too! 
I know I'll like ALL the names, so no insulting each other over them!

Octavia woke up feeling rather sick at her stomach. She had very little memory of the night before, but she was vaguely aware of screaming far too loudly, and the lower half of her abdomen felt oddly heavy against the mattress.

Octavia opened her eyes to find herself face to face with the open, lightly snoring mouth of Vinyl Scratch. 

That. at least, was normal. But the heaviness at her waist stayed on - it wasn't a dream, she guessed. Octavia rolled onto her back, with some difficulty, and propped herself up on her pillow. She let out a muffled gasp and shook Vinyl's shoulders frantically.

"Vin', Vinyl, wake up! I think something went wrong!"

The white unicorn moaned, not opening her eyes. "Octy, let me go, I wanna sleep, I worked hard last night."

"I know you did, Vin', but, I think you messed up somehow. Look at me!"

"Wha - " Vinyl opened one eye, glancing sleepily at the mare quietly shouting in her ear. "Oh-my-Celestia-how-long-did-I-sleep?"

"You slept all night, Vinyl," Octavia said exasperatedly. "What has that got to do with anything?"

"Y- you're pregnant! You were fine last night - what the hay happened?!" Vinyl sputtered, pointing her hoof at Octavia's bulging stomach.

"I don't know, for Pony's sake, I don't know! You did the spell, how in Equestria am I supposed to know what you did differently then Twilight said?" Octavia was quite frantic now.

Vinyl took a deep breath and put her free hoof around Octavia's waist. "I have no clue whatsoever, Octy. But, I think I made the spell go a lot faster then normal. We'd better go to the hospital, just in case."

"That's probably a good ide - Oh, Celestia it's kicking it's alive let's go quickly Vinyl!"

They made a hasty note to Tambourine, told the neighbors that they were leaving her and if anything happened to please tell them, and hurried to the hospital.

Octavia was rushed into a regular check-up office as soon as they arrived, Vinyl at her heels - well, actually, clinging to her hoof - and a stern-looking dark blue stallion came in. 

He looked her over and rolled his eyes. "Lady, is this some kind of a joke? You're seven months pregnant, and you come in here yelling about it coming on over night. Well, very funny, we'll see who's laughing when the bill comes."

Vinyl let go of Octavia's hoof and stalked over to him from her place by her wife's side. "Now, look here, Doc. I performed the spell last night, last night, I swear, and now you go and tell me she's seven months into it already? What the hay are you talking about, Mister?"

"Look, Ma'am," the doctor said in a patient, but a little bit bored, tone. "I know a seven months pregnant mare when I see one. She's been carrying that foal for more then half a year - not twelve hours."

Octavia got up and waddled toward the arguing ponies. "Excuse me, Doctor, but what she's saying is true. This... whole thing started last night - not months ago. Can we see a specialist, please?"

"I'm a specialist, Lady. You've been carrying that foal for seven months, or I'm a donkey's uncle!"

"I think, sir, that I would know if I was pregnant for the better part of a year. Now, please, for the love of Celestia, go find somepony else. I, for one, want a second opinion."

"Well, I can bring in another doctor, but they'll just say the same thing. It's obvious, there's no other scientifically possible answer!"

"Just do it, Doctor." Octavia spat.

The stallion backed away hastily. "Alright, lady, I'm going. But I assure you, you'll get the exact same results."

As the blue stallion left, Vinyl took a deep breath, nostrils flared slightly in frustration. "I think this isn't gonna work, 'Tav. We'd better get some flying chariot tickets to Ponyville - I doubt anypony but Twilight can tell us about this mess."

"I just don't get it, Vinyl. I mean, I know there is always a possibility for flaws in magic, especially new spells like that one, but still... I mean, how could I become seven months pregnant overnight?"

"I don't know, 'Tavi. Maybe - well, did you have any weird dreams?"

"No... I don't think - uh, there was one, actually. It was - "

A pink doctor trotted in, with a bright smile and a continuous pale pink flush that seemed to permanently afflict her cheeks. "Hello, ladies, I'm Doctor Steph, well, that's what everypony calls me, because it's simpler than my real name. You called for a second opinion?"

Octavia nodded. "Last night, my wife performed a new spell made by the Element of Magic, our Princess's own pupil, to - well, to get a combination of the two of us instead of using a donor, or something and -"

"Yes, I know all that from your last doctor. But, are you sure it was only last night?"

"We are," Vinyl nodded. 

"Then it's physically impossible. I suggest you contact the maker of your spell. She may be able to help you." Steph said shortly, opening the door. "Good day, you two, and Celestia be with you. I hope, for your sake, you get there in time."

Once outside, Octavia glanced at Vinyl in confusion. "Get where in time? Are we going somewhere?"

Vinyl shook her head. "I don't know what she meant. But I for one think we should catch the next chariot to Ponyville, and beat it to Twilight's - you never know, by the time we get there, you might be in labour!"

Octavia grimaced. "I don't think so. It doesn't feel like it's gotten any bigger."

"Doesn't matter," Vinyl said, trotting along beside her. "We should still go. I want to know what I screwed up in case we want to do it again."

"That's unlike you, Vinyl. You don't seem like one to learn from her mistakes."

"Rubs off when you're married to Miss Responsible-pants herself," Vinyl shot back.

Octavia stopped walking suddenly. "Urgh. I don't think I can walk anymore. I'm carrying an extra ten pounds, it feels like, and it isn't helping my speed."

"Can't be ten pounds, that's too much. But okay, here. I'll see if I can get that pegasus across the street to pull down a cloud for you."

"Vinyl, I can't sit on clouds. Only pegasi can. Take a look at my back."

Vinyl rolled her eyes. "No wings, I know. But cloud-walking is one of the most basic spells in the book - even I can do it! You still have a hot flank, by the way. Even pregnant." She kissed her cheek before continuing. "Hey, Yo! Yellow pegasus!"

The stallion turned his head, looking for the source of the shouting. 

Vinyl waved cheerfully. "Yeah, you. Sorry for interrupting your stroll, but, uh my wife here is really pregnant, and she's too tired to walk home. D'ya think you could bring us a little cloud for her to ride on?"

The stallion nodded and took off. Seconds later, he skidded to a halt in front of them, a pony-sized cumulus between his front hooves. "There you go, Ma'am. Glad to have been of help."

"Ponies here are so polite compared to Canterlot," Octavia observed as the stallion trotted off. "I can't believe he just did that, no questions asked."

Vinyl rolled her eyes. "Ponies are nice everywhere but Canterlot, Octy. And helping a pregnant mare is kinda common courtesy, you know." She forced the cloud to the ground with a hoof. " Hop on, Milady."

Octavia stepped tentatively onto the small cloud. It was cool and springy, like a floating liquid mattress. She giggled, reminded oddly of a waterbed she'd had when she was eight. "Thanks, Vinyl. This is a very comfortable way to get home. But are you sure you can get us home?"

Vinyl pulled a tuft of the cloud out in a sort of rope, gripping the end in her magic. "Of course, see? Clouds are very pliable, and very stretchy."

Suddenly, Octavia sat up, groaning as her bulging abdomen resisted the movement. "This is all well and good, Vinyl, but what are we going to tell Tamby?"

"Simple," Vinyl flashed her a smile. "She'll have a little sister or brother by this evening."
> Ponyville, Post-Haste
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vinyl helped Octavia into the carriage with a grunt. The grey mare appeared to be nearly twice her original size, now, and was having trouble walking long distances. 

Said mare sighed as she plopped unceremoniously into the carriage seat nest to Vinyl. She gave her wife a light kiss on the cheek, but was brushed away with a hoof as Vinyl leaned forward to talk to the stallions driving. "We need to get to Ponyville, pronto!"

"Uh, ma'am, I know I'm not supposed to argue with customers, but - " The larger of the two, a grey pegasus with a mossy green mane and tail, started to say.

"Then don't," Vinyl said shortly, cutting him off. "We need you too take us as fast as you can - I'll pay ya double."

"Vinyl, it's already expensive," Octavia chided.

It's more expensive if you have the foal mid-flight, considering it might cost your life," Vinyl pointed out, shushing Octavia with a hoof over her muzzle. "I only married you three years ago, I'm not losing you that quickly."

"Well, thank you, but it really isn't going as fast as you thi - "

Octavia was interrupted by the driver again. "Are you two sure this is a good idea? I mean, lady, your... partner looks ready to burst, and I don't wanna be responsible for anything..."

"My wife," Vinyl spat. "Will be perfectly fine, as long as you get off the ground right now, and get us to Ponyville as fast as you can. Don't mind the skyway speed limits, this is an emergency."

"If it's an emergency, then you should probably leave her here, ma'am."

"Listen the whole reason we need to go to Ponyville is because it's an emergency. Now skidaddle, and stop sking questions!" 

At last the two colts took off, letting the carriage jolt slightly, which in turn made Octavia hold onto the side in a casual show of mild startle, Vinyl nearly jump out of her skin and ask her a million times if everything was alright, and Tambourine, nos in her book on the opposite side, roll her eyes with a little groan, and slump further in her seat.

The filly hadn't taken the news of possibly having a sibling by the end of the day with much emotion, or at least, not much that she'd shown. 

In fact, when her two mothers had come home, the filly, who was slumped on the couch, merely glanced up from her novel to say, "Wow. Mom, you need to go on a diet."

Once she had heard the news, the sardonic pony had rolled her eyes, muttering something about her parents being busy before leaving for her room. Naturally, she wasn't too happy to have to go to along with them to "Boring, rustic Ponyville."

It was a quiet ride. Vinyl was too worried to say much, other then apologize over and over, claiming it was her fault - and refusing to believe otherwise - and Octavia was rather hurt by the diet comment, especially since Tambourine seemed to be showing no sign of even being aware that an apology was in store. 

For Octavia, the hours passed painfully slowly. The extra weight and girth around her middle made it difficult to sit properly - she was forced into an odd position she'd seen Lyra sit in when they were in college. Being reminded of the green mare didn't exactly improve her mood, either.

"We're here, Ma'ams." The larger colt seemed to do all the talking, Vinyl observed when he announced their arrival.

The three ponies climbed out, Tambourine mumbling about how she liked San Franciscolt better, Octavia leaning heavily on a rather harried-looking Vinyl Scratch.

"That was an odd bunch," the smaller stallion observed softly as they walking away, his high, falsetto voice barely over a whisper. His larger partner nodded in agreement.

Twilight met them at the library door, ushering them into a back room - the library was still open to the public until evening - and pulling some chairs out of a closet. 

"In case of a chair emergency," She explained. "They're Pinkie's."

"I see," Vinyl nodded. "Octy, Darling, do you know where Tamby went?"

"She saw some foals in the schoolyard or something and went to play with them. I told her we'd come pick her up after we finished talking," Octavia answered, fitting herself into one of the chairs.

"Are you sure that was a good idea?" Vinyl frowned slightly for a second before clapping her hooves together. "Well, nothing to do about it now. Anyways, Twi, have you ever heard of this happening?"

"No, I haven't. But that's because the mage of a spell is only semi-responsible for the results. You haven't been my only client for it, Vinyl, but you're the only other pony who knows it. However, if a spell is performed by its creator, there is less room for flaws, because they are invariably more familiar with it. But, as I just said a minute ago, the unicorn who performs it is only partially responsible for the results - almost all the side effects and changes are purely consequential with the receptacle of the spell. In other words, it rests purely on what the pony on whom the spell was cast as to what the side effects will be. For example, if the pony I perform the spell on expects morning sickness from the beginning, she will most likely get it. All the better if she wants whatever the side effect is. Such as you, Vinyl. You expected a filly, and I suspect you would rather have a filly, deep in your subconscious, no matter what you may have convinced yourself of indifference. Did you girls understand all that, or am I still going all science-y? I'm trying to break the habit, but..."

"I think so..." Octavia's brow was furrowed, she understood the long words, but magic was a new subject.

Vinyl shook her head, looking overly confused. "Nope, didn't catch that. Too many scientific terms and long words."

"Vinyl," Octavia admonished. "Be nice, she's much better then she used to be."

"Er, thanks, I guess?" Twilight looked confused. She walked over to Octavia and patted her stomach with a questioning expression. "Mind if I take a look? I may be able to slow this down a bit, but if you've only got a week or so left, then I'm afraid it won't do much good."

"Oh, of course. Do whatever you need to." Octavia nodded hastily. "One question, though. You said the side effects were based on what the pony expects or wants, but, I didn't want or expect this. I mean, I was looking forward to when the foal was born but - "

"That's enough. You may have also been expecting the next eleven months to fly by, in which case those two subconscious thoughts alone are enough to send things off-kilter. Now, I'll need you to be quiet so I can concentrate, alright?"

The two mares nodded, and Twilight closed her eyes and lowered her head to the level of Octavia's stomach. She held the position for several minutes, Octavia's midriff once again enveloped in a magic glow, and then she straightened, opening her eyes. 

"Well?" Vinyl asked inquisitively.

"It's a filly, if you were experiencing a normal pregnancy, you would have another month and a half 
before she is born. I can slow it to three weeks, if you like, but that's as good as it can get. If you'd rather - well, I can take you to the Ponyvilly General now, but you'd only have an hour at most before labour. Also, I've figured out that she will grow at a normal pace once she is born, no matter if I slow down the pregnancy or not. Would you like to think it over, or shall I just perform the spell now?"

Octavia glanced at Vinyl who shrugged. "It's your choice, 'Tavia."

"Well, I suppose you ought to do the spell, then, Twilight," Octavia sighed, bracing herself. "I want to be able to enjoy at least a little of this pregnancy."

"Pssh," Vinyl said, interrupting. "Enjoy, my flank. I mean, it's your choice, and I wouldn't skip my pregnancy for the world, but be warned, Sweetie, it's not always sugar and spice. Oh, and that first thingie I said can be taken both ways. You can enjoy my flank whenever you want now, 'Tav. We're married."

"Go ahead, Twilight," Octavia said, taking a deep breath. "Fire when ready."

The purple mare grimaced. "Okay, but don't use that phrase again, alright? It... brings back bad memories of a certain draconequus I'd rather not mention."

Octavia nodded and felt the now almost familiar tingle as yet another magical aura encased her belly. The purple glow remained for about a minute before fading away. Octavia sighed, rubbing a hoof over her painfully stretched skin, feeling the fur silky soft under it.

"So, it's done?" She asked tentatively, still stroking her belly.

Twilight nodded. "It's done."

"I have about three weeks now, right? And, it's another filly." She looked down at the lump. "I kind of wished it would be a colt - for balance, you know?"

"No, you didn't, really," Twilight said suddenly. "The spell relies heavily on your mindset at the time it is performed. You may have convinced yourself that it would be nice to have a colt, or changed your mind after it was done - though I highly doubt that - but at the time when Vinyl cast the spell, you were hoping beyond comparison for a filly. That much is clear from the first glance at the spell. It's like a mirror, you see? If you know how to look, you can see everything that went on in both ponies' minds when the first threads of the magic were cast."

Octavia felt a hot blush rise to her cheeks as she remembered what had led up to her agreeing to start the spell. "Everything?"

Twilight nodded. "Yes. But you have to look specially to see each thing. It's like... looking at the table of contents in a book and then flipping to the right page. I just went to the 'pages' with the gender and basic information about the foal. I also know exactly what she'll look like, but I'm not telling you that - one of the best things about birth is seeing your foal for the first time, or at least, that's what Pinkie Pie says. She and Rainbow had their foal about a year ago, using the same spell."

Vinyl leaned her head down to rest it on Octavia's stomach for a moment, giving it a soft kiss. "I can't believe they never told us they had a foal. Is it a filly or a colt?"

"Both," Twilight grinned. "Pinkie Pie was babbling about how much she loved taking care of the Cake twins because they were twice the fun the whole time I was performing the spell. It was obvious that would alter the results."

"Ooh, what do they look like?" Vinyl jumped up from her place resting on Octavia's stomach. 

"Well, the colt, Sunshine is light blue with a spiky coral and yellow mane, and the filly, Iridescence, is pink with a curly rainbow mane. She's a pegasus, which makes Sunshine unhappy sometimes, because he's an earth like Pinkie. They're absolutely smitten, though. Those foals need hardly blink an eye, and both mares are by their sides, ready to take their every order."

"Well, that's wonderful," Octavia said, smiling. I'll admit we were a bit like that with Tamby. Speaking of which, we should probably go find her if we want to get home before dark. care to lend a hoof, Vinyl? I'm not sure I can get up on my own. This filly is too damn fat."

"That's not like you too say," Vinyl raised her eyebrows. "Alright, here we go, upsy daisy, and all that crap."

"Oof, thank you," Octavia grunted as she landed on her hooves, doing her best to keep her knees from buckling.

"Welcome," Vinyl muttered, looking shy.

"What was that? Politeness from the mare who could win Miss No-Manners hooves down? I'm honored." Octavia tried to look surprised.

Vinyl grabbed Octavia by the ear and gave her a short but passionate kiss, waving her hoof absentmindedly to sever the thread of saliva between them. "What was that? An insult from Miss Prissy-pants herself? I'm shocked. But yes, politeness from me. For you, anything."

"I appreciate the gesture, Vin', but was that really necessary? We're not exactly in private, you know." Octavia said, feeling her face flush pink in embarrassment.

"Hmmm," Vinyl looked thoughtful. "No. I just felt like making out with you. No real reason."

"Well, I guess that's normal, coming from you, but next time, could you wait until we get home? Or at least, away from other ponies?"

"Jeez, you're so touchy, Octy." Vinyl sighed. "We're a married couple, we can make out whenever and wherever we want."

"True. But I don't like to. Not in public."

"Well, I still think you're being over-reac'... -tionish," Vinyl finished, foalishly.

"That's not even a word. Come on, we have to get Tambourine." Octavia grabbed Vinyl's ear in her mouth and dragged her out the door. "I'm not over-reactionish, or whatever you said, Vinyl . Anypony who is interested in anything other than sex knows that you don't just randomly kiss somepony, even if she's your wife, when there're other ponies around. It's embarrassing for everypony involved."

"I'm not embarrassed." Vinyl said arrogantly.

"Yeah? Well you're... You're Vinyl Scratch! You don't know what embarrassed is!"

"I doubt that. You have no idea what you're talking about, 'Tavia. Like when we found out I was pregnant. I was terribly embarrassed then. And how about that time when I went to a gig and I accidentally brought a bunch of Beethoofen and Ponzart instead of my usual music? That was awful!"

"I... I'm sorry, Vinyl. It's just... Oh, I don't know. Now I feel bad." Octavia looked down, confused by her own illogical feelings. 

"I think I might get what's going on, Octy. I'm sorry too. I know how those mood swings are, I have to forgive you because it's not your fault."

"I think that's a legit apology..." Octavia said, doubtful. "Even if it's not, I'm going to take it as one."

"It is, I promise." Vinyl leaned toward Octavia, but pulled back quickly. "Whoops, I forgot the no-kissing-unless-we're-alone rule. Sorry again."

Octavia smiled, nuzzling Vinyl's mane before leaning forward and puckering her lips in a comical expression for a moment. "I changed my mind on that one. Go one, I won't yell at you this time. If I do, you have full permission to hit me with a baseball bat."

"Which I wouldn't naturally," Vinyl said, taking Octavia's offered kiss. 

A shout from the street, and Tambourine trotted backwards toward them, eyes on a red and blue ball. The grey filly bumped into her parents and gave a startled cry as she tumbled over.

"Wha - oh, hi moms." Tambourine smiled cheerfully. "Do we have to go? I wanna stay with Crimson Tulip. She's my new best friend. We're gonna be pen-ponies!"

"That's very nice, Tamby dear, but we've got to go, alright? I'm sorry, but you have school tomorrow, and I'm sure Tulip does too. We have to go back to San Fransicolt."

"Awww," Tamby groaned. "But we can come back, right? I don't want to never see her again. We Pinkie promised to keep seeing each other. It's gonna be a long-distance relationship."Octavia and Vinyl shared a smile at the misused phrase. Octavia patted her first foal on the head, giving her a soft hug. Tambourine struggled free. "Mom, not when my friends are watching. You're embarrassing me!"

"Embarrassing or not, Tamby, we've got to go. Now, go say goodbye to your little friends." Octavia gave her a little shove, and raised her eyebrows at Vinyl. "Sound familiar?"

Tambourine, meanwhile, trotted a few feet away. She cupped a hoof to her muzzle and shouted to the foals still playing. "Bye, Crim'! I have to go to my house now! See you soon, and don't forget to write!"

She trotted back to her mothers, still waving, and Vinyl gave her a funny look. "Aren't you going to say goodbye to the other foals?"

"No." Tamby shook her head. "Crimson and I decided we don't like them."

"That's not very nice, Tamby," Octavia replied sternly. 

"No. They're mean. They said I was a mute or something because you guys are girls and I don't have a father. It wasn't nice." Tambourine said sadly. Then she brightened. "But Crim' helped me beat them up."

"Well, in that case, they deserved it." Vinyl said, putting a hoof around her filly. "Now come on, my mares, let's go home. I think a dinner at the Best of Celest is in order."
> Mo(u)rning Sickness
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Octavia woke up early, as per usual. Only, this morning, it was early early, as in, 4:30 in the morning early. 

She sighed, rolling awkwardly over her bulging stomach to a more comfortable position, and closed her eyes hopefully in some vain attempt at getting back to sleep.

It didn't work, and the fizzing sound coming from somewhere by her ear didn't help much, either. Octavia flicked the offended ear in annoyance, suspecting some foul and foalish gnat to have wandered in to irritate her sleep-deprived self. The gnat, if it was indeed a gnat, didn't oblige the somewhat polite, non-verbal request for self-extermination, and the fizzing noise continued, eliciting a quiet, passively miffed groan from its grey-furred victim. 

Octavia waved a hoof in the general area above her head, feeling a staticky, electrical texture in the air. She rolled back over and cracked open her eyes.

Tiny blue sparks, and magical glowing bubbles fizzed around Vinyl who lay sprawled customarily across as much of her half of the bed as was ponily possible for one mare to cover. A bubble landed on Octavia's muzzle, and a minty, earthy scent invaded her nostrils. She batted the bubble away and stared at her sleeping wife in amazement. The fizzing sound originated from the white mare's horn, its tip just barely sticking out from her tangled bed-hair, and tiny, seemingly mint-scented bubbles and flameless sparks trailed out of its tip in a long, glowing stream that flowed around the room like a little river. 

Octavia held her breath as Vinyl stirred, mumbling in her dream and letting out a little huffing sigh as she shifted into a different position, taking one of Octavia's hoofs and curling her neck and cheek around it, like a foal would a favourite toy. 

The fizzing dwindled down and the last of the sleep-magicked bubbled and sparks faded out as Octavia watched Vinyl's breathing even out into the slow rhythm of a heavy sleeper again. The scent of mint still hung in the air, but it was a soothing one, even as it stung her nostrils with its potency, and Octavia, taking care not to move the hoof her wife was curled around, laid down the rest of the way again and closed her eyes, at last finding the peace to go back to sleep until sunrise and mentally sending a little plea to Celestia to have a slow morning and raise the sun late.

The sun Princess, however, had other plans, and the sun came painfully early, at least in the opinions of the two mares sleeping when it first came streaming in their window, warming their coats and coaxing their sleepy eyes open. 

So did Tambourine, who bounced in at six for her regular morning... well, Octavia called it her morning cuddle, but Tambourine insisted that that made it sound immensely foalish, and refused to give it a name.

So, the enthusiastic early-bird filly bounced onto Octavia's and Vinyl Scratch's Princess-sized bed for her unnamed morning, er... whatever-you-call-it, with a bright "Good Morning, Mommies!" which dragged a simultaneous groan from both of her parents. 

"Tamby, darling, would you be a dear and let Mommy and I sleep for a bit longer?" Octavia drawled, not opening her eyes as her foal straddled her stomach, bouncing slightly in a very painful way. "And, please, for the love of all things pony, get off my stomach, you're killing your baby sister."

"Sister? I'm gonna have a sister? Do I have to?" Tambourine slid off Octavia and flopped into the space between the two mares, making the entire mattress bounce. 

"Well, Tamby-Cat, that's usually what happens when ponies have babies," Vinyl opened one eye to stare at her frowning filly. "Now that I've explained the  basic consequences of pregnancy, would you mind going back to bed?"

"I would mind. But I thought you guys would get rid of it. You have me already, is - aren't I enough?"

"We still love you just as much, Tamby, but we thought it would be nice if you had a little brother or sister to play with," Octavia said, still without opening her eyes.

"Well, I don't." Tambourine crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. "Can you get rid of it?"

"No, we can't, and we don't want to, either. And do stop calling her 'it'. You look and sound like a spoiled brat right now." Vinyl pointed out, sitting up and rubbing her horn sleepily. "Ow, ow, ow. 'Tavia, do you have any pain medication around? I have a terrible hornache."

"In the bathroom cabinet, third shelf, on the left-hoof side. I think I know why." Octavia finally opened her eyes, yawning. "Tambourine, would you please get it? Your mother has a - "

"A hornache, I know. Fine," Tambourine said peevishly.

"And, Tamby darling, try to get it with your magic. I want you to practice."The filly nodded and trotted out of the room, and Octavia smiled sleepily up at her wife. "You were sleep-magicking or something last night. It was kinda cute."

"Nopony calls me cute," Vinyl grumbled warningly, feeling Octavia pick up one of her hooves as she sat up. The grey mare kissed the hoof softly, giving it a gentle nip before dropping it back on the bedspread. She watched Vinyl's face with a look of satisfaction.

"You were saying?"

"Nopony... except you. But if you were anypony else..."

"If I were anypony else, you would be in bed with somepony other then your wife, and I would have to locate a knife." Octavia grinned at Vinyl toothily, who in turn giggled before rubbing her horn again with a pained expression. "Oh, dear, are you quite alright?"

"I think so. Sleep-magic is very bad for my health. I'm getting old, Octy."

"You're not. But really, you oughtn't to be complaining so much, I'm the one who's been fighting back morning sickness the entire time," Octavia said gruffly. As if on cue, her cheeks bulged out and she clutched her muzzle and leaned over the trash can, making sounds that Vinyl decided it was best for both of them if she closed her ears to. 

A soft hoof patted Octavia's back, holding her long, tangled mane out of the way. But Octavia knew that, even with the friendly gesture, Vinyl's eyes and ears wee probably firmly clamped shut. The poor mare had a terrible squeamishness to such things, and both ponies knew that if she saw or heard what Octavia was in the middle of doing, they would be sharing the trashcan for the rest of the morning. 

Vinyl Scratch turned toward the door and called in the general direction of the bathroom, "Hey, Tam', it might be a good idea of you brought the whole bottle of those pills!"

A muffled groan and something Tambourine had learnt from the older foals that won't be repeated here was heard before  Octavia sat up, wiping her mouth on the back of her hoof and glancing at the trash can in disgust before reaching for the glass of water she kept by the bed. She lifted one of the white ears clamped firmly against her wife's head. "I'm finished, Vinyl. you can open your eyes."

Vinyl blinked and dropped Octavia's mane. "Thank goodness. I feels ya though, Octy. Morning sickness is the worst part of pregnancy." 

"You can say that again," Octavia nodded, wincing as the taste of her own vomit stayed at the back of her throat.

"Morni - " Vinyl grinned cheekily.

"I didn't mean it literally, you crazy thing," Octavia chided affectionately. "And, I'm sorry about your hornache. Did you know that your magic smells like mint? At least, last night it did."

"Octy, do you really think that I could live my entire life with this thing stuck on my head and not notice that?" Vinyl deadpanned, giving Octavia her best you-can't-be-serious look.

"Well, uh..."

"Well, you're right. I never noticed it before," the white mare said brightly. "Come on, let's give it a go. I have to find out if it was just a one time thing or if it's always like that."

Octavia burst out laughing as the white mare let out a tendril of blue magic, devoid of the fizzing sounds this time, and attempted to sniff it, her muzzle wrinkling up adorably. The tendril kept floating off in another direction, leaving Vinyl to helplessly follow her muzzle around the bed, sniffing loudly as she tried to catch a whiff of her magic. 

Vinyl sighed. "I don't know, Octy. I can't smell it."

Octavia waved a hoof in the air, through the now limp magic tendril, and it popped, oddly, in a very solid way, letting out the same earthy, spicy smell that had woken Octavia up a few hours earlier. "There, see? I think it has to pop first."

But - whah? Magic doesn't pop, 'Tavi. You just severed it's connection with the source, me, but it didn't pop."

"It looked like it popped, and it sounded like it popped," Octavia pointed out. "And, I must compliment you. That was a very scientific thing to say."

"I think I should probably be insulted, but I'll leave it be for now. It's too early to get insulted. Besides, my horn hurts."

"I'm sorry, Vin'. Tamby should be back soon with the adfilly."

"I know..." Vinyl sighed, rubbing her forehead in a circular motion, around the base of her horn. "But, do you think you could kiss it better?"

"You are the most foalish mare I have ever met," Octavia observed, rolling her eyes. "But I guess I'm obliged, considering you did hold my hair out of the way when I was throwing up in the trash can. Speaking of which, could you... dispose of that?"

"No. My horn hurts when I magic. Are you gonna kiss it better?"

Octavia leaned toward Vinyl and half closed her eyes, dropping a soft kiss on the cool, slightly rounded end of Vinyl's horn. Her eyes opened again as she felt Vinyl press it firmly between her lips. 

"Oh, no you don't," she muttered, frowning at the mare under her chin. Unfortunately, the simple sentence opened her mouth enough for Vinyl to slip her horn in, and Octavia glared at her, feeling Vinyl giggling in triumph under her.

"I think this might help more then the Adfilly," Vinyl said, trying to control her face as the sensation of Octavia's tongue against her horn threatened to overtake her. Sure, the grey mare was only moving her mouth in an attempt to spit the appendage out, but so what? It still felt nice. 

Octavia put both her forehooves on Vinyl's head and pulled her mouth free, spitting out Vinyl's horn with a look of disgust. "I can't believe you, Vinyl. The door is wide open, Tamby is on her way back her, and you decide it's the perfect time to force your stupid little horn into my mouth. I might consider agreeing to that at night, when Tamby is asleep, and the doors are locked, but not now! It's preposterous."

"I er, see what ya mean there, Octy..." Vinyl said, looking uncomfortable. She gestured at the doorway, where a rather doubtful looking Tambourine stood frozen. 

"H-how long have you been there, Sweetie?" Octavia asked nervously, smiling just a little too widely. 

"Oh, not long. Just long enough to see you sucking on Mommy's horn. Does it taste good? Can I try?"

"No! It... doesn't taste good." Octavia said, eliciting a frown from Vinyl. "She asked me to kiss it better, and I did, and we... kind of slipped."

Vinyl nodded jerkily, and slipped out of bed to take the bottle of Adfilly from Tambourine. "Yeah... hehe, that's definitely what happened, I slipped. Thanks very much for the hornache pills, Tamby-Cat. Now, how about you try making breakfast or something? We'll be there in a moment."

Octavia raised her eyebrows. "Brilliant. Now we're going to have to call the police and the fire department all at once."

"Why?"

Because Tambourine is cooking, which means fire, even if she's just making cereal, and I'm pretty that technically speaking, I was just raped."

"It's not rape if it's voluntary, Octy," Vinyl protested. "Besides, considering we're a legally married couple, it's just semi-forced horn-sucking."

"No matter. It's not happening again, forced or voluntary, for at least a week now," Octavia crossed her hooves over her chest in a triumphant way.

"Damn. But I thought you said at night it was okay."

"Do you care about anything but sex, Vinyl?" Octavia looked at her with disbelief. 

"Hmm, yeah. Food, you, Tamby, other kinds of sex, uhhh, whatever the new filly is gonna be named, sleeping, DJ-ing..." Vinyl ticked off the things as she listed them, causing her wife to roll her eyes at her for what felt like the thousandth time that morning. 

"You're impossible, and insufferable, and the most irritating mare I have ever met, Vinyl," Octavia said lovingly, a gentle smile playing on her lips as she enveloped Vinyl in a full four-hooved hug. "And I can't get enough of you. I'm crazy."

Vinyl kissed her cheek. "I couldn't be happier with your insanity, in that case. I love you too, 'Tavi."

"Too?" 

"Well, I knew that was the next thing you were gonna say, so I figured I may as well answer beforehoof."

"See? Arrogant, too. How do I put up with you?"
> Plans for the Future, Near and Far
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Octavia lay next to Vinyl, watching the white mare with a  sort of languid, sleepy fascination through lidded eyes. Vinyl was engrossed in the newest Daring Do book, a series Octavia had picked up for Tambourine, but Vinyl had been far more taken with it. 

Her eyes trailed over Vinyl Scratch's entire form, taking in her bent head, the engrossed look on her face, her gently curving torso and smooth, rounded flank, which - though she would never admit it - Octavia had to fight the urge not to give an affectionate smack.

She's beautiful, Octavia thought dreamily, sighing as she watched the relaxed, even rise and fall of her lover's side as she breathed. 

The glossy, soft-as-spider-silk tail flicked absently, tickling Octavia's muzzle and startling her out of her reverie with a sneeze. The grey mare shook her head, rubbing her muzzle against her hoof to rid it of the itch before returning to gazing openly at the pony laying beside her. 

Vinyl turned her head to look over her shoulder at Octavia. Noticing the absent expression, and the open stare at Vinyl's flank, the wild-maned mare winked knowingly, flicking her tail into Octavia's face again. "See somethin' ya like, Octy-Pie?"

"Oh! Uh, erm..." Octavia flushed before giggling softly. "Oh, what the hay, I can say whatever I want. So, yes, yes I do see something I like. And, Vin', I would appreciate it if you didn't call me by the plural of a form of aquatic life."

"I thought Octy-Pie was a very cute nickname," Vinyl replied, looking hurt. "Besides, being called Octy-pus can only lead to being called Octy-Pussy, and that is an admittedly nauseating theory. Sushi, whether alive or otherwise, is fine for eating, but... down there..." She winced. "Ugh. Sounds terrible."

"I have to agree with you on that on, Darling," Octavia agreed, pushing the Octy-pussy thought as far into the dustiest corner of her mind as she could. "But honestly, Octy, 'Tav, 'Tavi, 'Tavia, and Celestia know what else are all better the Octy-Pus, or Octy-Pussy. Those are horrendous."

"Eh, you're right, I guess," Vinyl shrugged, looking bored with the entire conversation, "But still, Octy-Pie is cute. It's because I think you're so cute I could just eat you. You know, like pie?"


"That is a rather strange comparison - ugh - " Octavia grunted suddenly. "This foal business is not good, when it goes so fast. My skin is all sore and stretched out-feeling. And it keeps kicking me,"

"It's kicking? Really?" The white unicorn wore an expression of delight as she rubbed one of her forehooves over her wife's bulging stomach. "That's great, Octy!"

"Why does it make you so happy?" Octavia batted Vinyl's hoof away irritably. "It hurts, and it always happens at night, when I don't want to be bothered by a foal, I just want to sleep."

Vinyl looked at her somewhat scornfully. "You better get used to it, Baby. It'll only get worse once she's born."

"Oh, you know what I mean. It's not exactly... pleasant... to have something kicking you from the inside of your stomach."

"Uterus. If she was in your stomach, that would just mean you'd eaten somepony's foal," Vinyl corrected, earning a glare from her annoyed wife.

"Since when have you gotten all scientific, Vinyl?"

"Besides, doesn't it make you feel kinda - I don't know, excited, maybe? - that there's something alive inside of you, that we created, that's going to be born soon? Isn't that part nice?" Her voice dropped to a soft, rather sad tone. "Because, if that doesn't make you even a little bit excited, I don't know if you should even be a mother, 'Tavi. The reason why so many mares look at pregnancy as more then an irritating side-effect to having foals, is that there's something... something a little bit magical about knowing that the funny feeling in your gut is a pony, that wouldn't even exist without you, one that's yours to love and take care of, no matter what. Doesn't that make up for the soreness and the morning sickness and the weird cravings and everything you keep complaining about?"

Octavia stared at the strange, sane Vinyl Scratch laying beside her, a pleading look on her white face, luminous crimson eyes large and trembling. "You know what, Vinyl? You're right. It more then makes up for it, and I'm sure I will appreciate it more once it's over. It's just... I feel like I'm constantly snapping at you, Vin', and I'm sorry. It's not my fault..." She trailed off, toying with the sheets in her hooves.

Octavia felt tender hoof around her shoulders, caressing her cheek, as Vinyl Scratch gave her a gentle kiss before turning her face to look into her eyes. "I understand, Octavia. I was pregnant once too, remember? A long eight years ago, but still. I know what it's like. You have nothing to apologize for. Now, are you going to allow me to feel our foal's kicking, or are you going to explode again?"

Octavia smiled. "I'll let you. I'm glad you've still got your convenient habit of changing the subject as soon as you think an argument has been solved. For a minute there I thought somepony had replaced my wife with her sane, normal, twin."

Vinyl placed first her hoof on Octavia's stomach, then her ear, resting her head lightly against the rounded, furry body. "I hear her heartbeat, 'Tavi. She's definitely there. Oh! And I now she just high-hoofed me! She did, really! She gave me a brohoof, I felt it!"

Octavia patted the fuzzy blue head on her stomach lightly, stroking the feather-soft hair lovingly. "I believe you, Vin'. But, I've been thinking about, how you know, maybe we should name her before she's born this time. I think it would be nice."

"Whatever you want, Babe. She's all yours." Vinyl glanced up at her briefly.

"No, she's yours too. But thank you. I think we should stick with the musical names though, to keep it familiar. Do you have any suggestions?"

"I don't know. It took me like, weeks to come up with Tambourine, and that was just because I saw one at the grocery store. What about Allegrezza, or something? Isn't that one of your musical terms? I mean, I still like Wubsy, but I trust you'll reject that again." 

"Allegrezza is nice, I guess, but one of my colleagues is named that. And besides, it's kind of a common name. And, you're right, I still say no to Wubsy. Treble Joy?"

Vinyl made a face which, under any other circumstances, Octavia would have felt the need to her warn her that it would stick that way.

"No? Alright, how about..." She toyed with her long, lustrous mane absentmindedly. "How about Grace Note?"

"Wha's that?" Vinyl's voice was muffled, her muzzle buried in Octavia's fur. 

"A grace note, in music, is a little note stuck in somewhere unexpected, and it's very quick, if you stop listening for even a second it's gone, and you never even know it was there. It would suit her, because, you know, the whole pregnancy in a day thing."

"Yeah... That does make sense." Vinyl pulled her head up for a moment to look at Octavia. I've never heard of a grace note before, but it sounds like it's a perfect name for this filly. Do you know anypony else with that name?"

"No."

"It's not a colleague, or an aunt, or anything?"

"No."

Vinyl turned her face back into Octavia's stomach. "What do you think of being a Grace Note, huh? You cheeky little thing, sneaking up on us all in one night. It suits you, you know."

Octavia giggled softly. "I don't know if she can her you, but I think it's a yes."

"Well, that's settled, then," Vinyl said, sitting up and looking at the clock. She yawned largely. "Celestia, it's late. We should go to sleep, Octy-Pie."

"I thought we vetoed that nickname, Marshmallow," Octavia replied, using an old jibe.

"Well, if I'm a marshmallow, it's only fair that you're a pie. That way we can say our relationship is a very sweet one."

"That's ridiculous, Vinyl," Octavia said, curling into a comfortable position and drawing the blanket up around her chin. "Now, goodnight, Darling, I love you."

"Love you too, Babe," Vinyl answered, stifling a yawn as she fitted herself into position around her wife's curled up body.

They lay silent, enjoying one another's embrace and waiting for sleep to overtake them for a while, each in her own silent thoughts.

Then Octavia spoke softly, her voice floating through the darkness to Vinyl's ears. "What do you think Tamby is going to think of the name? She didn't seem to like the Grace Note very much, you know."

"You know what I think, Octy?"

"What?"

"I think she's... jealous." The word was whispered directly in Octavia's ear, and the grey mare flicked it softly, feeling it hit Vinyl's cheek.

"I know that much, silly. But, don;t you think we should do something for her? You know, to make sure she knows we still love her as much as we did before?"

"Hmmm," Vinyl paused, thinking. "Tell you what. Tomorrow, you don;t have practice, because it's Sunday, Tamby doesn't have school, also because it's Sunday, and I don't have any gigs until nine at night. We'll have a special day, just for her."

"Do you think it'll work?"

"Absolutely. We'll have a special, do-everything-Tamby-likes-to-do day, and she'll be convinced we still love her, and everything will be great again. Alright?"

"Yes. Thank you."

"No problemo, Babe." Octavia felt Vinyl kiss her ear gently. "Can you sleep now?"

"Yes. Goodnight again, Sweetheart."

"Goodnight, Octy. Sleep well."
> 'Rine Day
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tambourine was greeted with a pleasant surprise when she bounced into her mothers' bedroom the next morning. The two mares welcomed her cheerfully, replacing their usual groans and begs for more sleep with bright good-mornings.

The filly immediately suspected something was up. 

She sat back from the bear hug she'd forced upon Vinyl Scratch her foalish face crumpled into puzzled frown. "Okay, guys. Why are you awake? And why are you so happy?"

"We woke up early," Octavia answered, smiling gently as she trotted into the bathroom and awkwardly manuevered her toothbrush into a good place with her hooves. "And, we decided last night that we would have a special day all together today. We'll do lots of fun things, as a family."

"We're going to have a 'Rine day, Tamby-Cat." Vinyl added, smoothing the filly's bed-hair with her hoof. "You get to decide what we do, today, because we thought you deserved a break."

"A break? Why? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, Precious. It's because we've been so preoccupied with the foal. I know it's only been a few days, but we've been hardly paying attention to you, and we thought that wasn't very nice of us." Octavia answered. "So, Tamby, run along and get ready, we're going out for breakfast."

The filly nodded, smiling, and trotted out of the room. Octavia watched her with a smile.

"D'ya think she suspects?" Vinyl said in a loud whisper from the bathroom door.

"I don't know, Vin'. She may suspect, but I don't think it matters. She still seems happy." Octavia replied, tossing her hairbrush in the general direction of her wife. "And, Vin', knowing Tamby, she'll pick that fancy crepe place for breakfast, and I want you to look decent. At least brush out some of the tangles in your mane?"

Vinyl shook her head. "You mean the super flat pancake place? And I tolerate it when you brush my hair, because it's kinda sexy, but I refuse to do it myself."

"Do you think everything is sexy?"

The white mare grinned cheekily, levitating her shades over her face. Even after all these years, Octavia still hadn't managed to convince her to stop wearing them. "Only everything you do."

"Well, that's very sweet, but you need to grow up and brush your mane," Octavia dropped a quick kiss on Vinyl's cheek as she brushed past her and crossed the master bedroom to their shared closet. "You're a grown mare, I think you can survive looking decent for a day."

"Ugh, fine. Only for you, 'Tavi," Vinyl huffed as she levitated the brush toward her unruly mane.

"And, no pretending you're brushing it when you're really just waving it above your head. I can tell, you know." Octavia struggled into her favourite jacket, feeling it tight around her middle.

"You know me too well, 'Tavi." Vinyl reluctantly tugged the hairbrush through the nearest spike of her mane. 

"I should hope I know you too well," Octavia retorted, stepping out of the closet and admiring herself in the mirror on the back of the door. "We've been together for, what, ten years, almost? I think I have a right to know you too well."

"Well, I'm still gelling it into spikes. You can't stop me." Vinyl stuck out her lower lip in adorable pout.

"I'm not trying to. I'm only trying to keep you from getting dredlocks from lack of brushing and too much gel."

"Yes, Mother," Vinyl rolled her eyes.

Tambourine trotted back in, wearing her favourite blue sweatshirt. "I'm ready to go. Are you - oh, wow, Mom. You've gotten too fat for that jacket."

"Don't speak to your mother like that, Tambourine," Vinyl admonished, leaving the bathroom with her mane fully gelled into its usual spiky style. "She's not fat, she's pregnant. Once she has the baby, she won't be fat anymore."

"Do you think I should wear something looser?" Octavia asked Vinyl, looking worried.

"Well, you look fine to me, but if you wanna be comfy, then yeah. I never wore anything tight when I was pregnant with Tambourine."

"You never wear tight things anyways," Octavia pointed out. "But, I guess you're right."

She riffled through the closet, mumbling negative comments about random sweaters and blouses before finally coming out in one of Vinyl's sweatshirts. It was black, plain, and without any visible stains on it, which was enough for Octavia at the moment. 

"This will have to do," she said, grimacing at her reflection. "I look like you, Vin'. I feel ridiculous. Hoodies are so foalish."

"You look awesome, Octy!" Vinyl grinned, levitating her shades from her eyes. "Now all you need are these!"

Tambourine giggled at her mothers' antics, cheering Vinyl on as she chased Octavia around the bedroom with the huge purple glasses. 

At last they stopped, panting, and Octavia pointed out that it would be a good idea to leave if they wanted to get a table at the restaurant.


oOo


Breakfast went without a hitch - Tambourine bounced out of the restaurant on a happiness and Neightella-induced sugar-high, but so far nothing had burnt down, exploded, or flooded, and Vinyl hadn't gotten them kicked out - which she still managed to do relatively more frequently then Tambourine - But Octavia swore they made a game out of who could get kicked out of the most places.

Now, seated in the back of a bright green taxi, the family was on its way to the zoo - the giraffes working there were giving a speech, Octavia heard, and Tambourine wanted to hear it.

As they pushed through the crowd of ponies to get a seat, an elderly blue mare with a greying purple mane tapped Octavia on the shoulder. "Excuse me, but have we met? You look terribly familiar, dear. I'm sure I've seen you before. Did you ever live in Manehattan?"

Octavia shook her head, puzzled. "Not since I was a filly, Ma'am. I don't think I know you. You must be thinking of somepony else."

"Funny. I was so sure it was you..." The mare wandered off, and Octavia turned to Vinyl Scratch, still wearing a puzzled look.

"She did look rather familiar, poor thing. I wonder who she was looking for?"

"I think I saw her at the restaurant this morning. Maybe that's got something to do with it?"

"Maybe..."

The giraffe's performance was excellent - the topics were interesting for all ages of pony, and several of them even performed a song-and-dance rendition of the history of Zebrica, where the giraffes originally came from.

Afterwards, they wandered around, looking at the various small animals in the zoo before going to lunch at the zoo's restaurant, which was run by several cows in pink aprons.

Once again, the blue mare approached them. "I'm sure I've seen you before, Miss. Perhaps at a Canterlot gathering? Did you go to the Grand Galloping Gala last year, perchance?"

"I played in the quartet. Perhaps that's where you saw me." Octavia stared hard at the mare. She did look very familiar. She had a bass clef cutie mark - maybe she was another musician? 

"Perhaps," The mare smiled warmly. "Well, I would like to say that I wish you and your little family the best of luck with your... well..." she trailed off, glancing at Octavia's bulging stomach.

"My foal? Why thank you." Octavia gestured at where the mare was looking.

"Yes..." The mare sighed, smiling sadly. "I had a foal once... But, she moved away, she left me. I made some mistakes, yes, but I do wish I could apologize to her."

"I'm sure you can. Any filly worth keeping would forgive her own mother," Vinyl said warmly. Tambourine sat quietly, crunching her hay fries wordlessly, watching the strange mare with large eyes.

"My filly can be quite stubborn, I'm afraid. I don't know that it would work." The mare sighed again, looking as though she'd traveled a thousand miles.

"I'm surprised, good mare. No offense, but you don't seem like the type to give up. What's your name, anyways?"

"Sunny Tai. It's an old name, I don't care to explain it anymore."

"Well, Sunny - "

"Tai, please. Sunny carries too many regrets."

"Tai, I don't think you should give up. I cannot believe your filly would not at least be willing to listen to an apology."

"Unfortunately, I fear it is true. She embraced who she was, and I couldn't forgive her for... for doing what i couldn't, I suppose." The old mare stared hard at Octavia as she spoke, and the younger one felt her eyes widen. "Well, I'd best be going now. I wish you all the good fortune and health of Celestia."

Tai disappeared as fast as she had appeared, leaving Octavia, Tambourine, and Vinyl, to their meal. 

Vinyl kept up the conversation with Tambourine, either oblivious to her wife's preoccupation, or hiding it from their filly. The two discussed whatever came to mind, from making up silly, rhyming songs about the checkered table cloth, to which of Tambourine's teachers was most likely to come to school in a gorilla suit. Octavia smiled, momentarily distracted from her thoughts at the sound of her first foal's happy giggling.

They eventually went home, and Octavia went to the garden with her cello, in hopes of untangling the confusion in her head through her music. it was something she hadn't done for a long time, but her cello always seemed to help Octavia when she needed time for her thoughts.
> And Then There were Four
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fillies and gentlecolts, the chapter you've all been waiting for. It's finally (crappily, I might add) done. So, enjoy this garbage, because it's just for you.
Right. Also, I'm too lazy and tired (It's 1AM, gimme a break!) to proofread, so... 
Typos ahoy!

Octavia was bored. She sat on the porch swing in the backyard, a romance novel (bought at the bit store in a fit of extreme boredom) open and forgotten in her lap.

On days like this one, when Tambourine was in school until four (counting the bus ride home) and Vinyl had day jobs, or was already getting set up for a show, Octavia was often lonely, not to mention bored out of her mind due to her lack of strength and coordination. She mentally cursed the filly inside of her for making her so helpless, finally understanding a bit of how Vinyl must have felt when her magic acted up during her pregnancy with Tambourine.

She glanced at the clock. Two more hours of waiting for anypony to come. Maybe she should call somepony? A chat would be nice, but who would she call? At this hour, most of her friends would either be working or at practice, depending on whether or not they were musicians. A gentle breeze fluttered the pages of her book, and the grey mare turned her eyes back to it with a sigh. 

Her eyebrows rose sarcastically as she turned the page. A particularly skill-lessly written saucy scene was drawled out, filled with unnecessary details and leaving out all of what Vinyl Scratch would have so crudely described as the 'good parts.'

She let the book slide off her lap onto the bench, not even bothering to use her hooves to try and prevent it. Really, even Vinyl Scratch could write a better romance then that, she chided the book, eying it in disgust. Its dark blue cover stared innocently back at her. Hay, even I could. It wouldn't be as... explicit as if Vin' did it, but... that isn't exactly necessary for a good story. I've got to find something else to do. Come on Octy, up and at 'em.

She lurched to her hooves, stopping to catch her breath as soon as she was up. But the swinging bench hit her behind the knees, causing the poor mare's legs to buckle, dumping her unceremoniously on the ground with a faint "oof."

Octavia picked herself up, groaning as the foal stirred inside her. Throwing the bench an angry look, she picked up her novel in her mouth and hurried inside - that is, she waddled in as quickly as she could, what with the pain in her stomach all of the sudden. 

Octavia dropped the book on the sofa with a gasp, her pupils suddenly shrinking to the size of pin-heads. Another stab of pain, and she nodded quickly, eyes widening again. 

The phone rang once, twice, three times, before a brisk, impatient sounding voice with a slight accent answered. "This is the Canterlot Cabana of San Franciscolt, what might we do to assist you?"

"Hello, is DJ Pon3 there right now?" Octavia asked breathlessly. She knew the answer - the heavy bass beating in the background told her that much. 

"I'm afraid she's busy, love. I'm just the barmare, but I'll bring her a message with 'er next drink if ye like," the voice apologized sweetly.

"Ooh, I don't know... if that's such a good idea." Octavia fought back a moan as she left the house, her phone wedged between her ear and her shoulder. "Y'see, I'm her wife, and it... Oh, dear... it seems... I'm going into labour. Now, if you don't mind, tell her to teleport to the hospital, now!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, love. Didn't realize how urgent it was. She'll be there." There was a click, and the call ended, leaving Octavia to struggle on, on her own.

Fortunately, the St Luna's Hospital was only a short walk away, on a good day, and a colt drawing an empty carriage took pity on poor Octavia, rushing her to the door in a mere fraction of the time it would have taken for her to walk.

Octavia was, naturally, immediately shepherded off to the maternity ward, where a light yellow earth pony nurse sat beside her and held her hoof, while another mare - Octavia figured she was probably a doctor - bustled in and out and performed several random feats which were apparently to help Octavia, though she couldn't see how, because everything still hurt. 

The contractions were getting closer together, and Octavia barely managed to keep from screaming as she felt her insides being slowly ripped apart. Her hoof, still clutching the nurse's was slick with sweat.


oOo


There was a pop in the middle of the waiting room, and the blonde receptionist looked up from her magazine in time to see a nervous - well, rather mad-looking - white filly with a disheveled blue mane standing in a little fizz of pale blue smoke, panting. She trotted over. 

"Hi, I'm Vinyl Scratch, DJ Pon3, whatever, my wife got here a few minutes ago, she's about to have a foal. She's grey, charcoal mane, straight - er her mane, not her se- yeah. Anyways, name's Octavia. I need to get to her, fast, because I promised last month when she got pregnant that I'd be there. So, for the love of Celestia, where is she?"

The receptionist blinked stupidly. "I'm sorry, we'll have to get permission from the doctors. Nopony is allowed in the maternity ward without an escort from the wing which they wish to visit."

"Now listen, Missy. Let me explain this again. My wife is about to have her first foal. Now would you mind letting me go in? I wouldn't want anypony to get hurt." Vinyl spoke in a low voice, slowly as if explaining something to a very small foal.

"Jeez, lady. No need to get all huffy. I'll get a doctor to come and escort you in a minute. Your wife came in here a few minutes ago, like you said. She's got at least a couple of hours before the foal is born."

"Just tell me!" Vinyl growled through her teeth, looking ready to bite the receptionist's head off in her impatience, as if that would do any good.

"Alright, alright. She's in room 437, on the top floor. Tell the doctors it's not my fault you're there."

But Vinyl was already gone. She disappeared with a whoosh as the air rushed to fill the space she had left behind, and in a flash she was standing outside the door of 437.

Octavia's eyes were squeezed shut, as if to block out the pain, but her ears were perked up, listening to the nurses and the doctor, and a very familiar, husky voice that came crashing through the door from the lips of the very mare she wanted to see the most.

"Vin... you're here..." she panted, taking the hoof her wife extended in exchange for the nurse's.

"Course I am, Octy. Did you honestly think I'd miss this?" Vinyl flinched as Octavia squeezed her hoof into jelly, but she clenched her jaw and smiled warmly through it, knowing from experience that Octavia was in much more pain then her mistreated hoof. 

"I... guess not." Octavia agreed before letting out a piercing shriek. "OhmybuckingCelestiaVinylithurts!"

Vinyl Scratch ran o hoof through Octavia's damp mane, pushing it from her face tenderly. "I know, Octy. I've been through it before. I promise it's worth it, you can do it, you'll make it, I promise, everything will be okay."

She went on mumbling little comforting nothings, stroking her hoof, her forehead, her flushed cheeks, anything to help Octavia feel safe, until a nurse tapped her on the shoulder.

"Um, excuse me, and you're doing an excellent job - "

"Oh, really?" Vinyl raised an eyebrow. "I hadn't noticed."

"As I was saying, we don't usually let ponies come into the birthing rooms, for sanitary reasons. Who are you, so we can at least know you're related, seeing as I doubt you'll be willing to leave."

"Damn right, I'm not willing to leave." Vinyl agreed righteously. "I'm her bucking wife, and the one who got her pregnant. I think I deserve to stay here."

Octavia gave a weak nod of agreement, fitted in between her constant moaning.

"Well, I suppose you can stay. Just, wear this mask, please." the nurse thrust a paper mask at Vinyl, who shook her head. 

"Nonononono, I am not wearing that thing. No can do, es imposible, et cetera. I don't wear things like that, it makes me look lame."

"Can you... at least... take off your glasses?" Octavia asked softly. "Want to see... your eyes."

The shades were discarded unceremoniously onto the floor, and Vinyl smiled down at her. "Better?"

A short nod, and Octavia's face crumpled, crushed by the pain. It broke Vinyl's heart to see her like this, but she held her hoof still, feeling the muscles in her foreleg clench and unclench as she fought to keep control over her body.

Tears dripped from her squeezed shut eyes, and Vinyl rubbed them away, one by one, before leaning down to plant a soft kiss on Octavia's cheek, tasting the salty mixture of tears and sweat on her lips as she let them brush against her wife's damp grey fur.

"You can do this, Octy. Shouldn't be too long now, then it'll all be over. It's gonna be fine, it's gonna be fine," Vinyl began her little chant of good wishes again, watching as the doctor appeared again, this time with a brown stallion by her side. 

Assuming he was a specialist or something, Vinyl left Octavia's side for a moment to question him. "Is she gonna be alright, Dr... Who are you, anyways? Your nametag must've fallen off or something."

"Just the Doctor," the stallion answered, glancing at Octavia again. "And yes, she'll be fine. I think I saw her, what, next Tuesday, perhaps? She was just, fine, you've no need to worry. I've got to go, so much to do, so little time, and all that."

"Wha - how do you mean, Doc?" Vinyl asked, puzzled.

"Just trust me. I'm a doctor. Now, goodbye, see you ponies later. Derpy!" The stallion called as he swept out, leaving a rather confused Vinyl Scratch behind. The nurse patted her shoulder. "He's trustworthy. One of the best, even though he isn't usually this kind of doctor. If he say your wife will be alright, she will."

Vinyl nodded, her head snapping around to look at Octavia as the grey mare let out another scream of agony. 

Holding her hoof again, Vinyl began her singsong chant again.

"I can't take any more of this, Vin'. I wish I was dead, I think I am dead, or at least dying, Vinyl make it stop, make it stop!" Octavia half whispered, half shrieked at Vinyl as she lay, tears still streaming down her face.

"I'm sorry, Octy. I would if I could. It should be close now." It pained Vinyl to see Octavia so unlike her usual cool, confident facade. Sure, that facade crumbled often enough for Vinyl to be familiar with Octavia inside and out - that had been what made the snooty grey mare so deliciously intriguing when they met, after all, testing to try to break that calm and collected exterior and unleash the true pony hiding behind it - but this was terrible to watch. 

The nurse interrupted Vinyl's thoughts with a tap on her shoulder. "The foal is coming, Miss. Would you like to come to a better angle to see, or stay here to keep your wife company?"

"I don't know," Vinyl glanced at the softly whimpering Octavia, whose eyes were squeezed shut again, as if that could block out the pain. "I mean, I'd like to see the foal, but I think she needs me to stay here."

The nurse nodded. "Very well. If you really want to, I can take your place for a time while you watch the birth."

"No. No, it's okay. I'll stay here with Octy. She needs me," Vinyl insisted, patting the hoof that still squeezed hers. "I don't think I could forgive myself if I left her now, even for this. I'm only a pony, you know."

Vinyl focused her attention back on her wife, keeping her eyes on the keening mare and repeating the same empty promises of an end to the pain, almost more to reassure herself then anypony else. She was relieved to have something to do - because, though she was reluctant to admit it, the poor mare was as skittish of blood as she was shots, and would much rather stay out of the vicinity where she would be able to see her beloved bleed. It was enough to see her in so much pain.

She kept hoping, praying, promising, that the foal would be alright - that the doctors' hushed whispers and hurried steps were nothing - which she had no proof they weren't - anything. 

At last the doctor breathed a sigh of relief as the weak squeal of a newborn foal filled the emptiness in the room, mingling with the sound of Octavia's laboured breathing.

In a flash Vinyl was at the side of the doctor, pushing between nurses to see the foal. She was tiny, smaller then Tambourine ha been - thinner - with damp white fur and a scruffy dark blue and purple mane. Vinyl sighed happily, sliding her shades back on her nose to hide her tears. 

"You did it, Octy," She said wondrously. "She's here, and she's beautiful."

Octavia smiled weakly up at her, still panting. "I did it." She nodded graciously, almost regally as the nurse slipped the baby into her waiting hooves, watching it in awe. "You're right, Vinyl. It was worth it. She's beautiful."

Vinyl gave Octavia a light kiss on the tip of her muzzle, gazing at her affectionately. "I'm so proud of you, Octy. You're a real mother now."

"Yeah," Octavia giggled softly.  "I guess I am. I'm pretty proud of me, too, now that I think about it. I did a splendid job, other then the crying and screaming and wishing I was dead and - ooh, nevermind. I won't list all that. I love you, Vin'. Thanks for sitting here next to me and letting me crush your hoof this whole time."

"Anytime, Octy. I would be a terrible wife not to be here, and even if it wasn't common courtesy, I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

"How long was it, anyways?"

"Dunno," Vinyl shrugged. "An hour, maybe? Two? - "

"Six and a half, actually. But that's normal," the nurse assured them.

"Well," Octavia said. grinning. "They do say time flies when you're having fun."
> Talents and Truths
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally came up with something. Well, actually, I knew what I was going to write for a long time, but I had to come up with what Tamby's cutie mark would be, but, whatever.
Anyways, if you notice anything changing about either of the characters (most likely Vinyl), it's because my stupid crush is invading the sacred pony grounds in my brain with her pretty blond head. So, sorry in advance if Vinyl starts to act a bit crazier all of the sudden. Not my fault, there's an invader.

Tambourine bounced into the house, dropping her keys onto the little side table deftly. She was exceptionally happy today, practically skipping - no matter how silly and foalish she knew it was, to skip - down the street, humming a little song to the beat of the swishing sound her long, curly mane made against her neck.

"Mom? Mommy? Anypony home?" She shouted once she was fully inside, shrugging her saddlebag off her shoulders, barely noticing it's added weight until it was gone.

No answer. 
Tambourine sighed disappointedly. She should have known nopony would be there. It was Tuesday, and on Tuesdays, Vinyl Scratch had a permanent gig at some upper class cafe across town, and Octavia went to her practice. Her little sister Grace Note was with Octavia, probably - Vinyl's music was too loud for her scrawny little ears. Tambourine settled into the couch with her saddlebag, rummaging through it for her maths homework. Living with her cello playing, practical mother had insured that some of Tambourine's decidedly Vinyl Scratch-ish habits of procrastination were in the process of being brutally scolded out of her.

But the grey filly was too excited to do her homework. She shoved the nasty stuff onto the floor and paced the sitting room, glancing at the clock, and then her flank, and then the door in a constant, fidgety pattern. 

At last the door slammed open and a  rather disgruntled looking Vinyl Scratch crashed in, levitating an undefined heap of a combination of Octavia's cello, her own records, and the baby carriage carefully through the narrow doorway. 

The cello case bumped against the wall with a thud, followed by a shriek of protest from behind Vinyl, and the white mareswore softly. She maneuvered the pile through the door, placing it on the floor and moving aside to let a decidedly miffed Octavia into the house. 

"Took you long enough," the grey mare grumbled, walking at an odd, loping gait as she balanced a sleeping Grace Note on her shoulder with one hoof. "And you must learn to take better care of my cello. It's a valuable instrument, you know. It was made by the great Mezzo Forte himself, in the Fourth Century of the Lunar Banishment."

Vinyl rolled her eyes, spinning back to envelope Octavia in a hug. She licked the angry mare's cheek damply, grinning at the annoyed expression it drew from her wife. "So, you want me to take care of an old-as-my-granny piece of hollow tree? Isn't that kind of silly?"

"No, it is not. And please, stop licking me. You're a pony, not a dog, Vinyl. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to put Gracie to bed."

Tambourine, who had shot from her seat at the first jingle of keys at the front door, had sunk back onto the sofa, a foalish but, in her opinion at least, called for pout on her face.

As Octavia left the room, still huffing over her licked cheek, Vinyl took notice of her first filly for the first time since she had come home. She sat down next to Tambourine, squeezing her shoulders in a motherly sort of hug. "Hey, what's wrong, kid? You seemed so happy when we got home."

"It's nothing. I should be happy, I guess, and I was, I was super happy just a little while ago, because, well, look," Tambourine shifted slightly in her mother's embrace and jabbed a hoof at her flank. The previously plain grey surface was now emblazoned with a rosy pink heart and a dark, indigo eighth note. 

Vinyl Scratch gasped, eyes wide as her lips spread into a grin that contested Pinkie's for both joy and size. She scooped Tambourine up in both her magic and her hooves and spun her around in a circle, momentarily forgetting how big the filly was in her happiness. 

"You did it, Tamby! Octy and I are so, so proud of you! When did it happen, huh? Is it something like that Cadance filly's - er, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza - or is it just music? Come on, Tamby, tell me!"

Despite her momentary sadness, Tambourine found herself grinning back at her mother. "I'm not gonna say 'til Mom comes back, it has to be a surprise for both of you."

"Oh, come on, please?" Vinyl begged, plopping back onto the couch and fitting Tambourine into her lap. "I'll let you have three scoops of ice cream for desert."

"Dinner," Tambourine countered, her eight-year-old brain knowing exactly how this game could be played. "And Mom'll kill you if you do."

"What will I kill Vin' for?" Octavia asked, coming back into the room.

"Giving me three scoops of ice cream for desert," Tambourine said. 

"That is far too much ice cream for anypony to eat in one sitting, Vinyl, and you know it," Octavia scolded gently. Singing to Grace Note had calmed her down considerably, and the grey mare was back to her usual calm, collected self.

"I don't know, Octy. Show her your flank, Tamby-Cat," Vinyl instructed, still grinning her mile-wide grin.

Tambourine obligingly turned her rear toward her mother. "See? That's what happened today."

"Well, we're certainly very proud of you, Tamby, dear," Octavia smiled warmly at her. "I, for one, think this calls for a celebration."

"Right!" Vinyl gave Tambourine a hoof-bump, still grinning foalishly. "How does the Stable Eatery sound, Tamby-Cat?"

"Sounds great! I can't wait to tell Crimson about my cutie mark." Her prior ecstatic state restored, Tambourine went back to bouncing up and down energetically. 

"Crimson?" Octavia questioned. 

Tambourine rolled her eyes. "Duh. That filly I met in Ponyville. She doesn't care that I have to moms, and she helped me beat up a couple of the other foals. She's cool."

"Ooh, that Crimson. Well, would you like to call her now, or after we come back from dinner?"

Tambourine thought for a moment. "I think... later. For now, I can't wait to tell you all about how it happened!"

"Well, it's taken you long enough," Vinyl Scratch teased. "Come on, Tamby, tell us as we walk."

"Okay, I guess I'll just tell it now. I was gonna wait 'til we got to Stable, but...


oOo


Miss Staccato tapped her baton against her music stand, coughing professionally over the general hubbub of the foals wandering around the room and unpacking their instruments. 

"Class? Foals, please come to order, I'd like to begin now." The teaching pony's gentle but stern voice carried remarkably well.

The foals grumbled as they shifted into their seats, rustling music papers and briefly finishing conversations in hushed voices.

"It's good to see you're all present today, fillies and colts," Miss Staccato observed cheerfully. "Now, as I'm sure you all remember, last class I gave you all an assignment that was a bit different from the usual. I told you to compose a short piece of your own and asked that you learn it for today's lesson. Does anypony feel confident enough to play theirs?

Treble Joy's hoof shot into the air, and the overly eager squeak that came with it made Tambourine snort with laughter. She hid her face behind her fiddle in an attempt for her outburst to go unnoticed, but it was too late.

" 'Rine? Do you have something you would like to share with us? Your parents are both talented musicians, I'm sure your composition will be a pleasure to hear."

"Oh! Uh, yeah... About that... I mean, um - well, I guess I could come up with something now?" Tambourine said doubtfully, blushing slightly and trying to block out the other students' titters of amusement.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, 'Rine. Go on, we're all listening."

The teacher's smug tone made Tambourine feel as though she were burning up. She took a deep breath. Okay, 'Rine. You can do this. Come on, prove her wrong.

Another deep breath, and Tambourine lifted her bow in an aura of purple magic, pulling the first notes out tentatively.

She quickened her pace, eyes narrowing in a frown of concentration, artfully turning her song from slow and melancholy to a happy dance. 

The other foals watched in awe as the little grey filly spun a tale of notes out of her instrument, letting instinct take over as her hoof slid over the strings, almost faster then the pony eye could follow.

She pulled pieces of other songs in momentarily, then let them go as she arched back into her own composition, enjoying the freedom of it, and the feeling of complete control.

Tambourine kept adding onto the tune, even crashing a few well-chosen wubs into the mix to add excitement, until she felt her flank tingling from sitting in the same position for so long. She drew out a final, minor note with a sigh, and sat back, tired.

A moment of complete, pristine silence filled the school room, and Tambourine glanced at the clock impatiently. Her pupils shrank as she noticed the time. Fifteen minutes? I was playing for fifteen whole minutes, I can't believe it. It felt like closer to two.

And, next thing she knew, Miss Staccato was patting her on the back, congratulating her. "You did a splendid Job, Tambourine. I'm quite proud of you. Congratulations."

"Yeah," Tambourine smiled modestly. "I guess I did, didn't I?"

"Not only that, 'Rine. Look." Miss Staccato pointed at Tambourine's flank. 

And then, Tambourine was screaming and hugging Rose Bud in the play yard outside, because Miss Staccato let them out early as a treat. She couldn't have been happier, not for anything. Well, except if Rose Bud had gotten her cutie mark too, but it would come with time. So, Tambourine settled for being ecstatically happy about her own cutie mark, and hopped the entire way home, despite how incredible foalish it was. She was no longer a blank flank - nothing was as foalish as lacking a cutie mark.


oOo


"So, that's what happened," Tambourine finished, settling into her chair at the restaurant. Octavia leaned over to give her first daughter a hug, squishing a rather fidgety Grace note between them.

Tambourine pushed her away. "Ew, gross. I don't wanna touch my sister, she drools too much."

"That's not very nice," Vinyl chided. "You drooled all over me all the time when you were a baby, and I still touched you."

"That's different. You're my mom. You have to take care of me because otherwise Princess Celestia might take me away." Tambourine scowled at Vinyl Scratch, still leaning away from Octavia and Grace Note.

"Not very, Tambourine," Octavia argued. "We're all family, it should mean that we all love each other equally. That includes Grace Note."

"Octy is right, Tambourine. But we'll stop lecturing you on loving your sister for now, because we're here to celebrate your cutie mark tonight, not teach you about loving your sister. Come on, Octavia. Drop it for now, let's get this party started!"

"Fair enough." Octavia smiled. She waved over a waitress. "We're ready to order, please?"

"I'm terribly glad to see you again, dearie," the waitress said cheerfully, smiling. "And congratulations on the fillies. Both of them. I'll send a free ShirFilley Temple over for the older one."

"Wha - how do you? - Oh my Celestia!"

"Yes, dearie. It's me again," the waitress smiled again, showing a few more teeth then Octavia thought necessary. "How have you been doing lately?"

"Who are you?" Octavia asked, half angry. "I think if you're going to keep waltzing up and talking to me and my family in random places, I at least ought to know who you are. I'll call the ponice if you don't, you could be some crazy pedofile, or a murderer, for all we know!"

"Oh, I think you know quite well who I am, Dearie. At least, I thought you would. Really Octavia, you have gotten dull of late."

"No - hey! You have no right to insult me! I don't even know you!"

"You do, Octavia. You know me very, very well. Everypony knows their own mother when they see her." 

"Look Sunny, I really don't thi - Wait. Sunny... Tai... Sonata - Mother!"

"My, what a clever filly we are," Sonata smiled warmly. "I'm so glad you finally figured it out."

"Wha - but - what the - how - where's your horn?" Octavia spluttered, eyes wide. "You aren't a unicorn, what the hay happened? Did you disguise it or something to fool me?"

"No, Octavia dear. You remember when I... ah... after the trial - "

"When you threw a huge temper tantrum and flung yourself off the Canterlot Bridge?" Vinyl Scratch arched an eyebrow at Sonata sarcastically.

Sonata winced. "Well, um... anyways. They pulled me out before I could drown fully, but I was in a coma for seven months afterwards. When I finally awoke, I had no memories, except a few, such as I recognized a picture of you, and I knew who Cresh was - poor dear, he's rather sick at the moment. Caught a nasty cold of some sort. And, when he told me what happened, I felt awful. I don't remember what my life was like before, but I must have been a terrible pony, to try to take away my own daughter's foal. What I said that first time we met was true, you know. I do want to apologize - that's why I came to San Franciscolt in the first place."

Vinyl squinted at her suspiciously. "You sure that's the truth, Sunny? Because, at least how I remember it, last I saw you you were convinced that the very existence of ponies like us was a sin against all things pony."

"Yes, that's what Crescendo told me as well," Sonata sighed sadly. "I can't imagine saying anything like that, I know the words of Celestia as well as anypony, and she said nothing against... fillyfoolers, if you'll pardon the common phrase - I wish I could say the same. I only hope that you'll believe me and accept this as a genuine apology."

"Why should we?" Octavia asked suspiciously. "You tried to deliberately ruin our lives last time we saw you, why should we trust you now?"

"That wasn't me, Octavia. I'm a new pony, now. My entire being has changed - even my cutie mark. You remember, don't you? It used to be a string of notes and a treble clef, much like yours. Surely you remember?"

"Yes." Octavia nodded slowly. "You still haven't told me about your missing horn, though."

"Oh..." Sonata sighed. "It was waterlogged from my... ah, fall. They had to amputate it, because the magic was no longer mine to control, and it could have hurt other ponies as well as myself. So yes, I'm an earth pony now. It's not as hard as you might think, though, because I have next to no memory of being a unicorn. But I do have scars from the surgery."

The blue mare lifted her mane to show a circular white mark on her forehead, and Octavia frowned, looking at the spot, checking for signs of a horn concealed with magic. She glanced at Vinyl, suspecting she was doing the same thing, and the white mare shook her head slightly.

"Tell you what." Sonata whipped out a little pad of paper, grasping a pen in her mouth. "I'll meet you outside after your meal. I'll give this to one of the waitresses after you tell me what you'd like to eat."

"What? But, aren't you - " Octavia started, confused.

"A waitress? No, not me. I just borrowed the outfit for the night." Sonata waved a hoof dismissively "Now, if you don't mind, your orders, please?"
> Three Wishes (Most Explicit Chapter in the Sequel)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

My apologies. It was a dare.
But here, have some sexy (maybe) OctaScratch bath time.
My friend Rosie is a sick child.
It's her fault.

On a side note, this was all written while rotting my brain with vaguely pony-themed dubstep, so don't blame me for anything weird.
Now I have a headache. How the hay does Vinyl manage it?

Vinyl Scratch woke up feeling as though there was a heavy weight on her chest, making it hard to breath. It was almost as though... something was sitting on her. 

Her eyes fluttered open, and she found herself staring into the large, purplish blue eyes of her wife. Said mare was straddling her chest, forehooves resting lightly at her shoulders. She leaned down, pressing their lips together for a long moment. 

"Morning, Vinyl darling," she said cheerfully, sitting back up before stretching out so that she was laying completely on top of Vinyl Scratch. "Did you sleep well?"

"Sure, I guess, but why're you sitting on me? I mean, the kiss was nice, but..." Vinyl Scratch stifled a yawn, stretching her forelegs out behind her head.

"It's our anniversary," Octavia rolled her eyes. "And, considering Tambourine is spending the day - and the night, I might add - at Rose Bud's house, I figured I'd give you a little present."

"Mmhmm," Vinyl reached up and stroked her wife's cheek, grey but flushed a delicate pink and pleasantly warm, before wrapping her hooves around Octavia's neck, bringing them closer together. "Care to demonstrate?"

"I'm giving you three wishes, Vinyl Scratch," Octavia started in a terrible accent before breaking into a fit of giggles and going back to using her own voice. "Anyways, for today at least, I'm yours to command. Within reason, of course."

"You," Vinyl mused. "You and your reason. Why can't we be unreasonable for once?"

"Because I'm not you," Octavia answered, poking her partner's nose for emphasis. "Now, anything you want to do, while we're all alone?"

"Jeez, Octy, since when do you just ask me to rut you like this, and at..." she glanced at the clock. "Eight-thirty in the morning, no less. Whoever you are, please give my wife back, this is getting ridiculous."

"I promise I'm your Octy, see?" Octavia stuck out her hoof, showing Vinyl the slim, silver band around it. "Nopony else would have my wedding ring. Also, I wasn't exactly only suggesting that, frankly I expected you at least wait until evening, you could ask for anything. I mean, what about breakfast? A new record player since Grace Note knocked your old fancy one off its shelf?"

"Oh, boring," Vinyl faked a yawn. "Speaking of which, where is that little monster? I mean, you said Tambourine was at Rose's, but..."

"Oh, she's with a foalsitter," Octavia waved her hoof dismissively. 

"A foalsitter? Already? She's only a month old, Octavia. Aren't you a bit worried?"

"I suppose I ought to be, but she's our second one. I mean, I think I got all of my over-protective mom instincts out when Tambourine was a baby."

"That's... uh, I guess I should say it's terrible, but the truth is I'm kinda glad. You were downright awful back then." Vinyl Scratch laughed lightly.

"I'm sorry," Octavia said. "But you weren't exactly calm about things yourself. Remember the first time she had diaper rash, and you insisted we rush to the emergency room? They must have thought we were complete idiots. Now, how about you actually come up with some wishes, instead of just making fun of me?"

"This is funny, Octy. An earth pony offering to grant wishes for a unicorn." Vinyl observed, a teasing grin on her face.

"Just get on with it," Octavia bounced impatiently. "I'm more excited about this then you are, I think."

"It's called hormones, filly," Vinyl remarked drily, patting Octavia on the head as if she were indeed a very young filly. "Now, what to wish for..."

She sat muttering to herself, debating what to choose, and Octavia giggled. "For somepony so sarcastic about an earth pony granting wishes you seem to be taking it quite seriously."

"I'm trying to see how many times I can get you to sleep with me on just three wishes," Vinyl Scratch explained. "I mean, not counting the one time I think I'm obliged to simply because it's our anniversary, I think I can probably manage five or six, but..."

"But what?"

"Then I won't get breakfast."

"..."

"Hey, Octy?"

"Yeah?" Octavia sighed, wondering how long it would take before Vinyl made up her mind.

"Remember that time, way back before we were married, when we got in that huge fight over the shower in Ponezia?"

"It wasn't huge. It was relatively small, compared to some of our other... ah... skirmishes. What about it?"

"Well, how about we try it now? That's my first request - er, wish, I think."

"Huh?" This caught Octavia off guard. "What is?"

"Sometimes I just don't get how thick you are, Octy. We take a shower together. Who knows what might happen then." Vinyl Scratch dropped her voice suggestively at the end. 

Octavia blushed. "You're still going on about that, and it was, what, I don't even know how many years ago. Good Celestia, Tambourine was barely past Gracie's age, if I remember correctly."

"So? Doesn't mean I don't remember." Vinyl countered. "Besides, I can think of a whole lot of fun things to do if we're both wet."

"I can't believe you." Octavia resisted the urge to facehoof at her wife's immaturity. "Honestly, Vinyl, I swear you're a colt in a mare's body, sometimes."

"You won't be complaining about that tonight."

That didn't even make sense."

"Oh, trust me, there will be nothing that makes sense once I really get started."

"That didn't either," Octavia facehoofed. "You're going to take this whole 'day without the kids' thing as one long opportunity to - poorly, I might add - try to convince me that using it as one big... how shall I put this? - "

"Bucking session?" Vinyl suggested, raising one eyebrow questioningly. 

"I was looking for something a bit less crude, but I suppose so. Now, are we going to take that shower, or what?"

"You just wanna get it over with," Vinyl said, pouting.

"Not completely," Octavia winked, flicking her tail across Vinyl's face as she brushed past her.

"Oh, my little tightflank conservative wifey's still got some spunk in her, eh?" Vinyl felt herself shiver slightly at the touch of her wife's tail. 

"Don't call me that or I might lose it," Octavia called from the bathroom. "Are you coming, or what?"

"I'll be there in a second. I'm letting you enjoy that first cold spurt of water before the hot stuff makes it all the way over here."

"Well, aren't you generous," Octavia remarked, smirking as she came back into the bedroom. "If you think it's so nice, why don't you have it? I'm sure I'll do just fine."

"No, I really think you deserve it, Sugarplum," Vinyl Scratch said, putting as much false generosity into her words as possible. 

"Sugarplum? When the hay did you come up with that?"

"Just now. I'm always coming up with new names for you, my dear," 

Octavia stuck her hoof in the flow of water in their walk-in shower. "By the way, with all this polite arguing, the water's heated up."

"I don't trust you." Vinyl Scratch narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"Why not? Come on, this was your idea, after all." Octavia looped one of her hooves around Vinyl's right foreleg ankle, drawing her into the steamy shower compartment. She pulled her wife close, standing up on her hind legs and bracing herself with a hoof on Vinyl's chest as they leaned on one another for balance. She forced their two muzzles together with a passion laid dormant for far too long, and Vinyl's half-closed eyes snapped open in surprise as she felt her mouth rudely taken over by Octavia's powerful tongue.

Octavia felt Vinyl's hoof drifting down her stomach, and she pulled away for a moment, listening to the satisfying smack as their lips parted. "See? I'm very trustworthy."

"I need more proof," Vinyl said, licking her lips. "Do it again, and maybe I'll consider not forcibly bucking you right now."

"That threat doesn't quite work when it sounds so pleasant," Octavia purred in her ear, giving it a playful nip, before turning it into a full-fledged bite.

"Okay, now you've got it." Vinyl nodded appreciatively. "I didn't know you were still up for this kind of thing."

"I was pregnant a month ago, I couldn't be up for this without hurting the baby." Octavia said, moving her muzzle down from Vinyl's ear to give her another kiss. 

"True. But still - this is ridiculous, we can talk later - should I keep going?" Vinyl asked, moving the hoof at Octavia's waist slightly.

Octavia nodded, and felt herself pushed roughly against the wall of the shower. She gasped as her back hit the cold tile, and her body left the comfortably warm water splashing from the ceiling. "W-what was that for?"

"You're gonna need the support once I get started," Vinyl said, before going back to kissing her muzzle messily. "Sorry. I guess I'm just impatient." 

Octavia felt Vinyl's hoof slide to its destination, and she closed her eyes and lost herself in the sensations.


oOo


Vinyl lay stretched on the bed again, feeling the dampness of the sheets under her skin with mild annoyance. The two had moved from bathroom to bedroom halfway through their... um, music making, we'll call it for now - without paying any heed to their drenched state, and their wet, tangled manes and tails mingled on the white bedspread, showing starkly. 

Octavia cocked an ear toward the bathroom for a second, listening to the faint sound of rushing water still coming from within. 

"You know, Vinyl," she said, rolling over to face her. "For somepony whose last excuse for taking a shower together was the environment, you seem remarkably unbothered by the fact that we left the water running when we came in here."

"... there are so many sexual things I could point out in that sentence," Vinyl said eventually.

"But you won't, because you love me and you want to me agree to do that again sometime, right," Octavia asked, half bribing.

"If there's a possibility of that," Vinyl agreed. "I didn't know you had it in you, Octy. I mean, your tongue... it's so..."

"Long?" Octavia suggested, sticking it out. "Thank you. With you around, being Miss Demandy-Pants all the time, I've also had a lot of practice with it, in more ways then one."

"Ha. Looks like my taste for dirty jokes in starting to rub off on you. Took long enough, I'll say." Vinyl grinned at her, her mane even more messy then usual.

"Who said that was a joke," Octavia replied wryly. "Would you please let me brush your mane out, Vinyl? It looks revolting."

"Just this once. Because it's relaxing," Vinyl relented.

The white mare turned away from Octavia, feeling her run her hooves over and through her hair as she manipulated the comb with her teeth. Vinyl toyed with the blanket in front of her, feeling young and unlike she was married again, even a little shy.

For some reason the motherly care Octavia always put into her mane made Vinyl feel oddly calm, foalishly so, and a bit... weak, even, though she didn't mind that at all. Not if it meant Octavia was brushing her hair.

Every single time Octavia did it, Vinyl was reminded of the first time, back when they were first living together. They weren't even officially 'going out' - that is, it was still a secret from everypony they knew - but they had become quite close, and one evening the grey mare had simply insisted. 

She'd come out of the bedroom carrying her hairbrush, and quietly sat down next Vinyl, merely saying, "I'm going to brush your mane," before starting the task. She worked in silence, and Vinyl hadn't questioned it, simply because she wasn't giving the chance to. She could still remember her smell, the faint aura of... lilac, or something, that seemed to follow Octavia, even now. 

Vinyl Scratch inhaled deeply, aroused from her memories slightly by the same lilac scent, mixed with that of sweat and... other things - in the room.

Her hooves met a particularly damp spot, and Vinyl looks down to see that she'd pulled half the blanket into her lap as she sat.

"How much of this do you think is actually water?" she asked curiously, using her magic to wring some of the liquid out of the cloth.

"That's disgusting, Vinyl," Octavia said, not stopping her combing. "Now, be quiet again, I like you better when you don't talk."

Silence reigned once again, and the peaceful atmosphere was enhanced even more when Octavia, probably unconsciously, began to hum softly.

It took a full ten minutes before Vinyl Scratch regained the courage to speak again. "You know what, Octavia?"

Octavia stopped humming, moving around to the side of Vinyl where her mane covered her face. "What is it, Vin'?"

"I still love you just as much as when we first started going out. Isn't that funny?"

"What's funny about it?" Octavia asked sharply.

"Oh, I don't know. It's just, so many couples are together for, I don't know, a month, or something, and then they get tired of each other, and break up. Or they get married, and then they decide they don't actually like each other that much and get divorces. But us - we've been together for ten years now, and I still feel the same way I always did. Hay, you even still smell the same as you did back then."

"Is that a good thing?"

"What? Oh, yeah. It's really good. I love the way you smell. It's like, lilacs or something," Vinyl clarified, sniffing loudly for emphasis. 

"Lilacs, huh? My dad always said that too," Octavia said quietly.

"Do you miss him?" Vinyl asked suddenly.

"What? Oh, I suppose so. He's not dead, or anything though. I suppose I could go and visit him at some point, honestly. Why do you ask?"

"I don't know. I just - well, he seemed pretty cool, just cowed by your mom."

"He was okay, I guess," Octavia admitted. "What about your parents? Do you ever miss them?"

Vinyl Scratch sighed. "I used to miss them terribly. But... I guess I'm just used to it, now."

"Really? It's okay if you do, Vin'. You ought to admit it to yourself."

"I hated them for a while," Vinyl admitted, starting to play with the blanket again. "For... dying, I guess. And for drinking all the time, and - I looked up to them as a kid, and when Dad started drinking, and then Mom too, I guess... I don't think I ever really forgave them for that. I felt like I deserved better."

"It's okay," Octavia said, rubbing her shoulders softly. "You don't have to tell me."

"I just did, though. That's really it." Vinyl sighed. "Jeez, mare. You sure are good at getting me to talk."

"It's my Octy-power." Octavia snaked her hooves around Vinyl's neck, leaning around her to plant a light kiss on her cheek. "Tamby calls it Mom Magic, but that doesn't quite work for you."

Vinyl Scratch nodded, glancing at the digital clock sitting next to the bed. "Oh, it's eleven o'clock. Perfect time for my second wish - breakfast."

"I swear, you act just like a colt." Octavia remarked again. "Alright, what would you like, your highness?"

"Pancakes." Vinyl answered instantly. "And not those scrawny little flat ones - I'm talking about the nice, fat juicy ones. With lots of syrup."

"Crepes, you mean?"

"Yeah those. Can't stand them. To scrawny and un-filling. I mean, the neightella part is good, but I can just put that on bread, or regular pancakes. Seriously, I think those, what are they - crapes? Sounds like craps with a weird accent - they're like, pancakes' starving, third-world cousin, or something."

"Now that you've finished ranting against your daughter's favourite food, care to come to the kitchen with me? I'm making lunch."

"Lunch? But I thought we were having pancakes."

"We are," Octavia said briskly. "But to the normal pony, half-past eleven is considered lunchtime. Now, are you coming, or not?"

"I'm coming. I wouldn't miss your pancakes - not craps - "

"Crepes."

"Whatever. I wouldn't miss this breakfast for all of Equestri - hey, there's an idea. Octy, can you make me co-princess or something? That's my last wish."
> Forgiveness?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Octavia opened her eyes sleepily, grunting as she tried to change position in Vinyl's strong embrace. The white mare clung to her as Grace Note did her favourite toy - which is to say, with a grip strong enough to strangle a manticore.

"Vin'?" Octavia whispered sleepily, nuzzling her wife's neck with her muzzle. 

A pause. Vinyl Scratch shifted, snuggling herself closer and bending her neck to hide her face in Octavia's coat. She smiled slightly, keeping her eyes closed as she returned the nuzzle with one of her own.  "Wha's wrong Octy?"

Octavia carefully moved one hoof out from under her body to return the embrace. "Nothing, Darling. But you're squishing me."

"Oh." Vinyl yawned largely, opening her mouth wide as it could go and revealing a cherry red tongue. "Sorry, Octy. Was a naccident. C'we go back to sleep now though? I'm still... tired..."

"Su - I don't think - you didn't even wait for me to answer that, did you?" Octavia smiled fondly at the already fast asleep mare beside her. "Goodness, Vin', I don't know how you do it... " She yawned and rubbed her eyes. "I guess I'll - well, you're kind of still holding onto me, so I can't get up, and..." She nodded decisively. "Alright, I'll go back to sleep as well. It is a Sunday, after all."

What felt like less then a minute later, Octavia was woken up for the second time that morning, this time by an insistent thudding noise from the other room. 

Octavia twisted in Vinyl's embrace to look at the other mare, blinking in the sunlight now streaming through the window, lighting the tiny pieces of dust in the air and turning them into liquid gold. "Vinny, be a dear and turn off that bass, would you?"

Octavia prodded Vinyl's chest with her muzzle, wondering how the mare could sleep through her own hoof-made racket. Honestly, even after all these years, Octavia was still convinced that Vinyl had secretly come up with some miraculous cure for any symptoms of deafness, from any cause, because the so-called 'wubs' Vinyl ground into her ears almost every waking second were enough to make anypony deaf. And yet she wasn't. Indeed, Vinyl had managed to stay decidedly un-deaf for her entire life, without any sign of ear protection. 

" 'm not playing anything," Vinyl said sleepily, startling Octavia out of her thoughts. " I think 's the door."

"What?" Octavia looked confused for a moment, thinking through a thick fog of sleep. "Vinyl, tha - oh, the door. Yes, but who in Equestria calls at - "

"Half-past eleven?" Vinyl Scratch interrupted, sitting up slowly. "Plenty of ponies. Not everypony in Equestria has me around to keep them company at night."

"I should hope not. You're all mine, and I love it," Octavia said, wrapping her arms around Vinyl's waist, simply because it was the nearest part to her hooves. 

Vinyl stroked the tangled mane in her lap with a hoof, loving the bed-hair almost more even then the mesmerizingly perfect charcoal waterfall it was during the day. "And I'd love for you to demonstrate that again now - not that last night's show wasn't awesome - but - " she leaned down to whisper the last bit in Octavia's ear. "There's still somepony at the door."

"Ooh," Octavia looked at Vinyl, wide-eyed her mouth slightly open. "I forgot."

"I know," Vinyl said, smiling. "Celestia, you're so cute when you're sleepy. I mean, seriously - who could resist that?"

"... Can you get the door Vin'? I wanna keep sleeping. I'm tired." Octavia buried her face in Vinyl's soft fur.

"Only if you kiss me when I come back." Vinyl grinned

"Uhh, 'kay. Bye, Vin'." Octavia let go of her partner's waist and rolled over, gripping a portion of the duvet to replace her pony pillow.

Vinyl Scratch trotted out of the bedroom, still rubbing her eyes, even though she wasn't as sleepy as Octavia. She flipped the switch on the coffee machine on the way to the door, making a mental note, for the thousandth time, to set the thing to work automatically.

Vinyl pulled open the door, blinking in the bright sunlight. "Wha - who is it? You woke us up."

"Sorry, dearie, I didn't think you'd sleep so late. I'll try to remember that in the future." The light blue earth pony materialized - or so it seemed to Vinyl, blinded as she was by the Celestia's sun - in front of the door, smiling in a motherly way. "May I come in?"

"What? Oh, uh, I guess. I mean - I don't know how Octy'll feel about it, but..." Vinyl stepped out of the doorway to let Sonata through. "I mean, she's asleep, but she doesn't exactly - "

"Trust me?" Sonata finished. "I know. That's why I'm here. To try and convince her - and you, I suppose - that I am indeed sorry, though I've no memory of what happened."

"Yeah, yeah," Vinyl grunted, yawning. "We'll see about that."

"I promise I'm being honest about this, Vinyl Scratch. Please believe that I wouldn't dream of hurting you or your wife." Sonata grasped Vinyl's forehoof in goth of her own. "Speaking of which, where is my daughter? Still sleeping? She used to be such an early riser."

"She - "

"I'm right here," Octavia stated, frowning. "Vin', why ever did you let her in? I don't trust her."

"I have a name, dear."

"Oh, really? I must have forgotten. So sorry," Octavia sneered. "And I do usually wake up early. But we had a very active night, considering it was our anniversary, and I rather hoped I would be able to get some rest today, instead of dealing with you again."

"Goodness, Crescendo warned me of this. He said you were a feisty one."

"Oh, she's feisty, you should've seen her last night - " Vinyl started before feeling a sharp cuff at the back of her head. "Ow, Octy, what was that for?"

"I would prefer if you did not share our bedroom habits with some random pony off the streets," Octavia replied tersely. "Especially not her."

"A name?" Sonata said again. "And Octavia, darling, I know you're mad, and honestly, if I were you, I'd feel the same, but - "

"But what? You just admitted I have a right to dislike you, Mother. And I daresay I haven't got much reason to not hate you, considering you tried to take my daughter, insulted my wife and me millions of times, and did nothing but make us miserable - you even hired my nemesis, for pony's sake! - for all the time you knew we were together. Really, what choice do I have? And now, you come waltzing back like nothing happened, expecting me to forgive and forget, and foalishly believing your silly little "mother understands, dears" will make me listen to you."

"She gets all Canterlot-y when she's angry," Vinyl explained to Sonata in a loud whisper, watching in delight as the normally grey mare standing in front of her turned an intimidating shade of red. Vinyl nudged Sonata, who merely raised an eyebrow at her sarcastically. "See?"

"I have known that for a long time, Vinyl. But thank you for informing me. I think maybe we should hide now though - she looks ready to explode." Sonata went along with Vinyl's plan, smiling faintly as she pretended not to notice her daughter's growing rage. 

"Since when are you to all close and friendly?" Octavia said, looking rather hurt. "Vin', I thought you were on my side of this. Surely you see she's no good?"

"Oh, really? She seems fine to me," Vinyl shrugged, feigning indifference. "Besides, she knows tips for me on how to get you riled up. I could use some new tactics, you know."

"I can't believe you. I just can't. She tried to ruin our lives, remember? Why are you teaming up with her against me?"

"Ugh, I should have known this would happen," Vinyl muttered. She grasped Octavia's mane in her mouth and dragged her toward the bedroom. "Be back in a sec, Sonny."

Vinyl shut the door gently behind her before turning to Octavia, who sat on the messy bed with her hooves crossed over her chest, looking close to tears.

"Look, I'm sorry, Octy. I didn't mean to bug you like that. I was just - "

"Messing with me. I know, you do it all the time. I should be used to it by now, right?" Octavia interrupted bitterly. "It's just... things were so nice yesterday, and now - I don't know, Vin'. I don - "

"Hey, don't get all mopey on me, 'Tavi," Vinyl sat down next to her and wrapped her hooves around Octavia's shoulders, letting the other mare rest her head on her own shoulder. "I'm sorry, really I am. I forgot how sensitive this still is to you, and that was really stupid of me. I should have known better."

"You're right - you should have," Octavia agreed, her face still hardened in an angry frown.

"That's it. Octavia, look at me," Vinyl took Octavia's chin on one hoof, turning her face so they could look each other directly in the eyes. "I don't think you understand, Octavia. I love you - a lot - enough to marry you and not regret it for one single second of all these ten years, and I will not sit here and let your mother - whether she's good or still a jerk-face like before -ruin this. You hear me?"

Octavia just stared at her. Vinyl sighed. She leaned forward, shortening the hoof or so between them until her muzzle rubbed against Octavia's. She nuzzled her for a moment before locking her in a gentle kiss. 

Octavia did her best not to enjoy it, but as Vinyl pressed on and continued her spontaneous show of affection, Octavia found herself filled with warmth, and she closed her eyes to enjoy it. 

Eventually Vinyl pulled away, giving a weak smile. "There. You okay now, 'Tavia?"

Octavia sighed. "I don't know, Vin'. I still don't trust her. I feel like... I just can't, you know? She completely screwed up our lives. That's not easy to forgive."

"I know," Vinyl said softly. "Believe me, I know. But you have to try, Sweetheart. Even I can tell it's the right thing to do, and Celestia knows I'm not exactly known for my logic."

"I have to agree with that last thing." Octavia leaned into Vinyl's chest, listening to the deep, resonant thump of her heartbeat. "You sound like your music, Vinyl."

"Do I?" Vinyl looked down at her. "Well, that's great, but we have a dragon to slay in the living room."

"My mother?"

"No, your enormous hatred and fear of her."

"I'm not scared of her, you crazy thing."

"Oh?" Vinyl raised one eyebrow quizzically. "Then, get out there, filly, and tell 'er what's on your mind!"

"Can I use that huge carving knife we keep in the kitchen for the holidays?"

Vinyl rolled her eyes. "No. That doesn't count as telling."

"Dammit. Well, here I go. Kiss for luck?"

Vinyl smiled. "Of course. Now, I'm going to treat you like Tambourine, and tell you to for Celestia's sake stop stalling!"



Will Octavia manage to NOT use the kitchen knives to explain her feelings?

Is Vinyl Scratch going to keep being responsible and therefore un-Vinylish?

Will Tambourine be spared from the horrific sight of her mother murdering her grandmother? (yes)

Is there enough Neightella for Vinyl AND Tambourine to have it on toast for breakfast?

Does Octavia like tea?

Will CharmingChaos ever stop asking pointless questions even she doesn't know the answers to? (no)

Read the next chapter (coming soo - uh, whenever your lazy author feels like it, actually) to find out all most of some of the answers.
> Foalish Behaviour 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Octavia unlocked the door with a click, breathing in the sweet smell of home as she stepped inside and gingerly placed her cello in its usual place in the corner. She entered the sitting room and to find Vinyl and Tambourine sitting on the couch, sharing a pair of earbuds and eating eating some sort of toast. Grace Note was laying on a blanket on the floor, gumming a soggy pink dog and cooing some riveting speech in foal-talk.

"D'aw," Octavia said, smiling as she sat down next to Vinyl and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Whatcha listening to?"

"Wha?" Vinyl looked up from her toast. "Oh. Hi, 'Tavi. How was your day?"

"Fine," Octavia said, patting the head of her youngest daughter, who have crawled over to her and was playing with her hoof. "You?"

Vinyl rolled her eyes. "I'm a stay at home mom these days, Octy. What do you think?"

"I think you're grumpy because you miss working as much and you were bored at home all day." Octavia pulled the earbud out of Tambourine's ear. "It's rude not to even say hello when your mother comes home, you know."

Tambourine closed the book she was reading with a sigh. "Hello, Mom. Can I go back to reading now?"

"Alright. What is this, Vin'? I could hear it from across the room."

"Oh, the music. It's just somethin' one of my friends came up with. Have a listen, see what ya think." Vinyl levitated the earbud out of Octavia's hoof and into her ear. 

Octavia frowned. "What is this, Vinyl? It's not very foal appropriate, is it?"

"Aw, she doesn't understand. Besides, it has a great beat. And he mentions me!"

"A song about flanks is not suitable for my daughter, and I'll thank you to stop letting her listen to it."

"Your daughter? Our daughter. Not yours. Besides, who birthed her, you, or me?"

"You're changing the subject, Vinyl." Octavia spoke through clenched teeth.

"I wouldn't have to if you hadn't decided to call me a bad parent!"

"I did no such thing. All I did was mention that I would rather have my daughter raised slightly better then you!"

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Well, now that you point it out, yes. It is, and you're a terrible mother, et cetera. Because that is what you seem to want me to say!"

"Takes one to know one, 'Tavi. All that classical stuff you force her to listen to is just asking for the other foals to bully her!"

"Knowing about famous musicians is not the same thing as asking to be bullied. But knowing music about liking big flanks, of all things, is most certainly asking for trouble. What do you think would happen if she started singing that in school?"

"It's true, though. I do like big flanks!" Vinyl said. "And besides, I think Tamby is smart enough not to do that."

"Are you calling me fat?"

"No. What made you think that?"

"You said you like big flanks!"

"I didn't mean you!"

"Well, then, that leads me to believe you don't like me!"

"Maybe I don't!"

"Then why did you marry me?!"

"I - um - it looks like it's time for me to leave. I have to meet one of my friends for dinner. I'll see you later, 'Tavi." Vinyl growled as she threw on her coat and shades. 

"Tell him your wife doesn't like his song!" Octavia shouted after her.

"It's not that friend!" Vinyl replied, slamming the door behind her. 

Octavia glared at the door. "Right. I forgot you had more then one friend."

Tambourine put down her book and trotted over to her mother, laying a soft hoof on her back. "Uh, Mom? Don't you think you went a little hard on her?"

"No." Octavia said simply.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Maybe... maybe you need to calm down some, Mom," Tambourine suggested. "I could make dinner. You should - I don't know, take a hot bath, or something."

Octavia sighed. "I - are you sure you know how to make dinner?"

"I can make pasta. Or rice. I mean, Mommy taught me how to make ramen, but you don't like that, so..."

"Alright then. If your mother comes home, tell her to go away. And tell her she's sleeping on the couch. I'm going to bed."

"But - "

"Make yourself something to eat - I don't care what. I'm not very hungry."

"Okay," Tambourine said quietly, watching as her mother went into her bedroom and shut the door. "I'll just... wait up, I guess."

She trotted into the kitchen and rummaged around in the pantry, half searching for something she wanted to eat, half trying to fill the empty silence.

A crash, and Tambourine turned to find a gurgling Grace Note sitting on the floor next to her, a broken jar and a mess of sticky honey around her hooves. 

"Oh, ponyfeathers. Well, I guess I'd better get you cleaned up. It's not like Mom's gonna do it."

After an uneventful bath, Tambourine carried a sleepy Grace Note to the door of her mother's room. "Mom?" she asked softly.

"Go away please, Tamby darling." Octavia's voice came through the closed door.

"I will, but - well, I have Grace Note, and she's really tired, so, can I put her in her crib?"

"No."

"But she has to sleep somewhere."

"She can stay with you."

"But I don't know - "

"Just go, Tamby. Leave me alone."

As Tambourine's hoofsteps faded from the door, Octavia poured herself another glass of the un-nameable drink she had found hidden in Vinyl's side of the closet. Her vision was already blurred, but the burning in her throat with each glass hadn't dulled. At least the pain would distract her.

Tambourine dropped her sister on the sofa and plopped down next to her, flipping on the TV. She grunted as a painfully loud commercial for hoofsoap blasted into the room, and switched channels quickly. A colourful cartoon featuring what appeared to be several talking bears appeared in its place.

Nope.

Tambourine changed the channel again. She absentmindedly stroked the head of her sleeping sister, wondering if this was what it was like to have a pet, and went back to randomly pressing buttons on the remote. 

Tambourine halfheartedly watched a couple of ponies in suits creep around a dark, dreary mansion and whisper loudly about who killed the owner for what felt like hours before her stomach began to express its opinion of not being fed.

Well, that show wasn't anything good anyways. Maybe I should go back to the kitchen and find something to eat. Tambourine thought, eying her sister. She should stay asleep long enough.

Tambourine muted the television and tiphoofed across the hall to the kitchen. She stepped over the honey splattered on the floor, and levitated a packet of ramen out of the pantry. 

"Hmm, boil water... add noodles and cook for so many minutes..." Tambourine skimmed the instructions. "Okay. seems easy enough I mean, if Mommy can do it..."

She opened the package and arranged the block of noodles and the little sauce packet on the counter before filling a pot with water and placing it on the stove. 

Ten minutes later Tambourine trotted back to the sitting room, levitating the soup ahead of her. Grace Note was still asleep on the sofa, sprawled out adorably over half of it. The only problem was that it was the middle half, leaving two almost Tambourine-sized places on either side. The grey filly carefully rolled her sister out of the way and sat down. 

She was halfway through her meal when the door creaked open and a contrite looking Vinyl Scratch stepped in, glancing around warily. 

"Hey, Tamby. What are you doing up? And, why is Grace out here with you? And where's your mother?" Vinyl whispered loudly.

"Hi Mommy. It's safe to come in, I think Mom fell asleep a while ago. And It's only nine. I'm allowed to be up. Grace is here because Mom wouldn't let me take her into the bedroom. She said to tell you you're sleeping on the couch tonight." Tambourine replied. 

"Hmph." Vinyl said. "Fat chance."

"I don't think she'd be very happy if you went in there." Tambourine said as her mother got up and made for the door of the bedroom. 

"Well, ya don't say," Vinyl said sarcastically. "It's my job though. I have to go in. Wish me luck, Tamby."

"Luck." Tambourine said. "But can you bring Grace with you? I'm sick of her."

Vinyl wordlessly levitated the limp filly onto her back, took a deep breath, and quietly pushed open the door to the bedroom she shared with Octavia.

"Tammy? 'Sthat you?" Octavia's slurred voice came from a lump on the bed, presumably the grey pony buried under a mound of blankets. The room was dim, but Vinyl could see as the lump moved and a bedraggled Octavia sat up, blinking, trying to see the pony who had interrupted her - well, whatever she was doing.

"No, Octy. It's me." Vinyl said. "What's up?"

"Oh, you. What're you doing here, Vinyl? I thought you were mad."

"No, not mad. I came to apologise."

" 'Polo - pogo - pogloly not 'cepted. You called me fat."

"Octy, what the hay is - are you drunk?"

"Dunno. Think yeah. There'sh thish shtuff in the closet. 'S yucky, but I drinked it."

"By Celestia's mane, you are. This is - I don't know - I never took you for a drinker." Vinyl crossed the room and placed the sleeping Grace Note in her crib before sitting down on the bed next to her wife, who was curled up in a tight ball on her pillow. 

"Go 'way pleashe." Octavia said, batting at Vinyl lazily. "I feel kinda shick."

"Yeah, I bet you do. That stuff was enough to make me feel sick - it's gotta be awful for a lightweight like you."

"'m not a lightweight."

"Yes you are. I'm sorry, Octy, but it's true."

"But earlier you said I was fat."

"I - what? No, I - ugh. Never mind, that's not what I meant. And that's not what lightweight means either. Just... please listen to me, Octavia."

"Why? You're mean. I don't even know why I married you." Octavia said softly, her voice remarkably clear. 

"I - I'm sorry, Octavia. I don't know why you married me, either, but I know why I married you, and that's because I'd been madly in love with you for years."

"Really?" Octavia said coldly. "I never would have guessed."

"I don't know what's gotten into you, 'Tavi. But I want you to know that I'm really, really sorry. It was my mistake for starting the whole thing."

"It was your fault."

"I know,and I'm sorry. Can you forgive me for it, please?" Vinyl answered meekly.

"Look at you, Vinyl Scratch. You think you're so badflank, and here you are, begging on your knees. You're pathetic, you know that? Absolutely pathetic."

That stung. Almost as much as the comment about Octavia not knowing why she married Vinyl. The blue-maned mare winced, trying to convince herself that this wasn't Octavia, that she was under the influence of that blasted alcohol.

"Well? Aren't you going to defend yourself?" Octavia inquired coolly.

"No," Vinyl sighed. "It isn't worth it... I'll be on the couch if you need me."

Needless to say, it was an unpleasant night for both of them. The Princess bed was wonderful for two, but for only one pony, it was disturbingly lonely.
> Ah, Screw it, I'm too lazy to come up with a name
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Octavia woke up cold and curled up in a ball in the middle of the bed.

Incidentally, so did everypony else in the house. Well, for Vinyl it was the couch, but it was essentially the same. 

Octavia's first thought was something along the lines of, Good Celestia, where is that crazy mare? I'm cold, so she crawled out of bed in search of her wife. 

It didn't dawn on Octavia what had happened after Vinyl had left the night before even after she found said mare flopped face-down on the sofa, mouth half-open as she snored softly into the cushion. 

Vinyl opened one eye and looked at Octavia, frowning slightly. "Oh, it's you. I suppose you're here to insult me some more?"

"What? Vin - I don't know what you're talking about," Octavia rubbed her aching head with a hoof, mussing her already in shambles mane. "Good Celestia - I can't remember anything that happened last night."

"Oh, so it runs in the family, losing your memory right when it serves you best. How convenient," Vinyl snarled. "I'll keep that little trick in mind if you ever catch me sleeping with another mare."

"You do that? I can't believe you!" Octavia exclaimed. "Then why the hay did you get married?"

"You shouldn't. Haven't you noticed I lie sometimes? And, as for the marriage question, I did it because I thought that I'd found a mare who loved me as much as I love her!"

"Well, it looks like we made the same mistake there!"

"Could've fooled me, you act more like you hate me!"

"I could say the same for you," Octavia returned, feeling her stomach turn at the cruel words being exchanged, or maybe it was simply the alcohol.

"Oh, yeah? Well, see if you can say that after this!" Vinyl sprung off the couch, pinning Octavia to the wall. 

Octavia squeaked in surprise as Vinyl pressed their lips together, tears running down her cheeks. 

Vinyl pulled away, scowling. "I'm sorry. I did that because I bucking love you, okay? So, just shut up and listen to me!"

Octavia was speechless, so the request about shutting up was unnecessary. She stared at Vinyl, eyes wide, still panting slightly from the kiss.

"I... I don't know what happened last night, Octy. I mean, one minute you were kissing my cheek, and the next you were screaming your flank off about - I don't even want to remember what, but it hurt. And then when I came home and Tambourine had Grace Note asleep on the couch - well, that never happens, because they practically hate each other. I-I don't know what happened, 'Tavi - but I don't like it at all. So, can we please just kiss and make up?"

"I think we already did, Vinyl," Octavia said quietly, giving her a soft peck on the tip of her nose. "Now, do you mind telling me what happened last night so I can apologize?"

"Uh... well, I mean - can't you just apologize without knowing? I... don't think you want to know what you said."

"I do, Vinyl. I'd never forgive myself if I knew I said something awful to you."

"That's exactly the reason I don't want to tell you. Because you'd never forgive yourself."

"Well, then I'll never forgive myself either way, so it doesn't matter. Tell me what I said so I can apologize. Hurry up now, Vin'. I'm getting quite sick of this," Octavia answered briskly.

"Well, uh, you kind of called me worthless and pathetic, and you said you didn't know why you married me. Are you happy now? Can I stop?"

"I said that? Oh, my, you'd better get rid of any more of that stuff I drank - I would hate for that to happen again. I feel terrible, Vinyl. How can you be so understanding? I was just awful. I think you have more reason to hate me then I could ever have." Octavia shuddered. "What was that stuff, anyways?"

"I'm not sure, actually. It was a birthday present from Pinkie Pie a long time ago. I'll make sure to slap her for almost ruining our relationship next time I see her."

"Oh, no, don't do that. You're so violent, Vinyl. But I assure you, I am very, terribly sorry. I can't begin to explain how ridiculous I feel, saying all that. I promise none of it's true."

"What a sweet, heartfelt apology," Vinyl smiled, giving Octavia another kiss. "At least, I think it is. Can we have Octy-apologized-and-Vinyl-accepted-and-everypony's-happy-again sex now?"

"Ew, guys, that's gross!" Tambourine's high voice came from the doorway. "Geez, keep it foal-appropriate, please. I'm right here!"

"Ack!" Octavia gasped. "Tambourine, how long have you been there?"

Tambourine made a face. "Long enough to be scarred for life. Mommy, you're disgusting. Mom, I don't even want to know what you were gonna do if I hadn't made my appearance known when I did."

"Well, sorry, Tamby. I would have censored your mommy's tongue if I'd known you were there. Which reminds me, I think you should get some lessons on speaking foal-appropriately in your everyday life, Vinyl." Octavia said, grinning teasingly.

"What? No! Nopony likes a DJ who talks like a kindergarten teacher! A-and I can't I like being - I wouldn't be me without my language. It's me!"

"I'm kidding, Vinyl, kidding,  not serious, stop looking at me like that!" Octavia giggled, holding up her hooves defensively. 

"You're mean, Octy. I never realized how mean you are until now. This calls for punishment. Tickling punishment!"

Octavia squealed as Vinyl's hooves dug into her sides, wishing she had asked to be unpinned from against the wall sooner as she found herself trapped. 

Tambourine rolled her eyes, yawning. "Well, good to see you guys are getting along so well. Take care of Grace please, I still don't like her. I'm going back to bed."

Octavia's face suddenly turned a sickly shade of green, and she batted Vinyl away and dropped to her hooves. "Think... gonna puke... your fault, Vinyl... shouldn't tickle me after I've had a lot of alcohol." Vinyl leaned away comically, alarmed, and Octavia gave a weak smile as the feeling passed. "Hah. Serves you right. But I'm fine now."

"You mean you aren't gonna throw up all your guts on me?" Vinyl asked, looking relieved. "That's nice of you."

"Isn't it?" Octavia agreed graciously. "Do you think we should check on Tambourine, though?"

"Probably," Vinyl nodded.

The two sheepish mares made their way to their daughter's bedroom. It was dim, the curtain was closed and the only sign of the filly was a lump in the middle of the mattress and a lock of curly blue mane ("Or tail. She might be one of those fillies who sleep upside down," Vinyl pointed out) on the pillow.

"She's grown up to be such a nice filly, don't you think?" Octavia said softly, nuzzling Vinyl. "I'm rather proud of her for taking care of little Grace last night. I didn't hear her crying at all."

"Maybe that was because you were busy drowning yourself in a mysterious bottle of an unnamed alcohol you found in the closet," Vinyl suggested.

"Let's not talk about that anymore, alright?"

"Uh-oh, murderer-'Tavi's back. Better watch out, fillies and gentlecolts!" Vinyl warned an imaginary crowd as they left Tambourine's bedroom.

"What - what's that supposed to mean?" Octavia asked indignantly. 

"Oh, you just got that I'm-gonna-strangle-Vinyl-when-she-sleeps look on your face again. That's some scary shit, Octy."

"You have got to be kidding me."

"I've got to be? That's a shame. I didn't intend to be - oh, no, there it is again, I'd better run!"

"I can strangle you if you like, Vinyl," Octavia offered, reaching toward Vinyl's neck. "Playing the cello has made me quite strong, you know."

"Uh, no thanks, 'Tavi, I'm really good in that regard. You can just uh - gah, stop smiling like that it's creepy!"

"Oh, dear, are somepony scared? Poor little Vinyl Scratch, would you like a hug?"

Vinyl grinned hungrily. "Yes, please. But I'd rather buck."

Octavia rolled her eyes. "Ever the romantic one, eh, Vinyl? Couldn't you have at least waited until evening?"


Finally, CharmingChaos managed to procrastinate and not study for a bunch of tests that may or may not be happening tomorrow long enough to write another chapter. (2 chapters in 2 days, what has gotten into me?) Anyways, sorry if it's a little short, it's just because if I left that fight festering in my mind I would expect them to split up, and we can't have that, oh no, we have a whole ripping yarn (not) written in our head already and it involved them being together.
So, hope you enjoyed it, and I hope nopony is morally outraged with Tambourine's rotten timing (she has a hapit of walking in at just the wrong times) because honestly, I needed to fill up space. Also, I don't care. I thought it was funny.
> Rain, Rain, go away
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, as you all know, Nightmare Night is right around the corner, at least in this universe. 
I get to be Pinkie Pie for a night, squee!
I'm getting off topic. Anyways, what I'm getting at here is that the little demons in my head that urge me to stare at ponies and write silly little fanfics about them all day are very impatient, so I had to write the Nightmare Night chapter early. Also, Sonata finally decided to stop by and let me know if she's naughty or nice, so, yeah. 
I think I just successfully convinced anypony who wasn't already sure about it that I am completely insane. 
Meh. It's probably true anyway, may as well go along with it.
Potato-sheep, Saloons!
Oh, and this chapter is edited/proofread by the wonderful bronzewolf78, who innocently offered to proofread for me. He doesn't know what he's gotten into, but I still send him many hugs and thanks, because ponies.
All hugs are sent via DerpMail, EQ. The author is not responsible for any possible damage during the delivery. Apology muffins may be acquired.

Tambourine pressed her hooves against the window in the front room, staring out at the rain dripping depressingly out of the clouds. It was the night before Nightmare Night, and whereas on any other year she would be jumping up and down in excitement, the rain was, idiomatically, raining on her parade. 

Tambourine was disappointed by the weather because, as much as she usually disliked her little sister, the idea of her first Nightmare Might being ruined by a mucky storm was rather sad. 

"Mommy, is this icky rain gonna stay all the way until Nightmare Night?" she asked, turning away from the window to face Vinyl Scratch.

Said pony was sitting slumped in an armchair, ears hidden by enormous headphones, probably napping. Or trying to become deaf. That was always a possibility, too. 

Tambourine hopped off the sofa and trotted over to her. "Mommy? Are you awake?" She prodded Vinyl's tummy, enjoying the pillow-soft fur.

Vinyl Scratch snorted, knocking her headphones off her ears with a hoof.. "Huh? Wha - oh, yeah, Octy, I'm awake, I'm awake."

"But I'm not Mom, I'm Rine, Mommy. I asked you if you thought this mucky old rain is going to stay and ruin Gracie's first Nightmare Night," Tambourine climbed into Vinyl's lap, resting her chin on her mother's chest and looking up at her.

"Oh! Sorry 'bout that, Baby-kins." Vinyl Scratch patted her filly's head affectionately "I mean, you're grey, she's grey - what's with that look? I has half asleep anyways!"

"Well, is it?"

"Is what?" Vinyl frowned, confused.

"Is the rain going to stay and ruin Nightmare Night?" Tambourine repeated patiently. She was used to having to repeat things over and over again, especially when her mother had her headphones on.

"Oh. I don't know, Sweetie. Do I look like a pegasus to you?" Vinyl glanced backwards, pretending to look for her own missing wings.

Tambourine giggled. "No, mommy. You're a plain old unicorn, like me, silly."

"Oh," Vinyl pouted. "Too bad. I was looking forward to flying later."

"Now I know why Mom calls you ridiculous."

"Is that a nice comment or a mean one, Tamby?"

"A nice one," Tambourine assured her. "Mom and I need somepony to cheer us up with her silliness."

"Uh, thanks, I guess, Filly. Speaking of which, where is your mother?"

Tambourine blinked innocently. "What do you mean? You're sitting right here, in the orange armchair in the living room of 36 Trottingham Way, San Franciscolt, Equestria. I thought you knew that."

"Don't be cheeky, Tamby. Do you know where Octavia, my wife, your mother, and the current watcher of Grace Note is located at the moment?"

"You sound like Mom. And no, I don't. But I think she went to the store with Grace to get candy to give the foals tomorrow night. If it's not still raining, at least."

"Hey, cheer up, kiddo. It'll be fine. And thank you for finally giving me a straight answer. Now, why don't you run along and - oh, I don't know, do whatever you foals do nowadays - text Rose Bud, or Crimson, or something. I want to go back to sleep."

"Okay, fine. I'll be in the backyard on the swing - Rose isn't talking to me and Crimson's on vacation and the time is wrong. Night Mommy."

Vinyl levitated her discarded headphones from the floor and fitted them over her ears, settling back into her comfortable position and closing her eyes. 

The little voice in her head - Vinyl was pretty sure it was called her conscience - whispered at her that sleeping when she was supposed to be taking care of her daughter might not such an Octavia-approved idea. The worst part was that for some reason the nasty little bugger had taken on her wife's voice, as well. But Vinyl shrugged it off with the excuse that Tambourine was old enough to take care of herself. 


oOo


Octavia navigated the crowded supermarket with deft ease, pushing the cart through the hoards of ponies with one hoof and protecting the assorted groceries from her filly with the other. Grace Note was going through a chewing stage, it seemed, and at the moment she was busy reaching her little hooves out to grab and gnaw on anything she could reach. Which happened to be the shelved items at the store, such as packages of cereal and energy bars, random bottled drinks, and other, not exactly filly-safe things.

Octavia was, admittedly, rather proud of her abilities - she'd had a lot of experience over the years, considering Vinyl seemed to have an irrational fear of any sort of general housework, including shopping. The poor mare would either get distracted and leave the store without purchasing anything, or end up shouting random profanity at other customers in her way. There was that one time she ended up trying to play "extreme fruit ninja" in the produce aisle, when Vinyl had unpackaged a knife and requested random ponies to through produce at her. Octavia had to drag her away from a screaming mare who claimed it was an attempt on her life - but that was another story. 

"Excuse me, Ma'am," a soft voice startled Octavia, who was stopped in the middle of an aisle looking at her list. 

She scooted her cart over carefully, muttering, "Sorry," as the other mare brushed past her.

"Getting a bit preoccupied, are we?" A familiar voice said at Octavia's shoulder. "Really, Octavia dear, you must learn not to drift off like that. You've been married for ten years now, I think you can go for a moment without day-dreaming."

"Hello, Mother. What are you doing here? And I wasn't daydreaming, I was looking at my grocery list," Octavia sighed impatiently. Here we go again.

"Just checking up on you. How is everything? I suppose little Tambourine is looking forward to Nightmare Night tomorrow?"

"Yes, she is." Octavia turned the corner into the next aisle, not looking at the blue mare hurrying to keep up with her.

"And I see Grace Note is growing up to be an adorable little filly, as well. Why, I could just kidnap her - " Sonata stopped at Octavia's hard look.

"Did you really just say that?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't think - I don't want to - oh, good Celestia, I've ruined any possible trust I may have earned now, haven't I?"

Octavia nodded, frowning. "Uhuh."

"Listen, I'm sorry, Octavia. I can't believe I just said that."

Octavia smiled in a way that was only slightly murderous. "I think it might be good if you just left now, don't you?"

"...Yeah," Sonata backed away awkwardly, leaving a grimacing Octavia to finish her shopping.


oOo


"Well, that was awkward," Lyra trotted up the the still backing away Sonata.

"Yup."

"...Are you gonna do anything to make it up to her?"

"Nope."

"Do you want to tell me why?"

"Nope."

"Ummm..." Lyra tried to think of something else to say.

"I don't even know why I said that - it just sort of came out, you know? Oh, Celestia, Lyra. What am I going to do now?" Sonata turned to the green unicorn with tears in her eyes.

Lyra sighed, rubbing a hoof across her old client's back soothingly. "I-I'm sure you'll - I mean, we'll think of something, Sonata. I'll talk to BonBon tonight, okay? She's good at getting ponies to like her - maybe she can help."

Sonata shook her head. "No... don't do that. I don't want to intrude on your date."

"It's alright, really."

"No... no it isn't. You've already helped me more than I deserve. Just go, alright? I'll figure something out."

"If you're sure, Sonata..."

"I'm fine, Lyra, dear. Go and meet you're marefriend. I'll be fine."

"Well, alright..." Lyra sighed. "I'll see you tomorrow, alright. Goodnight, Sonata."
> Nightmare Night
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Now, I know it's the last period of the day, fillies and colts, and it is awfully hot out - this San Franciscolt weather is enough to drive a pony mad; raining one minute and sweltering the next -  and you're all looking forward to Nightmare night later on but you simply must listen," Miss Red Apple pleaded with her class. The tired fillies and lay in various wilted positions across their desks, all will to live drawn from them as they absently doodled or passed notes, anything to pass the time.

Tambourine blew her damp bangs from her face, glancing at the clock for the millionth time. She faded in and out of consciousness of her teacher's lesson, drawing mindless circles on her paper, optimistically titled "notes", though no such thing was being written on it.

"The great Griffonian War of the thirty-second year of the rule of Celestia may not seem very important to you now, but I guarantee, it is. We have to learn history, or else we'll just repeat it over and over, and Ponykind will get nowhere." Apple sighed in defeat, glancing at the clock. The day was going as slowly for her as it was for her students, so it seemed. "Alright. I suppose I must let you go. It's too hot to learn, anyways," she amended.

Chairs scraped and the chattering of young voices filled the classroom as the Second School students made a break for the door. 

In a metaphorical cloud of dust they were gone, leaving Tambourine, Half Note, and Rose Bud alone with their teacher. The three foals stood in awkward silence for Tambourine to finish packing her saddlebags. Note coughed quietly, shuffling his hooves impatiently and earning a glare from Rose Bud. 

Tambourine blushed hotly, wishing she wasn't so slow. Why didn't her magic work as well as she wanted it to when she was stressed? It wasn't fair.

At last Tambourine fitted all her books into her bag, and the three friends hurried out into the sunny afternoon.

As they walked out of the schoolhouse, Rose Bud poked Tambourine, her face bright with pent-up laughter. "Oh, Celestia, was that awkward! I can't believe she just sat there and watched us. Teachers are so weird."

Tambourine nodded, feeling sheepish.

"Hey, um, do you guys wanna stop at the ice cream place? My dad'll give it to us free, I think," Note huffed slightly, trotting to keep up with the two girls. His chubby body wasn't meant for hurrying. Or heat.

Tambourine hugged him impulsively. "Thank Celestia for friends who run ice cream shops. Of course, Notesy. I never turn down your dad's butter-pecan."

Rose nodded in agreement. "Me neither. Come on, race ya!" The coral-coloured filly trotted off with seemingly bottomless energy, looking puzzled when her two friends didn't take the chase. "What's up, guys? I thought we were gonna race."

Tambourine draped herself across Half Note's back dramatically, holding a hoof to her forehead as she stared at Rose upside-down. "It's too hot, Rosie. I feel faint."

Note rolled his shoulders, shoving Tambourine off his back gently. "Lay off it, 'Rine, do you think I'm a carriage?"

"Uh-huh," Tambourine giggled, trying to climb onto Note's back again. 

"So,Are we still meeting at Rina's house to go trick-or-treating? Or are you sun-sissies too weak from this dreadful heat?" Rose drew out the last phrase dramatically, pretending to swoon from exhaustion.

"Nah, we're cool." Tambourine slid back to her hooves. "You're gonna scare the costumes right off us, aren't ya?"

"Yup. You can count on that."

"What are you, anyways? I doubt it's gonna be that scary, you're Rosie."

"It's a se-ecret!" Rose said in a sing-song voice. "You'll see tonight. I'm gonna skip ice cream, I think. We've got some at home and Mom wants me to help in the garden today. I gotta scram."

"See ya, Rosie!" Tambourine called, waving as her pink friend trotted away. She swung a hoof around the shoulders of the grey-blue colt standing next to her. "Come on, Notesy, we got ice cream to eat!"


oOo


"So," Tambourine said to Rose Bud, running a comb through her hair again as she turned a bottle of Octavia's mascara in her magic. "You're being a vampire, right? I think Mommy has some kind of red makeup - maybe that will help. You know, make you look more bloody. And I know Mom has black - she wears it for concerts." She turned to her earth pony friend, who was in the middle of pulling the collar of her costume up. Tambourine giggled, straightening the edge of it with her magic. "You better be ready, Rosie, because I'm about to go fabulous on this costume!"

Rose Bud eyed her doubtfully, considering. The two fillies had locked themselves in the bathroom branching off the master bedroom, Tambourine being convinced they could improve their costumes with the help of her mothers' makeup.

It seemed like a good idea when they talked it over at recess, but now, Rose wasn't so sure. What if somepony caught them? Or Tambourine's moms said it wasn't okay? Celestia, that would be embarrassing. 

She shook her head, scolding herself for being such a chicken. "Okay, bring it on, Rina. I'm ready to be a bee!"

"Yeah!" Tambourine cheered randomly, feeling her usual holiday excitement bubble inside of her. She rummaged through Vinyl's side of the medicine cabinet and several drawers before coming up with a pinkish red powder in a small jar, holding it in the light triumphantly. "Okay, um, I think I've seen Mom put some kind of white cream first. I'll start with that. Close your eyes, Rose."

Rose Bud closed her eyes obligingly, unconsciously squeezing them shut as she felt the tip of Tambourine's hoof and something cold touch her lid. Tambourine finished the first layer and blew lightly to dry it. She sat back, looking satisfied.

"There. You can open your eyes for a minute. I have to find a brush."

Rose bud winked at her reflection, surveying the pale colour of her eyelid critically. "It's not gonna stay this colour, right?"

Of course not, silly," Tambourine emerged from having her face in a drawer with a tiny paintbrush. "Close your eyes again, I'm putting the red now."

The grey filly frowned in concentration as she smudged the powder over her friend's eyes. It was difficult to get them even, and Rose kept moving, which didn't exactly help, either. 

"Hey," the rusty voice of Half Note came through the door as he knocked lightly. "Are you guys almost finished? Luna's gonna be here in fifteen minutes - you don't want to miss her, do you?"

Tambourine smiled knowingly at Rose. "Boys, boys. They don't appreciate that we mares have to look nice before we can go out."

Rose Bud wriggled out from under Tambourine. "Actually, I don't want to miss seeing the Princess, either. This is the first year she's ever come to San Franciscolt, you know. Let me finish this, and then we can go."

"Fine," Tambourine huffed. She flapped her fabric wings experimentally with her magic, watching them in the mirror. Her own cheeks and eyelids glittered with silver and black sparkles, and her eyes were lined thickly in a greenish black, adding to the evil fairy look she was going for. "Just hurry up, will you? It's boring now that I don't have anything to do."

"I'm going faster then you were," Rose argued, swooping the soot-coloured brush over the second eye. She had to admit, having a prissy older sister did have its good side. 

At last the were ready. Tambourine unhooked the latch and they stepped out to meet miniature pirate Note, who was watching the minutes tick by on his pocket watch. 

He looked up. "Took you long enough. Do you girls have to take so long getting ready for everything?"

Tambourine scowled. "No. But we want to look pretty."

"You guys looked fine before. Now... well, you kinda give me the idea of clowns," Note looked apologetic.

"Hmph. Don't listen to him, Rina, he doesn't get it. We should go, though. Don't want to miss the Scaring."

The three foals tumbled toward the door, but Vinyl stopped them, throwing up a magical barricade before they could escape.

"Hold on there, kiddos. I have a couple warnings before we go."

"We?" Tambourine raised her eyebrows sulkily. "I'm nine years old, Mommy. Can't we go by ourselves?"

"No," Octavia walked into the room, a bat-shaped Grace Note gurgling on her back. "Listen to your mother, Tamby-cat."

"Anyways, here are the rules. Don't get foalnapped, stay by me - if you escape Octy will have a panic attack and we all know that wouldn't end well for anypony. Also, don't eat everything you get - we mommies deserve some, too. And, lastly - "

knock, knock, knock

"Oh, trick-or-treaters already! I'll get it," Octavia grabbed a bowl of candy and opened the door. "Good evening, chil - Mother? What are you doing?"

"I came to ask you something, Octavia. Listen, I know you don't trust me, but that hurts, and I would really, honestly, like to earn back your trust. I don't want my grandfoals to grow up hating me. I know, I deserve it, but... please, Octavia. You have to believe that this isn't the way I'd like it to be."

"And, your point is...?"

"I'd like to chaperone the foals tonight. It's my last week here before I go back to Canterlot, and I'd like to believe I've made some progress."

"Why should I believe you aren't trying to foalnap them? This isn't just my own filly we're talking about, it's also the foals of two of my close friends. How can I be certain you're sincere?"

Sonata took Octavia's hoof, looking pleadingly into her eyes. "Please, Octavia. If anything goes wrong I will admit it was my fault gladly and be toted off to jail, I promise. I just... want to say I've met my grandfilly more then in passing."

Octavia sighed, letting her cheeks puff out in an annoyed huff. "Very well. But if anything happens to them, I'll kill you."

"And I will take the blame fully, without complaint. I'll do anything, Octavia. I don't want to say that I've lived my life without grandfoals simply because I made a mistake."

"Go. Be back by nine," Octavia said rigidly, kissing her foal's hair. "Tambourine, have fun, and don't eat too much candy."

The grey mare watched with an iron look on her face as the three foals trotted off happily in front of their caretaker. Vinyl, standing next to her, drew her hoof in soothing little circles in Octavia's fur, looking concerned.

Follow them," Octavia said softly. "Make sure nothing happens to my baby."

"I'm sure she'll be fine, Octy."

"Please," Octavia said. "Just keep her safe. I don't... I can't trust that mare."

"But..."

"Follow them."

Vinyl Scratch left the house, mulling over the odd, panicky look in her wife's eyes as she walked down the crowded street. A brief glow of her horn, and Vinyl had the three foals and Sonata marked in her mind, as is the city were a little map, and their whereabouts were a glowing beacon on that map.

Meanwhile, at home, Octavia had wandered into the bathroom, where she was staring forlornly at her reflection. She didn't understand why she felt the way she did. But it seemed seeing Sonata threw her into a sort of unexplainable panic. Octavia found herself doing and saying things that she wouldn't dare otherwise, but most often she regretted them afterwards.

"I'm a wreck, Gracie-Bee, I can;t even face my own mother," she told the filly sitting on her back. "What am I going to do?"

Grace Note cooed some profound thought in foal-talk, thoughtfully chewing on a strand of Octavia's hair.

Octavia gently pulled the hair away from her daughter. "I can't even face my own mother. I shooed my wife out of the house to follow her because I thought she was going to kill my filly. She probably thinks I'm insane. Not exactly wrong, is she? Here I am, discussing this with my reflection and a foal not even a year old. I've gone mad, Grace." Octavia shook her head sadly. "Your old Mom's cracked at last."

"No, you haven't," a voice from the doorway made Octavia turn from the mirror.

"Oh, it's you. Vin', what are you doing here? I thought you were out on my crazy mission to stalk my potentially evil mother."

"Yeah, well, I came back to tell you that... I think she's being honest about this. I have a tracking spell on her just in case, but so far all she's done is take them from house to house like a normal pony on Nightmare Night."

"I'm glad I don't want to mistrust her like this. The trouble is, I just can't. I don't know..."

"I understand. But... I think she really just wants to know her grandfillies. Give her a chance." "Vinyl grinned, her glasses, tinted red, orange, and black for Nightmare Night, falling lopsided on her face, revealing one red eye comically.

"I'll try," Octavia looked contrite. "But it's just so hard..."

Vinyl paused, staring at their reflections for a moment. "She's dying, you know. That's why she came back."

"What?"

"A unicorn without her horn isn't an earth pony, surely you know that. She didn't say anything, and it doesn't show, but I know. All that magic that she can't use is pent up inside her now - it's eating her up from the inside out. Why do you think they cut off unicorns' horns as torture in the second and third centuries of the Lunar Banishment? It's a fairly painful process, or so I've heard. She's a brave mare to face it like this - but she's determined not to lose you. You have to help her."

"I... I had no idea." Octavia said softly. "I feel terrible now. What am I going to do?"

"You acted normally under the circumstances. You had no way of knowing all that - it takes going to an all unicorn school to learn of the Unicorn Hunts. They are kept secret for... reasons I'd rather not explain."

"You're very sweet to say so. But I still feel terrible. My own mother is dying... no wonder she didn't seem at all bothered when I threatened her... I threatened her! Vinyl, I'm a terrible pony! What am I going to do?"

Vinyl hugged Octavia tightly, feeling Grace Note climb onto her back. "You can apologize when they come home. Or, tomorrow. It's gonna be fine."

"Thank you," Octavia pulled away slightly to look at Vinyl. "Promise me you'll never lose your horn. If you do, I don't know what I'll do, now that I know what will happen."

"Don't worry," Vinyl kissed Octavia's cheek softly. "It's not something any unicorn plans."

"Good," Octavia said quietly. "Do you think we should go outside? I feel bad... I don't want Gracie's first Nightmare Night to be spent inside."

"Let's go, then. Just, try to cheer up, okay? This is a holiday. Try to have some fun, Octy."

Octavia smiled and nuzzled Vinyl's neck. "I'll try. Let's go, I want to be home when Mother brings Tamby."
> Stunning Performance
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Mommy?" Tambourine tugged her mother's electric blue mane impatiently, then mentally kicked herself for performing the foalish action.

She was following Vinyl Scratch through a crowded hall, full of fancily dressed ponies drinking wine and talking merrily. The red-and-gold-and-chandeliers theme of the music hall overwhelmed Tambourine a bit, as did the noise. She had never been to either of her mothers' concerts, and at this point Tambourine was wondering if all the years of begging were worth it.

She tugged at Vinyl's hair again, dodging a stallion in a grey suit carrying a strange beeping device who seemed to urgently need to go in the opposite direction as she. "Mommy, where are we going? When does it start? Can I get a juice, I'm thi-i-irsty!"

Finally Vinyl stopped at a big door flanked by ushers and turned to face her impatient filly.

"Jeez, kid, don't you ever run out of questions?" She ruffled Tambourine's mane affectionately. "We're gonna go in and sit - Octy'll start playing in about - " she glanced at an enormous clock on the wall - "twenty minutes."

"Okay. But can I get something to drink first?"

"No. They only sell alcohol here," Vinyl lied. "You can have water. There's a fountain right over there," She pointed toward the fillies' room.

"But Mum always lets m - "

"You can have water."

"Ugh. Fine. You're mean, Mommy." Tambourine walked halfway to the drinking fountain before turning around and coming back.

"Changed your mind?" Vinyl Scratch raised one eyebrow at Tambourine quizzically.

"I wasn't thirsty anyways," Tambourine mumbled.

"Good girl. Come on, lets find our seats."

An usher glanced at their tickets before hoofing them a pamphlet with a picture of Octavia and the rest of her orchestra on the 
front before leading them to their seats near the front of the theatre.

Tambourine flipped through the pamphlet boredly, rearranging the overly glamorous pink dress that Vinyl had insisted she wear around her. She read the little note next to the picture of Octavia out loud in a whisper, wondering who had written it.

"Octavia Philharmonica played lead cellist for the Canterlot Royal Symphony for six years before moving to San Franciscolt and joining the San Franciscolt Symphony.
She has played the cello and the viola for all of her life, and she loves her instruments almost as much as her wife and two daughters.

"Hmph. I think she loves them more sometimes." Tambourine observed.

"That's not true, Tamby. She just practices a lot." Vinyl chided her daughter.

"You guys both spend more time making music then with me," Tambourine pouted.

"All grownups spend more time at work then they'd like."

"I won't. I'm going to write songs as a hobby and not ever work, because it sounds terrible and Rose said her mom told her that almost every job has math in it."

"Well, you'd better marry a prince or something then," Vinyl observed drily.

"Why not a princess?"

"Because there are only three of those that I know of, and one is married and the other two are over a thousand years old."

"Oh," Tambourine shut the pamphlet with a snap.
"Okay."
A dark blue stallion with a bow tie and a snooty expression stepped in front of the curtain and the audience clopped their hooves loudly.
"Fillies and Gentlecolts, welcome to the twenty-third annual San Franciscolt Symphony Winter Concert here in the Lunar Hall. I am pleased to present to you some of the finest classical musicians in Equestria..."

He went on in a long rant about the beauty of classical music and the prowess of their symphony (bested only by Canterlot's own), but neither Tambourine nor Vinyl were really listening.

Vinyl Scratch crunched quietly through a bag of chips she'd somehow managed to smuggle in, to the disgust of the uppity ponies around her. She didn't care about this conductor's speech, but when the curtains opened, she put away the obnoxious 
snack and leaned forward on her seat to listen.

Tambourine settled deeper into the over-stuffed cushion she sat on, tucking in her forehooves like a cat, even though she knew they would fall asleep. Vinyl had warned her about the length of the performance, and Tambourine decided that she may as well be comfortable.


oOo


Octavia stood perfectly still in her place on the stage. Her cello rested on her shoulder, heavy but comfortable.

As the curtain opened she adopted her customary passive frown, a look she was famous for but seldom used offstage. The silence in the huge room flooded her ears, accentuating the pounding of blood through her veins. A few coughs and shuffling of ponies in the audience was all that interrupted it.

She wasn't exactly nervous - this was all exactly as it should be, exactly as it always was - but rather... excited? No, she was too calm for that word. Odd, it never seemed to describe her, but her wife seemed to never be without her trademark excitement.

Perhaps it was all built-up character, she thought, but somehow Octavia felt she had never been much for excitement even before she became her musical image.

Then the conductor tapped his baton lightly and she heard the violins start. A moment later Octavia and the other two cellists 
would have to begin. She let go of her rather philosophical train on thought and drew her bow across the strings, drawing out the first note.

Vinyl watched in silence as the music flowed through her mind. Her eyes never left the grey mare onstage as the hour drew out. She was momentarily distracted by a weight on her shoulder, but it was only Tambourine. The little filly had fallen asleep with her hooves still holding onto the flyer, which gently slipped to the floor.


oOo


Vinyl hefted the sleeping Tambourine onto her back and made her way through the ponies slowly filing out of the concert hall. 

A glare at the security guard and she passed backstage, where she was greeted with the rustling and zipping of instruments being packed away, as well as the soft dry whispers of the polite, proper ponies packing them.

She craned her neck, feeling out of place among the solemnly colored "classies" as she tried to spot her wife. Octavia was near the back of the room, apart from the others, silently loosening her bow with loving care.

Vinyl sidled up to her, standing silently for a moment. After a while, Octavia looked up at her, a tired but happy expression on her face.

"Hey," Vinyl said, almost shyly. She still didn't feel at ease around Octavia's co-workers.

"Hello Vinyl," Octavia replied, smiling slightly. She continued to pack her instrument, her tail absently brushing Vinyl's leg with gentle affection.

"You did well out there. Tambourine... well, she liked it while she was awake."

Octavia stroked her filly's head with a hoof before going back to struggling with the zipper of the cello's soft case. "Well, it's late for such a small filly."

"She isn't that little any more, you know, Octy." Vinyl sent a tendril of magic to aid Octavia with the zipper. She nuzzled her mane briefly before pulling away.

Octavia sighed. "Thanks. I know she's growing up but... I just wish she wouldn't, you know?"

"You have Grace. She'll be little for a whole lot longer."

"True. I guess you're right, I should stop being sentimental. I always get this way when I'm tired."

Vinyl Scratch put a hoof over Octavia's shoulder, careful not to disturb Tambourine, who was still asleep on her back. "Well, we can go home as soon as you're ready, and you can get some rest."

"I can't wait," Octavia yawned ungracefully and leaned her head against Vinyl's neck.

"A-hem," a polite cough interrupted the moment. Both mares turned to face the sound.

Standing framed by dusty light from the hanging lamp was a pale-haired pony with a sorry expression in her golden eyes, her tail curled almost shyly around one leg.

"H-hello," she said softly, her quiet, musical voice audible despite the various other sounds in the room. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but... your performance tonight was wonderful. I'm glad I came."

"Lyra?" Octavia looked shocked.
The pony nodded. "Yes, it's me. I wanted to say... well, I'm sorry I treated you so horribly. I guess I've always been kind of jealous of you, living your dream as a musician, and all."

"I really - I don't know what to say. I don't know, Lyra."

"Bonbon was shocked when she found out how long we'd been fighting. She's such a gentle pony, she didn't like to think anypony hated us."

The cream mare stepped out from behind a curtain, smiling warmly, and leaned up against Lyra like an affectionate cat.

"We just moved here from Ponyville to get away from some hostile ponies who had the wrong ideas about us," Bonbon explained. "Our house is just down the street from here. It would make Lyra and me so happy if you would join us for dinner some time, our treat. We both think we owe you an apology."

"You know, thanks, but no thanks." Vinyl said, stepping in front of Octavia. "We moved here from Canterlot to get away from ponies like you - we didn't mean for you to follow us. So, just leave us alone, okay? I think I speak for Octavia too when I say we've had enough."

"What? No, Vin', wait!" Octavia frowned at her wife. "They came to apologize. You don't need to fight them."  She gestured at the sleeping filly on Vinyl's back. "Unfortunately we have a foalsitter waiting at home with our other daughter, and Tambourine is asleep, but I think the dinner is a wonderful idea."

Vinyl glared. "You don't have to do this, Tav'. Why forgive them after all Lyra's done to you?"

"Why not? I think she means well, and this argument has been weighing on my conscience for years. I think it'll be good to put it behind us."

"I don't know, 'Tavi... I don't trust her. She worked against us to try and take away our foal, for pony's sake! Do you really think she's worth your time?"

Octavia nodded. "I do, Vinyl. I really do. Thank you for coming, Lyra. I appreciate it more then you might expect."

Lyra nodded silently and led Bonbon away, disappearing through the door into the thinning crowd of ponies in the lobby. Vinyl watched them with a hard look on her face.

"You're too trusting, Octy. She didn't deserve that."

Octavia merely nuzzled her softly. "If I wasn't so trusting I would have run away from your house as fast as possible after that first night and never come back, Vinyl. And then where do you think we'd be?"