The sun was just sliding below the horizon by the time Vinyl and Scootaloo finally made their way back home. The unicorn pushed open the front door and gently nudged the little filly into the house. "I told you not to eat all of those muffins in one sitting."

Scootaloo could only groan in reply as she stumbled into the foyer, a distinctly distressed expression on her face and her wings hanging limply at her sides. Her belly was slightly distended, evidence of her overindulgence in Pinkie's unique masterpieces. The bouncy party pony had in fact recently finished several batches of her famous muffins, and insisted on doubling the pair's order despite Vinyl's insistence that she only wanted to buy six.

"Well, let's make it a baker's half dozen, then!" she had exclaimed with unflagging enthusiasm.

Vinyl raised an eyebrow at her. "Wouldn't that be...seven, then?"

Pinkie burst out laughing, as though this was a ridiculous suggestion. "Seven! You can't have seven muffins, silly!" She had then packed twelve muffins into a bag and dropped it in front of the perplexed unicorn, sweeping her money into a hoof and then shooing the two out of the bakery, which was still busy enough--and now filled with a completely different group of ponies--for them to escape without further incident. Scootaloo had been unable to resist sampling their spoils as soon as they'd left the bakery, and by the time they trotted around the corner and onto the street where they lived, the little pegasus had managed to eat five of the twelve, and her previously elated face had slowly fallen to 'uncomfortable' and was now hovering between 'regretful' and 'ill'.

Vinyl smiled wanly as she shooed the little filly back towards the bathroom. "Go get ready for bed. I'll put the sheets back on the couch." Scootaloo nodded very shallowly as she trudged down the hallway towards the bathroom. Vinyl hummed quietly to herself as her horn flared to life, snapping the sheets smooth and stretching them across the mattress as she fluffed the pillows with her hooves. The faint sounds of nighttime preparations echoed down the hallway for a few moments, then she heard Scootaloo come back down the hall and into the room. She didn't speak, her face still grimacing slightly as Vinyl helped her up into bed and pulled the sheets up to her neck. The unicorn nuzzled her gently and turned out the lights. "Night, kid. If you need anything, just give me a shout, alright?" The little pegasus' eyes were already closed, but she nodded lightly anyway. Vinyl left her to recover from her muffin binge.

The unicorn trotted down the hall, sticking her head into the kitchen to see if Octavia was there or in the dining room. She wasn't, so the ivory mare checked the next most likely location, her practice room. She fully expected to see the earth pony crouched over a piece of music, feverishly stabbing at the notes with a pencil clenched in her teeth as she struggled to make the music in her head appear on the ledger paper on her desk. But the room was empty, save for the large double bass, cello, and other smaller stringed instruments placed carefully in cases and stands around a single music stand in the middle of the room with dozens of sheets of music on it. A small lamp clipped to the stand put off a subdued glow, illuminating the hoof-written music underneath in an almost quaint fashion. Tavi, however, was not there, which puzzled the unicorn somewhat. Surely she had returned from her errands by now. Their home was not particularly large, though, so the remainder of her search was relatively short, and the unicorn finally found her mate in their bedroom, lying facedown on the bed. "Tavi? You okay?" she asked tentatively.

The earth pony groaned softly in response, but didn't move. Concerned, Vinyl closed the door behind her and trotted over to join her on the bed. "What's wrong, hun?"

The silver mare grunted and turned to face her. "I ate too much pie..."

Vinyl blinked. "Come again?"

"At the Apples...I stayed for lunch...and then dinner...and dessert..." She groaned again. "It was so good...but now..." She sighed heavily and put her face back into the pillow.

The unicorn giggled softly, running a hoof through the other mare's mane. "Aw...I'm sorry, sweetie. Anything I can do for you?"

"I'm alright," Octavia muttered, barely audible through the fabric of the pillow. "I just need some rest." A few moments of silence passed as Vinyl continued stroking her marefriend's mane gently. Then, Octavia said, "Vy?"

"Yes, Tavi?"

"Could you...could you rub my back a little?" Her voice, already muffled by the pillow, was made even quieter by her embarrassment in asking for a backrub like a little filly.

Vinyl giggled. "Of course." She climbed up and over her mate, straddling the other mare's hips and careful to avoid putting any unnecessary pressure on her stomach. With ease born of practice and tenderness born of love, she began to stroke her hooves up and down Octavia's back, feeling the muscles give way beneath her light touch as the earth pony sighed again, this time with a distinct air of pleasure and relief. Octavia was a physically affectionate pony, the result of a relatively aloof relationship with her parents. Although she'd never admit or show it to anyone, she loved holding hooves, cuddling, grooming, and--most embarrassingly for a grown pony--backrubs. "There is nothing," she had told Vinyl under duress, "more relaxing, more pleasant...or more...sexy...than a backrub." This admission, particularly the quietest part at the end that brought a faint pink tinge to the earth pony's cheeks and forced her to look away, had given Vinyl a fit of the giggles, which had incensed Octavia somewhat, but the unicorn had managed to assuage her with a kiss and a promise to indulge her little obsession as often as possible--but only in the privacy of their home.

As a result, she had gotten rather good at it; she wasn't exactly a masseuse like one of the Blossom sisters, but she knew all of Octavia's favorite spots, all her pressure points, and just how hard she wanted Vinyl to press. Tonight, Octavia's full, round stomach and occasional groans of discomfort suggested she would rather Vinyl didn't press down at all, so she simply ran her hooves gently across her marefriend's coat, letting the contact itself provide the comfort Octavia was seeking. A small smile flitted across Octavia's lips, and Vinyl knew she was doing it right.

After half an hour or so, Octavia seemed to relax, and she sighed lightly, apparently no longer feeling unwell. Vinyl didn't stop her ministrations, but did increase the force a little, leaning into the other pony's back and feeling the muscles roll and soften beneath her hooves. Taking advantage of Octavia's obvious contentment, Vinyl decided it was time to discuss Scootaloo again. "So..." she started.

"Did you oversleep?" Octavia interrupted her in a tone so nonchalant that Vinyl wondered for a moment if she'd heard the other mare correctly.

"Did I...what?"

"Oversleep," Octavia repeated, her eyes still closed and her head still resting on the pillow with a dreamy expression of contentment. "I noticed last night that your stereo was running low on magic, and it was dead when I got home tonight. Did it last long enough to wake you up this afternoon?"

"No! No, of course...I mean," she faltered and stopped rubbing, looking down at her hooves as her face flushed with embarrassment. "I mean, yeah. I did. Oversleep, that is."

A look of grim disappointment flickered across Octavia's face, and the smile disappeared. "By how much?"

"Um...two...hours."

The earth pony sighed heavily, her back rising and falling beneath Vinyl's motionless hooves. "Vinyl..."

"No, you don't have to say it," the unicorn said miserably. "I know, I need to be more responsible, I need to focus and take things more seriously, I need to grow up and start acting my age...I'm sorry. I really meant to, but I've been so busy, and--"

"Vy..." Octavia's voice was quiet, but still managed to silence Vinyl's babbling. "You're not rubbing anymore." Vinyl dutifully started stroking her marefriend's silver pelt again as Octavia continued. "Vinyl, I know you've been busy, and I know you've been tired. You're right, you do need to be more responsible...but I should have mentioned it to you last night or this morning. I'm sorry, sweetie."

"You're sorry?" Vinyl blanched. "Why are you sorry? I should've gotten up on time, I should've recharged my stereo...I should've been a better...mother...for Scootaloo." She tripped over the last words because she hadn't meant to say them at all. She hadn't even really thought the words before she heard them coming out of her own head, and the instant she did, she blushed deeply, mortified to admit something so overt and ridiculous, even to her marefriend.

Octavia didn't visibly react. "Even so, you shouldn't worry about it." Octavia opened one large violet eye a sliver and looked back at Vinyl. "Besides, you aren't her mother."

The blush deepened further. "Um...yeah, about that..." Vinyl coughed theatrically as she redoubled her efforts at massaging her mate's back. "I was just thinking...I mean, I know we discussed it a little last night, and I know you weren't exactly sold on the idea, but..."

"Vy," Octavia said again, still in that demure, arresting tone of voice. Vinyl pushed on anyway, determined to state her case before Octavia could shut her down.

"Hear me out, okay? Just let me explain. I know we just met her and all, and we've only been taking care of her for a day, but really, how much time does she have? I mean, she's been living on her own for a while, and she's not exactly doing great, you know?"

"Vy, I--"

"And what's the point of letting her live here if we're not going to actually adopt her? Isn't that sort of mean, to lead her on like that without ever taking that step? I know we're not in the best position, financially or anything, to be adopting a filly, but you know we've talked about trying to get pregnant before, and this is even better, isn't it?"

"I'm not--"

"I know, I know, I'm probably being rash and a little irresponsible, but you can't possibly tell me you don't die a little inside, just looking into her eyes and knowing she hasn't got anyone else in the world except us!" Vinyl was getting into her rant now, leaning back and gesturing wildly with her hooves. She was used to being told 'no' by her marefriend, because of the two of them, Octavia was substantially more rational and responsible. Octavia knew the difference between one of Vinyl's passing fascinations and something that was really important to her. She rarely denied Vinyl something she desperately wanted, but the unicorn wasn't taking any chances this time. She had to make Octavia realize how important this was. "Please, Tavi...you have to understand...she needs us." Vinyl hadn't really intended to cry while she was making her point, but the tears welled up on their own anyway, hot and stinging with frustration she couldn't really explain. "Please..."

Octavia was quiet for a minute or so. Vinyl sniffed and swiped at the tears on her cheeks, angry at herself for letting her emotions get away from her and make her look silly, especially now when she needed to look rational and responsible. When the earth pony between her legs heaved an enormous sigh and looked back at her, eyes half-lidded, Vinyl held her breath, terrified that her mate was about to refuse. "Vinyl," she said, "I do understand. I understand...maybe more completely than even you do." She struggled to roll over on the bed, and Vinyl adjusted her perch so she was straddling her earth pony mate's belly now, the two mares looking each other in the eye. "I spent a lot of time talking to some ponies around town today, you know."

Vinyl nodded, her stomach still squirming uncomfortably as she waited for Octavia's verdict. "I know...I only got to talk to a couple, but both of them were...worried about her. Tavi, we might be her last chance. You know why she was downtown, right?" She didn't wait for Octavia to answer. "She was chased there. Chased, by an adult. Someone who should be trying to take care of her, to save her from having to take care of herself, and he just..." She struggled to maintain her composure, a lump rising in the back of her throat. "Tavi...we--"

"We're adopting her," Octavia said firmly, silencing her marefriend.

"W--really?" Vinyl's face lit up at Octavia nodded, a small smile creeping onto her lips.

"Of course. You're absolutely right, Vinyl, we very well may be her last chance, and she may very well need us, but that's not why. We're going to adopt her because we need her. Look at yourself, sweetie. I know you get attached and emotional easily, but this is the most upset I've ever seen you about anything, and it wasn't even because I had said 'no'. The mere thought that I might say 'no' has you in tears. That says a lot to me." She smiled and shook her head slightly. "Vinyl, I daresay you've fallen in love with this little filly. And I must admit...I've grown rather fond of her myself." The mare reached up and took Vinyl's hooves in hers, holding them gently. "It'll be a big step, you know. There's a lot more to raising a filly than just playing games with her all the time."

Vinyl thought back over the past several hours and nodded. "Yeah...I know." She smiled. "I'm really looking forward to it, though. I know it'll be tough, but that's half the fun, right?"

Octavia snorted lightly. "I'm not sure 'fun' is the right word for it, but yes, I suppose so." The mare brought one of Vinyl's hooves to her lips and kissed it gently. "You know...I can't think of another mare I'd rather raise a filly with than you."

The unicorn blushed crimson as she smirked, leaning forward to kiss her mate on the muzzle and wrap her arms around her shoulders, pressing their bodies together. "And I can't think of another mare who'd be willing to try."

The next morning started much earlier than either pony had been expecting as a sudden fierce rapping startled them from their slumber. Octavia, more used to waking early than her partner, shook her head and slowly extracted herself from Vinyl's cuddling embrace, rolling out of bed with a wide yawn. "Coming," she mumbled groggily as the offending noise repeated and she realized it was originating at the front door.

"Whazzamatta" Vinyl opened one eye and grumbled from between the sheets. The earth pony nuzzled her gently.

"Don't worry about it; I'll be right back." The unicorn nodded and closed her eye again as Octavia slowly trudged out of the bedroom and down the hallway. Glancing into the living room, she noticed Scootaloo was also awake, blinking sleepily and rubbing her eyes as she sat up in her bed. "Go back to sleep, sweetie; it's just somepony at the door." The little pegasus didn't immediately obey, watching as the older mare leaned on the door handle and pulled it inwards to reveal three ponies standing on the doorstep. She recognized the one in the middle--hoof still raised and about to knock again--as Mayor Mare, the longtime elected governor of Ponyville. Though relatively young, the mayor was a keen administrator, and had been running the little town quite smoothly for several years, ever since taking over from the previous mayor. She had been hoof-picked from several other hopefuls, all of whom possessed some variety of government-related special talent, as the most able candidate for the job, and the voting public of Ponyville had overwhelmingly agreed. Today, she was about to put those talents to the test.

"Miss Philharmonica, I presume?" the mayor asked with a cheerful voice and a genuine smile that didn't quite hide a hint of something less...pleasant in her expression. Octavia nodded, her brain still slowly grinding into function from a dead sleep. "Terribly sorry to have to wake you so early, but I'm afraid there is an...issue that simply cannot wait."

"Issue?" Octavia repeated, her mind still not quite up to speed yet.

"Yes, you see...oh, but where are my manners. I'm Mayor Mare, the, well, mayor of Ponyville." She smiled wanly, as though this particular play on words didn't occur every time she introduced herself to anypony. "This is Carrot Cake," she gestured to the lanky yellow stallion to her right, his short orange mane for once not corralled by his short cylindrical baking cap. The confectioner didn't look at Octavia, but inclined his head slightly at the sound of his name. "And this is Bumble Bee." The lead-colored stallion with a close-cropped ash-colored mane and stunning emerald eyes dipped his head in greeting, his face mostly expressionless.

Octavia nodded shallowly, a quiet alarm ringing somewhere in the back of her head. "How do you do."

"Quiet well, thank you," the charcoal pony said. His voice was smooth but firm, and immediately evoked memories of the voice her father used to use when he disciplined her, usually with sentences that began, "I'm not mad, just disappointed..." Her stomach sank unpleasantly at the sound. Carrot Cake didn't respond at all.

Mayor Mare smiled again, still not quite masking...something. Something unpleasant. Was it anger? Sadness? "Miss Philharmonica," the beige earth pony said again, "are you familiar with a young pegasus named Scootaloo?"

The silver mare's stomach suddenly tightened and any remaining vestiges of tiredness vanished instantly. "Yes, I am." She contemplated sharing more, but something told her that would be unwise. "Why?" she asked instead.

"I've been told she may be living here with you. Is that true?"

"Yes," Octavia said again, her hackles rising slightly. There weren't many places this conversation could go, and none of them were good. She was immediately on the defensive. A quiet clopping sound behind her revealed that Vinyl had resisted the urge to doze off again and was now standing behind her, listening intently to the conversation. Octavia silently willed the normally verbose unicorn to keep her mouth shut for once. Incredibly, she seemed to sense her mate's consternation and held her tongue.

"I see," Mayor Mare said, nodding. "Can I speak to her, please?"

"No." Octavia's eyes narrowed coldly. "You can speak to me, and I can speak to her, but I'm afraid I can't allow you to talk to her yourself. You understand," she said, her mouth tightening defiantly.

"I see..." she repeated, sighing. "Very well. Mr. Cake has been issuing complaints for some time now about young Scootaloo, ranging from simple loitering to outright theft. I have--" she said, holding up a hoof to silence Octavia's outraged response before it could start, "--seen no evidence to suggest any of this is true, despite Mr. Cake's insistence, and in speaking with other interested parties, including Miss Pie, I suspect that while his complaints may hold some merit, the primary issue is not that Scootaloo is troublesome in her own right, but rather that there seems to be no easily accessible guardian to speak to."

"So?" Octavia couldn't resist interjecting. "There is now, so speak."

"It isn't that simple, Miss Philharmonica. You see, when Mr. Cake first brought these problems to my attention, I went in search of Scootaloo's parents, so I could discuss it with them, but of course I'm sure you know that...well, Scootaloo's parents are unavailable."

"Yes, she may have mentioned something to that effect. Your point, Miss Mare?" Octavia said, frustration and impatience leaking into her voice as she tried to hide the fear slowly rising in the back of her throat. She had a nasty suspicion she knew why Bumble Bee was here...

Mayor Mare sighed heavily, trying to maintain her composure. "My point, Miss Philharmonica, is that when I couldn't find them, I did some more research and eventually was put in contact with Mr. Bee, who provided the missing piece of the puzzle." She glanced at the grey stallion next to her. "You see, Mr. Bee is the patron of an orphanage in Baltimare, and he--"

"No."

Mayor Mare blinked. "I'm...sorry?"

"No," Octavia repeated, her voice shaking slightly as she fought to contain her emotions. Behind her, Vinyl was having a much harder time, quietly whispering to herself, "Oh, no, oh Celestia, no...not now..." Her voice grew quieter as she stumbled into the living room, sitting next to Scootaloo on the bed. The little filly was still sitting silently on the bed. Her eyes were wide and scared, but she had yet to speak. Octavia ignored her as best she could, knowing she couldn't afford to let her emotions get the better of her. "I know exactly what you're about to say, and the answer is quite unequivocally no. You may not take her from us, and that's quite final." She went to shut the door, but the leaden stallion was suddenly in the doorway, one hoof easily preventing her from closing it.

"Excuse me, Miss Philharmonica." The smile he hitched onto his face sent an ugly chill down Octavia's spine. "I'm afraid it's just not that simple. You see, as a former resident of my foals' home, Scootaloo is technically in my charge."

"Yes, I know she is," Octavia deadpanned, meeting the stallion's eyes with a steely, half-lidded glare. "She has mentioned as much, you see, and according to her, it wasn't exactly a highlight of her life."

Bumble Bee shrugged shallowly. "As well it shouldn't be. No foal should be an orphan, but unfortunately such things happen with terrible regularity. In any event, I'm in the...business, as it were, of making sure they find suitable homes. I would be abandoning that goal if I were to simply allow anypony to take my foals in because they found them on the street."

"We did not find her, she chose to come home with my marefriend. We're taking perfectly good care of her, and if you try--"

"Miss Philharmonica," the stallion said quietly, "I don't think you understand. I'm not 'trying' anything. I'm here to take her back to the home with me, and nothing you do or say will do anything but make that harder for everypony involved."

"No!" Vinyl shouted, suddenly behind her marefriend again and struggling to get past her onto the stoop. "You will not take her from us! She's our daughter, do you understand? Ours!"

"Vinyl," Octavia said, struggling to hold the furious unicorn back as the ivory mare fought to get by, most likely intent on attacking the calm, emotionless stallion in front of her. "You're not helping."

"Not...help...but Tavi! He wants--"

"I know!" Octavia shouted, closing her eyes against the tears of anger and fear gathering in the corners. "I know," she repeated, softer now. "But getting into a fight with him doesn't help anyone...least of all her." She forced her marefriend to look her in the eyes. "Go take care of Scootaloo."

"But--"

"Vinyl!" Octavia said firmly. "She needs one of us. Go." Vinyl looked for a moment like she wanted to keep arguing, but then she glanced into the living room and smiled wanly.

"Yeah...yeah. Hey, kid, don't worry, Tavi'll get everything sorted out, alright?" The unicorn finally left Octavia in peace and trotted heavily into the living room, taking a seat next to the filly again.

Out of the corner of her eye, Octavia could see Scootaloo's tear-streaked face, the eyes wide with fear and the blankets pulled up to her chin. Again, the earth pony tried to shut it out, still fighting to keep her composure. "When you say...take her back..."

"To the foals' home, yes. In Baltimare."

"If I may ask...why, exactly?"

The stallion shrugged again. "Well, she's been missing for some time, but she is still technically a charge of the Baltimare Foals' Home, and we can't simply write her off. We've been searching for her ever since--"

"Obviously not very hard," Octavia snapped, unconsciously baring her teeth. "You know she's been living here on scraps and hiding in a shack ever since she escaped your 'foals' home', right?"

"I did not, but--"

"I see," Octavia interrupted him. "So you never thought to extend your search out this far, did you? Ponyville's a little too small, a little too rustic to pay any attention to, huh?"

"Ponyville," the stallion said, sighing in exasperation, "is a very long way from Baltimare. We honestly didn't think she could have gotten this far."

"You don't know much about her, then. I've only known her for two days, and I could have told you she could get this far or further, if she wanted to."

"Two days?" Bumble Bee's shock was plain. "You've only known Scootaloo for two days, and you think somehow you understand her better than I do?" The stallion snorted. "Madam, I raised that filly. I taught her to read and to write. I helped her look her best for adoption days, and I consoled her as best I could when those days passed and she had to come back to the dorms!" He drew himself up indignantly. "And I will not have anyone, least of all you, try and tell me I didn't do my best to find her when she ran away from the only home she's ever had!"

"Your orphanage wasn't her home, and it still isn't!" Octavia suddenly snapped, her eyes flashing with rage as she stepped forward, glaring up at the stallion. "This is her home now, and I swear if you try to take her from us, I'll...I'll..." Octavia couldn't think of what she might do, but she snorted furiously at the stallion anyway, allowing his imagination to fill in the blank.

He seemed unimpressed. "It doesn't work that way. Especially not at my foals' home. Scootaloo is still one of my foals, and you have no right to keep her. She'll come home with me, or I'll have you thrown in prison, do you understand?"

For one insane, Vinyl-inspired moment, Octavia contemplated taking the second option out of pure spite. Fortunately, her more rational mind got the better of her, and she calmed down enough to say, "Fine, fine. What if we wanted to adopt her, then?"

"Adopt her?" he repeated, as if unaware that this had ever been an option. "Are you certain? By your own admission, you've only been taking care of her for two days, and--forgive me if this sounds somewhat...condescending, but--you realize that caring for a filly full-time is an incredibly demanding task, right? Foals are expensive, time-consuming, and difficult, even at the best of times."

Octavia huffed. "We'll manage."

"While I respect your confidence and your determination, I'm afraid it simply doesn't work that way. I don't know anything about you or your living situation, I know very little about this town...no, I'm afraid that if you are serious about wanting to adopt Scootaloo, you will have to make a better case than threats and boasting." He smiled joylessly at the mare as she struggled to come up with a legitimate argument.

Finding none, she sighed and settled back on her haunches. "Please...Mr. Bee...I know we haven't known her long...and you don't know anything about us at all...but please...just give us a chance. We've grown rather...fond of Scootaloo in the short amount of time we've spent with her."

The stallion gave her an appraising look. "Yes, well...despite her--rather glaring--shortcomings, Scootaloo is a charismatic young filly." There was a long, yawning pause during which the only sound Octavia could hear was the dull thudding of her own racing heartbeat echoing in her ears. Eventually, he spoke again, the slightest edge of acquiescence creeping into his words. "It is discouraging that I was never able to find a family for her when she lived at the home."

Sensing an opening, the mare pressed her advantage, hardly daring to hope that she might be making headway. "She mentioned that no one would want a pegasus who couldn't fly, which I think is foolish. There's a great deal more to her than simply wings that do not work."

Bumble Bee nodded. "Indeed. Most of the families who come to the home are looking to adopt within their own species, and pegasi are...proud ponies. They are not usually interested in any foal who they will have to dedicate additional effort into simply allowing them to be normal."

"Well, it doesn't bother us," Octavia said, forcing a wry smile. "We're anything but normal, my marefriend and I. We rather think Scootaloo would fit in quite well in our little family."

The stallion sighed. "Alright, fine. I suppose I could...conduct the interview here. But you have to be honest, you realize," he said, his eyes narrowing fiercely. "If I find out you lied to me--and I will find out--you'll have a lot more to worry about than losing Scootaloo, understand?"

The earth pony mare nodded as solemnly as she could while her heart was fluttering excitedly in her chest. "Of course." In the living room, Octavia could barely see Scootaloo sitting in Vinyl's lap, the two ponies hugging each other tightly and staring in disbelieving shock at the scene unfolding just out of their line of sight. "I've no reason to lie; I'm quite certain you'll be satisfied."

"For your sake...and Scootaloo's...I certainly hope so." The stallion shifted from hoof to hoof. "Would you mind terribly if I came inside to conduct the interview?"

"No, not at all," Octavia said, putting on her best hostess charms and standing aside to allow the other pony to enter the house. She paused to give Mayor Mare a grim nod and Mr. Cake a disgusted look before shutting the door.

Once he had gotten inside, Bumble Bee relaxed a little and even smiled as he glanced to the right and saw Scootaloo and Vinyl still hugging each other tightly on the pull-out bed. "Good morning, Scootaloo. I suppose you remember me, don't you?" The little pegasus glared at him and ducked behind Vinyl, but didn't say anything. He seemed unfazed by her animosity. "I assumed as much," he chuckled dryly. Turning back to Octavia, he said, "Normally, we begin the adoption process by visiting the prospective parents' home, looking into their finances, background checks, et cetera. Under these...unusual circumstances, I believe a simple tour will be sufficient, especially given how difficult it has been to place Scootaloo."

"Certainly," Octavia said, spinning up her best high-class accent. "As you can see, we live in a fairly modest one-story, one bedroom, one bathroom...it's not particularly large, but it's very cozy."

"Very cozy indeed," the stallion mused, casting a skeptical eye around the slightly cramped hallway and the living room, currently dominated by the pull-out bed.

Clearing her throat nervously, Octavia continued, "But, of course, we're planning on moving into a larger house sometime in the near future!"

"Is that so." It was not a question. "Larger and closer to the city center, I hope."

"Well..." Octavia hedged, following the stallion as he continued trotting through the house, examining every room with a critical eye. Both Vinyl and Scootaloo clambered off of the makeshit bed to follow behind her.

"Mayor Mare informs me that this particular suburb is relatively new to the city, and rather...dubious in quality." He paused and looked back at the three ponies following him. "Do you find this to be the case?"

"Well," Octavia said again, wondering how much she should fudge the answer. No, no, honesty! He wants honesty, remember? She sighed. "It's a little seedy, I admit. But it's clean enough, and we feel safe; Vinyl--my marefriend--works at night, and she's never had any troubles. It's hardly Canterlot's Alicorn Row, if that's what you're wondering, but it's a far cry from Manehattan's Dock District."

Bumble Bee smirked faintly. "So I see." He reached the bedroom and gave it a cursory glance. "You seem to have quite the eclectic collection of musical paraphernalia, and in such an array of technological advance. You are a musician?"

"Yes, my mate and I are both musically inclined, as it happens. I am--"

"Octavia Philharmonica. First class cellist and bass violist for the Canterlot Symphony Orchestra."

Octavia's mouth fell open in shock. "How does everypony here know who I am?"

"Miss Philharmonica, anypony who is a fan of the symphony knows who the major players in Canterlot's orchestra are, and you are one of the more famous, despite what you may think." He smiled. "It is simply a more...dignified variety of fame than that of, say, the Wonderbolts."

"Dignified and subtle, apparently." The earth pony shook her head in disbelief. "I had no idea. But wait, if you already knew who I was, why did you ask if I was a musician?"

He glanced across the hallways into the bathroom for a moment before turning to face her completely. "Honesty, Miss Philharmonica. The simplest questions are the most tempting to bluff, because they seem harmless enough, but such dishonesty indicates a proclivity for altering the truth when honesty is paramount. In any event," he smiled again, "I just wanted to make sure you were who I thought. I am, as I said, quite the fan. I hear your solo recording of the Six Suites is a wonder to behold."

"So do I," Octavia sighed good-naturedly, "much to my surprise, I assure you." An idea occurred to her. "You know, if you want to hear it, you should stop by Carousel Boutique before you leave. The proprietor owns a copy, and I imagine she'd be delighted to share it with another fan."

Bumble beamed. "I'll have to do just that."

Octavia returned the smile hesitantly. "So...is my profession a pro or a con?"

"A pro. While most musicians have...questionable income and job security, the Canterlot Symphony is a well-established, high-profit affair. And while there is always fierce competition to join the ranks, quiet murmurings among those in the know seem to indicate that there hasn't been a genuine challenger to you in a generation or so."

Octavia blushed furiously, unsure of how to respond to the compliment. "My goodness...thank you."

"You are welcome. It is praise well deserved," he said with utmost sincerity. Then the smile faded back down to a more professional level. "Well, miss Philharmonica, if you don't mind, I'd like to speak with Scootaloo in private, if I may. It's been some time since I've seen her, and there are a few things I need to discuss with her." He glanced down at the little orange filly standing between Vinyl's forelegs.

Scootaloo scowled back up at him. "I don't wanna talk to you." The look on Vinyl's face seemed to indicate that she agreed with Scootaloo's sentiment.

Octavia smiled and shook her head in mild exasperation at both of them. "Scootaloo, you know he won't let us adopt you if you don't."

The little pegasus frowned at her, her eyes wide and glinting with frustration. "But Mama Tavi..."

Octavia shook her head again, pulling a stoic face. "If you really want to call me that, you'll talk to Mr. Bee." She slowly walked over and settled to the floor, eye level with the filly. "Please, Scootaloo. Please just talk to him. We want you to be a part of our family, and he's the only one who can make it final." She nuzzled the filly gently. "Do it for us, alright?"

Scootaloo looked as though she was about to cry when Octavia pulled away, but she quickly managed to put on a brave face and nodded once, curtly. "Alright." Drawing herself up proudly, the little pegasus flared her wings once, very quickly, in a reflexive expression of determination, before trotting out from between Vinyl's legs. She came to a stop just in front of Bumble Bee, glaring up at him.

The stallion smiled faintly back at her before glanced over at Octavia. "May we use your dining room, perhaps?" Octavia nodded and led the pair through the kitchen and into the dining room, where she closed the door to the kitchen behind them. Then, after silencing Vinyl's objections before she could voice them, she closed the kitchen door, shutting both the unicorn and herself in the kitchen, well within earshot of the dining room. The conversation was easily audible through the thin wood of the door. It took several seconds to start.

"Well, Scooter, it's good to see you again."

"It's not for me. And don't call me that. I'm not your Scooter anymore."

"Yes, I think you've made that pretty obvious. Any particular reason, or are you just mad because you're remembering the home and how awful you think it was?"

"It was terrible, and you know it. I don't want to go back, and if you don't let them adopt me, I'm just gonna run away again."

"Yes, I know you will, Scooter. You tried eight times before you got away this last time, if I remember correctly."

"I don't know. I just didn't want to stay there any more."

"You know that's not why you tried to escape, Scooter."

"Yes it is. The orphanage sucks, and you suck, and I didn't want to be there anymore."

"The home, Scooter. It's not an orphanage."

"Whatever."

There was a long silence, and then Bumble Bee spoke very quietly. "We had to look for them, Scootaloo."

"No you didn't."

"They had a right to know you were there."

"They didn't care."

"We had to make it official. We're not allowed to accept runaways without trying to get them back to their parents."

"I told you, Mr. Bee. I told you why I ran away."

"Yes, I know you did. That's why I was surprised when your mother came by to get you at all."

"You shouldn't have let her take me."

"I know. I wish I hadn't."

"But you did."

"I'm sorry, Scooter. I really am. I wish I could make you see how much."

"Whatever."

Another long silence. "You really like it here, don't you?"

"I love it here."

"It's a little small."

"It's better than a bunk bed."

"Or the streets, right?" Scootaloo didn't respond, and after a moment, Bumble Bee continued. "What about Miss Octavia? And Miss Scratch?"

"I love them even more."

"Love is a strong word, Scooter. You've only known them for a couple days."

"Long enough."

"Long enough for what?"

"Long enough to know Miss Octavia and Miss Scratch love each other, and they love me, and they want me around, unlike everypony else in the world."

"I want you around, Scooter. But I understand what you're saying." There was another pause, longer than any previous. So long that Octavia and Vinyl exchanged a worried glance, and Octavia was about to open the door and check on the pair when Bumble Bee finally heaved a deep, protracted sigh. "If I say yes, and let them adopt you, I want you to send me a letter every month telling me about it, alright? I want to know they're taking care of you, that you're happy, healthy, that you're going to school, that you're going to the doctor...everything. Understand?"

"You mean it?" Scootaloo's voice was suddenly devoid of all the venom it had been dripping in every sentence before. "You'll let me stay?"

"I don't want you back at the home, Scooter. Nopony should have to grow up there. I care entirely too much about you to make you come back with me if I think you'll be taken care of here." His voice suddenly brightened. "And I think you'll be very well taken care of here."

Octavia and Vinyl stared at each other, their faces sharing broad smiles of surprised euphoria. The room on the other side of the door suddenly echoed with the unmistakable sound of Scootaloo's happily buzzing little wings. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, Mr. Bee! I'll write you every week! I'll tell you everything!"

The stallion laughed, a warm, genuine sound. "I'll read them all." Suddenly, the door was pulled away and Octavia and Vinyl tumbled over one another into the dining room. Octavia grinned sheepishly up at the stallion, who shook his head with a good-natured smirk and gestured to the little pegasus. "Go on. I think your daughter would like to share this moment with you."

"Our daughter?" Octavia said, exchanging an excited look with Vinyl, who was unable to keep the grin on her face from widening foolishly at the phrase.

He nodded, smiling. "Congratulations, 'Mom'."