Octavia awoke to an empty bed and an abandoned sofa. Her brain immediately was sent into the frenzied panic that was tripped whenever Vinyl wasn't home. She breathed deeply, then proceeded to make herself some breakfast. Deciding not to call her mare-friend just yet, Octavia waited as long as she could before calling the white unicorn she loved dearly. The call went straight to answerphone, and Tavi sighed.

"Oh Vinyl, whatever will I do with you?" she muttered forlornly, before sitting in her armchair and opening her new book; Harry Trotter and the Pony of Azkamare. She was barely getting to the part where Serious Black killed Percy Petergrew when there came a knock on the door. Pulling herself away from the handsome description of Remare Lupin, she trotted on over to the door of her shared flat and found an anxious Mrs Scratch sat looking entirely downtrodden.

"Oh, Hello Mrs Scratch, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" Octavia asked politely as she let her guest in.

"Has my daughter been here since yesterday?!" Chocolate Scratch asked the charcoal mare.

"No, I'm afraid not. Is there an issue?" Tavi pondered, before ushering Chocolate to a seat.

"Yes... she's been taken to the hospital. She passed out, drunk, and was beaten and left in an alleyway... Nurse Redheart said she... she... Oh Octavia!" Chocolate burst into tears, and through the sobs Octavia made out something that sounded like...

"She might not make it?! I have to go see her!" Octavia raced to grab her key.

"You... can't. She denied visitors... all visitors." Chocolate sobbed, and hid her flushed face in her hooves.

"But I'm her mare-friend! My Vinyl is in pain and I have to see her!!" Octavia was close to screaming now, her voice was barely under control under such extreme emotional pressure.

"Who are you talking about? My daughter is in hospital, not your Vinyl..." Chocolate looked angrily at Octavia.

"I know! Your daughter Vinyl Scratch! My mare-friend!" Octavia yelled. Chocolate shook her head and pushed strands of light and dark blue mare out of her magenta eyes.

"My daughter is not called Vinyl Scratch!" she yelled back, growling at Octavia.

"Then who, pray tell, have I been sharing a flat with, if not Vinyl bucking Scratch?!" Octavia was nose to nose with Chocolate now, both of the mare red and breathless.

"She... she lied to you..." Chocolate whispered, a horrified expression haunting her face.

"No... no no no NO! Vinyl wouldn't do that! She loves me!" Octavia fell to the floor, gasping for breath in between the sobs racking her charcoal body. Then suddenly, a deep voice came from the doorway.

"She lied to you. Her name is Vanilla Scratch, and she's carrying my baby."