Vinyl groaned. She hurt. Everything hurt. And it just wouldn’t stop.

Cracking an eye open, she was immediately greeted by a black curtain in front of her eyes, and something laying on her, breathing softly. Smiling, she lifted a hoof to cut through the curtain of black hair, chuckling at the sight.

Octavia was still on her, snuggled deeply into her coat and still deeply asleep. And based on the feelings down there, they were still connected.

Vinyl didn’t want to wake her, but everything hurt, and her attempts to use magic faltered. As if that wasn’t enough, some of her memory was missing.

Damn, how hard did we do it last night?

She chuckled silently before bringing her other hoof up, gently stroking her lover’s fur. Octavia was her everything, and more. Vinyl had no idea if she could even live without her anymore, and not just because of the great sex. The two had a connection. A real connection, one that went deeper than anything she had ever known before—ever imagined before

Just being near her wonderful mare set her heart beating harder than she had ever known, making her feel cared for and loved. It was everything she’d ever need in her life, and everything she hadn't even known it was missing. Now… now that she had it, she didn’t know how she had ever lived without it.

“Good morning, my love,” Octavia whispered, making Vinyl freeze. The grey mare giggled a little at Vinyl’s continued touch. “Having fun petting me?” She cooed as she leaned her head into Vinyl’s hoof forcing them to get closer.

“Always,” Vinyl smiled as Octavia lifted her head.

Octavia’s eyes widened as she felt a stinging pain coming from down below. “Ouch, everything hurts. Is… is it still inside?”

“I would have lifted you up, but… heh-heh, my magic is still a bit down,” Vinyl sheepishly replied. She was blushing, but not from embarrassment. It was due to the feelings she had for the mare.

Octavia blushed a bit as she raised her flanks, followed by a quiet moan as the fake stallionhood left her marehood, before she flopped down besides Vinyl. Her face contorted between a mix of pain and relief. “I think we overdid it a bit.”

“Do you regret it?”

Vinyl bit her lip, her face resembling that of a kicked puppy, and it made Octavia regret her words almost immediately upon seeing it. “No, I regret nothing,” she replied, leaning in to nuzzle her love gently. “In fact, I couldn’t be happier. Thank you.”

“No, I have to thank you,” Vinyl smiled. “Although, next time I will make sure that we use the shower gel on you correctly. This time I barely had any fun with it.” She pouted at that.

“Mhh, too cute to ignore,” Octavia said with a smile before kissing her.

It wasn’t as long or passionate as their kisses from last night, but it didn’t have to be. Just with this small kiss, both mares told each other exactly how much they loved one another.

“Soo,” Vinyl started. “What are we doing today?”

Octavia smiled, “Hmm, let me think… Tell me, does breakfast with the mare of your dreams count?”

“Ohh, so much confidence.” Vinyl grinned a sexy grin. “But I think it’s already time for lunch.”

“Then don’t forget to talk to Lyra today.”

“Huh?”

“Did we damage your head last night?” Octavia asked playfully. “Lyra. The unicorn that could help you with spells?”

Vinyl scrunched her muzzle. “Hey, just because you literally bucked my brains and magic out through my horn… oh wait…” she stopped, chuckling. “Better not overdo it with that. Alright, I’ll talk to her later.”

“Yes, better stop it before we do something we regret,” Octavia replied with a soft lick upon her muzzle.

“So playful today. But you know I’d never regret anything I do with you.”

“What can I say? I have the perfect teacher. And I kind of like it, also,” the Cellist blushed.

“Ha, I…” Vinyl paused. “Who are you and where is Octavia?”

“Right here, you big goof,” she replied with a boop to Vinyl’s nose. “I’m still me, but I like the way I adjusted to you.”

Vinyl sighed. “I hope you really like it, because I’d hate it if you just did it for me.”

Octavia raised her muzzle, almost thoughtful, as if she were about to drop a bombshell. It made Vinyl’s muzzle break into a frown before Octavia grinned and said, “I really like it, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

They shared a nuzzle before Vinyl groaned, slowly getting to her hooves. “I gotta take a quick shower before making breakfast.”

“You said lunch.”

“Yeah, lunch. You really bucked my brain last night,” Vinyl chuckled before making her way to the bathroom.

Octavia caught herself looking at her lover’s flank when VInyl got up and left her room. Yes, just weeks ago her own behaviour would’ve shocked her. But not now. Not anymore. She loved it, she felt free, and with Vinyl she had everything she’d ever need again. Well, except her music maybe.

Flopping her head back onto the cushion, she hummed. Everything Vinyl had done would've normally shocked her, but It didn’t. She loved Vinyl’s touch, the… the uncouth art to her. To put it simply, she loved everything about her. Her unicorn had shown her new ways to live, ways to enjoy life completely. Ways she had never imagined before.

The buzzing of the doorbell interrupted her thoughts. Octavia grumbled as she rolled off the bed and walked to the hall and up to the intercom in the wall.

“Yes, who is this?” She asked after she pressed the button for the connection.

“Let us in, young lady, right now!” An all too familiar voice grumbled back, making her back up against the wall.

“F-father?” She croaked.

“Yes, now let us in!”

Octavia panicked. Instead of pressing the button for the door, she darted as quickly as she could to the bathroom. “Vi, oh my celestia, Vi! My parents are here!”

“What? You let them in?”

“Uh… no?”

“Alright, I’m nearly done, then you can shower. Let them in, I’ll take care of it.”

“Vinyl, no matter what they’ve done, I don’t want you to hurt them,” Octavia replied, her voice somewhat fearful.

“I won’t.” Vinyl said as she opened the door, stepping out before levitating a towel to her. “Press the buzzer, I’ll take over while you shower. Don’t worry about it, trust me.”

Octavia looked into her eyes. She immediately knew that Vinyl only mean well, and that she wouldn’t do something stupid. She knew it, even if she had no idea how. “Alright. Besides, I should really take a shower to be presentable before my father.”

Vinyl grinned before flicking on her shades. “Everything will be fine, you’ll see!”

They shared a brief kiss before Vinyl left the bathroom and quickly went to the main hall to press the buzzer. “Fifth floor, apartment forty-three!” She yelled into the intercom before making her way to the kitchen. She had promised her marefriend lunch after all.

Shortly after getting to work in the kitchen and levitating out several plates, there was a sharp knock on the door. Or rather more like a single bang. Sighing, Vinyl got to the door and opened it. She was a bit shocked upon the sight.

She had suspected that both of Octavia’s parents would be earth ponies, but only her mother was. Her father was a big unicorn stallion with a charcoal coat and grey mane, his eyes were a piercing fiery blue. His cutie mark was a blue note, one that was not too different from Vinyl’s own.

What shocked her the most was Octavia’s mother. Somepony could’ve fooled her telling her she was her twin. Maybe a bit taller, but that was it. Except for her light purple eyes and the blue notepaper cutie mark on her flank, she looked exactly like Octavia.

“Where is Octavia?” The stallion barked instead of a greeting before trying to push aside Vinyl and barge into the apartment.

“Hey,” Vinyl growled, standing where she was. “You are entering my apartment now, so don’t be rude and wipe your hooves. The living room is this way.”

“Do you know who you are speaking to? My name is Legretto Melody, you should bow before me and be pleased that such an elite as I am is visiting what you call home.”

Vinyl shut the door on his muzzle, turned around, and went back to the kitchen. It wasn’t more than two seconds later before she heard a very loud, very angry knock at the door. It was so powerful she was half surprised the door didn’t break in two.

Smiling, the white unicorn turned back around and opened the door with her magic. Legretto Melody was fuming, but in spite of that, it took all Vinyl’s willpower not to laugh at the redness around his nose. “Hell, you must be Octavia’s parents. If you want to come in and wait for her to get out of the shower, you can wait for her in the living room, but do wipe your hooves first.”

Legretto looked ready to shout at her, but before he could mutter a single word, Vinyl kept going. “However, if you’re just looking to throw your weight around, and act like you’re Celestia’s gift to Equestria, you can go back to where you came from. Because I’ve not the time or the energy to deal with stuck-up ponies. Your choice.”

She already expected Legretto to go on a new rant, but at least Octavia’s mother seemed to have some sense in her. “My dear, we agreed to talk with Octavia. No screaming around, no bad words. You promised.” The grey mare turned to Vinyl. “That sounds lovely, Vinyl is it?” Vinyl nodded. “Vinyl, we’d be happy to wait for our daughter in the living room.”

“Alright. Can I bring you anything to drink?” Vinyl asked.

“Glass of tea would be lovely, and please, call me Valeria,” she said as she wiped her hooves on the welcome mat. “Dear, don’t forget to wipe your hooves.”

Legretto grunted, but, amusingly, did whip his hooves. I like her already, Vinyl thought with a smile as she lead them both to the living room. Unsurprisingly, Legretto grunted at the thought of having to sit on such furniture, almost like his ‘royal derrière’ was above such things. But Valeria simply took a seat, nice and proper like Vinyl had suspected she would. The white unicorn grinned to herself again before moving into the kitchen to get some tea ready.

While she was curious about Octavia’s parents, she tried to let her focus rest on the food. For Octavia, she had made some spaghetti with her favourite pesto. Something, she knew the cellist loved. She just hoped her parents wouldn’t ruin it.

“Do you have any wine?” Legretto barked. “Not that I would suspect a kid like you have some.”

Vinyl wanted to lash out at him, but sighed. She had promised it to her mare after all. “Well, much to your surprise, I do have some. Left cabinet in the living room, the second door. Suit yourself, if you find something for your royal tongue.

Legretto was to set on a new remark, but Valeria settled her hoof on his back, so he just grumbled before going to the cabinet and open it. “A two hundred years old bottle of Griffonian wine? Filly, where did you get that?”

“Contacts,” Vinyl replied as she tasted if the spaghetti was al dente, doing her best to stifle her giggles.

“As if an unknown filly like you has contacts,” Legretto muttered silently.

“I contact your daughter all night,” Vinyl mumbled softly, grinning at that small, petty victory.

“What was that, dear?” Octavia’s mother asked.

“Nothing, just talked to myself while cooking the food.”

“What are you cooking?” Valeria asked in a pleasant tone that said she really didn’t hear what Vinyl had said.

“Spaghetti with pesto di prezzemolo.”

“That’s Octavia’s favourite, if I recall correctly.”

Vinyl laughed. “That’s exactly why I’m cooking it.”

Valeria wanted to continue further, but a harsh glare from Legretto quickly tied her tongue. Curious about the sudden silence, Vinyl walked around and looked over to the two of them. Legretto was glaring around the room, as if judging the room itself. Valeria simply sat quietly, almost as if she was trying to disconnect herself from the situation, as if she were forcing herself to keep her ‘image’ and not really enjoying the moment. Vinyl had seen that look too many times in Octavia, and that fact that she was now seeing it again in what was basically her older twin, well, it didn’t exactly sit well with the DJ. “Hey, Valeria, mind giving me a hoof in here?”

“I would mind,” Legretto said with a glare.

“I wasn’t asking you, and you are still in my apartment,” Vinyl glared at Legretto. “Besides, I’ll need some help making the food… presentable, to someone of your refined tastes.”

Vinyl grinned as she saw that her strategy had paid off. Legretto nodded to his wife and off she went, almost like it was expected of her to simply obey him. That sent a shiver of discontent down Vinyl’s spine, but she held back from speaking about it; for now.

“What can I do to help, dear?” Valeria asked with a kind smile. Whether or not it was forced, Vinyl couldn’t say. She suspected that Valeria was more than skilled at forcing it over the years.

“Could you make sure that the pesto is right? I would like it to be perfect for Tavi!”

“Tavi?” Valeria asked confused before her voice went down to a whisper. “You really love my daughter, don’t you?”

“With all of my heart,” Vinyl whispered back.

Valeria nodded before she went to the pot with the pesto, speaking louder. “This looks good, but it needs to be a bit more... refined.”

Vinyl wanted to reply, but at the same time she heard a gasp from the living room. “Father!”

“My dear daughter. Tell me, is this hole the sign of how far you’ve sunken? Where is your bowtie? And why is your mane not kept?” Legretto asked. “I taught you better than this. Your appearance is the first thing anypony notices about you.”

“Oh dear,” Valeria mumbled as she walked around the corner and back to the living room.

“I-I,” Octavia started to mumble. “I don’t-”

“You don’t what?” Legretto barked.

“She doesn't have to dress up in our home. There is no need for her to do anything in our home,” Vinyl gritted her teeth. “You better watch how you speak to my mare in our home or I’ll gladly show you the quick way out!”

It was what seemed to snap Octavia out of her daze and she quickly darted to Vinyl’s side. Vinyl gave her a nuzzle, much to Legretto’s disgust.

“How can you even dare to touch my daughter? You are a filthy filly, nothing more!”

Vinyl was to reply something, but Octavia surprised her. “Don’t talk to her like that! You both stopped being my parents years ago by leaving me behind! Vinyl cares for me and she is the best thing that’s happened to me ever since!”

Legretto looked like he has been just slapped. Sputtering, he grew redder and redder until he burst. “Come right here, now! Without me, you would be NOTHING!”

“No,” Vinyl said, stepping between the two. “You’re wrong. With you she’d be nothing. She is everything without you. Much more than she would be with you. If you simply want to offend my mare here, go. Go and never come back.” Vinyl’s glare of contempt was visible even through her glasses.

“You can’t talk to me like this, you incompetent musician!”

Vinyl flicked her glasses up with her magic, glaring at Legretto with her ruby eyes, making him take a step backwards. “I can talk to you like I want in our home. Octavia lives with me and it’s staying that way, no matter what you say. Behave and you can stay. Any more out of you, however, and I swear to Luna, despite my promise to your daughter, I will throw you out of the bucking window.”

“Octavia. Come to my side. If you stay with this filly, I will disown you. You won’t have a job anymore!” Legretto tried his best.

“I’ve got enough bits to finance any concert your daughter wants to give,” Vinyl said before looking at Octavia, noticing with delight that she had the pendant on again. “Look at this. This is a sight of true admiration and love I have for your daughter. I would do anything and everything for her!”

Valeria looked at the pendant, nearly choking on her breath, “Is that a... dragon ruby?”

“Yes, it is,” Vinyl replied while Octavia looked down, suddenly noticing how expensive the gift really was.

“They are some of the rarest gems in all known Equestria and world. How did you get this? How can you even afford this?” Octavia asked bluntly.

“I can afford it. And it wasn’t hard to find since it was for you,” Vinyl smiled sheepishly.

Legretto didn’t seem impressed, “Octavia, one more chance.”

Octavia looked up from the ruby to her father, and then to Vinyl. “Well, I guess I’ll just have to make do living with my mare then, won't I, father?”

Legretto looked taken aback by that. “I… I… I—”

“You’ve made an ass out of yourself, dear, that’s what you’ve done.”

Everypony in the room paused and turned to Valeria. The mare was glaring at her husband, almost as if years of barriers had just fallen in her mind and she was just now beginning to wake up. “You broke your promise to me, to Vinyl, and threw your weight around. So I’ll say it again, you’ve made an ass out of yourself.”

“Valeria!”

“Legretto,” Valeria replied with all the demeanor one might expect from a high class pony at court.

“You’re my wife!”

“And that’s my daughter you so casually dismissed. Wake up Legretto, she’s happy. She’s happy, she’s content, and found a mare that cares for her, deeply, in a way that you never had.”

“You can’t talk to me like that!” Legretto winced.

“You keep repeating yourself, my dear,” Valeria said. “Now it’s my turn to say something. You will either behave, sit down, and enjoy the time with our daughter. Or you risk that we lose her forever since you, in your wisest of all decisions, threatened to disown her.”

Vinyl smiled, before loud clacking from the kitchen demanded her attention. “Damn Luna, the food!” She yelled before quickly going back to the kitchen. “Legretto, do I have to set you a dish, or are you fine making your way out of the window?”

“I… I will stay.”

“What was that?”

Legretto coughed before replying louder, ”I said I’ll stay.”

Octavia didn’t know what to think. Thinking and her parted ways as soon as she had walked out of the bathroom and saw her father’s disapproving gaze. Somehow Legretto had been cowtowed into doing exactly what her marefriend had wanted; a first in the time she had known him. Her mind couldn’t process this turn of events, much less the fact that both she, and her mother had stood up to him. She was left standing there, staring at her parents, speechless.

That ended when she felt a peck on her cheek. “Wanna come help me set the table?” Vinyl asked as she walked from Octavia and to the dining room table.

“Sure,” Octavia replied as she turned around and stared at Vinyl.

Vinyl, you are amazing to me.

Legretto glared at both mares, his mind fuming. He couldn’t believe this, couldn’t believe that her daughter was a fillyfooler and had taken such a ruffian as her marefriend. Yet, he couldn’t say anything anymore.

“What did you cook?” Octavia asked as she set the table with Vinyl.

“Something you’ll love,” Vinyl replied, grinning.

Octavia grinned at that as she carried a few more plates and cups to the table. Her mother came over and helped her out, setting them around the table at different spots in a manner she knew would make Legretto at least somewhat happy. They had pushed him into a corner, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t to be at least somewhat respected.

“You chose well,” Valeria said under her breath.

Octavia looked up, shocked. “What?”

Valeria smiled and nodded at Vinyl, who was still busy with the spaghetti in the kitchen, although she could tell it was about done. “I must say, I am impressed. I think she also impressed your father too.”

Octavia laughed, then stopped when she realized that her mom wasn’t joking. “You… you… you are serious?”

“Indeed I am,” Valeria giggled silently. “Octavia, I can see that she makes you happy, and by the looks of how she defends and cares for you, you make her happy as well. That gift alone, I can’t even begin to count how many bits she spent on you.”

“Give me a clue at least, I doubt Vinyl would tell me.”

“Well, the last and only dragon ruby I’ve seen in an auction in Canterlot was a bit smaller and got sold for over a thousand bits, my dear.”

Octavia’s jaw dropped and she nearly lost the plate in her grip as well. “A thousand bits and it was smaller?” She looked down to the pendant resting cooly on her chest. “I don’t really care if she gifts me something expensive as long as it is from her, but this is still…” she stopped, a tear coming to her eye. “And she is doing this just for me.”

Valeria smiled at that. “We go to great lengths for the ones we love.”

Octavia looked up, confused. “What do yo—”

There was sorrow in Valeria’s expression at that. “Octavia, I—”

“Food’s ready!” Vinyl shouted as she levitated in several steaming hot bowls of food to the dining room.

“Hmpf, at least she’s able to levitate, so maybe not totally useless,” Legretto grumbled silently, but Octavia still heard it.

“She can do far more than that, I can vouch for it,” she glared silently at him.

“Heh-heh, maybe not today, if you remember, my love,” Vinyl smiled sheepishly. “Still sore.”

“We better not discuss this at the table, Vi,” Octavia blushed.

Legretto laughed. “I would love to hear what crippled you enough to not being able to do more than levitating!”

Octavia was about to stop Vinyl, but then she decided against it and rather than feeling ashamed, she found she was rather… fond of last night.

“Well, I’m crippled thanks to your daughter’s amazing tongue work and riding skills,” Vinyl said bluntly, winking to Octavia.

“Oh, dear,” Valeria said as she looked surprised between her daughter and Vinyl, all the while Legretto was outright shocked.

“What did you two do?” He growled before turning directly to Octavia. “What did you do? Touch this filthy piece of garbage?”

It was enough, even for Octavia. She loved Vinyl with all her heart, and loved what she did to her, what they were doing. It was enough to make her stand more than directly against her father. “I’ll have you know, even if it is none of your concern. We made sweet love last night, and it wasn’t the only time. It left us so sore, I was barely able to walk and she pretty much spent all of her magic.”

If there was even possible, Legretto got even more red than a ripe tomato. He was fuming, searching for something to say, for something to get his daughter away from that white mare. He found nothing but a glass in his grip. “You disgusting little—” he stopped suddenly to flick the glass towards Vinyl with his magic.

Just as suddenly, his daughter in the line of fire.

The last thing Legretto noticed was the glass shattering against Octavia’s head before Vinyl leaped at him, turning his world in different shades as her magic hit him.

Author's Notes:

Aanch chapter sixteen.
Two chapters, just as promised.
Seventeen will be out on Tuesday next week.

Note: There will be no chapter on the 13th april since I'm in Manchester and got no time to write!