//-------------------------------------------------------// How I Met Your Lover -by Jabbie- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// How I Met Your Lover //-------------------------------------------------------// How I Met Your Lover A creamy white mare with a fluffy blue and pink mane took center stage as the star of the show and bowed gracefully. The stage lights brightened to reveal the entire cast of the concluded play lined up in front of the bright red curtains. Below was a large ensemble of renowned orchestral musicians that provided the music for the event. Among the artists were two very close friends of the star of this play. A talented and somewhat egotistical young gray mare and a spontaneous lighthearted mint green unicorn put on cheerful smiles as they received their due applause. Once the audience began to leave, a rambunctious white unicorn with a vibrant blue mane jumped up from her seat in the front row and began to make her way towards the stage rather than the exit. "Finally, I thought it'd never end!" The white unicorn playfully shouted. "Be nice, Vinyl. Her performance was beyond impressive." The gray mare finished tucking her instrument into its case before wrapping her arms around the unicorn and giving her an inappropriately passionate kiss. "Get a room kids. And thanks, but I've come to expect better of you at least, Octavia. Come on Lyra, we have some celebrating to do. My first play here in Canterlot went off without a hitch." The excited cream earth pony carefully hopped off the stage to give her marefriend a hoof packing her equipment away. The gray mare looked over to her prudish friend and winked in an obnoxious manner. Her partner wore wide purple shades along with a bright smile that nearly reflected the snow-white brilliance of her shining coat. She raised her eyebrows and took in the unfamiliar setting of a fancy theater. Not quite her usual event of choice, but she wouldn't have missed Bon Bon's first play for the world. The four mares had all grown to be very close. The pale green unicorn struggled for a moment before finally removing a peculiar device attached to her front hooves, something a particular fluffy maned mare wouldn't allow her to wear into public. "Yeah, we need to celebrate Bon Bon's success! I know, let's hit the clubs!" The white unicorn spoke up as she widened her smile and raised a hoof. The not-so-amused gray mare by her side lowered her eager friend's hoof with a hoof of her own and rolled her eyes. "Really Vinyl, clubs? Why's it always clubs with you? That's hardly appropriate - I think a nice dinner would be much better. My treat, Bon Bon." "Or, or, or!" The mint green unicorn interrupted, waving a hoof in the air. "We could go to the arcade out back and play some games." She closed her eyes and began rapidly nodding. The earth pony who wrapped a foreleg around her cheery green lover's neck was not quite so enthused. "As wonderful as that sounds, dear, I think a nice dinner would be lovely." The four shared a laugh and headed out of the theater into the city towards a high class restaurant. Octavia led the way, determined to ensure that she was in control of the evening's plans. Close behind were Lyra and Bon Bon, walking nearly cheek-to-cheek. Vinyl stayed a few steps behind the cute gray mare, admiring her smooth round plot swaying from side to side as she walked. Octavia looked back over her shoulder with seductive purple eyes to see her marefriend enjoying her finer features, prompting her to further charm the unicorn. She stopped and arched her back while she stretched out and touched her nose to her front hooves. Vinyl was successfully aroused, and trotted up next to the provocative dark maned mare and swatted her flank with her thick neon blue tail. "Mmm, save it for the bedroom darling." Octavia winked and nipped at her friend's ear. Lyra and Bon Bon shared a glance and blushed, remembering what it had been like when they were first together. Although Octavia and Vinyl have been friends for several years, they had only recently started dating. The first three days of their relationship had been entirely staged in Vinyl's bedroom, but despite that fact their relationship was much deeper than simple physical attraction. They were nearing their first full month of being together now, and couldn't be happier with one another. Lyra and Bon Bon had moved back to Canterlot only three weeks ago and were already very adjusted to their new lifestyle. Lyra was the one who had found Octavia and finally convinced her to come out and get some fresh air. After a few hot summer days of binge sex in Vinyl's apartment bedroom (which had poor circulation and even worse air conditioning), the smells were interesting to say the least. The pale green mare recalled stumbling in on her old friends mid-session. After being told Octavia was visiting Vinyl, she had made her way over to introduce her marefriend for the first time. She cheerfully trotted over to the bedroom door and called out, asking if anyone was home. She heard Octavia answer several times with an increasingly loud "yes". Feeling relieved to have finally found her old friend, she trotted through the door to say hi and give her a hug. She was met with a somewhat confusing sight: Vinyl was laid out on her back and Octavia was sitting snugly on top of her facing the other direction with her face between two white thighs. As the door opened, the gray mare leaned up and immediately locked eyes with Lyra. She didn't say anything, just stared the light green unicorn in the eye with a slight smile as Vinyl brought her to an intense orgasm once again. After several long seconds of trying to control her moans of delight, she sighed and fell over onto the bed. She took a moment to calm her trembling body, then Octavia rolled over to greet her old friend. "Oh hey there Lyra, when did you get back in town?" she asked casually, as if nothing unusual had just happened and she wasn't still trying to catch her breath. Before the stunned mint green unicorn could say anything, Vinyl leaned up quickly with a flushed and blushing face, grabbing up a sheet to cover herself with. "Whoa there! Where the hay did you come from Ly?!" "Ponyville? I was going to introduce you two to someone, but um... Well I'm still going to introduce you. Bon Bon come in here!" Lyra smiled and signaled her lover over. The prissy mare covered her nose with a hoof and looked disdainfully about herself at the messiness of the home, which was only accentuated by it's stinkiness. Her expression sharpened as she looked over the two sweaty, flushed mares lying in bed, one casually sprawled out as if she hadn't care in the world, the other awkwardly covering herself. "So much for first impressions - am I right?" Bon Bon lowered her hoof and attempted to adjust to the smell of sweaty sex in the air. "Right... Well, I wasn't really expecting company any time soon..." Vinyl scratched her mane and stood up to introduce herself properly. Before that could happen, Lyra took the opportunity to do it for her. "Bon Bon, these two lovermares are my good friends Vinyl and Octavia. Vinyl, Octavia, this is my... uh, what was it again? Oh yeah, my life partner, Bon Bon!" Bon Bon mustered up a smile. "So nice to meet you both." Vinyl looked around the room for her goggles but couldn't spot them. So she made eye contact with the seemingly judgmental mare and reached out to shake her hoof. "Yeah, nice to meet you too. Any friend of Ly's is a friend of mine." She said with an outstretched hoof. For a moment Bon Bon was captivated by the unicorn's deep red eyes, but soon snapped out of it before touching her dirty hoof. "Please, I hope you understand..." She looked down at the hoof with a crooked smile. "Right... I wouldn't shake my hoof right now either, good call." She blushed and looked over to Octavia. The gray mare rolled over on her back and let her head and long dark gray mane hang off the edge of the bed so she was facing Bon Bon upside down. "Pleasure. To meet you, that is. Pleasure to meet you." "So, how long have you two been with each other anyway?" Lyra couldn't help but ask after seeing her old friends together; she had never imagined Vinyl would prefer the company of mares as well. They looked at one another with a hint of confusion. "Uh, what day is it?" Vinyl asked with amusement in her eyes. "It's the fifth..." Bon Bon answered, feeling less than humbled by the two promiscuous mares lying in front of her. "Then... three days? Right?" Vinyl nudged Octavia, who seemed to be falling asleep. "We haven't been out in a while..." "Yeah, yeah, three days now. Three days in this room, three days of nonstop action." Octavia rolled back over on her side and locked lips with her lover, then pushed her onto her back and climbed back on top, still aggressively kissing her. "Well that explains the smell at least. I don't know how you stand it... Lyra, lets go. We'll meet your friends again when they're less... occupied." The uncomfortable mare trotted towards the door. Lyra took a deep breath through her nose and let out a long exhale. "I don't mind it. It reminds me of when we first got together." The pale green unicorn turned back around in time to see Octavia kissing down Vinyl's neck and chest. "Hey, come on guys. Let's go do something together so we can catch up and stuff. I missed you both, and you could at least try to make Bon Bon think you're not nasty." Octavia looked up with a devilish grin and a raised eyebrow. "But I am nasty - isn't that right darling?" "That's right, you're my nasty little filly aren't you?" Vinyl played along and stuck her tongue out. The teasing gray mare let her tongue hang down and Vinyl was quick to lean up and lick it before engaging in another intense make out session. "I'll meet you two outside. Please try not to take too long." Lyra giggled and trotted off to catch her more-than-likely discouraged lover. Before long, the two lovebirds had showered up and met their friend downstairs, and together they headed out for lunch. *** "Here we are then, I thought this place would be perfect. The last time we were all here was the day we met you Bon Bon. So it's special to all of us as a circle of friends." The confident mare proudly pointed out her thoughtfulness. "This place is wonderful dear, but please, I'd rather not think about the day we met just before eating." Bon Bon laughed as her embarrassed friend lowered her ears. "If you liked their lunch, you'll love their dinner." Lyra trotted up next to Octavia and smiled at her Bon Bon. Vinyl nodded and nudged the earth pony towards the entrance. Bon Bon wore a sentimental smile as she looked over her best friends. All were happy to celebrate her night with selfless support, only wanting to ensure she was treated. Lyra was quick to get the door and hold it for her friends, and they all trotted inside the building and were quickly seated, each couple sharing one side of the table. Lyra and Octavia left their instruments at a coat rack near the entrance. It was rather late in the evening so there weren't many ponies out around town or in the restaurant. The four received their menus and began looking them over. "Psst, Bonsie, what are you gonna order?" Lyra leaned over to see what her marefriend was looking at. Bon Bon quickly jerked the menu away and glared at the intrusive unicorn. "I don't know yet, but when I do, you'll be the first to find out. Alright?" Satisfied with that answer, Lyra returned to her own menu. "I know what I wanna eat, but it's not on the menu, hmm." Vinyl grinned and looked down between Octavia's legs, who responded with a quiet purr. Bon Bon dropped her menu and looked at the obnoxious pair with a straight face before finally cracking a smile. "You guys... I swear." Lyra could hardly contain her laughter, off-color humor being something she seldom got to enjoy with her usually prim partner. Moments later a waitress trotted up to the table with a blatantly forced smile. "Well hello there ladies, are we ready to order?" She was quickly answered with a yes and three no's. Lyra looked around at her friends before shrugging at the waitress. "Alright, I'll just give you four a few more minutes then," the busy mare said, already turning to another customer. "Yes, thank you," Octavia answered for the group. "Now friends, please order whatever you'd like. Price isn't an issue for me," the mare stated smugly. Bon Bon rolled her eyes, hidden by the menu in front of her face. "You certainly are feeling generous today, aren't you?" "Tavi's such a sweetie, generosity's her middle name." Vinyl wrapped a foreleg around the slightly blushing mare's neck. "Tavi? When did you start calling her that?" Lyra sounded unusually serious. Octavia's eye twitched and she pushed herself lower into her seat before Vinyl answered, "Uh, just now. Why?" "Oh, it's just... well, when... I..." Lyra nervously tapped the table and glanced over to Bon Bon, who at least made it seem as if she were distracted by the menu. "It's nothing, just wondering was all." She smiled and let it go. Octavia let out a sigh of relief and sat back up, avoiding eye contact with any of her friends. Both unicorns stared at each other for a few seconds then simultaneously raised their menus to cover their faces. After a few minutes of awkward silence, the waitress returned. "Are we ready yet, or do we still need more time?" This time all four mares placed their orders and gave their menus up to the serving mare. Each sipped their drinks and glanced back and forth at one another. They were forced to interact, no longer having anything to hide behind. "So... What's up with you two?" Vinyl spoke up, looking at Lyra. "Who? Me and Bon Bon? Nothing! I'm not sure what you mean? We're perfectly happy, look!" The nervous mint-green unicorn smiled widely and wrapped her arms around her stoic marefriend. The cream colored earth pony twisted her head to look at the dodgy mare. "Lyra, I want to know too. I mean, I know what you've told me already but I think Vinyl and I deserve to know the whole story. We're all adults here, and more importantly we're all friends. And honestly, I'm really tired of all these awkward situations that keep coming up for stupid reasons like Octavia's marefriend calling her a silly nickname. Something like that should never be able to spoil a nice evening like this." Octavia rested her cheeks on her hooves as she leaned over on the table, trying to work out exactly what to say. Lyra's eyes shifted back and forth apprehensively. She didn't want to say anything that would upset the mare she loved so much, and she knew she would hate to hear about any of Bon Bon's past experiences. But this was different: Octavia was her best friend, and her first lover. It was sometimes a difficult relationship to balance, but usually that fact didn't get in the way of their strong friendship. "How much do you want to know Bon Bon? Don't expect Lyra to tell you; it'll be too hard for her because that's just who she is. But I'll tell either of you whatever you want to know." Octavia leaned up and looked down at the brightly polished table, catching the subtle reflection of her own purple eyes. Lyra slouched in her chair and crossed her hooves, and the other two mares looked at one another with a silent mutual understanding. "Tell us everything Octavia. That way we're all on exactly the same page. I've yet to hear about your time in that old music school, and Lyra refuses to talk about it, even in all the years we've been together now." "Those are days I'd rather forget about too. Not because of my time with Lyra, but because of everything else. Are you sure you want to know everything? Even the... details?" "Yes, especially the details. Why would you bother to ask that?" Octavia rolled her eyes. "You asked for it then - remember that later." Lyra smacked her face with a hoof and sank further into her seat, knowing Bon Bon didn't understand what she meant by details. Vinyl just shrugged; she knew there was no way they could have done even half of what she'd already done with Octavia. The gray mare calmed herself and closed her eyes, then began to tell her story as she recalled the days of her past. *** It was long before I met Vinyl, my first day attending Hathmere's School for the Musically Gifted. I had already been playing my cello for several years, but still had a lot to learn, and this was the place to learn from the best. I was nervous, my usual confidence a hollow shell compared to what it normally was. I made my way to the main auditorium in which an assembly of sorts was being held. The superintendent was addressing the students, new arrivals in particular, such as myself. He spoke about many things I didn't understand, mostly about how to apply practical magic to create music. It was obvious the majority of my classmates were unicorns and they were quick to pick up on the fact that I wasn't. I was the only earth pony in my class and the only other non-unicorns around were a few teachers, none of whom were musicians. It was all rather discouraging, even depressing. I attempted to uphold my composure and present myself respectably, but the weight of being singled out and spending my days alone began to crush my self esteem. Perhaps if my confidence hadn't been so badly shaken I could have made some friends, but it was beyond me at the time. This was a boarding school so I didn't get to see my family til the holidays either, and even they weren't too thrilled to have me around. All they wanted to talk about was how my grades were slipping and my performance wasn't improving. The extended weekend would go by quickly and before I knew it I was back off to the lonely school grounds. Initially, there wasn't really a problem with being bullied, I was just ignored. That is, until my recital. Each student was to perform an original piece at some point of the school year. I was scheduled to perform early in the year and I felt far from prepared. However, my teachers were quick to reassure me that it wasn't about the skill with which I played, but the way I performed. Not really having a choice, when the day came around I trotted out onto the stage and pulled my instrument out. I had spent hours on end tuning it to precision before the show, and even longer going over and practising the music I had written. I tightly grabbed my bow with a shaky hoof and set it gently across the strings. I looked out over a sea of unfriendly faces, none of these students wanted to be here. They were being forced to attend and would rather be doing something more productive. They were dead silent, expectations low, and their opinion of me lower. I gulped and tried to calm my breathing. I didn't see them, but I knew my parents were there too, and that if I didn't do well, they'd be furious with me. I closed my eyes and ran my bow across the strings. The deep sound was much louder than I had expected in the large auditorium, startling me into making a mistake almost immediately. I jumped, and my bow brushed across two strings creating a loud, discordant noise. I couldn't make myself move. I tried to start over and continue playing, but my shaking hoof wouldn't cooperate. My breathing quickened and I felt my pulse in my ears. The longer I stood there being stared at, the more their belittling eyes chipped away at my already fragile self esteem. I heard a few faint laughs and forced coughs. I closed my eyes and swallowed the urge to cry. That'd only give them one more thing to laugh about for the next few months to come. I tried to calm my shaking hooves and put my instrument away, accidentally dropping the bow over my case. More laughter ensued. I threw the strap over my shoulder and hurried off the stage, knowing I was a failure and a disappointment to anyone who had even the slightest bit of faith in me. My parents didn't see me after the horrible embarrassment of a recital, nor did they come get me at the next holiday. I just trotted back towards my room, hoping to Celestia I wouldn't be stopped and berated by any of my teachers on the way. As I approached my room, there was a mint green unicorn standing in front of my room with a grin. I walked up to her and she didn't move, not that I expected her to. Then for the first time in months, I spoke to another student. "Excuse me please, I'd like to rest." I nervously looked down and waited, bracing myself for the insults that were sure to come. The smiling unicorn was quick to respond, surprising me. "So, I saw your performance and I just wanted to say that I get scared sometimes too. It's okay, everyone messes up now and then." I couldn't help but feel a sense of distrust; I assumed she was leading up to a punchline about me being an earth pony. I expected an "especially if you're an earth pony", or an "unless you're as gifted as a unicorn", or something along those lines. Once again to my surprise, she said something that seemed genuinely friendly. "Well, anyway, I don't think you have many friends, and honestly I don't either - probably because I'm weird sometimes. But if you want, I'd love to be friends with you. You can find me outside practicing in the garden normally, I like it there. Or I'll be doing my studies in the commons area if it's not too crowded. Well, I hope to see you soon. Bye." The strange unicorn trotted off and looked back several times to see if I was following her. I took a deep breath and entered my room, thanking my lucky stars that my roommate wasn't there. I quickly set my cello down and paced the room. I wanted more than anything to chase that mare down and be her friend. I wanted to talk to her about everything and anything. I wanted to know her name, her interests, her favorite color, you name it. I was excited, but still had my doubts that she wasn't just trying to play some awful joke on me. Her kindness just seemed so out of the blue. I decided it was worth a try, the worst that could happen was that I would just be made fun of some more, which would happen eventually anyway. The good definitely outweighed the bad in this situation, so I made my way towards the garden. As I trotted through the halls I was hit with an array of painful slurs and degrading comments. Mostly about how awful earth ponies are and how we have no place in the world of music. I pressed forward, making the exit my goal. I cantered on as fast as I could without making it seem like I was running away, even though that's exactly what I was doing. I tried not to let it get to me, I had positive motives in mind now: making a new friend. As I pushed through the front doors and let them close behind me, instant relief followed with the silencing of my fellow students. I was alone out there, which was surprising, and very much to my liking. I trotted down a cobblestone path that led to the garden, and soon I passed under the vine covered archway that marked the entrance. In the garden I heard the most awful lyre playing imaginable. Sitting behind a bush was the green unicorn holding a ten string lyre in an aura of magic. She was clumsily attempting to strum the strings while muting others with her hooves. I knew she wasn't faking this as soon as she spotted me and began blushing. "Oh hey there, you came! I'm glad to see you, even though I admit: I didn't really expect to." She put on her cheerful grin and let her blush fade. "Yeah, well... I really want a friend." I said and laughed, not really sure how to go about this at all. "Well, you've come to the right place. My name's Lyra, what's yours?" "I'm Octavia." I looked down. I wanted to ask her so many things, but couldn't work up the courage to speak again without being spoken to. Lyra sat there on a park bench in a strange manner, and seeing her like that gave me an idea. I seemed to lose my shyness for a moment as I trotted up to her and thought of a way to help improve her playing. "Here, try resting it on your thigh here and focus your magic on strumming rather than holding it up. Wrap one leg around it to mute one half, and use the other for this half." I trotted in circles around her as I helped her set up. She smiled, seeming to appreciate any help she could get, then she tried playing her song again. It sounded a bit better, but still needed serious work. "Ooh, thanks. I think it sounds better already." She seemed grateful enough. "Sure, no problem. Why don't you try a four string lyre instead though? It'd probably be easier to get used to," I asked, probably being a bit too condescending for my own good. She didn't seem to notice. "I actually have a four string already. I love it, she's my baby, wanna see?" Lyra then pulled a much smaller instrument out from a fold in her lyre case. She levitated it near her face and closed her eyes with a wide smile, then began playing it with amazing fluidity. She plucked and strummed the strings in a delightfully upbeat rhythm, bringing a smile to my face, something I'd been subconsciously longing for. As she continued to play with her magic, she stood up and trotted over to me, placing a hoof around my back. "Wanna dance?" She boldly asked, considering we'd only just met. Such physical contact hardly seemed appropriate. I didn't want to risk seeming like I didn't like her though, so I agreed by silently letting her guide me into aimless spins with an arm lying across my back. We span through the garden while she continued to play her instrument. After several minutes, I began to enjoy it, all of it. The look on her face, the cool autumn air in my mane, the falling leaves that seemed to be twirling and dancing with us; even the folksy fast paced music was beginning to sound charming. I loved it. Having a friend was something every pony needed, and having spent so much time without any, I learned to appreciate Lyra for who she was, even if the things she and I enjoyed differed. For instance, spinning through a park didn't exactly tickle my fancy, but I was glad to be sharing a joyous moment with a friend. Once we stopped, she did a few more rapid strums on her lyre, then bowed. I was impressed. "Wow, you're really good with that little thing." Lyra covered her mouth with a hoof and chuckled at my statement, and I rolled my eyes. "You know what I meant. Anyway, I can see why you have a lyre cutie mark, you're really talented with that one." "Yeah, I love playing my lyres - but that's not what my cutie mark represents. I got this cutie mark when I wrote my first poem. More of an elegy actually. It was a sad occasion, but it brought something very special along with it. The lyre represents my natural talent for writing poetry." "That's interesting actually: most ponies think my cutie mark represents playing music but it's actually my aptitude for writing and learning it. I got it after writing my first sonata. My dad played the piano while I performed with my cello at my old school, and when the audience were applauding, it just appeared. I know it wasn't the playing that invoked it, it was the fact that I created all the music being played, and I did an excellent job if I do say so myself. I wrote my dad's piano piece as well, and he was never so proud. So I guess we share something in common: writing is our forte." I smiled at her, knowing we'd made a connection already. "I like that story, it's sweet. You and your dad must be pretty close then, huh?" She asked innocently, not realizing my situation. "We used to be," I said, looking down and away, "but those days are long gone. I'm not doing well in this school and that couldn't be more disappointing for my father." "I'm sorry to hear that, I didn't know..." Lyra seemed to regret having mentioned it. "That's alright, no big deal. He'll come around eventually right?" "Right. Hey, I have an idea. Want to write a song together? I can sing it while you play the music, and we can do a dual recital next month." Lyra smiled and widened her eyes, silently pressuring me to agree. "I... I guess we can try." I wanted to express how much I loved the idea, but decided to stay calm. Then I headed back to Lyra's room and we started our new project. *** "And that's how it all got started." Octavia smiled and looked over to Lyra, who was blushing while recalling everything in vivid detail. Bon Bon had a soft smile, enjoying the sweet story of how her lover saved a mare from loneliness. She reached down and squeezed the kind green unicorn's hoof with her own. Vinyl didn't seem too interested in the sappy story about how her marefriend had fallen for someone else way back in the day. Just as Octavia was about to continue, the waitress returned with four large plates of food. "Here you all are - enjoy. If you need anything let me know." She then trotted off to another table to serve a lone stallion. The four dug in, they were all hungry after a long night and didn't hold back. Lyra managed to be adorable as she levitated some of her own food on a fork over to her smiling marefried's mouth. Bon Bon smiled and bit the still steaming carrot right off the fork. "Hot!" She began to pant for a moment, then swallowed. The other mares giggled and made her blush. Surprisingly enough, they were all still very enthused despite Octavia's story. After a few minutes of discussing the quality of their meals, Octavia brought back up the matter of their past. She began to speak while twirling a long strand of seaweed up in her fork. "So anyway, where was I? Oh yes, Lyra and I went on to write a beautiful song and we performed it well, finally earning some respect from our peers. Maybe we can play for you two later." Lyra looked shocked by the suggestion. She began shaking her head rapidly and frowned. "I don't really like singing anymore, you know?" "Nonsense, you're an amazing singer, and you'll sing me your song later." Bon Bon commanded with a stern nod. "Thanks a lot Tavi..." The slightly irritated unicorn looked over at the imposing earth pony with a glare that quickly turned into a smile. Octavia looked down and shied away, not sure if she was okay with that old nickname. Vinyl spoke up with a wide grin. "So are you gonna tell us the rest of the story or what? I've yet to hear any of the details you promised." The gray mare smiled and cuddled up to her supportive partner, resting her head on her shoulder. "So, you guys want to hear the rest? You're sure?" They each nodded as Lyra nervously poked and prodded at her food. "Very well then. After the performance, Lyra and I became closer than ever. We spent almost all of our time writing and playing music together. After a couple months, eventually we fell into a routine that allowed us to maximize our time spent together, and then... we fell in love." Octavia wrapped her arm around Vinyl and squeezed her tightly, hoping she wouldn't be bothered by the story, even though it wouldn't show outside her strong walls. Lyra looked over to Bon Bon who seemed to be hiding any emotions she might be feeling. She simply continued to take bite after bite of her salad while listening closely to everything the mare had to say as she stared into her alluring purple eyes. *** As the sun rose each day, I eagerly climbed out of bed to prepare for the day ahead. I was always excited about it, quite the opposite from the way I once was. I had a reason to get out bed now: her. Everyday we spent together was always enjoyable, and we were nearly inseparable as we trotted from class to class. When we had to go to different classrooms, we were nearly always late due to the unnecessarily long hugs we shared before parting. I think at that point, we were already deeply in love. We simply didn't understand it yet. Every second we spent apart created an empty pit in my stomach that could only be healed by her smile. The nights were the most difficult to endure; I longed to spend a night with her more than I could ever begin to explain. Just the thought of holding her in my arms while I laid in the warmth of bed filled my heart with a sickly sweet mixture of joy and depression. I knew it couldn't happen, no one was allowed to leave the rooms after hours, and she was too far away for me to sneak all the way to her room. Not to mention her roommate was a good for nothing nark. It looked like I'd be spending my nights without her, and only my thoughts of the day to come could keep me sane as I watched the moon coldly stare at me through the blinds. I'd always fall asleep late, and every night I'd dream of her. One morning, I woke up with a brilliant idea. More quickly than usual, I jumped out of bed and rushed to Lyra to share my idea. She seemed to think it was as amazing as I did and clearly appreciated my ingenuity. It was so simple, the solution to my lonely nights. Little did I know, I was about to change my own life in a way I never expected. Lyra and I quickly approached the superintendent to give him our simple request. "Sir, I'd like to request a room transfer. Lyra and I are currently working on several collaborative projects and the long distance between rooms is weighing on our results. With the deadlines quickly approaching, I think it would be in our best interests to share a room so that all our materials and plans will always be in one spot. This will save us a large amount of time and our efforts will be more concentrated on the projects rather than plans to meet up and work." I took a deep breath after speaking, hoping I had made my point well. "That sounds perfectly reasonable. I'll look a few things over and if it all checks out, I'll start the paperwork today. I'll let you know after your last period if I have approved it or not, and you can start moving your things then." I felt confident that this would work. Sure enough, after last period I received a note from the hall monitor informing me that I would be able to begin the move that day. I pressed the note tightly against my chest and jumped up with a squeak of joy. The move was easy, as I didn't own anything other than my cello and bedding, along with some school supplies. After packing up what I had in a single box, I began pushing it out into the hallway. It didn't move as easily as I had hoped, and Lyra was still with her voice coach so she couldn't help me. I could have waited for her, but I wanted to surprise her. Just then the superintendent came trotting down the hallway, he spotted me and laughed to himself. "Need a hoof little one?" I nodded and he lifted the box up easily in an aura of magic. "Thank you sir, I'd have struggled for far too long on my own with that." "No need for thanks, I understand it's sometimes extra difficult for you to do simple tasks like this, being an earth pony." "It is indeed. Thanks for you help anyway though." I glared off towards the floor, swallowing my resentment towards the statement, simply because he had done me a great kindness. It didn't take too long before we reached the room, where Lyra's roommate was very busy levitating her triangle in the air and beating it mindlessly with a small metal rod. "Please stop that, it's just awful." I couldn't help but release some of my pent up spitefulness. "Ahem, yes, well... Goldenseed was it? I hope you enjoy your new roommate, and I'm sorry to have to move you like this, but Octavia made her point and it seems essential," the large old stallion said to the yellow mare poorly wielding her instrument. I just smiled and waved her off as she lifted her already packed bags out of the room and trotted off with the stallion. I looked over to Lyra's bed - it was unmade and the sheets were hardly on it at all. I pressed my face against her pillow and took in her familiar scent. I missed her. I unpacked my box and made the other bed in the room with my freshly washed bedding. It felt so much better to lay in this bed. She'd arrive any second and the anticipation was killing me. I closed my eyes and tried to understand what I was feeling, picturing her face as I did so. Her eyes and smile filled my chest with an explosion of bliss. Just then, Lyra opened the door. She stood there with the brightest smile I'd ever seen. "It worked. I can't believe it." She spoke, her voice soft and gracing my ears with its soothing warmth. Her eyes met mine and she slowly trotted towards me after shutting the door. I hoped with every ounce of my will that she was going to hug me, maybe even kiss me. That's when it hit me like a bale of hay. I was in love. As soon as she reached me, I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed her as tightly as I could. "I missed you," I said affectionately. "I missed you too." She spoke calmly, and I could tell by that fact alone that something was on her mind. "What are you thinking about?" I asked. "Nothing. You?" Not the answer I had hoped for, but I couldn't tell her what was on my mind, even though I wanted nothing more at that moment. I swallowed my fears, buried the bad scenarios running through my mind, and told her what I had to say. It was now, or never. "Lyra, do you really want to know what's on my mind?" I rhetorically asked, not sure what she'd answer. She just looked at me with wide eyes, probably assuming I'd tell her anyway. "You, Lyra, you're on my mind. You're always on my mind no matter what I'm doing or where I am. If I'm not right here spending my time with you, that's all I'm thinking about doing. When I write these songs, you're my inspiration, when I play my cello in front of the entire school, your opinion of me is the only one that matters. Lyra, I love you. These past two months have been the most amazing days of my life, and it's all because of you." My heart was racing, my mind was running even faster. I couldn't read her eyes, and her smile was painfully absent. A thousand words filled my mouth and attempted to escape. I wanted to tell her I was sorry and I didn't mean it: I hoped only to salvage this friendship if the feeling wasn't mutual. I couldn't breathe, I needed a response from her. Anything would do, just a simple indication of her emotions. "Well? You have nothing to say?" I looked down at the floor, and waited. "I feel the same way, Octavia. I... I think I love you too." A tidal wave of relief hit me, and I felt my heart start beating again as I let out a long overdue breath. What she said next brought me to tears. I'd never felt more important, or more loved in my entire life. Nothing in the would could ever compare. She broke my heart, and rebuilt it around her own. Lyra looked into my eyes and smiled again, a sign that she was level headed. "I just wanted to say thanks for what you have given me. Before I found you I was always alone and I hated it. You're the only pony I've met that can stand to be around me for extended periods of time.Thanks for this new life and these new feelings, and all this happiness and love I'm enjoying. You're my best friend and I want you to be so much more than that. If you didn't get this room I was going to ask you to run away with me just so we wouldn't have to be apart ever again. Being with you isn't about not being alone anymore, I'd rather spend a thousand years on the moon than another night without you." I knew exactly what she meant. At first spending time with Lyra was just because I didn't want to be alone, but now it was because I didn't want to be apart from her. Nothing could replace the feeling of having her near. The fact that she felt the same way took my breath away: it was a dream come true. I had literally dreamed about this happening several times, and now it was real. Feeling bold, I stood up and trotted over to the gorgeous green unicorn. I wondered how obvious my intentions were as I reached around her neck and pulled her into a kiss. She offered no resistance as our lips met. A veil of bliss fell over my mind and the world began to spin. Her warmth was fuel for my throbbing heart, her lips soothing and soft... ... I parted my lips a bit more and felt her curious tongue slipping its way into my mouth. I welcomed it with a gentle massage as I walked backwards until I fell over onto the freshly made bed, pulling this amazing pony down on top of myself. Our kiss only broke for a moment, long enough for Lyra to tell me she loved me, then we reconnected. Her aggressive tongue explored every inch of my mouth as I ran my hooves down her sides. I didn't know what I was doing, it was all instinct. I had no experience and everything was happening so fast. All I knew for certain was that I wanted it, and badly. I had imagined this several times, although none of the scenarios I had come up with helped prepare me for the real thing. What mattered most was I knew Lyra wouldn't care if I did something wrong or strangely: I could be myself around her, even when that meant I was clueless. The feeling of her warm body pressed up against mine was causing my head to spin, and I wanted her in a way I couldn't understand. I just wanted her to take things faster, and I was beginning to feel like I had to take them there myself. With a deep breath, I let my body take control. I pushed her over on her back and climbed on top. She smiled and opened her eyes, I couldn't have stopped myself at this point even if I had wanted to. I leaned down and bit her neck as I placed my hoof between her legs. If she was anything like me, I knew exactly how to pleasure her this way. I bit down harder and ran my hoof further down between her legs, wetting my forearm. As I continued rubbing her and biting her neck, I began to feel her pushing herself up into my hoof. I pressed harder and faster, imagining just how I'd feel at this point if I were doing it to myself. She seemed to love it, her eyes were closed and her light moans urged me to rub faster. I kissed her, forcing my tongue into her mouth as she began to tremble beneath my vigorously rubbing hoof. I can only assume she had an orgasm at that point, then I felt a hoof pressing my head down. I nervously let her guide me, I kissed down her neck and chest while she lowered my head to her stomach. I reveled in the soothing warmth radiating off her soft belly. With a final nudge, my cheeks were touching the insides of her thighs. I took another deep breath to calm myself. Then I stuck my tongue out to give her what I knew she wanted. With a long lick up the center I enjoyed my first taste of another mare. I loved it: it was divine, and her already wet lips offered the most delectable sensation my tongue had ever had the pleasure of greeting. I wanted more, so I began to lick her greedily, almost ravenously. I looked down to see the widely spread lips hugging each side of my tongue, a hint of moist pink flesh present beneath. I felt her hooves resting softly across my shoulders, another enjoyable sensation. I pressed my tongue against her lips harder, hoping to explore every sweet taste she had to offer. With another rough lick, I felt my tongue slide deep inside of her. Judging by the sounds of her moans, she was enjoying nearly as much as I was. I forced my tongue as far in as possible, licking around the sides and allowing my teeth to grind against her clit. She screamed. "Oh wow... Don't stop Tavi, don't stop!" Suddenly I felt her jerk back and she squeezed my tongue tightly, then a small trickle of liquid graced my senses as it dripped off my tongue and down my chin. I quickly gave her another wide lick straight up the center of her legs to taste as much of her sweet orgasmic fluids as possible. I caught my breath while she panted, then she spoke. "Tavi, that felt great... I, I really liked it." I laughed a bit. "I could tell." Then I crawled back up to meet her eyes. She smiled and I winked, then we shared another deep kiss. I was surprised Lyra wanted to do that considering what I had just done, but I loved it. Something about the thought of her tasting herself brought me indescribable pleasure. Lyra's hoof made it's way back between my legs. I welcomed it with a forceful thrust and rocked my hips back and forth, soaking her forearm. Then she rolled me over back onto the bed and climbed on top. After another few minutes of kissing, she sat down between my legs. Her horn lit up and a small aura of magic pressed against me in between my legs. It warmed up and created a very pleasurable vibrating sensation. Lyra then lifted my back hooves up and licked each one. Holding them both between her own hooves, she closed my legs on the aura, which continued working just the same. She then went on to kiss my legs and work her way back down to my hooves. I felt chills creep up my spine as she nibbled on them and stroked my legs. It didn't take long for her magic to bring me to an orgasm. I was much faster to come to one than she was, which was a bit embarrassing at first, but that was quickly washed away when she placed her tongue against my already wet and pulsing crotch. I didn't expect it, but it felt amazing. I heard myself gasp loudly and placed a hoof to my mouth. As she attacked my soaking lips with her tongue I continued to grow increasingly loud. I felt every inch of my body begin to tingle as she bit down on me and pulled my skin lightly between her teeth, and suddenly I came again. This time it was more intense, I felt my entire body trembling and writhing beneath her tongue. I screamed out in ecstasy and wrapped my legs around her head. After several minutes of calming myself down, I was met with another kiss. I could taste myself on her lips and wanted more. If only it could have lasted forever. I held onto her and pressed my head into her chest, I was still breathing heavily and now felt very tired. I felt her pull the blanket over us with her magic and her hooves wrapped around me. I'd never been so warm and comfortable in all my life, and sleep never came so easily. *** Octavia hadn't realized she was silently staring into that unicorn's deep golden yellow eyes and had stopped talking several minutes ago. Her friends weren't sure what to make of it. Vinyl grew impatient. "Well? Lyra kissed you and it was great, then what? You promised details remember," the perverse unicorn said with a smile. The gray mare snapped out of her trance. "Sorry dear, I know what I said but I don't think it's a good idea to... Well, forget I said that." Bon Bon spoke up. "So what happened next then?" Octavia's purple eyes met the blue ones curiously staring back at her. "We grew closer and fell deeper into love as the months turned to years. Then, eventually we... Well we grew apart... For better or worse, I'll never be sure. All I do know is that I'll never regret a moment I spent with her, they were some of the best years of my life." Octavia looked over to Lyra, who was staring down at her food with a crooked frown. She knew Lyra had recalled the same scene she just did. Bon Bon blushed and let out a light cough with a painful lump in her throat. "Well Octavia, that was... Something. I didn't expect you to tell me all that, but I understand if you think it was necessary." Vinyl adjusted her glasses and sniffed. "So why'd you two split up?" Lyra quickly stood up and tapped her plate with her fork. "Well guys, it's getting late. We should probably all head out right? Octavia, I insist that I help pay the bill, I want to treat Bon Bon as well. Now let's go work out how we're going to split it up." She cringed at her own words. Bon Bon raised an eyebrow as she watched the clearly upset unicorn trot around the table and pull a confused gray mare outside. "Don't worry about her, she gets worked up pretty easily." Vinyl raised her glasses and wiped her eyes. "Well that makes two of us. I didn't think it'd be so hard for me to sit here and listen to that story. I mean, the sexual details would have been a turn on, but hearing about how in love they were just... It just hurts." She lowered her glasses back down. "How are you so okay with it?" "Honestly, it was hard on me too, I don't know why I pressured her into talking about it in the first place. It's not like it changes anything. We still don't know about her being called Tavi or anything else like that. I regret it, I'm just trying not to let it ruin the night." The strong mare took the last bite of her salad and threw on a smile. "I guess I'm just not as easy going as I thought I was, at least not when it comes to her. What do you think they're talking about right now anyway?" Vinyl looked over her shoulder to try and see. "Lyra's probably just telling her what she can or can't say about certain instances of their relationship." She placidly took another drink after letting out a sigh. "And you're okay with that?" The somewhat confused unicorn raised an eyebrow. "I don't really have a choice do I? Well, I suppose I always have a choice: I could get into a fight with her and force her to tell me everything that I really don't want to know, or I could just let it go. It's an easy decision if you think about it." The trusting mare stared down into her drink, watching the ice shift as it melted. "I just don't think the one you love should have anything to hide from you. Sorry Bon, but I just can't let it go so easily." The unicorn plopped her cheek down on her hoof and looked off to one side. Bon Bon stood up and trotted around the table to the sulking unicorn, she placed her hoof on her shoulder and looked through her glasses into her eyes. Vinyl lifted them to make eye contact, deep red eyes meeting bright  blue ones. "Come on and cheer up dear, you just need to have a little faith and trust that they'll tell us everything when they're comfortable with it. Octavia is a wonderful mare and an amazing friend, she's definitely someone you can trust. I've only known her a short time but I've grown to care for her as if she were my own sister." Vinyl looked down and thought for a moment, realizing everything her friend had told her. "You're right, she's a great friend, the best friend I've ever had. She isn't always the most reassuring pony in the world though, especially since we're in a relationship now. So thanks for that, I needed it." Bon Bon then gave the grateful unicorn a gentle kiss on the nose, causing her to blush. Suddenly an angry gray mare stormed back inside followed by an apologetic unicorn. "What? I said I was sorry." Octavia glared over her shoulder and made her way to the table. "Bon Bon, this was a lovely dinner and once again, congratulations on your success. I hope to see you again soon, perhaps tomorrow before your lazy marefriend crawls out of bed, we can get breakfast and talk about a few things. Vinyl, lets go." She dropped a bag of bits on the table and trotted past Lyra with her nose in the air. "Wait, Octavia, you can't just go after saying... what you just said out there. Come on!" Lyra nervously stomped the floor and glanced over to Bon Bon, wishing she'd just cover her ears for a moment. Knowing her chance to salvage a normal relationship with her ex-lover was coming to an end, she went out on a limb. "I lied!" The gray mare stopped in her tracks mid-step. Lyra covered her mouth and Bon Bon looked over at her, confused. A stallion sitting at a table across the diner sat his newspaper down and glared at them. "You... what?" Octavia turned around and lowered her eyebrows. The distraught green mare nervously shuffled her hooves and looked at the cream colored mare she loved. A cruel ultimatum hung over her shoulders. She had to come out and say it; she knew she would regret it, but she couldn't keep it inside forever. Octavia reiterated. "You what?! Speak, Lyra!" "Can we talk about this later?" The nervously shaking unicorn asked, nodding her head towards Bon Bon. The gray mare looked as if she were about to explode: she ground her teeth before turning and angrily gallopping out the door, Vinyl shrugged and cantered out behind her. Bon Bon looked over at the teary-eyed green unicorn next to her who stood still as her best friend trotted away, possibly out of her life forever. "Lyra, you need to tell me what's got you so worked up. Trust me: no matter what you have to say, I'll be supportive of you. I love you and nothing will ever change that. Look at how I handled the story Octavia just told me - I won't let anything come between us. What lengths must I go to prove it to you?" The encouraging mare pressed her cheek up against her troubled lover's face. "I know you love me Bonsie..." Lyra lowered her eyes to the floor as the tears managed to escape. *** Octavia trotted into the middle of the dimly lit empty street and stared up to the sky. Traces of the moon shone through the thin veil of clouds overhead. Vinyl slowly walked up behind her to comfort the struggling mare. "You okay? I'm sorry about this, we shouldn't have pressured you into talking about something you didn't want to." The earth pony remained silent and stared into the sky with her deep purple eyes. The unicorn then placed a hoof on her shoulder and turned to face her. Her eyes were wide and full of tears. "You still love her don't you..." The pained unicorn stepped back and turned away. "I don't know..." Octavia wiped her teary eyes with a forearm. //-------------------------------------------------------// How I Met Your Lover pt. 2 //-------------------------------------------------------// How I Met Your Lover pt. 2 For the first time in nearly a month, Vinyl spent the night alone. Needless to say she had hardly gotten any sleep at all and wasn't ready to get out of bed bright and early. However, Bon Bon had insisted they meet up in the morning at a nearby cafe. She looked in the mirror and quickly straightened her messy blue mane out before hiding her tired eyes behind a pair of wide purple glasses. She then headed out to meet her friend. It was a short walk down the block so she made it there in no time. As she entered, the cream colored mare was already sitting there enjoying a cup of coffee, staring out the window. She looked up and smiled when she realized her friend had arrived. "Hi there." Vinyl greeted her from the doorway. "Oh hello, you're earlier than I expected. I usually get to enjoy my third cup before you arrive." Bon Bon smiled and gave her a wink. "So, what did you want to talk about this time?" The mare anticipated something about the previous night, and she had nothing to say. Bon Bon sat her mug down and waited a moment. She saw the waitress walking up behind her friend and decided to let her take her order first. Vinyl simply asked for a cup of herbal decaf tea with a drop of mint and waited for the mare's reply. The mare stared at the unicorn for a moment, then took a deep breath. "Well, it's our partners: we need to do something about those two. It's just getting worse. The first couple weeks were great, but lately the tension between them is suffocating." "It's not going to be easy for me to talk to Octavia about this. We don't live together like you two and you know how she is... She won't let me talk about it unless she wants to, which, chances are, she won't." Vinyl turned away with a pained frown. Bon Bon smiled and rolled her eyes. "You're too optimistic dear. She loves you, she'll hear you out, just give her a chance to show you how considerate she can be." "Okay, so what should I say, because I have no idea..." "I have an idea, but first I need to know that you're not going to hold anything against either of them once they work out their issues. They're going to fight probably, but it'll be worth it in the end. During their fight, they might throw ugly details in one another's face, and those details might be hard for us to hear but it's important we don't overreact - okay?" The coercive mare spoke firmly, not really giving Vinyl an option. "Okay, I'll try. So how do we get them together to work this out?" The worried unicorn imagined another detail would cause her mind to explode. She couldn't begin to fathom the things those two might say when fighting, and she knew this wouldn't be easy. She also knew it needed to be done if they were all going to remain friends. "That's where I need you to help. Like I said, Octavia loves you and you two go way back, she'll hear you out. Just let her know that we have a plan to make this right and she'll surely agree to meet me at my apartment. I'll handle the rest, I'm a smooth talker." Bon Bon confidently smiled and she finished her last sip of coffee just as Vinyl received her tea. "If you're such a smooth talker then why don't you just convince her to meet you there?" The unicorn asked as she began to blow on her still piping hot beverage. "Are you kidding? She won't listen to me, she'd probably hit me if I even mention trying to make her see Lyra. Did you see her face when she ran away from you last night? I'm not going near her until you calm her down." Vinyl sighed and placed her hooves on her face. "Ugh, when did I become the type of mare to have morning meetings to plot against her friends' wishes? And why does Octavia have to be so high strung all the time, she's a freakin' cellist for crying out loud!" Bon Bon put on a crooked smile. "Seriously? Did you just... wow. Okay, so you get her to come by my apartment later tonight, it doesn't matter when, I don't have any plans. Lyra will be there of course, I'll see to that. And on that note, I'm off. Good luck dear, I fear you'll need it with that one. Her strings are going to snap any minute now if we don't fix this tonight." She dropped a couple bits on the table and trotted up the the still moping unicorn, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "You're a good friend, Vinyl. A really good friend." She brushed another kiss across her nose and trotted out the door. The blushing unicorn sat still, looking down at the table, occasionally taking a sip of her drink. After a few minutes lost in thought, she cringed and trotted back home. Something about that sweet mare always looking out for the best interests of others stuck out in the back of her mind. It was a trait Octavia could benefit from adopting. It wasn't long before she reached home, where she paced her room and cleared Bon Bon's actions from her mind. She convinced herself that they were meaningless, harmless. To take her mind off these selfish thoughts, she headed to Octavia's house early. Maybe she'd be up for some fun: that was always a nice stress reliever.  It'd probably make her more open to this little plan of theirs as well. She headed off, still tired, and began the long walk to Octavia's home. She chose to walk rather than pony transit simply to clear her mind in the cool autumn air. With a deep breath, she tapped the buzzer to her marefirend's apartment. "Vinyl?" "Yup." The door beeped and opened, then the unicorn trotted in. She was greeted by a exhausted looking mare with tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry love, I missed you... so so much, too much." The gray mare quietly said with a quivering lip as she slowly wrapped her hooves around Vinyl. "Awe, that's alright, I missed you too. I'm just glad to be near you again, I couldn't sleep a damn bit without you. I just don't know how to anymore." Vinyl said lovingly with a hint of laughter in her voice. "I couldn't sleep either sweetheart. Come on in and let's talk." The two headed into the room and and cozied up. Octavia laid down on the couch where she'd been sulking all morning and Vinyl joined her, positioning herself to lie snugly on top of the mare. She leaned up to give the unicorn a long overdue kiss and wrapped her hooves around her. "So you wanted to talk about something, Tavi?" The unicorn lightly whispered into her lover's ear sensually. "Yes, as a matter of fact I did... um, Viny. I'll work on the nickname later. I just wanted to say I'm sorry for running off last night, I don't know what came over me." Octavia attempted to speak beneath a barrage of kisses and nibbles. "Don't mention it sugar. I don't know what came over you last night either, but I do know what's about to come over you right now." The excited unicorn raised her eyebrows and giggled at her own joke. "Lemme guess, is it you?" Octavia smiled and Vinyl wasted no time kissing her neck and quickly making her way down between those sexy gray thighs.  "Ooh, eager for a taste are we?" Octavia gladly spread her legs apart on the couch, allowing for easy access. Vinyl let out a faint "Yum," before further occupying her mouth and tongue. The gray mare enjoyed herself as much as she should have, until an awful thought pierced her mind. Tavi, Vinyl had called her Tavi again, not knowing what it meant to Lyra. Suddenly Lyra popped into her mind, that adorable little green oblivious unicorn. Octavia closed her eyes and pressed a hoof to the unicorn's mane. She looked down with her eyes still closed and saw a vivid green mane happily tucked between her legs. "Vinyl?" She called out, not sure if she actually said it out loud or simply in her own mind. "What, vinyl? No, they're cashmere weirdo. Vinyl could be kinky though." After speaking, the green unicorn looked up and made eye contact with her,her tongue still snugly tucked inside of her. "Holy... crap..." Octavia began breathing heavily, partially due to her rising pleasure, partially due the fact she thought she was losing her mind. She forced her mind to blank and opened her eyes. She looked back down to see the familiar blue mane she loved so much. "That feels amazing Vinyl, please don't stop..." The unicorn took a moment before replying. "Now why would I stop Tavi, just lay back and relax." "Oh god..." Octavia pressed her hooves into her eyes. Sexy images of her ex-lover filled her mind as she remembered that adorable green unicorn's moans, screaming the nickname Tavi during their sexual encounters, and she came to a quick orgasm. She imagined Lyra licking up and down her entire body as she came, just like she used to. That unicorn was always sure to satisfy and keep on giving after the fact. She was an amazing lover. Octavia knew she couldn't keep this up, something needed to be done. She needed resolution. She looked down to the smiling white unicorn beneath her, she was beautiful and a very sweet, loving, and considerate pony. She deserved her full attention, thinking about someone else while she did that was unacceptable. "Vinyl, you know I love you, right? Well I do, I really really do. I wish I could show you that more often, in better ways than this. I know this is all we do for the most part, but there must be more, right? Our relationship means more than just this - right?" Octavia began breathing more heavily and covered her face with her hooves. The concerned unicorn crawled up next to her troubled marefriend. "Hey now, calm down Tavi, I love you too." "Stop calling me that!" She blurted out, then quickly covered her mouth. Vinyl was shocked but not surprised. "Sorry, I'll stop. Octavia, lets talk about what you just said. Why are you asking me about the value of our relationship? What's on your mind?" "Don't be sorry, I'm sorry for yelling at you, I didn't mean it. You can call me anything you want, okay? I... I was asking because I think we don't do enough together. I mean, other than this. Not that I don't love this, it's just... What else do we have?" She lowered her eyes, knowing the unicorn would read them with ease. "At the risk of sounding too damn cheesy, we have each other, we have love for one another, and most importantly, we have our friendship. You're the best friend I've ever had, and what we do together now is just an extension of that friendship - that's what love is. Octavia, Tavi, don't for a minute think our relationship is purely sexual: it's so much more than that." Vinyl took off her glasses and wiped her eyes with a laugh. "Remember our first date? At the show, you... you." The mare was cut off by her own laughter. Octavia was blushing and smiling, her mind successfully taken off her worries. "Must you bring that up? Of all things, why that?" "That step took you down a notch didn't it? You should have just let me carry the stuff, but no, miss earth-ponies-can-do-anything-unicorns-can-do had to go and embarrass herself. I'll admit it was really cute to see you balancing all that popcorn and those drinks on your front hooves before you walked over that step and face-planted." The unicorn's white muzzle was now bright red as she restrained her laughter. Octavia covered her eyes and tried not to relive that dreadful night. "I'd rather not think about it, dear. At least you helped me clean it up though. That was sweet of you." "How could I not help you? What kind of mare would I be if I didn't?" Vinyl put on a cocky grin, hoping for more praise. "Well, you certainly wouldn't be my kind of mare, that's for sure." The purple eyed pony made eye contact again, feeling a reignited passion in her heart. The two shared another loving kiss and a few more fun memories from their short time spent together, along with some from the years they had known one another. Reinvigorated, the gray mare recalled that she still owed her Vinyl a certain sexual favor in return for the one she'd just received. With her mind clear of Lyra, she was able to give her lover all the attention she deserved. *** Bon Bon circled her nervously shuffling partner. "Now, who's going to be a good little mare when her friends show up, hmm?" Lyra stopped moving and stared at the floor. "Me..." "That's right, you. And who's going to act like a reasonable open minded pony when we work out our issues?" The assertive mare stopped circling to look the unicorn in the eye with a raised eyebrow. "Me again..." She said with an unenthusiastic tone. "Once again, that's right my dear. And then, once everything is back to normal between the four of us, what happens?" Bon Bon smiled and winked. The green mare's expression changed completely. "Then I get to do the thing where I turn you upside down and..." "Yes yes, that." The creamy mare blushed and giggled at her easily swayed marefriend. "Now get ready, they'll be here any minute now. I didn't give her a set time, but I know she'll come through." The two mares trotted out of the bedroom and waited on the couch for their friends to show up. It wasn't long before they heard a buzz at the door. The two expected ponies came trotting in with unexpected smiles. Octavia seemed happy to be there, which was a plus: at least they'd avoid the drama queen routine. "Hello there you two, I'm so sorry about the way everything went last night. I know Lyra and I have some long overdue issues to work out. I'm glad I have such supportive friends willing to help." The surprisingly cheerful gray mare trotted up to Lyra and gave her a long tight hug, then did the same to Bon Bon. The green unicorn didn't seem so enthused. She was still dreading discussing all these issues in front of the mare she so cherished. She didn't have an alternative though: Bon Bon would kill her if she tried to back out now. It would be hard, but she knew that this was her last chance to get everything back to normal, and to become better friends with Octavia again. Lyra didn't behave with her usual cheerful demeanor, and instead sat drearily on the couch to started things off. "So, let's get all of this over with already." Bon Bon shot her a glance of of disapproval. "Now now Lyra, positive attitude remember?" "Yeah, yeah." She rolled her eyes. Vinyl took a seat and decided to stay out of this, she recalled her morning encounter and remembered that the two mares were likely to get into some kind of fight. Octavia dropped her smile as she realized this wasn't going to be as easy as she had hoped. "So then Lyra, like you said, let's get this over with. Why don't we start off by you explaining what you meant by "I lied" last night?" The gray mare glared with sharp eyes. "Was it the letter?! It was the letter wasn't it?!" Octavia immediately teared up, strong emotions filling her heart. Bon Bon decided to take a seat with Vinyl and just let them go at it for a while. Lyra stood up and looked at the creamy earth pony she loved so much, she didn't want to discuss this in front of her at all. She took several deep breaths to level her mind. She knew Bon Bon might be hurt by this discussion, but she also know nothing could drive them apart. It would all be for the best in the end, or so she convinced herself. Lyra braced herself before speaking. "Yes, it was the letter, but... You know things weren't the same between us then. Before I left for Ponyville, we had already grown apart. We were never meant to be." Octavia wiped her eyes with a forearm. "Then why did you lie about it, why not just destroy it? Or tell the truth: maybe we could have started over again! Or something, you didn't have to lie to me like that, do you know what that did to me? It crushed me! I should have known you lied about the letter! I should have known all along! How could I have been so oblivious?!" "It was too late - I had already moved on, and I was falling for Bon Bon. It had been a year, what did you expect?" Bon Bon decided to speak up. "Do you mind telling me what you two are talking about? I'm sure Vinyl is just as confused as I am. What letter, and why is my name coming up? I thought all of this happened long before I was in the picture." Lyra knew she was past the point of being able to hide anything. She decided to lay it all out. "Seven years ago Bon Bon, I never technically or officially broke up with Octavia, but I went to Ponyville for the summer, for inspiration. I needed to get out of the city, and that's when I met you. I was still with Octavia at the time, I just didn't love her anymore. I cared about her a lot, but I didn't want to be near her or see her like I used to. At least not til after I spent some time in Ponyville. After a while I began to miss her like crazy, and I wrote her a letter and a poem describing the way she made me feel. I planned to give it to her when I returned to school after the summer was over. Before that happened I got closer to you and took the whole semester off. You stole my heart away from her and that's when I promised I'd come back to Ponyville permanently as soon as I could. But when I returned to Canterlot, Octavia found the letter. She was thrilled that I felt that way, but I lied and said I wrote it for you. She wouldn't talk to me after that - she hated me for months and made that clear everyday. But the day I planned to leave Canterlot forever, she met me at the train station and we parted on good terms. She promised I'd always have a friend in Canterlot as long as she still lived there. I never lost touch with her: we talked through letters the entire time I stayed in Ponyville, you know that. You've read them with me plenty of times." Octavia was silent, a painful lump clogged her throat. Bon Bon was heartbroken. "Lyra, is that the same letter you showed me before you left? You said you wrote it for me... It was for her?" "Yes, I'm so sorry Bonsie, I didn't want you to find out. I regretted showing you that, I know it was wrong." Lyra's tears couldn't be stopped, she was cracking under the weight of her regrets. "That letter is what made me fall for you... and it was never meant for me?" The once strong and supportive mare was losing her composure, on the verge of tears. Vinyl didn't know what to say, but she could see the mare next to her needed comforting. She wrapped an arm around her neck and held her, gently stroking her mane. Lyra was a wreck. She knew all this pain was stemming from her bad decisions, and her inability to cause anypony else harm. She just wanted everypony to be happy, especially Bon Bon, but Octavia didn't deserve any of the pain she was forced to endure either. She could remember her face, her emotions, and her heart breaking on that day, clear as ever. *** She had just arrived back into the room she shared with Octavia. She dropped her bags and unpacked a few things, but left most of it and the letter inside because she was tired from the long trip, and decided to take a nap. During her nap, Octavia had entered the room to see her sleeping there with the light from the window gently shining down on her lustrous mane and cheeks. She decided to finish unpacking the tired unicorn's things for her, because she had missed her terribly while she was away, and could only hope the feeling was mutual. As she reached the bottom of the bag, she found the crinkled letter. Curiosity got the better of her, so she opened it and  began reading. Her joyous tears and sniffles woke Lyra, who was surprised to see her there. She hadn't expected the gray mare to have returned from her parents' house til morning. After Octavia realized the unicorn was awake, she quickly threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly and crying into her shoulder. "I missed you so much sweetheart, and I love you too. I want us to be happy again, together, like we used to be." The mare smiled and kissed her friend's cheeks. "Your letter was beautiful, thank you so much." Lyra's eyes snapped open. She no longer intended for Octavia to have seen that. So she said the first thing that popped into her head: the truth enhanced by a big lie. "I'm... so sorry, that letter wasn't for you... I wrote it for someone else, a mare I met in Ponyville. I'm going to move there after the year ends, because...  I love her." Lyra sat still and felt her friend pull away from her while her aching heart shattered. She hated the thought of causing someone she cared so much about such pain, but she didn't know how else to handle the situation. The shocked gray mare stood with tears flowing, humiliated and rejected. She covered her mouth with one hoof, the letter still in the other. She fell to all fours and put the letter in her mouth before gallopping out of the room. She didn't speak to Lyra again until the day she left Canterlot. *** With the comfort of Vinyl, Bon Bon was beginning to regain her senses. "Lyra, I'm sorry for the way I acted. It was hard to hear, but I'm glad I know it. That's not the reason I fell for you, I love you because of who you are. That won't change no matter what you tell me, I promise you that." The gray mare grew more furious the more she thought about the fact that Lyra had lied to her, and how obvious a lie it was considering the contents. "So what? You think you get to confess and I'm supposed to just forgive you? Just like that?!" Octavia huffed and turned to the door, she then heard Bon Bon forcefully clear her throat. The angry mare faced her friend. She was staring her down with an evil eye. It was a look that told her she wasn't allowed to leave or there'd be hell to pay. Instead of storming off the way she wanted to, she turned her rage to Lyra. She quickly trotted up to her with narrowed eyes. Vinyl detected potential violence and went to stand up, but was stopped by a creamy foreleg across her chest. "Just let them work this out. I knew they'd fight, but it'll be okay. Trust me: they need this. There's so much tension between them you can taste it in the air. Let them get a little physical, it'll do them some good. They never had closure, and this will be it... Hopefully." Bon Bon whispered into the unicorn's ear, making sure the other two couldn't hear her. Vinyl was heavily blushing. Bon Bon was laying across the couch now with an outstretched hoof touching her legs and chest. Bon Bon's lips were less than an inch away from touching her ear as she whispered into it, her soft warm breath licking the inside. She turned to face her sensual friend and was met with a quick wink and a smile. The mare then nodded her head towards the two fighting ex-lovers and turned to face them. Vinyl was still distracted, staring from the long fluffy blue and pink mane down to the cute little candies on her flank. Bon Bon turned in time to catch the mare staring at her flank, she raised her eyebrows and put on a crooked smile. "Sorry, I was just, uh... just nothing. Sorry." Vinyl quickly looked away, hoping to avoid discussing the topic. "That's alright dear, I'm aware of my 'sweet ass' as your crowd likes to call it." Before Vinyl could be offended  by that statement, she turned to see Bon Bon winking and sticking her tongue out at her playfully. They went back to the fighting mares. Octavia had pinned Lyra to the wall, her hooves pressed tightly against it on either side of her. She was yelling about the fact that she was lied to, still not able to put it past herself. Lyra was no longer crying, as she now feared for her life, but she wouldn't dare use magic on the gray mare. That'd be a guaranteed death. As Octavia's insults weighed in, the unicorn began to lose her passive personality. "Your letter was poorly written anyway! I could have written a better one myself, at least it might have meant something to someone then. Your writing is sloppy too, I could hardly read the thing. It took several tries, I felt as if a small foal tried to write it with their hoof." Lyra glared at her, and her horn sparked as she placed her hooves on Octavia's shoulders. She raised one slightly as if she were about to strike her. Bon Bon smiled and leaned back over to Vinyl. "Do you see the body language? Look how Lyra is gently resting her hoof on Octavia's shoulder like that. Now look at her stomach: it's pushed forward, almost as if she wants to make contact with her. Her arched back is a similar indicator that she wants to touch Octavia with full body contact. Look at her breathing now: very shallow breaths. Her heart is aching, I know it. If she were only angry she'd be taking full deep breaths. All the same is true for Octavia, except her eyes. Unlike Lyra's they're slowly closing. Her anger is fading completely now and she's already beginning to forgive her whether she knows it or not. Now that she's at least had a chance to let some of her old pent up anger out, she's clearly feeling much better. Lyra is after something else: Octavia got what she wanted, which was to make Lyra feel some of what she felt. Humiliation, hence the writing insults, because that's something Lyra loves very much; its very personal to her. Now Lyra, she wants only to be forgiven, and she already got that from me. Now she needs it from her, but will it happen? Let's find out." "Wow, thanks for the play-by-play Bon Bon," Vinyl said turning to her and smiling. "Honestly though, that was really insightful, what's up with that?" "Well, when you're an actress you learn a lot about the importance of body language. Tools of the trade so to speak." The cocky mare grinned, knowing she was being impressive. "You know Vinyl, I've picked up on a lot of your body language lately too. Something you want to tell me?" She said, batting her eyelids provocatively. The unicorn immediately blushed. "No, nothing at all, uh... What did you pick up on?" Bon Bon leaned over further, resting her head on her shoulder. "I know you want me." She placed a hoof on the unicorn's soft white thigh and ran it up her leg. "I have an idea. Tell me: how far would you be willing to go to make sure Octavia is happy again? What's your limit?" "A bit cliché, I know, but I'd do anything for her." Vinyl looked over Bon Bon's long stretched-out body laying lazily across the couch. "Even me?" Bon Bon spoke quietly into her ear, almost licking it as her tongue formed the words. "What... what does that have to do with it? That'd only get me killed - both of us!" The nervous unicorn couldn't believe she'd even consider it. "Vinyl, you silly mare. Just watch for a moment longer, then decide." The two ex-lovers were still arguing back and forth, getting closer with each insult until their noses were touching. Suddenly, Lyra had had enough. She aggressively placed her raised hoof across Octavia's mane and wrapped it around the back of her head. The gray mare let out a deep breath that spread across Lyra's hot cheeks. Seconds later, the two began to kiss. They were both still very angry at one another, but couldn't resist the urge any longer. Bon Bon laughed and pointed. "Ha! See? I told you so." Bon Bon jumped up and celebrated. "What?! Why are you so happy?! Stop them! Octavia, what do you think you're doing?!" Vinyl jumped up to rush over and stop the love of her life from continuing to kiss another mare. Bon Bon quickly intervened. "No no no, they need this. Trust me: once it's over everything will be back to normal. And after tonight, we'll all be much, much closer friends." The unicorn stopped for a moment and watched her lover drag the green unicorn to the floor and pull her on top. She could see their tongues touching as they continued to lustfully kiss. "What do you mean after tonight, mmmm mm..." Vinyl was cut off by the lips of the blue and pink maned mare next to her. Bon Bon pulled away to see bright red eyes looking back at her with a matching blush on her nose and cheeks. "How'd you like tha..." The unicorn immediately pressed her lips back into the earth mare's, then pushed her down onto the floor. As Vinyl and Bon Bon vigorously made out and rolled around, Octavia's attention was caught. She stopped kissing Lyra for a moment and watched her lover with another mare. Strangely enough, she wasn't jealous. It was Bon Bon, what did she have to be jealous of? Lyra turned to see them as well, but rather than try to interfere, she turned back to Octavia. With a hoof around her head, she pulled her back down into the kiss. The four mares continued to lay on the floor and kiss one another. Eventually their hooves got curious. Lyra made her way down Octavia's back with a hoof until it was firmly rubbing her flank. The gray mare knew she wanted this, she needed it. She caught a glimpse of that electric blue mane and might have reconsidered for a moment, but then she noticed Bon Bon happily biting her neck. Vinyl pulled the excited mare over to the left, rolling on top of her. She placed her hooves on Bon Bon's and held her down while she forcefully kissed her. Next Lyra had rolled over with Octavia as well. Now the four were in reach of each other. Lyra intentionally let her hoof fall softly into Bon Bon's mane. The cream colored mare felt her mane being touched and leaned in closer so that the hoof was now touching her cheek. Octavia straddled the unicorn beneath her, looking down to see Lyra touching the creamy mare's reddened cheeks. The sight was surprisingly arousing for her, and she wanted to take it further, but before she could form a plan of any sort, Lyra forced a hoof between her legs. The mare was already very wet and began rocking her hips back and forth over the hoof as she watched Bon Bon begin to bite and lick Lyra's other one while Vinyl sucked on her neck. Liking what she saw, Octavia began to nudge her hips to the right, Lyra got the message and scooted over until she was right next to Bon Bon. The pale-green unicorn leaned over and kissed the mare, immediately placing her tongue in her mouth. Vinyl glanced over to Octavia, who met her eyes with a wink. The unicorn was more than happy to see that the gray mare wasn't angry or jealous. Bon Bon seemed to have been right about everything. The gray mare leaned over and shared a kiss with her lover, then gave her ear a light lick. "I bet I can make my mare come first," she whispered. "You're on." Vinyl licked her friend's nose and smiled before diving between the mare's creamy thighs. Octavia did the same, knowing she had the upper hoof in this little challenge. She already knew exactly what Lyra wanted, whereas Bon Bon was a mystery to them both. The gray mare closed her eyes and anticipated the sweet familiar taste that had been lingering in the back of her mind for so long. Her heart pounded in her chest at the thought of the delectable sensation once again gracing her tongue. With a shallow breath, she sent chills up her friend's spine as she gave her what she wanted: a deep lick in between her dripping lips. The taste was everything she remembered: so succulently, subtly sweet. She hated to think that she preferred Lyra's taste over Vinyl's, but this pale green mare had something special, something amazing. She wanted more of it, just like their first time. She continued to lick between the lips, pressing deeper with each stroke of her tongue. As Lyra continued to kiss her lover, each was moaning into the other's mouth while their tongues touched. Both quivered beneath the ravenous licks as their faces became flushed. Bon Bon lifted her leg and placed a hoof on Vinyl's shoulder. Her moans grew more high pitched as she began to come closer and closer to orgasm. Lyra loved the sound, and the thought of exactly what was happening around her was bringing her closer as well. Octavia felt her tongue being squeezed by moist green lips around it. Knowing what this meant, she shoved her tongue deep inside the delicious mare and bit down on her clit. The green mare screamed out in pleasure. "Tavi, that's it, don't stop!" Bon Bon smiled while biting down onto Lyra's neck, she knew she had just had an orgasm and was ready for one of her own. Moments later, her eyes rolled up in ecstasy as Vinyl delivered. Octavia remained completely still while Lyra's warm liquid slowly dripped down her tongue and chin. She kissed her inner thighs and climbed up on top of the quivering mare. They shared a deep kiss while Bon Bon recovered from her trembling orgasm. "Looks like you won Tavi." Vinyl said in a mocking voice. Octavia made eye contact and smiled while still kissing the mint-green unicorn, acknowledging her victory. Bon Bon stood up and brushed herself off. "Thank you Vinyl, that was wonderful. Now if you three will please follow me to the bedroom." The mare walked ahead of them, provocatively wiggling her flank as she trotted. They all made their way into the bedroom. Bon Bon laid down on bed facing the ceiling. She opened her legs and gestured for a pony to join her. "Octavia, I want you, now." The singled-out gray mare glanced over to her friends with a raised eyebrow and a grin before shrugging at them and trotting over to the mare on the bed. She climbed up and was guided to spread her legs over Bon Bon's head and face the foot of the bed. Lyra and Vinyl trotted over to join them, they stood at the edge of the bed and each spread one of Bon Bon's legs. Octavia had lowered herself onto the mare's tongue and was enjoying the deep penetration that followed. The two unicorns below nervously looked at one another, not sure how to react. They had each always preferred the more girly ponies. After blushing and shyly glancing to the floor and back, they kissed. Despite never feeling an attraction towards the other, they decided that considering everything that had already happened, nothing could go wrong. Neither regretted it, Lyra in particular enjoying the kiss. She loved the familiar taste of her lover on an unfamiliar tongue. It was a sensation she'd never experienced before, and one she liked very much. Vinyl could hear Octavia's moaning growing louder, and she began to kiss Lyra harder and press her tongue deeper into her mouth. She was already very aroused and more than ready to be satisfied. Lyra knew what Vinyl needed. She pulled away from their kiss and nudged the unicorn's face towards Bon Bon's already widely spread legs. The green mare then stepped behind the unicorn and pushed her tail out of the way to reveal her already wet opening. The bold green mare then gently inched her horn inside. Vinyl had never been penetrated before, other than by a tongue, and gasped at the sudden sensation. Lyra loved the warm tight squeezing on her horn, she let her tongue hang out as she continued to press deeper until the base of her horn was submerged inside the tight pink tunnel. Octavia saw Vinyl's face as she was being gently pushed by the unicorn behind her. She realized that this was Vinyl's first time experiencing something like this, and she was glad she could be a part of it despite not having a horn of her own. She leaned down and licked the tip of the white unicorn's horn, catching her off guard. Vinyl let out an uncharacteristically cute squeak that brought a pang of delight to Octavia's heart. The gray mare then licked from the base to the tip, then wrapped her lips around the horn. Bon Bon was still slowly licking all around the inside of Octavia, enjoying every sweet taste and feeling every subtle twitch or gentle squeeze when she hit a sensitive spot with her tongue. As Vinyl continued to suck on her clit, Bon Bon found it increasingly hard to concentrate on Octavia's sensitive spots. Her mind became clouded with growing pleasure and she simply began swirling her tongue around in a frantic manner, hoping to make the mare above her come to an orgasm. She arched her back and pressed her hips up, forcing herself into Vinyl's face and prompting more aggressive actions from the unicorn. Octavia continued to vigorously suck on her horn, quickly bobbing her head in time with Bon Bon's hip thrusting. These sensations quickly came to be too much for the white unicorn to handle. She sent sparks of pleasure through Octavia's tongue as Vinyl came to a magical-spark induced orgasm with the help of Lyra's over-charged horn. The light-green mare herself was soon overwhelmed by the pleasure brought from the tightly squeezing unicorn. Lyra pulled out and stood next to Vinyl. Octavia tiresomely fell over on the bed while Bon Bon caught her breath. As the gray mare panted, the other three looked her over. They all realized she was the only one who had yet to be satisfied fully. Lyra was tired as well, and she laid down next to Octavia on the bed, watching the other two follow her. Bon Bon ran a hoof down the panting mare's gray stomach and placed it snugly between her legs. Lyra gently kissed her neck and massaged her chest and sides with her hooves. Vinyl grabbed her leg and kissed it all the way down to her hoof before gently nibbling on it. Octavia simply laid still and enjoyed the sensation of three mares tending to her needs. She especially loved having her hooves tended to so tenderly. Vinyl kissed the bottoms and licked from the back of her leg up the center of the hoof. Octavia gasped as Lyra simultaneously began nibbling on her ear and Bon Bon slowly kissed down her stomach towards the center of her legs. As the earth pony reached her target, she felt intense heat radiating from between the gray mare's legs. She took a deep inhale through her nose and enjoyed the aromatic scent filling the space near Octavia's sweet spot. She leaned over, facing down, and licked her lower stomach all the way down between the succulent lips. She reached her hooves over and spread them apart, revealing the tender pink flesh within. Holding the lips apart, the experienced mare precisely licked across a particularly sensitive spot. Octavia was nearly overwhelmed by the strong sensation that followed. She arched her back and stretched her hooves out. Lyra bit down on her ear and licked the inside while Vinyl softly planted her teeth across her hooves, forcefully licking the sensitive area in the middle. With one last vigorous lick from Bon Bon, Octavia's eyes rolled up into the back of her head as she exploded into an overexerted orgasm. She screamed out at the top of her lungs and looked as if she were about to snap her own spine. Her hooves got tightly wrapped up in the sheets as she sprayed a small stream of ejaculatory liquid across Bon Bon's face. The cream colored mare could only smile. "Wow, Octavia dear, I didn't know you had it in you," Bon Bon chuckled and wiped her face off with a hoof. The gray mare simply giggled uncontrollably and writhed on the bed. Lyra's eyes were wide as can be, she'd never seen her ex-lover do that in all their years together. "Not fair Bon Bon. Now you have to do that for me later Tavi," Vinyl joked and climbed back onto the bed to cuddle up to her friends. The four lay there and pulled the blanket over themselves. Lyra hit the lights with her magic and they all began to doze off after having such a long, hard and strenuous night. "I love you all, you know that? I really do guys, and I hope everything between us is better than ever after this." "Awe how sweet, I love you too Bon Bon." Vinyl chuckled and closed her eyes. "Same here," Octavia said, still panting a little. "Shh, get some sleep Bonsie Bon Bonny... I love you too." Lyra pulled the blanket up to her cheek and rolled over. The four were cuddled up warmly and quickly fell asleep. Nothing occupied their minds except for their newly fortified friendship. Each hoped that it would last forever, and that they'd be the friends they knew they could be: best friends forever. *** Several days later, Octavia stepped into her room. Vinyl was asleep on the couch after another fun evening, and Octavia spent some time thinking about a few things for the first time. She was more certain now than ever that she was in love. She decided she would ask Vinyl to move in with her. They spent all day and night together as it was, and more importantly, it'd be a sincere confession of her love, fidelity, and commitment. Her onetime experience with her two best friends had brought her and Vinyl closer together than ever, and opened a clear and free relationship between her and Lyra, with no more tension. The group of friends had never been happier. She shut the door behind herself and opened a small dresser drawer in front of her bedroom mirror. Inside was a small envelope, and inside that, an old crinkly letter. The gray mare lifted it out and opened it up on the dresser's table top. She looked at herself in the mirror for a moment. Her purple eyes brightly reflected the dim lighting in the room before she turned them down to the letter. Tears immediately filled them as she thought about how the poem was always meant for her. A second chance never given, and a world of potential love unknown. She asked herself if it was right to have any regrets left: she would have never gotten with Vinyl, the amazing and sweet mare she loved so much today. The mare she wished to someday perhaps marry may have never even been a part of her life, and she couldn't stand to think about that. However, regret still lingered, along with curiosity. She read over the letter, and stopped at the poem. It was so obviously meant for her that it was painful. She wondered how Bon Bon could have ever thought otherwise. As she read over it for the last time, a few tears dotted the paper. She took the letter and the old envelope in her mouth and trotted back into the front room. She clasped it tightly between her teeth as she trotted towards the kitchen. Something about the fact that she had so pettily held onto this letter for so long stuck in her mind. She felt so foalish, and needed to rid herself of this painful reminder of the worst years of her past. She reached up to her mouth with a hoof and ripped the envelope and folded letter in half, then dropped it all into the garbage. She trotted back out to a sleeping Vinyl and snuggled up to her on the couch. Looking over her lustrous white coat and vivid blue mane, she realized how lucky she was to have found such a fun and beautiful mare to call her own. She was finally able to let her past go, and focus on the days to come. She gave her lover a kiss on the forehead, then laid her head against the mare's soft chest. She was soon lulled to sleep by the sound of her heart gently beating, and the subconsciously produced sound of a certain mare singing her to sleep.