A Lovely Melodyby ShadowBlaze (Behemoth)ChaptersVinyl ScratchBass and TrebleSonataMusic & LoveScratched OutVinyl Scratch Vinyl Scratch That time of week again, I thought happily as I trotted from my home. The cool summer's air wove it's way through my coat and mane. The breeze seemed sharper and the stars brighter. Of course it was always this way when I left to experience the highlight of every week. Music... My appreciation for music was always a big one. Especially her music. It had started when we were both very young foals. She always could sing, yes. But it was when she actually created the music that I liked. I myself was not a musician due to my lack of. . .skill. Other than our love of music, we were actually pretty different from each other. I needed her music and she needed someone to trust and understand her. I suppose, to her, I was both. I stopped in my tracks. The sound of galloping hooves made my ears perk up. A small smile played on my lips. Speak of the devil... I was rammed from the side without warning and was harshly shoved to the ground. The pony and I rolled across the cobblestone street, fighting for a vantage point. Eventually, we came to a halt when the pony sat on my chest and pinned my hooves to the cobblestone, laughing happily. I grinned as well as the white unicorn lifted her shades from her eyes. "Gotcha again, Beats," Vinyl Scratch beamed. I chuckled and stared into her ruby eyes, her mane outlined by dozens of sparkling stars. "Yeah, yeah. You got me Scratch," I struggled against her hooves and eventually decided to lay limp. "Get off of me." Vinyl cocked an eyebrow and punched my shoulder lightly. "I didn't hear you ask nicely," Scratch said in a sing-song voice. I sighed and muttered under my breath. Same old Scratch. "Please get off of me, Miss Vinyl Scratch." I say sarcastically. She helps me to my feet with a crooked half smile. I rolled my eyes and punched her back. "Taking your sweet time on your walk, huh?" she joked as she draped a hoof over me. I bit my lip and lowered my gaze to the street. "Yeah, well, y'know..." I trailed off. I raised my eyes to see a skeptical look on Scratch's face. She had often caught me lost in my thoughts on walks or when I'm just...plain bored. "Yeah, well ,y'know," she imitated. Her impression of me was awful. I laughed lightly and began to resume my walk. I caught her looking in my direction out of the corner of my eye. "What?" "I've got a place where you definitely won't be bored." she smiled slyly. "And that's the club! C'mon! Any slower and you're cutie mark would've been a slug!" She began imitating a walk in slow-motion. I sighed and motioned for her to cut it out. She shrugged. "Alright just...hurry. I go on in, like, five minutes!" She began to gallop away. I galloped after her. "You cant lose me that easily, Scratchy!" I call after her and I hear her signature laugh once again. "Slowpoke!" she teased. I picked up the pace and we raced all the way to her domain. Club Scratch. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ __________________________________________________________________________________ Photo credit to Episkopi. ^^ Bass and Treble Bass and Treble The deep booms of bass filled the air as we neared the club. I slowed to a trot, attempting to hear the music through the sound of galloping hooves and the pounding in my ears. Of course, Scratch didn't slow at all as she sped past me. She never was one to stop and smell the flowers. She preferred to whisk through life in the fast lane while I was always one step behind her. "Keep up, slug!" she called. A smirk crossed my face and I complied. The club was now mere meters away. I gritted my teeth and pushed a full gallop. As always, Scratch was way ahead of me and she slammed her hoof to the brick wall with a triumphant grin. I panted and sluggishly placed my hoof against the wall as well. I couldn't help but notice a devilish smirk on Vinyl's face. "I'm two for two, Beats. You really gotta step up your game, now," she ceased her panting to let a small laugh out. I sighed in mock defeat. Scratch always was competitive. Cocky too. Though I suppose that part was on account of her being better than me in just about everything. The bass was now booming in both of our ears. And I loved it. We circled around to the front of the building, passing many ponies making casual conversation outside of the club. A lot of the ponies turned to acknowledge Scratch. After all, she did practically run the place. Everyone's favorite DJ, at least. She lowered her tinted sunglasses and the reflection of a neon sign gleamed from them. Club Scratch "Ready for a good time, Silent?" she asked with a wide grin. "As always," I reply anxiously. From the corner of my eye I spot a pony with a beautiful grey coat. She was slumped against the club's front wall, a large instrument case propped against the wall beside her. She had her eyes closed and was breathing deeply. I assumed she was sleeping until Scratch swung the double glass doors open and the vibrations and chatter invaded the quiet air. Her eyelids slid open slowly, she looked up to me and blinked. I stopped between steps, paralyzed by her gorgeous violet eyes. As far as I knew, I had never looked at a mare that way before. I cleared my thoughts and put on what must have been an incredibly and stupidly endearing smile. "Evening," the pony greeted with an obviously forced smile. i shook my head quickly and searched frantically for a reply. Her instrument. Yes, her instrument. "Your a musician?" I note, trying to stop the blood from flowing to my face. "Violin, right?" My eyes widened and immediately facehoofed myself repeatedly. Stupid, stupid, stupid... "Cello, actually," The pony murmured, gesturing to the size of the instrument. I chuckled monotonously. I knew that...I knew that. "Right, right. I'm not really one for classical music." I replied as a lame excuse. I immediately found myself regretting it. "No, really. I kind of assumed," she said with a sarcastic smirk as she gestured to the beaming "Club Scratch" sign. A bland look fell over my self as I resumed facehoofing. Scratch pulled me into the building as my face became extremely red. Many of the ponies cheered as Vinyl Scratched entered the room, flourishing to everypony. "Here she is now!" Announced the pony currently stationed on the stage. "The pony everypony has been waiting for. The reason you all are here right now. Welcome the lovely, Miss DJ PON-3!" The crowd erupted in cheers and Scratch chuckled. "See you after the show, kiddo," Vinyl said giving me a quick hug. A hugged her back tightly. "Good luck, V-Scratch." "Thanks, Beats," she flashed a smile as she turned and left for her show. The pony who had previously been announcing approached Vinyl. "Cutting it a bit close, dontcha' think, DJ?" "Yeah, well, y'know," Scratch grinned ear to ear as she entered the backroom to prepare. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. I had wanted to create music of my own one day. The sad fact remained that Vinyl Scratch was simply born with a talent I wasn't. It was my role to be there for her when ever she needed me. To listen to her music whenever she wanted. And to have a good time while doing it. I had no problem with this so far. Seconds turned to minutes and eventually the famous DJ PON-3 stepped up to the stage and positioned herself behind her well-known turntables. "How is everypony tonight?" Scratch called from the stage. The crowd went wild with jumping and screams. "Can't hear you! I said, how is everypony tonight?!" The crowd exploded in a mad fit of cheering. "Good to hear! I've got plenty of songs to keep everypony feeling like partying. Everything from sweet electronic melodies to filthy bass drops. So let's get hardcore and RAVE!" The crowd erupted once again and the show began with a light electronic intro. I couldn't help but smile. That was my Vinyl Scratch up there. The one I had known for all of my life. Everyone in the club may have been cheering her name but we both knew who her true biggest fan was. Me. She was my Scratchy. Now minutes had turned to hours and before I knew it, it had to have been in the early hours of the morning. My guess was somewhere between two and three a.m. I found myself at the bar, drunk on music. I spot the white unicorn down the bar on the other side of a large group of talkative ponies. I trot over to her and have a seat on a cushioned bar stool. It normally wasn't like this. Scratch and I would usually leave well before 1 a.m. Scratch perked up at my arrival. "Oh...hey, Beats. I was beginning to think you had left me," she droned. I made a mock incredulous face, "Why in Equestria would you think that?" I murmured, signaling a bartender. Scratch turned to me almost falling from her barstool. "Do you . . . love me, Silent Beat?" she slurred. I cocked my head at her question, but decided to answer it truthfully nonetheless "Course I love you, Scratchy. Since we were foals I've loved you like my own sister," Scratch downed another shot. And shook her head furiously. "No . . . not like that, Beats. Don't you understand?" The bartender arrived with a beer for me and I nodded at him appreciatively as I tossed him a few bits. I did understand what Scratch was saying. But it wasn't her talking. It was the alcohol. "S-scratch, stop. Y-you're drunk," I slide her beer away from her and she brings her hoof down on the table with greater force than was truly necessary. "You see? That's just the problem. No one could comprehend . . . somepony like me . . . being in love with some pony like you. Nopony understands . . ." She hung her head and reached for her drink I slid it back over to her and lowered my own glass to my lips, letting the ice cold liquid trickle into my mouth. "Course I understand, V-Scratch. I've always understood you, right? Now maybe we could both use a rest from the music and crowd," I point a hoof towards the door. Vinyl shook her head again. "That's all you ever want to do is rest, Beats," she retorted gesturing at my cutie mark. A quarter rest. I had to give her credit. That was a pretty good one. "It's good to take risks from time to time." Vinyl breathed in a sultry voice. "It's good to," she placed her hooves around my neck and leaned in close to my ear. "Scratch it up," she whispered. I removed her hooves from my shoulders and stared directly in her eyes. "Knock it off, Vinyl Scratch," I commanded. "You don't feel this way. Quit lying to yourself." I hopped from my bar stool and began to trot away from my friend. I repeated to myself over and over again in my head that what I was saying wasn't too harsh. I knew it was. I would give her time to sober up and I'd see her in the morning. What if it wasn't the alcohol, Beats? I shook my head and scolded myself for thinking that way. I thought I heard the sound of Scratch whimpering sadly behind me. Or perhaps it was only my imagination. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ I swung the double glass doors open to see the exact same grey coated pony lying against the wall. I slid down against the wall as well and her ears perked up. She opened her eyes and glanced at me. "Need something?" she asked with a helpful half smile. I just shook my head and slid my own eyes closed. "You're kind of a shady character you know that?" I asked, attempting a light conversation. "Yeah?" I opened my eyes to look at her and we found that we were both smiling.I shook my head and closed my eyes again. She did the same. "I like that," I say with a smile still on my face. I heard a small giggle escape from her lips. "Hey how good are you on your violin?" I asked, enunciating the word 'violin' very clearly. I thought I heard her giggle again. The sound of tinkling bells. "I used to think I was pretty good. Others . . . don't seem to agree, though," she said softly. I decided not to press and to let her be. "Do you think you could show me?" I asked hopefully. "Thought you weren't one for classical music," I glanced up at her to see a sparkling gleam in her eye. We both began laughing loudly. "Yeah, well, y'know," I muttered, thoughts of my Scratch in my head. I heard the click of her case opening and she produced her cello and bow from within. "Any requests?" I hear her ask though my eyes were closed. "Anything . . . pretty." "Pretty?" "Yeah. Pretty," I hear her cough as she stifles a laugh. "You got it." A few seconds passed before I heard a beautiful sound. The most beautiful sound, actually, I had ever heard. I lifted my head to see where the beautiful sound was emitting from. Her eyes were closed and she moved her bow back and forth carefully, smoothly and gently as if she were caressing her instrument. We stayed like that, her eyes closed and mine carefully watching her every movement for a few minutes before I rested my head back against the wall. Her music made my chest swell. Or perhaps that was only me. Falling steadily more in love with her. Music. Love. Were they really all that different from each other? __________________________________________________________________________ Photo credit to Episkopi and John Joseco. ^^ SonataChapters every Tuesday and Thursday. __________________________________________________________________________________ Sonata "Oh, hey there. I thought you'd show up. Come inside," the pony pulled me inside and pressed the door closed behind me. I couldn't stop grinning at her gorgeous smile. "Thanks, again for having me," I say sincerely as she laughs. I shift my gaze throughout her home. It was . . . marvelous to say the very least. A crystal chandelier hung over our heads, casting bright light across the room. A grand spiraling staircase led up into a loft that I presumed held her room. A grand piano rested in the corner and her cello rested against it, her bow lying across the top. "No, really. It's my . . . pleasure," she giggles shooting me a flirtatious wink. I stood in a daze as she once again led me across the room. We crossed a warm furry rug and she seated me at the piano bench. She sat down lightly next to me and scooted in closer. "Do you know 'Heart and Soul'?" she asked politely. I could only nod as I marveled her every feature. Her beautiful violet eyes and delicate looking mane. "Great! If you'd play the lower part, I'll play the counterpart on my cello. Just, eh, play slowly. When played fast, a cello just doesn't sound as," she fumbled for the proper word. "Pulchritudinous." My eyebrows shot upwards at her choice. She moved from the bench and grabbed her cello and bow in a single fluid movement. She placed the bow to the cello that now rested against her body. "And...start," she said. I obeyed and began playing better than I ever had. She smiled at me and placed the bow to the strings of the cello. She drew them back and- The most awful sound I had ever heard emitted from them. A high pitch shrieking that made me immediately stop playing. I clamped my hooves over my ears and over all the racket, she stared at me. Her beautiful eyes now pierced through to my very being. As she stared me down, she uttered four words. Words that didn't make any sense. "Get the buck up!" I awoke with a start and the shoves instantly ceased. A dream. Of course. I don't even know the piano! "What th-" I rolled from my bed and landed clumsily on hard wooden floor. Blankets and pillows tumbled from the bed and onto me in a large heap. I stamped a hoof and shook the pile from my body. Standing up, I looked into the eyes of a rather amused Vinyl Scratch. "What are you doing here, Scratch?" I asked glancing around my bedr- This wasn't my bedroom. That dresser wasn't mine. The bed wasn't mine. My bedroom had carpet not wood. What in Equestria was- "Maybe I should ask what you are doing here?" she tapped a hoof and my eyes shot wildly about the room. I shrugged helplessly. "I . . . honestly can't say myself. What did I drink last night?" "Apparently way too much, Beats!" "Okay, don't get angry with me." "And why shouldn't I?" "Well it's not as if we-" I stopped mid-sentence. We couldn't have...? "For all we know, that's exactly what happened!" Oh, sweet Celestia. "I don't care what I drank, okay? There's no way in Equestria I would-" I gestured wildly to the bed and Scratch looked at me, bemused. "Do . . . that with you." Scratch scoffed. "And, uh, what exactly is that supposed to mean?" I bit my lip. Scratch always was one to take things in the completely wrong direction. "Well, what Scratch? I just don't think it's . . . proper to have that kind of relation with somepony who has been your best friend since," I stuttered. "Well, forever!" "Oh, I ,eh, guess you're right," she sniffed and turned away from me. "I, uh, just thought you meant something else." "What that nopony would? Of course not, Scratch. I'm sure you're gorgeous to other ponies." "Other?" "Not that I don't, Scratch it's-" "Yeah, yeah. I get it, Beats. Don't stress yourself." I smiled and nodded. "Okay. I'd better just, uh, leave. Try to make sense of . . . last night." She returned a smile. "Yeah, I'll see you." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ I spotted her across the street. Yes, the same pony from the night before. Funny how I always ended up running into her, isn't it? She carried her large cello case on her back with ease. She must have had plenty of practice. I trot up to her and she gives me a knowing grin. "What's that for?" I ask, cocking my head. She snickers and resumed walking. "Oh, nothing," she smirks, adjusting her cello on her back before adding, "Drunkard." I winced. "That bad?" "Oh, yeah." I let my shoulders sag and sighed. "It's normally very unlike me to get that . . ." "Wasted?" "Yeah, that." We trotted for awhile in silence before I decided to break it. "Need any help with that?" I move my eyes to her cello. She glances at me suspiciously. "I'm . . . fine. What's up?" I decided to cut the crap. "I woke up this morning with Vinyl and . . . I was wondering if maybe you overheard something or knew anything about it?" She looked at me as if I were a crazy pony. "Vinyl . . . ?" I chuckled. That's right. "Er, Scratch. DJ-PON3," her eyes widened in understanding. "Ah. She's a very talented musician. Your a lucky stallion." I blushed and turned away. "Isn't she?" I asked as the pony nodded absently. "Um, no. We parted, you went back inside, drank like a mad pony, and all you two did was laugh and dance all night. I think maybe once you pecked her cheek." Again, I blushed hotly at even that. "And then you approached me and told me you were going to 'crash' at her house. Beats me why I would care," she smirked. Small memories of last night flashed back to me. "Yeah, that sounds about right. It was crazy for me to even assume we had . . ." The pony giggled again and my heart swelled. What I did next was completely unlike me. "Hey, I was wondering if maybe, sometime, you'd, er, like to-" "Friday night works well with me if that's where you were going with that," she winked at me seductively and I was taken back to my dream. I felt blood rush to my face. "That's, um, exactly where I was going with that," I took a deep breath to build up my confidence. I would not let her be the one asking me out. "I was thinking we could go for a . . . walk through Whitetail Woods. Just to . . . " Several ideas flew through my mind at once. "Discuss music." "Discuss music?" she eyed me. "Yup. I mean we both seem to enjoy it quite a bit. Maybe while we're there, we can actually get on a first name basis," I joked. She chuckled softly. "Octavia." "Gesundheit." "What, no. My name is Octavia," she said, giggling. I bit my lip. "Right, just . . . messing with you." "Mhm. See you Friday evening then . . .?" "Oh, right. Name's Silent Beat." "Silent Beat, huh? Kinda liking that." She said thoughtfully. "Huh. That's a first. Octavia's a . . . really pretty name as well." She gave me a heartwarming smile. "Thanks, Beats." "Beats?" "Oh, sorry. Silent." "No, no. Call me Beats. I'm, eh, used to it." "Oh, alright then, Beats." She said with a happy smile. "I'll see you Friday." "Right. See you, Octavia." She trotted away from me and disappeared between two buildings. I smiled, dazed, and began trotting home. Productive day... I thought to myself before stopping in my tracks. Did Octavia and I just plan a date? I cocked my eyebrows. Huh. I resumed trotting, lost in thought and eagerness. I really did like her. And I assumed she liked me as well. If all went well, I could see us actually forming a relationship. Hopefully we would become more than friends and I could finally have a special somepony in my life. Nah, what am I thinking? Its way too soon to think like that. For now, I would just enjoy the time we spend together. As friends. Being friends with a beautiful mare is actually not a bad situation to be in after all. I grinned to myself. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ That night I dreamt. I dreamt of nothing but Octavia. Octavia and I. Together. ___________________________________________________________________________ Photo credit to Sweatshirt and ~Monochromatic Bay. ^^ Music & LoveTuesday's chapter. Like Rusion said, I was having a "Lesson Zero" day. ______________________________________________________________________________ Music & Love I relaxed under the cool shade of an oak tree, the rustle of leaves soothing my mind, which was at the moment speeding off in many, many directions. I hummed to myself as I anxiously awaited Octavia's arrival. The past few days had gone by so agonizingly slow. Of course that only happened when I was actually looking forward to something. The weather was slowly, but surely turning brighter, warmer, and what I liked best, greener. I had come to the decision not to tell Vinyl Scratch about mine and Octavia's upcoming date. I figured she would somehow get the wrong idea into her head and I didn't feel like explaining my way out of one of those again. I felt like there was some other reason. Some other reason that my brain was rejecting before I even got a chance to see for myself what it was. Perhaps I was simply feeling that way because of the reason I was out here in the first place. From the first moment I saw Octavia, there was . . . something I liked about her. Although not sure what it was exactly about her, I definitely liked her. Does she like me the same way? I stared up into the bright green leaves for what felt like hours, drowning in my own thoughts. Until the sound of hooves crunching leaves startled me from my pondering. I scrambled up to see who was approaching. Was it Octavia? My jaw dropped. Yes it was . . . but, that wasn't what was shocking. It was Octavia, but she was accompanied by none other than Vinyl Scratch. They seemed to be having a conversation. Chattering and smiling. Eyes wide, I dove behind the nearest tree. Wha-? Why were they-? Octavia looked up from her conversation and her eyes darted around for a bit before impossibly resting on me. She smiled at me and I gave a weak one back. "Oh there he is now!" I winced and stepped out from behind my shelter. "Oh, hey Beats! What are you doing out here?" Scratch stepped forward. "Well, I was just-" "Beats, here invited me for a walk with him. Didn't you, Beats?" I looked down and kicked a hoof. "Uh, yeah. I did." Scratch shifted uncomfortably as I glanced up. "Oh, uh. I suppose I'd better leave you two to it then. It was nice meeting you Tavi," She smiled and nodded turning away only to be stopped by Octavia. "You don't have to leave if you don't want. We'd love to have you on our walk!" I sighed and turned away. That ruled out the possibility that Octavia thought our walk was at all romantically associated. I caught Scratch looking at my expression and a look of pain came over her face. "No, really. It's fine. I've got other . . . activities planned anyways," she gave a weak smile before turning and walking away slowly. I felt a pang of guilt and my heart ached. I wanted to go after her. To say something, anything, to keep her from being angry with me, but this was mine and Octavia's date and I was really looking forward to it. Octavia looked after Scratch only slightly detached. "Will she be okay?" she questioned, clearly concerned. I nodded and I turned to the sprawling and gorgeous forest behind me. "She's pretty tough. I think that she'll be fine." I give her a reassuring smile before we both start for the entrance to the Whitetail. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ We talked about all sorts of things. Many more things than just music which is what I originally promised. It started with music, then to Scratch, then to me and somehow we ended up back to music. Classical music. What Octavia did. It was actually rather . . . interesting. A change from the electronic music I was so accustomed to. And then our conversation turned on her. She shifted her gaze around a lot and I questioned whether or not to change the subject. "I was part of a trio of string musicians back in Fillydelphia. We traveled all the way from Manehattan to Ponyville performing. But . . ." She turned away. "I . . . don't think I was good enough. They clearly didn't. I was, to put it frankly, kicked from the group and I haven't bothered or really cared enough to see them again." I stopped in my tracks, shocked. "Octavia, your music is . . . one of the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard. I mean that. I love everything about your music. The one time I've heard it I felt so . . . so happy. It's my favorite thing about you. Although . . . there are many things I like about you," I murmur walking a bit closer to her. She nudges up against me a bit and breathes out deeply. "Thank you so much, Beats. That really means a lot to me," The bright of the day began slowly fading over the horizon and all was quiet but the sound of our hooves trudging through the leaves.. "I like you a lot, too, Beats," I nearly stopped breathing. "When I'm around you I feel . . . warm inside. I feel like I'm home. Like I'm performing again. Like I'm . . . special." She nestles her muzzle into my mane. Things were moving so fast. Like music all around me. A blur that I didn't feel privileged to stop. I loved the feeling. I never wanted to lose the feeling. So I continued. "You're one of the most special ponies I know. Special and unique and . . . and beautiful." She pulls out from my mane and looks deep into my eyes. I look deep into hers. This moment was so perfect and special to me. I wanted to stay frozen like this forever. Our gaze was locked onto each other. Into each other. I felt a familiar longing and we were slowly being drawn together. Closer. "Beats, I-" The serene moment was broken by a clap of thunder and we jerked apart. I scratched the base of my neck and Octavia turned away, blushing. Rain began to fall heavily. "Oh, shoot. Now I'll get all wet." Octavia grumbled as we began walking again. I chuckled lightly. "You mean like this?" I stamped a hoof into a rather large puddle, soaking us both from our knees down. She glared at me angrily and I was just starting to wish I hadn't done it in the first place. "No, no. I mean like this!" She brought her two front hooves down into a large mud puddle and soaked my face and mane entirely. I laughed happily wiping the mud from my muzzle. She galloped away. I galloped after her. I felt as if this were the way it were meant to be. Us together. Laughing. At that moment, I realized that I loved her. And I was beginning to think that she loved me too. It made my heart sing and my soul lift. It was like music. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ I gripped the quill tightly in my mouth as I doodled in my sketchbook. No, I wasn't particularly good at drawing. And it didn't matter to me. I loved doing it. I filled page after page. All of nearly the same thing. Hour after hour I doodled until I found myself dozing off. It was early in the morning. I could tell. Yawning, I haphazardly toss sketchbook and quill onto my already cluttered bed. And even as I slept, I doodled in my head. I doodled masterpiece after beautiful masterpiece all of one pony. My one special pony. My Octavia. ________________________________________________________________________________ Photo credit to Whitestar1802 and EndlessPrisms. ^^ Scratched OutWelp, I'm back! This fic has been eating at me since I left it because it isn't complete! Going to try and add a bit more to the story before giving up again. Wish me luck! ________________________________________________________________________ Scratched Out Warm air once again wove it's way through my mane. The breeze was sharper and the sky, brighter. Of course it was always this way when I left to experience the now highlight of my life. Octavia... I had begun to appreciate her tastes more and more. She may have been a goddess in the art of classical music and I may have always been drawn to techno. But aside from our musical tastes, we were actually pretty similar! I needed her and she needed me. I felt a sense of nostalgia as I walked the empty streets. These feelings were oddly familiar. Almost like deja vu. . . It was. . . bizarre to say the least. A brief image of Scratch flashed through my head. I stopped in my tracks. The familiar sound of galloping hooves caused my ears to perk up. A small, hardly noticeable smile played on my lips. Speak of - I was shoved painfully from the side and immediately collapsed to the ground. A shock of pain tore through my back as well as my chest as a pair of hooves dug into it roughly. Pain clouded my vision as the other being pounded it's hooves relentlessly against my chest. I began to struggle, but as my vision cleared and I became aware of the pony's identity I stopped. The punches became softer and softer until the pony was only clutching my chest and sobbing loudly into my mane. I held on tightly to her. "Sc-Scratch?" My voice cracked. She whimpered even louder. "Scratch what is it? What's wrong?" I managed over her loud wails. It pained me to see her like this. I never had before. It was a new experience for me. It was completely terrifying. "Scratch? Please. Look at me. What's wrong?" She sniffed and coughed a few times before finally speaking softly. So softly it was difficult for me to make out what she was trying to say. "Stupid, Silent. You're so stupid and clueless and ignorant and insensitive and reckless and I... I think I'm in...in..." I couldn't understand the rest of her string of insults because her voice had lowered to a whisper and she had buried her muzzle into my neck. "What, Scratch?" "Huh?" "What did you say?" She pulled back from me and looked deeply at me and I looked into her stunning ruby eyes once again. I got lost in them and before I understood. Before I could make sense of what she was trying to say. Her body came down upon mine and our lips crashed together forcefully, passionately. Her eyes closed as she deepened the kiss yet mine remained wide open in shock. Fear. Confusion. Disbelief. Anger. I pushed her gently away, and yet she stared down at me with longing in her eyes. "I think I'm in love with you, Beats." Her eyes widened with hope. Mine narrowed with loathing. "Get off of me, Scratch." Her gaze faltered but she punched me lightly on the shoulder. "I didn't hear you ask n-" "I said get the hell off of me!" I shoved her roughly to the side and stood up, staring her down. "Why are you doing this?" "I thought-" "You thought what, Scratch?!" "I thought you felt the same way..." Tears welled in both of our eyes. I didn't even know what I was crying about. I was angry with her! My face felt hot and my heart ached and it hurt and I was crying and I just didn't know what had suddenly become of my life. "I'm seeing Octavia now, Scratch! Even if I did feel anything for you, we couldn't..." I stopped. I didn't even know what I was saying. The whole situation was so ridiculous, so unexpected. I didn't know why I was so upset with her. It was only last week that I was debating whether I should run after her instead of going on my walk with Tavi. "You mean you didn't feel anything that night?" She asked, her voice squeaking. I shook my head in disbelief. "I can't even remember that night!" "I do! I wasn't as wasted as you thought! I meant what I said. I lov-" "I don't want to hear it, Scratch," I cut her off as I turned my back to her. "Goodbye." I began to walk slowly away from her, daring her to say something else. She did. "Octavia isn't as great as you make her out to be, Beats," she says her voice low and confident. I whirl on her. "You don't even know her! How can you even say that?" "I know her well enough. I know that she doesn't love you like I do." "You don't love me, Scratch! How many times am I going to be forced to say it? You don't love me and I don't love you! Goodnight, Vinyl." I galloped away then. I knew I loved her. It was a complicated emotion. Why did she need to confuse me so much? I spent my whole life with a crush on her and only now does she tell me this. When I had stopped feeling for her altogether. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I had a date with Octavia. If Vinyl only wants to toy around with me, so be it. Octavia was perfect and Vinyl had no say in how she felt about me. Minutes later I tap lightly on Octavia's door. After a few moments of waiting, the door slowly opens and standing just inside is Octavia with a look of confusion on her face. "What is it?" I ask. "There's just . . . Scratch's concert tonight. I thought you would be there." On any other day, I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Tonight was different. "I think I've decided that I would much rather hear a lovely melody than a cold, hard beat tonight." She cocked her head for a moment before beginning to smile. "Then a lovely melody you shall hear." I grinned. It was the first time I had missed one of Scratch's concerts. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "This one goes out to a very special somepony in my life. He's been my best friend for as long as I can remember and he's the only pony I know who'll always be by my side through thick and thin. Even when I'm a total bucking idiot like I was tonight. I want to thank him for always being there for me. And so I ask to the stage: the one and only, Silent Beat!" "Heh. Come on, Silent. I know you're out there." "Beats?"
Vinyl Scratch Vinyl Scratch That time of week again, I thought happily as I trotted from my home. The cool summer's air wove it's way through my coat and mane. The breeze seemed sharper and the stars brighter. Of course it was always this way when I left to experience the highlight of every week. Music... My appreciation for music was always a big one. Especially her music. It had started when we were both very young foals. She always could sing, yes. But it was when she actually created the music that I liked. I myself was not a musician due to my lack of. . .skill. Other than our love of music, we were actually pretty different from each other. I needed her music and she needed someone to trust and understand her. I suppose, to her, I was both. I stopped in my tracks. The sound of galloping hooves made my ears perk up. A small smile played on my lips. Speak of the devil... I was rammed from the side without warning and was harshly shoved to the ground. The pony and I rolled across the cobblestone street, fighting for a vantage point. Eventually, we came to a halt when the pony sat on my chest and pinned my hooves to the cobblestone, laughing happily. I grinned as well as the white unicorn lifted her shades from her eyes. "Gotcha again, Beats," Vinyl Scratch beamed. I chuckled and stared into her ruby eyes, her mane outlined by dozens of sparkling stars. "Yeah, yeah. You got me Scratch," I struggled against her hooves and eventually decided to lay limp. "Get off of me." Vinyl cocked an eyebrow and punched my shoulder lightly. "I didn't hear you ask nicely," Scratch said in a sing-song voice. I sighed and muttered under my breath. Same old Scratch. "Please get off of me, Miss Vinyl Scratch." I say sarcastically. She helps me to my feet with a crooked half smile. I rolled my eyes and punched her back. "Taking your sweet time on your walk, huh?" she joked as she draped a hoof over me. I bit my lip and lowered my gaze to the street. "Yeah, well, y'know..." I trailed off. I raised my eyes to see a skeptical look on Scratch's face. She had often caught me lost in my thoughts on walks or when I'm just...plain bored. "Yeah, well ,y'know," she imitated. Her impression of me was awful. I laughed lightly and began to resume my walk. I caught her looking in my direction out of the corner of my eye. "What?" "I've got a place where you definitely won't be bored." she smiled slyly. "And that's the club! C'mon! Any slower and you're cutie mark would've been a slug!" She began imitating a walk in slow-motion. I sighed and motioned for her to cut it out. She shrugged. "Alright just...hurry. I go on in, like, five minutes!" She began to gallop away. I galloped after her. "You cant lose me that easily, Scratchy!" I call after her and I hear her signature laugh once again. "Slowpoke!" she teased. I picked up the pace and we raced all the way to her domain. Club Scratch. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ __________________________________________________________________________________ Photo credit to Episkopi. ^^
Bass and Treble Bass and Treble The deep booms of bass filled the air as we neared the club. I slowed to a trot, attempting to hear the music through the sound of galloping hooves and the pounding in my ears. Of course, Scratch didn't slow at all as she sped past me. She never was one to stop and smell the flowers. She preferred to whisk through life in the fast lane while I was always one step behind her. "Keep up, slug!" she called. A smirk crossed my face and I complied. The club was now mere meters away. I gritted my teeth and pushed a full gallop. As always, Scratch was way ahead of me and she slammed her hoof to the brick wall with a triumphant grin. I panted and sluggishly placed my hoof against the wall as well. I couldn't help but notice a devilish smirk on Vinyl's face. "I'm two for two, Beats. You really gotta step up your game, now," she ceased her panting to let a small laugh out. I sighed in mock defeat. Scratch always was competitive. Cocky too. Though I suppose that part was on account of her being better than me in just about everything. The bass was now booming in both of our ears. And I loved it. We circled around to the front of the building, passing many ponies making casual conversation outside of the club. A lot of the ponies turned to acknowledge Scratch. After all, she did practically run the place. Everyone's favorite DJ, at least. She lowered her tinted sunglasses and the reflection of a neon sign gleamed from them. Club Scratch "Ready for a good time, Silent?" she asked with a wide grin. "As always," I reply anxiously. From the corner of my eye I spot a pony with a beautiful grey coat. She was slumped against the club's front wall, a large instrument case propped against the wall beside her. She had her eyes closed and was breathing deeply. I assumed she was sleeping until Scratch swung the double glass doors open and the vibrations and chatter invaded the quiet air. Her eyelids slid open slowly, she looked up to me and blinked. I stopped between steps, paralyzed by her gorgeous violet eyes. As far as I knew, I had never looked at a mare that way before. I cleared my thoughts and put on what must have been an incredibly and stupidly endearing smile. "Evening," the pony greeted with an obviously forced smile. i shook my head quickly and searched frantically for a reply. Her instrument. Yes, her instrument. "Your a musician?" I note, trying to stop the blood from flowing to my face. "Violin, right?" My eyes widened and immediately facehoofed myself repeatedly. Stupid, stupid, stupid... "Cello, actually," The pony murmured, gesturing to the size of the instrument. I chuckled monotonously. I knew that...I knew that. "Right, right. I'm not really one for classical music." I replied as a lame excuse. I immediately found myself regretting it. "No, really. I kind of assumed," she said with a sarcastic smirk as she gestured to the beaming "Club Scratch" sign. A bland look fell over my self as I resumed facehoofing. Scratch pulled me into the building as my face became extremely red. Many of the ponies cheered as Vinyl Scratched entered the room, flourishing to everypony. "Here she is now!" Announced the pony currently stationed on the stage. "The pony everypony has been waiting for. The reason you all are here right now. Welcome the lovely, Miss DJ PON-3!" The crowd erupted in cheers and Scratch chuckled. "See you after the show, kiddo," Vinyl said giving me a quick hug. A hugged her back tightly. "Good luck, V-Scratch." "Thanks, Beats," she flashed a smile as she turned and left for her show. The pony who had previously been announcing approached Vinyl. "Cutting it a bit close, dontcha' think, DJ?" "Yeah, well, y'know," Scratch grinned ear to ear as she entered the backroom to prepare. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. I had wanted to create music of my own one day. The sad fact remained that Vinyl Scratch was simply born with a talent I wasn't. It was my role to be there for her when ever she needed me. To listen to her music whenever she wanted. And to have a good time while doing it. I had no problem with this so far. Seconds turned to minutes and eventually the famous DJ PON-3 stepped up to the stage and positioned herself behind her well-known turntables. "How is everypony tonight?" Scratch called from the stage. The crowd went wild with jumping and screams. "Can't hear you! I said, how is everypony tonight?!" The crowd exploded in a mad fit of cheering. "Good to hear! I've got plenty of songs to keep everypony feeling like partying. Everything from sweet electronic melodies to filthy bass drops. So let's get hardcore and RAVE!" The crowd erupted once again and the show began with a light electronic intro. I couldn't help but smile. That was my Vinyl Scratch up there. The one I had known for all of my life. Everyone in the club may have been cheering her name but we both knew who her true biggest fan was. Me. She was my Scratchy. Now minutes had turned to hours and before I knew it, it had to have been in the early hours of the morning. My guess was somewhere between two and three a.m. I found myself at the bar, drunk on music. I spot the white unicorn down the bar on the other side of a large group of talkative ponies. I trot over to her and have a seat on a cushioned bar stool. It normally wasn't like this. Scratch and I would usually leave well before 1 a.m. Scratch perked up at my arrival. "Oh...hey, Beats. I was beginning to think you had left me," she droned. I made a mock incredulous face, "Why in Equestria would you think that?" I murmured, signaling a bartender. Scratch turned to me almost falling from her barstool. "Do you . . . love me, Silent Beat?" she slurred. I cocked my head at her question, but decided to answer it truthfully nonetheless "Course I love you, Scratchy. Since we were foals I've loved you like my own sister," Scratch downed another shot. And shook her head furiously. "No . . . not like that, Beats. Don't you understand?" The bartender arrived with a beer for me and I nodded at him appreciatively as I tossed him a few bits. I did understand what Scratch was saying. But it wasn't her talking. It was the alcohol. "S-scratch, stop. Y-you're drunk," I slide her beer away from her and she brings her hoof down on the table with greater force than was truly necessary. "You see? That's just the problem. No one could comprehend . . . somepony like me . . . being in love with some pony like you. Nopony understands . . ." She hung her head and reached for her drink I slid it back over to her and lowered my own glass to my lips, letting the ice cold liquid trickle into my mouth. "Course I understand, V-Scratch. I've always understood you, right? Now maybe we could both use a rest from the music and crowd," I point a hoof towards the door. Vinyl shook her head again. "That's all you ever want to do is rest, Beats," she retorted gesturing at my cutie mark. A quarter rest. I had to give her credit. That was a pretty good one. "It's good to take risks from time to time." Vinyl breathed in a sultry voice. "It's good to," she placed her hooves around my neck and leaned in close to my ear. "Scratch it up," she whispered. I removed her hooves from my shoulders and stared directly in her eyes. "Knock it off, Vinyl Scratch," I commanded. "You don't feel this way. Quit lying to yourself." I hopped from my bar stool and began to trot away from my friend. I repeated to myself over and over again in my head that what I was saying wasn't too harsh. I knew it was. I would give her time to sober up and I'd see her in the morning. What if it wasn't the alcohol, Beats? I shook my head and scolded myself for thinking that way. I thought I heard the sound of Scratch whimpering sadly behind me. Or perhaps it was only my imagination. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ I swung the double glass doors open to see the exact same grey coated pony lying against the wall. I slid down against the wall as well and her ears perked up. She opened her eyes and glanced at me. "Need something?" she asked with a helpful half smile. I just shook my head and slid my own eyes closed. "You're kind of a shady character you know that?" I asked, attempting a light conversation. "Yeah?" I opened my eyes to look at her and we found that we were both smiling.I shook my head and closed my eyes again. She did the same. "I like that," I say with a smile still on my face. I heard a small giggle escape from her lips. "Hey how good are you on your violin?" I asked, enunciating the word 'violin' very clearly. I thought I heard her giggle again. The sound of tinkling bells. "I used to think I was pretty good. Others . . . don't seem to agree, though," she said softly. I decided not to press and to let her be. "Do you think you could show me?" I asked hopefully. "Thought you weren't one for classical music," I glanced up at her to see a sparkling gleam in her eye. We both began laughing loudly. "Yeah, well, y'know," I muttered, thoughts of my Scratch in my head. I heard the click of her case opening and she produced her cello and bow from within. "Any requests?" I hear her ask though my eyes were closed. "Anything . . . pretty." "Pretty?" "Yeah. Pretty," I hear her cough as she stifles a laugh. "You got it." A few seconds passed before I heard a beautiful sound. The most beautiful sound, actually, I had ever heard. I lifted my head to see where the beautiful sound was emitting from. Her eyes were closed and she moved her bow back and forth carefully, smoothly and gently as if she were caressing her instrument. We stayed like that, her eyes closed and mine carefully watching her every movement for a few minutes before I rested my head back against the wall. Her music made my chest swell. Or perhaps that was only me. Falling steadily more in love with her. Music. Love. Were they really all that different from each other? __________________________________________________________________________ Photo credit to Episkopi and John Joseco. ^^
SonataChapters every Tuesday and Thursday. __________________________________________________________________________________ Sonata "Oh, hey there. I thought you'd show up. Come inside," the pony pulled me inside and pressed the door closed behind me. I couldn't stop grinning at her gorgeous smile. "Thanks, again for having me," I say sincerely as she laughs. I shift my gaze throughout her home. It was . . . marvelous to say the very least. A crystal chandelier hung over our heads, casting bright light across the room. A grand spiraling staircase led up into a loft that I presumed held her room. A grand piano rested in the corner and her cello rested against it, her bow lying across the top. "No, really. It's my . . . pleasure," she giggles shooting me a flirtatious wink. I stood in a daze as she once again led me across the room. We crossed a warm furry rug and she seated me at the piano bench. She sat down lightly next to me and scooted in closer. "Do you know 'Heart and Soul'?" she asked politely. I could only nod as I marveled her every feature. Her beautiful violet eyes and delicate looking mane. "Great! If you'd play the lower part, I'll play the counterpart on my cello. Just, eh, play slowly. When played fast, a cello just doesn't sound as," she fumbled for the proper word. "Pulchritudinous." My eyebrows shot upwards at her choice. She moved from the bench and grabbed her cello and bow in a single fluid movement. She placed the bow to the cello that now rested against her body. "And...start," she said. I obeyed and began playing better than I ever had. She smiled at me and placed the bow to the strings of the cello. She drew them back and- The most awful sound I had ever heard emitted from them. A high pitch shrieking that made me immediately stop playing. I clamped my hooves over my ears and over all the racket, she stared at me. Her beautiful eyes now pierced through to my very being. As she stared me down, she uttered four words. Words that didn't make any sense. "Get the buck up!" I awoke with a start and the shoves instantly ceased. A dream. Of course. I don't even know the piano! "What th-" I rolled from my bed and landed clumsily on hard wooden floor. Blankets and pillows tumbled from the bed and onto me in a large heap. I stamped a hoof and shook the pile from my body. Standing up, I looked into the eyes of a rather amused Vinyl Scratch. "What are you doing here, Scratch?" I asked glancing around my bedr- This wasn't my bedroom. That dresser wasn't mine. The bed wasn't mine. My bedroom had carpet not wood. What in Equestria was- "Maybe I should ask what you are doing here?" she tapped a hoof and my eyes shot wildly about the room. I shrugged helplessly. "I . . . honestly can't say myself. What did I drink last night?" "Apparently way too much, Beats!" "Okay, don't get angry with me." "And why shouldn't I?" "Well it's not as if we-" I stopped mid-sentence. We couldn't have...? "For all we know, that's exactly what happened!" Oh, sweet Celestia. "I don't care what I drank, okay? There's no way in Equestria I would-" I gestured wildly to the bed and Scratch looked at me, bemused. "Do . . . that with you." Scratch scoffed. "And, uh, what exactly is that supposed to mean?" I bit my lip. Scratch always was one to take things in the completely wrong direction. "Well, what Scratch? I just don't think it's . . . proper to have that kind of relation with somepony who has been your best friend since," I stuttered. "Well, forever!" "Oh, I ,eh, guess you're right," she sniffed and turned away from me. "I, uh, just thought you meant something else." "What that nopony would? Of course not, Scratch. I'm sure you're gorgeous to other ponies." "Other?" "Not that I don't, Scratch it's-" "Yeah, yeah. I get it, Beats. Don't stress yourself." I smiled and nodded. "Okay. I'd better just, uh, leave. Try to make sense of . . . last night." She returned a smile. "Yeah, I'll see you." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ I spotted her across the street. Yes, the same pony from the night before. Funny how I always ended up running into her, isn't it? She carried her large cello case on her back with ease. She must have had plenty of practice. I trot up to her and she gives me a knowing grin. "What's that for?" I ask, cocking my head. She snickers and resumed walking. "Oh, nothing," she smirks, adjusting her cello on her back before adding, "Drunkard." I winced. "That bad?" "Oh, yeah." I let my shoulders sag and sighed. "It's normally very unlike me to get that . . ." "Wasted?" "Yeah, that." We trotted for awhile in silence before I decided to break it. "Need any help with that?" I move my eyes to her cello. She glances at me suspiciously. "I'm . . . fine. What's up?" I decided to cut the crap. "I woke up this morning with Vinyl and . . . I was wondering if maybe you overheard something or knew anything about it?" She looked at me as if I were a crazy pony. "Vinyl . . . ?" I chuckled. That's right. "Er, Scratch. DJ-PON3," her eyes widened in understanding. "Ah. She's a very talented musician. Your a lucky stallion." I blushed and turned away. "Isn't she?" I asked as the pony nodded absently. "Um, no. We parted, you went back inside, drank like a mad pony, and all you two did was laugh and dance all night. I think maybe once you pecked her cheek." Again, I blushed hotly at even that. "And then you approached me and told me you were going to 'crash' at her house. Beats me why I would care," she smirked. Small memories of last night flashed back to me. "Yeah, that sounds about right. It was crazy for me to even assume we had . . ." The pony giggled again and my heart swelled. What I did next was completely unlike me. "Hey, I was wondering if maybe, sometime, you'd, er, like to-" "Friday night works well with me if that's where you were going with that," she winked at me seductively and I was taken back to my dream. I felt blood rush to my face. "That's, um, exactly where I was going with that," I took a deep breath to build up my confidence. I would not let her be the one asking me out. "I was thinking we could go for a . . . walk through Whitetail Woods. Just to . . . " Several ideas flew through my mind at once. "Discuss music." "Discuss music?" she eyed me. "Yup. I mean we both seem to enjoy it quite a bit. Maybe while we're there, we can actually get on a first name basis," I joked. She chuckled softly. "Octavia." "Gesundheit." "What, no. My name is Octavia," she said, giggling. I bit my lip. "Right, just . . . messing with you." "Mhm. See you Friday evening then . . .?" "Oh, right. Name's Silent Beat." "Silent Beat, huh? Kinda liking that." She said thoughtfully. "Huh. That's a first. Octavia's a . . . really pretty name as well." She gave me a heartwarming smile. "Thanks, Beats." "Beats?" "Oh, sorry. Silent." "No, no. Call me Beats. I'm, eh, used to it." "Oh, alright then, Beats." She said with a happy smile. "I'll see you Friday." "Right. See you, Octavia." She trotted away from me and disappeared between two buildings. I smiled, dazed, and began trotting home. Productive day... I thought to myself before stopping in my tracks. Did Octavia and I just plan a date? I cocked my eyebrows. Huh. I resumed trotting, lost in thought and eagerness. I really did like her. And I assumed she liked me as well. If all went well, I could see us actually forming a relationship. Hopefully we would become more than friends and I could finally have a special somepony in my life. Nah, what am I thinking? Its way too soon to think like that. For now, I would just enjoy the time we spend together. As friends. Being friends with a beautiful mare is actually not a bad situation to be in after all. I grinned to myself. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ That night I dreamt. I dreamt of nothing but Octavia. Octavia and I. Together. ___________________________________________________________________________ Photo credit to Sweatshirt and ~Monochromatic Bay. ^^
Music & LoveTuesday's chapter. Like Rusion said, I was having a "Lesson Zero" day. ______________________________________________________________________________ Music & Love I relaxed under the cool shade of an oak tree, the rustle of leaves soothing my mind, which was at the moment speeding off in many, many directions. I hummed to myself as I anxiously awaited Octavia's arrival. The past few days had gone by so agonizingly slow. Of course that only happened when I was actually looking forward to something. The weather was slowly, but surely turning brighter, warmer, and what I liked best, greener. I had come to the decision not to tell Vinyl Scratch about mine and Octavia's upcoming date. I figured she would somehow get the wrong idea into her head and I didn't feel like explaining my way out of one of those again. I felt like there was some other reason. Some other reason that my brain was rejecting before I even got a chance to see for myself what it was. Perhaps I was simply feeling that way because of the reason I was out here in the first place. From the first moment I saw Octavia, there was . . . something I liked about her. Although not sure what it was exactly about her, I definitely liked her. Does she like me the same way? I stared up into the bright green leaves for what felt like hours, drowning in my own thoughts. Until the sound of hooves crunching leaves startled me from my pondering. I scrambled up to see who was approaching. Was it Octavia? My jaw dropped. Yes it was . . . but, that wasn't what was shocking. It was Octavia, but she was accompanied by none other than Vinyl Scratch. They seemed to be having a conversation. Chattering and smiling. Eyes wide, I dove behind the nearest tree. Wha-? Why were they-? Octavia looked up from her conversation and her eyes darted around for a bit before impossibly resting on me. She smiled at me and I gave a weak one back. "Oh there he is now!" I winced and stepped out from behind my shelter. "Oh, hey Beats! What are you doing out here?" Scratch stepped forward. "Well, I was just-" "Beats, here invited me for a walk with him. Didn't you, Beats?" I looked down and kicked a hoof. "Uh, yeah. I did." Scratch shifted uncomfortably as I glanced up. "Oh, uh. I suppose I'd better leave you two to it then. It was nice meeting you Tavi," She smiled and nodded turning away only to be stopped by Octavia. "You don't have to leave if you don't want. We'd love to have you on our walk!" I sighed and turned away. That ruled out the possibility that Octavia thought our walk was at all romantically associated. I caught Scratch looking at my expression and a look of pain came over her face. "No, really. It's fine. I've got other . . . activities planned anyways," she gave a weak smile before turning and walking away slowly. I felt a pang of guilt and my heart ached. I wanted to go after her. To say something, anything, to keep her from being angry with me, but this was mine and Octavia's date and I was really looking forward to it. Octavia looked after Scratch only slightly detached. "Will she be okay?" she questioned, clearly concerned. I nodded and I turned to the sprawling and gorgeous forest behind me. "She's pretty tough. I think that she'll be fine." I give her a reassuring smile before we both start for the entrance to the Whitetail. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ We talked about all sorts of things. Many more things than just music which is what I originally promised. It started with music, then to Scratch, then to me and somehow we ended up back to music. Classical music. What Octavia did. It was actually rather . . . interesting. A change from the electronic music I was so accustomed to. And then our conversation turned on her. She shifted her gaze around a lot and I questioned whether or not to change the subject. "I was part of a trio of string musicians back in Fillydelphia. We traveled all the way from Manehattan to Ponyville performing. But . . ." She turned away. "I . . . don't think I was good enough. They clearly didn't. I was, to put it frankly, kicked from the group and I haven't bothered or really cared enough to see them again." I stopped in my tracks, shocked. "Octavia, your music is . . . one of the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard. I mean that. I love everything about your music. The one time I've heard it I felt so . . . so happy. It's my favorite thing about you. Although . . . there are many things I like about you," I murmur walking a bit closer to her. She nudges up against me a bit and breathes out deeply. "Thank you so much, Beats. That really means a lot to me," The bright of the day began slowly fading over the horizon and all was quiet but the sound of our hooves trudging through the leaves.. "I like you a lot, too, Beats," I nearly stopped breathing. "When I'm around you I feel . . . warm inside. I feel like I'm home. Like I'm performing again. Like I'm . . . special." She nestles her muzzle into my mane. Things were moving so fast. Like music all around me. A blur that I didn't feel privileged to stop. I loved the feeling. I never wanted to lose the feeling. So I continued. "You're one of the most special ponies I know. Special and unique and . . . and beautiful." She pulls out from my mane and looks deep into my eyes. I look deep into hers. This moment was so perfect and special to me. I wanted to stay frozen like this forever. Our gaze was locked onto each other. Into each other. I felt a familiar longing and we were slowly being drawn together. Closer. "Beats, I-" The serene moment was broken by a clap of thunder and we jerked apart. I scratched the base of my neck and Octavia turned away, blushing. Rain began to fall heavily. "Oh, shoot. Now I'll get all wet." Octavia grumbled as we began walking again. I chuckled lightly. "You mean like this?" I stamped a hoof into a rather large puddle, soaking us both from our knees down. She glared at me angrily and I was just starting to wish I hadn't done it in the first place. "No, no. I mean like this!" She brought her two front hooves down into a large mud puddle and soaked my face and mane entirely. I laughed happily wiping the mud from my muzzle. She galloped away. I galloped after her. I felt as if this were the way it were meant to be. Us together. Laughing. At that moment, I realized that I loved her. And I was beginning to think that she loved me too. It made my heart sing and my soul lift. It was like music. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ I gripped the quill tightly in my mouth as I doodled in my sketchbook. No, I wasn't particularly good at drawing. And it didn't matter to me. I loved doing it. I filled page after page. All of nearly the same thing. Hour after hour I doodled until I found myself dozing off. It was early in the morning. I could tell. Yawning, I haphazardly toss sketchbook and quill onto my already cluttered bed. And even as I slept, I doodled in my head. I doodled masterpiece after beautiful masterpiece all of one pony. My one special pony. My Octavia. ________________________________________________________________________________ Photo credit to Whitestar1802 and EndlessPrisms. ^^
Scratched OutWelp, I'm back! This fic has been eating at me since I left it because it isn't complete! Going to try and add a bit more to the story before giving up again. Wish me luck! ________________________________________________________________________ Scratched Out Warm air once again wove it's way through my mane. The breeze was sharper and the sky, brighter. Of course it was always this way when I left to experience the now highlight of my life. Octavia... I had begun to appreciate her tastes more and more. She may have been a goddess in the art of classical music and I may have always been drawn to techno. But aside from our musical tastes, we were actually pretty similar! I needed her and she needed me. I felt a sense of nostalgia as I walked the empty streets. These feelings were oddly familiar. Almost like deja vu. . . It was. . . bizarre to say the least. A brief image of Scratch flashed through my head. I stopped in my tracks. The familiar sound of galloping hooves caused my ears to perk up. A small, hardly noticeable smile played on my lips. Speak of - I was shoved painfully from the side and immediately collapsed to the ground. A shock of pain tore through my back as well as my chest as a pair of hooves dug into it roughly. Pain clouded my vision as the other being pounded it's hooves relentlessly against my chest. I began to struggle, but as my vision cleared and I became aware of the pony's identity I stopped. The punches became softer and softer until the pony was only clutching my chest and sobbing loudly into my mane. I held on tightly to her. "Sc-Scratch?" My voice cracked. She whimpered even louder. "Scratch what is it? What's wrong?" I managed over her loud wails. It pained me to see her like this. I never had before. It was a new experience for me. It was completely terrifying. "Scratch? Please. Look at me. What's wrong?" She sniffed and coughed a few times before finally speaking softly. So softly it was difficult for me to make out what she was trying to say. "Stupid, Silent. You're so stupid and clueless and ignorant and insensitive and reckless and I... I think I'm in...in..." I couldn't understand the rest of her string of insults because her voice had lowered to a whisper and she had buried her muzzle into my neck. "What, Scratch?" "Huh?" "What did you say?" She pulled back from me and looked deeply at me and I looked into her stunning ruby eyes once again. I got lost in them and before I understood. Before I could make sense of what she was trying to say. Her body came down upon mine and our lips crashed together forcefully, passionately. Her eyes closed as she deepened the kiss yet mine remained wide open in shock. Fear. Confusion. Disbelief. Anger. I pushed her gently away, and yet she stared down at me with longing in her eyes. "I think I'm in love with you, Beats." Her eyes widened with hope. Mine narrowed with loathing. "Get off of me, Scratch." Her gaze faltered but she punched me lightly on the shoulder. "I didn't hear you ask n-" "I said get the hell off of me!" I shoved her roughly to the side and stood up, staring her down. "Why are you doing this?" "I thought-" "You thought what, Scratch?!" "I thought you felt the same way..." Tears welled in both of our eyes. I didn't even know what I was crying about. I was angry with her! My face felt hot and my heart ached and it hurt and I was crying and I just didn't know what had suddenly become of my life. "I'm seeing Octavia now, Scratch! Even if I did feel anything for you, we couldn't..." I stopped. I didn't even know what I was saying. The whole situation was so ridiculous, so unexpected. I didn't know why I was so upset with her. It was only last week that I was debating whether I should run after her instead of going on my walk with Tavi. "You mean you didn't feel anything that night?" She asked, her voice squeaking. I shook my head in disbelief. "I can't even remember that night!" "I do! I wasn't as wasted as you thought! I meant what I said. I lov-" "I don't want to hear it, Scratch," I cut her off as I turned my back to her. "Goodbye." I began to walk slowly away from her, daring her to say something else. She did. "Octavia isn't as great as you make her out to be, Beats," she says her voice low and confident. I whirl on her. "You don't even know her! How can you even say that?" "I know her well enough. I know that she doesn't love you like I do." "You don't love me, Scratch! How many times am I going to be forced to say it? You don't love me and I don't love you! Goodnight, Vinyl." I galloped away then. I knew I loved her. It was a complicated emotion. Why did she need to confuse me so much? I spent my whole life with a crush on her and only now does she tell me this. When I had stopped feeling for her altogether. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I had a date with Octavia. If Vinyl only wants to toy around with me, so be it. Octavia was perfect and Vinyl had no say in how she felt about me. Minutes later I tap lightly on Octavia's door. After a few moments of waiting, the door slowly opens and standing just inside is Octavia with a look of confusion on her face. "What is it?" I ask. "There's just . . . Scratch's concert tonight. I thought you would be there." On any other day, I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Tonight was different. "I think I've decided that I would much rather hear a lovely melody than a cold, hard beat tonight." She cocked her head for a moment before beginning to smile. "Then a lovely melody you shall hear." I grinned. It was the first time I had missed one of Scratch's concerts. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "This one goes out to a very special somepony in my life. He's been my best friend for as long as I can remember and he's the only pony I know who'll always be by my side through thick and thin. Even when I'm a total bucking idiot like I was tonight. I want to thank him for always being there for me. And so I ask to the stage: the one and only, Silent Beat!" "Heh. Come on, Silent. I know you're out there." "Beats?"
