Acoustic Resonance

Chapters

Prologue
Chapter 1: Time Change
Chapter 2: Old Flames

Prologue

“Alright everypony,” I announced over the blaring beats, “with this drop, I don’t want to see a single hoof not stompin’! I hope we got a doctor in here, because this beat’s about to get sick!”

I used my magic to turn the dials just the way I wanted before pushing the levels up, and when the drop hit, I could hear it through my headphones. My entire body vibrated with the beats that boomed from the speakers, and my heart ticked in time to the rhythm. I didn’t care that my eyes burned with the sweat that was trickling into them and I didn’t care that my mane was sticking to my face and neck...all that mattered was the next boom of the bass...the next roar of the crowd.

The smell of sweat, arousal, and alcohol permeated the entire club, and I couldn’t have been happier.

This was where I belonged, up on stage giving my energy and passion to everypony there. As much as Tavi told me it was “crude” to say, I compared it to rutting everypony there at once, and then licking the juices off of them...with a smile, of course. I wasn’t sure where that comparison came from, but I had a pretty vivid imagination.

I slumped against a barstool as the last patron left the club, and Liquid Gold slid a glass to me.

“Awesome job, Vinyl...like always.” she praised with a smile.

I sipped the whiskey and cola before sighing and laying my head on the bar counter. “Damn, that was intense. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many ponies grinding on each other at once.”

The silver-coated pegasus flicked her brown mane out of her eyes with a chuckle. “Well it is the eve of the new year, you know. You should have expected this.”

“And I did expect a hay of a party,” I countered, “but nothing like this. It’s like all of Canterlot and Ponyville was here!”

“That might very well have been the case.” she suggested as she began mindlessly cleaning up the bar. “You’re known far and wide to be one of the best DJ’s around, and the only one so far that plays that ‘dubtrot’ stuff. The colts and fillies go wild over it.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m still a filly too, you know. I’m only nineteen.”

“And yet you’re more successful than some ponies double your age.” Gold replied as she continued her work.

I sighed as I took another sip of my drink. “What am I gonna do now, Goldie? I’m moving to Ponyville tomorrow, and I have no clue what I want to do with my life.”

The pegasus set a glass down and stared at me for a moment. “Um, you’re a DJ...you do shows. Isn’t that what your talent is about?”

I looked down at my flank at the double eighth-notes and sighed. “I’m talented in music in general. If it can make music in some way, I can make it sound so nice Celestia would cream herself.”

Gold grinned and went back to work. “Charming.”

I rolled my eyes. “You know what I mean. Still, I don’t want to be remembered as just a DJ...I want to do something that ponies will be talking about hundreds of years from now.”

“That’s a pretty big goal there, Scratch.” she replied as she began looking through her station and writing down things on a pad.

I shrugged. “I just want my life to have meaning beyond my own time here is all...like my mom.” She offered a sympathetic nod, but said nothing. I sighed and slumped in my stool again. “Whatever...I’ll figure it out later.”

Liquid Gold then asked, “So where are you gonna be staying then?”

I grinned and responded, “My house is still being built, so for now, with my sister.”

“Hah!” the pegasus barked out mirthfully, shaking her head. “I wonder how she’s gonna take...well, you.”

I chuckled and nodded. “Yeah. She loves her big sister though, so she’ll be okay.”

“I love ya too, Vi, but after a few days of living together, I would probably try to strangle you.” the pegasus replied with a smirk.

I grinned and finished off my drink. “Love ya too, Goldie. Anyway, I’m outta here. I gotta be up early tomorrow to meet the moving guys, and I still have to drop by storage on the way there. I don’t want to try and shove all my stuff in my sister’s house.”

“Later, Vi.” she called as I left.

Hours later, I pushed the last box into place and sat back, admiring the work I’d accomplished. In just under a week, I’d packed up my entire condo and cleaned the place, feeling like I’d used more magic in those six days than I had my entire life.

“Finally leaving, are you?” called a melodic voice from the doorway behind me.

I turned to see Octavia standing in the doorway, with a sad smile on her lips. I nodded gently, with a sad smile of my own. “Yep...tonight’s the last night I’m sleeping in this place, and it’ll probably be the first time I’ve actually slept on my bed.”

Without any pretense, the earth pony trotted over and hugged me tightly, and I returned the embrace immediately. One more second, one more beat of the heart...I wanted to savor it. The gray filly and I had been friends since we were foals, and so being apart felt like losing a part of myself...and if her silent tears were any indication, she felt the same way.

“V-Vinyl...” Tavi whispered brokenly.

I nodded as I reached up a hoof and stroked her mane. “I know...I know.”

She pulled away suddenly. “I-I mean you’re moving away after fourteen years all the way to Ponyville! I mean at first we’ll keep in touch with letters and the like, but over time those weekly letters will turn into monthly, and then yearly, and then before we know it we’ll meet up at a random party and you’ll have forgotten all about me, and I don’t want to be forgotten or pregnant, and-”

“WOAH!” I shouted, stopping the mare’s rambling. I patted her on the shoulder and shook my head, trying not to laugh. “Calm down, Tavi...it’s okay.” It took her a few moments, but when her breathing was finally calm, I came up beside her and threw my arm over her withers. “Now I don’t know what makes you think I’d ever forget about you, but that will not be happening. First of all, you’re too cool to forget about...you’re probably the only pony I know that can party as hard as I can. You love music as much as I do, and you’ve got earth pony strength with nerd brains.”

“Nice...” she deadpanned.

“Don’t interrupt.” I ordered good-naturedly. “Anyway, it pretty much comes down to the fact that you’re too cool to forget about. If I don’t talk to you for a week, I feel like I’m going crazy...what the hay makes you think I could go for months or years without you?”

At this, Octavia’s expression turned to a smirk as she asked, “You can go for an entire week without me?”

I shifted a little uncomfortably and sighed. “Alright fine, like a few days, but my point’s still valid.” I smiled and continued with, “The point is that you’re a part of my life. If I were to just go off and forget about you, I’d be letting a part of me die...and I love myself too much to do that.”

I felt as she pressed her cheek to mine and gently rubbed my back with her hoof. “Thank you Vinyl...for everything.”

I nodded. “Sure thing. Just so you know, you’re welcome at my new place anytime...and I mean anytime. I don’t care if you wake me up on my day off before 10 a.m., I’ll gladly invite you in.”

She sat quietly for a moment before saying, “I should bring coffee though...”

“You should bring coffee.” I agreed.

The earth pony then turned her eyes to the bed in the corner, and she jerked her head towards it. “What do you think, Vinyl? One more time, for old time’s sake?”

I smirked and nodded. “Sounds like a plan, Tavi.”

Some twenty or so minutes later, the two of us were laying panting and sweaty on the bed, covered in feathers.

“Did you become stronger than me or something? Because I swear you weren’t this good when we were younger.” Octavia said in one breath before panting wildly again.

I shrugged as I finally caught my breath enough to speak. “These skills were with me since birth. I just wanted to give you a fighting chance so you’d wanna play again.” I then looked around the room, realizing that I’d need to clean up again in the morning. “A pillow fight at nineteen...you’re probably the only pony that can make me want to do that.”

“And I’m perfectly fine with that, Vinyl.” she replied with a smile before scooting over and resting her head on my stomach as we laid together and basked in the friendship we shared.

At that moment, with Octavia resting against me, I wasn’t worried anymore. I had a place to stay when I got to my new home, more than enough bits to take care of myself, a huge fanbase, and my best friend. I could figure out the rest later...but for now, I was happy to know that I wasn’t losing anything worth having. Most importantly though, I was now confident that Tavi was going to miss me as much as I did her, which meant that like me, she was going to make sure we could meet and talk as often as possible.

As sweet and so not-me as it sounded, I couldn’t live without her. She’d helped me out of quite a few rough times in my life, and I’d done the same for her. She was with me when my mom died, and I was with her when her dad lost one of his legs in an accident. She was with me when I got my cutie mark, and I was with her when she wrote her first symphony. We were as important to one another as the sun was to plants, and I knew that so long as she was by my side in life, I could do anything.

“Promise me you’ll be there even when I’m old.” she whispered, reciting a promise we’d kept since we were fillies.

I smiled warmly and nodded, though she couldn’t see it. “I’ll be around even when my coat’s as gray as yours, and my teeth have all fallen out. Celestia herself couldn’t split us apart.”

I felt her smile against my coat as she settled more comfortably against me. “Thank you...goodnight, Vinyl.”

“Goodnight, Tavi.” I murmured before I closed my eyes, slipping off into blissful sleep.

Chapter 1: Time Change

“For the last time, I want that near the front so I can get it out easily. And you! Be careful with that, it costs more than you make in a year!” I shouted angrily at the movers. Tavi hadn’t been kidding when she said they were fast, but they certainly weren’t the most delicate...and the storage unit was small as is.

The largest stallion, who was single-hoofedly moving an amplifier as large as him, sighed as he set it down...decidedly a little more gently. “Listen dame, you wanted this stuff moved fast, and that’s what we’re doin’. Ya want it moved all gentle-like, yer gonna pay us for the extra time.”

I growled and snorted angrily. “First of all, don’t call me ‘dame’, buddy. Second, you can be fast and gentle at the same time...I know by experience, and if I hear an off-color remark about that, all four of you get to live the rest of your lives without the ability to please a mare.” Just to punctuate my point, I lit up my horn and levitated twelve serrated knives out of the cutlery set Tavi gifted me...which I still hadn’t used in over a year. Take-out is better than anything I could ever cook.

“W-woah, woah! Chill out!” the stallion replied in fear. He motioned to his buddies and said, “C’mon guys, faster...and don’t break nothin’!”

I sighed and put the knives away, and lowered my head. “Sorry about that...I’m just on a really tight schedule right now, and this stuff means a hay of a lot to me. Tell ya what, you guys do a good job, and I’ll add on an extra 50% as a tip. Sound good?”

The stallion I had been talking to grinned and nodded. “Now yer speakin’ my language. Alright boys, let’s get this done double-time! And Celestia help me, if you break something, I will literally take the value out of your hides!”

The three other stallions hopped to it, and it seemed almost as if I was dealing with a different crew altogether. I grinned and said, “Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about. Thanks, guys.”

“So, uh, why ya movin’ to Ponyville?” he asked curiously.

The question hit me, and I couldn’t help but sweat a bit in nervousness. “Umm...it’s kinda personal.”

He waved a hoof at me. “No problem...just tryin’ to make some friendly conversation is all. I mean, it’s not everyday a Canterlot DJ comes to live in Ponyville.”

I shrugged. “Well, I got a sister here, and she says its very nice so I thought what the hay, y’know?”

“Hey boss, we’re done!” shouted one of the younger colts.

The “boss” nodded with a smile. “Great job, colts. Alright...let’s get the rest of this place to...”

I reached into my monogrammed saddlebag and fished out a parchment, reading off, “Uh...Ponyville Southwest, Lot 322.”

The crew all nodded before packing up the last bit of belongings I had and following me towards the main town.

”Where the hay is 322?” I shouted in frustration.

The “boss” stallion chuckled and asked, “Ya don’t know where your own sister lives?”

I sighed and slumped a bit as we stopped in the middle of town. “I haven’t visited my sister before...she always visited me in Canterlot. We haven’t lived together since we were foals.” I shrugged. “Shouldn’t be hard to find though. I mean, how many pegasi can there be in Ponyville?”

“Wait wait wait, your sister’s a pegasus? How does that work?” one of the colts asked curiously.

I shrugged. “Mom was a pegasus, dad was a unicorn. We were born fraternal twins...and here we are. I’m not sure how it happened, but it did.” I then sighed as I looked up at the sky. “Anyway, I want to get settled in and I’m sure you all want to get home, so I guess I’ll just have to ask for directions.” As I said this, I spotted a light blue pegasus touch down in the middle of the market across from us, and she had the most amazing mane and tail, which copied a rainbow. I trotted over to her and tapped her gently on the shoulder.

The young mare turned around to see me and grinned. “Hey there! What’s up?”

I levitated the parchment over to her so she could read it. “I’m looking for this property. Any idea where it is?”

She looked over the parchment for a few moments before nodding. “Sure, I know where that is. Follow me.” She then took to the skies, but flew slow enough so the five of us could keep up.

I shrugged as I looked back to the moving crew. “Well, we have a direction now, guys. C’mon...almost done.”

We had been following the helpful pegasus for a little while as she led us to my sister’s home, and I couldn’t help but notice how late the day was becoming as we continued to trot on the outskirts of the town.

But suddenly, “Alright, here we are!”

I looked up at the cyan mare and grinned. “Cool! Thanks a lot, umm...”

“Rainbow Dash.” the mare offered with a smile. She then looked to the home in front of us and frowned, then looked back to me in confusion as she noticed all of the stuff we were hauling. “Wait, why are we at Fluttershy’s house? And what’s with all the stuff?”

I shrugged. “I’m kinda moving in with her...”

Her eyes widened. “Fluttershy’s getting a roommate?” Her expression then darkened a bit as she said, “Or are you her special somepony that she never told me about?”

I couldn’t help but snort a laugh as she said this, but shook my head. “No...I’m not some secret marefriend of hers.”

This just caused her more confusion as she asked, “Well who are you then?”

“She’s my sister, Rainbow Dash.” came a sweet, gentle voice from behind the rainbow-maned pegasus.

From behind the flamboyant mare came the shyest, kindest pony I’d ever known...and her soft, gentle coloration only played to her personality. In a lot of ways she was my complete opposite, but those differences were the things I loved the most about her.

She trotted over without even thinking about it, and wrapped her arms around me tightly as she sighed happily. “Oh Venicea, I missed you.”

I wrapped my hooves around my sister and hugged her tightly, reveling in the strength she provided me. In many ways, she’d always been my rock in life...the one thing I could always count on, no matter what. As much as her outward personality said otherwise, she was always the stronger of the two of us, physically and emotionally. It was in fact part of the reason I’d chosen to stay with her.

A snort of laughter was heard from behind me, along with, “Your name is Venicea?”

I released Fluttershy and turned around to Rainbow Dash with a sigh. “My birth name is Venicea Ruby Scarborough. I use a different name when I’m DJ’ing...you probably know me as Vinyl Scratch.”

Rainbow Dash looked between me and my sister before Fluttershy sighed and lowered her head. “Flutter Barricade Scarborough.”

Rainbow Dash stared at the two of us as if we had suddenly grown a horn and wings (respectively). “Wow. I feel like I’m just getting to know you for the first time, Flutters.”

A throat cleared behind me, and I turned to see the “boss” moving stallion staring at me impatiently. “Look, I hate ta break up the reunion here, but we got a job to do.”

I chuckled and nodded. “Alright then sis, show them where to put my stuff.”

“O-oh, okay then.” Fluttershy mumbled before trotting back to her house, the moving stallions in tow with my things.

Rainbow Dash stayed outside with me, looking over me curiously.

After a few minutes of this, I got uncomfortable and said, “What? Do I have something on my face?”

She blushed a bit in embarrassment and said, “No, it’s just...I didn’t know Flutters knew anypony as awesome as you is all, let alone was related to you.”

The half put-down on my sister triggered a bit of annoyance in me as I blurted, “Hey, she’s a lot cooler than you know.”

Rainbow Dash laughed and shook her head. “Fluttershy is awesome in her own way, but I don’t think ‘cool’ would be a good way to describe her. I think I know her well enough to realize that.”

I shook my head with a grin. “No you don’t. Nopony knows her better than I do, and if you don’t think she’s cool, you’re missing out on a really big part of her.” I really looked at her for the first time, and nodded. “You know, she’s mentioned you a few times before. If you’re as good of friends as she seems to think the two of you are, you should get to know her better. Stop talking about yourself for once, and listen to what she has to say.”

In less than a second, she was up in my face, snorting angrily as she growled, “Hey! She’s my best friend! You make it sound like I’m some showy pony that talks about herself all day!”

I didn’t even flinch as she floated in front of me, but instead levitated my glasses to sit on my horn and stared directly back at her. Once she caught sight of my eyes, she backed off a bit and landed all four hooves on the ground again. I kept my voice level as I said, “If you ever roll up on me like that again, I’ll make sure you don’t fly for a week.”

Rainbow Dash cringed a bit and smiled sheepishly. “S-sorry, you just said all those things and I got kinda...”

“Hot-headed?” I offered dryly. “Like I said, she’s told me a little about you. And before you take what I’m saying as all bad, she’s also mentioned that you’re her best friend too.” I sighed and shook my head. “Look, all I’m saying is slow down for once and really talk to her. Ask her what her dreams are, what she wants to do with her life...you know, deep stuff. It’s important to her, and if you really want to be the best friend you can be, you should know those things.”

She nodded a few times before answering with a simple, “Okay.”

I smiled and said, “Cool. Anyway, tell Pinkie Pie that we can have my party tomorrow at around 8 p.m. I’m sure she’s already planning one by now, but I got stuff to do tonight, so tomorrow would work better.” I trotted over to her and gently laid my hoof on her shoulder. “Look, I’m sorry about earlier...I just care about my sister a lot is all, and I want what’s best for her. If you care about her as much as you think you do, just think about what I said. Now, I’ll see you tomorrow night at the party, alright?”

Rainbow Dash seemed a bit in a daze for a few moments before she shook her head and grinned. “Cool! Alright then, I’ll head and tell Pinks the news. Anyway, welcome to Ponyville!” With that, she sped away towards the town.

I trotted back towards the cottage and pushed the door open, seeing the three stallions talking to a very meek Fluttershy, so I decided to step in and get them out so that she could relax.

I walked over to the four of them and levitated a bag of bits out and dropped it in the lead stallion’s saddlebag. “So, great job you guys, I really appreciate it.”

The “boss” fished the bit bag out of his saddlebag and stared at it for a moment before turning to me. “Don’t you need change?”

I shook my head with a smile. “Like I said, you guys did a good job, and you did it quick. Whatever’s in there, keep it. Buy your mare something nice or have a drink on me...whichever applies better.”

He nodded with a happy grin. “Well thanks, Miss Scratch. You be sure and let us know if you need anything else.”

I nodded as I ushered them out the door. “I will guys, don’t worry. You all take care!” As the last one left, I shut the door behind them and slid down the back of it with a loud sigh. “Finally...”

Fluttershy trotted over and gently nuzzled my face as she asked, “O-oh my, are you okay?”

I sighed and shrugged as I stood. “I’ll be fine once I get a good meal and a good sleep. Moving’s always stressful.”

She giggled and nodded. “Well I hope you’re hungry, because I’m making us carrot casserole tonight!”

I chuckled and nudged my sister affectionately. “You spoil me, sis.”

She giggled again before trotting away. “Well, I thought that you could use a good meal, and it’s Angel’s favorite too, so it’s good for everypony! You just make yourself at home, and I’ll call you when it’s done.”

I nodded as I trotted over to a large sofa she kept, sprawling myself across it. “Sounds good. Speaking of Angel, where is the little furball anyway?”

As if summoned by my question, the white rabbit hopped into the room from one of the back rooms of the house. He froze when he saw me, a very uncommon smile making its way onto his face. Besides Fluttershy, I was probably the only other pony in the world who had ever seen anything besides a scowl on his face.

Angel wasted no time before bounding onto the cushion in front of me with a wide smile, and I chuckled as I patted his head gently. “Hey there, killer. It’s been awhile.” He chattered happily before jumping off of the sofa, beckoning me to follow him. I chuckled again and stood, trotting after the white rabbit through the house.

This was one of the things that Fluttershy just couldn’t figure out about me. For some reason, Angel liked me...and from what I’d been told, that bunny didn’t like anypony. I figured it was because I didn’t take his crap like Fluttershy did, and he respected me for that. I mean, I love my sister to death, but she was a doormat if there ever was one. She needed ponies like me, and bunnies like Angel, to make sure other ponies didn’t take advantage of her. I had always done it when we were younger, and Angel took over when I couldn’t visit so much anymore. It was a bit of an unspoken agreement between the two of us.

Angel had disappeared around the corner of the hallway a few seconds ago, motioning for me to stay put as he rummaged through a room that I hadn’t been allowed into in a long time. Once upon a time, it had been a guest room for when Fluttershy would have family or friends over...but I had the feeling that such a visit wasn’t all that common, so I assumed it was a sort of storage room now.

As I waited, I could smell the amazing scent of the food my sister was cooking. She’d always been a goddess in the kitchen, and even though she’d never admit it, ponies would readily pay for her culinary skills. Still, like my skill for martial arts, it was a skill born of necessity, not passion. We both loved our respective hobbies, but they were just that...hobbies. I was never going to become a world-famous fighter any more than my sister would become a palace chef, but that didn’t mean we didn’t appreciate each other for our skills.

I turned my eyes to the hallway as I heard the door open, and saw as a mess of some knitted fabric bounced out before stopping in front of me. Angel’s head poked out from behind the bundle of cloth, and he smiled as he held it up to me.

I gasped when I saw what it was.

Gently, I levitated it out of his grasp, noting the familiar embroidery done by Fluttershy of both of our cutie marks, along with the face of a little white bunny. It was a scarf, and had been a memento given to me by my sister before we split up so many years ago. I’d told her to keep it until I came back. The bunny on it was not Angel of course, as he hadn’t even been born at the time. Instead, it had been my own white rabbit pet. It was the reason Fluttershy was so partial to Angel...he reminded her of our first pet together, and his personality reminded her of me.

I sniffled a bit as I rubbed the soft fabric against my cheek. “You’re making me cry, Angel. Not cool, dude.” I took a deep breath before wrapping the scarf around my neck and nodding to the bunny. “C’mon...let’s go get some of that awesome food.”

Angel nodded and used the hanging bit of scarf to pull himself up onto my back, and the two of us made our way to Fluttershy’s small dining area, which was little more than a small table and a few sitting cushions. It made sense of course, as it was unlikely she would ever be having a party or something at her house, but even with that being the case, it was small.

“You found it.” she voiced gently as I approached.

I looked up to see Fluttershy standing in the small kitchen with a wide smile, and grinned right back. “I didn’t...apparently Angel thought it’d be a good idea to show it to me.” I chuckled nervously and said, “I feel kinda bad, I actually forgot about this thing.”

My sister trotted over and pulled the scarf off of me, floating into the air and hanging it on the coat hook on the wall near the front door. “Don’t feel bad...it’s not like you had a reminder of it every day. Besides, I’m sure you were very busy.”

I shrugged with a grin. “I basically stopped sleeping ever since I moved to Canterlot. I mean, I thought Manehattan was crazy, but wow...I had no idea. Did you know that Princess Luna likes the nightlife?”

“Well she is the princess of the night, Venicia.” Fluttershy commented with a giggle as she sat next to me.

I chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Still, I never thought I’d see her at my shows.”

“She holds you in very high esteem, you know.” she replied. I looked at her quizzically, and she answered, “The princess, I mean. Twilight keeps an open flow of letters and such to make sure she doesn’t get lonely, and Twilight’s told me that the princess has mentioned you more than a few times.”

I chuckled and said, “Seems like the princess has a thing for DJ P0N-3.”

Fluttershy gasped and shook her head. “O-oh dear, I hope not.”

I chuckled and nudged her gently. “Nah, that’d be awesome! I mean just picture it: Vinyl Scratch is so awesome, even the princess wants her. At the very least, it’d be great publicity.”

“W-well maybe, but would you be able to go through with it?” she asked nervously.

I raised an eyebrow as I asked, “Go through with what?”

Fluttershy’s timid nature shone forth as she stammered, “W-well, courting th-the princess. She um...she doesn’t t-take rejection well.”

My eyes widened a bit as I realized what she was saying. “Oh...you’re right, that could be a problem. I hope she just likes my music.”

My sister looked at me with worry as she asked, “Wait, you mean you wouldn’t court the princess? I mean, I’m not interested in fillies, but even I can admit she’s very beautiful. And...well you...”

“I what?” I asked with growing concern.

Fluttershy gulped nervously as she answered, “W-well you and Octavia...”

The mere mention of her name caused me to tense up. I’d had a crush on my gray earth pony friend for as long as I could remember, but all throughout school, I also remembered her turning down advances from other fillies whenever they’d happen...so I just kept my feelings to myself. Then again, I couldn’t remember if she’d even been asked by colts either, but I didn’t really pay attention to that side of the “equation”. It didn’t matter...all I could tell was that she didn’t like fillies that way, so I had to keep quiet. I thought back to earlier in the week, when Octavia and I had shared that last night together in my condo, and how we’d fallen asleep together. It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence, but while for her it was about wanting to be close to her best friend, for me it was a guilty pleasure...one she didn’t know about. It made me feel dirty and like a liar when I thought about it, but during the moments it happened, I didn’t care. All I wanted was one more touch, one more hug...one more word of affection from her lips.

I looked back to my sister, meeting her turquoise eyes with my own as I shook my head, fighting to keep a playful smirk on my mouth. “Nah, she and I never went out. She’s not bent that way.” My own sexuality was pretty well-known by my sister though, so I still had to think up a reason why I wouldn’t court the princess if given the chance. It took me a few seconds, but I found one reasonable enough to use. “As far as the princess, I wouldn’t want to risk it. If things turned out badly, it would probably destroy my career, and then I could have a vengeful princess trying to think of a way to get back at me.”

“Oh...well I guess that makes sense.” Fluttershy replied.

I nodded, just barely resisting letting out a sigh of relief. “Yeah. I don’t know, if things ever come to that, I guess I’ll ask your friend Twilight to talk to her.”

A small bell sounded, and my sister leapt up with a wide smile. “Oh! Dinner’s ready!”

Dinner with my sister was amazing, as it always was, and I was treated to the sight of seeing Angel’s entire face covered with mushy carrots and hay noodles. It wasn’t very often anypony actually got to see the bunny relax and let his ears down, but when he did, he was a riot.

The three of us laughed most of the time we were at the table, and the time we were actually eating was just as good, with a soft, companionable silence descended on the three of us. It allowed me to forget about Octavia again, because I thought that maybe if I didn’t think about her as much, the pain of not seeing her would start to overshadow the pain of knowing she could never be mine. It was a fair trade, but that didn’t make it any easier to bear.

The remainder of the day was spent taking inventory of what I’d brought, as well as placing it all in its proper areas. I would be sharing a room with my sister until we cleaned out the guest room the day after tomorrow, but for now, it was nice to be in such close quarters with Fluttershy. I guess that part of me never really grew up. Even as a filly, the two of us would often lay in bed together, talking about anything and everything until we fell asleep. We were as close as two sisters could be, even with how different we were as ponies.

The only thing that put a slight damper on my spirits was the reminder I had left myself in my saddlebag. Hastily scrawled on a parchment and taped to my extra pair of glasses was a message that said, “Send letter to Tavi.”

When I had left this morning, I’d made a solemn vow to her that I’d keep in touch, even if it was just a simple letter to let her know that I’d made it to Ponyville okay. So I sat down on the floor in Fluttershy’s room, pulled a fresh parchment and pen out from my saddlebag, and set about writing.

Nearly two hours had passed, the sun had set, and Fluttershy was closing up her home for the night, making sure all her animal friends were taken care of. It was a good thing too, because she would have made a big deal of things if she’d seen me now.

I was sitting in front of the parchment, the pen still floating in my magical grip, but only five words had been written in all that time:

“ Dear Tavi,

I miss you.”

It pissed me off too. This was just supposed to be a simple letter to let her know that I was alright and that things were going good so far...but instead all I could think, all I could write apparently, was that I missed her. I cared about my sister a lot, more than I did anypony else, but just like no pony could ever be a replacement for her, she also couldn’t replace Octavia.

I was glad I was with Fluttershy again. It had been too long since we’d seen each other, and it was great we were living together for now, but I still felt lonely. It was strange too, because it wasn’t as if Octavia and I saw each other every day or anything. I think more than anything, it was the reality that I couldn’t just trot down the street to see her anymore. Even during the times when I’d been away on tour or something, I’d always send her letters to let her know important stuff...but right now, all that was important was her, and how much I missed her already.

I hoped she didn’t feel the same way, because that would just make me feel worse. She was part of the reason I left Canterlot after all, so if I found out that she was as lonely as I was, it was just going to make me feel worse. No matter how much I cared about Octavia, it had started to hurt over the years, knowing that no matter how bad I wanted it, she could never be mine...I could never hold her quite the way I wanted to, and could never kiss her goodnight. It was something I could never tell her, because knowing the way she was, she would end up blaming herself or something.

So instead, I’d stay quiet, and use filler material.

The letter did end up getting written, as I forced myself to basically just tell her what happened today. When I was finished, I wrapped it up in a blue ribbon and set it aside to mail tomorrow. I stared at the finished letter for a long time, wondering if this would be enough. I hoped it would...if I ever stopped hearing from her because we drifted apart, my life would fall to ruin. I hated the fact that I cared about her that much, but at the same time, I wouldn’t change it.

Fluttershy would find me that night, having cried myself to sleep with a rolled-up parchment in my grasp.

Chapter 2: Old Flames

The next morning was upon me, and it was mercifully quiet in comparison with my normal life. It had stormed heavily the past night and was still raining, so luckily I didn’t have to do a meet-and-greet with any of the ponies from the town. Not that I was antisocial or anything, it was just that I wanted to settle in a little more before being buddy-buddy with fans or the random friendly pony. Besides, it had been too long since my sister and I had just sat around and spent quality time together.

So that’s exactly what I planned to do.

I woke up in a soft bed, and the heartache from the previous night had faded to a manageable level. I didn’t even worry about the fact that it was obvious Fluttershy had found me and placed me in her bed, as it wasn’t the first time she’d had to scrape me off of the floor for one reason or another. I took a quick look around the room and noticed that not only had she tucked me in her own bed, but she’d made sure my glasses were set safely upon the bedside table, with the letter to Tavi right next to them.

I yawned as I rolled to my stomach and pushed myself up, stretching out my neck and back as I did so and enjoying the satisfying pops that accompanied it. I then shimmied out from under the soft blanket and trotted to Fluttershy’s bathroom and went about running myself a bath.

Just as I expected, she had hung up my monogrammed white towel on the rack next to the tub itself, and had set up a stereo in the bathroom. She knew my habits a little too well it seemed, but I wasn’t complaining either. I trotted over to the stereo and flipped a switch, and soft music started to play. I had a bit of a guilty pleasure for gentle, ambient music, as it was expected for a DJ like me to listen to blasting electronic music all of the time. It just wasn’t who I was, but if the fans liked to think it was, I wasn’t going to correct them.

I trotted back over to the tub and shut off the faucet before using a nearby step-stool to get in. The relaxing heat permeated my skin as soon as I slipped into it, and I let out a soft groan of contentment. Another thing I hadn’t allowed myself until recently was the time to simply sit in a hot bubble bath and relax. Is it cliché? Yeah, but it was also unbelievably relaxing. It had a way of setting my mind completely at ease in a way almost nothing else could.

So, I sank beneath the warm embrace of the bath, and let it carry me away for a few minutes.

Some time later Fluttershy and I were having tea downstairs with a friend of hers, a white unicorn named Rarity. Now even though I wasn’t particularly wanting her, I could admit when somepony was attractive. I could honestly say that Rarity was gorgeous. Like, she would look perfectly at home coming down the Grand Stair outside of Canterlot Castle, with one of those long flowing dresses that the princesses always wear.

The mare was nice enough and was absolutely ecstatic when she found out that Fluttershy and I were sisters. She ended up rambling something about my sister being my polar opposite (which I agreed with) and me having the “most brilliant white coat and vivid ruby eyes” she’d ever seen. I’d been complemented on a lot of different things over the years, but it was nice to hear something that wasn’t about my “tight plot” or “suckin’ lips”. Yeah...as a DJ I’d heard almost everything under the sun, and it didn’t really bother me anymore. Still, it was always nice to receive an honest and respectful compliment once in awhile.

I must have been tuning out Rarity’s ramblings, because the next thing I knew I looked up and she was staring at me expectantly.

I cleared my throat and said, “Um, what?”

“Well,” she began, obviously knowing I wasn’t listening, “are you going?”

I cautiously turned my eyes to my sister, and she mouthed a word. I turned back to Rarity and smiled. “Of course! I wouldn’t miss one of Pinkie Pie’s parties for the world. Her and I are cool...real cool. Like cold...no, ice cold!”

Rarity stared at me for a moment before huffing. “I thought I had you that time, but you cheated. No using your sister to get out of trouble.”

I chuckled and levitated my cup to my mouth, taking a sip of the lemony-sweet tea. “Aww, you didn’t say that, so I didn’t know. Next time you gotta lay the rules out ahead of time.”

She softly giggled in a cute way that made me think she had to be younger than her image looked. Not that she looked old, but she just had a rather mature aura about her. It might have been the way she presented herself, or maybe it was the way she did her hair. Whatever the reason, I found myself easily respecting her, simply because she was polite, easygoing, and knew how to have a good laugh.

Through my sister’s letters, I had been told that Rarity was the only other pony she felt very close to other than myself and Rainbow Dash. It made sense now that I’d personally had a short introduction with both of them. Rainbow Dash was pretty masculine for a mare, almost like one of the stallions, really. Rarity on the other hoof was very gentle, sophisticated, and feminine. In essence, the two balanced each other out as far as Fluttershy’s friends.

The truth was Fluttershy was a big jumble of different personality quirks. For example, even though she didn’t seem it, she actually loved to roughhouse with ponies she trusted, and was actually pretty strong for a pegasus. I remembered that oftentimes when we still lived together as fillies, we would end up getting into little wrestling matches. She would always win of course, being stronger than me and having two extra limbs to use, but it was still fun.

On the other hoof, she also loved to get pampered with massages, bubble baths, and stuff like that. She didn’t particularly like makeup, but loved to shop, becoming a completely different pony when she went to a store she liked.

So I guess her two best friends evened her out.

“Darling, you’re doing it again.” Rarity commented in annoyance.

I shook my head to clear the thoughts, and smiled sheepishly at her. “Sorry. I got thoughts...you know how it is.”

Her smile returned, and she nodded. “All too well, dear.” She took the last sip of her teacup and stood, grinning at the two of us. “Why I am just so happy dear Fluttershy has a sibling as...forthcoming as you.”

I raised my eyebrow in confusion. “Thanks, I guess.”

She smiled a polite little smile before turning and embracing my sister before pulling away. “Now, I must be leaving, as it is imperative I am decent for the party. Thank you so much for the tea, Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy smiled warmly and shook her head. “Oh, it was no problem at all. Thank you so much for coming. I’ll see you tonight, Rarity!”

Rarity nodded in a friendly manner as she left, leaving me and my sister alone again.

“Well,” I began, with a happy grin, “she was fun. If the rest of your friends are that cool, I can’t wait to meet ‘em.”

She smiled and fluttered over to me. “You really think she was cool?”

I chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, she was rad! I mean I don’t expect her to show up in the club scene anytime soon, but she was nice, and polite, and...well, cool stuff.”

My sister giggled happily as she nodded. “Oh I’m sure you’ll get along with the rest of them just fine.”

I took the last gulp of the tea and sighed contentedly before standing. “Well, I need to go and mail that letter off to Tavi, and then we’ll hang out for a bit before we get ready for Pinkie’s party. You are coming, right?”

She nodded with a bright smile. “Of course. I wouldn’t miss one of Pinkie’s parties, even if they are a little loud.”

I trotted by my sister towards the door and nuzzled her on the way, saying, “Don’t ever change, sis.” With that, I left the home and closed the door behind me, orienting myself towards the town square of Ponyville in the distance.

It was amazing just how warm and inviting Ponyville was. I’d never actually stayed any length of time in the small town, but I had done a few shows around the place for one reason or another...usually because of Pinkie Pie. It was a common occurrence for a pony to offer a smile or a wave around here, whether a complete stranger or not. It gave the town a very “homey” feel to it, and in honesty I found myself wondering why I hadn’t moved to Ponyville sooner.

Oh yeah...my career, that’s why.

Still, I’d paid my dues in the rough spots of Manehattan, and now I was successful enough that I could work from pretty much anywhere. It allowed me more freedom in my life, though I still had to keep up public appearances. That meant I had to show up to the Monster Ball that Princess Luna would be hosting in four months on Nightmare Night, and it also meant I would have to make an appearance at the Grand Galloping Gala as well. True, it was an honor to be invited to both events, but I had to remind myself it was more for business than pleasure.

As I trotted my way from my sister’s house to the local post office, I found myself receiving quite a few smiles or waves from complete strangers. It was something I wasn’t used to, because in Manehattan, you were lucky to get anything but cursed or sneered at by neighbors or passer-bys. It further added to the warm atmosphere of the whole town, that seemed to welcome me with its very scenery.

I arrived at the post office just ten or so minutes after leaving my temporary home and the first thing I saw when I walked in was a peculiar pony at the counter. She was a gray pegasus with a blonde mane and tail. Not necessarily strange by anypony’s standards, I know, but the thing that stuck out were her eyes. They were staring off in different directions ‒ one right at me, and the other off towards the ceiling towards her right. Now I’m not the most subtle of ponies to be sure, but I tried my best to keep from staring...until I realized she was the only pony attending the counter. It meant that I’d have to look at her to keep from seeming rude, so I would be staring.

“Hi, and welcome to the Ponyville Post Office!” she greeted happily with a cute giggle. “My name’s Ditzy Doo, and I’ll be helping you today!”

I found it a little strange that her salutation was the kind of thing you’d hear from a waitress at a restaurant, but I liked the mare simply because of how happy and warm she seemed, so I passed it off as just who she was. I approached the counter and laid the letter on the countertop and said, “Nice to meet you Ditzy. I’m Vinyl Scratch, and I need to mail a letter.”

She nodded excitedly as she took my scroll and looked over it with one of her eyes (the one I assumed was her “good” one). “Okay, where’s it going, who’s it for, and what kind of delivery do you want?”

I thought for a moment, remembering Octavia’s address before answering, “Um, 2305 Seafoam Rd, Manehattan, Equestria, 24012. It’s going to an Octavia Melody, and I need overnight delivery.”

She nodded again and grabbed a scroll cylinder from under the counter, picking up a pen with her mouth and writing a few things on a piece of parchment before placing the parchment around the scroll and placing it into the cylinder itself. The cylinder was then placed into a mailbag that was hanging on a hook labeled “Manehattan” before turning back to me. “Alright, that’ll be twenty bits.”

I levitated my bit pouch out of my small saddlebag and passed two ten-bit coins to her. She gently grabbed the bits in her teeth and tossed them into the cash register before a slip of paper printed out of a small printer. Once it was finished, she tore the slip off and handed me my receipt and confirmation of mail.

I nodded as I levitated the paper to my bag and stated. “Thanks a lot, I appreciate it.”

She gave me a toothy grin and answered, “You’re welcome! Thanks a lot for using the Ponyville Postal Service. We’ll make sure your letter gets where it needs to.”

I gave a nod to the mailpony and left the post office to head back to my sister’s house, only to be caught off-guard by a voice I never thought I’d hear from again.

“Vinyl?!” called the voice from behind me.

Had I not been wearing my glasses, everypony around me would have noticed my eyes widening to the point of nearly popping out of my skull. I whipped my head around in shock and answered, “Berry?”

Sure enough, the magenta-colored earth pony mare was galloping towards me with a wide smile on her face, and I smiled wide as I stood on my hind legs and extended my arms wide to catch her. She jumped through the air and tackled me to the ground at the last moment, sending us both sprawling to the grass beside the path to Fluttershy’s house.

I laughed loudly as she hugged me tight, cutting off my breath momentarily before standing up off of me. “Gosh Vinyl, I never thought I’d see you here of all places!”

I rolled over onto my stomach and stood, shaking out my mane and picking up my glasses, putting them back on my face. “I actually moved here. For the foreseeable future, I’m a Ponyville resident.”

Berry’s pink eyes widened a bit as her smile grew even larger. “Really? That’s so cool!”

I smirked and motioned back towards the town, my mind made up. “Hey Berry, I’m not doing anything until tonight. You want to hang out for awhile?”

Her smile seemed to grow even larger as she nodded furiously. “That sounds great! I can show you my new shop!”

I chuckled as I followed the excited vintner to her shop in Ponyville, glad to have found another friend.

Berry Punch had plenty to say of course, with it having been nearly a year since we’d last seen each other. She’d always been a rambler, so I let her talk while I half-listened and reminisced about our past together while we walked to her wine shop.

I met Berry Punch at the same party and on the same night as I got my cutie mark. Her and I were simple guests at the house of some rich stallion that decided to throw a gig while his parents were out of town, but the DJ sucked. So, when the music-pony went outside for a smoke break, I decided to get up on the turntables to see if I could do any better. Within seconds, I got a feel for the way the controls worked, the way the sampler pulled sounds, and soon had a string of songs playing, being mixed in a way that no pony had ever heard before. Much to my surprise, when the hired DJ reentered the room, he didn’t kick me off his system. Instead, he stood by with a wide grin on my face and nodded at me to continue, which I did.

By the end of that first set, my cutie mark had appeared on my flank. I’d always been good at playing music, but that night was the first time I truly found a passion in it. Berry Punch had approached me as I stepped down from the DJ booth, to a large amount of applause from all the partygoers, saying that she’d noticed a “spark” in my eyes that she liked. She introduced me to alcohol for the first time (I was only thirteen then), and the night progressed pretty quickly from there.

I woke up the next morning in the embrace of Berry Punch, who was spooning me from behind. I quickly checked over myself to find that I wasn’t wet or sticky, I wasn’t sore, and the room didn’t smell like sex. With my mind set at ease that I’d at the most made out with Berry and fell asleep with her, I flopped back to the bed and smiled. Got my cutie mark the previous night, and woke up next to a cute mare in the morning.

Life couldn’t have gotten much better than that.

Berry Punch and I stayed close through high school, but my pining for Octavia ruined any chance we had of a true relationship. Hurtful words ended up being said by both of us, but we made up a week after. True that I still could admit to myself that she was a cute mare, but I just couldn’t see her as a potential romantic interest anymore. Not that my obsession with a certain gray earth pony would have made things any easier, but at the time, I tried to rationalize with myself that it wasn’t because of that.

After high school, Berry Punch moved back to Ponyville to start her own winery, just like her mother and father before her. She became a sixth-generation vintner from her family line, and was more than happy with such a life. Unfortunately for me, the best place for an up-and-coming DJ was Manehattan, so while she moved away, I ended up having to stay in the “city that never sleeps”. We kept in contact through letters and the occasional phone call, but so much time apart has a way of causing hearts to drift away, no matter how much I fought it.

Then one day, she showed up at one of my shows.

That was over a year ago, and after catching up with her and hearing all about Ponyville, I promised myself that if I ever moved out of Manehattan, Ponyville would be the place I’d go to. So while it was true that I just needed to get away from Manehattan and chill out, Berry Punch was the reason I chose Ponyville out of the other places I could have gone, besides my sister of course.

A tapping on my shoulder “woke” me from my memories, and Berry Punch smiled at me as she pointed to a burgundy and white brick building with like a million windows.

“Here we are.” she said happily, trotting towards her door before opening it and looking back at me. “Well come on in, there’s no need to stand outside looking.”

I stopped gawking at the outside of the building and trotted inside, kicking the door closed behind me as I entered. Immediately, I was hit with cool air in the well-insulated home, indicating she had been able to afford air-conditioning spells to be put on the structure itself.

“Wow,” I commented, looking around as I took my glasses off, “real nice place, Berry.”

She giggled and nodded as she trotted over to the cash register and leaned on the counter. “Yep! I’ve done pretty well for myself, if I do say so...and I do.” She motioned her head to a reinforced glass case behind her that held a collection of bottles that looked more ornate than the rest. “My family’s secret formula just happens to be Princess Luna’s favorite wine. We’re the only ones that make it, and the formula itself is only written down once. The rest of it is kept by memory by us for safety reasons. Is it a bit of a monopoly? Yes, it is. We can’t help that the princess likes our wine more than any other, though.”

I chuckled and rested my glasses on my horn. “Supply and demand. It’s the law of the business, babe.”

Berry led me to the back room that was her office and offered me a seat on a plush crimson sitting pillow, which I took gratefully. She then popped the cork on a bottle of sparkling golden grape juice (she never drinks on the job) and poured me a glass before passing it to me.

“So Vinyl,” she began, watching me intently as I took the glass from her, “why are you really here? I think it’s safe to assume you weren’t here simply to drop in and then decided to shack up in this town.”

I shook my head as I sipped the silky-smooth juice. “Nah. I’d been planning to move away from Manehattan for awhile now, and since both you and my sister live here-”

“Wait, your sister? You have a sister?” she interrupted with a raised eyebrow.

I felt my brow scrunch up a bit as I nodded. “Uh, yeah. I never told you about her?”

Berry shook her head as her jaw dropped open. “No. I think I’d remember my best friend and one of the hottest flanks of our teenage years having a sister.”

I shrugged. “I guess I must have forgotten to tell you about her. Most ponies around here know her, but they don’t know we’re related. You probably know her as Fluttershy.”

She frowned as she pointed out the window at the open fields to the southwest of Ponyville. “The shy pegasus that lives near the Everfree?”

I nodded. “That’s her. And no, neither of us is adopted, so please don’t ask.”

“Hmm…” she hummed to herself, considering the new information, “I never would have noticed that had you not told me. You two are almost nothing alike.”

I chuckled and shook my head. “Only to ponies who don’t really know her. So few actually take the time and have the patience to get to know her that so many miss out on a great pony.” I then turned my gaze back to Berry and asked, “That aside though, how has she gotten along here in Ponyville?”

She shrugged. “Pretty well, I guess. She keeps to herself for the most part, so the only time I see her is if I pass by her in the market, or if her and her friends are handling one of the many crazy things that seem to happen around here.”

I chuckled and nodded. “So I’ve heard. I mean, I see my sister every now and then, but I doubt I hear about everything that goes on around here.” I shrugged as I collected myself. “Nonetheless, it’s good to know she’s alright. I worry about her getting into trouble.”

Berry raised her eyebrow as she swallowed a mouthful of the juice. “Fluttershy getting into trouble? Please. Not counting the crazy adventures she goes on with her friends, she’s the anti-trouble.”

I would have to ask ‘Shy about that all at some point. It seems that since moving to Ponyville, she’d chilled out a lot. It was almost like I was the only pony that really knew her. No big deal, I guess. Time changes us all, really. Some more than others, but even I couldn’t say I was the same pony I was when her and I were just fillies.

I offered Berry a shrug as I replied, “Well I guess that’s better than finding out she was the town drunk or something.”

She barked a laugh and shook her head. “I don’t think she’s ever even touched a drop of alcohol!”

I gained a mischievous smirk as I said, “Well, her birthday’s coming up soon. We’ll have to change that.” I took the last sip of my drink before standing. “Well, I gotta get back to my sister. I want to spend some time with her before we head to Pinkie’s party. I’ll see you later, ‘kay?”

Berry nodded with a warm smile. “Sure thing, Vi. You take care of yourself.”

After leaving Berry’s house, I just spent time walking around the town that would be my new home. As I imagined, it lacked the giant neon signs of Manehattan, and wasn’t filled with the hustle and bustle of Canterlot. It was quiet, quaint, and beautiful in a way that architecture couldn’t replicate. I would always enjoy the kick of the bass and the shine of the lights on stage, but a part of me enjoyed the simplicity of Ponyville. It was pure; virgin.

As I made my way back toward my sister’s house, I caught sight of her friends in passing, even greeting her unicorn friend named Rarity. She was a nice mare, but she was obsessed with redoing my mane style. I could already tell she was going to get on my nerves if I spent an extended length of time with her.

Applejack seemed pretty cool though. Farmer pony, but a lot smarter than I would have expected. Not necessarily book-smarts, mind, but still clearly intelligent. I had no doubt that she could be a famous researcher or something if she had grown up in Canterlot or something instead of on a farm.

Pinkie Pie was a good friend of mine already, though I always made time to see her when I got the chance. It was a little surreal seeing her just calmly serving baked treats instead of zipping around a party she had organized. Still, I liked this new dimension to her. It gave Pinkie a more realistic feel that made it easier to relate to her; under all the hype, she was just a working mare that loved what she did.

Last of my sister’s friends was Twilight Sparkle.

I’d heard of the magical prodigy that was the Element of Magic; honestly, I’d be surprised if there was a pony in Equestria who hadn’t heard of her. I mean, becoming the personal student of Princess Celestia was a big deal already, but then she and the other Elements of Harmony had saved the world like three times already. I still remember when the Elements of Harmony were first revealed, everypony treated them like celebrities. It took some time, but eventually things died down to a normal level. For ponies like Pinkie and Applejack, it simply took the populace seeing them doing their normal jobs for them to realize that they were the same as the rest of us...just with really awesome magic necklace-things.

Meeting Twilight Sparkle was an experience, to say the least. First of all, she had a baby dragon that lived with her. That alone was enough to catch my interest, but then there was the fact that she was more than a little eccentric. Maybe it was my innate interest in all things weird and wonderful, but I liked the strange, the misunderstood, and the interesting. Needless to say, after talking with Twilight Sparkle about who I was, where I was staying, why, and with whom, she became rather interested in me as well. She was one of those ponies that just wanted to know and understand everything and everypony ‒ the weirder, the better. With this attribute, I found a bit of a kindred spirit, and I promised her that I’d visit for a bit of tea and a chat.

When I finally arrived back at my sister’s home, it was to the smell of something wonderful cooking, and Angel waving happily to me. It was little things like my sister’s behavior, Angel’s attitude (or lack thereof), and other small instances that made me feel special when I was at ‘Shy’s house. There was so much when it came to her that only I had seen and knew about. It went beyond just being a sister; we were best friends too.

After finishing dinner and cleaning up, ‘Shy and I chilled out in her family room, just talking about each other’s day and such. It was mostly small talk until she brought up the one thing I really didn’t want to talk about.

“Did you send the letter to Octavia?” she asked innocently.

I gulped and nodded. “Yeah, I did.”

To any other pony, such a question would be as innocent as the smile she was putting on, but I knew my sister better than that. She was going to draw out my worries, like she always did, and I’d likely spend the next hour crying while she held me.

She tilted her head curiously and asked, “So are you feeling better today?”

I nodded an honest affirmative. “Yeah, I am. Sorry you had to see me like that last night.”

‘Shy shook her head with a soft smile. “Don’t be sorry, Venicia. You know you can always come to me with anything and I’ll never judge you.”

There it was, the question that wasn’t a question. What I heard was, “So why were you crying in the first place? And don’t lie to me, because I’ll know and will make you feel horrible if you do.”

I sighed and nodded. “I know, sis.” I scooted closer to her on her couch, rolling onto my back and setting my head in her lap. “I miss her already. It’s only been a day, but I miss her.” She just brought her hoof down and stroked my mane as I closed my eyes, relishing the soft touch. “Sometimes I wish things could be different, you know? But at the same time, I wonder just how much else would change.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice strong and comforting.

I let a breath out through my nose as I relished the aura of serenity my sister seemed to exude. “What if Tavi and I had gotten together? Would I have ever come to Ponyville in the first place? Would I have done something stupid and ruined my friendship with Octavia? There’s just so much that could have changed, and even though I miss Tavi, I’m not sure I want to know how things would have been different. I’m comfortable with the way things are.” ‘Shy cleared her throat, and I sighed in defeat. “Okay, I’m mostly comfortable with the way things are.”

“Why didn’t you ever tell her?” she asked gently, her hoof still running through my hair.

I snorted in amusement, with just a hint of bitterness. “You know how Tavi is ‒ she gets embarrassed easily. How do you think she’d react to her best friend saying she loves her? She’d probably never be able to look at me the same again, and I cherish what we have too much to risk that. Besides, she’s straight as an arrow. It wouldn’t have made any difference.”

“Are you sure about that?” ‘Shy asked, causing me to open my eyes and focus on her. “Are you positive that she couldn’t love a mare? Did you ever actually ask her?”

“That ain’t the kind of thing you just go up and ask somepony without things getting weird.” I retorted blandly. “But no, I never asked her. The fact that she never dated any fillies when we were in school pretty much spoke for itself.”

My sister sighed in disappointment and shook her head. “You’re a moron sometimes, Venicia.”

I was about to shoot back a response when I was bopped on the nose by a furry white paw, and noticed Angel had not only heard my words, but decided I needed a little smack.

I rolled my eyes in frustration. “Alright sure, let’s all gang up on Vinyl. What are you talking about?”

My sister’s gaze bored down on me, and I had to fight to keep from flinching. “First of all, you never actually asked her if she preferred fillies or colts, did you?”

I shrugged gently. “W-well no, but-”

“And,” she continued, cutting me off, “do you have so little faith in your friendship with Octavia? After everything you two have been through together, do you really think she would just abandon you over something like her best friend having feelings for her? Whether she returned them or not, I know she would stay friends with you and support you in whatever way she could. I’ve never seen two friends closer than the two of you, not even between myself and the other Elements. Do you really think she would be upset that you care about her so much?”

I huffed with growing annoyance and threw my arms up. “I don’t know, okay? All I know is that I’m-” I trailed off as I centered myself, and continued in a much more calm tone. “I’m scared, ‘Shy...terrified, actually. If my business has taught me anything, it’s that ponies will leave you at the drop of a hat, for little or no reason if there’s nothing in it for them. Every time I’ve thought I could count on somepony, I’ve been proven wrong; every time I trusted somepony, that trust was thrown back in my face.”

“Octavia’s not a part of your career, Venicia.” ‘Shy growled out, which was an odd tone from such a demure pony. “She’s your best friend, and one you know you can trust with anything.” Her hoof bopped me on the end of the nose, and she shook her head in disappointment. “Stop acting like a fool. You’re better than that.”

Yes. Contrary to what most ponies thought of her, this little pegasus could bite.

“I’m sick of watching you sabotage yourself when it comes to love.” she continued, her wings flaring a little in annoyance. “I can’t directly help you with it, but neither will I sit quietly and watch it happen. If you won’t tell Octavia how much she means to you, I will ‒ don’t think for a second that I won’t.”

I shot her a glare, still refusing to leave my place in her lap. “I don’t meddle in your personal affairs, so don’t meddle in mine.”

For a long few moments there was complete silence, save for the quiet chirping of birds outside. Suddenly, ‘Shy announced, “If you promise to tell Octavia the truth, I’ll tell Rainbow Dash my truth.”

My eyes widened in surprise, and I gasped. I think I might well have been the only pony to know it, but Fluttershy was in much the same situation that I was, except with Rainbow Dash. The difference was she knew Rainbow Dash’s gender preference matched her own, but was so afraid of ruining her friendship that she had kept quiet for years ‒ much like me, come to think of it.

After a few moments of thought on the matter, I sighed and nodded. “Alright fine, but not right now. Give me some time to settle in, and I’ll have her come visit or something and tell her then.”

‘Shy reached and grasped my hoof in her own, shaking it firmly with a smile. “Deal.”

I allowed myself a bit of a morbid smirk as I replied, “If things go to Tartarus, I’m blaming you.”

My sister smiled back at me and replied, “I finished my chores for the day and Pinkie’s party is expected to go on late into the night. Let’s take a nap so we can give her the respect and attention she deserves.”

I raised my eyebrow at her. “You know, I’m not really that tired.”

“Hush now, quiet now
It’s time to lay your sleepy head
Hush now, quiet now
It’s time to go to bed…”

Damn her…

Within moments of her angelic voice singing softly, I fell away into slumber.