Small Things
A My Little Pony fanfic by LysanderasD
She had always considered herself a sound sleeper; most earth ponies were, after all. They had a sturdiness--some called it stubbornness, and she had to admit that that probably wasn't entirely inaccurate--to everything they did, and that included sleep. The last time she'd woken up in the middle of the night had been...
Well, in all truth, it had been the night after the monsters had attacked Canterlot. Changelings, the princess had called them in her address, but she hadn't elaborated except to say that they would not be coming back, and not to worry. There were suspicions and neigh-sayers, which really hadn't come as a surprise. This was the third catastrophe in two years. Ponies were bound to become suspicious. She had had a nightmare about the incident, once, and then managed to put it behind her.
But that was in the past--a month in the past, by her reckoning, a month since the wedding and the catastrophe and that horrid pink bubble that filtered the sunlight in such an unnerving way. Concerts--both hers, proper ones, and the, ah, less formal ones that Vinyl favored--had started up again. Normalcy had started up again. It had, in a way, become almost boring.
Then why had she woken? Her dreams were already draining through the thousand tiny cracks created by consciousness, but there was no last imprint of fear or terror. Not a nightmare.
Octavia rolled over in her bed, and her eyes found the open window. It was clear out, tonight; clear and bright, the stars made ever-brighter in the face of the waning Moon, brilliant, hard, and deadly sharp against the tender indigo of the night sky. It was gorgeous out. Her Majesty the Princess Luna must have been feeling inspired tonight.
Her body, obviously feeling that as long as she was awake she might as well take care of business, brought a need to her attention, and she very carefully slid out of bed and thence out of the bedroom. Her eyes had grown used to the darkness, and the weak starlight that poured into the hall from her room provided just enough ambiance in the darkness to tell her that the door to the guest bedroom was open.
Hey, 'Tavi, can I ask you a question?
What is it, Vinyl?
This may be kinda stupid to ask, I dunno, but why, uh...
Yes?
Well, you live by yourself, an' all. And, well, speakin' frankly here, you don't seem the type who gets a lotta company. So why do you bother payin' rent on a two-bedroom apartment when you could settle for one and have more bits to spare?
The question had surprised her, from somepony like Vinyl. Maybe there was more to her than the ash-colored pony had thought.
Part of her mind, the part that was conscious that it was some ridiculous time in the morning and was therefore still half asleep, reasoned that Vinyl had simply gotten hot in the night and opened the door to get better air flow. The part of her that had already woken up scolded the first for being so foalish and reminded it that it was chilly tonight. When she'd finished her business and returned to the hallway, she paused for a moment, listening, and the second part crowed triumphantly as a strong breeze blew from the direction of the living room. Octavia shivered slightly, and moved down the hall.
The sliding door to her balcony was open, and she could see Vinyl sitting out on it by the light of the stars.
When I first moved to Canterlot--
You weren't raised here? You of all ponies?
Don't give me that look, Vinyl. And yes, I can see it through those ridiculous “shades” and those awful-colored contact lenses you insist on wearing.
What? Red's an awesome color.
...
Sorry. Shuttin' up. Keep tellin' your tale, 'Tavi.
There. That was the second time in as many minutes that she'd used that name. Nopony before Vinyl had ever used that name; nopony dared to diminish or familiarize the idea of Octavia Philharmonica Melody, not until she met this unruly DJ with horrible sense in liqueur who happened to be a very pitiable sad drunk.
When I first moved to Canterlot... well, my parents couldn't make it very often, but they made it whenever they could. It's not like they were poor...
...and Octavia gestured toward her cello.
If they were poor, they'd never have gotten me started on the path to what I am today. But travel to Canterlot is hard on earth ponies. No wings to fly, and if they were unicorns, well, they'd have had other means. The fact remains, they did not get to come here very often. They still don't, even with the train. But I leave them a place, just in case.
In fact, Octavia didn't think that, before Vinyl, she'd have let anypony call her anything less than her full name. Her parents never had. The first time the unicorn had done so, Octavia felt furious and belittled. Then she heard Vinyl wail and slam her bottle drunkenly into the counter, and some small part of her that felt pity let it slide.
She didn't move immediately. Her mind was taking the information in and trying to analyze it. Here was Vinyl, spending the night with her--and in her guest bedroom, no less, since she'd made a fuss about it after the time she'd turned up, drunk and sobbing, in Octavia's apartment. Your place is closer than mine, she'd said. Just got done with a set over at Club Canterlot. Weirdest thing, too. Usuallywouldn't work this early. Anyway, I'll buy you dinner if you let me stay at your place tonight.
Here, then, was Vinyl, spending the night with he--in her apartment, somehow having accomplished the feat of not getting drunk. She'd gushed about how comfy Octavia's stuff was and had almost seemed thrilled when she finally went to bed. But here she was at a Moon-blessed time of the morning, sitting outside in the cold and staring.
Hey, 'Tavi?
Yes, Vinyl?
Your parents comin' up to Canterlot any time soon?
Um...
Only I've just been wonderin', you know, since you told me why you keep that guest bedroom... I've never seen 'em! And I'm curious what kinda earth pony parents could produce a pony like you. Uh, no offense.
None taken, but... No, Vinyl, they haven't sent word of an impending visit.
Not even for the wedding? You know, the thing the bubble's for? Only I guess that might be part'a the reason why, wouldn't it, not just anypony can get inta Canterlot right now...
Hey, one other thing...
Do make it quick, Vinyl, I'd like to get home before it gets too dark.
I just wanted to say... well, if your parents ever do show up, tell me, would'ja? I really want to meet 'em.
Why in Equestria would you want to meet--
Well, they raised you, didn't they?
...and Vinyl took off her sunglasses Even through the extra glint of the contacts, Octavia could see the smile spread from her muzzle to her eyes.
And you're pretty buckin' amazing, no lie. I bet you're just like 'em.
...and the smile faltered.
That'd be somethin', wouldn't it...
Octavia didn't press. It didn't seem right.
Well... thank you, Vinyl. You're a very interesting pony, yourself.
Vinyl didn't move as Octavia slid out onto the balcony beside her, and the earth pony slowly sidled up beside the unicorn. She wasn't wearing her sunglasses, Octavia realized. She shouldn't have been surprised, really. Who would wear sunglasses in the dead of night? All the same, it seemed strange to see the mare without them. She couldn't recall a day she'd seen the DJ not wearing them, at least part of the time. She hadn't even known Vinyl wore contacts, or even that her real eye color was a striking magenta, for the longest time.
The magenta eyes in question were staring up at the stars, she saw as she settled down next to their owner. She'd taken out her contacts. Vinyl was shivering slightly, and it made her spiky mane--and she could barely see the highlights in the darkness--vibrate in a way that she might have found humorous in other circumstances. Her mouth thinned in sympathy, and she leaned over into the unicorn's soft coat.
Vinyl started and looked over. Octavia looked back. Then, as one, they looked back up at the stars again.
I didn't wake you up, did I?
No, not at all. I don't think so, anyway. Why didn't you bring a blanket, Vinyl? It's freezing out here.
Hadn't noticed.
You hadn't noticed…?
Sky's beautiful tonight.
... I... yes, it is.
...
Vinyl, is everything alright?
It just really makes you feel small, doesn't it?
What?
The stars an' all. 'N' the Moon. Really makes me feel small. Always feel weird when I see the princesses. And when I hear about Luna, and how she's the one who does all these stars, I dunno, I dunno how to feel, y'know? Because if there's a pony that can do all this...
...
Never liked feelin' small. Makes me feel insignificant. I can't deal with that. Dunno, maybe that's selfish or whatever. Maybe it comes from the fact that I'm a unicorn.
...
I mean, have you seen somma the fancy-pants unicorns runnin' around in all their fancy clothes and their monocles and whatever the hay else? I know you have. You've lived in Canterlot longer than I have. Can't stand 'em. But maybe I'm more like 'em than I thought.
That happens when you're small, y'know. When you feel small, you look small, and ponies treat small things as toys. Little figurines, y'know, dolls or whatever. Toys. Small things are toys. Well, I ain't nopony's toy, and nopony's gonna turn me into one, either.
... Vinyl?
Foals're small things. Most parents're smart enough to treat 'em right. You get oddballs, though. Y'always do.
...
Wasn't a pony. I was a toy, and they dressed me up and ran me around in all their fancy-ass clothes and their ribbons and they styled my mane and they told my that I was such a lucky filly ta have such a pretty white coat, I was gonna be the talk of Manehatten one day, just you wait, and then I'm gonna get married t'some Canterlot noble and live a happy life up in the mountains...
...and Vinyl looked at her. Octavia had never gotten a good look at Vinyl's magenta eyes. In the darkness, the effect was startling.
Well, one day I had up and enough of bein' a toy and dressed up and paraded around. So I left. Went to Ponyville, just to spite 'em, and then I moved here, 'cuz I thought it'd be ironic. Styled my mane. Picked up some lenses to color my eyes a different color. Red's a cool color, right? S'not a color you see on those little dress-up mares, no. Not the toys.
...and the unicorn's gaze moved away. Octavia let out a breath she hadn't been aware she'd been holding as Vinyl shifted away from her.
Musta been nice, havin' parents willin' to give you toys rather than make y'into one. Wanna meet 'em. See what it musta been like for you. B'cuz...
Her shoulders were hunched, and she was still shaking. Octavia had a feeling that it wasn't just from the cold, now. Very carefully, she reached out a hoof and let it rest gently on the DJ's shoulder.
I'm not small to you. I dunno what kinda family you came from, Octavia, but you can hoity-toity it up with the best of 'em and you... you don't treat me like a toy. An' when I'm around you, I never feel like... I have to show off, you know? I never feel like I have to be DJ P0N-3 or whatever, 'cuz no matter what, to you, I'm... I'm a pony.
Vinyl, I never would have suspected...
Sometimes I miss it, y'know. Why d'ya think I was so thrilled to have my own posh bed again? At least, well, I guess it's yours, but the point was for the night it was mine and it felt good and there were some things about bein' raised in Manehatten that I miss, but...
...and suddenly there was warmth, as the unicorn spun and pressed herself against Octavia, forelegs wrapping tightly around her, head resting gently on the cellist's shoulder. She might have been crying. Octavia wasn't sure. Her own forelegs had risen automatically, returning the hug.
Sun strike it, 'Tavi, if I ain't a mess, I dunno what is. I know I drive you nuts, I know we don't get along all the time, and I know you hate it when I get all mushy and emotional and stuff, especially when I'm drunk, even if I'm not now, especially when I end up imposin' on you...
Vinyl...
We're nothin' alike, we aren't even the same kinda pony, we listen t'different music...
Vinyl!
She had to shout to get the unicorn's tumbling words to come to a trembling, uncertain halt. The sound of her voice echoed off of the buildings and the cold street below.
I know.
...
You know, Vinyl, you're right.
...Huh?
About the stars. Looking at them does make me feel small.
...
But you know, Vinyl... maybe that isn't a bad thing.
...
Consider the kind of world we live in. Ponies live their lives and die, but we've had the same eternal, beautiful, gracious Princess for over a thousand years, and her regal Sister, so recently returned... And do you remember the chaos, Vinyl? I know I remember when day meant night and iced tea poured from wooden clouds. Who saved us? The Elements of Harmony.
...I... remember, yeah...
So really, we're very small when you think about how we're surrounded by such amazing ponies. We wouldn't be here if it weren't for them.
... I guess...
But what would the world be like without Vinyl Scratch? What, if I may, would the world be like without Octavia Melody? It would change. It would adapt. There is no question. But the world is the way it is because of us, too, in our own way. It's the small things that make life so interesting, just the way it is.
...
...
You know, 'Tavi, you're a really interesting pony.
So are you, Vinyl.
Just as soon as I think I figure you out, there you go with some new philosophy or somethin', keepin' me on my hooves...
I promise you, the feeling's mutual.
...
...
Thanks, 'Tavi.
Always, Vinyl.
Eventually, they went back to bed.
Author's Note
This story's color coding loses some of its original impact because of the limited options available on FiMFiction. To view the color coding in the way it was originally intended, the Google Docs version is available here.
As with Silence and Motion, drafted all in one sitting, although the ending was redrafted because my word processor crashed (I knew there was a reason I'd begun writing in Google Docs!). It isn't the same, but it accomplishes what I wanted perhaps better than the original.
Admittedly, this story was written a year and a half ago and I never got around to submitting it. I think I wanted to write a dialogue-only story and it evolved into some uncomfortable hybrid
I’m not sure if it’s worth submitting, but better people see it and tell me what they think then it sits untouched in Google Drive for who knows how long. Incidentally, the way FiMFiction imports italics tags makes things incredibly awkward.
Frankly, I daren’t compare this to Silence and Motion; it’s been so long since I wrote this that I’ve quite forgotten what exactly my original intentions were, and with the critical eye granted me by time apart from writing this I’m not entirely sure it’s great work in general; but do tell me what you think. I thrive on commentary.
The My Little Pony franchise and all related official material belong to Hasbro et al, and I am in no way affiliated with them. No monetary compensation is expected or will be accepted for my work in writing this fanfic.
