It'll Be a Cold Day in Tartarus...
“No Miss Note, my answer to your request remains the same as the last thirteen times. I do not like the idea of you mounting the degrading den you are trying to establish, and I will not lend you money, nor recommend you any place to do it. It is true that your parents are very dear and important to me, but no matter what you or they say, I will not change my mind.”
“C’mon Tavi! Loosen up! And please, really, drop the ‘Miss Note’ already. I told you to call me Vinyl Scratch, when I’m not on stage, and DJ PON-3 when I’m on it. It’s not that hard.”
“I will not do something as crude and meaningless as using a name you chose for yourself, as opposed to your real name, Miss Note. And regarding the Miss… We are merely acquaintances, you can not expect a refined lady like me, well versed in the art of manners, to call you in an informal way just like that. It would take months of knowing each other, just for me to call you by just your name.”
Vinyl groaned and let her head hit the table between the two mares. “Pinkie! Bring me a good hayshake, of… whatever you want it to be, just pour some serious amount of sugar on it. And fast!”
“Okie Dokie Lokie!” was heard from behind the counter.
“And that is yet another thing of this meeting. Why in the world would you decide to have a business meeting here? Do not get me wrong, I appreciate and quite fancy what Miss Pie and the Cakes do, but this is not a serious meeting place at all. It is not right to discuss something like the possibility of mounting a nightclub here.” Octavia complained, for the hundredth time that day.
“First, sexy eyes, I tried this to be more of an informal meeting you know? Just a nice afternoon get together with a friend, talking about business but not feeling like its business. And the second reason I brought your fine flank here… well, you’re going to see it if we don’t get to an agreement soon.” Vinyl said making circles in her temple with her right hoof.
“Well, Miss Note, ‘Sexy Eyes’ and her ‘fine flank’ are going to leave if you do not change your demeanor and start acting more respectfully towards me.”
“Here’s your shake Vi, blueberry and watermelon! Hi ‘Tavia didn’t knew you were here, want something?”
“Blueberry and Watermelon? What in the name…” The alabaster unicorn asked, looking at the pink mare.
“You said I could make it of whatever I wanted it to! Just try it and then tell me.”
“Okay…” She eyed the strange coloured substance in front of her considering if it could end up being poisonous or hallucinating.
“Hello Miss Pie, thank you but I do not want anything at the moment. I must say you look really lovely and juvenile with that new manestyle. It really suits you.”
Vinyl turned around and realized she didn’t noticed before that Pinkie wasn’t sporting her usual loose curly hair, but instead, she was wearing two ponytails that fell to each side of her neck.
“You look absurdly adorable Pinks, you look like a sized-up filly.”
“Thanks!” She said hopping away to tend to other customers.
“I’m not sure if what I said was a compliment or not... at least she didn’t take it badly.”
Octavia looked at the mare in front of her and at the beverage between the two. “Aren’t you supposed to drink that… thing?”
The white DJ smiled and answered “You want me to die so you don’t have to take any more of my horseapple huh?”
The charcoal pony retorted “I can not say I would mind, but I do believe that will not kill you, and I would like to remind you that I can always walk away and go back to my Cello practice. The one I had to cancel because your father begged me to meet you and have a… talk”
“Huh? What’s up with the way you said that? He told you anything about this meeting?”
“It is the way I talk Miss Note, I am sorry if you do not find it pleasing.” Octavia said with a slightly annoyed expression while crossing her front legs.
“Heh, not at all, your voice is killer, girl, as in very hot, not as in… Anyways, I never told him why I wanted to see you, what did he tell you?”
“Nothing you should worry about Miss Note, he just wanted me to listen to you.”
“… So there’s no way I can get you to help me with this project?”
“I really doubt you will. I dislike the very concept of a nightclub, I do not even consider what you do ‘music’ nor ‘art’ and your comments and… compliments, if I can called them that, are rude and quite opposite to nice… I really wish to leave right now, but I promised to at least listen to everything you say.”
“You promised my dad you would?” The alabaster unicorn said eyeing the earth pony in front of her.
“Yes. I promised Mr Note.”
“He told you something! I’m sure of it! Why exactly did you come here? Why do you think we’re here Tavi?”
“Business, Miss Vinyl, is it not why are we here?”
“You’re not telling the whole truth, I’m sure of it… but I guess it’s pointless to keep insisting. Anyways… I’ll leave you alone now.”
“Are you leaving this early? I thought you would fight for it some more.”
“No, I’m just drinking this thing…”
She trembled as she took the straw with her lips and started drinking. After swallowing and after some time of wondering if she was already dead, Vinyl Scratch realized the beverage was actually good
“I have no idea how Pinkie did it, but she managed to make this stuff taste good!”
“Probably with an absurd and quite dangerous amount of sugar.”
“Maybe… but I don’t really care, here take a sip! This is great!”
“Thank you for your offer, but I do not fancy sugar that much.”
“Is that so? Why is that? It’s ‘cause you’re too sweet already?”
Octavia blushed and looked away. “No, it is not that, and I did not know you were capable of giving nice compliments…”
Vinyl grinned wolfishly “Oh, I’m full of surprises, gimme just one night and I’ll prove it.”
Octavia sighed and looked down “How crude…”
“Hmm you seemed to have liked it, now I have more info on how to get lucky with you.”
Octavia huffed and replied “Oh please, you would need many four-leaved clovers and many, many years in manners school to ‘get lucky’ with me Miss Note.”
“I’m getting real tired of your ‘Miss Note’s Tavi…”
“If you are so tired why don’t we part ways and I get back to my cello practice and you go and do… whatever a ruffian like you do this time of the day.”
“Clop thinking of you?” Vinyl said grinning and lowering her eyelids.
The charcoal’s pony changed her expression to one of total bewilderment “Umm… Clop? What do you mean?”
The electric blue maned pony opened her eyes wide in surprise for a second, before she dropped her eyelids again enticingly, and lowered her hoof towards her crotch and softly hitting the table’s base for Octavia to get the image.
“M-MISS NOTE!” She shrieked as her cheeks flushed crimson.
The DJ pony shrugged. “I can’t help it! Not my fault you’re smoking hot …”
“I will take that as a compliment because I really do not want to think about it in any different way.”
“Anyways… You’re not getting away from me that easily cellist hottie…” Vinyl turned around and called “PINKS!”
The party pony appeared from behind her and chirped “Yessie?”
Vinyl jumped in her seat scared “Stop doing that every time I call you, it gives me the chills! Oh and… It’s time.”
“Already? Give her time! Treat her right… it’s too early for it, try harder, she’ll do it.”
The DJ sighed and nodded slightly “Okay, fifteen minutes, that’s the limit.”
Pinkie Pie just smiled and pranced away while Octavia looked at the azure maned unicorn. “May I know what were you two talking about?”
“You’ll see it in fifteen minutes… probably.”
“I do not like the way you said that, Miss Note…”
“And you’re wise to do so, Tavi.”
Octavia thought about it for a moment and grinned “I will not fall for it, you are trying to get me to accept your petition quickly. It is not going to work”
“Okay, o as you wish, I enjoy the other method more anyways… Think about it, would I lie to you?”
The gray pony lowered her eyelids, frowned and opened her mouth but the unicorn stopped her “Don’t answer that, it was rhetorical. Sure, of course I would… but would Pinkie?”
The cellist gulped. “I will not budge. I am not going to help you, not now, not after you do what you will with me in some minutes.”
Vinyl Scratch opened her eyes widely and licked her lips “I can do whatever I want?”
“Ok stop it with the innuendos and flirting, I get your intentions already! And that’s not happening either.”
“Oh you sound so confident… I like your type, it’s far more enjoyable when their resolve is broken…”
The dark grey maned earth pony could only blush as she failed to think of a good comeback.
“Anyways” the mare in glasses said “The clock is ticking, and we’re not having a deal.”
“And we won’t. Couldn’t you at least try to convince me with reasons, and not with flirting? Or at least use clever and nice flirts, not crude and ill mannered ones?”
“Aha! You would accept them if I did?”
“I… I-I meant that I would hate it less, and it would improve my image of you.”
“Fair enough…” Vinyl Scratch took off her glasses and locked eyes with the mare in front of her “You know, I was sure that you were an understanding brilliant mare Octavia, you can tell that by looking into your deep pink eyes. They’re like pools of wisdom, a window to your soul some may say… if that is right, then you must have the most beautiful soul I’ve ever seen, and I could only dream to be even noticed by you…”
Octavia had started blushing after hearing Vinyl’s voice change, and she found herself unable to say anything but “T-thank you…”
“Don’t mention it mademoiselle, I’m just admiring one of your many, many virtues and graceful features…”
The charcoal pony shook her head “Get yourself together Octavia, she can’t win you with just this!” “Stop it, I know what you are trying to do, it’s silly, futile and quite immature. Just after I tell you what would be nice to hear, you mock me and try to win my vote. I will not fall for it with just some pretty pick-up lines.”
“Yet you’re still blushing…”
This only managed to darken the crimson shade on her cheeks “The fact that I found your compliments… flattering does not mean that I will help you.”
“Yeah, but I’m buttering you up!”
Octavia sighed and looked down “Your nice mannered self was nice while it lasted…”
“Aha! You liked it! Okay, I’ll bring her back tonight, when we’re in your bedroom then.”
“Ha! As if you were able to get in my bed.”
“Ah but there were mares in that bed!”
“N-no! It was not like tha-”
“So you always met in their houses?”
“No, I didn’t mean that!”
“Oh, you did on the couch?”
“No!”
“Floor?”
“No!”
“Tell me you did it in the table and I’ll lo-”
“STOP THAT! We are here to talk about business!”
Vinyl cracked her neck and sighed “Okay, I tried, but this isn’t working. Pinkie!”
“Yaynyl Yatchie Vinyl Scratchie?” Said the pink mare appearing from under the table.
“What was that?”
Pinkie Pie sighed like she was going to explain something that shouldn’t be explained “Well… Saying ‘yes’ makes no sense and it’s boring, I mean, why would I say ‘yes’ if I still don’t know what are you going to ask me!?”
“Oh, so saying ‘Yaynyl Yatchie Vinyl Scratchie’ made much more sense…”
“No, but it’s funnier, that’s for sure!”
“I uh… can’t argue with that logic…”
“So... you were about to ask me som-”
“Oh yeah, show her The Room.”
“Aww, you two couldn’t agree? Okay ‘Tavia, follow me!” The pink pony said while assuming a pointer hound position and pointing towards a secluded area of the shop, where just a counter could be seen.
“That doesn’t look like a room, and not nearly as terrifying or mysterious as Miss Note makes it sound like.” But of course Miss Pie, lead the way.”
Vinyl played with Pinkie’s pigtails. “Now that I look at’em better, they’re really nice… you should wear them more often”
“You think I should? We did have many, many customers today and I got huuuuuge-wooge tips! Maybe these are my money making lucky charms!”
“I don’t really think that’s the reason Pinks…”
“Well, I still should wear them when I wanna make some more money!”
Vinyl cringed “Bless your apparent innocence… But just promise me that if a stallion asks you if you want to make extra money, you’ll say ‘No’, okay?”
“Miss Note, you are not suggesting that somepony would…”
“I work at a nightclub, I’ve met all kind of ponies… believe me, some are capable of doing that.”
“B-but Miss Pinkie surely woul-”
“But why should I say no? Mayb-”
“Just say no!” both mares said worriedly.
“Same goes for stallions or mares offering free candy.” Added the DJ.
“Okie dokie lokie! Now…” she bowed and said “If you please…”
As Octavia and Vinyl took a step forward, Pinkie Pie pressed a button, and the counter moved, revealing a door behind it. It was metallic, and had a small window that showed what was inside.
Octavia tried to get a look, but Vinyl blocked the view.
“Now… after you Madame Sexyflank” she said while bowing and opening the door with her left hoof.
“What is this?” Octavia said as she entered a little grey room with not too much illumination and an interrogation-room look.
The walls were all plain grey. There was nothing except for one table, one little lamp and two chairs inside the room. The roof was also gray with many dim-light bulbs.
“This is ‘The Room’.” The two-toned azure maned unicorn said while grinning. “Also known as Pinkie’s and my darkest secret…”
Vinyl Scratch closed the door, and Octavia heard the door being locked from the other side.
“W-what is going on?” She said getting a bit worried.
The violet-eyed mare started laughing and then she wiped a tear from her right eye. “Oh Luna, I should have a video tape of this, your face was the best one yet! Chill, I’m not here to threaten you or do… more pleasurable things to you.”
“Ugh…” The refined mare grunted. “What do you want to do with me here then?”
“You see, I don’t think you actually want to ask that, ‘cause what I want to do with you here, ooh, where do I start?” Vinyl said as she raised her eyebrows. After seeing the deadpan expression in the other mare, she rolled her eyes and continued “But, why are we here, it’s a different story. You see, I usually ask favors or arrange meetings to sort out some prices on the turntables and speakers I use.”
“So…?”
Vinyl started walking around the little room and looking at Octavia with half-lidded eyes, like a tiger circling its prey. “Well, Pinkie usually needs music mixes for her parties, or sometimes she needs me to do mixes live… So we made a little agreement.” She signalized with her hoof to the whole room. “This whole room has been here in Sugarcube Corner for years, and not even the Cakes know about it. Pinkie found it behind a counter, and we started using it. She lets me bring any pony I need to convince for a low price or something else, like helping me put a nightclub… And in exchange, I help her with the music part of her parties for free.”
“Uh-huh. And do you usually try to seduce your suppliers too?”
“Nah, they’re usually greasy old guys that are sickening to just look at, not sexy young cellist mares.” After some seconds Vinyl’s eyes went wide as she corrected “Woah hold on a sec, I wasn’t trying to flirt with y-… And what if I was hitting on you?” She added with a little grin on her face.
Octavia kept the same expression-less face as she replied. “It would not change a thing.”
“Great, so I can keep flirting without you getting mad at me.”
The grey mare was surprised as she responded “Wait no! I meant that-… Okay, I will let you keep it up because it was an intelligent move, a dirty one yes, but intelligent nevertheless. Still, just by flirting you are not getting what you want.”
Vinyl grinned more as she took of her pair of glasses and slowly walked towards the cellist. “So I need some action to get you on my bed?”
“I was talking about the nightclub.” Octavia said blushing slightly at the commentary. “And it will be a cold day in Tartarus when you take me to bed and make me yours.”
“You said ‘get what I want’… It’s interesting how you didn’t refuse my idea of getting you on my bed.”
“Okay, enough is enough. I am not taking this any longer, open the door please.”
“You see…” the white pony said as she sat on one of the two chairs next to the table. “That’s another thing about this room. Not even I am able to open it. Only Pinkie can open it, from the other side when she gets my signal.”
“Well, give her the signal, I want to go home.”
“Not until I get my nightclub, you, or both.”
Octavia groaned and exasperated said “What makes you think I have any slight little ounce of interest in you, or in mares at all?”
“Well… if you’re not into mares I can make you…”
“Tsk… How vulgar, I expected more of Mr. Note’s daughter.”
“So, that’s why? You have the hots for my dad?” The DJ asked.
“Not at all, it is just that your father and your mother are two very respectful ponies, and very pleasant to spend time with. I can not understand how you ended up like you did.”
Vinyl rolled her neck and answered with an angry expression “Dunno, teen rebelliousness, miscarried friends, the fact that they never loved me and I wanted to be as different as I could because of pure hatred?”
“Oh… I am sorry I asked, I never knew it was a sore spot…”
“Meh, it’s okay. You couldn’t possibly know ‘bout it.” She said with a gentle smile. “C’mon, sit here, we’re not getting out until we get to an agreement, so you either sit here to talk about the club, accept my flirting, or talk me about yourself and hope I lose all interest in you.”
For the first time since she woke up, and the first time in a while, Octavia genuinely smiled and let out a light chuckle. “I have to give it to her, she is persistent and vulgar, but actually funny.” As she sat on the chair opposite to Vinyl’s, rested one hoof over the table and her head on the other hoof, she asked “So… Miss Vinyl, is this how you get into mares’ pants? Figuratively speaking.”
“Actually, there was this chick I met in a bar in my university years that liked wearing pants… it was kinda strange. She’s in the orchestra like you, so I won’t give out her name, I do have some manners and standards.”
“Let me guess, she wore a pair of khaki pants, white socks and a white shirt?”
“Yeah, you’ve been with her too?”
“I suspect I do know who she is, but no, I have never slept with her, if that is what you were thinking. She is amazing with her hooves, I must say.”
“Heh, yeah she was, and not only to play string instruments, if you know what I mean…”
Octavia cringed and said “I really did not want to have that image in my head, thank you.”
Vinyl closed her eyes and chuckled. “Anyways, she was very, very drunk that night, so I doubt she even remembers it. I think she’s now in a couple or something.”
“She is. I think they’re together since last year, but they knew each other long ago.”
After that sentence, silence took over everything. Not even a cricket’s noise or a ticking clock.
Being a DJ that was used to having music in unhealthily loud volumes around, silence was Vinyl’s worst enemy. Not being able to take it any longer, she tried to keep breaking the ice.
“So… How about you? Love life? Sex life?”
Octavia blushed lightly and looked away “I rather not talk about that, thank you.”
“Hmm? Is that so…”
Octavia looked at her with a questioning look.
Vinyl rested both hooves on the table and looked at the grey mare in the eyes. “Whip?”
“I am sorry, what was that?”
“Leash?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Wrong hole.”
“Um... I am not-”
“Rope, maybe?”
“Seriously, I do not-”
“V suit?” inquired the unicorn.
“Alright, I am getting a bit worr-”
“Hooves?”
“Are you feeling alright?”
“Beaks or talons perhaps?”
“I… What?” Octavia was totally confused with the chat they were having, and was getting a bit uncomfortable.
“Hmm… so you’re a virgin huh?” Vinyl finally stated grinning proudly.
“Wait, how did you…”
“You see, I came up with this ‘quiz’ long ago, and ‘til now, I rarely miss. When somepony tells you he or she won’t talk about his or her sex life, that can only mean two things. You’re either talking to a virgin, or somepony who experienced a sex disaster.”
“Sex disaster?”
“Rookies trying advanced stuff and failing at it, it’s very common actually, well… some more than others.”
“So… the things you were listing were possible and common sex disasters?”
“Basically, yeah. If one of those, or more, made you blush, open your opens wide or some reaction, then you probably had a problem with it.”
Octavia turned her head to the side and inquired, though a bit hesitantly “B-beaks and Talons?”
“Oh, those are a bit rare, though quite uh… unpleasant. I personally never had that problem… Mainly ‘cause I was never with a gryphon, but I’ve seen some friends... It seems that gryphons, when they get there tend to grasp their mate firmly. Thing is that pony’s coat and flesh are much thinner and tender than gryphon’s so… Talons plus soft flesh don’t mix. Unless you’re into pain and stuff, if so, they’re your best friends.”
“I believe that was too much information and… not a pleasant image in my mind… once again.” Octavia cringed trying to shake the thoughts of talons tearing flesh apart.
“Don’t worry, it’s not like they take a big chunk of meat, you silly pony, it’s just like... a dog’s bite or something, it just hurts for a bit and leaves a mark for some days, nothing more. But when you’re being rutted silly and getting pumped with gryphon seed, the least you expect or want, is two dog bites in your flanks.”
“Please stop! Are you unable of not using phrases like ‘rutted silly’ and ugh… ‘getting pumped with gryphon seed’? Please, do not use such… graphic language, this is getting quite unpleasant.” After looking at the white unicorn for some seconds she added. “I do not really understand how you get mares, if you get them at all.”
“Actually I do get’em, but not because of my talking, it’s either because I flirt a bit and act a lot, or because when you’re in a party here in Ponyville, and everypony is drunk, saying you’re the DJ can get you flanks in no time.”
“So… judging by what you said earlier, you tend to have many parties with Miss Pinkie Pie. Have you ever been with her? In bed I mean.”
Vinyl started shaking her head and hooves frantically “Oh no, no, no. I wouldn’t, I couldn’t!”
“Why not?”
“Because she’s either too innocent to even realize what we would be doing, or she’s Ponyville’s freakiest sex addict. She’s a Pegassian roulette I don’t wanna try.”
“Do you really believe Miss Pinkie can be such a thing as a ‘freaky sex addict’?”
“I tell you, that pony is a mastermind. She wants us to believe she’s cute, sweet and innocent but one day she’ll invite you to someplace, she’ll give you a drink or cupcake and BAM you wake up in a BDSM dungeon as her new sex slave or something worse.”
“I really doubt Miss Pinkie is able to do such a thing.”
“See? She already succeeded! If I were you, I’d take good care of that sweet round butt you got there.” After saying that, she grinned and assumed a serious business-like expression. “In fact, I would like to offer you my services as the owner of a flank-guard agency. Naturally, being you such a sex-eh… important client, I’d take the matter in my own hooves. I’d be between those cheeks twenty-four/seven to make sure you have no problem.”
Octavia grinned slightly as she retorted “I think I will pass. Besides, I believe it would be safe to assume I do not need to hire and pay you for you to do it.”
“Heh, you’re right. Given half a chance I’d do it.”
Octavia thought a bit and smiled. “What would you say, if I tell you that now you have an sixteenth of a chance?”
Vinyl was taken aback by the answer and grinned widely “Then I’d say we should keep talking…”
“What is it you want to talk about Miss Vinyl? The nightclub?” asked Octavia with a feigned innocence .
“Nah, forget that for a bit, this is getting interesting.”
“Well… since you stated some minutes ago, the only chance I have to get out of here without any loss was talking about myself, I will do just that.”
“Ha! Now that you said that there could be a possibility of me getting what I want, you kinda blackmailed me into listen to all your teenage daddy issues and how your family always wanted you to be as ‘classy’ as you are and how much you hate it.”
“Not at all Miss Vinyl. Please, allow me to tear your theory apart piece by piece.”
Octavia rested her back on the back of the chair, crossed her legs and assumed a tale-telling position. Vinyl Scratch decided to play her role and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table and her head between her hooves.
“Teenage daddy issues was your first guess right? Well, I think you should know that I am an orphan Miss Vinyl so you may say I did not have an absent father, but the complete lack of one.” While Octavia’s face stood unfazed, Vinyl’s started showing her regret for saying such things.
“My father…”Octavia continued “died months after getting my mother pregnant, yet before I was born. Since my mother was very poor and ill, she decided the best for me would be to live with a foster family. That is why I was left in Ponyville’s Orphanage where I lived most of my childhood. I was told by the owners, years later, that my mother died soon after leaving me.”
“I’m sorry…”
“Don’t be Miss Vinyl, I do not feel bad talking about my roots, I am quite proud in fact. Allow me to continue.”
Vinyl gave her a little sympathetic smile and nodded.
“As I said, I was left in Ponyville’s Orphanage. My childhood was not sad and alone as many think life in the orphanage is. Yes, it is hard to live without the love of a mother and the protection of a father, but we had our own family there, we had many brothers and sisters to help us when we were down, to play and rejoice, to love. It is true that every time we ‘lost’ one of our brothers and sisters we felt a hard blow, but we knew it was the best for them, and that soon it would happen to us.”
“So you got adopted by a family of classy ponies?”
“No Miss Vinyl, I was never adopted. I stood in the orphanage until I reached the legal age to live on my own.”
“Seriously? Why wouldn’t you get adopted? I’m sure you were a cute as hay filly, and being as refined as you are…” the alabaster unicorn inquired.
“I was not always like this. I used to be a quite uncouth little filly with a spiky mane and a ‘giving-a-nasty-glare-and-swearing fixation’.”
“Really? That’d be something I’d pay to see!”
Octavia rolled her eyes as she continued with her story. “I was an ill-mannered filly until one of the possible adoptive fathers yelled at me ‘You will never be more than a beggar and a thief young filly! You won’t become somepony if you keep acting like that!’ if I remember the words exactly.”
“Oh what a piece of-”
“He was right Miss Vinyl, at least back then. And I do not hate him for saying such words because it is thanks to him that I am what I am today. He was right, most of us learned how to beg and steal to get things we liked, despite the orphanage owners’ efforts. But I realized that wasn’t the life I wanted, and that I wanted to become ‘somepony’, as that stallion said. And so I started my crusade to change my destiny.”
Vinyl tried to hold the laugh but ended up falling on the floor and becoming a rolling mass of laughter. Seconds later she raised her head and looking at a completely un-amused Octavia she poorly imitated “’I started my crusade to change my destiny’. You sound like a bad movie’s hero about to face the greatest trial ever.”
“I may sound so, Miss Note but it was actually the greatest trial I ever had to surpass, and it was not easy by any means.” The charcoal pony opened and crossed her hind legs again in the opposite way not realizing that by doing that she reminded Vinyl why was she sitting there, apart from trying to mount a nightclub in Ponyville.
The violet eyed pony stood up again and sat once again in the chair “Sorry pink nub, won’t laugh again, please continue.”
“Pink nub? What in Equestria are you talking ab-” As realization hit her, her face flushed red, she sat straight and she used her front hooves to cover what was once uncovered. “MISS NOTE! HOW DARE YOU.”
“Stop calling me Note! And don’t blame me, I’m not the one flashing!”
Octavia groaned and said “You are unbelievable.”
“And you’re unbelievably sexy, so let’s call it even and continue talking.”
The red cheeks didn’t subside as the mare continued talking. “W-where was I?”
“Crusade to change your thief and beggar destiny”
“Right… Well I decided I did not want to be like I was before, and that I wanted to be a refined mare. One day, I managed to escape from the orphanage and walk around town. During that escapade, while walking next to a very tall house, I heard a celestial music played by seemingly two instruments. I jumped over the fence and got close to the window.” Her face changed as she remembered what she felt that day. “And there I saw them. A pair of musicians. A stallion and a very young mare were playing a piece of music for a little filly that was sitting between them. I was taken aback by the beautiful notes that they managed to get out of those instruments and I decided I wanted to do so too.”
“So I’ll guess they were playing cellos.” The unicorn said.
“Actually the young colt was playing the cello, but the mare was a harpist.” She smiled as she proceeded with the story “Back then I was genuinely astonished by the mare’s ability to play such instrument with her hooves alone, give that the sound came from various strings in an arpeggio”
“Ha! Then you realized they use a little device with finger-like thingies to play it.”
“Exactly, but not knowing that, I thought it was so complex that I wouldn’t learn how to play it, so I focused on the cellist. Another thing that made me choose the cello is that I naturally followed the moves the stallion made with his hooves so easily, so right… Like it was my destiny.”
“Classic Cutie Mark story.”
“That may be, though I had to wait a little more in order to gain my cutie mark.” The mare’s face darkened after that “I needed to find a cello, and so I had to do something I’m not very proud of…”
“You had to sell your body to buy a cello!” Vinyl said grinning.
“Miss Vinyl, you stated before with your unusual deductive skills that I was a virgin…”
“Well… there are many ways to get somepony off without having to do that, especially to pegasi and unicorns…”
“Miss Vinyl, I was just a filly!”
“That means you learn fast and your hooves are tender.”
“MISS NOTE! Are you trying to -”
“Look, I don’t say I would, but to each it’s own…”
Octavia cringed and said “I swear I never had so many disgusting images in my mind as I am having while talking to you today.”
Vinyl Scratch grinned and replied “I’ll take that as a compliment, thanks Sweet Lips.”
The dark maned earth pony smiled and retorted “You do not know about that yet.”
The DJ’s grin grew wider as she stated “I love planning ahead, and I also love how you said ‘yet’ at the end…”
“I did say you had one sixteenth of a chance, it is up to you not to waste the opportunity with foul comments or glances to places currently out of your reach without permission.”
“Then… May I-”
“No.” Octavia stated deadpan.
“Well, I had to try…”
“I suggest you pay more attention to these lips up here before you even start dreaming about those.”
“Luckily I already have dream material for tonight… Anyways, I get the message loud and clear, oh your highness, miss, professor, lady, virtuoso, princess Octavia the Great.” Vinyl said with an exaggerated reverence that made the gray pony smile.
“Just Octavia is alright Miss Vinyl.”
“Same goes for me, drop the ‘miss’ already!”
“I might do so… But not yet.”
“Anyways, you were talking about doing something you weren’t proud of…”
“Ah, yes. As you know I had no possibility of buying a cello, and I tried as hard as I could, yet I was unable of recreating the sounds with elements found in the orphanage…”
“You actually tried to do a homemade cello?”
“And it was a complete failure as you may suspect. So I had to do what I knew yet despised to get it… Steal.”
“Yeah, right. You’re trying to convince me that you stole a cello? I won’t buy it, those things are huge to just walk away unseen, besides one would be twice your weight back then!”
“Well, I did not said it was not challenging, but do not underestimate my skills Miss Note.” She said showing a big pair of violet glasses she was holding in her hoof.
“How did you… Anyways, that’s just a silly thing, anypony can do it.” She said, as she took the glasses back, and put them on again “But let’s say I believe you. So…. How did the amazing thief-turned-lady managed to steal a Luna-damned Cello?”
“Actually, you were right. I did not manage to steal a cello. But I did try to.”
“Now that I can believe it.”
“Well… I had an almost flawless plan. But there was a certain thing I did not thought of. I spent days studying a music store’s movement, how the owner worked, the security, the doors, windows… everything. And when I executed it all went smoothly. The owner was inside the basement at the right moment, the window to a dark alley was open, as planned. What I did not foresee… was a little red-eyed filly with a long cyan combed mane shouting, making her father come back up and find me.”
“Ha! A little filly foun-Whoa, wait rewind. You said RED eyed and long cyan combed mane!?”
“Yes Miss Vinyl, as you suspect… it was white coated.”
“Whoa, so YOU were that filly!? You were trying to steal my father’s store!?” DJ Pon-3 said, recalling the events of that day, so long ago.
“So finally you recognize who I am…”
“Wait, so you knew me, and never told me who you were?”
“Why would I? It was a terrible first impression, and that mare is not me anymore, I have changed.”
“Huh… makes sense. But what I don’t get… is how‘s my dad such close friends with you, if you were trying to steal a cello from the store.”
“Well… that is why I… am so fond of him. He’s a great person. Of course, at first he grabbed me and carried me outside, thinking about talking to my parents. But… well, I had to tell him, I had none. So when he carried me towards the Orphanage, he heard my story. And soon, both he and I noticed one incredible connection… He was the stallion playing the cello from who I learnt all I knew.”
“Whoa, whoa… so you were watching us through the window?”
“Yes.”
Vinyl looked at the other mare suspiciously and asked “Wait… but how can you two be so sure?”
“Because your father was the only cellist in town back then.”
“Good point…” She soon facehoofed “Oh I’m so stupid, of course it was us. My mom’s a harpist, and what would be the odds of another pair of Cellist/Harpist in Ponyville…”
“With a daughter approximately our age.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it, it was obvious.”
“Anyways… as soon as he knew that, he proposed, that if I promised not to try to steal again, he’d teach me how to play the Cello.”
“Wow… that’s actually really cool of my dad.”
“It is. Though… I wanted to know, Miss Vinyl… When did your mane got striped, and spiked, and your eyes violet?”
“Well… as you may know, Mom was the cool of the two. Maybe not to you, ‘cause you’re into classic stuff. But Mom, apart from that, was into electronic, house and stuff. And there was this big parade thingy on Canterlot… so she took me there, without my dad knowing. And she let me do all these changes, a pair of red coloured lenses… a cool mane-cut, some highlights… and a really strange parade show later, I got my complete make-over. Cutie Mark and everything.”
“It is quite interesting to know how you changed your looks.”
“Yeah… life would’ve been probably a hundred percent different otherwise…”
“Anyways, Miss Vinyl. You should not hold such a grudge against your father. After all… he asked me to be here. Otherwise, you would have lost the chance to try and get me…”
“Heh, yeah, I guess I owe him a lot.”
“Anyways… after a time, your father gifted me the very same cello I tried to steal, and I started looking for my own style. Even if your father’s style was amazing, and I knew it by heart… I wanted to have mine.”
Vinyl’s ears raised and said “Woah, woah… you’re gonna tell me your whole life story?”
“Well… you wanted to get bored of me…” the charcoal pony retorted.
“Nope. You want me to get bored of you. I want to get you. Totally different things.”
“Well, if you want to increase your chances, you will sit there and listen. Or you could always call Miss Pinkie Pie and we can part ways.”
Vinyl adjusted herself in the chair and said “Okay then, continue.”
“I will be swift if you prefer… Let’s just say I practiced how to play different notes, the position of the hooves, some classic melodies, how to make my cello talk and sing, some may say. So I started experimenting, finding me and my cello’s own voice.” The charcoal mare explained “I spent days in my room back there in the orphanage, practicing non-stop. I barely ate nor slept, but I finally found it…my own style…”
“The boring style!” Vinyl announced flailing her hooves in the air with a huge grin in her face.
“It is not boring.”
“I’ve heard your stuff, made me cry.”
“It is sad! Not boring! It is supposed to make you cry”
“But why is it so sad? Spread happiness, beauty, good vibes, hopes! You definitely have the skills.”
“But my heart has none of those to spread.” Octavia stated calmly and coldly.
Vinyl Scratch was frozen in place, she was unsure on how to reply to that. She noticed the dark grim stare the mare in front of her was giving her, but she could also see the sad and desperate cry for help behind it.
She didn’t think it twice and pulled Octavia for a hug. “You will, someday you will have that…”
The cellist didn’t hug her back, yet she didn’t fight it either. As the time passed Vinyl could feel Octavia’s hooves on her back, finally accepting her proof of affection.
Slowly but steadily one of Scratch’s hoof lowered.
A whistling sound, a hard thud, and soon enough the azure maned pony was flying across the room.
“HOW DARE YOU TOUCH ME LIKE THAT!” The fury in her eyes was enough to burn a pony alive.
“Heh, sorry… I was being too mushy and I ain’t like that, I have a reputation you know? Gotta keep it. Besides it was the closer I’ve been to that sweet, sweet flank… had to take the chance.” As she caressed the red, swollen part of her face she added “Damn! You’re packing some punch in that left hoof!”
“I am a cellist, Miss Note, my hind legs are strong from standing up, my left hoof has to hold up a six pounds cello and my right hoof is faster than your legs opening for whoever you come across.”
“Ouch… You know you’ve done something wrong when the refined lady calls you a whore in heat…”
Octavia’s gaze softened and she worriedly apologized. “I am truly sorry Miss Vinyl. I may have overreacted… Allow me to help you.”
She got closer and offered a hoof which the DJ accepted. Now both ponies were sitting on the cold floor, looking at each other.
“Ow! My cheek hurts, you should take responsibility.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Why don’t you kiss it better?”
“Oh but of course, do you want me to kiss your broken muzzle in a minute too?”
Vinyl gulped and hastily responded “My cheek is suddenly feeling better!” “I should stop bothering her, I’ve already seen what she’s capable of…”
“I am glad to hear that.”
The unicorn chuckled and said “Well, well, well… Looks like you finally show your true colours huh? The lady-like musician is a true fighter in disguise!”
“You should know how strong a cellist should be, your father is one! And actually I did have to brawl a few times… Just a week ago, I was on Canterlot having some delicious tea on a restaurant, when a pack of black bug-pony monstrosities appeared and I had to fight them to escape.”
“Oh yeah, the changeling fiasco. There was a royal party after that and I was hired for the music by Pinkie, I think one of her friends was the groom’s sis or something. The pay was awesome. But yeah, I had my… share of troubles with those copycat bastards…” She said, as she rubbed the back of her head.
“Please do not tell me you…”
“He looked like a legal-aged mare, okay?”
“H-he..? Legal-aged..?”
“Just forget it! I don’t want to talk about it, just… go back to your story…”
“O-okay… Where were we?”
“You found your style…”
“Well, by the time I had found my style, half of the orphanage had been hearing me play, and they loved it. One of the orphanage’s owners was specially enthralled by my music, so she called a friend she had in the orchestra and made her listen to me playing.”
“And what did she say?”
“She said I had the potential, but I obviously could not enter the orchestra due to lack of experience and age, but she usually had some clients that asked for the orchestra, but she didn’t had the time to send it, so she could send me and a few other great musicians to play there.”
“So that’s how you started becoming famous and everything…”
“Exactly. I started earning some good amount of money and by the time I was out of the orphanage, I had a large amount of money, so I was able to pay for an apartment as soon as I left it.”
“Nice! Most ponies can’t even get out the house as soon as they hit legal age, less pay for one.”
“It was a little humble apartment anyways, since I am not much of a social pony I never had people over.”
“It’s ‘cause you didn’t have the looks, like I did.” Vinyl winked.
“Personally, I must say you were more beautiful when your mane was not two-toned and it was well combed…”
“But am I still beautiful?” The DJ said pouting.
“Of course you ar- I-I mean!”
“Aha! You said it! You think I’m hot…”
“I said you are beautiful, not hot!” The dark maned mare retorted blushing. “It is not the same thing, and… I never said you weren’t before… It does not mean I am interested in you.”
“Hmm… gotta remember to comb my mane and not dye it for our first date…”
“Do not talk about dates Miss Vinyl…”
“Why not?” She grinned as she locked eyes with the cellist.
“Because technically, to your father, this is our first date…”
“So that’s what he told you…” Vinyl said as she gritted her teeth, but suddenly her eyes opened wide “Wait, so you came here to have a date with me! You are into mares! Even better, you knew me, so you liked me!”
“Not exactly. I am not into mares.”
The white pony looked at her dumbfounded.
“I am not into mares, nor into stallions either, I am not… defined yet. But I owed your father too much and when he practically begged for me to date you… I did not think it twice. After all, it was a date, and if I did not like it I could always walk away… well, I could before we entered this room…”
“He begged you to date me? What’s all that about?”
Octavia sighed and explained “He truly loves you Miss Vinyl, even after all you did to him… whichever the reasons were, he still wants the best for you. And since he thinks I am the best mare for you… Oh, and he had the hope that if you date me, you’d become more refined, and visit your family more often…”
“He misses me?”
“Your father and mother both.”
“So you had no idea this was about business… y-you came to have a date, and I just talked about the nightclub, and flirted like… like… Hay if I would have known I’d have used better and more romantic lines…”
“It… it is okay Miss Vinyl, after all, this date thing was something your father came up with, you were here for business, so it’s more than okay that you treat me like that.”
“So… you were willing to give me a shot?”
“I am currently doing so, am I not?”
“Yeah… you said I had a sixteenth of a chance…”
“I’d say it’s a quarter by now… you did sit through my whole life story…”
“Ooh… things are suddenly getting better…”
“Are you still interested in the nightclub, Miss Vinyl?”
“Are you kidding me? I think I forgot all about that in a flash.”
“I wouldn’t make that kind of jokes being so close, yet so far from… your treasure.”
“Ooh, yeah, and what a treasure! With a clam and a nice pink pearl inside…”
“Vinyl!”
“Ha! You dropped the miss! Vinyl one, Tavi zero.”
Octavia raised one eyebrow “Tavi zero you say? Tell your cheek that, it seems to be unaware…”
“Well, then tell your lower cheek that it felt good, and your nub that it looks nice and tasty…” She replied, grinning.” I win, you lose, that’s the way it is.”
“That may be so… Yet I am the prize, and I can choose not to be won… Miss Winner.”
“Touché.”
The gray coated pony rolled her neck and stated “We have heard enough of my life, it is your turn.”
“Hmm… Well, I dunno what to tell you, since you were my little stalker… what do you want to know?”
“Tell me what you think it may help you win the three quarters remaining…”
“Wanna know how many mares have I slept with?”
“Do you want to go back to one eight?”
“Stallions I’ve sle-”
“Sixteenth…”
“How many in a row?”
“Aaand, you are ou-”
“Okay wait. Music?”
The mare considered it and said “…proceed.”
“Why don’t I tell you how I became a DJ.”
“It may be interesting…”
“Even if I’m not really glad to admit it, it was thanks to my dad. Believe it or not, years ago he was one of the first ponies here in Ponyville to experiment with electronic music, but he dropped it because he said ‘it was not his thing’. My mom liked it though, so she showed me a few things, and let me try it one day, and I did stick to it. It felt so easy, so… right. Like it was…”
“Your destiny.”
“Yep, your average Cutie Mark Story. I mean, I actually got my cutie mark on that Parade thingy I told you before, and I knew it’d be music related… but I started working with this kinda music this way.”
“Well… that was not quarter-worthy…”
“Maybe not,” Vinyl confessed “but it was the truth, and that’s what you deserve.”
Octavia smiled and said “Now that is worthy…” She got up from the chair and stood next to the table, looking at Vinyl Scratch expectantly. “So… what are you going to do?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you did stated before that ‘given half a chance…’ and unless my math is that rusty, a quarter plus a quarter…”
“You mean…”
“Am I going to regret giving you this hal-”
“No…” As Vinyl got up, she added “no you won’t…”
“So…” Octavia said blushing while the unicorn got closer “here we are… two mares alone, in a closed secret room, face to face… anything could happen…”
The alabaster mare put a hoof around Octavia’s head and played with her mane “Have I ever told you I really love your eyes?”
“I love yours too, don’t hide them behind these…” she said as she took her electric purple glasses and threw them on the table.”
“Hey… I need those for workin-”
“Oh shut up Vinyl, just kiss me…”
“Thought you’d never ask…”
It was not magic, it was not mind-blowing, it didn’t make them feel like they were soaring high in the sky. It just felt… right, like it was destiny.
“Wow… really good kisser for this being your first kiss.”
“I never stated this was my first kiss.”
“Was it?”
“Maybe…”
“A refined lady should not lie.” Vinyl said grinning.
“And a self-proclaimed womanizer Casanova like you should kiss better.”
“Is that a challenge?”
“Maybe…”
“Come here you…”
After some minutes they stopped to catch their breath.
“How was that?”
“That… that was worth a full chance to go out with me, will you take it?”
“Hmm… I might do… what do I have to do?”
“Why don’t you start by calling Miss Pinkie, and we get some dinner?”
“Sounds like a good plan.”
The DJ got closer to the metallic door and whispered “Pickle-barrel, kumquat.”
Soon enough, the door was opened, and as the two mares walked out, they noticed the shop was dark and everything was closed, except for the front door which led to a Luna’s moonlight illuminated Ponyville.
“Where is Miss Pinkie?”
“Dunno, and don’t waste your time wondering, she’s that way. She’s everywhere and nowhere at all, at all times.”
Octavia chuckled. “She is quite unpredictable most of the time, yes…”
“So… Where are we going? I’m hungry” the azure-maned mare asked as they stepped out of the shop, and closed the door.
“The Golden Daffodil.”
“The Golden Daffodil!? You’re paying, right?”
After a sigh, the cellist replied “Relax, Horte Cuisine, the owner of the restaurant, is a friend of mine. In fact, he is planning on expanding and opening a second place, and I am one of the nominees to be the manager of the new restaurant.” She nuzzled the white mare and continued “And just for you to know, the place has an ample basement that could be used to mount a decent nightclub, or something along those lines…”
“Ah… See? I’m obviously luckier at night, I got you, an now the possibi-”
“Ah already told y’all Dash… Ah can’t be carrying y’all to mah house every time we go have a drink with the gals! Ah told y’all to stick to non-alcoholic cider…” A blonde orange cowpony appeared walking in the opposite direction, carrying a very drunk pegasus with a rainbow mane on her back.
“C-c’mon Acklejapp, ya know my company you… y-you enjoy my company…”
“Ah’m yer friend RD, n’ Ah know y’all will hurt yerself if Ah don’t take y’all with me… Ah can’t leave y’all alone.”
“Y-you’re a fri… my best fence,fired… my best friend AJ…”
“That’s yer third mug talkin’…”
“Hey Applejack, RD!” Vinyl Scratch called.
“Viny! Hi!” Slurred Rainbow Dash at a louder than needed volume, trying to get closer but only managing to almost fall off the farm mare’s back.
“Whoa there partner, easy gal… Howdy Miss Vinyl, Miss Octavia.”
“Dash’s been drinking hard cider huh?”
“Eyup, can’t even stand up straight…”
“I can just fine thank you! Walk and evening… everything. It’s just… it’s just that your back is comfy.” She seemed to be focusing on Applejack’s coat. “Ever… ever noticed that your back is like… like a nice furry pillow? A-a pillow… a pillow that smells pretty, like… apples or something…”
“My…”Octavia exclaimed “She looks really intoxicated, is she okay?”
“How many mugs she downed AJ?”
“Seven…”
“Yeah, she’ll make it, but she’ll be hard to handle tonight.”
“Ah know, not the first time this happens…”
“Vinyl… hey, h-hey Vinyl, when’s your club going to… uh… exist?”
Vinyl chuckled and explained “Vinyl’s Cage will be finished and open by next year.”
“What’s that?” Applejack asked.
“When… when next year comes and that thing is done and… I… I’ll show you…”
“Sure y’all will partner… Okay, gotta take the feathered drunk to bed, see y’all Miss Vinyl and Miss Octavia!”
“See ya.”
“Farewell Miss Applejack, may the rest of your night be nice and swift.”
As the mare walked away, the unicorn and the earth pony could hear “I l-luv ya AJ…”
“Sure y’all do Sugarcube, that’s yer fifth mug talkin’… at least y’all are all mushy, n’ not depressed…”
“Wh-why do you hate me!?” Rainbow Dash cried.
“Why do y’all open yer big mouth Applejack?”
Octavia tried to cover a giggle and resume her walk towards the restaurant, as Vinyl followed behind saying “I swear, those two are so in love with each other, and they don’t even notice it.”
“Do you really think there’s something going on there?”
“Bet you they’ll be an item by next year!”
The dark maned mare considered it and asked “And what do I win if they are not?”
“A night full of pleasure…”
“And what if you win?”
“A night full of pleasure…”
The cellist grinned and replied “That sounds like a solid bet… I am in.”
“Great.”
“Here we are,” Octavia said “let me do the talking, just meet me at the back entrance.”
After two minutes of waiting, the door opened revealing the charcoal mare who said “Come on in, I got us a table.”
As Vinyl walked inside, she spotted a table for two full of delicious-looking food.
Minutes later, the two mares exited the restaurant with a full belly and a warm heart.
“Wow… that was delicious…” Vinyl said.
“It was…” Octavia agreed. “Oh it is very late, isn’t it? We should be heading home…”
“Yeah… where’s your place?”
“Near the outskirts of town, where do you live?”
“Two blocks from here actually…”
Octavia pondered for a second and pleaded “Would you walk me home?”
Vinyl nuzzled her and replied “Sure, would love to, just lead the way.”
“Even if it’s so far and you’re just some steps from your own home?”
“Yeah, why not?”
“Correct answer, let’s go to your home…” she said as she lovingly nibbled Vinyl’s ears.
The alabaster mare grinned and mentally patted herself on the back. “Right away milady, follow me…”
After they get there, Vinyl opens the door and lets her companion enter. “After you sweetie…”
Octavia’s eyes went wide as she stepped inside “What in the name of Luna…”
“Oh yeah, it’s always shocking the first time you see it…”
“Is… is this a room full of…”
“Yeah, I always break’em, so I have like one hundred pairs of glasses here… but don’t mind this, come here, you gotta see the best room in the entire house… my bedroom.”
After long pleasurable hours of passionate love-making, the two mares laid on the bed panting hard.
“One more time!”
“Gimme a break please…”
“Am I not good enough?” Octavia worriedly asked.
“Hay no, that’s not it. This is the best night I ever had! But you’re too good and… I need a rest... Luna do you have magic hooves…”
“Please, just one last time, I swear…”
“You’ve been saying that for the past four hours! This is your first time, filly, why are you lasting this long?”
“Come on… just once more, please… Scratch my itch, and I Scratch yours…”
After letting out a moan, the alabaster DJ agreed. “Okay, last one…”
The sun of a new day woke Vinyl up burning her eyes.
As she got up and walked to the door, she heard “Where are you going Vinyl? Come back to bed…”
“Well… given the fact that you’re in my bed, and I made you mine” she then added to herself “And you made me yours, several, several times…” without turning around, she grinned and talked to Octavia again “I’ll go get Cerberus a jacket, must be freezing down there.”
