Author's Note

This chapter has been slightly modified due to a major story re-working. Most of those changes are in the final few scenes, though a few other modifications have been scattered throughout.

Andante

~~~~Nineteen years ago, Canterlot~~~~

“Tavia, are you awake?”

The scared voice whispered out from the window, startling the young Octavia Piano out of her gloom. Sure enough, there was little Arpeggio hanging onto the window sill and carefully balanced on the rose trellis outside Octavia’s window. “Arpeggio, what in Celestia’s name are you doing out there!” Octavia said in a hushed tone of voice. She leapt off her bed and cantered as quietly as she could, shoving the window open with a great heave and grabbing onto Arpeggio’s hooves and pulling her inside. “You shouldn’t do such foolish things!” Octavia whispered, pitching her voice as low as she could. “Mother and Father are already very cross with us, and I do not wish to further anger them.”

“Tavia, they’re sending you away, and they won’t tell me where!” Arpeggio said in a desperate tone, her bright crimson eyes as wide as saucers. “They say I can’t see you until we’ve ‘grown out’ of somethin’ called a ‘phase’, and that could be forever!” Her white hooves wrapped tightly around Octavia, and Octavia returned the embrace fiercely. She did not like this any more than Arpeggio did, and although she had appealed to Aunty Eleonore for help… “Tavia, we gotta get outta here,” Arpeggio whispered, and Octavia felt herself jerk in shock at the suggestion. Run away from home?

“Do not be silly, Arpeggio,” Octavia admonished her, gently pressing her hoof against Arpeggio’s mouth to keep her from arguing. “We shan’t be separated for long. I will be speaking to Aunty Eleonore as soon as possible, and I am certain she will see us reunited swiftly.” Octavia did all she could to project confidence in that turn of events, even if she privately doubted that outcome. Young though she was, she knew Mother and Father were extremely cross about their friendship… well, she didn’t understand why they’d been cross about it, but they were.

Right now though, she needed to keep Arpeggio from doing something rash. The signs of her emotional distress were quite obvious not only in her voice but how she carried herself. Arpeggio had always been shy and a little reserved, as befit the immense talent she had with her chosen instrument - and she never failed to use proper grammar and speech unless she was extremely distressed… as she was right now. “Arpeggio… We will see one another again, and soon,” Octavia said with a gently soothing voice, tucking her sister’s mane back behind her ears. She really was beautiful… which was just one of the many reasons Octavia loved her so very much. It made her next words much easier to say, and to mean with all of her heart.

“I promise.”

~~~~~The Hidden Heart, present day.~~~~~

Vinyl started and realized that somehow she’d dozed off. Why the heck had she done that? She almost never felt comfortable enough to sleep someplace that wasn’t somewhere she identified as ‘home’... except this place was, kinda. That brought back the flood of memories, the sharp scent of hide coming from the dressing cabinet, the soft feel of the linen sheets. That dark red paint job on the walls - the same color it’d been for as long as Vinyl could remember. One of many bedrooms in the Hidden Heart… but this one was hers.

Oh true, it wasn’t filled with her mementos or clothes anymore. Those had either been re-distributed to others in need or taken with her when she set off on her quest to become a DJ. It didn’t have that old side table with the bum leg any longer, and the floor had been freshly varnished not too long ago. But it was hers - hers by virtue of that old unconscious knowledge one has of a place one lives. The bed’s lumps were exactly where she remembered them, the floor still uneven in all the right places, and the room still smelled faintly of honey and cinnamon - her favorite.

She reached a hoof up and ruffled at her mane, trying to rough it back into shape. She let out a huge yawn and hopped off the bed, trotting toward the door. How had she gotten up here again? Oh yeah, Momma Charity. Always knows when I haven’t been sleeping. Some things never changed, especially Charity Heart being able to see right through Vinyl’s facades. The door swung open with a little squeaky-creek out into the hallway, and a bright and soft voice called out as her head crested the doorway. “Hello, beautiful.” Vinyl’s hooves froze in place, and her head swiveled slowly to her right. Today had already been an avalanche of old memories hitting her one after the other… but this one… This was one she hadn’t expected.

She looked just the same as the day Vinyl had left.

The long, snow-white mane that fanned behind her head and stretched down to just above the ground, tickling at her ankles in thick waves. The bright blue eyes, as clear as the sea on a warm summer’s day. The silken coat the color of deeply ripened strawberries. Long feathered, graceful wings dyed with a rippling white pattern. That broad and gentle smile. That voice. “You look like somepony just hit you with a board, beautiful,” she said, her hoof coming up and gently pushing Vinyl’s jaw shut. Then she kissed Vinyl, pressing her lips up against hers firmly - her sleek pegasi body shoving Vinyl back into the bedroom and slamming the door shut behind them with a flick of her talented tail. Before Vinyl knew it, she was already falling ass over teakettle onto the bed, pinned there by the highly insistent lips of the pony atop her.

Vinyl was struggling to think under the sensual assault - even as her body betrayed her for a few crucial moments. So many memories. So many mornings just like this, pounced upon even before she could wrap herself around a bowl of oatmeal. Shoved through the door, just like this. Vinyl would arch up against her - pressing their bodies together, Just like this… Vinyl’s mind whispered at her. Her mane had once been the same dark red as the other mare’s coat, and they had presented such an artistic picture pressed together just like this…

Then reality finally set in, and Vinyl tore herself away from the kiss. “Fuck! Red, stoppit!” she gasped out, her hooves managing to create some separation from herself and the other mare - both of their breaths coming in syncopated heavy rhythm. Those bright blue eyes stared soulfully at her. Vinyl bit at her lower lip at the sight of that look, Red wearing that sly and knowing smile. “Nice to see you too, Red Velvet,” Vinyl croaked out at her as her breath came in heavy pants, forcing down every single natural urge to throw herself at the other mare and keep that ball rolling.

Red Velvet laughed throatily - not bothering to move from her rather compromising position of pinning Vinyl to the sheets. “It’s wonderful to see you too, beautiful.” Her voice was smooth as her mane, and twice as hot as the red of her coat… but underneath all that smouldering sensuality was the same gentle mare who’d taken Vinyl under her wing, so to speak, so very long ago. “I missed you.” Gone was the heat as she said those words, replaced with a soft wistfulness and sorrow, and just a touch… of hope.

Vinyl felt her heart crush under the weight of that hope. Especially after all Red Velvet had done for her, after everything they’d been through together. How could she tell her? But still…. the truth was better, and she’d missed her too. “Same, Red,” Vinyl said back in a sotto voice and gently nuzzled her cheek against her old marefriend’s. “C’mon now. I got some stuff to tell ya,” Vinyl insisted, hoping that a lack of physical contact would make it easier to say the words she really didn’t want to say.

Red Velvet sighed dramatically - she’d always been a world class drama queen - and rolled off of Vinyl with a practiced ease. Vinyl could still feel the heat of her body after she was gone, and once again it took every single ounce of her self control not to pounce the girl. Even so, visions of sharing a bed with her and Octavia swam in Vinyl’s head. And damn, it was hard to concentrate with Red giving her those bedroom eyes. “Well then why don’t you fess up, beautiful?” Red cooed at her, crossing her forelegs primly and tucking her hindquarters under her, curling up like a cat on the bedspread.

Vinyl sucked in a deep breath and exhaled deeply, focusing. Red would understand. Red had been there every night in the beginning; when Vinyl had cried herself to sleep because she couldn’t find her sister, and she had no idea where to look next and - Stoppit, Vinyl. “I uh...I found her, Red,” Vinyl said softly, pulling her hind legs up and wrapping her forelegs around them tightly. “I found Tavia.” Red gave a little gasp at that, her hoof daintily pressed to her lips as Vinyl kept speaking, doing her best not to feel a tremble of fear. “She and I… we… we got together again. And I love her, Red… Love her with all of my heart.” Vinyl closed her eyes shut tight, glad for the sunglasses to hide the motion.

For a moment there was silence… until Red began to chuckle richly. “Well now, that certainly complicates my plans for the afternoon.” Vinyl’s eyes snapped open at the suggestion, and she could see Red Velvet with a smoky smile on her face looking… curious. Uh oh. “I guess I’m going to have to meet this filly,” she continued, uncoiling from the bed and leaning up to breathe words softly into Vinyl’s ear. “Especially if she’s enough to make even you slow down.”

Vinyl’s brain was officially broken. Oh Celestia, no. She’d eat poor Tavia alive. Tavi’s never been inside a brothel! She doesn’t know their tricks! Vinyl’s mind desperately tried to pull itself together - but Red was already moving toward the door with her smooth and slinky walk. “She must still be down in the showroom… I think I’ll just trot on down there and we can…” Red flicked her tail to one side and her eyes gleamed as she glanced fetchingly over her shoulder, "talk,” she finished, wrapping her lips around the word like… well, it certainly called some vivid images into Vinyl’s mind.

That word was enough to free Vinyl from the confinement of her mind - and she scrambled after Red Velvet quickly, stammering as she went. “Wait! Waitwaitwaitwaitwait, Red!” She cried out after her, but Red Velvet was already gliding down the hallway with a mirthful giggle. Vinyl rounded out of her door and took off at top speed down the hallway after her - dodging and ducking past any number of other ponies in the hallway. “Red, stoppit damnit!” She called after her, but the damned mare was always one step ahead of her, slipping through the crowd with all the grace of an acrobat… which Vinyl now recalled, she kinda was.

‘Course, Vinyl had gotten pretty spry over the last few years herself - but no matter how much she dodged and raced, Velvet kept ahead of her… somehow. Vinyl’s thoughts were seized upon catching up to her to try to explain what kind of mare Octavia was before Red got down there and either seduced or scandalized her - or worse, both. Of course, upon reflection, she really ought to have been paying attention to where Red was actually going…

Unfortunately, that thought didn’t occur to her until she came to a screeching halt. Having temporarily lost track of Red, she glanced about wildly only to be blindsided once again by the sleek red pegasus and pinned to a wall. “Goodness, beautiful - it’s been a long time since you’ve chased me quite like that.” Red’s voice oozed sex-appeal and amusement, and Vinyl couldn’t help but give a little snort of laughter. “Still, impressive. You used to cause a lot more ruckus running through the crowds. Now come along and lets go see your fillyfriend,” Red said with a sly sort of smile, her hoof wrapped firmly enough around Vinyl’s neck to make sure she was coming along, like it or not.

Vinyl tried to to talk, but only got a mouthful of very talented tongue for her troubles. While they were walking, no less, past quite a few of the other ponies in residence. “Keep your cute mouth shut, beautiful,” said Red, with a slightly warning tone. “We’re going to go see this filly of yours and that’s final.” Vinyl gulped down her words as she was marched along - her worries about Octavia only rivaled by the warm feel of Red pressed up against her side as they walked. Of all the ponies she’d expected to see today, Red Velvet hadn’t even been on the list… And that worried Vinyl.

Just what did Red have up her sleeves?

~~~~The Hidden Heart, Showroom~~~~

Octavia quietly kept her hooves folded as the stallion was led down a wide spiral staircase at the far end of the hallway. Aunty Eleonore had put in a fresh wad of tobacco and was puffing merrily away at it, utterly unconcerned with the fact that Father had always despised the habit. But then, something was definitely different about Father. He did not walk with the same stern confidence he usually did, and his choice in clothing was much more subdued than his traditional stock.

In fact, he didn’t look anything like he had ever looked in all of her memory. The tall but slim unicorn stallion that was her Father wore an elegantly cut white suit coat and sapphire bowtie that looked quite fetching on him. A lovely contrast with his naturally white coat. His eyes were a bright and curious maroon, much like Vinyl’s, and his dark brown mane in that style he had once called ‘messy chic’ - which was his own way of saying he was one of the finest composers in Equestria and didn’t give a buck about styling his mane.

But the most telling change was in his carriage and walk. Gone was the arrogant stride, the upturned snout, the fierce glare that no few students of his had called demonic. An intense energy now lurked behind those eyes, and his expression was at once somber and resolute. Even as he approached the table, he turned those eyes first upon Aunty Eleonore, and in an instant everything about him changed into something much more genial.

It was then that Octavia received one of the biggest shocks in her life. Her father - the famed Allegretto Piano - walked silently around the table and hugged his mother firmly. Aunty Eleonore looked astonished, her pipe half hanging out of her mouth in amazement for a brief moment until she clamped down on it and wrapped her own hoof around her son’s shoulder. Her eyes closed for a moment in obvious emotional turbulence. Never before in her presence had Father shown more than a passing affection for his mother… hence why she had always known her as ‘Aunty’ Eleonore, not Grandmother.

A few moments later, Father pulled away from the embrace and exhaled deeply. “I am so very sorry, Eleo- Mother.” A slightly annoyed look crossed his face, then he shook it away. “For these past few years, I have been every bit the fool you have long accused me of being. I can but hope to amend that in the years to come.” He turned resolutely toward Octavia, and a very faint smile crossed his face. “Hello, my little Octavia. It has been far too long.”

“Father.” Octavia bowed her head respectfully - and received a second shock as her father circled the table and gently embraced her as well. It was a touch on the awkward side, but there was little doubting the warmth and love in that touch - so Octavia extended her own hooves to hug him back firmly. “I… I missed you too,” she whispered, wondering what was going on to have created such an obviously drastic change in Father’s normal self. “But Father, what has happened? Where is Mother?” The formal speech was like slipping into a comfortable pair of old slippers - a calming influence, in spite of the shocks she’d had delivered to her so far.

Father shook his head slowly, a gusty sigh escaping him as he released her and slumped into a chair. “I tried to speak sense to her, Octavia. I truly did, but she steadfastly refused to come. She has not forgiven poor Arpeggio.” His voice sounded more defeated than she’d ever heard it before, his hooves coming up to gently rub at his own eyes. “No matter what I said, she refused to hear reason. Then again, she took poor Arpeggio’s flight even worse than I did. She has been blaming everypony but herself for it.” He gave off a heavy sigh... then he looked up, a glimmer of hope sparkling in his eyes. There was something there in his spirit that had not been there for a very long time. “Tell me, Octavia. Is it true she is the one they now call Vinyl Scratch? And that she has taken up the composition of music as her career?”

Octavia swallowed softly at the mention of what had happened to Mother, but she could not allow emotions to get in the way of things… not when there was a chance here to lay the foundations which might help save Vinyl some pain. She spoke softly and quickly, with a gentle smile on her face masking her worry, “Ah… I do not know as you would see it as music, Father. But yes, she has been composing in her own unique ways, and those compositions are extremely popular.” That was a very mild way of putting it, but Octavia would rather exercise restraint than inform her father that Vinyl’s work was likely quite outselling his own. Still, he unquestionably swelled with pride at that news, giving the first unsullied smile he’d shown her thus far. Octavia felt a little smile tug at her own lips at continuing. “She’s quite the innovator, Father. I daresay she could even teach you a thing or two.”

For a few moments, the father of her youth was back - his chest swelled with pride in the accomplishments of his children. “Pish-tosh, Octavia. Even I can unbend enough to admit that music is in the ears of the composer.” His eye twinkled with a touch of sly humor. “I have certainly penned an unconventional piece or two in my time.” He chuckled brightly and Octavia felt her cheeks color a little, now slightly worried about her father’s first exposure to Vinyl’s work.

But that was a concern for another time. There were more important issues at hoof - issues like her mother’s reaction. Vinyl had expected both parents to show up, and frankly, so had Octavia. Then again, she hadn’t expected Father’s apparent about-face on the subject of what had happened to Vinyl either, so perhaps this was just a mixed blessing. The problem now lay in the fact that poor Vinyl was going to have to go through this twice… and given that she hadn’t been precisely stable when they’d arrived, that was potentially a very big problem.

Still, Father was here. He was supportive enough so far, and Octavia simply had to hope she could turn this situation into a positive. Father was now chatting quietly with Aunty Eleonore, which gave Octavia the chance to quickly scan her surroundings - looking for somepony to help track down Vinyl. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, she heard Vinyl long before she had to work up the courage to ask for help from one of the locals. Vinyl’s voice cried out from somewhere above her... “Oi! Red! Stop twisting my ear like tha- GAH!! Stoppit Red!” Judging by how the sound echoed down into the room, Vinyl was coming down one of the upstairs hallways.

Father arched an eyebrow at Octavia, and she sighed softly. She wanted to facehoof… but, she was more amused than annoyed. Father mouthed Vinyl’s name and Octavia nodded at him, a wry sort of smile crossing her face. She had long since gotten used to the fact that Vinyl had some odd friends, and many of them had odd ways of greeting her. Still, she was certain it wouldn’t be anything particular.

Well, she was certain for all of the next three minutes until the two figures appeared at the top of the spiral staircase. The scene was perfectly comedic… and perfectly worrying. The red-coated pegasus had Vinyl in a rather superb example of a headlock as they traversed down the staircase, and Vinyl was only making a token effort to wrestle free of it. Octavia, long accustomed to the subtleties of body language, could read the easy intimacy between the pair of them like a book. Vinyl whined, complained, and struggled…. but there was a certain element of ease between them. The red mare simply looked amused and continued to drag Vinyl down the steps one at a time, her gentle serenity never wavering an inch. There was something vaguely commonplace about the whole scene. Something… homey.

But most disturbing and incredible of all the things was how they moved together. Vinyl was struggling, certainly... but it was in fun, her eyes sparkling with every moment they tumbled down the steps. The red mare was amusedly dragging her - but there was a flush in her cheeks that spoke of much more than physical effort. “Come on, Red! Cheese Louise, I’m not going to run away from him!” she half yelled as they thumped to the bottom of the stairs, and Octavia felt a hard lump drop into her throat as they reached the ground. With Vinyl half escaping from her friend and sticking her tongue out at the pegasus. “Fer the luvva Celestia, Red. I’m not thirteen anymore!” she snarked, only to have another leg lasso around her neck and start dragging her over to the table. After everything Vinyl had been unwilling to talk about when it came to her life here, absolutely all it fell neatly into place for Octavia in those few, short moments.

But before she could speak, they reached the table and Vinyl’s gaze riveted upon their father. The red pegasus released Vinyl instantly, her eyes widening with shock and surprise for just a moment and darting between all the ponies now positioned around the table. Once again though, Father surprised Octavia so completely she wondered what had happened to him. His eyes stared for a few long silent moments at Vinyl before shoving away from the table and getting off his chair. He walked around to where Vinyl’s flank had hit the floor and sat down next to her.

For a moment, nopony spoke.

Then Father’s mouth opened with a cracked and strained voice. “Arpeggio,” he said with a wince, his head dipped low as his voice cracked on the word. “Arpeggio, I am so sorry.” The words fell out of his mouth like rocks, forced past the sound of repressed tears and ancient pain. “I... Oh Celestia, you really are here,” his voice blurted, and he lifted up a shaking hoof to run through her mane. Vinyl’s face was still a study in shock as it gently traversed her wildly colored hair, Father’s voice coming out in wracked sobs. “I hadn’t… I couldn’t… when I’d heard you’d vanished, I’d thought… I’d thought you were…”

That snapped Vinyl out of her shock, and her eyes softened with concern. She took Father’s hoof in hers and pulled it around her shoulder. Vinyl’s eyes closed and the glitter of tears could be seen slowly trailing down her cheeks. “S’okay, Poppa,” Vinyl said gently, tugging him closer as Father’s sobs turned into tears.

“S’okay. I’m here.”

~~~~The Hidden Heart, 15 years ago~~~~

A little white filly sat on the edge of her bed, kicking her legs back and forth and munching on a triangle of grilled cheese. Next to her clothes press, a battered and much abused stand up piano waited for another jaunty tune to be played upon its keys. Arpeggio didn’t so much mind playing on the piano as she was worried that somepony from Canterlot might come and see her playing it down in the main hall. True, her once dark brown mane had been dyed into a silvery white, and she was much more physically fit than she’d been before which gave her a lean whiplike body.

But white unicorns around her age who were prodigious piano players weren’t exactly falling out of the cupboards. It was only a matter of time, to Vinyl’s mind, before somepony who might have seen her upon the stage in the Grand Theatre at Canterlot would show up and everything to come crashing down around her ears. Even worse, she hadn’t found any sign of Tavia anywhere in the city. Other ponies had certainly heard of Eleonore Fortissimo and her prodigy student, but nopony seemed to know where the student was. Arpeggio’s first idea was to try to go to Trottingham, where Aunt Eleonore lived, but the cost to get there was too high for her to afford on what few bits she still had left, and she wasn’t about to ask Mama Charity for money so she could leave.

Still, after an entire year of looking, things were starting to weigh heavily on her little shoulders. She’d begun to worry that she really wouldn’t ever see Tavia again. Her eyes began to sting as she gently dropped her half eaten sandwich to the plate and gripped at the soft linen sheet of her bed. “I’m not gonna cry,” she whispered softly, firmly trying to convince herself of that. It wasn’t working, but she was trying anyway because big fillies didn’t cry. She was very nearly about to give into that desire when soft, red wings enveloped her shoulders and hugged her back into a warm and soft hug; a soft voice whispering gently into her ears.

“Hello there, beautiful.”

Arpeggio spun around in place and pressed her eyes into the soft shoulder of her roommate and stopped trying not to cry. “Shh… It’s okay, ‘Peggio.” A gentle hoof stroked down her back as she simply let the tears flow - not sobbing so much as releasing all of the pain and emotion that had built up inside her. Red had been so kind to her ever since she’d arrived, it had almost been like having Tavia around again. But just the thought of her lost sister made the tears worse, and Arpeggio clutched at Red even tighter. Tears didn’t last forever though, and eventually, Arpeggio cried herself out, and Red lifted her back a little to give her a gentle smile. “Feeling better?” she asked quietly.

Arpeggio nodded a little, rubbing at her now stuffed up nose. It was sometimes startling to remember that Red was only a year or two older than her. Red chuckled and - from somewhere - produced a hankie which she offered to Arpeggio. “Here you go, beautiful,” she cooed as Arpeggio took the hanky with her magic and blew her nose... very loudly. Red giggled softly in response, and Arpeggio couldn’t help but giggle in return. Red’s rich and velvety alto voice contrasted very nicely with Arpeggio’s young soprano in a way that charmed the young musician. “So. Mama Charity tells me you’re trying to find something other than playing to do here,” Red quipped softly, now that Arpeggio had calmed down enough to talk.

Arpeggio nodded enthusiastically, her head bobbing up and down rapidly. Her voice was bright, but strained as she spoke. “Yeah! I love to play… I really do! But… it’s… it’s not the same without Tavia around, and I’m worried somepony might recognize me on stage an’ tell my parents…” Arpeggio forced a lump in her throat down. She’d just had a long cry - she wasn’t gonna get caught up in another one! “So um… I’m trying to find somethin’ else I can be good at.”

Red tilted her head to one side and a slow kind of smile crossed her face. It was a strange smile, kinda sly and… anticipatory. “Well, I did have an idea,” Red said with a quiet sort of intensity. Arpeggio only had a few moments to tilt her head in curiosity when Red’s lips met hers, and her body pressed up warmly to Arpeggio’s. Her eyes widened in temporary shock as gentle hooves wrapped around her neck and held her close to that warm body. The kiss was like nothing else Arpeggio had ever felt before… well, almost like nothing else.

It was like when she’d kissed Tavia.

Arpeggio felt electric shivers down her spine and a gentle heat blossoming in her chest, her eyes softening with a little moisture. She snapped them shut hard and pushed back into the kiss - wanting that warmth, that feeling of love and intimacy. Needing it like she needed water or air or… she didn’t have the words for it. It was warm and gentle and wonderful in a way that defied description. When Red finally pulled away from it, Arpeggio could only feel a gentle and funny sort of heat deep within her, and Celestia help her but she liked it a whole lot.

Red tossed her mane coyly. “We could do some… special performances together,” Red continued, and for a moment Arpeggio felt worry worm its way into her heart again… but it was banished only moments later, as Red gave off a soft laugh. “Oh, nothing musical, my beauty. You’ve seen the sorts of dances and things I do, yes?” Arpeggio nodded enthusiastically. Red Velvet was considered the most talented of the younger dancers in the club, and she moved so beautifully during the practices. She also did some other odd acrobatic things, but Arpeggio figured it was some kind of dancer thing. Not that Arpeggio had ever seen her on stage…

Red Velvet smiled slyly. “Well, if we were to work together, we could do something even better. Audiences love to see two cute fillies…” And there was that kiss again, and that rush of electric pleasure through Arpeggio’s body that gave her a strange kind of ache she’d never felt before. The kiss went on for several long moments before Red broke away and licked her lips, like she’d just had a sweet. “Mm… like that,” Red finished, and Arpeggio was astonished. Ponies watched this sort of thing? Then again, she was certainly enjoying it herself but… well it wasn’t like they’d be doing it with her!

Or…

Arpeggio’s mind raced to the evening a few weeks earlier. Of Mama Charity and that strange older stallion doing all sorts of odd things. But Mama Charity had clearly been enjoying herself, and so had the older stallion. “Um… do you mean like Mama Charity does it?” Arpeggio asked in a curious voice. That got a startled expression out of Red, meaning she’d probably been thinking of something else. Arpeggio tilted her head in curiosity. “Then what’s the thing Mama Charity does?” She tried to hide her confusion - she knew there were lots of things about life other ponies knew that she didn’t.

Red coughed softly, and shook her head wonderingly. “You mean… Peggio, you can’t tell me you don’t know what sex is.” Arpeggio blinked and tilted her head, trying to think really, really hard about the word. It’d come up when Momma had been teaching her but… she shook her head a little. Red stared at her in astonishment. “Uhm… You said you were kissing and making out with Tavia when your parents caught you right?” Arpeggio winced but nodded a little anyway. Red frowned, rubbing her chin for a moment even as she tried to hold Arpeggio closer to her. “You told me you two were, ah… touching one another, and you were having fun?” Arpeggio nodded again, but this time more enthusiastically. It had felt really good! Was that sex? Touching and kissing and all this fun stuff?

Red seemed a little pained, and Arpeggio felt sheepish. “Sorry, Red… There’s a lotta stuff Poppa and Momma didn’t let me learn.” She sighed exasperatedly, and Red just hugged her firmly. “But if that’s what sex is, then I’d be super interested in learning more about it.” That got a bit of a blink from Red, and Arpeggio grinned brightly. “Come on! I can learn anything I set myself to an’ I can prove it!” She puffed out her chest proudly, having never found the subject she couldn’t master once she set her mind to it.

Red’s smile was something Arpeggio couldn’t identify, but there was something… inviting to her voice as she spoke. “Nopony would suspect the demure little Arpeggio doing such things. We’ll have to dye your mane red of course… And we’ll have to talk to Mama Charity about it first.” Her eyes sparkled and Arpeggio’s heart soared. Red would surely take care of her worries, and it might even be fun to try this sex stuff. Maybe it was even as fun as what she’d been doing with Tavia.

Now, who could she find to help her...

~~~~~The Hidden Heart, Present Day~~~~~

All of Vinyl’s carefully crafted plans were now shattered into tiny pieces and scattered to the four winds. Tavia was gone, and so was Mama Charity and Red - they’d left her alone with Poppa who was just beginning to recover from his temporary breakdown into tears. Vinyl had dragged Poppa into one of the private lounges on the main floor, and was very thankful that she hadn’t found anypony foolin’ around in the room. Poppa was cleaning himself up now with a freshly drawn basin of cool water and a spotless white kerchief, giving Vinyl a few minutes to recollect her thoughts.

The problem was pretty simple of course… she’d expected confrontation, and what she’d gotten was embarrassing amounts of relief. There was no rage, none of the perfection-demanded anger in him that she remembered so well from the earliest lessons he’d given them on composition and musical theory. Just looking at him was enough to convince Vinyl that this was not the same pony she’d fled from all those years ago. His eyes were bloodshot and there were dark rings of worry beneath them - some of that had to come from the crying. The rest…

His voice was just a touch hoarse as he spoke, his eyes focused on the bowl of water as he neatly folded the kerchief. “When I heard about what had happened at the symphony, I admit that my anger got the better of me. The letter I wrote during that time is the greatest mistake I have ever put to paper in my entire life.” He gave off a soft sniffle and exhaled, rubbing at his nose idly. “By the time I reached Ponyville, my anger had cooled completely… and when I found your room empty, your things gone, and your piano missing entirely…”

Poppa gave off a little shiver - or perhaps it was a shudder - at the memory. “I feared the worst.” His voice had gone quiet, reflecting upon that moment in spite of how unpleasant it was for him to probably remember it. “I found my letter, opened and discarded upon the ground. My thoughts were consumed with the fear that you had been taken by those who intended to…” He gulped down what had to have been a lump in his throat, his eyes scrunched shut. “Make ill use of you. And that even worse still, my final words to you would have left you utterly without hope or spirit to escape such captivity.”

Poppa’s neatly folded kerchief was now bunched up between his hooves as Vinyl stared at him in astonishment, almost unable to believe the words he was saying right to her face. “I could not compose. I could not sing or play or any of the like. For three years I offered countless rewards for even the merest hint of where you might have been taken.” He took in a deep breath and exhaled it. “Finally, somepony came forward anonymously… he didn’t want a reward, but he did wish me to know that you had run off on your own accord. That… that was when I realized what your mother and I had done to you.”

He fell silent then for a few long, aching minutes. He looked as miserable as any colt Vinyl had ever seen sitting in one of these booths. Reflex made her want to hug him and assure him things were going to be okay, but…. “I was so scared of you, Pops. You an’ Mom both,” Vinyl said in her quietest, most self controlled voice. “When you two took Tavi away from me, I was never quite the same after. She always kept me grounded an’ focused and reminded me of why I was workin’ so hard on my music, an when she was gone…” She trailed off after a moment, then sucked in a deep breath and exhaled.

Poppa had blessedly remained silent while she collected her thoughts, trying to be as charitable as she could. “I hated you both,” came the inevitable, venomous whisper. She couldn’t hide behind an air of disinterest. Not with the object of her anger and fear right in front of her. She wanted to strangle him, to stomp his stupid crying face in… “I was so terrified you were gonna lock me up an’ I’d never see Tavia again, so I ran, and I never looked back.”

She wanted to say more - she’d had a big speech all planned and ready, a scathing condemnation of them. Something she could dish out and then go back to Ponyville so she’d never have to think about them again, but… “I don’t blame you for that, Arpeggio,” he said, oh-so-quietly. Oh so-ashamedly. Like a colt caught with his hoof in the cookie-jar.

“My name is Vinyl Scratch, Pops,” she snapped at him, her patience for that stupid name finally coming to an abrupt end. “An’ that’s the only name I answer to now.” Unless Tavia was teasing her with it, but she was the only pony in the world who had permission to do that. She stalked across the room and shoved her hoof into his chest, barely able to hold back the simmering cauldron of emotions she was sitting on. “And if you’re actually serious about bein’ sorry, you can start with usin’ my real name.”

Poppa’s mouth opened a little, then snapped shut… then he nodded. “Yes, you’re right. Vinyl.” Vinyl stared at him - more than just a little shock coursing through her system. “Vinyl Scratch.” He was rolling the word around his mouth when he spoke it, then he smiled faintly. “It is not quite as beautiful as your old name, but it has a certain edge to it. It is a strong sound, resonant in the air - it challenges and demands respect. It suits you.” There was no small amount of pride in his voice, and his eyes glittered with a hidden happiness.

Vinyl felt her cheeks color a little and coughed softly. “Yeah, well… I thought so.” She looked away for a moment, trying to figure out how to handle the next issue and sighed. Buck it. I’m outta polite for the day. “Mom didn’t want to come, did she.” That was a statement, not a question, and Poppa nodded his head sadly. Vinyl blew her cheeks out and glared at the wooden floor. Great. She’d have to go to farking Canterlot to finish dealing with this crap.

“I am sorry, Vinyl.” It sounded odd to hear her Pops call her that, but there it was. “I tried. I truly did.” His voice sank into defeat, and he hung his head at those words. Vinyl bit off her retort, forcing it down into her belly and commanding it to shut the buck up. She was going to salvage something positive out of this shit if it was the last thing she did.

So she trotted over to the little booth in the private lounge and slumped into the seat. “Siddown, Pops. Tell me the whole story.” She waved her hoof wearily and perched her chin on it. “I can’t not try and talk to her, so I’d better know everything.” And hope that Momma hasn’t completely gone out of her gourd… and that somehow, I can explain Red to Tavia. “Besides,” she continued slowly, softly. “We got a lot t’ talk about.”

~~~~~~~

Octavia’s voice was practically a snarl as she spoke. “And just what do you think you were doing with my marefriend?” The words came out like spitting nails as she practically slammed the door behind her, glad for a few moments of privacy. She certainly didn’t need Auntie Eleonore stepping in and smacking her for being rude. “And just who in the name of Celestia’s plothole do you think you are, dragging her around like that?” Certainly she was already confusing her own words in her anger -

The beautiful red mare sat upon a deeply cushioned love seat with a careless grace that Octavia was instantly jealous of. She carried herself with such total poise and confidence that it was conjuring some rather lewd thoughts about the pegasus female in Octavia’s mind in spite of her momentary outburst. That was…. more than a little concerning. I am in love with Vinyl, no matter how much this mare might attract me… my heart belongs to her. Which was a lovely sentimental thought, but raw sexuality was raw sexuality.

That did not mean she would act on said urges, but it also did not mean she wouldn’t very much like to. “You’ll have to forgive me, Miss Octavia,” the pegasus mare practically purred at her, her voice soft and sultry and her gaze blatantly roving over Octavia’s slim form. “Two-tone was always terrible with correspondence, and had I known you two were…” She arched an eyebrow, her smile curving up just a little. “...together, then I would have been a shade more circumspect.”

Octavia took a very short moment to tell her libido and her anger to shut the buck up before responding verbally, “Well, I suppose that’s not unreasonable.” She sighed, rubbing at her temple gently. Vinyl hadn’t wanted to talk about her time here very much, and the reason was now painfully clear. This mare had obviously meant a very great deal to her, and Vinyl had once again bone-headedly tried to protect Octavia from her own emotions. If she didn’t love her so very much, Octavia would have given her quite the talking to… as it was, there was only going to be a mild scolding. Well, mild-ish. “I apologize for my less than polite initial words to you.” At the very least, she could be polite.

But the mare waved her hoof airily. “No harm done, Miss Octavia. It certainly was far from the worst I’ve had levelled at me, given my profession. My name is Red Velvet, and I was a close friend of Two-tone during her time here, as well as something of a mentor in the carnal arts.” There was a glitter of some hidden emotion in those deep eyes - and Octavia had to wonder if ‘friend’ was all that Red Velvet had been to Vinyl.

The mare’s white mane seemed to glitter in the dim light as she uncoiled from her sitting position, laying one hoof upon the ground and then the other, striding toward Octavia with just the barest twitch to her hips. “You must understand, Miss Octavia…. Two-tone is quite precious to me. Her happiness has always been foremost in my mind since the day I saw her weeping for all she had lost…” Red Velvet’s voice was soft and smooth as she came to within touching distance of Octavia, her eyes shining… and Octavia could not mistake the little glitter of tears in the corner of her eye. “And for her, I would do anything… to keep her happy.”

Red Velvet’s hoof came up and traced down Octavia’s cheek, shocking her out of her momentary surprise at the sensual assault of the beautiful pegasus mare before her. Octavia swallowed the lump in her throat and firmed her resole. “I love Vinyl, Miss Velvet. And we are quite happy together.” She stood her ground and tried focus on firming up her resolve. “You need not concern yourself with that.”

Every movement the mare made exuded a powerful, potent sexuality that Octavia had almost never experienced before… and even then, had only done so in Vinyl’s presence. “I would not do anything to make her unhappy,” Octavia continued, swallowing the dryness in her throat and feeling slightly relieved to see Red pause in her movement as her back hit the doorway of the private lounge.

Red smiled faintly. “Yes, I can see that. That’s why I’d like to try to negotiate with you.” She tossed her mane sexily, half lidding her eyes. “I very much doubt Two-tone has changed all that much in the past few years, and I’m certain that she would not mind sharing her affections with the both of us.” Her eyes sparkled with determination as she continued to advance. “But since you are clearly the first mare in her heart, I’d merely like to show you what I can provide on my end of the bargain.”

Octavia took in a deep breath and exhaled. “I love her and only her, Miss Velvet,” she insisted again, trying to get control of the situation and her emotions and wondering what kind of spell this crazy pegasus was weaving upon her.

Red Velvet giggled. “What’s love got to do with a good time between two beautiful mares?” She humphed, cocking her head to one side. “I don’t need to be in love with you to be willing to pass a lovely evening with you, nor do I need to in order to be with the mare I truly love.” Her lips turned into as faint smile. “Besides, if you’re anything like Two-tone said you were, I’ve a feeling I will fall for you in due time as it is.”

That floored her pretty badly. Just what had Vinyl told this mare about her? But just as it stunned her into speechlessness, it was also enough to get her wits together. “I do understand what it is like to have somepony you love walk away from you, Miss Velvet.” She kept her voice quiet and polite as she could. “But whatever may have existed between you and Vinyl has long since passed.” She adroitly pulled herself away from the mare and moved as quickly as she could toward the door, trying to believe her own words as she moved. Surely Vinyl could not still be infatuated with this mare, could she?

Behind her, Red Velvet spoke softly. “Then I’d recommend you ask her what she said to me before she left.” The words hit her with the force of a blow to the head, but Octavia kept walking. She had to find Vinyl, and she did have to speak to her about all of this before her pretty little mind lost her will to keep moving through this madhouse.