Half Past Octavia

It had been almost six weeks since we had found out that another Equestrian refugee was very close nearby and Octavia’s best friend no less. In that time frame, I had finally finished up my curriculum in Jansford and got my own apartment in a building near Miss O’Neal until I got started with the next semester. My place wasn’t the most luxurious but it was more than enough for two people, in fact, it even had enough room where Octavia could have her own small studio which also doubled as my study so I often had soothing classical music while I wrote my resumes. At some point, Octavia also found out that humans were…umm…omnivorous.

The concept of eating meat to stay healthy didn’t go over well with her. Unfortunately I found out the hard way seeing as one night I brought over horse steak, a personal favorite of mine and I had completely forgot who I was dealing with here. When I set it up on the table she asked what it was and when I told her she shrieked and started throwing things at me. It got so bad that I had to leave for a while and take the meat with me. I was basically kicked out for a couple hours and had to go to Miss O’Neal’s where Vinyl kinda just stole it from me. She didn’t even ask questions…just ate. To be honest, I didn’t know which was scarier; the fact that she ate it or the fact that she liked it…

Vinyl and Octavia had also been spending a lot of time together. In fact, more than I felt comfortable with but I quickly shook off the thought as I recalled that I’m not her care taker. But for some reason, I can’t help but care. Things have been a bit complicated for me in the emotional sense since I’ve been living with her, but that’s a topic for another time. I had been looking up things about humanized pony characters but to no avail, I mean it’s to be expected. That’d be ridiculous if there were actual cases. The only thing that ever came up was crudely drawn rule thirty-four pictures which I didn’t entirely disapprove of but for my sake I did not linger on lest a certain cellist walk in.

As of late, I had got a job at a nearby Star Bucks just to keep a small cash flow coming in seeing as I was the only one working out of us both. I had just come home from the interview that Thursday and was told I would start on Monday; I had to admit I was pretty stoked. I had finally gotten to my front door, shoving the key into the lock merrily whistling a song I had stuck in my head all day, though as the door creaked open I was greeted by hushed grunting and panting. I figured it was maybe something on TV but when I strode into the living room the TV was off. As the door closed silently behind me and I walked further into my home, the huffs and groans grew more and more apparent and seemed to be coming from the studio.
My face took off to a scarlet as I walked to the closed door and pressed my ear against it, making out words in between the very, very carnal gasps.

“It’s t-too much!” cried a voice which I recognized as the only classy sooty haired girl I knew.

“We’ve barely even started…” sighed another female voice in what I can only describe as disappointment. It was definitely Vinyl.

“B-but…it’s so h-hard!” she cried through another series of huffs.

“Trust me,” Vinyl voice paused as I heard a giggle “You’ll feel real good after!”

Instantly, the jimmies had been rustled though in the best way I can possibly describe.

“I can’t k-keep up,” she huffed and then her voice became shrill and forced “I’m going to-” Octavia let out a sharp ‘eep’ and I heard a thud.

I couldn’t take it anymore; I had to know what was going on. I quickly swung the door open, scanning the room. Octavia was face first on the floor, a sweaty mess. She was wearing things I had no clue where she got. She was sporting leg warmers, a sports bra which hugged her small frame delicately, a gray headband and a pair of tight sweat pants. Her sides were rising and falling at a tremendous rate, her normally flawless hair a mess. Vinyl stood over her, her hands on her hips shaking her head in disappointment. She was wearing almost the same set of clothes, minus the head band and leg warmers but in a delicate violet color.

“You’re never gonna get in shape for your Orchestra thing like this,” Groaned Vinyl. “Push ups aren’t even that hard!” she ended flatly as she raised her hand and pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation.

Push ups…I knew that. No I didn’t, but I tried my best to play it off, even though my face was redder than an apple.

“I…see you two are um…having fun.” I said cautiously as I stood in the door way trying to calm down.

“I was trying to get twinkle hooves here in shape for her big show this week.” Vinyl grumbled as she tapped Octavia lightly with her foot.

Octavia was apparently out cold on the ground, pale like if she had seen something horrible. My brow furrowed with worry.

“Is that supposed to happen?” I asked, pointing to her.

Scratch looked at me questioningly, slowly following my gaze and then poker faced.

“Hoh my gosh!” she screeched, quickly scurrying out of the room and to the kitchen her glasses almost falling to the floor. She returned with a cup of water, kneeling down and lifting the face of the pale unconscious mess on the floor, splashing water in it.

Octavia’s eyes opened wide, gasping in shock as her eyes shot about the room and her color instantly exploded back in place.

“What in Equestria would possess you to do that?!”

“You being practically dead on the floor.”

Octavia quickly gathered herself, brushing off her pants and stamping to the bathroom.

“I am going to bathe…” she hissed over her shoulder.

“Well, I guess I’ll make something special since you guys have been working so-” I began, holding my chin with my index and thumb in thought but then paused. “Wait….what the hell are you doing here?” I questioned, squinting in Vinyl’s direction.
She looked at me blankly, staring at me with her magenta eyes and just shrugged.

“I got bored.”

***

Some time had passed, roughly ten minutes or so and I had the mix set. I was making a fish stew kind of thing. I wasn’t the best cook but I could mix stuff that just wound up tasting good sometimes. I had just defrosted a fish that I had bought a few days prior when I heard a loud crash come from the bathroom. Immediately my Spidey senses began tingling and I turned to Vinyl who aimlessly wandered into the kitchen a few minutes ago, shoving the fish in her hands.

“Hold my bass! I need to go see what happened!”

I turned and sprinted to the bath, swinging the door open. Octavia was on the floor of the tub, her hand on her back as she winced painfully. The shower head was still running and made her peachy skin glimmer in the light, her hair hanging low from the weight of the sponged up water. Her breasts cradled atop the forearm of her free arm. If this was an anime, I dare say I would have died from blood loss via nose bleed. Sexual “misadventures” seemed to be happening a lot lately with these damned pony people.

Then there was a faint plop and a short gasp from the kitchen.

“What happened?” I called over my shoulder, trying to keep the embarrassment from my voice.

“Um…I dropped it…” I heard her call back.

***

After some effort, I got the food ready. Octavia got cleaned up after her fall and Vinyl…well…she was kinda just there. I served everyone some food and we dug in hungrily. Though some of us preferring to exercise table manners while others not so much. The table had gotten kind of quiet so I decided to break the silence.

“So,” I started, looking up to Octavia. “Think you’re ready for this week?”

“Most definitely, I have my sheet music memorized and I’ve been practicing ever since Miss O’Neal told me I would take part.” She answered with a small nod, clearly confident if not cocky.

“Don’t get full of yourself now, Octi. Remember what happened at your Hoofington recital?” Scratch asked with a mischievous grin, poking at her side.

Octavia’s face flushed with shame and began to twirl the end of her hair with her finger.

“I told you never to speak of that again…” she muttered sheepishly.

I looked between the two questioningly.

“What happened at Hoofington?”

Vinyl glanced at me with an expression that said ‘Shit went down, bro’ and took in a breath ready to tell me everything but was interrupted by a fist in her face. I wasn’t expecting it, me nearly hopping out of my chair as Vinyl tumbled over holding her nose tenderly. Octavia lifting another spoonful of stew to her mouth neatly, though her eyebrow twitched irritably.

“If you like, I am more than willing to play some for you.” She suggested, her voice eerily calm as she side glanced the neon blue haired woman writhing on the floor in pain with a satisfied smirk.

“O-okay…” I retorted, hugging the back to my chair in both shock and genuine fear.

Octavia rose, striding over to the studio with me following behind her. All the while replaying the punch in my head, my brain even had the courtesy to add some sound effects. As her fist made contact with Vinyl’s face, I heard loudly in my head: “FALCON PUNCH!” When she hit the ground I heard: “FLAWLESS VICTORY!” We reached the room and she pushed open the door, walking inside and gathering her instrument. I just went over and sat at my computer chair.

She applied a coat of rosin to her bow and then placed it firmly on the C chord, getting into position and then swiping the bow along the instrument. Instantly a lovely melody began to ooze out as she played, her arm rising and falling with each note struck perfectly and her other hand pressing down and releasing with accuracy and grace that would rival even the most talented of people. Her eyes closed as the music lulled her into a state of what would seem like no return and she swayed her head with the rhythm. The cello’s moans and coo’s all mixing together in a batter of euphoria and sprayed about for the rest of the world to embrace with a loving kiss. This piece put the one she merely put together on the spot in the music room on campus to shame as I felt almost pulled into Octavia’s mind, or maybe even her very soul. Beautiful, benevolent and lovely.

To be continued...