Author's Note
First chapter.Around the "music" area, try listening to this for a reference http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3g9VV86HyY . More of a prologue. Help me out and give me an idea of how to improve my style. Thanks in advance!
Of New Beginnings
“Hey Octy, ya need anything?”
“No, not yet.”
Vinyl was an odd mare to say the least. Night brought about her wild raves, while day brought a disturbing calm to her. She slept, ate, partied, and did it some more. I never really understood her most days.
We’d moved in together a couple months back. We’d had to look at an apartment for the two of us. Seems we weren’t in such different circumstances after all. Can’t help it when you have a gig gone horribly wrong. Musicians know this pain more than we’d like. Regardless, I’d had trouble paying the bills, so I had to find a better alternative, which came in the form of a pony. The way we met was rather unpleasant. Feeling down after the Gala fiasco where that pink monstrosity, who is most likely straight from Tartarus, got on stage and began to send things spiraling that night, particularly when she grabbed my bow and ran it across the strings without thinking of the damages. I had to get a new bow. After we left the Gala, I decided to try to drown out the event with music I couldn’t quite stand, the type that shook clubs and effectively made one forget their sorrows when paired with some wine. I must’ve had too much to drink because I’d been looking at the Dj when I blacked out, only to find the Dj and myself in my old apartment. Don’t ask me how she knew where I lived, because I couldn’t even get a straight answer.
“Looks like someone finally woke up!”
“What happened?” I asked, simply staring.
She didn’t skip on the details, mainly of myself trying to hit it off with her and several other ponies, with her being the last. She knew I was drunk and brought me back to make sure I didn’t get into trouble with anypony else that night. Things just went to small talk then; gratitude, profession, why I’d end up in there in the first place, things like that.
“Ya know, I really like you Octy.” she said, a grin on her face.
As soon as I heard the nickname I knew there was no point into shrugging her and everything else off.
“My name is not ‘Octy’. I told you before, I’m Octavia. See? More syllables, more pronunciation.”
“Yeah, sure. Anyway, I think I should be going. I have a gig tomorrow and I didn’t get much rest yet. We should hang out sometime, just drop me a beat when you’re up for it.”
She left right after that, leaving a phone number and curiosity in her wake. I decided to at least get to know her, just let things sort themselves out. At least, until the gig. You know what happened from there.
With the next gigs, we were able to scrounge up enough to get some new furniture. Out with the old, in with the new.
We still had a bit too much time on our hands. She was always listening to music or trying to catch up on any music she’d been unable to finish before. I was reading or writing a piece that focused on cello. I’d been working on it for a while, never getting it quite right.
“Octavia, are you alright? You seem rather upset.” Frederic toned in.
“Oh, yes. I’m fine. Just financial issues that I need to sort out. Nothing large, I assure you.”
Harpsy and Brass Beauty just closed their eyes and nodded slightly. Like I said, gigs gone wrong are not pretty. We ended rehearsal early.
We sat at the dining room table, just eating. Vinyl had already finished hers, and seemed to be eyeing the other half of my sandwich. To be honest, I wasn’t going to be able to finish it.
“Do you want the rest of this sandwich?”
Soon we had our fill and continued with other things. This time, she decided to study my work rather than hers, watching diligently as I wrote. Every stroke followed with accuracy by her red-violet eyes. They were rather beautiful I must admit.
After a half hour, the silence was broken.
“Whatcha doing?”
Oddly calm, probably just confused.
“Writing music. My own personal performance.”
“Looks like you’ve put a lot of work into it. I don’t s’pose I could hear it?”
“I thought you preferred that Dubstrep or whatever it is.”
“Well, yeah, I like it. And I don’t just do dubstep, I focus on trance and house mainly. I just wanna have a calmer night for once, ya know? A little less of those drunk stallions hitting on everypony they see, a little more beauty; some true beauty to appreciate.”
Who knew. She does seem rather serious about it…
“I, suppose I could show you. Just take a seat.”
After getting out my cello, I started playing, the piece mainly of the style and tone of some Coltic varieties.
Every time I looked back a my music, she was just staring, wide eyes, carefully watching the paired movements of my hooves (and likely other things when I wasn’t looking), as I played. I got to the point that I’d written to today and stopped.
“That was beautiful, Tavi.”
“It’s nothing really. Rather simply compared to some other pieces. Thank you.”
Flashback: Years ago. Transition to one of the few real houses in Canterlot. A filly can be seen through a window, trying to practice on an instrument a bit too large for her at the time. Cue simple somber melodies; a few screechy notes every now and then.
A high voice breaks the following silence.
“Mother, how was that?”
“Very good for your fifth day playing. Please, keep working on your music. It will get you a long way here.”
“What if I mess up?”
“If you keep at it, the music will begin to flow through you, like water through a river. You are a talented filly, Octavia. Always remember that.”
“Yes mother. Thank you.”
It was the most fulfilling time of my life. I still miss her…
“Tavi…? Octavia, you okay? Maybe I should try waving that stuff she puts on her bow under her nose…”
“Vinyl, I’m fine, and please don’t touch the rosin.”
“Are you sure you’re ok? You were just staring off for a while there.”
“Just a bit of nostalgia, that’s all.”
“If you say so…. Octavia, could I convince you to play some more if I get you some of that fancy grape juice you like?”
“Okay Octavia, can we add just a little more… Well, just something to it?”
Vinyl had decided to use my cello as an influence in her newest song. As it turns out, she didn’t quite think it right when I played it, so we’d been at it for hours trying to get it to her liking. Seemed like it would never end at that rate.
“Vinyl, I can’t quite understand your musical vocabulary, especially when my brain has been trying to work at your masterpiece for this long.”
“Well, maybe we can hold off on this for a little while.” She tried to hide her disappointment from the idea of waiting. However, she picked herself up from it rather quickly.
There was a rather long silence. Neither of us really knew what to say. We just sat on the disappointment, waiting for the other to speak up. She decided to break the silence.
“So… Octy, do you have anything to do tomorrow?”
“Well, there really isn’t much difference throughout a normal week for me; practice in the morning, lunch, and then personal time turning to working with you. Why do you ask?” She seemed to be developing a bit of a blush now.
“If it isn’t t-too much trouble, I was hoping you would maybe like to have a taste of different music for once? I have a gig tonight in Ponyville so…” Her horn glowed as she levitated a small ticket in front of me. “Would you like to go?”
Perhaps I do need to get out a little more, and I can’t say I’ve been to Ponyville before. I smiled, “I’d love to, Vinyl.”
As I grabbed the ticket with my teeth, a thought entered my mind. “Sho Vinyl, hoo ish thish pharty for?” I asked.
Great, with how that sounded, I may as well play the party of a country girl. Note to self: never talk with your mouth full, and actually remember it this time.
The day went on as usual, a couple hours of arranging music, making a little dinner before we went, and then I helped Vinyl load her stuff onto a carriage; what looked like black luggage bags were filled with amps, sound controls, wires, everything she could ever need there, excluding lighting, as she was told they’d already have some. When I heard that, I could barely hide the relief of knowing that I wouldn’t have to drag anything else to the carriage.
Not too long after that, the stallion at the reins was given where we were going, and he gave the stallion up in front directions and to us, the fee, plus some extra for the help we needed loading the bags onto the train, I wanted to give them more, but they declined. And then we were truly on our way.
The countryside was beautiful, Canterlot fading off into the distance, with rolling hills as far as I could see. Most ponies were reading or talking with family or friends, but I was one of the only ones just staring out the window.
I really need to get out more, maybe for inspiration or something of the sort.
The trip lasted maybe an hour at best, and we, once again, needed to hire a carriage, or more so a cart in this case, and a stallion. I didn’t know him, but Vinyl seemed to, since she started a bit of a one sided conversation of Vinyl asking a question or making a comment, and then a deep “eeyup” or “nope”. I think she called him Big Mac… I’ll admit that he was large, in good shape, and thank Celestia he wasn’t a spurriod junky like that one Bulk Biceps pegasus I’d seen only once before.
Vinyl and myself asked if he had wanted help, but he came out with every piece of equipment stacked on his back, and promptly answered “Nope.” as he always seemed to. Luckily the bags were padded, because he tried to get them all in the way he had them on his back, except sideways. The stack fell onto the cart, a couple bags or cases or whatever you wish to call them, bouncing out onto the platform instead. We all grabbed a bag or two and set them in, with Big Mac prompting us to get on in back. He didn’t seem to have any trouble.
Two hours later, I still couldn’t understand what she was talking about.
“Octy, put this cable into that light fixture and the control.”
“We need an HDMI in that soundsystem and mixing table.”
It went on and one, with me being clueless and her trying to teach me things like what this cable did, or how this system worked. Eventhough she ended up having to do most of the work, she seemed satisfied, and we finally had time to look around at what was to come; pinks, blues, yellows. All light colors with game stands, a pinata, a table just overflowing with sweets that I was going to slaughter, and a couple ponies setting up other things, like signs, more games, and party favors. We didn’t have much time to drink it all in, because the next thing I heard immediately brought back very, very bad memories…
“Leeeeet’s PARTY!”
I started scrambling towards Vinyl,hoping to hide behind her before that monstrosity appeared. “HIDE ME! NOW!”
As I hid, all I could hear was the sound of it hopping and some talking beyond that. Everything was quiet until I was suddenly forced to my hooves, an arm wrapped around me, throwing me into a state of shock
“Hey there! Welcome to Ponyvi- oh wait you’re new! Well not to me but to here so this just became the Fluttershy-birthday-and-Welcome- Wait, what’s your name again?”
I honestly could not say a word as the mare just kept talking. There was a small moment of bliss before Vinyl yelled something through her now blaring music and the onslaught continued.
“-I still don’t know what to call it, chimmicherry, or cherrychonga. Chimmicherry, cherrychonga?”
Somepony pleeeease kill me now… Anyway would be fine, I honestly don’t care as long as I get away from HER. Oh sweet Celestia banish me, then again this thing would probably come find me just to keep this all up.
I actually snapped out my own loathing with a hoof waving in my face.
“Octaviaaaa! Equestria to cello, do you read? Vinyl, I don’t think she’s ok.”
“Hold on, I got this. Oh Tavi! Time to drop the-”
I knew what she tried everytime she said “drop the bass”. I don’t even know how she had it, or had snuck it past me, but she had my cello, on top of a larger speaker and she held it in her magic off the side. I’d grown accustomed to having to work with this, so before she had even finished I had run over, jumped, and grabbed my cello with the accompanying bow. Immediately I whacked the back of her head with the bow.
“Ow.. See PP, she’s ok, just needed some ‘encouragement’!”
And that’s where I lost it. Even though the music drowned out everything, I kept throwing out harmful words at her as she laughed at my “adorableness” as she called it.
“Vinyl what in Tartarus were you thinking! You could have hurt Charles! Why I ought to get a personal request to banish you right now!” And it went on for another 5 minutes. Eventually, it just devolved into myself attempting to slap her, but she held me back with a well place hoof.
“Finished?” she said, standing over me. Slapping takes a lot of energy, to say the least.
“I *huff* I suppose I am…”
And then it started talking again. Well, more like pushed me again.
“Ok Octavia, I saw you eyeing those sweets, so…”
I’d been walked over to the table, given a seat, and sat down, without noticing. But then again, it is hard to concentrate on anything when you hate something as much as I did. What I did notice was the stuffing of my face by a pink pony, who named every single delicacy in order.
“...and I call this the MMM, these are Apple Family Apple Fritters-”
“Coulf ah geh a drink…?”
“Here ya go!”
She already had one ready by the time I’d finished my sentence, so I took a sip as soon as I got it. I couldn’t quite place it, but something felt, off, for lack of a better word.
“P-pinkie… What all was in that drink?” A certain warm feeling started making it’s presence apparent.
“Oh, just grape juice, ice, hot sauce-”
“Wait wha-AAAAAAH! HOTHOTHOTHOTHOT!”
It burned like the surface of the sun, and I panicked, galloping around yelling and looking for something that would help me. Eventually, I think my mouth caught on fire. The pink one showed up in a firemare outfit with a fire extinguisher, while making a siren sound. I stopped right in front of her for a couple seconds, trotting in place before getting blasted with high pressured milk.
The fire in my mouth was gone, but the pink one didn’t give me any time, introducing me to everypony. I made mental notes on who I may want to keep in touch with, namely two mares by the names of Rarity and Twilight.
Good to know there are still some ponies who have taste around here.
The night went on, Vinyl only stopping for speeches and announcements, including the tyical “birthday” song. We packed up, caught a train, and headed back, with the lights of Canterlot visible the entire trip, or I thought. I decided to Try to get some sleep on the way, and I awoke on our couch with her across the room from me, in her own little dream world. Sometimes I think she does too much.
Author's Note
Sorry for the wait, but school and such prevents a lot. I don't really consider myself as a writer, but when writing something like this, words and ideas take time, they need time to settle and grow. For any writer it really depends for how long it can take, especially when thoughts become lost, but they are filled by new-and-often-times-better ideas. No writer knows how long their work will take, ever. I hope you all like it. Personally I think I did better this time, as opposed to the first chapter. Questions, comments, and anything else, just drop them below. :)
