Love Is Blindby JP JacksonChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 1Vinyl felt around the MIDI keyboard, navigating her hooves across the smooth piano keys. Memory was her only guide to find the keys she needed. Most people said that it would be impossible for a blind pony to compose music. But those that knew her knew she wasn’t the kind of mare to let a little thing like not being able to see stop her. She beeped out a melody on the key board. It was good but it needed a little oomph. “Add an arpegiator to that melody,” She said. The computer let out a compliant beep and the melody was edited accordingly. She smiled at the new sound and pulled off her headphones. She was sure that she would be able to make music without it, but the VoCommand program that her dad had rigged up for her was a huge help. The program worked as a mod to her DAW so that she could use all of the thousand plus features that the program contained without having to somehow blindly make her way through the list. She spun lazily in the chair holding onto the arms witch we riddled with braille buttons each corresponding to one of the programs on her computer. She pressed one to open her jTunes and slipped her headphones over her ears letting the music clear out her mind. After a while she felt a tap on her shoulder. She rolled her head along the back of the chair and slipped her headphones off. “Yes?” she asked in the direction of where the tap came. “Have you finished packing yet?” Said the low voice of her mother. Vinyl groaned and slumped down in her chair. “Oh come on now!” Her mother said, her voiced moved away around the room. Probably examining the poorly packed boxes they lay around the rooms. “Kind of?” Vinyl replied smiling sheepishly. She could feel the disapproving glare her mother was giving her. “Vinyl,” she snapped. “You are a young mare moving into her first apartment, you need to do better than this.” Vinyl moaned and slipped off her chair. She wondered over to where one of the boxes sat dejectedly, waiting to be filled. She lifted the box using her magic to feel around for where it was, then she sloppily shoved a few sweatshirts and boots into it and tossed it onto of a lopsided crate holding old stereo equipment. Vinyl turned to her mother. “Anything else mein führer?” She asked. Her mother groaned and walked out of the room, leaving Vinyl to return to her music. *** The cart ride from New Yoke to Ponyville was longer than Vinyl could bear! She slumped in the back seat and groaned awakening her sleeping father. “What’s wrong now?” he grunted. “How long have we been on this hell ride!?” “Ten minutes, learn some patience Vinyl.” Vinyl slumped back into her seat and pulled her headphones out of her bag and turned on her music. She tried to fall asleep but the cart ride made for rough travel and at every bump she was launched up and landed back down roughly onto the padded seat. She was amazed that her father had the energy to sleep. “If this goes on much longer,” she said as the cart went over a particularly bad bump. “I’ll never be able to sit again!” But the odyssey finally came to a close when the cart pulled to a stop in front of (what she assumed to be) her condo. She slipped out of the cart assisted by her dad and used her magic to guide herself to the door. She lifted the little doormat and pulled out what felt like a small key she unlocked the door and stepped in. “Hey! Not bad!” Her dad said behind her. “You even have some furniture.” Vinyl concentrated her magic and sent a wave of energy through the house. This way she could learn where everything was without even needing to see. They were in a front room with a couch and a reading lamp, There was a second floor with an empty bedroom and a bathroom. “It’ll do.” She said finally, stepping in and plopping herself onto the couch. As she did the cushion springs gave out under her and she sunk into the dusty heap. After one or two good tugs and thirty minute break so that her dad could rest his back she pulled herself out of the frame. “That’ll be the first thing to go.” She hissed brushing herself off. “Wat iz thees?” a voice called from the doorway. Vinyl glanced up and did a quick spell; it was an earth pony stallion, very old and feeble. She heard him step closer and took a few steps back herself as she smelled the stench emanating from him. “Um who are-.” “I am landlord! Who are jyou?” screamed the stallion moving up right into Vinyl’s face. “Um, I’m Vinyl, your new tenant, remember? We met two weeks ago.” “Oh, jyes. I see now,” he stepped back and Vinyl took in a breath of clean air. “Jyou are blind one, jyes?” He asked “As far as I can tell,” She replied, wiping a bit of spit that had flown onto her mussel in the landlord’s fit. He grumbled something under his breath and turned to her father. “You have first month payment?” Vinyl left them to work out the payment and began to wander around the house. Even though it had a second floor it wasn’t very big. She ascended the stairs quickly hoping to get a better scan of the bedroom when she collided with a figure coming down. Vinyl panicked and quickly scanned the figure she wasn’t able to get a good look at it, but she did see, it was holding a knife! “BURGERLER!” she screamed and ran down the stairs. This was just what she needed! Firs her couch collapses and now she was being robbed the figure shouted something but Vinyl was already down the steps and hiding behind her father by the time he reached them. “AH! Ms. Melody! Have you finished packing?” Ms? “Yes,” a female voice responded. Vinyl stepped out from behind her meat shield and stared at where the voice had come from. Now that she was able to get a better scan she saw that it was a mare about her own age and the knife she had though she saw was only a bow for a string instrument. The landlord stepped between the two mares. “Ms. Scratch, meet Ms. Octavia Melody. She will be in neighboring condo!” Vinyl stared in front of her. “What on earth was she doing her then?” she asked. “I was helping Mr. Neighdolf here move out, this used to be his condo.” “I am upgrading to private home in Las Pegasus!” Said the landlord. “Now, who pay me?” Octavia took Vinyl’s ankle and led her out the front door. “The two of them will be talking for hours about the price; you can relax at my place until they’re done.” “Um, thanks but-.” “Don’t mention it!” The mare frog marched Vinyl across the front of the house to a second door. There she pulled out a key unlocked and pushed the door open. Vinyl’s super sensitive nose was assaulted by the aroma of lavender and clean linen. She walked into the room briefly scanning it to get an overview. The room was so elaborately furnished and decorated that it made Vinyl’s crumbling condo look like a room from a condemned building. Octavia tugged her across the room and plopped her onto the couch. “Do you want anything to drink?” “Um, no, I-.” The mare ignored her and plopped herself next to her on the couch. “You’re… blind, right?” “Yeah, last time I checked any way,” she was getting a little tired of this question. “Well just so you know, I volunteer at the old pony’s home so I have experience working with the blind,” The Earth pony said handing Vinyl a key. “If you ever need help, come get me.” Vinyl took the key muttering her thanks. She then rose from the couch. “I probably should get back to my place pretty soon...” she said. Octavia let out a huff of discontent. “Its true city people ARE always in a rush!” Chapter 2The next few days passed in a haze for Vinyl. It was all a blur of packing, unpacking, repacking looking for things that were lost while packing, and finding the sad remains of things that were broken from improper packing. After she had thrown away the last box she collapsed on the sofa (mended with several rolls of duct tape) and was about to fall asleep when a click from the front door alerted her to someone’s entrance, she sat up ready to run. “Who’s there?” she asked to the air “It’s me,” Octavia’s voice responded. Vinyl slumped back in her seat and moaned. The earth pony had come over every day to “help” her unpack, and as grateful as Vinyl was, she needed some time alone to relax. She forced a smile anyway and turned to properly greet the mare. “Morning, how are you?” she said in forced polite tone. “Fine thanks. It’s awfully drab in here don’t you think?” Octavia asked, either missing or ignoring Vinyl’s tone, her voice moving to the couch. “No point in art,” Vinyl replied plainly. She could feel the discomfort emanating from Octavia. “I-I’m sorry I… forgot-.” “FORGOT!? HOW DARE YOU!” Vinyl screamed. “I-I-I-!” Octavia panicked wondering what to say to the furious unicorn, how to apologize for her faux pa. Then Vinyl let out a whooping laugh, clutching her stomach and rolling against the wall convulsing with mirth. “You’re too easy to troll Octavia,” she sobbed through tears of laughter. Vinyl got up and skipped to the small fridge that her even smaller kitchen held, her mood lifted by her little prank. “What can I get you?” Octavia let out a sigh of relief. “Just water is fine,” she said, sitting on the couch. Vinyl flipped open a cupboard and pulled out two glasses with her magic. Filling one with water from the tap and one with soda for herself she levitated both glasses over to the couch and handed the water to Octavia. “That’s amazing!” Octavia said, her voice drenched in awe. “It’s just plain old country water,” Vinyl replied chuckling, taking a sip from her drink. “Not that,” Octavia said her voice flustered now “Just… how can you do stuff like this when…” “When I can’t see?” Vinyl asked. Octavia’s only response was silence. Vinyl smiled in what she hoped to be a reassuring way. “It’s all right, yes I am blind it’s not rude to say it. It’s like saying that a Zebra is a Zebra it’s not raciest, its fact.” “Well then… how?” Vinyl smiled she was starting to like her little neighbor mare. *** Octavia came over pretty much every day after that, the two mares would sit and talk for hours on end with not a care in the world. Then one day Octavia asked that fateful question, the kind of question that can shatter friendships and end relationships. “So what do you plan to do in life?” Vinyl squirmed uncomfortably in her seat next to Octavia on the couch. This was not a new question; her father had asked her it almost every day since she had graduated from university and come back home. Getting away from that question was one of the reasons that she had found this place. “Um, well…” she began awkwardly. Even though she had given this more though than anything else in her life she still felt like the answer was inadequate. “I’m trying to start up a DJ service.” Octavia gasped with excitement. “That’s so cool!” She exclaimed. Her sudden burst of fangirl was interrupted by the clashing ring of a glass smashing to the floor. “I’m so sorry! She cried leaping from the couch as Vinyl began to levitate the broken pieces into a pile. “No worries,” Vinyl replied coolly, she then calmly assembled the pieces and laid them in order on the table. Then, letting out a wave of magic she pulled the pieces back together, reforming the cup. Octavia let out a laugh and examined the cup; there was no sign that she had just knocked it off the table. Vinyl smiled and stood up. “Shall we go upstairs?” “Wh-why?” Octavia’s voice showed that this little pony’s mind wasn’t as clean as it should have been. Vinyl smirked evilly. “So that I can show you my horn’s other uses.” She replied licentiously, licking her lips. A flustered wave of unrelated syllables flowed from Octavia’s direction each one counteracting the last. “I-we-I don’t-well-but-I-!” Vinyl laughed at her friend’s confusion. “So that I can show you my DJing setup, Octopus, get your head out of the gutter!” Octavia huffed and crossed her forelegs defensively. “How you lead me on so!” she huffed sounding almost a little disappointed. *** Once they reached her bedroom and Vinyl flipped on the switch Octavia let out a gasp. The bedroom was stark contrast to the barren front room. One wall was taken by Vinyl’s bed which had been modified so that two subwoofers made up the headboard. Next to it sat several towers of CDs each carefully labeled in braille. Then Octavia’s eyes found the most important part of the room. Vinyl’s Computer, it was a masterpiece. Four active speakers, two high-rez monitors, and a soundcard so big Vinyl had set up an extra table for it to rest on. Vinyl walked over to the monstrosity and punched the power button, razing the beast to life. It let out a low rumble like the purring of a lion then the screens flicked on and Vinyl slid into the office chair in front of it. “Open LoopyFruits,” she said to the computer. It let out a friendly beep and a program opened up. A dozen or more colored bars each in a column. Vinyl pressed a key on a pad that sat next to her. To Octavia’s amazement: A drum stated playing, beating out an even pattern. She looked down to see that her hoof was beating along with the rhythm. “You want to try it?” Vinyl asked. “What? But I don’t know how to use that!” “Don’t worry! I’ve already written all the clips, all you have to do is play them.” Vinyl slid out of the chair and offered it to Octavia. She slid into it, nervously examining the monitor and the key pad. She looked back at Vinyl then cautiously pressed on of the keys a wobbling bass began playing to accompany the drums. “That’s it!” Vinyl extorted “Play some more!” Octavia turned back to the pad. She pressed a second key. “MOTHA’ BUCKING BASS!” the computer shouted, causing Octavia to jump and sending Vinyl into a wave of laughter. “Here,” she said through hiccupping breaths. “Let me help you.” She stepped up next to her and placed her front hooves on top of Octavia’s guiding her across the pad. “Do it like I do,” she said. “Look with your ears, not your eyes.” Octavia closed her eyes, she listened to the beat of the drums, Vinyl guided her to a key, not yet don’t press it yet. NOW! She pressed the key and led the drums into perfect time with the new lead she had brought in. She opened her eyes. “I did it!” She exclaimed. Vinyl finished the song for Octavia and then began to show her how she wrote the music clips. “Each clip is a loop of one bar,” she said opening a new one. “So every time I lead one clip into another I don’t need to worry about where I start.” She looked up at Octavia. “I’ve been trying to add another sub-lead to the song, but I can’t find anything that works.” “Well don’t look at… oh I’m sorry…” “Hmm? What?” “I wasn’t thinking… about your condition…” “My what? What are you talking about?” “… Never mind.” Shaking the bizarre incident from her mind she signaled for the earth pony to come closer. Octavia stepped up next to Vinyl and examined the clip carefully. “Does this program have a cello by any chance?” “Yeah, but what good would that do? This is Progressive House, not Classical.” “Progressive what?” Vinyl rolled her head back in frustration. “Never mind…” Vinyl opened up the cello and let Octavia take the chair. She watched as the young mare began to, slowly, add notes to the clip. Every now and then she would hold her hooves up as if playing an invisible instrument, pausing shaking her head she would return to add more notes. “Ok… I think that should be enough,” she said climbing from the chair. “When do the clips come in?” Vinyl asked sliding into the chair. “Oh… I though you could just throw them in.” Vinyl turned to Octavia, a look of disbelief on her face. “What?” the earth pony blustered, “you’re the DJ here!” Vinyl shook her head and turned back to the computer, it was a sub-lead, it should be fine coming in with the main lead on bar 16. Vinyl started up the drums. Counting with her hoof beating out a rhythm on the desk she then put both leads in and… “This sucks…” Vinyl moaned “it’s in the completely wrong key!” “I’m sorry,” Octavia answered. “I play cello for the Canterlot orchestra, I thought- ” “Holy sun butt, you play in Canterlot?” “Yes… my father has… connections, he helped me get a place in the string ensemble.” “Well,” Vinyl continued “it doesn’t completely suck, like I said it’s only in the wrong key, we just have to bump the notes around a bit.” She turned to Octavia, smiling. “You willing to help me out a bit more?” Chapter 3After about a week, they had gotten through the whole song with minimal mess-ups. Vinyl smiled at her young student proudly. “You’re not half bad,” she said. “How about leaving that dusty old orchestra and coming to work for me?” “Thanks,” Octavia replied stepping down out of the chair. “But I think Cello is more than enough for me.” Vinyl opened her mouth to ask a question of the earth pony, but quickly snapped it shut. “What?” Octavia asked. “It’s just… nothing… just a stupid question.” “OH come on! Were friends, you can tell me!” “Well… can I touch your face?” Octavia was stunned, that had come out of left field. “What?” “It’s just so that I can get a better view of you, a better Idea of what you look like, nothing creepy.” Octavia complied and stepped forward reluctantly. Vinyl razed her front hoof to the earth pony’s face and gently stroked it. Her coat was incredibly soft, and her face was strangely warm. Vinyl finished and stepped back smiling. “You’re pretty hot!” she said whistling. “I-I need to go!” Octavia blustered. She galloped down the stairs grabbed the saddle bag she had come with and charged out the front door. “See you then…” Vinyl said to the empty room. *** Weeks passed deprived of word from her friend. Without Octavia bursting in every five minutes asking if she had time to chat, Vinyl was amassed with how much free time she had. She kept herself occupied by working on her music or staring blankly into space. Eventually she decided to call on the little earth pony and ask her what was up. Taking the key that Octavia had lent her she walked across the front of the building and unlocked her neighbor’s door. As soon as she did her ears were graced by a haunting melody. A low buzzing, that of a stringed instrument, permeated the house. Vinyl wandered in drawn by the haunting melodies. She followed the sound, hoping that it would lead her to her to her vanishing neighbor. At the top of the stairs Vinyl let out a puff of magic to locate the source of the music. It led her to the bedroom. The whole condo was a mirror of her’s so she found it difficult to navigate. Finally she pushed open the door and the music was amplified. She stood there for a while silently listening to the dark melodies. The song had a quick tempo, it would have sounded happy on any other instrument, but the low voice of the cello gave it a sad quality. Suddenly the music stopped. “VINYL! What are you doing here!?” “Keep playing,” she said. There was a moment of stillness then the song started up again. Vinyl pulled her laptop out of her saddlebag and booted it up. “What in Equestria are you doing?” “Just keep playing, ignore me.” Octavia continued the melody and Vinyl beet out a quick rhythm on her drum pad. Kick, snare, kick, snare, kick, snare. “This is good,” Vinyl muttered excitedly, pulling out the tangle of the rest of her mobile studio. They continued like this for four or five minutes Vinyl setting up beats and other instruments to go along with Octavia’s playing then she stopped. “What happened?” Vinyl asked looking up from her computer. “That’s the end of the song,” Octavia replied simply. Vinyl shook her head disapprovingly. “That won’t do, start over!” Vinyl felt a slight tremor as Octavia stomped her hoof in frustration. “What is the point of all this? First you burst into my house unannounced, then you interrupt me while I’m trying to practice, then you tell me to just ignore you like you not sitting there judging me!” “Judging you? What in-.” “DON’T DENY IT!” Octavia screamed, causing vinyl to jump with fright at her friend’s sudden rage. “YOU WERE TRYING TO DO ALL THAT FANCY STUFF WITH YOU COMPUTER SO THAT MY MUSIC WOULD SOUND BETTER!” “Well, yeah, but not because you were bad…” Then Vinyl heard the strangest sound in the world. Crying. The always happy, always energetic Octavia, the same pony who had made her move bearable, was crying… “I’m sorry,” sobbed the earth pony, “please, leave.” What was going on? Octavia had always been so animated, so joyful. Slowly Vinyl backed out of the room, muttering her apologies. *** “Things have gone from bad to awkward,” Vinyl told her dad levitating him his coffee over the little table. Her father had decided to drop in and “checkup” on her or something of the like. But Vinyl was pretty sure that he was just tired of her mother. “That’s too bad,” he replied sipping the dark brew. They were discussing Vinyl’s standing with Octavia. It had been three day since Octavia’s little outburst, and Vinyl had yet to hear from her. Even the low humming of her cello had ceased. “I just don’t understand it!” Vinyl exclaimed lying next to her father on the barley functioning couch. “One minute she can’t leave me alone, the next she won’t even answer her phone!” “Do you think I could have been something you said?” he asked. “I don’t know!” Vinyl moaned and collapsed resting her head on her father’s shoulder. “She probably is just going through some hardship, give her time.” “But why hasn’t she come to me then?” Vinyl interjected. “When she was being bullied by someone in her orchestra she came to me, when her cello broke she came to me for help, even when her stupid faucet wasn’t working!” Her father looked at Vinyl in confusion. “Shouldn’t the landlord have done that?” “Mr. Neighdolf? I called him; I couldn’t hear what he was saying over the slot machines in the background.” They sat in silence for a while, each pondering the same problem and reaching the same dead ends. “Why don’t you just ask her?” her dad finally said finally, turning to his daughter. Vinyl moaned. “I don’t know if that’s okay. She seemed pretty angry last time.” “If you consider her a friend it’s your responsibility.” Her dad said plainly. Vinyl rose from the couch. He was right, it was her responsibility, Octavia had done more than her share of help for her she should do at least this for her. She head toward the door the stopped and turned to her father. “If I’m not back by evening,” she said smirking “don’t even think about touching my stuff.” Chapter 4Vinyl trotted over to the quiet condo and knocked on the front door. “Um… Octavia, it’s me, you in there?” No response, not surprising. “Um, I know we just had a big fight, but… can we talk about it?” THAT WAS HER MOVING OPENING STATEMENT? Vinyl drove her hoof into her face in frustration. CELESTIA! This was harder than she thought. “Ah…” Another brilliant statement on her part, how could she have thought about nothing but this conversation for three days and still have nothing to say? Suddenly she felt something fall of from the door and land gently on her forehoof. She picked it up, a piece of paper, probably a note that Octavia had left. “Back already?” her father asked when she strode into the front room of her condo. “Can you read this to me?” she asked handing him the paper. He took it and clearing his throat he read: “Gone for a walk, out all evening. –Octavia.” Vinyl moaned, great! Now she would never be able to find her! Who takes an all-night walk? Once her father had left to return home she decided to go up to her room and work on her music. As she did she kept thinking about Octavia and what she should say. “Hey what’s wrong, what’s the matter with you? Why have you suddenly disappeared? Why are you blocking me out!?” Eventually her eyelids began to droop, her breathing slowed and she fell asleep in her chair. *** Vinyl was roused from her sleep by a shake on her shoulder. “nmmm… what? Who’s there?” “It’s me,” a very familiar voice replied. Vinyl near jumped out of her seat in response to her friend’s sudden appearance. “Octavia! What? Where have you-?” Octavia quickly hushed Vinyl and place her hoof over her mouth to keep her from talking. “I’ll explain later, come with me.” She grabbed her foreleg and dragged the unicorn down the stairs and out the front door. From her internal clock she could tell that she hadn’t been asleep more than an hour. Where on earth was Octavia taking her so late in the day? She led her through the streets for a long while, until Vinyl felt a change in the air and guessed that they had entered the forest. “Octavia what are you-?” “Shh! We’re almost there!” Finally, Octavia stopped and let go of Vinyl’s hand. Vinyl perked up her ears; below her she heard a waterfall. She felt sturdy rock underneath her hooves and cool mist beat against her face. “Where are we?” “A waterfall in Everfree, I found this place when I was a kid,” Octavia replied. “Ok, why are we here?” Vinyl asked siting down next to the cellist. “Isn’t it beautiful?” “Well… I wouldn’t be the best judge of that now would I?” “But can’t you just feel it?” “Octavia, where have you been? I’ve bee trying to contact you for days! I must have left like twelve gazillion messages on your phone!” Octavia sat down and let her head fall onto Vinyl’s side. “I’ve been thinking some stuff over.” “Like what?” Vinyl shifted and rested her back against Octavia’s. “My father wants me to get married!” Octavia laughed. “I’m only 19! And I have to already think about marriage!” “Plus isn’t it the colt’s job to propose? I’m all for equal rights, but you seem like more of a traditionalist.” “That isn’t my main problem either,” she said with a sigh. Vinyl smiled this was how it should be, how it should always be. Her and her Octopus, talking, just talking nothing in the world to keep them from it. “Vinyl, I… are you listening?” “Hmm? Sorry my mind wandered.” “This is very hard for me to say so please pay attention.” Vinyl rolled her head and ‘looked’ at Octavia. “Shoot then,” she said. Vinyl felt Octavia’s whole body tense up against hers. “Vinyl, I… believe I have developed feelings for you!” The earth pony had let it out all so quickly that Vinyl almost missed it. “Well… maybe you’re not as much of a traditionalist as I expected.” “Vinyl please this is serious! My father is coming down from Canterlot with a young colt in tow! Oh I Just know he’s going to be some dry old bore!” “Whoa, language!” “What should I do? I don’t even know if I like colts anymore!” “Calm down we’ll think of something.” The two of them spent the evening discussing plans, talking about what to do if her dad forced her to marry, what to do if they somehow couldn’t meet up. Vinyl enjoyed every second of it. *** The next day, Vinyl waited at the top of the stairs listening as Octavia paced around the front room. “y’allright?” she called to her. No response. The two of them had spent almost all of last night discussing what to do and had finally come up with a plan so complex and intricate that Vinyl didn’t know if she could remember it all. The front door creaked open and a Stallion’s voice boomed from the front hall. “Octavia? Where are you my child?” Vinyl skittered up the stairs and hid herself behind the wall listening to the conversation below. “Daddy! It’s wonderful to see you again.” “The same to you my dear, this young gentlecolt is Noteworthy, the son of a wealthy pianist friend of mine.” “How do you do?” a third voice asked. Now the plan would begin, Octavia would put a sleeping draft in their tea, and then she would escape leaving a fake ransom note. Vinyl felt around looking for where she had left her katana. “Daddy I’m not going to marry this stallion.” Vinyl had to cover he mouth to keep from crying out. What in the name of Molestia’s fat ass was she doing? “Don’t be ridiculous child, of course you are!” “Wait what?” Noteworthy interjected. “You said you just wanted to introduce us!” “Quiet!” “I will not marry some on I don’t love.” “You’ve been reading too many romance novels Octavia, It is your responsibility as a young mare of the Melody family to marry into a good name. If Noteworthy does not tickle your fancy, there are a few other young stallions I have in mind.” “Um, might we take my opinion into account?” Noteworthy asked. “Don’t you start!” Octavia’s father yelled. “Vinyl, could you come down please?” Octavia called up the stairs. Slowly Vinyl pealed herself from the wall and slowly plodded down the stairs. She stood next to Octavia and gave her a ‘this had better bucking work’ look. Octavia threw her foreleg around Vinyl and turned to her father. “If there is anyone I am to marry it would be Vinyl!” “I can’t believe you Octavia!” her father blustered. “You, my own daughter living in sin with a-a-a RAVER!” “Hey, where I come from, that’s a complement,” said Vinyl. “Well you can crawl right back into the hell hole that spawned you and leave my daughter alone!” “Daddy, Vinyl hasn’t done anything, and we haven’t been ‘living in sin’ we only got together last night.” “At one of those wretched clubs no doubt.” “No, I’m just her neighbor…though that would have been much cooler.” Octavia’s father stepped forward and pealed Octavia off of Vinyl. “Look her you harlot!” he said, judging by the puff of breath that hit her face like a stinking summer breeze, Octavia’s father’s face was right next to hers. “There is a word in our civilized tongue called, Responsibility. Now this word can mean a great many things from needing to clean one’s room to marring into a good family.” “And down here we have a word called, No,” Vinyl replied. “Your daughter’s been saying it for quite a while I can translate it if you like, it means, ‘Buck off and let me live my own life!’” Octavia’s father growled and turned. “You will regret this decision, Octavia, and don’t come crying to me when your life goes down the drain.” With that, he left dragging the bewildered Noteworthy behind him. Octavia collapsed onto Vinyl. “We did it!” she said, shocked. The she started laughing. “I was so scared… But we did it.” “You did most of it, I just stood here and looked pretty.” The two of them laughed together for a while. “I am sad I didn’t get to use my katana though,” Vinyl said. *** “What should we do with this melody?” Vinyl asked. Octavia took off he head phones and put her bow to the stings of her cello. “Well I think a gentle vibrato to heighten the melodic tension would be good, but we also might try a dip into g minor at the downbeat, which would be better for blending the vocal harmonies.” “I love it when you talk dirty to me.” Octavia blushed and began to play, Vinyl popped on her head phones and began recording. The melody flowed like water as Octavia’s cello sung its little wooden heart out. The low tones of the cello blended perfectly to the buzzing frequencies of the synthesizer. Vinyl looked up at the clock. “Time to close up shop,” she said sliding her chair back from the desk. “Got a party I need to get to.” “Don’t be out to late,” Octavia asked gently. “Don’t worry, it’s a kid’s party, I’ll be back before its dark.” She gave Octavia a quick kiss then began packing up her things. The two of them together had set up a small DJ business and were doing quite well for themselves. They had not heard from Octavia’s father in a while, and life was peaceful, if somewhat uneventful. Vinyl trotted out the front door, horn primed with locating magic to guide her to her location. The rest of the afternoon came and went and vinyl eventually made her way back home. Forgetting to check around the corner she slammed into someone coming around the corner of the building. “Watch it!” she yelled. “Don’t speak to me that way young mare,” a chuckling voice replied. Vinyl groaned. “Hey dad…” she sighed. She led her father into the house and the two of them sat down together on the sofa. “It’s been a while since I last checked up on you.” Her father said adjusting himself into a more comfortable siting position. “yeah,” Vinyl replied “like a whole week!” He laughed and turned back to his daughter smiling. “I’ve heard from Mr. Neighdolf that you’ve started up your DJ Company.” “It’s not so much a company as it is two mares dicking a computer.” “TWO mares?” Her father said, eyebrow raised. “Vinyl, dearest is that you? Who are you talking to- OH!” The two of them turned to look as Octavia trotted down the stairs. “Hello there.” Vinyl’s father rose from the couch and introduced himself. “I’m Vinyl’s old stallion; you must be the other mare.” “Other mare?” “No worries,” Vinyl said rising from the couch to join the two. “Just one of his jokes.” Vinyl stepped over to Octavia and slung her foreleg around her. “Dad, this is my Octavia, she a cellist and all around bad ass.” “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” said Octavia looking at her lover blankly. “Pleasure’s all mine.” *** “She seems like a wonderful mare,” he father said as Vinyl walked with him to his cart. “You two make an adorable couple.” Vinyl snorted with laughter and bumped her father with her flank. “Get out‘a here old man, don’t you have some crazy old nag to get back to?” “And you you’re old porcelain doll,” he laughed. “Well I guess she’s not old… yet.” He stepped into his cart and turned to Vinyl. “You be careful now,” he said in a serious tone. “You’re not one to think before saying things, and porcelain breaks easily.” “That happened once,” Vinyl replied. “We found out I’m the glue.” Author's Note The last chapter of this story. I've never been very good at endings and I'd like some advice on how to improve. Sorry that this took so long, I haven't been able to write for awhile. I want to thank every one who Favorited and liked this story, your support kept me going. Thank you all and may Harmony be with you. If you liked this story consider favoring it and following me, it helps my work get out.
Chapter 1Vinyl felt around the MIDI keyboard, navigating her hooves across the smooth piano keys. Memory was her only guide to find the keys she needed. Most people said that it would be impossible for a blind pony to compose music. But those that knew her knew she wasn’t the kind of mare to let a little thing like not being able to see stop her. She beeped out a melody on the key board. It was good but it needed a little oomph. “Add an arpegiator to that melody,” She said. The computer let out a compliant beep and the melody was edited accordingly. She smiled at the new sound and pulled off her headphones. She was sure that she would be able to make music without it, but the VoCommand program that her dad had rigged up for her was a huge help. The program worked as a mod to her DAW so that she could use all of the thousand plus features that the program contained without having to somehow blindly make her way through the list. She spun lazily in the chair holding onto the arms witch we riddled with braille buttons each corresponding to one of the programs on her computer. She pressed one to open her jTunes and slipped her headphones over her ears letting the music clear out her mind. After a while she felt a tap on her shoulder. She rolled her head along the back of the chair and slipped her headphones off. “Yes?” she asked in the direction of where the tap came. “Have you finished packing yet?” Said the low voice of her mother. Vinyl groaned and slumped down in her chair. “Oh come on now!” Her mother said, her voiced moved away around the room. Probably examining the poorly packed boxes they lay around the rooms. “Kind of?” Vinyl replied smiling sheepishly. She could feel the disapproving glare her mother was giving her. “Vinyl,” she snapped. “You are a young mare moving into her first apartment, you need to do better than this.” Vinyl moaned and slipped off her chair. She wondered over to where one of the boxes sat dejectedly, waiting to be filled. She lifted the box using her magic to feel around for where it was, then she sloppily shoved a few sweatshirts and boots into it and tossed it onto of a lopsided crate holding old stereo equipment. Vinyl turned to her mother. “Anything else mein führer?” She asked. Her mother groaned and walked out of the room, leaving Vinyl to return to her music. *** The cart ride from New Yoke to Ponyville was longer than Vinyl could bear! She slumped in the back seat and groaned awakening her sleeping father. “What’s wrong now?” he grunted. “How long have we been on this hell ride!?” “Ten minutes, learn some patience Vinyl.” Vinyl slumped back into her seat and pulled her headphones out of her bag and turned on her music. She tried to fall asleep but the cart ride made for rough travel and at every bump she was launched up and landed back down roughly onto the padded seat. She was amazed that her father had the energy to sleep. “If this goes on much longer,” she said as the cart went over a particularly bad bump. “I’ll never be able to sit again!” But the odyssey finally came to a close when the cart pulled to a stop in front of (what she assumed to be) her condo. She slipped out of the cart assisted by her dad and used her magic to guide herself to the door. She lifted the little doormat and pulled out what felt like a small key she unlocked the door and stepped in. “Hey! Not bad!” Her dad said behind her. “You even have some furniture.” Vinyl concentrated her magic and sent a wave of energy through the house. This way she could learn where everything was without even needing to see. They were in a front room with a couch and a reading lamp, There was a second floor with an empty bedroom and a bathroom. “It’ll do.” She said finally, stepping in and plopping herself onto the couch. As she did the cushion springs gave out under her and she sunk into the dusty heap. After one or two good tugs and thirty minute break so that her dad could rest his back she pulled herself out of the frame. “That’ll be the first thing to go.” She hissed brushing herself off. “Wat iz thees?” a voice called from the doorway. Vinyl glanced up and did a quick spell; it was an earth pony stallion, very old and feeble. She heard him step closer and took a few steps back herself as she smelled the stench emanating from him. “Um who are-.” “I am landlord! Who are jyou?” screamed the stallion moving up right into Vinyl’s face. “Um, I’m Vinyl, your new tenant, remember? We met two weeks ago.” “Oh, jyes. I see now,” he stepped back and Vinyl took in a breath of clean air. “Jyou are blind one, jyes?” He asked “As far as I can tell,” She replied, wiping a bit of spit that had flown onto her mussel in the landlord’s fit. He grumbled something under his breath and turned to her father. “You have first month payment?” Vinyl left them to work out the payment and began to wander around the house. Even though it had a second floor it wasn’t very big. She ascended the stairs quickly hoping to get a better scan of the bedroom when she collided with a figure coming down. Vinyl panicked and quickly scanned the figure she wasn’t able to get a good look at it, but she did see, it was holding a knife! “BURGERLER!” she screamed and ran down the stairs. This was just what she needed! Firs her couch collapses and now she was being robbed the figure shouted something but Vinyl was already down the steps and hiding behind her father by the time he reached them. “AH! Ms. Melody! Have you finished packing?” Ms? “Yes,” a female voice responded. Vinyl stepped out from behind her meat shield and stared at where the voice had come from. Now that she was able to get a better scan she saw that it was a mare about her own age and the knife she had though she saw was only a bow for a string instrument. The landlord stepped between the two mares. “Ms. Scratch, meet Ms. Octavia Melody. She will be in neighboring condo!” Vinyl stared in front of her. “What on earth was she doing her then?” she asked. “I was helping Mr. Neighdolf here move out, this used to be his condo.” “I am upgrading to private home in Las Pegasus!” Said the landlord. “Now, who pay me?” Octavia took Vinyl’s ankle and led her out the front door. “The two of them will be talking for hours about the price; you can relax at my place until they’re done.” “Um, thanks but-.” “Don’t mention it!” The mare frog marched Vinyl across the front of the house to a second door. There she pulled out a key unlocked and pushed the door open. Vinyl’s super sensitive nose was assaulted by the aroma of lavender and clean linen. She walked into the room briefly scanning it to get an overview. The room was so elaborately furnished and decorated that it made Vinyl’s crumbling condo look like a room from a condemned building. Octavia tugged her across the room and plopped her onto the couch. “Do you want anything to drink?” “Um, no, I-.” The mare ignored her and plopped herself next to her on the couch. “You’re… blind, right?” “Yeah, last time I checked any way,” she was getting a little tired of this question. “Well just so you know, I volunteer at the old pony’s home so I have experience working with the blind,” The Earth pony said handing Vinyl a key. “If you ever need help, come get me.” Vinyl took the key muttering her thanks. She then rose from the couch. “I probably should get back to my place pretty soon...” she said. Octavia let out a huff of discontent. “Its true city people ARE always in a rush!”
Chapter 2The next few days passed in a haze for Vinyl. It was all a blur of packing, unpacking, repacking looking for things that were lost while packing, and finding the sad remains of things that were broken from improper packing. After she had thrown away the last box she collapsed on the sofa (mended with several rolls of duct tape) and was about to fall asleep when a click from the front door alerted her to someone’s entrance, she sat up ready to run. “Who’s there?” she asked to the air “It’s me,” Octavia’s voice responded. Vinyl slumped back in her seat and moaned. The earth pony had come over every day to “help” her unpack, and as grateful as Vinyl was, she needed some time alone to relax. She forced a smile anyway and turned to properly greet the mare. “Morning, how are you?” she said in forced polite tone. “Fine thanks. It’s awfully drab in here don’t you think?” Octavia asked, either missing or ignoring Vinyl’s tone, her voice moving to the couch. “No point in art,” Vinyl replied plainly. She could feel the discomfort emanating from Octavia. “I-I’m sorry I… forgot-.” “FORGOT!? HOW DARE YOU!” Vinyl screamed. “I-I-I-!” Octavia panicked wondering what to say to the furious unicorn, how to apologize for her faux pa. Then Vinyl let out a whooping laugh, clutching her stomach and rolling against the wall convulsing with mirth. “You’re too easy to troll Octavia,” she sobbed through tears of laughter. Vinyl got up and skipped to the small fridge that her even smaller kitchen held, her mood lifted by her little prank. “What can I get you?” Octavia let out a sigh of relief. “Just water is fine,” she said, sitting on the couch. Vinyl flipped open a cupboard and pulled out two glasses with her magic. Filling one with water from the tap and one with soda for herself she levitated both glasses over to the couch and handed the water to Octavia. “That’s amazing!” Octavia said, her voice drenched in awe. “It’s just plain old country water,” Vinyl replied chuckling, taking a sip from her drink. “Not that,” Octavia said her voice flustered now “Just… how can you do stuff like this when…” “When I can’t see?” Vinyl asked. Octavia’s only response was silence. Vinyl smiled in what she hoped to be a reassuring way. “It’s all right, yes I am blind it’s not rude to say it. It’s like saying that a Zebra is a Zebra it’s not raciest, its fact.” “Well then… how?” Vinyl smiled she was starting to like her little neighbor mare. *** Octavia came over pretty much every day after that, the two mares would sit and talk for hours on end with not a care in the world. Then one day Octavia asked that fateful question, the kind of question that can shatter friendships and end relationships. “So what do you plan to do in life?” Vinyl squirmed uncomfortably in her seat next to Octavia on the couch. This was not a new question; her father had asked her it almost every day since she had graduated from university and come back home. Getting away from that question was one of the reasons that she had found this place. “Um, well…” she began awkwardly. Even though she had given this more though than anything else in her life she still felt like the answer was inadequate. “I’m trying to start up a DJ service.” Octavia gasped with excitement. “That’s so cool!” She exclaimed. Her sudden burst of fangirl was interrupted by the clashing ring of a glass smashing to the floor. “I’m so sorry! She cried leaping from the couch as Vinyl began to levitate the broken pieces into a pile. “No worries,” Vinyl replied coolly, she then calmly assembled the pieces and laid them in order on the table. Then, letting out a wave of magic she pulled the pieces back together, reforming the cup. Octavia let out a laugh and examined the cup; there was no sign that she had just knocked it off the table. Vinyl smiled and stood up. “Shall we go upstairs?” “Wh-why?” Octavia’s voice showed that this little pony’s mind wasn’t as clean as it should have been. Vinyl smirked evilly. “So that I can show you my horn’s other uses.” She replied licentiously, licking her lips. A flustered wave of unrelated syllables flowed from Octavia’s direction each one counteracting the last. “I-we-I don’t-well-but-I-!” Vinyl laughed at her friend’s confusion. “So that I can show you my DJing setup, Octopus, get your head out of the gutter!” Octavia huffed and crossed her forelegs defensively. “How you lead me on so!” she huffed sounding almost a little disappointed. *** Once they reached her bedroom and Vinyl flipped on the switch Octavia let out a gasp. The bedroom was stark contrast to the barren front room. One wall was taken by Vinyl’s bed which had been modified so that two subwoofers made up the headboard. Next to it sat several towers of CDs each carefully labeled in braille. Then Octavia’s eyes found the most important part of the room. Vinyl’s Computer, it was a masterpiece. Four active speakers, two high-rez monitors, and a soundcard so big Vinyl had set up an extra table for it to rest on. Vinyl walked over to the monstrosity and punched the power button, razing the beast to life. It let out a low rumble like the purring of a lion then the screens flicked on and Vinyl slid into the office chair in front of it. “Open LoopyFruits,” she said to the computer. It let out a friendly beep and a program opened up. A dozen or more colored bars each in a column. Vinyl pressed a key on a pad that sat next to her. To Octavia’s amazement: A drum stated playing, beating out an even pattern. She looked down to see that her hoof was beating along with the rhythm. “You want to try it?” Vinyl asked. “What? But I don’t know how to use that!” “Don’t worry! I’ve already written all the clips, all you have to do is play them.” Vinyl slid out of the chair and offered it to Octavia. She slid into it, nervously examining the monitor and the key pad. She looked back at Vinyl then cautiously pressed on of the keys a wobbling bass began playing to accompany the drums. “That’s it!” Vinyl extorted “Play some more!” Octavia turned back to the pad. She pressed a second key. “MOTHA’ BUCKING BASS!” the computer shouted, causing Octavia to jump and sending Vinyl into a wave of laughter. “Here,” she said through hiccupping breaths. “Let me help you.” She stepped up next to her and placed her front hooves on top of Octavia’s guiding her across the pad. “Do it like I do,” she said. “Look with your ears, not your eyes.” Octavia closed her eyes, she listened to the beat of the drums, Vinyl guided her to a key, not yet don’t press it yet. NOW! She pressed the key and led the drums into perfect time with the new lead she had brought in. She opened her eyes. “I did it!” She exclaimed. Vinyl finished the song for Octavia and then began to show her how she wrote the music clips. “Each clip is a loop of one bar,” she said opening a new one. “So every time I lead one clip into another I don’t need to worry about where I start.” She looked up at Octavia. “I’ve been trying to add another sub-lead to the song, but I can’t find anything that works.” “Well don’t look at… oh I’m sorry…” “Hmm? What?” “I wasn’t thinking… about your condition…” “My what? What are you talking about?” “… Never mind.” Shaking the bizarre incident from her mind she signaled for the earth pony to come closer. Octavia stepped up next to Vinyl and examined the clip carefully. “Does this program have a cello by any chance?” “Yeah, but what good would that do? This is Progressive House, not Classical.” “Progressive what?” Vinyl rolled her head back in frustration. “Never mind…” Vinyl opened up the cello and let Octavia take the chair. She watched as the young mare began to, slowly, add notes to the clip. Every now and then she would hold her hooves up as if playing an invisible instrument, pausing shaking her head she would return to add more notes. “Ok… I think that should be enough,” she said climbing from the chair. “When do the clips come in?” Vinyl asked sliding into the chair. “Oh… I though you could just throw them in.” Vinyl turned to Octavia, a look of disbelief on her face. “What?” the earth pony blustered, “you’re the DJ here!” Vinyl shook her head and turned back to the computer, it was a sub-lead, it should be fine coming in with the main lead on bar 16. Vinyl started up the drums. Counting with her hoof beating out a rhythm on the desk she then put both leads in and… “This sucks…” Vinyl moaned “it’s in the completely wrong key!” “I’m sorry,” Octavia answered. “I play cello for the Canterlot orchestra, I thought- ” “Holy sun butt, you play in Canterlot?” “Yes… my father has… connections, he helped me get a place in the string ensemble.” “Well,” Vinyl continued “it doesn’t completely suck, like I said it’s only in the wrong key, we just have to bump the notes around a bit.” She turned to Octavia, smiling. “You willing to help me out a bit more?”
Chapter 3After about a week, they had gotten through the whole song with minimal mess-ups. Vinyl smiled at her young student proudly. “You’re not half bad,” she said. “How about leaving that dusty old orchestra and coming to work for me?” “Thanks,” Octavia replied stepping down out of the chair. “But I think Cello is more than enough for me.” Vinyl opened her mouth to ask a question of the earth pony, but quickly snapped it shut. “What?” Octavia asked. “It’s just… nothing… just a stupid question.” “OH come on! Were friends, you can tell me!” “Well… can I touch your face?” Octavia was stunned, that had come out of left field. “What?” “It’s just so that I can get a better view of you, a better Idea of what you look like, nothing creepy.” Octavia complied and stepped forward reluctantly. Vinyl razed her front hoof to the earth pony’s face and gently stroked it. Her coat was incredibly soft, and her face was strangely warm. Vinyl finished and stepped back smiling. “You’re pretty hot!” she said whistling. “I-I need to go!” Octavia blustered. She galloped down the stairs grabbed the saddle bag she had come with and charged out the front door. “See you then…” Vinyl said to the empty room. *** Weeks passed deprived of word from her friend. Without Octavia bursting in every five minutes asking if she had time to chat, Vinyl was amassed with how much free time she had. She kept herself occupied by working on her music or staring blankly into space. Eventually she decided to call on the little earth pony and ask her what was up. Taking the key that Octavia had lent her she walked across the front of the building and unlocked her neighbor’s door. As soon as she did her ears were graced by a haunting melody. A low buzzing, that of a stringed instrument, permeated the house. Vinyl wandered in drawn by the haunting melodies. She followed the sound, hoping that it would lead her to her to her vanishing neighbor. At the top of the stairs Vinyl let out a puff of magic to locate the source of the music. It led her to the bedroom. The whole condo was a mirror of her’s so she found it difficult to navigate. Finally she pushed open the door and the music was amplified. She stood there for a while silently listening to the dark melodies. The song had a quick tempo, it would have sounded happy on any other instrument, but the low voice of the cello gave it a sad quality. Suddenly the music stopped. “VINYL! What are you doing here!?” “Keep playing,” she said. There was a moment of stillness then the song started up again. Vinyl pulled her laptop out of her saddlebag and booted it up. “What in Equestria are you doing?” “Just keep playing, ignore me.” Octavia continued the melody and Vinyl beet out a quick rhythm on her drum pad. Kick, snare, kick, snare, kick, snare. “This is good,” Vinyl muttered excitedly, pulling out the tangle of the rest of her mobile studio. They continued like this for four or five minutes Vinyl setting up beats and other instruments to go along with Octavia’s playing then she stopped. “What happened?” Vinyl asked looking up from her computer. “That’s the end of the song,” Octavia replied simply. Vinyl shook her head disapprovingly. “That won’t do, start over!” Vinyl felt a slight tremor as Octavia stomped her hoof in frustration. “What is the point of all this? First you burst into my house unannounced, then you interrupt me while I’m trying to practice, then you tell me to just ignore you like you not sitting there judging me!” “Judging you? What in-.” “DON’T DENY IT!” Octavia screamed, causing vinyl to jump with fright at her friend’s sudden rage. “YOU WERE TRYING TO DO ALL THAT FANCY STUFF WITH YOU COMPUTER SO THAT MY MUSIC WOULD SOUND BETTER!” “Well, yeah, but not because you were bad…” Then Vinyl heard the strangest sound in the world. Crying. The always happy, always energetic Octavia, the same pony who had made her move bearable, was crying… “I’m sorry,” sobbed the earth pony, “please, leave.” What was going on? Octavia had always been so animated, so joyful. Slowly Vinyl backed out of the room, muttering her apologies. *** “Things have gone from bad to awkward,” Vinyl told her dad levitating him his coffee over the little table. Her father had decided to drop in and “checkup” on her or something of the like. But Vinyl was pretty sure that he was just tired of her mother. “That’s too bad,” he replied sipping the dark brew. They were discussing Vinyl’s standing with Octavia. It had been three day since Octavia’s little outburst, and Vinyl had yet to hear from her. Even the low humming of her cello had ceased. “I just don’t understand it!” Vinyl exclaimed lying next to her father on the barley functioning couch. “One minute she can’t leave me alone, the next she won’t even answer her phone!” “Do you think I could have been something you said?” he asked. “I don’t know!” Vinyl moaned and collapsed resting her head on her father’s shoulder. “She probably is just going through some hardship, give her time.” “But why hasn’t she come to me then?” Vinyl interjected. “When she was being bullied by someone in her orchestra she came to me, when her cello broke she came to me for help, even when her stupid faucet wasn’t working!” Her father looked at Vinyl in confusion. “Shouldn’t the landlord have done that?” “Mr. Neighdolf? I called him; I couldn’t hear what he was saying over the slot machines in the background.” They sat in silence for a while, each pondering the same problem and reaching the same dead ends. “Why don’t you just ask her?” her dad finally said finally, turning to his daughter. Vinyl moaned. “I don’t know if that’s okay. She seemed pretty angry last time.” “If you consider her a friend it’s your responsibility.” Her dad said plainly. Vinyl rose from the couch. He was right, it was her responsibility, Octavia had done more than her share of help for her she should do at least this for her. She head toward the door the stopped and turned to her father. “If I’m not back by evening,” she said smirking “don’t even think about touching my stuff.”
Chapter 4Vinyl trotted over to the quiet condo and knocked on the front door. “Um… Octavia, it’s me, you in there?” No response, not surprising. “Um, I know we just had a big fight, but… can we talk about it?” THAT WAS HER MOVING OPENING STATEMENT? Vinyl drove her hoof into her face in frustration. CELESTIA! This was harder than she thought. “Ah…” Another brilliant statement on her part, how could she have thought about nothing but this conversation for three days and still have nothing to say? Suddenly she felt something fall of from the door and land gently on her forehoof. She picked it up, a piece of paper, probably a note that Octavia had left. “Back already?” her father asked when she strode into the front room of her condo. “Can you read this to me?” she asked handing him the paper. He took it and clearing his throat he read: “Gone for a walk, out all evening. –Octavia.” Vinyl moaned, great! Now she would never be able to find her! Who takes an all-night walk? Once her father had left to return home she decided to go up to her room and work on her music. As she did she kept thinking about Octavia and what she should say. “Hey what’s wrong, what’s the matter with you? Why have you suddenly disappeared? Why are you blocking me out!?” Eventually her eyelids began to droop, her breathing slowed and she fell asleep in her chair. *** Vinyl was roused from her sleep by a shake on her shoulder. “nmmm… what? Who’s there?” “It’s me,” a very familiar voice replied. Vinyl near jumped out of her seat in response to her friend’s sudden appearance. “Octavia! What? Where have you-?” Octavia quickly hushed Vinyl and place her hoof over her mouth to keep her from talking. “I’ll explain later, come with me.” She grabbed her foreleg and dragged the unicorn down the stairs and out the front door. From her internal clock she could tell that she hadn’t been asleep more than an hour. Where on earth was Octavia taking her so late in the day? She led her through the streets for a long while, until Vinyl felt a change in the air and guessed that they had entered the forest. “Octavia what are you-?” “Shh! We’re almost there!” Finally, Octavia stopped and let go of Vinyl’s hand. Vinyl perked up her ears; below her she heard a waterfall. She felt sturdy rock underneath her hooves and cool mist beat against her face. “Where are we?” “A waterfall in Everfree, I found this place when I was a kid,” Octavia replied. “Ok, why are we here?” Vinyl asked siting down next to the cellist. “Isn’t it beautiful?” “Well… I wouldn’t be the best judge of that now would I?” “But can’t you just feel it?” “Octavia, where have you been? I’ve bee trying to contact you for days! I must have left like twelve gazillion messages on your phone!” Octavia sat down and let her head fall onto Vinyl’s side. “I’ve been thinking some stuff over.” “Like what?” Vinyl shifted and rested her back against Octavia’s. “My father wants me to get married!” Octavia laughed. “I’m only 19! And I have to already think about marriage!” “Plus isn’t it the colt’s job to propose? I’m all for equal rights, but you seem like more of a traditionalist.” “That isn’t my main problem either,” she said with a sigh. Vinyl smiled this was how it should be, how it should always be. Her and her Octopus, talking, just talking nothing in the world to keep them from it. “Vinyl, I… are you listening?” “Hmm? Sorry my mind wandered.” “This is very hard for me to say so please pay attention.” Vinyl rolled her head and ‘looked’ at Octavia. “Shoot then,” she said. Vinyl felt Octavia’s whole body tense up against hers. “Vinyl, I… believe I have developed feelings for you!” The earth pony had let it out all so quickly that Vinyl almost missed it. “Well… maybe you’re not as much of a traditionalist as I expected.” “Vinyl please this is serious! My father is coming down from Canterlot with a young colt in tow! Oh I Just know he’s going to be some dry old bore!” “Whoa, language!” “What should I do? I don’t even know if I like colts anymore!” “Calm down we’ll think of something.” The two of them spent the evening discussing plans, talking about what to do if her dad forced her to marry, what to do if they somehow couldn’t meet up. Vinyl enjoyed every second of it. *** The next day, Vinyl waited at the top of the stairs listening as Octavia paced around the front room. “y’allright?” she called to her. No response. The two of them had spent almost all of last night discussing what to do and had finally come up with a plan so complex and intricate that Vinyl didn’t know if she could remember it all. The front door creaked open and a Stallion’s voice boomed from the front hall. “Octavia? Where are you my child?” Vinyl skittered up the stairs and hid herself behind the wall listening to the conversation below. “Daddy! It’s wonderful to see you again.” “The same to you my dear, this young gentlecolt is Noteworthy, the son of a wealthy pianist friend of mine.” “How do you do?” a third voice asked. Now the plan would begin, Octavia would put a sleeping draft in their tea, and then she would escape leaving a fake ransom note. Vinyl felt around looking for where she had left her katana. “Daddy I’m not going to marry this stallion.” Vinyl had to cover he mouth to keep from crying out. What in the name of Molestia’s fat ass was she doing? “Don’t be ridiculous child, of course you are!” “Wait what?” Noteworthy interjected. “You said you just wanted to introduce us!” “Quiet!” “I will not marry some on I don’t love.” “You’ve been reading too many romance novels Octavia, It is your responsibility as a young mare of the Melody family to marry into a good name. If Noteworthy does not tickle your fancy, there are a few other young stallions I have in mind.” “Um, might we take my opinion into account?” Noteworthy asked. “Don’t you start!” Octavia’s father yelled. “Vinyl, could you come down please?” Octavia called up the stairs. Slowly Vinyl pealed herself from the wall and slowly plodded down the stairs. She stood next to Octavia and gave her a ‘this had better bucking work’ look. Octavia threw her foreleg around Vinyl and turned to her father. “If there is anyone I am to marry it would be Vinyl!” “I can’t believe you Octavia!” her father blustered. “You, my own daughter living in sin with a-a-a RAVER!” “Hey, where I come from, that’s a complement,” said Vinyl. “Well you can crawl right back into the hell hole that spawned you and leave my daughter alone!” “Daddy, Vinyl hasn’t done anything, and we haven’t been ‘living in sin’ we only got together last night.” “At one of those wretched clubs no doubt.” “No, I’m just her neighbor…though that would have been much cooler.” Octavia’s father stepped forward and pealed Octavia off of Vinyl. “Look her you harlot!” he said, judging by the puff of breath that hit her face like a stinking summer breeze, Octavia’s father’s face was right next to hers. “There is a word in our civilized tongue called, Responsibility. Now this word can mean a great many things from needing to clean one’s room to marring into a good family.” “And down here we have a word called, No,” Vinyl replied. “Your daughter’s been saying it for quite a while I can translate it if you like, it means, ‘Buck off and let me live my own life!’” Octavia’s father growled and turned. “You will regret this decision, Octavia, and don’t come crying to me when your life goes down the drain.” With that, he left dragging the bewildered Noteworthy behind him. Octavia collapsed onto Vinyl. “We did it!” she said, shocked. The she started laughing. “I was so scared… But we did it.” “You did most of it, I just stood here and looked pretty.” The two of them laughed together for a while. “I am sad I didn’t get to use my katana though,” Vinyl said. *** “What should we do with this melody?” Vinyl asked. Octavia took off he head phones and put her bow to the stings of her cello. “Well I think a gentle vibrato to heighten the melodic tension would be good, but we also might try a dip into g minor at the downbeat, which would be better for blending the vocal harmonies.” “I love it when you talk dirty to me.” Octavia blushed and began to play, Vinyl popped on her head phones and began recording. The melody flowed like water as Octavia’s cello sung its little wooden heart out. The low tones of the cello blended perfectly to the buzzing frequencies of the synthesizer. Vinyl looked up at the clock. “Time to close up shop,” she said sliding her chair back from the desk. “Got a party I need to get to.” “Don’t be out to late,” Octavia asked gently. “Don’t worry, it’s a kid’s party, I’ll be back before its dark.” She gave Octavia a quick kiss then began packing up her things. The two of them together had set up a small DJ business and were doing quite well for themselves. They had not heard from Octavia’s father in a while, and life was peaceful, if somewhat uneventful. Vinyl trotted out the front door, horn primed with locating magic to guide her to her location. The rest of the afternoon came and went and vinyl eventually made her way back home. Forgetting to check around the corner she slammed into someone coming around the corner of the building. “Watch it!” she yelled. “Don’t speak to me that way young mare,” a chuckling voice replied. Vinyl groaned. “Hey dad…” she sighed. She led her father into the house and the two of them sat down together on the sofa. “It’s been a while since I last checked up on you.” Her father said adjusting himself into a more comfortable siting position. “yeah,” Vinyl replied “like a whole week!” He laughed and turned back to his daughter smiling. “I’ve heard from Mr. Neighdolf that you’ve started up your DJ Company.” “It’s not so much a company as it is two mares dicking a computer.” “TWO mares?” Her father said, eyebrow raised. “Vinyl, dearest is that you? Who are you talking to- OH!” The two of them turned to look as Octavia trotted down the stairs. “Hello there.” Vinyl’s father rose from the couch and introduced himself. “I’m Vinyl’s old stallion; you must be the other mare.” “Other mare?” “No worries,” Vinyl said rising from the couch to join the two. “Just one of his jokes.” Vinyl stepped over to Octavia and slung her foreleg around her. “Dad, this is my Octavia, she a cellist and all around bad ass.” “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” said Octavia looking at her lover blankly. “Pleasure’s all mine.” *** “She seems like a wonderful mare,” he father said as Vinyl walked with him to his cart. “You two make an adorable couple.” Vinyl snorted with laughter and bumped her father with her flank. “Get out‘a here old man, don’t you have some crazy old nag to get back to?” “And you you’re old porcelain doll,” he laughed. “Well I guess she’s not old… yet.” He stepped into his cart and turned to Vinyl. “You be careful now,” he said in a serious tone. “You’re not one to think before saying things, and porcelain breaks easily.” “That happened once,” Vinyl replied. “We found out I’m the glue.” Author's Note The last chapter of this story. I've never been very good at endings and I'd like some advice on how to improve. Sorry that this took so long, I haven't been able to write for awhile. I want to thank every one who Favorited and liked this story, your support kept me going. Thank you all and may Harmony be with you. If you liked this story consider favoring it and following me, it helps my work get out.
