Just another OctaScratch ficby The Batmane of equestriaChaptersprologueThe first nightHangovers suckWhat happens shall happenA pleasant awakeningHidden feelings no longerprologueVincenza Staccato. Her friends just call her Vinyl Scratch. Not that she minds. It suits her. Vinyl is an aspiring DJ, already making a name for herself in the Canterlot club scene. Octavia Philharmonica. Her friends just call her Octavia Philharmonica. She doesn't like this. She thinks that it's about time someone gave her a nickname at least. Her name was so long and boring. She, contrary to Vinyl, is decreasing in popularity after her terrible performance at the Grand Galloping Gala where a mysterious, energetic pink mare had tricked her into playing the 'Pony Pokey'. This was frowned upon by the Canterlot elite. She now struggles to find work. We begin our story on an average day with average weather and average ponies with average lives and average families. Except a select few. Vinyl Scratch paced down the streets to her next gig, her electric blue mane bobbing up and down to a beat only she could hear, her amethyst glasses somehow staying on her muzzle. Up and down and up and down and up and down and up and... you get the idea. Back to the story. She kept a moderate pace, careful not to bump into ponies on their daily business. Her next gig, due to start in 4hrs 20mins, was being held at the Hard Clop Cafe. I wonder if they realised what they had called the place before it became popular. Hehe. Clop. Hehe. She smacked herself for thinking like that, drawing the attention of any passers-by. She ignored them. Bad brain. she thought. Bad, bad, bad brain. No treat for you. She arrived at the joint. May as well help them set up the equipment. She entered to find very few people there. Figures. she thought. It's only 2:40 now anyway. She moved over to the set-up crew and started to wire up her turntables. On the other side of town, Octavia was on the phone. "Listen, Beauty. I can't make the rehearsal tonight...No, no. It's nothing like that...I-I...Wait, WHAT!?...I-I understand...Thanks, Beauty." The rather annoyed mare hung up and threw her phone against the wall, shattering it immediately. I can't make one rehearsal, ONE rehearsal, and the conductor fired me. I'm not surprised, after that Gala fiasco. She sighed and planted a hoof on her face. I need a drink. Then she remembered. She hadn't stocked up on booze. Buck she thought. Guess I'll have to go out tonight then. I've got it! The Hard Clop Cafe! I'll make a reservation. Wait. My phone... she glanced at the smashed remnants of her phone, a Marekia Brick. I bet even Buck Norris would have trouble breaking it like that. She pulled out a backup phone from her saddlebags. Always keep a spare. She dialed the Hard Clop Cafe and made her reservation. The first nightThe club was in full swing. Why did they call this place a cafe anyway? Vinyl thought. The crowd rippled to the beat of the music, their energy compiled into a sweaty movement of drunken ponies. As the music hit it's peak, Vinyl started to turn a few knobs on the sound board. Suddenly the music stopped and a deep, masculine voice sounded through the speakers. "DROP IT!" The room exploded with the steady beat of the Bass backed by loud electronic music, the crowd erupting into cheers of delight as their energy piqued and the white unicorn flung her wild blue mane back and forth. The song finished and the crowd was silent for a second. Then they cheered and stomped their hooves on the ground, chanting "DJ PON-3" as they did so. Vinyl smiled. This was her favourite part of every night she performed. "Ok guys," her rough voice cut through the audiences cheers. "That's my set done for tonight." The crowd visibly deflated at this. "Don't worry, though." she said, a mischievous grin displaying on her face. "Because I'm leaving you in the capable hooves of DJ CH40S!" The crowd once again roared their approval as the said DJ made his way on to the stage and quickly started his set, giving a hoofs-up gesture to Vinyl. She smirked back. She made her way to the bar and sat on one of the vacant stools. The bartender smiled and leaned on the counter in front of her. "What's your poison?" he asked, cleaning one of the whisky glasses. Vinyl's trademark glasses reflected a ray of light mischievously. "The strongest thing you've got." she smiled. "And make it a double." She relaxed as the bartender poured her drink and placed it in front of her. She swallowed it in one gulp and tapped it, signalling for a refill. She barely noticed as a beautiful grey mare with a silky charcoal-black mane and a purple treble-clef for a cutie-mark sat down beside her. The grey mare ordered her drink and it was quickly placed in front of her. "Didn't expect to see a high-class pony such as you in a place like this." Vinyl said, facing the new arrival. "Who? Me?" came the silky-smooth reply. Vinyl barely contained her giggles at the upper-class Canterlot accent held by the grey mare. "Do you see me talking to anypony else?" Vinyl responded sarcastically. "How rude. You're judging someone on the premise of their upbringing without assessing their personality." The grey mare shot a glance at the white unicorn. "And in equestrian, por favor?" Vinyl said, not understanding any of the words above two syllables. The grey mare tutted. "That was equestrian." she dead-panned. After a few minutes silence, Vinyl spoke up. "I didn't catch your name." She extended her hoof. "Vincenza Staccato, or Vinyl Scratch for short." The grey mare shook her hoof. "Octavia Philharmonica." A few hours and a few drinks later... "I think... I think we should hang out shometime." said the slurred voice of an inebriated Vinyl Scratch. "I *hic* think thatsh a marveloush idea." said a drunken Octavia. "Excoosh meh," she said. "I need to... to go to the little filliesh woom." She attempted to stand, but wobbled and fell over. Straight onto none other than Vinyl Scratch. They locked lips accidentally as they both fell in their drunken state. They hit the ground, knocking them to their senses. Everything was a blur. Octavia could only hear vinyl groan as she sobered from the blow until black started to cloud her vision. Her final thought before she submitted to unconsciousness was Did we...Did we just KISS!? Author's Note Well that moved on rather quickly. Hangovers suckOctavia woke to the rays of Celestia's sun peeking through the red curtains of her bedroom. She groaned in agony as her head throbbed due to a hangover. I just wanna sleep... she thought. WAIT. Red curtains? She quickly realised, she wasn't at home. She shrugged the covers off of her and trotted into what she presumed was the kitchen of the strange flat, her headache getting worse with each step. Need...Coffee... In the kitchen stood a tired-looking white unicorn with an electric blue mane and light blue highlights with double eighth notes as her cutie-mark. "Good morning, sleeping beauty." she said. Seems friendly enough. Octavia thought. "Or should I say afternoon?" Or not... Vinyl stood at the stove on her hind legs while using her hooves to cook a late breakfast, apparently not fazed by a hangover, which Octavia guessed was due to the fact that she was wearing her trademark amethyst-tinted sunglasses. Why does she wear them indoors.... "What happened last night?" Octavia asked, groaning as her headache intensified. Vinyl cracked an egg before emptying the contents into a pan with a satisfying sizzle. Vinyl faced her and gave her a knowing smile. "What do you think happened?" Octavia blinked. She then fought against the headache to try to vaguely remember the events of last night. "Well...we had a drink and talked... we got drunk..." Octavia remembered the night before where she met the DJ, A.K.A Vinyl Scratch. "I fell over onto you and we... kissed." She almost whispered that last part. Vinyl looked at her, slightly startled. "I was kind of hoping you would have forgotten that last part, Tavi." Vinyl said sheepishly. "Well, it... wait. Did you just call me Tavi?" Vinyl blushed and looked away. Unfortunately, she had white fur so it was clearly visible. "I-I... I heard you say last night that... no-one has given you a nickname before so I thought... you know..." she trailed off. Octavia smiled. "That's sweet." she said, her tone genuinely sympathetic. Vinyl's blush intensified. "Soooo..." Octavia said, not wishing to prolong the awkward silence. "Where exactly am I?" "You're at my apartment." Vinyl stated. "How did I end up here? Did I... Oh my Celestia I did, didn't I..." she was cut off by Vinyl's assertive tone. "No. Nothing happened. You collapsed at the bar so I dragged you to my flat because I don't know where you lived, I tucked you in to my bed and slept on the sofa." She pointed to the scrunched-up blanket on the large sofa in front of the TV through the doorway. "Oh..." Octavia said. Now it was her turn to hide an awkward blush. "Thank Celestia for that. Where is this apartment exactly?" "Downtown Canterlot. Why?" "That's near where I live." "Well, that's a strange coincidence." "Indeed." The two mares stood in silence, Vinyl dishing out a late breakfast. She grabbed the plates in her telekinesis and carried them into the living room. She placed them on the table and they ate in relative silence, the only noise coming from birds tweeting and the occasional scraping of a fork against a plate. "So." Vinyl said. "So." Octavia said. "Why don't you tell me about yourself, Tavi?" Octavia looked up briefly and returned to her food. "Oh, erm, I'm a cellist for the Royal Canterlot Orchestra." She remembered the phone call from the previous day, tears welling up in her eyes. "Well, I WAS, but I got fired for not being able to make one rehearsal." Her voice broke as she said this and she let out a few pitiful sobs. Vinyl, instantly regretting asking Octavia about her life, slung a hoof around her shoulder and held her in a tight, comforting hug as the grey mare wept into her fur. She gently stroked her mane with her free hoof, whispering sweet nothings into her ear. The sobbing continued for a few minutes. Octavia finally calmed down and composed herself, her purple, bloodshot, puffy eyes on the verge of bursting again. "Better?" the DJ asked, genuine concern entering her usually carefree tone. Octavia simply nodded, afraid that she would cry again if she spoke. "Sorry I cried." Octavia finally let out. "No." Vinyl said. "No, no. It's my fault. I asked about your life. I didn't know. I'm so sorry." "No it's fine." Octavia persisted. "Anyway," she said, wiping her eyes. "What about you?" "I'm an aspiring DJ making it big in the Canterlot Club scene. It said so at the start of the story." "What?" "Nevermind. Anyway, at the moment, I can only afford this dump." She looked around the room, eyeing the junk spread around the floor. Octavia did likewise. After another minutes silence, Vinyl finally spoke. "So what were you going to say before anyway? You changed topics when you noticed that I called you 'Tavi'" "Nothing!" Octavia said quickly. A little too quickly. Vinyl raised one of her eyebrows, the expression still evident beneath the glasses. She shrugged it off. "OK." Another silence. Vinyl took the two empty plates back into the kitchen and sat back on the sofa, looking for something to do. "Are we friends now?" Octavia asked. Vinyl was caught off guard. "Uhh, yeah, sure, why not?" she responded. "Cool." Yet another silence. They stayed like that, basking in the sounds of the early afternoon. "I have another question." Vinyl said. "Ok. What is it?" Octavia questioned. "About before. When you thought that we had done... That. I speak from past experience when I say this, but only a fillyfooler would say that. I'm not implying that y..." she was cut off by Octavia sighing. "It's true." she said bluntly. Vinyl gasped. "What?" "It's true." she said, on the brim of tears again. Her parents had disowned her for being a fillyfooler. She had had to make her way up on her own talents without her parents' infrastructure. Vinyl saw this and immediately hated herself for how she had reacted. She hugged her again. "No. Don't cry. Whatever happened in the past is in the past. You've already cried me a river. Now you need to build a bridge and get over it." The pun made Octavia laugh. "There we go. You should laugh more. You're cute when you laugh." She clamped both of her hooves over her mouth when she realised what she had said, her eyes widening. This prompted her to laugh harder. "You should see yourself!" Vinyl blushed harder. Finally, Octavia calmed down, her previous troubles completely forgotten. More silence. "We keep having awkward silences this afternoon, don't we?" Vinyl chimed, recovering from her previous embarrassment. "Yes." Even more silence. "THERE!" Vinyl shouted, startling Octavia and making her yelp. "It happened again." More silence. "I, umm, think I should go home now." Octavia said. "Ok." Vinyl said dejectedly. "Wait!" she said. She burst into the kitchen and came back a few moments later with a piece of paper with a phone number on it. Octavia blushed. "Here." Vinyl said excitedly. "Call me if you wanna, you know, hang out sometime." She smiled. Octavia smiled back. "Sure. I'll see you soon, then." Octavia left in a cheerful mood, not even registering the hangover now. What happens shall happenVinyl went about her daily duties, paying bills, buying groceries and whatnot. But one thing stayed on her mind. Something that wouldn't budge. Octavia. Vinyl couldn't stop thinking about her. The cheerful face, the unwavering compassion, the elegant curves of her... No. Bad brain. Vinyl froze. Why would I even think that? Is it possible tha- NO! she instantly stopped her train of thought. Things were no better on Octavia's end of the story. She lay on her mattress, Celestia's sun shining through the window, highlighting the various music awards that donned the window ledge. Beside her lay her phone. She was stuck on whether to call Vinyl or text her or not. She sighed in reminiscence. Butterflies formed in her stomach every time she thought of the energetic mare. She came to a conclusion. I'll arrange to meet her tonight. Maybe at a bar, an environment she may be familiar with. Her phone buzzed. It was Beauty Brass, whom she had spoken to on the phone the previous night, before smashing her phone. She answered. "What?" "Hi Octavia." came a nervous reply. "I couldn't contact your other phone. Why is that?" "Never mind that. What do you want?" "I, umm, the conductor wants to offer you your job back." "Is he CRAZY!? He fired me and he expects me to just simply take the job back because he can't find another cellist? I can't say I expected better of him, but from YOU? I'm disappointed. No. I will not take my old job back. I have better things to squander my life with than the conductor and his petty ideals. Good day!" And with that, she ended the call indignantly and slammed the phone onto the bed, the mattress thankfully cushioning the strike. She huffed and slammed a hoof on her bedside table. She then noticed the number on a scrap of paper near her hoof. Vinyl. She grabbed her phone and dialled the number. "Hey Vinyl. Do you want to go drinking tonight?" Vinyl arrived at the bar. It was a small place, but a good one nonetheless. She opened the door and spotted a sulking Octavia staring at her whiskey. Guess I've got a drinking buddy. Or it could be more than a buddy. SHUT UP BRAIN! "Heya Tavi." Vinyl beamed. "Hey, Vinyl." Octavia muttered. "Wassamatter?" "I got an offer to get my old job back." Octavia sighed. "That's great! Why are you sad?" "I declined." It took Vinyl a few seconds to register what she had said. "You WHAT!?" "I declined. He can't just fire me and instantly expect me to come crawling back." She picked up her whiskey and downed it in one gulp. "Do you... Do you know where I can get a job?" She almost sobbed. "I'm sorry. No, I don't." Octavia was about to cry when Vinyl had an idea. "Wait. Tavi, I need a manager to help me set up my gigs because it's really hard to do during the day when I'm doing my daily business. Why don't you become my manager?" Octavia was shocked. "I-I... You... You really mean it?" Vinyl smiled reassuringly at Octavia. "Yes. Of course. You also receive 50% of my profits." Octavia leapt out of her seat and grabbed Vinyl in a bone-crushing hug. "Thatnkyouthankyouthankyou!" she shouted. Vinyl was struggling to breathe. "Tavi....Need...To...Breathe...Gak!" Octavia let go instantly. "OhmygoshI'msosorry." she let out. "I was just a bit excited to have a job." "No problem. Next drink's on me." They talked the rest of the night away into the early hours of the morning, laughing at bad puns, talking about their lives and really trying to ignore that part of their brain that was sending them strange and erotic thoughts about the other. Some time around 3 in the morning, they staggered out of the bar, to the disappointment of the bartender who had become 1000 bits richer due to them buying a lot of alcohol. The stumbled down the road, leaning against eachother to stay up straight. Just outside the flat, Octavia stumbled and tripped, landing on her back. She and Vinyl stayed there for a few seconds. Then they simultaneously burst out laughing. After a while, they calmed down, still giggling in their inebriated state. Vinyl extended a hoof to help her to her feet. Octavia had other plans. She grabbed the hoof, but instead of using it to help her get up, she pulled Vinyl to the ground. Vinyl landed on her, bounced off a little and landed on her back next to Octavia. They started laughing again. They lay there on the ground, giggling and looking at the stars. They both sighed. "Wow, Tavi. They're so beautiful and shiny." Vinyl finally said. If she was sober, she would have stopped there. But in her inebriated state, she said "Just like your eyes." She clamped a hoof around her mouth. Octavia giggled. "I never took you for a poetic type, Vinyl." "I didn't mean to say that. It just came out." Who am I trying to convince? Me? Or her? They both lay there for another few minutes, adiring Luna's stars. "I think we should head inside." "Good idea." After two minutes of attempting to find the key to the door, Octavia criticising her for having the key in her two-toned hair, and then trying to unlock the door, they finally entered the flat and collapsed on the floor. After crawling to Vinyl's bedroom, they climbed onto the bed. As soon as their head hit the pillow, they were asleep. A pleasant awakeningOctavia blinked her eyes open. She felt the residual effects of a hangover, but nothing too severe, thank Celestia. She felt the warm breath of a sleeping mare on her neck and she noticed a white hoof straddled over her chest. She snuggled into the warm sleeping body behind her. Wait. A white hoof? Sudden hit her like a ton of bricks. I just slept with Vinyl. She shrugged. Better enjoy it while I can. She closed her eyes and snuggled closer. The white unicorn stirred. "Huh, wassat?" Vinyl mumbled. She realised that she had a grey mare snuggling up to her. "Oh, buck. What happened last night?" "Don't worry, we didn't do anything." Octavia said. "Hehe. Wasn't this the reverse of yesterday's situation? You confused about the night before and me reassuring you." Octavia giggled and snuggled even closer. "Umm, Tavi?" "Mmm?" "You can stop snuggling me now." Octavia realised what she was doing. "Oh, ummm, sorry." She moved away and blushed a little. "It wasn't an order." Octavia blushed harder, eager to change subject, while Vinyl mentally slapped herself. Stupid. What was I thinking? "So, umm, should I go make breakfast?" "S-s-s-sure." Real smooth, Vinyl, real smooth. Octavia walked to the kitchen. Now what should I cook? She opened the fridge to see what was available. She clamped a hoof over her nose and retched. OK. Not the fridge, then. She opened the cupboards and successfully found some cereal packed with copious amounts of sugar. It'll do. She pulled out two bowls and poured the cereal inside, braving the fridge for milk and grabbing two spoons. She carried the bowls into the bedroom and gave one to Vinyl, who instantly tucked in. Octavia sat next to her and they ate in silence. "Fat penguin." Vinyl said. "What?" "Just thought I'd say something to break the ice. Fat penguin." They sat there for a few moments. Then they burst out laughing. "HAHAHA F-fat penguin! Oh my Celestia that's hilarious!" They finally calmed down about 2 minutes later. "Well, this morning was awkward. You know, waking up in the same bed together and all." Vinyl said, scratching the back of her head and briefly looking away. "It's OK. I didn't mind. Me being a fillyfooler and all, I-it was kind of nice." Vinyl gawked. "Oh, umm, I didn't mean to-" "No, no. I-it's fine. Just not what I expected." Octavia smiled. "Ok. I'll, um, give you a call sometime and we can go drinking or something." "Wait. Don't you have a JOB to go to?" Vinyl smirked. Octavia remembered last night. She beamed at her new employer. "Should I see what 'gigs' I can arrange for you, then?" Vinyl smiled back. "Go ahead. See if you can get anything for tomorrow." "No problem, Boss." She winked at Vinyl, earning her a blush. Hidden feelings no longerSeveral months after Vinyl hired Octavia, they had taken the decision to move in together due to it being more convenient for work. At least, that's what they told themselves. Vinyl was quickly gaining popularity and both of them had pooled their money together to purchase a larger apartment. They had found it awkward when the estate agent had mistaken them for a couple. They sat on their sofa eating lunch together, discussing business. "So what gigs did you get?" Vinyl asked to her classically inclined roommate. Octavia pulled out a small folder. "I found you four gigs in the next week. Each one will pay 5000 bits for your performances." Vinyl gawked. "Y-you... How did you... THAT'S 20000 BITS IN ONE WEEK!!!!" Vinyl shouted eagerly. "Plus 5% of the profits each night." Vinyl remained speechless. Octavia giggled. "I've been waiting almost a year for you to be speechless." "I... I just... It doesn't..." Vinyl stammered before hugging Octavia and planting a wet kiss on her lips before she realised what she was doing. Her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. Now Octavia gawked. "OhmygoshI'msosorry." Vinyl squeaked. Octavia just stared. "Don'tbemad?" She whispered. Octavia finally spoke, without a trace of anger. "I... Is that how you feel about me?" Octavia whispered. It's now or never Vinyl. You won't get another chance to tell her how you feel. Vinyl sighed. "Yes." She mumbled. Octavia beamed. "I've been waiting for months to hear that." Octavia said, before grabbing Vinyl around the back of the head with her hooves and pulling her in for a long kiss. They stayed like that for hours. Eventually, Octavia let her tongue venture out of her mouth and against Vinyl's lips. Vinyl readily opened her mouth, her own tongue exploring the cavern of Octavia's mouth. They moaned into eachother's mouths, arousing them further. After 5 minutes, they reluctantly split apart, a trail of saliva connecting their muzzles, both of them panting for breath. "That was *gasp* That was amazing!" Vinyl said. Octavia, still out of breath, simply nodded. After cooling down for a few minutes they looked into eachother's eyes. Well, as much as was possible with Vinyl's glasses still on her nose. "Why don't you take those glasses off?" Octavia said. "Several months and I still haven't seen your eyes." Vinyl grimaced. "I don't think it's for the best." Vinyl responded uneasily, avoiding Octavia's eyes. "Why?" Octavia asked. Vinyl sighed. "As a child, I was constantly mocked for my eyes. Everyone thought I was a freak. I bought these glasses when I was 12 so no-one would see them. I don't take them off because I'm scared, Tavi. Scared that if I take them off, they will be there to mock me, to make my existence meaningless once again." Vinyl almost sobbed. "Vincenza Staccato, you listen to me." Octavia said firmly. The mentioning of her full name brought her to attention. Octavia's expression softened. "Remember, no matter what the others say, no matter what you look like on the outside, I'll still love you 'till the end. Now, take your glasses off. For me, please." Vinyl sighed. "Promise me you won't leave or insult me or anything if I do." "I promise, Vinyl," Vinyl reached a hoof towards her glasses and carefully took them off, her eyes remaining closed. She slowly opened them, revealing to Octavia the most beautiful pools of magenta she had ever seen. She stared, mesmerised by Vinyl's eyes. "They're ugly, aren't they? Say it. Go on, say it." Vinyl felt a tear welling in her eyes. "No." Octavia whispered. "They are the most beautiful, mesmerising eyes I have ever seen. Never put those glasses back on. The whole world should see them." Vinyl was surprised. "You- you like them? You don't think I'm a freak?" "I LOVE them! I could never think you're a freak." They moved in for a long kiss, more passionate than the last one and fuelled by pure emotion. When all is said and done, Beneath Celestia's rising sun, Two mares hold eachother in loving embrace, Smiles of pleasure set on their face. The End? Author's Note What will they do now that they have realised they have feelings for eachother? I don't know, I'm just improvising, but I'm doing well so far. Thanks to everyone who's stayed tuned to this fic. Don't forget to like or fave. I may or may not make a sequel. I'll just see how well this does.
prologueVincenza Staccato. Her friends just call her Vinyl Scratch. Not that she minds. It suits her. Vinyl is an aspiring DJ, already making a name for herself in the Canterlot club scene. Octavia Philharmonica. Her friends just call her Octavia Philharmonica. She doesn't like this. She thinks that it's about time someone gave her a nickname at least. Her name was so long and boring. She, contrary to Vinyl, is decreasing in popularity after her terrible performance at the Grand Galloping Gala where a mysterious, energetic pink mare had tricked her into playing the 'Pony Pokey'. This was frowned upon by the Canterlot elite. She now struggles to find work. We begin our story on an average day with average weather and average ponies with average lives and average families. Except a select few. Vinyl Scratch paced down the streets to her next gig, her electric blue mane bobbing up and down to a beat only she could hear, her amethyst glasses somehow staying on her muzzle. Up and down and up and down and up and down and up and... you get the idea. Back to the story. She kept a moderate pace, careful not to bump into ponies on their daily business. Her next gig, due to start in 4hrs 20mins, was being held at the Hard Clop Cafe. I wonder if they realised what they had called the place before it became popular. Hehe. Clop. Hehe. She smacked herself for thinking like that, drawing the attention of any passers-by. She ignored them. Bad brain. she thought. Bad, bad, bad brain. No treat for you. She arrived at the joint. May as well help them set up the equipment. She entered to find very few people there. Figures. she thought. It's only 2:40 now anyway. She moved over to the set-up crew and started to wire up her turntables. On the other side of town, Octavia was on the phone. "Listen, Beauty. I can't make the rehearsal tonight...No, no. It's nothing like that...I-I...Wait, WHAT!?...I-I understand...Thanks, Beauty." The rather annoyed mare hung up and threw her phone against the wall, shattering it immediately. I can't make one rehearsal, ONE rehearsal, and the conductor fired me. I'm not surprised, after that Gala fiasco. She sighed and planted a hoof on her face. I need a drink. Then she remembered. She hadn't stocked up on booze. Buck she thought. Guess I'll have to go out tonight then. I've got it! The Hard Clop Cafe! I'll make a reservation. Wait. My phone... she glanced at the smashed remnants of her phone, a Marekia Brick. I bet even Buck Norris would have trouble breaking it like that. She pulled out a backup phone from her saddlebags. Always keep a spare. She dialed the Hard Clop Cafe and made her reservation.
The first nightThe club was in full swing. Why did they call this place a cafe anyway? Vinyl thought. The crowd rippled to the beat of the music, their energy compiled into a sweaty movement of drunken ponies. As the music hit it's peak, Vinyl started to turn a few knobs on the sound board. Suddenly the music stopped and a deep, masculine voice sounded through the speakers. "DROP IT!" The room exploded with the steady beat of the Bass backed by loud electronic music, the crowd erupting into cheers of delight as their energy piqued and the white unicorn flung her wild blue mane back and forth. The song finished and the crowd was silent for a second. Then they cheered and stomped their hooves on the ground, chanting "DJ PON-3" as they did so. Vinyl smiled. This was her favourite part of every night she performed. "Ok guys," her rough voice cut through the audiences cheers. "That's my set done for tonight." The crowd visibly deflated at this. "Don't worry, though." she said, a mischievous grin displaying on her face. "Because I'm leaving you in the capable hooves of DJ CH40S!" The crowd once again roared their approval as the said DJ made his way on to the stage and quickly started his set, giving a hoofs-up gesture to Vinyl. She smirked back. She made her way to the bar and sat on one of the vacant stools. The bartender smiled and leaned on the counter in front of her. "What's your poison?" he asked, cleaning one of the whisky glasses. Vinyl's trademark glasses reflected a ray of light mischievously. "The strongest thing you've got." she smiled. "And make it a double." She relaxed as the bartender poured her drink and placed it in front of her. She swallowed it in one gulp and tapped it, signalling for a refill. She barely noticed as a beautiful grey mare with a silky charcoal-black mane and a purple treble-clef for a cutie-mark sat down beside her. The grey mare ordered her drink and it was quickly placed in front of her. "Didn't expect to see a high-class pony such as you in a place like this." Vinyl said, facing the new arrival. "Who? Me?" came the silky-smooth reply. Vinyl barely contained her giggles at the upper-class Canterlot accent held by the grey mare. "Do you see me talking to anypony else?" Vinyl responded sarcastically. "How rude. You're judging someone on the premise of their upbringing without assessing their personality." The grey mare shot a glance at the white unicorn. "And in equestrian, por favor?" Vinyl said, not understanding any of the words above two syllables. The grey mare tutted. "That was equestrian." she dead-panned. After a few minutes silence, Vinyl spoke up. "I didn't catch your name." She extended her hoof. "Vincenza Staccato, or Vinyl Scratch for short." The grey mare shook her hoof. "Octavia Philharmonica." A few hours and a few drinks later... "I think... I think we should hang out shometime." said the slurred voice of an inebriated Vinyl Scratch. "I *hic* think thatsh a marveloush idea." said a drunken Octavia. "Excoosh meh," she said. "I need to... to go to the little filliesh woom." She attempted to stand, but wobbled and fell over. Straight onto none other than Vinyl Scratch. They locked lips accidentally as they both fell in their drunken state. They hit the ground, knocking them to their senses. Everything was a blur. Octavia could only hear vinyl groan as she sobered from the blow until black started to cloud her vision. Her final thought before she submitted to unconsciousness was Did we...Did we just KISS!? Author's Note Well that moved on rather quickly.
Hangovers suckOctavia woke to the rays of Celestia's sun peeking through the red curtains of her bedroom. She groaned in agony as her head throbbed due to a hangover. I just wanna sleep... she thought. WAIT. Red curtains? She quickly realised, she wasn't at home. She shrugged the covers off of her and trotted into what she presumed was the kitchen of the strange flat, her headache getting worse with each step. Need...Coffee... In the kitchen stood a tired-looking white unicorn with an electric blue mane and light blue highlights with double eighth notes as her cutie-mark. "Good morning, sleeping beauty." she said. Seems friendly enough. Octavia thought. "Or should I say afternoon?" Or not... Vinyl stood at the stove on her hind legs while using her hooves to cook a late breakfast, apparently not fazed by a hangover, which Octavia guessed was due to the fact that she was wearing her trademark amethyst-tinted sunglasses. Why does she wear them indoors.... "What happened last night?" Octavia asked, groaning as her headache intensified. Vinyl cracked an egg before emptying the contents into a pan with a satisfying sizzle. Vinyl faced her and gave her a knowing smile. "What do you think happened?" Octavia blinked. She then fought against the headache to try to vaguely remember the events of last night. "Well...we had a drink and talked... we got drunk..." Octavia remembered the night before where she met the DJ, A.K.A Vinyl Scratch. "I fell over onto you and we... kissed." She almost whispered that last part. Vinyl looked at her, slightly startled. "I was kind of hoping you would have forgotten that last part, Tavi." Vinyl said sheepishly. "Well, it... wait. Did you just call me Tavi?" Vinyl blushed and looked away. Unfortunately, she had white fur so it was clearly visible. "I-I... I heard you say last night that... no-one has given you a nickname before so I thought... you know..." she trailed off. Octavia smiled. "That's sweet." she said, her tone genuinely sympathetic. Vinyl's blush intensified. "Soooo..." Octavia said, not wishing to prolong the awkward silence. "Where exactly am I?" "You're at my apartment." Vinyl stated. "How did I end up here? Did I... Oh my Celestia I did, didn't I..." she was cut off by Vinyl's assertive tone. "No. Nothing happened. You collapsed at the bar so I dragged you to my flat because I don't know where you lived, I tucked you in to my bed and slept on the sofa." She pointed to the scrunched-up blanket on the large sofa in front of the TV through the doorway. "Oh..." Octavia said. Now it was her turn to hide an awkward blush. "Thank Celestia for that. Where is this apartment exactly?" "Downtown Canterlot. Why?" "That's near where I live." "Well, that's a strange coincidence." "Indeed." The two mares stood in silence, Vinyl dishing out a late breakfast. She grabbed the plates in her telekinesis and carried them into the living room. She placed them on the table and they ate in relative silence, the only noise coming from birds tweeting and the occasional scraping of a fork against a plate. "So." Vinyl said. "So." Octavia said. "Why don't you tell me about yourself, Tavi?" Octavia looked up briefly and returned to her food. "Oh, erm, I'm a cellist for the Royal Canterlot Orchestra." She remembered the phone call from the previous day, tears welling up in her eyes. "Well, I WAS, but I got fired for not being able to make one rehearsal." Her voice broke as she said this and she let out a few pitiful sobs. Vinyl, instantly regretting asking Octavia about her life, slung a hoof around her shoulder and held her in a tight, comforting hug as the grey mare wept into her fur. She gently stroked her mane with her free hoof, whispering sweet nothings into her ear. The sobbing continued for a few minutes. Octavia finally calmed down and composed herself, her purple, bloodshot, puffy eyes on the verge of bursting again. "Better?" the DJ asked, genuine concern entering her usually carefree tone. Octavia simply nodded, afraid that she would cry again if she spoke. "Sorry I cried." Octavia finally let out. "No." Vinyl said. "No, no. It's my fault. I asked about your life. I didn't know. I'm so sorry." "No it's fine." Octavia persisted. "Anyway," she said, wiping her eyes. "What about you?" "I'm an aspiring DJ making it big in the Canterlot Club scene. It said so at the start of the story." "What?" "Nevermind. Anyway, at the moment, I can only afford this dump." She looked around the room, eyeing the junk spread around the floor. Octavia did likewise. After another minutes silence, Vinyl finally spoke. "So what were you going to say before anyway? You changed topics when you noticed that I called you 'Tavi'" "Nothing!" Octavia said quickly. A little too quickly. Vinyl raised one of her eyebrows, the expression still evident beneath the glasses. She shrugged it off. "OK." Another silence. Vinyl took the two empty plates back into the kitchen and sat back on the sofa, looking for something to do. "Are we friends now?" Octavia asked. Vinyl was caught off guard. "Uhh, yeah, sure, why not?" she responded. "Cool." Yet another silence. They stayed like that, basking in the sounds of the early afternoon. "I have another question." Vinyl said. "Ok. What is it?" Octavia questioned. "About before. When you thought that we had done... That. I speak from past experience when I say this, but only a fillyfooler would say that. I'm not implying that y..." she was cut off by Octavia sighing. "It's true." she said bluntly. Vinyl gasped. "What?" "It's true." she said, on the brim of tears again. Her parents had disowned her for being a fillyfooler. She had had to make her way up on her own talents without her parents' infrastructure. Vinyl saw this and immediately hated herself for how she had reacted. She hugged her again. "No. Don't cry. Whatever happened in the past is in the past. You've already cried me a river. Now you need to build a bridge and get over it." The pun made Octavia laugh. "There we go. You should laugh more. You're cute when you laugh." She clamped both of her hooves over her mouth when she realised what she had said, her eyes widening. This prompted her to laugh harder. "You should see yourself!" Vinyl blushed harder. Finally, Octavia calmed down, her previous troubles completely forgotten. More silence. "We keep having awkward silences this afternoon, don't we?" Vinyl chimed, recovering from her previous embarrassment. "Yes." Even more silence. "THERE!" Vinyl shouted, startling Octavia and making her yelp. "It happened again." More silence. "I, umm, think I should go home now." Octavia said. "Ok." Vinyl said dejectedly. "Wait!" she said. She burst into the kitchen and came back a few moments later with a piece of paper with a phone number on it. Octavia blushed. "Here." Vinyl said excitedly. "Call me if you wanna, you know, hang out sometime." She smiled. Octavia smiled back. "Sure. I'll see you soon, then." Octavia left in a cheerful mood, not even registering the hangover now.
What happens shall happenVinyl went about her daily duties, paying bills, buying groceries and whatnot. But one thing stayed on her mind. Something that wouldn't budge. Octavia. Vinyl couldn't stop thinking about her. The cheerful face, the unwavering compassion, the elegant curves of her... No. Bad brain. Vinyl froze. Why would I even think that? Is it possible tha- NO! she instantly stopped her train of thought. Things were no better on Octavia's end of the story. She lay on her mattress, Celestia's sun shining through the window, highlighting the various music awards that donned the window ledge. Beside her lay her phone. She was stuck on whether to call Vinyl or text her or not. She sighed in reminiscence. Butterflies formed in her stomach every time she thought of the energetic mare. She came to a conclusion. I'll arrange to meet her tonight. Maybe at a bar, an environment she may be familiar with. Her phone buzzed. It was Beauty Brass, whom she had spoken to on the phone the previous night, before smashing her phone. She answered. "What?" "Hi Octavia." came a nervous reply. "I couldn't contact your other phone. Why is that?" "Never mind that. What do you want?" "I, umm, the conductor wants to offer you your job back." "Is he CRAZY!? He fired me and he expects me to just simply take the job back because he can't find another cellist? I can't say I expected better of him, but from YOU? I'm disappointed. No. I will not take my old job back. I have better things to squander my life with than the conductor and his petty ideals. Good day!" And with that, she ended the call indignantly and slammed the phone onto the bed, the mattress thankfully cushioning the strike. She huffed and slammed a hoof on her bedside table. She then noticed the number on a scrap of paper near her hoof. Vinyl. She grabbed her phone and dialled the number. "Hey Vinyl. Do you want to go drinking tonight?" Vinyl arrived at the bar. It was a small place, but a good one nonetheless. She opened the door and spotted a sulking Octavia staring at her whiskey. Guess I've got a drinking buddy. Or it could be more than a buddy. SHUT UP BRAIN! "Heya Tavi." Vinyl beamed. "Hey, Vinyl." Octavia muttered. "Wassamatter?" "I got an offer to get my old job back." Octavia sighed. "That's great! Why are you sad?" "I declined." It took Vinyl a few seconds to register what she had said. "You WHAT!?" "I declined. He can't just fire me and instantly expect me to come crawling back." She picked up her whiskey and downed it in one gulp. "Do you... Do you know where I can get a job?" She almost sobbed. "I'm sorry. No, I don't." Octavia was about to cry when Vinyl had an idea. "Wait. Tavi, I need a manager to help me set up my gigs because it's really hard to do during the day when I'm doing my daily business. Why don't you become my manager?" Octavia was shocked. "I-I... You... You really mean it?" Vinyl smiled reassuringly at Octavia. "Yes. Of course. You also receive 50% of my profits." Octavia leapt out of her seat and grabbed Vinyl in a bone-crushing hug. "Thatnkyouthankyouthankyou!" she shouted. Vinyl was struggling to breathe. "Tavi....Need...To...Breathe...Gak!" Octavia let go instantly. "OhmygoshI'msosorry." she let out. "I was just a bit excited to have a job." "No problem. Next drink's on me." They talked the rest of the night away into the early hours of the morning, laughing at bad puns, talking about their lives and really trying to ignore that part of their brain that was sending them strange and erotic thoughts about the other. Some time around 3 in the morning, they staggered out of the bar, to the disappointment of the bartender who had become 1000 bits richer due to them buying a lot of alcohol. The stumbled down the road, leaning against eachother to stay up straight. Just outside the flat, Octavia stumbled and tripped, landing on her back. She and Vinyl stayed there for a few seconds. Then they simultaneously burst out laughing. After a while, they calmed down, still giggling in their inebriated state. Vinyl extended a hoof to help her to her feet. Octavia had other plans. She grabbed the hoof, but instead of using it to help her get up, she pulled Vinyl to the ground. Vinyl landed on her, bounced off a little and landed on her back next to Octavia. They started laughing again. They lay there on the ground, giggling and looking at the stars. They both sighed. "Wow, Tavi. They're so beautiful and shiny." Vinyl finally said. If she was sober, she would have stopped there. But in her inebriated state, she said "Just like your eyes." She clamped a hoof around her mouth. Octavia giggled. "I never took you for a poetic type, Vinyl." "I didn't mean to say that. It just came out." Who am I trying to convince? Me? Or her? They both lay there for another few minutes, adiring Luna's stars. "I think we should head inside." "Good idea." After two minutes of attempting to find the key to the door, Octavia criticising her for having the key in her two-toned hair, and then trying to unlock the door, they finally entered the flat and collapsed on the floor. After crawling to Vinyl's bedroom, they climbed onto the bed. As soon as their head hit the pillow, they were asleep.
A pleasant awakeningOctavia blinked her eyes open. She felt the residual effects of a hangover, but nothing too severe, thank Celestia. She felt the warm breath of a sleeping mare on her neck and she noticed a white hoof straddled over her chest. She snuggled into the warm sleeping body behind her. Wait. A white hoof? Sudden hit her like a ton of bricks. I just slept with Vinyl. She shrugged. Better enjoy it while I can. She closed her eyes and snuggled closer. The white unicorn stirred. "Huh, wassat?" Vinyl mumbled. She realised that she had a grey mare snuggling up to her. "Oh, buck. What happened last night?" "Don't worry, we didn't do anything." Octavia said. "Hehe. Wasn't this the reverse of yesterday's situation? You confused about the night before and me reassuring you." Octavia giggled and snuggled even closer. "Umm, Tavi?" "Mmm?" "You can stop snuggling me now." Octavia realised what she was doing. "Oh, ummm, sorry." She moved away and blushed a little. "It wasn't an order." Octavia blushed harder, eager to change subject, while Vinyl mentally slapped herself. Stupid. What was I thinking? "So, umm, should I go make breakfast?" "S-s-s-sure." Real smooth, Vinyl, real smooth. Octavia walked to the kitchen. Now what should I cook? She opened the fridge to see what was available. She clamped a hoof over her nose and retched. OK. Not the fridge, then. She opened the cupboards and successfully found some cereal packed with copious amounts of sugar. It'll do. She pulled out two bowls and poured the cereal inside, braving the fridge for milk and grabbing two spoons. She carried the bowls into the bedroom and gave one to Vinyl, who instantly tucked in. Octavia sat next to her and they ate in silence. "Fat penguin." Vinyl said. "What?" "Just thought I'd say something to break the ice. Fat penguin." They sat there for a few moments. Then they burst out laughing. "HAHAHA F-fat penguin! Oh my Celestia that's hilarious!" They finally calmed down about 2 minutes later. "Well, this morning was awkward. You know, waking up in the same bed together and all." Vinyl said, scratching the back of her head and briefly looking away. "It's OK. I didn't mind. Me being a fillyfooler and all, I-it was kind of nice." Vinyl gawked. "Oh, umm, I didn't mean to-" "No, no. I-it's fine. Just not what I expected." Octavia smiled. "Ok. I'll, um, give you a call sometime and we can go drinking or something." "Wait. Don't you have a JOB to go to?" Vinyl smirked. Octavia remembered last night. She beamed at her new employer. "Should I see what 'gigs' I can arrange for you, then?" Vinyl smiled back. "Go ahead. See if you can get anything for tomorrow." "No problem, Boss." She winked at Vinyl, earning her a blush.
Hidden feelings no longerSeveral months after Vinyl hired Octavia, they had taken the decision to move in together due to it being more convenient for work. At least, that's what they told themselves. Vinyl was quickly gaining popularity and both of them had pooled their money together to purchase a larger apartment. They had found it awkward when the estate agent had mistaken them for a couple. They sat on their sofa eating lunch together, discussing business. "So what gigs did you get?" Vinyl asked to her classically inclined roommate. Octavia pulled out a small folder. "I found you four gigs in the next week. Each one will pay 5000 bits for your performances." Vinyl gawked. "Y-you... How did you... THAT'S 20000 BITS IN ONE WEEK!!!!" Vinyl shouted eagerly. "Plus 5% of the profits each night." Vinyl remained speechless. Octavia giggled. "I've been waiting almost a year for you to be speechless." "I... I just... It doesn't..." Vinyl stammered before hugging Octavia and planting a wet kiss on her lips before she realised what she was doing. Her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. Now Octavia gawked. "OhmygoshI'msosorry." Vinyl squeaked. Octavia just stared. "Don'tbemad?" She whispered. Octavia finally spoke, without a trace of anger. "I... Is that how you feel about me?" Octavia whispered. It's now or never Vinyl. You won't get another chance to tell her how you feel. Vinyl sighed. "Yes." She mumbled. Octavia beamed. "I've been waiting for months to hear that." Octavia said, before grabbing Vinyl around the back of the head with her hooves and pulling her in for a long kiss. They stayed like that for hours. Eventually, Octavia let her tongue venture out of her mouth and against Vinyl's lips. Vinyl readily opened her mouth, her own tongue exploring the cavern of Octavia's mouth. They moaned into eachother's mouths, arousing them further. After 5 minutes, they reluctantly split apart, a trail of saliva connecting their muzzles, both of them panting for breath. "That was *gasp* That was amazing!" Vinyl said. Octavia, still out of breath, simply nodded. After cooling down for a few minutes they looked into eachother's eyes. Well, as much as was possible with Vinyl's glasses still on her nose. "Why don't you take those glasses off?" Octavia said. "Several months and I still haven't seen your eyes." Vinyl grimaced. "I don't think it's for the best." Vinyl responded uneasily, avoiding Octavia's eyes. "Why?" Octavia asked. Vinyl sighed. "As a child, I was constantly mocked for my eyes. Everyone thought I was a freak. I bought these glasses when I was 12 so no-one would see them. I don't take them off because I'm scared, Tavi. Scared that if I take them off, they will be there to mock me, to make my existence meaningless once again." Vinyl almost sobbed. "Vincenza Staccato, you listen to me." Octavia said firmly. The mentioning of her full name brought her to attention. Octavia's expression softened. "Remember, no matter what the others say, no matter what you look like on the outside, I'll still love you 'till the end. Now, take your glasses off. For me, please." Vinyl sighed. "Promise me you won't leave or insult me or anything if I do." "I promise, Vinyl," Vinyl reached a hoof towards her glasses and carefully took them off, her eyes remaining closed. She slowly opened them, revealing to Octavia the most beautiful pools of magenta she had ever seen. She stared, mesmerised by Vinyl's eyes. "They're ugly, aren't they? Say it. Go on, say it." Vinyl felt a tear welling in her eyes. "No." Octavia whispered. "They are the most beautiful, mesmerising eyes I have ever seen. Never put those glasses back on. The whole world should see them." Vinyl was surprised. "You- you like them? You don't think I'm a freak?" "I LOVE them! I could never think you're a freak." They moved in for a long kiss, more passionate than the last one and fuelled by pure emotion. When all is said and done, Beneath Celestia's rising sun, Two mares hold eachother in loving embrace, Smiles of pleasure set on their face. The End? Author's Note What will they do now that they have realised they have feelings for eachother? I don't know, I'm just improvising, but I'm doing well so far. Thanks to everyone who's stayed tuned to this fic. Don't forget to like or fave. I may or may not make a sequel. I'll just see how well this does.
