Music of Reverence

Vinyl had surprised every pony when she had called out to Octavia as she had woke up. It had surprised them more when she told them she had spoke to her once lover. The real surprise was that she was still sad but was more herself and insisted on scarfing a whole bag of chips for breakfast. True it had been the most she'd eaten since coming home but she had nearly eaten the bag with the chips. What Vinyl resented though was that every pony was doing things for her insisting she just sit still. It was driving her nuts she had to do something. Her eyes fell upon the cello wrapping it in her magic. The large instrument floated to her with the bow. A long mournful note echoed through the room as the cello's strings were rubbed. Every pony turned to stare as Vinyl held the instrument at an angle that allowed her to stay sitting but let her hold the neck and strings in one hoof. Vinyl's own eyes were closed as she drew the bow across the strings.

The sound was sad but still beautiful as one note wove into another. Several of the ponies gathered recognized the song but had kept quiet. A look of awe hung on the faces of all the ponies. They could almost hear the familiar sound of the dubstep electronic bass that had made Pon3 famous. Granted it wasn't by far perfect it was not the mistakes any pony noticed but how easily she was playing the song. How quickly she was correcting the mistakes. This wasn't DJ Pon3 playing. It couldn't be. If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes they'd have sworn they were hearing Octavia practicing. The last note was fading in the air as the bow fell away. Vinyl sagged in the wheelchair suddenly surrounded by ponies who were trying to catch her. The cello and the bow were replaced in the corner where they had resided. "What the buck were you thinking?!" demanded an angry Neon Lights. It was clear on the stallion's face he was impressed but more upset that vinyl had exerted herself the way she had.

"I'm fine Neon. It will take more than that to keep me down," Vinyl said weakly waving a hoof. "Whoops... Whoa light headed." With a snort Neon corrected Vinyl in the chair making sure she wouldn't fall as Lyra and Bon Bon brought something for her to eat and drink. Vinyl was about to protest but the stern looks from every pony made her think twice as she accepted the drink and the bowl of sweets that her friends had quickly procured. "What's got you all so spooked? It's not like I died and came back just now." She tilted her head before she noticed the cello was slightly off center. She used her magic correcting it.

"Vinyl, when did you learn to play the cello?" asked Lyra. Vinyl looked at her friend raising an eyebrow. Lyra looked at the other ponies for a moment then met Vinyl's gaze. "I mean that was almost good enough to be Octavia." Vinyl gave a confused look then glanced at the cello again. She lowered her head lifting a hoof to her chest and the stitches over her heart. No, Octavia's heart. She couldn't think of it as anything else.

"I didn't. I just did what Tavi used to do," Vinyl said after a long moment. "Besides I might just play for myself. She was the only pony I could listen to playing that kind of music." She gave her typical DJ Pon3 smile but the state of her mane did nothing to enhance the mirth. She hadn't even bathed properly since the surgery. "Ugh! How long do I need these things any hay?" Vinyl asked pointing her hoof at the stitches.

"The Doc said it would be a week or two before they can even think about it," Neon said. Vinyl frowned wondering how long had it been already. "Don't ya worry we'll get you in for a follow up in a day or two. We just got ya talking again and we got some catching up to do." Vinyl looked around the room and sighed before looking at the now empty bowl.

"Fine Neon, but don't think one bowl of fruit is gonna get me to bare my soul," Vinyl replied with a sly grin. "It's not like I'm gonna be going back to work any time soon." Lyra had already collected the bowl and taken it to the kitchen. "Now who got the food? I swear the fridge and cabinets were empty," Vinyl said drily. The other ponies looked at each other nervously whispering so the white unicorn couldn't hear them. She sighed knowing from the reaction it wasn't them. "Oh. I see. Well thanks Tavi," whispered Vinyl.

The evening went without a further incident. Vinyl was still sad but tried to look happy for her friends. It wasn't until she was in her bed and asleep that anything happened. Vinyl sat under a tree leaning back against it. Her fore hooves crossed behind her head. "Octavia, The guys said I played your cello. I don't even remember that. I miss you so much," said the white unicorn. Vinyl turned her eyes to look at the lovely gray earth mare sitting next her.

"I know you do Vinyl, but you must really stop moping around like this. I want you to be happy. I do wish I could still be there with you, but I can not. You must go on. You mean more to me than life itself," Octavia said in soft voice. "Do what makes you happy and I'll be happy too." Octavia would stand and kiss Vinyl's cheek. She would vanish as she had before.