Broken, but Still Standing

So, in what seems like no time I'm sitting in a booth of a coffee shop with my ex, sipping an espresso, falling deeper into her amethyst eyes, trying to wrap my brain around the fact that she's here, and that didn't know what the buck to do or say. So there I sat, sipping the drink, not tasting it, but using it as a means to keep from talking as I waited for her to break the silence that felt like a brittle piece of glass. Mind you, while she was smiling and being flirty with her eyes, she still was my ex, and that never boded well in friendly conversations.

“You're avoiding conversation.” She finally said, her smile fading a little.

I nearly spit out the scalding hot liquid. “What gave it away?” I added a chuckle, trying to hide any nervousness I had about this awkward situation, but she wasn't buyin'.

“V. Look. I need to know why you left.”

“D-didn't the letter say it all?”

If looks could kill, I'd be turned to dust. “Vinyl. The letter was scribbled on a napkin with lipstick and was barely legible. In fact, the only words I could make out was, and I quote, 'Damned Dog Dunking his Dingy Down Dirty Depths'.”

“Heh heh, I may have been drunk when I wrote that.”

“Why? Tell me why.” Her eyes were searching mine. “Vinyl, that was three years ago. Didn't you say you loved me?”

“While you were will Barra? I ain't going to snake a friend from a friend.”

Octavia looked like she was going to burst a vein. “You're saying you didn't know?!”

I blinked. “Know what, exactly.”

Octavia shook her head. “Barra Von Hoofen is the biggest closet homosexual there is. The fact we were dating at all was to give him some cover, because the press was looking for dirt on him, and that would have killed his career.”

That didn't make sense to me. Why would being gay effect his career. “I don't get it.” I admitted.

Octavia sighed, putting a hoof to her forehead and rubbing it, as if she'd developed a migraine. “This is why I hate you Vinyl.” She breathed out, before giving a smirk. “Hate and love you. You know so much, but are incredibly dense when it comes to most social know how.”

I shrugged. “That's me, but still, what do-” She leaned across the table and kissed me. Caught off guard. She closed her eyes, tongue fighting to enter my mouth, but I was not in the mood to shag, so I pushed her away. “Octavia. Buck girl, what the Tararus is wrong with you?”

She looked a little hurt, but settled back, thinking of what was the best way to answer my question. She opened her mouth, as if about to speak, but then decided against it. And so we sat in silence, for a few moments, until she picked up a spoon, tapped her coffee mug a few times and cleared her throat. Every pony in the coffee shop, except for the waitress, got up and left.

I stared as the five or so ponies just got up and made their way to the door, no questions asked, no dirty looks or complaints. Just, left. I stared at the gray mare across the table form me, realizing how little I know about this talented cellist that I fell in love with years back.

“You want to know why I changed.” Octavia voiced once we were alone. “I took over the family business. My father died and my mother started grooming me to take over for her.”

I felt a chill run down my spine and my horn twitched. “What was this family business?” Even as I asked the question, I dreaded the answer. The fact that here in a public coffee shop, ponies would leave at her clearing her throat, I knew the answer couldn't be good.

“If I tell, you will tell why you left me like gutter trash.” Her eyes bore into mine. “I like you Vinyl. I think I may even love you, but you hurt me bad. We're either going to fix it, or something is going to get broken.”

I stared. “Was that a threat?” I meant to sound strong, or even pissed, but the best I could come up with was a shocked, barely a whisper voice.

She waited, and I knew I had no choice. “I ran away from home when I was eight. My dad has been chasing me ever since. He finally caught up a few years back and I didn't know what he was going to do, so I skipped town before he could nail down where I lived or who I was with.”

Her agate hard eyes softened, as understanding took over. She put a hoof on mine. “I'm sorry V. I didn't mean to be harsh. It's just...I thought it was something I did.”

I didn't know how much I should say, but I was bucked either way. “Well, you were starting to scare me. I guess you were taking over your parents business. What line of work were they into?”

“They were Senators.”

We sat in silence for a long moment. “They...were?”

“Melody is my middle name.” Octavia explained patiently. “My full name, what they kept from the public so I could live a moderately normal life, is Octavia Melody Philharmonica.”

“Philharmonica?” She gave me an exasperated look. “Sorry, it's just, well, I've had my nose in the bottle since I left, so I have no idea what's going on in the real world.”

Octavia pondered what I said, then took a sip of coffee. “Vinyl, I'm not a Senator.” She took a long sip from her coffee before continuing. “My parents were, but before they were Senators, they were also high ranking officers of the Police Force. I took that road up to the top and them sum.” She paused and cocked her head to the side. “You haven't the foggiest idea what I'm talking about, do you?”

She caught me. “Yea-no. What are we talking about again?”

“I'm the Royal Chief Inspector.” She gave me a sly smile. “And sense you're too dense to know what that really means, I'll simplify it. Other than the Princesses themselves, I have absolute authority in Equestria.”

I felt my gut drop. “S-s-sooo. Uhhh...” This was really awkward, especially for all the times I'd tried illegal things between now and the last time I saw this mare.

Octavia must have come to some decision, because she set her coffee down and got up.

“We'll talk again later.” And before I could move. “Oh, and give your new Derpy Hooves a hello for me.”

And I thought the night couldn't get worse. “How much do you know?”

“About everything.” She replied simply. “I know that you live in a rat hole and that she is the ex maid to Diamond Bright.”

“Then you know what Diamond Bright did to her?”

There was a rather long pause. I looked over to see that she wouldn't make eye contact with me. As if she were ashamed of something.

“V. Do yourself a favor. Drop it now. Drop it before you get hurt.”

“And I thought you the head of the police could do anything.” I didn't mean it to, but it came out as a growl. Here was a pony who practically proclaimed that she could do anything, and yet she wouldn't even raise a hoof to help an innocent mare in a shit situation.

“Vinyl.” She still wouldn't look at me. “Something you have to understand is the real world doesn't revolve around good and evil. There are many good ponies who get hurt, or killed, or wrongfully accused. Like wise, there are many evil ponies who are empowered and get away with everything.”

That was a crock of shit if I've ever heard it. “And why, pray tell?”

“Necessity.” She turned to me, eyes harder than before, as if she was angry at herself and the world for even thinking that things had to be the way they were. “I have learned over the last few years that there are some ponies, no matter how good or evil, that the world can't live without...and some that the world has to live without.”

Wait, did she just admit what I think she just did? That she had allowed good ponies to die because of what they thought or said? I felt my blood run hot.

“Okay, yeah, sure.” I got up and faced her. “Sure. The world is a shit hole. It's nice to know there are true defenders of justice like you out there to make it better.”

She didn't even flinch. “Vinyl I-”

“Save it Ms. Philharmonica. I'm done here.” I turned and made my way to the front door, pausing only briefly to throw a dirty look over my shoulder. “Unless you're going to to arrest me for thinking that some pony should put that mother bucker behind bars for taking advantage of innocent mares.” She said nothing. “Lapdog.” I muttered as I left for home.

I'll tell you, there's nothing worse than knowing what the right thing is, and knowing that others know it too, but not seeing a damn pony bother to put forth a buck to care. Necessary evil my plot. The thing that should be necessary is to do the right thing.

I made it home, still seething. Seeing the apartment's windows dark, I guessed Derp went to bed. My luck, she was worried sick over me. I'd have to make it up by snuggling with her.

I paused with my hoof on the doorknob. Did I seriously just think that? After everything. After all she's done for me, with me. As I thought about all the moments we shared, my heart started to warm. I guess it was at that time that I realized, I had fallen for the mismatched eyed pegssus that flipped my world on it's head. But did she feel the same way I did?

Opening the door, I walked inside to see a note on the table. I picked it up, reading it's flowery script.

Dear Vinyl,

I'm sorry I didn't stay up till you came home. I got to sleepy and so headed to be. I hope you're first night at work went well. I would have loved to some, but it seems that the baby didn't think that was a good idea. I was a little sick after dinner.

But I wanted to tell you something. Something important that I just realized today. Since I moved in, about a week in a half ago, I realized I've missed you more and more since you've been gone. My life has changed so much, and you've changed with me. I know it's weird, but I love you for it. For the first time since my mother took care of me, another pony has actually cared about me.

I want to take care of you. I want to give you my heart. If you feel the same way, please, my bed has room for two, well I guess that's three. Teehee. I hope to wake up and see you're beautiful sleeping face next to me.

Derpy~

P.S. Please brush your teeth before coming to bed. You have terrible morning breath.

A tear came to my eye as I read and reread the answer to my unasked question. Setting the note down, I complied with the term of the arrangement, and brushed my teeth, and tongue, before making my way to her room. I peeked in to see a freshly made bed, but no Derpy.

Confused, I made my way to my room, to see the love able gray mare was snuggled in my bed, sleeping peacefully. I chuckled and got into bed carefully, so I didn't wake the little angel. I took her into my forelegs. She opened one eye.

“You're late.” She mumbled, turning into me and snuggling into my chest.

“Yeah, I'm sorry.” But she was already asleep. I couldn't help it. I smiled. Despite all the bad shit in the world, all the corruption that bucked every pony it dealt with, there was this impossible mare, who seemed to struggle in life, yet beat all odds and taught me to care, to have a heart again. I lay my head on the pillow, and held her close, Derpy's peaceful, sleeping face being the last thing I saw as my eyes grow too heavy and closed slowly on their own, letting sleep overtake me to that magical slumberland where two ponies could be happy and the world was right.