Sorrowful Sonata

Chapter 6: Sorrowful Sonata
“So... why’d you leave Mel?” The pair was sitting on the couch in the living room, a soft violin solo playing in the background. Vinyl had mixed up her normal playlist with some of Melody’s favorites after she’d returned. Melody looked at her feet shyly. “Well... I was scared.” Vinyl nodded in understanding. “My actions probably didn’t help huh?” Melody giggled and sort of fell over on the couch, her head landing in Vinyl’s lap. “Not really, no.” Both ponies giggled happily. Vinyl, struck by inspiration, ran a hoof through Melody’s hair gently. “I love your mane Mel... It’s much smoother than my birds nest.” She glanced up at her mane, stylishly tousled as always. Melody reached up and put her hoof on Vinyl’s hair. “I don’t know, I kinda like your hair V. It’s cute.” She tousled the mane further, making Vinyl laugh helplessly. “Mel! I had that perfect!” “I know V. That’s why I did it!” She brought her hoof back down, taking the shades from Vinyl’s eyes in the process. For a moment, Vinyl tried to take them back, but Melody wouldn’t let her. “No V. Your eyes are beautiful. If you want to hide them in public, so be it. But not in here ok?” Vinyl looked helplessly at her partner and smiled slowly. “Alright cute stuff, you have a deal.” “Good. Can you cook?” Vinyl shrugged. “I can boil water.” “That’s not cooking!” “It still counts!” “How does boiling water count as cooking!?” “It heats up.” Melody sighed in mild exasperation and sat up, facing Vinyl. “Well, I’ll have to teach you then.” “What? How to cook?” “No silly, how to lay eggs.” Vinyl rolled her eyes happily. “I’ve always wondered what it’d be like to be a chicken.” “Don’t be silly, you’ll be a duck!” They both stared at each other for a moment and then burst out laughing. Vinyl leaned against Melody, being sure to take care with her horn. “Oh Mel... Where were you three years ago?” Melody looked at the happy unicorn on her and smiled. “I could ask you the same question V.” Vinyl turned her head to face Melody and lost herself to a sudden kiss, her mind spiraling and her blood pumping. ~*~ It was late afternoon when Octavia came back. Melody was playing her violin specifically for Vinyl Scratch at the time. The grey mare listened in at the door, her eyes going wide. “That’s some skill she’s got... And violin?” Octavia straightened noticeably and knocked imperiously on the door. The violin stopped instantly. The door swung open slowly and Melody stood at the door. She frowned at Octavia the instant she recognized her. Her violin was in her hoof. “Come to apologize to Vinyl Octavia?” Octavia sighed dramatically. “No Melody. I’m not. I was wondering as to what you were implying by the insult you threw at me earlier.” “Which one?” Octavia shot Melody a withering look which was returned with interest. “Narrow minded.” Vinyl came up and stood beside Melody, shades now firmly in place. “Octavia? What the hay are you doing here?” Melody looked at the white unicorn, irritation plain on her face. “She wants to know what I meant by narrow minded.” Vinyl blinked as the realisation of what she was talking about dawned on her. She sighed and turned to Octavia. “Never mind what she meant Octavia. It’s not-” Octavia cut her off rudely. “I simply cannot let it go Vinyl. I want to know exactly what she meant.” Melody rolled her eyes and looked at Vinyl expectantly. Vinyl rolled her eyes. “This... is a really bad idea Mel.” Melody shrugged in irritation. “She wants to know.” Vinyl shook her head and went to turn to Octavia. “Just let it...” Melody grabbed Vinyl and pulled her into a kiss, Vinyl’s red eyes widening in shock under her shades, then closing as the now-familiar feeling kicked in, pulling her in closer to the pale red Pegasus. Octavia was shocked and took a step back in disgust. Melody separated from Vinyl and looked pointedly at Octavia. “THAT! That is what I meant Octavia. Now slither on out of here you treacherous snake!” Octavia, her face screwed up in disgust, turned and walked away in a huff. Vinyl, recovering from the sense reeling kiss still, looked at Melody and groaned slightly. “There are going to be so many repercussions for that...” Melody turned back to her love and smiled. “Nothing we can’t handle V.” Suddenly a large rock came flying down from the direction Octavia had left from and struck Melody’s violin, snapping three of the strings and denting it. Melody looked at the damage in horror. “No...” Vinyl looked at the violin in blank shock, just as another rock came flying from the same direction, this time quite a bit bigger. It collided with the violin and continued straight through, shattering it into pieces. Vinyl felt rage. Cold, undeniable rage and she leapt into action, running down the path Octavia had just followed. But Octavia had vanished, as though she was never there. Vinyl returned to the heartbroken Melody and pulled her into a hug. “I.... I’m sorry Mel...” Melody didn’t say anything, her voice stolen with sobs and shallow breaths. ~*~ “I’m going to snap her damn cello in HALF!” Vinyl was fighting to escape Melody’s grip to run down the path where Octavia had left from not fifteen minutes before, but Melody refused to let her go. “No V... Just stay here... This... This is my fault and mine alone.” Vinyl looked at the Pegasus incredulously. Her pale red feathers were brushing along the ground, her wings completely limp. “How is this your fault? This blame lies entirely on Octavia!” Melody shook her head sadly, tears still dripping down her face. “No... I provoked her... It’s my... fault...” She burst into tears again and buried her face into Vinyl’s chest, her tears staining her ivory coat. Vinyl’s eyes softened and she held her close. Melody’s stricken voice only just reached Vinyl’s ears. “I’m sorry mum... I tried...” Vinyl gently rubbed her marefriends back between her wings. Melody wrapped her wings around Vinyl and the two sat there, completely reliant on each other for most of the rest of the day. Luna’s moon was rising in the sky when they eventually walked back to the house and fell onto the couch. Melody had stopped crying and had instead adopted a hollow expression that scared Vinyl. “Melody? Are... are you going to be ok?” Melody looked at Vinyl blankly. “I’ll... I’ll be fine V...” Even her voice was expressionless. Vinyl felt a tear come to her eye as she took off her shades. “Mel, I know that’s a lie. How... How can I help?” “You can’t...” Vinyl was struck hard as she realised the full extent of the damage Octavia had caused Melody and felt her rage return. “If she comes back here... I swear I’m gunna find out where she’s staying and break her precious cello! You just watch-” There was a resounding crack as Melody slapped Vinyl across the face, her face suddenly angry. “You will do no such thing. You will stay here and look after yourself, not go gallivanting around looking for trouble.” Vinyl held a hoof to her now cut face. She looked at Melody in astonishment and tears filled her eyes. Melody realised what she’d done and freaked, emotions suddenly returning. “Oh Celestia... What did I do? I’m... I’m so sorry V... I uh...” She hung her head and got up, making to leave. She levitated three inches into the air and was replaced upon the couch right next to Vinyl. “You’re not going anywhere Mel.” Her intense red eyes met Melody’s blue ones and connected, refusing to let her look away. Melody smiled slightly in return. “Th... Thanks V...” Vinyl smiled mischievously. “I wouldn’t be saying thanks just yet cutie.” Vinyl leaned forward, her lips millimeters away from Melody’s and spoke at a near whisper. “I still need to apologise... and thank you...” Melody desperately leaned forward, trying to steal a kiss but Vinyl leaned back, keeping the distance between them torturously close. She giggled as Melody groaned in longing and slowly kissed her, pushing her onto her back. She split from the panting mare, a string of saliva still joining them together and grinned. “Now it’s my turn.” ~*~ Melody lay on the couch, gasping for breath. Her lover was already asleep, her head resting on Melody’s chest. Sweat dripped down her brow as she tried to catch her breath. “That... was... Insane!” She found herself wrapping her wings around Vinyl’s prone form, feeling protective. She was still quivering when she reached down and stroked Vinyl’s head. She giggled lightly. “You are eager aren’t you V?” Vinyl snored lightly in response, causing Melody to giggle again. “I love you V.” Vinyl stirred in her sleep, her daredevil grin spreading across her face. “I love you too...” She murmured. Melody looked at her frazzled mane and tail. The latter was tangled with Vinyl’s scruffy mane, mixing three tones of blue and a shade of purple together. Gently so as not to disturb Vinyl, Melody worked the twists and turns of their tangled hair out and slipped out from under Vinyl, making sure not to wake her. She trotted over into the kitchen and set about making herself a snack. Still eating said snack, Melody thought back to the destruction of her mother’s violin and her face grew sad. “I’m sorry mum...” Her thoughts fell on Vinyl Scratch and her frown turned into a soft smile. “I couldn’t save your violin... But I got you another daughter... another wonderful daughter. Surely that makes you proud of me?” Her wondering's turned back towards the ivory unicorn still asleep on the couch and she walked back to the living room and watched her for a while. Her shades were on the floor, forgotten long ago. She smiled as Vinyl stirred and mumbled something about music into the pillow her face was now lying on. Melody took the last bite out of her snack and nodded. “Time for bed dear...” She picked up Vinyl with her front hooves and flapped her wings experimentally. She lifted off and floated slowly through the house to the master bedroom. She carefully placed the sleeping unicorn on the pillows and then lay down herself. The last thing she thought before falling asleep came as she gazed at the peaceful face of Vinyl Scratch, her mane partially covering her face. “By Celestia she’s adorable.”