OCTAVIA'S POV
"Ok I think that's enough for today, Sweetiebelle. I must say...you have...improved on your violin, but you still keep missing a few chords, I suggest a bit more practice and then we will meet back here Thursday afternoon, agreed," I said, looking at the white filly, her violin in her hooves,
"Yeah! Ok, see you tomorrow Miss Melody," she said before waving and exiting my home,
I rubbed my hooves on my temples, the truth was...she hadn't improved at all, and I couldn't find the heart to tell her the truth, but I would have to tell her sooner or later, but for now I had to get going. Vinyl had asked me to come to the only club in Ponyville to watch her 'spin some records'. And at first I had kindly declined, but then I decided, why not, she had gone to every single one of my concerts, the least I could do was go to one of hers.
I looked at the clock, 6:37 P.M.
oh dear, if I don't leave now I'm going to be late, I thought before heading to the door, I took a quick sweep of the room, making sure it was clean, and then swiftly left the house, closing and locking the door behind me before starting at a quick trot to the club known as, The Dream.
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NIGHTWING'S POV
I sat at the bar in, The Dream, the only club in Ponyville. I took a sip of water from my mug, the cool liquid sliding down my throat with ease. I put the cup down and turned my head to the acoustic guitar beside me,
"At least, you have some purpose, all I do is sit and play you and get into fights for being in another pony's territory, especially today," I sighed and took another sip the memory of today replayed in my head,
I had been playing a song for a few mares and stallions, until two stallions stepped up and told me to buck off before they kicked the tar out of me and smashed my guitar. I took the challenge and continued playing until one of them swung at my head, giving me the small bruise on my chin, before I took action and restrained both of them long enough for the guards to take control, then I decided to come here and use the forty bits I had earned.
I broke out of my head as a voice spoke through the microphone,
"WUB A DUB DUB EVERYPONY, you are partying with DJPON3 and tonight, I have a special mix, that I put together for my best friend, who...IS HERE RIGHT NOW!" A white mare with a blue mane and some pink glasses, said excitedly and cranked her neck long enough to see who ever it was in the crowd before realizing it and instantly changing back into her relaxed self,
"Whoa looks like I may of had too much cider, I've never done that before," she joked,
"Why don't I just play the song," she finished before placing her hooves on the turn table,
I turned back to the bar as the song started, the sound of a cello, making it feel like a slow song. I was about to stand up when a beat was added to it. I started to bob my head to the beat as te cello quickened. Soon, the cello and bass harmonized making a beautiful sound, but they were both so different from each other. I grabbed my glass and chugged the rest of my water down, before asking for another glass, I was about to go dance, but the dance floor was crowded and I couldn't dance and I was not about to embarrass myself. I asked for another glass just as a mare asked me,
"Is this seat taken," I shook my head and watched as the gray earth pony mare with a black mane, fixed to the very best, sat in a seat next to me,
"It's sweet of that DJ to use one of my songs and mix it with her...her...oh whatever it is called, but still it's sweet of her to do that," she must have been a Canterlot mare, her accent a very sophisticated and way different then what you would hear in a club like this,
"Hello miss, care for a glass of-"
"No thank you, I'm just here to see a friend," she interrupted the random stallion who had confronted her, most likely find of her,
I covered up a laugh with a cough, she just sad no to a random pony midway through his sentence, she had to have dealt with this before. The stallion glared at her before sitting down beside her, he must of had too much cider, he was on edge and he forced me to be on edge as well. Nopony was getting hit tonight, well no mare was getting hit tonight. The stallion, an orange earth pony with a green mane grabbed a glass of cider and chugged it in seconds. I knew how this night was going to end, most likely, he and what ever drunk friends he had were going to hurt her when she left. I had to keep an eye on her so this would mean it was time for small talk,
"So, what brings you to a club like this," I asked before taking a sip of water, she turned an looked at me and then at the glass of water,
"Well, my friend is the DJ up there, and she has come to all of my concerts, but I had refused to go to one of these dirty places," she said,
"So I decided I would thank he for coming to my concerts by going to one of her...shows," she finished with a wave of her hoof, she then looked at me,
"And how about you, you don't seem to be the type that wants to do what that pony wants to," I laughed,
"Yeah I usually just come here after I have had a stressful day of work," she opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the pony behind,
"Go find your own mare you piece of-"
"Where do you work," she cut him off,
"Oh, I work every where, I'm a street performer," I said leaning down and patting my guitar,
"Ahhh, how lovely, what kind of music do you-"
"Hey, I thought I told you to screw off," the stallion moved in between us and stared daggers at me,
I looked at him my face in a relaxed state,
"She doesn't like you, want you, or even want to talk to you, so why don't you run along before somepony gets hurt," I said, my eyes on his,
"Screw off," he said before pushing me off my seat and sitting down himself,
The mare looked at me, before turning to the drunk,
"Well I don't think that was very kind of you sir...now I must be going, my friend is almost-" she started to stand but was forced back down into her seat by the pony,
"No...I think we should chat awhile, get to know each other, what do ya-" he said,
"Once again, I'm saying no, now please let go of me so I can go home," she politely said before shaking off his hoof,
"Why don't you come home with-"
"NO...look I have a home if my own and I would really appreciate it if-" she tried to stop him but he spoke up,
"No, you are coming home with me, and we are going to have some fun," he said before grabbing her hoof,
She took action and slapped him as hard as she could, making his head turn, but it wasn't strong enough to make him let go. He turned his head and gave her a smile,
"Shouldn't have done that bitch," he said before raising his hoof,
Oh hell no, I thought and jumped in front of the mare and grabbing the hoof as he brought it down,
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, there is no need for violence," I said lowering his hoof,
"Now why don't we be nice and let the mare go, and then you can leave and go get some-" I was cut off by his hoof slamming into my jaw and making me fall back onto the mare,
I quickly got up and charged into the stallion, who despite bigger than me, was off balance thanks to his intoxicated state, and I was able to force him into the wall behind him. I then leaned in and whispered,
"Now you listen here, I don't ever want to see your face here again, got that, or next time-" I brought my knee into his stomach as hard as i could,
"-I will break every damn bone in your body," I finished, he coughed and looked up, a grin on his face,
"You...should be careful with...who you mess with," I felt a hoof on my shoulder and I was swiftly turned around to face a stallion twice my size,
I tried to dodge the incoming punch but was too late and I soon had a mouth full of hoof. I retaliated with a swift kick to the stomach and was about to throw a punch when my hoof was grabbed by the stallion behind me and I felt another punch hit my gut. I groaned and fell to the ground in fake agony, letting the two stallions close in on me before I did a leg sweep and caught them both, making them fall with a thud. I stood and looked at the mare,
"GET YOUR FRIEND AND GET OUT OF HERE," I yelled at her, before turning to see both stallions on their feet,
well this is fair, I thought, staring at the two
let's see how well of a team you are,
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OCTAVIA'S POV
"Really, holy crap Tavi, I didn't know...I'm sorry that I brought you into this," Vinyl apologized, rubbing a hoof through her mane,
"Oh don't apologize Vinyl, it was my decision to go see you and it ended up being a bad time, but to e honest, I think I should apologize to the pegasus that tried to defend me, he was very kind up to he fight, probably the only sane one there. I just can't help but feel bad," I told her, as I stepped up to the door,
"Don't feel too bad, the worse that could've happened was a few bruises, unless on of the stallions was big enough to break a bone with one punch, but I highly doubt it," classic Vinyl, not a care for the world, yet she cared for her music,
I sighed,
"I...guess you're right, but if I see him I'm going to apologize,"
"Ok...hey what did that guy look like anyways," Vinyl asked, before opening the door and heading inside, I followed before speaking,
"He was a jet black pegasus with a some what small hair cut, kinda like Rainbow Dash's," I tapped my hoof on my chin,
"Yes...he also had a small athletic build, not strong enough to fight two bigger built stallions like the two earlier but he had the brains by the looks of it, and he was just so weird, he was calm during the fight, he wasn't aggressive, and he would wait for the others to attack, it was...brilliant," I finished, putting my hoof down and heading to the kitchen,
"Looks like you have a crush on the pegasus, to be able to explain him that well," I blushed for a moment before fighting back,
"I do not...I barely even knew him...I just look at ponies from time to time and see certain features about them...yes that's it," I retorted,
"You sure did hesitate, are you sure," Vinyl said, narrowing her eyes and staring into mine,
"Yes, I'm sure," I said adding a glare,
"Fine, I believe you..." she turned her head to the clock,
"It's late, we should get some sleep, night Octy," she said as she went upstairs to her room,
I followed shortly, and went to my room. It was tidy and my bed was made, although it wouldn't be for long. I slowly crept under the covers and lay where I could face the ceiling. I had to find that pegasus, and I knew exactly where,
I will just have to go back to that club tomorrow and find him, I thought before closing my eyes and slowly drifting off. Tomorrow I was going to find that pony, even if it meant my life.
OCTAVIA'S POV
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, I smashed my hoof on the alarm clock and quickly got ready, if I could get ready, Vinyl wouldn't be asking ludicrous questions. I ran down stairs and right out the door as fast as I could, after leaving a note saying that I was running a few errands, but that was only partially true. I did need to go get a cake from Sugar Cube Corner, but that wasn't until noon so I had just enough time to get to the club and get to the minor mission afterwards. I quickly moved through the streets, more ponies appearing every turn, meaning that it was almost eight o'clock, which meant Vinyl would be expecting me home pretty quick, so I quickened the pace.
As I turned I bumped into a rather large pony, a pony that looked familiar. I looked him up and down, until the memory processed, he was the orange stallion from last night. I tried to take step back, but I bumped into a pony behind, obviously his friend,
"Looks like we found ourselves a redo," he said, the smell of alcohol on his breath,
"E...excuse me, but I'm trying to get somewhere and I'm in a hurry, could you please move aside," I asked trying to sound polite, but my voice wavered,
"Looks like you're on your own today, why not come to my home, so we can...aheh...cuddle," he slowly leaned forward, before forcefully gripping my hoof in his,
"You know what, why don't we take a walk instead," he said before dragging me into one of the longest, darkest alleys I had ever been in, unless it was fear making it seem that way,
I soon felt myself being forced to the ground, the two ponies circling me,
"P...please...let me go," I pleaded before a hoof gripped my throat and I was forced into a wall, my head colliding with wood,
"No, not until I get a taste of ya," he said before leaning in for a kiss, I squirmed around trying to get away but I was only able to break a hoof free,
I brought the hoof up into his cheek, managing a red mark on his orange coat, but not strong enough to be let go. I gasped for air as he tightened his grip on my throat, choking me. He pulled me away from the wall long enough to slam me, as hard as he could, into the wall again, my vision starting to turn into a blurred mess,
"Why don't we try this again," he asked through gritted teeth,
He started to lean forward again, his lips covered in what looked like, spoiled alcohol. I squirmed and squirmed, but I wasn't strong enough and his lips met mine. I screamed into the forced kiss, tears stinging my eyes. I tried to push him off but he was too heavy, but all of a sudden, his weight and lips disappeared, and I felt myself hit the dirt. I managed to look up to see another familiar pony, on top of the a stallion, his hooves going up and down multiple times, before he finally stopped and quickly stood up. My vision, still not clear, was making it hard to tell who it was, but as he got closer, I knew. It was him, the stallion from last night, the one that had jumped in to save me, the one that had protected me from the same orange stallion,
how...how did he find me, did he follow me, I thought as he ran up to me, yelling things that I couldn't understand,
I felt my eyes droop as I slipped into unconsciousness, when I would come two, all I could do was hope I was home.
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NIGHTWING'S POV
"Hang in there, come on, we are almost there," I told the unconscious mare on my back,
I had been walking away from the hospital when I heard some familiar voices, I had followed them to the source in which I was correct. The mare from last night was about to die by the same two stallions who had been harassing her before. I took action and knocked out the first one while the other one was 'busy' before I had grabbed the orange one and pummeled him to almost death. Happy to have ended the fight I soon realized I had been almost too late, the mare was oozing blood from the back of her head and was slipping into unconsciousness, so I did what I had to do, picked her up and ran to th hospital.
I crashed through the door, the mare still on my back,
"Oh my, what...what is wrong," a nurse walking into the lobby asked,
"Bleeding...in the back...of the head," I said between breaths, the nurse quickly called a doctor and the mare was heaved off of my back and into the hall,
I sat down and tried to breathe, my heart rate increasing tremendously,
what the hell was she doing down there, I thought, my brain thinking of every reason why, unfortunately non came,
I stared into the hall way, trying to decide if I should leave or not. I just kept staring until a white mare, the DJ from last night charged through the doors yelling,
"WHERE IS SHE," I stared at her, confused, she had never acted like this before, she must really have cared for her friend,
The nurse directed her to the hall and told her the room number. As she passed me she looked at me,
"Your the stallion from the club last night aren't you," I nodded, she glared at me,
"This is all your fault, you stay away from my friend, or else you will have me to deal with," she growled and stuck her face closer to mine,
"And if I see you around her again, I will file a restraining order on your as s, you got that," I just nodded and she dashed into the hallway, the nurse looked at me for a second,
"Would you like to see her as well," I shook my head and gave her my address telling her that if the mare wanted to know where I was to go there, she then put the note on the desk before I left the building to home.
I never liked helping ponies, they would usually return it with, 'I didn't need your help', or 'buck off or else you're dead' which is exactly how that DJ thanked me, but I learned how to deal with it back when another pony had done the same thing. I sighed as I pushed the door to my house open, flicking the lights on and heading upstairs to my bed. I laid down and stared at the ceiling, another sigh escaping my lips,
"This is your life Nightwing, you are a performer who won't tolerate jackasses," I told myself before sitting up and looking at my guitar,
I climbed off of my bed and grabbed my guitar, I played it with my hoof, using my wing to hold it and my other hoof pushing on the strings to make music, I sang and I played many instruments, that was my talent, a musical prodigy, but why did it feel so useless, why did I feel useless and so...alone.
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OCTAVIA'S POV
I groaned as I sat up in what I thought was my bed, Vinyl was sitting across from me sleep on the chair she was in. I tried remember the events that took place, the memories flowing through my head and I soon realized, I was in the hospital. I looked around, hoping to see the stallion that had saved me, but he was no where to be seen. I quickly but silently got out of the bed, my IV clinging to my hoof. As long as I was silent I could sneak out of the room without waking up Vinyl, unfortunately I was unsuccessful and she woke up with a yawn,
"Where are you going...you shouldn't be getting out of bed," she stretched, and stood up, blocking my path,
"Get back in bed, I...I just woke up, I'd like to walk around for awhile if you don't mind," I told her and pushed past her and through the door into the hall, a nurse was heading my way and she stopped me from moving any farther,
"If you are ready to check out, just wait in your room and I will get a doctor," I sighed and went back into my room to lay down,
"What's a matter with you," Vinyl asked, as I sat up,
"I need to thank and apologize to that stallion, and until I do, this guilt is going to kill me," I told her, slamming my head back on to the pillow,
"You don't need to do that, he probably already knows you want to and that is why he left," Vinyl earned a glare from me,
"Really Vinyl, you have no emotions sometimes you know that," she laughed at my remark,
"Have you met me Octy," I sighed,
"I wish I hadn't," I mumbled, sitting back up,
"You know you love me Octy," I laughed,
"Yes I do Vinyl, but we are only friends, never forget that," Vinyl laughed harder,
"Octy, I told you and you told me that we are both into stallions, so you don't have to say that," our laughter faded as a doctor came into the room,
His coat was as pale as his uniform, his mane brown and his glasses pushed up onto his muzzle,
"Miss Octavia, are you ready to check out," he said floating a clipboard out of his pocket,
"Yes please, I'm kind of in a hurry," I said, grabbing the clipboard with my hooves and taking the pen from the bed side table in my mouth and starting to sign the papers as he directed me where to sign,
"Oh and if you have time could you sign this photo, it's for my wife," he pulled a photo out of his pocket, and put that on top of the clipboard which I signed quickly,
"Thank you, now let's get this IV off of you," he pulled the needle out, making me since a little, before pulling the clip off of my hoof,
"Alright you are free to go," I looked at him, confused,
"What about the bill," he just smiled,
"The stallion that brought you in paid for it along with an address for you," he said pulling out a note from his back pocket,
I took it quickly and scanned it before Vinyl grabbed the note and chunked it out the now open window,
"Oops sorry Octy, now why don't we get home so we-"
"Vinyl, I'm going to go thank that stallion, now if you excuse me, I need to get going," I interrupted as I got out of the bed again and through the door,
with any luck, he will be home,
