Octavia's Violin Classes

It was the first time Octavia's violin lessons took place in her friend Vinyl's home, a surprise to both her and her teacher. "Mother and father aren't usually away from home for more than a day," mentioned Octavia with a worried look on her face. "Are they all right?"

"Don't worry," reassured Mrs. Scratch with a smile as she put on a light jacket. "Your parents say they will be here as soon as possible." She turned to Mr. Kurenai. "In the meantime, you are welcome to have your violin lesson here, if you want."

"Ah, how kind of you," replied Mr. Kurenai. "And I suppose you would like to supervise?" he asked.

"I'm very sorry, but I have to go downtown. I'm quite busy planning an event for this weekend," she replied. "But Mr. Scratch will be at home fixing our music system, so if you need anything, feel free to ask him." With a flash of her magic, she disappeared.

Mr. Kurenai turned to Octavia and back to with a confused look on his face. "Music system? That's a little vague--" Loud dubstep beats interrupted his sentence, causing both of them to cover their ears. This was accompanied by a set of speakers crashing down the stairs near the entrance.

A stallion with a bright red mane followed after the speakers, shutting them off. "Sorry about that," he chuckled sheepishly. "Still trying to figure out how to stop these speakers from moving from the sheer power of sound waves. Uh, are you all right?" he asked. "It looks like you could use some tea or something."

Mr. Kurenai nodded, his mane still standing on end from the ear-bursting sound.

* * *

"Sorry about that," Octavia apologized, back at the coffee shop. "The Scratches are used to more of the louder, newer genres of music, especially the really loud sort. It takes a while for your ears to adjust to the volume."

"You don't need to apologize," replied Otoya. "It was probably for the better."

"Really?"

"Yep. The head of the Wonderful Blue Sky Organization is here. He might be about to give out a mission."

"So you joined?"

"Not yet, but I will soon."

"And what makes you think the leader of the organisation will still let you join?"

"Because I see potential in him," replied an older pony with a short mane and a suit. "I'm the leader of the Wonderful Blue Sky Organization. I believe you are the filly who encountered the one of the fangires on Cardboard Street a while back."

Octavia nodded. "Three of them now," she replied. "There was also a spider fangire with hoof puppets, and the third one tried to take my violin yesterday."

"What a coincidence," he remarked, taking a sip of his coffee. "I just sent Yuri and Jiro to retrieve a violin from nearby. It turns out that whenever a pony owns the violin, they are targeted by a specific fangire."

Octavia's pupils shrunk as she put two and two together. "That violin isn't at an auction right now, is it?"

"That's exactly where it is," he replied, revealing a newspaper clipping with the auction advertisement. "It's called the Black Star. If we can get our hands on it, we can use it as bait to defeat the fangire."

"Sounds like just the mission for me," commented Otoya.

"Are you sure?" the older stallion asked. "The auction is happening right now, and you appear to have a violin lesson to teach. I suggest you leave this to the professionals."

Before Otoya could protest, Octavia began to walk to the coffee shop's exit. "Well, so much for trying to join the organization, Mr. Kurenai. I guess we better go continue our violin lesson."

"Wait!" Otoya called to his student. "Where are you headed to? It will be impossible to continue the violin lesson at the Scratch residence."

"Do you know where the auction is?" she asked.

"The auction?" he repeated with surprise.

"I kind of want to figure out why that fangire was after the violin," Octavia explained. "So I'm coming with you."

* * *

"Looks like you can't go with him," commented Vinyl, sitting right outside the auction theater with Octavia. "But at least we get free ice cream." She took another lick of a blueberry ice cream cone. Across the road, Mrs. Scratch was helping to organize the opening of a new restaurant.

Octavia glared at the sign on the auction, reading 'No foals allowed'. "Silly grownup rules."

"Meh, it was probably boring anyway," Vinyl shrugged.

Lifting her violin out of its case, Octavia began to play it. "I may as well practice," she thought aloud. She frowned as she pushed the bow on the violin strings, the screeching sound becoming unpleasant. Then she stopped and sighed.

"What's wrong?" Vinyl asked, her ears turned to show confusion. "You don't sound as calm as you normally do."

Octavia looked at her instrument, her blank flack, and back at the violin before turning to Vinyl. "I've been learning how to play the violin for at least a month now, and I still haven't come close to mastering it. Even now, I can barely hold it in my front hooves without sitting down or leaning on something."

"That's crazy talk. You did great all those other times I heard you play. You heard the pony in the hospital: he says you're on your way to becoming a famous musician." reassured Vinyl. "And he should know, being a violinist himself."

"But what if he just said that to make me happy? What if other ponies don't like my music, and they think I don't deserve to play the violin?"

"And who would ever say that?" asked Vinyl in response.

Octavia shivered silently for a few minutes without responding. "The fangire from yesterday. When he tried to take my violin, he said I wasn't worthy of having it," Octavia finally explained.

Vinyl looked down at the road in front of her. The she looked up at Octavia with a determined smile. "But who cares what one fangire thinks! You can't let him bully you into not doing what you always dreamed of."

Octavia slowly nodded, the nod becoming quicker and more confident. "You make a point."

"Yes, Octavia! You can do this!" Vinyl cheered.

Octavia picked up her violin and bow once more. "Here it goes!" She began to play the instrument once more, this time with very little screeches or falters.

Then a string snapped in half.

Octavia's smile melted away, her eyes twitching. "It--it broke..."

"Tavi..."

Tears fell from the grey earthpony's face.

"Um, Tavi?"

Octavia didn't hear her friend's changing tone of voice.

"Tavi, he's right behind you!"

The crying filly turned her head. The fangire from the day before was right there, causing her to jump to her hooves and take a step back. However, he remained completely in pony form.

"It looks like you put too much pressure on the violin strings," he commented, taking a closer look at the broken instrument in front of him. "It shouldn't take too long to fix."

"Why should you care?" asked Vinyl, pointing a hoof at the stallion. "Just yesterday, you said she doesn't deserve to have a violin!"

The stallion shifted backward, alarmed by the accusation. "Perhaps I should have been clearer. I never meant for you to stop playing the violin altogether. I just thought you had the Black Star."

Octavia wiped away her tears, looking a bit confused.

"The Black Star is one of the finest violins I have ever made. I put years of time and effort to make it just right."

Octavia and Vinyl's eyes widened. "You made it?"

"Yes. However, no pony who has used it deserved to keep it."

Octavia shot the fangire an angry look. "That's harsh, and it doesn't make it right to hurt those ponies."

"I can't help it, though," said the fangire, trying to defend himself. "Whenever I hear the racket some of those ponies make, it drives me crazy. Not to mention how carelessly they handle the violin, treating it like some disposable object! Why can't I just suck the colour out of them and spare the world of a few--"

"Stop," interrupted Vinyl. "That's just rude. You do realize there are professional monster-hunters after you right now, do you?"

The fangire's eyes widened in fear.

Octavia noticed this. "Sir, the only way you have a chance of getting out of this mess is if you prove that you won't hurt any more ponies, whether you like their music or not."

"I don't believe I can guarantee it, unless I find a suitable owner for the Black Star. Either way, how could you two fillies help me?"

Octavia thought for a moment, wiping away her tears. "I think I might know just the pony."

Vinyl turned to Octavia in surprise. "Wait, we're going to help the creepy fangire pony?" she whispered to her friend.

"May as well try to reform him," she replied.