Small Choices

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Chapter 1

Fate is a funny concept. There are as many ponies trusting in it, as there are those who snort and turn their heads away at the mention of so-called ‘destiny’. Their lives are in their hooves only after all, right? Every single choice they make brings about the reality that shapes their path, for better or worse. But if we introduce the concept of fatalism into the mix, it all goes blurry - how can you know the choices you made aren’t just a part of pre-calculated plan fate has for you? Are even the biggest decisions in your life truly yours alone? What happens when others make those decisions for you?

***

Manehatten, the city of opportunity, or so the saying goes, at least. While there’s no solid proof for the legitimacy of such claim, it doesn’t stop droves of ponies from arriving by road, boat, or rail, with starry eyes and high hopes, looking to leave their marks. Most of them end up leaving plenty, not always in the right places. It’s one of Equestria’s bustling metropolises, and while the royal city of Canterlot might hold most prestige, the urban jungle is the first step on many ponies’ journey towards the mountainside capital. That’s usually the case, at least, but for a certain young mare, the situation happened to be quite the opposite.

The train rolled smoothly down its rails, clacking and huffing noisily as it steadily made its way towards its destination, the wagons it pulled carrying all sorts of ponies. Aboard one of them, in the small, albeit tidy and lavish first-class room sat three ponies, two of which were currently engaged in a polite while lively discussion.

One of them, a gray coated stallion tapped his foreleg on the hoofrest, leaning forward as he spoke.

“I didn’t stop you so far and I don’t intend to attempt it now, dear. You know you have both mine and your mother’s full support, although I cannot say why you remain so adamant about this. I assure you, Canterlot would provide anything and everything young mare like yourself might need, especially with your education and pedigree.”

Opposite of him sat a much younger mare that might as well be carbon copy of the stallion, save for lack of a horn sticking out of her well-groomed mane. She bowed her head slightly, eyes closing momentarily as she mentally sighed. They’ve had this discussion on numerous occasions, ever since she first revealed her intentions, several weeks ago.

“That’s exactly it, father. I do not wish to belittle our family name, but rather build on it. When ponies hear the name ‘Melody’, they think of yourself and mother, and all the achievements of your forefathers.”

She spoke calmly and steadily, her voice carrying a noticeable accent. “What good would it be if I simply rode on the coattails of my lineage? I wish to add my own accomplishments to the list, build my own prestige in addition to my heritage, rather than stay in its shadow.” The gray mare reiterated, as she has done many times before. But regardless of how many times she explained her intent, her father continued to challenge it.

“And while I might understand and accept that, I simply do not see why you have to leave Canterlot for this purpose. It was more than enough for me when I was your age.” He nickered, resting a hoof on the small counter that separated them. “Or why you refuse to allow your mother and I to at least provide for you while you’re away.” He shook his head lightly in exasperation, and feeling a light tap on his shoulder, turned to look at his wife - an earth pony of much lighter coat and a pleasant smile.

“Presto, darling, I assure you Octavia will be fine. I’ve personally made sure that her apartment will be in a reputable neighbourhood, and affordable enough for her to split the rent without having to worry about exhausting her savings for at least a few months.” She attempted to calm her husband’s irritation, as she ofttimes did. “And from the sound of the letters I received from the building’s management, her roommate is a charming young mare herself, just like our dear daughter. It’s going to be a good experience for her.”

Her words came out in a soft but firm voice. She leaned in with a smile and gently nuzzled the stallion’s cheek in attempt to placate her spouse, to which he only let out a flustered sigh.

“That’s another thing entirely - why should our daughter have to share an apartment? At least let us cover that, and you won’t need to expose yourself to… Uncertain elements.” challenged again, putting emphasis on the last two words.

The charcoal maned mare bit her tongue, growing more frustrated with the conversation as it went on. “Because I wish to provide for myself, father. I have given it a lot of thought and I believe it’s the correct way to go. I promise you that if I struggle, I’ll return home. But please, just let me at least try my own way.”

Her tone made it clear the discussion was over and she turned towards the window, watching the hills and fields roll by as her father fixed Octavia with a stern look before sinking back into the seat beside his wife, accepting his defeat. If nothing else, the young mare was stubborn. Still, that did little to dispel his worries.

***

The noon was barely approaching when the large steel beast finally rolled into a halt at one of Manehatten’s many train stations and ponies began spilling out from their cars, each hurrying in whichever direction that needed to take care of personal business or greet their friends and relatives. The platform wasn’t terribly crowded, as the station was located closer to the suburbs of the large city rather than downtown. Most passengers remained in their seats, as the train was scheduled to continue on to Manehatten Central Station next.

Octavia was part of the small crowd of disembarking ponies as she hopped out of the passenger car, her hooves landing on the cold concrete platform. Her parents followed suit, with the young mare’s bags - very modest, consisting of two small suitcases and a cello case - floating in a beige aura of Presto’s magic.

The stallion looked around, lining up his daughter’s baggages neatly beside him before trotting off. “Our return train should arrive shortly, hopefully we can find a satisfactory carriage before long.”

Octavia groaned inaudibly, walking beside her mother as they followed Presto. “Satisfactory? It’s just a cab. I’m fairly certain they’re all but identical, dad.”

“Knowing Presto, you’re in luck we’re so short on time, else he might interview the drivers and subject them to peer review.” The older mare smiled, her smirk only growing wider as the unicorn threw her a glance over his shoulder, still weaving between the crowd of ponies, making for a row of yellow wagons by the street. “Finicky as he can be, your father only wants the best for you, Octavia.”

The gray earth pony let out a defeated sigh, nodding her head faintly. For as long as she could remember, Presto had been very protective of her, even to the point of being overbearing. But he was never a bad father, making sure his daughter received the best treatment and education Canterlot had to offer. Even if Octavia’s decision to pursue music career was strongly affected by the nature of her family’s business, she was anything but unhappy with being a musician.

The two mares reached one of the cabs just as Presto was finishing levitating his daughter’s luggage in the back, making sure it was secure before turning to his family. “I’ve already given the good stallion the address, as well paid him more than enough for the fare, so you don’t need to worry about it, dear.” Octavia simply rolled her eyes, an act luckily missed by her father as he glanced at the large clock on the station’s wall. “Our train should be here within the next ten minutes.”

The older mare leaned in, nuzzling her daughter’s cheek softly. “I suppose that’s it then. Take care of yourself Octavia. We’ll visit in a couple of weeks to see how you settled in.” As she moved back with a warm smile, Presto’s foreleg wrapped around the gray pony’s neck, pulling her into a loose hug.

“And remember, if anything happens, just give us a call. I’ll take care of everything.” He said giving her a small squeeze, causing the young mare to groan, her cheeks flushing light pink. She threw a glance towards the carriage pony, and thankfully he was courteous enough to look away and pretend to ignore the public display of affection.

Octavia hopped into the wagon, waving goodbye to her parents one last time before the burly looking stallion nickered and moved, pulling the wagon behind him, bumping slightly as it moved down the road and away from the train station. The cellist watched as the couple quickly shrunk and disappeared into the crowd before she fell back against the couch, letting out a small sigh.

She took a moment to look closer around the carriage - it was much smaller than the ones she was used to in Canterlot, with only room for perhaps two ponies. Not as lavish either, although far from repulsing. The best word Octavia could come up with to describe it was practical. Content with her gently rocking ride, she shifted her attention to the streets and buildings they passed as the carriage puller moved with a familiarity of pony who spent their entire life in this big city.

The gray cellist herself had only been in Manehatten once before, when she was much younger. She might have grown since then, but the bustling metropolis remained as awe inspiring and intimidating as she remembered it. The buildings were much taller and more tightly packed than the ones in Canterlot, and - save for the ground level, which was filled with various shops and boutiques - as unassuming as her carriage.

Although they were all well maintained, it was clear that Manehatten ponies had a much more pragmatical approach to their lives than the wealthy inhabitants of the royal city. She frowned slightly at that. Octavia might have grown tired of the opulent life of Canterlot, but it didn’t stop her from longing for its familiarity.

***

“We’re here, ma’am.”

The gray pony’s ear flicked, head turning at the announcement of her driver. They stopped in front of a medium height building, its facade mostly white, save for the accent of loggia style balconies facing towards the small park on the other side of the street. It looks rather pleasant, Octavia admitted as she hopped out of her carriage and thanked the puller before moving to the back to reclaim her luggage. She managed to pull one of the suitcases off, setting it down on the sidewalk and was about to retrieve the second one and her cello case before they glowed light blue, lifting up.

“Let me help you with that, miss.” Came a low voice from behind her, the surprise almost making Octavia jump before she spun around, ready to face the would-be thief.

Instead of a common street swindler that her father warned about however, in front of her stood a well built unicorn stallion with a brown coat and a dark shirt. The cellist’s eyes widened from the startle, to which the stranger only smiled meekly.

“We do not have a luggage colt, but I figured you might need a little help with this.” He said, resting her cello and suitcases on a small luggage cart. “I assume you’re a new tenant?”

Shaking off the initial surprise, the cellist smiled politely, gently bowing her head. “Yes indeed. Octavia Melody, pleased to meet you, and thank you for the help.”

“You’re welcome miss. My name is Stern Eye, I’m the guard at the complex, if you ever have any issues, come straight to me. Well then, shall we?” He said turning around towards the building, letting Octavia pass.

She nodded at him politely, trotting towards the large glass door. Just as she was about to reach out a hoof to nudge them open, the same light blue aura wrapped around the door handlebar and pushed it open for her, letting the mare into the building’s lobby.

Just as its outside, the apartment complex’s entrance lobby was fairly modest, but elegant. A couple of sofas occupied one corner, along with a small coffee table with various colorful magazines spread across it in a messy pile. To Octavia’s right was a small nook with several more luggage carts for the tenants to use. Across from her was a long desk, with a teal coloured unicorn sitting behind it.

Her hooves were crossed on top of the surface, head resting atop them as her golden eyes tracked the newcomer from across the glass door, sitting upright and perking her ears up when the gray mare approached, welcoming her with a smile.

Octavia walked up to the receptionist, her luggage cart coming to a halt beside her as Stern moved to his own seat on the opposite end of the desk, giving the cellist a nod before returning to watching the security monitors.

She turned back towards the clerk, the unicorn mare was wearing a white formal shirt with a small name tag reading Lyra Heartstrings on it

“Hello! I see you’re moving in, so let me welcome you, and I hope you enjoy your new apartment! May I please ask for your name?” She greeted Octavia, her voice young and cheerful. She couldn’t have been much older than the earth pony.

“Melody, Octavia.” The cellist obliged, returning the courteous smile.

Lyra nodded, firing up her magic and tapping a couple keys on the computer. “Ah, yes, there we go… Oh! Your apartment number is 304.” She chuckled lightly. Octavia raised a brow, but didn’t peruse what exactly the unicorn found funny about her apartment. “Well then, I’m just going to need a proof of identity real quick before I give you your keys.”

Octavia nodded, reaching into her saddlebags and quickly procuring her ID, placing it on the table and pushing the little piece of plastic towards the receptionist. The unicorn picked it up, examining it briefly before levitating it back towards the gray pony.

“Just one more thing then, a moment please.” Lyra stated as she got up and walked up to a cabinet by the wall behind the desk, opening it and after a short moment levitating a key along with a piece of paper back to the cellist. “Just need you to sign here to confirm you received your keys and… Here you go!” She chirped, dropping the key into the other mare’s waiting hoof as soon as she finished the formality.

Octavia put the key in her saddlebag along with her ID as the teal unicorn levitated the now finished form back into its place in the cabinet.

“You’re now officially a resident! Well, as long as you pay the rent on time, but hopefully that won’t be an issue. Feel free to use the cart to bring your luggage up, but please make sure to return it as soon as you’re done.” Lyra beamed, waving a hoof to point Octavia towards the elevators.

The cellist thanked the mint colored mare and pushed her luggage towards one of them, pressing a button to call the elevator. The ride to the third floor was smooth and quick, and before she knew it, Octavia was standing in front of the door number 304. She fished out the key from the saddlebags and turned it, pushing the door open.

The first thing she saw were boxes. A lot of them. Then a loud crash, making the gray mare wince as a bunch of books and CD cases spilled across the floor when a white mare apparently tumbled over one of the cartons as soon as Octavia flung the door open.

The mess of white fur and blue mane groaned in exasperation, picking herself up and scooping some of her possession back into a pile with a flick of her horn. “Celestia’s kickers, you startled me…”

She finally looked up at Octavia, canting her head before her ears perked up, understanding flashing across her face. “Ah! You must be Octavia!” The white unicorn exclaimed, trotting up to the cellist and reaching out her hoof.

Not a greeting she was used to, but nevertheless Octavia shook her hoof, to which the stranger grinned widely.

“Name’s Vinyl Scratch, guess we’re gonna be roommates for some time from now on. I gotta say, you’re not as intimidating as your name made you sound.” Vinyl chuckled, letting go of the gray pony’s hoof.

“Intimidating? Whatever do you mean?” Octavia asked, feeling like she’s missing the joke. Her name was perfectly normal, wasn’t it?

The unicorn smirked again. “Well, yeah. Have you ever said it out loud yourself? You could totally pass for some royalty. Octavia, the Princess of Melody.” She stated dramatically, waving her hoof in the air for added effect. She glanced behind Octavia at her baggage, noting the large instrument case. “Though I see I nailed at least one part of that. But is this really all you brought with you?”

The cellist smiled politely, nodding her head as she took a second, closer look at the other mare. Her coat was a slightly off-color white, and her two-toned blue mane and tail were in need of a good brushing and, as Octavia surmised, dyed. The stranger’s eyes gave her a bit of a pause. They were deep ruby red, an unusual color, but one that complimented Vinyl rather well.

“Yes, I only packed the necessities and some things I'd need for the first month or so, I assumed I’d simply purchase anything else I require in the city.” The cellist answered, pulling the cart through the doorway.

Vinyl rubbed the back of her head, smiling sheepishly. “Well, now you’re making me feel silly for hauling all this junk over here.” She snickered, motioning to the several boxes stacked by the wall behind her, along with the crushed remains of what apparently housed her books and music collection.

“Not at all. In fact, I probably should have brought more with me myself.” She stated, pulling her bags from the cart before carefully settling the cello case down beside a wall. “Would save trouble and bits in the long run, but I opted for the convenience. Too much baggage is rather bothersome when traveling. Unless, of course… ” Octavia glanced at the unicorn’s horn, to which Vinyl only smiled lightly.

“I s’pose, levitation is almost cheating when you think about it.”

The cellist nodded, pushing the cart out the door again. “I need to return this downstairs, I’ll be back momentarily.”

“Sure thing.”

Octavia retrieved her key from the lock, trotting down the hall with the cart in tow. Well, you got what you asked for, she thought to herself, pressing the button and watching the door close before the metal box shook slightly and began to descend. From now on, you’re on your own.

Chapter 2

The small drop-off trip to the lobby was quick and uneventful, save for a run in with the over-enthusiastic receptionist. She waved at Octavia with a grin as her magic pulled the cart away from the earth pony as soon as she saw her, levitating it into the designated nook. The cellist found her over the top friendliness and helpfulness slightly unsettling, but bowed her head in thank before promptly retreating back into the elevator. I hope she doesn't have spare keys.

One more short ride up and she was back in front of her new apartment, pushing the door open and locking them as she entered. The cardboard her roommate had crushed by tumbling over it was now gone, along with several others, leaving only two boxes left, standing by the far wall. Octavia assumed the missing luggage was Vinyl’s personal belongings, now moved into whichever room the unicorn proclaimed to be her bedroom.

With no major distractions in sight, the cellist decided to take a closer look around her new home. At a glance it was a rather modern and cozy apartment, with the entrance door leading into a small foyer, expanding into an elegant living room with a small kitchen annex. Unlike her family home back in Canterlot, it wasn’t lavishly decorated. Instead, much like the rest of Manehatten, it focused on staying practical and tidy.

Most of the furniture featured light colors; one sofa and two chairs, along with a coffee table pointed towards the entertainment center, a bit further in the back was a modest reading corner with a lounge chair. The bookcase was partially filled, and at a glance Octavia recognized the books to be some of Vinyl’s effects that had scattered across the floor when the gray pony had first walked in. Further exploration rewarded Octavia with the discovery of a side corridor, which housed the bedrooms and a bathroom. One of the doors was slightly ajar, and Octavia peeked inside.

Vinyl was seemingly already hard at work, personalising her living space with the contents of her baggage. For now though, the best decorated part of the room was middle of the carpet. The unicorn seemed to have just simply dumped the contents of one of her boxes on the floor and was picking her possessions out one by one, sending them off to their rightful place with a flick of the horn. One such object she pulled out was an old, worn down plush toy of a red fox. Vinyl looked at it thoughtfully for a moment before gently setting it down on her nightstand.

Octavia couldn’t help but find it somewhat childish yet endearing that a grown mare would keep a childhood toy. Her quiet chuckle apparently was enough to grab the unicorn’s attention, as her ears flicked and she looked towards the door, turning to face Octavia.

“Oh, you’re back. Hope ya don’t mind that I snagged this room. The corner bedroom was just too bright for me.” The white mare said before her magic dived once more into the pile of miscellaneous belongings, fishing out something vaguely resembling a wooden statuette of a pony.

Octavia shook her head lightly. “Not at all, you were here first, after all. I suppose it is only right that you got to pick your room first.”

Vinyl grinned, stepping over the small pile of miscellaneous effects as she moved closer to the other mare. “Great! Need any help with your stuff?” She offered heartily.

The earth pony furrowed her brow momentarily before calling a polite smile back onto her face. “No. Thank you, but I’ll manage. Besides, it seems you have your hooves full yourself.” She replied gesturing towards the mess behind Vinyl with a foreleg before turning to leave.

Vinyl canted her head quizzically, watching her roommate leave the room. “A’ight, fair enough I suppose.” She said with a shrug before returning to her own unpacking.

***

It had taken Octavia just over an hour, but she finally gently rested her cello case in the corner, making sure it wouldn’t fall over even if her roommate decided to throw herself against the other side of the wall. Satisfied, she turned around, taking a last look around her room. Just as Vinyl had said, the bedroom was very bright, mostly thanks to two large windows letting in generous amount of Celestia’s light. And even though the cellist’s two suitcases now laid empty at the foot of her bed, the room was for the most part in the same state as when she entered.

Both the nightstand and shelves were mostly empty, save for a couple of photographs and other small personal effects that Octavia had taken with her from her home. Unlike Vinyl, who seemingly brought her whole life’s worth of mementos, the gray pony hoped to fill the empty space with new memories and souvenirs. For now though, biggest part of her luggage was neatly sorted inside the drawers. It consisted mostly of clean sheets, formal wear, or clothes for cold weather. Winter in the coastal Manehatten was much colder than in Canterlot.

Octavia left her room and walked down the corridor, heading into the small kitchen area. She was no chef, but she knew how to cook well enough to take care of herself, and decided to familiarize herself with the layout. As she opened the various cupboard and drawers, she noticed they were pretty barren, with only several plates and glasses in total. Figured I’d have to buy some groceries on the first day, but it seems adding some kitchenware to that list would-

She jumped, nearly knocking one of the brightly-colored mugs out of the air as they soared over her head, skidding to a halt inside the cupboard Octavia was currently examining. She spun around, stomping her hoof with a furrowed brow. Before her stood a visibly amused unicorn, several other items levitating in the light red aura next to her head.

“Vinyl Scratch! You startled me!” She huffed, glaring at her roommate, "I thought you were still in your room. At least say something next time before you send objects flying at my head.”

To her credit, the unicorn looked slightly apologetic, smiling meekly as she levitated a small metal can over to Octavia. “Tea?” She offered.

The cellist scrunched her nose as the container almost bumped against her muzzle. She threw the white mare another vengeful glance before letting out a small sigh. “That’d be lovely, thank you.” She replied, moving out of the way.

Vinyl smiled as she walked past her, getting to work on brewing the tea as Octavia took a seat on the couch.

“Although I must say, I’m surprised. If anything, I expected you to favour coffee over tea, if you don’t mind me saying.” Octavia said, watching the unicorn as she poured hot water into their mugs.

“Ah, my dear Octavia, while I do enjoy caffeine, I would be amiss if I did not appreciate the finer things, such as a well steeped hot leaf juice.” Vinyl said in a poorly fabricated accent before breaking into a grin.

The unicorn placed one mug in front of Octavia as she took a seat next to her. The cellist did her best to not roll her eyes at Vinyl’s broken Canterlot accent.

“Jokes aside, while we’ve got no other pressing matters, I think we should discuss our living arrangements.”

Vinyl’s mug stopped halfway to her lips as the unicorn blinked, looking at Octavia. “Living arrangements?” She repeated.

The gray pony nodded, picking up her own cup and stirring it slightly. She blew a bit of cold air to cool it. “Yes. If we’re going to live under one roof, I think it’s a good idea set some ground rules from the start. By that I mean how we’re going to share chores and other responsibilities.”

The unicorn rolled her eyes, taking a small sip. “Are you always this formal and strict? Very well then, tell me whatcha got.”

***

The late afternoon bathed the room in warm light as Octavia finally sat back on the couch, dropping the pen she had used to mark a day in the calendar.

“That should cover it for the first three months. After that hopefully we’ll memorize the schedule well enough to not need more reminders.” She said with a nod, looking towards her roommate.

For her part, Vinyl was sprawled out on the couch, taking up most of its available space. “Yeah, our lives will become so monotonous and samey we’ll be able to do it in our sleep. What a time to be alive” The unicorn said, rubbing her eyes.

Octavia blushed lightly, poking at her now empty mug. “I understand it might be a bit too much. It wasn’t my intent to come off as strict or pushy, I just think this will save us headaches in the long run.” She said apologetically.

Vinyl opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say anything, loud knocking came from the front door. Octavia raised her brow, looking at the unicorn as she sat up, but Vinyl simply shrugged. Apparently she weren’t expecting guests either.

Trying to ignore the convenient timing, the cellist picked herself up to answer the door. Pulling it open revealed two ponies waiting on the other side. One of them was a cream mare with colourful mane, and the other…

“Hello again, miss Heartstrings. Is there something wrong?” She queried, trying to sound pleasantly surprised at the unexpected visit. The unicorn was missing her formal shirt, and was levitating a small box beside her.

Lyra grinned, shaking her head. “Not at all! In fact, my shift’s over, so Bon Bon here and I decided to welcome our new neighbors! Can we come in?”

Octavia stared blankly at the two ponies before her brain finally ticked.

“Oh, is that why you seemed excited to learn the number of my apartment earlier today? And yes, of course, please come in.” She said moving to the side, waving a hoof to invite the guests in. Wonderful, the crazy mare is my neighbor.

“More tea!” Vinyl exclaimed as she jumped over the couch, her magic pulling the two mugs with her into the kitchen.

Octavia closed the door after the pair entered, moving to the living room with them.

“I think I already spoiled the introduction, but nevertheless! This is my good friend Bon Bon.” Lyra gestured to her companion with a smile.

The cellist greeted the cream coloured mare with a slight bow of her head and, as she learned from Vinyl, a hoofshake.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance. I am Octavia Melody, and my brewing friend’s name is Vinyl Scratch. Although I suppose miss Heartstrings already knew that.” She said politely. Vinyl simply waved a hoof across the counter, filling up the four mugs.

“What you got there, Lyra?” The white unicorn asked motioning towards the levitating box.

Lyra smiled, floating the box over to her and opening it to reveal a delicious looking blueberry pie. “Just a little something to welcome you guys! When Vinyl first checked in this afternoon, I told Bon Bon and she immediately went to work.” Lyra leaned in closer, “Don’t let her tell you otherwise, she’s the best baker in Manehatten.”

The mare in question blushed slightly and smiled. “I wouldn’t say that, but I do have a knack for making sweets and pastries. In fact, I work at a confectionery not far from here, if you’d like to visit it some day.”

Octavia nodded as all four took seats around the small table, each with a mug of hot tea and a plate with slice of pie in front of them. It did look delicious

“I must say I’m a bit surprised though, miss Heartstrings. Isn’t it a bit unconventional to work at the same place you live?” Octavia asked as her guests got comfortable, sitting next to each other on one end of the sofa.

The unicorn chuckled, flicking her mane away from her golden eyes. “Just call me Lyra please, there’s no need to be so formal around neighbors” Lyra shifted, “And well, I don’t technically. Bon Bon is the one who owns the apartment.” She explained looking at her companion.

The pink and blue maned mare smiled warmly, picking up her mug. “That’s how we’ve met, in fact. Lyra worked at the reception when I checked in, and we quickly became good friends. After some time, she moved in with me, and we’ve been living together ever since.” She concluded with a small blush.

“Best decision I’ve ever made.” Lyra said dreamily, grinning at the mare beside her. “But anyhow! If you don’t mind me saying, neither of you sound like you’re from around here.”

“Actually-” Vinyl cut in, putting her plate down. Half of her pie was already gone. “I am. Kind of. My mother and I moved to Ponyville when I was still a filly, but that still counts, right? Especially since I’m back now. It was a nice town, but didn’t have what I need.”

“I’ve been thinking about moving to Ponyville some day.” Bon Bon chimed in. “Not for a while yet, but once I’ve got enough bits to my name. I want to start my own business and open a confectionery store away from the city.”

Octavia took a sip from her mug as her companions carried on the conversation. Her first day in Manehatten was definitely going much differently than she had planned it. On one hoof, it annoyed her somewhat that her carefully crafted plans were now shattered. On the other, perhaps it were a good thing. She left Canterlot to try a new life. Her own. And so far, the time she had spent in Manehatten has been anything but what she was used to.

While she was never antisocial, Canterlot had its own standards and rules. Maintaining a professional appearance meant that while everypony was polite, making friends was not something that was done on a whim. Yet here she was, on her first day in a strange new city, having tea with three ponies she had just met as if they were already good friends. She couldn’t help but lightly smiled to herself at this blatant disregard of proper etiquette that would send most Canterlot ponies running.

She shook her thoughts away, rejoining the conversation. If fate had decided to give her an easy start to her new life, who was she to argue.

***

Several hours have passed and the sun had already set by the time Lyra and Bon Bon left, both parties having spent that time getting to know their new neighbors. Octavia stifled a yawn as she finished washing the mugs and plates. With the remainder of Bon Bon’s pie safely put away, the gray pony sat down in one of the chairs, the sofa already occupied by lounging Vinyl. The unicorn had prepared their impromptu tea party, so Octavia decided to let her relax afterward and clean up by herself.

“Well, I’d say that was a rather interesting but pleasant experience.” She said carefully, pulling her roommate’s attention away from the book she was reading.

“Yeah, they sure seemed like cool ponies. Finding good company’s not the easiest thing in this city, guess we got lucky. Most ponies are out for themselves.” Vinyl said, levitating the book over her head as she laid on her back, glancing at the clock. “Though I sure lost track of time thanks to that. Should start getting ready to go.”

“Go where?” Octavia asked, trying to mask the surprise in her voice. She was hoping to spend rest of the evening getting to know her roommate more, carrying on after their neighbors left.

“Work, I got night shifts.”

The cellist furrowed her brow. “But didn’t you just move in to Manehatten today?”

The unicorn put her book away, stretching out as she got up. “Well, yeah. Remember how I said I lived here before moving out? I crashed at an old friend’s place the last few days and picked up a job, then took a quick trip to Ponyville this morning to grab the rest of my stuff.”

Octavia nodded, biting on her lip. This surprise was much less pleasant and welcome. Vinyl was seemingly way more responsible and mature than she initially gave her credit for. Perhaps even more so than Octavia herself. Should she have found work before moving out from Canterlot? Was it expected from ponies living in Manehatten?

Her savings were enough to last about two months, more if she were frugal. And how hard could it be to find work? She was a talented musician, a graduate from the Canterlot conservatory. Surely she’d be able to find employment quickly.

A white hoof waved in front of her nose, bringing Octavia out of her thoughts.

“Ya okay there? Thought I lost you for a moment.” Vinyl asked with an expression that was a weird mix of concern and amusement..

“Yes, I mean I’m fine, sorry for that. I get lost in my own thoughts sometimes. What do you do, if I may ask?”

Vinyl chuckled, rubbing her foreleg and looking down. “I work at a nightclub several blocks from here. I set up the equipment for DJs and then serve drinks rest of the night. It’s not much, but it’s something. And it lets me get to know ponies and start making connections.” She looked up at Octavia, smiling hopefully. “I want to get on the stage myself one day, but we all have to start somewhere, right?”

Octavia smiled back with a nod, watching as the white unicorn began preparing to leave. While she did initially assume Vinyl to be the kind to frequent nightclubs, she was much more than that, and the cellist found the way the young mare talked about her dream endearing in a way.

She wished Vinyl luck as she left, leaving the cellist by herself in the new apartment. She sat in silence for a moment, replaying the last couple hours in her head. The morning train ride seemed so far away now as Octavia finally got up and trotted to her room, taking her instrument out of its case. In just one short day her life changed so much from what the last twenty odd years had taught her. The young mare from Canterlot smiled, picking up her bow and balancing the large instrument, standing on her hindlegs.

“I told you it was a good choice, father” She murmured to the empty room, closing her eyes and beginning to play.

Author's Note

How hard can it be to get a job anyways, right?

Chapter 3

The trees in Manehattan had begun shedding their leaves, Fall steadily taking over Equestria as days passed. Octavia had come to this city less than a week ago, but even she could see the signs of the slowly approaching winter.

The gray pony let out a sigh, irritably shoving aside some of the first golden leaves littering the walkway. Despite her efforts for the last few days, she was unable to find employment. She had exhausted all the venues she could think of, but each had turned her down. She briefly thought about hiring an agent with her savings, but decided against it. She couldn’t find a job not because she was not good enough, but because none of the places she’d tried would hire a pony without any experience or renown. Even though Octavia graduated from the most prestigious musical school in Equestria - it seems she’d have to start her career from ground up.

The gray pony let her head droop, glancing at the storefronts as she walked past them, still lost in her thoughts. She passed numerous boutiques and various other shops on her way home from the most recent audition, until one of them caught her attention.

It was a quaint, colorful store with various sweets on its display. Looking through the glass, Octavia could see a cream mare behind the counter. Glancing up at the building’s sign, it was indeed the store Bon Bon had mentioned as her workplace on the evening they’d met. Deciding she had nothing better to do for the day, the cellist pushed the door open.

The interior of the store was even more colorful than its display. Along both walls on either side of the cellist ran tall shelves, filled with all kinds of candies and other sweet snacks, from licorice to multiple types of chocolates. Closer to the counter, underneath a glass display cases sat delicious looking cakes and other dessert pastries, including what seemed to be one of Bon Bon’s own pies.

A small bell chimed as Octavia entered, catching attention of the mare behind the counter. After a brief flash of surprise she beamed, waving for the visitor to approach.

“Octavia! I must admit, I didn’t expect you to actually come here. Still, it’s great to see you, how are you?” Bon Bon asked, leaning slightly over the counter to talk with the gray pony.

The cellist fought back a sigh, trying to return the friendly smile as genuinely as she could muster.

“I didn’t rightly plan it, but I just so happened to be around and thought a courteous hello was in order. As for how I fare… I was hoping for better.” She admitted, scuffing the floor with her foreleg.

Bon Bon’s smile faded slightly, replaced by a hint of worry as she lay both forelegs on the counter.

“It’s just that-” Octavia continued, letting her exasperation show momentarily. “I have spent pretty much every day since I’ve come to Manehatten trying to find work. And nothing. No ensemble or orchestra or anything I could think of seems to be interested. Not even private parties. How do they expect me to have experience if they won’t let me get experience! I’m a graduate from Canterlot Conservatory, Celestia damn it, what else do they want!”

She groaned, lowering her head and hitting the counter with a small thud, trying to calm down after having lost her temper. It wasn’t like her, and she was already mentally scolding herself for the outburst.

Bon Bon quietly moved around the counter, sitting beside Octavia and gently resting a cautious hoof on the gray mare’s back.

“As much as it stings to admit it, that’s the reality of the job market, Octavia. You either have connections, or have to start from rock bottom, and even that might be hard.” She pondered briefly before lighting up again. “You know what, Lyra gives music lessons to colts and fillies on weekends. If you asked her, I’m sure she could help you out somewhat.”

Octavia let out a breath, raising her head again and righting her posture.

“Thank you for the idea, although that strikes me as a bit… Unusual. I did notice her cutie mark, but she seemed settled in her job at the complex.”

“Checking out my marefriend’s flanks? Shame on you, Octavia.” Bonbon said with a giggle. Octavia’s eyes widened, but before she could rebuke, the cream mare continued. “And as weird as it might be, her dream isn’t sitting in front of a reception desk. And even though writing music is more of her forte, she’s been running into the same issues you do now.”

The cellist nodded, shaking off the feeling of inadequacy that rushed her. She should have realized that, so why did she never bother to engage a potential fellow musician? Vinyl might have been one as well, but Lyra’s musical tastes were probably much closer to Octavia’s own.

She was about to answer, but Bon Bon’s hollow stare out the window caught her off-guard. She swung her head around to check what captured the confectioner's attention just in time to see the door swing open with a loud ring of the bell as a small group of colts and fillies poured in.

“School’s out. You might want to go before the rest arrives, Octavia. I hope you can work things out, or give my idea a try. But you know what’s always good for improving one’s mood? Candy.” The cream mare stated, swiping a small bag of strawberry milk candies from the counter and promptly stuffing it in one of Octavia’s bags.

She silenced the musician’s protest with a hoof, smiling lightly. “Don’t worry, the old crook won’t notice. Serves him right anyhow, leaving me alone at the rush hour. I’ll see you later I hope!” She waved her hoof before quickly retreating back behind the counter as the first couple of young ponies approached with their chosen assorted sweets.

Octavia chuckled slightly despite herself, maneuvering between the schoolponies to leave the store. Bon Bon was right, and her words mirrored the cellist’s own conclusion. Even Vinyl said the same thing on the first day, after all. We all have to start somewhere. But it seems that it will be even harder than she had planned.

As she made her way home, Octavia’s thoughts drifted to her roommate. The white unicorn was surprisingly reliable under her careless exterior. She handled her share of the chores, and even when she did slack, a stern glare from Octavia was all the encouragement she needed to swiftly right her wrongs.

To her annoyance, Octavia had to admit that Vinyl was a great cook. And even though the cellist insisted on preparing her own food, the white mare seemed to not care in the slightest, often preparing meals for both of them, using whatever she could find in the fridge. It didn’t take long for Octavia to give up on split groceries.

Despite that, they got along well enough, both respecting each other’s personal space. Octavia expected somepony aspiring to be a DJ to be loud, but either Vinyl kept her practices to the hours the cellist was out job hunting, or she was just really good at being quiet. In return, she held her own cello practices in the evenings, when her roommate was out at work, even as each day watching the white mare leave increased Octavia’s own sense of incompetence.

***

Returning home, Octavia found the apartment surprisingly empty and quiet. It was growing late, sure, but she didn’t expect her roommate to be gone yet. Shrugging, she trotted towards her room to drop off her saddlebags. She stopped briefly in front of Vinyl’s door, leaning her ear closer, but the other side was perfectly still and quiet. Assuming the unicorn was either out or asleep, Octavia moved on, depositing her bags and returning to the living room with just the small pouch of sweets Bon Bon had given her.

Dropping the candy on the coffee table, she unceremoniously fell across the couch, letting out a groan. She had seen Lyra downstairs in the lobby, but the unicorn was busy assisting another tenant, so Octavia decided to not bother her. Even still, Bon Bon’s suggestion irked her somewhat. She mused over it, fishing one of the white-and-red candies out of the pouch and dropping it into her mouth. The cellist had nothing against teaching music per se, but it was definitely not the use she had imagined for her diploma. Maybe coming to Manehatten wasn’t such a good idea after all, she thought with an exasperated sigh.

Before Octavia could wallow in her pity some more, the front door violently swung open, almost sending the startled mare falling off the couch. Vinyl froze in the doorway at the sight of her roommate in a coughing fit as she was trying to dislodge the treacherous candy from her windpipe.

“Uhh… You alright there Octavia?” The unicorn asked, cautiously stepping closer and closing the door with her magic.

Finally managing to clear her throat, the earth mare turned to face Vinyl.

“Yes! No- I mean, I’m fine.” She stammered, blushing slightly at the embarrassing display. “You simply surprised me. I thought you’d be at work and did not expect anypony. The brazen entrance certainly did not help either.” Octavia said with a huff, the surprise fading, replaced by irritation at her roommate’s lack of manners, followed instantly by scolding herself in her mind. It was, after all, Vinyl’s home too. Why would she knock? Silly Octavia.

Vinyl simply grinned, waving a hoof through the air.

“Well sorry about that, guess that evens the score for the first day. And nah, I got today and rest of the weekend off. I was just out to get this beauty!” She said with excitement, levitating something from behind herself and into the cellist’s view.

Octavia raised a brow, looking at the peculiar contraption. To her, it simply looked like a large board with a lot of different knobs, switches, and sliders.

“It’s… Nice?” She offered meekly.

Apparently that was enough, as Vinyl beamed, looking fondly at her newly procured device.

“It is, isn’t it! Last thing I needed to really get into makin’ my music. Normally I couldn’t afford it for couple more months, but I found a sweet deal that I just couldn’t say no to. Anyhow, don’t worry if you need peace for your practice or whatnot, still got a few errands to run then I’m out to the club later. Pretend I was never here.” With that the unicorn trotted off towards her room with a spring in her step, levitating the device behind her.

“Club? I thought you said- Oh. You mean as a patron, don’t you?” Octavia asked before biting her lip. It was a stupid question, and she was already chiding herself for asking.

Vinyl stopped right before the door to her room and looked back, canting her head slightly, processing the cellist’s words. “Uh… To have fun, not work, if that’s what you mean.” She said cautiously before disappearing into her bedroom.

Octavia slumped against the couch, weighing the options in her head. She didn’t get as much time for it as she’d like however, as Vinyl quickly retrieved her saddlebags and was already on her way out, waving goodbye.

Oh, what the Tartarus.

“Vinyl, wait!” Octavia called out just as the unicorn’s magic was pulling on the door.

“Wuh?” The white mare answered, turning to face her roommate with a curious raise of an eyebrow.

Very eloquent. Octavia rolled her eyes before gathering up the courage.

“I was thinking…. That is, if you don’t mind of course, if I might accompany you this evening?”

Vinyl stood dumbfounded for a while, her lips parting a bit before quivering at the corners. “You… Are you asking-” She stifled a chuckle, shaking her head. “I’m sorry but that’s a bit unexpected. YOU want to go to a nightclub, Octavia?”

The cellist blushed, casting her gaze down. “I just thought… It might be fun. I haven’t been having much of that recently, plus it’d be a good chance for us to get more acquainted with each other. I’d like that.” Her voice trailed off a bit near the end, hoof scuffing against the floor as she lowered her head slightly.

Vinyl finally managed to control herself, walking over and lightly petting Octavia’s head, the patronizing act making her instantly straighten out again with furrowed brows.

“Awh, sure little buddy. It’s gonna be fun to see you finally wind down and drop this strict thing you got going on. I should be back within an hour or so, then we can get you prepared. But for now, I really gotta get going!” The unicorn said enthusiastically as she swung around to leave.

“Prepared?” Octavia muttered quietly, but before she could say anything more, Vinyl was already gone, leaving the earth pony staring at the dark wooden door.

With a sigh, she returned to the couch, grabbing another piece of candy and eyeing it suspiciously.

I might have just made a big mistake.

***

Octavia looked down briefly, then back up at Vinyl in confusion.

“What do you mean ‘take it off’?”

For her part, Vinyl shook her head slowly, tapping the gray pony’s chest.

“I mean take it off. This… Whatever it is. It’s not a club attire, and it makes you look like an old mare. Is that what you want? For old stallions to hit on you?” The white unicorn smirked slightly.

Octavia huffed, blushing slightly.

“Bowties ar-” But before she could finish the sentence, a white hoof pressed against her mouth, silencing her.

“No. Believe me, they’re not. I’ve heard that before, and it does not make it true. C’mon, just trust me. It’s only for a couple hours anyways, I’m sure you’ll live without it.” Vinyl said, returning to putting some gel in her already spiky mane.

Begrudgingly, Octavia removed the bowtie she was used to wearing at all times, looking at herself in the mirror. She felt strangely naked, looking a lot less serious without the formal looking cravat. Vinyl turned towards her with a small grin, done with styling her own mane.

“Are you… Going to put that thing in my mane now?” Octavia asked hesitantly, throwing a glance at the jar of mane gel, but the unicorn shook her head.

“Nah… Your mane is too long for that. Besides, I think you look great as is, we just needed to get rid of that thing.” Vinyl answered, lightly brushing Octavia’s charcoal mane to the side with one hoof, causing the earth pony to look away in an attempt to hide her cheeks turning pink at the compliment, but the white hoof wrapped around her neck and pulled her closer as Vinyl looked over them both in the mirror.

“I reckon that’s it then. Are you ready for the time of your life?” Vinyl asked flashing a grin, and without waiting for an answer, she pulled Octavia along, out the door and down the corridor.

Octavia shuffled after Vinyl into the elevator, a bit uneasy. Her parents had always made sure she had never, as her father put it, fraternized with the wrong crowd, which included participating in what little of night life Canterlot had to offer. She felt a shiver rush down her spine when she thought what Presto Melody would have to say about his daughter ending up in a nightclub within less than a month of leaving her home.

A soft ‘ding’ shook her out of her thoughts as they arrived in the lobby. They walked past blank faced Lyra, giving her a friendly wave as she sat behind her desk, listening to one of the tenants complaining about their neighbor’s noisy parrot, and soon enough Vinyl and Octavia were trotting down the street in the cool, evening Manehatten air.

“So… Where are we going, anyways? The club you work at?” Octavia inquired, keeping up with the unicorn who walked with a spring in her step.

Vinyl shook her head, prompting Octavia to lean away in order to dodge her spiky, sharp mane. “Heck no, I’m not going to let Cherry handle my drinks. She’s cool, but can’t mix drinks to save her life. Not that anypony minds after a while, but still-” Vinyl answered, leading the earth pony down the street and around corners.

Soon enough Octavia heard muffled, thumping music as they approached a low, wide building with a bright neon sign above its entrance and a small crowd of ponies waiting in line to be admitted.

She joined Vinyl at the end of the short queue, glancing nervously at the bouncer. He was a unicorn stallion, even larger than Stern, currently in the process of checking the ID of a young mare, which was doing her best to not cower under his gaze.

“Now, the first thing you need to know-” Vinyl started, capturing Octavia’s attention again “Don’t drink anything anypony offers you. We buy our own drinks, and don’t let them out of our sight until they’re done. Well, unless you want to wake up tomorrow in some stallion’s bed. Or mare’s, I don’t judge.” She added with a smirk.

“Believe it or not, I’m quite capable of using common sense, Vinyl.” Octavia muttered from the corner of her mouth, watching the bouncer now admit a shifty looking pegasus stallion inside.

The unicorn gave her a patronizing pat on the back, followed with her best motherly voice. “There there dear, you said it’s your first time so just let auntie Vinyl take care of you, and you’ll be fine.”

Octavia groaned, shaking off the now giggling Vinyl’s hoof. Luckily it was their turn to be admitted, and the gruff bouncer spoke before the white mare had a chance to try pestering her again.

“Identification, please.” He said with a drawl, glancing over their heads to look at the slowly growing crowd behind the two mares as Octavia lowered her head, procuring her ID from the small pouch secured to her foreleg.

As soon as she took it out, she felt it slip from her grip as the security guard took her own and Vinyl’s cards, barely glancing over the unicorn before returning it. However he took his time with Octavia as he looked back and forth between the cellist’s face and her ID before levitating it back to her as well, waving them inside. “Enjoy your evening ladies.”

“What was all that about?” Octavia huffed with indignation, having placed her card safely back in the pouch. “Do I really look that young? He barely glanced at you, but I was sure he’s about to tell me off!” She looked warily at Vinyl, following the unicorn down a corridor, the music growing louder with each step they took.

Vinyl shook her head, the electric blue mane flying around, making Octavia have to step sideways to dodge it once more. “Nah. Not to diss your youthful beauty, but he probably just wondered what such a classy Canterlot mare is doing in a place like this, with a pony like me.” She chuckled, but then suddenly froze. “It’s not a kidnapping if it was your idea, right?”

“Oh, get real, Vinyl.” The cellist rolled her eyes, turning the corner past a coatroom to enter the main club room, instantly rooting in place herself.

It was bright, loud, and big. Way bigger than she had expected from the building’s low profile, but seeing the inside, she now knew why. The center of the room was missing a big part of the floor, and glancing over the guard rails around it, she could see a second level beneath it, where a crowd of ponies jumped and danced in the large empty space, lit by strobing lasers and coloured spotlights mounted on the pillars supporting the top level. Right next to the dance floor, directly ahead of Octavia was a small stage with what looked like the monstrous sized version of the device Vinyl had shown her earlier today, operated by a unicorn stallion with large headphones around his neck.

She watched his hooves and magic glide over the large board in front of him, adjusting sliders and pressing switches seemingly at random before the cellist looked around the ground level, where small booths lined the walls, most occupied by small groups of ponies, some with half-finished drinks left behind as their owners went for another round at the dance floor. Octavia winced innerly, recalling Vinyl’s warning. Apparently, a lot of club goers could do with a dash of common sense, she thought turning to her companion.

Vinyl grinned widely at the cellist, the colourful lights dancing on her white coat, which provided perfect canvas for the chaotic displays of colours to mix and mesh on. “So, whaddya think? Awesome, huh?” She asked in a raised voice, looked around without waiting for an answer, soaking in the ambience. “Why don’t you go find us a booth and I’ll order some drinks to get us started?”

Octavia felt like she’d have to shout just to be heard over all the noise surrounding them, so she simply nodded at the unicorn who beamed and made towards the bar, leaving the cellist to find someplace that wasn’t already occupied by ponies, unfinished drinks, or something even less pleasant.

Not that I’m having second thoughts… But I’m having second thoughts.

Chapter 4

Octavia shifted uneasily in her seat, sinking a bit more into the soft, cushioned couch. As comfortable as the booth was, the cellist occupying it was anything but. In the few short minutes that Vinyl had been gone, her earlier worries had only grown.

What was she doing here? This was clearly a horrible idea. She should have just locked herself in her room and played her cello, like she had done every evening. But no, she decided to be adventurous and tag along with her wild roommate to some shady establishment, filled with inebriated ponies throwing her less than courteous looks as they passed. It didn’t take a lot of imagination to guess what they were thinking, one going as far as walking over to her booth and offering to buy her a drink.

Octavia froze. No, of course not. Please go away. Should I say that? Would that be rude? Can I be rude here? I feel like the situation calls- oh look, there's Vinyl with the drinks!

“Move over pal, I was here first.” The white pony said brightly, getting between the stallion and Octavia, telekinetically pushing the stranger away and taking a seat in front of the gray mare.

The tipsy stallion didn't seem all that bothered and simply shrugged, trotting away. No doubt on the prowl for more innocent mares, Octavia thought grimly as she followed him with her eyes until he disappeared into the crowd.

Her train of thought was interrupted as Vinyl slid a glass across the table, setting it in front of the cellist who eyed it suspiciously.

“What is it?” She asked, leaning closer to take a sniff at its contents. It smelled sweet and fruity, but with a clear note of alcohol.

Vinyl chuckled, her horn alight as she levitate her own drink. “If I told you the name of the drink, would that even help you figure it out? Relax, it's nothing too strong. I took the liberty of assuming you don't party hard, so it's just a low alcohol drink.” She explained, taking a sip from her own glass and settling back on the couch.

Octavia blushed slightly, unsure whether she should be offended. “I did have alcohol before, you know, I'm not a little filly. I've had wine. And beer... Once.” She finished lamely, taking a drink of her cocktail to hide her embarrassed blush, even if Vinyl probably couldn't see it in the dim club lit with colored lights.

The mare across her simply smiled in that patronizing manner again, but thankfully kept any comments to herself, instead waving her hoof towards the dance floor and DJ booth. “So, what do you think, does it live up to the grand Canterlot balls?”

The cellist chewed on her tongue, trying to find the right words. “It's… well, different, obviously. But not unexpectedly, I suppose. And loud, do all nightclubs play music like this?” How can it be both high pitched enough to hurt her ears and low enough to make her feel the thumping bass in her chest.

“Pretty much yeah. It's all electronic music once the sun goes down. Suppose it's not what high class ponies are used to, but nothing a few drinks and a good company can't fix.” Vinyl reassured her, apparently confident in her ability to provide both.

Octavia smiled thinly, nursing her drink as she looked around curiously, feeling more at ease now, having Vinyl’s company back and a - surprisingly enjoyable- drink in her hoof. Even on the upper floor, most ponies standing around chatting or enjoying their drinks bobbed their heads or swayed lightly to the rhythm of the thumping music. Before she could realize it, Octavia’s treacherous hoof did the same, tapping lightly against the table. As offending as the electronic music was to her classically trained ear at first ,she had to admit the simplicity of it had a certain enticing aspect to it. It was easy to enjoy.

Well, I am already in over my head, said a small voice in Octavia's head.

The gray mare finished off her drink in few quick swallows, smirking at the unicorn across the table, Vinyl raising her brow at the cellist’s shift in demeanor.

“Well, we came here to party, so what do you say we get down to the dance floor and have some fun?” She offered, getting on her hooves.

Vinyl beamed and quickly finished her off drink, dropping it onto the table as well. “Now you’re getting it! Let me show you how you party in Manehatten!”

***

With a groan the lump of tangled sheets and pony limbs atop Octavia’s bed stirred, the gray cellist briefly opening her eyes only to regret it immediately, screwing them shut with a small whimper. She managed pull enough sheets up to hide her face in them, trying to block out the offending light, only one thought going through her head:

What was I thinking, going out with Vinyl.

Most of the party night was a blur of colors and shapes, her brain screaming in protest when she tried to concentrate on recalling details, but one thing was clear - she was going to kill Vinyl Scratch.

After couple more minutes and finally accepting her fate, Octavia slowly opened her eyes again, realizing not only that her bed was an absolute mess, but she was lying in it sideways, her head dangerously close to the ledge, making her wonder how she did not simply drunkenly tumble out of bed at night. Skillz, the small voice in her head supplied drunkenly.

Once she managed to free herself from the chaotic pile of sheets and pillows, the gray mare marched solemnly towards the bathroom, leaning against the wall for support. Hangover or not, Octavia started off on her morning routine, only briefly wishing she could spend the entire day in the warm, relaxing shower.

Dried off and feeling slightly less homicidal, the cellist entered the living room where she finally met her roommate, sprawled back on the couch and levitating a small brush, slowly working through her blue, slightly less-than-usual messy mane. Hearing Octavia approach, she turned her head to look at the cellist, flashing her a grin, not stopping her grooming.

"Morning there, champ. I must say, I didn’t expect you to be up so early. You’ve got talents, I'll give you that." The white mare said with a sly grin.

For her part, Octavia groaned and leaned against the back of the couch, letting her head rest on top of it.

"A hangover is no match for my force of habit. Speaking of force, I really should kill you, Vinyl Scratch."

"Hey, what did I do! You're the one who wanted to tag along, remember?" The accused mare said, throwing her hooves into the air defensively.

Crap. That's right. Octavia had nopony to blame but herself. Unless...

"Why did you let me drink so much?" She asked with a moan, giving the other mare a sad look as she continued brushing her mane.

Vinyl simply shook her head and laughed lightly. "It's not my place to count your drinks, you're a big filly. Besides, are you gonna get this wasted again?"

"Hay no! I'm never drinking again." The cellist said vehemently, to which her roommate raised a brow. "Well, not as much." Vinyl grinned slightly. "At once?"

"Atta filly! Besides, nothing beats a lesson learned first hoof. Oh by the way, you got a letter." She said, finally setting the brush down and levitating an envelope off the table and towards Octavia.

The cellist looked at it tiredly and stretched out her hoof, batting it against the air, trying and failing to grab the envelope. Ugh, stupid depth perception.

The unicorn giggled and opened the envelope, the letter slipping out and dropping directly into Octavia's still extended hoof. She nodded in thanks before unfolding it clumsily and starting to read, chin still rested on top of the couch's back.

"It's from my parents..." The gray mare said with a hint of annoyance as she continued reading, eyes slowly moving back and forth. "It wasn't long enough yet to warrant a letter, I swear they..." She froze, straightening up and visibly more awake. "Oh. Oh no. Nonono. Celestia buck me to the moon and back!." Octavia swore as she started pacing the room back and forth before coming to a halt in front of the window and letting her head drop against it with a faint thud.

"Whoa, what's wrong Octavia? Did something happen?" Vinyl asked worriedly, getting up from the couch and taking a tentative step towards Octavia, who was still standing with her forehead pressed against the glass, groaning quietly.

"My parents. They're going to be in town. They want to come over for dinner to see how things are going." The earth pony answered with her eyes closed, the cool glass helping her headache slightly.

"That's... Good?" The blue maned mare offered, relaxing visibly and sitting beside Octavia.

"No, not good. Especially not good since they said they'll be over in a week." Octavia groaned, feeling Vinyl's brush idly running through her mane, too wrapped up in her frustration to really process the gesture. "And this!" She said angrily, throwing the letter onto the ground and glaring at the piece of paper as it lazily floated down. "Was supposed to arrive here a week ago. I swear, if I ever find the mailpony responsible, I will-"

"Hey hey, relax. So your parents are gonna come over, it's alright. We still got a whole day to prepare." Vinyl comforted the fuming mare, glancing around the flat. "But I guess the place could do with a touch of dusting.

The cellist suddenly snapped up and turned around, breaking Vinyl's magical grip on the brush and leaving it lodged in her charcoal mane.

"That's right! I'll have to prepare everything before they're here. And there's nothing to serve for dinner either. Which means grocery shopping which means outside." She whined, rubbing her aching head. "The one time I went out and got drunk. Should have known to just stay home."

Vinyl raised her hoof defensively. “Don’t look at me, it was your idea. But seriously, relax. They won’t be her until evening, right?”

The cellist nodded slightly, finally noticing the brush stuck in her mane and throwing Vinyl a flat look as she removed it and set it down.

“See, that’s more than enough time. C’mon, we can go shopping and get whatever we need, and some fresh air will do you good. Take it one step at a time.” The unicorn smiled and got up, trotting towards the door and flicking her tail at Octavia, signaling the cellist to follow.

Octavia reluctantly trotted after her roommate, throwing the letter one last glare. “When my parents get here, I should introduce them to the wondrous invention of a telephone.”

***

Outside is bright. Too bright. Even with the sky being mostly overcast with the autumn clouds, Octavia groaned and squinted her eyes as she followed her roommate. They had decided to have a breakfast before starting on preparing for the evening, and Vinyl was currently leading the disgruntled cellist to a place that had, quote unquote, totally rad pancakes.

The unicorn glanced back at Octavia, seeing her stumble along and try to shield her eyes with a hoof. Vinyl let out a chuckle, flicking her tail to steer the hungover cellist around a corner.

“Come on, we’re almost there. I’m sure a nice breakfast and some fresh air will clear that right up. But you should probably stick to juice tonight.” She smirked, to which Octavia only glared back.

“If one could call Manehatten air ‘fresh’. I should have just stayed home. It’s too bright out here for my headache.” The cellist lamented, rubbing her forehead with a hoof and stumbling momentarily.

Vinyl rolled her eyes and looked around, slowing down her pace somewhat as she seemed to be looking for something.

“You really should go out more, Octavia. If one evening is enough to knock you off your hooves, we have a lot of work ahead of us… Ah, this should do!” She said brightly.

The gray mare’s ears flicked slightly at the chipper tone, glancing up from under her hoof to check what her roommate was doing. As she did, everything went darker, which was nice. Everything also went purple. That was not so nice. She blinked in confusion before realizing Vinyl had placed a pair of glasses on her muzzle, the colored lenses dimming the light around her. She could still see the white unicorn grinning at her, the magic around her horn dissipating as she fixed the glasses and nodded her head, having apparently plucked them from the display of a small kiosk they stopped by.

“What are you- Ugh. Get it off.” The cellist groaned, trying to bat the offending spectacles off with her hoof, managing to only crook them slightly before they were levitated off her face. “Those look ridiculous, Vinyl. I am not wearing that.”

The unicorn shrugged as she looked the shades over, levitating them in front of her. They really did look ridiculous - large, purple lenses with rather thick, black framing, made mostly from plastic. A cheap, disposable pair, meant for tourists to buy and throw away at the end of the day.

Vinyl didn’t seem to mind it though as she quickly put them on herself, beaming at the cellist.

“Oh, come on, these are awesome! Whoa, Octavia, you’re purple. Is that because you’re jealous of my sweet shades? Shouldn’t you be green instead?” She asked, still keeping the face-splitting grin.

Octavia huffed and scrunched her muzzle. If she looked ridiculous in those glasses, Vinyl was setting new records. The large purple lenses made her look like a big white bug. If bugs had frizzled blue manes. The cellist took a moment to ponder how the newly-brushed mane seemed to rebel against the idea of being smoothed down, getting messier with every passing second.

Before she could open her mouth to voice either of those thoughts, however, Vinyl turned around, levitating several bits from her saddlebag. “I’m gonna buy these!”

Octavia watched in horror as Vinyl paid for her purchase and shot her one last grin before continuing on her merry way, leaving the earth pony to follow in silent disapproval. Hopefully she gets bored of them soon enough.

The next few minutes passed quietly before the two mares finally arrived at their destination. Octavia looked over the small, rather charming cafe, tucked away from the noise of the main street. There were a few tables on the small patio outside, but the interior was thankfully shielded from the incessant sun, and the cellist promptly beelined for the door, unicorn in tow.

Octavia sighed in relief as she finally sat down in the comfy booth after finding the darkest corner. The gray mare took a moment to look around the cafe as Vinyl sat down on the opposite side of the table. Save for a couple of ponies, the cafe was mostly empty and quiet, which was a welcome sight for the hungover earth pony. Noticing the laminated menu on the table in front of her, she reached out to pull it over, but it was snatched away by a white hoof.

“C’mon Octavia, I told you, we’re here for the pancakes. You’ll thank me later.” She smiled, turning her head towards the clock on a far wall. “Just in time, too. They’d stop serving breakfast in half an hour.”

The cellist scrunched her muzzle as she was denied a choice of breakfast, but decided it’s not worth arguing over, especially in her current state. Vinyl was still wearing those ridiculous shades, even though they were indoors now. They hid most of her face, making it difficult to read the unicorn, as her eyes were shielded from sight.

“Vinyl, could you take those glasses off now? You look ridiculous. Not to mention it is impolite to wear those indoors and during a conversation.” She asked dryly, giving the mare across the table a pointed look.

The unicorn pouted slightly but obliged, levitating the shades off to reveal her eyes once again, resting the offending accessory on the table beside her.

“Aww, OK’tavia. Huh, ‘Tavia. That sounds nice, that oc makes your name harder than it should be.” Vinyl smirked slightly and rubbed her chin as she had her revelation, earning a flat look from the cellist.

Before Octavia could decide whether throwing a salt shaker at her companion would be too strenuous of an activity, a young unicorn appeared by their booth, levitating a notepad in front of herself and giving the pair a bright, practiced smile.

“Good morning! Have you two decided what you’ll be having?” She asked politely, levitating out a pen and preparing to write down the order, glancing between the two.

“Yep! Two servings of the best pancakes you’ve got, one with extra syrup!” She glanced at Octavia who only shrugged and rubbed her head again. With a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips, the unicorn turned back to the waiter. “And two glasses of orange juice, please. That will be all.”

With a nod and couple quick strokes of her pen, the young mare departed, leaving Octavia to lean back in the seat. Vinyl was idly looking around, tapping a hoof on the table to a beat only she could hear. As much as the cellist enjoyed the quiet, the situation felt too awkward to her.

“So Vinyl, from your enthusiasm I assume you dine at this place often?” Octavia asked politely, if only to keep a conversation going.

The unicorn grinned widely, snapping her head back to look at the gray mare. “You bet! I used to come here all the time when I was younger and still living in Manehatten. You have no idea how happy I was when I found out this place is still open when I came back. And that their pancakes are still the best in Equestria.” She answered happily, smiling at some old memories as she relaxed back in her seat.

“From all you’ve told me, you seem to have enjoyed living here. Why move away, if I may ask?” Octavia inquired, returning the smile. Vinyl always gets so adorable when she’s excited over something, she thought. Wait, what are you talking about brain?

Before the cellist could scold her wandering thoughts, the white unicorn fidgeted slightly in her seat, looking away from her companion, earning a raised brow from Octavia.

“Well, I was still pretty young when we moved away. Wasn’t really my decision, y’know? Mom just decided it’s best if we leave the city, bad memories and stuff.” She toyed with her shades while talking, only throwing Octavia a short glance and a small smile. “I missed the city and my friends, but what was I gonna do, can’t exactly run away when you’re 10.”

Octavia nodded, taking a moment to think. She felt Vinyl isn’t telling her everything, but the subject seemed uncomfortable to her, so the cellist decided not to pry. She made a mental note to return to it later, but before she could think of something else to say, the unicorn grinned again, looking over Octavia’s shoulder.

“And you’re about to find out one of the reasons I’ve missed this place!” She said sitting up in her seat and perking up once more.

Their breakfast was here, in the form of two generous servings of pancakes. The waiter put down a plate in front of each mare before wishing them a nice meal and retreating again. Octavia’s eyes widened at the pile of puffy, golden pancakes in front of her, the glistening syrup lazily dripping down the neat stack. Vinyl’s own portion was positively drenched in the sweet liquid, making the earth pony almost cringe at the amount of calories her roommate was about to consume.

For her part, the blue maned unicorn simply grinned widely, rubbing her hooves together. “C’mon Tavi, dig in. These babies will take care of all your aches, and we’ve got a lot to do later.” With that, Vinyl eagerly dove into her meal, barely bothering to cut the pancakes into smaller pieces as she ate ravenously.

Content with letting Vinyl change the subject, the gray mare shifted attention to her own plate. She nodded in agreement, starting a mental checklist of all the things she’d need to host her parents this evening, taking a first bite of her own meal.

The pancakes were godly.