Mafia Octavia Act 5: Rewind

****Present****

Octavia jerked awake, her internal clock telling her that it was time to move. The room was pitch black, the darkness seemingly pressing in on her from all sides. Slowly, she inched her way out of her bed, being extremely careful not to wake Vinyl. The alabaster unicorn sleeping soundly in the bed they shared, not just for the comfort of each other's company, but because one bed was cheaper than two. Octavia crept out of the room on silent hooves, carefully stepping over the various bits of random detritus the locations of which she had carefully memorized before going to bed.

Octavia, are you sure about this? Once you go, there's no turning back. The voices said, a tone similar to worry painting their words.

"I wouldn't be doing this if I wasn't sure," Octavia muttered, exiting the bedroom and closing the door softly behind her, its not as if I have a choice in the matter.

Octavia made her way around the apartment, collecting her things, pausing by the picture of herself and Vinyl during their graduation day. Damn them, she thought angrily, shoving the picture into her saddlebags. They couldn't just leave her well alone, could they.

Just how long am I going to be cursed with the name 'Philharmonica'?

Slinging her saddlebags over her withers, Octavia approached her cello case. The poor instrument had not been used in two weeks, there was hardly any point, seeing as nopony bothered with lending an ear to a musician when the taverns and pubs were closed. Octavia popped the latches on the side of the case, swinging the cover open, revealing the wooden instrument inside.

The poor thing was in bad shape, but nothing a good tuning and a thorough dusting wouldn't cure. "Later," Octavia muttered, rubbing a hoof along the cherished instrument that had once been her bread and butter. Tearing her eyes away from the cello, Octavia pressed her hoof against the top of the cello case, the secret compartment popping open for the first time in years. Inside was a large bag of bits and a flat box, both of which had been gifts from a stallion she detested, but could not be rid of.

Octavia pulled out the bit bag first, setting it down on the coffee table in front of the couch, one of the few pieces of furniture other than their shared bed. "I'm sorry, Vinyl," Octavia said sadly, tears threatening to build up in her eyes. She shook her head, ridding herself of such thoughts. This was the only way both she and Vinyl would live, she would make certain of that.

****Twenty-Four Hours Ago****

"Miss Philharmonica?" A male voice asked, causing Octavia to freeze in place, nopony had called her that name in years.

"I'm sorry, but you seem to be mistaken sir, I don't know anypony by that name." She replied, trying to keep the panic out of her voice as the silhouette of a pony in a suit and trilby hat appeared behind her, reflected in the vanity mirror in front of her.

The figure snorted, taking off his trilby and holding it to his chest, revealing the thestral underneath, "Don Virtuoso sends his regards, miss." He bowed, "he would like to meet you at your earliest convenience, what you're wearing now will suffice." He said, gesturing towards the black evening gown Octavia had yet to change out of.

Octavia sighed, "you may tell your Don that I'll have to decline his offer this evening, as I already have a prior engagement."

"It wasn't a request, miss." The thestral replied, fixing Octavia with a pointed look from his amber eyes.

"Yo Tavi! You done in there?" Vinyl called from the hallway, "hurry up, or I'm heading home without you!"

Octavia glanced towards the thestral, he shook his head almost imperceptibly.

"Sorry Vinyl, I just remembered something I had to do. I'll head home later, so go on ahead of me, alright?" She replied, her eyes fixed on the amber orbs staring at her from the shadow of the door.

"'kay!" Vinyl's hoofsteps began to recede back down the hallway.

The thestral slipped his trilby back onto his head, "I'll be waiting out back, don't be too long miss."

Octavia waited until she was reasonably certain the thestral stallion was gone, before a choked sob escaped from her chest, barely muffled by the hoof she clamped over her mouth.

****Present****

Octavia opened the flat box, revealing the "gift" that was inside.

The brilliantly polished Mauser 9mm reflected Octavia's gaze back at her. If it wasn't the object of so much of her ire, she likely would've thought it beautiful, in a deadly sort of way. The polished metal was smooth and unmarred, as if fresh from the forge it was crafted in. The blued steel of the slide flowed easily into the ivory handle, a depiction of Octavia's own cutie mark was inlaid in mother of pearl on the handle. Engraved on the side of the slide in fancy script was the word: "treble". Four full magazines and a holster rested in slots next to the custom weapon.

This gift had never been used.

Not yet, anyway.

****Twenty-Three Hours Ago****

The thestral knocked twice at the large, wooden double doors to the study, the sound echoed into the room beyond.

"Don Virtuoso, Octavia is here."

"Come in," a voice said from the other side. The thestral pushed the door open before ushering Octavia inside and closing the door behind her.

The room was large and tastefully decorated, it smelled fresh, as if it had just been cleaned. Bookshelves filled with old tomes on various subjects from magic to music theory to history books lined the walls of the hexagonal room, a rolling ladder resting against them. In the center of the room was a large wooden coffee table, the wood polished to a mirror-like finish, a decanter of illicit amber liquid resting in the center next to several tumblers. Two couches sat on either end of the table, parallel to each other. A globe rested next to a potted fern in the back next to a large bay window that took up most of the back wall. Positioned directly in front of it was an expensive-looking mahogany desk with a large armchair behind it.

And sitting in the armchair with a soft grin on his face was the one stallion Octavia despised more than anypony else.

Don Virtuoso Philharmonica was a heavily built earth pony. His mane was a dark, charcoal black with streaks of grey from old age, bearing a light grey coat, the color slightly faded from what it had once been. He wore a cherry red robe and black framed reading glasses over his chocolate brown eyes.

"Ah, there she is! What? No hug for your father?" He said, noting Octavia's smoldering death glare, "come in and take a seat, we have a lot to talk about."

"I think I would prefer to stand, it allows me to leave quicker after I've told you once more to piss off."

Virtuoso chuckled, causing the crow's feet around his eyes to become more pronounced, "I'm afraid you will be standing a long time then, the reason I've called for you takes some explanation."

"That would be a first," Octavia grumbled as she begrudgingly sat herself down on one of the couches, not once removing her death glare from the stallion behind the desk.

Virtuoso clasped his hooves in front of his muzzle, staring right at his daughter, "I'm sure you've noticed recent events regarding the sale of alcohol."

"Why don't we just get to the point so I can leave?" Octavia growled, seething just from being in the same room as him.

"Impatience is unbecoming of a lady-"

"Don't believe for a second you can tell me what to do," Octavia said contemptuously, "you lost that right when I gave up the name 'Philharmonica' to be rid of you."

Virtuoso glowered at her, and for a second Octavia believed she had gone too far.

"Fine," He said, his tone flat and even, all of the faux kindness gone, "despite the... current political situation regarding alcoholic beverages, a few groups have managed to easily cash in on it because of the resources they already have available to them."

"And what do you want from me? I'll have nothing to do with any of this, you can dig your own grave pursuing everypony's new vice for all I care."

"What I wish to do," Virtuoso continued, "is to form an alliance with a group based out of Ponyville, one of the strongest kind." He turned to Octavia, "and that, my dear, is where you come in."

Octavia's eyes narrowed, "what?"

"I am prepared to provide you a job of the most lucrative variety, as all of the pubs you relied on are now closed, one that will have the added benefit of returning my only daughter to the fold." Virtuoso said, a smug smile on his features.

"Bullshit!" Octavia roared, rising to her hooves, "there is no way in Tartarus that I would ever return to you, bargaining chip or otherwise!"

Virtuoso sighed before pulling a folder from somewhere in the desk, "what was the name of your friend from school again?" He muttered to himself, opening the file on his desk, "Wine Match? No. Ah yes! Vinyl Scratch! Beautiful coat I must say, although I can't really say much for her mane. And those sunglasses!" He looked back up at Octavia, "how do you think she'll look with a smattering of red on that pretty white coat?"

Octavia paled before slamming her hoof on the coffee table, rattling the decanter and tumblers resting on it, "don't you dare threaten her, you filth!" She roared.

Virtuoso merely shrugged before closing the folder, "I was not doing anything of the sort my dear, I was merely asking your opinion of the color red with that white coat." He put the folder away, "but now that we have broached the subject, I would rather that she not fall victim to some... unfortunate circumstances."

Octavia could only stand there and seethe as the most despicable pony she knew dangled her best friend over oblivion simply to get her to cooperate.

"What do I have to do?" Octavia growled.

A wide, sinister grin sliced across Virtuoso's muzzle, "I thought you would never ask, my dear."

****Twenty Hours Ago****

"Vinyl, I'm home!" Octavia called, setting her cello case down next to the couch, not that it matters, she thought angrily.

"I'm in the kitchen!" Vinyl called back.

Octavia trotted over to the kitchen, "hey Tavi!" Vinyl called over her shoulder, stirring something in a pot with her magic, "I already started dinner, is pasta okay?"

"Yes, that's fine. I think I'll take a bath before dinner though." I need to get the filth off me.

"Is everything alright? You look kind of agitated."

"No, I'm fine." Damn your perceptiveness Vinyl! Octavia swore inwardly.

"Alright then, it'll be ready soon." Vinyl said.

Octavia nodded before heading for the bathroom.

****Present****

Octavia closed the door softly behind her and slipped her key through the mail slot. It's not like I'll need it anymore. She thought ruefully, readjusting the straps on her cello case and saddlebags.

There is still time, Octavia. Use the gun and run away with Vinyl!

"As if I could! The Philharmonica family's reach is farther than I could ever run from." She muttered to herself.

"Is there something wrong Miss Octavia?" The thestral said, scaring her out of her wits.

"Do you always make it a habit to sneak up on unsuspecting mares?" She asked, placing a hoof on her chest, waiting for her heart rate to go down.

The thestral shrugged, "only when my job calls for it."

"And what exactly is your job?"

"Whatever your father demands of me."

Kill him, Octavia. There will be no witnesses, KILL HIM!!!

Octavia shook her head, quieting them for now, "I see."

"Come on then, miss. Your train awaits." The thestral said, gesturing with his chin.

Octavia looked over her shoulder at the entrance to her flat before following behind her guide.

I'm so sorry, Vinyl.

Octavia knocked twice on the farmhouse door, the thin wood rattling at the force of it. The door opened with a creak, a large, red earth pony stallion propping it open with a hoof, watching her silently.

"Is this the Apple family residence?" Octavia asked, eyeing the stoic pony curiously.

"Eeyup." Was the only reply she received.

"I'm here about the Philharmonica family, my name is Octavia Melody."

The stallion's eyes narrowed as he stepped aside, "Big Macintosh, y'all wanna talk with AJ about that."

Octavia nodded once before stepping past the burly stallion.

"This way." Big Macintosh said softly, leading Octavia towards the back of the farmhouse, leading her to a door marked: "office".

"Sis, the Philharmonica rep is here."

"Send her in, Mac." A slightly muffled mare's voice came from the other side of the door, Big Macintosh opened the door and ushered Octavia inside before closing the door behind her.

Inside was a small room, a single bookshelf crammed with ledgers of varying thickness rested against the back wall, before it was a simple, utilitarian wooden desk with a high-backed chair behind it. An orange earth pony mare with a blond mane and a worn stetson sat in the chair, gazing at her guest.

"Have a seat," said the orange mare behind the desk said, gesturing to the two chairs set opposite of her.

Octavia complied, pulling a letter out of her saddlebags, "this is from the don," she said flatly placing the letter on the desk. The mare took it and skimmed through it, glancing at Octavia every once in a while. Finally, she looked up.

"Didn't know I was greeting the don's daughter." She said dryly, "or that said daughter was sent as a gift to be a lieutenant."

"I'm not his daughter in any way, other than biologically." Octavia said, her hatred seeping into her voice.

The mare chewed on the inside of her cheek, "I see. Well, if it makes you feel any better, I honestly don't really give a hoot about any sort of partnership with Virtuoso to begin with. Stallion always rubbed me wrong." She held out a hoof, "all I really care about is getting my goods into Canterlot, but I won't turn down an extra hoof. My name's Applejack."

"Octavia Melody," replied Octavia, taking her hoof.

"Nice to meet you, Octavia." Applejack said warmly.

Octavia remained silent.

Author's Note

Yeah, yeah, I know, short flashback-ception chapter.

But I really wanted to fill you guys in on the circumstances of Octavia's sudden departure from Vinyl, normally "close friends" don't really do that sort of thing.

That and I wasn't quite ready to move the plot forward juuuuust yet.

As always, be sure to leave your feedback in the comments below, as I would love to hear from you!