The clock on the wall counted away the seconds filling the silent void of the room with its steady click. The old mare stared off into the empty space beside her. The empty chair mocking her. The old aches of her joints, so familiar now that she had joked about naming them not four days past, tried in vain to pull her attention away. A light breeze moved through the open wind before her. It moved through the room lifting her blue streaked gray mane as it passed. It touched the empty rocker ever so slightly tilting it back just enough to elicit that creak, that horrible creak that had driven her mad for so many years. The old unicron couldn’t take as the first vestiges of tears began to form in the corner of her eyes.
The first tears finally leaked out as she shut her eyes against the pain. When the first notes played her breath caught in her throat. The sound was so distant and unmistakable. Years of listening to that instrument gifted her with an unerring ear for it. It played softly, slowly. The third string was just slightly out of tune. A small smile cut her lips for a half second before she lost control.
**************
Talent night. Canterlot University of Music. The already infamous Vinyl Scratch brought the earth shattering bass to its final beat before cutting everything off and leaving the entire auditorium in complete silence. For a full ten seconds no pony seemed to move. Than, as seemed to always be the case, half the auditorium began stomping their hooves in praise while the other half watched with disgust written across their faces.
DJ PON3 bowed to her fans hollering wordlessly at them. She caught sight of the director stepping onto the stage and shooing her off. With a final bow she began moving her equipment off stage. Once she cleared the curtains the director began to introduce the next student performer. The DJ didn’t really pay attention, too busy packing up her speakers and turn tables. When the first notes played through the air something caught her ear and turned her head back to the stage.
Standing in the center of the stage was a lone earth pony. She looked so small next to the mammoth of a cello she held. Her black hair was slicked back and a small pink bowtie adorned her neck. Those first notes were so small and distant, yet carried all the way to the back seats. There could not be more difference between this music and what the DJ had just finished playing.
She touched that third string and a sour note filled the auditorium. The audience visibly cringed at the sound and the musician froze, terror and embarrassment warred across her face. She turned towards the side stage ready to flee. Their eyes locked, Vinyl smiled her easy smile and her horn lit up tightening the string to perfection. The mare on stage paused unsure of what to do until the DJ motioned for her to continue. With tears in her eyes the Cellist began again and Vinyl closed her eyes letting the music wash over her for the first time.
******************
A sob racked her body as she fought back the tears. This wasn’t right! This wasn’t how it was supposed to be! She was the reckless one! The late nights, the parties, the alcohol, the... the drugs... It had been so long, she had locked those memories away. Now they all came pouring back, overwhelming her. “Where are you now!” She screamed, “You promised you would be here when I needed you!” The tears streamed down her cheeks as she finally broke.
***************
The needle pierced her skin of her shoulder. “Vi...Vinyl?” The white unicorn turned to face the soft voice behind her. The look on the other ponies face would haunt her for years to come. The confusion and fear tore her heart to pieces. Her mouth worked but no words would come. Octavia turned and ran out of the bathroom. The syringe bounced against the tiles as the unicorn gave chase.
She entered the great room just in time to see the front door slam shut. She fumbled for the handle with her magic as she raced to the door. Her magic slipped and she crashed into the heavy wood. Stumbling back she fell to floor. She lost consciousness for a second? A minute? An hour? She didn’t care. Nothing mattered anymore. She was all alone now. Curled up in a little ball of pain she cried, for the first time in a long time she cried unrestrained. Her best friend, her only friend, was gone.
How long she laid there she didn’t know. It didn’t matter. She would have stayed there forever. She heard the door open and ignored it, it didn’t matter. The sharp, yet somehow soft, click of hooves moved across the floor and stopped next to the miserable unicorn curled up on the floor. She felt the warmth of the other pony beside her as two hooves pulled her into an embrace, “Shhh, it is okay Vinyl. I am here now.” The DJ sobbed louder at the sound of the familiar voice. “I am so sorry. I should not have run out like that.” Octavia nuzzled her gently, “We will work through this together.”
****************
She managed to open her eyes through the tears. That small crack in the ceiling she had promised to fix so many times greeted her. Even here, on the floor, the memories assailed her. The beautiful face filled her vision looking down at her with not but love in those big violet eyes. Tears poured down her face as she fought back the painful memories.
She didn’t notice the knock at the door. “Vinyl? Are... are you okay?” She tried to answer, the only sound that came was a choked sob. The door creaked open followed by heavy scraping footsteps, “oh, Vinyl.” The hot raspy voice sighed sadly as it neared.
Powerful claws reached under her and lifted her into the air. An intense warmth surrounded her as the young dragon held her in his arms. She tried to hold back the tears. To say something. To play it off as though everything was alright. But her voice failed her again. His claw comb gently through her once electric blue mane. Soothing rumbles echoed from deep in his chest as he tried to calm the wreck of a pony.
“Let it all out,” Spike cooed as softly as he could, “don’t hold it in You don’t need to be strong right now. Let me be strong for you.” The adolescent dragon held her tight as her resistance finally failed. A soft low note escaped his mouth hanging in the air above them. It was soon joined by another and another. The sad dirge echoed around the room, too deep for a dragon so young.
Eventually her sobs quieted and her tears seemed to dry. The dragons song came to an end as he looked at the pony in his arms. “Are you ready?” She nodded softly. “I can carry you if you prefer,” he offered.
She shook her head and he placed her back on the floor. Her legs wobbled slightly, what little energy she had these days was gone. Spike stepped up beside her and let took as much of her weight as she would give him. They left the house and began the long walk to the cemetery.
They were the last to arrive. The other ponies all sat in little white chairs placed in neat little rows. Only about twenty ponies were present, close friends and family. The other members of her orchestra, some of her favorite students, a few other ponies that she had known. Standing before the group was the mayor of the little town they had moved to in retirement. The now gray maned orange pony spotted them first and gave them a sad smile. Vinyl did her best to smile back. Her eyes lazily scanned the ponies present. She wasn’t really paying attention until she spotted the mint green unicorn and stumbled.
******************
They had both known her from their University days, but they hadn’t seen or spoken to her since. They met up again at the reunion where Lyra and Octy really hit it off. At first she had been thrilled, Tavi needed some friends of her own. Then the letters started. It was understandable, living in different cities they weren’t able to see each other often. It wasn’t until the once or twice a month became two or three times a week that Vinyl became jealous and did something very very stupid.
“You! How could you?” Octavia stomped a hoof on the floor, “after all these years?” The hurt in her eyes cut like a knife.
“That’s not it... I just-”
“You could have come to me. Talked to me.” Her voice pleaded as though the unicorn could go back and change the past.
“But I-”
“No! I can’t look at you right now! I have to leave.” The Cellist opened the door to their apartment tears leaking from her eyes. She paused to look back one last time, “I will find you when I am ready to talk.”
Those were the longest two weeks of her life. She was numb, the days had no meaning. Wake up, go to work, come home, sleep, rinse and repeat. That was when she met that stallion. She was at the bottom and thought she couldn’t go any lower. He showed her just how low she could really go.
***************
Everypony watched with sad sympathy as she made her way down the aisle, Spike supporting her as she went. When she came to Lyra she stopped. They shared a moment of quiet sympathy before the green unicorn threw her hooves around Vinyl and whispered comforting words in her ear. She noted seat next to Lyra, occupied by a single hard candy wrapped in colorful paper. When they parted she placed a soft kiss on the others forehead and thanked her for coming.
She crossed the final distance to the coffin. The beautiful wood shined in the twilight. She stopped. She couldn’t move her legs. Had Spike not been there to hold her up her legs would have given out long ago. She couldn’t do this. Maybe if she didn’t look it wouldn’t be real. She would wake up tomorrow to the sound of a cello playing softly in the other room.
Spike gave her a comforting squeeze. Vinyl looked up at her friend and he gave her a sad smile that seemed to say, ‘I know how much this hurts, but you can do this... for her.’ She nodded and took the first step. It hurt so much. With the next step she saw the tip of the ash gray muzzle and tears she thought were gone returned.
Suddenly she was there standing over her. She looked so peaceful. Her little pink bowtie and her slicked back black mane. A single lonely laugh burst from her lips, how she had envied that mane. She reached in and gently stroked a cheek. “I never deserved you. I screwed up so many times and you always took me back. Your gone now, but I won’t be too long. Then you will only have to take me back one last time. I miss you so much! I love you Tavi.” Stretching she gently kissed those lips one last time. Her horn it up dully and lifted her sunglasses placing them under the crossed hooves on the Octavias chest, “hold on to these for me. I am going to want them back.”
The infamous DJ turned to face the gathered ponies. She summoned the best smile she could. She made eye contact with every face. Each one held memories, some good and some not so good, all painful and yet she wouldn’t trade them for the world.
When she finally spoke her voice was even and calm even, “thank you all for coming. I know some of you are expecting me to give a speech. But today... Today I have no words.” Her voice broke as she finally collapsed against Spike. He carried her weight to the closet chair.
The rest of the ceremony passed by in a blur. Each pony stood in turn and approached the casket. Some cried softly tears matting their fur, others sobbed loudly as Vinyl had earlier, a few maintained a stiff upper lip though sorrow was etched across their faces. All came to the DJ and offered their condolences, she accepted numbly thanking them again for coming. When the last pony stepped away Applejack moved to the coffin and gently closed the lid. She nodded to Vinyl who stood one last time. Lyra stepped next to her and they approached the wooden box together, each using the other for support. Their horns lit up and the two auras engulfed the coffin lifting it slightly off the ground. It moved slowly until it hovered over the hole. With infinite care they lowered their friend to her final resting place.
It was over. She was gone now, truly gone. Vinyl sat down staring at the hole that now contained the light of her life. Everything had gone numb again. Somewhere she was conscious of the other ponies leaving, of Lyra hugging her one last time. Twilight past into dusk and she was alone save for Spike who, with a great deal more care than necessary, patted down the last bit of sod on top of the grave.
When he finished he looked at his friend. “Would you mind giving me a minute alone?” She asked, her voice pained and tired. Spike pause for a moment, a concerned look crossing his features, then he nodded and stepped away.
Finally alone she stepped up to the headstone and laid down. She didn’t move for a long time. She forced her way through all the memories until she found the one she wanted. The one that mattered the most.
******************
They sat outside a small coffee shop in Canterlot. The weather was wonderful and sunny, that perfect mix of a warm sun with a cool breeze. Ponies were moving all around them going about their business. Vinyl should have been asleep preparing for a gig that night. But Octavia wanted to spend the day together and she could never deny her that. She stared into her friend's eyes and her friend stared back. They hadn’t spoken a word since sitting down, no words were necessary.
That is when it hit her like a buck to the face. How she had missed it before was beyond her. It was as plain as the horn on her head. Her eyes went wide with the realization and she spoke those three little words, “I love you.” They came out so soft and quiet that she was afraid she hadn't been heard.
Octavia’s eyes lit up as her cup fell to the table sending splashes of coffee everywhere. “I love you too," she whispered back.