Vinyl awoke apropos of nothing at all, except some instinct that demanded she do so. Brushing the electric blue mane out of her eyes, she saw the time on the clock sitting on her nightstand and groaned.
“Eight-ten? Really? This early?”
Her body gave no answer, and she knew flopping back and forth in bed wouldn’t bring her sleep anytime soon. Reaching out with her magic, she fumbled for her glasses.
*Ka-thunk!*
“Nope, that’s the lamp…”
After several similar experiences in the past, and an unwelcome shard of glass in the frog of her hoof, Octavia had purchased a sturdy metal lamp for Vinyl. One that withstood the tumble from her nightstand countless times already. A familiar plastic clack brought a smile to Vinyl’s face. Reaching out with her hoof, she snatched the floating shades and slid them up the bridge of her nose.
“Much better.”
Slowly leaning off the side of the bed, Vinyl’s hooves touched the soft carpet and sank in slightly. Stumbling through her bedroom door, she walked down the hall and turned the corner into the kitchen. The morning sun beamed in through the bay windows of their kitchen, forcing Vinyl to shield her eyes, even through her shades. As expected, sitting at the kitchen table was a beautiful gray earth pony with slick black hair, reading the morning newspaper and eating some scrambled eggs with milk.
“Morning, Octy.”
“Good morning, Vinyl. It’s a rare treat to see you up so early. I didn’t wake you, did I?”
Octavia, being an earth pony, felt the need to exercise, and she did so in the morning. While this didn’t bother Vinyl, Octavia occasionally tried some exercises noisier than others. Vinyl’s typical response to being awoken like this was to toss the nearest thing her magic could grab at the wall, which would immediately be followed by a refined apology.
“Nah, I just woke up. I’ve gotten used to your exercising. As long as you don’t go doing something crazy again, like jumping jacks…”
“I see.”
Reaching into the fridge, Vinyl pulled out the milk while her horn dug into a nearby cabinet and plucked out the box of cereal. Placing both on the counter, she then reached into the silverware drawer for a spoon while her horn fished out her favorite cereal bowl, which changed color when it got cold. It was a routine she had performed hundreds of times, and one she could do blindfolded if necessary.
Today, though, after pouring her cereal, something changed. The milk jug was almost empty, but still had more than she normally poured in her cereal. With a shrug, she poured the milk until the cereal bits hovered dangerously close to the lip of her bowl. Tipping her head back, she drained the last remaining drops of milk from the jug, before promptly tossing it into the trash. She grabbed a pen and hastily scribbled the word “milk” on a grocery list hanging from the fridge.
“I’ll be out today if we need groceries,” Octavia offered.
“Nah. I got nothing going on. I’ll go shopping tonight.”
Octavia merely nodded in acknowledgement.
Dipping her spoon into the dangerously full bowl of cereal, Vinyl started separating the marshmallows from the oat puffs as she did every morning. She always ate the oat puffs first, viewing them as the necessary evil she must endure before she could enjoy her marshmallows. On more than one occasion she told Octavia that the cereal company should make a cereal that was just marshmallows. This ridiculous notion was of course regarded with a playful harrumph and a reminder that Vinyl was bouncy enough without extra sugar to make it worse.
Munching on her spoonful of puffs, it suddenly struck Vinyl that Octavia used to make fun of her for separating her cereal. A derisive snort or a playful jest used to be the complementary response to her unique quirk. Those days had long since ended. Now, they barely talked in the morning. Heck, as of late, they rarely talked at all. They would both eat their breakfast in near-silence, go about their day, and maybe see each other once the sun went down… if they didn’t have a gig. Vinyl’s appetite vanished into sorrow as she looked up from her cereal at the mare she fell in love with years ago.
“Hey, uuhhh, Octy. I’m off tonight and you’re not booked for another week. Why don’t we do something fun?”
“There’s a function in Canterlot tonight. If I want to keep playing for high society, I need to make appearances when possible. Maybe another night.”
Vinyl’s ears folded atop her head. “Okay. Another time.”
Looking down at her bowl of cereal, she didn’t feel so hungry anymore. Picking it up with her magic, she dumped it all in the trash and put the bowl in the sink. Not sure what to do with herself, she walked into the living room and opened the front door.
“Are you okay, Vinyl?”
The unicorn stopped in her tracks. She wanted to say she wasn’t. That she felt a bit lifeless, that she missed what they once were.
“I’m alright. I’m just gonna go out for a bit. See you later.”
Vinyl shut the door, not waiting for a reply. She didn’t want to talk about it. After all, Octavia did nothing wrong, and she was still the mare she fell in love with years ago.
“I guess this is what it’s like to grow up.”
“You can tell me if—” the shutting door gave Octavia pause. “—something’s bothering you. Hmm. Now that’s peculiar.”
Octavia never claimed to be a genius, but she certainly wasn’t stupid. Vinyl always ate her breakfast, except when she was sick or pulled an all-nighter. To see the unicorn toss away an entire bowl of cereal was quite different.
“Something’s definitely wrong. I’ll have to needle her about it later.”
Going back to her paper, Octavia had a nagging feeling she knew exactly why Vinyl walked off the way she did. Folding up the paper and putting it to the side, she hemmed and hawed to herself.
Maybe she’s feeling left out. It has been awhile since we’ve done anything together. Perhaps she has another pony on the side, and simply wanted to see if I was still interested in her.
Even imagining such a horrid thought brought a lump in Octavia’s throat. A mental picture of Vinyl with another mare backstage flashed in her head.
“No! That’s Impossible! Vinyl would never do that!”
Never is such a strong word. If Vinyl truly feels alienated, maybe she would go to another for comfort.
“No. I know she would do no such thing. I’ll make it up to her another time. Tonight is just too important.”
Returning to her paper, Octavia felt a bit better, but there was still a nagging feeling in the back of her mind.
Stumbling through the front door of Sugarcube Corner, Vinyl wandered over to a nearby booth and practically fell into it. Her mind spiraled out of control over the morning’s revelations. She didn’t have long to contemplate before a familiar pink mare bounced over to her table.
“Hey there, Vinyl! How’s Ponyville’s top turntable master doing this morning?” Pinkie asked, her smile beaming upon the unicorn.
“Hi, Pinkie. Not too great actually...”
Pinkie’s smile vanished. Her eyes shimmered in concern as she took the opposite seat. “Oh no! What’s wrong?”
“It’s Octavia… and me... I guess. I don’t know. It just feels like we’re stuck in a rut. You and Rainbow Dash have been together for a couple years now. Does it ever get boring for you two?”
Nodding furiously, Pinkie smiled. “Of course it does, but then I grab Dashie and take her somewhere fun, or maybe just give her one of my patented Pinkie Patdowns.”
Vinyl raised her eyebrow in confusion.
“I rub her back and wings in just the perfect ways. Dashie can never resist a Pinkie Patdown. Surprises are the best way to spice anything up. Except chili. You should stick to pepper for that.”
“So you’re saying maybe I should just surprise Octavia somehow.”
“Yup! Does that help?” Pinkie asked, leaning her head in close.
“Yeah… no… maybe.”
“I bet I know what would help. A giant cupcake!” Pinkie exclaimed, her hooves resting on the table.
Vinyl shook her head. “Nah. I’m not hungry.”
Pinkie tilted her head a moment, confusion written on her face. In a flash, she disappeared leaving Vinyl alone. The unicorn barely had time to consider Pinkie’s bizarre reaction before the pink mare returned with a glass.
“Here you go!”
Staring at the glass, she saw it was filled with what looked like shaved ice and water. “What is it?”
“It’s a mopeshake! I invented it myself. See, when Rainbow and I have a fight, or I just feel like a downy downerson, I usually eat a lot. Mrs. Cake said it’s called stress eating and that I couldn’t do it anymore since it was costing us so much money, so I invented the mopeshake! It’s just an ice slushie! It gives you something to eat when you’re not hungry, or you’re just upset.”
“A mopeshake, huh?” Vinyl said, her eyes narrowing at the glass put before her. “You’re a genius, Pinkie Pie.”
“No, I’m not. I’m a pony!”
The front door chime rang, announcing the arrival of a new customer.
“Oops! Gotta go! Hope you feel better, Vinyl,” Pinkie said, giving the unicorn a brief hug before dashing away.
Poking at the ice with her straw, Vinyl grunted. “Pinkie is right. If Octavia is gonna be a boring stick in the mud, I’ll make her have a good time, just like in the good old days.”
Octavia watched in sympathy as the mint green unicorn across from her hit the table with her head. “Ugghh, I don’t know why I even bother coming to these things. They’re sooo boring!”
“Oh, Lyra, of course you do. It’s to stay relevant,” Octavia said, swishing her glass of champagne. “You know as well as I do, ‘a pony unseen is a pony forgotten’.”
“I just wish I was at home, with Bonnie.”
The Canterlot Ballroom played host to some sort of function that Octavia never bothered to remember. Probably some well-to-do noble giving one percent of their wealth to charity, while spending four times that patting themselves on the back for it with a party. The food was atrocious, the band sounded like they were playing on a sinking ship, waiting to drown, and most of the ponies in attendance were obnoxious. It was only a stroke of luck that she found another pony that didn’t have the personality of a dead moth, and a close friend to boot. Seated at a table near the back of the room, Lyra and Octavia hid out, commiserating the terrible night.
“What’s wrong, Octavia? You look upset.”
The earth pony looked down at her champagne, her third glass that night. “It’s nothing, really. Just a lingering regret. “
“Good evening, my little ponies.”
Few voices commanded attention like the one that just spoke up. Snapping out of their funk, Lyra and Octavia both turned and smiled.
“Good evening, Princess Celestia.”
“Hey, Princess. How are you doing tonight?” Lyra asked.
Celestia smiled, her shimmering mane flowing in the non-existent wind. “I’m doing well. I don’t think you two could say the same. May I have a seat?”
Both ponies nodded and watched as Celestia took the third chair at the table. Celestia’s larger frame meant that it was a tad too small, but if it bothered her, she sure didn’t let it show. “Now, what seems to be troubling you two?”
Lyra shrugged. “I dunno. You have to ask mopey over there.”
Lyra, you…! I’ll get you back for that someday!
“Is that so? Well then, what is bothering you, Miss Melody?”
The princess had a way with ponies nopony else did. Her kind smile and warm nature gave her a sense of maternity strong enough to pull even the strongest secrets out of the grumpiest creatures, great and small.
“It’s nothing, really. I was simply eating breakfast this morning, and Vinyl mentioned she was off and that we should do something. I told her we couldn’t because of the function. After that she sort of… left. Didn’t even say where she was going.”
The princess nodded wisely. “I see. Tell me, Miss Melody—”
“Octavia is fine, Your Highness.”
“Then Celestia is fine too. As I was about to ask, tell me, what is this particular gathering for?”
The gears grinded in Octavia’s head. She tried remembering what the invite said. She tried to recall what the pony who stood by the door, blathering endlessly at everyone in earshot. She even let her eyes dance about the room, hoping to spy some sort of banner or sign. Alas, there was no such savior for her. “I… don’t actually know.”
Celestia smiled like a chess opponent announcing checkmate. “I see. When I was young, Starswirl the Bearded taught me something about priorities.”
Octavia tilted her head. “Priorities? What do you mean, Your Hig— I mean, Celestia?”
“He said, there’s no point in building a house on quicksand. Tell me, which is more important to you. Your partner, or this dull affair?”
With those words, time seemed to slow for Octavia. In one sentence, Celestia made it clear how foolish she had been. Her eyes danced to and from until she spotted a waiter walking next to their table. Bolting from her seat, she grabbed one of the glasses of champagne and downed it in a single gulp, making the waiter freeze in his tracks.
“Thank you, Princess. I think that’s exactly what I needed to hear.”
Octavia went for the door when she suddenly froze in place. Turning back to the waiter, she grabbed two more glasses of champagne, and emptied them just as quick as she did the last. Striking herself in the chest, she belched loudly, and ran for the door.
The sun had just set over Ponyville, and Vinyl had little to show for her day, with the exception of the bulging saddlebags on her back, filled to bursting with groceries. Stepping inside her home, she saw all of the lights were off. A pang of loneliness hit when she remembered where her partner was.
I hope that dumb party was worth it.
Drawing a deep breath, she sighed and took the gallon of milk from her bags, stuffing it in the fridge. Nothing else required refrigeration, and she wasn’t exactly in the mood to put up the rest of the food, so she dumped her saddlebags on the table.
Knowing my luck, Octavia will berate me in the morning for being lazy. Whatever. I’m going to bed.
Slowly she plodded down the hall to her bedroom when she noticed a dim light from under the door. The hair on her back stood up as she opened the door to face whoever had broken into their home.
“O-Octavia?”
A skimpy piece of red lingerie draped over the lamp dimmed its light quite a bit. On the nightstand, in a metal bucket sat a bottle of champagne, from the looks of which had already been opened. On the bed, however, sat the real prize.
Lying on top of the covers with a book beneath her nose sat Octavia. Her hair waved down around her shoulders and her tail flowed like a fountain against the red patterned comforter. Red and gray striped socks adorned each of her hooves, and her carbon fiber bow lay draped across her flank. She turned to Vinyl with a half-lidded smile.
“Hello there, ma pêche. I know you tend to favor the electronic equipment, but I hope you’ll consider moonlighting on strings tonight.”
*Clack*
Vinyl’s shades fell off her nose and tumbled to the floor. She stared in stunned silence at the seductive pose Octavia was lying in.
“Well? Aren’t you going to come tune your instrument?”
A shudder of anticipation jolted through Vinyl, raising the fine hairs on the back of her neck. Kicking off the ground, she lept onto the bed, making her partner squeal in surprise as she rolled over on her back. Darting in quickly, she planted a set of rapid fire kisses on Octavia’s neck.
“All day long I’ve been thinking of you. How much I miss talking with you, how much I miss annoying you, how much I miss loving you,” Vinyl confessed between loving pecks.
Octavia wrapped her hooves around Vinyl’s barrel and pulled her on her side. “I was a fool. You too clouded my mind all day. As I sat there with Lyra, I kept thinking how idiotic I was for turning you down. That stupid party... the best part about it was the alcohol.”
Glancing over at the champagne in the bucket, Vinyl realized it was about half empty. “Speaking of alcohol, it looks like you got a head start.”
Turning her head to the side, Octavia belched and let out a playful giggle. “You’ll have to work hard if you wanna catch up.”
Between the two ponies, a loud growling came out clear. “I’ll have to take a raincheck on that. I haven’t eaten anything today, and I don’t drink on an empty stomach.”
Octavia gasped and put a hoof to her mouth. “Awww, my poor Vinyl. She’s been so upset she hasn’t eaten all day. I know how to take care of that.”
Reaching over, she pushed Vinyl on her back and gently rubbed her belly. “You poor thing. So heartbroken that you didn’t even eat. I always knew you were a softie beneath that punk aesthetic.”
“Mmmmmhhhmmmmm. If you keep it up, I won’t let you stop, you know that, right?” Vinyl said, her left rear leg kicking a little out of reflex.
“Vinyl, my dear, I have the perfect plan. First, we are going to spend a little more quality time together. Then, we’re going straight into the kitchen to make something wildly inappropriate to eat at such a late hour. Finally, we’ll stay up with each other until the sun comes up, at which point we’ll both collapse. Are you up for such a challenge?” Octavia said, her eyes burning with affection and fire.
“Hey, I’m the night owl here. If anypony is in danger of falling asleep, it’s you.”
Octavia’s eyes narrowed once more, a seductive smile gracing her lips. “Oh yeah? Prove it.”
Vinyl rolled back on her side and pulled her lover’s head close until their lips met. Octavia moaned into the kiss, the tension in her body melting away. The earth mare became putty in the wake of Vinyl’s affection. Reluctantly, she let the unicorn pull back and stared deep into her bright red eyes.
“I love you with all my heart, Vinyl Scratch.”
“I love you too, Octy.”
Author's Note
Like I said, short, sweet, and fluffy... as I do.
