Friendship is Music

by Shadewing

Rating: everyone
Tags: Octavia, DJ P0N-3, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 2848

Vinyl Scratch reflects on her friendship with Octavia, who has a surprise for her after the concert

Vinyl Scratch holds a concert for ponyville, before the show she takes time to remember what is important to her. Meanwhile Octavia has a surprise waiting for her best friend.

A very quick story I did for a contest over on DA, which had a 1000 word limit. First story I've done that was ever this short.

NEW: Decided to expand on this, while leaving the original up for any one that liked it or want to compare versions.

Published 2012-07-30 16:14:02 UTC
Last updated 2013-08-11 01:22:14 UTC

Friendship is Music

Night time in Ponyville, a crowd gathers around a stage in the middle of town square. Excitement builds as the show nears its premier. A pink pony in particular hops about joyously as if having had too much sugar, which she likely has. Behind the scenes though, behind the curtain that obscures the stage is the main performer of tonight. A white pony with an electric blue mane and tail finishes setting up her equipment.

She closes her red eyes, hidden behind the large purple shades that obscure them. She takes a deep breath as she takes these last few moments to reflect and psyche herself up. ‘This is my time. Oh yes, nothing is better than throwing a concert at night. Making music come alive through my mad skills is what I do best; it’s why my cutie mark is about music. I am Vinyl Scratch, greatest DJ in Equestria; though most know me better by my stage name DJ PON-3. Once more I stand before my turntables on my set up, waiting for the curtain to draw so we can get his party started.’ She thinks to herself.

‘Though to be truthful, even for a pony as amazing as I am, it can sometimes be difficult to get on stage each night and perform my best. Some nights in fact, it can almost be impossible. All those ponies out there, all of them looking at you, watching you, judging every little thing you do… having to strive to make every performance better than the last, to make sure they keep coming back time and time again. It can just weigh a pony down so much, ya know?’

‘But then, that is why I have friends; one specifically that is always there for me. We don’t always get along, nor do we have a whole lot in common; but hey sometimes friendships are like that. We complement each other, our differences help strengthen the other. I help remind her how fun things can be and she helps tame my wilder ambitions. Octavia is her name. She can be rather stuck up and snooty, having a high opinion of herself and the classical music she plays. She likes to remind me she plays at the Grand Galloping Gala, while I’ve yet to have a show in Canterlot. Big Deal! Those ponies are just a Bunch of stuck up socialites that wouldn’t know a good time if it bit them in their overly-posh rumps.’

‘I’m making her sound worse than she actually is though. It’s not as though she looks down on me. We all have things we pride ourselves on, and puffing up our chest over our achievements is good every now and then. If only to help remind you of the good you have done. It’s just when it’s done all the time that a pony deserves a hoof in the face. Despite it all, Octie’s a great friend. Deep down below that posh exterior, she can be a real party girl. Though I sometimes have to drag that girl out kicking and screaming… hehehe! Because of that, she’s always out there for each of my shows.’

‘It’s because of her that I know I can go on with my shows. Knowing she’s around and will always be there, even on the off chance that one of my shows isn’t as amazing as it should be. That’s what friends are for after all. It’s a great feeling to have a pony like that in your life.’ The curtain opens and she grins widely, immediately her eyes see her gray pony friend right up front, who is getting hassled by the pink party pony. Vinyl can’t help but giggle a bit at the sight. She calls out into her microphone, “Alright colts and fillies! Let’s get this party started!” as the powerful wubbing music starts to pulse over the crowd followed by a laser light show that dances along with the beat…

The show is a rousing success just as the DJ knew it would be. As the show ends, the crowd starts to disperse. The pink pony goes to bother her other friends now, much to Octavia’s relief. She trots up on stage and watches Vinyl as she starts taking things down. “Ahem.” She coughs politely.

“Octie!” Vinyl grins and stops what she is doing to greet the gray pony. “Glad you made it!”

“You know I always do.” The gray pony says, having a Canterlot accent that makes her sound kinda haughty.

“Yeah, well it’s still always great having you there. It means the world knowing I have the support of someone like you out there. Such a change from all your stuffy galas and garden parties in Canterlot.” Vinyl says with a teasing giggle.

“Yeah, well tonight I have something for you. As you know you’ve never played there…”

“Yeah, yeah, I know you’re just an important musician, and I’m simply a DJ.”

“Hush, I’m not finished. I’m not lording it over you. In a few months there is going to be a very important wedding held there, and the bride wants something… different for her musical preferences. And well… I told her about you and your shows and showed her a recording of one of them. So… you are now the official DJ for Princess Mi Amore Cadenza for her royal wedding.”

Vinyl Scratch is silent for a long moment, her shades hiding her wide-eyed expression. A moment later she rushes Octavia in a hug. “Oh my god! Octie you are SO amazing!”

“Yeah, well you are my best friend after all. Of course I’m going to keep you in mind for any offer that comes up.”

Vinyl nods. “Right, just let me finish here and we can celebrate at my place later.”

“Of course, I look forward to it Vinyl.” Octavia says with a polite smile and walks off.

Vinyl smiles watching Octavia leave. ‘I really don’t know what I’d do without her support.’

Director's Cut

Night time in Ponyville, a crowd gathers around a stage in the middle of town square. Excitement builds as the show nears its premier. A pink pony in particular hops about joyously as if having had too much sugar, which she likely has. Behind the scenes though, behind the curtain that obscures the stage is the main performer of tonight. A white pony with an electric blue mane and tail finishes setting up her equipment.

She closes her red eyes, hidden behind the large purple shades that obscure them. She takes a deep breath as she takes these last few moments to reflect and psyche herself up. ‘This is my time. Oh yes, nothing is better than throwing a concert at night. Making music come alive through my mad skills is what I do best; it’s why my cutie mark is about music. I am Vinyl Scratch, greatest DJ in Equestria; though most know me better by my stage name DJ PON-3. Once more I stand before my turntables on my set up, waiting for the curtain to draw so we can get his party started.’ She thinks to herself.

‘Though to be truthful, even for a pony as amazing as I am, it can sometimes be difficult to get on stage each night and perform my best. Some nights in fact, it can almost be impossible. All those ponies out there, all of them looking at you, watching you, judging every little thing you do… having to strive to make every performance better than the last, to make sure they keep coming back time and time again. It can just weigh a pony down so much, ya know?’

‘But then, that is why I have friends; one specifically that is always there for me. We don’t always get along, nor do we have a whole lot in common; but hey sometimes friendships are like that. We complement each other, our differences help strengthen the other. I help remind her how fun things can be and she helps tame my wilder ambitions. Octavia is her name. She can be rather stuck up and snooty, having a high opinion of herself and the classical music she plays. She likes to remind me she plays at the Grand Galloping Gala, while I’ve yet to have a show in Canterlot. Big Deal! Those ponies are just a Bunch of stuck up socialites that wouldn’t know a good time if it bit them in their overly-posh rumps.’

‘I’m making her sound worse than she actually is though. It’s not as though she looks down on me. We all have things we pride ourselves on, and puffing up our chest over our achievements is good every now and then. If only to help remind you of the good you have done. It’s just when it’s done all the time that a pony deserves a hoof in the face. Despite it all, Octie’s a great friend. Deep down below that posh exterior, she can be a real party girl. Though I sometimes have to drag that girl out kicking and screaming… hehehe! Because of that, she’s always out there for each of my shows.’

‘It’s because of her that I know I can go on with my shows. Knowing she’s around and will always be there, even on the off chance that one of my shows isn’t as amazing as it should be. That’s what friends are for after all. It’s a great feeling to have a pony like that in your life.’ The curtain opens and she grins widely, immediately her eyes see her gray pony friend right up front, who is getting hassled by the pink party pony. Vinyl can’t help but giggle a bit at the sight. She calls out into her microphone, “Alright colts and fillies! Let’s get this party started!” as the powerful wubbing music starts to pulse over the crowd followed by a laser light show that dances along with the beat…

From the other side of the stage is a light gray pony with an immaculately groomed Dark gray mane and tail. She has her eyes closed and sighs heavily; trying to focus on the wubbing techno beats of Vinyl’s music. Though the hyperactive pink pony that was bouncing up and down wildly next to her didn’t make that the easiest thing in Equestria at the moment.

“Pinkie. If. You. don’t. mind.” Octavia says through gritted teeth in her beautify posh voice, trying to restrain her annoyance. “I am trying to enjoy the concert. Could you… please restrain yourself, just the tiniest of bits, or find one of your other wild friends to be with?”

“Okie Dokie Loki!” Pinkie says with a smile and bounces off as she spots a blue rainbow maned pony and a small tan and purple maned filly and decides she’s spent enough time with Octavia.

Octavia watches the Pink pony leave with a sigh of relief. Really, she could never understand the wildness of these ‘concerts’, how could anypony enjoy music with all this noise and rowdiness? Well no… That wasn’t entirely true she reminds herself. There was a certain energy and addictiveness to the music, it was more wild more powerful than most anything she plays. She guesses she could understand the audience being filled with life by the beats as they seem to vibrate everypony to their core. She just wished that the crowd could enjoy it with a bit more restraint. Did they even really listen to the music? She wonders and furrows her brow for a brief moment before the music grabs her again.

Regardless of the atmosphere she knew loved it, it was… fun… yes. Very fun, and very different then all the practicing she did, always trying to perfect her craft and be that much better. Her whole life she had strived to better herself, and now she was one of the best Cellist in Canterlot and often hired to play for their parties. She also had one of the best friends a pony could ask for, the DJ on stage. Her life would be so much more boring without Vinyl, and deep down below her reputation, below her image as a proper lady, she was grateful every day that she had someone that could break her out of the sometimes mind-numbing dullness of Canterlot life, and that was the biggest reason she was here today. While she would never miss one of Vinyl’s concerts, today she brought a gift she knew the white unicorn mare would die for.

As the music dies down, the pony crowd slowly starts to disperse allowing Octavia a clear path to the stage. She trots up elegantly to back stage watching as Vinyl starts to use her magic to help her take down her equipment. Tavi straightens her pink bow tie, and coughs politely to get the DJ’s attention. “Ahem.”

“Octie!” Vinyl grins and stops what she is doing; one of the speakers hitting the ground as she quickly turns to greet the gray pony. “Glad you made it!” She says honestly, but both of them knew it was more of a simple acknowledgement of Octavia’s presence then being surprised that she is there.

“You know I always do.” The gray earth pony replies with a gentle smile, playing up her Canterlot accent a bit knowing that makes her sound kinda haughty as it bugged Vinyl somewhat and enjoyed using it to annoy her friend occasionally and today she really wanted to play that side up.

“Yeah, well it’s still always great having you there. It means the world knowing I have the support of someone like you out there.” She replies and then grins a bit and adds “A much needed change from all your stuffy galas and garden parties in Canterlot. Total bore-fests” Vinyl says with a teasing giggle, taking a playful jab at her friend as she notices Tavi emphasizing her accent.

“Oh, like you would know. Seeing as you know you’ve never played there…” Octavia replies dismissively.

“Yeah, yeah, I know you’re such an important musician, and I’m simply a small town DJ.” Vinyl replies rolling her eyes a bit behind those purple shades of hers.

“Hush, I’m not finished. I’m not lording it over you. Not this time at least.” She giggles. “You see, In a few months there is going to be a very important wedding held there and the bride wants something… different for her musical preferences. As she and Princess Celestia don’t want such an event to be too ‘stuffy’ as you might say. I, and other musicians, were called and asked if we knew of anything that could help and well… I told her about you and your shows and even showed her a recording of one of them.” She says with a big grin as she announces her news “So as of now, you are the official DJ for Princess Mi Amore Cadenza for her royal wedding.”

Vinyl Scratch is silent for a long moment, her shades hiding her wide-eyed expression, while Tavi smiles knowingly. The white unicorn’s mind is processing the news and making sense of what the cellist is telling her. A moment later she rushes Octavia in a hug. “Oh my god! Octie you are SO amazing!”

Octavia meeps a bit at the sudden hug, and giggles softly as she hugs back. “Yeah, well you are my best friend after all. For all you do for me, I’m always going to keep you in mind for any offer that comes up. You had just better not embarrass me or I’ll make you regret it!” She says with a mock threat.

Vinyl laughs and nods, smiling to her friend. “Right, you have a reputation to maintain after all. Though I don’t see how you keep that up with how often Pinkie bugs you. Someday you’ll have to tell me why you put up with her as much as you do.”

“Maybe… For now however I’d rather not think of her, as I’ve had my fill of her tonight.” Octavia replies and waves her hoof a bit.”

Vinyl nods with a slight smirk, knowing exactly how that is having been to more than a few Pinkie Parties. “Just let me finish here and we can celebrate this news at my place later.”

“Of course, I look forward to it Vinyl.” Octavia says with a polite smile, looking forward to something more simple and private as they work on some music together, that was always wonderful and allowed her to try new things. “I’ll meet you at our usual spot.” She says before trotting off.

Vinyl smiles watching Octavia leave, still not fully believing that she’s gonna DJ a Canterlot party. ‘I really don’t know what I’d do without her support.’

Author's Note

So I decided to revisit this, since I was never completely happy with the original, and since this didn't have to be limited to 1000 words, I could expand on some bits; mostly giving Tavi more character.