Silence worth a thousand wordsby Luna-laChaptersDefine confusion and contradictionThese feelings will be on the testYour grades are inA lesson in the art of studyingDefine confusion and contradictionThis seems like the perfect time to start making that list. Number one, she may have failed to think this through, at least to the degree most ponies should. Being completely honest with herself, she wasn’t sure she wanted to be here, not like this anyway. And yet, a 3 in the morning, here the two of them are. Under the covers in Octavia’s college dorm room, Vinyl’s ruby red eyes staring at the sleeping face of her supposed lover in the warm light of a nearby lamp, hands still curled lovingly around one another from their final moments of embrace before falling asleep only hours before. Her name was Octavia and to say she was just a friend would be an understatement...then again, saying she was more than a friend would be an overstatement as well. She was indeed her best friend, has been ever since they were 10 years old. But looking at her situation right now, more than friends would be the term to describe this particular position...no, not to her. Octavia was still her friend, her best friend, family even. Hell, Octavia protected her on multiple occasions when bullies teased her for being a mute, and Vinyl stepped in as prom date when Octavia’s snob of a crush at the time turned her down for prom. Cause that’s what friends do. Vinyl blushed as her mind drifted back to last night. The way her hands caressed Octavia’s slender body. The way Octavia kissed down her own. Bodies rubbing together in and through pure passion and emotion that lasted into the early hours of the morning. This isn’t what friends do. Vinyl didn’t waste time in getting herself together, throwing on her clothes and making sure Octavia was situated when she awoke. One of her T-shirts and some underwear just in case she needed a head start of course. With haste, she slowly slid down the hallway from Octavia’s dorm room, making extra sure campus security didn’t get any hint she was out and about. You definitely did not want to be caught outside at 3:00 in the morning. Especially since Octavia lived in a completely different girl’s dorm...all the way across campus...on the third floor of her dorm. Talk about throwing yourself right into the fire huh? She got caught of course. That late into the night, that far away from her own dorm room, it was impossible to avoid. But thankfully it was one of the nicer and notably newer security guards, completely oblivious to Vinyl’s outstanding tardy record. Vinyl made sure not to wake her roommates as she stumbled into her dorm room, quietly letting the door to her room close with a click and falling face-first into her pillow with a sigh. Thankfully this college was one of the ones where the 3 students to each dorm room had one separate room of their own, sort of like an apartment. That meant staying up after midnight was about as easy as it was to sneak out and go have uncertain passionate sex with her best friend. Vinyl rubbed her temples as she turned over and sat up, eyes turning to view the moon high in the sky peering through her window. How can she call herself Octavia’s best friend when she talked her into this...this...shit, she wasn’t even sure what to call it at this point. Maybe something old-timey like blasphemy, or maybe something simple and to the point, like just plain wrong. She wasn’t even sure if Octavia liked her that way. She wasn't even sure if she liked Octavia that way. Maybe she just needed some sleep, yea, that had to be it. She just needs to sleep on it. Vinyl stood up from her bed, closing her blinds, locking her door and turning on on a nearby personal space heater. She then proceeded to strip down to her bare form, climbing into bed and letting her body get comfortable. Why she liked to sleep in the nude, she did not know, she just did. Of course sleep was far from the agenda as a familiar wet sensation began to tickle her marehood. 7:00 AM Yesterday When Vinyl was first accepted, she was under the impression that the music she was already making would be good enough to turn as assignments. And while she was partially correct, she failed to realize that her own music is a mix of her own self-taught style, with a genre that most schools do not recognize no less. That meant on top of developing her career as an artist, she would also have to compose a variety of different genres of music way out of her range at the same time for her musical major. No sleep due to her own career. No sleep due to college. Constantly on the edge of insanity trying to come up with music 7 days a week. As much as she loved music, and the opportunity to get a degree for it, the amount of stress it caused her needed only one word to describe it, and it was just that. Stress. Nothing but pure stress. Vinyl inched her way into her room’s personal bathroom, eyes clamped shut with the strength of a thousand stallions. Tired, so tired, not enough sleep to even think straight. A calculated risk though, all to finish something she had been working towards for nearly her entire 4 years in high school, her very first album. Unfortunately, only about 2 songs were done when the entire thing was going to be 7-8 songs in total, plus it’s not like she had a deadline for it. So why was she pushing herself so hard so early in development? A question she often asked herself. A question she couldn’t quite put her finger on until a hard night’s work had been put in and she was comfortably in her bed. Passion, that had to be it...or maybe she’s just a raging workaholic, her bet is quickly falling on the latter. She sighed as her sleep-induced eyes cracked open to peer at her phone. 7 in the morning, only 3 hours of sleep, and only half an hour to make an excuse to give the teacher. She could make sure to bring every single textbook she has on music and show it to the teacher. Maybe she’ll interpret that as, “I studied all night,” or something. A shower, without a doubt, was first on the agenda. Actually, a bath was more preferable, at least then she could sit back and give her tired muscles some comfort, but alas, the bathroom were those lovely standing only type deals. I mean you could sit down but then you’d just be getting pelted in the face by water, not worth it. A yawn quickly followed that sigh and her eyes finally opened in full to quickly start this disaster of a morning. Since it was already 7, that meant her roommates were already out and about. Good, the place is all hers for the next 30 minutes. However, that also meant she’d have to save her lovely daily 1-hour shower for the evening. Vinyl could huff and puff for as long as she wanted but good old teach made it clear if she was late just 1 more time she was for sure gonna get piled with work so high she wouldn’t have to worry about being tardy ever again. Guess that’s what she gets for staying up a week in a row throwing off her entire sleep schedule. Of course, two things were always there to help her through these rough times. Without a voice to voice her opinions, music was always a great escape. Headphones, a nice starry night or a maybe a calm rainy day and bingo, immediate stress relief is born. Option number two would only be obvious if you had secretly followed Vinyl around with a camera for the majority of her life. The way her eyes lit up in her presence, the way she listened to every word that escaped her mouth like they were air and without them, she couldn’t breathe. Octavia. Octavia was...something special, unlike any other role model she’d ever had. Amidst this always this neverending field of students losing their minds over deadlines and assignments, she had one important quality above all, she kept her cool. And in return, whether she truly felt as ease or was simply copying, Vinyl kept her cool. Her tired mind guided her body to the shower, her hands turning the handles and adjusting for the right temperature. A light layer of steam began to fill the bathroom as she stepped in, water finding its way down and around her figure. She couldn’t help herself. The heat, the sound of water crashing to the floor, it was like a white noise that quickly consumed her attention. Her eyes closed and she promptly found herself beginning to drift off into a land of repressed thoughts and past regrets. For a moment, she seemed contempt with letting her imagination run wild under the soothing stream of hot water but then she felt a noticeable twitch in her lower region. She assumed it to be random, as is any sudden stimulation without cause or reason. What she failed to realize, however... There was a reason. Vinyl’s mind unknowingly began to tread ground in a place she desperately tried to suppress, and with yet another twitch to her nethers, she knew full well there was no stopping her mind now. It doesn’t mean she didn’t try. She tried to shift her mind to something else, anything else, maybe ideas for the cover art of her album, a new beat for a song, something that wasn’t her. Another twitch. Vinyl’s hands began to move with a will of their own tracing the outline of her body slowly, ever so slowly. It was no use, the thought of her idol lingered like a stream of divine syrup, sweet and sticky, delicious to look at and downright insulting not to indulge. Octavia...more than any musical idol, more than even her own creations, Octavia was like a goddess in her own right, that which she simply couldn’t fathom. A slim and healthy figure, molded by countless lessons in healthy eating and weekly runs. Small and petite yet equally alluring small breasts that, at least in vinyl’s eyes, always seemed to beat out the whole “Big breasts vs small breasts” debate. The scent of lavender that always accompanied her wherever she went, washing over her mind and making Vinyl just want to grab her and pull her into the longest hug she’d ever given. Vinyl’s hands continued to embrace her figure, almost as if somepony else was doing the deed. Her fingers dug into the soft fur of her hips before one hand drifted upward and lovingly caressed her breast. The other drifted downward and began to simply gloss over her wet and sensitive marehood. Vinyl’s mind was beginning to lose itself, like a puppet on strings to her, the puppeteer. It was one thing she didn’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t admit. Over this past year she’d been enrolled with her childhood friend, Octavia was always on the ball, always had the best grades, the best advice, and almost always reminded Vinyl through text or 16. Consecutive. Calls. To “wake up and get your butt to class.” Despite a good portion of ponies voicing their opinions about her, feeling as though she’s stuck up or sees herself above everyone, Vinyl loved that about her, simply couldn’t get enough of the remarkable control she had over her life, the independence and power she exuded, the motherly attitude she pushed on others to make sure no one gets left behind, no matter the actual severity of the issue. She was perfect in every way. A silent moan left her as her finger began to rub the lips of her entrance, the other hand working her breast before moving inward and flicking her sensitive nipple, entering herself soon after with two fingers, letting them slowly slide in and out before finding a suitable rhythm in relation with the pinching of her nipple. All in response to each and every detail of her best friend, her voice, her eyes, her body, her smell, her personality. Before she knew it, she was lost in the feeling, drunk on it, ecstasy building inside her as she slowly increased the intensity of her actions and embarrassingly quicker than she’d ever done before, felt the feeling of an orgasm beginning to build inside her. Vinyl had unhappily traded her ecstasy for new feelings, confusion, a little bit of regret, and just a pinch of reality. She lay silently on her bed, nude and still slightly wet, eyes fixated intently the ceiling as if that was going to give her the answers she needed. She brought her hands into her view, thinking back to when she was caressing her body, imagining that they were another’s hands. She couldn’t believe it. In all her years as Octavia’s friend, in all her years of pleasuring herself when the urge came along, she’d never thought of Octavia so intently. It was always that cute stallion in one of her favorite bands or maybe something from one of the games she played, but Octavia center stage, this was new. She’d always had this admiration for her best friend and yet, when faced with the thought now, she can’t seem to keep herself together, or her hands away from her longing lower region. They were best friends, not lovers, not friends with benefits, best friends since childhood, so you can imagine this is quite an unusual circumstance. Most normal ponies would be quick to call this feeling love right? Vinyl agrees. She does indeed love Octavia, as a friend, as family, but as something more? It transcended all rational thought to consider it. And yet, once again vinyl’s hand began to proceed downward toward her desperate marehood to start the routine all over again. Vinyl enjoyed what they had as friends and she wanted to preserve that idea, but her actions right now say otherwise, lost in the ecstasy of a daydream, mouthing Octavia’s name as if the sexual fantasy was real. She was far past head over heels, to the point of simply throwing Octavia down and making love to her on sight, in public or not, it didn’t matter. As soon as vinyl felt the wave of seizure-inducing pleasure wash over her, and her body fell limp to the soft cushion of her bed, her mind was set. Concentration was going to be at an all-time low today. No sleep, 2 orgasms in and still longing for a third, and Octavia was only gonna make that worse because they always sit together in class. Vinyl quickly sprang from her pleasured state and began throwing on clothes in haste before she realized, she was already late. No need to rush now she figured, since either way, the next two weeks would be nothing but busy work to fix her grade. Stress. Pure stress. These feelings will be on the test11:30 AM Yesterday Thankfully lectures took place early in the morning, leaving most of the day, usually from noon to till the end of the day to work on assignments, projects, and get some much-needed rest, and or studying if you’re into that kind of a thing. Vinyl and Octavia would spend a good portion of that time in the dining hall, where after eating, the two would catch up before having to worry about educational obligations. This time, however, Vinyl kinda wished herself back in that boring lecture, if anything... “I simply cannot believe you were late again, even after Ms. Harshwhinny strictly warned you of the consequences. Without a doubt the most irresponsible thing you could do. Did we not go over your unique habit to stay up all odd hours of the night some time ago? Did we not practice on how to curb them, even if you desperately needed to complete something?” At the side of the dining hall, the sun shone on the duo locked in an interesting conversation, one-sided of course. This went on and on for quite some time believe it or not. Everypony could see, everypony knew exactly what was going on and took precautions and their lunch to other areas to avoid it at all cost. One of Octavia’s motherly disappointment speeches directed at none other than Vinyl, who could only look away with shame and twitch in embarrassment as students stole glances their way. Compared to most other students who gained her motherly attention, Vinyl held the school record for the most disappointment speeches, and even after so many of them, she still felt a large chunk of guilt when faced with her friend’s words. But even when it seemed Octavia’s speech would never end, she still found a way to earn that metaphorical best mom mug. “Sometimes I wonder if you actually want to be here Vinyl.” The blue-haired mare looked to her idol with sorrow in her eyes, obviously sorry for her actions to which, Octavia sighed. “But then you always shoot me that look, then I realize you wouldn’t be here in the first place if you weren’t passionate about this. Tell me, what reason have you this time?” Vinyl quickly perked up, tapping her ever-present headphones and mimicking the motion of receiving the praise of millions of fans. “Ah yes, your first album, I simply forgot that was on your mind, I think I understand your plight now. I do admire your passion I must say, however, that doesn’t excuse your lack of foresight on the matter. Oh my, perhaps I should have helped you form a schedule in order to better use your time. There’s no doubt in my mind it’s my fault for not offering my assistance earlier.” Vinyl raised an eyebrow to those words but was not surprised in the least. Octavia always had a habit of throwing the blame on her part to steal the guilt from whomever she was scolding. Whether that was to give them a bit more confidence in the face of their guilt or strip them of that guilt entirely was unknown. Vinyl knew she messed up though, no doubt about it. Not only was she guilty of using the time she should have been asleep for work on personal goals, but...there was also that quite uncouth issue she tried to rub out this morning. Course she couldn’t tell anyone that. Vinyl quickly rushed to the friend’s side, flashing a reassuring smile and shaking her head. “No no, don’t try to take the blame on yourself dear, I’m the one who started trying to help you prepare yourself in the first place. It most certainly was my lack of foresight to ask you what problems may plague you that caused this. I simply cannot forgive myself for that. Please, is there anyway I can make it up to you?” Vinyl’s mind immediately whipped up images of the two in bed, or perhaps, the shower, nude, embracing each other’s form. Vinyl’s blush was quick, but a mental slap to her psyche was quicker. What was she thinking, she couldn’t ask that, never, not in this reality, not in the next, it’d be suicide. The best she could expect was a thorough slap to the face for asking a lady of her standards such a thing, or worse, to have her simply get up and walk away. Pure disappointment would do more than any level of pain. She shook the urges away, much as she wanted them to come true, and instead directed Octavia’s attention to her headphones with a point. “You want me to do the work for you while you work on the album?” Vinyl quickly disagreed with a shake of her head. As good as that sounded, what kind of friend would she be if she forced her best friend to do all her work for her, especially when she herself didn’t even wanna do it? Instead, her finger then pointed to Octavia and back to her headphones. “Oh I see, you want me to help you with your music, don’t you? My my, this is certainly a surprise considering your style of music is usually without classical additions. Trying to do something different I presume?” Vinyl excitedly nodded, mimicking the motion of Octavia’s stellar cello playing. Funny enough, that was the plan from the start. Sure, she could have asked any classical instrument player in the school but to Vinyl, no one was quite as talented as Octavia and her cello. That and Vinyl was terribly shy about the matter considering most of the students here were hardcore fans of widely different genres. Her dubs and wubs were mostly unexplored territory and only a select few in the school, let alone a few regions in the whole land of Equestria, knew her name by heart. Thankfully, Octavia was one of the few, and the warm smile she threw back warmed Vinyl’s heart to the point of melting. “Very well, I shall aid you in your musical endeavor but you have to promise me to at least get halfway through that stack before we begin, deal?” Vinyl tried her best to stifle an eye roll but still found herself still letting out a silent sigh. “Ah ah ah, none of that laziness dear, you certainly need the grade so I expect your best. That aside, did you by chance hear the rumor spreading around? Apparently that innocent Cozy Glow had cheated on her entry performance by hiring quite the talented crew of performers including a unicorn who knew how to use a disguising spell.” Vinyl scoffed at that. Rumors around here were almost always basically the truth sprinkled with a little exaggeration. “I mean really, how desperate must she have been to use such trickery, does she not understand the importance of actual skill?” Vinyl tuned out. Not to say she wasn’t listening, no no, it was the exact opposite when it came to Octavia. She always prided herself on the ability to listen to every detail that left someone’s mouth, despite her eagerness to drown out the world around her but with Octavia, this was truly the only time out of her day that her headphones would even leave her ears. Her voice was simply divine to listen to, her pronunciation, her accent, especially her accent, it was like sweet sweet caramel to Vinyl’s ears to which nothing could compare, not even her own beats. Her emotions fluttered, her eyes were locked firmly onto Octavia’s own as she continues her rant on Cozy’s trickery. Vinyl couldn’t ask for more, much to her surprise when that familiar feeling of need returned to her. She nearly killed herself in an attempt to hold composure but there was no hiding the evidence. She was wet with want. Yep, no doubt about that. “I am sorely disappointed in that treacherous young pony for doing something so uncouth. If only I could get my hands on her, I’d give her quite the stern talking too. What about you?” Vinyl became lost in thought of getting a “stern” talking to, treated like a dirty dog begging for Octavia to give her what she--Vinyl immediately shook the thought from her head. She had to keep it together, even if her body wanted nothing more than throw Octavia onto a soft mattress and embrace her. With little time to respond to the question, she mimicked physically kicking the little twerp out on her butt. “There are other solutions than violence Vinyl dear, even if the little cheater deserves it for making a mockery of our craft. Oh dear, look at me getting all worked up over something that might not even be true.” Vinyl waved Octavia’s fear away with a hand and shrugged. Octavia, Immature? Not in a million years. “You’re right, it probably shouldn’t matter. Besides, I shouldn’t let my spirit waver since tonight is the night of my performance.” Vinyl smacked her forehead in disappointment as the memory returned to her mind. Amidst classes, her music, and her obviously conflicting emotions, how could she possibly forget Octavia’s Friday night performance, just goes to show how much a forgetful pony Vinyl really was sometimes. Octavia had been working her flank off in preparation for that event and Vinyl knew that, or at least should have remembered that. Good thing Octavia accidentally reminded her or she would have killed herself for missing it, now she could play it off without error. Vinyl gave her friend an excited smile, slightly jumping in her seat with anticipation. “I’m glad the Headmare allowed me the opportunity to showcase my latest progress, although since I’ve chosen to use a piano instead of my cello, I’ve enlisted one of my fellow students, an expert pianist, to aid me in remembering all the keys. Speaking of the performance, here.” As Octavia dug into her handbag and presented Vinyl a small slip of paper, her eyes widened as she realized what it was. “It’s a voucher. I’ve specifically reserved a front row seat for you in the auditorium. In the meantime, we should probably invest in something to eat before we have to go. Hungry?” Vinyl’s stomach immediately growled in response to that. “I’ll take that as a yes. Our usual then?” Vinyl eagerly nodded, Octavia nodding back and making her way toward one of the few different types of restaurants. Vinyl was smiling like a giddy child at this moment. Her eyes repeatedly studying the voucher in it’s entirety before shifting back to her name, Vinyl Scratch. She was happy. However, that eagerness instantly faded when a message came through on Octavia’s phone, lighting up her screen. Vinyl was at a loss herself on why she suddenly became so curious, but her body went on autopilot to grab the phone Octavia so carelessly left upon the table. Who is this expert Piano player, what was their game, were they trying to get with Octavia? Questions that proved Vinyl had devolved from her happy attitude to sudden jealousy, that of which she knew but ignored. With determination, she sifted through the messages, finally stopping on one received just now. Her eyes narrowed at all too familiar name on the other end of the text, and so she decided to read the entire conversation in full. “Good morning to you Ms. Key Note.” “Octavia? I wasn’t expecting to hear from you so early in the morning.” “Apologies, I simply could not relax without triple-checking my schedule for the day. Are we still scheduled to practice at noon?” “Oh absolutely, it would be an honor to help the greatest cellist in the school.” “And it would be an equal honor to learn from the most talented pianist in the school.” “Oh, you’re just saying that, I’m sure there are plenty ponies better than me.” “Compared to most others, your pieces are quite unlike anything my ears have ever heard, I mean that. By the way, Is Vinyl awake yet?” “Luckily, I just checked. Unluckily, door’s locked which means she’s sleeping like a rock.” “How unfortunate, I suppose I’ll have to call her until she picks up like usual. I can’t quite put my finger on it but something seems quite amiss with her lately.” “Even more than usual?” “While she is most certainly a night owl, lately she’s been even more oddly exhausted. Not just that, but after classes on Tuesday, I wanted to ask her to give me some company that evening and I caught her behind the gym hanging out with those smokers, something she expressed in silent detail she hated being around. And then at noon yesterday, when I asked her to once again accompany me as per the usual, she was almost eager to turn me down and run off. I would have understood if I believed it be genuine, however, I’ve known her since she was little and this is completely unlike her. It’s like she’s trying to avoid me.” Vinyl paused, her eyes studied the words repeatedly then glanced back to Octavia who was patiently waiting in line to order their food. Thankfully if Octavia did notice her, she’d most likely think Vinyl was on her own phone. However, the look on Vinyl’s face was unmistakably distressed. Dammit, to think she’d been so subconsciously obvious about it. She should stop reading, she should just put the stupid phone down and let Octavia know she was ok, somehow. And yet... “Are you sure you’re not reading too much into this? I mean it’s Vinyl we’re talking about, #party animal, #DJ-PON3.” “You might be correct, she apparently has been working on something pretty important for her personal career lately. Perhaps that’s all it is.” “Don’t be such a worrywart Octavia. Nine times out of ten, she’s just going through one of those very rare episodes where she just wants to sleep more than usual. It’s college after all, we all do it sometimes.” “You’re probably right. Still, I can’t shake the feeling. If you witness anything, please don’t hesitate to tell me.” “No problem, we gotta have each other’s backs right? See ya in class.” Finally, the message that was sent nearly moments before. Did Key Note get some dirt on her somehow? Against her better judgment, she checked it. “Hey, sorry about not telling you in class but I didn’t think it a good idea to drop this bomb on you at the time. So me and the girls left this morning with Vinyl still dead asleep in her room. Like 20 minutes later, I realized I forgot something and rushed back really quick to grab it. When I came in, I assumed Vinyl was still asleep in her room despite your usual plan so I grabbed my paper and planned to force her out of bed. The door was unlocked and cracked despite the usual, so I peeked in and...wow...wow....just wooooowy, I didn’t expect anything I saw there. Vinyl was butt naked on the bed, doing the deed to herself. Yea, I know everypony needs a little release every now and then but the curious thing was she was looking at a picture of you on her phone. I’m starting to think the reason she’s been avoiding you is--” Vinyl went into rampage mode, quick as the wind in deleting the message. As she heard the sounds of Octavia’s heels clacking against the floor, Vinyl quickly clicked the phone off and placed it back in its original position. “Are you ok Vinyl, your face is terribly red?” Vinyl silently laughed before waving her concern away. “Ok then...well, our usual just as requested.” Any other time, Vinyl’s mouth would have drooled in response to the usual salad mixed with 3 different kinds of minced berries and topped with a sauce that tasted oddly of chocolate but was somehow healthier, but not now, not after reading all that. Vinyl simply gave a gleeful, yet fake, smile back to Octavia and began to dig in with a fork. It was only a minute before she wasn’t even trying anymore, poking at it with a sullen look on her face. Octavia seemed to have her attention on her phone, probably hoping she’d receive that message Vinyl so desperately deleted. “Curious, most curious...” she whispered. “I was sure she’d text me by now. Hmm, maybe I’d be better off asking her once we meet up for our practice session.” Vinyl’s eyes closed in defeat. Dammit, even if she deleted the message, she didn’t count for word of mouth in the moment. What could she do? How could she keep Key Note’s mouth shut about any of this? “Vinyl?” Her trance was broken as Octavia’s sweet melodious voice chimed in. “Are you alright, you’ve barely touched your food?” Her eyes widened, her hands became clammy, Vinyl was indeed panicking. As cool as she kept it on a stage or in a club, in front of a friend she’s know since childhood, she’s panicking like a shy hormonal middle schooler, and that got the better of her. With no time for Octavia to react, Vinyl grabbed her stuff, tapped her headphones to blast music into her ears and ran off in a fit. Stunned would not be a word to describe Octavia’s expression at that moment. Vinyl sprinted, sprinted until she was clear, clear out of sight of Octavia and the dining hall and anyone else who might wonder what’s wrong with her. Stupid, how stupid was she, what kind of stupid person just runs off like that? Where could she even go to clear her head after that kind of thing? Certainly not her room since Key Note can’t keep a secret to save her life. Vinyl instead opted for a hill with a few trees overlooking the left side of the campus, even if everyone could see her electric blue hair from a mile away. As she sat down on the soft grass, her eyes studied the clouds above her, trying to come up with a solution if any. She could make them postpone their practice session, tell one or both that the other rescheduled due to complications. But then they’d meet up or text without Vinyl’s knowledge and most certainly figure it out almost immediately. Maybe she could fake being a little sick so Octavia would have to take care of her until the performance. But even then...Dear Celestia, nothing works. At the end of the day, Vinyl is still in love with Octavia, Her entrance is still dripping want through her lower wear, and Key Note will somehow, someway, voice Vinyl’s mistake of ignorance and Octavia will know all she needs to know. She could take care of one of those problems, maybe scoot up to the trees and take care of herself before anyone noticed. No, there’s plenty of apartment buildings across the way and they’d, without a doubt, see her. Key Note’s also probably informed her other roommates by now so no way she’s gonna sneak into back into her room. Geez, horny, confused, and stressed, what more could a girl ask for. Vinyl let a defeated sigh before flopping onto her back, her school bag going with her and coincidentally throwing a few school tools as well as the voucher out. Vinyl huffed as she returned the things to her bag only to freeze when her eyes landed on the voucher. A blue glow covered the paper as it levitated into her hand and she once again studied it. But maybe...just maybe...what if it wasn’t such a bad thing to have her know. I mean Octavia is her best friend and the two got along so well before any of these feelings came into the picture, besides it was just a crush and crushes don’t ruin friendships. Even if Octavia knew, they’d probably still be just as tight as they were before...Celestia, that’s stupid. There’s no way Octavia would ever see her the same way after that because this is more than a simple, “I kinda like you.” This was full-on, “I wanna spend the rest of my life with you, talk with you about your day, and/or have sensual, passionate, and emotional sex on a regular basis.” Vinyl knew that and like hell, she just wanted to accept it and move with her life. Her head began to ache with stress on the matter, so much so that she instinctively removed a bottle of anxiety pills from her bag. Even though she was diagnosed in highschool by a certified doctor who felt it crucial she take them to curve her emotions, she felt that caused more anxiety as an option on the table. Especially with being a DJ, going to all these different places and having to deal with all types of characters from young and inexperienced in the dancing scene to drunk and highly overconfident in themselves, Vinyl learned not to depend on the pills for assistance. She needed to be brave, she needed to just come out to Octavia and tell her the truth. Screw the pills, she could just beat Key Note to the punch. Even if she died of embarrassment, it couldn’t hurt for Octavia to know the truth. If she turned Vinyl down, so be it. They’d still be friends, of course, and things would definitely be awkward, sure, but if there’s one thing Twilight and her friends taught everyone, it’s that everyone needs to be understanding. Octavia was certainly a shining example of that. Vinyl felt a hint of bravery, standing up, placing the voucher back in her bag and her bag back on her person, and turning back towards the dining hall. She took a deep breath and began to step down the hill. Suffice it to say she didn’t get very far. Suffice it to say that for the first time since being diagnosed...she took the pills. Your grades are inAuthor's Note Little short chapter to end things off. Sorry if it seemed rushed, had to do this one a little faster than most. Your grades are in Class was pretty short today. Well...in Vinyl’s case, class was pretty non-existent considering she didn’t even go. Now we all know the risk when it comes to college, get enough tardies and you’re just straight up expelled, no second warning, no second chances. “But who the buck cares,” were the words she told herself. Harshwhinny could scold her up and down the halls for years to come but would it really even matter if the one pony in the world she cares about hates her guts. I mean...just what the heck was she thinking... Big shocker, she wasn’t. In the heat of the moment. In an effort to kill two griffons with one stone, She forfeited all rational thought. Sweet Celestia, why why why, why did she have to be an idiot and listen to her instincts instead of her head. She should’ve listened to Key Note and just waited until the next day, now who knows what’s going to happen. Octavia sure isn’t gonna be happy, that’s for sure. So she ran, didn’t even want to consider having to sit in the same room as the girl she basically raped. Cruel word I’m sure, but what other word could describe what she did. Octavia didn’t consent, she spoke out against multiple times during the endeavor, although not all of that was cohesive in the end. And sure, she seemed pretty into it but that was only after her mind had been taken over by whatever demon got loose in Vinyl. Who knows, maybe she was pent up. Either way, she was screwed. No way Octavia was gonna forgive her after she just took advantage of her like that. A yawn escaped her as she removed her back from the tree, sore from sitting there all morning. The sun was now high in the sky, illuminating her vibrant blue hair for all students to see. Great, so much for an entire day of solitude. No doubt Key Note would find her, wondering about the details. a huge extra chunk of no doubt Octavia would storm her way up as well, blush heavy on her face, hands ready to slap her muzzle to oblivion. She’d probably end up getting expelled for it too. Ugh, how is she gonna explain this screw up to her parents. Expulsion on a sexaul assualt charge and being tardy are like, two whole different sides of the spectrum. Vinyl jolted back to reality when something connected with the top of her head pretty hard. She was almost certain a tree limb or something finally gave out but when she turned her attention upward, there stood her worst nightmare. “You think you can ditch class and avoid me young lady, oh no no, we need to talk.” Like a blur, Vinyl slipped around the base of tree, levitating her backpack to her hand as she cowered in fear. “Oh dear, Vinyl please, come from behind that tree, I’m not going to hurt you...any more.” The mare was like a shy little filly at this point, not believing a hint of what was being told to her. Instead, just like a little filly, she cowered even more behind the tree, almost fully obscuring her own view of the grey mare as she peeked out. She couldn’t stand the shiver that proceeded down her spine at the sound of an annoyed sigh from Octavia. “Vinyl stop acting like filly and come out already, I’m not mad at you.” Vinyl had to take a mental step back as well as a physical one. “You’re not hallucinating dear, I’m not mad at you. But that doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to another bop on the noggin. Now come out here, I just want to talk.” Vinyl hesitated...for a long time. She was just stuck there, waiting, expecting Octavia to snatch her by her horn and yell at her till the sun went down. But then she reached a hand...and...she had smile on her muzzle...a freaking smile. Unknowingly, a tear crept down Vinyl’s cheek, much to Octavia’s surprise. It doesn’t make sense. Why is she smiling, how can she be smiling? She should hate her guts, s-she has every right to hate her guts, she raped her, she took advantage of her, they can’t be friends, it would be like inviting your murderer to your funeral! Lost in her thoughts, in her guilt, Vinyl seemed to have lost situational awareness, not even realizing Octavia had been inching closer this entire time. A warmth quickly washed over her and with a snap of Octavia’s fingers in her ear, her mind came to realize she had been pulled into the grey mare’s embrace. “And to think you dear, were the one who gave me the courage to get up there on that stage again and again, yet here you are, In college and crying over such a wonderful time. W-well...I’m certainly not saying I quite enjoyed such an abrupt...advance. And y-you are most certainly still in trouble...” Vinyl ears perked up, her teary eyes turning toward the flustered grey mare in surprise, her head tilting in confusion. Was she hearing this right or was she somehow soundly daydreaming a scenario so realistic, she couldn’t tell the difference? I mean, everything that Vinyl just imagined had come true, although certainly not in the way she thought it would. Octavia hadn’t stormed up here but simply walked, her cheeks were as red as an early evening sun, and thankfully instead of slapping, all she got was a bop on the head and warm inviting hug. It’s time like these she wished she could talk, ask her, beg her even to explain why she isn’t mad, why isn’t she giving her what she deserves. Then the sound of Octavia’s words once again became clear. “I...Vinyl I...I didn’t know you felt that way. Or at least I hope that’s what you meant last night and it wasn’t just a random fling.” Octavia took a moment to seat herself on the grass, patting the ground for Vinyl to join her. Hesitantly, she obliged as Octavia continued. “I’m sure you already figured it out, else you wouldn’t have done what you did to cheer me up.” Vinyl was at a loss to say the least, but she decided the best plan might be to play along when a sorrowful sigh left Octavia’s muzzle. “My mother and father want me to switch my credits to an international school and go study music abroad.” Vinyl grabbed her arm with a surprised expression as if to ask her to confirm her, now real, surprise. “Y-you didn’t know?” A shake of the head. “Well that makes sense, you are quite forgetful,” she uttered with a giggle. “Vinyl...I’m glad you’re my friend, and I know we’ve spent our whole lives together but...I suppose that for some time I’ve been...considering it.” Vinyl’s eyes widened at those words, instantly imagining the things that would come of it. Little time to hang out, enough to say hi and pass a few words of wonder but ultimately with her DJ career soon to take off, they’d barely see each other, if at all. She was about get emotional, she couldn’t lie, but then Octavia’s hand began to caress her own. “I...know that that’s most likely not what you’d prefer but then I thought, once we’re both done with our college years, we can visit each other every so often.” No....No no no, that’s not how it was supposed to happen. They were supposed to spend their entire lives together, making music, meeting fans, holding concerts. Ugh, why does reality have to be so cruel sometimes? Better question, how can she make her stay? Perhaps call her parents and have another student impersonate her? No, that would so obviously backfire. Maybe a show of affection would change her mind? “I can your thoughts dear, the way the gears turn in your head when you stare off into space. Trying to figure out how to get me to stay I assume?” Vinyl let a nervous smile spread across her muzzle, hesitantly nodding in response. “You needn’t worry Vinyl, I’m not going anywhere, not anytime soon.” Vinyl once again tilted her head in confusion. If a question could appear out of thin air atop her head, it most certainly would have in this moment. “To summarize, I’m not mad at you in any way, shape, or form. What you did last night was...unexpected yes, but certainly not unwelcome. We’ve been friends since we were children after all, it’s only natural you would develop that type of connection with me. As for my studies abroad, I feel it only necessary to do so when I have finished my time here...so that...so that you may come with me.” Instant happiness, the best way to explain Vinyl’s near immediate silent squeal of glee before tackling her friend to the ground with a hug. “You’re so attached to me dear, it’s severely adorable. Now, I won’t tell a lie, I haven’t been in the greatest of moods since this morning. In fact, I’ve been working on a speech ever since I woke up on the finer points of punctuality and subtlety. I suggest you get comfortable because it’s quite the lengthy explanation.” Vinyl sighed, her hand head coming to rest on her upraised knees in preparation.” “If you promise to at least humor my lecture, we’ll discuss our first date afterwards. Celestia once said said that tardiness is a sign of laziness. Which means...” A lesson in the art of studying8:30 PM This was it. Vinyl was screwed, more than screwed. Back and forth, back and forth, she paced along the length of her dorm room like a dog who had somehow lost 101 little puppies. If anyone could see her now, they’d probably be quick to comment on her pretty snazzy red dress. But then there was the look on her face that would most certainly make them think she had killed somepony or something. Stress, pure stress. Why? Well in her haste to confess, a realization quickly set in. That even with those stupid pills, her anxiety skyrocketed the minute Octavia was in sight again. After running off on her like she did, she just couldn’t find it in herself to face her friend again. Even though she knew she was making the right decision, she ran away again, shut herself in her room and proceeded to go completely ignorant. For the rest of that day, Vinyl distanced herself from her friends, blasting music into her ears to drown out anything they might say and opting to sit alone wherever and whenever, just to not have to see their faces. Course everyone could track her electric blue mane from a mile away so she’d have to move within about 5 minutes. The look on everyone’s faces each time she ran away today, Octavia’s especially, was...heartbreaking. But she continued to persist like she was in elementary again, thinking that music would simply snap the problem out of existence. Speaking of which, Octavia had caught up at some point, tried to talk to her, tried to reach her hand out to her but Vinyl wouldn’t take it, instead, she did what she did best, ran. As far and as fast she could. Dammit, what was wrong with her, she wondered. She knew she was screwing up everything up and she still continued to do so. Now here she is, more screwed than ever because Key Note without a doubt was able to tell her everything. Her pacing intensified. How is she supposed to show up to Octavia’s performance with that on her shoulders, who knows what’ll happen? She could mess her up just on sight alone, then everyone would laugh and she would be embarrassed. And what about after? Octavia, Key Note, and even the rest of her friends might distance themselves, try not to hang with the creepy mare that fondles herself to her friends in secret. She sighed, her legs growing tired from the repetitive back and forth to which she simply flopped on her bed in defeat. It’s no use, Octavia knew, their friendship is probably royally screwed up, and she was now the campus creep. ...Maybe she should just blow it off... 9:20 PM Octavia snuck a glance around the side of the stage, trying her best to get a good look at the reserved front row of the auditorium. Reserved seats, all filled with friends and family of other performers tonight, all but one. A sigh before she let them fall to their original position. “Something wrong Ms. Octavia.” A surprised yip escaped her as she spun around to Key Note’s concerned and curious muzzle. “O-oh Key Note, h-how nice to see you. I’m fine, just a bit nervous is all.” “You, nervous? Wow, I thought I’d never see the day such a regal lady like yourself would be nervous. A satisfying yet slightly annoyed sigh followed that statement. “You wouldn’t be the first dear. I’ve heard it all before and yes, it is all true. I was a natural with the cello at just the age of 8, played my first performance at the young and innocent age of 13, and was even offered a full-ride scholarship here as soon as I finished High School. Nervous should be far from my mind...” “Then...why isn’t it?” she asked with a bit more concern than she intended. “Key Note dear, what those stallions and mares fail to report is that my first performance would have been nothing but choked words and crying eyes if not for the support of my friends and my family. Before I even stepped onto the stage that first time, I was having a panic attack and my own my dad had to come to calm me down. He tried to console me, told me I would do great, this is what my hard work was going towards. I wouldn’t buy it at first, and then I remembered something, something Vinyl wrote down for me on a piece of paper the first time I ever performed in front of our friends. I was scared and thought they would think I was too snobbish to hang out with. But then...” she uttered removing a piece of paper from her person. “I would read this paper, these words and just feel...empowered.” “Stop thinking about what could happen and start thinking about what you want to happen. Shut your doubts down and just let your music do the work because there’s not a feeling in the world like hearing the crowd cheer your name.” Octavia put the paper away with a smile, only to be met with the tearful eyes of Key Note. “T-that...that was so beautiful, I could cry.” “You are crying, dear.” “O-oh sorry sorry!” “You’re fine, wipe your tears, I’m fine now.” “R-really?” Octavia beamed at the hint of happiness she gave the girl. “Yes, no need to worry, I’m ok. Thank you for talking me out of my slump.” “No worries, Ms. Octavia.” “My apologies, I know I asked you this at our rehearsal earlier but, you haven’t seen Vinyl have you?” “Not since classes this morning. What, you still haven’t been able to track her down after she ran off?” “I did find her, if only once, tried to see what got into her but before I could even get my question out, she once again sprinted off to Celestia knows where.” “We still have 9 minutes until the performance, you wanna try looking for her?” “No no, then I would have rush back here and my nerves would through the roof. Best to stay put and hope she’ll fill the seat I reserved her. Are you sure there wasn’t anything that might cause reason for concern?” Key Note’s face immediately went beat red. “U-uh...n-no, nothing at all. I came back to the dorm room to grab an assignment and she was just...sleeping...yea...sleeping. I tried to wake her up but she was long gone, no wonder she was so late.” “Hmm...here’s hoping she didn’t fall asleep then. Come along, I wish to do one more spot of practice before the performance begins.” “R-right.” 9:30 PM “Settle down, settle down, let’s find our chairs students, the performance is about to begin.” The students chatting away soon came to silence as one of the many professors made his way onto the stage. “Now, I would like to personally thank you all for coming tonight. Just like all of you, the students performing tonight are aspiring artists like yourself who seek to expand their portfolio of experience. I find my faith restored in this school because whether you’ve heard their work or never even met them, you’re present here and I love it. So without further ado, please welcome to the stage our first musician of the night, Octavia Melody!” The sound of claps filled the air as Octavia elegantly strolled onto the stage, waving with gratitude. Her smile sunk, if only a little, when she noticed the seat was still empty. “Oh well, the performance must go on,” she whispered to herself. She slid the small stool backward and neatly fixed her dress before sitting down and placing her hands on the keys. “Stop thinking about what could happen...and think about what you want to happen...I can do this...” Calmness washes over the auditorium as they eagerly await Octavia’s first key. A playful smile crept upon her lips as without even needing to think about it, her hands made the move. The first notes were somber at first, almost depressing, and then melody, as is her name, kicked in. The tune quickly lightened, like a light shining through the darkest depths of doubt. Her eyes were closed, her body moved in tandem with her hands, like it was just her, this piano, and another. Each note felt like a stream of light flowing from the piano itself and dancing in the air to her work. Everyone else could feel it, the emotion through each note and each movement. She was in her element, like a bird in the air or a fish to the sea, she could play until her hands were numb and even then she’d want to play more. At this moment, right now, this was no longer just a piece she practiced, it was a cry of passion for the art of music to one soul and one soul only. And then...an end. A silence fell over the students as Octavia turned and bowed, waiting for some kind of reaction. Obviously, cheering and clapping commenced in full swing, shouts of her name accompanied this and once again, Vinyl’s words rung true. And who should happen to be giving a standing ovation along with the rest of the crowd, dressed in lovely red? Octavia’s heart lit up with joy, so much joy that she herself began to cry. Quickly realizing her plight, she made quickly proceeded off stage to dry her tears allowing the next student to begin preparing for his performance. 11:00 PM The rest of the performances for the night went on without a hitch, each student likely inspired by Octavia’s own performance to let their passions sing true. And for the most part, they did. Vinyl had never been able to appreciate classical music the way she did now, and that’s saying a lot when you go to a school full of the stuff. After the event, upon an attempt to make her way backstage to congratulate her best friend, Vinyl found herself stuck to the spot like glue, almost like her body had a mind of its own and refused to walk past this point. Or maybe that was her own stupid way of telling herself that she was too scared to face Octavia again. Even after a performance like that, seeing that smile on her face once she realized Vinyl had actually attended, it still lingered in her mind that maybe Octavia wouldn’t want to see her. And then the unexpected happened. Before she could continue to doubt herself any longer, Octavia tore past her toward the front doors in a fit of frustration. Ponies were quick to give their praise and admiration but she simply ignored them without so much as a glance in their direction. Geez, not once in her life had she seen Octavia walk so angrily, especially after a performance so emotionally wonderful. “Oh thank Celestia, you actually showed up.” Vinyl was quick to recognize Key Note’s voice, turning to meet her overly concerned gaze. “And here I thought you dropped off the face of the planet.” Vinyl couldn’t stop the sorrowful look that crossed her face at the sight of her friend. “What’s that look for?” Vinyl was quick to unenthusiastically mimic running away. “Shouldn’t you be apologizing to her instead, she’s the one you ran away from.” Vinyl shook her head as if to say that’s not it. She then pulled her phone from her person and let a picture of Octavia fill the screen, showing it to her. “Ooooooh, you mean...hehe, Vinyl you don’t have to apologize, I know you deleted the message.” Amidst her white skin, Vinyl’s face was so red at the thought that she must have seemed like a tomato in a field of snow. “Don’t be embarrassed girl, I saw you do the deed in the cafeteria after all. So instead of blurting your business out there, I did you a solid and decided to hold my tongue.” Her blush halted, immediately replaced with a bit of confusion. “Let’s just say I realized a bit too late that mayyyyybe you had a thing for her, and mayyyybe by putting you on the spot I was actually doing more harm than good. Yea....” As soon as that sentence left her mouth, Key Note was forced to take a step back as a pout consumed Vinyl’s expression. “H-hey, don’t look at me like that, I was just trying to help. If you really want your chance, there’s not a better time than now. Although, as you saw, she kinda left in a hurry for some reason, seemed real steamed as a matter of fact. And on top of that, we’re supposed to head straight back to the dorms after we finish up here so--” Autopilot almost took over, Vinyl’s feet once again gaining a mind of their own and preparing to walk with purpose to comfort her friend, that is until Key Note’s hand quickly grasped her shoulder. “Slow your roll V, you know the entire security staff knows your name and dorm room by heart. If they catch you, you’ll be up to your neck in lectures from Harshwhinny. Are you sure you can’t just wait till tomorrow?” A simple shake of the head from the blue-haired mare was all Key Note needed. “Well, If you think that’s best then I’m behind you I suppose. Don’t worry, I’ll cover for you, just don’t screw it up by getting caught alright?” A simple nod this time before the hand left her shoulder and she began to make her way to her destination. Even if she was conflicted about her feelings on the matter, that didn’t mean she couldn’t be a good friend. Didn’t matter if she was sexually desperate or not, she was going to be there to comfort her when she was down. How she made it in the end, she’ll never know. She was practically a flashing strobe light with that bright red dress on, and yet somehow, she was able to blend right into a group of students heading to the exact dorm building she needed. How lucky right? Thankfully, everyone had knowledge of Octavia’s closeness with her, else it would seem completely out of left field when Vinyl had to turn to Octavia’s roommates, an inseparable sister duo, twins no less. The two were practically in sync no matter what they were doing, singing, dancing, sleeping, and they even had the same weird sense of curiosity. So you can imagine the slight nervousness in Vinyl’s eyes when recognized the two and begged them to help her. A few strange glances back forth before a knowing smile spread across their faces and they eagerly aided her, forcefully pulled her along more like it, hiding her from security and letting her in their room. ***Clop*** Octavia’s ears twitched as the sound of the doorknob turning made itself obvious. Without even thinking, she yanked a pillow from her bed and rocketed it toward the intruder’s head. It connected without error, sending Vinyl to the ground in a fit of surprise. “I thought I made it painfully clear--” She began to yell out, but composed herself halfway through. “That you two--or...wait one? Wait a moment, who are--” Octavia quickly removed the pillow to view her friend in full. “V-Vinyl? What are--Wait, those two let you in didn’t they?” Vinyl nodded. “I should have known, that mischievous duo is always up to something. Well, as glad as I am that you were able to attend my performance, I suggest you find your way back to your dorm room. Your tardiness is already horrid, wouldn’t want to give Harshwhinny another reason to give you more busywork would we?” With a quick motion, Vinyl sprung to her feet, taking hold of Octavia’s hand and flashing her a look of determination. “Don’t worry Vinyl, I’m not mad at you for running off like you did. Whatever you’re going through, I’m sure we can work it out in the morning. Doesn’t mean you’re off the hook for avoiding me all day though.” A nervous smile spread across Vinyl’s face, Octavia laughing in response. “Oh my, I quite missed teasing you, dear. Even if you only avoided me for half a day, It still felt like forever. Pardon the complexity of this question but I must ask you something...important.” So much for that huge relief she wanted, now her anxiety was once again through the roof. What would she ask her? Did she somehow know even though Key Note didn’t get the chance to tell her? Buck, did she actually somehow mess up deleting the message? These doubts tugged at the strings of her psyche as Octavia made her way back to the window of her room, staring sorrowfully at the moon high in the sky. “If you had a chance to do something you truly loved, like going to school to get an actual degree for your craft, and suddenly you find yourself being pulled along another path by the expectations of others, what would you do?” The blue-haired mare’s eyes locked onto her friends, frozen in thought, stuck in place. What did that even mean? What was her friend going through that such a sad expression would cross her face after such a beautiful thing? Second by second, minute by long minute, Vinyl seemed intent on trying to figure out this question before any other. She wanted to run away again, maybe save this issue for the morning when she and Octavia had more sense of mind. Instead, her universe had other plans. Seeing the look of sadness on her face, the uncertainty in her body language, Vinyl’s body for the third time tonight executed autopilot mode. A step, a grab of her hips, and without so much as a hint of regret, although that would most likely come later, a kiss. Vinyl’s mind went blank. Octavia’s, not so much. Unsure at first, most certainly bucking confused. But then...comfortable. She found herself without the strength to fight it, leaning into the kiss with considerable acceptance. Vinyl herself couldn’t believe it. She was actually kissing Octavia, like on the lips. A dream and a half this was for her as Octavia’s motherly instinct simply took over as if she was teaching Vinyl the proper way to make out. Their tongues embraced each other like two serpents dancing around each other, Octavia’s constantly forcing Vinyl to fight for the right to her admiration. It was as if Octavia had been the one to initiate the kiss in the first place. Almost as if the two realized what they were building up to, a downside to her parental ways, she was first to break free, stumbling over her words to dissuade the sudden attack. “V-Vinyl I--oh dear, I d-didn’t mean to do that I just--you kissed me first and--I couldn’t help myself I...we can’t, this is highly inappropriate, what will everyo--” Vinyl had stopped listening, her mind already in the danger zone as far as she was concerned, feelings lost in the blur between reality and her almost surreal dreams. Actually pretty funny really, just like a wolf, back her into a corner or in her case force her anxiety up the creek, and suddenly she becomes the bravest thing on the planet. And for once in her anxiety-filled days, she’s glad her mind decided to check out, complete and utter autopilot. She felt no hesitation in gently taking hold of Octavia’s hand and leading her to the bed, a sultry look filling her eyes as she ever so quickly began to lose herself to her horny alter ego. Octavia was the complete opposite. Stuck on a neverending rollercoaster of emotions and trying her best to speak out against this situation, waving her hands in protest and turning her view away from Vinyl’s slightly curvier frame, anything that basically wasn’t pushing the mare to the ground and running away. But her point was all but useless as Vinyl’s fingers slipped under her dress, caressing her marehood ever so gently through her panties. An instinctual moan passed the mare’s lips. A devilish smile crossed the blue maned mare’s muzzle, reveling in the wetness that now covered her fingers. Proof that despite her protest, Octavia was getting one heck of a kick out of this, just as much as she was. Wanna know something hilarious? It took Vinyl minutes to get into her dress, minutes. That’s a long time to get into anything, and yet here she is, slipping both of theirs off like she didn’t just have trouble trying to figure out how to tie a knot behind her back. Vinyl couldn’t help but drool as she laid eyes upon the slender frame she always envisioned in her fantasies. She was...absolutely sexy...no, that word fails to do her justice. Minus the purple bra and panties she insisted on keeping on, everything about her was...beautiful? Stunning? A body worth worshipping? Well, the list could go on forever really. With Vinyl having complete control of her once confident friend, she returned the mare into her embrace, attacking her lower body by slowly caressing the fur along her thighs. Dear Celestia, her fur was so soft, so warm, and the smell, her signature scent of lavender would have easily broken a weaker Vinyl, but she wasn’t her right now, was she? Each time vinyl came ever so close to Octavia’s marehood, a twitch left her body like she was lost in Vinyl’s touch. Oh no no no, an itty bitty twitch wasn’t going to cut it, not at all. She wanted more from the grey mare and she was going to get it. So she partnered her lower work with an assault on Octavia’s upper region, planting kisses all over from her chest to her arms, anything to get a reaction. It worked, if only slightly. But then came the kicker, Vinyl trailing back up to Octavia’s neck before giving it a gentle nibble. The squeak of pleasure that escaped Octavia could have woken up the whole bucking building. But just because they might get caught doesn’t mean they should stop anytime soon. she continued her assault, Octavia’s body forced to eventually fail her sending her back first onto the bed, Vinyl now positioned over her on all fours. Her focus shifted to Octavia’s petite breasts, small, cute, but obscured by a lovely yet annoying purple bra. Vinyl glanced back up to Octavia’s eyes with a lustful hunger, the mare shaking her head in response but they both knew that wasn’t going to help. Vinyl brought her face close to the twins with a devil of a smile, giving one of them a small kiss before reaching under in search of the clasp that held the bra in place. Snap. Found it. Octavia wanted to stop her but she couldn’t. Vinyl knew she couldn’t, at the mercy of the pleasure that froze her to the bone. The bra hit the floor a moment later, revealing the blushing mare’s beautiful breasts in all their glory. Another make out session ensued, Vinyl hand’s working in connection to begin caressing the area around Octavia’s breasts, teasing her to the very core. She then transitioned to actually touching them, how they fit in her hands, how small they were compared to her own, feeling the nipples gently tickling her palms. There was almost no end to how cute the once strong and regal girl was, now reduced to a boiling puddle of lust. As Vinyl continued to play with one breast, her hand slipped down Octavia’s midriff and slid into her panties. Dear Celestia, she thought she was dripping before but now, she must have really needed this if she’s this wet. Hell, who was she kidding, Vinyl had crossed that line herself the second she landed that first kiss. In one slow and sensual motion, she hooked an index finger around Octavia’s undergarment and slid them down as far as her arm could reach, quickly returning to explore her now exposed sensitive marehood. She gently traced her finger around the area first, barely coming into contact just to elicit an innocent squeak in response. A silent giggle escaped her as she graduated from her teasing, rubbing two fingers along her needy lips in a slow circular motion. What was truly throwing Octavia over the edge, as if she weren’t already past that point, was the repetitive quick transition to lightning-fast circles over her clit before returning to slowly teasing her lips. Slow, fast, slow, fast, slow, fast, Octavia’s body couldn’t stay still at any moment during this, legs and arms unable to find a place to rest, back arching as the sensations wracked her body from top to bottom. And then it happened, she finally snapped. As if Vinyl being controlled by such demons was bad enough, Octavia suddenly became as strong as an ox, grabbing Vinyl by her arms and flipping their positions in an instant. With Vinyl now on her back and Octavia obviously more lost in lust than she was apparently, I mean she had done all that with her eyes closed for Celestia’s sake, she lifted one of Vinyl’s legs and replaced the empty space with her desperate marehood. Now it was Vinyl’s turn to feel the heat, letting out a non-existent moan as their nethers met for the first time. Back and forth, pulling away then pressing back against each other, Octavia held nothing back as she rubbed her marehood against Vinyl’s own. Even the feeling of the grey mare’s nether on her on thigh sent an instinctive pulse of pleasure through Vinyl, forcing her to buck her hips back in response. This feeling of lust, or love, whatever the buck it was, there wasn’t a thing in her life that could compare. It felt so good, great even, awesome more like it, better than anything she’d ever done in private, better than any fantasy she’d dreamed up. The feeling tore control away from her like she was a puppet strung with strings, made her hotter than any toy could ever do. This was real, this was happening, she was really making love with her best friend. And she wasn’t going to regret even a second of it. They were close. Octavia wanted the release just as much as she did, no more pulling away, no more trying out positions, she was now grinding her marehood against Vinyl’s like it was the last thing she’d do before she died. Surprising really, to find herself now on the receiving end of her earlier assault. If she had blessed with a voice, it would have been pretty much gone my morning as all she could do now was mouth the moans and squeaks she would have been annoying the many neighbors with. Octavia on the other hand was about as loud as they could possibly get, like there was some kind of megaphone right next to her mouth or something. “V-Vinyl!...I’m....I’m gonna...” Vinyl lept up, wanting nothing more than to have a part in the final actions they took toward ecstasy. She pulled her would-be lover into one last hug and kiss, the two now working in unison to push themselves to the limit. More shifting, more moaning, and then...the feeling. Their kiss deepened, and with a loving moan into Vinyl’s mouth, they both felt the rush of the finale. Fluids rushed out of them, slipping down their inner thighs and onto the sheets before they both fell over in exhaustion. Yes. This was everything dreamed of, both of them lost to their instincts, unable to pull away from each other. That was the pure bliss she wished for. It was heaven... And then with a sane mind now returned to her, She woke up. This seems like the perfect time to start making that list. Number one, she may have failed to think this through, at least to the degree most ponies should.
Define confusion and contradictionThis seems like the perfect time to start making that list. Number one, she may have failed to think this through, at least to the degree most ponies should. Being completely honest with herself, she wasn’t sure she wanted to be here, not like this anyway. And yet, a 3 in the morning, here the two of them are. Under the covers in Octavia’s college dorm room, Vinyl’s ruby red eyes staring at the sleeping face of her supposed lover in the warm light of a nearby lamp, hands still curled lovingly around one another from their final moments of embrace before falling asleep only hours before. Her name was Octavia and to say she was just a friend would be an understatement...then again, saying she was more than a friend would be an overstatement as well. She was indeed her best friend, has been ever since they were 10 years old. But looking at her situation right now, more than friends would be the term to describe this particular position...no, not to her. Octavia was still her friend, her best friend, family even. Hell, Octavia protected her on multiple occasions when bullies teased her for being a mute, and Vinyl stepped in as prom date when Octavia’s snob of a crush at the time turned her down for prom. Cause that’s what friends do. Vinyl blushed as her mind drifted back to last night. The way her hands caressed Octavia’s slender body. The way Octavia kissed down her own. Bodies rubbing together in and through pure passion and emotion that lasted into the early hours of the morning. This isn’t what friends do. Vinyl didn’t waste time in getting herself together, throwing on her clothes and making sure Octavia was situated when she awoke. One of her T-shirts and some underwear just in case she needed a head start of course. With haste, she slowly slid down the hallway from Octavia’s dorm room, making extra sure campus security didn’t get any hint she was out and about. You definitely did not want to be caught outside at 3:00 in the morning. Especially since Octavia lived in a completely different girl’s dorm...all the way across campus...on the third floor of her dorm. Talk about throwing yourself right into the fire huh? She got caught of course. That late into the night, that far away from her own dorm room, it was impossible to avoid. But thankfully it was one of the nicer and notably newer security guards, completely oblivious to Vinyl’s outstanding tardy record. Vinyl made sure not to wake her roommates as she stumbled into her dorm room, quietly letting the door to her room close with a click and falling face-first into her pillow with a sigh. Thankfully this college was one of the ones where the 3 students to each dorm room had one separate room of their own, sort of like an apartment. That meant staying up after midnight was about as easy as it was to sneak out and go have uncertain passionate sex with her best friend. Vinyl rubbed her temples as she turned over and sat up, eyes turning to view the moon high in the sky peering through her window. How can she call herself Octavia’s best friend when she talked her into this...this...shit, she wasn’t even sure what to call it at this point. Maybe something old-timey like blasphemy, or maybe something simple and to the point, like just plain wrong. She wasn’t even sure if Octavia liked her that way. She wasn't even sure if she liked Octavia that way. Maybe she just needed some sleep, yea, that had to be it. She just needs to sleep on it. Vinyl stood up from her bed, closing her blinds, locking her door and turning on on a nearby personal space heater. She then proceeded to strip down to her bare form, climbing into bed and letting her body get comfortable. Why she liked to sleep in the nude, she did not know, she just did. Of course sleep was far from the agenda as a familiar wet sensation began to tickle her marehood. 7:00 AM Yesterday When Vinyl was first accepted, she was under the impression that the music she was already making would be good enough to turn as assignments. And while she was partially correct, she failed to realize that her own music is a mix of her own self-taught style, with a genre that most schools do not recognize no less. That meant on top of developing her career as an artist, she would also have to compose a variety of different genres of music way out of her range at the same time for her musical major. No sleep due to her own career. No sleep due to college. Constantly on the edge of insanity trying to come up with music 7 days a week. As much as she loved music, and the opportunity to get a degree for it, the amount of stress it caused her needed only one word to describe it, and it was just that. Stress. Nothing but pure stress. Vinyl inched her way into her room’s personal bathroom, eyes clamped shut with the strength of a thousand stallions. Tired, so tired, not enough sleep to even think straight. A calculated risk though, all to finish something she had been working towards for nearly her entire 4 years in high school, her very first album. Unfortunately, only about 2 songs were done when the entire thing was going to be 7-8 songs in total, plus it’s not like she had a deadline for it. So why was she pushing herself so hard so early in development? A question she often asked herself. A question she couldn’t quite put her finger on until a hard night’s work had been put in and she was comfortably in her bed. Passion, that had to be it...or maybe she’s just a raging workaholic, her bet is quickly falling on the latter. She sighed as her sleep-induced eyes cracked open to peer at her phone. 7 in the morning, only 3 hours of sleep, and only half an hour to make an excuse to give the teacher. She could make sure to bring every single textbook she has on music and show it to the teacher. Maybe she’ll interpret that as, “I studied all night,” or something. A shower, without a doubt, was first on the agenda. Actually, a bath was more preferable, at least then she could sit back and give her tired muscles some comfort, but alas, the bathroom were those lovely standing only type deals. I mean you could sit down but then you’d just be getting pelted in the face by water, not worth it. A yawn quickly followed that sigh and her eyes finally opened in full to quickly start this disaster of a morning. Since it was already 7, that meant her roommates were already out and about. Good, the place is all hers for the next 30 minutes. However, that also meant she’d have to save her lovely daily 1-hour shower for the evening. Vinyl could huff and puff for as long as she wanted but good old teach made it clear if she was late just 1 more time she was for sure gonna get piled with work so high she wouldn’t have to worry about being tardy ever again. Guess that’s what she gets for staying up a week in a row throwing off her entire sleep schedule. Of course, two things were always there to help her through these rough times. Without a voice to voice her opinions, music was always a great escape. Headphones, a nice starry night or a maybe a calm rainy day and bingo, immediate stress relief is born. Option number two would only be obvious if you had secretly followed Vinyl around with a camera for the majority of her life. The way her eyes lit up in her presence, the way she listened to every word that escaped her mouth like they were air and without them, she couldn’t breathe. Octavia. Octavia was...something special, unlike any other role model she’d ever had. Amidst this always this neverending field of students losing their minds over deadlines and assignments, she had one important quality above all, she kept her cool. And in return, whether she truly felt as ease or was simply copying, Vinyl kept her cool. Her tired mind guided her body to the shower, her hands turning the handles and adjusting for the right temperature. A light layer of steam began to fill the bathroom as she stepped in, water finding its way down and around her figure. She couldn’t help herself. The heat, the sound of water crashing to the floor, it was like a white noise that quickly consumed her attention. Her eyes closed and she promptly found herself beginning to drift off into a land of repressed thoughts and past regrets. For a moment, she seemed contempt with letting her imagination run wild under the soothing stream of hot water but then she felt a noticeable twitch in her lower region. She assumed it to be random, as is any sudden stimulation without cause or reason. What she failed to realize, however... There was a reason. Vinyl’s mind unknowingly began to tread ground in a place she desperately tried to suppress, and with yet another twitch to her nethers, she knew full well there was no stopping her mind now. It doesn’t mean she didn’t try. She tried to shift her mind to something else, anything else, maybe ideas for the cover art of her album, a new beat for a song, something that wasn’t her. Another twitch. Vinyl’s hands began to move with a will of their own tracing the outline of her body slowly, ever so slowly. It was no use, the thought of her idol lingered like a stream of divine syrup, sweet and sticky, delicious to look at and downright insulting not to indulge. Octavia...more than any musical idol, more than even her own creations, Octavia was like a goddess in her own right, that which she simply couldn’t fathom. A slim and healthy figure, molded by countless lessons in healthy eating and weekly runs. Small and petite yet equally alluring small breasts that, at least in vinyl’s eyes, always seemed to beat out the whole “Big breasts vs small breasts” debate. The scent of lavender that always accompanied her wherever she went, washing over her mind and making Vinyl just want to grab her and pull her into the longest hug she’d ever given. Vinyl’s hands continued to embrace her figure, almost as if somepony else was doing the deed. Her fingers dug into the soft fur of her hips before one hand drifted upward and lovingly caressed her breast. The other drifted downward and began to simply gloss over her wet and sensitive marehood. Vinyl’s mind was beginning to lose itself, like a puppet on strings to her, the puppeteer. It was one thing she didn’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t admit. Over this past year she’d been enrolled with her childhood friend, Octavia was always on the ball, always had the best grades, the best advice, and almost always reminded Vinyl through text or 16. Consecutive. Calls. To “wake up and get your butt to class.” Despite a good portion of ponies voicing their opinions about her, feeling as though she’s stuck up or sees herself above everyone, Vinyl loved that about her, simply couldn’t get enough of the remarkable control she had over her life, the independence and power she exuded, the motherly attitude she pushed on others to make sure no one gets left behind, no matter the actual severity of the issue. She was perfect in every way. A silent moan left her as her finger began to rub the lips of her entrance, the other hand working her breast before moving inward and flicking her sensitive nipple, entering herself soon after with two fingers, letting them slowly slide in and out before finding a suitable rhythm in relation with the pinching of her nipple. All in response to each and every detail of her best friend, her voice, her eyes, her body, her smell, her personality. Before she knew it, she was lost in the feeling, drunk on it, ecstasy building inside her as she slowly increased the intensity of her actions and embarrassingly quicker than she’d ever done before, felt the feeling of an orgasm beginning to build inside her. Vinyl had unhappily traded her ecstasy for new feelings, confusion, a little bit of regret, and just a pinch of reality. She lay silently on her bed, nude and still slightly wet, eyes fixated intently the ceiling as if that was going to give her the answers she needed. She brought her hands into her view, thinking back to when she was caressing her body, imagining that they were another’s hands. She couldn’t believe it. In all her years as Octavia’s friend, in all her years of pleasuring herself when the urge came along, she’d never thought of Octavia so intently. It was always that cute stallion in one of her favorite bands or maybe something from one of the games she played, but Octavia center stage, this was new. She’d always had this admiration for her best friend and yet, when faced with the thought now, she can’t seem to keep herself together, or her hands away from her longing lower region. They were best friends, not lovers, not friends with benefits, best friends since childhood, so you can imagine this is quite an unusual circumstance. Most normal ponies would be quick to call this feeling love right? Vinyl agrees. She does indeed love Octavia, as a friend, as family, but as something more? It transcended all rational thought to consider it. And yet, once again vinyl’s hand began to proceed downward toward her desperate marehood to start the routine all over again. Vinyl enjoyed what they had as friends and she wanted to preserve that idea, but her actions right now say otherwise, lost in the ecstasy of a daydream, mouthing Octavia’s name as if the sexual fantasy was real. She was far past head over heels, to the point of simply throwing Octavia down and making love to her on sight, in public or not, it didn’t matter. As soon as vinyl felt the wave of seizure-inducing pleasure wash over her, and her body fell limp to the soft cushion of her bed, her mind was set. Concentration was going to be at an all-time low today. No sleep, 2 orgasms in and still longing for a third, and Octavia was only gonna make that worse because they always sit together in class. Vinyl quickly sprang from her pleasured state and began throwing on clothes in haste before she realized, she was already late. No need to rush now she figured, since either way, the next two weeks would be nothing but busy work to fix her grade. Stress. Pure stress.
These feelings will be on the test11:30 AM Yesterday Thankfully lectures took place early in the morning, leaving most of the day, usually from noon to till the end of the day to work on assignments, projects, and get some much-needed rest, and or studying if you’re into that kind of a thing. Vinyl and Octavia would spend a good portion of that time in the dining hall, where after eating, the two would catch up before having to worry about educational obligations. This time, however, Vinyl kinda wished herself back in that boring lecture, if anything... “I simply cannot believe you were late again, even after Ms. Harshwhinny strictly warned you of the consequences. Without a doubt the most irresponsible thing you could do. Did we not go over your unique habit to stay up all odd hours of the night some time ago? Did we not practice on how to curb them, even if you desperately needed to complete something?” At the side of the dining hall, the sun shone on the duo locked in an interesting conversation, one-sided of course. This went on and on for quite some time believe it or not. Everypony could see, everypony knew exactly what was going on and took precautions and their lunch to other areas to avoid it at all cost. One of Octavia’s motherly disappointment speeches directed at none other than Vinyl, who could only look away with shame and twitch in embarrassment as students stole glances their way. Compared to most other students who gained her motherly attention, Vinyl held the school record for the most disappointment speeches, and even after so many of them, she still felt a large chunk of guilt when faced with her friend’s words. But even when it seemed Octavia’s speech would never end, she still found a way to earn that metaphorical best mom mug. “Sometimes I wonder if you actually want to be here Vinyl.” The blue-haired mare looked to her idol with sorrow in her eyes, obviously sorry for her actions to which, Octavia sighed. “But then you always shoot me that look, then I realize you wouldn’t be here in the first place if you weren’t passionate about this. Tell me, what reason have you this time?” Vinyl quickly perked up, tapping her ever-present headphones and mimicking the motion of receiving the praise of millions of fans. “Ah yes, your first album, I simply forgot that was on your mind, I think I understand your plight now. I do admire your passion I must say, however, that doesn’t excuse your lack of foresight on the matter. Oh my, perhaps I should have helped you form a schedule in order to better use your time. There’s no doubt in my mind it’s my fault for not offering my assistance earlier.” Vinyl raised an eyebrow to those words but was not surprised in the least. Octavia always had a habit of throwing the blame on her part to steal the guilt from whomever she was scolding. Whether that was to give them a bit more confidence in the face of their guilt or strip them of that guilt entirely was unknown. Vinyl knew she messed up though, no doubt about it. Not only was she guilty of using the time she should have been asleep for work on personal goals, but...there was also that quite uncouth issue she tried to rub out this morning. Course she couldn’t tell anyone that. Vinyl quickly rushed to the friend’s side, flashing a reassuring smile and shaking her head. “No no, don’t try to take the blame on yourself dear, I’m the one who started trying to help you prepare yourself in the first place. It most certainly was my lack of foresight to ask you what problems may plague you that caused this. I simply cannot forgive myself for that. Please, is there anyway I can make it up to you?” Vinyl’s mind immediately whipped up images of the two in bed, or perhaps, the shower, nude, embracing each other’s form. Vinyl’s blush was quick, but a mental slap to her psyche was quicker. What was she thinking, she couldn’t ask that, never, not in this reality, not in the next, it’d be suicide. The best she could expect was a thorough slap to the face for asking a lady of her standards such a thing, or worse, to have her simply get up and walk away. Pure disappointment would do more than any level of pain. She shook the urges away, much as she wanted them to come true, and instead directed Octavia’s attention to her headphones with a point. “You want me to do the work for you while you work on the album?” Vinyl quickly disagreed with a shake of her head. As good as that sounded, what kind of friend would she be if she forced her best friend to do all her work for her, especially when she herself didn’t even wanna do it? Instead, her finger then pointed to Octavia and back to her headphones. “Oh I see, you want me to help you with your music, don’t you? My my, this is certainly a surprise considering your style of music is usually without classical additions. Trying to do something different I presume?” Vinyl excitedly nodded, mimicking the motion of Octavia’s stellar cello playing. Funny enough, that was the plan from the start. Sure, she could have asked any classical instrument player in the school but to Vinyl, no one was quite as talented as Octavia and her cello. That and Vinyl was terribly shy about the matter considering most of the students here were hardcore fans of widely different genres. Her dubs and wubs were mostly unexplored territory and only a select few in the school, let alone a few regions in the whole land of Equestria, knew her name by heart. Thankfully, Octavia was one of the few, and the warm smile she threw back warmed Vinyl’s heart to the point of melting. “Very well, I shall aid you in your musical endeavor but you have to promise me to at least get halfway through that stack before we begin, deal?” Vinyl tried her best to stifle an eye roll but still found herself still letting out a silent sigh. “Ah ah ah, none of that laziness dear, you certainly need the grade so I expect your best. That aside, did you by chance hear the rumor spreading around? Apparently that innocent Cozy Glow had cheated on her entry performance by hiring quite the talented crew of performers including a unicorn who knew how to use a disguising spell.” Vinyl scoffed at that. Rumors around here were almost always basically the truth sprinkled with a little exaggeration. “I mean really, how desperate must she have been to use such trickery, does she not understand the importance of actual skill?” Vinyl tuned out. Not to say she wasn’t listening, no no, it was the exact opposite when it came to Octavia. She always prided herself on the ability to listen to every detail that left someone’s mouth, despite her eagerness to drown out the world around her but with Octavia, this was truly the only time out of her day that her headphones would even leave her ears. Her voice was simply divine to listen to, her pronunciation, her accent, especially her accent, it was like sweet sweet caramel to Vinyl’s ears to which nothing could compare, not even her own beats. Her emotions fluttered, her eyes were locked firmly onto Octavia’s own as she continues her rant on Cozy’s trickery. Vinyl couldn’t ask for more, much to her surprise when that familiar feeling of need returned to her. She nearly killed herself in an attempt to hold composure but there was no hiding the evidence. She was wet with want. Yep, no doubt about that. “I am sorely disappointed in that treacherous young pony for doing something so uncouth. If only I could get my hands on her, I’d give her quite the stern talking too. What about you?” Vinyl became lost in thought of getting a “stern” talking to, treated like a dirty dog begging for Octavia to give her what she--Vinyl immediately shook the thought from her head. She had to keep it together, even if her body wanted nothing more than throw Octavia onto a soft mattress and embrace her. With little time to respond to the question, she mimicked physically kicking the little twerp out on her butt. “There are other solutions than violence Vinyl dear, even if the little cheater deserves it for making a mockery of our craft. Oh dear, look at me getting all worked up over something that might not even be true.” Vinyl waved Octavia’s fear away with a hand and shrugged. Octavia, Immature? Not in a million years. “You’re right, it probably shouldn’t matter. Besides, I shouldn’t let my spirit waver since tonight is the night of my performance.” Vinyl smacked her forehead in disappointment as the memory returned to her mind. Amidst classes, her music, and her obviously conflicting emotions, how could she possibly forget Octavia’s Friday night performance, just goes to show how much a forgetful pony Vinyl really was sometimes. Octavia had been working her flank off in preparation for that event and Vinyl knew that, or at least should have remembered that. Good thing Octavia accidentally reminded her or she would have killed herself for missing it, now she could play it off without error. Vinyl gave her friend an excited smile, slightly jumping in her seat with anticipation. “I’m glad the Headmare allowed me the opportunity to showcase my latest progress, although since I’ve chosen to use a piano instead of my cello, I’ve enlisted one of my fellow students, an expert pianist, to aid me in remembering all the keys. Speaking of the performance, here.” As Octavia dug into her handbag and presented Vinyl a small slip of paper, her eyes widened as she realized what it was. “It’s a voucher. I’ve specifically reserved a front row seat for you in the auditorium. In the meantime, we should probably invest in something to eat before we have to go. Hungry?” Vinyl’s stomach immediately growled in response to that. “I’ll take that as a yes. Our usual then?” Vinyl eagerly nodded, Octavia nodding back and making her way toward one of the few different types of restaurants. Vinyl was smiling like a giddy child at this moment. Her eyes repeatedly studying the voucher in it’s entirety before shifting back to her name, Vinyl Scratch. She was happy. However, that eagerness instantly faded when a message came through on Octavia’s phone, lighting up her screen. Vinyl was at a loss herself on why she suddenly became so curious, but her body went on autopilot to grab the phone Octavia so carelessly left upon the table. Who is this expert Piano player, what was their game, were they trying to get with Octavia? Questions that proved Vinyl had devolved from her happy attitude to sudden jealousy, that of which she knew but ignored. With determination, she sifted through the messages, finally stopping on one received just now. Her eyes narrowed at all too familiar name on the other end of the text, and so she decided to read the entire conversation in full. “Good morning to you Ms. Key Note.” “Octavia? I wasn’t expecting to hear from you so early in the morning.” “Apologies, I simply could not relax without triple-checking my schedule for the day. Are we still scheduled to practice at noon?” “Oh absolutely, it would be an honor to help the greatest cellist in the school.” “And it would be an equal honor to learn from the most talented pianist in the school.” “Oh, you’re just saying that, I’m sure there are plenty ponies better than me.” “Compared to most others, your pieces are quite unlike anything my ears have ever heard, I mean that. By the way, Is Vinyl awake yet?” “Luckily, I just checked. Unluckily, door’s locked which means she’s sleeping like a rock.” “How unfortunate, I suppose I’ll have to call her until she picks up like usual. I can’t quite put my finger on it but something seems quite amiss with her lately.” “Even more than usual?” “While she is most certainly a night owl, lately she’s been even more oddly exhausted. Not just that, but after classes on Tuesday, I wanted to ask her to give me some company that evening and I caught her behind the gym hanging out with those smokers, something she expressed in silent detail she hated being around. And then at noon yesterday, when I asked her to once again accompany me as per the usual, she was almost eager to turn me down and run off. I would have understood if I believed it be genuine, however, I’ve known her since she was little and this is completely unlike her. It’s like she’s trying to avoid me.” Vinyl paused, her eyes studied the words repeatedly then glanced back to Octavia who was patiently waiting in line to order their food. Thankfully if Octavia did notice her, she’d most likely think Vinyl was on her own phone. However, the look on Vinyl’s face was unmistakably distressed. Dammit, to think she’d been so subconsciously obvious about it. She should stop reading, she should just put the stupid phone down and let Octavia know she was ok, somehow. And yet... “Are you sure you’re not reading too much into this? I mean it’s Vinyl we’re talking about, #party animal, #DJ-PON3.” “You might be correct, she apparently has been working on something pretty important for her personal career lately. Perhaps that’s all it is.” “Don’t be such a worrywart Octavia. Nine times out of ten, she’s just going through one of those very rare episodes where she just wants to sleep more than usual. It’s college after all, we all do it sometimes.” “You’re probably right. Still, I can’t shake the feeling. If you witness anything, please don’t hesitate to tell me.” “No problem, we gotta have each other’s backs right? See ya in class.” Finally, the message that was sent nearly moments before. Did Key Note get some dirt on her somehow? Against her better judgment, she checked it. “Hey, sorry about not telling you in class but I didn’t think it a good idea to drop this bomb on you at the time. So me and the girls left this morning with Vinyl still dead asleep in her room. Like 20 minutes later, I realized I forgot something and rushed back really quick to grab it. When I came in, I assumed Vinyl was still asleep in her room despite your usual plan so I grabbed my paper and planned to force her out of bed. The door was unlocked and cracked despite the usual, so I peeked in and...wow...wow....just wooooowy, I didn’t expect anything I saw there. Vinyl was butt naked on the bed, doing the deed to herself. Yea, I know everypony needs a little release every now and then but the curious thing was she was looking at a picture of you on her phone. I’m starting to think the reason she’s been avoiding you is--” Vinyl went into rampage mode, quick as the wind in deleting the message. As she heard the sounds of Octavia’s heels clacking against the floor, Vinyl quickly clicked the phone off and placed it back in its original position. “Are you ok Vinyl, your face is terribly red?” Vinyl silently laughed before waving her concern away. “Ok then...well, our usual just as requested.” Any other time, Vinyl’s mouth would have drooled in response to the usual salad mixed with 3 different kinds of minced berries and topped with a sauce that tasted oddly of chocolate but was somehow healthier, but not now, not after reading all that. Vinyl simply gave a gleeful, yet fake, smile back to Octavia and began to dig in with a fork. It was only a minute before she wasn’t even trying anymore, poking at it with a sullen look on her face. Octavia seemed to have her attention on her phone, probably hoping she’d receive that message Vinyl so desperately deleted. “Curious, most curious...” she whispered. “I was sure she’d text me by now. Hmm, maybe I’d be better off asking her once we meet up for our practice session.” Vinyl’s eyes closed in defeat. Dammit, even if she deleted the message, she didn’t count for word of mouth in the moment. What could she do? How could she keep Key Note’s mouth shut about any of this? “Vinyl?” Her trance was broken as Octavia’s sweet melodious voice chimed in. “Are you alright, you’ve barely touched your food?” Her eyes widened, her hands became clammy, Vinyl was indeed panicking. As cool as she kept it on a stage or in a club, in front of a friend she’s know since childhood, she’s panicking like a shy hormonal middle schooler, and that got the better of her. With no time for Octavia to react, Vinyl grabbed her stuff, tapped her headphones to blast music into her ears and ran off in a fit. Stunned would not be a word to describe Octavia’s expression at that moment. Vinyl sprinted, sprinted until she was clear, clear out of sight of Octavia and the dining hall and anyone else who might wonder what’s wrong with her. Stupid, how stupid was she, what kind of stupid person just runs off like that? Where could she even go to clear her head after that kind of thing? Certainly not her room since Key Note can’t keep a secret to save her life. Vinyl instead opted for a hill with a few trees overlooking the left side of the campus, even if everyone could see her electric blue hair from a mile away. As she sat down on the soft grass, her eyes studied the clouds above her, trying to come up with a solution if any. She could make them postpone their practice session, tell one or both that the other rescheduled due to complications. But then they’d meet up or text without Vinyl’s knowledge and most certainly figure it out almost immediately. Maybe she could fake being a little sick so Octavia would have to take care of her until the performance. But even then...Dear Celestia, nothing works. At the end of the day, Vinyl is still in love with Octavia, Her entrance is still dripping want through her lower wear, and Key Note will somehow, someway, voice Vinyl’s mistake of ignorance and Octavia will know all she needs to know. She could take care of one of those problems, maybe scoot up to the trees and take care of herself before anyone noticed. No, there’s plenty of apartment buildings across the way and they’d, without a doubt, see her. Key Note’s also probably informed her other roommates by now so no way she’s gonna sneak into back into her room. Geez, horny, confused, and stressed, what more could a girl ask for. Vinyl let a defeated sigh before flopping onto her back, her school bag going with her and coincidentally throwing a few school tools as well as the voucher out. Vinyl huffed as she returned the things to her bag only to freeze when her eyes landed on the voucher. A blue glow covered the paper as it levitated into her hand and she once again studied it. But maybe...just maybe...what if it wasn’t such a bad thing to have her know. I mean Octavia is her best friend and the two got along so well before any of these feelings came into the picture, besides it was just a crush and crushes don’t ruin friendships. Even if Octavia knew, they’d probably still be just as tight as they were before...Celestia, that’s stupid. There’s no way Octavia would ever see her the same way after that because this is more than a simple, “I kinda like you.” This was full-on, “I wanna spend the rest of my life with you, talk with you about your day, and/or have sensual, passionate, and emotional sex on a regular basis.” Vinyl knew that and like hell, she just wanted to accept it and move with her life. Her head began to ache with stress on the matter, so much so that she instinctively removed a bottle of anxiety pills from her bag. Even though she was diagnosed in highschool by a certified doctor who felt it crucial she take them to curve her emotions, she felt that caused more anxiety as an option on the table. Especially with being a DJ, going to all these different places and having to deal with all types of characters from young and inexperienced in the dancing scene to drunk and highly overconfident in themselves, Vinyl learned not to depend on the pills for assistance. She needed to be brave, she needed to just come out to Octavia and tell her the truth. Screw the pills, she could just beat Key Note to the punch. Even if she died of embarrassment, it couldn’t hurt for Octavia to know the truth. If she turned Vinyl down, so be it. They’d still be friends, of course, and things would definitely be awkward, sure, but if there’s one thing Twilight and her friends taught everyone, it’s that everyone needs to be understanding. Octavia was certainly a shining example of that. Vinyl felt a hint of bravery, standing up, placing the voucher back in her bag and her bag back on her person, and turning back towards the dining hall. She took a deep breath and began to step down the hill. Suffice it to say she didn’t get very far. Suffice it to say that for the first time since being diagnosed...she took the pills.
Your grades are inAuthor's Note Little short chapter to end things off. Sorry if it seemed rushed, had to do this one a little faster than most. Your grades are in Class was pretty short today. Well...in Vinyl’s case, class was pretty non-existent considering she didn’t even go. Now we all know the risk when it comes to college, get enough tardies and you’re just straight up expelled, no second warning, no second chances. “But who the buck cares,” were the words she told herself. Harshwhinny could scold her up and down the halls for years to come but would it really even matter if the one pony in the world she cares about hates her guts. I mean...just what the heck was she thinking... Big shocker, she wasn’t. In the heat of the moment. In an effort to kill two griffons with one stone, She forfeited all rational thought. Sweet Celestia, why why why, why did she have to be an idiot and listen to her instincts instead of her head. She should’ve listened to Key Note and just waited until the next day, now who knows what’s going to happen. Octavia sure isn’t gonna be happy, that’s for sure. So she ran, didn’t even want to consider having to sit in the same room as the girl she basically raped. Cruel word I’m sure, but what other word could describe what she did. Octavia didn’t consent, she spoke out against multiple times during the endeavor, although not all of that was cohesive in the end. And sure, she seemed pretty into it but that was only after her mind had been taken over by whatever demon got loose in Vinyl. Who knows, maybe she was pent up. Either way, she was screwed. No way Octavia was gonna forgive her after she just took advantage of her like that. A yawn escaped her as she removed her back from the tree, sore from sitting there all morning. The sun was now high in the sky, illuminating her vibrant blue hair for all students to see. Great, so much for an entire day of solitude. No doubt Key Note would find her, wondering about the details. a huge extra chunk of no doubt Octavia would storm her way up as well, blush heavy on her face, hands ready to slap her muzzle to oblivion. She’d probably end up getting expelled for it too. Ugh, how is she gonna explain this screw up to her parents. Expulsion on a sexaul assualt charge and being tardy are like, two whole different sides of the spectrum. Vinyl jolted back to reality when something connected with the top of her head pretty hard. She was almost certain a tree limb or something finally gave out but when she turned her attention upward, there stood her worst nightmare. “You think you can ditch class and avoid me young lady, oh no no, we need to talk.” Like a blur, Vinyl slipped around the base of tree, levitating her backpack to her hand as she cowered in fear. “Oh dear, Vinyl please, come from behind that tree, I’m not going to hurt you...any more.” The mare was like a shy little filly at this point, not believing a hint of what was being told to her. Instead, just like a little filly, she cowered even more behind the tree, almost fully obscuring her own view of the grey mare as she peeked out. She couldn’t stand the shiver that proceeded down her spine at the sound of an annoyed sigh from Octavia. “Vinyl stop acting like filly and come out already, I’m not mad at you.” Vinyl had to take a mental step back as well as a physical one. “You’re not hallucinating dear, I’m not mad at you. But that doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to another bop on the noggin. Now come out here, I just want to talk.” Vinyl hesitated...for a long time. She was just stuck there, waiting, expecting Octavia to snatch her by her horn and yell at her till the sun went down. But then she reached a hand...and...she had smile on her muzzle...a freaking smile. Unknowingly, a tear crept down Vinyl’s cheek, much to Octavia’s surprise. It doesn’t make sense. Why is she smiling, how can she be smiling? She should hate her guts, s-she has every right to hate her guts, she raped her, she took advantage of her, they can’t be friends, it would be like inviting your murderer to your funeral! Lost in her thoughts, in her guilt, Vinyl seemed to have lost situational awareness, not even realizing Octavia had been inching closer this entire time. A warmth quickly washed over her and with a snap of Octavia’s fingers in her ear, her mind came to realize she had been pulled into the grey mare’s embrace. “And to think you dear, were the one who gave me the courage to get up there on that stage again and again, yet here you are, In college and crying over such a wonderful time. W-well...I’m certainly not saying I quite enjoyed such an abrupt...advance. And y-you are most certainly still in trouble...” Vinyl ears perked up, her teary eyes turning toward the flustered grey mare in surprise, her head tilting in confusion. Was she hearing this right or was she somehow soundly daydreaming a scenario so realistic, she couldn’t tell the difference? I mean, everything that Vinyl just imagined had come true, although certainly not in the way she thought it would. Octavia hadn’t stormed up here but simply walked, her cheeks were as red as an early evening sun, and thankfully instead of slapping, all she got was a bop on the head and warm inviting hug. It’s time like these she wished she could talk, ask her, beg her even to explain why she isn’t mad, why isn’t she giving her what she deserves. Then the sound of Octavia’s words once again became clear. “I...Vinyl I...I didn’t know you felt that way. Or at least I hope that’s what you meant last night and it wasn’t just a random fling.” Octavia took a moment to seat herself on the grass, patting the ground for Vinyl to join her. Hesitantly, she obliged as Octavia continued. “I’m sure you already figured it out, else you wouldn’t have done what you did to cheer me up.” Vinyl was at a loss to say the least, but she decided the best plan might be to play along when a sorrowful sigh left Octavia’s muzzle. “My mother and father want me to switch my credits to an international school and go study music abroad.” Vinyl grabbed her arm with a surprised expression as if to ask her to confirm her, now real, surprise. “Y-you didn’t know?” A shake of the head. “Well that makes sense, you are quite forgetful,” she uttered with a giggle. “Vinyl...I’m glad you’re my friend, and I know we’ve spent our whole lives together but...I suppose that for some time I’ve been...considering it.” Vinyl’s eyes widened at those words, instantly imagining the things that would come of it. Little time to hang out, enough to say hi and pass a few words of wonder but ultimately with her DJ career soon to take off, they’d barely see each other, if at all. She was about get emotional, she couldn’t lie, but then Octavia’s hand began to caress her own. “I...know that that’s most likely not what you’d prefer but then I thought, once we’re both done with our college years, we can visit each other every so often.” No....No no no, that’s not how it was supposed to happen. They were supposed to spend their entire lives together, making music, meeting fans, holding concerts. Ugh, why does reality have to be so cruel sometimes? Better question, how can she make her stay? Perhaps call her parents and have another student impersonate her? No, that would so obviously backfire. Maybe a show of affection would change her mind? “I can your thoughts dear, the way the gears turn in your head when you stare off into space. Trying to figure out how to get me to stay I assume?” Vinyl let a nervous smile spread across her muzzle, hesitantly nodding in response. “You needn’t worry Vinyl, I’m not going anywhere, not anytime soon.” Vinyl once again tilted her head in confusion. If a question could appear out of thin air atop her head, it most certainly would have in this moment. “To summarize, I’m not mad at you in any way, shape, or form. What you did last night was...unexpected yes, but certainly not unwelcome. We’ve been friends since we were children after all, it’s only natural you would develop that type of connection with me. As for my studies abroad, I feel it only necessary to do so when I have finished my time here...so that...so that you may come with me.” Instant happiness, the best way to explain Vinyl’s near immediate silent squeal of glee before tackling her friend to the ground with a hug. “You’re so attached to me dear, it’s severely adorable. Now, I won’t tell a lie, I haven’t been in the greatest of moods since this morning. In fact, I’ve been working on a speech ever since I woke up on the finer points of punctuality and subtlety. I suggest you get comfortable because it’s quite the lengthy explanation.” Vinyl sighed, her hand head coming to rest on her upraised knees in preparation.” “If you promise to at least humor my lecture, we’ll discuss our first date afterwards. Celestia once said said that tardiness is a sign of laziness. Which means...”
A lesson in the art of studying8:30 PM This was it. Vinyl was screwed, more than screwed. Back and forth, back and forth, she paced along the length of her dorm room like a dog who had somehow lost 101 little puppies. If anyone could see her now, they’d probably be quick to comment on her pretty snazzy red dress. But then there was the look on her face that would most certainly make them think she had killed somepony or something. Stress, pure stress. Why? Well in her haste to confess, a realization quickly set in. That even with those stupid pills, her anxiety skyrocketed the minute Octavia was in sight again. After running off on her like she did, she just couldn’t find it in herself to face her friend again. Even though she knew she was making the right decision, she ran away again, shut herself in her room and proceeded to go completely ignorant. For the rest of that day, Vinyl distanced herself from her friends, blasting music into her ears to drown out anything they might say and opting to sit alone wherever and whenever, just to not have to see their faces. Course everyone could track her electric blue mane from a mile away so she’d have to move within about 5 minutes. The look on everyone’s faces each time she ran away today, Octavia’s especially, was...heartbreaking. But she continued to persist like she was in elementary again, thinking that music would simply snap the problem out of existence. Speaking of which, Octavia had caught up at some point, tried to talk to her, tried to reach her hand out to her but Vinyl wouldn’t take it, instead, she did what she did best, ran. As far and as fast she could. Dammit, what was wrong with her, she wondered. She knew she was screwing up everything up and she still continued to do so. Now here she is, more screwed than ever because Key Note without a doubt was able to tell her everything. Her pacing intensified. How is she supposed to show up to Octavia’s performance with that on her shoulders, who knows what’ll happen? She could mess her up just on sight alone, then everyone would laugh and she would be embarrassed. And what about after? Octavia, Key Note, and even the rest of her friends might distance themselves, try not to hang with the creepy mare that fondles herself to her friends in secret. She sighed, her legs growing tired from the repetitive back and forth to which she simply flopped on her bed in defeat. It’s no use, Octavia knew, their friendship is probably royally screwed up, and she was now the campus creep. ...Maybe she should just blow it off... 9:20 PM Octavia snuck a glance around the side of the stage, trying her best to get a good look at the reserved front row of the auditorium. Reserved seats, all filled with friends and family of other performers tonight, all but one. A sigh before she let them fall to their original position. “Something wrong Ms. Octavia.” A surprised yip escaped her as she spun around to Key Note’s concerned and curious muzzle. “O-oh Key Note, h-how nice to see you. I’m fine, just a bit nervous is all.” “You, nervous? Wow, I thought I’d never see the day such a regal lady like yourself would be nervous. A satisfying yet slightly annoyed sigh followed that statement. “You wouldn’t be the first dear. I’ve heard it all before and yes, it is all true. I was a natural with the cello at just the age of 8, played my first performance at the young and innocent age of 13, and was even offered a full-ride scholarship here as soon as I finished High School. Nervous should be far from my mind...” “Then...why isn’t it?” she asked with a bit more concern than she intended. “Key Note dear, what those stallions and mares fail to report is that my first performance would have been nothing but choked words and crying eyes if not for the support of my friends and my family. Before I even stepped onto the stage that first time, I was having a panic attack and my own my dad had to come to calm me down. He tried to console me, told me I would do great, this is what my hard work was going towards. I wouldn’t buy it at first, and then I remembered something, something Vinyl wrote down for me on a piece of paper the first time I ever performed in front of our friends. I was scared and thought they would think I was too snobbish to hang out with. But then...” she uttered removing a piece of paper from her person. “I would read this paper, these words and just feel...empowered.” “Stop thinking about what could happen and start thinking about what you want to happen. Shut your doubts down and just let your music do the work because there’s not a feeling in the world like hearing the crowd cheer your name.” Octavia put the paper away with a smile, only to be met with the tearful eyes of Key Note. “T-that...that was so beautiful, I could cry.” “You are crying, dear.” “O-oh sorry sorry!” “You’re fine, wipe your tears, I’m fine now.” “R-really?” Octavia beamed at the hint of happiness she gave the girl. “Yes, no need to worry, I’m ok. Thank you for talking me out of my slump.” “No worries, Ms. Octavia.” “My apologies, I know I asked you this at our rehearsal earlier but, you haven’t seen Vinyl have you?” “Not since classes this morning. What, you still haven’t been able to track her down after she ran off?” “I did find her, if only once, tried to see what got into her but before I could even get my question out, she once again sprinted off to Celestia knows where.” “We still have 9 minutes until the performance, you wanna try looking for her?” “No no, then I would have rush back here and my nerves would through the roof. Best to stay put and hope she’ll fill the seat I reserved her. Are you sure there wasn’t anything that might cause reason for concern?” Key Note’s face immediately went beat red. “U-uh...n-no, nothing at all. I came back to the dorm room to grab an assignment and she was just...sleeping...yea...sleeping. I tried to wake her up but she was long gone, no wonder she was so late.” “Hmm...here’s hoping she didn’t fall asleep then. Come along, I wish to do one more spot of practice before the performance begins.” “R-right.” 9:30 PM “Settle down, settle down, let’s find our chairs students, the performance is about to begin.” The students chatting away soon came to silence as one of the many professors made his way onto the stage. “Now, I would like to personally thank you all for coming tonight. Just like all of you, the students performing tonight are aspiring artists like yourself who seek to expand their portfolio of experience. I find my faith restored in this school because whether you’ve heard their work or never even met them, you’re present here and I love it. So without further ado, please welcome to the stage our first musician of the night, Octavia Melody!” The sound of claps filled the air as Octavia elegantly strolled onto the stage, waving with gratitude. Her smile sunk, if only a little, when she noticed the seat was still empty. “Oh well, the performance must go on,” she whispered to herself. She slid the small stool backward and neatly fixed her dress before sitting down and placing her hands on the keys. “Stop thinking about what could happen...and think about what you want to happen...I can do this...” Calmness washes over the auditorium as they eagerly await Octavia’s first key. A playful smile crept upon her lips as without even needing to think about it, her hands made the move. The first notes were somber at first, almost depressing, and then melody, as is her name, kicked in. The tune quickly lightened, like a light shining through the darkest depths of doubt. Her eyes were closed, her body moved in tandem with her hands, like it was just her, this piano, and another. Each note felt like a stream of light flowing from the piano itself and dancing in the air to her work. Everyone else could feel it, the emotion through each note and each movement. She was in her element, like a bird in the air or a fish to the sea, she could play until her hands were numb and even then she’d want to play more. At this moment, right now, this was no longer just a piece she practiced, it was a cry of passion for the art of music to one soul and one soul only. And then...an end. A silence fell over the students as Octavia turned and bowed, waiting for some kind of reaction. Obviously, cheering and clapping commenced in full swing, shouts of her name accompanied this and once again, Vinyl’s words rung true. And who should happen to be giving a standing ovation along with the rest of the crowd, dressed in lovely red? Octavia’s heart lit up with joy, so much joy that she herself began to cry. Quickly realizing her plight, she made quickly proceeded off stage to dry her tears allowing the next student to begin preparing for his performance. 11:00 PM The rest of the performances for the night went on without a hitch, each student likely inspired by Octavia’s own performance to let their passions sing true. And for the most part, they did. Vinyl had never been able to appreciate classical music the way she did now, and that’s saying a lot when you go to a school full of the stuff. After the event, upon an attempt to make her way backstage to congratulate her best friend, Vinyl found herself stuck to the spot like glue, almost like her body had a mind of its own and refused to walk past this point. Or maybe that was her own stupid way of telling herself that she was too scared to face Octavia again. Even after a performance like that, seeing that smile on her face once she realized Vinyl had actually attended, it still lingered in her mind that maybe Octavia wouldn’t want to see her. And then the unexpected happened. Before she could continue to doubt herself any longer, Octavia tore past her toward the front doors in a fit of frustration. Ponies were quick to give their praise and admiration but she simply ignored them without so much as a glance in their direction. Geez, not once in her life had she seen Octavia walk so angrily, especially after a performance so emotionally wonderful. “Oh thank Celestia, you actually showed up.” Vinyl was quick to recognize Key Note’s voice, turning to meet her overly concerned gaze. “And here I thought you dropped off the face of the planet.” Vinyl couldn’t stop the sorrowful look that crossed her face at the sight of her friend. “What’s that look for?” Vinyl was quick to unenthusiastically mimic running away. “Shouldn’t you be apologizing to her instead, she’s the one you ran away from.” Vinyl shook her head as if to say that’s not it. She then pulled her phone from her person and let a picture of Octavia fill the screen, showing it to her. “Ooooooh, you mean...hehe, Vinyl you don’t have to apologize, I know you deleted the message.” Amidst her white skin, Vinyl’s face was so red at the thought that she must have seemed like a tomato in a field of snow. “Don’t be embarrassed girl, I saw you do the deed in the cafeteria after all. So instead of blurting your business out there, I did you a solid and decided to hold my tongue.” Her blush halted, immediately replaced with a bit of confusion. “Let’s just say I realized a bit too late that mayyyyybe you had a thing for her, and mayyyybe by putting you on the spot I was actually doing more harm than good. Yea....” As soon as that sentence left her mouth, Key Note was forced to take a step back as a pout consumed Vinyl’s expression. “H-hey, don’t look at me like that, I was just trying to help. If you really want your chance, there’s not a better time than now. Although, as you saw, she kinda left in a hurry for some reason, seemed real steamed as a matter of fact. And on top of that, we’re supposed to head straight back to the dorms after we finish up here so--” Autopilot almost took over, Vinyl’s feet once again gaining a mind of their own and preparing to walk with purpose to comfort her friend, that is until Key Note’s hand quickly grasped her shoulder. “Slow your roll V, you know the entire security staff knows your name and dorm room by heart. If they catch you, you’ll be up to your neck in lectures from Harshwhinny. Are you sure you can’t just wait till tomorrow?” A simple shake of the head from the blue-haired mare was all Key Note needed. “Well, If you think that’s best then I’m behind you I suppose. Don’t worry, I’ll cover for you, just don’t screw it up by getting caught alright?” A simple nod this time before the hand left her shoulder and she began to make her way to her destination. Even if she was conflicted about her feelings on the matter, that didn’t mean she couldn’t be a good friend. Didn’t matter if she was sexually desperate or not, she was going to be there to comfort her when she was down. How she made it in the end, she’ll never know. She was practically a flashing strobe light with that bright red dress on, and yet somehow, she was able to blend right into a group of students heading to the exact dorm building she needed. How lucky right? Thankfully, everyone had knowledge of Octavia’s closeness with her, else it would seem completely out of left field when Vinyl had to turn to Octavia’s roommates, an inseparable sister duo, twins no less. The two were practically in sync no matter what they were doing, singing, dancing, sleeping, and they even had the same weird sense of curiosity. So you can imagine the slight nervousness in Vinyl’s eyes when recognized the two and begged them to help her. A few strange glances back forth before a knowing smile spread across their faces and they eagerly aided her, forcefully pulled her along more like it, hiding her from security and letting her in their room. ***Clop*** Octavia’s ears twitched as the sound of the doorknob turning made itself obvious. Without even thinking, she yanked a pillow from her bed and rocketed it toward the intruder’s head. It connected without error, sending Vinyl to the ground in a fit of surprise. “I thought I made it painfully clear--” She began to yell out, but composed herself halfway through. “That you two--or...wait one? Wait a moment, who are--” Octavia quickly removed the pillow to view her friend in full. “V-Vinyl? What are--Wait, those two let you in didn’t they?” Vinyl nodded. “I should have known, that mischievous duo is always up to something. Well, as glad as I am that you were able to attend my performance, I suggest you find your way back to your dorm room. Your tardiness is already horrid, wouldn’t want to give Harshwhinny another reason to give you more busywork would we?” With a quick motion, Vinyl sprung to her feet, taking hold of Octavia’s hand and flashing her a look of determination. “Don’t worry Vinyl, I’m not mad at you for running off like you did. Whatever you’re going through, I’m sure we can work it out in the morning. Doesn’t mean you’re off the hook for avoiding me all day though.” A nervous smile spread across Vinyl’s face, Octavia laughing in response. “Oh my, I quite missed teasing you, dear. Even if you only avoided me for half a day, It still felt like forever. Pardon the complexity of this question but I must ask you something...important.” So much for that huge relief she wanted, now her anxiety was once again through the roof. What would she ask her? Did she somehow know even though Key Note didn’t get the chance to tell her? Buck, did she actually somehow mess up deleting the message? These doubts tugged at the strings of her psyche as Octavia made her way back to the window of her room, staring sorrowfully at the moon high in the sky. “If you had a chance to do something you truly loved, like going to school to get an actual degree for your craft, and suddenly you find yourself being pulled along another path by the expectations of others, what would you do?” The blue-haired mare’s eyes locked onto her friends, frozen in thought, stuck in place. What did that even mean? What was her friend going through that such a sad expression would cross her face after such a beautiful thing? Second by second, minute by long minute, Vinyl seemed intent on trying to figure out this question before any other. She wanted to run away again, maybe save this issue for the morning when she and Octavia had more sense of mind. Instead, her universe had other plans. Seeing the look of sadness on her face, the uncertainty in her body language, Vinyl’s body for the third time tonight executed autopilot mode. A step, a grab of her hips, and without so much as a hint of regret, although that would most likely come later, a kiss. Vinyl’s mind went blank. Octavia’s, not so much. Unsure at first, most certainly bucking confused. But then...comfortable. She found herself without the strength to fight it, leaning into the kiss with considerable acceptance. Vinyl herself couldn’t believe it. She was actually kissing Octavia, like on the lips. A dream and a half this was for her as Octavia’s motherly instinct simply took over as if she was teaching Vinyl the proper way to make out. Their tongues embraced each other like two serpents dancing around each other, Octavia’s constantly forcing Vinyl to fight for the right to her admiration. It was as if Octavia had been the one to initiate the kiss in the first place. Almost as if the two realized what they were building up to, a downside to her parental ways, she was first to break free, stumbling over her words to dissuade the sudden attack. “V-Vinyl I--oh dear, I d-didn’t mean to do that I just--you kissed me first and--I couldn’t help myself I...we can’t, this is highly inappropriate, what will everyo--” Vinyl had stopped listening, her mind already in the danger zone as far as she was concerned, feelings lost in the blur between reality and her almost surreal dreams. Actually pretty funny really, just like a wolf, back her into a corner or in her case force her anxiety up the creek, and suddenly she becomes the bravest thing on the planet. And for once in her anxiety-filled days, she’s glad her mind decided to check out, complete and utter autopilot. She felt no hesitation in gently taking hold of Octavia’s hand and leading her to the bed, a sultry look filling her eyes as she ever so quickly began to lose herself to her horny alter ego. Octavia was the complete opposite. Stuck on a neverending rollercoaster of emotions and trying her best to speak out against this situation, waving her hands in protest and turning her view away from Vinyl’s slightly curvier frame, anything that basically wasn’t pushing the mare to the ground and running away. But her point was all but useless as Vinyl’s fingers slipped under her dress, caressing her marehood ever so gently through her panties. An instinctual moan passed the mare’s lips. A devilish smile crossed the blue maned mare’s muzzle, reveling in the wetness that now covered her fingers. Proof that despite her protest, Octavia was getting one heck of a kick out of this, just as much as she was. Wanna know something hilarious? It took Vinyl minutes to get into her dress, minutes. That’s a long time to get into anything, and yet here she is, slipping both of theirs off like she didn’t just have trouble trying to figure out how to tie a knot behind her back. Vinyl couldn’t help but drool as she laid eyes upon the slender frame she always envisioned in her fantasies. She was...absolutely sexy...no, that word fails to do her justice. Minus the purple bra and panties she insisted on keeping on, everything about her was...beautiful? Stunning? A body worth worshipping? Well, the list could go on forever really. With Vinyl having complete control of her once confident friend, she returned the mare into her embrace, attacking her lower body by slowly caressing the fur along her thighs. Dear Celestia, her fur was so soft, so warm, and the smell, her signature scent of lavender would have easily broken a weaker Vinyl, but she wasn’t her right now, was she? Each time vinyl came ever so close to Octavia’s marehood, a twitch left her body like she was lost in Vinyl’s touch. Oh no no no, an itty bitty twitch wasn’t going to cut it, not at all. She wanted more from the grey mare and she was going to get it. So she partnered her lower work with an assault on Octavia’s upper region, planting kisses all over from her chest to her arms, anything to get a reaction. It worked, if only slightly. But then came the kicker, Vinyl trailing back up to Octavia’s neck before giving it a gentle nibble. The squeak of pleasure that escaped Octavia could have woken up the whole bucking building. But just because they might get caught doesn’t mean they should stop anytime soon. she continued her assault, Octavia’s body forced to eventually fail her sending her back first onto the bed, Vinyl now positioned over her on all fours. Her focus shifted to Octavia’s petite breasts, small, cute, but obscured by a lovely yet annoying purple bra. Vinyl glanced back up to Octavia’s eyes with a lustful hunger, the mare shaking her head in response but they both knew that wasn’t going to help. Vinyl brought her face close to the twins with a devil of a smile, giving one of them a small kiss before reaching under in search of the clasp that held the bra in place. Snap. Found it. Octavia wanted to stop her but she couldn’t. Vinyl knew she couldn’t, at the mercy of the pleasure that froze her to the bone. The bra hit the floor a moment later, revealing the blushing mare’s beautiful breasts in all their glory. Another make out session ensued, Vinyl hand’s working in connection to begin caressing the area around Octavia’s breasts, teasing her to the very core. She then transitioned to actually touching them, how they fit in her hands, how small they were compared to her own, feeling the nipples gently tickling her palms. There was almost no end to how cute the once strong and regal girl was, now reduced to a boiling puddle of lust. As Vinyl continued to play with one breast, her hand slipped down Octavia’s midriff and slid into her panties. Dear Celestia, she thought she was dripping before but now, she must have really needed this if she’s this wet. Hell, who was she kidding, Vinyl had crossed that line herself the second she landed that first kiss. In one slow and sensual motion, she hooked an index finger around Octavia’s undergarment and slid them down as far as her arm could reach, quickly returning to explore her now exposed sensitive marehood. She gently traced her finger around the area first, barely coming into contact just to elicit an innocent squeak in response. A silent giggle escaped her as she graduated from her teasing, rubbing two fingers along her needy lips in a slow circular motion. What was truly throwing Octavia over the edge, as if she weren’t already past that point, was the repetitive quick transition to lightning-fast circles over her clit before returning to slowly teasing her lips. Slow, fast, slow, fast, slow, fast, Octavia’s body couldn’t stay still at any moment during this, legs and arms unable to find a place to rest, back arching as the sensations wracked her body from top to bottom. And then it happened, she finally snapped. As if Vinyl being controlled by such demons was bad enough, Octavia suddenly became as strong as an ox, grabbing Vinyl by her arms and flipping their positions in an instant. With Vinyl now on her back and Octavia obviously more lost in lust than she was apparently, I mean she had done all that with her eyes closed for Celestia’s sake, she lifted one of Vinyl’s legs and replaced the empty space with her desperate marehood. Now it was Vinyl’s turn to feel the heat, letting out a non-existent moan as their nethers met for the first time. Back and forth, pulling away then pressing back against each other, Octavia held nothing back as she rubbed her marehood against Vinyl’s own. Even the feeling of the grey mare’s nether on her on thigh sent an instinctive pulse of pleasure through Vinyl, forcing her to buck her hips back in response. This feeling of lust, or love, whatever the buck it was, there wasn’t a thing in her life that could compare. It felt so good, great even, awesome more like it, better than anything she’d ever done in private, better than any fantasy she’d dreamed up. The feeling tore control away from her like she was a puppet strung with strings, made her hotter than any toy could ever do. This was real, this was happening, she was really making love with her best friend. And she wasn’t going to regret even a second of it. They were close. Octavia wanted the release just as much as she did, no more pulling away, no more trying out positions, she was now grinding her marehood against Vinyl’s like it was the last thing she’d do before she died. Surprising really, to find herself now on the receiving end of her earlier assault. If she had blessed with a voice, it would have been pretty much gone my morning as all she could do now was mouth the moans and squeaks she would have been annoying the many neighbors with. Octavia on the other hand was about as loud as they could possibly get, like there was some kind of megaphone right next to her mouth or something. “V-Vinyl!...I’m....I’m gonna...” Vinyl lept up, wanting nothing more than to have a part in the final actions they took toward ecstasy. She pulled her would-be lover into one last hug and kiss, the two now working in unison to push themselves to the limit. More shifting, more moaning, and then...the feeling. Their kiss deepened, and with a loving moan into Vinyl’s mouth, they both felt the rush of the finale. Fluids rushed out of them, slipping down their inner thighs and onto the sheets before they both fell over in exhaustion. Yes. This was everything dreamed of, both of them lost to their instincts, unable to pull away from each other. That was the pure bliss she wished for. It was heaven... And then with a sane mind now returned to her, She woke up. This seems like the perfect time to start making that list. Number one, she may have failed to think this through, at least to the degree most ponies should.