The Edge of Love

by RemainAtto

Rating: everyone
Tags: Octavia, DJ P0N-3, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance
Length: 3702

Would you like tracking some memories down with me, Octy?

This summer night in Ponyville train station was quite ordinary compared with every other single night that the trains there had witnessed with their dazzling lights. Its platform's edge seemed to be waiting for the next arrival to take away those impatient passengers. As two ponies were casually mumbling something on the bench, in a moment one of them a off-white unicorn lighted her horn to float a piece of crumpled paper and nervously read to the tender grey pony sitting beside her. It was not charming enough, seeming just a common poem that she manged to finish. Though she kept saying how cold this night was, a big surprise of love still embraced her - After all these years...

This is a story I wrote for the RIGHT BACK AT IT AGAIN -
2020 SHIPPING COMPETITION. Any constructive criticism is welcomed! Feel free to point out the mistakes!:twilightblush:

Published 2020-06-30 14:40:01 UTC
Last updated 2020-06-30 14:40:01 UTC

The Edge of Love

It's a little bit of cold out here, isn’t it?

Well, it’s been like… nine years? Well… Yeah, yeah. There is… still quite half an hour for the arrival of the last train, huh? Oh, the Equestrian Railways is always too stingy on arranging the train schedules. I mean, this is summer, the little foals are still playing on the grassland now, and the day falls even later! It’s like, it’s like… it had never been fallen before!
…
Would you like tracking some memories down with me, Octy? You know, just talk them afresh.

Like what? Err… Do you still remember the “definitely no over drinking promise”? I feel like I’d break it since now you are going to – Ouch! I’m just kidding! But to tell you in secret, I’ve kept some bottles under my bed all along – And you had never found it out! – Wait, you knew that?

Yeah… I was going through a bottom of my life… But wasn’t that pretty constant for me? Everypony has their own hardship. Who has held the cardinal virtues of empathy and had never let it slip away at any time? When you get to Canterlot, you must make sure that the ponies around you are really reliable and… Oh, that’s right. You are more familiar with that place than this silly filly. So let’s just move… get back to me?

There’s nothing about me that is more important than you now, Octy. No... Yes. You should stop thinking back to the memories in Ponyville. After all, you are going to have a divine fame in Canterlot and live with those pretty ponies like you! Don't you always dream for that?
...
Hey... still remember the last time before the promise we got high? Aha, You can’t stop me from telling this now! Oh, oh! Remember what you replied after I said “Missh Melody, y'a cello is gonna be shuffocated by y'a hug”? Ouch! – Hey! Let me finish! – “W’at? Are y’a telling me w’at to do with my coltfri’nd?” – My fault! My fault! Ouch! It really hurts!

Yes, I’m ok. I mean, if turntables are less sharper, I might do the same when I'm drunk, too. Nothing to be embarrassed about.

Coltfriend? Poof – never had any interest. I do rather be all alone and secretly getting old. Trust me, nopony could bear my uncertain weather. I’ve already gotten used to it – Hey, You want some ice cream? I saw a… It’s over the platform, not far. Wait a moment!
…

They only have vanilla, so I just got you vanilla. Sorry, I know you never adored vanilla.

It's OK? Great.
…
Dreams are about to come true, right? It feels like meeting you was just yesterday, and all those yesterdays were built for this moment. Finally, to have a more charming air, maybe a better roommate… Oh, how could you need a roommate anyway? Poof – I didn’t get much sleep last night, so there might be something unclear blurring my expressions. Sorry.

Well, I just didn’t feel like sleeping, wondering if I forgot to do something… Something that is of importance, that I can’t refuse to block out... Besides, it thundered last night - It isn't? That's weird. I thought I heard horrible thunders.

That I'm over thinking? Oh - I do sometimes wonder if we are bad ponies that can't even keep a promise. Thank Celestia that you just got drunk for once, and threw up on only... several washroom floors. You should never drink that much ever again. Drinking makes us awful ponies. I do rather let you punch me to let your feelings out.

Oh, I'm way stronger than you think – Have a try! Here, on the belly, see how emotionless I'll – Ouch! I wasn't ready! No tickles! That's illegal! - Ah, it's alright. I'm just like a vanilla pony that you could never peacefully deal with. No no, just let me clean it.
...
Ahh... Have I ever told you how unsocial I was?

No, way before we met. I think I've never told anypony about that. Even I have something buried inside. Nope? Aha, then you'll be the first pony who ever gets the very first opportunity to know the darkest rumors and scandals of the soon-to-be-the-greatest-DJ-in-all-Equestria pony. Feeling hyped already?

OK - Before we became roommates, I once lived with a green unicorn, named Lyra Heartstrings - Yes, our friend. And we had never talked about this to you. This may explain that why you didn't get Lyra to be your roommate - Hooo! I shouldn't...

... Promise you won't get mad?

Well, when you appeared in Ponyville me and Lyra were curious about why you chose this little town, and Lyra bet you were just like her that got sick of the air in Canterlot, so just left that place behind to find inner peace. Well, at least that was Lyra's far-fetched excuse - She actually has a mad love in the candies in Ponyville, as you could imagine, while I just simply thought you were just like me - and allow me explain that. The motive of us guessing your story was that, the first few months that I moved to Ponyville my disposition was quite like yours - at least from how it looked on the surface.

You would not believe that I once was seemed as an aloof mare that had never cared others business, only due to the way that I always wore earphones while walking and whenever somepony came to me to ask the way I just made a crazy point to wherever I indiscriminately suggested. I thought wearing earphones actually implied that you don't want to be bothered or that you are not a talkative creature! Celestia, how naive I was!

Anyway, I just loved to go for a stroll while listening to some electronic music. It makes me... not so depressed and lonely, I guess. Lyra kept warning me not to wear earphones so frequently, for I could never make reactions whenever she called me to help out - Poof, I was just conveniently ignoring the things she said. And uh - that was one side, that Lyra and I didn't quite get along with each other. It's funny that the big cities ponies would unaffectedly think their best friend would be a pony that has the exactly same background as them, and the so-called attraction turned out to be a liar. So when you showed up, we were all dying to see if you were the one we were looking for - though we had opposite hopes on you. Thank Celestia that Bon-Bon accidentally abducted her away, otherwise we won't be able to know each other... Lyra's more aggressive than me, in some ways.

Oh, it seemed I forgot the part of my trick. Yeah, nothing much, just when Lyra was about to win you over, I once passed by the Sugarcube Corner in dismay, and found one strange mare arguing with Pinkie Pie about how to make candies in right way. Wow, I've never seen Pinkie being an underdog in argument, but that mare just managed to get Pinkie under her spells. So I thought, she'd be the right pony to take Lyra away. And it turned out to come true! I treated her a dinner and introduced Lyra to her, Lyra thought herself had visited all the candy makers in ponyville, and were deeply doubting that Bon-Bon - the mare, was a fake one. But on the one hoof, we did never know her before - she has secret identities, I believe so.

I guess the point I'm making is, though Lyra was a professional player like you, even had the temperature which was more similar to mine, we didn't become close friends. I would say we were friends, but just not so earnest as it may sound.
The days with her were undeniable. We had arguments on small things, but most of all we were just living our own lives, maybe sharing some news of our work, but uh - It didn't feel like the way of ours. You know when at a certain point, you just know that whether you two can be in what kind of relationship, and how you would just face it. We didn't meet at the very start, but I still felt like you would be a unique pony in my life, and how you would become an angel to pull me out of the muddy tracks. Whatever it was a more peaceful change I did not give a damn, that just enough to be a change would make me feel alive again.

We fought a lot - undeniably.

I don’t know. All I was thinking was we were getting old, Octy. And I was not comfortable with it. What would happen next? I was so… afraid of you leaving me high and dry...
…
Well, do you still remember that night when Princess Luna returned? We just became roommates, and you went out to buy some groceries. We were in a kind of cold manner for a tiny argument and hardly spoke to each other. When the outside chaos began I was half drunk on the sofa, shakily pressing my numb face to feel its existence. You were gone for so long that I started to feel lonely in the cold living room, as if I had never lived my life on my own and you were there with me for my entire life. That feeling of losing something important made me so sad that I could not stop groaning for my forgiveness. I was like a monster, a speechless monster, a monster that could even not have a warm conversation with you just to figure you were still mad at me or not. I always did that. I hid my tearful face and shames under my shades, letting you know that I was a big-hearted pony, or even a bit of shameless. So, yeah, I've been a hypocrite for years. Sorry... And that explained why there were changes later when you opened the front door and found everything - including me was improved in a strange way. You may think it was the snacks you bought back made a great affection, but nope - the truth always hides beneath the surface of actions.

And the reason I threw that night out on the table now is that... You were extremely late for home that night, so I decided to look for you instead of gradually dying on the sofa. Yes, that's why you found me ghostly wandering around the dim streets, almost as horrible as the horror that Nightmare Moon has brought. I was pretty curious that there was nopony on the streets, didn't really aware that one great disaster was taking over Equestria, just considering it as an ordinary night which ponies had a exhausted day and only wished to get in touch with sweet dreams sooner. So, my mindlessness created fearlessness. No wonder you admired me as a mental incorrect psycho and treated me more sensitively for quite a while after that night uh - However, You probably couldn't understand this, but I do still have a quite clear memory of that night. I believe you dropped all the groceries and immediately carried me home. You used to be kind of insecure, especially when facing some unannounced incidents. But that tender night under the stars, I smelled the flavors of wine from your mane. I was... not quite understand and thought that was just my own breathe. But the fact was you went to drink that night, right? You might have done that for many times, just not as much as I drank. But still... were you a bit sad?

... Why? Octy, what is it?

... Because of me?

...

Well, I guess the train’s late. Sorry for that…

Really? I don’t think I've said “sorry” like a million times. It’s just my… my new pet phrase.

Weird? Yeah, pretty weird…
...
I err... wrote something for you... or us... or my poor life... or our old times... You know how I'm bad at lyrics and poems so just uh... Ahem! Let me know if you get bored...

They surmise I'm lonely and I am, but not how they relate to.
There once was a pair of violet shades covered me and it still do.
And the only difference comes from the echoes of my heart, that eternally remains from my withered dreams.
When there was no pony around, I just hid behind the bleeding lights.
Until the sunlight went through the night and my drowsy head.
Then I began to memorize my life.
And I could laugh.
For I saw hope in dear silence.
So I begged and screamed, in order to stay sane.

They surmise I'm lonely and I am, but not how they relate to.
There once was a chance for me to stretch the stage in a wild, new world.
But it drifted away as an impassive stranger, that I could never get along with.
So the only remains to seek ware some hollow bottles and faded grace.
Then I left inside, to nowhere in lies.
When there was no pony around, I tried to collect what I had at the very beginning.
And I threw me onto the bed, never cared why I heard somepony knocking on the front door.
Maybe I will try to open it.
But it will eventually shut within a few seconds.

They surmise I'm lonely and I am, but not how they relate to.
Years after I still cherish the change that came from that warm winter.
When there was no pony around, I just closed my eyes and tried to accept what I could catch.
Even pieces of black-and-white photographs, of those illusions oddly whispered beside my ears.
And I put on a once-in-a-lifetime show.

But since one fine morning -
A strange, heavy instrument occurred half of my land.
I was quite pissed.
"Don't you know how to be less hulking?"
I mocked from the old, inclined sofa, with a judging hoof waved in air, that pulled me down on the floor with face crashed on the ground.

I miss the rush hours of your rehearsals, the way you hurried to practice, grace combining with 5 a.m sunshine.
"Why you got up so early?"
I complained, taking drowsily steps that led me to kiss the door frame involuntarily.

I miss that time when we tottered together under the dreamy lights.
You threw up so much, that I stayed up all night with your shaking soul.
"Are y' okay?"
I couldn't bear to see you break inside, but I didn't know you would bite every creature who dared to cuddle you with love.
Well, perhaps you were too drunk to bear that psycho mare, too.

Still I, I miss the last Hearth’s Warming Eve we spent together, or the last dancing together.
You surmise I'm lonely and I am, just like how you relate to.
When I shared my only poor hobby with you, that we walked the downtown back and forth, sharing one pair of earphones.
You required for classical music, so I awkwardly remained silent.
In my silence, you beamed and took my ugly hooves,
"It's music after all." Gently you whispered.

So we traveled to the fountain, sitting close to each other on the park bench.
“Well, never ever had the idea that I'd get along with an enthusiastic pony.”
And we became friends.

Tomorrow, tomorrow will be greater -
We woke up to embrace the present, so we shall fall asleep to dream of the future.
Octy, here we are, on the edge of the horizon.
I prepared much more then this pale nonsense, but nothing is worth recalling at this moment.
Hush the memories, so we could be all alone.
Dancing to the songs of pop classical.
Let the stream of life flows.
On the boat we beat on,
We shall say Adios...

Ah... it's too bad... I feel like this should go straight into the trash can... I'll just throw - What? You like it? Really?

Well, I'm honored...

What? Of course you are beautiful. You are the most attractive pony I've ever met. Why would you - Which part…? Why would you ask so? Well… I would say… your violet eyes and silver streaked mane. Pick one? Err…

I do seldom been hesitated... Oh, the train’s here… finally. Octy, Look! How… big and... empty it is…

Scared? Why would you be scared? Fear is for weak ponies like me to have. Come on, even Bulk stopped wiping his cheap tears - I thought you two would be a fine couple - But uh, seriously, you have nothing to worry about... Hey, tell me just which part of Bulk attracted you in your letter, alright? I'm not gonna lie, that I have been suffering for wondering the answers whenever I went to sleep. It was like an enigma to me, and every time I brought this up you just smiled back without explanations - But I really want to know! Could you tell me pleaseeee?

Nah, I don't think I could get another opportunity to leave Ponyville. Even if... There is still something about this place and I do rather be a keeper… I guess… Our home! Yeah. I think I’ll keep it in the old way. Those old-school chimneys and sanded wooden walls, I’ll make sure that they will eternally stay the same – just in case if sometimes you want to come back to Ponyville and need a comfortable place to stay, as long as it won't be too humble for you. I mean, who knows if you'll be surrounded by some new friends in Canterlot that can not bear my messy lifestyle. For what I already knew, you never liked that. Sorry for uh, making our life so messed up before.

Hey! Don’t forget your purse! I’ve lost like a million purses, with the money that might make me unlikely this poor. Yeah, I’ve lost many things, many… important things…

Oh, I will be more than just fine. There are still things to be tried, like reading, working out, maybe going to the hospital and tell fairy tales to those innocent little patients... Life’s beautiful among even just one narrow path, I believe so. And besides, who said that I had to move along on the road? I'll just make a way out of my own. Yup – I could name myself as "DJ Pon-X", which stands for my mysterious weather - Who knows, maybe I'll be more famous for it! And once I'm available, I will surly come to see you. Think about that, how great would that be.

It’s a little cold, right? This reminds me of that cool river in Canterlot. The soft lights and marble path, ponies who are certainly lost would plainly paced around there with the hoofsteps as pale as the moonlight. And that was… the time I lost the competition because of my drinking problem… And you yelled at me, cried with me… And that was the time you got drunk... I could’ve had the chance to put down roots in Canterlot with you, but I... just wasn’t built for that place, I didn’t have the courage to strive for… for that. Maybe some shallow shows, but not a really reliable way...

You know, I thought you were going to stay in Ponyville when you decided to run for the vice-headmare of the School of Friendship. That time we performed so... But ah... Never mind...

Please don’t forget to call me up, I don’t want to be a lonely queen again. Make sure that everything’s on the right track, alright? Do not keep on practicing till your hooves start to twitch again, do not over drink without some earnest ponies beside you, do not think of me whenever you want to. You should be happy and enjoy your life, while I enjoy mine.

For Celestia’s sake I will never forget you, Octy! I lo – ve being friends with you. You – you are a beautiful mare. Though at the start I didn’t really get your weather, you just managed to get me obsessed with classical stuffs, the things that the old version of me had never seriously treated before. I love the way you changed me, it made me not so awful as before. I was too wild! Well, I still am but…

I wish I could…

Say something besides sorry…

Once more...

No, I'm not crying...

What’s that…?

An… extra ticket?

Why would you – uh!

Mmm…

What?

Did you just say –

...

Alas... Honestly, I don't deserve you. But uh, since you... I think we shall take the train now. Be careful of the edge! We've finally crossed that. And by the way – Yes!!! I love you too, Tavi! Yes! I adore you! Let’s run together!

Author's Note

For those who has the same question as me when was revising this story that just why Vinyl refused to put down roots in Canterlot was that, she was afraid of leaving Tavi and when Tavi finally decided to get settled in Canterlot, her fear turned to a worry which Tavi may not find that she had something for her. So the "keeper" and "opportunities" things were just excuses. Maybe that was what called "confusing how to capture love while just letting it go by oneself". I hope I made the point clear.
Also, there are some details that actually implied that Tavi has been caring for Vinyl in a reserved way, that sent out from their topics, which is a thing that I also think worth tasting.
One more angle is that how Vinyl met Tavi was like how meeting MLP was like for me, I feel like this could count as a part of the inspirations.
Lastly, I hope my poor writing did fulfill this story and gave you a good time while reading! :twilightsheepish: