Musical Love.

Golden Bass, my Canterlot ex-marefriend. She’s a drummer that I dated a long time ago, but despite her choice in instrument, shes still as uppity, snobby, and prissy as almost any other Canterlot mare, but with one key difference. Golden Bass was certifiably insane. “What? Can’t I just say hello to an old friend?” Golden Bass asks, giving me that plastic smile she thought she was so good at, but you could always tell what she was really thinking.

Now I was pissed, but despite how much I’ve changed I still instinctually clench my hoof. she thought she could just waltz into one of my gigs and act like we were friends. It took everything I had not to go off on her. “We’re not friends, we were barely even acquaintances.” I say, trying to get an idea of why she was here.

Now Golden Bass was mad, she shoots me one those trademark scowls she always put on when she didn’t get what she wanted. “Oh real mature Vi, you…”

“Don’t call me that!” I snap, almost growling at her, instantly feeling a twitch of fear after the outburst. “You lost the right to call me anything a long time ago, it’s DJ Pon3 to you, just everypony else.” I say, in a more calm manner.

“Thank Celestia.” I hear another familiar voice call from behind me. I turn around to look at Octavia standing a few feet behind me, walking over. “I thought you already left. You got off the stage so quickly I lost sight of you. I was worried I wouldn’t get to you in time.”

At that moment I suddenly get an idea of how to get away from this situation and decide to go for it. “I’m sorry babe,” I say walking over to Tavie. “I knew you were getting back tonight so I was trying to get home on time to have dinner with you.” I then plant a small peck on Tavie’s cheek, her face flushing.

I then brush my cheek against hers to position my muzzle right next to her ear. “Please just play along. I’ll explain later, but I really need your help.” Tavie glances down at me and flashes a warm smile that turns more to worry when she sees my face.

“Don’t apologize, it was my fault. I wanted to come and surprise you, although in hindsight maybe I should have told you I was here before you finished your last song.” Tavie then glances over at Golden Bass. “I’m sorry, I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Octavia Melody, you are?

Golden Bass eyes Tavie for a moment, obvious skepticism written all over her face. After a moment of her gauging Tavie, she extends a hoof out, inviting Tavie to shake it. “I’m Golden Bass, I’m one of Vinyl’s old friends.” I clench Tavies hoof that I had grabbed onto when I hear those words. Golden Bass lowers her hoof after Tavie didn’t make move to shake it. ”And who might you be to Vinyl?” she asks, a sinister grin spreading across her face.

“As I said I’m Octavia Melody” This time Tavie’s the one to extend a hoof forward. “I’m Vinyl’s marefriend. It’s nice to meet you, Golden Bass.” Golden Bass takes a few steps forward and shakes Tavie’s hoof. “Sorry to cut this short.” Tavie starts, shifting to wrap the forehoof I was grasping, around my shoulder. “But tonight is one of my nights off and the Orchestra doesn’t give me many of those. I’d like to get home and recharge with my little ball of energy here.” Tavie nuzzles my cheek and sticks her muzzle in my hair, making a point of sniffing loudly and giggling.

Golden Bass’ eyes go wide and the hairs on her back seem to bristle and I can’t help but flinch at the sight. Tavie looks back over at her, returning the glare Golden Bass was now shooting her. “So we’re gonna get going, unless you have a problem with that.” Now, thanks to our close contact, I could feel the instant Tavie’s fur started bristling slightly as well, her grip on my shoulder tightening slightly, but not enough to hurt at all..

Golden Bass grits her teeth and flings her head to the side. “No go ahead, have a nice night.” She says in a normal even tone before turning her head back to watch us leave.

“Time to go home babe.” Tavie says, escorting me out of the building.

We walk through the front door, and the second the fresh cold night air hits me, I let out the breath I didn’t even realise I was holding. As the breath leaves me I feel something else rising with it. “Oh god.” I say, running over to the nearby bushes before throwing up. I wipe my face off with one of towels sticking out of my equipment bag that I usually use for my sweat.

“Come with me.” Tavie says, putting her leg around me and walking me up the street.

“Actually my house is the other way.” I correct, Putting the towel back in one of the bags, trying to get Tavie to stop.

“Not tonight It’s not.” Tavie says, forcing me to keep trotting next to her. “You’re coming back to my place.”

“What?” I ask, trying to figure out what exactly is happening. “Why? I really need to get home and put my equipment away.” I levitate one of the bags closer and give it a small shake.

“No!” Tavie lets go of me and shouts, catching me off guard. “You not only owe me an explanation for whatever the Tartarus just happened.” Tavie then lowers her voice and leans into me. “But we also don’t know if that mare is following us, from the way you looked in front of her, I’m assuming she’s the kind of pony who would do that.”

“Definitely.” I admit letting out a sigh. “And you’re right, I did promise you an explanation. I can’t just dump a situation like that on you and then leave, but can that talk wait until we get home?”

“Sure.” Tavie agrees, moving a little closer to me. “In the meantime…” Tavie flutters her eyelashes at me. “How about we change the topic. I know, we can talk about that kiss you gave me the other day.”

My face flushes a bit at the mention of my previous deed and I look away from Tavie. “Well, uh…” I struggle with my speech for a bit, trying to find the right words to use. “Come on Vinyl, now is not the time for this, you just ran into… her, and you can’t deal with this right now..” I berate myself in my mind, trying not to appear too shaken. “Sorry, but can that wait for a different day? I don’t want to think about it right now.” I ask, glancing back over at Tavie.

Tavie deflates a bit and looks away from me. “I guess.”

It takes everything I have not to let out a heavy sigh at the sound of the disappointment in her voice. “I have something we can talk about though.” I shift my head around so I can look Tavie in the eye. “Why were you at my show looking for me?”

Tavie lets out an adorable squeak and averts her gaze from mine. “Well, I wanted to know what exactly was going on between us. Also…” Tavie looks up at me and makes eye contact, a blush coming over her face. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, I missed you, I missed you, I missed you.” I hear the echoing of Golden Bass’ words in my head and my blood runs cold.

“No, Tavie is nothing like her. Get a hold of yourself Vinyl.” I think, raising a hoof to feel my chest. “Your breathing is shallow and your head is throbbing.” I try to stabilize my breathing when I feel a hoof on the back of my shoulder once again. I swing my hoof up to smack it away and I immediately feel the sting on my foreleg. “DON’T TOUCH ME!” I shout, glaring at Gold- “Octavia…?”

I thought my blood ran cold before, but now it’s ice cold and every blood vessel in my body hurts with a frosty and bitter sting. Octavia's face is one of pure shock, and worry. “Wait, I didn't mean to.” I say in an almost inaudible tone. “Let me explain.”

Octavia doesn’t make a move, she just stands there staring at me. “Y-you hit me.” Octavia manages to say.

“No wait, I didn’t realize. I thought you were her and-”

“Her?” Octavia interrupts me. “Her who? That mare back at the club? I knew you looked uncomfortable back there, but this is extreme. Who the Tartarus was that, that you’d react like that?”

I once again try to steady my breathing and calm down a bit. “She’s my e-” I choke on my words and lose my composure. “My ex-marefriend.” I say as quickly as possible.

Octavia just blinks, once, twice, thrice. “What!?” she finally screeches after processing the information. “What did she do to you?”

“She…” I raise a hoof up and place it on my left lens. “I trusted her, and she betrayed that trust.” I let out a sigh and lower my hoof. “She was the fifth pony to see me without my show glasses on, and she made me regret it.”

Octavia walks up and extends a hoof towards me, hesitating to touch me. Feeling impatient I take a step forward and nuzzle her hoof with my cheek. Then, to my surprise, Tavie gives me a small smile before wrapping her hoof around the back of my neck and pulling me into a kiss so gentle I feel like I can just float there and be perfectly fine. This kiss is different then the first, this one isn’t one sided. Not only is Octavia kissing me, but without even realising it I had wrapped both my forehooves around Tavie and kissed her back.

After what feels like forever and yet not nearly long enough, Tavie pulls away from me, taking in a few gasps for air. “Well, I wasn’t expecting that.” Tavie raises a hoof and wipes a small strand of saliva from her lower lip. “But consider me pleasantly surprised.”

“Me too.” I say, reluctantly taking my hooves off Tavie.

“It’s a shame though.” Tavie says, rubbing the back of her neck with a hoof. “I had this whole, ‘gentle kiss’ thing planned out in my head to help comfort you and calm you down. But the kiss was more ‘intense’ than I had expected and I completely forgot about it.”

“Sorry I ruined your plan, but we should get going.” I look over my shoulder back at the club entrance. “I want to get out of here before Golden Bass comes out here.”

“Agreed.” Tavie says, her smile falling into one far more serious and concerned. “I really didn’t care for that mare.” Tavie walks over to stand beside me and nudges me to start walking. I comly and she follows along next to me. “I know there’s a lot we don’t know about each other, but I want you to know you can trust my Vinyl. That being said,” Tavie frowns and looks down at the ground. “I don’t want you to feel like I want to know everything. You have a right to keep things to yourself and have secrets, I won’t pressure you to tell me anything you’re not comfortable with, okay?

“You can’t be sure of that.” I say. “You never know what will happen, if you get curious about something it’s only natural to try and figure it out.” As I finish talking Tavie pulls me into a dark alleyway. “What are you doing?” I ask, more confused than concerned,

“Short cut.” Tavie simply says. “This is the quickest way back to my apartment, it only takes about five minutes going through here.”

“Really?” I wonder to myself. “Wasn’t Tavie’s apartment on the other side of Detrot? Something seems off.” I continue to follow Tavie through the back alleys looking at the various pieces of graffiti. Eventually we come up on an open street. “Where are we?” I ask, glancing up and down the street and at what seemes to be an antique store in front of us.

“This is my home.” Tavie says, smiling widely.

“What about the apartment from the other night?”

“Well…” Tavie says, fidgeting with her bow tie. “I might have two.”

“What happened to 'The Canterlot Orchestra not paying as much as I think’ hmm?” I ask, in an accusatory tone similar to a parent who caught their foal telling a lie.

“Yeah, about that.” Tavie looks down at her hooves. “I get paid very well, actually. I use the apartment from before to have guests and meetings, it’s not a waste though, there is another mare that I split the rent with, she lives there. This one though…” Tavie gestures at the floor above the antique store. “This is where I live, home sweet home.” Tavie walks up to the front door and pulls a different key out of her collar than she had the previous night, Turning the handle Tavie walks in and I follow behind.

“Are we supposed to be in here?” I ask glancing around at all the little trinkets.

“Yeah, the staircase to my apartment is in the back room.” Tavie brushes the beads hanging from a doorway in the back out of her way. “I’m good friends with the store owner, she’s the mare I rent from, she lives in the basement because she loves the cold.”

“I get that.” I say, glancing around and following Tavie up the stairs. At the top of the stairs is another door and Tavie pulls out yet another key.

“I hope you don’t mind, but this apartment isn’t as tidy as the show one I took you to last time.” Tavie turns the key in the lock and the door creaks open, revealing a mess of a living room. Papers of sheet music are strewn over the coffee table and the couch, on the floor are various food containers and drink cups, and different pieces of clothing are scattered around.

“Not as tidy?” I ask sarcastically, raising an eyebrow. Tavie turns around to glare at me as I kick the door shut, continuing to walk forward.

“Okay so maybe this is more dirty than I care to admit.” Tavie picks up a few pieces of clothes from around the couch and tosses them over near a door in the corner I’m guessing leads to her bedroom. “I don’t really let anyone in so…”

“Is this lingerie?” I say, cutting Tavie off and holding up a skimpy looking, black, see through piece of clothing.

Tavie screams, not yelps, eeps, gasps, or squeeks, but full on screams as she rushes over and snatches the clothing from my hand. “Don’t touch that.” Tavie chastises me. She walks over to the door with the pile in front of it and tosses the undergarments into the room and shuts the door once more.

“I’m not judging you, you just don’t seem like the type to…”

“I’M NOT!” Tavie cuts me off this time. “I bought them out of curiosity. I didn’t like the way they looked on me though, so I just tossed them wherever, I didn’t realise they were out here.” Tavie regains her composure before speaking once again. “Besides, I believe we’re here to talk about you, not me.”

I contemplate if I want to try and stall for a little more time, but ultimately I decide against it. “You're right, where should I start..” I relent with a sigh, walking over and taking a seat on the couch. Tavie just walks into the open kitchen to the left of the living room, not paying my question any mind. After a moment she comes back with a big trash bag.

“I’m going to pick up some of this garbage while you decide where you want to start.” Tavie does just that and starts picking up a bunch of the random food and drink containers making sure to not accidentally throw away any papers.

“Thanks Tavie.” I say, a soft smile gracing my lips, but the happiness was short lived. “Golden Bass…” I start, pausing a minute to swallow the lump in my throat. “She was my mare friend back when I lived in Canterlot.”

“Wait.” Tavie blurts out, her head shooting up. “You lived in Canterlot!?”

“Yeah.” I say evenly, not sure why Tavie is freaking out. “Is there something wrong with that?”

“No. it’s just… I’m surprised, you don’t really seem like the Canterlot type.” I raise my brow and Tavie throws her hooves up to defend herself. “Wait, wait. That came out wrong. What I mean is, you don’t seem like you’d deal with most of those rich snobs.”

“Unfortunately, I was technically one of those rich snobs.” I say, taking a moment to remember some of my days back in Canterlot Academy. I cringe at the thought and put my focus back on Tavie, who I now realise is laughing in my face. “What?”

“I, I just can’t imagine you like that. Holding your nose in the air, flaunting your wealth.” Tavie covers her mouth and starts violently choking. “Wear-wearing fluffy dresses.” she manages to wheeze out.

“For the record I look hot in any dress.” I tease. I take a moment to try and gather my thoughts. “Should we get back on topic? We can talk about my family and my Canterlot roots another time.”

“Yes, yes, you were saying.” Tavie holds up her hoof and gestures for me to keep going as she walks over to the couch and sits next me.

“Everything started back in Canterlot academy, there I met the pony I thought I would spend the rest of my life with, oh how wrong I was. Her name was Golden Bass.”