It was half a week following Starlight Glimmer's ultimately unsuccessful attempt to re-write the timeline. The unicorn may have been forgiven by Twilight and her friends, but she still felt that she didn't really belong in Ponyville... or anyplace, really. Thus, in an attempt to allow her to get to know the locals and let them decide for themselves whether she really belonged, Twilight had begun encouraging her to get out of the castle and meet up with others outside of Spike and the Six.
Starlight didn't get how trying to know Ponyville's residents would help her understand why she did belong here, but out of a desire not to let her mentor down she'd decided to comply. And so it was that Starlight was seated at a cafe with a half-eaten hayburger in front of her, listening to Octavia Melody talk about a performance she'd taken part in recently.
"...So really, in the end it is all just a matter of perspective. Many of the patrons from Canterlot felt it was some of the finest work I've ever done. As for me personally, I didn't feel like I practiced enough on that piece. Parts of it seemed off to me, and still do."
"I see what you're getting at, kind of," Starlight admitted. "I've heard the term 'practice makes perfect' before as applied to music, and those with trained ears would be able to tell whether it sounds just right to them... right?"
Octavia sighed. "Got it in one, Miss Glimmer. It's one of those times where I regret letting Vinyl talk me into performing it as it was."
"'Vinyl'?" Starlight asked, an eyebrow raised in confusion.
"Oh... right, I forgot you haven't been around here long." Octavia took a sip from the cup of tea she was drinking. "Vinyl Scratch, disc jockey and Ponyville's resident expert in music-based technology. You might recognize the name 'DJ P0N-3'."
Starlight blinked as familiarity struck. "I think I saw her at that party Pinkie threw at the castle after Twilight first took me in. Electric blue mane, purple shades?"
"That's her."
A frown. Something's off about this... "I'm not sure I understand, Octavia. Why would her opinion influence your decision to play your music as it was? I mean... no offense, but your respective styles sound so... different."
Octavia smiled for the first time that conversation. "No offense taken; you're hardly the first pony to tell me that. To answer your question, Vinyl's been a long-time friend of mine. We'd known each other from youth on, and even when our interests and mannerisms diverged, she was always very supportive of me and vice versa." She tapped her chin with a hoof. "That's not to say she can't be irritating sometimes, of course. ...Or a lot of times, really. But she tries, and that's what matters. So, why wouldn't I take the opinions of my closest friend into consideration before making a decision?"
Starlight winced, wondering not for the first time whether her last meeting with her foalhood friend Sunburst could've gone differently. If only I could've gotten to speak to him one more time before he was taken to that school... "Forgive me if I'm prying, but... has Vinyl ever done anything to make you really frustrated?"
Octavia chuckled softly at this. "Actually, I don't mind answering this. It wasn't funny at the time, but as the years go by I've found myself laughing whenever I think of this incident. How much time do you have?"
"I should be asking you that question, Octavia. Don't you have practice to get back to?"
"Nothing that can't wait for a few minutes. My next performance isn't for another three days and I know what songs to play, so I have plenty of time to prepare."
Starlight took a bite of her hayburger, then glanced at the sky while doing a bit of mental math. "I'll be free for a while, it looks like. I'm supposed to be helping Applejack out with something today, but that's not for a few hours yet."
"Alright." The musician motioned towards Starlight's chair. "You might want to make sure you're comfortable for this."
The ex-time abuser straightened in her seat, then gestured for Octavia to continue...
Years Ago
This happened back when Vinyl and I had just embarked on our respective careers. Neither of us were making too many bits at first, so we pooled our resources and bought a residence in Ponyville that wasn't crammed alongside the rest of the town. It was for the best, as Vinyl's playing tended to disturb the neighbors, and I wanted to be able to carry out my own practicing away from the hustle and bustle of Canterlot.
One day, I was out in Canterlot doing some time with the orchestra. Vinyl was staying at home and getting some practice in before a next-night gig. She had a tendency at the time to get a little too absorbed in her music, to the point where she'd play for hours and forget to eat. By the time she was done, it was late in the evening and she was feeling... well, I won't mince words: she was positively wiped out. Wanted nothing more than to go to bed and get some much-needed sleep.
It was while she was headed for her room that she remembered that she'd forgotten to get the mail. Instead of playing it smart and just letting me take care of it, as I was on my way home via the train, her brain was addled just enough that she decided to get it herself before going to bed. Goes to show that when you're exhausted, it's rare that you think straight.
So, Vinyl retrieved the mail as intended and was about to re-enter the house when her exhaustion got the better of her.
"Wait, you're not telling me she---?"
I most certainly am, Miss Glimmer. She passed out right there in front of the door. And when I returned home twenty minutes later, that's where she was, snoring and curled up like a foal.
"...Wow. What did you do?"
There wasn't much I could do in that situation. As energetic as she is during the day, nothing short of a monster attack will wake her up when she's asleep. I walked around her and let myself into the house.
"She didn't just stay out there all night, did she? That couldn't have been healthy."
No, thankfully. Eventually it got through to her that something wasn't right, since I heard her entering shortly after I got in. I thought to myself, 'she probably didn't eat much today', so I decided to hurry and fix her a decent meal so that she wouldn't be miserable in the morning. I was a bit peckish myself, so... two birds with one stone, and that.
...It's worth bearing in mind two things in this situation, Miss Glimmer. One, Vinyl was always the better cook. Two, cooking when you're tired is not the smartest decision in itself.
"Was the food just subpar? Or did it end up getting burned?"
Yes, it was very much burned. There's 'rare', 'medium', and 'well-done', and then there's 'disintegrated'.
"Oh, boy..."
The understatement of the year. While I was cooking, the stove caught fire. I have to confess that I panicked; house fires are a bit out of my experience. ...And so are bonfires, for that matter. Before I'd recovered my wits, the fire had spread to the countertop and adjoining larder.
"Ooooh..."
Vinyl got over her own panic and went to set off an emergency flare intended to alert any weather pegasi in the area, while I grabbed a fire extinguisher and tried to keep the fire at bay. Mind you, the sheer heat wasn't doing my mane and coat any favors. I could at least take comfort in knowing that help was on the way after I heard the flare go off, so I did my best to stay the course.
Here's where things became vexing. I'd just managed to get rid of the fires on the countertop, though the stove and larder were both beyond saving. I heard a thump from behind me, and when I turned to look, I found out that Vinyl had fallen asleep on the floor again.
"...Again? Seriously?"
Seriously. Sprawled out on her back and everything. It wasn't due to the smoke or flames: she was tired, plain and simple, and I knew that. That didn't change the fact that this was really not the time for her to be konked out. I think that was the angriest I'd ever been at her, before or since. I lost my temper and started yelling at her to get up and help me. We had another extinguisher on the property, but it would've been pointless to have unless she used it.
My yelling didn't wake her up. What did was the realization that her music station had caught on fire due to a stray spark. By the time she'd galloped off and returned with the other extinguisher, there wasn't any saving the station. The best we could do was try and minimize the overall damage.
"I think I'm beginning to see where this is going."
Long story short, we were finally able to put out the fire before outside help arrived. Regretfully, I'd been angry enough not to realize what Vinyl was thinking. I turned to chew her out, but before I could she started bawling. Exhaustion, hunger, losing treasured belongings... not fun times. After that, I couldn't bring myself to be mad anymore.
"I get the feeling I shouldn't be told any of this."
It's no problem, I assure you. We both decided later that we could share this story in the event the topic ever came up. Don't you worry about it.
"...Well, if you say so."
I will admit that things took a turn for the strange here... this doesn't tie into your question, but please, hear me out. I was able to calm the both of us down, but before I could see about finding something to eat that had been spared from the fire, somepony from the weather team arrived. He chewed me out over what he believed was a false alarm---
"A WHAT?!"
My thoughts exactly. But just as he turned to go...
Ugh, it's been years and my head still hurts thinking about it. I kid you not, Starlight: our mailbox shifted positions on its own.
"...Did you just say what I think you said?"
That I did. If that weren't enough, Vinyl's bed and one of my chairs appeared outside in that exact same instant. They weren't there, but then they were, as if they always been like that. They were set up in such a way that they prevented the firepony from leaving.
I've witnessed a lot since Twilight moved to Ponyville, Miss Glimmer, but I still have no explanation for that.
"...?"
Just to add to the strangeness, it's worth remembering that the firepony was a pegasus. There was nothing keeping him from just flying out, climbing over the bed, walking over the mail that had been left outside... instead, he just started panicking about being hemmed in and not knowing how to leave. I recall thinking there was something wrong with him, but it seemed like poor form to bring it up at the time.
Vinyl concluded that it didn't matter where her bed was, she was sleeping on it anyway. Finally I decided that there wasn't any point to making sense of what had just happened. I left to find my cello and get my nerves under control before we could get proper assistance.
Present Day
Starlight stared at Octavia for a few long moments as she finished her story. She felt as lost as she typically did just trying to navigate through Twilight's castle. "...That took some very bizarre turns. How did we get from 'frustrating roommate' to 'defiance of reality'?"
"Trust me. I understand how you feel completely." Octavia rolled her eyes, but smiled. "We did at least get a happy ending out of it. Pinkie Pie had somehow learned that we were hungry---no surprise there---and brought us a few leftover snacks to tide us over. Vinyl was able to put together a new music station in time for her gig the next evening (though she still had to replace those records she lost), and we took advantage of my next pay raise to renovate the house."
"And what about the transplanted furniture?"
"Returned to their original positions after the weather team left." She shook her head. "Same way they turned up outside. Vinyl never noticed a thing."
Another long moment. Starlight finally sighed heavily and leaned back in her seat, finishing her hayburger before speaking. "I was beginning to think that what I'd done was wholly original. This town was one gigantic clown carriage long before I got here!"
"You should have been here when Cranky Doodle and Matilda were married," Octavia quipped. "Ponyville was a real circus then." A chuckle. "Just give it time. Everything will make sense once you get to know us."
Starlight entertained that thought briefly. I think... that I might actually believe that someday. I don't know if that's frightening or reassuring.
...With emphasis on 'briefly', as Octavia interrupted her musings. "How about you? You indicated earlier that you had some prior experience with music, correct?"
"Just a little on the guitar, and..." Starlight blushed a little as she spoke, wincing. Her eyes drifted off to the side as she remembered how her old room was decorated. "...I was going through a phase at the time, I never did much with it, and I don't want to talk about it."
Octavia looked for a moment like she was going to press the topic, but apparently thought better of it. "I suppose I understand. I'll admit to being curious, but if it's not something you're proud of, I won't force the issue."
"Thank you. I know Twilight wanted me to talk to others and get their take on life," Starlight admitted as she climbed off her chair, "but I'm not ready to share that experience by a long shot."
"Fair enough," Octavia said as she did the same. "Anytime you're ready is fine. It doesn't have to be today."
Starlight felt herself settle down a little at that assurance. "I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me, Octavia."
The cellist smiled politely, leaving a few bits on the table. "It was no problem at all, Miss Glimmer. If you're looking to talk to ponies, might I suggest Lotus and Aloe at the spa? Their tale of how they hired Bulk Biceps is quite the treat."
Thanking Octavia for the recommendation and the lunch, Starlight departed the cafe for the spa with a spring in her step.
What she'd heard today wasn't anywhere close to what she'd done, true, but she was starting to get the gist of things. She hadn't been able to convince herself yet that staying here was for the best, but she was getting there. She felt that much, at least.
...
...
...
...
Neither she nor anyone else in town noticed the translucent green diamond-like gemstone that sprung to life over Starlight's head as she walked.
Changing my manestyle while I'm there seems like a good idea.
Author's Note
Work on M.L.G. had stalled on account of my brain disobeying me, and I wanted to be able to write something. So, I dug out a file on my old laptop that's been sitting there for years and finished it off. This isn't anywhere close to my best work, but I'd like to think it's at least that aforementioned 'something'.
Obviously, I wasn't going to be able to make events match up with the source video perfectly, so I had to take a few liberties. The firepony who answered the distress flare isn't Soarin, for example, and the flare itself replaced the household phone.
And speaking of the source video, here it is for those who haven't seen it.
That's it for now; I'll try to get back to work on my main story after Thanksgiving break. Ciao mein everybody, and stay safe and sane.
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