Wireless Connection

Immediately after the show, Vinyl and Thunder made their way down to the dressing rooms. For once, Vinyl didn't need a security escort, because Thunder was with her. Their first and only stop was in Octavia's dressing room, where Lightning was already there, talking with Octavia.

"--at was great. I loved that part in Passacaglia where you ramped up right before the silence. It was great. But I can't have that kind of showboating. We're supposed to be a team; on the same page and playing off of each other and giving the spotlight freely to our partners, not grabbing it and running forward, screaming to the crowd "Notice me!""

"I'm sorry," panted Octavia, sweating all over. "I don't know what came over me. I was just so stricken with the music that I... I guess I was a little too excited."

"Excitement is good," interjected Thunder. "Truly, a wonderful show. I don't think I could have performed any better than she did. That vibrato in Toccata, oh," he sat back on his haunches and kissed his hoof. "Just magnificent."

"And the opening notes of that piece that's used in all those scary movies," gushed Vinyl. "Great stuff!"

Octavia scowled at Vinyl, but in all honesty, she had to admit that she'd never felt such a profound euphoria as she had up on the stage tonight. She'd noticed during the Danse Macabre that Vinyl was playing with something in the box, and that every time she used it, there was a sudden jolt in her toy that would cause her to suddenly be more intense. Vinyl had been messing with her, but she'd still managed to put on a good show.

"Give her a break, Lightning," smiled Thunder, wrapping his arm around his coltfriend. "I loved her performance, the crowd loved her performance, the crew probably even loved her performance. Why don't you?"

Lightning sighed. "Because we lost our synchronicity eight times during the show!"

"No, he's right," nodded Octavia. "I lost control of myself multiple times. It doesn't matter that the crowd was amazed; I was not at my best, and I'm sorry."

"That's bullshit," countered Thunder. "Lightning, there's a reason she lost control of her hooves."

"Yeah, this thing!" smiled Vinyl, holding up the remote and pressing the button. Immediately, Octavia doubled over, her hooves shaking. "See? Your coltfriend and I were messing with her through the whole show!"

Lightning grabbed Thunder's shoulder and glared into his eyes. "You told her?!" he shout-whispered.

Octavia, likewise, grabbed Vinyl by the shoulders and glared into her eyes. "Turn it off!!" she shout-whispered.

Vinyl clicked the button again and turned it off. She could already see how soaked Octavia was.

"Let me make it up to you both," smiled Thunder. "Let's all go to dinner. It's on me."

"We couldn't possibly," panted Octavia, a whining lilt in her voice.

"Nonsense," waved Thunder. "You've more than earned it. We'll even let you shower, first."

When Vinyl and Octavia arrived, they were already late to the meeting, and they couldn't find Thunder or Lightning at any of the tables.

"Thanks, Vinyl," huffed Octavia. "You made me ruin their show, and they ditched us."

"You didn't ruin their show," waved Vinyl. "They're probably just late because they started arguing with each other about who had the larger dick, and they're running behind because they're measuring."

"Vinyl!"

"What? It's more likely than your "they ditched us" theory. Come on, let's pick a table. If you're right, and they ditched us, then it's just you and me for dinner."

Octavia took a deep breath. "Fine..."

After asking for a table for four and letting the hostess know what their companions looked like, Vinyl and Octavia sat down. Vinyl had suggested the place; a cozy diner in the middle of town. It wasn't fancy, but it had good food.

"Maybe they saw the place and bolted?" worried Octavia. "They're very refined, you know."

"Oh, please, Thunder had a pack of gummy worms he was eating when we were watching your performance. He's not above diner cuisine."

"He would never!"

"Oh? Then what did you have, Thunder?"

Octavia's eyes shot open and she turned around to see Thunder and Lightning drawing near.

"Tasted like gummy worms to me..." smiled Thunder, sliding in next to Vinyl.

"You and your snacks," sighed Lightning. "Sorry we're late."

"Yeah," chuckled Thunder. "He had a snack of his own he wanted to taste."

Vinyl glanced down, her eyes covered by her sunglasses. There was a bite mark fading from Thunder's flank. They'd fooled around before coming out to dinner. That's why they were late. All she did with this information was smile, though.

"Y'all need ta see a menu?" asked the waitress.

"Do you have biscuits and gravy?" asked Lightning, garnering a nod from the waitress.

"Can I have mine on a shingle?" asked Thunder.

"Just regular," blushed Octavia.

"Hayburger and fries," smirked Vinyl. With a kick and a scowl from Octavia under the table, she added "and a milkshake, two straws."

"Make it two, four straws total," said Thunder, earning him an under-the-table kick from Lightning.

"Right. I'll have that right out for ya shortly."

As soon as she had left, Lightning sighed. "I would like to apologize for my partner's brashness," he and Octavia whispered in unison before looking at each other.

"You both need to loosen up," smirked Thunder. "It's not a big deal."

"Not a big--" huffed Octavia, trying to contain her voice. "She picked something more expensive than the rest of us!"

"Still under five bits," shrugged Vinyl. "Even with the milkshake."

"Not the point!" whispered Octavia.

"Let's talk about those milkshakes," added Lightning. "We're trying to remain incognito!"

"Why?" shrugged Vinyl. "Who cares, honestly? Let the ponies talk. Don't let them keep you from your happiness."

Octavia and Lightning looked down at their hooves. "It's more complicated than that," sighed Lightning.

"How so?"

Octavia looked up. "Vinyl, do you remember why I said you're not allowed to meet my parents?"

"Because they're as stuffy and prudish and close-minded as Lightning's?" offered Thunder. "Yeah, they're the ones paying the rent."

"But you know what they're not?" smiled Vinyl. "Here."

"So relax," breathed Thunder, leaning back. "Dinner and a milkshake. Then we go back home and spend some quality time with our special someponies."