One single note emanated from a custom double-bass, one made with a more cello like shape and stings a couple octaves higher, filling the auditorium with great ease. As soon as the bow left the string, its Earth Pony master bowed before an audience of at least 200. When her head was hung in appreciation for the audience, all the ponies present applauded loudly. Such praise for the grey bassist and her music just warmed her very soul. Shortly afterwards, waving a tad to the attendees first, she exited stage left and packed up her bass.
The mare of gray coat and jet black mane was none other than Octavia Philiharmonica. Her reputation as a fine performer under most any circumstance had cemented her a permanent place in the Karmociva Concert Hall that is smack-dab in the middle of Manehattan. She also may have gotten to do more solo performances than others... but no one else who had a place there really needed to know that.
Octavia made sure to wait about ten minutes to avoid the rush of people leaving the concert hall. On her way out, her instrument’s case secured to her via a strap that went over one shoulder, case itself hanging down her back, she came across the owner of the establishment. He was a tall stallion in his mid-fifties with muted colors of green in his mane and a greenish blue in his coat. “Ah, Octavia,” he began,”that was a wonderful performance... probably one of your best.” His voice had a kind of softness to it yet somehow it still found a way to be booming.
“Thank you Decaro, you have no idea how much that means to me.” Octavia was true with her words. Decaro was almost like a father to her, so his praise felt better than any audience’s ever could. “Well, it is my time to depart for tonight. Addio amico. Dei vegli su di voi.”
“Grazzi... addico.” said Decaro, giving Octavia a gentle hug. She returned the hug and let it continue for a minute. When the hug was broken, she left the hall and waved her middle-aged friend goodbye.
________________________________________________________
The streets of Manehattan had been rather empty during Octavia’s trek back to her apartment. Well it is rather late,
In the sky above the bassist, stars shown rather brightly through the partly cloudy sky. Luna’s gift to the world was full, illuminating her path in a beautiful shade of blue. She also noticed how the weather was pretty much perfect; the temperature was probably in the mid-sixties with a light breeze blowing the way opposite of her destination’s. All of this combined with the lack of other ponies to make for a very serene walk home. “Home,” she said aloud,”thats where my friend will be, most likely ready to greet me with the sight of her on my couch either sleeping or keeping herself awake with drink.”
She physically paused and softly said, three fingers gently rubbing the space between her eyes,”Oh Vinyl... what am I going to do with you?” Her friend, the famous DJ PON-3, or just Vinyl Scratch, was honestly a good pony. She was kind, enthusiastic, and just a pleasure to be around. Sometimes though... sometimes that mare would get on her nerves, or rip them out and stomp them into oblivion. That party she threw at my apartment nearly got me kicked out, and then there was that horrid mess I had to spend three whole days cleaning up! Octavia outwardly groaned as she walked up to the front of the building that housed her cozy little apartment.
She greeted the stallion that worked behind the front desk and headed straight to the elevator. Octavia pushed a button labeled “18” and waited for the elevator to close and head upwards. Once the doors closed and the lift jerked upwards, Octavia actually found herself wondering out loud, ”I wonder what Vinyl is doing right now...”
Vinyl Scratch is a marvel, both physically and mentally. Her personality was one that could swallow a room in seconds, but she herself could be completely calm, and her body was one to be envied with its perfect proportions and smooth curves. Her spiky mane and tail that shown a deep blue and electric blue practically reflected any light that existed. Right now however, if anyone were to see this mare... they would be concerned.
She was frantically brushing her tail straight in the bathroom, holding it around in front of her, her hand gripping the brush so tight that it threatened to break. Any hair that would break off from her tail and land in her lap was quickly pulled off of the suit she was wearing with a lint brush. The suit was a straight black tux with a red cloth neatly hanging out from the front pocket that lay against her left breast.
Currently satisfied with how her tail looked, she moved her brush up and began work on getting her mane to go straight down the right side of her head. Once Vinyl got a good motion going, she put the brush in a smoky blue aura that was her magic and readjusted her tuxedo just a little bit. She then noticed the most important part of her plan hidden behind her purple DJ shades. With care, Vinyl put her beloved shades down on the sink and put her brush down, equally satisfied with her mane as she was with her tail.
With her personal self ready, she grabbed a bouquet of roses, and violets, and other flowers she bought after Octavia left for her concert, and raced into the living room. She chose to stand in front of the door, so that when Octavia opened the door, she would be the first thing the bassist saw. She stood there in her spot making herself look calm and confident when she felt like she was forgetting something... “The note,” she exclaimed, beginning to race to where she left it last. ”Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!” She grabbed the paper fast, almost shoved it into the bouquet, and practically leapt back into her place. Only one minute after she landed and straightened herself up again, Vinyl heard the key in the door.
Octavia put the key into her suite’s door. She stopped for a moment to hear what was awaiting her inside. When she could hear nothing, she placed an ear upon the door. No noise was coming from inside. That’s never usually a good sign... with Vinyl at least. Vinyl is known for having one of two things blaring when Octavia would come home: her music or the television. With a couple of scenarios in her mind, Octavia slowly opened the door making sure to take in every detail of her apartment.
Once Vinyl came into full view, however, her concern turned to confusion. There, right in front of the door, was her friend, in a full tux that looked to be worth about a hundred bits. In her hands was a bouquet of assorted flowers that looked rather fresh. Her tail and mane were brushed straight down and her glasses were gone. Her... her eyes... they’re beautiful.
Octavia could see those blood red orbs that always hid behind Vinyl’s glasses, and how they shone like the moon did that night. The room was dimly lit, so her shining red eye looked much more beautiful/surreal than they normally would. She also noticed that they contrasted her pure white fur perfectly.
All of this came together into an absolutely stunning Vinyl Scratch. Then that beautiful mare put the hand with the bouquet forward, indicating that Octavia should take it. She did so gladly, putting them straight to her nose. One inhale was all it took for the divine mixture of scents to grace her nose. This elicited a sigh of content with a sudden face of confusion. “Vinyl,” Octavia slowly began,”why did you give me these? Also, why are you wearing that tuxedo with your hair...” “Look in the flowers ‘Tavi.” Vinyl shyly said.
Octavia did just that and saw a small piece of paper that was adorned with a phrase that made her heart leap. “Will you be my very special somepony?” It was written in fine cursive, something Octavia was certain was out of Vinyl’s reach. The awestruck earth pony took up the paper in her grasp and looked over to her friend, who looked like she about to break down right there.
“Will... will you, Octavia Philiharmonica, be my marefriend?” That slowly choked out sentence ended with a very shy squeak. I dolike mares, I know that much, but what abo--She used my full name didn’t she? Even the voice in her head was flat-sounding and surprised. That pony never used her full name! Octavia scratched her chin for a moment and looking up and down Vinyl’s form a few more times. Vinyl visibly gulped, which made this funny for Octavia.
Then she decided. She said, ”Sure,” almost like Vinyl had asked if she wanted to go to an ‘okay restaurant.’ Octavia then kissed Vinyl on the lips and made her way to the bedroom, where she put her double bass away.
As the delicate instrument was leaned against the inside of her closet, Octavia heard a loud “YAAAAHOOOOOOO!!!” from the living room. That word that emanated from Vinyl Scratch earned a full blown laugh from the bassist. Still laughing her ass off, she closed the closet door, walked into the living room and found Vinyl floating, circling in the air above where she was with a dopey grin on her face. This only intensified Octavia’s laughter, causing her to fall backwards and roll on the ground, clutching her sides for dear life. Vinyl saw this and, with that grin still glued to her face, slowly draped across the laughing body of Octavia.
She suppressed her laughter, wiping a tear from her eye and said, ”If you want me to make the dinner tonight you will have to vacate my midsection dear.” Octavia’s new marefriend got up quickly and saluted. “For you and my dinner, I would personally go to the moon and bring you back a piece!” One more giggle emanated from the grey mare before she got up and walked into the kitchen that was a few paces from the living room.
Once in the kitchen, Octavia opened the fridge to see if there was anything that could make a meal. She spied a couple stalks of celery, a bundle of carrots, some strips of meat, a head of lettuce, and... “Meat?” She looked again to see a few strips of a strange looking meat that she had seen from afar in a nearby Griffon market (the Griffon population being high enough in Manehattan to warrant a full market.) “Vinyl.” she called,”why are there strips of meat in my fridge!?”
“Hey! Don’t knock it ‘till you try it babe!” Vinyl called back from the couch. “That bacon stuff is like someone took the universe and put it in strips of pig! Also, the grease is great for cooking other foods.” Octavia still scowled at the meat and instead took the head of cabbage out and some beets she found in a corner behind the fowl meat stuff. She began to chop up the head of lettuce, thinking back to when she was a teenager still living with her parents.
Octavia remembered that her parents were both unicorns. Her mother, Madrigal Philiharmonica, was a good enough parent... or at least tried to shine through the thick headed racist, sexist, and anti-gay/earth pony/pegasus pony she called her dad. His name was Castrato Philiharmonica, and she remembers Madrigal’s stories of how excited he was when he learned that he was about to have a daughter. The idea of the many months he would speak incoherently in baby-talk to her in her mother’s stomach always amused Octavia. When she was born however... his first question to the doctors was, ”Can you make her a unicorn? Is there some kind of surgery or something you can do?”
That could pretty much sum up her father’s opinion of Octavia. Madrigal, on the other hand, was absolutely fascinated by the idea that two unicorns had come up with an earth pony. There was one thing her mother said in the hospital room to calm her baffled and disappointed husband. Octavia was never told what she said, but the permanent scowl on her father’s face always told her Madrigal was probably wrong.
The salad was now done. It was a nice blend of the lettuce, beets, dressing, and even a few carrots were worked in. Octavia picked up a bowl in each hand and walked over to the couch, where her new marefriend sat. Vinyl’s feet were propped up on the coffee table that was in front of the couch, (the suit now looking very out-of-place.) The mare herself had turned on an old episode of The Twilight Zone.
Setting Vinyl’s bowl down on the table, Octavia asked, ”You like this show?”
“Yeah,” Vinyl said rather nonchalantly,”the concepts are good and the twists are always fun.” You may not know it Vinyl Scratch, but you have just gotten about twenty percent hotter in my eyes.
Octavia watched as the white unicorn picked up her bowl, grabbed the fork that was placed inside, and took a bite of the salad. The face Vinyl made once she closed her mouth confused the earth pony. There is no way in all of Tartarus that I made that good of a salad. “‘Tavi,” Vinyl began incredulously, ”you have made a salad that transcends belief.” Unwilling to believe that her skill in food preparation had made something that good, she took a bite of her own creation.
Octavia had only one thing to say. ”By Celestia, you have never been more right about anything.” She and Vinyl then sat there, eating and watching The Twilight Zone. Vinyl finished her meal rather quickly while maintaining enough care to keep anything from falling onto her suit. “How did you finish so quickly?” Octavia asked. “I still have half of my salad left!”
She replied, ”Its a secret I’ve learned at parties.” Vinyl then stretched her arms outward and draped one over Octavia.
“What? Stuffing food into you mouth and then hiding it in your lung?” Octavia asked sarcastically.
“No!” Vinyl said defensively, causing Octavia to giggle. Octavia finished her food only a moment later and set the bowl on the coffee table. Vinyl copied that movement while removing her feet from the table.
Suddenly, a thought came to Octavia that she knew could be dealt with now or when Vinyl corners her later on. “Vi... Vinyl?” The unicorn turned her head, now wearing a mask of curiosity.
“Yeah Tavi,” Vinyl queried.
“Do you remember how you would constantly ask me about my parents? As well as why I haven’t told you?”
“U-huh... wait, are you finally gonna tell me?” Vinyl asked excitedly.
“Yes I am,” Octavia uneasily replied.
Vinyl then got visibly worried, pulling Octavia close, and asked, ”What’s the matter babe?”
Octavia decided to begin her little tale with background information on her parents and how life was for her growing up. Basically, the typical Canterlot Elite story of high expectations, the only difference is that those expectations were even higher due to her father’s prejudice, and her mother’s seeming unwillingness to intervene. There were also the tales of wealth and visitations to the more prestigious places in all of Canterlot; one time, even most prestigious in all of Equestria.
“Wow... your dad is pretty much an asshole isn’t he?” Vinyl was rubbing the side of her head, trying to think of even one moment in her life that came even close to Octavia’s.
“A very crass way to put it, but yes. I would use much stronger words though...” Octavia finished on a quieter note than she had started.
“So how long did you stick around the family?”
“Until I had turned 16...” a smug smile grew on Octavia’s face,”call it... a birthday gift from me.”
Now Vinyl looked as if she had gained new interests to be peaked. “Oh, you have to tell me that story!” she pleaded.
“Not now Vinyl,” Octavia replied through chuckles, ”I’ll tell you tomorrow.” Octavia looked over to the unicorn to find her trying a new approach to getting the story out. She had her eyes open wide, her lower lip was out and quivering, she even clamped her hands together like she was begging her parents to take her somewhere.
“Pwease Octavia,” Vinyl said in a squeakier , more child-like voice, “can’t you tewl me the stowy? I weawy want to know.” With each word, Vinyl scooted closer to Octavia. You are TOO cute for your own good Vinyl!
Octavia started laughing and said,”Okay, fine, fine! I’ll tell you!”
Vinyl sat upright once again. “Nice to know I have a way to get you to do stuff ‘Tavi.”
“Don’t push your luck Vinyl.” Octavia straightened up and began a story that she loved repeating.
