Essence

by ScribbleScript

Rating: teen
Tags: Octavia, Bon-Bon, Sex, DJ P0N-3, Lyra, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance
Length: 13295

When Octavia becomes determined to learn more about her roommate, she finds something darker, and a bit more supernatural, hidden behind the sunglasses.

Octavia had expected to get closer to Vinyl Scratch when she had offered half of her penthouse. After six months of living together, they were still total strangers. When Octavia becomes determined to make sense out of Vinyl's strange behavior, she may find something that she didn't suspect; something supernatural hidden beneath the surface.

Published 2013-02-02 09:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2013-04-01 04:44:45 UTC

Chapter 1

Octavia sighed demurely, closing her eyes as she raised her teacup to her mouth, taking a sip. She basked in the warm flavor while the soft wind played over her mane, letting it sway in the breeze. There was nothing, absolutely nothing, like a wonderful cup of tea on a spring day, enjoyed from the rooftop garden of her penthouse. Even here, in the heart of the Manehatten, she could sit at a table, feel the grass underneath her, and take in the subtle scents of the flowers that ran in rows along the roof.

The penthouse terrace had a lovely view of the skyline, but if Octavia didn’t feel like enjoying the view, she could close her eyes and simply imagine that the garden extended forever in all directions. From the top of this building, even the sounds of the city below were muted. It was truly a calming atmosphere.

While the building had been designed from the ground up as a luxury apartment complex, Octavia only ever had eyes for the penthouse. When the previous tenant had vacated, Octavia had done everything in her power to get the lease, keeping it out of the hooves of any other interested parties. It cost a hoof and a flank, but it had been worth it.

Octavia loved the privacy the arrangement provided. The penthouse had its own private elevator to keep out any unwanted guests. As it was situated on roof, it was insulated from noises from the apartments below, which certainly helped when the playcolts below threw raucous parties at all hours of the night. However, it did nothing to help the noise that was already present in the penthouse. Especially when her roommate decided to practice her music.

Vinyl Scratch was as famous with the common ponies as Octavia was with the elite. Octavia had never understood her so-called music, but there was no doubt that she was well-loved. Appearances at nightclubs from Manehatten to Canterlot had spiked her fame, and her own music had earned her fans throughout Equestria. Her record sales were nothing to sneeze at, either.

Octavia had to admit, sharing a penthouse may have been unorthodox, but Vinyl’s contributions to her half eased the financial strain. Regardless of how much Octavia made, a penthouse in Manehatten was still a penthouse in Manehatten. She would admit to herself that she was so eager to secure her own penthouse that she hadn’t given much thought to the financial repercussions. The rent alone would have stressed her finances to their breaking point.

The two ponies had first met through Octavia’s lawyer when Vinyl had sampled some of her original classical work in one of her songs. While Octavia had been ready to sue, Vinyl had been surprisingly knowledgeable about musical theory. A potential lawsuit had ended with them as friends at an upscale bar, right down the street from the lawyer’s office.

The penthouse had plenty of room, so when Vinyl had expressed interest in moving from Ponyville to Manehatten, Octavia hadn’t seen anything wrong with lending the mare a helping hoof. Vinyl had been adamantly against it at first, but Octavia had insisted. If the conversations they had when Vinyl was in town were any indication, she would be quite worthwhile to live with.

After Vinyl had moved in though, they had gone from friends who shared the occasional drink, to complete strangers. Vinyl Scratch was an extremely private pony, with her fair share of eccentricities. The sunglasses, for example. They never came off. She had even worn them to one of Octavia's concerts that she had insisted on attending. When Octavia had tried to return the favor, willing to suffer through a night in a club in the interests of common courtesy, Vinyl had refused outright. She said it’d interfere with her concentration, whatever that meant.

Octavia sat her teacup down now, looking towards the penthouse. It was strange how they never seemed to talk anymore beyond the snippet of conversation while Vinyl left for a recording session. There was never any chance to talk when she got back, since Octavia was always asleep. She’d lived here for nearly six months, yet Octavia knew next to nothing about her.

She chided herself, turning back to her pleasant spring afternoon. There was no need to worry about Vinyl. The pair of them had a comfortable life in a luxurious penthouse. They were living their own lives, on their own career paths. There was no need to get to know each other.

“Octy!” came a loud, confident voice from behind her.

Octavia had been in the middle of preparing a new pot of tea, to continue her day in the rooftop garden well into the evening, when Vinyl’s music had ceased.

“Oh, hello Vinyl.” Octavia said with a smile, turning her head to meet the gaze of those sunglasses. “I’m preparing some tea for a lovely evening on the veranda. Would you like to join me?”

“Nah. I’ve got a set tonight. Don’t have the time!” Vinyl said, her horn lighting up with a purple glow, opening the cupboards to levitate a jar of instant coffee down to the counter.

“Certainly you have time for a simple cup of tea?” Octavia pressed on. “It’s barely four.”

“Hey, it’s not all just showin’ up. Gotta do the tech thing, ya know?” Vinyl’s magic levitated the kettle, pouring a measure of hot water into a mug. She hadn’t even bothered with a spoon, simply unscrewing the jar and dumping a generous ammount of powdered coffee into the mug.

“Well, how about we meet at The Eden for drinks after your set?” said Octavia, as she took the kettle out of the air. “I don’t mind a late night tonight, and I’d love to-”

Vinyl had stirred her coffee and swallowed the entire contents of her mug in one smooth motion, trotting towards the door. “Wouldn’t let ya do that, Tavi. See ya!”

Then Vinyl was gone. Octavia set the kettle on the stove, watching the door. It was the same old Vinyl. Loud, tomcoltish and yet, extremely distant.

“Why?” Octavia asked the empty air.

She pushed Vinyl out of her mind for now, returning to her tea. There was still a pleasant day to enjoy. She passed a glance at the open jar of instant coffee, left forgotten on the counter. Octavia picked it up, contemplating it. She never drank coffee. How Vinyl could drink it consistently and still manage to fall asleep at night astounded her. For once though, Octavia was considering it. If she could just get a bit of conversation out of her, even just a discussion on how her set had gone, maybe Octavia could open the door that had closed between them.

Oh Celestia, Octavia thought. This was a terrible idea.

The clock on the wall showed it was just past two in the morning, and Octavia was still wide awake. She just couldn’t stop her hooves from twitching with nervous tension. She had yawned, but she wasn’t tired. Or was she?

Octavia had taken a seat on the couch, but that hadn’t helped. Her hind legs were kicking back and forth and soon, one was bouncing up and down.

Wonderful. I have become a leg jiggler.

Octavia hopped off the couch. She had followed the instructions on the instant coffee to the letter, but she didn’t know how much was needed to effectively keep her awake until Vinyl got home. She had never seen Vinyl calmly sip from her mug, unlike Octavia with her tea.

So, Octavia had drank four mugs of it once midnight had rolled around.

Octavia wasn’t just awake. She was awake.

She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Once again, she reminded herself that this had been a terrible idea. She trotted out onto the veranda, forcing herself to sit and take in the view. Even at this late hour, the skyline was incredible. She galloped inside, turning off the lights in the penthouse before returning to the garden. It was dark, she was alone and it looked absolutely beautiful.

Octavia stayed in the garden watching the gorgeous skyline, until she heard the elevator doors slide open. She turned to look inside, hearing unsteady hooves on the floor. The light clicked on, and there was Vinyl. Octavia peered through the open door.

Vinyl was leaning against the wall, breathing heavily. Her ears were down and her coat was glistening with sweat. She let out a sudden groan, pressing her head hard against the wall.

“Vinyl?” Octavia asked, as she stepped into their home. “Are you alright?”

Vinyl’s head turned suddenly at the sound of her voice. Octavia felt...unnerved. She couldn't see the mare’s eyes through her glasses, but she could feel the gaze on her form. It was unsettling.

“Octy...” she panted. “Hey. Octy. You’re up.”

“Vinyl, are you...drunk?” Octavia asked, approaching her with concern on her face.

“No!” Vinyl had shouted, with such force that Octavia stopped in her tracks. “I...I mean, no. Just...go to bed. I’ll...I’ll be fine.”

Something was obviously wrong with her. Octavia had never seen Vinyl like this. She was exhausted, and letting out groans of what sounded like pain. Stranger yet, Vinyl had never once taken her gaze off of Octavia.

Vinyl slid down the wall, resting now on the floor. Her hooves smacked against it every so often, while she would press her head against the wall with another groan of pain.

Octavia started forward, and Vinyl let out a moan as she got closer.

“Octy...don’t.”

Octavia ignored her, giving her a stern look before she grabbed her body, lifting her up off of the floor with the strength gained from years of cello playing. Her body felt hot and feverish, and Octavia wondered if she was sick.

Vinyl flinched as their bodies touched, letting out a sudden sigh. “You’re worried...”

“Should I call a doctor?” Octavia said, as she brought Vinyl over to the couch, laying her down. Vinyl’s sunglasses looked up at her.

“No,” Vinyl said, a slight smile playing over her mouth. Octavia’s body tingled as she realized that Vinyl had a hoof wrapped around her. “I’ll be fine. I’ll be just fine.”

Vinyl pulled her close in a swift motion, nuzzling against her neck. Octavia couldn't help but blush at the sudden, intimate gesture. Had Vinyl been playing at a rave? She had heard once that there were drugs that would do these kinds of things to a pony. Had Vinyl been drugged?

“Vinyl! What are you doing?” she asked, trying to pull away, but Vinyl only held on tighter.

“Hungry...” Vinyl gasped against her. “I’m...I’m hungry.”

Then Vinyl licked her neck.

Pleasure jolted through her body like electricity. Her heart began to pound as she let out a sudden, pleasured sound. It was combination of a scream and a moan, and her legs had buckled underneath it, collapsing against Vinyl.

Vinyl caught her, flipping her over and pressing Octavia down at the couch, staring down at her. Octavia couldn't do anything else but gasp. The sensations had stolen her breath.

“Octy...” Vinyl sighed, before pressing her muzzle against Octavia’s own.

Her back arched as she let out a needy, passionate moan against Vinyl’s mouth. It was as if electricity was running through her body in the most pleasant way possible. Waves of pleasure cascaded down her form, and her hind legs kicked against the leg of the couch, the sudden crack of wood announcing that the arm had separated.

This wasn't her. Octavia wasn’t a fillyfooler. But she couldn't deny the waves of pleasure running through her. Vinyl moved down to her neck now, every kiss making her twitch and let out a gasp of pleasure.

“Vi...vi...vin...” Octavia panted, craning her neck up against Vinyl’s mouth.

“Juuuust relax, Octy...” came Vinyl’s voice, sounding just as desperate as Octavia was.

She couldn’t relax. She didn’t want to. She craved more. Every kiss seemed to pull new and old desires to the surface. Octavia wanted Vinyl. Needed her.

“Please...” Octavia cried out, hooves straining against the couch.

Vinyl trailed her kisses down her body. Down over her chest, sinking lower as she slid down over her body.

Octavia knew where she was headed. There was no disgust. Just desire. She needed it. Bad. She looked at Vinyl with a pleading, eager look.

“I...I need...” Octavia panted. Vinyl simply smiled.

“I know.”

Vinyl dragged her tongue over her stomach, causing Octavia to whimper. Vinyl placed her hooves on Octavia’s hindlegs, guiding them open. Octavia didn’t resist.

Octavia panted, throwing her mane back and forth. She couldn’t stand it. The teasing, it was too much. Finally, Vinyl reached her goal. Octavia couldn’t help it anymore.

She slammed her head back against the couch and let out a scream of pure satisfaction.

Author's Note

Aaaand, here we go.

EDIT: Also, special thanks to Syvvak and Noc for their assistance with proofreading and editing.

Chapter 2

Even in sleep, Octavia was aware of the smell. Sweet and subtle, carried on the breeze, the scent of flowers drifted into her mind and hung there, coaxing her back into the waking world with an exhausted groan. She could feel the cushion of grass beneath her body. Her eyes fluttered open but quickly slammed shut at the blazing light.

Octavia threw a leg over her eyes as she tried to process her thoughts. Her head didn't make it easy on her; it was practically splitting along the sides, pounding as if she could hear thunder in the distance. Despite just waking up, she felt dizzy and exhausted. A part of her just wanted to lay back down and go right back to sleep.

Vinyl...Something about Vinyl.

Her cheeks flushed red, but she couldn't figure out why. A part of her felt embarrassed, but...why? Octava tried to shake the memories loose, but her head gave a protest, and she pressed it down against the grass with a groan. She had a sudden flash of memory of the pair of them on the couch. Vinyl, down between her legs. Octavia smiled absently, before it slid off of her face, replaced by a feeling of shock.

Octavia forced herself up, planting her hooves to keep the terrace from spinning with little success, the memories of last night coming to her in a flood of images. She blinked through the sunlight and looked down at herself. There was no way she did those unspeakable acts! She checked over herself, but there was no sign of anything amiss. Certainly such vigorous...activity would leave some trace, wouldn't it? Yet, her mane was as straight and proper as always and her body was clean. Aside from the unpleasant sensations running through her, she was fine.

Still not completely reassured, Octavia closed her eyes and inhaled slowly to enjoy the soothing scents of the flowers, but the memories wouldn’t let her blush go without a fight. The things they had done! She chanced a gaze at the penthouse. The bay doors leading into the garden were wide open to let in the breeze, and the sun bathed the carpet and the couch in its warm glow. Octavia focused on the couch. Something about it...

The couch!

She forced herself to her hooves and stumbled over to it, eyes sweeping up and down the couch, but she found nothing out of the ordinary. Octavia extended a trembling hoof to the end of the couch, pressing against it. The memory of breaking the couch was still there, but Octavia had been too...preoccupied to care at the time. Yet, it seemed solid and secure now.

“You alright, Octy? You look like crap.”

Octavia wheeled around, spotting Vinyl in the hallway. Or rather, three of them. She blinked the illusions away and ignored her exhaustion to make her way over to her. She grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her hard.

“Vinyl Scratch! What in Equestria happened last night?” Octavia snapped, staring her straight in the glasses.

It was impossible to gauge her facial expression with those sunglasses of hers, but Vinyl sounded taken aback.

“How the buck should I know? I came back from my set and caught you asleep on the terrace. And you drank all of my coffee!” Vinyl said, squirming free from the gray mare’s grip.

“...Coffee?” Octavia thought back, sitting down on her haunches, a hoof out against the wall to keep her steady as she remembered the cups of instant coffee she had made to keep herself awake.

“Um, yeah,” Vinyl said, looking at her with a tilt of her head. “All of it. Need to watch out, those crashes can kill ya.”

“Crashes?”

“Yeah, ya know. Caffeine crashes? It’ll keep ya awake, but you’ll pay for it in the morning.” Vinyl gave Octavia a pat on the head, eliciting a pained wince from Octavia. “Trust me, I’d know.”

Octava stayed where she was as the DJ pony wandered to the kitchen. She thought hard as she rested her head against the wall, stifling a yawn. Vinyl had come home, and had been acting strange. That had happened. Octavia was certain of it.

“No! Something...happened between us last night! Didn’t it!?”

Vinyl poked her head around the corner. “Um. No?”

Octavia forced her body upright and followed Vinyl into the kitchen. “It did! When you came home you were acting...strange.”

Vinyl stared blankly at Octavia. “Don’t you always say that?”

“You were! You were utterly exhausted, and in pain!”

“Equestria to Octy. News flash. I’m a DJ,” Vinyl used her magic to levitate her coffee mug to her mouth and taking several loud gulps with a satisfied groan. “If I’m not getting bottles thrown at me or grooving my flank off, I’m not doing my job. Ow!”

“No!” Octavia growled as she prodded her hoof into Vinyl’s chest again. “We...we did things!”

Vinyl stepped back, putting some distance between her and Octavia’s hoof. “Things?”

“Yes! We did....you know. Things!” Octavia could feel the heat rising in her face once more.

Octavia blinked, cocking her head as Vinyl laughed.

“Awww! Did Octy have a little wet dream about me?” Vinyl said, reaching out to pinch Octavia’s cheek.

Octavia leaned away from her hoof. “It wasn’t a...I mean...”

Had it all been some sort of erotic dream? Octavia vividly recalled the pleasure that had ran through her body at Vinyl’s kisses, her uncontrollable eagerness, and the sheer bliss when Vinyl had...she shook the thought away, her head aching in protest.

“That’s adorable, Tavi. It really is.” Octavia leaned away from the purple lenses that had suddenly filled her vision. “Two mares, so distant, yet so needy for one another!”

“No, you...you kissed me! And...something...happened. I lost control! You did something to me and stop-smiling-at-me-you-idiotic-mare!”

“Do I get all the juicy details?” Vinyl leaned against the counter, taking another drink of her coffee. “Go ahead. Tell me allll about it.”

“What did you do to me, Vinyl Scratch? What did you do!?” Octavia couldn’t controlthe volume of her voice, even as her head split from her own shouting. Something was amiss here. The memories were far too vivid to be just a dream.

“Stole your heart, seems like.” Vinyl smirked, magically carting her coffee as she trotted off towards the living room. As she did, she stepped through the pool of sunlight from the terrace.

“Stop right there!” Octavia called, pointing at her with a hoof. Vinyl halted, turning towards her.

“Whaaat?” she drawled.

Octavia forced herself to gallop, planting both hooves into Vinyl’s chest. She groaned and shoved Vinyl out onto the terrace. She hadn’t noticed in the dim penthouse, but....Vinyl was different. Her coat had never been that dazzling white, and her mane had never been so vibrant. It had been vivid, electric blue for as long as they had known each other, but it had always had the quality of a standard dye job. It had never popped out so brightly before, catching the eyes and holding their gaze.

“You...You look...” Octavia said, her eyes trailing over her body.

Amazing.

Vinyl gave a giggle. Octavia swore she heard something in it. Nervousness?

“If I knew you liked me this much, I’d take a run to the spa more often.”

“Vinyl, you’ve never gone to the spa in your life!”

“First time for everything!” Vinyl said cheerfully. She moved to go back inside, but Octavia held her in place.

Octavia needed to prove that Vinyl had done something last night with all of her kisses and licks. There was no way it was just a dream. Octavia was convinced of that.

“No! You will not simply...wave this off!”

Octavia steeled herself, taking one deep breath before she leaned in and pressed her muzzle against Vinyl’s in a sudden, deep kiss. She could feel Vinyl tense in surprise before she wrapped a hoof around her neck, pulling her closer. Octavia shivered, and gave a gasp against Vinyl’s lips, but she closed her eyes, unable to resist losing herself in the sudden passionate embrace.

Finally, after seconds that seemed like hours, Vinyl pulled away, a wide grin on her face. “Was that what all of this was about?”

“I...I...” Octavia started, her cheeks flushing with heat once more.

“You’re blushing!” Vinyl said as she gave Octavia a lick on her nose.

The kiss had felt...good. It had felt really good. But it didn’t have any of the world-shattering pleasure that Octavia remembered. And Vinyl just looked at her! And grinned! No blush on her face, just a goofy smile as she considered her.

Octavia, stunned, turned around to go inside. She thought only of her comfortable bed, with the added bonus of getting away from Vinyl. “I’m...going to lay down.”

“Want me to join you?” came Vinyl’s teasing voice, filled with amusement.

“Shut up,” Octavia muttered.

Vinyl laughed from the veranda.“I’ll let you cuddle with me!”

“Shut up, Scratch!”

==========

The kiss. Octavia couldn’t get the kiss out of her head. In spite of how exhausted she was, it had taken her almost an hour to get to sleep. She kept thinking about how Vinyl’s lips had felt against hers. How beautiful she had looked in the sunlight. The entire time, she had been telling herself that she was most certainly not a fillyfooler. She had only kissed Vinyl to prove...what? That Vinyl’s kisses had done something to her? She didn’t even know if anything had actually happened!

Octavia sat up in her bed, a hoof rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Thankfully, her sleep had been devoid of all dreams, erotic or not. She didn’t want to spend the rest of the day questioning reality again. Or rather, the night. She flicked on the light, noticing that it was just past midnight.

Sweet Celestia. I am turning into Vinyl.

Predictably, thinking about Vinyl only brought back memories of the kiss. The kiss that she had instigated. Octavia groaned, throwing her head back against the pillow, mortified. Octavia didn’t know much about love. She’d never had a special somepony. She’d never even gotten close. But she was thinking about Vinyl in a whole new way. The kiss had felt...safe. Warm. It had been a very pleasant feeling.

True, after they had first met, they had gone out for drinks quite a bit. Vinyl may have been more concerned with electronic music than Octavia’s classical, but she had been quite knowledgeable about the subject. Octavia enjoyed talking to her. Had enjoyed, that is. She had offered Vinyl her penthouse to continue their conversations, and yet, nothing.

Was that why she was concerned?

Did she have feelings for Vinyl Scratch?

Octavia shook her head. She was not a fillyfooler.

Yet, there was disappointment. Every time she had ever asked Vinyl out for drinks, or tried to make dinner, or have tea on the veranda, Vinyl always waved it off. Octavia hadn’t thought much about the her feelings at the time, but now...

Octavia slid out of bed, opening her door and peeking out into the hallway. All of the lights were off. Vinyl was probably at another one of her shows. Octavia trotted lightly towards the kitchen, turning on the lights as she thought about a soothing cup of tea...and then she wondered about Vinyl. Certainly it couldn’t hurt to spend a little time with her roommate, right?

But then again...the dream. Her and Vinyl together on the couch. It had to be a dream. The kisses had been amazing, had done something to her body. Made her need them. Need more. Octavia had kissed her earlier and, while the experience had been delightful, it certainly wasn’t as intense. It must have been a dream.

Or something strange is going on.

Octavia tried the couch again. She gripped the end with both hooves and shook it. The wood creaked. Octavia picked up the cushion and tossed it aside. She shook it again. Nothing. Still solid.

She leaned in, looking close. She ran her hoof along the sides of the couch, trying to feel for...something. Anything.

“Ow!”

Octavia jerked her hoof back up, looking at it. Something had stuck her. She looked at where her hoof had been, spotting a sliver of wood jutting out from the fabric. Her heart beat faster. Then she saw them. Nails. The metal blended with the dark fabric, but they were there.

Somepony had nailed the end of the couch back together.

Octavia’s breathing picked up as she backed away. It hadn’t been a dream. She had bucked the end of the couch so hard it had broken, because of Vinyl. Something had happened. They really had done...things. And Vinyl had lied about it. She had pretended that it had never happened.

What is going on? What did she do to me?

Octavia was going to find out.

Author's Note

Oh hey, look at that.

Chapter 3

Octavia stepped off of the elevator, hooves stomping on the floor of the penthouse. Any other time, she would have been concerned with scuffing the polished floor but right now, Octavia couldn't care less. The nerve of her!

Determined to talk to Vinyl, she had gone to one of her shows. Or rather, tried to. It wasn't hard to find the club; Vinyl’s fame acted as a beacon in the night. Just follow the advertising. When Octavia had gotten there, two rather large stallions had denied her entry! At first, she had thought it was because she didn’t fit in with the usual crowd, and certainly that may have been a part of it. The ponies that went to clubs didn’t usually wear bow-tie cravats and have perfectly styled manes.

When Octavia had tried to protest however, one of the bouncers had let slip that she was not allowed on the premises. He had even had a picture of her! Octavia growled at the memory, letting loose a sudden, angry, two-legged buck that shattered an expensive ornamental flower pot.

“Vinyl Scratch, how dare you!”

Octavia looked down at the crumbled stonework. It was little more now than shards of earthenware and a pile of dirt. Yet, she didn’t care. Not one bit.

Octavia took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. It didn’t help. She felt insulted, humiliated, and betrayed. And even a little hurt.

Vinyl had lied to her about last night, and now she was denying her entry into her shows by giving the bouncers Octavia’s picture! It was all Octavia could do to prevent herself from bucking the walls down.

Octavia had wanted to talk. She wanted to get to the bottom of it. And she would. Because she knew where the hammer was.

==========

Vinyl gave a small giggle as her hoof mashed the elevator button. She sat down, resting her head against the wall as the elevator rattled upwards. The set had been awesome! She’d almost forgotten what it was like to have energy. It’d been so long...

Vinyl shook the offending ideas out of her mind. That wouldn’t be a good road to go down. The more she kept thinking about her roommate, the more enticing the idea would become. And Vinyl didn’t want to do that. Again.

Keep her at leg’s length. Just keep doin’ what you’ve been doin’, Vinyl.

But her hunger was still there.

It was a dangerous road, but it was the best course of action. Vinyl had heard that the bouncers had turned Octavia away, and that was not a conversation that she was looking forward to.

Vinyl had to do it. But she couldn’t exactly explain why.

The sliding sound of the elevator doors pulled her from her thoughts. The lights were out in the penthouse. Vinyl took that for a good sign. Octavia was either asleep or out. Vinyl breathed a sigh as she stepped into the penthouse, feeling something under her hooves. Dirt?

She looked down, spotting the remnants of a shattered flower pot. Had Octavia broken that?

Uh-oh. Tavi’s pissed.

Vinyl stepped over it, tapping her hooves on the floor to shake off the dirt. She’d better get that cleaned up. It was a wonder she hadn’t cut her hooves on the broken pottery. She reached out with her magic to flip the light switch on.

Even through her sunglasses, five spotlights bucking hurt.

Somepony, and Vinyl had a good feeling who, had set up stage lights to point directly at the elevator. Vinyl threw a leg over her face to shield the light, only to feel herself be tackled from the side.

“No...funny...business...this time!” Vinyl heard Octavia’s voice from around her, as something rough wound itself around her body. As an earth pony, Octavia was strong. Vinyl charged up her magic, horn glowing and pulsing with a purple aura. A hoof gave a sudden tap at the tip of her horn, and Vinyl let out a gasp of pain, her eyes watering.

Correction. Tavi is bucking pissed.

“None of that!” Octavia’s voice snapped, and the rope pulled tight, locking her forelegs to the side of her body.

The spotlights shut off, returning the room to its normal brightness. Vinyl was on her side, Octavia standing over her. She was staring down into her shades, and the look on her face was anything but amused.

Vinyl could practically hear the satisfaction in her voice. “I understand how terribly low-class it is of me to tie you up like this, but I’m certain that Fiddlesticks will be pleased that her rope lessons didn’t go forgotten.”

“Getting into the kinky stuff, Octy?” Vinyl said, her heart pounding as she forced a smile.

Octavia scoffed as she hoisted the unicorn’s body up, dragging her into the living room. “Of course not. I simply wanted to make sure there was no funny business like last night.”

Vinyl barely managed to keep the surprise off of her face. “T-this again? C’mon Octy, nothing happened!”

“You know, I had the strangest dream of us last night. I even dreamed that, in our...activities, I had accidentally broken the couch.” Octavia heaved Vinyl up onto the couch. It gave a sudden creak and then slid sideways with a crack of wood. “Then I discovered that somepony had nailed it together. The same end that I had dreamt had broken. Imagine that.”

Vinyl gave a nervous laugh, trying to keep her emotions off of her face. “Octy, alright. I broke the couch a few months ago. I didn’t think you’d care this much about it!”

Octavia pressed her forehead to Vinyl’s, staring right into her glasses. “I don’t think so, Vinyl Scratch. You are keeping secrets from me. You are lying to me.”

Vinyl tensed up. She could taste the emotions flowing from her body. Worry. Hurt. Anger. It was making her dizzy.

“And we,” Octavia started, as she put her hooves to the side of Vinyl’s glasses, “are going to have a real talk, for once.”

“No! Octy! Don’t!”

==========

Octavia had wanted to stare her down, to read her facial expressions without her tinted glasses getting in the way, but Vinyl had slammed her eyes shut the moment the glasses had come off. Vinyl’s horn had glowed once more, but Octavia gave it a tap, rewarding her with another sound of pain from Vinyl, and another pang of guilt from her heart.

Octavia knew how sensitive unicorn horns were while they were using magic, but she hadn’t seen any other way to prevent her from using it. She tossed the sunglasses over the couch.

“Open your eyes, Vinyl,” Octavia said.

“No!”

“We are going to have a conversation, a real one for once, with no glasses to get in the way!” Octavia said, determined to press the issue but...there was something in Vinyl’s voice. She sounded...frightened. It was strange, how adamant she was in hiding her eyes. Another secret? Octavia took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

“Vinyl,” she said, a bit more kindly this time. “Stop hiding from me.”

“I...I can’t. I’m sorry, Octy. I can’t. It’s...not safe.”

Sweet Celestia. She sounds ready to cry.

“Vinyl, I’m...I’m sorry. But I need to know what’s going on. And you won’t tell me. You are keeping secrets from me. You lied to my face. You made me think it was all a dream. Please. Open your eyes.”

Vinyl kept her eyes tightly shut. “You...you wouldn’t believe me.”

Octavia had a feeling of dread in her stomach. Did she really want to press the issue? She had already started down this road. If she didn’t continue, Vinyl was sure to leave. That had been the risk all along.

“Vinyl. I need to know.” Octavia pressed a hoof to the side of Vinyl’s face. “Please.”

Vinyl was trembling. She hesitated just a bit, before she spoke in a soft, frightened voice. “You...You won’t enjoy it. Well...you will. It’s....complicated.”

“Vinyl, please. No more hiding from me. Show me.”

There was a long silence between the two of them. Vinyl would open her mouth to speak, only to close it shortly after.

“Untie me,” said Vinyl finally. “And...and turn on the shower. Cold water. As cold as it can go.”

Octavia tilted her head.

“Trust me, Tavi. Please. Do...do that. And...we’ll do show and tell.” Vinyl said, forcing a laugh that had no humor in it at all.

It was a strange request. Octavia sat back, considering it. She hadn’t trusted Vinyl when she had tied her up. She had expected her to run, or to try something like the night before. Now however...she could hear it in her voice. She was frightened, but trustworthy.

Octavia pulled at the knots, freeing Vinyl’s limbs, before she turned and trotted into the bathroom. She turned the cold water on, leaving the hot water knob untouched. When she returned to the living room, she noticed with relief that Vinyl was still seated, the rope forgotten on the floor. Her legs were wrapped against her chest in a self-comforting position, her eyes still tightly closed.

Octavia took a seat on the couch, her heart pounding. “It’s...it’s going to be like last night, isn’t it?”

Vinyl gave a sigh. “...Yeah. It is.”

“You promise you’ll tell me everything?”

“Everything,” Vinyl sighed once more, a hint of reluctance in her voice.

Octavia reached out, tilting Vinyl’s head to face her. “Vinyl. Show me. Please. I need to know.”

Tears leaked out from Vinyl’s eyes. “You’ll leave. Or you’ll make me leave. You won’t want to be around me.”

Octavia stayed silent, but she didn’t move. She kept Vinyl’s face angled toward her.

“But....hey. That’s the price I gotta pay, isn’t it?” Vinyl said, with a wry smile. “For being...what I am.”

She took a deep breath, preparing herself. Octavia could see the hesitation on her face. Finally, she slowly opened her eyes, turning her gaze towards Octavia. Octavia stared right back.

They were bright, ruby red. Blood red. They were absolutely beautiful, and Octavia couldn’t stop staring at them. Into them. Vinyl’s face looked worried, but Octavia couldn’t bring herself to care.

Octavia pressed her body against Vinyl with a deep, sensual moan. The pleasure filled kisses had sent spikes of pleasure down through her body, but this was a wonderful flood of sheer bliss. Her body ignited with fire.

Octavia panted, pressing her muzzle against Vinyl’s in a needy kiss. She couldn’t help it. She loved Vinyl. She needed to show it. Octavia straddled her, legs wrapping around her body as she nuzzled her neck. The feel of her coat, the smell of her mane. Her wonderful touch. She needed more.

“Look at me, Vinyl. Look at me...” Octavia moaned, turning Vinyl’s head back to her. Gazing into those wonderful eyes.

“Vinyl...” Octavia whimpered, throwing all pretenses of class out the window as she worked herself against Vinyl’s body. “Take me. Take me, Vinyl. I need it.”

Vinyl wasn’t doing anything. She wasn’t responding. Octavia grabbed her hoof, trailing her tongue over it. “Vinyl....please!”

She pushed Vinyl’s hoof down between her legs. She let herself ride against it, letting out needy gasps as she pressed her panting mouth against Vinyl’s muzzle.

“Take me!” Octavia cried out.

Octavia couldn’t fight it. She didn’t want to.

“Not here, Octy,” said Vinyl in her sweet, wonderful voice. Octavia arched her back just hearing it.

“Anywhere....Anywhere you want....” She nuzzled her neck. She wanted to be with her. Forever. Anywhere she wanted. Vinyl. Nothing else mattered. It felt so good just being here with her. Touching her.

Vinyl guided her to her feet, and Octavia leaned against her, drawing a shudder from the unicorn as her tongue slid along the side of her body. Even the taste of her was divine. She wanted to taste every bit.

Octavia slid her muzzle along her body, feeling Vinyl’s tail against her face, but Vinyl caught her.

“Not here. C’mon.” Octavia let out a desperate whimper, but followed her.

“Maybe some...shower time?” Vinyl said.

“I’d love to....” Octavia purred. She could hear the running water. They were in the bathroom. It didn’t matter. She’d be anywhere with Vinyl. She loved her. Needed her.

“After you, Octy.”

Octavia nuzzled Vinyl’s mane, before she leapt into the shower. Octavia let out a sudden scream of surprise as the ice cold water hit her like a runaway carriage. She tried to jump out, but Vinyl’s hooves pushed her back in. She slipped, landing on her flank as the cold water poured over her form.

“C-c-cold!” Octavia gasped, wrapping her legs around herself as Vinyl held her in place.

“That’s the point, Octy,” Vinyl said, her voice a mixture of sorrow and amusement. Her eyes were closed again.

Octavia opened her mouth to say something, until she realized what had happened. A blush grew on her face. She had...

“I..I think...I’ll stay here...for a bit...” Octavia said through chattering teeth, pushing her face under the stream of cold water.

“Yeah. Prolly a good idea.”

The silence hung in the air between them.

“Sooo....” Vinyl said, kicking at the floor with her hoof. “Need anything?”

“....I’m fine.”

“Kay. I’m gonna go...y’know. Get my glasses.”

“Put a kettle on, please?” Octavia said, eyes closed as she looked up into the water.

“Sure. I’ll be in the kitchen. When you’re ready.”

Vinyl left in silence, leaving Octavia alone in the cold water. It wasn’t an enjoyable experience, but she didn’t want to get out too soon. Even while she was drenched in cold water, she could still feel the arousal between her hind legs.

Those eyes. Those brilliant, blood-red eyes. She could remember how it felt to look into them. In that first moment, they had become the most beautiful things she had ever seen. She gave a shudder that had nothing to do with the cold. She had wanted to do everything for those eyes.

==========

Octavia climbed out of the shower; she had given herself until her body was numb. Her teeth were chattering, her mane was soaked and slicked to the sides of her head, and she was certain that her lips were blue. At least the urges were gone.

She toweled herself dry before she peeked out of the door. She could hear the kettle whistling in the kitchen.

“Vinyl? Are you still there?”

There was a silence, which made Octavia worry for a heartbeat, before Vinyl’s voice replied.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll be right there.” Octavia walked into her bedroom, grabbing her blanket in her mouth and yanking it off of the bed, throwing it over her back.

She trotted into the living room, taking a seat on the broken couch, wrapping herself up in her blanket, appreciating now more than ever before the warmth that it gave. Vinyl was smirking in amusement, but Octavia didn’t care.

Vinyl trotted over, levitating a cup of tea in the air for her.

“Thank you.” She reached out from under the blanket, taking it with a shaking hoof.

Vinyl didn’t sit on the couch, instead sitting on her haunches across the coffee table. She remained silent as Octavia took a sip of her tea.

“Well? Go ahead,” Vinyl said. “We both know what you wanna ask.”

Octavia set her teacup down on the table. She looked at Vinyl, staring at her sunglasses, knowing what hid behind them.

“Alright, Vinyl,” she said, taking a deep breath before continuing. “What are you?”

Author's Note

Shower time.

Chapter 4

Octavia watched Vinyl quietly while she sipped her tea. It warmed her from the inside, and she closed her eyes to embrace the feeling while she waited for Vinyl’s answer. She could still imagine those eyes, Vinyl’s eyes, digging deep into her mind and forcing her to feel desire and arousal. Octavia shuddered before she snapped her eyes open. Those eyes lingered on the borders of her thoughts.

“I knew what you were gonna ask. I still don’t have a real answer. I mean...” Vinyl put a hoof behind her head, letting out a nervous giggle. “I don’t get it myself. I’m a pony. But I’m also something...else.”

Vinyl took a deep breath. “We’re...related, I suppose. To the changelings. Not like that!” she added, seeing the look of shock on Octavia’s face. “They feed off of love. We feed off of...well...”

“Lust?” Octavia muttered. Vinyl nodded.

“Yeah. Mostly. I mean, we can feed on any emotion. But lust...I dunno. Satisfies.”

The way she said the last word gave Octavia a shudder. She could hear the happiness in her voice as she said it.

“Might as well just call me a succubus.” Vinyl gave a shrug. “It’s not the best way to describe it, but it’s close enough.”

“A succubus...I’m sharing a penthouse with...”

“Yep.” Vinyl nodded.

Octavia looked down, staring into her tea. The silence stretched between them.

Vinyl gave a cough. “I’m not proud of what I am, Octy.”

Octavia looked up at the tone of her voice. She had tried to say it casually, but there was sadness in it. Octavia finished her tea, setting the empty cup and saucer down on the table.

“So...the other night. When you came home...”

Vinyl shifted uncomfortably. “I lost control.”

“Why did you never lose control before then?” Octavia asked, trying to keep her tone as polite as possible.

“It’s...how I feed. Without hurting anyone. When I DJ, and ponies dance to my music...” Vinyl gave a pause, as if trying to find the words. “The emotions...you know. They’re having a good time, and I just groove in my booth, and absorb the emotions floating around. But very little of it is lust. So I wind up...”

“Unsatisfied,” Octavia finished for her.

“Yeah. It’s like...” Vinyl rubbed her hooves against her mane. “Buck. I don’t know. I wind up fed, but craving, I guess. I came home, and there you were. Normally you’re sleeping, so I just go to my room and...well. Resist.”

“Resist?”

“Resist going into your room,” Vinyl said as she levitated the empty teacup off of the table and trotted into the kitchen.

Octavia stared at the table, stunned. All this time, she’d been living with a succubus who could have come into her room and...Octavia had a flashback to that night, remembering what she had done so willingly with Vinyl.

“I...I appreciate your restraint, Vinyl.”

But I will be investing in a lock.

“Lemme guess,” Vinyl said, as she brought another cup of tea with her into the living room. “You’re wondering what brand of lock to buy for your door.”

Octavia reached out and took the tea in an embarrassed silence. Vinyl gave a half-hearted grin in response.

“But you were...here. And then you touched me. I just...wanted to eat. It’s like putting a tray of cupcakes in front of Pinkie Pie.”

Octavia suppressed a growl at the mention of the pink nightmare. “I see your point. How long has it been? Since you’ve...fed?”

“A really long time,” Vinyl said. “I kinda forgot how good it felt.”

“Who was it?”

Vinyl forced a laugh, and Octavia could sense the pain in it. Vinyl looked down, her ears falling. “Not a point in my life I like talking about.”

Octavia went silent, but she could see the single tear trailing down the side of Vinyl’s muzzle. She slid out of the blanket, moving around the table. She hesitated just for a moment, before she put a hoof on her friend's shoulder. If the DJ sensed the hesitation, she didn’t say anything.

“When I went to the university. Canterlot School of the Arts. I didn’t even know what I was. I just saw her and got these...urges,” Vinyl said softly, nuzzling against Octavia’s leg. “I just wanted to flirt. But I wasn't wearing my glasses that day...”

Octavia pulled Vinyl into a hug. Vinyl rubbed against her neck, sniffling quietly.

“Next thing I knew, we were bucking. And...and I felt so...wonderful. Better than ever. I didn’t know I was...”

“It’s okay, Vinyl,” Octavia said, hugging her tighter. Vinyl returned the motion, before she pulled away and looked down, ashamed.

“How did you find out what you were?” Octavia asked, honestly curious.

“Well, I didn’t know I was doing anything. I just...thought she was a really horny marefriend.” She wiped her tears away with a flick of her hoof. “My mom knew, though.”

“Your mother is a succubus?”

Vinyl shook her head. “Oh. No. Should’ve mentioned that. I’m only half. My mom’s a pony. My dad is a succubus.”

Octavia blinked. “Shouldn’t you call him a...um...”

“Incubus? If he really was male, maybe.”

Octavia blinked again. “You’re going to have to explain this to me, Vinyl.”

“Related to the changelings, remember? Shapeshifters. I can’t. I’m only half. And they can’t change at will, either. Whenever a pony looks at them, they’ll see whatever they desire the most.”

“Imagine my surprise when my mom introduced me to my dad.” Vinyl gave an honest laugh now.

“Oh, I must hear this. Who did your father look like to you?”

Vinyl shook her head, still snickering. “It’s...embarrassing.”

“Vinyl, you said you’d tell me everything!” Octavia said, pushing against her shoulder with a smile.

“Alright, alright....I saw...Princess Luna.”

“Vinyl! You...desired the princess?” Octavia said with a shocked voice, her eyes wide.

“Hey, c’mon! She’s royalty! And hot!” Vinyl said with a blush. “I told you it was embarrassing...”

Vinyl’s voice became serious as she continued her story. “He...explained to me what I was. Told me everything...including that my ‘marefriend’ was...enthralled.”

Vinyl looked at Octavia, seeing the confused look on her face. She sighed. “Addicted. To me. Like I said, it’s what we do. A full feeding is...intense. You only got a little. You didn’t get the...the full experience.”

“Is...is your mother...” Octavia started.

“Enthralled? No. Just in love.”

“With a succubus?”

“Yep. That’s why he’s always been gone. He loves her too. Didn’t want to enthrall her.”

“That’s...surprisingly sad, Vinyl.”

Vinyl shrugged again. Octavia reached out for her tea, looking at Vinyl. She didn’t know what to think of her right now. She took a sip.

“I broke up with my marefriend. She...didn’t take it well. Wound up as a total mess. Got put in some kind of therapy. Haven't seen her since.”

Octavia stared at her. “You just...left her? You never tried to fix it yourself?”

“I didn’t know what else to do!” Vinyl growled, stomping against the floor. “I...I couldn’t do that to somepony. It was wrong! Every time she saw me, she’d....”

Vinyl jumped to her hooves and paced around the floor. “She couldn’t be around me. I made her into something she wasn’t. Just a horny little mare who wanted to buck and nothing else.”

Octavia stared into her tea. What had she wanted Vinyl to have done? Found some way to repair the damage? She heard Vinyl’s restless hooves against the floor as she walked.

“I’m sorry, Vinyl,” Octavia said finally.

“I know I’m dangerous, Octy. Just...give me time to find a new place.” She kicked at the floor with a hoof. “You’ll be safer without me around.”

Vinyl jerked her head up as Octavia slammed her tea down on the table.

“No,” she said, standing up and staring into those sunglasses.

Vinyl stepped back, looking at the intent expression on Octavia’s face.

“You will not run away from this,” Octavia said. “I consider you a friend. I offered my penthouse to you. That offer will still stand, regardless of how dangerous you think you are. I trust you.” Octavia stared at her, before taking a deep breath to steady herself.

“No more hiding from me. You may be a succubus and you may play music that I refuse to agree with, but I have had better conversations about the history of music and applications of musical theory with you than with anypony else. And we will be discussing them once more. On the veranda. With tea.”

Vinyl looked at her, a slow smile growing on her face. “I...think I can put up with that.”

“Indeed. We shall be proper roommates from now on,” Octavia said, giving a swish of her mane as she trotted into the kitchen. “Starting now. We shall have a conversation.”

Teacups and saucers clattered in the kitchen. Vinyl watched from the living room.

“So what’ve we been doing? Dancing?”

“A real conversation, Vinyl. You and I. On the veranda, like I said.” Octavia walked into the living room with a second tea cup in her hoof, offering it to Vinyl.

With a smile, Vinyl let her magic take the cup, levitating it in the air beside her.

“Just this once, Octy.”

“But I must ask, Vinyl. When I....when I kissed you,” Octavia said, a blush heating up her face. “Why didn’t it...do anything?”

“Wasn’t hungry,” Vinyl said, pressing a hoof against her mouth to muffle a laugh. “I’m only half of a succubus. Can’t turn it on and off. It just happens.”

Octavia picked up her own cup, turning away so Vinyl couldn’t see the blush on her face, and trotted out to the rooftop garden.

Vinyl gave a grin and followed after her.

==========

Octavia loved The Eden. Barely two blocks away from her penthouse, it was hardly the casual, everyday bar with its marvelous selection of meals and desserts, which was rivaled only by its drink menu, all accompanied with the sort of prices to be expected from an upscale cafe. The tables in the elegantly furnished main rooms were adorned with flowers during the day and mood-setting candles at night. A recession in the facade from the second story up allowed for a cozy little terrace that provided a charming view down the bustling street.

It was a lovely place for both romantic and casual gatherings, which is why she had selected it for today. There was no better place for a reunion with an old friend than the open air tables.

Octavia looked across the table, giving a smile as she demurely raised her teacup.

“It’s lovely to see you again, Lyra.”

“How could I come to Manehatten and not see you?” Lyra said, levitating her slice of cake into the air and taking a large, noisy bite, immune to the stares of the other patrons.

The pony next to her, introduced to Octavia as her marefriend, Bon-Bon, watched disapprovingly. “Lyra. Manners.” She turned to face Octavia. “I’m sorry about that.”

Octavia gave a giggle, waving it off with a hoof. “I’ve known Lyra for years. I understand her obsession with sweets.”

Lyra nodded happily. “That’s for sure,” She threw Bon-Bon a knowing gaze. Bon-Bon blushed and looked down at her tea.

“I’m...very used to apologizing for her behavior,” Bon-Bon stated, as Lyra swallowed the last bite of her cake, immediately signaling the waiter for another.

“Relaaaax, Bon-Bon! It’s cake!”

“You could at least try and be civilized!”

Octavia chuckled as she sipped her tea. “Oh, you will get much, much more to criticize, Bon-Bon.” She let her gaze travel to the clock mounted on the wall. “Whenever she decides to show up...”

“Oh! Who is it?” Lyra said in a sing-song voice. “Do you have a marefriend?”

Octavia blushed slightly, giving a laugh. “Oh, of course not. She is simply a roommate.”

“A roommate in a penthouse!” Lyra said, leaning towards her and winking.

“Lyra, don’t press,” Bon Bon said before busying herself with her tea.

Lyra ignored her. “Octaviaaaaa. You don’t need to hide!”

Octavia gave a sigh, rubbing her forehead with a hoof. She had forgotten how energetic Lyra could get.

“Lyra, you’ll never change, will you?”

“Noooope.” She busied herself with her cake. Bon-Bon watched her devour her second slice and gave a sigh.

“With as much as she likes sweets, am I allowed to assume that you two make a nice couple?” Octavia asked, turning towards Bon-Bon.

“It’s nice to have such an....enthusiastic taste-tester within leg’s reach.” Bon-Bon said with a smile, turning towards Octavia. “She was even nice enough to present me a list of her favorites.”

Octavia nodded and smiled, raising a hoof to signal the waiter.

“Tell me about your roommate, then,” said Bon-Bon as the waiter, a pegasus dressed in a black and white shirt, brought over a fresh pot of tea for Octavia and Bon-Bon and another slice of cake for Lyra.

“Good service!” Lyra laughed, immediately starting on her new slice. The waiter bowed, hiding the irritation on his face with years of control, and backed away.

“She is a DJ. Dreadful electronic music by all accounts, but she knows musical theory. It’s lovely to have discussions with her. Unfortunately, up until a week ago, she was very nearly a recluse.” Octavia took the teapot, pouring herself another cup. “I invited her here today to see if I can get her to act more social.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know much about electronic music. Thank you,” Bon-Bon said as Octavia filled her teacup. “We live in Canterlot. We don’t get much of it there.”

“Yes, Canterlot has always been very upper-class. I often do shows there when the Manehatten Symphony allows me a break. We get much more variety in music here. How long are you planning to be in town?”

Bon-Bon set her tea down. “Oh, I wanted to take a look at the business opportunities here. With everything that goes on in Manehatten, it certainly looks to be a better place for a confectionary than Canterlot. I have several appointments lined up to look at available locations over the next week.”

“Certainly business in Manehatten can’t be better than Canterlot?” Octavia asked, tilting her head slightly.

“Well...” Bon-Bon shifted nervously. “As you said, Canterlot is very upper-class...and our...relationship...” She threw a look at Lyra.

“Oh. I see,” Octavia said, her ears falling. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It didn’t matter so much at first, but when it starts to hurt your business...”

“They’re all idiots, every one of them,” Lyra stated. “I don’t mind commuting. Maybe I’ll even try out for the symphony here!”

“I’d be certain to recommend you, Lyra. You’re a delightful lyrist.” Octavia gave her a smile.

Lyra laughed. “Thanks! That way, I can meet you here for cake every day!”

“We...we’ll see,” Octavia said with a forced grin.

“Octy!” came Vinyl’s voice from inside.

“Out here!” Octavia said, turning in her seat and waving Vinyl out onto the terrace.

Her coat and mane had dulled over the past week, but she had seemed in good spirits about it. There hadn’t been any late night visits to Octavia’s bedroom, that was for certain.

“Octy, did ya really need to pick so ear-oh buck.” She froze in place several yards away from their table.

“Vinyl!” Octavia snapped. “Language!”

Octavia spun around at the sound of shattering china. Bon-Bon had jumped to her hooves so quickly that it had knocked the table over, scattering its contents across the terrace.

“My cake!” Lyra shouted, looking at Bon-Bon before shrinking back.

Octavia looked at Bon-Bon herself, nearly mimicking Lyra’s reaction. Bon-Bon was facing Vinyl with a look that Octavia could only describe as pure hatred. Her head was down, her hooves were planted, and she looked ready to charge.

“YOU!” she screamed.

Octavia and Lyra stared between their companions in stunned silence. The terrace had suddenly gone very quiet with every head turned their way.

"Um … hey. Long time, no see." Vinyl rubbed the nape of her neck with a hoof, suddenly looking very sheepish.

Octavia looked back and forth between Vinyl and Bon-Bon, her mind reeling from sudden realization.

“Oh. Oh, buck.”

Author's Note

Oh buck.

EDIT: I edited the story in preparation for the next chapter, to remove the line about Vinyl not remembering Bon-Bon's name.

Chapter 5 (April Fools Chapter)

Note: This chapter was written for April Fools Day. None of the events in this chapter are canon to the Essence story.

Vinyl panted, resting her head against the side of the elevator and stealing a glance at Octavia. The grey pony was equally exhausted. Vinyl figured that anypony would be winded when they ran three Manehatten blocks to escape a crazed mare.

“Safe.” Vinyl gasped. “We’re safe.”

As if on cue, hooves slammed against the outside of the elevator doors, echoing in the tiny space and causing both ponies to flinch.

“Oh no you don’t! Get the buck out here!” Bon-Bon’s voice carried loud and clear through the metal.

“Vinyl?” Octy gasped, a hoof holding the stitch in her side.

“Yeah Octy?”

“Push the button.”

Vinyl mashed a hoof against the penthouse floor button, letting the elevator rattle to life and carry them up towards their penthouse.

“Well.” Vinyl said, straightening her glasses. “That went good.”

Octavia simply glared, and Vinyl wondered if she was too exhausted to remark on Vinyl’s nonchalant attitude or bastardization of grammar. Vinyl gave a forced grin in response before sitting down on her flank.

“Was the food good?”

Another glare. Vinyl decided that she might as well sink instead of swim. It wasn't like her life hadn't become remarkably complicated as of late.

“C’mon, ya gotta admit it was kinda funny, right? I mean, what are the odds?”

The elevator bell gave a ring as the doors shuddered open to the penthouse. Vinyl trotted off into the hallway, ignoring the pain in her own sides. “I know what’ll make it better. Tea, right?”

Octavia gave a grudging nod and pulled herself to her hooves, letting out a soft groan as she did so.

Vinyl threw out a leg, catching Octavia in the chest and knocking her down onto her flank again. Octavia opened her mouth to reply, but Vinyl pressed her hoof against her mouth while holding the other up to her lips.

“Octy!” Vinyl whispered. “Listen!”

They both went quiet. Octy’s ears perked up and Vinyl knew that she could hear it too. A low muttering. Somepony else was in the penthouse. Vinyl caught Octavia’s gaze. Her eyes were wide, matching Vinyl’s expression hidden under her glasses.

There was the sound of magic on the air next.

A unicorn! Some unicorn is here and stealing our stuff! Vinyl thought to herself, doing a mental inventory of her equipment and records. A familiar sound broke her from her thoughts. Vinyl knew the sound well. A heavy thunk on wood. That was a bottle. A lighter thunk. A shot glass.

Vinyl gave Octavia another shushing gesture, before they gently moved forward to peer into the living room. The light were off, but there was enough daylight shining through the terrace windows to illuminate...herself.

Vinyl Scratch paced the living room, not even paying attention to her magic as the levitated bottle poured another shot. Every so often she would close her eyes and look towards the empty couch.

“I’ll be right there.” The other Vinyl said, levitating the shot to her lips and downing it before slapping it back on the table. Vinyl and Octavia shared a confused look.

“You? But you’re...”

Vinyl shushed her again and turned towards the strange sight, feeling a pang of jealousy that this imposter could display her eyes so openly.

Vinyl hopped up on the couch, a grim and disturbed expression on her face. From their position, crouched on either side of the doorway, they could see that this Vinyl Scratch was crying softly.

“Th-Thanks Octy...” She said softly, raising a hoof to trail down empty air.

Octavia looked at Vinyl, raising an eyebrow before turning back to the sight.

“Yeah. Yeah. I know. Thanks.”

Vinyl blushed suddenly, as the Vinyl on the couch seemed to kiss the air. Sure, it wasn’t really her, but...it looked painfully awkward to see herself doing that. It was embarrassing. Before she knew what she was doing, Vinyl jumped up from her crouching position and moved into the living room.

“Alright you. Who are you?” She said loudly, hoping to startle the intruder.

Instead, the Vinyl on the couch simply turned her head towards her. “I’m seeing myself now. That’s new. Go away, We're having a moment.”

Vinyl turned towards Octavia, motioning her in before turning back to her doppleganger.. “Hey, this is my penthouse!”

“Our penthouse.” Octavia corrected, standing next to Vinyl.

The Vinyl on the couch stood up almost reluctantly. “Another one. I’m tired of this.” She turned to the couch. “I’m sorry. I can’t take this anymore.”

The Vinyl paid them no attention even as she pushed between them muttering under her breath as she wandered off towards the bedrooms.

“Pills?” Octavia wondered aloud. “What was she...er....you talking about?”

Vinyl considered for a moment. “I...I don’t have a clue. You...you did see that, right?”

“I did.” Octavia shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t understand it, however.”

Vinyl opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by the gentle sound of a cello.

“Is she playing my cello?” Octavia asked, turning towards the bedrooms.

“It’s coming from the terrace...”

“No, it’s coming from the bedroom!” Octavia practically growled.

Vinyl tilted her head listening to the soft notes. “It’s....both.”

“How? Vinyl, I only have one cello!”

“Yeah, and I only have one of me!” Vinyl shouted in response.

Octavia went silent as she too listened to the music. Her eyes flew open wide. “I...I think you’re right!”

“Lets split up. You go check the bedroom.” Vinyl said, turning towards the doors to the terrace. “I’ll check out there.”

Octavia nodded, and headed towards the bedrooms. Vinyl steeled her nerves, and pushed the terrace doors open.

==========

The music grew louder as Octavia approached her bedroom door. She didn’t see the other Vinyl anywhere, for which she was glad. Whoever that was, it seemed that any conversation with her would be the epitome of awkward.

Octavia’s door was open just a crack, letting the music escape. It sounded delightful, albeit a bit...dark. She recognized the piece; Elegie in C Minor, op. 24. It was up to her standards, that was for certain. Her hoof trembled as she reached for the door. Was she about to meet an imposter of herself? She eased the door open.

Was this what Vinyl felt when she was watching herself?

Another Octavia sat on the bed, a cello in her hooves, guiding the bow across the strings in a smooth, practiced motion that Octavia recognized as her own. Octavia gently sat in the doorway with her eyes closed, unable to help but listen to it. She had never heard her own skill with the cello like this before, on the outside looking in. Suddenly, the music ceased.

“Look at this, dear Vinyl. I have an audience.”

Octavia opened her eyes, almost cringing at herself. She may have shared her talent with the cello, but Octavia hoped to Celestia that such an expression would never cross her face. There was an unmistakable air of cruelty in this mare, something sinister.

“Vinyl?” Octavia asked, looking around the room, before her hooves moved to cover her mouth.

Vinyl was propped against the wall, her eyes open yet unable to focus. Her body was limp, letting out shuddering pants without moving anything but her chest.

“Oh, don’t mind her.” The other Octavia said with a smirk. She leaned down to draw her hooves across Vinyl’s body, who let out a guttural groan and pushed herself against her. “She always gets this way when she listens to my music. And when she has a taste of my special medicine.”

Vinyl let out a pleasured groan as the Octavia guided her hoof down between Vinyl’s thighs, before leaning in for a kiss.

Octavia slammed the door, eyes wide. What was going on here?

==========

The sun illuminated the terrace, and while Vinyl could hear the notes of a cello, she couldn’t see their source. The song sounded...sad, somehow. And close. But the rooftop garden was empty. She turned to look back towards the house. She had once wired a speaker system to play music on the terrace, but she was certain she had taken it down.

Vinyl turned again and jumped in surprise. There, not ten feet away, was Octavia. She was sitting on the grass, drawing her bow across the cello strings in a melancholy melody. Then Vinyl’s heart sank.

In front of Octavia was a gravestone; white marble, inlaid with a golden record. A vinyl record. And Octavia was playing for it, while tears ran down her fur. Vinyl sat and stared at the sight, feeling the type of reverence one can only feel while they are staring at their own grave.

Vinyl had never been one for classical music, but this song burrowed into her soul. The sadness contained in the notes was contagious. She sniffed.

The notes trailed off slowly as Octavia turned around. Her eyes were bloodshot from the tears, but they grew brighter as they fell on Vinyl. She looked back and forth between the gravestone and Vinyl.

The cello fell forgotten to the grass as Octavia slowly walked forward. “Vinyl...are you...real?”

Uh-oh. That’s a dangerous question and a half.

“Well...” Vinyl said slowly. “Yeah. I mean, something strange is-”

Octavia reached out and touched her, her hooves on her shoulders, feeling her. Her eyes sprang with tears and she dove forward, legs tightening in a hug that nearly squeezed the life from her. Octavia sobbed against her.

“You’re here! You’re really here!” She choked out between sobs, nuzzling into Vinyl’s white fur.

“Oc-ty!” Vinyl gasped. “Can’t-”

The new Octavia was kissing her neck, trailing upwards. Kissing over her throat. Kissing over her chin.

Uh-oh.

“Octy! No, Octy!” Vinyl shouted, turning her head away to avoid a kiss on the lips. “Trust me! Bad idea! Bad idea!”

“I never told you, Vinyl! I love you! Please...I’m sorry! Forgive me!”

Vinyl blushed and pulled her body, squeezing out of the embrace. Octavia dove forward, tears still flowing, to wrap around Vinyl’s hind leg, nuzzling against her cutie mark.

“Bad touch! Bad touch!” Vinyl blushed, trying to pull out of Octavia’s grip and run towards the house. “Helllllp!”

==========

Octavia slowly backed away from the bedroom door as sounds of pleasure snuck through the wood. She gave a shudder at what her other self was doing. With Vinyl. On her bed.

She needed to find Vinyl. The real Vinyl. Not one that was drugged out of reality or talking to the air. She galloped down the hallway, stopping when she saw Vinyl in the kitchen.

“Vinyl! I...” Her voice trailed off in shock.

This Vinyl had a thick black collar around her neck, a leash leading from it to the leg of the kitchen table. There was a wide open gash in her leg, dripping blood into a wineglass that was already half full. Octavia repressed a gag, staring at the wineglass.

“Shouldn’t be long.” Vinyl said, her voice trembling.

“Wh...what...are you...doing?” Octavia said, her mouth dry.

“I’m...feeding you...?” Vinyl said, her hoof dripping blood onto the kitchen floor as she extended the wineglass towards her. Octavia tried to back into the hallway, but was pushed forward suddenly as another Octavia entered the room.

“Certainly you didn’t confuse me for this cheap imitation?” The new Octavia said, flashing a smile...if it could be called that. It was hardly noticeable. Octavia felt a chill as she looked at this iteration of herself. And the look in her eyes, giving a sniff at the air and looking at Vinyl’s cut hoof.

There was a sudden crash as Vinyl pulled herself into the kitchen, dragging an Octavia along with her, stopping to stare at the two Octavias. “Do either of you two know why I can’t take off my glasses? Because if so, bucking help me!”

Octavia had never been so glad to know that she was a succubus. She ran forward, wrestling the tearful Octavia off of her leg. She gave her a shove out of the kitchen. “Vinyl! Did you find anything out? Vinyl?”

Vinyl was staring at the emotionless Octavia, transfixed. Octavia followed her gaze, feeling bile rise up her throat as she drank greedily from the wineglass, the leash of the collared Vinyl wrapped around her other hoof.

“Wow. Hardcore, Octy.” Vinyl said with a halfhearted smirk.

Octavia gagged again. She was going to be sick. She sprinted back into the hallway. She needed to get to the bathroom.

“Octy, wait! Don’t leave me alone with the crazy ones!” Vinyl shouted after her.

Octavia nearly dove into the bathroom, eyes on the toilet. She tripped over something, but ignored it for now as she grasped the sides of the bowl with both hooves.

==========

The blood-drinking Octavia had dropped the wineglass to the floor, moving to stand between the door and the real Vinyl. The Vinyl with the collar had gone quiet, offering her leg to Octavia. She trailed her tongue along the cut in her leg, all the while staring at the real Vinyl.

“I could always stand to have another blood slave.” She said in between laps, with a creepy not-quite-a-smile. “I’m willing to bet your blood is every bit as wonderful as hers...” Octavia gave a tug on the leash to make her point.

Vinyl wanted to feel afraid. She certainly thought it was the logical thing to do. Yet, she could sense something in her. She grinned.

“I can feel that. You’re one lust-filled mare, ain't ya?”

Octavia’s eyes narrowed, dropping the hoof and pushing her blood slave away. “I will eat you alive if you push me.”

“Now, why would I do that? Here, allow me.” Vinyl reached out towards herself, the one with the collar, and pulled her towards her, giving her a gentle lick across her face.

Blood slave Vinyl shivered, her eyes rolled up in her head, and her hooves went weak, collapsing under her. Vinyl smirked at Octavia.

“And you wouldn’t believe what I can do when I take off my glasses.” Vinyl grinned.

Octavia looked at the panting puddle of Vinyl on the floor.

“Gonna stop me now?” Vinyl grinned. Octavia simply shrugged, and reached down to pull blood slave Vinyl to her hooves.

“Didn’t think so.” She said, and once she was past her, bolted down the hallway.

Vinyl simply followed the retches. She could hear somepony, and she had a very good idea of exactly what pony, throwing up in the bathroom.

“You alright Oct-Oh for buck’s sake, again!?”

Octavia lifted her head up. “I’ll...be fine...” She panted. “What are you looking...oh.”

Both of them looked on the floor, at another Vinyl. This one wasn’t moving.

“I...I think I tripped over you.”

“Why am I dead again?” Vinyl said, rubbing her forehead with her hoof.

“Again?”

“Gravestone on the terrace. Don’t ask.”

“Oh.” Octavia said, closing her eyes and trying to block out the dead Vinyl.

“Just...step around me this time. C’mon. Mind the dead, Octy.”

Octavia gently stepped around Vinyl, before stopping and looking down. “You’ve got something here.”

Octavia reached down and pulled a piece of paper from Vinyl’s hoof, looking at it. “Oh. Oh. Well. This is awkward.”

Octavia stepped out into the hallway, still contemplating it. Vinyl leaned over her shoulder, looking at it. A picture of Octavia, holding her bow. Octavia’s name in Octavia’s handwriting was at the bottom corner.

“Oh. Ooooh.”

Both of them looked back at the body.

“Awkward.” They both said at once.

Octavia coughed and set the picture aside. Vinyl looked around for a change of subject, blushing as she faced Octavia’s bedroom door. She could sense the rampant lust in that direction. She turned back towards Octavia.

“Don’t ask.” She said quickly.

“I’m getting sick of this!” Vinyl growled, pounding on the bedroom door. “That’s it! All of us! Out in the living room! Now!”

Vinyl realized that she was staring at the door. “I am going to turn around, and something strange is going to have happened. Right?”

Octavia didn’t answer. Vinyl sighed and turned around.

Octavia was sitting down, a dreamy, distant look on her face. A pair of headphones were clamped over her ears, held in place by a grinning Vinyl. Behind them both, there was another Octavia.

Oh. Oh my. Kinky.

This new Octavia looked at both Vinyls with a look of adoration. A black saddle was strapped over her back, and a collar was locked around her neck, with a silver heart-shaped tag with the word ‘Tavi’ engraved on it.

Well. She looks happy.

“Two are better than one!” The Vinyl said happily, eyeing the real Vinyl. “You wanna get in on these two?”

Vinyl gave an irritated sigh and lowered her glasses.

The other Vinyl locked eyes with her, letting out a shuddering gasp and left Octavia, moving towards Vinyl. She put her glasses back in place and pushed her behind her.

“Mind if I borrow this one?”

Vinyl turned around again, seeing a smirking Octavia peeking out from the bedroom, a syringe in her hoof.

“I’ll give her some special medicine. She won’t trouble you again.”

Vinyl stared. “Living room. Now.”

She pulled the headphones off of Octavia, letting them drop. “You okay?”

Octavia gave her a dreamy smile. Vinyl smacked her. “C’mon, Tavi. Snap out of it. Go and gather all of us up. In the living room.”

“Yes Vinyl!” The saddle-wearing Octavia said happily.

“I wasn’t....buck. Yeah. Go do that.”

==========

Ten minutes later, the living room was filled with a variety of Octavias and Vinyls. “Alright, Everypony! Listen up! Everypony is getting a number! Except for me and Octy here, since this is our penthouse!”

Octavia handed Vinyl a permanent marker, with one for herself. “Can you handle the Vinyls? I’ll handle...well. Me?”

“Gotcha.” Vinyl said, uncapping the marker and levitating it with magic.

Vinyl and Octavia went down the line, drawing big numbers on each of their chests.

“What about her?” Vinyl #2 said, pointing to an empty spot in the line of Octavias. “She didn’t get a number.”

Vinyl ignored her. “Do we got them all, Tavi?”

“I think we’re missing one. The vampire me.”

“I’m over here!” She said, wandering into the lineup with the dead Vinyl thrown over her back. “Mind if I borrow your fridge? I don’t want her to spoil.”

Octavia pulled the dead Vinyl off of her, tossing her unceremoniously into the line of Vinyls. Octavia drew the number five on her chest for good measure. Vinyl drew a big number four on the vampire Octavia.

“Alright!” Vinyl shouted. “Is that everypony?”

“Up here! Up heeere!” Vinyl’s voice came, carrying down the stairs from their studio.

Vinyl contemplated the lineup. “Alright. Octavia....three.” She said, pointing to the one with the saddle and collar. “And four. Go find...me.”

The two Octavias ran off up the stairs, while Vinyl rubbed her forehead. “Octavia?”

“Yes?” Came three voices.

“The real one!”

“Yes?” She said. Vinyl checked. No number on her chest.

“Why are mine so much stranger than yours?”

Octavia frowned. “None of yours are vampires, are they?”

“I wouldn’t doubt it. But look. One is hallucinating, one is on drugs, one is...” She paused to snatch the headphones out of Vinyl #1’s hooves, who had been trying to sneak up on Octavia #2. “Trying to hypnotize every Octavia she sees with music....and two of mine are dead!”

There was a sudden rattling as a hospital bed came crashing down the stairs, spilling a Vinyl with a neckbrace down onto the floor.

“Sure! No respect for cripples!” She shouted up the stairs. “I see how it is!”

“Tavi.” Vinyl said, nodding towards her.

Octavia drew a number six on her chest.

“What the buck is going on!?” Vinyl growled. “Can this day get any more bucking strange!?”

A sudden sound filled the penthouse, a strange kind of reverberating wheezing, almost like house keys being dragged across piano wires. Vinyl stared into the corner.

“Okay. I give. What the hell is a ‘Pony box’?”

Octavia looked at the blue box that had suddenly materialized out of nowhere in the corner of the living room. “I...don’t know, Vinyl.”

The door on the blue box opened, and a tan coated stallion with dark brown hair trotted out, giving a smile. “Don’t worry! Get you all sorted out in no time!” He said, holding up a silver device in a hoof, which buzzed with a blue light as he aimed it at the different Vinyls and Octavias in turn.

“Just a little dimensional flux, threw too many of you into one area. Don’t mind me, I’m The Doctor. I’ll take it from here.”

Vinyl and Octavia looked at each other, letting out a small whimper.

Author's Note

This is what happens when I get bored and decide to write an April Fools chapter. Forgive the lack of proofreading. I didn't want to reveal the joke prematurely. I don't do comedy writing very well, so my two goals with this chapter were to A) Make myself giggle, and B) Make everyone else go WTF. All of the different Vinyls and Octavias are from stories that I've read here on fimfiction. I tried to go with ones that I enjoyed, found unique, and had ideas for how they could work in this fake chapter. Here is the list.
Characters were used without permission.

Hallucinating Vinyl - Like The Record Rolls, by psp7master
Cruel Octavia and Drugged Vinyl - Elegie, Op.24, by Togashi (Clop)
Vinyl's Gravestone and Cello-playing Octavia - The Letter, by psp7master
Blood Slave Vinyl and Vampire Octavia - The Unconverted One, by Mavinator5 (Sorta Clop?)
Dead Vinyl - Songs Of Sorrow, by Syvvak
Hypnotizing Vinyl and Saddle Octavia - Let The Music Flow, by Tehponiplz (Clop)
Hospital Bed Vinyl - In An Instant, by Ruirik

The real chapter will be up in a few days. Happy April Fools, everypony!