//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Treble Clef // Story: The Scratch Ends Here // by TigerSwirl448 //------------------------------// Chapter 2 Treble Clef “You've seen her?” Beauty Brass asked in shock, getting her take out spaghetti into a plate. Octavia was sitting on the couch with tears pouring from her eyes. “Yes but... I just don’t know what I should feel right now. I don’t know if I should be happy or... confused.” Beauty Brass took the first plate and set it before Octavia. “Now, I’m sure there’s a reason why she ran off so quickly.” “Something is wrong.” Octavia whispered. “Why do you say that darling?” Beauty Brass asked getting herself a plate full of spaghetti and sauce. Octavia remembered how twitchy Vinyl was and how she avoided eye contact. “Vinyl was avoiding something or somepony. When she knew it was me she dragged me with her to some bushes to hide in.” Brass raised her brow looking at Octavia. “Maybe she’s with another mare or a stallion and can’t afford to be seen with you.” Octavia felt her heart break as she hid her face into the couch pillow. Brass winced. “Oh dear, um . . . or she’s hiding from the paparazzi! You know there are rumors spreading about Vinyl Scratch staying in the dark. Many are saying she’s doing drugs.” Octavia sat up staring at Brass as if she was a changeling. “What did you just say?” Brass shook her head. “You know I listen well to the radio and read all the gossip magazines. They’re just rumors, Octavia. There is no evidence surrounding that claim.” Octavia sighed turning away. “Vinyl would never do that to herself... drinking yes, but drugs, no. Not again.” Her ears perked up. She turned back to Brass with fear. “You think she would?” Brass shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know, dear. I’m just repeating what I’ve heard and read. It wouldn’t hurt to ask her yourself.” Octavia gasped and face hoofed. “How silly of me, you’re right! I can ask her about these rumors and figure out what’s going on.” She smiled and hugged her roommate. “Thank you, Brass.” Octavia bolted into her room. Brass grinned. “Glad to help, darling.” The next day Octavia made it to the Cider Barrel and found a secluded table in the far corner. She was just given her drink when the bell above the door rang telling the bar tender of a customer. Octavia recognized the hoodie jacket and waved. Vinyl grinned and made a small wave trotting over with her head down. She took the seat opposite of Octavia pulling back her hood with a sigh. “I’m happy to see you, again.” Vinyl said silently pushing her shades up the bridge of her nose. “Sorry about yesterday, for running off like that.” Octavia grinned. “It was startling, but I am curious.” Vinyl raised her brow watching Octavia. “Curious about what? Thanks,” She said to the bartender as a glass was set before her. Octavia sighed turning to the window seeing the fall leaves flying by the window. “It’s been so long, Vinyl and we haven’t really talked in what seven years?” Octavia turned and noticed how Vinyl was staring at the drink as if the cup was a giant spider. “Vinyl?” She asked. Then she noticed Vinyl started to jerk and tremble. “Vinyl!” “Huh?” Vinyl looked up at Octavia then she started looking around the bar. “Vinyl... Something is wrong with you.” “Wrong?” Vinyl scoffed. There was a tremor in her voice as she chuckled. “Please Tavi you’re worried about nothing. I swear I’m fine.” Octavia glared at her. “You are not fine. Don’t lie to me Vinyl Scratch. Unlike your own mother, I know when you tell a lie. What is wrong?” Vinyl suddenly jumped when her cell phone buzzed causing her to yelp. Octavia jumped at the sound and watched as Vinyl used her magic and grab her phone to stare at it. Octavia wasn’t sure if it was possible for a white unicorn like her to turn any whiter. She reached for her arm. “Vinyl?” Vinyl jerked away from her hoof. “I got to go, I’m sorry!” Vinyl leapt out of the booth and ran away. “Vinyl! Wait a second!” Octavia ran after her out the door. She bumped into some ponies passing the bar. She leapt away apologizing then stopped in the middle of the street. There was no sign of her DJ marefriend. “Vinyl?” She screamed out looking around. Many ponies gave her looks as she desperately searched for her marefriend. She sat down hard on the cobble stones rubbing her eyes. She turned around and went back inside the bar. She pulled out her purse from her saddle bag and paid the bartender. “I’m sorry about that, here’s the payment.” The bartender snorted. “Hmmph, I thought you were thinking of running off without paying.” Octavia made a sheepish grin then had a thought. “Excuse me... um who ordered my friend that drink?” The bartender stared at her as he cleaned a mug. “Oh some stallion walked in earlier and paid for a drink to give to your friend who ran off.” He shrugged. Octavia looked around seeing no single pony in the bar. There are couples or friends chatting or playing cards. She gulped. “What was it?” She asked. The bartender gave her a look. Octavia raised her hooves at him showing she meant no offence. “Just asking, I just want to know.” The bartender pointed at a sign behind him with a picture of the same drink. Desperate Love. Octavia blinked staring at the name. “Uhh... Interesting name for a drink.” “Yeah, my grandfather made the drink. It’s a powerful shot of goodness to make you mourn the ones you love for leaving you for dead with a nice tiny chocolate rose perched at the side for sweetness. You want one, sweet heart?” Octavia shook her head. “No thank you, sir. Thank you for the drink.” She smiled and left the bar completely confused. She returned to the hotel and entered the room. Beauty Brass was sleeping on the couch as the radio played soft melodies. Octavia grinned at her friend and found a blanket to cover Brass up. Once that was done she started pulling off her coat and her saddlebags. “How did your date go?” Octavia squeaked in surprise turning to see Brass siting up on the couch. “Brass, Sweet Celestia, you almost gave me a heart attack!” Brass chuckled. “Was it that good?” Octavia glared at her. “No... I mean,” she paused biting her lip. “It was great seeing her again but, she ran away before we even began to talk.” Brass had a confused scowl on her face standing up. “She ran away again? Why?” Octavia sighed hanging her coat on the hook on the wall. “She... A drink was ordered for her and she completely changed before me as if that cup was going to attack her. She started shaking then her cell phone went off and... I’ve never seen Vinyl that scared before. She ran away after that.” Brass sat down before Octavia and hugged her. “I’m sure everything is fine.” Octavia shook her head. “I’m not so sure any more. She’s hiding something and... This isn't her!” Octavia pulled away from Brass’s embrace. “She’s never afraid of anything! Well maybe one or two things but she always swatted that away with her humor. Why is she afraid?” Brass sighed unsure of what to say to her friend. “Hey, get some sleep Octavia, you had a stressful day. And we have a concert tomorrow afternoon and we have to practice.” Octavia sighed wiping her eyes. “You’re right... Maybe she’ll come and see the concert.” Octavia smiled hopeful. “She did promise seeing my show ten years ago.” Brass grinned. “There you go. Now go on to bed. I’ll have to clean up my mess before sleeping.” Octavia nodded and left her friend cleaning the kitchen and closed the door to her room. She sighed, feeling tears in her eyes. She walked to her bed and plopped into it landing on something hard and cold. She stood up to find her new disc player and Vinyl’s disc case next to it. She moved the two items and grinned. She pulled on the headphones and pressed play hearing the music playing in her ears. She pressed a button to make the disc player play the whole playlist continuously. She placed the disc case on the night stand, making sure it’s propped up so she can see the picture of Vinyl which she stared at for long moments hearing the music. The picture is of Vinyl in a hoodie with those large headphones around her neck looking up at the sky. Octavia could see the title of the album, Treble Cleft. Faded in the cloudy sky background was a purplish pink treble cleft. She smiled, feeling tears forming again. She grabbed the case again and flipped it to the back. She blinked seeing a picture of a music sheet with treble clefts as bullets showing ten different tracks. At the far left corner she could see a picture of Vinyl winking and on the bottom right corner, practically hidden, was a picture of her. She felt her lip quiver smiling. She can see a track that catches her eye. It was a bonus track, The Cellist Bass. Octavia never really heard every single track. So she skipped the tracks to the tenth track and listened. Suddenly she heard talking. She blinked realizing it was Vinyl’s voice. “Oh come on Tavi, just play a little more, please!” *sigh* “Alright only for you, Vinyl.” Octavia gasped hearing her own younger voice. There were sounds of tuning and rummaging around things. “Um Vinyl?” “Yeah?” "What is that? What are you doing?” "Oh this thing? It’s for an experiment I’m working on. Just play your cello and this thing here will record your music. Octavia remembered this moment; this was about fifteen years ago when they were first starting out living together. Vinyl was so intrigued of Octavia’s playing that she wanted to try something on her computer. It didn’t work out so Vinyl claimed that it’ll be worked on later. Octavia’s heart started to pound, her breathing quickened wondering if this was Vinyl’s experiment. "Are you sure about this? "Come on Tavi, just play to your heart’s content. Play!” "Oh alright,” There was a pause then the sound of her cello was heard. Octavia gulped listening. Suddenly there were other instruments playing. Violins? Violins! How? Octavia scrolled the volume up higher to where she can’t hear anything but the music. Suddenly there was a dull bass beat, it was subtle, but you can still hear it. Then there were sounds of an electric keyboard being played along with the strings. It was beautiful. It was smooth and gentle of everything. Then suddenly she heard Vinyl’s voice and she was rapping. Rapping? Vinyl never does that... she might for the sake of an audience of ravers but on this . . . Her words. She spoke of her past with a Treble Cleft. Octavia knew for sure that Vinyl was talking about her. There was another voice with Vinyl, a stallion’s voice rapping with her. The beat and the keyboard blared out as the stallion took the lead of rapping of lost love with this Treble Cleft. Octavia could tell those were Vinyl's words, straight from her heart. She could heart the duet no between them singing the chorus with other voices that Octavia had heard from the radio. The electro and vocals suddenly stopped, but the cello and violins continued to lay their mournful tune. More instruments began to lightly play, adding more feeling to the wonderful sounds of the cello and violins. The keyboard continued playing with a light bass beat. Octavia could hardly breathe from the beautiful majesty of the music. The other songs of Vinyl’s that Octavia had listened to had been loud and chaotic. But this piece... This piece was crafted so wonderfully, and sounded just like a calming orchestra. Suddenly the electro and the voices stopped, but the cello and violins continue to play the mournful tune. Lightly more instruments began to play adding feeling with the strings. The keyboard played lightly with a light bass beat. Octavia could hardly breathe at the power of the music. Vinyl’s other works she listened to on this disc were loud and chaotic but this piece was sewn together so well and sounded like a calming orchestra. The singers sang again with harmonious voices, then Vinyl’s voice popped up again slowly speaking. Octavia listened carefully to her words as if she was truly talking to her. “Treble Cleft, if you hear this now... I want you to know this... Where ever you end up being placed... I will find you and we will continue making beautiful music together.” The singers’ belted out the chorus with the stallion repeating the last line Vinyl spoke. Suddenly the beat faded away, leaving the keyboard and voices playing. Slowly the voices died away as the last line continues to be sung. Then the violins and cello were still playing. The violins faded away leaving the cello playing mournfully. The sound of the cello played softly until the sound faded away. The song was over. Octavia pulled off her headphones, staring at the disc case at the track title The Cellist Bass. She reached inside the case to pull out the small booklet that was inside. She opened it to see actual pictures of Vinyl and some of those pictures had Octavia in them, but only pieces of her; like an arm, or her tail, and one of them had her headless. On each page there was a description of the musical piece. On each page there was a new picture depicting the two mares together. To Octavia’s surprise most of the pictures of her were either cut out or had her hidden. Then she reached the page where the bonus track was. There was a message under the bonus track description. This piece was made so long ago. I thought about making an awesome bit of music with my lover's music. At the time I was impatient and didn’t have a clear ear as I do now. Treble Cleft, this is for you. Though we might never see each other again at least you’ll have a piece of our past with you. I wish you luck and pray to the goddesses that I’ll see you again. I hope you loved this music; it took five years to make this and it’s all for you. Octavia started to cry seeing Vinyl’s printed signature under the message. She placed the disc case on the night stand with a shaky hoof. She placed her headphones back on and decided to play the piece again and pressed the repeat single button so she can listen to the song all night in her sleep. She nuzzled her face into the pillow dreaming the pillow was her. * * * * * * The battery died in the player. It was luck that the player died, because Octavia heard her phone ring on the night stand. She pulled off the headphones reaching for the phone without looking at the caller ID. She flipped it open and pressed it to her ear. “Hello?” She grumbled yawning. There was no answer just breathing. “Hello?” She said louder getting angry. “Who is this? I just woke up from the most wonderful of dreams-” "Tavi?” Octavia paused hearing the familiar voice. “Vinyl? Vinyl is that you?” There was labored breathing on the other line. “Tavi... I need your help.” Her voice sound strained. “Something’s horribly wrong...” Octavia’s now wide awake as she sat up in her bed. “What’s wrong? Tell me what’s wrong?” Vinyl took a long time to respond. She coughed on the other line. “He’ll be back and... Tavi help me.” Octavia sprung out of bed and hobbled with one hoof with the phone to her ear as she grabbed a hoodie from her suitcase. “Where are you Vinyl?” She said pulling it on. “At... Great Luna street. There’s an apartment complex to the left of the sign.” Her voice started to strain. “Octavia... I can’t-” “Hush up now, I’m coming. What room?” “T-t-twelve... room twelve. The key it’s under the neighbor’s mat.” She breathed hard and started coughing and the sound of vomiting was heard. “Shit, Tavi-” “Vinyl... Vinyl! Can you hear me! Vinyl!” She screamed into the phone and pressed it against her ear to hear nothing. “Sweet Celestia! Just hold on Vinyl, I’m coming!” She kept her phone on and attached the headset that connects to her phone so she will be able to talk and listen to her without hanging up her phone. She stuck her cell phone opened in her hoodie pocket and ran out of the room bumping into Brass. “Octavia, what’s wrong I heard you screaming.” Octavia noticed Brass was dressed in her night shirt. Brass noticed Octavia is dressed in her hoodie. “Where are you going?” “Vinyl’s in trouble I got to go get her. I’ll be back soon!” Octavia pushed past her roommate to the door. “Octavia, it’s raining outside!” Octavia ignored the warning as she ran down the stairs. She busted through the hotel doors, taking a left turn knowing where Great Luna street is. She ran past the closed stores as the rain fell all over Canterlot. She pulled on her hood and bit the string to tighten her hood. She heard moans and whispers for help from her phone. Vinyl’s phone was still on! Octavia slid in a puddle and took a turn and ran to another intersection. She looked up at the sign on the sign post, she stopped seeing one sign pointing right, Great Luna Street. Octavia took the street and sure enough she found the small apartment complex. She ran to the gate to see glowing buttons. She pressed each one trying to get inside. Then a voice yelled out, “WHAT!” “Please, I need to get inside to help my friend who’s sick! Please, let me in!” She begged. “Fine!” The voice barked back then there was a buzz. The gate was released. “Thank you,” she called to the speaker as she ran up the stairs. Octavia reached the third landing and there was room twelve. She tested the door knob, it was locked. She reached room eleven’s door mat and found a silver key. She unlocked twelve’s door and opened it and gasp to see Vinyl laying still on the floor, covered in unnaturally dark colored vomit. She ran over then gasped at the horrid smell. The vomit had this horrible odor and it’s all over Vinyl’s chest. Octavia grabbed a kitchen towel and wet it in the overly full sink. Once wet enough she ran over and cleaned off Vinyl’s body. She looked down to find Vinyl’s phone a few feet away. Octavia closed the phone ending the call, pulled off her headset, and stuck it in her pocket. She turned to run to Vinyl’s aid. “Vinyl! Vinyl, please say something!” She begged feeling around her for a pulse. Vinyl suddenly coughed a couple of times very weakly. She looked up, her frames are broken and one of the lenses is shattered. “Tavi? How did you get here?” She whispered weakly shaking. “You called for me remember?” Octavia said smiling stroking Vinyl’s forehead, she was slick with sweat. “I did? I thought he,” she retched and vomited to the side away from Octavia. Octavia covered her mouth seeing blood come up with the unnatural colored vomit. “Vinyl, what’s wrong with you?” Once she was done, Vinyl groaned wrapping her arms over her head squeezing her eyes shut. “Make him stop!” She whimpered. Octavia knew something was terribly wrong. She pulled out her cell phone and pressed a number for speed dial to Brass’s phone. “Please, please, have your phone with you.” “Octavia? Is everything alright?” Octavia sighed in relief using the towel to clean Vinyl again. “No, everything is not alright. I need your help.” “Say the word!” Octavia looked around hobbling to what appears to be Vinyl’s room. The room was a mess, it is normal for Vinyl to have a messy room, that’s just her nature, but the contents on her floor were shattered bottles of alcohol, broken discs, crumpled up beer cans, and some sharp objects left on the floor. Octavia dodged through most of the broken glass to the closet. She grabbed a gym bag out of Vinyl’s closest and started putting things inside that Vinyl would never leave home without; flash drives, discs, records, she even found some clothes and stuffed them into the bag hoping the clothing would cushion the small devices inside. “I need you to meet me at the corner to Great Luna Street. As quick as you can.” “Why? Is your friend alright?” Octavia zipped up the gym bag swinging the sling around her neck as she limped to the door. “No, she’s very sick and I have to get her out of here.” “Why are you calling me?” Octavia found the hoodie Vinyl wore earlier that day and quickly grabbed it. “Should you be calling the hospital?” “I don’t know how much time Vinyl has. She called for my help she didn’t tell me to call the hospital. Look, just get here as fast as you can alright.” “Okay, I’ll be there as fast as I can.” Octavia hung up sticking her phone into her pocket. She reached Vinyl to see her passed out. “Vinyl? Vinyl, you have to stay awake, dear.” She called shaking Vinyl by her shoulder. Vinyl groaned closing her eyes tightly. “Stop it.” She weakly groaned. Octavia started to panic. She sat Vinyl up and pulled on her hoodie and making sure her hood is over her head. Vinyl’s glasses fell off her face landing in the vomit. Octavia knew the glasses were of no use right now. She would have to get Vinyl a new pair later. She held Vinyl up and then lowered her down, allowing the unicorn to slump on her back. Octavia strained as she lifted Vinyl up. She sighed and started walking out of the room. She turned to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. Nothing, except something caught her eye. It was a newly opened bottle of whiskey on the kitchen counter and on the floor there is a shattered shot glass with whiskey on the floor. Octavia gulped then trot out of the room shutting the door behind her and made the hard climb down the stairs, straining with Vinyl’s weight. “Geez, you need to lose some weight filly.” She said using Vinyl’s nickname for her. Vinyl just groaned in response. Octavia reached the bottom of the stairs then opened the gate door to the outside, she then heard hoof beats. “Octavia!” Octavia let out a sigh of relief seeing Brass running over dressed in a hoodie jacket. “Beauty Brass, thanks goodness, take her bag.” Brass nodded and grabbed the gym bag that’s hanging around Octavia’s neck and slung it on her back. “Hurry, the storm’s getting worse. Oh my!” Brass exclaimed seeing Vinyl half dead on Octavia’s back. “I know, hurry, we have to get back to the hotel.” Brass nodded and started trotting ahead as Octavia slowly lumbered forward hearing Vinyl groaning then she vomited in the gutter. Brass turned and gasped seeing the same thing Octavia saw. Blood and vomit. “Make it stop!” Vinyl begged crying after vomiting. “Please Celestia, it hurts!” Octavia felt tears of her own. “You’re going to be fine Vinyl, you’re with me.” Vinyl opened her eyes they were turning yellow. “I won’t let him hurt you Octa... via.” She went silent again hanging limp on Octavia’s back. Octavia started forward again. “Nopony's going to hurt me Vinyl, everything is going to be fine.” Brass ran ahead to the next street waiting for them. They reached the hotel when lightning started to flash in the sky. There were no ponies at the register desk so nopony noticed the sick unicorn on an earth pony’s back. Brass ran to the elevator and pressed a button to open the door. The door opened as the two mares walked in. Brass pressed the button to their floor, waiting anxiously. She sniffed the air and stiffened. “Oh, Great Luna! What is that horrible smell?” She turned to see Vinyl groaning and drooling. Octavia scrunched her nose smelling the odor. “Something was in her drink.” Octavia answered meekly. “I think something was in her drink that’s causing her to look like this.” “What do you mean?” Brass asked flicking her ears back on her head. “Before I left I saw an opened whiskey bottle and a broken shot glass on the kitchen floor. Her body is reacting to it.” Brass gulped then shuddered reminding herself to watch what she drank. The bell rang and the doors open. “Hurry, open the door.” Octavia urged as Brass ran ahead to their room and opened their door. Octavia grunted with effort trying not to fall over with Vinyl on her back. Brass closed the door and locked it. “Get my door open I’m taking her to my bathroom.” Brass nodded running to Octavia’s bedroom and open her door for her. Octavia nudged her bathroom door open and deposited Vinyl to the cold tile floor. “There,” she panted. “Now, um,” she reached for her bathtub and turn it on then she pulled a lever and then the shower came on. Octavia turned the water to a medium level in temperature. Not too hot and not too cold, just in the middle. She nodded getting the right temperature and pulled Vinyl’s hoodie off of her. She took in a breath, preparing herself to carry Vinyl again. “Okay,” she started pulling Vinyl by the scruff of her neck to sit up so she could get her on her back again, then carefully slid her off into the tub letting the cool water rain on her. Vinyl opened her eyes looking at the white tub feeling the water but not caring. She turned slowly to Octavia as she talked to Beauty Brass. Vinyl couldn’t even hear, her ears were clogged up. Octavia turned to smile at her. “Vinyl... can you hear me?” She asked stoking Vinyl’s now wet face. Vinyl looked like she was not even in this world. She tilted her head to the left. Her eyelids so heavy. Brass returned to the room with several wash rags. Octavia dunked a rag into the water and proceeded to washing Vinyl’s sweat coated face. Vinyl closed her eyes laying her chin on the edge of the tub with a slow sigh. Octavia pressed her lips on top of Vinyl’s head and kissed her, hoping to lift her spirits. Vinyl opened her eyes again, slowly looking at Octavia with no emotion. Octavia felt tears in her eyes. “You’re going to be okay, Vinyl. I’ll get you help.” Vinyl coughed once and spit into the tub. Octavia used the rag to clean her chin where the mucus dribbled over. Vinyl just stared at the cabinets under the sink as Octavia hugged her, stoking her mane. Vinyl closed her eyes and sighed, nuzzling Octavia's shoulder. She closed her eyes and fell into a restless sleep.