//------------------------------// // Off To Manehattan // Story: Meeting the Parents // by Spot Light //------------------------------// June 16th, 9:00 am: Octavia opened her eyes, her head hurting from the previous night. She learned the hard way not to challenge Vinyl to a Las Pegasus Vodka shot contest. It was amazing that Vinyl could hold her alcohol when she was focused. Octavia's mouth was dry and some reason she had neon blue hair in her mouth. She sat up and saw that Vinyl's tail was in her mouth. Vinyl was over on the side of the bed packing something. Octavia spit out her tail. "I was wondering when you were going to stop that." "Sorry, what are you doing?" Octie asked. "I'm packing my instrument." Vinyl replied, "Remember we need to be in Manehattan by tomorrow." "Oh right, I almost forgot. But what Instrument are you packing, because turntables aren't exactly an instrument." "I'm packing something else. You should get ready, out train comes at 11:00 am. It will take us most of the day to get there." Octavia stretched, "Ok, I'll go take my shower," she yawned. She hopped out of bed and went to do so. Vinyl smiled, "3... 2... 1" she said. "Vinyl, you used up the hot water!" she yelled from down the hall. "Consider it payback for adjusting my chair to be spring loaded; I swear our house gets more holes in it than Swiss cheese." "At least you can fix them!" Octavia yelled. Vinyl just shrugged it off and went to get something from the dresser. She pulled on the drawer and it sprang open sending fake snakes everywhere. "Octavia!" "I was ready for you Vinyl," she called back. Vinyl caught her breath and spoke. "Say while we are gone Derpy said she would check on the house for us." "When did she say that?" Octavia called. "Shortly after you passed out," Even though Vinyl couldn't see her, she could since that Octavia had an annoyed look on her face. "Listen Octie, we might want to hurry up, so we can get to the station early and get good seats. So I'm suggesting you take some of my snack cakes from the fridge so we can eat them on the way because we won't have time for breakfast." Octavia got out of the shower, wrapped her towel and headed back to the room. "Vinyl, you never let me have your snack cakes. Besides I don't eat processed foods, they make me fat." "Octie, you could never get fat from these." "And why is that?" "They are low fat. So grab yourself some to pack and let’s get going." "Thanks Vynie." she dropped her towel and put on her bow tie. "Vynie?" "My new nickname for you, you call me Octie all the time. So I thought you would like it." "It does have a nice ring to it, better than Welcome to Near and Far: Music of Equestria, the music is from far away to get you near." "Three years working at that record store and still you haven't come up with a slogan for it." "Don't judge me," Vinyl blurted, as she closed her suitcase, "There I'm done packing. What about you?" "I packed yesterday..." she smiled "Before you got drunk?" Vinyl joked. In the back of Octavia's mind: Just keep smiling Octavia, just keep smiling. "Let’s just go Vinyl. I'll grab some snack cakes on the way out." "Sounds like a plan." It was another 10 minutes before they left and were on their way to the train station. It was on the way there that they ran into a pony that Vinyl had warned Octavia about. "Hey Vinyl, what’s up?" asked the eccentric pink pony, "Who's this, where you going, can I come?" Octavia was wondering what was going on. "Octie, let me handle this one." Vinyl reassured and looked at the pink pony, "Hello Pinkie Pie, this is my mare friend Octavia. Second me and her are heading to the train station." "Really, where you going?" "Manehatten to visit my aunt and uncle. And no you cannot come." "I understand," "Good, now why are you talking to me anyway?" "Well you’re the one doing most of the talking." Cue Vinyl face-hoof. "And I had an idea for a prank but I lost it. And I thought you might be the one who has it." Vinyl gave her a strange look and pulled some sort of container from her bag. "I was planning on saving this for Octavia..." "I beg your pardon," Octavia interrupted. "...but I was wondering if you could sniff it for me." She opened up the container and Pinkie took a big whiff of it followed up by a sudden: Achoo! sending Pinkie taking off like a rocket and away from them. "Well that was..." Octavia began. "A grand sneeze?" Vinyl asked. "...Pointless." she finished. "I was going to save that sneezing powder for you but it seems that it was all used up getting rid of her." "So that was Pinkie Pie?" "I warned you about her." "I swear I have seen her before. But I can't put my hoof on it." "Well let’s just get to the train station before "it" comes back." Ten minutes later they made it to the train station, got on the train and found their seats. "So how long is this ride going to take?" "Manehattan is a long ride. I say we will be there at least by 9:00." Vinyl replied, "This is why I wanted to get an early ride." Octavia rested her head on Vinyl's shoulder. "I love when you think ahead; which is rarely." "Hey, you’re lucky Pinkie used up all my sneezing powder." Vinyl joked. "Say Vinyl, I never asked," Octavia began, "I understand you lived with your aunt and uncle, but what ever happened to your mom and dad?" "I never told you? Well either I never told you, or you were drunk when I did." "Whatever, tell me again." "Well you see, when I was about 10, my father was a cop. Next to Sparkler, he was one of my best friends. Anyway one night a local convict broke out of prison. His name was Brass Hoof. This guy was bad news; he loved to hurt others just for a reaction, he is the reason our friend Derpy has crossed eyes. Cross Hairs, my father, was sent along with Sheriff Night Stick to hunt him down." Vinyl took a quick breath then continued. "They tracked him down in a warehouse, but the place was so big that they split up to find him. My father found him and got into a tussle with him by a second story broken window. The Sharif saw the fight but couldn't do anything to stop it. My father knew Brass Hoof was too dangerous to be kept alive. From what the Sheriff said: My father gave Brass Hoof a strong bear hug and flung the both of them out the window. Brass Hoof died on impact, my father told Sheriff Night Stick, to tell me that I was safe. You see Brass Hoof used to bully me and beat me up for being an albino. And to avoid that I dyed my mane this color." A tear fell from Vinyl's eye, Octavia wiped it up for her. "So you father died a hero." She said, trying to comfort her mare friend. "But what about your mother?" "Shortly after dad died, she came down with a strange case of black pox." "Oh dear me!" This took Octavia by surprise, "Black pox?" "Yes, its unknown of how she got it, our family doctor, Dr. X-Ray, said she would only have a month to live; she fought for three times that long." Tears were rushing down her face by now. "I know I'm crying, I never thought you would see me like this Octie. Anyway, after she passed, I moved in with my Aunt A-Track and Uncle Turn Table. Then I moved out and came to Ponyville." "Wow," Octavia hugged Vinyl, as Vinyl's tears soaked her shoulder. "I'm sorry I asked about such a sensitive topic sweetheart." "It's ok, you were going to find out sooner or later." she sniffed as she dried her face. "When we get there, you’re going to like my Aunt and Uncle." "If it makes you happy, here." Octavia placed one hoof on Vinyl's face and kissed her passionately. "All better?" "Thanks Octie. Say we have a room in the back, would you like too... you know. And neither of us are drunk" "But Vinyl, it's not even dark out. And we don't want to make a lot of noise" "What are you talking about, I mean to take a nap together. What were you thinking?" "That's what you meant? I thought you meant..." "Not here, that's for when we’re at home." "If it's a nap you want together, I'll meet you there." Octavia had a smile on her face. "But what if we miss our stop." "Manehattan is the last stop, the conductor will wake us if he has to." With that the two went to their room on the train.