Celestia’s sun rose over the horizon, bringing with it promises of fresh cheer, a new day, and plenty of regret for how one spent the night before.
Rolling out of his bed, Harpo groaned as he felt his body seize up with soreness, coupled with the bleary eyes and muddy thoughts of having stayed up past his usual bed time. For a second the stallion chided himself for such scornful musings, reminding himself he wasn’t that old yet….not in spirit at least….
Grappling blindly, he located the ladder leading up to the main deck and painfully pulled himself up to the hatch. Swinging it open, his ears were assaulted with the sounds of music, notes flowing as smoothly as the morning waves from Octavia’s cello as she played to welcome the sun. Through the haze of his still half slumbering mind, Harpo still managed to pick up on something: the music his friend played was not one of her usual practice pieces, indeed it didn’t sound like anything he could remember from any composer.
Dragging himself onto the deck, Harpo shielded his eyes against the sun and squinted as the silhouette of the grey mare stilled her bow and turned to face him.
“Well…you look like hell.” Octavia replied with a small giggle. “Was wondering how long you could keep up the energetic façade of last night.”
Harpo groaned and turned away from the sun. In the safety of the boat’s covered sitting area his eyes fell upon a cold pitcher of OJ with a glass sitting by it for him. Thanking the mare for being a considerate early riser, he poured himself a glass and sat down in the shade afforded by the floor of the steering section overhead.
“Long enough to come to a decision about something. Ooogh, feel like I just put myself through the Equestrian Games decathalon…yet…still I could see myself doing it again….”
Octavia’s expression turned to concern. “Well try to pace yourself there. I need my helms-stallion to still be in a quasi-functional state.”
Drinking deep of the fruit juice, Harpo massaged his brow and sighed as he felt a bit of energy seep back into his muscles.
“Do you? Seems like the longer we stay here, the more it benefits us both. I’ve been having the time of my life, and it sounds like you’ve finally found some inspiration for your music.” He replied. Octavia looked at her cello, then to the sheet music she’d been writing on. Her face fell in dismay.
“Some being the operative word. I do admit it’s a good start, but after I get past the 20th bar it just….it still feels like it’s missing something. Something I can’t figure out.” She sighed. “Been trying variations ever since the sun started to rise and nothing fits!”
Downing the rest of his glass, Harpo stood and felt well enough to climb down to the galley section for some breakfast.
“Well then, the ideal course of action would be stay here for a bit longer, would it not? See if it helps you get over the rest of your creative block?”
Octavia put her cello aside and rose to lean on the railing.
“But how much longer? We’ve still got the rest of the islands to visit before heading back to Canterlot. Can’t delay for too long.” She said. Silence held for a minute as Harpo hesitantly poked his head back up from the hatch.
“Well…ummm…given how idyllic this place is…and that we’re not the first of our number to congregate here…maybe we might want to look into shopping for property?”
Octavia’s tail ceased to idly flick from side to side. Her ears lowered as she turned and stared at her fellow musician with a bewildered expression.
“I mean…this isn’t exactly prime place real estate. We could probably negotiate a fair price on a holiday home if we plan to buy now and…”
“*I* could…You mean *I* could negotiate for a fair price, Harpo.” Octavia said with subtle disdain. Harpo tried to look offended. The grey mare shot him down with a narrowed gaze. “Don’t try to fool me here. Yes playing in the orchestra may put a fair amount of bits in your bank account, but with your lifestyle it’s not enough to be able to afford a second residence. Heck the only reason you’re out here in the first place is because I have the family resources to buy this boat…” Octavia’s irritation faded. “Although on the subject of that, if you’re feeling a bit cramped I would be open to upgrading to something bigger once we get back to Canterlot…”
Harpo’s features fell in disappointment.
“I….was actually pondering not going back. It just seems so much nicer out here…less judgmental…” He said. Octavia sighed and held her face in her hands.
“Harpo…think for a moment. What would you do out here? How would you earn a living? What would about your apartment back home? What about our friends and your family? You can’t possibly hope to hide out here just to avoid the public embarrassment back in Canterlot.” She said, trying to keep her voice calm and reasonable. Her own features wilted in aggravation as Harpo looked like a sad puppy dog and sank back below deck.
“Beauty Brass seems to be doing fine. It was just an idea….” He muttered. Rolling her eyes, Octavia turned to look out over the marina again. A few other boats were bobbing gently in the waves kicked up by the tropical breeze. Ponies milled about along the shops and businesses, just living lives that most likely were simple and pleasantly free of strife. The grey mare’s brow furrowed as she contemplated her friend’s argument. Sure, the islands promised a safe retreat from a tarnished reputation, but running from one’s problems was never the answer. Octavia’s parents had raised her to face the difficulties in life head on, not try to pretend they didn’t exist. Her goal out here was to find a solution to her professional issues, not a means of evading them.
If only she could figure out what that solution might be….
“Look, I’m just asking you to think about it. Even if you’re still planning to return home, you can’t deny this place has given you new insight, alongside a potential new friend…” Harpo said as he climbed back onto the deck, a fruit filled oat cake in his mouth with another in his hand. Octavia briefly shot him a glare before lapsing back into contemplation.
“I’ll think about it for as long as it takes me to come up with something solid for my composition. That’ll give you at least another few days to play about in your little paradise here if that’s what you’re after.” She said. Harpo smiled, letting a flurry of crumbs tumble from his mouth as he chewed and swallowed. Octavia politely hid her shame behind a hand.
“I think I shall take advantage of your gracious generosity by going to see Beauty Brass again. Thinking a deeper and harder pummeling is in order to prep me for tonight!” He said, stretching and grimacing at the aches and pains before descending the ladder down onto the walkway leading to shore.
“Good, saves me the trouble of beating you for your freeloading ways myself…though honestly it’s worth it just to see you looking so upbeat.” She replied, snickering as Harpo quickened his pace lest he incur more of his friend’s wrath.
Stepping back from the railing, Octavia resumed contemplating the scenic vista before her, taking note of just how the slower pace of things and lack of congestion indeed made for a much more agreeable surrounding. She thought back over the past few days, remembering how overjoyed Harpo looked cutting loose, how Beauty Brass had seemed so content to be here, away from the main flow of life….
…and how a certain unicorn DJ had gone on at length of how much creative input she garnered while working on the islands.
“The elements…hmmm….true, you aren’t likely to be able to find those as easily in Canterlot…still though….” The grey mare walked over and picked her cello up again. “Stay out here and who knows what else you might find for your music…but there’s so few out here who’d be around to hear it….”
Octavia tuned and positioned her instrument, then retrieved her bow. She began playing again, staring out at the ocean as she closed her eyes and tried to listen to what the world around her had to say.
Several hours later she was making progress…sort of. Well, she’d managed to get from the 20th bar to the 21st at least…that was something right?
Groaning, Octavia put down her bow and looked up at the sun. It was past noon…past lunch even….a small break couldn’t hurt.
“Alright, St. Galloway, think it’s time for a little liquid encouragement.” She said while walking over to the bar in the enclosed sitting area and drawing out a bottle of finely aged scotch. Ice was dropped into a glass and soon the grey mare was enjoying a nice bit of amber refreshment. A rather contemporary drink for the tropics, but that just further confirmed for Octavia that she was right about wanting to return to Canterlot. Even if troubled times awaited her there, she was a city mare, born and bred. The Bali islands made for a nice change of pace but she couldn’t really see this place as ‘home’. It wasn’t where she belonged.
Right?
Octavia returned to the railing, letting the minor buzz of the scotch meld with the gentle bob of the boat beneath her hooves. Was she wrong to be so dead set on wanting to return and redeem herself in the eyes of the elite?
“Hey, Tavi!”
Octavia’s ears perked at the familiar voice.
“Yoohoo! Down here!”
The mare looked over the side of the boat to see Vinyl waving up at her.
“Thought I heard some rather beautiful but out of place classical tunes during my jog. Figured it had to be you.” The DJ smirked. “Also sounded like you were having some difficulty getting it to sound right.”
Octavia narrowed her eyes and sighed. “You might say that. I’m trying to follow your example and see if this place stirs my own creativity. It doesn’t seem to be working as easily for me.”
Vinyl hmmmed and looked to the ladder resting on the side of the boat. “Permission to come aboard and see if I can help then?”
Octavia nodded and stepped away from the railing. “Feel free. I could do with some company.”
Vinyl made short work of climbing up onto the boat, whistling as she took in the scope of its accommodations.
“Nice digs you got here. Like a one pony cruise liner.” She smirked as Octavia shrugged.
“Hardly any point of being born into wealth if you don’t occasionally enjoy it, no? After all I’ve done for the orchestra and my family, one could say I was owed this much.” Octavia replied hiding her smirk behind her glass. Vinyl gave her a weird look.
“I suppose, though again that’s not what I’d expect to hear from a pony of the upper crust.” The DJ replied to a shrug.
“Well, much as many of the previous generation wish to deny it, Canterlot is changing. The youth of today wishes to move forward rather than remain stuck in the past, clinging to outdated views and traditions. And Princess Celestia has made it publicly known that she approves of this shift in attitude. I suppose you could say I’m one such example, being a successful earth pony in a society where unicorns tend to comprise the elite.” Octavia followed, getting an even more weirded out reaction.
“Meaning I’m another example as I’m a unicorn who prefers the lifestyle and company of the common ponies?” She asked. Octavia glared at her softly.
“That’s not what I was getting at.” She scolded, much to Vinyl’s amusement.
“No but it was worth it for your reaction.” She chortled. Octavia rolled her eyes and went to refill her scotch.
“Anyway, as one who’s been influenced rather heavily by this new mindset I can’t help but be drawn to innovation and see where it’s most needed. Despite its namesake, the classical music scene is stagnating terribly from being so deeply rooted in old works and cliché expectations. If it still wants to be taken seriously by newcomers it needs something fresh to spice it up, make it relevant again.”
Vinyl lowered her shades, letting the sun dance across her ruby red eyes.
“And you think my type of music is what’s needed for such an undertaking?” She asked. Her eyes seemed to sparkle brighter as Octavia nodded and crossed to lean next to her on the railing.
“Well it certainly seems to be well received by the ponies of today. Much as he’d hate me to reveal this, I believe Harpo was possibly the only pony at your two previous performances beyond the age of 30.” The grey mare said, not bothering to hide her smirk. Vinyl laughed out loud again.
“Well that’s just a facet of this time of year. The islands tend to draw more young colts and fillies who’ve just graduated from school and want somewhere exotic to enjoy their newfound freedom. Doesn’t mean older ponies don’t enjoy dub trot too.”
Octavia’s ears rose. “Is that so?”
“Yep, they just tend to listen to it rather than dance to it, much like I noticed you do.” Vinyl snorted. “Still can’t figure out what draws you to it, if you don’t mind my asking.”
Octavia shrugged again. “I may not understand why it had to be played at such deafeningly loud volumes or why you have to keep changing the pitch every three seconds, but as I stated yesterday, I can still comprehend the beauty of what it’s conveying….I only ponder if I’m wrong to imagine I can do the same with a more refined style.”
Vinyl looked to the cello propped against the side of the sitting area.
“Well, no offense, but not on that thing you won’t. It’s too big and heavy, doesn’t let the notes flow as freely as needed.” She said, to a raised eyebrow.
“And just what makes you an expert on classical instruments?” Octavia asked, slightly annoyed but curious as Vinyl pushed her glasses back up and assumed a smug expression.
“I may not favor it as my genre of choice but I do know how to play them. They come in handy for creating a foundation of notes I can build upon for certain beats.” The unicorn explained. Octavia tactfully perked her ears.
“And thus what would you recommend instead if my cello is not suitable, oh miss jack-of-all-trades?”
Somehow, Vinyl managed to look even smugger.
“Something lighter, less cumbersome. Like a violin.” She said, studying how Octavia took a long drink and rose from the railing.
“Alright then, excuse me for one minute.” She set down her glass and climbed down below deck. Minutes later she emerged with a small carrying case.
“I don’t usually break this out for my formal performances but it’s a nice alternative when I just want to play something quick and easy.” The grey mare explained as she snapped the case open and drew out an elegantly polished violin and a bow. She held them out for Vinyl as if issuing a challenge. “If you’d care to demonstrate just how it’s better for replicating your music?”
With a confident snort, Vinyl took the instrument and balanced it gently on her shoulder.
“Just sit back and listen carefully, Tavi.”
Octavia retrieved her scotch and prepared herself for some horrible mangling of the strings, accompanied by a painful slew of massacred notes frantically trying to escape from their torture.
Instead, quite to her amazement, Vinyl began playing a gentle, rhythmic piece that came off like the babble of a river, splashing and bubbling through a lush countryside on a warm spring day. With her bow, the unicorn wove notes like a seamstress would create a tapestry with her needle and thread. She lifted the chords as the water rose over a stone on the bed, she made it shimmy as sunlight sparkled across the smoothly moving current. With her body she danced with the same flow as the water she paid tribute to. All in all it was an unexpected show of beautiful and perhaps somewhat sultry nature, not helped by the fact that Vinyl was only wearing a tank top and jogging shorts. By the time the music began to break, heralding the river’s end at the mouth of the ocean, Octavia was just letting it pass her ears, instead keeping her attention focused on the sway of the unicorn’s hips, the jiggle of her breasts, the way her mane flew wildly about with each passionate movement. It was several more minutes before Vinyl cleared her throat, and then broke down in laughter as Octavia finally realized she’d stopped playing.
“Oh Celestia…I gotta do this more often if that’s the reaction I’m going to get. That’s both adorable AND priceless!” Vinyl chortled as the earth mare shook her head and smacked herself back to her senses.
“Well forgive me for not expecting…that!” She said, before adding. “You really do know how to play classical!”
Vinyl stifled her laughter and bowed. “Can’t create new music without knowing how the old stuff works. Part of being a DJ is being versatile as heck in what you can play.” She said while setting the violin down. “Now try playing what you just heard on your cello. Pay attention to how different it sounds.”
Octavia looked to her instrument and duly retrieved it from its resting place. Sitting herself down, she began to play a perfect repeat of the piece, yet as each note rose from the strings she could definitely sense something was off. The music didn’t flow as freely or easily as when Vinyl had played it, rather it dragged like a river weighed down by sediment and natural barricades. She tried playing faster but that upset the rhythm, and changing the key just made it sound like she was forcing the tune to go as before, rather than let it flow naturally. Finally she lowered her bow and looked at her cello like it had betrayed her trust.
“Right….okay, so you have a fair point. I just….this is the first time I’ve been shown the shortcomings of my own trade.” She said. Vinyl tsked and patted Octavia’s shoulder.
“Hey, it’s not what the cello was intended for. Don’t be too hard on it! Just try to adapt if you’re serious about wanting to try to emulate what I do.”
Octavia still set her instrument aside and looked to her sheet music. Her ears lowered as she contemplated how this latest revelation was going to potentially entail tossing all of the day’s work aside and starting over from scratch.
From Scratch? The grey mare made a face at her unintended pun.
“Well yet again you give me much to think about that could possibly help me hit upon the original piece I’m trying to whip up…if only I could figure out how to utilize them.” She picked up her glass and sighed upon seeing it was empty again. “This is going to require more scotch.”
Vinyl’s ears rose at the mention of booze being on offer.
“Might I ask if you’re willing to share some of that? I could do with a little creative juice myself!”
Octavia nodded and filled a second glass with the amber nectar.
“If it’ll keep you here so I can keep picking your brains then sure. Not enough ponies appreciate a properly aged scotch.”
She handed the second glass to Vinyl and watched her take a sip.
“You have to really savor its finer edge.” She said, feeling a grin spread across her muzzle as the unicorn shivered then made an amusingly contorted face at the potency.
“I’ll…eeep…I’ll do that soon as I can feel my tongue again. Damn, this really has a kick to it!” She gasped while shaking her head. Octavia grinned in victory.
“Far too many bars and restaurants opt for the milder brands, trying to make sure they don’t upset anypony’s fragile palate. Granted there’s also a cost aspect as the good stuff is way more expensive, but still, for this level of quality I see it as a fair trade.” Octavia replied as she sat down and sipped her own drink. Bracing herself, Vinyl did the same. Her second taste of the powerful blend brought a bit more flavor, but she was still bowled over by its strength.
“Yeeeeowwww! Okay so you freely trash talk your fellow elites, and favor rocket fuel over the more typical classy cocktails and wines.” Vinyl coughed and wiped the tears from her eyes. “You are quite a special case, Tavi.”
Octavia snorted and shrugged. “Like I said, I like to step outside the comfort bubble most nobles inhabit. See what else is out there in this world of ours.”
Taking a third sip, a bigger one, Vinly felt the alcohol shoot to her head and imbue her with the typical strength of intoxication. “Mind if I ask you a rather embarrassing question, Tavi?”
The grey mare arched an eyebrow. “So long as you’ll accept a cold, silent glare of contempt if I deem that you’re intruding on anything too personal.”
Vinyl giggled and felt her face blush. The fire in Octavia’s spirit was really growing on her.
“Is this rebellious curiosity of yours why you agreed to play ‘The Pony Pokey’ at the Grand Galloping Gala?”
Instead of a cold glare, Octavia instead reacted with bewildered surprise.
“I was in Fillydelphia at the time. Read all about that fiasco from the gossip rags lying around the café I went to for breakfast.” Vinly explained, taking another drink as Octavia returned to her normal expression.
“In short, yes. Even if I could’ve done without the public embarrassment that resulted, that was the first request we’d gotten for something other than another tired and dusty composition from days of yore. Considering how dull the atmosphere was and knowing that Celestia does enjoy shaking things up a bit from time to time, I couldn’t see any harm in changing our arrangement.” Octavia drained her glass and flopped back against her seat. “Well, back then it seemed like a good idea at least.”
“Hey, everyone has their old shames.” Vinyl replied. Her ears promptly wilted as she felt the heat of an increasingly curious smile being aimed at her.
“Oh really? Does that mean you have one to confess too?” Octavia challenged. The unicorn looked at what remained in her glass and promptly downed it, gritting her teeth as another bolt of fine, oak aged bliss lanced itself through her brain.
“May-Maybe. Set me up with another of these and I may feel inclined to tell you.”
***
A while later the mares were still nattering away, with the setting sun providing a nice backdrop for their chatter. One bottle sat empty on top of the bar, and another sat with about a quarter of its contents remaining between their glasses.
“And so, taking my less than pleasant dream as inspiration, I contacted a unicorn designer in Ponyville to make me a Nightmare Night costume that combined Frederick’s usual recital dress with the iconic outfit of Freddy Kreuger.” Octavia narrated, getting a drunken giggle from Vinyl. “Sent her a few conductor batons to make the glove with, then bought one of the top hats and suits old Horseshoepin is so fond of being photographed in and told her to cut them up to resemble something a nightmarish serial killer would wear.”
Feeling like she was having difficulty keeping her head up, Vinyl let it flop onto Octavia’s shoulder.
“Honestly it was a waste. Not in terms of the finished product, no, she did a fine job and I actually still have the costume, however, when I turned up at our holiday party in it, Frederick took one look and asked me what I was supposed to be. Seriously, I made it as plain as day of how he’s terrorizing us all with his slave driver work ethic and he was apparently too dim or too serious to get the joke. Ugh!” Octavia sighed and poured herself another measure of scotch.
“Maybe you should’ve tried using the baton it sounds like he’s got shoved up his flank?” Vinyl slurred, snickering again as Octavia bit her tongue and tried to stop the smile racing to her face.
“If I did I’d be too tempted to beat him over the head with it first. I mean, I know why he’s so hard on us. Demand is great for the Royal Canterlot Orchestra, but that doesn’t mean he can’t occasionally lighten up once every few centuries.” The grey mare sighed. “You know the more I vent the more I start to see why Harpo wants to stay here. It’s nice not having so much stress and expectation heaped on you from every direction.”
“Hmph. I dunno about that. Everyone expectsh me to make each night bigger, louder and better than the one before, and with these week long events that ain’t sho easy to do.” Vinyl slurred while running her hands through Octavia’s mane.
“Still, at least you’re allowed to do what you want, not restricted to the same works and symphonies month after month, save for the rare occasion when a new composer manages to break into the scene.” Octavia lamented. “And you don’t have to then waste your evenings shaking hands, smiling and waving at the post recital gatherings, trying to play up how prim and proper you are just to please the older generation, doing nothing to try and breathe new life into your favored genre…make it seem less like a joke and….erghhh…do you want me to keep talking, or would you rather just play with my mane?”
Vinyl squeaked in protest as Octavia turned to look at her, dragging her silky locks out of reach in the process.
“S-Sorry…it’s just, it’s so thick and vol-volumin-voluminious…you have a lot of hair.” She snerked while leaning to smell it. “And you keep it so perfectly groomed, and it smells like lavender….mmmmmm….”
Octavia’s ear twitched as Vinyl kept sniffing her mane. Strangely she didn’t find it intrusive, it just tickled…though not in a way that made her want to push the unicorn off her. Instead she reached up and tousled Vinyl’s mane, watching how it just sprung back into it usual spiky formation no matter how much she tried to mess with it.
“Well like I said…image and adhering to the expected standards of the elite….and maybe to get compliments too…” Octavia murmured as Vinyl moved to sniff her neck. “You really like my scent that much?”
“Mmmm….it’s classy, fine….nice and soft….” Vinyl replied as she nuzzled the other mare. Again Octavia pondered the growing intimacy and again decided she had no reason to interrupt it. Truth be told it was kind of cute how Vinyl seemed so adamant about praising her features, not to mention the nuzzling against her neck felt rather nice the more Vinyl did it.
“If you’ll forgive me just one question though, Vinyl,….this is YOU talking right …not the considerable amount of drink you’ve consumed?” She asked while counting up how much scotch Vinyl had made disappear over the course of their chat.
“Nah, this is me. Booze just makes me more likely to speak my mind and….flirt and….oooogh…”
Vinyl’s head slid off Octavia’s shoulder and plopped into her lap, then the unicorn herself rolled off her seat and collapsed on the floor.
“Whoo…is it me or is this boat suddenly rocking a lot more than I remember…..” She said, looking a little green. Octavia checked over the side but the tides looked no worse than before.
“I think maybe we’ve had enough for now.” She said, right before Vinyl’s mouth went taught and she slapped both hands over it. With a sudden strength, she pulled herself over and onto the rails, unleashing a flood of vomit into the sea.
“Yeah….urgh….enough….ugh….okay THAT wash definitely the drink talking….ergh…and to think I can usually pace myshelf….ooogh…”
Now concerned for what she’d potentially done, Octavia rose and grabbed Vinyl by the shoulders.
“Well from your reaction I gather you don’t usually partake of the stronger stuff. Let’s get you onto some more solid ground again. Come on, onto my back.”
Vinyl stared at her in intoxicated puzzlement, then bit her tongue as Octavia wrapped her arms around her neck and loaded the unicorn onto her back.
“Whaaaa…sheesh….you’re stronger than you look.” She muttered.
“I’m an earth pony, who regularly hauls a very heavy cello to and from rehearsals. I’m used to this.” Octavia said as she carefully descended the ladder with her cargo. “Not to mention you’re mercifully lighter than you look so it’s not so bad.”
“Whaaa? You callin’ me fat? Er…no wait…you’re…you’re not….ooogh…” Vinyl groaned as the bounce of Octavia alighting upon the dock sent the world spinning around her. “I am officially out of it. Hee hee.”
Octavia rolled her eyes and unloaded the unicorn from her, just in time for Vinyl to nearly fall over into the water before the grey mare could catch her.
“Indeed you are. Shall I take you back to the resort?” She asked, scrunching her nose up as Vinyl let a few more streams of puke drip from her mouth down to the fishes.
“Yeah….good idea….nice comfy bed and….ngh…mouthwash….”
Pulling one of Vinyl’s arms across her shoulders, Octavia hauled her back to her hooves and guided her back through the marketplace to a more stable and hopefully private setting. Despite the unicorn feeling like a hundred or so pounds of floppy, lead lined rubber the going proved relatively painless. Save for the odd look from passing ponies, the two made it back to the resort with little hassle.
“Which floor are you on, Vinyl?” Octavia said as she carried the unicorn into the lobby.
“Fuh-Fifth….room…uhhh…hold on. Key ish in my pocket…”
The unicorn fumbled in her running shorts, making several amusingly frustrated faces as she fished for the object that seemed to be deliberately mocking her drunken state by hiding in the folds of cloth. Finally she grabbed it and pulled it triumphantly into view, only for it to then immediately slip from her fingers and clatter on the floor.
“Oopsh…ohh..horsheappleshhh. Hee hee, that sounds even funnier when you shlur it.” She giggled. Rolling her eyes, Octavia leaned down to grab the room key. Unfortunately the movement caused Vinyl to then lose her grip on the earth mare’s shoulder, sending her into a free fall that Octavia was only barely able to halt.
“Dear me, I really should’ve watched you more closely with the scotch.” Octavia lamented, feeling increasingly guilty for her role in the situation.
“Hee hee….Tavi, pleashe….t’ain’t the first time I’ve drunk myself stupid like this….” She smiled as Octavia hauled her back up, wrapping her arms around Vinyl’s waist to keep her steady. “Ish the first time I’ve been held so romantically so….hee hee…this ish kind of sweet….”
Octavia furrowed her brow as she noted the position they were in. Indeed to the casual onlooker it might appear Vinyl was swooning in the grey mare’s arms, which gave Octavia all the more reason to get them out of view so she didn’t have to deal with causing yet another scene.
“Well you can fantasize about that while we ride the elevator, just try to hold onto me and not fall over please.” The grey mare sighed as she hauled her load over to the elevator and pressed a button.
“Heh heh…oh I’m fantasizing alright…” Vinyl decreed with a bleary eyed smirk. “Looksh like I’m not the only one either…”
Octavia followed her gaze, and felt her body simultaneously run hot and cold upon seeing Harpo and Beauty Brass were staring at them from the entrance of the Blissful Eternity parlor.
“Uh….Octavia…do I want to know what the heck you’re doing here?” Harpo asked. The mare looked down at Vinyl as she gradually started to slide towards the ground again. Her features fell under the weight of shame.
“She stopped by the boat after you left. We spent a while talking over drinks…apparently a few too many drinks for her tolerance.” She said with increasingly glum tones. “Speaking of which, we’re pretty much depleted on the St. Galloway. Sorry.”
Harpo’s jaw promptly hit the floor.
“You let her into your private stock? Didn’t you warn her how strong that stuff is?” He asked while running over.
“Yes…but I thought a party mare would be able to handle herself better than most ponies…” Octavia said while blushing hard. “Also truth be told, I was enjoying her company till she...ahem...demonstrated how she’d had too much.”
Sighing, Harpo grabbed Vinyl and helped hold her on her hooves as the elevator dinged open. Beauty Brass held the rear as the four stepped in and rode it to the fifth floor.
“Which room is hers?” Harpo asked.
“501 it looks like…this one here at the end of the hall…” Octavia checked the number etched on the key, then the double doors as they drew closer. “Uhh…least I think this is the right one…”
She tossed it to Harpo who unlocked the doors, then stepped back as a very spacious suite was revealed beyond.
“Uhhh…you’re sure this is your room Vinyl?” The stallion asked as he stepped into the deluxe accommodations. A contemporary living area with full bar greeted them, with a fully stocked kitchenette to one side and a nice huge master bedroom through the door on the other. A grand balcony complete with deck chairs overlooking the ocean completed the elegant scene.
“Shure….what? A workin’ gal can’t see that she’s rewarded for her effortsh?” Vinyl giggled.
“Well….erm…I guess I didn’t think it’d be to this extent….DJ-ing really pulls in this sort of bits? Damn I'm in the wrong musical genre!” Harpo commented, not noticing the glare from Octavia telling him to stop pressing the issue.
“When you’re the main attraction for a major event it does. I’m sure the other big gigs she does across Equestria earn her some pretty numbers too.” Beauty replied with a smile. “When you’re good at what you do demand is very high after all.”
Octavia caught the implication and her ears twitched as she helped Vinyl to the bedroom. Her mind thought back to how many times the unicorn had given her new insight or proven she was more than just a reckless soul who knew how to make noise.
“True…she is good…that much is certain…” Octavia said more to herself as Vinyl spied the bed and put a hand out to stop herself.
“No…no…bathroom first. Need to…ergh…clean my mouth.”
Nodding this would be a good idea…if for no reason other than to remedy the unicorn’s horrid smelling breath, Octavia helped her into the en-suite bathroom. As expected it was also a very luxurious affair, done up in tan colored tile with a huge shower stall and a sink stacked high with all manner of accoutrements.
Spying the mouthwash, Vinyl pushed herself off Octavia and threw herself against the sink, turning the water on and splashing her face as she clumsily unscrewed the bottle of minty fresh liquid. It was downed as quickly as the scotch that had preceded it, though thankfully Vinyl had the foresight not to swallow it. She just made a complete mess gargling and spitting before washing her mouth out again.
“Better?” Octavia asked as the unicorn fumbled for a glass and began to chug water in an effort to sober up.
“Yeah…much….” Vinyl’s hand reached for Octavia’s shoulder. “Now I can properly…expressh my thanksh….”
Minty breath promptly flooded the earth mare’s maw, followed by an eager tongue to spread it over her gums and teeth. Octavia’s tail flailed wildly for a moment, before slowing as her body unwound itself from the sudden shock. Ivory arms wrapped around the grey mare’s neck, ensuring her assailant couldn’t ruin the moment by flopping comically to the floor again. Octavia stood firm, finding herself strangely unmotivated to move or break from the contact. The suddenness of Vinyl’s actions was gradually being outweighed by the novelty, till finally the unicorn broke and smiled at her victim’s expression.
“Did….did you just kiss me?” Octavia said to a giggle.
“Only on the lipsh…oh and the cheek…” Vinyl pressed her lips to Octavia’s cheek. “And maybe there on your forehead…and your nose…”
Kisses were planted on each of the aforementioned parts of Octavia’s face, giving her a new reason to shiver as the air lightly teased the heat from her flesh.
“And if you want to hang around…I might be inclined to keep going.” Vinyl smirked.
“I…I think you need to lie down now.” Octavia said as the unicorn poured herself several more drinks of water.
“Yeah…good idea….shleep sounds good…mmm….jusht gotta find my moushie first…”
Vinyl stumbled into the bedroom and collapsed onto the bed. Blindly she felt around the covers and pillows till she encountered something amid their soft, comforting folds.
“There you are, lil’ Dedmau5….” Vinyl giggled as she pulled out a stuffed white mouse plushie, custom decorated with a Mohawk patterned in the same shade of electric blue as her mane. She hugged it in a crushingly tight grip while curling up on the bed. “Mmm, never any bad dreamsh when I’ve got my mousie. Night Tavi.”
Octavia watched from the bathroom as Vinyl promptly slipped into slumber in record time. She wrung her hands idly as she stepped around the snoring mare, plucking the shades from her face then pulling the curtains closed. She immediately regretted doing so as the darkness robbed the room of its warm glow from the setting sun, and its sleeping occupant didn’t look quite as adorable when obscured by the shadows. Octavia touched her lips and felt herself shiver again as she reviewed how many emotions had just finished stampeding through her.
“So…should we take our leave now? Or maybe capture a photograph for the album?” Harpo asked from the doorway. “I don’t think I’m ever to get another chance to see you staring so longingly at another pony.”
Even in the shadows, the ire of Octavia’s expression shot out like a fiery arrow.
“Well you’ll have to just draw your own misguided conclusions. I’m staying here to look after her and make sure she’s okay.” Octavia declared as she stepped out of the bedroom and closed the door. “It’s my fault she’s out of her head right now anyway.”
Harpo smiled in satisfaction. “You’re absolutely sure you still want to head back to Canterlot eventually? Haven’t found something worth staying here for?”
The prompt shoving towards the hallway told the stallion all he needed to know.
“Discuss it while you talk about your own budding relationship. I’ll send word if I need help.” Octavia muttered.
Beauty Brass duly stepped into the hallway as well as the door was firmly slammed shut. Harpo waited till the sound of hoofsteps on the other side had faded away before letting loose with a huge laugh.
“Well, this just got a whole lot more interesting.” He said.
“Indeed…though, seriously? She thinks we’re…like that too?” She asked. Harpo looked to her, then idly scratched at his mane.
“Well I may have given that impression by running to you when she wouldn’t listen to reason.” He smiled with less confidence. “Maybe we should discuss that? Say over dinner?”
Beauty Brass blinked, then blushed as she checked the time.
“Uhhh…okay. Restaurant should have just opened for the evening.” She smiled as the stallion gently took her hand and lead her back to the elevators.