Chapter 10: Reading is Magic
Chapter 10: Reading is Magic
"You didn't bring much of anything, did you?" Vinyl Scratch pointed out as she watched Octavia sort through her belongings. The earth pony finally had a moment to settle down and unpack her suitcases. It was the first time since she arrived in Ponyville that she wasn't fighting, shopping, eating, cleaning, kissing, or sleeping. Octavia arranged everything neatly on the floor and upon close inspection, she shamefully agreed with Vinyl. Besides her treasured cello, she hadn't packed anything appropriate. As if to illustrate this, she held up an empty flower vase with a roll of tape rattling around inside and sighed. (Nope. Nothing appropriate at all.)
"In my defense, I was terribly flustered and exhausted when I was gathering this all, Vinyl." It was true, the Canterlot pony had spent the early morning after the wedding trotting around her home in a hapless daze shoving whatever she could find into her suitcases. A soul-changing experience coupled with sleep deprivation kept her from making rational choices. "It was a rash decision to travel, and I had stayed awake all night thinking about you." Octavia flinched. "...Your music! I- I was thinking about your music, I mean. I didn't sleep a wink..." Octavia fumbled, trying to cover up her slip. (Real smooth, Octavia.)
"Mmhmm," Vinyl mumbled in response, not catching her mistake. The DJ was preoccupied looking at the various useless knick-knacks Octavia had laid out upon her floor. There was a stapler, a bathroom rug, half a tea set, a yearbook, decorative porcelain ponies, a pile of old concert tickets, to name a few of the pointless things. Vinyl snorted as she saw a hoof fan laying by a scarf (it was spring.) "You didn't even bring a toothbrush, did you?"
Octavia stared blankly at her friend as she contemplated. Finding no recollection of it in her hazy memory, she frantically searched for this very basic travel necessity and found nothing. She moaned at her fruitless search and planted her face on the wood floor with a little *thunk!*
"Haha! I made that big of an impression on you, huh?" Vinyl confidently declared, proud of herself to have shocked a pony to absentmindedness.
"I suppose you did..." Octavia mumbled. After raising her head, she searched around once more. "Although I do recall packing a photograph of my ensemble... But it does not seem to be present. I hope it has not been lost."
"Oh..." Vinyl responded. She began to sweat bullets as she remembered the broken picture she had hidden/crammed under the couch. "It'll probably turn up somewhere..." she shrugged.
"I am sure it will..." Octavia smiled half-heartedly.
"We need to get you some stuff if you're gonna stay long. I know Minny will probably give us a toothbrush for free. Let's see, what else do you need... Guess it'll depend on how long you're here," Vinyl mumbled to herself. "How long were you staying again?" she asked shrewdly.
"Um... I do not know," Octavia admitted. After securing the position of 'best friend,' Octavia realized she shouldn't hold anything back, or keep any secrets anymore. "I was not sure what would happen when I came looking for you. And I... had not planned anything out. I was not thinking clearly, I suppose..." (No, really? You think?)
"Oh. Well, uh... Hmmm," Vinyl pondered, tapping her chin. "Stay as long as you want," she announced with a grin.
"Are you sure that's alright?" Octavia was a bit shocked to be allowed to stay for such an indefinite period of time.
"Yep! It's not like I got anything better going on anyway." Vinyl plopped down beside Octavia, and gave her a familiar side-hug (usual blushes from both ponies included.) "Besides, I can always use a maid!"
"Oh, is that so? I will need my frying pan then."
"Hahahahahahahaha!" Vinyl laughed and squeezed tighter causing an amusing squeak from her friend.
"Oh, alright," Octavia chuckled softly with a smile. "If I am staying here for an extended period of time, I might as well keep the kitchen stocked and the floors clean. For my personal comfort only, of course." She added that last bit sharply.
"You tease," Vinyl giggled. "Just think of it as a promotion! Going from musician to servant is pretty awesome! ...Wait up... What about your job, Octavia? Did you take a break from that band of yours? Are you gonna be okay on bits?"
"Oh, um... Yes... I... took vacation leave... and I just- received my... weekly funds... I have enough money for now." Octavia broke her 'never lie to my best friend' rule quite quickly. She didn't want to, but she felt this was one last secret she needed to keep. Octavia didn't even need her job to stay in comfort and she was too ashamed to tell that to a pony that apparently lived close to poverty.
"At least you managed to bring bits with you," Vinyl taunted with a playful grin.
"I was not that preoccupied, Vinyl. But I must ask about your profession. It has been two whole days and you have yet to mention anything about having to work," Octavia pointed out. In response, the DJ just stared solemnly forward for a good ten seconds.
"What... day is it?" Vinyl finally spoke.
"T-Tuesday?" Octavia answered.
"BUCKING PONY-FEATHERS!!! I have a gig tonight! Crap! Craaaaap! What time is it!? Auggghhh!!" The frantic DJ scrambled to her hooves and magically levitated up nearly every record in the room. She quickly scanned their covers as they flew by her. "How could you do this to me, Octavia!? I didn't have time to get anything ready!"
"What!? Ludicrous! How is this my fault!?" Octavia responded, flabbergasted.
"You threw off my schedule!" Vinyl accused as she selected out a hoofull of music to bring.
"You adhere to a schedule?"
"...Well, no, but at least I usually know what day I have to DJ! If you weren't here-"
"You invited me to stay, it is your responsibility to take care of your own personal-"
"Okay, okay!" Vinyl cut Octavia off. "Look. I gotta get to the club, just- just stay here and make yourself comfortable until I get back, okay?"
"I beg your pardon!? Why in Equestria can I not go with you!? I wish to see you perform again. That is why I made this journey to Ponyville," Octavia pouted, hurt that she wasn't invited.
"Uh..." Vinyl stopped looking at records, tossed the unselected ones down and faced her friend. "Well... it's... um...." Vinyl looked around frantically, trying to come up with a clever excuse to hide the truth. An album sleeve of one of her chosen records caught her eye: Skrillequine. "The music! I'm playing some pretty hardcore music, Octavia! You wouldn't like it."
"Hard... core? What is that?" Octavia asked, with a mixture of confusion and anger.
"Oh, come on! It's- ugh," Vinyl moaned, forgetting Octavia knew nothing outside of classical music. The ever so late DJ started to fill her record case up with vinyl discs. "Look, I played some really nice stuff at the wedding, right? That was all pop and easy listening. That stuff's good for anypony. But down at the club, they like to listen to heavier music. Some of it's pretty dark. It's just nasty, nasty stuff and I don't think you could handle it."
"...I did not... know that type of music existed..." Octavia felt a little sick at the realization. To think that music, the one thing she loved most in all the world, had a sinister side. "Do you enjoy it, Vinyl?"
"Yeah, I do. Listen, I need to get going, so-"
"If you enjoy that style of music, I can learn to appreciate it as well," Octavia interjected confidently. "I wish to see you perform again!"
Vinyl cursed to herself as she put on her over-sized trademark shades. Through those purple lenses she watched her friend whose determined eyes couldn't hide the hurt pony underneath. The DJ sighed and decided on telling the truth.
Then changed her mind.
"Okay, it's not just the music, Octavia. It's the ponies there. Sometimes... really bad stallions come to the club. I mean really bad. Jerks, you know? You could get hurt if you're not careful. When I'm on the turntables, I won't be able to look out for you..."
"Bad ponies? Everyone I have met in this town thus far has been so incredibly friendly, how could-"
"They come out at night, okay!? Like, outta the woodwork and crap. I'm just worried for your safety... Octavia, please... I'm sorry, but please just stay here." Vinyl put one hoof on Octavia's shoulder and took her glasses off to show her friend a truly worried expression. After an intense staring session, Octavia reluctantly gave in.
"Oh, alright... If it is that dangerous, I will stay here..."
"Thanks, Octavia. I'm really sorry." Vinyl gave her a full-on frontal hug that ended far to soon. "Listen, you can use the record player upstairs. Listen to some pop or something. Pretty much anything that doesn't have, um, something scary looking on the cover is okay. I'll be back later tonight!" Vinyl magically picked up her record case and her turntable case and headed out the door.
Vinyl didn't even hear Octavia's farewell as she dashed out into the evening streets of Ponyville, tugging her luggage behind her. (Such dedication to get to work on time!) As she ran, a flood of unpleasant memories resurfaced as Vinyl cursed herself for lying to her best friend: the one thing she never wanted to do in her life again.
It wasn't Vinyl's place to tell Octavia where she could and could not go, but she did anyway. The unicorn was too stubborn and embarrassed to tell the truth.
Vinyl wasn't afraid of the stallions at the club hurting Octavia... she was afraid of them hitting on her.
'Octavia is mine.'
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Octavia softly tapped her hoof as she waited. If Vinyl bothered to own a clock, it's ticking would be the only sound in the house. Occasionally Octavia nervously fiddled with her bow tie, but other than that didn't move from her spot on the couch. It was comfier than it looked (and it looked like dirt.)
'How long has it been? An hour? She did not say exactly when she would return... How long are dance clubs open?'
The Canterlot mare had finished unpacking her assorted useless belongings quickly, made a list of items she would need to purchase, and spent the rest of the time waiting for Vinyl to return. It was getting late, and Octavia didn't want to go out on an extended shopping spree without a guide. She briefly thought of trying out some records on the phonograph upstairs, but decided that (and I quote), 'I did not travel all the way to Ponyville to listen to music by myself.' If she didn't have Vinyl with her, she didn't want to hear it. Octavia chewed her bottom lip, she desperately wanted to follow Vinyl to the club, but really didn't want to get into another serious fight. Vinyl was adamant she stay behind, after all. She contemplated on playing her cello, but... she hadn't felt like playing anything herself since the wedding. The idea seemed so distant and uncomfortable. She elected in the end to just sit and wait.
But it was soooooo booooring.
Octavia's hoof tapping accelerated rapidly until her leg hurt and she finally burst.
"Gaauuuuggh!!! I simply cannot take any more! Who am I? Some newlywed mare patiently waiting for her stallion!? Of course not! I am Octavia Melody, and I do not have to just sit here!" Octavia snorted with pride at her declaration that nopony heard. "I have several hobbies that interest me, and I am not bound to one! If I cannot play music, then I will read a book!" Caught up in her frustration, Octavia got off the couch and started towards her bookshelf before quickly realizing that she wasn't even in her own house ...and that she didn't bring any literature. The cellist groaned and rubbed her temples.
'Fine. I will go purchase a novel, and then come back. I will not be out long.'
Vinyl had shown the cellist around Ponyville a little bit after their meal at the restaurant (which didn't end in a food fight,) so Octavia was a little more confident about heading into the town by herself. She didn't know the location of a book store, but counted on Applejack's advice that anypony would help her with directions if she just asked. Securing her packs, she trotted out of the safety of Vinyl's house and into the evening air.
The out-of-town mare looked around for anypony she might ask for directions from. The first ones she sighted were a pair of suited stallions with dark sunglasses and fedoras who shot her a grimace for looking their way. Octavia lowered her head nervously.
'Could they be the bad ponies Vinyl was talking about?'
Starting to get scared after being outside for no more than three seconds, Octavia trotted the opposite direction from the stallions and kept her head down.
'It is fine. Everything is fine. I am simply imagining things,' she convinced herself. Octavia glanced back at the stallions who, to her relief, went back to their own business. Looking ahead again, she found herself heading towards that large tree/house/thing with windows that neighbored Vinyl's home. Octavia noticed a friendly looking female pegasus leaving it.
"Excuse me, miss?" Octavia called out as she trotted up to her. The yellow Pegasus with long pink hair turned and acknowledged Octavia by squeaking and backing up defensively. By the time Octavia had reached the appropriate distance for normal conversation, the pegasus had shrunk down to a near fetal position. Her ears were down in fear and she avoided looking at Octavia in the eyes. "I, um, beg your pardon," Octavia said, trying to adjust to the absolute terror this pony was going through just meeting her. "I am not from Ponyville, and I need some directions. Do you know where I might find a bookstore or a library?"
The pony whimpered something unintelligible. Octavia waited for more words to come out, but none did.
"Um... Do you think you may be able to help me?" Octavia tried again.
The pegasus mumbled, "...igh... ehi... ou..." (or something.)
"...Terribly sorry, I did not quite catch that. Could you repeat it?" Octavia asked, starting to get worried that she'd done something to offend this pony.
"Righ... ehi... you.."
"...I am sorry, but you simply must speak louder if I am to hear you correctly..."
The yellow pony squeaked again, but finally answered loud enough to hear, "Right behind you!"
Octavia paused momentarily before turning slightly to her right to see a large wooden sign with a book painted on it standing no more than two paces from her. Turning further back she spotted several bookshelves through the glass windows in the tree.
"Oh," Octavia piped. She was red again when she returned to face the pegasus mare. "...*ahem* Thank you. Have a pleasant evening."
The yellow pony smiled with a slight *squee* and Octavia awkwardly returned the gesture in kind. The pegasus backed up for a several paces before turning to leave properly. As she left, Octavia smacked her own face.
'I cannot believe that just happened... She must not think much of my intelligence... ' (You did kinda look like an idiot, Octavia.)
Sighing, Octavia opened the door to the tree-building and stepped inside, nearly knocking over a dragon brushing his teeth.
HA! Cliché Fluttershy intro! But that's okay to be cliché, because it was my favorite thing Flutters ever did was when she met Twilight. I love love love it.
Yeah, so Skrillequine---> Skrillex. If anyone's got a better pony pun for that let me know and I'll retcon it! I don't know that many horse words.
Hallelujah~ I almost finally have a solid plot for the rest of the story! I haven't been writing blind, but my ideas were all in a rough draft stage for the narrative's future. Unfortunately, my influences are Shonen animes (Bleach, Naruto, One Piece) so... like in those stories, it'll take a while to cover everything, and all those little details I've lovingly scattered about (that you've read right over and didn't notice) will come together to ALL MAKE SENSE! But it'll (supposedly) be worth the wait!
Comics are back! I dug up my old tablet and added comics to the chapters missing them. I also revised all the existing ones to bring them up to par. Go check 'em out! I'm serious. They're all better now.
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How did- I literally just finished reading it when I got a little gold star telling me another chapter was up! I
WOOHOO!!!!! Comics are back and the story has a definite plotline now even though it wasn't at all obvious that it didn't have a pre-planned one before!!!! I am now egearly awating your next chapter...
3696041
That's spooky!
Are you puh-saikick or sumthin'???
3696069
I
comics! But my drawing hand hates them!
I didn't have any ideas whatsoever when I started, it wasn't until Octy got to Ponyville that I started looking at the grander scheme.
My ideas for later chapters at that point looked like this:
Chapter whatever: Vinyl punches a dude.
But now, those same ideas look like this:
Chapter whatever: Vinyl punches a dude, for a reason.
Enlightening
THE COMICS ARE BACK
Oh, good chapter too.
3696689
I didn't have much more to say about it either. That's why I stopped typing and submitted it!
Strange how that works!
3698265
........ or was it even a joke?
I can never tell with you! 
3698573
...ugh. I can't think of a way to finish this reply in a funny and clever way to indicate that I'm kidding and not really a jerk who has a big head, but for once I can't think of anything. What's up with that?
3698984 Wow, Vinyl sure is possessive, wonder when Octy will find out just how much... Hue
Ha. Vinyl, you jelly?
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Yes YES YES
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