• Published 15th Aug 2012
  • 6,823 Views, 350 Comments

Changin' Hooves - OneTrickPon3



Vinyl and Octavia switch bodies and learn some valuable lessons in the process

  • ...
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Flight, Fight, Food

"Vinyl! Vinyl slow down!" Octavia exclaimed, running through the Lower District of Canterlot in pursuit of the grey earth pony. Her hooves thundered on the uneven road underneath her, and her breathing was ragged, but the only thing on her mind was catching up to Vinyl. "For Celestia's sake, are you even listening!?"

Vinyl kept her eyes forward, her lids lowered into a directionless glare in front of her, hooves gradually picking up their pace from a angry trot to nearly full on gallop away from her dwelling. If she heard Octavia's frantic shouts, she gave no indication of hearing the mare, let alone listening to her pleas to slow down.

Octavia continued the pursuit, hardly giving notice to the confused ponies watching the pair run through the Lower District, nor the guards' surprised shouts as the two barreled their way through the gateway to Canterlot's Middle District. Her only thought was catching up to Vinyl, and doing...something. She didn't know, but she was determined to get answers. Vinyl, I swear to Celestia when I catch you...

Vinyl slowed down just enough to begin turning around a corner without losing her balance, fully intent on losing the mare who had made her life nothing but very problematic in such a short amount of time. However, just as she was making the turn she felt the full force of a desperate unicorn slam into her sides. The two tumbled over each other, eventually crashing against the wall to the nearest building.

Octavia let out a low moan of pain. She wasn't sure why she did it, but she had just tackled Vinyl in an effort to slow the mare down. While it worked in that regard, it also caused some unnecessary pain on her part. Rubbing her aching head with a hoof, she began to shakily stand at the same time as Vinyl, who looked like she was ready to bolt again.

No, not again.

Octavia's horn began to glow threateningly at Vinyl. "Vinyl, stop this right now or I will use magic. As much as I've claimed to dislike you in the past, I don't want you to end up like the lemons," Octavia threatened, determination setting into her features.

Vinyl however made no move to attempt to run again, instead opting to close the small gap between her and Octavia. Her face was doing its best job to convey the pure, unadulterated rage that the earth pony was feeling at the moment. Her piercing gaze was doing its very best to penetrate the purple sunglasses Octavia was wearing, and it must have been working, as she saw Octavia begin to shrink back as her resolve wavered.

"Vinyl..." Octavia began to speak softly before she felt a sting on her left cheek. Raising her hoof to the sore spot, she realized what just happened; Vinyl had slapped her.

Vinyl didn't stop there though, and before the unicorn could react, Vinyl had grabbed Octavia by her shoulders, pulling the frightened unicorn muzzle to muzzle with the enraged earth pony. Vinyl's teeth were gritted, her breathing making a hissing noise that was disconcerting to Octavia each time she breathed. Her eyes had narrowed to the point where all that was visible was a tiny slit. Octavia gulped; she was in for it now.

"Octavia," Vinyl hissed, "what the BUCK are you doing?" Her volume was lowered, but the anger in the voice was the same as if she had been screaming right at the mare.

"I..."

"I'll tell you what you're doing," Vinyl continued, "you're making a scene. As if the shouting wasn't getting enough attention, or the sprinting through Canterlot, you were saying my name from my body." Octavia tried her best to swallow the lump that had appeared in her throat, the seriousness of Vinyl's words fully realized by the unicorn. "If, no scratch that, when we are in public, we have to try to act like nothing is wrong. Remember what Luna said. Got it?"

Octavia weakly nodded in response. "Good," Vinyl finished before shoving the mare away from her suddenly, causing Octavia's balance to be thrown off, sending her tumbling onto the pavement below. She quickly scrambled back to her hooves as Vinyl turned around, fully intent of trotting away.

Before she had the chance to, Vinyl felt a gentle hoof on her shoulder. Snapping her head around, the anger in her eyes melted away when she saw Octavia looking at her. The purple sunglasses, the trademark of DJ Pon-3, were pushed up and resting atop the unicorn's horn, and Octavia's eyes were full of concern.

"Vinyl," she said weakly, "what's gotten into you? You aren't acting like yourself and it's worrying me."

Vinyl narrowed her eyes again. "What do you care? It's not like we're friends or anything," she spat at the unicorn, trying anything she could to make her go away. Still, she couldn't deny that Octavia's words had an effect on her, slowly melting the anger away.

"Maybe not," Octavia replied as she placed her hoof back on the ground. "But that doesn't make me any less concerned about you. Please tell me, what's wrong? What's gotten into you Vinyl?" Her words, while soft spoken, sounded more like pleas than questions. Vinyl could begin to see tears forming in the very corners of the unicorn's eyes, causing her to sigh in defeat.

"I don't know anymore Octy..." Vinyl replied dejectedly, "I just don't know." Looking back into Octavia's magenta eyes, she continued, "It's just...ugh...just forget about it for now Octy." Reaching a hoof towards Octavia, she plucked the glasses from atop Octavia's horn and slid them back over the unicorn's eyes, shielding them once more from the world. "Keep the shades on whenever you're in public or around ponies. It's part of the image," Vinyl stated quietly, all traces of anger gone from her voice.

"Ok," Octavia responded in an equally quiet voice. Again, Vinyl went to turn away, but was stopped when Octavia suddenly enveloped the mare in her hooves, the act eliciting a surprised noise from Vinyl. Nonetheless, Vinyl returned the hug, seemingly grateful for the show of concern.

Vinyl broke the hug first, standing back on all four hooves before speaking to Octavia. "Come on Vinyl," she said with a wink, "might as well get something to eat while we're in this part of town. I'll buy."

Octavia smiled at the sentiment as she too got back on her hooves. "That would be generous if you weren't using my bits, you insane mare," Octavia replied mirthfully, getting a chuckle out of Vinyl, who had seemingly returned to her old self.

"Your words, they wound me so," Vinyl stated in mock offense, but couldn't help but laugh along with Octavia. The two mares swiftly trotted away from the site of their impromptu scuffle (and the shocked ponies too) and made their way deeper into the Middle District, following the claim that Vinyl "knew a place."

"Hey Vinyl," Octavia whispered so that nopony could overhear, "are you sure you're alright?"

This caused Vinyl to pause her stride, her eyes giving a faraway stare as she mulled the question over. After a minute of silence, she sighed; "No, I'm not alright. Please," Vinyl said preemptively to cut Octavia off, "don't press it. I appreciate the concern, I really do, but I'm just not ready to tell you. Or anypony else for that matter," she muttered. Vinyl looked imploringly into Octavia's eyes, "just drop it for now, please?"

"...fine," Octavia finally consented before the two of them continued their search for the restaurant. "But don't think this means I'm forgetting about this," Octavia added after they were walking again. "I've got my eye on you."

"Is that so?" Vinyl asked with a wink before pulling ahead of Octavia. Playfully swaying her flank, she looked back at Octavia; "Like what you see?"

"Oh shut up," Octavia said, giving Vinyl a playful shove. "You're impossible, you know that right?"

"It's a perk of being me," Vinyl chuckled. "Speaking of, I need to give you a lesson in 'Vinyl Scratch 101' later. Being me is a lot harder than you think it is."

"Oh, you mean there's more to it than being completely insane, irrationally spontaneous, and wearing gaudy sunglasses?" Octavia asked with a smirk.

"...well when you put it that way it takes all the fun out of it. Besides, 'Vinyl Scratch 101' sounds so much cooler."

"I suppose," Octavia said with a roll of her eyes. "Are we almost there?" Octavia asked, "we've been walking for a good twenty minutes now, and chasing you down has made me famished." As if on cue, Octavia's stomach let forth a loud gurgle, indicating its desire for some form of nourishment.

"Haha, well it's a good thing we're here then," Vinyl proclaimed, pointing a hoof to a building that looked no different to the buildings around it. Octavia glanced up, looking for the building's sign to figure out where they would be dining. A simple wooden sign hung above the door, the words "Home Sweet Home" written in a flourished style.

"It doesn't exactly stand out from anyplace else on the street," Octavia noted. "There isn't even outdoor seating."

"Oh, that's all out back," Vinyl stated simply. "Wait," she said, throwing a hoof in front of Octavia as she tried to enter the building. "You can't just go in there like a normal pony."

With a roll of her eyes, Octavia spoke, "Why am I not surprised?"

"I have a very specific way of entering, that way they know it's me and they don't have to waste time with all the formality. Ok, so what you've gotta do is throw both doors open at the same time and yell 'Honey, I'm Home!' as loud as you can."

Octavia cocked an eyebrow.

"Hey, I've got my own way of doing things," Vinyl defended, her cheeks taking on a light tint. "And since you're me now, you have to do it in my stead. Think you can handle that?"

With a soft sigh, Octavia agreed. "I suppose it could be worse. But it's just so..." Octavia paused, searching for the right word, "obnoxious." Vinyl's smile didn't waiver from the statement. Sighing yet again, Octavia muttered, "Though it is you we're talking about. Do I really have to do this?" Octavia asked, trying to weasel her way out of losing more of her dignity.

"Yep," Vinyl replied cheerfully.

"Fantastic, oh well. Here goes everything I guess." Steeling her nerves, the unicorn mare reared up on her back hooves and lightly placed both her front hooves on the double doors to the establishment. Inhaling deeply, she paused before throwing the doors open with significant force before loudly announcing her presence. "Honey, I'm Home!"

"Welcome home!" a number of voices shouted back at her, making Octavia feel surprisingly welcome. Octavia saw a grey pegasus stallion make his way his way from behind a counter and towards her, a big smile encompassing his face.

"Vinyl, you crazy mare, where the hell have you been!?" he asked enthusiastically.

"Around," Octavia answered quickly, not wanting to speak too much. It was bad enough that she had to enter the way she did, so she didn't want to continue the trend with conversation. When the stallion looked at her with an eager look, she narrowed her eyes at him, "that's all you're getting out of me."

"Fine, fine," he replied, throwing his hooves up in mock surrender. "So, do you want the usual table or-". His sentence was cut off when Vinyl entered the doors, taking her place next to Octavia. The colt's eyes grew as wide as his smile, before narrowing down into a mischievous look. "Oh, I see you have company today. Would you like a private table instead?" he asked with a waggle of his eyebrows.

"Don't get creepy," Octavia said flatly. "But a private booth would be nice."

"Wow Vinyl, you sure are formal today," the colt commented as he retrieved menus from behind the maitre d' podium. "Is rubbing elbows with the Upper Crust starting to affect you?"

Vinyl bit her tongue, lest she speak out to defend herself. Octavia however was one step ahead. With a swift flick of her hoof, she swatted the stallion atop the head, followed by a chuckle. "You wish." Vinyl felt her chest swell with pride, she couldn't have done it better herself.

"Haha, fine fine," the stallion said, rubbing his head. "Follow me and I'll get you seated." With that, he began to make his way to the back of the restaurant, weaving his way between tables with the mares hanging back.

Vinyl leaned in so she could whisper to Octavia as they followed the colt. "His name's Cloud Hopper, and he will be expecting a hoof bump when he leaves to get our drinks. Oh and call him Hops, it's a nickname I gave him when I first started coming here. Don't let me down Octy."

Octavia rolled her eyes as they were finally shown their seat. True to the stallion's word, this particular booth was not only in a more secluded part of the restaurant, but also had a privacy wall erected so there was only one open side, away from the other tables. "Here you go girls, one private booth to your liking," Hops said with a fake posh accent.

"Thanks Hops," Octavia stated, knocking her hoof against the other pony's. "Just water today for us, gotta live on a budget after all."

"Budget, HA!" Hops commented, "since when do you live moderately? Ah well, not my place to ask, I'll get this right back to you." A short time later, after the two mares were seated, Hops brought back their drink orders. "When you're ready to order, you know what to do, Vinyl," he stated as he made his way back to the front of the restaurant.

When they were finally alone again, Octavia let a sigh of relief escape her lips. Vinyl on the other hoof slumped down onto the table and groaned.

"What's your problem?" Octavia asked.

"I miss being me," Vinyl grumbled in response, grabbing a salt shaker and gently nudging it for no particular reason other than it was something to do.

"I don't see what's so great about it," Octavia responded, levitating the salt shaker out of Vinyl's reach. "It's just...annoying."

"But it's fuuuuuuuun," Vinyl whined. "Now that I'm you I don't get to have fun. 'Octavia the Fun Nazi'" Vinyl said, waving her hooves around in a dramatic fashion. "That's me," she finished as she slumped her head back onto the table.

"Oh be quiet," Octavia chided, swatting Vinyl with her menu. "My life's not that bad." Octavia paused, "Vinyl, what's a Nazi?"

"Beats me," the mare shrugged. "It just sounds like something bad."


Meanwhile
Berlin, 1939

Adolf Hitler sat at his desk, his finger tapping furiously at the worn wood beneath it. Nearby, Joseph Goebbels watched warily at Hitler's growing frustration.

"Mein Fuhrer, what is it that troubles you?"

"I can feel it again, Joseph. Someone, somewhere is mocking our regime." Hitler's eyes furrowed as the pace of his tapping increased. "They call us evil, insane, monsters. What have we done? Pulled Germany out of the recession it found itself in after our humiliating defeat, yet still we are mocked!" His fist slams against the desk, causing Goebbels to jump. "NO MORE!" Hitler shouts, spittle flying from his mouth. "I'll silence this slander against our name!"

Hitler pauses, seemingly deep in thought. "...yes," he states, the tapping of his finger resuming once more. "That's it Goebbels, THAT'S IT! We shall create a new German empire, uniting Europe under a single banner once more. It will be the Third Reich of Germany, a rule lasting one thousand years! Rally the army, for soon, we begin by taking Poland..."

"I think those whispers might be right," Goebbels whispered under his breath before bowing to Hitler. "At once, mein Fuhrer."


"Gotta say Octy, you aren't too bad at being me," Vinyl stated as she took a drink from her glass.

"I'm not sure whether I should be proud or insulted at that," Octavia replied as she took another bite of her omelet. Vinyl likewise took a sizable bite out of the hayburger she had ordered, causing Octavia to cringe at her distinct lack of table manners. The food was better than Octavia had expected it to be for such a small establishment, though ordering it had been a little more complicated. Having to order each other's food then swapping it once the waiter was gone was a little awkward, but she couldn't complain otherwise.

"No, I mean really," Vinyl continued after she had swallowed her food. "You had me down pretty good. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were an actor instead of a...uh...music...pony...thing," she stumbled.

"Musician," Octavia deadpanned. "And I guess that's to be expected after the acting classes I took as a filly."

"Wait, really?" Vinyl blurted in surprise.

"Yes," Octavia sighed. "Mother was adamant about my cutie mark being in the fine arts. As soon as I was able to walk, she had me enrolled in classes for acting, dancing, painting, singing, and music."

"But why?" Vinyl asked, tilting her head to the side. "A cutie mark is supposed to be a special talent that's, like, a picture of a pony's soul or something. You can't force that kind of thing."

There was a pause in the conversation, the silence only broken by a cacophony of sound outside.

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADER GUARDPONIES, YAY!"

"GIRLS, YOU GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT! AND PUT THOSE SPEARS DOWN BEFORE YOU HURT SOMEPONY!"

...

"Well, tell that to my mother," Octavia continued, not phased by the odd yelling outside. "She was from a noble Canterlot house, and as such wanted me to exude class. Canterlot being a city of the fine arts, that meant I was destined to become a part of that culture. It's too bad that I missed most of my foalhood because of it."

"Wow, that sucks," Vinyl said quietly.

"You have such a way with sympathy," Octavia stated sarcastically. "Anyways, what do you have to do this week? I feel that I should know that before it's too late."

"Huh, oh! I don't have to really be anywhere until Friday, when I have a show in Manehattan," Vinyl said. "I usually use the time from tomorrow to Wednesday to make the track list for my show, then spend Thursday traveling to the gig. Should be easy enough for you."

"I suppose, if I had any idea what I was doing."

"Don't worry, I'll show you when we get back to my place. Anyways, what about you?"

Octavia thought for a moment. "Well today is Sunday, so it's my free day, as well as tomorrow I don't have any pressing engagements. Tuesday I have to be in Phillydelphia for an audition, Wednesday in Las Pegasus for another, and finally Friday there is the big audition for the Manehattan Symphony Orchestra that I've been preparing for."

"Aw sweet! We can totally hang out then!" Vinyl exclaimed excitedly.

"...maybe. I'll think about it."

"Anyways, we should probabl-"

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" a cultured voice spoke from the edge of the table.

"Actually it is, sorr-" The words died as they left Octavia's lips as her eyes met the pony they were directed to. Standing at the edge of their table was Princess Luna. The Princess wore a smirk at the shocked looks coming from both ponies and let them gather their wits before she spoke to them.

"Good afternoon you two, I trust you're doing well?" Not waiting for an answer, Luna continued, "Don't worry, you aren't in trouble, I just wanted to see how you were doing is all, and to bring you a little gift."

"Are you going to change us back?" Vinyl asked hopefully.

"No."

"Damn..."

"I wanted to bring you these," the Princess said as she levitated out two candles and placed them on the table, "so that you may keep in correspondence with one another this week. They're magically linked to one another, simply hold you're letter over the flame and it will send it to the other."

The two mares only nodded, not sure what they could really say.

"Excellent, I leave you two to finish enjoying your meal." With that, Luna's horn glowed briefly before the Princess disappeared with a loud 'POP.'

"..."

"..."

"...let's get out of here Octy."

"...agreed."

Author's Note:

Oh my god, an update! And only a week late! Sorry about that, but personal issues came up so it was delayed. Heh, look at me, trying to justify things to people I don't know on the internet. Anyways, enjoy.