"Take my hand, Twilight," Sunset Shimmer once said, "Let me show you there's another way."

It's been three weeks since Twilight Sparkle joined her new friends at Canterlot High, and she really really really wants to hold hands with Sunset Shimmer again.

Octavia Philharmonica is one of many who are trying to make it in life, and living in one of the nation's busiest cities doesn't make it any easier. She just got laid off of her job, and bussing tables at her friend's cafe part-time isn't doing much to pay the bills, so Octavia falls to her last resort - she'll use her talent of music to offer lessons for those who are willing to learn the craft.

However, when a bold, crazy disk jockey obsessed with rock-n-roll signs up, everything turns upside down.

After the Gala, and Pinkies stunt with the Poney Pokey song, nopony will take Ocvavia seriously as a musician anymore. After weeks of hunting for a job and living off anything she can scrape together, she finds a very successful nightclub which is looking for new employees. A job is offered to her by the new owner of the club, Vinyl Scratch, and she takes it without a second thought. At first all they are are coworkers but Vinyl soon realizes that she wants to be more than that with the cellist.

Newly-together couple Vinyl Scratch and Octavia have just spent the night out on the town. Vinyl blasted their favourite nightclub with major wubbage while Octavia discovered a new drink at the bar. Now Vinyl has to escort home a marefriend more drunk than she's ever been, and in her intoxicated state, Octavia says just a little bit too much.

Cover art courtesy of KristySK on DeviantArt.

Reading by ObabScribbler and TheLostNarrator
Reading by Astro Brony

UPDATE 09/09/2023: Edited story to fit better with my current writing standard. Original unedited story here!

Octavia and Vinyl couldn't be more different. Sure, they both like jazz(-ish), but that's about all they have in common. After one really bad first impression, can these two stand to be around each other long enough to recognize that they're not that different? And that they're both looking for the same thing?

Not if they have anything to say about it. Goodbye, security deposits.

(Added the [sex] tag for suggestive situations and stuff. Y'know, to be safe.)

"But seriously, Tavi. Haven't you ever dated anyone? You can still fall in love, can't you?" Lyra asked, unwrapping one of the basket sweets Octavia insisted on sharing with them.
"In theory, yes." She said. "But..."
"Ponies always go too fast for you, don't they?" Octavia agreed with Bon Bon.
"Every time I explained that I'm demiromantic, that I would only feel prepared for deeper intimacy after knowing them, they would never listen. They would try to kiss me on our first date..." Octavia explained, unwrapping her Heart Caramel. "I've tried several times, but that was the outcome of all. I presume I don't have to explain I had to dump them right after that. And they all thought I would love the kiss; that this time, with them, it would be different."

Hearts and Hooves Day is here! You know what that means—scam artists looking to exploit love and romance for a quick bit!

Flim and Flam have a new scam with their S.H.I.P.P.I.N.G. Machine, promising to bring couples together. Of course, just because it's a scam doesn't mean it won't occasionally bring a couple together. A little help from Pinkie never hurts, either.

Octavia has declared her friendship with Vinyl over.

Now, Vinyl must decide what is right and face her true feelings towards the cellist.

Can she and Octavia ever be friends again, or will they become something more?

Discover Vinyl's side to the "I Am Octavia" story.

Based on the popular I Am Octavia animation and song by TehJadeh and EileMontyVA