Vinyl awoke with a scream as the train loudly screeched to a halt, also waking the mare who was dozing on her side.
“Now arriving in: Phillydelphia, next stop: Canterlot. Time to next stop: 15 hours.” The conductor came on over the speakers, waking up everypony in the train. Vinyl blinked, trying to calm herself down from the sudden terrifying moment. Octavia yawned and turned to the white unicorn.
“Morning Vinyl, how’d you sleep?” She asked, rubbing her jaw.
“Not bad until I thought we were going to die.” She stated, watching other ponies leave the train, while others came on. “How about you?” Octavia got off the seat and stretched.
“Well it seemed I fell asleep on you, and locked my jaw in the process.” She moved her jaw around, trying to free it. “It’ll loosen when it wants to.” Vinyl looked out the window, noticing a vending machine with breakfast items in it.
“Tavi, when does this train depart the station to continue?”
“I’m sorry, what?” Octavia looked at Vinyl. “Did you call me ‘Tavi’?”
“Sorry, I’m used to giving people nicknames.” Vinyl shrugged.
“Oh. Well, to answer your question, the train leaves in...” She checked her schedule. “Right about...” The train doors closed and the train started to move. “Now.”
“Damn. I’m getting hungry.” Vinyl held her stomach.
“I’m sure they have a food car on this train. It’d be ridiculous if they didn’t.” Octavia smiled as she helped Vinyl off her seat. “Shall we go look?” Vinyl nodded as the pair walked up the middle of the train car to the next one. After about 4 different cars, one with a screaming couple, the pair found themselves in the food car.
“Oh thank Celestia, I’m starving.” Vinyl said with satisfaction, walking up to a table.
“Ello Miss! I ze creator of zis vounderful waffles vous zee before vous.” A pale yellow stallion with a hook style mustache cheerfully greeted Vinyl.
“Yeah yeah, you’re french, I’m hungry, give me six of them with no butter.”
“Vinyl! No need to be rude!” Octavia frowned at the white unicorn.
“Sorry, ‘Without butter please.’ Better?” Vinyl turned to Octavia.
“Hardly.” Vinyl turned to the french pony again.
“Oh oui, right away.” The yellow earth pony turned to a few waffle-makers behind him, pouring in batter and letting them sit. “Anything else, mademoiselle?” He asked with a smile. Vinyl shook her head.
“And the name’s Vinyl, not Manwezel” She turned at sat on the other side of the car, and waited patiently. Octavia shook her head, and smiled.
“Je vais devoir tout deux de vos gaufres, je vous remercie.(I'm going to have any two of your waffles, thank you.)” Octavia spoke in a sweet manner. The Yellow pony tipped his hat, and turned to two more waffle irons.
“Puis-je savoir votre nom, mademoiselle? (May I know your name, miss?)” He said, turning over his shoulder.
“Mon nom est Octavia. Enchanté de faire votre connaissance. (My name is Octavia. Nice to meet you.)” Octavia smiled then turned and sat next to Vinyl.
“I didn’t know you spoke spanish.” The unicorn said, yawning.
“It’s French, and I learned a little bit of it while in the University.” Octavia stated. Vinyl gave a grunt of understanding, then looked back outside. She watched as the landscape flew by, cactus here, and a cactus there, nothing too special to really watch.
Roughly five minutes passed and the yellow stallion turned to the two girls.
“Ze waffles are fini!” He watched as Vinyl and Octavia walked up and took their plates.
“Gracias.” Vinyl nodded slowly, still half asleep. The gray mare took her plate.
“Merci.” She smiled, then walked after Vinyl to a table. “Again, french, not spanish.”
“So sue me, I’m still not awake.” Vinyl muffled with a mouthful of waffles. She swallowed the mouthful, then looked at her new friend. “Did you say you went to a university?” She asked, pointing a fork at the grey pony.
“Yes. The University of Manehattan.” Octavia stated after wiping her mouth with a cloth.
“What did you study in?” Vinyl asked, cutting into more of her waffle, then added: “If you don’t mind me asking, that is.”
“Actually, I’m glad you asked.” Octavia smiled. “I started studying Music Theory and History of Music, Music Practice, a few AP programs, and an Art Class to pass the time. I really enjoyed the Music Practice class, because I got to be physically connected to my instrument.” Octavia gave a happy sigh, and stood to get a drink.
“Nice. You stay for the full.... However long you had to stay?” Vinyl asked when the pony returned to her seat. Octavia shifted.
“It’s not an easy thing to talk about.” She frowned.
“Wait... You said something similar yesterday. Does this ‘Thing’ have to do with you moving to Ponyville?” The unicorn asked, putting down her fork. Octavia looked at Vinyl.
“I encourage curiosity, most of the time, Vinyl, but I really don’t want to talk about it.” She gave a gaze at her unicorn friend. Vinyl squinted at the mare for a little.
“Alright, I can respect that, though, one day, Tavi, You’re gonna have to tell me.” Vinyl smiled slightly. Octavia sighed.
“I guess when it comes to that point, I won’t have a choice, will I?” She gave a chuckle.
“Nope!” Vinyl smiled, closing her eyes. They both finished their waffles, and threw away the disposable plates and forks, then returned to their seats. They continued to ask questions back and forth, passing time for the rest of the day.
“And you told me, Vinyl, that your instrument is a computer?” Octavia laid on the open seat next to her, as did Vinyl, their heads practically touching.
“Well it’s a little more than just pushing buttons.” the unicorn replied.
“You also click that mouse, right?” The grey pony hinted at a joke.
“Wow Octavia, I didn’t see you as much as a joker.” Vinyl laughed.
“I have my moments.” They both chuckled. Vinyl flipped over, facing the grey mare.
“You know, I thought yesterday that you’d hate me forever, with me being... Vinyl and all.” Vinyl said in a slightly hushed tone. Octavia looked up out the top of her eyes, looking upside-down at Vinyl.
“And I was thinking this train ride was going to be a nightmare. I honestly never saw the apology coming.” Octavia smiled. Vinyl twirled the dark grey mane of her friend’s around her hoof.
“Well, my brain told me that I was being an ass. I also realized we had something in common.”
“Oh? And what might that be, Ms. Scratch?”
“Well duh. We both have a passion for music.” Vinyl released her hair.
“If that’s what you call music...” Octavia started, then smiled at the white mare. Vinyl snorted.
“Har har. Yes, our taste in music is different, but we have a taste in music nonetheless. You get what I’m saying?” She gave a smirk. Octavia nodded.
“So, what are your plans when you get to Ponyville?” She asked, looking back down. Vinyl rolled back over and stared at the celling through her shades.
“Well, I hope to first get a place to live in. I have an apartment already for me and a roommate. Then I plan to get my name out there, play for a few ponies, maybe a few live events, maybe get like a party manager.”
“Sounds like you have a plan, all I have planned is move into an apartment, and apparently I’ll have a roommate as well. They haven’t told me who, though.” Octavia looked out the window to watch as the sun slowly dipped below a mountain ridge.
“Yeah, same deal. You think we’ll see each other again while in town?” Vinyl asked, shifting in her seats a little.
“Well I’ve read up on Ponyville a little. It’s not huge like Manehattan is. It’s more of a small community of..oh what was the number.. Four hundred residents?” Octavia scrunched up her face while she thought.
“Still that’s a pretty good number for a small town.” Vinyl shrugged. There was a long silence, except for the train rolling over the tracks and the occasional “clack-clack” of the new rail segments.
“Vinyl?” Octavia said after a while.
“Yesms?” The unicorn responded.
“I’ve been wanting to ask you, why do you always wear those shades?” Vinyl laid there, staring at the celling, and stayed silent. “Vinyl?” Octavia rolled over to face the white pony.
“Because it’s who I am.” She smiled, after a little of a delay.
“You’re a pony who doesn’t want to show her eye color?” The grey mare leaned a little closer. Vinyl tilted her head towards Octavia.
“I kinda like to keep it a secret.”
“Well, may I see them? I promise not to tell anypony else.” Octavia gave Vinyl her best cute face she could.
“Well, I suppose...” Vinyl said, wrapping the glasses in her magic. She slowly lifted them up, when suddenly the train went into a dark tunnel, blaring it’s horn.
“They are lovely.”
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Hey readers, thank you so much for reading what I have so far, and any feed back will be greatly appreciated. I'm trying to keep a "Chapter a day" kind of schedule, so you might be seeing more as it develops, frequently. Anyway, thanks again for reading, and don't be afraid to leave a comment. :D