Vinyl was running, dodging the rocks thrown by the others. She had hoped to get home without sustaining mental or physical injuries. She kept on running out of the school grounds and towards her house somewhere in the distance. She smiled and began softly panting as the physical exertion became too much. She forgot to wear her shades today, so now she had to endure the six hours of school without them, and it had almost become too much.
A rock sailed through the air and clipped her forehead, sending her down. She tripped over her hooves and landed on her nose. Nopony was around besides her, and them. She doubted anyone cared what happened to one more filly in the big city of Manehatten.
She curled up in a ball and began to wait for the blows to come, and they did. The rocks that they didn't get to throw were thrown at her now as she lay on the floor; they impacted everywhere, on her ribs, her legs, her head. She heard a crack, a sickening loud crack followed by a sharp feeling of pain. She refused to scream. She refused to cry.
They began to rain blows down on her with their bare hooves now; she just curled into a ball and took it, the verbal and physical. She was used to it. She closed her eyes and blotted it out, accepting the pain as though it was deserved.
"Witch!" one screamed, kicking her sharply in the ribs. She exhaled explosively.
"Devil!" another said, punching her in the face that she thought was well covered, but evidently was not.
"Nopony wants you!" another jeered.
"You're worthless! No-one cares!" yet another screamed in her ear and punched her fiercely in the ribs, right where she had felt the crack from before.
The blows and insults kept coming until they were satisfied with her apparent lack of consciousness, though she was awake and heard everything they said. "That ought to teach her to show those evil eyes in public!" one sneered, followed by jeering laughter as she heard the retreating hoofsteps. She opened her eyes and gazed around at her surroundings.
She was being watched by a few ponies that looked eager to see how she was doing, but kept their distance. Maybe the fillies and colts were right. Maybe nopony did care. She got up and sniffed once, wiping the blood away from her mouth as she casually limped toward her home. The ponies that watched couldn't believe how nonchalantly she walked away, how casual she seemed, like this was a normal, everyday occurrence.
She just hobbled along the cobblestone towards her house, gently pushing on the door she opened it and stepped inside. There was the stench of home. The stench of alcohol and cigars, and she heard a crashing in the kitchen that could've only been her mother trying to fend off her 'father's' drunken rage.
She overheard him shouting at her as she got closer to the stairs that led to her room.
"I DON'T GIVE A BUCK WHAT THEY SAY! YOU CAN'T SEE THEM ANYMORE AND THAT'S FINAL!" he yelled and she heard her mother put up a small smidgen of resistance.
"But, they're my only friends, it was only one night, I swear it won't happen again..." she began, only to be cut off by the sound of a hoof connecting with a face.
"YOU’RE DAMN RIGHT IT WON'T" He screamed before storming out of the kitchen and past the little blue maned filly. He stopped to look her in the eyes before grabbing her face and inspecting the wounds almost viciously.
"How many?" he asked and she sniffed. "E-eight, sir" she stuttered, and a smirk parted his lips.
"Good. Might knock some sense into that dumb head of yours" he spat, before throwing her towards the stairs and heading out the door, no doubt to get even more drunk. He slammed the door behind him so hard the crack from where he had done it once to many times widened with the sound of splintering wood.
She heard sniffing behind her and turned to see her mother, a unicorn mare with flowing brown hair and the cutie mark of Piano Keys. Oddly enough, that was her name, Keys. Her eyes were a once vibrant yellow, now, they had lost their spark. Vinyl knew why.
"Hey, Vinyl. How was school?" she asked, sobs breaking her words. Vinyl could see her black eye, and a thin trail of blood that ran from her mouth. That was the last straw. She galloped upstairs, leaving her sobbing mother behind her. She blocked out the noise. Her mother was her idol, her rock if you would, and seeing her like that, well, it didn't help. If anything it only served to remind her that anypony who was nice had the potential to be crushed in an instant.
She flopped down on her bed and buried her head under the pillows and duvet, letting out a wail of tears. Blood soaked the mattress from a cut on her side, and the pain in her ribs wouldn't go away.
After a few minutes, she had formulated a plan in her rage/sadness. She would go to the Metroponytan Police and leave an anonymous tip about her father, then, she would... she would...
She re-buried her head and sobbed once more. She didn't like the prospect of running away, it was weak. It was cowardly. In fact, if anypony caught her crying she would never hear the end of it.
She got up and walked over to her drawers, taking out a picture and a stallion she never knew, her real father, Kite Runner. He was a Pegasus Pilot for the Equestrian Air Force, he was sent away on a covert mission, and he never came back. This was when she was just a little filly, and all she remembered was him leaning down and kissing her forehead before stroking her mane and whispering; "I'll be back, little one, to watch you grow."
She let a tear fall onto the glass of the picture as she stroked it with a hoof. She put it in the bag that she kept under her bed just in case she ever had to run. She packed a few coats to survive the nights, and then she packed up some pencils and her diary. She didn't know why she even kept one; she hadn't written in it for so long it had become almost a novelty to her.
She rooted through her cupboard for something to wear during the long winter nights, as she closed the door she happened to look at herself in her. Her face was mashed up beyond recognition and she had one black eye above a swelled lip. The metallic taste of blood was in her mouth and she still felt the pain in her leg and ribs.
She gazed into her own eyes and had to look away, the ghost of a tear travelling down her cheek. She felt her anger grow and smashed a hoof against the mirror, cracking it and causing the shards to travel into her hoof.
She gritted her teeth in pain and took one last look at herself in the fractured glass and shook her head, lifting her case with her magic and setting it on her back. It was heavy, but it wouldn't be a problem. She limped down the stairs and got near the front door before it forcefully swung open and there stood her 'father', reeking of alcohol and stale cigar smoke. He paid her no mind as he walked into the living room. Vinyl cast him a furtive look that literally oozed hatred before she walked out, closing the door behind her.
The memory was unwelcome, the vivid dream that accompanied it, more so. Vinyl sighed and got up off of the couch, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and fumbling around for her glasses so that she could fool everypony into believing that she was normal like them. She didn't like to do it, but if it meant that she could at least pretend to be normal, then she would take it.
She found the purple tinted glasses that blocked anypony from seeing her eyes, but allowed her to see the world, albeit a distorted view. She put them on and ruffled her mane into its signature style before she adopted her daredevil grin and looked in a mirror.
Lookin' good Scratch she thought to herself snidely, before she glanced at her clock and saw that she was late. Her eyes widened and she flung open the door and closed it, not even bothering to acknowledge her rumbling stomach. The night was well underway, and the decorations for NightMare Night had been put up already. She headed towards the town square, where the celebration would be taking place, and where Octavia would be playing a piece. She didn't know if it was as a solo act or part of a group like she had told Vinyl about when she played at the Grand Galloping Gala.
Just then the sound of music drifted across the air and into her ears. It was definitely a group. A wave of disappointment washed over Vinyl as she was looking forward to watching Octavia play by herself.
She nearly ground to a halt then and there. Where the hay did that come from? Just then she saw Octavia from afar. Vinyl didn't know whether to be astounded, or just laugh. Octavia was Yellow! YELLOW!
So that was Octavia she saw earlier. A small chuckle escaped her lips, but then Octavia's music hit her full force. At that precise moment a wind began to blow through the town and blew through Octavia's blue hair. It fluttered in the breeze and caught the moonlight, flickering like sapphires. Vinyl's jaw dropped and the lively music hit her, full of class, yet appealing.
Vinyl was never one for classical music, brought back... memories... But, hearing Octavia, she couldn't care about anything save for Octavia's hooves moving the bow across the strings and producing the wonderful music. As the song finally came to a close, a round of applause was heard, and Vinyl clapped her hooves together harder than any other pony, but no one noticed, save for Octavia, who opened her eyes and looked at her, eyes going wide.
Octavia had been slightly relieved when Vinyl had at first not shown up, so when she shed her cloak she didn't really care about the strange looks she got, but now, Vinyl was there, and Octavia had nowhere to hide.
Vinyl simply waved her over and walked forward, and Octavia took her leave, saying to the group that she would be right back after she saw to a friend.
As Octavia approached, something strange happened, like a little school filly Vinyl's throat seized up and her heart began to flutter in her chest. She took a few deep breaths as Octavia walked towards her.
"Hey Tavi, that was amazing!" she said and Octavia blushed. Having the new colouration didn't do much to hide it either.
"Thanks, usually I'm not used to playing a fiddle," she said, and Vinyl scoffed.
"Really? Because the way you were playing that it was like you'd spent your whole life practicing, if that's how you play something you think you're bad at, I just gotta hear you play your cello," she said, and Octavia blushed some more, her face now retaining the same pink hue as Fluttershy's mane.
"Usually, I… I don't play in front of ponies..." Octavia said, she didn't know where this sudden bout of shyness was coming from.
"Now that's a lie, isn't it Tavi?" Vinyl stated and Octavia blushed again.
"How about tomorrow at my place, you can play something, and if I like it, then I'll record it. OH! I know! I'll see if I can put it into one of my songs!" Vinyl said with a smile, and Octavia smiled as well. Both mares knew Vinyl was ranting and, let's be honest, gushing, but Octavia wasn't complaining. It wasn't often she got praise, ponies just didn't appreciate classical music like they used to, but if she could get through to Vinyl, she would consider it a massive triumph.
"Okay Vinyl, if it'll get you to shut up then I'll do it" she said jokingly and Vinyl fixed her with a stare, or, at least, what Tavi thought was a stare but was blocked by the glasses.
Suddenly, Vinyl's stomach gave out a rumble and she blushed.
"Hey, I didn't get much to eat. You wanna grab something from Sugarcube Corner or something?" Vinyl asked, and Octavia blushed again. Was she asking her out on a date?
She shook herself mentally; she couldn't think those things about her. It was wrong. Wasn't it?"I... I..." she was taking too long to answer, and they both knew it.
Vinyl started to feel dejected so she just shook her head."Never mind Tavi, you got your gig to get back to. Perhaps some other time then" she asked, and Octavia nodded.
"But-" Octavia started to say, but Vinyl was already walking away. Octavia sighed and walked back to the stage. She did notice that Vinyl had not once said anything about her dye mishap, and that brought a smile to her lips. Perhaps she was more gentle and sensitive than Octavia first thought...
Stupid Stupid! Stupid! Vinyl thought to herself as she walked. She was almost slapping herself with the thought, repeated over and over like a mantra to keep her thoughts in check. A momentary slip of the tongue, a momentary slip on her control of her thoughts and she nearly blew apart their fragile friendship. She sighed. Maybe this was more than a school-filly crush, maybe it was something much more.
Her heart pounded at that thought, and she couldn't help but think what it would be like to go on a date with Octavia, to see her in a formal dress, flowing gracefully as Vinyl escorted her into a restaurant.
Then she did slap herself, sending her shades flying from her face. She gasped and fumbled for them on the ground, hearing a crack of glass. She sighed as she brought them up to her face and looked through them. One was cracked and the other was scuffed beyond recognition. Great.
Although she had nearly a dozen more identical pairs at home, that means her plans for dinner at Sugarcube Corner would have to wait, or she could just go home and cook something. The thought of her attempting to cook forced a smile and a stifled chuckle.
Her thoughts then drifted to Octavia once again, how they would be meeting in a day. OH CELESTIA! she thought and ran home. Octavia couldn't see her house the way it was! She needed to do some serious cleaning, and FAST.
The gig at Jive Hut would have to wait. She would make up an excuse; she had to make her house at least presentable for Octavia.
With that particular memory, came a set of uneasiness for Vinyl. She should've known then what she knew now, but she was in denial, and denial was a powerful thing.
She sighed and finally got up, not bothering to retrieve her shades from the darkness, opting to go upstairs to her, for once, clean house. She smiled, but it quickly turned into a frown. She had done this for her. For the mare she could never get, the one which she could not get over no matter how she tried, no matter how much she drank, no matter how much she actually tried, all that invaded her mind were the images of Octavia, the cellist, flowing dark gray mane, stormy grey coat, and sparkling purple eyes the colour of amethyst. She could get lost in those endless pools.
She shook her head for what seemed to be the millionth time in such a short space of time and flopped on her couch. It had been so long since she had cried, and she refused to let it overcome her now. But, try as she might, the tears came, and they soon turned to wracking sobs in her system, her soul cracked and leaked through the tears.Her heart, shattered and broken, threatened to tear holes in her chest as it beated. It wasn't hers anymore, it belonged to Octavia, whether she knew it or not.