Short Hand
A My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfic By Andrew J. Talon
Disclaimer: This is a non-profit fan based parody. MLP:FiM is the property of Hasbro and Lauren Faust. Please support the official release.
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A brief interlude…
All of my efforts to get back to snuff playing violin would have failed, if it wasn’t for two of Ponyville’s local musicians: A Miss Octavia Melody and her roommate, Miss Vinyl Scratch. Miss Melody played the cello, which was quite impressive for a species without opposable thumbs-Apparently their hooves had more grip and articulation than those of Earth equines. Miss Scratch was a DJ, with magically enhanced turntables and speakers.
Again, weird anachronistic technological level. Then again, it’s hardly like humans can comment on it: It took us centuries to rediscover concrete after the Roman Empire fell.
The two mares had invited me into their house-A lovely little bungalow split down the middle in paint and in decor to represent the two ponies who lived there. I was practicing my scales on my violin while Octavia, a light gray mare with long black hair and inquisitive purple eyes, listened and nodded in time with each note. In their kitchen nearby, Vinyl, a white mare with an electric blue mane with black rimmed sunglasses over her eyes, munched on some muffins as she too listened.
I finished the scales with a slight flourish. Octavia clopped her hooves against the wooden floor, beaming at me.
"Very good! You're finally getting it back!" Octavia praised me. I smiled and modestly bowed my head.
"Yeah. I kind of stopped for a while for various reasons,” I said. Striving so hard to grow up, to get going in my life, I’d left a lot of things of my childhood behind. Things that had given me joy.
Octavia nodded, her face sympathetic.
"It can be difficult to keep up practice without reinforcement: From others who listen,” she gave me a piercing look. “You strike me as someone who has been alone a great deal."
I flushed. The cellist had a very keen insight.
"... More than I'd like to admit,” I said. Octavia nodded, and leaned over the arm of the couch she was reclining on.
"The way you play says it all. A deep loneliness,” she commented softly. She then brightened. ”But don't worry. We'll practice until you can express so much more! We shall make such beautiful music together!"
I chuckled and smiled at her. Vinyl trotted in, wiping her mouth free of crumbs. She looked up at me with a grin.
"You know, his fingers would be better put to use on other things I can think of,” she said, her teeth shining in the light. Octavia blushed, as I raised an eyebrow.
Her tone was… No way, she couldn’t be.
"V-Vinyl!” Octavia cried, “That's so-so uncouth!"
Vinyl chuckled, and slid by me, her tail brushing over my thigh. She closed the distance with the helpless Octavia, and wrapped a foreleg around her, pulling her close. She looked up at me, her smile shining.
"What? Come on. I'm sure he could handle us both. Easy~."
"I-I-Really!" Octavia sputtered.
“What exactly are you implying?” I asked wryly, cocking an eyebrow.
Vinyl gave me a sly grin.
"What do you say, dude? Want to see what kind of notes you can make with both our instruments?"
My eyebrow went higher. She couldn’t possibly mean...
Later...
"Oooh... Yes! YES! YESSSS! DO IT! DOOO IT!" Vinyl screamed. Octavia was working her legs hard, sweat beading on her brow.
“Almost, almost there!” Octavia cried! “Faster! Faster…!”
“Almost got it! Almost… Almost…!” Vinyl cried out and threw her forehooves up. “YES! YES! YES!”
I twisted my fingers around, and stroked hard… The subwoofers responded perfectly and I kept the gain tuned perfectly. Octavia ended with a hard downstroke to her cello, as Vinyl cheered next to me at the soundboard. She grinned up at me, as all three of us panted for breath.
"Yeah! You're good at this for a first timer!" Vinyl said happily. I grinned back, my chest heaving.
"Thanks!” I said, “But uh… One question: Do you intentionally make everything you say sound like an innuendo?"
Vinyl stared at me, confusion all over her face.
"Innu-what?" She asked. I looked at Octavia, who rolled her eyes in a very dignified way. I shrugged.
"Nevermind,” I sighed, “I like this, but I think I prefer the violin."
Vinyl pouted, rubbing up against my leg like a needy cat. She looked up into my eyes, pulling down her shades so our gazes would be locked.
"Aw come on! I bet if you gave me a few minutes in the bedroom I could change your mind~!" She teased. I laughed.
"Is that where you keep your other soundboard?" I asked, nimbly deflecting her latest joke. Vinyl stared back, confused, and then slowly looked aside.
"... Yes. Yes it is,” she sighed.
I rubbed the top of her hair, and scritched her behind her ears. She sighed happily, leaning against me. I smiled back, and gave Octavia the same treatment. The gray mare groaned happily, also leaning in… Just as the clock chimed. I looked up at it, and grimaced.
“Damn. Sorry ladies, I need to get going,” I apologized. “But I’ll be back next week for more lessons.”
“I’ll-I’ll expect you promptly at the same time,” Octavia said. Vinyl nodded.
“Totally…”
I beamed, packed my violin back into its case, gave them a wave and headed out the door. Both ponies watched me go, waving back. Then they closed the door.
I sighed happily. I really was lucky to have two more good friends like that in Ponyville.
- - -
Octavia and Vinyl
Vinyl stomped around like a foal throwing a tantrum, right into the kitchen. She groaned and slammed her head against the refrigerator door.
“How in Tartarus is he not bucking us both now?!” Vinyl cried. “He has got to be the thickest stallion the world has ever known!”
“You're hopeless,” Octavia scoffed from the couch. “And besides, he was probably just deflecting your lewd language.”
“HEY! I was making an effort!” Vinyl cried, pointing a hoof back at Vinyl. “All you did was play cello for him! And that didn’t work!”
Octavia flushed, and looked away. “I thought a romantic etude, with its sensual interplay, would get the point across,” she said defensively. “It’s not my fault he distracted me with discussion of musical theory from his world!”
“Urgh,” Vinyl groaned, “oh well. There’s always next week.”
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