//------------------------------// // S1 Episode 5 - 6: The Season's Upon Us // Story: The Mute Octave // by HenryAnthonyCourtler //------------------------------// Episode 5-6: The Season's Upon Us [8:33:54 AM] Rami Perez: So, who’s this for again? [8:34:10 AM] Henry Westñaire: A friend of mine. She’s not from around here, and just needs an ID and a birth certificate made. We can work out other papers too, if needed. [8:34:19 AM] Rami Perez: I want to meet her. Henry exhaled through his nose, trying to not get frustrated. Of course he’d want to meet her. Of course the pictures were good, but not good enough. Ramone was the only person he knew that could make her papers with very little hassle, but he always wanted to meet people in person. It was how they’d been introduced, his friend Nick had gone through quite the bit of trouble getting them to meet. Henry stared at the Chat he was using, the small cursor blinking sedately as it waited for him to type. [8:36:56 AM] Henry Westñaire: ...Alright. When and where? Same time, same place? [8:37:06 AM] Rami Perez: Yeah. Same time, same place; new dime, new face. Got it? Henry answered with an affirmation, and leaned back in his chair, grunting. This would cost a pretty penny, which meant he couldn’t get him for another few months, at least. If he was even still in the store then... He shook his head. Jackie had promised that she’d keep him safe until he had enough money. Oh, well... Getting her papers so she isn’t deported is more important than my getting a dog, at this point. Henry got up, grabbing a heavy coat. It was starting to snow more often, which meant winter was coming. He left her a small note on the door before closing it behind him and leaving. The opening and closing of the front door, quiet as it was, was still loud enough to wake Octavia from her peaceful slumber. Her eyes slowly fluttered open, and she sat up, taking a deep breath as the sight of the morning sun streaming in through the half-closed blinds greeted her. Sitting up in the bed, she stretched her arms up high, yawning as she felt her bones pop satisfyingly into place. Pulling the bed sheet off, Octavia swung her legs over the bed and put her slippers on, heading towards the bathroom to take care of her hygienic needs. Once she finished, she walked over towards the living room, she yawned once again. “Good...morning, Henry. Did you sleep well?” She said as she entered, noticing his blanket and pillow folded up neatly. Not hearing a response, Octavia started towards the kitchen, passing the front door. Noticing the sticky note attached to the door from the corner of her eye, she paused. “A note?” If you’re reading this, then obviously I’m not back home yet. I just went out for a short walk. I’ll be back in a bit and we’ll talk about what to do regarding your legal situation. Sincerely, Henry Octavia read the note twice, and hmmed, walking into the kitchen to get something to eat. She’d felt too nervous to do this the first few times she’d woken to find Henry gone, and had usually been famished by the time he got back. Now, though, it’d been almost three months since she’d ended up in his home, and he’d made sure she felt more than welcome to dig around for food if she was feeling peckish. As she rummaged around the fridge’s sparse contents, mentally making a list of what to get when Henry went shopping next, she stopped to contemplate the package of bacon. I’ve never tried making it myself before... Octavia stared at it, pulling it out of the fridge and closing the door as she started towards the stove. She knew it was made from pig. She knew what beef was, and that lamb chops were eaten nearly everywhere. She’d eaten meat almost every day, even after finding out what it was. If it hadn’t had nutrients her body needed, she probably would have cut it out of her diet. But even she knew that that would be silly, if not downright stupid. Even she, as an earth pony, had eaten fish on occasion, even though it was usually considered a pegasus delicacy. She set the package of bacon on the counter by the stove, fumbling around until she found a frying pan. “Here we go,” She muttered to herself before wincing. Talking to herself was a bad habit she’d developed over time whenever she was left alone, as the silence in the apartment was unnerving. Putting the pan on the stove, she turned the burner up to high. “Alright,” She said aloud, “Let's get cooking!” Henry sighed as he kicked a piece of ice with his boot. Man, what am I gonna do? Those papers aren’t gonna come cheap, even if Rami and I are... ”friends”... what he does isn’t exactly legal and his fees include the risk. His outward appearance contrasted greatly with the festive feeling in the air as he turned around the block, waving hello to one of his more friendly neighbors as they left for work. More importantly, how can I balance this entire budget without things falling apart? Octavia depends on me... she needs me... He cut through the small park and trudged through the kid-made path that had formed during numerous playful snow wars. Finding a clean bench, he sat down and leaned back. ’Tavi...Why do I do all this for her? She just stumbled into my life and at the moment I felt it was the right thing to take her in under my care. Now though, I feel like it’s way more than just that. She’s needed help in ways no one else could actually help...and I don’t mind. I love helping her and spending time with her and that beautiful smile she gives me, that make her eyes sparkle in the light every time we conv— His train of thought ended abruptly when he caught where his thoughts were going, a deep blush forming on his face. Sitting up, he clasped his head in the palms of his hands; he started shaking; eyes wide. Do I... Do I really... Henry gasped as tears formed in his eyes. How should I feel... How should I feel, Henry thought to himself as he sat on his bed, tears trickling down his face and creating spots on the glass that held his mother. From downstairs, he could barely hear the excited and happy chatter of some of his classmates as they partook in party games and cake, and whatever else his dad had set up for his 7th birthday. How should I feel, mom? I want you to come back, please... Come back. That’s all I want today. I don’t want the presents. Just... Just... He couldn’t form the thoughts his mind was trying to conjure up; he was too young for them to fully form. His father opened the door, the sounds from below becoming louder, the peals of laughter causing him to flinch slightly as they contradicted his mood. “Come on, son, it’s your birthday. You can’t be sad on your birthday.” Henry stayed silent, not acknowledging his father’s presence. His father sighed. “Look, Henry. You can’t hide up here forever; you’ve got friends here who are wondering why they’re not getting their cake yet.” Henry flinched again, feeling hurt that they cared more for cake than how he felt. Is that all he was to them? A chance for free sweets? His father was getting angry. His temper hadn’t been like this before his mother died, but now he was always yelling. “Henry, stop being like this. You need to move on. What would your mother think if she saw you like this, hiding away from the world?” Henry continued his quiet staring contest with the photo of his mother. It was a picture of her holding him upside down as she tickled him playfully, both their faces broken out in wide smiles as he laughed. That picture had only been taken a week before— “Dammit, Henry! Stop fucking around! She’s dead! Fucking dead! Get the fuck over it, and stop pitying yourself!” His father slammed the door, even as Henry’s tears intensified. The music below fell silent, and the sounds of the other kids screaming and yelling as they were herded outside grew fainter as they moved out of earshot. Henry curled up on his bed, repeating his inner mantra to himself, hoping against all hope that the next time he saw his mother, she’d be waking him up from this nightmare. “Oh no, oh no, no no no no! Stop it! Stop burning!” Octavia pulled the frying pan from the stovetop, turning on the water and shoving it and the burnt bacon under the cold deluge, steam hissing at as hot grease continued to splatter against her arm. “Oooh, Henry’s gonna be mad at me, oh Celestia, I don’t want to go to the moon! Ponies can’t breathe in space!” Octavia fell to her knees, choking out a sob before gasping with a sudden realization. “I’m a humare! Maybe I could survive in space? No, no, no! I’ll probably die faster with these spindly limbs; they’ll expand until they burst! I don’t want to die fat!” In typical Equestrian fashion, Octavia was making a dragon out of a firefly. “No, yes, I can get rid of the evidence! No, he’d notice if I threw out the pan. Wait! What if I disguised the pan as Buck Tesla? He doesn’t know who Buck Tesla is, he’d never notice!” The doorknob started jiggling, the sound loud enough to drown out the thudding of her heart as it sounded her eviction notice, and it wouldn’t just be from Henry’s house, but the kingdom, if not the planet. “Oh no, oh no, oh nononononono....” The door knob spun counterclockwise before it pushed open, letting Henry step into the apartment. Seeing Octavia in the kitchen, he flashed her a smile before suddenly being tackled to the floor. Tears streamed down her face, the fear in her eyes clear as day. “Ohpleasepleasepleasepleasedon’tkickmeoutIdidn’tmeantoburnitIjustcouldn—mmph!” Henry held his hand to Octavia’s mouth even as she continued her muffled babbling. “Hey, hey, slow down for a second! What’s going on?” She mewled plaintively, whimpering as her purple eyes shimmered in the light from his phone. “Octavia, I’m gonna move my hand, okay? Please don’t start talking like a bullet train again when I do, alright? If you do, I won’t be able to understand anything you say.” She shook her head slightly before nodding slowly, almost as if unsure of herself. Henry removed his hand from her mouth and calmly waited for her reply. “I,” she began, her breath shuddering as she fought down the urge to panic. Almost miraculously, as she took deep breaths, she found herself calming down much more quickly than normal; Herd Mentality had set the ‘panic’ command to override anything and everything else, but it seemed that here she could master her emotions somewhat easier. Taking another deep breath, this one not shuddering at all, she let it out slowly before starting again. “Henry, I’m sorry, I was trying to make myself some breakfast, and I burnt the bacon; I don’t know what went wrong, but please, don’t kick me out!” Her eyes were brimming with tears by the end of her explanation, short as it was, and her lower lip was quivering as she tried to hold back a sob. The young man merely laughed quietly, shoulders convulsing as he still laid beneath her, arms pulling her into a tight hug. “H-henry, it’s not funny! I could have killed myself, or worse, I could have burnt down your home!” Placing two fingers against her lips, he tapped out a response. “Octavia, the stove’s electric; no fire could spread from that, unless the grease itself caught fire. What did you do when you realized the bacon was burning?” “I... I tried to turn it over, but the spatula wouldn’t get beneath it. It was stuck to the pan. I, uh... I plunged it under cold water as soon as I could.” Henry nodded in satisfaction. “Alright, that’s good. You did the right thing,” he typed out, mentally adding though PAM would have kept the bacon from sticking... “Did you get to eat, or no?” “No, I’m... I’m still hungry.” Henry smiled and motioned for her to get off of him, so he could make them some food. Grimacing as he walked past the fried pan, he turned off the water and pulled out the last of the Bisquick, a couple of eggs, and the milk. Pancakes always made me feel better when I thought I was in trouble... Mom always put too much strawberries in them, but I loved them anyways... Henry was shaken from his reverie as the batter he’d mixed together splashed a bit as it hit the well-greased pan, getting some goop on his arm. Grunting, he wiped it off on a dishtowel before turning his attention back to the pancakes. Briefly, he wondered if he had any strawberries in the fridge, but shook the thought away when Octavia called out about something smelling good. Putting the last touches on it, he piled all the pancakes on a large plate and brought them over to the table where individual plates awaited him. Octavia perked up, her eyes and smile widening as she took a deep breath. “Mmm, those smell delicious!” Henry smiled and put some pancakes on her plate, pouring syrup on them. “What are you waiting for?” He wrote on his slate. “Dig in!” Octavia complied, digging in happily as Henry made himself a plate, before grabbing the milk and pouring them both a glass. Octavia chattered about something she’d seen the day before on TV, and Henry nodded along, only half-listening as he continued pondering the question he’d asked himself just that morning. Do I really love her, or— “Oh, that’s wonderful! Thank you, Henry! I’ve been wanting to go to the mall again!” Octavia clapped her hands together, a small giggle of excitement slipping past before she could control herself. Henry smiled, his chest feeling warmer. Yes, I really do, don’t I? Henry started eating, a large smile on his face as all his worries seemed to fade into the background. Not gone, but for now, forgotten. “Ahhh, welcome to my lair, my abode, my humble HQ.” The man’s voice echoed around the rather spacious room, seeming to resonate from the darkened area itself. “So, you’re Henry’s new friend? How did the likes of him meet the likes of you? Magic?” The man snorted as he leaned back in his computer chair, running a hand through his thick curly hair. “Yeah, right. As if magic were real. So, I’m guessing you two met on the street?” Octavia flushed slightly and looked down. “A-actually,” She started, before Henry put a hand on her shoulder. Octavia nodded sheepishly, and shifted a bit on her seat as Henry started typing on his slate once more. [1:34:28 PM] Henry Westñaire: “We actually met in the park. She was just sitting on a bench, wearing just a coat. She doesn’t have much of her memory, but she said her name was Octavia Cleff. We’ve looked for her for the past few months, but she doesn’t show up in any databases anywhere.” Rami read through the IM a few times, hmming a bit before turning to his second monitor once more. “Well...I suppose it should be quite easy to make her records, including an I.D, but the only thing of real challenge is putting her in the system. Without that, there’s a lot she still can’t do once it comes to verification.” Henry looked at him from his chair. [1:36:45 PM] Henry Westñaire: So what exactly would you have to do to fake her into the system? The man rubbed his chin idly, leaning back in his chair. “Well for starters, I need to make her an authentic birth certificate, To do that, I’d need a doctor’s signature, but not a current doctor. One that was around a good, oh... twenty-one years ago?” Octavia smiled demurely. “Thank you, but, I’m actually twenty three.” The man (in the yellow hat) grinned. “Well, you’re as beautiful as a girl three years younger. I’ll just need the state where you’re from, and then I’ll start searching for plausible candidates for a ‘signature donation.’ She confidently spoke up. “Attleboro, Massachusetts. Would that help you with picking a plausible hospital?” Rami laughed. “You’re most certainly correct. The more specific the information you give me, the easier it is to create records for you.” Octavia sighed inwardly, relaxing into her chair. I was worried that this would be harder. All I need to do is remember what Henry told me. He typed away on his computer, using his mouse occasionally before addressing them after several minutes. “Check out the base work for her papers.” Henry leaned over Rami’s shoulder and felt his breath hitch. On the monitor, several important files had already been filled out. Her birth certificate, Social Security Number, her school records were being finished and he was even working on making space for her in several class photos. “Octavia, how did it feel like being in the graduate class of 2007?” Rami asked. “Uhhh... Good?” She winced at her own indecisiveness. He laughed loudly and patted her back. “Relax, I’m just pulling your leg. After all, you and Henry are technically in the same level of College, so I should be able to get you put in as a Junior.” Octavia nodded, still feeling a bit nervous that this was actually happening. Rami typed away at his computer. “Tell me, Octavia, what would you like to major in?” “Oh, I like music...” “So, you’d like to join Henry’s classes? His major is in Music so you’d be working towards being a professional musician.” “W-well, yes! I mean, sure. My whole family’s been in the music industry... I think. I mean, my name’s Octavia...” Rami smiled softly, his eyes the calmest Octavia had seen of the man since walking into the College’s darkened computer lab. “I respect that. Although computers may seem like my passion, I’ve always had a love and knack for music of all sorts.” Octavia smiled. “Yes, I enjoy classical music, myself.” Again, she couldn’t help but cringe a bit, as the music humans considered ‘classical’ was still very in vogue back in Equestria. “Any other kinds of music you listen to or have you just not had time?” “Oh, no, I’ve listened to some of that... quite vulgar trash that is called ‘rap.’ I’ve never been so offended as a lady before in my life.” She sighed a bit, before admitting almost regrettably, “though dubstep and house are genres I got used to...” Octavia trailed off, not wanting to give away too much information, since she was supposed to have amnesia. “House and Dubstep are pretty good genres. A shame that so many wannabe’s give them a bit of a bad name, but that’s common with every genre.” He commented offhandedly, working away on her papers. Octavia’s anger flared for a moment, wanting to snap back with a scathing comment about Beathooven’s several successes, including his twelfth symphony, but let her anger go. There was probably one musician somewhere in Equestria giving Orchestral music a bad name, or any of the classics. Henry squeezed her hand supportively, offering her a small smile. Smiling back, she refocused her attention on the man before her. “Octavia.” “Y-yes?” “Could you stand by the blue wall behind you? I need to take your photo for your I.D.” “Okay.” Octavia got up and shuffled over to the wall, smiling self-consciously as Rami brought over a small device that looked somewhat like the cameras she was used to. “Now, this is a photo ID creator. It doesn’t just take your picture, but will print it on a small plastic card along with your name, a serial number, and a few other codes that only really matter to computers. So just give me your best smile and we’ll go from there.” Octavia widened her smile, her face starting to smart from trying to hold it. The man laughed, and her face had no problem with becoming a pout. “What, that was a perfectly nice smile.” “Yes, yes; if you’re trying to make a silly Facebook post, sure. No, I want a natural smile, Octavia. Just look at the camera, and pretend you’re in your happy place. Just relax, alright?” Octavia took a deep breath and nodded, closing her eyes. After a few minutes of slow, deep breaths, a small smile formed on her lips and she opened her eyes, all signs of nerves gone for the moment. “Okay,” She said. “I’m ready.” Her face fell into a relaxed smile, and then there was a click-whirr as the camera-thing took her picture. “Alright, we’re done for now. I’ll need another picture, but with you in a school girl’s uniform. How does Bishop Feenan High School sound?” Octavia nodded. Rami pulled a black uniform with matching skirt and a red tie. “Just wear this and I can get it to match their school colors and emblem.” Octavia nodded and took the garments, walking out of the room in search of a girl’s restroom. The door closed behind her, and the two guys stopped watching after her and turned to each other. “So,” Rami said. “You met ‘at the park,’ eh? Cool.” Henry gulped lightly and typed on his slate. [1:52:12 PM] Henry Westñaire: Yep. At the park. Rami chuckled before looking at him seriously. “You really expect me to believe that, Henry?” [1:52:48 PM] Henry Westñaire: Believe whatever you want. “If you say so.” [1:53:21 PM] Henry Westñaire: Ugh, whatever, man. What do you want me to say, that she fell from a wormhole into my bathroom buck-naked as the day she was born? Rami couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, that’s just stupid. I thought you were the stray cat in our group, now we got two.” Henry’s face flushed just as he got ready to reply, the door opened again and in walked Octavia wearing the rather tight-fitting school uniform. The blouse exemplified her curves and the skirt left very little to the imagination. To Henry, she looked like a million dollars and some change. Octavia shifted, unconsciously scuffing at the floor with one of her uniform’s school shoes, nervously biting her lip. “Wh-what’s wrong, Henry? I-is it that bad? I-I should just change back.” The mute man said nothing, but the blush was clear on his face. Rami snickered and shook his head. “Don’t worry, Octavia. Henry’s just trying to process what his eyes are telling him.” Octavia nodded, obviously still unsure, but moved over to a wall with a whiteboard on it, so Rami could take the class photo. “Is there anything else, after this?” “Hmm...Other than getting a doctor for your birth certificates, I don’t believe so.” He said as he lined her up in comparison to the photo on his computer. “Say cheese!” -flash- Octavia skipped ahead, shivering as she relished the break from the cold chill of the weather. She looked back to see Henry brush small amounts of snow off his shoulders before catching up. “So, where do you wanna go first, Henry?” Henry looked up and pointed towards the pet store. Octavia smiled and turned towards the escalator, giving the moving stairs a wary glance even as she stepped on them. Come now, Octavia; there’s nothing to fear... Letting go of a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, Octavia stepped off the escalator and began trotting towards the pet shop. The mute man smiled, shaking his head at her antics as he walked after her. Henry got to the door of the pet shop just in time to hear Octavia’s squeal of delight as she saw that a new kitten had been brought in. Laughing inwardly, he wondered briefly if he was anything like that when playing with his-- with the puppy that Jackie had trained. Jackie walked up with one of the new kittens in hand, finishing up feeding it by bottle before placing it in the display box. Brushing back some of her hair, she noticed Octavia from her peripheral vision. “Hey there, ‘Tavi, how ya’ll doin’?” “Oh, marvelous, Jackie, simply wonderful! Awww.... I wish kittens were this adorable all the time!” Jackie just laughed. “Yeah, an’ ‘Ah wish mah brother wouldn’t strut ‘round like a peacock whene’er his girlfriend calls him up.” She snorts, her smile becoming a cheeky grin. “But then again, that’s mah own fault, waitin’ an’ wantin’ fer somethin’ that ‘Ah never did have a chance ta get.” There was a shout from the back of the store, and then the frantic sound of scampering paws and excited barking. “Ah, heck, Michael!!! You let ‘em out again!!!” Jackie ran towards the large fence-like door, trying to close it before too many of the dogs escaped. Sighing in relief when she saw that none had escaped, she whacked Michael upside the head. “Darned fool, you are, geez...” She shook her head as she began to herd the dogs back towards the kennel. “Sorry, ‘Tavi! Ah’ll catch up with y’all later!” Octavia nodded in understanding, and went to find Henry and the puppy he’d been playing with every day they came here sitting calmly and quietly in the corner. Henry waved when he saw her approaching, before going back to scratching behind the pup’s ear. The puppy whined happily, tail wagging away as he graciously accepted his affection. “Hewwo puppy,” Octavia said as she crouched down with them. While petting the pup’s back, she added, “And a fine day to you, sir doggy. You’re so well trained!” Henry rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help but grin. It always made life seem better when Octavia smiled. Jackie came back with a uniform and name tag. “Ah’ believe this is for ya, ‘Tavi.” Octavia’s eyes widened in surprise as she stood up, hugging her tightly. “Oh, thank you, Jackie! How’d you get your boss to agree?” Jackie snorted. “Girl, you’re looking at the Employee of the month for the past year. Ah’m ‘bout as goodie-goodie as you can get with only one shoe!” Not really getting the reference, but too excited to care, Octavia gave Jackie a nuzzle before skipping out of the store, more than likely wanting to find a place to try on her uniform. Henry looked at Jackie, who shrugged with a smug smile on her face. “Don’t ask me, Silent Knight. She wanted the job. Asked about it a few weeks ago. Boss finally said yes when he saw how our sales went up whenever she was in the store, heh heh.” Henry nodded absently, somewhat understanding the thought process. “Well...it’s great she’s taken initiative and got herself a job. I hope it isn’t too much for her.” Jackie laughed and patted his back. “Relax, Henry, she’ll do jus’ fine! Ah’m sure she’ll get a handle of how things run in no time.” Octavia skipped back in, her uniform proudly displaying her curves. She had rolled up the sleeves on her gray long sleeve shirt, giving her a tomboyish look that made her seem even cuter. The blue jeans that went with the outfit hugged her hips and lower body firmly without being uncomfortable. Like Jackie, she also wore a boot on her left foot and a tennis shoe on her right. Smiling, Octavia placed a hand on her hips and gave him a playfully stern look. “How do I look, Henry?” Henry merely blushed and typed away on his slate. “You look great!” Octavia smiled, eyes shutting as she gave a brilliant, beaming smile. “Thanks!” Henry pulled up at the campus parking lot. Why does he insist on always meeting here? The semester ended for Christ’s sake! He thought, huffing to himself as he climbed up the hill, flashing his school ID at the door opener before letting himself in. Walking over to a door on his right, he walked down the long hall before reaching the computer lab, finding Rami sitting by himself in the same spot. He quietly walked over and tapped him on the shoulder before sitting down in the chair next to him. “Hey there, Henry, nice of you to make it.” Rami said coolly, pulling a folder out of his shoulder bag and handing it over to Henry. Henry opened it and thumbed through it, nodding at the authenticity of her documents from the birth certificate to the high school diploma. “Pretty neat, huh? I managed to not only find a doctor willing to sign her birth certificate, but I also got her in the system.” The mute man nodded and sighed. “How much?” Rami rolled his eyes. “Straight to the point aren’t we? Well, since you're friends with Nick, I’ll do it for six hundred.” Henry nodded. Well, that means Ramen for a few months... He pulled his wallet out of the breast pocket of his jacket, counting the necessary amount before handing it to Rami, who just pocketed it. To his surprise, Rami held out his hand in a handshake. “It was nice doing business with you man, if you need my help, you know how to reach me,” He said, smiling as Henry shook his hand. Placing the folder in the crook of his arm, he walked towards the exit and offered a friendly wave as he left. A week and a half later, Octavia walked into “Pet Palace” at a quarter to nine, a smile on her face. “Hey, Octavia!” Octavia’s smile widened, turning to look at her friend. “Jackie! How have you been? It’s been too long, in such a short time!” Jackie laughed at that, and gave Octavia a friendly hug. “Yeah, that was the longest week Ah’ve ever had. Heck, ‘Ah almost fired Michael mahself when he let the dogs out durin’ tha mornin’ rush.” The two continued into the back of the store, where there were a few rows of lockers for the employees to store their personal affects. “Oh, he’s just trying to be helpful, Jackie, besides. I think he likes you.” Jackie pulled her locker open, snorting in distaste. “Well, tell ‘im ta get some better animal skills, an’ Ah’ll give ‘im a chance.” She stuffed her purse into the locker and slammed it shut, spinning her lock before waiting by the door for Octavia. The door into the manager’s office opened, and a middle-aged man stuck his head out. “Octavia Cleff?” Octavia looked up, not having seen her boss before. “Yes, Mister Yatch?” “Please, call me Burton.” Octavia nodded. “Alright, Mist- uh, Burton.” Burton smiled, running a hand over his thinning hair. “Please, step into my office for a moment.” He ducked back into his office, the door closing with a soft click. Octavia looked to Jackie, who shrugged and nodded. Wondering what she was being called in for, Octavia stepped into the office. Sitting down in front of the desk, she took a second to look around as Yatch fiddled with a small folder. On the desk were a few pictures, some of family, and some of different pets and animals, including one of a particularly large-antlered elk. “Nice rack, eh?” Octavia looked up, startled out her trip in space to find her boss staring at her. “I-I’m sorry sir, what?” “That elk there. I found him when he was only a little buck. He’d gotten injured by some bastard who thought bear traps were good for deer hunting. I brought him back to the farm, patched him up. Helped him walk until he could run again. Kept him fed and healthy. He became that beautiful creature you see there. He died of old age not long ago, just quit living it seemed. We buried him on the farm, left him as he was. Those antlers would fetch a good price, but I couldn’t take them off him, he was my friend.” Octavia patted the man on the arm, feeling sorry for him. “I’m sorry to hear that, Mister Yatch.” “No, it’s okay,” he said with a weak smile. “I didn’t call you in here to tell you my life story anyways. No, this is about your job. How we handle a new employee’s pay is pretty simple. For the first few months, instead of paying you Nine dollars an hour, we pay you on commission. You’ll get a percentage of every sale you have for the first month you work here. Basically, for every hundred dollars you make for the store, you get ten dollars. Does that sound good?” “That sounds perfectly fair, Mister Yatch.” She extended her right arm, hand straight out. Her boss smiled, reaching out to give her hand a shake. “Please, call me Burton.” Henry’s spoon clinked against the bottom of his empty bowl, shaking him out of his daze. Tara, sitting across from him, giggled. “Look, Mac. He’s finally awake.” Mac, a somewhat pale man with scrawny limbs and a thick shock of dark hair looked up from the book he’d been reading. Smiling, he drawled out, “G’morning, sleeping beauty,” Before dropping his eyes back down. Tara giggled again, wrapping an arm around Mac’s shoulders. “You back with the living, Henry?” She asked with a playful wink, leaning into Mac’s side with a wide smile. Henry blushed and looked down, crossing his arms over his chest at their jabs over him spacing out again. Mac looked back up, closing his book and leaning against Tara gratefully. “Don’t go buggin’ him too much, Tara. He’s no different than ‘Ah was when ‘Ah was pinin’ o’er you.” Tara giggled and lifted up his hand, kissing the back of it. “Oh Relax, Mackie, you know I’m just teasing him. Henry knows I’d never be too mean or sour about it.” “Yeah, he knows, and so do ‘Ah.” Mac said, throwing an arm around Tara as he let the other swing out wide, almost hitting the table beside them. “An’ ain’t it the truth of tha’ matter? The heart doth go where we ain’t gone b’fore! If we didn’t have our hearts ta lead us, then when would we e’er find that mythical oasis called love?” Mac’s arm was shoved out of the way as someone walked past, before plopping down in the chair next to Henry. “Stop being so.... whatever that was, Mac. I like that you’re crazy, but that’s downright scary.” Nick shook his head, looking at the others. “What, Rami didn’t show?” Henry stifled his silent laughter behind his hand. “What’s wrong with him being poetic?” “His accent. That’s what.” Tara rolled her eyes. “Oh relax, Nick. He grew up in the farmlands. What are you expecting him to do, talk like a Brit...not that I’d mind that at all.” She finished with a giggle, winking slyly at Mac. Mac snorted. “Wot, you want me ta’ talk like a city Brit, that it? Well, I’ve been watchin’ lots of Doctor Who, and I read Great Expectations. I can give you a bloody Brit’s accent, one-four!” “You don’t even know what half of those phrases mean, do you?” Nick asked with a deadpan expression. Mac grinned. “Pip-pip cheerio, and a top-a-tha-mornin’ to you, too! Wot wot, bloody ‘ell, I gots ta say ‘ello, guvna!” He continued giving Nick a cheeky grin as Tara gave in to a fit of giggles. The waitress laughed. “Alright, lad. No more British Telly for you till you’ve worked on your accents. You still had too much Southern Farmlad in you.” She said in a clear, British accent. Henry rolled his eyes. “How did we all become friends, seriously?” Mac looked over at him with a serious look on his face. “Well, first, I ran into you when you were heading towards the park with a sleeping bag in the middle of winter, and I got you a room at the hotel I’d been working at. Nick and you met because you were the outcasts. You met my sis when I told you that you should get a dog or something, and then you an’ I met Tara when we came here after I got fired. I still don’t know how that lemur got into the manager’s desk, nor why it was blamed on me.” Nick sighed. “If you don’t know how the lemur got there, then who did it, Michael?” He asked with an exasperated tone of voice. “Ah reckon he mighta had somethin’ ta do with it, yeah. Prolly tryin’ ta get in mah sistah’s pants with some stupid thing he cooked up. He’s terrible with animals. He’s likely ta somehow choke a dog with a leash that ain’t even attached.” Tara covered her mouth with a hand, slapping his shoulder hard with the other. “Mac! Manners!” Nick, hands clenched tightly on the table, grunted in agreement rather than letting his anger at the comment get him kicked out. Again. Henry nodded sadly. “I’ve seen him in action. He can’t even get a cat to play with yarn, let alone sit nicely like Jackie.” Mac snorted. “‘Ah don’t even know why Yatch keeps that idiot ‘round. Only things he ever does is screw up the register an’ stare at mah sis.” Henry’s eyes widened in disgust. “Stare at your sister inappropriately, I assume?” “Naw, he’s a complete gentleman when he strips ‘er down with ‘is eyes, Henry! A’course he’s a total pig!” Tara coughed into her elbow, Mac turning to look at her when the cough sounded suspiciously like the word ‘hypocrite’. “At least when ’Ah was lookin’ at you, y’all was likin’ it!” Tara tittered, batting her bright blue eyes at him dotingly. “Oh, you’re just asking to get spanked, aren’t you?” Mac’s cheeks colored as Nick laughed, Henry shaking his head ruefully. “Ah’m not gonna be the one gettin’ spanked if ya keep jokin’ like that, Tare-Bear.” Tara’s eyes flashed mischievously. “Oh, I didn’t know you liked it rough. Did you want to display your powers of domination now, or...?” Henry cleared his throat loudly, his cheeks flushing slightly at where their conversation was going. Nick got up, just as flustered as Henry. “I’m gonna go. I got... stuff to do. And... things. Bye.” With that, Nick walked briskly to the door, down the street, and out of sight. Henry checked his watch, and dropped a twenty on the table. “I gotta get back to work,” he texted his friends as he headed out the door. Tara looked at Mac, a cheshire’s grin forming on her lips. “And then there were two,” she said, her voice a low, husky growl. “Three if you count me, missy!” Tara jumped out of her seat, face red as a freshly baked brick. “Yeah, you always seem to forget there’s someone in the kitchen, huh? Well, we ain’t all pretty enough to wait on our customers. Your break’s over, anyways!” “Yes, Mister Bates! Sorry!” Grenshaw Bates, the owner of the diner, grunted as he walked out of the back room. “Yeah, yeah, just get back to work. If you ain’t working, I don’t gotta pay ya,” He said nonchalantly as he walked back into the kitchen. Mac snickered as he got out of his chair, stretching his limbs. “I should go, anyways. Got some clients ‘Ah need to see at the studio. See ya later, sweetheart.” He gave Tara a kiss on the cheek, and she smiled. “You missed, silly.” She locked her lips with his, but for a brief moment, before letting him go. “Now, you’d better not take any upskirt photos, you hear?” Mac chuckled as he headed towards the door. “Ah know, ‘Ah know. An’ don’t worry; ‘Ah’’ve got a single father an’ his two kids comin’ in fer their Christmas photos first thing today. After that, it’s a bunch of repeats from last year.” Pausing with the door open, he turned to look at Tara, a soft smile tugging at his lips. “See ya at six?” Tara gave him a blushing smile. “Definitely.” “I’ve always had a soft spot for calicos, but tabbies are also really cute. What do you think, Amanda?” “That one’s cutest!” Octavia smiled. “Oh, I think so too!” The little girl smiled before turning to her mother. “Mama, kitty! Please gedta kitty?” The girl gave her mother a pouty face that could make trained soldiers stop in their tracks and beg mercy for their sins as the unmoved Goddess of the Purse contemplated the kitty’s fate. “Oh... fine, let’s get her.” The mother smiled as her daughter began dancing around excitedly, jumping up and down and giggling up a storm. “How much is it to get a kitten, Miss..?” “Octavia Cleff, at your service, ma’am! And it all really depends. If you decide to get a scratching post now, along with the basic set—that includes a litter box, litter, a food bowl, a water bowl, and a big bag of cat food—then you’d be looking at something around two hundred dollars. Well, if you’re wanting to get the cool shiny stuff. At only eighty dollars, you can get the cheap stuff, but the kittens all seem to prefer the better quality stuff.” The mother hmmed and nodded, mulling over what she’d said. “So, Victoria—” “Octavia.” She corrected. The mother waved her hand dismissively, uncaring for her rudeness. “—Octavia. The better items would all last longer?” “Yes, in tests done by scientists who study the safety of your family, as well as your pet, the better quality items are less likely to break.” Octavia stated matter-of-factly, a benefit of memorizing the boring information about the products. “But they can still break,” she pointed out. Octavia felt her eye twitch slightly. “Yes. Anything can break, given enough applied force. I’m no scientist—” The mother looked at her as though insulted. “Then why are you trying to tell me what’s better to get, using a scientist’s hard work and effort?” Octavia sighed quietly, putting more strength into her smile. “Because he did that work so I could help you choose what’s best to get.” The women nodded tersely, a small frown on her lips. “How do you know the scientist isn’t a female?” “What? I don’t—” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “You automatically assumed that the scientist was male, by saying ‘his work.’ Maybe it was a girl who did it.” Octavia’s practiced smile became a gruesome, and quite honestly painful looking mask of rage before once more becoming all smiles. “Here, why don’t I get someone who’s been working a bit longer than I to help you.” The lady, for her part, offered no answer besides a small squeak of fear as Octavia turned away. “Michael! Customer service at the kitty corner!” A young, lanky man in a too-big uniform popped out from around the corner a few seconds later, a too-wide smile on his face. “How can I help you, miss?” His eyes travelled up and down the customer’s body, and she wrinkled her nose in disgust. “We’ll just take whatever you think would work best. Come along, Amanda. We’re getting you your kitty-cat.” “Wee~! I’m gun name’r Twitty-toes!” The kitten mewled as Amanda held it close, though quite softly for a kid her age. Octavia watched after them with a satisfied smirk, when she suddenly felt a shiver run down her spine. “Michael,” she said without turning around, “Are you looking at my butt?” There was a crash, and the sound of hurried footsteps closely followed by a clatter, and by the time she turned around, Michael was gone. Henry adjusted his bow tie, carrying his notepad as he approached his next clients of the late afternoon. Tapping his pad with a pen, he gave the elder couple a small, firm smile as he raised an eyebrow questioningly. The lady scoffed, rolling her eyes as she muttered “how rude,” Almost softly enough for Henry not to notice. He just kept smiling, waiting for them to speak. A few moments later, the elderly gentleman coughed politely into a handkerchief, before addressing Henry. “Yes, I think that I’ll begin with the escargot, followed by a filet mignon, medium well, and a nice chardonnay.” His wife snorted, giving him a small scowl. “You don’t order a chardonnay in the afternoon, Carl! That’s a dinner wine! Anybody who has even the smallest sense of class would know that, honestly!” Henry shrugged his shoulders and looked at them over his notepad, pen at the ready as he waited for the lady to tell him her order. The lady sat there, glancing back and forth between Henry and her menu. “Well? What are you waiting around for? I haven’t decided yet; leave me be.” He nodded and bowed at the waist, heading towards a table closer to the front windows, and smiled as he bowed slightly. “Ah, Henry, how are you this afternoon? The sun glistening on the snow is a marvelous sight to behold, is it not?” Henry nodded as some of the tension from his work shift left him. He’d always liked Jacob Carson. He was a nice man, always ready to make a joke about the other people who walked around like pompous buffoons. Mr. Carson parted one of his slick brown locks of hair and smiled. “My boy, I think I’ll have my usual today. And what of you, John?” John, a young man still in high school, peered over his menu. “Uh... I’ll have the steak... thing.” Henry cracked a grin. Scribbling on his notepad for a bit, he showed it first to Mister Carson, who nodded, and then to John, who looked relieved. Henry bowed and went back to the kitchen. Upon receiving the orders, the cook snorted. “Giving John what he wants again, eh? Alright, two filet mignons— one medium well, the other well done— one escargot, and one hamburger, coming right up.” Henry nodded and went back to the other waiting customers. If I really do love Octavia, how do I even approach it? He approached another table, smiling unconsciously as he let his hands take over for his ears. I can’t just ask her out like no one’s business. She is a classy girl after all. “Hellooo~ I’m ready to order!” Sighing quietly, Henry finished up with his current customer and approached her table. Smiling primly, he stood at attention as he waited for her to give him her order. The lady glanced up, cocking an eyebrow as she returned her attention to her menu, Henry shifting nervously as she continued to hold her silence for a few moments longer. “Honestly, is there no one with manners in this restaurant? Are you going to ask me for my order, or are you too stupid to understand English?” Henry shuffled his feet as he tried to think of some way to placate his customer. “Excuse me, Miss?” Henry looked up to see Octavia walking in, Jackie right behind her. “Why are you insulting Henry? Do you not know that it is rude to make fun of those that cannot speak?” Octavia asked the lady in a calm, dangerous voice. For her part, the lady had the manners to look admonished as she blushed, only now noticing the few glares being set her way from other patrons. Gulping quietly, she spoke up. “Oh my...forgive me for my terribly uncouth transgression.” She hesitated a bit, shifting in her seat as she tried to decide whether it would be better to slump away from the attention, or sit up and try to ignore it. Octavia “hmphed” and looked at Henry again, adjusting his bow tie. “I thank you for your apology, miss. It is well received, and I hope you will try to be nicer in the future.” Octavia turned to look at the lady one last time. “After all, being a lady of sophistication does not mean that we can treat others as if they are the dirt we deign not to trod on.” Henry rolled his eyes as he went into the back, giving the cook his last orders for the day before meeting up with her again. “I’m guessing Jackie and Mac came by to pick me up?” He wrote on his slate. She nodded her head with another smile. “Quite right! Jackie offered to pick you up since Tara was still busy at the Cafe.” Octavia said as they approached a large, beige, Jeep Wrangler, where Mac was behind the wheel. “I hope you plan on putting the book down as you drive,” Henry texted Mac’s way. “Ha, ha, very funny. Maybe next time we can just let you take the bus, hmm?” Henry rolled his eyes and got into the back seat next to Jackie and Octavia, who was sitting in the middle. “Hold on, you three! We still need to pick up Tara, and then we’re gonna do a little pre-Christmas celebrating!” Octavia brushed her forehead with the sleeve of her shirt, wiping off the sweat she had worked up during the last two hours of work. “Oh my...when Henry told me the holiday rush would be gruesome, he wasn’t kidding,” she said to herself tiredly, grabbing the plates from her register and bringing it into the manager’s office. “Here you go Mr. Yatch. I also finished my side duties for the day.” Octavia placed the plates down on the table and grabbing herself a drink from the water cooler and sitting down in one of the chairs in front of him. Mr. Yatch counted the money and added it into the safe before pulling out a slip of paper and writing on it. “Octavia...I have to say, it was one of the best ideas Jackie’s had to hire you, as you have boosted our revenue tenfold with your meticulous attention to customer satisfaction and detai—” “That’s not all she’s satisfied!” Michael shouted as he walked past the door, on his way to the locker room. Pinching his nose, Mr. Yatch breathed deeply and ignored Michael’s rude interruption. “As I was saying, the way you’ve handled our customers has helped bring more business than I’ve seen in the past several months. You and Jackie are a combo knockout team; keeping customers happy and earning the sales by the time they leave.” He said proudly, commending Octavia for her strong work effort. Octavia could only blush at his praise, lowering her head as her cheeks blushed. “Y-you’re too kind, Mr. Yatch. I just merely did my best.” She said modestly. Mr. Yatch laughed. “Your best has made a great impact on our store.” He handed her the slip of paper. “That right there is the earnings you’ve stacked up in the last two and half weeks working here.” Octavia smiled at the sum of six hundred and fifty dollars. “Thank you very much!” She said happily. The payment was more than she usually got in bits playing a concert! “Say, Mr. Yatch, how much for the dog?” Octavia asked with a grin. He looked at her confused. “Which one?” She merely snapped her fingers and in strode the puppy Henry had shown great interest in, followed by Jackie who grabbed herself a cup of water and took a seat next to Octavia, holding the puppy in her lap. “This one right ‘ere.” Jackie said with a chuckle, petting the dog softly. “Well...his starting price is around a thousand dollars bare bones, but with your employee discount, I believe the price drops to around seven hundred dollars bone stock with the fifty percent discount on supplies,” he said. Octavia frowned and looked at the puppy, her shoulders slumping in defeat. I can’t believe that after all that work, I still managed to come up short. Octavia thought bitterly, sighing. “I can’t really afford him, Mr. Yatch.” She admitted. Jackie piped up. “Well shoot, girl! If ya’ needed some help getting this little pup, ya’ shoulda’ jus’ asked an’ ‘Ah would pitched in!” She said as she pulled out her wallet. “How much for the pup an’ supplies with our discount?” Mr. Yatch used his calculator and added up the total cost. “He’ll cost around eight hundred, thirty two dollars, and forty-seven cents.” The southern girl smiled. “Charge the difference on mah card.” Octavia smiled brightly. “Thank you so much, Jackie! I promise to pay you back!” She squealed as she hugged her tightly. Jackie laughed and patted her back. “Ya’ll’re very welcome, ‘Tavi.” The apartment was silent, like an old christmas tale, for the three current residents had consumed too much ale. Octavia was passed out, snoozing ‘pon the bed, as little Vinyl Scratches played wubs in her head. Henry was silently snoring on the couch, when he rolled off of it, and thought to himself: ouch. He got up and looked around, rubbing his face. His apartment was a mess! Such a disgrace! He stumbled to the kitchen, on legs made of lead, trying to alleve the pounding in his head. He almost tripped over Tara, asleep by the fridge. He had to move her away, even if just a smidge. He pulled open the door, looking for the milk, when he heard a sound from behind him, like skin rubbed on by silk. He turned around, still feeling quite askew, but when he saw Octavia there, he felt like Peppe Le Pew. Wow, you are beautiful, he thought to himself, as he stumbled a bit and caught his balance on a shelf. Octavia smiled to him, still quite asleep. “Henry,” she said, “Why are you a sheep?” He looked at her, dumbfounded, unable to speak. As she started forward once more, he let out a small squeak. “I’m quite thirsty,” she said, mumbling almost to herself, as she grabbed the eggnog and a glass from the movie Elf. She poured in her cup, a generous amount, before downing it so fast, Henry thought she might drown. She gave a small sigh as she finished her glass, and as she turned away, Henry looked towards the sink. I don’t want to be rude, he thought though impaired, If I were her with a drunk, I would probably be scared. Octavia walked out of the small kitchen, before flopping on the couch, wishing her mind would quit bitchin’. She’d been less drunk than this when she first had appeared, did Humans have stronger drinks, or was it the time of year? She mulled that over, as best as she could, but she was too tired and hungry to think quite that good. There came a knock on the door, before it opened wide, and in came Mac with a powerful stride. He walked over to Tara, crouching down before her. “I told her to not drink so much,” he said with a grr. Henry rolled his eyes, and looked for his phone. It was most likely here, somewhere in his home. The door opened once more, and Jackie walked in, she seemed quite surprised at the lack of a din. “Did y’all party too hard last night, Christmas eve?” She asked to the home, as she rolled up her sleeves. “Ah ain’t seen ya that drunk since our last get-together,” she said to Henry, who was still under the weather. She turned to see Octavia, sitting alone on the couch. “Hey li’l missy, why’re you puttin’ up with that slouch?” Octavia shook her head, still quite dizzy. “I’m sorry, Jackie, but I was in quite the tizzy.” Her Southern friend smiled, an ear-to-ear grin, “Wull don’t you worry none, Henry’s present is in.” Henry looked up at his name, when he saw such a sight, one he’d ne’er forget, Octavia’s squeal of delight. She jumped up and hugged Jackie’s arm, leaping around, but not quite causing harm. She started pulling Jackie towards the door, when Jackie said “Woah, there! Tell Henry the score.” Octavia blushed and nodded, turning towards the mute. Her voice was lilting, like the notes of a flute. “I got you a present, since you’re my first friend, I’d have gotten one for all, but I had little to spend. Your present consists,” she said as she turned around, “One bowl, one bag, and a cute little hound!” At that same moment, Jackie walked into the room, with a dog on a leash, and the puppy barked happily as Henry’s heart stopped with a screech. Henry knelt to the floor, to hug the small dog, and everyone knew that he was quite agog. I know what to name him, he thought as he broke into a smile. I’ll tell the rest of them... in a little while. Henry looked to his friends, both those old and the one new, and he knew that his heart had not lead him askew. He loved her, he could tell, with all of his heart. But would she love him back, or would it all fall apart? There is magic on Christmas, that much is true. But you don’t need a fat man in a suit to yell it to you. So with friends and happiness abound, we shall end on this note, as Santa escapes from the town. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! For even those who are silent, can still sing with delight. “3..! 2..! 1..! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!” The ball in Times Square dropped, and the crowd cheered uproariously as Octavia, Henry, Tara, Mac, Jackie, and Nick all raised their glasses and made whatever noise they could. Even the puppy barked excitedly, running between their legs as they cheered. “Ah gotta say, ‘Ah’m happy for the new year! Can’t wait ta see what new is in store for us!” Jackie gushed excitedly. Henry’s cheeks flushed, as his eyes locked their gaze with the ex-pony, breathing slowly as his heart began to pound harder. She looks so beautiful under the lighting...so happy and full of joy... Mac sipped his drink. “Definitely agree with you there, Jackie. ‘Ah got a feeling in my belly that this new year is gonna be amazin’.” The silent young man’s ears perked up at her laughter, eyes attracted to the smile gracing her features. I gotta say it...I gotta say it! If I wait another minute, I’m going to lose my mind! “I must say that my first New Years here has been a very exciting one,” Octavia admitted as she picked up the pup and scratched behind his ears, making him coo adorably. Henry’s felt his head thump in beat with his heart, the nerves seeping into his bones.This isn’t hard! I j-just gotta be honest and be myself, right? Tara hugged Mac’s side, kissing his cheek. “This year is gonna be full of surprises, that’s one thing for sure.” Henry’s breathing became more shallow as his heart yearned to feel more connected to the Cello player. This is it. I’m gonna go up to her, pull her aside, and tell her just how much she’s coiled around my heart, he thought, nearly breathless as he slowly passed by Jackie, Mac, and Tara, his vision completely focused on one person and one person only. Alright, Henry, this is it... He pulled out his phone and began typing on it, Octavia looking at him curiously as he tried to get the words out right. “Is everything alright, Hen--” She gasped quietly as she saw the message written in front of her. “You are the fire that burns me sweetly, the sea that rocks me gently. I feel calm with you in life’s storm; you are my center. Throughout the time you’ve been in my life...I have never felt happier than I have now. You have taught me how to rediscover myself in ways even I don’t understand. What I’m trying to say is...I love you, Octavia.” Octavia looked up, flustered. “O-oh, Henry... I’m sorry, but...” She wanted to say more, to say that she still missed her friends, her family, and that starting a relation would be hard, but even she would know that that was a lie. Octavia liked Henry, but as it was, he was still only a friend. “I-I’m sorry, Henry; I feel absolutely dreadful, I do, but... I can’t love you... not now. It wouldn’t be fair to fall for you, when Vinyl might find me. If... If it comes to pass that there’s no hope left, then maybe you could court me. Until then, Henry...” She gave him a hug, feeling his sobs rack his body, silent though they were. “I won’t leave you, Henry. I still need you, and I can help you in return, but please. Not this soon. I just can’t, Henry... I just can’t.”