//------------------------------//
// Chapter Three 
// Story: Love and Music 
// by slade8283 
//------------------------------//


Chapter Three


Octavia followed Vinyl out of her apartment. She knew she could trust Vinyl, but she still felt like it was too much of a risk. She was right in saying she had a life in Canterlot, and she didn't really want to leave it. Maybe I can just convince Vinyl to come back here, she thought, That shouldn't be hard right? 

Vinyl was ecstatic upon hearing Octavia's decision, she wouldn't stop talking the whole way out of the building. "-and we'll get to go all over Equestria, it'll be great. Oh I know! I can take you to see the Duke of Trottingham next time we're there. And-oh wait I totally forgot to tell you! The record company is sending over my chariot to pick us up."

Octavia hadn't been paying attention until she heard the word "chariot", then she quickly snapped back to the conversation. "Did you say chariot? Like the fancy ones all the big famous pop stars take all over Equestria?" 

"Yep. They custom made it and everything, it's great." Vinyl continued on with everything she "had to show Octavia". Octavia always loved it when Vinyl went on one of her rambles. She didn't know why, but she loved it. Not as much as Vinyl's chariot though. It was huge, easily two stories tall. What caught Octavia's attention most though was its lack of detail. It was very plain, mostly stock white, with a few grey streaks here and there.

"Um, Vinyl? Why is it so plain? I mean, you've always been against stuff being so plain." It didn't make any sense to Octavia. After all, this was the pony who painted her room five different colors, just because no pony else would. What would possess her to want a chariot that was so plain?

"Meh," she replied in a flat tone, "its only a chariot. It does its job fine just the way it is."

Hmm...that certainly isn't normal. Especially coming from Vinyl. Octavia threw her stuff in the back and boarded the chariot. Just like the outside, the inside was very plain. Plain beige carpet covered the floor, and plain white paint covered the walls. Something is definitely up with this pony. This is not like her.

Vinyl must have picked up on Octavia's suspicion because she said "Alright, I'll tell you the actual reason it's so plain in here. Sometime when you're surrounded with so much going on, it's nice to just have a regular old place to hang out in." 

Octavia didn't expect that kind of response. Vinyl had never been that into wearing her emotions on her sleeve, and telling Octavia why she was acting so peculiarly was a big thing. Octavia just nodded, "I guess that makes sense." A silence followed, which made Octavia nervous. The two sat down. "So...now what?" She asked, thinking of the easiest thing to say.

"Oh I have a show tonight at Canterlot Stadium."

"What?!" Octavia jumped up, "Vinyl, why didn't you say so? You could have come by after the show, that way I would've had more time to pack." 

"I wanted you to be there for this show."

"Why? I'm with you for at least another month. What's so different about this show?" Octavia was shouting at this point. She hated being the last pony to know, even with something as minor as this. She cleared her throat and quieted herself, "I'm sorry Vinyl. But really, why do you want me at this one in particular?"

Vinyl's eyes were searching for an answer, "Umm..." She shook her head. "Just trust me on this one. Okay?"

Octavia didn't respond. She just sat back down and closed her eyes.





Octavia had been to plenty of concerts, considering she was in an orchestra. But all of her concerts paled in comparison to this. She had never seen anything like this. The Canterlot Stadium held fifty thousand ponies on any given day, which was easily surpassed by Vinyl's concert.

Octavia stared out the windows of the chariot, "Wow Vinyl, you've certainly made a name for yourself." 

Vinyl nodded, "Yeah I guess. I just sort of...happened." Vinyl seemed uncomfortable talking about her fans, so Octavia decided to stop. Good old Vinyl, she thought, modest as ever.

The chariot pulled around the back of the stadium to the sound of cheering fans. Vinyl took a deep breath and got off the chariot. Ponies young and old were chanting her name, asking for autographs, and reaching just to touch her. Octavia took a sigh of relief, I'm so glad classical music isn't popular. She followed Vinyl off of the chariot and into the inner workings of the stadium, both ponies flanked by security ponies.

The first thing Octavia noticed was the sheer size of the stadium. She knew Canterlot Stadium was big, but she concluded big was a bit of an understatement. The stadium was easily five times the size of the orchestra hall, and she wasn't even on stage level yet. Alright, maybe it wouldn't be so bad if classical music was more popular.

The two ponies entered a room, leaving their security at the door. Octavia took a look around the green room. At least Octavia guessed it was a green room. She'd only ever heard of the mythical room that ponies would hang out in before shows. Classical musicians weren't treated to such luxuries. 

Vinyl started talking frantically, "Okay so the opening acts will be done in thirty minutes, which gives me fifteen minutes to do my hair, five minutes to get dressed, five minutes to warm up-" Octavia lost track of everything her best friend started saying at that point. Octavia watched for the next thirty minutes as Vinyl flew from one end of the room to the other. Slowly but surely, she pieced herself together, forming the true picture of a rock musician. 

Eventually, Vinyl stopped in the middle of the room and exhaled loudly, "-and. I'm. Finished." She walked over to the couch Octavia was sitting on and fell onto the couch. 

Just then a security pony poked his head into the room, "Miss Scratch, you're on in fifteen." He closed the door loudly, which seemed to echo through the room.

"Vinyl, you look great." Octavia felt herself blush. Oh Vinyl, please don't take that the way it sounded. I've been dropping hints on you for so long you have to see this one.

Vinyl looked at her and smiled. "Thanks Octavia. You'd be amazed how little I get to hear that. Anymore it's just 'Go here.' 'Do this' 'Sing that'. I hate it; I never get any compliments." She stood up, "Come on Octavia, it's time for the show."

Vinyl lead Octavia up through the stadium to stage level. Octavia could hear the crowd more and more the long they walked. This is amazing, she thought, I'm standing here next to the pony they all want to see. She thought of all the times everypony else had ever beaten her at anything in her life, especially Sonata, who was probably in attendance tonight. Sorry Canterlot, but it's my turn to outdo you for once. 

The two eventually came to a dark tunnel that lead out onto the stage, and both of them stopped. Vinyl turned to Octavia, "Sorry Octavia, but I have to leave you here for now." The crowd was so loud now that Octavia could barely hear Vinyl.

Octavia nodded and gave Vinyl a hug. "Good luck out there," She whispered in Vinyl ear. They broke the embrace. Octavia saw a tear run down Vinyl's cheek as she turned and ran out on stage, who was met with a thunderous response from the crowd. Octavia ran up to the edge of the tunnel and watched as Vinyl broke into her opening number, not even noticing the tear running down her own cheek.





Vinyl played for close to an hour and a half before she came trotting off of the stage. She was instantly met by a number of ponies with water, followed by another two ponies with a second dress.

Octavia ran up to Vinyl cheering the whole way. "Wow Vinyl, that was incredible! You did a great job out there."

Vinyl was breathing so heavily that she had to speak in between gasps. "Thanks...We aren't...done yet...though..." 

Just as she finished her sentence a security pony ran up to Vinyl carrying what looked quite a bit like Octavia's cello case. "Miss Scratch, here's that cello from your chariot that you wanted." Hey set the instrument down and returned to his post.

Octavia slowly began to put two and two together. "Vinyl...?" She looked over the pony to see a giant grin on her face. Octavia knew exactly what was about to happen.





Vinyl was met with even more cheering upon her return to the stage. She broke out into another song, which only made the crowd grow in volume.

Octavia began to grow nervous. She had played for plenty of ponies before, but this was different. There were close to fifty thousand ponies out there. Fifty thousand, she thought to herself, that's fifty times bigger than any crowd I've played in front of. Her heart began to race and she began to sweat. She hadn't been this nervous since her first concert with the orchestra.

Vinyl finished her first encore song, and was met with an immense roar from the crowd. She waited for the crowd before she spoke again, "Alright everypony, I need your help welcoming someone to the stage. This pony has helped me through so much in my life: she gave me a home, got me my first job, and supported me in every way she could." Octavia began walking down the tunnel, adrenaline pumping through her. "Mares and Stallions, please help me welcome to the stage, from your town of Canterlot, my best friend in the world...Octavia!" 

Octavia stepped foot on stage and nearly went deaf from the sound. The crowd was louder than anything she had ever heard before. A smile broke across her face as she walked across the stage and embraced Vinyl, the crowd went wild again.

Octavia sat down and held her bow at the ready. She hadn't gotten to play the song in over a year, ever since last time her and Vinyl played it on stage, but that never stopped her from practicing everyday. A rush of emotions came to her the second her bow hit the strings. The feeling of her greatest night ever was surpassed as soon as the first note came out her instrument. She teared up within a matter of seconds, just like every other pony in the stadium, which included Vinyl. 

Octavia almost messed up when she heard the crowd singing along with Vinyl. She had heard so many things in her life, but none of them could even compare to the strength of the audience singing. Fifty thousand voices all projecting straight at the stage. It sent a chill up Octavia's spine.

The two ponies finished and were met with the loudest roar from the crowd that night. As Octavia looked out over the crowd, she noticed that there wasn't a single dry eye in the entire audience. Her smile grew even larger at the thought of everypony tearing up at a song about her. Vinyl took a bow, and was followed by a from Octavia. The two departed the stage, leaving the roaring crowd behind them.

The rest of the night was a blur to Octavia, who wasn't accustomed to Vinyl's lifestyle of late nights and roaring crowds. The last thing Octavia remembered was crashing onto the coach in Vinyl's chariot, concluding that that night was the greatest night ever.