//------------------------------//
// 2. Dissonance 
// Story: The Best Songs Come From the Soul 
// by Quicksear 
//------------------------------//

The next day I woke up feeling much refreshed. As usual, I went down to the kitchen for a glass of orange juice. Stretching luxuriously as I walked down the stairs, I was surprised to see Vinyl washing the dishes. As in with water and soap, not her usual attempts at sonic scouring, which had led to several complaints and one or two hospital admissions.

I welcomed the change as I said good morning on the way to the fridge. Vinyl looked uncomfortable about something, and I thought that, considering my actions last night, I should at least be friendly. "Vinyl? Are you feeling okay this morning?"

My friend shook her head and pointed over to the table. "Lyra sent you a letter."

I looked at the opened envelope on the table, realization dawning as I stared, horrified. "Vinyl! You opened my mail!"

Vinyl dropped the plate she had been scouring and turned aggressively to face me. "So what? I thought we didn't have anything to hide! And here I find a letter saying, what? That you are welcome to move in with another mare whenever you feel ready?! I thought we were gonna stick together, you and me!" She looked on the verge of tears.

I knew I shouldn't have kept it from her, but she still didn't have the right to be so angry. "Oh, no secrets? Then what do you have hidden in the basement that I'm not allowed to see? And what do you care, you haven't seemed so interested in ANYTHING for the last few months!" I grated out, drawing myself up in righteous anger.

"What?" Vinyl spluttered for a second. "You don't let me into your recording room either, unless you need help fixing the stuff I installed! You've never been down to the basement since I moved my stuff down there, even when I asked. That's my space, to get away from YOU!" She jabbed a hoof in my direction animatedly. I noticed a bandage halfway down her left foreleg as she did so.

She had gone and injured herself again, no doubt. Lately she had often come out with an injury of some kind, never with an explanation other than vague references to accidents I had never heard happening.

I looked at her calmly. "You see, Vinyl? You do need space. I need space. From all of this. From you, from our work, from us. I'll get Lyra to help me move into her spare room this morning."

I turned walked to our bedroom. I began packing my stuff as tears rolled from my eyes. I was crushed that such a memorable relationship would end just like that. I heard a door slam back on the first floor. Vinyl had disappeared into her hole in the ground again. It was probably for the best; Angers could flare if we saw one another again, and somepony might say something she'd regret later. If there was any hope left to be had. I had hoped to break the news softly, after Lyra made all the necessary arrangements for me, but after the confrontation, I knew there were few bridges left standing between us. With that in mind, I made good on my word and informed Lyra that very hour that she would have a new roommate by the end of the day.

Lyra was very comforting as she helped carry all my belongings across the street to her cottage with the ease that came with magic. I was quickly installed in the room once occupied by Bon Bon, since with the increase in her business, she had opened a new shop in Canterlot, and was only in town seasonally from now on. Lyra had been depressed for weeks after Bon Bon had accepted the deal, but she seemed happy to get another friend installed, at least in the manner of having somepony else to pay a share of the rent. Of course, this situation had suddenly become much more complicated. Lyra was shocked to hear me relate the story of the morning's argument.

She... didn't know you were planning on moving...?" She asked me in a quiet tone as we walked back across the street for the final few things of mine. "Well, that isn't quite right, Octavia. You should apologize for that. Vinyl may be a bit odd sometimes, but she certainly cares for you."

I didn't want to agree, but Lyra was right: I had to apologize if I ever wanted a chance at the least, a civil friendship with Vinyl. Against my better judgement and pride, I complied and, with Lyra following, trotted to the door one final time. It was still unlocked, and the interior of what used to be my home called comforting memories to my mind. I ignored them. I walked over to the basement door while Lyra gave me and encouraging smile from the entrance, before trotting away with the last of my things to my new residence. I took a deep breath and knocked a hoof against the wooden doorframe.

I couldn't hear anything from the other side of the door. I assumed this was because Vinyl had yet to remove the sound suppression spell she had grudgingly raised on my request, so that I wouldn't have to hear the racket every time she set up for a new song. This, though, didn't stop from feeling the disconcerting vibrations that ran through the entire building as I knocked. It felt as if something really heavy had just fallen, but over and over and over again, in an unceasing discordant chorus.

After a few moments, it stopped, and then the door opened a crack. "Oh, ya done, Octy?" Vinyl barely poked her snout out of the doorway. Her voice was hoarse and quiet, as though filled with the combination of emotion and pain I know she only ever dared give into with me.

I was a bit shocked to hear her like this. And even more so to see a small blood smear on her cheek. "I-I just wanted to say how sorry I am at how things have worked out and...Are you okay, Vinyl? I think you should come out-"

Vinyl cut me off. "I'm okay with you moving out. You are right. You usually are. Now I have a project to finish." She slammed the door.

I couldn't speak. I wandered over to Lyra's house, trying to wrap my head around Vinyl's actions. If she didn't want me there anymore, then so be it.

I just hoped she wouldn't kill herself in there.