//------------------------------//
// Can I Be Me Without You...? 
// Story: Who Am I? 
// by Zeck 
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	The train ride from Manehattan to Ponyville had been almost incredibly unremarkable. Lyra had sat next to Octavia the whole time, chatting about music, Bon Bon, Bon Bon’s newest sweet creations, Lyra’s fascination with creatures that did not exist, Bon Bon again, and generally nothing of importance. It was polite small talk, and Octavia appreciated what the unicorn was trying to do.
However, the train ride was mired by one single thought the entire time.
Vinyl. Was. Gone.
Octavia had gone to Vinyl’s apartment early this morning, leaving Lyra still passed out on her couch. She was planning to inform her that she would be out of town for a few days. Just because she was upset with the unicorn did not mean she intended to uncivil, and part of her had been truly concerned about the lack of contact from Vinyl. She had fully expected the D.J. to be sound asleep, so she had called ahead of time to wake her. Vinyl had not answered. In fact, the message Octavia had received stated that Vinyl’s phone was unreachable. Thinking that was rather peculiar, since Vinyl had been trying to reach her constantly for the past several weeks, Octavia had travelled on hoof a bit faster than she normally did when going to Vinyl’s home.
When she had arrived, she had tapped on the door once. No answer.  She had knocked three times then. Still no answer. Deciding that her friend had probably drank herself into a stupor, Octavia had banged on the door and called Vinyl’s name. There had still been no answer.
Octavia had grown concerned at that point, and had left to see Steve, the oddly-named manager of Vinyl’s apartment complex. Steve had remembered her on sight, saying that he never forgot a pretty face, and had agreed to let Octavia into Vinyl’s apartment. She would not have normally approved of such blatant disregard of privacy and rules, but she had been worried that Vinyl was in trouble. As in, done something exceedingly rash type of trouble.
The sight that had greeted Octavia’s eyes when Steve had opened the door was not what she had been expecting. Vinyl’s living room had been cleaned to perfectionist standards. Octavia had had to double-check the number on the door to make certain she was at the right place. She had scanned the room, both in wonderment and bafflement, looking for any sign of the D.J. Her eyes had lingered a bit too long on the turntable sitting against the wall, but she had managed to tear them away after a few moments.
“She…she is not here,” Octavia had said.
“Well, no,” Steve had said, not realizing that Octavia had been thinking out loud. “Didn’t she tell you? She left.”
“Left?” Octavia had asked, startled that Vinyl would do so without at least leaving a message.  
Why would she though? You are not speaking to her, remember?
“Yeah, a few days ago. Some pony from Canterlot came by, and the next morning Vinyl and her left. Really pretty lady. Very high class it seemed like.”
“Oh,” was all Octavia had been able to say to that.
Octavia felt her ears droop as she recalled the memory for the sixty-third time since she had boarded the train. Vinyl was in Canterlot with some fancy pony, touring the capital of Equestria and likely having a lovely time. And she had not even bothered to inform Octavia that she was leaving.
It pained her to realize that she could be replaced so easily.
Why? Vinyl does not care about you. You told her that you were not important to her. Why should it bother you that she has found a new pony to—
“Be silent!” Octavia said a bit too loudly.
“Ghosts again?”
Octavia looked up. “Pardon me?”
“The ghosts,” Lyra said with a grin. “Are they bothering you again? I thought we left them behind at your house.”
“Very funny, Lyra,” Octavia said. “No, I was just thinking about…things.”
“I see,” Lyra said, scratching her chin with her hoof and pretending to look like a serious psychiatrist. “And these…things. Do they happen to be covered in white fur, have an electric blue mane, and an unhealthy obsession with sunglasses?”
“Says the mare who insists that these ‘humans’ are actual beings.”
Lyra did not break character. “Hm…touché. But you still have not answered my question.”
Octavia hung her head and stared at her hooves. “Perhaps.”
A hoof slapped her gently on the shoulder. “See? That’s why you needed to come to Ponyville. If you had stayed home, you would have spent all this time wondering about Vinyl. Where is she? What is she doing? Why won’t she answer her phone? Was I too hard on her?”
“I was not too hard on her,” Octavia interrupted. She was not. Vinyl had deserved every ounce of what she had received. 
But that does not make it any easier to take, does it?
“Hey, you’re the one wondering it. I just said it,” Lyra said as she raised her hooves defensively. 
“I am not wondering it at all. Now stop it.”
“Fine,” Lyra sighed. “We’re here anyway.” 
Sure enough, the train was coming to a halt at the Ponyville platform. Octavia heard the attendant call for all ponies disembarking to begin gathering their possessions. She stood and pulled her cello out, which still weighed slightly more than she remembered, and strapped it to her body. Next she gracefully put on her saddlebag and ran a hoof across her mane in an attempt to straighten it. Lyra stood as well, getting a big grin on her face and rocking back and forth as the train came to a halt.
“Oh boy, it’s great to be home!” she said as the doors opened. She dashed out without another word and stood on the platform, basking in the sun.  Octavia followed, decidedly less cheerful but still happy to be off the train. Lyra was most likely correct. Spending time away from Manehattan and all those memories of Vinyl would undoubtedly do her some good. 
“Where shall we go first?” Octavia asked as she looked around. “Perhaps you should go tell Bon Bon that you have returned.”
“Nah,” Lyra said as she waved her hoof. She was staring at a bulletin board at the end of the train station. “Trust me, we’ll have plenty of time to see her later tonight.”
“What are you looking at?” Octavia asked, walking up beside Lyra and trying to peek over her shoulder.
“Oh, um, nothing!” Lyra spun around and slammed her body against the bulletin board, struggling to cover as much of it as she could. “It’s uh…just a little joke.”
“Really?” Octavia said, still trying to peer around the mint unicorn. “Well I could certainly use a good laugh.” When it became apparent that Lyra was not going to budge, Octavia reached out and firmly moved her aside. 
A flier was hanging on the bulletin board. It was rather fancy, with a lovely flower pattern running around its edges. The lettering on it was done in elegant strokes, the type of penmanship that Octavia rarely saw outside of Canterlot. She had grown up learning how to write this well, but to think that other ponies, especially ones in Ponyville, could write as well as her was a bit shocking. Though she was pleased to see such refined culture. 
Curious as to what could be so important as to warrant such beautiful penmanship, she began to read the flier.
“‘Ladies and gentlecolts. Please join us this weekend for an exciting fashion show. As always, admission is free and you are all cordially invited to attend.’” 
“Come on, Octavia, we really should get going,” Lyra said from off to the side.
“Just a moment,” Octavia said. “I believe you said we had no place to be, since you were in no hurry to see Bon Bon. Surely you can spare a few moments for this. I take it that this is the fashion show we are performing for?”
“Yep. Can’t slip anything past you,” Lyra said, her voice oddly nervous. “So, now that that’s done, how about we go get something to eat? I’m starving.”
“In a moment,” Octavia said. She continued to read the flier.
“‘There will be many outfits on display, many inspired by our recent visit from the dignitaries from Saddle Arabia. All outfits will, of course, be up for sale after the show at Carousel Boutique. The show will be held outside of the shop and will be featuring exotic Saddle Arabian-themed music in order to keep with the theme.’” Octavia paused at the part. She had never played anything from that land, and she was not certain her cello was the best choice. Still, she was confident in her ability to learn. “‘We look forward to seeing everypony there and having a wonderful night, sponsored by Rarity and D.J. Pon three.’”
D.J. Pon-3? But that would mean…
Octavia looked at the ground, her heart suddenly caught in her throat. So this was where Vinyl was! She found herself conflicted with the sudden realization. On the one hoof, she was still upset with the unicorn for missing such a big moment for her. Vinyl had also left Manehattan without so much as a note saying where she was going or when she would be back, causing Octavia a small amount of worry.
On the other hoof, Octavia was relieved to learn that Vinyl was well. She also found that she was slightly looking forward to seeing her. She was not ready for…for whatever was next, but she admitted that it would be nice to finally talk to the D.J. Her anger had cooled enough that she could at least speak to the unicorn.
She briefly wondered how Steve could mix up Ponyville and Canterlot, but the thought was fleeting and she brushed it aside.
Octavia carefully pulled the flier down and set it in her saddlebag. She turned to Lyra and smiled, her first real smile in the long time. “Very well, since you have no destination in mind—”
“Hey!” Lyra said. “I wanted to get something to eat.” 
“I have decided that we shall go visit Miss Rarity,” Octavia continued before Lyra had another chance to interrupt. If she was co-sponsoring the show with Vinyl, then she most likely knew where Vinyl was. Vinyl might even be with her right this moment! 
“Uh, look, Octavia,” Lyra said, scratching the back of her neck and looking everywhere but Octavia’s face. “I…don’t think that’s such a good idea. She’s really busy if I know her. What with the show being the day after tomorrow and everything.”
“Well of course she is,” Octavia said, beginning to make her way down the stairs from the train platform. “And I am certain that she will want to inform us of our roles right away. Planning these events takes time, and making sure every last detail falls into place can be stressful. The least we can do is let her know that two of her musicians have arrived.”
“Fine,” Lyra said, trotting up next to her, “but I’m still starving.”
Octavia stopped and looked around the quaint little town. There was something charming about the lack of tall buildings, the fact that ‘traffic’ consisted of ponies wandering the middle of a dirt street, and that storefronts were literally stalls that ponies seemed to set up and close down each day.  There were stalls for beauty products, building supplies, sports equipment, and food, just to name a few.
In fact, there were plenty of stalls for food, and Octavia’s stomach decided right then to remind her that it was well past lunch and getting rather late in the afternoon. Perhaps Lyra had a point. She looked around the main street, trying to decide what to eat.
There were sit down restaurants, to be certain. A rather posh looking stallion was waiting tables at one, and Octavia noted with a chuckle that the seats were nothing but piles of hay. Still, the food seemed reasonable, if the crowd was any indication. If she was not in a hurry, she would have chosen that place. 
She continued to look around. There were several to-go stalls scattered throughout the area. One was selling cherries, but Octavia felt that she would need to buy an awful lot if she wanted to hold off her hunger until she had a proper meal. There was another stall selling asparagus, to which she wrinkled her nose. She did not care for that vegetable, and she could not understand how anypony could. There had to be something else…
“Ah,” she said when her eyes fell on a particular stand at the other end of the street. “How about we get a bite over there?” She began walking toward the stall with Lyra following close behind. Naturally, Lyra did not stay there for long. She sprinted ahead and was eyeballing the delicious looking fruit by the time Octavia caught up with her.
“Howdy, Lyra,” the store clerk said. “Ya hungry? What’s the matter? Bon Bon not makin’ enough sweets for ya?”
“I’m starving, and I always get her test treats first, so they’re not always…appetizing,” Lyra said, licking her lips as she tried to eat everything with her eyes. “What’s good?”
“Well, they’re all fresh, like always. So I guess—oh. Howdy, miss,” the store clerk said as Octavia walked up. There was something about this pony, but Octavia could not place it. She looked awfully familiar.
“Say, you look rather familiar,” the pony said, voicing Octavia’s own thoughts. Her green eyes appraised Octavia and the cellist suddenly felt very self-conscious. She was not used to having a pony study her so intently up close. Ponies usually looked at her from out in an audience, or hid their judging behind half-closed eyes and upturned muzzles. Not this pony. Her eyes tore right into Octavia. 
“Ya look like my cousin in fact.” The pony’s face suddenly changed to a serious look and her eyes narrowed a bit. “Fiddlesticks, did ya go and try ta dye your coat again?”
“Nah, Applejack,” Lyra said as she put her hoof around Octavia’s neck. “This is Octav—”
“Well pony feathers,” Applejack said as her eyes went wide. “Octavia Melody! I, er, mean, Miss Melody. It’s not every day we get a famous celebrity here in old Ponyville. Well, actually, we get ‘em more than ya’d expect—uh, but I don’t mean that make’s ya any less important. Shoot.” Applejack paused and took a breath. “Um…it’s nice to meet ya, really.” She pulled her hat off and held it to her chest, bowing slightly as she did.
“Please, call me Octavia,” Octavia said as she nodded back. Applejack. Of course. This was the pony who had had a rather…interesting interpretation of a garden party during Octavia’s last performance in Canterlot. She was also one of the six ponies who had saved Equestria on numerous occasions, but for some reason she had slipped Octavia’s mind. She did not seem to stand out as much as the other ponies. Perhaps that was because she seemed the most normal. Applejack always sounded like a levelheaded pony, unlike the others Octavia heard about.
“I heard your song,” Applejack said. “I don’t normally hold for that stuff, but Fiddlesticks insisted I listen to it. I can see why it’s so popular.”
Octavia blushed. That was Fiddlesticks for certain. Octavia had never been a pony to brag about her musical talent, but her cousin more than made up for it. 
“Is my cousin here?” she asked. She had not seen the violinist—Fiddlesticks called it a fiddle—in some time, and she would love to catch up if she managed to find a free moment while she was in Ponyville. 
“You betcha,” Applejack said with a smile. “She’s staying with me and ma’ family down on the farm. Came in for Rarity’s big fashion show this weekend. Said she was playin’ in it and whatnot.”
“Yeah, yeah, that’s all good,” Lyra said, “but can we please discuss the family tree after I get something to eat?”
Octavia giggled softly. “I apologize, Lyra. Miss Applejack—”
“Whoa, nelly. If I’m a callin’ ya Octavia, you’re callin’ me Applejack.”
“Very well. Applejack, two of your best apples, please.”
“You got it!” Applejack looked over a few of her apples, while Lyra continued to stare longingly at them, until she plucked two bright red ones from a bucket. “Here ya go. Two of the best tastin’ apples in Equestria, guaranteed.”
“Thank you,” Octavia said as she picked hers off the store counter. Lyra grabbed hers with her magic and unceremoniously took a huge bite out of it.  She sighed as she chewed, pieces sticking to her face and juice trickling down her chin. 
“Delicious,” Lyra said between chewing. Her manners were rather lacking, but Octavia found herself smiling anyway. In a way, Lyra reminded her of Vinyl. She carefully took a small bite of her own apple and found herself agreeing with Lyra’s statement. 
“It is very tasty,” Octavia said after she swallowed. “How much do I owe you?”
“Ah, shucks. It’s on the house,” Applejack said as she put her hat back on her head. Was she blushing?
“Nonsense. Us ‘celebrities’ can certainly afford to pay for our own meals, being famous and such.”
“Well, if ya insist. Four bits for both.”
Octavia pulled out eight bits and laid them on the counter. “Here, and not a word.”
“Thank ya kindly,” Applejack said, blushing and sweeping the bits off the counter. “Anything else I can help ya with?”
“Have you seen Rarity?” Lyra asked over another bite of her apple. “Octavia wants to check in with her for the fashion show.”
“Ya’ll are playin’ too?” Applejack asked. Octavia nodded. “That’s great. I’ll tell Fiddlesticks when I get home later today. She’ll be so happy. Anyway, I saw Rarity headin’ into that spa ‘bout an hour ago.”
“The Blossoms’ place?” Lyra asked.
Applejack’s expression went flat. “Is there another spa in Ponyville that Rarity goes to?”
“Nope,” Lyra said, completely missing Applejack roll her eyes and shake her head. “Thanks.” With that, she turned to leave.
“Thank you, Applejack,” Octavia said with a polite nod. She turned and began to follow Lyra. “And please do tell my cousin about my arrival. I would very much like to see her while I am here.”
“You betcha!” Applejack said with a wave.
Octavia trotted to catch up with Lyra and began to walk down the streets of Ponyville, careful not to drop her apple as she went. She refrained from asking Lyra how far they were from the spa. Ponyville was not a large town by any means, and the spa was most likely located near the center. She could wait until they reached their destination before she started asking questions. Eating the apple was also proving to be a helpful excuse to not speak too much.
However, her mind was running dozens of thoughts all at the same time. It was like a cram session in her brain. Why had Vinyl not told Octavia that she was going to Ponyville? Would Octavia be willing to forgive the unicorn? She had told Lyra last night that she was, but now she was wondering if she really could. What would Vinyl say? What would Octavia say? What had Vinyl been doing for the past week? Why did Octavia care about any of this, when she was still telling herself that she was angry with her? She was still angry with her, right? Perhaps not as much as she had been the night of the concert, but she was certain there was still some justified anger there. The pain certainly was. What would—?
“Hey, Octavia,” Lyra said, shattering the delicate thoughts that Octavia had been trying to organize in her mind. “Did you hear me?”
“Uh, no, I am afraid not,” Octavia said, slightly embarrassed that she had been caught wandering in her own thoughts. 
“I said we’re here.  Maybe I should go in fir—”
“Excellent.” Octavia strolled forward and pushed open the door. “Let us not waste any more time. I am certain Rarity wishes to speak with us as soon as she is able.”
A bell rang as the door swung past the chime hanging from the ceiling. Octavia walked in, taking in the room with a glance and trying to not be obvious about her search for Vinyl. 
The spa, like most of Ponyville, was nothing like anything in Manehattan. There was a simple lobby with one sofa for waiting customers. A small table sat in the middle of the room with a stack of fashion magazines on it. Several ferns decorated the interior lobby and a soothing fragrance drifted through the air. A hint of music was also playing in the background, and with a small sense of pride, Octavia recognized it as one of her own pieces.
Behind the front desk, two ponies were staring at her, both with peculiar expressions on their faces. The blue one looked extremely nervous and her eyes kept jumping toward the door that led out of the lobby and into the actual spa. The pink one had a smirk on her face and seemed to be taking a small amount of pleasure in her sister’s discomfort.
Octavia thought both their behaviors were rather odd. She moved forward a step, preparing to introduce herself and inquire about Rarity, when Lyra came up behind her.
“Hey, Lotus, Aloe,” the unicorn said, stepping in front of Octavia and blocking her path to the counter. “How are you doing? How’s business?”
“Miss Heartstrings,” the pink one said with a smile, “do not be so rude. This lovely mare was ahead of you.”
“How may we help you, Miss Melody?” the blue one asked, nudging her sister gently aside. Both ponies looked at her and, in perfect synchronization, closed their eyes, tilted their heads, and smiled with blindingly white teeth.
They know who I am. I had no idea my music was this popular.
“Cute, girls,” Lyra said, her voice slightly annoyed. “Look, Applejack told us Rarity was here. Octavia wants to talk with her." Octavia gave Lyra a confused look, trying to figure out why she had put so much stress on Rarity’s name. 
The pink pony opened her eyes and her smile shifted slightly. “Miss Rarity is indeed here. She’s in the bath wi—ow!”
“Aloe is correct,” Lotus interrupted with a stomp of her hoof. “I will go get her.”
“That is quite alright,” Octavia said, moving toward the door that would let her into the spa. “I will only need a moment of her time.”
Lotus dashed in front of her, blocking Octavia’s path to the door. “I’m very sorry, Miss Melody, but Rarity is very particular about ponies interrupting her bath sessions.”
“Oh yes,” Aloe said, “especially when she’s—mmph!” Octavia looked over and saw that a pillow had hit Aloe in the face. Lyra was standing with her front hooves crossed, staring at the ceiling and whistling. 
“I will go get her right now,” Lotus said, disappearing through the door and closing it behind her.
“Fine by me,” Aloe said, pulling the pillow from her face. “I’ll keep our guests company. So, Miss Melody, how is Vi—”
“Hey, Aloe,” Lyra said nonchalantly, “it’d be a real shame if one of your plants hit you in the face. Mysteriously, of course.”
“Am I missing something?” Octavia asked. Lyra acting strange was nothing new, but the Blossom sisters, while she had never met them before, seemed to be rather odd. Maybe every pony in Ponyville was like this. She had never really visited the town. She had been to Ponyville before, but on those occasions she had spent most of her time at Lyra’s and Bon Bon’s place. 
Still, it felt like everypony was keeping something from her.
Before Octavia could get an answer, the door to the spa opened and Lotus walked back in, followed by a white unicorn wrapped in a bathrobe. For a brief moment, Octavia thought it was Vinyl, but the blue eyes and purple mane quickly dashed that hope. 
Octavia cleared her throat and held out a hoof. “Miss Rarity, I am Octavia Melody.” Just because she was in a hurry to inquire about Vinyl did not mean she could skip on her manners. 
“Oh, uh, what a pleasure to finally meet you in pony!” Rarity said, taking Octavia’s hoof and shaking it once. Her grip was so delicate, but the look on her face suggested that there was something racing through the fashion pony’s mind at the moment. Also, she seemed to be speaking rather loudly.
“The pleasure is mine, I assure you,” Octavia said, careful not to match Rarity’s volume. Perhaps her ears had water in them from the bath. “Meeting two of the ponies in one day who helped defeat those villains is a great honor. And you were quite the talk of Canterlot the last time I was there.”
“Why thank you!” the unicorn replied, and for a moment her face lit up like Canterlot at Hearth’s Warming Eve. “Although I feel the pleasure is all mine, truly. May I take it that you’ll be joining us then?”
“I look forward to it. I do have one question, however.” Octavia began to dig through her saddlebag until she found the flier she had taken from the train station. She pulled it out and held it with her hoof. “It says here that D.J. Pon Three is also involved. Will she be playing with Lyra, myself, and the others?”
Rarity’s eyes went wide. She began to flip her damp mane with her hoof while she looked around the room. “Oh, uh, that?” She laughed once and continued. “That’s just…uh—”
“An old flier,” Lyra said quickly.  “Before we made the changes! We couldn’t get in touch, so, uh…” 
“Yes!” Rarity said. “Yes, that’s it! I haven’t had a chance to draw up some new pamphlets, and with the event the day after tomorrow, there really hasn’t been any time. Every pony in Ponyville is already aware of the change though, so there’s really no need.”
Octavia’s heart fell along with her ears. She folded the flier back up and put it in her saddlebag again. She also noticed that her cello had suddenly become heavier. She found that rather strange, because until right then she had completely forgotten that she was still carrying it.
“I see,” she said as she closed her bag. “You could not reach her? I do not suppose you have heard from her recently, have you?”
“Oh, um, Lyra?” Rarity asked.
“Well I haven’t,” Lyra said, tapping her chest with her hoof. Rarity simply smiled, while Lotus stood next to her sister and occasionally nudged her, mumbling something about a pillow.
“Is there a problem, dear?” Rarity asked. 
“No,” Octavia said, struggling to keep her voice from cracking. “I…simply wished to let you know that Lyra succeeded in convincing me to come. She has shown me the music you wish to play, and I believe I can do it. You probably wish to return to your bath, and Lyra and I really should go practice for a spell. We shall see you later.”
“Oh I can’t wait! It will be smashing!” Rarity said as she waved goodbye.
Once the two musicians were outside, Octavia glared at Lyra. “You could have told me that Vinyl was not involved.”
“Sorry,” Lyra said, avoiding Octavia’s stare. “I thought you wanted to avoid her though. That’s why I didn’t want you to see the flier in the first place. Didn’t want it dragging up feelings you’re trying to set aside for the time being. I didn’t know you actually missed her.”
“I do not miss her!” Octavia said, stamping her hoof in the dirt. She blinked once, stunned by what she had done. “I…I am simply worried about her. I have not heard from her in over a week. I do not want her to do anything rash.”
“Now you know how I feel,” a new voice said from behind the two ponies. Octavia paused for a moment, trying to place the voice. She knew it from somewhere. Lyra, she noted, had gone completely stiff.
A light went on in Octavia's head. Of course! It was Bo—
“Ow! Bon Bon, let go! Ow!”  Octavia turned to see Bon Bon biting Lyra’s ear. “Seriously, Sweetie Dr—” 
“Don’t call me that!” Bon Bon said. She bit down harder and Octavia started to worry that she would draw blood. “And don’t think you’re getting out of this!”
“Hello, Bon Bon,” Octavia said, hoping to divert the mare’s attention slightly. “It is nice to see you again.”
“Hi Octavia,” Bon Bon said, her eyes turning to meet Octavia’s. “Tell me, did you tell Lyra that she should go check in with her wife after you two got off the train?” 
Octavia nodded, knowing that she was about to land her friend in even more trouble. 
Bon Bon’s eyes shifted back to Lyra’s pained face. “What do you know,” she said, her mouth still full of Lyra’s ear. “Octavia even thought of your wife before you. You know, the wife that you left two days ago without saying a word about where you were going? Or even leaving a note? That wife.”
“I had my—ouch, that really hurts!” Lyra pleaded. “I had my cell with me.”
Bon Bon tugged hard on Lyra’s ear, twisting the unicorn’s head in a painful direction. “And you know perfectly well that Ponyville doesn’t support those things, or even have telephones. How did you expect me to get in contact with you?” Bon Bon gave Lyra’s ear one final yank and then let go. 
“Yeah, sorry about that,” Lyra said with a sheepish smile as she rubbed her ear. “I, uh, forgot about that.”
Octavia tilted her head to the side. “Lyra, why do you even have a cell? Now that I think about it, that thing must be fairly useless to you, what with you residing in Ponyville.” Bon Bon had made an excellent point, and Octavia could not believe she had never thought about it until right then. 
“I travel a lot,” Lyra said. “Comes in handy when I go to the bigger cities and need to get in contact with other ponies.”
“Lyra, I was really worried about you,” Bon Bon said. Her ears were flat against her head and tears were glistening in her icy blue eyes. “You can’t do this to me. If Rarity hadn’t told me where you’d gone this time, I…”
Lyra’s expression changed. She slid a hoof around Bon Bon’s neck and pulled her into a hug. “Yeah, I know,” she whispered. “I’m sorry, Sweetie Drops. It’s just, Rarity really needed some help right away, and I was the best pony for the job. It couldn’t wait, and…”
Bon Bon kissed Lyra on the cheek and smiled. “And…?”
Octavia felt extremely embarrassed. She was witnessing a private moment between two ponies that she knew she was not supposed to be an audience to. She tried to distract herself by looking at the sky in an attempt to count how many pegasi there were. Sadly, she only saw two, which made the idea a very poor distraction.
“And…I don’t have a good excuse for not at least leaving you a note. I’m sorry.” Lyra blushed and pulled out of the hug.
“You will be making dinner tonight, cleaning the dishes, giving me a massage, playing your lyre until I say you can stop,” Bon Bon said.
“Okay, I can handle that,” Lyra said with a smile.
“And, you will be sleeping on the couch,” Bon Bon added with a grin.
“But…but what about Octavia?” Lyra asked as she pointed to the cellist. Octavia felt her cheeks become warm. “Where’s she going to sleep?” 
“She will sleep in our bed. With me.” With that, Bon Bon began to walk back to her home, bouncing along and swishing her tail happily while she hummed.
Octavia very much wanted to stick her head in the nearest hole and perish. That was perhaps the most uncomfortable conversations she had ever been a part of. It was certainly one of the most racy. What would Vinyl say in a situation like this…?
“So, um, is she any good?” Octavia’s eyes went wide and her hoof slammed on her mouth, but it was too late. The words had already escaped. 
“What did you say?” Lyra asked, clearly as shocked as Octavia. 
“We shall pretend neither of us ever heard that,” Octavia said. She swore her entire face was on fire now it was so hot. 
“I don’t know, that was pretty good blackmail material right there.”
Octavia rolled her eyes. Lyra would hold that over her head for the rest of her life. And Celestia help her in Vinyl ever found out what she had said. “Can we just get going, please? This cello is rather heavy.”
“Right this way,” Lyra said as she held out a hoof and bowed, pretending there was some sort of magical road leading back to her place. Octavia smiled and began to walk in the direction Bon Bon had gone.
Once they arrived at Lyra’s and Bon Bon’s home, Lyra immediately set to work on preparing dinner. Bon Bon helped Octavia unpack her items and helped clear a place in the living room for her to practice the music that she would be playing. Octavia played a few notes and offered a few suggestions, all of which were ignored by Lyra as she hurried about, trying to cook. It smelled like something eatable, but after the third crash, Bon Bon rolled her eyes and walked in to help the unicorn. Ten minutes later, a tasty, if somewhat burnt, dinner was being enjoyed by the three ponies. 
After dinner, Bon Bon relented and allowed Lyra to practice her music with Octavia. She disappeared into the house, telling them that she had a surprise for both of them, but that they should start playing anyway. 
“Do you have any idea what she’s planning?” Lyra asked as she sat down and laid her lyre on her lap. 
“No,” Octavia replied as she cradled her cello on her shoulder. “She is your wife. If you do not know, it is highly unlikely that I would.”
“Yeah, I guess.” Lyra shrugged and picked her instrument up with her magic, the golden glow gently flowing around the lyre. Without another word, she plucked one of the strings, and then another and another. Octavia joined her on the fourth note, blending her cello’s tunes with her friend’s music.
The sounds danced in the air, twirling around each other in an intricate dance that was only visible in Octavia’s mind. She closed her amethyst eyes and saw the music rising and falling like the tides around Manehattan. She could sense Lyra’s subtle changes as she made her own, keeping the music alive and ever-changing, but always flowing with seamless grace. She knew they had long since left the sheet music they were meant to be practicing, but she did not mind. That music was simple and would not require much to learn. All she wanted to do now was play her own music. 
It washed through her, gently breaking down the tensions that had burdened her. Her body felt more alive than it had in weeks. She smiled as she pulled her bow across the cello’s strings, making each note sing in the air and resonate through her ears. She ran it back and forth with rapid grace next, letting her inner turmoil poor onto the strings and bleed from her mind. Lyra joined her, playing notes that fell lower and lower with each stroke. Then she struck a high chord, one that rang through Octavia’s soul and she slowed her own playing again, carefully bringing the tune out of the darkness and into the promise of a new morning. She opened her eyes, a cheerful smile gracing her face, and suddenly stopped, hitting the wrong cord as she did.
The sour note caused Lyra to jump and nearly drop her lyre. “What was that?”
Octavia simply pointed to the hallway and Lyra’s jaw dropped.
“Don’t stop on my account,” Bon Bon said. “You two were playing such a beautiful song.”
“T…Thank you,” Octavia said, still staring at Bon Bon.
“It had nothing on you though,” Lyra said, finally regaining enough control of her face to close her mouth. 
It was true. Bon Bon was dressed in a dazzling dress. It was a dark blue, matching the color of her mane. The sleeves up front went down to the middle of her forelegs, puffing out slightly with a mint green finish. A soft green trim ran along the base of the dress. Its pattern was arranged to look like gently rounded hills that rose and fell in perfect rhythm.  At the top of each hill was a golden topaz that sparkled every time she shifted her weight, giving the illusion that she was walking on gold dust. 
The dress was cut low in front, drawing Octavia’s eyes to the silk wrap Bon Bon had draped around her neck. It covered what the dress did not and was a mix of pink and blue, with little pink tassels hanging off the edge of it. It seemed to almost flow around her body instead of hang on it.
“Careful Lyra,” Bon Bon said with a smile. “You’re telling.”
Octavia managed to tear her gaze away from Bon Bon and look at the unicorn. The magic holding her lyre had gone from gold to a yellow-cream color, a clear sign that Lyra’s mind was distracted. Octavia decided that being a unicorn did come with its own set of unique problems. 
Lyra coughed and dropped her lyre on the couch, avoiding both Octavia’s and Bon Bon’s eyes. “I, uh…I…”
“Don’t you need to do the dishes?” Bon Bon asked, blinking slowly. 
“Do…do I have to? Didn’t you want a massage?”
“Lyra.”
“Oh, all right.” The unicorn got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen, hanging her head and trying to look forlorn. Bon Bon giggled and walked over to the couch. She sat down, careful not the wrinkle her dress as she did, and patted the seat beside her. Octavia carefully laid her cello against the couch and sat down.
“Do you like it?” Bon Bon asked. “Rarity made it for me. She wants me to be in the fashion show.”
“It is very lovely, Bon Bon,” Octavia said. She glanced over the dress again, still marveling at its appearance. “Lyra likes it as well.”
Bon Bon made a face. “She’s lucky I let her see it. I was so mad at her for disappearing that I was considering chaining her to the bedpost to keep her here.”
“So…I take it I will not be sleeping with you?” Octavia asked, not sure how to respond to a threat like that. “I mean, if you intend to chain her to the bed, that may be a bit…uncomfortable for me.”
“Is that disappointment I hear?” Bon Bon asked with a gleam in her eyes. 
“What?! No!” Octavia said quickly.
Bon Bon’s ears dropped and her eyes looked away. “Don’t you like what you see?”
“No!” Octavia said. “I…I mean, yes! I mean, you look very beautiful but—” She stopped once Bon Bon started giggling. “You are teasing me.”
“Maybe just a little. Lyra told me while she was burning dinner that you’ve been a little down lately. I thought I’d try to cheer you up.”
Octavia smiled and felt a tear swell in her eye. “Thank you, Bon Bon.” She paused, a thought suddenly crossing her mind. She had been too self-conscious earlier to mention it, but it had been in the back of her mind for a while and saying Bon Bon’s name brought it to the forefront. 
“Why did Lyra call you Sweetie Drops? Is it a…pet name?”
Bon Bon blushed, the color in her cheeks almost matching the pink that ran through her mane. “You…you heard that?” Octavia nodded, feeling like she was intruding on sacred ground. “No, it’s not a pet name. It’s…it’s my real name. Only a few ponies know it. Lyra’s the only pony in Ponyville that knows it.”
“But why do you not use your real name?”
“Ponies used to tease me about my name. They called me Sweaty Drops when I was a filly. I got so nervous whenever I had to talk in front of the class that I started sweating pretty badly.” A tear ran down Bon Bon’s cheek and she quickly wiped it away. “So I started to go by Bon Bon, after my favorite candy. And it just sort of…stuck. It took me a long time before I trusted Lyra enough to tell her.”
“Why? She is your wife,” Octavia said.
“She wasn’t always, silly,” Bon Bon said. “And come on now. You know what Lyra’s like. She can be…difficult to get along with. She tends to think with her feelings more often than her head, and a lot of ponies take that as a lack of tact on her part. She comes off as rude very often. And you’ve seen us argue before. I didn’t want her teasing me about my name, or using it against me. I don’t think I told her until we’d been together for two years and things had gotten…intimate.”
Octavia blushed and her mind raced to find something to say. “How do you do it?” she asked.
“Well, Lyra likes to be on the bottom. There’s a lot of kissing and touching involved, and when you know where to—”
“That is not what I meant!” Octavia said. Her face felt like it was about to burn away and it itched fiercely. 
“I didn’t think so,” Bon Bon said with a giggle. “You mean how have we not torn each other apart?”
“Yes,” Octavia said, looking away. This conversation was steering down a road that she did not want it to. She was starting to wish she had kept it on that other topic. It may have embarrassed her, but at least it would not hurt like this one was starting to. 
“It’s simple,” Bon Bon said as she looked toward the kitchen. The sound of running water and banging dishes drifted into the living room. “Yes, we fight. The fighting actually helps in some cases. Sometimes emotions need to be given words, not wrapped up and hidden behind polite conversations or locked away to rot.” 
A loud crash came from the kitchen and Bon Bon smiled softly. “We tend to have our different worlds a lot of the time. But neither one of us can picture our world without the other in it.”
“Dishes are done!” Lyra shouted. Octavia looked up and the green unicorn came trotting out of the kitchen, a smile spreading across her face and her eyes gleaming with excitement. “Now, about that massage…”
“Oh, Octavia offered to give it to me,” Bon Bon said with a wave of her hoof. “Since she’ll be with me and you’ll be on the couch.” She looked at the cellist and winked.
The expression on Lyra’s face was so pitiful that Octavia felt genuine sorrow for her friend. 
“Yes,” she said, trying not to laugh. “Bon Bon was very good company while you were doing the dishes, and I wanted to enjoy more of it.”
Lyra’s mouth fell open, again, as she looked between the two ponies. “This…this is some sort of sick joke, right? Did Discord get to you two or something?”
“No, Honey Drops,” Bon Bon said and Lyra’s face winced as she caught Bon Bon’s meaning. “Just getting you back for leaving me. Now go to bed. I’ll be along in a moment.”
“Right!” With that, Lyra bolted down the hall, calling over her shoulder for Bon Bon to leave the dress on because she wanted to be the one to take it off. 
“Honey Drops?” Octavia asked.
“My nickname for her, after her magic’s original color. I only use it when I’m trying to make a point though.” Bon Bon stood and walked to the hall closet. She returned with a pillow balanced on her back and a blanket in her mouth. “Follow me. The guest room’s down the hall.”
“I thought I was sleeping on the couch,” Octavia said as she took the blanket and followed Bon Bon down the hall and into the room.
“Of course not!” Bon Bon said. “If anypony was to actually sleep on the couch, it would be that unicorn. Maybe tomorrow night she can, but I’ve missed her too much to make her sleep out here tonight. Have a good night, and we’ll see you in the morning.”
When the door closed, Octavia was left alone with her thoughts again. Bon Bon’s words rang in her head. Lyra and Bon Bon were often oil and water in many cases. Lyra’s constant free-spirited antics and wanderlust caused no end of worry for Bon Bon. In turn, Bon Bon’s attitude and need to keep Lyra in check was often the cause for Lyra drowning herself in hard cider on some nights.
But the two were part of each other's worlds, and neither wanted that to change. Their relationship gained strength from their differences, not weakened because of them.
As Octavia tucked herself in and began to drift off to sleep, she wondered if she could see her world without Vinyl in it. The past week had given her a glimpse of such a world, especially the past few days. Her mind told her that it was the world she needed to live in. The pain that Vinyl caused was too much for her to take. Her world would be better off without the D.J. in it, or at least being such a major part of it.
That was what her mind told her. She just was not sure if she believed it anymore. After this fashion show performance, she would need to find Vinyl and find out for certain.