//------------------------------// // Nightmare Night... What a fright... // Story: GTVS: The Great Teacher Vinyl Scratch // by Mariacheat-Brony //------------------------------//         It was the end of the afternoon on the Saturday that was the thirty-first of October, only a few hours before the All Hallows Eve. It was time for the children of the Night to put on their most terrifying costume before haunting the streets in the search of the souls of the fools who dared wander in the streets during the nights. “Too bad I have to go to this festival,” Vinyl whispered with a small sigh. “It feels weird to not go trick or treating...” “Aren’t you a little too old for that?” Octavia asked, cocking an eyebrow at the young teacher. “Too old for free candy?!” Vinyl asked in a shocked gasp, before shaking her head vigorously. “As my friend Patty would say, NEVER!” she growled sternly, bringing her face close to her student’s.         Vinyl having her face this close to hers made Octavia’s blood boil in excitement. It had been two weeks since she discovered her feelings for her teacher, and since then she had been avoiding her roommate teacher as much as possible. Something that pained her a lot more than she thought it would.         Octavia missed the talks about music she had with Vinyl, missed watching movies with her before going to sleep, and just hanging out with her. She had tried to fight her emotions, to keep them hidden. The latter was rather effectively done one could say, the former not so much. The more she tried to suppress her feelings, the more intense they became. Over the last few weeks, she had more than once woke up in the middle of the night, sweating and panting as if after a PE session, after a dream about herself and her teacher kissing each other… and some times even more.         Out of reflex, Octavia shied away from Vinyl, her cheeks flaring red and looking right at her left shoe tip, not seeing that Vinyl had done just the same, also blushing, though quite not as intensively as her student.         When she realized how close her face had been from Octavia, Vinyl instantly remembered a discussion she had with Rarity in private in her room after the day she had come to visit the school with Jacquelyn. Vinyl had asked Rarity to help her with a costume for Halloween, a tradition the two had since Rarity first discovered her passion for sewing. ////////////// “Darling, may I ask something?” Rarity tilted her head in confusion, an eyebrow cocked upwards. “Sure,” Vinyl replied with shrug. “What exactly did you do to have your chest grow four centimeters larger than the last time I took your measurements?” Rarity asked, frowning at the number indicated by her measuring tape which was passed around Vinyl’s generous chest. “Did you get surgery?” “Nope!” Vinyl let out with pride. “All natural!” “As natural as your hair color, I’m sure,” Rarity pouted sourly. “You’re just jealous!” Vinyl laughed. “I most certainly am not.” Rarity humphed with dignity. “You’re so green with envy that I get the feeling Jackie will marry a plant with a wig instead of a...GYAAAAH!” Vinyl’s joke was interrupted by her sudden scream of pain. “Oh my, silly me,” Rarity let out with a sly chuckle. “I read the number wrong. Your breast size is actually two centimeters smaller than before.” she added in what Vinyl could only interpret as the most evil tone she had ever heard while pulling the tape really tight. “Maledetta!” [Curse you!] Vinyl groaned, with a small blush. “Now, be a dear, and apologize for your poor attempt at humor.” “Jamais, espèce de planche à pain!…” [Never, you bloody breadboard!] “Oh dear, I must be tired,” Rarity said casually. “I got the number wrong again. Four centimeters smaller!” “Rarity… You and your cowgirl may have a rope fetish, but it’s not my ...GYAAAHAAA!” “Eight centimeters! I really should have brought my glasses!” “FINE! I’M SORRY!” Vinyl cried in pain. “You’re totally not jealous!” “Don’t you forget it, darling!” Rarity chuckled before letting the tape loose. “Grazie a Dio!” Vinyl sighed in relief, before glaring at Rarity. “Don’t you ever do that again, or I’ll punch you, even if you’re my best friend! Claro?” [Clear?] she asked angrily, though that effect was lost with her hands soothing her sore chest. “Crystal, dear,” Rarity nodded before she got back to her sewing.         With her friend’s last measurements, which she totally wasn’t jealous about -that’d be terribly uncouth-  in mind, Rarity quickly adjusted the costume she had already made for Vinyl. Once that was done, she asked her friend to put it on to see if it fitted or if there were any finishing touches needed. “Looks great to me, Rare.” Vinyl stated as she looked herself in the mirror. “I wonder what costume Octavia will take for the festival,” she thought out loud. “Why do you care, Darling?” Rarity asked slowly, slightly examining her friend’s facial expression through the mirror. “Well, I’m just curious,” Vinyl replied after taking a few seconds to think about her answer. “And I hope she didn’t get a similar costume to mine… I mean, imagine if we both show up with a matching costume. With all that happened before, she’ll be embarrassed for the rest of the school year,” she added with a sad sigh. “You seem to care a lot about your favorite student, dear,” Rarity stated with caution. “For the last time, I don’t have a favorite student!” Vinyl replied in annoyance. “Ottavia’s just also my friend outside of school, and that’s why I’m worried about her!” “Are you sure about that, Vincenza?” Rarity whispered quietly without realizing she had just spoken her thoughts out loud. “What did you say?” Vinyl had heard what her friend whispered, and wasn’t pleased by it. Damn her…. what’s the name Patty uses again? Right! Damn her Vulcan hearing! Rarity cursed mentally before sighing in resolution. “Are you sure about that?” Rarity repeated. “Are you implying that I would play favorite with Octavia?” Vinyl growled as she took a threatening step toward the seamstress. “I, Vincenza Scratch, the one who had been our school teacher’s pets’ punching bag and scapegoat, would do that?” “Dear, I know that you’d never do that!” Rarity replied firmly, a bit offended by her friend’s insinuation. “You have a strange way of showing it!” Vinyl snorted in disbelief. “I wasn’t talking about you playing favourite, Vincenza! I know you well enough to not worry about that.” Rarity decided to handle the situation without kid gloves. “I worry about you and Octavia though!” “Huh?” Vinyl blinked in confusion. “What are you worrying about?” “About how you feel about her!” Rarity explained sternly.         A short, but deep silence followed the black haired woman’s words. “What exactly do you mean by that?” Vinyl asked slowly, completely taken aback by her friend’s remark. Rarity sighed. “Darling, you probably didn’t realize it, but out of the ten students in your class, the only one you ever mentioned to us was Octavia,” she said softly. “What?” Vinyl asked. “That’s not true!” “It is,” Rarity replied with a short nod. “Granted, you didn’t send many emails, and you didn’t call very often, but each time I had you on the phone, you spoke about her, even just in passing.”         Vinyl opened her mouth to prove her friend wrong, but she remained silent when she realized she couldn’t. She remembered all the conversations she had with her best friend since she had moved in Canterlot, and couldn’t find a single one in which Octavia wasn’t mentioned. “So, what’s the big deal?” Vinyl asked after a good minute. “Like I told you earlier, I’m her friend too…. At least, not during the school hours.” “Are you sure you’re just friends with her?” Rarity asked, her voice taking a worried tone. “Of course I am!” Vinyl nearly shouted. “Why are you asking me that?” “Vincenza Darling,” Rarity said, resting a reassuring hand on her friend’s shoulder. “The way you spoke about her earlier… reminded me of someone else… Someone you used to care for more than in a friendly manner!” “What are….” Vinyl’s eyes widened in realization. “The tone you used, the things you said, it was like…” “Don’t!” Vinyl whispered, her voice shaking in a growing anger. “...when you used to talk about Neon,” Rarity concluded softly. Vinyl glared at her friend. “You’re crazy!” “Vincenza, I’m just…” “Just shut up, Rarity!” Vinyl nearly shouted. “Do you even realize what you’re implying?” “I do,” Rarity replied with an uneasy nod. “And I hope that I’m wrong.” “Of course, you’re wrong!” Vinyl claimed. “Yes, I have feelings for Octavia, but the same kind as the ones I have for you, or Patty! Not that... other kind!” she added in a firm tone, a very elusive, embarrassed blush making its way on her cheeks as she started to imagine what Rarity implied.         While Rarity, reassured by Vinyl’s words, was voicing all the apologies she could think of, Vinyl hardly listened to her. Images started flooding her mind, images she had suppressed deep inside her without knowing it.         Octavia’s blushing, but beaming face after the tickling fight they had more than a month ago; the young cellist’s smile whenever Vinyl commented her playing, something she had the pleasure to hear every weekend; how cute she looked the first time they watched a movie together when she had fallen asleep on Vinyl’s shoulder; her slender body wearing only lacy, white underwear under the shower jet…. Cazzo di merda…. [Fucking shit!] Vinyl thought slowly.         It was at that moment that Vinyl’s life was changed forever: when she realized she had just lied to her best friend. //////////////         Rarity had opened Pandora’s box, and the young teacher realized that it didn’t necessarily contain all the evils of the world, unless the undying attraction she felt for Octavia was considered evil. Which was probably the case for a lot of people. Since that day, Vinyl couldn’t look at Octavia for more than thirty seconds without having thoughts, thoughts about her student that shouldn’t be thought by a teacher like her.          Vinyl had looked away a few seconds after Octavia had done so. Octavia had issues with personal space, so Vinyl was used to her student shying away whenever someone was too close to her liking. Normally she wouldn’t look away. She would just mock her student’s shyness, but today, Octavia’s hair lifted up when she looked away, flashing her snow white neck to her teacher, her loveable neck that was waiting for Vinyl to nibble it.         That thought had made the blue haired woman look away as well, and, had she had a much weaker self control, she would have strongly slapped herself for thinking that. Repeatedly.         Luckily for the two women, their mutual embarrassment lasted only the blink of an eye, thanks to Vito calling his daughter. “Octavia, if you still want me to drop you off at Beatrice’s on my way to the train station, it’s now or never!” Vito shouted from the hallway. “I’m coming, Father!” Octavia replied. “Well, see you at the festival, Vincenza.” “Later,” Vinyl muttered while being somehow captivated by the coffee table.         Octavia rushed past Vinyl, her right hand slightly brushing against Vinyl’s, giving the two a shock of static electricity. The two let a out a simultaneous, quiet yelp of pain, bringing their finger to their respective mouth. Octavia and Vinyl glanced at each other sucking their own forefinger for a brief instant before the cellist stepped out of the room. Perchè è tanta carina? [Why is she so cute?] Vinyl commented with a mental, blissful sigh. Why is she so pretty? Octavia asked herself dreamily. ~~~~~~~~ “Ha, Vincenza!” Selene called cheerfully as she lifted the face guard of the black medieval helmet she was wearing. “Happy First Nightmare Night!” “Happy Nightmare Night to you too, Selene!” Vinyl chuckled at how cheerful the Literature teacher was. “That’s a badass costume you have there!” she whistled admiringly at the black plate armor Selene was wearing. “And, you even got the sword!” “Not the real one though,” Selene slightly put. “Celeste doesn’t allow me to bring it to school.” “You have a real medieval sword at home?” “Well, it was part of the armor set,” Selene shrugged before bumping her chest with a deep, metallic sound. “What the… How do you plan on dancing with this?” Vinyl cocked an eyebrow when she realized the armor was made of real metal. “It must weigh a ton!” “Not every part of it is in metal,” Selene admitted. “Besides, it’s for protection!” “Protection from what?”         Selene glanced above Vinyl’s shoulder before quickly bringing her face guard down. A ball of wet paper crashed into the helmet a few seconds after that, startling Vinyl a bit. “Dimitri!” Selene growled from beneath her helmet, pointing with her gauntlet behind Vinyl. “What’s his costume supposed to be?” Vinyl asked when she noticed the math teacher cursing mutedly with a straw/blow tube in his mouth. Dimitri was wearing what looked like a weird assemblage of parts from animal costumes. He had mismatched wings, one made of blue feathers while the other was a deep purple batwing. The right leg of his trousers had a green scales pattern while the left one was covered in brown fur, and he was wearing an eagle claw glove on the left hand and a lion’s paw on the right one. “Some sort of ancient demon,” Selene replied waving a threatening, iron-looking fist at her attacker. “Would you assist me in my crusade against the enemy of mankind?” “What crusade?” Vinyl asked curiously. “Dimitri and I have a sort of Prank War every Nightmare Night,” Selene explained. “That’s seems fun, maybe once the kids are done with their show, I’ll participate.” Vinyl nodded with interest. “Though, I don’t think I’ll side with you. Our costumes don’t match.” “And what’s your costume actually?” Selene asked, poking at the long raincoat Vinyl was wearing. “Inspector Colombo?” “Nah!” Vinyl shook her head with a chuckle. “That was just for the road.”         Vinyl opened her raincoat before letting it drop on the floor, revealing a skin tight, greyish white, furry outfit that covered her entire body with, longer, darker grey fur on her legs, pelvis, chest, arms. She was also wearing a pair of matching boots that had the shape of wolf’s paws and similar gloves that were hanging at the end of her sleeves. Vinyl pulled her furry hood up, bringing the wolf’s mask sewed to it. “I’m a werewolf!” Vinyl stated the obvious as she put her gloves on. “Commendable costume.” Selene looked over her colleague’s costume. “How do the ears and tail move?” she asked, her eyes following the pendular motion the fluffy tail Vinyl had did. “The ears react to the sounds,” Vinyl explained as the ears on her hood twitched from left to right. “And the tail moves thanks to a button inside the glove.” “Fascinating!” Selene nodded. “Quite nice, indeed,” Celeste commented as she, and Theresa walked to Selene’s side. The headmistress had changed her trademark white outfit with a simple white dress with golden seams, a golden cord passed around her waist like a belt, and a pair of large white wings spread on her back. Theresa, for her part, was wearing a night blue sorcerer’s dress with moons and stars pattern on it, a matching wizard hat with golden bells on it, and an impressive, long white beard. “I don’t know,” Theresa scratched her beard pensively. “You don’t like my costume?” Vinyl cocked an eyebrow, but the Vice-Principal couldn’t see it under her mask. “Well, the fact is that people are supposed to run away from the werewolf in fright,” Theresa explained with embarrassment. “But, I’m not sure you’ll have that effect with… hum… given its.. huh.. design,” she added sheepishly. “What do you mean?” Vinyl asked in confusion. “I think what she means is that your costume leaves little to imagination…” Celestia commented, peeking above the wolfwoman’s shoulder. “.. and I think the boys agree on that.”         Vinyl glanced where the angel was looking, noticing that many of the male teachers were looking at her, or at her swaying tail to be precise with way more insistence than what could be consider proper. “I guess that’s what happens when I agree too quickly on one of Rarity’s design,” Vinyl let out in a pensive tone, before stopping the movement of her tail. “Oh, it’s the woman who came to make a lecture to your students about image who did it?” Selene asked with curiosity. “I didn’t know she was making costumes too!” “Normally she doesn’t,” Vinyl explained. “She just makes exceptions for me and her little sister. Though, her designs tend to put the curves at their best a little too much…” “You haven’t noticed until now?” Theresa asked with surprise. “Not really,” Vinyl replied with a shrug. “Not that I care, I mean, it’s like wearing a wetsuit… only with fur and a tail.” “I guess,” Theresa admitted.         All three other women glanced at her with a cocked eyebrow, though only Celeste’s was visible. “Since when do you agree with what Vincenza says?” Selene asked bluntly. “When she offers a reasonable explanation, why shouldn’t I?” Theresa asked back with a frown.         Selene’s retort was interrupted when another spit ball  flew against her helmet with a quiet splotch. The armor wearing woman slowly turned around to the origin of the shot. “Excuse me, dear angel, wise wizard, and attractive wolf-woman,” she slowly said, taking her sword replica out of its sheath. “I have a foul daemon to sanctify with my holy blade!” she growled before walking to Dimitri with metallic clings accompanying every one of her steps. “You’re not gonna stop her?” Vinyl asked Celeste with worry. “Nope!” Celeste replied with a shrug. “Over the years, I learned that me trying to stop them only ends with a worse situation than if I hadn’t done anything.” she explained as Selene parried a water balloon thrown at her with her sword, somehow sending it back to Dimitri who dodged the projectile, at Turner, the sciences’ teacher’s great misfortune. “If you’re certain, then I’ll go with the flow.” Vinyl nodded before walking away from the Headmistress and Vice-Principal. “I’ll see if my kids are ready to play!” “You’ve still got time before the show starts,” Theresa commented as she glanced at her watch. “I know, but better be ready in advance than risking being late, right?” Vinyl asked playfully, earning a small chuckle from the dark skinned magician. “Careful, Theresa,” Celeste mocked softly. “You’re warming up to her.” “Off course, she is!” a woman wearing a chicken outfit commented as she walked next to the discussing pair, a bowl full of candies tucked under her arm/wing. “That’s what the fans want, or at least that’s what the author thinks they want!”         Celeste and Theresa glanced at the newcomer with puzzlement. “You’re not one of our students, are you?” Theresa stated with a frown. “Indeededly!” the chicken woman nodded. “Neither one of our teachers,” Celeste added. “Wooo, you’re good!” the woman childishly chuckled. “Next question!” “Do you know that it’s a private party only for people from this school?” Theresa asked with a cocked eyebrow. “Oh,” she let out in disappointment. “Also, those candies are for our students!” Theresa pointed at the bowl. “That’s too bad….” she looked at the two women with a sad pout, before unfolding her other arm/wing. “CHICKEN GLITTERDUST!”         She flapped her wing at Celeste and Theresa, blinding them with the cloud of golden dust that came out of it, then she ran away, cackling like scared poultry would, the bowl of candy secured in her grip. “Bye, Miss Angel and Miss Clown!” she called loudly as she ran to the dance floor area. The Headmistress, her upper body now covered with glitter, blinked when she realized that the young girl in a large, white chicken costume had successfully blended in the crowd. “How did she do that?” “What did she mean by "Miss CLOWN"?” Theresa growled angrily. “I’m Starswirl the Bearded, the director of Horsewarts in the Garry Trotter book series! I look nothing like a clown. I even got the bells right, dammit!” “Not really the most important thing here, Theresa,” Celeste commented with a cocked eyebrow. “Urrgh, I’m going to find her and make it right!” Theresa stomped away in fury. “No one mistakes Starswirl the Bearded with a clown! ESPECIALLY NOT WHEN THIS COSTUME IS HAND-STITCHED!” Celeste blinked as the Vice-Principal looked for the chicken girl. “What did I do to have three of my best employees completely crazy?” she wondered glancing at Theresa, her sister and Dimitri, the latter still busy throwing spit balls at the black knight who tried to club him with her sword. “Wouldn’t change it for all the money in the world though,” she added with a soft sigh.         In the mean time, Vinyl had made it backstage where she found the boys in her class setting their instruments.         Nathan had chosen to put on a Scorpion costume, and thus he was wearing a black, skin tight, body suit along with yellow patches of a ninja armor on his shins, pelvis, chest and forearms and a yellow, skull mask that hid the lower part of his mouth.         On the other hand, Harpo, Frederic and Henry had opted for more traditional costumes: Frederic was wearing a very classy black shirt with a light grey jacket on top and a deep crimson tie, a long dark cape, and a white mask that covered half of his face. Harpo had his face covered in make-up that made it look like it had been completely burned during a fire. He was wearing a red and green striped sweater, a dark brown fedora and a leather glove of which digits ended with small plastic blades. Henry was completely wrapped by dirty bandages, and was wearing a sort of Egyptian skirt and collar on top of it. He also had painted his drumsticks in a golden and blue striped pattern to make them look like those wands the pharaohs had with them. “Nice costumes, boys!” Vinyl commented with an approving nod. “Scratch?” Harpo asked with surprise when the four turned their heads to see their teacher. “In the fur,” Vinyl replied in a playful tone. “Though I apologize for it,... couldn’t find my razor before leaving.” she joked, earning chuckles from her male students. “So, where are the girls?” “I got a text from Diana,” Nathan explained as he passed the strap of his guitar over his shoulder. “They got into a bit of trouble with one of the costumes, but they shouldn’t be late.” “Cool,” Vinyl replied before she went to check on the microphones setting. “Henry, stop staring at my tail!” she added in an even tone. “How did she know?” Henry asked Harpo in a whisper. “Leave me out of your problem, Pharaoh,” Harpo replied with indifference before he went back to tune his harp. “Gotta know, Harpo,” Vinyl said as she pulled her wolf mask and hood up. “Who did the make-up? That’s nearly professional level!” “My sister is in her last year of cosmetics studies,” Harpo answered with pride. “Wow! If she needs contacts for work experience, let me know,” Vinyl said with a warm smile. “I know a few people who lack a good make-up woman.” “Thanks!” “You’re welcome!”         The four boys and their teachers checked if the microphones were correctly plugged in and set while they were waiting for the girls. Then, the students rehearsed under the wolfy gaze of their teacher, Vinyl had pulled her hood and mask on again. “We’re here!” Diana called as she walked backstage, wearing a complete firefighter costume, with the helmet, bottle of oxygen and everything. “Sorry, for being late!” she added a bit out of breath. “You’re right on time,” Vinyl commented, startling the young flautist with her costume. “Woo, that there’s some sick make-up, Harpo!” Fiona commented with an impressed whistle, tipping her white stetson at the harpist. “Yer sis’ is sure good at what she does!”         The violinist was wearing some old farm clothes: worn-out jeans overalls, a slightly torn, green shirt and a crimson scarf. She had glued or taped straws of hay at each articulation of her clothes and at the end of the sleeves, legs and collar. “She sure is,” Viola agreed with the other violinist, for once, before straightening her sorceress hat.         Viola had chosen to come as an out-of-the-book sorceress with a long, simple yet elegant dress black as the night and the matching cape that went with it along with her pointy hat. “Beatrice,...” Frederic glanced at the sousaphonist’s bubble gum pink, bear costume. “It’s an… interesting choice of a costume,” he said sheepishly. “Blame Laura!” Beatrice pouted angrily. “She picked up the wrong costume for me and Octavia!” “I---huff--said I---phew-- was  sor--oh!--ry!” a panting Laura crawled backstage, with a cello case strapped on her back.         Vinyl and the boys cocked an eyebrow at the lyrist’s costume. Her lower body was trapped in a light green mermaid tail while the upper body of the costume was one of a green horse. Laura had the head of the horse on, also green, with a green and white mane and a twirly horn coming out of its forehead. “What’s that? A seahorse?” Harpo tilted her head in confusion. “I’m a SEA-UNICORN!” Laura specified sternly. “Right…” Vinyl let out before her gaze fell on Octavia who was wearing a thick raincoat that hid her costume. “So, what’s your costume?” “You’re looking at it,” Octavia replied coldly. “Huh?” Henry let out in confusion. “No way in hell I’m taking this coat off!” Octavia explained angrily. “Come on, Octavia, admit that your costume is nice!” Laura grunted as she pulled herself up her seat. “No, it isn’t!” “You crawled from the parking lot to get here, didn’t you?” Nathan asked the lyrist with a hint of worry. “Na, I waited until we walked inside the building to get in character,” Laura answered with a relieved sigh. “I think I’m gonna break character soon though!” “What’s wrong with your costume?” “It’s not what I wanted!” Octavia pouted. “Aren’t you overreacting?” Beatrice asked. “At least it’s not pink like mine!” “Beatrice, you wanted the carebear costume,” Octavia argued. “You just wanted the blue one!” “Of course I wanted the blue one!” Beatrice replied. “The pink one makes me look like I’m five!” “I ain’t sure the blue one would have made that much of a difference,” Fiona commented quietly, earning short giggles from Viola and Diana. “Alright, that’s enough!” Vinyl calmed her students instantly. “I know it’s Halloween and that we’re all very excited or on a sugar rush, but our class has a job to do!” She glanced at each of her students with intensity that wasn’t lost by her students despite her wolf mask. “This is your first performance as a group… I want nothing but the best from every single one of you, because I know that in front of me stands a group of professional performers, not just a bunch of high schoolers in costumes!”         Vinyl could see all her students blush at her praise, even the ones behind masks, bandages or make-up. “Now, everyone gets ready!” Vinyl clapped in her hands firmly. “We have a show to run! Octavia, you can keep the coat on if you’re not comfortable without it, as long as it won’t disturb your playing.” “Huh, it’s okay,” Octavia replied with a short sigh. “After all, a true professional keeps going on, no matter the circumstances, right?” she asked with a small smile that made Vinyl’s heart skip a beat or two. “Absolutely.” Vinyl nodded with pride after a short instant.         Octavia picked something in her coat’s pocket before taking it off, revealing her costume. Vinyl was glad that her mask hid her face completely, otherwise her students would have seen her gaping mouth and her blush.         Octavia was wearing a black and dark crimson dress. The crimson bustier of the dress hugged her small curves, making them stand out delicately. The fall of the dress was cut in the front, making her soft, snow white legs come out of the lace of the dress when she walked to a chair to drop her coat. The lacy, black sleeves came down the back of her hands, where a small ring of fabric passed around her middle fingers kept them in place. The young cellist turned to face her teacher as she put a small dose of deep red lipstick on her lips before setting a set of fake fangs in her mouth.         Vinyl swallowed her spit as quietly as possible. Never had Octavia looked so seductive before. Always cute as a button, but never … sensual. The way she held herself in a dress, opposed to when she wore the suits and uniforms that Vinyl was used seeing on her, made her sort of glow in an aura of classy seductiveness, as if Sensuality had decided to attend a tea party wearing a monocle and a top hat. “Say, Ottavia,” Vinyl called softly as the boys were getting over Octavia’s costume, a bit slower than Vinyl had. “What exactly is wrong with this costume?” “Well, I was sure I would look weird….” “Nonsense!” Vinyl assured while the others were pulling their instruments out of their cases, or snapping the boys out of their trances. “You make a fantastic Vampire Lady!” she added pointing at the white fangs in her student’s mouth. “T-th-thanks!” Octavia replied with a soft blush. “Though, I’ve never been a fan of vampires… I’m… more into werewolves,” she admitted sheepishly. “We would have had matching costumes if Laura hadn’t picked the wrong costumes.” “Well, I’m sorta glad she did,” Vinyl admitted. “You should try to wear dresses more often…. You’re just stunning in them,” she added with sincerity. Octavia’s blush deepened at the compliment. “I-Ihavetogetready!” the cellist said quickly as she went to her cello case. “Right! Right!” Vinyl snapped out of her revery. “Show starts in five, everyone!” she shouted before grabbing a wireless microphone near the sound system. “Let’s give our fellow students some sweet, sweet music!” “Yeah!” they all shouted back with fervor, though Octavia’s voice was a little bit more shaken than the others’.