Hey guys i just wanted to say thank you for reading chapter 1 of this fic! It means a lot to me that someone has seen it let alone several people! With that being said I made some pretty drastic changes to the end of chapter 1, so you may want to reread the ending starting when vinyl falls asleep! Now you let’s get to the actual chapter shall we?
<(‘.’)>
The gray mare slowly rejoined the world of the living after maybe one of the most peaceful slumbers she has ever experienced. Her long black mane, usually styled to perfection, was sprawled across the bed, knotted up and frizzy from the peaceful rest she had received. Her cello sat in a stand next to the bed, and a small oak table sat in the corner, piled with sheet music. Other than these few objects her room was utterly empty.
As the mare laid in bed, not caring about the time or her hair or anything really, the sound of a harp hit her ears.Play. It was slow and peaceful, serene but not boring. It began to lull her back into the world of sleep.
No Octavia, you mustn't sleep any longer, you have a busy day ahead of you! The harp continued to drag her further and further into slumber. I shouldn’t sleep any longer; I’ve just been accepted into the Fancy Pants orchestra and should show him that I’m not some inconsiderate lazy sloth! But this bed is ever so comfortable… What is this? Is this cloud? I can’t be, I’m lying right on top of it. A giggle sprang from Octavia’s lips. Normally I’d fall right through. Unless it was enchanted… Yes! This must be the case! I wonder if the enchantment wears off, maybe i should keep laying down and see if it will... Just as her thoughts began to find back into peaceful slumber the door to her room swung open.
“TAVIA ITS TIME TO GET UP FREDERIC IS MAKING HAY SMOOTHIES” The magenta eyed, sky blue earth pony mare with a medium length curly mane colored light brown like milk chocolate barged in, yelling loud enough to dislodge Canterlot from the cliff it was set atop and send it spiraling down the mountain.
“GAAHBAHASAB” The gray earth pony mare projected, nearly jumping out of her grey fur, landing on the floor beside her bed with a hard thump. “Dear Celestia you scared me, are you always this loud beauty brass?”
Beauty Brass spoke again, this time slightly less booming. It was now just a mild roar. “My apologies but the brass instruments tend to mess with my hearing, by the way did you enjoy the bed?”
“Why yes it was heavenly! What is it?” Octavia had a mild Canterlot accent, obviously present but not too distracting.
“It’s a mix between feathers and cloud. You see birds can stand on cloud, ponies can lie on feather, so they just throw the feathers on top of some cloud and sell them to unicorn and earth ponies. Expensive but Fancy pants wants nothing but the best for his orchestra”
Just as beauty finished her sentence a thud was heard from down the stairs, followed by the unpleasant ring of a sour harp note.
A raspy voice bearing a deep Manehatten accent yelled up the stairs. “Beauty would you be ever so kind as to SHUT UP AND LET ME PLAY MY HARP? Thank you and hurry move your flank, breakfast is almost ready.”
“Yea whatever you say harp-ho. Sorry about that, can we continue this talk over breakfast? I THINK IT’S SOMEPONIES TIME OF THE MONTH AGAIN” Beauty Brass turned towards the stairs, annoyed by the harp player’s antics.
Octavia stood up from the surprisingly soft and comfortable hardwood floor and trudged towards the bathroom to get cleaned up. After a quick splash of water to the face and her usual 200 combs of her mane, a brush of her teeth, a scrub of her hooves, a short shower to wash of the dirt from her fur, and the fashioning of one stylish pink bowtie (Okay so maybe not so quick), she began her descent down the stairs.
She was greeted by the other three residents of the house playing a rigorous round robin of rock, paper, hoof. Harpo Nadermane was a tall stallion with a light purple coat. He had the most ridiculous green eyes and his mane was a sky blue, slightly darker than beauty brass’s coat, short, messy, and obviously uncombed. The other musician, being the pianist, Frederic Horseshoepin, was a very light brown stallion, not as tall as Harpo but definitely more defined. He had the same green eyes as Harpo but they seemed to fit him better. His blonde mane was parted in the middle of his head, stopping about an inch from his eye. It gave him a very regal look. Beauty being the first to notice Octavia spoke up.
“Oh hey Tavia glad you could make it!”
“Is this a tradition in the household? Daily games of rock, paper, hoof?” Octavia stated sounding slightly disgusted by the foal’s game.
“Nope were out of hay and somepony needs to get more for the smoothies, care to join?”
“Why don’t i just run down and grab them? There’s a food store at the bottom of the hill, yes? I’ll be back in an eighth note!” Octavia was giddy at finally getting to do something to help out around the house, and end the very improper game of rock, paper, hoof going on. After taking a few bits from the grocery money jar she made her way out of the brick mansion that sat atop a hill, facing towards the house of nobles and away from her destination, the market.
Octavia loved walks, they gave her a chance to think. Well this ensemble sure seems like a fun group of ponies, but where do i fit in? It seems as if they have known each other forever. I hope they don’t think I’m intruding! … Nonsense Fancy said i would fit in just great with the rest of his group.
Octavia had just rounded the back of her new group-home and began walking down the path to the market.
Is that pony staring at me? Surely he can’t be I’m not famous…yet. Wait why is that whole group of ponies staring? Is it something I’m wearing, the bow tie? Do i have toilet paper on my hoof? Is my... Just as Octavia was formulating her next thought she slipped on a mysterious can of spray paint, crashing against the ground. A resounding thud was created. How embarrassing, that can of paint did it on purpose! To sabotage my chance at the spotlight! The crowd of ponies didn't seem to care, which made the gray musician to realize they weren't looking at her but behind her. As she looked back she noticed something off about the house. It was either the light bouncing off of it at just the right angle or the giant graffiti amp and purple sunglasses but something was off.
Well… Horsefeathers. She got up and in a full gallop headed back to her enormous, freshly painted house. Octavia burst through the door at a full gallop and headed straight for the kitchen where she could faintly here one Beauty Brass.
“Honestly i think she’s a little uptight, I mean who sleeps in a bow tie? That’s just plain… Oh hey Tavia!”
Octavia couldn’t help but cringe at the nickname. She really didn’t care this morning but now that she was awake and alert it bothered her. Nicknames were just so improper. “Did you just call me uptight? I’ll have you know that I once quite the rebel.”
Beauty Brass couldn’t help but snicker at this comment. “Please Octavia, if i put a grain of sand in your plot I’d have a diamond by next week.”
“That’s…” Octavia was trying to find the proper response.
“Kinky?” Harpo hastily said, receiving a punch on the arm from the angered cellist.
“No, i was going to say vulgar and uncouth.”
Harpo budded in once again “Octavia that’s domestic abuse, i should know I’ve been arrested for it three times.” At that Beauty gave a wicked smile, and decided to speak up again.
“No offense Octavia, but you couldn't let your mane down if your life depended on it.”
“That is so not true! I can be very…” She dreaded the next word, knowing that it can only lead to trouble “fun at times!”
“Oh Yea?” Beauty had that same mischievous smile on her crooked face once again. She casually trotted over to Octavia, and planted a sloppy wet kiss on her check. As soon as contact was made Octavia jerked her head away in disgust and shock.
“What the hay beauty? I’ll have you know that is sexual assault and borderline rape!” Octavia was now backed up against the wall on the opposite side of the room, looking absolutely furious at the “rapist” that had just assaulted her.
Beauty shrugged and spoke once again “Yea whatever priss, did you get our hay?”
It now just dawned on Octavia that she hadn't told the three about the new paintjob added to the house. “Well um you see, i was on my way down when i noticed somepony might have…” Octavia dreaded her next sentence, knowing it could only cause trouble “Spray-painted a giantampandsunglasses alloverthebackofour… house.” She looked at two shocked faces, and one forever unchanging expression from Frederick.
After a short trip to the back the four musicians stared at the back wall. Harpo was the first to speak.
“Well Beauty, why don't you and Octavia head down to the station? See if they caught the artist that did this.”
“More like street rat” Octavia muttered under her breath.
Beauty was quick to rebuttal to Harpo’s earlier comment. “Hay no, I’m going to get some hay and eat, Tavia can go to the station alone, i think she’s old enough to handle this one.” She gave a quick wink to the furious cellist and began her descent to the market.
“Wait Harpo what are you going to do?” A very confused grey mare asked.
“I’m going to nap, i was up to late on YouHoof checking out this wonderful DJ”
“DJ’s can’t be wonderful, they can be lower class, loud, and obnoxious, but never wonderful.”
Harpo glared at Octavia obviously unhappy with her opinion. “Listen i don’t care what YOU think but this mare gives away all her music for free. She practically invented a new genre, and comes from the upper class. Now please, go punish the thug that painted our wall.”
Firm on her opinion Octavia didn’t say another word but instead began her descent down their hill towards the market, destination police station.
She began humming a tune. A very beautifully composed version Beethoofen's 5th.
<(‘.’)>
“Listen miss i would love to help ya but ya got to speak to me.” The blue stallion spoke through the cold steel bars that separated her from the the mare inside, who after a morning of listening to the stallions sad attempt to get her to explain her reasoning for her art, began to become slightly irritated.
“Why are ya stayin so quite? Well i can’t help ya if ya don’t want to be helped!” At that the stallion cantered out of the room in fury.
Finally, i thought he would never leave. Ok well you got yourself in this mess you can get out. Let’s see can i… She tried to squeeze through the bars but even her limber frame wouldn’t fit. Ok no what about… She then tried to pick the lock with her tail, only to have one of her hairs get caught and pulled out. Ok ow! Well i guess there’s just one thing to do, sit and wait.
About an hour was spent staring at the wall, sitting on her flank, humming a distorted version of sapphire shores “I believe i can fly”. It was really a shame what happened with sapphire and that foal, she was a great artist. But some activities just shouldn’t be videotaped. For some reason as soon as fame hits you have to go and molest a foal… anyway i wonder how my new wub is doing on YouHoof. This one is sure to knock the socks off of anypony who hears it. Wait, who would be wearing socks? Well vinyl you're not one to judge, I’m probably one of three ponies who wears glasses, or anything at all on a normal day. Anyway if i don’t get out of here fast i may be late for work. I don’t think Fancy likes his ponies being late, especially when said pony has been late almost every single day of her life. And even if said pony is only a janitor but still, I’m important! As she began to lose hope on her waiting strategy a bell was sound and hoofsteps were heard.
“Hello I’m here to see if you caught the pony who so rudely painted the fancy pants orchestral home?”
Did she say Fancy… and Orchestral? Well shit.