//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: Octi's Bad Save 
// Story: Switching Up the Beats 
// by Dizzylightning 
//------------------------------//


Switching Up the Beats:
Dizzy Lightning
Chapter 1

Vinyl paced back and forth on the tile floor, her hooves making an ever so slight click noise. She was mumbling with both excitement and nervousness. Octavia sighed, “Vinyl, dear, I do wish you would stop pacing it’s making it extremely hard to practice.” She said putting down her bow.
“I’m sorry Octi, it’s just I haven’t seen Dramatic Entrance in so long. I just can’t wait for her to get here.”
“Yes, yes, I know…” Octavia said, walking over to her mare, “but please, it will do you no good to rush her, her train will get here when it gets here.”
“I guess your right I just can’t wait to-“there was a crash as a purple mare swung through the living room window on a rope.
“Swing through the window to friend’s surprise.” She chanted excitedly. She slid her back around sideways, “Skid to a halt.” She turned towards Vinyl, “Kiss the giggly one,” She said as she planted pressed Vinyl into a kiss. “And,” She saw the stone-cold-psychopathic-calm on Octavia’s face, “stay away from the grumpy one.” She turned back to Vinyl, who hugged her tightly.
“Oh my Celestia, Drama, I can’t believe it’s been so long! How’ve you been?” The one unicorn said, hugging her friend.
“I’ve been great, I’ve done Manehatten, and Prance, I even did a tour with a Pantomime troupe in the Griffon Kingdoms.” Vinyl motioned her to the couch and they both flopped down, ignoring Octavia’s deep sigh. “How about you, what’s the Great Vinyl Scratch been up to recently, last time I saw you, you were still remixin’ Tombstone, Toaster, and Mic the Microphone, have you done any singles yet?”
“Yeah, I’ve done one or two,” Vinyl said, casually motioning to the gold record hanging behind her, “But the biggest thing is, I got married.” She said motioning to Octavia. Octavia blushed. (Vinyl put very few things ahead of her music, Octavia was flattered to be one of them.)
“Oh congrats,” Drama said looking from one mare to the other, “I’m still in the market myself, but I’ve been too busy to settle down.”
“I have to ask,” Octavia put in, “It seems like with a life like yours, you’d be hard pressed to come down here, how did you ever find the time? I mean I don’t want to sound cynical but…”
“Hey, what can I say, I made time… And there is one thing…” She turned to look at Vinyl, “I need a unicorn for a play I’m writing, and I thought you might just be perfect for the part.”
“Cool,” Vinyl said, “What’s it about?”
“Well it’s actually about an earth pony that learns to work lei-lines and cast spells.” Her horn flared with a tiny touch of blue magic as she brushed it against Vinyl’s. “It will require a unicorn though, as I don’t know many earth pony’s who can cast spells...”
“Vinyl your horn,” Octavia yelped.
“What!?” Vinyl yelled, fumbling around her head, what happened.
“It’s gone!”
“WHAT,” She yelled “WHY CAN I STILL FEEL IT!?”
Drama giggled “Actually, it’s still there, it’s just invisible!”
“Impressive, I must say,” Octavia said, in spite of herself.
“But why me I mean, isn’t there another unicorn you could use?”
“Well, you look the way I imagine the character, you have the right attitude, and besides that, I need a temporary sound manager, since my old one is down for a bit.” She said, “So I figured you could do both, that is if you’re okay with it.” She said, looking at the white mare on the couch next to her.
“Well yeah, of course I’m interested.” Vinyl said with a shrug, “But I don’t know, I’ve been so used to magic ever since I was a filly, I really wouldn’t know what it would be like not having it.”
That was it… That was the series of words that flipped on the working mind of a mad, artistic, genius. “Actually, I believe I can help with that as well…” She said, looking from one mare to another, “If you’re both consenting to this idea that is.”
“What idea?” Octavia said, cocking her head a little.
“Well, it’s quite simple actually. It’s just a small rite that will temporarily place each other’s minds in the other’s body.”
“That… Sounds… Awesome…” Vinyl said with a sudden squee.
“I do admit that it would be interesting to be a unicorn, on an academic level, but I don’t know, this all sounds a little strange…”
“Oh please Octi, I promise I’ll take good care of your body, please let us do this!” Vinyl said, falling to her knees in front of the gray mare.
Octavia fought, she fought with all the will the gods had given her, (unfortunately her creator had endowed her with a slightly lower wisdom bonus then her charisma, and hadn’t made up for it with feats, and promptly rolled a 1 on her will save at this event.)
She couldn’t resist those big red puppy-dog eyes sparkling at her. “Vinyl, as long as it makes you happy, then I will consent. But, I hope you learn something from this experience.” Octavia said with a slight groan. Some way, somehow, she knew she’d regret this decision for a long, long, time.