Chapter 7
The Past Worms Back
Vinyl wakes up, walks, naps, walks, eats, walks, then sleeps then starts over in the morning. It was walk this way, walk that way, walk up, and then walk down. Everyday Vinyl was determined to get her strength back while Octavia, Star, Rain, and Racer watched her, ready to support her.
In the beginning when Vinyl first started to put her hooves on the carpet, Rain and Racer would bet with candy on how far Aunt Vinyl could go without stumbling or falling on the ground. It was a huge embarrassment to Vinyl since she tried to make it count but always being harassed by hearing the kids betting how much candy for her to stay up or fall in a number of steps. When Octavia saw that this was bothering Vinyl, she ordered the children to either be quiet or go back upstairs. They stopped with blushes of shame then they watched, calling out encouragement which helped Vinyl get her confidence back.
The snow remained for a number of days keeping everypony out of work and school. So when the pegasi were finally able to dig out Lyra and Bonbon’s porch for easy access out, the couple ran to the candy shop with worry. On the radio it turned out that several homes and businesses lost their roofs from the packed snow. It was sad to hear that Bonbon's shop did have a section of her roof collapse from the show. But it wasn’t that bad compared to other places. As Lyra and Bonbon cleaned up the candy shop, they left Octavia and Vinyl to watch the children. Star would always be there to help with her magic, claiming it was practice in teaching her how to use levitation magic to keep Vinyl from falling over. So in a way it was a win-win. Vinyl re-learned how to walk again, while Star strengthened her magic. Soon Vinyl could walk to the bathroom and back without slipping. But standing would require a little longer.
On the fifth day of being snowed in Vinyl told everyone that she was ready for another Hoof Detox. Octavia nearly choked on the coffee she was drinking when she heard Vinyl make her announcement.
"What?" She rasped coughing more. Vinyl had to pat her on the back.
"I said I'll like to do a Hoof Detox today."
Octavia turned to her. "Why?" She croaked clearing her throat. "You're not strong enough and Lyra's not here to help you stay standing."
Vinyl shook her head. "I want to stand by myself for a change." Octavia looked at her with concern thinking.
"Vinyl, I don’t think that’s a good idea." Vinyl pouted sitting up in her seat.
"Come on! I want to get my strength up. Please Tavi! Please! I can’t get myself to stand if Lyra’s there to keep me up. I want to use my own strength. Besides I haven’t had a detox for a while and I feel funny."
Octavia turned to her with worry. "You alright though, right?"
Vinyl scrunched her nose thinking. "Well I mean I feel achy in my forelegs and I don’t sleep well. Aren’t those things Sandals told you about? That there are side effects?"
Octavia nodded. "Well she did say that after a while without doing one, you're body does react to it. I guess we can try, but I'm not ready for a full detox yet. Let's just see how long you can stand in the tub for. And while you're at it, try to clean yourself for a change." Vinyl blushed at the look Octavia gave her.
"I'll try that, but can you help me?"
"If you fall down and want my help, I will." Vinyl smiled and trotted slowly to the bathroom to start her bath and test. It turned out Vinyl got tired after standing in the shower for five minutes and decided to wait for the hoof detox until later, which Octavia was relieved that they decided to test it.
Finally the snow was cleared out enough for the fillies and colts to go back to school. Star, Rain and Racer both showed disappointment that they had to go back to school.
The second day since businesses had returned to normal times, Octavia decided to pay a visit to the post office. Leaving Star to care for the foals and Vinyl, Octavia headed out with a borrowed scarf to the post office. She trotted around town saying hello to the neighbors that wave greetings to her. Octavia took in a deep breath of fresh, cold air, happy to be out of that basement. She remembered the directions from Bonbon and took a street, heading for town square where she could see Town Hall. Then from there she could see the post office where several pegasi dressed in warm blue coats fly in or out of the post office. She trotted in to see a sign with a peculiar picture. It looked like a baked muffin with wings with the words, DITZY DOO'S POSTAL SERVICE. Odd mark, Octavia thought amused. She walked into the warm building to see several lock boxes with numbers and symbols of pony's cutie marks. Octavia grinned seeing Lyra and Bonbon's cutie marks together on one box.
Octavia turned to see two large islands where ponies could open their mail then toss it into recycle boxes at the sides. She turned to see an orange pegasus with a purple mane sorting mail into boxes. Octavia walked to the sign that said, WAIT HERE FOR SERVICE. Octavia sat down on the floor looking around the homey post office. Unlike other post offices she went into nothing could compare to the feeling in this building. It felt warm and happy giving a customer a feeling of a good will and good service.
"Hello, miss how may I help you?" Octavia looked up to see one pegasus mare with an aqua blue mane and a golden yellow coat with aqua eyes that matched her lightly spiked mane.
Octavia smiled in return. "Oh yes, I'm expecting a package from Canterlot."
The mare nodded looking at a clipboard. "Well I can tell you this that there was a package that came in from Canterlot two days ago. Perhaps it's yours." Octavia nodded.
"Uh yes its a Cello case actually."
The pegasus nodded. "Right, that's what it was. It's in the back, I'll be right back." She turned to the back. "Dinky! Where's that package that came in two days ago?"
The pegasus shouted walking back into the back. Octavia stood by a door leading to the back room. The door opened and popped in a teenage unicorn mare with a very light gray purple coat and a curly golden blonde mane. Her pink magical aura held her cello case with her out the door. She grinned happily at her customer and gasped seeing her face. She lowered the case down and grinned with a blush at Octavia.
"Excuse me, I hate to be rude, but um are you Octavia Melody?" Octavia blushed herself.
"Oh well yes I am. And may I ask for your name?"
The unicorn squeed silently, jumping. "My name is Dinky Doo. I saw you a few years ago playing at the park. You were amazing!"
Octavia blushed. "Oh wow... Wait that was years ago."
Dinky nodded. "Yep, I went with my Mom and big sister and we watched you and your uh... what was that word that also means band."
"Ensemble?"
"Yeah, that's right your ensemble. Man, I wish I could play like you and your friends. But," Dinky sighed rubbing her horn. "I like magic a whole lot better and it's simple." She blushed giggling at her own joke. She looked back at Octavia then looked around the post office. "Say, why are you in Ponyville? Don’t you still play with your ensemble?"
Octavia chuckled. She is a cutie isn't she?
"Well Dinky, I'm afraid I decided to retire from my ensemble and I have been thinking of moving here to Ponyville since everypony here is nice and kind to a stranger like me."
Dinky gasped in awe. "Really? You're moving here to Ponyville?"
"Well in a way I kind of already am. You see I have an old friend of mine who was dreadfully ill. So I had been staying here taking care of her and I thought that perhaps I can stay here."
"Wow… Oh, um sorry about your friend. I hope he or she is doing well. Speaking of which, did you know about the Hearth Warming Eve party at Sweet Apple Acres?" Octavia nodded to the unicorn’s dismay. "Aw, drat you already knew." Suddenly Dinky gasped at another thought. "Hey, do you play the Fidd- I mean um Violin too?"
"In my spare time, yes." Dinky grinned brightly at her.
"You know there’s a rumor going around that one of the fiddlers that play for Applejack couldn’t play his fiddle or, um, Violin this year and Applejack is asking for us to send out flyers with everyponies mail to call out for anypony that can spend some time in playing fiddle at the party." Dinky ran over to a box by the storage door to produce a flyer and gave it to Octavia. She took the paper and placed it on the ground to read it. A chance to play for the whole town. But Octavia didn't know anything other than musical pieces for her violin. This could be fun though and she can introduce herself to the town. But there was also that fear that somepony might tell the press that she was there and Vinyl could be in trouble if that happened. But the thought of seeing Dinky and possibly others might be a good thing.
"Hmm, you know I might think about this. Thank you for showing me this Dinky."
Dinky blushed. "Aw it was nothing, really I was supposed to get those in the boxes anyways. You should attend and join their band-"
"Dinky!" Dinky cringed turning to see a magenta purple unicorn tapping her hoof on the tiles. "I thought you were going to help me with stacking the boxes for shipping. Mom will be here soon to pick them up. Chop, chop." The unicorn turned and trotted away into a room. Dinky blushed again. The poor filly would pop with embarrassment.
"Sorry, I have work to do. Well, I guess I'll see you at the party then, or maybe somewhere around Ponyville.”
Octavia nodded. "Oh, it's perfectly alright. But I have been planning to attend the party anyway. Have a good day." Dinky grinned.
"You too." Dinky leapt through the door then disappears. Octavia chuckled to herself shaking her head. Octavia turned to see the same yellow pegasus smiling at her. "She's a cute girl, eh?" She said making Octavia nod.
"Yes, a darling. How long has she been working here?"
The pegasus shook her head. "Only on days like these does she help working. You see this place is only ran by me and Dinky's mother Derp - I mean uh, Ditzy Doo. Sorry old habits die hard especially in business. Anyway, I happened to overhear that you are new here to Ponyville?"
Octavia blushed nodding. "Yes, I came here to care for my friend. And while staying here I have taken a liking here."
The pegasus nodded with a smile. "Well anyway, the name's Raindrops. Welcome to Ponyville."
"Thank you." Octavia turned to her cello case and grabbed the strap and pulled it on her back with a groan. "Geez, I forgot how heavy this thing was."
"Oh hey, do you want help?" Raindrop asked leaping over the counter flying over to grab the top of the case to keep it from falling over.
"Well um... I can't ask you to help me."
"Please let me, I can't bear to see you fall over on the ice with that monster on your back. Here I'll be right back," She flew to the counter to peek over. "Scoots!"
"Yeah?"
"Can you help me with this?" The same orange pegasus peeked over with a scowl. She noticed the problem and nodded.
"Yeah, sure." The pegasus leapt over the counter to walk on the ground while Raindrops took care of the top.
"Octavia, this is Scootaloo. Scoots this is our new resident, Octavia." Octavia grinned for a greeting while Scootaloo nodded in return.
"Sup? OWW!" She yelped after being smacked upside the head with Raindrop's wing.
"What did I tell you about greeting customers?"
Octavia giggled. "It's fine. My friend greets me the same way. No need to worry."
Raindrops nodded. "Alright, Scoots you stay there and make sure Octavia doesn't topple over. I'll stay up here and make sure the case doesn't fall off."
Scootaloo just rolled her eyes. "Sure take the high place." She snarked turning back to Octavia with a grin. "Anyway, welcome to Ponyville. Just lead the way."
Once they reached Lyra and Bonbon's place Octavia let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you. This is where I'm staying for a while. Thank you for your help."
Raindrops stood by Scootaloo. "It's not a problem, ma'am."
Scootaloo nodded. "Yep, it's our job. We hope to see you at the party or when you are out and about. I'll be helping out in cleaning up so I might give you a greeting later."
Raindrops just gave her a look, Scootaloo shrugged. Octavia chuckled.
"It was nice to meet you two and good luck."
"Same with you, have a good day." Raindrops turned with Scootaloo behind her heading back to the post office. Octavia opened the door and entered without trouble.
"Oh Octavia," Octavia turned to see Lyra standing up. "Here let me help you with that down the stairs. Star told us when we got back that you left for the Post Office.”
"Yes and by far the best place I've been in. I never seen so many nice ponies in one town before. It feels funny."
Lyra chuckled. "Yep Ponyville is by far one of the nicest towns in Equestria. Oh and Vinyl's downstairs trotting around."
"Trotting?"
"Yep,"
The two mares went down the stairs to see Vinyl trotting around the coffee table, toward the far wall, then back doing it over again. Lyra settled the cello case against the wall away from the action. "I'll be upstairs." She said walking up the stairs leaving Octavia to stare in wonder.
"Vinyl? What are you doing?"
Vinyl turned to her and grinned.
"Oh... Hey Tavi!" She said breathing hard. "Just exercising the old legs."
Octavia chuckled turning to see Racer, Rain, and Star sitting on the bed watching her. "How long has she been doing this?"
"Since you left saying you wouldn’t stop her while you were gone." Star said laughing. "But she couldn't stop herself!" Octavia started to giggle as well.
"Hey! Stop laughing this is good for me!" Vinyl yelled out tiredly panting. Octavia grabbed Vinyl by the tail making her fall forward onto her stomach panting. "Hey I was on a roll here!"
Octavia chuckled. "How about you rest. I want to talk to you." Vinyl sat up perking her ears up.
"About what?"
"Personal things." Octavia said sourly turning to the kids motioning them upstairs. Race and Rain both let out a moan of displeasure but did as they were told. Star grabbed her saddle bags and ran after the little ones upstairs. The door shut behind them. Octavia turned back to Vinyl to see her looking at the ground rubbing her hooves over the carpet.
"Why now?" She asked pitifully. Octavia sat down before her with a sigh.
"I have to know what happened to you." Vinyl stood up and turn away from her.
"You won’t like it."
"Did it have something to do with you and drugs?"
Vinyl shrugged. "I don’t think it is."
"Okay, were you in an affair?"
"No,"
"How about a rivalry that turned nasty?"
"No."
Octavia nodded thinking at anything else. "Have you made enemies?"
Vinyl didn't answer staying quiet.
"Vinyl?"
"Yeah. I did."
Octavia nodded. "Okay..." She looked down at the marks on Vinyl's back. "Who did this to you?" She asked poking her hoof on her back at the marks. Vinyl gulped hard looking hard at the ground.
"He did it."
"Who did it?" Octavia had an idea of who, but it's better to hear it from the victim.
Vinyl turned to the magazine they looked at a week or so ago. She dragged it over and flipped through the pages then stopped pushing the magazine to Octavia. Octavia sighed with a nod seeing the picture of Vinyl and her agent smiling at the camera. Octavia nodded hugging Vinyl to her.
"He did awful things to you did he?" Vinyl nodded on Octavia's shoulder crying. "How long had this been on?" Vinyl didn’t speak but whimpered, hugging her tighter. Octavia didn't need words to tell it was a long time.
"Okay... I get it." She whispered feeling tears of her own. "I get it."
They sat there in each other's embrace for a long while. Finally Octavia heard noises upstairs. She grinned with a small idea.
"Hey," She whispered looking into Vinyl's sore eyes. "I'll be right back. I have an errand I forgot to run earlier today." Vinyl blinked at her with confusion. Octavia grinned kissing her on her forehead stroking her face. "I'll be back in a little bit, okay? Go and get some rest. You did a lot today." Vinyl nodded and crawled into the bed and laid down with a sigh staring at the magazine picture. Octavia took the magazine away in her mouth and started up the stairs.
She reached the kitchen and left the door opened a crack and trotted past Bonbon in the kitchen.
"Hey, is everything alright?" She asked. Octavia stopped placing the opened magazine on the table before Lyra. Octavia pointed at the picture with a glare. Lyra sat up staring at the picture. "What's up?"
Bonbon trotted over to see the picture. Octavia glared at the picture. "I just learned what happened to Vinyl." The two mares stared at her in wonder.
"And?" Lyra asked. Octavia leaned in to whisper into her ear. When she was done Lyra stared at Octavia with shock and horror. She looked back at the picture of unicorn stallion glaring coldly. Bonbon looked over confused to the two mare’s sudden anger. Octavia grabbed the scarf she used earlier that morning then headed off out to town.
"Hey, where are you going?" Lyra called back.
"Just running a few errands, I'll be right back." Octavia shut the door before the couple ever got the chance to ask more. Lyra sat back in her chair staring at the picture with more hate.
"Bucking... bastard!" She growled. Bonbon had to hush her staring at the children watching them.
Bonbon grinned at the kids. "Go head upstairs now." Rain and Racer nodded running up the stairs to their rooms. Bonbon looked at the magazine again with tears. "What happened? What did Octavia told you?” Bonbon asked with fear.
"Vinyl was raped." Lyra growled sliding the magazine off the table, rubbing her forehead with her hooves.
* * * * * *
Vinyl struggled to sleep but the horrific and painful memories started to come through her mind, making her moan and cry. She pulled the blanket over her head trying hard to block out the noise that only she could hear. She could hear her thoughts scream, "MAKE IT ALL STOP! MAKE HIM STOP!" She felt tears in her eyes seeing the vivid visions, feeling every blow, feeling every thrust.
"Vinyl?" Vinyl gasped sitting up with the blanket still over her head. She pulled off the blanket to see Octavia standing there.
"Oh, um, hi Tavi..." Vinyl gasped seeing Octavia's neck starting to bleed. "Tavi!"
"Vinyl?" Her voice sounded distant and far away as blood started to well up around her neck then bleed out of her nose. She could see Octavia's mouth move but no words came out as blood started to seep from her mouth. Vinyl blinked to find herself in the streets seeing Octavia on the floor beaten and dying.
“She seems more beautiful in real life than in that old picture.”
Vinyl gasped turning behind her to see the source of the voice. She was back in her hotel room looking up from her bed to see her agent floating the picture of Octavia she had on her nightstand. Vinyl turned to see it gone then back at him.
"Give that back!"
"Nah, uh, uh." He said evilly taking the picture away. Vinyl fell off the bed trying to retrieve it. "No, you be a good little filly and stay in our room. I'll be taking this with me to …. What is the word I'm looking for?" Her agent paused thinking as he leisurely floated the picture over Vinyl as if taunting her to grab it. Vinyl reached for it but the frame was taken away beyond her grasp.
"Oh right!" He exclaimed. "I'll take this as punishment for your unruly behavior."
"What did I do?" Vinyl cried out trying to reach for it but he kicked her back to the bed.
"For biting my hoof last night or didn't you remember."
Vinyl growled threateningly trying to get the picture again. "Because you mother fuc-"
"Such language!" He dramatically exclaimed glaring at her.
"I don’t care, you bastard, give that back to me!"
"And why should I? I'm serious Vinyl, you need to look for a stallion or your reputation will crumble since most ponies in cities we go to look down at that sort of thing."
Vinyl glared coldly at him. "I love her and give that back to me! It's the only thing I have left of her!" He paused with a new smile creeping on his face. Vinyl noticed the smile and quickly covered her mouth with her hooves. "I mean I... crap."
"So you still like her hmm?" Vinyl gulped backing away from him. "If you don’t do as I say Scratch, I might do something to her. And believe me Vinyl Scratch, I know almost every music company in Equestria, it won’t be hard to find this…. what is it, a Clarinetist?"
"Cellist! She's a cellist you fucker!" He sighed again looking at the picture with a smile.
"Such language. Hmm, she is very cute I can see why you like her."
"If you dare touch her-"
"Or what?" He taunted making her back off. "Face it Scratch, I'll just tell the press about your ... Drug addiction."
Vinyl glared at him. "I don’t have an addiction!"
"Not yet, but the press will see you with one."
Vinyl went silent.
"That's a good filly. I'll take this so when I see a familiar gray mare with a treble clef cutie mark, I might follow her around." During that he was backing out of her room. Vinyl shook her head.
"No, just leave her alone!"
"Hmm I think I might have seen her in the market. I guess I must go to the market and maybe try to find her again."
"No!" The door shut Vinyl couldn't stop and slammed face first into the door busting her lip. She heard her own door being locked as she tried to buck her way through. "Leave her alone she has a life! Better than mine! Celestia damn you!"
Vinyl? A voice spoke clearly waking her up. Vinyl, I have something for you.
Vinyl sat up then gasped seeing nothing but darkness. "Ah! Where are the lights?" The blanket was pulled off her head revealing Octavia alive and clean of blood.
"Tavi?" She asked then noticed that Octavia’s smile turned to a frown of concern.
"Are you alright? You don’t look alright."
Vinyl looked around her to see that she was back at the basement and not in that horrible room. She sighed, wiping sweat off her brows. "I'm fine, just a dream."
Suddenly her nose picked up something. "What’s that?" She asked. Octavia grabbed a tray that was on the floor and placed it on the bed. Vinyl blinked seeing a nice toasted sandwich. Vinyl lifted up a piece of bread to find a small bed of daises, slices of tomatoes on top of the daisies, slices of red bell peppers, and there was a drizzle of olive oil on the top. Vinyl smiled brightly looking at Octavia.
"You're favorite, courtesy of Chef Octavia." Vinyl smiled and kissed Octavia before eating the sandwich licking her lips with gusto. Octavia left Vinyl alone to have her dinner too. She went ahead and made more sandwiches for the rest of their friends. She reached the kitchen to see Lyra finishing up the sandwich.
"Wow, Tavi this is great!"
"Yes, I love the flavors of it. Seriously I would never thought about putting two and two together." Bonbon said wiping her mouth with her napkin. Octavia nodded reaching for the sandwich she made for herself on the counter.
"Yes it was something I whipped up on the fly. It just sounded good so I tried it then I added the olive oil later and it worked well."
Lyra gulped back her drink. She turned to Octavia with concern. "Is she alright?"
Octavia shrugged. "I don't know but she was happy to find that sandwich on her plate. I think that made her day."
Bonbon nodded. "It sure made mine."
Later after cleaning the kitchen with Bonbon, Octavia went down stairs to gather Vinyl's tray to find her sleeping soundly. Octavia grinned hearing her actually snore lightly. Octavia shook her head. She grabbed the tray and headed for the stairs. She heard Vinyl groan in her sleep. Octavia turned perking her ears hearing her whimper.
". . . won't let him hurt you, Tavi... No." Octavia quickly trotted upstairs feeling useless. There was nothing she could do about the past but maybe somehow she could help Vinyl in the now and into the future. She was hurt bad and now living though it over and over in her dreams.
But after hearing Vinyl's words then she remembered the night she helped her, "I won’t let him hurt you Octavia." That made her pale. What if what Vinyl said was true? What if he threatened to hurt her to make Vinyl work? Was that even possible?
Octavia entered the kitchen to clean the dishes then returned downstairs hearing Vinyl snore lightly, but no more groans or whimpers were heard. She was just getting up on the bed when Vinyl stiffened. Octavia stopped moving to watch what was going to happen. She only saw Vinyl curl up groaning and whimpering again.
“Stop!" She whispered crying.
"It's me Vinyl." Octavia said softly. Vinyl jerked then sat up. She turned then sighed with relief. Octavia leaped up on the bed to lay by her. Vinyl switched around so she can nuzzled Octavia’s chest and she sighed and fell back to sleep. Octavia smiled sadly stroking Vinyl's mane. She laid down feeling Vinyl's muzzle poke her neck. Octavia opened one eye to see Vinyl wink at her then closed her eyes again. Octavia rolled her eyes then smiled as she too fall asleep.
But the thought still bugged her, even at night. She would be awake staring into the darkness wondering how in Equestria Vinyl could live like she was. How could no pony else notice that Vinyl wasn't acting like Vinyl? Just how is that possible? Then she remembered how Vinyl was trying to hide her from view when they first saw each other a couple of months ago.
Pieces started to fit together in Octavia's mind. Vinyl was trying to protect her from her agent who probably threatened Vinyl that he would hurt her. And that drink at the bar? Maybe he drank it a lot and Vinyl noticed what it symbolized. Octavia finally felt sleep taking over and left the rest of her thoughts untouched until the morning. She had to get answers.