//------------------------------// // A Friend with Benefits // Story: Fangs // by Sapphic //------------------------------// "Octavia." A light sing song voice said, I grumbled and tried not to acknowledge it. "Wakey Wakey, Octavia." The voice said in another sing song like way, this time I decided responded with a grunt of displeasure. "Come on, Octi. Get up." The voice was now whining "I'm really bored, It's, like, 9:50 and I'm really bored." My eyes shot open, only to reveal one delighted house guest directly on top of me. "Finally!" She said in victory, I shot up, knocking her off me and onto the bed, ignoring the fact she had, once again, tried to kill me last night. "What time did you say it was?" I asked with panic building in my tone. She raised a brow, I paid no attention to the fact her glasses were off, revealing her beautiful red eyes.. "Like, 9:50. Why?" She asked with a hint of concern. "I have practice at 10:00, I'll never make it!" I said as I tried to scramble out of bed, wrapping myself in covers and falling off the edge with a thunk. I exhaled loudly, accepting defeat. "I'll just call in sick, I would still be ahead anyways." I said in an almost sad tone. I could hear her trotting over and before I knew it she was poking me in my side, I looked at her, not bothering to move my head. "What?" I almost spat. She stopped poking me and bent over bringing her head into full view and pointed to her horn. "Want some breakfast before you go to wherever it is your going?" I turned my head to face her. "You would actually be willing to take me?" I asked in mild shock. She looked actually taken aback by my answer. "Octi, I'm living with you, I would be glad to give you a ride! That and you're a really big buzz kill when you get all sad and stuff." She said with enthusiasm as I tried to regain my composure. "Well, thank you Miss Scratch." She visibly cringed. "On one condition." She added. "I will give you a ride if you stop calling me Miss Scratch." She said with a poor imitation of my voice. I sighed. "Very well Mis-" I stopped myself and she smiled wickedly "Vinyl." She seemed ecstatic just from me using her name. "So," She piped "Where do you want to eat?" I walked over and began to pack my cello. "If you could, just take me to the old fitness center that closed down, I don't think I'll have time to eat breakfast." She nodded before charging up her horn and then abruptly stopping. "Wait, so you're a part of that new symphony, the one that's been practicing in the old gym?" I was shocked that Miss Scratch had even the slightest clue about the symphony practicing in the gym, we tried hard to keep the practice location a secret, it wasn't exactly a reputation booster. "How do you know that we've been practicing there?" I asked, genuinely curious on how she knew that. However, she just smiled. "Oh, I didn't until now." I could only blink at her. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." I looked to see her with a wide smile, and returned it with a small smirk. "Thank you." I said quietly as she charged her horn. My eyes shot open as I remembered one fact. "Wait!" She stopped. "Wouldn't you burn in daylight?" I asked with concern. She raised a brow and then understood what I meant. "Oh yeah! She levitated her sunglasses over and landed them on her nose. "All ready!" I raised a brow but decided not to question her method. She began to charge her horn and then a blue light flashed, blinding me and causing me to clench my eyes shut. *~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~* When I opened my eyes, we were in-front of the old fitness center, under a shady oak tree that blocked out all sun light. I could see Fredric, Beauty and Harpo outside the entrance, staring in my direction with looks of shock, probably from the light. I turned to Vinyl and said goodbye, letting her teleport away, probably back to the house, and then turned to walk over to my friends who were all giving me mixed looks of both shock and annoyance, Beauty even had a look of rage to her. I trotted up to them, intent on greeting them, that is, until Fredric spoke first. "Octavia, why did you bring somepony else here?" He sounded stern and partly disappointed in me. At first I didn't understand, because Vinyl clearly brought me here, and secondly, why would he be so disappointed if somepony else is here? "Yes, and of all ponies, why did you bring her?" Beauty spat. I looked to her in confusion. "What do you mean Beauty, did she do something wrong?" Beauty looked partly torn by my response which only made me more curious. Harpo patted Beauty and stepped up. "Well, Octavia, do you remember the original practice building that we were cheated out of by some mare's agent?" I cringed. Indeed, I did remember that event. Our original practice building was in a rather isolated area of Canterlot, a rarity for the town, and was seemingly perfect for our new symphony. That is, until the agent of some mare stole the deal from us, putting up a ridiculously large amount of money for the rather small building, eight thousand bits if my mind serves right. "Yes" I replied, anxious to see where he was going with this. "Well guess who that agent's client was." He said, closing his eyes and putting on a victorious look, as he waited for me to put two and two together, but it never came, I just sat there for a few minutes, puzzled. Eventually he cracked open one eye and sighed. "Her, Octavia, that mare you just came with, she was the client." I gasped, and no it wasn't for dramatic effect, it was out of shock. Vinyl had an agent? Vinyl had that much money? Vinyl was staying with me when she was richer than the entire symphony? "No, that can't be true." I said "She told me she didn't even have a house of her own, she has been living with me for the past two days and has a job at a rundown bar." They all audibly gasped with wide eyes. "What?!" They all said in unison. "You let a no talent DJ live with you!?" Harpo gasped. "Octavia, how can you let that no good ruffian live with you!?" Fredric scolded. "That heathen doesn't even deserve a house!" Beauty seethed. By the time they were done I was nearly cowering in fear, my ears were down and my hooves were over my eyes and then Fredric sighed. "Octavia, we tried doing some researching on the mare, her name is Vinyl Scratch, and that's all we could find. Records, education, date of birth, parents, occupation; Everything is missing, it's clear she is a criminal!" What the heck? I could understand her date of birth being gone, but everything else? What if she was a criminal? Fredric came over and patted me on the back. "Octavia, you need to get her out of your house." His tone was cold and stern, and I understood, she was a danger, she had already tried to kill me twice, but I'm not just going to go shove her out on to the streets IF she had all the money that it was assumed she had. If her story was true than she could continue to stay with me. "We should get to practice." I said, eager to change topics. They looked at me for a few seconds before nodding and walking inside to begin our practice. *~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~* The practice was long and uncomfortable, I could practically feel Beauty's stares and Fredric's disapproval, Harpo I was sure was feeling the same way but had the heart not to stare me down. As soon as the practice was over I quickly packed and left, they made no move to stop me, probably expecting me to go straight home and kick Vinyl out. However I had another stop in mind. As I walked out of the door I noticed it was night, I wasn't surprised at that, it was normally night when I left practice, what did surprise me was the sight before me. "Hi Octi!" Vinyl said cheerily hanging upside down from some unknown object. "V-vinyl?" I stuttered in shock. "Yep! I got bored waiting around the house so I decided to come out here once it got dark enough." "Well maybe get down from there, it's kind of startling." She smiled sheepishly and dropped down, landing firmly on her head. "Ow." I stifled a laugh and waited for her to get up. Once she was up she began bouncing around as usual. "So where you wanna go tonight?!" She asked cheerfully. My eyes went wide, remembering what happened last time we went somewhere. "Maybe we should just go home tonight, I'm still getting over the last time we went somewhere." I didn't notice in the middle of our conversation, but Fredric and Beauty had come out from the theater and where walking towards us. "Oh Octi, are those your friends?" Vinyl questioned. "Oh man, if they're anywhere near as cool as you I'm sure we would have a great night of drinking!" She said cheerfully, bouncing over to them. "Vinyl I don't think that you should do tha-" But it was to late, she was already in front of them. "Hey, are you guys friends with Octi too?" She asked excitedly to my group of friends. Fredric raised a brow condescendingly to Vinyl and leaned past her to look at me. "Have you told her yet Octavia?" Oh no. "Told me what?" She questioned as she stopped bouncing, clearly confused what he meant. Beauty smiled deviously and took the opportunity that had been oh so graciously offered to her. "That you will not be living with her anymore because you are a lowly criminal heathen." Vinyl's ears dropped and she stood there, most likely in shock. "W-wha-" She stuttered before being interrupted by Fredric. "Yes indeed, she was just about to go back and tell you to pack your bags you lowly scum." Fredric Spat. "I hope you get the message you piece of filth, I bet your parents are ashamed to call you their daughter, is that true? What do your parents say about you?" Vinyl's head was low and she was so still she could have been assumed a statue, causing Beauty's face to scrunch in rage. She raised a hoof threateningly. "Answer me!" When Vinyl didn't answer, it sent Beauty over the edge and she began to bring the hoof down. A bright light flashed around them, causing me to clench my eyes shut. When I opened them Vinyl was gone and Beauty was on the ground with both of her hooves over her eyes. I turn and started back to the apartment with only one thing on my mind at that point. I need to find Vinyl .