//------------------------------// // You're Living All Over Me // Story: The Sound And Fury From Seaddle // by Nic-Fit //------------------------------// Chapter 7 : You're Living All Over Me In which the house is shared ~ All at once a number of unexpected things happened. 1. Octavia did not own a copy of "Straight Outta Cloudsdale", and as such there was no reason for it to be playing so loudly in her house, let alone at all. 2. 4:43 AM is not a time she associated with anything other than sleep, why was this album playing at this time in the morning? 3. She was definitely sure that when she went to bed there were no light show installments anywhere on her property. She let out a groan and got up to investigate. She was missing out on a good two and a bit hours of sleep now, and she was not best pleased about it. Turning the corner and heading down the stairs (avoiding the lighting that had now been set up), Octavia found herself in the room that housed her record player. Vinyl was there with an unfamiliar dirt coated box full of records, looking as if she was about to burst into tears. "Vinyl? W-what is this? Its 4 in the morning!" "I-I-I-I panicked thinking about the store....I had to put some music on to..." "But why so loud?" She pointed a hoof at the box. "Where did you even get these from?!" "Its one of my emergency record crates. I have them buried around town in case of an occasion like this." "..." Octavia didn't really know how to respond to that. "Look, Tavi, I'm really sorry, but this is just how I cope when bad things happen..." Vinyl turned down the volume on the player. "Well....Can you...Do you think you can cope more quietly? Not just for me and Lyra, but I think the neighbors are gonna be pretty angry too." "I dunno Tavi, but I can try." "Hmm...well, we're a band now, right?" Octavia let out a yawn. It was still pre-sunrise after all. "Why don't you try writing a song?" "I tried that, but when I get sad and mopey everything I write comes out sad and mopey." "Well then let it be sad and mopey! Let it out! Who knows, it could be great..." Octavia turned around and headed back upstairs. A mares gotta get her rest after all. Vinyl heard her door click shut, she was alone again. She sighed and wen over to the window, it was still dark outside, progressing further into autumn meant dawn came later and later each day. The stars were even still out. "Let it all out, huh? Maybe I should try this..." ~ "Wow Vinyl, this is pretty..." Octavia trailed off. "...Dark." Lyra finished for her. The three were grouped around the table in Octavia's kitchen, she'd made a breakfast of pancakes for them all. "Well, you said to let it out, so I did!" Vinyl pouted. "Well yes, but this is far...angrier than I would've expected." Vinyl rubbed the back of her neck. "Well I uh...may have started thinking about the arsonist while that P.W.A album was still playing..." ~ Song #1 - No idea for a title yet. Something about grace I imagine No idea about chords or notes, but it would probably be played flat. Note: Fast and distorted would probably be pretty good on this. Or maybe slow and sludgy. See how it sounds. Punky sound would be pretty cool I guess Song number one is not a buck you song Luna take me to a higher place Slipping in and out of grace The ponies and lives they save Slipping in and out of grace Don't go back there, its not safe Slipping in and out of grace Spread the flame, burn to waste Slipping in and out of grace Maybe some kind of middle 8 or something could go here. I dunno, I don't even have any clue what the tune for this is! Oh god how you love to hate Slipping in and out of grace Burn the world, save your face Slipping in and out of grace ITS ABOUT THE SHOP BEING BURNT! GET IT? ~ "Soooo..." "Look, I'm just really angry at this arsonist! I had to let it go somewhere!" "That's understandable I guess. Still, this is different from what I expect of you..." "Hey, I get angry too! Besides, this is a pretty big deal! Its all still fresh in our heads." "I like it." Lyra interjected. "You should work out the tune for this whole thing." "Woah there, I make beats, I have no clue about the other stuff." "Well then we'll have to help!" Lyra shouted excitedly. However, her gaze quickly sank to the floor. "Oh, but my lyre is at you house, and the fireponies said it's still not safe to enter yet..." "Lyra, need I remind you that I have a cello here?" Lyra perked up. "Oh yeah!" She immediately sank back down again. "Oh, but I don't know how to play cello." Octavia brought a hoof to her face. Vinyl went over to Lyra. "Lyra, look at me. Tavi, yeah, Tavi owns a cello, because she plays the cello. Do you follow? She would be playing it, thats her thing, yes?" "Oooooooh..." "I sure wish I had my drums...Tavi! Do you have anything good to hit? I might need to borrow a stick too!" Octavia's hoof remained firmly planted on her face. ~ Most of the day was spent figuring out bits of the song, and it didn't sound half bad, if they did say so themselves. Lyra had been telling Octavia all about her lyre. It was electric! Lyra had effects for it! Octavia wanted needed some effects for her cello, but since it was a normal cello, they wouldn't do anything. She would have to get an electric one. Yeah, that'd be cool. Lyra had been roped in to sing Vinyl's song when it emerged that Vinyl would mess up her rhythm if she tried to sing and drum at the same time, and Octavia was too busy concentrating on the cello to remember to sing. Still though, Lyra didn't have her lyre with her yet so she had no idea if she could sing it and play at the same time, but this worked for now. Vinyl's hastily constructed 'drum kit' consisted mainly of empty boxes she'd found around the house, and Octavia's garbage bins, a la 'Pony Galore' when they went to the gig. They'd decided that it sounding a bit punk was when it had sounded best, so that was sorted. Lyra and Octavia had managed to find a progression of notes that Vinyl liked for the song, and the beat was all worked out. Octavia went out around mid-afternoon to try and find out how much an electric cello would cost. When she had an idea, she saw it through, and it was all planned out. She would get a used cello and amp (she wasn't going to bother buying brand new equipment for what is basically an experiment, she needs that money for food!) and eventually get some effects. Or maybe she could get Lyra or Vinyl to make her some, they were pretty much just enchanted boxes, at least that's what she thought Lyra had said about them. Octavia left to scout out around the local pawn shops for a deal, leaving Vinyl and Lyra to do...what ever it is they do? ~ That went better than expected. Since these instruments were a new invention, Octavia had predicted that no pawn shops would have any, and if they did, not cheap. She was very wrong. Apparently there had just been a phase with electric instruments which was ending, and now everypony wanted to get rid of theirs for some reason. She'd gone out to work out an average price, and came back with a working (if a bit battered) cello and amplifier. Today was a good day. The house was empty when she got back. There was a note saying one of the fire crew came and said it was safe for them to go and get some of their stuff from the shop. She guessed there would be nothing to do for an hour or so and went about setting up her new toys, she really wanted to put this stuff down anyway, Large object + Heavy object + No magic = Bad times. Cargo now on the ground, she went about setting it all up. How hard could it be? ~ Lyra and Vinyl got back to Octavia's house around sunset. Vinyl had a few boxes of her stuff, and Lyra had her lyre and all its related stuff. The shop still wasn't okay enough to be lived in yet, but it was fine enough to retrieve some things, and for work to be started on it soon. Nopony answered when they knocked on the door, but it was unlocked, so Octavia had to have been in. Vinyl stacked her stuff up by the door (eh, she'd move it later) and went to go and find Tavi. There was no sign of her in the kitchen or living room, so she must be upstairs. Lyra was already making her way upstairs to dump her stuff in the spare room. Vinyl followed her up the stairs and round the corner, only for the both of them to find Octavia. Her bedroom door was open, and she was lying on the floor tangled up in cables, with an amp and a beaten up cello beside her. "AH, FRIENDS! HELP ME, I'VE BECOME ENSNARED BY THESE!" It was now clear she'd somehow tied herself up in the power cable for the amp and the lead for the cello. It was also apparent that she couldn't move. Neither Vinyl nor Lyra even attempted to stop themselves laughing, they were both in tears, and Lyra was on the floor. Octavia was not very pleased about their reaction. "Oh, yes yes, its all very funny. Now would either of you care to help me?" Octavia scowled. "T-Tavi, how long have you been stuck there?" Vinyl replied, wiping a tear from her eye. "...I-I don't think thats important..." "Tell me? Pretty please?" "...about 45 minutes..." That was it, Vinyl was gone. She joined Lyra rolling about on the floor, making an already irate Tavi very angry. "ALRIGHT! OK! THATS ENOUGH, CAN YOU HELP ME NOW?!" Neither of them noticed. It was just too funny. Octavia attempted to wiggle herself free, but in doing so only managed to tangle herself further. "Please help..." Octavia let out a sigh, Vinyl and Lyra were gonna be like this for a while now... ~