//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: The Gray Cellist 
// by WhiteDaisy 
//------------------------------//

A new day came, and Octavia was the first one to wake up, as she had to go rehearse for the whole day. A big performance by the Orchestra was coming up, and everypony had to be playing their assigned parts flawlessly. 
Including their individual pieces.
Not long after she put the breakfast table on, Lyra and Bon Bon appeared, both with bed hair. They would only start their shopping spree by lunchtime, anyways. 
“Good morning to you. Did you sleep well?” Octavia asked, greeting them.
“Like a rock!” Lyra admitted, sitting down, grabbing some food to eat. 
“Your sleep is always deep, my heart.” Bon Bon commented.
“Oh, yes, I have to agree, Bon Bon.” Octavia sat by their side, picking some cookies and coffee. “She once slept in the middle of a party. Literally. With the loud music and all.” Octavia described. “We had to carry her home, as no matter what we tried, she simply wouldn’t wake up.”
“Ha, how have you never told me that story, Lyra?” Bon Bon asked her wife.
Lyra hesitated for a second, thinking. 
“I don’t remember it, that’s why.” She said. “Though I do remember thinking I teleported myself home that night.”
They all laughed. 
“Honestly, I could have had a better night yesterday. I heard some ponies talking outside; they kept me awake until late.” Bon Bon confessed. 
Octavia froze for a moment. Bon Bon heard her and Vinyl talking.
Lyra recognized the desperate expression Octavia made, and connected the dots.
“Tavi… I know that look.” She said.
“What do you mean?” Octavia tried to play the ignorant. Big mistake.
“Who were you talking to last night, huh?” She asked.
“W-what you’re talking about? I didn’t-”
“Just spit it out, girl. We won’t judge.” Lyra promised.
Octavia knew there was no way back now. 
She didn’t want to say she had a date with somepony – specially a DJ pony (Lyra would mock Octavia for eternity. But Bon Bon had heard their conversation late at nighttime, and Lyra uncovered her already. It was a dead end street.
“I’ve… I’ve met this mare yesterday.” She said it, looking straight at her coffee cup.
“That late? How exactly did that happen?” Bon Bon asked, surprised and curious about this story too.
“She was passing by when she heard me struggling to finish my cello composition, so she called me to the window, and gave me some help. That’s all.” Octavia took a sip from her cup.
“And now you have a date with her cause you got really interested, and is hoping it works this time.” Lyra said, as if she already knew it.
“How-” Octavia asked.
“You were so focused on her you let your coffee spoon stain your towel.” Lyra explained, getting up from the table. “I’ve only seen you do that when talking about a very important concert you’d be playing. And that was once.”
Spot on. 
“That’s so good, Octavia! Why didn’t you tell us sooner?” Bon Bon was happy for her friend. 
“I don’t know, I just…”
She just didn’t want it to fail again. She wanted Vinyl to be the first one to understand her, but…
She was afraid. 
Very afraid. 





Octavia left home not long after breakfast, and left the couple alone to go rehearse with the rest of the Orchestra.
Her head was full of thoughts on the way to it. Most of them had the words “Vinyl”, “understand” and “date”. 
It was a lot of pressure, you know. Although she didn’t personally mind not having any special somepony, everypony was expected to have one at some point in their lives.
Still, she hat to go to those rehearsals to help the newer musicians with their parts, as she was already prepared and, being a veteran, her help was very valuable. 
She opened the door, to meet several ponies tuning their respective instruments. Greeting everyone in the room, she spotted Noteworthy in the middle of the saxophones, and headed to him. 
Noteworthy was one of the newest faces around there; recently graduated with his saxophone, he surely had some talent. He was the closest Octavia coworker.
“Good morning, Miss Octavia! How are you today?” He asked, noticing her coming closer. 
“Excellent, Noteworthy. And you?” Octavia asked politely, returning his exited smile. 
He made her remember her own first year at the Orchestra, always full of energy and will. 
“Great as well! Although I could use some of your help, miss, if that’s not much to ask.” He confessed with a nervous smile.
“Of course not, I’d be glad to; as a veteran, that’s what I’m here for anyways.” She answered.
And by being so involved by the music and repeating fragments of the pieces, her mind eventually got cleansed of those worrying thoughts, and became filled with the passion for her work. By the time the maestro announced lunch break, she was as light as a feather. She looked around at her workplace, at her coworkers, at her precious cello. 
And she smiled.
It didn’t matter if it didn’t work, again. Why was she even worrying about what others thought about her, especially strangers? 
She had the job of her dreams, which paid her well enough to have a spacious house in the heart of Canterlot. She had marvelous friends who, although she didn’t see as often as she’d like to, were true and loyal. They wanted her to be happy: to be with someone who understood her.
She enjoyed every bit of her life as it was. And if it wasn’t a decent enough pony, It wouldn’t matter if there wasn’t one more pony there, she would still be very happy as it was already. 
So with her scarf on, she left the building, and trotted to the restaurant where her date was already waiting for her in a table inside the cozy instalment. 
Vinyl smiled widely.
But Octavia smiled even wider, so more sure of herself than ever.





Vinyl was so happy to see Octavia coming in, she even stood to welcome her.
“Octavia! I’m so glad you actually came.” She confessed, laughing nervously when realizing she was up.
“Why wouldn’t I?” Octavia asked, intrigued, pulling her scarf off her and sitting on the other side of the round table. “We did agree on meeting here at this time, didn’t we?”
“Heck, yeah, but…” Vinyl sat down again. She had her custom glasses holding her mane back today. Her magenta eyes glowed in awe. “You’re Octavia, the greatest cellist ever! I mean, it’s an honor even to be talking to you, you know…”
“Haha, I’m far from being the ‘greatest cellist ever’. But I still appreciate your words, Vinyl. Thank you very much.” Octavia blushed a little bit from so much praising. She was indeed a very good cellist, but not so great, as Vinyl saw her. 
“So, what were you doing this morning?” Vinyl asked, resting her chin in her hooves, with her smile still on.
“There you go, ladies.” The waiter handed the menus and left. 
“Oh. I was rehearsing with the Orchestra for tonight’s presentation.” Octavia answered like it was nothing, looking at the menu.
“Yeah, working with all the most talented musicians of Equestria, like Jazzy Strings and Sizzling Wood is nothing too big, huh?” Vinyl joked. 
“Oh, Vinyl, you see…” Octavia was about to explain it, but a question came to her mind and had to be answered. “I’m sorry for not answering it right now, but I’m just so curious about this thing, would you mind answering something for me first?” She asked instead.
“Ok, why not?” She agreed.
“Well, I don’t mean it as an offence, but… As a popular music composer, you…” She had a hard time putting the question up.
“I couldn’t be trained to listen to classical music enough to help you finish the piece?” Vinyl guessed what Octavia was trying to say.
“Yes, I mean, I’m not saying it’s inferior or anything. They are just two different languages with the same root, if you can understand what I’m saying.” She explained. “I myself have no idea when a popular song is good or not, to be honest.” 
Vinyl laughed. 
“That’s not the first time I got that, Octavia, no worries.” She confessed. “The thing is, I’ve been trained in classical music since I was only a filly.”
“Really?” Octavia was interested in the story.
“Yeah! I dropped out of the conservatory I went to years ago, but you know. That thing gets stuck in your head and never leaves!” She said, patting her own head with a silly face. Octavia laughed. 
“I presume you play a classical instrument, having been in a conservatory?” Octavia asked.
“Where do you think I’ve learnt to switch sounds on and off, and push buttons so fast in my remixing table?” Vinyl pretended to play a piano, tapping their table fast. “I wasn’t good with following those hard sheets, though. Improvising has always been into my blood!”
“You were a pianist!” Octavia was a little surprised, actually. “Well, you’ve got to play something for me someday. I’d love to hear your talents in an area I’m used to, I must say!”
“Of course.” She smiled softly.
Vinyl stopped her tapping the table, and looking deeply into her eyes, put a hoof on Octavia’s resting one. 
“I’d love to.”
Octavia pulled both her hooves to her body almost instantly, letting her menu drop. The romantic mood Vinyl thought was there instantly lowered to freezing degrees. The other customers all stopped talking because of the loud noise the menu did when hitting the table, and they all focused on the two mares at the corner. 
That was it. Octavia had to explain everything to Vinyl now, and Luna knows how she would react. 
She took a deep breath, and let the crowd go back to their respective routines. Vinyl looked nervous, but didn’t dare to say anything.
She let her breath out, looking deeply at Vinyl.
Octavia really liked talking to Vinyl, and found her to be a great friend. She didn’t want to lose her. But she couldn’t fake her romantic feelings either. 
“I-I’m sorry Oc-” She tried to explain herself, but Octavia interrupted her.
“No, Vinyl, it’s me who should apologize.” She explained, raising a hoof. “I should have told you about it earlier, but I got distracted and forgot about it.”
“What… What do you mean?” Vinyl was confused. Worried, even. 
Octavia, on the other side, looked like she was in pain. 
Pain from the insecurity.
Pain from another probable failed attempt. 
But she had to do it.
“I’m demiromantic, Vinyl.” Octavia finally let it out, with a deep sigh following.
Vinyl stared blankly at the cellist. 
“Demi-what?” Her confusion grew bigger.
No wonder. The concept of demisexuality was far from being known. Still, Octavia had already had that conversation so many times that the casual explanation came naturally.
“It simply means that I only feel comfortable with romantic gestures after being friends with the pony for a while.”  She tried to smile. 
“So, you don’t like dating strangers?” She innocently asked. 
“No, that’s not it.” Octavia thought in a better explanation. “I’m fine dating strangers. All I ask for is that we don’t have any romantic intimacy, that’s all.”
The worries in her face vanished, and her smile came back on.
“Gosh!” Vinyl let out a relieved sigh. “Why didn’t you say that earlier?” She asked.
“Well, I must say I got really interested as our conversation went by, and I completely forgot to tell you.” Octavia admitted. 
“Then I’m still good with you?” Vinyl asked. “Sorry for trying to hold your hoof, by the way. But I had no idea, you know. I hope you’re not too pissed off.” She said, opening her menu, shuffling it. 
“No, I’s ok, you had no idea about it, indeed…” Octavia opened her menu too, following Vinyl.
“So, I was thinking the hay salad would be a good one for now. What do you say?” Vinyl had already started choosing their meal from it.
But Octavia hadn’t taken her eyes off her: a part of her still didn’t believe.
“Just…” She hesitated. “Are you absolutely sure you won’t try to kiss me before I have to head back to work?” Octavia asked behind her menu, disregarding Vinyl’s meal choice. 
Vinyl closed hers, rested it on the table, and raised one of her hooves, as she was about to promise for a judgment. 
“I hereby promise that I will not touch Miss Octavia Melody unless given her, and only her, permission!”
Octavia giggled. 
“Do you want a written copy too? You know, it to remind you that I’ll never ever ever touch you without your permission and stuff like that.” Vinyl joked.
“It’s already good enough, thank you very much, Vinyl.” She giggled again.
And so, they had their lunch: an amazing vegetable soup, sided with warm bread and hot beverages. 
They had just finished everything up when Octavia had to go back to work. They paid the bill, and Vinyl walked Octavia to her destination.
“Thank you very much for coming with me, Vinyl.” Octavia said when she found herself already by the door. They came talking, and she lost track of time.
“No problem. I had a great time, you know.” Vinyl admitted. “See you sometime.”
“See you.” Octavia said, opening the door and entering.
Vinyl adjusted her scarf around her neck, and begun to trot back home. But as soon as she turned around, she heard Octavia again. 
“Wait, Vinyl!” She asked. Vinyl looked back immediately. 
“What happened?” Vinyl asked, surprised.
Octavia reached her, and gave a nice, warm hug on Vinyl. 
“Thanks for keeping your promise.” She said, hugging her tighter.  
“Hey, you don’t have to thank me, that’s the least I could do!”
But as the they were looking at each other again, Vinyl could see Octavia’s watery eyes. She was so happy she could cry. 
“I mean it, Vinyl!” She was smiling widely. “You… You were the first one to keep the promise by the end of the date. So, yes, thank you so much!”
“Gosh, you were really unlucky with your old dates, weren’t you?”
“I… I cannot say they were the best, no.” Octavia admitted, giggling. She had never been a winner in the love game. 
“Well, I hope I can change it! I’m a mare of my word, I can guarantee that.” She smiled too.
“You have already changed it, Vinyl.”
And with another hug, Octavia opened the door again. She talked once more to Vinyl from it.
“See you at the Heart Warming’s Presentation?” Octavia invited her. 
“Will you be playing that solo piece?” Vinyl asked.
“Definitely.”
“Wow, you finished it right on time, didn’t you?” 
“I work well on a tight schedule.” She giggled.
“Haha. Ok, see you tomorrow night!” Vinyl accepted the invitation. 
“See you!”
Octavia trotted back to work, but her agile hooves moved the bow without conscious thinking. Noteworthy was the first to notice how bright she was that evening. 
“Miss Octavia, is anything, well, unusual? You look quite off today, if I may say.” He said, giggling.
“Oh, Noteworthy, do not notice me. It’s just that… Things seem to be finally working on my personal life, that’s all.” She smiled.
Yes. Things seemed to be working. 
Was she in love? No.
But she liked Vinyl’s company. She was a charismatic and outgoing mare, and Octavia liked their conversations about various topics.  
Would she be in love, eventually?
Well, that…
Only time can say.