Chapter Three
Octavia’s eyes slowly adjusted to the soft, afternoon light that filled the room. She sat up in her bed and stretched, looking around at the room before her. The walls were full posters of other DJs and musicians such as Deadpon-3, who was obviously one of her favorites. Octavia stood up and walked over to a desk that stood next to a window. She looked at her reflection for a second in one of the three monitors before looking down at the contents of the desk itself. There were multiple CDs and a large electronic device with a large number of knobs and buttons which she left alone before trotting over to the bathroom door, still groggy from the hours of sleep that she’d gotten.
I haven’t slept that well in weeks, she thought to herself as she opened the door, releasing a wall of warm air and steam. What in the-?!
“Oh! H-hey Octavia. Do ya think you could knock next time you hear the shower running?” Vinyl said from behind the glass door of the shower, her face turning a deep shade of red.
Octavia blushed as well before looking away.
“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t hear it, I just woke up and I…sorry…” She stammered out before turning to leave the bathroom.
“It’s okay Octy, you just surprised me,” Vinyl said before turning off the shower and stepping out, her face back to its normal color. “Can you hand me that towel over there?”
“Y-yea, sure,” the grey mare said, walking over to the towel and picking it up. She tossed it over to Vinyl who started to dry off.
“I made breakfast if you want some; it's over on the table,” Vinyl said as she shook out her mane, allowing it to go back to its usual, wild state.
Octavia regained her usual composure, “Thank you Vinyl. I apologize for walking in on your shower. I'll be in the other room.”
She stepped back out into the bedroom and took a deep breath before continuing on into the kitchen. She found the plate of food sitting on the table just where Vinyl had said it was.
Vinyl came out of the bedroom, completely dried off, wearing her trademark purple glasses, just as Octavia finished cleaning up her plate.
“Morning Octy”
“Good morning Vinyl. Did you sleep well?” the cellist replied.
“Yep. Did you?” Vinyl asked her.
“Yes”
A few moments went by in silence.
“Soo…Octavia…” Vinyl trailed off.
“Yes Vinyl? What is it?
“Nothing…never mind, it’s stupid” Vinyl blushed a bit and appeared to be very interested in a small discoloring in the wall.
“Okay. Vinyl, can I ask you something?”
“Sure Octy”
“Okay, well I was wondering why you have been so nervous around me lately. Have I done something wrong?” Octavia asked.
Vinyl’s face turned red as she spoke, “I umm…no, you haven’t done anything I just…yea…”
“What?” Octavia asked, confused.
“It-it’s no big deal, don’t worry about it,” Vinyl forced a smile and tried to change the subject. “So…how are you liking working at the club so far?”
“The customers can get very loud and annoying when they’ve had a few too many ciders. Other than that I’m enjoying it well enough.” Octavia replied, deciding to drop the previous conversation.
“How’s the number stuff coming along?”
“Number stuff? Oh you mean the accounting. That’s going very well; you’re turning an average profit of seven thousand bits per night after purchases, paychecks, mortgages and taxes.”
Vinyl whistled. “Wow, I didn’t realize I was making that much”.
“Well you are the most successful club in Manehatten right now. I looked into it the other day. Your numbers nearly double all of your competitor’s.”
The DJ’s jaw dropped. “Are…are you serious?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
Vinyl was on her in a second, hugging her tightly. “Omygoshohmygoshohmygosh! You’re the best!”
“I am simply doing what you hired me to do. There is no need to thank me”.
Vinyl let Octavia go and stepped back. “I know but…seven thousand bits! After payments! That’s incredible!”
“Well we had better get to the club, my shift starts in an hour and I want to be there before most of the customers arrive.”
“Yea okay. I’ll wait here for you to get ready.”
“I am ready.”
“Umm…what about that tie thing you always have on?”
Octavia looked down and realized that she had not put on her signature pink bowtie. “Oh yes, of course. Thank you Vinyl”. She walked back into the bedroom and picked one up, revealing a small piece of paper underneath. She paused and picked up the paper as well.
"Oh wow..." she said softly as she looked at the drawing that filled the paper. It showed a mare sitting at a desk, concentrating on whatever she was doing in a record book that looked very similar to the one at Vinyl's club. Whoever had drawn the picture had gotten everything just right, from the way the mares mane fell across her shoulder to the shadows on the desk. It was only then that Octavia noticed that the mare in the picture had a small bowtie around her neck.
"Octy? You comin'?" Vinyl called from the other room.
She quickly put the picture back and covered it with her bag before returning to Vinyl. “Okay, I think I’m ready to go now.”
They left Vinyl's apartment and started walking towards the club.
After a couple of minutes spent in silence, Vinyl glanced over at the mare beside her.
“Soo...Octy...Where are you from?” She asked, wanting to find out more about the cellist.
“I was born in Canterlot where I studied music but I moved to Manehatten to work, until that pink pony appeared at the Grand Galloping Gala that is.” She replied.
“Oh you're one of those Canterlot ponies. I knew it. Anyway...what else do you do other than play that cello of yours?”
“I study classical music and compose my own works.”
“Is that it? No clubbing, no parties, no drinking or anything like that?” Vinyl asked.
Octavia looked at her, a little confused, “Why in Equestria would I partake in such activities?”
“Oh I don't know, maybe because its fun”
“Fun? How can blacking out and waking up with a headache possibly be fun?”
Vinyl stopped walking and turned to her before speaking, “Hold up, you're telling me that, throughout your entire time at high school, you never once went to a real party?”
“No, I have never been to what you would call a 'real party'.”
Vinyl just grinned a little.
“What's that look for?” The grey mare asked, not sure where this was going.
“Oh nothing” Vinyl turned and trotted in the other direction, away from the club.
“Vinyl! Where are you going? We have to go to work!” Octavia ran to catch up.
“You just said that you've never been to a party right?”
“Yes”
Vinyl gave her a sly smile, “Well I guess we'll have to fix that, won't we?