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CHAPTER THREE: TIME WITH COCO
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“Vinyl, aren’t you excited!?”
Octavia smiled wide with a squee noise as she gazed at her best friend. Vinyl nodded. They were at apho restaurant, called Mi Pho, You Pho
As a waiter came to their table and asked for their orders, Vinyl replied, ''The 'super-meat pho bowl, size large, and make it the spiciest you can!''
Octavia stared in horror.
“MEAT!?” Her friend laughed.
“It’s called tofu, it’s like a vegetarian meat.”
The waiter smiled and Octavia sighed. She ordered a miso soup bowl and eggrolls. When they were finished, the both agreed pho was delicious.
“Octie,” Vinyl said.
“Yeah?”
“If we’re going to Hinny of the Hills, we have to go see the new ‘Fasting Games’ movie.”
Octavia rolled her eyes. The ‘Fasting Games’ was a super-popular movie based on a book trilogy. The second one, ‘Grabbing Water,’ had just been released, and since it was Vinyl’s new obsession, the two ponies of course had to see it.
“Fine,” Octavia said. This was sure going to be an exciting day.
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“WOAH, THAT LANDED IN HIS HEAD!”
Octavia shoved a hoof into her friend’s mouth as she blushed because of Vinyl’s shout. In the movie, one of the tributes had just killed another with an axe. To the brains.
“Shh!”
The two mares next to them, one who was sitting in a strange position with a blue coat, the other bearing a curled and large multi-colored mane, shushed them irritatedly.
“Apologies,” Octavia whispered. Vinyl spat Octavia’s hoof out and ‘harumph!’ed. They continued the movie in silence, Vinyl slurping on a soda while Octie ate some non-buttered popcorn.
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The mares joined in the quiet and polite applause as they watched from the balcony in the Bridleway theatre.
Octavia had bribed Vinyl to be quiet by buying her three entire packages of Buck Kats, Vinyl’s favorite chocolate brand. Despite Octavia’s desperate attempts, her mare friend wore a gold chain necklace that read in large, blocky letters,
DJ PON-3
Octavia herself, however, wore her nicest bowtie, a light aqua colored one that had a small golden pin attached to it, which was an upside-down horseshoe, which symbolizes good fortune. Her mane had been curled and adorned with a matching bow to her bowtie. Her tail was done up in the same style.
“Thank you, mares and gentlecolts, thank you,” the announcer said, “and now, please enjoy the one and only Hinny of the Hills!”
The curtains opened, and a beautiful mare was revealed to be sitting atop an old-fashioned park bench, reading a large book.
Another polite round of applause went ‘round, and the show began.
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As the mares were heading into the streets, Vinyl, slightly tipsy from the cocktails she had drank, ran into a mare, who was hauling at least four rolls of fabric on her back, and more in her two saddlebags. They all fell to the ground, resulting in angry stares from passersby.
“Oops! -hic- Sorry!”
The mare scowled at them, and turned away to pick up the rolls.
“H-hic- Here,” Vinyl said, using her horn to levitate the rolls. She meant to place them back in their original positions, but instead caused them to fall atop the pony.
“Gahh! This is ridiculous! When Rarity hears about this, you’ll be-”
The angry mare was cut off by none other than Octavia.
“Wait,” she said, an eyebrow cocked confusedly, “Rarity? The mare in Ponyville? I’ve heard of her…”
“Heard of her? Please, every time she publishes a new fashion line, it’s in one of the best-selling magazines!”
“W-hic- Well, you seem to be a fan, -hic-,” Vinyl said.
“Fan? She’s the one who got me to accept the job of creating dresses for the next Bridleway show!”
This seemed to impress Octavia greatly.
“Who are you, again?” She asked, casually picking the many rolls of fabric and handing them to the mare.
“Coco Pommel, and you?”
“I’m-hic- Vinyl Scratch.”
“Octavia, apologies for my friend, she’s a bit tipsy.”
Coco mumbled something in reply as the last roll was tucked into her saddlebags.
“Say, Coco,” Octavia said, “Would you care to enjoy some tea later?”
“Perhaps. Fix your friend, and I suppose so.”
And surprisingly, Vinyl didn’t protest to getting ‘fixed’.
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“So, what are you hobbies?”
Octavia, Vinyl Scratch and Coco Pommel were sitting in a high-class cafe, enjoying fabulous tea made by a world-known chef.
“Well, I um, enjoy fashion, and that’s really about it,” Coco replied. Octavia nodded and smiled as she took a sip from her china cup.
“I myself enjoy playing a cello,” she replied.
“Oh, that’s interesting,” Coco replied. She shifted her gaze to Vinyl, who was staring out the window.
“What’s your special talent?”
“Huh? Oh, um, i’m a pretty good DJ,” Vinyl replied.
“And usually not so modest,” Octavia added. Coco giggled.
“Say,” she said, “Do you think you could make it to the show? I’d really appreciate critique on my dresses.”
“Well, I don’t know if we could really afford that,” Octavia said.
“Oh, I could pay, if you’d like,” Coco said.
‘’That is quite alright, Coco. I think we could try to pay,’’ Octavia replied, waving a dismissive hoof at Coco.
‘’Octy, we should let Coco help us out. After all, helping others doesn’t hurt at all,’’ Vinyl added, nudging Octavia in the shoulder.
‘’But I insist, it’s the least I could do. Rarity taught me about generosity, and how giving things to the unfortunate benefits everypony.’’ Coco insisted, holding out a burlap sack of bits.
The pair stared at each other then back at Coco, with their mouths hung agape. Octavia grabbed the burlap sack and held it in her hoof, while Vinyl patted her on the back. Still in shock over the offer, Octavia gave Coco a reassuring smile.
‘’Thank you so much for the offer, Coco. I don’t know how we can repay you,’’ the cello expert took another sip of her tea, placing the burlap sack in her saddlebag.
‘’Your thanks is what counts which is more valuable than bits to me, so I’ll be seeing you two at the next show?’’ Coco asked, she took a bite of her maple-flavored scone and drank her tea.
‘’We’ll be there!’’ Vinyl chugged the rest of her tea down, the tea slid down her throat. The hot liquid caused Vinyl’s face to turn bright red, she fanned her tongue with her hoof. ‘’Hot, hot, hot!’’
‘’Vinyl, I keep telling you to let your tea cool to drink it. Anyway, yes Coco, we will be there at the next show. See you then!’’ Octavia carried Vinyl in her forelegs out of the cafe, as Coco waved her hoof at them.
‘’Looks like we’ll be seeing Coco again, aren’t you excited?’’
‘’Yeah you could say that, Vinyl. Why do you ask?’’ Octavia inquired, walking down the street holding Vinyl in her forelegs.
‘’We could have an after party after the show, a bar sounds like a perfect location.’’
‘’What am I going to do with you, Vinyl?’’ Octavia shook her head back and forth, walking up the stairs to their hotel room and carrying Vinyl at the same time.