//------------------------------//
// 50th Prompt Special 
// Story: Rhythm and Harmony: The Octascratch Prompt Collab 
// by lyra_lover777 
//------------------------------//

By CT
“I’m telling you Vinyl, if you just give it a chance, you’ll realize the beauty of classical music.”
Vinyl gave a disdained look to Octavia as the grey earth pony tried to make the unicorn listen to another CD of some classical composer.
“Octi, for the hundredth time, that stuff bores me to death, I’d rather listen to some tunes that won’t put me to sleep.”
Octavia rolled her eyes at that statement.
“You mean you would rather listen to that ear-splitting noise you play at various clubs every night rather than try to expand your musical palette.”
“You’ve never even heard me play at any clubs. If anyone should expand their musical…whatever it was you said…it should be you. That classical stuff you try to shove down my throat all sounds the same. You should mix it up once in a while.”
“I’ve heard you play those ‘tunes’ you so affectionately call them, and frankly I’d rather spare myself the headaches.”
They both stared at each other for a long time until Octavia broke eye contact and sighed. This was a regular argument for the two roommates, each trying to convince the other that their styles of music were valid. Since they had moved in together, the cellist had tried to share her interests with the DJ in order to be closer, but the white unicorn remained adamant to keeping her own personal tastes.
“I give up.” said Octavia as she started walking to her room.
“You are so stubborn.” She closed to the door and lay back on her bed staring up at the ceiling. All she wanted was to try and get closer to Vinyl, even if just a little bit.  Octavia couldn’t help but be drawn to the unicorn ever since the two had met, despite them having their differences. The mare couldn’t understand why she wanted to be closer to the DJ, she just felt that she needed to be, and that feeling became a little stronger after they started living together.
After what seemed like hours, Octavia heard a knock on her door and glanced over to see it open and a blue haired head poke in.
“Hey Octi, can I come in?”
She sat up on her bed, and nodded towards the unicorn.
“Yes, you may Vinyl.”
Blue magic opened the door the rest of the way and Vinyl walked in, along with a blank CD floating behind her. Octavia didn’t notice this as she looked down at the floor.
“Vinyl, I should apologize for what I said, I shouldn’t have…”
“Octi, would you listen to something for just a second?”
Octavia looked up to see Vinyl use her magic to put the CD in the player located on the grey pony’s nightstand. The unicorn looked back at her.
“I’d like you to listen to this mix I made, if you don’t like it, I promise I won’t bother you with my music anymore, deal?”
Octavia wanted to protest, but seeing the look in Vinyl’s eyes, held back and simply nodded as Vinyl used her magic to press play.  It started out with the sound of a cello being played. Octavia recognized the composition right away. It was one she had written.  A few more bars played until the notes started rising and were soon joined by some electronic sounds. Instead of the usual louds beats she knew from the genre, Octavia listened as they were more subtle and blended in well with the sounds of her cello. She found herself closing her eyes and letting the whole thing wash over her as it played.
Once the song was over, the unicorn waited until Octavia had opened her eyes again to get a response.
“So, what do you think?”
Octavia looked at Vinyl, trying to think of what to say. She wanted to tell Vinyl how amazing it was, how incredible it sounded to her, but there was a lingering question that nagged at her.
“How did you get my playing in the song?”
Vinyl couldn’t help but look down at that, a slight tint growing on her cheeks that matched the shade of her eyes.
“I…recorded you playing once… and used that as the base for the mix.”
Octavia got up and moved closer to Vinyl.
“Why?” Vinyl’s blush grew.
“I thought that if I made something from your playing…you might like electronic music a little better…plusIreallylikeitwhenyouplayyourcello…”
“What was that?”
“I said…’I really like it when you play your cello’…” If it was possible, Vinyl’s blush grew in intensity.
“I-I like it when you play your own songs, not something other ponies wrote. All that other classical stuff puts me to sleep, but when you play…I like listening to you.”
The earth pony stood there looking at the unicorn astonished at the revelation, and also astonished at the warmth she was feeling from hearing those words. It was the familiar warmth she had felt whenever the two had spent time together, only this time it was stronger. Her eyes widened when she realized what it was she was feeling, and it was confirmed more when Vinyl spoke her next words.
“I like you Octi. I love you”
Vinyl bowed her head in shame after that admitting her feelings, not wanting to look the other mare in the eyes for fear of seeing rejection or anger or disgust from the other mare. Octavia, however, wanted to look into Vinyl’s eyes and see the caring and compassion the unicorn felt for her. She moved just a little closer to the DJ.
“Vinyl, look at me”
The unicorn shook her head, not wanting to face rejection just yet. Octavia knew she was going to have to do something to make Vinyl look up; only on thought came to her mind. Octavia leaned towards Vinyl and gently placed a kiss on her cheek, making the unicorns head shoot up to look at her. Finally having the other mare’s attention, Octavia smiled.
“I love you too, Vinyl”
Vinyl stood there stunned for a few seconds until tears started forming in her eyes. Octavia grew worried for a moment until she saw smile also grace the unicorns face, and then leap forward to embrace her. They held each other close for what seemed like forever until Vinyl pulled back, her eyes still wet, to look at Octavia, and then as if silently communicating, they both leaned towards each other and shared a sweet kiss. It lasted a minute, or maybe an hour, neither one knew as they were both simply enjoying the moment in each other’s embrace, knowing that they both shared feelings for each other and that neither wanted to be anywhere else than with each other, sharing in their passions for music and in the life that both would have together from now on.


By Ratsenkio
It was the Winter Moon Celebration, the first to be celebrated after the return of Princess Luna, and thus, she had decided that she would make a party worthy of being remembered.

"Come on, Lyra! You know I don't really like classical music." whined Vinyl.
"Yes, I know. But my friend Octavia is different. I'm pretty sure you'll like her music," said Lyra, "She is one of the greatest cellist in Equestria. You could say it's the you of classical music."
"If you say so." said an unconvinced Vinyl.
"Besides, with Bonnie stuck in the kitchen, what can I do that could be more interesting than presenting my best friend to my other best friend." said a Lyra with a silly smile in her muzzle.

Vinyl had been selected to be the dj of the party. 
That being said, the party was divided in several themes. One of them was where Vinyl had been playing for several hours now.

Vinyl, at the moment, was walking with Lyra through the party. It was finally Vinyl’s rest and Lyra had been bothering her with meeting this celllist friend of hers. While she didn’t have anything against classical, she hadn’t found any redeeming qualities to it either.
To her, it always felt like reading out loud from a school book. That is to say, boring and without any kind of passion.

“So, what’s so great about this friend of yours?” asked Vinyl.
“Oh, you’ll see.” replied Lyra with a knowing smile, “You won’t have to wait much more. We’re already here.”

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFx-5PGLgb4 It’s more of a joke, but it goes perfect with it!
Leave it or take it as you wish.)

There on the stage was Octavia, playing by herself.
To Vinyl, time seemed to have stopped completely and the crowd, even Lyra herself, had  vanished. It was a world for Vinyl and Octavia.

“That’s not a mare,” though Vinyl, “is an angel creating music. And what music, I never heard something so alive, so full of passion.”
“So what do you think?” asked Lyra to an open-mouth Vinyl.
“I think I’m in love.” was all Vinyl could whisper.

Regretfully, Octavia’s song ended and that put Vinyl out of her trance.
Vinyl seeing that a hour was already gone alone with her rest, she did the only thing a sensible pony would do in her situation.

“Buck! I’m late.” She cried as she run to resume playing. Leaving a confused Lyra by herself.

Thankfully for Lyra, appeared by her side a few minutes later.

“So! Where’s Vinyl?” asked a happy Octavia.
“You just missed her, she had to return to her music.” said Lyra, “Don’t worry though, you can still see her after the party.”
“You didn’t say anything weird did you?” asked a suspecting Octavia, “Like I have a crush on her or something like that?”
“I knew it!” exclaimed Lyra, “when I took you to her show you keep blabbering about her through and after the show.”
“That’s beside the point.” said a red-cheeked, “Besides, she would never like me back. It’s just a silly crush.” finished now a sad Octavia.
“Oh, you would be surprised!” said a grinning Lyra.


By palaikai
Soft violet eyes stared out at the myriad puddles formed in the cracks of the train station's one and only platform; the soft hiss of steam was the only sound, and it wouldn't be long before … “Mares and gentlecolts,” the chirpy announcement began, “we apologise for the delay. The train from Ponyville to Canterlot is now ready for boarding.”
The conductor made one final inspection of the boiler's innards before nodding to the mechanic, who swiftly sealed it up. “Miss,” he said to Octavia, who was lost in her own little world. “Are you all right?”
“Hm?” replied Octavia, shaking her head. No amount of bobbing could pry free those dark thoughts which had become lodged in there as of late. “Yes, sorry.”
“The train is ready.”
“Thank you.”
Octavia sighed, pulling herself unwillingly to her hooves and pushing the trolley containing her one and only possession in the direction of the locomotive. To be the best at something meant making a few sacrifices.
The grey mare paid no heed to the clusters of ponies making their way to the passenger compartment as she headed toward the luggage carriage; a burly earth pony was there to help with the more awkward baggage, and Octavia thanked him as they manoeuvred the bulky case into position.
Just as she was about to place a hoof on the step leading to the passenger section, a shrill cry broke through the oppressive silence. She perked up her ears, and soon enough, the sound repeated itself. “OCTAVIA! WAIT!” She'd been expecting this, but hadn't looked forward to it. Not once during the trip from home to the station had she looked back, but now, she was being given no choice in the matter.
Making sure her face was perfectly neutral, she turned to greet the white unicorn mare with the wild blue mane who was pushing her way through the milling ponies to get to the train. “Vinyl.” She isn't wearing her glasses.
“Just a sec',” Vinyl replied, holding up a foreleg to ward of any chatter while she tried to get her breath back. Long nights partying and drinking weren't conducive to good health, and the mad sprint across Ponyville had left her winded. In one long stream, she blurted, “Howcouldyouleavemewithoutsayinganything.”
Octavia looked at her blankly. “I'm sorry?”
“So you should be,” Vinyl said darkly, panting now from anger rather than breathlessness. “Just a note. Not even … am I not even worth a proper goodbye to you? Did our time together mean so little? Was I just another notch on the bedpost?”
This was something that Octavia had been hoping to avoid. This was the one thing stopping her from going to Canterlot and fulfilling her heart's desire. This was why she'd written a blasted note and snuck out of the house in the early hours of the morning. If only the train hadn't been under maintenance, she would've been halfway to Canterlot and its fabulous orchestra by now. Her old life a fading memory in the distance. But no such luck.
“You don't have to go back there,” said Vinyl, her cool demeanour all but destroyed in a flood of tears.
“Yes, I do,” Octavia replied, trying to maintain a degree of stoicism. She understood now why Vinyl hadn't worn her trademark sunglasses: she'd wanted her to see this. The raw emotion on her face. The side of herself no one but Octavia was privy to.
A pair of hooves latched on to her waist as Octavia attempted to board the train. The conductor was looking at them with an icy expression and he tapped his fetlock despite there being no watch there. Vinyl wasn't all that strong, and Octavia could break her grip easily enough … but something other than the desperate DJ was holding her back. “Vinyl, I'm sorry. I know it was cowardly of me to break up with you in this way, but … I have to go. Please, let me go.”
“I don't want to.”
The wail broke Octavia's heart, but her spirit refused to be bowed; with everything she had, she tore herself away from Vinyl's grasp and boarded the train.
Glass separated the two. Octavia refused to look, not wanting to see those impossibly-confident eyes reduced to abject despair.
She looked.
Vinyl mouthed three words as the train began to pull away from the station.
A solitary tear slid down Octavia's cheek as she repeated them.


By Cobalt Ravenscroft
“Come oooon, Octi,” the mint green unicorn begged.
“Please don’t call me ‘Octi’, Lyra,” Octavia calmly scolded her friend, “you know I don’t like it.”
“Sorry, but just one night,” Lyra got down on her hind legs, her fore hooves raised towards the grey earth pony, “my friend’s playing at this new club, and I really don’t want to go alone.”
“Why not just ask Bon Bon?” Octavia asked, almost encouragingly.
“She’s ill, she said she wouldn’t be much fun,” Lyra sank to her haunches, defeated.
Seeing her friend like that softened Octavia, just enough for her to give in to the, quite frankly, ludicrous request, “Uhh, fine, I’ll do it.”
“Yes!” Lyra cheered, forgetting her brief sadness.
This is going to be a long night, Octavia thought to herself as Lyra skipped around her in circles, repeating the word “yes” over and over again.
---
“Are you sure that’s what you’re wearing, Octavia?” Lyra questioned as the mares were about to leave.
“Of course, what’s wrong with my bow?” Octavia was wearing her signature white collar and pink bow and nothing else, save for some subtle makeup. Her charcoal mane had also been straightened as much as the natural flick in it would allow. Lyra, on the other hoof, wore garish yellow neon stockings on her forehooves and had done seemingly nothing to her mane, except made it messier.
“It’s just…” Lyra struggled to find the right words, “not that kind of place.”
“I’m well aware, Lyra, but it doesn’t mean I have to lower my standards,” Octavia retorted.
“Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
---
The outside had read “The Cosy Mare”. The inside screamed lots of ponies getting very cosy with one another on what appeared to be a dance floor, but there was no order to the movements, every mare and stallion choosing their own way to move and grind from the cacophony of noise emitting from far too many speakers. At least that’s what Octavia saw. The music, if you could call it that, held no obvious rhythm or clear indication of when one song ended or another started, at least to Octavia’s classically trained ears.
Lyra saw her friend wasn’t moving on her own, too busy being overwhelmed by Canterlot’s latest up-and-coming nightclub, so she nudged her in the direction of the nearest booth, Octavia’s autopilot doing the rest.
When she was sat down and no longer staring wide-eyed at everything with her mouth agape, Lyra broke the ‘silence’ between them, “DO YOU WANT A DRINK?!” she tried to shout over the music, somehow succeeding.
“Yes please,” Octavia tried to speak at her usual volume, but the club drowned her out. Her nod, though, was enough for Lyra who disappeared into the crowd of ponies, who all seemed to be dressed in a similar fashion to the unicorn.
While she was alone and hidden away in the small cushioned booth, Octavia attempted to take in her surroundings again: lots of sweaty ponies all rubbing against each other, a strange dance she couldn’t identify though she doubted any of it was practiced beforehoof, a distinct smell of alcohol in the air and something else she couldn’t identify, it smelled herbal though, maybe somepony else had spruced themselves up. And then there was that music, that noise, that was both unpleasant yet strangely intoxicating. It made Octavia’s body want to move on its own but her mind told her hooves “no!”.
Before she could investigate further, Lyra came back with two fruity-looking drinks floating in her magic, both smelling of alcohol, Octavia noticed. The music seemed to lower to a more acceptable level, allowing ponies to engage in conversation briefly.
“Here you go,” Lyra offered one of the drinks to grey mare, who accepted nervously.
Octavia took a sip, but immediately removed the drink from her face, pulling a very childish face showing her disliking of the flavour, “What even is this?!” she held the offending glass at a comfortable distance from her face so none would try and get back in her mouth.
“I think the mare behind the bar called it a Berrypolitan, not sure what’s in it though,” Lyra sheepishly replied, “go on, have another taste.”
Because she was such a good friend, Octavia did. And another. It seemed the drink got more acceptable over time as more and more of the fruity flavour came through.
“That’s the spirit,” Lyra cheered as the drink slowly disappeared from Octavia’s glass.
As the mares sat and enjoyed their drinks, a voice came over the top of the music, “Okay ponies,” a mare’s voice, but with a very odd tone, “DJ-PON3 is gonna take a break now, but wub on and I’ll be back later!” Cheers rose from the crowd as the music went back up to the original level from earlier.
“COME ON!” Lyra once again shouted over the music, leaving her drink on the table and motioning for Octavia to follow her. She put her now empty glass on the table before slowly making her way out of the booth after Lyra. They made their way through countless ponies, each at a different level of drunk and disorderly, drunk being very common in the crowd. At one point, Octavia felt a hoof stroking along her flank, but before she could turn around to reprimand the culprit Lyra had dragged her into a side room.
The room was much quieter than the main room with much nicer furnishings. Sat on a red sofa was a white unicorn mare with the most unkempt mane and tail Octavia had ever seen. It was two tones of blue, one dark and the other electric, and it stuck out like spikes from the mare’s head. Even though they were inside and it was dark out, the white unicorn wore large purple sunglasses over her eyes, making it impossible for anypony to know where she was looking, but Octavia thought she was looking right back at her, observing her in the same way.
“Who’s your friend, LyLy?” the mare asked in that same voice that had come out of the speakers a minute earlier.
“This is Octavia,” Lyra gestured with her hoof, “she’s in the orchestra with me.”
“Oh,” she replied as she rose from the sofa, “I like a classy mare. Name’s Vinyl Scratch, babe.” Vinyl offered her hoof to the new mare, assuming she knew what a hoof bump was.
Octavia shook the offered hoof, as was how she was taught to greet somepony, “A pleasure, Miss Scratch, though I would prefer it if you didn’t call me ‘babe’.”
“No sweat, Tavi,” the DJ flashed a cocky grin.
“My real name is just fine.”
“But it’s so formal,” Vinyl complained, “what about Octi?”
“N-,” was all Octavia could force out before her brain went into a mild shutdown, her usual pet hate sounding so sweet coming from the arrogant, abrasive and obnoxious mare. How dare she even try and use that name!
Lyra, watching on from a few feet away, began to back away as she noticed the tell-tale signs that Octavia was about to lose her cool: the little twitch of her ears, the distant look slowly focusing on Vinyl, and most of all, her smile completely fading from her face. This is going to get messy, she thought as her rump made it to Vinyl’s red sofa.
“Can you not get it through your thick skull, mare?!” she was off, and very little could stop Octavia once she started, “My name is Octavia Treble Philharmonica, one of the greatest classical musicians of this generation and you will do well to respect that, Vinyl, the disk jockey of some club who will probably be replaced by the month’s end!” There was now a small hole in the wooden floor where Octavia had stamped her hoof multiple times during her outburst.
After some time to comprehend what she’d just seen and heard, a new smile found its way onto Vinyl’s face, “You know, Octavia Treble Philharmonica, you’re cute when you’re mad.”
Lyra was now sat behind the sofa with a large bucket of popcorn she had found from somewhere, watching the storm brew between the two mares, her two oldest friends. No matter how much she wanted to stop this, she couldn’t resist watching just to see the outcome.
“You are such a… such a…” Octavia paused to find the right insult, “such an ass.”
“Name calling?” Vinyl raised an eyebrow, “Not very ‘proper’ of you, but I can work with that, you snob.”
“Charlatan.”
“Boring cellist.”
“Scum.”
“Upper-class witch.”
“That doesn’t even make sense!”
Vinyl just shrugged, making Octavia think she had won. The cellist turned around to leave on her current high note, but then Vinyl found something else to call her, “Sexy flank.”