//------------------------------// // A different start // Story: Inconvenient Roommates // by Harmony Split //------------------------------// Chapter 1: A Different Start Patchy dreams were disturbing Octavia Philharmonica’s night, despite the sleeping pills she had taken before bed. The doorbell rang. She turned her head to look at her alarm clock, and groaned when she saw how early in the morning it was. Octavia wasn’t sure that anybody willing to disturb her at this time of day even deserved to to be answered. She sleepily peered out of her window, seeing a single pony with a rather large backpack shivering and freezing in front of her door. “I wonder who that could be, especially at this early hour!” she sighed, drowsily getting out of her bed and making her way down the hallway. Once she reached the door, she opened it and looked outside. In front of her stood a white mare, wrapped up in multiple coats, but still freezing and shivering. She wore purple sunglasses and under her hood Octavia could see a blue-striped, spiked mane. Octavia had never seen this pony before. The white mare’s voice quivered from the cold when she tried to speak. “I-I heard t-that there should b-b-be a room open for r-rent in h-here.” She seemed only one hoof away from hypothermia. Octavia wasn’t quite sure what to do. Should she ask her in? A pony she’d never even met before? On the other hoof, it was almost Hearth’s Warming Eve, and she wouldn’t feel right just sending somepony away. “Yes, there is. Come in… please.” She at least tried to stay polite, despite being awakened so early. The white mare shuffled in, only to collapse in the hallway. Octavia sighed. ‘This is going to be fun’ she thought bitterly, tugging the white mare towards the fireplace in her small living room. She wasn’t especially heavy, so it only took a minute for Octavia to reach her goal. She shuddered. ‘I’m helping an obviously homeless mare I don’t even know...’ With that thought, she settled herself down on the couch and waited patiently, watching the white mare laying in front of the fireplace until her breath became steady again. *** “Uuhh… what the hay...?” Vinyl winced. Her whole body was in discomfort from the sudden heat after being chilled for so long. She kept her eyes closed and tried to relax as much as she could. She realized she had no idea where she was. Then Vinyl remembered knocking on the door of that grey mare, having found her address in the local paper while searching for a new home. After a while she heard somepony sniff. “I’m glad you’re awake. I do hope you will not lay down there all day.” The grey mare looked down at her, taking a sip of tea. Vinyl jumped, startled, and looked at the grey mare, which only brought her a nervous look. “It’s very impolite of you not to have even tried to introduce yourself.” She slid from the couch, standing in front of Vinyl. Getting no answer from the stranger, she sighed. “Well, it seems I’ll have to be the mare who goes first. My name is Octavia Philharmonica, and you are?” Still a bit confused, Vinyl extended her hoof, intending to greet Octavia the usual way. “Name’s Vinyl Scratch, nice to meet ya Octavia.” Octavia sniffed again, and looked at the hoof. “I don’t think that will be necessary.” Vinyl blushed just a little bit. “And it is Miss Philharmonica to you, Miss Scratch.” Walking over to her sofa and picking up her tea again, Octavia looked at Vinyl. “So, to what conjuncture do I owe your early visit?” Vinyl gathered herself up and sat down in front of Octavia, straightening her clothing. Octavia raised an eyebrow. “Well.. you see, Octa.. I mean... Miss Philharmonica, I sadly lost my home here in Trottingham due to… financial business and now I’m trying to find a new place to stay for a few weeks, at least until I’m on my hooves again.” “And that business led you straight to my door, I suppose?” Octavia sipped again at her tea, attempting to hide her impatience. “I have to say I have some… standards for my roommates Miss Scratch, and I’m sad to say that I am not certain you would fit in.” The white mare knew that this might be her only chance to find a home, at least until after Hearth’s Warming Eve, and Octavia probably understood that too. “So you’re just tossing me outside again, is that it?” Vinyl found her strength. “The proud mare Miss Philarmonica thinks she is way too good to help somepony who clearly needs it?” Maybe Vinyl was going too far now... Octavia set her cup down with an audible clink. “How dare you speak to me like this?! You don’t know me; who don’t know who I am; you have no right to say such things to me!” She tried to calm down, but wasn’t used to being confrontated so directly. But here she was, that white mare, with barely enough strength to stand on her shaking hooves, questioning her character. “I have every right to decide who I allow to stay in my house, MY private domain!, you outrageous mare!” She tried to calm herself, taking her seat again and sipping at her tea. The white mare blinked away a few tears, slightly hidden behind her glasses. “Then it’s probably best if I leave straight away.” With those words she walked unsteadily, but quite quickly considering the condition she was in, to the door, and slammed it shut behind her. Octavia was dumbfounded, but also surprised by her own actions. It wasn’t really her way to lose control of her emotions like that, nor to be so stubborn. She was not usually set off that easily and it surprised her greatly. Perhaps her lack of sleep had clouded her judgement and affected her usual sense of self-control? She groaned. “I’d better brew some more tea and stop worrying about her, I suppose.” The grey mare headed back to her kitchen, boiling the kettle and opening a new packet of biscuits. Heading back to the living room, she saw Vinyl’s backpack, and all of her capes and jackets, damp and lying on the ground in the hallway. ‘She went outside without taking her possessions.’ Octavia groaned again, this time slightly louder and shook her head. It was not her business. Vinyl would be able to find some shelter to stay in, then she’d surely come back to get her stuff, and then she would be out of Octavia’s life forever. She felt a pang in her heart. Why did it hurt to think of that messy, incredibly rude mare being gone forever? She sipped at her tea and tried to avoid thinking about it, though she wasn’t able to get ignore those thoughts completely. Time passed and the grey mare, still confident Vinyl would be safe, and get her belongings back, finally stood up and made her way to her bedroom. She intended to read a bit and let the day pass until her performance that evening. “Oh my… I nearly forgot about my appearance at the Royal Orchestra today, and all just because of that… bizarre mare! I believe it is about time I acquired a roommate.” With a small sigh she stood up again and made her way to the bathroom to get herself ready for her big evening. She must have just been lonely — there could be no other reason for her thoughts to keep returning to Vinyl. *** Vinyl hurried along the lonely streets of Trottingham as snow started to fall. She was cold and shaking on her weak legs, but going back was not an option. “That mare was just about to slam the bucking door in my face — why bother with that?” She thought out loud. She would just have to get used being homeless during Hearth’s Warming Eve... Walking through Trottingham, she lost all sense of time and location. She just plodded through the snow, trying to forget Octavia. She felt hungry. She thought she ought to buy something to eat with her last few bits, but then Vinyl realized she left all her stuff in Octavia’s house. She figured she must have had a few bits left at the bank. She pulled herself together and turned to walk slowly back towards the inner city. “Thirty-eight bits? That’s all?” The grey maned mare behind the desk nodded. Vinyl sighed. “Okay, okay, I’ll take everything.” It started to get colder, and icy wind blew through Vinyl’s coat while she walked the streets of Trottingham. She was barely able to put one hoof in front of the other, and stopped at a small lake, intending to rest for at least a moment. While looking up into the sky her thoughts returned to Octavia. She quickly shook her head, trying to avoid thinking about her, but it didn’t help. It was time to do what she had learned to do best at her gigs: getting so drunk she’d barely be able to think. Her mind still adrift, she picked herself up onto her hooves again to search for the nearest bar or club in town. It was not too long before she found one and went inside to drink the rest of the day away… *** A loud knock sounded at the front door… “Octavia, what are you doing that is taking so long?! We are going to be late!” Another knock. “For Celestia’s sake, Octavia, please get out here!” It sounded like somepony was trying to smash the door into pieces and Octavia jumped. She had been deep in thought and was starting to worry about Vinyl. She believed it was a perfectly sensible concern considering Vinyl had left without any of her belongings, especially her jackets. She must be freezing out there — taking a glance out of the window, she noticed it was snowing ferociously outside. Another loud knock, this time followed by the sound of creaking wood. “Octavia, where are you? Is everything alright?” The voice sounded more concerned than impatient now. The grey mare peeked out of her bathroom, to see Toe-Tapper looking through the window next to the front door. He waved at her, a look of relief on his face. “Mind opening the door for me? We are going to be late, Octavia!” Sighing, she opened the door. Toe-Tapper was one of the local tenors that used to work at the Concert Hall. Looking over the door quickly, Octavia noticed he had tried to smash the it in; the hinges were in bad shape. “As you can see, I was just about to finish getting prepared Tap! And I’d appreciate it if you left my door is in one piece. Would you take a seat and wait for me?” Octavia’s endurance was already at its limit today. “And please try to not break anything today.” She paced to her bathroom, locking it and trying to get her mane styled. Thanks to that messy white mare she would be late for the first time ever.  ‘This is starting just great’ she thought bitterly. She grabbed her cello and made her way to the Concert of the Royal Orchestra, Toe-Tapper by her side. They reached their destination, not a second too early. There were only minutes before the show was scheduled to start. The venue staff were already closing all entrances, so they hurried up the last few steps and rushed to the backstage area. Everyone looked at them once they were inside. “What took you so long?” A small colt stood up and looked at them, annoyed. “Toe-Tapper, you were supposed to get her over an hour ago!” Octavia sighed. “Please stop it, Baritone. It is not his fault, it is mine.” The stallion called Baritone sighed. “How could I be mad with you, Octavia? Now hurry up, on the Stage!” *** Black blurry shaped hovered in her vision. Vinyl couldn’t remember what had happened, but the bitter taste of bile in her throat brought it all back pretty fast. She was in a small back alley, lying there freezing, without the strength to get up onto her hooves. This time she knew she’d really overdone it. “Great, I’m going to die for real this time. Nopony is around this late.” she whispered, almost inaudibly, even to herself. ‘Maybe you just want it to be that way’ a voice in her head replied, ‘to just forget everything and be able to rest.’ The idea sounded appealing, so she decided to close her eyes again, waiting for the snow to cover her coat slowly on this chilly evening. *** Octavia packed up her cello and was about to leave. She couldn’t have been happier with the results of the performance; everypony had been cheering for her. Then she heard  somepony and Baritone entered the room, also happy, but with a quizzical look on his muzzle. “I’ve known you for six years, Octavia. I have seen you playing, crying and thinking. Every time you play, you concentrate on your cello and you become fully focused on it. This time it… it was different.” “What is that supposed to mean?” Octavia asked in a suspicious tone, and was afraid of the answer. “You smiled. At one point you even cried while playing! Something’s bothering you Octavia, isn’t it? Whatever it is, it must be quite a big deal.” The grey mare just sighed. “Listen, Baritone, don’t take this personally, but it’s something I’m trying to forget about, so I won’t bother you with it.” She earned a rare laugh from the old stallion. “Listen, I can imagine what’s going on, Octavia, you should have seen your face. You were definitely thinking about something or somepony special. Whoever or whatever it might be, don’t let go of it.” With that advice he left the room. Somewhat confused, Octavia made her way out into the quickly falling night. Yes, she had been thinking about that white mare the entire time she was playing. She hadn’t realized that it had made her smile or cry though. Maybe she should search for her the next morning and at least give her belongings back. As Octavia slowly walked through Trottingham, she heard a small noise, but had no clue what it was. As she kept going, the noise got louder and she recognized it as some sort of hard, laboured breathing. Following that sound she reached a small alley, full of snow but with nopony in sight. Her thoughts went to Vinyl again. Not seeing anything here, she turned back to leave the alley. That is when she saw it: a small layer of blue mane poking out of the snow. Octavia stopped thinking. Laying down her cello, she ran to that small blue spot. Shoveling everything away she found a white mare laying in the snow — Vinyl. Almost freezing to death, she was lying there, her breath becoming even more unsteady with every second that passed. Full of fear, Octavia cried out for help. “Please somepony help me! I need help!” Her screaming remained unanswered. Bent over Vinyl’s cold and motionless body she wept, knowing that all this was her fault, but not knowing why she had behaved in such a way. It had somehow seemed the natural course of action to her... *** The first thing Vinyl saw was bright light. Was this Heaven? Was this how it felt to be dead? She found herself on a small cloud, watching over Trottingham, which looked beautify by night. She noticed that she wasn’t alone — at her side was a white mare with blue mane, slightly brighter than her own and with ruby eyes… her eyes. “It’s good to see you again, my dear, even in this situation” A gorgeous smile. Vinyl was near the edge of passing out again and tears filled her eyes “Mom?”. A slight nod. “So I’m dead?” The expression on her mother’s face melted, and her eyes brimmed with tears. “That depends on your decision, Vinyl, and I hope you will make the right one.” “What decision, mom?” she cuddled to her mother’s coat and felt protected. Her mother sighed and pointed with her hoof down towards Trottingham. “You see this?” “I can’t see anything but an empty street mom, what…” Vinyl stopped, looking at where her mother’s hoof was pointing. In a small alley full of snow she saw Octavia lying in the snow, crying. “Why is she outside and crying? Is something wrong?” Vinyl realized that once she’d seen Octavia, she herself had started to cry, worried about never seeing her again. “Yes, my dear, something is wrong and it is about you.” Her mother had tears in her eyes too, looking at Vinyl full of love. “You have to look closer.” Vinyl tried to focus on Octavia and everything around her, finally seeing it. “I’m under her. Is she crying about me?” “Yes, she is, darling, and that is your decision you have to make.” She hugged her daughter for a few moments in silence before continuing. “Will you give up on everything, letting your life run out and be here with me…” She paused, looking at Vinyl. “Or will you fight and join Octavia down there once more; maybe find yourself a new life?”. It made Vinyl cry even more. “But how can I decide? Is she really worried about me or just feeling bad because she left me hanging without anything?” “You will have to find that out for yourself, darling. I can’t help you with that, but is she important to you? Worth a new life, maybe with a new friend?” Vinyl was silent and watched Octavia. “The first time we met, I thought we had known each other for years. It felt… somehow good to see her. But I doubt she had the same feeling.” Another warm smile from her mother. “Ask yourself again, Vinyl. You thought you had known each other for years. Can’t you remember anything? Try think back at your school time — that time you were alone, with nopony there for you.” Vinyl gulped. Something she forgot? School… it was a horrible mess… full of other ponies making fun of her… being without anypony… “Vinyl, it’s Melody… I thought you would figure it out quickly, but I think that accident of yours must have messed with your memory.” She looked at Vinyl, smiling. Now she was shocked. “Mom… this is Melody? As in Melody the earth pony, with her fancy addiction to her violin?” Her mother chuckled. “Yes, this is Octavia Melody and she was… interesting. Seeing both of you in school made me smile. Then that accident… it seemed you forgot everything. And I can tell you, Octavia lost everything too. That’s why she is Octavia Philarmonica now. Probably also why she forgot you too. And it seems like she’s playing cello now.” A small hug. “You have to decide now, Vinyl. Your life is nearly over…” Vinyl sighed. She was surprised that Octavia was there, crying over her after everything. It was a weird feeling, realizing she still liked Tavi. She has never had a true friend in all the years since her mother had passed away. Would she be strong enough to handle it if she chose Octavia, only to find out that Octavia had only wept out of guilt? Would she be able to be strong enough if Octavia refused to remember? But thinking about living with Octavia, that feeling stuck in her chest again, and Vinyl made her decision. “I want to live, mom. And I really would like to live with Octavia as my friend…” Her mother looked at her with pure love. “I’m so proud of you!” After that sentence Vinyl’s vision blurred and everything went black once again… *** Octavia felt lost and was still crying over the motionless body of Vinyl. Tears fell on her white coat, like small pearls. She felt a small movement under her chest and looked down at Vinyl. The white mare was breathing a bit stronger now, one eyelid opening just an inch. “Please don’t cry about me, Tavi.” It was just a small whisper but it made Octavia smile a bit. “Dear Celestia, Vinyl, you’re alive!” Now her tears fell even quicker. “I’m so, so sorry… it is all my fault… please forgi--” “Shhh” A nearly inaudible sound, but it made Octavia feel a bit better. “I can’t move Tavi… my legs are hurting…” “Wait here, and don’t you dare pass out again!” Octavia ran towards the main street, calling for help. Finally a passing unicorn asked her what was wrong. The unicorn went into her nearby house, alerting a medical team and Octavia sat by Vinyl’s side, waiting for them to arrive. Once they approached, they lifted Vinyl up, making their way to the hospital, with Octavia always at Vinyl’s side. “I won’t leave you, Vinyl.” Smiling, Vinyl finally went to sleep, her dreams full of hope.