Octavia is Back on Your Bed After a Blow-Up With Vinyl
HudsonHawk
You trudge into your apartment, tired from another day on the front lines of retail hell. You throw your beige raincoat on the nearby hatstand, showing your work uniform to anyone inside, and there more than likely was. Knowing your luck there was another pony in your house. It’s become so frequent you’ve started setting another place at your dinner table on Mondays and Tuesdays for your interdimensional visitors. You dread the probable property damage, emptied cabinets, destroyed bathroom, or a probable destroyed bed. The 100 gold bits you received from Luna have, however, given you a bit of a cushion against random acts of pony.
However, judging from the silence in your apartment, maybe it’s stopped.
Wait. Maybe it’s a trick. You think. The furry ones make you THINK they’re not coming, then…
You shrug it off. Besides, that's happened once already. Music. I need a little music…
You head for your stereo, turn it on, and hit play. You left your copy of “The Best Of Star Trek: 30th Anniversary Special” in the CD tray when you were getting ready for work. You skip the CD to track eight, slump into your chair, and enjoy…
“That’s… that’s… it’s so beautiful…” A sad yet familiar voice says.
“Yes it is-” You start. Your eyes shoot open and your head whirls toward the source of the sound. There, at the doorway to your bedroom, was a familiar-looking grey pony. You rack your brain trying to recall when you last saw her… BINGO! She showed up right after Fluttershy did.. She looks a lot better than when you last saw her: her mane and tail are neatly combed, her fur is properly groomed, and her teeth are no longer yellow from drinking more whiskey than Nick Nolte on an all-night binge. Also, she’s now wearing a pink bowtie with a white collar, which makes her look absolutely adorable. You now understand why your sister goes ga-ga for Sulley from “Monsters, Inc.” in a tie. Ties make furry creatures more adorable.
Her light purple eyes look much better as well. The bags are gone, which means that she’s been getting more sleep. However, you notice a hint of sadness in them.
“Wait… hold on… Octavia, right?” You ask.
She gave a slight smile. “You remembered…”
Octavia trots over and hugs you with her front hooves. You, reluctantly, do the same. You're surprisingly pleased to see her. Aside from getting rip-roaring drunk, she didn't really do anything: she didn't destroy your bed, try to eat it, take it for a ride down the street or anything like that. She also didn't burn your fridge, eat your food,or destroy your bathroom... you still have scream-yourself-awake nightmares about what Sonata did to your bathroom. She also didn't try to steal your porn, nor would she be able to now, as the strongbox in your closet would make sure of that.
"What are you doing back?" You ask as you remotely turn off the stereo.
"I need a place to stay for the night..." Octavia starts as tears begin to form in her eyes.
"What happened?" You ask as she begins to sob in earnest. As she buries her face in her hooves, you wrap your arms around her and pull her into a comforting hug, rocking her gently. You always had a soft spot for a lady in distress, and despite being a different species, Octavia needs your help.
"It's okay, Octavia." You say. "Just let it out."
A few minutes later, Octavia's sobs subside and you hand her a tissue. She wipes her eyes and begins to relate her story of woe.
"Vinyl and I had a fight. You gave me the confidence to go back and try composing my masterpiece. I proposed meshing my classical style with Vinyl's electro to give Equestria a unique new sound, but Vinyl said our styles were too different to mesh... I lost my temper... I said some things I regret..."
“Like?” You ask.
“...like it doesn’t take much effort to make stuff on a computer…”
You wince.
“...and that it has no soul.”
You wince again.
“So… she kicked me out.”
"And here you are..." You finish.
"I'm here with the bed and person that gave me the answers last time." Octavia said.
“First off, Octavia…” You start. “It takes just as much effort to write and compose a piece of music for the synths as it does to compose music for an orchestra. It’s not how it’s composed or for what medium, you can make music work on a lot of different mediums… it’s the heart and soul you put into it, and judging from how you were last time, you should know that better than anyone. I’m not a musical genius. If it was so easy to make music via computer, I wouldn’t need to work in retail. I could be a musician right now. As much as I hate to admit it, especially after having to replace my goddamned fridge, I think you owe Vinyl one hell of an apology when you get back.”
Octavia hung her head low. “You’re right.”
You lightly stroke her mane. “It takes a big pers- er, pony to admit when she’s wrong. I think you’re one.”
She looked up and smiled. “But… can the styles mix?”
You think for a moment. "Hold on..." You head for your room and retrieve your computer bag, taking it back to the living room. You sit on your couch and set your laptop up on the coffee table. You then pat the seat next to you, motioning for Octavia to hop up next to you. She does as you open up YouTube.
"What's this?" Octavia asks.
"The answer to your problems." You reply. "You want proof that classical and electronic can mix? Here we go..."
You start browsing your favorites, and you find…
“This was done by a man named Harold Faltermeyer for a movie called ‘Kuffs.’ It’s a cover of a piece called ‘Ave Maria.’
Octavia lets the electronics hit her ears. She starts to sway to the music/ She starts to absent-mindedly wave a hoof around, as if conducting the London Philharmonic. As she gets used to the tune, she starts to hum along.
“That was gorgeous.” She says as the piece finishes. “It was oddly… haunting…”
“In the movie, it’s played over the scene where the main character’s brother is shot in a church and the subsequent ride to the hospital.” You say. “He dies in surgery…”
“That would be why. And that was a classical piece?”
“Yep.”
“Do you have any more?”
“Sure.” You scroll through again, finding a piece called, fittingly, Octavia…
As the cello kicks off the selection, Octavia looks blown away. Her hooves start miming the movements on an imaginary cello. You watch, astonished at her movements. You figure she must be truly something to behold with it. It carries on throughout the whole piece.
“This can’t be electronic… It just can’t…” She starts as the piece ends.
“Not all of it.” You reply. “He scored pieces for the cello and piano. The rest he scored for electronics.”
“It sounds… it’s… so beautiful… it’s like he has a full orchestra.”
“I know. The effect’s almost seamless.”
“If they can do this on computers and make it sound so real… then I really am useless. Why use real instruments if you can make the sounds electronically?”
“Because, Octavia, it’s like why I still collect records. Sure, CDs sound prettier… but there’s nothing like slapping a record on a turntable and starting it up… hearing those pops and hisses… it seems more real… sure, you can get the sound of an instrument electronically, but what really makes it real is the skill of the musician playing it. There’s nothing like the real thing.”
Octavia smiled. “Got another?”
“One more won’t hurt.” You say. You scroll down to another video. “This is one of my favorites.” You say.
Octavia’s jaw dropped.
“Listen to how the cello starts leading into the synths…” You start. “Listen to how they complement each other…”
“It’s magic…” She finishes. “But… how is she going to hear this?
“Do you have a record player or a CD player?” You ask.
“Both.” She replies.
“Wait here…” You say. You venture over to your CD rack and pluck out a CD, then hand it to Octavia.
“I made a mix CD of my favorite orchestral pieces. The ones I played for you are the first three on the disc.”
Octavia leaps from the couch and hugs you tightly. You return the hug as you hear “Thank you…”
“You’re welcome.” You reply. She hops down.
“Well, I got you for the rest of the night… wanna do anything?” You ask.
“That piece you were listening to when I came in…” She starts. “Can we listen to it again?”
“Don’t see why not.” You turn the stereo back on and set it for track eight. As the music starts…
“Could you pause it for a minute?” Octavia asks. “I need to get something.”
You comply and she rushes back to your room. A few moments later, she came back out with an instrument case. She walks over to the recliner and opens the case, revealing a gorgeous-looking cello. She starts to set it up. This gives you an idea. You head for your coat on the hatstand and rummage around in your pockets until you retrieve a Hohner Blues Harmonica. She looks at you, smiling.
“I thought you weren’t musical.” She says.
“I can’t read or write a note.” You reply. “I learn by ear.”
“Think you can keep up?”
“Try me.”
After she gave the okay, she puts bow to cello as you start up the song. The opening violins are amazingly accompained by Octavia’s skilled hooves on her cello. The sound is heaven to your ears. Then comes the flute solo. You put your harmonica to your lips and start playing to the flute melody...
Octavia stops and watches. She smiles at you, from one musician to another.
And that’s how the rest of the night went. No fires. No wrecked toilets. No theft of porn. No interdimensional travel. No destruction or strangeness of any kind. It was just you and a talented pony, alone in your living room, making beautiful music together.
You hope you get more Mondays like this.