//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 - Are things as they seem? // Story: Pretence // by Kapuchu //------------------------------// The remaining time until the lights dimmed and the pre-show murmuring began passed quickly, with the three mares chatting animatedly with each other. That is, Octavia and Lyra chatted while Vinyl seemed satisfied with simply listening to them. But while she seemed to just simply listen to them, Octavia couldn’t help but notice that her bespectacled gaze seemed to rest on her more often than not… Maybe it was just her imagination. But what if it wasn’t? Did it mean anything, then? I’m probably just overthinking it… like I seem to be doing with everything else that has something to do with Vinyl. Her muzzle scrunched up, and she turned towards the scene, seeing Lyra and Vinyl do the same. Of course she was overthinking things. Vinyl was, after all, just another pony. Nothing more, nothing less. Around them had sat ponies of all kinds, and even a few who were not. Gryphons, pegasi, unicorns, earth ponies, and even a Minotaur or two, had seated themselves nearby. One such earth pony occupied the seat to Octavia’s right, much to her chagrin. He was the very picture of the fat aristocrat who preyed on those less powerful. She had hoped that seat would have stayed empty, but evidently Melodia Allegrezza was such an attraction that it was sold out every time. She’d just have to bear with being near someone like him. The lights finally dimmed and the murmuring began, but only lasted a few short seconds before the spotlights turned on and quieted everybody. The carpets drew back from the scene, revealing an empty stage save a single stool, and a piano with its own stool. There came a light clopping sound of hooves on wood, preempting the appearance of one Melodia Allegrezza and two other ponies. The ivory unicorn walked in, a microphone held in her magic as well as two—not one—violins, and a unicorn stallion and a pegasus mare following behind. Melodia took the front of the stage as her two companions took their respective places at the cello and piano. The twin violins still held in her magic, Melodia brought the microphone to her lips. “Fillies and gentlecolts, thank you all for coming tonight!” Her voice was gentle and soothing, the one you could expect a kind teacher to have. She smiled at the crowd, glossy lips catching the light ever so slightly. “Before we begin, I would like to extend my gratitude towards Miss Gentle Touch and Mister Heart Strings—” “He is not related to me,” Lyra whispered to Octavia with mock disgust. Octavia snickered quietly. “—who have been so gracious as to bless us with their presence this evening. These are two exceptionally gifted musicians whom I am exceedingly proud to play with. I’d even go as far as to say each are more skilled with their respective instruments than I will ever be.” Someone in the crowd spoke up then, claiming that such was not the case. “I am glad that you think so,” Melodia replied, grinning slightly. “But be that as it may,” she said, sweeping a front leg at the crowd, ”we have guests to entertain.” Enthusiastic clapping filled the hall; not quite the polite clapping that the aristocrats seemed to consider greatest of applause, but neither was it very loud. It was a simple applause meant to show the artists in question that their time and effort was appreciated. “So without further ado,” she took one of the violins in her hooves, rearing back to stand on her hind legs. She placed the violin against her neck, the bow held in the crook of her hoof. “Let us begin!” As Melodia made the first stroke, the piano set in, Gentle Touch using both her hooves and wings to press onto the keys, striking a gentle rhythm. Melodia pulled the bow across the strings, a sound like the wind blowing across the landscape following. Strong and determined, safe in its path. It steadied itself, becoming lighter, uncertainty started to set in. The piano accompanied it, its low keys acting as the reassurance to the uncertainty. Light notes helping it along, ridding it of its fear even as the violin raised its pitch, lowering its volume; crying out. Asking. Still, the piano followed and kept it company, offering it silent reassurances and guidance. And then it stopped, the piano pointing the way. The violin set in again, steady though both rising and falling. The piano followed, offering its ever gentle advice of gentle notes and keystrokes. The Question rose again, the violin asking; Uncertain again. And then the cello set in, the piano chirping up to its previous light hearted guidance. The deep notes of the cello brought reassurance. The violin and the piano continued their dance of light notes vibrating through the air, to the gentle keystrokes. The vibrating notes of the strings rose up, the piano following once again. It rose and rose, ever continuing towards its goals. And, again, it stopped. Melodia pulled the bow back and forth gently, letting out the ever calm notes, Gentle Touch right behind her with evenly spaced chords. It soared higher yet, the second violin coming into play in her magic. It played slowly at first, then quicker and quicker; high pitched notes taking the focus from the gentler ones, though still existing in harmony with each other. The tempo increased, the other violin rising in volume to match. The cello rose with them, its deep notes reverberating across the hall. All four instruments existed at once, and then fell silent, the violin and cello fading out before a lone violin started again, picking up to a crescendo; everyone else following. The cello overpowered the first violin, letting it exist in the background as it followed the second violin to its answer. The piano fell in, powerful notes cascading all around them in a powerful display. And then all faded out, leaving nothing but the piano gently trickling away. Once again the first violin stepped in, its gentle strokes seemingly happy and no longer confused. With friends and family by its side, it had received its answer. And even then, it was much the same as before. The same notes, the same tunes and keystrokes from the piano. The cello stepped in again, the three of them following along each other, loud and clear, their final notes fading out, ending the piece. Melodia, having closed her eyes during the performance, opened them again, pride and joy shining in those blue orbs. She lowered herself back on all four legs, taking the violin she had held in her hooves in her magic again. A tidal wave of applause met her when her hooves touched the floor, the stomping and clapping of hooves resounding throughout the entire hall, from each and every mare and stallion currently there. Ponies whistled, and a few from the front rows even threw roses onto the stage. Perhaps among those who clapped the loudest were Octavia and Lyra, the latter of which stood on her hind legs for a precious few seconds, clapping her hooves together, before losing her balance and falling backwards onto the seat again, prompting giggles from the cellist. Eventually the applause died down, the whistles ceased, and no more roses landed on the stage. Melodia scanned the crowds, finding eager faces waiting for her to continue. Smiling at them, she spoke. “I hope you all enjoyed ’I Leave My All’. For now, we will continue. I present to you all, Secrets." Little less than an hour had passed when Melodia pulled her bow across the violin’s strings, the final note of her final piece for the day coming to a close. The note resounded throughout the hall as the only sound for several long moments. The crowd was silent even as the echo faded, waiting until it had disappeared completely. The applause the first time was nothing compared to this one, the stage all but shaking from the collective stomping of everypony present. Gentle Touch and Heart Strings stepped up besides her, bowing as she did. Gentle as he could, Heart Strings lit his horn and took over Melodia’s violins, earning him a thankful smile as she let go of her magic. Then, as one, they bowed to the crowd. “Thank you all for coming,” Melodia said, loud enough that it cut through the applause which was, thankfully, slowly dying down. “It’s been a pleasure playing for you tonight, and I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have. But before we leave, please give a hearty farewell to these two fantastic musicians. Gentle Touch and Heart Strings!” The crowd stomped again, giving the two as loud an applause as they could, their clapping following them even as they all returned backstage. Heart Strings exhaled once they had gotten to the small room behind the stage, returning the two violins to Melodia. “I don’t feel like I did much of anything, yet I am exhausted,” he said, his voice deep and sonorous, and plopped unceremoniously down into one of the soft and velvety chairs, “yet I feel so tired. How do you mares do it?” “You get used to it,” Melodia said with a smile, placing the violins in their separate cases, bows as well. “I’m seven years your senior! I should be used to it more than you!” He reminded her with a huff, then chuckled. “Even then, it was definitely a wonderful experience. Working alongside the famous Melodia Allegrezza, richest filly in Canterlot.” “Money isn’t everything, Hearty!” Gentle Touch exclaimed, her frown clear enough sign of her opinion on the matter. “The joy of playing is what should keep a musician going, not the income.” A small chuckle brought their attention to Melodia, her back to them as she looked over her violins. “It’s true, Heart. I am likely the richest young mare in all of Canterlot, but that’s not why I keep playing. I want to entertain people so that they have something to enjoy, and not because I want to see my purse getting heavier.” She sighed, and turned to them, her face a mix of melancholy, hesitation, and a little bit of hope. “Can I confide in the two of you?” They nodded, having gone silent as she spoke, and now fully enraptured by the young mare. “Sometimes, I am uncertain of my position in life. Not because I fall low on funds; I have more than I could ever need, but because I sometimes think that my fame is because of who my parents are, and not for my own abilities.” Gentle Touch looked thoughtful for a moment, hoof raised to her chin, and asked, “So that’s what the song was about.” “How did you know?” Melodia, and Heart Strings, asked in tandem, both looking at the pegasus with surprise written in their faces. “I could hear it,” she explained, her thoughtful expression becoming gentler; smiling. “‘I Leave My All’, is about letting someone in on that uncertainty of yours, isn’t it? Like what you’re doing now.” For a while Melodia could only look at the pegasus with wide eyes and open mouth. “I never thought anyone would realise,” she whispered once several long moments had passed. She closed her mouth and took a seat in a chair opposite Gentle and Heart. “You’re right. I wrote that piece to… ask, so to speak. If you noticed the connection between myself and that piece, then I don’t need to say what the question is, do I?” “Am I good enough on my own? Something like that?” It was Heart Strings who spoke, looking up from where he had set his gaze on the floor as he thought. Melodia smiled, almost grinning. “Quite right. I think it was the right decision to get you two to play with me tonight.” She stood up from the chair, heading for the door to the hallway leading to the bathroom outside. “Thank you for coming tonight. It was a pleasure,” she said, giving them both a thankful nod. Melodia pushed open the bathroom door with a hoof, shoulder slumping ever so slightly in exhaustion. Powerful unicorn from an old lineage of sorcerers or not, one hour of constant magic use would tire anyone out. The fact that it wasn’t just simple telekinesis, and she had had to concentrate on standing on her hind legs as well only made it worse. She pushed the door closed with a small tap of her hoof, walking over to one of the sinks. She glanced around, seeing that she was alone, or that anyone else there were in the stalls. She grasped and turned the knob, letting the water flow and fill up the sink. She dunked her head down when it was full, scrubbing at her face with her hooves to remove what little makeup she’d worn. Looking up again she met her own tired gaze, smiling faintly at herself. It had been a good day so far, having been with friends and played for such an audience. Melodia let the sink drain and stepped away, shrugging her dress off of her, holding it in her magic. She looked it over for a few moments, searching for spots or tears. When she didn’t find any it was sent away with a thought, disappearing in a flash of light to her wardrobe at home. Or her bed, or any other place in her room. She’d get it washed when she got home. A few more spells were cast in the bathroom; for drying her hair and making her looks presentable. Then, when she deemed that she looked as good as she had before the concert, she went out. The concert had just finished and Melodia, Gentle Touch, and Heart Strings had bowed and exited the stage. The performance had been nothing short of spectacular, if Octavia was one to decide. And judging by the animated conversation she’d had with Lyra since the end of it, the green mare agreed. Even as everypony else filed away, heading for the exits on the other side of the room, the two musical mares sat ín their seats discussing the various pieces that had been played in the past hour. “The way Heart Strings lost himself in the music of the third piece was amazing,” Octavia commented, an excited glint in her eyes. “There are so many musicians out there that are as good or better than him, but so few of them can lose themselves in the music like that. It didn’t so much look like he was playing the cello, as if the music was playing him.” Lyra, although nodding her agreement, couldn’t help the chuckle that made its way out past her lips. “I agree, but do you have any idea how dirty that sounded?” Octavia’s hoof met her forehead within seconds of Lyra’s words escaping. “For beep’s sake, Lyra,” she groaned. “How immature can you be?” Octavia was met only with an incredulous stare, Lyra’s golden eyes wide and lips twitching as if trying to smile and still have her mouth hang open at the same time. “Did you just… say ‘beep’?” Octavia cocked to the side, ears flopping with the motion, one lying down while the other still managed to point upwards. “I did… I don’t see how that’s a problem. I don’t like the swear.” Mere moments afterwards Lyra was heaving for breath, having all but choked herself from the continuous laughter. “That’s rich!” She said, half shouting. “You’re censoring your own words. Brilliant! Wait until Vinyl hears that.” “Oh, I’m sure you find it funny, Miss Heartstrings,” Octavia drawled, rolling her eyes. “Speaking of Vinyl, however, where is she?” She cast her gaze about, finding nopony but themselves. Vinyl’s seat was empty, and she hadn’t made herself known for quite a while. Lyra, too, seemed confused, scanning the rows of seats in front of them, then those behind them. There was no sign of white coats or blue manes, or purple sunglasses. “I’m sure she was here up until the very end of the show,” Octavia murmured, earning an agreeing nod from the unicorn. “Could she have gone to the bathroom when the show ended? You did mention that she used to have a problem with her bladder or something.” “Well, we can’t very well leave without her.” Lyra stood up from her seat and headed for the bathroom, Octavia in tow. “Let’s go se—” The door to the bathroom slammed open and Vinyl came sauntering out, wide grin beneath her purple shades. “Yo! Sorry about leaving so suddenly near the end, but I really had to go.” Her grin became a sheepish smile. “Can’t go for long without a bathroom break. Forgive me?” Lyra shook her head bemusedly, smiling faintly. It was Octavia who spoke up. “I don’t see why we shouldn’t forgive you,” she told her, eyebrows lifted in confusion. “It could happen to anypony.” Vinyl rushed forward, hugging Octavia tightly, uttering a small “Yay!” And much to everypony’s surprise, she planted a quick kiss on the cellist’s cheek. A blush rapidly spread across Octavia’s cheeks, staying there even as Vinyl pulled away with a cheeky look on her face. Even Lyra stood dumbfounded, not knowing how exactly to react. Torn between amusement at Octavia’s reaction to the sudden peck, and surprise that Vinyl showed that kind of affection towards anybody. In the end, it was the surprise that won over, prompting her to step forward. “Okay, what did you find out there?” She asked, motioning towards the bathroom. “Gotta have been drinking something for you to kiss somepony.” “I didn’t find anything!” Vinyl exclaimed and pouted, trying to look offended by Lyra’s interrogation. “Well, I didn’t smoke or drink anything. I did find, or rather met, Melodia out there.” She looked back and forth between twin expressions of surprise. “What? It’s a bathroom. Ponies go there from time to time, ya know.” “When? Just now?” Lyra asked. Vinyl shook her head. “No. Before the concert. Met her in there, commented on how we apparently looked alike. Didn’t see her out there just now. Must’ve missed her I guess. If she were there at all.” Lyra nodded, seeming to accept Vinyl’s words for what they were. “Well, if that’s what you say then that’s probably what happened.” She shrugged, then turned towards the exits, motioning for the other two to follow. “You dismissed that entire thing rather quickly,” Octavia pointed out to Lyra, falling in step beside her. “Not curious at all? I mean, it is Melodia we’re talking about. Meeting her is a pretty big thing.” Lyra looked at Octavia out the corner of her eye, giving her a small smirk, all the while Vinyl mumbled something about being able to hear them. “I do work for her, you know. I’m her pianist from time to time, after all.” Octavia stopped for a second, then groaned. “How did I forget that?” She chuckled. “It must be pretty normal for you, then. Just me who’s still like a starstruck filly.” She exhaled, pushing open the door that led to the hallway outside, and the exit further down. “How come you’re not ‘starstruck’ by me being here? Or even getting kissed by me?” Octavia turned around, eyebrows raised in a silent question. “You’re not Melodia, though. Don’t get me wrong, Vinyl, but famous as you may be as a DJ, that’s not quite a profession I look up to, or a position to admire.” Despite her words, Vinyl didn’t seem at all deterred. Instead she simply smiled a small, devious smile. “But what if I am?” She asked. Octavia blinked. “What?” “What if I am Melodia? I mean, you know how I look almost like her? Both unicorns, same colour coat, almost identical manes colours, and so on.” Vinyl smiled, pointedly ignoring the strange look she got from Lyra. “What if, just what if—” she leaned closer to Octavia conspiratorially “—you actually got a kiss from Melodia Allegrezza?” Before Octavia may have stopped to consider it, may have thought that it was possible for Vinyl to be speaking the truth. While it had been fun to entertain the idea that Vinyl Scratch and Melodia were one and the same just a few days prior, it now seemed too improbable to be true. She shook her head and patted Vinyl on the head as patronizingly as she could. “Sorry, Vinyl, but I’m a grown up now. A pony can’t be in two places at once, after all.” Rather than get grumpy or insist that she was, for some reason, Melodia, Vinyl instead playfully swatted at Octavia’s hoof, batting it away from her head. “From filly to adult in an entire day? That’s some development,” she said, grinning. Octavia was about to respond when the implications finally registered. She lifted a hoof, opened her mouth as if to speak, then dropped it again and groaned. “You win this time, Vinyl… You win this time.” She broke into giggles, followed by Lyra and Vinyl as they made their way out of the theatre proper, following the sidewalk once they were out with no destination in mind. “So what’re your plans for the day, Octavia?” Lyra asked after a few, long moments of silence. “Any scheduled practice, or dinner or lunch plans?” Octavia shook her head, though apologetically rather than as if saying she didn’t have any plans. “Sorry girls. I set today off as mostly just a practice day, so I promised myself I’d practice a few songs when I got home from the concert.” She gave them a small small. “I hope it’s okay with you.” Both Vinyl and Lyra waved it off, the motion of their front leg being almost a perfect tandem. “Don’t worry about it,” Vinyl said, shooting her a winning grin. “We’ll see you some other time, alright?” Returning the smiles, Octavia gave both a wave and headed across the street, taking the other way home. Octavia closed the door behind her, letting out a sigh. Today had been fun so far, she decided, smiling. Vinyl and Lyra had definitely proved themselves to be some fantastic ponies. Not only were they both friendly, but willing to give her a free ticket for a concert such as that one? She chuckled and picked up the mail and newspapers lying in front of her door, absentmindedly sorting through it as she made her way to the living room. “Bill, bill, ooh! Rent’s lowering next year, and… Hey. What’s this?” She threw the bills and the notice about lowered rent on the table, taking the newspaper with her to the couch, staring at the front page where the image of a relatively young unicorn mare stood with a cast around her left hind leg and barrel. Even despite that her mane and tail seemed in perfect condition, pride and class still radiating from her very being. Fleur De Lis, as stated by the headline—not to mention her appearance, given the fact that she was one of the incredibly few Prance ponies in Canterlot—had been in an accident just two days prior. Octavia began reading aloud. “Mrs. Fleur De Lis, wife of Fancy Pants and mother of Melodia Allegrezza, sustained a broken leg and several broken ribs following the events two days prior, when a taxi chariot lost control and collided with her. Official numbers say that neither the chauffeur of the chariot nor its lone passengers were hurt. Story continues on Page five.” Octavia looked up, her gaze travelling towards the ceiling, stopping at the familiar knot in the wood. Vinyl abruptly left our lunch together the other day, after she received a call through that strange… thing she showed me. She looked away from the ceiling, instead fixating on a lone cloud floating lazily through the sky outside her window. Could it be that the one she knew was… Fleur De Lis? She quickly turned to page five, skimming over the entire article as quickly as she could. There’s no mention of anypony else injured. It felt as if another piece of a puzzle had come into place, but whether or not the puzzle was the right one she couldn’t quite decide. She’d finally been convinced that Melodia and Vinyl were not the same, and now this? No question seemed answered, but only raised a new one. Octavia put the paper down, leaning back in her sofa. “How, and why, do they know each other?” She asked out loud.