//------------------------------// // Desperate Times, Desperate Measures // Story: Simple Melodies are for Fillies // by bahatumay //------------------------------// Octavia looked around the crowded sandwich shop, looking uncharacteristically subdued. “I'm not sure why I agreed to this,” she murmured. “Now there are more people around to hear my shame.” “Yeah, but we're all friends!” Lyra said. “And friend share things. Except things like toothbrushes.” Bon Bon coughed. “But they're here to help,” Vinyl said. “Just tell us what happened, and we'll do whatever we can.” “Yeah,” Bon Bon said. “If some jerk is standing in the way of one of my fellow fillies getting laid, I'm all for slipping him a laxative-spiked truffle. People have died for less.” All three other mares stared at her. “Slow down there, Tirek,” Lyra finally said. “How about we see what we're working with, first?” Octavia took a breath to steady herself and spoke. “It was in the winter, and we were in his father's cabin. It snowed, as it often does in the Whitetail Mountains, and we were snowed in. We had plenty of supplies, but it wasn't long before cabin fever set in. One thing led to another, I had a bit too much to drink—and I've since sworn off alcohol because of this—and I somehow arrived at the conclusion that it would be fun to give him a private cello performance, you know?” “And by 'private', I'm assuming you don't just mean he was the only one in the audience?” Bon Bon asked, eyebrow raised. Octavia gave a wry smile. “I performed wearing only my red crotchless panties and my snow boots,” she admitted. Vinyl quickly brought a hand up to her nose as she felt fluid begin to flow. Hopefully that was just a spontaneous runny nose or her body's reaction to the pepper jack cheese in her sandwich and not a nosebleed. Though she was fairly certain that that only happened in stories, she couldn't help but check. Also, she now had new fodder for her night tonight in the form of red crotchless panties. She wondered if Octavia still had them. She also wondered if she'd show them off for her, too. Seeing Octavia wearing them (and preferably only them) suddenly rose to the top of her bucket list. Octavia continued, “Well, he thought it would be fun to take some personal pictures during my performance. At the time I didn't mind—I was a bit drunk and at the time sure I loved him; I trusted him.” She gave a wry smile. “I suppose my mother was right about me coming to regret any drink I took.” She turned back to Vinyl. “That's the real reason I left that night. He threatened to develop and publish those pictures.” Bon Bon shrugged. “Yeah, and?” Octavia was about to answer, but Vinyl cut her off. “Look, when you're a performer like Octavia, reputation is everything. If those pictures get out, doors are going to close. They won't admit it; but it'll happen. 'I don't know if a mare like that is the best choice to represent my establishment, my orchestra, my museum, my… whatever'!” She turned to Octavia. “I swear, I will do whatever I can to make sure those pictures never get printed, even if I have to steal the camera myself!” Octavia paused. “Really?” “Yeah! I know I'll think of something.” Octavia pulled Vinyl into a hug. “Thank you, Vinyl,” she whispered. “You truly are the greatest thing to happen to me.” Vinyl blushed as she returned the hug. Compliments from Octavia always made her happy. Now she was even more determined to get those pictures. She just needed to think of something. * * * Vinyl threw her head back on the pillow in defeat. “I can't think of anything,” she groaned. “At least, nothing that won't get me arrested; and honestly, look at me. I would get eaten alive in prison.” Bon Bon and Lyra shrugged. “Me neither,” they said in unison. Lyra stood up and stretched. “Well, I'm going to go down to Little Emperor's and get some pizza with anchovies; do you two want anything?” Vinyl made a disgusted face. “Why? You always get the craziest dreams when you eat that junk.” “I know. But I need a crazy idea to threaten that dolt with to not publish those pictures and fast, otherwise you'll never get to have sex with Octavia.” She turned to Bon Bon and ran a finger down her side. “So... Wanna stay the night and save me from my dreams?” Vinyl raised her pointer finger in protest. “It is not just about sex!” she squeaked; but her voice betrayed her innermost thoughts. Bon Bon shrugged at Lyra. “Sure, I guess. Just brush your teeth real good before you come to bed.” She turned to face Vinyl. “Maybe it's not all about sex,” Bon Bon conceded, “but she totally wants you.” “She does?” Vinyl said hopefully. She knew this, of course (or at the very least, hoped it); but hearing it from someone else was always a pleasant affirmation. “Trust me. She wants to make sweet, sweet music with you; and by that I mean she wants you moaning her name into the night as she plays your body with her tongue.” Lyra coughed as Vinyl's brain visibly overloaded at the thought. “Too far, Bonsie.” * * * Pizza night was fun but fairly uneventful (aside from Vinyl's attempt to drink a whole packet of garlic sauce), and after Lyra had cleaned up, they headed to bed. Vinyl pulled on her pajama pants, and turned around to see Bon Bon without a shirt on. She couldn't help but squint in confusion. Bon Bon felt her gaze and glared back. “What?” she demanded as she lay down. “The girls need to breathe!” “But Bonsie,” Lyra protested as she lay down nearly on top of her, “you can't just leave those hanging out like that.” She placed a hand over each of them and gave Bon Bon a kiss on the lips. “There. Now you're modest.” Vinyl watched in morbid curiosity as Lyra's hands seemed unable to remain still. Within seconds, Vinyl could easily tell that it was about to go a lot further than just simple fondling that night, so she lit her hand and pulled her pillow to her with a sharp flick of her wrist, and she quickly left to go sleep on the couch. * * * Vinyl awoke to the sound of Lyra screaming. At first, she was tempted to just curse Bon Bon’s fingers and/or tongue, and grunt and roll over and place her pillow over her head. Then her eyes snapped open as she remembered that Lyra wasn't a screamer. She burst into the room, magic glowing in her hands. Bon Bon was holding Lyra's shoulders, trying to comfort her hysteric marefriend. “What? What happened? What?” Bon Bon demanded. Lyra pushed Bon Bon back on her back. “What do you love to do?” she shrieked. Bon Bon paused. “Is 'you' the correct answer?” “No! Well, yes; but no!” She grabbed at Bon Bon's cutie mark. “What does this stand for?” Bon Bon gave her a flat look. “Chocolates. Making chocolates. The best chocolates you've ever had in your life chocolates. Why?” Lyra sighed with relief and buried her face in Bon Bon's naked chest as she hugged Bon Bon tightly. Vinyl felt a brief twinge of jealousy that she didn't have her own partner's naked chest to bury her face in. “I had a dream that chocolate was banned worldwide and we had to go underground,” Lyra said, eyes wide, gripping Bon Bon tightly, still traumatized from what she had dreamed. “Even mentioning chocolate was illegal.” Bon Bon gasped, horrified. She hugged Lyra back and began gently stroking her hair. She leaned down and whispered comfortingly in her ear. “It's ok, Lyra, it’s ok. It was just a dream.” She gently kissed her on her forehead, right over her magic trails. “There will always be chocolate, I swear.” Vinyl sighed and dropped her hand. “That was a long shot, but it was our only real idea. Now what are we going to do?” she asked. Bon Bon exhaled, as if steeling herself for something, and then looked up at Vinyl. “If you're really desperate, I might be able to call in a favor. Do you know a girl named Pinkie Pie?” Vinyl shook her head. “She's a notorious prankster and party-thrower. She usually does parties in Ponyville, where I used to live; but she does things I can't explain. I bet she'd be willing to help a sister out… for the right price.” “What kind of price?” Vinyl asked, mentally reviewing her bank account. She could probably cut back on glowsticks for her next couple shows if she needed to, and maybe they could buy the less expensive ice cream for a little while if she got truly desperate. Bon Bon shrugged. “It could be as simple as singing a silly song with her. Pinkie is one of those people you just have to meet for yourself.” Vinyl was unsure if she should be comforted by this or not, but desperate times called for desperate measures. “Then let's meet.” * * * There came a knock on the door, repeated no less than twelve rapid times. Vinyl frowned, but she hadn’t even managed to lift herself off the couch before the knocking came again. Now mildly intrigued and annoyed, Vinyl continued and opened the door. She somewhat regretted this decision when a blast of confetti hit her in the face. She sputtered incoherently as she stumbled backwards, scrabbling madly at her face to try and clear it. “Pinkie, I said go easy on her!” Bon Bon protested. “That was easy,” the girl who must have been Pinkie insisted. Vinyl managed to clear her vision and saw Pinkie Pie for the first time. She was an earth pony, like Bon Bon. She was a little bit chubby, also like Bon Bon. But unlike Bon Bon, she wore the widest smile Vinyl had ever seen, and her hair was huge and poofy and bright pink and nearly doubled the size of her head. She held out a tray of cupcakes. “Cupcake?” she offered. Vinyl (understandably) felt somewhat assaulted and rather uncomfortable, and so she tried to tactfully back away. “Well, you know, I…” Her eyes caught Bon Bon’s, and Bon Bon almost angrily nodded, none-too-discreetly. “I… I… uh… can’t say no to a cupcake?” Vinyl tried as she reached out for one. Bon Bon exhaled in noticeable relief, but Pinkie didn’t seem to notice. Vinyl took a tentative bite, and was pleased to discover that it really was a tasty cupcake. Apparently taking this as an invitation, Pinkie barged into the house right past Vinyl and commandeered the table, knocking Vinyl’s papers onto the floor. Vinyl whimpered in protest, and Pinkie interpreted that as Vinyl needing another cupcake and proceeded to unwrap one and shove it into Vinyl’s mouth. Two cupcakes later, she had finished. Vinyl's eyes widened as she looked over Pinkie's plans. They were done in crayon, and were somewhat theoretical in nature, but she couldn't argue with the end results. She swallowed the cupcake she was currently eating and grinned. “Pinkie, if you can pull this off, I swear I will DJ for free at any of your parties.” Pinkie put her face in Vinyl's face, making the introverted girl jump back slightly. “Really? Because there's a ton of parties I have planned, and even more I don't have planned. Are you ready for all of that? Can you deliver on your promise?” Vinyl nodded. “I promise. You get me Octavia, and I'll do any party for you.” Pinkie faced her. “Pinkie Promise,” she ordered, performing a strange series of actions. Vinyl did the strange motions, making sure she didn't poke herself in the eye. Pinkie chuckled deviously. “Perfect. Now, for starters, I'm gonna need some balloons. Lots and lots of balloons…”