//------------------------------// // Chapter Nine // Story: If Music Be The Food Of...Like? // by Mr Merritt //------------------------------// As the Apple Clan and Octavia made small talk around the table, Rainbow Dash found herself being playfully grilled by Vinyl Scratch in the corner of the room. “It’s pretty impressive you can whip up a massive dinner while not even being in the same building Dash…” “Ugh…okay, okay. You got me. I’ve gotten a bit better in cooking for myself, but not to this degree. I just…” protested Rainbow. The Pegasus’ lament was cut off by a kind forehoof placed on her chest. “Dash, you don’t have to constantly try and prove yourself to me. You are one of the coolest gals I know. I think it’s cool that we are friends, and nothing you can say or do is going to make me not like you.” “Yeah, I know. It’s just…well…” “Attention ladies…and gentlecolts. If you would…all take your seats…for dinner is…served.” The young raspy voice caused a number of differing reactions from the assembled herd. The Apple ponies and Rainbow Dash all perked up at the sound, while their guests look at each other in surprise. “Who the heck is that?” asked Vinyl of Dash. “The little brother…” explained the Pegasus mare as she headed for her seat. “Wait, a little brother? I know about the big guy, but you never mentioned anything about another one…” “I was under the impression there was just one brother in this family as well.” agreed Octavia. “Huh, ah reckon ya’ll ain’t had a chance to properly meet our adopted kin.” remarked Applejack. As she took her seat the other two mares turned to the doorway of the kitchen in time to see a young Earth colt with a grey coat and dark mane enter, carefully carrying a large serving dish to the table. As he began to dish up the main course Vinyl and Octavia, whom were seated side by side, where fiercely whispering to one another. “You haven’t been holding out on me Octy? I mean, this kid looks an awful lot like you…” “It isn’t unheard of for ponies to share the same coloration. I’m…I’m sure it is just a coincidence. Do you recall being told anything about these ponies adopting a colt?” “No, but this might explain what Rainbow seemed to be holding back on…” “Ahem…” The hushed conversation was silenced as Peppermill stood before the two mares, still holding the serving dish. “I hope you two…will enjoy this. I put…a lot of effort into making…this meal today.” “Oh…of course. I’m…sure it will be quite lovely. Did you…erm…make this all yourself?” Octavia mentally kicked herself at how awkward she sounded. It didn’t help matters that she was still trying to get her mind around the double whammy of learning that there was another member of their host’s family she didn’t know about, and that somepony so young had apparently made the night’s meal… …and that she could swear she had seen this colt before. And of course she had to deal with Vinyl’s total lack of tact… “So what’s your story kid? I don’t remember seeing you around the last time I was in town.” Vinyl studied the colt intently through her sunglasses, brow furrowed. “Ah reckon he wuz here at Sweet Apple Acres when the weddin’ wuz going on.” explained Applebloom. “Cranky had asked him ta make sure the food fer the reception was ready…” “Which meant…I couldn’t attend the actual ceremony. Mind you…I understand there was…some excitement in town…when it was going on. I suspect Applejack…would have preferred I…stayed safely at home.” “Eeyup.” remarked Applejack. “You mentioned this kid was adopted?” pressed the white unicorn. “Yes, I am not…related by blood to these ponies.” admitted Peppermill evenly, a little taken back by how intense the disc jockey had become. “Hey, these are my friends Vinyl. They’re cool.” exclaimed Rainbow Dash from across the table. “I know how you get about that…uh topic…” “If you truly feel…that strongly about…this topic Miss Scratch I would…be happy to talk with you…after dinner. It doesn’t help…the digestion to eat…when angry…” Octavia was quite struck by the calmness and poise of the colt, given what she knew about Vinyl and her personality. She was even more surprised when Vinyl, while not the type to start a fight was also not the type to back away from one, seemed genuinely subdued by his words. “I wasn’t angry…” muttered the unicorn sullenly. She turned to the full plate of food now before her, and her mood lightened considerably. Silence reigned as the ponies enjoyed their food immensely, with Peppermill dividing his time between his own plate and that of the others. Why does this seem so familiar to me? Why do I feel as if I am experiencing some sort of déjà vu? pondered the cellist as she continued to enjoy the meal. “Would you care for…some wine Miss Octavia? Or perhaps…some of Sweet Apple Acre’s best…cider?” Peppermill had sidled noiselessly to the mare’s side, carefully balancing a dark bottle on a tray on his back. Octavia, so enamoured by her food, momentarily forgot herself and responded almost automatically. “I’d much rather have a nice bit of five-year-old brandy luv.” “Brandy? Wuts that?” questioned Applebloom. “Huh, ah reckon I wouldn’t mind a sip of that myself on occasion. Might pricy though…” commented Granny Smith. “Brandy ain’t anything a filly should be thinking about. It’s just fer adults.” explained Applejack firmly. “Of course it is…” muttered the filly in response. As this conversation took place, a look of surprise and puzzlement came across Peppermill’s face. He carefully set the bottle of wine onto the table, and then took on a peculiar pose. He sat on his haunches, one foreleg wrapped around his barrel and the other tapping a steady beat on his temple, eyes closed and his head cocked ever so slightly. Those who knew the colt had dubbed this his ‘heavy thinking pose’, and knew that the colt was searching his memory for something from his past. “Peppermill?” This query came from Big Macintosh, noticing the colt in his pose. The rest of the assembled diners had turned to the colt in question, just in time to see Peppermill suddenly stop tapping his head, inhale and speak. “And please dear, some of your best brandy…preferably no younger than five years aged…in oak, a proper glass…and a bucket of ice…and leave the bottle…” Pleased at recalling the phrasing that had been itching to come out of his memories, the colt looked up to find every pony in the room gaping in surprise at him. The silence was finally broken when Vinyl Scratch broke into a roaring laugh. “Bwa ha ha! Oh that’s good! Oh that’s rich! Leave the bottle, that sounds exactly like the kind of thing you would say Octy. Bwa ha ha!” The unicorn’s head was down on the tabletop, banging a forehoof on the table and shaking with mirth. The Apple ponies and Rainbow Dash all gazed at one another in complete confusion. Octavia, who had thankfully swallowed before this comment from the colt, sat there with her mouth hanging open and her mind reeling. “Now I remember…why you actually seemed…familiar to me.” smiled the colt shyly. “Aperitif/Digestif…” managed Octavia after a moment. “We…well, me and the others of my quartet and a lot of the other top musicians in Canterlot would go there all the time. It was…it was one of the best restaurants in the city.” Vinyl’s laughter was silenced by the surprising amount of emotion in her friend’s words as she stared hard into the colt’s eyes. “If they didn’t talk about how wonderful the food or the service was, they were all talking about the owner. He was smart, kind, compassionate and…quite handsome.” “I understand Father had…quite a few admirers.” grinned Peppermill. “And then there was his sons. The eldest was quite a catch, as far as I had heard. But the youngest, they said that particular colt was going to follow in his father’s horseshoes.” continued Octavia. “What are you trying to say Octy?” asked Vinyl. The mare in question gave a swallow and chewed her bottom lip as she spoke again. “Do you remember me telling you about that restaurant back in Canterlot that burned down a while back Vinyl?” “Sure I do. Everypony was upset about it. They said the owners and one of…their…” The sudden understanding had the same effect as a punch to the gut of the mare (which was something she had experienced in her time, not that she ever mentioned it to Octavia), who gasped so hard her sunglasses actually slipped a bit down her face revealing shocked crimson eyes. “I…I remember one of the last time me and the others had gone there after a performance. The owner had been showing off his young son. Everypony was so taken by him…” “I remember Father…personally gathering the brandy and…the ice for you. All the other servers thought…he was being strange after being…ordered around like that. But he insisted that…it was better to serve the demands…of the customer no matter…how they might have sounded.” sighed Peppermill. “I…actually have a confession…to make.” “A confession sugarcube?” prompted Applejack. “I…wasn’t all that keen…of making this meal today. When I learned that…Rainbow Dash’s friends were…musicians all I could…think about was just how much…er…” faltered Peppermill. “Demanding and rude we can sometime be?” offered Octavia, allowing herself a small smile. “Yes…” mumbled the colt. “And on top of that…around the time I learned…about Miss Scratch and her concert…I had some…choice words with my friends…about the kinds of music we liked. It turned out…my tastes differed quite a bit…from my friends…” “I think I get it now…” nodded Vinyl, back to her easy-going self. “I won’t deny…that I was really, really tempted to…do a lackluster job on this meal…as some sort of protest or…karmic retribution for all…of the complaints I heard from…the restaurant workers. But in the end…I simply couldn’t bring myself…to do so. All I could think of…was how disappointed Father would have been…” “I’m not sure I’d want to know what you could do if you were trying to make a bad meal.” admitted Rainbow. “So, are ya sayin’ you have met Miss Octavia in the past?” questioned Big Macintosh. “Well, not so much…met as saw while standing...beside Father the night…he decided he wanted…to show me off a little.” conceded the colt. “For some reason her…very specific request for…the brandy stuck with me.” “I do remember you now. I felt as though I had seen you before, and now I understand why I felt that way.” responded Octavia. “Huh. It’s a small world huh? Who would have guessed that Octy and the kid knew one another…” laughed Vinyl. “And just for the record kid neither me nor Octy are the types to freak out if you don’t like our jams. Believe me, I learned a long time a go I wasn’t going to please every pony.” “And I know the music I play isn’t something younger ponies tend to enjoy. But all that really matters that I enjoy playing it, that it is something I love to do.” agreed Octavia. “I don’t suppose you’d…be willing to explain…. that to the guys?” asked Peppermill with a wan smile. “Who the hay cares what they think kid. If you like that classical, fancy stuff then go ahead and like it.” announced Rainbow Dash firmly. “And this coming from the gal who spent the last few days fretting over the opinions of another pony…” snorted Applejack. “Dash is one of those ‘do as I say, not as I do’ type of gals.” grinned Vinyl. “Which is pretty much why the two of you get along so well.” cooed Octavia. “Hey, I am totally dynamic, take charge mare and don’t you forget it.” retorted the unicorn. This casual back and forth eased whatever tension had been left in the room as the gathered diners finished off their meal.