Chapter 2
Chapter 2
-----
{[UNKNOWN NUMBER]}
>Yo it’s Vinyl, how are we gonna do this?
Octavia sighed and reluctantly added the number to her contacts, having forgotten to do so the day before.
>Pistols at dawn?
The cellist smirked at her own joke.
{[VINYL]}
>Name a bar and a time, smartass.
Rolling her eyes, she replied quickly.
>Blues’ Tavern, 7 PM
---
And so, as the Manehattan bell rang for the seventh time, Octavia found herself sitting in a corner booth watching the unicorn she despised approach wearing an equally disgusted expression behind dark purple shades.
The sounds of a lively bar wafted around them, but the two mares were cold to the happiness of others. Both were expecting nothing more than a few hours of tiring arguments that gradually grew less intelligible as the drinks piled up.
But of course, nothing turns out the way we expect.
“So,” said Vinyl as she sat on the opposite side of the booth, putting the table between them. The situation was more than a bit awkward so she defaulted to her typical conversation starter. “What’s up?”
“Absolutely nothing of concern to you,” was the short reply.
Rolling her eyes behind her glasses, the DJ floated an untouched drink over from a table with a stallion passed out on it. “Drink this. Maybe it will help you pull that stick out your flank.”
Octavia shook her head and didn’t touch it. “I have yet to reach the legal drinking age.”
“You’re joking, right? How did you get in here?”
“They didn’t ask, I didn’t tell. Besides,” she folded her hooves, “You can’t be much older than me. We both came to university straight from high school, yes?”
“Actually… I kinda dropped out a year early.” Vinyl seemed oddly reluctant to reveal that information.
“That makes sense,” smirked the cellist.
“Hey! I didn’t insult you when you refused a drink because you’re underage, which is incredibly lame by the way, so why don’t you try to be less of a snob in return?”
“Very well,” she conceded. “How did you get into university if you didn’t complete the last year of high school then?”
“I spent all of last year doing this scholarship program thingy. I don’t regret dropping out, but I knew I had to do something else or I would just become one of those ponies who waste their lives living off welfare.”
Octavia raised an eyebrow. “Why drop out in the first place if you knew it could jeopardise your future?”
Shifting uncomfortably, Vinyl looked away. “It was just… stuff, okay? Let’s talk about something else.”
“Alright then…”
“So when’s your birthday?”
“In a couple of weeks.”
“Cool.”
“Indeed.”
An awkward silence arose like a brick wall between them. DJ’s were made to smash awkward silences.
“This is such a stupid homework assignment,” muttered Vinyl. To her surprise, Octavia giggled in agreement. “Hey, I didn’t know you could laugh!”
“Oh, how funny. I’m not as boring as you seem to think.”
“Oh yeah?” Vinyl grinned, “Prove it. Take the drink.”
“I… No, I can’t.”
“Go on! Don’t be such a… you!”
“Vinyl, I am not joking around.”
The DJ sighed. “Of course you aren’t. Fine, be antisocial. See how much I care.”
Octavia gave her a flat look. “I find it a bit silly that you seem to think I can’t be social without alcohol.”
“In your case? Damn straight.” Vinyl eyed the drink mournfully and floated it back over to the other table. She turned back to see Octavia looking at her questioningly. “What?”
“Why didn’t you drink it? You’re old enough.”
“It’s not fun drinking alone, trust me.”
“Don’t abstain on my account. I was hoping your sanity would be linked with your blood alcohol level.”
“I’m not that crazy… am I?” the unicorn seemed so surprisingly unguarded that Octavia decided to respond truthfully.
“No, I suppose you’re not. I admit I made many assumptions about you based on our… rather heated discussion in class. Not many of them were positive.” She hesitated for a second before continuing. “But since we seem to be mending bridges, I must ask… am I truly a boring pony? Be honest.”
“Not really, at least not anymore. If nothing else, you’re at least fun to argue with,” grinned Vinyl.
The cellist returned it, chuckling a little. “And what an argument it was.”
“That ‘loose’ comeback was brutal, but awesome.”
“Thank you. I liked how you used the fact that your music is more technologically advanced to nullify my comment about how primitive it was.”
“I have no idea how I did that.”
The two mares laughed, the tension finally broken and replaced by a much more comfortable atmosphere.
“Hey, if it’s alright with you, can we pretend we had an awful time tonight?” asked Vinyl, leaning back in her seat to get comfortable.
“Why?”
“I kinda don’t want Psych to think he was right when he said this wouldn’t be that bad. He just strikes me as the kind to say ‘I told you so’, you know?”
“I must agree with you there. Very well, during class we shall bicker as if nothing has changed. Agreed?”
“Agreed. And what about outside of class?” A faint blush graced Vinyl’s cheeks. “Cause I don’t really know anypony else yet and it would be cool to have somepony to chill with.”
Octavia smiled warmly. “Then I’m glad Psych isn’t here right now, because that’s another thing we have in common.”
“What about all your highschool friends? Didn’t any come to university?”
It was the grey mare’s turn to shift uncomfortably. “No.” was all she said.
“Oh. That sucks. So do you live on campus?”
“Yes, in the student village. And yourself?”
“Nah, I’ve got a crappy apartment not far from here.”
“It must be annoying having to travel to the university every time you have a class.”
“Yeah, I’ve only done it for one week and I’m sick of it.”
“Well?” Octavia asked expectantly.
“Well what?” replied the confused DJ.
“What are you going to do about it?”
Her companion shrugged. “I dunno. I could try to get a place closer to uni, but I’m pretty sure they’ve all been taken.”
“The answer seems obvious to me. Just get a campus flat like I did.”
Vinyl scratched her chin. “You think I should?”
“Definitely. In fact, I think if you got in contact with whoever is paying your scholarship they could probably help you find the best option.”
“Really? I’ll call ‘em tomorrow.” She laughed. “You give some good advice, Octavia.”
The cellist laughed with her. “It seems reading thousands of university pamphlets has finally paid off.”
“You must have been pretty damn excited for it.”
“What can I say? I had imagined it for so long. Every single class and pony I would meet, all the friends I would have, and how everypony would be nice and respectful because it’s a grown-up environment. Silly stuff like that.”
“Nice and respectful, eh? I guess I kinda ruined your first week then, huh.”
With a chuckle, Octavia shook her head. “Don’t worry, you’ve made up for it already.”
“I have? All we’ve done is sit here and chat.” Vinyl frowned.
“Yes, well… I’ll tell you another time. It’s boring anyway.” The cellist brushed a few strands of dark hair out of her eyes and looked away.
“I’m seriously doubting my idea of what ‘boring’ means, so why not tell me?”
“It’s sort of… personal.”
“Oh.” A brief pause followed, yet it was understanding rather than awkward. “It’s alright, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
“No, you should probably hear it. I can’t just say something like that and then not explain.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.” She took a deep breath. “Before uni, before our class, I was quite… lonely.”
“Everypony gets lonely once in a while.”
“I don’t think you understand the unprecedented level of loneliness that I was experiencing.”
“Okay, okay. So why were you lonely? A mare like you must have tons of high-class friends to hang with.”
Octavia reddened and turned her eyes down. “Not really.”
“Oh.” Vinyl wasn’t sure what to say in the wake of that revelation.
After a few moments, Octavia continued quietly. “I didn’t have tons of friends. Or just a small amount of friends. Or… any friends at all.” Her eyes remained lowered in embarrassment.
“That’s…” The DJ fumbled for the right thing to say.
“Yes.” Sucking in a deep breath, the grey mare rubbed her face with her hooves, as if to scrub away the last few seconds. “Sorry,” she forced a laugh. “That was completely out of place to say. I wish I hadn’t said anything now.”
“No, it’s fine. N-not the ‘no friends’ part, I mean… uh…”
“Please, just forget it. Let’s talk about something else.”
“Alright...” Vinyl looked thoughtful for a moment before continuing. “Well, you shared something personal, so I should as well. That way you won’t have to worry about me backstabbing you and telling everypony.”
A small, sincere smile graced the cellist’s lips. “Thank you.”
“You might not be saying that when I’m done.” She took a moment to gather her thoughts. “Okay, this is a little pathetic, but I wasn’t that great at school. I sorta failed… everything. That’s why I took it so badly when you made fun of how I’m a dropout.” The unicorn leaned on the table and rested her chin on her hooves. “I spent every year trying so hard to do well, but I got nowhere. I was like the class idiot in every class. The only thing that kept me going was my music.” Her eyes were hidden behind tinted glass, but the rest of her body lit up suddenly, bursting with life. “I couldn’t analyse texts or solve equations, but when I got behind the mixing table nopony could keep up with me. I was the god of my music class, and every bass wobble was my gospel.” She grinned and raised her head from the table. “I played everywhere I could for as long as I could. The other fillies and colts could have their test scores and good grades, all I wanted, all I needed, was my music.”
Octavia held back a chuckle at the DJ’s enthusiasm. She too had felt the warmth of music in an otherwise cold world. But she held her tongue, for the story was not over.
“But…” the smile slipped away from Vinyl. “Nopony else thought the same thing. I needed a good report to go on to study music at uni, and that just wasn’t going to happen. At the end of the year, they told me they needed to keep me down a grade because I wasn’t passing anything except music. My only other choice was to drop out and try to find my own way to uni. So I did.”
Reaching across the table, Octavia touched the DJ’s hoof with her own. “Thank you for telling me. Considering I’ve been nothing but rude to you since we met, I’m surprised you trust me with all of that.”
“Like I said, it’s your insurance against me ever telling anypony what you told me. Or… yeah, trust sounds a lot better.”
“But my story wasn’t even a story. It was just a sad little fact. You… There is so much more to you than I imagined.”
Her stare was so intense that Vinyl blushed and looked away. “Well, er, thanks.”
The cellist realised how she was behaving and retreated to her side of the table, also blushing. “Please excuse that. I was caught up in your story.”
“It’s fine, really. Totally fine.”
“Nevertheless, it was inappropriate, and I’m sorry.”
Vinyl giggled at that. “We’re in the corner booth of a bar. This place has seen way worse stuff than just touching hooves.”
“What?!” The mortified expression worn by Octavia as she took a second look at the seats and table made the DJ laugh harder.
“Relax, this place gets cleaned every night. Probably.” Vinyl liked watching her squirm in discomfort.
“Still, I think it’s time for me to head back to the campus. I can’t risk messing up my sleeping pattern.” She slipped off the chair and gingerly put her hooves on the ground.
“Aww,” whined the DJ before she could think.
The cellist gave her an amused smirk. “I didn’t realise you were enjoying my company so much.”
“Let’s pretend I didn’t do that. So I’ll see you on Monday then?”
“Definitely.” Octavia hesitated, biting her lip in contemplation, but did nothing and simply trotted away.
Vinyl watched her go, even going so far as to half-climb onto the table to see the dark mane vanish out the door. When it did so, she sunk back down into her chair.
“Definitely,” she muttered.
-----
There's an obscure Avatar: The Last Airbender reference in this one, let me know if you saw it!
Or just let me know what you think of the story as a whole. That's cool too.
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damn, I didn't see either of the references! Oh, and I didn't spot any grammar mistakes on this one either. Nice work, I can see this story getting pretty popular if it continues at this rate. At least, once you upload it.
275689>>275709
Thanks for the help! Yeah, I absolutely love this pairing so I figured it was time I wrote about it. They just complement each other so well.
Yaaaay octa scratch :D I can't wait to see how this goes :)
Looking great so far, causing me to anxiously await another!
Dangit, I'm missing all the references >_< Time to reread.
It will be interesting to see how this turns out, the setting has potential, and Vinyl&Octavia are best ponies :P
If I was forced to criticise anything at gunpoint, I would name that they kind of eased up really fast. From mortal enemies to best friends in ten minutes? It would have been easier if they found common ground in something (music isn't really an option in that, as their different tastes causes conflict in the first place.)
But like I said, that would be my criticism to save my life, it's still an entertaining story.
Why can't I see the bleeping references?
Can't wait for chapter 3!
382476
Best pairing :D
382866
You shall not have to wait long!
382918
Don't worry, they are very obscure. I'd be surprised if anyone got them.
I'm glad you're enjoying the story :)
382961
Hehe, I'll make a list at the end of the story and list every single one.
383820
Coming soon!
384992
second best... after appledash
385149
Hahah! I had a feeling you would say that, being the writer of TBW and everything.
385152
Shocking, I know!
(speaking of shocks, I'm still shocked of just how many people know my fic
)
*watches and waits for more*
385589
I think I read the first couple of chapters aaaages ago, and it just stuck with me. Not to mention there's quite a bit of fanart on it now, so it's hard to miss it.
386840
More very soon! :)
*Reading through story*
*Realizes there was a reference I didn't catch*
Yeah, I have no idea what the Avatar reference is. That's going to bug me...
My Face When I Start Reading This Chapter.
My response when they decide to pull their stunt on poor Psych.
"DEAR GODS! Thats My Style Of Logic!" 
This Can Only End Well.
"Every base wobble was my gospel" dont know why but that really hit me
Octavia-Scratch shipping is the best, and you have brought this up into the levels of pure awesome! I'm loving this story!!!
I dident catch the refrence but the wrighting is very simaler to avatar i could hear the slighty sad backround music
Um, just a quick thought, why can't you put the reference mention in the beginning? So you know we can, um... not have to re-read the story to find it?
That would be nice
Welp, this was another pretty good one, but the scene felt a bit fast. You kind of jumped the enemy hurdle quickly and landed right next to best buds. Then you have them discussing secrets and such, and then they leave with something on both of their minds (it's not too hard to guess what). With all that, it makes the time they spent together seem really small. I would judge they were sitting for no more than a half-hour, and from what they discussed, that seems like a short amount of time. But that's just my opinion
Then I do like the character development, the little glimpses into their past. Though the point comes back from above - they seemed to divulge information a little too quickly with one another. Now I'm not done with the other chapters yet, of course, but my suggestion would be to slow down. Draw things out just a little more, no need to get to the inevitable relationship right away. But hey, maybe you already did that?
Oh my god it's like a f*yay*kin I Spy book
Loving the story anyway
385589 honestly, I didn't recognize you per se, but I love TBW!
Argh! I only saw isolated eps of Avatar!
I do have to criticize the quick turnaround in their opinions of one another between the first chapter and this one. After seemingly hating each other's guts, they seem to become friendly almost too quickly. It might be a little nit-picky, but it seems like they're already out of the character you've set them as in the first chapter.
I *think* the Avatar reference was the "Don't be such a... you!" line, but it might stand out to me for a different reason
Was the reference Vinyl's "Aww" at the end? I read it in Sokka's voice. He does it a lot.
- MS
The reference is Octavia's 'no friends' bit. Thats what Aang said to Katara and Sokka about him staying at the air temple.
I think.
Great to see such a story. Interesting how they quickly got a long with each other, but it wasn't forced either, which is rather awesome!
The reference is the "if anything, you're fun to argue with" - Toph talking to Katara.
Ok so far i have to say your brilliant (or an a$$)
the little reference thingy has made me read the first chapter twice and second chapter twice. I have to say it is a great (and mean) idea for making people want to reread your story just so the can find the references. Just wanted to say that real quick so it would stop bugging me.
I didn't catch the Avatar reference. Ironically, I just finished watching the entire show (for the third time, by the way) last week. WTF.
pretty sure that Octavia is supposed to be Toph here (no friends story and such)
And then in the same episode, Sakka has a marvelous revelation which is then promptly interrupted by Aang earth-bending.
if this is not gonna get featured and put on EqD im gonna flip
613814 I would love to see you flip!
532759
Dang it, you already got it. Well, that's what I get for starting to read this late
Yeeeaaah I haven't seen avatar for the longest time, so I'll shamelessly trot to the next chapter
Maybe I'm wrong, but I think the reference was the "I have no idea how I did that" bit. The part that's killing me is I can't remember the dialogue from the show to back up my claim
ok at first I was thinking this was going to be lame, but now I am really and I mean really happy I am reading it
Strong friendshipping vibe here, good start. The oil and water vibe is lessened.
I think the Avatar reference was, "Don't be such a... you!" Either Toph or Sokka said that to Katara when Toph started cheating scammers.
Liked the use of Vinyls last name as a verb: "Vinyl scratch...ed her chin"
Yes! As soon as I read the line "at least you're fun to argue with" I was like, no way, Avatar reference? And it was. You are awesome
So far Vinyl and Octavia do have a sort of Toph/Katara friendship vibe to them, so it works. Lovin the story so far, nice work 
428938
Well, maybe they were smart enough to realize that hating each other over first impressions is silly. After all, they were helping students feel more comfortable at the first chapter. They are in different elements, but they are genuinely friendly people.
This ought to get interesting...
yes your story has touched my heart i also am an outcast i have no friends but i do have dubstep
I read that one line and i think, hold on, I've heard that before
scrolled down to the bottom: 'SEE IF YOU CAN FIND THE AVATAR REFERENCE'
YES!! I WON, PROCEED TO HAVE 5 MINUTES OF SPASMS AND EXITED SQUEALS AT MY WASTED CHILDHOOD.
I don't know why I've been keeping this on my 'read later' list without reading it for so long. Just a couple chapters, and I'm loving it. I started writing Tavi because I thought all the OxVS fics were mediocre or cliche, but this is different. I can't quite pinpoint it yet. There isn't anything particular to your style that I've quite figured out yet, except that the story is driven by character interaction rather than mundane details and setting. Usually that's a turn off for me, but for this, it works. It's not about how dim the bar is, or what music is playing, or what color the drinks are. It's about getting to know the characters, and while it's not a beautiful or poetic fic, nor a work of literature, it's entertaining. Something to relax and giggle to, but not something where comedy is the driving factor.
Very impressed.
385149
El.Oh.Hell
Agreed!
It think this is just AWESOME
I'm not one to read a lot, however this is so well written that I have to keep reading. Keep up the good work.
I know Avatar inside and out. Where the actual Hell is that reference?!?
"But my story wasn’t even a story. It was just a sad little fact. You… There is so much more to you than I imagined.”
-taking guesses, I've never seen the movie before.