Vinyl and Octavia: Ponyville Duet

by generalsnaz

Chapter 1: A Cliché Encounter (A Canterlot Wedding Reception Pt. 1)

Chapter 1: A Cliché Encounter

(A Canterlot Wedding Reception Pt. 1)

It was chaos. Chaos to the ears. A deafening roar of excited chatter echoed through the massive Canterlot Castle. There were ponies. Ponies everywhere. Socialite ponies talked about seeing the Princesses and how this was the event to be at this year. Fashionistas discussed their predictions on the wedding gown and criticized the attire of the ponies around them. Eager, non-privileged ponies, who had camped out overnight just to get inside, marveled at the castle decor. Servant ponies pushed their way through the hordes, trying to get everything ready and in its proper place. Even the spacious ceiling was filled to the brim with pegasi, who hovered over the masses with nowhere in particular to land. In the middle of this packed mob stood a gray earth pony with a flowing black mane, purple treble clef cutie mark, and a simple pink bowtie. The cello player Octavia Melody was beginning to regret her decision to come in here.

There was a painful pressure from all around her as Octavia tried to squeeze through the congestion of colorful ponyfolk. It was a useless endeavor; all efforts to move were halted by well-dressed flanks and educated conversations.

‘How in Equestria did I manage to get this far in?’ she thought, as she winced in pain.

The cellist was right to question it. It didn't seem like anything she did had gotten her through. It was, in fact, the pushiness of plenty of previous ponies that had practically propelled her progressively past posh pony posteriors.

(...ahem. Pardon...)

(Anyway,) Octavia searched desperately for the exit. She only wanted to see the wedding reception and this replacement... "DJ," (whatever that was) that the Princess had recruited. She had no interest in the wedding itself. Octavia was, of course, happy for Princess Cadence, like everypony was. It's just that weddings weren't really her thing.

‘This is not worth getting suffocated,’ she quickly convinced herself.

With that, she spotted it: an edge to the sea of ponies. There, past an archway, the crowd diluted. With glorious newfound energy, she trudged through, whispering muffled apologies for every hoof she stepped on. The resistance against her was unbearable as it seemed she was pushing the opposite direction that everypony else was determined to go. After eons of travel, her goal was finally in sight: Octavia had reached the end of the mob. The room before her was still densely populated, but there was more breathing room. However, before she could take one eloquent step into that wonderful space, she stumbled ungracefully out from the crowd and crashed smack into the head of another pony.

She collided with an unsuspecting unicorn mare, who lost control of a case she was magically hovering beside her. The two ponies fell into a third who, in turn, fell into a fourth, and then a fifth... What occurred then was the second most splendid domino effect Canterlot Castle had ever seen. It was truly a spectacular sight to behold. (Too bad you only get to read about it.)

Despite a dizzy head and a sharp pain, Octavia managed to shakily rise to her hooves. She automatically began to apologize as she dusted herself off.

"Oh, I am terribly sorry! I did not mean to-"

Her apology was cut short upon seeing what had transpired. She caused a disaster! Hors d'oeuvre platters were scattered amongst fallen ponies. Wedding presents lay crushed beneath toppled mares. About thirty guests and servants groaned from the floor, while the rest looked on with a mixture of amusement and concern (but mostly amusement.) Flooded with embarrassment and unsure what to do, Octavia looked down at the first pony she ran into.

The mare before her had just finished magically readjusting some absurd purple sunglasses and turned menacingly towards the cellist. She was a white unicorn with a neon blue mane styled in overconfident spikes, coupled with a short tail that received the same exact treatment. Her cutie mark bore the musical symbol of two beamed eighth notes, which Octavia would have noticed if it weren't for the fact that this unicorn was positively livid.

"What the hay was that!?" shouted the unicorn. The words stabbed at Octavia and she backed up defensively. She wasn't accustomed to being on the receiving end of a shouting. The strange looking unicorn was deadly serious and looked ready for battle.

"I- I'm sorry! I- I-" Octavia struggled to get the words out. What could she possibly say to make this situation any better? She briefly considered telling a joke, like thespian ponies do in those comedy plays when a goofy character got in trouble. The audience would laugh, the character would grin stupidly, and all would be forgiven. But the angry unicorn didn't wait for Octavia's poorly thought out plan to come to fruition and stepped closer to her. Octavia instinctively ducked down and shielded her head with her hooves. Her life was about to end (or, at least, it seemed.)

"Hey! Dumbflank! I'm talking to you!"

The white unicorn magically grabbed the ascot of an aristocratic stallion who was pushing his way through the crowd behind Octavia. With great magical force, she dragged him out and brought him face to face. The monocle of the shocked stallion popped off in the process.

"I say! Get your hooves off me!" He proclaimed, smacking the magic glow holding him with his hoof and effectively dispersing it. "What is the meaning of this!?"

"Don't act stupid! I saw you push her down so you could sneak in!" The unicorn pointed down at Octavia who, despite still shielding her head, peeked up at the scene with utter disbelief. "You knocked us all over and I think you owe her, and us, an apology!" The entirety of the room had their eyes on those three. Every fallen pony watched angrily, now aware to the source of the crash. Some ponies, however, were still busy mourning over drinks spilled on their expensive dresses. (Seriously, those outfits cost a lot of bits, even for them.)

The accused aristocrat smugly turned his head and stated, "Hmph. Well, she should've gotten out of my way. I am trying to get to the wedding hall, you see."

"What? Dude, I don't care what your reason was. Apologize!" the unicorn pressed.

"A-Apologi-!? Certainly not! Do you even know who I am?" The aristocrat tried to place his monocle back, but was stopped by the unicorn. She magically seized his neckwear again and brought his face dangerously close to hers. The motion was so aggressive that it startled Octavia into letting out a little squeak. The stallion could now feel red hot anger seething out from behind the unicorn's sunglasses. She spoke through gritted teeth.

"I know who you're going to be: the pony with an ascot stuffed down his bucking throat."

The threat of violence breaking out silenced the last of the murmurs in the room. The aristocrat's eyes widened, and he began to sweat nervously. His well-being was in danger now. That changed everything. ...Everything had just changed.

"Ah, well. Of course," he started off slowly. "How rude of me. I'm sorry," he projected those last words down to Octavia. "Sorry. Sorry everypony," he called out to nopony in particular. He returned a sheepish grin to his unicorn assaulter. She eyed him suspiciously before releasing her magic grip.

"Pssh. Fine, good enough. That’s probably all I’ll get out of you anyway."

With the confrontation over, and a collective sigh of relief given by everypony, the recovery of the scene could begin. Octavia rose from her fetal position to survey the room. Everypony who had been part of the great domino effect had gotten to their hooves and were cleaning themselves off. The offending stallion slunk out of sight when nopony was looking.

"You okay?"

The sudden question from the unicorn startled Octavia, whose nerves were shot from the whole experience. This was not a normal kind of occurrence for her.

"Oh, I'm… fine. I- I am fine," she replied bashfully. Even with her innocence proven, she was still quite embarrassed. The two ponies met eyes for the first time. (Well, Octavia couldn't really see her eyes through those ridiculous shades the unicorn was wearing, but still.)

"Awesome!" beamed the unicorn. She wore the most radical grin Octavia had ever seen, a complete one-eighty from her disposition mere moments ago.

"I did not even realize he had pushed me. I felt certain I had caused this. I must thank you for sorting everything out, Miss... err?"

"Name’s Vinyl. Vinyl Scratch," answered the unicorn, flipping her mane up in a way that said, "You should have known that, but I’m awesome so I forgive you.”

"Well then, Miss Vinyl Scratch, thank you. I, um... you are... not going to get in trouble for causing a commotion, are you?"

The two ponies looked in unison at the nearest castle servant who was busy cleaning up the messy floor. He promptly met their gaze and shrugged before returning to his task.

"Guess not! Haha!" Vinyl laughed.

The mare's cheerfulness caused Octavia to crack a smile. But now that she had a moment to look at her, Octavia realized that Vinyl Scratch didn't fit in. Everypony present at the wedding was dressed in the fanciest suits and dresses bits could buy. Octavia glanced at her measly pink bowtie. (Well... almost everypony.) But Vinyl didn't wear any clothes besides her odd sunglasses. Not to mention her electric mane was just about the wildest thing Octavia had ever seen. Surely this pony wasn't from Canterlot. It was then she finally noticed Vinyl Scratch's cutie mark.

‘Eighth notes? Is she a musician?' Octavia thought to herself.

"If you do not mind me asking," Octavia started, "what are you... doing here?" The question suddenly sounded stupid as it came out; it was obvious she was here for the wedding. (Like everypony else. Duh.)

"Huh? I'm doing the-… MOTHER OF CELESTIA, MY RECORDS!" Vinyl exclaimed before suddenly bolting away from Octavia and visually sweeping the floor in desperation. "Nononononononono!" She spotted her missing belongings behind two ponies still dusting themselves off. "GAH!" she cried upon arrival. Her record case laid busted open, and a multitude of records had spilled out.

Octavia watched with confusion and concern (but mostly confusion) as Vinyl rushed around, weaving in and out between ponies, magically levitating each record she found. Intrigued, Octavia trotted after Vinyl. The cellist didn't recognize any of the album sleeves she spotted. It certainly didn't look like the unicorn carried any music by Beehoofen or Joshoof Hay-den around, or anything remotely conventional.

"Is everything-" Octavia started to ask, but was immediately cut off.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Vinyl's scream caused all ponies in the room to set their eyes on her for the second time that evening. “My… my… Darren Hay album!” She shooed off a startled pony that was standing on the broken pieces of a record. Vinyl held back tears as she levitated the pieces and fruitlessly tried to place them together. Octavia rushed over to the down-heartened pony.

“What is the matter? Was that record important?”

“Uuugggh!!” In frustration Vinyl tossed all the broken pieces away.

“Sweet Celestia, what is it!?” begged Octavia.

“Song! Wedding! Reception! Album! Replacement! Gotta buy! Gotta go! Gah!” With that, Vinyl Scratch sped off, taking her record case with her. Octavia stood in astonishment as the mare disappeared behind a column.

'From out of town... cutie mark... song... reception...'

The suspicious pieces began to fit together in Octavia’s mind.

'Is... she the "DJ"?’

Author's Note:

The grand appearance of Vinyl and Octavia interactions! Did you doubt it would happen after the first chapter? Well, you were wrong. And I'm sorry.

I was considering using Britneigh Spears or Maredonna as the broken record joke but I ended up going with an artist I actually listen to. :( Sorry Brit.

If you can find all four of the musical artist references in this chapter I will reward you with... I dunno- cookie points I guess.* Three are easy, one is not. :3

*Cookie points are redeemable at your local McDonald's or Wal-Mart.

Comments

[Cambium_Megablast]

Just wanted to mention that records don't actually shatter. They are made of PVC or polyvinyl chloride, it's the same stuff they use for sprinkler piping and plastic fencing.

[generalsnaz]

3624754

Well, I didn't say shatter, what I meant was it broke into a couple pieces. ...which I would assume would happen if a horse stepped on it... r-right?

Now I'm starting to question it!

[Plascin]

My Hero!

[PinkiePieFox]

Getting better

[Smoker]

That's the most adorable threat I've ever seen.

[Th3Dysl3xicBron3]

Dat pic lol

[Fury of the Tempest]

Huh... that sure was a rapid development.

[just for reading]

This story is getting quite good and is enjoyable to see how Octavia tries to piece every thing together

[Derpytakesovertheworld]

3624754 DONT BRING science-y stuff into this YOUNG... I dunno, stallion, i guess??

[Frantic Starz]

whispering muffled apologizes for every hoof she stepped on.

whispering muffled apologies for every hoof she stepped on.

[MeadowRosePony]

I feel so dumb. I can't find any musical artist references. All I found was this rhyme
I do love rhymes though

Flooded with embarrassment and unsure what to do, Octavia looked down at the first pony she ran into.

[Silver_Lined_Sky]

Ah, yes, the classic duality; Vinyl being a pony of emotional extremes, and Octavia barely showing what she feels when they aren't extreme emotions.

Some would say cliché. I say classic.

[ThePieBeam]

hey what can I say I love this guy (platonickly) <------ ive misspelled this

[Lord_01010000]

It was, in fact, the pushiness of plenty of previous ponies that had practically propelled her progressively past posh pony posteriors.

This sentence was brought to you by, the letter P.

[Ghost Pony Rider]

Humm... That draw... Looks like Vinyl Scratch is Octavia's stand.

[123ABC]

6855826
The letter P is affiliated with Alphabet Corp

[AyanamiRei]

Wow! I have to say that was quite a bit of a different meeting than I was expecting. Rather good though in how unique and different, since it wasn't the more usual "Love At First Sight", but rather Octavia going "Who or What IS this strange and mysterious pony"

[Night Swift]

Octavia on the pic is cute!

[Shenzy]

(Too bad you only get to read about it.)

I would use my imagination.... to bad unnecessary comments pull me out of the flow every 5 lines.

How about I give you a book.
Ask you to read...
And take it away every 20 seconds.

Does that sound enjoyable?

Such a shame. Not sure I can get trough it like this.

[TheClassyLeviathan]

"What? Dude, I don't care what your reason was. Apologize!" the unicorn pressed.

I immediately thought of this.

[Ablegabriel]

7152868
NANIIIII?! STANDU DESU