29. Seth's Breakthrough
A thought strikes me just before Cadance, Luna, Fancy Pants, and the other ponies I don't give a shit about leave the area entirely. “Say, I don't suppose there's anyway I could talk to Octavia, is there?” I ask, though I'm not entirely sure who I'm asking.
“I don't see why not. You might have to wait a bit, though, as the orchestra takes care of things backstage.” Cadance is the one who answers, though she looking at me curiously. “I'm surprised you know who she is.”
“Met her in the music store. Had no idea who she was until about an hour or so ago,” I reply, still marveling that I'd met somepony that could play like that. I probably should have given her a bit more respect. “Come to think of it, what time is it?”
“Tis about ten. The night hath just begun.” Luna is the one who answers that one, which I probably should have expected.
“So it's pretty late then. Guess I'll stick around for a bit, and then head back to my hotel,” I say, looking at the two princesses. In other words, both of you fuck off so I can go find Octavia.
“Indeed. Regrettably, I must be on my way.” Fancy Pants is the first to answer, dipping his head politely. “Seth, Princesses, I bid you good night.”
“Good night, Fancy,” Cadance responds to him as he walks away at a leisurely pace. Next to her, Luna spreads her wings.
“We must be off. Tis about time for us to hold Night Court,” Luna announces. “Twas a pleasure seeing you both.”
“I'm sure,” I reply cynically just as Luna takes off. There's so much force behind her liftoff, a wall of wind rushes over me, blowing my hair back.
That just leaves Cadance and I, standing just outside of the theater. Ponies stream out of the doors just behind us, all of them probably heading home as well. I assume the orchestra members come out of a exit further back. Finding it will be a challenge.
“Thanks for coming out with me tonight,” Cadance says to me softly. I grunt, not wanting to respond to that. After all, I had protested when she first asked me, and then I'd gone and enjoyed the hell out of it. “Oh, if you're hoping to catch Octavia before she leaves, circle around to the back of the theater. They come out from there.”
“Thank you,” I say curtly. I turn my back on her and head the way she described. And then my fucking conscience gets on to me, so I turn my head halfway to look back at her. “And Cadance...thanks for the ticket. It was fun.”
“I'm glad you enjoyed it,” Cadance replies with a warm smile. “You have a good night, Seth.”
I watch as she takes to the air as well. Totally not fair how these fuckers can all fly. I can't wait until I learn how to do that. I don't remember much of the times when I was able to fly, and what little I do remember is shrouded by darkness and pain. With Celestia being OP as fuck and all.
I get that she needed to see my magic to make sure it was actually dark magic, but I wish...well I guess it's really my fault for giving into the insanity. Actually no, I'm blaming Celestia. Because I can, that's why. Fuck logic.
Like Cadance told me, I walk along the edge of the theater. The theater itself is tucked again a row of buildings on either side, so eventually I have to cross through a dark alley to reach the back of the theater.
Like Cadance said, there's a set of doors back here that looks similar to the front of the theater, only a bit more practical rather than fancy. Probably because there's a lot of traffic that passes through here with heavy loads. Those instruments have to get in there somehow.
Some ponies from the orchestra are already leaving. I can tell because they're wearing those tuxedos and dresses, and some of them are carrying their instruments with them. I don't see Octavia yet , so I'll wait here by the side of this building just next to the alley I just walked out of. After all, I'd probably draw attention from the entire fucking orchestra if I walk out there right now.
Oh hey, there goes their conductor. He looks particularly pleased, judging by the grin he's sporting and the way he's going around, congratulating the other ponies. I don't blame him. The performance was stunning; these ponies deserve the praise they're getting.
There she is. Octavia walks out of the theater next, carrying her cello with her in a small cart. The conductor pony sees her and immediately moves over to her. The two of them shake hooves, and the conductor says something to her that makes her smile.
Surveying the area, I decide that now's as good a time as any, since most of the orchestra has left the area.
The two of them spot me the moment I leave the shadowy area surrounding the alley. The conductor actually backs away from me as I approach. Whatever. He can do whatever he wants. I'm not here to talk to him. All you did was wave a stick around while this mare here was being a badass.
Speaking of which, Octavia obviously recognizes me, since there aren't any other humans around. She looks both confused and intrigued to see me. “Oh? You're the one from the music store,” she says when I get to a reasonable distance for conversation. “The pianist, if I remember correctly.”
“Unless you see any other humans around,” I remark sarcastically. That actually gets a chuckle from her.
“I suppose you have a point. Nevertheless, I am surprised to see you here,” Octavia admits. Behind us, the conductor, as well as a few other ponies from the orchestra, are watching our conversation with wide and curious eyes. “Do you have some business with me?”
“Well...sort of. Um, sorry for being a bit of a prick back in the music store. I didn't realize you were so talented,” I tell her awkwardly.
“Thank you for the compliment, but does talent really warrant respect?” Octavia questions me, a slight twinkle in her eyes. What the...can't you just accept my apology? What is this bullshit?
“It does when you can play like that,” I reply. “I always hold some respect for talented musicians.”
“But my ability to produce music says nothing about how I am as an pony,” Octavia points out, much to my irritation. “Isn't that what one should respect?”
“Can't you just accept my fucking apology? Are you trying to make me hate you?” I snap at her.
“Of course not. You must understand, I am well respected as a musician; it's a sentiment I'm not unfamiliar with,” Octavia explains. “But would you be satisfied if somepony respected you only for your ability to play music, and not as an individual?”
That's...surprisingly deep. It reminds me of how history used to treat musicians. They were invited into royal courts if they just shut up and played music. But the moment they opened their mouths, they were thrown out and ridiculed. She has a very good point.
“You have a point. So I probably seem like another of those ponies, don't I?” I respond ruefully. Somehow I fucked this up, even though all I wanted to do was tell her she played well.
Octavia smiles reassuringly at me. “I wouldn't say so. I told you this because I believed you would understand, as a fellow musician,” she explains.
You know, I've spoken to this pony twice now, and already I can tell she has some kind of emotional depth. I mean, musicians generally tend to have more emotional depth than the typical person because of what they do, but Octavia just cemented that with those words. Okay, so maybe she's worth talking to.
“I suppose. But even so, I came to find you because I wanted you to know I appreciated your playing,” I reiterate. I sound cheesy as fuck when I say it like that, but she's beaming, so I assume she appreciates it.
“Your praise humbles me. You are also an excellent musician. I only wish I'd have had time to tell you back at the store,” Octavia expresses with a dip of her head.
I scratch the back of my head, somewhat embarrassed. “Yeah, I wasn't staying in there...I probably shouldn't have gone in there to begin with.”
“Why ever not?”
“Because it's an expensive thing to like! I don't have the money to invest into being a musician all over again,” I snap. Yeah, the piano I had cost a shit ton of money to buy back in my time. And now the money I had before means nothing.
“So you left because you know it's not something you can indulge in frequently?” Octavia states, attempting to make sure she understood. Yup, that's hitting the nail right on the head. I give her a nod in response. It was cruel of me to tease myself with something I can't have. It's not surprising I felt like shit afterward.
“Hm...” Octavia muses. “There has to be some solution.”
“Maybe, maybe not. But I didn't come here to moan my situation, nor do I expect you to care,” I grunt, crossing my arms. Octavia blinks as I turn my back on her and start to leave the area. “I came here to tell you I enjoyed your performance. That's all.”
“Wait!” Octavia catches up with me quickly, bringing her cart with her. I don't stop walking, but neither does she. “I think I understand.”
“You what?”
“About how you must feel. I...remember a time when I was unable to practice my music,” Octavia continues. I scoff derisively, but I stop and look back at her anyway. “It was miserable. Like I had all of these feelings bottled up that I couldn't express through music.”
“Really? Do all ponies just spill whatever they're feeling to random strangers?” I retort, even though I understand what she's saying.
“Don't you feel the same way?” Octavia asks, seemingly ignoring my scathing words. Can we not have a soul searching conversation? I just wanted to compliment you, dammit. If I have to go through so much trouble to act even a little nice, I'm starting to wonder why I should even bother.
“What if I do? It shouldn't matter to you, anyway.” Please shut up. The next thing I know, you're going to be offering to help me, and then I'll have to shut you down.
“But it does! During that period in my life, I would have liked somepony to reach out to me with an answer,” Octavia protests. “So I want to be able to do that for you.”
“No. I'll come up with an answer myself,” I tell her flatly.
“At our rehearsal hall, there's a small area that's open to the public, including practice rooms,” Octavia continues as if she hadn't heard me.
“Did you not hear...”
“There is a room with a piano in it. I could check and see if there's an open reservation for it,” Octavia offers. “How long are you going to be in the city?”
“About three days. But the answer is still no. I can't pay for reservations for a damn practice room,” I answer her.
“You won't have to. These practice rooms are public property,” Octavia informs me. Now that gets my attention. Free practice rooms? My college didn't even do that. “The reservations are necessary to ensure that all ponies have an equal chance to use them.”
“That's...huh. Free medical care, and free practice rooms at the capitol of Equestria?” I state with a hint of disbelief in my voice. Octavia smiles at me in a reassuring manner.“Why am I starting to believe that this is too good to be true?”
“Why would it be? The cost of the practice rooms were included in the cost of building the hall in the first place. They don't cost much to maintain, and as such there's no cost to use them,” Octavia explains to me.
“I keep expecting this time to be as cutthroat as mine. Seriously, how many times am I going to be proven wrong?” I complain. If it had been my time, it wouldn't matter how cheap it was to have rooms like that. The administration would still charge money for it because they fucking could. Welcome to capitalism.
“As many times as you have expectations, I suppose,” Octavia responds cleverly, lifting her head and looking proud of herself.
“Right,” I acknowledge with a flat-browed expression. “Fuck it, why not. Go ahead and look for me.”
“Excellent!” Octavia adopts a pleased expression. ”Now then, I don't believe I caught your name.”
“Because I never gave it,” I return. Octavia waits patiently. I notice she hasn't been flinching much at my rude words anymore. “I'm Seth Rogers.”
“A pleasure, Seth Rogers.” Octavia extends her hoof with a warm smile on her face. “My name is Octavia Melody.”
I step into the hotel lobby at around midnight, my hands in my pockets. I don't know how I'm feeling right now. I suppose if anypony were to ask, the first thing that would come to mind would be “exhausted.”
But now I have a chance to play music again before I leave for Ponyville again. I'm not sure when it will be, but Octavia had assured me that she would do whatever it took to get me a reservation.
Seriously, these fucking ponies keep confusing me. I'd only met her the once, and I was an ass to her. I don't understand why she's going to all this effort to make me happy. I mean, I had thought it would be an inconvenience for her to do this, but she kept assuring me that it would only take her a moment to check the books and write my name down.
Another thing bugs me about her. The way she acts and the way she talks are two different things. She's a celebrity, and she talks like a noble, but she acts like a typical girl. I'd expected her to be a bit more full of herself, since most celebrities are. It's like every time I make a negative assumption about this world, the world punches me in the face with evidence suggesting otherwise.
Royalty being corrupt? Nope. Ponies not caring if I got myself killed? Nope. Medical bills putting me into debt for eternity? Nope. Celebrities being full of themselves? Fucking nope. See where I'm coming from here?
Part of me is actually starting to wonder whether this time is actually better than my own. I'm still not sure, because every time I try to compare the two, I always think of my friend and family first, and that always gets me confused.
Well, I'm done thinking about this. I enter the stairwell of the hotel, resigning myself to climb several flights of stairs before I reach the third floor. That's one thing better about my time and this one. We have elevators...actually, nevermind. An elevator nearly killed me when I got to this time. Fuck elevators.
So I'll probably be seeing Octavia here at some point over these three days. With the ponies not having cellphones and all, I actually had to tell her where to find me. I told her to find me at this hotel in the early mornings and late nights, but I also mentioned the bar where Vinyl and I would be setting up, since we'll be there for a significant portion of this Canterlot trip.
Now then...this is floor three, I think. There's a plaque on the wall next to the door that looks like it's made of brass. Despite the fact that Rainbow said this place was “easily affordable,” it seems suspiciously nice to me, what with the brass plaques, red carpets, and good service. I mean, I could just chalk it up to being a Canterlot hotel, but still...
Whatever. I'm too tired to care at the moment. My bare feet, which are dirty as fuck thanks to the fact that I don't have any fucking shoes, sink into the plush carpets in the hallway. Now then, I need to find the room Rainbow told me about. She said room 352, so I should just check the plaques on the wall...which I can't fucking read. Son of a bitch, I keep forgetting that! I'll have to do this the hard way.
I peer closely at the wall plaques, trying to make out patterns between them. They all start with the same symbol that looks like a tripped out looking triangle. If I assume that stands for three, then that room over there on the same wall with two of those triangles is probably 303. Which makes the one before that 302.
Memorizing the 2 symbol, I walk down the hallway, watching the symbols on the different plaques. Once the symbol in the center has changed five times, I look for the 2 symbol. It's easy to find, thankfully.
I fish out the key Rainbow handed me earlier and attempt to unlock the door. To my relief, the door opens. "Bingo," I whisper in triumph. I push the door fully open to reveal a pitch black room...which means they're probably both asleep by now. I make sure to keep quiet as I step inside and shut the door.
Sure enough, I can hear them snoring softly. What I can't see is anything else. Waiting a few seconds should fix that. Soon, I can see just barely enough to make out the basic features of the room. There are two beds, a fact that makes my right eye twitch. What the hell was Rainbow thinking, putting us in a room with only two beds?! Did she expect me to sleep with one of them?
I am literally about to lose my temper. However...hang on, the snoring seems to be coming all from one place, and there's two separate sets of snores. Squinting, I make out Rainbow and Vinyl snuggling together in the bed to my left.
My anger fades away slowly, to be replaced by a smirk. If only I could take a picture of this. Bet Rainbow would be scandalized to see how adorable she looks like this. Sucks that I don't have a camera anymore.
“Heh, thanks for the bed,” I say softly, even though they can't hear me. Since they're both asleep, I undress without a second thought. These clothes still feel new, so I make sure to fold them carefully. Except for the boxers. Those I'm wearing to bed.
I consider taking a shower but then decide against it. I'll take a shower in the morning. Though I have no clue what I'm doing in the morning before Vinyl's first performance.
I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. With that thought squared away, I hop into the bed that was meant just for me. It's been one hell of a long day. Between getting here, meeting (and consequently getting the shit beaten out of me by) Celestia, getting to play a piano again, and that concert, I feel like it's been longer than just one day. Kind of like in Dragon Ball, only less bullshit.
I turn over and cover myself with the blankets. I'm exhausted, so it isn't long before I fall asleep.
I'm actually allowed to wake up on my own for once. At first, as I open my eyes to see sunlight streaming in through the window, I think I overslept. That thought alone is enough to get me to sit up, chilly air impacting my shirtless torso as the covers slide down my front.
No, I guess it's still pretty early, because Vinyl and Rainbow are still fast asleep. I wonder why my internal clock decided to wake me up now. Glancing at the clock situated just above the door, I discover that it's about 8 in the morning....and that's why I woke up this early. My fucking body doesn't realize I don't have that class anymore.
Well, as long as they're asleep, I'll take this opportunity to shower and get dressed. They'll surely be awake by the time I get out.
Thirty minutes later, I'm out and dressed in that same outfit I got from the castle. I don't really have any other clothes with me, so this is all I've got. Eh, it smells fine, so whatever. It's not like they have laundry machines in this day and age. Or maybe they do, and they're just run by magic. Because the technological standards in this time are ridiculously complicated. We have computers, but not laundry machines.
Turns out Rainbow and Vinyl are still asleep. Really? The running water and moving around didn't wake any of you up? Sheesh, they sleep like rocks.
That reminds me...Rainbow. Like pinching my nose while I slept, or biting my hand. A grin crosses my face as the perfect idea comes to mind. This oughta knock them for a loop.
I stalk over to the side of their bed and squat down, bending my knees. I hook my arms underneath the frame of the bed. It seems heavy, but I do remember how to channel my magic...ish.
Aww, look at the two of them. They look so cute and precious, sleeping together like that. It would be a shame if...someone...were to flip over their bed.
“Rise and shine, motherfuckers!” I shout loudly, standing up and channeling a tiny bit of magic into my arms, which gives me the strength to flip the bed entirely over, hurling the two no longer sleeping ponies onto the floor.
“What the...” Rainbow gasps.
“Waaah!” Vinyl cries out. The two of them tumble end over end until they hit the wall in a jumble of tangled ponies
I double over, laughing my ass off at the sight of them extricating themselves from one another, now wide awake and not very happy with me.
“Seth, you jerk....is it so hard for you to wake a pony normally?” Rainbow demands, though she doesn't seem altogether that angry.
“Yup! How does revenge feel, you technicolor freak?” I gloat, replacing the bed back in its original position.
“Why am I involved in your prank war?” Vinyl moans, but neither of us pay her any attention.
“Oh, now you're asking for it, you blasted monkey!” Rainbow retorts, followed by an adorable growl. Then, to my shock, she bounds over the bed and tackles me around the middle, bearing me to the floor. “C'mere!”
The two of us go tumbling across the floor together, though I'm still laughing. We wrestle one another playfully, even though it's clear Rainbow has the edge over me physically.
A few moments later, Rainbow has me pinned on the ground, grinning. “You have a long way to go before you can beat me in a wrestling match!” she brags.
“Clearly,” I pant, though I'm still enjoying myself. Just then, a mischievous expression crosses Rainbow's face.
“Now then, let's see how you like your mane being messed with!” is all the warning I get before Rainbow's two front hooves plunge into my hair, messing up all the work I did to groom it after my shower.
“Oh, you bitch!” I complain, but I already have an idea on how to turn the tables. I reach up my head and lightly bite her just above her hoof. Rainbow withdraws her hoof, looking at me incredulously.
“Did you just bite me?” Rainbow demands. My grin grows wider.
“Oh please, that was just a nip. Maybe you should keep your hooves out of a man's hair,” I retort. Rainbow's eyes widen when she realizes I'd returned her words from yesterday right back at her.
“Well played, Seth,” Rainbow admits, and I laugh. Meanwhile, Vinyl is sitting on her haunches on the other side of the room, looking amused.
“Okay, lovebirds. You want to get off each other, or should I go rent another room?” Vinyl jokes, which makes me realize that Rainbow and I are in a very awkward position. Ugh, how the fuck did I not even notice this? Eh, whatever. Vinyl's just being a troll, as always.
Rainbow immediately hops off of me, allowing me to get to my feet. “Fuck you, Vinyl,” I remark.
“No thanks. That's what you've got Rainbow there for,” she returns, grinning wider. And she's still making those damn jokes. She's like my mother. And...this is an odd parallel to draw. I'm gonna stop right there.
“Would you stop it with that?!” Rainbow and I both snap at the same time, causing a creepy unison to occur. Vinyl promptly falls over laughing.
“Whoa, that was creepy,” Rainbow remarks. She's taking all these earthy jokes pretty well, even if they are getting a bit annoying.
“Okay. I'm done with this. If you don't mind, I'm going to take a moment to redo my hair, since it's all messed up thanks to a certain pony here,” I respond, tapping Rainbow on the side of the head, which in turn causes her to nip at me. “Down girl.”
Still chuckling, I walk into the bathroom again and grab the comb. That was pretty fun, even if Vinyl was being a damn troll with her sex jokes. Those are the worst. You'd think she'd have learned when I said that those jokes have to have a basis on which to be formed, one that doesn't exist. I wouldn't ever...okay, I'll stop thinking about this before I start visualizing it. Which would be the worst.
It only takes me a few minutes to fix my hair again and step back outside, where Vinyl and Rainbow are talking about something. They stop immediately they see me, which makes me slightly suspicious. What the hell were they talking about? “What?” I ask with a raised eyebrow.
“Nothing, bro. We were just talking about the plan for today,” Vinyl responds somewhat hastily. Okay, now that's even more suspicious. “Right Rainbow?”
“Yeah, that was totally it,” Rainbow adds in an equally dubious manner. Eh, whatever. It's not really my business what they talk about, as long as it isn't about me. I give a shrug.
“Right, I think I should be involved in this conversation as well. What exactly is the itinerary for today?” I say, taking their excuse and rolling with it.
“Hm, well the only deadline we've got for today and the next two days is that we have to be at the bar at 4 with my stuff to set it all up,” Vinyl informs us. Four huh, that's pretty early. Well, I guess it will take a while to set things up, as well as eat dinner, and all that. Speaking of dinner, if I keep paying my bits, I'll have to rely entirely on the pay for these three gigs to pay my rent the next time we're in Ponyville.
“That's perfect! The Wonderbolts Air Show ends around then, so we'll be right on time, right Seth?” Rainbow exclaims, looking at me hopefully. Hang on, what?
“Wait, I'm going to that?” I question.
“Duh! I have two tickets! I've only been talking about since you invited me on this trip!” Rainbow affirms. Vinyl looks at me with a worried expression.
“And...how much were these tickets?” I say calmly, even though I'm annoyed that she bought a ticket for me without asking me first.
“Nah, don't worry about that. I got it all covered,” Rainbow assures me. Vinyl's worried look becomes a grimace, and she looks down at the floor.
“I'm not going then."” Rainbow looks at me in shock as I tell her that, my arms crossed. “If you won't let me pay for myself, I'm not going.”
“Are you seriously...ugh, can't you just come?” Rainbow responds exasperatedly.
“No. I'm not letting you pay for me. End of story.” I tell her flatly. It's still too early for me to trust her like that. There's still a chance she could start using favors to control me.
“Seth, I'm not paying for you. I'm paying for you to be there with me,” Rainbow asserts, getting up and looking at me. “Can't you just forget about favors and stuff just this once?”
“No, I'm not going to forget! What do you get out of me being there? Nothing, as far as I can tell. And nobody does something for nothing,” I shoot back.
“You idiot! Of course I get something from you being there!” Rainbow actually takes to the air so she can look me in the eyes.
“Yeah, the chance to use...”
“The chance to enjoy one of my favorite things with my friend!” Rainbow's shout cuts across me, and I'm rendered speechless. She sighs before continuing. “I'm not just giving you money. If you really want to make me say it...”
“Go ahead. I doubt there's anything you can say to change my mind.”
“I'm paying for happiness! My happiness! That's what I get out of this!” Rainbow yells in my face. My eyes widen at her declaration. “If you are at the show with me, it would make me happy! What would I do with debt? You can't pay, and I have no need for favors from you.”
“How...how can I believe that? That's what J...what the rest keep telling me,” I stammer. I really want to believe that she's telling the truth, but...I won't let another Janna happen. She acted all nice and warm, but the moment I was in too deep, I was under her control. Admittedly...Janna never fought this hard to convince me...but...
“Faith, Seth! Sometimes you have to take things on faith,” Rainbow returns, never once looking away from my eyes.
“Faith? Faith is bullshit. That's like telling me to accept something without giving me proof. I need proof, Rainbow!”
“You're not going to get it! This isn't something you can prove!” Rainbow's heartfelt words spark several memories from me.
“Perhaps to one such as you, my view point may indeed seem naïve. But if there's one thing I've learned from my long years of life, it's that everyone deserves a chance, no matter who they are.”
But...I can't...there's no way to be sure...
“There's always one or two individuals that are worth knowing, correct? How can you find out if I am one of them if you don't take a chance on me?”
I reach up and hold my head in my hands, conflicted on what to do.
“Dammit, Seth. You can't fucking prove I'm out to get you, so get over yourself. We're friends, right? How's it fair that I'm the only one taking a chance?”
Amaryllis...goddammit...why did I have to remember that now? Slowly, finally, I lower my hands. I don't know if this is going to backfire on me or not, but...
“All right,” I say softly. Rainbow blinks, as if she didn't believe what she'd just heard. “I'll go to the air show with you.”
“Really?” Rainbow asks uncertainly, yet with a hint of hope in her voice.
“Yeah. If it's that important to you, I can...get over myself and tag along.”
Rainbow looks at me, dumbfounded for a few seconds, and then a smile slowly forms on her face. “Yeah! WOOHOO!” she cheers exultantly, flipping backwards in midair again and again, until she accidentally slams into the wall on the opposite side of the room. “Oof!”
Vinyl, who had been sitting awkwardly in the back of the room throughout this entire argument, finally breaks into a grin. She proceeds to slip on her shades and nod, as if to say “Yup, I knew this was going to happen.”
Rainbow flies back onto the floor just in front of me, looking the happiest that I've seen her all trip. It's enough to make me feel less shitty about giving in. “Yeah, I can't wait! You're going to love it, I promise! The Wonderbolts are soooo awesome!”
“Can't say I've been to one of their shows before, but I know Rainbow's nuts about them,” Vinyl agrees. She walks over to me and places a hoof on my leg. “Thanks for this. I know it can't be easy.”
“Oh shut up, before I change my mind,” I growl at her, but I'm smiling despite that. Vinyl grins once more, and then she suddenly sprints into the bathroom.
“First one in the shower gets the soap first!” Vinyl yells happily. Rainbow ceases her celebration to stare at her in mock anger.
“Oh, I don't think so!” Rainbow zooms into the bathroom so fast I can swear I see an actual rainbow trail behind her. The door shuts afterward, and it isn't long before I can hear the shower turn on. Right, ponies bathe together. I forgot about that.
When Vinyl and Rainbow emerge, they look much cleaner, though their manes are as messy as ever.
Heh, I can't believe this. Literally I'm hanging with two tomboys, and it's rather fun. Tomboys have always been awesome, so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised I've been befriended by one. It's weird though. Rainbow is a lot like Amaryllis. The similarities are striking: that I don't give a fuck attitude, that love of metal, and the way she approaches problems. It's almost uncanny at times. Of course, the only thing that detracts from that image is that fucking rainbow mane.
“We're done. Your turn, Seth!” Vinyl announces, revealing the open bathroom door, from which steam is billowing. Heh, looks like they took a hot shower.
“Nah, I've already taken one. I did before I woke your lazy asses up,” I inform them.
“Really? I wonder why it didn't wake me up?” Vinyl muses, stalking over to her bed and putting on her shades again.
“Because you sleep like a rock,” Rainbow teases.
“You didn't wake up either!” Vinyl's retort causes the two of them to laugh in a friendly manner. God, they're both idiots.
“So where are we eating breakfast? Does the fee for the hotel include meals?” I ask, interrupting their stupidity.
“I don't think they do. At least, I didn't see any mention of meals on the receipt,” Rainbow answers.
“I didn't see any dining areas on the way up last night,” Vinyl adds. “We might have to go out to eat again.”
“It's a good thing I'm getting paid for this, because all my spending money is going down the drain,” I lament, peering down at the bag at my side where all my bits are in. My the end of this trip, I'm going to be broke as all hell. “Got an idea of where to go?”
“I know a place. If I remember right, there's a pretty sweet breakfast place only a few blocks from here,” Vinyl recalls. She opens the door with her magic, obviously ready to go. “Let's get moving. We'll come back here and get my stuff at around four.”
“Sounds good. Let's hurry before I starve to death,” I remark.
“Don't be a drama queen,” Rainbow shoots back, nudging me with a grin.
“Fuck you.”
Heh, well. This has been an interesting start to the day. Here's hoping that my foolhardy gamble pays off, and that Rainbow really is worth trusting.
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My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
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Seth your pussy
forgot the a, he's A pussy
you making seth a wimp
Gotta say, I'm loving the story so far. The characters are pretty realistic, and Seth seems to be getting over his 'PTSD' bit by bit.
4643879
There is, in fact, an option to edit your comment.
Edit: It's the pencil in the middle of the chevron and trash-can when you mouse over the chevron to the top-right of a comment you made.
A) Seth leveled up and put points in emotional maturity.
B) This? This shit right here is why there're centaurs. Tirek didn't escape from Tartarus, he escaped from Rainbow Dash's foalhole!
Aside from the fight scenes, I think this was my favourite chapter of this story so far. It had Humour, Seriousness and Growth in it and each section was perfectly written and played out completely
As usual, I'll go through as the events happened. This was extremely brief, but Seth saying thanks to Cadance is actually a little more of a big deal then the scenes plays it out to be. He gives in to his conscience again, like he did with Derpy. However unlike when he helped Derpy, it was a bit of a struggle (albeit brief) to convince himself to help her, and he rationalized it in his head as it being because she was both cute and disabled. This time, while only on the level of thanking somepony as apposed to actually helping them, he still only hesitates for a second and doesn't even try to rationalize the decision. This indicates to me that Equestria and its ponies is starting to have a noticeable affect on his disposition, and it is further looked at in the hotel later. His discussion with Octavia was also very good, but before I get into it, I want to indicate how much I liked her character. Whoever your friend is that you based Octavia on, tell them they are awesome, because Octavia is certainly one of my favourite characters of this story, and just from this brief scene. You absolutely nailed her noble form of speech and her passion for music was noticeable, even had I not just read how she was basically in control of the whole orchestra with her talent. It surprised me how ok she was with Seth's dismissive and 'uncouth' attitude, but whether she learned about this through her brief chat with Rainbow, or she just doesn't care, she ignores it none the less. It was also interesting to see her analyse Seth a little and try to speak with him on an emotional level rather then a logical one, as so far this sort of discussion has flat out failed on our cynical human, but Octavia succeeded none the less. It may just have been because her understanding of music allowed her to read him better, but it none the less felt like she could definitely see how disheartened he was about losing his passions and interests due to the new world and its lack of technological advancement, and sort to rectify this by giving him one of his passions back, if only for a short time. Also, I noticed you called her Octavia Melody, as opposed to Octavia Philharmonica. The fandom seems oddly divided between these two last times (I suspect one is in fact canon, but I have yet to actually check and see) so you might get a comment about that at some point. Just keep making Octavia epic and it won't matter.
Now as I said earlier, Equestria is starting to have a noticeable affect on Seth. As he approaches his room at the hotel he starts to think over just how more open and understanding the ponies are and just how horrible (at least through his cynical attitude, though his opinions aren't incorrect some of the time, particularly about health care and politics, or at least to me they aren't) the humans of his time were. Had there been no Amaryllis or his brother and family in the picture, he may have even started to believe Equestria was an improvement over his own time. Still, the brief discussion in his head showed us that for all the benefits Equestria has, he still hasn't come to accept it since this future came at the cost of his family and friend, and he likely won't for some time.
Also just wanted to point out that Seth can't read Equestrian, and yet he could see the room numbers. Unless they were in like roman numerals or something, Seth logically shouldn't be able to identify which room Rainbow and Vinyl are in. Perhaps you could edit the scene to have Seth interrupt a staff member and identify it for him, or have Rainbow or Vinyl leave some type of identifying marker on the door, like a picture of their cutie marks or something.
Now came my favourite part of the chapter, Seth messing with Rainbow and Vinyl. Reading through this scene, I can just picture Rainbow and Vinyl sleeping peacefully, snuggled together, only to have them abruptly flipped out of bed and knocked into a wall. I just couldn't stop chuckling at it. It was an absolutely brilliant way for Seth to get his revenge and wake up with a good start to the day
. Having Rainbow playfully tackle him and rough house around the room was also a fun way to show their growing friendship. If this scene had happened earlier in their friendship, Rainbow probably would have been a lot more pissed off at the abrupt awakening, and Seth would have likely raged considerably at being once again knocked on his ass by a pony. It was also cool to see you referencing the scene at the Wonderbolts store, as this was also a fun moment they had together and remembering that fact makes the current scene even more enjoyable. It was also good to see Seth keep his cool a little better after Vinyl decided to screw with them both, particularly after the awkwardness of bringing it up at the bar in the previous chapter. Having them both yell at Vinyl at the same time was hilarious and definitely felt like a natural response from both parties. Seriously this whole scene of the chapter was brilliant 
.
Now the strongest section of this chapter and one of the deepest connection of their friendship, since Seth actually accepting that he did see Rainbow as a friend. I'm not sure when Rainbow procured the tickets, probably when Seth was in the castle, but she was definitely taking a huge risk buying him a ticket without consulting him about it, but it certainly seemed like something she would do. As soon as she declared that she was taking Seth to the show, I could practically hear the warning sirens going off. Now so far, he has accepted a lunch from Celestia, and as against it as he was, he tried to rationalize that her being so different from any human he had met, made it possibly ok, but he hasn't felt like that with Rainbow yet. Him accepting the ticket was a huge deal here, and it is likely going to be referenced again (though it what context I couldn't say) at future points in the story. This was extremely strong and deep for both characters. Rainbow vehemently declaring that their friendship is all she wants from him and that she has no reason or desire to put him in her debt, just felt as strong and heartfelt as when she talked him out of suicide. Beneath all her ego and showboating, Rainbow is a character with passion, strength and heart, and when scenes like this bring it to the surface, it just makes for an absolutely amazing an emotional read. I could feel the conflict that was raging in Seth's head as he considered Rainbow's offer. Whatever Janna did to him has affected him so much that he has literally changed his entire outlook on life, and yet here was Rainbow challenging this belief and fighting her hardest to get him to open up to her. Having him think over his conversations with Celestia was great, but having him think about Amaryllis was amazing, and it once again shows just how similar she and Rainbow are. Sometimes I wish we had gotten to see more of Amaryllis before the fall of humanity, because she just seems like such an amazing character and she has had the strongest impact on Seth's life.
Finally Seth decides to accept her offer and immediately we can see just how much this means to Rainbow. He decides to ignore his own beliefs simply to make her happy. Even Vinyl, for all her smartass-ery can see how difficult this decision was and how much it means to Rainbow. Just having her thank him showed that despite how much of a jerk he can be, she cares about the human as well. I suspect that it won't be long before Seth decides to let her be his friend to.
As I said, this is my favourite chapter so far and it had one of the biggest impacts on Seth since his acceptance of their friendship. Great work, I am extremely excited to see what happens next with the Wonderbolts show, and with Octavia and the piano.
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4643879
Seriously, you two show up in the comments for this story all the time, and you have nothing to say but insults. If you don't like this story, fine, that's your opinion. If you have nothing positive or constructive to say, why do you even keep commenting on this story? Seriously you're nothing but assholes. Go find a new hobby rather then just insulting someone and their work just because you take issue with it.
4648867 okay thanks!!
4644622 I'm surprised you didn't say "and you're not allowed to be a jerk on this website".
4652239 There shouldn't be jerks on this website, but frankly I don't think I can convince them to be better people. After how long they have been here just sending annoying comments, frankly I would see it as a win for them to just piss off. If they were to actually leave the website it would be a miracle
29 chaps in and im liking what im seeing so far! a good friend of mine linked me to this story of yours and I'd admit i don't like humans in this universe and seth is a asshole but your interactions with him and every pony he has come across has been amazing i never thought a wither would get me to like RD, this is the best Ive ever seen her made, and i like all the personalities you have given ever pony that has meet seth so far. so keep up the grate work so far and know i'll be reading more! :)
sunbutt pone op nerf pls
4643879
4643916
You both shut your whore mouths. It's called character development, you idiots. I get the feeling you two share a single crease in your brain, and that one is straight, too.
1. Oh, how I miss the days of 8 in the morning being early. I'm now stuck waking up at 4:30-5:00. It's almost enough to make me miss college.
2. "Faith is Bullshit." Actually Seth, no it isn't. And this is coming from a man of science. This is actually one of the super common misconceptions that a lot of people who have had issues with betrayal seem to have. Even though, in cases like Seth here, they have to have a lot of faith in their assumptions about others.
5789254 Gods, that's so something Seth would use. Bwahaha!
This could be the first RD/human romance I enjoy!
What about Celestia?
That's the spirit! Magic always fucks with logic, so you should fuck with it too! It's better than getting fucked by it.
I kind of expected a different music. I mean the title fits so perfectly...
And the cellphone?
Last night he had troubles with the Equestrian numbers, and now he has them memorized already?
I question your logic in this chapter, Author.
6542338 don't need the numbers memorized, assuming it's a standard analog clock he would only need to know where the numbers he knows should be
I ship it (commenting on chapter 29)
He's getting soft on her real quick.
I didn't expect to like the old version of this story, but I am so far loving it! Can't wait till the author catches up with the rewrites!