Chains and Fears
“Octavia is who you replaced me with, huh? Well, you could do worst. She’s not as hot as me, naturally, but I won’t deny she possesses a certain…elegance. I’m happy for you, Vinyl. Really.”
—Spitfire, five months after the breakup
“Pull back on the chain around you neck,” Octavia said. Her voice was still calm and quiet, but Vinyl could hear the tension building in it.
“What?” she asked. The gang was slowly closing in around the two of them, and despite the danger the Unicorn was in, she didn’t care. All she cared about was Octavia. “No! Octy, you have to—”
“Do it now!” Octavia snapped.
Vinyl blinked in shock and pulled back on the chain holding her to the floor. It was hard to gain any solid leverage with her legs also shackled together, but she managed to back up enough and tilt her head back so that the chain went stiff. She struggled to breathe as the pressure around her neck increased, so she closed her red eyes and focused on putting everything she had into pulling on the chain. Whatever Octavia was going to do, she had better do it fast.
There was a loud breaking sound that echoed through the building. It rang inside Vinyl’s head and caused her ears to wince, but she didn’t have time to dwell on it because a moment later her entire head was shaking. Her teeth snapped against each other and she tumbled backward. She tried to keep her balance, but her shackled legs wouldn’t have it. She fell onto her back and groaned as her head smacked against the ground.
Vinyl shook her head to clear it and looked up. The chain that had been attached to her collar had been snapped. She stared at the few links left on her collar in confusion, and then looked to where she had been held moments before. Octavia had one of her hind legs out and the rest of the chain was draped over it. Had she…broken it with a kick? Was that even possible?
“Doesn’t matter,” Vinyl grumbled as she stood up. “I have to help her.” She looked down at her leg shackles and grinned. Now that she could move her head freely, she could easily get these things off. She focused her magic into her horn and—
“OW!” Vinyl yelped. Her forehead suddenly felt like it had been stung by a dozen bees. What in Equestria had that been about? She carefully reached up with one of her hooves, but the shackles made it impossible for her to reach her horn. She stood up on her hind legs, thankful that Octavia had taught her how to dance, and brought both of her front hooves to her horn.
There was some sort of ring around the base of Vinyl’s horn. She gingerly tugged at it with her magic, but again the stinging sensation returned. Next she tried to simply pull it off, but the thing wouldn’t budge. Was it glued on or something? What if she was never able to get it off?
“Vinyl, get out of here!” Octavia shouted, and Vinyl forgot all about the ring on her horn. Octavia didn’t really expect her to leave her here all alone, did she?
“But I can help!” the D.J. said, though she had no idea how. Without her magic and still being in shackles, she wasn’t sure what good she would be.
“You have helped enough!” Octavia said. She allowed the chain on her leg to fall to the ground. She stepped on the broken end and dragged it across the floor until the chain was once again tight. The Earth pony then brought her other hind leg down on the end of the chain that was bolted to the floor. Once again, the chain snapped and Octavia flicked it up into the air with her back leg. She held out her front leg and allowed the chain to fall around it. “You will only get in my way. Wait for me outside.”
“But I…” Vinyl whimpered.
“I will not tell you again!” Octavia snapped. She still hadn’t turned around to face Vinyl. Her eyes were locked straight again, watching Lefty, Fang, and all the other ponies slowly drawing toward her. She flicked the chain so that it wrapped around her hoof once.
“Oh no,” Fang said. “She’s mine. Every. Last. Part.” Fang licked her lips and her gaze shot to Vinyl for a second. The Unicorn shivered. “If you think I’m letting a tasty plot like—”
Octavia moved in a flash. She bolted straight at Lefty. The stallion froze from the sheer surprise of the move, but he recovered quickly. He swung his sword with his mouth, and even Vinyl could tell that the strike was meant to sever Octavia’s head, not wound her. The Unicorn was about to cry out, but Octavia slid under the blow. She then came up with blinding speed, jumping straight over Lefty’s head. She flipped once and kicked her hind legs out, smashing her hooves into the back of the gang leader’s head. He staggered forward and nearly dropped his sword, but he managed to retain both it and his balance. He growled and spun around, readying himself for the next attack, but Octavia wasn’t there.
After the flip, the cellist landed on her front hooves and rolled forward once. She came up just in front of Fang. The Unicorn blinked in surprise and then brought her dagger down, aiming for Octavia’s neck, but the Earth pony was too fast. She swung her chain-wielding hoof out and the chain snapped forward like a whip. It wrapped around the dagger and then Octavia swung the chain through the air, using the dagger as a counterweight.
The dagger end of the chain flew past the right side of Fang. Octavia spun past the left side and then reached out to catch the end of the chain. It whipped around her other front hoof and the dagger clattered to the ground. Fang, completely stunned by what had just happened, simply stood there, not realizing that the Earth pony had just made a makeshift clothesline right around her neck.
Octavia pulled on the chain like she was pulling on the reins of a stagecoach. It snapped back on Fang’s neck and her eyes bulged. She tried to bring her front hoof up to stop it, but Octavia pulled harder, forcing her head back until the Unicorn was forced to stand up on her hind legs to stop herself from choking to death.
Everypony in the room was frozen. The only sound was Fang gasping for breath. Octavia, standing behind her on her hind legs, leaned in and whispered something into the Unicorn’s ear that caused her to go completely still and the color to drain from her face. Octavia tugged the chain once and whispered again, causing Fang to cough and then nod her head.
“Vinyl is leaving,” Octavia said coldly to the rest of the room. “Any of you who try to stop her are going to end up in worse shape than your resident plaything here. Understand?” Again, Octavia pulled on the chain and Vinyl felt a sick pleasure when she saw tears start to well in Fang’s eyes.
“Sorry Fang, but we can’t let an opportunity like this pass us by,” Lefty said as he shrugged his shoulders. “I’m sure we can find another two-bit bitch like you in no time.” Lefty turned and faced Vinyl. “Don’t let her leave.”
“L-L-Lefty…please…” Fang pleaded in a barely audible voice. Octavia quickly silenced her with another tug on the chain. Was she really going to kill Fang just like that?
“Why are you still here?” Octavia demanded as she glared at Vinyl from across the room. “Wait for me outside. And if you try to run, I will find you. I am going to collect that bounty.”
“Um…okay,” Vinyl said. The tone in Octavia’s voice suggested that she wasn’t kidding about the bounty. Was that really the only reason she had come to save Vinyl? Didn’t she mean anything more to her anymore?
Vinyl turned to go, but her path was blocked by an Earth pony. He grinned at her and shook his head. “You’re not going anywhere, sweetheart.”
“I warned you,” came Octavia’s voice.
Vinyl looked over her shoulder, both as a silent plea for help and to see what Octavia meant to do. The cellist pulled one last time on the chain around Fang’s neck and then shoved the Unicorn to the floor. Fang hit face first, coughing frantically and pawing at her throat and nose. Octavia fell forward, bringing her front hooves down on Fang’s back. The Unicorn screamed as Octavia twisted her legs once, driving them into Fang’s back, and then she jumped to the side. She stomped on the hilt of Fang’s dagger, launching it up into the air, and then she turned around and kicked her hind legs out.
The hilt of the dagger caught the full force of the blow. It spun through the air as if a Unicorn had launched it with magic. Lefty whipped his head to the side to avoid the blade as it shot by, and then Vinyl’s eyes went wide when she saw that it was coming at her. She stepped to the side and nearly tripped again on her shackles, but the blade came nowhere near her. Instead, it shank into the shoulder of the pony who had been blocking the exit.
The stallion screamed in agony and staggered backward. Blood flowed down his chest and spilled onto the floor. He tried to grab the dagger with his mouth, but he couldn’t turn his head low enough to reach the hilt. He took a step to the side and his legs gave out. He collapsed on the floor, gasping for air and still trying to pull the blade out.
“Out, Vinyl,” Octavia said darkly. “Now.”
Vinyl took one look at Octavia and decided to book it. She moved as quickly as she could toward the door, he shackles clinking loudly with each step. She noted that no other ponies were moving to block her escape, and as she passed the bleeding stallion, she understood why. Octavia had just taken out two of Lefty’s ponies in a matter of minutes and she hadn’t even broken a sweat. That had to have made them a bit more hesitant in defying her.
As Vinyl reached the door, she took one last look back at scene. Fang was still sprawled at Octavia’s hooves, whimpering and still letting out a few rasping coughs. Lefty was glaring at her, but wasn’t making any move toward her. All the other ponies were also frozen in place, some of them glancing at Vinyl, but most of them had their eyes glued to Octavia.
After a moment, Lefty finally spoke. “And now what? You can’t possibly expect me to just let you walk out of here after what you did.”
Octavia eyes narrowed. “You have that backward. I gave you all an opportunity to resolve this peacefully. That opportunity has come and gone. None of you will be leaving here under your own strength.”
Lefty let out a deep laugh. “You think that just because you got a lucky knife shot in and you took down one of my whores that you’re hot stuff? I am going to make you so sorry for what you’ve done here. In fact, I think I’ll just make you into Fang’s replacement.”
Octavia cracked the chain wrapped around her hoof on the floor. The sound echoed through the entire room and caused Vinyl to jump, but it was the look in Octavia’s eyes that truly frightened her. She had seen Octavia upset before. She had seen her cross, sad, angry, and even heartbroken. But she had never seen this look. The look in Octavia’s amethyst eyes was terrifying. They were cold and bitter, and burned with a fire that Vinyl knew offered no warmth.
“I do not think you are grasping the situation, Left-Eye,” Octavia whispered. “You were foolish to decline my offer. Then, you added to that by allowing the only piece of leverage you had over me to walk out that door. I do not need to worry about holding back now. You, all of you, are trapped in here with me.”
“Kill her already!” Lefty shouted, but his command was quickly drowned out by his only yell of pain as Octavia snapped the chain against his face like a whip.
Vinyl turned and scrambled the rest of the way out the door. Screams, yells, grunts, and the clashing of metal flooded her ears as she did, and to her shame, it made her move faster instead of turning back. She hated herself for leaving Octavia behind in such a hopeless situation, and she hated herself even more because she wasn’t sure she would go back even if she had her magic and her legs were free. What had happened to her, and what Fang had almost done to her, had shaken her to her very core. She just wanted to get as far away from this place as she could.
Vinyl wasn’t sure where she was going, but as she half ran, half stumbled down a hallway, she noticed that the sounds were growing fainter, but as long as she could still hear them, she was still too close. She kept moving through the building, frantically trying to find an exit. Finally, with her legs chafing from the shackles and her heart pounding in her head, she came to what she assumed was the front lobby of abandoned warehouse. The door was open, and even though it was the middle of the night, she didn’t hesitate. She ran out the door as fast as her legs would carry her.
“Clair?” a voice called as soon as Vinyl was out in the night air. She jerked her head to the left to see who had called out, and once again lost her balance and fell on her face. She looked up to see a Pegasus standing over her. “Oh, it’s just you.”
Vinyl gulped. This pony was probably another one of Lefty’s gang. He had used Clair’s name, after all. If he decided to try anything, Vinyl wouldn’t be able to stop him. Carefully, she got to her hooves and took a step back. “Back off, buddy. That bounty hunter in there is currently thrashing your boss. Mess with me, and she’ll be coming for you next.”
To Vinyl’s amazement, the bluff seemed to work. The Pegasus took a step back and waved his hoof in surrender. “Whoa, I want nothing to do with you. There’s something…off, about that mare. I took her bits because I was afraid of what she’d do to me if I didn’t. I’m not about to go back on that.” To prove his point, he held out a small bag filled with golden coins.
“Yeah,” Vinyl said as she looked back at the warehouse she had just escaped from. “Your boss is probably wishing he had been smart like you right about now…” At least, I hope so, she added silently. How could she just abandon the cellist like that? Maybe she should go back in there and try to help.
Vinyl turned to the Pegasus and was about to ask him if he had a key to her shackles and how to get the ring off of her horn when she heard the sound of glass breaking. Both her and the Pegasus looked back toward the warehouse just in time to see the body of another one of Lefty’s gang come flying through one of the side windows. He disappeared into the forest, and while Vinyl wasn’t sure, she thought she saw several shadows dive from the trees after him.
“W-What…?” the Pegasus whispered as he unconsciously took a small step away from the building. “But…she’s just one mare.”
Vinyl chuckled despite herself. “Apparently that’s enough. She took out that griffon, Fang, and another stallion and probably turned Left-Eye into No-Eye all on her own.”
“Clair!” the Pegasus shouted, and without another word he dashed toward the warehouse. He reached the doorway but skidded to a stop. He started to back up and moved to the side, allowing Vinyl to see into the doorway.
Dusk was limping out of the doorway. Her coat was covered in cuts and blood, and on her back she carried the body of Feather. Whether the Pegasus was still alive, Vinyl couldn’t tell, but she was certain that Feather’s wing wasn’t supposed to bend that way. Or in so many places. Dusk herself looked like she was about to drop dead any moment.
“Dusk!” the Pegasus said. “Where’s Clair? Is she alright?”
“I…I don’t…” the Unicorn collapsed on the ground with Feather on top of her. It was then that Vinyl noticed that she had a chain wrapped around one of her hind legs, and judging by the bruising and blood, it had been wrapped tightly and then yanked painfully.
Vinyl watched in horror as blood oozed from the leg and slowly seeped into the ground. What had Octavia done to these ponies? And how had she done it? Wasn’t she just a Canterlot cellist?
“The griffon is currently unconscious in the main room,” came Octavia’s voice. Vinyl looked up to see the cellist walking out of the doorway, her cloak dancing behind her and her hood covering her head once again “She was not as…understanding as you. If you hurry, you may be able to drag her out of there before the authorities swoop in, but I would not count on that.”
The pony opened his mouth to say some, but Octavia flashed him a look. He simply nodded, carefully walked past her, and then disappeared into the building.
Octavia turned her attention to Dusk and Feather. “I will be taking my bits back now,” she said. She walked up and stood over the two ponies. “You had your chance.”
“N-No…please…” Dusk whimpered as she tried to crawl away, but Feather’s body was too heavy for her. Vinyl gulped as Octavia stood over them. She wouldn’t really…kill them, would she?
“Stay calm,” Octavia said. She put a hoof out and gently rolled Feather off of Dusk’s back. The Unicorn flinched and covered her head, but Octavia ignored her. Instead, she bent down and took the large bag of bits that was still attached to Feather’s waist. Without a word, she put it back into her cloak and Vinyl could only assume that she had placed it in her saddlebags. With that, she began to walk toward Vinyl.
“What…what are you?” Dusk asked as she cowered in the dirt. “Some sort of…demon pony?”
Octavia froze, and even though her eyes were partly hidden beneath her hood, Vinyl still saw them narrow slightly. Slowly, the cellist turned around. She walked forward until she was standing over Dusk once again.
“Um…Octy? I-I don’t think—” Vinyl said, trying to figure out why she was standing up for a pony who had treated her like trash a little bit ago.
“Let me see if I understand this correctly,” Octavia said in a cool voice. “I decimated your boss, your hideout, your marefriend, and you. And yet, I let each one of you live despite what you were about to do to my bounty” Vinyl flinched a little at that word “and despite the fact that you were all trying to kill me. And you have the nerve to insult me?”
“N-No! I didn’t mean—“
“Silence!” Octavia said with a stomp of her hoof. “You know, your marefriend is not going to be able to fly for a while, but if she gets proper care, her wing will heal. Would you like to see what a demon would do?”
Without waiting for an answer, Octavia walked over to Feather’s body. She raised one hoof and then brought it down on Feather’s crumpled wing. The Pegasus let out a howl of agony and her eyes snapped out. She frantically looked around until she saw Octavia, and the fear that flashed through her eyes made Vinyl’s heart ache.
“Your marefriend called me a demon,” Octavia said darkly. She carefully twisted her hoof and Feather screamed again. “What do you think?”
“Please! Stop!” Dusk screamed. She struggled to stand, and after a moment she managed to get on all fours. She tried to take a step, but ended up collapsing right away. Still, she managed to wrap her forelegs around Octavia’s hind leg. “I’m sorry! Please, you’ll cripple her!”
“Shall I tear off your horn instead?” Octavia asked as she turned her head toward Dusk, still not taking her hoof off of Feather’s wing. “Because that is what a demon would do. Cruelty for cruelty’s sake.”
Dusk froze. Her tears stopped and her mouth hung open. Vinyl could see her mind racing. Vinyl wanted to say something, wanted to tell Octavia to snap out of it, but the cellist was acting so unlike herself that she was terrified of doing anything.
“Y-Yes,” Dusk whispered, tears streaming down her face as she buried it in the dirt. “I-If that will…make you…stop, then…”
Octavia froze as she had been hit by a blast of cold water. She didn’t seem to know what to do. Her mouth opened slightly and her eyes changed back to the gentle soul that Vinyl knew. Was it all an act? No, that wasn’t possible. What Octavia had done had been too real for it to be an act. There had been genuine anger in her eyes.
“Thankfully, I am not a demon,” Octavia said after a moment of silence. Her voice was quiet now, without a single trace of the anger she had had moments ago. She removed her hoof from Feather’s wing and gingerly stepped over Dusk. “However, I will require that chain I fear. It may hurt.”
Vinyl watched as Octavia carefully leaned down and removed the chain wrapped around the back of Dusk’s leg. The Unicorn winced and whimpered several times, and each time she did Octavia winced too, but she finally removed the chain. She held it in her mouth, careful not to have the bloody part in her teeth, and then walked toward Vinyl. Vinyl unwillingly took a step back at her approach, and Octavia paused for a moment as pain flashed through her eyes, but she blinked it away and resumed walking toward the Unicorn.
“So, um…thanks,” Vinyl said as Octavia drew closer. “For saving me, I mean. I really thought—hey! What are you doing?”
“I am on the hunt,” Octavia said as she wrapped the chain around the collar on Vinyl’s neck. She gave it a quick tug to make sure it was secure, and then she wrapped the other end around her foreleg. “I am after you. Remember?”
“Wait, you were serious?” Vinyl protested as Octavia walked back into the forest. She gave the chain a slight tug and Vinyl stumbled after her. “Octy, come on! You’re not really going to turn me in for a bounty, are you?
“Of course I am,” Octavia said without looking back or stopping. “Fifty bits is a decent amount of money for simply turning you over to Luna’s Royal Guard.”
Vinyl nearly fell on her face again as she tried to walk with her leg shackles. “Okay, fine. You’re upset. I get it, but this is—”
“No, Vinyl, you do not get it,” Octavia said, and Vinyl heard the slight shift in her voice. “If you did, you would never have walked into the middle of Hollow Shades like this. We will discuss your foolishness after I turn you in and collect my payment.”
“Fine,” Vinyl said, feeling like she was getting a lecture from her mom. “But can you please take the chain and shackles off? And this blasted ring on my horn?”
“Certainly not,” Octavia said as she continued to lead Vinyl back through the forest and toward Hollow Shades. “I am a bounty hunter, as I said. What type of reputation would I have if I came back with my prize completely free? No, I think you shall remain in those restraints until I have safely traded you to the authorities.”
“Octy, come on…” Vinyl pleaded. She hoped Octavia was joking, but she couldn’t tell. The mare’s voice was rather serious, and after what she had seen her do, Vinyl wasn’t sure she knew Octavia as well as she had thought.
“Besides,” Octavia said in a sly voice. She stopped and looked over her shoulder as a grin came to her face. “You like it when I tie you up. Come along.”
Octavia gave a little tug on the chain and started moving forward again as Vinyl felt the blush come to her cheeks. Okay, things weren’t all bad.
* * *
Vinyl sat in the dimly lit room, still struggling to believe what was happening to her. Octavia had done it. She had truly done it. She had walked into the L.R.G heardquarters with Vinyl still chained, and turned her in. After she had collected her bounty, she had turned and walked out of the building without saying a word, leaving Vinyl at the mercy of the Bat ponies.
At least she had finally had the shackles removed, along with the ring on her horn. Apparently it was a common item in Hollow Shades. The Bat ponies used them on Unicorns to keep them in check when they were arrested. How Lefty and his gang had managed to get a hold of one was beyond Vinyl’s understanding.
The Bat ponies hadn’t been mean, but they hadn’t been exactly kind to Vinyl either. If anything, she got the feeling that she was being treated like a little filly that they had to tolerate for a while. They had removed her shackles, asked her a few basic questions, and then escorted her to the room she was now sitting in, and then left her alone. She had been sitting in the room for several minutes now, and she was starting to get anxious.
As if responding to her thoughts, the door to the room opened. A Bat pony, clad in the familiar dark blue and purple armor of Luna’s Royal Guard, walked in. Without saying a word, she sat down at the table across from Vinyl. She didn’t speak or make any other moves.
“Um…hi,” Vinyl said, unable to bear the silence. “You want to tell me what’s going on here?”
“Why don’t you tell me,” the pony said in a very matter-of-fact voice. “You come into our town, start a fight that results in damages to a few businesses, travel down into Training, and nearly cause the collapse of an operation that we have been planning for several months. If there’s a picture of what an Outsider is, I think I’m looking at it.”
Vinyl blinked several times and swallowed. She couldn’t tell if this pony was going to lecture her or toss her in prison. “Um…sorry?” she said sheepishly.
“Tell me, what in Princess Celestia’s name were you thinking, Vinyl Scratch?” The Unicorn blinked at the mention of her full name, but she realized she shouldn’t have been surprised. She had given it when she had been brought in. “You could have been killed. Left-Eye and his gang were not to be taken lightly.”
“Um, yeah,” Vinyl said. “I…figured that out. If Octavia hadn’t shown up when she did, I don’t think I’d be here right now.”
“No, you would be,” the Bat pony said casually. “You’d probably have a few bruises on you though. We were right outside. When we heard that Left-Eye had finally abducted a pony in plain sight, we knew we had our chance. We had a fresh batch of recruits waiting for a chance to pass their final exam, and you gave them the perfect opportunity. Even if it meant we had to rush the operation timetable forward a bit. If anything, Octavia delayed your rescue.”
“What?” Vinyl asked, dumbfounded.
“She knew we were there, which is saying something,” the Bat pony said. “We were told to wait, because we couldn’t tell what this lone pony was doing walking straight into a gang leader’s hideout. She seemed to have a plan though, so we watched. I almost feel sorry that we did. Some of those ponies are in pretty bad shape.”
Vinyl shuddered slightly as she remembered Octavia looming over the crumpled forms of Feather and Dusk. That building had been full hardened criminals, thieves, rapists, and murders, and Octavia had thrashed all of them. Vinyl had often been afraid of how Octavia would react, or how she would yell at Vinyl when she found out that the Unicorn had done something wrong, but Vinyl had never feared Octavia herself. Which was why the memory of her torturing Feather shook her so deeply.
Was that what Octavia was really like?
“So, you still haven’t answered my question, Vinyl Scratch,” the Bat pony said, snapping Vinyl’s mind out of the dark memory.
“Um…what question is that?”
“What were you thinking?” The Bat pony leaned forward slightly, and Vinyl got the sense that she was actually curious. “There’s stupid, and then there’s what you did.”
“I…was trying to find a thief,” Vinyl said. Before the Bat pony could respond, Vinyl rushed on. “I know, I know. Potions already gave me the whole speech about assuming this town is full of criminals and blah, blah, blah. I’m sorry, okay? Clearly not all of you are criminal masterminds.”
“Go on.” The Bat pony crossed her forelegs on her chest. “Looking for a thief hardly seems worth the trouble you endured. I take it the thief didn’t just steal bits from you.”
Vinyl hung her head. “That’s just it. The thief didn’t…he didn’t take anything from me.”
“Now I’m really interested.”
“He stole an heirloom. It belongs to my mare—er, somepony I know. I need to get it back.”
“Not to sound cold, but this doesn’t sound like your problem. If this heirloom is so important to that pony, why isn’t she trying to track it down? Why are you after it? I hope you’re not intending to ransom it, because I won’t let you leave this room if you are.” The Bat pony’s eyes narrowed and darkened with the words.
“No,” Vinyl protested. “I’m going to give it back so she’ll…I mean, I’m the reason it was stolen. I threw a party and that’s how the thief got into the house. I—”
The door to the room opened and another Bat pony walked in. He dropped folder on the table in front of the first pony and whispered in her ear. Vinyl’s companion flipped through the few pages in folder, nodded once, and then gave the folder back to the new arrival. He took the folder in his mouth and walked out without even looking at Vinyl.
“Well, Vinyl, it looks like you’re free to go,” the Bat pony said. She stood up and walked over to the door. “Your fine’s been paid in full.”
“Fine?” Vinyl asked. “Why was I fined? I’m the one who got taken and nearly killed!”
“Did you pay for that apple you took after your little brawl?” the Bat pony asked with a smirk on her face. Vinyl’s ears fell. She had completely forgotten about that.
“No,” she whispered.
“We see everything that goes on here, Vinyl Scratch,” the pony said. “That’s called theft, and while it wasn’t as serious as what happened to you, it’s still a crime here. Plus, according to statements at the bar, that first fight was not entirely the fault of Left-Eye’s boys.” She opened the door and waved Vinyl out of the room. “Try to stay out of trouble for the rest of your stay, if you don’t mind. Although, with Left-Eye’s gang shut down, we could always use a new target to practice on.”
“N-Nope, I’m good!” Vinyl said and she scurried out of the room. “I’ll be leaving right away, actually. My thief apparently headed up to the Crystal Empire.”
“Good luck with that, although I don’t think you’re leaving right away,” the Bat pony said as she followed Vinyl out. “The pony that paid your fine requested that you be released into her custody. Since you seem to know her, we decided that was acceptable.”
Vinyl’s ears shot up. She was about to ask if that pony was Octavia, but as she looked around the main office of the L.R.G, her voice left her. The room was full of Lefty’s gang. Vinyl would have panicked because she thought they were overrunning the Guard’s headquarters, but she knew that was impossible. Most of them were in chains or shackles, and every Unicorn she saw had one of those strange rings on his or her horn.
There was also the fact that most of them were wearing bandages, or leaning against walls or tables. They were beaten, and Vinyl saw several wounds that hadn’t fully healed, as evidenced by the dark blood on many wraps.
Octy did this, Vinyl thought as the gang members were processed and escorted down hallways, whether to receive more treatment or just to be locked in a cell. She did all of this by herself. How…?
“YOU!” a frighteningly familiar voice shouted from across the room. Vinyl jumped and moved back as her eyes fell on Lefty. He was across the room, but he was glaring at Vinyl. Or at least, Vinyl thought he was. It was hard to tell now. He had a dark welt over his one remaining eye from when Octavia had snapped the chain on his face.
Vinyl wondered if Lefty would ever be able to really see again, but the thought left her mind as he suddenly lunged at her. Vinyl reflexively jumped back behind the Bat pony that had escorted her out of her room, but Lefty didn’t manage to take two steps before he crashed to the ground thanks to his bindings.
“Get that trash off the floor,” the Bat pony said. Two other guards walked over and picked Lefty up, and then none-too-gently shoved him down another hallway. Vinyl thought she heard him yelling some sort of death threat at her, but he was too far gone for it to carry properly.
“He…won’t be getting out, will he?” Vinyl asked nervously as she began to follow her escort through the crowded main office of the L.R.G.
“Not for a long, long time, Vinyl Scratch,” the Bat pony said over her shoulder. “And when he does, we will be keeping a very close eye on him. Left-Eye and his gang are no longer a threat. You don’t need to worry.”
“Worry? Who said I was worried?”
“No pony,” the Bat pony said with a smirk. “Although, maybe you should be. After all, we’re releasing you into the custody of the pony that did all of this. Just between you and me, she frightens a little. That was on par with military soldiers, not street thugs. She’s dangerous.”
Despite herself, Vinyl gulped. “Who, Octy? Nah, she’s cool.” The memory of Octavia standing on Feather’s wing and offering to tear Dusk’s horn from her head flew back into Vinyl’s mind. “I’ll…I’ll be fine.”
“I hope so, because here she is.”
The Bat pony stepped aside and there was Octavia. She was still wearing her cloak, but she had her hood down. Her onyx hair was spilling down her neck like always, and despite everything she had been through it still looked perfect. Her purple eyes were wide open, as if she was simply examining a tourist attraction instead of standing in the middle of a law enforcement facility. She looked beautiful like always, but for a brief moment she seemed to shine like she used to, before things had changed.
Vinyl wasn’t sure when the change had started, but she knew it was because of her. Over the past few months, Octavia had slowly closed down around Vinyl. She thought she was doing a good job of hiding it, but Vinyl knew her too well. She could tell that Octavia was keeping something from her, and she hadn’t pried at first. If it was important, Octavia would tell her. But as the days had dragged on, it had slowly grown worse.
When Octavia had been asked to preform at a private showing for the Princesses, Vinyl had been certain that would cheer her up, but she had come home seeming even more withdrawn. Vinyl had planned to throw only a small party for her in celebration, but seeing her marefriend like that had been too much. So she had decided to go all out, throwing a massive party at Octavia’s parents’ house and inviting all their friends, consequences be damned.
And then things had fallen apart. And it was all Vinyl’s fault.
Octavia’s eyes fell on Vinyl and her shine vanished. Her eyes dimmed instantly and closed slightly. The faint smile she had been wearing faded, replaced by a fake smile that managed to drive a knife straight into Vinyl’s heart. Octavia still didn’t trust her enough to talk to her, and Vinyl couldn’t really blame her. Not after what had happened.
“Thank you, Officer,” Octavia said as she walked up to Vinyl and the Bat pony.
“Try to keep her out of trouble, okay Miss?” The Bat pony said.
“Of course,” Octavia replied with a smile. “That is the very reason I am here in Hollow Shades, actually. Honestly, she would be lost without me.”
“Hey!” Vinyl said.
“It is true, and you know it,” Octavia said with a flick of her tail. “Come along, Vinyl. Thank you again, Officer.”
“Take care,” the Bat pony said. “We’ll see you around, Vinyl Scratch.”
Vinyl couldn’t tell if the Bat pony meant anything by her parting remark, but the wink she received pushed her toward one end of the spectrum. Then the Bat pony turned and walked away, leaving Vinyl and Octavia alone in a crowded office.
“Any word on Feather?” Vinyl asked suddenly, but she instantly stuffed her hoof in her mouth. She hadn’t meant to imply that Octavia frightened her. Not at all.
“She is currently at the local hospital,” Octavia replied, and Vinyl noticed that her eyes seemed to glaze over for a bit. “The doctors are working with Potions. She…should make a full recovery. Dusk…is with her, although she is under guard.”
“Oh, okay,” Vinyl said, and the two stood there in silence again for a long moment. Finally, Vinyl couldn’t take it any longer. “Did you see what you did to Lefty? I mean, damn girl. You messed him up good! They might have to start calling him No-Eye now. I thought you were awesome before, but now—”
“Can we please not discuss this?” Octavia asked quickly.
“Um, okay,” Vinyl replied. She silently cursed herself. She had been trying to show Octavia that she still thought the world of her, but apparently all she had done was make her even more uncomfortable. “Uh…you want to get a bite to eat? I’m starving.”
Octavia gave her an exasperated look. “Vinyl, it is past midnight. We should be in bed.”
“I’m good with that idea!” Vinyl said with a grin, but she instantly realized what she’d done. “Uh, I mean…sorry. I didn’t mean that. I’m tired. Yeah, bed sounds nice.”
Vinyl wasn’t sure, but she thought Octavia’s ears drooped just a hair. “Perhaps we could pick up a quick meal somewhere. Hollow Shades in a Thestral town, so plenty of places are still open.”
There was that strange name again. “Okay. Sounds good.”
“You will be paying,” Octavia said as she turned and began to walk toward the exit. “Seeing as I had to use my bounty reward to pay your fine.”
“It was that much?” Vinyl asked, stunned. “Fifty bits for a lousy apple?”
“More,” Octavia said. “It wasn’t just the price of the apple. You committed a crime. Speaking of which, you will be paying me back for the fine.” The two began to walk out of the lobby. Vinyl noticed that a few of Lefty’s gang had glared at them as they passed, but none of them had dared to make a move. Whether it was because they were surrounded by Bat ponies, or because they were terrified of what Octavia would do to them, Vinyl didn’t know.
Vinyl sighed. “Fine. How much?”
“I will tell you when you have paid me back the proper amount. A quick dinner would be a good start though.” Octavia looked over her shoulder and batted her eyes a few times.
It was good to know that Octavia didn’t completely hate her. “Okay. Where would you like go?”
“Somewhere we can just grab a bite, maybe even take it back to the room.” Octavia rolled her head and Vinyl heard her neck pop. “I am rather tired.”
“Um…don’t you mean rooms?” Vinyl asked. “Mine’s down by the—”
“No. You will be staying in my room. I promised to keep an eye on you while we were here. Now, where shall we go to eat?”
The two ponies wandered around Hollow Shades for a while, and Vinyl was stunned at how different the town was at night. While the forest surrounding the town was still blanketed in darkness and did not look inviting at all, the town itself felt like a warm jewel. Lampposts burned brightly every few paces, and many buildings had dozens of warm, friendly candles burning in their display windows. Strings of lanterns hung above the streets, and now they were all beaming with light instead of flickering dimly. Fireflies were flitting through the air in numbers that Vinyl had never seen before, and it gave the illusion of the night sky and its stars being much closer.
And then there were the sounds. When Vinyl had first arrived in Hollow Shades, the town had been muted. Only the occasional creaking door, hoofsteps, or grumbled greetings were the only noises she had heard then, but now the town was absolutely alive. She heard laughter and cheerful greetings from everywhere. She heard the clanking of drinks and the shouts of ponies having a grand time around a dinner table. Music flooded the streets and many ponies were outside dancing under the streetlights.
Vinyl cocked her head to the side and stopped walking. Octavia stopped as well and looked back at her. “Is something troubling you, Vinyl?”
“Are we still in Hollow Shades?” the Unicorn asked. “I mean, the place is completely different. It’s so full of life now, and light. And the ponies here no longer look like they want to skin me. Most of them are even smiling. I didn’t think any Bat pony except Silent Wing knew how to do that.” To prove her point, she pointed up to the second story of a nearby inn, where two Bat ponies were sitting on the railing and laughing as they downed their drinks.
“Of course we are,” Octavia said. “Although, I understand why you are bewildered. Hollow Shades does not really come alive until the night begins. Once Princess Luna’s moon comes out, that is when the Thestrals, as well as the others that live here, truly begin their day. So to speak.”
“I…guess that makes sense,” Vinyl said as she looked around. It really did feel like she was back in Manehattan with all the activity going on around her, but she was still having a hard time squaring it in her mind. This town had seemed like a ghost town when she had arrived.
“Also, we are not in the…less desirable parts of the town,” Octavia added with a smirk. “Unlike other ponies, whom shall not be named, I am aware of which areas should be avoided.”
Vinyl blushed. “Um, yeah. Good to know.” Vinyl looked up and saw that they were standing in front of a small fruit stand.
The Bat pony clerk smiled at them and waved them over with a flap of her wings. “Welcome, ladies. Care for something to keep you going while you tour our town?”
“Thanks, but we’re just looking for a bite to eat,” Vinyl said. “We’ve had a long day.”
“Indeed you have, Vinyl,” the Bat pony replied. Celestia, did every pony in this crazy town know about her now? “And so has Miss Octavia, I presume?”
“Unfortunately,” Octavia said with a polite nod. “We are simply looking for a small bite to eat, and then we shall be retiring to our room.”
“How about these then?” The Bat pony offered two plump pears and Vinyl’s mouth instantly watered. “Four bits.”
“Sold!” Vinyl said and she reached into her saddlebag for the coins. Or at least she would have, if she had been wearing a saddlebag. She smacked her forehead with her hoof. She had left all of her traveling gear back in her room at the inn she was staying at, and the few bits she had been carrying she had used to pay Potions. Between getting tossed out the window, visiting Potions, and the entire episode with Lefty, she had never had a chance to go back to her room and collect her belongings. Sheepishly, she looked over at Octavia and gave a weak laugh.
Octavia rolled her eyes. “I was wondering how you were going to pay with no money.” The cellist rummaged through her cloak and pulled out the required bits.
“Thank you kindly,” the clerk said as she scooped the bits off of the counter and out of sight. “Enjoy your stay.”
Vinyl reached out with her magic for her pear, but Octavia flicked her horn and caused her magic to flicker out. “What was that for?”
“First, I save you for your own foolishness,” Octavia said as she took the first pear and took a huge bite out of it. Vinyl’s mouth watered even more as she watched the juices seep out of the pear. Octavia swallowed and continued. “Then, I had to pay your fine. And now, you think I am paying for your dinner? I am not so sure. This pear is rather tasty.”
“Octy, come on…” Vinyl whimpered as she looked at the pear. Octavia was rolling it back and forth on the counter with her hoof. “I’ll pay you back as soon as I get my bag from my room.”
“That will not be necessary.” Octavia flicked the pear once and it nearly wobbled off of the counter before Vinyl caught it with her magic. “The going back to your room part, I mean. You will still need to pay me back for the pear.”
Vinyl raised the pear to her mouth and was about to take a bite when Octavia’s words sunk in. “Huh?”
“I found where you were staying. I paid for your room for the day and took your belongings back to my room. It is in a much…kinder part of town. Now come along.” Octavia took another bite of her pear and began to walk away. Vinyl stared in stunned silence for a moment, then took a quick bite of her pear and trotted after Octavia.
The two ponies arrived at the inn and Vinyl’s mouth fell open, allowing a small piece of her pear to fall out. She had chosen to stay at a rather shady looking place, with rundown boards and flimsy doors. The rate hadn’t been bad, and she had only intended to stay for a day or two, but it had still made her a bit uncomfortable.
This place was a mansion by comparison. In fact, it was a mansion. It was a huge home, with wooden pillars out front of the stone-white building. Torches were burning brightly along each pillar, and as Octavia lead Vinyl between them, Vinyl felt like she was walking into a place that belonged in Canterlot, not Hollow Shades.
The marble double doors opened as Octavia and Vinyl approached, and the inside’s appearance caused Vinyl to stop cold. ‘Plush’ didn’t even begin to cover it. A soft blue carpet covered the entire floor. The walls were painted a midnight shade of blue, and countless stones were scattered along the walls, giving the illusion that they had just walked into the open sky. A staircase spiraled up to the second floor and was painted in a soft grey color, with wisps of dark grey scattered about, making the stairs look like clouds.
“Um…I don’t have to pay you back for this, do I?” Vinyl whispered in awe. This place was out of her price range, period. She didn’t even know how Octavia was able to pay for a place like this. Sure she was from a rather wealthy family, but still…
“Do you think you could?” Octavia asked as she strolled up to the front desk. She rang the bell once and an Earth pony appeared behind the counter.
“Welcome back, ma’am,” the mare said with a polite nod. Her eyes turn to Vinyl and she smiled. “Ah. Is this your guest you were telling me about?”
“Indeed she is,” Octavia said, glancing back at Vinyl still standing in the doorway. “I thought I should inform you that she has arrived.”
“Very good, and thank you,” the mare replied with a smile. “Are you retiring for the evening then? Not staying up to see the town at its peak?”
“No, we are rather tired. We are still on the day cycle. Perhaps another time.”
“I will have the spell placed on your room then. Sweet dreams.”
Octavia turned and waved Vinyl over. The two ponies then walked up the cloud staircase and stopped in front of a room with a glorious white moon painted on the door. Octavia pushed it open and walked inside and Vinyl followed.
“Spell?” Vinyl asked as she walked in, trying not to be impressed by the room, but failing. A queen-size bed was in the middle of it, with plush pillows and silk sheets. A sofa was pressed up against the wall, with a small table at the end with two glasses and a bottle of wine, along with a lantern that was burning brightly. Vinyl considered taking a drink, but her experience with her last one had left her a little sour on alcohol. She also noticed that her saddlebags were at the foot of the sofa.
“The ponies here live and work mostly at night,” Octavia said as she pulled off her cloak and hung it on a hook on the wall. “But they know that the rest of Equestria does not. As such, most inns here have Unicorns put sound-cancelling spells on the rooms so visiting ponies can still sleep.”
“Oh,” Vinyl said. She could have done that herself, but not every pony could use magic, so it made sense. She walked over to her saddlebags and dug through them until she found a few bits. She pulled them out with her magic and floated them over to Octavia. “Here you go.”
Octavia held out her hoof and the bits dropped onto it. She looked at them for a moment, and then looked up at Vinyl. “Vinyl, what are you doing?”
“Paying you back,” Vinyl said with a smile. She looked at the couch. It wasn’t a bed, but that wasn’t a problem. She had crashed on couches before. She gingerly sat down on it and sighed as her aching body sank into the cushions. “Well, for the pear at least. I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a bit longer for the rest.”
“That is not what I meant,” Octavia said as she absentmindedly put the bits into her own saddlebag, and then placed it on the floor next to the bed. “I meant, what are you up to? Why are you here? You left Canterlot without a word, and when I returned to Manehattan, your landlord said you had left.”
Vinyl laughed nervously. “Oh, well, you know…”
Octavia walked over until she was standing directly in front of Vinyl. “I do not know. That is why I asked.”
“I just thought it would be nice,” Vinyl said, try to squirm her way further into the couch. Octavia was leaning in very close now, and Vinyl felt extremely uncomfortable. Looking into those beautiful purple eyes reminded her of how bad she had screwed up. “A change of scenery, you know? Thought it might help me with my music.”
“You are trying to get it back,” Octavia said flatly.
Vinyl instantly flinched, and she knew she been caught. “What…? No, I’m out here just because…”
“Because you thought getting involved with a gang would help you with your music?” Octavia asked. “That nearly getting yourself killed would help? That starting fights in bars would help?”
“No…” Vinyl said, looking down at her hooves. “I just…I…”
“Tomorrow, I am going back to Manehattan,” Octavia said. “I will pay for your ticket too.”
Vinyl sat up straight. She couldn’t go back. Not now. She finally had a lead! “Uh, thanks, but I think I’ll pass. I, um, need to go up to the Crystal Empire. I have…some business I need to attend to. Yeah, that’s it! Business!”
Octavia closed her eyes, hung her head, and turned around. She walked over to the bed, but she didn’t get in. Without turning around, she asked, “You are not going to stop, are you? Even if I ask you to?”
Vinyl swallowed. “No, I’m not,” she whispered. “I…I can’t, Octy. I’m sorry.”
“Even though you almost died?” Octavia snapped, spinning around so quickly that Vinyl jumped. She could see the beginning of tears in the cellist’s eyes.
Octavia didn’t understand. Vinyl was already dead. She had been dead the moment she had overheard that conversation between Octavia and her mom. Mrs. Melody’s words had been enough to rip Vinyl’s heart in two, but it had been Octavia’s response that had been the killing blow.
Octavia closed her eyes and forced the tears away. She took several calming breaths and then opened them again. “Very well. If you insist on this foolishness, then I shall accompany you.”
“Octy, you don’t have to—”
“But, once we get my family’s bow back, we go back home. No matter what. Understand?”
Vinyl thought that was a weird thing to say. Of course she was going to go home once she got the bow back. The only thing that could possibly make her stay any longer would be the chance to smash that thief’s face in for ruining her life, and she wasn’t even sure if that was worth it. Octavia did have a point, after all. She had nearly died, and this was just her first stop.
“Yeah, I promise,” Vinyl said. “But listen, you don’t have to come with me. I can handle this myself, honest. I’ll get it back.” She had to be the one to get it back. It would prove Mrs. Melody wrong, and it would hopefully change Octavia’s opinion of her.
“I am coming with you,” Octavia said as she climbed into the bed. She pulled her bowtie off and set it on the nightstand. “Your chances of getting it back increase with my help. Please blow out the lantern when you are ready for bed.”
“Right.” Vinyl watched Octavia pull the covers up over herself, and then she turned to the lantern. So Octavia was going to come with her then. She was glad for the company, and even gladder that it was Octavia, but she hoped things wouldn’t get awkward between them. After all, Octavia didn’t think much of her anymore.
But if that’s true, then why is she coming with me? Why did she save me? Vinyl wondered as she blew out the lantern. She then snuggled down on the couch in the darkness and wiggled around until she felt comfortable. Her mind began to drift off to sleep when she heard Octavia’s voice in the peaceful stillness.
“Vinyl, what are you doing?”
“Sorry? Was I snoring or something?” the Unicorn replied. Celestia, she was getting sick of that question.
“Are you sleeping on the couch?”
“Um…yeah?” There was a long silence. Of course she was sleeping on the couch. There was no way Octavia wanted to share a bed with her now. Right? “Um…should I not be?”
“No,” Octavia said in the darkness, and Vinyl could hear the strain in her voice. “If…if that is where you are more comfortable, that is fine.”
Vinyl thought for a long moment. She noticed that the sound muffling spell was doing its job, because all she could hear was the sound of her own heartbeat. “Um…do you want me to sleep in the bed with you?” Vinyl considered adding ‘Tavi’ into the question, but decided against it. There was no way the cellist would go for that right now.
“It is up to you,” Octavia whispered.
For a long time, Vinyl lay on the couch on her back, staring up at where the ceiling would be. Finally, she carefully stood up and used a spell to create a small glow from her horn so she could see. She quietly walked over to the bed and then climbed in. Octavia didn’t say anything and she didn’t budge. Vinyl wanted to reach out and stroke her mane and kiss her cheek, but she refrained. Instead, she simply crawled under the covers, moved around until she was comfortable, and then allowed herself to fall asleep. As she did, she couldn’t help but smile to herself in the dark. At least Octavia was letting her sleep in the same bed with her.
* * *
Octavia Melody stayed perfectly still. She felt the Unicorn crawling into the bed, and she desperately wanted to turn to her. She wanted to wrap her forelegs around her, drown her in a fiery kiss, and…what was that phrase that Vinyl used? Ride her until her brain exploded? Something like that. She wanted it all and more, but she dare not move for fear that her emotions would betray her, and she would start saying things she would rather keep silent on.
And so, the Earth pony waited in darkness and silence until she felt the familiar and comforting sensation of Vinyl gently kicking. It was a sure sign that the Unicorn was safely asleep, and was also one of her most adorable habits.
Feeling safe, Octavia rolled over so that she was facing Vinyl, and even though she could not see anything in the darkness—the Thestrals were experts at manipulating light and dark—she reached out and stroked Vinyl’s face. As her hoof touched the white fur, she felt the tears start. She had almost lost Vinyl today, and that was something she could not stand. When she had walked into that room and seen what that Unicorn had been ready to do to Vinyl, she had wanted to snap the mare in two. Nearly choking the life out of her had been like therapy for her rage.
But as that filthy Unicorn had pleaded for her life as the chain was pulled tighter across her neck, Octavia’s eyes had seen Vinyl’s face for a brief moment. The look in those red eyes had terrified Octavia more than anything else, because they had been filled with fear. Fear of Octavia. She had seen the same look again when she had been torturing—torturing!—Feather and threatening Dusk.
That was something the cellist could not stand, even more than losing Vinyl. The fear that Vinyl would look at her that way for the rest of their lives threatened to break her. It made her unable to focus on anything, and all of her upbringing and walls broke in the face of that fear. She was terrified that Vinyl would look at her that way, and that was why she had to help Vinyl on her quest to get that stupid family bow back. Not because she cared about the bow, but because the sooner they got it back, the sooner Vinyl would stop looking, and the sooner the risk of her finding out the truth would go away.
Octavia sniffled and snuggled closer. She gently lifted up Vinyl’s foreleg and slid under it, and then allowed it to fall on top of her. She then wrapped her own forelegs around Vinyl’s body and buried her face in the Unicorn’s chest. She cried silently as Vinyl’s familiar scent flooded her nostrils. She wanted to tell her the truth. She wanted to tell her everything because she loved her. She hated keeping secrets from Vinyl, because despite what most ponies thought, Vinyl was no fool. She knew that Octavia was keeping something from her, and being the mare that she was, she was not prying into the matter. Which only made Octavia hate herself more for not telling Vinyl.
Vinyl trusted her, but Octavia couldn’t return that trust. She couldn’t risk it because she dreaded Vinyl hating her. It had happened to Octavia’s family before. While her father had stayed once he had found out the secret, he had been an exception, not the rule. Almost all the other ponies in her family left once their wives told them the truth. Octavia’s grandmother had gone through it, and she had said that the hatred and fear in her love’s eyes had been the worst thing she had ever had to endure.
Octavia could not deal with that. The idea of Vinyl fearing her, of hating her, was too much. And so, Vinyl could never find out the truth. Octavia would do whatever she had to in order to keep Vinyl safe from it.
“I love you, Vinyl,” she whispered as she slowly drifted off to sleep in the Unicorn’s embrace.
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I'm pretty sure I know what the secret is. That Octavia is a descendant of a certain MLP villain.
4876877
You must know that I can neither confirm nor deny your statement, because it would ruin the fun.
Thanks for reading and leaving a comment though!
4878241 I know. You're welcome!
Yes, chapter! Thank the moon goddess I found some time to read this and I must say, it was more than worth it. Thanks for the awesome story! Until next time,
-Sphinx
4882390
Glad you enjoyed it. I figured a few ponies would like this one.
OK, gotta get a couple comments out there right away
Tavi is badass.
1. Holy crap
2. the emotions in this story are amazing, when I read this I feel sad or afraid when the characters are, I don't know how you did that, but it happened (does that make sense? I can probably explain it better if it doesn't)
3. my questions about the past, mainly what happened to start this quest I believe has been answered , but is now replaced by what Octavia and her mother talked about to metaphorically kill Vinyl. perhaps they'll talk about it or we'll get a flashback.
and 4. What is Octavia's secret? Does it have something to do with the bow? How bad could it be? This story is amazing so far, I can't find a problem with it.
I can't wait till the next chapter.
p.s. things seem a little awkward between Vinyl and Octy right now, but their both clearly in love with each other, they just don't know how to act towards each other right now, Vinyl thinks Octavia hates her and Octavia, well she's actually a little hard for me to read, but I can tell she's afraid of losing Vinyl, she must have been really relieved when Vinyl got into bed. (P.S. Octy, Vinyl's probably gonna find out your secret, otherwise would this story even be happening?) Sorry if I got a little long winded there but This chapter gave me a lot I wanted to say, keep up the good work and hopefully I won't talk(type) so much next chapter.
4893515
Ze comment to end all ze commentz!! Actually, I like these types of comments. I enjoy reading the ones are longer than, "Great work, can't wait for the next chapter" because it means ponies really enjoyed the chapter. On to responses!
1) Yes, yes she is. Bon Bon and Berry Punch already suspected that.
2) I think what you're saying is that the story conveys the emotions of the characters so well that you are able to feel them yourself. Which is high praise indeed. Thank you.
3) Yes, the quest was started when the thief stole the Melody Family's special heirloom bow. It happened during the party that is being planned in A Hidden Secret . There's a reason it's important to them, but we'll get to that. As for what Vinyl overheard, you will get your answer. Sadly, it will be one of the harshest things that Vinyl does in this story.
4) I can't comment on that one at all I'm afraid. It will ruin the fun. You are free to guess of course. Several ponies have already done so.
Octavia is suffering from guilt basically. It's eating at her keeping things from Vinyl, and she sees the way it's hurting Vinyl and that's tearing her up even more. But she's so afraid of what Vinyl will do if she finds out that she won't share her secret. It's a vicious cycle.
Long-winded comments are fun to read. As long as they're nice (or constructive).
Stories like this make me want to read a possible alternative regarding what might have happened if vinyl hadn't been saved.