All's Fair in Love and Piracy

by bahatumay

Interlude: Octavia's Story

A lack of hammocks on the ship meant that Applejack still slept in the brig. As she neared, she slowed to a stop. Octavia leaned against the wall, waiting for her; and the expression on her face made it seem like this would be anything but a pleasant social visit.

“I know what you're doing,” she said abruptly.

Applejack tried to keep a straight face, but failed miserably. “Doin’? Doin’ what?” she asked with a smile much more shaky than she would have liked.

“Trying to get Captain Blitz to fall in love with you so you can escape. It won't work.”

Applejack’s face fell. “You're gonna tell her, huh?”

“I don't have to.”

Applejack’s head jerked up. “Huh?”

“She's too smart. She won't fall in love with you. Love only brings weakness, and weakness brings pain.” And with that somewhat cryptic response, Octavia turned to leave.

It dawned on Applejack then. “That’s why you’re so cold all the time,” she said slowly, making the connection. “You’ve been hurt.”

Octavia spun and slammed her hoof into the wall, hitting it so hard it splintered the wood around the site of impact. “You know nothing of me!” she roared.

“Ah’m not seein’ how that’s my fault,” Applejack stated calmly as she wiped flecks of spittle from her face. “You’ve been buildin’ walls around yourself and everythin’. Ah mean, Ah can try to get through, but it’s like tryin’ to sail straight through a maelstrom.”

Octavia rolled her eyes and sat on Applejack’s bed. “Fine. Fine. You want to hear my story? We can do that.” Her eyes narrowed. “But Rainbow Blitz or no, remember that I’m not above throwing you overboard.”

Applejack wasn’t sure if she should crack a smile or not. “Understood.”

Octavia looked down, took a breath to steady herself, and began. “I was young, just a filly, really. I was practicing my music when I saw a blur of motion from outside. I looked out and saw a young white filly standing on our garden wall, carrying a bag of bits in her mouth.” Octavia smiled wistfully. “She was a bit too young to be using magic, then. She looked around and caught my eye. She froze, then winked at me before scampering down the wall and through our garden. Not long after, a sailor clambered over the wall as well, chasing her down. I hoped she could escape.”

“Ah’m guessing she did?”

“Yes. Many times, in fact; and many of these escapes seemed to take place around our garden. The fourth time I saw her, I began to suspect she was coming through just to see me, so I began to practice my music in the gazebo of the garden itself. The second day I did, I saw her again, sitting on the wall behind me.

“I can still see her as she looked then. Her shirt was too large for her, and of necessity she wore a frayed belt that had definitely seen better days, and looked as though it were too small for her. Her sword was too long for her diminutive size, and her scruffy mane had roughly the same characteristics as a rat’s nest. But she had a genuine smile, and kind eyes.” She smiled. “I can still see the day I first talked to her…”

* * *

Octavia’s ears pricked up as she heard struggling sounds from behind her. She looked back to see a white filly with a bright blue mane, pulling herself up on top of the wall.

“Sounding good!” the white filly grinned. “But don’t just stop on my account.”

Octavia’s eyes narrowed. “What makes you think I was playing for you, anyway, fair trespasser?”

The filly brushed her mane out of her eyes and crossed her forelegs. She jutted out her lower lip and batted her eyelashes exaggeratedly. “Fair means ‘good-looking’, right?”

Octavia blushed slightly. “That is not what I meant,” she lamely defended herself.

“Sure it isn’t,” she laughed. “You’re a cutie yourself. You’re single, right?”

Octavia straightened her bowtie in an attempt to regain her posture and position. “My relationship status--and age--aside, you look as though you’d be more trouble than you’d be worth.”

The filly grinned. “Sometimes trouble is worth it in and of itself. Like right now, I’m on the run again. I guess that sailor wants his sword back, but I really needed one, so it was worth the running. It’s his fault, really. He shouldn't be out drinking if he doesn't want to lose his stuff.”

Both flinched as a sharp, accusing yell rang out. The filly stood up. “Welp, that’s my cue to keep running. I’m Vinyl.”

“Octavia.”

“I like that name. Hope we see each other soon!” And with that, Vinyl jumped off the wall and sprinted away.

* * *

“And we did,” Octavia said. “Over time, I found myself looking forward to her erratic visits almost as much as my performances. Sometimes she wasn’t even running; we would just sit and talk. And then one day…”

* * *

“Happy birthday!”

Octavia jumped and spun around. Vinyl stood in her windowsill, leaning against the frame, her hat cocked playfully over one eye and a winning smile on her face. She had matured somewhat from when she was that little filly on the wall; though purely in a physical sense. Though her mane was still as messy and her clothes still as ill-fitting, she had still grown up to be quite the attractive mare. Once you managed to look past all the dirt in her fur and her horribly messy mane, that is.

Octavia couldn’t suppress a smile as she walked over to give Vinyl a hug. “Vinyl! How did you know?”

“I always know these things,” Vinyl grinned, affectionately returning the hug. “You’re like my home port, Octi. I always come back here. Especially on this, your greatest of birthdays.”

“Do you have a present for me, then, fair trespasser?”

A devious smile crossed Vinyl’s face. She retrieved a small flask from inside her ragged vest. “Oh, do I indeed…”

* * *

Octavia still looked down at the floor, but a smile flickered across her face at the memory. “Long story short, that’s how I learned I liked cider.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “And how you learned you wanted her as a lover?”

Octavia’s eyes narrowed.

Applejack raised her hooves disarmingly. “Look, all Ah’m sayin’ is, weird things happen when the hard stuff comes out. Hay, first time Ah tried it, Ah woke up hanging from a tree by my pants, which were down by my ankles. Real embarrassing, that.”

Octavia frowned. “Don’t ponies usually not wear clothes when not sailing?” she pointed out.

“Ah had been sailing,” Applejack muttered, pulling her hat over her eyes to hide her face. “Ah think.”

Octavia snorted, then sighed. “Yes, if you must know; that night was my first sexual experience with another mare, and it was… unforgettable, to say the least. She had to leave again the next morning—apparently, she had a warrant out for her arrest and she thought the bartender had recognized her—but left me a note that promised that she would never take a lover aside from me. As for the next time I saw her… Would you believe that I hadn’t ever ridden on the water?”

"Never?"

Octavia shook her head, a tiny smile playing at her lips. "Vinyl took me out on the water for the first time. It was... an adventure."

* * *

Vinyl rested her hooves against the railing and lifted her nose into the air. She took in a deep breath and held it, and then exhaled slowly. “Ah, Tavi. I’m telling you, this salty sea air does wonders for me. Makes me feel young again!”

“You are young,” Octavia pointed out with a pained groan.

“Younger than I am now,” Vinyl amended. “You know what I mean.”

“I'm afraid… afraid I don't-” But that's as far as Octavia got; she leaned over the railing and made an offering of her stomach contents to the sea.

Vinyl chuckled. “Huh. Even the nobility get seasick sometimes.”

Octavia protested. “I’m not a noble; I’m-”

But Vinyl never quite figured out what Octavia was; another wave of nausea rolled over her and she quickly leaned over the railing again.

Vinyl chuckled and rubbed her back. “It gets better, I promise.”

“It had better,” Octavia groaned. “I’d hate to find out that I’m a landlubber in love with a sailor. That would never work.”

She was being facetious; but Vinyl nuzzled the side of her head anyway, taking care to not poke her eye with her horn. “Even if you are the land lubberiest landlubber ever, you’re still my landlubber, and I like you.”

Octavia responded to this lovely sentiment with another bout of nausea. Vinyl chuckled and continued massaging her shoulders. “I know, I’m sappy enough to make a grown stallion hurl. But in time, I imagine you’ll learn to put up with me.”

This earned her a none-too-gentle jab in the ribs.

* * *

“She wasn’t lying. I acquired my sea legs quite rapidly, before the end of the expedition, really, and soon I was able to keep pace with the other sailors.”

“So you loved it so much you stayed?” Applejack guessed.

Octavia shook her head. “Not quite. That came… later. I had quite the promising career as a performing cellist.”

“For what? Fancy dinner parties?”

“More or less,” Octavia shrugged. “Celebrations, galas, anything ponies would pay for. I eventually joined a small group and while we certainly weren’t royalty status, we did enjoy no small degree of fame.”

Applejack paused to work that wording out.

“In fact, I was with my ensemble when I…”

Applejack frowned. Was Octavia… choking up?

* * *

Octavia could only stare numbly at the smoldering ashes. The fire had been put out nearly an hour ago, but she could still only stare numbly. Everypony she had known… she’d been the only one out. She hadn’t had time to save anything; she’d survived only because she’d been in the bathrooms closest to the outside at the time of the explosion and had managed to scramble to safety. Bodies left on stretchers, white cloths over their faces. Priceless instruments lay splintered on the ground, expensive clothing littered the ground, sliced to shreds and scattered like snow.

“Octi?”

Octavia looked up to see Vinyl Scratch there, raising a hoof hesitantly, looking somewhat like a puppy who’s not sure if you want to play or fight.

“Vinyl?” Octavia asked, surprised. “How did you know?”

“You’re my home port, Octi. I always come back.” Vinyl paused, then coughed and admitted the truth. “Ok, I came to see if I could raid something after seeing the smoke from the big fire; but now I feel bad about that.” She gave Octavia a sheepish smile.

Octavia nodded and looked down.

“Come on,” Vinyl said, gently helping Octavia to her hooves and leading her off out of the way. She led her to the entrance of an alleyway and set her down on a barrel under a small overhang. Together they sat, Vinyl gently comforting her.

Octavia finally spoke, something to try to distract herself. “What brings you back here, anyway?”

“Voyage ended,” Vinyl shrugged. “Finished the shipment, captain said they wanted to clean house, new crew and such; so I got my cut of the profits and a boot to the flank. Fine by me, I guess. You know how bad I am at staying in one place for too long. Now I can find a new place to go.”

“Don’t you still have a warrant out for your arrest here?” Octavia had to ask.

Vinyl coughed. “Yeah, kinda. Not just here. I’m pretty sure I also have warrants in Trottingham and Los Pegasus.”

Octavia raised an eyebow. Los Pegasus wasn't exactly known for its stringent laws. “How-?”

“Long story,” Vinyl cut her off quickly. “Anyway, I'd probably better get going before the guards come back and see me; but I'd rather stay here with you for now?” Her voice raised in pitch at the end of her sentence, indicating that she was offering.

“I’d like that. Hold me again, please.”

Vinyl did just that, sitting next to Octavia and pulling her head onto her chest. The two stayed close for a while, until Octavia broke the silence.

“Vinyl?”

“Yes?”

“There’s nothing for me here anymore.”

Vinyl frowned. “But, wait… what about…?”

“Take me with you on your next adventure.”

“But I-”

“Please, Vinyl.”

Vinyl inhaled, held her breath, then sighed. Octavia was serious. “Well, since you asked so nicely. First things first…” She ran a hoof across Octavia's tattered clothing, “you’re gonna need some new clothes.”

* * *

“And that’s how I started my pirate career,” Octavia finished.

“That’s real sweet,” Applejack said respectfully. “Ah can see why she’s so important to you.”

“She helped me with my first raid,” Octavia said softly. “My violin, actually, was my first piece of plunder. It’s designed for use on the sea; the wood is magically imbued to be more resistant to salt water.” A tiny smile crossed her face. “But still sometimes the strings do break, as you’ve seen.”

Applejack nodded, memories of the rince na gaotha surfacing.

She didn’t need to prompt Octavia anymore; she was providing the experiences herself. “We were together ever since,” she said. “We worked together, played together, we made love in the crow’s nest when she was supposed to be keeping watch; we were inseparable.”

“Until?”

“She was captured.”

Applejack paused, waiting for the explanation, but none came. “That’s it?”

Octavia stood up. “I think I’ve said enough for one night, apple mare,” she said, heading towards the door of the brig. “There’ll be plenty of work to do tomorrow.”

Applejack was somewhat disappointed, but nodded. “Right. Good night, Octavia.”

“Good night.” Octavia paused and turned back around. “Oh, and one more thing.”

Pain suddenly exploded on the side of Applejack’s face, and her world instantly turned upside-down as Octavia’s powerful right hook connected with her cheek. She landed, dazed, on the ground, and little stars swirled around her head.

“Don’t even think about telling anypony else anything I said tonight,” Octavia growled, and she stomped off.

Comments

[Sea_Swirl]

YES YES YES!!!! ANOTHER CHAPTER!!!! HOORAY!!!!!

[VampDash]

She's gonna betray all of them the moment a chance to save Vinyl shows up

[treegrowth]

good one!

[Elysium]

And so some of Octavia's bitchiness is explained; still though, it'd be nice to see her soften up on Applejack and rescue Vinyl, if you intend to go with the plot that she's alive somewhere. Great little filler chapter.

[JetstreamGW]

So... Why would Octavia tell AJ any of that?

[bahatumay]

5886046
dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Emoticons/shrug_Twilight_Sparkle.png?wrap=true
I don't think she meant to; I think it kindof just came out. roundstable.com/forums/images/smilies/snobtavia.png

[KoaruMatsubara]

awesome chapter dude glad i read this one haha i can't wait for what happens next, your a good writer

[doctorpie25]

Are you going to post more chapters???
Amazing story btw

[bahatumay]

6498594
Eventually, yes. Hopefully soon. It's actually mostly written; I'm just worried about its pacing.
Thank you!