Rhythm and Harmony: The Octascratch Prompt Collab

by lyra_lover777

35 Scherzo by Divine Path

Scherzo by Divine Path

Vinyl surreptitiously looked towards the door. Octavia wasn't home yet. Perfect.

Vinyl gave a viciously foul and evil laugh, echoing through the house. "Oooh, spooky!" Adjusting each peg, she tested each string. Each note was entirely off-key. Grabbing the cello in her magic aura, Vinyl placed the cello lovingly back into its case, returning it to its almost sacred space within Octavia's chambers.

"Revenge is sweet, my dear Octavia!" said the white unicorn. She raised her hooves dramatically and guffawed; "What's up?!" Vinyl laughed on until her throat punitively gave out, and she screeched like a banshee. Coughing, Vinyl swiftly trotted into the kitchen, obtained a glass, filled it with water and drank vigorously of the divine liquid. Sputtering into the sink, her throat was relieved. She panted. "This is so gonna be worth it." Vinyl was, of course, referring to avenging her ruined pride from that particular event a few days past. Vinyl had been keeping her marefriend up for the night with her lovely music, and so, the earth pony noble had responded by hiding one of her massive speakers within the Golden Oaks Library. Vinyl had panicked once she found the speaker was not present in their home. She had frantically searched the town, with no help from the cellist, of course. Vinyl remembered the smug grin she had been met with upon finally locating the missing speaker and magically transporting it back into its rightful place in her music room.

She opened the case, and observed the instrument just a little longer. It meant the world to Octavia, of course. She felt almost guilty subjecting Octavia to this terror. Could she really be so cruel as to scare the poor mare this way with the apparent loss of her most beloved possession? "Nah, she can take it. It's just a harmless prank." Her countenance was broken by a rather disturbing imitation of a smile. "It'll just be a little scare, that's all." She hadn't heard the hoofsteps behind her.

"Vinyl? What exactly are you doing with my cello?" The grey cellist and marefriend uttered sharply an objection. A smile followed.

Vinyl shuddered. "Uh, nothing. I was just... observing the beauty your cello is!" Vinyl nervously grinned and shuffled in discomfort. "I admit it! I can't get over how awesome, and immaculate it is!" The mare's eyes bore into her. Vinyl barely managed to keep a straight face, looking down on the cello with faux admiration. Returning it to the case would be suspicious, of course. Silence reigned until with a sigh, the tension was dispelled at once.

"Fine, I'll buy it. I don't have time to linger about anyway." She trotted to Vinyl and abruptly kissed her lovingly. The alabaster unicorn returned it in earnest. Moments passed within an eternal bliss. An instant of eternity. Vinyl knew Octavia was a fan of budding romance, though she'd never admit it. It was ironic, no that she thought about it, that the most romantic of the two would be the least sophisticated in love. Or something like that.

With that, the moment was over, and Octavia broke the kiss.

"It's nice to see you again today, Vinyl, but I have to go."

Vinyl couldn't move. A chill travelled up her spine, and a sense of dread snaked its way over her withers. "What do you mean...you have to go?" Vinyl stammered, her eyes widening. Her heart suddenly started beating faster. "Where are you going, Tavi?"

Octavia placed the case on her back. Vinyl couldn't move.

It was just a harmless prank.

"You haven't forgotten, have you?" She frowned. "I have a concert I need to attend today. I volunteered to help a student group of musicians perform before the Canterlot public as an addition to their ensemble. It's only the single most important day for the group!" Pain struck swift. "I returned to swiftly get my cello." She sighed, and placed her muzzle into her hoof. "Sometimes, Vinyl. You frustrate me, if I dare be honest."

Vinyl grabbed the case with her hooves. "Tavi, I really don't think you should go." She tried to smile. Her mouth didn't budge. Neither did the case which was hold firmly in place by the earth pony's superior strength. She grunted, trying to rip the case out of the mare's hold. It didn't budge.

"Please cease your antics. I really don't have time for this, Vinyl." Vinyl panicked.

"You can't go!" She embraced Octavia and grabbed at the violin case. She pulled. She had to open it and fix this. If she could hold it long enough to re-adjust the pegs, then everything would be fine! She just had to take it from that wonderful mare. She had to claim it before she could break the heart of that beautiful mare!

The struggle was brief. Octavia swiftly claimed the case and gave the unicorn a kiss on the horn. Vinyl fell unceremoniously onto her flank.

Vinyl felt weak.

"You can stare at this beauty later. For now, I have a train to catch." A small smile, and she turned to exit the door.

Vinyl heard herself wish her goodbye. She saw through somepony else's eyes her friend cantering away towards the train station. There were no tears. She just felt empty. She had messed up.

Vinyl trotted slowly toward a vacant chair. Each step felt as though they were laden with thick iron. Every muscle felt heavy as she sat down agonizingly. Her throat burnt but her eyes refused to comply. Vinyl leaned back and gazed at the ceiling. Her eyes fell shut. Moisture formed around her closed eyelids, finally.

"Is this a joke...?" Sobs echoed through the little house. Vinyl didn't move.

---

She stopped herself in time. Drinking some water from the machine, she was able to curb her panting. She was nervous. Octavia found herself looking at her cello's case. She longed to play. She wanted to prove yet again she was a prodigy. She knew she was. She was an excellent cellist.

"Featuring Stradivari-Philharmonica Octavia Melody, please give the student ensemble of Miss Elegy's Musical Academy a warm applause!"

Take deep breaths. Everything would be fine. She had everything under control. The student ensemble was skilled. They were adept, and so was she, Octavia. She could handle this, like she had always handled it. It's just a concert, right?

---

Octavia played the Walts of Stars.

Octavia felt empty. Her eyes were clouded over. She could hear the distinct sound of something shattering beside her. In the distance, she heard angry shouts. She could hear screams of frustration, but they were so far away, they weren't of this world. She didn't understand. She didn't understand. She didn't understand. She couldn't understand. It was painful. She felt something wet impact her head. Yet, she kept playing. She didn't understand. She heard a beautiful symphony, she immersed herself in it. Nothing was. Octavia continued to play. It's beautiful, like always.

They were laughing together. Vinyl had a little mishap that morning. The silly filly couldn't cook! She shouldn't be allowed in the kitchen, period. She's a friend, but nopony deserved to eat that!

Something was loud in front of her. She didn't care for it. It wasn't of the symphony, therefore irrelevant. There was just a little noise around her. Her muzzle felt a bit wet. That isn't an issue. Something was, of course, trying to lead the symphony astray. Still, it was beautiful. The symphony was, nothing else.

She opened the box. Inside, there was a ring. She looked up to meet Vinyl's eyes, and gasped.

She felt something move her. It felt odd. Something was pulling at her bow. She held strong, and instead continued to play her beautiful song of her beautiful symphony.

Why don't the others hear it?

She awkwardly moved to the strange beat. Octavia really didn't understand the workings of modern music. She felt silly moving to such *profound* and heavy beat. Suddenly, Vinyl gripped her.She felt light as the DJ swung her around, violently yet with a purpose, with control. Swirling about the room, she gave a tiny squeak and giggled. She felt safe in those hooves. She felt at ease.

She was happy.

Her eyes felt moist. That something was pulling at her again. She continued to play her beautiful song.

Why don't they hear? Isn't it beautiful?

Comments

[Azure Ravenscroft]

Ahh I still can't get over how cruel this is, even as just an idea! I cringed all the way through, so good job on making me feel guilty for Vinyl and utterly destroyed for Tavi

[Divine Path]

5201822
Wait a minute...

This is odd. I'm positive the Word Counter displayed Rain as longer. Well, I'm afraid you have not yet bested me. I'm still twenty three words stronger. Sorry.

Though, I'm certainly glad I could give you an interesting experience~! Thank you for enjoying.

[Divine Path]

5202039
Very well, Lady Michelle. I'm glad to have been of use.

[Azure Ravenscroft]

5201896 Damn your higher word count! I will claim my prize one day

[Divine Path]

5202399
I don't doubt that. However, may the best of fortune be with you~

[FoolRegnant]

Well, the characterization of Vinyl is spot on, but the immersion feels a little off. Would Octavia really not check to make sure her cello was in tune before going onstage? And for all the haunting imagery of her continuing to play even while making a horrible racket, it feels more like something to expect from Vinyl than Octavia.

[Divine Path]

5203879
I imagine she was running late, but I can see why you wonder.

This Octavia couldn't accept that she played badly on stage, so she deluded herself into thinking her performance was perfect. How is this more fit to Vinyl? I'm curious.
Thank you for enjoying.

[FoolRegnant]

5204105
I don't know, Vinyl just felt very relaxed and mischievous, but then when things started going wrong she was plenty flustered. Just a good Vinyl interpretation, I thought.
Oh, and I just realized you meant in terms of the music going wrong. I felt it would fit Vinyl better because she would just go with it, ignore the crowd, and convince them it was good music with her stage presence. Vinyl would shrug off a prank going wrong like that, but I could see Octavia calmly stopping, leaving, and beating the shit out of Vinyl when she got home.

5204341
I basically just had this argument, but if you need a rehash, I will continue to pass criticism and advice, however harsh I deem necessary, onto those writers who have chosen to place their writing, however brief, up for public review and consumption.
You may not have seen it, but both of the authors I previously criticized responded to me thanking me for the criticism. Even snippet-writers wish to improve in their writing, and as I personally feel like writing a coherent snippet is more difficult in many ways than a longer piece, I only wish the best for the writers who submit these works, and negative feedback is far more useful in eliciting change than positive feedback, which only creates more of the same.
On the other hand, I have no patience for typos and grammar errors in snippets, as they are extremely easy to edit due to their length, and I will make note of that whenever I see it.

[Azure Ravenscroft]

5204417 I get that sometimes authors need some harsh criticism, and that the ones you have commented about have acknowledged your comments, but it just seems to me that you're a very harsh critic which isn't always what people need. For negatives to be received kindly you need positive off-sets, that's all I'm trying to get at

[Divine Path]

5204417

It's good that I seem to have understood her character well. Thank you.
That does sound like something DJ PON3 would do, I agree. Octavia may also indulge herself in that courage as well. However, in this story I portray her as insecure and dependent on admiration in order to function. Obviously, she ceased to do so and fell into a state of delusion and emptiness to avoid the shame. I chose that particular portrayal due to my wish for the story to be depressing.

[Lunar Eclipsed]

im very very confused

[Divine Path]

6174601
Why hello there! May I ask why you feel confused?

[Divine Path]

An updated version.