You've Been Acting Strange These Last Few Days

by sethbramwell

Part 11: The Pony Who Comes For Us All/Vinyl's Deal

Part Eleven: The Pony Who Comes For Us All/Vinyl’s Deal

The band played on as the melody of the waltz filled the hall. Octavia looked down at her elegant gown. How had she gotten here? Did it even matter? She looked around the room at the assemblage of ponies, searching out one in particular, until she felt a hoof on her shoulder. She turned around expectantly only find Ponyakov looking at her sternly. He extended a hoof. What- does he want to dance? In disbelief she extended her own to take it. Ponyakov angrily snorted as he slapped her hoof away, now quite clearly pointing at something. Octavia turned and saw the band had an empty chair with a cello propped by it. She looked back to Ponyakov, who only pointed and muttered, “Yours is to play, not to dance.”

Defeated, Octavia trudged to the bandstand and took her place at the cello, expertly blending in with the other musicians despite the lack of sheet music. It was then that she spotted the pony for whom she had been searching: Vinyl. Characteristically, she was leaning against the far wall, her head bobbing to the dubstep surely blaring in her headphones. The band reached the end of the waltz, and everypony applauded except Ponyakov (who simply glared at the musicians) and Vinyl (who was, as ever, lost in her wubs and bass). With the break in music, the other musicians bowed for the applause as Octavia simply tried to wave Vinyl over with her bow. Just as she seemed to take notice, Octavia heard the voice of the lead violinist say to the others, “Pony Una Cabeza, everyone?” The others nodded eagerly and positioned themselves. Octavia quickly tried to fall in place with the tango music as the band began, certainly not her usual genre of music but not impossible, all while watching Vinyl slowly make her way closer and closer to the bandstand until she was standing directly before her, her head still bobbing to the beat in her headphones. Octavia snuck a glance to Ponyakov across the room, and tried to speak.

“Vinyl?” Her eyes darted to her friend, who was still obliviously bobbing her head. Her bow hit a sour note, and Ponyakov, who seemed to be there for the sole purpose of critiquing her, scowled ever deeper. Doing her best to split her focus between the melody of the tango and trying to communicate with Vinyl, she shot an angry look that the white unicorn finally seemed to notice. With a magic glow, her headphones lifted from her ears, the thudding beat nearly audible from them despite the live band.

“What?” Vinyl’s tone was impatient, annoyed.

Again, Octavia’s bow hit a sour note, earning a wince from Ponyakov who started to make his way across the hall as she swallowed hard. “Vinyl, where have you been? I want you to come back home-“

The violinists tapered their sound off as they finished the tango, and it took Octavia a brief second to realize she was still playing at full volume on autopilot. Her face flushed as all at once she saw the violinists looking at her with annoyance, Ponyakov now baring his teeth as he increased his formerly subtle pace toward her, the crowd of confused ponies on the dance floor wondering what was going on, and Vinyl snorting derisively as the headphones slipped back over her ears.

The next moments happened in rapid succession. Focus! Octavia improvised a flourish on the cello to cover her mistake and end with dignity, the violinists glared openly at her for upstaging what was primarily their piece, the ponies on the dance floor chuckled at the improvisation as they made their way to the edges of the floor, Ponyakov reached his target furiously and Vinyl finally spoke. “Maybe I don’t want to be home, you uptight mule!” The words stung far more deeply than Ponyakov’s hushed but intense rant at her incompetence. Vinyl’s head cocked in Ponyakov’s direction. “You got stuff to worry about. See ya ‘round.” The DJ turned and walked off as Octavia looked at the remains of the moment. The floor was cleared, and a crack began to appear in it as Ponyakov finished his rant and the violinists nodded their agreement to him.

“… most unprofessional, amateurish example of mediocrity I have ever had the displeasure of encountering!” The red stallion concluded before reaching out and snatching the bow from her hoof. With a determined grunt, he snapped it in half and threw it to the ever expanding crack in the floor, where it disappeared into oblivion as Octavia stood grasping for words. “You have no place in this, or any, band, orchestra, or symphony. Now GET OUT.” the words reached her ears as the violinists set their instruments down and turned on her as she begged and watched Vinyl open the door at the far end of the hall to leave.

“No, no, please, you can’t take this away from me- “ The musicians heaved her above their heads on her back, rather like one of Vinyl’s ridiculous stage dives, and carried her to the crack that now ran the length of the floor. “Vinyl! Vinyl, help me, please! PLEASE!” she called out as the door closed behind her friend and the violinists gave a collective grunt as they tossed her from their hooves to the gaping crack, and she fell screaming into nothingness…

Octavia hit the floor with a yelp, landing painfully on her side. She opened her eyes and her room slowly came into focus as she rose from the floor. Her clock read 10:30, and she was struck by how she had slept in so late once again. All the worry about Vinyl and the Command Performance was taking its toll. Not since fillyhood had a dream scared her enough to actually propel her from the bed. She rose and rubbed at her sore ribs. Compelled as always to bring order to her surroundings, Octavia pulled her blanket to the side and straightened the sheets on her bed, tucking them into the neat corners that she loved before placing her blanket down over the top and tucking those edges into place as well. Her eyes glanced to the hall as she dared to hope that Vinyl had returned at some point during the night. Trying to cling to some degree of optimism, she made her way to Vinyl’s door. She had not set hoof in there last night after Pezzo had left; it had simply been too much to consider entering and being reminded of her absence. With a steadying breath, she stepped inside and her eyes immediately fell upon the empty, unkempt bed. Whenever Vinyl had last been there, it was fairly obvious she had not slept well. The sheets had been wrestled free of the mattress, the covers in a heap on the floor. Octavia could only look to the floor sadly as she started to turn to exit, not even feeling the strength to make her friend’s bed as she might normally have. Just as she was about to exit, her mind registered an observation, minor but possibly relevant, and she turned to scan the floor again. As usual, Vinyl’s floor was a scattered array of her possessions, with several small items tossed wherever they landed, but one particular item was missing: money. It was not unlike Vinyl to arrive home late and toss whatever she was carrying on the floor. It was a habit that annoyed Octavia no end, but she tolerated it as long as it was confined to Vinyl’s room. Somehow the DJ always managed to know exactly where anything was, anyway. By now, Octavia had simply become used to the mess and to seeing random items scattered about, and always seeing bits tossed here and there. Vinyl would usually scoop up some when she went out, but she had never taken all of it before. Why would she take all of her-

The thought entered her mind despite her never wanting it there. She went out to look for more pills. Oh, Vinyl, why? Can’t you see what this is doing??? With tears in her eyes, Octavia turned from the room and shuffled to the kitchen. She was certainly not going back to sleep. Perhaps the only thing to be done right now was to try to focus on something – anything – else. With a heavy heart, she set a kettle of water on the stove to boil for tea, and sat down at the table to wait for it as she tried to settle her gaze anywhere but the hallway entrance.

*****

Officer Silver Shields walked cheerfully down the streets. Ponyville was certainly not a place known for crime, but he still couldn’t help but feel glad when he received a reassignment from night beat to the day beat. The north end of town was known for being somewhat dodgy, especially at night, but in the bright sunlight it felt so harmless. The colt turned around the corner and stopped short at what he saw. The morning had been so smooth thus far, too…

He approached the sleeping unicorn, who had evidently been ignored by the passersby. He gently reached out and gave her a shake. “Hey, time to move it along. Can’t have everypony just sleeping in the doorways…”

Vinyl slowly blinked awake, letting her eyes focus on the form. She was about to tell the yellow earth pony to get lost when she caught sight of his badge and thought better of it. “Oh, yeah, right… Just waiting for the place to open, sorry…” She yawned as she moved to stand, her stiff muscles screaming with discomfort.

Silver looked to the white unicorn oddly. “Are you alright, Miss?”

Vinyl’s stomach started to churn as the nausea of the last few days returned mixed with nervousness. Somehow she managed to give the cop a small smile. “Yeah, just a little sore-“

“Can you raise your sunglasses, please?” Silver interjected.

“I- what?”

“Your sunglasses, Miss. Raise them, please.”

“Uh, sure…” Vinyl winced as her foreleg raised to remove her sunglasses, not daring to try to use her magic.

Silver noted the unicorn’s use of her hoof and not magic with curiosity as he studied her eyes. “Live around here?”

“Oh, yeah, south end of town.” Vinyl said with slight apprehension.

“Hmm. Long way to be out here this early, the place doesn’t open for another hour.”

“Oh yeah, well… I was out walking last night and saw this place, I wanted to get something but they were closed, so…”

“Why not just go home and come back?”

Vinyl blinked. Even with knowing her reasons, it wasn’t an unreasonable question. “Long story. My roommate and I haven’t been getting along, and I just didn’t feel like going back home…”

Silver studied her eyes for a moment longer before continuing. Something seemed off, but he just couldn’t seem to put his hoof on it. She didn’t seem like she had been on a partying binge, and she didn’t appear to be intoxicated… “Must have been rough to sleep out here all night. I think some coffee might help you; there’s a Stablebucks down the road that way.” Silver said as he motioned to the right. “Have a good day, Miss. Try not to sleep in doorways in the future; it’s not always the safest idea.” With that he bowed his head for a quick moment and departed.

Vinyl felt a great sense of relief, not that it did much to quell her stomach. Perhaps the cop did have a point, however. She could use something pick her up, and with the absence of Doc, caffeine was the next best option. She shuffled over to the Stablebucks, her bits jingling in her hoof. Just some straight black coffee… she thought as she considered her typical hangover cure. Ugh, it had better work. Her legs seemed to begin to fight it out to see which could annoy her more: the stiffness or the tremors as she made her way down the street toward the coffee house…

*****

The water rinsed the last crumbs from the plate down the drain as Octavia stared after them. Had it really just been two days before when she had watched those pills swirl down the same way? She used the brush to scrub the last traces of her breakfast from the plate before placing it on the rack to dry and touching her hoof to her cheek. It still stung slightly to the touch, but the redness was subsiding. She could only hope it would be completely cleared by tonight.

The plate clean, Octavia stepped to her room in no particular hurry. She had plenty of time to kill, after all. The house was so bloody quiet, it threatened to drive her crazy. The grey mare opened her closet and selected the hanger with the plastic bag covering her best evening gown. It had been a week since she had had it cleaned for this performance, and it felt like the last thing in the house that had not been touched by the chaos of the last several days. She lay the dress down on her bed and carefully removed the plastic. It was an elegant gown, reserved for performances and very special occasions. Her hoof ran over the Dupioni silk as she recalled the last time she had worn it, to Vinyl’s Hearts and Hooves Day concert in Canterlot. She had looked ridiculously out of place amongst the club ponies and ravers, but she hadn’t cared one bit as she watched Vinyl work her own brand of musical magic. Her mind flashed back to that evening, when she had actually managed to cajole Vinyl into a late dinner with her instead of hitting the bars as she had initially planned. That had been such a wonderful evening… one of the rare quiet moments in their history where she could imagine the two of them being more than just good friends. She had to give a quiet chuckle as she remembered the waiter at the restaurant coming to their table with the celebratory bottle of Dom Ponynon she had ordered for the occasion, only to have Vinyl levitate her water glass to him rather than the champagne flute. Hey, if we’re drinking, let’s feel it! Vinyl had laughed. The cellist’s reaction had begun as being mortified, but that comment had actually made her smile enough to enjoy the moment as the waiter fought to keep his eyes from rolling in his head.

Reality snapped her back to the present and the empty house. Vinyl was nowhere to be found. The house was deathly quiet. She had a performance to prepare for, and she was due to report in just a few short hours. Well, at least something can be done about the silence, she thought as she walked to her record player. She gingerly lifted the lid on the player as she noted the upright treble clef on the mat –Had she done that on purpose? She could scarcely recall. Shrugging it off, she looked down to her albums, trying to decide which masterwork to select when her eyes fell on the blues album that sat at the end of the row. She had been so excited when she had seen Vinyl walking to her that Hearth’s Warming Eve with a square shaped package levitating behind her. She had gently opened the wrapping, wondering what classical treasure Vinyl had chosen for her- when she had seen the brooding black colt with a blue electric guitar. Her expression betrayed none of her mild disappointment as Vinyl gushed about the album to her. Much to her surprise, she had actually enjoyed the album with its dark, moody music far more than she expected, to the point of even attempting to transcribe the melody of the lead track to play on her cello. She had so wanted to surprise Vinyl with that, but time had just gotten away from her and she had never finished. Despite the suspicion that it might make things more difficult, Octavia selected the album and carefully removed it from its sleeve. The record as just as pristine as any of her classical albums, and she intended to keep it that way. The record settled on the red mat, and she clicked the motor on and moved the tone arm into position to play the lead track, a mournful song of lost love and regret. Despite her plan to shower while the album played, she found herself glued to the spot as the blues guitar began and the lyrics began in a deep colt’s voice.

We ran forever through golden fields,

You were my love, I was your shield.

Until you heard the beckoning call

Of the pony who comes for us all.

Looking back, I can’t forget that day

I had found that you’d slipped away,

That you had gone and answered the call

Of the pony who comes for us all.

If I had been there just to give hope,

Would you have not used that rope?

If I had given you a better day,

Would you have tossed those pills away?

Had I been a better equine,

Would you not have crossed the line?

Just to answer that siren call

Of the pony who comes for us all?

They say you went by your own will,

I can only guess you had had your fill.

I wonder now what I could have done,

For just a day, yeah, even one,

When you wouldn’t heed the call

Of the pony who comes for us all.

The final sustained chords of the song faded into silence. Octavia stood beside the player, whispering the final lyrics to herself. Her eyes were misty as the next track began, though she paid it hardly any mind. Is that what you’re trying to do, Vinyl… heed that call? Call… of course! Octavia had never felt as stupid as she did in that moment as she scooped up her phone and scrolled to Vinyl’s number. Why she didn’t just call her sooner… She pressed the call button and held the phone to her ear… and promptly heard the ringtone Vinyl had reserved for her, a snippet of a recording of her playing the cello, from down the hall in her room.

Once again wishing beyond hope, Octavia ran down the hallway to Vinyl’s room, but all she spotted was the DJ’s phone on the floor. She didn't even take her phone? Octavia pressed the button to end the call on her phone and trudged back to her room morose and defeated. Once she entered, her ears were filled with the percussion and guitar opening of the third track on the album, an upbeat song about the colt’s younger days. Octavia gently lifted the needle from the record and replaced it at the outermost groove, allowing that first track to sweep over her once more…

*****

The tan earth pony had had a bad enough morning, and he didn't need this nonsense. “Fifty bits.” The gruff voice repeated.

Vinyl glared at him from behind her sunglasses. “Look, I only need like one piece! Work with me here!” This debate had been going on for a solid twenty minutes between the DJ and the stubborn shop owner. She had arrived feeling somewhat better after her black coffee, but this mule had just put her into a worse mood than ever. For what felt like the hundredth time, Vinyl counted up the bits in her hoof, almost wishing she hadn’t sprung for the large drink. “I’ve only got twenty-six bits!”

The earth pony placed his hooves on the counter and glared at the white unicorn. “Then you don’t got fifty, mare. Come back when you do.”

“You don’t get it. I need that!”

“And I need fifty bits!”

Vinyl growled in frustration. “Do you know who I am???” she asked desperately.

“You ain’t Celestia; She’d have fifty bits.” The tan pony bit his lip to keep from laughing at his own remark. Needling this unicorn was starting to get fun.

Vinyl scowled as she raised her sunglasses to look directly at him. “DJ-PON3? Maybe ya heard of me?” she snapped, hoping dropping her name would get her somewhere.

The pony just rolled his eyes. “DJ what? No, I haven’t heard of ya, and I don’t care.”

Vinyl’s eye twitched slightly, but she fought it back with a deep breath. Now was the time to turn on the charm. “Well, listen…” She began, a calm smile on her face. “I, uh, don’t like to brag, but I’m a pretty big deal in the local club scene. Dubstep, dance, wub mania, you name it. Even mastered a few of my own signature mixes…”

The pony looked at her with a neutral expression, unimpressed. “And?”

Vinyl leaned on the counter, a sly smile on her face. “I could get you a framed autograph right now, even drop your name at my next gig… I know my fans would come check you out if I did.”

The pony snorted. “Yeah, sure, whatever. Listen, I don’t need you advertising me, I need fifty-“ The bell on the door suddenly jingled as a neon green pegasus walked into the store. “Just get lost.” He muttered before turning to look at the other pony. “Help ya?”

“Nah, I’m good, just having a look-“ The new customer began before stopping short and blinking his eyes as Vinyl angrily turned to storm out. This was going nowhere, and just when she was so flocking close… She suddenly felt a hoof on her shoulder, and irritably turned to face the newcomer.

“What?” she snapped.

The pegasus shrank back. “Er- sorry…” he began nervously. “I- uh, just thought I recognized you, and-“ There was a pause as he swallowed and looked to the floor before continuing. “Are- are you- DJ-PON3?”

Vinyl blinked. Was the universe really dropping this opportunity in front of her? She shot the shopkeeper a quick smirk before smiling at the green colt. “Yeah, yeah I am. And you are?”

The star struck colt fumbled for his words. “Glow- Glow Wand. Celestia, I can’t believe it’s really you! You haven’t been at the club for weeks, please tell me you’re coming back!”

Vinyl suppressed her giddy thanks and gave a cool chuckle. The tremor in her leg started to return slightly, and she fought to keep it still as she gave Glow Wand a smile. “Oh, yeah, of course I’ll be back! Just been taking some time off to work on a special project, you know?” A quick glance at the shop owner told her the gears in his head were turning as watched the exchange.

“Awesome!” Glow Wand gushed. “I can’t wait to see you back again, the DJ they got now is so bucking lame…” He rubbed his foreleg nervously. “Hey, uh… listen, I’m really, really sorry to bug you while you’re shopping and all, but… do you think… I could, maybe… get your autograph?”

Vinyl smiled at her fan. “Aw, sure. Never too busy for that, Glow.” Glow Wand nearly fell over with excitement when she said his name. “You, uh, got something I can write with?” The excited Pegasus fumbled with his saddlebag for a moment before producing a quill and notepad. With all the concentration she could muster and her best poker face to mask the discomfort, Vinyl used her horn magic to control the quill as it danced across the paper. “To my big fan Glow Wand, rock on! All my wubs, DJ-PON3”

Glow Wand nearly hugged the paper with giddy glee. “Thanks so much, DJ! You rock!” He literally flew out the door, eager to brag to his friends.

Vinyl turned back to the counter, a smug smile on her face. “Well? Whatcha think now?”

The shopkeeper looked to her, a calculating grin on his face. “OK, OK, so you got a fanbase. I guess having something of yours around would be pretty helpful. But anypony can forge an autograph. I’m thinking something more personal would be worth fifty bits.”

Vinyl looked at him suspiciously. “What… do you mean?”

The colt pointed his hoof at her face. “Those sunglasses. Never seen any like ‘em before. I bet they’re your trademark, huh?”

Vinyl’s mouth dropped open. “My- my shades?” She asked softly.

“Yeah, those shades, autographed… Now that would be worth it.”

“But- but I’ve had these forever-“ Vinyl began, feeling that horrible nervousness and nausea rising in the pit of her stomach once more.

“Well, suit yourself, ain’t nobody forcin’ ya.” The shopkeeper replied coolly. “But, uh- if you did wanna make the deal, it’d be yours, no bits at all.”

Vinyl looked to the ground, noting that the tremor in her forelegs was coming back full force. She felt a tear form in the corner of her eye as she lifted a shaking hoof to her trademark glasses and placed them gingerly on the counter, blinking in the bright light. “Fine, you win. You got them, now give it.”

“Ah, no, the deal was the shades autographed.” The colt stated as he slid a silver marker on the counter.

“Oh, come on! Nopony else has shades like that and you know it!”

“Deal or not?” came the impassive reply. Vinyl scowled and made no attempt to hide her pain this time as her horn fizzled and sparked and the marker scrawled her signature onto the lenses, effectively making them useless. It was far less graceful than the effort she had given to Glow Wand’s autograph, but it got the job done. The smug voice reached her ears. “Feeling under the weather, huh? Little too much partying? No wonder you only got twenty-six-“ The words were cut short by Vinyl’s hooves pounding on the counter.

“Just hold up your end of it, you buck.” She spat furiously.

The shopkeeper shrugged. Not much use in needling the unicorn much more; He had what he wanted now anyway. “All right, all right. Play it cool, babe.” He grinned as he turned to the shelf behind him to retrieve the box that had caused all this.

“I am cool.” Vinyl muttered in reply as she reached out and removed the one thing she wanted from the box that had cost her more than she ever expected. She turned on her hooves and went to exit.

“Have a great day, come-“ the shop keeper began when the door suddenly slammed shut with such force it knocked over part of the display beside it. “-again.” He sighed before holding the glasses up to the light happily… He could only imagine how many bits these babies would bring in.

*****

Octavia emerged from the shower, a towel wrapped around her body as she used another to dry her mane. Side two of the blues album had just finished, and she considered putting the first side back on again before deciding not to. This time, she felt, she had to focus her thoughts on the evening that lay ahead. With great care, she lifted the treasured gift from the turn table and slid it inside its paper, then cardboard, sleeve. The album was placed back into its reserved spot and she selected one of her favorite pieces by the Marescow Royal Philharmonic. Say what one would about Ponyakov, he was so correct in his pride for that orchestra. They outshone so many, her own outfit included. The triumphant tones of “Fleurs De Cheval” filled the room as Octavia sat at her vanity and chose the best brush to begin grooming her mane. All had to be perfect for tonight, after all…

Outside, Vinyl stumbled unsteadily up the path as imagined voices jabbered in her ears. She felt as if she were losing her mind. The journey back home had been a nightmare with the sun in her eyes and the feeling that Tartarus was now opening its gates fully to pull her in. No less than three times on the way she had had to stop and look around her, believing she had heard Doc’s voice calling to her.

Somehow, she had finally reached home with her prize from the mule of a shop owner clutched tightly in her hooves. She could hear the sound of the classical music, muffled by the door but still so distinctly Octavia! Some part of her mind wondered if this was just another instance of her hearing things, but somehow she knew it was real. Her limbs shook violently as she reached a hoof to the doorknob when the bright sun suddenly went dark and the ground rushed up to fill her vision…

Comments

[Amdazzler]

Oh no, the dreaded cliffhanger! D: