Her Magnum Opus

by Miss Marionette

The Search Begins

“Wait...Just so we have got this straight. You want Lyra and I to watch over your house, and your Octopus, while you go back to Manehatten to chase some crazy idea that Octavia’s suicide isn’t as cut and dry as just a simple suicide? All because the wording in her suicide note doesn’t sit well with you?” Bon Bon asked, looking over the hastily made checklist of stuff I made.

“Yep. That sounds about right to me. A bit of a negative light to put it in. It’s not crazy.” I answered, turning back to look at her and Lyra, sitting at the dining room table.

It’d been three days since Octavia and I read Octavia’s suicide note, and I’d been busy the whole time. I needed someone to look over the house, collect my mail, and take care of Octavipus, so who better than Lyra and Bon Bon? So, I spent those three days cleaning up the house, much to Octavia’s approval. It had been a long, hard task. Many trash bags were used, but I finally had the house suitable for being cared for.

I’d called Bon Bon and Lyra over in the morning, while I myself began packing my saddlebags and a few other cases. The cello included of course. I really don’t think that I would of been able to go without it. I still liked to hear Octavia play. It was the only true music in my life, besides the occasional random song that I would hear on the street.

“I gotta say, Vinyl...when we got the call, I was kinda hoping for something different. Like, I don’t know...That you were finally moving on with yourself. I didn’t think that you’d planned out this.” Lyra frowned, watching my pack up the cello, while keeping herself busy with Octavipus.

“She has a point, Vinyl. We came here hoping you were starting to recover. Not that you were, well, concocting some scheme like this.” Bon Bon added, nodding to Lyra, before looking back at me.

I just shook my head, stopping my packing to just sit down. They’d been at this ever since I told them about the note. I’d let them read it themselves, and they had still kept on about this. Trying to convince me that it was a bad idea. Trying to talk me out of going to Manehatten. Of finding out the truth of what happened to Octavia Melody, my marefriend.

I glanced up, Octavia sitting at the counter, a frown on her face. “Vinyl...They are our friends. They only mean well for you. You can just let this go, if you really wanted.” Octavia said, glancing down, but that just seemed to strike a chord inside of me. A chord deep inside of me.

“Are you going to take care of the house and my pet, or not?” I asked, not getting up, just sitting there with my back to them. I really wasn’t feeling up to seeing their disapproving gazes. I could hear them whispering behind me, while I waited for an answer.

“...We’re just not sure if it’d be good for your health, Vinyl. Your mental state is under duress as is. We just think that it’d be better if you take some more time to really think this over, Vinyl.” Bon Bon said, Lyra giving a sound of confirmation. If what Octavia said to me struck a chord, what they said made that chord snap.

“What if it was Lyra?” I asked, turning to face the two. “What if it was Bon Bon?” I pressed on, looking between their shocked faces. Seems that they’d never considered such a scenario. “I’ve done my waiting. I’ve sat in this house for over a month, with just my own thoughts, and grief, and I’m frankly sick of it.” I said, feeling wetness in my eyes, a small tear falling from my eye, slipping past my glasses. “If you were in my horseshoes, I’d do whatever I could to help you deal with it. I’d watch your house and shop in an instant.” I was on a roll, my voice filled with breaks, but I didn’t care. “Now, you can either help me. Watch over my house while I go find the answers I need, or you can just leave right now, and I’ll find some REAL friends to watch over my house.”

My voice had more venom than I would of liked, speaking with friends, but I didn’t care. They’d been hurting me all morning, I deserved some payback. I sat there and watched my words sink into the pair of them. They exchanged a look, and they knew. I’d be going to Manehatten one way or another. They could either help me, or risk our friendship. At this moment in time, I didn’t care either way. I was just sick of being told no. That I was crazy. That Octavia had killed herself for no reason whatsoever.

Eventually, Bon Bon just let out a defeated breath. “...Fine, Vinyl. We’ll watch your house and your pet. Just, promise me...Promise us, as your friends. If nothing comes up. If you don’t find anything in Manehatten, you’ll come home, and you’ll seek some help.”

“Yeah. We seriously do care, Vinyl.” Lyra added, the pair of them finally looking at me. I supposed that was about as good of an answer as I was going to get.

“Yeah...I know you girls care. I just, need to do this. I need to figure out the truth. I promise, I’ll tell you girls everything I find.” I said, finally smiling to the pair, and they smiled back. It was good, to be smiling instead of at each others throats. To be smiling period, really.

“Well, I for one am just glad that that’s over with.” Octavia said, hugging me from the side suddenly. It was good to have her comfort. I was still well aware that she wasn’t the real thing, but that didn’t matter. She was Octavia, and she was mine.

The rest of the morning went on uneventfully. They helped me pack the rest of my things, and lent me some bits. I tried to tell them that I had more than enough saved up in Octavia and my’s bank account, but they’d hear nothing of it. That it was the least they could do after putting me through the grill all morning about my whole quest. I honestly expected that the only reason they were okay with the whole plan was because I promised to seek professional help once it was all over and done with. I suppose anything to get them off of my back and on my side.

Eventually, though, they had to go home to do some things around their own house. I saw them off, and they promised that they’d be back in the afternoon to feed Octavipus, and begin the proper house sitting. I was happy that it was them who’d be watching over my home. I had others friends, yeah, but I feared that Pinkie might just end up doing...something unspeakable to my dear homestead. Rarity might of turned it into some...fashion zone, because who knows when inspiration might strike? No, Lyra and Bon Bon were my best bet.

I finally packed the last thing, before Octavia finally sat down next to me, a small look of concern on her face. “Vinyl, while this plan of yours is well and good, and I am personally all for finding out the reasons for my death...Where are we even going to begin? Manehatten is a big city, and you’re just one pony. You need a plan.” Octavia said, ever the voice of reason, even from beyond the grave,

“I don’t know, I’ll...I’ll make a plan. Write up a list of all the places we visited, and just visit those one by one.” Even I admit, the plan needed some work, but it was the best I could come up with. Octavia sighed, rolling her eyes, before I noticed what her hoof was resting on. A tossed open newspaper, but that didn’t matter. Something drew me to the picture her hoof was on.

“Move” I eventually urged, shooing Octavia with my hooves, before I floated up the newspaper and laid it out on the table. It was a simply an article, detailing a musical performance in Manehatten. A memorial performance for the late, great Octavia, performed by her old ensemble. There was a big picture of the opening night, with a large group of ponies entering into the concert hall. I looked over the group passively, before I suddenly noticed a single mare.

She was near the back of the crowd, almost out of the sight of the picture. She was dressed in a pair of circular shades, blocking her eyes from view. A hat cast a shadow over most of her face, and her body was covered in a black coat, but staring at her, I just had this...feeling. The shape of her tail, the curve of her body, from what I could see of it. The slightly peeking out cutie mark.

“...Octavia…” I whispered, staring at the photo. It was a stretch, yes. The face was obscured, and the cutie mark was only peeking out, but the color of that hide. The color of that tail...I had no doubt of the identity of that mare. Octavia leaned over to look at the picture as well.

“Oh my...Vinyl, are you sure? I mean, cousin Fiddlesticks has always looked rather similar to me. I will admit, the similarities are there. I just want you to be completely sure when you chase leads...But, the similarities are there. Doubtlessly.” Octavia said, looking at the picture.

“I’m sure of it. Somewhere in Manehatten, there’s a mare that looks damn close to you, and I plan to find her. She might know what’s up. Have a connection to the funky wording in the suicide note.” I was grasping at straws, but that didn’t stop me. Was she just a doppelganger of Octavia? A relative I might not of known about? Octavia had always been a bit private on her family. A bit ashamed of the snobbery of it all.

“But, Vinyl, it seems that she’s not alone.” Octavia pointed out. I leaned in, gazing at the photo a bit closer. It was true, she was flanked on either side by ponies dressed rather similar to her. I just stared, before finally resting my chin against the table, closing my eyes. Octavia resting her hoof on my back in a show of comfort.

“I get the distinct feeling that this is going to just get more complicated the deeper I dig...All the more reason to keep digging.” I finally said, before picking up the newspaper. I tugged out some scissors, and got to cutting out the picture, before packing it into my saddlebag. I needed something as a reference, after all.

“I know that look...You’re going to go talk to the ensemble, aren’t you? I mean, if you suspect that mare of being related to Octavia, I’m sure that they could stumble onto the same thought.” Octavia said, and I just stared at her for a few long moments. I was just going to go to the concert hall, and ask for the guest list of opening night.

“...Yep. That was totally my plan. Not really, but thanks for the idea, Tavi.” I smiled, giving her a quick kiss on the lips. The mare just sighed, smiling at me in return. “Come on. Let’s get started than...Manehatten isn’t going anywhere, but that mare might.” It felt good to have a solid goal.

The train ride to Manehatten was long and mostly uneventful, so naturally, I dozed off for a bit. A way to pass the train ride, really. Yet, as I sat in my seat, the dreams began. Now, when Octavia first died, I dreamed of her. Dreams and nightmares galore. They say that Luna visits the nightmares of those in need. You’d have to ask somepony else to confirm that, because I didn’t know. Yet, as weird as those dreams could get, none of them held a candle to the dream I had on that train ride.

It was like I was underwater, could hardly hear anything clearly, and my vision was blurry at best. It was a large bedroom, in what looked to be old Equestria. I mean, sure, we haven’t had much of a technological advance besides me and my turntables, but it just felt old. The room was dark, and it was just Octavia and I. I wanted to speak, but I couldn’t. We were dressed in rather fancy get ups, and from what I could tell, the room was utterly posh. Besides that, I couldn’t really make out anything. No details, as it were. Just the posh room, and Octavia, while all else seemed to be blurry.

Then, Octavia and I, or my body at least, began to speak. I couldn’t make out much, but there was emotion in it. Octavia sounded troubled, like some weight was on her shoulders. I sounded sincere, as if I was trying to calm her down or something. Yet, I just felt this sense of...dread, every time I looked out at the horizon. Like there was something out there to be afraid of, but what? I became frustrated at the lack of being able to hear. To understand. They say dreams can be visions, well, if this was a vision, what was it trying to tell me?

I didn’t get my answer, when I suddenly heard Octavia’s voice in my ears. “Vinyl, it’s time to wake up. The train’s stopping.” I opened my eyes suddenly, and winced at the direct blast of sun I got in them. The room from my dream had been pretty dark, after all. I just gave a small grumble, before placing my shades over my eyes once again. Octavia smiled, giving me a quick peck on the cheek before trotting off to wait for me near the exit. Still where I could see her though, like always.

I gathered up my saddlebags and my few other carry ons with my magic, before following Tavi off of the train and into the streets of Manehatten. I had to stop, and just take a moment to sit down and gaze around the city. This city, it was the place where I had been given everything. My career, my shades, my fame, my fortune, even my Octavia...yet, it’s also the place that I’d lost it all in one night. Talk about mixed emotions for a single location. “Vinyl, are you quite alright?” Octavia asked, and I just shook my head in response.

“Yeah, Tavi, I’ll be fine. Let’s just get going, before the nostalgia crushes me.” I responded, getting a small giggle out of the grey mare.

Finding a hotel to stay in really wasn’t too awfully hard. Despite being out of the game for a month, my name still held weight. Tavi pointed out a lovely place near the concert hall, and it was near a few other places as well. I had thought of staying at...that one place, but I soon realized it would probably cripple me more than anything.

So, instead, I stopped by the hotel and booked one of the nicer rooms. Old habits die hard and all that. I made sure to tip with a bit extra to ensure that the owner or the employees didn’t go running around and telling all their friends who exactly was back in town. I was here to find out what happened to Octavia, not sign autographs and answer as to why exactly I wasn’t in the music business anymore.

“So, Vinyl, the sun is beginning to go down...When do you think would be the best time to approach them?” Octavia asked, and I just shrugged.

“No time like the present, right? If they’re gonna be playing again, they’ll be at the concert hall. I’ll just wave my name, get into the dressing room, and get some answers.” I nodded, a grin on my face. Maybe this would be easier than I originally thought? I got settled in my room, dropping off all of my luggage, before finally sprucing myself up in my own way, and setting off for the concert hall.

My trip to the concert hall was short, since the hotel wasn’t too far off either. Just like I thought, my name still had all the weight that I wanted it to have. Needed it to have. Thankfully, it was a classical concert hall. No one was going to press for me to play, and I got a few condolences. I was thankful for that. It helped me from relapsing back into thinking Tavi was alive. I needed to stay focused. I needed to remember why I was here in the first place.

I stood outside of the dressing room of the ensemble, and just took a moment to close my eyes and remember. The many times that I’d been in this same spot. Knocking, and waiting for one of the ensemble to open up. At first, I’d been an annoyance, but eventually, I was a welcome face. Always there to give Octavia words of encouragement, hold her close. The works. Spent sometime with the ensemble as a group, just hanging out. I’d not visited them since that day, but, well...I just hoped they could help me now.

I finally got the gumption, and gave the door a few knocks. It took a bit, and I could hear them shuffling about behind the door, before it suddenly opened. Frederick stared back at me, seemingly stunned to see me. I offered him a small smile now. “Uh, hey Freddy. Long time no see.” I said, trying to stay as calm as could be.

“He doesn’t seem too overjoyed to see you.” Tavi said, and it was true. If anything, Freddy seemed on edge at the sight of me. He was trying to hide it, sure, but something had the stallion shaken up. That was undeniable.

“Ah. Miss Scratch. To what do I, um, owe the...pleasure?” Freddy asked, cocking an eyebrow, staring at me. The way he positioned himself, it was like he was trying to block me from viewing the room. Like that didn’t, well, scream suspicion. First I spot the mare in the picture of opening night, and now this? Something was up, and I was going to get to the bottom of it.

“Freddy, I was just in town and I heard about the series of concerts you and the others were putting on. I thought that, well, I could pop in. That we could maybe have a chat?” I asked, trying to stay cheery. I couldn’t afford to show all my cards at the moment. I’d sound crazy, and with how jumpy Freddy was being, I didn’t want to give him any reasons to slam the door on my face. I just really hoped that he was just showing some pre-concert jitters.

“I-I’m not sure if that’s such a good idea, Vinyl. We have a concert to prepare for, and with emotions as it is because of the subject matter…” Freddy responded, and glanced back into the room.

“Oh, come on Freddy. I really want to see Beauty Brass and Harpo. I mean, it’s been awhile. I’d like to see them. There’s something I want to talk to you guys about…” I pressed, trying to take a step forward. Regrettably, Freddy was an earth pony, and I was a unicorn. No way in Tartarus I was going to power my way pass Freddy into the room. Besides, that really wouldn’t be a good reintroduction.

“Vinyl...Now is really, really not a good time.” Freddy pressed, stepping in front of me, to block me off even more. I looked at him, trying to judge his face. Something had definitely happened. Fine, now was the time to show my hoof of cards.

“Freddy...I read Octavia’s suicide note. It was off, there’s more to it than just a plain old suicide. I looked at the artical about your opening night. I saw a picture. A picture of a mare, that looked like Octavia. I mean, I know how you guys work. You would have spotted her in the crowd. I mean, did you approach her?” I asked, looking at him. His eyes, they were suddenly filled with fear.

“Vinyl. You need to go, now. I don’t have any idea what you’re possibly talking about. I thought you coming here was a sign that you’d recovered, but I was obviously wrong.” Freddy said, stepping back. “Go. The others don’t need to hear such nonsense.” Freddy pressed on, before he went to close the door.
I pressed my hoof into the door, staring at Freddy. “Freddy. I want some damn answers NOW.” I said, and Freddy just set his face, staring down at me.

“Vinyl. This is not a road you want to go down. Go home, burn that photo, and burn that note. Go after the leads, and you won’t like it. Just leave us out of it!” Freddy responded, before opening the door wide, and slamming it in my face. What I saw, though, in the brief time that it was open...Beauty Brass, with her foreleg broken, and Harpo sporting a nasty black eye. As if someone had put them through a shake down.

I spent a few minutes outside of the door, hoping for Freddy or one of them to open the door. To see sense, and talk to me. When I saw one of the halls security guards turning the corner, I got the message. I wasn’t going to get any answers from Octavia’s old ensemble. Buck, if anything, I was just dumped with more questions. I was angry, frustrated. When I stepped outside, I was cold. I’d forgotten my scarf inside the concert hall, and I was really not going to go back in there.

“Vinyl, I know what you’re thinking...But, you saw what happened to Beauty Brass. To Harpo, and Freddy seemed quite scared enough. We should go back to the hotel room, collect ourselves. Not go off and do something...stupid.” Octavia said, walking next to me.

“I’m not going to do anything stupid, Tavi. I am just gonna find my old, favorite bar, and get roaring drunk for the first time in Celestia knows how long.” I responded, and despite her being a hallucination in my head, I could still hear her face hoof. I didn’t quite care at the moment. I was pissed. I needed something to just take my mind off things. I could rework my attack strategy tomorrow. Tonight, it was drinky drink time.

My favorite bar, The Trot, really wasn’t too hard to find. I hadn’t been there in awhile, but it hadn’t changed. It was one of those holes in the walls that nopony noticed, yet somehow stayed in business. I liked it simply for the reason that nopony knew me there. Literally. I once held a gig right next door, and the bartender never put it together. Like I said...Nopony noticed, but was perfect for a famous mare to hide out in. I even took Octavia to it, on one of our first dates.

I stopped drinking after that, simply for the reason that I could be ‘a bit of a tit’ when drunk. I did love that mare. Her hallucination gave me a disapproving look the whole entire time. “If you want, you can...Poof, till I’m done drinking.” I said, glancing to her while waiting for my first drink. Cider and rum.
“And let you go completely off the handle? I need to remain for you to stay at least semi reasonable.” Octavia said, the drink being slid to me. Another perk of this bar? No one asked questions if you chatted with your dead marefriend. Not a soul.

“Thanks, Tavi.” I responded, raising up my glass with my magic. “Cheers.” I smirked, before the drinking began.

There are many types of drinkers. Social drinkers, sad drinkers, celebratory drinkers, angry drinkers. Me? Besides the one time I took Octavia to this little bar? I drank. To get. Drunk. It was an artform, and I was a professional artist. I cursed Freddy’s name with every drink, but at the same time, I had to feel pity for the guy. Whoever had come to the ensemble and did that to them...Must not of been pretty.

Hours went by, and I dutifully chugged my drink. Well, drinks, really. Eventually, I deemed I was more than drunk enough. On the way out, though, I bumped a pony. In my drunken stupor, I just giggled in response, till my eyes glanced down to the floor. It was a black, flower hair clip. That wasn’t what froze me, though. What froze me, is that it wasn’t just any black flower hair clip. It was an exact copy of one I got Octavia.

“...Might wanna pick that up.” Octavia urged, and I just gave a drunken giggle, before floating it up and clipping it into my hair. I was too drunk to see, or turn around to find who’d dropped it. Instead, I just went on my merry way, giggling. Tonight, I was the good, happy drunk. I didn’t even make it back to my room. Let alone my hotel. I was halfway through a city park, before I simply fell onto a bench, Octavia looked at me, before sighing. “Goodnight, my sweet.” I just giggled once more, giving a small wave.

“G’night, Tavi!” I replied, giving her a little wave, before finally dozing off.

I dreamed again, same room, with just me and Octavia, in our fancy get ups. It was night, and I was standing next to her, my hoof on her shoulder. She spoke, but her mouth seemed to move to fast for me to even lip read, and her words were like a buzzing in my ears. Indistinguishable. When I responded, it was the same story. Suddenly, there was a loud sound. Our heads snapped to the outside, and we saw quite a sight. A bright light, encompassing the moon...and when it faded, there was the shape of an almost mare on it.

Octavia looked down at herself, before looking up. She said something, and I tugged the blinds closed. My head turned back to her, and the world around us seemed to suddenly slow down. “...Do you love me?” Octavia asked, looking directly into my eyes. I stared back at her, just letting the question hang there in the air between up.

“To Tartarus and back, my love.” I responded. The sun rose just then, and the screaming suddenly began. I saw Octavia’s face be overwhelmed with panic, and then the dream ended.

I woke up the next morning, to the sound of cello music, filling the whole area. I sniffed the air, and caught a familiar scent. It was like tea and lavender...Filling the whole area. I remembered that scent. I remembered it so very well. I loved that scent, and more than that, I loved that mare who it belonged to. “...Octavia?” I asked, and the music suddenly stopped. I didn’t bother opening my eyes. I just groaned, and finally felt the full effects of my hang over starting to kick in.

I don’t know how long I laid there in bed, before my eyes finally drifted open. I began to notice a few things were off. I was in bed. My hotel bed, when I remembered falling asleep on a park bench in the middle of Manehatten. Besides that, there was that scent. Her scent. Filling the air. On my coat. My shades were set on the nightstand in front of me, along with the bow I usually wore of Octavia’s, and the hair pin.

I slowly got up, rubbing my hooves against my eyes, while still inhaling the scent filling the air. The scent of Octavia. “You seem troubled.” I heard Octavia say, and I turned to see her standing in the corner.

“Are you…?” I asked, my eyes hopeful, while I began to put on my shades and the bow. Octavia just frowned, sighing and shaking her head, putting her hoof through her chest as if to prove the point. I cursed under my breath, before getting off of the bed and shaking my own head. “Of course I’m troubled...My head is killing me. I got a hangover. I’m having weird as Tartarus day, I keep coming onto leads that lead into brick walls...Yeah, I’m troubled.” I cursed.

“What are you going to do now?” Octavia asked, walking up to me and looking at me in the eyes. I closed my eyes, and nodded. I had said I came back here to visit the scene of the crime, but even I doubted I was up for that. Instead...I could visit the next best thing.

“We’re going to your grave, Tavi...It’s time I paid my respects again.” I sighed, before nodding to the mare. Octavia seemed a bit shocked. I glanced to her to offer some words of encouragement, before I noticed something I hadn’t before. “Tavi...Last night, when I left...Did I have the window open?” Octavia glanced behind her, at the open window.

“I...I have no idea.” Octavia frowned, which made sense. If I didn’t know, well, she wouldn’t know either. Maybe it’d come to me? Later on. I just shook my head, and began to make my way out, Octavia close behind. I wanted to get to that grave, and soon.”

Octavia’s grave sight was, in a word, beautiful. I wasn’t in the very best of mind when I was arranging for her funeral, thankfully, her family was a big stickler for having a constant will. Octavia’s had been simple. Everything went to me, she was to be buried in Manehatten, and it was to be a unicorn funeral.

Now, the difference between an earth pony funeral, and a unicorn funeral, was simple, and yet complex. An earth pony funeral, the body was lowered and returned to the earth, to let their natural magic fill the area. Enhance it and enrich the earth. A Unicorn funeral, the body was entombed in stone above ground, with a magical...Transmitter, for lack of better term, on the top. Octavia’s was a cello, and it was meant to let me feel her, as it were. A comfort to me above all else.

I stood there, and I felt nothing. I head cleared it off of snow,made it look all pretty, even rearranged the flowers that her fans and others had been leaving. I’d felt nothing during her funeral, and neither had Lyra, or Rarity, or any unicorns in attendance. I’d been told that it didn’t always work with earth ponies. But that time, I’d cooked up the hallucination, so I didn’t care.

Now? Now, it just made me mad. I was mad at everything, really. I was mad at Freddy, for shutting me out. I was mad at Lyra and Bon Bon, for not being completely on board with me. I was mad at the ensemble, for being shaken down. I was mad at whoever had shaken up the ensemble. I was furious at the scent in the room. I was furious at that picture in the news paper. I was angry at this trip for bearing nothing but more questions. I was angry at myself for getting drunk, and as a result, hungover.

Most of all? I was angry at Octavia. I stared at the tomb, gritting my teeth now. “You...are you even in there? Don’t you know how much I love you? Don’t you know that I was about to purpose?” I asked, turning away, looking to the ground. “Do you even care at the mess my life is? Octavia...are you even in there!?” I shouted, before suddenly bucking her grave, hard.

I gave out a small gasp, when I found my hooves breaking the stone, and causing it to collapse. I set my hooves down, and slowly turned to face the grave. I stared at the sizeable hole I had made, but more than that, I stared at what was inside of the hole.

“By...By Celestia…” Octavia gasped besides me, and I only nodded my head, slowly. It wasn’t what was inside of the hole, inside of the grave, that amazed me. Oh no...It was the lack there of.

The grave was empty.

Author's Note:

Chapter two's up!

Comments

[Miss Marionette]

5831649 Glad to hear you like it. The fear?

[Shadow_Wolf]

Well well....the plot she doth thicken

[TheOriginalSS]

I like this story, I defiantly am going to favorite this. Keep going!