• Published 11th Jun 2012
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Accidental Harmony - errant



A desperate cellist is in over her head when she takes a job at a nightclub.

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Chapter 15

“I . . . you . . . how dare you!” Octavia spluttered. “How dare you hold our relationship hostage to get your way!”

“Oh yeah? How dare you try and force me into doing something I don't wanna do? You've been acting like I'm a piece of freaking luggage you can pack up and move whenever you want,” Vinyl snapped back.

The two seething mares held each other's gaze, glaring harshly all the while. It was Octavia who looked away first, ears flattened. “I guess I didn't really take your feelings on the matter into consideration, did I?” she asked sheepishly.

“Not really,” Vinyl replied shortly, sitting stiffly and not really looking at her companion.

“I-I'm sorry, Vinyl,” Octavia quietly admitted. “I guess I'm being the unreasonable one here, expecting you to just be perfectly fine with moving somewhere so different from what you're accustomed to.”

Vinyl's posture softened slightly as she said, “Well, it was pretty lame of me to threaten to make you leave me. I'm sorry too, Tavi. I hope you know I didn't mean it.”

Octavia finally turned her head to make eye contact with Vinyl, wearing a tentative smile that Vinyl shakily returned.
“I want you to tell me something, Tavi; why do you suddenly wanna move away from Canterlot so bad? I mean, I thought you really wanted to get your musical career back on track and all,” Vinyl asked.

“I'm just . . . tired, I guess is the best way to phrase it. It's been months now since the Gala and I'm still practically blacklisted all through Canterlot. I got lucky and Fancy Pants was willing to hire me that one time, but that was because the cellist he originally hired had to back out. Ever since the fire I've been working so hard; I've been to hundreds of auditions and tryouts, I've applied to every quartet, ensemble and symphony, I've begged and pleaded and explained my situation time and time again and it just doesn't matter. Nopony cares at all. Sometimes I think you're the only pony in Equestria who doesn't think I'm a colossal disgrace and failure,” Octavia said as she stared sightlessly down at the table.

“Tavi . . .” Vinyl said softly as she reached across the table to lay a hoof on Octavia's. “Why didn't you tell me any of this? I thought we agreed not to hide our feelings from each other anymore. Hay, I thought I was the only one who was feeling bad about not being able to get a job.”

“I just didn't want to admit it to myself,” Octavia sighed. “I thought that if I kept trying it would eventually get better. But I can't take it anymore, Vinyl. It hurts, being rejected time and time again for something that truly isn't my fault. And I got so worried about running out of money and getting kicked out. I was afraid . . . forgive me, Vinyl . . . I was afraid that you would leave me if that happened.”

“You don't have to worry about that, Treble Clef. You know I wouldn't leave you,” Vinyl reassured her.

“Even if I decide I want to move to Ponyville?” Octavia asked uncertainly.

Vinyl looked away, embarrassed, and sighed. “We both know I'd follow you to Tartarus if I had to,” she murmured quietly enough so that only they could hear. “It hurts to think about leaving behind what's probably the only chance I'm gonna get at making it big, but you're more important to me in the end.”

“I don't know what I ever did to deserve you. I'm sorry I doubted your loyalty, Vinyl. You deserve so much better than that,” Octavia said with an uplifted heart. “I'm not going to insist on you agreeing to move anywhere, and especially not here. After all, we've only been visiting here for less than a day. It would be quite foalish to make a decision so quickly. All I ask is that you think about it, alright?”

“Ok, Tavi,” Vinyl agreed. “I know you're just trying to do what's best for us both. I'll try not to be such a stubborn mule anymore, either.”

“Thank you, Vinyl. I'll try not to take your agreement with me for granted again. You're a pony too, after all. You deserve to have your opinions respected.”

“Glad to hear it, Treble Clef. Now, I'm gonna live up to my promise; what'dya say we check out some more of Ponyville so that we can make a decision. Together.”

“That sounds lovely, my dear,” Octavia agreed. Together they left their table and, after paying their tab, walked side-by-side towards part of the unfamiliar town they hadn't explored yet.


“HI!” a shrill voice called out as confetti rained down on an empty table. A blindingly pink pony appeared a second later, apparently emerging from behind a particularly large flower planter. “Awww, they already left,” she pouted when she took in the lack of audience. “Darn it, I knew I shouldn't have put in that last batch of cupcakes; they made me late.”


“Well, I have to admit that I can understand your reluctance to want to live in Ponyville, Vinyl. It's certainly no Canterlot,” Octavia admitted as they walked down yet another dirt road between rows of identical rustic houses only occasionally interrupted by a more colorful storefront. One particularly prominent structure caught her attention, all elegant curves and glass windows showcasing what looked like an incredibly upscale array of dresses. “Look at that, Vinyl; it's just like a carousel,” she said admiringly. “Vinyl?” she called out questioningly when she realized that her companion was no longer keeping pace with her as she walked. Looking behind her, she saw Vinyl rooted to the spot, staring at the intriguing store with a confused expression.

“I think I've been there before,” she said slowly.

“Vinyl, don't be absurd. You said yourself that you've never been to Ponyville before,” Octavia replied.

“Yeah, I know. But still, I swear I remember that place.”

“A dress shop is hardly the kind of place I can see you frequenting,” Octavia observed.

Vinyl said nothing in reply as she continued to stare determinedly. Without warning she started walking at a surprisingly fast pace. “Vinyl, wait! You're just going to make a fool of yourself,” Octavia called as she trotted after her marefriend.
Vinyl barged in the door with all the decorum of a manticore, causing the bell suspended above the door to tinkle in response. Its tone summoned a call of “Be right there, darling,” from somewhere in the building.

“Vinyl, we have no business here. Let's go,” Octavia reprimanded. Vinyl waved her off with a silent shake of her head as she peered studiously around the store's stock of fashionable dresses as if trying to jog her memory. Her ruminations were interrupted by the emergence of another white unicorn from a drape-covered doorway. Unlike Vinyl's anarchic blue mane, this mare's deep purple mane was flawlessly arranged to offset eyes of sapphire blue. Her coat was clearly professionally tended to, pure and pristine and smooth. As soon as she laid eyes on Vinyl, though, a smile spread over face. “Miss Scratch, what a pleasure to see you again! What brings you to my humble boutique?” she asked.

“Vinyl, do you know this mare?” Octavia asked uncertainly.

Vinyl opened her mouth, desperately combing her memory for the elegant mare's name.

Regality? Regency? C'mon, Scratch, think!

“Oh my dear, do forgive me; my name is Rarity. Miss Scratch here once did me the great favor of providing music and lighting for a fashion show I put on.”

Hah! I knew it was something like that.

“My name is Octavia, and it's a pleasure to meet you as well,” Octavia replied.

The non-Vinyl unicorn let out a dramatic gasp before replying, “Octavia Philharmonica, the famous earth pony cellist?”

“Former famous earth pony cellist,” Octavia corrected. “I'm afraid I've been a little down on my luck since the Grand Galloping Gala.”

“Oh, how dreadfully unfortunate. What on Equestria happened? When last I heard you were quite the rising star in Canterlot,” Rarity asked.

“Well, my ensemble at the Gala was harassed by this truly obnoxiously pink mare who wanted us to play some ridiculous foal's song. We did so, much to the annoyance of the other guests. We ended up being held partially responsible for the fiasco that the Gala turned into and I found myself practically blacklisted and unable to find work afterward,” Octavia explained.

“The song you were asked to play wouldn't happen to have been the 'Pony Pokey', would it?” Rarity asked with forced lightness.

“Erm, yes, actually. How did you know that?” Octavia asked.

“I happened to be at the Gala this year and I believe I may have overheard your . . . performance,” Rarity answered with a brittle smile. “I must say, I saw the . . . fiasco, as you called it, unfold and I for one don't see how you could be blamed for any of it.”

“Well, the Canterlot high society needed someone to take their annoyance out on and I unfortunately lack the protection of position, rank or wealth,” Octavia replied with a tired sigh.

Rarity only tutted and shook her head. “I'm very sorry to hear about your misfortune. Might I ask what brings you to fair Ponyville, and in company of Miss Scratch at that?”

“Well, it's kinda related to what Tavi was talking about,” Vinyl piped up. “We're looking for a cheaper place to live than Canterlot. Neither one of us has work right now and it's getting sorta hard to pay the rent,” she said casually.

“Oh. You're looking for someplace together, then,” Rarity said with a knowing flutter of her eyes.

“Well, yes,” Octavia admitted with a blush.

“How long do you two intend to be in Ponyville, then?” Rarity asked.

“We're only visiting for the day, so we'll be heading back to Canterlot around sundown,” Octavia answered.

“I believe that's quite a bit in the future, darlings,” Rarity said as she cast a judging eye out the window and towards the horizon. “Since you have some time to spare, I don't suppose you would be willing to accompany me to meet a friend of mine, would you?”


“Vinyl, what is going on here? I thought you said you've never been to Ponyville before, but now not only have you been here, but you've put on a show here?” Octavia asked Vinyl quietly as they walked a short distance behind the elegant Rarity.

“Well, I sort of remember somepony hiring me to do some music and stuff for her. But I didn't really remember who she was. Or where,” Vinyl answered equally quietly.

“How do you forget something like that?” Octavia asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

“I may have been slightly drunk. Or a little more than slightly,” Vinyl admitted with a shrug of her shoulders.

“Ugh, why am I not surprised,” Octavia groaned.

“What can I say? DJ's party hardest,” Vinyl joked with a carefree grin.

“How long ago was this?” Octavia asked.

“It was way before I met you. A few months before the Gala, I think. I was partying that night when I got a phone call out of nowhere, asking if I could come out and do my thing. I was pretty messed up but the pay was good, so I came out here, worked and went home and passed out. I guess it just kind of slipped my mind till my memory got jogged.”

“Goodness, Vinyl. I didn't think you were that kind of pony.”

“I kinda calmed down after I started making serious efforts to get my club started,” Vinyl explained. “It's cool to be drunk when I'm just playing music for somepony else, but it doesn't work so well when I'm running stuff myself.”

“I should think not,” Octavia began before she was interrupted by Rarity suddenly changing course for a confectionary-styled building that resembled nothing so much as an enormous gingerbread house.

“Here we are, dears,” Rarity announced as she strode up to the door and let herself in. Looking at each other slightly askance, Vinyl and Octavia followed her in. As soon as Octavia entered her gaze locked on a perky pink pony standing behind the counter. Her heart skipped and her breath caught as her world narrowed to herself and the architect of her downfall.

“You,” she growled, causing Rarity to look at her worriedly and Vinyl to take a step away from her. “You . . . pink abomination. You ruined my life!”