Chapter 16: Remorse - Run to Her
Chapter 16: Remorse - Run to Her
[v]
“Tavi! Tavi, wake up!”
Octavia groaned. It was very rare to have Vinyl shout her awake. Sitting up, she stared at her excited roommate, who was repeatedly bouncing her front hooves on the bottom of her bed, her rear ones planted firmly on the floor. It was a weekend and Octavia’s usual day to sleep in and rest. Apparently, that was not going to happen tonight.
“Don’t glare at me like that," Vinyl said without her excitement waning at all. "Look at this!” Vinyl levitated a letter right up against Octavia’s muzzle, completely overcome with excitement. Groggily, Octavia wiped sleep from her eyes, took the letter, and started to read.
Flashes of Nightmare Night returned to her. It had been weeks since that frightful night and Vinyl had never mentioned the kiss again. Octavia had let the pain fade along with memory, but now it all came flooding back.
The letter, bearing a royal seal, was an invitation to the maiden voyage of Equestria’s first public cruise vessel; it was to be launched from Las Pegasus a week from today. Luna, true to her word, had provided them – and two guests – VIP passes and permission to play shows on board the ship.
The wording of Luna’s letter even went so far as to imply that many different genres would be appreciated, including country in a brief lineup; the Princess already knew who Octavia’s choice would be. As for Vinyl’s choice…
“Awesome! This is, like, the coolest thing! It’s even got its own special-effects coordinator and everything! Neon’s gonna flip when he sees this…”
… That was obvious. Octavia had known from the second she saw that they could bring guests who Vinyl would be bringing, but she kept her cool; she refused to her herself be upset about it. Ever since the duel, Octavia had truly grown to respect Neon, and he her. The two had forged a truce, even a friendship, on their mutual love for music and, on a smaller note, Vinyl. If anypony was with Vinyl, Octavia would prefer it be Neon. Or, at least that’s what she told herself when things got too painful.
“We should get to work right away.” Octavia said, sliding the blankets off herself, hopping off the bed, and moving towards the bathroom to clean up. “We need to make sure our schedules are cleared and that nothing with interfere with this trip.”
With an affirmative shout, Vinyl darted from the room, ready to get a message to Neon as quickly as she could.
Octavia glared at the mirror, her reflection not showing any amusement at being glared at. Her hair was a disheveled mess, her eyes were bloodshot from her rude awakening, and her mouth tasted like one giant ball of cotton. And, despite how she told herself it didn’t bother her, she saw the misery and inner turmoil drilling into her spirit. What was it Fiddle had said? That her emotions were destroying her?
Staring into the mirror, Octavia started to really consider her sister’s words more clearly. She reached for her makeup, hoping to mask her irritation from her roommate’s eyes. She would go and see her sister later.
Fiddlesticks had, of course, accepted. She bounced excitedly around the room at the idea of a cruise. “I’ve never been on the water before! Do you think we’ll see any rare fish?”
Octavia hadn’t wanted to spoil her fun, but she didn't think that fish-watching wasn’t on the list of events for the cruise. At least, she was fairly certain it wasn’t.
As she walked home, Octavia considered her thoughts from this morning. Seeing her sister only made her think harder about those accusing eyes in the mirror. She sighed, looking over to the side and pausing mid-step, spotting the road that lead to Lyra and Bon-Bon’s home. Without another sound or another thought, she turned and started walking down the road.
The night after Nightmare Night, Octavia had gone and told the pair of mares everything that had happened. Lyra, as always, supplied her with a moving speech about the passion within one’s heart and the power of fighting for what you love, while Bon-Bon provided level-headed, down-to-Equus advice, along with the most delicious honey tea Octavia had tasted in ages.
Now, she sat before them, head hung and body slumped. “I just can’t do this anymore. I hold it all in and tell myself it’s okay, but…”
“It’s eating you inside,” Bon-Bon said clinically, moving to Octavia’s side and guiding her to a seat. “You look terrible. Can I make you some tea?”
Octavia wanted to say yes, but her emotions stamped out her desires. “I don’t think I could stomach it right now, Bon-Bon. But thank you.”
Lyra sat not far away, looking over her friend with obvious concern. “You can’t stay there anymore, Octavia…” Lyra said the words quietly, but they still stung. “I hate to say it, but living with Vinyl is… not really an option, apparently.”
Octavia looked down to the floor, nodding her head.
“Did you ever talk to her about what happened on Nightmare Night?” Bon-Bon asked from Octavia’s side, sharing the seat with her friend.
“No. Why bother? Vinyl pretends like it never happened. It’s obvious how she feels about it all.” She felt the tears creeping into her eyes. She knew that, in this home – with these ponies – she was always free to let her emotions out. It was the only place she felt safe to do so.
“Is it? Really?” Bon-Bon’s voice was skeptical and Octavia looked over to her. The mare was smiling a little bit, giving her head a small shake. “You were ignoring your own feelings not too long ago, Octavia. You were confused, maybe a little scared, and you let that control you. Who’s to say she’s not just as nervous as you were?”
“You know, she makes a good point, Octavia.” Lyra smiled, sitting in a nearby seat. “You should talk to her. If nothing else, it’ll make explaining why you need to move out easier, right?”
Bon-Bon gave Lyra a glare, making her lover quickly scrunch her face and fold back her ears. It was rare for Lyra to say something hurtful and she never did it on purpose, but she always regretted it all the same.
Octavia drew into herself a little more, thinking. Fear batted against its cage in her mind, roaring to her sensibilities and dreams. She shook her head harshly, disrupting her carefully prepared mane. “She doesn’t love me, you two. I just need to accept that.” She whimpered as she said it, feeling her walls crumble. “Vinyl… Just doesn’t love me.”
The slap wasn’t something Octavia would have ever expected, especially not out of such a kind mare as Bon-Bon. It wasn't a gentle nor harsh slap; enough to sting but not enough to bruise. Octavia was stunned for a second – not in really pain, but more in shock – as she stared at her friend.
“That’s not the Octavia I know talking. That is fear and fatalism. You don’t surrender, Octavia; not when there's even a sliver of a chance. You never have before now.” Bon-Bon stared at her harshly, making her lean away. Slowly, the mare softened and patted Octavia’s muzzle where she’d hit her. “Do you feel better now?”
Octavia was amazed to find that she did. She had needed some sense slapped into her right then. “Thank you… I guess.” The cellist rubbed her face, chuckling. “I think you two are right. I need to tell her why I acted like I did. I won’t be able to look at myself in the mirror until I do.”
Both Lyra and Bon-Bon smiled, the former leaning back in her seat, letting her lower hooves hang. “I think the cruise might be the best time.” She said, looking at the ceiling.
“But, Neon and Fiddle will be there. How can I talk to her alone if Neon is always with her?” Octavia asked, frowning.
"Don’t make up excuses, Octavia.” Bon-Bon gave Octavia a slight nudge. “You know as well as I do that you’d only need to ask to speak with her alone, and Vinyl would make sure you two had privacy. Don’t run from this anymore, Octavia.”
Octavia took in a deep breath, already thinking about what she’d say.
“Make a way, Octavia.” Lyra said, smiling from her chair. “That’s how the war of love is. You need to earn your victories; they rarely ever come to you on their own.”
Octavia nodded, letting out the breath through her nose. She looked over to Bon-Bon, smiling warmly. “I think I’ll have that tea now, please.”
Fear and hope danced a tango in her brain. Could this really be her big chance?
The week flew past, anticipation speeding the days into a blur of planning and preparation. Concerts were delayed, tickets were purchased, instruments were packed, and promises of souvenirs were given. All the while, Octavia pondered over her relationship with Vinyl and where it could possibly go. She composed new songs, playing tunes that sang of inner conflict and drastic reformation.
Soon enough, it was time to leave.
The train to Las Pegasus was long, taking over a day and a half. The two musical mares, along with Neon and Fiddle, did everything but sleep throughout the whole ride; they were far too excited to close their eyes for even a moment. As the train pulled into the station, her first glimpse of Las Pegasus stole Octavia’s breath away.
Vinyl, who had been to this city multiple times for concerts, gave a friendly laugh at her friend’s reaction. She admitted openly that it was exactly how she had expected Octavia to react. This city was, quite possibly, Canterlot’s antithesis; filled to the brink with loud, boisterous ponies, gaudy buildings, and loud, loud music. Casinos, night clubs and towering places of business made up the buildings, drawing Octavia’s eyes all over. This truly was, as Vinyl said, a city that never slept. It was one big party that never, ever ended.
Under the light of the moon, ponies trotted this way and that along the city's bridged walkways, talking loudly and enjoying the company of this nocturnal wonderland. Lights and sound dominated the night, drawing one’s attention this way and that. As they walked the streets, Fiddle kept close to Octavia, gaping and gasping in her cowpony hat, shirt, and scarf, drawing more attention than her inwardly awed sister.
Neon looked the most at home here; ponies shouted his name, waved their hooves at him and, Octavia was pretty sure, several mares were purposefully wiggling their flanks in his direction. If Vinyl noticed, she didn’t comment. In Neon’s defense, he tried really hard to not stare.
“Our stuff is being delivered to the ship, right?” Neon asked, waving to a stallion who hoof-pumped and shouted his name.
“Yeah, the help should be getting it to the ship any minute now. They won’t go so far as to set it up, but it should be ready for us to add the finishing touches tomorrow morning.” Vinyl replied. She lagged back for a second, giving Octavia a little bump with her side and a reassuring smile.
The cellist had been extremely uncomfortable leaving her cello in the hooves of some pony she didn’t know personally. The stallion, whose name Octavia had forgotten already, was a stagehand for Vinyl in this city and was, according to her, trustworthy. Octavia trusted Vinyl, but the idea still made her uneasy. She forced such thoughts out of her mind by looking over the sights, soaking in this unique city.
“This place is truly amazing,” she nodded as she spoke, mostly to herself. She examined a building, loosely shaped like a glowing triangle with a diamond tip. “If a tad unusual.” She peered over at her friend and gave a wry smile. “Just like a certain pony I know and adore.”
Vinyl chuckled, giving her a rakish grin. “I’ve always liked Las Pegasus.” Vinyl said, looking around and taking in a deep breath through her nostrils. “It’s the only city that ever sang back at me while I played there. Manehattan was nice, and I ain’t got nothin’ against Phillydelphia, but this place, it feels like…”
“You?” Octavia finished, letting her grin melt into a warm smile. Vinyl smiled back, giving an affirmative nod.
“Whoa, check that out, Octi!” Fiddle gripped her sister around the shoulders, pointing to a street performer who bellowed out a gout of fire at just that moment. A nearby sign proclaimed him to be ‘The Dragon’, next to an overturned hat that was collecting bits.
Octavia chuckled at her sister’s enthusiasm, watching as Fiddle rushed over to deposit two bits in the hat, earning a firy thanks in the form of a fireball over her head.
Vinyl spoke up suddenly, motioning the group down another street. “We should really get goin’. We’re stayin’ with a friend of mine until tomorrow.” After Vinyl finished, a mare across the road shouted her name, waving both hooves. Vinyl rose up on her hind legs, pumping her hoof up into the air, making the mare – and all her friends – cheer.
Needless to say, Octavia was already slightly uncertain. Many of Vinyl’s friends tended to be as eccentric as her and, in many cases, were impossible to deal with. Case in point: Neon.
“So, what is this friend’s name?” Octavia asked, cautious but hopeful.
Vinyl dropped back to all fours, looking over to Octavia. “He’s called DJ-F8ted. Like, with an eight in there.”
“His real name, Vinyl. What should we all call him?” Octavia prodded, only a little irritable. Vinyl stopped mid-step blinking a few times.
“Huh… I uh… I have no idea, actually.”
Octavia sighed, resigned to her fate, and followed Vinyl as her friend picked up her step. It was, Octavia surmised, inevitable. She would follow this mare anywhere, regardless of who she had to deal with along the way.
Fated was a rather interesting pony, as it turned out. Octavia refused to use the eight in his name, as Vinyl did. Even if the only difference was in her own head, she didn’t much care.
He lived in a two-story building, a personal party palace taking up the entirety of the lower level.
Their host was a flighty, enigmatic soul – rarely seen and never heard. Octavia quickly understood why Vinyl had never heard this pony’s name; getting even one word out of him edgewise was next to impossible.
It was several hours before Octavia even met their host; a dark-colored stallion with a black, spiked mane, tipped with flares of bright red. At least, Octavia was fairly certain it was the enigmatic DJ she passed in one of the house’s halls. When she had said his stage name, he had looked at her, nodded without a single change of expression, and kept walking. Octavia wasn’t really certain what to say about that.
The DJ did however, play music regularly. The genre was a kind of electronic jazz, filled with both soul and sparks. After listening to his music, Octavia decided that she liked the mysterious, reclusive DJ as well; anypony who could make music filled with such passion needed to be an alright pony.
The night went by peacefully, the smooth music lulling Octavia into a comfortable sleep. Just before she passed out, she vowed to buy one of Fated’s CDs, for those nights when sleeping was just too difficult. The next morning, after a quick snack, the group slipped out of the DJ’s house.
Octavia looked ruefully over her shoulder. “I feel bad, leaving without saying goodbye…”
Neon chuckled. “Not about stayin’ without sayin’ hello? F8ted is a cool dude; he doesn’t give two shakes who stays, as long as they clean up after themselves and leave him to his music.”
The cellist chuckled, looking over to her roommate. Yes, she could see why Vinyl made friends with ponies like Fated. They complimented each other’s strengths, making them both shine brighter.
“Well… Who’s up for a little boating today, hm?” Octavia bumped Fiddlesticks lightly, the mare giving a loud, overly-excited cheer – a western whoop that drew tons of attention from all around them.
“Let’s get this buckin’ party started!” Fiddle shouted, blushing afterwards and hiding under her hat.
The ship – the S.S. Siren – was an impressive sight. It towered over some of the smaller buildings resting beside the water, ghost white and larger than any boat Octavia had ever heard of, in books or otherwise.
“Wo-o-ow~!” Fiddle gaped at the sight, pulling off her hat in respect. “It’s awesome lookin’…” She whispered, getting a smile from all of her friends.
“It is quite magnificent, isn’t it? We’ll need to remember to thank her Highness when we get back.” Octavia said, starting towards the ramp. The cruise was six days long, slipping around the San Palomino Desert Peninsula and out into the South Luna Ocean. They would drift down into the uncharted waters of the mysterious south, and then ride along the coastline on their return journey.
Octavia started up the empty ramp, thankful they were VIPs. One of the perks of this position was the choice to come on board early, avoiding the hustle of ship’s casual boarding.
“Screw waiting,” Vinyl said, shaking her head. “I’ll write her while we’re on board! I wonder if they have a way to send letters off-ship.” Octavia chuckled and shook her head.
“Unlikely, Vinyl.”
The group presented their VIP passes at the top of the ramp, were given a brief rundown of the rules, and were directed towards their rooms.
The four ponies had been given two rooms total, each with two beds. Neon was quick to suggest the room layout; him and Vinyl getting a room together, of course. Octavia was quick to interject, though she tried to not seem rude about it.
“Actually Neon, I was hoping I could steal Vinyl. The three of us,” she motioned to Fiddle and Vinyl, “haven’t had a girl’s night in ages. Several of them in a row sounds like the perfect way to make up for lost time.”
Neon looked slightly annoyed, but Vinyl peered over at Octavia and nodded as she returned her eyes to Neon. “At least for a few nights, okay Neon? I’ll spend three with them, three with you, then back again. How does that sound? And we can chill during the day, whenever you want.”
The stallion grumbled, but nodded. “It’s fair, really… I shouldn’t try to hog you all to myself.” He gave a slight chuckle and lifted his shades, resting them on his horn. “I’m gonna go check on my sound system. I’ve got a lot of setting up to do, to make sure all the special effects are running smoothly.”
Parting ways with Neon, the three mares went to explore their domain for the next three days. The room was spacious and beautiful, a VIP suite, courtesy of the Princess. It even had a balcony off one side of the ship, overlooking the water. Octavia could easily compare it to the suites in a few famous Canterlot hotels, only on the water. There were a few couches sprinkled about the room, one of which Vinyl happily claimed as her place to sleep.
When Fiddle started to protest, Vinyl waved a hoof at her. “Listen, I don’t got a single problem, sleepin’ on the couch. It’s no biggie.” She chuckled, bouncing on her makeshift bed. “Man, this is just like the old days. We should totally stay up late and do all the old stuff we used to do.”
“Talk about stallions?” Fiddle asked.
“Smack each-other with pillows?” Octavia asked in unison with her sister.
“All that and more!” Vinyl tossed up her hooves, bouncing off the couch and landing with a thump. “This is gonna be so awesome!”
The three ponies spent the day doing various small things. Most notably, they stood out on the balcony, watching as the passengers boarded the ship. Neon joined them, after guessing Vinyl’s secret pass-phrase: Wubalicious. Given that he had no hints what-so-ever, and got it on his first try, Octavia was fairly certain this was a regular thing between them.
The four friends sat together after the ship was boarded, sharing in light conversation, enjoying a few games, and playing some music. Neon took the chance to dance to Fiddle’s music for the first time, grinning like mad as he stepped to the frantic, yet measured, rhythm of her fiddle. Vinyl and Octavia simply watched; they didn’t feel like paying to replace any broken furniture.
Octavia played next, calming her friends into a peaceful state of rapture with her haunting melody. The song wasn’t anything special, a symphony she had made in her head while walking through the lively night-streets of Las Pegasus. It was a dragging melody, accompanied by her voice, telling a lyric-less song of a city that never rests. It was, Octavia had to confess, not up to snuff in comparison to her other material, but it was a very good leaping point for symphonies to come.
Around the time Octavia’s melody ended, the ship’s horn blared, signaling its departure. Everypony in the room bustled to the balcony, looking over the city as it distanced itself from the boat, growing smaller until it was lost to the horizon. Slowly, the ship turned, venturing out into the deep. Fiddle was bouncing with excitement once more, while Vinyl was merely trembling with it. Octavia gave a small laugh; never had she imagined she would see the day where anypony, let alone Fiddlesticks, was filled with more energy than Vinyl.
Neon decided to start the ship’s departure off with a bang and suggested a joint concert between him and Vinyl. The mare gave an enthusiastic yes and the two left, Vinyl urging Octavia and Fiddle to enjoy themselves.
As soon as the door shut, Fiddle turned to Octavia, lying on her stomach on one of the beds with her head on her hooves. “Octi, thank you so much for lettin’ me come along!”
“It was nothing, Fiddle. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have with me, more than my dear sister.” Octavia felt a warm glow in her heart, as she saw her sister smile and fidget with her hat. “What do you think about the two of us going to mingle some? Perhaps go see how the ship’s cuisine holds up?”
Fiddlesticks jumped up with a grin and a nod, rushing to the door with energy that, on a scale of one to ten, Octavia would give a score of Vinyl. Side-by-side, the two sisters trotted from the room, looking for the kitchen.
The food, much to Octavia’s delight, was delicious. Everything was free of charge, set up as a twenty-four hour buffet, allowing the guests to eat whenever they saw fit. Fiddle helped herself to an array of foods she’d never even heard of before, while Octavia stuck to foods she knew she would enjoy. She poured herself a cup of tea, while Fiddlesticks made a thick cup of black coffee. The two shared in idle conversation, not talking about anything consequential. At least, not until Fiddle scooted closer to Octavia, munching on a cookie.
“So,” she began, putting the munching on hold while she spoke. “Has anythin’ changed with you ‘n Vinyl?” Fiddle looked a tad worried, like she had asked a sour question. Perhaps, in a way, she had, but Octavia was determined to not show it.
“Things are much the same, which is not entirely bad. Sure, it’s not exactly what I want, but perhaps it is what is best.” Octavia shrugged, turning her tea cup in her hooves in an attempt to distract herself and keep her voice level. “I would rather keep her friendship than overstep my bounds and lose her entirely.”
Fiddle nodded a little, finishing her cookie. “If you say so, Octi…” After a brief pause where Octavia resumed sipping her tea, Fiddlesticks chuckled. “I may’ve found a special somepony of my own, you know.”
That was news to Octavia. She inhaled some of her chamomile, throwing herself into a coughing fit. Fiddle whacked her on the back until the coughing stopped. “W-What? Who?” Octavia asked, perhaps a little more forcefully than she intended. She was feeling strangely protective in that moment. She had prayed to Celestia for the longest time, hoping her sister found someone worthy of her, but now that she had…
Under her sister’s quizzical stare, Fiddlesticks quickly grew flustered. “N-Nopony. Forget I said anything!” She took a long sip from her coffee, eyes darting this way and that; anywhere but at her sister. Luckily, Octavia knew how to wear her sister down. Without speaking, Octavia continued to stare, tilting her head just slightly.
A few minutes past of that; Fiddle hoping Octavia would breach a new topic, and Octavia staring her down. After several seconds of that – when Fiddle ran out of delaying methods – the southern pony heaved a sigh. “Sis, I really don’t wanna talk about it right now.” She gave her head a small shake. “Can I get you to just drop it this once?”
Octavia raised an eyebrow, but nodded. “For now, sure. But I expect to talk more about this later, okay?”
“All right, sis…” Fiddle consented, finishing her coffee with a big gulp.
Octavia sat for a time, thinking about this turn of events. With a smile, she leaned over, and nudged her sister with a hoof. “Are they cute, at least?”
Fiddle’s face immediately went red, and Octavia gave a soft chuckle.
“Sis!” Fiddle tossed a hay fry at Octavia, who took the blow like a champion. Gasping dramatically and grasping at her ‘fatal wound’, Octavia leaned back in her chair, letting her tongue hang out in mock defeat. Fiddle giggled from her seat, and Octavia claimed this as a personal victory.
The return to the room revealed that Vinyl and Neon had since come back, while the two sisters were out eating. The two stood on the balcony together, overlooking the ocean. It was roughly midday, the sun shining off the water in a fantastic display. Neon had his forehoof over Vinyl’s shoulders and was talking to her quietly when the two sisters walked in. Octavia shut the door just loud enough to be heard, not wanting to surprise them, nor eavesdrop. The two lovers on the balcony turned in unison and separated, trotting back into the room.
“Hey you two! Have fun?” Vinyl asked the pair. Before either could reply, however, Vinyl just continued speaking. “The ponies here love us! They’re from all over Equestria and I bet they’ll enjoy all of our music equally. Finally.” Vinyl grinned and levitated her glasses off. Her eyes were twinkling with joy. “I told Neon that he should play some of his custom electronica tracks. And Fiddle, you gotta hit them with a good ho-down one of these days! And, of course, that’s when Tavi finishes them off with her classics!”
Octavia simply chuckled under the verbal assault, letting Vinyl rant herself down from this emotional high. Once she was sure Vinyl was done, Octavia spoke up. “I do think we will, But for now, let’s get more acquainted with the ship, okay?”
Neon tilted his head, looking at Fiddlesticks, who was carrying a bag of cookies she had brought to snack on. “So, how’s the food here?”
Octavia waited, but when Fiddle didn’t answer, she looked over to her sister. Fiddlesticks was munching on a cookie, looking back at her with a strange expression. With a sigh, Octavia responded.
“Quite astounding, actually. I’d suggest you try their pies. Apparently, they imported Zap-Apples from Ponyville to make a handful of special Zap-Apple pies.”
Neon blinked, lowering his glasses to giving Octavia a doubtful stare. “Zap-Apples can be made into pies?” However, while Neon seemed doubtful, Vinyl was literally salivating on the rug.
“Indeed. The results are, if you’ll pardon the pun, shockingly delicious.” Vinyl chuckled. Yes, her friend was certainly rubbing off on her.
“Oh, we gotta try that.” Vinyl stated, wiping her lips with a forehoof. She idly wiped at the rug, until she gave up on that and looked over to Neon. “You game?”
Neon wagged a hoof. “I hate to say it, but I never really liked Zap-Apples. They pack a little too much zest for me.” Vinyl looked absolutely flabbergasted. Fiddle, seeing a chance, looked between Vinyl and Octavia.
“Why don’t you two go? Me ‘n Neon will hold down the fort.”
Neon started to protest – he was hungry, just not for zap-apple pie – but before he could talk, Vinyl grinned. “Oh yeah, totally! Me and Tavi haven’t gotten to chat, just us, since we were back home.”
Neon slowly shut his mouth, but smiled a genuine smile. “Just bring me back something, okay?”
“Of course we will.” Octavia said, rolling her eyes dramatically. Shooting a look to Fiddlesticks – both thankful and upset – she turned and left the room with Vinyl right behind her.
“You know…” Vinyl said, standing on the upper deck of the ship, a small basket with a Zap-Apple pie for her and a regular apple pie for Neon floating by her side. “I wouldn’t mind livin’ more like this. In a place without all that stupid genre bias, you know? Even Ponyville gets it from time to time...”
Octavia glanced over to Vinyl and then nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly. She turned back to the railing and put her front hooves up onto it, watching the water reflect the close-to-setting sun. Vinyl moved to Octavia’s side, smiling.
“I mean, look at the distance in genres. I wish ponies could all just accept that music, as a whole, is awesome. Why pick and choose if the artist’s heart is in it, you feel me?” Vinyl joined Octavia in putting her hooves up on the railing, the ocean breeze making the spikes of her mane sway slightly.
Vinyl saw Octavia turn and open her mouth to speak, but stop herself. She worked her jaw a bit, but Vinyl simply assumed she was feeling seasick or something. When Octavia did speak though, her words were silken, as if she was speaking to someone who was far more than a friend. “And then there are those, like Lyra and Bon-Bon, accused and ostracized because of their emotions…”
The DJ looked over, staring at Octavia though her glasses. She silently nodded, then looked back out over the water. “Yeah. Ponies like Lyra and Bonnie deserve better. Those two are the happiest couple I've seen since Mr. and Mrs. Cake.” Vinyl chuckled and shook her head. “It’s disappointing, what ponies will let themselves believe sometimes… I mean, ponies who love same-gendered ponies…” Vinyl trailed off, at a loss for how to continue.
When she looked over, Octavia was staring out over the water, unbiased and silent. Vinyl wished Octavia would say something – anything – but when nothing came but silence, Vinyl leaned off the railing. “Come on. We should get back.” Vinyl turned, starting to leave.
She paused as Octavia whispered something, barely audible and incoherent. “Hm?” She looked over her shoulder at her friend, who hadn’t moved.
“I… I like..." Octavia paused again, then took a big, slow breath. "I like other mares.” Octavia said the words softly but quickly, making them seem more like a fuzzy blur of sound than a coherent sentence. Vinyl hadn’t been entirely sure what she said at first, but after a second, the words finally fell into their proper places.
The two sat in silence, Octavia looking out over the water and Vinyl looking at her. The silence felt oppressive, like a physical weight, but neither pony moved to break it. It lingered for a little while longer, making Vinyl nervous, until Octavia turned and spoke.
“You’re my best friend, so I felt that you should know.” Octavia said with a sweet smile – maybe a little too sweet, but Vinyl was too surprised to notice. “I’ve never actually been attracted to any stallions. That thing with Flare was… alcohol, mostly.” She chuckled, a nervous sound that Octavia quickly masked with more words. “But I’ve been attracted to a mare... or two.
“So, I’m glad you agree with me about same-gender relationships. And I agree with you.” Octavia gave a nod, kicking her hoof idly in an unusual sign of weakness. “I would prefer an Equestria without bias; where anypony, no matter how they lived or loved, could be who they wanted to be and not feel restricted by roles like gender or genre. Ponies may think Equestria is a land of peace, but that’s not entirely true; its wars are waged in the mind, not the body.”
Vinyl saw tension melt from Octavia’s face as she spoke, opening her heart. The admissions of her friend made Vinyl feel unusual, but she didn’t stop to consider this feeling right now.
After a long pause, Octavia spoke again. “The pies are probably getting cold. Let’s hurry back.”
Only after Octavia had walked past her, had Vinyl realized she hadn’t spoken a single word. That had been only the third time in her entire life that Vinyl Scratch had been rendered completely speechless.
Vinyl watched Neon as he ate, her mind miles away. The two were sitting in Neon’s room, where she and Octavia had found him. Finally stopping to think, Vinyl began to place scenes in her mind together, like pieces of a puzzle. It was difficult for her – she needed to switch her entire way of thinking – but she knew there was something she was missing.
She closed her eyes as she turned the pieces, trying to find out what Octavia had been saying. From Octavia’s reaction at Club Canterlot, when she saw her and Neon kissing, to the kiss on Nightmare Night. And now this new, heartfelt statement. The pieces clicked instantly; the realization even sparked the memories of Octavia’s fearful confession during the attack on Canterlot. A jolt of shock flew through Vinyl’s mind.
Octavia loved her. Vinyl tried to keep the surprise off her face, but she must have failed; Neon looked up at her, confused. “Y’alright, Vinyl?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m… I’m cool…” Vinyl was quick to stuff away her emotions, but had to stop and run a hoof over her mane. Neon was her special somepony. How in Celestia’s name could he talk to him about this?
“A’ight.” Neon took a bite of the pie slice in front of him. After much prodding, he had tried a slice of Zap-Apple pie and had found that he liked it. “I can taste the zap…”
“Packs a kick, eh?” Vinyl asked mechanically. Octavia had left, almost immediately after dropping off the pies. She had claimed she was tired and heading back to their room to sleep, but Vinyl only now noted that she had gone in the wrong direction. Vinyl rose from her laying position on the spare bed, deciding she needed to go find her wayward friend and have a good, long talk with her.
“Hey Neon,” Vinyl started, hoping off the bed. “I gotta go. Tavi was actin’ really off and I wanna know why.”
Neon looked over to her, and gave her a slight nod. “She did leave kinda fast. I’ll be here, if you need me.”
Vinyl was thankful that Neon didn’t pry. She didn’t know how to explain what had happened or – even more daunting – how she felt about it all.
And how did she feel about it?
She cursed herself for being a moron, having not noticed all the signs before now. Vinyl had always had a thick skull, but up until now, it had been little more than a funny joke. As she trotted down the halls of the ship, she pondered on the question she had placed before herself.
Octavia was her truest friend who, despite over a year of absence, had never really left her side. Theirs was a bond that transcended distance, as well as the understanding of any pony that wasn’t them. Neon certainly didn’t understand it and Vinyl guessed that even Fiddle fell short.
But what was that bond, really? Friendship? Or was it more?
Taking a sharp turn, she gazed about for her missing friend as she thought.
“Do you love me?” The Changeling’s voice rang in Vinyl’s mind, masking Octavia’s voice. What had that question meant to her? She felt herself blush as she recalled the fake-Octavia’s lips pressed to hers. She stopped, leaning against the wall and frowning.
If she had to be honest with herself, and she most certainly did, even way back then the answer was clear; yes, she had wanted that to be real. She wished Octavia had asked her that question, not some insect wearing her face. Maybe she should have gotten the guts and asked the question herself?
An image of Neon floated into her mind, the two holding one another close after that Hearts and Hooves night. Could she have broken his heart then? Could she break his heart now, all for her own selfishness?
She started walking again, thoughts whirling in her head uncomfortably. She hated it when things were so complicated. She wished things had happened differently. She had, in all her time, learned that everything happened for a reason, but she was having trouble finding a reason for this. However, she forced herself to embrace the fact that there had to be one; or else everything she had come to accept was all wrong.
She walked past a door, one of many entrances to the club that rested at the heart of the S.S. Siren. Smooth jazz flowed over her, sounding distant; not filled with much heart, but calming none the less. She turned and looked into the room, hoping to spot the source of the tune. Instead, she found Octavia.
Her friend was sitting at the bar not too far from the door, her back to the stage where a very relaxed looking pony was playing the saxophone. Octavia had her head on the bar-top and a drink cupped in one hoof, staring away from Vinyl. Vinyl had only known Octavia to have drunk like this one other time… and that had ended very poorly.
“Tavi,” Vinyl said as she walked up to her friend, looking from her to the glass. If Vinyl’s eyes weren’t playing tricks on her, the drink was a Cannonball, a drink that even Vinyl herself stayed away from. She knew a pony that had gone walleyed from drinking a single glass. Thankfully, Octavia hadn’t drunk much of it yet.
Octavia turned, her eyes red and puffy, strained from tears. She quickly turned away, hiding her face from her friend, giving a small sniff. Vinyl felt regret at her earlier silence flay her heart.
“Vinyl? What’re you doing here?”
“Looking for you.” Vinyl moved a little closer, quietly putting a hoof over the top of the drink Octavia was nursing, sliding it away from her. “I know.”
Octavia groped for the drink, giving a slight groan. Vinyl’s voice sounded so sure, so hurt, so filled with concern, that Octavia wasn’t sure if she could meet her eyes. Instead, she turned her head back so she was facing her friend, but kept it down on the bar and kept her eyes on the fine wood it was made of. “You know what? That I’m a huge screw-up? No big surprise there.”
A long silence filled the air; Octavia wishing Vinyl would talk, while Vinyl kept quiet, clearly giving her time to realize how silly that last statement was. After a moment, the DJ gave a comforting smile to her friend, putting a hoof on her friend's shoulder. “I know how you feel about me.”
Octavia’s eyes widened and snapped to Vinyl’s, her mind loosing some of the drunken curtain she'd pulled over it. In that moment, Octavia knew that Vinyl had seen all the confirmation she could have ever needed. Octavia quickly averted her gaze again, but Vinyl had already seen the hope and fear shimmering behind her façade.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Octavia leaned away from her friend, tipping her stool slightly. Vinyl advanced another step.
“I think you do. Actually, I know you do, Tavi.”
“I-I… I need to go.” Octavia slid off her stool, wobbling a moment, before starting to back away. Trying to act casual, Octavia tried to walk around Vinyl, but her friend stopped her.
“Don’t run from this anymore. You’ve been scared to talk to me about it, right? Well, I’m here now and I’m telling you, don’t be scared. I’ll always be here for you, no matter what, Tavi.”
To Octavia, in her current state, those words sounded very much like an underhanded rejection. “I-I really need to go, Vinyl. Please, move out of my way.” Octavia was shivering now, fear taking hold of her heart. The cage was broken and the power of her bottled emotions was crashing through her mind like a ferocious dragon.
“No.” Vinyl stood confidently. All around them, eyes were being drawn to the scene; but to the two friends, nopony else mattered. It was as if they were all alone – the whole ship was empty, except for them.
Octavia lowered her head, her shiver turning into a full-body shake. “You couldn’t understand. You don’t know the half of this, Vinyl.”
“Try me.” Vinyl smiled, reaching out a hoof to lift Octavia’s head.
Octavia quickly pushed her, using her moment of unbalance to sprint past.
“Tavi!” Vinyl shouted loudly, as if yelling her name would be enough to disarm this horrid situation. Octavia ignored her. She heard her friend start to chase after her, but only ran faster in response. She wanted to be away from all of this; away from Vinyl, away from Neon, away from her pain and her loneliness. But, no matter how much she ran, it always felt like Vinyl was just about to step on her tail.
“Tavi, stop!” The second cry had even less of an impact than the first, spurring Octavia on faster. She glanced over her shoulder to see Vinyl lagging behind, her earth pony strength helping her outdistance her unicorn friend.
“No!" Octavia shrieked through heavy breaths. "You don’t understand anything! You couldn’t possibly know how hard this has been for me! Just go away, Vinyl!” Octavia skidded, taking a hard turn. “Just leave me alone!” She brought her head back forward and darted ahead, not looking where she was going – tears blurring her vision.
She was terrified; of rejection, of hurting Vinyl or Neon, or that things would change. She was even afraid that, even if things did go well, they would quickly fall apart. Her world was crumbling and she didn't know what to do.
“Octavia! Stop! Look out!” Vinyl shouted suddenly.
Octavia heard the words and looked back over her shoulder again to Vinyl. A terrified expression was dominating her friend's face as Octavia blinked away tears to see her; she couldn’t fathom why.
Just then, her hooves met something wet and slipped forward, out of control. She couldn’t stop. She couldn’t slow down. She whipped her head forward to see the railing fast approaching.
She didn’t even have time to scream.
The railing met her side with an echoing thud and Octavia found herself tumbling over, falling over the side of the ship. The black water crashed against her and the world above vanished.
Vinyl’s breath caught in her throat before she could scream. She skidded to a stop at the edge, struggling to find where her friend had landed. She shouted Octavia’s name over and over, wishing she would respond.
Suddenly a patch of black and grey broke the surface of the dark waters, sputtering and struggling to keep above the ebb and flow of the ocean. Octavia was not a skilled swimmer and the thrashing waves from the boat’s wake were less than optimal waters for even the most advanced swimmers.
“Tavi, hang on!” Vinyl looked around, struggling to find somepony – anypony – to help her save her friend.
After several cries for help, Vinyl realized that, by the time anypony arrived to help, Octavia would be gone. This section of the deck was clear, everypony being down below; either sleeping, eating, or partying. Even the crew was busy, all of them working the systems down below.
“No…” Vinyl looked down to her friend again, then over to a nearby wall. A flotation ring hung there, giving Vinyl a sliver of hope in this dark situation. Taking it off the wall with magic, she tossed it down to her friend.
“Tavi, grab the ring! Hurry!”
But her friend couldn’t hear her. Panic had set in and Octavia was scared beyond the world around her. She knocked the ring away, not even noticing it in her fear, making Vinyl curse under her breath.
Options were slim. Octavia was sinking. The ship was leaving her behind. Vinyl refused to leave her behind. She'd let Octavia drift away from her life once before; she wouldn't let it happen again – literal or otherwise. She didn’t think anymore. She put a hoof up on the railing and jumped.
The water hit with a vengeance. It was cold, stealing the air from Vinyl’s lungs. Hurrying, Vinyl put one hoof around the ring, swimming to her friend’s side. At some point during her impact, Vinyl's glasses had flown off. She would've taken a moment to lament loosing them, but something far more precious needed her attention.
“Tavi, calm down. Octavia, I’m here. Take this. It’ll be okay.”
Octavia put her hooves in the ring, calmed by Vinyl’s presence. She stared at Vinyl with wide, shocked eyes. Everything had happened too fast.
“V-Vinyl…” Octavia leaned over, resting her head against her friend’s in a silent gesture of eternal gratitude. After a second, she leaned back, looking towards the ship. “W-Why did you…? W-What’s going to h-happen to us?”
Vinyl followed her eyes, watching the ship drift away without them. She hoped that somepony would look out into the water and see them, but luck wasn’t on their side. Vinyl was too worn out and far too cold to concentrate enough for magic.
Soon, the waves calmed somewhat as the ship’s wake faded. Vinyl found herself sitting in silence, unable to answer Octavia’s questions. She simply shook her head, looking around them, surveying their situation. Water, in every direction. Fear gripped her as well, but she hid it, for Octavia’s sake.
“Do you believe in those old legends? The ones about sea-ponies, coming to save ponies lost in the water?” Vinyl asked the space over Octavia’s shoulder, staring blankly at the rolling waves. “Because, I’m starting to think the old legends being true might be our best chance right now.”
Octavia choked out a sob, burying her face into the ring. Vinyl reached over, smoothing out her friend’s drenched and messy mane. She wanted to say everything would be okay, but she wasn’t sure if Octavia would believe her. How could she expect Octavia to believe it, when she couldn’t believe it herself?
The night was long and Vinyl didn’t find sleep easily. She let Octavia climb into the ring and rest, while she wrapped a strap on the ring around a hoof, so she wouldn’t drift away from it. Fear had stripped away what little energy she had left and, once Octavia was fast asleep, Vinyl’s mind began to wander. She foresaw the two of them starving out here, or being eaten by things in the water. The hopelessness drained away her strength; soon Vinyl rested her head against Octavia’s warm coat and drifted to sleep, imagining the song of the sea-ponies from those age-old legends.
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7271537
Yes, the term 'That escalated quickly' does come to mind, doesn't it?
Since the next chapter is an immediate continuation of this one, I'll be hurrying to get it out within the next few days. Hopefully, tomorrow.
Thanks for the pointers.
by animated james?
that shit was epic
7271612
Eeyup.
Or rather, the song by Coconeru with lyrics by Stevenannodomini, but Animated James made the animation, yes.
7271654
ahh you reminded me of him with that cuz i only ever saw the animation
that and my fave winters fu**ed up
7271801
Dammit, you made me go get my iPod! And then sing to it while I did yard work. With my family. My mother's face was hilarious.
7272625
lol nice
its on my profile now under the comment section
the best part is the purple pegasus pony is voiced by Nowacking who i will forever identafie as the voice of Vinyl
Yay update!
Great chapter, I really hope that Vinyl and Octavia will talk about it on the island.
Also, I WANNA SEE NEON'S HEART GET CRUSHED!!!
.... Okay I need to go to a doctor
7272837
And the other is ElieMonty, who's the best voice of Octavia. She was the one who sang 'I Am Octavia!"
That's Nowhacking's OC, man.
-Inkheart
7272882
Hehe. You're so angry.
I'm glad you liked it.
-Inkheart
7272917
they are the best team i enjoy the voices
7278177 No problem, happy to help, found this story and read through it all last night and I'm really enjoying it.
7278186
Thank you! Unfortunately, my computer stopped working yesterday, so I'm stuck on a tablet for now. I'm still going to try to update, but it'll be tricky...
-Inkheart
Where's my cookie?
Cookie plz
Truer words have never been spoken
.
Oh no! What will they do now? Hold on you two, just stick together and everything will be okay.