30 Days/ 30 Stories

by Fenton

The First Time

Musicians despised wrong notes, and Octavia wasn’t an exception.

She heard the front door slamming, and she winced, both for the damage this poor thing had probably suffered under the violence of her roommate, and for the wrong note the unexpected noise had made her play. And also for Vinyl cursing from the entrance.

“Buck, buck, buck! Buck that weather, and buck these slackers!”

The DJ came into view, and Octavia had to stifle a giggle. Her poor unicorn friend was completely drenched, her usual spiky mane now completely flat and falling on both sides of her head. She also looked quite irked.

“Please, don’t laugh at me,” she groaned. “This day is already shitty as it is.”

“I wouldn’t even think of it,” said Octavia.

“My flank. I know you well, Tavi. Your eyes can’t lie to me, and they are telling me you’re enjoying the sight of my misery. Can’t you show some compassion for your old buddy?”

Octavia didn’t try to hide her smile this time. “I sympathise, Vinyl, I sympathise, even though I told you to pack an umbrella when you left. If I recall correctly, you told me, and I quote ‘gimme a break, mom’.”

“Yeah, yeah,” said Vinyl, rolling her eyes. “You’ve warned me and I didn’t listen. Jokes on me and all that. Can you at least tell me where did you hide our supply of dry towels?”

“In their usual place, dear. Inside the closet of the hallway.”

Vinyl left the living room, and Octavia got back to her practice, closing her eyes.

“You know, Vanhoover’s weather team could learn a thing or two from ours,” said Vinyl from the hall.

Another wrong note. Octavia opened her eyes, and put her cello on its stand. It seemed because her roommate’s plan for today had been ruined, she would have to put hers aside too.

“I guess your show didn’t go as planned?” she asked.

“Not really,” replied Vinyl, coming back in the living room. “They had to cancel it because — what is it?”

If she had easily managed to not laugh the first time, it was harder now. Vinyl had likely dried her coat by hoof, without taking the time to comb it. The result was that her fur had doubled in volume, making her look like a big, cute furry ball. Octavia was fighting her laughter, her cheek blown up by the laughs trying to escape her mouth, and a tear running down her cheek.

“What?” repeated Vinyl.

Vinyl frowning was too much for her. She finally burst, rolling on the floor.

“You should see your face!” she managed to say.

Vinyl left the room once again and came back once she had her coat and her mane in their usual state. While her roommate was away, Octavia had recovered and prepared some tea to make up for her teasing. They both sat on the couch, and Vinyl resumed her story. Her show had been cancelled because they hadn’t enough pegasi to take care of the clouds.

“I swear they don’t care about anything a pony could have planned,” she said. “I mean, come on, we live next to the Everfree Forest, and we only have unexpected weather once or twice a year.”

Octavia smiled. “You’re talking about Rainbow Dash, here. You’re setting the bar a bit high.”

“Probably,” sighed Vinyl. “Just thinking about all the ponies who came to see me, some probably from far away, and knowing that they are probably disappointed right now, it just makes me angry.”

“I understand the feeling, Vinyl, but sometimes, life happens, and you can’t really do anything.”

“Buck it, I’m DJ-PON3. I’ll make up for it, one way or another.” She grabbed her phone. “Hello, Neon? Yeah, I’m fine. Well, I’ll be good if you can warn everypony in Vanhoover that I’ll be there tomorrow for a big outside free performance.”

“Uh, Vinyl?” tried Octavia.

“What? I don’t care, just pick the money from my bank account.”

“Vinyl?”

“Okay, good. Love you, buddy. See you tomorrow.” Vinyl ended the call. “What’s it, Octy?”

“Vinyl, I’m afraid to tell you we have dinner with Princess Twilight tomorrow.”

Vinyl only raised her eyebrow. “And so what? I’m sure she’ll understand. You can even invite her. But tomorrow, I’ll be in Vanhoover.”

Vinyl stood from the couch and hastily went in her room, and came out with a lot of her stuff.

Octavia watched as her friend packed her things, throwing away what she wouldn’t need, completely lost in her world. Once she was done, Vinyl grabbed her luggage and ran for the door, slamming it behind her.

Octavia smiled. Musicians despised wrong notes, and Vinyl wasn’t an exception.

Author's Note:

This one has been somehow saved from ending in a complete 'nothing happened, happens, nor will happen' by Quill Scratch.

I feel like I've taken too many shortcuts.

See you tomorrow.