• Published 9th Dec 2011
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Leap of Faith: Octavia Vs. Rave - Wolokai



Octavia learns the "Underground" side of life from her polar opposite: Vinyl Scratch, A.K.A. DJ-PON3

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Chapter Eight - DJ-0CT4VIA

"You know...you never told me you played the cello Vinyl..."

"You never asked."

Octavia and Vinyl were sitting at the bar in the club, enjoying a light drink while Shake cleaned and re-cleaned his glasses for the upcoming evening. It had been about two hours since the two mares had performed in the recording studio, and since then, Octavia couldn't stop smiling at Vinyl. She was still amazed at the skill Vinyl possessed when playing the cello, remembering the sweet harmony the two of them had created. Vinyl waved a hoof at Shake and said "Hey, if it's not too much trouble...?" Shake smiled and levitated a glass over to one of his many faucets, turning it on and filling the glass up with a brownish, fizzy liquid.

He slid it over to her and said "There ya go, on the house...as always..." Vinyl rolled her eyes playfully and took a sip out of the glass, letting out a satisfied sigh and turning her head to look over towards the main stage where her turntables and gear rested.

Hopping off the chair, she trotted over towards the stage and shouted back "Hey Shake! Did you get the lettering uploaded? I need to see how it looks on the projector."

Shake nodded and shouted "Yep! Should be up by now, but you should check it just in-case!"

Octavia, raising an eyebrow, hopped off the stool and trotted over next to Vinyl, watching as she got up behind her turntable and said "Um...Vinyl? What's Shake talking about?"

Vinyl tilted her glasses down and smiled at the small screen on her table, looking towards Octavia and waving a hoof about as she said "Don't worry about it! You'll find out later tonight, now come on!" She hopped off the stage and towards the entrance to the club, Octavia hurrying after her.

Catching up, Octavia turned her head and muttered "Where are we going?" Vinyl trotted forward, opening up the door and giving a goodbye wave to Shake, who in turn gave her a friendly nod.

Vinyl closed the door after them and said as they walked up the stairs "Hey...you said you wanted to meet him, well now's our chance!" Octavia raised an eyebrow and together, they stepped out onto the streets of Ponyville. Just as they started to make their way down the street, however, a teal-green blur shot past Vinyl and made her jump back out of surprise.

Octavia let out a sudden squeak as a pair of hooves shook her shoulders and a voice shouted "Oh my gosh, Octavia!!! Don't tell me it's true, don't tell me the conductor fired you!!!" Octavia was momentarily stunned by the frantic, wide-eyed expression of Lyra, who looked as if she had seen a ghost.

Sighing, Octavia sadly nodded her head and muttered "Yes Lyra...he fired me. I won't be performing with the Orchestra this year...," .

Lyra gasped, stuttering "B..but, Octavia! You h..have to! That was your goal, the gate-way to your future career! What are you going to do now!?" Vinyl rolled her eyes as Octavia shrugged, a sad look in her eyes. Lyra gave her a comforting hug and whispered "Listen, Bon Bon and I have a few friends coming over later on, you should drop by and say hello when you've got a moment, ok?"

Octavia nodded and returned the hug, smiling as she said "Sure...I'll be there in a little while." They exchanged goodbyes and went on their separate ways, Vinyl shaking her head as they made there way down the street.

She looked behind them towards Lyra, who was still walking down the street and muttered "I find it kind of funny how you lose a cello player and everpony thinks the world's ending." Octavia merely rolled her eyes, the two of them heading towards the edge of town.

~~~

"Here?" Octavia whispered, looking towards the small, cream-colored house that rested at the very end of the street. Vinyl nodded and looked over the tiny dwelling, grimacing at the uncut front lawn that made it hard to see the bottom half of the house.

She sighed "Yep...this is where I grew up for most of my life." Octavia made a move to go forward but was stopped by Vinyl's hoof, making the gray mare turn with a look of confusion. Vinyl looked towards the ground for a moment and muttered "Be gentle on him...he's a very soft pony...tends to get sad easily, ok?" Octavia slowly nodded and together they walked towards the house, Vinyl lifting a hoof and knocking a few times on the front door. Several awkward moments passed, with Octavia gently pawing at the ground and Vinyl clearing her throat at least four times. Finally, the door slowly opened and a chocolate brown unicorn colt stuck his head outside, his eyes partially wide and vacant.

His voice sounded a bit hoarse and weak as he spoke "H...hello? Who's there?" Octavia frowned, wondering why he would even ask such a question if clearly there were two mares standing in front of him, one even being his foster daughter!

Vinyl's voice, soft and tender, reached out to the colt with a whisper "It's me Dad...Vinyl." The colt's staring eyes softened and he smiled, holding a hoof out and gently waving it in the air. Vinyl smiled and slowly walked into his embrace, hugging him and whispering "Everything ok Dad? Getting around all right?" The colt nodded, but suddenly shifted his eyes over near Octavia. He wasn't staring right at her, but...near her, as if he knew she was there but he couldn't focus directly on her.

He whispered "Vin-Vin...? Is there someone with you?". Octavia blinked, looking towards Vinyl who in turn frowned sadly and gently held a hoof out towards Octavia.

She smiled a little and said "Dad...this is Octavia, Octavia, this is Dad." The colt held out a hoof, a small smile on his face, eyes moving around and over Octavia. The gray mare gently lifted her own hoof and pressed it against his, shaking it gently and watching as the colt smiled a bit wider.

Octavia muttered "Um...good to meet you sir, I heard you were the source of Vinyls' wonderful skill with a cello."

The colt smiled even wider as his eyes centered on Octavia and he said with glee "Oh you heard about that huh? I'm Chocolate Sprinkles, Vinyl's foster dad. My, Miss Octavia...you have such soft hooves, do you get them done regularly?" Octavia blushed as Vinyl rolled her eyes, gently putting a hoof on Chocolate's back and giving him a gentle rub.

She started to move the group inside and with a huff said "Alright alright...enough of the complimenting, she's too young for you Dad."

Chocolate scoffed and said with a playful tone in his voice "Of course she is, she's your age Vinyl. Excellent form to, just right for playing the cello."

Octavia blushed again as she looked upon the interior of the house, smiling at how warm and inviting the decor was to her. It contained the usual furnishings: Couches, chairs, a fire place, dressers. All she noticed, were at least some shade of brown. They moved down the front hall, Octavia taking a moment to to look over a row of framed photographs that were sitting on a long dresser on the right. Most of them contained Vinyl, and looked as if they were in chronological order by her age. She smiled as she looked over a photo of Vinyl hanging upside down from a ceiling fan and a cream-colored mare trying to desperately get her down. She jumped as Chocolate whispered from beside her "You know, Vanilla never could figure out how she got up there...to be honest I don't know either" Octavia turned her head and watched as Chocolate gently put a hoof on the frame, running it down the edge and letting a small smile form on his lips. It was then that she got a good look at his eyes and found herself frowning. His eyes were a grayish color, like her coat but lighter. They kept moving, staring towards the photograph but never really centering on it. Just as she opened her mouth, Chocolate spoke "I know, Miss Octavia. I can feel you looking, and that's perfectly alright. It's ok that Vinyl didn't tell you, seeing as she probably didn't want you to form an opinion of me before actually meeting me."

Octavia frowned, whispering gently "Opinion...? Sir I'm a pony of manners...I would never...I couldn't even..."

Chocolate smiled and whispered gently "It's alright, I didn't expect you to. When I touched your hoof, I could tell you were different...you're very kind, a big softie even. You're sad though...maybe even more sad then you know."

Octavia blinked, watching as Chocolate turned and headed for the living room where Vinyl was sitting, admiring the Hearth's Warming Tree that rested in the corner. Octavia followed him and watched as he sat in a large, oak colored lounge chair, holding a hoof out and offering Octavia a spot on the couch next to Vinyl. She hopped up as Vinyl moved over for her and gave her a comforting smile.

Octavia smiled in return but turned her head as Chocolate said "Well, Miss Octavia, do tell me a bit about yourself. Vinyl's already told me a few things and I must say I'm very curious!"

Octavia frowned, turning her head to Vinyl and whispering "You did...?"

Vinyl blushed, making Chocolate laugh as he said "Oh yes indeed, I believe her choice words were, 'I met this really cute mare at the club...she's got a pretty mane...pretty face...pretty cutie-mark right next to her pretty cute fla-"

"Daaaad!" Vinyl whined, burying her face in her hooves as Chocolate laughed, Octavia blushing with the color of apples. "What?" Chocolate said, smiling as Vinyl let out a low groan "Can't I poke a little fun?" Vinyl sighed and shook her head, keeping her face in her hooves.

Octavia, clearing her throat and trying to let the awkward moment pass, spoke softly "Well...um, I used to be a part of an Orchestra, but I was...let go recently..."

Chocolate nodded and smiled, opening his mouth and saying with certainty "Ah yes, Octavia Cavallero Sharpe, professional cello player of the Equestrian Symphony of Orchestrated Canterlotian Harmonics. Well...at least you're still a cello player, am I right?" Octavia's mouth dropped in awe at how much Chocolate seemed to know, listening as he went on "I understand if it's creepy that I know that...sometimes Vinyl wonders how I know so much as well. The best way that I can explain is...you lose one sense, you get stronger in others!" Octavia frowned, cocking her head in confusion. Just as she was about to ask, he answered with a simple statement: "I'm blind."

Octavia's mouth opened slightly, her heart throbbing slightly as Chocolate shifted in his chair, trying to get comfortable. She frowned as he went on "Don't feel bad for me, Miss Sharpe...it's alright. I lost my eyesight shortly after my dear Vanilla...passed away. I was so distraught that I got careless one day when working down at the ice-cream parlor...one of the machines short circuited and when I tried to reset the breaker, I flipped the wrong switch and it exploded right in my face...the sparks and light pretty much fried my eyes so...here I am!"

Octavia sniffed, her bottom lip quivering as she asked quietly "If...if I may ask, Mr. Sprinkles...how did Vanilla...?"

Chocolate took a deep breath, frowning for a moment before whispering the word that tore at Octavia's heart: "Marekemia..."

Octavia gently slipped off the couch, walking over and pulling Chocolate into a tight hug, whispering "I am so...so sorry. My own Mother passed from Marekemia..." Chocolate smiled and gently returned the hug, a sniffling Vinyl watching the scene and smiling a little.

Chocolate whispered as Octavia pulled away "It's alright...she's at peace now. Ever since then, I've come to appreciate life and Vinyl a lot more. Though I can't see...Vinyl's brought a wonderful gift to this dreary house...the sound of her music. Being blind, I can't see...but I can hear. When I hear Vinyl's music, whether it be the cello or her club music, I can see so many patterns of beautiful color. I can feel and hear sadness, anger, joy...everything and anything she feels. I can feel her crying, or hear her smiling...she's truly a wonderful daughter to me..." Vinyl hopped from her spot on the couch and rushed over, giving her father a hug and gently nuzzling his neck. He smiled and whispered "Thank you so much darling...you better get going, it's getting close to opening time, isn't it?"

Vinyl glanced over at the large Grandcolt Clock that rested against one of the walls and nodded, whispering "Thanks Dad...I'll be back later on tonight, and it might be late so don't wait up ok?"

Chocolate smiled and reached out with a hoof, feeling Octavia grasp it firmly with a tight grip. He whispered "It was a pleasure meeting you Miss Sharpe...be good to my Baby Vin-Vin."

Octavia nodded and whispered back "No sir...the pleasure was all mine. You have a wonderful evening sir."

~~~


"Oh dear Celestia is the line always this long!?" Octavia gasped as her and Vinyl quickly made their way towards the club entrance, the line of ponies outside growing longer and longer. Big Macintosh, dressed in his black bouncer suit, gave them a curt nod and let them by, watching as more and more ponies rushed over to get a spot in line. The two of them burst through the iron door, making Shake look over with a semi-surprised look on his face.

He shouted "You're late! Come on, get her up there so we can start letting everypony in out of the cold!" Vinyl rolled her eyes and rushed towards the stage, beckoning the cello mare to follow.

Hopping up on stage, Vinyl quickly pointed towards the turntable and various other electronic boards and switches, saying quickly "Ok, beat is an essential thing, it's not always about base. When you get a good rhythm going, you cycle through songs by turning this dial. When you think you've got a track, hit the red button here, and listen on the headphones. If you think you can incorporate that song into the set and keep the beat, then go with your gut and roll with it!" Octavia blinked, stunned as Vinyl nodded towards Shake, who in turn rushed over and opened the iron door, shouting up at Macintosh to let the ponies in. Shake quickly moved away from the door as ponies started pouring into the club, spreading out amongst the dance floor or along the walls. Some moved directly to Shake, who quickly began to receive and fill orders, his magic lighting up most of the bar area. Vinyl watched as the crowd began to thicken, and tapped a microphone that hung just above her head from one of the speakers. A thudding noise echoed through the speakers, indicating the mic was working.

Smiling, Vinyl leaned her mouth up towards the mic and shouted "YO YO Everypony!!! How we all doing tonight!?" The crowd cheered as Vinyl went on, her smooth voice exciting the crowd and making their cheers intensify greatly "We've got a bit of a change-up here this evening! She's a bit new so you all be nice to her now! Give it up, for DJ Octavia!!!"

Octavia let out a loud "EEP!" as the crowds cheered loudly, Vinyl flicking a switch nearby and turning on the projector on the ceiling. The screen behind them flicked to life as Octavia turned her head and gasped, realizing exactly what Shake had meant when he said 'Lettering'. On the screen, detailed in gray and pink letters was the phrase:

DJ-0CT4VIA

Vinyl smiled and pushed a large green button on the table, A steady beat echoing out through the speakers. She smiled and shouted "Good luck Octy!'"

Octavia stuttered as Vinyl hopped off the stage, disappearing into the crowd "V...Vinyl wait!!! Oh no oh no oh NO!!!! When you said 'learn about your music', THIS WASN'T WHAT I HAD IN MIND!!!"

Her words fell on deaf ears however, as everypony in the room broke out into song

"Everypony in the hoooouse, toniiiight! Everypony having such a good time! DJ's gonna make us loooose, our minnnds! We just wanna see ya.....FLANK THAT!"

Octavia could do nothing except lift her head up and scream "OH SWEET CELESTIA!!!!"