Quill and Ink
The rag splashed into the sudsy water launching a scattered burst of soapy liquid out of the metal bucket. Bon Bon’s hoof swirled the poor cloth in a tight counter-clockwise circle for several seconds before she pulled it out and tossed it down on the wooden floor. It landed with a wet slop. The confectioner’s hoof let the rag linger there for a moment, as if to give it hope it’s abuse had reached an end, only to come crashing down with renewed vigor.
Bon Bon mentally cursed the stubborn spots that had taken root in the floor. It had been nearly three months to the day that she and Lyra had returned to Ponyville. The decision to leave Vinyl and Octavia had been buoyed by Octavia’s weekly correspondence from the hospital, as well as Bon Bon’s need to return to her shoppe.
Bon Bon’s eyes drifted to one of the many framed pictures hanging from the beige wall. Vinyl, Octavia, Lyra, and herself were all there wearing broad, happy smiles under the warm, midday sun. Vinyl’s horn radiated magic indicating it was her that had taken the picture.
As much she considered Vinyl and Octavia like family, Bon Bon still had a business to manage, and businesses seldom ran themselves. Though, in fairness, stranger things had been known to happen in Ponyville.
“Lyra!” she called, taking a break from her work. “Have you found it yet?”
A loud crash followed by a surprised yelp answered Bon Bon’s call. The earth pony sighed, shaking her head and resuming her scrubbing. At least it didn’t sound like anything fragile had broken.
“Ouch, dammit! Workin’ on it, Bonnie!” Lyra shouted from the attic.
“Are you sure she even kept them?” Bon Bon shouted again, dropping the rag into the bucket before she moved closer to the attic entrance.
Lyra carefully made her way down the steep staircase, a large, cardboard, file box held in her magic. She smiled at Bon Bon, her eyes looking from the confectioner to the box. “Babe, as long as I’ve known her, Vinyl hasn’t thrown any music away.”
“Really?” Bon Bon cast an incredulous look at the unicorn.
Lyra nodded, setting the box on the floor and prying the lid off with her front hooves. “I once saw her dig out some thing she wrote when she was twelve because she thought it would make a good club beat.”
“Did it?”
“Hay if I know, that was the night we spent at your parent’s place when they were out of town.” Lyra paused for a moment, turning to bon bon. “You did throw away that zucchini, right?”
Bon Bon’s cheeks burned. “Of course I did!”
Lyra snickered, her magic sifting through seemingly organized stacks of paper. She hummed softly as she skimmed through them, setting every stack aside as she finished. Towards the bottom of the box she found a manilla folder stuffed with tablature.
She flipped through the pages, her eyes scanning through each line. Bon Bon studied Lyra’s expression; the rapt attention she paid to each note, the subtle twitch of her ears as she heard the music in her mind. She loved seeing Lyra in those moments.
“So,” Bon Bon began, sad to interrupt Lyra, but also curious. “Is that what we’re looking for?”
Lyra didn’t answer, her attention fixated on the music before her. Every page had been written for a specific instrument, often with subtle differences seeded through each section. The resulting composition was nothing short of sublime in Lyra’s eyes.
“Lyra?”
“Hm?” Lyra gave a quick shake of her head, strands of mane tickling Bon Bon’s nose. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Is that what we’re looking for?”
“I think so, Bon.”
“What does the title mean?” the confectioner asked, her hoof reaching over Lyra’s shoulder and pointing to the cryptic scrawl. “VS.C.149-Tr?”
Lyra scoffed, an amused smirk pulling up the corners of her mouth. “Vinyl Scratch Composition one-hundred forty-nine, the “dash Tr.” stands for Trumpet. It’s how vinyl marks her stuff when she’s writing.” Lyra squinted, taking a closer look at the manuscript. “Or it could be trombone, come to think of it.”
With a concerned frown and a raised eyebrow, Bon Bon shook her head. “That seems a tad...complex, doesn’t it?”
The unicorn simply shrugged as she tucked the music safely back into it’s folder. “It worked for Vinyl.”
“Do you think Octavia’s plan will work?”
Lyra thought for a moment, pursing her lips and absently drifting her gaze to the ceiling. “One way to find out.”
Staring at the cup of tea clutched daintily in her forelegs, Octavia felt a most peculiar sense of horror at the pool of brown liquid. Tendrils of steam twisted and danced from the liquid carrying with them the bland stink of old tea. There wasn’t anything wrong with the cup, unless one were to count the fact that Octavia was a self-admitted tea snob. There were no bugs in the tea, nor the casually shed hairs of a random pony. No, the horror was from a simple realization. After months of constant exposure, Octavia was getting to like the cheap swill.
Her ancestors had to be spinning in their graves.
Vinyl was in the bed beside her, snoring lightly after her latest round of therapy. Five weeks of bitter work had seen drastic improvements in both Vinyl’s mobility and her state of mind. Soma’s efforts had restored all they could for Vinyl’s body, whereas a traumatologist, a kind, older mare named Esprit, had worked with Vinyl daily to begin the slow process of healing her mind.
Octavia had noticed the changes herself after Vinyl had convinced Poultice to get Octavia out of the hospital for a few days. The cellist had been less than thrilled by that particular course of action, regardless of how emotionally refreshing it had been. She had nearly forgotten what it was like to be a normal mare out for a stroll, though it would never be right without Vinyl at her side.
Vinyl had seemed less sullen when she had returned, at least superficially speaking. Octavia maintained her doubts to Vinyl’s emotional state, despite the unicorn’s protestations that she was, indeed, fine. Still, Octavia had a plan well in motion that she very strongly believed would help.
Two quick knocks at the door snapped her from her thoughts. She turned in time to see Dr. Poultice enter the room, a pleasant smile on his lips. Vinyl’s eyes fluttered open as well, a soft yawn alerting Octavia she was waking up.
The cellist smiled to Poultice. “Fancy seeing you here.”
“Likewise.” He chuckled, moving to the foot of Vinyl’s bed and taking her chart in his magic. “How’s my favorite patient?”
“I bet you say that to all the mares,” she mumbled, a hoof wiping the sleep from her eyes.
The innocuous action nearly made Octavia squeal in joy. It hadn’t been that long ago when Vinyl had barely been able to lift her forelegs, to see her moving them normally again, it was more gratifying that anything. She managed to contain the squeals, though she couldn’t prevent the smile.
“And most of the stallions too,” Poultice answered with a playful wink.
“Oh my, doctor, aren’t you the romantic,” Vinyl answered with a chuckle.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Pretty good I guess. Neck itches though.”
“I’ll bet, all these months in that hard collar, but fear not, fair maiden,” the doctor placed a hoof over his chest and puffed his chest out heroically. “For I come bearing a gift.”
“A new spine?” Vinyl asked.
“If only it were that easy,” Octavia muttered.
Poultice smirked from Octavia’s comment. His horn flickered to life, holding up a cream colored soft-collar. “We’re ready to get you into something more comfortable.”
“Yipee,” Vinyl cheered in a manner about as excited as though Poultice had just told her she won a math textbook.
“Look at it this way,” Poultice continued, setting the soft collar on the bed and using his magic to delicately remove Vinyl’s old collar. “The soft one’s don’t itch as much, and it rehabilitates your neck muscles.”
Vinyl bit her lip; a shiver running through her as the old collar left her neck. The only time she felt the chill of air over her neck anymore was when the nurses bathed her, and that only happened once a week at most. The feeling was quickly replaced by something new; a soft foam collar that hugged her neck like a firm pillow.
“Whoa,” Vinyl mused with a grin, “that’s such a funky feeling.”
“So I hear, but it get’s better!” Poultice continued, talking like a radio salespony, “it comes with a one-time, limited offer, no contract, get-out-of-hospital-free card!”
“That’s…” Vinyl stalled for a moment, her mind processing exactly what Poultice had just said. “Wait… you mean…”
He smiled and nodded once. “All our tests show your neck is healing well, Soma’s report for your rehab therapy was excellent, and Dr. Esprit also recommends you go. So we’re sending you home, Vinyl. Congratulations.”
Vinyl let out a breathy laugh; almost unable to accept that what she had heard was true.
Octavia cleared her throat, though she could hardly contain the smile that blossomed over her lips. “Is, um, is there anything we should know? I mean, for restrictions or home care? I just don’t want to risk doing something to aggravate her injury.”
“So, as long as Vinyl avoids anything that might impact her neck for the next three months, I feel confident that we can release her from our care.”
“What sorts of activities are precluded?” Octavia asked, readying her notepad and a pencil.
Poultice leaned back, his front hooves pressing together casually. “It’s fairly simple: no running, physical lifting, swimming, climbing, we recommend abstaining from sex while the brace is on.”
Octavia stopped writing, her eyes drifting up to Poultice. His face was a mask of professionalism, serious and clinical. She heard Vinyl giggling behind her, though it seemed muted by the blood rushing to her ears.
With a quick shake of her head, Octavia did her best to carry on. “A-anything else?”
“Nothing major, really,” he answered with a shrug. “The discharge nurse will be by with some instructions and an extra brace, just in case. Keep in touch with us if anything changes. Soma will work out a schedule for physical therapy at your home.”
Vinyl swallowed hard, her eyes misting from long unshed tears of joy. “T-thanks, Poultice. For everything. Y-you’ve saved my life.”
Poulice smiled and slipped closer to the bed. Standing up on his hind legs he carefully pulled Vinyl into a gentle hug. “You’ve been a joy to know, Mrs. Scratch. It’s been my distinct pleasure to help you all these months.”
A choked laugh escaped vinyl as the tears slipped down her face. “If...if there’s ever any way I can repay you—”
“Tell you what,” Poultice cut her off, pulling away from her and dropping back to all four hooves. “Next time you do a show, send me a couple tickets. My daughter would love it.”
Vinyl laughed. “For you, Doc, it’s backstage passes and an invitation for dinner!”
“Sweet Celestia Vinyl, don’t force anypony though your cooking,” Octavia pleaded with a quiet groan.
Poultice chuckled and moved towards the door. “I’ll get everything cleared up with the discharge ponies. We can get you home as early as tonight.” He gave the mares one last, polite nod before disappearing into the hall.
“Anxious, Vinyl?” Octavia asked, a knowing smile on her lips.
“No,” the unicorn answered quickly.
Octavia sighed, her eyes drifting to Vinyl’s right front hoof which tapped a staccato rhythm against her thigh. Vinyl leveled a confused stare at her fiancée for several moments before her eyes followed Octavia’s gaze down. A faint blush crept through her cheeks, with a small amount of effort she stopped her tapping.
“Okay, maybe a little,” she admitted.
“I promise I won’t tell anypony.”
“Better not,” Vinyl grumbled, “then I’d have to beat you up.”
Octavia let out a thoughtful hum, her lips pursed as she pretended to consider Vinyl’s fake threat. “You could do that, but then I’d have to feed you nothing but creamed spinach for the rest of time.”
Vinyl’s lips pulled into a long line and she warily narrowed her eyes as she studied the cellist’s resolve. She didn’t think Octavia was capable of such cruelties, nor did she think tha “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Would I not?”
Vinyl stared at her fiancée for a long while, her eyes scanning the cellists face for the slightest indication of mendacity. Octavia didn’t flinch, her face a demure smile that beguiled a ruthlessly cunning mare. Sweat beaded on Vinyl’s brow and she gulped uncomfortably.
“But...But...”
Octavia maintained her cold smile.
“Be nice, I’m a cripple!” the DJ pleaded.
“Be good and I’ll be nice.”
Chuckling Vinyl leaned over to nuzzle Octavia. “Hey, um...not to bring the mood down or anything, but have we heard from Dawn about my gear?”
Octavia’s smile dimmed and she shook her head slowly. “I’m afraid not, Vinyl. Would you like me to pop by her office again?”
“No, no…” Vinyl’s ears sagged a little and she let out a weary sigh. “I’ll have to go myself. At least I can look her in the eye when she tells me my career is dead.”
Octavia’s forelegs slipped around Vinyl’s midrifff and held her like a safe, warm blanket. “Maybe you just need a break from the club scene for a while.”
“Club scene’s what made the money, Tavi.” Vinyl said, offering her finacee a sad smile. “No offense.”
“You could compose again.”
“Tavi, I don’t write classical anymore.” Vinyl stuck her tongue out as though she’d swallowed a bug. “It’s so stuffy and restrictive.”
Octavia smiled, her lips pressing against Vinyl’s cheek. “So make it better.”
“Tavi?” Vinyl’s eyebrows scrunched together.
Taking a step away, Octavia poked Vinyl’s chest with her hoof. “I’ve seen your old writing, Vinyl. It was wonderful.”
“I can’t write like that anymore, Tavi.”
Two gray hooves gently cupped Vinyl’s cheeks. “You can, and I’m going to make sure you play to a sold out audience.”
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Yay! Vinyl is getting remarkably better!!
You better get more written, and it better in in this very instant! I tried, okay!?
Yay! A new update! Thank you so much, now I can read something that I actually want to know more about!
You're awesome!
~InfiniteZero
Zucichini? What were those two doing?
Poor Vinyl and Tavi, restricted from sex, still. Awesome chapter. Nice to see its alive. 
I feel like something might be missing here...
Glad to see this up and running again - I've missed it!
Also, this, Fire and Rain AND Wind & Stone in one day? Damn...
Yes! Finally! Yes, yes, yes!
4062144
4062147 You.
It just randomely cut off, no end quotation marks Glitch on my computer, or...?
4062151
Derp on my part. It's fixed now.
Herp a derp?
I clicked on this for that artwork, my god its pretty!
4062295
I need to redo it, that art is over a year old now
Other than a few odd cut offs, YAY! It's so nice to see my second all time favourite fic come back online. Can't wait to see me!
IT LIVES! IT LIVES! YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES!!!!
*ahem* It is most pleasant to see this story being continued and I look forward to the next installment!
Hooray an update! This fic needs a happy ending, whenever that may come. Please update again soon!
Yes! Glad to see this updated, I love this story!
Nice to an update, really getting interested in seeing how Octavia's plan will pan out.
Also, "It’s how vinyl marks", this is a proper noun it should be capitalized as "Vinyl".
4062370
i still love it lol. if you have a DA plz send it to me!
Awesome update, man.
Excellent to see things going better Vinyl.
~Skeeter The Lurker
4063499
http://ruirik.deviantart.com/
4063874
I acquire nourishment from the tears of fans. You sorrow is the succulent nectar of life.
Such a great chapter. I love it.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so excited....
I like this story. This is a nice story.
You better finish it, so help me Celestia...
Finally!!! An Update!!! It's been like 7 months since I last read this
And what is wrong with a maths textbook, hmmmm?
I wonder if it is part of Twilight's new series Mature Mathematics (restricted to ages 18+, and tenured maths professors). It includes the following texts:
- The Perfumed Garden of Linear Algebra
- Bound and Derived: Sensuously Steamy Set Studies
- Ergodic Confessions of Riemannian Manifolds
- The Joys of Tantric Differential Analysis
Oi!
Classical does not have to be stuffy and stodgy! You can incredible things when you blend modern rhythms, electronic processing, and classical composition.
c.f.
Piano Guys - Kung Fu Piano: Cello Ascends
The Piano Guys - Michael Meets Mozart
The Piano Guys - Moonlight: Electric Cello (My favourite!)
Ever since i became a cripple, I abuse this phrase. The thing is, how could you not?
So yah... This is great #blindpraise
Seriously though, this is the first story I've read in a long while that's actually made me read during my work breaks...
Seeing as how I only get an hour or so out of a 16 hour work shift, its pretty significant. Thank you for writing this wonderful piece of work.
Keep on keeping on, mate.
*clap* *clap* *clap* I haven't read a fanfic this good in ages! This ranks in my top three, with The Great Teacher Vinyl Scratch and the infamous University Days. I absolutely love a good Octav3 (as I call them) fic, so I applaud you, good sir/ma'am! Looking forward to more!
She's going home, bitches!
I only read this fic recently and its good to know you are still keeping it alive, this is one of the better OctiScratch fics I have found on FIMFiction and I hope we see plenty more!
4062147
She's wasting food! Bad Bon Bon!
4140537
Bad Bon Bon.
For some reason that is really fun to say.
Hell yes! I finally re-read this, and other than some spelling errors [in chapters before this one] that I don't have the free time to point out. This is an enjoyable read, kinda fail at making Dawn good after she outright said that Tavi's "Gay Agenda" wasn't welcome in her place. Ontop of being a self-reighteous d-bag. Still feel inducing, and I love what you're doing with the characters.
Please sir, can i have some more?
Aw..
I come back, and just as I'm getting into it, it ends again...
But yea! She's going home!
dammit rurik, you've gotten me hooed on another story...
4508824
I got a couple more for you to get hooked on as well
4639305 I wondered the same. But until we know for sure, I will assume she's a prickhead. Specially since in that moment where there was no-one around, she didn't seem to regret having used homosexuality as an excuse.
(Wow, this is an old comment)
4644939 Indeed it does.
When are we getting more damn it, i must know
i mean im sorry
i mean um...im sorry, its just i reall like the story and would love to see morw of it,....that is if you dont mind writing some more
Wooo hoooo! I missed reading this! Better than ever.
Le gasp, this chapter is an average length for once instead of super long? XD
4711346
You want long chapters, go read Wind and Stone
4711551 Jeez they're evne longer than in this story? XD
I remember one point I was reading a chapter of IaI for like half an hour then realised I was only a tenth of the way down the page XD
But it means more to love.
(Now, I am supposed to be packing for holiday so I'll have to tear myself away from feathers of blue and gold. literally can't stop reading so long as it's on the screen >w<)
Please write more, i look at the syory everyday hoping to se another chapter and i love this story so mjch, its darl but happy at the same time, please everyone would love to see more and we would do anything for anither chapter
Waiting.
Waiting
Please update soon!!!
I want to read what happens not only to Vinyl and Octy, but also Rainbow and Spitfire!!!
I read through Rainbow and Spitfire's story and sequel in like, five days!! They're great work, and I would like to see more!!!
Pinkie getting to Fluttershy is quite interesting: I noticed the part where Fluttershy's individual will left her and she followed Pinkie, was quite devious. And getting Scootaloo involved in my opinion is quite low of Pinkie. I wouldn't be suprised if that alone puts a major sprain on their friendship. Were I Rainbow, I would avoid those two for a good while.
Hope everything's okay, and, as always, waiting for an update!!
I hate to be that guy, but...
Update?
Wow, I just found and read this whole story in 2 days. It's been a great read, very well written, you convey emotions wonderfully! It's sad to see it's been left without an update for a while, but at least it ended on a slightly upbeat note. Still I'll track it just in case. Either way good luck on your other stories, thanks for the great read!
My eyes are starving. They need more to survive.