Astrarian's Flashfic Anthology

by Astrarian

Unspoken

Octavia’s jaw slackens when she spots Vinyl Scratch in the front row. She feels faint.

The question she’s asked every day for months leaps into her dry mouth. But she can’t say it, because she’s still on stage and the orchestra is taking a bow.

Vinyl looks back at her, a tremulous smile pulling at the corners of her muzzle.

Where have you been?

Barely expecting an answer, Octavia mouths it, a silent plea that goes unnoticed by everypony else.

Vinyl’s smile fades. She shrugs and shakes her head, as if she hadn’t understood.

Octavia doesn’t believe her. Because Vinyl Scratch is superb at reading lips. Because Octavia learned about non-verbal communication from Vinyl herself.

She learned that it isn’t enough.

Octavia snaps her mouth shut and shakes her own head sharply. The curtain comes down with a finality that Vinyl’s absence had somehow lacked, and she blinks away tears.

Author's Note:

April 2020: "So Long and Goodnight"