A Moon and World Apart

by Evilhumour

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Twilight couldn't help but smile as she saw the expressions on her new companions' faces as they continued to take in the sights en route to her parents' home.

With the celebrations underway, a lot of ponies waved and greeted them in the multiple parks, offering them to join them with Velvet shaking her head each time.

Finally, after watching them pass a couple of families starting to set things up, Pinkie Pie pronked over to her mom to ask what was going on.

"This is our nation's birthday," Velvet said to the mare, Pinkie's eyes widening. "And with how much our ancestors had to struggle and work for all that we have today, we like to honour them as well. In the Primus dome, you can find statues dedicated to each single founder and parties to honour each of them."

Pinkie's eyes were even wider now. "That's a lot of parties..." she said. "Even for me!"

Velvet chuckled. "You like parties, I take it?"

"Yup!" Pinkie nodded her head vigorously. "That's how I got my Cutie Mark; I threw my first party ever to share my happiness with the rest of my family when I saw this big rainbow!"

"Huh, fancy that, Ah got mah Cutie Mark after Ah saw a rainbow that reminded me where Ah belong," Applejack remarked. "Led me back to Ponyville from Manehatten."

"Really?" Fluttershy asked. "I... I owe mine to Rainbow Dash."

The others looked at her in surprise, and then Rainbow Dash nodded. "Right, the day of the big race," she said. "Flutters and I were at Flight Camp together. These bullies challenged me to a race after I stopped them from picking on her. I found out later that she'd fallen off the cloud when we took off..." She looked at Fluttershy, an expression of worry on her face.

"It's okay," Fluttershy told her. "I didn't get hurt when I fell. In fact, a whole swarm of butterflies caught me and took me down to their meadow. They were so pretty..." She smiled at the memory. "Then, there was a loud bang in the sky, and a rainbow-colored ring. It scared all the animals down there, but when I did my best to calm them down, I found I could communicate with them so much better than I could with other ponies. And that's when I got my mark."

Rainbow Dash looked like she wanted to say something more, but then caught the looks on Rarity, Sunset and Twilight's faces. "What about you girls?" she asked.

"Well," Rarity said. "I had been put in charge of costumes during a school play. But no matter what I did, they just did not seem... complete. Then, my horn suddenly began dragging me out into the middle of nowhere, where I found this enormous boulder." She sighed dramatically. "I was not very happy, until suddenly there was an explosion and a spreading rainbow ring in the sky. Just like what you saw, darling," she added to Fluttershy, who looked startled. "The shock waves it made broke open that boulder, and I found it was full of all sorts of gems. So I took them home and added them to my costumes, and voila! One brand-new Cutie Mark."

Sunset blinked. "Wow... that's... a lot like mine, actually," she said. "I don't remember seeing a rainbow, but Princess Celestia said she had. I was taking the entrance exam for her School for Gifted Unicorns, trying to hatch a dragon's egg." She smiled at Spike, who grinned back. "There was an explosion outside, and it startled me so I lost control of the heat I was pushing into the egg - that's what they really need to hatch," she explained. "I put out more fire magic than any single pony in history, and Spike hatched then and there. And when Princess Celestia got me calmed down afterward, I found I'd gotten my Mark."

Twilight nodded. "I've told Sunset this already," she said. "But my parents and I were working on one of my magic lessons when I saw this massive rainbow ring shoot across the sky and suddenly everything fell into place and I got my Mark."

Rainbow Dash was now looking at all of them thoughtfully. "I think I know what happened, to make that rainbow," she said. "Was it kind of an expanding circle when you saw it?"

Five of them nodded, and then Sunset tilted her head. "Yeah, that's how Princess Celestia described it," she said.

Rainbow Dash nodded. "Then I definitely know what it was," she said. "I always knew how much I liked flying, and going fast. But during that race, I discovered just how much I liked winning too. The speed, the adrenaline, the wind in my mane... I went so fast, not only did I prove myself better than those bullies who'd been harassing Fluttershy? I went faster than the speed of sound. And when I did, it made this massive explosion and spreading rainbow, just like the ones in that old mare's tale. Only it was real." She looked at them all. "They call it... a sonic rainboom."

Sunset gasped. "That's incredible! I'd heard about them, from centuries ago, but I never realized that's what startled me!"

All seven looked among themselves, eyes wide with awe.

"I think... I think it might have been fate that brought us all together," Twilight said, still startled as she considered the ramifications. "Seven ponies, all getting their Cutie Marks on the same day, at the same time? That can't be a coincidence." Then she began giggling, staring at Sunset. "Oh, I am so glad I met all of you!"

"Me too Twilight," Sunset said, looking back at her.

"Me three," Pinkie said, pulling them all into a hug, pushing Twilight very close to Sunset's face. Both girls blushed at the closeness.

After a few minutes, all of them were able to separate again, when Twilight caught her mother and Shiny giving them knowing looks. Mentally, she rolled her eyes, before her mother smiled again. "Well! That was certainly informative," she said. "And I'm happy for you all too. But let's move on, shall we? There's lots more to see!"

All of them nodded, and began trotting after her.

But as they moved on, Twilight caught some motion out of the corner of her eye as another pony hurried away from them. Recognizing who it was, she knew that she'd have to speak to another friend about her experiences very soon.

Don't worry, Moondancer, she thought. I haven't forgotten about you.

---

While she had had her fair share of different dates, Octavia had to admit this one was the most unique so far and the first one to progress this fast. Only a hooffull had ever gotten to the point where she met her partner's family.

After a bit of walking, Vinyl led her to an apartment and knocked on the door. In a few seconds, a lanky stallion with a red mane opened the door, looking at them and grinning. "Heya squirt," he said, messing with Vinyl's mane with his hoof. "I didn't think we'd see ya today, especially not with a date."

Vinyl squawked and moved to escape his hoof but the stallion's magic pulled her close to him. "Quit it ya dork," she grumbled as the stallion, clearly her brother, began to noogie her.

"Long, leave your sister alone," a mare's voice came, and Octavia looked up to see a mare with the same off-white coat as Vinyl and the stallion approaching. "Vinyl, good to see you again, dear. And who's this?"

"Octavia Melody, ma'am," Octavia said with a slight bow. "And you must be Vinyl's mother."

The mare blinked before she nodded and smiled. "Arpeggio Chorus," she said. "A pleasure to meet you, Octs. Can I call you that?"

"Go right ahead," Octavia said with a smile on her face. "Your daughter prefers to call me Octy."

"Well, we wouldn't want to give you mixed messages by using our daughter's pet name for you," an older-looking stallion chuckled as he tilted his head for them to come in with Vinyl groaning and blushing.

Once Vinyl had managed to get loose of her brother's grip, she trotted in, Octavia following as they were led to the living room. It was clear that music was a strong part of their lives, with different instruments all around the room and, in some cases, their images worked into the walls and furniture in decorative ways.

"I'm Canter Rhythm," the older stallion introduced himself. "You know my wife, and our son Long Play."

"LP for short," the younger stallion added, flashing her a smile. "So where'd my baby sis find you, anyway? I don't recognize that accent," he asked.

"Um." Vinyl hesitated. "Remember how Director Luna asked me to come on a special assignment for her?"

"Yes," Canter replied. "I see you made it back safely, not that I had any doubts."

LP nodded. "Shiner knows what I'd do to him if he didn't make sure of it," he said.

Vinyl groaned again, muttering something about overprotective brothers under her breath. "Well, that assignment was to go down to Equestria," she said, resulting in all three sucking in sharp breaths of air. "Check the general mood of the people. We did, and it was pretty good, so we got back with no problems. Octy's from their capital city; Director Luna personally invited her up here to visit once she saw we were friends."

"Well, hopefully she'll be more than just friends," Arpeggio chuckled with the stallions snickering.

"Mom," Vinyl hissed, and Octavia couldn't help but be amused at the embarrassed look on her face.

"Well, can I help it if I want the best for my little girl?" Arpeggio asked as she flashed Octavia a smile. "And if Director Luna approves of her, that's certainly a big point in her favor."

"So what do you do down there?" Canter asked.

"I, sir, am primarily a classical cellist, though I dabble in other genres as well," Octavia replied. "I perform at concert halls and events around Equestria." She smiled. "Your daughter actually met me when I was picking up my cello from the shop where I had taken it for some repairs and tuning."

"Really now? That's so sweet; what a story to tell your kids," Arpeggio said with Octavia blushing now.

"Mom!" Vinyl looked aghast. "We literally met just two days ago! It's way too early to be talking about that kind of thing!"

"Tell that to your dad," Arpeggio said with a chuckle, nuzzling Canter. "Your dad met me and we had two dates before he said, This is the one, I tell you what."

"Why did I think this was a good idea? Why Vinyl why," Vinyl moaned.

Octavia reached over and laid a hoof on her arm. "It doesn't bother me," she said. "I promise." She smiled. "Actually, it is very encouraging, to know they feel so strongly about me already."

"Well, to be honest with you Octs, there is the music test," Canter said with Arpeggio swatting his side. "What? What's wrong with the music test?"

"Come now, behave, she's a guest in our house, we don't need to have her do that," Arpeggio said in a lecturing tone. "Come Long, help set the table with your old man. You two make yourself comfortable on the couch and I'd appreciate it if you didn't do anything we'd do Vinyl. Red really isn't your colour and it is a real pain to clean it up."

"Mom!" Vinyl squeaked, blushing beet red. "Octavia, I am so sorry. This is so embarrassing."

Octavia, however, just laughed. "Vinyl, if you think this is embarrassing, wait until you meet my parents. They are, in their own way, just as blunt."

"Ooo, you hear that Canter? Our daughter is going to meet her parents!" Arpeggio giggled and squeed. "I really hope that they can use what they're doing for the Orion so we can meet them too."

"The... Orion?" Octavia asked carefully. "Would that be something that would allow for easier transport between Equuis and the moon?"

"Short version, yes, it's a step in that direction," Vinyl said, suddenly stiff and looking uncomfortable. "I'm not sure how much I can say, considering you're not from here, Octavia."

Octavia nodded. "Completely understandable," she said. "If you do not think I am cleared for such information at this time, I can wait until I am."

Vinyl looked relieved. "Thanks, Octy."

"You're quite welcome, Vinyl," Octavia said, smiling at the mare. "So... what is the music test, if I am allowed to ask that?"

Octavia could have sworn she heard Canter give a little cheer before a smacking sound. Vinyl, on the other hoof, clearly heard it and responded by saying, "Can you two try to not listen in? And the same goes for you, big bro!"

"Nothing doing, squirt-ow," Long Play grumbled.

Vinyl rolled her eyes. "Octavia Melody, my family," she said, trying to frown but she had a wide smile on her face. "When somepony invented the phrase 'Normal is relative', we were the ones who invented the corollary - 'There's no such thing as a normal relative'."

Octavia let out a rather dignified snicker. "Quite, my dear," she said. "So this music test?"

"Oh, right," Vinyl said as she went to the wall of instruments. "As you've guessed, my family is big on music; all of our Cutie Marks do have it so my parents kinda created this dumb test for any of our potential dates. Here it is," she said, pulling a cello off the wall, and turning to face her. "You don't need to do it but the music test is to see how good a musician you are."

"Ah." Octavia smiled. "Any particular styles I should perform, or is it a general demonstration of my ability?"

Vinyl rolled her eyes as she lifted the cello towards her. "You've met my parents; you really need to ask?"

Octavia smiled, and accepted the cello and the bow that came with it. Examining both to make sure the strings were properly adjusted, she pulled a small container of rosin out of a pouch she'd had by her side, and ran the bow hair against it before putting it away again.

Then she placed the bow against the cello, and began to play.

What emerged was a basic warmup at first, but grew and transformed as she continued, shifting styles every few minutes, until she came to a conclusion.

When she opened her eyes, she saw all four unicorns staring at her, their mouths hanging open in pure awe.

Then Canter pointed his hoof at Vinyl, his wife and son in turn. "You, get the ring. You, get the caterer. And you, get the officiant. I don't see any reason why these two should wait any longer to make this official."

"Dad!" Vinyl groaned. "Shouldn't that be our choice?"

Then she turned to Octavia. "Octy, if I hadn't already fallen for you, that would have cemented it."

Octavia beamed. "Vinyl Scratch, if that was a proposal, I accept."

"You mean it?"

"We may have only known one another for two days, but in that short a time you have more than made me happier than all my past dates put together," Octavia said truthfully. "Whenever you're ready, so am I."

Vinyl grinned. "Well, if my family hasn't scared you off, and if we can get the commute figured out, then I'd think we can make this work." She smiled and nuzzled Octavia. "Come, I think lunch is ready."

"And you two have a lot to talk about," Arpeggio said softly. "The last thing you two want to do is rush things too quickly. Please take some time to get to know each other before you have the whole big show, okay?"

"We will," Vinyl said. "But she already knows about my voice box and isn't bothered by it, and that's the biggest thing."

"That's good and all, but listen to your mother, Vinyl," Canter said. "I might have jumped the plasma shot there and put that idea in your heads but seriously, take the time to get to know each other."

"Oh, we will," Octavia said. "She has to meet my parents first, I wasn't joking about that. Hopefully by that point we will have got to know each other better."

Vinyl smiled gratefully. "It's date then, Octs." She elbowed her. "Come, my mom makes the best grub you've ever had."

Octavia smiled back and followed her into the dining room.

"So what's your family like, anyway?" Long Play asked once they'd settled in.

Octavia considered. "Well, as I told Vinyl soon after we met, I come from a family with a great appreciation for the arts of all kinds," she said. "We have a number of musicians in our line, including my maternal cousin Fiddly Twang, or Fiddlesticks as she prefers; she specializes in a more country style. Others of our family are known for painting, sculpting or other visual arts of that type. Not all of us are so inclined to create, but even those who don't do so have been known to enjoy experiencing them."

"Oh?" Arpeggio leaned in. "Tell us more..."

Octavia smiled, and began to describe some of her cousins, and their works (or lack thereof).

A little while later, LP was chuckling. "When you said some of your family could be blunt, you weren't kidding there Octy," he said.

Octavia raised an eyebrow at him. "I thought you weren't going to use your sister's nickname for me as to keep certain matters separate."

"Oh please, that's my parents," he snickered with a grin on his face. "It's my duty as her brother to mess with her as much as possible."

Vinyl rolled her eyes. "I envy that Twilight Sparkle never has to put up with this from Shiner," she grumbled.

"You know you love me anyway," LP said teasingly. "How's he doing anyway?"

"Just fine; asked me to remind you that you two have a get-together this weekend," Vinyl told him.

"Right, right," LP said. "Big gaming sesh."

Vinyl rolled her eyes again. "They're role-playing geeks," she said to Octavia by way of explanation before turning back to her brother. "Though he might be able to bring a plus one if things go well."

"Oh?" LP's expression immediately changed.

"Yeah." Vinyl grinned. "Shiner snagged himself a marefriend in Canterlot, and she's into this stuff too."

"Nice!" LP grinned back. "She come back with him?"

"Not yet; had to deal with some royal duties back home," Vinyl said.

"That's nice that he could find himself a special somepony," Arpeggio said, turning her eyes towards her son. "Now if only a certain other pony could do the same."

"Hey, it's harder than you'd think to find a mare who's as big into this stuff as I am," LP said with a grumble and a blush. He stabbed his dish, and stuck some food into his mouth. "I'm keeping an eye out though."

Suddenly, he did a double-take. "Royal duties? One of the mares who works for the Princess?"

"More like the newest Princess," Vinyl said. "Turns out our Head Director got an adoptive niece in the years she was up here. Really nice type; she and Luna got on right away when they met."

"Now that's a real go getter," Canter said with a grin. "And one that likes your games too Long. It's a shame she's spoken for Long."

"Yeah, yeah, I get the hint," LP said with a sigh. "Be nice to meet her though." He turned back to Octavia. "So, you were saying about your cousin Sugarcoat?"

Octavia nodded. "Tact is most definitely a foreign concept with her. Fortunately, her superior officers seem to appreciate it. They expect she will make an excellent drill leader when she finishes her current tour of duty and can transfer to the Academy to serve as an instructor there."

"Oh yeah." LP nodded back. "Sounds like she'd have a blast doing it."

"Quite," Octavia said. "She's currently in the capital; I was going to go meet her today but I think she will understand other things came up. She will be snarky about it in her own way, but she will understand."

"Don't even say it, Long," Arpeggio warned with the stallion rolling his eyes in good nature. "She actually has somepony with her, unlike you. And now that Shining has a marefriend, that path is closed to you."

"Mom!" LP did not look happy. "He's my best friend, not like that!"

Octavia and Vinyl giggled loudly before Octavia leaned over and kissed Vinyl on the cheek.

"Thank you dear for the best second date ever," she said.

Vinyl grinned back. "Glad you've had such a good time, Octy," she said. "Now, before my brother spontaneously combusts from embarrassment, what say we change the subject away from his love life or lack thereof?"

"Of course," Octavia replied. "It would be a rather poor way to end and spoil what has been quite the exciting day. And I would hate to lose my future brother-in-law before he officially became one of my kin."

Vinyl smiled happily at that.

"Besides, perhaps when we return to Equestria, he could come with us," Octavia added before turning to LP. "Perhaps you will have just as much luck in Canterlot as your sister did. Maybe one of Princess Cadance's friends would be interested?"

LP nodded gratefully. "I think I'd like that."

With that settled, Octavia turned back to Arpeggio and Canter, prepared to answer another of their questions about her life, and found herself looking forward to doing this again in the future.

"And once we're done here, Octs," Arpeggio said, gathering the plates. "We've got foal pictures to show you."

"MOM!" Vinyl practically shrieked, her face reddening.

Octavia gave her a smile before turning back to Arpeggio. "Do you have any of her practicing on the turntables?" she asked.

"Oh, plenty," Arpeggio said as she walked back into the room with a big chocolate cake.

"Vinyl," Canter said, leaning over. "If you do something to lose this one, you're grounded for a year, you got me?"

"Dad, I don't even live here anymore," Vinyl grumbled.

"We can still ground you if we feel the need," Canter replied. "Like if you mess up with this gem of a mare."

Vinyl groaned again. "I get it, I get it."

"Vinyl, dear," Octavia said, patting her hoof. "I guarantee, it will be very hard for you to achieve such a thing."

"Thanks Octy," Vinyl said as her mom placed down a single plate of cake before them and winked at them.

With that, the two mares dug in, and Octavia mentally repeated herself from earlier, a thought that unbeknownst to her, Vinyl was sharing at the exact same moment.

Best. Second date. Ever!

Comments

[kojivsleo]

Romance is going by way too quick, they don't even know each other, same with Cadance and SA.

[Stahlseele]

i can feel my teeth rotting.

[AnoneMouseJr]

10805541
You do realize there's been conversation between them that happened offscreen while the scene changed to other characters, right? Yes, they've only known one another for a few days, but they already feel close.

Second, as shown in-story, Vinyl already realized she was falling for Octavia by the end of that first date.

And third... at least some of this is just them being a little silly. (Though they do want to make a serious go of it.)

Until next time...
Anon e Mouse Jr.

[Asolem2]

After a few minutes, all of them were able to separate again, when Twilight caught her mother and Shiny giving them knowing looks.

They're not the only ones

[Revel Montaro]

10805541
When you find the right person you just click with you will find it difficult to slow down.