Equestria Academy

by Sigil Flare

Chapter 3

I feel as though I should stop and dedicate this chapter to a memory that changed the way I viewed the relationship between Vinyl Scratch and Octavia. I would like to thank 71NYL-5CR4TCH for making me realize just how much these two not only mean to each other but what they do for each other as well. If you have the time go and read She Woke To Fur Elise you won't be disappointed.

Vinyl looked down at herself as she walked down the hallway towards Octavia's room, or what Rainbow had told her was Octavia's room. She messed with the headphones around her neck and shifted the portable turntable and Sub-woofer under her arms. A rather difficult feat to accomplish if Vinyl hadn't had so much practice at doing it.

She stopped as she hit room 291. “So this was where that stuck up prissy lives” said Scratch to herself Knocking on the door with her knee “I hope she's actually here, I can't believe she changed the meeting location at the last minute like that”

“You can let yourself in” said a rather unusually kind voice on the other side of the door “It's unlocked”

“I would” laughed Scratch bouncing her knee off the door again “But my hands are kind of full”

It only took Octavia a few seconds to walk over to the door and open it from inside. She wasn't exactly pleased to see the smiling Dj at her doorstep, but she imagined anything was better than walking into Scratch's room. She could only assume that the fumes given off by the piles of trash on the floor must be considered toxic by now. Octavia simply could not be seen entering a place like that.

On the Vinyl's side, she had spent the last 3 hours making the room look nice for Octavia. Wanted to prove to the clean freak that she wasn't always a slob, and a little to herself. When she got Octavia's message that she wanted to meet at her room tonight, Vinyl had been furious and only quick departure from her now clean dorm room had helped it remain clean.

The inside of Octavia's room was exactly what Scratch had imagined. It was so clean she couldn't tell if the carpet was real or painted on, unless she stepped on it to make sure. Which of course in stepping over to the table in the living room, gave her a lot of time to check. However Scratch had forgotten to take her shoes off at the door.

“Take your shoes off idiot” criticized Octavia closing the door Scratch had left open “For Celestia's sake just because you a guy doesn't mean you have to be so messy”

“Alright” said Scratch taking her shoes off and throwing them in what she believed to be Octavia's general direction Making her dodge the mud coated projectiles “Then take care of em for me. Just make sure I can find them on the way out”

“Your horrible” cried Octavia picking up her shoes doing her best not to touch the mud coated parts “You can at least pretend to have manners, you know”

“I came here to see about a collaboration in music” said Scratch trying to find a plug for her equipment “Not to get a lecture on my bad behavior”

“It's probably best to tell you now” said Octavia going to grab her cello “I don't expect anything good to come out of this”

“Why is that?” asked Scratch a warning tone thick in her voice

“I can hardly stand that crap you call music alone” said Octavia ignoring the warning tone in Scratch's voice “I'm trying not to think what it will do to my music”

“Watch yourself there Princess” said Scratch doing her best not to lose her temper “That music is my life”

“How can you consider that music? How can you possibly believe that you can put the kind of feeling and soul into the press of a button, that you could with an actual instrument?” asked Octavia expecting her uneducated opponent to be unable to surface a rebuttal

“Putting yourself into the music when you play is important yes” said Scratch after a moment of thought “But I put myself into it when I write. Have you ever written any music?”

Octavia opened her mouth to fire off a cutting remark, but found with shock that she couldn't come up with one.

“Octavia, you can't feel true emotions in someone else's work” said Scratch pressing her advantage “It's their music, their voice! Music is a way to let out the emotions storming around inside of you. They are meant to be released and felt, but never relived”

“I... guess you have a point” admitted Octavia “I've never written any music, I guess it was always easier to follow than feel”

An awkward silence descended upon the room. Octavia paced the room deep in thought, while Scratch merely sat there and watched. She saw so much conflict in the girl pacing in front of her. It was as if she had two sides battling for dominance. One implied by her background and society, and the other a kind of longing for freedom and a sense of identity.

“Octavia?” asked Scratch suddenly breaking the silence

“What?” asked Octavia not stopping in her pacing

“What do you feel right now?” asked Scratch curiously She hadn't expected this kind of reaction from her supposedly self appointed nemesis

“I don't know” replied Octavia stopping her pacing, looking at her nemesis wondering what was on her mind “Confused?”

“Why?” asked Scratch quite seriously

“I've been living with music all my life.. it's what I do.. everything I am. How can I write music about music? I have no romance, no adventure. Furthermore, why if all I know is music, is the most disheveled, rude, poor mannered, party-going, crazy bastard I have ever met, giving me the most profound speech of my art I have ever heard?!” Octavia cried in vain, raising her arms up to the heavens

Vinyl shrugged “My life makes my music, and what I do and where I go makes my life”

“Same for me except nothing ever happens where I go. It's always the same group of stuffy people, sitting and listening quietly, as I pour out the work of someone else's heart on stage. Even so I only get a clapping of hands” said Octavia frustrated “When you get to pour yourself into something and get the crowd to move with you. Have them cheer your name in chorus”

“Sounds to me” said Scratch meeting Octavia's eyes from behind her purple shades “Like I know just how you feel right now”

“How could you possibly know how I feel?” asked Octavia skeptically She had no doubts that if she couldn't figure out her mind right now, there is no possible way this guy could.

“Frustrated, chained, and above all bored” said Scratch without a second thought

Octavia froze for a bit, trying to let the truth of Scratch's statement penetrate the storm of her mind. Once it broke through, she realized just how true it was. She wanted to escape from the stuffy, high regime of her upbringing and live freely. She was so tired of the order, the rules, and above all being told what was right and wrong. Octavia wanted to above all to be herself, but she had no idea where to start.

“So I am” Octavia sighed “but it's not like I could just change my life..”

“What's stopping you?” asked Scratch in a demanding tone

“What do you mean?” replied Octavia in a frustrated tone “I have a job, friends and classes to go to! I have too many responsibilities”

“Your point?” Scratch asked keeping the same tone “Try and wrap your head your around this concept. That you could always just leave? Quit? Follow your dreams? That is why I love what I do, if one day I just decided I wanted to go somewhere else, do you know how long it would take me? Travel time and about 15 minutes to pack” Finished Scratch, ignoring the look of sheer confusion on Octavia's face

“How could you possibly do that?” Octavia asked “Just dump everything and leave on a whim?”

“Because I believe whim's are your brain telling you that now is the perfect time to do something” explained Scratch "Spontaneity is the way life should be lived. Plans fail, fate doesn't seem to, it just has bumps in the road. You can't say you failed to get where you're going if you've got no place in mind."

“So you're telling me” asked Octavia still trying to accept that last statement “That if I want to do something... I should just do it. Without thinking of the consequences?”

“Mm hmm” answered Scratch leaning back on the couch closing her eyes and relaxing “That's my philosophy anyways” She put her feet up on the coffee table, but Octavia took no notice.

“And how has that worked out for you?” asked Octavia with a cheeky grin “I know for certain that job of yours doesn't pay near as well as mine, and you sleep through most your classes”

“It's true I don't make as much money as you, or get great grades” said Scratch not trying to deny it at all “But I'm happy, and I wouldn't trade that for all the money in the world”

“You traded all that to be happy?!” asked Octavia deadpanning

“Yup” replied Scratch with a content sigh

“Do you even care what anypony thinks of you?” asked Octavia trying to talk some sense into the DJ.

“Why should I?” asked Scratch very seriously “I am who I am. If there not happy with that it's not my problem. There opinion doesn't matter unless I say it does.”

“Your telling me you go through life without a plan, not caring about anything, and not giving a fraction of a shit what anybody thinks about you?” asked Octavia trying not to believe something like that could be possible

“Sounds fun huh?” laughed Scratch

“It sounds fantastic!” replied Octavia dumbfounded

“Then why not give it a try?” asked Scratch “Nobody's stopping you”

Octavia almost in a daze, stood up slowly and walked around the coffee table to the relaxing DJ. She bent down and closed her eyes, planting a single gentle kiss upon Scratch's lips. Scratch immediately opened her eyes in shock , causing Octavia to jump backwards. It took a few seconds for Octavia to fully recognize what she had just done.

“I am so sorry” said Octavia in a panic “That was so stupid of me...”

Scratch looked her straight in the eyes from behind her shades and asked “Did you want to do it?”

“Yes” admitted Octavia with some effort

“Then it's alright” said Scratch with a smile “Don't worry about it”

“But I just kissed you?!” cried Octavia

“Remember” said Scratch pointing a finger at her “Live life without regrets. You wanted to do it. You did it. So you have nothing to regret right?”

“I guess...” replied Octavia still unsure

“The one thing I'm curious about” started Scratch getting Octavia's head to turn towards her “Is why did you want to kiss me? I thought you hated me?”

“Well the truth is I never hated you, although I did dislike your taste in music, I always envied your carefree attitude” said Octavia her eyes closed “Your the one guy here that always acts true to himself no matter what others might think”

“So what's the real reason you wanted me over here instead of back at my dorm?” asked Scratch trying to figure out where this conversation was heading and not liking the results

“I wanted to get you alone” said Octavia quarreling with herself “I knew with that new roommate of your's hanging around, I might not be able to bring myself to do this”

“Do what exactly?” asked Scratch throwing her hands up “You've lost me again”

“I wanted to ask you to go out on a date with me” said Octavia closing her eyes and bracing herself for the snappy comeback inevitably following

“Me go on a date with you?” contemplated Scratch dumbfounded

“I know it's stupid” continued Octavia “I don't even know why I'm bothering you by asking..”

“Now hold on” said Scratch regaining her composure “I didn't say no. I'm just wondering how a date between us would work. I know you don't want to go clubbing like me...”

“And you wouldn't want to go to a stuck up fancy place like me” finished Octavia getting the picture “I see”

“How bout this” suggested Scratch pulling out her cellphone “Give me your number and we can figure this all out later. You've given me a lot to think about and I'm feeling pretty tired all of a sudden”

“All right” said Octavia putting her number in Scratch's phone and handing it back to her “But I do expect you to answer my message. You are the only guy to ever have my phone number”

“Then I won't abuse it” answered Scratch finding her shoes and gathering her gear “It's almost curfew and as much as I'd like to stay and sort all this out, I need to be getting out of your hair”

“Why do you care about curfew?” asked Octavia still in the living room

“I don't” replied Scratch with a smug grin “I just don't want to be here when your roommate get's back, less for you to have to explain ya know?”

“I see” said Octavia standing up “Then I will see you tomorrow?”

“Probably not” said Scratch walking out the door “I have work tomorrow after all, feel free to message me any time though” She used her foot to close the door before Octavia could respond.

“Man” Scratch thought walking back towards her dorm “Who would have thought I would land a date with Octavia. Even be the first guy...” Scratch stopped as if she had just ran into a cement wall “Shit!” she said out loud kicking at the ground angrily “How could I have forgotten to mention that?” Not knowing what else to do Scratch continued to her dorm, deciding right then and there that if Octavia didn't ask, she wouldn't tell.

When Scratch got back to the room she immediately dropped all her stuff on the couch and looking first to make sure Steam Gear wasn't home, began taking off her clothes. She thought a shower would help her relax after tonight's events with Octavia. At one point the thought of have a relationship with another girl would have appalled Scratch, but after being a guy for so long she had warmed up to the idea.

Deciding that 15 minutes showering was enough, Scratch wrapped her towel around herself and began the process of drying her hair. Over the noise the hairdryer made however she couldn't hear the door open and close, signaling the return of her somewhat inebriated roommate. Once done with her hair, she decided the hell with it she'll spike it up in the morning.

Taking a step out of the bathroom and into the living room, on her way to her room, she heard a gasp. Immediately turned around to find a half-drunk Steam Gear standing in the kitchen mouth agape staring at her.

“What are you doing taking a shower here?” Gear asked pointing a finger in her direction “This is my dorm” Scratch realized that her roommate hadn't recognized her because of his current state of drunkenness. She decided to try and bluff her way out.

“I was just cleaning up before I left” replied Scratch edging her way slowly over towards her room “Scratch had told me it was okay to use your shower”

“Your not supposed to be here” said Gear “and where's your clothes?”

“I know I'm not supposed to be here. I'm very sorry” said Scratch the word sorry being extremely hard to say “My clothes are in there” She pointed to her room

“Well, let's go get them back” said Gear heading towards Scratch's room “I want to talk to him anyway”

With no other options presenting themselves, Scratch followed Steam Gear into her room. She quickly ran over and grabbed her bra and pants which were laying out on the bed in plain sight. As she did so Steam Gear scanned the room looking for the missing Scratch.

“Where did Scratch go?” asked Gear looking at her suspiciously “You told me he was here”

“I never said that” said Scratch catching her own loophole “I just said he told me it was okay to use your shower”

“Don't you play games with me” warned Gear advancing on the still not clothed Scratch “You're the one in trouble here” He reached out his hand and grabbed Scratch's arm, which she wrenched free. In doing so however, she loosened the hold of her towel and it fell to the floor with a thump leaving her entirely naked.

Acting on instinct, Scratch took her right hand balled it into a fist and fired it into the center of Steam Gear's chest. With a gasp he fell to the floor winded, and lost consciousness. Scratch took a second to put some shorts and a shirt on, before picking up her roommate and depositing him in his bed. She'd have trouble explaining this in the morning, so she decided to think of a story to tell him when he woke up.

Comments

[Righteousdemon15]

is Vinyl a boy or girl, because you keep switching between him and her when it is talking about Vinyl and it is confusing me very much so.

[Assassindog117]

It might be a different person

[Sigil Flare]

All will be answered in due time

[rainbowsquash5]

2119239 Vinyl is a girl pretending to be a boy. like the Shakespearian play "twelfth night" this is kind of like the movie she's the man which is also based on twelfth night.

[rainbowsquash5]

Good story i want to see where Vinyl and Octavia's relationship goes good job.