The Date
Octavia worked her jaw, feeling a slight strain in her neck as she chewed through her salad. Vinyl reached a hoof across the table, her red eyes meeting Octavia’s violet, wordlessly trying to calm her marefriend.
It wasn’t working.
Octavia had heard the whispers, snippets of conversation ever since she and Vinyl had walked into the restaurant. Every once in a while, she’d catch somepony glancing over at their table. Octavia would stare them down, the other pony would glance away. It was infuriating.
Vinyl rubbed Octavia’s hoof slightly. “It’s alright, Tavi. Just let it roll over you. They don’t know anything.”
The cellist breathed in deeply, allowing her eyes to close for a few moments.
There was a snicker, right at the edge of her hearing, probably not even directed towards her. Octavia’s eyes snapped open and she turned towards the laugh, only barely keeping a snarl off of her face.
Vinyl pulled slightly on Octavia’s hoof, shaking her head.
Octavia’s eyes widened slightly as she glared directly at Vinyl. There was something in the DJ’s eyes that Octavia couldn’t quite read.
“Waiter,” said Vinyl, holding up her hoof as a well-dressed stallion walked by. “Ya mind gettin’ us the check?”
The waiter nodded politely, reaching into a pocket and producing a scrap of paper.
“Thanks guy,” said Vinyl, barely even glancing at the check before pouring out a few bits onto the table. “Whatever doesn’t pay the bill’s yours.” She pushed out of her chair. “Come on, Octy.”
Octavia followed after her marefriend, noting the sudden quiet that would pass over a table as they passed by. The cellist set her jaw again, her steps slightly tense and awkward as she made her way to the door.
The fresh air, or what qualified for fresh in Canterlot, was a marked relief. Octavia glanced back at the restaurant. A less refined pony would spit in its direction. Octavia cursed under her breath, shaking her head and turning away from the building.
“Honestly, Vinyl,” she said. “The nerve of some ponies. It’s infuriating.” Octavia blinked, her head turning up and down the street. “Vinyl?”
Vinyl was back at the entrance, scrutinizing the restaurant’s entrance. She let out a long breath.
Bang!
The DJ felt herself shake with the force of her buck. Her breath came out in sharp bursts as she stared up towards the restaurant. “Fucking place,” she spat out.
Octavia watched nervously as Vinyl turned away from the restaurant, her legs shaking slightly. Vinyl tried for a smile, but ended up with more of a grimace.
“So,” began Vinyl, “that was nice.”
“Not particularly.”
“Well, the bread was good. And we barely got any food, so I didn’t have to pay that much. That’s a plus.” Vinyl couldn’t quite keep a note of bitterness out of her voice, which she quickly tried to cover up with a smile.
The pair wandered up the street.
Octavia glanced worriedly at her marefriend. “Vinyl, are you alright?”
“Peachy. Can’t feel my back legs, but other than that, perfectly fine. And how are you this fine day, Lady Tavi?”
“I’ll be fine if you stop saying ‘fine’, Vinyl.”
Vinyl shrugged. “That’s fine with me.”
Octavia raised an eyebrow.
A pause. “I said it again, didn’t I?” Vinyl kicked at a loose pebble. “Alright, so I wasn’t fine. I was pissed. I kinda kicked a wall.”
“Oh, really?” deadpanned Octavia.
“I just kicked it a little!”
“You can’t walk.”
Vinyl smirked and waggled her eyebrows, putting more innuendo into that movement than any words could. “Neither would you, if you’d give me the chance.” Of course, words wouldn’t hurt her effort.
Though, with Octavia, they normally did.
Octavia’s hoof twitched slightly, lifting off the ground. Vinyl closed her eyes, expecting a flash of pain.
Which didn’t come.
Vinyl opened her eyes again, half-expecting Octavia to be standing over her, waiting until the DJ was able to see the pain coming for her before actually striking. Instead, she saw the cellist, burning red, staring at the ground.
“Can,” began Octavia, “can we not talk about… that in public.”
Vinyl’s eyes widened. “Y-yeah,” she stammered. “Yeah. ‘Course. Sorry.”
Octavia nodded a silent thank you. They walked on quietly. Octavia glanced up and down the street, anywhere but at her marefriend. Her cheeks still hadn’t fully cooled down.
Vinyl was doing the exact opposite. She could feel blood rush into her face, making the sunny Canterlot day that much more uncomfortable. She scratched at her mane slightly, trying to focus straight ahead. But her eyes were subconsciously drawn back to Octavia. Her marefriend. Charcoal black mane, soft, grey fur, who could be sweet or embarrassed or angry or sarcastic at the drop of a hat. Her marefriend, who was so talented but still got nervous at the prospect of playing in front of a crowd and never thought that she had to skip practice, even after she had learned a song three times over. Her marefriend, who was still flushed, who was walking a bit stiffly, unaware that her cutie mark was swinging side to side hypnotically. Side to side. Side to side.
“Vinyl?”
“I wasn’t staring at your flank!” shouted Vinyl in a high-pitched voice.
Octavia’s mouth hung open.
Vinyl stared at Octavia blankly.
Octavia blinked.
A passing mare, pushing a stroller in front of her, stared at the couple.
Octavia quickly reddened, her head snapping up and down the street, trying not to make eye contact with the walking mother. The cellist grabbed Vinyl’s hoof, pulling her into a side street before the DJ could react.
“Vinyl, I’m going to kill you,” growled the cellist.
“With sexytimes?” The words were out before Vinyl was able to think.
Octavia raised a hoof.
“Wait, no!” Vinyl waved her hooves. “Not the face! For the love of Celestia, not the face!”
Octavia’s muzzle scrunched slightly. She lowered her hoof again and stepped away from Vinyl. “And this is supposed to be a date?”
Oh, thank you sweet Princesses, thought Vinyl. “Yeah. Is it not? I’m having fun. I mean, besides the whole restaurant thing.”
“Right. The restaurant thing.” Octavia seemed to deflate slightly.
Vinyl threw a hoof over her marefriend. “Hey now, Tavi, don’t get like that. We’ve got the whole day ahead of us… Minus the food.” A pause. “I’m hungry. Can we go eat something?”
“Yes, because it went so well last time.”
“Hey.” Vinyl leaned toward Octavia. “Octy, no. You’re not allowed to think like that. Every next thing is gonna be better than the last thing. We went to a fancy restaurant because I thought you’d like it and it sounded like a good idea. It was a bad idea. But now we’re going to go to a crappy restaurant because it sounds like a bad idea, which means that it’ll be a good idea! We’ll eat food that’s terrible for us but tastes amazing without caring what other ponies think of us” She beamed, lightly smacking Octavia’s side. “Sound good?”
“That… actually does,” admitted Octavia.
“Right! Follow me, cutie, I’ll lead the way.” Vinyl struck a pose, pointing dramatically forward, then turning around completely and marching the other way. Octavia gave a half-smile, trotting quickly to catch up to her marefriend.
“Wait, Vinyl!”
Vinyl turned around.
Octavia’s hoof connected sharply with Vinyl’s side. The DJ winced, doubling over in reflex.
“There,” said Octavia with a smile, “now all is right in the world.”
***
“You’re back, huh?” An stallion, weathered by age, stood over Vinyl and Octavia’s table. He worked his jaw, as though he was chewing and kept a cool gaze.
“Ma’s working the kitchen today, Pa?” asked Vinyl.
Pa nodded.
“Good. You can’t cook worth two bits.”
Octavia threw a look at her marefriend.
Pa’s stony visage cracked slightly. “Keep talkin’, Scratch,” he growled, “and I’ll add twenty bits to your bill.”
“Speaking of twenty bits, you catch that hoofball match a few nights ago? Which team did ya bet on again?”
“By all the… I’m out working counter one day and you’ve gotta be the one to walk in.” He produced a notepad and a pen. “What’re ya ordering, then?” Pa couldn’t quite keep a hint of amusement out of his voice.
The mares placed their orders. Pa made a show about how much work they were putting him through as he flipped his notebook shut. He locked eyes with Octavia.
Octavia gave a tight, slightly awkward smile.
Pa’s eyes seemed to shine slightly and his mouth twitched into the closest thing to a smile that Octavia had seen on his face. He turned towards Vinyl and nodded, quickly wiping the smile from his face. “I’ll get Ma out here; she’ll want to say hi to ya. Don’t know why she’d bother.”
Vinyl stuck out her tongue. Pa, to Octavia’s surprise, reciprocated the gesture before trotting back towards the kitchen.
Vinyl settled into her seat slightly. “I love Pa. He’s awesome.”
“The elder stallion that you just insulted?”
“Ah, he’s a big colt. He can take it. And that’s just us! There’s nothing bad behind it.” Vinyl sipped at the water that Pa had left them. “It’s like with Harpo.”
“Yes, but Harpo is Harpo.”
Vinyl rolled her eyes. “Come on, Tavi. You know what I mean. Me and Harpo and Pa have our own thing. We don’t really care what anybody says about us. Pa’s too old to care and Harpo’s too busy amusing himself to care.”
“And what about you?” asked Octavia.
Vinyl swirled her cup slightly, watching the water spin around itself. “I lived with High and Mighty Scratch. I heard crap from them all day. Then, when I got kicked out, I heard pity from every pony that passed me. Well, the ones that bothered looking.”
Octavia’s brow furrowed. “Kicked out?”
“Yup,” said Vinyl with a nod. “Back when I stopped trying to do what they wanted me to. I dropped out of school, stopped listening to those ponies my parents hired. And I was out on the streets about a week later. I guess that they thought that I’d come back or something, promise to do everything they said.” Vinyl grinned, touching the glass of water to her lips. “But nope.”
“You were homeless? Did your parents never try to help?” Octavia’s voice raised slightly towards the end of her questions.
Vinyl raised an eyebrow. “Tavi, you’ve met High and Mighty. Hell, listen to their names! Are they the kind of ponies that would say that they’ve made a mistake and try to help?”
Octavia ground her teeth together. “The more I learn about them…” Her voice trailed off slightly.
“Try living with them. Actually, don’t do that. You’d probably kill them and I’d have to wait for those conjugate visits.”
“Conjugal,” corrected Octavia on reflex.
“Yeah, those things.” Vinyl stared off into the distance. “That would be pretty hot, though. Not being able to see each other for months, having just a few hours to--”
Crack!
“Ow!”
“Now, I ain’t havin’ none o’ that talk in my diner, ya hear?” Ma stood over the table, a fierce motherly look on her face and a wooden spoon that struck with the force of justice itself in her hoof.
Vinyl rubbed at her stinging hoof. “Hi, Ma.”
“Hello, darling,” greeted Ma with a warm smile. She turned towards Octavia. “I remember you! Miss Octavia, if I’m not mistaken. Pa said you were here. This one,” she gestured towards Vinyl, “ain’t scared ya off yet, then?”
“No ma’am,” said Octavia.
“None of that ma’am stuff in here, filly. Call me Ma. It’s my name and it’s what ponies’ll remember me by when I’m nothin’ but dust.”
“You, dead?” asked Vinyl. “Ain’t never gonna happen, Ma.”
“That’s sweet, dear. A filthy lie, but sweet.” She turned back towards Octavia. “How’s she been treating you, sugarcube?”
“Sugarcube,” mouthed Vinyl from behind Ma’s back. “It means she likes you!”
“Fine, Miss Ma,” said Octavia quietly.
“None of that Miss stuff, either. ‘Specially if you’re here with Vinyl.” Ma rounded on the DJ, smacking her repeatedly with the spoon. “And what’s she sayin’ just ‘Fine’ for? Ya better be treatin’ this filly like she’s got horns and wings!”
Vinyl curled up slightly, weakly batting at the swinging spoon. “I am! I swear! She’s a Princess for me, Ma! Stop hitting me with a spoon!”
Ma stopped swinging, straightening up with a snort. “Ya better. Pa and I didn’t take you in so you could treat another filly just ‘fine’.”
“Alright, Ma, alright! I got it! I’ll wait on her, mane and tail, and all those other things you and Pa keep telling me.”
Ma smiled. “‘Course you will, sweetie.” She turned again. “And you, sugarcube, you gotta make sure that she stays in line. Hit her with a spoon if ya gotta, just keep her in line. This one here needs a bit of discipline.”
“Oh sure,” muttered Vinyl over the top of her glass. “I can’t say anything, then you go and set me up like that.”
Ma rapped Vinyl’s hoof with her smiting wooden spoon. “What’d I say about talkin’ like that?”
“I didn’t say anything!”
Ma gave her a disbelieving look. A bell sounded and she trotted away, allowing only enough time for Vinyl to pointedly roll her eyes at Octavia before returning with a set of plates carefully balanced in her hoof.
“Here ya are, girls,” she said, distributing the food and ending with a large, steaming apple pie that was about as big as the serving plates. “I know ya didn’t order the pie, but I figured that the occasion warrants it. Hope y’all enjoy.”
Vinyl grinned up at the older mare. “Aw, Ma! You’re too good to me.”
“I know, dear. Now, you make sure you come ‘round to the kitchen and say your good-byes when y’all are about to leave. Ya hear?”
“‘Course, Ma. Scout’s honor.”
Ma trotted off.
Octavia watched her for a few moments, before turning back towards Vinyl. “They… took you in?”
Vinyl held up a hoof, choking down the rather large bite of food that she had just taken. “Yeah, back when I first came up to Canterlot. When I’d left High and Mighty’s house. Ma and Pa gave me a job and let me rent out a place for me to stay.” She glanced towards the counter. “Eat your food, I think Ma’s looking over here. You don’t want her to catch you not eating her food.”
Octavia glanced over towards the counter, just in time to watch Ma turn away. The cellist took a bite of her own food, then another. She chewed daintily. “Vinyl?”
“Mmmmm?” A few leaves of lettuce stuck out of the DJ’s mouth.
“How did you, if you don’t mind my asking, how did you end up with Ma and Pa.”
Vinyl giggled slightly. “‘Ma and Pa.’ It sounds funny when you say it.”
Octavia gave a deadpan expression.
“But nah, I don’t really mind. Doc was the one who introduced me to them.”
“The Doctor?” asked Octavia.
“Yeah, that guy.” Vinyl glanced up towards the ceiling, trying to straighten her story. “I had already been here, in Canterlot, for a bit, wandering around, trying to find a job, that kind of thing. It… wasn’t the best time in my life. I hadn’t slept inside a house in weeks.” Her voice trailed off and she cleared her throat. “Anyway, I had just been through a really bad day. Like, I had spent weeks trying to save up enough to rent out a hotel room for a few days until somepony stole my bits. I spent a couple of hours trying to gather enough money for a train ticket to Manhattan. But then I heard this sobbing coming from an alley. So I went to check it out, and there was this pony standing there, his head against a wall, just crying.” Vinyl took a sip from her water.
“The Doctor?” asked Octavia. “Really?”
Vinyl nodded. “Yeah. I never found out why. But he was. And I asked him if he needed any help and he gave me this look of just… anger. And then it was gone and I asked if he needed any help again. He said something like, ‘I have no idea where I am.’ So I sat him down and tried to talk him through life in Canterlot and things like that. Then he disappeared and showed up again a few days later, all smiles and telling me how he had found me a place to work and stay. And that’s how I ended up with Ma and Pa.”
“And you didn’t question it or anything?”
“I was being offered a job and a place to stay,” said Vinyl with a shrug. “Not exactly my place to question.”
Octavia nodded in understanding. Silence fell on the table as the two picked at their plates.
“Anything else you wanna ask, Tavi?”
“Pardon?”
“Well, this is technically our first date. It’s where we get to know each other, right? Ask questions and things?”
“I suppose so,” said Octavia hesitantly.
Silence again.
Then: “Vinyl, how did you end up working for Fancy Pants?”
“That was Doc again. Fancy Pants hired him first as a technician. Then the Doctor recommended me as a musician. Fancy Pants interviewed me, had me write some music, talked to me about different musical styles.” Vinyl shrugged. “That’s about it, really. A couple of other ponies did the same thing, but Fancy Pants didn’t like them for some reason or another. Until you and Harpo.” She grinned.
“How many other ponies? Just out of curiosity.”
“A lot. There was always something wrong with them. They had the talent, but there was something missing. And there’s the part about a few of ‘em not wanting to work with me.”
Octavia felt the slightest flare of anger at that statement. The idea that anyone would look down on Vinyl. She hated it.
“You alright, Octy?”
“Yes, of course. Just fine.” Octavia snapped back towards her food.
Vinyl speared a bit of lettuce with her fork. “You know, I never thought that I’d be the calm one in this relationship.”
“I’d like to think that I’m rather calm.”
Vinyl snorted. “Yeah, because you totally haven’t knocked ponies down.”
“There was a very good reason for it!” protested Octavia. “They were insulting you.”
***
“Alright, your turn.”
Octavia thought for a moment. She hummed out a few notes, quick and sharp, like falling rain.
“The Pastoral Symphony. Thunderstorm/Storm.”
“By?”
“Beethoofen. Seriously Tavi, what do you take me for?”
Octavia smiled, her hoof absentmindedly stroking Vinyl’s mane. “Your turn.”
Vinyl hummed her notes, upbeat and swinging. Her hoof tapped slightly to the beat.
“Dippermouth Blues. By Joking Olive.”
“Yup.” A pause. “What kind of a name is Joking Olive?”
Octavia shrugged, turning slightly to find a more comfortable position against her couch and her marefriend. “Is there still pie left.”
“Yeah. You still hungry?”
“Celestia, no. I’m just wondering how much I’ll be eating as leftovers.”
“Say what you want about Ma, she’ll never let a pony go hungry.”
Octavia nodded in agreement. Silence permeated the room, broken only by the sound of Octavia’s hoof against Vinyl’s mane.
“Who’s turn is it?” asked Vinyl.
“Mine, I believe.” She hummed a few bars of a song that most ponies learned in kindergarten.
“The Alphabet song. I’ll be seriously impressed if you know who wrote it.”
Octavia shook her head. “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”
“That’s not fair! They sound exactly the same when you don’t say the words!”
“The rules we decided on didn’t mention anything like that,” said Octavia with a shrug.
“Cheater!”
“I am not!”
Vinyl turned quickly with a lascivious grin, pushing Octavia over onto her back, and straddling her. “Are too,” she said.
Octavia struggled weakly. “I did not break any rules, Vinyl! Get off of me!”
“Mmmmm, nah.” She leaned forward, laying down on her marefriend and smiling up at her. “You broke the rules. Now I have to think up a punishment game.”
“We never discussed this!”
Vinyl grinned. “It’s not about discussing. It’s about taking things one at a time, as they come.” She paused. “Actually, that gives me an idea for a punishment.”
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Interesting...
Sporky! Protect your master!
~ Michael
They totally did...I guess.....or not...I don't know...
Anyway, sweet chapter! Some more Ma and Pa!
It's totally normal what you are becoming. You grow up. Maybe it's a bit confusing so let me try to explain it. When two person really love each other....let's not go there
It's a trick question. They started and then got interrupted.
Every new chapter brings a grin to my face, keep up the good work.
“Vinyl, I’m going to kill you,” growled the cellist.
“With sexytimes?” The words were out before Vinyl was able to think.
XD
Sexytimes
Fantastic chapter as usual. :)
I saw the word "sexytimes". I saw you use it, Terra. You delighted me by using this word, Terra. Let the sexytimeness flow through you freely.
Also, they did.
Okay, if Ma hits her with a spoon, I bet Pa throws forks at people. Therefore Vinyl's spork is validated. Mystery solved.
funny. just funny. I cant thank of anything better to say
PS. I love ma and pa apple. can they carter the wedding?
3505106
LMAO!!!!!!
I love Ma and her smiting spoon of justice!
Stop writing such likeable, funny characters! 
Or write a piece of original fiction that I can buy and say should totally be checked out by everyone else. Because of the amazing, funny, likeable characters and the hypnotising gyrations and twists of plot. Not necessarily the story one. 
The melody to "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" is a variation of a French folk song by Mozart. Folk songs by definition do not have a composer, and as such it's absolutely correct to say that "Twinkle Twinkle" and the alphabet song (same basic tune) doesn't have a composer. Either that, or that they were composed by Mozart.
What would Mozart's pony equivalent be?
You probably know all this, but I wanted to show off.
This gave me a hearty laugh.
This too. Oh God, this one.
I waited to comment until I finished the story, to this chapter at least. And I read this all in one sitting, and I just have to say how much I enjoyed it.This is easily my favorite OctaScratch fic, by far. It's hilarious, cute, and has a really interesting plot. Every character is amazing. I love every character in this, even the ones I hate.
I don't want to go on a rant here, so I'll wrap this up. Awesome story, can't wait for it to continue. A story on this site hasn't caught my attention like this in awhile. Sorry for the really long comment, I've been holding in this comment for a bit and I tend to talk a lot
Sexytimes
Yay! New chapter! And, Terra? You didn't disappoint
What could possibly be the punishment game? Wear a blanket, pretending to be a ghost and hunting down Harpo? Force Octavia to play some disco music? Or drinking Lyra's coffee? Only time will tell...as for me, i can't wait for the next chapter! >__<
So I just spent the last few days binging through this when I've had the time. And I must say that I absolutely adore this fic. it is easily one of the better OctaScratch fics; you should definitely keep up the good work and I hope this gets more attention.
So I'm an avid lover of character development and just in general well fleshed-out characters. In my opinion, a story is defined by the characters, not the setting, plot or any other story element. This story has a decent plot and setting, certainly enough to drive the narrative and to keep me interested, however it's not where Syncopation shines.
This story thrives on its characters, there's such a massive array of different personalities, each very fluid and consistent, each developing as the story goes on. Hoity Toity, for instance, starts out as a bigoted ass but slowly we realise he's merely a businessman with his own agenda, not an evil blight. Then that role is filled by Blueblood, and I have to wonder if you'll do the same thing with him. Then these two are contrasted by the comparatively angelic, yet mysterious, Fancy pants. Leading on from this, I am absolutely loving the male presence in the story, most pony fics have an overwhelming female presence, especially mare-on-mare romances, but you've managed to balance out the influence of both genders on the story, which is extremely refreshing and interesting.
One gripe I have is that, for protagonists, Octavia and Vinyl aren't as interesting as the other characters that are slightly more in the background, like Fleur De Lis, Fancy Pants, Harpo and The Doctor. I don't know whether this is just because I've read too many fics about them or that they have more, I suppose, generic backstories. That's not to say they're uninteresting, just that their stories should be given more polish and that their relationship should be a bit less shoe-horned in.
That said, I very much look forward to seeing the future of this fic, and I hope my little wall of text helped at least a little bit. Keep being awesome.
I just finished idly perusing your blog, and I must say that I'm rather intrigued by mentions you make of this 'Counterpoint'. However, I cannot seem to find it!
Neither it, nor your curious little attempt at OctaScratch blasphemy are anywhere to be found!
Have I missed something?
Or have you, Terra, you magnificent bastard you, decided to be coy with your links?
I really must shamelessly grovel for more of your stuff. No. Really. ....Plz?
~OvO
3532392
They're not ready yet. Luckily, I have this entire week to work, so I should be updating soon!
Yes please! That, to me, is the absolute best way to die. Then at the end... oh, I hope they did.
They totally did!
~SolidFire
Giving you major props for that one. I actually had to look that one up to make sure I picked up the right pun. Jazz is a huge thing for me, and King Oliver is one of my favorites,and I especially love Dippermouth Blues.
I am loving this storie so far. But after 5 hours and 31 chapters I have to sleep because it is officially 3:27 am. We'll that and I want to save some for tomorrow. But really this is a great storie. You have made my day (and night)
LOLed so much here.
3994965 behold the power of... THE SPOON
4450691 static.fjcdn.com/pictures/blastwave_2c01a6_850508.jpg
>Abusive!Octavia
mlpforums.com/uploads/post_images/img-2569344-1-RdnlMpm.gif
Spoooooooooonie~
Awesome work on this! Twas awesome, as always.
Keep it up!
Freaking Vinyl, heeheh.
3994965 would you say you laughed "with the force of justice"? Heheheh... ok bai
So, wait, did Vynil meet the Doc when he first came to Equestria?
7165264
Probably.
Molly Weasley, is that you?
Sorry, but for some reason I keep hearing Molly's voice as Ma's. It's hilarious!