> An Untitled Piece. > by Lyca > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > 1; New Kid in School Part 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Kid in School Complete and utter bliss. That was the only way to describe how Vinyl felt at this particular moment. In her mind, there was absolutely nothing better than the feeling of creating an epic new hit. The sheer audacity of what she was known for (Or rather what DJ-PON3 was know for), sent a shiver of rebellion down her spine. Her parents would flip shit if anyone ever found out that their daughter was the woman known only by her official stage name. Then again, so would she. Pfft! Yeah, like any of those idiots who like my music could ever put two and two together, and come up with a staccato! In a spur of instinct, Vinyl flipped a switch, bringing the music to a slow waving of sound that almost seemed ready to fade away, before slamming a large cobalt blue button and shouting into the microphone just before the floor-shaking drop. "NOW LET'S DROP THAT SHIT!" Just as she finished her sentence, the music started up again in full force, shaking the soundproof walls of her small recording room. She dared not push their limits by turning the speakers up any more than they already were, for fear of defying the walls she had just gotten installed. After some more wubs and wurrs, the blue haired menace wound the song down to a slow end, smiling at her early morning stroke of genius. Wait...morning? Oh crap what time is it?! the DJ asked herself as she noticed the sun, already on its way into the sky. She quickly called for her watch with her magic, causing her hand to hit her in the face as she forgot she was wearing it. Ow...I shouldn'ta done that,she chided herself before letting out a sigh as she found it was only 4:30 am. Still time for a shower before I have to meet up with the stagehands. Vinyl Scratch saved her newest track on a glossy black record and carried it out of the room, practically cradling the large disc in her magic as she tiptoed through the hallway. She was not about to incur her mother's wrath for waking her up this early. Nothing on the planet was more terrifying than when she inadvertently pissed off her parents. She chuckled to herself. Staccato blood. The only thing we have in common... With that, she turned into a hallway littered with everything from pictures to priceless family heirlooms. To her right was a sequence of family photos, the first being just her father. Next, a picture of her mother, followed by their wedding photo, one of her mother pregnant and smiling, Vinyl's father holding her hand. Then the new baby; her older brother Stephen(Steel), three years of annual family portraits later was a picture of Stephen holding a blue haired infant in his lap while he sat between their parents. Vinyl looked at the plaque of this one. Valarie's first photo~ It was indeed; taken just weeks after her birth. Ugh, why'd they have to call me that..? The next few pictures showed the young Vinyl in little tiny dresses, her two-toned blue hair done up in fancy styles and bows, adding emphasis to her ruby red eyes. Nowadays the girl wouldn't be caught dead in such formal attire. It was when she was eight that she had started to change, no longer wanting to be the prissy home-schooled musical prodigy her parents had been sculpting her into. Throwing a trademark Staccato tantrum, she got put into a school, albeit a private one. By the sixteenth photo, Vinyl was wearing normal clothes for the children of that year, and as the photos progressed, so did her rebellious style. The newest one, taken earlier in the year, depicted a carefree teenage girl wearing skintight ripped jeans, a white shirt covered in safety pins and other bits of metal, a chain belt with a double eighth note hanging from it, and a pair of high-top shoes, all completed by her spiked hairstyle. Her parents we not happy with the smug looking girl in the photo, and the place where her brother used to occupy was empty, causing a small pain in Vinyl's chest. Steel had recently moved to Las Pegasus to pursue his dream of becoming a famous rock star, and Vinyl had been devastated. He was the only one in the family who understood her, even when Vinyl told him what type of music she had wanted to make. Mum and Dad always did support him, being that boys are supposed to dream of being rock stars she mused sadly. God I miss him... She turned left at the end of the hall and took the second turn to the right, leading into hers. This hall was strewn with police tape and glowing neon signs. There was even a glow stick dispenser right before a room labelled For Parties Only. She passed this by, casually pressing a button and receiving a glowbelt, which she cracked and strapped on. At the end of the hall she opened a door and stepped into her room, closing it tightly behind her. "Another day, another rating," she chuckled as she looked at her status board which displayed that she, or rather DJ-PON3, had climbed another two spots on the ratings list, and now sat at number 13. She placed her record beside it in a brown envelope. I'm saving this for Friday she mused. Octavia sighed contentedly as she was awoken by the sweet sounds of her alarm clock playing her wake up call. She let the music flow on for a few minutes before finally turning it off, a blissful smile on her face. The clock read 4:35 as the slender girl let the blanket fall back, getting out of her warm bed, seeming to beckon her to stay, but she knew better. As Octavia finished rearranging her bed, so that one could quite literally bounce a quarter off it, her nerves crept up on her. Today she was going to her new school for the first time after transferring from Trottingham, one of the most prestigious private schools in the country. Unfortunately, her family had moved to the outskirts of a small town (Which technically was a city) so that her father could be closer to his work. Octavia would have been happy, and on a level she was, but moving this far away meant her and her sister had to leave Trottingham, and instead attend Ponyville Highschool. Sometimes she regretted her father's love for brewing, because it was that which possessed him to move to his main barley farm. He had built a house on the plot of land beside it, and filled in all the paperwork to conjoin the plots. As soon as everything was ready he had ushered his wife and twin daughters into the large new house. It had been a mere week since then, and the girls were scheduled to attend their new school at 8:00 this very morning. Fidelle, or as she was often called, Fiddlesticks, would be waking up in two hours, giving her sister time to shower and prepare breakfast for the family. I wish Mother were here to see us off she mused to herself and sighed. Sophia Philharmonica, mother of two and wife of the huge Scotsman Arthur Philharmonica, was off in Canterlot with the Royal Symphony. She was one of the most esteemed harpists in the world, and was almost always away because of it. Octavia, with her jet black hair and tall lean figure, was almost a mirror image to her beautiful mother, the only feature different being the distinct amethyst eyes that her father called his own. Fidelle had her mother's eyes, coupled with the blue hair of her father, but otherwise was her equal. Despite not being of the same egg, the twins were practically identical. They were fraternal twins, but the resemblance made most people assume otherwise. Twin...She sure a hell doesn't act like she's related to me Octavia thought as she pulled a brush through her now wet hair, having just stepped out of the shower. She brushed her teeth and applied a minuscule amount of makeup which consisted of a little mascara and some concealer before pulling on her clothes. Looking in the mirror, Octavia admired her appearance, sporting a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt with the school's colors of garnet and gold. It was not her usual attire, and she was glad gym was only one class. She put her hair into a ponytail and packed a change of clothes for afterwards. With great care, Octavia placed her pink bow tie in a smaller pocket of her backpack and carried it out of her room. The corridor was decorated here and there with photos, some of which being of the twins at various recitals or with awards. One stood out for the charcoal haired musician in particular. She was ten years old, and had just performed her first composition. Everyone had applauded greatly as Octavia bowed and lowered her cello bow, and her mother had stepped up onto the stage and given her a warm hug of pride. Fidelle had even joined in as the whole family congratulated her, and the picture was taken by her father. her mother was standing to the left of the picture while Octavia and Fiddlesticks were hugging. Oh how I miss the days when Mother could make it to performances... She walked down the carpeted stairs and turned into the kitchen to prepare the morning meal. Her father's usual breakfast consisted of three eggs, four small sausages and some french toast, while her sister generally preferred pancakes in the morning. Octavia herself had a protein shake mixed with some iron supplement; doctor's order. She quickly got to work, ignoring the box of pancake mix and instead opting to make them from scratch. About an hour later, Octavia was surprised to find her father had yet to make an appearance. It was nearly time for him to leave, and the large man was usually fairly early to rise. Her worries were dispelled when the blue haired Scotsman grabbed her from behind, crushing her in one of his massive bear hugs. He was quick to let go however, when he saw the girl quickly turning purple from oxygen lack. "Guid mornin', cub," her father said, patting Octavia's head affectionately. "How's mah wee lassie? Urr ye excited fur yer foremaist day at th' freish schuil?" he asked in his thick Nordic dialect. Most people would have trouble understanding the slang he used, but the twins had grown up with the beast of a man, and on occasion Octavia actually slipped into it. It was only understandable, considering how much time her mother spent working, that the teenager would have picked up the accent, and in truth Octavia fought to speak in the more professional Canterlot form that her mother used. But with her dad, she was fine with her slip ups, and hardly noticed anything wrong with her response of, "A'm a bawherr nervous, Faither. Whit if thay dinnae lik' me? Ah wish ah wur aye in Trottingham." The knowing purple eyes of Arthur Philharmonica carried a sense of compassion as he sat down at the table to eat his breakfast. "Ah ken ye miss yer auld schuil, bit yer mither thought it wid be best if ye moved wi' us, despite th' boarding option tae`. Dinna fash yirsel, sweetie. Ye'll mak' freish mukkers easily." He got up with his empty plate and gave the troubled brow a kiss, smoothing out her worry lines. "Ah have tae leave fur th' brewery. Mak' sure yer sister doesn't git herself in trauchle fur me?" the Scotsman said, turning around and heading out the door with wave. Octavia grunted in acknowledgement. Fiddlesticks did tend to wind up in trouble often. Thinking of the devil... Octavia sighed to herself as the sound of something human sized practically being thrown down the stairs announced the arrival of her twin. A few seconds later, a disheveled and half-asleep Fidelle stumbled into the kitchen. She sat down at the table and finally decided to open her eyes, instantly seeming to regret it as the sun hit her eyes. "Mornin. What's for breakfast, Tavs?" she mumbled, burying her head in her arms like a pillow. Octavia rolled her eyes and smiled, flipping the last pancake as her sister sniffed the air and instantly perked up. "Are those made from scratch?" she questioned excitedly, noticing the unopened bow of Aunt Jemima pancake mix, her blue eyes shining with delight. At a nod from her sister, Fidelle jumped up and rushed Octavia, giving her a second bone-crushing hug. "You're the best sister ever! I can't believe you actually made me pancakes from scratch! Are they ready? I'm staved!" the teenager ranted, practically bouncing in place. > 1; New Kid in School Part 2 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I don't know why I agreed to this, you're a terrible driver!" Octavia shouted as her sister once again dodged cars while driving between lanes at nearly 130 mph. Fidelle merely laughed it off, giving her brand new black Corvette another burst of speed to outdistance a particularly speedy Cadillac coupe. "Just chill, Tavs," her twin instructed calmly, looking at her sister over her sunglasses. By this point Octavia was clutching for dear life at the assist handles, or as she often referred to them in front of her sister, the "Oh shit" handles. Fidelle turned onto a back street, and finally slowed down, no cars in front of them on the road ahead. Octavia was relieved, albeit confused about why she did not choose to speed up. Apparently, Fidelle only liked to go 50mph over the limit when there were witnesses. It was no wonder she got into so much trouble. Just as the teenager started to relax and compose herself, a white and blue blur sped past, leaving behind a cobalt streak of light. Once again, she found herself grabbing the "Oh Shit" handles. Vinyl had to hurry if she wanted to make it to the school before she was late. She hopped over the railing with a practiced leap and fell the three flights from the top if the stairwell to the bottom, grabbing onto the last railing just before hitting the ground. From that it was just a short foot and a half to the floor. Opening a door, she walked into the large garage bellow her house, stopping to contemplate which vehicle would be the best choice. She passed by her fathers Griffith without a second glance, as well as her mother's Ferrari 360. Those fancy little sports cars weren't to her liking at all, not to mention the fact that she was forbidden from touching them. The rest of the vehicles in the garage were hers; a cherry red 1959 Cadillac, her Noble M12 (painted black with blue stripes), one of her personal favorites a silver Nissan GT-R, and her old 1957 Gullwing Mercedes Benz. None of these would work for her right now. Laughing, Vinyl pushed a small button on the wall beside her. It slid down into the floor, and a light flicked on, illuminating her pride and joy, a glistening white motorcycle with accents the same color as her two-toned mop of hair. This was like no other motorcycle, mostly because she had it custom built by her friend, Austin Gears, otherwise known as the best engineer in the country, Gearshift. She grabbed her sleek white windbreaker and matching helmet from their respective hooks, and put them on before mounting her beautiful bike. She rarely got a chance to drive the thing, and marveled at how comfortable the seat was. With the push of the ignition, the bike whirred to life, sounding like something out of the future Heh...maybe this thing really is from the future...How cool would that be? The teenager pulled her bike out of the garage, down the driveway, and out the front gates of Staccato Manor. As she passed by, a few of the cleaning staff waved to her. "See ya, Luke!" she shouted at the guard manning the stately golden gates as they closed behind her, a loud metallic ringing announcing the lock being slid into place. From there it was only a few minutes down the road until the highway that would eventually lead to her high school. She had arranged for Henry to meat her there with her truck in only ten minutes, and if she wanted to be there on time for once in her teenage life, she had to haul ass. The turn off of Staccato road loomed up ahead, and as soon as she made it around the corner onto the empty back roads of highway 7, Vallarie smiled deviantly and looked down at her dashboard. She was already over the speed limit, but at this rate, she wouldn't make it. Her thumb rested on a little blue button, and as she pressed down the loud wailing sound of her bike signaled the feeding of the beast. And it was hungry. She braced for the kickback as her sleek white motorcycle accelerated, leaving a streak of cobalt in its wake. Not only that, but as an added touch Austin had somehow with some amazing wiring Vinyl hadn't even known possible, created the effect of all DJ-PON3's skill with dubstep in one simple device he dubbed the Bass Cannon. Magic and NOS mixed together in her engine to further the capabilities of this machine, producing her own loud soundtrack that trailed behind her in the most epic way imaginable to this DJ's ears. It was like riding down a highway of sound that just kept getting better. Highway of Sound...That's a great name for my next album! DJ-PON3, you have done it again... Lost in her own inner ramblings, Vinyl almost didn't have time to react as a black Corvette sped along at a fairly slow pace in front of her, almost causing a collision that was sure to be deadly at least to the small woman on her Bass Cannon, as she had just decided to name it. A sharp turn got her into proper position to pass the seemingly sluggish car, and as she looked over her shoulder she almost crashed from sheer shock. There, sitting in the passenger seat nearly scared to death, was the most breathtaking girl Vinyl had ever beheld. And from the quick glance, it had appeared that she had her twin sister driving her, but at the speed the rule-breaking teen was travelling, she could not be sure. I have to find out who she is. > 1; New Kid in School Part 3 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- As her watch beeped 7:00, Vinyl hit the auto-parking and slid off her bike, leaving it to skid into an empty space. She tossed her helmet onto the seat and though slightly disgruntled when the 200 bit head-protector rolled off the other side and hit the pavement, she beamed up at the tower of a man before her. "I love that thing!" She stated rather loudly as she bumped fists with her employee, Henry. The large man simply stood there, shocked. Not because of the bike that nearly ran him over, but by the fact that his boss had actually bothered to show up on time for once. The blue haired girl merely chuckled, her rough voice carrying across the parking lot. "Uh," Henry stumbled, regaining his composure as he swiped a hand through his spiky brown hair. "Morning, Ms. um...Staccato..." Vinyl nearly toppled over as she burst out laughing. "So formal! I guess I really did catch you by surprize there!" She punched the guy in the chest playfully before straightening up. "Awright, so I'll go get the freight door open, and I want you to bring it around the back." She walked off, leaving the man to his part of the job. Taking a left through the main doors of the school, Vinyl walked down the long hallway towards the gym. She marvelled at how her footsteps echoed around the deserted school, never having been here so early. She found herself bobbing her head to the steady rythm. Quietly opening the large double doors, the young woman slipped into the gym, letting her footsteps fall silent as she walked up behind the blonde woman entering her office. Once positioned in her blind spot, the troublemaker inhaled a deep breathe. She let her diaphram amplify her voice as she exhaled, yelling, "Yo, What's up Tracy?!" The short gym teacher jumped about three feet in the air, letting out a loud squeak. She then angrily turned towards the 'blue haired devil' as she often reffered to Vinyl, and glowered up at her. Despite being nearly three inches shorter than the teen, Tracy Fielding could make even the tallest people in the school feel tiny. Except Vinyl. "Valarie Staccato, how many times do I have to tell you not to do that?" she almost yelled. Despite the use of her real name making her slightly peeved, Vinyl just grinned. "I'm never gonna learn, Tracy." Turning to face the large freight doors in the wall, Vinyl lifted her hand towards it. "Open that, would ya?" She pointed to another one. "And that one too." "Why should I?" asked Miss Fielding, crossing her arms infront of herself. She knew very well she would wind up having to, but she always seemed to enjoy Vinyl's excuses. "There's this huge scary guy out there who's supposed to be bringing in the equipment for the dance," She stated, twirling her wrist in a nonchallant motion. "Says its the DJ's crap." And so, after a few more pointless questions and a trademark Staccato glare, the doors were opened and Henry was able to bring in the speakers and turntables, and all the other shit Vinyl had in store. Tracy gawked slightly at the large man, and the teenager could have sworn she saw a blush on her cheeks. Heh...I guess There won't be any arguments when the big lug comes to get my stuff after the dance... Once everything was set up backstage (Which just so happened to be her first class of the day; drama), the teen contented herself with playing with her epic equipment. Henry had taken off with his pay, a full 563 bits, and Vinyl was alone with her geer, fiddling around until class. As the school bell tolled a warning, Octavia made her way to the cafetorium in the center of the large school. The friendly woman at the office told her the drama room was in here, however, all she saw was a few students lounging around, texting or sleeping. Then she saw it. Two girls were going through the door to backstage, and Octavia could make out the number 107 on the small plaque beside it. She should have known it would be there. Stepping up her pace, she waved a nervous goodbye to her sister as they parted ways, and entered the classroom. The first thing she noticed was the large DJ station off to the side, taking up a good portion of space. It appeared that someone was behind it, or perhaps underneath it, messing around. The two girls were standing by the contraption, talking to whomever was beyond her sight. They fell silent as their gaze fell upon her, and the taller of the two, a girl about Octavia's age with firey orange hair, kicked the hiden person gently. Just then, the teacher caught her attention, walking towards her with a kind smile. "Ah, you must be our new student," she stated, looking at a checkboard. "Octavia, is it?" The teen nodded, her courage for the new day quickly depleting under the gaze of the other students. The class went over well, with almost nothing bad happening. She didn't stutter when introducing herself, and she managed not to act a fool when answering various questions from classmates. Although, the girl that was playing with the equipment before class kept giving her odd, and rather curious looks from behind her sunglasses. It was fairly unnerving for the young music prodigy, and everytime she stole a glance at the peculiar blue haired girl, she looked away, only to resume stealing glances as Octavia's focus was once again captured. She never spoke up, other than to introduce herself as Vinyl Scratch. A rather odd name, and Octavia had the feeling it wasn't her real name at all, despite her initials being scrawled on practically everything she owned. She also had the disticnt feeling She knew the girl from somewhere else. "Octavia Philharmonica?" Stephanie asked, dumbfounded. "As in, daughter of Sophia Philharmonica, the harpist for the Royal Symphony?" "That's correct," Octavia commented to the firey haired girl as they made their way to their MSIP classroom. No one seemed to know what MSIP stood for, but it was always held by the first class of the day, be it a day 1, 2, 3, or 4. The drama class moved into an empty class on the second floor for this, as there were no actual desks backstage. "It must be great to have such a famous parent," The smaller girl remarked, one of her golden eyes seeming to wander off into space. Her name was Dayna, if the girl remembered correctly. "Yes, its...Its pretty great to have a mother as renowned as mine," Octavia mumbled, slightly saddened by the mention. "And then there is my father, Arthur. He's a brewer." That seemed to get Stephanie's attention. She said people just called her Spitfire, but Octavia refused the friendly offer with the comment of; 'I rather enjoy the name Stephanie'. The tall seprah's head swiveled as they stopped just outside the classroom. "Arthur Philharmonica..? Is he that brewer that moved just out of town?" When Octavia nodded, Spitfire continued. "I never new Sophia Philharmonica married a brewer, much less the brewer of the best beers, whiskeys, and basically everything else around!" And it was then that the blue haired girl reappeared from Luna knows where, and finally introduced herself formally. Her voice was rough, as if she had been yelling for an hour without a water break, and despite the dim lighting in the hallways, she still wore the sunglasses. "Hey, Tavi! In case you forgot, I'm the one, the only, Vinyl Scratch." She held out her fist to bump, but the young cellist was completely oblivious to such gestures, comming from a more civilized school. "Please, Miss Scratch, I would ask you not to call me Tavi..." Octavia droned with a slightly annoyed look, causing Vinyl to falter for a moment. And then, she was slightly surprised to witness the removal of the short girl's glasses, if only for a second. She saw a flash of red before Vinyl's eyes snapped closed and her blue hair shifted. The light, albeit quite soft, appeared to be paining her, as she wiped away a few smudges from her darkly tinted sunglasses. The teenager's face was contorted in a slight grimace, which quickly softened to the much more becoming goofy grin as she replaced them. "Alright, message recieved loud and clear, my little Octopus!" Vinyl remarked, throwing an arm around the perturbed cellist. That goofy smile widened and Scratch's pale white face turned a slight shade darker. Octavia shook off the feeling of familarity, mentally chiding herself. No, you'd remember someone so...unruly... She frowned down at the smaller girl and said in a firm voice, "Tavi is fine. Better than that at least..." She stepped sideways, dispelling herself from the grasp of whom she now noticed was wearing a backpack with her father's company logo. It seemed this girl was a fan of Aurthur Pint's Homestyle brews. > 2; Bad Reputation Part 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- After a great school day, in which Vinyl was pleased to find out that Octavia was in all of her classes, Vinyl was headed out the front doors of the school. However, she stopped in her tracks and looked out the bay windows at the sight that greeted her. "I knew it was twins," she muttered to herself, watching the group of people. The blue haired twin of Octavia was, to no surprise of Vinyl, considering how breathtaking both of them were, surrounded by a gaggle of guys, and one or two other chicks. The stunning cellist had her back to Valarie, but she could tell the girl was upset as her sister strode off, waving back at her as she hopped into the driver seat of a black Corvette. She quickly and quietly pushed open one of the large glass doors, walking out towards Octavia. She was about a foot away now, and just as she was about to speak up, she was knocked off her feet as Octavia turned around and her shoulder came into contact with Vinyl's nose. She hit the ground hard, but managed not to smack her head on the concrete. Her nose, however, was not quite as luckily. Bright red blood poured out of her nostrils, dripping onto the creamy sidewalk infront of the school. Vinyl lout out a yelp of surprise but quickly stood up at the gasp from Tavi. During the fall, Vinyl's sunglasses had slipped of her face. The bright sunlight burned into her eyes, but that wasn't the reason for the pained look on her face. Nor was it the stinging in her nose, or even the many forming bruises from her fall. Her look was that of compassion. Octavia was crying, and she had a worried look on her face as she looked at Vinyl's nose. "I'm so sorry, Scratch!" She exclaimed. Her hands shook as she stared at the bloody girl before her, not even realizing what happened next. "Ah didnae see ye thare," she spoke in her scotish accent and dialect. Luckily for her, Vinyl's ears were still ringing from the sudden impact of hard ground. She shook her head, thinking it was her imagination. "Nah, its all right, Tavi. I'm used to bruises and bloody noses." This resulted in a raised eyebrow, so Valarie quickly lied, "Because I uh...I'm really clumsy. My mum usually has to bandage me up at least once a week." At first, Octavia didn't look convinced, but when Vinyl put on an even wider smiled, she seemed to accept it, sighing and smiling. "Well, all right then, I suppose. But we really must get you cleaned up." With that, the two of them made their way into the first floor girls washroom, Vinyl cupping her nose in her hands to avoid dripping onto the floor. "So, what was all that about with who I'm gonna guess is your sister?" she finally asked after her nose had stopped bleeding and Octavia had cleaned her up a bit, insisting that she had to because it was her fault. The latter sighed, turning her head away. "Fidelle is my twin sister, yes. However, that was nothing really. She just decided to go hang out with her new friends, leaving me without a ride home." It was Vinyl's turn to offer help, and she slightly perked up at that. "I can give you a ride if you want," she chuckled, grabbing her backpack. At a slight nod from the raven haired beauty, she grabbed her by the wrist and practically ran her out of the school. Octavia blanched when she noticed just what the blue haired devil drove. It was undoubtedly what had caused that blue streak of light on the when it passed her sister's car. She stopped dead in her tracks when Vinyl let go of her to unlock the trunk under the vehicle's seat, and only moved to voice a small squeek. You see, Octavia was terrified of motor bikes. There was no real reason, she just always got a tight knot in her stomach when offered to ride one. However, she did need to get home...Guess i'll have to comply... she thought cautiously to herself. Vinyl tossed her a sleek white helmet and an equally expensive looking windbreaker before hopping onto the vehicle. Once Octavia had put on the equipment and smoothed her long hair out, the blue haired girl patted the space behind her. "What'chya waiting for, Tavi?" She asked, then seeing the look of fright on her new aqquaintance's face, she nodded in comprehension. "Don't worry your gorgeous little head about it, Octavia. This little baby is completely safe, I promise. Just hop on!" "Where do i hold on?" she wondered aloud to herself as she sat down behind the lithe girl. Vinyl chuckled at this, shaking her head of spiky locks. "You hold on to me," She giggled. "Y'know, just hold on to my waist, and put your legs on either side of mine. You'll be fine," She stated as she glanced back at Octavia's nervous expression. The teenager complied, placing her hands delicately on the small hips of the young woman in front of her. Vinyl chuckled once again. "You're gonna want a better grip, otherwise you'll only be tickling me. And that is a safety hazard," she instructed, grasping the cellist's hands and pressing them more firmly to herself. She was one to talk. Scratch wasn't even wearing a helmet. She must have noticed the look, as the next second she spoke up, turning on the vile contraption. "Tavi, I'd be wearing a helmet too, but i only brought the one. Didn't exactly expect to be driving home a beauty such as yourself." Octavia blushed and mumbled incoherently, wraping her fingers around the soft fabric of Vinyl's T-shirt. As the bike started moving she buried her head in the DJ's shoulder, gripping ever more tightly the waist of her new friend. Only...It wasn't her waist anymore. "U-uh, Octavia? Y-your hands slipped," Vinyl exclaimed, blushing madly as she continued to drive, dodging occassional slow cars. Her hands had indeed slipped. Upwards. Instead of her waist, Octavia was now firmly grasping her fairly small chest. She felt the hands loosen abruptly and slide back down to her hips, as Octavia couchrf awkwardly. Vinyl couldn't see, but the blush on Octavia's face was almost as prominent. After a few moments silence, vinyl found her gall and once again spoke, albeit in a more nervous voice. "Hey Tavi? I'm just gonna make a quick stop at my house for a minute before i drop you off at yours, that okay?" After another bout of silence, Vinyl sighed. "I can't hear you nodding, Octavia..." She chuckled, turning onto Staccato road. Then she blanched. She stopped the motorcycle just short of the turn that would bring her mansion into view and turned her torso so that she could face the girl in front of her. "You gotta promise me you won't judge me on my house, or my parents before i go any further," Vinyl frowned, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "Why of course, Miss Scratch. Just so long as you do the same," Octavia smiled, her eyes flashing with a humorous glint. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," Valarie said dutifully, mimicking the motions of a particularly erratic pink haired girl she had once partied with. this got a slight giggle out of the black haired girl before she clapped her hand to her mouth and turned her amethyst eyes away. "Right, lets continue, shall we?" Vinyl quickly turned around in her seated position, fighting back another blush at the way Octavia had giggled so cutely, causing her heart to do a little flutter. She knew what this meant, of course, as it had happened before, and it sent a shiver down her spine. She forced away those thoughts and with a turn of the bike's handle, drove slowly around the corner, instead choosing to concentrate on the warm feeling she got at the head nuzzling her shoulder from the jolt of movement. Seconds later, that head was gone as a slow intake of breath could be heard. on the slight hill before them, Staccato Manor stood glistening in the afternoon sunlight, its ornate masonry and pristine white walls lending contrast to the dazzling green wilderness surrounding the building. > 2; Bad Reputation Part 2 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Octavia gaped at the pristine building as they drove closer. It was almost castle-like in its size and beauty. Beautiful white marble walls were laced with a richly coloured jade trim, and stately gardens tied it all together, along with the equally pristine marble fence. As they approached the gates, Octavia found herself imagining how it would be to live in such an estate. She pictured herself strolling along through the gardens along with an enormously adorable giant malamute puppy. She vaguely noticed the man waving them through as she found her mind wandering. Her imaginary puppy was romping through a flower bed, wobbling after a small chipmunk. Octavia would laugh at the antics, her hand delicately wraping itself around another's, leaning into h- The bike stopped suddenly and the raven haired teenager found herself in a large garage. She gingerly took her arms from around Vinyl's waist and slid off the automobile as the blue haired girl shook her hair out of her face. Removing the helmet and windbreaker, she once again started to fuss with her hair, combing it with her fingers. "Awright, Tavi," the rough voice practically shouted in her ear. "You can either wait here, or come with me." She decided to choose the latter, and proceeded to trail the shorter teen after she had put the bike away. They went up a few flights of stairs, then quickly walked down an empty corridor, and Octavia soon found herself completely lost after multiple twists and turns. They were getting deeper into the heart of the mansion it seemed, as the only real light source was the many chandeliers above their heads. Vinyl lead Octavia around the house, avoiding anywhere that would have given away the fact that she was the daughter of some of the world's most renowned music producers. Soon they were at the familiar hallway, littered with neon lights and glowsticks. She played with the polce tape as she walked, rearanging some of it to suit her liking. Glancing behind her, the blue haired girl witnessed the puzzled look of her new friend as she gazed around at all of the glowing signs, many of which were quite elaborately made. This hallway was solely illuminated by the signs, the overhead lights hanging forgotten above. here and there could be seen a handprint glowing resolutely on the dark walls, still shining quite brightly in accordance with their age. Some of them were from a long time ago, tiny in comparison to the more recent ones. There were even a few of a considerably larger size, and as Valarie traced her hand over one of these, she felt a pang of loss. It had been nearly half a year since she had heard from her big brother, and despite all the news about him, and how well his career was going, she still worried. It was a few minutes before she came back to reality, quickly continuing down the dark hallway towards her room. Once there, she held open the door for Octavia and walked in afterwards, gently shutting the girl's gaping mouth with a finger. "Ah ah ah, no gawking," she chided, chuckling to herself. We'd best get out of here ASAP, before little miss prissy pants starts drooling. She glanced at her board and did a double take. Five spaces above hers, she saw it. Number 8; Sophia Philharmonica. A memory came flooding back to her, catching her completely off guard. A small girl, perhaps around eleven, was grumbling behind her mother, bored out of her mind. She didn't want to be here at this garden party, and even though she had wormed her way out of wearing a dress, the formal suit she had on was constricting her windpipe. Her hair was brushed down so that it lay flowing over her shoulders, and Valarie kept trying to mess it up, but to no avail. Her meany mom had placed a holding spell on it, knowing that the first chance the child got, she would ruin its neatness. She adjusted her glasses and looked up at the conversation between her mom and a taller lady with a nice smile. Her smile was nicer than Valarie's mother could have ever smiled. The lady looked down at her, bright blue eyes swimming with laughter, and said in a beautiful voice, "My, don't you look dashing. I have daughters about your age, would you like to meet one?" The small girl perked up at the mention of kids to play with, nodding eagerly. "Octavia Melody Philharmonica, stop pestering the ensemble and come say hi," her sweet voice rang out across the garden, signalling over a cute little girl with long black hair like her mom's and curios purple eyes. "But Mother, I wasn't pestering them, I was simply asking them if I could try out their instruments," she protested, crossing her arms in front of herself. She then glanced over at Valarie and smiled. "I like your eyes, but those glasses simply do not suit you." The child lifted an eyebrow, blue bangs falling neatly over one of her ruby eyes. "Yeah, well that dress doesn't suit you," she responded, looking down at the poofy scarlet dress with gold trimming. "You shouldn't wear something so poofy. And instead of red, it should be gray and pink, to bring out how cute you are." The girl blushed, looking away. "I'm Octavia, and you are..?" Vinyl smiled a wide goofy grin as she fixed her red rimmed glasses once more. "You can call me Val. Val Staccato." The blue haired teenager glanced around quickly before spotting her target. With a practiced flicker of magic, she pushed it backwards to slip between her dresser and wall. She then used said magic to open her drawers and take out some more acceptable clothes. From the corner of her eye she noticed the other's curious gaze and grinned sheepishly, ruffling up her hair. "I uh...I don't think your parents would want you getting a ride home from from a delinquent, so I'm just gonna get changed real quick." With that, Vinyl slipped into the bathroom and disappeared from sight. Locking the door, she sighed. "That was a close one..." Octavia was left to wait, and she found herself sitting down on the large bed, marveling at the luxurious silk sheets of a deep blue color. Needless to say, she had not expected this. She glanced up at the large board showing the rankings of the most popular musicians, pleased to see that her mother was still holding her place in the top ten. Before long, the pure comfiness of the bed was too much for the young musician, and she gave in to temptation. She quietly laid back, so that she could rest easily on the mattress while her legs still dangled over the edge. Letting a sigh escape her slightly parted lips, Octavia closed her eyes. However, after only a few seconds, her amethyst orbs shot open, now staring at a large german shepard's face. The dog proceeded to lather the shocked teenager with its tongue, and she instantly relaxed. She even let out a laugh as she scratched the beast's ruff, eliciting a low rumble much like a purr from its throat. Tavi giggled like a child, hugging the dog to her. She hardly even noticed when the two toned teen slipped back out of the bathroom, adjusting her secret agent like glasses. "Stand down, Seven," Vinyl chuckled, lifting the 160 pound puppy off of her new friend. She absently pet her head as she reached her right arm down and helped the taller girl to stand. "Heh, sorry about that. Seven here usually isn't so forward with her affection. Especially to new people." The shepard placed a paw on the hand petting her and thumped her tail. It was just too much. Octavia kneeled down to resume her affections unto the animal, smiling as it again let out its purr-like rumble. "Oh, don't be sorry. Dogs and I get along rather well, so it comes as no real surprise to me that this cutie here is so happy." As she looked up, a small frown greeted her from the DJ's face. She looked down at the collar adorning the darkly colored dog's neck and read the tag. Guard dog 7; Interior IF FOUND DO NOT PANIC "She's...an attack dog, isn't she?" the raven haired player asked as she slowly stood up. Vinyl nodded, and adjusted her sunglasses once again. "But unfortunately, she's not getting her afternoon treat today." She signalled the dog away. "If you had been a robber or a murderer, we wouldn't have wanted her to be affectionate, now would we?" The blue haired girl smiled as she brushed Octavia off. They then proceeded back down to the garage, where Vinyl led the teenager towards The Nissan GT-R. "Motorcycles and parents tend not to mix," Vinyl explained, holding the passenger side door open for her. "Which is why we're driving this little number." As soon as the two toned girl slid into the driver's side and started the silver car, they were off. Out the ornate gates of the property, where Octavia now noticed several other large dogs walking around. Back onto the larger backroads, and headed towards her home. > 2; Bad Reputation Part 3 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pulling into the gravel driveway of the large property, Vinyl giggled. Octavia had just told the girl about the time her sister had thought she was trying to steal the twin's boyfriend. "The worst part is, she knows I've never been into guys!" The cellist laughed. Vinyl's heart fluttered at that and she got a faint blush. Luckily, Tavi seemed not to notice, as she was too busy trying to suppress her own laughter. The purple eyed beauty suddenly glanced up as the vehicle stopped. She shoved Vinyl playfully and smiled at her before sliding out of the car. "Just gonna stretch my legs a bit before I head off," the DJ explained, climbing out as well. A hand grabbed hers and pulled her forward in the direction of the house. "Nonsense. I insist you hang around for a while," Octavia replied quickly. "A-after all, Father will want to meet you." Is she...blushing? Nah, can't be... Valarie sighed and kicked her door lightly closed as she followed obediently. Just because she's not interested in guys, doesn't mean she's interested in girls either. She could be a potato. The taller girl pulled her through the door and quickly turned. "Just a forewarning, my father is a bit...large..." she whispered, letting go of the pale hand. Vinyl's shoulders slumped slightly at this. "Father, I'm home!" Octavia called into the house, the sound of a fridge door closing answering seconds later. A giant of a man entered into the hallway, heading happily towards the slender girl and wrapping her in a bear hug. "Howfur wis mah wee bear's foremaist day at th' freish schuil?" The short girl stared wide eyed at the display, wondering how Octavia wasn't turning purple at this point. Vinyl tugged awkwardly at the hem of her white suit jacket, the large Scotsman making her feel exceptionally tiny. The hug seemed to last quite a long time. Albeit, the teenager in question's parents weren't exactly the affectionate type, so for all Vinyl knew, it could have been a very short parental embrace. All in all, the hug only lasted about eleven seconds. As they broke apart, Octavia whispered inaudibly into the huge man's ear. He cocked a bushy blue eyebrow and frowned slightly, straightening up to his full towering height. Arthur Philharmonica studied his daughter's face for a moment, amethyst meeting amethyst in a calculating gaze. To most, it would seem threatening, or cold. Octavia, however, knew otherwise. Her mouth twitched a dismissive smile. The man turned his thoughtful gaze towards the formally dressed teen, noticing her for the first time. As his face formed into a kind grin, the raven haired teen's heart gave a gleeful leap, glad that he approved of her new friend. A hand reached up to run through his short deep blue hair and his shoulders relaxed. "Ta fur takin wae me mah bairn back hame," he spoke, eliciting a confused frown from the shorter girl. Octavia stepped forward, turning to glance at her dad. "What he means is, thank you for bringing my baby back home. He often forgets to speak in a manner that most people understand when he is at home." Vinyl scratched the back of her neck, a sheepish smile gracing her soft features. "Oh, uh, it was nothing really. I'm Vinyl, by the way." She held out a hand in greeting. Arthur shook it, careful not to overdo his grip. "Arthur Philharmonica." "Well now I see why Tavi's so freaking tall..." she muttered under her breath, eliciting a hearty chuckle from the man. Valarie balked slightly at the sound, the volume sending a shudder through the floor. Glad to see they're getting along well, she thought, smiling faintly. Arthur then proceeded to usher the two teenagers towards the kitchen, having to step halfway through the living room door in order to give them the room to move. "I'm going to make a phone call," he said as he dropped his dialect for the sake of company. His voice was still heavily accented however. "Why don't you girls grab a snack and head upstairs?" Octavia led the teenager into their kitchen, heading straight for the fridge. She opened it and pulled out one of her father's beers, holding it out for Vinyl. "Sorry Tavi, but I plan on driving later," the blue haired girl stated, gently denying the beverage. She had passed the test. But she still had a long way before Octavia would fully trust her. Remember, she's still a spikey-blue haired rebel... After they selected a beverage and snack, the raven haired musician procceeded to drag the shorter girl upstairs to the rec room. It was quite spacious, with various games such as foosball and pool. There was even a poker table in the corner. Almost in unison, the teenagers flopped onto the oversized sofa adorning the far wall, intsantly sinking into its plush cushions. Octavia let out a small sigh, glad to just be home after her long and nerve wracking day. She looked over at Vinyl as the girl slid down the plush couch, giggling slightly at the look of bliss on her face. She found herself studying the girl's features. Her pale skin, the way her head moved ever so slightly in synchronization with her breathing.And then her purple gaze drifted downwards. Her slender frame, the form-fitting suit, her b cup br- She mentally smacked herself, eyes quickly shifting to watch the door frame. Calm down, Octy. Geez. The voice of her sister rang through her head. > 2; Bad Reputation Part 4 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vinyl snapped her eyes open at the sound of a commotion. She wasn't sure what time it was. Heck, she wasn't even aware she had zoned out. All she knew was that it was suddenly very light in the room, and she had slid almost completely off the luxuriously soft sofa. Scrambling haphazardly to her feet, the musician adjusted her sunglasses and made her way towards the noise, her vision blurred from her spiky bangs having fallen into her face as she stood up. Pushing her hair out of her view revealed the doorway being blocked by a shapely female figure with straight black hair. "I get that you don't like me, but geez, warn a girl if you're gonna turn on the lights," Vinyl mumbled, rubbing a sore spot on her neck. The figure spun around suddenly, blue eyes wide in shock as they landed on the young DJ. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" the woman asked. And she was indeed a woman. Who Vinyl had assumed was Octavia, was about two inches shorter and twenty something years older. Octavia's mother stood before the short girl, a look of genuine surprise plastered onto her features. "O-oh..." the teenager stuttered, looking for the right words. "Um, no. You don't know me. But I know you." Red eyes shot open wide. "Er, no. I know your daughter." The woman crossed her arms with a frown. "One of Fidelle's friends, are you?" She opened her mouth to correct the suddenly intimidating woman but was interrupted quickly. "I should have known that she would have pawned her sister off to some charlatan instead of taking the time to drive her home herself." This was not the kind smile Vinyl would have expected from their meeting when she was young. It balked her and she found herself unable to formulate her words into a sentence. Luckily Octavia came around the corner just then. "Mother, I was not aware that you were coming home today." he purple eyed girl looked between the two figures standing in the doorway, realization creeping onto her face. "Mother, please do not stare at my classmate. You're making her uncomfortable, and after she was kind enough to drive me home when Fidelle went off in the car with her friends." The slightly older teenager was visibly fighting back tears that Vinyl wasn't too sure were completely real. The concern in her eyes, however, was. "She's not your sister's friend?" Sophia Philharmonica seemed taken aback slightly as she took a longer look a Vinyl. Please don't take my glasses off...i don't want her recognizing me right now... "I suppose she is dressed a bit too formally to be associated with Fiddlesticks...Add the fact that there is a well taken care of silver Nissan...Okay, I approve." Octavia was noticeably relieved, while Vinyl still had no real clue as to what she was supposed to think. "Okay, so um, yeah..." she began, eyes darting nervously between the two. "Sorry, for startling you, Tavi's mum. I should probably head home now and f-" "Why are you wearing sunglasses indoors?" Vinyl surprised herself by going even paler than she already was. "Uh..." This can't be happening...Please no. Not now. "Take the glasses off, please." Vinyl knew what the woman thought. To be honest, she couldn't blame her. The blue haired girl did look like someone to do that, even as finely dressed as she was. This was not good. She couldn't let Octavia see her eyes. Valarie had seen it so many times before. Octavia would surely hate and fear her. Plus the fact that the harpist demanding the removal of Vinyl's shades would no doubt recognize her, and it always made people uncomfortable when they knew she was a Staccato. "I'd um...really rather not do that, Missus Philharmonica. Y'see my eyes are really sensitive to light, and it's kinda hella bright in here." the blue haired girl brushed off her trousers and reached her hand out to shake. Sophia took the offered hand with a considerable amount of suspicious confusion, but was startled out of her thoughts by her second daughter barging into the room. "Mom, did you really need to boot me off of the wifi? Its not like anything bad happened to Octavia!" the blue haired twin pulled her sister in front of her. "See? Not a scratch! she got home just fine without the car!" "That may be so, Fidelle, but that is only because of this young woman and her hospitality. Who knows what could have happened to Octavia if not for-I'm sorry, what did you say your name was?" The older woman turned to look at Vinyl, just in time to stop the girl from jumping out from the open window. Octavia facepalmed and muttered something about first impressions. "What...What are you doing?" "Ahah...hah..." I'm screwed. "I-I'm reeeeally not good with confrontations, so I figured I would just go home...but um. You guys were in the doorway...so..." At that moment Vinyl lost her balance and was sent tumbling out the two story window. Her fall was broken by the hydrangeas underneath, but the impact still made her yelp, a branch scraping her side as it broke. "Oh my Goddess, Vinyl! Are you okay?!" Octavia yelled down from the rec room when she heard her friend hit the ground. She was greeted by Vinyl's signature goofy grin and a thumbs up as the young disk jockey picked herself out of the flowerbed. The black haired teen laughed at the display. Vinyl had twigs and bits of hydrangea tangled in her hair, and dirt staining her clothing. A small cut was starting to bleed on her cheek, and the huge grin on Vinyl's face showed off a whole flowerhead being held between her teeth.