> The Gray Cellist
>  by WhiteDaisy
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Canterlot, big city, busy and glowing at nighttime. Home of the powerful Princesses Celestia and Luna, who brought day and night to everypony's life. 
Octavia was no different. And although she liked Celestia's cheerful day, she found all the inspiration she used in her cello pieces on Luna's mysterious moonlight. 
And what a night it was. The snow fell gracefully on the ground, shining like fallen stars in the moonlight. It would have been a perfect night if not for the busy trotting of the many visitor hooves that day, shopping for fancy gifts in the streets of the city.
Octavia observed the crowd from her room, upstairs, looking through a wide window. Her Cello rested aside; papers were scattered all around the wooden floor. She was stuck in a new piece, and it’s usual for her to open the window and look at the moon for a way out of her art blocks.
Still, all those ponies, making so much noise outside... 
Not even such a bright moonlight could help her today.
A knock on the front door made her shift her attention. She looked down, and saw two mares and a basket waiting for her to welcome them.
She slowly trotted down, her hooves knowing who they would meet at the door, and trying to take Octavia away from such... Well…
Octavia stopped, and adjusted her purple bowtie before opening the door.
"Please, do com-"
"Tavi! Happy Hearth Warming's Eve's Eve’s Eve, girl! We missed you!" All Octavia could see was Lyra Heartstring's mint green mane. The mare, as usual, had forgotten what personal space was, and was hugging Octavia tightly.
Lyra Heartrings met Octavia when both attended Music University, and became good friends since then. 
"Hello, Octavia! Thank you very much for having us this year again, we appreciate it a lot." Bon Bon said with her sweet voice, carrying the basket full of sweets she would always bring to Octavia as her Hearth Warming's gift.
Sweet Drops was Bon Bon's real name, but as her most popular sweets were her bon bons, the nickname came and stood.
Lyra and Bon Bon were married, and would always come to Canterlot to buy Heart Warming gifts for their Ponyville friends. Octavia would always host them at her house, as she lived alone and had a spare room that she didn't mind sharing with them.
That was the reason for the first trip, at least. Lyra kept that annual because she knew Octavia felt a little alone living on her own in Canterlot. She had to stay there because of her work at the city's Orchestra, but she confessed she would like to move to Ponyville someday. Lyra hoped to make her company and lift her spirit a little bit with those visits.
"Happy Hearth Warming for you, Tavi!" Lyra said, giving the basket of sweet treats to her. "Two days earlier, as always. Oh and you should totally try Bon Bon's new Heart Caramels first, they are the best! And a perfect treat to give to a special somepony" Lyra grimed at Octavia when saying that sentence.
"Lyra…" Bon Bon scolded her for saying that.
Octavia was used to it; Lyra has been teasing her about it since they first met.
"Well thank you very much for this information! Actually, will you wait a second? I have to get to the nearest dance club and hook up with a complete stranger only for this night, than dump them." She smirked to Lyra. The only times she used sarcasm in her life were the times she had Lyra’s company – afterall, Lyra was the one to teach her such technique. 
"You two..." Bon Bon sighed, smiling. 
Octavia first came out to Lyra as demisexual six years ago. After the pack of questions and the usual, she started to tease her constantly. It became a little annoying at first, but after the news went cold, she stopped. Scenes like that one still happen occasionally, though. But Octavia would always have a good comeback in her hooves.





Octavia helped them put the basket on the table, and led them to their room, even though they already knew where it was. After unpacking, they all gathered at the big, classy living room, sitting in the comfortable sofas by the huge fireplace. 
"But seriously, Tavi. Haven't you ever dated anyone? You can still fall in love, can't you?" Lyra asked, unwrapping one of the basket sweets Octavia insisted on sharing with them.
"In theory, yes." She said. "But..." 
"Ponies always go too fast for you, don't they?" Octavia agreed with Bon Bon. 
"Every time I explained that I’m demiromantic, that I would only feel prepared for deeper intimacy after knowing them, they would never listen. They would try to kiss me on our first date..." Octavia explained, unwrapping the Heart Caramel. "I've tried several times, but that was the outcome of all. I presume I don't have to explain I had to dump them right after that. And they all thought I would love the kiss; that this time, with them, it would be different." She sighed, swallowing the sweet.
"Oh, the typical 'I'll fix you with my love', I see..." Octavia agreed with Bon Bon again. “I’m sorry for you, Octavia. I hope you can find somepony who fully understands you someday."
"Just like me, right? I am the perfect wife after all, ain’t I?" Lyra said in a joking tone, leaning to her wife.
"Of course you are, my Heart" Bon Bon followed, kissing her wife. 
Octavia looked at the couple with a soft smile on her face.
"Indeed" she thought, "It would be very nice to have somepony who truly loved me."
She looked at the caramel in her hooves, letting her sight unfocused. 
“I just wonder… When?”


> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

They stayed talking for some time but feeling tired and sleepy, they all went to their respective rooms before the clock stroked midnight. 
“What are you thinking about?” Bon Bon asked her wife, seeing that she was quieter than normally. 
“Nothing, just…” She explained while brushing her mane by the vanity. “It must be really hard for Octavia, you know. Having her personal space being invaded like that every time she tries to date.”
“Ponies can be really mean sometimes. And some are just dumb.” Bon Bon concluded. “But it’s not like she is completely miserable for you to pity her so much, Heart. She is the best cellist in all of Equestria, has a big classy house in Canterlot’s center and plays for the Royal Orchestra.”
“And is so alone she has only two friends – you and I.” Lyra said.
“Not everyone is as outgoing as you.” Bon Bon tried to explain to Lyra, lying on the bed and pushing the blanket over herself. “I’m sure she’s ok.”
“If you say so…” Lyra turned off the light, slipped under the blanket too, and kissed Bon Bon. “Good night, my sweet.”
“Good night, my heart.” She replied, and both went to sleep.





Octavia was nowhere near sleep, though. She picked up all the strain papers: dozens and dozens of musical writings that led nowhere she wanted to go with her new song. Absolutely nowhere. 
Nowhere.
She opened the cello’s case and took the instrument out of it, trying one more time to find a way out of that block by playing the piece throughout, one more time. 
She liked to call it “Sought Sonata”, a piece made for ballet perform. She narrated it while playing. 
It followed the story of a Pony who lost the ability to sing. After discovering it had been stolen, they start searching for it, and meet several other ponies who also lost some ability in the way. They team up, find the thief, and… That’s when she gets stuck. 
“It just wanted to be as good as the others, that’s the reason for the stealing!”
Octavia heard somepony saying that from outside. She rapidly rested her cello, leaned on the window, and looked down.
The dim lights of the street didn’t help at all – all Octavia could see was that the stranger used big glasses.
“Excuse me?” She said to the pony.
“Someponies aren’t that good with some things. That doesn’t mean they aren’t worth it.” The stranger explained their line of thought. “You’re just forgetting the basics. But great piece!” They complimented her.  “Gotta go now, sorry for annoying!” They started to trot away from her.
“Wait!” She called, and the stranger stopped, looking back. 
“Who are you?” She asked. 
“Name’s Vinyl.”  Sorry but I’m really late, bye!” And with that, Vinyl disappeared into the dance club next door. A party pony, it seemed.
How could they be so good with classical music, then? It seemed impossible to Octavia, but…
She grabbed her cello again, and tried the stranger’s take on the piece. Having in mind that the thief was only jealous of the other ponies, giving them a sorrowful, guilty tune…
It fitted perfectly. Octavia loved the new piece, and rushed to write it all down. 
In a matter of minutes, a piece that took months only to be stuck by the end was finally complete. 
She looked at the papers, with all of its musical notes and markings. Finished.
She had to thank Vinyl.





Octavia didn’t even get her coat. She knew how dance clubs were, and she definitely didn’t like them, at all. Loud music, sweating ponies, strong drinks, flashing and confusing lights. No fresh air. She planned to just find and thank Vinyl, and go back home right after. 
Oh she was wrong. 
She entered the club, and as usual, it was packed. Octavia could barely move in such a crowd, and the loud music made her sensitive ears ache. She stopped an olive pony to ask.
“Hello, excuse me.” She had to scream to be heard. “Do you, by any means, know a pony named Vinyl in this party?”
“Sorry miss, but haven’t ever heard that name.” 
She sighed. She was already sweating from the heat, and felt very annoyed by so many people touching her so much. That’s why she hated to be in crowded places.
She tried to ask again.
“Excuse me, but do you know somepony named Vinyl?”
The pony laughed. 
“You don’t come here often, do you?”
“Well, I didn’t realize it was that obvious.” She admitted. “Why?”
He pointed to the letters that glowed behind the DJ’s mixing desk. It read “Pon-3” in flashing blue neon lights. 
“That’s Vinyl’s stage name. We’re all here to listen to her beats.”
“… You cannot be serious…”
“Relax and enjoy the show. She’s the best Dubstep DJ in all of Equestria, miss!”
“No, you don’t understand!-” But the pony was already gone.
She didn’t understand. She had nothing against the pop songs, but there was a deep difference between listening to Dubstep and listening to Classical music. Your brain and ears have to be trained to listen to the complicated arrangements in the later. But for popular music, the basi-… 
Oh. The basic would do.
Suddenly, the crowd started cheering ridiculously loud. Octavia looked to where everyone was: the DJ’s mixing table. But now, somepony was actually using it. 
Vinyl.
“Are you ready to party!?” She asked, and everyone screamed even louder. 
There she was, Vinyl. Her purple custom glasses reflecting the many other light colors in the club. Her blue mane swinging with her head by the beat of her songs, the sweat making it glue into her light colt. Everyone cheering, and jumping off the ground, even higher, by the recurrent “drop the bass!” she would put in the middle of them. 
But Octavia didn’t notice any of that. All she could see was the passion in Vinyl’s movements. She loved playing her songs. She loved playing for such an animated crowd. She loved every part of that performance. Every single one.
Octavia also loved playing the cello, since she was very young, but…As her parents had invested so much on her musical instruction, she felt obligated to pay them with a good title. That’s when her instrument became more of a job than a passion. 
And seeing Vinyl there, so involved in the beat, lured by a melody she created herself, driving all those ponies mad every time she “dropped the bass”…
Octavia missed that feeling. 
Vinyl took her glasses off, putting it on her head, behind her ears. Her magenta eyes glowed in awe, just like it was her first performance ever. Hardly ever, but she seemed so excited, nevertheless…
She smiled widely, seeming to identify somepony in the crowd. 
“Hey Bowtie Cellist.” She spoke in the microphone, the music still playing. “I didn’t know you were so eclectic with music. 
Octavia started sweating cold. She gulped, all eyes on her. It made her even more self-aware. 
Noticing her discomfort, Vinyl tried to help.
“How about some ice cold soda? Larry, clear the way for her, will you?” 
A big stallion opened the door to the hallway, were all the staff was working. Vinyl had just invited Octavia for a drink in her room. 
Everypony let out an “smooth one!”, looking even more at Octavia.
“Never mind that!” Octavia shouted, irritated and angry, dashing through the front door, going home as fast as she could.
She just couldn’t do it anymore! All that heat, loudness, ponies everywhere. And that invitation… 
Octavia was wrong about Vinyl, after all. She was just one more for the list of disrespectful dates.
Why did it have to be so hard for her? 
Already by her home’s door, she let a deep sigh, and filled her lungs with the refreshing night breeze. Tears had streamed down her face, and she didn’t even realize. She entered her home, and reaching her room, she untied her bowtie and wrapped herself on her blankets, waiting for sleep to come.
But from her bed, she could see the sheets of paper with Sought Sonata’s notes written on it. 
She hadn’t been fair with Vinyl, she admitted. It was a dance club, most ponies are there for one-night-stands. She was the odd one there, and Vinyl just innocently admitted she too was ok with one-night stands.
“Bowtie Cellist?” 
Octavia didn’t even breathe. She could hear Vinyl from the open window of her room. There was a moment of silence, but she was still there.
“If you’re there, I just wanna say I’m sorry for that, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.” Vinyl apologized. 
“Anyways… I’m not gonna bug you anymore, you don’t have to worry. Whatever I did, I’m really sorry. Seriously.”
Octavia’s mind was in trouble. Give Vinyl a chance or not? Would she try to touch her even if she said it wasn’t ok to? Was this one going to end badly too?
“Goodbye.” Vinyl was leaving. She had to decide.
Octavia moved silently trough her room, reaching the window. She looked outside.
“Tomorrow.” She almost whispered, but Vinyl had a sharper hearing than she thought, and turned around with glimmering eyes of happiness. 
“I’m so s-”
“Tomorrow.” She repeated, cutting Vinyl mid sentence. “At Salt and Pepper, lunchtime.” 
“I’ll be waiting! But…”
“Yes?”
“I don’t really know your name yet, Bowtie Cellist.” She smiled.
“Octavia Melody.” She introduced herself, giggling right after.
Vinyl went speechless.
“You gotta be kidding me… The Octavia Melody? The Official Royal Cellist?” She couldn’t believe. 
Octavia giggled again. “Are there others?” And with that, she closed the curtains, going back to bed.
Wrapped in her blankets again, she could hear Vinyl happily trotting away. She smiled.
But Octavia was still concerned about Vinyl accepting her demisexuality. She was very nice, letting her club only to apologize to her, still… 
Would she be the first one to respect her?
Would it be a finally?
Octavia started humming the last part of her Sought Sonata, that one part Vinyl had helped her. 
“Someponies aren’t that good with some things. That doesn’t mean they aren’t worth it.”
And with the last movement of the piece, an allegretto, she softly went to sleep. 

> Chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A new day came, and Octavia was the first one to wake up, as she had to go rehearse for the whole day. A big performance by the Orchestra was coming up, and everypony had to be playing their assigned parts flawlessly. 
Including their individual pieces.
Not long after she put the breakfast table on, Lyra and Bon Bon appeared, both with bed hair. They would only start their shopping spree by lunchtime, anyways. 
“Good morning to you. Did you sleep well?” Octavia asked, greeting them.
“Like a rock!” Lyra admitted, sitting down, grabbing some food to eat. 
“Your sleep is always deep, my heart.” Bon Bon commented.
“Oh, yes, I have to agree, Bon Bon.” Octavia sat by their side, picking some cookies and coffee. “She once slept in the middle of a party. Literally. With the loud music and all.” Octavia described. “We had to carry her home, as no matter what we tried, she simply wouldn’t wake up.”
“Ha, how have you never told me that story, Lyra?” Bon Bon asked her wife.
Lyra hesitated for a second, thinking. 
“I don’t remember it, that’s why.” She said. “Though I do remember thinking I teleported myself home that night.”
They all laughed. 
“Honestly, I could have had a better night yesterday. I heard some ponies talking outside; they kept me awake until late.” Bon Bon confessed. 
Octavia froze for a moment. Bon Bon heard her and Vinyl talking.
Lyra recognized the desperate expression Octavia made, and connected the dots.
“Tavi… I know that look.” She said.
“What do you mean?” Octavia tried to play the ignorant. Big mistake.
“Who were you talking to last night, huh?” She asked.
“W-what you’re talking about? I didn’t-”
“Just spit it out, girl. We won’t judge.” Lyra promised.
Octavia knew there was no way back now. 
She didn’t want to say she had a date with somepony – specially a DJ pony (Lyra would mock Octavia for eternity. But Bon Bon had heard their conversation late at nighttime, and Lyra uncovered her already. It was a dead end street.
“I’ve… I’ve met this mare yesterday.” She said it, looking straight at her coffee cup.
“That late? How exactly did that happen?” Bon Bon asked, surprised and curious about this story too.
“She was passing by when she heard me struggling to finish my cello composition, so she called me to the window, and gave me some help. That’s all.” Octavia took a sip from her cup.
“And now you have a date with her cause you got really interested, and is hoping it works this time.” Lyra said, as if she already knew it.
“How-” Octavia asked.
“You were so focused on her you let your coffee spoon stain your towel.” Lyra explained, getting up from the table. “I’ve only seen you do that when talking about a very important concert you’d be playing. And that was once.”
Spot on. 
“That’s so good, Octavia! Why didn’t you tell us sooner?” Bon Bon was happy for her friend. 
“I don’t know, I just…”
She just didn’t want it to fail again. She wanted Vinyl to be the first one to understand her, but…
She was afraid. 
Very afraid. 





Octavia left home not long after breakfast, and left the couple alone to go rehearse with the rest of the Orchestra.
Her head was full of thoughts on the way to it. Most of them had the words “Vinyl”, “understand” and “date”. 
It was a lot of pressure, you know. Although she didn’t personally mind not having any special somepony, everypony was expected to have one at some point in their lives.
Still, she hat to go to those rehearsals to help the newer musicians with their parts, as she was already prepared and, being a veteran, her help was very valuable. 
She opened the door, to meet several ponies tuning their respective instruments. Greeting everyone in the room, she spotted Noteworthy in the middle of the saxophones, and headed to him. 
Noteworthy was one of the newest faces around there; recently graduated with his saxophone, he surely had some talent. He was the closest Octavia coworker.
“Good morning, Miss Octavia! How are you today?” He asked, noticing her coming closer. 
“Excellent, Noteworthy. And you?” Octavia asked politely, returning his exited smile. 
He made her remember her own first year at the Orchestra, always full of energy and will. 
“Great as well! Although I could use some of your help, miss, if that’s not much to ask.” He confessed with a nervous smile.
“Of course not, I’d be glad to; as a veteran, that’s what I’m here for anyways.” She answered.
And by being so involved by the music and repeating fragments of the pieces, her mind eventually got cleansed of those worrying thoughts, and became filled with the passion for her work. By the time the maestro announced lunch break, she was as light as a feather. She looked around at her workplace, at her coworkers, at her precious cello. 
And she smiled.
It didn’t matter if it didn’t work, again. Why was she even worrying about what others thought about her, especially strangers? 
She had the job of her dreams, which paid her well enough to have a spacious house in the heart of Canterlot. She had marvelous friends who, although she didn’t see as often as she’d like to, were true and loyal. They wanted her to be happy: to be with someone who understood her.
She enjoyed every bit of her life as it was. And if it wasn’t a decent enough pony, It wouldn’t matter if there wasn’t one more pony there, she would still be very happy as it was already. 
So with her scarf on, she left the building, and trotted to the restaurant where her date was already waiting for her in a table inside the cozy instalment. 
Vinyl smiled widely.
But Octavia smiled even wider, so more sure of herself than ever.





Vinyl was so happy to see Octavia coming in, she even stood to welcome her.
“Octavia! I’m so glad you actually came.” She confessed, laughing nervously when realizing she was up.
“Why wouldn’t I?” Octavia asked, intrigued, pulling her scarf off her and sitting on the other side of the round table. “We did agree on meeting here at this time, didn’t we?”
“Heck, yeah, but…” Vinyl sat down again. She had her custom glasses holding her mane back today. Her magenta eyes glowed in awe. “You’re Octavia, the greatest cellist ever! I mean, it’s an honor even to be talking to you, you know…”
“Haha, I’m far from being the ‘greatest cellist ever’. But I still appreciate your words, Vinyl. Thank you very much.” Octavia blushed a little bit from so much praising. She was indeed a very good cellist, but not so great, as Vinyl saw her. 
“So, what were you doing this morning?” Vinyl asked, resting her chin in her hooves, with her smile still on.
“There you go, ladies.” The waiter handed the menus and left. 
“Oh. I was rehearsing with the Orchestra for tonight’s presentation.” Octavia answered like it was nothing, looking at the menu.
“Yeah, working with all the most talented musicians of Equestria, like Jazzy Strings and Sizzling Wood is nothing too big, huh?” Vinyl joked. 
“Oh, Vinyl, you see…” Octavia was about to explain it, but a question came to her mind and had to be answered. “I’m sorry for not answering it right now, but I’m just so curious about this thing, would you mind answering something for me first?” She asked instead.
“Ok, why not?” She agreed.
“Well, I don’t mean it as an offence, but… As a popular music composer, you…” She had a hard time putting the question up.
“I couldn’t be trained to listen to classical music enough to help you finish the piece?” Vinyl guessed what Octavia was trying to say.
“Yes, I mean, I’m not saying it’s inferior or anything. They are just two different languages with the same root, if you can understand what I’m saying.” She explained. “I myself have no idea when a popular song is good or not, to be honest.” 
Vinyl laughed. 
“That’s not the first time I got that, Octavia, no worries.” She confessed. “The thing is, I’ve been trained in classical music since I was only a filly.”
“Really?” Octavia was interested in the story.
“Yeah! I dropped out of the conservatory I went to years ago, but you know. That thing gets stuck in your head and never leaves!” She said, patting her own head with a silly face. Octavia laughed. 
“I presume you play a classical instrument, having been in a conservatory?” Octavia asked.
“Where do you think I’ve learnt to switch sounds on and off, and push buttons so fast in my remixing table?” Vinyl pretended to play a piano, tapping their table fast. “I wasn’t good with following those hard sheets, though. Improvising has always been into my blood!”
“You were a pianist!” Octavia was a little surprised, actually. “Well, you’ve got to play something for me someday. I’d love to hear your talents in an area I’m used to, I must say!”
“Of course.” She smiled softly.
Vinyl stopped her tapping the table, and looking deeply into her eyes, put a hoof on Octavia’s resting one. 
“I’d love to.”
Octavia pulled both her hooves to her body almost instantly, letting her menu drop. The romantic mood Vinyl thought was there instantly lowered to freezing degrees. The other customers all stopped talking because of the loud noise the menu did when hitting the table, and they all focused on the two mares at the corner. 
That was it. Octavia had to explain everything to Vinyl now, and Luna knows how she would react. 
She took a deep breath, and let the crowd go back to their respective routines. Vinyl looked nervous, but didn’t dare to say anything.
She let her breath out, looking deeply at Vinyl.
Octavia really liked talking to Vinyl, and found her to be a great friend. She didn’t want to lose her. But she couldn’t fake her romantic feelings either. 
“I-I’m sorry Oc-” She tried to explain herself, but Octavia interrupted her.
“No, Vinyl, it’s me who should apologize.” She explained, raising a hoof. “I should have told you about it earlier, but I got distracted and forgot about it.”
“What… What do you mean?” Vinyl was confused. Worried, even. 
Octavia, on the other side, looked like she was in pain. 
Pain from the insecurity.
Pain from another probable failed attempt. 
But she had to do it.
“I’m demiromantic, Vinyl.” Octavia finally let it out, with a deep sigh following.
Vinyl stared blankly at the cellist. 
“Demi-what?” Her confusion grew bigger.
No wonder. The concept of demisexuality was far from being known. Still, Octavia had already had that conversation so many times that the casual explanation came naturally.
“It simply means that I only feel comfortable with romantic gestures after being friends with the pony for a while.”  She tried to smile. 
“So, you don’t like dating strangers?” She innocently asked. 
“No, that’s not it.” Octavia thought in a better explanation. “I’m fine dating strangers. All I ask for is that we don’t have any romantic intimacy, that’s all.”
The worries in her face vanished, and her smile came back on.
“Gosh!” Vinyl let out a relieved sigh. “Why didn’t you say that earlier?” She asked.
“Well, I must say I got really interested as our conversation went by, and I completely forgot to tell you.” Octavia admitted. 
“Then I’m still good with you?” Vinyl asked. “Sorry for trying to hold your hoof, by the way. But I had no idea, you know. I hope you’re not too pissed off.” She said, opening her menu, shuffling it. 
“No, I’s ok, you had no idea about it, indeed…” Octavia opened her menu too, following Vinyl.
“So, I was thinking the hay salad would be a good one for now. What do you say?” Vinyl had already started choosing their meal from it.
But Octavia hadn’t taken her eyes off her: a part of her still didn’t believe.
“Just…” She hesitated. “Are you absolutely sure you won’t try to kiss me before I have to head back to work?” Octavia asked behind her menu, disregarding Vinyl’s meal choice. 
Vinyl closed hers, rested it on the table, and raised one of her hooves, as she was about to promise for a judgment. 
“I hereby promise that I will not touch Miss Octavia Melody unless given her, and only her, permission!”
Octavia giggled. 
“Do you want a written copy too? You know, it to remind you that I’ll never ever ever touch you without your permission and stuff like that.” Vinyl joked.
“It’s already good enough, thank you very much, Vinyl.” She giggled again.
And so, they had their lunch: an amazing vegetable soup, sided with warm bread and hot beverages. 
They had just finished everything up when Octavia had to go back to work. They paid the bill, and Vinyl walked Octavia to her destination.
“Thank you very much for coming with me, Vinyl.” Octavia said when she found herself already by the door. They came talking, and she lost track of time.
“No problem. I had a great time, you know.” Vinyl admitted. “See you sometime.”
“See you.” Octavia said, opening the door and entering.
Vinyl adjusted her scarf around her neck, and begun to trot back home. But as soon as she turned around, she heard Octavia again. 
“Wait, Vinyl!” She asked. Vinyl looked back immediately. 
“What happened?” Vinyl asked, surprised.
Octavia reached her, and gave a nice, warm hug on Vinyl. 
“Thanks for keeping your promise.” She said, hugging her tighter.  
“Hey, you don’t have to thank me, that’s the least I could do!”
But as the they were looking at each other again, Vinyl could see Octavia’s watery eyes. She was so happy she could cry. 
“I mean it, Vinyl!” She was smiling widely. “You… You were the first one to keep the promise by the end of the date. So, yes, thank you so much!”
“Gosh, you were really unlucky with your old dates, weren’t you?”
“I… I cannot say they were the best, no.” Octavia admitted, giggling. She had never been a winner in the love game. 
“Well, I hope I can change it! I’m a mare of my word, I can guarantee that.” She smiled too.
“You have already changed it, Vinyl.”
And with another hug, Octavia opened the door again. She talked once more to Vinyl from it.
“See you at the Heart Warming’s Presentation?” Octavia invited her. 
“Will you be playing that solo piece?” Vinyl asked.
“Definitely.”
“Wow, you finished it right on time, didn’t you?” 
“I work well on a tight schedule.” She giggled.
“Haha. Ok, see you tomorrow night!” Vinyl accepted the invitation. 
“See you!”
Octavia trotted back to work, but her agile hooves moved the bow without conscious thinking. Noteworthy was the first to notice how bright she was that evening. 
“Miss Octavia, is anything, well, unusual? You look quite off today, if I may say.” He said, giggling.
“Oh, Noteworthy, do not notice me. It’s just that… Things seem to be finally working on my personal life, that’s all.” She smiled.
Yes. Things seemed to be working. 
Was she in love? No.
But she liked Vinyl’s company. She was a charismatic and outgoing mare, and Octavia liked their conversations about various topics.  
Would she be in love, eventually?
Well, that…
Only time can say. 

> Chapter 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lyra and Bon Bon had already done their shopping and were already back by the time Octavia got home. They were writing the names of their Ponyville friends on their gifts by the fireplace as Octavia placed her scarf on the hook. 
“Welcome back, Octavia.” Bon Bon welcomed. “How was rehearsal today?”
“Forget rehearsal, how was your date, that’s the question!” Lyra said, putting the gifts aside. “Spit it out, girl! I wanna know every single detail!”
“Well, Lyra, I must say…” Octavia began. “It was quite good.”
“Ha, I knew it! Do we have a winner? Yeah we do! Octavia’s heart has an owner!” Lyra shouted.
Octavia rolled her eyes, smiling. 
“I’m not in love, Lyra.” She explained.
“Aw snap! And there was I thinking we would have another marriage coming up!” She joked.
“Give her a break, Heart.” Bon Bon giggled. “But I agree you could give us a name, at least.” 
“It’s Vinyl. Vinyl Scratch.” Octavia said, sitting by them on the couch. 
“And how was it? Did she kiss you too or what?” Lyra was desperate for details. 
Octavia giggled, relieved.
“I thought I’d never say it, but… No!” She giggled again, still not believing it. 
“No kidding!?” Lyra was surprised.
“That’s great news, Octavia! I’m really happy for you!” Bon Bon said. 
“Yes, I’m also very happy.” Octavia confessed. “And her response to my demisexuality was even surprising for me.”
“She was tots ok with it?” Lyra asked.
“Yes!” Octavia agreed. “No questions at all. She even promised not to touch me if I don’t give her permission. She made me speechless.”
“Ha, now that’s some improvement from your last dates, isn't it?” Lyra said. 
“Indeed, it is.” She let out a relieved sigh. “And I’m really happy for it!”
Bon Bon giggled. 
“Yes, Bon Bon?” Octavia asked.
“Oh, me?” She said. “Don’t mind me, I was just thinking.”
“’Bout what?” Lyra asked.
“I, by no means, can say what’s going on until I meet the mare, but… From what you've said to us, Octavia… Vinyl is in love at first sight with you.”
“What?” Octavia was surprised, and confused.
“Deep love, I say.” Lyra commented.
“Would you care to explain?” Octavia asked them.
“It’s very sad, but very reasonable why your previous dates all went so bad for you, Octavia. The usual pony really likes intimacy; it’s something normal for them. They expect a kiss by the end of their first date, if it goes well.” She began.
“That, every piece of media has already told me, Bon Bon.” Octavia said. That was one of the many unspoken rules of their society.”
“Exactly, Octavia. For Vinyl to respect your orientation so blindly, without a single question… As I've said, I’m only speculating here, but… I think she’s in love with you already.”
“Well then… For Luna’s mane… How should I even respond to that?” Octavia was very confused on what to do now. 
“There’s no set response to it. Only you can know what to do now, Octavia.” Bon Bon explained.





Some hours later, after all the gifts had been labeled, they all went to their bedrooms. Octavia had rehearsal again the next day, but as hard as she tried to shut her eyes, she just couldn't.
What Bon Bon had said about Vinyl that evening was still stuck in Octavia’s head, keeping her from sleeping.
It just felt so unfair… How somepony had to be in love with other pony to respect one’s life choices. And although, if Vinyl was really in love with her, she felt flattered…
It still made her very unquiet. 
Feeling she wouldn't be sleeping soon anyways, she headed for her large window, and opened it. The snow was still glowing in the full moonlight. The cold breeze made her shiver a little, but it was nothing to her fur. 
She stood there, quietly looking at the moon. And what a moon it was. She felt like playing a little, but Bon Bon and Lyra were already sleeping, and know the light sleeper Bon Bon was, she refrained from it.
“Am I in the middle of something?” Octavia heard a voice from the street.
“Vinyl!”
It was her, with a scarf around her neck, looking at Octavia. From the looks of it, she had just arrived. 
“Hey! Pretty night, ain't it?” She said, realizing Octavia was looking at the moon. 
“Yes, very pretty indeed…” Octavia giggled. “What are you doing here at this time?”
Vinyl pointed to the dance club by the street corner. 
“Heading for work.” She smiled. “But aren’t you who should be sleeping by now? It’s hella late.”
“I’ve always been a fan of the night, to be honest…” Octavia confessed. “And I also had a thought keeping me away from sleep…” She let it slip, sighing.
“What thought?” Vinyl asked, smiling. 
Octavia froze.
Should she tell Vinyl what Bon Bon had said? Ask Vinyl if she was indeed in love with her?
“Are you ok, Octavia?” Vinyl asked, looking at Octavia getting a concerned expression. 
“Yes, it’s just…Well…”
She hesitated.
“Hey, you can tell me whatever is bugging you.” Vinyl said.
Octavia thought for a second if asking it was prudent or not. And she concluded that, well… Was it a big deal? 
“Are you in love with me?” She asked it directly. Straight to the point.
Vinyl wasn’t expecting such a question, and she stuttered before answering. 
“Is that a trick question?” She laughed nervously. 
“Not really, I was just… I mean… Even if we get to be best friends over time, it’s not a hundred percent secured I can correspond to your feelings if you feel like so. 
It’s not even near to a hundred percent, but she kept that thought to herself.
Vinyl had to stop for a moment, to both put herself together again, and think. 
“Yeah…” She came to a conclusion after a moment. “A little bit, but… I am…” 
Octavia didn’t respond. She couldn’t think of a proper response; what she was feeling couldn’t be put into words. 
They both stood there, letting the cold winter breeze be the only one speaking. Vinyl adjusted her scarf. She had to be at the club already, but that conversation was more important than getting on time to work. 
“Vinyl, I… Well, I’m afraid I can’t-” Octavia begun.
“I know.” Vinyl responded calmly. “But I still really like hanging out with you; as friends. So even if you don’t ever fall in love with me too, I’d be glad to carry on our friendship, forever.” 
Octavia smiled.
“Wow. Are you real, Vinyl?” 
“I think so.” Vinyl giggled. 
“Vinyl Scratch! What are you doing chitchatting? You’re supposed to be working!” A big pony called from the dance club doors, seeming angry.
“Gee, I forgot I had to work! My boss is going to kill me!” And with that, Vinyl dashed through the street.
“See you tomorrow night?” Octavia asked, seeing she would be gone soon.
“How could I ever miss it!?” Vinyl assured, disappearing into the big building. 
Octavia had a big smile on her face as she closed the window. Still thinking about the conversation, she found herself looking at the Sought Sonata’s scores – all nicely organized and with a nice cover, prepared for the big show tomorrow. 
And she realized how her being surprised by how Vinyl was so accepting was silly, actually. On that day that she had her help, Vinyl understood the sonata’s character worth, even though it lacked a talent. 
And, as she fell asleep that night, she wished everypony was like that. 
Cause they all deserved respect, were they the most talented or the ones completely lacking one.  

> Chapter 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was finally Hearth Warming’s Eve. Outside Octavia’s house, the crowd was even thicker than the usual. Most of them were late shopping for gifts, or having a good time with their families. 
Bon Bon, Lyra and Octavia were all at the living room. The couple prepared to leave, packing their saddlebags with the many presents they bought in Canterlot.
“It’s snowing quite a lot today…” Octavia noticed, looking through the front window. “Are you sure it’s safe for you to travel?”
“Don’t be a scared child, Tavi, we aren’t walking for too long, and the train station is just by the corner.” Lyra said. “We’re gonna be ok, don’t worry.”
“Of course… Never mind me…” She sighed.
What Octavia really was is sad. Not scared, she knew their trip was going to be safe, but… Her only friends, who only visit her once a year, were already leaving. She already felt alone.
Lyra proceeded to hugging her friend one last time before they left. 
“Aw Tavi, we’ll miss you, you know! Don’t forget to send us a letter one day or another, ok?” Lyra asked. “Don’t get too much into that DJ to the point of forgetting us!”
“Oh Lyra…” Octavia smiled. “How was that sentence you always say again?”
“Leftovers for the kimono?” 
“…What?”
“Oh!” She remembered. “Lady friends before girlfriends! Yeah!”
They all laughed. 
“See you, girl.” And Lyra left through the door. 
Bon Bon had some time alone with Octavia. 
“I’m actually glad you have somepony else, in town permanently now, Octavia.” Bon Bon began.
“Why so?” Octavia asked.
“We get very worried about you throughout the year, as you rarely send us any letters. Lyra is constantly thinking about you, more than the normal, to be honest.”
“Yes, I do send fewer letters than I should, I’m sorry… But my schedule is very tight.”
“I completely understand, Octavia, so don’t get too focused on that.” Bon Bon smiled. “I’m just commenting Lyra is happy to know you’re making other friends. And so am I. It’s never bad to have someone to rely on in critical situations, and Vinyl is surely a trustworthy mare.”
“How can you be so su-” Octavia was going to ask, but she realized how her friend could know Vinyl is a good friend. “Bon Bon… Have you listened to our conversation yesterday?”
“I actually saw it.” Bon Bon confessed. “I’m sorry, but I have a very light sleep, and am very curious by nature. I’m also always right, if you know what I mean.”
Octavia was not surprised, and sighed, smiling. 
“Yes, you are.” 
Bon Bon saw the worries of a potential not corresponded love in Octavia’s eyes, and had to reassure her friend.
“Don’t worry. Whether you fall in love with her or not, both are equally wonderful situations. You shouldn’t ever feel pushed into having a romantic relationship, Octavia, ever.”
“I know, Bon Bon. Thank you very much for coming.” Octavia said.
“Stay well; we’ll keep in touch with you” Bon Bon said, going through the door. “Goodbye.”
“See you, Tavi!”
Outside, Octavia waved at the couple that slowly mixed in the crowd.
She stood still for a couple of seconds in the steps of her door, just watching the endless movement of the ponies. The white snow was beautiful that day, just like little stars falling from the sky in daytime. 
“Merry Hearth Warming’s Eve!”
Vinyl pulled Octavia out of her thoughts. She was standing right next to her, wearing accompanying headphones to her scarf. 
“Vinyl!”  
“Sorry, did I surprise you?” She giggled. 
“Not really, just… You just took me off guard, that’s all.” She smiled. “Merry Hearth Warming’s Eve for you too.”
Octavia noticed Vinyl’s headsets were still playing songs in her mp3 player, and got a little closer to hear what she was listening to. Vinyl blushed a little from the closeness. 
“Is that… Hm…” An inch close to the headphone, she could finally recognize the song. “Minuet in So Major?”
“Spot on.” Vinyl said. “One of the few pieces I can play without reading the score.”
“Oh yes, Vinyl, this reminds me I still have got to see you playing the piano, as you promised.”
“Anytime we get near one!” Vinyl agreed. 
“Would right now be too inconvenient?” She asked.
“Now?” Vinyl was a little surprised.
“Why, yes. I happen to own an old piano.” She explained. 
Vinyl thought for a moment. She had nothing else to do, and it was her day off.
“I think it wouldn’t hurt to play right now, yeah.” She agreed. 
Octavia opened the door to her house, and waited for Vinyl inside.
“Follow me.” She smiled, inviting her friend in. 
“Don’t mind if I do!”
Vinyl was openmouthed when she saw how big Octavia’s house was. From the street, it looked tall, having its two floors, but when you actually come inside, you see that its sleek silhouette is only the entrance hall for it. Octavia lived in a mansion. 
The hall came to the big, spacious living room, full of rococo stylized furniture, and its enormous fireplace facing the front door. To their left, Vinyl saw the dining room, and realized the house (she thought it was a whole house) she had always passed by those last years, was actually only a single room of Octavia’s.
Octavia continued through one of the staircases to the top floor, where all the bedrooms were. Vinyl lost the count by the sixth door they passed by. They stopped at one by the end of the corridor, and found one of the most lonesome rooms Vinyl had ever seen. Vast, as the others, but without any furniture at all. The only thing that it contained was the piano, covered in a big white sheet. 
“Wow…” She let it slip. “Your place is huge! How many siblings do you have to need so many bedrooms?” She asked innocently, imagining they were all working by that time of the day, and that they filled the many other bedrooms.
“Actually…” Octavia said, pulling the sheet from the piano. “I’m an only child.”
“What!?” Vinyl was shocked. “Well at least your parents live with you, right?”
Octavia was about to correct her, but her expression said everything Vinyl needed to hear.
“They live in my hometown, Los Pegasus. The princesses gave me this house, as I am part of their personal instrument players.” She explained, sitting in the piano’s chair. 
“Don’t you get… You know, lonely?” Vinyl asked, sitting by Octavia’s side. 
“Not really.” She said, smiling. Vinyl got even more surprised.
“Well I would!” Vinyl confessed. “But I still live with my four siblings and my grandparents, so I’m not sure I count.”
Octavia giggled.
“I’m always rehearsing with the Orchestra, so I’m never too long in here.” She explained. 
Octavia’s hooves started playing strain notes on the old, but very good piano. Vinyl couldn’t help noticing how beautiful she was, subtly moving as the rhythm led her. 
“Do you know any Chopony piece we could play together?” She asked, and snapped Vinyl out of her thoughts.
“Uh… Sure! Hm… Let me see…”
Vinyl started to play the accompanying part of a four hooves piece, swiftly pressing each key. She was a natural, Octavia noted while starting to play the melody of the song.
“Good choice.” She said.
Vinyl only smiled, and continued to play.  

In the single minute they played the minuet Vinyl chose, the mood of the room had changed drastically. Vinyl had such a talent; the notes flowed from the piano swiftly, and lighted everything around them. 
“My… That was amazing, Vinyl!” Her talent amazed Octavia. “I had no idea you could play that well.”
“Ha, that was nothing, look at you! Good at the cello and piano. You were amazing too.” Vinyl said. “No wonder you’re the Official Royal Cellist and I’m just… A dance club DJ…”
Vinyl looked very down from making this point. Octavia could see her story reflecting on her magenta, teary eyes. A family that invested hundreds on her daughter’s musical education, only for her to become a DJ. 
Octavia could even see the hatred her parents had for her profession. Not everyone in the classical musical community is as accepting of the pop variant folks as Octavia is. Most of them still hold the preconception that they are all badly formed musicians, which is extremely erroneous. 
But Vinyl loved what she did, she was living her dream. That could never be something for one to be ashamed of. 
“Vinyl…” Octavia begun. “No offense to your classical ability, but… I prefer your electro songs.”
“Really?” Vinyl’s soul lifted a little bit, Octavia noticed. 
“Yes, really. Do you know why?” She asked.
“No?”
“I’ll tell you, then.” Vinyl listened closely. “Because even though you’re amazing at both, the one you love doing is the pop one. And that’s what matters – your happiness. Do not let others make you think the opposite.”
Octavia held one of Vinyl’s hooves, supportively. 
“Thanks, Octavia.” Vinyl’s eyes started to get teary. “You… I’ve only know you for some days, and still… You’re the first one I know that supports me in my job choice.”
“How could I ever not support you?” She said, smiling. “I still remember the glow in your eyes in that performance I saw. It was splendid, and I hope you never lose that.”
“Me too. I’ve gone through too much to ever give up on it.” Vinyl giggled. “And today I’ll see yours.”
“Oh, the concert.” Octavia remembered. “I do hope so.”
“I have no doubt ‘bout that. You will, I promise you.” Vinyl assured, smiling.
They both giggled together.
That was the beginning of a wonderful, everlasting friendship.  
> Chapter 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was an hour left for the presentation. Octavia was still home, by her room’s vanity. She put on her makeup, a little too heavy, but for the occasion, it was still appropriate. She wondered why she was putting so much attention into such frivolous things – the important part was the music, not her look, anyways. 
She put her hair up, in a simple but fancy style, and secured it with a diamond pin she got from her mother. She felt beautiful once in a long time. 
Passing by the side of her cased cello – already cleaned and tuned for the big concert – she opened her closet, and took a long dress out of it. Its color matching her purple eyes, when finally on her body, Octavia looked stunning. 
She wrapped the cello’s case’s ties around her, and prepared to leave, looking once more in the long mirror she had by her bed’s side. After taking the difficult trip downstairs, she finally reached the outside, where the cold breeze was a little too much in that dress. She endured it, anyways, and continued in her path. 
She reached the opera house in some minutes. Outside of it, the crowd could be already be heard. She entered, and saw all the seats already taken. Good thing she wouldn’t need one, she thought.
She peeked at who was there, and found, among the noble of the city, Princess Celestia and Luna themselves. Right next to them, Vinyl was sitting, apparently very self-conscious because of her company. Octavia giggled, and proceeded to go to backstage. 
The backstage room was also full, but the air was so much heavier and rushed than in the audience. Ponies checking on their makeup, reviewing their musical sheets, oboe players freaking out because of soaked reeds.
Octavia sighed. Being a veteran wasn’t easy because of those situations. Before a big concert, every single freshman would get very nervous like that. On that year, the fuzz was even greater, as most of the veterans had retired, and those new musicians filled the places. The maestro was nowhere to be seen either, so he could maybe calm all those nerves. 
“Octavia!” Noteworthy called her. He seemed as nervous as the others did. “Would you please help me with this passage? I’m not sure I’m prepared enough, you see-”
But he was interrupted by Octavia’s hoof closing his mouth. 
All that fuzz was making her anxious too. She had to do something. She took a big breath. 
“Hold that thought, and listen to me.” She said. “Everyone? One minute of attention, will you?” She asked them.
They slowly obeyed, and all looked at her. 
“I know it’s a big time for most of you, and that’s why I need you all to calm down.” She started explaining. “You have already studied your parts for months now, and I’m sure you are going to do a splendid job if you manage to control your nerves for a little time. So breath in and out, do a little revising if you need to, and don’t focus too much on the show. It’s going to happen anyways, so there’s no need to anticipate it. Just let time do its job.”
She finished with a comforting smile, and minutes afterwards, the calmness could already be felt in the air. 
“That was wonderful, Octavia!” Noteworthy said. “You managed to calm everyone… Even myself. Thank you very much.” 
“Experience brings something very precious, Noteworthy: Confidence. You just needed to be reminded that you are all brilliant musicians, and that even the worst piece you play will sound delightful. No need to thank me.” She explained, smiling. “Now, let me see that part you’re struggling with again.”
They proceeded to the piece, and Octavia helped him how she could, until the maestro came up to the room, and announced their entrance in ten minutes. 
Each pony grouped with their instrument partners, and lined up for the entrance. The audience cheered as they appeared, and positioned themselves. 
Octavia rose her front hooves, and placed them on her instrument, tuning it once more by the maestro’s order. In the crowd, Vinyl smiled to her, and she smiled back. The princesses, noticing the exchange, smiled to each other. Vinyl blushed, and Octavia silently giggled too. 
The maestro gave the signal, and the presentation begun. The whole show was filled with Hearth Warming songs, calming and supportive, giving every listener that warm feeling of gratitude. 
Octavia looked at the orchestra, at the new players – mostly to Noteworthy – and smiled at what she saw: confident instrument players. She was happy her words had reached and helped them. 
The first act flowed nicely, and the Orchestra finished their last piece together that night with a standing ovation from the crowd. They all bowed, and excused themselves to the backstage for the break. 
The first thing Octavia heard was how exited everyone was by how good they did their presentation. Compliments everywhere and relief filled the room. Octavia loved that mood. 
As she checked her makeup and hairdo, Noteworthy came to her with a group of friends. 
“We are leaving for a drink, and we were wondering if you’d like to accompany us?” He invited her.
“I’d happily accept that, if it weren’t for my solo in…” She looked at the clock. “Fifteen minutes.” She giggled.
“Oh, I forgot about that, this year’s solo is yours.” He noticed, a little embarrassed. 
“Next time, maybe?” She said.
“Absolutely.” He agreed, already leaving. “Good luck, and thank you again!”
Octavia smiled as he was dragged by his friends though the door. 
Young ponies.
With her makeup in place again, she supposed a bit of fresh air would do good, and began her way out.  But she was surprised by the princesses, in their way out too. 
“Melody.” Celestia greeted. 
“Octavia, my loyal cellist.” Luna seemed to be more close to her than her sister. 
“My Highnesses.” Octavia bowed shortly. “How is your night?”
“Marvelous, I must say.” Luna answered.
“We loved the concert; the new generation of musicians surely have something new to show us.” Celestia commented. 
“I do agree. They are sweethearts too.” Octavia smiled.
But their conversation was interrupted by Vinyl.
“Found you!” She said, as she noticed the familiar silhouette in the dim lights of that hall. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere, you weren’t backstage either so…”
But she noticed Octavia had very important company, and realizing who they were, she stopped, and awkwardly bowed.
“Uh, princesses!” She said nervously. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to…”
“No needs for apologies, we were just leaving.” Celestia explained. 
“Aren’t you staying for the second part?” Octavia asked. 
“Unfortunately not, Octavia. We are heading for the Hearth Warming theater piece; Twilight Sparkle and her friends will be acting, and our presence is needed.” Luna said, not much pleased by that responsibility. 
“Well, I’ll see you again on the Grand Galloping Gala, then?” Octavia asked. 
“Certainly, Melody. We must go now. Goodbye.” Celestia said, waving to both Octavia and Vinyl. 
A minute of silence between Octavia and Vinyl followed by the princesses’ leaving. Vinyl let out a long sigh.
“That was so awkward; I can’t believe I interrupted the princesses…” She confessed.
“I’m sure they didn’t mind it a little bit, Vinyl, don’t worry.” Octavia reassured her, giggling.
“Still… I had no idea you were friends with them.” Vinyl was surprised.
“I’m not really their friend, I’m their cellist. They are my bosses; the only connection we have is a business one.” Octavia explained.
“You’re still closer to them than many of their guards, you know.”
“Possibly.” Octavia giggled. “But why were you looking for me again?”
“Oh! I was wondering what happened to your solo piece you were going to play. The show ended, and I heard nothing of it.” Vinyl explained.
“That is because I’m playing it on the second part.”
“Really? I didn’t notice there were going to be two parts.” Vinyl giggled. 
“Well, I’ve got to go now. I’ll be up in a few minutes.” Octavia excused herself, beginning to trot away from Vinyl.
“Wait.” Vinyl asked, and Octavia stopped, looking back to her. “I was wondering if you’d like to have dinner with my family after your solo. I thought you’d be alone after that, so…” 
Octavia was indeed going to be alone that night. Her parents didn’t have enough energy anymore to travel, so she was the one who had to visit them at Los Pegasus. As she usually only had time on her vacations, that was only once a year, in the summertime. 
“Are you sure? I… I don’t want to be an annoyance to your family.” She said.
Vinyl laughed. 
“My mother is your biggest fan; she was the one who told me to invite you, actually.” Vinyl explained. 
“Really?”
“Yes!” vinyl assured. “So, what do you say about it?”
Octavia didn’t even think. It had been some years since she had company for Hearth Warming.
“I’d love to!” She accepted the invitation, hugging Vinyl, who blushed a little. 
At the start of the hall, a staff pony called her.
“Miss Octavia Melody?” She asked.
“That’s me.”
“You’re up in two minutes.”
“Good luck.” Vinyl wished.
“Thank you, Vinyl.” And they parted in different ways: Octavia to backstage, and Vinyl to the audience, to her seat in the front roll. 
The audience cheered once more as Octavia entered the stage, and smiling, positioned herself for the presentation. Her sheets were nicely organized in the stand in front of her, but she didn’t need them. She already knew the piece by heart. 
“I’d like to thank everypony here for your presence. Your constant support is what moves us, musicians.” She begun a little speech before playing. “The piece I’m playing today is called ‘The Sought Sonata’, and follows the story of a pony who has lost the ability to sing. They meet many other ponies with stolen talents in the way, and they all discover that the thief had only stole the talents out of jealousy. The thief is forgiven, and they all become friends.”
She noticed Vinyl looking at her. 	
“I’d specially like to thank Vinyl Scratch, my friend, for helping me with the last movement. Without her help three days ago, the story, like many others, I presume, would have open ending.”
The audience giggled softly. Some even recognized Vinyl’s name, and were amazed. A piece by Octavia Melody & Vinyl Scratch. The idea was a good one. 
Octavia, accompanied by a flute and a celesta, begun leading the piece. The first act, cheerful and happy, depicted the main character, excited about their talent, and sharing it with every other talented one around. 
Then, the second act begun, and things get darker, the song brusquely entering a minor key. The thief came in, and stole the talent. The pony is desperate; the tempo gets faster and faster. The audience tenses up. By the end of it, everypony was holding their breath. 
In the third act, the tempo slows down. The pony is sad, and hopeless. But slowly, it gets happier again, as the pony friends come together, and help them find the lost talent. The end of the act finishes with a sudden tension. They unexpectedly find the thief.
It’s time to fight in the fourth act. The song tenses up again, and gets really loud and fast. Uncomfortable notes were played throughout it.  It’s a mess of a battle. The thief is finally down. And then, by Vinyl’s addition, the songs has a grief tone; the thief is explaining what made them do that. The other ponies understand, and forgive them. 
At the last minutes of the song, instead of the dreadful end Octavia was planning, like most other tales, it was happy. Relief, love, compassion mixed together in a perfect combination of notes. 
Octavia looked at the standing ovation of the audience. They loved it. 
And once in a long time, she felt that playing the cello was, after all, what she was meant to do. She was feeling something she would only experience on stage, performing. A mix of happiness, proud, and honor that is hard to explain. 
She was glowing.
Vinyl looked mesmerized from the audience. Her eyes widened as she saw Octavia’s glowing more than anypony else in that room – partly from being a musician too, but mostly from being… Well…
“Dammit…” She thought, never taking her eyes away from the cellist.
Yes... She was definitely deep in love with Octavia.




> Chapter 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vinyl waited outside as everypony left. The crowd slowly dissipated into the snowy night, making their way to their homes or a near bar, commemorating a successful year. The moon shone up in the sky; Luna was also pleased.
Octavia, backstage, took some of her heavy makeup off and asked for a pony from the staff to store her precious cello – she would pick it as soon as she could.
She still couldn’t believe she was going to have a Heart’s Warming dinner with a family – it has been so many years since she was invited for one of those. And not only any family – Vinyl’s family. From what she has heard, a big one. As she checked her looks once more by the mirror, she would remember the last Heart Warming – in her big house, by her also big, lit fireplace, sitting in her big sofa, in a big… Loneliness. 
She had everything one would want to have, but only materially. What fun was it if you couldn’t share it with someone special?
Her heart rapidly paced as she trotted outside, with a glittery but modest scarf on.  As she reached the cold-topped street, she saw Vinyl, and waved.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.” She apologized, getting to Vinyl’s side.
Vinyl took a moment to react – she was caught by Octavia’s beauty, perhaps a little enhanced by her growing love for her. Her heartbeat went up. Octavia giggled.
“Vinyl, are you listening?” She was slightly concerned by Vinyl’s lack of response.
“Uh… Yeah! I’m right here um I mean… No problem…” Vinyl tried to hide her blush under her scarf.
Octavia waited.
“Well then… Do lead the way.” She asked Vinyl, who again, took some time to respond.
Vinyl started to trot on a very slow peace, and Octavia, with a curious grin, followed. After some quiet minutes between them, Vinyl trying not to look anywhere but forward, Octavia had to ask.
“What has gotten into you, Vinyl?”
“Uh… Nothing. Why- Why are you asking?” She answered, faking a smile she made sure to hide behind her scarf right after. 
Octavia’s smile faded away as soon as she realized. She stopped.  Vinyl stopped too, trying not to make eye contact. The snow took all the sounds away.
“I may be slow on love matters, but it does not mean I’m ignorant. Your… Interest.” Octavia sighed. “It… Has grown, hasn’t it?”
Vinyl hesitated. She tried to forge some excuse, but no matter what she had to say, Octavia had already found it out. It would be better to simply be honest. 
“… Yeah. It has. I’m sorry, this is awkward.” She confessed.
They stood there, neither saying a thing. The cold seemed colder. Octavia took a big breath to the moon with a concerned frown. She had no idea how to carry this situation.
“I’d blame your cello playing, though.” Vinyl said, after some minutes, getting Octavia’s attention. “You… You were glowing, Tavi.” She confessed, smiling under her scarf, eyes locked on the one she loved.
Octavia’s mane flowed with the cold winter breeze. A turmoil of thoughts filled her head. She didn’t know whether to feel concern for Vinyl’s ever-growing love for her, a love that could easily never be reciprocated, or to feel thankful for the compliment. But her thoughts had to go back to outside her mind again.
“VIIIIIIIIIIIIIINYYYYYYYYL”
A childish voice resonated from the next street. It came closer and closer, building up like a siren.
“Oh well, there she comes.” Vinyl recognized the voice.
“Who?” Octavia started to ask Vinyl, but she disappeared of her sight. 
She found both Vinyl and Strings Scratch lying on the snow ground, Vinyl taken by a sudden super-hug from a cute small filly.
“You are soooooo late I thought you had forgotten you had a home!” The little pony started to confess, her voice a mix of a high pitch and sweetness.
“Strings, I’ve told you already-” Vinyl started, but was cut by the energetic child again, whose focus had quickly shifted. 
“It’s her! It’s really her!” Strings had amazement in her eyes as she looked at smiley Octavia. “When you said you were friends with Octavia Melody herself I seriously thought you were kidding but Oh My Celestia!”
“You’re the best sister I could ask for, Strings. So much trust.” Vinyl said in a joking tone, getting up, shaking the snow off. “Octavia, this is Strings, my youngest sibling. Strings, well… You know her.
“So you’re Vinyl’s sibling?” Octavia asked, and was answered by sequential nods. “It’s an honor to meet you.”
Strings was almost fainting by this point, but she held herself up for a hoofshake from her biggest idol. 
“Strings, Mama wants you inside- ” The stallion who called the foe from inside was interrupted.
“Right now, young lady! I’m not in the mood to take care of another cold!” By who seemed to be said ‘Mama’.
“Oh, ok!” She didn’t even stutter, and with little hops of an energetic filly, stepped inside her home again. 
“I thought your mother was my biggest fan” Octavia said.
“I gotta agree it’s probably a tie.” Vinyl laughed. “Let’s go in.”
Octavia took a good look at what was Vinyl’s house. Not as fancy or as big as the one she was given by the Princesses, but it still held the name of a Canterlot family. The outside of it had definitely been through some upgrade, and looked more modern than the inside. The furniture followed the same style everywhere – flowing curves and many details. A warming fireplace by the furthest wall kept the whole family cozy. 
Vinyl led the way, inviting Octavia inside. They placed their scarves by the side of many others. Octavia could see Vinyl’s family was, indeed, big. 
“C’mon. Everyone is waiting to meet you!” Vinyl took Octavia by the hoof, forgetting any awkwardness between them, and toured with her. 
They stepped in the living room, and a lit fireplace, with a decorated Christmas tree by its side, welcomed them. In one of the sofas by it, a mare and a stallion sat, focused on various paperwork. The mare used thick glasses, and the stallion, a hearing aid. 
“Geez, those two never change… Even on Heart Warming’s night, huh.” Vinyl seemed a little disappointed, and annoyed, by the sight of them working. 
“Who are those?” Octavia asked.
“My older twin siblings, Mahogany,” she pointed to the mare, “and Oak” she pointed to the stallion. “They own an instrument making business, so they are always full of papers floating around. It’s annoying, I haven’t had a real talk with them in ages because of it. They are pretty cool if you actually get to them, though.” 
“Miss Vinyl! Miss Octavia!” A voice called. A middle-aged chubby maid hurried to them, wearing a dirty apron. “Oh my, you already took care of your scarves. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t worry about that, Marigold. You must be super busy on the kitchen, right? No need to freak out.” Vinyl calmed her down.
“Thank you very much for understanding, Miss.  Anyways, dinner will be served in a few minutes, we are almost done.” 
“Thanks, Mari.”
“You’re always welcome, Miss. Now, if you excuse me, I must get back to the preparations.” And she left with a smile. 
“Now, upstairs –” But she was interrupted.
“Hey, Vinyl.” A soft voice called. A teen stallion, Octavia recognizing as the one that called Strings inside, was its source. He held a flute with his unicorn magic, and completely froze when his sight met Octavia. 
“Hey, Metal. What’s the matter?” Vinyl asked. 
He seemed to try to speak, filling his lungs, but he just could not bring himself to do it so easily. After some trials, he finally was able to mutter his wish.
“C-case.”
That was all. But instead of pushing him to be more specific, Vinyl had already understood. 
“Mari has probably stored it in the attic again. You know she likes to do that.” Vinyl explained. 
He nodded in thankfulness, and dared to try to look to Octavia again. He couldn’t hold his eyes for more than a second, though, and left for the stairs. 
“Is that your younger brother? Metal, wasn’t it?” Octavia asked, smiling at the situation.
“Yeah. As you can see, he’s reeealy shy. It will probably take some time for him to start to talk to you, but as soon as he gets comfortable, you have a friend for life.” She explained, giggling. “But come on, you still have to meet my mother. She’s gonna scream when she meets you, you’ve been warned.”
“I’m ready.”
They laughed.
Octavia could take a peek of a sweet scene before they headed to the dining room. Metal, in his way up to the second floor, met another stallion, a pegasus, who was holding the flute’s case. It seemed like he went searching for it for Metal, and it made the teen Scratch very happy. He kissed the other stallion and they both went upstairs.
“Metal has a boyfriend?” Octavia could not hide her slight surprise when asking, while they trotted through the door.
“Hard to believe, huh, him being so shy and all. We had the same reaction when he introduced him to us. They were classmates, though, so that’s probably why he actually got around to talking to him.”  
“I see.” Octavia smiled. “They look like a happy couple.”
“And they are.”
The dining room consisted of a long dark shaded table in the middle of it. A majestic chandelier provided light for the whole room. The many windows showed the falling snow outside, tinted by the moonlight’s color. Across the room, Marigold took a bowl filled with salad from the hands of a middle-aged mare, though a door that seemed to lead to the kitchen. A middle-aged stallion helped by carefully organizing the fancy silverware on the table. 
“Oh, Vinyl, you’re back!” The stallion said as he noticed them enter the room. His voice was deep, and Octavia actually felt like she had already heard it somewhere. “Would you mind calling your grandparents down? Dinner is ready.” 
“Sure!” Vinyl agreed. “Just wait here, I’ll be right back.” She said to Octavia. “Oh, and good luck with my mom.” She laughed and left the room again. 
“Miss Octavia Melody, isn’t it?” The stallion called, finished with the silverware. He went to a hoofshake. “I’m Vocallio Scratch, Vinyl’s father. It’s a pleasure to meet you!”
“The pleasure is absolutely mine, Mister Scratch. Although…” She thought for a moment. “I’m sure I’ve heard your voice somewhere before.”
“It’s highly likely you have indeed. I was part of Canterlot’s Orchestra too, although not as a cellist like you.” He explained. 
“Wait a minute, are you…? Are you the Vocallio? Deepest Bass to ever sing in Canterlot’s Ochestra?
“That’s me!” He laughed in a low tone.
“No wonder your voice is so nostalgic, I used to listen to you when I was younger. Although I’ve never heard the Scratch surname before I met Vinyl, I must admit.” 
“That is because I’ve only held it since I’ve married my sweet Porcelain. By the way...” He proceeded to look at the mare inside the kitchen, who focused on making the rest of the meal. “Porcelain, honey. Miss Octavia has arrived!”
Octavia heard a squeak.
Vinyl did warn her. 
“My, my!” She quickly finished the last dish, and rushed to the dining room levitating it to the table. “Why didn’t you say it earlier, dear? We kept her waiting for the meal!” 
“It’s not a problem at all, Mistress Scratch.” Octavia said. 
“Oh, well…” She was shaking out of nervousness. “It’s such a pleasure to have you as our guest today! The truth is, I’m your absolute biggest fan! I’ve been following your works for some time now; I’ve probably attended every concert you participated in for the last years! Aside from the one you were in just now, I mean, Heart Warming concerts are always an exception, too much work to do! I also find it funny the fact that my daughter met you, she’s not half the fan I am.”
“I’m flattered, Mistress Scratch.” Octavia thanked.
“Oh, please, only Porcelain is alright.”
“Porcelain.” Octavia corrected with a smile. “It’s also my pleasure to meet you, as your daughter has already mentioned you’re my fan. I’m honored.” Octavia explained. “But I do understand why Vinyl wouldn’t go with you to our concerts, she does have another interest, and I must say she excels at it.” 
“Oh, you mean her love for those ‘techno’ beats of her. What was the name again...?” 
“Dubstep, mom. I’ve told you already.” Vinyl answered entering the room, followed by her grandparents. “But it’s not like it matters, huh.”
“Well, it’s definitely an unusual interest… But let’s start eating already, shall we?” Porcelain tried to change the subject quickly. Vinyl let a sigh as she sits down.
Octavia took a seat right by Vinyl’s side too, in the beautifully decorated table. The smell of all the dishes actually made her stomach growl a little. It all looked delicious. 
“I’m sorry for how your mother perceives you, Vinyl.” Octavia said while they served themselves. Vinyl turned to her with a “Huh?”
“It’s a shame she cannot see your potential.”
“Oh, that. Don’t worry about it; happens in a daily basis here.” Vinyl explained. 
“Well, you were not fooling around when you said they didn’t support your career choice.”
“Told ya.” Vinyl smiled as she took the first bite of her food. “You should eat too, it’s delicious! One thing my mom knows how to do is food, you now.” 
Surprised about how little shaken Vinyl was about her unsupportive parents, Octavia started eating too. 





The meal was, indeed, delicious. Octavia had never eaten so well in a long time. The conversations at the table were the usual, but they focused a lot on Octavia’s presence too. Apparently, Vinyl’s mother made everyone in the family a fan of Octavia; in varying degrees, but she did. 
Strings was the first to finish the meal, and she seemed impatient in her chair. 
“Mamaaaa.” She cried.
“No, you need to wait, Strings. Be patient.” 
“But mamaaaaa!” She cried once more.
“Strings!” Porcelain was getting irritated. “Please wait, we are almost finished.”
“Ok...”
That incident at the table made Octavia really curious. What was making Strings so (much more) impatient? 
She had to wait for the Scratch grandparents to finish their meal too to find out what Strings wanted so much. But the second the last plate was put aside, Strings dashed through the room directly to the gifts under the tree. 
Going around it, she started unwrapping the biggest one she could find. By the looks of it, Strings knew exactly what she was getting this Heart’s Warming.
“I think you could help her, Tavi.” Vinyl said.
“Me? How so?” She was even more confused.
Vinyl dragged her to the living room where Octavia took a seat by the filly. 
As the wrapping was undone, Octavia could see a black case that looked very familiar, only much smaller. Strings opened it as fast as she could to reveal a child-sized cello, perfect for her.
Her eyes gleamed. 
“It’s perfect!”
Octavia smiled – So that’s why.
“This looks so much like my first cello.” Octavia confessed.  “I had no idea you wanted to play it, Strings.”
“Aaaaactually I already play it, it’s just that my old one was already too small so mama promised to get me a new one for Heart’s Warming.”
“And does she play it, right sis?” Vinyl said.
“I’m not the one to brag but… Yeah I do.” Strings laughed.
“Well then, care to show me?” Octavia asked, intrigued.
“Sure!” 
Strings took the cello on her hooves and prepared to play it. 
The song that came out of it was unique – Octavia had never heard it in her life. It was probably something Strings herself had composed, and at such a young age! But it was indeed new in every way. It looked classical but it was so lighthearted and freely played that it sounded contemporary. Strings had made something that mixed both styles so well that…
Octavia had an idea. 

> Chapter 8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Scratch family rested by the sofas around the lit fireplace, enjoying the little filly’s calming song. The warmth of the fire and their full bellies made some drowsy, but the moment was so nice they gathered their will to stay awake and enjoy a second more of it. 
Vinyl and Octavia sat beside Strings as she dragged her bow one last time, finishing the song. The family cheered the filly who held her new cello with proudness. 
“So how do you like it, Strings? Your brother and I were unsure of the width of your bow, so I hope it didn’t bother you too much.” Mahogany said, paperwork piled up aside.
“Are you kidding me, it’s perfect!” She put her cello back into the case and dashed to her twin siblings, giving them a tight hug.
“You know what would be more than perfect? If Octavia played the cello now.” Vinyl suggested, looking at Octavia, waiting for a positive response. Porcelain gasped.
“Oh I would love to, but I doubt I would be able to play on a child’s cello, it’s far too small.” She confessed, giggling.
“You should absolutely not worry about that, Miss Melody, we have a cello stored that we can fetch in no time for you!” Porcelain explained, doing her best to hold her excitement.
“Right away, Mistress.” Marigold went up the stairs for it.
As the maid made her way, Octavia saw a piano hiding in the shadows, gathering dust. She considered the possibilities and outcomes, hesitating for a moment. But Vinyl was so good at it…
“May I invite you to play the piano alongside me, Vinyl?” 
Vinyl looked back at the piano she knew was at the living room, considering it. She didn’t like having to play it in front of the family so much, but… She was the one who wanted Octavia to play in the first place, it wouldn’t hurt helping her. 
Vinyl smiled.
“I would love it.” 
Marigold came back with the instrument. Octavia opened the case, revealing a slightly dusty, but beautiful cello, probably made by the twins too. She made a mental note to commission them for a cello of her own later – their work was brilliant. 
She took it in her hooves, holding the bow and playing a few strings. She looked at Vinyl who opened the lid of the piano keys, checking if it didn’t need tuning too bad, as it hasn’t been touched in so long. The sound was very good too.
Vinyl looked at Octavia, smiling. Octavia smiled back, and suddenly remembered a perfect song they could play.
“Liebestraum” she whispered. 
“What?” Vinyl couldn’t hear.
“Liebestraum” Octavia said again, louder. “Franz Liszt.”
“’You mean ‘The Love Dream’?” Vinyl laughed.
“Yes” Octavia smiled. 
They looked at each other for a moment that 
Vinyl took a moment staring at Octavia to see if she wouldn’t go back on the song picking. Octavia took the cello and played the first note of the song, looking back at Vinyl so she could follow. Vinyl smiled, blushing a little bit, and played along. 

Even though Vinyl have problems following Octavia’s great technique, they had a great musical chemistry and that reflected on every note of the song. It was melodious and sweet; it embraced the other ponies in the room and comforted them.
As the last note was played, the Scratch family stood in an ovation – they loved it. Octavia felt very happy, but not because of the ovation; the way she played with Vinyl… She was ecstatic. She had never seen something played in such different ways that sounded so good. That mix was what she wanted to work on; other ponies had to listen to that too, it couldn’t be kept amongst only them. 
Octavia looked at Vinyl and smiled. Vinyl smiled back, blushing a little bit. 
“Oh Vinyl, that was incredible!” Porcelain said to her daughter. “It makes us all wonder why you are persuading a DJ career but not a piano.”
“Mom. Just don’t. I thought we were past this.” Vinyl got quickly angered by her mother’s comment. 
“Please, I’m just stating the truth. I’m sure everyone in this room, including Miss Melody, agrees with me.” 
Vinyl looked at Octavia with watery eyes. Caught by surprise, all Octavia could do was stutter, and not actually say anything. 
“I can’t deal with this right now.” Vinyl confessed, looking down. She looked at Octavia. “I’m sorry.” She went up the stairs, crying, probably headed to her room. 
Octavia didn’t want to fight with the head of the house, but still looked angry at Porcelain before placing her instrument down and going after Vinyl.
Up the stairs, she followed Vinyl to a room in the left side. She opened the door Vinyl had just blasted closed to find the DJ sitting on the window, leaning to the side, beaten. She didn’t look back as Octavia made her way through cables and cables of speakers, computers and others. 
“Do you really think like my mom? Do you want me to just stop being a DJ and go back to the piano?” Sadness filled her voice. 
“Quite the opposite, actually. Do you want to know what I think? That song wouldn’t have been half as good as it was if you weren’t a DJ.”
“You… You really think that?” Vinyl looked back.
“Of course! Ponies think that all the musical niches must stay apart from each other, but they forget that it’s by experimenting that new, exciting things come up. Your musical basis is completely different from mine and that’s why, when we play together, something so good happens.” 
Vinyl smiled, looking back at the snow falling outside. She seemed not to be bothered by the cold at all, but Octavia was beginning to feel a cold coming up. 
“Thanks, Tavi. You’re really great, you know.” 
“Anytime, Vinyl.” She smiled back. “But could you come down and close that window? I’m freezing.”
“Oh yeah, sorry.” She jumped out of the window and closed the door. 
“I also need to talk to you about something,” Octavia confessed. “You don’t need to accept it if you don’t want to, but I thought it was a nice idea.
“Yeah?” Vinyl’s heat skipped a beat by the thought of the possibility of Octavia confessing her love to her. She knew it wasn’t going to happen though, and calmed herself down. 
“I want to open a music school, and I want you to be a teacher.” Octavia said.
“What?” Vinyl asked. “Seriously?”
“Yes. Somewhere where people don’t have to follow music sheets or any predefinitions. They can just play what they want to play, and experiment.” Octavia had the biggest smile while daydreaming about her project. “But… I don’t think I would be able to do it without you.”
Vinyl looked at Octavia, with loads of questions.
“So… What do you say?” Octavia asked again. 
Vinyl smiled. 
“Count on me.”

> Chapter 9
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA” 
“Strings…”
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-“
“Strings!”
“… Sorry” The filly gave a smile to her older sister. She was hopping around and vocalizing her excitement and apparently, that didn’t make Vinyl very happy. 
The two of them made their way through the melting snow in the streets of Canterlot, other ponies busy with their daily affairs, and many of them annoyed by the filly’s exaggerated excitement. 
“Look, I’m also very happy about this new school, and I get that you’re already gonna be a student and all, but we haven’t even started furnishing the rooms or anything, you gotta chill kid.” Vinyl said to her younger sister. 
“I don’t care, it’s still very exciting and I wanna SCRE-“ Strings couldn’t finish though, her sister put a hoof on her mouth.
“Chill.” Vinyl said.
Vinyl looked to her side, towards Octavia’s house, and she could see a small crowd gathered around the windows, trying to get a peek inside. Vinyl wondered why. The news of the school haven’t gone further than her family and Octavia herself, so they weren’t there for that. 
Vinyl dashed, reaching the house and knocking on the door.
“Yes?” She could hear Octavia after a few seconds. 
“It’s Vinyl!” The mare announced.
“And Strings!”
“I hope we‘re not too late.” She confessed.
“Oh not at all! Do come in.” Octavia invited, opening the door and noticing the gathering of random ponies at the surrounds, getting a little concerned. 
All inside, Octavia took their scarves and put them aside neatly, completely forgetting to introduce the visitors to her royal friend (who was probably the reason for the gathering outside, she noticed).
“Greetings, young mares! I am delighted by your presence!” Princess Luna announced clearly to everyone in the room. 
“Oh My Celestia.” Strings said, not believing her eyes.
“You could have told me you were gonna involve Princess Luna in this, you know.” Vinyl asked Octavia, whispering to her, awestruck. 
“I’m sorry” Octavia apologized. “Princess, this are Vinyl Scratch, she’s helping me found the school, and the filly is Strings Scratch, Vinyl’s sister, and our first future student.” 
“An honor, Your Majesty.” Vinyl bowed, and guided her sister to it too, who was too in shock to do anything.
“Oh there’s absolutely no need for formalities, my young mares! I am, before all, Miss Melody’s friend, and I’m here to assist her, just as you are.” The Princess confessed, smiling.
“Just your boss huh?” Vinyl whispered to Octavia, who responded with a guilty smile. “There isn’t much to do though, right? Just some cleaning and moving around, I guess.” Vinyl asked. “The students are the ones who will bring their instruments here.”
“That’s what we were discussing, actually.” Octavia said. “I don’t want only rich ponies who can afford their instruments to be the students.”
“That is why I have offered my sponsorship, as Princess, so that you can buy a number of instruments that will be used by the less fortunate students in this facility. 
“Sounds great!” Vinyl said. She was born in a family where money wasn’t exactly a problem, so the thought of poorer ponies not being able to attend because of it didn’t cross her mind at all, and it made her ashamed. 
Octavia was also born in a rather rich family, and she has gathered her own fortune with her job herself, but that didn’t stop her from trying to make her school not only an exclusive new experience, but also an inclusive one. 
Could she love Vinyl more? Apparently, and this has just proven it. 
“Let’s begin cleaning!” Strings caught everyone’s attention, holding a broom with her mouth. 
“You sound excited, Strings.” Octavia said, smiling at the filly.
“I can’t wait to start classes here and that’s not gonna happen before we set the place up so we gotta hurry!” She said, going upstairs with the boom still in her mouth.
“Wrong turn, Strings!” Octavia warned her, who turned to the other side of the building and dashed again. 
“Sorry ‘bout that, she’s just really happy about all of this.” Vinyl said.
“Why don’t you go with her while I finish talking to Princess Luna? I’ll be there soon.” Octavia asks, and Vinyl leaves after her sister.
“Lovely mare, that Vinyl is.” Luna commented, making sure she wasn’t able to listen anymore.
“Indeed she is, Princess.” Octavia looks at Vinyl disappearing upstairs. 
“Quite in love with you too, you know.” 
“Oh I know t- Wait, love?” Octavia is shocked. “Did that happen in one of her dreams?”
“Did you not know, Miss Melody?” Luna is surprised. “Yes I do watch over her dreams just like I do with any other pony, but to be quite honest, it is very clear Miss Vinyl is head over hooves in love with you, just by looking at how she looks towards you.” 
“But…” Octavia looks down. “Why didn’t she tell me? This is a really serious matter.”
“I’m sure she didn’t want you to think she was pressuring you to go further in your relationship.” Luna reassures the mare, knowing of her romantic relationship conditions. “She’s in love with you, afterall. Being the mare she is, she chose to keep it from you until she feels you’re ready for the news, I presume.”
“I see…” Octavia takes a minute to digest this. “Should… Should I bring this up with her? Talk this through? She can’t have actually fallen so hard like this in so little time…”
“Do you feel ready to have this conversation? That’s what you need to ask yourself, Miss Melody.” Octavia reaches for her scarf and makes her way to the door. “I’ll have the instruments you listed sent to you as soon as possible. I’ll be back in a few days to see how you are doing, as well. Until then, Miss Melody, and the best of luck for you and Miss Strings.”
“Thanks you for everything, Princess.” Octavia opens the door with a smile, saying goodbye to her friend, watching her disappear in the crowd walking around the streets of Canterlot.
“Hey, Octavia!” Vinyl appears at the stairs, with a bit of dust on her fur and the broom on her hoof. “You coming?” She opens up a silly smile.
“I am, yes.” She smiles back, shaking the news to the side. Right now, she had some rooms to clean, and Vinyl’s company to enjoy for as long as she could. 





It was a tough afternoon full of dust and wiping said dust and moving furniture and cleaning more dust. They finished all of it, and all the rooms that were gonna be used for classes were spotless by now, but the three ponies were exhausted.
Strings, only a child, fell asleep on the sofa downstairs, on her sister’s side. They all had a cup of hot chocolate in front of them on the center table, and Octavia came from upstairs with one of her cozy blankets. She unfolded it on top of the filly, tucking her up in it, the floral smell of fabric softener filling the air. 
Octavia sat on the other side of the sofa, not too close to Vinyl, and looked to the lit fireplace, warming herself up. 
“Thanks for the help today, Vinyl. I really appreciate it.” Octavia said.
“Don’t mention it, that’s the least I could do.” She answers with a smile, and sips on her hot chocolate. “Besides, it was really fun, you know.”
“Me too, I enjoyed it.” Octavia confessed. “But…”
Octavia hesitated. Should she ask about that, right now? The mood was perfectly calm, to the cozy fireplace to the hot chocolate and the snowy background outside the windows. Was she willing to destroy it?
“Vinyl?” She said, getting closer to the mare.
“Hm?” Vinyl turned her head to Octavia.
“May I try something? Something… Something that involves physical contact?” Octavia asked without making any eye contact.
Many things went through Vinyl’s head at that moment. She could hear her heart frenetically beating, a blush growing underneath her fur. She took a deep breath to control herself as much as she could.
“Yes, I guess…” She answered. 
Vinyl held her breath for whatever was coming, looking at the opposite side. She heard Octavia coming closer, so close she could feel her warmth. She finally held her breath out when she felt Octavia’s soft embrace around her back, and her head resting under Vinyl’s chin.
Vinyl had to look down, and she saw a sleepy Octavia with eyes half-shut, breathing softly on her neck. In slow movements, Vinyl too took Octavia in an embrace, pulling the other mare close. 
They stood there, listening to the burning of the fireplace, for a couple of minutes, not moving an inch.  It was a moment neither of them wanted to let go of so soon, and both wanted it to last as long as it could. 
“Tavi?” Vinyl asked in a whisper. 
“Yes?” Octavia answered in a soft voice.
“Do… Do you like it? I mean, does it feel… Right?” 
Octavia took a second to answer, digging her head on Vinyl’s shoulder, in a way she was now breathing against the mare’s neck.
“Yes. It feels very… Comforting.” Octavia confessed.
Vinyl let a breath out, and a shy smile appeared on her face.
“I’m glad, then.” 
The moment would have lasted longer if Strings didn’t wake up, silently enough to see what was happening between her sister and the cello player.
“Oh my Celestia.” She whispered, squinting her eyes, not really believing what she was seeing. Was it a dream?
Vinyl was ready for Octavia to quickly get out of her embrace, like nothing had happened, and was surprised to see that didn’t happen.
“How did you sleep, Strings?” Octavia asked, looking at the pony with a smile.
“Am I even awake yet?” She asked, rubbing her eye. 
“C’mon Strings, it’s late and we should be going home.” Vinyl slowly broke their embrace to put the sleepy Strings on her back. She picked up the scarves and wrapped hers around her neck while Octavia put the other on String.
“I’ll… Call you soon.” Vinyl smiled, not making much eye contact. 
Octavia opened the door, and Vinyl went through it. 
She brought her face closer and gave a soft kiss on Vinyl’s cheek.
“Thanks again for everything.” She smiled.
“No problem…” That’s all Vinyl managed to say before trotting away quickly in the snow, making her way back home. 
Octavia dropped herself on her sofa again, letting a long sigh, arching her head back. 
“What have I done?” She cried to herself. She was supposed to ask if Vinyl was in love with her so she could explain how she couldn’t return those feelings. 
How did it take this turn? She went to the opposite way, actually. But… still. She did not regret any of what happened. Quite the opposite, actually.
She adored it.