> In the Background
>  by Harold_Genhi
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Opening
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The night still echoed in my head as I walked the quiet and lonely night streets of Ponyville. There were the occasional sounds from inside of the varying houses of young couples talking or friends laughing and enjoying each other company. I couldn’t let such joyousness inside of my head given the failure of the night. I had been commissioned to perform at the Grand Galloping Gala, a prestigious gift that wasn’t bestowed unto many of the musical ponies. I remember the first time I received the letter, sent by Princess Celestia herself, and how my heart fluttered, eyes widened, and my hooves nervously clopped against the wood floors of my duplex living room.

“I, Octavia Pie, would be able to play at the Grand Galloping Gala!” I had to contain a squeal of delight. Vinyl had given me such a look when she witnessed my excitement, and had left the room without a word. I hadn’t understood her irritation, if there were any, as to my renowned position, but she vanished to her side of the duplex and cranked up those electronic noises. From my time living the with disc jockey, I evolved an appreciation for the more delicate and intricate syncopation of her beats. More surprising was her ability to play what I have seen take an entire orchestral set.

The night of the Gala started wonderfully and the band was in full swing. I caressed the strings with my hoof and let it sing to the hall with my bow, a key to its musical melodies. The sound billowed from my heart, amplified by the resonation of my cello, and cast into the room rewarding the people with soothing emotion that they would not soon forget. I had already grown exceptionally nervous as to playing in front of all the Canterlot gentlecolts and mares along with my magnificent Princess Celestia, but training my entire life for this very moment, maintained my composure.

That didn’t mean anything, however. Part way through the fourth song, a loud, obnoxious pony tried to get the other ponies to “party”. I attempted to ignore her, seeing her as my more annoying sister, Pinkie Pie, but before I knew it, she had the band playing “The Pony Pokey.” I didn’t even know what to do; do I play what my bandmates were now subjected to playing and support the shenanigans, or do I cease play and let the music sound unfulfilled? I conceded against my better judgment and played along. This was not my field and Vinyl should have come to give what my sister wanted despite the scenery demanding my steady and delicate hoof.

The night quickly escalated, and before I knew it, the Princess had vanished, her statue laid in pieces on the ground, and a garden-full of animals scurried around on the floor. I couldn’t bring myself to stay there any longer. I retreated to a hidden away alcove and slung my cello onto my back and tried to leave the party. Sadly, I ran into Marquis the Magnificent Music Manager, the pony that had chosen me to play for the event, the pony that fired me from the event and other high-ranking events. Devastation quickly set in at the news. My face burned with embarrassment at the debacle and my quick and unexpected unemployment.

Now here I sulk, walking to my house, downtrodden and mentally fatigued. I could feel myself wobbling on the edge of breaking down or smashing my innocent cello. Both felt wonderful in my head, but it clearly wasn’t the time, or the place to vent the frustration. I could only force myself to think of the past and where my adamant determination had led me.

Depressingly enough, such thoughts were driven from my head as I neared my house, and I could hear the walls shaking with the thumping bass from Vinyl Scratch. It was almost painful to open the door as the sound amplified and caused my mane to pulse with vibrations. I could even feel the concussive force inside of my chest, breaking the rhythm of my heart and wiping all possible thoughts clean. I could only drone forward through the din of the house and hope I arrived at the door to the bathroom so that I could submerge my head in water dulling the noise. I desperately wised to drown out the noise and my frustrations in the soothing waters of my tub. My eyes strained to open as I desperately searched for the bathroom door. Like an immaculate light shining in the distance, I picked out the bathroom door and galloped toward it, home free. 

To my shock, I stumbled into a candle lit bathroom. Every open space had scented candles burning, and from the looks of them, none were mine. I swiveled to the tub to see the neon-blue-haired pony and roommate laying in the water with a mud facemask and two cucumbers on her eyes. Her eyebrows were flexed in a thoughtful way as her lips pursed and stretched in thought. The sight alone was enough to put my mind at ease. I slowly closed the door to the bathroom and let the noise die behind it.

“How was your big shindig?” Vinyl Scratch questioned, her ears snapping at the sudden change in volume.

“Horrid. Simply dreadful.” I answered as I set my cello in the corner of the room.

“Horrid you say?” I watched as Vinyl flipped herself over, popping the cucumbers from her eyes giving me her red-eyed glare of concern. “What popped their party balloons?”

“Pinkie Pie tried to make it into a ‘par-tay’.” I groaned.

“Oh…” She laughed. “I could just go for one of them right now. It just burns me up when the Gala is happening.”

“Not me! This was my chance to shine and receive a proper place in the classical prestigia, which is pretty much ruined now.”

“Oh please, I know you, Octavia. You'll bounce back better than a bass drop. You are a purple power machine that would never let bad beats bounce badly. You are the best cellist in all of Equestria! One day, they will find this out; they just need to see how bad everything is when it goes downhill now that they don’t have your acute skills.” Vinyl lectured, in her own special way.

I had to admit, she preached a strong argument amid the swath of alliteration and techno metaphors. She always managed to cheer me up in the worst of times, and even now she succeeded to cause this pouting pony to feel better about herself.

“Thank you, Vinyl.” I smiled, putting my head past hers and giving her a hug. “You are a dear friend.”

“Yeah. Yeah. Just remember we have to get back to work on the radio tomorrow. Maybe we can clash our music together, have that classical techno awesomeness! No more talk about that boring Gala.” My roommate suggested in her usual fashion.

“I don’t know how well that will sound.” I tried to dismiss the suggestion in my own usual fashion.

“Please, please, please, please! I want to hear that cello grind with my bass.” Vinyl jumped out of the tub onto a pre-laid towel and began drying off.

“No. We are not going to 'grind' together.” I stated more bluntly.

“Please… I just want to have some Octavia and Vinyl grinding. Cello-Bass. Ah yeah!” Vinyl’s glasses materialized onto her face with her usual smirk.

“We aren’t going to be grinding.” I saw her smirk, and I quickly discovered the other reason through the little banter. “Nor are we going to grind physically. Such an unnecessary and inappropriate action to participate with such a good friend.”

“Exactly! We are such good friends that would make it fun with no emotional ties. Not like you thinking about that one guy.” Vinyl teased.

“Which ‘one guy’ are you talking about?” I tried to play stupid.

“You know… the handsome hunk of a stead you had in here a few years ago?” She winked at me.

My face blushed from the realization of the time that I had had the pianist over. I had liked him, and there was no question about it. I had also thought he liked me, until he missed all of my hints at intimacy, and I realized he had to have been missing part of his brain. I stopped trying to impress him; he loved his piano more than he ever loved me. That was the same day that Vinyl had taken residence in my house and where our love for music brought us to a quick and adventurous friendship. We had tried mashing our music together, which normally led to mixed results that Vinyl really “digged” that made me cringe. This is not to say that every time we tried to combine the two different instruments it sounded horrible, sometimes it is off the wall and I enjoyed it greatly, though I never told her.

“Hey there, silly head. Get out of your brain and quit with your run of internal dialogue, your eyebrows get all jumpy. Wait.” She galloped over to the door and opened it, letting the bass poor into serene bathroom. “Excellent! Resume thinking!” She yelled over the blaring beats.

“Vinyl!” I tried to yell back.

She instead stood in the doorway, bobbing her head and moving her hooves to the left and the right in some sort of intricate dance pattern, her usual smear of a smirk plastered on her face as she enjoyed herself. I guess short-term memory loss would be enjoyable. I shook my head to get out of the internal dialogue, seeing her red eyes lock back on me, her glasses holding her jostled and pointy hair back.

She chuckled. “Dance with me!"

I rolled my eyes in slight annoyance.

“Right, right. I’ll leave you alone."

“Good night, Tavi! Let the bass be with you.” She grinned, before trotting off to her side of the house. I listened as her hooves clopped slowly up the wooden stairs, and the door shut, the music quieting almost immediately.

“Thank you for headphones.” I sighed to myself.

After cleaning the bathtub out from Vinyl’s hair, I managed to get myself cozy inside of its warm embrace, and shared in Vinyl’s relaxation techniques, covering my face in the therapeutic mud and slapping two cucumbers onto my eyes. I laid in peace, deep in thought, tracing out my possibilities of where I could perform to get my reputation back. A heavy sigh answered me immediately and I set about in just relaxing. Instead of being able to hold up my own thoughts Vinyl's voice crashed back into my head through my memories.

I couldn’t help but smile at her comments and advice. How did she do it? How could she make me forget about all the dreadful things in the day so easily? Maybe there was something to these ‘raves’ that she perpetually attends and hosts. She says that even Ditsy shows up and not be her usual self. Vinyl called it her dance style; I still think it is her being ditsy, but I still enjoy conversations with the grey pegasus. She is one of the more enjoyable pegasi to hold company with in Equestria; she always has something to say or does something that cracks plenty of laughs from me.

The oval room sat in a serene state of dim lighting cast by the flickering flames around the tub. Almost like some occult shrine, I laid in the tub, the offering to some Pony-deity. I relaxed once more and opened myself to my thoughts and pictured the events in my head. Rows of groveling ponies in robes, eyes averted and dirt on their noses as they awaited for if their god would take their offering. A wave of somber music ripples through the crowds as the ceremonial orchestra kicked in, using the amazing acoustics of the cave to amplify it to every nook and cranny. I squirm to escape, but the knots are too tight and swollen from the water. I can’t escape the blindfold and can only hear as the violins begin to crescendo. The nerves in my body flare, as the tensed music grinds into my senses and inspires panic and fear.

The raw emotion felt wonderful and when I opened my eyes and took the cucumbers from my eyes, it made me feel as if I had been reborn a new pony. I also noticed Vinyl was in the room, her head resting on the other side of the tub, a familiar smirk stretched across her face.

Before I could even say anything, she spoke. “You finally smiled for real.” She laughed.

“Vinyl. Get out.”

“Yes ma’am, Miss Octavia Ma’am!” She joked, as she clopped back to the door.

It barely registered in my head that Vinyl was wearing a pink bow around her neck. She took my bow!

“Vinyl Scratch! Give me back my bow!”

“What? I can’t hear you over the bass!”

“You don’t even have the music turned on!”

“Give me a sec… I- Okay I got it!” The bass kicked in and shrouded her voice heavily.

“What --- y-- say?” Her voice barely could be heard.

My ears lowered in frustration as I buried my face in my hooves.

“Why me…?” She was an enjoyable pony to be around, could always make me laugh, which almost no other pony besides Ditsy Doo could do. It is what held our friendship together the strongest, and had only refined itself, pulling us closer. We were practically sisters, walking in on the other bathing was innocent in our eyes knowing that the other must have been in a hurry. Innocent.

The more I looked back on the circumstances, the more I realized that there was no other pony in Ponyville, Canterlot, or anywhere in Equestria that ever made me smile and feel good about myself than Vinyl. Plus, her taste in music wasn’t so distasteful, just not the route that I would have taken given her musical talents, possibly percussion, maybe.

I had to chuckle at the thought of Vinyl outfitting the bass on her drums with a million amplifiers and some sort of distorting machine on it, and just converting it back into her techno. I grinned at the thoughts again only to slowly open them and sigh. The realization of the future hit me, and it was my job to find a new job so that I could help Vinyl with the taxes and any other expenses that developed, like groceries. I angrily groaned to myself. Maybe I will still get paid for the Gala?

I finished with the bath, feeling much calmer and more relaxed. The bass had stopped shaking what was left on the shelves, and everything seemed to be much calmer than usual. It calmed my senses increasingly more. Suddenly, a loud crack smashed against the door, causing me to nearly jump out of my hooves. 

“Who in Ponyville?” I wandered over to the door and glanced out the window to see two golden clad guards standing, the royal guards. I slammed my back against the wall, outstretching my front hooves as if they were trying to break through the door. My heart beat through my chest, and my breathing was heavy and strained.

“Oh my! What do I do? What do I say? Why are they here? Did I mess up that bad? The Princess? Why?” I started to pace. “What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?” No matter how much that question broke through my lips I couldn’t find an answer.

Another knock caused my hair to stand on end and my eyes to widen. I turned toward the old oak door and took a big breath. “Just apologize calmly. You've got this.”

I straightened my back and took a deep breath. I composed my senses and opened the door with as much dignity that I had left.

I immediately threw myself to the Princess’s feet. “I’m so sorry for the Gala. Pinkie Pie- The Pokey- it wasn’t my fault.”

Princess Celestia gazed down upon me, her rainbow hair perpetually moving when no breeze was present.

“My dear Octavia, what ever are you talking about? I actually quite liked it.” Princess Celestia spoke.

“I know it was horrible, but- I… what? Y-y-you liked it?” I stuttered.

“Very much so. It had quite the rhythm to it, and a nice tone in the background; the tone of a cello if I remember correctly.” She smiled, with her regular magnificent.

I could feel my lips quivering as I searched words, any words, but none were ever produced, causing me to lay at her feet in silence.

“I came to request something of you, Octavia, and Vinyl.”

Vinyl poked her head around the corner, her trance glasses shining with a wide smirk spread fully to both ears. She snapped down the stairs, leaving a dust trail behind as she sprung beside me.

“Yessiree Ma’am! Whatcha be looking for? Trance? House? Electro? Pop? Ooo, or are you more interested in some faster stuff? Dubstep? Drum and Bass? Or do you just want some terrorcore and speed-“

“Vinyl, that is enough. I was hoping to have such musically inclined ponies on reserve for the next party. You know,” She leaned in close, “to spice it up a bit.” And then winked.

“Aww yeah!” Vinyl yelled before beat boxing her techno, and magically shifting her glasses off of her eyes.

“And Octavia. Octavia? Oh yes, still apologizing on the ground I see… Keep up the good work. You are talented on your cello, don’t let anyone tell you differently.” She flashed smirk and flew away just as quick as she had come.

I spoke first. “I really don’t know what to say.” Rising from the dusty floor.

“I know what to say! Party like there is no tomorrow!” Her horn lit up and before I knew it the house was flooded with the booming bass again.

Seeing how happy Vinyl was made me almost miss the swelling feeling in my own heart as the happiness flowed back into me. I just wanted to jump around with her, and before I knew it, she had jumped over to me and lifted my front hooves. We jumped on our hind legs together, laughing and cheering. It felt freeing as the last of the stress burned through my muscles. She eventually broke off from our hoof hold to initiate her own intricate dance moves as I watched, bobbing my head and adding in my own side sounds. Being lost in my thoughts, I jumped when I felt Vinyl run into me and send me crashing to the floor where we both laid on our backs, laughing to the ceilings, the floor, and the walls, to each other and to ourselves.

“We need to get some radical music together!” Vinyl hollered.

I could only smile and agree with her observation. There was plenty of work to be accomplished in the time before the Princess’s next party, and I hoped to write some new pieces for it. I just needed to find more inspiration, which will be an adventure in itself. I know that if I stick with my friend that we can accomplish anything that comes our way.
> Chapter 1: Siblings
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sunrays crept through the blinds and drifted up my bedside, slowly caressing my eyes open. Their refreshing warmth was enough to softly wake me from my slumber. I smiled with the happiness from the night before, still burning within my senses; my heart still swollen with renewed pride. I sat up only to be reminded that Vinyl was awake. I observed the picture frame resting on the ledge of my wall vibrate in pulses down to one side. I had on occasion laid in bed to watch it slide back and forth on the wall, performing its laps. Vinyl convinced me that it would keep the dust off, and she did not disappoint though the dust remained in the air. On certain days, I had to question the structural integrity of the house, and if the constant reverb of the base had loosened the foundation.

I popped the large earplugs out of my ears just as the song’s bass stopped, letting a sweeping trance hit my ears. I always enjoyed the moments in the storm where it calmed into a surprisingly peaceful and brilliantly harmonic sprinkle. I silently left my room and trotted down the hall. Softly, I pushed Vinyl’s door open to find her wrapped in her towel, still wet from her morning bath. She shuffled in the middle of her neon decorated room, which pulsed to the music. Morning entertainment was pretty rare for me, but watching the intricacies of Vinyl’s hoofwork had always been enjoyable.

In one final build up, the song quickly ceased just as my roommate managed to do a back flip, and land on her front hooves with her hind legs sticking up in the air like some sort of ninja or karate pony from the East. My hooves clopped together as I applauded her new move, drawing her to my presence. She snapped the record off of the player and smiled at me.

“How did you like that one?” Vinyl paraded around the room.

“Wonderful. Quite wonderful, indeed.” I grinned as she rested her leg on my head and looking down at me.

“You know, I’m just that,” she placed her hooves on her hips, “awesome!”

“Whatever you say Vinyl.” I pulled out from her hoof and rested myself on her back. “I just need to think, and weigh your ‘supposed’ awesomeness.” I hummed in false thought.

“Hey now!” She bucked me from her back, “You think you can judge my awesomeness?” She scoffed playfully. “And ‘pray tell’ how does my awesomeness compare to your classy pony standards?”

My face bent in thought as I tossed around the answer that I had already made, just the look on her face searching in my face for the answer was almost as enjoyable as watching her dance.

“Out with it girl!” She laughed.

“Well…” I rolled my eyes back.

Her red eyes pierced through me, still searching for the answer.

“Awesome.” I whispered into her ear.

The look on her face for the brief second of getting a dance move called more than ‘Interesting’ was simply priceless and exactly the face I was hoping for. I trotted out of the room just as I heard her hooves leave the ground and her voice pierce the silence. Looking back, Vinyl pumped her hoof and jumped back toward her equipment.

The room quickly exploded with light and the ground began to shake as the music began to blare and vibrate the floor. It felt wonderful on my hooves, but it must have blown my eardrums out. I could have sworn that my hair was blown to the side by the concussive force of twelve bass amps disturbing the fabric of reality, sending a ripple through the house. It gave me only a second to realize that the doorbell was ringing.

Over the din of Vinyl’s celebration, I opened the door to see a gray pegasus pony with a messenger bag slung over her back, filled with various letters. Her head was in the side pocket digging for something. I stepped outside and closed the door so as to have a conversation with the messenger.

“Hello Ditsy. How is work going for you?”

Her head popped out of the side, covered in crumbs as she munched away at the existing food in her mouth. She thought for a second and shook her head, her yellow crossed-eyes becoming serious.

“No. I wasn’t dropped by the stork.” She laughed slightly. “That is just absurd Octavia… I mean do storks even exist?”

“Yes.”

“Oh," She thought for a second, "that kinda puts things into perspective.” her mood became surprisingly thoughtful.

“Uhh.” I rattled off, confused as to what was even going on.

“You got a letter!” She smirked quickly, procuring a small scroll from her pouch.

“Thank you Ditsy. I very much apprecia-“ I began.

“You gonna read it?” Ditsy cut me off.

“What?”

“Read it.”

“Now?”

Ditsy stared at me, or was it the pebble at my foot and the flock of seagulls flying overhead, I couldn’t tell.

“Okay. Ahem. Dear Octavia Pie,
I just wanted to ask you if you would like to hang out today.
Yours truly,“ I sighed at the name. ““Ditsy Doo.”

“Yes?”

“Yes what, Ditsy?” I had to ask about the random question.

“You said my name.  I thought you had something important to say to me. Maybe that you had found my bubble wand or found the key to my muffin stash. Both of which feels increasingly important.”

“No. It was your signature on your letter.” I tried to explain.

“My letter? No, no, no. That is the letter I delivered to you.” She closed her eyes and stuck her nose up in the air.

“I would love to hang out today.” I answered.

“You got my letter?” Ditsy asked, a wave of excitement flooding across her eyes.

“You just handed it to me.” I started to giggle.

The excitement quickly melted into being dumbstruck. Her mind retraced everything that had just occurred, and her hoof came up to meet her face.

“Gah, I’m sorry Octavia. I just lost track of everything, but I am glad that you can come! I’ll place the order for three dozen muffins, and we can make it a party!” She started to bolt away. I snagged her tail and pulled her back.

“Where do you want to meet?” I asked.

“Oh! Uh, here? Yes.” Then she vanished into the distance flying to the center of town and looking in random directions, obviously lost and trying to figure out her bearings. Her eyes always were in my mind. How can she even see?

I could only shake my head and walk back into the house to dispose of the message given to me. My head instantly hit another pony’s nose. Before my body realized what my face had bumped into, I collided into Vinyl falling forward onto the ground.

“Hey, hey, beautiful.” Vinyl joked. “Now, this is kind of sudden, and the door is open, but I guess whatever floats your boat.” She rolled next to me with laughter.

I chuckled sarcastically. “You wish…” I rose back to my hooves and stepped over her, picking the paper up and dropping it inside of the trash.

Vinyl laid on the ground, her head stretched back, looking at me, her glasses falling from her face and hitting the floor. I looked back at her, and it almost seemed pathetic, almost pouting, but it quickly changed when I saw that what I thought was a frown was just her perpetual smile. I had to shake my head and smile at her, which felt weird given that it wasn’t a conscious laugh, but one that just tickled up from my chest. I tossed her a playful smile before trotting into my study, looking at my spare cello sitting on its stand in the corner beside a large number of crumpled sheets of paper.

“Right. A masterpiece to present to Equestria. Better said than done.” The weight of my task began to rest on my shoulders, and given how much was left, I knew the weight wasn’t even full yet. My legs wobbled in response, but a quick change in attitude, and a correction to my posture helped me get over to the chair and paper. But once seated, the blank paper felt intimidating, and the weight almost pushed me out of the bench forcefully.

“Having problems?” Vinyl asked, as she walked into the room, headphones on, bobbing her head.

“No! I- can you even hear me?” My ears perked up.

“Of course I can! I’m not listening to any music. I kinda needed a break from it so, I came in here to listen to you serenade me.” She jokingly smiled again.

“I don’t think there is going to be any serenading Vinyl. I need to write a masterpiece for this next coming event to save my reputation.”

Vinyl chewed on a pastry. “Then write something beautiful like you always do.”

“It needs to be more than beautiful. It needs to be au-delà des magnifique!” I moaned.

“Ah, what?” Vinyl almost dropped her pastry.

“Beyond beautiful.”

“Oh, well, why didn’t you say so in the first place without all that foreign pony flair?”

I felt defeated. Why didn’t that paper have anything written on it yet? Where was my inspiration? I hadn’t even noticed that Vinyl was silently walking over to me, her headphones glowing with a magic aura as they lifted from her ears and levitated above my head. I continued to complain to myself. It was only in a split second that I felt the headphones squeeze around my ears and a wave of bass to wipe all the memories from my head. My muscles tightened as I fell backward out of the stool and thudded onto the floor.

“Tavi…? Are you alright?” Vinyl mouthed at me, her first ever look of concern.

I stared blankly up at the ceiling, my legs still outstretched awkwardly

“Tavi?” Vinyl slid the headphones from my head allowing for my body to relax. “What was that about?”

I looked over to the music player that the headphones were plugged into and saw that the switch was set on an etched “11” marking past ten. I answered in almost a scream. “Maybe you should check the volume!” I could barely hear my voice.

“Geez, no reason to yell. Oh! Oopsies.” She smirked guiltily. “Habit… and I thought it would kinda loosen you up.”

“I’m pretty loose now.” I shakily reached up and pulled myself up on the stool, my balance still faltering. My ears slowly began to pop as the sound in the room began to return to me. It brought a slight smile to my face as the pent up pressure evacuated, and the last of the pulsing, residual bass left my system. Before too long, I realized that my ears were numb, and that they were popping from Vinyl rubbing them slowly. She guiltily smiled more as I crossed my hooves, still annoyed.

“I didn’t mean it, you know that, Tavi. I just thought I’d help you out.”

“Oh, you did help me, but not in the best of ways. Now, where can I find some inspiration to write this piece?” I tapped my hooves in thought as I relaxed more to Vinyl’s wonderful ear massage.

“You could go try to find Eyn Spyyr the Inspirational.” Vinyl answered.

“Something realistically plausible, not some old filly tale about that pony.” I scoffed.

“He’s real, Octavia. You should trust me more.”

“I do trust you, but that is just- It’s just not plausible.” I argued. "A pony who gives inspiration to the needy ponies of the world when they have the most trouble?" I shook my head

She slowed her massage.

“Everything is plausible, Tavi. Some of the music you’ve written, I would have deemed impossible if I didn’t see you write them, just as I make things that others believe to be impossible. Some things are merely improbable though never impossible.” She leaned in next to me and winked.

“Just like the idea that storks deliver little fillies to their mothers?”

Vinyl retorted, “Hey now, don’t ever bring that up with Ditsy; it’s a touchy subject.”

A wave of shame flooded my cheeks. “She was dropped by a stork?”

“The hay, if I know. I don’t think she rightly remembers what exactly happened to her, or she doesn’t want to tell anyone about it. I won’t pry about it.”

“That would seem best.” I nodded.

“Unless the answer was exciting.” a voice teased beside us. I turned to see Ditsy lounging beside me, looking out my window while eating a chocolate chip muffin while a blue berry one sat next to me on the chair. Vinyl’s hooves stopped massaging as she stared at Ditsy wondering how she managed to sneak in without being noticed.

“How did yo-“ Vinyl began.

Ditsy cut her off. “Hey Octavia! I brought you your favorite muffin, Bouncing Blueberry, and I ran into your relative that you don’t like so much.”

“Oh?” I asked nonchalantly and irritatingly.

“Yeah. She was hanging out with her friends or something. Maybe she was holding a party of some sorts.”

“Can we please stop talking about her?” I droned.

“The Pony Po-“ Ditsy tried to continue.

I cut her off just as she had cut Vinyl off. “Never speak of that around me and I won’t talk about the storks.”

Ditsy stared at me. She had to take a heavy gulp of the muffin in her mouth to clear her throat. “Deal.” Ditsy leaned back and casually ate her muffin as Vinyl stared over her glasses at the lounging grey Pegasus.

“And how did you sneak in here, exactly?” Vinyl asked, still in amazement at Ditsy’s strange amount of agility.

“Simple. I flew through the window, saw you two were busy playing freeze tag, or something and decided to wait until you finished.” She grinned, innocently; crumbs fell from her face and onto her chest.

“I still don’t know how you were just lounging there while I rubbed Tavi’s ears, and I didn’t notice you.”

“I’m just sneaky.” Ditsy answered, obviously enjoying her muffin to a great extent as she curled her back legs up and wiggled in joy. She sighed happily. “You can’t beat a delicious muffin. Eat up, Octavia, best not let the muffin wait.”

I grabbed the blueberry muffin and dug into it. I had forgotten how delicious the muffins were from Sugarcube Corner.

“Yup, specially made by Pinkie herself. I tell you what, that pony is one proper pastry preparer with all the prim, proper portions to please even the most pastry-passing pony in all of Ponyville.” Ditsy answered. I groaned heavily and stopped eating the pastry. “She made it as an apology after she heard that she had caused you to be fired.”

I could only groan again. “You sound just like her…”

“She actually said that when I went to deliver a letter to her, right before she gave me that blueberry muffin for you. Pinkie hopes you feel better soon.” Ditsy pulled another muffin from her bag and quickly stuffed the entire morsel into her mouth, almost choking on its dryness.

“Maybe you need to forgive Pinkie, Tavi. It might be what is clouding your mind.” Vinyl explained.

“I’m not goin-“ I stubbornly began, but felt the soft pads of Vinyl’s headphones be placed back onto my ears.

She leaned over me and magically moved her glasses out of the way. “Don’t you dare make me, Tavi.”

“You wouldn’t-“ My stubbornness caught up to me as I felt my ears go numb again and my body tense. I fell back to floor, completely frozen by the colorful, concussive force of five brand techno distortions with at least three ultra-bass power basses beating in the back. My hair twitched with each blast from the subwoofers. I barely managed to move my eyes to the side before my face hit the floor, my rear managing to stay stuck in the air, my tail following the twitches to the bass.

“Come on Ditsy, we have to deliver Octavia to Sugarcube Corner.” She laughed at the situation.

Ditsy stood up quickly and saluted. “Yes Ma’am!” Before she descended into extreme of laughter, she bit onto my tail just as Vinyl did.

I couldn’t believe that I was being dragged out of the house, my chin scraping the dirt from the floor and eventually the dirt from the dirt once they had managed to get me onto the street. The best I could manage was to toss Vinyl angry looks. By the time we arrived at Sugarcube Corner, my chin had gathered quite the collection of various dirts and grasses.

“Ditsy, go get Pinkie. I’ll guard, Tavi.” Ditsy saluted again, and flew toward the door to the small, popular pastry store. She struck the wall on either side of the door a few times before she managed to get through the passageway only to cause a ruckus to burst from within. Vinyl decided that she didn’t want to get her rump dusty so she decided to sit on my hindquarters.

“Turn. This. Off.” I gritted through my teeth. I knew I was beaten.

I saw Vinyl’s lips move, but I couldn’t hear a word she said. Obviously, she wasn’t going to take off my “restraints”.

Before long, I saw the pink feet of Pinkie walk in front of me, the headphones slid off my ears. My body instantly collapsed to the ground in a puff of dust. I sat up slowly and looked into the smiling face of my spontaneous and pink sister. Again, I only saw her lips move, but I couldn’t hear anything. I leaned back and sat on my rear in the dust, folded my arms and stared unamused at what was transpiring. Vinyl rubbed my ears again, as I waited for sensation to return to them before I even tried to hold a conversation.

The popping slowly stopped, and I dusted off my chin and chest before regaining my normally regal pose and looked at Pinky. How I remember the first time she snapped. It was fun at first, but I had grown quickly tired of the party atmosphere and wanted a calmer approach. I was glad that the one gift I got for Winter Wrap Up was a cello. Oh, how I had fallen in love with it. The more love I felt for it, the more I played. My cutie mark appeared not too long afterward.

“Pinkie…” I could feel the words that I needed to say, stuck in my throat.

“Heya Octavia! I hope that blueberry muffin made you feel goo-oo-ood!” She spoke in her regular higher pitched voice.

“Yes… I did very much enjoy it. Thank you for making it for me Pinkie. I greatly appreciate it.” Vinyl nudged me forward causing another wave of annoyance and a careful sigh to get the lump out of my throat. “Pinkie, what I came here to say to you is-“

“You were dragged here silly. If you wanted to come here, you would have walked.” She joked.

I had to sigh at remembering all of the jokes and observations that Pinkie enjoyed to pull out as a way of cheering ponies up. I gathered my senses to remain civil and worked toward what I was forced to come here for. I cleared my throat. "I wanted to apologize for how mad I was after the Gala. I know you were worried about me, but I pushed that all away as I saw my only chance to be seen among the higher culture as a great, deserving of their respect. I let that get in the way of our sibling relationship."

"Octavia. It's fine, I was hoping to cheer you up. I knew you liked blueberry so I sent that muffin for you. You need to loosen up and have a bit of fun. Par-"

"Pinkie. It isn't just about the Gala. It's for my constant avoidance of you and the family. I just became so caught up in all the reputation and prestige that came from what I love that I forgot how much I love my family, even you, amid how opposite we are." The truth of my words surprised me. It felt warming and comforting to me.

"I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities for you Octavia! You are the best at cellos no matter how boring that instrument is." She laughed and I joined her at first half-heartedly, but it grew the more I opened up to her. I had forgotten how much I had enjoyed my family.

"Are we good?" I held my hooves out for a hug.

"Are you kidding? We are the best!" She hugged me tightly, lifting me off the ground. "That was the best Pony Pokey I've ever heard."

"You really liked it?"

"You betcha! Your Pie family desire of having fun truly shown through that moment."

"I did enjoy it very much so. It was better than that ambiance I had to play."

"Ooo. I know! Then we got that place bumping! Well sorta, those stiffs are pretty stiff." She laughed again. "I loved when you increased the intensity of the song, it was like you wanted them to start dancing as much as me."

“I loved watching you bouncing around and trying to get those stiff sods to shake their rears to my music.” I laughed. I didn’t even notice Ditsy and Vinyl leave Pinkie and me alone.

“Uh… I know. I mean I tried my best and even got them moving to the beat, but nooOOooo. They just wanted to be boring.”

I lost my regular inhibitions as the Pie family broke out of me. “Uh… I know… Normally I get the chance to play at least a bit of a more upbeat song than what those ponies wanted.” It felt good to let everything out and begin to connect with my sister and all it took was ruining my reputation in Ponyville by being dragged through the dirt. The seriousness returned and my eyes dropped low again.

“Octavia?” Pinkie asked.

“Hey sis, you want to help me get a bit of revenge on Vinyl and Ditsy.” I smirked.

“You mean like a prank?” Pinkie almost jumped out of her hooves.

I crossed my arms, “The best prank you have.” I smiled with thoughts of the incoming satisfaction.

“Oooo… I have just the one.” Pinkie winked.

We arrived back at my duplex to see Ditsy and Vinyl lounging in the study.

“I can’t believe we dragged her through Ponyville.” Ditsy commented.

“It was for her own good.” Vinyl put her headphones on and sat back in the lounge chair. “Stubborn pony that one is, not enough rave in her.”

I snuck in the door and climbed up the stairs slowly, grabbing my cello from my room and walking downstairs to my awaiting sister who had a large box shaped device under a cover.

“Ready?” She asked me.

“Pinkie? What is this thing?” She pulled the cover from it to reveal a large amp with two numbers scribbled by the volume: “11” and “12”. She cranked it up to the little “12” mark and grabbed a suction cup and stuck it to the side of my cello. She grabbed my attention real quick and demonstrated the plan with her hooves.

Sneak into the room. Stand behind them. Wait till the ear dropper is in place. Apply noise-cancelling headphones on self. Hit the highest note possible. Reap the benefits.

I slide myself into the room without making a noise. Ditsy sat with a muffin wrapper over her face and Vinyl faced the opposite direction of the door. It wasn’t long before I managed to arrive at the middle of the room and put the headphones on and grab the bow. I placed it on the highest string and looked back at Pinkie who slid the amp into the room. I began to feel a tingling sensation inside my chest well up. Sweet, sweet revenge would be mine. Pinkie nodded once and hit the deck.

I played the loudest sharpest note I had ever played and watched as both Ditsy and Vinyl seized up and fell awkwardly to the floor. I started to laugh at the scene, but Pinkie only made it better by putting the icing on the cake. She decorated both of them in cupcake frosting. I couldn’t hold the bow any longer from laughing at the scene and immediately when I stopped they were freed from my grasp. 

“Aww… That is not cool Tavi, not cool at all!” Vinyl complained as she shakily stood up. “I mean a twelve?”

Right when Ditsy could move she flew straight up and hit her head off of the ceiling and fell back to the floor, the muffin wrapper stuck to the ceiling a bit before it softly drifted back down to the ground, landing back over her eyes. She looked up dizzily. “Wha- happened? Who am I? Ditsy asked.

“Hmm. I look good.” Vinyl strutted in front of the mirror. “Rave paint! Haha! Why didn’t I think of that?”

Pinkie laughed in the corner. “You all look ridiculous!” She rolled on the ground laughing.

“I’m blind!” Ditsy ran into the wall, sending the cupcake wrapper off of her face. “Oh.”

I walked over to my sister and high-hoofed on a job well done. Just to see them freeze on the ground was all that I could have asked for, and Pinkie did not disappoint. I felt much better and my mind filled with ideas of new material, or at least a solid opening sound, but beyond that it was sort of hit and miss which irritated me somewhat. The few marks I placed on the sheet still lifted my spirits and seeing Pinkie jump around the room and talk to a laughing and entertained Ditsy and Vinyl only heightened my spirits more. I felt as if The Great Eyn Spyyr had touched me.

Sometimes friendship is hard, especially when they are related to you. I knew my sibling rivalry was bad with Pinkie, but I had never known that I had practically disowned her from my life. Friendship is hard and I couldn’t agree more with it, but amid the difficulties, the pay out has always outweighed the effort put into it. I could only sit and smile at my sister, Ditsy, and Vinyl. Their laughter helped me concentrate only helped tune my senses to an inner music that I could hear building each day though still too quiet to hear, but I knew it was getting there. I left my stool and cello and joined my friends and joined in their laughter.

> Chapter 2: Memories
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It made me feel better to have at least something written on the paper and hearing it in my head showed how truly wonderful it was going to be. I bit at the pencil and felt my brain quickly go blank with the melody as if it passed through some cranial fog. Peering over the stand, I saw that Pinkie had decided to leave, leaving Ditsy and Vinyl left in my study. 

“Are you ready for Nightmare Night Festival?” Ditsy spoke up to Vinyl.

“You betcha! I can’t wait to crank up some Nightmare Techno.” Vinyl chimed.

“Is that really all you can really think about?” I interjected. “How about, what are you going to dress up as this year?”

“I think quite a bit about techno and parties, probably as much as you think about your cello.” She grinned and nodded at the bow that I still held with my hoof. “As for dressing up, I don’t quite know yet.”

“Oh my. Vinyl doesn’t know what she wants to be!” Ditsy chuckled as she flew up and shook her head in an exaggerated panic before falling on her back and laughing, kicking her legs.

“Oh yeah? And what are you going to be this year?” Vinyl questioned the giggling grey Pegasus.

“Now… now… that is a secret. “ She grinned.

“And what about you Ms. Classypants?” Vinyl stared at me.

“I was hoping to look completely different and help with the music this year. Maybe win back some of my reputation.” I reasoned.

Vinyl jumped back from my words, “Bah! You haven’t lost any reputation. You’re fine and its only you that has lost respect for yourself.”

“Vinyl. You weren’t at the Gala. You don’t know how those people looked at me and how the party planner told me of my termination. I was fired.” I pointed out. Deep down I felt something want to pull me down and rope my mouth shut, but my mind had been made up.

“I can assure you girl, you haven’t lost any of your reputation as being the best cellist in all of Equestria. Tell you what, why don’t you go down to the park, set up on a hill and play something and see what happens.”

The tug in my heart pulled harder. “All they will request is the Pony Pokey.” I retorted.

“Ooo! I love the Pony Pokey!” Ditsy bobbed her head in remembrance of dancing on the ceiling at the Gala. She enjoyed the stares she had received amid the flood of animals running around below her.

“See…” I pointed out, completely ignoring the heavy tug.

“That is Ditsy. Ditsy has and always will rock out to the Pony Pokey. Isn’t that right Ditsy?” Vinyl stated, looking to Ditsy for confirmation.

Ditsy had her eyes closed and bobbed her head, humming the tune to the Pony Pokey, even putting her front left hoof in and out then in and then she shook it wildly. Vinyl put her hoof against her face and shook her head.

She looked to me, “Point proven.”

I tried to gather my thoughts. I wanted to believe her and a part of me knew she had to be right, but another part of me wasn’t going to have any of that. Instead of giving in like I truly felt I was about to do, my body instead scoffed and turned away from them. After that action, there was no way I could change my mind and turn back now. With that decision, my side that trusted Vinyl vanished and I felt my inherent stubbornness take over, though a voice remained in the back, causing a sliver of doubt in my judgment to remain. I just had to leave the room.

“You really need to work on being less stubborn it really grinds at some ponies around here. You can at least try to find Eyn Spyyr with me, unless you love that cello more than me.” Vinyl trotted out of the room, annoyed and upset at my stubbornness. It was one of the few times that she had been truly mad at me and I knew there was no joking coming from her lips this time. The voice in the back of my head screamed that I should apologize and when I turned to say it, she had already left the room and the lump in my throat stopped me before even a mouse squeak could be pushed from my throat.

Ditsy had stopped bobbing her head and looked between the two of us, seeing as how the cheerful evening had quickly turned sour. Vinyl trotted angrily up the stairs and slammed her door shut. The noise hurt more than seeing her. My stubbornness had finally died out, but it was far too late for that now. I could apologize, but there would be no meaning behind telling her right afterward. It would feel like the only reason I would be saying it would be to make her feel better and no honesty would sit behind those words.

“Octavia, maybe you should just trust her. I still love all of your music.” Ditsy stated, the words seemingly broken with confusion.

“Thank you Ditsy.” Every noise only hurt me more and I searched for a way to amend the situation. “I didn’t mean for…” I couldn’t finish the sentence; the lump had returned.

“You should just apologize.” Ditsy neared me.

“I can’t.  It wouldn’t mean anything if I said it now. I need to make it up to her. First thing first, I need to trust her judgment.” I took a deep breath, unsure of how this question will be answered. “What do you know about this Eyn Spyyr?”

Ditsy appeared confused at first, but quickly snapped back into her senses. “Well he is only spoken of in the legends. He is apparently some alicorn pony that became a hermit. Some believe he is a prince of the kingdom, given that he is an alicorn, but I don’t know. Weren’t you ever told this story when you were a filly?” Ditsy questioned.

“I picked up rocks.” I disliked talking about my past. “There wasn’t much time for stories and my parents didn’t need to tell us bedtime stories to get us to sleep, we were exhausted as it was.”

“You, girl, need to get yourself some proper literature and read up on him. “ Ditsy nodded at her assessment of the situation.

I had to release the stress through a heavy sigh as I sat down at my stool and stared at the barely completed piece of music. If only such a pony existed that could grant inspiration to a struggling earth pony as myself. I had to stare out through the window and feel the irritation of being an earth pony setting in. Vinyl had magic and Ditsy could fly, what could I do that they couldn’t? I sighed as everything began to pile back onto my shoulders along with a helping of desire. To feel the wind below my feet as I soared through the air, graceful and serene was something that I wanted more than anything.

Flight had grown into a perpetual desire of mine, to leave the ground and not feel the weight of the world holding me down. I wanted that freedom; I wanted that peace of mind. My mind quickly turned back to Vinyl and how I had acted to her and how I had felt acting like that. The memories were haunting and I had to resolve them before anything else. Ditsy stared at me and almost appeared to know what I was thinking as I saw her spirits lift.

“You’re going to go with Vinyl to find Eyn?” She asked, excitedly.

I couldn’t believe what I was saying. “You bet I am.”

Ditsy squealed and hugged me, almost picking me off the ground with her wings before she bolted out the window.

“Don’t leave without me!” Her voice trailed off as the distance quickly grew.

I smiled after her, knowing I was doing the right thing, but deep down, my stubbornness persisted to no end. I glanced back at the stairs and slowly made my way to them. Looking up the stairs and at the corner, which led down the hall to Vinyl’s room. My knees began to shake as a misplaced worry filled my body. What if she doesn’t forgive me? It felt like a stupid question seeing as how well we had lived before. I remembered the first time I moved into the duplex and found that my housemate was Vinyl Scratch.

It was an interesting time for both of us and many fights were had over the course of the first few weeks. It always boiled down to her music being too loud or that her friends were trespassing on my stuff or had messed with it in some way. Everyday I would find my cello had been tampered with, the tuning being completely off. I had expressed my concerns to Vinyl who gave me only a slight nod to my request. I assumed she had just brushed me off and was about to find some other place to live, but the next night I was awoken to hear Vinyl yelling at somepony.

“Why are you touching that?” She yelled.

“Cool it Vinyl. I just wanted to try it.” Came a voice from some male pony.

“It isn’t yours and it isn’t mine so hooves off!” Vinyl retorted. I could only lie in bed and listen to the scuffle that answered Vinyl’s defense of my cello. I heard my stool shatter as somepony hit it. “Everypony! Out! I heard her holler at her guests. I had never heard her voice sound angry before and it made me feel that I needed to leave the house with everyone else. The temptation became too much and I had to rise out of the bed and make my way over to the door and listen closer. “As for you…” She almost whispered. “I never want to see you at one of my parties again… do you hear me Bassdrop?”

I opened the door to see a beaten pony gallop out of the door, limping badly in his left back leg. Silently, my hooves tried to carry me down the steps slowly, my eyes trying to see if Vinyl was okay from what I had heard. I poked my head around the corner and saw that it wasn’t just the stool that was broken, but Vinyl’s signature glasses. She looked at them longingly and fell into a sit. My thoughts swarmed with a varying array of actions to take, but everything felt wrong in this moment.

Instead, my body again just guided me toward her, seeing the damage of the fight the further I walked into the room. Little dribbles of blood had formed a path to the sitting white mare. To try not to startle her, I moved around her to try and see her face before I made any noises or touches to comfort her. The further I moved around her, the more I saw the red staining of blood on her fur. Her blue hair had fallen in front of her face and blocked my view of where the blood was coming from.

She finally caught on to my presence and looked up quickly, her hair moving away revealing a cut where the glasses has broken against her face and her nose was bleeding, which I assumed was also from the impact which had shattered her glasses. This was the first time I saw her fiery red eyes. I never would have guessed them to be that color given that she perpetually had them.

“What do you want?” She asked, still angry and filled with the adrenaline. “Can’t a girl party in peace?” She seemed on the verge of breaking down.

“Vinyl…” was the only thing I could bring myself to say before she stood up.

“Now that I am single again, I can party my way again.” She strained to sound happy.

“Single? You mean Bassdrop was…?” I started.

“Yeah. He is my ex-boyfriend.” She breathed in heavy through her nose to not let the blood drip on the floor. “Sorry about your stool. I had a bit of a fall.” She laughed as she began to stuff paper into her nose.

“You mean you were the one being tossed around?” I asked in amazement at how she had taken the blows and how she could still laugh after everything that had happened to her.

“You betcha Classypants! But a few kicks to the face won’t keep this girl down. He thought I was down and then I jumped him. Made that leg of his bend at quite the awkward angle.” Her nose being plugged began to cause her to slur her speech.

She left the room without a word more. Almost everything in the room had been knocked over or damaged in some way, except for my cello. I ran my hoof over the strings and heard that it had still been tampered with, but it was still here. That was the day where my feelings for Vinyl began to shine through. Seeing the broken glasses laying on the ground, I knew I had to do something for her to say thank you.

I gathered the pieces together and left that night to find my friend in Canterlot. It was a long and dark walk, but it was a walk that I had made many times before in the dark.  The door to the small house came into view. I knocked on it, almost urgently; knowing that time would be needed to prepare my gift for Vinyl.

“Yes? What?” Came a sleepy pony at the door.

“I need you to repair these glasses.” I said without even a greeting.

“Aren’t these Vinyl Scratch’s glasses?” Asked the brown haired pony standing in front of me.

“Yes. Can you have them like they used to be before they were broken.” The urgency burned in my voice.

“Why is there blood on them?” He asked, peering over the glasses at me.

I recounted the story to him as quick as I could. He nodded his head in agreement. “I shall have them fixed in a jiffy, rewind the clock on them, like nothing ever happened to them.” He proclaimed, taking the motto from his shop and the reasoning behind his cutie mark. No matter what he touched he could age or give the appearance of youth to with his skill in crafting and intelligence around the effect of aging.

“Thank you Doctor Hooves.” I bowed for his generosity.

“Please. Just The Doctor.” He smiled and took the shattered remains of the lenses and frames inside his house. “Come in and make yourself at home.”

I snapped out of my memory and found that I had walked up all of the stairs and was standing just in front of her door. She had always been trying to help me, but I hadn’t realized it. My hoof rose as I went to strike her door.

I galloped back from Canterlot, the sun was beginning to rise and the glasses were perfectly crafted back to their old glory. I wanted to get it into the house before Vinyl had awaken, but I knew that I had to be faster than I was right now. Oh, how I wish I had wings! I quickly opened the door to the house and looked up the stairs, hoping not to hear her moving around and awake. Nothing.

A grin spread across my face as I trotted to the study to wrap the gift for her. Only the door stood between the study and me when I heard my cello being played from inside. My regular defensive mentality that circled my cello kicked in and I ran into the room. Vinyl almost fell out of the remade stool that she was sitting on.

“What are you doing?” The defensive tone in my voice bled through each word.

Vinyl pulled herself off of the floor. “It was out of tune.”

Shame quickly filled me as I realized that I had made a blunder again against her. “So you were just…”

“Tuning it? Yeah… Hey, aren’t those my glasses?” She looked at the top of my head where the glasses were sitting.

“Oh. I was hoping to surprise you with them.” I took them from my head and held them out to her. The look in her eyes was borderline tears of joy. “I felt that I owed you an apology for the past few weeks on how I’ve treated you.”

“Thanks Tavi.” That was the first time she used that nickname for me instead of Classypants, which I still don’t understand since I don’t wear pants nor have I seen any pony take on to that uncomfortable fashion trend from the west. “Tavi”, I liked it more than I should have and it felt like that was when we truly connected. Amid our bickering, just the sight of my cello or her glasses and we knew we couldn’t be mad at each other.

“Come in.” Vinyl gruffly spoke, breaking me from my trance again.

“Vinyl?” I asked, slowly inching my way in through the door.

She sighed and almost felt apologetic about how she was behaving though she had a right to behave as she was. “What is it Tavi?” She asked, her voice much lower than it normally was.

“I’m just wondering if the spot for assistant discoverer is still open.” I smiled apologetically. I caught a grin crack at her face though she kept up ‘being angry at me’.

“It might be… why? Are you saying you are sorry for being a stubborn pony?” Vinyl asked, messing with me.

“I’m sorry for being a stubborn pony.” I knew I meant every word. “Maybe this adventure will inspire me to finish this song.”

“That is what I was hoping it would do.” She winked at me and smiled. “You are forgiven.”

It was in that moment that we had hugged. It felt great to have her back even though it had only been a few minutes. Those few minutes had felt like forever, even the stairs up felt like a lifetime. In those moments, I learned how important it was to have a friend and how much they can mean to me. I should trust my friends especially when they only want to help me, and maybe I shouldn’t be so stubborn about myself. My heart knew the answer, and I should have listened.

Ditsy flew into the room with three boxes of muffins. “Who wants muffins?”

Sometimes your friends just know when things will get better.

> Chapter 3: Hesitance
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I still can’t believe I am coming along with you into the Everfree Forest to find some might-exist alicorn.” I grumbled as Vinyl whipped about her room excitedly snagging what she called her, adventure gear.

I had whole-heartedly agreed to come with her the night before and even heard that Ditsy was going to tag along, which I hoped she wouldn’t have. I knew just as everyone else how dangerous the Everfree Forest was, except for Vinyl it would seem. She jumped about her room, still grabbing little items of possible importance.

“You better pack Tavi; we are going on an adventure!” Vinyl grinned, placing her glasses atop her head.

“Couldn’t we look for this alicorn somewhere less dangerous?” I hesitantly asked.

Vinyl grew solemn as she neared me. “But I thought you said you were coming.” She tossed a pouty face at me⎯ I couldn’t say no to a pouty-Vinyl-face.

“I’ll get my things.” I grumped off, losing again to those eyes again. Bah!

I packed two small bags that I could sling over my back and a slightly bigger bag for necessary food supplies. A crash downstairs alarmed my senses as I jolted out my door and looked at the door to see Ditsy laying on her back, feet still sticking straight in the air with what seemed like the entire bakery of muffins.

“Ditsy, is that all you are packing? Muffins?” I just couldn’t understand what went on inside of Ditsy’s mind at times. It almost seemed like she can only think of muffins, or maybe her mind is a muffin. I shook my head at the thought of a perfectly cooked muffin resting inside of her skull.

“No! I also brought my bubble blanket.” She pulled from a side pouch a blanket covered in a bubble design. “I also asked another one of my friends to join us.” I’ve never seen Ditsy as giddy as she was now.

A green unicorn walked into the room, smiling ear to ear and looking about as to try to find the owner of the house. She peered down at Ditsy and the mess of muffins scattered across the floor.

“You and your muffins.” She giggled as her horn was filled with a brilliant light sending the muffins up into the air and back into Ditsy’s bag. I felt more out of the loop seeing as even the newest guest had magic on her side.  The dream of having something as magical or uplifting as magic or wings had always haunted my dreams and blessed many of my nights with the sense of weightlessness, no worries and without the feeling of the world constantly on my shoulders. I wanted at least a day of peace, a night of flying, a heartbeat of a dream come true.

I slowly made my way down the stairs causing the attention to be drawn to me, the green pony still grinning, but with a bit more happiness seeping through.

“Wow! I never thought I’d be standing in the house of Octavia.” The grin never faded or faltered. I didn’t think I was some sort of exclusive show or pony and had to look at Ditsy to see if her reactions were the same, but I couldn’t get anything from her seeing as her head was crammed inside of her bag, her rear sticking straight up into the air. I guess we won’t be having muffins on this journey.

“You could have just knocked.” I answered. I am sure I would have answered and let you in here.” I chuckled feeling pride fill my heart.

The unicorn looked around the room. “I expected it to be a bit more classy, but this seems pretty average to me.”

“That would be because I am average, I just happen to play a cello.” I shrugged. “I didn’t catch your name.” I extended my hoof to shake.

“I am Lyra!” She pronounced, proudly. She snagged my hoof and shook my entire body roughly. “It is an honor to meet you.” Another grin was flashed.

“Please. The honor is all mine. I have been to a few of your lyre concerts and I’ve been deeply jealous of your ability.” I admitted, remembering her name and appearances. “I’m Oct-“

“Hey Tavi! Where’s the toothpaste?” Vinyl yelled from above.

“Check in the medicine cabinet where it always is!” I shot back.

“You two manage to get along?” Lyra questioned.

“It wasn’t so much sunshine and butterflies in the beginning, but our love for music has us quite close.” I admitted.

“Tavi! I can’t find it!”

I moaned in annoyance and left my guests without a word.

“Are they always like that?” Lyra looked at Ditsy.

Ditsy pulled her head from the bag, covered in a fine dusting of crumbs. She plopped on her rear and grinned, “Yes.”

Vinyl slid down the banister to see the guests, passing me on the way up the stairs. Vinyl gave her regular informal greeting and had known whom Lyra before even dismounting from the banister. The medicine cabinet held only a few items and sitting on the bottom shelf sat the toothpaste. Shaking my head, I cocked my head back to the door. “I found it!”

“Already? Where was it?”

“In the medicine cabinet!”

“Which one?”

“The only one?” I began to question if I was talking to Vinyl still. I pulled the tube out and saw a piece of paper fall from underneath of it. I stared at it, curiosity quickly taking over as I questioned as what Vinyl was planning with the piece of paper.

Check under the sink.

I obeyed the paper and checked under the sink to find a wooden box with a lock on it. My legs slowly moved me out of the bathroom and to the top of the stairs. She looked up at me grinning from ear to ear, her eyes hidden behind her glasses. “What is this?”

“It is a gift for you from me.” Vinyl smiled.

“But it’s locked.” I tugged on the lid.

“I know!” She chuckled slightly. “After we have our little trip, I’ll open it for you.” She winked.

“But why would you- Incentive to make me come?” I almost groaned at how much effort she was going through to get me to go on a fruitless adventure into the Everfree Forest.

“That and you forgot something silly.” Vinyl laughed.

“What is that?” I questioned, my mind quickly trying to figure out what exactly I had forgotten.

“Our anniversary! It’s been another exciting year living here with you.” Vinyl chuckled.

We had always made an exchange of gifts since after her defense of my cello and when we began to tolerate and meld our ideas together. It had always been a private matter seeing as some people assumed that we were-

“I didn’t know you two were dating!” Lyra filled in my thoughts.

“We aren’t dating.” Vinyl and me retorted in unison.

Lyra smiled at the unison and only nodded. “Sure… I figured that was why you stopped seeing the Piano Pony.” Lyra winked.

My face began to burn, not with rage or annoyance, but with embarrassment. How many people knew about that little debacle? “His name was Albion Grand; we just couldn’t see eye to eye on some things.” I didn’t even feel sad for him or down about the idea of ‘us’ anymore; he was merely an acquaintance in the band again and we worked well through the break up.

“I could see you two hooking up.” Lyra winked.

My vision turned to Vinyl who broke her gaze from me, her mouth and complexion had almost dropped to a serene state at the words, but she could have been thinking that the subject was being pressed too far. I leaned on the latter as I heard her the tone to her voice.

“Now, now, Lyra. You know us. Best of friends all the way.” My heart felt strange hearing it, feeling almost uplifted and drug down at the same time. I figured it was just the moment and knowing that Vinyl and me had formed a strong friendship over the years. There was never a dull moment with her, and apparently I did the same for her, which surprised me the first time she said that line to me.

I remember the frequent occasions that we had ‘camped out’ in the living room just to try something different, something I would have never done if she didn’t drag my mattress and sheets down the stairs. I was mad at her for only a heartbeat. Afterward, I was laying with a smile spread across my face, telling stories about my life to Vinyl around our makeshift fire, which consisted of a flashlight turned up at the ceiling. They were pleasant until, with the saved up money I acquired over the few jobs, I added a fireplace into the living room. That night, I found my bed completely undressed and checked the living room to see an actual fire. It was in that night that a bond between Vinyl and me was formed.

We had both looked each other, her sitting in front of the fire, her fiery eyes looking at me, as I stood in the doorway enjoying the heat coming from the fire and her eyes. I believe that both of us knew what formed from us sitting around that fire, but neither of us would admit it to the other, unless it was only I. The years only brought us closer together, but a limit remained between us and we both upheld it to a tee. 

The stairs had helped my memories return to me over the past few days as I walked out to onto the ground floor. “So are you going to open it for me?” I looked at the lock and at Vinyl.

“I’ll open it. Only after we return from the Everfree Forest with the inspiration that you need to finish that masterpiece of yours.”

“You really think he is real?”

“As much as I believed that Nightmare Moon was real, and look how that turned out.” The white unicorn winked at me.

“But this is different. There aren’t even any historical records of this pony in existence. “

“You did research about Eyn? I am glad to see you are onboard.”

“Yargh!” Ditsy acted like a pirate.

“Yargh!” Lyra added happily, slightly dancing on her front hooves.

The three different books, the only three books about the existence of such a pony, were sitting in my room, read from cover to cover. I had read each the night before and, as much as they fascinated me, and allowed me to write another piece of my song, they seemed far-fetched.

“The Everfree is dangerous. I need don’t think we need to risk it just for the sake of my music writing.” I challenged.

“Listen girl…” Vinyl pulled me aside. “From the point I’ve known you, you have never been stumped when writing new music. It always came naturally to you and now you can barely get two notes out of yourself. Something is up and it isn’t just your career. Something inside of you has broken and there is no medicine for fixing it. This is your life and this will save it.” She grinned as if it was no big deal. “Now come on, grab your bag and get ready.”

The tone of her voice shocked me, but not as much as the truth that hit me from behind. I had always had my fair share of writer’s block, but it would quickly fade away in a few minutes and I’d have a finished piece committed to memory in front of me. The time I had spent already was unnatural given my skill before, and maybe there was something to be concerned about. There had to be another way instead of going into the Everfree Forest.

“I don’t even want to hear it. We will be safe. We won’t be going in that far, just take a look around and see if we can figure anything out.” The white unicorn gave me her usual disarming smile before walking back up the stairs to grab her bag.

There wasn’t a moment when I wanted to somehow convince her not to go inside of the Forest, but I knew that once Vinyl had made up her mind about something that she would go alone if she had to, and there was no way that I could let her do that without me coming along to keep her in check. 

“You two aren’t worried?” I turned to Ditsy and Lyra.

“Not really. This won’t be the first time I’ve been in the Everfree.” Ditsy answered.

“I’m just excited to finally be able to at least see a small portion of it.” Lyra proclaimed.

I began to wonder what Ditsy meant that it wouldn’t be her first time inside of the Everfree Forest. “How many times have you been in the Everfree before Ditsy?” I had to ask.

“I go about twice a day usually. Zecora places quite a few orders and I get bored with taking the same path so I take different paths.”

And it doesn’t scare you?” I felt my pride failing as I was shown that Ditsy knew the Everfree more than me.

“Not if you know what to expect. Don’t look at the cockatrices, disturb the hydras, startle the Ursas, or insult the dragons.”

“That can’t be all that is out there…” I zoned off trying to think of something that Ditsy had forgotten.

“Well the manticores are in hibernation. There are trees in the forest. I almost forgot about those sneaky creatures, always jumping out of nowhere and hurting my head.” She rubbed her head as if remembering every time she had collided with one of the many trees in the forest.

“Tavi! I grabbed your stuff.” Vinyl startled me as she tossed my pack, which felt heavier onto my back. “And added a few extra supplies.”

“Hopefully no more gifts. I still need to get you something.”

“I can’t wait to see what you got me.” I didn’t want to tell her that I had forgotten about it and that at some point I would have to pick something up, maybe that new techno vinyl at the record store. I promised myself that I’d pick it up after we were finished with this little escapade.

“I think you will like it.” I figured she’d enjoy it and that I just hadn’t bought it yet though I knew I was going to get it for her.

“Can we get going soon? I can’t wait to see how it’s like in there.” Lyra almost sounded too happy to go into such a dangerous place as the Everfree. It grinded my teeth slightly just at the thought of how I must sound like a broken record constantly repeating my fears about the Everfree Forest every few seconds. I decided to just stifle my concerns and just hold myself more alert than usual.

“Are you ready Tavi?” Vinyl wondered.

I could only sigh at what she was asking me and as much as my head told me no, my heart wanted to give her a chance. I decided to follow my heart for once, but I could only nod seeing as if my mouth opened I would have groaned about how this wasn’t a good idea at all, especially with Nightmare Night being only a few weeks away. If any of us even became sick it might prevent us from having some safe fun. My thoughts were halted as I realized that I hadn’t nodded like I had planned on doing.

“Of course.” I was surprised my words didn’t say no. Maybe deep down I was just as excited to go inside of the Everfree Forest like everyone else, but I just didn’t want to show it. We walked to the front door, Lyra and Ditsy trotted out first followed by Vinyl. I was the last to exit, looking back at the house that sat in darkness. I hoped everything would go well and I could come back to these warm and comforting halls. The sense of security would be overwhelming when I returned and I’d just have to hug the floor and my pillow in my room seeing as I’d be spending the night on the ground that night.

I guess it fit that after so long that Vinyl’s and I ‘campouts’ would eventually lead to a real campout in the woods. I tried to keep all of the happier prospects in my head and keeping enough belief inside of me to even imagine what Eyn could look like and how an actual campfire with the dark woods and smell of fungus affect how Vinyl would look. I wondered if she would still look the same and give me an identical look the first time we had shared our first fire together. I grinned slightly at the thought.

“Come on Tavi! Get your butt out of the door and lock it up. You are burning up daylight!” I heard Vinyl yell behind me.

I agreed with her subconsciously. I had stalled for far too long and we were going if I liked it or not. “Goodbye house. Goodbye cello.” I felt pathetic giving my cello a farewell, but it felt appropriate. I softly shut the door and turned the lock letting it click the lock into place. Vinyl’s horn lit up as all of the windows closed together and locked on her command. Another click was heard as another lock slid into place in the door.

I turned around only to see the path to the Everfree Forest stretching out in front of me, climbing over the hills and exiting the town and disappearing into the thicket of old and bent trees that reached out from the wood line in an attempt to snag any clumsy or foolhardy pony that decided to walk within their grasp. My body breathed in hard before I let in and, before long, I was trotting next to my friends, talking to Lyra about her lyre concert and different elements of music. It helped put my mind at ease. I needed all of the comfort I could get.

> Chapter 4: Fighting Fear
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun glimmered brilliantly off the roofs of the town. The heat quickly warmed my skin, softly massaging out the stress I was feeling from tagging along with an expedition into the Everfree Forest. I attempted to enjoy the scenery and the smell before I was cast into the dark, dank woods. Lyra still hopped beside me grinning ear to ear like her face was stuck that way. I took a deep breath in and smelled the nearby lilacs and tulips of the flower stall and the sweet scent of freshly cut grass being served to the small chattering group of ponies sitting at the tables. The pacing was much slower than I imagined Vinyl would have set it, but she seemed to be taking her time for some reason, but I didn’t pay much attention to overly notice or question why.

The birds chirped overhead as a three butterflies fluttered past my face. I had never taken note of the little idiosyncrasies that thrived within Ponyville until now. I figured it was mainly a drive of my body to enjoy what I could, forcing me to find any and everything that I enjoy in my life. 

“Wait here.” Vinyl’s voice broke the silence and brought my focus back to her.

We had arrived at Sugarcube Corner where I guessed Ditsy was going to get another order of muffins, but I saw that she was sitting in the dust smiling, her bags already crammed with varying flavors and styles of muffins made solely for her insatiable consumption. There wasn’t a day where I questioned how that pony managed to keep her lean figure given the sheer amount of muffins that she consumes in a single day. Picturing an x-ray of her stomach only caused me to shake my head as I saw the lining burst only to be replaced by a three more stomachs. 

I questioned what Vinyl was doing inside of Sugarcube Corner, but was answered quickly as she re-emerged from the store being followed by a familiar face.

“Doctor? You’re coming too?” The words slipped through my lips.

“What? Oh yes. Adventures and danger are my middle name. Well not really, but I have already forgotten it.” He shrugged. “Vinyl mentioned your little venture to me and I simply cannot turn down an adventure.” He thought for a few and shrugged as he added, “Plus someone needs to keep you girls safe.” He winked and chuckled.

“Always the same, eh Doctor?” I smiled at my childhood friend.

“Who is that slice of stallion?” Ditsy leaned in and whispered.

“That’s the Doctor.” I answered quietly back.

“Doctor who?”

“Close. Doctor Whooves.” I corrected her.

“Whooves? That is a strange name.”

“Ahem. Ladies. Can we all be engaged in your conversation about me or should I just wait until you finish?” The Doctor joked.

“You’re fine.” Ditsy sighed out. “This adventure just keeps getting better isn’t it?” Her grin widened to what I could only imagine as being the precipice of any pony smile even beating Lyra’s perpetual grin.

“At least we won’t have to worry about anything being broken.” I winked at the brown stallion.

“Nothing is broken when The Doctor is around.” He struck a strong pose, caught in his own world of carefree jokes and enjoyment of his own wit.

Doctor was a strange fellow with many interesting quirks, some that I still didn’t understand. The main one being his innate ability to be able to fix everything brought to him and his origins, which still remained a mystery. I had met him when I was a filly. He was much older than me then. Surprisingly enough he had managed to look young through the years bringing me to believe that he was able to both fix any object, as he was able to fix himself and maintain a youthful appearance. I never put much thought behind it and when I had asked him he brushed it off as that he was always viewed younger than he truly was, which led me to ask about his age. He only chuckled at my question and gave his most common answer. “I forget to be honest.” I never thought he was honest, but it wasn’t a driving question.

Ditsy flapped her wings and lightly lifted from the ground and floated above The Doctor. I saw her nostrils flair before she visually relaxed and glided over to me. “He smells like muffins… I’m in heaven. I wonder if he tastes-“ I bit her tail before she could eat The Doctor, holding her in place before she gave up. “Even brown like a fresh made muffin.”

“Sounds like you’re in love.” I chuckled.

“In love with a muffin stallion.” She plopped back onto her rear and took another big whiff of the air. “He is going to drive me insane…” She quickly dug into her bag and procured a muffin. “We need a Doctor flavored or at least scented muffin.”

“Having a muffin smell as witty as me would be quite an irritation though an enjoyable chew nonetheless. Is your friend going to be alright?” The Doctor asked.

“She’ll be fine. You just smell like muffins and Ditsy here loves muffins.” I explained.

“Muuuuuuffins…” Ditsy droned.

The Doctor looked at her in an awkward silence and I didn’t blame him seeing as Ditsy was still staring at him hungrily and licking her lips.

“Ditsy? He isn’t a muffin. Snap out of it.” I walked in front of her to break her view.

“What? Oh… I’m sorry.” The shock at what she was doing sent her gliding up slightly, levitating just slightly above the ground. Her face turned a deep red as she shook her head.

“Is everything going to be alright?” Vinyl questioned, trying to stifle a laugh.

“Yes.” Ditsy fluttered over to Vinyl with her regular smile.

It was one of those few moments when I questioned how real her smile was and how many things she was hiding behind it, but I felt it wasn’t my place to question it nor search for it without her permission and I kept it as a mystery.

“Now that we have all the formalities out of the way, can we proceed to the Everfree Forest?” The brown pony questioned, nodding to us and turning to the dark expanse of trees in the distance.

I could only nod as a means to hide my reluctance, but the unison of voices from the other three answered his question better and we began our trot toward the forest. Vinyl took point with Ditsy, followed by Lyra, then The Doctor and me. I tossed him a few glances, a question burning at the tip of my tongue, but unsure if I should ask. He never broke his gaze from the forest and I wondered if he saw my failed attempts at starting a conversation.

“What do you have on your mind Octavia?” My curiosity was sated. 

“Why exactly are you coming along and when did Vinyl ask you?” The words were hesitant as they passed from my lips.

“Why? Well I don’t rightfully know how to answer that question, maybe just the desire for something new, some thrill of adventure and the adrenaline of danger has been on my mind. As for Vinyl, she came to me early this morning and asked if I would be willing participant for an adventure into the Everfree Forest to find the fairy tale pony, Eyn Spyyr.” He smirked at the name.

“Do you believe he is real?” I had to ask.

“I believe that there is a chance of it like there is a chance for everything to exist.” A nod of self-satisfaction from his answer broke his composure.

“So you think he does exist?” Again, I felt compelled to ask.

“I would hope to find out.” He finally turned to me and gave me a glance that I had only seen him give the most challenging of tasks.

His answers made sense to me and made the journey seem more reasonable and maybe not completely fruitless, but I still had my doubts as to the desired outcome of this journey. If something went wrong- if something happened to- I had to slam my eyes shut and shake the thoughts from my head. Everything will be fine. You need to stop worrying and do your best to keep everypony safe. I nodded at my added resolve and looked at the long road still ahead of me to the entrance to the forest and back at The Doctor. 

“We don’t talk much.” I stated.

“We don’t though it would seem that we would both have plenty to discuss.” He answered with his usual hint of slyness.

“When did you first come to Ponyville and Canterlot?”

“Those were quite a few years ago and I forget how many had passed, but I met you on my second day living there. I was taking a stroll, trying to find my bearings in your quaint little town when I stumbled through your rock farm. I had heard a trumpet and music coming from the silo. I decided to check it out and stumbled across a party amid the dismal setting that the rock farm had generated, but seeing you and Pinkie dancing together, fighting the sadness of the environment, I had to make an entrance.” The Doctor explained.

“You did just walk in our celebration.” I had to laugh at the memory. “It scared my father a great deal.”

“Send him my apologies. I did not mean to frighten.” He tossed a disarming smile and looked back at the forest. “This forest it something isn’t it.”

At first I didn’t know what he was getting at, but when I turned my attention to the forest again, I saw that within the trees, wisps of fog had begun to rise out and reach to the sky as if to escape it, but being held within it. The broken and twisting branches that reached out from the edges became increasingly more intimidating and cracked as if with each step I took toward them, they grew with evil. The trunks slowly became distorted faces in my eyes, screaming up in agony as if the ground they stood on was burning them. Only the screams were in my head, but I would guess that they had to be screaming.

“Yeah… it’s something.” I practically groaned.

“You’re not looking forward to this?” He asked, finally showing some concern as to how I was taking the journey.

“No, not overly.” I admitted.

“Then why did you come?” He questioned.

I wanted to say a better excuse than my initial thought. I felt the wooden box hit my side within my bag and turned to him quickly. “Because Vinyl gave me an anniversary gift, but it is under lock and key unless I go with her.”

“Huh… I didn’t know you two were dating. How many years has this been going on?” He asked.

“What? No. We aren’t dating. It’s just something that we started as being roommates for so long. It has always been a wonderful moment for us to reconnect and not fight that day.” I joked.

“That sounds like a sweet thing. What did you get her, if I may ask?”

“I haven’t really got her the gift yet. I just need to pick it up from the record store.” I kept my voice down.

“Ah… well I think she will enjoy whatever gift you get her.” The Doctor whispered back.

I just hoped I would have some alone time when I got back to manage to get to the record store before she would notice and get it to her. I questioned the gift inside of the small box in my bag and even why I had wished to bring it along with me. I figured the best answer was that it was one of the few reasons why I was going along with my agreement to Vinyl so it would be best to keep it next to me for moral support.

The longer I walked the more I needed to think about everything. The weight of the world never seemed to vanish completely and only increased in magnitude. I slowly began to feel more aware of another weight inside of myself. My heart seemed to be dragging more than usual and it almost felt like it had formed a link to whatever was inside of the box. It gave me hope as much as it drove my curiosity to try and figure out what it was and why she would go through so much trouble to give me something that even needed an ornate box to house it.

I had to look up at white unicorn walking in front of me, her blue hair jutting everywhere and softly moving in the breeze, her glasses popped on her eyes to block the glare of the sun, but her teeth reflected it brilliantly as she laughed at one of Ditsy’s jokes. Ditsy flapped her wings and laughed, kicking up dust around her feet and almost dancing. Vinyl must have been discussing when her next rave would be and Ditsy had always been excited to participate in them. The sight of those two always caused feelings inside of me to grow, and a happiness to fill me. Even in the short amount of time I had met Lyra, we had connected in a way that I don’t normally associate myself with. As for The Doctor, he always had some sort of fatherly presence about him.

The town sat behind us as we crossed the halfway mark. I hoped everything would go well inside of the forest, but deep down I knew that the unfortunate would occur in some form or another and it came down to me wondering which event I would have to adapt for and if it would be at all possible for me to save them if it came down to it.  I could only sigh and stare at the ground as if defeated by my own thoughts, and finally was just going with it. I would still prefer to be realistic about this journey.

Instead of worrying about the journey I decided to try and imagine what such an old alicorn like Eyn would even look like, or even more questionable, what would a male alicorn look like? Everything became a question as I tried to paint a picture inside of my head on how he would look. I started with Princess Celestia and tried to make her more manly. It was hard work, but I eventually made something that looked decently male. I wondered about the mane and could only give up and make up some random pattern. I assumed he had to be some color different from white or black, but which was still only guesswork. What would he even tell me if he existed and if I found him?

Moments passed where I all I did was walk and think. I created glorified acquaintances and settings. I questioned what wonders I would be able to create given a blessing of Eyn. All of the thoughts began to excite me as much as they had excited everyone else. Vinyl glanced back at me and must have seen my smile and excitement because she nodded and smiled back at me. She had won my support over by instilling this thought in me and sending me on an adventure to please the thought. Inside, I wanted to forget about Eyn and focus on the dangers that awaited us, but I felt just as lost as the rest of the group. It felt that he was sitting just behind the first tree, waiting for us and congratulating us before guiding us to his swamp home and instill his methods of inspiration onto us.

“You seem to be a bit chipper.” The Doctor pointed out, breaking my trance.

“My head is a safe place to stay.”

“It would be best to keep your eyes open now.” Doctor Whooves motioned forward.

I snapped myself out from the daydreams and found the dark and dismal trees of the forest staring down at me. I had never been in the Everfree and from all of the stories I had heard, my superstitions were pretty high. I imagined that at any second the trees were going to bend down and snatch me up and eat my friends or me. It was mere seconds before I realized that I had stopped in my tracks and simply stood in a frightened trance. My knees locked as my mouth slowly dropped. I was never to be afraid of anything, but the forest had an effect on me, which I had no words to explain. The group halted just at the edge of the trees, shrouded by the evil shadow, looking back at me.

“Aren’t you coming, Octavia?” Their demon voices hissed, their bodies turning black and eyes burning with a crimson red. Wisps of fright fell from them crept along the ground, infecting the land. They were lost. Lost. Lost.

“Octavia?” I opened my eyes to find myself paralyzed in front of the trees. Shame filled my body as I blushed at how I was acting, but the fear still held me firmly in place. “Octavia?” It was Vinyl’s voice, growing with concern as she galloped out to me. “Octavia?”

I snapped out of the phobia that coursed through my veins and turned to her. Her red eyes were calming and soothing like soft campfire embers that put us to sleep in the living room. The muscles loosened around my heart and I began to feel at ease. I felt the wooden edge of the box poke my side, edging me forward. I stepped forward in response, each step sending a wave of fear through me, waiting for the trees to grab me. Stories of my past filled my mind and every unimaginable thing echoed through me. I had promised to protect my friends when I was acting like this? I was pitiful and weak. How could I protect my friends when I was this weak?

“Octavia?” Vinyl spoke again, softly and lovingly.

My voice still shook from the fear I was overcoming. “What is it Vinyl?” I asked, trying to set my next foot in front of the other.

“Are you sure you want to do this? You seem a bit, traumatized.” She smiled to try to ease what she was saying onto me, but I knew what she was getting at and I didn’t want to hear it. I was here to protect my friends and I was going to do that.

The resolve that was building inside of me pushed me ahead. I had to prove myself, not to my friends, but for myself. I drove the fear quickly out of my head as music rose up in my head. I would not let this fear beat me. I visualized the edge of the forest as the edge of the curtain, a stage leading out into a crowd of onlookers waiting to hear the skill they paid for. Taking poise and aligning my lungs I walked through the curtain and into the darkness of the theater, taking my seat, feeling the glare of a hundred onlookers. I was nervous as with every show, but my confidence outmatched the force to withdraw. Raising my bow, I set it upon the strings and let it fill the air. The notes played brilliantly inside of my head, starting from where I had left the song last, marching me into the darkness.

My friends stared at me with smiles and grins as the excitement that I had quickly broken my fear of the forest. I didn’t want to admit that the fear wasn’t broken, but that I had raised my confidence far above it. Vinyl walked from behind me, sliding her head close to mine.

“You are doing wonderfully. Thank you for coming.” She whispered to me, retaking point.

“What was that song you were humming?” Lyra asked.

“I was humming?” I didn’t know my music had been verbalized.

“It was beautiful…” Lyra reared up her legs happily. “It made me feel braver inside of these woods.”

I finally had the opportunity to look at my surroundings. My eyes had adjusted to the lower lighting, but my body had not yet taken in all of the sensations inside of here. The ground squished beneath my feet. The rocks even felt soft while others felt sharp and painfully jagged, no middle ground existed. The smell quickly caught up to me as I caught the smell of wet rotting wood and decaying plant matter. The scent of the few flowers was bitter and biting, and it would be best to avoid smelling one directly. Crickets chirped as frogs croaked and dragonflies buzzed. Everything about it reminded me of Ponyville, and at the same time it felt foreign.

“Where to first?”

> Chapter 5: Chaos Rising
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The woods surrounded me completely. The bright light and the safety of Ponyville could still be seen through the thicket, but with each step forward the light dimmed. I could feel my heart dropping as well, causing me to question if I had made the courage for nothing when I would just freeze somewhere in the middle and not be able to move. The thoughts wiped my brain clean of anything constructive and I was barely aware that Lyra was trying to talk to me.

“Hey Octavia. How are you feeling?” She asked, still worried from seeing me freeze at the edge of the woods.

I felt embarrassed for having done so. It hurt to even answer considering that I wanted to freeze again and just forget this whole journey. “I’m feeling much better. Thanks.”

“Good!” Her mood perked up quickly in what I felt to be a fake show of happiness. “Now I was wondering about you since I never get the chance to ever talk to you.”

I rolled my eyes as I waited to have to repeat my life story again. Instead, I heard another question that I wasn’t expecting as much.

“How long have you and Vinyl been together?” She looked at me and saw my glare. “I mean as roommates.” She added hastily.

I shouldn’t have given her such a hard time about it, considering I knew what she meant. The game of Vinyl and I living together never became old. Sometimes we would joke with people and make it seem like we were more. Most of the time, it was her pulling the prank while I just took it, taking in and enjoying her amusement.  Letting her do something like that was difficult at first, but she would always tell ponies afterward of our standing. Roommates. Innocent.

I could never tell if any of Vinyl’s feelings were real or some form of shroud to hide something. I never questioned them, as I believed that I did not have to, nor did I try to question mine for her. We were friendly, and there was no denying it. Everything else was proper joke material to work with.

“We’ve been together for a few years now. She lived there first, and when the last ponies left because of the noise, I stumbled into her domain. It wasn’t the best of transitions, but our love for music brought us together.” I answered quickly.

“Sounds like it would be given your soft serenity and her power partying. I remember the first time that Bon-Bon and me moved into the same house. We had already known each other before that and have been together for quite some time. Moving in together only drew us closer. I wished that she could have came with us.” Lyra nodded.

Vinyl hushed us and looked around the canopy. Ditsy peered around the woods as well though I doubt she could properly see anything in time. I stood on the padded down dirt road that stretched aimlessly through the woods, breaking and branching in what seemed constantly changing sections. Out of curiosity and fear, I had to share in their observing and looked around the forest. The only sound was of crickets and deep-voiced frogs croaking in the nearby bog. Vinyl sniffed at the air and looked at me.

“Feeling okay Tavi?”

I felt irritated at her questioning if I was okay as if I had to constantly be checked. I rolled my eyes before I answered. “Of course I am. Why did we stop?”

The white unicorn had caught on to my irritation and nodded and beamed at me. I had figured some sort of anger or hurt feelings would be created from my biting irritation.

“Why are you smiling?” The question came off as more of a demand than a question.

She flipped her glasses up and stared me straight in my eyes. “You are back to your stubborn self.” She chuckled.

It had only been a slight realization that my fear had completely vanished in those few seconds that I was irritated. I wanted to join in her merriment, but knowing that she had tricked me into believing it made me just stay quiet and remain irritated; I didn’t take being manipulated too easily.

“Ooo. She got you.” Lyra laughed. “Glad to see you broke your fear.”

My eyelids drooped as I stared at the group in front of me; irritation growing for all of them as the all of the fear quickly vanished. I had ceased caring about my fear and focused more on keeping everyone safe. This was no place to be so smug about something so trivial as getting on my nerves. There was no reason to make another enemy in the forest. I gave an evil grin at the thought of me being the ones to torment them. The irony would be simply sublime.

“Whatcha smiling at?” Ditsy asked, flying over to my side.

“Just thinking about giving someone their just desserts.”

“Like muffins?” Ditsy smiled.

“You could say that.” I winked and chuckled. “How is Dinky doing?” I changed my tone.

“Dinky? She stays out of trouble. We went to the beach a few days ago. I got sand in my feathers.” She groaned, unconsciously flapping her wings like sand was in them.

“And her being a unicorn is okay with you?”

“It is difficult, but that is where Lyra comes in. She has been giving her magic lessons while I deliver the mail.”  She appeared humble and content with where her life had taken her.

“And you don’t regret anything?” I questioned, hesitantly.

“Not a single thing. Sometimes hard to explain to her where her father went, but some things are best left as a muffintastic story.” She grinned.

I remembered the day that Ditsy lost her husband. No one in Ponyville could ever truly forget that day. Given her visual limitations and spontaneous attitude and financial draw on muffins, it was surprising that someone had fallen in love with it. They lived happily for many years and one day she gave birth to a unicorn girl. Sadly, the father wasn’t quick enough, and she had already named her child Dinky. I had been there to see his reaction. I had never seen a group of ponies smile and laugh so much. He had been a unicorn and that was the only trait of his that passed to Dinky.

Four days later, I had a knock at my door. I opened it to see a devastated Ditsy covered in tears and quivering from the cold and the tears. It had been storming heavily that night as the Pegasus ponies had been trying to control a wild storm. It was much larger than they had expected, some didn’t fair to well. Ditsy’s husband went missing that night and was never heard from again, marked as one that had been swept away with the storm and deemed dead.

Ditsy had to take comfort in Dinky and she managed to recover quickly, though I knew it was still a touchy subject, one that she normally diffused with eating muffins or making a joke out of it. I couldn’t blame her. Now she appeared to have her eyes set on The Doctor, which I felt was a good sign that she had completely recovered from what had happened. I hoped she recovered.

“Fillies make the world such a happier place. I’ve never laughed as much as I do now with her. I wonder if Mr. Whooves likes children.” She said it just loud enough so that he could hear her.

“Talking about me again I see. I must question what you are talking about.” He chuckled.

Ditsy flew forward and took her place by his side, leaning in close to him. I knew what she was doing and almost had to laugh when I saw it unfold. She took a big whiff of the air around him and giggled, dancing circles around him, singing a song. The only point in her life that I could consider on par with how happy she is was when Dinky was born. It warmed my heart to know that Ditsy managed to let go so easily.

“So do you like muffins?” Ditsy questioned the doctor, still walking in circles around him.

“Muffins you say? I love muffins more than the world itself.” Surprisingly enough, I knew he was telling the truth given his always-existent muffin bowl in his house.

Ditsy squealed and tapped her hooves on the ground happily, stepping closer to him. Simply the look on his face told me enough of his enjoyment at how Ditsy acted around him. I wondered if The Doctor had heard of Ditsy’s story, and what had happened to her. I figured it would be best to tell him later when we were out of earshot of her. Vinyl had dropped back from taking the point causing Lyra to bounce to the front, keeping her eyes open, and glancing around the trees and the canopy.

“Isn’t this nice Tavi?” Vinyl asked when she arrived at my side.

I didn’t want to say anything to her, not out of distaste for having to go, but because I didn’t want to admit that my preconceived notions had been thwarted though still present. Nothing seemed to be too dreadful about this place, and judging by the almost lack of animals around them, I had to wonder what the big fuss was all about. The answer to that question was what I worried about the most.

“Ditsy seems to be quite fond of your friend.” Vinyl nodded toward her and The Doctor.

“I wonder what he thinks of it?”

“I don’t know Tavi.” Vinyl bumped into me. “You know him best.” She winked at me, and smiled. “I think they’d be cute together.” I had to chuckle at the thought. Vinyl gave me a strange look and had to add. “Unless you’ve claimed him as yours.”

“We are just friends, and that is all there is to it.” I nodded.

“I think you two would be a cute couple as well.” Vinyl winked.

“He isn’t my type romantically, but he is a good friend.” I chuckled. “I’m not quite sure who I am interested in quite yet.” I half-lied.

“It appears that I am in the same boat as you Tavi.”

“We always seem to be in the same boat.” I chortled.

“Tavynil Cruise. Only room for two.” She winked and sniggered.

“A cruise would be a wonderful vacation.” I felt an inner excitement compel me to continue with the thought. “We can try to go this summer, just you and me. Enjoy some sun and relaxation then we can go have some fun elsewhere.” I felt ecstatic.

“You make it sound wonderful!” She giggled. “On a cruise with my favorite cello player. “ She stepped closer to me and cuddled against my side, I guessed jokingly. “Then I can work on my tan.”

“Vinyl. You never get tan. You’ve always been white.” I stuck my tongue at her playfully.

“Hey, a girl can try. Maybe get your color, and be as sexy as you.”

“Please Vinyl. You flatter me.” I teased. “I’d love to have your pure white color and maybe some blue hair.”

“I could arrange the blue hair for you! You would look more amazing with green hair.” She winked. “The color is more earthy.”

“Ha, ha. Sure. Make fun of me being only an earth pony.”

“Tavi. I enjoy you the way you are. You don’t need to be a pegasus or a unicorn to be special. Take Ditsy and The Doctor for instance. She obviously finds something fascinating about him to pursue.” Vinyl reasoned.

I had guessed she would reference the quickly blossoming relationship between the two ponies ahead of us, but the reference stuck pretty thick onto my interpretation of the meaning. I looked at her confused. “We are like them. I didn’t know we were dating.” I chuckled at my joke, Vinyl joined.

I took another breath in to steady my senses.  I peered around the forest to find that the warming light had vanished, and had done so a long time ago as the forest had completely consumed us. I was thankful that there was still a road in which to walk though up ahead I saw where it forked into at least three different directions. I moaned at the eventual choices that we would face and which possible direction Vinyl would have us go. Gladly, the sun was still out and would be many more hours before setting, which warranted a heavy sigh of relief.

“I just had to set you up for that didn’t I?” Vinyl inquired.

I shrugged and smiled at her.  Sometimes it was nice to remind her that I had a sense of humor, one that could quite possibly rival her own.  “Of course you had to. We wouldn’t work together so well if we didn’t set each other up for something.”

The strange way that I was able to open up to Vinyl sometimes caught me surprise, and this moment was no different. Jokes always swam around in my head, some causing me to grin quietly in the corner.

The internal commentary began to grind at me. I had been hoping for a bit more adventure or something to get my mind off of everything. Almost as a mixed blessing, the sun suddenly flickered out of existence, quickly being replaced by a crescent moon.

An ear-shattering squeal came from Lyra as she scampered back to our group. She hid within our group as our proximity grew. Something wasn’t right with the sun. I looked around quickly trying to question if it was the result of the woods or if something else, something worse had transpired back in Ponyville since we had left. A shockwave filled the sky, originating in the direction of Ponyville. My fear was affirmed, something had happened to the princess.

“Come on girls, we need to get back to-“ I tried to run forward, but quickly felt my feet begin to slip from underneath of me. My face quickly met the ground as I slid to stop and took in the scent of the road. “Soap?”

A million questions began to fill my head, but my phobia had kicked back into gear. This forest wasn’t going to let us leave. It’s the forest! The forest! My knees were the first to lock as I shakily rose to my feet. The other girls had remained within the group, slipping on the roads. Ditsy rose from the road and tried to help The Doctor keep steady, and Vinyl- My eyes darted around the forest setting, looking for Vinyl. Where did she go? Did the forest take her?

“Get off the road! Everything except the road is normal, now get over here.” She waved her hoof over to her side of the bank.

Fear moved my legs more than my head causing me to slip and fall again, but still arriving at the same destination. What was going on? The question echoed perpetually inside of my fear burned head. My eyes never received a break as the danger of the forest began to hit extreme paranoia. Every tree, bush, and leaf became a potential assailant to my friends and me.

“Octavia? Octavia? Snap out of it.” The Doctor hit my face with his hoof.

I didn’t realize that I was lying on my back in the mud. I hopped up to my feet and pressed myself between Ditsy and Vinyl as Whooves led the group forward.

“My… my… what do we have here?” A voice echoed from seemingly everywhere yet nowhere at the same time.

My heart quickened as I dipped low to the ground, trying to hide my eyes with my hooves, making a total fool of myself. It’s the trees! The trees are talking! I must hide! Hide! My senses skirted along the border of a nervous breakdown. I hoped it was some sort of elaborate joke created by Vinyl to make me loosen up, but when I saw her backing slowly up, I knew it wasn’t planned. Her jaw had dropped slightly as she looked around her for the voice. Ditsy had flew into one of the trees and looked around the clearing and the edges for the source of the voice while The Doctor simply stood his ground, peering angrily in a single direction.

“Another group of friends on a magical adventure? Oh how I love being back to enjoy a double feature.” A large spark of light cracked the air in front of Whooves revealing… something.

I had no idea what I was seeing through the crack between the ground and my hoof. The face looked like a pony, but everything about him seemed off. His body was long like a snake. Every appendage on his body seemed to have been stolen from a multitude of animals. The tone of his voice spoke of an ancient intelligence causing me to question if we were in the presence of Eyn Spyyr. I rose slightly, using the idea as a boost of courage.

“How have you returned?” The Doctor asked, still glaring at the ancient pony.

“How? Oh that was quite easy if you have enough chaos in the world, and I can assure you that there is plenty of chaos to even make me chuckle with excitement! Ha. Ha.” I edged myself toward Doctor Whooves.

“Is this Eyn?” I whispered.

“Eyn? My old buddy, Eyn? Is he still around? Last time I checked he had banished himself into the Everfree for, how long did he say now? Oh yes, for an eternity.” He laughed at the prospect.

“So he is real?” I spoke more to myself.

“No… I am not Eyn. I am Discord, agent and ruler of chaos.” He struck a pose and strutted around the edge of the clearing. “Now I will need all of you to get into a nice little group so I can tell you the game that we are going to play…” He lifted his hand, which sent a vortex of wind howling through the leaves. Ditsy fell from her tree, ripped awkwardly through the air until she was tossed in front of Discord with the rest of us.

“You won’t get away with this.” Whooves growled.

“Get away with what? Ponyville is already mine. All I have to do now is have some fun.” He chuckled to himself. “And what better way to have fun than with some lost and forgotten ponies?”

> Chapter 6: The Switch
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The large being stood in front of us, hidden by the darkness of the night, but his smile flickered in the darkness. A sense of evil permeated from his beings and filled the woods. An instinctual fear ground into me as I backed slowly away from him, my eyes sealed shut. These woods weren’t getting me. I had ceased caring about holding my phobia back and how my image was being ruined.

“And where do you think you are going, dear?” I heard a crack where he was standing and then one behind me.

I felt myself collide with something soft causing my heart to jump a few beats as I cringed and froze. “I just want to go home.” I stammered.

“Ah… afraid of the forest? Here, let me show you that there is nothing to be afraid about.” The tone in his voice sent shivers down my spine. In an attempt to escape, I crawled forward, but felt Discord’s large hands wrap around my waist and lift me from the ground. He held me out toward the forest. “Just look at it. It isn’t scary at all.”

I wanted to believe him. I cracked my eye open and looked around and saw only darkness. It wasn’t so bad, but it couldn’t cure my heart, which beat furiously inside my chest. I pried the other open feeling a strange support from the strong being holding me.

“See. Nice and safe.” I trusted his words and opened myself up to the forest. Just as I opened my eyes and turned toward the forest completely, the sun instantly came up revealing a wall of clawing and growling trees. My body instantly tensed up as I curled up inside of the hands holding me, hoping to gain security from them. Instead, I felt them loosen causing me to fall to the ground awkwardly.  The grass around my legs reached up and tried to pin me to the ground. I rose and tried to escape causing the roots of the trees to extend and snag me.

“Octavia!” My friends yelled as I squirmed inside of the powerful ensnarement. Tears were falling from my eyes as I tried desperately to escape them; my breaths were broken and heavy. I didn’t know what was going on and I didn’t care. I just wanted to go home, to my house and be safe, to lay in front of the fireplace with Vinyl, anything but here. I could feel the cool ground begin to encase my body, as I was pulled deeper inside of the ground.

“Vinyl! I-“ I couldn’t finish my sentence as another root came down onto my back. The roots ceased and trapped me halfway underground. A root stuck between my teeth.

Discord walked around me, laughing aloud. “You should see the look on your faces!” He chuckled again.  I tried to move, but the roots held me fast. Claustrophobia began to set into me as I tried to breath, but couldn’t. The sensation of not being able to breathe caused me to panic and squirm desperately.

“Let her go!” The Doctor yelled at him.

“Oh, you’re no fun.” He snapped his fingers.

The roots loosened quickly around me, but one root that was still around my leg ripped me out of the ground, holding me upside down. I shivered at the freedom of the roots from around me, but I was still his leading show. I still tried to escape. I felt his hand slid through my mane as he lifted my head up.

“You are just a bundle of fun aren’t you?” He chuckled and vanished, the root snapping its hold from around my leg sending me toppling to the ground. Feeling the grass made me cringe and crawl quickly toward my friends. They weren’t going to capture me again. I felt them surround me as I hid behind them pitifully. Was there anyway to convince myself that I was still here to protect them when they’ve been the ones protecting me?

“Such good friends.” He hummed. “And what about you my dear?” I heard a crack beside me. I turned quickly to see that he had Ditsy floating in front of him, trapped in a magical field. She squirmed and flapped against the magic, but it was too great. “I see that you’ve certainly packed for the occasion.” Her bag opened, and the remaining muffins floated from it, circling her head. “Do you know the muffin mare?”

“The muffin mare?” She asked.

“The muffin mare.” He grinned at her. “Do you know the muffin mare?

The muffins became faces and laughed around her. Ditsy began to laugh at the song they were singing. “I didn’t know muffins could laugh.”

“Discord. Don’t…” The words came heavily from The Doctor.

“I was only going to help her.” He tapped her forehead with his finger sending a light around her. She stared blankly at him, her face becoming emotionless. I didn’t want to think what was happening. Then a blinding light erupted from her eyes as they slowly closed. She gently glided to the ground, lying peaceful in a sleeping position. When she awakes, you shall see my handiwork.” He chuckled. “Now if you don’t mind I have other matters to attend to.” He snapped from existence.

Doctor Whooves ran over to Ditsy as Vinyl and Lyra tried to settle me down. I disliked that I had to be settled down while Ditsy was lying on the ground in front of me.

“How’s Ditsy? What’s wrong with her?” I continually asked.

The Doctor nuzzled his nose up against Ditsy causing her to stir. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around wide-eyed. All of the attention to me ceased as everyone noticed what Discord had done to her. Ditsy was even aware of the change. Her eyes darted around the forest as her wings began to stretch out happily.

“I can see!” She turned to me again; her eyes were completely straight and fixed. “Woohoo!” She leaped into the air, flapping and gliding down onto her hooves.

The Doctor stared at her, surprised as everyone else. From what I went through, I knew there had to be some sort of catch to this ‘gift’. I waited for something to happen, but the happiness remained.

“Where are my muffins?” She trotted to her bag and stuck her nose inside of it. She dug around and put her head in completely. She flinched from the bag. “He took all of my muffins and my bubble blanket!” It wasn’t what I had expected, but it was something.

“Ditsy you’re…” The Doctor spoke. He didn’t seem quite the same as he stared at Ditsy. I thought I caught onto a slight sliver of light above him and looked up to see the strange being holding a puppeteer’s rack. He was not only controlling his limbs, but also his mind and voice. “You are the most beautiful mare I have ever seen…”

Ditsy’s cheeks blushed at the compliment. “I… you do?” She bashfully kicked at the dirt, unaware that Discord had him under control. I stood up and tried to yell to her, hoping not to witness her heart be broken.

“Dit-“ My voice cut out instantly. I tried to speak, but no noise was produced. Vinyl turned toward me, noticing my trouble. I pointed up into the canopy and rubbed my throat. She looked up.

“Ditsy, it’s a trap!” She snapped from her romantic trance and looked past the brown stallion in front of her. She still reached out and touched hooves with Doctor Whooves sending a power down the puppet strings and around the two.

Laughing echoed over the din of the swirling vortex that encapsulated the two ponies. Ditsy attempted to escape, but found her hooves stuck against The Doctors. He too had snapped out of his trance and looked around hastily. “What happened?” He yelled at Ditsy.

“You were nice to me.” She yelled back.

The light exploded into a torrent of light and wind. Lyra stood staring at all of the events that were unfolding, confused as to what was happening. The light died down, leaving the two ponies lying on the ground. They appeared perfectly fine. It took them a bit, but they rose and looked at each other. Both of their eyes widened as they spoke simultaneously.

“How are you-? But I- you?” Something was clearly off by what I was hearing. I looked back up into the canopy to see that Discord had vanished, and I hoped for good.

Ditsy turned to Lyra, Vinyl, me, her face bent in a way that was largely unlike her.

“I believe that Discord has switched our bodies.” Ditsy spoke.

We cringed slightly and looked at The Doctor’s body seeing him, or her, burying her head inside of her fur. She took big whiffs and sat down, a satisfied look encapsulating her face. “I smell like muffins.” She grinned heavily.

“I don’t even know how to use these things…” The Ditsy Doctor complained as he flapped Ditsy’s wings.

“It feels so weird being a man.” Doctor Ditsy answer as she stared at her hooves.

“What’s going on?” Lyra asked after a long run of silence.

“Well it would seem that Discord has tricked us into coming into contact after preparing a body switch magic onto me. Being under control caused him to sway Ditsy with some loving words and cause us to touch therefore completing the magic.” Ditsy’s body spoke intelligently.

Vinyl looked over her glasses. “It’s hard to see Ditsy talk this intelligently…”

“Hey!” Ditsy stopped examining her hooves and looked up. “I respect that!”

“Resent. You resent that.” The Ditsy Doctor corrected.

“Yeah, that!” She grumped.

“I’m sorry, but he talks more sophisticated than you.” Vinyl apologized.

“I can’t argue with that.” She smelled her mane again, grinning ear to ear.

“This isn’t good, and isn’t meant to be.” The Ditsy Doctor spoke, pacing back and forth.

“I’m sure it can’t be that bad. I know you are now a female pegasus, but that doesn’t seem life changing.” Lyra responded.

“No you don’t understand. She doesn’t feel weird because she is male. She feels weird because she isn’t a one hundred percent pony.” He answered, almost shamefully.

”Excuse me?” Vinyl asked.

“I’m not, well, that body is not a regular pony’s body. Only Octavia would have seen that I have not aged since I’ve been here.” The group fell into silence as their eyes widened.

“So you’re immortal?” I questioned, feeling the thickness of the air from the secrets being revealed.

“No, not immortal. I’ve simply lived a long time, and I have not changed. I don’t quite fully understand all of the details to it, but it has given me a great deal amount of skill in repairing anything given to me. I’ve read a great deal about cases like this and they have all led back to one source. Eyn.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“I-“ It rolled out my thoughts as I looked away. The Doctor controlled Ditsy stared at me thoughtfully.

“You knew something was up, yet you never questioned it. Why is that?” He asked.

“Some things are best left a mystery. I didn’t know if there was a sad story to it or not.” I nodded.

“There is no sense dwelling over the past. It is known now, and we must work to amend it.”

“I’ll say. It is strange seeing you two act different, yet be exactly the same.” Vinyl chuckled slightly about it.

“How does it feel to be a stallion, Ditsy?” Lyra asked.

“I feel fresh.” She brandished a smile and pose, which managed to create an easier atmosphere. I still sat in the dirt, covered in grime from what Discord had done to me.

I felt scarred and mentally broken from it. I demanded to go home, but knowing that thing was back in Ponyville, I had to question which would be safer, the woods or Ponyville. Moving my head away from my friends in shame, I felt the burden of being more of a liability than someone who could help protect the party. It hurt for me to admit it, but I knew it was true. My phobias were going to come back and haunt me. Vinyl noticed my mood and trotted over.

“Octavia, are you going to be okay?” I was sick of hearing the question though I knew it was a question I had lied about countless times. I couldn’t lie to my friends or myself again.

“No…” I averted my gaze, feeling the shame wash over me.

“It’s going to be alright, Tavi. Just you see. We’ll just turn right around and get back to Ponyville.” Her voice was obviously uneasy as she tried to coddle me.

“Not trying to be a downer, but if I heard him right, he came from Ponyville and has just returned there. I’m sorry, girls, but I believe Ponyville has already met this evil. We are better off trying to find Eyn and gain his protection.”  The Ditsy Doctor answered solemnly.

A tense silence broke out among the group as hope began to wane. What are we going to do? I thought to myself. It almost appeared that everyone was on the verge of crying.

“My Celestia.” We all turned to Doctor Ditsy. “I have quite the bubble butt.” She laughed and managed to lighten the mood of the situation. I still sat in the dirt. I managed to crack a smile and chuckle at the joke. It helped me concentrate and hide my fears. The trees had returned mostly to normal except for the occasional one that flickered purple.

Doctor Ditsy walked forward and jumped up slightly before falling her face. She grunted and moaned as she cracked her eyes open. She looked back to her back and sighed. “No wings…” She frowned. 

Ditsy’s shenanigans continued to help me focus and take the forest in parts. I had to convince myself permanently that there was nothing wrong with these woods. I found that such a feet was better said than done. Looking to sky for some sort of hope, I noticed the skies were pink and fluffy like cotton candy. It reminded me of my sister and I hoped that she was okay. I wondered if the house was still there, and my cello…

My thoughts ceased as I listened to myself. Thinking about my cello made me sick in this time of tension. What about my family? I made myself forget about the cello and the music I had to write. Everything about my life boiled down to my family and my friends. That was when I started hearing the music that had echoed through my head at various points of the past few days. It was much louder and held a stronger tone to it. It wasn’t the same as all the other times and it didn’t feel like it was in my head, but all around me. I had to look around and see the reaction from the other ponies to make sure that there truly wasn’t music playing.

I turned back to myself before turning to look at Vinyl. She had her glasses off and had been staring at Ditsy and The Doctor messing around. She smiled slightly, but turned back to me, just to make sure I was fine. Lyra too had come to my side to help ease my fear. She had also seen the scrapes that the roots had made along my midriff and was actively wrapping bandages around it. Those eyes… I couldn’t shake a feeling that there was something about them that I had missed in everyone else’s eyes.

The music inside of my head gained flair to it, like a large pad increasing in volume and distortion just at the mood change. It flowed perfectly and brought the song together in a way that I didn’t expect. It held my tongue and kept me silent. It showed my appreciation for her help and her concern for me. Each of my friends, along with Lyra in the short amount of time that I knew her, gave their own special element to the song inside of my heart. It didn’t give me courage like it did before I entered, but gave me sadness and happiness in a single package. It was beyond beautiful.

I tapped the ground slowly, feeling the pace of the song before I started writing notes in the dirt. Everything became clear to me and everything except the finish to my song came into view. I wished there was paper that I could take advantage of and scribble it all down on their surface, but instead I had ceased to care to write it down. This was my song and not anyone else’s. I had to smile at the realization. It felt good to finally call a song my own instead of something to be given to other people. It warmed the recesses of my mind.

Lyra finished wrapping the bandage around my waist and nodded at the handiwork. “That should give your wounds a bit more time to heal. Plus, I drew a heart on the side.” She grinned.

I looked at the heart and saw that she had put initials inside of it. “OP and VS” I said aloud. “Ha. Ha. Very funny.”

“Is everyone set? We need to find the only normal portion of the forest. That will tell us if we are close to Eyn or not.” The Ditsy Doctor rallied. “That is if you are able to move Octavia.”

I knew the urgency of the situation and shakily rose to my feet.  “I’m fine. Where do we need to go to next?” I questioned.

The Ditsy Doctor looked at the group. “None of you are going to like this, but this is going to be dangerous. We first need to get through these woods and get to the base of Molten Mountain. From there, we need to walk the Curvaceous Cliffs, to get to the Concussed Crater. If my studies serve me right, then Eyn should be living within it.”

“Why didn’t you tell us all of this before our journey even started?” Lyra asked.

“I wasn’t completely sure if this pony even existed until Discord referenced him from memory. He existed and I would have mentioned it, though I doubted that any of us would have wished to traverse such a dangerous path.” 

A whisper broke between Lyra and Vinyl while Ditsy wiggled her new bottom wishing she had her wings back, but keeping the same smell. I turned my attention to The Ditsy Doctor.

“Let’s get going, shall we? The quicker we get this over with, the faster I can get home.” I struggled through the burning sensation within my waist.

> Chapter 7: Nightmares and Wishes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The pain began to subside in my waist as the many cuts began healing. It still caused the group to move slower, which I guessed was Discord’s plan along with the soap roads. We moved as a group to stay safer as the Everfree evolved into a plethora of balloons, bubble gum, and milkshakes. We couldn’t expect anything from how reality seemed to just be ignored and tossed aside as if it was a boring towel. I couldn’t stop retracing my mind back to the last incident, and how I had acted. The way I cuddled up in Discord’s hands thinking he was protecting me. I felt wronged and violated, which only caused my hatred for him to increase.

Vinyl must have seen my disgust as she looked at me from behind her glasses. She believed that no one could see where she was looking from behind her glasses, but after living with her for so long, I learned to watch her eyebrows as she had watched mine. She was concerned, and I couldn’t blame her. If Vinyl had been in my position, I would be doing the same. It came with our bond that we had created over the years, one that only filled my mind, but never igniting. When I had felt that my life was in danger, the spark ignited and I had called out to her. I question my thoughts again, but they have been lit now. I couldn’t deny my feelings that had grown between us, and I wanted something more with her. I had to look away, hiding my blushed cheeks and dreamy eyes, but it managed a smile, even if it was only a small one.  

I tried to snap out of it and focus at the task at hand, not trusting completely to the feelings that had grown, but I found myself glancing over to the white unicorn. I questioned what I saw in her that made my hooves tingle. I always had my eyes on stallions be them pegasus, earth, or unicorn, and none ever interested me. The closest anypony came to catching my eye was Albion Grand. Turns out the only thing I loved the sound of his piano and how he could make it sing just as I could massage my cello. It felt like a duty to be together with him, our interests so similar, but seeing the pony for which he truly was ruined my appetite. I again fell into a dismal depression of never finding a proper pony to please my picky preferences.

I had already lived with Vinyl beyond the time that she had dumped her lover and saved my cello from tampering at this time when things began to turn inside me. We enjoyed each other more than we had ever enjoyed our ex’s, and on plenty of occasions, we discussed such a fact. Our friendship blossomed quickly after that, until it evolved into a sisterhood, or so I thought. Instead now I feel a stronger pull, a pull that was familiar, but the meaning became much renewed and revised. I wanted, no, I needed to tell her how I felt, but it stayed as a lump in my throat.

I couldn’t bring myself to tell her. Thoughts of rejection and being “weirded” out came up. I could see her in disbelief, seeing as her joke was more truth than whimsical. One side of me pointed to how she had acted to me. How she was obviously showing some feelings that I knew I shared with her. Another side pointed to Vinyl’s carefree attitude being a cause for her flirts. I had to agree with the observation. The joke of us being together had made us laugh plenty of times, but the idea of us actually being together made it feel cliché and more of an anti-joke. How would she even view me?

I knew Lyra and Bon-Bon were one of the few couples that had thrived. I knew a few ponies began to talk about the “unnaturalness” of their union, but nothing was ever too major. Then again, I don’t fully know the full story behind them. She was a mare just as I was, and I couldn’t bring myself to fully accepting my feelings. Something had to have happened with Discord. Maybe it was some sort of love spell so he could watch me cringe and look away. Maybe it was there just to torment my heart and not let my thoughts remain clear. It felt far too sudden to be real, yet my feelings insisted that they’ve existed much longer than that. I tried to not believe my emotions. I tried to flush my mind out of the future and the past. I tried to flush my mind of her, yet she remained.

“What’s on your mind, Tavi?” Vinyl questioned.

“Just how absurd all of this is becoming.” I answered.

“I’m sorry about dragging you along. I didn’t know any of this would happen or for Eyn to actually be true.”

“You didn’t believe he was true either?” I felt a tug of anger pull me away from my absorbing thoughts. “Then why did you-?“

“I wanted you to loosen up and come along, I would be bored if I could talk to you on our little journey. It was more meant as an evening stroll through the woods, almost like a romantic date, except as sisters.” She tossed a grin in hopes that it would cheer me up, it didn’t.

Instead, I brooded over her words. She still saw us as sisters and nothing more. She isn’t interested in me as I am interested in her. All the times I had walked in on her bathing or dancing would be chalked up under me just looking at her. We are only sisters. The words hurt more than I should have let them, but the bad thoughts cascaded inside of my head. I smiled at her to say I was fine. She took it for once, which I was grateful for.

“It isn’t so bad. I mean Ditsy and Doctor Whooves are hysterical now.” We both looked up at the two leading the pack.

“How do you even use these things?” The Ditsy Doctor inquired, aimlessly flapping Ditsy’s wings.

“I don’t think I am the best teacher for that, but my father told me to just feel it inside of yourself.” Doctor Ditsy explained.

“I feel a lot of nothing inside me.” He proclaimed.

“Oh yeah… Discord stole my muffins…” She grunted.

“Why do you like muffins so much?” The Ditsy Doctor asked.

“Because they make me happy. A happy Ditsy is a flying Ditsy, and flying Ditsy is a faster Ditsy. You have to be quick to be a messenger you know.” She tossed him a wink.

The pegasus’s eyes raised in contemplation. “That would make sense, yes.”

Ditsy took a big whiff of her new body and giggled. “And how do you smell so wonderful?” She tried to stifle her giggles.

“I believe I have always smelled like that, came with the body.”

“I could just carry you around all day and be the fastest pegasus around.” She giggled.

“Are you sure?” He teased.

She bumped into him and kept walking, chuckling from being ornery. The Ditsy Doctor shared in the laughter and bumped her back, losing his balance with his new body and falling onto the ground as Doctor Ditsy lost hers and found herself inside of a bush made of cotton candy. I disliked that we had to stop because of their shenanigans, but I found myself smiling again. Just seeing Ditsy wiggle The Doctor’s body’s legs, brought this atmosphere of security given the events that had just occurred. 

I questioned how Ditsy could do it. She has lost so much, a body, voice, flight, and her life, yet she still made jokes. I guess such a circumstance was just how she coped when her husband vanished. She had to have a strong character and a much stronger metabolism to burn all of her muffins. I enjoyed her how she was, and I wouldn’t ask for any other pony to be one of my friends.

By the time we had her free, we were all giggling, finally enjoying ourselves. The journey almost began to feel as if it was quickening, and not just because the roads were made of soap. The mountains were quickly coming into view through the small cracks within the tree canopy. It made me feel good and hopeful of our journey.  The sun vanished again and was quickly replaced by the moon, casting the woods in a shroud. I could just barely see the brighter hair of Vinyl before her horn erupted in a magical light.

“Shall we pitch camp?” She asked, looking around at the rest of the group for confirmation.

The Doctor agreed. “It isn’t any use of us trying to travel in this darkness and the erratic changing of day and night may not favor us. We’ve made a sizeable dent in the journey and we need our rest. Everyone needs to bunk with someone else, just in case Discord tries any of his tricks.”

Everypony nodded in approval. I needed to rest as it was as I began to feel my flanks starting to burn from the walking. Vinyl trotted past me, magically setting up our tent as Lyra and The Doctor combined their tents so that the three could all sleep together.

“Come on, Octavia. You need your rest.” She crawled inside the tent and turned to me.

I disliked having this sort of treatment. It was only a few scratches, nothing to be concerned about. I crawled in next to Vinyl and found that she had laid down a soft padding of moss and leaves. Was this how real camping was like? I turned and groaned at the slight discomfort of my minor injuries before I finally sat down. The fatigue in my legs caught up to me as a flood of relief and comfort took me. I had absorbed myself in my thoughts longer than I had expected, and even now, I found myself lost in thought.

It took me a second to realize how small the shelter was. It was nothing like the living room setup where most of the room had been converted into a tent allowing Vinyl and me to sleep at decent distances. In this tent, however, she was laying right up against me. Her heat felt welcoming and warm. I had a short fantasy of her turning around and for us to embrace each other before going to sleep, but she stayed where she was. I took to my bedding next to her, smelling her scent as it permeated the tent and my nostrils. I had never known her to harbor such a natural smell to her. I wondered if this was similar to the scent that Ditsy smelled on The Doctor.

“You are weird sometimes.” Vinyl spoke.

I hadn’t realized that I had been staring at her, or that she was equally staring at me.  I shook myself from my feelings. Why were they growing now? I stifled my heart and shut it out with my head. I quickly created a lie and tried my best to make it sound convincing.

“You look nice.” I didn’t say my lie. My tongue slipped and my heart had obviously drenched the words. I turned away from her and laid down my head, hoping to let my words vanish.

Vinyl bumped my shoulder playfully. “Still managing to keep the joke.” She projected her voice more so that the other tent could hear her. “Goodnight, Tavi. I love you.”

“Can it you two.” Lyra giggled in the other tent.

I could feel the box resting on my side, still hidden in my bag, still locked by Vinyl’s key. I wondered what could possibly be within its space. Vinyl had never been the patient type when it came to gifts, but for some reason this present was different. It was much too small to be anything of great value, though I wouldn’t put it past her to find some way of cramming something into it. Much more thought had gone into this present, and I couldn’t decide if it was her way of making me come, or if something else was afoot. It was no use trying to guess, not now. I repositioned my head a tried to fall asleep. It wasn’t long before I drifted off. 

I woke up groggy, but feeling a degree of refreshed. I breathed in, not yet wishing to open my eyes to the brightness of the sun. I cracked them slowly as not to blind myself. All I could see was white at first, which frightened me slightly. I opened my eyes the rest of the way and let the details be absorbed until I saw that I was looking at Vinyl whose face was mere inches from mine. As I pulled away from her, I found that our noses had been touching and that our hooves had intertwined. My movement woke her from her slumber. She cracked her eyes open similar to mine, grunting at the light. She flipped her sunglasses down and grunted, as she stood, unknowing of the position we had been for who knows how long that night.

“I slept like ambient trance, so serene.” She stretched her back and scratched her messy mane.

“I slept like a soft cello score.” I complimented her observation.

She sniffed and rubbed her nose. “Is your nose wet?” She asked, digging inside of her bag for a rag.

“What?” I felt my nose and found it to be wet and why her nose had a wet spot. My mind flew into a panic.  “Yeah, a little.”

“We must have slept soundly then.” She chuckled to herself as she ran the comb through her mane. “There!” She finished combing and cracked her neck before turning to me. “You’re a mess. Let me help you.”

The comb magically moved over to my mane and began to softly comb through my hair. Vinyl hummed a tune as she focused her magic to sort through my messy mane. I found there to be twigs and burs. I moaned at the disgrace my mane was sitting. Maybe I could take a shower in the waterfall.  I hadn’t noticed it the first time we had arrived at the site, but hearing it now, put my mind at ease.

“I think I’m going to take a shower.” I spoke, poking my head out of tent and looking around the lighted woods. 

“Room for two?” Vinyl giggled from behind me.

“You’ll have to beat me there!” I felt a strange flood of excitement.

The creek and the waterfall were just a few trots from where the other pony’s tents were. The water seemed untainted by Discord’s corruption. I stuck my hoof in the water and found it to be soothing and relaxing. Remembering the burs and sticks, I could only guess how much dirt and bugs had gotten in there. I extended my hoof again, but felt a strong push from behind.

“How’s the water, Tavi?” I heard Vinyl ask as I flailed in the air and hit the pool of water, completely submerging. I poked my head up to see a white and blue mass eclipse the sun. “Watch out below!” She bellowed.

My heart stopped as I tried to swim away, but it was to no prevail. She broke the water and set me to the side of the pool. She arose from the depths, whipping her hair and looking at me smiling.

“I’m glad to see your feeling better.” Vinyl chimed, swimming toward me, her eyes locked on mine. Those wonderful red eyes- no, I shook the thoughts from my head.

“Tavi, have I ever told you how you have wonderful eyes?” She asked playfully, arriving close to me.

I felt my cheeks begin to burn as I looked into her eyes. I wanted to admit the same thing, but instead I averted my gaze down to the water. “And what brought this up, Vi?”

“Vi?” She sounded amused. “I kinda like that name.” She stopped approaching me, and thought about the name. “Ta-Vi. I think we have a winner.” She laughed shook her head of water. “That was what you were saying in your sleep. ‘Have I ever told you how you have wonderful eyes?’ I’m glad you think so. I just wanted to tell you that I am envious of your purple eyes. They would glow brilliantly under a black light even under my shades. Awesome.”

I couldn’t determine if what she was saying was playful or romantic. It irritated me, but the water felt too nice to let my mind ruin it. Our noise had drawn the attention of the other tent sending Lyra out quickly, a smile plastered on her face as she bolted to the pool. Ditsy and The Doctor rose out of the tent together, both looking groggy and not themselves, though that was a given.

“Hey Dits! How are you feeling?” Vinyl yelled from the pool.

Ditsy looked up and shook her head. “I need muffins.” She groaned.

I looked at The Doctor who equally seemed rough. “Why is she always hungry?” I could have sworn I could hear his stomach growl from the pool.

The entire group eventually found themselves inside of the pool, smiles back on their faces. This slice of normalcy inside of the forest felt off, but good. I wondered how long this pool would last, or more so, how long we would stay at this pool. I leaned back against the rocks and relaxed, feeling the water soothe my injuries. Another splash rippled through the water sending our vision over to the source. The happiness quickly faded as we saw an elongated body emerge from the water. The dissimilar horns and random appendages clashed heavily with the black sunglasses, but the mere existence of him now, sickened me.

“Hello ponies! I see that you are enjoying a nice little swim.” He jumped up from the water and stepped on the water as if it was solid. “How are the bodies? Enjoying them?” He asked Ditsy and Doctor He chuckled at their annoyed faces. “I’ve found that there isn’t enough chaos in Ponyville and feel that a more rigorous expansion is needed. Now I could just do, but what is the fun in that? I like an audience and I happen to have one. Yes!” He pumped his arm and teleported to the top of the waterfall, his feet corrupting the water into chocolate milk. I watched as the rocks transformed into rock candy, and the trees became giant lollipops.

I inched away from Discord, feeling less afraid of him, but still enough to not let him have a chance to do anything to me.

“I am just warming up. Chaos is such a wonderful thing, and with those other friends out of the way, I can finally spend some more quality time with you!” He teleported behind us, group hugging us. “We are going to have so much fun!” He squealed before teleporting into nothingness, his laughter still filling the forest as everything began to change into chaos.

> Chapter 8: The Color of Chaos
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vinyl climbed out of the water and chocolate milk slurry and stared at the surrounding landscape contorts and descend into chaos. The look in her eyes spoke of anger and fear as she turned slowly, watching the forest crumble.

“Why can’t you leave us alone?” She spoke out into the air in case Discord could hear her.

“Leave you alone? My dear Ol’ Mother always told me that it was dangerous to go into the woods. So I am going to stick around and make sure that nothing happens to my new favorite ponies.” He snapped back into existence in front of Vinyl, pinching her cheek. She angrily shook away from his grip.

“All you’ve done is make this journey more dangerous.” She bellowed.

“What? Me? Dangerous? I don’t see any harm that I’ve caused.” He sounded hurt.

I couldn’t just sit around with that remark. My anger overwhelmed my fear as I rose from the chocolate milk, showing off the bandages around my waist. “I’m sorry, but I believe you are quite mistaken.” I spoke gruffly.

“Oh… that. Psh. That is just some minor scrapes. What would be real harm is if I took a pony that had wings, but didn’t know how to fly and dropped her… or him.” He pointed to The Doctor who was still in Ditsy’s body, teleporting him away from the group and up into the air.

We could only look in horror as an earth pony pegasus flapped uselessly in the in the as he fell toward the ground. Discord fell onto his back laughing at the awkward scene. He had tears on the edge of his eyes at how hard he was laughing.

“I need to see that one more time!” He teleported The Doctor back up to the same spot of the sky and watched him fall again. The laughter only made my heart sink more as I watched the flailing dot fall toward the dirt.

I just managed to see a brown streak fly past me toward the laughing God of Chaos. I turned just in time to see Ditsy leaping in the air, trying to trample Discord’s face, but he saw her before she landed. He popped back beside her. Even with having an unfamiliar body, Ditsy still made an incredibly agile turn. It was the first time that any of us had seen so much anger and tears in Ditsy’s eyes. Something had snapped in her.

“Stop it!” She screamed, as she charged him again. He laughed teleported behind her and tripped her, watching her get a mouthful of dirt only making him laugh harder.

“You ponies are just the greatest! Again!” He pointed back at The Doctor and pulled him back into the sky, laughing at the useless flapping. “Oh my sides hurt.” He continued to laugh as he leaned over, catching Ditsy by the head and holding her in her charge to him without any effort at all. 

I could only stare in shock at Ditsy before I caught on the bursts of light erupting from behind me. I turned to see sparks of lightning and brightly colored lights erupt from Vinyl’s horn. Discord caught it with his other hand and looked at the ball of party lights as they vanished within his hand. He turned back to Ditsy and turned the ground under her feet into chocolate pudding.

“I never had a party before! How exciting!” He snapped his fingers and I found myself lost in a bright light before we reappeared sitting at a table, strapped to the chairs. The creeping claustrophobia began to prickle up my back as I found that I couldn’t move anything. In my panic, I found that everyone else was safely sitting at the table, Ditsy trying to gnaw the restraints off, still lost in a rage I never could have expected her to have. “Hush my darling. Have a muffin.” Discord spoke, spawning a muffin in front of her.

Ditsy’s gnawing of her restraints moved to the muffin. She ripped the poor thing apart, inhaling the crumbs and licking her lips. She breathed out and stared at The Doctor, seeing that he was safe with her body. The Doctor didn’t look too well. His hair sat, windblown on his head, his eyes still plastered open from drying out. His muscles were still tensed from the sheer panic of falling to his death.

“Are you okay?” Ditsy asked Whooves. “I was worried about you, but seeing you safe, here, and with me, has me happy again.” Her tail wiggled.

“Girls, we are upside down.” Lyra stated.

Right as we noticed our manes fell towards the ground. My fear had ceased. I was more annoyed now than anything else. I folded my hooves and stared angrily at the being at the other end of the table.

“Oh… what’s wrong? Are you not enjoying my party?” He blew on a party favor, before popping over to my side, throwing confetti at me. “Oh come now. I turned you all upside down seeing as you were frowning. Let’s see some change in character!”

“Wouldn’t it help if you remained the right way up?” I groaned.

He scratched his head and turned right side up and clapped his hands. “How foolish of me to miss that. It is so great to see such smiling faces on all of my friends! You. I dislike blue, let’s try green.” He snapped his fingers turning Vinyl’s mane and tail into a green shade. She stared at it, shocked at what he had done.

“Oh no you didn’t!” She squirmed in her restraints. “Change it back!” She snapped.

Her sunglasses floated off from her head and landed on Discord’s nose. “So these are the eyes of a raver.” Party lights descended from the sky as a random techno beat pulsed from nowhere. He started to shuffle, teleporting to random areas around us. Lyra’s horn began to slowly light up as she closed her eyes in concentration. Vinyl’s restraints slowly came undone, sending her tumbling to the tree below. Lyra focused on my next. I felt the constricting straps loosen before weightlessness took over, sending my heart leaping. Discord had become so distracted by his dance that he didn’t notice Lyra and Vinyl finish untying the rest of our restraints. We slowly climbed down the tree, trying to be as quiet as possible.

“He took my shades…” Vinyl grunted to herself as she climbed slowly the branches.

“Why do you want them back?” Vinyl appeared upside down, descending just as we were. He extended his hand, giving her the sunglasses.

Vinyl snagged them with her teeth and tossed them up into the air and caught them on her head. “Never touch the shades.” She glared at Discord.

“I’m so sorry for touching your wonderful sunglasses. Let me give you a hoof.” The tree trunks transformed into long wooden hooves. We were bucked from the tree, sending us through the hoof branches. I managed to snag a branch just below where Vinyl had bit into the tree.

I could hear the now all too familiar cackle of the floating source of chaos. I loathed him more than I feared him now, seeing that nothing was going to truly hurt us, but just to irritate us. I began to see it as a game of wits, a game that I have never lost. I slid down the rest of the trunk and stared at him, exaggerating my annoyance.

“Is that really all you have?” I questioning, looking back at the tree disappointingly.

He seemed knocked off balance by my sudden change. “So… we have a critic eh?” He snapped his fingers and appeared behind me, running his fingers through my mane.

I sighed disapprovingly. “You’ve become such a bore.” Part of me couldn’t believe the bite and lack of fear that were in my words.

The way his fingers slowly clenched into a fist made me smile inside. I didn’t believe that I could have gotten under his skin, but I must have been doing something right. I barely noticed the other ponies staring at me in shock at my sudden change. I’d have been right next to them, but I had a show to perform. It wasn’t long before I was dragged back to the show. The rocks and pebbles around me turned into small bouncing balls with horns strapped to them. They annoyingly jumped around me. I sighed my distaste out.

I watched him transform the mountain into a giant chunk of chocolate topped in whipped cream. He even added a cherry with a pig snout on it. I don’t think he enjoyed seeing my dull and listless eyes barely blink at the spectacle in front of me. I promptly sat down and tightened my bow, digging myself in for the game of wits.

“Please… a snout on a cherry? I would have made the mountain perform a ballet in a pink tutu while whistling Winter Wrap Up.” I chimed.

I could hear the low-set groan burn from his throat as he trudged around me, looking at me sit, letting my presence pester him and fester within his mind. Maintaining the poise I had started with, it was simple to keep my eyes locked forward, and my face plastered with a lack of amusement. Another sigh triggered the anger to overflow within Discord. The dirt was transformed into chocolate as he shot a wall of whipped cream out which hit Ditsy, leaving only a smear mark where she had been hit. It was hard to watch, but seeing her poke The Doctor’s head out from the pile and smile eased my strain.

“Sweets are bad for you, and apparently they are also bad for jokes as well. You are quite the one act jokester aren’t you?”

He had enough of my biting criticisms. I found his short temper to be counter his normal cheerful and joking attitude. I felt a wave of victory flood over me as I stared at him smugly. He stood with his back to me, rubbing the hair on his chin thoughtfully as he turned around and grinned menacingly. His eagle claw rose, filling with magic. I looked down at my body and found nothing to be happening to me, but the voices behind me told me what he was doing.

I turned to see Lyra being lifted off of the ground. She fought against his magic, but floated toward the beast of chaos.  He stared into her eyes and slowly began to talk to her.

“Bon-Bon has told me a great deal about you. She misses you and she only had me to keep her company.” He looked away guiltily.

“You… You didn’t.” Lyra lost her usual cool about her as she stopped fighting and stared at Discord.

“She was so down about not being able to come with you on your little journey… so I tried to cheer her up. I think she enjoyed it.” His voice was beginning to get me worried, but I quickly saw what he was doing to her. I watched as the color began to drain out of her as she stared at him, her eyes seeing something that we couldn’t see.

“What are you doing to her?” Vinyl yelled, charging toward him. Discord threw a chunk of chewed bubble gum at her feet. The gum instantly grew and ensnared her. I stood up; the worry inside had begun to shatter. My game of wits was now getting my friends in danger.

My mind raced to find a way to keep the advantage to help my friends so that they didn’t have to suffer. I knew what I had to do would make my image drop, and seeing the hurt expression across Vinyl’s face as she struggled to stop Discord from draining the hope out of Lyra, only made matters worse. I took a steadying breath in and steadied myself to make the sacrifice.

“Is that the only way you can get to me? By messing with them?” The words hurt, but I hoped the bluff would work. His attention began to fall from Lyra and Vinyl as he stared at me, groaning.

“You are just full of bite. Cupcake?” A hail of cupcakes fell around me. He left my friends alone, though now a new expression grew across their faces. They were looking at me as if I was just as equally offensive as Discord.  My sacrifice would have to work to at least make it possible for me to come back to a group of friends.

“I would ask you to go off and think of some better chaos because, frankly, this is a disgrace.” I threw at him.

I hit every key that I had before me to get the reaction that I had desired of him. He forgot my friends and chaos. I made the fight personal which sealed the deal. He walked toward me, angrily. His finger pressed onto my forehead. I felt a strong surge jolt through my body as if my heart was being ripped out. It felt as if the color drained my body as I stood in the clearing with my friends.

Discord had left. I had succeeded in saving my friends, but I knew my sacrifice had me lose the love of my life. She had seen how cruel and dark I was. She would never take me into her hooves. She would never talk to me again. I felt the heartache fill my body as the reality of the matter began to set. I would never have her as my own, a forbidden love that only Lyra and Bon-Bon had mastered and succeeded. My logical side quickly wiped my thoughts. I tightened my emotions and closed off my ties. I almost felt compelled to think the way, but I couldn’t blame some outside force. I knew it was true. It has always been true.

“What happened? What did he do to you?” Vinyl asked, slowly approaching me.

I turned to her, seeing her eyes, feeling nothing from seeing her. I knew I had destroyed those feelings, but I questioned what reasons I had to do such a thing to them. I still felt that I had lost something dear, but I felt relieved and glad that she would never have to deal with the awkwardness of knowing that her roommate had loved her for song. I had barely noticed the last of my color vanishing on the tip of my nose when I had fully accepted what had to be done.

Discord had finally left us alone, sending his usual cackle into the air. The area around us had descended into an almost indistinguishable chaos. I peered around to see the color quickly returning to Lyra and Ditsy being helped out of her encasement by The Doctor. A heavy sigh of relief escaped my lips as I relaxed and sat down.

“What the hay was all that?” Vinyl asked, a hint of anger could be heard in her voice.

“A game of wits. He won’t be bothering us for some time. We should press onwards.” I felt how detached I was. I didn’t fear it. I didn’t hate it. Instead, I found myself enjoying it. It felt good.

I turned before I could see the pained expression flood over her face. “Tavi. Tavi!” She galloped in front of me. I only just realized that my hair mane had lost its shape. It sat flat on my head, half covering my face. I remembered the style I had when I worked on the family rock farm. “Tavi! Something is wrong with you.” She knew something that I did not.

“There was something wrong with me, but I’ve been cured of that.” A deep sensation within my heart softly tugged, but I knew it was nothing. My mind had been made up, and I only desired to get to Eyn and get this over with. I trotted past her in the direction to get to Eyn.

Lyra, Doctor, and Ditsy Doo slowly made their way up to Vinyl, watching me proceed. Lyra was first to speak. “Is it me or is she gray?”

“Discord touched her.” The Doctor shook his head. “He succeeded in corrupting her, which he didn’t have time to do against you. She distracted him away from us and took the hit for us, and she doesn’t even know what she gave up.”

“What did she give up?” Vinyl asked, her voice dropping lower.

“Whatever she held the most dear to her heart.” The Doctor explained.

“So she can’t play the cello anymore?” Vinyl stared at me longingly.

I turned to see the group staring at me. I wondered what was holding them up. “Let’s try not to taint our good fortune by sitting about. We have to find Eyn.”

“She sounds like a completely different person. Is there a way to get her back to her original self?” Vinyl turned to the earth pony trapped in a pegasus.

“Only if Discord is defeated and we would need to use Elements of Harmony, but…”

“You think that other group of friends is the group that stopped Luna?”

“That would seem to be the case. If they can’t beat him then I don’t think she can ever be cured.” The tone began to drop quickly.

“And Discord said he had already dealt with them…” Her voice trailed.

“Then we can only hope for a miracle.”

I tapped my hoof as I turned back and saw them still standing like sticks in the mud. I didn’t want to deal with this now. “Any time now!” I groaned. They all peered at each other and nodded. It didn’t take them too long to catch up to me, but they never passed me. I led the group out of the woods and onto the rocky base of the mountains that surrounded Equestria. Most had been turned into hard rock candy by Discord, but I had my eyes set on the prize at the end of the road. I felt confident and happy, but the cello in my head played a requiem I had written when I was a filly. It almost felt as if a bow was using my heartstrings to play it on. I found it beautiful, but I tossed it aside as I had tossed everyone else aside.
> Chapter 9: Through the Eyes of Another
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was surprised at how well I was dealing with this strange emptiness that had filled me. Was it bravery, or was it the freedom from fear? Was there a difference? My body didn’t care as much as I began to enjoy my surroundings. The warm sunlight was a pleasant on my mane and coat. It filled my heart with selfish happiness at my own well-being. I knew my friends must have hated me for my disregard of them. The truth continually struck at my logic, and I accepted it coldly. It set me free, which only made it that much easier to accept as the right thing to do. I had to peer back as my friends climbed the side of the mountain, helping the still shaky Lyra climb over the rock to get into the mountain passes. A pressure behind my eyes told volumes of my regret of what had happened, but just as easily as that pressure arose, it vanished behind my previous life of posh class and dignity. I didn’t need them, and didn’t pursue my regret any further.

I looked at the mountain ranges and could see through the peaks to where the destination should be located. It felt closer than it was, and the idea of salvation and home made me smile. Desires and plans of moving out and going back to Canterlot excited me. To finally regain position and rank in the higher-ups satisfied my selfish wishes. A voice in the back of my head asked the question that I had hoped to avoid, but the voice was persistent, so I listened. What about Vinyl? I had to sigh at the thought. Of my friends, she had to hate me the most out of them. I tried to logically follow my conclusions of such as a means of checking, but it was always muddled in the middle.  Every time I tried to focus on the logic lost inside my head, it would veer off. I stopped and closed my eyes, determined to get that logic straight.

The fog in my head began to clear as I began to connect more dots. If I had opened my eyes I could have seen something that would have explained everything as my gray hair began to regain its color, but the focus warranted keeping my eyes closed.

“Why did you stop, Tavi?” Vinyl questioned from behind me, snapping my concentration to the side.

My eyes snapped open just as my hair lost its color again and turned to see Vinyl staring at me from behind her glasses. I forgot why I had stopped or why my eyes felt like they were pressed together tighter than they have ever been.

“Just thinking.” I guessed as much.

“Feeling okay?” The concern in her voice disarmed me completely and set my own worry as to why she had such a tone.

“I feel great, better than usual.” I admitted.

Seeing the look on Vinyl’s face didn’t help. She had always been cheerful or angry or brave, but this almost looked like fear. The source of this fear eluded me and I looked back at Lyra to try and see if something was up with her, but she seemed perfectly fine, apart of shaking.

“What’s up? What’s wrong?” I demanded more than asked.

I saw the magic aura lift the glasses from Vinyl’s eyes as she held them closer to my face. I backed away from it, unsure as to what she was trying to accomplish by invading my personal space, but the look in her worried eyes told me what she had been trying to plan. I looked in the lenses of her iconic glasses and saw my purple reflection in them. Nothing seemed wrong with it at first glance. She magically turned the purple into a more reflective surface without the purple. I looked at the gray pony in front of me, staring at me with posh eyes and a high regard for civility.

“Why am I gray?” I asked staring closer at the glasses to make sure that she or anything wasn’t fooling me, but it was true. 

“Discord-“ Vinyl started to explain.

“You’ve been corrupted, my dear. Your game of wits worked, but he took something from you as well.” The Doctor explained.

“You ponies are crazy. I think he just turned me gray to get to you.” Logic and possibility began to throw all doubt at other ideas. I abandoned the idea of being corrupted.

“Tavi, you are acting different. He must have done something to you. Taken something that you held closest to your heart and it’s making you into this… annoying mule.” Her voice bit at me.

“Mule? My dear mare… that is an atrocious accusation.” I retorted.

She responded immediately. “Really, ‘my dear mare’? You have never acted like that before. I’m worried about you, Tavi.”

“You shouldn’t be. I’m fine.” I tossed her to the side like the rest of my emotions, raised my head and trotted away from them.

“You can never play the cello again…” Vinyl tossed at my back.

I had to turn back at the wild conclusion. “Oh really? And how, might I be as so bold as to inquire, did you formulate that ghastly conclusion?” She winced at my superior intellect. Simpleton.

“I want you to hum something. Something new. I want to hear you improvise a song and hum it to me like you did back at the house when you questioned the rhythm and flow.” She demanded.

I stuttered a retort, but it was quickly hidden under the blankness of my brain. I couldn’t think of any musical chords or patterns. I cleared my throat as my ears darted inside of my head. The only thing that I could remember was the earliest of my music. A large portion of my inspiration sources, at least a faint memory as to what I look toward for inspiration, were as blurred as the connections to why I assumed Vinyl and my friends hated me. It felt off. It felt peculiar. Something was off and I couldn’t seem to focus on it. Instead, I felt a wall of selfishness force me to turn away from her and say she was below me. I listened carefully, and I obeyed. I let my mind accept the case and closed it off from any outside influences.

-
I could only stare at my closest friend as she walked way with her nose help up high. I couldn’t even begin to tell anypony the amount of distaste and contempt I had for her at this moment. I knew something was up with her rhythm especially her beat. Octavia… how could you change so much and just become such a posh jerk? She was acting just as she had acted when she had first moved into our duplex. First impressions were hard to shake with her, and this only reminded her of the Old Octavia, lost in her self and putting others below her to fill the void.

I put my shades back onto my eyes and tried to recollect my beat as well. I knew I couldn’t let anything else terrible happen to her, even if she can’t even acknowledge my presence. My dear mare… the words still irritated me, but calmed my other dislikes of her new self. She wasn’t herself and I would have to accept that and make her relax. I wished I had my music.  I would just play some trance for her and hopefully that would jog her memory and snap her out of the corruption.

“Are you going to keep slowing me down, or are you ponies going to get your flanks into gear and join me?” Octavia spoke down to us.

“Or I would put on some terrorcore and paralyze the hay out of you, and just drag you the entire way…” I gritted through my teeth.

My anger quickly waned as I remembered that she wasn’t herself. Instead, my rage began to turn toward the one that was truly responsible for taking Tavi away from me. Given the chance to, I would kick his teeth. I started to trot slowly toward Tavi as the rest of the party trotted past me to close the gap between Octavia and us. I didn’t blame them. I understood the pony speaking more than they could imagine though I would think Lyra’s preconceived notion as to what Tavi was truly like would be the most accurate guess. 

I had seen her change more than any other pony in the group. Her reactions, her uptightness, almost none existent inside of the house though should on occasion complain about the music being too loud or ‘just noise’. I had understood her objections given her background is soft melodies and melancholy tones, but I hoped to inject a bit of bumping bass to loosen her classiness out of her. It worked quite well as she evolved into a mare that knew delicate music of sadness and fears and more robust themes of happiness and love.

Love would be an understatement as to how my feelings began to change. I saw her as a sister, saying the sweetest insults to me. I never could rightfully explain why I felt so strongly toward this posh pony, but the more she opened up, the more my music flourished. It wasn’t just me getting better, I had always been the best DJ there was around, but she gave me something that my music lacked. It gave me a larger purpose than just making music. I knew beats and patterns, the right moment to drop the bass, and the correct amount of time to generate the best tension after a big build up. She gave my music a tone as I gave her music a beat with the most radical time changes ever. At night I would simply lay on my back in bed, headphones around my neck and listen inside of her room at the sad melodies in her room grow happier.

My night spying eventually caved in to me entering her room to simply listen to her play. The smile on her face when she saw me entered made me smile instinctually as my heart warmed and melted. I don’t think anyone could see the beauty behind the class that she always tried to maintain in her lifestyle. My love for her was hidden as a joke. I enjoyed seeing her take the joke and roll with it, even in public. It was fun to see people’s reactions to it, and their reaction when Tavi and me revealed the truth. I would say more like a half-truth. I meant every word that I’ve ever told her. I still tested the waters, but that pony was nigh impossible to read.

I didn’t mind too much, sometimes caught myself staring too long at as she exited the tub. Sometimes when she would put her mud mask and cucumbers on I would quietly sit in the room and watch her, question how the mud felt, or for that matter why waste good cucumbers on sitting them on therapeutic mumbo jumbo. My curiosity remained. Instead of pursing it, I had walked up to my room, jumped unto my sofa, crossed my back legs, and slipped on my headphones, enjoying the pulsing heartbeat of drum and bass.

Slowly, but surely, I began to see that tan pony walking into my room, listening to my music, watching me dance, complimenting my mad skills. I would think that she was jealous of them, but I lacked the care to flaunt it. I knew I was good, but with Tavi around, I only felt like half of the equation. I had caught myself on occasion, listening to her play her cello and I would try to mimic the sound with a bit more bump. It never felt right or didn’t hold the emotion that she Tavi could always manage.

At one point, I listened through the wall and turned on my music quietly. She continued to play as I changed the beat patterns and bass until suddenly a harmony of the two hit me almost causing my glasses to slide off of my face. I wanted to hug her, kiss her, and do something romantic to her. The trance that she created was more awe-inspiring and catchy than I could imagine. I could only smile as I turned the volume up so that the noises through the walls matched.

“Aww, yeah!” I yelled over my tunes.

Tavi too had increased how loud she was playing to match what I was playing. I stared at the wall with dreamy eyes trying to imagine that classy mare with a smirk plastered on her face, filling in the gaps of my music. I had barely noticed my horn was glowing and moving various items around my room. I didn’t realize that I was subconsciously creating something for her until I saw a strip of fabric float past my eyes. Just as I was about to question the reason for my magic being on, I heard the crash of the rest of the stuff I had lifted. The sound caused me to jump and knock the needle from the record and ceasing the music from continuing. I fell backward into my unkempt wires and stumbled into them, getting tangled and caught in them until Octavia began to question why I had stopped bringing life to her emotional slides. I had hoped to escape before she saw me wrapped up in those wires and making a fool of myself.

“Hey Tavi, I’m just hanging around.” It sounded much funnier in my head.

I expected her to just do her usual smirk and let me hang in my own wires, but this time she came in to my aid.

“Let me help you with that.” She said, smoothly.

It had to be the tone of her voice. Just how she said it made my awesome crimson eyes swell with bass build that would scare any prim, proper pony out of her palace. I didn’t even try to escape from the wire clutches of my mega-amp system. That was when I had gotten my first big whiff of her mane. It was one of the sweetest smelling manes that I had ever smelled. I was almost shocked at the sheer volume and potency of it. It was something that I felt like I could never live without, yet something I wanted to desperately run away from. I knew Tavi’s plans didn’t match up with mine. If I chose to act on those instincts, sacrifices would have had to been made, and at that stage in time, I said, “To hay with that!”

In the end, she helped me organize my wires and my basses to get more of a harmony instead of the shockwave that I was trying to go for when I had first set them up. She left with a smirk, and I returned it only to quickly turn back to the closed box and look inside to see what I had been creating. The patterns in it, and the symbolism told me more than I had been consciously aware of. It wasn’t finished, not by a long shot. I toiled over that project in my free time and every chance I had. Sometimes I made excuses like when she had gone to Gala. I never much cared for it either way, but to make sure she would not bother me and possibly make me feel guilty, I hid in my room as if I were mad at her. It worked wonderfully and I had an entire Gala event to work on it. The finished product felt beyond my skills, but it sat before me, a completed art project made with delicacy and love. Magically, I placed it within the box and locked it with a key. The symbolism in it would be enough to tell her… I grunted it off.

Now that all this time has passed, I am placed in the position to remember those old and radical moments of our evolution, and to see the current pony I am looking at, my heart hurting for her at the same time that it wants to strangle her with that pink bow.  I was never one for pompous and Tavi had turned into the pompous of pompous ponies. I wouldn’t even think such would be possible by removing her ability to play the cello. 

“You seem to have quite the fury of thoughts on your mind.” Came the familiar voice of Lyra.

“Of course I do. Even though Tavi is now walking us there, we still need a plan.” I mumbled.

Lyra stared at me quizzically and followed my eyes. I wasn’t even aware that she had noticed me staring at her, I’m glad that the glasses at least manage to hide my emotions though she would only see some sadness toward her while the fire demon within me demanded to get a shot at Discord.

“A plan to get her back?” Lyra asked me after a long pause.

I had to think about answering it, but I couldn’t go around the question. “Yes.” I preferred to say less than more on the subject.

Lyra looked at the ground and thought for only a second before raising her head up to stare at me. “How long?”

I stared at her, confused as to the question that she was asking me. It only took eye contact to get the connotation she was trying to imply. “Tavi and me? You don’t think…” I wasn’t going to bluff her.

“I’ve seen how you’ve been staring at her since Discord injected his corruption into her head. Friends would be concerned, afraid, and angry with the one responsible. You on the other hand reminded me so much of Bonbon. The look in her face when she first found me in front of the Everfree, cut, bruised, and confused. It was the same expression. You let your heart speak.” She explained.

“It’s just that we are roommates. You may have crossed signals or something.” I rejected.

She smirked at my response; I knew she was aware that I was lying. She continued to walk beside me, staring at Ditsy standing closer to The Doctor. Both of them accepting the other pony’s presence and holding each other’s weight.

“It feels great, you know? It feels wonderful to embrace the one you truly love. It could be in any condition, life, death, wind, rain, or a perfect day. It’s stronger than you can imagine.” She passed me a soft grin and continued by my side.

My thoughts quickly clouded with the situation where I would be able to share such a moment with Tavi. I imagined trance gracing the background harmonizing with a live orchestra. It could be after one of her concerts or something. I hadn’t worked out the setting, or how it would have gotten to that point, but it was pleasant enough. Amid our differences, there was still plenty where we were similar. Sometimes is surprised me, but that harmony that was between us was almost unnatural. I could have stayed with the ruse of sharing only sisterly love with her, but I figured that I should stop lying to Tavi. Lying had already put her in this horrid forest. It was lying that had taken her away from me. I figured it would be truth to bring her back. I increased my pace to catch up with Tavi to say a few words.

> Chapter 10: A Brush of Inspiration
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I had my eyes locked on her, her pace was strong and set with conviction, and I wouldn’t blame her. I pretended to make myself believe that Tavi had her mind set on regaining what she had lost, but I knew that she had grown unaware as to the disharmony within her. My quick trot wasn’t enough, and, at times, I found myself taking a double step gallop to catch up to her. The Doctor and Ditsy stared at me as I walked. I silenced Ditsy with a stare before I continued forward.

“Tavi! Octavia, I need to chat.” My informality had even seeped into my concern.

She continued her quick pace, but gave me a glance back. “What is it Victoria?”

“Excuse me? Victoria?” My committed speech ran into the recess of my mind. “I thought we agreed that you would never call me that in front of other ponies.” My defensive anger began to grow.

“One shouldn’t hide from their true name.” She still hadn’t slowed. I considered that a smart move on her part as my desire to clop her in the mouth began to grow.

“Stop acting like your some sort of ritzy, ditsy pony, Tavi.” I looked back at Ditsy. “No offense.”

She hadn’t even heard me and raised her ears at me. I knew she was going to ask ‘what?’ but I didn’t let her and turned back to Octavia.

“It is Octavia. Not this pet name of Tavi.” She gritted at me. I stared at her both in shock and in sadness. This wasn’t the same mare that I wanted to give my heart to. This wasn’t the mare that I had made that present for. I saw myself, as being delusional into thinking that this ‘graying’ was some sort of minor change and not a complete change in character. I wished that I could have my old, classy pony back, one that would still play in harmony with me.

“Octavia. Listen to yourself. When have you ever talked to Vinyl that way?” I turned around to see Lyra galloping up to the front. “You are letting the corruption win.” She bellowed.

Her words even caused my heart to stand still, even more so when I saw that Octavia had stopped. She chuckled at the ground before turning to Lyra, her face cracked in irritation and another emotion that I couldn’t distinguish. She had lost almost who she was completely, at an accelerated rate. I didn’t even know who I was looking at anymore. Her movements were stiff and shaky as her ears flapped on her head. The more I stared at her the more I found her appearance to be frighteningly broken and struggling. I wanted to reach inside of her and somehow save her, but I knew it was beyond me.

“Listen to myself? I would love to listen to myself. I would love to hear music again and not the same old sad songs I scribbled when I was sobbing in my room. I’ve lost everything, and I am as big as a failure as I had started.” Her voice was cracked and strained. She meant every word, but it wasn’t the Octavia I had just talked to, but the one that I knew. My heart fluttered in an almost sappy and romantic way, but now I understand why those mares fell so hard for those handsome stallions in those movies she made me sit through. The feeling was unrivaled and simply unlike anything that I had ever experienced. I had felt something with each of the stallions I was with, but she had a far different sensation that resonated through me like… well a lethal decibel bass drop.

“Octavia?” I found myself only able to say to her.

She turned to me with tears in her eyes. They had regained their color. It was then that I realized how much I enjoyed her eyes. Even after the short amount of time since her transformation and the time she has had her flanks in my face, I had began to miss the purple. People always comments on my eyes, but I felt I had nothing against Octavia’s. The more I thought, the more my mind wanted to be a cliché suck up and fall to her feet sobbing and wishing for her to come back. The more I thought about it the more I realized how that wouldn’t even work right, and amid the truth that I had fallen for my classical roommate, I wasn’t going to humiliate myself in front of her to make my confession.

The gray quickly began to return to her eyes as the tears dried up. She stared at me, almost in anger. “Just leave me alone… miscreants.” With that insult she stormed off to the front of the pack again. I returned to Lyra’s side.

“You tried your best. We need to get rid of Discord.” I whispered to her, trying to hold back my desire to run up to Tavi and tell her everything including what was contained within the locked box on her back.

“I don’t know how we are going to manage that. There is no putting a dent in that guy.” She admitted to me.

“Still… do you have any ideas as to what we can try?”

“None…” Lyra grunted. I don’t even see how we can think when everything is collapsing around us into a fridge of fudge-tastic follies.”

“Sounds like Pinkie Pie.” I affirmed, trying to take my mind off of the events around me, from the pony walking in front of me.

“I haven’t a single party that she has thrown. Bonbon and I always try to catch them. Bonbon bobs around while I normally bust out some shuffles.” I watched as she began to kick her legs and slide them across the ground. She had some moves to her, but I she had nothing on mine. I could only smile at that fact, but I avoided the thought.

“I’ve always enjoyed her parties as well, though the fun and overall happy tone is sometimes difficult to get used to. I prefer more serious, upbeat raves. The ones that cast in the dark of the clubs with the lasers lighting up the room of my adoring fans.”

My mind began to wander back to the time that I had my first successful gig. It wasn’t the most crowded of rooms, but it was still a sizeable group of ponies that expected to have their manes vibrate off of their heads. I had full intention of bringing a shiver down their spines and a new rhythm to their heartbeats. I stretched behind the curtain as I listened to the warm-up music beat into my head and pump me up. I jumped and cracked my neck, catching sight of the messenger colt, but I kept my back to him for dramatic effect.

“Ms. Scratch. You are on in thirty seconds.”

I had always grown to think that they would warn you when you had five minutes left, but instead I was caught off guard and almost tripped over my leg as I tried to turn to question the quickness of the message. Before my mind even had time to process the urgency of the time I had left to prepare, I was being pushed out into the lights and the cheer. No pony had even heard of me, and yet they cheered my stage name: DJ Pon-3.

It felt good. It felt right. It felt too soon, but I didn’t care. I climbed to the top of the disc jockey table and I threw my hoof into air and heard the roar from the ponies in the crowd. I commanded an army of thralls, and I wished of them to dance. My horn lit up and placed my records onto the turntables, putting the needle down and let the music slowly begin to set in and grow in volume. The sound was deafening and the roar of the crowd quickly vanished from my ears as my music exploded into life. The faces, the sweat, the collective movement of bodies, hitting, grinding, and rubbing moved in front of my eyes. I saw ponies dance while kissing, while others should have found a room. The followers were as dirty as the music, my group of people, yet one pony didn’t belong. 

I didn’t know her then, but I knew her now. Pinkie Pie and her far more uptight and classier sister was hidden in the crowd. Pinkie had a nice smile plastered on her face as her perpetual sugar rush bumped to the bass. Her sister, on the other hand, had a look of distaste. I wanted to jump into the crowd and smack some sense into her. I wondered how Pinkie even managed to get her sister to come to this rave. I have never asked either of the time. I doubt Tavi even remembered that she had been to one of my raves way before we had even met. I doubt she even heard me arguing with the guards outside of one of her concerts.

My regular occurrences outside of her concerts getting into a bit of a ruff with the guards weren’t my attempt at actually trying to listen to her play. I wasn’t even interested in the little classical prodigy that she was. I saw her as a boring mare with a twenty-foot pole hidden up her rear. I remember trying to throw a pie at her just for the kicks of it. I can say that I have never seen a pony react as fast as her and not only duck it, but grab it out of the air and set it on the table next to her. That was when I learned her name was Octavia Pie, which only made it harder for me to consider that she had any of the sugar soaked blood inside of Pinkie. I figured that is why Pinkie had so much color versus her grayer sister.

It wasn’t long before the immature crashing of other parties began to bore me. I still enjoyed the occasional crash, but Octavia’s were by far the least successful. I couldn’t land any prank or joke on her, which only laid a foundation of admiration in the back of my mind. I enjoyed it greatly, so great that I wrote plenty of musical masterpieces from it. The beats became unpredictable and swift to symbolize her reaction times along with intense build-ups. It wasn’t long before I realized that I had created ten songs using her as my inspiration. I threw out the eleventh as I paced my empty house. There was no way that I was falling for that black and white mare. Given she was… well a she, she simply had no color to her and a lack of personality. I grunted at the idea. A knock at the door helped me escape my mind. I opened the door to find one of the other DJ’s that played around Equestria. The shock of being visited by someone as famous as Bass Drop was something that no DJ mare could take lightly to. I could have sworn my desires flipped instantly to him. I wanted him. I wanted him so that I could escape the thoughts of Octavia.

Sadly, that was not meant to be as she moved into my house a few days later. I avoided her as much as I could, and found that she avoided me just as much. It helped me keep my senses and not listen to the ever-increasing voice inside of my heart that wanted to see if there was a character behind that dull exterior. Conversation became inevitable, as I would sit at the dinner table eating my cereal. She would enter slowly, locking eyes with me before rolling them and opening the cupboards. Instead of the simple, she cooked up delicate foods. It looked and smelled wonderful. Nights of the temptation led to me stealing some of her food, which should have been all of her food, but I couldn’t bring myself to take all of it. Dirty looks still grew, but she never complained.

It wasn’t long before I forced myself to ask her how she did it. I even apologized for taking her food before, which felt so unlike me that I was sure that I was lying to not only her, but also myself. Talking became more common in the household and eventually I began to connect with her on many more levels. She had a personality that was biting and bitter as mine. We talked about politics of other lands, different cults, dragon castes, butterfly religions, and eventually music. I had always seen our music as incapable of being together, but they were similar, scarily similar. I still kept my distance and considered her as an acquaintance and that was all, not even a friend.

Then there was a night that changed everything and opened my eyes to what I had blinded myself to. I had my usual weekly house party with Bass Drop. We had the guests bumping and moving in the living room. I had kept the study closed off at the request of Octavia who had kept her things inside. I punched my hoof into the air to the beat as I grinned at the control that I had over my techno thralls. It felt good to feel the love coming from my guests. That was when I saw the study door open, and Bass Drop and two of his friends enter the room. He should have known more than any other pony not to enter that room so I went to investigate.

“Bass Drop?” I poked my head in the room.

There he sat with his two goons messing with Octavia’s things. It bothered me immensely that it was Bass who had broken the rules of the party.

“Oh, Scratch darling. We were just checking out your posh roommate’s stuff. I don’t know how you can manage to live with such a stiff mule.” He laughed.

“We agreed that no one was allowed to be in here that includes you.” It irritated me that I had to tell him the rules that we had made together.

“Oh shush… we aren’t hurting anything.” I listened as they began to detune Tavi’s cello. The line had been crossed.

I hurriedly stepped forward as to stop the shenanigans when goon two decided that I was trespassing, taking his place right in front of me.

“Bass… Stop messing with her stuff. That isn’t cool.” I had to plead through my gritted and annoyed teeth.

“No. You know what isn’t cool and just so unlike you? Her. That Octavia. Do you see what she stands for? She is part of the elite that thinks of us as dirt. I mean, look how picky they are Scratch, I turn this knob a quarter turn and their world has ended. I would think you would support this kind of fun more because you get to see her pitiful reaction to when she touched it the next morning.” He laughed as my heart began to boil.

“How can you even judge her like that when you don’t even know her?”

The question rang truer in my head than anything I had ever said before to him. It was a question that even I was guilty of breaking. It was a question that told me more answers about myself than any drop-guru had ever told me. She had been a kinder friend to me than any of my followers who I tried to pass as friends. I stared at Captain Large who blocked my path to Bass Drop. There was no question that I was going to break up with him this night, but I wanted to break him first.

I picked up I book with my magic just as I stared at Large-a-lot, the gluttonous pig and mental vacant. The other goon I knew was agile, but was fragile. I threw all of the books off of the bookshelf as if it were a shotgun sending the small one across the room just as I socked the larger one in the face with my hoof. The looks on their faces were priceless. Dropping a bookcase on the quicker one helped hold him back as I easily dodged the lumbering attacks from the more difficult to deal with stallion.

I used my magic to toss furniture at him before he lunged at me just as I bucked him with both my back hooves. I felt his jaw dislocate and a dull thud follow confirming that it was only I and Bass left. The adrenaline had me at such a loss, I didn’t even realize that the music had stopped and the guests had been watching the fight through the door that I never closed.

Earth pony versus a unicorn turned out to be a tougher fight than I thought. He managed to crack my back as he smashed my threw me into the coffee table and pinned me against the ground. I broke my glasses and my nose into his face and wailed him into the broken pieces of wood. My glasses were shattered and blood trickled from my face and my sore and out of place back. I yelled at everyone to leave. Everyone including the two goons were scraped up and dragged out as I stood over the hurting and bleeding Bass Drop.

“We are over… and if you ever…” I had to take a breath to steady my rage and to not continue grinding him into the floor, but Octavia had made a more civil, a more mature pony rise out of me. “…Find you in Ponyville again… I will… end you…” I meant every word.

I watched as that sorry excuse for a DJ left and a large single sign re-emerge onto my name though at that moment I had already known where my heart was leading me. A creak from the stairs had me staring at the Octavia, staring at me with worry and shock. I had to admit that my adrenaline had not worn off yet, and I could only chuckle at the mess in the house.

I forget what I said to her. I didn’t really care. I retreated to the bathroom to clean up my wounds and wash the blood out of my fur. It had to have been quite the surprise to her to finally see my bizarre eye color. She reacted like most ponies and just stared. Most ponies did. Most would then ask why my hair was blue when I had crimson red eyes. Octavia never asked. She responded to my blur of words and I heard the same blur of incoherence. My ears were ringing like I just exited a club when I had my head inside of the subwoofer. 

I grew up that day. I was the same old party pony and I rocked harder than anyone in all of Equestria, but my home life changed. Octavia evolved into more than just an acquaintance and eventually into more than just a friend though I couldn’t rightfully say what exactly this new level of respect and admiration was. I think the best explanation I could come up with was when our music combined in perfect harmony. Harmony.

My gift for her would have told her everything, but now I see someone that was just like Bass. I thought she was someone different and stuck on him or her like they would realize the love I had for them and it would just work for us. I even tried to get drunk and spill the beans to her, but the “inside joke” had gone to far. She never reacted to me. She always seen it as a joke and always pushed me back to just a harmonic sister. I wanted to tell her that I loved her and mean every word of it, but she wasn’t the pony that defended in that house. She wasn’t the Octavia that had brought a new beat into my life. She was a drop, and a bad one at that. I decided to reserve my confession to when she was cured of her corruption… if she could be cured of it. I hoped that she could. I hoped more than any pony could ever hope.

My lapse into thought had let time pass me by. We had exited the mountains surprisingly. I looked back at them with a longing look. I had preferred memories of Tavi and me to an adventure. I looked back at my self and began to question who I was anymore. I barely even saw the black shadow the folded inside of my shadow. The whisper was even harder to actually pinpoint the source.

“Why didn’t you save her? You could snap her out of it, yet you didn’t. Why blame her when it is solely you to blame. She tried to help everyone as you stood there and selfishly protected your own well-being.”

“I know…”

“Know what?” Lyra asked.

“It is your fault…” It continued.

“I know…” I felt my senses began to dull. I believed it. It made so much sense.

“Whom are you talking to?” Lyra stared at me.

“It’s all my fault…” I continued to speak.

“Who…” She saw my blue tail beginning to turn gray. “Don’t listen to Vinyl! Snap out of it!”

“But you can help her.” The voice added.

“What?” The advancing gray stopped as I listened to the unfamiliar voice.

“There is always a way.” It died to a distant whisper. The sound of the real world began to climb around me as I heard Lyra yelling at me, the rest of the ponies staring at me. The color returned to me quickly as I looked around at the group, the shadow peeling off of my shadow and into the swamps.

> Chapter 11: Shared Thoughts and Understanding
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The swamp. I had never imagined that it looked this bad even if I was given pictures. The land stretched out, flat and barren as sulking trees hung over the green pools of slime as if in a depression. Bubbles bubbled and gas pockets hissed, as I grew increasingly bored with what I was seeing. The danger was enough to keep me on the tips of my hooves along with the confusion of the voice that had so softly whispered in my ear. At first, it had sounded familiar. I quickly associated it with Discord and tried to fight it off, but doubt had set in to my thoughts. The doubt quickly festered into believing the prying logic given to me, but just as quickly as I believed him, he finished his thought. Could I possibly save her? I stared at the ground in my usual thought process of “moping about”, as Tavi put it. I called it Attentive Thinking Stance Omega Series A while Tavi called me ‘special’.

I hadn’t given much thought about her ‘special’ comment, but it felt there was much more strain than there should have been when she said it. Was it the twinkle in her eyes? No. I flushed the thoughts from my head. I was sick of looking into the past; I had to focus on the present. I always knew Octavia had some sense, no matter how polite she tried to be about it, of me having a lower intellect. In more recent times, I believe that she stopped believing that about me. It was always a joy to see ponies realize that there was a powerful working brain behind my crimson eyes. It was just a bit lazy and enjoyed its fair share of indulgences.

Octavia drank wine and soft beverages as I typically became hammered, but I saw it as exploration. Strange enough, I could make the comparison of the smell of rum to the smell of the swamp. I poked my nose over the side of the embankment to see the greenish, shadowy outline looking back at me. It popped with swamp gas right in my face causing a commotion that I would have found funny. The thought of seeing my own misfortune still managed to get my funny bone working. Through coughs and chortles, I managed to make out through my tears that everyone was staring at me. I stubbornly tried to explain what I found so funny, but trying to talk while doing everything else, left a jumbled mass of words vomiting from my mouth.

“Geez, Vinyl. You shouldn’t be trying to breath in the swamp fumes.” Lyra stared at me.

I chuckled and patted her on the back. “Please, a little swamp gas won’t stop me from helping Tavi get to the end of this journey.” The false bravado worked to ease my anxiety.

I could only stare at the gray pony taking the front of the pack. All of her tiny details of her mood were still present in her gait, details I wished I hadn’t seen. Each step moved with slow deliberation with a drag on the back of her hooves. She wasn’t her classy self, but was hiding behind it so that her depression wouldn’t break through. She had been happy, even when she was afraid at the beginning of the journey. I would think she found an almost enjoyable excitement of facing her fears. She had lost whatever was driving her through the forest before. Maybe she had made some song of courage.

I looked out at the trees that hung low into the water. They appeared as depressed as Tavi. The atmosphere slowly descended into one that I loathed.  How dare they be depressed? I had to let out a grumble as I stepped into the ground that gave a soft squish.

“It could always be worse. I mean you could have to live here.” I heard a voice from behind.

“Yeah that would suck… wait.” I turned around startled and wide-eyed.

I came face to face with a chest of an alicorn. I fell backward in shock and looked up into the large shroud of the robes that were worn by him. Beneath the darkness that obscured his face, I could see the soft glow of white where his eyes should be. The stare was cold and overlapping on many levels as if he was seeing into my very soul.

“Victoria Clarabell Scratches,” He tilted his head with a slight look of intrigue filling his eyes. “Vinyl Scratch, I’m sorry for the mistake. Such a change from your heritage and family.”

“Who are you?” I could only stare at him. “How do you know my full name?”

“I know a great deal about you. It was surprising by how much you try to hide from yourself and how much you try to hide from her.” He nodded toward the gray pony in the front. I stared longingly at her.

My stubborn bravado began to return to me as I turned my attention back to the large alicorn. “You never answered me. Who are you?”

“Me? Why would you want to anything about me…?” He phased from existence as he stepped forward, but his voice never faded. “I’m just an outcast, a forgotten being of truth…” He phased just inches from ear, circling me slowly. “Why would residences of the kingdom even dare to come into my forest and then ask me who I am?”

“You can’t be…” Bravado faltered quickly as the realization that he was real.

“Your thoughts are correct. I am the one you were expecting, though I can say I wasn’t expecting you. I could feel your intentions and inspired you to cure your lover, but I have no control of which direction you took, and what do you know… the universe is a funny place isn’t it?” His voice was calm and filled with charm. He appeared again, mere inches from Lyra who didn’t flinch or even notice him. 

I could only watch as he reared his head back revealing the jagged broken horn that had been snapped from his head and the hiss of his right foreleg, which consisted of a sophisticated array of machinery. What happened and what was he doing? I could only watch as he brought his head down, stabbing the jagged edge into Lyra’s side, tearing her open and sending her off to the side in a bloody heap.

“It would have been daft of me to actually do that…” He spoke looking back at me.

I locked eyes in disbelief in those softly lit white eyes. “But you just…” I turned back to see Lyra completely unhurt and continuing on her way without even a flinch. She turned back to me, her eyes still playful and holding a happiness to it. Our adventure was going right inside her head, yet in mine I had a large shadow standing over her, one that she looked right at, but never looked at, instead she looked through him at me.

“Talking to yourself? That is a new one Vinyl.” She chuckled in hope of breaking the dreary mood of the swamp.

“Do you know why I like the swamp?” the mysterious alicorn asked.

“Why?” I asked.

“Why? I’ve never seen yourself talk to you before that is why.” Lyra responded.

“It’s as dreary as the hole I’ve been living. The hole that your fair and loving princess put me in all those years ago, but that is beyond me, all now has been forgotten of my existence. The mind is a quite the busy office and some things get misplaced as I brought out the misplacement of the memory of me.” He chuckled to himself.

“How?” I felt paralyzed by that stare of his. It burned inside of my head, aching and grinding at my thoughts and my motivation to pursue knowledge, yet his eyes were completely unchanged, unblinking.

“With my eyes? What is wrong with you? You are acting really weird.” Now the whole group had stopped and stared at Lyra and then to me. I wasn’t even aware of neither the sweat that covered my body nor the fear in my eyes. It felt too real, too unlike me.

“They already think you are crazy… just sitting in the mud… talking to yourself. I’m sure you have noticed that I don’t exist as much as I can make you see anything I wish for you to see.” He walked forward, walking up Lyra and walking in front of her, her nose still sticking out of his chest as he matched her pace. “And the kicker…”

“Is there something wrong, Vinyl?” Lyra and the alicorn asked in unison.

“I’m fine…” I spoke, listening to the same tone of the alicorn.

I felt my heart skip a beat as I slowly backed away from the Lyra and alicorn combo standing in front of me. “What is this?” I asked as the hooded pony spoke. “Stop it!” Again, my voice was joined in perfect harmony with his voice.

“What’s wrong, Vinyl? Stop what?” Lyra’s and the other pony’s voice were filled with concern.

“I can even control your emotions, your fear… who you are? How does it feel to be her? How does it feel to be Octavia?” He ground into me. I never felt such a stark, irrational fear course through my blood. 

I shouldn’t have felt that way, I forgot who I was and stumbled over a rock, knocking the glasses off of my face. The ground quickly fell away from my feet as I fell backward, Lyra and the rest of the group’s face, broken in shock as I watched them fall under the sky and the sun. Gravity pulled on me, trying to return my thoughts and body, back to Equestria, but instead a pool of realization filled me that had never allowed my stubbornness to see. I saw how Octavia acted around me; the look in her eyes when mine met hers, and how she mumbled to herself after leaving my rooms on occasions. She had the same feelings for me as I did her, and suddenly I knew exactly what was taken away from her.

It stung my lungs as the air was pushed out of it by the cold water of the pool I fell into. I was surprised by how deep it was, and strangely how clear it was. I knew I had to swim up and out, but quickly realized that I couldn’t move. Looking down in the darkness of the water, I could make out only a slight movement. My horn filled with light and revealed an entanglement of evil eels ensnaring me. I almost coughed out what little air I had in a scream, but found that my stubborn bravado had returned as if the pool had cleansed me of that walking nightmare.

The water above me was suddenly disturbed as I kicked and squirmed against the eels. My heart began to race as drowning quickly showed it to be quite the anticlimactic end to me. Another, larger shadow swam around me. A sharp pain filled my back as something hit the eels hard causing their grip to loosen giving me enough time to electrify the water with my only-meant-for-visual-effect lightning. It worked as I watched the eels disappear into the void. I turned quickly to see the piercing eyes of Octavia staring into mine. She grabbed my mane in her teeth and dragged me to the surface. I never knew she was that strong.

I broke the water as my lungs were about to collapse to see the others standing on the shore, concerned and in shock at the events. He was also standing there, a smirk spread across his face, invisible to everyone around him. I tried to talk, but found that I couldn’t. The smirk widened on the alicorn. Rage filled me at how he was controlling my body. I shot another bolt of lightning where he was standing and watched him disappear.

“You son of a mule!” I yelled.

I couldn’t even describe the pleasure of being able to hear my own voice again or the sensation of my body and hooves. He was gone. Swimming to the shore, I caught sight of Octavia climbing out of the water. Her wet mane blocked her face, but she seemed miserable though something about her was different. She turned to me and gave me a smile, her eyes glittering with her striking purple eyes.

“You had me worried, Vi.” My nickname rolled around in my head like an orbital rave ball. I couldn’t help, but smile at the mention of it. 

“In my domain… my brother’s tricks shall not reside.” The alicorn’s disembodied voice spoke. “Come to me at once, the future awaits.”

I looked back at Octavia. Her pain and fears were still fresh in my mind, though something had been lost, and I could feel it. Before I had hit the water, I had realized something, but it always seemed to be behind party fog. I wondered if it was this masked alicorn’s doing. I wondered if I had stumbled into the legendary Eyn Spyyr. There were too many questions and too little amount of time to enjoy any of them. Turns out my previous actions and ‘talking to myself’ hadn’t been forgotten.

“What’s wrong with you?” The Doctor asked.

I opened my mouth to tell them of what I saw and heard, but a soft voice behind me spoke first. “She’s just tired, and the swamp fumes are getting to her. Let’s go back to the mountains and make camp there. We can try and get our bearings there.” Octavia spoke.

“I don’t know if you realize this, but Discord destroyed our tents and camping gear. We have to press forward and get to the bottom of this. We have to save Ponyville and Canterlot.” The Doctor mustered in a nice speech.

“Dinky needs me.” Ditsy added. She stood next to her own body and looked down at herself. “Plus, I want my wings back.”

“We won’t get anywhere if these fumes get to us and we go insane. We need to guarantee that everyone is fit to continue. We have already seen the effects that it had on Vinyl.” She continued.

I watched as the Doctor began to realize what I had seen. “You… your color. How did you break Discord’s curse?” The question seemed unlike him.

“Curse? What curse?” The look on Octavia’s face was both cute and concerning. She had no clue as to what he was talking about.

“The one that Discord put on you? Does that ring a bell? It was an overwhelming sadness or depression that took you over? Nothing?” He seemed shocked at the lack of memory.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” She shook her head and that was when another difference revealed itself. In her slight movements, I saw that her color moved slightly faster than her body. At first, I believed her about the swamp fumes, but this was real. 

She turned back to me, the sun catching her eyes just right and revealing a soft glowing white undertone to them. My heart sank as I stared at her in disbelief. She smiled, at me, the grin implying more than just being friendly, but of a devious manner.

“I will guide you to me. When I have released your Octavia… you must tell her and let go. This is the only way to cure her curse. The timing shall be perfect.” Eyn spoke directly into my mind before turning Octavia’s body around and walking her back toward the mountains.

Everyone followed as I stared at Octavia. How could so much go wrong with her on this journey? Was she just a magnet for danger and disruption? I knew her sister normally ruined every party that she was hired. Yet, she continued. She had forced herself to go into the Everfree with me. She had forced herself to continue even when Discord made the journey bleak. I knew she wasn’t the one to give up, but this surprised me. Everything about her character only began to glimmer more, I only wished she was herself again.

We did what we could with what we had in the mountains. Octavia managed to scrounge up some soft moss for us to lie down and try to get some sleep. I had to admit that I wasn’t tired nor did the swamp gases that exploded from those nasty bubbles intoxicate me. Instead, I found myself resting on my moss, looking at everyone else try to sleep. Thankfully the random moonrise and sunrise granted us with a night in which the others to rest their eyes. I saw Ditsy shiver as a cold breeze blew over the mountainside. Taking my moss, I moved over to put it on her, but found The Doctor was doing the same. Surprisingly, he didn’t see that I was up as well. I watched him cover her and more surprisingly, I watched him join her, sharing their body heat.

Something in those two had clicked and it had clicked quickly. I didn’t know if it was The Doctor feeling bad for her, or if in this short amount of time, he had grown feelings for the clumsy pegasus. It could have also been the fact that they were stuck in each other’s bodies. Meanwhile, Lyra was lying on her back, legs spread out and mouth hung open, snoring and scratching her stomach from time to time. I don’t think I could ever understand how a pony could act as strange as her. In minutes, I heard the soft breathing of the sleeping ponies around me, except for Tavi’s.

I poked my head up from my soft moss and looked around for her. I was thankful that the moon was full out glittering brightly in the sky casting the ground in a transient twilight. It gave everything a strange color, which would be quite the conversation piece if I could replicate it at my next rave. My thoughts ceased as I saw the dark outline of Octavia sitting on a large rock, staring up at the moon. I rose quietly and approached the shadow. I felt playful as I snuck up the rocky hill, silent like those fabled eastern ninja ponies. I managed to get behind a rock right next to her without arousing any suspicion from her.

“Beautiful isn’t it?” Eyn asked in his voice, but through Octavia’s body. “Join me. I wish to discuss something with you.”

I cursed under my breath, but walked around the rock and sat next to her, staring at her, as she never broke her gaze from the moon. “Why are you holding Octavia captive?” I demanded.

“I’m not… She needed guidance. She was lost… This was the only way to prevent her death.” His words bit into me as the last words echoed in my mind. ‘…to prevent her death.’ “Have you ever simply stared at the beauty of the moon?” Eyn asked.

“On occasion… why?” I wondered, trying to make heads or tails of why he would change the subject so quickly.

“I have my reasons. There isn’t a night where I don’t look up at it and know…” He trailed off, hiding his next words. “Well that is for another time.” He spoke instead. “I normally have such clear thoughts about what to say, but the moon has always made my mind go blank. It is such a relieving experience from my daily chores and magic.”

His voice sounded softer, less harsh, and not as bitter. It almost felt as if the alicorn that gave me quite the stark reality shock was faded from a full rave to a trance lounge. His thoughts were collected and his mood seemed carefree. Slowly I began to hear Octavia’s voice harmonizing with Eyn’s. It tickled my heart and made me smile as the words expelled from her lips.

“I wouldn’t have had this journey any other way, just as long as I had you.” It made me blush harder than I had ever had before. The tone sounded friendly, but the meaning came off as romantic and beautiful. I couldn’t even bring myself to care if Eyn had controlled her to do it, but I still had to ask.

“Did you make her say that?” I asked, the suspense of the answer almost stopped the question before I could finish asking it.

“She can still hear you. She has a strong will.” He turned his attention to me, locking me in place with those purple eyes.

I couldn’t tell if it was the color of her eyes or how her eyelids had fallen or simply the shimmer of the moon in them, but there wasn’t a stronger time that I wanted to let my heart bleed for once in its life and spill all of the beans to my cell loving roommate.

“Octavia, I-“

Eyn placed Octavia’s hoof on my lips to silence me. “Not yet…”

Sighing softly, I decided to just enjoy the sight and remember it. Eyn turned back toward the moon and gave his own sigh.

“I’ve been reading through all of your friend’s thoughts and memories. You have quite the herd with you. There is much love between all of you including the Ancient and the muffin lover. Lyra Heartstrings misses her Bonbon more than you can believe, though she puts on a nice face to hide her worry. You and Octavia are quite a different story.” He chuckled to himself. “Best to play your cards right on this one…”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“You’ll know.”

“Come on! Why are you holding back?”

He hushed me. “You don’t want to wake the others now do you? I am holding back because destiny needs to find itself. Yours and Octavia’s fate is on the bar and either outcome could exist. This all relies on what Octavia decides and also when you decide. You will have to know and feel when it is right.”

“So you are Eyn Spyyr?” I wanted to hear it from his… Octavia’s mouth.

“It has been a long time since I’ve heard that name…” He paused in careful reflection of it. “Yes, I do believe I was called that a long time ago.”

“Are you one of the good ponies or are you like Discord?” I had to ask again in reference to how our first meeting had played out.

“I am no way like my brother…” He simply stated.

“Brother?”

He never stopped staring at the moon. “That would be another story, Vinyl Scratch.”

“So you are good then?” I felt a bit better about him not being on Discord’s side.

He broke his view from the moon and stared at me again, his eyes bore a harsher hole this time. It scared me slightly for the answer that lay just beyond them. “I am good to some, though some have some explaining to do. Now let me be…” He looked back at the moon, never blinking and looking around as if to see something that wasn’t there.

“Goodnight, Octavia.” I ended.

“Goodnight, Vinyl.” Only Octavia’s voice spoke without the harmonizing Eyn. It warmed my heart to hear that she was still inside of her body.

Too many questions filled my head, but with my warmed heart, it was easier to let them go so that I could properly rest. When I arrived back at the makeshift camp, Ditsy had cuddled under the Doctor’s chin. Thinking about the situation between the two, I found them cuddling with their own bodies to crack a smile. I searched the ground for the dark spot to mark my moss clump. I found it just as I heard a muffled snore. I turned my attention back to Lyra to see her still sleeping. Drool had made its way down the side of her mouth as she continued to sleep and murmur to herself.

“Bonbon… quit tickling me… twit.” I could just make out the slight crack of a grin spread across her face.

I think we all wanted to think of better times. I just wanted to wake up from this nightmare of a trip. I missed listening to my music heavily. Slowly, I made a beat in my head and bobbed my head silently to it as I curled up on my moss and closed my eyes to the world around me. I sat in the darkness and waited for the spotlight. The final song was right around the corner.

> Chapter 12: Competitive Inspirations
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Images of the world surrounded me. It terrified and shocked me as everything was cast in what seemed like the slow motion effects generated by strobe lights. I focused through the heartbeat like bass and through the crowd of faceless and colorless ponies. Where was I? How did I get here? A spotlight broke the darkness around me and illuminated a single pony, the only mare that had been on my mind this entire journey. My gift was still bulging at the pack tied around her waist, waiting to be opened.

“Tavi!” I yelled over the music that had blared up to a more distinct volume of bumping beats and booming bass. She didn’t hear me, but instead turned away from me and began to head toward the door.

A sudden panic filled me as I tried my hardest to break the wall of ponies blocking her and me, but for each step I managed, Octavia managed three strides. It only made me try harder which seemed to only slow me down as Octavia pulled away, exiting the light from the spotlight and becoming hidden in the darkness. I jumped the last bit of the way and landed in the light where she was standing and took a good three steps in the empty light when the music completely died and another spotlight turned on across the room. Octavia was standing in the light with Frederic Opus Horseshoepin, the greatest classical pony composer that Equestria has to offer that pales the abilities of Octavia and myself.

My heart dropped and skipped a few, each sending a red floodlight burning in the room with each beat. The bass also echoed with the heartache. I didn’t like what I was seeing as she slowly approached him, the bag falling from her back, my gift collapsing to the ground, easily forgotten. Frederic stared at her, enticing her, teasing her with his dignified eyes that I could never offer. I wanted to lunge and attack him, but every time I looked back at Octavia, I found that doing such would only further her separation from me. I wanted to do something, make my presence known, and make sure that she wouldn’t forget me. I didn’t want to be forgotten. Please don’t forget me…

They neared closer, the bass going faster as if a build up, the red lights creating their own strobe as I watched them nearing. Octavia seeing her dream getting closer as I saw her shrink away from me as if the floor they were standing on was moving away. Everything grew fuzzy as my eyes filled with tears and heartache. I couldn’t watch as their eyes began to close with the seduction of each other’s closeness, their lips opening just enough to meet with the other’s lips.

“Octavia!” I cried out. It felt completely unlike me. It felt girly and pathetic as if I was defeated. Tears were openly streaming from my face as I stared at her.

My shout held no bounds and was just as easily forgotten as I watched their lips meet. My world began to crumble around me my saw cracks climb up through my vision. It was only after a short while that I found that it wasn’t my world, but my glasses cracking. They broke from my face revealing a different scene. Octavia stood in the same location, except now she wasn’t graced in the presence of the white haired musical snob. She stared at me with a soft contemplation as I saw that white tint in her eyes. It was only in that sudden realization that I looked down and saw the shadow of the broken horned alicorn stretching from her legs. She wasn’t herself in either regard. I missed her more than I missed her music. I just wanted that silent smirk, to see her quietly ignore me or to tolerate my jokes and openness.

The shadowy form of Eyn rose from her, still cast in darkness under his hood, but those white glittering eyes still managing to shine through them. Octavia fainted as he exited her and took a few steps toward me. An unnatural breeze and lightning filled the air revealing the dead trees around us as his horn lit up, casting light on his hood, pulling it way from his face.

“I can also invade the dreams of those that need it…” He spoke as the final torn pieces of fabric fell off of his head revealing a once beautiful face.

Instead, it sat pale and torn with darkness and light. His fur was gray and mane flowed clear as a disturbance in the world around him. The effect was strange and mystifying as he stared through me with his eyes. It was only then that I saw how cloudy they were. He was blind along with the large scar slicing down his right eye. He didn’t seem the least bit hurt or disturbed, and strangely neither did I once I found that I had been dreaming. I tried to wake myself up, but found myself stuck, probably from the magic of Eyn trying to have a private conversation with me.

“My eyes weren’t as they once were and neither is most of me.” He stretched out the metal blades that had replaced his wings.

They creaked as they stretched out, but they moved back silently, completely integrated into his body and completely functional. He sighed as he limped forward with his metallic leg, giving him more strain than he let on before.

“I know what it is like to be tormented by the one you love. I can only try to imagine your circumstances in trying to cope with it being with her. Being on the same plan and being a bit more… traditional does make it easy, but you can see where love can get you. Sometimes you have to sacrifice more than your heart to get it, or better yet, to make sure they aren’t hurt by it.” The originally strong willed and cruel Eyn sounded weak and frail. He even sounded different from the time he had been talking through Octavia while looking at the moon. I had to question if he was able to see through Octavia’s working eyes. “Happily, yes. It has been forever since I’ve been able to look upon its glory and my creations.”

“Creations?” The final word sounded wrong and mysterious.

“The power of the Cutie Marks. Lovely aren’t they. Did you know they weren’t always around? Everyone used to be a blank flank until I found the power of innovation, inspiration, and individualism. I worked with the ideas of the mind and the concepts of motivation, emotion, and devotion. The first two to gain their illusive marks were the two princesses, Celestia and Luna, after I told them of my discoveries.” He nodded in amusement.

I found myself engrossed in the story. Was this Equestria’s true history, or was it some elaborate lie? “If you were so great, why are you out here and so weak now?” I asked.

He simply smirked at me and shook his head slowly. “That story is for another time and one that has yet to be finished… yet to be finished.” Those words appeared to procure amusement as they left his lips. “But this does not concern you or your friends, only those responsible.” His voice grew harsh again.

“Who’s responsible?” I needed to ask.

Again, he only stared at me with his blind eyes as if he could see out of them. “Such matters do not concern you.”

I had to be grumpy about not getting any answers, but more were easily formulated. “Why have you invaded my dreams?” I snapped, feeling dumb as to not asking that first.

“I was curious as to why you were having such a negative dream. Octavia is safe with me, and she is still the pony you love. I know it is hard to see her being passed between so many different entities and not feel responsible, but she is in good hands now. Better me than him…” He groaned.

“How can such a… monster, be your brother?” I, again, felt inclined to ask.

“He isn’t a monster. He is in the same boat as me except he enjoys his fair share of mischief and royal attention from Celestia. He enjoyed getting a plethora of attention from his peers at the expense of others.”

His knowledge of Discord and the shear fact that he was Discord’s brother just wanted me to run a full background check on him, but such would never be so with Eyn who seems to hide every important fact about his life, except a few juicy facts about his family. I decided to stay ignorant in the matter.

I observed my surroundings and wished we were in a better location to have this little conversation about how my dreams mean nothing and that my worry is misplaced or whichever. In just a blink of an eye, I found myself sitting on the barstool of my favorite bar, with two cold ones sitting in front of me. Eyn sat next to me, the look of his face unchanging as he drank whatever he had. I sipped at the alcoholic beverage and remembered the times that Tavi would sit next to me and pester me about my ‘drinking problem’. I didn’t have a drinking problem, I just wanted to let my mind wander for a bit and not be restrained by the stresses of the day or simply bad dates with intolerable stallions.

“It has been a long time since I’ve tasted the poison of alcoholic beverages.” Eyn chimed, sitting his glass on the bar to be refilled.

“I needed a place to think. There just seems too much about you.” I sipped on my drink, feeling it warm my cheeks and clear my thoughts.

“I thought you came here to clear your thoughts, not to organize them into a coherent sentence.”

“I do that too.”

“Peculiar. Fascinating.” He spoke. “How has that worked out for you?”

“Not that well… but I can’t complain.” I picked up the second glass and downed it quickly, feeling the world begin to wobble slowly. I felt better considering I had just intoxicated myself inside of my dreams. “So why are you here?”

“I thought I explained this, you are beating yourself about nothing, and because you fascinate me.”

“Couldn’t you invade any of the other’s dreams?” I asked.

“I looked over the dreams of the others. Ditsy Doo is eating muffins with The Doctor and they are about to meet at the center. Doctor Whooves mind is clouded in an intelligence that I have not seen in a long time. Lyra is… well she misses Bonbon. That left you.”

“I know before you referred The Doctor as an Ancient. What does that mean?” I decided to start with some clearing up questions before I moved onto why he didn’t go to his dreams instead of mine.

“I don’t even think he remembers what he is now, but he used to be a guardian race of earth ponies that were to keep me locked in this prison of a forest. Most of them have died out and Doctor Whooves… he got to know me more than anyone and managed to have his life spared. I think it was some fluke of nature, but he managed to get his youth back, almost seemed to convert into somepony completely different. I watched him stumble away from his ancient post. I had already read the minds of those that had put him on that duty and knew he had been forgotten. I never understood as to why they had to suffer by guarding me, her shields already had me locked. I feel that it was their fear as to what I could do that made her do it.” Eyn nodded in agreement. “Those poor souls.”

“Why didn’t you join his dreams then?”

“…An ancient promise I had made.” His voice was low and solemn as he spoke.

“Your wings, horn, and leg?” curiosity began to take over.

“Clipped, broken, and lost. I can’t even describe the pain and the torment, but such was deemed necessary back in those times. As you see, I don’t need them anymore.” He smirked as the metal blades stretched out again, his posture straight and proud. 

I still saw enough from his face to know that he wasn’t being sincere. An inner pain still burned in his eyes, or was it a fiery anger. I could only look at the once proud alicorn, knowing that his life had been much better in his youth. Twilight filled my head and I peered upwards to spot the moon. It glittered brilliantly and was much larger than that of if I wasn’t dreaming. Eyn stared at it thoughtfully, almost hurt in a way.

“I will always love the moon.” He cooed to himself before breaking his glance and looking down at me again. “I sometimes miss my sight for such pleasures, but having the honor of having a body with healthy eyes and seeing that the moon hasn’t changed has brought me a renewed happiness.” 

I didn’t want to ask any more seeing him in that state. He wasn’t how I had expected such a mysterious alicorn to look. His appearance was wise and strong, but his physical form seemed weak and frail, though the defiance in his eyes argued against any such weakness. There was no glow in his presence and not a godly voice. Instead he sounded simple, soft spoken, and reserved. All of his actions seemed carefully planned and executed meticulously.

He turned his attention from me and focused on the darkness that surrounded us. In the short time that I had just watched his expressions and mannerisms, I had forgotten that I my dream still fluttered around me.

“Do you invade other’s dreams often?” The words slipped from my lips before my mind could stop them. I’ve grown used to just letting things slip by with Octavia and every other pony around me.

“I have to enact inspiration to those of Equestria through indirect means. I can’t ever exist like I am to you in their dreams, and just from natural desire to find answers for the strange powers that I use to inspire them, fairy tales were born. I never take a single form because I am viewed in the dream as the dreamer sees me. They’ve never met me so their minds create little bunnies, talking clouds, psychic flowers, and friendly ponies.” He explained in his regular long-winded fashion.

“So if I think hard enough can I change your appearance?” I teased.

He smirked. “If you desire such, this is still your dream.” The smirk became playful. “Dreams are the source of the greatest inspiration. I want you to think of a club and I want to hear an original song by you. If I like it, I will give you a gift, I am unmoved by it, then I shall make you forget this dream, make it cloudy and such.” His voice became casual and playful, a spark of competiveness flashing into his cloudy white eyes.

I had to admit, the thought had me apprehensive. I was still asleep and I had no idea as to how long I’ve been sleeping or if time worked differently here. Five minutes could have passed or maybe hours had already transpired. I closed my eyes and heard a faint chuckled from Eyn. I reopened them to see him staring at me.

“You do know you don’t exist right? I find your actions amusing that you closed your eyes inside of your mind.” He chimed playfully. “I’m sorry for disturbing you. I haven’t had any fun for a long time.”

It was almost like his personality had completely shifted again. His eyes glittered with a childish anticipation as to how I approached the challenge. The confidence in his eyes unnerved me. A short breath and my focus grew. The light we were standing in dissipated from view as I sat in darkness, imagining my best venue I had been a part of. Lights shattered the darkness and revealed the DJ equipment in front of me, a blank music list with a small sticky that read “Improv Techno”. I looked out at the faceless dark heads of the crowd and gave them my regular smile. I felt at home more than I had been for the past few days.

I quickly forgot that I was still dreaming. I turned on a solid beat and watched an intricate laser and light show begin to build as I heard the notes playing just as I thought of them. Everything began to come together as the endless mass of raving ponies jumped and moved around like a torrential sea, blown by the ocean of my bass. I had to close my eyes and feel the heat of the crowd beginning to rise. I listened to the music play, not even realizing that I wasn’t touching the controls anymore. Instead, it was as if it was playing directly from my skull and into the hearts of those enjoying it.

The more I listened to the song the more I realized that the song did lack something that I was still unable to add without a little help. My confidence began to falter as I thought about the pony that could help me.

“Octavia…” I sighed from my heart.

The quality of the music began to collapse around me. I caught onto it and struggled to get back to work, but my concentration was ruined. I could only see those purple eyes staring at me as if she was standing at the corner of my eye. I continuously looked toward that area thinking to see her standing there, but every time I looked there was nothing standing there except an amp or two. I hoped the wall of the crowd help me focus and peered out at the ponies again, but the lights had illuminated a single blind alicorn. He stared at me with both satisfaction and amusement.

I quickly remembered I was in a dream, but it was too late. The whole world began to descend into an uncontrolled nightmare. I stopped caring for the music. I didn’t want it. I only wanted her. Everything became short. Everything began to repeat. Everything began to repeat. I couldn’t stand listening to my thoughts. They echoed in my mind over and over again. I wanted Octavia. I needed Octavia. I needed her. I had never said I needed her before, but I knew it was true now. I had failed Eyn’s challenge, and I wouldn’t be able to remember this dream, but I held onto the dream for one final minute.

I drove everything from my mind leaving only darkness. I could feel the warm tears beginning to fall from my eyes as I focused on what I wanted from this final minute. Octavia walked from the darkness. The setting switched back to our house, her entering my room. I felt more at home than before. My heart wanted to beat through my chest as I stared at her, locking eyes as she acted just as how I remembered her. She turned, I stared, she took a step forward, and I turned my music off. It was only twenty seconds, but I knew what was approaching and steered my dream to it, I had to know if I was correct about my feelings. I just had to feel it at least once, even if it was only in my dreams.

“Tavi…” Even in a dream the words weighed heavily in my nonexistent throat.

“Vi…” My nickname held so much of a stronger meaning this time, as if the same weight was in her throat.

I blinked and found us standing so close I could feel her breath. It felt comforting and soothing and at the same time it made me stiff and nervous.

“I wanted to tell you something that has been on my mind.” I spoke, feeling the heat rise from cheeks. I questioned if she could feel it.

I heard her gulp. “And?” Her voice was shaky and natural sounding.

“I…” I was barely conscious of why I could never finish my sentence. A warm and wet embrace of her lips on mine was enough to wipe my mind clean. The venue around me dissolved as a solitary alicorn took a step forward looking down us. Emotions that I believed I never had began to unlock as tears began to mist my eyes and eventually fall down my cheeks again. I cracked my eyes slightly to see Octavia still there, tears in her eyes as well. I closed them again trying to keep everything together, knowing of the alicorn looming over us. I wanted to hold some memories of this dream whenever I awoke and I wasn’t going to let Eyn take them from me.

The next time I cracked my eyes opened, I found myself lying on my moss pile. I blinked my bleary eyes at the blue sky. It seemed more peaceful than I had remembered it from the time that I had gone to sleep. I rose and looked around to see that I was no longer resting at the base of the mountain. Everyone was nowhere to be found. I looked around in a panic before; from around one of the nearby trees, Octavia stepped out, the white glint in her otherwise deep and meaningful purple.

“Where am I?” I demanded.

“Well… I couldn’t have you waking up the others with your mumbling and crying, plus I have a gift for you.” Octavia spoke with the dialect that only Eyn possessed.

“But I lost. My music sucked.” He didn’t seem to notice my words as the broken horn appeared out from Octavia’s head. It glittered with energy that I have not seen any alicorn including Princess Celestia possess. I turned away from the bright light that blinded me. I looked back to find a small familiar box sitting in front of me.

“But my music wasn’t moving at all.” I shot at Eyn. “And is that the gift I gave Octavia?”

I looked at the nice wood finish of the small box, a tail of light crawling inside of it before it slammed shut, killing off the glittering light.

“When Octavia is not pay attention, I want you to slip this inside of her bag where she has stored it the entire journey. I’ll keep her attention focused on something else while you do it.” He smiled in her body.

“What about now?” Seeing as this discussion would counter what Eyn had planned, but he smiled thoughtfully.

“She is still sleeping. To get back to the camp, just walk that direction for five minutes. I’ll clear the way.” The shattered horn sparked again as Octavia vanished in a teleport and the trees parted in the direction I needed to travel. I questioned why he wouldn’t just give us a safe path to him, but I found that he always seemed to know something that I did not. I began to suspect him of something. My trust to him shook and dwindled as I looked in the direction to return.

“He’s up to something.” I knew an alicorn with that much power even given his disabilities could rival that of Princess Celestia from the times I’ve seen her raise the sun. I wouldn’t want them to ever clash if that was even a probable event. I couldn’t quite place my hoof on it, but the meticulous and carefully execution by Eyn seemed more and more sinister every day that he was around. I picked the box up by the string around it and walked through the bent trees and raised ground. Now, I wondered what was in it…

> Chapter 13: Octavia's Outro
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The walk back to the camp was just as Eyn had said it would be, five minutes. I was still unaware of how much time had passed since I had fallen asleep until now, but everyone was still asleep. I searched over the camp to take count of my friends. Lyra, Ditsy, Doctor, and Octavia were all lying on their moss pads. I stared at Octavia, seeing the bag sitting beside her, open and waiting for the box that I held in my teeth. From my time sneaking around the house or even down the hall, I knew that it was impossible to get past Octavia without making a sound. How was I going to do it?

Stupidity flashed across my eyes as I crossed my eyes and looked up at the horn coming off of my head. It almost made me laugh that I had forgotten that I had magic. The box floated soundlessly over the bag, sliding perfectly into place, the flap of the bag closing and tying itself off. Just as the magic left my horn, Octavia stirred only slightly, cracking her eye and staring at me sleepily before turning away. I still had no way of knowing how long I was missing or where Eyn had taken me. The sensations of annoyance permeated my being as the thoughts began to irritate me. There was no way that I could know with the sun raising and falling in its sporadic way.

All of this only grew on my nerves. Why couldn’t I just have picked a spot in Ponyville, maybe take her out to a bar, get her hammered, and have a giggling night at the house. I didn’t just hate myself, not in the relation to how much I hated Discord. He took Octavia away from me, and now I have this half-zombie version of Octavia who is being controlled by contestant number two of ponies that have been growing on my nerves, but for completely other reasons. That bucking blind alicorn… who does he think he is? Telling me that I just have to tell Octavia my true feelings when suddenly, he takes over her body. I get some bull story about how I have to ‘wait till the right time’. What time is that? ‘You will know when’ he told me. Of course I would get some cryptic message.

I had to release a pent up sigh of frustration as I rubbed my hooves on my temples to ease the pain in my head. This adventure was far too much for me to handle, and I managed to drag my friends into it. I turned to the sleeping group of ponies, just as the sun fell again revealing the bright moon. Lyra had fallen over onto her stomach, back legs outstretched with the moss on her head. She snored softly with a slight leg kick as she grumbled. Her sleeping had apparently grown to be rougher because of the sun coming out. Ditsy and the Doctor were still cuddled up close to each other, but Ditsy had burrowed her head under one of his hooves, their noses touching with smiles on their faces. Even though they were locked in each other’s bodies, they managed to find love.

I tried to cool my frustrations by trying to imagine myself like that with Octavia. The thought managed to make me smile as much as the memory of my dream on how it felt to finally kiss her. I was surprised to feel it quicken my heartbeat and fill me with an overwhelmingly warm sensation. I tried to let my mind wander and realign my mood to a more positive one. The daydream didn’t play out long as the light kiss only lasted a few more seconds and we broke apart in embarrassment at what we had done. I tried to play it out better, get us further along, but it ended, leaving me wallowing in a half finished daydream that wouldn’t reset. I found myself lying on my moss, annoyed at everything. I wanted to be alone, but now that I have it, I find myself missing company.

I haven’t talked too much of anyone while I’ve been on this trip. I had planned it to be a camping trip among friends with plenty to talk about, but here I’ve been, locked in my own mind, replaying old memories of Octavia and me. It made me feel sad that I had to resort to such. It made me feel worse that I haven’t done much help anywhere. I’ve played messenger pony and that was only recently that that job was accomplished, but I felt that I haven’t been that much of a friend.

I tossed myself to the side, trying to find that sweet spot that all beds have which would allow me to get needed relaxation I needed without exhausting dreams being invaded by Eyn. I eventually found myself lying on my back with the moss clumped into a tiny moss mountain, bending my body in half. It wasn’t quite the spot that I had imagined, but I was beyond comfortable. I closed my eyes and fell asleep, glad to see blackness follow. I didn’t dream, then again, I didn’t sleep long.

It only felt like a five minutes that I was out when I felt somepony kick my hoof to wake me up. I coughed on my drool as I lifted my sunglasses up to see which pony had done such an act. Octavia glared down at me with an unfamiliar glare that I quickly associated to Eyn after seeing the white glare flash over them.

“Oh… it’s you.” I grumbled, waking up even grouchier than I had gone to sleep.

“We must move, now.” She ushered me along, pushing up on my hindquarters as I rose. I grumbled with annoyance at being rushed when it was his fault that I didn’t sleep well.

“My little ponies… playing in the moss are we? Isn’t that just adorable?” came a voice that I dreaded to hear.

“Discord…” I grumbled.

“I said now…” Eyn whispered to me.

“You remembered my name? Oh, how I am simply flattered that you could have remembered.” He gave off on of his signature laughs.

“Hey, buddy. Why don’t you just turn your weird tail alone and leave before I show you how bad you can really look?” I was beyond annoyed and pissed.

Discord gave off a surprised look as he looked down at me. “Someone seems to not have slept the greatest…” He feigned like he cared about my sleep health.

“If you say one more thing, or touch one of my friends, I will make you regret everything you’ve done to my friends and Ponyville.” I gritted.

“Ooo, I am just trembling in my hooves at your anger, dear Vinyl.” He tossed out coyly.

I saw that the others had already been awakened before me, and had already made their way behind me.

“You probably shouldn’t say such things to Disturb.” Ditsy warned behind me.

Discord laugh stopped mid chuckle as he heard Ditsy’s final word.

“Discord.” He corrected.

“Where?” She looked around.

“Where what?” Discord seemed off balance at Ditsy’s question.

“The cord, silly goose.” Ditsy laughed.

Discord stared at her, bemused and annoyed. “Does anything work inside of your heard or do you just say things sometimes?” It was the only moment where he had struck a serious tone.

“Yes.” Ditsy answered, looking exceptionally serious inside of The Doctor’s body.

The Doctor tried to cover Ditsy’s mouth seeing that it wasn’t helping the situation at all, but the damage had been done. I watched as his hand filled with energy, picking Ditsy off of the ground and dragging her up to eye level with him. Something snapped inside of me as I jumped forward, sending what I could against him. It came out as a nice electric shock. He shook slightly from the pulsing current, dropping Ditsy to the ground where she retreated back with the rest of the group. I sent another volley of lightning strikes against him. He yawned out of boredom as they barely made a mark on him.

“Brother…” I heard the deep voice of Eyn speak. I tried to turn and look at why he would reveal who he was when he had spent all that time trying to conceal what was happening to Octavia and me, but I was locked in except my eyes, which sat safely behind my sunglasses.

“Eyn? Is that really you?” Discord’s menacing tone died and a more playful surprised tone took its place.

“In the flesh.” Eyn even sounded happy and excited.

I watched as Eyn’s true self limped into my eyesight. I was glad to have the sun up at this point to see Eyn’s true self in the light. His prosthetic was a golden metal that was crafted elegantly and had a few scribbles in the sides. His metal wings also had similar markings on them, but I had no idea as to if they meant anything. They creaked as they opened up, and flapped, sending him easily off the ground. Eyn was smaller than Discord, but in terms of presence, Eyn seemed to hold the crown.

Even more so, Discord almost seemed afraid of his brother. I looked between the two to see why he would feel that way, but instead, questions arose. How could Eyn and Discord be even remotely related? I stared at what seemed to be a joke doodle made by a young colt or filly, while Eyn showed promise of having once been a beautiful stallion. It didn’t make any sense along with almost every instance of this journey. I felt a wave of annoyance creep up on me again, but I had enough of my senses together to question where these waves of annoyance were coming from. What inspired this hatred of everything?

I don’t know if it was the way that Eyn half turned to me as that question slid through my mind or the realization that the thoughts I was having weren’t my own. I felt my true annoyed attitude begin to peak through. What is he up to? Why did I trust him?

“Calm yourself, Victoria.” Came the voice of Eyn.

I stared at him angrily, or as angrily as I could since I couldn’t blink or move my eyelids. As I stared, he kept his one eye locked on me, as if he could see my anger through his blind eyes. Discord would have to know that something was up between the two of us, if he stared like this for much longer. That was when my perceptions caught onto something that was astray. I turned my attention back to Discord and saw him frozen just like everyone else. Did Eyn truly have the power to stop Discord with such ease?

“Family connections have their bonuses. It is always said that twins seemed to share an almost mental link with each other. They wouldn’t be wrong in saying that for I’ve completely halted my brother’s body and synapses. Time has just stopped for him in this blink of time. Then again, to him it will be less than a blink. I remember how they had wanted me to use this power so that they could kill him with ease.” He took a breath and turned back to Discord. “How could anyone ask of them to kill their own brother…?” He voice sounded sad and solemn.

I could only stare, a forced audience to Eyn’s explanations into a past and history that no pony had ever heard. What happened with Eyn? A strange curiosity began to creep into my mind, and I knew it was my own. My heart skipped a few beats as I felt and saw my eyes moving on their own, locking onto Discord, and freezing into place. I couldn’t move a single muscle on my body. I was never claustrophobic, but this took the whole apple pie. The beating in my chest gave me a strong reassurance that I was still alive, and I wasn’t dreaming.

Discord began to move again, unknowing of how he had just been frozen by his brother.

“I thought Celestia had you killed for what you did, I wouldn’t have expected any different coming from her. I paid her a visit before I came and she doesn’t seem to remember you. I didn’t ask by name because I know how picky you are about people saying it casually…” Discord’s voice trailed off. “She only seems to remember me. What did you do?” He laughed as if Eyn had played some sort of ancient joke on my princess.

“I gave her the gift of forgetfulness. My crimes weren’t going to be remembered by anyone including her.” Eyn nodded with an unnatural smirk on his face as if he knew something more about it.

“Ooo, I like that one. Freezing these lesser ponies was also a nice touch. What should we do to them?” He jumped with excitement.

“We aren’t doing anything to them. I want you to return to Ponyville.”

“What? Why would I miss the ability to play with these defenseless ponies?” He chuckled devilishly.

“You have to defeat the Elements of Harmony of course.” Eyn smiled.

My heart leaped inside of my chest. Eyn did know something that he wasn’t telling us.

“I’ve already defeated those peppy ‘friends’. They are wallowing too much in their own self loathing, hate, and lies to even be able to use them.” Discord chuckled. Each laugh made my heart sink more.

“From what I can tell, Twilight Sparkle has just broken your curse and knows how to reverse your curse. She is actually changing her friends back as we speak.” Eyn seemed to enjoy the pained expression that wiped across Discord’s face.

“That’s impossible. No pony can break that curse.” Discord retorted.

“That is until you met Twilight Sparkle. You should have seen how much she has done with her friends. She has plenty of memories with them to break anything you throw at her.” Eyn’s amusement only lightened my mood more. Maybe he was on our side…

“Those blasted ponies…” Discord grumbled. “I’ll have to spread as much chaos as I can…” He began to trudge off toward Ponyville for dramatic effect.

“Brother… The next time you see them, they will try to use the Elements of Harmony on you. Do not fear it because you’ve grown far too powerful for them to effect you.” My heart plummeted again.

Discord’s mood instantly improved as he jumped up and clicked his heels together.

“I knew those ponies couldn’t stop me. Thank you brother.” He spoke with his usual, sinister chime.

With a flash of light, he teleported back to Ponyville. Suddenly, my body loosened and I almost fell forward. I looked to where Eyn was standing and found that he was gone. I turned back to Octavia and saw the side of her mouth raise, in a sly half smile.

“Where did he go?” The Doctor asked, looking around him quickly as if Discord moved at speeds exceeding light.

“I don’t know…” Lyra spoke, jumping in circles so that Discord couldn’t sneak up on them.

I never broke my stare with Octavia, or should I say Eyn. Octavia seemed to have been completely wiped out of her body by Eyn, leaving him in a hollow shell to use as he pleased.

I knew Eyn could read my mind and probably had his mind comm on or whatever he used or did. What are you up to?

“Overconfidence is the greatest downfall of anyone great. The Elements will not destroy him, but it is going to seal him away again. I just didn’t want him to defend himself when it happens.” A sparkle glittered across Octavia’s eyes as he transported his voice directly into my head.

“I-“ I spoke out loud out of naturally tendencies, but I caught myself before the others noticed. ‘How is Octavia?’

“She is safe and will be returned to you by the end of the day, but we must hurry to the site.”

“Come on guys, let’s just get to the end of this swamp before he comes back.” I commanded.

“Yes, let us get this over with.” Eyn spoke with Octavia’s voice. I saw that Octavia had turned her cursed gray color again.

“The faster we get this curse off of us, the faster we can find a way to save Ponyville.” The Doctor joined in the almost pep talk like feel.

Everyone nodded in agreement just as Octavia began to gallop into the swamp. Without hesitation, we joined her final push through the swamp. Seeing how Octavia moved, I could have sworn that she was just her cursed self again, and not just Eyn controlling her. I figured that Eyn could play such a powerful poker face that he could also make anyone look like someone they are not, including themselves.

“For you, Octavia…” I hid under my breath as I followed her.

The swamp wasn’t the most friendly of places. Vines moved on their own, trying to ensnare us in their tendrils, while different rocks opened up revealing large spiders that tried to grab at us. I had to run in the back with Lyra and use magic to throw rocks and shoot lightening at them as we continued are push. Octavia moved without flinching, jumping and dodging with an agility that would have been impossible for her to accomplish if she was herself.

The water around us shook as something large began running toward us. I turned to see the many heads of hydra barreling down on us. I threw a rock at it in hopes to see a change in its speed and direction, but it only seemed to irritate it more.

“We need to gallop faster!” Lyra screamed. I could see the tears falling off of her eyes as she screamed. Had we grown so desperate?

The trees around us began to thicken again, which thankfully slowed the hydra down, but sadly didn’t stop it. He continued to break through the fragile limbs of the dead tress to get to us. We had to leap over more and more logs as the dead forest around us became denser. Then suddenly, it broke out into a clearing. I stared at it and just wanted to leap for it, as if hitting the clearing would somehow stop the hydra behind us. My heart only slammed harder against my chest as my lungs began to burn from the fumes of the swamp and the decay of the trees.

I jumped over a log to see a branch stood in my path. I didn’t have enough time to stop and find a different path and found myself hitting it as hard as I could, knocking the wind out of me, but it broke allowing me to slide into the clearing. I stood up and tried to run, but I had lost my wind and stumbled, sending one of my hooves into a hole. I could only throw my thanks into the air that it didn’t break, but I knew it was twisted. I limped with no breath toward the lip of the crater where everyone had gathered around. The expressions on their faces told me that there was no hope in the crater, but I limped toward them anyway.

I had just arrived next to them as the hydra broke through the last of the trees, sending a wall of air past me, knocking me over. My lungs burned, leg hurt, and my wind still hadn’t returned to my gasping lungs.

“Well… I guess he wasn’t here…” The Doctor painfully admitted to himself. He stepped closer to Ditsy.

The hydra took pleasure at having us cornered, and slowly walked toward us. A strange cracking filled my ears. I looked down at the ground and saw that the weight of the hydra broke the fragile ground around us. Either we were going to be eaten by many different heads or we were going to fall to our deaths when the ground gave way.

“Ready?” I turned back to see The Doctor standing next to Ditsy.

They both turned toward the hydra with a look of defiance.

“Ready.” Ditsy spoke assuredly.

I watched as they both ran forward, yelling at the hydra. The hydra stopped at the strange act of bravery that the two had shown. Lyra bumped into me as she followed suit with them. I wanted to scream out to them, tell them to stop. There had to be another way around this instead of throwing their lives away. I looked around the crater, but so no such escape plan. Instead I found the same wave of bravery filling me.

I managed to climb up to my feet and pick up as many rocks as I could, shooting them at the hydra’s eyes in hopes that I could somehow blind it.  Nothing seemed to work against the hulking beast, yet I rinsed and repeated my actions, grabbing another group of sharp rocks and shooting them out in rapid succession toward the eyes of the beast. The Doctor, managed to learn how to fly and tried his best to hit the top of the heads with his hooves, but they didn’t affect it at all like everything else we were doing. At best, we were only delaying our own deaths.

I barely noticed the tears that had burned down my dirty cheeks. The desperation of my attacks began to grow, though deep down, I knew they weren’t doing anything. I managed to see that the same tears had begun to fall from the other’s eyes.

“Five…” Octavia spoke behind me.

I wanted to turn and ask her what she was saying and why she wasn’t helping.

“Four…” She continued.

“What are you…?” I couldn’t finish as jumped out of the way of the ground crumbling into the crater.

“Three…” My breath was taken away as I saw a giant rainbow shoot into the air where Ponyville would have been about. Everyone had seen the same thing as I did, letting his or her guard down.

The hydra took advantage of it and hit all three of the attacking ponies in a single flourish. I watched Lyra and Doctor Hooves’ body slide to a stop near me, as Ditsy’s body was tossed against a tree. Even from this distance I could hear the bone in her wing crack as she let out a painful scream. My heart, already weak from this final push had nearly broken as I heard that scream.

Ditsy stood in the Doctor’s body and looked at her broken body that slowly rose. The wing was bent awkwardly as she stood, twitching as the body instinctually wanted to pull the wing closed. Tears of pain fell from his eyes as he tried to limp toward the true Ditsy.

“Not you too!” She screamed, running toward him, tears pouring off of her face.

“One. Catch me…” I heard behind me.

I managed to just turn toward her to question why she was counting down, when the ground began to shake as if a massive explosion had hit Equestria. The ground all around the crater began to collapse. I turned toward Ponyville to see a double rainbow clear across the sky. It fell toward the ground and suddenly, everything exploded around me. I quickly turned back to Octavia to see the ground giving out from under her.

“No!” I grabbed under both of her armpits, resting my head against hers as I struggled to keep her up. I felt myself begin to slip along with ground, and accepted a fate of dying with Octavia. I was never going to let her go…

Suddenly, my sprained hoof slid into a hole. Pain shot through my body, but I managed to hold on. Thankfully, the hole stopped me and allowed me to keep my footing, but I didn’t have enough energy to pull her up. Octavia kicked at the side of the sheer cliff, tears falling off of her face as she struggled, my glasses falling off of my head and into the abyss below.

“Vinyl! Don’t let go! Don’t let go!” I knew it was she. She was back! I only held onto her harder.

“Don’t worry, Tavi. I have you… I have you…” I could only speak in a whisper to her, feeling my lungs breaking from the strain. I didn’t want to admit that I could feel my hooves sliding and that there was no way I could hold onto her much longer.

“I’m not going to make it am I…?” Octavia admitted.

Tears began to pour out of my eyes and dripping down Octavia’s back. I took a deep breath in, trying to compose myself and give her my best face.

“Are you kidding?” I sniffed. “We can never be separated.” My body began to shake as my hooves slid slightly on her smooth fur. “No…” I couldn’t hold back the sadness any longer. “Octavia… I just wanted to tell you…” I pulled my head back so that I could look into her eyes. They were how I always remembered them. Tears had soaked the hair around her eyes as she stared up at me, could see that she knew she was going to die and no one could do anything to change that. She waited for my words as I tried to say them, tears falling onto her cheek.

“Vinyl…” Octavia almost sounded like she didn’t want me to talk with such finality, but I had already started what I wanted to say.

“I love you.” The words came off almost as a whisper, but with more truth than what has ever escaped my mouth. Before I could even react, Octavia used what strength she had and pulled herself up to me. I could never forget that warm and wet sensation of her lips on mine. She kissed me with more love than any other pony had kissed me, which only brought a heavier rush of tears. I slipped some more.

“I love you too…” She spoke just as the last of my grip slipped. My heart reached out to try and grab her, but it was too late.

“Octavia!” I screamed after her as she fell into darkness below. My tears fell with her, trying to catch her, save her. Is this what Eyn wanted? Everything moved in slow motion as she kept those purple eyes locked onto me, the color returning to her before she fell from view. I reached my hooves out to the void. She didn’t even make a noise. I stayed where I was, lost in shock, and sadness.

I turned to see if I would soon be following her to the grave, but saw the other’s huddled around Ditsy’s body, the hydra nowhere to be found. I couldn’t bring myself to walk away from where I let Octavia go. It hurt too much to admit that I had let her down, I had killed her, and the only pony I loved… The more my thoughts worked the more sadness filled my eyes. I began to feel myself go numb as I stared at my friends. I walked to them, barely able to feel the ground under my hooves as I trotted.

Staring at the ground, no, staring into myself, I could only see the blackness of the hole staring back at me. I walked to the broken pegasus’s side, finding her smiling through the pain, her eyes crooked again.

“I’m back in my body! Ow!” Ditsy chimed excitedly. I gave her a half smile, wishing I had my glasses to hide behind.

I couldn’t bring myself to care, everything felt numb and distant from me. It hurt to stand there, it hurt to be alive. Images of her flashed before my eyes, sending another wave of tears down my face, softly patting and soaking the cracked ground underneath of me.

“The curse is broken. They beat Discord!” Ditsy laughed, back to her usual self. “Where’s Octavia, I have to hug that pony.” She turned toward me expectantly.

I watched as all of their faces dropped low. I had realized what they were looking at, but I looked down and saw her pink bow wrapped around my neck. It wasn’t tied, but it had managed to stick to me from the wetness of my tears. It was almost too much for me to handle. I broke down in another fit of tears, my legs collapsing under the weight of the sadness. Lyra stared at me, devastated, her mouth hung open as tears filled her eyes.

They looked over my head at where Octavia had been standing to see it gone, eaten by the sides of the crater. I could feel them trying to comfort me. She can’t be gone… I stared at the ground where my tears had fallen. Why now? She had loved me too… I hit my hoof against the ground angrily.

“Why? Why? Why? Why?” I smashed my hoof, harder at each word. The tears poured from my eyes as my lungs heaved. I hid my face from the others.

“Vinyl…” Lyra tried to comfort me, but her words were broken with her own sobs. “Maybe she… I mean…” Her usually cheerful self had vanished, broken by all of the events.

Everything felt too sudden, rushed. I could barely remember what happened up to that point. Everything felt like a half remembered blur. Paralyzed by my sadness, I secured myself to the ground. “It’s all my fault…” I repeated as I let myself pass out.

----------------------------------------

I woke up feeling weightlessness in my legs. I looked around quickly to find myself dangling over a hole. I barely had enough of my senses about me to see that Vinyl was holding me up.

“Vinyl! Don’t let go! Don’t let go!” She must hate me for having to save me all of the time, but fear outweighed my guilt. It was the first time that I could actually see my hooves. They were gray and instantly, my mind began to backtrack as what I would believe most minds to do when they are on the verge of death. I could easily feel the grip that Vinyl had on me slipping, and I knew it wasn’t going to be long before her grip would vanish.

I could feel her tears starting to wet my back as she struggled to hold on. “Don’t worry, Tavi. I have you… I have you…” her voice sounded so soft. I didn’t think her voice could fall that far and become so comforting. It was almost like another mare was talking to me.

I could myself begin to cry as old feelings that I had trapped inside of myself had begun to boil again. I wanted to tell her more than anything of how much she meant to me and that I did and still loved her, but something tried to hold me back, but it was far weaker. I felt her grip slip more and I felt the words slip through my lips, as warm tears were squeezed from my eyes.

“I’m not going to make it am I?” I asked, though I knew the answer. I didn’t want to admit that I just wanted to hear her speak.

“Are you kidding?” She tried to put a happy tone into her voice. She managed something close, but her sobs didn’t help. “We can never be separated.” I could feel her muscles strain to keep me up, knowing she was giving everything she had plus more to keep me from falling even though we both knew that there was no escaping this. Warmth began to fill my chest as my memories began to replay all of the times we had been together. She managed to change the position of my head so that our eyes locked. She had lost her glasses. “No…” I heard her regretfully admit to me. Even though I knew it was coming, I found the words to strike my heartstrings. I had to tell her the words that had been on the tip of my tongue this entire escapade and I knew I didn’t have much time to say it. “Octavia… I just wanted to tell you…”

I missed her last words as I started. “Vinyl…”

“I love you.” She stole the words out of my mouth. The warmth grew into a searing heat that filled my body and made me realize what my feelings meant. Color returned to my hooves, as I couldn’t hold myself back any longer. I used what strength I had to pull myself closer to her, connecting our lips and feeling my love for her flourish into a wonderful crescendo.

“I love you too…” I managed to speak after our lips separated. Her hooves slipped out as the same time. I could feel the sensation of complete weightlessness fill my body as I fell, the rush of the wind past my ears. It felt like flying. I slowly closed my eyes as the darkness enveloped me.

I could hear Vinyl scream my name, but I knew that I was already dead. I only managed to let the air out of me in a comforting sigh. I felt like I was flying for once in my life. I spread out my hooves and kept my eyes closed, imagining the sensation of flying to be similar. I managed to smile amid my tears right before everything stopped, letting the air escape my lungs. It was cold and dark. I could still feel the warmth on my lips from kissing Vinyl. I kept that memory as the final tears fell from eyes. It’s so cold.

> Chapter 14: Past, Present, Future
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I didn’t know how long I had my head buried in my hooves crying. I didn’t know if the others were staring at me or crying themselves. I didn’t care. I could watch as my memory played back her last moments in my arms. The way her eyes twinkled, that soft understanding smile, and blush on her cheeks as she pulled away from the kiss and let herself fall into the dark void below. Everything I felt only intensified, as it repeated making me feel weaker and feebler. I tried to beat the grief out of myself by smashing the ground, but my arms felt heavier each time.

“Why…?” I sobbed again.

“Vinyl?” Lyra’s voice was broken with her own disbelief and sadness. She had collected herself as she tried to comfort me. “Vinyl, we need to go…” The way she said ‘needed’ held no confidence or truth. She wanted to stay and grieve as much as me, but she knew what all of had to accept.

“No…” I wasn’t one to let go and accept that it was over. “Maybe she caught unto a ledge, or maybe she survived the fall. We just need to go down into the crater and find her.” Denial began to form. “We just need to find a way down there.” I managed to stand on my shaky legs and turn toward the crater. The darkness was tempting. I could just jump where she fell and be with her, maybe survive the fall like her and be there for her. Help her get out.

I walked slowly toward the side of the crater and sat down at the edge of it. I didn’t think I would have managed to stop myself. Everything felt so unreal. A calm breeze blew through my hair as the tears dried on my face while new tears made fresh paths. I listened to the darkness below me, but I didn’t hear anything. I knew I would be able to create a ball of light with my magic to see if she was all right, but a fear hit of what I would see. I took a deep breath and generated the ball of light. I could hear slight noises behind me in opposition, but they were hushed.

I stared into the soft light I created, watched it pulse and waver as my heart did the same. Did I want to see…? I began to lower the light into the hole, watching as the jagged edges of the cliff stretched what seemed like forever. I already knew that Octavia couldn’t have lived, but a nagging tug on my heart needed to know, had to know, at least for sure. I knew that my heart wouldn’t able to handle seeing her broken and lifeless body, but I had to know her body existed so that she could have a funeral. The tears began to fall heavier. Stop thinking like that, Vinyl!

The light began to show the crater floor, casting long shadows around bottom. I moved the light carefully, trying to make out her body through the blur of the tears in my eyes. It rounded a sharp rock sticking out of the ground and my heart instantly pulled together and froze. I could just see the shadow of her body laying on the ground, completely lifeless, no she had to be just unconscious, something! I moved the light closer, and saw that my fears were true. I stared at her chest to see if she was breathing, but I couldn’t tell. I pushed her side with one of the rocks down below, but she didn’t move at all. I moved the light over to get a better view of her chest to see if it was moving, but instead I fears were answered.

A pool of blood had formed around her mouth. I could just make out the dull twinkle of her eye along with the dark lines that ran down her face. My concentration broke, disintegrating my light. I fell down to my knees again; feeling the pain in my heart, as I knew the fact of her death was real. My denial eventually transformed into a rage at the pony that had caused all of this.

“Eyn! You bastard!” I cried and listened to the echo. “You said you would save her, but you killed her, left her to die in my arms!” The rage filled me quickly. “It’s all my fault!” The truth hit me harder than Octavia’s death. “It’s all my fault…” My voice dropped to a whisper in the wind. “I’m sorry, Octavia…”

The familiar numbness of the loss struck me again as I stared into the dirt at my hooves. Octavia would have loved it out here. I managed to turn my head up and out toward the setting sun in the distance. It was the first normal sunset in the time that Discord had taken over. It only told me that the other group of friends had managed to stop Discord with the Elements of Harmony. I turned away from the beautiful scene in front of me. I didn’t want to enjoy something this beautiful without Octavia by my side. Nothing mattered anymore as I walked to my friends to help them carry Ditsy back to Ponyville. I wouldn’t let this forest take any other of my friends.

“I will forever love you, Octavia…” I said in the breeze, letting another tear fall for her as we hoisted Ditsy onto our backs. With the use of the road, the numb walk back took dramatically less time. We arrived back in Ponyville just as night had arrived. Happily, normalcy had also been restored enough for the nurses of the hospital to fix up Ditsy.

I waited with the rest of my friends inside of the waiting room; the chair next to me was empty. I wouldn’t let any other pony sit in there. In my head, Octavia was sitting where she should be rightfully sitting. I had lost so much sleep and the despair only caused slight hallucinations and paranoia. I would turn and see the back of a pony with a treble cleft, only to blink and see her disappear. I managed to turn a few heads of those ponies that had been to my show and them for once in their lives seeing my eyes. It was hard to talk to them.

Hours passed before we were allowed into the room, though all of us knew she would live, we wondered more about if she could fly again. They wouldn’t answer our question every time we asked. Instead, we received some ambiguous answer that ‘only time could tell’. It didn’t sit well with me after all I had lost. I eventually walked up to one of the nurses and demanded that we would be allowed to see her or at least know if she would be able to fly again given the complex breaks at the base of the wings. Instead of answering, they allowed us to go in, which didn’t sit well with me, but it was enough.

Walking down the hall, my pace dropped to the slowest it had ever been. The others passed me, Doctor Whooves taking the lead, the most concerned of us all. I let everyone else enter the room first, I held the door, and I stood and thought about everything, my eyes trying to avoid the rest of their eyes.  I couldn’t deal with seeing any of their worry to me, or their condolences for my loss, it was as much as a loss to them as it was to me, or so they thought. None of them knew what Octavia’s last words were too me, or mine to her. No pony would know how we were in love, how the taboo that was first broken by Lyra and Bonbon had spread to Octavia and me. I questioned when we would break it to somepony about Octavia’s demise. It still didn’t feel real it couldn’t feel real.

I entered the room, but kept my distance from the bed. She was forced to lie on her stomach, a contraption holding her wings completely extended and stiff while they were wrapped up in white bandages like a mummy. I could see wet, red lines where they had to make incisions in the skin to set the bones and screw in the pin. All of what seemed like a horrifyingly painful experience, yet Ditsy smiled with her eyes crooked. I saw The Doctor put his nose up against hers, close his eyes, and lovingly rub it.

“I was worried about you.” He spoke.

Was love really that easy? I stared at The Doctor, knowing that I would be the only pony to truly know who or what he was just as I would be the only one to know of Eyn. I knew how he had left Octavia to stand at the edge of the crater on purpose so that she would fall to her death. Then he never came back to speak to me, to reassure me that everything would be fine. He just vanished without a trace.

“Are you going to be able to fly again?” Lyra asked, smiling like her normal self except for the dried tears on her face.

“I think so.” She smiled. “But I could really go for some delicious muffins from Sugarcube Corner.” She laughed her usual laugh. It was strange how contagious the small burst of happiness was for everyone except me. I managed a half smile, but my loss outweighed any happiness that I could ever draw out from seeing that Ditsy would be fine.

It was easy to back out of the room and make sure that no pony saw me leave. I figured it would be best if I took my leave and not make a scene about it. They were happy and I didn’t want to ruin it. They needed their happiness more than ever. I walked back to my, no, Octavia’s house. I stopped and observed how it stood in darkness over the other buildings that had their lights on for the night. The house seemed to mourning her death just as I was. The workload began to stack inside my mind numbly. Tomorrow I would tell the coroner of Octavia’s death and take them out to where she had died so that I could hold a proper funeral for her. I’d have it in the study with her cello, music, and window. It seemed the most fitting.

I nodded at the checklist in my head as I stepped through the door and into the darkness of the entrance hallway. Everything seemed dead and stagnant of activity. The silence was deafening, I wanted to escape it, but I felt the strong desire to just wallow in it. My grieving hit another peak as my eyes became misty again. I limped toward the far door that led into the study. My magic had already stopped working from my lack of concentration forcing me to stare at the door for a few seconds. I had to see the room again, where the adventure, where the tragedy had began. Everything back then felt so carefree and fun, if I had known…

I opened the door with my head, walking into the quiet room that was only illuminated by the street light across the street. It was only enough light to make everything in the room appear black and white. In the far corner of the room, I saw her cello sitting on its stand, now devoid of a player.  It shattered my heart as I saw it, causing my legs to drop out from under me as I cried again. The tears pooled under my body as I tried to speak to the dead house.

“Octavia… I miss you…” The words hurt. “Why did you… did you… have to…” I didn’t want to admit another truth to myself. “Why did you have to die?” I broke down once again and limped my way over to her cello, the wonderful wood finish reflecting my face off of it. The instrument was almost as beautiful as her.

I stood onto my back hooves and hugged the cello softly, letting my face feel the strings slide under it. My tears fell from my face and slid down the strings to the base of it. Being in this house only made my heart hurt more. Releasing the cello, I knew I would have to move out from the house, there were just too many memories of her, but for now…

I had to do one last thing in the house, something that Octavia always enjoyed when she was still… I pulled the pillows and the blankets in front of the fire place and made our ramshackle tents, but instead of two, I only made one.

“Together tonight… we will camp together tonight… in our house… in your arms…” I smiled as the tears began to fall again.

I buried my head inside of the pillow beside the fire and let my emotions completely let go. Crying wouldn’t even begin to describe what I was doing as the pillow silenced my screams and dried my tears. It was our roommate anniversary today, and she didn’t get me anything. Suddenly, I heard the door click open and then closed as hooves connected with the hard wood surface. My heart stood at a stand still as I stared at the corner of the wall where, whoever it was would reveal them.

-

I never knew death would hurt so much. I hit the floor of the crater, feeling my ribs break from the collision and the wind being completely blown from chest along with a spray of blood. I couldn’t see anything in the darkness of the crater, but I had enough feeling in my body to feel that death was on me. I had hoped the fall would have killed me immediately, but instead I survived just long enough to feel everything. The pain was almost unbearable as I tried to move, but found my body completely paralyzed from the fall. My eyes had grown completely lifeless as I fought back falling unconscious. I wanted to laugh at my luck, but my damaged lungs and blood in my throat only made me gurgle.

Warm tears fell from my eyes as the pain grew in me along with a fear of death. I tried to breath faster, but I could feel that the air wasn’t making it. My heart burned to keep me alive, but just by tasting the amount of blood in my mouth and feel a tickle lower on my body, I knew that I was bleeding to death. Always a bleeding heart wasn’t I? I could feel myself slipping under, feeling colder by the second when a strange illumination filled the area around me. I looked at the light and felt serenity about it. Was this what happened when a pony died? The light was soft, beautiful and stopped in front of me just as I took my last breath, embracing the cold and succumbing to the pain. My last sensations were something touching my body. I hope they were taking me to paradise.

Everything went black.

Everything.

I woke up in a dark area, a single light shone on me with an everlasting darkness stretching in each direction. Was this death? Was this it?

“Octavia… It is an honor to finally meet you as yourself with a clear mind.” I knew that voice. It was the voice that had helped me get over my sadness, a voice that had filled my mind and my dreams the past few days. It almost felt like my life was running in reverse where I had control over my dreams, while the voice had lived my life.

“Who are you?” I yelled out into the darkness.

“Vinyl wanted you to find me.” He spoke almost nonchalantly.

“You… you exist? Eyn Spyyr?”

He emerged from the shadows of the darkness around me. His stance was powerful and engaging as his dark purple eyes stared at me with wisdom and understanding like nothing I had ever seen before. He continued to leave the darkness revealing his majestic alicorn body, not one like Princess Celestia, but one that held far more male qualities to him. He flapped open his gray wings, letting his feathers stretch out, like he had been trapped inside of a cage for far too long. Even his horn seemed longer than Princess Celestia or Luna.

“Yes… Vinyl got you to me.” He smiled at me, almost lovingly. Not in the sense of being in love with me, but almost as a parent figure.

“But… I died at the bottom of the crater. Are you saying that I am still alive?” I almost jumped with excitement at what my brain pulled forward.

His appearance took a more solemn tone to it as he stared at me. “Octavia… you are dead. You made your final breath after you saw Vinyl’s light when she searched for you, hoping that you were somehow alive even though she knew that no pony could live, she felt that you could somehow have pulled out of it, but this is not the case.”

The happiness left me. “Vinyl…” I let her down. I now knew how she felt about me, that our love was mutual and powerful between us, but… I died.

“Death is difficult to comprehend, Octavia Pie.” He nodded as he circled me. “Follow me…”

I turned to see him walking into the darkness, lights filling where he walked. Everything about him felt powerful and planned, thoughtful and careful. I followed him, knowing that I had no reason to trust him, yet he had a strange comforting aura about him. I felt that I could trust him.

“I want you to imagine one of your dreams and focus on it.” He spoke as I walked next to him.

I could barely think straight, like my mind was slipping quickly like death wasn’t over.

“What’s wrong with me?” I asked him, feeling a wave of weakness come over my mind.

“Your brain is still alive. I am using it to get this gift to you before you go.” He spoke as if the circumstances were better.

“Before I go?” The words disgusted me. “How can you speak so calmly about my death?”

“Everypony dies. I’ve seen more ponies pass than you can even imagine. These friends that hold and can use the Elements of Harmony now, they will die of old age, just like every other pony. Vinyl Scratch will die of old age eventually. That is the fact of the world around us, and you best be comfortable with it.” He continued walking in what felt like a random direction, though I didn’t even know where we started.

“But…”

“Now imagine something you wanted before your time is up.” He had no urgency in his voice, but I still felt rushed.

I closed my eyes and imagined not just one thing. My focus quickly flipped between my many dreams until I only felt one that mattered. I opened my eyes and saw Vinyl standing in front of me. Her glasses were missing, and upon looking down at myself, found my bow missing. I raised my head back up to Vinyl and saw that she had reappeared much further away. The darkness quickly erupted into light as I found myself standing at the top of the crater where I had died, looking down into the hole, and seeing Vinyl looking up at me, glowing with an unreal light.

“How can I get down there?” I asked aloud.

“Think of another dream…” Eyn whispered into my ear with an air of excitement.

I closed my eyes and imagined a dream of mine to get down to her. I felt myself become heavier, yet lighter at the same time, like my weight had been redistributed. I cracked my eyes open and looked at my back. My heart fluttered as I stared at not just pegasus wings, but that of an alicorn. A mirror appeared next to me, showing me how I looked. I didn’t just have alicorn wings, but I had transformed into an alicorn. Eyn walked behind me in my reflection, smiling as he stared at me.

“Like it? Now you can fly down and greet your Vinyl, save her from the hole in which she is trapped.”

I turned give him a smile, but he wasn’t where his reflection was. I turned back to the mirror to see him step out from it, still smiling and moving as carefully as he had done, but with a minor limp, his eyes now gray instead of their bold colors.

“What’s happening to you…?” I asked, my voice trailing as I asked.

“Look inside your heart and follow your true love.” He dodged the question.

Taking flight, my wings worked with just a thought of flying. I couldn’t see how one like Doctor Whooves wouldn’t be able to master such a simple task. My body, or was it my soul, descended into the hole, landing next to Vinyl who stared happily at me. I smiled back, loving her grin and her glittering eyes. I took a step forward causing her to frown. She turned from me and cried.

“Octavia…” I heard her cry my name.

“What is it?”

I walked hurriedly to her side to see why she was crying, but I saw her looking at something else. I looked where she had focused, spying my own broken body lying in a pool of blood. I couldn’t even describe what I was seeing. I tried to comfort her, but found that I wisped through her like I was just a breeze.

“You can make… any dream… come true.” I looked back at the voice as he limped from the shadows. His eyes were completely white and his horn had been snapped from his head. He shook with pain, as he leaned against the wall of the crater. I saw that he only had three legs, while drops of blood fell from what was left of his other leg.

“What…” I wanted to ask him, but he shook his head.

“You need to dream… you need to desire your dreams and follow it without doubt.” He took a deep breath as he coughed blood onto the ground. “You need to see that, or you will regret ever living.” His breathing was broken and weak, his eyes dragging to stay up.

“I just wanted to be with Vinyl… I didn’t even have to close my eyes as that desire outweighed the rest of my dreams.

A white light exploded out from a broken box, Vinyl’s box, which sat right next to my dead body. It crept out of it and began to envelope my body, causing to glow as if it was cast in iron and burned with an amber hue. It blinded me as I stared into it, but it felt right to not look away. Everything became colder and tighter as everything went black. I would sacrifice anything to be back with her.

I woke up at the bottom of the crater, cast in the moonlight that illuminated the ground around me. My breaths were broken and weak as I rose and leaned against the same spot that the broken Eyn had leaned against. My ribs were still broken, but the wounds on my body had stopped bleeding. I coughed blood against the wall, trying to walk forward, but collapsing as I felt a sharp pain shoot through the bone. I knew it was broken.

Every step felt like I was walking on fire and breathing brimstone or dragon’s breath.

“Welcome back to the land of the living, Octavia…” It was Eyn’s voice, but it sounded much colder, and filled with a hint of anger.

“How am I… still alive?” I breathed heavily, feeling my ribs strain.

“Vinyl gave you the gift of life for one that would sacrifice her own heaven to be with her loved one. You desired it and you have a love that no one can break. I gave the magic to succeed in such, but I had to make sure that this desire existed. You passed without question.” He walked from the shadows, a metal click echoing in the cave at each fourth hoof clop.

I squinted into the darkness to see softly glowing white eyes and the metallic shimmer of a mechanized leg. Eyn’s breathing wasn’t strained and he wasn’t breathing as hard as I was or how I had just seen him on the verge of death. His stare was colder, though his eyes never locked onto me, but instead looked out into the darkness.

“I could only wish I could see what you look like. Judging by your breathing and strained syllables, I can guess that you aren’t in the shape you would hope to be in right now.

I stared at the alicorn that loomed over me. Something had changed about the aura around him. The feelings of relaxation and happiness had left and were replaced with coldness. 

“What… happened to you?” Everything hurt to move.

“I was thrown down in here after they had clipped my wings and broke my horn. They thought they could keep me down here, barely alive so that I could continue bestowing the power of the Cutie Marks onto the fair ponies of Equestria. After a few years, they forgot about me, or more appropriately, I made them forget I existed. I made myself a fairy tale for children’s books, so those that still remembered me, would think that they only remembered me through a childhood story.”

“That’s awful… Why would they… do that?” I could feel my breathing improve slightly.

“That is for another time, right now, you need to get to a hospital. Come. Grab your gift from Vinyl.” His voice held urgency this time causing me to react quickly. I painfully bent down and picked up the cracked wooden box, turning my vision away from the contents so that I could save the moment to when I could see her again. Before I could even mutter another word, metal wings creaked from his bag. He picked me up with his magic, using a magical horn that shimmered out of the broken stump. His flying was much more strained as he rose, but it didn’t seem to bother him in the slightest. 

In the air, high above the forest, I could see the scope of the distance that my friends and I had travelled. The crater, the swamp, mountains, and forest, all flew past me, as Eyn picked up speed. I could see the lights of Ponyville, tears welling up in my eyes at seeing that I was home and that I was granted a second chance at life. Eyn stopped at the edge of the forest, staying within the boundaries of the trees and stopped, lowering me to the ground. His mane flowed over the nearby tree, making the leaves vanish so that only the sticks could be seen, but as the mane left from over them, the leaves returned. Everything that it flowed over would show what was hidden underneath, including the cloak that Eyn wore.

“This is as far as I can take you. I’m sorry that I can’t progress any further. The hospital is on the other side of the town from here. Find someone to help you get to the hospital; you are not out of the woods yet.” He nodded and smiled briefly. “It is an honor to finally meet a generation in person.”

Before I could even return my own thanks, he shrank into a small dark hole and vanished in a pop. I struggled to take a step forward, feeling the pain resurface and rack my body. I wheezed through my teeth, still holding onto the wooden box. I continued my slow advance toward the town, watching it grow in size with each step. My smile only widened with each step, knowing that I’d be with Vinyl soon enough, but I still felt worried about my health. Eyn warned me that I would not be able to make it to the hospital. I continued to limp down the dirt road where I had started my first pleasant conversation with Lyra. It was the first place where I had tried to conquer my fears, but failed. I still enjoyed the memory of it.

I continued to limp, picking up speed only to slow and cough with pain. Entering town never felt better, but as I looked around I saw one shop still open. I limped toward the record shop, looking through the window to see the owner packing up his things and closing the store. Equally, the record that I had wanted to buy Vinyl for our anniversary was still there.

“Sir…” I tried to act calm like there was nothing wrong with me.

“Oh, what can I do for you, Miss Octavia?” I had to smile at the politeness of the stallion.

“I was hoping to make an IOU purchase on that record in the window. I currently don’t have my money pouch with me, and I have to get this tonight.” I hoped he would understand.

“Hmm…” He looked at the record and smiled.  “For you? I shall make an exception to the no IOU’s. I know you are a mare of your word. I will have to ask that you pay for it by the end of the week.” He nodded and entered the store, pulling the record down and putting it inside of a bag.

He carried it out to me, where I picked up Vinyl’s box and placed it too inside of the bag.

“Have a good night, Miss Octavia.” He smiled and went on his way, unknowing of the condition that I was in. I let out a pained breath as tears fell. I didn’t have much strength left in my body to make it anywhere that I wanted other than one place. I walked toward it, trying to conserve my strength and trying to stay awake. I didn’t notice the small drips of blood landing on the ground below me from one of my wounds opening back up.

My pace quickened as I saw the house, smoke coming out of the chimney, meaning only one thing. The door was the hardest to open, but I managed to step inside, hearing someone move and listen inside of the living room. I wanted to call out to her and say who I was, but my lungs had already almost burned themselves dry. I slowly limped myself forward and rounded the corner, to see Vinyl staring at me. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face was wet from the tears that she had been releasing into the pillow.

I looked around the living room to see that our usual set up had been created except that the double bed was much smaller, though still made for two. I stared at her before my jaw finally stopped holding the bag, sending it falling to the floor.

“Hospital…” I collapsed in the doorway, watching her almost leap out of bed and run to my side.

-

“Octavia? Octavia!” I screamed out as I saw her lying in front of me. I wanted to cry with happiness at what I was seeing; even doubting myself that this couldn’t be real. The more I looked at her the more I knew it was real, yet still impossible.

“Come on, Octavia…” I lifted her limp body onto my back, feeling her breathing work slowly, but still enough to know that she was still alive.

My sprained ankle held no hindering power over me as I ran her to the hospital. The others were still there, just exiting Ditsy’s room to go home when they saw me barge into the room with a broken and bloody Octavia on my back.

“She needs a Doctor, now!” I screamed when I burst through the door.

The look of panic and surprise hit the rest of the group as they stood in shock at what they saw. Octavia managed to crack her eye open at the group, smiling and sending a single tear down her face. The doctor’s vanished with her into the Intensive Care wing of the hospital.

“You’re covered in blood…” Lyra spoke in amazement, still dumbstruck by seeing Octavia alive, but barely.

I hadn’t even noticed the blood dripping from Octavia as I ran to the hospital. I didn’t know a pony could hold that much blood, or that a pony had a heart strong enough to keep beating after losing so much, yet Octavia remained. I knew she was dead, I could see that she was lifeless and not knocked out. Something happened whenever I left, but the only chance that she ever had was through Eyn Spyyr.

The thought alone made me immediately know it was correct. He didn’t leave her. He didn’t leave her to die. I wanted to cry again, but instead of sadness, I wanted to let the tears of happiness roll off my face. I wanted to dance, hear music, and just scream at the top of my lungs, because Octavia was alive. The stark reality of her still being in danger never crossed my mind as I walked to a chair and sat down. 

Morning came before I was even allowed to enter Octavia’s room. Everything on her seemed to be wrapped in the white bandages that had covered Ditsy along with bags of blood and fluids being pumped into her. A group of doctors still stood outside her door, talking of her condition.

“May I pass?” I questioned.

“Yes, but we warn you, she is sleeping and under a heavy amount of painkillers. I don’t know how she managed to live, but she will make a full recovery in a few months.

The words danced around my head, making me smile and grin wider, happiness almost wanting to leap from my throat.

Entering the room, Octavia didn’t move. She had the different devices connected to her as well as just the tubes feeding her fluids. I pulled the bag that Octavia had drug with her into the room with me, taking the chair next to her bedside.

“I’m glad to see you are alive Octavia…” My words took on a more serious tone, knowing that she had to still be in pain even with the painkillers after they had told me how much damage had been done by the fall.

She breathed calmly with no reaction to my words, but I didn’t care.

“I opened the gift you got me… I didn’t know you knew what I wanted.” Tears of happiness began to form in my eyes. “I would have just been content with having you again.” My voice began to grow heavy as the crying increased. “I love you, Octavia…” I put my head against her cheek and pulled away before my tears could moisten her pillow. Setting the box next to her, I smiled through the tears. “I unlocked it for you. I hope you like it.” I turned to leave.

“Aren’t you going to open it for me?” came almost a whisper from behind me.

I jumped around to see Octavia just barely awake, staring at me with her gorgeous purple eyes, a weak smile on her face.

“Of course…” Tears of happiness were my only response to her.

I opened the box to reveal my gift to her. A silver treble cleft with notes attached to the end in black obsidian stone, mimicking our Cutie Marks, all wrapped into a pink bow, similar to her old bow, but of a newer fabric. I had spent countless hours trying to bend the metal smoothly and attaching the carved obsidian, which was a project as well. I could only stare at her as her smile grew to her ears, her eyes dripping with tears of happiness as well.

“I love you, Vinyl…”She spoke her last words before slumping back to a deep sleep.

I tied the bow around her neck and kissed her forehead before taking my place back in the chair by her side. I wasn’t going to leave her. I wasn’t going to let anyone harm her again. I promised myself of that.

> Epilogue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Across Ponyville, the night laid a soft blanket of night over the town. The lights from the houses appeared to be but glitter from the distance of the Everfree Forest where a lone shadow stood just inside of the tree line. Eyn Spyyr stared out at the town, but his vision sharpened onto the castle in the mountains above it even though he only saw darkness.

“Canterlot…”

He continued to walk across the boundary of his domain and the one he had been locked from. He knew of the ancient magical barriers that had been tailored just for him. He reached out to the end of the nearest tree and saw the sparks of the magic push him back into the forest, leaving a black scuff on his metal hoof. It didn’t seem to bother him at all as he turned away from the barrier, a hair like flicker caught his eye, a flicker so easily out of place in his blindness that he had to look back. He turned back toward the barrier, looking through his clear mane. Through it, he had seen the intents and secrets of everything, from magical to the natural.

He smiled to himself, seeing that he wasn’t quite in the right position before walking to the past the few trees that stood in his way. His mane flowed past him again revealing a clear hole, crackling and fizzing from the rest of the field, which gave everything a fuzzy distortion. A smile cracked on his face as he neared the hole in the field, making sure that the Elements of Harmony cleansing blast had weakened the field as he had planned. One foot, two feet, head, he smiled as he walked out of the woods and into the outskirts of Ponyville.

“Free at last…” He chuckled and shook his head. “Free!” His laugh increased in volume has his wings opened fully and he kicked into the air.

He took a deep breath of the air as if it were new. “Now… let’s see what is first….”

-

I rose from the bench that the doctors has placed beside Octavia’s bed for me to rest and stay beside her. They protested against it, but they were quick to fulfill my demands. I stretched my back and listened to the soft beeping from the machines that made sure that Octavia’s heart was still beating. My eyes were being dragged down by the desire to sleep, but it wasn’t something new to me. Galloping, I made my way back to the house and opened the fridge to grab one of my energy drinks that had saved me countless times before. The trip back was just as quick, if not quicker as the drink began to kick in. I stepped back into the room and smiled at the sleeping mare.

Rounding the corner, a purple glint caught my eye, and I looked down to see my shades sitting on the bench, a small piece of paper resting underneath of it, addressed to me.

Vinyl,
The gifts I’ve given you does not compare to the never-ending gifts that you and Octavia will share. I know I put you through a gauntlet so this is my way of saying thanks for all that you have done for me. I found your glasses at the bottom of my crater and decided to fix them for you. I also had to have a small chat with Octavia about her future. Everything is the way it should be and everything is going to get better in time. Let your love flourish and keep your ears open, you never know if you will see me again.
Thanks,
Bunny.

“Bunny?” I had to ask out loud as I stifled a laugh.

“He doesn’t want us to reveal his existence… didn’t want you to show that letter to anyone.” Octavia spoke in almost a whisper.

I transfixed my vision to her and saw her cracking her eyes sleepily at me, as she turned in the bed to sit up.

“You shouldn’t be moving that much.” I objected as I galloped over to her side.

This was the first time I saw her body without it being covered up by the blankets and saw the rest of the bandages and gauze pads extending down her body blending into the cast on her leg. “I’m fine, Vinyl…” The grimace as she grabbed at her ribs told me otherwise.

“Lay back down, Tavi. A few hours won’t stitch those shattered ribs any faster.” I tried to chuckle, but found the sight of how tore up she truly was began to set in. Her being alive still made no sense, nor was the empty box that only held my gift. Where was Eyn’s gift for her?

Everything began to sink in as I pieced the puzzle together. He gave her life… I could only appreciate him more. He didn’t always work for us, but in the end, he saved everything dear to me.

“What did Ey- Bunny need to talk to you about?” I giggled at the code name that we had given him. “Was it through your dreams like before?”

“He was here, Vi. Standing right over me.” Her tone grew more serious just as quickly as mine had when I heard those words.

“Didn’t he say he couldn’t leave the forest?” Did he lie to us?

“He’s out, Vi. He found a way out.” She started to lie back down, looking like she was feeling dizzy.

“I guess we should be happy for him. He’s been locked inside of the Everfree for so long, away from everyone… it might be a good change for him.” I chimed happily.

“Did you ever wonder why they locked him inside of the Everfree Forest with such a powerful barrier just for him? Doesn’t it seem like something about him is a bit off?” Octavia argued.

“He is strange, but he isn’t a bad alicorn. He saved both of us and even helped Twilight and her friends take out Discord with that Rainbow explosion. Boom!” I didn’t share as much fear toward the pony that had saved Octavia’s life. “He saved your life Octavia, he can’t be evil.” I reasoned, though my voice sounded off.

“I don’t know, Vi… When he was controlling me, I could feel his emotions. He’s hurting about something, angry about something us, and equally as cold and logical. He’s planning something. He’s always planning something.” Octavia sounded frightened by the thoughts.

“Tavi. Tavi… you need to calm down. We will see how things pan out, but I doubt he is going to be doing anything. I don’t see him doing anything extreme.” I tossed a disarming grin to her as I trotted to her side. “Now get some sleep for me.” I kissed her softly on her forehead before taking my place back on my bench.

-

Weeks passed before Tavi was allowed to leave the hospital. Some of her bandages had been removed revealing scar tissue of deep wounds which they said magic could clear up, but a large gash the side of her leg still had stitches in it along with the cast, though unicorn magic had sped up the healing of her bones dramatically and she would have it off by the end of the week. Her limp was much weaker than it had been when I saw her stumbling into the house. I turned my head slightly to her and saw the pink bow with the jewelry hanging in the center. It warmed my heart to see her wearing it so often.

We arrived back at the house where she could only smile at for what seemed like forever. Her smile eventually began to crimp at the edges as she held back tears.

“Home…” She managed to say happily as tears of happiness fell from her face. “Finally…”

She managed to start moving again as I opened the door for her. Everything gave her problems as she moved which only made me wonder how she managed to get into the house before when her wounds were fresh. The smell of strong cleaner hit my nose as I entered causing my eyes to water.

“Ditsy! What are doing?” I coughed.

I mop came around the corner, wiping the floor down. I followed the wooden shaft up to the pony holding it and found Doctor Whooves staring back at me, irritation across his face. He spat the mop out and smiled at the site of Octavia entering the house.

“Ditsy decided to take her muffin break. She’s in the kitchen.” He moved his head to show where as if we didn’t know where our own kitchen was.

We made our way past him as he continued to clean the spots around the house where Octavia’s blood had dried and stained. I had hoped to have all of this finished before she could come home, but having completely forgotten about the blood three days before her arrival, things were a bit rushed, but Octavia seemed happy enough with being home at last. The kitchen smelled strongly of muffins as we entered and upon looking at the countless muffins laying around on the counters and dinner table, we were sure that Ditsy had gotten herself carried away with the baking. The oven door was open and a gray flank with bubbles and a blond tail poked out from it as she rose out, her eyes crooked as she tried to speak with the pan in her mouth.

“Mommy’s glad to see you!” Dinky popped out of one of the baskets that had been filled with muffins, eating her own as she finished speaking.

“Dinky!” Octavia chimed, she had always loved to see Ditsy’s daughter. I was surprised to see that she had managed to halt her tears and dry her face almost immediately, though knowing her, everything feels amazing to see given her romp with death.

Ditsy finally managed to get the pan out of her mouth as she gingerly flew over and nuzzled her head under Octavia’s. “I’m so happy to see you!” Ditsy giggled and began to jog in place with happiness. She pulled away from Octavia’s head and smiled the largest smile that Ditsy had ever smiled in her life. Dinky popped out on top of her head, dropping a muffin down into Ditsy’s awaiting hoof before inhaling it with a smile.

“Try one! They are made with my special ingredients of Love and Bunnies.” She fluttered off with Dinky standing on her back with the same grin.

“Bunnies?” I had to ask.

“What about them?”

“You put bunnies in the muffins?” I shrank from the muffins on the floor.

“Why would I do that? Do they taste like bunnies?” She took another muffin and ate it just as quickly as she had eaten the first. “Bunnies taste good.” She laughed.

“So you didn’t put bunnies in the muffins?” Octavia had already started giving a restrained and dignified chuckled over the whole exchange.

“No… Fluttershy would stare me to death…” Ditsy turned and tried to mimic her stare, but with her crooked eye, it only made me choke on my muffin as I laughed.

“Anyone home?” Yelled a familiar voice from the hallway. We returned to the entrance hallway to see Lyra and Bonbon. Lyra had her usual plastered smile as Bonbon held her calm smile.

“Lyra and Bonbon, good to see you.” I smiled.

“Likewise.” Octavia added, giving her best attempt at a dignified bow, but flinched at the last second from a sharp pain.

“Don’t strain yourself Octavia. We are glad to see you.” Bonbon spoke calmly and softly to us. She seemed quite different from how Lyra acted. I could only try to guess how they acted alone at their house together.

“We tried to bring some candies to the party, but because Pinkie wasn’t here, we figured they would go to waste.” Lyra chimed.

“I don’t want her to see me like this, if you don’t mind keeping that secret for me.” Octavia smiled with her usual degree of prim and proper about her.

“Of course. Hey, what’s that wonderful smell?” I managed to catch the scent as well, noticing that the alluring smell of a muffin avalanche had permeated from the kitchen and into the living room and entranceway. 

“Muffins!” Ditsy fell through the doors of the kitchen followed by Dinky riding a batch of muffins out the door. How does she bake them that fast? “Five hundred muffins!” Her laugh was infectious as it filled the room and brightened the atmosphere even more.

Lyra turned to Bonbon as if she needed permission, which she only nodded. Lyra galloped past us and leaped through the double doors and into the kitchen. We could hear her loud voice yelling. “How did you make so many?”

“Bunnies are quick!” Ditsy and Dinky jumped back into the muffins that now filled out kitchen.

“That makes no sense!” Lyra’s laughter now filled the house, causing Bonbon to chuckle and blush herself. “I love it!”

Doctor Whooves finished the last of the cleaning and finally walked to see the kitchen. The pained expression spreading across his face told us that he hadn’t known what Ditsy was up to.

“When I say take a break, I don’t mean cause another mess!” He laughed as he shook his head. 

Even more muffins slid out as the grey pegasus slid out and touched noses with the brown earth pony smiling. Dinky jumped onto his back. “Yay!”

The scene was cute and manage to make us all smile before Ditsy’s eyes popped back open and she glided around him, hoisting him into the air and carrying him into the kitchen, Dinky humming and swaying her head back and forth, standing on her mother’s back.

“Come look at my muffins… muffin.” She giggled again.

I was glad to see Ditsy like her old self, and seeing how much the Doctor and Dinky hit it off romantically, only made her happier. It was nice to see them meshing so well. Eventually, a green unicorn walked out of the muffins and back toward Bonbon, covered in crumbs.

“Too many… Save me Bonbon.” She hugged on Bonbon.

Octavia had stepped closer to me as well, but feeling her kiss the side of my cheek made me freeze and my glasses almost fall from my face.

“Thank you for all of this, Vinyl. I appreciate it greatly.” She smiled. Her eyes lit up quickly. “This makes the perfect song!” She limped to her study and quickly began to scribble in notes after having promptly torn out the work she had already finished. She stared at me, and smiled, her eyes soft and happy.

“Don’t be too long, Octavia, all work and no play makes Octavia a grouchy pony.” I laughed as I walked toward the kitchen. “Here’s Vinyl!” I jumped through the doors, making a slashing motion with my hoof as I broke through the door.

-

“I stared at the musical notes appearing on the paper as they played in my head. It was finished without even breaking half an hour. I stared at the paper, content as I searched the right words to call it. 

“Love’s Caption: Never in the Background.” I felt content with the title. I gave it a kiss as I moved from my stand and to the kitchen where Bonbon stood staring into the mess inside.

Through the ruckus of them playing inside of the kitchen, I barely noticed that it had started to rain outside. I could only smile. I wondered if this was how Bonbon felt everyday amid being so different from Lyra. Loving her for her amazing personality, that’s how it should always be.

-

Eyn walked along the path that had quickly melted into mud from the rain, but he walked without care. His mane had stopped moving unnatural and hung at his sides, drenched from the rain. His blank, clouded stare never moved from the road in front of him as he walked as if he was trying his best to see the road. He stumbled a few times, and ran off from the road a few times, but his progress was steady. He raised his ragged robe over his head and hid himself from everything as he neared the front gate of Canterlot, feeling its presence.

A guardpony walked up to him, eyeing him up. “Can I help you?”

Eyn smiled at the pony and turned and locked his blind eyes directly onto the guard’s. “If you don’t mind… I would prefer to help myself!” A crack of lightning filled the area around them in light, and the guard was gone. Eyn continued his limping march into Canterlot, hidden by the shroud of the storm, chuckling to himself.

The End.

Thanks to those that have read my story. I'm sure the ending speaks for itself. I'm not finished with this story.
Link to sequel for ease: Everything Ends...