TroubleMaker: An Elements of Music Story

by SweetCookie

First published

A Short Story inspired by Olly Murs' Song 'TroubleMaker'

Coloratura and the gang go to a get-together at Sweet Apple Acres in Ponyville, and after a few drinks, Vinyl discovers she's drunk enough to flirt with Octavia the only way she feels comfortable doing so: Singing.

With the help of Tenor Rhythm and the others, she may just succeed.

This is a short story in spirit of my Elements of Music idea I will explain in better detail!

BLOG CONCERNING UPDATE TIMES: https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/801612/considering-upload-times

Cover Image by MissPinka on DeviantArt!

Ain't Nothin But A TroubleMaker

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It was a normal day in Equestria thanks to Celestia's gracious sun and Luna's calming moon, Everypony had gone about to do their daily tasks, and with the day coming to an end, they either went out or went home to relax until the next productive day. For Coloratura and her group of friends, it meant the chance to go back to their shared cottage and have some time to relax after a long day at their respective careers. This particular night, however, Vinyl Scratch suggested going out for a change of pace, something the group equally agreed on. The location? Sweet Apple Acres' Get-Together.

After changing into some formal evening attire, the group, lead by Tenor Rhythm, went down to the Apple Farm to enjoy themselves in the company of each other and other ponies. Lyra spent most of the night with Bon Bon, Derpy and Doctor Whooves, Sweet Cookie and Tenor spent most of the night with Octavia and Vinyl and occasionally Fluttershy, Rarity and AJ's siblings Big Mac and Apple Bloom. Coloratura spent the night with the group along with Rainbow Dash and Apple Jack.

Eventually, Vinyl started getting a bit more energetic after having a few odd drinks. Octavia eventually left the group to themselves and started talking to Fancy Pants, a stallion visiting PonyVille for a partnered design at the Carousel Boutique that weekend. Vinyl, being rather tipsy for her own good, started getting jealous and eventually started weeping at the fact that her marefriend might not love her anymore. Cookie, Coloratura and Tenor eventually had to pull her aside to calm the Unicorn down.

"Yo, Vinyl you need to lay off the Cider."

"You don't understand Cookie! I need the Cider! It numbs the pain!"

"You might want to keep shouting, I could hear you from miles."

"Oh Tenor I can't help it! Octavia doesn't love me anymore!!!!"

"Look, Vinyl, take it from me, Octavia doesn't have any intentions to cheat on you for another stallion. Wasn't that proven weeks ago?"

"How would you know you simple but sexy Earth Pony?! I might just be a fall back for her!"

Vinyl rested her head against Coloratura as she cried her eyes out whilst taking sips from her unfinished cup. Eventually Cookie took the cup away from Vinyl with her magic, and after a while of comforting the distressed mare, the popular DJ eventually calmed down and sobered up by just a little bit.

"You ok now?"

"Yeah, a little bit. Thanks Rara."

"You're welcome."

"I just wish I can prove to everypony here that I love her with all my heart, way more than my music."

"Well, we need to start thinking about options."

The four ponies nodded and simultaneously started thinking of options. After a while, Tenor's eye's lit up as the Pegasus thought of a rather good idea.

"I've got it!"

"What?"

"Sing to her~"

"Sing to her?"

"I don't know about you Vinyl, but I think we're all drunk enough to pull off a song."

"I like the sound of that."

"Alright, that means getting the equipment set up for the song. Vinyl, you and I are on main vocals. Cookie, Tenor, you're on backing vocals. I'll find Lyra to help Vinyl with the backing track."

"Sounds like a plan, but what's the song?"

"Oh my sweet sweet Cookie, you'll find out."

"I hope it isn't anything embarrassing...who am I kidding? I'm drunk enough for this let's go!"

After Coloratura grabbed Lyra away from Bon Bon, the group started setting up for a small gig with permission from AppleJack. Vinyl had to improvise with another record player from another DJ at the get together while Lyra used her magic to get a guitar, something she started tuning. Tenor and Cookie helped set up microphones and head mics that would be used for singing whilst Vinyl put her signature glasses onto her forehead for this specific song as it felt like a special occasion for her.

When everything had been set up, Coloratura approached one of the stationary microphones, cleared her throat and grabbed the attention of the mares and colts still present.

"Good evening ladies and gentlecolts, we're The Muses, and with the permission of the Apple Family, we present to you a song that will put Vinyl in the spotlight tonight! The song is TroubleMaker Olly Manes, and this song will be sung for our dear friend and band member, Octavia. We hope you enjoy the song."

"You're a troublemaker (You're a troublemaker)"

Vinyl set the Rhythm of the song on the player and the instruments played loud and clear from the record player, Lyra taking care of the guitar part of the song. Multiple mares and stallions started moving their heads to the beat of the music, and as the song's lyrics drew closer, Vinyl left the record player alone to take centre stage and begin the song.

"You ain't nothing but a troublemaker girl~
You had me hooked again from the minute you sat down
The way you bite your lip
Got my head spinnin’ around
After a drink or two
I was putty in your hooves
I don’t know if I have the strength to stand "

"Oh, oh oh~
Trouble troublemaker yeah
That’s your middlename"
"Oh, oh oh~"

"I know you’re no good but you’re stuck in my brain"

"And I wanna know
Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad?"
"Whoa~"
"My mind keeps saying 'trot as fast as you can'."
"I say I’m done but then you pull me back."
"Whoa~"
"I swear you’re giving me a heart attack."
"Troublemaker!"

Throughout the first verse and chorus, Vinyl and Coloratura danced a little together whilst singing, while Lyra, Tenor and Cookie sang back-up vocals, swaying to the music. Octavia had halted her conversation with the Canterlot stallion and began blushing when Vinyl looked at her while she sang. As the second verse began to play, Vinyl started moving from the stage and towards the mare she loved with all of her heart.

"It’s like you’re always there in the corners of my mind
I see a silhouette every time I close my eyes
There must be poison in those gentle hooves of yours
'Cause I keep comin’ back again for more!"

"Oh, oh oh~"
"Trouble troublemaker yeah
That’s your middlename"
"Oh, oh, oh~"
"I know you’re no good but you’re stuck in my brain."

"And I wanna know
Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad?"
"Whoa~"
"My mind keeps saying 'trot as fast as you can'."
"I say I’m done but then you pull me back."
"Whoa~"
"I swear you’re giving me a heart attack."
"Troublemaker!"

Throughout the second verse, Vinyl reached Octavia and started dancing with her, never taking eye contact away from the Earth Pony. Coloratura continuously swayed on the stage along with the other three ponies that were still there with her, even if Cookie and Tenor continuously looked at the other every now and then. Lyra just simply looked at Bon Bon throughout the song every now and then, subtly giving the Earth Pony clues of her small affections for her. The third verse featured Cookie and Tenor more as Vinyl focused on dancing more with Octavia.

"Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad?
Whoa~"
"My mind keeps saying Run as fast as you can."
"Troublemaker."
"I say I’m done but then you pull me back."
"Whoa~"
"I swear you’re giving me a heart attack."
"Troublemaker!"

Coloratura trotted off the stage and began walking through the crowd, Cookie and Tenor free to dance with each other for a small bit. Octavia soon found herself lost to not only the music, but to the Unicorn she had fallen in love with as well. The music from the mix track, now being watched over by the first DJ, continued to fill the Apple Farm with continuous music that filled the air, and as the song came closer to the lyrics Coloratura picked up the song herself.

"Maybe I’m insane
'Cause I keep doing the same damn thing!
Thinkin' one day we gonna change.
But you know just how to work that back
And make me forget my name.
What the hell you do I won’t remember,
I’ll be gone until November!
And you’ll show up again next summer!
Yeah~
Typical middle name is Prada
Fit you like a glove girl I’m sick of the drama
You’re a troublemaker
But damn girl it’s like I love the trouble
And I can’t even explain why!"

After a quick kiss from the Earth Pony's lips and a loving wink towards her, Vinyl made her way towards the stage and decided to finally put on her glasses, something Tenor had been mentally screaming for her to do throughout the entire song. As the final two chorus' began to play, everypony except Octavia was now back on the stage, the DJ making way for Vinyl to finish up the song on the track. Lyra and the others smiled at their helping hoof and focused on finishing the song.

"Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad?
Whoa~"
"My mind keeps saying 'trot as fast as you can'."
"Troublemaker."
"I say I’m done but then you pull me back."
"Whoa~"
"I swear you’re giving me a heart attack."
"Troublemaker!"

"Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad?"
"Whoa~"
"My mind keeps saying 'trot as fast as you can'."
"I say I’m done but then you pull me back."
"Whoa~"
"I swear you’re giving me a heart attack."
"Troublemaker!"

The mares and colts began to cheer as the song ended, but the mare that applauded the most was Octavia. Soon after, the get-together was announced to be officially over, and it wasn't long before the Apple Family and The Muses were left to clean up the place. Octavia approached a content Vinyl as she thanked the fellow DJ pony for lending her his equipment, and much to the surprise of Vinyl, Octavia greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh! Hey 'Tavia, what's up?"

"Nothing much. What was that all about?"

"Hmm? The song?"

"Yes. It was rather unusual of you to act like that during a performance, and the fact you didn't have your glasses on raised suspicions for me."

"Um...how do I put this now....Uh, look I'm going to be square with ya, I freaked out when I saw you talking to Fancy Pants..."

"You? Freaking out over a stallion? I didn't take it you swung that way."

"No, it isn't like that! Hehe, I, uh, got too drunk for my own good and somehow seeing you talking to another potential partner made me feel really jealous."

"Aw, you poor poor Unicorn. I wouldn't have believed you if you didn't add the whole 'Drunk' part to the explanation."

"Yeah, that's me, I guess."

"You didn't really have to do that for me though."

"Huh? How come?"

"You do realise I have eyes for you Vinyl. Why else did I agree to become your marefriend?"

"Huh, I guess that clears everything up more, hehe."

"I think it definitely does."

Octavia gave Vinyl a small but gentle kiss on her lips, and as they turned to face the others, they saw the smiles on their friend's faces that read 'I ship it so hard', something that made both mares giggle to themselves. After finishing up clearing the instruments and saying goodnight to Apple Jack and her family, the group of friends, now lead by a rather energetic Coloratura, went back to their house to settle in for the night. Coloratura and Lyra were the first to go to bed in their shared room, then eventually Sweet Cookie and Tenor Rhythm went into their shared room to sleep for the night. Vinyl and Octavia turned in for the night, but not without Octavia slipping into Vinyl's bed for a cuddle. As all friends slept soundly, none had slept more soundly than Vinyl, content that she won't be losing Octavia as easily as she had first feared.

Her next problem was to cure her hangover in the morning, something that Cookie's hot cocoa and Tenor's waffles should help fix.