Fate's games
Octavia was trotting down the roads of Manehattan. It was past midnight and the streets were dimly lit by the street lights. Octavia knew she should had gone home earlier, but she and her ensemble had gotten lost in the music and when they were done the clock had passed midnight. The streets were empty. The only sound was from a night club a twenty feet down the road.
“Hey you!” Octavia could hear someone calling her from a few feet distance. She turned around and everything went black.
A slight headache. Extreme pain arriving from something in the forehead. Did I drink to much last night? I think I’m in a bed, but where? She opened her eyes. The room was filled with posters of musicians. She could not recognise any of them. She looked to her left. No stranger beside her, that’s a good sign. I need to figure out where I am.
She got up and saw a door on the other side of the room. She trotted over and reached the handle. To the left was what seemed like a small kitchen. To the right was a huge window. She looked out it and saw a huge room. It had a bar on one side. Some tables in the corner by the bar. Something that seemed like a dancefloor in the middle, and a stage with huge speakers on the other side of the room. She saw one of the speakers being surrounded by blue unicorn magic.
She quickly trotted out the door of the room she was. It lead to a stair and another door. She was now in the huge room with the stage.
“Excuse me, but could you tell me where I am?” No response. She tried again a bit louder. This time the one working on the speakers responded.
“Just a sec!” The voice of a mare shouted back. She could hear some scrambling behind the scene before a white unicorn with a duo blue colored mane came out from what she was working with. “You’re in my night club, I’m Vinyl Scratch by the way.” She said while reaching out her hoof.
“I’m... Not sure. I can’t remember who I am.” She replied panic beginning to infiltrate her voice. “Oh ponyfeathers, I don’t know who I am!” She was clearly panicking now. She was not galloping back and forth in panic drawing so deep breaths Vinyl was sure she would faint if she kept it up. Vinyl engulfed her tail in a blue aura and her pacing came to a quick halt.
“Relax for a second would you? You’re going to faint if you keep doing that!” Vinyl said in a stern tone. “What do you remember?”
“Basic stuff, everything. My past... Nothing.” She replied in a flat tone.
“Hmm.” Vinyl said before noticing her cutie mark. It was a treble clef. “Your cutie mark is a treble clef, that should mean someone within the music business would be able to know something right?”
“Yeah i guess. Where did you say you found me?”
“In the dumpster behind the club. You seemed to have been knocked out and dragged over there.”
“Did i have anything on me?”
“No, I’m guessing you got robbed and ditched in the closest alley.”
“I should get going now. Thank you for everything.” She said and gave a small bow before slowly walking towards the door.
“Do you really think I’m going to let a mare with no idea who she is roam the streets of Manehattan alone? No way. I’m going with you wether you like it or not.” Vinyl replied while following her.
“I’m fine really, I don’t want to bother y-.” She was cut short as everything went black again.
She could feel someone poking her with a hoof. She slowly opened her eyes.
“You okay there?” Vinyl asked.
“W-What happened?”
“You kind of just fainted. We should get you to the hospital.” Vinyl replied and helped her to her hooves. “Oh and since you don’t know your name yet I’ll just call you Clefs.”
“I guess that makes sense”
Two hours, tree faints and a huge headache later ‘Clefs’ and Vinyl stood in the waiting room in the hospital. A nurse came out of the room at the end of the hallway.
“Hey Octavia, you’re back allready?” The nurse asked. Vinyl and Octavia looked around the room for the pony with the name ‘Octavia’. When they saw nopony but themselves Octavia realised she was being spoken to.
“Huh, so that’s your name then.” Vinyl said.
“I guess so. I’m really sorry to bother you nurse but i’ve had a little amneshia.” Octavia replied.
“I see. Well you were here yesterday for a routine check, so I was a little bit puzzled.” The nurse answered.
“She’s also been fainting everynow and then the last two hours.” At the same moment Octavia fainted. “Thanks for the demonstration” Vinyl said and poked at her.
“That could be very serious.” The nurse said with a frown. Octavia woke up again.
“It happened again did it not?” It was more a remark than a question.
“As a nurse I’m not supposed to recommend things like these, but I will do an exception. My sister nurse Redheart who lives in Ponyville told me about a similar case back there. A zebra called Zecora used a potion on the mare and she was cured. It’s up to you if you want to try or not.” The nurse replied.
“Off we go then Tavi.” Vinyl said happily. “I have a friend in Ponyville who could help us with locating this Zecora.”
“As much as i appreciate your help Vinyl you still have a night club to take care off. I’m fine on my own really.” Octavia
“No worries, I’ll just put up a sign saying we got technical difficulties or something. Also how could I let a mare who faints at completely random times travel alone? I’m comming with you either you like it or not.” The nurse nodded in agreement with Vinyl. Octavia opened her mouth a couple of times and closed it again. Eventually she gave up and nodded.
~~~~~~~~~~
“Wait, Wait. Let me get this straight. You got your cutiemark while playing an accordian?” Octavia asked barely able to keep her composure.
“Yeah, what’s wrong with the accordian?” Vinyl asked with a pout. Octavia could not hold it anymore and started rolling on the floor because of her laughter. After about two seconds of laughing she fainted. She woke up again a couple of seconds later.
“Karma.” Vinyl replied flatly.
They were on the train about halfway to Ponyville. Octavia and Vinyl had been talking and laughing the hole time. Mostly about music, Vinyl tried to teach Octavia about wubs and synths while Octavia tried to teach Vinyl about the great composers through the times. None of them really understood what the other one was talking about though. After a couple of hours the train stopped at Ponyville train station.
“Would you mind leading the way then?”
“Sure thing Octy.”
“Of all the nicknames you had to choose Octy?”
“Why not Octy?”
“I’m not sure, I just get a chill when i hear it, maybe we’ll get the answer when I get hold of that potion.”
“Okay... How about Tavi?”
“I guess that’s okay.”
With that Vinyl lead the way over to Lyra and BonBon. She opened the door and walked in. Inside was filled with all different kinds of cany.
“I think we have more important things than to buy candy Vinyl.” Octavia said flatly. Vinyl just ignored her and walked over to the disk. She plinged the bell and seconds later a cream colored mare with a pink and dark mane. She gasped when she spotted Vinyl.
“Vinyl, why did you not say you were comming. Oh my gosh, who’s your new friend? Hey I’m BonBon!” She practically squeled her name extending a hoof towards Octavia.
“Hello, my name is Octavia.” She replied and shook Bonbon’s hoof gently.
“Yeah, sorry about that Bons. We kinda came in a hurry.” Vinyl said with a sheepish smile.
“What happened?”
“Octavia here lost her memory, and we heard a zebra who lives near here could give her a potion to restore it. You don’t happen to know where she lives?”
“Zecora? She lives in the Everfree forest.”
“The Everfree forest?!” Vinyl sounded shocked. “Who would want to live in the Everfree forest?”
“A lot of herbs grow there, so I guess an alchemist is destined to live there. I’m not going to close for another four hours and Lyra is in Hoofington playing a concert. She’s comming home later tonight. You should ask for Cloud Kicker, she’s pretty crazy so she will probably show you the way to Zecoras hut. You will probably find her in the market square with Blossomforth. She’s the pegasi with lavender blue coat and a jasmine tail.”
“Thanks Bon. Would you mind if we stayed the night?”
“Sure, you will have to share room if that’s okay.”
“Sure, you okay with that Tavi?”
“I guess so. Thanks so very much BonBon, it means a lot.”
“No problem, see you two later” BonBon said before dissapearing into the backroom again. Vinyl and Octavia trotted outside and into the market square. Just like BonBon had predicted Cloud Kicker was sitting on a table with another pegasi they guessed was Blossomforth. They trotted over to them.
“Hey, I’m Octavia and this is my friend Vinyl. We were just wondering if any of you know where Zecora the zebra lives?”
“Yeah, want me to take you there?” Cloud Kicker asked with excitement in her voice.
“We would be most gratefull for that” Octavia replied.
“You joining us Bloss?” Cloud Kicker asked.
“Sorry, but I promised to help out Roseluck today.” Blossomforth answered.
“Awww, shame. Well see ya later then”
Now guided by the pegasi they were trotting towards the Everfree forest. Octavia and Vinyl explained why they had come to Ponyville and was searching for Zecora in the first place. By the time they were done they reached the edge of the forest. Octavia stared in wide eyed before fainting off once more.
“I know the forest is scary, but seriously?” Cloud Kicker looked at the fainted pony.
“Oh yeah, I forgot. She kind of faints at random times. I’ve got no idea why.” Vinyl replied sheepishly.
“Again? Gah, I’m going to have so many bruises tomorrow.” Octavia sighed. “That place looks scary, what exactly is in there?”
“Manticores, Hydras, old ruins and poisonous flowers.” Cloud Kicker replied. Both Octavia and Vinyl was shaking and looking like they’ve just seen a ghost. “Relax you two, if we stay on the path to Zecoras hut we should not have to deal with any monsters.”
“Okay... Let’s go?” Vinyl said hesitantly.
The trip to Zecora took a little longer than Cloud Kicker had expected. First because Octavia fainted twice more, second because both Vinyl and Octavia jumped at any noice and third because everytime a timberwolf howled she had to insure them that no one was comming to kill them. ‘Are city ponies scared of everything?’ She thought to herself.
When they finally arrived at the hut both Vinyl and Octavia stood with mouth agape.
“Somepony actually lives in that thing?” Vinyl asked and pointed at the hut.
“Yes, now go on. I have a date with Blossom later tonight and we’re allrdy getting late.” Cloud Kicker said and shoved them into the hut.
Inside was an upside down zebra balancing on a bambus stick. They silently walked in and closed the door. Octavia was the first to speak up.
“Hello I’m Octavia and this is my friend Vinyl. Are you the one they call Zecora?”
The zebra opened one eye before closing it again. After a second she answered.
“You are not from Ponyville i see. With what can i help thee?”
“I lost all memories about my past one day ago, and I faint everynow and then. Someone told me you might have a potion for that?”
“So it is the memory potion you seek? For you I can have it ready in a week.”
“A week?! How am I supposed to go a week fainting all the time and not remembering my past?!” Octavia calmed from her outburst. “Sorry, it’s just a week is a lot of time.”
“The fainting i can fix, it just requires a simple mix.” Zecora answered and walked over to one side of the room. She picked up some herbs and walked back to the cauldron in the middle of the room.
“Thank you so much Zecora, you have no idea how much this means to me.” Octavia thanked Zecora and turned to Vinyl. “Thank you for everything Vinyl, but now you’ve really helped me enough. I’ll stay at an inn in Ponyville.”
“No way. I was thinking about a vacation anyways. Wanna join me? I’m planning to stay on a 5 star hotel also known as Lyra and BonBons house in a small town called Ponyville. It would be such a shame to have to go alone.” Vinyl replied with a sly smirk.
“Wait how did you do that? Gah. Okay. Thank you Vinyl. This means a lot to me.” Vinyl was now grinning from ear to ear.
“Could we hurry up all ready? I have a date to make” Cloud Kicker looked very annoyed. Octavia and Vinyl thanked Zecora once more and she gave them the brew against Octavias fainting. The trip back to Ponyville went slightly faster. When they reached the end of the everfree forest they thanked Cloud Kicker and she flew off.
After a couple of minutes of akward silence Octavia spoke up. “How did you meet BonBon and Lyra?”
“We went junior highschool together before they moved from Manehattan. After that we kept up the contact through letters.”
“So are they married or something?”
“Not yet, they’ve been together for a year now. I think Lyra is going to purpose soon though.”
“How?”
“Just because I’m a Dj I’m not completely blind to love.” Vinyl said and snorted like she’d been offended.
“I did not mean that. I’m so sorry.”’
“Just kidding with ya.” Vinyl said before bumping Octavias shoulder with her hoof.
When they reached Lyra and BonBons house the sun was starting to set. Vinyl tapped the door with her hoof.
“I’m comming” Vinyl recognised the voice of an irritated unicorn called Lyra. The door opened and she peaked her head out. When she saw Vinyl the frown on her face turned to a huge grin. “Vinyl! What a surprise, what brings you here?”
“Long story told short. Octavia here lost her memories and now Zecora is brewing her a potion.” Vinyl said.
“I see, so you guys sleeping over at our place then? How long will you stay?”
“A week. If it’s okay for you guys that is.” Lyra looked like she was about to explode.
“A WEEK?! A whole week? THIS IS GOING TO BE SO MUCH FUN!” Her grin could almost compete with Pinkie’s.
“Lyra, wheres your manners? Let the poor dears in!” BonBon came trotting out of the kitchen and nudged Lyra out of the door way. “I’m sorry, Lyra has just been really eager to meet you again Vinyl.” BonBon said apologetically.
“I really am that awesome ain’t I?” Vinyl replied with a grin and trotted inside. Octavia followed after with a small “thanks” and a small smile.
Once inside BonBon lead them to the living room and pointed them towards the sofa. She then trotted into the kitchen and returned with four plates in her mouth. Lyra grabbed them in her magic and levitated them over to the table.
“Lyra would you be a dear and bring the soup from the kitchen?” BonBon asked
“Sure!”
Lyra trotted into the kitchen and returned with a huge cooking pot filled with soup. When the four ponies had finished their soup BonBon started showing Octavia around the house. It was a small two stories house. On the upper floor was two bedrooms and a bathroom.
Downstairs was a hallway, a living room, a kitchen, a second bathroom and finally a secret cellar behind a bookcase. Inside was the storeroom for all the different kind of blackmarket merchandise you could imagine. BonBon was planning to show this to Octavia though.
After the little tour they went back to the living room where Vinyl and Lyra was chatting eagerly.
“I’m going to sleep now, will you be joining me soon Lyra?” BonBon asked.
“Yeah, I’m getting pretty tired. Feel free to do whatever you guys want. The fridge is always aviable if you get hungry during the night.”
“The bed sounds quite tempting right now. See you all tomorow.” Octavia said before trotting upstairs. She was quickly followed by Vinyl. They entered the room they were sleeping in. There was two seperate beds with a nightstand between them. On the other side of the room was a wardrobe and a small desk with a mirror over it. They both laid down in each their bed.
“Must be pretty hard not remembering anything from your past huh?” Vinyl could hear some muffled sobs. “You okay?”
“Y-Yeah, sorry. It is pretty hard on me. What if someone is searching for me? What if the memories never will return? What if there was something really important happening this week? And most of all, who am I? All theese questions are going through my head. I just don’t know what to do.” The sobbing had stopped, but her face said even more than her words. She was scared, afraid she might loose who she is completely.
What Vinyl did not tell her is honestly, she was a bit jealous. She wished she could just start over. The thing is, Vinyl was not an ordinary DJ. It was her dream, but not her life. If only she could start over.