Title:           For want of a better title... (WIP)
Author:          CuriousAnon
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/4Bcx29UJ
First Edit:      Friday 9th of November 2012 09:47:02 PM CDT
Last Edit:       Friday 9th of November 2012 09:47:02 PM CDT

Octavia, that was flawless
>Your compliment brings a smile to Octavia's face
>"This was nothing.  You should see me up on stage at the Royal Canterlot Theatre"
I really should get around to seeing that some day...
>You grin
But you'd have to stop giving me private showings like this.  You're spoiling me
>Octavia gives a delightful chuckle
>"I suppose you're correct..."
>"But, I'm afraid, this one must come to an end"
>You obligingly get up off her cello case and pull it open for her
Here, give me your cello
>"I can put it away myself"
No, I insist
 
 
>Octavia reluctantly hoofs the cello over to you
>You gently take it from her with both hands
>Then you carefully set it inside the case
>You remember the last time Vinyl broke one of these
>It wasn't pretty
>You hold out your hand when you've finished
Let's have the bow now
>Octavia extends the hoof holding the bow, and you reach out to take it
>For the briefest moment, you both have your respective manuplitory extremities on the b-
 
 
>BAMF
>An unexpected flash of green light blinds you
>There's something on your hand
>Something that wasn't there before
>It's warm and fleshy
>And it grips your hand on a series of spots
>You finally blink the whitness out of your eyes and look down
>There's a brown tentacle draped over your hand
>Your eyes follow the tentacle up its length
>It grips the bow for a ways, growing ever wider
>It terminates at a body comprised of seven other, similar tentacles
>And on top of that body is...
>Octavia's head
>Still wearing her white collar with pink bow tie
>Celestia's bowels
>How did this happen
 
 
>Octavia is rapidly blinking
>"What in the world was that?" She asks
Octavia?
>She finishes her blinking
>"Hmmm?"
Don't panic, but do you feel... different?
>"do I feel..."
>She looks down
>The bow clatters to the floor, no longer supported by your hand or her... tentacle
>"AUGH!"
>She gives exactly the sort of dignified shriek you would expect from her
>"I'm an octopus!"
>That's the term you were looking for
>"I'm a freak..."
>You start to pull your hand away
>"No!  Don't leave me!"
>And lands on your head, enveloping you in a desperate bid to keep you from running
 
 
>You feel tentacles work their way under the collar of your t-shirt
Octavia
>They drape down across both sides of your torso
>And out along your arm
Octavia, what are you doing?
>that's an interesting sensation...
>Then the suckers find purchase, and anchor Octavia in place
>You can't help but shudder just a little bit, fighting panic yourself
>When she's finished, you know exactly where all eight tentacles are
>Four drape on either side of your back, forming a loose J shape that terminates just above your belt line
>Two run out along your arm, all the way to your wrist
>And the final two are wrapped around your head
>Octavia's own head is situated to the left of yours, poking through the stretched neck hole of your poor t-shirt
>All in all, it feels like you're wearing a warm, heavy, fleshy blanket
>With suckers
 
 
>Octavia is crying
Octavia...
>"I'm a monster!"
Octavia
>"I can't play cello like this!"
TAVI!
>Octavia sniffs
You're panicking
>"What?"
I warned you not to panic
>You try to turn your head left
>Octavia removes the pair of tentacles wrapped around your head, shifting them instead down your right arm and out the sleeve
>"Anonymous, I'm scared"
And you have every right to be.  However, you can't panic
>She starts to lose it again
>"Why?  Why shouldn't I panic?  For all I know, I'll be stuck like this for the rest of my life...  However long that is..."
Relax.  We can fix this
>She looks at you with red rimmed eyes
>"We can?"
Yeah, I know just the p0ny for it; if there's anyone that wou-
>The door behind you interrupts your speech by opening
 
 
>You wheel around to face it
>It's none other than Vinyl Scratch
>She pulls down her signature purple goggles and peers at the both of you
>"Tavi?  Is that you?"
Yep, that's her
>"Are you an octopus?"
>"I-yes, I'm afraid so, Vinyl"
>"That's..."
>You feel the tentacles tense slightly as Octavia braces
>"That's AWESOME!"
>Good ol' Vinyl
>"Y-you really think so?"
>"Of course!  Octopi have all kinds of crazy abilities!  I bet you could crawl on the ceiling with suckers like those!"
>"well Vinyl, that's... good to hear..."
 
 
>You clear your throat
Octavia
>"Yes, dear?"
Would you mind getting off me?
>Octavia looks down and realizes what she's doing
>"Oh.  Oh my. Anonymous, I apologize-"
No, it's fine.  You were scared.  Here
>You yank your shirt up off over your head
If you can let go, I'll lift you off
>"I shall try"
>You feel the suckers attached all over your body weaken their grip
>You accordingly reach up underneath Octavia's main body with both your hands
>A pair of suckers the size of baseballs latch onto your palms as you lift her up and off your shoulder
>Then you set her down on the stool
>Her tentacles drape down over the framework and onto the floor
There
>Vinyl whistles
>"Wow Octavia, when you go for it you really go for it, don't you?"
>"What's that supposed to mean?"
>"Well look at him!"
>Octavia gasps
What
>You look down
>Your torso and arms  are covered a vaguely swirling pattern of red spots
>The spots get larger as they approach your left shoulder
Oh...
 
 
They're on my face too aren't they
>"Yeah"
Wonderful
>"Anonymous, I'm sorry... I didn't know..."
I'm fine, I'm fine
>You reach down and pick up your shirt
>The neck is now stretched pretty bad
>but it's still wearable, so you put it on
>Vinyl approaches Octavia and pokes one of her tentacles with her hoof
>"How did you become an octopus anyway?  I want to try!"
>BAMF
>The same green flash goes off
>You reach up and rub your eyes
>When your vision returns, your fears are confirmed
>Vinyl Scratch is now on the floor
>She holds one of her new tentacles up to her face
>"Woah..."
>Then she begins swishing them back and forth across the floor
>"COOL!"
 
 
So Octavia, how DID you become an octopus?
>"I... well, honestly, I have no idea.  One moment I was handing you my bow, and the next I was... well..."
Interesting.  Vinyl?
>"Hmmm?"
>Vinyl pauses her swishing and looks up at you
Do you think you could change her back?  Or for that matter yourself?
>"Pffft, nah.  Music is my specialty, remember?  If I tried anything Tavi'd probably end up with even more tentacles.  Or a built in set of speakers...  Actually, that WOULD be pretty aweswome... But I'm guessing she doesn't care to become the world's first octowub"
>"Most definitely not!"
>"Octowub... That'd be a good album name..." mutters Vinyl
>"No, if anyp0ny in p0nyville could fix this, it'd be Twilight Sparkle"
That was my first thought too.  How about this
>They both look at you
I'll go get Twilight.  You two stay here and wait for me.  Sound good?
>"Works for me"
>"I agree"
Alright.  See you both in a bit
>You turn and head out of the room, closing the door behind you
>On your way out, you stop in Octavia's entryway and don your trench coat
>It's still raining out
>And you don't intent to add "Wet" to the list of things you're feeling right now
>Finally, you head out the door and into the downpour
 
 
>The trip to Twilight's housebrary is relatively uneventful
>There aren't many p0nies out and about
>And you can't say you blame them
>It's just one of those wet, dreary days better spent inside with a cup of something hot and a few friends
>You press onwards through the rain and finally come upon the massive oak tree that is the P0nyville library
>Then you raise your fist and knock
>"Come in!"
>Slipping quickly through the front door, you close it quickly behind you, shaking the rain out of your hair
>Twilight is, surpise surpise, reading a book
>She lowers a lightly steaming mug of something to the table and turns to face you
>"Oh, hello Anonymous!  How are you doing?"
>You step forward into the light
Twilight, I need your help
>Her expression switches from one of pleasant surprise to questioning concern
>"Anonymous, what happened to your face?  Did you get into poison joke?"
What?  No, what's poison joke?
>She opens her mouth
Actually, don't answer that.  I need you to come with me; it's rather urgent
 
 
>Twilight sets her book down
>"What's the problem?"
You wouldn't believe me if I told you.  I have to show you
>"Is it magic related?"
I think so...
>She sighs
>"Very well, I will come with you"
>She gets up and goes to a closet, retrieving and donning saddlebags and a p0ny rain slicker
What's the bag for?
>"Magical emergency kit"
You have those?
>"With all the malarky that goes on around here, it wouldn't make sense to not have one.  Let's get this over with"
You're right
>You turn right back around and open the door, stepping back out into the rain
 
 
>Twilight doesn't say anything as you lead her through the rain-soaked streets of P0nyville
>Nor does she say anything when you pull open Octavia's front door and beckon her inside
>She does raise an eyebrow though
>You both pause to remove your respective bad weather gear
>"Can you tell me now, what exactly it is I'm supposed to help with?"
You'll see in a minute
>You lead her to the practice room and pull the door open
>It's empty
>"Yeah Anon, that's a really magically distressed music stand there.  I'm so glad I'm here to help"
>She's just piling the sarcasm on
>You can't say you blame her
>She's got a book waiting for her
>You step inside the room
I don't understand.  They were r-
>SPLAP
>Something warm and fleshy swings down and impacts your forehead
aaaaaAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!
>"AAAAAAAHHHHH" Screams Twilight with you
>The mass peels off your forehead, and you almost fall over backwards
>You look up towards the ceiling
>Right above you is Viny Scratch, having herself a nice hearty laugh
>Next to her is Octavia, who looks apologetic
>You turn to Twilight and gesture towards the ceiling weakly
See?