>"Tavi! Hey, Tavi!"
>Beauty Brass came running up alongside the cellist, her arms overflowing with teetering stacks of binder-clapsed sheet music
"Hello, Beauty," Octavia said, flashing her a quick, approving smile
>Beauty smiled, beaming with pride from just that quick smile
>This girl has her face so deep in Octavia's cooch that it's hard to believe she could breathe
>"I took care of organizing the orchestra's parts for you! All in order, and all ready for next week's opener!"
"Excellent work," Octavia said as she patted her friend's shoulder. "You're a remarkable reliable girl, Beauty. I can't explain how fortunate I am to have your help."
>Beauty blushed furiously, her posture straightening when she felt Octavia's touch
"Now, go make sure everyone is in their places for me, okay? I'll check on you later."
>"Sure thing!"
>Beauty ran off, stumbling under the weight of all the binders
 
>It really was all so remarkably easy, Octavia thought to herself as she strode into the band room
>Folding chairs were arranged in a semi-circle around her, each of them filled with a musician currently fiddling with an instrument
>Each musician glanced up, all of them silently hoping for some hint of approval from Octavia, the orchestra club's president
>Octavia knew far more the name of each member; each one possessed some secret *hook*, some subtle desire, that could contort them into putty in Octavia's gentle hands as soon as she discovered what it was
>And each hook was hardly unique: for awkward, somewhat homely girls like Beauty, it was simple validation from a popular, well-loved girl
>For others it was flirting, praise of their musical skills, or even something as simple as an honest conversation about their terrible relationship with their older sister
>And once Octavia knew what they wanted, giving it to them was a simple matter; soon, she was easily the most popular girl in Canterlot High
>There was no maliciousness in it; she never wanted to hurt any of these kids
>She was a genius at guessing what people wanted, and clever enough to get it to them
>It was a mutually beneficial relationship, and her skills at satisfaction were already pushing her towards preeminence in Canterlot's "Upcoming Musicians" scene
 
>Octavia strolled leisurely to the front of the room, clearing her throat twice
>Immediately, conversation hushed and everyone turned to watch her
>She savored the moment, letting a small smile touch her face as her eyes swept across the room
>Each orchestra member shivered, feeling that smile as if it were directed at them specifically
>Well, each orchestra member save one; at the far end of the room, seated in a chair separate from the rest of the orchestra, a girl with punkish, spiked blue hair and a trashy getup of oversized clothes sat with her eyes on the floor
>A pair of oversized headphones covered her ears
>Octavia frowned; she hadn't been told of a new member, and there's no way any of her orchestra would dare keep information from her
>She turned to the new girl, addressing her in her in the sweet, lightly-accented, comfortable-yet-somehow-demanding voice she'd perfected for use with new members
"Excuse me? I don't believe I've met you before. Are you new?"
>The girl didn't look up
>In fact, she didn't acknowledge Octavia was even looking at her
>Octavia's left eye twitched slightly
>She could handle anything with grace, but being ignored was not something she took well
>Turning away from the rest of the orchestra, she strode across the floor to where the headphones-girl sat, tapping her foot
"Ahem."
>The girl still would not look up
>Octavia grit her teeth
"Ahem!" she repeated, louder
>Still no response
>Octavia could feel dozens of pairs of eyes boring into her back
>She forced her hand not to shake with anger as she reached out and tapped the girl's shoulder
>Finally, the newcomer looked up, but didn't say anything
>Octavia motioned for her to take her headphones off, and the girl pushed one speaker aside, tilting her head
"Excuse me. This is an orchestra club meeting. If you're not part of the club, them I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
>"Kay. I'm part of the club though."
>The girl focused her attention back on her phone, where Octavia could see she was tapping fiendishly at some kind of rhythm game
"If you're part of the club, then you should grab your instrument and get ready. We're staring in two minutes."
>"Yeah, I know."
"Then where is your instrument?" Octavia asked
>It was getting harder and harder to keep the anger out of her voice
>"Don't got one."
"You showed up on the first day of school, our first practice of the year, without your instrument?"
>"I don't have an instrument."
>The girl continued to stare at her phone, talking to the floor instead of to Octavia's face
>At her sides, Octavia's hands curled into fists
>The nerve of this girl!
>Did she have any idea who she was speaking to?
>All Octavia had to do was complain about this upstart punk and she'd be booted off the CHS orchestra faster than, well, faster than just about anything
>Octavia let none of the bubbling anger show, though; she kept up a perfect veneer of professionalism, something she was sure the rest of the club would applaud her for
"Well, if you don't have one, then I don't see how you're going to participate."
>The girl looked up at Octavia, looking at her as if Octavia were an idiot
>Then she focused on her phone again, once against ignoring the school's most popular girl in favor of Rhythm Hell 8: Bats Outta Hell
>"You'll figure it out."
"Figure it out? And what is that supposed to mean?"
>The girl just put her headphones back on, ignoring her
>Octavia's teeth clenched, and anger coiled in her got like a writhing snake
>How dare she?
>How dare she!?
>HOW (being dressed like a low-life raver and having no instrument, not to mention no scraps of talent for anything other than trash phone games)
>DARE (to sit with the rest of the orchestra room next to talented and mature musicians, as if she were anywhere near being one of them)
>SHE (this random nobody, think she could force herself into the social circle of someone like Octavia and then PROCEED TO IGNORE HER!?)
>Octavia couldn't speak
>She turned on her heel, marching towards the door, fully intending to find Ms. Harshwhinny and report this girl
>To her surprise, she nearly bumped right into Harshwhinny's tall, disturbingly busty form as the band director strode into the room
>"Ah, Ms. Melody, excellent to see you here, I--"
"Ms. Hasrhwhinny! This girl here has been exceedingly rude to me, and clearly has no intention of performing with us as a musician. I ask you remove her immediately."
>Harshwhinny looked confused, glancing between Octavia and the blue-haired punk
>"Her? Oh! This is Vinyl Scratch. I asked her to join the orchestra personally."
"Yes, exactly, I-- wait, you what?"
>"I asked her to join, Ms. Melody."
"But she doesn't have an instrument!"
>"She doesn't need one. Ms. Scratch has proven herself very talented as an audio tech. I'm hoping she can help us with mic-ing and mixing our performances, and eventually even recording them."
"I... I see."
>Octavia could feel shame burning hot on her cheeks
>And, though she couldn't see behind her, she could swear that Vinyl was staring at her now, probably laughing inside
>The thought just about made her sick
>Ignored, then one-upped by this girl?
>Octavia's nails dug into her palm, and plans for revenge whirled through her head
 
>Throughout practice, Vinyl barely even paid attention to the music
>She listened just long enough to fiddle with a few nobs on the room's main mixer, raising the levels of a few violins and dropping that of the tympani
>Octavia could swear Vinyl had dropped the audio of her cello by a fraction, and nearly bit her own tongue off in fury
>After practice, though, she put on her sweetest smile and went to find Vinyl
>However, the girl slunk away the moment the band finished playing, not bothering to talk to anyone
>Octavia strode after her, chasing her down the halls
>The orchestra always met after school was over, which meant that the hallways were pretty much empty, leaving the two girls mostly alone
>Octavia expected that Vinyl would head straight for the lockers, probably hoping to pack up then head home like everyone else
>But instead, she took a detour, taking the stairs down into the school's basement level
>Octavia herself nearly never strayed into the basement; there was no need, as she could usually find Beauty or someone else to gladly do it for her
>So she felt somewhat squeamish as she walked through the poorly lit lower halls of CHS, past trophies from the 70's that probably hadn't been polished since before she was born
>Vinyl was still wearing her massive headphones, so Octavia wasn't at all worried about being noticed; she followed a few paces behind Vinyl until the girl reached the basement computer labs, and stepped inside
>The computer labs were hazy and dark, lit only by flickering CRT monitors and filled with the hum of fans
>Vinyl took a seat by a machine in the corner and propped her feet up on the desk, stretching out
>Her fingers flashed over the keyboard, bringing up some bright, geometric game
>Octavia took a moment to steady herself, figuring out her approach
>A recluse like her clearly just didn't understand social interaction
>And, being such a recluse, Vinyl would open up to strong presence like Octavia
>And once Vinyl was putty in Octavia's hands, Octavia could--
>"Are you just gonna stand there like a weirdo?"
>Octavia froze, feeling like someone just dumped icewater over her head
"You... how did you..."
>"I've still got ears," Vinyl said, not even taking her eyes off her game. "You mad about something?"
"Not mad. I just..."
>For the first time she could remember, Octavia was genuinely thrown off
"I believe we got off on the wrong foot. I think an apology would be appropriate--"
>"Okay. Apology accepted."
"Not from me! From you! For embarrassing me in front of my orchestra!"
>"Huh? I just did what Ms. H asked me to, senpai. Don't make such a big deal out of it."
"I am not making a big deal out of anything. Your behavior was incredibly out of place!"
>Octavia was surprised to find herself shouting
>How had this random girl gotten under her skin so quickly?
>Octavia shut her eyes, massaging her templed as she leaned against the wall
"Okay. That was uncouth of me. I apologize."
>"Apology accepted."
>A vein in Octavia's temple nearly burst
>She forced herself, again, to calm down, and decided that this troublesome rave-girl merited her ultimate weapon
"Yes. Good. Glad we have that settled. Now, seeing as you're going to be a part of my orchestra, I think it's best we get on better terms. How would you like to have tea at my place? Say... maybe tonight, after you're done here?"
>Octavia smiled
>Nobody had even been able to resist her invitation for tea; her reputation as a hostess was known throughout the entire school, and having tea with her was a massive boost to one's social reputation
>Even a girl like Vinyl could never possible refuse
>"Nah."
>...
>Octavia momentarily considered ripping out her own hair
"Nah? What do you mean?"
>"Mean I don't wanna go, senpai."
"How could you now want to go? I'm inviting you to my home! For perfectly good tea! There are girls here who would punch their own mother for this kind of chance."
>"Cool."
"It's more than cool! This is a critical opportunity for you to expand your social circle."
>"Huh."
"You're ignoring me again!"
>"Bingo."
>Vinyl's fingers flashed over the keyboard like crazed spiders, controlling a tiny triangle as it dodged through waves of geometric obstacles
>Octavia just stared at the back of the girl's head, her mouth hanging open
>For the life of her, she could think of nothing to say
>She was past anger now, and had entered a sort of blank disbelief that anyone could treat her this way
>Octavia's knees went week, and she slumped hard against the wall
"You really have no idea what you're saying 'no' to."
>"Kay."
"Don't you have anything more to say for yourself? You're talking to Octavia Melody! You should feel honored I'm as interested in you as I am!"
>"Neat."
>Vinyl made a big show of pressing the "volume up" key a couple times, drowning Octavia out
"You... you... pay attention to me!"
>Vinyl didn't say a thing
"I said pay attention to me!"
>Again, no response
>In a flash of anger, Octavia raise her hand, ready to smack the headphones off Vinyl's head
>Then she froze, realizing that such an outburst would give the girl exactly what she wanted
>Octavia took a step backwards, burning shame replacing the anger that previously had coursed through her
>All of her cool, all of her poise and self control, had been burned away by one girl
>And it had been easy
>She'd even rejected Octavia's offer of tea, like she didn't care!
>Unable to stand being in the room anymore, Octavia turned on her heels and stomped away, muttering under her breath
>She'd messed this up, that much was plain
>But she'd rebound quickly, as she always did
>Somewhere inside that surly raver-girl, there was a hook
>And the moment she found Vinyl's hook, Octavia would fill the girl with nothing but regret for having spurned such generous invitations
>She'd be putty in Octavia's hands in just a few days, it was certain
 
>Two days later, Octavia once again stood in front of the orchestra, her hands behind her back
"Afternoon, everyone."
>Various cheerful greetings came from all of the band members
>Well, all except one
>Octavia's eyes flicked towards Vinyl, finding the raver sitting cross-legged by the mixing console, focused on her laptop and oblivious to the world
>She was clicking furiously, probably playing some pointless game
>Fortunately, for Octavia, though, the other girl wasn't wearing headphones
"I've been thinking of having a small party to celebrate the start of the band season. Who here would be interested in coming?"
>Immediately, the orchestra erupted into a chorus of excitement, as everybody tried to let Octavia know they were *definitely* interested in being a part of her party
>Octavia smiled, glancing over at Vinyl again
>Desperately, she hoped to see some realization in the raver girl's face
>With the entire chorus cheering at the idea of hanging out with Octavia, Vinyl would have to realize how alone she was, and how foolish it had been to reject the offer of tea
>Vinyl hadn't even looked up from her laptop
>Octavia clenched her pen so hard it snapped
"Vinyl?" she asked in a steel-wire voice. "Would you be interested?"
>Vinyl simply shook her head, not even noticing the uproar from the rest of the band
>Little blue blobs of ink dripped down Octavia's palm and down towards the floor as her eye started to twitch
 
>The party, of course, was a rousing success, as they always were
>The food was exquisite, a veggie-and-cheese spread with plenty of tea and soda for everyone, and a perfectly crafted Debussy playlist layered ambience over the whole gathering
>All anyone could talk about was how perfect it was, and how grateful they were to Octavia for having thrown it
>And all Octavia would do was sit in the corner and sulk, furious and twitchy
>How?
>How could anyone reject her so thoroughly?
>It was unfair!
>And more than unfair, it just didn't make sense!
>There had to be some piece to this, something Octavia didn't know about
>But she couldn't think of anything!
>The girl had, as far as Octavia could tell, no friends whatsoever
>N-not that she had been spying on Vinyl, or anything
>It was just casual observance, and all of it had found Vinyl doing nothing other than wasting her time alone in the computer lab
>She had to have some sort of secret life Octavia didn't know about
>It was the only explanation!
>There must be something out there so interesting, so incredible, that even Octavia and her parties paled in comparison
>The thought of such a thing was starting to drive her insane
>Octavia was down to only a few hours of sleep a night, as so many of her waking hours were now swamped by plotting
>There had to be a way to make this idiot realize what she was missing out on
>There simply had to be!
 
>It was Friday morning, two weeks since Vinyl had joined the CHS orchestra and the day before its first concert of the year, that Octavia finally got her answer
>She had been pacing in front of the band room, her eyes puffy and exhausted, when she noticed a flyer affixed to the wall
>There wasn't much particularly eye-catching about the flyer, just bolded text on plain green paper
[Tonight, at Quarter Note's! Pure insanity!]
[Robotic Rumble!]
[Four hours of pure synth-pop!]
[Featuring: DJ PON3]
>Now, the name probably wouldn't have meant anything to Octavia, but it seemed devilishly familiar
>And it wasn't until that afternoon's practice, when she noticed the sticker affixed to the back of Vinyl's laptop, that she realized why
>The moment practice ended, Octavia grabbed the flyer off the wall and stuffed it into the pocket of her vest
>Her keen instincts for finding a person's hook were in full swing now
>She knew that, somehow, the key to breaking through Vinyl's ignorance lay at this "Robotic Rumble," what sort of idiocy it might turn out to be
 
>The event started at nine, according to the flyer
>Octavia knew that dressing her best would be beyond uncouth in such a place, and so she selected the most basic outfit she could manage, surrendering her usual skirt-and-vest combo for simple, tightly fitted jeans and an "I Only Listen to the Mountain Goats" t-shirt, both of which she'd washed in a little bleach to give them the illusion of wear
>Expecting to navigate some sort of crowded, sweaty dance-mob, she wore some simple tennis shoes, and tied her hair back in a utilitarian ponytail
>It was almost painfully plain, but Octavia was hoping to avoid drawing too much attention to herself
 
>When she arrived at Quarter Note's, though, Octavia immediately realized she had done the exact opposite of literally everyone there
>Down to the staff of the place, everyone was decked in tight-fitted corsets and vests, all of which were crisscrossed with glowing pastel tubes
>Most of the guys had their hair gel'd up in colored spikes, and many of the girls had wrapped coils of colorful wire into theirs, giving them the appearance of having transformed into trendy, glowing cyborgs
>Octavia saw more than one gas mask amongst the crowd, and began to feel slightly afraid
>She stepped inside the place, feeling vulnerable and lame
>Several people gave her a weird look, as if to remind her just how hard she didn't belong here
>Octavia ignored them, keeping her eyes on the ground as she shuffled through the crowd
>Occasionally, a random person bumped into her, knocking her aside without even apologizing
>Internally, Octavia scoffed at their inconsiderate nature
 
>She finally made it to the bar, where she took a seat at the far end, as far away from the rest of the android-people as possible
>The music, thankfully, wasn't deafeningly loud
>Just a basic kick drum with the same two notes played over it, the kind of trite nothingness she'd expect from such a place
>It made her almost sick; how would anyone choose something like this over *her*?
 
>Finally, the music faded out, and a low, hissing hum filled the room
>The crowd cheered, and they all turned towards a rough stage, built with layered square edges to look like it had been hewn out of a bismuth crystal
>And there, onto that stage, stepped Vinyl Scratch
>It was weirdly uncanny, seeing the reserved, asocial girl in front of a crowd of so many
>Vinyl didn't wave to any of them, nor did she say anything
>Her eyes were hidden behind dark goggles, and she was dressed in purple tights and an oversized Kraftwerk t-shirt
>Without any introduction, she began her set
>Octavia winced, preparing herself for more bombastic, painful "dance" music
>Or, good lord, some of that wretched "dubstep" that had been popular around when she'd entered middle school...
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDn1Oxv0fxU [Embed]
 
>But, to her surprise, that wasn't what she heard at all
>Vinyl's hands flicked between a mixing console, laptop, and keyboard with the same precision she used for her games, layering clean, powerful synths on top of one another
>In terms of complexity, it was no symphony
>But Octavia found herself almost dissolving into the music, her eyes transfixed on Vinyl as the girl manipulated her music-tech
>Lights flared up around the room, splashing blues and purples across the walls and onto Vinyl herself, but she didn't look up from her work
>She played almost as if there were no audience at all, keeping her attention focused only on the music
>The crowd, far from the mosh hell Octavia had expected, formed up in circles around Vinyl and danced, swaying and stepping around each other with only minimal jostling
>Octavia found her own foot tapping as she gradually lost sense of time, become completely hypnotized by the music
>She found, quite simply, that she couldn't take her eyes away from Vinyl
>For a moment, the bitterness that had rested in the back of Octavia's mind for almost two weeks now faded away
>Even the rest of the room seemed to recede as the beauty of the music overtook her, carrying her somewhere hazy and warm
>Octavia stood up, finding her body moving almost by itself, and began to awkwardly groove to the music
>The crowd parted around her, creating a path for her to move closer to the stage
>Octavia closed her eyes, letting the music overtake her
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpwZr5LY6MY [Embed]
 
>If she was aware at all her terrible her dancing probably was, she didn't care
>She just kept doing this awkward little two step, bobbing and waving her arms, feeling so exultantly *free* for the first time in years
>It was hard to tell how long she danced, but the music eventually faded away, leaving her sweating and breathless
>And, when she looked up, Vinyl was staring right at her from up in her stage
>She raised a hand to her goggle, and pushed them up onto her head, staring at Octavia with shocked red eyes
>Octavia froze
>For a moment, she hoped that Vinyl wouldn't recognize her in such plain attire
>But that was a foolish hope; the look on Vinyl's face was clearly one of recognition
>She quickly turned, hiding her eyes behind her goggles again, and bustled off the stage towards the back room
>Only a moment after she disappeared, Octavia ran after her
>Impulsive actions had never been a part of her character; she was for more the kind of girl to keep herself poised, to plan out her tactics perfectly before she acted
>But, caught up in the music and the thrill of Vinyl's performance, Octavia didn't have much time to think
>So she ran after the DJ, calling out to her
"Vinyl! Wait!"
>Vinyl didn't wait
>She slipped through a battered door, the surface of which was plastered in garish, neon-colored band stickers, and disappeared into the back of the club
>Octavia ran after her, ducking through the same door
>She emerged into a backstage area built like a concrete bunker, with naked concrete walls and cables like inky pythons hanging from the ceiling
>Vinyl stood at the other end of the room, facing away from Octavia
>"What?" she asked, her voice faint and clearly exhausted
"I wanted to..."
>Octavia froze, realizing she didn't exactly know why she had chased Vinyl
"I wanted to speak to you."
>"Kay. What about? I gotta pack up."
"It can wait."
>Vinyl turned around, raising an eyebrow
>"Uh... yeah, no. If you wanna talk, grab a bag."
"I am not some roadie for you to boss around! I came here to speak to you, and I will not be ignored any longer!"
>Octavia crossed her arms over her chest, standing firm in front of the doorway
>Vinyl sighed, taking a seat atop of blown-out amp
>"Alright, fine. You got two minutes."
"I'll talk as long as I feel is appropriate."
>"Sure you will. I just won't listen."
"You... agh! You're an unbelievable nuisance, you know that?"
>"Says the girl who's been stalking me for the past two weeks."
"I have not been stalking you!"
>"Uh huh. And you're here because..."
>Octavia could feel herself blushing, and hoped it was dark enough in here that Octavia wouldn't notice
"Because I want answers. You've been avoiding me and spurning my invitations. Such behavior is as unusual as it is unwise. I want to know why."
>"Why what?"
"Why you won't attend any of my events! What is it? Do you dislike me? Or think yourself better than me? What is it!?"
>Octavia realized she was shouting, and took a long breath to calm her nerves
"Just... tell me why you avoid me, and I'll leave you alone."
>Vinyl shrugged
>"I don't avoid you. I just don't wanna go to any tea parties."
"But why not?"
>"Because I don't?"
>Vinyl gave Octavia a weird look
>"What don't you get?"
"It just doesn't make any sense! Everyone likes them!"
>"Uh, okay?"
>Vinyl got up from the amp and began walking slowly towards Octavia
>"Guess I'm the one that doesn't."
"I... I..."
>Octavia could not think of a single thing to say
>Vinyl stepped right in front of her, standing with her face only a few inches away from Octavia
>And Octavia, for the first time years, backed away, letting Vinyl pass
>The other girl strode back into the main room, and Octavia followed after her, keeping close behind
"There has to be something I can do to make them more appealing. What would you like?"
>Vinyl shook her head
>"Y'know, I'm really flattered you want me there so bad. But parties ain't my thing."
"There has to be something you would want! You came out here, after all."
>"Not for the party. Because I want to perform."
>Vinyl stepped onto the stage and began disassembling her equipment, rolling up cables and stashing her keyboards in nylon bags
"A performance? I could get you a performance. Easily."
>Vinyl paused
>"You could?"
"Certainly. I could have half the school there, if you want. All to see you."
>Internally, Octavia grinned
>She had found Vinyl's hook!
>At long last, she knew exactly what this girl wanted!
>Now, it would be a simple matter to--
>"Eh, nah."
>Octavia balked
"What? Nah? How on earth could you say no to that?"
>"You don't get it. I don't want half the school there."
>She stuffed her laptop into its case, then began piling all her equipment into a backpack
>Vinyl stood up, leaning against the wall
>"I don't need a crowd. I'm not like you."
>Shouldering the backpack, Vinyl bustled past Octavia
>"I want people who care. I'd take a single one of those over an entire crowd of your... admirers."
"They are not just my admirers."
>"Kay. Whatever they are, that ain't who I want listening to my music."
"Then what do you want?"
>The question left Octavia's lips before she could stop it
>It was something she had never asked another human being without knowing the answer first
>Vinyl shrugged
>"Dunno, really. Guess you'll just have to figure that out."
>Without another word, she got up and walked past Octavia, strolling casually out of the building
>A few stragglers from the crowd cheered as she walked past, but Vinyl didn't even acknowledge them
 
>Octavia did not sleep well that night
>She spent hours sprawled out in bed, her limbs tangled in the sheets and sweat on her brow, staring up at the ceiling
>How could she have failed?
>She never failed!
>Nobody could resist her charms, and she'd never met a person she couldn't figure out
>But Vinyl was...
>She didn't even know what Vinyl was!
>The more she spoke to this girl, the more confused she became
>Octavia sat up in bed, holding her head in her hands
>Her entire body burned with the shame of rejection
>The idea of anyone saying no to her so casually pierced her clean and deep
>Just how, how?
>Everyone loved her, it was practically mandatory, especially amongst the orchestra club
>To be tossed aside like this...
>It almost made Octavia want to cry, and she *never* cried
>Suddenly, she jumped out of bed, seized by a sudden idea
>Tomorrow was the first big band concert!
>No, not even tomorrow; the clock read 1 AM, meaning that they'd be leaving for the concert in seven hours!
>The first concert, as was tradition, would take place up in the Manehattan, at the Equestria-famous Manehattan Repertoire Theater
>It was a big deal, to say the least, requiring a cross-country road trip
>Octavia sat down next to her cello, grabbing the instrument out of its stand and letting her fingers dance across the strings
>Upon touching it, the synapses of her brain kick into overdrive, and schemes ran like wildfire through her
>Once the orchestra reached Manehattan, it was custom to have the band members shack up in hotel rooms, usually splitting each room between two people
>Normally, though, Octavia would be given her own room, part of the privileges she enjoyed as club president and the orchestra's star musician
>But, if she were to offer to share her room...
>Octavia's fingers danced up and down the neck as she laid her bow against the strings, drawing out whisper-like notes as her plan coalesced
>If she shared her room with Vinyl, she'd be applauded as generous
>Once they were alone, she could coerce anything out of Vinyl
>That punk had evaded her so far, but they had always met on Vinyl's terms
>Now, Octavia would have the girl all to herself
>Nobody, not even an obtuse raver like her, could resist Octavia's charms for long
>She'd have the girl melting like chocolate in her palm
>Octavia finished her impromptu practice with a flourish, then collapsed into bed, giddy
>This was it!
>Less than twenty-four hours from now, Vinyl would be hers!
 
>"You'd like to share your room?"
>Ms. Harshwhinny looked somewhat surprised
>All around her and Octavia, the orchestra was loading instruments and equipment onto two buses
"Yes, ma'am. I think it's only fair. Vinyl shouldn't be squished in with strangers."
>"That's very noble of you, Ms. Melody. But it won't be necessary. I've arranged for Ms. Scratch to have her own room."
>Octavia blinked
"Um... what?"
>"She asked if she could room by herself. And, given that she'll be an incredibly valuable asset in our first show, I decided it was appropriate."
"But... but I..."
>"Do you object?" Harshwhinny asked, raising an eyebrow
"I... I do not, ma'am. I just need to think a few things over. Will you excuse me for a second?"
>"Certainly. Just be on the bus by nine."
>Octavia nodded, then went to hide behind a stack of freshly laundered uniforms, shaking slightly
>This wasn't how things were supposed to go!
>Not at all!
>She was supposed to get a room alone with Vinyl!
>Now what was she supposed to do?
>Octavia's ruminating was interrupted by a voice from somewhere next to her
>"What's your deal?"
"Gah!"
>She whirled around to find Vinyl standing next to her, leaning against the pile
"How much did you hear?"
>"How much did I hear of what?"
"Never mind. I... I hear you wanted your own room."
>Vinyl nodded, not saying anything
"Well, that's good! I hope you enjoy it."
>"Uh, yeah. I think I will?"
>She gave Octavia a weird look, holding eye contact for a moment with those inscrutable red irises, and then grabbed her stuff and headed into the bus
 
>The entire bus ride there, Octavia sat by herself, brooding
>Beauty tried to talk to her for a bit, but Octavia pretended to nap
>Between Canterlot and Manehattan, there was a whole lot of nothing at all, just alternating crests of cliffs and flat, grassy plains
>Normally, the beautiful expanse of the drive was something that would overtake Octavia, leaving her speechless for most of the journey and inspiring more than one of her original compositions
>But today, she could think of nothing but schemes
>Plans and backup plans raced through her brain, each of them more ridiculous and desperate than the last
>Vinyl must have taken a different bus, because she was nowhere around
>That just made Octavia all the more nervous
>She wasn't entirely sure *why* it made her nervous, just that she really didn't like the idea of Vinyl making friends with the other bandmates, yet continuing to ignore her
>Which isn't to say she was jealous; of course not!
>She'd never been jealous in her whole life
>It was more a matter of practicality, that's all it was
>Octavia crossed her legs, one foot tapping furiously against the ground all the way to Manehattan
 
>When the bus pulled in, an exhausted CHS Orchestra Club carried their equipment into the theater's storage, then piled back into the bus for the ride to the hotel
>All around Octavia, the rest of her bandmates were lurching around like zombies, but she felt electrified and awake, craning her neck to try and catch a glimpse of Vinyl
>Finally, she saw the other girl heading inside, and was relieved to find that Vinyl was still alone
>Stealthily, Octavia crept along beside her, following Vinyl up the stairs to her room
>Just outside her room, though, Vinyl stopped and removed her headphones
>"Seriously?" she asked, not even turning around to look at Octavia. "You're doing this again?"
"...maybe."
>"What do you want from me?"
"That's what I'm here to ask you. What is it you want, Vinyl?"
>"Pretty sure I answered that already."
"Yes, but I still don't understand it."
>"That's too bad," Vinyl said
>Octavia winced, feeling a bitter taste forming in her mouth when she realized what she would have to say
"I want to understand. Please, help me."
>"Why? Since when am I so important to you?"
"Since, well... I don't really know, if I'm being perfectly honest."
>"Uh huh. You can think about that a bit more, then. I'm gonna get some sleep."
>Vinyl stepped into her room, and was about to shut the door when Octavia stopped her
"Wait."
>This time, Vinyl did wait
"I want to talk to you. Tonight."
>Vinyl shook her head
>"I'm not going to your tea party."
"I know. Not that. It'll be just the two of us."
>"Hm."
>Vinyl considered that for a moment
>"Alright. Harshwhinny was talking about a curfew, though. I don't want you getting me kicked out."
"Trust me, I won't. She wouldn't reprimand me," Octavia said, though she wasn't entirely sure if that was true
>Still, if she was caught, she could find a way out of it
>Vinyl nodded
>"Alright. I'm gonna hop in the shower, but I'll leave the door unlocked. Come by whenever."
"Excellent."
>Octavia started to walk away, but stopped mid-stride
"Thank you, Vinyl."
>"It's nothing."
>With that, she closed herself in her room, leaving Octavia to return to hers
 
>Octavia returned to her own room and sat on the corner of the bed
>Her foot tapped impatiently against the ground, and she was acutely aware of each second that ticked by on the clock sitting in the corner
>For a while, she tried to entertain herself by reading through the copy of Universal Harvester she'd brought with her, but the words seemed to pass blankly through her, not making of an impression on her
>By the time twenty minutes had passed, she was fully sick of waiting around and figured Vinyl must be done with her shower by now
>Octavia jumped up and checked her appearance in the mirror, noting the bags under her eyes and the general mussy state of her hair
>She attacked it with a brush for a minute, but her usual sleek look refused to take shape
>So, feeling vaguely defeated, she pushed the hair out of her eyes, splashed some cold water on her face, and headed down to Vinyl's room
 
>As promised, the door was left unlocked
>Octavia couldn't hear the sound of running water, so she stepped inside
>The hotel room was identical to hers: a single bed, small boxy TV, and a door to the room's bathroom
>Light shone from under the bathroom door, illuminating the coils of steam forming around it
>Octavia took a seat on Vinyl's bed, waiting for her the other girl to emerge
>A minute later, she did
>The bathroom door opened, and Vinyl Scratch stepped out, surrounded by plumes of steam and completely naked
>She noticed Octavia immediately, and for a split second the two girls just stared at each other
>Well, perhaps Octavia did a bit more of the staring; Vinyl just looked mildly surprised
"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" Octavia blurted out, turning away
>Her cheeks burned, and a sheen of sweat that had nothing to do with the heat of the steamy air broke out on her forehead
>Vinyl shrugged, and started to lazily root through her suitcase for fresh clothes
>"You're fine."
"I didn't hear the water... I thought you were... or you would have...I swear, I didn't mean to barge in like this..." Octavia stammered out
>"Dude, chill. It's not a big deal."
>Octavia waited until the rustle of fabric ceased, then turned around to find Vinyl dressed in pajamas with little anime kittens all over them
>Vinyl was sitting cross-legged on the floor, nonchalantly toweling off her hair
>Octavia took a long, deep breath to steady herself
>"So?" Vinyl asked, raising an eyebrow. "You wanted to talk so bad. Let's get to it."
"Yes. That's correct."
>All the plans Octavia had made for what to ask Vinyl immediately vanished into smoke
"I, um... well, you see..."
>A single bead of sweat rolled down the back of her neck
>Why was she so nervous?
>Why could this girl make her speechless so easily, not to mention so consistently?
>"Do I, uh, have to wait all night? Because I'd like to get some sleep soon..." Vinyl said
"Right, right. I apologize. It's just that, well, you're the only person in this school I don't understand."
>"Okay? And?"
"And that bothers me! I've figured out every single person I've ever met at Canterlot High. That's why everyone likes me! And you're the only one who doesn't. I just don't get it. Why can't I figure you out? Why do you dislike me?"
>"Whoa, whoa. Slow down, dude."
>Vinyl tossed her towel aside, shaking her hair so that a few spiked bangs fell over her eyes
>"When did I ever say I don't like you?"
"Well, you... you certainly implied it."
>"How?"
"You've been unquestionably curt with me."
>"Uh, yeah? That's what I'm like with everyone."
>Octavia blinked twice
"I... suppose that's true.
>"I just don't dig having people around me all the time."
"I can understand that. I apologize if my, erm, *persistence* has been upsetting to you."
>"Nah, dude. You don't seem so bad. I mean, you came to my show. Makes you pretty alright, far as I'm concerned."
"Right."
>Octavia squirmed, clenching her hands in her lap
>"Is that all you wanted to know?"
"I guess. Suppose I got a little carried away, didn't I?"
>"Uh, yeah. Kinda."
>Vinyl crossed her arms behind her head, stretching out on the floor
>"But hey, it happens. I thought it was kinda cool that you were so into me. Even if it was a pretty annoying."
"Hah, really?"
>"Yeah. I dunno, nobody's ever shown that kinda interest in me before. Normally I'm pretty okay with that, but you..."
>Vinyl shrugged
>"I dunno. You seemed super fake on the outside. But you really cared. About me, or whatever. So that's kinda cool."
"I seemed... fake?"
>"A little."
"How?"
>Octavia felt a bit like she'd just been slapped
>"I dunno. Everyone's always hanging onto everything you say and do, and you just go along with it. Seems lonely."
>For a moment, Octavia started formulating a scathing rebuke
>But there really wasn't one to form; Vinyl was right
>At the very least, the past two weeks had been horribly lonely
"It can be lonely, I suppose."
>Vinyl shrugged
>"I know it ain't my business. I'm no doctor or anything. But... eh, never mind, it's stupid."
"What? No, tell me. Please."
>Octavia scooted to the edge of the bed, as if pulled towards Vinyl by an invisible force
>"I dunno, I was just thinking... you're some big expert at knowing everything about everyone, I get it. But does anyone know the real Octavia?"
>Vinyl shook her head
>"That's stupid, I know. But it sounds lonely."
"No. It's not stupid."
>Octavia wrapped her arms around herself, looking away from Vinyl
"You're right. Absolutely right. Without everyone cheering for me, there really isn't a lot *to* me, is there."
>"Dunno. I'm not really the one who can answer that for you."
"I suppose not."
>"But, like I said, you really don't seem that bad. You just need to realize what makes you you, other than just the cheering stuff."
"That's the problem. If I take away my audience, there really isn't anything to me."
>"There's no audience here now, right? Who are you?"
"I think... I think it'll take me some time before I can figure that out."
>"Makes sense."
>Vinyl stretched out
>"Anyway, all this deep talk is starting to stress me out."
"You're right. I really should be going. I apologize for the intrusion."
>Octavia stood up to leave
>But this time, Vinyl was the one calling for her to wait
>"Hey, you don't gotta go just yet. Honestly, you're the like first person I've ever hung out with who doesn't drain me."
"Is that an invitation?"
>"I guess. Like you're already here. Might as well hang around for a bit. Could play some games, or whatever."
>Vinyl unzipped the luggage lying next to her and pulled out her laptop
>"Eh?"
>Octavia paused, somewhat surprised
"I would like that very much, yes. Though I have to admit, I'm not much of a gamer. At all."
>"Hey, it's cool. I'm sure I got something you'll like. Scooch over."
>Octavia obliged, moving over so that Vinyl could join her on the bed
>It wasn't exactly roomy; both girls had to sit shoulder-to-should in order to fit on the bed together
>Vinyl didn't seem to mind the proximity, but Octavia was acutely aware of the point of contact, and her shoulder seemed to tingle slightly where it touched the other girl
>Occasionally, the image of Vinyl's naked body would surface in Octavia's mind, and she did her best to force it back down
>Her feelings towards this girl were complicated enough already without *that* coming into play
>"You okay?"
"Hm? Excuse me?"
>Vinyl raised an eyebrow
"Yes, yes. I'm perfectly fine."
>"Kay. Looked like you were zoning out on me for a second."
"No, just have a, um, a lot on my mind."
>"I can tell."
>Vinyl gave Octavia a strange look, and for one terrifying second Octavia felt vaguely like the other girl had somehow sensed what she was thinking of
>But the look ended, and Vinyl flipped her laptop open, scrolling through a glowing library of over a hundred titles
>"Let's see... rhythm stuff I'd crush you at... racing I'd crush you at... shooters I'd crush you at..."
>Vinyl bit her bottom lip
>"Yeah, you're getting crushed either way. At least this way it'll be funny."
>She clicked on game's icon, and a splash screen bearing the title "Gang Beasts" came up
>"This one's easy. You just gotta try and toss the other person off the elevator."
"That's totally barbaric."
>"Sure, but it's fun."
"I see."
>Vinyl passed Octavia a controller, and explained the gist of the controls
>Octavia still didn't really get it, but she pretended she did
"Right, of course. Well, let's get too it, I suppose."
>"Good luck," Vinyl said
>A tiny wry smile crossed her face as she started the game
>Octavia found herself playing as a man in a tiny gray donkey costume, which she found weirdly insulting for some reason
>Vinyl was playing as a guy in a lizard suit
"Wait, how do I move? This is impossible-- hey!"
>Vinyl's character picked Octavia's donkey-boy up, hoisting him towards the elevator railing
"This isn't fair! How are you doing that?"
>"I told you how to play."
"Yes, but... this is impossible!"
>Octavia's character was tossed off the elevator, meeting an untimely demise
>She was left gaping at the screen, humiliated
>Vinyl chuckled
>"The look on your face is priceless."
"You tricked me! You conned me into playing some impossible game!"
>"Sounds like you need to get good."
>Octavia gritted her teeth, growling
"Get good, hm? Well, we'll see how you fair next time."
>The next match took place next to a wall of industrial grinders
>Octavia's character got thrown in and died
>The match after that took place around a massive pit of fire
>Vinyl's character punched Octavia's so hard in the face that he toppled backwards and died
"You're cheating! Or the game is broken! This is absolutely an unfair contest."
>Vinyl was laughing so hard she could barely breathe
>"You have to actually fight back, dude!"
"I'm trying!"
>"Not hard enough. C'mon, throw a punch or two."
"Oh, I'll throw more than two. I'll throw so many punches you'll be..."
>Octavia's voice trailed off into angry mumbling, and Vinyl giggled as she started the next match
>This time, the two dueled atop a pay of scaffolding platforms, with only a thin plank stretching between them
>Octavia's character stumbled towards Vinyl's, throwing a hail of clumsy punches
"Hah! You absolute scoundrel, take that! And that! And this!"
>A few of the punches connected, driving Vinyl's character backwards
>He stumbled on the bridge, and the two started to grapple
>Sweat poured down Octavia's face now, and her heart was hammering in her chest
>Vinyl's character shoved her backwards, towards the edge...
>Her fingers twitched at the controls, barely breaking free from the grapple and sending Vinyl's character stumbling
>Meanwhile, Octavia's darted to the bridge, grabbed the edge of the plank, and turned it over
>Vinyl's character toppled into oblivion, ending the match
"Yes! Yes!"
>Octavia jumped into the air, cackling
"Did you see that? I beat you! You thought you had me, but I outsmarted you! Not so clever now, huh? Huh?"
>Vinyl grinned at her
>"I'm proud of you, dude."
>Octavia flopped back down into bed, still laughing
"Wow. Okay, I'll admit it. That was the most fun I've had in weeks."
>"I can tell. You, uh... might wanna keep your voice down, in the future."
>As if on cue, a knock came at the door, followed by Ms. Harshwhinny's voice
>"What on earth is going on in there? Ms. Melody, was that you?"
"Uh..."
>Octavia glanced over at Vinyl for help, but the other girl just shrugged
"Yes. It's me."
>"Well, cease this behavior at once. You're supposed to be representing Canterlot High! Act with some professionalism."
"Of course," Octavia said. "Sorry, ma'am."
>"Apology accepted. Now, do *not* let it happen again!"
>Outside the door, Ms. Harshwhinny stomped away, her heels clacking professionally against the tiled floor
>Octavia groaned
"I'm really sorry about that."
>"You kidding? That was hilarious!"
>Vinyl sat up, watching Octavia
>"You're really not so bad, Melody."
"I enjoy your company as well, Vinyl. And please... call me Octavia. Or Tavi, if you really want to."
>"Tavi. Got it."
>Octavia nodded
"Do you think I should head back to my room now? It is getting a bit late."
>Vinyl tugged at her shirt collar
>"Well, I mean, you could. But Harshwhinny's probably patrolling now. If you leave my room and head back to yours, it might look kinda suspicious..."
"You think so?"
>"Oh, yeah. I mean, probably. Yeah, no. You should stay here. For, like, a little while. I guess. Or longer, maybe. If you want."
>It had grown dark in the room, but Octavia could still tell Vinyl was blushing, and the other girl seemed to have trouble meeting Octavia's eyes
>Vinyl tapped the laptop
>"I've got stuff on here we could watch. It'll be quieter than gaming. Or, at least, quieter than gaming with you."
>Octavia frowned
"I resent that."
>"Sure, but you still just woke up about half the hotel."
"Hmph. Not my fault these walls are paper thin."
>"Guess not. Anyway, you down?" Vinyl asked, a slightly hopeful tone in her voice
>Octavia had never said "yes" to anything so quickly
 
>Five minutes later, they were ready
>Due to the limited space on the bed, both girls lay next to each other, each resting their head on a pillow, with the laptop a few inches from their faces
>Vinyl was scrolling through her media library, which Octavia noted consisted primarily of Japanese titles
>"So, what do you like? I've got anime and, uh... like, three episodes of The Simpsons."
"Oh. I'll... I'll let you pick, then," Octavia said
>She'd never really been one for cartoons, and most of the series she say made little sense to her
>They all had genre tags, but even those read like nonsense
"What do 'yuri' mean? I'm assuming these aren't all cartoons about a Russian cosmonaut."
>Vinyl's eyes went wide
>"Oh, uh... nothing. It's just a Japanese word for, um... yeah, nothing important."
"I see. Well, how about that one, then," Octavia said, posting to the first show she saw. "Citrus, or whatever that says."
>"Oh, that? Uh... nah, let's find a different one."
"Why's that?"
>"You wouldn't like this. It's got, uh..."
>The blush in Vinyl's cheeks was back with a vengeance
"It has what?"
>"It's..."
>Vinyl sighed
>"It's gay. Like, really gay."
"I see."
>Octavia tried to meet Vinyl's eyes, but the other girl kept glancing away
"Well, I definitely don't have a problem with that."
>"You don't?"
"Not in the slightest. Is it a good show?"
>"It is! Way better than most shows like it. The protagonist is really cool, she's like an actual person instead of the normal bimbos you see in anime. And her relationship with her rival is super nuanced and really adorable--"
>Vinyl cut herself off, flustered
>"Yeah. You get the gist."
"Sounds delightful. How many episodes are there?"
>"Only a few. But if you really wanna watch it..."
"I would."
>"Right. Here goes nothing, then."
>Vinyl started the episode, her hands visibly shaking from nervousness
>Then she settled back down next to Octavia, once against lying just close enough for both girls' arms to brush against each other
 
>The show was... interesting, to say the least
>When Vinyl said it would be gay, Octavia had expected a few girls making doe eyes at each other, maybe a little hand-holding
>She had not expected a full-on kiss in the first three minutes, or... well, whatever that was at the end
>The moment it started, she felt Vinyl tense up next to her, and a wave of heat rolled over Octavia's body
>When the episode ended, she was left scratching at the back of her neck
"Well, that was definitely something."
>"Yeah... legit, sorry if that grossed you out."
"Not in the slightest. It was really... well, I wouldn't exactly call it 'sweet.' But it certainly packs some intriguing drama."
>"Yeah. You can totally understand why the two hate each other. Like, there's a little contrivance to get them together, but their personalities mesh together organically and..."
>Vinyl trailed off again
>"I kinda need to stop doing that."
"Not at all! I'll do the exact same thing anytime I start talking about Paul Hindemith. That man was a genius. Totally under appreciated."
>"I have no clue who that is, dude."
"Exactly! He deserves to be known!"
>"Voice."
"Right, sorry," Octavia said, dropping down to a whisper
>Both girls fell silent, staring at the laptop screen
>"Do you wanna watch more?"
"I could be persuaded."
>"Sweet. You promise it doesn't bother you?"
"It well and truly does not."
>Octavia felt an itch at the back of her neck, and for a moment she considered coming clean
>Or "out," rather
>But she was a hundred percent sure that revealing her preferences would only make things weird, regardless whether or not Vinyl preferred girls as well
>The night had gone well, and the last thing she wanted was to jeopardize what was potentially the first real friendship she'd ever formed
>"Alright. Next episode..."
 
>The two lay together for another hour, until they'd caught up entirely on the show
>As it played, the weird flush that covered Octavia seemed to sink deeper into her, curling into a fluttering, hot mess directly in the center of her chest
>She became more and more aware of how close Vinyl was, the vaguely coconut-y smell of her freshly shampoo'd hair, the softness of her arm where it pressed against Octavia's
>The longer she lay here, the harder she knew it would be to eventually get up and head back to her own room
>Vinyl, meanwhile, was also silent
>She shut her laptop, then rested her head on her arms
>"So..."
"Yes?"
>"I dunno. What now?"
"It's late. I suppose I should be getting to bad."
>"Yeah. Same."
>Neither of them moved
"It might be... somewhat suspicious if I were to leave your room now. We have no idea how long Ms. Harshwhinny would be patrolling."
>That was a total lie: Ms. Harshwhinny had been run ragged by organizing the whole trip, and was probably sound asleep
>Octavia was fairly certain that Vinyl knew that as well, but maybe...
>"Oh, yeah. Ms. Harshwhinny, yeah. That'd be... yeah, bad, and stuff."
>Vinyl toyed with the edge of the blanket
>"If you're cool with it, you can sleep here."
"That would be perfect. Obviously I don't want to intrude, so I can take the floor."
>"Nah. There's, uh... there's no extra bedding. I already checked the closet. You'd freeze your ass off."
"Ah, yes. That wouldn't exactly be enjoyable."
>"I mean, if you won't make it weird, you can have half the bed."
"Are you sure?"
>"Yeah. It's whatever. Just don't make it weird."
"I don't intend on it," Octavia said, a small smile on her face
 
>Bother girls took turns brushing their teeth with the complimentary toiletries included in the room, and then settled back into bed
>If it wasn't roomy before, it certainly felt a lot less roomy when both were trying to get comfortable
>Octavia ended up practically hanging off the bed, in order to give Vinyl space
>Vinyl herself, meanwhile, slept in a position that looked vaguely like she'd just been shot: on her stomach, with her limbs sprawled out
>No matter how they tried to arrange themselves, they always ended up with at least one of Vinyl's limbs resting somewhere on Octavia's body
>So, eventually, they gave up trying
>Octavia lay on her back, snuggled up beneath the covers, with one of Vinyl's arms across her chest, and with Vinyl's foot resting against her thigh
>"There's no way this is comfy for you."
"On the contrary, I don't really mind it."
>"Yeah?"
"Mhm."
>"If you say so."
>Vinyl yawned
>"Just don't make this weird."
"I'm not planning on it. I'm also not the one currently trying to wrap my arm around the other."
>"This is just how I sleep."
"Of course."
>"I said don't make it weird," Vinyl said, frowning
"I'm much too tired for that."
>"Whatever. See ya in the morning."
"Goodnight, Vinyl."
>Octavia closed her eyes, and sunk into the coziest night of sleep she could remember
 
>*Wham! Wham! Wham!*
>"Ms. Melody! Wake up!"
>Octavia's eyes flew open at the sound of Ms. Harshwhinny's not-so-dulcet voice
>"You're five minutes behind schedule! We're supposed to began setting up equipment at eight o'clock!"
>Damn
"I'll be right out!" Octavia croaked
>She tried to sit up in bed, and found something heavy pressing against her chest
>Looking down, she saw that Vinyl had snuggled up against her in her sleep, clinging to Octavia's waist like a child hugs a stuffed animal
>And her head was currently resting atop Octavia's breasts
>The noise must have woken her up to, because Vinyl's red eyes fluttered open
>She made eye contact with Octavia, then looked down to see where her head was currently resting
>"Oh."
"Remember what we said last night. About not making things weird?"
>Vinyl was blushing furiously, frozen in the spot with embarrassment
>"Y-yeah."
"Good work."
>"I didn't mean to--" Vinyl started to stammer out, mortified
>Octavia cut her off, laughing
"It's fine, Scratch. I understand. They're probably a bit softer than these shoddy pillows."
>Still looking humiliated, Vinyl rolled off Octavia and sat at the corner of the bed, her head in her hands
>"Don't tell anyone about this, okay?"
"Why would I? I'd be incriminating myself just as much as you. And I have much more of a reputation to lose."
>"Yeah, but..."
>Vinyl groaned
>"Goddammit."
"Relax. You were probably just dreaming. Must have been all the residual homosexuality from that show we watched last night."
>Octavia let a slightly teasing tone enter her voice, and Vinyl groaned, flopping backwards onto the bed
>"You're never gonna let me live this down, are you?"
"You're correct. And why would I? It's absolutely hilarious!"
>"Agh... you're the worst, you know that?"
"Hmm, you didn't seem to think so last night."
>"I was asleep!"
>Octavia just chuckled
"I'll see you at practice, Scratch."
>"Yeah, yeah. If I don't drown myself in the bath tub first."
"Oh, you would never. It means you wouldn't see me again."
>Vinyl smacked the bed, groaning
 
>Octavia waited until Ms. Harshwhinny was gone, then sprinted back to her own room
>She took a quick shower, letting the water run steaming and hot over her skin
>In direct contrast to the past few days, she felt energized and powerful, a lot like her old self
>She finally found what Vinyl wanted!
>It was her!
>Octavia hadn't been sure of it the night before, but now...
>She couldn't be a hundred percent sure, but the signs were adding up
>And if Vinyl had feelings for her, it would be a simple matter to--
>No!
>Some part of Octavia stopped the train of thought before it could get rolling
>It wouldn't be right
>Last night, she'd felt something real for the other girl, something powerful and true
>And she was more and more certain Vinyl had felt it as well
>She wouldn't use Vinyl the way she had used everyone else
>She wouldn't
>Even if she were completely wrong, and there were no shared romantic feelings between Vinyl and her, it would still be Octavia's first true friendship
>And, as she stepped out of the shower, she promised to herself that she would never use that as a tool against Vinyl
>Whatever this feeling was, it was real, and she wouldn't throw it away for anything
 
>After Octavia had dressed in her pristine gold-and-blue band uniform, she strolled down to where Ms. Harshwhinny waited for her
>"Hmm. You look like you've slept well," Octavia's teacher said, clearly lathering the statement in sarcasm
"I have! Better than I have all semester."
>Harshwhinny grimaced
>"Yes, yes. Good to hear. Now come with me. We're already a full two minutes behind schedule, and I won't dare allow our performance to begin late!"
>Normally, Harshwhinny's constant anal retention would do nothing but grate on Octavia's mood
>But today?
>She positively beamed at her teacher as she followed her to a rented van, and they road to the Manehattan Repertoire together
 
>The theater itself was somewhere between holy ground and pure architectural pornography for a girl like Octavia
>Arches of lavender-colored granite soared nearly fifty feet above her and Harshwhinny's heads, supporting a vaulted ceiling bedecked with neoclassical paintings of the nine muses
>Octavia's legs trembled a little bit, and Harshwhinny clicked her tongue at her
>"You can sightsee later, Ms. Melody. We have work to do."
"I know, ma'am. I know..."
>The two women made their way down the terraced theater floor, down to where the stage sat empty and unlit
>And then, for the next three hours, it was nothing but setup, tuning, and itinerary as more band members arrived on the bus and began fidgeting with their instruments
>As you'd expect, Octavia wasn't particularly invested in any of it
>Aside from a few of the orchestra's newer members, everyone knew where to be and what to do, and Octavia only had to answer a few redundancy questions
>No, the setup really wasn't she was focused on; she was looking for Vinyl
>But there was no sign of her signature headphones or electric-blue hair
>And, after two hours of setup with no sign of the other girl, it dawned on Octavia that Vinyl was probably avoiding her
>Things just couldn't be easy, could they?
>Octavia went and found Ms. Harshwhinny who, as always, was busy scribbling furiously at her clipboard
>One could only wonder what all she wrote there; Octavia sometimes theorized she was secretly an erotic novelist or something
"Ms. Harsh?"
>"Hmm? What is it?" her teacher asked, not even looking up
"Have you seen Vinyl anywhere?"
>"She asked for permission to set up her equipment later. Said something about not wanting anyone to trip over a chord. That seemed logical, so I agreed. Last I saw her, she was wondering somewhere around the upper balconies."
"Right. Thank you."
>Octavia turned and headed towards the spiral staircase recessed into the theater's walls
 
>The upper balconies were layered in deep purple velvet, complimenting the violet stone columns that supported the ceiling
>Little vine-like patterns of silver leaf trailed along both walls, catching and reflecting the light that filtered from faux lanterns hanging from the ceiling
>Octavia trailed her had along the wall as she walked, feeling the rough rasp of hand-hewn stone under her fingertrips
>The place filled her with a rush so great that she almost didn't notice Vinyl sitting alone in one of the VIP boxes
"Afternoon," Octavia said, stepping into the box
>It was layered in much of the same velvet, only it looked almost black inside the darkened space
>There were no chairs, only a single plush couch which Vinyl was sprawled across, staring at her laptop
>"Hey."
>She moved her feet just enough to give Octavia a space to sit down
"Why weren't you with the rest of the band?"
>Vinyl shrugged
>"Don't like all the bustle. You know that."
"Are you sure there wasn't another reason?" Octavia asked, flashing Vinyl a smug smile
>A tinge of pink colored the other girl's cheeks
>"Yeah, you got me. I didn't wanna deal with *this*."
>Octavia chuckled
"Afraid you're stuck with me, Scratch. Preparations are nearly finished, and we have a whole afternoon to ourselves, before the concert starts."
>"Hmph. You're being more up-front about your stalking now, at least."
"I can afford to be, now that the proverbial ball is in my court."
>Vinyl groaned, sinking lower into the couch
>"Ugh, I hate it when you're right."
"Well, you had best get used to that feeling. Now, how about we get some lunch together? I promise that, if you go, I won't tease you for the rest of the day."
>Vinyl looked up
>"Legit?"
"One hundred percent. Well, maybe with some margin of error. I can't promised a little teasing won't slip out," Octavia said with a wink
>"You're a monster."
"And devilishly efficient monster at that. So? What'll it be?"
 
>Vinyl made a big show of needing Octavia to convince her, but eventually relented
>The two girls took a lap around the theater, and the conversation gradually shifted to less embarrassing topics
>They started out with random music trivia, which Vinyl turned out to be an expert in
>She knew all these weird, quirky stories about both famous local musicians, from Kraftwerk responding to a legal inquiry with just a letter saying "Yes." to some of the raunchy, near-fatal exploits of some of the musicians she played alongside
>Octavia was so engrossed in their conversation, she didn't even realize they'd reached the Manehattan Repertoire's main doors
>"So? Where are we going?" Vinyl asked
"Would would you like? There's a Greek place, Vietnamese, they've got tapas..."
>"I, uh... don't really like a lot a lot of food, honestly."
"Vinyl! You don't mean to tell me you're *picky*, do you?"
>"No! I mean, kinda. A lot of food just weirds me out."
"Well, we'll just have to change that. Manehattan Pho is right down the block. Everyone likes pho!"
>"I have no idea what that is."
"You will soon. I promise, the minute you have a taste, you'll be falling over yourself to thank me for taking you."
 
[Twenty minutes later]
 
>"Ack! Ah, shit, I'm g-gonna die!"
>Vinyl leaned over her bowl, hacking and coughing as her face turned a bright, fiery crimson
>Octavia reached across the table and grabbed her friend by the shoulders
"Vinyl! My god, are you okay?"
>"It's so spicy! It's like my whole face is one fire!"
"I told you not to use so much sriracha, you absolute buffoon!"
>"You said it was like Vietnamese ketchup!"
"I didn't mean that literally!"
>Vinyl dabbed at her forehead, sweating profusely as she chugged a whole glass of water
>"Gah... how do Vietnamese people even survive? That was like pure fire."
"Oh, don't be such a big baby. Here, we can trade bowls."
>Octavia passed her own bowl of noodle-filled soup to Vinyl, and took hers instead
>The overdose of sriracha had turned the pho a fierce red color, and it practically sizzled with spice
>Octavia shrugged, and ate a few spoonfuls
"You know, it's actually pretty good like this. You might have some hidden talents," Octavia said, winking at Vinyl
>Vinyl just stared at Octavia, horrorstruck
>"You can... you can eat that?"
"I can. It really is quite good."
>"You're not human. There's no way. You're some kind of demon. Like the demon from Pick of Destiny or something. You're going to torture me until you use that cello to suck out my soul."
"My my. You're more perceptive than you look. You'd better run now, shouldn't you?"
>"Eh. I ain't worried. You'd have to actually beat me in a rock-off first, right?"
"That would be part of the ordeal, if I'm remembering."
>"Then I'm good. There's no way your posh ass out-rocks me."
"Oh? Is this a challenge brewing?" Octavia asked, grinning at Vinyl
>Vinyl grinned back, her face still shining with sweat
>"Maybe. Only if you're not too scared, though."
"Fear is alien to me. Especially fear of you."
>"Let's do it, then. Next chance we get. Rock off."
"Accepted. But we have to wager something, right?"
>"Uh... is my soul not enough?"
"Oooh, that *is* a tempting prize."
>Octavia took her next bite of soup slowly, letting the spoon linger against as her tongue flicked out over it, lapping up the last few drops from the metal surface
>Vinyl's eyes were immediately fixed to the utensil
>Once she had the other girl's attention, Octavia swept her tongue in a slow circle, polishing the spoon clean
>Vinyl gulped
"But what about you?" Vinyl asked. "There has to be something in it for you."
>"Oh, uh..."
>Vinyl shook her head, trying to regain her train of thought
>"I don't need one. Watching your smug ass get humiliated is plenty."
"The reward is your pride, eh? Very well. I accept."
>Octavia reached out her hand for Vinyl to shake
>Vinyl hesitated for a moment, then gingerly laid her palm against Octavia's
>The two grasped hands, shaking gently
>Their fingers lingered together for a half-second more than was necessary, each one silently relishing the softness of the other's touch, then both girls went back to their food
 
>Even after the soup was finished, the two continued talking as they walked back towards the theater
>Conversation shifted almost at random, shifting from music, to school small-talk, to movies
>Vinyl, as it turned out, had a bit of an obsession with 80's action flicks, and was beyond pleased to hear that Octavia's favorite movie was Raiders of the Lost Ark
>"Dude, that's awesome! Preppy chick like you, I'd expect some stuffy French film about hostel patients learning to recycle, or something."
"Hah!"
>Octavia brushed her hair back over her eyes
"Well, I won't lie, I've been more than a little taken with experimental cinema lately."
>"Uh oh."
"Don't worry, don't worry. I'll spare you the details. But no, that movie's been my inspiration since I was a little girl."
>"Yeah? Did little Tavi wanna be an archeologist?"
"She considered it. But she didn't like the idea of having to get dirty. Or having to punch people all the time. Young Tavi eventually realized she wanted to be James Bond."
>"Ha! Oh my god, I can totally see it."
"Why thank you. Not bad for a childhood icon, I wouldn't think. A master of charm, loved by his friends and feared by his enemies, sleeping around with a world full of beautiful women..."
>Vinyl blushed
>"I can't tell if you're doing this on purpose or not. Weirdo."
"Doing what on purpose?" Octavia asked, making herself look innocent
>"You know, the... the whole 'gay' act. Like yeah, we watched some weird stuff last night. But I legit can't tell if you're serious or not."
"Well..."
>They had reached a small service door at the back of the Manehattan Repertoire, and Octavia stepped close to Vinyl, causing the other girl to retreat against the wall
"What if I am? What then?"
>Vinyl's eyes flicked up to meet Octavia's, then away, and then back to Octavia
>"I... I don't know."
>Octavia gingerly touched Vinyl's cheek
"I see. Well, you have an entire performance to figure that out. I'll see you after the show, Scratch."
 
>With that, Octavia disappeared into the theater
>Her entire body felt electrified, exhilarated
>There was no telling how Vinyl would react, and Octavia *loved* that
>She reached the backstage and pulled on her uniform jacket, checking her appearance in the mirror
>Her cheeks were flushed, not from embarrassment but from pure excitement
>The rest of the orchestra was lining up for Ms. Harshwhinny's inspection and Octavia fell in alongside them
>She felt lightheaded and airy, and her hand still tingled where her fingers had met Vinyl's face
>As Octavia took the stage with the rest of the orchestra, she was acutely aware that Vinyl was watching her
>Though the blinding stage lights made it impossible to see the other girl, Octavia she was out there, and the thought of Vinyl's inspired her far more than an audience ten times the size of the one currently in front of her ever could
>Ms. Harshwhinny stepped in front of the band, snapping a conductor's baton against her hand, and they began to play
 
>The performance passed in a brilliant, exhausting haze
>When the last notes faded away, the curtain fell to an uproar of applause
>But, of course, it wasn't applause that Octavia had been anticipating
>She supervised the re-storage of their equipment alongside Ms. Harshwhinny, her foot tapping impatiently the entire time
>After what felt like an eternity, the orchestra finally dispersed, and Octavia practically ran off to find Vinyl
>Before she could get far, though, Ms. Harshwhinny stopped her
>"Ms. Melody! Where are you off to in such a hurry?"
"Oh, you know. After-concert parties."
>"Hm. I suppose even our star musician has to fall prey to the obligatory carousing on occasion. Just be safe, and stay clear-headed. You're going to be our soloist tomorrow, of course."
"Right."
>Octavia answered before she even though of what she was saying
>The Manehattan Repertoire had a tradition that, after each nightly show, an afternoon show would occur the following day wherein a chosen musician would perform a solo show, usually for a smaller but still significant audience
>Octavia, naturally, had been the chosen soloist each year
>It wasn't favoritism, it was just practical; her skill outstripped that of most other members by far, and the cello was much more suited to solo play than, say, a timpani
>So soloist duties fell to her
>But, Octavia thought, why did she need to hog the spotlight?
>Vinyl had her laptop with her, and Octavia knew for a fact that there were more than enough keyboards and mixing consoles for someone of Vinyl's talent to put together a set
>Giddy as she was, the idea seemed simply perfect
>"Uh, Ms. Melody?"
>Harshwhinny waved her hand in front of Octavia's face
>"You've been staring into space for thirty seconds."
"Huh? Oh, yes. Well, I actually had a question for you. Let's say I were not feeling, erm, up to performing this year. Could I potentially give the performance to another one of our musicians."
>Harshwhinny raised an eyebrow
>"I suppose there's nothing to say you can't. But why?"
"There's someone here whose talent deserves to be seen."
>Harshwhinny's face had a tendency of looking angry no matter what she felt, but Octavia got the vague sense that the older woman was pleased
>"I see. And who might this be?"
"A friend of mine. The new girl, Vinyl Scratch."
>Harshwhinny considered that for a moment, looking slightly taken aback
>Then, get this, she gave Octavia an honest-to-god smile
>"Yes. I believe I could arrange that. You're sure she's okay with being volunteered like this?"
>In hindsight, Octavia maybe should have considered Harshwhinny's question a little more than not at all
"Absolutely!" she said
>"Excellent. I'll let the owners know. Have her meet with me tomorrow morning so we can get everything in place."
"I'll let her know. Thank you, Ms. H."
>"It's nothing. No go enjoy your frivolity," Harshwhinny said, dismissing Octavia with a polite wave
 
>When Octavia finished stowing her cello, she walked out into the theater's main lobby to find Vinyl waiting for her, sitting in a velvet chair with her legs tucked up against her chest
>Both girls made eye contact, and Octavia drifted over towards Vinyl, taking a seat on the arm of the chair
"So?"
>Vinyl sighed
>"You really just can't make stuff easy, can you?"
"I'd like to think I asked a fairly straightforward question."
>"There's nothing straightforward about you at all," Vinyl said, sinking lower in the chair. "You've gone from a stalker to a total tease. I don't even know how that's possible. You're crazy."
"Hmm. I suppose I can't deny a little craziness," Octavia said
>Octavia fixed her eyes on the lobby's ceiling, where flowering plants hung in pots suspended by thin wires
"But I have been somewhat dishonest with you. You're completely right in that. All I can do now is tell you the truth."
>"So... all this is wrapping back around to you admitting you like girls?"
"You didn't need to announce that to the entire room, but yes. It's not something anyone knows, outside my parents. And you now, I suppose."
>Octavia took a deep breath; surprised to find her own hands now trembling
>"Huh."
>Vinyl scratched at the back of her head, staring at the floor
>"I... I don't really know what to say."
"You could maybe let me know if, by some chance... you feel the same way?"
>"What same way?"
"Don't play coy. Or do I have to tease it out of you again?"
>"You're vicious."
>Vinyl groaned, sprawling out in the chair until she was in danger of sliding out
>"Yeah. I mean, duh. I'm into chicks. It's... not really something I talk about, but yeah."
"And?"
>"And what?"
"Vinyl, please. You and I both know there's something between us. Do I really have to press the issue?"
>Vinyl hid her face in her hands
>"Agh. You just won't let me get away with anything, huh?"
"Of course not. I have a personal interest in what your answer might be."
>Vinyl peered out from between your fingers
>"Okay, yeah. I kinda, maybe, have a little bit of a thing for you. But I'm not sure if I can trust you."
"Not sure if you can trust me? What cause have I ever given you to doubt my being genuine?"
>"Uh, is that a trick question? Your whole thing is, I dunno, getting people to fall for you. I don't want to be another trophy in your collection."
"You aren't, Vinyl. Clearly you aren't."
>"Clearly? Clearly how? I mean, it's not like you've said anything to me you couldn't have said to anyone else. You coulda told tons of other girls your big secret, or whatever."
"But I haven't! Vinyl, please. Maybe this is too sudden to just ask you to trust me, but... but please, try. I promise, I've never told anyone else about my preferences. Just you. You're different than the others."
>Octavia had been hoping to spring the surprise on Vinyl later, but decided it was best to give it now
"I... I gave up my spot as tomorrow's soloist. For you. You're going to have an entire theater of people watching your performance."
>Vinyl stared at Octavia
>Then, without a word, she stood up from her chair and started towards the door
>Octavia balked
"V-Vinyl? Where are you going?"
>Vinyl didn't answer
>Octavia jumped to her feet and ran after her, grabbing Vinyl by the arm
"What's wrong? Did I say something?"
>"You're doing it to me too. I really am just another trophy to you."
>Vinyl pulled her arm out of Octavia's grip and pushed through the theater doors
>Octavia ran after her, following closely behind Vinyl even as the other girl made her way onto the last remaining bus
>They boarded the vehicle together, taking a seat in the back
>A scattered group of exhausted band members filled the seats around them, sitting so close that Vinyl and Octavia would definitely be overheard if they continued the argument
>So they stayed silent, both girls avoiding each other's eyes and sitting as far apart as possible
>Vinyl rested her head against the window, watching the lights of Manehattan roll by as bus sluggishly made its way back to the hotel
>Octavia clenched her hands in her lap the entire way, fingers furiously wrestling against one another
 
>When they reached the hotel, Octavia trailed Vinyl all the way back to her room, where both girls stopped in the middle of an empty hallway
>Octavia dropped her voice to a whisper
"Why are you so angry with me? I gave up a performance for you! There'll be over a hundred people there tomorrow, all to watch you."
>"Yeah. A hundred of your fans. A hundred people here just for Octavia. I told you, I don't want you throwing a bunch of your followers at me. I want someone who cares."
>Vinyl turned away from Octavia, unlocking the door to her room
>"I thought that would be you. I really did. But you're just trying to buy my loyalty. Like you to do everyone else."
"No. Vinyl, please... that's not what this is. I just wanted to make you happy!"
>Octavia tried to step into Vinyl's room, but the other girl blocked her
>"Don't."
>The word hit Octavia like a slap in the face
>She stepped away from Vinyl's door, finding that a strange tightness in her chest prevented her from speaking
>"You've got plenty of other 'friends' you can spend the night with. Just leave me alone."
"I don't. I don't have anyone like you."
>"How many times have you said that?"
"I... I mean..."
>The number was non-zero
"This is the first time I've meant it."
>"Uh huh. Sure. Enjoy your night, Tavi."
>With that, Vinyl shut the door
>Octavia sighed, her shoulders slumping
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3c7uT3jaq8 [Embed]
 
>She walked back to her hotel room, feeling dejected
>Octavia hadn't cried since she was a little girl, and she didn't now
>Instead, she just sort of... wandered
>When she reached the room, the idea of spending a night alone disgusted her
>So she wandered futher, until she found Beauty Brass's room
>But she stopped with her hand on the handle, and turned to walk away
>After taking just two steps, though, she heard Beauty's voice behind her
>"Tavi? Where've you been? Fancy Pants snuck a bottle of Smirnoff into his room. Everyone was taking shots," she said, sticking her head out of her hotel room
>Her hair was wet, and Octavia could see that the other girl was wrapped in a blue bathrobe
"Sorry, Beauty. I haven't been feeling my best tonight."
>"Aww..."
>Beauty stepped out of the room, pulling the robe tighter around herself, and touched Octavia's shoulder
>"What's wrong? Is there anything I can do to help?"
>And that was what made Octavia start to cry
>Well, not quite a proper cry, just a few tears that spilled over and wetted her cheeks
>Octavia shook her head, hoping Beauty wouldn't notice them
"I'm afraid not. I... I made a big mistake, Beauty. I hurt a very important friend of mine."
>If Beauty was at all hurt to hear someone else called a "very important friend," she didn't show it
>"Well, you're doing the right thing, giving them their space. Once the pain fades, you'll be there for them, and you can apologize. Maybe do something special for them."
"Something special? What sort of something special?"
>"You have to figure that out for yourself. Just, I don't know, think really, really hard about what this person would like. Nothing super fancy, you don't want it to be like you're buying their forgiveness, or something."
"I've learned that lesson already..."
>"Then maybe try to find something little. Something that maybe isn't super important to anyone else, but it matters a lot to both of you. Something that represents what that person means to you."
>Beauty gave Octavia a reassuring smile
>"I know you could figure something like that out."
"Yes, I... I think I could."
>Octavia sighed
>Seized by a sudden impulse, she threw her arms around Beauty Brass, squeezing the other girl against her chest
"Thank you, Beauty. I mean that from the bottom of my heart, thank you. You've been a fantastic friend to me, not to mention a godsend of a vice president. And I really don't properly appreciate that about you."
>Beauty blushed furiously, looking like she was going to melt from so much of Octavia's attention
>"Oh, w-wow. I don't know, heh, I think you appreciate me just fine... wow..."
>She returned Octavia's hug, squeezing her around the waist, and the two friends held each other until Octavia's crying stopped
 
>After that, the two chatted for a while, passing an hour or so with talk of the day's performance, musical ambitions, and the usual
>When Beauty eventually had to sleep, Octavia bid her goodnight and left with a warm, fizzy feeling in her chest
>The guilt of what had happened with Vinyl still ached, but she was determined to fix things
>After leaving Beauty's room, she stopped by her own in order to change into pajamas, then walked back to Vinyl's and knocked on the door
"Scratch? You in there?"
>Nobody answered
>She knocked again, a bit louder this time, but still received no reply
>When she tried the handle, she found that the door was locked
>So Octavia waited
>She sat down across the hall, tucking her legs up to her chest, and finally allowed herself to rest
 
>It was impossible to tell how much time passed, but eventually Octavia was roused from her snap by the sound of Vinyl's door opening
>She raised her head and found herself staring up at an exhausted Vinyl Scratch
>The other girl was dressed in the same kitty pajamas as yesterday, and her hair was a tangled mess
"Um... good evening, Scratch."
>"Hey," Vinyl said
>She sighed, massaging her temples
>"Just can't let the stalker act go, huh?"
"I suppose not. What has you up so late?"
>"Wanted to buy a soda. Can't sleep."
"There's a machine at the end of the hall, I believe."
>"Right. Thanks."
>Vinyl started down the hall, pausing just long enough for Octavia to catch up to her
 
>"So..."
"Hmm?"
>Vinyl glanced around, avoiding eye contact with Octavia as the two reached the coke machine
>"How long were you waiting out there?" she asked as she considered her options
"I don't really know. Fell asleep at some point."
>"Jeez."
>Vinyl bought two bottles of Sprite and passed one to Octavia
>Octavia accepted the drink, somewhat surprised
>"Listen. I don't know what to say. I wanna believe you really mean what you said. You know, that I'm... that I'm 'different' to you. Than the others."
"Right."
>"But it ain't easy."
"I understand. I've done some less-than-stellar things in the past. Even if things don't exactly work out between us, I should thank you for that, at least. You've opened my eyes to a lot."
>Vinyl nodded
>"Yeah... that's what I was gonna ask about. What exactly is gonna 'work out' between us?"
"What do you mean?"
>"I dunno, you were sayin' some pretty interesting stuff earlier, so..."
>She shrugged
>"I guess I just wonder if you meant that."
"I did. All of it."
>"Including that offer?"
"That too. I understand it's probably not something you want, now."
>"Yeah, not really. If just wouldn't feel real."
"I wouldn't. And it would hardly be real. So... I'm sorry, Vinyl. I treated you like a trophy for almost the entire time we've known each other."
>Vinyl chuckled as she nudged Octavia with her shoulder
>"You're forgiven, dude."
>She turned her face towards Octavia, giving her a small smile
>"So, uh... about that *other stuff* we were talking about..."
"Heh, right."
>A little bit of pink was creeping into Vinyl's cheeks, and Octavia could feel her own face starting to glow as well
"Maybe that's something we can save for tomorrow."
>"Y'know, that's a pretty good idea."
"I do actually have those, sometimes."
>"Yeah? I mean, we still got the rest of the night, and I definitely ain't gonna be able to get to sleep. So how 'bout you hit me with another one of those good ideas?"
"Well..."
>Octavia clasped her hands behind her back
"I was thinking. You're quite a talented musician, yes?"
>Vinyl shrugged
>"I mean, I'm alright."
"Heh. Modesty, I like that. But yes, you're quite talented, and I'm not bad either. So maybe..."
>"Jam sesh?"
"My thoughts exactly."
>"There's no way you're gonna lug that giant cello all the way up here, though."
"None at all. But I'd imagine you have some spare keyboards with you?"
>Vinyl's eyes lit up
>"I might have one or two."
 
>Or three and a half, as it turned out
>Vinyl unzipped her backpack and pulled out keyboard after keyboard, vaguely reminding Octavia of an action-movie hero packing dozens of guns
>She passed one to Octavia, who was surprised to find how light the little two-octavia piece was in her hands
"This is adorable. It's like a little baby keyboard."
>"You're so weird."
"It's cute! Look at it!"
>Octavia cradled the keyboard like it were a puppy, and Vinyl stifled a laugh
>She hooked up all the tech in a matter of seconds
>"Alright, so... lowkey, I've never actually played with someone else."
"Oh, it's actually simple. We just decide on what key we'll play in first, then just do whatever feels right."
>"Right. And if I screw up?"
"You won't. And even if you do, it doesn't matter. It's just the two of us. All that matters is what the music makes *us* feel."
>"Gotcha."
>Vinyl wiped her hand across her forehead
>"Not gonna lie, I'm a little nervous. I don't wanna, you know... embarrass you, or something."
"You won't."
>Octavia scooted a little closer to Vinyl on the bed, sitting just close enough that their shoulders brushed up against each other
>Vinyl bit her lip, and Octavia could feel the other girl shiver at her touch
"Honestly, since I saw your performance last night, I've wanted this. You captured me in a way no other musician really has."
>"F-for real? Shit, senpai... heh..."
>Vinyl just trailed off into awkward stuttering
>"Sorry for being so nervous."
"It's okay. We'll start slow. Just do what feels right, and I'll follow your lead."
>Vinyl gulped and placed her hands against the tiny plastic keys
 
Shamelessly using my own music here: https://soundcloud.com/vapor_profit/gentle-interludes [Embed]
 
>The music they played was simple, but natural
>It flowed forth electric and soothing from the laptop speakers as both girls found themselves draw together, leaning against each other for support as waves of synth bubbled around them
>And, when it ended, Vinyl's head rested on Octavia's shoulder
>"That wasn't so bad."
"I rather liked it. You're something of a natural improviser, aren't you?"
>"It's how I like to play. Just never really involved someone else before."
"I'm happy to have been your first."
>Vinyl scowled
>"You're making this weird on purpose now, aren't you?"
>Octavia giggled
"Perhaps."
>Vinyl packed the keyboards and laptop back up, yawning as she did so
>"Think we probably should get some sleep. You've got a big day tomorrow, right?"
>Octavia stretched out along the bed, crossing her arms behind her head
"I do. Solo shows are something I'm used to, but you're right. It'd be best to be well rested."
>Vinyl nodded, and lay down across the other side of the bed
>She kept a few inches of distance between the two of them, though Octavia could still feel Vinyl's foot brush against hers beneath the covers
>The rustled as Octavia rolled onto her side, facing Vinyl
"Scratch. We both know how this is going to end up."
>"Huh? What do you mean?"
>Octavia gently wrapped an arm around Vinyl, pulling her closer
"Let's just skip the pretense. I promise, I'll tease you as little as possible in the morning."
>"Hmph, you can't tease me at all," Vinyl said as she wrapped her arms around Octavia, resting her head against the other girl's chest. "You started it this time."
"Hah. I suppose that's true."
>"And you're awake, too. You're, like, way gayer than I am."
"Am I, now? Sounds like yet another thing we'll have to determine when we have that rock-off for your soul-- oh!"
>"What?"
"I just had an idea! Why keep the solo show tomorrow a solo show?"
>"Huh?"
"We could perform as a duet! Both of us!"
>"Whoa, whoa. I, uh..."
"If you wouldn't want to, I understand, " Octavia said, quieting down somewhat. "Guess I got carried away there a little."
>She settled back into the covers, and gave Vinyl a minute to get comfortable again
"But, if you would want to, I'd be honored to perform a show with you."
>For a moment, Vinyl was silent
>"I'd like that," she finally said, sounding somewhat hesitant. "But what if it's not that great?"
"With the two of us? It will be. And even if it's not perfect, I still want you by my side. Playing solo shoes is just dreadfully lonely. And besides all that, well, your talent just deserves to be seen."
>Octavia gave Vinyl a small squeeze to accentuate the point
>"Alright."
>Vinyl swallowed, a nervous flutter passing through her body
>The two girls snuggled closer together as Octavia pulled the blanket over both of them
>"Thanks, Tavi."
"What for?"
>"Eh, nothing in particular. Just kinda everything."
"You're so strange sometimes."
>"Look who's talking."
"Heh. Point taken."
 
>Almost immediately, the two were out cold
>A long and emotionally exhausting day had taken its toll on them, and they slept far later than was responsible
>They woke up still wrapped in each other's arms, dressed, and then got a ride to the theater together, all without saying much
>Despite her confident veneer, Octavia's insides roiled with nervous energy, and it was easy to tell that Vinyl felt much the same
>She was just worse at hiding it
>On the bus ride there, Octavia was somewhat surprised when Vinyl suddenly took hold of her hand
>The other girl's palms were slick with sweat
>"This might have been a bad idea."
"You're going to do great, Vinyl."
>"I dunno. Maybe you should just do your own thing, or..."
>Vinyl bit her lip, and Octavia squeezed the girl's hand for reassurance
"Remember, this isn't really about anyone watching us. It's about our music, our performance. It's about sharing a stage with someone I've come to genuinely admire and to really, really like."
>The two shared a quick glance, in which Octavia gave Vinyl a reassuring smile
>Vinyl returned it, though she still looked a bit sick
>"Okay. Just promise me, even if I screw up big time... I won't ruin things between us."
"Of course not. I mean, I'm not about to promise I'll never tease you about it. But it won't tarnish my opinion of you in the slightest. You can trust me on this."
>Vinyl nodded
>"I trust you."
"Good. Then off we go."
 
>The two held hands the entire way into the theater and down to the backstage
>When they found Ms. Harshwhinny, she pacing through the storage rooms, tapping a pen against her teeth
>She looked over at the two, tilting her chin slightly in surprise
>"Ms. Melody? Ms. Scratch?"
"Ma'am, I'd like to ask if we could perform as a duet."
>Harshwhinny sighed
>"Your dedication to making my life difficult throughout the entire trip is admirable. Yes, yes, perform however you'd wish."
>Harshwhinny ducked out of the room, and Octavia got the vague impression she was trying to hide her smile behind her scarf as she went
>Just as the two girl were about to begin setting up, though, Harshwhinny poked her head back in
>"Oh, and by the way. This is off the record, but I believe it's my duty as your educator to inform you two that you do, in fact, look cute together."
>Vinyl practically melted from embarrassment, but Octavia just gave her teacher an appreciative thumbs-up
>"She's so weird. I swear, all of you are insane," Vinyl mumbled after Harshwhinny left
"I'm not gonna to argue against that," Octavia replied
 
>When setup was finished, the two girls waiting backstage, both of them a little twitchy
>Octavia, though, had long since found ways to fight the pre-stage jitters; she had a small pack of chocolates concealed in the pocket of her band uniform, which she offered to share with Vinyl
>So the two sat there on a plastic bench, surrounded by signed posters of world-famous acts and heaped piles of coiled cable, eating chocolate
>They rested against one another, but only slightly, and neither spoke
>There wasn't really much of a need to
>Octavia could *feel* Vinyl's anticipation in the thrum of the girl's breath, and soothed it by gently resting her hand atop Vinyl's knee, stilling her jittery leg
>It was cozy, to say the least, but soon ended as Ms. Harshwhinny came backstage to inform them that their performance was beginning
 
>Just before the two stepped out onstage, they shared a quick hug
>Then they stepped into the torrent of light and applause, and the natural performer's grace seemed to take hold of Octavia's body, carrying her to her cello in a glide
>Vinyl stood awkwardly behind her computer, giving a small wave to the crowd
>Then the two girls made eye contact, nodded to each other, and began to play
 
>The music started out slightly stilted at first
>Probably nothing that the majority of their audience could notice, but there was an awkwardness to Vinyl's music, like a child scared to swim near deeper waters
>She kept her playing airy and free-form, afraid to commit to anything
>Octavia's cello, meanwhile, danced around Vinyl, as if teasing her outwards
>There was a momentary hesitation, in which Vinyl's playing seemed to fade and weaken...
>Then she jumped in, dropping down an erratic, polyrhythmic string of synth notes, with layered harmonics drifting in and out as if *trying* to throw Octavia off
>Smiling to herself, Octavia followed Vinyl's lead
>The confidence of the other girl's playing only increased as Octavia matched her, and the two sparred musically for the entire theater to hear, filling the space with showers of synth notes with Octavia's cello darting expertly between them
>Octavia could have played with that girl forever
>But, eventually, she saw Harshwhinny signal to her from the front row, and gently guided Vinyl back down
>Slowly, their music receded into a simple, friendly farewell, something bright and peppy to leave the audience feeling good
>And then it ended
>A roar of applause went up, filling the room and seeming to buoy Octavia up towards the ceiling
>She jumped to her feet, bowing low
>Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Vinyl give an awkward bow of her own
>And then the curtain began to descend
>As it fell, Octavia sprinted towards Vinyl, grabbing the other girl in a tight hug and spinning her in wobbly, ecstatic circles
>And when the curtain touched the ground, they kissed
>It was an awkward kiss, definitely not the kind you'd see in movies; Vinyl didn't seem to understand how to tilt her head properly, and they ended up awkwardly bumping noses before their mouths made contact
>And it didn't help that the floor was littered with cables, which tripped both of them up and nearly sent them sprawling to the floor
>So yeah, not exactly a movie kiss
>But when Octavia's lips met Vinyl's in that first, perfect, trembling kiss, it dwarfed even the most classic of Hollywood kisses
>When they broke apart, though, lights and little tremolo notes seemed to be floating in Octavia's head
"Good lord..."
>"Yeah. Whoa."
>Octavia pulled Vinyl into a hug, relishing the feeling of having the other girl in her arms
>"This... this isn't gonna be a one-off thing, right?"
"Of course not. I definitely won that rock-off, so I'm fairly certain I own your soul now."
>"What? I totally won!"
"Hmmm. You did quite well, but I believe my guidance was to thank for that."
>"No way! I did all the heavy lifting, you were just along for the ride."
"My my. Do I smell a rematch?"
>Octavia grinned, and Vinyl returned it
>"I got nothing going on tomorrow."
"Then it's settled. And maybe we could raise the stakes too. If you win, I'll have a little surprise for you."
>"Surprise? What-- oh..."
>Vinyl blushed furiously, making Octavia laugh
>She took Vinyl by the arm, and the two strolled out to greet their new adoring fans together
 
The End.