"I don't get it, Vinyl!" Pinkie Pie blinks from behind the counter at Sugarcube Corner. "What are you even doing here?" A blue hoof swats across her mane. "Owie!"
"Because she's been stuck inside that stuffy hospital for a solid friggin' week, Pinkie!" Rainbow Dash frowns, hovering above us with a jet black voice. "The mare deserves some sunshine and suds, ya melon fudge!"
"Oh! Of course! Heehee! That's me, alright! The fudgiest of melons!" Pinkie sticks her tongue out and shakes her mane back to full fluff. "Dr. Pony, eh, Viney? S'all good, girl." She winks. "It's on the house!"
I exhale, nodding with a thankful breath. As the mare bounces away to fetch me a bottle, Rainbow Dash levitates closer to me.
"I hear things have been a bit sketchy at Ponyville Central ever since Octavia's dad showed up." Her ruby eyes narrow. "Some prize, eh?"
I shake my hoof from side to side and stifle a yawn.
I slept on a bench all night.
Sketchy is sketchy.
"But seriously, from what Twilight and Spike have said, he sounds like a total jerk-face." Her teeth show as she growls in a dark, obsidian tone. Her voice could cut glass, it's so razor-edged. "Maybe having a visit from all Six Members of the Friendship Council will slice his pride down a notch."
I smirk slightly... then shake my head.
"Awwwwww..." Her voice cracks, scratchy and whiney, like a foal's. "Why not? Octavia needs to know that we have her back! All of us!" The coat hairs on the back of her neck rise. "Grrrrrr... that friggin' Talonsuck. When he attacked Tavi, he attacked all of us, y'know! We're all in it on this... mmmrrrr... Friendship Train together, y'know?"
I adjust my shades and squint at her.
"H-hey! Don't look at me like that! So maybe I suck at metaphors! But you catch my drift!" She clears her raspy throat. "Anyways, if Octavia's dad is bothering her, then it's up to the rest of us to show him where the line is drawn, y'know?"
With a muffled sigh, I stare across Sugarcube Corner.
That's just the issue.
He's not done anything...
...except...
... ... ...exist?
And is that such a crime?
I'd ask Octavia, but she's out for the count at the moment. And, besides, no amount of friendship or good will can change how sour that relationship between father and daughter has gone.
I lean my head down, rubbing my hoof over my muzzle and shades.
Octavia...
I know you're getting better...
But...
I can't help it...
I can't help being selfish...
I want to hear you...
I want to feel the texture of your words...
I want to wrap myself up in your voice and revel in that sweet, toasty mirth...
It's been a bleak world without you this past week... all tan and turquoise...
It almost feels like... like...
...like I never climbed down to begin with.
Is this what it would be like?
After an eternity, Pinkie returns, slapping the bottle down onto the tabletop.
"There ya go, music mare!" She winks. "Ice cold and extra bubbly! Go to town—"
Swooosh! My hoof yanks the thing off the table and I guzzle down its contents liberally.
"Whoah! Hah!" Rainbow Dash giggles. "We've got a regular chugmeister here!"
"Heehee! You think from being in a hospital all way, she wouldn't touch anything with the word 'Doctor' on it!"
"Yeah! Hahahaha!"
"Heehee..."
I drink and drink.
Oh... silly... silly ponies.
I slap the half-empty bottle down, my body shaking, quivering. I feel a veritable explosion rising up my gut.
"Wuh oh! Volcano time!"
"Let it out, girl!"
I shake my head, raising a hoof. After a few trembling seconds, I soften the belch, allowing it to escape softly through my nose and ears. My world ripples magenta, and then falls back softly upon a green hum.
Whew.
That was close.
Wouldn't have been the first time a belch nearly knocked me out... but usually that's when I have Beau around.
"Y'know, Viney." Pinkie Pie leans across the counter with a smile. "When all of this is said and done, and Tavi's back on her healthy hoofsies, I intend to throw you both the biggest party!"
I blink at her. I point at myself.
"Yes! The both of you!"
I pale slightly. My heart pounds.
"It'd be a double felicitous feature!" Pinkie pumps a hoof in the air. "For Tavi, it'll be a 'Welcome Back Home from the Hospital Party!' And for you, it'd be 'Welcome Back from Preparing Your Best Bestie for Returning Home from the Hospital Party!' Heehee! Isn't that great? What kind of icing should the cake have? Oh! I know! Fudgemelon! Hah!"
"Y'know, Pinkie..." Rainbow floats closer to her, voice thin and dark, like fuzzy black yarn. "Only you can make something sound so lame and yet so awesome all at once."
"I know! Hehe! It's a gift!"
"Heh, if you say so."
I smirk. Then I jolt in place, my ears pricking.
Rainbow and Pinkie both look surprised. "What is it, girl?" Pinkie chirps.
They can't hear it... the panicked crimson clops of galloping hooves... or the amber breaths attached to them.
I spin around before she even bursts through the door.
"Vinyl!" Lyra exclaims. "You gotta come quick! Rainbow Dash! Please! Got fetch the Princess!"
"Why?" Rainbow blinks, flying closer. "What's wrong?!"
Lyra looks at me, sweating.
"It's... it's Opulence," she squeaks.
My heart skips a beat.
"He's preparing to take Tavi b-back to Trottingham!"
And then it plummets.
...Well, damnit. So much for letting things settle down a bit longer before coming back to the conflict.
Okay, that has got to be one trippy experience.
Y'know, I get it. The guy's doing what he thinks is best for his daughter.
Too bad he's such a fucking bitch about everything.
either day or week
explosion
Also, nononononononononononononononononononononononononononononononononononononononono
6686268 Might explain why she drinks the stuff in the first place... well, that and it's friggin' delicious.
You know...
I'm wondering why it's only her own voice that's so painful.
Why is that?
Why is it that her own voic is so painful?
I'm thinking that it's not the synthesia at fult, but her mind set.
It isn't really that big of a deal. He can't force Tavi to go with him. She's a full grown mare, so she can make her own decisions.
Oh. But she's injured and probably can't speak for herself, so her dad will be able to use that as leverage to bring her back with him. Which, sadly, is what he thinks is best. But even if he does get Tavi back with him in Trottingham, as soon as she's conscious, she'll just leave and go right back to Ponyville. He can't stop her from doing so, especially since she's a friend of the Princess of Friendship. But just how long will she be out for? How long can Vinyl be without Octavia?
Have to wait until tomorrow to find out. An entire day of camping out on this precipice, and my rock climbing equipment broke a long time ago.
6686268 its pretty easy to do actually...when you fell a burp coming just loosen your jaw and keep your mouth shut plus it just might be from me burping so much I just do it automatically if I'm in public
Uuuuuuh oh... stuff's going down son! D:
And DP... mmm that sounds good.
6686309 Maybe its a psychological pain or something, after what happened to her?
With Octavia incapacitated at the moment, he might just have the legal authority to move her. And that's why it's good to have a princess around.
Twilight: 2
Opulence: 0
Also, Octavia needs to wake up. Like Vinyl, I'm experiencing Tavitavitavi withdrawal.
opul- whatever the fuck his name is... needs someone to knock him down a peg.
MRW: end of chapter: static1.fjcdn.com/comments/4657592+_9b80700ead4c0baf9e8ece3b81277e78.jpg
There it is again
I guess you mean explosion.
Also, I'd say "please just wake up already, Tavi ", but on that score things could be way, way worse.
6686399
I was referring to her burping in technicolor. I, for one, have never belched so hard I saw magenta and green.
6686309 That actually makes a lot of sense. We've already seen some voices change with the perception Vinyl has of them, so it wouldn't be surprising that the only thing that keeps her from talking is herself.
If he no longer has any sort of legal guardianship over her, then he cannot make the decision of where to take her - especially away from her own home without consent while she's recuperating and being treated in the hospital, it's tantamount to kidnapping.
She's a direct employee of the Crown and a member of the court, specifically a servant of Princess Twilight. That should overrule everything else involved if he's not got some sort of power of attorney, as she's a national asset.
Also fuck this guy. Right in his smug prick face. It doesn't matter if he thinks he's doing what's best - wrong is wrong.
6686481 Trauma!
6686418 Traumatic long term memory? Instead of rose glasses she's wearing shades?
6686309
It's been mentioned that her vocal issues are related to her magical issues.
6686607 Yes. But the power of the mind could also be involved you know.
Where does magic come from?
THe mind most likely.
What's the problem?
Her own voice knocks her out.
Why?
Why just her own though?
6686597 Possibly, I mean, I think anyone would end up with trauma after that.
Well, looks like the whole "she saved my life" thing is pretty much clear by now. Not that there weren't some very direct hints before, of course, but this just helps cement it.
Well... that isn't good. I wonder if Twi can really override what Opulence wants to do.
6686637
I never said it wasn't a mental issue - brain's connected to the horn in some fashion, after all. Just that I doubt it's a purely trauma-induced thing, otherwise they'd have her seeing psychs instead of physicians/... whatever you call a magic-specialist doctor.
U W0T M9?!
Wtf! No!
6686756
I'm surprised that you're the only one who brought this up. It was, of course, the likely explanation, but it ha been the first time it was said outright. I dunno, just thought it was really important, I'm glad someone else noticed
images1.tickld.com/live/postimages/60e785be961f21105272fa2ea198fed9.gif
No doubt while Tavi is still unconscious. This can't end well.
6686798 Isn't this severely unique?
6686649
I mean it kind of made sense to tink tht it was just the orn.
But when you think about it, even the loudest shouts by the CMC only made her a little dazed. Why is it her own voie, when it's so soft mkes her a whole lot more dazed?
Oooooooh hay no. I get the distinct feeling he's doing this without Redheart clearing Tavi... there's about to be some monumental pain brought down from on high. The one thing you DON'T do is piss off a nurse who's protective of her patients.
Not sure what Twilight intends to do. He's her father so best of luck trying to tell him otherwise unless Tavi refuses him. She's old enough to pick her care but he's still got more rights to seek help for his daughter anywhere he pleases over Twilight, again so long as Tavi wishes to not have anything to do with him.
Poor Vinyl if she moves.
I swear, when we finally gain the 'Romance' tag, the world will flood with Gold, leaving Vinyl deaf.
Why must you make things so tense, you glorious bastard you!
6687757 I honestly don't know why her own voice is like that, I'm at a loss bro.
6689823 Just have to...
WAIT FOR UPDATES!
6686309
As far as I understand the issue, your own voice is the only sound you can't deafen. Speaking would have for Vynil the same effect as being in the center of a flashbang, without being able to close her eyes or muffle the bang.
Because of that issue, she is no longer able to sing, which was the way she expressed her music talent before. Not being able to sing anymore led her to a crippling depression... until she found somepony whose voice was almost like her own: Octavia.
6691235 I'm pretty sure that Octavia's voice is purple. So far, Sweetie Belle has the closest voice to hers.
And tht thing about the voice being the only sound you can't deafen?
What do you mean by deafen? By nature you can muffle sound, but its very difficult to destroy it.
6691388
English is not my native language, I apologize for the misuse. 'Deafen' was not the proper word, and 'Muffle' is more adequate.
That being said, do you know any way of preventing the sound of your voice from reaching your own ears? I feel that it is an impossible task, short of something that affects the ear drum, preventing you from hearing anything at all. Earplugs only block external sounds, which actually helps hearing your own voice better.
The only thing that comes close is when the Eustacian tube (which connects the inner ear and the nose) is blocked (Normally due to a cold), but the bones still help transmit the sounds from the voice box to the ear drum.
EDIT: I still fear that I am not explaining myself properly. Here is a link to an article I believe helps illustrating what I am trying to explain.
http://elitedaily.com/life/culture/hate-sound-of-our-own-voice/1062516/
6691570 Okay. So it's bouncing around in her head.
Kind of makes sense, but what makes the synthesia worse? Other people have synthesia and can talk.
So is it mental?
6691649
To be frank, I am not sure at all. Still, as far as I know, people who have synesthesia don't have Vynil's hypersensibility to light, so I my current hypotesis is that she also suffers from a general hypersensibility which affects most of her senses.
6691790 But where did it come from?
Is it just her eyes and ears? Or is it mental!