"It's not that I haven't thought about it," Tavi says.
I turn to look at her, blinking curiously.
Somehow she notices. Only this mare can tell what my eyes are doing behind the shades.
"Moving back to Trottingham, that is." Her purple words dissipate momentarily. It takes a second or two for the redness fountaining from my chest to subside. "I mean, I would pursue a place of my own, of course... hypothetically speaking. Not that I would ever really do it. But... it has occurred to me... in casual ponderings, I do suppose"
I bite my lip. The wheels of my speakers bump into a rock. I fumble, but Octavia reaches over, helping me steady the machinery. I give her a thankful smile, and we continue our shuffling trot across town. The wedding's over, and everypony is walking home, retreating to their lovely little niches in this loveliest of towns.
At least, I do think it's lovely.
I'm not alone, am I?
"If you think about it... I mean really think about it, there are simply far more opportunities there. I have family there. Well... family besides my father, of course."
I gulp and nod.
"Not to mention several gracious acquaintances who would be more than happy to lend a hoof to me if I simply asked for it. I mean... I know enough ponies who know ponies who know other ponies that I'm quite certain I could land first chair in some respectful orchestra. Just... it wouldn't be Canterlot's Finest. And... and I would have live with the unmistakable feeling that I didn't earn it. But, then again, how many of us in life can be lucky enough to say that we have earned our lot with full confidence?"
I stare past her, past the cello resting on her flank. I see the newest addition to Ponyville, a glaring crystalline structure towering above all else. To everypony who sees it, it shimmers with reflective brilliance. To me, it's a jet black silhouette. I still can't stop myself from shuddering with even the most casual glance.
"I don't know, Vine," Tavi says. "I try not to compare myself to my father. I really do. It's just... I'm a great deal older than he was when he became successful, but what do I have to show for myself? I've done all I could to pursue a thriving musical career by my own means, and... and sometimes I wonder if it's even working. Maybe it is all luck and nothing more. Should I torture myself with this... boundless ambition that issues forth from my soul day in and day out? I mean, where do I draw the line and just... leap over to a smarter, better place of opportunity instead of stressing and toiling needlessly for so long?"
I can't remember when it began... this blissfully silent, precious pact between us. She who seeks answers and she who gives none—dwelling in harmony with one another.
Well, that's a lie. I do remember when. I just try not to dwell on it often. Things are agonizing enough as they are.
"I... I just need to put myself out there, Vinyl," Tavi murmurs. She's stopped in her tracks, so I stop pushing my speakers while I gaze at her. That's when I see it—a tan cloud encasing her, trapping the indigoes and violets deep within. It draws the rest of the world away on granite streams. "My music... my strings..." She shudders, eyes drifting up into the stars, getting lost in their twinkling dirge. "Father compares me to Mother a lot. He used to ramble incessantly about how we 'had the same faults.' Maybe she... wasn't as detestable a creature after all. Maybe she was forced into settling when her heart... her heart wanted more. Wanted something far more complex. Something invigorating. I... I'd almost have no reason to... to blame her... considering we both suffer from the same itch..."
I feel myself fumbling. Each exhale is a loose, frail thing, covered in brown hues. I feel sick, hollow, and suddenly there is only one cure.
But by the time I've reached daringly to remove my shades, I'm overwhelmed—as is Octavia—by a purring fountain of orange. I glance over, blinking in utter curiosity.
As the colors fade, I see a siamese cat having pawed its way out of its owner's lawn. It brushes past Octavia, rubbing against her legs, tickling her fetlocks with a flick of its tail.
"Why... hello hello!" Octavia chirps. The tan dissolves instantly, and the purple explodes in every direction at once, radiating, exultant. "Why, if you aren't the friendly type. I sure do hope you've had your shots."
The cat brushes past her three more times, meows, meows again... then promptly becomes bored. It stalks off to the far edge of the road, disappearing into the night.
The orange is gone, replaced by the tranquil green haze of Ponyvillean softness.
"Hmmmmfff..." Octavia exhales, and the indigo is still bright. "Well, that was quaint." She strolls ahead of me, and her gait is considerably more energetic. "This village never stops being full of surprises."
I look after her, then glance curiously in the direction of the feline. Crickets chirp, sparkling golden raindrops down on us, and I smile.
"Come along, Vinyl. No need to get condensation on your expensive equipment."
I jolt, obediently scurrying after her as we scale the remaining distance to our apartment.
"Now..." Octavia muses. "...just what were we talking about again?"
I try not to chuckle. It wouldn't be a good thing to faint this late in the evening.
"Eh... bollocks. I do hope I have some wine saved from last weekend. Have I mentioned how much I love this charming town?"
Life is full of nods.
Sometimes, it's just the little things in life that calm you down.
Well that's...interesting? Foreboding? I wonder why she has those feelings about the castle?
I'm still trying to get a grasp of where, exactly, this is going or what it's trying to say. The way it's all put together is unconventional, but intriguing.
6262065 I read that as saying Twilight's castle absorbs all sound, so as a completely silent thing it has no color; and I guessed that Vinyl just doesn't like things she can't hear. Whether that's right or wrong, I think it's an interesting alternative to your reading. Time will tell, maybe?
6262567
That sounds like a pretty valid interpretation as well. We'll get a better explanation later, hopefully. All I have to go off of that I've noticed for black are Twilight's castle and this line from the previous chapter:
That should be newest addition to Ponyville, actually. Also, silhouette is how you spell it.
Other than that, yet another fantastic chapter!
I wonder why the castle is such a forboding color
Hehehe, Twily, whachu got going on in there?
Nice job!
6271578 vinyl sees sounds as colours the castle makes no noise hence pure black
6334730
I think I missed the part where black meant silence. The colors have more of an emotional connotation attached in most cases. It seems that black is more like unsettling ambient noise, like walking through an abandoned warehouse at night (opposed to green, which appears to be natural ambience, such as the wind)
6271578
6334730
6365200 Rainbow Dash was shouting in black in an early chapter. Still not quite sure what it means myself.
Octavia has so many good reasons to move back to Trottingham or even move to Canterlot (where a mare of her skills would doubtless find Princesses to wish her to perform). In the end, there is something that just holds her to that quaint, peaceful little town sheltered in the bow of a river.
I could be anywhere else in the world right now, Doing anything I want, being Whoever I wanna be. But why would I leave... When you're here?
6271578
There's certainly no human sex shrine in there!
Not sure, but almost anything having to do with the mane six is black except for Fluttershy. I have a feeling that her lack of speaking has something to do with her health and the mane six are somehow to blame. I always get this itching feeling that Vinyl is some sort of changeling in these stories, but I want to refrain from those assumptions. Maybe Twilight botched a spell or she doesn't like their morals. Also, how much does Octavia know about Vinyl, how did they meet and get so close and what's up with the statement about the false wig and Vinyl's crutch the Dr. Pony?