Octavia's morning had been so pleasant. Her breakfast at the cafe had put her in a wonderful mood, and her new friendship with Lyra was just the cherry on the top. She entered her home with a broad smile splitting her face. She trotted joyously up the stairs, deciding to relieve Vinyl and let her have some much needed rest. She had even brought tea back in a flask for the DJ.

As she approached Vinyl's room she heard her roommate speak. Ah, she was up. And Octavia also heard a name, spoken so softly and, there was a tone of respect and admiration in Vinyl's voice. A layer of emotion she didn't think the DJ was capable of; but there it was. And the name itself, it was great. It was a beautiful, mature and elegant name. Evaline. Evaline. Octavia fell in love with the name and she let it roll around in her ears and her mind over and over. She stepped into Vinyl's room for the first time in a long time to congratulate her on the choice of the name.

And then Vinyl turned around.

Octavia looked at Vinyl, Vinyl looked at Octavia.

Vinyl had stopped crying at this point and as she lay curled up on the bed her voice had softened to a whimper. Evaline watched quietly as Octavia removed the flask from her bag and poured out the tea into a cup. She lent her head down in front of Vinyl's and spoke gently, as if she were talking to the foal.

“Come now Vinyl, sit up and drink something.”

Vinyl did not move, nor did she blink away the tears that were crawling down her filthy white fur. Octavia saw bite marks, and chunks missing from that dirty coat. She hadn't liked the DJ for most of their time together but, seeing her in this state brought a touch of sympathy to her heart.

“Come on Vinyl. We need to talk about this.”

Octavia could see no point in avoiding the subject. She had to know what happened to Vinyl. No pony should suffer like this.

“Were you mugged? Vinyl?”

Vinyl had no said a word, she had not moved, her breath was jagged and raspy. The DJ had been holding this in for a long time and now that it was discovered the effort of keeping it down was consuming her. Octavia laid a hoof over one of Vinyl's, she could feel her entire body vibrating. She was a wreck, Octavia suddenly felt a flash of guilt at not noticing the state of her roommate before.

How could you not notice. She's your friend!

She's not really my friend.

Yes she is. You've been friends for two weeks now, stop being a child and admit it.

But...

ADMIT IT!

Octavia sucked in a breath and she spoke, keeping her voice steady.

“Vinyl, as your friend-”

It worked.

“I had to do it.”

Vinyl's voice cut her off mid sentence, it was so quiet Octavia nearly had to ask her to repeat herself.

“What was it Vinyl?”

“We needed money. To, to look after the foal.”

“Evaline”

Octavia corrected Vinyl with the name she had chosen. It wasn't much, but the name, Octavia's acceptance of it, gave her some semblance of strength. Vinyl sat up on the bed, she remained silent for some time and Octavia wondered if she should say something. Vinyl leaned down and slowly took a sip from the cup, sat up, and continued.

“Sleezy made me a deal.”

“Sleezy? The owner of the club?”

Vinyl nodded.

“He gave me a regular spot but... do you remember that first night I performed. I came back in the morning.”

“I remember yelling at you for it.”

Vinyl smiled sadly at the memory.

“Yeh. That. Sleezy... He made me....”

Octavia's heart stopped.

“And you let him?”

Vinyl looked at her friend, her deep magenta eyes highlighted by the massive scars and bruising that surrounded them.

“Only the first time.”

Octavia rose to her hooves. She had been sitting on the bed with Vinyl before this but now she was off, her hooves hit the floor so heard Evaline jumped slightly and looked at Octavia perplexed. Octavia barely noticed, all her emotion, thought and soul was on Vinyl, Vinyl Scratch, her friend, who had been raped.

“We can't let him get away with this.”

Vinyl had done well at holding it together until this point, but now she just placed her head in her hooves and cried into them, trying her best to speak out her objections.

“We, we need the money Octavia. Evaline needs the money.”

Octavia placed her one hoof below Vinyl's jaw and raised up her head to look her in the eyes.

“Hey. We'll find another way. Ok? There are other clubs a little further away you could perform at, or you could even work with me.”

Octavia's eyes widened at her own suggestion. She had heard of other ponies in Equestria combining instrumental music with computerized music. But she had never thought anything of it, she preferred to keep to her own style and keep it pure, just as she had been taught.

But things had stopped being normal for her when she moved in with a DJ and adopted a child.

“You and me Vinyl. The best musicians in Ponyville, we'll remake music, we will set the standards for everyone else, not struggle to live by other people's rules.”

Octavia no longer had control of her own words, she just spoke, and spoke and spoke. The clouds moved in the sky, the sun shifted and Octavia spoke for all she was worth until her voice became a death rattle. She told Vinyl of their life, what they could be, the places they would visit and the ponies they would meet. “We will perform for Celestia herself Vinyl, a royal performance!” She spoke of the honours they would receive “We will be made knighted, they'll make us Dames. Dame Octavia. Oh I love the sound of that, don't you?” And as she spoke of the life that Evaline would live, happy and fulfilled, she saw a flicker in Vinyl's eye, and a tear rolling from it. Octavia stopped suddenly, she raised her hoof and placed it under Vinyl's jaw. The tear trickled onto it and Octavia leant in closer, wiping it away. She looked into her friend's eyes, looking for sadness, wanting to know what she had said to upset her. But she saw no sorrow. As Octavia lent in she saw, the twinkle of joy in the eyes of Vinyl Scratch's eyes. Octavia smiled an awkward but hopeful smile and it grew to a delighted smile as Vinyl returned it. Their noses bumped together, but they didn't flinch. They remained still, just living in the solitary moment of their friendship and however long Octavia's speech had gone on, this moment lasted even longer. It was just them, together and happy.

Any possibility of romance was lost when Evaline, bored with the quiet, climbed out of her cot and jumped in between them, squealing with joy at such a great joke. Vinyl and Octavia both lurched back, terror striking their faces, and replacing quickly with a hesitant but happy laugh. Octavia smiled her elegant smile at Vinyl.

“She's got your eyes.”

“No she doesn't, they're a different colour.”

“No.” Octavia blushed. “I meant, that look you get. This little, mischievous glint in your eyes when you're happy.” The blush intensified and it made it's way onto Vinyl's face as well. The DJ grinned and gathered up Octavia and Evaline into a strong hug.

“Look at us together. We're a strange family.”

“But we're a happy one” Octavia finished for her.

And that's when Sleezy knocked on the door.

“Vinyl! Get your flanks down here right now before I come up there and drag it down.”

If there was anything smooth in his voice once upon a time it was gone now, replaced with a raw fury that sickened Octavia's stomach. How could Vinyl consent to THIS GUY, even if it was only once...

At the reminder of what this was all about, at what had happened, at what this pony had done. Octavia's rage returned. She turned her head to face Evaline and Vinyl.

“Stay here. I'm going to talk to him.”

She turned and left before Vinyl even had the chance to argue.

Down the stairs she went, her good mood from the beginning of the day gone, happy thoughts, tolerance, all gone. All because of this sick freak at their door. She trotted across the hallway and towards the door. She opened it.

Well, he had appearance going for him. He was tall, muscular and handsome. None of this was really important to Octavia but she had to try and figure out how Vinyl had become attracted to him. Now that she had some idea of this, she could get to them important matters.

“I'm sorry” She said in her most formal tone. “But Vinyl is not well and is not able to come to the door.” Then, with a sly smile. “Apparently some pony has been mistreating her. We've reported it to the authorities, once this situation has been dealt with I'm sure you can come speak to her about whatever business you have.” With that, Octavia shut the door in his face, turned and began her trek towards the stairs.

“Didn't your mommy ever tell you not to lie bitch.”

Octavia stiffened. This was not going as well as she had hoped. She turned, again, back to face him and scoffed.

“And didn't 'your' mother teach you not to use such foul language in the presence of a lady.”

The voice came back quickly.

“Oh you're no lady. I bet you've been around the block once or twice. Probably a real treat in the sack aint ja?”

Ugh. She was truly disliking this pony.

“Now, why don't you let me in this door and bring down Vinyl. She's late for her, pre show preparations. We wouldn't want any trouble now would we?”

Octavia was about ready to hurl at this point. But instead of speaking to him, she walked right up the stairs, refusing to look back at him.

Once she was at the top of the stairs she went straight to Vinyl's room. Her friend was sitting on the bed with a concerned look on her face as she cradled Evaline in her hooves, singing to her softly.

Octavia had never noticed this before but Vinyl's singing voice was a wonder. It was so far off from her DJ “I'm so cool” speaking voice she barely recognized her. But there it was, the soft and gently voice had a motherly quality to it. Octavia remembered when her mother used to sing to her... no wait, that was her nanny. Octavia couldn't help but feel a slight tug at her heartstrings as she watched this beautiful scene in front of her. Most ponies had been sung to by their mothers. But she, Octavia, had not. Octavia felt such a rush of emotion right then and there, she was finally a part of a family, one that cared, one that sang to a little fillie. She promised herself right then and there to be there for Evaline. Always.

CRASH.

The tenderness of their moment was interrupted by the sound of their front door being broken down. Sleezy was not giving up. By the sound of it he was storming through their house, stomping up the stairs in a rage. Vinyl gripped Evaline tighter, not wanting to let go of the child. Octavia stood between them and the door. Vinyl wouldn't have to sacrifice anything for Evaline, because Octavia would do it for them both. So when Sleezy stuck his brutish head through the doorway, Octavia shoved her hoof firmly in his muzzle. He bucked and fell back, a tooth falling out. Wow, she had never knocked out a tooth before. Octavia stared at her hoof, there was blood on it. She turned her head to look at Vinyl. There was still blood on her. This did more to fuel Octavia's anger, she turned back to face Sleezy as he came through the door again, but this time at a full gallop. At that speed, Octavia could not stop him as he slammed into her, shoving her to the floor. He reared up and brought both hooves crashing down onto her chest. She yelled out a plethora of curse words that she didn't even realize she knew and rolled around on the floor in agony. She had once cut into the skin above her hoof whilst practising her Cello. It had hurt for hours after that, but her mother had told her that the constant practice is what would make her great. The pain was a trophy. This time, she had no mother to tell her this was a trophy, no nanny to clean her up. She had the floor, the cold hard floor of her friend's room and the furious screams of Sleezy.

“YOU DON'T, FUCKING, TALK TO ME, LIKE THAT, YOU LITTLE, PIECE, OF SHIT WHORE!”

He hit her again and then straightened himself up. He looked from Octavia, her beautiful grey coat now as ruffled and bloodied as Vinyl's.

“Well now. Look at this, all the whore's hiding in one room together. We've got stuck up whore.”

He grinned at his joke and looked down at Octavia.

“Stupid whore”

He glared at Vinyl, and then he moved his eyes to the child in Vinyl's arms. Evaline was screaming her fears, tears streaming down her small innocent face as she tried desperately to escape the protection of Vinyl's grip and reach Octavia.

“And crying whore to be. I bet she's gonna end up just like you two when she grows up. Maybe... Maybe she won't have to grow up.”

Vinyl saw the evil glint in his eye, she saw what he was suggesting. And she was done.

“Evaline, go help Tavi.” She placed the child down and Evaline stumbled quickly to Octavia's side. Vinyl Scratch rose to her hooves and took a step towards Sleezy.

“You will never come into this house again.”

Sleezy smiled his evil smile. Poor bastard still thought he was in control.

“You will never talk to me or my friends ever again.”

Another step.

“You will never make my child cry ever again.”

She was muzzle to muzzle now, the air had tensed and the soft tenderness of the moment she had shared with Octavia and Evaline was fuelling her fury.

“And you will never, ever hurt any of us again.”

With that, Vinyl shoves him backwards, he lost his balance and before he could do anything he was hurling punches at him. Hoof after hoof after hoof. She didn't need to bow down to him any more, she didn't need to help him. And she had been in enough fights to know how this was going to end.

And it ended exactly how she planned. He took step after step backwards, out of the room and down... rapidly, down the stairs. He had slipped, rolling down the stairs and hitting his head, again and again and again. By the time he reached the bottom. He was unconscious.

It was dark, three hours had gone by and Octavia had given her statement to the guard pony. Now she was sitting in their living room with Vinyl, Evaline was asleep, but nearby. After the events, neither mother wanted the child far away.

She looked at her hoof.

“I've never punched somepony before.”

Vinyl smiled.

“Oh I have. You get used to it after a while. The trick is not to let them punch you back.”

Octavia returned the smiled, sadly. She and Vinyl had been patched up very well by the town Doctor who refused to give his actual name.

“I guess I have a long way to go.”

Vinyl shook her head after an awkward pause.

“Na, you did good today.”

“Well”

“What?”

Octavia allowed a laugh.

“I did well today.”

Vinyl's smile grew, and then it went flat.

“Did you really mean all that stuff you said earlier Octavia? About us working together?”

Octavia blushed, but she nodded. And Vinyl was smiling again.

“I would love to.”

“Well you can't do anything else now can you? I heard the Club outside Ponyville is closing, something about the owner getting his butt kicked by two little fillies.”

The two shared a laugh, despite the seriousness of the joke.

“Well” Vinyl said, “I'm sorry for ruining your day.”

“It had been such a good morning.” Octavia agreed.

“Oh really?” Vinyl asked “What made it so good?”

“I just made a friend, that's all.”

Vinyl's eyes widened and she smiled wickedly.

“A cute friend? Was he hot?”

“Ah no, actually it was a filly, Lyra, her name was.”

“Oh, I've seen her, she IS cute. Although I didn't think you were into that Tavi.”

Vinyl was joking of course, but Octavia cast her mind back to the conversation she had had with Lyra. The strange filly was rather attractive, aside from a wonderful tea friend.

“I'm not Vinyl. Not at all.”

“Oh sure you aren't Tavi. Sure you aren't”

The mischievous glint in Vinyl's eye had returned.

Author's Notes:

Hey guys! It's great to be back.

This chapter marks the end of Part 1. Part 2 will be updated as soon as I finish writing my finals. :D

Hint: It takes place a few years in the future and focuses on the relationship between Evaline and Octavia mainly.

So yeah, thank you too all those who have liked this story!