---------------- Request chapter: Octavia ----------------

The following takes place four months after the opening of Maggie's, following the events of Chapter 7 of A Different Kind of Love

Lily adjusted her dress around her hips, fiddling with the hem in the mirror as Maggie poked her head in on the fretting changeling.

"Ready to go?" She asked. Maggie herself was wearing an elegant dress that fell to the floor, her long arms encased in white gloves. Lily, however, had taken much care to ensure she was as beautiful as could be. This was, after all, a night on the town. Smiling at Maggie, she nodded and left her room. The satin dress hugged her every curve, leaving her back bare almost to the top of her rear. It was none too shy on showing off her cleavage, either... Still, though, the shiny black fabric was... Classy. Her red curls were much brighter tonight, not the rich, darker color they usually were. Tonight, she went for a fiery, bright red. They bounced around her face as she smiled at Maggie, who gave a low whistle of appreciation.

"Shall we?" Lily asked, taking a small handbag with her down the stairs. All the girls at Maggie's had been invited to the symphony that night, courtesy of a very appreciative composer. Lily hadn't handled the man personally, but she heard tell it had been a particularly intense experience. Shortly, everyone was assembled in the lounge, and slowly filed out into two waiting limousines. For her first time riding in one, Lily was amazed at the spacious interior. They all enjoyed a glass of champagne on the way to the concert hall, laughing at talking about the night ahead of them. Many of the girls were excited at the prospect of finding a high-class date, a man of character and nobility. Maggie scoffed, and in her worldly way, imparted a pearl of wisdom to all the girls in the car.

"The bigger the wallet, the smaller the dick." Soon enough, both limousines pulled up at the roundabout entrance, the drivers hurriedly opening doors for them to file out. Skirts were adjusted, compact mirrors checked, and smiles flashed before they all made their way inside to the slowly filling concert hall. The seats they had on reserve were in the middle of the hall, facing the open stage directly. Lily smiled at the man behind her as she took her seat, fixing her gaze on the assorted instruments. Soon enough, a hush descended over the hall as a group of about forty individuals filed out and took their places behind assorted instruments. Bows pulled across sings, lungs blew life into pipes, and the sound swelled in an ensemble of musical prowess soon to be played.

And that was only the sound check.

Lily was enthralled by the music that followed, every single note played in perfect harmony with the others. The group was less of a symphony and more of a single being operating in one single capacity, and that was to capture the hearts, ears, and minds of the entire hall. The first selection was complete, ending in a low, quiet note that left a hushed shiver on the spines of more than one guest. It was followed by thunderous applause, all of it well-deserved. As soon as the conductor raised his hands once more, everyone fell silent. You could hear a pin drop before the next note was played, a quartet of violins accompanied by light cymbals and a rather stirring flute solo. The piece built into a swelling, shiver-inducing work of musical artistry.

As soon as they ended on a high crescendo, Lily clapped along with the rest before one single woman stood up from her seat among the rest of the string players. Lily watched her approach the front of the stage, the maestro turning to her. By magic, Lily watched a stool and cello appear from nowhere, which were both promptly taken by the slender, dark-haired beauty. Her simple black dress shimmered in the muted lamplight lighting the stage, glistening as she took her seat at the stool, adjusting the cello in her hands. When the composer lifted his hands, Lily immediately recognized the time signature for Bach's cello suite number one. Sure enough, the first waterfall of beautiful notes floated out over the heads of the audience, the woman's hand bobbing back and forth as she strummed the difficult measures. Lily felt herself swept into the intricate, beautiful melody of the prelude. She was not the only one. Many a reverent eye was turned to the talented woman, her hands never missing a beat.

Prelude ending on a short, clipped note, this entrancing woman took a very unexpected turn out of the ordinary. She skipped almost straight past the long-winded and simple "Allermande," straight into "Courante." A much faster and complex piece, she played flawlessly, her fingers moving with surety over the strings of her singing Cello. Lily felt her heart sync with the beat, beating in time with the rapid appregio's and swells of music. Almost regrettably too soon, "Courante" ended and transitioned flawlessly into "Sarabande." The beautiful, slow piece focused intently on even notes played at diminishing levels of volume, though not a single note went unheard. No one even dared breathe loudly at the mellow, dulcet tones of a true master at work. The suite progressed as normal, into "Menuet I/II," finishing brilliantly with the jovial and light-heatred "Gigue."

After the final chord faded away into silence, there was a very noticeable gap. The entire concert hall was stunned before they finally broke into applause, eventually rising into a swell of appreciation and admiration. Lily joined in eagerly, raising her voice in a cheery "Bravo!" Many others joined her, and a premature rain of roses cascaded at the black-haired beauty's feet. The symphony stood and padded away, giving the gathered guests time for an intermission. People stood and filed out of the hall into the halls outside, chatting and socializing, remarking on the stirring performance. Lily grabbed Maggie's harm, pulling her ear close to her mouth as she breathed hot and heavy.

"I must make her mine. So help me, Maggie, before the night is out, I will have her." The flash of understanding in Maggie's eyes showed Lily she understood. The coy smile on her lips said she approved. Maggie gave Lily's rear a surreptitious pinch and a wink.

"Get going, then." Lily slipped away, smiling at a group of individuals that cast curious looks at her flushed face. She passed through a few short halls, into a back area, and through to a store room of sorts. It was removed enough from the muted sounds of conversation and bustle that she could focus. Undoubtedly, this talented woman was not inclined to the fairer sex, but preferred a more traditional experience. Lily shifted into a handsome, tall, dark-haired man, wearing a tailored suit that fit oh so perfectly. She tested her voice, singing in a moderate tenor to herself as she slipped out. The lyrics of "Ave Maria" flowed nicely with the night as she rejoined the hustle, catching Maggie's eye with a sly wink. Her manager would be the only one to know who she was exactly. The others, though, would likely catch on when Lily was counted as missing from the entourage. Though by the look of things, many of them would be distracted by more pleasurable company.

Through careful questioning and a subtle hint of a kiss later in the night, Lily was able to determine the location of a classy after party, and promised she would show up promptly after the symphony was over. She dare not return to the concert hall after the intermission, though... She doubted she could restrain herself from leaping onto the stage and taking the sultry dark-haired cellist in front of the entire audience. Instead, she decided to walk to the destination of the after-party, the summer night air warm and comfortable. It was quite a distance, but she enjoyed the sights, the sounds of the city after nightfall. When she arrived, the party had already begun, the sounds of light classical music and conversation drifting out over a second-floor balcony. She slipped in, acting like she belonged. Indeed, she really did. Mingling with Rarity now and then had certainly paid off. She sipped champagne and conversed, laughing and talking with the other guests. The night wore on, and Lily began to fear the talented cellist would pass on attending.

"I must say, Octavia, you were spot on this evening! What a stirring rendition!" The strain of conversation floated above all others, wafting past Lily's ear as she turned her head. There, against the wall, was a boisterous man waving his glass of gin about and speaking much more loudly than he ought to have been. Lily slipped in between guests, slowly making her way to the man and the target of his rambling speech. Through glimpses underneath the man's gesticulating arms and around his prominent stomach, Lily caught sight of a shimmering dress, a lock of raven hair...

"Uh huh." Octavia, the woman was called, appeared to be trying her best to melt into the wall, to get away from the man. To Lily's surprise, however, the drunken man grabbed her arm, pulled her close. Over the mutter of nearby conversation, Lily heard the man speak in a low, dangerous tone full of suggestion and desire.

"Tell me now, darling," He said, pressing his fat stomach against her. "What will it take for me to bring you back to my place tonight, hmm? I dare say I could show you quite a time."

"Please," Octavia whimpered, turning her face away uncomfortably. Lily couldn't have this. Just as soon as she went to advance on the man harassing Octavia, a hand clapped on her shoulder.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you." Another man pressed against her other side, and she felt the sharp jab of something metallic press against her rib.

"Come on, buddy. Let's go out back." She was shoved roughly towards the door, stumbling slightly. None seemed to pay them any mind. She shot a glance over her shoulder, catching the frightened expression on Octavia's face.

"Don't worry about them, my dear. Come now, let's..." A thin thread of telekinetic power shot into the man's side, making him grunt and double over. It had taken a lot for Lily to do that. As her two escorts, undoubtedly the man's bodyguards, stood in shocked silence, she took the opportunity to elbow one in the face. He fell back, clutching both hands to his nose. Lily wheeled on the third, grabbing his wrist just as his hand began to plunge into his suit jacket. She delivered two quick punches to his stomach, doubling him over just enough for her to drive her knee upwards into his jaw.

"Run!" She growled at Octavia. Instead, the shocked woman just stood there and blinked. Cursing under her breath, Lily brushed past the fat man, shrugging off his clawing hand and grabbing Octavia's wrist. "I said RUN!" Quick as she dared, while the confusion was still fresh, Lily pulled a stumbling Octavia towards the same door the two bodyguards had been pushing her towards not five seconds prior. The first rolled on the ground, holding his nose as blood began to flow, while the second reached a hand back into his jacket. A quick kick to his ribs deterred the man as Lily and Octavia shouldered through the door into a back hallway.

"This way!" Octavia had finally caught on, and was now in full escape mode. She even paused to kick her heels off as they darted down the tight corridor. Shouts and wheezed orders were given as two more men, separate from the first two, pushed into the hallway behind them.

"There!" Lily glanced back and saw the men pushing past a pile of boxes in their way, knocking them over and only slowing them down more. "Fuckin' hell! Don't let 'em get away!" The two fleeing partners pushed through a doorway and down a stairwell, out into a dark, stinking alley. Lily grabbed her arm and pulled her out into the street, running as fast as she dared. She noticed a limp in Octavia's stride, she was flagging already. She had probably stepped on something in the alley. Cursing slightly, Lily swung an arm underneath the back of her knees, hoisting her slight frame into the air. They rounded the corner just as the sound of their pursuers echoed down the street. She picked up her pace and carried Octavia down the street fast as she dared, slipping into a dark doorway.

"I don't-" Octavia began.

"Shh." Lily tucked Octavia between her and the wall, pressing close, obscuring both of them in the shadow. Octavia opened her mouth to speak once again, but Lily clamped her hand over her mouth. She was less worried about making it into bed with her than she was making it out of this predicament alive. Two sets of pounding feet thundered past, though Lily could have sworn they could hear her heart beating in her own ears...

"Shit, I lost them!"

"Keep looking! Come on, you go that way!" The two split up at the end of the street, running opposite directions.

"Come on, we aren't out of this yet." Lily muttered softly, pulling away from Octavia, scooping her up once more. A quick glance down at her foot showed she had indeed stepped on something. Blood dripped from her foot as Lily hoisted her in the air. Crossing the street into a shadowy park, Lily pushed through some waist-high bushes onto a dark path.

"Through the park, there on the other side." Octavia said, raising a hand to point at what Lily guessed was an apartment building on the other side of the park. Grimacing, she pushed through another set of waist-high bushes and squinted into the dark to see what was ahead of her. They found a path heading in the right direction soon enough and crossed over a small creek before exiting the park. Lily ducked low in the shadows, looking up and down the dark street for any sign of the men after them. Seeing no one, she quickly shuffled across the street, Octavia in her arms.

The building was indeed an apartment complex, though it obviously catered to the higher-class citizens of Canterlot. Octavia directed her to the top floor, which was dominated entirely by a loft apartment that took up the whole floor. She punched a number into a keypad on the elevator, which apparently was the only way in or out, save for maybe a locked fire escape door somewhere... Lily carried the wounded cellist into the apartment, about to set her down when she remembered the cut on her foot.

"Right. We're safe here, then. Let's take a look at that foot." Gingerly, Lily set Octavia down on the edge of the couch, flashing a brave smile up at her. Gingerly, she took the bare ankle in her hand, heart still pounding from the frenzied flight. This was the first time she had really gotten a look at the entrancing woman up close. She was slender, fragile-looking. Her long black hair hung straight down her back, the bangs cut in a straight line above her brow. She had a slightly drawn, pixie-like face, the kind Lily would expect to see on a child. But it had a sort of melancholy build to it, as if a soft smile or slight frown was all that was ever supposed to cross it. She had long fingers, delicate ankles, a nearly flat chest. She was a very haunting, modest type of beautiful, the kind Lily could see a man loving for the brilliant mind behind those keen, grey eyes.

"Thank you," Octavia said, lifting her foot with a grimace. She had stepped on a shard of broken glass, the piece embedded in the soft pad of her left foot. "For getting me out of there. A cut on my foot would have been the least of my worries, had you not stepped in. I guess I owe you a debt of gratitude." Lily glanced up at her briefly, frowning in a concerned fashion.

"Do you always get fat dejects threatening you to their beds?" She asked, inspecting the cut. She probably wouldn't need stitches, but it certainly had to come out.

"No, not usually." Octavia sighed, wincing as Lily prodded the flesh around the cut. "But I'm afraid the senator has been more and more adamant in his advances. Your actions tonight with either dissuade him completely, or send him into a fervor of vengeance and desire." She looked down her nose at Lily, crouched on the hardwood floor of her living room. "How bad is it?"

"Not too bad, surprisingly. But I'm going to need tweezers or something to pull this out with. Do you have a first aid kit? Bandages? Maybe some hydrogen peroxide?" Lily asked, turning her foot side to side gently. She had well-toned calves, though Lily only barely caught a quick glimpse of them under the hem of the shimmering black dress.

"In the bathroom. But if you're going to make a mess, I suggest we move there instead of doing that here." Lily nodded in agreement and lifted her up once more. She was thankful the bleeding had stopped, though that meant the blood had clotted and would make removing the glass more difficult. She carried Octavia down a short hallway into a nearby bathroom, setting her on the edge of the bathtub as she fetched supplies from the nearby cabinet. Soon enough, she had pulled the red shard out, disposed of it in rolled toilet tissue, and set about cleaning and treating the wound. All the while, Octavia remained silent, watching Lily work with a calm expression. Finally, as Lily began bandaging the foot, she spoke.

"You have very skilled hands. Do you play?" She asked. Lily paused for a moment before fastening the bandage with a piece of medical tape.

"I've managed to pick up the violin in the past few months. I'm not very good, but I can sightread fairly well... Why do you ask?" Octavia shrugged one shoulder and looked at the bandage, testing her foot on the floor of the tub.

"You've just got the touch of a musician. Firm and steady, gentle enough to make the proper tone. I guess you could say I can tell..." She looked up at Lily with a sad smile, her face warming slightly now the danger had passed. "Thank you for saving me tonight. It was... Exciting..." Lily glanced at the watch on her wrist, groaning at the time. This late in the night, and she hadn't even made any progress with the sultry Octavia. "Do you have somewhere to be?"

The question caught Lily off-guard, and she raised her hands defensively. "N-no! Not really, anyways... It's just late, and I'm kind of tired is all." She punctuated the sentence with a stifled yawn, apologizing.

"Oh. Well, your face is out there. The senator has goons all over, probably. You're welcome to stay here tonight." She stood, wincing on her wounded foot, but she managed by putting her weight on her heel, limping out of the bathroom. "The guest room is just there. Help yourself to the food in the fridge. My room is down the hall, there at the end." Lily nodded, and unsure where to go next, decided to slip into the guest room. Though she didn't go without taking a long, purposeful look at Octavia's swaying hips as she walked away. Even when limping, she carried herself with grace and dignity. Sighing, Lily closed the door behind her and dressed down just a little, removing her suit jacket and tie, her shoes and socks. It didn't feel right sleeping in someone else's house in her underwear, not without getting to know them intimately, of course. She stretched out on the bed, sinking into the covers tiredly. Just as her eyes were about to slip closed, the gentle strains of a cello drifted past her ears.

Her eyes opened at the sound, and she listened to the soft tune. She couldn't place it, not in her memory... Slowly, she stood and padded down the hall, finding a slightly-open door next to the room Octavia had indicated was her own bedroom. The door was cracked, and the music came from within. Slowly, Lily pushed her way into the room, seeing Octavia at a stool, playing a piece masterfully. Still, she couldn't place the tune... Content to listen, Lily stood there, arms crossed, fumbling over the origin of the upbeat sound. Certainly no classical piece... When the last strain ended on a high note, Lily smiled.

"Beautiful." Octavia whirled around, noticed the door open.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you? I thought I closed the door..." She gently set her cello on a nearby stand, loosing the nut so the hair of her bow didn't warp the wood.

"It's fine, really. I admire your talent very much." Lily raised her hands in a non-offended way. The room they were in was certainly one of musical intent. There appeared to be recording equipment, a massive collection of vinyl 45's, CD's, tapes, records, all sorts of musical paraphernalia. One entire wall was devoted solely to instruments. Among these, Lily spotted a majestic violin.

"Would you like to play?" Octavia asked, noting Lily's interest in the mahogany instrument. It had been a while since Lily practiced, but she could play "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" like a pro. Octavia limped over to the wall, gingerly lifted the violin from it's rack, and handed it to her. Carefully, Lily tucked it to her shoulder, accepted the bow from Octavia, and experimentally pulled it across the strings. The pitch and tone were perfect, and it was tuned. Next, Octavia set a stand and a book of sheet music in front of her.

"I don't recognize this piece." Lily said, frowning down at the notes.

"It's quite simple, really. The only tricky part is the key change, here." She tapped a measure with the tip of her own bow as Lily pictured how the song would go. "And, well... It compliments the cello well. Come. Let's play." She sat back on the stool, turned to face Lily, and began tapping out the measure with her good foot. Lily matched it with her own toe, and pulled the bow across the strings to begin the song. A two measure intro, and Octavia joined her as well, the low baritone of the cello harmonizing with the violin wonderfully. The two played masterfully, at one point swapping measures, almost like trading off or dueling. At the end, they both harmonized on one chord, the sound reverberating eerily through the well-designed room. It obviously complimented the stringed instruments well. The last note faded away, and Lily felt another chill run up her spine.

"That was..."

"Amazing." Octavia finished the thought for her, slowly rising to her feet. Just as she went to step forward, she stumbled, and Lily wrapped her arms around her as she fell. Octavia gave a slight whimper, her hands tucked against Lily's chest. "I-"

"Shh." Lily urged her to be quiet for the second time that night. Smoothly, she pressed her lips to Octavia's, feeling her tense slightly before melting into her hold. The kiss slowly heated, Octavia taking it a step further by pushing her tongue out, brushing Lily's lips. All she got was a firm squeeze in return, her breath rising as she slowly leaned into Lily more.

"Please..." Octavia whimpered softly. "Be gentle?" Lily rose a single hand to cup Octavia's cheek, brushing her straight bangs aside with a thumb. Gently, she pressed a kiss to Octavia's forehead before hoisting her in the air, carrying her to the next door down. Inside was the master bedroom, the massive four-poster bed covered in a muted brown comforter. Gently, Lily laid Octavia out on top of the comforter, smiling as she stripped her shirt off the rest of the way. Apparently, Octavia liked what she saw. Slowly, she worked at a series of buttons along the side of her rib cage, peeling the dress apart from her body slowly. Underneath, she was just as slender as she appeared to be, her body nearly flat, save for the gentle swell of her perky, b-cup breasts.

Lily pulled her pants and boxers off slowly, letting Octavia get worked up at the anticipation. It was working... The way she squirmed her thighs while pulling her own dress off, she was obviously enjoying the show. When her boxers fell to the floor, revealing the pent-up desire, Octavia drew her lip into her teeth, looking her up and down very pointedly. Slowly, she pulled her own underwear off, and in the muted, dull light, Lily noticed a slight dark patch. She was shaved. Slow and gentle as could be, paying much attention to her wounded foot, Lily settled on the bed in between her readily-spread legs.

"Ready?" She whispered softly, hovering above Octavia. Her partner slowly raised her hands, pushing them back through Lily's full head of hair, smiling bravely.

"Whenever you are." Smoothly, making sure not to move too fast and hurt her, or to slow and not have it feel good, Lily pressed into that wet slit inbetween her legs, moving smoothly inside. The way Octavia arched her back, the pent-up moan of sexual fulfillment vibrating through Lily's ear, it was truly incredible. They settled in on a slow, easy pace, Lily sensually pressing her lips against Octavia's neck, her jawline, her ear. When Octavia lifted her chin, pressing their lips together gently, it felt perfect and wonderful.

At her insistence, Lily rolled onto her back, smiling up at Octavia as she slowly started lifting and dropping her hips, sliding Lily in and out with an easy, practiced grace. Lily flexed inside of her, resting her hands on Octavia's thighs. Moaning softly, she massaged the taut flesh, feeling Octavia's center pulse and shift around her. Leaning forward, Octavia began breathing heavier, her eyes fluttering as she dug her nails in gently. Not enough to be very painful, just enough for Lily to feel it.

"I'm gonna..." Lily whispered softly, shivering underneath the feeling of Octavia's wet womanhood sliding over her. Gently, Octavia lifted herself up and off, running her hand over the wet flesh. Lily felt the pleasure fill her senses, peaking in the most wonderful fashion. She was brought to a shuddering orgasm, her breathing a stacatto pattern of intense emotion. Shivering, she felt the release ooze out of her member, falling into a creamy puddle on her stomach. Just as soon as she was finished, Octavia brushed her pulsing head against her center, grinding her clit against the shaft. When her grip tightened and she inhaled deeply, Lily knew she had finished as well. Taking care not to rub too much of Lily's creamy orgasm onto her own womanhood, Octavia stretched out next to Lily, both of them breathing heavy in the passionate aftermath.

"Bravissimo." Lily said softly, rolling her head to look at Octavia, who just grinned back at her.

"Encore?"

--------------------------

"There you are." Maggie said, smiling as she watched Lily push through the front door late the next day. "How did it go?" Lily grinned at her, flashing a business card. The headline read "Octavia" and had a personal phone number scribbled underneath it.

"Mission success."

------------ Notes from the Author --------------

I apologize for the delay on this chapter. It took me a very long time to write this one, and I admittedly didn't give it my all. I'm sort of dealing with some personal stuff at the moment, what with work and a lot of other things cropping up. Still, here it is. In it's magnificent, flawed beauty. Once more, I hope you enjoyed the read, despite the severe shortage of clop and almost too much action. Thanks to ponylover for the request!

-=EDIT=-

Ran back through this chapter to see if I named the character I had used on Octavia. I fixed a few grammatical errors, a missed quotation here, an attribution issue there... This chapter vexes me. I could have done so much better on it... Ah well.