The Snow on Her Cheek

Chapter Seven

Ill Wind

***

The kettle whistled, bringing Octavia back to reality. She exhaled contentedly and poured the hot water into the teapot. Now that Vinyl was living with her, she had to kick the habit of making tea directly in the mug. It had been only a week since they had confessed their feelings for each other, but it seemed that they had been together for eternity. Octavia smiled as she reminisced all the wonderful conversations they had had; the passionate kisses they'd shared; Vinyl's extremely stupid, but still immensely funny jokes. Then she thought about Double Bass, who was nice enough to get to the task of repairing her cello for free. She remembered Vinyl saying something about "finding a good stallion" for him in exchange.

She chuckled and trotted towards the fridge, fishing butter and cheese from it, to add it to the already hot and delicious toast. She thought about Coltring - Old God Coltring. Vinyl had told her much about him - after all, she'd had the one-of-a-kind opportunity to be his pupil. And, Octavia mused, he had really taught her well. She remembered Vinyl telling a story about how a journalist once asked Mr Coltring, "How can you play the piano? You're blind!" The cellist laughed as she remembered the answer: "I'm sorry. I don't see your point."

She thought about her cello. Double Bass said that it would take him up to two weeks to repair it. At first, she was upset, unable to think about her life without her precious intrument. But it turned out for the better: she had had more time to spend with her love, and, she had to admit, it had been sweeter than any music in the world.

Thinking of her love... Octavia blushed fiercely, regaining vivid images of the nights she'd spent with Vinyl. Surely, the white mare knew how to... prove her love to her marefriend. Suddenly, Octavia felt an urge to take a shower, preferably a cold one, to deal with the approaching excitement.

"Morning, Tavi!" Vinyl trotted into the kitchen lazily, throwing her hooves around the grey mare's neck sleepily, placing a sloppy kiss on her cheek. Octavia returned the embrace and smiled, the feeling of impossible nearness giving her joy, happiness and strength.

"Morning, love," Octavia cooed into her pianist's ear, brushing her nose against the mare's mane. The cellist loved how it smelled - an imperceptible scent of spice with hints of cinnamon, as well as... well, tasted. The grey face almost turned red of embarrassment.

"Oh, look who's being nasty!" Vinyl grinned widely, seeing her marefriend's state. I bet she's thinking about how we-

"I'm not being nasty!" Octavia retorted in a rather childish manner, trying to hide the truth.

"Tavi, I know you by heart now," Vinyl said, nodding her head. "I know when you're thinking nasty thoughts." She chuckled and lowered her muzzle to the mare's ear, her soft breath falling onto Octavia's skin. "And I can help you with it..." she whispered seductively. Got her with her hooves under the blanket! she congratulated herself.

Octavia's eyes widened, and she suddenly found it very difficult to breathe. Her mouth fell agape, and she tried to say something, but only a few muffled sounds escaped her muzzle, making Vinyl burst into laughter. "Need... to take a shower," she finally managed to let out in a quiet whisper. "Yes, just a little Saturday morning shower..." She smiled sheepishly, looking at her marefriend, who was looking at her with unhidden mockery in her eyes. "You can come with me, if you want," she added with building confidence on her voice.

"Hehe, I think I really got you going, Tavi..." Wait a minute... Saturday?! It's Saturday already?! Vinyl's sunny attitude died immediately, mockery replaced with concern.

"Is something wrong, dear?" the cellist enquired, sensing the uneasiness in her marefriend's state.

"Oh, no, it's okay," Vinyl said, waving a hoof dismissingly. "It's just..." Think, think, think, stupid brain! "I need to go to the doc's, you know. To get my meds," she concluded, shifting uneasily. "I'll be back in one piece, Tavi. You had a shower to take or something?" she wondered, looking at the clock. Come on... Come on!

"Um... yeah?" The grey mare raised her brow suspiciously. Something is off here...

"Great!" Vinyl squeaked and rushed out of the room, throwing the front door open. "Be back soon! Love you, Tavi!" With that, she galloped out of their flat, taking her medicine box in her telekinetic grip.

Octavia stood in silence for a few moments. Her excitement died, and she didn't feel like taking a shower any more. Dark thoughts began crawling into her mind and, no matter how hard she tried to suppress them (She is my marefriend! I have to trust her!), she couldn't.

Suddenly, she didn't feel warm any more.

***

Dark clouds above Manehattan stood prim and proud, taking in their sombre and regal beauty as Vinyl approached an old grey building, its door wide open. Always open  for those in need... she mused solemnly and stopped in front of one of the windows. She saw a black unicorn filling some papers, his head held so low that his red mane was falling onto the table. She exhaled in relief. He was here.

She looked at the sign which proudly read, Manehattan Police Station - Main Hub, and went through the door, evading glances cast at her. She trotted right to the door she needed and stood in front of it, taking a few deep breaths. She knocked.

"Come in," a serene voice came from behind the door. Ever so calm... Vinyl thought darkly.

She opened the door and entered the room, closing the door tight behind her. The black stallion looked up and smiled upon seeing her. His smile was wide, but fake; fake to an unpleasant, disgusting extent.

"Oh, Vinyl!" he said in a sing-song voice, getting up. "How can I help you?" he enquired, approaching the mare.

"It's Saturday," she said simply, closing her eyes. How much I hate him... "I have the bits," she continued, levitating a few dozen bits and placing them on the table.

"Oh, so you've come for the usual, then?" The pony grinned, tossing his red mane aside.

Vinyl opened her eyes, which now radiated pain, and sadness, and despair, and nodded.

"Yes."

***

"No, no,  no!" Octavia roared as she ran around the room in circles. For the last half an hour, she had kept thinking and the pieces of the puzzle weren't directly falling into her favour. She stopped and shut her eyes. She is my marefriend! She loves me! She would never lie to me! The grey mare felt a tear fall from her eye. Would she?.. Vinyl couldn't! She just couldn't! It was a simple visit to the doctor's. Nothing more. Vinyl was ill, and she needed medicine, simple as that. Octavia felt the blanket of concern fall from her shoulders, but she knew it was only a temporary feeling. To cleanse dismay, she needed to talk to Vinyl.

As if in resemblance to her thoughts, her marefriend rushed into the room, past her, heading straight to the bathroom.

"Hi, Octy, need to take meds now, talk later!" she shouted, closing the door behind her.

She even didn't stop to hug me... Octavia's face faded. She faltered for a moment. Privacy or not, she had to know what was going on. She had the right to know what was going on. And if that meant breaking into the bathroom, so be it!

The cellist approached the bathroom and decided to knock at the door at first, giving Vinyl one last chance. The answer was silence. Concerned and afraid, Octavia knocked at the door again, only to be met with silence once more. The mare panicked (What if something bad has happened to her?!) and turned round, concentrating, channeling all her power to her hind legs. She shut her eyes close and gave the door a powerful, well-placed buck, hearing the wood creak and break.

What she saw was frightening, almost impossible, as if she were dreaming, and this dream was a nightmare. Vinyl was lying on the floor, an empty syringe next to her, her eyes closed in bliss, her mouth open. She was breathing deeply and slowly, as if she were asleep.

Octavia rushed to the white mare, shaking her. Vinyl responded with a soft and lazy moan.

"Vinyl!" she yelled on top of her lungs, shaking the mare violently. "Vinyl, respond!"

The pianist opened her eyes, her gaze adrift, her pupils so wide that their blackness was almost the size of her red eyes.  "Taaaaavi..." She smiled and tried to kiss the grey mare, who evaded the gesture. Suddenly, she realised what was going on, at least for a second.

"What is going on here, Vinyl?!" Octavia demanded furiously. She took the syringe in her hoof and brought it close to Vinyl's face. "What is this?"

It was no use lying any more. Before she would drift into another heavenly abyss of pleasure and illusion, Vinyl whispered, "It's called 'buck', Tavi. It's a drug." She paused and felt a wave of tranquillity and disintegration approaching her brain.

"And I'm addicted to it."