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Symphony for the Rival

by No More

Chapter 4: Chapter IV

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Chapter IV

It has been a week since I attempted to murder Vinyl.  Within those days, the bloody bint has not stopped playing her 'music' at maximum volume for hours a day!  Every five minutes I have to yell at her to turn it down or put some bloody headphones in!  I'm sure she doesn't listen to me.  Whenever I yell at her she just stares at me with a blank face, and continues to blow my eardrums out.  I swear her brain shuts off when I talk to her.  

However, after yelling at her all these times I think I finally penetrated that fortress of a skull she has!  Apparently she has some sort of performance -- or 'gig' as she calls them -- in a couple of weeks and apparently it's really important, thus the over-excessive practicing.  Great...two more weeks of mental trauma.  I personally think it sounds horrible enough that those brain dead wankers would adore it no matter how it sounds.  To this day, I could never understand how this rubbish gets to ponies.

If only I can get some peace and quiet!  Just sit on the couch and maybe read a book or watch some television in peace!  But no, I can't even hear myself think with all her racket!  If only I can just charge in there with a sledgehammer and just smash every piece of bloody music making equipment to bits!  

I sigh and slump on the couch.  I need to relax and get all these violent thoughts out of my head.  I really shouldn't be thinking this way about Vinyl after all she's done for me.  Yesterday, I kid you not, I was feeling terrible.  My muscles ached and my joints burned.  Later that day, Vinyl called for a masseur!  Can you believe that? And after everything she's done, I still feel like harming her.  Maybe the music just infuriates me, I don't know.  At least it finally stopped and I can clear my head.  

Vinyl walks into the kitchen to get a snack.  I decided to read a book while there is a short period of silence.  Vinyl doesn't have much of a collection, and I've already read all her magazines.  There's only a single bookshelf in the corner that has a few modern musical theory books, a cookbook, one or two Daring Do books, a photo album, and an I.T. Computer Software Manual.  Why would she have a computer manual?  I wouldn't see Vinyl as the type to know a lot about computers.  Maybe considering she works on one to 'create' music all day and has probably ruined a few computers with said music.  Possibly.

So I pick up one of the Daring Do books and examined the cover.  Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone.  Maybe I could read this.  It's the only bloody book in here that's even worth glancing at.  I open the book and read the first few lines.  No, forget this, it's not worth it.  I'll go out for a walk.

I put the book back, went back to Vinyl, and told her I'm going out.  A little walk will do me some good and without the blaring music I should be able to think a little more clearly.

The outside is calm and soothing.  The sky is gray with clouds, but no rain nor snow escaped from them.  A light, nippy breeze blew against my coat.  As I stare off into the serenity of the calm day, my mind starts to wander a bit.  Memories of my past seem to itch its way to the front.  I saw myself, onstage with my cello proudly raised and my bow rested on the strings as I was playing for thousands of sophisticated ponies.  I truly miss those days.  Whatever happened to the sophistication and elegance of these ponies?  How did they reject me for this...mockery?  Well, I might be over-exaggerating a bit.  Of course not every single pony converted to Vinyl's style.  I still had a few loyal fans that would show up to my last recitals, but even they weren't enough to keep me off the streets.  

Every hope and dream then appeared in my daydreams.  Rising back to the top, being adorned once again and loved throughout the kingdom!  My ensemble reformed and together we played the most beautiful symphonies ever heard.  I would play my cello for hours and hours, just play until my hooves wear down to the bone.  I would play for weddings, gatherings, social parties, birthdays for important ponies, recitals, everything!  I wish...  

My thoughts then roamed around Vinyl for the longest of times.  I still can't believe I am where I am today.  If it wasn't for her, I would assume by this time I would be dead.  Back then I actually loomed over the thought of death and how blissful it would have been.  No more living in the ghetto, barely having enough bits to pay for rent and food, and freezing my flank off everyday.  But now, I don't have those thoughts anymore.  Something about Vinyl's kindness and generosity just makes me...happy again.  I can't really explain it, but there's something about Vinyl that...I don't really know.  I would think that I would always spite her for ruining my life, but now that hate is almost gone.  

I mean, yes I do find her extremely annoying.  Yes she can be a bit of a slob at times, but I do believe I can look past all of that.  Father always told me to always find the good in ponies, and that I should never hold a grudge.  Life is too pointless to hold a grudge.  Anger and hatred are fogs that cloud the mind of understanding and friendship.  Still, she did unintentionally ruin my life, but it wasn't her fault really.  And to make up for it, she offered me her hearth.  She could have easily left me in the streets to fend for myself, but no, she wanted to right the wrong she did to me.  In return, all I have done was be a burden.  A very ungrateful burden.

Well, no more.  I promise myself, when I get back home, I will apologize to Vinyl for being such an ungrateful brat.  I know how annoying she can be, but I will look past that.  When I had nothing, she gave me a helping hoof when nopony else would.  I was on the verge of falling into the void of death, and she reached down the pit and pulled me up.  She housed me, fed me, and even took me to a doctor!  I need to show her I appreciate everything she has done for me.  I turned around from my walk, and headed for home.

When I get there, Vinyl is still blasting her abom--her music at maximum volume.  I take a deep breath.  Well, time to suck up my pride and apologize to my enemy.  I walk up to her and trt to yell over the music.  "Vinyl!"  What am I doing?  I can't yell over her music.  I tap her shoulder and she turns her attention to me.  "Could you turn that off for a second?!"  She obeys and pushes the button on her machine.

"I need to talk to you."  I say.

"What's up Tavi?"  She replies calmly.

Ok, another deep breath.  "I have been thinking whilst on my walk, and...I just um...I just wanted to say that I am deeply sorry for the way I've been acting over the past few weeks.  You have offered me your home and your kindness, and all I have done was degrade, ridicule, and try to kill you.  I feel as if I am taking you for granted.  You must understand that I do very much appreciate everything you have done for me.  It's just that, well...I held a grudge on you for...you know.  But forget about all of that.  From now on Vinyl, I promise I will no longer be an ungrateful bint towards you.  I am forever thankful for all that you have done, and all that you will do in the future."  That wasn't so hard now, was it?

Vinyl stares at me with a blank face.  Her lip quivered slightly and I could have sworn I saw a tear drip down her face.  Without warning, the unicorn lunged at me full force in a bone crushing hug.  I heard her sobbing as she stuffs her face in my shoulder.  Ok, this is a little awkward.  

"Thank you Tavi!"  I heard her say, her voice muffled from my coat, "You don't know how much that means to me!  Uncle Crosley was right: Kindness and compassion is stronger than spite and fury.  Even the ones who you will hate today - or those that hate you - could be your friends tomorrow."

Such wise words, they remind me of my father.  I laugh awkwardly as I try to pry Vinyl off my chest.  "Your uncle must have been a very wise stallion."

"He was.  He always knew just what to say."  She looked up at me with a shaking smile, "So does this mean we're friends?"

I sigh and force a smile back, "Let's just take it slow, shall we?"

She stuffed her head back into my chest, "Sure, Tavi.  I'd like that."

After a few more seconds of Vinyl embracing me, I poke her side, "Umm, Vinyl, please let go now."

She quickly lets go and looks up to me.  She turns back to her equipment.  "Oh, right, totally!  So um.."  She was silent for a moment, "Practice!  Yes I gotta uh...keep practicing..."

I nodded, "Right of course, just please try not to kill me with sound waves."  Then I left the room.

Well, that went a little better than expected.  The hugging part was a bit weird, but I dealt with it.  At least we won't be at our necks each day driving each other crazy.  Hopefully.  Unless she decides to continue trying to make me deaf.  I suppose I'm going to have to get used to it now.  Yes, she did blast her music again, and once again I tried to not yell at her to tell her to put some headphones in.  She did after around the second or third time.  

I walk into the kitchen to grab a snack, and I can't believe it!  My eyes grow wide and glisten as I gaze upon it.  The yellowish cream surrounded by a thin plastic cover.  A vanilla pudding cup, and not just any vanilla pudding cup, the last vanilla pudding cup!  Hello delicious heaven, come to me so I may bask in your flavour and devour you!  I reached for it slowly, careful as not to tamper with it's perfectness.  I reached for a spoon, opened it, and slowly brought the spoon down.  Right as the pudding was about to be devoured, a deep, earthquakening bass drop startled me.  

The pudding slipped right out of my hooves and fell to the floor.  As it fell, I tried effortlessly to catch it, but to no avail.  The creamy deliciousness is tainted by the floor.  I turned to Vinyl across the room and stabbed her with my steeling eye.  She literally cowered beneath her turntables.

With heavy hooves and bloodlust in my eyes, I stomped over to the white unicorn.  She cowered under my frightening gaze and offered a sheepish smile.  I came close to her and looked her dead in her visored eyes.  My stare is venomous, but my tone was quiet and calm.  Remembering what I had said only minutes ago, I tried not to threaten her.

"Vinyl, be a dear and fetch some more vanilla pudding please?  Thank you."    

You cannot begin to imagine how much sheer willpower it took not to behead her.




Next Chapter: Chapter V Estimated time remaining: 9 Hours, 6 Minutes
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