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intherainbowfactory · 1 year

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The Amazing Hero's Journey of Vinyl Scratch!

Chapter 1: The Calm

It was just another sleepy Canterlot night. The bustle of the streets was beginning to wind down as Octavia, mistress of the orchestra, walked out the back of the event hall where a ball was being swiftly concluded, its only residents now being the true purveyors of romance lost in each others eyes as they danced the night away in a song only they could hear.

Octavia, bow in bag, trotted away down the back steps towards the exit of the alleyway. Out there was a spectacular dazzle of neon and argon, natural elements harnessed through the ingenuity of natural electricity, existing in beauty only in the regard that an observer gave it. Large letters on top of buildings or in front of high rises in the sketchy part of Southern Canterlot advertised Hearth’s Warming Eve. To the side and further beyond, in the plaza, the Southern Canterlot Hearth tree gleamed and glittered in its infinite splendour, its fairy lights reflecting brilliantly off a clear magical iridescence that warmed the hearts of all it saw, a heartwarming combination of all three pony magics, the tree an alicorn in its own right, a Goddess of the complete conquest of ponykind over the cruelties of the natural world.

Octavia squinted at the Hearth’s Warming Eve tree suspiciously, and decided to go her usual route to home through the alleyway arterials. She didn’t want to get mugged, after all.

“Honey, I’m home!” Octavia opened the door to not see a unicorn ready to pounce on her with cuddles or roses. Odd. She’s not in the shower, so where is she?

She walked into the small apartment living room to see a heavily blanketed lump on the couch, its height rising and falling with irregularity.

“Oh, brother,” Octavia groaned and dropped her saddlebags at the door unceremoniously, “are you still asleep? It’s eleven o’clock in the evening, Vinyl.” She gritted her teeth. Obviously, Vinyl had forgotten what day it was.

A silken clean white hoof came out of the bottom of the blanket pile and beckoned Octy towards it. Octavia’s face shifted from resigned aggravation to surprise. Apparently, Vinyl was awake after all, and she had washed her coat. Could it be that she remembered their special date after all…?

Octavia inched towards the proffered hoof and took it in her own. Another white hoof launched out and snatched Octy’s hoof to pull her into the couch blanket fort with a shocked “Meep!” sound escaping her lips.

Inside, Vinyl Scratch was sitting and holding up the blanket tent with her horn, her muzzle entirely too close to Octavia’s own after she was taken sprawled into sofaspace. A small lit candle was sitting on the couch between them, to set the mood.

“Well, here we are at the best makeout point in all of Canterlot!” Vinyl smiled with a feather-eating grin. “Betcha’ thought I forgot our anniversary again, huh, Octy?”

“Oh, how romantic, Vinyl,” Octavia declared in a carefully studied swooning Trottingham accent while putting a foreleg to her forehead, “you know just how to shock an old mare and make her feel special~~”

“Nahhh, you’re not that old, Octy,” Vinyl assured her wife. She put her chin on Octavia’s head, and Octavia headbutted her playfully over the soft glow of candlelight. “At least you don’t have to stay up until sunrise for work.”

Octy nuzzled into her wife’s neck and looked up at her with an eyebrow raised. “I’m sure I can’t remember the last time you haven’t made up an excuse to get out of an event early so you could get some sleep.”

“Sheesh! Haah… yep, you gotta be senile if you can’t remember that. I, DJ-PON3, would never go to bed at a semi-normal hour,” she lied. ”Looks like I’ll have to save your brain before you get dementia. Hmm… but how?” She put a hoof to her head in mock realisation. ”Ach! Yes, our standard procedure! …Y’know,” Vinyl couldn’t help but smirk, ”where I tie you to the bed (“Meep!”) and act like I’m a vampire about to suck on your blud! That vill verk. I svear I vill vhip you into shape tonight, you vermdam-ridden peasant!”

They both devolved into giggles and glances as they just sat there in the warmth and comfort of their lives for a sweet moment, each staring sweetly into the eyes of the other with Octavia still buried in Vinyl Scratch’s fluff, and Vinyl sniffing Octy’s hair.

Vinyl gave her wife a little smooch on the mouth that made Octy give another little “Meep!” sound and bury her scrunched muzzle in her own forelegs.

“C’moooon, Octy, Lemme get a look at your face!” Vinyl giggled, “Y’know how much I love seeing you blush!”

Behind her warm, fluffy hooves, Octavia muttered, “But it’s so unseemly…”

Vinyl started to boop her snoot on Octy’s hoofsies over and over, careful not to poke her with her horn. “Meh. C’mon. Meh. Mehhhh!” Her breath felt warm on Octavia, felt good. It all just made her blush harder, especially after that vampire comment…

Octavia couldn’t take it anymore. She looked up, revealing the uncivilised dark grey blush plastered on her cheeks and her forehead. She gave a little “Squee!” and nuzzled Vinyl, who seemed to be convulsing, or maybe trying to shove something in her mouth?

As Octavia found out shortly, it turned out that Vinyl was unsuccessfully trying not to burst out belly-laughing right in Octavia’s face while slamming her knee on the blanket fort over and over causing it to fall over their heads and knock over the coffee table, the candle almost knocking over and causing a fire.

“Careful, Vinyl!” Octavia chastised good-humouredly. She blew out the candle and looked at it with a moue of disdain. “Did you really place an open fire under flammable coverings?”

Vinyl Scratch had fallen to the floor with the blankets and gotten buried in them, her horn visible from holding up the whole thing. She mumbled something unintelligible before popping her head up and gasping for breath.

“...that’s what I always say! On a lamer note, it was just a trick of magic,” she pointed out. The extinguished candle glowed and slowly dissipated into dust.

Octavia gained her grin back. “Ooh! New tricks? Show me show me show me!”

Vinyl just waved her hoof as she unstuck herself from the mess and climbed onto the sofa in an upright position behind the lying. “Of course I got new tricks for our tenth wedding anniversary day!” Vinyl remembered how she forgot the last nine wedding anniversaries, and winced, but she continued, “But you won’t get to see them just yet…! Hey, maybe once we go to bed, I can show you some~~”

“Aww, pleeeease?” Octavia looked over her back and up to her mean old silver-maned wife with the biggest puppy dog eyes on this side of Equus not belonging to a diamond dog.

“Oh, no, don’t you shake your haunch at me, Octy!” she laughed and slapped Octavia’s cutie mark.

“Eep! … You know, I should buck you for that.”

“I buck you, too, Octy. Anyway, I should probably get dressed for the special wedding anniversary surprise I’ve got lined up for you.” And she hopped over the back of the couch, much to Octavia’s silent disappointment. She almost wanted to just suggest they have a nice night in, this time: a nice, safe, and warm cuddle session with the mare that can always melt her heart after the stresses of work. Yeah, that sounds nice…

Instead, she thought about their marriage.

“Hm.”

“Yeah, Octy?” Vinyl’s head popped up behind the sofa.

“Oh, nothing. I’m just wondering if we were meant to be together.” She hastily added, “Not that I’m questioning our relationship, or anything.”

“Ah. This about those damn anti-fillyfoolers still hangin’ around your work? I tell ya,” Vinyl snorted, “any of them giving you Tartarus over me, just gimme a quick call and I’ll bust ‘em good, like I used to do in the good old days! Hi-yah!”

“No, no thank you, sweetie,” Octy reassured her spouse calmly and took her hoof in hoof. “Anyway, this isn’t about them. It’s well…”

Octavia bit her lip. “I’ve been thinking, about, well, what if we had gone down another path in life? Been different people? We could have never had that chance meeting at your club… and then where would we be, without each other? Or maybe we would meet, but we wouldn’t get together.” Octavia shuddered at the thought.

Vinyl’s expression was measured as she took back her hoof from Octavia. “You think you wouldn’t wanna date me if things were a little different?”

“Well, I know that it was love at first sight for me, but what about a me that was slightly different? One that would judge a book by its cover? Or maybe an Octavia with stricter parents or stricter laws that prevented us getting married? And then we would be threatened even more and—I really don’t know…”

Vinyl floated over a mug of hot cocoa she had been making (unicorn magic tricks!) while Octavia was talking. Her expression was unreadable as she looked at the dead plant in the corner, left eye twitching as she polished her glasses.

“Thanks, Vinyl! Hey,” Octavia whinnied after she turned back to Vinyl and got a good look at her, “are you okay?”

“Huh? Oh! Uh, it’s just a bit of a heavy subject, y’know bro?”

“Sorry…”

“Aaah, don’t be such a worried little old lady on my account, Octy.” Vinyl Scratch threw her glasses carelessly onto the sofa and grinned widely, up until her wife turned away from her, when she adopted a more thoughtful expression.

“Really, I guess what I’m worried about with this little alternate-lives thing is whether another you would want to be with me at all! I mean, I can be a bit of a stuck-up ass sometimes…”

“Don’t worry, Octy. I’m sure anypony even remotely like me would just jump at the chance to be with a fine mare like you with your amazing fl—”

“Oh, don’t be so vulgar, Mrs. Scratch! In fact, I command you to remove yourself from my presence immediately!”

“As you wish, your beautyness,” Vinyl bowed, “I’ll go change now.”

…

Despite everything, Octavia still couldn’t shake the feeling that she wasn’t exactly supposed to be married to Vinyl, that maybe something had gone wrong for someone else in order for the two of them to have their little fun and play their games. Was it okay if something was wrong?

She decided to just put those thoughts away for a winter wrap-up day and have fun in the meantime.

Vinyl called out from the bedroom, “Octy, close your eyes! I want this to be a surprise!”

“Wha—” Octavia giggled and put her hooves over her eyes. “Okay!”

She heard somepony walk in front of the sofa. She could feel her earlier schoolfilly excitement coming back!

“Awright, you can open your eyes now.”

When Octavia opened her eyes with a gasp, she saw Vinyl dressed in a full stallion’s tuxedo, fitted perfectly for her form. A full frilly wedding dress was splayed over her saddlebag, which she proffered to Octavia with her unicorn telekinesis.

“Well, Mrs. Octavia Arpeggio-Scratch, shall we go out for a night on the town on the day of our holy matrimony, or do you wish to retire to the bedroom early?”

“Squee!”

#my little pony #mlp #mlp fim #fanfic #fanfiction #writing #damnb #1909 words #the year i was born #octavia #vinyl scratch #i really thought i could get through the whole plot of the entire story in 1000 words yesterday #fuck #why must i try to make things better #the amazing hero's journey of vinyl scratch

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liamthemailman · 2 months

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HBGBFBDBEBEBDHDHHDZ IM READY FIR THE ANGST THAT YOU GOT PLANNED LMFAO

You sure? You’re really asking for it? That’s a first for me. Usually all my angst is deployed against y’all’s wishes. I was actually saving this too.. Not even sure I wanted to share it, nut now that you asked..

Why not, yeah?

AceSoap being star-crossed lovers. Angst at the end. Implied MCD.

Note : Pre-House of Cards events, not canon to House of Cards universe, just an alternate timeline if they had met the 141 prior to HoC

I mean it, these two are made for each other but they just can’t be together. I always talk about them starting off as friends-to-lovers, but imagine if they never even make it past friends.

Imagine Task Force 141 and Task Force Cards being called together for a long and drawn out operation with the Major overlooking their progress. They’re having to reside on the same base for a considerable amount of time, but it’s nothing new to any of them.

The teams meet with a quick introduction from their respective captains and they get to work. Long days of recon, intel gathering, planning. A bit of rule bending but neither captains had any reservations on following by the book anyway.

In between those days is where it starts, as Ace was trying to break through the firewall, sitting in front of his laptop for hours till the sun had set. He doesn’t notice the time passing or how exhaustion was bearing down on him.

Sergeant Soap comes along, noticing the bright blue light emanating from Lieutenant Ace’s laptop as he passes by the meeting room. His eyes land on the lieutenant of the other team. Sergeant Soap politely knocks on the door, catching Lieutenant Ace’s attention. He was met with a hard glare, but it wouldn’t be Sergeant Soap’s first rodeo on dealing with brooding lieutenants.

Sergeant Soap offered Lieutenant Ace a coffee, stating he looks like he could use one. Lieutenant Ace says he much prefers tea. The older man takes this opportunity to take a quick break from work, accompanying the sergeant to the pantry. They chat for a while before parting ways for the night.

Long days turn into long weeks, with progress to be made, albeit slow. It would ultimately pay off in the end. It always does. With the extended time, it only meant the two teams had more time to warm up to each other. Passing greetings in the hallways between the captains turns into short chats in the training room with the lieutenants which then turns into hanging out over a game of cards in their free time between the sergeants and an eager private.

Though, as all things go, they made a breakthrough, allowing them to have the go ahead for the mission. So they do, gearing up for a mission as they load up at the ungodly hour of 0230 hours, getting ready to roll out.

Soap catches up to Ace just before he joins Jack in the transport vehicle. Despite the looming dread of the mission, Soap still finds it in himself to approach Ace, having found it easier these passing weeks.

“Let’s get us a win, yeah, LT?” Soap flashes a playful smile as he greets him.

What Soap didn't expect was the smile to be returned. Ace smiles, and winks at Soap even, the crows feet at the corner of his eyes becoming a little more pronounced for a moment.

“With you on the team? Naturally.”

Soap had never had a boost of confidence that made him feel as high as he did at that moment. They part ways for the trip.

The mission was gruelling, but it was going relatively smoothly. A miracle in their books, considering their track record for things to go wrong as they were leading up to the much anticipated conclusion of this tiring mission.

Which coincidentally held a collaboration with the demolitions expert sergeant and arson in training private.

Totalling a building wasn’t really a sight that Ace held much regard toward but he understood the need for it to keep the enemies from any potential regrouping. He watched from the sidelines as Jack and Soap set off several detonations, the building going up in a fiery explosion, dust slightly blocking the stars in the sky for a hot second.

“What a fuckin’ beaut..”

Ace turns his head towards the voice, eyes raised as his lips curl into a slight smirk. He didn’t realise Soap was a fan of destruction just like Jack was. Ace’s eyes landed on the sergeant and his smirk faltered for a second as he took in the sight next to him.

Soap eyes gleamed, reflecting the explosion before them. Baby blue eyes seemingly shining bright even in the dark environment they were in. Pure, raw admiration, Soap completely enamoured with the scene.

“Yeah.. Real beautiful..” Ace says, his voice barely above a whisper. Maybe it was the fact it was the end of a tiresome mission, but Ace had never been so at ease during a detonation. They part ways at the landing zone on the way back.

For a high profile mission as burdensome as what they went through, it would be appropriate for a bit of celebration. Now, Ace wasn’t one to drink but Jack had pestered him to meet his social interaction outside of work quota. He came along with them, but he would have gone anyway without her chivvying.

Ace quickly retracted his statement as he found himself sneaking out the bar for a ‘quick smoke’. He stood in the alleyway, the area illuminated by a flickering tungsten lamp hanging overhead the backdoor of the bar.

He wouldn’t find himself alone for long, the door creaking open. He scowled at the intruder but his gaze softened when he was met with Johnny.

“Mind if I join ye, sir?”

“Not at all, Johnny.”

Doe took a drag of his cigarette, blowing the smoke away as Johnny joined him leaning against the exposed brick wall. They stood in silence for a moment, content to listen to the cars on the street and the occasional howl of a stray cat.

“I don’t trust trees.” Johnny breaks the silence, clearly a little buzzed, earning a questioning side eye from Doe.

“They’re always a little shady, don’t you think?”

Doe snorts, barking a laugh as he blows smoke away from Johnny. It was a wonderful sound, Johnny thinks to himself. Doe’s laughing causes goosebumps to rise on Johnny’s arms.

The two exchange terrible jokes, their laughter echoing off the walls of that narrow alleyway. Doe was starting to feel lightheaded despite not drinking, finding Johnny’s company easier to bear than most he’s met.

A silence falls between them as they recover from their giggling fit, feeling stitches in their sides.

"I love you." Soap says, just showing affection to his newfound friend, excited for what the future might hold for them, what adventures they would experience together and the lives they would lead, intertwined with each other. He meant it even if he was slightly sloshed.

"It'll pass." Ace says jokingly, brushing it off quickly, but his smile falters as he was scared of the sudden intimacy of the situation despite it being platonic at the time.

The two spend a little more time in that alleyway, sharing a smoke, indirect kisses shared as they pass the cigarette between each other.

Soon they part, their respective teams calling for them to return to base.

With the end of the mission, they had no reason to stick around each other any longer, their duties doing a great job at keeping them busy. They occasionally come across each other in passing but that was it. A fleeting moment, gone as quickly as it came. Their eyes would meet from across the mess hall, the field where they trained, during night patrols but they were usually too far or it was too inconvenient to strike up another conversation.

The mohawked sergeant became a constant in Lieutenant Ace’s day to day, even if they never talked anymore, barely having the chance to wave at each other. It was the same for Sergeant Soap as well, cherishing every chance encounter he had with the stone-faced lieutenant.

Though, fate was cruel, and these coincidental meetings became less and less frequent, the two sometimes going weeks without seeing each other. They had other worries to distract them, more pressing matters to attend to, their own complex lives beginning to untangle from each other.

It wasn’t clear when Sergeant Soap had disappeared, or why Lieutenant Ace even noticed or how. He felt a sudden aching longing for the man in question but no matter how hard Ace tried, he couldn’t find himself bumping into the sergeant again.

Perhaps the sergeant had accidentally faded into the crowd, becoming a stranger again. It happens. Ace decides to drop it, ignoring the nagging feeling that was telling him that Soap was gone for good. The heart tends to overreact afterall.

Ace moves on with his life, reporting for a meeting with a task force about a mission concerning a potential political riot with a group of extremists.

#ask and ye shall receive #1.5k words. damnb #this was meant to be a short blurb #whoops #mailman rants #cod oc #call of duty oc #cod #oc: lt ace #call of duty #soap #cod soap #soap cod #AceSoap #featuring #oc: Jack

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