//------------------------------//
// Recovery Operations 
// Story: Big Tavi Lil Tavi Cardboard Box 
// by All Art Is Quite Useless 
//------------------------------//

	Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,

I did it! I apologised to Ditzy. Neat, huh? It was really satisfying too, I guess all I had to do was say sorry and mean it, but she listened! Not only that, but she was grateful! I think I've taken a small step in the right direction, even if that step is just correcting a mistake I never should have made in the first place. I'd like to delve further into the subject of friendship and self appreciation soon, so if we could arrange another session I would be very grateful. I'm not sure exactly what to detail regarding my apology, but I can be more specific when I see you! I'll just try to cover the basics here. 

So, first off, I went to knock at the door, and then I heard Ditzy singing. It was decent singing too! So then I was like 'Well, this is pretty good, I should take her on board if I can'. By on board, I meant I wanted to consider her for use in music, and I've already offered her a place collaborating with me! Anyways, I knocked and she opened, and she looked like she was gonna cry but I said things would be okay and she opened up. Once I was inside, I tried to explain things, then I got all upset because of what a colossal bitch I had been and--

Vinyl scowled, putting a hoof at each end of the parchment and grinding them together unceremoniously, crushing the third piece of paper that afternoon. She had wanted to be as productive as possible and write Princess Twilight a letter, and still see her the next day, like she had asked. She knew Princess Twilight had said that either a letter or an appearance the next day would be fine, and that she would prefer to speak face to face, but Vinyl worried that if she did not get her thoughts down properly on paper, she wouldn't be able to effectively convey them in person.

Her first letter had been too upbeat and chatty, even by Vinyl's standards. To send a message like that to the Princess when there was still a limited amount of familiarity between them would be rude and improper. Vinyl knew this, so she had binned the letter right after she had referred to Princess Twilight as 'girl'.

Her second letter was much more formal, and included a detailed description of her reconciliation with Ditzy, with particular attention paid to points of interest. It had also contained realistic proposals as to which areas she felt she would need to focus on over the coming sessions. This written masterpiece was all but ruined by a postscript that had no place being there, in a friendship report, or in any other letter for that matter.

PS. How's Rainbow doing?

It was a simple question, which could have been construed in many ways. For example, Princess Twilight could have seen this and assumed that Vinyl was simply asking after her friend, out of courtesy. She could also have assumed that Vinyl was not taking the report seriously, and that she was only interested in Rainbow Dash, which was not the case. Or, even worse, the Princess could have assumed that Vinyl had some sort of romantic interest in Rainbow, which was certainly not the case.

Why did I ask, anyways? It seems a bit of a silly question. I saw Rainbow a few hours ago, and I'm literally seeing the Princess tomorrow. If I had wanted to ask her, I could have done so then! What a waste of a good letter. And then there's the latest one. Did I really swear in it? In a letter to the princess? What was I thinking? I need to stop writing everything in this stream of consciousness kind of style or I'm never going to get anywhere.

Maybe I should just give up on writing this letter and wait to see Princess Twilight. Part of this experience may be about teaching myself not to always go above and beyond what's expected of me, I don't need to, I suppose. Still, if I had managed to get a letter sent off, I wouldn't have to give my report orally tomorrow. Maybe it won't be how I'm expecting it, maybe I won't be expected to give a complex account of everything that happened, and then critically analyse it. Maybe it'll just be a calm discussion, but an involved one concurrently. I mean, this isn't academia, is it? I know that I'm being educated, but not in an art, or a science, or even a vocation. This feels more along the lines of therapeutic, but I suppose it'll apply to everything I do in future, however this shapes me.

I wonder how devoted the Princess is to this. I mean, does she just want to help me get back on my feet, and then let me get on with things? If that is the case I'll still be grateful for the time she's spent on me, but I'd hope to return the favour, somehow. What do you give a princess though? She most likely already has everything she needs in life.

Vinyl sat, pondering where one might shop for a princess. She imagined telling a poor shop assistant just who the gift she needed help with was for, and them clamming up in pure shock. A grin adorned her face. 

One day, I will have to make this up to her. She deserves that much, just for how selfless she is being. Rainbow listened too, so I should at least throw her a bone. Maybe I could send her a few of my exclusives, she said she likes my music after all. Jeez, when's the last time I even went near my decks? I should really start working on something new soon, all of the change that's happening in my life is sure to warrant some creativity, and I should definitely use that innovation to my advantage. What could I make, anyway? I wanna start something before I have to start work with Ditzy, vocalists constrict sounds, no matter their skill. I think I need something I can turn off to; I need a simple track which I can just enjoy for it's sound. No emotion, no complexity, just an invigorating beat to help me face the world.

Vinyl's mind became a dissonant mixture of synths, snares, kick drums, hi hats and effects, all with varying levels of distortion, as she attempted to concoct a beat in her mind, with no basis to go on. This was how she envisioned the concepts for many of her works, sometimes tapping out a rhythm and improvising with whatever items she could find in the vicinity, if she felt the need. Once she had the foundations solidly embedded in her mind, she could transfer her idea to a mixing desk to create, and then finalise it.

Vinyl had wanted to be productive, and found that she was doing so, much to her satisfaction. As she thought on her project, a soft, polychromatic light show emanated from her horn, and for the third time that day, she felt her mind crying out in self-affirmation. At that moment, she was content.