Sweetie, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom collapsed into a pile of hay, over at Sweet Apple Acres, after another failed, yet exciting crusade. This time they attempted to get a cutie mark in confectionery arts. They had run into Bon-Bon earlier at the market and asked if they she could teach them how to make candy. Bon-Bon said yes, assuming they couldn't possibly be as bad as the horror stories she hears about them, but she quickly found out that they are actually much worse then what she has been told. Before she knew it, her kitchen was on fire, shortly after the Crusaders started to pre-heat the oven. As soon as the blazing fire was put out the crusaders left before Bon-Bon said anything.
"I feel bad for lighting Bon-Bon's kitchen on fire," Apple Bloom sighed, laying her head in her hooves. She was trying her best not to cry after causing such a mess.
"Yeah, me too," Scootaloo agreed, then stamped her hoof down on the hay, "I didn't even get a cutie mark in fire fighting! Did you see how i battled those flames? I could have put them out myself!" She yelled.
Apple Bloom giggled at the way Scoots was reenacting the fire fight from earlier. "Yeah, it's too bad. You were doing really well!"
"But if it wasn't for Lyra's magic, Bon-Bon's House could have been lost to the fire we started..." Sweetie chimed in, finally speaking up. She had been a little upset about accidentally lighting the house on fire, she always felt bad when something bad happened. "Could we please do something less dangerous this time?" she sighed, laying her head on its side.
"That's the spirit, Sweetie Belle! Let’s start planning our next crusade!" Scootaloo jumped at the opportunity to do something else with the girls before she had to head home.
"That's not what I-” Sweetie Belle started, but it was too late. Apple Bloom and Scoots were already going through their own mental lists of what they possibly wanted their cutie marks in.
"Hang gliding!" Scoots yelled first.
"No, you keep suggesting that, but we can't do it." Apple Bloom pleaded, "How about ice sculpting?"
"It isn't even winter, how are we going to get the ice? I know, how about deep sea diving?"
"Where would we go to start that, huh? We should try helping Carrot Top! We could get a cutie mark in carrot farming!"
"Lame! How about…”
Sweetie Belle put her hoof over Scootaloo’s muzzle. "How about we get a musical cutie mark?" she smiled.
"We could ask DJ Pon-3!!!" Scootaloo squealed, "She's my second favorite pony in Ponyville! And she should be up by now!"
"But Earth Ponies and Pegasi can't play musical instruments well…" Apple Bloom pouted.
"Nonsense!" Sweetie squeaked "Vinyl's roommate Octavia plays the cello! Rarity says it goes to show how truly talented she is, and I agree with her." Sweetie smiled and threw her hooves around Apple Bloom, attempting to cheer her up.
"Yeah I guess you two are right." Apple Bloom smiled and stood up, "Let’s get going!" She called out as she ran to the wagon behind Scoot's scooter, followed by Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. They all put on their helmets and then Scoots took off towards DJ-Pon3's place. Scoots was dodging every pony in her way, but luckily she was very skilled with her trusty scooter. She might not have been to fly yet, but she knew how to use her wings to increase her speed, stability, and maneuvering. Honestly, some ponies began to wonder how she hasn't received a scooter related cutie mark yet. The Crusaders buzzed right passed the market and arrived at Vinyl's in no time flat.
While Sweetie and Apple Bloom were taking off their helmets, Scoots was already knocking at the door anxiously. After a moment or two, a gray earth pony mare with a charcoal mane answered the door.
"Why hello there little fillies, what are you doing here?" she asked as politely as she could looking down to meet the Crusaders gazes.
Sweetie spoke up first "Hey Octavia! The girls and i were hoping we could ask Vinyl to teach us how to DJ so we could get musical cutie marks!" Sweetie squeaked out the very last part.
"Well, okay for Rarity's sister, I'm sure I could persuade Vinyl to see what she can do," Octavia turned around and began to walk in, "You may come in, just wait in the living room," The Crusaders walked in and closed the door behind themselves. Octavia went upstairs to get Vinyl.
"How do you know Octavia, Sweetie Belle?" Apple Bloom looked at Sweetie quizzically.
"Oh, Rarity was making a really nice wedding dress for her. So naturally she was at the shop a lot recently," she smiled looking back at Apple Bloom.
"She's married? To who?" Scoots asked.
"Why to this beautiful and awesome mare!" Vinyl exclaimed putting a hoof to her chest with a grin. Her signature glasses were a-top her head.
"Oh my gosh! It's DJ-Pon3!" Scoots squealed and then blushed a bit turning a way to hide her face Way to go Scoots, making yourself look like an idiot in front of DJ-Pon3.
"Hehe, I see I have a fan over there. What’s your name, kid?" Vinyl walked over to Scootaloo.
"Uh... the names Scootaloo, Don't wear it out," the little orange filly smiled.
"Scootaloo huh? Well you can call me Vinyl, alright Scoots?"
"Okay DJ... I mean Vinyl," They both smiled
"So i hear you little fillies came to me to get a musical cutie mark." The Crusaders nodded in unison. "Well you came to the right place! To the studio, we go!" Vinyl cantered to her in-home studio. The Crusaders quickly followed behind her.
"First off what do you fillies know about DJ-ing?" Vinyl grinned.
"Uh...that these are called turntables," Apple Bloom pointed to a set of turntables towards the middle.
"That DJs use vinyl records in unison to create a mix that sounds great together," Sweetie mentioned next.
"…and that DJs are awesome!" Scoots yelled again, "and the turntables were used by DJs back in the day. Now DJs use stacks and a lot of other equipment!"
"Sounds good, but you fillies can use the turntables today. As no pony touches my stacks or glasses," Vinyl grinned.
"Except me," Tavi giggled, popping her head into the door, then just as quickly trotted off.
"Except her…" Vinyl mumbled. The Crusaders giggled at Vinyl's reaction. "Now i don't exactly know to to start teaching you fillies how to make music, but i will start by showing you how to scratch on vinyl records." Vinyl walked over to her set of turntables which she hadn't used in awhile. She plugged them in and watched as the turntables began to spin up, quickly Vinyl hopped behind the them and signaled the Crusaders to join here behind them. "Now watch carefully what i do, not just with your eyes, but with your ears as well." Vinyl placed her glasses over her eyes using her magic, "Your going to need to know when to begin to mix one record into another or else it won't sound as good and you might make it worse." The Crusaders watched Vinyl as she began blending the record sounds together making them sound way better than they could have independently. She seemed to make the records come to life.
After a little bit Vinyl hit a switch on the turntables causing the records to stop spinning, she looked down at Scoots and grinned "Hey Scoots you ready to give it a try?"
"You bet Vinyl!" Scootaloo quickly stood on her back legs and put her hooves on the records
"When your ready hit that switch and the records will spin up," Vinyl pointed to a switch on the turntables and smiled lifting her glasses from her eyes. After taking a deep breath Scootaloo hit the switch on the turntables and tried to mimic the DJ's movements. Though each time she went to scratch a record, a noticeable pout would appear on Vinyl's muzzle. After a short bit Vinyl once again stopped the records, though at first Scootaloo didn't notice and kept trying in till Vinyl spoke up. "That was a good try Scootaloo, but how about we let one of the others try now" Vinyl smiled hiding her slight disappointment.
"Oh! Can i try," Sweetie Belle smiled
"Sure thing kid," Vinyl looked at Sweetie, "Will you be using your hooves or will you be using your magic?"
"I.. Uh, I'm not really good at using my magic yet, so i will be using my hooves," Sweetie hopped up on her smiling
"Alright, and it's probably for the best here anyways, using magic to take a hold of spinning records is harder then you'd think." Vinyl shot Sweetie an encouraging smile, "We are ready when you are." Sweetie hit the switch and after listening to the records on their own for a moment attempted to mix in the other record. At first she seemed to get and was doing pretty well, Vinyl was beginning to tap her hoof along with the music Sweetie was playing. In till Sweetie Belle got a little over confident and took hold of the record with her magic. The next thing she knew Vinyl had quickly trotted over to her turntables and looked at the records and frowned. She scratched my record.. i'm sure i can get a different one for the last filly
"What happened?" Sweetie asked Vinyl softly
"When you were playing you got over confident and your magic took hold and it stopped the record making the needle scratch the record up pretty bad." Vinyl explain, "Though you were doing pretty well before then" Vinyl tried to keep sweeties hopes up
"I see," She pouted. "Do you mind if i wait outside the room while i wait for Apple Bloom to finish?"
"If you'd like to you can wait in the living room down stairs" Vinyl shrugged
Sweetie opened the studio door and closed it behind her as she left the room. As she was making her way down the stairs she started to hear what sounded like a cello playing in the living room and began to head towards it. Sure enough she found the source of the music, Octavia was playing on her cello, and she was playing a familiar song. Though Octavia was too focused to notice a little filly had made her way down and was listening the music she was playing. After a moment or two Sweetie Belle was softly singing along to the song.
Meanwhile upstairs in the studio Vinyl was telling Apple Bloom and Scootaloo something, "You guys show potential, but i don't think DJing is meant for you. I'm sure you will get your cutie marks soon" Vinyl smiled
"Well thanks anyway Vinyl Scratch," Apple Bloom sighed, she was slightly upset again. Not because she didn't play the music well, but because she didn't earn a cutie mark.
"Don't worry Apple Bloom, maybe next time you'll get a cutie mark and i'll let you pick what to do next time," Scootaloo hugged her friend. "Oh and Vinyl, thank you for playing that song earlier it was great to get to listen to you again."
Vinyl smiled "Ponies like you are the reason i started to play for crowds. At first i used to play my songs by myself, and then one day some fillies came by and listened to my music, the way they smiled and cheered made me want to start playing for other ponies. So come by anytime and i'll play you some more" Grinning Vinyl opened the door to her studio and began to head down stairs with the two fillies, but before they made it to the stairs they hear some great singing coming from down stairs.
"Whoa" the three said in unison. They quickly made their way down stairs to see who was singing and were all shocked at what they saw. Sweetie Belle was singing her heart out to Octavia's music, the Crusaders have heard Sweetie sing before, but not like this. As soon as Sweetie and Octavia finished the song Vinyl and the other Crusaders were clapping their hooves and cheering for them.
"Oh my gosh Sweetie Belle that was amazing!" Scootaloo cheered.
"I didn't know you could sing like that Sweetie," Apple Bloom pitched in.
"Well that awesome look!" Vinyl grinned and pointed at Sweetie Belle's flank!
"Huh?" Sweetie Belle turned and looked at her flank, "Oh my gosh! A singing cutie mark!"
All four ponies cheered for her and gave her a group hug. Finally some hope for the other crusaders had been restored, if one of them could get a cutie mark then all of them could.