//------------------------------// // Chapter Twenty-One // Story: A Journey Unthought Of // by Hustlin Tom //------------------------------// “Your show was pretty interesting until I wrecked it.” It felt good to be on solid ground again; more importantly, it felt good to meet a new face, especially one that wasn’t utterly terrified of me on the first time seeing me. “Oh I don’t mind; I get to meet an alien all for the price of some glass paneling!” Vinyl Scratch exclaimed. She flopped down on a couch and invited us to sit nearby on her bed. She riggled around in excitement, “Oh, this is great! I barely know what to ask! So what kind of music do they have in your world?” “Oh, all kinds, we have music with basic instruments like drums, wind, and brass. We also have music like what you make; it’s called Dubstep.” “Dubstep eh? Sounds quirky!” “How do you make your music? Your technology is nothing like anything I’ve seen in Ponyville.” “You two are from Ponyville?” Vinyl looked from me to Lyra, then she stared intently at Lyra. “Hold on..green unicorn..lyre Cutie Mark..” She gave a tiny gasp, “You must be Lyra Heartstrings, aren’t you!” She hopped up and shook Lyra’s hoof again. “Your music is absolutely majestic! It’s a pleasure to meet you!” Lyra’s face flushed with embarrassment. “Oh, well, thank you! I honestly didn’t take it to be your..type of music.” “You got to get inspiration from somewhere, love!” Then she looked to me. “Oh sorry! But yeah, Ponyville is doldrum country: you’re all a bit backwards anyways. Now Trottingham, that’s where the scene you’re talking about is. My equipment came from there, boy that was a hard move!” “I thought you sounded like you came from Trottingham,” Lyra interjected. “But if it’s true that’s where the best technology is, why are you here?” “Well, I’m here to promote my music, for one reason. The other is that I’m researching music.” “You’re a researcher?” “Actually, I guess you could say I’m more like a 'music explorer'. I’m studying how music influences pony behavior, and DJ-ing is just a fun side job. Bloody brilliant, don’t you think?” “Yeah that is!” I said. “Being able to do what you love for money is awesome. Not to many people get to do that.” Vinyl Scratch cocked her head. “What are ‘people’ exactly?” “Oh, sorry. That’s what my kind call groups of us. We call ourselves ‘mankind’ as well.” “Ooooh! Right.” “Wait a second, you said you were exploring how music effects pony behavior,” Lyra questioned. “Yeah?” “But isn’t that already kind of, well, known? Some music makes you sad or happy. What’s so different about your study?” “Well, yes, it’s true that music can make somepony sad or happy; what I’m looking for is the simplest, primeval form of it. How music can affect behavior and how we think. I’m trying to find the key note or notes that make everypony feel happy, content, sad, anything.” “To what purpose?” I asked. “Psychological therapy. Helping ponies to recover faster from grief and trauma. That kind of thing.” “That’s..beautiful. To be able to help some..pony in such a way is truly wonderful! You have a heart of gold Vinyl Scratch.” She blushed a little. “Oh, come off it! I will let you pet my ego a little bit though! I think I’ve held up enough of your time though. Besides” here Vinyl looked at Lyra and grimaced, “you got a big day tomorrow for the Gala! I might be there, so I’ll see you then!” She ushered us out the back, and went back towards her room, when she heard a noise from the dance floor out front. Vinyl stopped and turned, only to see several ponies in military outfit poring over every inch of the room. “Oi! What’s this rubbish? Did I ask you to break and enter my home and business?” “No, we invited ourselves in.” A regular pony stepped forward, and all the military ponies stood at attention to him. He was tan colored and wearing a lab coat; he had sideburns that ran the length of his jawline, and a receding mane on the back of his head. The spectacles that covered his sharp grey eyes were half-moon shaped. His Cutie Mark was an amalgam of a gear and a beaker. From his lab coat he produced a folded document. “My name is Bunsen Burner, and this search and seizure is authorized by the Royal Majesties in relation to the creature that fell through your roof an hour ago. We will be taking your equipment and anything we deem necessary from the residence. Failure to cooperate will result in potentially imprisonment and if need be, banishment. Are we clear?”