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// Chapter 9: No More Sorrow Part 2 
// Story: Electronic Heart Beat 
// by Nightlock106 
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	She smiled at me as she took her seat.I forced a smile back, hoping it wasn't obvious that something was wrong.
"So what brings you back to Manehatten?" she asked.
I looked down at my cup of coffee, stirring it with my spoon a few times. I took a deep breath, "I've just had a lot on my mind."
"Things not going well with your music career?"
I forced a slight laugh, "No, nothing like that."
I looked back up to meet her gaze. She seemed to be picking up on the fact that something was wrong. That's the thing about Octy, you can never get anything passed her. I turned my gaze to what was going on outside.
"If you don't want to tell me what's wrong, that's fine. I just want you to know that I'm here for you," she put her hoof on my reassuringly.
I pulled my hoof away the moment hers made contact. She looked at me as if she'd hurt me, then she cast her gaze to the table apologetically. I wanted to say I was sorry, but couldn't bring those words to the surface. They would always bring back that painful memory.
"I'm sorry."
"You don't know what it's like to have your heart smashed by somepony you love."
"J-Just go."
"So, the Vinyl that I know is long gone. Fine, I see how it is."
"You think I don't know how you feel."
"J-Just go."
"I'm sorry."
"This is my story and you're not a part of it."
"JUST GO!!"
"Vinyl?"
I jolted back to reality, whipping my head back and forth to see where I was.
"Vinyl, are you sure you're alright?"
I stared at her, the empty feeling of sorrow filling my heart. I got up from the table and left the diner.
I began to wonder the streets aimlessly once again. I never planned to far ahead on anything. I continued to walk for what seemed like hours, until I bumped into somepony, falling to the ground.
"Watch where your.........Vinyl?" said an all to familiar voice.
I rubbed my head and looked up and the scruffy old mare, "Mom?"
"It is you. I've been so worried about you and your brother so much."
I rolled my eyes, "Like I'm supposed to believe you actually cared about us for a single second."
She looked grimly to the ground, "You know I care about both of you. Why wont you believe that?"
"Maybe because you were always off in your own little fantasy world while I fought to provide my brother with everything he needed."
"You're still on that. I was out looking for a job so I could manage to keep both of you. You have no idea what it's like to be a single mother."
"The hell I don't. I had to literally put my ass on the line so he wouldn't starve to death. You don't know how many hours I've spent laying back for some random stallion just to keep us alive. And where were you, off in some little world that will never exist. Face it mom, you've lost us. And we are doing far better off without you."
As I turned to leave her where she stood, I was stopped by the sounds of her small sobs. I turned back around to find my mom sitting against a wall, her body shaking hard while she tried to hold back her tears. I began to feel guilty about what I had just done. It's bad enough I lost the mare I loved, but it's even worse to lose your family.
I sat next to her and put me hoof around her shoulders. I pulled her closer to me, allowing her tears to fall on my shoulder. I stoked her mane and kissed her forehead, letting her know that I was still there. As I sat there, I began to think of what Pinkie looked like after I told her about what I did. My heart began to sink, and my stomach began to tighten with fear.
"I'm sorry mom. I never meant to make you worry so much. I just thought that you didn't love us anymore."
"Vinyl, you know I love you and your brother a lot. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I just had all kinds of things weighing me down and I didn't want to burden you with them."
"Believe me, I know how you feel. I'm going through a lot of things right now."
She looked up at me with a concerned and questioning look on her face.
"Mom, when I ran away, I went to Ponyville. While I was there I met this mare named Pinkie Pie. She and I eventually became marefriends. While I was at her friends birthday party, the owner of Aftermath Records gave his card. Not long after I was accepted to be a part of their little family. Soon after I met this stallion named Neon. I eventually ended up with him too. Soon after I told Pinkie Pie about me and Neon. I've been dealing with the fact that I lost the one I loved ever since."
My mom didn't say anything.
"I came back here to try to clear my head, and hopefully set things right with her. But, so far, all I've done is make things worse."
My mom got up form the ground, "Vinyl, you're still young. You have plenty of time to make things right. It's too late for me. I've lost the house, you and your brother, and damn near every bit to my name. I know you may not love me anymore. But I want you to know, that no matter what you do, just be who you are and nothing will be able to stop you."
She extended her hoof to help me up. I grabbed it and pulled her in for a hug. She wrapped her hooves around me as I began to cry on her shoulder. As she let loose on our embrace, she looked at me with a smile in her face, and a tear in her eye.
"I love you mom."
"I love you too."
"I think I know what I need to do."
"I just hope you set things right,"
"I will," I said as I let her go. "And mom..."
She looked at me one last time.
"I hope things turn out well for you."
She smiled at me as I began to make my way back to the train station.
I arrived with barely enough time to buy a ticket back to Ponyville and board the train. I looked out at the city I used to call home, this time with hope filled eye. As we pulled away from the station, I announced to myself, "I'm coming home."