//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2 
// Story: Equus is Dying 
// by Silver Nightshade 
//------------------------------//

	"Night, hey Night.  Night?  Niiiight!!"  Vinyl repeated as we walked down to Joe's Donut Shop after our classes in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.  I look up at her and raise an eyebrow.
"What Vinyl?  Can't you see I'm thinking?" I say with a frown.
"Yes, that's why I'm bugging you.  You have been doing that for the past two days and I feel like you're ignoring me," she said indignantly.
"Oh, yeah I guess I have huh?  Oh hey we finally made it!"  I look up from the ground and walk into the small shop, where the unicorn behind the counter waved at us upon hearing the bell ding from overhead.
"Hey kids, how you been lately?"
"Pretty good Joe, how about you?" I ask as Vinyl and I walk to the counter.
"Well its the middle of the afternoon and you're the first customers since the breakfast rush.  I'm glad you came here today."
"Joe, we wouldn't miss you're doughnuts even if we had to flee Equestria!  Right Night?!"  her hoof that she once held high in the air drops as she stares at my focused, yet non-noticing, gaze.  She looks to Joe and places her order.  I stomp a hoof on the ground and look to Joe as he stares at me.
"Hmm, I'll take two Long-Johns and a Coffee with Cream Joe," I say before handing him some bits and grabbing a seat across from Vinyl.
"Night, you need to get away from the military stuff for awhile.  Its making you act like an old coot and that ain't a fun one to be around."
"Sorry V.  I've had some things on my mind that have happened recently is all."
"Oh, you mean Princess Twilight's and her family's death don't you?"
"No, its the fact that Alicorns can die.  I mean they're supposed to be Goddesses and yet whatever this threat is, it can kill them," I say shaking my head as our food and drinks lower themselves in front of us, courtesy of Joe's magic.  "Thanks Joe!"
He waves over his shoulder without breaking from washing the dishes in the sink.  I bite into a Long-John and we eat in silence, neither wanting to disrupt the quiet that fell over our table.

Several hours later Vinyl and I show up at her house and are immediately greeted by her father, Certified Gold, who I can never tell if he hates me, or is cool with me.  I hear him grunt and nod towards me and I do the same.  I understand all too well, Double Platinum is around.  The aforementioned mare slid down the hall and went to greet Vinyl with a kiss on each cheek, a smile on her face that quickly disappeared upon seeing me.
"Why are you here, again?!" She asked, not bothering to hide the venom in her voice.  She hates me and I don't quite understand why.  Vinyl thinks its because I write stories instead of music.  I would agree but this hatred is fueled by a passion far greater than choice of Writing Career.
"Well I was invited here by your daughter, again."  I let that sink in as she walks away in a huff like every other time I come over.  I look at the dad and he just walks off after his wife.
"Really, Night?  Every time?"
"Hey don't look at me V, she starts it every time and you know it."
"True but you can try being nice and ask how her day was instead of fueling her disdain for you."
"Meh, I can't bring myself to care about making ponies like me, you know that as well as anypony," this is true she does, because like myself she never does any thing to make ponies like her.  We just do what we do and if somepony doesn't like it then too bad.  Buck'em is our basic thought when that happens.