A World I Wasn't Meant For

by Abstract Spectrum

Chapter 7: My Life For Hire

It wasn't until a few blocks away that Vinyl realized that she was alone. Without a home, without a friend, and without a job. Where would she go? How would she live? She knew she couldn't just go back after what'd just happened. But still, the image of Octavia sitting in a pile of ashes in the middle of their living room made her speed up her walking. Vinyl squeezed a few tears out as she walked slower, occasionally whining slightly. She had an idea of where she'd stay until this whole situation between herself and Octavia blew over, if it ever will. It was nearly sunset, and Vinyl was still walking about. The clouds were gathering near the horizon, it looked like a storm was about to strike. Regardless, Vinyl didn't speed up her walking. Her mind on it's own was clouded up with thoughts of her future, and how much she knew nothing about what could happen. Eventually, it started raining. Vinyl's mane slumped down from getting soaked in the downpour, but still, she didn't even run.

*knock knock*
"Lyra, could you get that? My hooves are full at the moment." Bon Bon called from the kitchen.
Lyra sat up and got off the couch to open the door. Upon doing so, there was a sudden clash of thunder, with a flash of lighting behind an unknown figure at the door. Lyra quickly slammed it, and held it closed.
"Who was it?"
"DON'T OPEN THIS DOOR! THERE'S EVIL OUTSIDE!"
Bon Bon rolled her eyes.
"Oh please, just open it!" She said, pushing Lyra out of the way as she hid behind the couch. Bon Bon gasped at the condition Vinyl was in. Her mane was soaked, her eyes sagging, and her nose practically glowing red. "Oh gosh, Vinyl! You look awful! Please, come inside, quickly!"
Lyra calmed herself down as she stood off of the couch, waving a hoof as an invite for Vinyl to sit down.
"Lyra, comfort her, please. I'll go get a blanket." Bon Bon insisted, running upstairs.
Lyra nodded, and sat next to Vinyl, squinting awkwardly at her, trying to see her face behind her dripping wet mane. The white mare had her eyes locked on the floor, the drops from her mane making a slight tapping sound on Lyra and Bon Bon's wood flooring.
"So uh... how ya doin'?" Lyra asked, to which Vinyl only responded by slowly turning her head towards Lyra, then back down at the floor.
"Here Vinyl, a nice warm blanket for you." Bon Bon said, coming down from the stairs and sitting next to Vinyl, throwing the blanket over her back. "Are you okay? What happened?" Bon Bon asked.
Suddenly Vinyl started gasping, and more drops started falling from her face.
"Oc... Octavia..." She whined, still hiding behind her mane.
"What about Octavia?" Lyra asked.
"I... d-don't wanna... t-talk about it..." Vinyl sniffed, wrapping herself tighter in the blanket.
Lyra and Bon Bon looked at eachother behind Vinyl's back as she began lightly weeping.
"O-okay, Vinyl. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." The light yellow mare said, patting Vinyl on the back.
"S-she... kicked me out of t-the... house..." She sniffed again.
"Well, you're always welcome to stay with us." Lyra added.
"T-thank you."
"Don't mention it. We're here for you. If you need anything, I'll be in the kitchen, okay?" Bon Bon finished, standing up from the couch.
Lyra stood up as well, to allow Vinyl to lay her head down. Both mares walked into the kitchen to leave Vinyl alone for the time being.

MEANWHILE, BACK AT OCTAVIA'S HOUSE...

Octavia lay on the couch with her face deep inside a pillow. She did this instead of using 1000 tissues to sustain her tears. Her ears perked up at the phone ringing on the table beside her, however she didn't take her face out of the pillow. Octavia only let it ring out, she didn't want to talk to anypony at the moment. Eventually, the voicemail picked up the call.

"Hey there! You've reached the house of Vinyl Scratch,"
"And Octavia!"
"We're not able to answer the phone a the moment, probably because we're having too much fun being AWESOME together!"
"Please, call back later! Vinyl and I should be available momentarily, ta ta!"
"Seeya!"

*beeeep*

Octavia lifted her head off of the soaking pillow. And picked up the phone off the table. She placed it in her lap to listen to the message from the callers.

"Hello? It's The Doctor! Derpy and I were wondering what day our picnic was at the park again? Just asking, we can't wait to see you two! So if you could just get back to us on that, that'd be great! Goodbye now!"

*click*

Octavia sat silently for several seconds. She pulled the chord out of the wall a few inches away, and threw the phone as hard as she possibly could at the wall, shattering it. Octavia slammed her head back into the pillow and resumed crying, the rain still making it's pitter-pattering sound on the windows. This calming sound effect made Octavia sit up. She wiped her cheek dry and stood up off the couch. She looked over her shoulder at the ashes of her DJ set.
"I'll show you... I don't need your help..." Octavia whispered, clenching her hoof.

THE NEXT DAY, AT LYRA & BON BON'S HOUSE...

Vinyl woke up when the sun came through the windows and lit the room. She sat up, yawned, stretched, and reached over to the nightstand next to her bed to pick up her glasses. But wait... this wasn't her house! She wasn't in her bed, and she didn't have her glasses by her side! Oh wait, that's right, she came here last night when Octavia had-
Vinyl shook her head. She didn't want to think of that again. Vinyl's train of thought was suddenly interrupted by her runny nose. She remembered that she was in the rain last night when she came here. She smiled. It was nice of Lyra & Bon Bon to take her in. Where were they, though? The white mare picked up the blanket off her lap and wrapped it around her back as she stood up. She was dizzy, and almost fell over when standing. Re-gaining her balance, she walked into the kitchen. Still no sign of the two mares. She noticed a sticky note on the table, that read:
"Dear Vinyl,
There's an ice pack in the top shelf of the freezer. That should help with your headache and fever. Also, here's some tissues for that nose of yours.
Love, Bon Bon.
P.S. Seriously, use those tissues. Don't be wipin' your snot on that blanket, ya hear?
Love, Lyra.
Vinyl smiled and chuckled. She placed the note in a nearby trash bin, picked up the tissue box, and walked to the freezer. She grabbed the ice pack from the top shelf, like the note said, and returned to the couch. She felt much better laying down, and watched the ponies outside give their sweethearts a goodbye kiss before they flew or walked off to work. One grey, yellow-maned pegasus caught her eye, though, since she was moving towards the front door. Vinyl looked over the couch and saw a newspaper slip through the mail slot in the door. She could look for another job! But... why? Lyra & Bon Bon were sure to take care of her until she got back on her hooves, so what was the use of one? She never got fired, anyway, and chances are , Octavia will probably replace-

Oh no...

MEANWHILE, BACK AT OCTAVIA'S HOUSE...

Octavia paced back and forth in her bedroom as she held a phone in one hoof.
"Yeah... yeah, I'll be filling in for Vinyl Scratch? Octavia's the name. So you'll call me when an open show comes up? Alright, great, thanks!" Octavia confirmed, hanging up the phone. "Perfect. I'll bet everypony'll be happy to see ME again rather than that stupid milk splatter of a pony Vinyl Scratch." Octavia mocked. "I bet they won't even miss her... heheh... Octa-Scratch...

I could get used to that..."

(Author's Note: Yeah, they had to have phones. I had originally intended for Vinyl to sit back down and watch TV, but I thought that was going too far. Also, by phones, I don't mean things like smart-phones or cell phones, we're talking about the kind of phones that are embedded in the wall, hence Octavia's rage and the ability to leave voice-mail. Also, Octavia and Vinyl's house had 2 phones, one in the living room and one in their bedroom.)

Comments

[QuickFix]

Poor Vinyl has the sniffles! I always enjoy your updates and you never fail to amaze me. It's funny because most of the stories always show Lyra as NOT liking Vinyl but it's refreshing to see them getting along.