Three Years Gone

by DeletePlease

Chapter VII: The Eclipse, Part One

Outside Canterlot, Present Day

The entire city was gone, either melted down or covered in lava. How many had died? Luna couldn’t wonder about that now, she had to worry about the rest of the kingdom. Vinyl walked up to her and whispered in her ear. “Princess, do you trust me?”

“Of course I do,” Luna whispered back. “Tell me what you know.”

“Octy figured it out too. They’re making Celestia focus the energy of the sun into a directed beam of heat,” Vinyl explained.

Luna looked at her. “How do we stop it?”

“We need to interrupt their spell and make them stop controlling her,” Vinyl looked nervous.

“What’s wrong?”

“The beam is getting hotter and it’s moving faster, at this rate we won’t last ten minutes.”

Luna ran a hoof through her mane and sighed deeply. “I’m assuming you have a plan.”

Vinyl smiled. “Octavia’s vision or dream or whatever it was. She saw an eclipse; you need to make that happen.”

Luna looked up at the ruined city. “How much time will that buy us?”

“Enough, I hope,” Vinyl didn’t seem very sure but Luna knew it would have to work. Vinyl turned to the others. “Alright everypony, listen close and do what I say. Raincloud and Rainbow Dash, fly over the forest and try to find a stone tower, come back as soon as you can find it.”

Rainbow Dash stepped up to her. “Why should we listen to you, anyway?”

“I’ve dealt with these ponies before, now hurry up! Time isn’t on our side here.”

Rainbow was unconvinced but took off anyway. Vinyl continued. “Twilight, you stick around here, we might need you. Erik and Octavia stay with me and the rest of you go and spread the word, get everypony as far away from Canterlot as possible but make sure you stay within Equestrian borders.”

They all ran off quickly to do as they were told. Vinyl turned to Luna. “Can you do it?”

Luna was looking up at the sun. “I think so, but it’s going to be difficult. The moon and the sun aren’t even in the sky at the same time, anything could happen.”

“You can do it, Luna,” Vinyl looked into the princess’s eyes. “I know you can.” Luna nodded and took flight. The moon quickly began to rise, but slowed as it neared its position between them and the sun. Wind blew through the trees around them as the moon struggled to the height of the sky. A shadow began to descend over Equestria, a shadow on which everypony’s life rested.

Twilight walked up behind Vinyl and tapped her on the shoulder. “So what’s the plan?”

Vinyl turned around and shrugged. “Do you have any ideas, Erik?”

Erik, Twilight and Octavia stared blankly at her. Octavia took a step forward. “You mean to tell me that you have no plan at all?”

Vinyl shook her head. “No, but Erik knows what we can do.”

Erik’s eyes grew wide and he took a couple of steps back. “What are you talking about? I have no bloody idea of what we can do!”

Vinyl laughed. “Think Erik! You really can’t see it, can you? They can replace members of their group, can’t they? But only when they die!

“What are you talking about, Vinyl? We have no evidence of that,” Erik said.

“Yes, we do!” Vinyl exclaimed. “They didn’t like their last Soturi, they wanted him gone but they couldn’t just replace him!”

“But Soturi isn’t a regular member of the group; he’s just a servant.”

“Based off of Luna’s encounter with Soturi and our encounter with Fyrsta they’re pretty similar. Besides, it’s the only chance we’ve got.”

“How does any of this help us?” Octavia asked.

“That’s the best part,” Vinyl was beaming now. “We can give them a taste of their own medicine! We get off a mental block on one or more of them and they won’t be able to do anything about it!”

“That’s brilliant, Vinyl!” Erik started to smile, but then his face contorted into a frown. “One problem though, from what I can tell they’ll have at least one alicorn in their group. An alicorn would be able to fix the block fairly easily.”

“Alicorns can cancel out blocks created by unicorn and alicorn magic, but not by earth pony magic.”

“Earth pony magic? Vinyl, an earth pony wouldn’t be able to create a block.”

“Of course not, but a pair of unicorns could. It’s just a theory, but I think if Twilight and I focus our energy through Octavia into one of the nine then we could create a block with earth pony energy,” Vinyl took in a breath and looked back at the others with a grin on her face.

Everyone just looked around at each other for about a minute and their gaze finally settled on Vinyl. “Was it really you who thought of that?” Octavia asked.

“I’m not as stupid as everypony thinks I am, Octy,” Vinyl replied.

Erik started laughing. “But you’re definitely just as loud. Now we just have to wait for our pegasi to find the tower.”

“Also,” Twilight cut in. “I have no idea what I’m supposed to do.”

Vinyl motioned for Twilight to follow her and the two walked off to a distance. Erik trotted up to Octavia and the two stood watching the unicorns. “I can’t believe she figured that all out,” Octavia said.

“I can’t either,” Erik responded. “But she’s had to grow up a lot because of what happened to you.”

Octavia looked down at the ground sorrowfully. “Do you think I actually killed them?”

Erik put a hoof around her shoulder. “No, it wasn’t you,” He looked into her eyes. “You couldn’t do something like that, Octavia. It wasn’t you, it was the nine. They did all of this.”

Octavia turned her gaze away. “I think it’s starting to come back, Erik,” she said.

“That’s impossible, Octavia. Those memories are blocked off forever.”

Octavia turned to him and looked hard into his eyes. “Back at the castle I saw them. I saw my parents, coated with blood and bruises all over their bodies. I could feel the heat from the fireplace and I remember tasting their blood. I remember I deliberately drank their blood, Erik.”

“Listen to me, Octavia,” Erik shook her. “That was not you. You could have done nothing to fight it.”

“I know, Erik,” Octavia sighed. “I know.”

Twilight and Vinyl walked over to them, smiling. “She did it!” Vinyl exclaimed. “She actually managed to make me forget the first time I met her.”

“Well, my special talent is magic, after all,” Twilight said.

Vinyl turned to Octavia. “When we get in there, Octavia, you’ll just need to stand still.”

“That’s all?” Octavia wasn’t sure. “I don’t have to yell some catch phrase or anything like in the movies?”

“You can if you want, I guess,” Vinyl smiled. “Maybe we should go on vacation after this is all over, Octy.”

“I don’t think now is the time to discuss our personal plans, Vinyl”

“I guess so. I suppose we just have to wait now,” Vinyl leaned back against a tree as her mind drifted off.

* * *

Vinyl Scratch

Manehattan Elementary, Thirteen Years Ago

Vinyl’s heart was pumping blood perfectly in time with the beat of the music. This was her “quiet” time, although the sound coming through her headphones was far from quiet. She didn’t care that the school had called an assembly, she came here every day at this time and she wouldn’t let them spoil it. Somehow her hearing was impeccable, good enough to hear somepony approaching the room through the song she was mixing. Well, I guess the game’s up. I might as well give ‘em a show, she thought. She unplugged the headphones and the sound blasted through the speakers, filling the room.

Vinyl had expected a teacher to walk into the room, but instead a gray filly entered. Vinyl turned the volume down and stared at her. She looked to be rather posh which led Vinyl to wonder why she was here. “What is that noise?” The filly asked.

Vinyl took her glasses off, revealing her crimson eyes. “A new song I was working on,” Vinyl said, knowing what came next.

The filly blinked. “That was a song?”

“Oh, you’re so funny,” Vinyl retorted. “What are you doing here?”

The filly rolled her eyes. “For some reason my school wanted me to perform here. Apparently they think they’ll find talent in this place.”

Vinyl leaned back. “Well, I’m probably the most talented pony in this school!” She bragged.

“That’s unfortunate,” The filly replied looking around the room.

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Vinyl asked.

“What is your name, dear?”

“Vinyl Scratch.”

“Well, Vinyl, you’re a DJ. All you do is push buttons, which isn’t a real talent,” The filly was clearly serious.

“And who do you think you are to say who’s talented?” Vinyl was getting angry.

The filly gave a short laugh. “You honestly don’t know? Well, I suppose they don’t have much culture in the alley you probably live in.”

Vinyl stared at her and gave a strangely menacing growl. “I am tired of ponies like you,” She shouted. “What makes you better? My parents died! Yeah, I’ll admit it, they’re dead! I don’t care though, it was their fault.”

“I’m sorry,” The filly stammered.

“No you aren’t!” Vinyl continued. “You think you’re so much better than everypony else when you’re just a spoiled brat.”

“Vinyl!” A shout came from the hallway. A teacher was standing there. “Not only did you miss the assembly but now you’re yelling at our guest? This is the last straw, get out!”

“Fine! I don’t need your stupid school!” Vinyl screamed and stormed out of the room.

The teacher turned to the filly. “I’m sorry about that, Octavia. She’s deeply troubled.”

“That passion,” Octavia said quietly. “That fire and soul. She’s like me. Go, stop her and don’t let her get away!” Octavia ran off in the direction of the auditorium.

* * *

“Alonso, just give her one chance,” Octavia pleaded.

The tall stallion turned to her. “If she got kicked out of this school what makes you think she’ll do any good in our school.

Octavia stared him in the eyes. “Give her one chance. If you don’t then I’m leaving your school.”

“Alright Octavia, but a DJ is going to have to be pretty impressive to get in.”

“No, stop it!” The screech came as Vinyl was dragged into the auditorium in front of everypony. Alonso looked down at Octavia with a stupid grin on his face.

Octavia ran up to Vinyl. “Listen, I don’t have much time to explain. I’m going to play the cello and you’re going to do whatever it is you do to the sound, live.”

Vinyl tilted her head. “There are two problems. First, we haven’t practiced at all. Second, I hate you.”

Octavia looked into her eyes. “I can see it inside of you, Vinyl. You’re driven and feel that you’re meant for something greater. This is your chance Vinyl, to do something great.”

Vinyl looked up at the foals in the seats, looking down at them. “I don’t know why but I get the feeling I should trust you. But something like this would require practice.”

“Not for us,” Octavia said. “We’re different.”

Vinyl looked at her for a second and then nodded. They ran up to their equipment, which had been placed at the center of the room. They looked at each other, and then Octavia began. The sounds of her electric cello carried throughout the room, untouched for a moment. Vinyl looked over her equipment, closed her eyes, and started doing what she did best. Alonso’s mouth dropped open when the sound coming through the speakers changed. Octavia’s beautiful, perfect playing had become something more, something he couldn’t have imagined in his wildest dreams.

Everypony in the auditorium listened as the story of the song unfolded. It told a story of lost hopes, desperate pleas and suffering being overcome and a story of the odds not mattering. It told the story of two musicians who hadn’t met, transcending expectations and entering into a relationship that neither understood nor could they question. Alonso’s plan differed from the universes, though. “Octavia, you played beautifully as usual,” His gaze rose to Vinyl. “As for you, I don’t quite think you’d fit in.”

* * *

Mareiott Hotel, Manehattan, Later That Night

“Alonso, that was the best I’ve ever performed,” Octavia complained. “Vinyl is amazing, why won’t you let her in?”

Alonso turned to Octavia. “I’ve had quite enough of your whining. She isn’t coming, that’s final.”

Octavia ran to the door of the hotel room. “Then I’ll go see my parents and they’ll make you let her in.”

Alonso grabbed Octavia and threw onto the bed. “You aren’t going anywhere, you brat! Day in and day out I have to deal with you complaining about something and I’ve had it with you—“

“Alonso,” a stern shout came from behind him.

Alonso spun around. “Headmaster? What are you doing here?”

“I came by to take Octavia to her parents because they happened to be in town today,” The headmaster stared at Alonso. “I’d recommend you run Alonso, because you never want me to catch you.”

Alonso dashed past the headmaster and out of the room. The headmaster walked up to Octavia. “I’m sorry Octavia, I really am. You won’t have to deal with him anymore.”

“Forget about that, headmaster,” Octavia didn’t even seem fazed by what had happened. “There’s a filly named Vinyl, we need to take her back with us!”

“I know about Vinyl,” the headmaster said. “She’s on her way back to the school as we speak. Now how about we go and see your parents.”

* * *

Rainbow Dash and Raincloud

South of Canterlot, Present Day

It would have made sense for the two pegasi to split up and cover more ground, but they both thought they were going to die regardless. Raincloud figured the odds of running into the tower again were fairly low and Rainbow Dash didn’t have any faith in Vinyl and so they had simply become ready to give up. Raincloud looked over and Rainbow. “It’s been a while,” She said.

They kept flying without another word and Raincloud wondered if Rainbow had heard her. She came out of a daze when Rainbow tapped her on the shoulder and pointed to the tower. They smiled at each other and turned around, flying back as quickly as possible.

* * *

Vinyl, Octavia, Twilight and Erik

Present Day

Octavia walked slowly over to Vinyl. Something felt right about the day, regardless of what had happened. She couldn’t help but smile at the thought that she could relax soon. “What are you thinking about?” She asked Vinyl.

The white mare sighed deeply. “I was thinking about when we first met,” she said, looking up at Octavia. “I don’t understand something about us, Tavi.”

Octavia sat down next to her. “What don’t you understand?”

Vinyl closed her eyes and leaned back against the tree. “How did we get to this point?” she asked.

“What do you mean?” Octavia tilted her head.

“I mean how did we get here?” Vinyl began. “You and I, the odd couple, we hardly fit each other and yet it’s like there’s some invisible thread tying us together. I almost get this feeling that our entire lives have been planned out in advance.”

“Really? Because sometimes I feel that way t—“ Octavia began but was cut off by their two pegasi returning.

Raincloud whispered something two Twilight who motioned them over. When everypony was together Twilight began. “They found the Tower. I can get us there but there will be no coming back once we’ve arrived. We either end this or we all die.”

Everypony looked at each other with confidence, all of them except Vinyl. She turned to Octavia. “We don’t have to do this, Octy. We can run away and live our life together if that’s what you want.”

Octavia stared back at her. “Trust me, Vinyl; I wouldn’t have things any other way.”

Vinyl tilted her head. “Really? That’s a strange fantasy.”

“Let’s go, Twi,” Octavia said. With a flash, they were gone.