Chapter 1
Friends Aren’t so Terrible
The late crisp Autumn air blew down from the mountains on which Canterlot lay and across open fields and from whose last harsh had yet to be claimed. The wind swept by Sweet Apple Acres and picked up scents of fresh apples as it moved towards the small town of Ponyville. The wind lofted it’s way to a castle made of hues of blue and purple, inviting for those who knew and off setting for those whose stood against. In the main library of the castle two mares planned their next step.
“Babe, it’s going to be fine.” Vinyl tried to calm Twilight.
The purple alicorn stopped her pacing and looked at Vinyl “Just fine. No, this meeting has to be perfect. Otherwise they might resent me and then I’ll be forced out of town. Then we’ll have to live in your apartment in Canterlot.”
“What’s so wrong with my apartment?” Vinyl looked down feeling dejected.
“Well it’s small and faraway from the library, and the castle...” Twilight replied in full honesty.
“Oh yeah… books.”Vinyl sighed. “Look you’re friends are fantastic from what I’ve heard. How can you be so sure they’ll reject the idea of us.” Vinyl’s look was pleading. She wanted nothing more for her marefriend than for her to stop panicking and use her breathing technique.
The world slowly came back as Twilight then realised that her friends had stood against evil not once but eight times. She let out a short breath. “Your right Vinyl. I just want this to go smoothly. I need a drink.” She slumped down on the same couch her marefriend was on.
“So not to throw you into another tizzy but we should probably head to throne room. And you can have a soda but nothing alcoholic.” Vinyl gave her a knowing look.
“You're right, we can't be late. I got drunk once and you have never let me live that down.” Twilight grumbled as she got off the couch and made her way towards the throne room.
Twilight’s friends had gathered in the throne room. While they awaited their friend to join them chatter filled the space as they kept themselves busy.
“I’ve never seen Twilight this late.” Rarity stated off-handedly.
“There’s not even a clock in here!” Rainbow exclaimed loudly.
“Uhmmmm… Rainbow you may want to look outside.” Fluttershy pointed toward a window on the opposite side of the room. The once orangish rays of the setting sun had dissipated from the sky. In their place the hues of violet took hold the short twilight hours till the sky would sky would bare the stars for all to see.
Rainbow looked and sure enough the sun was set just below the horizon. “So what? Twilight’s never late.Are you sure we didn’t just arrive early.”
“Ah’d like to agree with ya’ sugarcube but Twi called us here over an hour and a half ago.” Applejack retorted.
“Twi didn’t even call this meeting. Pinkie came into town tellin’ us that Twilight needed to talk to us.” Rainbow accused. “How do we know this isn’t a prank?” Rainbow shot Pinkie a cutting glare.
Pinkie chuckled nervously and pulled at her neck, emulating tugging at a tight shirt collar. “RarityneverexplainedwhyCocoissittingnexttoher!” She shouted. Twilight better show up soon or I’m gonna break. She thought.
The entire group turned to look at the accused and low and behold a cream coloured mare sat on the floor next to her. Now it was Rarity’s turn to feel and face the stares. She had started to panic but a tender hoof was at rest upon her shoulder. Rarity turned to see Coco standing next to her, their eyes met briefly,from that short glance a smile appeared on both their muzzles.
Rarity took a deep breath and pushed away her anxiety “I would like it to go on the record that Coco and I are in a relationship.” She turned to Coco and placed a brief kiss upon her lips.
“With that solved. No more dis-” Rainbow once again leered at Pinkie but was cut off by the door to the throne room being thrown open.
“DJ.... here. Entering… castle.” Starlight Glimmer said as she burst into the room panting. Her body shook as she took a deep breath and collapsed on the floor.
“Ah’ didn’t catch a lick of that.” Applejack admitted.
“I was looking out my window in my room and I saw DJ-PON3 enter the castle!” Starlight shouted happily.
Pinkie responded in kind by firing off her party cannon. Though it accomplished nothing more than covering the map in glitter and confetti.
“Whatever is so big about that. She’s just another techno artist.” Rarity interjected.
Starlight gasped then placed a hoof against her chest and in faux shock. “Just another techno artist. Firstly what kind of music do you listen to? Secondly her music is fantastic and definitely not just techno.”
“I’d much rather the work of that fantastic cellist hmmmmmmmmmm… What is her name?” Rarity pondered for a moment and then remembered. “Aha.. Her name was Octavia Melody.”
Starlight gasped yet again only this time she took it a step farther by covering Rarity’s mouth with a hoof. “If she is going to be here you shouldn’t… No scratch that you CAN’T bring up Octavia.”
“Why not?” Rarity challenged.
“If you want to see a broken mare go right on ahead.” Starlight stated.
“Oh… That is hmmmm… I take that they were an item and, it did not quite... work out?” Rarity faltered.
Before Rarity could a get a formal reply, Twilight gently walked into the room; she crossed over to her throne and sat patiently. After a few moments everypony turned to face her as she used her magic to push the doors closed. An ominous thud resounded through the room as it plunged into an eerie silence.
“Good evening.” Twilight purred. The last remaining rays slipped over the horizon as Twilight spoke. The darkness of the room was pushed away slightly as candles slowly light around the room filling it with harsh light; the smoke caused caused a slight haze to form . “So I’ve called you all here because.. I’ve been... hiding something from you all.” Twilight rubbed her hooves together. She took a deep breath. “You can go ahead and come in now.” Twilight informed, her voice cutting through the silence and smoke that lie around her.
The grand doors to the throne room were opened gently. Letting the soft light from the rest of the castle to seep in over the eeriness of the room. A pale white mare slowly walked into the room. She took uneasy glances at each of Twilight’s friends as she made her way to Twilight. When she reached her they shared a look and then turned to face the rest of the room. Whose faces ranged from intrigued to spooked “Well I guess we can’t go back now.” Twilight whispered to Vinyl. Vinyl’s only response was to shake her head. The light from the candles had dulled to a warm comforting glow and the haze was not so menacing as it was inviting. “Girls.I would like you to meet my...” Twilight cleared her throat. “… marefriend Vinyl Scratch.”
Pinkie was the first to say anything. “I kneeeeeeeeeewwwww it~!” She sang loudly. Killing any atmosphere that remained from Twilight’s entrance.
“Pinkie we told you earlier today.” Vinyl said jokingly and despite soundly slightly agitated she chuckled.
“Doesn’t mean I can’t still say I called it; Back in Backstage Affair ‘something incredibly important will happen in Manehattan tonight, something that will change your life forever.’ Also an I told you so here and there will happen.” Pinkie stuck her tongue out playfully.
“Woah! Wait… hold up.” Rainbow Dash said incredulously. “You got a marefriend before me!”
“Hold up now Rainbow Dash. Aren’t two ponies in town fightin’ over you.” Applejack said teasingly.
“Aloe and Lotus are not fighting they’re just… passionate.” Rainbow shot back. The only thing that ruined the defensive tone in her voice was the blush on her cheeks.
“Ooooooohhhh yeeeessss. It must’ve been that passion that had them both doing nothing but asking me questions about you during both of my appointments this week.” Rarity added. Rainbow said nothing as her cheeks only grew a deeper shade of crimson.
Fluttershy took the silence as a cue to get everypony back on track. “Twilight, are you happy?” She said confidently. Twilight started to answer but was cut off. “Don’t answer me. This is a question for you and ummmm…. V-Vinyl H-Hatch was it?”
“I haven’t heard that name since uni. The names Vinyl Scratch.” Vinyl chuckled lightly.
“O-oh...s-sorry.” Fluttershy apologized meekly. “Anyways, as long as you two are both happy with one another and feel that your hearts beat in sync, that is what truly matters.” She sighed happily. “Somepony I loved once asked me the same thing.”
“Thankyou Fluttershy.” Twilight said gratefully.
“Are you just going to skim over the fact that Fluttershy said she loves somepony?!” Rainbow practically screamed.
“I love all my friends.” Fluttershy deflected.
Rainbow was dumbfounded. She had been shot down by Fluttershy! She elected to stay quiet the rest of the meeting less she be degraded further.
“Well Twi’, I may not understand it but I agree with Flutters whatever makes you happy makes us happy.” Applejack summed up.
“Not to just jump on the bandwagon darling but I agree as well. I know all too well how much love can change even your daily experiences into something absolutely divine.” Rarity assured, as she and Coco shared a brief albeit very passionate kiss. Rarity then turned back to Twilight. “Sooo…?” She asked.
“So what?” Vinyl examined.
Rarity groaned audibly. “I was hoping you’d pick up on the cue but I guess-” She was stopped by Coco putting a hoof on her shoulder.
“Rarity wants to ask how you two met.” Coco simplified.
“Oh right so it sta-” Twilight started.
“And then Twilight opened door and the room got deadly serious.” Pinkie finished, a satisfied smug on her face.
“I told myself she wouldn’t tell the story for us. But what did she do?” Twilight mumbled almost hysterically.
“She told the story for us.” Vinyl finished. She was completely astounded; never had a story been taken from her so quickly.
“Well that was certainly an… accurate recap. Thankyou Pinkie.” Twilight declared stiffly.
“I never! Ever! Needed that much detail. No one did.” Dash interjected, ignoring a previous promise to herself to stay silent out of pure shock.
“Oh my. Pinkie why did you share that?” Fluttershy said.
“You’re all still on that. But I’ve finished the story by now.” Pinkie argued.
“We can not just forget that. I’d imagine you’ve shocked the poor couple over there into never trusting you again.” Rarity said disappointedly.
Pinkie’s hair audibly deflated as she got up to walk over to Twilight. “I’m sorry. I was so happy for you.”
“We understand at least you didn’t f-” Twilight started.
“I’ll trash the celebratory video I took too.” Pinkie confessed.
Twilight blushed an extremely deep red partially from embarrassment and partially from rage. Twilight waved for Pinkie to leave. As she walked away Vinyl pulled her aside.
“Look I don’t appreciate what you did. But I uh could use that so don’t say anything and don’t trash that tape. I want it.” Vinyl whispered.
Pinkie immediately returned to her normal self and winked at Vinyl as she hopped away. “Well...before anything else unexpected occurs. Tonight’s meeting is adjourned. Thank you all for your support as friends.” With Twilight’s final statement made the group stood and made their way out of the room.
Once her friends had left the room Twilight felt all of her stress melt in an instant. She turned to Vinyl; a pleased smile on her face. “That went a lot better than I expected” Twilight admitted as she let out a shaky breath.
“Well aside from Pinkie’s detailed description of our second encounter.” Vinyl added slowly. “That couldn’t possibly have been worse.”
Twilight brought a hoof up to her chin “Well it could of have gone-’”
“No it really couldn’t’ve-” Vinyl started
“NO. Not like that other idea earlier, the idea in which Pinkie wanted to have a wedding cake ready for us.” Twilight corrected while she moved closer to Vinyl.
“She could’ve shown her little commemorative video she took.” Vinyl purred.
Twilight froze in place as the memories of that night came flooding back once again.”Yeah that’s why I will never drink again!-”
“Oh but it made the night way more fun.” Vinyl winked.
“I’m sure you remember the next morning?” Twilight asked but blushed heavily.
“I’ve both seen and experienced a thousand hangovers but that was the worst one I’ve ever had the displeasure of sharing a room with.’” Vinyl nearly gagged at the memory.
“Well at least I’m not pregnant.” Replied Twilight jokingly with a reassuring smile. She draped a wing over Vinyl’s back.
“Alicorn magic is fuckin’ crazy. So who are you gonna show me off to next?” Vinyl asked.
“Well since you think Alicorn magic is ’fucking crazy’ We will see Celestia, Luna, and Discord next.” Twilight said with a smug grin “Also you’re sleeping on the couch tonight.” She promptly left the stunned mare where she stood and made for her own bed.