Vinyl was waiting. She was also annoyed. As a general rule, she didn’t like coming to the offices of Wave Records. The whole building was just too shiny, too smooth, too… boring. Their choice of music certainly didn’t help things either. Out of all the great artists they had the rights to, the slow, easy-listening “music” currently playing through the blank waiting room certainly wouldn’t have been Vinyl’s first choice. I mean, at least the sound of hooves on a chalkboard would keep her awake.
She tried tapping a rhythm on the floor in time with the music that was playing. Maybe it could be improved, if it was sped up a bit, some bass added. The beat in Vinyl’s head started to take shape. Maybe this song was workable after all. It just needed some tweaking here, a bass drop there…
Vinyl was snapped out of her thoughts suddenly by a loud cough from the receptionist, who was currently shooting her a death glare. Party pooper. She was just about to give her a piece of her mind when the door to Mr. Wave’s office opened and a voice called her in.
The office was certainly more interesting than the waiting room, Vinyl thought. The walls were a dark crimson color, and covered in framed records, posters of singers, and the occasional shelf with a single award on it. Papers littered the ground underneath Wave's desk, with a tall stack of folders in the corner that looked like it was doing a very poor job of keeping things organized. A worn guitar leaned against the tower precariously, and looked like it could send the whole thing crashing down with a gentle nudge. The only part of the room that was clean, it seemed, was the large desk in the center, which was completely clear except for a small, neat pile of papers and a large gold nameplate reading SOUND WAVE, CEO. A small chip in the corner revealed the gold had been painted onto a much more modest wooden plaque.
"Miss Scratch. Please, have a seat," said Sound Wave as he motioned to a chair on the other side of the large desk he was seated at.
"I told you, just call me Vinyl. How many times do I have to tell you that?" said Vinyl Scratch sharply, sitting down in the chair as requested.
"Well, Miss Scratch, I'm afraid that that attitude is precisely what we are here today to discuss." A faint smile crossed Wave's mouth as he poured himself a glass of something unidentifiable to Vinyl.
Vinyl glowered. "My attitude? Seriously? What, am I being too honest for you in these interviews you keep setting me up for? Not playing pretend for your precious little cameras?"
Wave's smile faded, then turned to a scowl. "Yes, Miss Scratch," he said, emphasising the word as if he loathed to even say it, "you seem to be demonstrating exactly the attitude I am referring to." He stood up from his chair and leaned across the desk. "You have demonstrated time and time again that you are unwilling to be cooperative towards Wave Records. You've badmouthed our company in public, called our board of directors 'a bunch of greedy money- loving scumbags', and seem to have a general lack of respect towards the people who pay for your ridiculous all-night party binges. A lack of respect which you take out on me." He leaned his face forward until it was almost pressed up against Vinyl's. "You, Miss Scratch, have made. This. Personal."
"Pssh, whatever," said Vinyl, leaning back in her chair disinterestedly. "What're you gonna do about it? Pull the plug on me? My records are the hottest thing in Equestria right now. I'm the one keeping those money-loving scumbags of yours happy, you wouldn't dare do anything to me."
Wave's smile returned in the form of a devilish smirk. "Oh, believe me, I can," he said, taking out a large manila folder stuffed to the brim with photos and papers of all sorts. "Those 'little cameras' don't just stop at the interviews, you know. They follow you wherever you go. And they've found some pretty interesting things over the years."
Vinyl's jaw dropped as Hooves opened to the first file in the folder: a list of locations, with a series of dates and times next to each.
"You- how- when did-"
Vinyl's eyes widened more and more as they scrolled down the page.
"Oh my Celestia, how could you possibly know about-"
"Little cameras, remember? I have every little secret of yours hidden away in this folder. And believe me, you've had some doozies over the years. Should I go on, or are you ready to be cooperative yet?"
"Okay, I'll say whatever you want! I'll stop trash talking the board of directors! I'll do whatever you want me to! Just please, whatever you do, please don't say a word about this to any pony!
Wave's smirk widened even farther.
"I'm so glad to hear that I've persuaded you to listen to reason, Miss Scratch. But I'm afraid I'll need some additional proof of your good intentions. After all, I'd hate for something to slip out at one of those parties of yours. No, I'm looking for something to show to me that you're truly ready to commit to being a cooperative, valuable, and obedient partner of our company."
"Fine, I'll do it! Just please don't tell anypony about this!"
"Oh, but I haven't told you yet what your gesture of goodwill is to be yet." He grinned as he slowly took a sip of his drink. "You are to enter into a committed, long-lasting relationship with a pony of my choosing, to represent your committed, long-lasting relationship with our company."
Vinyl's jaw dropped once again. "You WHAT?"
"Remember when I said you had made things personal, Miss Scratch? I want you to understand that I control every aspect of your life. Your social life, your career, even your love life. Everything."
"You just can't do this sort of thing! It just isn't right!" she said, getting up from her chair to look him in the eye. "You can't do that to somepony, forcing them into a pretend relationship just because you feel like it!"
"Well then, Miss Scratch, you had better hope that you can have more than a pretend relationship with the mare I've chosen for you. If I'm not convinced, then who knows what might happen to these pictures..."
Vinyl's face fell. She slowly sat back down, then quietly whispered, "I'll do it. I'll do anything you want me to."
"Excellent. I'm so glad we could come to an agreement. I'll introduce you to your new marefriend once I'm done making my selection. You are dismissed, Miss Scratch."
Vinyl slowly got up out of her chair and began walking towards the door.
"Oh, and Vinyl?"
She turned, barely hearing him.
"Smile for the cameras. Nopony's ever going to believe you if you look like that."