Vinyl Scratch didn't enjoy shopping with Octavia. Shopping alone was fine, as Vinyl liked to know what she wanted in advance, and be clean in and out of a store in a couple of minutes, seconds if possible.
Octavia, however, liked browsing. The variety of choice, the differing shops and level of variety on display, they were a great allure to her. Whether it was a musical instrument, a set of spices or a freaking harpoon gun, if it said 'half price' on it, it had already caught Octavia's eye.
The pair had been wandering around Ponyville's market for twenty minutes, which they had originally come to in order to buy fresh ingredients for a pasta, but so far they hadn't even managed to make it five steps without Octavia stopping to add something new to her mental wishlist.
When Octavia stopped suddenly for what must have been the fifteenth time now, perusing an opulent pair of earrings which had been put out on display—despite her not even having pierced ears—Vinyl gave up, deciding it would be simpler to just find somewhere to sit down and wait for her to be finished. Octavia didn't seem to notice when she began to walk away, seemingly captivated by the pair of brilliant gems that contested her eyes for dominance.
Thinking better of it at the last moment, Vinyl turned to Octavia, tapping her on the withers. It took more taps than she would have liked for Octavia to actually register her presence, let alone say anything to her. "Is something the matter, Vinyl?"
"Bored," she answered, hoping it would remind Octavia just how long she had been deviating.
She was met with a simple yet joyous smile, the type that represented a pony sat truly in her element. "Oh, I am sorry to hear that, Vinyl. Perhaps you would rather wait at home? I will try not to take too long."
Vinyl only had to catch a breath of how happy she was to know that she had no right to complain. Who was she to rob Octavia of her fun? Going home would only appear as sulking. Trying her hardest to return Octavia's serene intensity—her ears folding back as she attempted to force a grin—she shook her head with vigour. "No, no, I'm okay waiting out here. You know how I get with the shopping part though, I'll only complain if I'm sat by you the entire time." Vinyl looked up at the sky for a moment, lost in thought, before letting her eyes trail back to Octavia. "I think I'll wait in the park, if that's alright? It's a nice day, after all, seems like a waste not to appreciate it."
"By all means," Octavia nodded, already looking back at her purchase-to-be, "Do not let me spoil your day for my own, Vinyl. Go and enjoy the sun, I will come and find you afterwards."
Vinyl nodded and turned, wasting no time in her departure. She was glad to have the kind of relationship she did with Octavia, it was one that allowed them both to speak their minds and listen to one another, and it allowed for a mutual respect. Octavia knew that Vinyl didn't like shopping, Vinyl knew it would be rude to ask Octavia to cut her fun short, they were equal in that way.
Vinyl did wish Octavia would let her have a set of house keys, though. She apparently still hadn't got over the last three sets she had misplaced, for whatever reason. Still, as she had said, the day was warm and pleasant, so she shrugged off the thought, heading to the park in search of a nice spot to sit and soak in the sun.
Through a dark purple tint she saw ponies heading to and from the market, as well as pegasi flying above, maneuvering small clouds. Foals ran past her laughing and playing, and the soft lilt of their laughter carried her further towards the park. Things were both ambient and placid there, despite it being a hive of activity.
While the park was mainly inhabited by intimate couples and families alike—all intent on enjoying the good weather while it lasted—she wasn't the only pony to go it alone. In the near distance, she saw a blue coated mare with a two tone white and blue mane, sitting with her belly to the grass and a content smile on her face as she lapped up the sun's warmth.
If that pony could find peace through the noise, Vinyl certainly could. Her whole life was noise, and she quite liked that fact. Finding a similar spot to sit—being sure not to encroach on the space of others—she sat first on her haunches before stretching out her forelegs, pushing them through the soft grass as she arched her back. She stretched, her spine making a satisfying click, and then unceremoniously slumped.
The blades felt like a blanket of comfort tickling her belly's fur, the wind gently nipped at her ears as she listened to the world surrounding, picking up everything from birdsong to conversation, each individual tone and cadence tickling her eardrums and tantalising her mind as she allowed sound to reign, squeezing her eyes shut and finding tranquility in the cacophony.
To say that Vinyl had a deft ear would be an understatement. To her, everything had a tone, a level of acoustics, a frequency and a mood. It wasn't all about gain, bit-rate, and pan, the things a producer uses to make the listener feel the presence of the music, it was the music you heard in your day to day life. Those notes held the most power, and they had always been her strongest inspiration. It was as if each voice, each bird, and each raindrop were as unique as a snowflake, none of them ever sounded the exact same, and they rarely sounded the same way twice. Listening to them all together was a strange blessing; it afforded her a certain level of peace, helped to inspire something within her, gave her the drive to create the beat for other ponies to dance to, to live to, just as she lived along to their ever-playing song.
Vinyl's ears twitched, breaking her relaxation. This was often the case when she heard something she was unused to, and this time was no exception. It was far off, and it was faint, but she had heard an awfully scratchy, biting tone in the distance, almost endearing in its own abrasiveness. It was a pony, she was sure of that, but it was strangely childlike for what she was sure was a mature voice. It had been enough to shatter her expansive concentration, and she found herself focusing on the sound, eyes still shut, until it began to draw closer. Draw closer it did, and fast.
A startling whoosh accompanied the growing noise, which was now beginning to resemble an excited filly that had just lost their first tooth. Intrigued, Vinyl cracked open an eye, searching for a source to attribute the alien sound to. Her eye stopped on a blue pegasus, namesake rainbow mane billowing in the wind as she floated nearby, apparently locked in place.
Vinyl knew of Rainbow Dash through reputation, it was hard not to considering her many exploits. While she had never directly interacted with the mare, she had been in her presence before, and she was sure it had never elicited this reaction.
Rainbow didn't move, she simply hovered there, stammering, as if she wasn't sure what she was meant to be saying to herself. Through Vinyl's visage, the small amount of purple in her mane and tail were exemplified, and the rest of her body was oddly stifled in comparison. The sight was interesting to say the least, as the prismatic colours were meant to shine bright and true, but from her perspective there was only iridescence. She shifted her head, and Rainbow flinched.
Before she knew it, Rainbow was dive-bombing towards her with such speed and intensity it almost made her want to run. Still, she reminded herself that it was highly unlikely that an Element of Harmony had come to assassinate her in a park in broad daylight, so she relaxed and stayed her ground. Truthfully, she was curious about the mare, and why she was plummeting towards her with such speed.
When she landed—leaving only two steps between them—she appeared to mask a pant, before squeezing out the words: "Hey, DJ Pon-3."
It almost sounded like a mewl when she said it. Sure enough, the sound from earlier had been her, and now that she stood before her, it was more intense than ever. At a loss of what to do, she simply smiled. "Hey, yourself. You seemed in a rush to see me." When in doubt, state the obvious.
Now she was rubbing her neck, looking away from her. Seriously, when had this pony ever been so bashful? Vinyl had seen her perform an aerial trick at Princess Cadance's wedding before, and the way she had danced after spelled nothing but confidence. Here, she only appeared as a nervous mess. When she did finally speak, it was in an effeminate squeak. "Y-you enjoying your day?"
Okay, this was weird, but maybe she was just shy. By all means, Vinyl thought she was the one that should have been shy, having a one on one conversation with a pony of Rainbow Dash's calibre, but it appeared that today was opposite day. Indulging her curiosity, she went for the blunt response. "Yeah, I'm fine. You alright, though? You seem nervous about something."
"N-nervous?!" Rainbow barked, suddenly very defensive, "Why would I be nervous?"
Vinyl raised an eyebrow.
"Okay... Okay." Rainbow cleared her throat, looking square at Vinyl as she rocked back and forth on the balls of her hooves. "I maaay be a really big fan of yours, and I might have freaked out a little at the chance to speak to you one on one, because hey, you're DJ Pon-3, right?"
Suddenly, Vinyl understood what it was about. Rainbow Dash was seriously a fan of hers? Honestly, she knew she felt shocked, and more than a little awed, but she also knew that if she started acting all embarrassed too this conversation would go nowhere fast, so she did her best to play it off. "Huh, really?" she said, nonchalant as she could, "I never would have guessed. Just call me Vinyl, though."
"Really?!" Rainbow's eyes suddenly widened, and she stiffened like a board. "I-I mean, yeah, just Vinyl, that's cool."
Vinyl pushed away a chuckle before she could embarrass the poor pony. "So, what's up? I've been living here for years now, you could've said 'hi' anytime. In fact, I'm pretty sure we've been in the same place together more than a few times."
Rainbow, for her part, seemed to relax a little, thank heaven. "Well, I was always busy with something back then, you know? Like at the wedding, we had just dealt with a changeling invasion, and at Rarity's boutique, I was trying to help her to get ready... There just never felt like a good time, you know?"
Vinyl cocked her head for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I get that. I'm not exactly one to take time off a set to have a chit-chat anyways, so you probably wouldn't have got much out of me. Was there something in particular you wanted to talk about, though? You seemed to fly here in quite the hurry."
"Well, yeah, actually. I-I just wanted to say how awesome I think your music is, and that I really love what you do, like Provocative Dissonance was a seriously great album, I've listened to it like a thousand times while training."
Vinyl chose to ignore the ego boost she felt from hearing that. The album she named was easily one of the best things she had ever worked on, each track had been crafted with meticulous care and checked over tens of times to ensure perfect quality. In her entire anthology, it was easily the most prevalent example of contrasting sounds from varying genres coming together to create something almost unheard of, something truly innovative and away from the norm. Rainbow Dash apparently had good taste.
Try as she might, she felt her tail start to appreciatively flick back and forth in the grass as she mulled over the words, and the previously cordial smile on her muzzle became something much more genuine. "That's really nice of you to say, honestly! I put a lot of work into that album, and I'm glad I was able to share it with so many. Hearing ponies say it was good work is always kick ass, especially when it comes from a pony that I admire."
Rainbow Dash looked like she was about to faint. After about ten seconds of hyperventilating—during which her wings flapped at the speed of a sparrow's—she choked out: "Y-you admire me?"
Vinyl couldn't help but laugh at her excitable display, it was a little charming in its own way, mainly because it was hardly what she had expected from the mare. "What are you, five time saver of Equestria, or something? Who doesn't admire you?"
She was actually brushing her hoof across the floor. Not only that, but her cheeks appeared to have a light red tinge to them, which Vinyl had to tell herself wasn't totally adorable if only so she could keep her thoughts on track. "Well, only like four times... Besides, I never saved it alone, I always had help from my friends, and it's mainly Twilight that does the hardest stuff."
"Don't be so modest!" Vinyl grinned, waving a hoof, "Four times, five times, what's the difference? You're still a hero. As far as I'm concerned, I've got a pretty damn awesome fan."
It was as if she had spoken a trigger word or something. As soon as those last words left her mouth, a cocky grin found its way to Rainbow's muzzle and she stood proud before her. "Damn right you do! Hey, you know what would be really, really awesome? Like, if you didn't mind, that is."
This sparked Vinyl's interest more than anything. Not only was Rainbow Dash a fan of her, she wanted something from her? "I bet I wouldn't. What were you after?"
"Do you think there'd maybe be any chance that I could possibly ask you to make me a little song, or something? Having my own song made by my favourite DJ? That sounds pretty off-key."
Vinyl almost leapt to her hooves on the spot, the idea sounded spectacular. "Of course I could, no problem! I'd love to!" Realising how overly enthusiastic she sounded about doing work for another pony, she dialed it back a touch. "Did you have anything specific in mind?"
"Oh, you know, just the stuff you usually make," Rainbow smiled.
"I make all kinds of stuff though," Vinyl bit her lip, wondering how to phrase it, "Like take Provocative Dissonance for example, each track is different to the last, you know?"
"Okay, okay, yeah, sure." Rainbow hmm'd for a little while, her eyes unfocused as she stood before Vinyl. Suddenly, she jolted in place, an idea apparently fresh on her tongue. "I know! Make me some of that, uhh..." she waved a hoof aimlessly, "you know, that EDM stuff. Yeah, that!"
Vinyl merely sat there in confusion. "What do you mean? EDM stands for 'Electronic Dance Music', everything I make is EDM of some kind. That's not a genre."
"Sure it is!" Rainbow nodded with a surefire grin, "I've seen it written in magazines before!"
"No..." Vinyl tilted her head, "EDM is a blanket term used to categorize all electronic music. The fact it's being used to describe a specific genre is absolutely stupid, as its meant to encompass everything. By that standard, by saying EDM you could be talking about anything from drum and bass to breakbeat or techno, or even house or garage, and how am I supposed to know the difference?"
"I.. don't follow," Rainbow admitted, "It's all EDM, right?"
"Well, yes, it is, but that doesn't really mean anything," Vinyl growled, unsure why she was becoming so annoyed so quickly, "Put it this way: The term EDM is generally used to talk about progressive house music which is prevalent in popular dance culture, and is also being imbued with various pop music. Typically, it doesn't refer to the sorts of music I create, such as drum and bass, dubplate, jungle, and occasionally dubstep. As a result, those types of music are being improperly labelled, thrown in with the popular stuff, or forgotten. It's all unique, and there's like a thousand sub-categories. You can't just call it all one thing and expect me to know what you're talking about."
"But, like, everyone else does," Rainbow defended, "and it's not like I'm asking you to make something you don't already make, you admitted it yourself."
"But you're not specifying!" Vinyl hissed, before taking a deep breath. "Okay, put it this way... Would you rather have a tune filled with drum and bass, or something with a techno vibe? Just an example."
"Uhh," Rainbow furrowed her brow, "What's the difference?"
Vinyl pushed her sunglasses up, rubbing her eyes with her hooves. "You're not serious, are you? I thought you were like a really big fan of mine. Don't you listen to my music?"
"Well, yeah, but that doesn't mean I know all the technical terms for it!"
Vinyl had to be mindful of that fact, she knew. Despite how annoying Rainbow—who was apparently a huge fan of her—was being with the ignorance she displayed, it wasn't her fault if she didn't know the jargon. She'd just have to simplify it. "Okay, listen: You said you've listened to that album of mine loads of times, right?"
Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, I still listen to it all the time."
"You know how track one is pretty slow, and the sounds are drawn out and a little mesmerising, and then by contrast track two is like double the tempo, and the drums are really punchy and in your face?"
"Uhh, maybe? They all sound pretty similar to me."
"Are you tone deaf or something?!" Vinyl suddenly found herself standing, she didn't even remember moving to get up. Her chest heaved, and she faced down the colourful pony in front of her. "How can you call yourself this huge fan of me if you can't tell the difference between two songs that are completely fucking dissimilar? I've tried explaining to you why they're different, but it's like you were born with rocks for ears or something! Seriously, did a single word I said go in just now?"
"Hey, chill out!" Rainbow yelled, flaring her wings, "All I did was ask you to make me some EDM, you're the one being all difficult about it! I mean, seriously, it's pretty simple. I want it with the bass and the wubs and the wooshes and the loud noises, just like your other songs! What aren't you understanding about that?"
For a second, Vinyl could have sworn that Rainbow had broken her then and there with that last remark. After a few deep breaths, she still wasn't completely over it. "So that's what all of my songs sound like, is it? You know something, Rainbow Dash? I went to university and studied music. For years I read and researched so many unique, captivating, and contrasting styles of electronica, and not once did I see the terms 'wub', 'woosh', or 'loud noise'. You know why? They're not proper musical terms!" Vinyl sighed. "Look, I'm not saying you have to be an expert on music or anything, but I would have expected a little more tact when you're talking about my entire career's work, and at least an attempt to level with me here, seeing as you're being so freakin' difficult to understand, and you're asking me to do you a favour."
"Alright, look, maybe that came out as insensitive," Rainbow conceded, "All I meant was that I've never really noticed a big difference between your songs, and that's probably because I've never looked for it. I usually listen to your music when I'm flying or working out, so it's good to just have something to make me go, you know? I'm so tired by the end of the day that I don't really get much leisure time."
"Y-yeah, I shouldn't have shouted either. It just came off as a little pretentious and rude, that's all. Like, it kinda sounded like you were just saying you were a fan of me to score a track being dedicated to you, but you'd never actually listened to my stuff, or something like that." Vinyl stifled a laugh, thinking about how unlikely that was considering the pony. "If it was as simple as just throwing a bit of everything onto a track for you, I'd do it, but it doesn't work like that. I can thread a couple of styles together, but one in particular has to anchor everything in place, and that's why I was asking. You just saying 'EDM' over and over wasn't really getting us anywhere."
"So let me make sure I've got this right: EDM is a type of music, but it's not specific because all electronic music is EDM."
Vinyl could feel a smile tugging at her lips. Maybe this wasn't as bad as she thought. "Yes, and while some ponies use the term to refer to a specific type of music, that's confusing, and they shouldn't because EDM should actually be the leader of the semantic field of electronica, not one of the components."
Rainbow looked stupefied. "...And you lost me again. So, EDM's a no-no word, right?"
"Basically. Look, let's just do a checklist, it'll probably be easier that way." Quickly tailoring some questions to a task she had never had to perform before, Vinyl's eyes set on Rainbow. "How do you like your beat, fast or slow?"
"Fast," Rainbow replied instinctively.
"How about your sounds? Light or heavy?"
"Uhh... Somewhere in the middle, I think."
"Okay... Drums?"
"Yeah, drums are good."
"You like a song that's got a repetitive beat, or that kind of goes everywhere?"
"I like something structured. Like, two or three different drops, but it cycles. That make sense?"
"Do you like the tune to have ambiance? Vocals? Synthesised sounds mixed in with the drums?"
"Yes, yes, and uhh, no freakin' clue."
"Alright," Vinyl nodded, satisfied that her work had paid off, "Sounds like you want liquid drum and bass to me. See how much simpler it is when we listen to each—"
"What's that?" Rainbow asked, incredulous.
"Well, it's drum and bass, but it has a more artificial kind of sound. Fast paced but reasonably calm."
"It almost feels like you're making these up... How many types of drum and bass are there?"
"Heh, too many to list. This is what I'm talking about, Rainbow. See why it was difficult for me to see what you wanted before? Know I know exactly what you're after, and what it should sound like."
"Really? Cause I don't. Which of your tracks are that genre?"
"On Provocative Dissonance? Track six."
"Oh, yeah, track six! I didn't realise that was what it was called, that's so cool!" Rainbow flipped on the spot, her wings outstretched. "So you're going to make it for me, huh? A tune like that?"
"Actually, Vinyl," the pair turned to see Octavia trotting over, a pair of earbuds trailing from her ears to her chest, where she had strapped a portable music player, "I think you will find that track six of that album is contemporary jump up with a slight ragga influence, if I recall correctly. The bass is too heavy and the song too energetic for it to be classed as liquid. Now, you might get away with classifying that as drumstep, but if you wanted my advice, it would be best to shy away from that genre in future, interweaving the four bar loops while retaining tenability is difficult, and the tracks can be liable to fall apart during segues. Now, Rainbow Dash, you are a flier, yes?"
Rainbow gave a stiff nod, her jaw limp and hanging low, while Vinyl merely smirked. "H-how do you know so much about all of this? Aren't you a classical musician?"
"Would you believe me if I said that me and Vinyl swapped university courses after meeting? Now, if you were looking for my advice, I would suggest you seek a happy hardcore or old school jungle tune, the relatively fast and upbeat tempo should suit you well in flight, and you will likely enjoy what Vinyl can create there, it is one of her best areas, even if she rarely bothers to produce any of it." She turned away from the dumbfounded Rainbow, a smug smile on her muzzle. "Now, as for you, Vinyl—"
"Calm it with the lecture, okay? I meant track eight, not six. I'm a little distracted right now, I wasn't thinking clearly."
Octavia nodded instantly. "Yes, track eight is undoubtedly liquid, and excellent example of it too. I do enjoy listening to that one." Glancing curiously at Rainbow, she looked back to Vinyl. "It is not every day that you are given requests in the streets, is it, Vinyl?"
"Yeah, well, turns out Rainbow here is a pretty big fan, thought I'd go for it."
"That is nice of you, Vinyl. But you were having difficulty deciding just what it was you wanted, Rainbow Dash?"
Rainbow's eyes quickly met the floor. "Ah, well, you could say it like that..."
"She was having more trouble articulating it, really," Vinyl said.
"Yeah, that. I kept just calling Vinyl's music EDM and I think it pissed her off a little."
Octavia's eyes hardened; her tone became harsh. "You were calling it what?"
"Whoa, Tavi, chill! We've already had that conversation. Rainbow just didn't understand, okay?"
Octavia let loose a deep sigh. "Misuse of that term aggravates me to no end."
"Yeah, same here, but we already talked about it, it was just a misunderstanding. Say, Rainbow. How about you come meet me at my house in a few days? I should be able to have something simple drafted up by then, and we can go over it together and see if you want any tweaks made to it?"
Despite Rainbow's embarrassment, her whole body seemed to buzz at this idea. "That sounds great, I can't wait!" Her cheeks instantly flashing red, she stammered out: "Uhh, to see the track, I mean. That's it."
"Well, great, I'll look forward to it!"
"Y-yeah, I should probably get going now, anyway. It was nice meeting you, Vinyl, even if we did shout at each other a little bit."
"Hey, a musical debate is the cornerstone of any good friendship. How do you think me and Tavi are so close? Besides, I enjoyed it too. I'm looking forward to seeing you in a few days."
"Th-thanks. Uhh, anyway, going now... Bye!" Rainbow shot off in a flash, Vinyl didn't think she could have left faster if an army was chasing her.
When Vinyl looked away, she found Octavia standing with a wry grin. "Seems you do have quite the fan..."
"Oh, leave off, it's nothing like that," Vinyl laughed. After a few moments, she realised she was still staring after the trail Rainbow had left in the sky. "...Is it?"
"Oh, no, I am sure it is absolutely nothing," Octavia grinned, eyeing Vinyl, "But I doubt that is the last request you will take from her, either."
It took Vinyl no time to realise Octavia's implied meaning. "Shut up, Tavi."
"Charming. So, are you actually going to put any thought into making this track, or are you just going to churn out something generic and hand it to her? I doubt she would notice the difference... EDM," she chuckled, "Honestly."
"Well, sorry Rainbow Dash doesn't know everything about electronic music, Tavi, not many ponies do!"
"Oh, so now you are defending her, are you? The way she made it sound, you decided to give her a lecture the second she said something you disliked. What changed your tune then, Vinyl?"
"Well, uhh..." Vinyl scrambled for the first excuse that came to mind, "Well, I realised what a bitch I was being! Plain and simple, just like that!"
"What a complete load of bollocks!" Octavia laughed, nudging her, "You are most definitely sweet on her, Vinyl, admit it."
"Yeah, whatever, you're just pissed that I ain't sweet on you."
This drew a hearty laugh from Octavia, whose eyes had teared up when she looked at Vinyl again. "Me? I have seen the way you live, Vinyl Scratch, and it is scarcely attractive."
"Oh, so it is a little attractive?" Vinyl smirked.
"Maybe you should ask your new friend, right after you have finished explaining how many 'boo-wops' and 'wabababs' there are going to be in her song?"
Vinyl shuddered at that. "Don't. She actually used the words 'wub' and 'woosh' to describe my music earlier."
"And you managed to restrain yourself?"
"Only just. It stung quite a bit, honestly."
"My, Vinyl, you have got yourself a keeper here."
"Oh, shut up," Vinyl snarled, painfully aware of how much Octavia was loving this, "I'm just doing her a favour, she asked me, and I said yes. You don't refuse the Element of Loyalty when she asks you for something, do you?"
"Heh, loyalty. Sounds like a step up from your last marefriend," Octavia quipped, "So I assume that means you will not refuse the Element of Loyalty when she takes you out for drinks to thank you for your kind service?"
"Oh, come on, she wouldn't do that, there's no way she's into me. She just likes the music."
"Hmm, I bet I could set you two up," Octavia smiled, a glint in her eye. "Give me a few minutes alone with her when she comes over, I will try my utmost to wingman you."
"...You'd do that?" Vinyl smiled.
"Of course. I will always do what is best for you."
Vinyl's annoyance was forgotten; she felt loved and a little excited. "Awh, Tavi... That's really nice of you, thanks."
"What can I say? I think you deserve it."
The pair walked in silence for a minute or so, until Vinyl stopped dead, confusion painted across her face. "Hold on... How did you go and get me excited for this?!"
"Because," Octavia winked, "you were only pretending that you did not want it in the first place."
"But I—" Vinyl realised that whatever was about to come out of her mouth was probably a lie. "Whatever. Let's go and make some sick EDM, Tavi."
Octavia's fake laughter was almost as annoying as her shopping habits. Still, Vinyl was happy to have it around.