//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 // Story: Tomorrow is Always a New Day // by Wheller //------------------------------// Chapter 8 “I’m worried about Rainbow Dash.” Vinyl Scratch looked up from her task, to find Twilight looking over their friend, still unconscious. “I am too. Which is why we need to finish before nightfall, otherwise she’s going to freeze to death,” Vinyl said grimly. The Gryphons had left the three ponies largely unsupervised, originally they figured it for an act of stupidity, but on finding that the metal cage that they had been placed in was a magic dampener, they discovered that the Gryphons were much brighter than they appeared to be. A magic dampener couldn’t cancel out magic completely, but it could limit its uses to more every day, mundane things. Simple telekinesis functioned normally, it was the most basic kind of magic, and against their cage, the most useless. Which is why the two unicorns didn’t bother trying to escape, even if they did escape, where would they escape to? The Equestrian boarder was 50 kilometres from this camp, and there would be no way to outpace gryphons while trying to carry Rainbow Dash, though the more Vinyl thought about it, there would have been no way to outpace gryphons even if Rainbow Dash was awake, obviously, leaving her behind had never been an option, but the fact that even having her wouldn’t make a difference cemented their choice in place. Instead, they were using their combined force to bring as much snow as they possibly could into the cage. The unicorns focused on survival, something that they had barely done the night prior, they knew that if they were left out in the cold overnight, they would perish, Gilda had forced them to leave all of their equipment behind except for the cold weather clothes that they had been wearing. It wasn’t much, but it would have to do. They were building shelter, an igloo. It would still be cold tonight, but what made the cold so bad was the wind. It had been -20 degrees Celsius the night before, but the wind had made it feel closer to -50. Keep the wind of their backs, -20 was something they could handle. At least, that’s what Vinyl kept telling herself. She looked back over to Twilight; she could tell that the lavender unicorn was discouraged by their situation. Maybe she’d been counting on her to keep the mood light, as she had for several weeks past, but Vinyl felt that her usual antics, while amusing, were completely inappropriate. This was a matter of life or death. Now wasn’t the time to be cracking jokes. She tried to think of one anyway, and found herself unable to come up with anything. She wasn’t sure when she’d ever not been able to make a joke no matter the situation, but here it was. The funny thing about it was, Vinyl didn’t even need to be here. She didn’t have to come along with Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle. Hell, she’d just happened along them walking down a road in the middle of nowhere, complete coincidence. No. Vinyl shook those thoughts from her mind, they weren’t helping. Twilight and Rainbow Dash were her friends. She followed them here because she was their friend. Friends don’t let friends go it alone. Friends. Vinyl Scratch had never actually had friends. She’d known ponies that called her a friend, but these had never actually been real friends. These were ponies that hung around her for the parties and various illicit substances that Vinyl’s lifestyle was generally known for. Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash were real friends. Vinyl closed her eyes for a moment, though Twilight couldn’t see that her eyes were closed because of her goggles, making it look like the DJ Unicorn was staring off blankly into space, and she thought back to her old life. ... “We’re going to be late!” Okay, maybe Vinyl had lied a bit. They had never been close, but Octavia definitely had been a friend. “Just give me a moment! I’m almost ready,” Vinyl called out. “It doesn’t matter! You’re just going to get there, find somepony to go home with, and whatever you’re doing is going to get undone in five seconds!” Octavia called back. Vinyl missed Octavia; she was ever the realist, hooves on the ground, earth pony who was frankly, Vinyl Scratch’s equal and opposite. “I’m done!” Vinyl called out, she exited her flat’s washroom clad in a bright red club dress and her trademark goggles. “That dress would match your eyes if you’d ditch the stupid goggles!” Octavia called out with a smirk. “Don’t be hatin’ on my goggles now,” Vinyl said with a grin. “Celestia help me I will take that cello of yours and beat you over the head with it.” Octavia smirked, knowing full well her friend would never actually destroy her livelihood. Octavia being the first cello in the Manehattan City Orchestra, her cello was to her what a turntable was to Vinyl. This was part of the reason why they were friends, they were artists. They got each other. The two mares departed from Vinyl’s flat, making their way down the streets of Manehattan. “What do you know about Crash?” Octavia asked her. “What’s that?” Vinyl asked, knowing full well what she was talking about. Octavia deadpanned her. “Don’t give me that. I need you to promise me you’re going to stay away from that garbage.” “Yes mum!” Vinyl said, grinning at her. “Vinyl I mean it. You’ve already proven that you don’t have the greatest sense of self control in Equestria,” Octavia said. Understatement of the year award goes to Octavia for this one, Vinyl had remembered herself thinking. “The last thing I want is for you to go down that path.” “C’mon O, trust me! I’ll be fine,” Vinyl said with a grin. “Trust you? Always, trust the 30 crash dealers that are inevitably going to be here? Not a chance.” Vinyl had loved that about her. Octavia had been a good friend, she cared, and she looked out for her friends. Vinyl missed her; Octavia’s rant had been too late. Vinyl was already addicted to crash. What had taken her so long to get ready was the fact that she had been dusting up. Crash was a green powder substance that was commonly taken by inhaling it, usually through the nose. Vinyl had been introduced to it several weeks prior to this particular night. What wasn’t to like? When she was on crash, she felt amazing, though outwardly she didn’t act any different. She’d always been weird. Octavia didn’t need to know, she was just being overprotective. At least, that’s what Vinyl had thought at the time. The duo arrived at the club, try as she might, Vinyl wasn’t able to remember the name, but she did remember how she felt. Crash highs didn’t last long. Vinyl would need to excuse herself for another one soon. She was quick to down a couple hard apple ciders in order to have an excuse to use the washroom. This had proven to be a mistake, as she had not only needed her fix, her binge drinking had sent her right on the path to drunken debauchery. Oh how hard it was to dust up when you could barely see straight. Vinyl had excused herself, she’d also damned herself while she’d been at it. Octavia was a suspicious pony, always wanting to check on her to make sure she wasn’t doing anything wrong. Though now that Vinyl thought about it, she probably just wanted to make sure her friend wasn’t dying, cold and alone on the floor of a Manehattan club washroom. Naturally, Octavia had walked in just as Vinyl was attempting to dust up. “You know, I really shouldn’t be surprised, but here I am, surprised anyway,” Octavia said sadly. “You worry too much O. I got this!” Vinyl had said. She realised now that she had been trying to convince herself just as much as she had Octavia. “No you don’t, Vinyl. You’re an addict.” “I am NOT an addict! I... I can quit anytime I want,” Cheesy. Vinyl Scratch was suppose to be the witty one. Vinyl barely remembered the rest. What she did know was that she had kicked Octavia squarely in the jaw when she tried to take away her stash, she’d had to go to the hospital for that. She hadn’t seen Octavia since that night, the scuff up between the two had planted her in the hospital as well, (different one as to avoid altercations.) She’d been forced to detox from crash, she’d gotten off it. She hadn’t wanted to at the time, but now she knew that it had been for the best. Vinyl also fully acknowledged that her problem was far worse than what she’d remembered. Drugs tended to distort your view of reality. She missed Octavia. She missed her friend, she wanted to go back, find her, make amends, but she was scared, very scared that Octavia would forgive her. What Vinyl had done had been completely unacceptable. She needed to hold herself accountable for that. The last thing she ever wanted was to be forgiven.