//------------------------------// // Detox // Story: Addiction // by FlashFoward //------------------------------// You’re eyes flicker open rapidly as you felt pain running through your legs again. By a force of habit you turn over and stretch out your hoof for your pills. The only thing you felt was just air. It took you a few moments to realize you weren’t in the comforts of your house. Seemed like you were in a hotel room, seeing how fancy and small it was. You start rolling off the other side of the bed and bump into something, Vinyl to be exact. She was fast asleep and you were terrified you had just awakened her. After realizing she wouldn’t move, you wondered vaguely how you ended up in this room, sleeping next to Vinyl nonetheless. You remember getting hit over the head with a chair and Ace doing something stupid. One thing that stuck out the must when you tried to relay last night’s events was staring into a pair of crimson eyes. You gaze at Vinyl’s face for a moment, lost in deep thought. She had saved you from the club, but why? You nervously rub your hoof over her mane, which was softer then you would have expected. Vinyl’s eyes snapped open and she looked at you touching her mane. “I’m sorry.” You immediately cease stroking Vinyl’s hair and smile sheepishly at her. “It’s fine.” Vinyl replied, blushing more than ever. Vinyl rolled off the bed and quickly trotted off to the shower. She looked a little disappointed when you stopped stroking her mane. Maybe you were just imagining it? The sound of the shower head being turned on catches your attention. A mist of steam could be seen coming from across the room. Vinyl must have left the door to the bathroom open. Curiosity and anxiety eats away at your mind. What would happen if you even got near the door? Before you knew it, you were standing right next to the bathroom door. You could hear Vinyl humming to herself slightly. “Mind grabbing me a towel?” Your brain pretty much jammed at the request. There was a neat pile of towels…on the sink inside the bathroom. There was no way getting around it, you had to go in now. You push the door open slightly and enter the bathroom. The shower had glass panels, fogged up, and there was a faint outline of a mare. You grab a towel from the neat towel and eye the glass panel nervously. “Found the towel yet?” Vinyl asked impatiently. “That I did.” You mutter. The glass panel opened slightly and Vinyl held her hoof out. All the muscles in your body went extremely tense as you slowly handed her the towel. To your surprise, just as you gave her the towel, Vinyl grabbed your hoof instead and pulled you in closer. Your vision wasn’t all that great; the abundance of steam was no help. “Gotcha.” Vinyl whispered in your ear before kissing you. Your mind went completely blank for a while. Her tender lips were just so soft, like silk. The pain in your legs instantly died off and so did the pain in your heart. Excitement and happiness was coursing through you, pushing the bitter feeling of pain away. By the time Vinyl had parted from the kiss you were still in your own little world. Vinyl let out a nervous giggle at the sight of your face. “Maybe that was too sudden.” Vinyl muttered. You responded by giving her a kiss. “I don’t know about you but I thought it was perfect.” After the events in the shower, you and Vinyl decided to take a walk around Manehattan a bit. Vinyl walked right by your side. There was something about her smile and spunky attitude that was just infectious. “So, what happened after I passed out?” You finally ask. “I can’t say for sure. You were so hurt and I was scared that things might get worse. So I got one of Gold’s bouncers to carry you out and into the local hospital.” Vinyl explained. “Oh well. Anyway, I really have to thank you for saving my flank Vinyl.” You reply, nuzzling Vinyl on the cheek. “I got a good idea on how you can repay me.” Vinyl gives you a coy smile, which you happily return. “Lucky for you, I have to do another gig at Erotica again later tonight. Maybe you could ask Gold a little more details about what happen last night?” “I guess so.” You mutter, getting lost in Vinyl’s crimson eyes again. “I’ll see you back at Erotica okay?” Vinyl gave you a fleeting hug before trotting back to her hotel room. The warm fuzzy feeling that you felt started to dissipate. Pain started to flood through your body again. Your heart didn’t feel so heavy and constricted this time though. Having no reason to wander around the streets, you head back home. Issue was, Ace was the one leading you to Erotica and you kind of dazed off on the trip. Just as you walk by a jewelry store, a red mane grabs your attention. You instantly run back to the mirror and notice it was Red standing over a case, examining some necklaces. Pure luck you found her out here! Red is bound to know how to get you back home. You trot in the store and Red realizes your presence. “Why are you doing way out here?” Red demanded. “Ace got in some trouble.” You reply, settling on at least half the truth. “Idiot he is.” Red shook her head and sighed heavily. “When will he grow up?” “Ace, grow up? Those words should never be in the same sentence.” You laugh at the thought of Ace becoming a competent adult. “Oh come on, we need to have some faith in him.” Red might be protecting Ace but she can’t help giggle either. “You’re probably one of the few ponies who can make him grow up.” You point out. Red stopped laughing and started to look slightly uncomfortable. That’s Red for you, always caring about others. Shame she is in a relationship with one of the stallions back at the hospital. You knew all too well that Ace was more than able to win over Red. The only thing holding him back is that he refused to grow up and be a little more serious. Wanting to keep Red on her good side, you quickly change the conversation. “Red, mind helping me get back to my house? Ace walked me over here and I’m pretty zoned out on the walk here.” “Sheesh, you’re just as bad as Ace sometimes.” Red teased. Nonetheless, Red agreed and she left to store. You were about to catch up with her but one of the necklaces caught your attention. “Is that for sale?” “What took you so long?” Red demanded. She noticed you had a bag clenched in between your teeth. “What’s in the bag?” “What bag?” You try to play stupid. If Ace can pull the stupid act off sure you can. “Please, don’t play dumb. Tell me what’s in the bag or I won’t show you the way home.” Red threatened. “You wouldn’t.” You whisper in disbelief. “But I would.” Red replied happily. “Fine it’ a necklace for somepony.” You mutter. “You have a marefriend? What madness is this?” Red looked at you in disbelief. “What? You say to have faith in Ace, yet I get nothing?” You joke. “I must say, you’re really lucky you know? Don’t let her go.” Red trotted a little further ahead, leaving your mind trying to process what she said. “We finally made it!” Red exclaimed. Sure enough, your house was growing ever closer. Good thing Red was your guide or making it home was going to be near impossible. It was near the afternoon now so you could at least have some time to relax before heading out to Erotica again. You remove the key from under the mat and unlock the door. “I notice you haven’t been limping around that bad while we walked here.” You turn around and notice Red stared at your legs with a faint smile. “Yeah, I guess I’m recovering.” You mumble. “Well, see ya around.” Red waved good bye before trotting off down the street. She was right; the pain was tolerable these days. You trot over to the kitchen and notice that you had left all the scraps of torn paper on the dinner table. After cleaning up the mess, you walk upstairs and flop on your bed. You leave the bag with the necklace on the night stand. The bottle of pain killers were sitting on the night stand as well. You fidget slightly at the sight of them. Fighting of the impulse to take a few, you rise up and start the walk down stairs. A surge of pain shoots down your legs and heart more aggressively then you ever experienced. It didn’t just hurt; the pain felt like it was burning your body. You fumble with the bottle a little but manage to have a pill slip out. It landed near the bag and you nearly knock the bag away for the bill. Just as you were going to pop the pill in your mouth, you notice the bag had fallen on the floor and the necklace slipped out of it. You disregard the pill and pick the necklace off the ground. The sight of the necklace gave you a little confidence and reminded you a little of Vinyl’s eyes. You could feel the pain in your body subsiding a bit, which was a relief. It felt like hours as you stared at the necklace. Slowly, you place the necklace back in its bag and walk back down stairs. The pain killers were left on the floor near your bed and you had no intention to run back for it.