Chapter 4
Vinyl walked outside, sitting down on the front steps of her house as she waited for Macintosh. She hugged the arms of her light sweater to her chest with goosebumps rising to her skin. Apparently, winter had come late to Ponyville. Normally, the town would be covered in snow by now, and she would’ve had winter clothing ready in a normal year. Having not unpacked any of her winter gear, she was not prepared for such a brutal cold. A chilling gust drifted by; tossing and tumbling the amber leaves that lay scattered on the street and making the days quite brisk. They crunched under the weight of people passing by; Vinyl thought it had a nice ring to it, like something she could use after a heavy drops. Spotting Cheerilee down the street, she broke out of her daydreaming and waved her over.
“Hey Vinyl! What’s up?” her cheery friend said, crossing the street to sit next to Vinyl on her front steps.
“Nothin‘ much, waiting for Macintosh.”
Cheerilee giggled. “Uh-huh.”
Vinyl wore a poorly disguised mask of confusion, hoping to avoid the question Cheerilee would undoubtedly bring up. “What?”
“Oh, nothing” Cheerilee giggled again.
Vinyl sighed. It was something she’d been doing a lot recently. “I know what you’re insinuating, Cheerilee. And I don’t like it.”
“I’m not insinuating anything” Cheerilee said innocently.
“Me and Mac aren’t like that.”
“Suuure.”
“We’re just friends...” Vinyl moaned.
Cheerilee laughed. “Yeah, and I assume you spend all your free time at Sweet Apple Acres ‘cause of the food?”
“Hey, their food kicks ass!” Vinyl said defensively.
“That it does. Still doesn’t explain why you spend every waking moment over there.”
Vinyl sighed yet again, her face reddening lightly. “It’s pretty transparent, isn’t it?”
“Yup.”
Vinyl looked down at her feet. She spent almost every free day around Mac, or at Sweet Apple Acres, or doing something related to her friendship with Mac. Though, friendship seemed like the wrong word. The two just...clicked. Even though they grew up in very different circumstances, they had a lot in common. They both loved music, both were down-to-earth, willing to get their hands dirty, and unfortunately, they both knew first-hand the pain of losing family. Although they didn’t talk much about their last commonality, Vinyl and Mac had an unspoken and understood bond because of it.
Vinyl had tried to look past her deeper feelings and call it friendship, but that didn’t stop her gut from churning every time she saw Macintosh. He was her first male friend in a long time; Mac stood up for her, he spent time with her, and he was always genuine with her. Vinyl wasn’t very popular in Canterlot, and she learned that nearly everyone there was as two-faced as a standard equestrian bit. Macintosh was never like that, and she seriously doubted he even could pretend be that way. The fact that he was very attractive was just icing on the cake.
Vinyl knew how cheesy the whole thing sounded. It was like a really bad summer movie, but she had to face the music, own up to her feelings. She was crushing hard, and Vinyl knew the feeling wasn’t gonna leave anytime soon.
“So what do ya think I should do about it?”
“Hmm...” Cheerilee took the thinking-man pose, propping her elbows on her knees. “That’s a tough one. Flitter’s kinda in your way.”
“Flitter’s a bitch” Vinyl muttered.
“Vinyl! That’s not very nice...” Cheerilee reprimanded her. “Even if it’s true.” The two smirked, eventually breaking out in light laughter. It made Vinyl feel slightly better, even though her situation hadn't changed. “So, what are you two doing today?”
“Um...” Vinyl scratched her head. “I dunno, really. Just gonna chill until tomorrow.”
“Oh right!” Cheerilee chirped. “The Manetreal trip is tomorrow. Did you get tickets?”
Vinyl smiled. “Yeah, sounded fun. And I’m all for a trip to a big city.” Around the corner of the street, Vinyl heard the tell-tale rumble on a motorcycle making it’s approach.
“Well” Cheerilee smiled, standing up. “I’ll just leave you two alone.” Vinyl pouted and stuck her tongue out at Cheerilee, making her giggle. “See ya tomorrow, Vinyl.”
The long tour bus pulled into the back parking lot of Ponyville High School. It was early. Very, very early. Vinyl would say too early. She stood with her face to the wind, wearing a medium length leather coat and dark blue jeans. She had her trademark purple-tinted glasses on, along with a pair of headphones around her neck. The 3 A.M. breeze was quite chilly, and inescapable at the moment. Mac stood to her right, his arms wrapped firmly around Flitter.
“Damn cold tonight” commented Mac.
“Y-Yeah” Vinyl shivered. She shuffled behind Mac, allowing him to take the brunt of the gust. He was wearing a brown wool coat and a pair of blue jeans, with tan boots and his usual red collared shirt. Cheerilee joined the group just as the bus stopped in front of them, opening it’s doors welcomingly.
Their chaperone, Roadmap, an Equestrian History teacher, stood in front of the gathered group with a clipboard. He ushered them aboard, filling the bus quickly. The seats ran three by three on the right side and two on the other. They were large and soft, perfect for the sleep Vinyl desperately wanted.
“Okay everyone” spoke Roadmap. “As you know, we’ll be spending two nights in Manetreal over the weekend; Tonight and tomorrow. So, we’re gonna drive through the morning and should arrive around 10 A.M.” He took a seat at the front. “You’re free to sleep on the bus, but remember: Day one is a group tour, so make sure to wake up when we get there.”
Vinyl sat in the very back, taking the left window seat. Mac shuffled in next to her, and Flitter on the isle seat. Mac knew enough to not put Flitter and Vinyl together; the tension between the two normally was palpable, and it had only escalated of late. Usually, he tried to ignore it. Given the circumstances, that wasn’t really a choice.
The bus abruptly jerked forward, signaling the beginning of their journey. “Okay, everyone,” called Roadmap over the sleep-depraved yet somehow rambunctious students, “Next stop, Manetreal!”
Many long hours later...
Vinyl stared at the ceiling, her glasses resting on the bridge of her nose. Almost everyone else on board was asleep, so Vinyl decided to let her real eyes breath a bit. The bus had little to no lighting on it, so she didn’t have to worry about sensitivity. Her glasses really did help; most lights were too bright to not cause a little pain. When she first realized she wanted to DJ, Vinyl worried about the stage lights that normally accompanied nightclubs. Lifting them off her face, she looked into the purple lenses, recalling the night she got the little life-savers.
It had been another night of performing for Vinyl, though it was in front of the mirror in her room. She eventually sat down, sighing and hugging her knees on her bed. Vinyl knew she would never be a famous musician. How could she? She couldn’t go on stage without blinding herself.
Hearing a knock on her door, Vinyl allowed the intruder in with a grunt. A tall, pale man walked in. He wore an ash gray coat jacket and slacks, with a maroon collared shirt and a set of dark black shades. “Hey there, my little DJ.”
“Hi dad” Scratch chuckled sorrowfully. She didn’t mind her dad’s pet names, even if she was too old for them.
“What’s got ya all doomy gloomy, huh?”
“...Nothin’.”
“Thinkin‘ about lights again?” Vinyl just nodded in agreement. “Ya know, you’re the only girl I’ve ever met that worries more about electricity than boys” Vinyl’s father laughed. “I got ya something.” Vinyl turned around to see her dad holding... something... behind his back. “Close your eyes” he told her.
Vinyl shut her eyes, willing to play along after her little bout of wallowing. She didn’t like to focus on depressing thoughts for long. Vinyl knew it wouldn’t do her any good, something her dad taught her a long time ago. She felt two plastic tong-like things slide over her ears. Even with her eyes closed, her could see a faint light pointed directly at her.
“Dad, turn off the flashlight.”
“Open your eyes first.”
Vinyl complied, finding her vision no longer pained by the bright rays in her face. Her surroundings took on a purple hue as she swiveled to look in the mirror. Her father had placed a set of round, two-tinted glasses on her, and Vinyl had to admit....
...She looked good.
Vinyl grew a sad smile from the old memory. Vinyl loved her mom very much and they had grown much closer over the months since her dad passed. But she had a special bond with her dad, and she missed that kind of connection.
Vinyl looked over at Mac. He had passed out a few minutes after the bus started, sitting straight up, somehow. Macintosh had his small, ever-present smile on his lips, his head titled towards Flitter slightly. Vinyl leaned back into her seat and pulled her headphones over her ears. Deep bass rocketing into her earholes, silencing anything and everything else, including her thoughts. She slid her glasses up, and let the sounds lull her to sleep.
A rather deep pot-hole jostled Vinyl Scratch awake. She smacked her lips, trying get the taste of morning breath out of her mouth. Finding an obstruction, she opened her eyes to see herself chewing on Mac’s hair. Somewhere along the way, the contents of their bus must’ve shifted. Flitter was contorted with her back halfway down her seat; not that Vinyl cared, and Mac had his legs sprawled out across the floor. His head was placed close to the center of Vinyl’s chest, and his hands found their way around her waist.
What the hell is he doing!? Vinyl’s cheeks reddened as she squirmed slightly under him. She looked around, noticing that nearly everyone else was still asleep. She thought about moving him, but as she went to do so, something held her back. He looks so peaceful, just lying there. That little smile... She grinned to herself, settling into her seat. Mac shifted a little, nuzzling her upper chest and resting his head in the crook of her neck. Vinyl felt the heat from his breath dance across her skin, sending a shiver through her spine. Vinyl blush deepened, but no one was awake to see it, so she didn’t mind so much. She snuck her arm around Mac’s chest ever so gently and pulled him closer. The bus was a little cold for her taste, but now she had a Macintosh-shaped blanket to keep her warm.
The bus rolled on, and eventually the sun began to rise. Slowly but surely passengers began to wake, which put Vinyl in a pickle. She was trying to put Mac back in his seat, but the man was seriously heavy. Vinyl grunted, the herculean effort wearing her her arms and shoulders. She eventually heaved Mac back into position.
“Geez!” Vinyl huffed. “Hold back on the burritos buddy...”
“Wha...” Mac smacked his lips together and blinked the sleepiness out of his eyes. He stretched his arms up above his head, bellowing a loud yawn that nearly sounded like a growl. “Hey” he said to Vinyl. “Sleep well?”
“Heh, yeah” Vinyl said looking away. How long were we like that?, she wondered. “Look, the sunrise is comin’ up” she pointed out to her right, quickly changing the subject. The two watched as the tip of the star crested just above the tree line outside. By now, the sky had developed a yellow-pink hue that was stroking across the clouds. They watched the sun envelop more of the sky until the bus slowed to a stop.
“Okay, everyone! Time to get up!” Roadmap strolled down the isle, making sure every student was up and ready to go. Slowly, the group left the bus and stood outside, in front of a small park. A large fountain stood in the center; a three level construction with little angels dotted around the base. The fountain was surrounded by benches, and a few vendors were placed around the foyer.
“Okay class, that building to your back is our hotel.” Roadmap turned everyone around to look. The hotel in question was a tall, old building with small gargoyles crouched at the roof. It was made of yellow brick. It was similar of a lot of buildings Vinyl remembered from Canterlot; tall, ominous and unwelcoming were just some of the words brought to her mind.
“Just keep in mind that tomorrow is your day on your own, so remember where we are and what it looks like." Roadmap cleared his throat. "With that taken care off, let’s head off and discover this city!” The cavalier attitude of their chaperone was not equaled by the group, most having just woke up. The group followed in twos, with Cheerilee and Vinyl in the back. She felt a cool breeze drift by her, no doubt caused by the large skyscrapers around her.
“Hey Cheers, you excited?” she asked.
“Oh yeah! I just hope the day isn’t too exhausting. There’s so much in this city, I don’t know how we’ll see it all.”
“Yeah,“ Vinyl chuckled. “Let’s hope it’s not too tiring.”
Oh god, my everything!, Vinyl thought as she flopped into her bed. The travel bus had deposited their bags at the hotel. Unfortunately for her, there was a mix-up, and she was given a much smaller room than everyone else. At least she didn’t have to share it with anyone. The first day of the trip was incredibly exhausting; they had must've seen almost every landmark and notable building in Manetreal, and then had to walk back the entire way, taking a detour every once in a while. The city didn’t have a complex subway system like Canterlot, so by the time they made it to their hotel, no one wanted to do anything but sleep. Vinyl was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. That night, she had a dreamless sleep.
Vinyl woke up with a start the next morning, quickly looking around to get her bearings. Remembering where she was, she slumped out of bed and walked to the shower. It was an average bathroom; a sink, shower, and toilet that looked cleaner than most hotels. Vinyl climbed into the shower after removing her clothes, turned the faucet to a high temperature, and rested her head against the white tile. The warm-getting-hotter water poured over her back, causing Vinyl to release a happy sigh.
She hopped out of the shower, quickly drying off and jumping into a change of clothes. Checking the clock, she realized it was only a few minutes past nine. Probably still time to get breakfast. She grabbed her black fleece coat, along with a maroon scarf and left her room. Vinyl walked down the hall to Cheerilee’s room. She knocked on the door, waiting against the wall opposite it. Cheerilee slowly opened the door, a tired look in her eye. “Heyyyy...” Cheerilee said quietly.
“Still sleepy, huh?” asked Vinyl. Her friend nodded, using her hand to stifle a yawn. “Okay, Imma grab a table downstairs. Meet ya down there?” Again, Cheerilee nodded her answer. Cheerilee closed the door as Vinyl walked down the hall to the elevator. Vinyl pressed the button next to a large “1”, waiting for the doors to close. The elevator worked quickly, and she found herself on the ground floor. To her right was a marble staircase that presumably led to meeting rooms, or some other type of business affair. The receptionist’s desk stood in front of her, a blonde-haired woman in a green vest sat there, idly tapping her fingers on the glass counter.
Vinyl veered left, stepping down another marble staircase into a large, open show hall. A short red carpet lined the floor, trimmed with a yellow hemmed edge. Golden curtains hung at the sides of long windows. The room had tables of various sizes and lengths, some built for large groups, some for couples. Vinyl sat at a round, four person table, avoiding the larger ones since she wasn’t sure who was coming down this morning.
“Pfff” Vinyl played with her bangs, blowing it out of the way with her lower lip. She looked around, noticing a buffet table just waiting to be used. She stood up and got in line, grabbing a warm and freshly-cleaned plate. She skipped right past the salad bar, arriving at a station manned by a short chef. He wore a white apron and shirt, with a tall white hat. He stood in front of a long table, assorted with different breakfast pastries. He pulled open two iron presses, revealing a fresh set of belgium waffles.
Vinyl held out her plate, greedily eyeing the still steaming waffles in front of her. She adorned the pastry with whipped cream and strawberries, among a few other toppings. She went back to her seat and bit into the large waffle. She swooned, the sweetness of the whipped cream mixing the tartness of strawberries and the crunchy golden waffle made for a wonderful breakfast. Vinyl spotted Cheerilee, Macintosh and Caramel come around the corner.
“Ovfr Hpfm” Vinyl said through a full mouth. Cheerilee giggled as the group joined Vinyl.
“Didn’t quite catch that.”
“I said, over here!” Vinyl smiled. “Go get some food, it’s great.”
“Looks like it” chuckled Mac, following Cheerilee as the two got in line. Vinyl’s eyes wandered around the room, eventually landing on Mac’s backside as he walked away. He wasn’t wearing anything that tight, but Vinyl was still getting a bit of a show. Damn, she thought, a bit of heat rising to her cheeks.
“Enjoying the show?” quipped Caramel, sitting back in chair.
Vinyl’s eyes shrank behind her glasses, but her panicked expression was still easy to see. “W-What” Vinyl sputtered, “Yes, I mean no!...No, wait-!”
“Quit trying to hide it, Vinyl. I can read you easier than a Hardy boys novel” Caramel smiled. “It’s pretty obvious what you want.”
Vinyl sighed. Am I really that easy to figure out? “How long?”
“I knew since our first lunch together. You didn’t do a very good job of hiding it, ya’know.”
“Well... shit” grumbled Vinyl, laying her head on her arms, which were on the table.
“What’s the prob, Scratchy?” Caramel said with a touch of general concern, on top of the amusement he was getting out of her.
“Isn’t it obvious, or has your ability to read minds suddenly worn out? There’s a certain cheerleader that’s kinda in my way.”
Caramel hummed to himself, thinking. “Ya, that is a problem. Seeing as Macky hasn’t show any signs of wanting to leave that bitch...”
“Finally!” cheered Vinyl. “Someone other than me and Cheerilee have some sense.”
“Yeah, but don’t mention it to Macintosh.”
Vinyl rubbed her temples, sighing again. “I know, he just... he actually seems pretty happy, and I don’t wanna get in the way.”
Caramel grinned warmly at Vinyl. “And that let’s me know that you really should be with him.” Vinyl pulled her head up, smiling back at Caramel. “Look” said Mac’s cousin. “All I can tell you is that, well, if it’s meant to be, it’ll happen. Just keep doing whatever you’re doing, cause to tell you the truth...” Caramel motioned for Vinyl to come closer, putting his mouth up to her ear. “I think he might feel the same way.”
“Really?” Vinyl’s face lit up like a Hearth’s Warming tree. “How can you tell?!”
“Well, Mac’s a hell of a lot harder to read than you, but... there are subtle things. A few stolen glances, the way he talks about you. I can’t be sure, but...”
“But...?” Vinyl leaned forward, clinging on Caramel’s every word.
“But as I said before, and will say again, no one, least of all Macintosh, would be interested in you,” Vinyl heard from behind her. She recoiled at the sound of it, knowing exactly who is was behind her.
“Good morning, Flitter” Vinyl spat.
“Every morning’s a good morning, when you get to wake up next to that.” Flitter grinned, nodding towards the large farmer in line. Vinyl grumbled something inaudible, and Flitter pulled a chair up to their table. “...Not that you would know.”
“Can we have at least one meal where you two aren’t at each other’s throats?” Caramel asked, annoyed.
Vinyl leaned back in her chair, not quite scowling, but not smiling either. No, not today, Vinyl thought. She’s not gonna get to me today she decided. “Whatever” Vinyl huffed.
Cheerilee and Mac returned to the table, setting down their plates. Cheerilee took the seat next to Vinyl, Macintosh took the one next to his girlfriend, lightly pecking her on the cheek. For a moment the group ate silently, allowing the morning to seep in.
“So, what’re we doin’ today?” Vinyl asked, breaking the silence.
“Shopping, of course” replied Flitter. Vinyl gave Mac a quick glance, and he shook his head no. “Anyone else?” Cheerilee wore a plain expression, but Caramel looked at least bit interested.
“Not a bad idea” he quipped, “but don’t you know how expensive stuff is here?”
Flitter huffed. “Then what are we supposed to do?” She looked to Mac with a hopeful gaze, but he had been looking at Vinyl.
“Ah have an idea.”
“So, whadda ya think?” Mac failed to hold back a smile as he stood in front of the large ice rink. “Ah used ta do this all the time as a kid. We got a lake somewhere in the right orchard, an’ mah pappy used to take me skating” He reminisced, beaming at the thought.
“...I dunno, Mac” Vinyl said nervously. “I’ve...I’ve never done this before.”
“Aw c’mon! It’ll be fun.” Macintosh grinned, nearly bouncing on his feet as Vinyl considered the activity. Mac had spotted the ice rink while they passed it the day before, and ever since, he had wanted to skate on it. It was a full size rink in the center of a two-story concrete pavilion outside of a large office building. The rink was crowded the day before, but today it was relatively empty. Cheerilee and Caramel were already skating slowly near the edge, chatting with each other, and Flitter was doing a great job drawing attention to herself.
“Macky, let’s go!” she whined, skating circles around everyone else. She flew by with grace of a swan, and shot Vinyl the smirk of a demon. She continued along the edge, twisting around so easily she looked like she was dancing on the ice. Vinyl grimaced.
“I’ll get some skates, just... give me a minute.” Vinyl grumbled over to a booth by the side of the rink. A portly man stood behind the counter of it, his bulbous face and nose red from the cold. He smiled as he spotted Vinyl walking towards him.
“Hello ‘zer, mizz? Can I interest you in ze pair of skates, perhaps?” he said in a thick Manetreal accent.
“Yeah” Vinyl said, determined to not let Flitter show her up. She picked out her skates and tried them on. They were a little tight, but overall fine and in working order. She wobbled over to the entrance; metal against stone was hard enough to walk on, let alone how skinny those skates were.
“C’mon now, just ease yer way out.” Mac spoke slowly, his voice smooth as silk and confident. “There ya go! Now just straighten yer knees and ankles... Good!”
Sure, good. Vinyl’s hands gripped onto the sides of the wall, holding on for dear life. Her legs shook as she scooted along the wall, quickly checked behind her shoulder for Mac. He’d skated away from her, riding idly by with his gaze on nothing in particular. The speed of his glide pushed his long hair back, whipping and dancing behind him when he passed by Flitter. Vinyl watched Macintosh skate nonchalantly around the rink, entranced by how easy he made it look. She was so entranced, that she forgot she was also on ice. Slippery, wet, uneven ice.
Vinyl dragged the front of her left skate forward and caught it in a rut. Stumbling, Vinyl swung her arms wildly trying to grab hold of something, but to no avail. Her legs shot forward as her butt went straight down into the hard ice. “Ow..” Vinyl moaned, rubbing her backside to subdue the pain.
“You okay?” asked a warm, familiar voice from behind her. Vinyl looked up to see Mac looking down to her, a little grin on his lips. “Here” he said, his right hand outstretched.
Vinyl grabbed it, and Macintosh lifted her up. She gasped as Mac pulled, launching up a bit too fast. Crashing into Mac, her opposite hand reached out to brace for impact. Her face landed on the right side of Mac’s chest, her hand on his left. In the small time she was in close contact with him, she felt her stomach turn over, along with a not-so-steady heartbeat. She looked into Mac’s eyes, and he met hers with his own. A light blush graced her face, and Vinyl pushed herself off him, stammering.
“Um... Thanks” she said quietly.
“Yup!” Mac chuckled. “Ah’m gonna show ya how mah pappy taught me.” Mac skated in front of her and turned around. “Take mah hands” he told her.
“W-What?” Vinyl raised her eyebrow.
“Don’t be like that” he said, rolling his eyes. “Ya trust me, right?”
Vinyl smiled. “Yeah.”
“Then grab on.” Vinyl nodded, reaching out and holding his hands. Mac began to skate backwards, and Vinyl gripped harder. Mac pulled away from the side and drew Vinyl into the open ice. He continued to skate backwards, despite Vinyl’s shaking knees. She looked down at her feet, feeling herself start to lose balance again. “Hey now” he said, getting her attention. “Eyes on me.”
Vinyl listened, standing up a little taller to peer into his eyes. I can do this, she thought. The smirk on Mac’s face, the shimmer in his eyes, the way he led her gave Vinyl confidence. A small blush rose to her face as she watched Mac watch her. Macintosh couldn’t help but blush a bit too, realizing how intimate that little moment was. She slowly let go of Macintosh, pushing forward at an angle.
Vinyl sported a toothy grin. “Look! Mac!” she giggled. Vinyl realized she probably sounded like a four year old, but right now, she didn’t care. “Dude, I’m skating!” This is probably the most athletic thing you’ve ever done, her mind reminded her. Shut up, brain, Vinyl retorted, Let me enjoy this. She slid forward, amazed that she hadn’t fallen yet. She looked up from her feet, realization causing her eyes to widen in fear.
THE WALL! OH SHI...! Vinyl flailed her arms wildly, trying to turn, or slow down, or... do anything other than crash, really. None of that seemed to work as she slammed into the edge of the rink, nearly flipping over it in the process. She caught herself luckily, a concussion was certainly not part of the day’s plan. Settling back down on the ice, she rubbed her thighs that were now searing with aches.
“Ha ha!” gawked Flitter. “Watch out of those things called walls, Scratch! They tend to sneak up in ya!”
Vinyl growled, picking herself up. Time to touch gloves, she thought as a fight bell rang in her mind. She zeroed in her gaze on Flitter, her hands curled into little fists. But before she could enact her vengeance, Macintosh skated up next to her.
“Let’s try that again” he said with a worried frown on his face. “Ya’ll ain’t hurt, are ya?”
“Ugh... nope, just my pride” said Vinyl, rubbing her head embarrassedly. “Haven’t quite figured out turning, I guess. Or stopping, for that matter.”
“That is kinda important” giggled Macintosh. “C’mon, follow me.”
After an hour or so of skating, the group returned their skates and started to peruse the stores around them. None of the shops interested Vinyl, they were mostly clothing or jewelers’ stores. So of course, Flitter dragged them to nearly every one. At least she wasn’t literally being dragged into them, unlike Mac. Vinyl kept her distance, idly wandering from store to store. By the time they returned to their hotel, the sun was starting to dip below the horizon. As for late night plans, Caramel had been talking about some night club he’d discovered, and had roped the rest of the group to join him. Not that Vinyl needed any convincing.
This is gonna be so cool!, she thought. I haven’t been clubbing in forever! And I get to bring Mac with me. I wonder if he can dance? Vinyl changed into a pair of white jeans, keeping the same shirt and coat. She quickly checked herself over in the mirror, making sure nothing was too out of place. Entering the hall, she joined Cheerilee, Caramel, Mac and Flitter. Most had changed somewhat, Cheerilee had a rather neon-looking mini-skirt on, and Caramel wore a small v-neck tee under a black wool coat. Mac had changed into sneakers, but that was the only change. Vinyl hadn't cared to note what Flitter was wearing.
“Everyone ready?” asked Caramel happily.
“Looks so, ‘Mel” responded his cousin.
“Then let’s go, I heard this place it awesome.” He led the group into the elevator. The group was quiet, an anxious but happy calm washing over them. Caramel brought them to the lobby, and outside into the dark, star-filled night.