//------------------------------//
// A visit, a phone call and a job offer 
// Story: GTVS: The Great Teacher Vinyl Scratch 
// by Mariacheat-Brony 
//------------------------------//

"I understand," a young woman with short hair of two shades of blue whispered to her cellphone. "No, don't apologize, Bonnie! It's ok. We both knew it was anything but a secured deal anyway." she sighed in defeat. "Thanks again for trying, Bonnie. It was more than what my agent has done so far." she halfheartedly chuckled. "I'll call you if it gets any better. Take care, ciao!" she hung up the phone and rested her head on the headrest of the couch she was lying on.

Vincenza Scratch was having what you could call a bad day. We could even say a bad week, or even a bad month. She had started her career as a DJ right after she went out of high school and had met a huge success in her beginnings, three years and a half ago.  But her career had been going downhill for the last couple of months.

She knew it was going to happen at some point, as the music business is extremely prone to change and artists who didn't adapt in time were quickly classified as outmodes. She just hadn't thought it would happen to her that early. She had seen the crowd becoming less dense at each of her recent sets. She had known she was at one of those moments when it was 'it makes or breaks'. Too bad for her, it broke.

She had tried to compose new songs, make new remixes, even to create a brand new genre of digital music. None of that worked. She couldn't get herself to compose anything worth the time she was putting in it. Her remixes turned out as failures to her ears and if she, the remixer, couldn't stand her work, how could the crowd like it? Her attempt at a new genre was met with failure as well, she couldn't find the thing that was missing. The little spark that could set the dance floors on fire.

The demands for her sets went all the way down to zero, two weeks ago. Since then, she tried to find another set, anything to put butter on her bread; small shady clubs, private parties, birthdays, she even contacted one of her friends to see if she could play background music in the restaurant her friend was working in. Said friend's boss rejected the proposition. That didn't really surprise her, but it still hurt. She had been one of the hottest DJ's of Manehatten and now she couldn't get a simple job as a background musician in a goddamned neighborhood restaurant.

"Fortunatamente I've saved up some money..." she muttered as she was rubbing her magenta eyes sleepily. "I can get around for a couple of weeks before I have to start selling stuff." 

Vincenza, or Vinyl as her friends called her, had always been rather lavish but, against all odds, when she felt the change coming, she started to party lesser and lesser than before to make sure to save up some money. She might have been very carefree about many things but bringing food to her stomach wasn't one of them. After all, her fridge was probably the only part of her apartment that was always in order. Her bar and her records collection being the only two other exceptions.

"I might have to move out soon..." Vinyl pondered out loud. "Might as well start packing a few things already, just in case."

The ringing of her doorbell pulled her out of her own train of thoughts. She lazily stood up and walked slowly to her front door to take a peek through the peephole. She groaned a little in annoyance and unlocked the door before opening it, revealing an older woman with a neck-long white bobbed hairstyle with red-purple shades, not too different from the ones Vinyl wore on stage, covering her eyes. She was wearing a black and white stripped shirt and a pair of slim black trousers.

"'Evening, Mom!" Vinyl said in a fake welcoming tone.

"Hello, Vincenza," her mother said matter-of-factly. "I wanted to know how it went with Bonnie's boss?" she asked as she walked inside the her daughter's living room and settled down on the couch.

"I'm fine, Mom! Thank you for asking. What about you? Glad to hear you're doing fine, Mom. Please, make yourself at home, Mom," Vinyl said sarcastically.

"How did it go?" Vinyl's mother asked, unfazed by her daughter's comments.

Vinyl glared at her mother for a couple of seconds before sighing in defeat.

"Bad!" Vinyl let out as she sat on a chair across her mother. "Her boss said he didn't need background music and that if he ever needs some, he'd engage a real musician and not a DJ," she explained with bitter resentment. "Bastardo!"

"Sorry to hear that, Sweetie," her mother said in a genuine apologetic tone. "No reason to be vulgar about it though." she chastised softly.

"Whatever." Vinyl waved off.

"Do you have another job offer?"

"....No." Vinyl sighed in defeat. "My agent doesn't answer my calls anymore.... Looks like the rats abandoned the ship already."

"What are you going to do, then?" Her mother asked with worry.

She remained silent for a couple of minutes. "I haven't got a clue, Ma'....I don't know what to do anymore," she whispered with a shaking voice. "I tried everything I could but nothing changed." Vinyl was on the brink of tears.

Vinyl's mother quickly rose from her spot on the couch and went to hug her daughter. Vinyl hugged her mother back with all her strength and started to sob loudly. Her mother rocked her gently until she finally calmed down.

"There, there," Vinyl's mother said softly while she was patting her back.

"I'm sorry to be like that, Mom," Vinyl said between her tears and sobs. "It's just... I've been under a lot of pressure and..."

"Don't be sorry, my dear!" her mother assured firmly. "We can't be strong all the time." she looked into her daughter's eyes. "Even a 'Badass' DJ like you is allowed to have her moments." she smiled fondly.

Vinyl sniffed and snorted a laugh at the same time. "Mom, don't ever say that again." she rubbed her tears away. "You're just ridiculous when you say it." Vinyl added with a chuckle before smiling at her mother.

"As long as my baby stops crying, I don't care to look ridiculous!" Vinyl's mother claimed.

"Moooom!" Vinyl whined loudly. "I'm not a baby anymore!"

"Sweetie," Her mother said with tenderness. "You can grow up, dye your hair in those flashy blue colors..." she pointed Vinyl's hair. "...get tattooed..." she pointed Vinyl's left shoulder and right hip. "...or pierced all you want!" she poked her daughter's belly button, earning a small wince from Vinyl as her piercing hurt a bit. "But you'll never stop being my baby!" she concluded by kissing her daughter's forehead.

"I'm fighting a lost battle on that matter, aren't I?" Vinyl asked with a sigh.

"Indeed, you are." her mother nodded playfully before turning more serious. "You know... I can always help you with your problems," she hesitantly suggested.

"Ma', mi fa piacere que tu dici questo, pero non mi interessa di prendere i soldi tuoi o di tornare a casa con te!" [Mom, I'm pleased you say that, but I'm not interested in taking your money or coming back home with you!] Vinyl said firmly, switching suddenly from English to Italian, like everytime she wanted to be assertive with her mother.

"Calma ti, cara." [Calm yourself, dear.] her mother said softly. "I'm not suggesting any of those things. I was..." she was interrupted by the ringing of her cellphone. "What now?" she muttered in anger before picking up the phone. "Ya! Photo Finish speaking!" she said loudly with a german accent. "Vas is that nonsense? I, Photo Finish, have said zhat I didn't want to be disturbed tonight!" she let her interlocutor talked for about two seconds. "Ya.... Sehr gut.... Ya! Gut news, indeed. You're nonetheless fired for having disturbed my evening with mein tochter! Guten Abend!" she said before hanging up the phone.

"You're not actually going to fire this guy, right?" Vinyl asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Not really." Photo Finish shrugged, her voice returning to classic English. "Anyway, back to what I was saying, I wasn't going to suggest that you come back with me or to lend you money," she explained. "Not that I would mind either of the two, but I know you won't accept that because of that stubborn pride you took from your father!" she casted a knowing glance at her daughter

"Got that right!" Vinyl said with pride. "Also, I can't really come back home with you, since 'Toity' changed my room in his personal gym the day I left," Vinyl said with a frown. "And I say gym to be polite!"

"Now, come on. You're exaggerating."

"Mom, I was still busy putting my clothes in boxes when he got his massage table settled in my room." Vinyl deadpanned her mother.

"Do you want to hear my suggestion or not?" Photo Finish asked abruptly, wanting to change the subject as she knew she couldn't win against her daughter in an argument about her second husband.

"I suppose I could always listen to it." Vinyl shrugged. "What is it about?"

"You've heard about Vito Philharmonica, right?" 

"Like everyone in the music industry, yes!" Vinyl said with a rekindled interest. "The man owns one of the biggest labels in Canterlot!"

"Well, he's an old friend of your father," Photo Finish explained. "I talked about your situation with him... Don't look at me like that!" she said when Vinyl frowned at her statement.

"You could have told me before talking to him about my problems," Vinyl muttered under her breath. "Go on."

"So, I talked to him about you and, a couple of days later, he called me back to tell me that he might have a proposition for you," Photo Finish explained with caution. "He didn't explain to me what it was precisely, but he affirmed that it was within your qualifications and that might be what you need right now."

"That's awfully vague," Vinyl said with suspicion. She saw her mother nodding her admission and sighed. "Anyway, a job offer from one of the biggest names in the business is worth the shot, even if said offer looks suspicious. How do I contact him?"

"I have his phone number," Photo Finish said, searching through her purse. "Here!" she extended a note to her daughter. "Try to call him at a reasonable hour. Not everyone sleeps during the day and lives during the night like you."

"Ma', non sono fessa!" [Mom, I'm not an idiot!] Vinyl groaned in annoyance. "I'll call him tomorrow in the afternoon."

"Good!" Photo Finish clapped her hands together. "Now, why don't we go out for dinner?"

"We can eat here, I'm not running out of food, Mom," Vinyl said. "Or, at least not yet..."

"I know! But, do I need a reason to go to a restaurant with my daughter?" Photo Finish asked playfully. "I did say to my employees that I would be spending my evening with you, didn't I? Or perhaps you didn't catch that because I was speaking with mein betonung?" She asked playfully.

"No, I got that much. Why do you speak with a german accent anyway?"

"Because it makes me look bossy and aggressive. Perfect for my business!" Photo Finish chuckled as she was waiting outside Vinyl's apartment. "Also, what language do you want me to speak? Italian? That's only for those I love the most."

"Didn't know 'Toity' could speak Italian," Vinyl casually said as she closed her front door after passing through it.

"Non ho mai detto ché parlo italiano con mio marito." [I've never said I speak Italian with my husband.] Photo Finish said with a soft smile.

Vinyl blinked for a couple of seconds before a shy smile crept up on her face. She walked toward her mother and gently hugged her. It wasn't a gesture that looked for comfort, nor to bribe. It was a simple and pure display of affection, something Vinyl had a lot of difficulties doing with her mother. Knowing well how rare such occasion was, Photo Finish didn't hesitate to hug her daughter back with strength.

"Ti voglio bene, Mamma," [I love you, Mommy,] Vinyl whispered with a soft voice.

"Ti vioglio bene anch'io, mia piccola DJ." [I love you too, my little DJ.] Photo Finish smiled fondly.





"Come on, Vinyl!" Vinyl said quietly as she was dialing the phone number her mother had given her the night before. "It's just a phone call. A phone call that might save your life, but still just a phone call," she whispered to herself as the phone started ringing.

"Residence Philharmonica, hello!" a crystal clear, young and feminine voice answered the phone.

"Hello, Vincenza Scratch speaking." Vinyl did her best to contain the stress away from her voice, luckily her interlocutor's beautiful voice had a very relaxing effect. 'Caspita! She has a nice voice...' Vinyl thought in surprise. "I'd been spoken about a job offer and given this number. Can I speak to Mr Philharmonica, please?" Vinyl asked politely.

"Would you be so kind to hold the line for a moment, Miss?" the woman asked back very politely. "So that I can bring the handset to him?"

"No problem! I got time," Vinyl casually said. 'A nice voice but way too strict and formal...' Vinyl pondered in her head. '..Probably a former singer who moved into secretarial work...or maybe it's Philharmonica's wife... Yeah, probably that... An old-fashioned singer married to a big shot in the music business. Definitely that!' 

"Father! There is someone on the phone for you." the woman's voice could be distantly heard on the phone. "A certain Ms Scratch."

'So much for your little theory, Vinyl!' Vinyl face-palmed. 'At least she couldn't hear me thinking... That would've been awkward.' 

She heard a door closing on the other side of the phone followed by a man clearing his throat.

"Hello, Vito Philharmonica speaking," Vito said in a cheerful voice that showed authority. "You must be Photo Finish's precious little DJ." he chuckled a bit while Vinyl rolled her eyes in an annoyed frown. "I'm glad you decided to call me."

"Thanks for passing on your phone number," Vinyl said. "Not to sound rude or anything, but what is job really about?"

"Straight to business, huh?" he didn't sound bothered at all, he even laughed a bit. "Just like your mother. Anyway, she told me about your down period. Pretty regrettable, I might say," he added with sincerity.

"That's the way the business works, I guess," Vinyl muttered sourly.

"Sadly, that's true," Vito agreed slowly. "Back to our main topic, you know that I own the Philharmonics Label, right?"

"Yes!"

"But do you know my other activity beside that one?" he asked.

"Huuuuh.... Not really," Vinyl admitted.

"I'm also a board member in Celestia's Royal Academy, one of the capital's best private schools."

"Well, that's nice and all," Vinyl said impatiently. "But, what does it got to do with me?"

"Well, at the end of the previous school year, the music teacher for our senior class retired," Vito explained. "I would like you to take his job."

"WHAT?" Vinyl shouted with incredulity.

"Wow...Easy on the volume!" Vito answered with an evident pain in the voice. "I know it's surprising, but I'd like to keep my hearing ability."

"Surprising?" Vinyl asked loudly, not paying attention to Vito's complains about the volume. "Surprising is for birthday parties when everyone jumps at the birthday boy when he walks in. What you're asking me isn't surprising, it's down right insane!"

"Now, now. Let's keep our heads cool," Vito said calmly. "Let me...."

"No, seriously! What could I possibly teach to your students?" Vinyl interrupted him.

"I was getting to that, if you'd stop interrupting me!" Vito snapped, startling Vinyl a bit.

"Sorry, I.."

"It's ok! Now, you were asking me what you could teach our students," Vito started with calm. "I'm not asking you to teach them how to play their instruments, although you're more than qualified to do so."

"You must be the first one I hear say that about a DJ," Vinyl commented slowly.

"Well, I was referring to your earlier experiences." Vito chuckled. "Like for example: the recital of the Summer Sun Celebration in Manehatten ten years ago."

"You've heard about that?" Vinyl asked in surprise.

"About that and many more, Ms Scratch," Vito said with triumph. "But, I digress. Did you know that after their senior year, nearly the totality of our music students starts a professional career?"

"No, I didn't know that," Vinyl said with an impressed tone. "That's a good thing, right?"

"It would be if they were succeeding afterwards," Vito said with a disappointed sigh. "Each year, talented musicians come out of our school, but very little of them actually become professional musicians."

"How come?"

"Simple, we teach them how to play and all, but we don't prepare them for the hardships that are hidden within the music industry," he said with sadness. "Many can't really cope with the stress and the load of work that implies being a professional musician and many more simply give up when they meet their first obstacle."

"What does it got to do with me?" Vinyl asked.

"You managed to make it," Vito stated matter-of-factly. "You dropped out of high-school, but you made it through and became famous in a matter of months."

"Mr Philharmonica, not that I want to burst your bubble, but I got lucky when I started," Vinyl said slowly. "It's not going to happen to all those kids. And even with luck, it wasn't easy at all!"

"That's precisely why I want you for the job!" Vito said firmly. "You can teach them about what trials they're about to face. You were their age when you faced the difficulties of the business, you had the determination to build your own future from .... well from 'scratch'!" He added with a chuckle.

"Oh, that's clever!" Vinyl couldn't help but to chuckle as well at the joke.

"You didn't have all the advantages our school offers. You didn't have contacts with labels, professional advice offered on a plate, the chance to use the best the technology has to offer,.... And YOU made it! "

"Well, if you don't count the last two months, I guess we could say that," Vinyl admitted slowly.

"I also think it would be the best thing for you too. You know, take a break from the scene, take inspiration from the younger generation...."

"Thank you, you just made me feel like I'm twenty years older now!" Vinyl laughed, soon joined by Vito, before pondering a bit about what he had said. "... A break might be nice," she admitted softly.

"I take it you're interested?"

"A little," Vinyl said slowly. "But, I don't know if it's going to be feasible for me. I don't have much savings to afford a rent in Canterlot, unless your school's going to pay me a lot."

"Yeah... About that," Vito said uneasily. "I've discussed your case with the headmaster, we came to the conclusion that the rest of the board probably won't accept you taking the job with a full salary."

"Not a real surprise, since I have no degrees whatsoever." Vinyl sighed.

"But, I might have the solution for that."

"How?"

"Well, I have a lot of empty rooms in my house."

"You'd let me stay at your house?" Vinyl asked in bewilderment.

"Your father was a very good friend of mine and so is your mother, it's the least I can do," Vito said. "That should save you the rent and the food."

"....I.. I...I don't know what to say to that," Vinyl stammered nervously, her voice cracking.

"A thank you maybe?" Vito suggested playfully.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Vinyl shouted happily. "I promise I'll find a way to repay you for all this!"

"I'll hold you to that promise!" He warned happily. "Well, I suggest you start packing your stuff then! The school year starts in a couple of weeks after all."

"I just need a couple of days to sort my things out," Vinyl said, a bit out of breath from her shouting.

"I'm going to call you back in a few days to communicate my address," Vito said happily. "Have a good day, Vincenza!"

"Good day to you as well and thank you again!" Vinyl said before hanging up.

Vinyl passed her hand through her hair with a dumbstruck expression that turned into a big smile. She bounced around her coffee table for a couple of minutes, shouting happily at the prospect of finally getting a job. Not one that she'd hoped, but if this school could get the students in contact with big labels and such, why not her? Assuming, she gets her spark back of course. 

Vinyl let herself fall lazily on the couch, staring at the ceiling as the fact she was going to be a teacher sinked in her mind. A teacher, that's what she's going to be in a couple of weeks. She hadn't thought about it at first, but the fact that people younger than she was -Not by much, but still- would look up to her for guidance and advice had a strange, warm feeling to it.

"DJ Pon-3, High-school teacher...." she whispered with a smile. "..No... The Great Teacher Vinyl Scratch!" she chuckled. "Who'd have thought that could have happened?...... Probabilmente un matto!" [Probably a crazy man!]