//------------------------------//
// Reveal  
// Story: The Binding of Vinyl 
// by Lovecolt 
//------------------------------//

	I write this now with full knowledge that whoever finds this manuscript will find me quite mad. My fear of being labeled as insane has passed with the knowledge of my oncoming demise. For several long, desolate years, I have heard the accusations and insults toward my dear friend Vinyl. I have had to suffer through questionings and suspicious glares for longer than I care to remember. But that is nothing compared to the sicking knowledge I have carried with me.

Many of the ponies I know are slowly starting to fear and persecute unicorns. The High Council has been in turmoil for nearly a decade, with the House of Unicorns at the center of it. As of late, the members of their race seem to be seized with some sort of madness-madness that was brought to light with the death of my beloved Vinyl. Several horrid murders have occurred over the years, and the perpetrators of all of them have been unicorns. The killer always works alone, and have always died at the scene of their crimes. Many proclaim that this is due to some new hereditary disease.

It is the work of a disease, but they will never find a cure for it. They will never be able to prevent the deaths. For this is the work of one horrid, heartless entity. This parasite infects unicorns, and unicorns alone. But it does not take the minds of several helpless ponies. It only takes one. 

Vinyl was the one.


*******


This all began in our first year at Canterlot University. I shan't bore you with the details of my studies, for there were many of them. Vinyl took only one class, and that was a computer course. It was so she could better her already admirable dubstep music. She knew she didn't have to improve much. She was there because I was there.

We had been inseparable since the first day of school. We insisted on attending every class, every camp, and every program together. Wherever she went, I followed, and vise-versa. No one ever addressed us as single parties. It was always "Octavia and Vinyl" or simply "them". Our friendship was an unlikely one, but I could never find anypony better. She was with me when I was diagnosed with cancer, and she stayed with me until I overcame it. When some unworthy suitor had the audacity to break her heart, I was there to dry her tears and put the fear of Celestia in the despicable offender. We attended each others concerts faithfully, and once created a single piece together. We needed no one else. We were everything to each other, and we were content with that.

Of course, we had insisted that we be roommates, and we continued to pester management until they finally gave in. Our first six months were completely, happily normal. Vinyl would go out to one of her parties and come back intoxicated, and I had to make excuses for her every morning after while finding time to scold her. She'd mock me for being "uptight" and would try to force me onto stallions. It was life as normal. Messy, slightly stressful life, but still happy life.


*******


It was the seventh month when our reality was shattered.

I was in our dorm, frantically preparing for a major test that would occur at the end of the week. Vinyl had left for one of her parties. I didn't expect her to be back before four the next morning. One can only imagine my surprise when she came sauntering in through the door at ten, accompanied by another green-furred mare whom I'd never laid eyes on before.

"Tavi, this here's Whimsy. She just got booted out of her pad and needs a place to crash for the night. Think we can take her?" 

"Of course." I replied, quickly straightening my bow tie. I have never been one to turn my back on an unfortunate in need, and I wasn't going to start. I gave our guest a welcoming smile, but it quickly faded when I noticed her eyes.

I'm not quite sure how to describe them. They were a radiant emerald, which wasn't out of the ordinary in the slightest. What concerned me was what appeared to be a ring of light purple that I caught only a momentary glance of before it seemingly vanished. I would have shaken it off if it wasn't for something else that I saw, not in her eyes, but with the expression of her eyes.

For a few moments, what I could see could only be called absolute loathing. Her eyes carried with them the burning fire of wrath and distaste, anger and disgust. My heart paused for several moments, frozen by the coldness of those spiteful orbs. Only in my darkest nightmares have I seen eyes like that. I never would've imagined that they would enter my life, forever, as a agonizing memory. I should have said no. I should've throw the poor wretch out and locked the door, with Vinyl trapped inside with me and safety.

But that flash disappeared so quickly, and the hour was so late, that I nervously passed it off as a trick of the mind. The moment had passed, and now all I saw was a grateful young mare who looked completely exhausted.I quickly put on my smile again and dragged an extra cot out of our closet. Vinyl looked it over and nodded in approval before turning back to our guest. "Waddya think, Whimz? This good enough for you?"

"It'll do." Our guest responded. Her voice was so soft it was nearly inaudible, and I had to wonder how Vinyl had heard her over the usual racket of the club. She turned to me with a bright smile. "Thank you for letting me stay, Miss Octavia."

"Think nothing of it." I responeded. Whimsy suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Can I use..you know...?"

I quickly noticed that her eyes were darting over to our restroom. "Go right ahead, we won't mind." I assured her.

The moment she was out of earshot, Vinyl removed her trademark sunglasses, placed them on her nightstand, and flopped over into her bed. "I think you're gonna like her, Tavi. She's real nice." She stated.

I chuckled faintly. "I'm sure I will."

I will never be proven so wrong ever again.