//------------------------------//
// Vaffanculo 
// Story: The Formative Years 
// by Lonepone 
//------------------------------//

"Vinyl?" Octavia wakes me up.

"What?!" I say grumpily.

"There's somepony at the door asking for you"

I pull myself out of bed, and walk to the door. I open it. 

"Party hard enough last night? You look like a mess" Hard Sound tells me.

"Wonderful. I'll add you to the list of ponies that think I look like a wreck. Waddya want?"

"Just wondering if you still want that set"

"Yeah, sure" I yawn.

"How late were you up last night? It's like 3 in the afternoon, yet you’re still tired?"

"She has a hangover" Octavia injected from the living room.

"FUCK OFF, OCTAVIA!" I shout at her.

Sound just laughs. "So, I'll have my friends get here in about an hour with all the equipment. Just tell them where you want it, and they'll set it up and everything." He changes the subject ,"How many beers did you have last night?"

"No beer. Cider. I had about 6 I think, and Sky had 3"

"Dayum. That's a lot, even for me. I'll be back in an hour."

"Alright" I shut the door, and walk into the kitchen. I look at Octavia, sitting there, reading a book.

"Are you going to stand there and stare at me, or are you going to be productive?" She asks, somehow knowing I was looking at her.

"How do you read so much? That's the third book this week, ain't it?"

"Isn't. Ain't is not a word."

"Ain't ain't a word and I ain't gonna use it." I can see her suppressing her anger at me.

"I can read this fast because, unlike you, I'm slightly intelligent."

"Hey, no fair! I are smart! Just not with words"

"Then with what?"

I stop and think. "Technology. Something you'll never be good at."

"Exactly. I do not require a fancy computer to make myself sound good. My cello takes skill and practice to master."

"Oh yeah? It takes skill to use my programs!"

"I highly doubt it. Have you ever touched an instrument in your life?"

"Yeah, in fact, I have. I used to play a bunch of stuff. Mainly the cello, in fact."

Octavia looks surprised at that, although I don't have long to enjoy the look before her face goes blank again. She puts the book down, and grabs her cello case, takes it out, and prepares it. She hands it to me, saying only one word, a command. "Play."

I pick up the cello and the bow in my magic, and try to remember all my old lessons. I hold down a few of the strings, and bring the bow back. And the cello rewards me with a shriek. I can't stand the smug look on her face. "It's been forever since I've played." I grab my laptop, pull up my main remixing program. It isn't made to make true songs, but anyone with a slight amount of skill can make the bare bones of a song using it.

I say one word, a command. "Play."

She looks at the screen for a while, and then pushes it back to me.

"See? Not so easy, is it, smart ass?"

"I admit, it is more formidable than I thought"

“Told you” I say. Someone knocks at the door. “Come in, doors unlocked!” I shout.

Three muscular stallions walk in, carrying a bunch of equipment.

“What the hell is this?” Octavia shouts, surprising me.

“Well, I didn’t know you were capable of saying swear words, Octavia”

“Oh, just shut up”

“Then go back to your book” She shuts up, and starts reading again. “There, peace and quiet” I say, earning a chuckle from the stallions.

“Where you want it miss?” asks the biggest one.

I look around the living room, and see an empty corner against the far wall. “Set it down there” I tell them. They get to work, and I leave them with Octavia. “Have fun, Octavia. Don’t fuck them all while I’m gone, leave some for me” I shout behind my shoulder. How much I would give to see the look on her face right now.

I walk one door down to Sound’s room. I open the door without knocking.

“Yo, Sound, you here?” I shout to the seemingly empty dorm.

“Well, if it isn't the elusive mare that was here yesterday” comes the reply from Blare. “You here for the promise I made yesterday? Decided to have a little fun?”

“ As if. I was gonna see what Sound was up to”

“Ah, he’s gone. No clue where, neva tells me nothin”

“Brilliant” I mutter under my breath. I walk down the hall, and step into the bedroom. Its dark, with the shades pulled and only a solitary lamp, a computer screen, and an assortment of blinking lights to provide illumination. This room is also adorned with tons of posters, but instead of being mares in provocative poses, its more mechanical and technical stuff. More speakers, cars, a few planes, some posters from some show, and two ponies wearing some weird, black and white smiling mask. Underneath the picture is the caption: ‘We are Legion. Expect us’ I look at Blare. “What’s that?”

“Two Anons” He says, as if it was obvious.

“And what the hell are Anons?”

“Anon? File 34? Anonymous? Any of this ring a bell?” I shake my head. “There a group of hackers. No leadership, no command, just a group of unknown size of hackers, doing whatever the hell they feel like. Doing Denial Of Service attacks, and stuff like that”

“Okay... And the mask?”

“Colt Fawkes mask”

“Not even gonna ask. So what do you do?”

“Computers” He says, gesturing to the glowing computer screen in front of him. He flicks a light switch, and I see tons of computer components scattered all across the floor, and a computer half way through dissection. “More specifically, coding”

“Wonderful”

“So, how about it? wanna start off with a little kiss?” He asks pulling closer to me. I grip his muzzle in my magic, and push him back into one of his beloved computers.

“In your dreams” 

We hear the main door open. “Hey bro!” Blare shouts out to it.

“Waddya want, Blare?” comes back Sound’s voice.

“Guess who I got in here?” He says.

“Hey Sound” I say, as I walk out of the bedroom.

He looks at me. “Where you two just...?” He gestures.

“Why, jealous?” I ask him.

“Maybe a little”

“No. we weren’t”

“Ah. Knowing, him, he couldn’t. Two words are the only explanation I’ll give. One inch”

I snort as soon as he says that.

“Not true!” comes the shout from the bedroom. “I’ll have you know I'm a healthy 7 Inches!”

“Whatever. Like I care”

“Bring me some pop”

“Yeah, I will. So watcha want, Vinyl?”

“Dunno. I was bored, so I came over to see if you were doing anything interesting”

“Nope. So you got family?”

“Yeah. My dad. You?”

“Me, my parents, and a younger brother” He tells me.

Blare pipes in. “I have a family too!”

“Nopony cares, Blare!” Sound shuts him up. “So whats up with your friend Neon Sky?”

“I dunno. Why?”

“I have a little unfinished business with Blare” He says, hitting one hoof against the other.

“Dont kill him, alright?”

“Alright, get outta here” He says good naturedly.

I comply, and walk to Sky’s dorm. I knock on the door. “You around?”

“Come on in, Vinyl”

I walk in, and flop onto the couch.

“Hows it going, Vinyl?”

“Better then this morning” I say. I can hear her sit down on the recliner.

‘Thats good. Although have you seen your hair?”

“Not really, no” I look up at the small amount of hair that is visible without a mirror. It looks fine, although a little faded. “Why?” She tosses me a mirror.

I look in it, and I’m rendered speechless by what I see. It’s gray. “It’s gray” I mumble. I lay there speechless.

The voice in the back of my head starts to whisper. ‘What a pathetic waste of unicorn magic. You can’t even control the color your hair is’ 

‘I can, it’s just I didn’t notice it’

‘Excuses, excuses. Thats’- i shut the voice up by sheer force of will.

“I gotta fix that” I say. “I’ll be right back. Oh, before I go, you play Xbox?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Screw my hair, I’ll go get it done somewhere professional in the morning. Tonight, game night!”

“AW YEAH!”

“I’ll go grab my controller and my flash drive. Be back in a bit”

I run upstairs, and have gotten my controller when Octavia interrupts me. “Now what are you doing?”

“Hanging out with Sky. Why do you care?”

“So are you two a couple now? You spent last night there, and I’m guessing you're going to do the same thing tonight. Am I right?”

“Were not a couple. And last night doesn't count, I was drunk” I look at the clock. Its 5 PM. “Yeah, I’ll probably crash on her couch” I rip my flashdrive out of my system and walk out.

“"Vinyl?" Octavia wakes me up.

"What?!" I say grumpily.

"There's somepony at the door asking for you"

I pull myself out of bed, and walk to the door. I open it. 

"Party hard enough last night? You look like a mess" Hard Sound tells me.

"Wonderful. I'll add you to the list of ponies that think I look like a wreck. Waddya want?"

"Just wondering if you still want that set"

"Yeah, sure" I yawn.

"How late were you up last night? It's like 3 in the afternoon, yet you’re still tired?"

"She has a hangover" Octavia injected from the living room.

"FUCK OFF, OCTAVIA!" I shout at her.

Sound just laughs. "So, I'll have my friends get here in about an hour with all the equipment. Just tell them where you want it, and they'll set it up and everything." He changes the subject ,"How many beers did you have last night?"

"No beer. Cider. I had about 6 I think, and Sky had 3"

"Dayum. That's a lot, even for me. I'll be back in an hour."

"Alright" I shut the door, and walk into the kitchen. I look at Octavia, sitting there, reading a book.

"Are you going to stand there and stare at me, or are you going to be productive?" She asks, somehow knowing I was looking at her.

"How do you read so much? That's the third book this week, ain't it?"

"Isn't. Ain't is not a word."

"Ain't ain't a word and I ain't gonna use it." I can see her suppressing her anger at me.

"I can read this fast because, unlike you, I'm slightly intelligent."

"Hey, no fair! I are smart! Just not with words"

"Then with what?"

I stop and think. "Technology. Something you'll never be good at."

"Exactly. I do not require a fancy computer to make myself sound good. My cello takes skill and practice to master."

"Oh yeah? It takes skill to use my programs!"

"I highly doubt it. Have you ever touched an instrument in your life?"

"Yeah, in fact, I have. I used to play a bunch of stuff. Mainly the cello, in fact."

Octavia looks surprised at that, although I don't have long to enjoy the look before her face goes blank again. She puts the book down, and grabs her cello case, takes it out, and prepares it. She hands it to me, saying only one word, a command. "Play."

I pick up the cello and the bow in my magic, and try to remember all my old lessons. I hold down a few of the strings, and bring the bow back. And the cello rewards me with a shriek. I can't stand the smug look on her face. "It's been forever since I've played." I grab my laptop, pull up my main remixing program. It isn't made to make true songs, but anyone with a slight amount of skill can make the bare bones of a song using it.

I say one word, a command. "Play."

She looks at the screen for a while, and then pushes it back to me.

"See? Not so easy, is it, smart ass?"

"I admit, it is more formidable than I thought"

“Told you” I say. Someone knocks at the door. “Come in, doors unlocked!” I shout.

Three muscular stallions walk in, carrying a bunch of equipment.

“What the hell is this?” Octavia shouts, surprising me.

“Well, I didn’t know you were capable of saying swear words, Octavia”

“Oh, just shut up”

“Then go back to your book” She shuts up, and starts reading again. “There, peace and quiet” I say, earning a chuckle from the stallions.

“Where you want it miss?” asks the biggest one.

I look around the living room, and see an empty corner against the far wall. “Set it down there” I tell them. They get to work, and I leave them with Octavia. “Have fun, Octavia. Don’t fuck them all while I’m gone, leave some for me” I shout behind my shoulder. How much I would give to see the look on her face right now.

I walk one door down to Sound’s room. I open the door without knocking.

“Yo, Sound, you here?” I shout to the seemingly empty dorm.

“Well, if it isn't the elusive mare that was here yesterday” comes the reply from Blare. “You here for the promise I made yesterday? Decided to have a little fun?”

“ As if. I was gonna see what Sound was up to”

“Ah, he’s gone. No clue where, neva tells me nothin”

“Brilliant” I mutter under my breath. I walk down the hall, and step into the bedroom. Its dark, with the shades pulled and only a solitary lamp, a computer screen, and an assortment of blinking lights to provide illumination. This room is also adorned with tons of posters, but instead of being mares in provocative poses, its more mechanical and technical stuff. More speakers, cars, a few planes, some posters from some show, and two ponies wearing some weird, black and white smiling mask. Underneath the picture is the caption: ‘We are Legion. Expect us’ I look at Blare. “What’s that?”

“Two Anons” He says, as if it was obvious.

“And what the hell are Anons?”

“Anon? File 34? Anonymous? Any of this ring a bell?” I shake my head. “There a group of hackers. No leadership, no command, just a group of unknown size of hackers, doing whatever the hell they feel like. Doing Denial Of Service attacks, and stuff like that”

“Okay... And the mask?”

“Colt Fawkes mask”

“Not even gonna ask. So what do you do?”

“Computers” He says, gesturing to the glowing computer screen in front of him. He flicks a light switch, and I see tons of computer components scattered all across the floor, and a computer half way through dissection. “More specifically, coding”

“Wonderful”

“So, how about it? wanna start off with a little kiss?” He asks pulling closer to me. I grip his muzzle in my magic, and push him back into one of his beloved computers.

“In your dreams” 

We hear the main door open. “Hey bro!” Blare shouts out to it.

“Waddya want, Blare?” comes back Sound’s voice.

“Guess who I got in here?” He says.

“Hey Sound” I say, as I walk out of the bedroom.

He looks at me. “Where you two just...?” He gestures.

“Why, jealous?” I ask him.

“Maybe a little”

“No. we weren’t”

“Ah. Knowing, him, he couldn’t. Two words are the only explanation I’ll give. One inch”

I snort as soon as he says that.

“Not true!” comes the shout from the bedroom. “I’ll have you know I'm a healthy 7 Inches!”

“Whatever. Like I care”

“Bring me some pop”

“Yeah, I will. So watcha want, Vinyl?”

“Dunno. I was bored, so I came over to see if you were doing anything interesting”

“Nope. So you got family?”

“Yeah. My dad. You?”

“Me, my parents, and a younger brother” He tells me.

Blare pipes in. “I have a family too!”

“Nopony cares, Blare!” Sound shuts him up. “So whats up with your friend Neon Sky?”

“I dunno. Why?”

“I have a little unfinished business with Blare” He says, hitting one hoof against the other.

“Dont kill him, alright?”

“Alright, get outta here” He says good naturedly.

I comply, and walk to Sky’s dorm. I knock on the door. “You around?”

“Come on in, Vinyl”

I walk in, and flop onto the couch.

“Hows it going, Vinyl?”

“Better then this morning” I say. I can hear her sit down on the recliner.

‘Thats good. Although have you seen your hair?”

“Not really, no” I look up at the small amount of hair that is visible without a mirror. It looks fine, although a little faded. “Why?” She tosses me a mirror.

I look in it, and I’m rendered speechless by what I see. It’s gray. “It’s gray” I mumble. I lay there speechless.

The voice in the back of my head starts to whisper. ‘What a pathetic waste of unicorn magic. You can’t even control the color your hair is’ 

‘I can, it’s just I didn’t notice it’

‘Excuses, excuses. Thats’- i shut the voice up by sheer force of will.

“I gotta fix that” I say. “I’ll be right back. Oh, before I go, you play Xbox?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Screw my hair, I’ll go get it done somewhere professional in the morning. Tonight, game night!”

“AW YEAH!”

“I’ll go grab my controller and my flash drive. Be back in a bit”

I run upstairs, and have gotten my controller when Octavia interrupts me. “Now what are you doing?”

“Hanging out with Sky. Why do you care?”

“So are you two a couple now? You spent last night there, and I’m guessing you're going to do the same thing tonight. Am I right?”

“Were not a couple. And last night doesn't count, I was drunk” I look at the clock. Its 5 PM. “Yeah, I’ll probably crash on her couch” I rip my flashdrive out of my system and walk out.

“Vaffanculo” I mutter under my breath.

“Lets get started” I say when I get to Sky’s dorm. We each crack open a cider.