I always thought dying felt peaceful. At first it was just me floating in the endless void, embraced by darkness. Things took a turn for the worse when I suddenly regained the feeling for my body. Shivers ran down my spine. My whole body felt as if had been shattered into little pieces. Everything felt so cold…yet burning…
The agony seemed to last for so long…I already concluded I ended up in hell. Then suddenly all the pain was washed away… it had been replaced by something far sinister…a taste of this soul chilling cold. It was as if a thin layer of ice was spreading under my skin. It slowly began to grow…feeding on my essence. When the cold finally tried to clad around my heart trying to finish me off…I…well I had to throw up...
I probably wasn’t alone because my unsightly awakening was accompanied by a loud shriek. I couldn’t see who it was because my eyes still burnt a little but the noise most certainly came from Vinyl. Even though I could already hear what was happening I remained a prisoner in my own body. As hard as I tried, nothing wanted to move…
My whole body ached under pain. No, it wasn’t like the pain I experienced while I was out. If I had to describe it I would probably say it was as if all my muscles were sore. Combine that with the worst hangover you ever had and well…that was me just then..
“Truly, a fascinating specimen…” I heard someone mumble.
It was probably thanks to the situation that my perception was reduced to feeling and hearing only that I heard that. If my eyes hadn’t been closed I probably would have missed it. I thought he also said something about “experiment”…but my head was probably still too messy and I only imagined that.
“She alright doc??” a more familiar voice asked.
“Hum… “ the unknown voice replied.
“Maybe we should move her to the shadow…” Vinyl asked concerned.
“Who conducts the treatment? You or me?” the voice replied rather annoyed.
So…that voice belonged to a medic I assumed. However, the way he emphasized the word “treatment” gave me the shivers. It didn’t sit right with me.
“I just wanted…” Vinyl tried to defend herself but was interrupted by the other pony.
“Shh…her breathing seems to be stable again…” the “doc” remarked.
“Miss? Can you hear me?” he asked in a loud voice.
Sweet Celestia, I thought my head was going to explode.
Could that buffoon of a medic at least try to go easy on me?
Well I just had to reply…so I did…or at least tried to…
“Uhmm…” was the only thing I got out.
Oh right…can’t do a thing…
Figures that bad stuff only happens to me…
“Looking at how she is already able to react it probably was a mere case of food poisoning as I had suspected…”
Whoever this medic was…he was pretty full of himself. What a worthless diagnosis…
Normally a liquid does not just vaporize when it touches the ground right?
“She should really visit the hospital…today would be best” he went on.
I tried to get on my hooves but I failed. It really annoys me to be in such a helpless situation.
Should have never left my bed today…that’s what I got for doing it anyways...
“Try to hold onto that position for a few minutes longer, miss. Your circulatory system has to readjust. Seeing that you already barfed up all that was in your stomach you’ll probably be able to get up soon. “ the unknown medic informed me.
A few moments passed when I finally opened my eyes.
They still hurt a little but that wasn’t too bad.
I looked around. I was still in the park.
However the only ponies that were there were Vinyl and the one she called “doc”.
Why was there a medic but no onlookers? Was I out for such a short time?
Even if that was true how did that medic come here so fast? I was lost…
I managed to get on my hooves soon after I caught a glimpse of my situation and took a good look at the medic.
He just looked like an earth pony past his best years. His mane already lost its entire natural colour leaving back only an ivory-white tone. He wore thick glasses…and had a short boxed beard as white as his mane. His coat was ash gray and he smelled like antiseptic agent.
Even though his appearance seemed warm and soft his dark brown eyes mustered me cold and calculating. He somehow looked very familiar but I just couldn’t put my hoof on it.
“Well…how do you feel miss?” he asked with curiosity interrupting my flow of thoughts.
“As if I was hit in the stomach by one angry apple bucker…wait…make that two…” I said rubbing my stomach while my head was still in a little disarray.
“Well miss, if you’d like to we could move you to the hospital right now to get a clean check up on the situation and…” he started but I cut him off short. It would be of no use to go to the hospital anyways.
“I feel fine…more or less…so don’t you worry…”
You couldn’t help me anyways even if you wanted to. I had to see Victor and I had to do it soon. Whatever it was that happened to me he would most certainly know the answer to it.
The medic looked at me…he probably wasn’t happy about my decision…at least according to his mimic.
He took a deep breath and sighed when he saw the determination in my face.
“Well…if you say so…but why don’t you come over tomorrow none the less? Just tell them the head physician wants to see you. I will find some time so don’t you worry…” he said, leaving us on our own.
Did he just leave with a smug smile? I probably just imagined that. Oh and didn’t he just say he was the head physician? Now I know why I thought he looked so familiar. I’d seen him on a lot of jobs and in the papers. So he probably wasn’t a bad guy and just wanted to see that I am well…
When I shook off my doubts about him I let my eyes wander to Vinyl. She looked strange. Her eyes were locked at the space where the medic left her field of vision. I didn’t know what I should do and just called out to her.
“Vinyl? Everything alright?”
What a strange development of events. I was the one who fainted and she should have been the one concerned about me but here I was worrying about her…
“Eh…what…” she answered.
Enough is enough. I could tolerate all the sick twists of fate up to now but come on…does everything have to feel all wrong? Nothing and I really mean nothing does make sense anymore.
First the strange colt, then all the drama in the park, the “poisoned” drink, me fainting, the strange medic and after all of those stupid events Vinyl stared into the blue as if she had no cares in the world...
All of that didn’t add up. I felt that all of it had to be connected but I didn’t know how. However my brain most certainly is not the wellspring of great and logical deduction so I had to use what I had. That may have sounded far more cunning then it really was…to put it simple I would just ask Vinyl what had happened and try to figure it out that way.
“Do you still remember what we talked about before I collapsed? I seem to have forgotten.” I said blatantly lying.
As if I would ever be able to forget that ever. It was a class-A drama where the both of us acted just like high school girls on their first period. Oh it was so hard not to blush in embarrassment. However I managed to somehow drive all emotions back into the corner of my mind, showing nothing more than curiosity when I asked
.
My expectations were met: Vinyl turned as red as a cherry…
So she still knew… however that didn’t answer the big question why we acted like that?
“I do…but it makes no sense to me now…” Vinyl said trying to avoid my gaze.
“I acted all jelly and don’t even know why…” she went on
.
Even though I enjoyed watching her relive all this embarrassing moments just for the sake of telling me I had to burst out in laughter…did she really say jelly? Yes I know it wasn’t that funny but I had a hard day and hardly any laughs so I burst out in laughter nonetheless.
“Did you really just say jelly? Like jellyfish? Or peanut butter jelly jelly?”
“Does that really matter just now? I thought you wanted to hear what has…”
Looking at her face I could see how everything fell into place. I knew she caught on when she blushed even more. Oh sometimes I could be so cruel…but I never said I wasn’t.
It was all for the sake of knowledge anyways so…I couldn’t possibly be blamed for that could I?
“You knew…you bucking knew and wanted me to tell you even though…” she said with a glare.
Did that upset her so much? Well I suppose…watching her spit on the ground in disgust backed up that theory though. Still…you should have seen her face…priceless.
“Oh I had to know…I mean…maybe I dreamed all of that while I was out cold…” I told her and giggled.
Her emberassment and anger were replaced by something else...was itc oncern? It felt a little awkward but Vinyl was trying to talk seriously to me. Well sometimes even she seems to have those serious moments and I was thankful for that…or so I thought.
“So…you think you are fine?” she asked.
“Yes…I presume. I just feel like I had the mother of all hangovers…”
“Maybe you should go to the hospital after all…”
“No…they probably won’t be able to help me.” I said a little surprised.
How could she not realise something so obvious.
Nopony would believe I drank a can full of acid or whatever else it could have been?
“Why? It was just some food poisoning…haven’t you heard the doc?” Vinyl responded still trying to remain serious.
I couldn’t believe it…didn’t she pay any attention at all?
“Vinyl? You saw how that the drink vaporized as soon as it hit the ground? That wasn’t normal at all!” I told her trying to remain as calm as possible.
“What are you saying? That never happened. You really are imagining things now…” she responded in surprise.
She looked so natural while talking…so I had to assume that she wouldn’t lie to me on purpose. However I couldn’t reign my frustration completely in. A sharp comment left my mouth.
“What? Are you trying to mess with me you stupid DJ?”
“No…honestly...you probably are still a little confused…” she said probably trying to make sense of my behaviour and calming me down. Well she could try for all I care but I still couldn’t believe it was all just in my head…
“What about the colt`? The one who handed you the can in the shop?”
“Who?” she said and her eyes widened.
“The one who I met while you were still gone…”
“You know that makes no sense Tavi? Maybe you should lie down…” she said,
She probably was not sure if she should be concerned or freaked out by my behaviour by then.
“No…I…”
“If he met me at the store how could he be in the park with you?
I also think you mixed up two memories there.
I guess that is something that can possibly happen when you faint…” she said with a shrug.
“What? No…Vinyl…”
Vinyl looked at me in wonder. She didn’t get what I tried to say at all.
“So you just went to the store bought some stuff and came back as soon as possible? Is that how it was?” I asked her…anticipating the answer.
“Yes. As soon as I left the store I hurried back to you…why?” she responded.
That made no sense, all of it. Was I going insane?
The colt, the drink…was everything just my imagination?
I tried once again...
“What about your friend, the one you met on your way back?”
“What are you talking about, Tavi? I wouldn’t let you wait in the park for any longer than necessary if I just went to buy something even if princess Celestia herself would invite me for tea…”
“Something feels off Vinyl…and I can’t put my hoof on it.”
“Maybe you should go to the hospital…”
Cold anger overcame me. She was getting on my nerves and I stomped down in anger. I never felt so annoyed in my entire existence. Maybe I was going bananas…so what? Who am I to know what was wrong with me anyways? However her mistrust was another thing, it just made me want to smash things. Then I couldn’t hold it in any longer…
“What is with you and the stupid hospital anyways…I said I am fine!” I said in a sharp tone.
“Doesn’t seem fine to me.” she answered calm and composed.
“I said I will go tomorrow so stop that…” I told and glared at her angrily,
.
For a few seconds everything was silent. Vinyl broke the silence deciding it was probably the best to just give me what I want for now and so she presented me with a situation where I could ask her another question.
“So is there still something that haunts your thoughts? Something a little less crazy maybe?”
“Yes…why did we both react like idiots when we talked in the park?” even though I asked that already.
“Uh…I dunno. Give me a break. I don’t even want to remember that…
You clang to me like me like politicians to their money…” she said half-heartedly smiling at me.
“You did the same thing!” I replied.
“I try not to think about that…”
She looked away from me…probably fearing she would turn red all over again. I did the same for another reason.
I had to think about something. Now that I calmed down a little I had to think about my sanity.
Was she right? Was I imagining things now? Oh it was hard to say...
How should you know you are crazy if you already are a lunatic? A tricky question indeed...
When I turned back and took a glimpse at Vinyl was once again staring into the blue yonder I was assured that there was nothing wrong with my psyche. I wasn't sure about hers now though...oh just great…
I knew Vinyl Scratch was a lot of things, a DJ, a friend and most of all an idiot who simply said what she thought but I certainly knew she was neither a liar nor trying to get a joke out of me when I was already a freaked out mess. I guess there was really just one pony or rather…one very eccentric vampire who could help me…
I persuaded Vinyl to follow me to visit that certain friend of mine. At first she didn’t want to, probably because she still thought that I was just delusional. When I said I would go there even if she didn't follow she let out a deep sigh and told me she would tag along.
We didn’t really keep a conversation up while trotting through Canterlot. Vinyl tried to persuade me to give up on my plan a few times though. She rather I just visited the hospital already. Was I freaking her out that much? I suppose the answer to that was yes. My patience ran short rather quickly. Soon after the third time she tried to convince me I didn’t even reply to her anymore…I just stomped my hoof angry at the ground forcing her into silence.
Although I hate overhasty assumptions I knew there was something wrong with Vinyl and me. Even if I had chosen to ignore the fact that I probably drank something like acid without dying I had to get Vinyl fixed. Her behaviour seemed so strange…as if she was a broken toy or if somepony just played an old record over and over. Whatever happened to the both of us…I hope Victor could help. That was my only hope...
I tried to get myself lost in the city as I did a dozen times before. I feared that I wouldn’t find the way now that Vinyl was with me but…surprisingly everything went far better than I expected.
“Where are we…I don’t know this streets? Tavi…do you really think this is the right way.” Vinyl said at some point…clearly trying to hide her discomfort and miserably failing at that.
When we finally reached the street where Victor’s mansion was located I could hear a song…so vague and yet so clear…it pierced my heart but also soothed the pain in my mind. Oh that melody...it never failed to amaze me. Looking at Vinyl’s face she probably had the same experience even though I wasn’t sure how clearly she could hear it.
Even thought it was down just down the street now a thought crossed my mind. I already knew how Victor reacted to situations he was not used to…so I tried to give myself a head start explaining. When I told Vinyl she should just wait here until I call her she nodded absently. The music alone already washed away all of the doubt she had towards me. Why else would she let me go on my own only then? Or was the box messing with her? I did not know…
When I managed to close the distance to Victor’s place and stood just a few yards away from the entrance something strange happened. The door swung open by itself... followed by a hot stream of gushing air that blew right out of the mansion. Just a few moments later Victor himself stood there emitting a murderous aura. Every cell in my body told me to run. The heat around him…it was suffocating. I was still 12 yards away and felt like I would probably collapse.
However I was lucky. As soon as he realised it was me his sudden bloodlust faded and his disgusted mien was replaced by a confused look. He still wrinkled his nose in disgust looking at me as if he wanted to say...that smell came from you?
“Octavia…you reek of vampiric pheromones…what happened to you?”
Oh...I was right? So I really smelled horrible enough for ponies to attack me? Oh just great...well at least I wasn’t mad. The relieve that flushed through my body was so great I couldn’t keep it a secret. Victor didn’t smile at my thoughts probably seeing a connection between the smell and me which he didn’t like at all. He then hissed air through his teeth and exchanged the last bit of his predatory and animalistic instinct with his usual manner.
“Oh Octavia, you truly have the gift to get caught up in unpleasant situations.
Maybe you should just come inside and tell me everything…” Victor said with a gentle smile.
“That would be nice, however I am not alone today…” I said.
Victor raised an eyebrow in confusion and a little smirk started to form on his face.
I called for Vinyl just a few moments later. He then chuckled and started to talk.
“Dear Octavia…one can’t simply follow the hoofprints of destiny…by sheer will.
Only a few ponies in history were able to walk them at all…
Tthere would be no way that somepony could have fol…”
“Whats up? Are you Victor? Tavi’s friend?” Vinyl interrupted his flow and let him fall into silence.
Victor’s jaw dropped wide open when the unicorn suddenly showed up right behind me.
He looked at both of us and wasn’t sure what to say…that was a first.
When he finally regained his ability to speak he said:
“You two probably have a lot of questions on your mind but so do I…”
He welcomed us into his home but then when he closed the door just after us and I came to a sad conclusion.
Equestria as we knew had just ceased to exist. It was locked away the very moment Victor closed the door.
It was only shortly after that we had to accept that Equestria wasn’t the happy place we always thought it was.
The real world was far more sinister…