//------------------------------//
// Goodbye. 
// Story: Vinyl Secret. 
// by Proud Blank Flank 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 7: Goodbye.


“Vinyl?” her mother whispered as the door slowly swung open. Vinyl pressed her hooves into her face and clenched her teeth. Only a small wash of light flowed into the home, though it was still too dark too see much of anything. 
“Vinyl are you here?” her father called out. The sound of a light switch flickered on and off but the lights didn't respond. Vinyl's mother focused her magic in her horn to start a spark which finally turned into a heavy glow. Everything in the room illuminated in a white light that flickered every now and then. Vinyl's eyes adjusted to the new light source which returned her normal vision.
Vinyl looked up, over her hooves at her parents who were just entering the room. They took two steps and asked Vinyl if she was okay, then they looked down to the floor in front of them. Their eyes grew wide and their ears pinned back down against the back of their heads. 	
They looked at each other for a brief moment that seemed like forever to Vinyl. They both glared at her. 
“What happened, Vinyl? What did you do?” Her father asked in a cold tone. Her father wrapped a hoof around her mother as she started crying.
“I don't know.” Vinyl loudly whispered. Tears ran down her cheeks like parallel rivers. 
Her mother's soft cries turned into loud sobs. 
“We have to call Manehatten. Now.” her father ordered.
“Please don't. It wasn't my fault! At least . . . It couldn't have been. . .” she doubted herself. She knew deep down she was to blame and there was no proof to suggest other wise.
Her father took his arm off from of her mother and walked to the right - straight to the phone. Her mother couldn't stand it anymore and escaped upstairs. Her father picked up the phone then set it down quickly.
“Vinyl . . . You have to leave.” her father said and whipped his head to her with anger in his eyes.
“But I just got here. . . I don't wanna leave. . . Please da-”
“No, Vinyl! You need to leave now! You have thirty seconds to get out of this house before I call Manehatten. After that, you're on your own.” He stated coldly, fighting back the tears in his eyes. Of course he didn't want his daughter to leave again.
“But. . . I. . . Please, I don't have anywhere to go. . .” She said in between gasps of air from her now, sobbing state. 
Her father pillaged through his satchel and grabbed a few bits, throwing them to the floor in front of her. 
“There's money for a train ticket. Go anywhere, I don't care where. You just can't be here, Vinyl.” he huffed and turned his attention back to the phone. He picked up and started dialing.
“Please daddy. . . Don't do this. . .” she said as she stood up slowly. Her body shook involuntary, like a earthquake. 	
“I said leave, Vinyl!” he yelled and closed his eyes. He quietly cried to himself so his daughter couldn't see or hear. 
“W-what about mom?” She asked, biting her inner lip. 
“Dammit, Vinyl! We don't have time for this! You need to leave now! You're mother will be fine, Vinyl. She'll come around. So go!.” He pointed his right hoof at the door while the other held the phone.
She rubbed her eyes, fought back her tears, picked up the bits and slowly headed for the door.
“And, Vinyl. . . I love you.  . .” Her father added. Vinyl stopped at the door to hear this, her head hung as the tears began to flow again. She nodded slowly and began to run.

After running and sneaking around Canterlot, trying to keep herself undetected by others. When she finally made it to the train station around midnight, she was surprised to find out that the train actually ran this late. She paid for the ticket, using every bit of darkness she could find to conceal herself. No pony could find out about her eyes nor the blood stains. 
Finally the train arrived and she sat in the caboose, hoping she'd go unnoticed there. It was pretty empty for the most part, considering it was midnight in Equestria and not many ponies had anywhere to be at the time. 
Vinyl took a chair in the middle of the eastern wall of the caboose. She sat facing parallel to the other wall, taking deep breathes to calm herself, as if to meditate. She sat with her back pressed into the chair, with her hooves on her lap, and her head leaned up. She fought back her tears and continued her breathing process to clear her mind.
She wondered what would become of Star Shy's body, what would happen to Vinyl when they find out it was her, and what they would do to her parents for talking to her. She then wondered what life would have been like for her, her parents, and Star Shy if she hadn't ran away that day. The phrase “ignorance is bliss” came to mind.

The wheels came to a screeching halt once the train arrived to Ponyville. The squeals of metal on metal echoed through out the night.  Vinyl exited the caboose and quietly made her way into town. Ponyville was empty and no sound escaped from any of the sleeping ponies homes. Vinyl did her best to stay within the shadows, even if no pony was out at the time.
Vinyl made her way though town, staying low, and headed straight for the one place she could possibly find help. 
Knock Knock.	She worried that her knocking would attract attention from the other homes.  Vinyl looked around for any signs of lights or open windows, then her attention was drawn back to the door when the tumbler lock thumped.
The door creaked open and a pony peered through.
“Hello?” a red pony with orange spiked hair said.
“Blaze?” 
“Yeah?” he opened the door all the way.
“May I come in? I need a huge favor, Blaze.” she asked.
“I suppose.” he said, stepping out of the way for Vinyl.
Vinyl walked into the fire station where lights showed her every detail. She stopped when she had passed Blaze then turned.
Blaze closed the door, locked it, then faced her, scanning her body up and down.
“What is that?? Is that blood? And what the hay is with your eyes??” Blaze backed away into the door.
“Blaze, you need to listen. I need a place to hide, just for awhile. You're a fire man, you like to help people. Can you please help me?” she begged.
“Tell me why you have blood on your hide and. . . robot eyes first.”
“I'll explain later. Please I really need a place to hide right now, Blaze.” she took a few steps towards him which made him cringe away to the wall. 	
“Let me ask, Oxide. You just,” He scanned her again. “Wait here.” He bit his lip and  rushed upstairs. Vinyl took a seat in Oxide's office chair and waited patiently. 

Faint voices could be heard upstairs, foot steps here and there, and a few loud statements and questions. After ten agonizing minutes of staring at the clock for Vinyl, Blaze and Oxide emerged from upstairs and stood next to each other at the base of the steps. 
“We've decided on whether or not you can stay here, Vinyl.” said Blaze.
“And the answer is.. .” Oxide said, looking to Blaze.