A City of Opportunities

by Sasha Nein


Interlude: The Valley of Vinyl

The mountain air of Canterlot washed through the shadowed streets, cooling the recently sun warmed cobblestones. Evening came early in the city, its positioning on the mountain and high walls hid the bright rays of the sun well before darkness claimed much of Equestria. Still, a pleasant twilight lingered between the buildings as Vinyl Scratch trotted towards the club, La Rouge, where she worked.

It would remain this way for another hour or so before the sun dipped below the horizon and stopped glinting off the highest towers in the city. Having lived most of her life here, it was nothing new or special to Vinyl. She still loved it though, despite her recent adventures. There was something about the city, something magical; maybe it was the princesses, maybe it was just in the stones, but this place was where she belonged.

She took a left, away from the palace, veering off her course towards the club. It was better to take the longer, safer road into the nobles district. She glanced down the street she was avoiding. She didn’t go there anymore, she’d learned her lesson. Cutting through the alleys so near to Discord’s Playground was dangerous.

Some ponies might call her paranoid, but she didn’t believe a word of what anypony else said. Her encounter wasn’t just a mugging. Anypony could see that she had no saddlebags or anything of value, she hardly ever took anything to work.

No, she wasn’t so naive to think that anypony would be so dumb as to risk a simple mugging on a mare with no saddlebags. They had other intentions; she remembered how they were acting, and the weapons they had brought.

She also thought it was highly convenient that some mare she had never seen before had stepped in and, single hoofed, beaten Celestia knows how many stallions. Something was going on, something involving her, somehow... some way. She didn’t know what Octavia was up to, but as grateful as Vinyl was that the earth pony stuck around, that mare had all kinds of shady written over her.

Her thoughts shattered as she stepped into the club entrance and a voice called out to her.

“Hey, Vinyl! There you are!” Reeves hurried towards her, clearly having been waiting inside the doors. “You’re nearly late,” she concluded disapprovingly.

“But I’m nooot!” Vinyl trilled with a smirk. “How nice of you to show up right when I need you, I have some stuffs to talk about.”

Reeves narrowed her eyes. “Stuffs?”

“Yea," Vinyl waved the mare into the club. "Come on, I need to get set up or I will be late.”

“Fine, but I’ve had a few brainwaves myself. We need to talk about your-”

“Oh, I know!” Vinyl interrupted enthusiastically. “I’ve got it all worked out. See, I met this mare, well actually it was more like she saved my... Eh, nevermind, that’s not important. But anway, she’s really good at-”

This time, Reeves interrupted, rather testily. “Vinyl! This is the very thing we’re trying to get away from. You don’t need or want any other ponies taking the spotlight away from you again. We need to-”

“No no no, it’s not like that at all. Listen, if she and I cou-”

“Vinyl Scratch!” Reeves exclaimed, exasperated. “Didn’t you just tell me barely a day ago that you were going to follow my advice?”

Both mares pushed past the final group of ponies and let themselves into the back rooms. Vinyl started again, oblivious to her manager’s frustration. “I am listening, I got this great idea for a new song and I’ll be the one putting it all together, vocals and all!”

“See!” Reeves jumped in. “See? That right there is why you’re never going to...” She trailed off as Vinyl’s words sunk in. “Wait, you’ll be singing?”

“Sure, why not?” Vinyl breezed past her flabbergasted employee as she quickly gelled her mane in preparation for the night. “I did take a few singing classes in school. It’s part of the job and musical education after all!”

Reeves was silent for a moment while Vinyl moved into the small room behind the main stage of the club. The musically inclined mare began switching on the power to all her equipment that was in front of the backdrop.

It wasn’t a delicate procedure, but if a pony didn't know what they were doing, they could potentially ruin equipment if they powered things on in an incorrect sequence or didn't run through the proper checks. Vinyl trusted nopony else to know what they were doing, and made it clear that unless it was another DJ, approved by her, nopony was to touch her stuff.

Satisfied that everything was in order, Vinyl turned back to Reeves. “So, anyway, this mare is a musician." Vinyl waved a hoof vaguely. "You know, the kind that play instruments at those high class parties and things at the palace and such?”

Vinyl paused for half a second as she shot her manager an expectant look, but then she barreled on without waiting for a response. “I know, I found it hard to believe myself. What are the odds I’d run into somepony like that in a back alley? Well, long story short, she’s totally up to playing some lines for me live, in my little studio! Neat huh?”

Reeves was now staring at Vinyl, her face contorted in concentration as she tried to work out what her (nearly insane) employer said. After sorting it out, she pulled her mind back to reality and found Vinyl staring at her expectantly with their noses almost touching.

Jerking back, Reeves placed a hoof on Vinyl’s chest to further distance herself. “Celestia, back off Vinyl! You’re really weird sometimes, you know that?”

“It takes one to know one,” Vinyl retorted with a smirk.

“I... Whatever.” Reeves grumbled. “So, you’re publishing this new idea, song rather, on your own?”

Vinyl nodded.

“And this other mare. She’s not going to steal your work or demand all the space on the cover?”

Vinyl nodded again.

“Are you sure?”

Vinyl put a hoof to her chin. “Well, I barely got her to agree to take the time to come do anything. I doubt she’s looking for any recognition out of this. But if you’re so worried I’m sure you could write up some papers or something, like a contract, and make sure she doesn’t try to pulling anything over on us. If that would make you happy.”

Reeves mulled over the words for a moment. It wasn’t until Vinyl tapped her that she looked back up. “Uh, you’re doing that weird phase out thing again. I gotta get out and start my set, if you want we can talk again in a few hours.”

“Right, sorry.” Reeves said quickly. “No, this is good. I like the idea of writing up a contract, I’ll go do that here soon. I’ve got a few errands to run first.”

“Oh!” Vinyl bonked her hoof to her forehead. “I almost forgot. I need you to do something.”

Vinyl put on her shades and opened the door onto the stage slightly before turning back. “You know Moonchaser right? Listen, there was this big stallion that was with her, I’d like you to find out who he is and what he does.”

Reeves frowned.“What? No!” She stepped closer to Vinyl. “What big stallion? Why do you want me to spy on somepony all of a sudden?”

Vinyl opened the door fully and began backing out, whispering back to Reeves. “Just do it, please? And don’t let anyone know you’re poking around.”

“Look Vinyl,” Reeves whispered back fiercely. “I’m not a snooper, I just pretend I know how to advertise!”

“C’mon, Reeves! I’ll cut you a bonus if you do this.”

The indignant mare pulled up short, raising an eyebrow. “Was he really that hot?” she deadpanned.

“What? Oh please,” Vinyl scoffed. “Listen, just get it done and we’ll talk about this again after I’m done working.”

With that Vinyl turned away from her hired hoof and pranced out on stage. Turning away with a shake of her head, Reeves felt the floor shudder as the crowd out on the club floor raised a cheer.