//------------------------------// // Well This Is Wubbing Fantastic... // Story: I'll be One Beat Away // by wizard32363 //------------------------------// “Are you ponies ready to rock this house!?” Vinyl pushed her glasses down, bottle of her favorite cider next to her. Her hoof went to the spinning record, a scratching sound echoing across the room. The music came to a halt, Vinyl raising a hoof. “I said, are you ready to party!?” Sparks flew across the room while everypony cheered. With this approval, Vinyl beat her hoof down, the sounds of the bass blasting through the room. Each new bass effect had the party jumping and dancing. Half of them held drinks in their hooves, the other half pumping them to Vinyl’s beats. When she was satisfied that the crowd was in tune with her music, she raised her cider, chugging her first bottle down. Vinyl always brought cider to these concerts. Without concerts like these, Vinyl would probably go crazy. Being drunk gave her the opportunity to have crazy parties that everypony loved. Just in case, she always brought a nice two cases of cider, which she kept under her podium. Taking out another one, the whole crowd cheered her on. Vinyl watched Octavia trot up onto the stage. “Vinyl, you have to stop this. If you keep drinking, someday you’ll wake up with no recollection of where you are or how you got there.” Vinyl laughed, shoving a bottle into Octavia’s mouth. "Lighten up, Ms. Cello! It’s a party! I can do whatever I want here, and the ponies will still love me. Am I right!?” The whoops and hollers from the crowd made Octavia sigh. She worried about Vinyl. Her love for the DJ made it hard for her to talk to Vinyl, but it didn’t stop her from trying to make Vinyl do the right thing. “Fine, Vinyl, do this. Binge on your damn cider all you want. When you need my help, see where I am!” She stormed off of the stage, Vinyl watching as she exited through the back door. “Haha, she’s a poor sport…” Vinyl took another chug of cider, bobbing her head furiously to the beat of her music. The crowd was cheering her on, each new song proving to be more pleasing than the last. The night raged on, the club bouncing out of control. Each pony had partaken one too many drinks, and Vinyl was no exception. Her body was lopsided by now, and she was ready to pass out. With one final scratch of the record, Vinyl was down, out like a light. ~~~ Her eyes were half-open, her head pounding. It was like she had just gotten out of a concert, except this time she didn’t have any sort of painkiller to calm the raging ache in her cranium. All around, the loud sounds of cars and voices filled her with thoughts of Manehattan. Manehattan was the only city that could have this many voices. Her many concerts around Equestria had given Vinyl a good understanding of each city. She always loathed going to Manehattan. It was a large city where everypony loved her, but the ponies always got too wild, and Vinyl would come home with a new bruise every time. It didn’t matter, though. She got bits for doing what she did best. For a couple of minutes she sat, unsure of what to do. Her eyes could barely open, and she would probably get trampled if she sat around for too long. The obvious choice for her was to stand up. Though blind, she could use the sounds around her to navigate until she regained her sight. She stood up, hooves wobbling. The first things she noticed was the cacophony of smells around her. The aroma filling her nostrils was sweet. The sweet scent hit Vinyl as cinnamon rolls. A great treat for a quick breakfast. Vinyl took a cinnamon roll to work on a daily basis. The second thing she took in was that she was standing in a fairly wet environment. Papers rustling under her feet provided little protection from the drops that fell on her head. She stepped away, towards the noises of ponies who walked the streets. Taking a few steps forward, Vinyl saw a light in front of her eyelids. It appeared to be the sunlight, but Vinyl wasn’t able to tell behind closed eyes. All around, she felt ponies walking and crashing into her, stumbling along like she had nowhere to go. She heard rude comments about how somebody had left a “dumb” horse sitting around, and how she wasn’t supposed to be there. Other comments arose as she heard her name shouted a few times. Taking this as an incentive, Vinyl struggled, straining to pull her eyes open until she finally opened them, stumbling back from the bright sunlight that flooded her eyes. She was face-to-face with herself. It was like looking into a mirror, but a mirror that changed your perception. Looking up, she saw her glasses, her blue hair, and her white coat, all standing two feet above her. “Why, Vinyl, it’s you! That’s an amazing costume you’ve got on there, don’t you think?” Costume? Why in Equestria would Vinyl be wearing a costume!? She checked herself, scanning up and down for any slight differences in her appearance. The odd thing was that this thing was taller than Vinyl. There was obviously no muzzle on the creature, and its “mane” was cut way too short. Its coat color was more tan than Vinyl’s, and its face was way too small to be that of a pony. Even more, these things had two legs instead of four. It was pretty clear that Vinyl was not surrounded by ponies anymore, but were they still called mares and colts? “What in Equestria are you talking about? You’re the one wearing a costume, dressing up like me! Why would anything want to copy me? After that changeling incident, you’d think all of the creatures would have learnt their lesson!” The faker stood up, staring down at Vinyl. For a second, his eyes appeared to glaze over, as if in a stupor. Without another word, he ran off, jumping up and down, almost like his insides were on fire. Vinyl dubbed him crazy, walking towards the building with the most activity accumulating around it. The front of the building announced “Baltimore Convention Center,” and thousands were gathered outside in some sort of crowd. Stepping up to the one with the pink mane, Vinyl tapped her back, staring as she turned around. Her shirt was just as pink as her mane was, three balloons taped to both sides. It was obvious she was trying to impersonate Pinkie Pie, just as somepony had impersonated Vinyl. It seemed crazy at the time, until Vinyl actually got to thinking about it. Maybe they acted like all of these ponies because the ponies inspired the costumes! In that case, the odd creature dressing up like Vinyl would actually have worshipped her music! Her character! Inside, Vinyl pranced in joy. Outside, her voice came out in her usual suave manner. “Hey! Do you know where I can find the nearest club? I’ve got a concert to put on tonight.” The mare stared at Vinyl, almost as if Vinyl were bait to the mare’s hook. “Y-you’re Vinyl Scratch? The famous DJ of Equestria?” Vinyl chuckled. It wasn’t everyday that she was recognized out in the streets. “The one and only! And I have a show tonight! If you can direct me to the nearest place, I’ll even let you in for free!” The mare’s face turned bright red, her smile chasing her cheeks until she screamed. “Of course I will!” She pointed off in the direction of a tall building with a clock on its face. “It’s that way! I can’t wait to see you! I love you, Vinyl!” The crowd stopped. Not a single creature was talking, all turned to face the loud voice. They weren’t even focused on the convention at hand. They all had their eyes on Vinyl, all until one decided to shout out. “My fanfictions worked! Vinyl is real! Everypony, get her!” Vinyl’s eyes went wide. They were all coming after her! She had nowhere to go, and this place didn’t even look like Manehattan! That was when she realized that she didn’t even know where she was, and she was being too ignorant to observe her surroundings. All her body allowed her to do was run. She galloped, her eyes wide as she maneuvered through each tree with struggle. She wasn’t used to moving so quickly. She was always way too drunk to bother with exercise, not to mention that her shows lasted most of the night! She slept all day… But now she just had a pounding headache. She couldn’t even walk straight with the annoying distraction. Bumping into most of the foliage, she finally found an escape, running right into the street. The sounds only got louder. These machines were noisy, and they filled her ears with cacophonous sounds. The creatures were yelling, some sounding almost shocked at her presence there. She saw most moving closer to her, nearly ready to run her over. Vinyl yelped, clumsily sidestepping her way through the oncoming traffic. By now, Vinyl was howling, her tears in her eyes. She was being chased by a mob, which was a totally new experience for her. She had almost gotten hit by multiple vehicles, and now she realized that she didn’t even know where she was, or how she got there. She stopped, looking left and right. Her only escape was to hide somewhere, and she spotted a small opening to her left. Galloping inside of the opening, she sighed, relieved to finally have escaped. She looked out the window in what she now saw as a door, watching as all of the weird costume-dressed creatures ran by the entrance, shouting her name as if she were missing. Taking a small break, Vinyl sank to the floor, the sweat permeating from her forehead. “Oh goodness, why did they want me?” Vinyl looked up, the room suddenly silent. Stepping up to look out of the window, Vinyl was relieved to find that the crowd had scattered elsewhere. Vinyl Scratch was never used to complete silence. Usually she was rocking a pair of headphones down the street, head bobbing to each beat. Now, her surroundings were still, a library to her ears. The place itself was made of wood. The wooden walls were decorated with records, like those that Vinyl used in her concerts. Postcards lined shelves, and there were clothes everywhere. A sign hanging from the ceiling told her that this particular place was called a visiting center. Looking further down the room, she saw souvenirs of all types sitting in front of a counter encasing candied goods. Vinyl’s eyes bulged, staring at the candy. She knew if there was candy, there was bound to be an energy drink or two, . She would never survive out here without one. The buzz from the previous night was wearing off, and soon she knew she would be too tired to move. She eyeballed the various products at the front desk, rushing over to take a gander at the many things they owned. Finally, she discerned what looked to be a cooler, heading over to open it and pull out a cold can with her mouth. Placing it on the counter, she read the fine words, “Red Bull will help you grow wings.” Her mind was racing with energy. Her body jolted. This looked like an energy drink, and she was in dire longing for a taste of its fine contents. Putting it on the counter, she rang the bell that laid next to the register, watching as a large being came up to the counter. For a second, he tried to register what had happened, but then looked down. “Oh...what are you?” Vinyl looked up, confused. Wasn’t it obvious? She was a pony! “I’m...Vinyl Scratch. I come from Equestria, big dubstep girl...no?” The guy at the counter shook his head. “Never heard of ya. I suggest getting out of my store. No horses allowed.” This caused Vinyl to step back in disgust. What kind of store didn’t allow ponies!? And even so, he had called her a horse! He had to be drunk. “Sir, I just want one of your drinks! I’m willing to pay…” Vinyl groaned.   Now it was the colt’s turn to look up. It didn’t seem like he cared if it was a talking, multi-colored horse that didn’t belong in Equestria. If he was earning money, he would probably sell to aliens! “Well, in that case, that will cost three dollars.” He shook his head, as if amazed that he was doing this. Vinyl pulled out three gold coins, placing them on the counter and, in turn, taking the drink and walking out. The guy at the counter coughed, but Vinyl kept on walking. She left the building without the thought of the mob that had hunted her before. In the background, the man had already picked up the phone from under the counter, placing his call in to 911. Her horn glowed, the can lifting into the air. A pop of the can’s top provided a delicate scent to her nose, her lips upturning. The familiar rush of energy washed over her as the cool liquid slid down her throat. Her body jumped and she made a slight groan, excited to finally be up and around. She was happy, at least, until she heard sirens in the alleyway she stood in. She looked to both sides, cars flashing lights at her. She jumped up, her glasses shining. These sirens looked just like the lights at her club! Her head started to rock, and soon her body joined the flow, going back and forth to the loud beeps. “Umm...horse!” a voice called from inside the car, “You’re under arrest for theft! Put your...hooves in the air and you won’t get hurt!” Vinyl wasn’t listening. She was up in her own groove, moving to the beats inside of her head as if she was playing at a show. She didn’t notice when two figures came out of the car. She didn’t even notice when they pulled weapons on her. The one thing she did notice, though, was the two hands that grabbed her and lifted her into the air. The records scratched to a halt and she opened her eyes. Vinyl noted that she had been seized, and the figure that had grabbed her was soaring over the tops of the closely-packed buildings, jumping between each one. It was a strong being, to say the least, and Vinyl was both surprised and angered. Her beats had been interrupted, but this guy was the type of guy Vinyl wanted to formally meet! The being’s flannel shirt flew in connection with the winds. Vinyl watched as he stopped, climbing down a ladder on a building and running through the front door. Down the road they went, running until the city stood far behind them and the plains grew frequent. By now, Vinyl was more than impressed. And to think, he had saved her… “Yo man, where are we going!?” Vinyl was laughing, staring him in the face. His face was rugged, a five o’clock shadow making up his beard. Freckles rested on both sides of his face, his mane covering his forehead. Vinyl looked down to observe his cutie mark, but came to the quick conclusion that, like everypony else here, he didn’t seem to have one. Perhaps he was a changeling, and she had landed within the Changeling nation. Now that would suck! His clutch was tight, indicating that he was strong, like the ponies at Sweet Apple Acres. Tall, he didn’t gallop like any normal pony. He looked down, smiling at Vinyl. “Well, you were going to die, and I saved you! Now we’re going to my farm to let this big mess cool down! Is that okay? You can stay with the other horses, and I’ll live my normal life.” If there were other ponies here, Vinyl didn’t care where she was going! She yearned to communicate with somepony who actually understood her. She wanted to feel accepted, like part of an actual family. Wherever she was, she would never be able to have a family. None of these things were ponies, and the only one who actually treated her like a sister, a friend, wasn’t there to comfort Vinyl. Staring up at the man holding her, Vinyl was reminded of the season. It was turning into fall, and soon cider season would start. If this being had any cider, Vinyl was sure going to try some! He reminded her of life in the country, which Vinyl herself had never experienced before. “Will there be music there?” Vinyl’s face brightened at the words. If this thing had any way to give her music, she would be the happiest pony in Equestria! “I’m afraid not...life on the farmlands is fun, though. I bet you’ll enjoy the grazing, eh? That’s what ponies do, right? Graze?” Vinyl rolled her eyes. They slowed down and the man let go of Vinyl. “My name’s Vinyl Scratch.” He looked down at her, slightly bewildered. “Well, I see that you’re talking. I’m actually not very surprised. I haven’t been able to get much sleep lately, and I’m probably imagining all of this. Either way, my name is Mike.” They both smiled at each other and Vinyl looked straight ahead to see a barn and a house next to it. “Is that your place? It looks a little bit small for a person as large as you, don’t you think?” All Mike could do was laugh. “Large as me? Well, I live in the country! It’s not the best life in the world, but it’s the life I chose! I work all day, and then at night, I have a hearty meal before getting to sleep and doing it all over again. You’re lucky that today was one of the days I came into town to sell goods to people! If I wasn’t there, you probably would’ve been dead!” Vinyl looked down, her hooves stopping in place. “What do you mean, dead? They weren’t trying to hurt me! They were playing music for me!” Mike tried to hold back his amusement as he continued. “Those were police, you know. You wouldn’t stop when they asked you to, and they pulled out their guns. Guns are bad, and they kill things. So, I think you were going to die.” “Well, I could’ve found my own way out!” Mike chuckled, rubbing Vinyl’s head. “Let’s go. I have a lot to do, and you have horses to acquaint yourself with.” Walking alongside Mike, Vinyl looked to the sun, setting behind the horizon of the mountains off in the distance. It was probably one of the most stupendous things she had seen in nature, given she was always inside and didn’t take any time to observe the world around her. She sighed, ready for a good night’s rest. She had forgotten all about the concert she was supposed to perform at. She forgot about her troubles. She even forgot that she was somewhere unfamiliar. Right now, she was focused on sleep. Cello music was the muse that rocked Vinyl to sleep every night, and cello music reminded Vinyl of Octavia. Vinyl loved Octavia, even if she had never personally told her. Octavia was a beautiful pony. She could get really bland at times, but that didn’t cause Vinyl to adore her any less. Her beautiful music lured Vinyl in, which is what had originally made Vinyl begin to have feelings for her. They even shared a kiss once, which Vinyl told Octavia was for “good luck.” Vinyl’s face flushed red, her eyes down to the ground. “I was just...I was listening to music in my head!” It felt good to lie about that. Nopony could know her secret. “Well...just stay alert, all right?” Vinyl nodded her head, being led to what appeared to be a group of stables. “Mike, why are we here? Don’t you have sofas? All these horses are in pens, not sofas. This statement was followed by chuckles from Mike. “Vinyl, this is your new home!”