//------------------------------// // Prompt #110: DROP IT // Story: Ponywatching // by ThunderTempest //------------------------------// Vinyl Scratch had always been more of a night mare. She’d always been more used to the soft glow of the stars and moon, rather than the overpowering glare of the sun, though she may have had medical reasons behind that. So, it wasn’t an uncommon sight to see the young Vinyl out walking the streets of Canterlot at night, taking in the sounds and smells of the fresh night air, especially when the night markets were in full swing. However, this night, the night of both her graduation from school, and her birthday, and the night she was now legally allowed to drink, she should have been back at the Canterlot Orphanage, celebrating with Octavia and the rest of the kids, but instead, she had snuck out, and gone for a walk, only intending to be gone for a short while. She didn’t notice when her left ear began to twitch back and forth as she crossed past the usual place where she had lunch, only feeling something drawing her further on, as if she was being called. Eventually, she ended up outside a building called ‘The Temple’, and from what Vinyl could see, was also lit up with giant neon signs. Through her hooves, she could feel the ground jumping and thumping, and the same rhythmic thump slipped into her ears and then deep inside Vinyl’s being. Shrugging, she decided that she may as well go and have a look inside, figure out what was happening. Fortunately, there wasn’t much of a line at this point, and within five minutes, Vinyl Scratch was inside. The beat consumed everything. It pierced every corner of the room; it invaded and assaulted Vinyl’s brain in the greatest way that she could imagine. The heavy thump-thump-thump of the bass shook Vinyl to her very core, and she stood there, just off the dance floor for a moment, taking in everything, the sound, the feeling and the smell of the place. In a single moment of clarity, Vinyl realised that this, beyond anything else, was what she wanted. This feeling of being carried by the music, just on the verge of being swallowed up by a mix of sound and adrenaline, that was what she wanted to make ponies feel. This was what she wanted to do. But the question of how could come later-for now, Vinyl was a recently graduated student and it was her birthday. She threw herself into the crowd, and as one, they welcomed the new addition, and Vinyl’s eyes closed as she lost herself in the music. **** “Excuse me, have you seen a white unicorn with a blue mane and tail pass by here?” said Octavia, “She’s supposed to be back at the orphanage right now. There’s a lot of little fillies and colts who are missing her.” “White unicorn, blue mane? Yeah, I saw her a couple of hours ago, heading down that way,” replied the Royal Guard, motioning down the street in the direction that Vinyl had gone. “Thank you, sir!” cried Octavia, dashing off. She was worried for Vinyl. While Vinyl could undoubtably look after herself, Vinyl’s condition meant that she still occasionally needed somepony to help her out – a fact which Vinyl hated immensely, and only allowed Octavia to be that help. Octavia dashed from pony to pony, asking each about Vinyl, until finally, the ponies outside The Temple gave up Vinyl’s location. Slipping inside, Octavia shut her ears against the assault of music, and moved around the room. She eventually found Vinyl in the middle of the dance floor, her glasses pulled up onto the top of her head, and at least four glowsticks wrapped around various points of her body. “Vinyl!” yelled Octavia, straining to make herself heard over the music, “You have to come with me now! The caretakers are all worried about you!” ****Time**** “What’s up, Tavi? When’d you get here? This place is fantastic!” Vinyl yelled back, her left ear ticking in perfect time with the music surrounding the two. “Vinyl, it’s past midnight! You need to come with me now.” “Sheesh, okay. Just lemme find my...glasses.” “Vinyl?” asked Octavia, as Vinyl’s speech slowed, and the unicorn blinked several times. “What’s wrong?” “I...I can’t see, Octy. I can’t see.” Octavia had to take a moment to process what that statement meant. “Vinyl, your glasses are on your head. Come on, it’s time to go home.” “Yeah,” murmured Vinyl as Octavia guided her toward the exit, “I guess it is.” “Vinyl? If you want, I can bring you back here a couple of times a week. You know, until I know you know the route.” “That would be awesome, Tavi.” “Now come on, party animal,” smiled Octavia, slipping one of Vinyl’s hooves around her neck, “you need rest, and then there’s a lot of fillies and colts that you need to apologise to tomorrow because you missed your own party.” “Thanks for coming and getting me, Octy.” “Anytime, Vinyl. Anytime.”