Part Three Vinyl Comes Home
I know its getting late
But if you'd like to talk a little more
Well that's alright with me
I'm feeling kinda tired
But it ain't exactly beating down my door
Now just why could this be?
- Excerpt from "Sleazy Bed Track" Written by The Bluetones
Octavia approached the house she shared with Vinyl. It had been a long walk with far too much time to think. The night had been chilly and she was regretting not bringing her scarf with her to rehearsal for fear of messing up her bowtie and collar. Ponyakov is a stickler for appearance, she had thought this morning as she prepared to leave. I have to look my best… The wind blew past her as she opened the front door and stepped inside. Her cello was set down carefully as she called out, “Vinyl? Are you home?” There was no reply as she approached the hallway. To the right was her room and the bed she couldn’t wait to climb into. To the left was Vinyl’s room. The door was closed, with no light from under the door. Hanging on it was the record mat Vinyl had swiped from Octavia’s phonograph months before, with its ridiculous stenciled “DJ-PON3” in blue paint. Octavia gave a weary grin as she recalled seeing it for the first time…
It had been a long day, and all Octavia had wanted was to put on her favorite piece by Joseph Horsdyn and relax. When she lifted the lid on her vintage record player, however, she very nearly scratched her treasured album beyond repair on the bare metal of the turntable. It didn’t exactly take long to know who would have taken it. Oh, she had been so furious! “You have at least three record players in here!” she had complained angrily to her housemate. “If you wanted to do this, why not take one of those mats?”
Vinyl had replied defensively but at the same time lightheartedly. “OK, Tavi, A: These aren’t record players, they’re decks, turntables if you must. B: They’re crazy expensive. C: I need them for work, and D: I’ll replace your mat, I just wanted this for my show tonight!”
“Ugh, you’re utterly impossible.” Octavia had groaned before walking away.
Vinyl had merely shrugged and called after her “Sorry, Tavi. My bad!” Vinyl did indeed replace the mat, even if it took a few weeks.
The memory of that snippet of their life as friends and housemates filled Octavia’s head as she padded to the door and opened it quietly. “Vinyl?” she whispered tentatively to no reply. The room was silent, and Octavia knew from experience that had Vinyl been there she would have heard her loud snoring. With a sigh, Octavia flipped the light switch on and the room was lit. Vinyl’s room was in its usual state of disarray save for the (of course) immaculately well-cared for speaker towers and turntables. Octavia’s eyes scanned over the usual debris before settling on the bed that she had made before leaving this morning. It was untouched, the blanket smooth and straight and the ends tucked in neat hospital corners. Just like yesterday, Vinyl hadn’t been home, at least not to sleep. The grey mare hung her head sadly. Again…
The sound of the front door opening caused her head to perk up. “Vinyl?” she called out. Her housemate shuffled slowly into the room, grunting at her. “Where have you been?” Octavia asked with worry. “You’ve been gone for days on end the last couple of weeks-“
Vinyl’s sunglasses (Why did she insist on wearing those in the middle of the night?) lowered and her tired eyes glared at Octavia, stopping her words short. “Tavi, I’m exhausted. Get off my back.” She snapped irritably. “Why are you even in here?”
“I- I was looking for you! You weren’t back at all yesterday, and I was gone all day at rehearsal-“
“Uh-huh.” Vinyl interrupted. “I came home earlier and slept, you were out.”
Octavia raised a hoof to point at the bed. “No, you didn’t.”
Vinyl gritted her teeth. “Look, I’ve been busy! Now can I please just get in bed?”
Octavia rubbed her right hoof over her left leg, a nervous habit. “Vinyl, I’m just worried-“
Vinyl had had enough. “Gah! I’m fine, OK? Now would you GET THE TARTARUS OUT AND LET ME GET IN BED???” Her housemate drew back at the angry tone of voice.
“I-“ She sighed and lowered her head. “Fine, Vinyl. We can talk later.” The words came in a sad tone far from her usual disciplined speech. Her eyes closed, the musician slowly walked to the door. She could swear she FELT Vinyl’s look as she exited and the door was slammed shut with as much force as the DJ could draw from her horn. Tears began to form in her eyes as she retreated to her own room and closed the door softly before collapsing on her own bed and burying her face in her pillow.
In her own room, Vinyl’s sunglasses flew with a magical aura to her bedside table as she ripped the neatly made covers aside and reached under the mattress. Her hoof felt the cylinder, and Vinyl knew Tavi hadn’t found it. With a sigh of relief, the exhausted pony telekinetically moved the expensive new headphones the Doctor had gifted to her to her ears and laid back as the mix they had been working on played on her MP3 player on repeat. Something’s still missing… she thought as her eyes drooped and she fell into unconsciousness.