Vinyl wasn't panicking. She was just looking for a bag to breath in. This was it, her first real gig. She was opening for the one and only Sapphire Shores.
After graduation she and Octavia had stayed roommates, though this time they each had their own room in a comfy apartment and no longer had to share a bathroom with twenty other mares.
She had signed a contract with Shooting Star records under the stage name DJ Pon-3 and her new agent had quickly lined her up a performance. There appeared to be perks to working for a company with big connections and small numbers.
“Ms. Scratch your on in two.” A stage hand said eying the unicorn. Vinyl was wearing her glasses and had gelled her short hair into a more punk look. Tavi said it looked like a saw blade that had a run in with a can of blue paint.
Vinyl wished her friend was here backstage with her. Unfortunately still being a new face in the music world she had no strings to pull and so Octavia was forced to take her seat in the crowd.
“You alright sugar?” Sapphire Shores asked approaching Vinyl.
Vinyl looked embarrassed.”Yeah I’m cool, just a tad nervous.”
Sapphire laughed. “This is your first real performance right.” Vinyl nodded. “Trust me honey, everyone gets first time jitters. All you got to do is make it out on to the stage, the music will do the rest.”
Vinyl paled a little at the thought of walking out onto the stage, though it was hard to tell with her coloring. “Heh heh, yeah I guess that’s true.”
Sapphire looked thoughtful for a moment. “You got anybody you know out there?”
Vinyl nodded “My best friend.”
“Then when you go out on to that stage I want you to find her in the crowd and focus on her until you start playing.”
“Ms. Scratch. It's time.”
Vinyl's heart stopped beating for a second.
“You heard the mare. It's time to get moving.” Sapphire winked. “Don't worry, your going to be sensational.”
Vinyl swallowed and got to her hooves. Making her way onto the stage she took care to walk confidently even though she felt like running clear back to her bedroom several districts away. Once she made it to her mixing table she turned to the audience.
The stadium was huge. Much bigger than the auditorium in which she had first debuted her music. Vinyl's heart flopped as she scanned the crowd. There about ten rows back was a familiar grey earth mare. Vinyl's eyes locked on to Tavi like a life preserver.
Octavia gave Vinyl an encouraging smile. The musician took a deep breath closing her eyes behind her shades for a moment, when they opened so did a big grin.
“Lets get this show started!”