The folded newspaper levitated shakily as Vinyl's magic aura glowed around it, her face scowling with concentration. Octavia stepped around the corner clad in her favorite, the color of which matched that of her cutie mark. As she watched from behind Vinyl in silence, the aura faded and gravity took over as the newspaper fell to the table, barely missing Vinyl's bowl of Apple Oats. The white unicorn heaved a deep sigh. She had endured two weeks of tremors, weakness, sore muscles and stiffness, and the persistent headaches. Most of it had finally subsided and her body worked the last of Duke's influence from it, but her magic had been a maddeningly slow uphill climb. It took such concentration to just do simple tasks like opening the door, let alone the more complex work she yearned to do, and Vinyl found herself repeatedly frustrated. Thank Celestia for Octavia's support...
"It looks like you're getting a little stronger..." Octavia commented with a smile as she stepped to Vinyl's heavily breathing form.
"Yeah... I guess." Vinyl mumbled glumly. I just wish I could get a better handle on it, ya know?"
"Give it time." Octavia said as she gave her friend a hug from behind. It actually amazed Octavia just how easily she had become accustomed to giving Vinyl hugs and support in times of need. She walked to the refrigerator and poured a glass of cider before sitting at the table across from Vinyl. She was eager to ask her next question, but still somewhat hesitant. “How… how was the recording?”
Vinyl looked up, smiling. It had taken about a week to set up a little time in Neon’s home studio, but when she had it had been so exciting to see and hear Tavi play in there. She had not had much experience with recording live musicians before, preferring to remix and add her personal touches to pieces, but Neon had expertly worked with Tavi to put her at ease and get the best performance of Pony Who Comes for us All out of her. Neon had been as equally impressed as Vinyl with the unexpected turn from the cellist, and had agreed the piece had some amazing potential. Now it was up to Vinyl to work her own magic on it… at least as soon as it was back. “Ten takes and not a bad one in the bunch? You make it hard to choose the best one, you know.” Octavia blushed as Vinyl looked down at the table and reached for the newspaper. “I just wish my magic would hurry up and get back to par. I can’t work the way I want to with just my hooves. I need precision…”
Octavia stifled a giggle. “Try playing the cello without magic sometime.” she replied with a small grin.
“Heh, no thanks…” Vinyl said as she opened the newspaper and flipped to the entertainment news. She held the paper in front of her face with her hooves, her eyes skimming over the articles for something to pique her interest. On the other side of the paper, Octavia closed her eyes and silently thanked Celestia for all the good of the last two weeks. She lifted the glass of cider to her lips and was about to take a drink when it happened. "WHAT??? That bucking son of a- Filthy, lying little scumbag!" The paper was slammed down on the table and tossed over to Octavia, who took it with a very confused expression. "Middle column, check the article." she slumped onto the table in anger.
Octavia skimmed the center column until the found the piece in question and began to read aloud. "Coltorado DJ scores another hit in the clubs. Duke Beatz, best known by his stage name 'Doctor' set the clubs of Fort Coltins ablaze this week with his latest mix, Scratchin' Out the Neon. The audience and critics alike agreed that this was the best work from the acclaimed DJ yet-" Octavia stopped and set the newspaper. "Vinyl, I'm so sorry-"
"Oh, it gets better." Vinyl muttered bitterly. "Keep reading."
Octavia reluctantly picked up the paper and resumed reading aloud. "When asked about the inspiration behind the genius work, Beatz replied, 'Who can say where inspiration comes from? So many late nights in the studio, plugging away alone for all you great fans. My heart's in this mix, and it's all from me to all you, colts and fillies!" Octavia lowered the paper once more to look at Vinyl. Her face remained buried in her forelegs on the table.
"I trusted him, Tavi. Neon trusted him. We both put all we had into that mix and that mule just stole all the credit... even dissed us in the title." Vinyl raised her head to look at her friend. "And all that those bucking pills did..." Tears began to form in her eyes, fully exposed with still no suitable new shades found. "Luna, how could I have been so stupid? How could I have done all that to you, to myself?" Octavia rose and circled the table to hug her friend once more. This was a sentiment Vinyl had repeated many times in the past week, though now there was a whole new layer to it in light of Duke’s betrayal.
“It’s over now, Vinyl. Let it go. It’s all going to be-” Her words were interrupted by a knock at the door. Octavia looked to Vinyl, who was drying her eyes and taking deep breaths. “Are you expecting someone?” Vinyl shook her head in confusion and rose to answer the door.
Neon stood on the front porch, a package levitating behind him with a magical glow. “Heyyy, there she is! It’s been days, Vinyl. Any progress on the magic front?”
“Hey, Neon. Not really…” Vinyl answered glumly as she motioned for Neon to enter. The gray pony stepped in happily, using his magic to levitate the package to the counter. He lowered his sunglass and gave Octavia a smile.
“And how’s Killer Kolt Blaine’s rival doing today?”
Octavia blushed, definitely not used to being associated with popular music. “I’m very well, thank you, Neon. I’m afraid Vinyl has seen some bad news, though…”
“Bad for you and me both!” Vinyl growled. “You won’t believe what-”
“Scratchin’ Out the Neon?” Neon asked, removing his sunglasses.
“So you heard too! That rotten-” Vinyl suddenly realized Neon was smiling. “Why aren’t you mad?”
“Chill, Vinyl. It’s cool. I-”
“Cool?” Vinyl interrupted. “Are you flocking kidding?” Octavia stepped forward, about to chastise Vinyl for her rudeness, when Neon spoke again.
“Trust me. I knew Duke was going to pull something like this when I threw him out. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s burned me.”
“You KNEW? Then what-”
Neon’s smile grew ever wider. “Duke isn’t the only DJ I know in Coltarado, just the one with the best rep. I had a few others keep an eye on him, and when he was about to announce the new mix, I gave him a call. I let him know I still had duplicates of the time stamped masters with all three of us commenting on the track during the early mixing. He could go public and take all the credit, and we could expose the lie-”
“Then let’s do it! He’s slamming both of us!”
“No, Vinyl. He took option B.”
Vinyl cocked her head with confusion. “Option B?” Octavia asked, equally confused.
“We worked out a trade. A healthy amount of bits for the masters. Call it the cost of making magic…” Neon looked to the floor, embarrassed. “No offense, Vinyl.”
“So… how much did he pony up?”
“How about enough to make sure that mix of Octavia is enough to blow Scratchin’ Out the Neon out of the water, once you’re up to it?”
Vinyl suddenly broke into a huge smile. “Neon, you rule!”
Neon merely chuckled before nodding to the counter. “Listen, I gotta gallop. I’m rounding up some new equipment for the studio with our windfall. I- uh- came across an interesting piece of equipment. I think it’ll help you out a lot.”
Vinyl glanced to the package on the counter before hugging Neon tight. “Thanks for having my back, colt.”
Neon grinned and playfully tapped her on the chin. “I wasn’t the only one, you know. See ya later.” He turned to the door when a frame caught his eye. “Hey, uh- Just curious. Why is there a plain black deck mat framed on the wall?”
Vinyl smiled and looked to Octavia. “It’s important to me.” The cellist answered proudly to Neon’s befuddlement.
Neon shook his head with mild confusion before opening the door. “Allright. Keep me on the loop, Vinyl. See ya round, Octavia.” The door closed softly behind him as Neon went on his way, a knowing smile on his face. Vinyl turned to the counter, her horn glowing as the small package levitated and shook gently.
“Don’t overdo it, Vinyl…” Octavia cautioned her. The package settled back onto the counter as Vinyl trotted to the kitchen junk drawer for a knife to open the package. “Any idea what it is?” she asked.
“No clue. Maybe a smaller portable mixer. Neon knows I’ve been wanting one of those…”
“Well, whatever it is, enjoy. I’m going to get ready. You are still coming, right?”
Vinyl looked to her friend. “Coffee with you and Pezzo and then to watch rehearsal? I can bring my MP3 player, right?” The glare Octavia gave made Vinyl throw up her hooves and chuckle. “Kidding, kidding.” Maybe. Satisfied, Octavia smiled and trotted to her room. She had just finished brushing her mane when Vinyl’s extremely loud war whoop made her jump and throw the brush from her hoof. She jumped to the door to see what in Equestria was going on when she came face to face with Vinyl, her sunglasses back in place. The lenses had the faintest trace of the marker from where they had been cleaned.
Octavia froze in her tracks, her mouth hanging open. “Neon?”
Vinyl laughed, feeling better than she had all week. “I’m telling ya, that colt is the best!” Octavia shook her head and smiled. She looked to the mirror and positioned her bowtie before turning to Vinyl. “Ready?”
The smiling DJ led the way to the front door. Octavia shouldered the cased cello and reached for the door handle when she suddenly saw the magical aura envelop it. She turned to look to Vinyl, and saw the unicorn’s horn glowing brightly. “Easy, Vinyl…” she cautioned as the handle turned and the door slowly opened.
Surprisingly, Vinyl didn’t even seem to be breaking a sweat. “You’re right,” she grinned. “Easy.” The two musicians stepped out into the sunny day, the door closing softly behind them.