A Vinyl's Last Scratch

by Shadowflash

Chapter 15: Wishful Thinking

"Really, Vinyl? Heh. Seems a little bit too out of your league."
"Oh, please, I've done worse, Sunny."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah, really. You think a mare like me is just going to sit around and do nothing?"
"I do."
Vinyl and Sunny both start laughing as they sit in Vinyl's room. The once small colt is now a bit larger, almost like he's in his teenage years. It's vague to say whether he's a stallion yet or not, but, his flank seems to have gained something more... 'Spectral'. His flank had a book, with a sun in the background of it, and three birds flying towards it. It was Sunny's cutie mark. A fascinating one, at that.
"Come on, eat it, scaredy cat.", Sunny stared at Vinyl, chuckling away. Vinyl was looking at him, and then down at an object Sunny was telling her to eat.
It was an odd type of food. It was a light brown, and had a bit of a 'curve-over' to it. It was lightly glazed and seasoned with pepper. It smelled good to Vinyl, but, she was really unsure whether to eat it or not.
"I'm not scared. Just... Looking it over for a second.", Vinyl picked up the plate of the odd food, staring at it.
Her red eyes peered over every little herb and peppercorn flake. It seemed normal to her, and smelled even better when she put it closer to her mussel.
Vinyl used her magic to lift it to her mouth and she took a small bite out of it. It tasted wonderful, but was really hard to chew. She tried chomping as hard as she could, but was having trouble breaking through the thick exterior of the food. Normally, she's use to eating fruits and veggies. What kind of food is this?
As Vinyl finishes off the bite, she looks at her brother, who is holding back laughter.
"I... Can't believe you did it!", Sunny leans back and laughs at Vinyl, and Vinyl is greatly confused.
"What? What was it?", Vinyl asked, putting her hooves on her hips.
"It was chicken.", Sunny said, smiling.
Vinyl's heart sunk at that. It was meat that she was chewing on, which made it extremely hard for her to eat. No wonder!
"Y-you're kidding, right?", Vinyl asked.
"Nope!", Sunny started laughing again, tears flowing from his eyes.
Vinyl didn't know what to do; whether to vomit, or punch her sibling in the face with her hoof. A rush of heat was sent straight to her head, and made her pass out as blood started to flow down to her chest cavity.
"Vinyl?!", Sunny stopped laughing as Vinyl fell onto the floor and hit her head off of a small table.

"We gather here today, upon the great nation of Equestria, to show off the many talented students who surpassed expectations in our field of studies. The students you see before us are the most gifted and electrifying mares and stallions that will live in our life. The Academy of Starswhirl the Bearded, we thank the students for being here today for their graduation, initiating them upon the world of magic and into different fields of study!"
The announcer was yelling over a microphone, as a large crowd of ponies stood below a stage, and many mare and stallions stood on the stage, wearing silk-blue robes and fine silk hats, with a box-like look to them.
The announcer started to call names, handing out certificates to the students and showing their achievements to the crowd:
"Twilight Sparkle, for achieving excellence in the History of Magic, and the most Skilled learner and teacher within the student faculty.", He handed a young, lavender, unicorn a certificate, as she thanked him and walked off the stage.
Vinyl was next. She walked up to the podium in the middle and the black-coated stallion was smiling greatly at her.
"Vinyl Scratch, or DJ-PON3, you have achieved excellence within the fields of Magical Percussion and Magical Music. I hope to hear more of your stuff within the world.", The announcer passed her a certificate and Vinyl smiled, thanking him.
She walked off stage to be greeted by her sibling, Sunny, and two, larger, ponies. One was a chestnut coated, grey mane and moustache, stallion. The other was a grey mane, and white coated, unicorn, mare. These were her 'parents'.
"Oh, Vinyl, we're so proud of you!", The mare wrapped her forelimbs around Vinyl, and Vinyl smiled brightly.
"Hey, it was nothing!", Vinyl said, laughing softly.
"Nothing is an understatement, Sis. It was something.", Sunny laughed and smiled brightly.
"Vinyl, may I talk to you for a minute?", The chestnut stallion pulled Vinyl away from Sunny and the mare, sighing softly.
Although the crowd was loud, Vinyl was able to hear everything he was saying.
"Vinyl... I'm so... So sorry I didn't tell you sooner...", He said, his deep, raspy, voice speaking lowly.
"Tell me what, Dad?", Vinyl tilted her head, a bit confused.
"I... Your mother and I... I...", He had tears brimming on the edge of his old, brown, eyes.
"Dad, what's wrong? You can tell me. I won't get mad, or anything.", Vinyl placed a gently hoof on his shoulder, to re-assure him.
"We're... Not your real parents, Vinyl... I wish I told you sooner, I really do... But, I couldn't handle that stress...", Her father explained to her.
"W... What?", Vinyl couldn't believe what he just told her. Her entire life was based on the fact that these were her parents. How could they lie like that?
"I'm... I'm really sorry Vi--"
"No! You're lying!", She yelled at her father, screaming overtop of the crowd.
"Vinyl, please, I'm sorry. I wish I told you sooner, I reall--"
"I can't believe this! All my life I was told that you were my father! Now I'm adopted?! A freak you found on the road?! Is that it?!", The crowd was now looking over at Vinyl and her 'father', the sound evaded the area.
"Vinyl, please... You're making a scene... Let me expl--"
"You've explained far enough, 'Dad'. Or should I just call you by your real name?!", Vinyl turned and ran, storming away from her 'father', 'brother' and 'mother'.

Vinyl woke up, eyes feeling heavy and sagging. She shook her head back and forth, unsure for how long she was out. All she could remember was being brought to some animal shelter, and meeting three new 'humans'.
"Wow, you were out for four days. Never seen anyone, or any 'pony', sleep that long.", Carry was looking at a newspaper, labelled: 'Metropolis Daily'.
"I have a tendency to over sleep... As a DJ, I barely get to sleep, so, I force myself to sleep longer to gain my energy back...", Vinyl yawned loudly, her mouth gaping open.
"Still want to go home, I assume?", Carry turned the page of the newspaper, laughing softly at whatever was on it.
"Yeah... I miss my friends. I miss them dearly... It's only been, what? Fourteen days now?", Vinyl asked softly.
"If you include today, I guess it would be.", Carry put down the newspaper and started clicking on some sort of device sitting on the desk.
Vinyl could just see what it was, and saw the word 'Facebook' on it. She was very confused by it and tilted her head.
"What is that?", Vinyl asked.
"Facebook. Social network.", Carry typed something in on a similar black device, but it had letters, numbers and symbols on it.
"Face... Book? I... I really don't understand.", Vinyl said, with confusion.
"It's hard to explain. Let's just say us humans use something called 'The Internet' to communicate vast distances. Social networks are made for us to do so publicly, or privately.", Carry popped up something on the screen, and smiled at it, pushing away at the keys.
"Hmm...", Vinyl turned away, and sighed. If only she had this in Equestria. Should could talk to her friends while on this 'Earth'.

Apparently it communicates vast distances, so, maybe it communicate into space, as well?, Vinyl laughed softly at her thought, but then, thought something new.

Wait... Communicates vast distances... I wonder..., Vinyl looked at the computer and opened her mouth to speak.
"May I... Try something to ... Whatever that device is? I won't break it, I promise.", She said, giving a nervous smile.
"Won't hurt, one sec.", Carry moved a small, black, ball of an object around, and a small arrow moved about a 'Log Out' button. It removed whatever she was on and brought her to a page that said 'Log In'.
"There you go.", She said softly.
Vinyl tilted her head down, aiming her horn at the computer. Her horn glowed a soft, blue, glow and the computer started to emanate one, as well. Vinyl concentrated hard on the computers properties, and found something that was beyond anything she could imagine.
The computer, and her horn, stopped glowing. She smiled brightly and looked at Carry.
"I think I know a new way for me to get out of here!", Vinyl's eyes were bright and glistening at her 'Eureka!' moment.
Carry was just flabbergasted at what the heck just happened.
"Oh?", Carry just asked, trying to shove off her confusion.
"This... 'Internet'... It holds the same, magical, properties as Uranium would. It seems to be endless and that means I can continue trying to deplete a spell that Princess Celestia is holding on me!", Vinyl bounced up and down, giddy with excitement.
"Princess Celestia? Spell?... Mind explaining this to me?", Carry shook her head in much confusion.
Vinyl laughed softly, and started to explain.
"Well, Princess Celestia is one of our rulers back in Equestria, my home. I had a ... 'Friend', ask her to let me come here. I thought it was going to be all ice cream and sundae's but, I was wrong.", Vinyl sighed, and then continued.
"Unfortunately, the spell Celestia cast wears off after one month, thirty-days, and will immediately send me back home. There's no way to break it, unless I have a force stronger than it. Which this ... 'Internet' will provide.", Vinyl smiled, then, proud of her explaination.
"So, instead of 'Uranium', that Joseph told us about, you need Internet to get home now? Why?", Carry asked.
"Because, it holds the same properties. It can withstand mass amounts of heat, it holds great amounts of data, which is essential for spell, and it seems to be an even greater magical resource then the Uranium you humans have!", Vinyl was ecstatic, ready to get home as soon as possible.
"Hrmm... But, Internet isn't a physical thing. It's just data on this computer that connects us to a network that's set by satellites.", Carry said, a bit doubtful of Vinyl.
"That's the thing, it's not physical. Making it even greater of magical potential. I checked how magical it was on that computer, and it seemed very, very, strong. The overwhelming sensation went straight to my horn, telling me that it contains an aura even stronger than Uranium!", Vinyl smiled brightly, her red eyes full of hope.
"All right, I'll bite. If we let you use the Internet to get home, what will you do?", Carry asked.
"I'll open up a portal, right here, and I'll jump in. The spell of the portal will overcome Celestia's, and allow me to head back home. I just have to make sure I co-ordinate it right, that's all. Wonder if I brought a map of Equestria... Would make it easier...", Vinyl put a hoof to her chin, thinking about all she brought within her saddlebags.
"Hrm... Seems a bit dangerous, but, if it helps you, and if Joseph says it's 'okay', then I guess we can let you do that. I am a bit sceptical about it, though. But, who am I to say anything?", Carry shrugged and laughed softly.