The Secret Diary of Vinyl Scratch

by Locomotion

Part 2: Work Experience

Entry 53

October 16th

Just as I feared! Not only am I back in the factory again, but I'm actually being forced to work on some of the cloth machines, and as if that's not enough, I've got that crazy old slave driver Stockinette hovering over me half the time and forcing me to work harder than normal! I mean, seriously, what is her problem?! Does she have something against me or what?!

As if that's not enough, I've got some high-maintenance diva named Rarity working on the next machine along from me. Don't know who this Rarity is? Well, she's setting up a fashion shop place in her home town of Ponyville, and has come up here to Canterlot for a bit of hooves-on experience, so she says. I dunno what to make of that pony, but I'm not really sure I'm gonna like her – the way she talks and acts just feels like, “I'm so posh and prim and pretty, and I look down on anypony who isn't”. She seems to be getting on like really well with Tiff, but then I'm not surprised. If it weren't for one being pinkish and the other being white, you'd think they were the same darn pony!

But yeah, if I didn't have Needlecord around, I would have totally gone crazy after what that Stockinette's been putting me through! Seriously, why can't those two stick-in-the-mud parents of mine just back off and let me do my own thing for once?! I don't even care about these frigging fabrics they want me to make! I just wanna go out there and have a bucking life!!!

(P.S.: I totally did not just say all that out loud. Nopony heard me say that, right? Right?)

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Entry 54

October 17th

Okay, for some reason, I can't help thinking I'm outta my mind or something. Today started out pretty much the same as yesterday, with Dad dragging me out to the factory, and then Stockinette gives me a ton of work that I don't wanna do, and on top of all that, I have that diva unicorn Rarity working next to me – again! So there I am, trying to get all this stupid fabric stuff outta the way so I can go hang out with Octavia again (if she's up for it), and she starts trying to chat me up about my outburst from yesterday. And I'm sort'a like “What the hay is your problem?! It's not like we're even friends or nothing!”, but then she starts asking about “Do you not like working here?” and this, that and the other. Dunno how she worked that one out, and I didn't really care back then, but I swear Tiff must have been snitching on me after I left. That girl can never keep her mouth shut for more than five seconds!

Heck, if I'd had my way, I'd have just left the machine and gone to cool my head off someplace – or at least I would have if I didn't have that loony Stockinette watching over me! As it is, I'm caught up talking with this pony who I don't even know, and somehow or other, she's getting me to come clean about why I'm being so edgy and bitter and stuff. Not really sure I'm cool with her knowing all about me and my idiot parents, but for some weird reason, I actually feel better for having talked to somepony about it. Just wish it could have been Needlecord instead of some...

Okay, this is where things start to get a bit weird. See, after I told Rarity about my parents and how they don't actually bother to let me be an ordinary pony, she started acting like the big sister I wish I could have had and saying all sorts of things about “I really do feel for you,” and “No little filly or colt should have that sort of thing forced on them.” And this was the filly I had pegged earlier as being an absolute snob! How is this real?! How come she's being all kind and understanding towards me? I mean, that's not to say Tavi doesn't show sympathy towards me when I'm upset – heck, why else would I have gone to her when that colt threw me in that mud patch for being a blank-flank? And what about that time my Dad burned up that sheet music of mine right before my eyes?

But whatever, I'm going off topic here. Point I'm trying to make is that this Rarity pony is being like real sympathetic, like, when she should be treating me like I don't mean nothing. Why is she doing that? And did she seriously just offer to talk it all out with my parents sometime and see if she could knock a bit of sense into them? Somehow, I'm pretty sure she did, but I don't see anypony getting those two morons to change their minds. Still, thanks for offering.

So yeah, all told, pretty tiring day, and pretty weird too; but at least I have somepony who's willing to try and stand up for me for once.

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Entry 55

October 18th

Same old factory stuff again, big surprise. I mean, yeah, it's good that I've got somepony to talk to, but why does it have to be me working those darn cloth machine thingies?! I got way better things to do with my life than make stupid fabrics that nopony's gonna use! Seriously, most ponies don't even bother with clothes, so what's the flipping point?! But that's not the worst bit – for some reason or other, that Stockinette seems to think I'm not working hard enough, and now she's giving me three times as much fabric work as yesterday!
Just my luck! Me and Tavi gets to fix up a date when we can meet up and hang out together, and that slave driver has to go and ruin everything! I swear, if I have my way, I'll give her something to ruin!

But yeah, before I go off on one, there's one thing I wanna get out of the way – Rarity is a lifesaver! Why? Because while I was working on the machine, she...I think she must have snuck some of her own stuff across to what I'd already made. And get this, when Stockinette came to check on us both, she told her that it was all my doing! I dunno what's wackier, that she actually cared enough to do this for me, or that Stockinette was stupid enough to fall for it! As soon as that loony was gone, Rarity then explained she didn't want me to miss my hangout session with Tavi, so if she could add to my own lot of fabric, then I could bunk off early and still get my work done. Seems I totally misjudged that mare.

So yeah, finished up on time, and Stockinette didn't even stop to ask if I was the one who made all that fabric on my pile. Thanks a lot, Rare, I owe you one! Still, I'll be glad when I get to the park and find Tavi waiting for me. I just wish I could explain why my head is aching so much.

Entry 55 and a bit

I am such an idiot! Got to the park at about half seven, started to look for Octavia, and then I remembered that I hadn't even eaten! I really should have packed an extra meal or something, maybe bought something to...nah, I don't have any money anyways. Honestly, though, you'd think a couple of filthy rich idiots would have more than enough to give their filly a little bit of pocket money!

So yeah, I'm well starved by the time I find Tavi. She's sitting pretty close to some fountain in the middle of the park with a saddlebag perched on her back, and she's looking kinda worried. So I sits myself down next to her and tell her all about what a rubbish day I've been having, and how Rarity helped me out of a tricky spot. Seems she's already met that unicorn, because as soon as I'm done talking, she says something about “she may come across as full of herself, but underneath that high-maintenance exterior lies a mare with a heart of gold and a soul of diamonds.” Not unlike you, Tavi. I sure am lucky to have you in my life right now.

Why, I hear you ask? Even if you're just a diary and can never even think, let alone ask? Because when I told her about the whole missing dinner thing, she actually...turns out there was an uneaten sandwich in her bag that she was saving for later, but she said I needed it way more than she did. She actually offered me something to eat, and didn't even ask for payment or nothing! I think I might have looked like a right crybaby there and then, because I just...nopony's ever shown me such kindness. And more than that, she insisted that I take it even when I insisted otherwise, said the last thing she would have wanted was for me to go hungry.

She really taught me what friendship could mean that day. And it was delicious.

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Entry 59

October 24th

I don't frigging believe this! Just when I thought things were on the up, now I find that I've gone and ruined my magic! I got up at the usual time, headed over to the factory with that idiot Dad of mine, got to work at the cloth machine, and...I'm not even gonna bother repeating myself with that Stockinette! She's not even worth it, that darn mule!

Not that my Dad was any better, though! I'd been complaining of headaches for three days straight, and he accused me of trying to weasel my way outta work! So he drags me outta the house, sits me down in front of the cloth machine, and then he gets Stockinette to hover over me and breathe down my neck while I work! Even Rarity didn't get a chance to sneak anything across to my products!

I'd hardly gone on for ten minutes when I felt this real horrible pain in my head, like it's about to split wide open. I had to stop at that point, even if it meant getting yelled at by the bitch who brought the whole thing on in the first place. Heck, she'd still be yelling at me if Rarity hadn't picked me up and raced me to the nearest hospital. Can't remember too much of what happened because my head was hurting like Tartarus, but I think she was saying something about a magic migraine or whatever the hay you call it. Then one of the doctors cast some sort of pain charm on me, and I think I must have passed out.

When I woke up, the nurse told me that I was suffering from horn trauma as a result of magical overload – which basically means I've been using way too much magic for way too long, and my magic receptors have burnt out. Fantastic! First I'm brought up by a couple of unfeeling mules, then I get bullied by some stuck-up who likes to bully her co-workers, and now I can't even use my magic because my horn needs time to recover! How could this day get any worse?!

So yeah, I'm on bed rest in the hospital until my headache blows over. Probably a good thing in some ways, because at least I don't have to listen to Mom and Dad rattling on about why I should follow in their hoofsteps and not lead my own life, and neither do I have to put up with all this fabric talk of theirs. It sickens me, it really does! Still, it did get a bit boring in here after a while, so I sure was glad when Tavi and Rarity came to visit. Rarity said she'd spoken with my parents and tried to make them see sense, but for whatever reason, they weren't having none of it. That was one hay of a disappointment – but what really got me was that she seemed well determined that she'd bring them round in the end. She told me she'd try again at some point in the future, maybe offer them a few business deals as a bribe.

But it was Tavi's gift that really made my day. She gave me a CD Trotmare and a selection of music CDs that I could listen to while I was on the move, so I wouldn't have to wait until I was back home before playing them on the stereo system in my room. I couldn't thank her enough! Boy, am I gonna have fun listening to all those albums.

It's kinda gotten me thinking – she's into classical, I'm into pop, her parents let her follow a musical career, mine don't...we're worlds apart, and yet she and I get on like a barn on fire. Whenever I'm upset with how my folks are treating me, she tries to make me feel better about myself. Whenever I'm in a jam (no, not the music kind of jam!), she goes out of her way to help me out of it again, same as Rarity did a few days ago. It's kinda like we're meant to be like best friends forever. I don't think I could ever wish for a better friend than Tavi.

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Entry 66

October 31st

Just got out of the hospital this morning. The doctor says I should avoid using magic until my horn's fixed itself, so I'm having to do everything by hoof and mouth, pretty much. I kinda wish I'd stayed in hospital, though, because Mom and Dad were saying all sorts of stupid stuff like how feeble I am, and how am I supposed to run a fabric business if I get magical overload so easily. Honestly, if those two don't stop with their fabric trash, I'm gonna punch something! Besides, it wasn't my frigging fault that that Stockinette broke me!

Rarity's already headed home by now, so I don't think I'm gonna get any more help from her with those two mules. Shame, really, I was beginning to like her. Weird thing is, not long after I'd eaten, Tavi came knocking at my door and said there was some fancy gig thingy that she was playing at, and did I wanna come? She didn't say what it was, and I gotta say I'm confused that she'd wanna invite somepony like me to one of her fancy parties. Still, it'd be good to get away from my idiot parents again.

Entry 66 and a bit

Wait a minute! Now I know why she's asked me out to this gig of hers – it's Nightmare Night!

This is well cool, man! My parents never even let me go trick or treating on Nightmare Night because they thought it was too childish or something or nothing, which is like really lame because it is way more fun than all these pointless social gatherings or whatever they call them that they go to! So yeah, I never really got to enjoy Nightmare Night until Tavi came along. She's taking me to a party out in the park with some of her friends, and she's even bought me a costume she thinks I'm gonna like. And boy, was she right! It's a sort of a vampire outfit with fake fangs and a cape thing, and it sort'a makes me look like Count Jockula when I'm wearing it. But get this – she's wearing a wicked cool costume herself! Tavi! A real class pony! In costume! On Nightmare Night! And it's a zombie pony too! This is totally bad-ass! And Mom and Dad say that posh ponies don't wear Nightmare Night costumes! Yeah, wrong!

So when we actually got there, right, we met up with Tavi's friends next to the statue of Celestia and began playing on all these wicked cool games that they've got going at this party – Hoopla, Spider Toss, Apple Bob, Lucky Dip, all that sort of jazz. I think the Spider Toss had to be my favourite outta the lot, but I'm not so sure about bobbing for apples. I couldn't even seem to grab a fly, let alone an apple – heck, I'd be surprised if anypony co Okay, scratch that, Symphony managed to grab one while I was getting a cola. Dunno how, but whatever.

In fact, I'm gonna say this now, I'm already really glad I came out with Tavi and her friends to this party. Okay, so maybe Harpo doesn't seem to dig me, and Beauty Brass is a bit...posh, but it's way better than all the Nightmare Nights I've ever had. Good thing my parents are never gonna read this, or I'm never gonna hear the end of it.