Scratching the Surface

by Johnny_Bell

Chapter 12 (Spitfire)

Now, Vinyl was used to being alone, but this just felt weird to her. It had been a week since Octavia left to stay in Celestia’s castle to prepare for the Gala, and the unicorn had already cleaned everything in the house. She now sat, upside down, on the couch, staring at the ceiling, bored out of her mind. She blew a feather, she had found under her bed, up into the air and watched it float back down before repeating the process. The white mare found out a few days before Octavia left that she couldn’t go to the Gala because the Princess had given out the last of the remaining tickets to five other ponies. Although Celestia’s apology was sincere, Vinyl couldn’t help but feel forgotten. After all, She WAS the one who picked up the princess’s phone call the first time. She sighed and blew the feather up in the air once again, pushing the feelings away.

“Somepony’s got mail!” A familiar voice sang from outside. Vinyl flipped as fast as she could to her hooves and rushed to the door, opening it to find her favorite mail carrier, placing mail into the box.

“Thanks Ditzy!” The unicorn called to her as she flew away.

“Just doing my job!” The grey pegasus called back with a smile and her trade-mark eyes that made her so lovable. Vinyl took the mail from the box and returned inside, placing it all on the table. She turned to her laptop and began to play a song, just to make some noise in the apartment. It was too quiet for her liking. With the music playing in the background, Vinyl took the stack of mail in her magic, and began going through it.

“Bill...bill....bill..” she repeated, tossing the envelopes to the floor behind her. “Junk...junk...oh! Muffin.” She took a bite of the complimentary muffin and continued through her full mouth. “Junk...bill..wrong address....” She gasped, almost choking on a mouth full of muffin. “Letter from Tavi!” The unicorn tore open the envelope and ran back to the couch, flopping on the cushions, as she read the letter out loud.

“Dear Vinyl,

Just writing this letter to let you know I’m here in the Princess’s castle and I’m all settled in. I met the other musician ponies whom are preforming with me. One’s a pianist, then there’s tuba and harp players. I got to talk to Celestia to see if there was any other way I could get you to the Gala, unfortunately the guards at the castle will not let anypony in without a ticket, and it turns out the princess didn’t have anymore, she gave away the last three to the other musicians I’m staying with. I’m terribly sorry Vinyl.”

“Darn it to Luna’s moon.” Vinyl mumbled, dropping her ears.

“I will write to you again if I get the chance, I promise. Stay safe my unicorn.

Love, ‘Tavi’”

Upon reading the last lines, a smile found it’s way onto the white unicorn’s face. She stood up and took the letter to her room, pinning it up on a wall with her records.

“You’ll have your own frame one day.” She said, with a smile. Vinyl looked out the window to see it was a nice, quiet, sunny day. She picked up her shades and her music player, placed the purple glasses over her eyes and proceeded to strut out the front door, locking it behind her.

Vinyl couldn’t even try to hide the smile on her face. Sure it was a bummer that she couldn’t go to the Gala, but she figured as long as Octavia is having fun, she’ll get to hear all about it when she got home, and just knowing that her marefriend was having a great time cheered her up a little.

“Vinyl? No way. Vinyl! Over here!” A voice rang out suddenly. The unicorn turned her head in the direction the voice came from to see a pony in a Wonderbolts outfit flying up to her. She blinked in confusion, she didn’t know anypony in the Wonderbolts, how did this pony know her?

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” Vinyl asked once the pony landed. The orange and yellow mane and tail looked familiar, but she couldn’t place her hoof on it.

“Oh, silly me.” the pegasus lifted goggles off her face, to show her orange eyes. Vinyl gasped as she instantly recognized her old friend.

“Spitfire! Ohmigosh, it’s been so long!” The mares hugged. “You’re in the Wonderbolts? How did you accomplish that?”

“Long story.” The mare rolled her eyes.

“I have time. Want to, like, get a cup of coffee and catch up?” Vinyl nodded to a coffee shop on the street corner.

“I would like that, just let me fly home real quick and get out of this outfit. Been in it all day practicing.”

“Sure, I’ll wait for you inside. Don’t ditch me.” She added as she smiled. Spitfire laughed.

“Promise, kid.”

“....And I guess it was really just determination that kept me going.” Spitfire explained. Vinyl sat in total awe, admiring her story.

“So did they give you a test for you to join the Wonderbolts? Was it hard? Can anypony join? What are the rules? ARE there rules?” The unicorn fired off questions.

“Whoa, Vinyl.” The yellow pegasus giggled. “Easy there. Yes, there was a test, it was pretty difficult, anypony, as long as he or she can fly, can attempt to join by taking said test, yes there are rules.” She answered them all in one shot. Vinyl slumped a bit in her seat.

“I’m honestly so jealous that you are able to fly.” Spitfire gave a relaxed smile.

“I know Vinyl. I know. I still remember our fillyhood.” Vinyl’s ears perked.

“You still remember...”

“The tree incident, yes.” She giggled. “I think of it now, it’s actually the sweetest, dumbest on your part, action I’ve ever heard somepony do for me.”

“I missed you, that’s why I did it.” Vinyl shyly smiled.

“Oh, I know Vinyl. I missed you too, but jumping out of a tree with make-shift wings?” Vinyl blushed a bit.

“I wanted to surprise visit you, I thought it would work.” They both laughed a little.

“Was pretty stupid of you.”

“Well, if you think breaking my leg just to try and visit you was stupid, I see how you are.” The unicorn playfully joked.

“Oh you know it, baby.” Spitfire joked right back. They both shared another laugh.

“So, other than the Wonderbolts, what have you been up to?”

“Living.” Was her only answer, followed by a sly smile.

“Short and sweet.” Vinyl smiled back.

“What about you Vinyl? You up to anything good?”

“Not at all.” she chuckled. “Actually I’m trying to get into a good DJ career. Did great over in Manehatten, not so well over here. It’s hard to get noticed in a small town, believe it or not.” A smile slowly crept onto Spitfire’s face. “Oh oh.. That’s your idea look. Whatcha thinking, Fire?”

“Well, I think I know how to get you noticed.”

“I’m listening.”

“If it’s cool with the other ‘Bolts, I’ll see if you can DJ at one of our shows. With a little added pay and maybe an honorable mention at the end of the show.” Vinyl’s jaw dropped and her shades slid down her nose.

“No....way. Really?!”

“Wow, I’ve almost forgot your eye color. You always hid them behind those shades.” Vinyl pushed the shades back up. “And yes, but only IF it was cool with Soarin’ and the others.”

“I would like that! Wow! That’d be so..wait how would that work? I’m not a pegasus, I’d fall right through the clouds..”

“I know a unicorn that can do a temporary wing placement, but it takes away your horn for that time too.” Vinyl placed a hoof under her chin.

“That might be worth it.”

“Well, it’s not settled yet, we still need to see if the other ‘Bolts are cool with it.”

“Yes, of course.” Vinyl laughed.

“If we are cool with what, Captain?” Vinyl turned to see two other pegasi, one a blue maned stallion and the other a white maned mare, walking in the door, still in uniform. She then scrunched up her nose.

“Wait, ‘Captain’? You failed to tell me this.” Spitfire just shook her head.

“Later.” She whispered. “Hey Soarin’, Fleetfoot. I wanted to see if you were cool with Miss Scratch,” she pointed at Vinyl. “playin’ at our next event.” The white maned mare lifted her goggles and looked over the unicorn.

“Spit, you seemed to have failed to noticed..”

“She’s a unicorn, yes I know that. She’s also my fillyhood friend, Fleet.” Spitfire explained.

“I see.” Fleetfoot nodded.

“So, Ms. Scratch,” The stallion also lifted his goggles and met Vinyl with a soft look.

“You can call me Vinyl, sir.” The male pegasus laughed.

“No need for the formalities, Vinyl. Call me Soarin’.” He held out a hoof. Vinyl took his hoof with hers and shook.

“If you can find a way to keep her on the clouds, I’m cool with it, Spitfire.” Fleetfoot smiled.

“Yeah, I can find a way.” She turned her attention to Vinyl. “So, you up for that?”

“Am I ever! When is your next show?”

“We have a small one coming up within the week, before we go to the Gala, wana do that one?”

“Man, EVERYPONY got invited to the Gala but me...” Vinyl thought to herself, but quickly pushed it away.

“Sure! Need fast tracks?”

“Yeah, that’ll help, right?” The yellow pegasus turned to the other Wonderbolts. They nodded, then Soarin’ leaned in and whispered into Vinyl’s ear.

“I’m a fan of that electro, myself.” He then winked and turned back to Spitfire. “Back to practice?”

“If you want, I’m gonna keep catching up with Vinyl here. I’ll meet you all at the ‘Bolt Station’ later tonight, okay?” The two other pegasi nodded and walked back out.

“Wow, I feel honored.” The unicorn smiled.

“Why’s that?”

“You just blew off practice to hang with me?”

“What can I say? Friends and.. What’s left of family.. Comes first.” She smirked a little, then it faded fast.

“Whoa, deep.” Vinyl said after a short silence, she stood up and sat right next to her friend. “Flare,” she said.

“I can’t believe you still remember my nickname, Vin.” She smiled a bit.

“Spitfire, I’m your friend. If there’s anything you need to talk about, you talk to me. I’m here for you, understood?” Spitfire nodded. “It may have been what seemed like forever since we talked, but I’m still the same Vinyl, and I’m still your friend.”

“You sure you want to do this, Vinyl?” The yellow pegasus asked as the two mares walked towards Twilight’s library.

“Absolutely positive. Doing a gig for the Wonderbolts? Shoot, if I turn THAT down, everypony would think I’ve gone mad.”

“If you say so.” Spitfire said as she knocked on the library door.

“Hello?” A small purple dragon, Vinyl recognized as Spike, answered. “Oh, Vinyl, right? I met you way back with Twilight?”

“The one and only.” the unicorn puffed out her chest a little.

“Easy there.” Spitfire rolled her eyes at the unicorn. “Anyway, is Twilight here? We need to ask her something.”

“Yeah, uh, hold on.” Spike said, slowly closing the door. After a few moments the door opened again, showing Twilight.

“Hello Spitfire, hello Vinyl. What’s up?”

“Hey Twi. We kinda have a favor to ask you.” Spitfire spoke.

“Sure, what is it?”

“Well, considering you’re like the best in town when it comes to magic, we were wondering if... Well you see...” Vinyl searched for an explanation.

“Basically Vinyl is going to do a show for the Wonderbolts but we need her to be able to walk on clouds. You have like, a transformation spell?” Spitfire finished the mare’s thought.

“Not exactly,” Twilight said, using her magic to float a book over to her. “But I do have one where it allows her to walk on clouds for a day or so.” The yellow pegasus looked over to her friend.

“That sounds way less complicated then changing you into a pegasus.” She smiled.

“I agree. I can comeback and ask you to do that spell when I need it, right?” the white unicorn asked.

“Just as long as I’m not busy, sure!”

“This show is going to be awesome.” Vinyl smiled.

Comments

[mexipon3]

[Method in Maddness]

You read the Vinyl Scratch Tapes didn't you?

[Johnny_Bell]

1081758
Read and listened.

[Kate_Bit]

1082914 Me too I recognized the reference right off

[Earbleed bass]

The white mare found out a few days before Octavia left that she couldn’t go to the Gala because the Princess had given out the last of the remaining tickets to five other ponies.(reference)