The Great Wubtub

by The Great Wub Tub

The End of an Age

Vinyl let out a soft groan into fabric, her head stuffed into a dark grey pillow, her body laying prone across the couch. The lights were off, and the TV blared across the room from her, reporting on the latest news in the music business. There were sounds coming from the door to the room, but Vinyl paid no mind to them. She was busy focused on other problems. Her musical career was over, her life would follow, fall to shambles. Her special talent was going to be rendered useless! What was she going to tell her Mum and Da? What was she going to tell her manager? What was she going to tell Octavia!?

As if summoned by the very thought of her name, Vinyl’s door suddenly flew across the room and clattered onto the floor, the light from the outside hallway filtering into the room. Vinyl didn’t bother to get up to look who it was, since she knew only one mare who not only could do that, but would do that in a heartbeat if she had to. Vinyl couldn’t dare to face her, or the mare probably with her. So, she did her best to shove her head deeper into the pillow.

“She’s been like this all morning, even since turning on the musical news broadcast station. I thought that she was doing better, buuut then she tricked me out of the room to get us some coffee, and went right back to moping.” Vinyl’s ears heard the crisp voice of her manager, Show Time. She was a show pony unicorn who used magic and music to perform on stage. Recently had retired and went to managing up and coming talent like Vinyl. She was nice enough, but would she remain that way without the funds?!

“Right. It’s a good thing you called me, than. I’ll have somepony replace the door post haste. In the meantime…” There came the posh, delightful voice of Vinyl’s favorite mare in the world. Octavia Melody, first chair cellist, and Vinyl’s marefriend and musical partner. Vinyl took on the stance of if she didn’t look, they’d go away, but still those steps drew closer, until finally, Vinyl was moving not of her own free will.

Octavia lifted up Vinyl Scratch easily enough, turning the mare about and adjusting her without any resistance from the downtrodden unicorn, before Octavia sat down onto the couch, and sat down Vinyl Scratch right in her lap. It didn’t matter that Octavia was an earth pony, as Vinyl was already a twig of a mare to begin with. Lithe, with only slight feminine curves to her. It was her vibrant mane and tail that helped her stand out, while Octavia was much more gifted, in both her subtle beauty of colors, and the healthy, curvaceous body type she sported.

“Now, what seems to be the problem, you utter knob?” Octavia asked, setting herself to fixing up Vinyl’s appearance. Straightening the small shades that Vinyl had on the tip of her nose, and adjusting the purple scarf that the mare had wrapped around her neck, clasped together by a treble clef. Octavia had a similar blue scarf, simply clasped together by a pair of eighth notes. They’d been hearth warming gifts that the pair seemed to find any excuse to wear.

Vinyl just swallowed down a lump that had formed in her throat, before slowly pointing at the still going TV, which all in the room had been ignoring up to that point, choosing to focus on Vinyl instead. Octavia and Show Time both frowned, before looking over to the television to see exactly what all the issue and hubbub was on about.

“And our top story for this morning, DJ Pon-3 Vinyl Scratch is at an all time low in the charts! Previously one of Equestria’s top musical stars, Miss Scratch’s popularity has been falling for quite sometime now in the face of numerous scandals and failed CD releases. We have reached out to DJ Pon-3 for comment, but she has been unavailable thus far...SO, we have the next best thing! Current chart topper, rising star, Bubblegum Pop!” The host declared, before the camera panned to focus on the little filly known as Bubblegum Pop. A loud hiss sounded in Vinyl’s living room, that name having gained more than a little animosity amongst the trio. Vinyl simply slumped more into Octavia.

“The issue with DJ Pon-3 isn’t only simple, but it’s like, totally plain as day to see!” Bubblegum Pop declared, the little filly chewing her obnoxious bubble gum. “Not only is she old hack, and I don’t mean to say she’s old, which she like, might totally be, but her stuff is dated, and boring! It’s always the same old same old wub wub, bzzt bzzt, techno remix with some classical thrown in there cause her, like, wife or whatever takes pity on her! She’s got nothing to stand out about! I mean, nothing about her is interesting at all! I know that’s, like, super mean, but sometimes that’s how the truth is, ya know?” Bubblegum Pop spoke, the host nodding almost obediently to the ravings of the little girl.

“So, what exactly are you trying to say, Miss Pop?” The host questioned, camera flicking to him only briefly, before refocusing on the filly teen idol.

“It’s simple, really. DJ Pon-3 has nothing going on for her outside of her subpar music! That might have gotten a pony somewhere in the dark ages, but this is modern day! A musical pony is more than just a music, they’ve gotten be a representation! They gotta be a symbol of everything they believe! Like me, I believe that any teen pony can achieve their dreams, if they just try enough! What does DJ Pon-3 believe in? Parties? We got, like, Pinkie Pie for that! Speaking of Pinkie Pie, buy my new album for a chance to party with not only her, but me too, the one and only Bubblegum Pop!” Bubblegum Pop said, the show host nodding his head once more.

“Strong words, from a strong little filly. Next on our show, we have-” The television was suddenly shut off, Show Time holding the remote out towards the television, clearly quite displeased.

“Who the tartarus does that little worm think she is!? Most of her music is so autotuned it's painful to listen to, and her concerts are pure lip synching! She doesn’t even write any of her own music!!” Show Time growled, glaring at the TV as if she could force the little filly to listen to her words. “Why, if I got just five minutes in a room with that little-”

“You’d call me first, because I have a lot more reason to tear her a new one than you do.” Octavia huffed a bit, before Vinyl finally stopped slumping against her, sitting up in her lap and giving out a sigh.

“But, she’s right. I don’t have anything going for me. I have no target audience, I don’t have any big merchandise. Even my music is falling behind! I’m a mess. I’m gonna have to move back to my parent’s place, Show Time, you should just back Tavi…” Vinyl slumped, giving a small groan and hiding her face in her hands. Octavia patted the mare softly on the back.

“Scratch, come on, you know I’d never leave ya like that...And I’m legally obligated not to, since I signed you both onto a joint contract for the next five years, sooo….Yeah.” Show Time said, rubbing the back of her neck, only for Octavia to give her a sharp glare. “N-Not like I’d leave if I WASN’T legally obligated to, anyway!” Show Time chuckled a bit. Vinyl just groaned more, curling into a ball on Octavia’s lap. Octavia sighed softly, setting Vinyl back down onto the couch before getting to her hooves.

“Oh, come on, Vivi, I’m sure there’s something we can-” Octavia began, taking a few steps away, before her foot stepped onto a discarded pizza box. Octavia glanced down at it, opening her mouth at first to yell at the pair for letting the room start to become a sty, before she spotted the logo of the pizza box. It was a rather surplus looking pony, about to stuff their face with pizza. The cellist considered it idly, before a grin slowly began to grow onto her face. “Show Time, come over here for a second.”

Vinyl watched silently from the couch, eyes glancing between the pair of mares, who looked to Vinyl, each other, and the pizza box under their hooves. There was a lot of hushed whispering and wide eyed glances from Show Time. Vinyl found her melancholy squelched by the curiosity of what exactly the pair were talking about over there. Eventually, Show Time spoke loud enough to be heard by Vinyl.

“That idea...It just might be insane enough to actually work out…” Show Time mumbled, Vinyl frowning from her spot.

“What exactly are you two plotting over there?” Vinyl grumbled, before Octavia suddenly reached down and lifted up the pizza box, aiming it directly at Vinyl, tapping the picture of the fat pony.

“Simple, Vinyl...We’re going to turn you into a regular fat ass.” Octavia grinned widely, while Vinyl’s jaw dropped. She knew that look Octavia was giving her, a look of pure determination.

When she said she was going to make Vinyl Scratch into a fat ass, she damn well meant it.

Author's Note:

Part one of the series I alluded to, woo! This is exciting for me. I know, I know, not much happens now...But, there will be stuff in future chapters, I assure you!