A Mare Named Lightning: Part 1

by lightning_dust_12

Part 1: Everyman Quince, Meet Vinyl Scratch

Vinyl Scratch was just sitting down in front of his laptop, getting ready to dive into making a brand new song, when somepony rang the doorbell. Vinyl sighed, and called for Octavia, "Octavia! Will you get the door?"

Octavia replied from her bedroom, "No! I'm right in the middle of something, sweetie!"

Vinyl Scratch sighed, and got up from her comfy black office chair, and opened the door. Standing on the front porch was a light grey stallion with a dark brown-and-black mane. His tail was a messy mass of brown hair, and as Vinyl Scratch continued looking him over, she noticed with distaste that his mane was done up exactly like her own, and he looked to be about 15 years old, still just a colt by Vinyl's standards.

"What do you want?"

The stallion shyly looked down at his hooves, which reminded Vinyl of herself, because she used to be exactly the same way meeting new ponies. Vinyl smiled remembering her fillyhood, then quickly went back to her normal, depressed self.

"Do you need anything, or are you just coming here to bother me?"

The stallion looked up, and said in a quiet voice, "Um...yeah. So, I'm an amateur DJ, and I make pony music videos."

Vinyl's ears perked up when she heard a DJ mentioned. "Oh, so you're a DJ! What software do you use?"

He smiled slyly, "Oh, just Garage Band."

Vinyl laughed, "Have fun being a real DJ, kid! You won't get anywhere with that!"

He pouted, and said, "Yeah, well I heard somewhere that to be a 'real DJ,' you also have to get drunk on Applejack's apple cider every night!"

Vinyl Scratch looked over her shoulder at the apple cider jugs strewn all over her bed. She turned back to the stallion, and said, "Good point kid. So, what's your name? Why are you here?"

"Well, my name is Everyman Quince, but my friends call me Alez-"

"Okay then Alez," Vinyl Scratch said, smiling.

"-and I just wanted to ask you if I could use your music in my new pony music video."

If there was one thing that always got in the "real DJ's" way, it was legal issues. Vinyl Scratch sniffed, "That's ridiculous! You can't use my music!" Vinyl pointed back at her laptop, "Can't you see I'm still working on it?"

"Oh...okay. Sorry," Alez said, looking down at his hooves again. "I just really needed some good music, and I thought-"

"Well, you thought wrong! Now go find somepony else to bother!"

"But, I - oh, okay. At least take this," Alez said, holding out a business card.

"Why would I-"

He looked up at Vinyl Scratch with sad eyes. "Please?"

She snatched the card off his hoof, and slammed the door shut. Alez looked down at the ground, and a tear rolled down the stallion's cheek. He turned his back, and walked slowly down the stone path away from the house.

---

Vinyl Scratch huffed, and turned back toward her laptop, and found herself face-to-face with Octavia. "What in Equestria are you doing, Vinyl Scratch?!" Vinyl pushed her away, and said, "Don't call me that! You either call me Vinyl, or Scratch, or whatever, but not Vinyl Scratch." Octavia ignored her and galloped over to the door. She opened it, and yelled after Alez, "Wait! Come back!"

The stallion turned around, surprised to hear his nickname being spoken by a mare whose voice he had never heard before. He slowly walked back up the steps to the doorstep. "Yes? Miss, um..."

"Octavia," Octavia supplied.

"Did Vinyl Scratch change her mind?"

Octavia laughed and ruffled his hair, "No way, sweetheart, but I would be happy to accommodate with my own music!"

Behind her, Vinyl looked daggers at Alez. Octavia noticed his worried expression, and looked over her shoulder at her roommate. "Sweetie, do you still have the business card?"

"No," she growled, "I threw it out."

Octavia sighed, and turned back to Alez. "Do you mind? Getting a new card, I mean," Octavia said blushing.

"No problem, Octavia," Alez said, pulling another business card out of his pocket, and handing it to Octavia. She looked it over for a second, then raised an eyebrow. "Wait a sec. 'PMVs by Everyman Quince?' Are you that stallion on youtube that made that awesome music video for that song by Melodosis?"

Alez was shocked. "Yeah! That was me!"

Octavia nodded, then breathed in sharply. "Oh, if you make videos, you have to meet Lightning Dust! She also makes pony music videos. I even know her personally!"

"Cool! Where does she live?"

"Oh, she lives on the west side of Ponyville, sort of near Sugarcube Corner. I could take you, if you want, and introduce you to her."

Alez glanced over Octavia's shoulder at Vinyl, who was shaking her head. "I'd better not," he said dejectedly.

"Oh come on," Octavia said, "I insist! Making friends is so important for ponies your age."

As Alez trotted at Octavia's side, he looked helplessly at Vinyl Scratch, who was still standing in the doorway, shaking her head. She slowly shut the door, and turned the lock. Alez looked over at Octavia, and his worries dissolved. He sighed, and looked at the ground while he walked, thinking about what to say to Lightning Dust.

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