Behind Her Purple Glasses

by Lyca

Chapter 4: In All Reality

(ATTENTION EVERYONE! Those last chapters weren't cannon to this story, in case you were wondering. Vinyl and Octavia actually haven't even gotten to their location, and they aren't visiting that bar...this time. XD)

Initiating reality sequence...

"So, if you're a cellist...why is your cutie mark a treble clef instead of a base clef, Octavia?" the white mare asked, as she walked waving a hoof in the other pony's general direction. Only after the words escaped her mouth did she realize that she probably made herself sound like she had been looking at the mare's flank.

Luckily as Octavia answered, she seemed not to have noticed the slight social blunder. "Well Miss Scratch, as you saw when you moved your, uh, musical equipment into the spare room, I am well versed in many of the string instruments, from the double bass, to even the harp on occasion. However, I did not become particularly fond of the two largest orchestral instruments until my mid teens," she smiled wistfully as memories began visibly crossing her vision, before continuing, "Actually, I was strictly a violinist for my School's music program when I figured out my joy in life.

"My sister and I were holding a makeshift concert for my whole family at the time, and of course, I was playing my violin. Therefore, it makes complete sense that my cutie mark would be the treble clef, as that is the clef used for the violin," she concluded, smiling sideways at her new roommate. The bright smile and brilliant eyes of the mare were infectious, and Vinyl could not help but smile as well.

Adjusting her sunglasses, Vinyl slowed to a stop when she realized she didn't recognize the area at all. Her smile faltered as she looked around, her vision scrolling over the unfamiliar, unwelcoming scenery. The street was littered with pot holes and garbage, and there didn't seem to be a single wall on any of the buildings untouched by graffiti. Even the sidewalk was scrawled with the messy hoof-writing of countless teenagers.

"Oh crap..." she muttered, swishing her tail nervously as her eyes found the street sign. Why did it have to be Gaskin Street..? she thought to herself, now watching the approaching ponies whom she suddenly recognized. This was not going to be pleasant.

"Did you say something, Miss Scratch?" the grey mare asked as she turned around. Her eyes trailed over her surroundings and she sighed. "Let me guess; you've gotten us lost?"

A meek nod was her response as Vinyl walked up beside her. "And you see those ponies coming our way..?" "...yes" "Well...they don't exactly like me..."

The ponies, four unicorns and a pegasus, all stopped when they noticed the white mare. The lead, a slim green mare, smiled cruelly. straight white teeth shone through the darkness of the night, and she resumed her walking. Who exactly was she? Only the cruelest pegasus alive, Pine Needles.

"I thought I told you to stay out of my territory, Staccato," the mean voice rung out through the otherwise empty street. Vinyl cringed at the sound of the painful voice.

"S-sorry, Needles..." She rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof. "I uh...I guess I wasn't looking where I was going..."

"Damn right you weren't." she started circling the two ponies. "You're as dumb as an ox. And who might this little trinket be?" Needles now stood still, sizing up the lithe mare. She let out a small growl in the back of her throat. "This you're fillyfriend, you little dyke?" She let out a scary chuckle. "She's obviously blind if she's into a mule like you, but she sure as hell ain't bad on the eyes."

"Um, excuse me Miss...Needles," Octavia shook her head, "but I must say that as much as my acquaintance here has her flaws, you have no right to speak to her as if she were dirt." Her amethyst eyes hardened. "And you definitely should not speak of me as if I were an object."

"Listen here you little bitch," the pegasus snarled, "Nopony uses that tone of voice with me!" The four other ponies surrounded the grim Octavia and now cowering Vinyl. "Restrain the bitch, but leave Shades here to me." Her gruesome smile widened. "I'll deal with her next..."

The four unicorns dragged the defiant a few yards away as Needles circled the petrified mare. "You shouldn't have come here, Scratch."

Vinyl shook her mind free of the fear that gripped her, locking every muscle in her body. She couldn't believe why this was happening. Tonight was not going as planned, and now Octavia was going to get hurt, just for being near her. It was always the same. Needles would hurt anypony close to Vinyl, and then they would always set the blame on her.

Her heart was racing in her ears as the green mare stalked forward, preparing to strike a solid blow to the alabaster unicorn's temple. It was the move she always made to start the pain; she would leave Vinyl's head ringing as the concussion began to take its toll, then begin with the rest of her well-practiced routine to cause her as much pain as possible.

But Vinyl had long ago become numb to the pain, both physical and emotional. The cruel mare could hurt her no more than a nightmare, she had long since awoken from. The only part of her that Needles could never break was her mind, that one part of her had been shredded long before her.

Despite the lack of pain, Vinyl's body still let out a sharp yelp at the hoof-to-head contact. The useless vessel lurched a few feet into the air and skidded as it hit the cobbled road. Her glasses managed to stay on through the landing, and she absently reached a hoof up to fix them before standing up to allow her attacker further damage to her worthless body.

"Vinyl..!" She heard as blow after blow rained down upon the soft white torso.

"T-tavi..?" she questioned as her eyes searched, her blurred vision unable to focus on anything. "I'm sorry, Octavi-AHH!" her words were cut off by another involuntary sound when the pegasus threw her full weight against the weakened mare.

She sure is strong for a pegasus she thought to herself as she blacked out, a small smile forming on her face. well, bedtime...