Broken Record

by Scourgeous

Skipping Tracks

The night was bitterly cold, the wind howling through the streets. The shutters on the windows shuddered. Vinyl tossed and turned under her blanket, breathing fast and churning her hooves as if trying to run from an enemy in her sleep. She moaned and opened her eyes, kicking the sheets away and taking big gulps of the icy air.

Fever burned at her head and her extremities. Groggily, the white mare staggered out of her room and into the darkness of the kitchen, focusing on her rapid breathing. She staggered into the bench and hissed with annoyance. She spat into the sink and turned the tap on, then leaned forward and took a long sip from the streaming water.

The clock ticked from somewhere in the murky darkness. Vinyl stroked her hooves up and down the wall until she felt the light switch, and she flicked it down. The lights flickered a few times before steadying. She squinted at the brightness, then turned her head to face the clock. It was 10pm. It took a few moments to register in her head, but not many heartbeats had passed before panic began to flood her.

"I'm going to be late!" She squealed and fled from the room, bucking out her legs to hit the light switch.

She stumbled through the house, pulling her saddlebags onto her back and wrapping a scarf around her neck. She kicked the door open and pushed herself out into the strong wind, closing the door behind her and setting out into the night.

The streets of Canterlot were empty, save for the occasional drunkard staggering through. Though Canterlot was high society, the time many of its residents spent in the local pub took up most of the night and the following daylight hours. Vinyl shivered against the sharp biting cold, keeping her distance from the stallions that tottered around the roads, roaring profanity and slurring things under their thick breath.

Moonlight glinted against the title on the door of one of the buildings. The Barn Mug. Vinyl placed one hoof on the door and pushed, stepping into the humid room within. The air smelt heavy of spirits and tobacco. She narrowed her red eyes and slipped around the edges of the establishment, keeping her distance from the stallions and mares that sat at the tables.

Heavy laughter rocked from the customers. They bashed their hooves on the tables and howled for more liquor. The mares leaned heavily on the stallions, and Vinyl looked away, wanting to gag into her mouth. She stepped up gingerly onto the stage, wincing as it creaked under her weight. It felt like the whole bar turned to look at her with hungry eyes.

"Aye, what's this pretty lady doin' up ther'?"

There was the sound of a hoof striking across the speaker's face, and a hiss of pain. Vinyl flinched and stepped behind the DJ's area, her eyes tracing the detailed knobs and levers. There was silence from the crowd as they stared at her. She gulped and lifted her forehooves onto the records, then slowly lowered her glasses over her eyes and let it turn.

At first the tune played at regular speed, not much of a show-stopper. She slowly adjusted some things with her hooves, sweat beginning to drip down her face. The heat of the room was getting to her, and she felt the urge to cough rising in her tight chest. Focusing on remixing the track, she continued to shuffle the beat around, slowly turning up the volume. She began to nod her head with the beat, but the drunk Canterlot citizens didn't seem to be amused.

She could slowly feel the song reaching its peak, and she scraped one hoof on the record gently, taking a sharp breath. "Let's drop that bass!"

The beat changed rapidly, and she cranked up the volume. The ground trembled a little under the booming bass. She swayed her hips to the shuffling beat, tapping one hoof against the ground.

"Boo!" Someone at one of the tables sneered, throwing their empty beer mug in her direction.

It shattered against the wall behind her, and she gasped, ducking as a second glass was hurled at her. Shards began to explode violently around her, and she fled from the stage. She kicked out to stop to music, her hooves hitting the setup and causing the tune to spiral away. She fled for the exit, escaping the muggy bar and out onto the cold street.

She collapsed in the middle of the street, gasping for air, salty tears burning at her eyes. She quickly wiped her face with a hoof, glancing back at The Barn Mug, feeling heavy as stone as the large black stallion from earlier sauntered out, flanked by two other male ponies.

"Won't be earnin' no bits tonight, lassy." He taunted.

She growled and skid away from them, but wariness weighed her down, and her vision began to falter. The three males surrounded her, smirks spreading across their drunken faces.

"Get away from me," She growled, flattening her ears to the back of her head.

The black stallion chuckled heartily. "Come on, lass, you look like you need a few bits. Make my pals 'appy, and maybe earn yourself something."

Anger boiled within Vinyl and she kicked out violently, her hooves impacting with the face of one of the smaller stallions, sending him reeling backwards with a screech of pain. She held herself up tall, staring across the bridge of her glasses at the last two.

"Feisty, are we?" He growled again, placing one heavy set hoof closer to her.

She started to reverse away from them until she felt her rear end press against a cold wall. The third pony had regained his bearings, and all three surrounded her like a wall of sweaty stallion. She snickered angrily when the lead stallion leaned forward and snuffled her neck.

"Don't touch me you brute!"

He walked as close to her as he could, cramping her against the stone wall. She could smell his heavy musk above the scent of alcohol. She squeezed her eyes shut, knowing trying to escape would be feeble. He suddenly rose up, turning her around and placing his forehooves on her shoulders. She tried to let out a wail, but it was cut short as he began to grind his body against hers.

He let out a muffled groan as his fur brushed hers against its lie. She struggled meekly against him, but his strong grip held her fast. She could feel the gazes of two others on her and her mount, and she wanted to snap out at one of them and drag them to the ground.

The stallion atop her began to grind faster, and she just wanted him to get it over and done with. But he wasn't ready to mate her yet, just sliding his warm body over hers.

There was suddenly a sharp, barking voice. "What in Equestria do you think you are doing?"

A loud thud and the stallion stumbled off Vinyl, and something swished past her. It swished back, clipping the stallion on the head with another loud thump. He snorted angrily, but it swiped again, smashing him in the face. He let out a roar of pain and galloped away, his two skinny comrades fleeing after.

Vinyl turned, shaking all over. "D-did you just hit him... with a cello?"

She stared at the pony that stood in front of her, a musty gray mare with very elegant dark hair. She had a cello leaning against her, and she crossed her front hooves with content.

"Yes, yes I did." She smirked.

Vinyl couldn't help but laugh, but on the inside was shaking with fear. "Thank you so much. I don't know what I would of done without you."

The friendly mare rubbed up against her. "Follow me, you can get cleaned up at my place if you like." She offered.

Vinyl leaned around to see that her fur was clumped with sweat. "Oh... yes, please." She forced a weak smile.

The two mares trotted confidently back down the street, the cold air soon cooling their warm bodies. Vinyl glanced at her savior a few times, unsure how to show her utter gratitude, but the mare didn't seem to mind either way.

"My name is Vinyl Scratch." She said finally, pushing her glasses up behind her horn so they wouldn't slip off.

The earth pony smiled as she unlocked the door to her home. "I'm Octavia, but you can call me Tavi."

Comments

[BassMaker]

Only thing: Octavia would NEVER be willingly called 'Tavi.

[ponytrash]

A brilliant turnaround from the norm. Octavia is so often treated as one who needs saving.

Best line in the chapter: "Yes, yes I did." She smirked.

[Hyacintho Ignis]

Been looking for a Octa/Scratch Fic like this... where's the rest of it?