Broken Ambience

by Xantha

First published 7th of September, 2014

Vinyl Scratch begins to have night terrors during the day and throughout the night about her greatest fear.

Vinyl Scratch begins to have night terrors during the day and throughout the night of her greatest fear. It happens to be something much more worse than it seems; and with so little time to fix it.

Part 1: The Scratch

Author's Notes:

If you enjoy this story, please recommend it to friends. I would also appreciate any kind of feedback in the comments or as a private message also.

(I would also accept any kind of cover art if someone out there with any kind of artistic ability would like to create a decent picture for this story, something along the lines with a mirror, the main character, and the white copy.)

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Your Humble Writer,

-X

The room was quiet and dark, with a slow chill radiating off the window on the far side of the bed. The winter this year was harsher than the weather pegasus intended, but it was fine if you were a pony who lived in a nice house to hide from the cold. Sure it got annoying sometimes, but that was never really the problem with winter. The real problem was the depression everyone got from it each year, because the sun was usually hidden by gloomy clouds causing a very dark mood to pass over everyone who couldn’t feel the sun. It had something to do with science, but really, no one cared; It was making everyone upset, that’s all we knew.

The digital clock read in blocky blue numbers that it was 3:27 in the morning. Occasional light blinked through the dark blinds covering the window as someone passed by with a lit carriage. Again, it was dark and it was silent; only the breathing of the two ponies in the bed could be heard.

They’ve been together for about three years now, and the blue haired pony had become quite a success alongside her special mare. They finally made it to the big tops, she had made the best DJ since technologic sounds and noises were invented and her partner made the number one Cellist. Her story started so small and ended up being a happy ending as she played for the princesses themselves. Not to mention, the music they both managed to create. The vibrant sounds and echoes they both experimented with became a hit all throughout Equestria. Picking the name together, they called it Dub Orchestra. It taught a lesson to everyone who listened that a Yin and a Yang will always create something beautiful and harmonious in the end.

Sounds, Noises, Acoustics, Electric Beats, they all came together as the two mares joined in music genres. The rise and falls of the intensity as the sound became louder or quieter, finally reaching the climax and the ending. The crowd would cheer, they would scream, they would shout catcalls and whistle.

This was Vinyl’s life, and she was happy to experience it. She would do whatever it takes to keep this up, to keep her life in check. Even if you heard her music, it wasn’t all that crazy to listen to. It still had some harmony in it, just like in her day, every week, every month, of every year, and she preferred to keep it that way.

But it wasn't all it seemed, there was something just a little bit more.

It was plain to see, when Vinyl sat up in the navy blue covers, screaming.

She screamed Octavia’s name, repeating her screams until her eyes adjusted and she realized she was back in her own bed, where nothing could hurt her.

Octavia was already stirring and sitting up; her black mane was tangled and snarled from sleeping. She wiped at her eyes and looked at Vinyl in a sleepy concerned state, yawning, she asked,

“A dream again, Vinyl?”

She sat there, watching Octavia as she breathed heavily. Her eyes darted from here and there, until resting on the window. The fire had long ago gone out and it was very cold in their room, every breath puffed a bit of steam into the air. Vinyl was creating a flurry out of each breath she took.

“Please, please…” Vinyl croaked softly; her voice was on the edge of cracking as tears pooled up in her eyes. Octavia saw this only faintly because of how dark it was in the room, as she wrapped her hooves around Vinyl, slowly tugging her back down into the covers of the bed.

She pulled her mare close to her body and stroked her electric blue mane. It wasn’t full of hair gel tonight, so it felt soft and billowy, as she tried to calm the stricken DJ. While doing this, she felt Vinyl shudder and bury her face in Octavia’s shoulder; to sob and make the Cellist's grey fur wet from the tears.

Octavia held the DJ as she wept, never ceasing to pet her mane.

She sighed as she remembered the day they both committed to each other those 3 years ago. To be there in health or sickness, till the day they would both be gone. She will never forget Vinyl’s vow she made. The beautiful words she spoke as she stood there in a black suit. Even that, the thought of Vinyl in a suit instead of a dress made her smile. She had made such a fuss about wearing a dress because she thought it wouldn’t match her style, she absolutely had to have that black suit and blue cravat.

The only thing Octavia could convince Vinyl to do was to not wear her magenta glasses. She wanted all of Vinyl, to see her eyes, to see what was truly in her heart and soul as they both made vows to each other. Eyes are the mirror of the soul; you look in, and the soul looks back, but only if you understood the person that owned it.

Octavia closed her eyes as she tried to calm Vinyl, bringing back the memory of that beautiful day they both shared.

The ballroom was beautiful, supplied by Vinyl’s savings she was able to rent the Castle Ballroom for a day. You know the one for Grand Galloping Gala? It was gorgeous as it was all done up in blue and pink ribbons, intertwining with each other. The tables were clothed in fine white material, that Octavia thought could have been silk even. On the tables sat blue vases filled with Honeysuckles, Baby’s Breath, and beautiful white roses. Strewn around the vases were little pink crystals, Octavia’s choice. The carpet was a deep navy color, along with recently polished windows with blue and pink drapes hanging from the railings. The base of the walls were completely covered in little white flowers, she wasn’t sure what they were; some were dyed pink, some blue, and some weren’t dyed at all.

Her orchestra band played in the corner as the ceremony started. It was a beautiful dusk and the sky was a bright shade of pink mixed with blue. The clouds looked dyed just as the flowers were; everything Octavia remembered was just perfect. She secretly hoped that Vinyl felt the same way about their wedding, how beautiful and how special it was. That’s what she felt was so wrong with them, is that Vinyl was vague about these things. Octavia thought it was just a strong sense of pride that existed in her mare.

The orchestra began playing in a soft melody and it stayed within rhythm and within the set tone of the event, a slow and sweet sounding noise. To match the aroma of the grand ballroom that smelled like the elegant flowers in their vases.

Speaking barely audible to Octavia went on for a while before there was a pause; then a familiar voice spoke up.

“Octavia,” Vinyl began.

“You are an amazing mare, full of talent and elegance. Me, I’m just a DJ, but you, you’re something truly special to me. I don’t know how we came to be, but you know? I am more than happy to begin my life with you. This, is not the end for me like I thought when I was younger, this is actually the beginning.”

She coughed as fixed her cravat, looking away.

“I know that was very cheesy, but I really want this new life to be long and that it will last with everything we both have to offer. I promise that if anything happens to you, I will do anything to make it right, even if it costs me my pride or anything else; I will give it for you. Because Octy,”

She looked back.

“I lov-”

The grey mare was shot out of her reverie as Vinyl stirred, moaning slightly as she pushed up against her chest even more. She had stopped crying and she fell asleep, her hooves clinging to Octavia’s own, grasping, determined to never let go. Something about a child falling asleep to escape fear and sadness is what depicted Vinyl at that moment. Her tear streaked face was finally relaxed along with her breathing; she was having good dreams now, Octavia was sure of that.

In about 3 hours Octavia would have to wake up to go to a very important orchestra for an important party for royals. She’d have to practice with her band and set up costumes, along with perfecting the music sheets and tuning the instruments.

She kissed Vinyl and hugged her, bringing her closer. Vinyl’s lulling heat and rhythmic breathing slowly pulled Octavia under, drifting off to sleep; she had a last thought of a song that matched exactly how their breathing sounded, peaceful, in-tune, together…

That’s when the room became quiet, with the occasional flash outside, and the cold window chilling the room. Only sound to be heard was the breathing of the two ponies, sleeping together in their bed.

* * *

Vinyl’s eyes opened to soft rays of sunlight drifting in through the blinds of the window. Little dust specks spun in the air as they reflected in the light. The room was quiet except for the occasional bird singing in the barren trees outside. The room was cold and Vinyl’s breath was visible every time she breathed out, typical for a winter in Manehatten.

The room was big, with the walls painted a dark gray. A dresser sat near the closet and an open door leading to the bathroom was across from the door to the hall. There was a single window that looked over a small DJ board with speakers, subwoofers, and a volume system to go along with the high pitch vocals and musical screeches as records scratched or when a climax spike ended a song.

In the very middle of the room a white, furry rug laid there to lead up to the massive king sized bed. The bed was raised up by about two stairs and a platform. The bed was round, and it was really soft. For right now, a sleepy Vinyl Scratch lay in the mussed sheets and yawned.

She groaned and ran a hoof through her straight mane, making it even messier than before. Stretching as she got up to get ready and eventually eat something (anything really); the clock that rested on a table by the bed read 3:19 pm, in about three hours Vinyl would have to go to a nightclub called the Steel Reign to create mixes and scream them out to the audience there. It was about twenty minutes away, pretty much in the heart of Manehatten.

The bathroom was clean and organized, thanks to Octavia’s OCD. It smelled like it was either just cleaned or there was a scented candle thing she always had on hoof. Anyway you want to perceive it; the bathroom was sure as hell spotless. When Vinyl lived by herself before a mare stepped into her life there was no need for tidiness, she lived everyday like there was no tomorrow. Cleaning was just for wimps that couldn’t see life was for parties or drinking. Or at least, that’s what she had once thought.

Trotting to the sink and opening drawers, she rumaged through them in search of their best brush. Once she found it, she began scraping it through the blue mess that drifted around her face, until she looked in the mirror.

Something hit Vinyl suddenly; as she brushed out her mane she felt a sudden sadness and a dark feeling enter her. She dropping the brush, her stomach lurched and her body began to convulse under her. Slamming her hooves down on the sink, she coughed as she vomited into the sink. Her blood red eyes stared back at her in the mirror as she did so. A song played in her head for no reason at that moment, a song she and Octavia performed only a while ago.

Octavia’s grandmother had died in her sleep about four months ago, and from what Vinyl understood, was the only family member that really understood her mare. They would visit with each other about once a month, a lot more than Octavia had ever visited her own parents. When she was gone Octavia was ruined, so they made a song for her at the funeral. Interesting enough, Vinyl was invited to be in the song. Being a DJ pony, she never knew she was capable of anything other than dubstep at the time. It was interesting when they both found out they could create something other than meaningless noise with both orchestra and electric. Strange as it is, that it had to be at that particular occasion.

The song they made consisted of a sad slow beat and cello strings; the song itself would wrench the soul even though it had a kick in it. Now that Vinyl thought of it, it sounded more like the beat of a grieving heart, a broken one. Not to be weird or anything, but that’s what it truly sounded like at the time.

Vinyl provided the ambience music to the song that shifted the mood and the tone. The beat of a broken heart, it was enough to truly make somepony feel sorrowful during a time of mourn. She never thought that she was capable of making techno music feel so brooding and dark, but I guess we all surprise ourselves sometimes. Not saying that having this music be sad was a good thing, because the DJ personally liked energetic and happy music. She was so good at making something so horrible sounding, it just wasn’t a good experience for her, and she just didn’t know why.

Gagging, her breath shuddering as her stomach emptied. Pain shot up her throat as bile poured into the sink from her mouth. Vinyl groaned as her throat burned and her body shook, thoughts buzzing through her mind mixing with the horrible feelings of sickness.

The round, scratched mirror that hung above the sink stared back at her still, but the image housed a smiling reflection. The DJ held herself, stopping the ongoing flow from her mouth as she watched the mirror. The reflection watched back, smiling and tilting its head; that’s when the background inside slowly darkened.

Vinyl’s heart beat quicker as she spit into the sink, still observing the mirror, the last of the bile exiting her stomach; the image began to laugh, rising in pitch as the background grew darker. Then, when only the image of Vinyl was visible, the teeth grew fanged, the hair turned white and straight, and the red eyes glowed. With one last high pitched cackle, the copy brought its head level with Vinyl and snapped its fangs together to only let streams of blood dribble from in between the teeth. The eyes glowed as the image turned pitch black, leaving only the red aura of Vinyl’s irises.

The real pony stumbled back from the sink and fell on her back, hitting her head on the cold tile as she watched the mirror shatter and the light bulb above her break. The shards rained on Vinyl as she was plunged into darkness, her body began to convulse again as terror gripped her heart. Shuttering and quivering, she watched in horror as the white Vinyl climbed out of the mirror. The albino copy shivered in anticipation as it hit the ground with a soft thud, only to get up and approach the DJ.

The fur on the white muzzle had streaks of red as the blood slowly poured still from the image’s mouth. The fanged teeth still smiling as it approached, it trotted across the broken glass, not even noticing that it was there. When it came to Vinyl, it stooped down to her ear as it whispered softly, pausing in-between each word,

“You. Will. Break.”

Vinyl whimpered in the dark, as the white Vinyl brought her mouth down to the pony’s neck. The white horn glowed, but instead of a blue aura, it was a dark red. She began to panic and tried to get the monster off of her, but the thing was too strong and she was too weak. She was worthless, she couldn’t do anything, just please Celestia don’t let it end like this she thought, her words in her head never voiced or answered. Vinyl remembered hearing Octavia scream as the fangs clamped down into her neck artery.

Then all was darkness and screaming.

A few hours later, she came to. She was on the bathroom floor and there was blood smeared on the tile around her. Raising her head, she saw the mirror was cracked but not shattered; the light bulb was not broken and it was still on. Vinyl winced as she brought her hoof to her chin; there was blood and vomit caked on it. Her tongue felt swollen and it hurt very badly when she moved it, when she touched it she brought her hoof away with a new layer of fresh blood.

The white sink she was recently at had red stains trailing from the edge of the bowl, snaking down the front of the sink barely touching the tile floor. Vinyl put her hooves under her and pushed up until she was in a sitting position. Lightheaded, she stumbled out of the bathroom only to fall onto the white, fluffy rug laid out before the bed. Not even trying to get up anymore, she sighed and remembered everything that happened.

The face, the fangs, everything, it’s what she fears each night. Why did it come out during the day, she didn’t know. The darkness brings the white Vinyl to her thoughts and dreams, but never the daylight. She knew that it wasn’t just some phobia of vamponies, that damn thing never “sucked” Vinyl’s blood, it just usually did that to get a grip on something, only to throw her against the wall and make her die.

It wasn’t just Vinyl it was after, night after night it would be Vinyl, with a small chance it could be someone new. She would see the copy pursue Neon, or even Lyra and Bon Bon, but it was almost always Octavia if it wasn’t herself. Those were the worst for her, she got used to the pain, but then her other dream self got too smart. The pain she felt as she heard those she loved scream in terror and agony, all of them. Anyone she ever loved, anyone who ever died that had a special place in her heart still.

Alabastar, Vinyl’s father, was in one once. He’s been gone for about five years, but he still manages to talk to his little Vie in her dreams. The last one she had of him, it was back in the hospital room; her tears as his heart gave its final beat. However, the room grew dark instead of the doctors coming in to record time of her father’s death. And a pale figure sat across from Vinyl, her father in-between, the pale figure cried no tears but, only smiled. White hair draped over white shoulder, she sat, and just smiled over Alabastar’s deceased body at Vinyl. Only to open the fanged mouth as Alabastar and the hospital room faded away, leaving a black space they both sat in. The words, after nights of silence from her mouth, White Vinyl finally spoke to her host; her words paused and breathy, almost raspy.

“Become. Both.”

Followed by the horrible laughing and the black space spinning, as pain shot up Vinyl’s body, the feeling of being so cold, being so alone. The feeling of all the darkness and grief within her, all the memories twisted until it became fear itself. That’s when everything had changed for Vinyl, nothing ever felt safe anymore. She couldn’t tell Octavia because she needed to protect her, if she told her, she wouldn’t be able to help her. The darkness would invade the one pony she loved to, there would be no happiness left to salvage. The only happiness Vinyl could be a part of, to fill the gap in her own empty heart.

Vinyl sat up and looked at the now blood stained rug. Sighing, she got up and slowly made way down the stairs to the kitchen. Reaching the black granite counter, panting, she turned the facet on with her magic. The water poured downward as Vinyl put her head under the sink, drenching her tongue. She groaned loudly as the pain spiked through her nerves, only to numb from the cold, everything was numb now; all the pain was masked by the body’s way of healing. Her own thoughts clouded from what she could tell was blood loss, the emotions were just not there anymore; just emptiness.

The clear water became tainted with a pink as it ran down Vinyl’s tongue. She didn’t do anything about it because she didn’t know how to help stop the blood. She wasn’t skilled in healing magic and she didn’t think she could just bandage it. Hopefully it would just scab over and be done with. Turning the water off, she wiped her face off, cleaning it somewhat of the blood. When she was done, she rummaged through the fridge and took out some leftover pudding they happened to have, thank Celestia they had something she could eat.

Sitting on a pillow, she ate out of the cup, being mindful of her swollen tongue, she just scooped it into her cheeks and swallowed. It wasn’t anything special; it was just vanilla, honestly though Vinyl would’ve eaten anything if it weren’t for her injuries.

Vanilla, Octavia talked about that name a lot, usually when she talked about adopting a little filly. She wanted to name the filly Vanilla, and she would tell Vinyl that she could pick the second name for the ending. Vinyl never really thought of having a mischievous little pony running around their house and breaking things, but the thought was nice. She just wasn’t sure she was ready; she wasn’t sure if she was going to ever be a good mother.

Lost in thought of second names, she listed all the possibilities in her mind of what could possibly fit in with the first name Octavia loved so much. She wanted to choose the right name, a name that will help with what the pony’s destiny will be.

Octavia Philharmonica, something with music. Surprised it didn’t involve a harmonica but Vinyl guessed that it could just have been a close enough name to match with music.

Vinyl Record Scratch, something with music as well. It made sense, even though most ponies didn’t know her full name because of her DJ name, she scratches records all day. Some of them are even made out of a material called vinyl. She was very lucky to have a name that could fit so perfectly with her destiny, the thing she will be doing till the day she lies on her deathbed in a hospital somewhere.

Her thoughts being derailed, Vinyl heard a carriage pull up to the front door outside and a click as the door opened.

“Ah, shit.” She muttered. She remembered that she still left a horrible mess upstairs, and she probably didn’t look too attractive herself. Now Octavia was home, and there would be more than an argument to be had. This is how all these silly little things play out, Vinyl doing something wrong and Octavia coming to fix it.

That doesn’t mean Octavia will be happy about the mess however.

She heard something being laid down on the floor in the hall, betting it was Octavia’s cello case; she still ate her pudding, being wary of the sounds in the hall. It was almost as if she was anticipating Octavia to come in and start saying something rash and stupid.

Someone sighed in the hall and trotting could be heard towards the closet area, to confirm Vinyl’s guess, a door opened.

Wincing, Vinyl opened her mouth and called out, “Where did you go?” Her voice was deep as she tried to maneuver words around her enlarged tongue.

“I had to play at a party for a few clients,” Octavia’s accented voice replied from the hall. Shuffling could be heard as things were moved in the closet. “It was a Duchess’ birthday and they asked me to play a few songs with my orchestra. It was quite good, how about you?”

There was a pause as Octavia shut the closet door and came into the kitchen. Vinyl expertly turned away from her wife while she was busy to make sure she didn’t see the horrible accident that is now her face. Vinyl was pretty sure there was still blood on her and could almost swear that she was puffed up from abusing herself in the bathroom.

“I could have been better, but that’s okay.” She looked out the window as she heard Octavia rummaging through the pantry for something to eat. “Just, ah- a rough day is all.”

Vinyl waited for Octavia to leave the room but was met with no mercy. Life just decided to damn her then and there as Octavia came over to Vinyl to sit with her. Just, please don’t, - please.

“I’m so sorry Vinyl,” Octavia bit into something and talked through the food in her mouth. “Something I can help with?”

The white mare however wasn’t paying attention to this. The window she was staring out of became her own bane. The setting sun hit the window perfectly, making Vinyl able to see her own reflection. As she observed, her face was wrecked. Blood stains lined her mouth and out the corners down toward her neck. Her glasses were upstairs, so this pony staring back wasn’t the famous DJPon3. This was somepony who was scared of her own reflection.

Her true fear came from the face that stared back at her; the image of the soul that was reflected back. Everything she has done in her life, being a crazy, horrible DJ, right this moment she felt that everything was wrong; she was never meant to be who she was. To have this recognition and popularity, to have all this money; it was all made in selfish ambition.

It hurt so much to be the thing you fear, to be the thing that makes you cower and cry in the dark. Vinyl didn’t have a shoulder to cry on, feeling distant from the one pony that loves her; she could never describe it to the grey mare that sat next to her. The feelings and fears that visit her each night, the things that rip her apart and drag her away from all the ponies she held dear.

The face that stared back through the window showed pain and despair, to make things worse, Vinyl couldn’t see her electric blue hair color. The mane she saw was flat, and the bright winter sun made it look white inside the reflection. The blood circling her mouth completed it, nothing could prove it wrong. She was both Vinyls, she was the white and the blue.

The real and the fake.

Vinyl turned her face away and hid herself under her hair, putting her head in her hoofs and she wailed in horror and grief. Octavia dropped her cup of whatever she was eating in alarm, Vinyl never acted like this. What happened while she was gone?

“Vinyl, what’s wrong?” She pleaded. Vinyl started breathing heavier, quicker; she was hyperventilating. “Vinyl Stop! Answer me!”

Octavia tried to lift her mare’s head but the DJ refused to have her look.

“Please Vinyl!”

She brought her hoof away from her mare’s head and saw red on it. Octavia froze as she stared at her hoof. Processing this, she thought of why this could be happening, what happened?!

“Vinyl, just- just calm down okay?” She said shakily. She stumbled and she sprinted out of the kitchen up the stairs. She heard Vinyl crying even from up here, she needed to hurry, and something didn’t feel right about all of this, why now, why today?

Running into the room, she yelped in surprise as she saw the blood stained rug still drying in the rays of sun from the cracks in the blinds. She looked to the bathroom and saw even more horror waiting. Slowly she entered the doorway and saw a pool of blood below the sink with trails of red from the brim of the bowl. The mirror had large spidery cracks running through the distorted image, pieces of white fur and red clung to the very edges of the cracks. A horrified grey pony stared back through the broken mirror as Octavia surveyed the mirror in shock and disbelief.

Where is the damn medicine?!

Her mind went completely blank as she saw the results of what transpired in this room. Looking around frantically, she saw the cupboard by the shower that held medical supplies and started towards that until she slipped in the puddle of blood.

There was a crunch and Octavia screamed in pain as she landed on the slick floor. She was now covered in red and her right hoof lied beneath her body. She breathed heavily as she pulled out the hoof from under her and yelled out as it finally came free. Moving it hurt horribly and everything was moving too fast, she still needed to get to Vinyl.

Struggling, she got up from the floor and stood to get the medicine cupboard open. Bandages and pain killers spilled out everywhere as she jerked open the doors.

Exasperated, Octavia scrambled around picking up the cupboard’s contents with her mouth. Her hoof still spiked in pain whenever she put weight or stress on it. She hastily wrapped up her hoof tightly with a cloth and limped out of the room, struggling to not fall down the stairs.

Arriving in the kitchen, she gasped and all the medicine fell to the floor as she beheld a scene from her nightmares.

Vinyl laid there on her back with blood trickling out of her mouth. She fell backwards from the pillow seat she was just sitting on three minutes ago. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was ragged, a serene smile was on her lips as the blood still slowly came out from between her teeth. Octavia began to cry as she rushed over and lifted her mare’s head.

“Please” She sobbed out to no one. “Please, please…”

She wasn’t answered as the mangled DJ rested on the Cellist’s arms. They were both covered in red, Vinyl’s red, the same red that trickled out of the white mare’s mouth. All because of a mirror that was once theirs and Octavia knew nothing about what Vinyl saw in the reflection. Now, the old and scratched mirror was cracked.

Octavia gave one more cry for help before leaving Vinyl with four words she thought she would never have said in all her life.

“Please keep your vow…”

“The things we truly are afraid of are created by us. We create the fears we hide from in the dark each night. Sometimes, even the image that smiles back in the mirror terrifies us, the image that reflects the solid past, the liquid present, and the ever changeable future. Don’t let the image be your end.” -Vinyl

(Continued in Part II: The Crack)

Part 2: The Crack

The world was cold, and by cold, Vinyl means in every way possible.

A blue and white speck could be seen in the middle of a vast plane of nothingness. A chill blew through this empty world, as it was completely dark. No sun, no moon, not even a single star. You couldn't see the horizon, even if you tried. The ground just molded with the sky; it was a mystery as to why Vinyl wasn't falling into a never-ending abyss. It was surreal, feeling weightless and numb in the middle of no where.

The white mare curled up in a ball on the floor, shuddering from both the cold and her sobs.

Why? Why me?

She raised a hoof in the air and slammed it down with so much force, echoes answered back from no where. Huffing, tears streaming down her cheeks, she sat up with a hoof under her for support.

"Damn you!" She screamed.

"What did I do to deserve this?!"

She continued ranting and raving for quite some time, walking to and fro. Cursing whatever put her in this state; not considering all the possibilities. Was she dead? Was she alive? Where is she? Who was she?

Is the world she knew before; was that world even real?

Echoes bounced from the darkness, "Dammit!" "Where the hell am I?!" "Hello?!"

Vinyl choked on a sob, as she screamed at the echoes in desperation, "Octavia?!"

Octavia's name swirled all through the darkness, daunting and serene. The DJ plopped onto the floor in agony as she cried. Sobbing for Octavia to come rescue her, to come find her, to take her away from this Hell. Her body convulsing from the internal struggle of her emotions; she felt confused, angry, mortified, and grieved all at once.

This might even be the first time in her life that she could say that she felt this hopeless. She's never been alone, so it was a new experience to feel this way. When Mom left, Alabastar was there to quiet her fears and to wipe away her tears. He was there when winter came and made her sick, he was there when she had no other pony to cry to, and he was there when every Mother's Day came and went, even when there wasn't a mother to kiss, hug, or love.

"Dad!" Vinyl sobbed.

Echoes kept taunting her; calling back, asking where Alabastar was with each repeated "Dad".

The chill got even colder, and the echoes started to change. Instead of bouncing back whatever she screamed, she heard a soft laugh growing more intense.

Ears perking up, she struggled to stand as a shrill laughter got even louder. No, not louder, just closer...

Squinting in the dark, she trotted a bit closer to the sound. The closer she got to the laugh, the more frightened she became. If ever in her life she had heard this laugh, she was sure she would have been in an insane asylum or some sort of movie. It was a manic, hysterical laugh, sounding as if a rasping mare made that hellish cackle.

That was when Vinyl saw her.

The white Vinyl.

Stumbling away, she ran from the white copy cat. Away from the fangs and the red aura, running from the fears she has harbored since she was just a filly.

Fears that grew when Mom left, when Alabastar died, when she married Octavia, when Octavia asked about adoption. Haunting her day and night, from weeks to months to years. Every fall she saw her mom leave, every winter she watched Alabastar on the hospital bed dying, and every spring she reinacted the fears she felt when she made her vows. For all that it was worth, it broke her.

Was living even worth anything, anymore?

Running made her even less sure of herself; soon she was panting and could feel burning in her legs as she has been sprinting for far too long.

She shrieked when her front hoof twisted beneath her, slamming her face into the ground as her hoof gave way to the weight of her body. Blood spurted from her mouth and a few teeth popped from place, skittering across the floor.

Moaning, she got up and began to limp, trying her hardest to get away from her adversary.

Laughing filled her mind, and the world morphed into the old apartment she used to live in with Alabastar. The walls were yellowed with age and the floor was made up of cracked tiles. Rips could be seen on the couch, with stuffing coming loose. Her old bedroom door faced the couch, along with the vast rows of vintage vinyl records and old stereo equipment.

The paint on the kitchen counter was peeling, but it wasn't all bad. A neat little dinner sat on the counter, consisting of a daisy garden salad and stuffed mushrooms with a gooberry sauce.

Alabastar made dinner for Vinyl's birthday, and he was really a good cook. He did his best, with what little they had. He made a small amount of money working at a radio station, trying to earn a wager. Mom worked at the grocer's, but apparently it was never enough for her.

Today Vinyl was five, which was a big number in her eyes. They waited for Mom to get off her shift and come home, while Vinyl sat on the couch and Alabastar finished making the little blue cake. He told her to go sit because she kept trying to lick the cake, but that wasn't her fault! It smelled too good not to lick.

Mom ended up being very late, long after the food got cold.

Even so, Alabastar wouldn't let his little filly eat a single bite, because it was proper to wait for Mom to come home. Something about good manners and what not, because it was never nice to eat without a lady.

When the door finally opened, she came in and it all happened.

Another stallion followed closely behind her, watching both Vinyl and Alabastar with a glare. Mom's face was indifferent and her voice sounded angry.

Before long, she was throwing things at Alabastar and he was screaming at her, all the while the big stallion just watched and looked intimidating; almost as if he dared one of us to touch Mom.

Things were said, like "You never get paid enough!" and "You don't even care about Vie!" or even "That little rat shouldn't have ever been born!"

On and on, vases were smashed and walls were cracked. Until finally, Mom left.

She just glared at her filly, and spit in Alabastar's face before hissing, "Go to Hell." The door opened, and it shut with a big boom. Pictures that were lucky to have not been thrown, shook on the walls.

Alabastar slumped to the ground and stared at the door for a while, and little Vinyl snuck up under his arm into his lap, crying softly.

Never before had Mommy been so scary, and she still didn't understand any of it.

It still surprises her to this day what happened next. Alabastar got up, carried Vinyl on his back, and plopped her down on a kitchen seat. Lighting a candle on the cake, he used his magic to wipe tears off her cheeks and put the cake in front of her face.

"C'mon Vie, make a wish," He smiled and rubbed her mane with a hoof. "Love you, my little filly."

Snuffing out the candle, she didn't know what to wish for, because it was not the kind of time you wish for things. If anything, she wished that Alabastar never left her like Mom did. Long after her birthday, Mom never came home, never sent a letter, and never saw them again.

For the longest time Vinyl was confused, trying to figure out what her reason for leaving was.

That's when she determined that it was all her fault; if she wasn't born to such young parents, maybe life would have been better for them. Alabastar would still have a pretty wife, they might have both gotten better jobs, and maybe a better filly.

At least, in all that's happened, Alabastar acted like the father figure anypony could've wanted. He supported Vinyl in her crazy ideas, in her choices, and in her marriage. Never did he once stop loving her.

But this, this was where the nightmares started.

Inside the room something apart from the real memory happened; Mom came back through the door, and her body became rigid as her fur began to fall off. A chesire smile stretched across her muzzle, turning into fangs. Pink skin began to show as more fur fell off, and Mom crouched on the floor, almost as if ready to pounce. Hoofs oozed off and eyes slowly turned black, before her skin began to flake and fall off along with the puffs of pale, sky blue fur.

"Mom..." Vinyl whimpered, blood and tears dripping from her chin to the floor.

In response, her tongue lashed out of her fanged mouth, scratching at the floor with bloody, hoofless legs. Snarling and gnashing teeth, she charged at Vinyl.

Screaming, Vinyl ran from her Mom, but was slammed to the ground by the albino copy cat. Hissing, the white Vinyl latched onto the Dj's neck and crushed her windpipe. Mom slammed her legs on Vinyl's ribcage and she felt the bones implode. She coughed and blood flew out in a spray of saliva, speckling Mom's pink skin.

Eyes wild, Mom ripped open the white fur and the skin in one tear with her teeth. Sinking them deep, Vinyl's body tensed as she felt blood gush out from her side, and everything became cold and numb.

Red eyes stared at her from the side, a happy, content stare.

Darkness flooded the white mare's vision as cold seeped into her body, drawing out the pain from the blood loss and the teeth biting into her.

It almost felt, peaceful.

* * *

"Listen, I need an actual answer." Octavia demanded, coming in through the door and stomping to the bed.

Vinyl's body finally stopped convulsing and her heart rate came back online, her breathing labored. Octavia had to be escorted out of the room by force when Vinyl went into another crisis. The Cellist was screaming to know what was happening and why she was being kicked out. She needed to know what was happening to the love of her life.

The brown stallion in a white coat glanced at the bedridden DJ. Sighing, he replied, "I know you're upset Miss, but I'm not sure what is happening to her. We've ran tests, we've induced drugs, we've contacted the higher ups; all we can say for sure is that Vinyl is in a comatose state."

The grey mare slumped in the seat next to the hospital bed. Beeping from the heart monitors rang in her ears as silent tears ran down her face.

It sure as hell wasn't fair, all she wanted was her mare back. Was that too much to ask?

She sat in there while Dr. Hofen did his daily checks on Vinyl. Checking the monitors, taking blood samples, opening her eyelids and inspecting her ears and nose. She felt that he wasn't even doing his job, he was just there to ridicule her emotion suffering.

"Doctor," Octavia began, her accent interrupted with sniffles. "Is there an estimated time she might come back to us?"

Propping his glasses up with a hoof, he stared at Vinyl and replied, "It's hard to say, because I am going to contact someone who is very good with this field of work. He's a unicorn and may be able to do more diagnostics than me since I am merely an earth stallion. However, we might be able to pull her from it."

Clearing his throat, he looked at the mare warily.

"But since you are her partner, I can tell you something we have found out." Grabbing his clipboard, he flipped through his pages to the very last sheet. "We have found traces of a mystery drug in her blood stream. It is very powerful and it seems to linger for a very long amount of time. Because of her profession, she either has taken this drug out of consent or she may have been drugged during one of her performances. But considering the outcome of this drug, I'd say that this isn't consent.

"We have a medical team who are very skilled in botany searching for the main ingredient used to make the drug as we speak. When we find this ingredient, we may have found a cure as well. For the time being, this nameless drug will have to be identified soon or Vinyl may never wake up."

Octavia sat in shock, her mind reeling from the sudden bought of information.

Dr. Hofen left the room, quietly closing the door behind him. She sat there completely silent, before collapsing out of the chair and onto the floor, her face buried in the side of Vinyl's hospital bed.

No it couldn't be, how could she do this to herself? She knows drugs are dangerous. Vinyl swore she never would do it, and the farthest Octavia ever let her sink was a hangover. Vinyl knew that there would be a long and very tedious argument should she every take drugs, and she knows what kinds are bad. Fine, take prescription and shelf drugs when you're sick, but anything at the night clubs were strictly forbidden; Octavia made sure she knew it.

But what if it was someone else? The doctor may be right, that sounds like it wasn't consent. Vinyl doesn't do drugs and it sounds like she never has done drugs, but it would be simple if...

Oh.

That's what it was.

She remembered Vinyl came home one night from a local club in Manehatten, it may have been the Steel Reign Night Club. Vinyl didn't feel good at all, so sick it was almost like she had a sudden case of the Hay Flu. Vinyl had told her that she went out for a few drinks with a competing DJ that went up against her in a Dubstep battle. She described him as those dangerous types, the ones you really shouldn't be caught alone with.

Octavia wasn't all that worried, since after all, Vinyl was obviously not very interested in stallions.

It makes sense! She thought at the time that she was just so sick from drinking too much, but maybe it wasn't the alcohol at all. A big time club star like DJPon3 would definitely be hard competition, so maybe the competitor DJ that took Vinyl out for a drink actually slipped something in her glass, hoping to knock out the biggest DJ in equestria; bringing him closer to being number one!

Fame and fortune in the kind of business Vinyl was queen of, was actually very dangerous, now that Octavia thought about it.

It sure would have been simple for him to mix something in her drink while she was ordering something to eat or even using the ladies room.

What the hell kind of drug did he give her?

* * *

The door opened and Octavia started from her sleep. It was dark in the room, so it was probably nighttime. She must've slept for a little while longer than she had expected.

Expecting to see Dr. Hofen, she sat up straight and waited for him to turn on the light.

When the light didn't come on, she became confused and hurried to Vinyl's bed. Grabbing the nurse call button, she braced herself for whoever might be in here to do harm. Panicked, she looked around the dark room, waiting for whoever it was to show themselves.

"Be calm, Octavia." A voice ordered.

Listening intently, she heard it from the left. Slowly, she sat down on the edge of the bed and hid the call button behind her back. Staring towards the curtain, she saw a large figure moving behind it.

"Good, now I haven't much time." It said.

That's when it hit Octavia that it was a female voice. It seemed so very strange to her, because she could've sworn she knows that voice. Was it a party? Yes, she knows it was from a party she helped host. A musical number fits that voice... Which one though? Cello strings and viola tunes, with a little piano and harp on the side. The theme of the music was a regal one. She remembers! It was Moon Heights No. 16 by Harper Strings, which she played at the Star Stream Grand Ball for the princess of the night.

"Princess Luna?" Octavia whispered in awe.

The royal mare stepped away from the curtain and came closer to the bed, her mane billowing with stars and shimmering dust from the night sky. A small smile adorned her face, along with a simple silver tiara and approachful eyes.

"Yes," She answered, concern flowing from her voice.

"I have heard of your plight, and it pains me to see what harm this has done."

Approaching the side of the bed, she observed Vinyl as she lay limp in her sleep. "This has been done once before," Her horn glowed in the darkness, enveloping Vinyl in a dark blue aura; causing the room smelled like a summer night next to a lake, or even a garden. Octavia felt an alarming sense of calm invade her as the princess' magic filled the room.

Luna closed her eyes and concentrated. "Yes, as I thought." She murmured, opening her eyes before continuing.

"A blossom called Winter's Night grows in the Everfree Forest in the midst of a black lake, where it feeds from the nourishment of the cold and the darkness. It seems as though if she has been tainted with the white blossom, because one petal alone can cause so much suffering. I couldn't imagine if she were to be infected with that of the entire flower."

Stepping away from the bed, the princess stared at Octavia, holding her gaze.

"This flower causes nightmares to become a reality within a pony's mind, almost like a sickness is real but can't be seen. Even though we can't see her nightmares or fears, it is there. Unlike any sickness, it cannot spread, it stays in it's host until the host is gone."

The grey mare's breath caught as she listened to the princess' explanation for Vinyl's sleep. Both awe and anger flowed up through her at the thought that this was so serious, that someone would go through so much trouble to cause her this much pain.

"What happened to the last pony?" Octavia whimpered, fearing the response.

Luna sighed, "Over a century ago, the pony wasn't able to reverse the symptoms and just fell deeper into their fears and depressions. A cure was never found and before long they were gone. The fears ate them from the inside out, shutting down their body. They didn't make it past a month; deceased on the sunrise of the third week."

Her heart dropped, and tears flowed down her face. Pain and grief shot up Octavia's body as she recalled when Vinyl had collapsed in the kitchen. That moment where life changed in little to no time at all, shattering all her hopes and dreams that she knew Vinyl would one day be a part of.

Her life has been crushed, cracked, just like the bathroom mirror at home.

It was too much for Octavia, because the realization was too harsh, a reality that came too quickly. Vinyl's life should never have had this piece, because it brought them both a personal Hell.

Becase tomorrow will be the third week she's been in this hospital room.

"Some things we can't change. Who will be born tomorrow, who will die today, or the past from yesterday. It's better just to go along with the flow of life, because in all reality? Not a lot can change. However, we can choose what we'll do tomorrow, who we will love today, and what we will cherish from yesterday." -Vinyl

(Continued in the final, Part III: The Broken)

Author's Notes:

Very sorry for how long this story has been stuffed on the shelf. Part 3 is promised to come before the month is over.

Forever your humble writer,

-X

Part 3: The Broken

"It is something we can try and avoid, however."

Princess Luna walked throughout the room, horn aglow. As Octavia watched, the walls began to blur and darken, leaving a serene feeling. The corners and edges where the walls met the floors were smoothed out, the door and windows vanishing completely. Before long they weren't in a hospital room anymore, instead they were in a dark space full of stars. Octavia's breath caught at the sheer beauty of their surroundings, nudging the seemingly invisible floor with a hoof.

The princess' eyes were the only thing in the room brighter than the millions of stars, the color of her eyes standing out admist the calm backdrop; almost as if her eyes were lit with a blue fire.

"We will be able to do much, but not enough." Her voice drifted through the space like silk, soft and gentle.

"If Vinyl can find something in her night terrors that can bring her conciousness back to us, I may be able to pull her from this stupor. Fears and chaos are drifting through her mind, polluting her will to live. Something needs to remind her of the life she has here, if we are able to have any kind of chance in reviving her."

Octavia wiped at her eyes, letting her mane fall in front of her face before nodding in consent. Silently she prayed to whoever was willing to listen, that Vinyl will find whatever it is that will stop this.

"In the case that she can't come back," the grey mare began, "Will she be able to find peace?"

Luna gazed at Octavia in pity, before approaching her. Wrapping a hoof around her neck and resting her head on the black mane, she said, "Of course. Nightmares only stay for as long as you sleep."

Sobbing, Octavia fell to the floor beneath the princess, burying her face in her hoofs. Hushing her, Luna stroked her mane, whispering soothing words as her eyes began to dim.

"In order to help bring her back, I must be able to see what she sees. If she finds the piece of happiness, at all costs, that is the precise moment I will be able to reach her." Glancing at the bed where the white mare slept, she slowly stood up as her horn began to flare a purple fire. "I will open a veil to view Vinyl's mind. If you wish you see, I will let you watch alongside me. If not, I can help you go to sleep and you will be none the wiser."

Moving her hooves away from her face, Octavia choked on a sob before sitting up. Eyes red, fur matted with tears, she slowly nodded. It was hard even now for Octavia to find the will to live, so she couldn't understand how Vinyl could find that in her living Hell. All felt lost, and her special mare felt so very far away. Something she will never be able to hold ever again; never to see, never to hear, never to touch.

Before long, she found herself seated next to the princess on the floor, watching Vinyl in her troubled sleep. Above the white mare, the air was shimmering and stirring.

Crackling blues and purples flashed above Vinyl's form, ripping the air apart. Slowly the tear grew wider, spreading out all across her. Flashing colors and reflecting light eminated from both veil and from Luna's horn.

When the edges finally became dormant and the colors and lights subsided, the princess' horn returned to a slightly pulsing blue aura, enough magic to keep the veil open. Inside, there was only a darkness as looming and intimidating as how you would picture death. Cold, silent, and forever above your head. The wrong step or the wrong choice, and the darkness would swallow you whole, never to let you see the light ever again.

This is what Octavia pictured as she searched for Vinyl within the darkness, her eyes straining to find a speck of white or a flash of blue.

Finally, she could see her, sleeping on the floor in the middle of the night within her mind. Happiness overwhelmed her as she called for Vinyl, tears glistening in her eyes.

However, the unicorn slept soundly, not hearing and unbeknown to Octavia.

Walking in from of the cellist, Luna watched Octavia in pity, stopping her from trying to communicate with the veil.

"She cannot hear you because currently, you are not a part of her mind set. If you were magical, you could have possibly been able to join me when the opportunity arises. For now though, she cannot hear us or see us. Her perception is limited to what is happening to her now, in this dream-like world. I'm sorry, but I must ask that you be patient with me a while longer."

Octavia broke eye contact with Luna, glancing over at the rift in the air, heart broken that she has to wait more. She felt as if she has waited long enough, but sadly, it just had to be this way she supposed.

Sitting down, on the floor, she watched the rift with as much patience as she could muster.

The princess knelt beside her, and they sat there for a long time, beholding everything that was happening to Vinyl, waiting for the right time for the princess to go in and rescue her.

Thus, they waited.
***

A clinking sound broke through the silence.

Darkness seeped through the night, as Vinyl woke up on the floor, startled to find herself back into the plane of her nightmares.

Cursing under her breath, she looked around, once again look for some means of escape. When nothing seemed to prove useful and when no ideas came to her, she just slumped back to the floor in defeat. In front of her lay a little pink crystal, oddly familiar. Disgusted, she kicked the crystal far into the darkness, where it clinked as it bounced before dissapearing into the mist beyond.

There was no way to leave the horrors of the world, they will forever be there.

And you will know deep down, there is nothing you can do about it.

Vinyl waited patiently for something to happen, and when it did, she knew she was ready.

Giggling sounded through the darkness, getting closer and closer with each echo of a hoof coming nearer. Louder and shriller as Vinyl watched the albino copy stalk towards her, sneaking up through the thick darkness in front of her. This world was her domain, her realm. The copy was the queen, and Vinyl was merely a slave; a little play thing.

The thing about slaves though, as history tells, were great for one purpose.

Once you got bored of them, you could dispose of them.

Standing up, Vinyl waited until finally, they were face to face. The copy smiled and cocked it's head to the side, amused with what she saw.

"You are beautiful tonight," She hissed in pleasure. "So much beauty, it just has to be mine."

Vinyl stood there unmoving and defiant as the copy circled around her, feeling eyes scour every inch, drinking up everything. A predator ready to hunt its prey.

A hoof tentatively touched her cutie mark, which made her flinch away from the copy. Anger flared in the albino as a crimson aura encircled Vinyl, preventing her from moving at all.

"You can trust me." Purring, the copy felt all around Vinyl; under the stomach, around the face, and many other places that made Vinyl feel sick. Defiance roared through the DJ's mind, but nothing could help her now. If she fought back, she would just end up back where she started; lost in the dark, scared, and alone.

Locking her mind, Vinyl focused on something else. It was hard to find something to look at other than the darkness all around, so she closed her eyes and brought images to mind.

Octavia, smiling at a night club, walking on a beach to their hotel, playing melodies in grand parties or crazy raves. Lights and music filled her soul as she thought harder of her special mare. The things she has seen, the happy times, the funny times, even the private times. They all brought happiness back to her as she kept her mind on one thing and one thing only.

The love she felt for Octavia Philharmonica.

Pink bow ties, magenta glasses, a cello and a DJ board. Vintage discs and fine horse hair strings, everything and anything that brought a smile to her face. Silky black hair contrasting with an electric blue dyed mess, the beautifully dark eyes against the bright red of a DJ's eyes. Simple yet complex, the cutie marks with different symbols of music, yet all music is the same. No, music will never be the same. Always different, always harmonious.

Melodies and songs, ambience and sound, nothing more than that to make music, music.

Her thoughts were brought to a startling close as she was thrown into the air, only to be smashed against the ground.

The albino copy was breathing heavily, her nostrils steaming with breath as she glared at the DJ. A scream escaped the fanged mouth, piercing Vinyl's ear drums as pain filled her mind.

When the shrieking albino became quiet, she leaned down on top of Vinyl and leaned close to her ear.

"You will never see her, she is no where, she is nothing... because," she stopped mid sentence, getting even closer.

"We. Are. One." The pale vinyl whispered subtly, putting a hoarse emphasis on each word.

"I have resided here for so long... my Vinyl. Sweet, little Vinyl." Her tongue slid up Vinyl's neck, sending shivers down the DJ's spine. It felt as though if a snake were slithering up her skin, ready to strike.

Her body went rigid as the sharp fangs sank into her neck, only to dissapear as fast as they had appeared. Pain seeped into her neck, as she groaned and turned away.

Closing her eyes, the white mare wished for death to come, to take her away from these nightmares for good. She wished beyond anything that the pain would end and that she could finally have peace. Peace was all she wanted, why couldn't she have it? She waited for the cold hand to come and steal her away, to leave behind her body in the darkness of this hellish night.

She flinched as she heard ruffling noises from above her, heavy breathing blew hot into her face. Terrified, she could feel herself shaking as she anticipated what was happening. Panic came full force, and she began to breath in short gasps, waiting for what was to come.

A hoof grabbed at her face. Screaming, she jerked away from the touch and struggled to move. Another hoof grabbed at her head and held her in place; before she could fight back, she had to untangle her limbs.

"Vinyl!" Someone screamed in the darkness.

"No! No! Fuck you!" The DJ shrieked.

Someone began to hush her, cooing into her ear. It took a long while before she finally stopped fighting, but she didn't calm down. Never again would anything be right, this was just another trick.

"Vinyl, look at me." A voice murmured softly, a hoof caressing Vinyl's cheek.

Slowly, she opened her eyes.

Flashes of light seeped into her pupils, blinding her as flourescent light fixtures hummed above. Beeping rang around the room, nearly deafening her as her ears adjusted slowly. A strang sort of alarm was ringing at a low volume, mixing with the tranquil beeping from what sounded like machines. Dripping echoed in her head; drip, drip, drip.

All she could see was white as her eyes burned. She felt a fire inside her eyes that was very slowly creeping out, and she could see a blur above her. Slowly, but surely, the room came into focus.

White wash walls and cold looking tiles came into view, along with a dull counter with a polished sink. Cabinets hung overhead, with speckled ceilings and pure white curtains drifting down from the railings above. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a hoof. Feeling around herself for something, anything to defend herself, all she felt were rough sheets and bed railing.

Cursing under her breath, she slowly turned her head, fire in her eyes as she tried to think of something.

Poising herself, she put her hooves beneath the sheets and against the mattress. Stiffening her legs and getting ready to jump, Vinyl built up her adrenaline. When she saw the ears of the pony next to her, fury blinded her as she attacked.

Screaming and screaming, Vinyl latched onto their throat, tightening her grip to the point where she thought she was going to break her own arms.

Gagging broke through the pony's throat, a gargling scream struggled through their mouth. She was determined to kill them, to make all the nightmares end.

Do it.

DO IT.

She tightened her grip even more, a wicked grin spreading on her muzzle. It's going to end! It will finally all be over! Her arms choked with a purpose, tightening with every thought of the Hell she has been living through for the past three years.

"Vi-" They gagged as warm saliva pooled into the crook of her arm, sliding through the wrinkles and fur.

She felt herself laughing, hysterically laughing. It was too much of a relief, she had to be safe now. No more white copy cat, just her, and she can leave the dark forever.

Weight fell in her arms as she felt the warm body go limp. Dropping them to the floor, she laughed and wiped at her eyes, trying to bring back her sight.

Slowly the red from her rage seeped from her eyes and the room's glaring white color came back into view. Her smile melted from her face and turned to horror in what she saw at her feet.

Octavia lay sprawled on the floor, her throat bulging and a deep purple.

Sinking to her knees, Vinyl stared in shock.

Octy?...

Her beautiful wife was barely breathing, labored with every gasp she managed. Eye's half closed, she was unconcious as her grey hind legs twitched. The grey fur all over her slim form was wet with sweat from the panic and pain she must have experienced as Vinyl nearly choked the life out of her.

Staring down at her white hooves, she was shaking. She gazed at her hooves in horror, barely able to comprehend what has just transpired. Images flashed through her mind of Octavias smile and she could hear her voice calling out to her. Covering her ears, Vinyl screamed and rocked where she sat, wanting nothing but to take it all back.

"I'm sorry!" She shrieked, repeating it over and over.

Echoes rang from the hall as Vinyl wailed, weeping as her wife lay limp on the cold tile floor.

"Oh God!" Despair clinging tight to Vinyl's thoughts and memories. "What have I done?!"

Maybe she won't remember? Yes of course! It happened all so fast, and she didn't really choke her that much, it had to be okay. It WILL be okay.

Stumbling from the floor, Vinyl hurried over the the grey mare. Using both her magic and her strength, she place the mare over her back. Taking a final, hurried glance around the room, she opened the hospital door and rushed out.

The hall was dark and the air was dry. Hoof steps echoed down the hall, following after each step Vinyl took, breaking the still silence. Doors were lined up, clustered together on the walls. Posters flashed medical staff and inspirational quotes from Horndi, Neighpolean, and many more. Vinyl's eyes were attracted to one in particular, being the famous Marrie Trotuanette. The famous mare from many centries ago shows her in a crème lace dress, looking through a window at a green pegasus beating its wings to whisk away the clouds. The quote stated "Dreams are up high, not below your hooves."

Grimacing at the horrible quote, Vinyl sprinted down hallway E14. A sign directed patrons down this hall, with bold black letters on the beam above the set of double doors that read Surgical Clinic 2.

The doors slammed open and the white pony rushed in, trying her hardest to not drop Octavia. A red light began to blink, swirling round and round on the ceiling. Following the narrow hallway towards the light, she saw another room. The only difference this time is that Vinyl was sure the room would be much bigger, and maybe will have all the medical supplies she will need.

Slowing to a trot, she approached a gurney and looked around the room. Large cabinets were cememnted in the wall and steril trays full of tools sat on moving tables. The room smelled of alcohol and ammonia, a powerful odor that made the DJ gag. Windows sat precariously on the walls, white drapes brushing the tile floor as they hid the outside world.

Propping Octavia on the gurney, splaying out her legs and arms, Vinyl carefully examined her.

Deep purple welts rose from around her neck, puffing up as if to block her throat. Blood mixed with saliva trickled out of the corner of her mouth, pooling on the white paper that covered the gurney. Removing the pink bow tie and brushing hair away from the mare's face, Vinyl left Octavia to place the bow in the sink.

As water poured from the faucet, thoughts whirled around in Vinyl's mind. Regrets and Horror formed inside her, filling her with a dread as she stared at the soaking bow tie.

She watched the water come out in a steady stream for a long while, staring at the bow as if in a lucid dream. The liquid ran through her fur and around her hooves, dripping down the drain, rejoining the other drops of water as they swirled down into nothingness.

No one has ever had so many things to ask for, only Vinyl could say that she truly wanted too much. She wanted to go back, long before these dreams ever happened. Especially, before she attacked Octavia. Octavia's beautiful voice was the only thing she wanted to hear, the soft fur for her to touch, the lips she wants to kiss.

Waking up from a nightmare, back into the real world, shouldn't cause anyone harm.

You wake up and you're okay, but this time it all went to hell.

Vinyl's thoughts were halted as she felt arms slide around her waist, pushing their body up against her back. Her breath caught as she smelled a familiar smell, a smell of vanilla mixed with something else, something sharper. Something that brought back memories of a grandiose ball room full of flowers and crystals, of satin table cloths and long draperies; of a grey mare in white and musical ambience flowing through the air.

"Octavia." Vinyl breathed.

The arms tightened, pulling her closer. The DJ closed her eyes, silent tears running down her cheeks as relief filled her soul. Never before has she felt so much peace at once, so much love.

She felt a brush of hair across her back, only to feel soft lips brush against the corner of hers. Wrapping her own arms around her mare's, she held on tight.

"I love you so much..." the white mare murmured.

A hoof began to brush her shoulder, and before she knew it they were moving. Before long, she found herself lying on the gurney that she had left Octavia only moments before. Opening her eyes, she stared at Octavia's face, and she finally felt happiness surge through her.

"I have missed you so very much..." Vinyl whimpered, pulling her head up to kiss the mare gently on the lips.

Octavia hugged Vinyl, who had once again closed her eyes. Bliss was one of the many emotions that flooded her mind, as her mare rested on top of her. Her ears heard a peculiar clicking noise, but she thought nothing of it as hooves began to run up her body.

Lips found hers and it was a long kiss, a very sensual one as the hooves went higher, pushing Vinyl's arms above her head. She began to pant as her arms stretched up even more, and she began to question what Octavia was doing. Opening her eyes slightly, she saw those beautiful eyes staring back.

Vinyl has never seen such a wild side of Octavia before, because the DJ usually takes control in situations like this. It felt amazing, but yet...

Something was wrong.

Shivers ran down her spine as she looked closer into the Cellist's eyes, and she became confused. They weren't that deep black you would expect to find, instead, they were slowly turning red around the iris...

Red like Vinyl's.

More clicking noises broke the silence of the room, and she felt something tighten around her hooves at the rim of the gurney. The confusion flooded Vinyl's mind, her eyes pleading with Octavia to know what was going on. But instead of meeting Octavia's eyes, she met her neck. Deep purple was spreading from the jawline to the collarbone, patches of fur were ripped from the skin and it was worse than she originally thought.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry Octy... I-" Words were cut short as Octavia glared at her, before spitting into her face.

Shocked, Vinyl's confusion melted into remorse and sorrow as she begged for forgiveness, all the while trying to figure out what was happening. Then it came to her in a blur, and she became afraid.

Trying to move, she felt bonds holding down her torso and her hooves. Octavia slid off the mare and the gurney, only to trot to the bottom and tying down each fore hoof with a leather buckle. Tightening it to the point where circulation was cut off entirely, leaving her legs to slowly become numb and cold.

"Octavia," The DJ sniffed, fear in her eyes, "What are you doing?"

The grey mare left the gurney and went over to the cabinets, rumaging through them in search of something. The white mare closed her eyes, trying to wake up. But it didn't do anything, it didn't even help shut out the noise as she listened to her wife moving around, clinking bottles and utensils.

Opening her eyes, she watched as Octavia wheeled over a gleaming metal table. A tray glistening on top, holding all the tools and bottles that the Cellist decided to take.

Stopping next to the gurney, Vinyl watched in dread as Octavia opened one of the bottles with her hooves, only to pull out an eye dropper with a translucent liquid. Octavia got closer to the DJ before planting a long sloppy kiss on her lips, eyes closed as the DJ stared in panic at the dropper which hovered precariously above one of her open eyes.

A scream erupted through out the hospital, echoing through the many halls and rooms. The white mare lay strapped to the bed, pulling against the bonds as pain ravaged her body. Smoke rose from her eye, where a chemical reaction took place when Nictric acid dripped into her pupil. Instantly blinded, she watched Octavia through her other eye, grinding her teeth in pain.

The Cellist smiled a wicked grin as she kissed the blinded eye, before jabbing a hoof in the other. In the DJ's shock from the blow, Octavia inserted the eyedropper into the eyelid and fire seared through her head. Darkness impeded on Vinyl as her screams filled the room, as she could no longer see.

She heard a laughter emanate from her right, mocking her screams and her burning tears.

Panick and adrenaline mixed into her blood stream, tightening her body against the pain and recoiling from whatever felt like a threat. The bonds felt even tighter as Vinyl's heavy breathing was the only sound in the room.

Oblivious to what was happening, she felt a pressure in her groin as she felt Octavia sit there, putting her full weight down on her pelvis. Grimacing, a hoof began to circle her stomach and her chest, only to feel a sharp agony as something slit inside her, just above the belly button.

Octavia made a neat incision with a scalpel, parting the skin up the DJ's torso. The pain was so intense, the unicorn gagged and her breath caught, and it was a long time before a gasp escaped her mouth as breathing became impossible. Struggling for breath, blood ran down the sides of the white fur; turning what once was white as snow, to a deep crimson.

The world spun in the dark as Vinyl's eyes burned and her stomach turned cold, trails of warmth seeping out of her. She felt afraid and remorseful, begging for forgiveness from both her wife and whatever God might be watching. Never before had she been religious, never had she thought of a possible God, but she had never thought the end would be like this.

Celestia, Luna, and all the others, she begged and pleaded silently; urgently. She wanted to go home, back to wherever little fillies came from. Away from this god forsaken place, away from everything wrong and evil.

The DJ's thoughts were interupted as a whirring sound reached her ears. A high pitched, shrill whirring of what she guessed must have been a bone saw.

Feeling movement next to her, her body went rigid as she anticipated what was next, trying to imagine what could possibly be happening now. What more could this madness do to her?

Octavia grabbed onto Vinyl's head, before gripping her horn. Vinyl felt cold as blood drained from her face when she realized what was about to transpire. Begging Octavia to stop, trying to imagine what would happen if she decides to do what she was planning, it made her ache just thinking of it.

And it happened.

Something exploded inside the white unicorn as the grey pony slowly sawed the horn off. Blue sparks flew in every direction as Octavia dug the horn out of Vinyl's head, cutting in a U to completely severe the horn. Dark blood poured down from the crude incision, dribbling down her cheeks and jawline, as the blue aura flickered out from both the large hole and from the seperated horn.

There was no scream, there was no movement, there was only a gaping mouth and a body that was so stiff, some could have said that she had turned to stone. Blackened eyes open wide in pain and terror, Vinyl lay there in internal agony. Magic and blood seeped out of her, and she could barely feel any more widespread torture that Octavia might have inflicted while in her state of shock.

Numb to the world, she was frozen and unhearing.

The pain had nearly turned her to a corpse when the horn was taken, the ruthless pain that ran through her veins and through her mind. She couldn't think or feel anything but the rigid pain.

After a long while of lying there, feeling came slowly back and her hearing was renewed. However, the only feeling that came back was to her neck and to her chest. It became clear that the pain from being seperated from her magic so brutally has left her paralysed, and there was nothing she could do.

She felt her ears perk up as she heard an awful scraping noise, one that had a rhythm. Scrape, scrape, scrape.

What Vinyl couldn't see, is that it was actually Octavia sharpening the horn as someone would have for a branch. Using a large scalpel, she was scraping bit by bit until the tip was very sharp. The white birthmark of a unicorn lay in the pony's hands, becoming even more ugly as each piece of enamel broke off.

When the noise stopped, Vinyl prepared herself once more, her will power to live completely drained. All she could feel now was the rush of blood through her veins and the pulse in her neck as she swallowed her fear.

If this is it.

So be it.

Hoof steps rang loud as Octavia approached the other side of the gurney, where there was a pause and nothing seemed to be happening for a short time.

Vinyl licked her lips, panting. She waited in exasperation, wanted it to be over.

But before anything more could happen, Octavia cleared her throat, "No one should make vows." The pony was breathing heavily as she leaned down to the white mare's ear and whispered, "They are just promises, waiting to be broken."

Vinyl felt a hoof grab hold of the fur on her chest, and Octavia's voice became harsh as she breathed, "Become. Both."

That was when the sharpened horn was plunged into her chest, and the feeling was a sensation that bet all description. The pain and suffering she felt as her heart flutter like a small bird being crushed between the teeth of an animal, fluttering and panicking. Spasms shook inside her, but she didn't move. Instead, she felt as everything slowed and everything became numb. The world slowed and her own beathing became labored.

Gasping, she slammed her head against the gurney twice before her neck gave way. Still and alone, the world became quiet and the air became stagnant.

But something remarkable happened, she finally saw something.

A light, a silhouette glaringly bright in the darkness was bounding about in the darkness. What she saw, it was beautiful. Small and innocent, she saw the outline of a filly, and she never felt so much warmth or compassion after watching such a sight.

Softly a voice spoke out from the light, as gentle and soothing as an angel.

"And I will always be beside you, in times of good or bad or worse. You will forever be the love of my life and nothing will take you away from me. You have stolen your way into my heart, where you will stay until the end of time. I want you to live a fulfilling life, to be happy and free, but it has to be with me. Love me like you have, love me like you will, because I will never stop loving you."

A face faded into Vinyl's vision, her beautiful wife smiling at her with a veil covering her eyes.

Tears glimmered in the white mare's eyes as she watched the bright light dancing in the darkness, her breath was short and quiet, slowly the world began to blur as she stared, wishing to be a part of that light. She has wanted so much, but there was something more. She wanted that light in her life, her ever so short life.

Blurry, the world began to mix in color. Beyond the light, she saw a peculiar outline of a pony. Someone who embodied beauty, stars glittering around them as they walked closer. Silky blue swirled in the air around them, and sympathetic eyes stared back.

Vinyl's breath became shorter and sometimes stopped.

A hoof pressed against her cheek, wiping away the tears that were caused from happiness. A silver shoe gleamed through her squinted eyes, a beautiful shoe that covered a dark hoof. A voice called out to her, but she couldn't comprehend. Instead, her thoughts were on the light that was still frolicking in the night.

"Ambience..." Vinyl murmured, dreaming that the light would come and touch her, to make her happy.

"Octavia," She breathed, attempting to speak one last time. "Ambience..."

Darkness rushed in, and soon there was nothing.

The plane of darkness didn't change, and the dark figure sat next to the still unicorn. Watching, until giving a silent goodbye. Then, the princess dissapeared, leaving the DJ alone; to finally rest in peace.

* * *

A breeze floated through the air after Luna as the princess stepped out of the rift. The dark blue aura that emanated from her horn flicked out, and the veil closed slowly.

The grey pony stared as the image of the white unicorn, lying on the plane of nothingness, dissapeared. Her eyes stung as quiet tears dripped to the floor, in a state of denial as she grieved.

"Times like these are not for the faint of heart." The princess claimed, a sorrowful frown on her muzzle. "Vinyl will be missed for as long as she is loved, and I am sure that will be a very long time. However, you can get through this if you remember that she is now in a happier place, somewhere where the plague of nightmares can't touch her.

Darkness that clunge to the room dissapeared, and they were back in the hospital room on the second floor of Manehatten Medical Center. Limp and unknowing, Vinyl lay in the bed as she died. Beeping squealed from the machines, and a nurse came in. Surprised, the nurse was wary of the unexpected princess as she rushed to Vinyl's bed.

The nurse was about to use a defibrilator, but Octavia grabbed the nurse's hoof.

"No," The Cellist whimpered. "It's her time."

Blinking, the nurse bowed her head and walked to the corner of the room, taking a phone off the wall and talking to someone on the other line.

Luna acknowledged this, as she knew this was best for everyone. The DJ's organs were slowly stopping, completely becoming immobilized inside her body. First the liver and kidneys, until finally it spreads into the arteries. There, it will stop the heart, and quickly after it will cause her to be brain dead.

Dr. Hofen came through the door, with another nurse who had a clipboard and pen. Nodding to the princess, he went to Vinyl's IV bag.

"Give me the narcotic formula, please."

The nurse in the corner joined the doctor and her friend as they went through their cabinets, shifting through different organized sections of drugs and medications.

Finally, the first nurse found a syringe, which she handed to the doctor. Testing the needle with a tap of his hoof, he unscrewed the tube that connected to the IV bag. Inserting the needle, he injected the syrum and Octavia watched as a pink liquid hurried it's way down the clear tube, flowing into Vinyl's wrist.

They watched in silence as Vinyl's labored breathing came to a close with one last exhalation. Her eyelids fluttered as a twitch puckered from her neck, and then she was still.

It happened so fast, that it felt right in some way. She passed on so quickly and quietly, that both dread and a sick form of acceptance sank to the bottom of Octavia's stomach.

The nurse with the cliboard scribbled something down with her magic keeping the pen suspended. Clearing her throat, she stated, "Vinyl Record Scratch; Date of Birth: June 13, 96. Date of Death: January 27, 22. Time of Death: Hour 5 Minute 37 in the A.M. Cause of Death: Accidental Overdose and Comatose Life Support cut. Age at Death: Twenty-six."

Dr. Hofen nodded, and they left the room quietly. Following after them, he looked back at the princess and the Cellist, before closing the door softly behind him.

Octavia sat on the floor, where she wailed and cried out for Vinyl. Time seemed to stop, which felt as if the suffering was never-ending. The world felt cold as the winter sun broke through the white drapes from the window, illuminating the room with natural light.

Winter had felt so cold this year, as Vinyl was gone.

Never to see Octavia again.

"Being lost and alone in life is nothing that we can't fix. You only have to find the light of happiness to find you way out of that deep and depressing world. A loving person can bring you back to live with a few small breaths and a gift of generosity, sometimes even less. Be humble and be accepting, because you never know when you will need someone to pull you from your gloom." -Vinyl

Author's Notes:

And thus, the story has ended after being suspended for so long.

Thank you for your patience and your willingness to read this story.

Please recommend it if you were pleased with it, because I would highly appreciate it.

Your Humble Writer,

-X

P.S. There is an epilogue, for those of you who want a little bit more, and maybe a more cheery wrap-up.

Epilogue: Through a Mother's Eyes

The air is calm, the weather absolutely wonderful.

I sit here on the hillside on the outskirts of Manehatten, more along the countryside, bringing a close to this little story that I've decided to document. It might not seem like a small ordeal for me, but for anyone else who reads this in the future, I'm sure it will just be another tale of tragedy.

Pegasus flit through the air today, rushing clouds all around the sky; that brilliant blue sky that reminds me of her beautiful electric hair. Even the clouds way up above remind me of her; the delicate white fur that covered her from head to hoof. In my opinion, her best feature were her eyes, because they were the shade of a polished apple, crisp and ready to be plucked from its tree. They were so beautiful, so energetic, yet so honest.

And how about those ridiculous magenta glasses? Oh how we had so many arguments about that one! I've always thought it was a shame that she covered her eyes, because I wanted to see them. I wanted to see what she saw, to see what she felt, to see what she loved. They reflected so much more than just her soul; they reflected everything that was right in the world.

It makes me smile to think of all the times I've stolen those silly things right off her nose, scampering away like a bandit each time I did so. Giggling and laughing, she would always catch me before I could hide them. Tackling me to the floor (she was very gentle, mind you) and growling at me in a hilarious way! She'd start laughing and right before she took her prized glasses back, she'd always manage to steal a long, lingering kiss.

One of the few memories that make me happy to know that someone loved me so much, so very much.

The mare of my life, my one and only, forever my always. Never will I forget her or her vows. Her promises will remain with me, yet to be fulfilled. I will wait and wait till my time comes, when death whispers silently to me and tells me 'Come home, she awaits'.

How I love her so! Sad to say I am reminded, my love has been divided, as I watch my little crème filly running up the hill to me. Flowers in her muzzle, white teeth flashing, she bounded up through the grass on her little legs. Rose gold hair whipped through the summer breeze as she ran, her tail flipping wildly behind her.

Energy radiated off her like tidal waves, the happiness of a young pony who has yet to see the world for both its ups and its downs. She has never known such sadness as I have, never seen the horrors of the world with those beautiful eyes.

They were a shocking blue, a blue I knew all too well.

Those were the very same eyes that made me ask myself; how could I pay tribute to my love? To show her as she sits down in heaven, watching us everyday, that this filly is also hers? I could only think of one thing that had both of our likenesses, a little of both to mark her as ours.

Dangling from her neck was a dark blue bow tie, the fine fabric glinting in the sun as she finally reached the top of the hill.

Plopping down next to me, I marveled at how I could possibly be blessed with a sweet filly like her. What could I have done to deserve a well-mannered, loving, and beautiful daughter? I was really stumped as I looked her over, trying to come up with an answer to my perplexing question.

However, it was plain to see, her hair was an absolute mess!

I laughed as I ran my hooves through her short hair, arranging it to look somewhat decent. Really, I wasn't much of a stickler when it came to her appearance, because after living with the kind of person I married? Over three years of my life has been full of messes because of the life I decided to lead. Frankly, I cleaned up most of the messes, but I wish I could go back and clean just one more.

Just one more. Whether it be a sink caked with hair gel, long socks littered on the floor, or even a sink full of dishes. One more mess, one more chance, to see her again.

"Momma," she squeaked, laying out the flowers in a neat row between the untrimmed blades of grass.

"Which one do you like?"

I surveyed each and every flower, pretending to be inspecting them very carefully, as though if I were some well-known floral critic. I nudged the flower that I personally loved, because the colors were very exquisite (and cliché, in my opinion).

The little pony squealed in delight as she picked up the flower that had swirling pinks and whites before jumping up and placing it haphazardly behind my ear. Tucking it in place, she plopped on the grass and looked through the blossoms before picking her favourite. To my surprise, it was a similar blue to her bow tie (but who am I to be shocked? Since essentially, I did the exact same thing).

After watching her with a keen interest, I asked, "Vani, why do you like that colour so much?"

She paused in her rumaging through the flowers, placing the small blue orchid gently in the grass, and tried to find words to describe herself to me.

"Well, I really like blue because I like the sky, and the ocean, and the birds that sing." She hurried and got up before twirling around, almost as if she were chasing her own tail, the silly thing.

"They sing so prettily!" Vani twirled and twirled, laughing and singing about the birds.

"One day momma I want to sing like the birds! You can play your big cello and I can sing about the earth, and the sky, and the rain!"

Hopping and skipping in circles, it almost made me dizzy. It made me overjoyed to see her so happy, so excited about everything that made her life so colourful. I knew the real answer as to why blue was her absolute favorite however, and I knew that it had to do with her mother. She never met her, but I know she wish she had. Vani grieves in a much different way than I do, but that's okay. It's only natural to want to have known who your other parent was.

That's exactly what this story is for. One day she might be old enough to read it, to take in everything that has happened to her mother and to know who she was. A life lesson to know that fear isn't something to be afraid of, because life itself is not something to fear; Sadly her mother is an example of someone who ended up being a victim to her own fears, depressions, and worries (in a much more horrible, grotesque way).

Life is a gift, and a gift mustn't be feared.

A gift must be opened, and loved.

Isn't that why today is called the 'present'?

I've seen first hand what Vinyl was afraid of. You should know, my dear reader; it has pained me greatly, but I can live through it because I now know something that I never really understood. I began to realize that there was more to her than I ever thought could have been hiding in the dark corners of her daily thoughts.

Princess Luna made it possible for me to see, using her magic to open a veil, to know what was happening inside Vinyl's mind. I have witnessed each fear on that dreadful night. Fears of her mother leaving, fears of dear old Alabastar dying and dissapointed in his end, even fears of what marriage was and what it could mean for both herself and I.

And lastly, the fear I myself could relate to.

What it was like to become a mother.

Becoming a mother has been a start of a great journey, one with so many trials and obstacles. I can understand why she was afraid, because I didn't know if I could be a good mother, I didn't know how to raise a pony, I still have so much more to find out. The fear that has been added on to the ever growing list; I will have to do it alone.

Vinyl isn't here to help me physically, however, I know she is helping all she can from up above. Dare I say, maybe she will help Vani gain a musical destiny. With a daily influence like me, Equestria's best cellist (not to mention the help from the best DJ ever known from somewhere above), I really believe that our little filly will grow and be nourished in the love of music.

The beauty of music never died, even when Vinyl did.

Her music lives on, thriving here with everyone who was able to experience it. Recordings were made, pictures were saved, and inspiration was placed. She went from having nothing to having everything and will live on as the most creative and most beloved DJ the world will ever witness.

I truly know that Vani will come to love her music as I have, and she will love and accept that she has been raised by both sides of this amazing musical world. From the new age to the old, music will shape and mold her into something exceptional.

It might seem like a typical thing for a mother to say, but I wish every day and every night before I fall asleep, that Vani will join me and her mother to become one of the greats.

A name that will be remembered, for whatever her destiny will be, that she will be known all throughout the land and endless in time.

Vanilla Ambient Quartet

.

If you read this, my dearest Vani, both your mother and I love you.

We always will.

~ Octavia Philharmonica Scratch

"You will always be faced challenges you feel are too big to overcome; know this at the least. If you will learn anything in this life you have been graciously given, it's that you can either make it beautiful or not. A fulfilling life comes from hard work and the will to live, and if you don't want to put in the effort to find the sun behind the shade, then it was a gift merely wasted. You will be tried, but you will also be loved. Try your hardest for both yourself and for the people that love you." -Octavia

Author's Notes:

Here the story ends,

Thank you for both your patience and you time.

If there are any issues such as grammar or spelling, please message me and I will get those fixed.

Special thanks to wubtasticalMLP for leaving a comment, telling me to finish this story. It's been fun, and this has been one of my better stories that I am very glad I have finished.

Your Humble Writer,

-X