Silence
Vinyl's breath fogged in front of her, leaving faint trails of mist in the air. If she wasn't careful, her breath fogged her goggles, and she had to take them off and wipe them off. It was one of the reasons she didn't like winter.
One of many, really.
Her foot skidded across a sheen of ice over the snow, sliding treacherously away. Vinyl twisted, trying to catch her balance, before the runaway leg shot up into the air as the rest of her body landed hard, breaking through the layer of ice and into the snow beneath it. Vinyl hissed through her teeth, laying half-embedded in obnoxious, white powder.
Rapid footsteps and crunching sounds approached. Tinted violet by her glasses, Octavia's concerned face appeared, half-covered by a scarf around her neck. "Are you alright?" she asked.
Vinyl nodded slowly, then attempted to rise. Her hands slipped across the ice, causing Octavia to catch her arm and help her to her feet. "Up you go," Octavia grunted.
Vinyl stood up, planting her feet firmly, and dusted herself off. Her butt hurt, shoulders hurt, and her back hurt, but she was fine, really.
"Come on, let's get you back inside," Octavia said, trying to tug Vinyl away.
Vinyl shook her head.
"Hm? Whatever it is, it can wait a moment, can't it? You should take some time to rest after that fall."
Vinyl dug in her purse, pulling out her grocery list.
"I can get that," Octavia said. "You should really--"
Vinyl tugged her hand loose, shaking her head. She didn't exactly plan on sitting indoors for three months straight, and she needed to get out and move.
Besides, she could handle groceries, right?
Vinyl marched through the snow—planting her feet firmly each step—and to her car.
She looked back to see her confused roommate beginning to shovel the driveway of snow. Octavia gave her a wave, and Vinyl waved back before slipping into the driver's seat.
Wow, did her shoulders hurt. Thankfully, she didn't hit their steps—that would have absolutely put a stop to any plans she had that day. Less thankfully, the snow somehow hurt about as much as the concrete would have.
Which made no sense whatsoever, but hey. Who cared, anyway.
Vinyl's car pulled into the mall's parking lot. She pushed the door open, and stepped out, only to immediately have her foot skid from under her. This time, however, she caught hold of her door, and only banged her shin into the door and her shoulder into the car. The resounding thump had her wincing, and hoping it didn't dent the metal.
Rushed, clomping footsteps sounded just behind her. Vinyl turned somewhat, seeing Applejack slide to a stop just in front of her. "You alright there, sugarcube?"
Vinyl nodded, then slowly turned to her car. She let out a slow sigh, seeing the small dent in it. Stupid, cheap metal, she thought angrily. She righted her feet, then slammed her door.
"Rough day, huh?" Applejack asked. "Anything I can help ya with?"
Vinyl was about to shake her head, then looked down at Applejack's feet. The farm-girl was wearing some kind of cleated work boot.
Vinyl pointed to them.
"Huh? These? Um--"
Vinyl pointed to the mall.
Applejack scratched her head, then suddenly her face lit up. "Oh! Yer askin' where you can get some like 'em, right?"
Vinyl nodded.
"I got these over at Hoof It," she said, pointing. Canterlot's one-and-only shoe store was in the mall, and if she remembered correctly, Rainbow Dash worked there. "Actually, these specific ones were a Christmas gift two years ago." She chuckled, stretching out her foot to look at the boot. "Mighty tough. Take good care of 'em and they'll last ya years! They're kinda expensive, though."
Worth it, Vinyl thought. She gave Applejack a thumbs up, then began marching towards the mall.
Applejack moved to catch up with her, walking slowly on the ice-covered parking lot. "You okay? Yer walkin' kinda stiffly."
Vinyl nodded, then rubbed her back.
"Hurt yer back? Sure you shouldn't be at home, resting that off?"
Vinyl let out another sigh, then pointed towards the mall.
"Ah, gotcha. Shoppin' to do. Well, I'll be nearby, so if you need anythin', just call."
Vinyl shot her a look.
Applejack winced. "I-I meant on the phone! But—uh--a text would work or...or..." She sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean nothin' like that."
Vinyl shrugged. Whatever.
Vinyl didn't have many friends—or, rather, not many people she chose to hang out with. Octavia, obviously, but they did share an apartment together. Lyra and BonBon, occasionally, but BonBon was rude, and neither of them were smart enough to understand what Vinyl was trying to say.
Vinyl inwardly groaned, seeing Rainbow Dash run through Hoof It to stack boxes on top of each other. She didn't dislike the athlete, per se, but Rainbow Dash was impatient, and, if she had to say it outright, not particularly smart. Communicating with her was extremely difficult.
I don't need to, I'll just look for the shoes on my own, Vinyl thought. She'd hardly gotten to the first shelf when a prismatic blur appeared at her side. "How can I help you?" Rainbow asked cheerily. "Oh, hi, V! Whatcha lookin' for?"
Vinyl pointed to the shelf.
"Uh, shoes," Rainbow said, tapping her chin.
Vinyl moved past, suppressing a sigh as she looked down the shelf.
"You looking for fancy shoes?" Rainbow asked. "Those would be on aisle three."
Vinyl shook her head.
"Um...sneakers?"
Vinyl shook her head.
Rainbow let out a frustrated sigh. "Okay, let me think a moment. Um..."
Vinyl mimed the action of making a snowball, and throwing it.
Rainbow slammed a fist into her palm. "Snow shoes!" she said. "Wait right here!" She disappeared, and a second later, returned, holding up a pair of massive skiis.
Vinyl face-palmed.
"Okay, um, not these," Rainbow muttered. She disappeared, returning with a pair of ice skates.
Vinyl pulled at her face, then pointed to Rainbow Dash's shoes. She paused, however, seeing Rainbow wearing a pair of sneakers that were probably not even remotely fit for running through snow at Mach three.
"Oh, uh, I just fly," Rainbow said, wings materializing. "Oh, wait, now I see what you want." She disappeared, returning with a pair of cleated snow boots just like Applejack had.
Vinyl nodded.
"Ugh, I can't believe that took me so long," Rainbow said, handing them over. "Try 'em on, see if they fit."
Vinyl sat on the bench, tugging off her shoe, and then slipped the snow boot onto her foot.
"Hmm...these ones look a touch big on you," Rainbow said slowly.
Vinyl shook her head. They fit just about right, anyway. She slipped it off, then pointed to the register.
"Oh! Come over, I'll ring you up," Rainbow said, rushing off in a blur.
Vinyl shook her head with a smile. Rainbow tried her best, anyway.
Vinyl marched to the register, before finally looking at the tag on the boots.
She hissed through her teeth.
"Yeah, they ain't cheap," Rainbow said. "Second thoughts?"
Vinyl sighed, shaking her head and pulling out her credit card. Whatever, it was that time of the year anyway.
"You want cash back?"
Vinyl shook her head, but paused as Rainbow pulled out a flier. "Me and the girls were going to host a party at the school this weekend," she said. "You should come by! It'll be a blast!"
I mean, music and cupcakes sound nice, Vinyl thought, scanning the flier. She stopped when she saw "karaoke" emblazoned in large letters.
"Eh—um--you okay? Don't like kara--oh."
Vinyl crumpled the flier, then tossed it back at Rainbow. She took her boots, and stormed out of the store.
Vinyl sat on a bench in the mall, listening to music turned high enough up so that she could ignore anyone talking to her. Thankfully, her headphones were a clear indicator that she was not open to conversation--one-sided as it would be, anyway.
To most of the people in the mall, anyway.
Sunset Shimmer sat down besides her, saying something Vinyl didn't catch. Vinyl ignored her, sipping a near-boiling chocolate drink purchased from the nearby store.
Sunset reached over, poking her on the nose.
Vinyl turned to face her, then pulled one of her headphones off.
"You okay?" Sunset asked.
Vinyl shook her head.
"Anything I can help with?"
Vinyl shook her head.
Sunset grimaced, then her face lit up. "Give me your hand," she said.
Vinyl hesitated, but then she caught sight of Sunset's magic necklace thing. What did it do again?
OH.
Vinyl extended her hand, and Sunset reached over. She peeled back Vinyl's glove, and touched Vinyl's palm.
Her face went blank for a second, but then she leaned over and hugged Vinyl tightly. "She was only trying to be nice," Sunset said.
Vinyl sighed, then nodded. I know that. I'm just having a bad day...they happen.
Sunset nodded. "Sometimes, you do have a bad day," she said, "but that's what friends are for, hm? To cheer you up."
Vinyl shook herself, then stared at Sunset. Sunset gave a grin and a chuckle. "Telepathy," she said. "It's awesome. Rainbow was trying to offer something nice, and didn't mean to upset you. I'm sure she's looking for some way to make it up to you right--"
A low whistling sound caught their attention, just before Rainbow Dash skidded to a stop in front of them. "Vinyl, I'm so sorry about that," she said. "I wasn't thinking, I--" She paused, looking between the two of them.
Sunset shrugged.
Vinyl gave her a smile, then shrugged. Can...you tell her it's fine?
"She says it's fine," Sunset said. "She's just having a bad day, Dash."
"Well, I'm sorry," Rainbow said, hands falling ot her sides. "I wasn't thinking. Invite a mute person to karoke, I'm...I just...ugh." She lifted one hand, looking at a small parcel, then sighed. "This...was for you, but, uh...I don't know. It was an impulse that I didn't think through."
Vinyl, curious, took the small gift, and then opened it up. Inside the little box was a small, blue kazoo.
The hay?
Vinyl lifted it up, staring at it.
"Rainbow, I'm not sure she can use that," Sunset said slowly.
"Well, she can breathe, right? You just...blow into it."
"I thought you were supposed to hum into them," Sunset replied. "I've never heard her humming, but..."
Vinyl put her lips to the kazoo, and hummed. She didn't normally hum...it never sounded right to her.
The kazoo let out a deceptively loud honking sound. Vinyl jerked her head back, staring at the tiny instrument in surprise. Then, she let out a wide grin.
"I think she likes it," Sunset said.
"So...we good?" Rainbow asked.
Vinyl jumped up and hugged her. Thank you, she thought. After a pause, she gestured for Sunset to come over.
Sunset stood up, and Vinyl took her hand. Can you ask her for another of her fliers? she thought at Sunset.
Sunset smiled. "I'll drop one by your place later," Sunset said.
"Huh?"
Sunset chucked. "Geode," she told Rainbow. "Vinyl's going to swing by the karaoke. We'll be glad to have you."
Vinyl lifted the kazoo to her mouth, and played a loud note.
Rainbow grinned. "I'm so glad you like it," she said. "Come on. I, uh, took an extended break from work, but I still have some time. You want to hang out?"
Vinyl hesitated, then gestured to Sunset.
"Sure, I'll tag along," Sunset said. "Come on. Merry Christmas, Vinyl."