Scratched back to Xero

2 days later

With Vinyl back, we had a lot of catching up to do, and so many stories to tell each other, where we've been and what we've done. We decided to go to a local club that I used to work at, it felt odd walking in there and not having to go up on stage. The owner is a good friend of mine, so we got free food and drinks, and Vinyl was just happy she got some decent food for once. The DJ started playing some crappy techno tune, and Vinyl gave me a look like she wanted to hop up on stage, I asked her

"Do you think we should show him how it's really done?"

She jolted up, and doing so her drink got knocked over the table, and in an instant we were up on stage talking with the DJ. Vinyl's drink could be heard shattering on the floor throughout the entire room, and as that happened she grabbed the mic and yelled "Get ready for The Scratch Session!" and the DJ decided he needed a break anyways and the two of us decided to play a quick 30 minute set and get back to our food. We did another brother-sister battle, and the crowd went wild for it, afterwards I played one of my unreleased songs and Vinyl played a remix of a song dad made.

The crowd cheered as we finished the set, and let the DJ get back to his job. He sounded better, maybe he learned something from us. Our food was cold and Vinyl's drink was spilled, glass everywhere, so we decided to go and walk around town. It was a beautiful night, clear as can be, the pegasi did a great job clearing the sky. She had been gone for so long everything had changed, except for our house, same old brown and grey. I took her to the gardens that were made a year ago, she didn't seem to enjoy nature very much anymore.

She began to grow more and more distant as the night went on, and it worried me, we headed back home and I asked her what was wrong. The same generic answer "Nothing, I'm fine, Xero." I felt... hurt in a way, she wouldn't tell me what was wrong. I let out a saddened sigh and slowly walked to my room.

"Oh, Vinyl... Your room's been left the same since you left, so if you feel like staying here you're still welcome... Night, Sis."

I hadn't realized that I said something that mean to her. She started to cry as I walked away, and it just killed me.

"Xero, I'm sorry.. I-I just... I've been gone for so long and everything feels wrong here, I don't recognize anything anymore. Please don't be mad at me for tonight."

She gave me the most heartbreaking look she could ever muster up. Everything melted away and I just went to her and comforted her.

"I'm sorry for what I said, you're always welcome to stay here, and a lot has changed since you left, except for here, and the club. Two little pieces of your past stayed the same, kiddo."

I just smiled away and she stopped crying and yawned, she started walking to her room while singing a song that our mother used to sing, she knew it from our dad, singing her to sleep.

I suddenly felt as tired as the living dead, I slowly staggered to my room, and dropping onto my bed, falling asleep almost instantly. I woke up to Vinyl blasting music in my face, telling me to wake up. It must've been important because she seemed like she was in a rush, I staggered down the hallway following her. She blinded me with a strobe light and the next thing I knew there was a crowd of people yelling surprise. When my eyes finally adjusted I saw all of my old friends, and a few of Vinyl's, I was wondering if anybody would remember my birthday. I haven't celebrated it in 2 years, and now, I'm finally 18, a stallion. My life came crashing down on me, and I realized that my childhood is over, it felt like it was only a few days ago I was just a little colt learning to spin records in the basement.

Maybe it was the alcohol from last night, but I felt groggy and ready to vomit, I couldn't see straight, next thing I knew, everything went black, and I woke up on the couch. A slice of cake was at my side and everyone was crowded around me, and Vinyl bounced up and down yelling "He's awake, he's awake!" as everyone started to sing happy birthday, and asking me how I've been. My dyed blue hair started to fade on the right, so I had blue on the left and red hair on the right.

Everyone who showed up seemed to be so happy that I'm still here, since most of them thought I died or moved away.

Vinyl decided to start blaring music in the living room and everyone was having a great time and we eventually got tired and decided to have some cake. I don't know who made the cake, but it tasted amazing. Soon, the party came to a bittersweet end, that left my wanting to go back and keep my friends close to me. But, Vinyl decided to drag me to the basement and locked the door, I had no idea what she was doing at first. She hooked up the small recording set-up and told me to sing what I felt from the music. As she started to play a few notes and change the pitch, resonance and add an effect or two, she started to play a warm trance tune.

"Over and over~

Each day and each night~

I tell myself this, with your voice in my head~

I love you more, than the sun and the moon~

Each passing day, is a blessing to be...

With you~"

She asked me what I was singing about, and I told her that it was somepony special that I met last summer during Mixcon. Her reaction was typical, an over exaggerated "B'AWWWWW, that's so cuuuute~!" and then she continued to question me about her, and asked me one question that hit me like a brick. "Sooo... Where is she now?" I guess I had to tell Vinyl, or she'd bug me all day.

"She's getting an education out in Canterlot."

"Really?! She got into a school in Canterlot?" She was stunned.

"Heh... Yeah, she promised me that she'd come back and live with me when she's done." I was getting shaky and nervous.

"She'll be done when Autumn comes around though." I said with a small grin on my face.