Mixed Melodies

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Epilogue

Chapter 1

Mixed Melodies

By Doctor Cobra, co-authored by VSakuraPetalV

Chapter 1

In the darkened, musty backstage area of a certain nightclub in Baltimare, a club both reviled and renowned about as much as the city it sat on the street corner of, a white hoof adorned with bracelets of increasingly worn plastic beads clutched a piece of paper anxiously. A flier to be more specific, showing a graffiti-style profile image of a white unicorn with purple-tinted glasses and a spiky, unkempt blue mane. Below the artwork read DJ PON-3 LIVE. NOW TOURING EQUESTRIA - TROTTINGHAM, HOOFINGTON, BALTIMARE in some bizarre lettering.

The pony holding the flier at the moment was none other than the one described in the ad – the same perpetually messy mane, the same sunglasses she had such a unique attachment to, though at the moment they were tucked safely into the pocket of her immensely baggy white jeans. DJ Pon-3, known to her few close friends as Vinyl Scratch, sat up against a brick wall curled into a ball with her forelegs around her knees, the paper dangling from the tip of her hoof. The wall was hard, and she knew that it combined with the DJ legs she was bound to walk out of here tonight with was a combination she’d regret in the morning. But it was genuine solitude and to her that was enough for now.

Dressed in her usual black and white punk wardrobe, mane and tail even messier than usual after a rough night with little sleep (she hated sleeping on trains; had no unicorn really not thought of a way to magically silence the wheels?), Vinyl nursed a faint headache. She didn’t much care for traveling on the whole really, preferring local gigs that allowed her to remain in Ponyville rather than be sent abroad. But a gig was a gig and gigs meant bits. To be fair it did pay great, enough for a solid apartment on the edge of town. She just wished sometimes that she had somepony to share such spoils with.

Meanwhile, the audience, already buzzing with activity, was growing more boisterous in anticipation. DJ Pon-3 risking touring THIS town was kind of a big deal and the amount of ponies that had turned up might have surprised Vinyl herself at first glance. Despite the clubs’ reputation it did good business by attracting every aspect from formal to punk. Several of the well-dressed former sat at small tables near the back wall being served drinks by voluptuous mares in pale blue rubber minidresses. The zanier latter populated the crowded dance floor, made of glass with a huge pit of water beneath containing a live octopus. The wall-to-wall stage, adorned with several enormous speakers already, awaited Vinyl’s entrance with a turntable and two massive amps that would flank the DJ.

Off to one side was a massive bar with red neon inlays, its end-to-end shelved loaded with bottles. On a stool sat a single patron, Jade Eclipse, a powder gray unicorn whose semi spiked violet mane hung low to conceal her left eye. She calmly sipped a Red Corona as if barely noticing the ruckus around her. It was the kind of thing she was used to tuning out thanks to a musical career of her own. She was in fact kicking back after just finishing a gig with her part-time band at a coffee house club a few block away. Her bass currently rested in its case on the barstool beside her as if it was her date.

Jade sighed as the noise finally made her right ear flick a little. She had not exactly planned on being here tonight but when she’d heard that a guest DJ was going to be performing locally, her instinct told her to find out who this potential rival was. The revelation of who it was, however, had sent those sorts of thoughts from her mind. She had always enjoyed Vinyl’s work; from her music to her remixes of other popular songs to her brief stint as a radio show host, Jade was definitely what one would call a fan. Despite her outward calmness, she was thrilled to be here, about to watch Vinyl Scratch herself do her thing. Whether she would dance tonight, however, was up to her and her alone.

The loudest roar yet from the rowdy crowd carried backstage and Vinyl’s meditation came to an end. She spent the next several seconds trying slip into her stage personae. At last, the paper fell from her hoof and slid away along the backstage floor. She stood with a determined sigh, slowly pulled her shades from her pocket and slapped them on, and hitched up her pants to no effect, blue colt’s boxers with white polka dots remaining on show above the sagging waist. With a deep breath and a grin finally spreading across her face, Vinyl gave a signal to a stagehoof to kill the houselights; the audience definitely reacted when they snapped off save a few oscillating spotlights of blue and red.

“Hey, what the...!” exclaimed a rowdy pony in the audience before he was cut off by Vinyl’s husky voice cutting through the dark, amplified times ten!

“AAAAALL RIGHT, MUTHABUCKAS, ARE YOU READY FOR THESE WUBS OF DES-TRUC-TION?!?! Spotlights snapped on and revealed Vinyl standing behind the turntable, her glasses glinting. “BANG!” she cried, slamming on her equipment two-hoofed, blasting a wave of sound across the audience that nearly knocked their eyeballs inward. “WHO'S READY TO HAVE AN AWESOME TIME IN HERE IN BALTIMARE?” she continued, grinning manically. “DJ PON-3, THAT'S WHO!” And she began to do her thing.

As pleased as she was to entertain and bring bits home, Vinyl couldn't help but long for something a little less hard, especially in a city as bad as this. Looking around, staying in character the entire time and only her eyes moving behind her shades as the beats poured out from the giant amps, Vinyl couldn't help but notice the bar – the only place not filled with ponies moshing, grinding, or all but engaging in intercourse right there on the dance floor. Scanning the bar, she saw Jade, as well as her guitar case, and a truly light and fluttery feeling coursed impulsively through her even as she cranked her soundboard all the way up and blasted the roof off, beaming at her own power.

Jade also smiled at the sight of the mare onstage, admiring how wild yet still so in-control of her audience Vinyl was. She bobbed her head in time, feeling the rhythm pulsating through her body. With a swish, she finished off her drink and hopped off the stool. Tossing a bit down and ignoring an indifferent nod from the barkeep, she made her way to the edge of the throng and steadily transitioned into simple solo dance. Such movement came natural to her. The boom of the base, a sound she’d always liked, made her one good ear twitch metrically. Despite having listen to Vinyl’s work countless times before, what everypony said was true: nothing topped seeing her live.

But even in the crowd, Jade still felt a bit alone. The life of a traveling musician could get VERY lonely in fact, and despite having many friends and bandmates, some nights deserved to be spent with nopony other than one. The right stallion… or mare.

With a grimace, Jade shook her head slightly, clearing such thoughts and never once breaking her movement. Yeah, that was it. The beat. That was all the mattered tonight.

The pulsing music simmered down to a few slow, steady wubs as Vinyl drew to a close after about twenty minutes. “AWWW, YEAH!” she exclaimed into her mic, pumping her hooves ecstatically. “IS EVERYPONY HAVING A SWEET TIME?! EVERYPONY GETTIN' IT UP AND SHAKIN' THEIR HOOVE THANG?!”

Suddenly, a plastic bottle went soaring past her head, thrown by an obviously wasted punk stallion. “Hey, cutie!” the idiot called out, “I ain't got nopony to shake it with! Wanna remedy that?!” He leered up at Vinyl, pushing his way to the front of the stage. “All I want's a kiss,” he continued slurring. “Jus' one little kiss from... DJ Po... WHOA!” He suddenly recoiled as a laser fired from Vinyl’s horn seared the area of the stage right in front of him.

Vinyl smirked down at him as he quickly backed off. “Go cool off, hothead! I got more where that came from too!” she said.

Jade smiled at the antics before her, appreciating how the DJ, like herself, took no bull from drunk audience members. Almost before she could stop herself, she called out, “Ha! You show him girl!” She laughed lightly as a few others cheered and whistled Vinyl onward. “Im not sure about the rest of these slowpoke ponies but I’m havin’ an awesome time!” Jade continued. “Kick some tail, Pon-3! Keep it pumping!” She laughed again but still couldn’t believe she had just yelled out loud. Perhaps it was the strong drink working in her favor.

Vinyl, however, just grinned broader, glancing down over her glasses at the speaker. “You got it!” she called in Jade’s direction. “Hehe, I like your style, babe!” she chuckled as she cranked the knob up to eleven and blasted an awesome soundwave from the amp that sent the obnoxious stallion flying backward. Jade nearly lost her own balance as well, but her dance remained uninterrupted and she let out another breathy laugh. It wasn’t long before she was losing herself inside the music all over again, twirling around gracefully, swishing her tail back and forth and even sensuously running her hooves from her flanks all the way up the front of her chest. Eventually though, the music started to slow again and Jade made her way back to the bar to cool off with another round. “Hey,” she called to the barkeep, “Two Sunrises! And thanks for keeping an eye on my stuff,” she added, slipping him a few extra bits.

The bartender looked as disinterested as before. “Yeah, sure,” he replied before jerking his head toward the stage. “You know her or somethin'?” he asked.

“Huh?” the unicorn responded before catching on. “Oh, no way. Heck, this is my first time in this area.” She glanced back towards the stage. “I guess there’s just something about her energy that brings something… different out in me,” she found herself saying before clearing her throat by downing one of her drinks. “Ahem. Um, yeah. Quite an effect she has on ponies. I respect that in a fellow performer,” she said, her eyes returning to the fiery mare onstage.

“Eh, whatever. I barely hear her; I'm deaf after workin' here this long,” the bartender replied as Vinyl blowing off a final long, low buzz from the speakers signaled the concert was drawing to a close. Jade just giggled at him, ordered another drink and tipped him extra, her mind wandering again. Her horn glowed, a prominent sight in the dim light, and she levitated her bag onto her lap. Rummaging through it, she extracted a map which she lay flat on the bar and began examining by horn light. “In a hurry all of a sudden?” asked the barkeep.

Jade sighed softly. “Everypony’s been suggesting I take an extended vaca,” she replied, checking the surrounding towns. “I hear from a few that Ponyvile’s nice and quiet, and Celestia knows all I need right now is to unwind. And near Canterlot too, huh?” she pondered.

“And that's all this town's gonna hear from this girl for a while!” Vinyl cried, breaking Jade’s concentration. “Thank you, Baltimare! GOOD NIIIIGHT!” The lights smashed off, leaving only Vinyl's neon accessories glowing as she made her way offstage in the darkness, muttering to herself. “About time too.” She had to pee badly. “Been holding it since playing that Magic Show remix,” she thought. She took off her glasses as the lights come back up behind her and headed to her dressing room. After attending to her necessaries and packing up her personal things in a duffel bag of her own, she proceeded out a side exit to help some assistants load her equipment into a private carriage that was to take her to and from the hotel she was staying at for this, the second night of her tour. She had always been very hooves-on in that respect – she respected her hardworking helpers and had no problem pitching in when she knew they were just as tired as she was after shows.

Tonight though, for some reason, she had more on her mind to fully focus. She shot a glance back through the door and sighed before turning back to her stagehands. “Ya know what, guys?” she said, “Just take the stuff back and wait. Play charades with each other or something. If I don't get a drink right now, I'm gonna be keeling over in ten. So yeah, go on ahead."

“You sure, Miss Scratch?” one of the stallions asked, concerned. “At least have somepony keep an eye on you.”

Vinyl shook her head. “No, not tonight. I won't be long, cross my eye or whatever,” she said flaty. “I'm just gonna knock a few back and then be home.”

The stallion was still a little worried but understood. “Well, alright. Good luck, V.”

“Throw me my jacket, would ya?” Vinyl asked. Another hand tossed her a white denim longcoat with the same black accoutrements as her jeans. “Thanks,” said Vinyl. She put it on and headed back inside, trying to avoid the dispersing crowd as she trotted over to the bar and plopped onto the stool right next to Jade, even though all Vinyl’s attention was focused on the bartender. “Hey! Boscoe! Bullet bourbon on the rocks,” she ordered, then added, “Big rocks.”

Boscoe rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah,” he muttered, pouring a drink with a lot of ice. “Nice job up there, I'll give ya,” he told the DJ. “Really know how ta keep 'em on their hooves.”

Vinyl sighed, taking a somber drink. “Think that's good you should see me...” Only then did she glance over at Jade who was still sipping her own drink and looking at her map. “'Sup,” Vinyl said casually. “That you I heard yelling at that idiot earlier?”

Jade looked up in surprise. “H-hey,” she stuttered. “Yeah, that was, uh, me. Got a bit into it; never like it when a heckler ruins a show.” She paused. “Actually, wanted to say what a dazzling show you put on. Didn’t think I’d get a chance to.” Indeed, the fact that she was remaining this composed while talking her one of her longest standing idols was a downright shock to her. “I haven’t felt beats running through me like that in a while,” Jade continued. “And to get me to dance… well, you sure you aren’t using magic?” she joked, glancing back at her drink. “What are you havin’?” she asked Vinyl. “I’ll buy you one for a job well...” Then she remembered how odd this must seem to Vinyl, being offered another round by somepony she didn’t even know yet. Jade held out her hoof with a grin. “The name’s Jade Eclipse by the way."

With a crooked smile, Vinyl casually brohoofed her. “Name's Vinyl Scratch. I drop basses. And this...” She slammed her now empty glass down. “...is Bullet, straight from Appleoosa. Not many places carry it outside there. Reload, Boscoe.” After getting a refill, she looked back at the pony next to her. “So, Jade, thanks for... all that I guess. I'm kinda used to to it at my shows though and, believe me, for this city, that was nothing. I've played here twice before and, I'll tell ya, no wonder ponies say never to come here at all. But I digress.” She shrugged, knocking back her second mug. “So what'cha doin' out here?” she asked before spotting the guitar case. “Mm, nice,” she said, gesturing to it. “You touring here too?”

Laying down bits for another drink for the both of them, the gray unicorn nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been with a small band that’s local here. Been here for about three days; last show was tonight. I’m sorta a freelance bassist, playing with whatever bands lack that last member but really, lot of them are just friends of friends who I’ve met over the years.”

Once again, her mind slapped her in the face with the fact that she was telling all this to DJ Pon-3 herself but Vinyl seemed genuinely interested, nodding in calm approval as she sipped her bourbon. “Hm, nice,” said Vinyl. “I’ve tried my hoof at the electric guitar before. Just never got the same kinda coordination for it that I do for just spinnin' the records.”

“I write my own stuff too now and again, kinda like you,” Jade continued. “After this though, I thought I’d take a breakation for a bit. Could go back home to Chi town but I dunno.” She glanced back at the map. “Rather go somewhere more quiet and such, get my mind together. Um, where’s home for you?” she asked Vinyl.

The white unicorn hopped off the stool and hiked up her pants. “My manager got me this hotel for the weekend. I hate traveling but I sure do like the accommodations for when I get where I'm going!” she chuckled. “Hey, I'm feeling better already; I was nursing a whopper of a headache. Thanks for that too, by the way,” she said, nodding toward the bits. “So, what's your deal? Comin' home with me or what?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Jade couldn’t help blushing. “W-what do you mean?” she awkwardly stammered. “I was just paying you a compliment. Y’know, one artist to another? Plus you seemed like you could use the drink. I’m not trying to come on to you. I’m not like that.” She felt herself go even redder at that defense. “I’m sorry for that,” she muttered, ears drooping and eyes darting down. “I should go.” She threw down a few more bits, grabbed her things and began to head out the door. “G’night!”

Vinyl just stood there, looking a little stunned. “Hm,” was all she finally said after a bit. Then something told her she couldn’t just end the encounter there. These things have to at least go out on a high note! “Uh, night Boscoe!” she called to the bartender before hurrying after Jade. “H-Hey! Wait up, babe!” she said as she caught up to her outside the club. It's cool, I know you weren't being flirty or anything. It's just... the environment and... She cut off with a shrug. “Never mind. I just meant...”

“I’m sorry,” Jade interrupted, still very red. “I shouldn’t have just assumed anything. It’s just, um… well, er… yeah. Sorry,” she finally managed.

“We're both in the same boat kinda, aren’t we?” Vinyl asked, nodding understandingly. “Looking to get away from all this and just calm down before hittin' the hay. Where, um... Where was it you said you were going?”

“Well I was going to catch the late night train tonight,” Jade said. “Don’t feel like hanging around here to long. Been hearing that Ponyville’s a decent spot to clear your head. So I was gonna head there for who knows how long, maybe rent an extended stay motel or something, send for my things from there. I’m sure you understand. You know Ponyville?”

Leaning against a wall, Vinyl broke out into a smiled. “That's where I'm from!” she exclaimed.

Jade was pleasantly surprised. “What, really? How random is that?” she laughed.

“Yeah, it's a great town; everypony knows everypony, that kinda thing,” Vinyl explained. “Anyhoof, this was the last night of my tour so I'll be going back tomorrow. Um, so I guess... unless...” She tried to think of a way to put this without seeming overly forward. “Would you maybe want to meet back up sometime? There's nothing you can't do in Ponyville,” she said casually.

It didn’t take five seconds for Jade to respond. “Yeah! I’d love to hang with you! Heck, it’d be my pleasure!” she said, smiling as well. “Plus, since that’s your home, you would know more of the cooler stuff there. How should I get in contact with you once I get there?”

Vinyl had come prepared for this question. “Uhhh, let's see,” she said, feeling around her many pockets. “Heh, got it!” She pulled a piece of paper out and hoofed it over to Jade – one of the DJ Pon-3 fliers with contact info at the bottom. “Spare want ad,” Vinyl said. “In case I run into talent scouts on the street. But I guess that'll do. That's my number and address right down there. So I guess, uh, call me?” She went a little pink at the somewhat girly wordage and hitched up her pants again awkwardly.

Beaming, Jade thanked her. “I guess I’ll drop you a line once I get there and get settled down,” she said.

“Awesome,” said Vinyl simply. “And... thanks. I really don't have company too often. I guess I am a little... unapproachable to some.” She sighed. “Sooo... later, babe?”

Her new friend nodded. “Yeah, I better hurry. Don’t want to miss my train. But I’ll be seeing ya!” The two bumped hooves again and then Jade was on her way.

Vinyl stood there, hooves in her coat pockets, just watching her leave. Watched her tail swishing, watched her tight plot in tighter black jeans wiggling slightly as the guitarist cantered off. Vinyl shook her head and realized she was standing in the foreboding shadow of the club; she turned on the spot to take a final look at it – a square, single story brick building with blue tinted windows, a fifteen-foot cylinder in the center lit by blue neon lights forming the club's name, the outside walls currently covered with DJ Pon-3 posters like the one she had just given Jade. Jade, a genuine new friend. It was hard to think of the last time Vinyl had just met somepony out of the blue and agreed to hang out with them in such a short time frame. ‘At least neither of us actually used the word ‘date’,’ she thought to herself, turning back around. Jade was gone from her view now, however. “Good luck out there,” Vinyl murmured before teleporting away.

Chapter 2

A few days later, around noon, Jade awoke in the small vacation house she had rented on the edge of Ponyville. She had spent most of the previous night putting away the last of the belongings that had been shipped over via her friends and thus had slept in a lot later than she usually might have. Glancing over at the bedside clock, a moment of sudden panic turned seamlessly into one of relief when she saw there was still a good two hours before her meeting with Vinyl was slated to kick off.

Freshening up in the shower more thoroughly than she usually did given her more everyday lifestyle, Jade put the back of her mane up in an Oriental bun with the standard chopstick hairpins (though her fringed bangs still hung over her left eye). Donning the same black jeans she’d worn on her first encounter with Vinyl and a spaghetti strap top, she took a final look at herself in the hallway mirror. ‘Meh, good enough,’ she thought to herself with a grin before leaving.

Jade had gotten a basic layout of the town on her first day there, a simple walk around giving her an idea of where most of the important businesses and landmarks were. Vinyl had been truthful when she’d spoken of Ponyville’s versatility and while it wasn’t the most exotic of towns, it had its charm (though the one where a pink pony in a party dress had all but tackled her and started babbling on excitedly about celebrating Jade’s arrival had been a bit much), one of which was the rustic little outdoor café she was approaching at the moment. At this time of day, it was quite popular; families and couples all sat about enjoying lunch at the overlarge mushrooms serving as tables. Jade trotted past them all to an empty mushroom at the far end where she sat waiting for service.

Suddenly, heard Vinyl’s distinctive voice (“Jade?”) far sooner than she’d expected and looked around to spot the DJ, who turned out to be sitting a few tables down wearing the same outfit as before.

Jade’s face broke into a wide grin on seeing her. “Hey! Awesome seeing you here!” she laughed. “I was just going to grab something and go see if you were home but, uh, I guess we can start this off a little earlier.”

Vinyl hoped she didn’t look as awkward as she felt. “Yeah, weird huh? Didn't even have to call me.” She sighed contemplatively. “The world’s strange like that. Shouldn't really be surprised by anything anymore.”

Smiling, Jade nodded toward Vinyl’s table. “Mind if I…?” The white unicorn nodded and Jade took a seat opposite her.

These actions calmed Vinyl a little. “Nice look. Very hardcore, she said.”

“Th-Thanks. Always did like changin’ up my mane,” Jade replied and turned light pink.

“Yeah, I like it,” said Vinyl. “More than I can say for me, but I've never been all that girly about the way I look,” she added, ruffling her mane a bit. “Sooooo, what's up, J? Anything fun happen after I left you that night?” she asked.

“Not much,” said Jade. Caught the train, made it here without incident, spent the night in a hotel, found a vacation home to stay in; OK size. I’ve just been unpacking my extra clothes and equipment and stuff that came in the mail. Visited the local park, played a bit, trying to come up with some new stuff but my mind wanders too much,” she admitted offhandedly. “Sooo, how ‘bout you?” she finished in a perfect imitation of Vinyl.

“Eh, not much on my end either,” Vinyl said. “Teleported back to the hotel and that took so much energy I practically passed on the floor.”

“Wow, sounds like you were really wiped,” Jade replied, a small smile on her lips.

Vinyl nodded solemnly. “Yeah. Still, I've had worse,” she said. Just glad you made it out of that city alive. In any case, the guys I work with were helpful enough to carry me to bed and I just conked out. Slept in my clothes; I hardly ever do that. Just a rough night on the whole, aside from meeting you, I guess.” She smiled a crooked smile of her own watching Jade go pink at that comment. “In any case, we all left the next day and came back here. Got settled back in and after a while I got hungry and decided to hit up the closest place. So I guess it’s obvious I live pretty close by? My apartment's right over past those buildings behind the library,” she said, pointing.

“Oh, nice,” said Jade. “Is it really large or...?” she inquired hesitantly, not wanting to sound rude.

“It’s solid,” replied Vinyl. “Not too big but lots of space. My personal mixing studio takes up a good half of it. I guess if you ever come over you can have a go on it, maybe let me listen to some of your tunes and try a remix of a few?”

Jade grinned again. “Oh, wow! That’d rock! ”she exclaimed excitedly. “I’ll bring my bass; you and me would be jammin’!” Then she cleared her throat, calming down. “On my end, I’ve got a two bedroom all to myself. Nothing big for me either but for what I can afford after having bigger gigs recently, not too shabby at all.” What followed was an awkward silence between the two until a waiter arrived and took their identical order of black coffee. Eventually, Jade spoke up again. “So you’ve definitely got some friends. What about, say, a special somepony?” She couldn’t see Vinyl’s eyes of course, but a curiously raised eyebrow above one frame was seemingly the white pony’s only reaction to the question. Jade quickly added, “Don’t, uh… Don’t mean to get so personal outta the blue, but just wondering if an artist as busy as you had, y’know, somepony.” She shrugged as if to indicate her interest in whatever answer came would satisfy only basic curiosity.

Vinyl on the other hoof had indeed remained calm, if quizzical. The question also saddened her a bit and her ears drooped slightly as she responded. “Actually, I don't have too many friends,” she admitted. “Most of the tenants either get annoyed with my… my looks, my “racket”, and most ponies in this town at least are friendly but not really... well, my type. She finally took off her glasses now, the daylight now fully showing Jade their vibrant red color. “Truthfully, only reason I moved here is because it was the town with the cheapest digs; I was born in Hoofington case you were wondering,” Vinyl explained. “Grew up there. So yeah, nopony to really latch onto or call my own. I dunno. Just never had time for much of that sorta thing. Still, least most ponies in this town accept me for who I am,” she contined, perking up a little. “I swing both ways, ya know.”

As she listened to Vinyl explain herself, Jade’s ears went down as well. “Bi over here as well. I’ve had coltfriends and a marefriends; didn’t last long tho…” She stopped herself suddenly. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said regrettably. “Shouldn’t be asking something so personal after just meeting you. Just… what I was gonna say was they weren’t my types, and one got sorta off put and distracted once I told them about my… abnormalities.” Jade’s one visible gold eye glanced off to the side and she reached a hoof up to scratch her mane awkwardly. “Like I said,” she continued eventually as Vinyl remained silent. “Sorry to probe so deep. But you are def one cool mare.” She looked down to stir her coffee and was therefore almost startled when Vinyl spoke up.

“There’s nothing abnormal about liking what you like,” Vinyl said. Jade looked back up at her. “I mean, I like both but I've still been called a lot of nasty things just for liking mares a little more,” she continued, shrugging exasperatedly. “It's cool you're the same way, and I hope nopony's ever hated on you for it. No good, honest pony deserves that.”

It took Jade a moment to register. “No, no! It’s not that. They knew that,” she said quickly. “It’s this.” She pushed her bangs aside with a hoof, revealing her left eye – milky white and sightless, it gave a cruel irony to the name ‘Eclipse’.

“Whoa,” murmured Vinyl. She actually seemed taken aback for once, not that Jade minded. She was used to it.

Finally, she explained, “I’m blind and deaf in my left eye and ear. Birth defect; docs never new why. But once I tell other ponies, mainly my lovers, they freak, don’t know how to react. Not hatin’, but more like too much pity. Know how that is?”

The sympathy Vinyl felt as she listened was like a dead weight in her stomach. After a beat, she leaned in a little to briefly examine the sight. Jade trusted her enough at this point to let her, but just when it did seem about to get uncomfortable, the DJ sat back in her chair with a small smile. “I think you look pretty cool, actually,” she said to the bassist’s surprise. “I mean your deafness kinda sucks but I'm probably somewhere near that if I stay in this business too long,” Vinyl joked.

Now it was Jade’s turn to be slightly surprised. “You really think I look cool?” She finally chuckled. “Heh! Awesome!” Her mood lifted, she let her bangs fall back down. “I usually keep my mane down though, just so I don’t freak ponies out,” she added with a grin.

“Well, I guess you've told me your secret. Better share mine now, huh?” Vinyl asked, grinning back as if they were playing truth-or-dare and it had been Jade’s turn to ask Vinyl what her most embarrassing onstage moment was. Instead she leaned in again, propping her head up on her hooves. Her scarlet eyes locked with Jade’s single golden one and both couldn’t help recognizing in the back of their minds how close their muzzles were to each other, but they returned to reality a second later as Vinyl said tenderly, “Take a good long look at my eyes. Ever seen another pony have red eyes? Well...” She lifted her bangs slightly to just barely show roots as white as her fur. “Get the picture?” she asked. “I'm a hundred percent albino; I just dye my mane and tail.”

Jade’s eye went wide in surprise, but moreso out of interest and fascination. “Whoa, should’ve figured that! Seriously, I loved your eyes from the time I first saw ‘em! They were so… so…” She blushed faintly, trying to think up an appropriate description without having to come right out with how she would REALLY describe Vinyl’s eyes: bucking beautiful. “I-I’m not sure. But I like ‘em,” she finished lamely, flashing a grin as a coverup.

“Thanks!” said Vinyl. “Actually, my parents dyed them all my life but they always made me some kinda dirty blonde. Gag! ” she continued and laughed loudly. “As I got older I fell in love with ponime and drew a lot of inspiration from that for style and color, especially given the places I tend to hang out.”

Jade nodded. “Yeah it’s wicked awesome too,” she said. “I’ve always had a thing for more rad manes… even if I’ve gone too far sometimes. Had half my mane shaved almost bald on one side once, but kept the other short but also, y’know, just long enough?” Vinyl smirked at that image. “Seemed like a good idea at the time,” Jade said with a self-conscious smile. Vinyl nodded in reply before another awkward pause descended on the pair. Jade hastily looked Vinyl over for something else to discuss. “Um, I also dig your piercing,” she said at last. This made Vinyl smile mischievously and suggestively tongue the silver stud in her lip. The gesture might have meant nothing but to Jade, it was maybe the sexiest thing she’d seen her new friend do. And that was saying a lot…

“Thanks a lot, J,” Vinyl said at last. “Yours is all pretty wicked too. Where’d you go for ‘em?”

“Local place in Chi town,” Jade replied. “A good friend worked there, got me a deal when I played my first real paying gig. I’d always wanted snakebites or angel kisses, but I just got the one industrial in my right ear. How ‘bout you?”

Vinyl’s grin widened though her cheeks went slightly red. “I got that when I was on tour in Las Pegasus. It was, well...” Her blush deepened. “It was actually a dare by one of my friends after a few rounds at the casino hotel.”

“Oh, man!” Jade’s eye widened and she too broke out into a slightly embarrassed grin. Vinyl’s own widened, her lip quivering, and a moment later the two mares burst out laughing! The thought of DJ Pon-3 getting into such was absolutely hysterical to Jade, and Vinyl’s own memories of that night came flooding back in a sudden wave of ‘wow-was-I-stupid’ amusement. Their outburst caught the attention of a few other startled patrons and one particularly snooty-looking couple actually scooted their mushroom table away from the laughing punk ponies, but neither cared in the slightest. This was a memory to not be forgotten, the moment both Vinyl and Jade knew in the back of both their minds that they were friends until the day Canterlot crumbled.

After what seemed like a five minute crackup session, Vinyl finally wiped her eyes and choked out, “St-Still, I don't regret it! Ehehe, least it's subtle, right?” She winked across the table and the small metal dot on her face glinted brightly. “Believe me, I've done LOADS of crazier things,” Vinyl continued as Jade calmed down as well, face still very pink. “The things me and my marefriends got up to college, things we did to the poor stallion jocks?” She grinned smugly. “Things that would make Celestia herself blush. But, hey, let's keep it PG for now, huh?”

“Sounds appropriate right now,” Jade chuckled. “Really, you’ve got awesome fashion sense,” she said. “I guess you’ve kinda gotta to give your audience what they want but to stick with it even offstage? Pretty wicked.” She thought back to Vinyl constantly adjusting her jeans during their first meeting and added, “Well, maybe the pants falling down isn’t my thing.” She playfully stuck her tongue out.

Vinyl shrugged once more. “Eh, sagging's just a fashion statement. Call me a hypocrite all you want since I never thought it looked good for high school colts.” She rolled her eyes. “I'd see them doing it and just wanna pants 'em,” she snickered, “but it just feels natural for my lifestyle - I hang loose and I don't take many things that seriously. I guess if I'm gonna have problems, they're better off worrying about more than my underwear showing. Hey, least I stand out! Fact, we both do! Don't see too many ponies in THIS town with our sensibilities!” She gave another laugh and finished off her coffee. Jade did the same began searching her pockets for bits. “All set to get outta here then?” Vinyl asked.

Jade nodded. “Yeah. Let’s.” She stood and tossed down some bits for a tip. Vinyl lay a few on the table as well, stood, and trotted around to Jade’s side. It was only then that they took in the difference in their heights and builds – slightly stocky, Vinyl was a good few inches shorter than Jade, whose slim form kept her pretty tall. As Vinyl found herself looking up at her friend for the first time, both ponies’ eyes fleetingly locked again. They both glanced away all of an instant later, however, and Vinyl instead held out her hoof; Jade threw all caution to the winds and hooked hers around it. Neither could quite believe what they’d done but it just seemed right. After all, both lived the night life. They’d both taken far greater risks as it were. What was so wrong about this simple, friendly gesture? They both smiled silently as they strode away from the café and down the street.

“So, Chi town, huh?” Vinyl said pensively. “I gotta say, never been there. Decent?”

“Oh yeah,” replied Jade, eager to keep conversation going as they walked. “Mega huge city. I grew up on the outskirts but spent a lot of time in the city itself at the music stores and what-have you. If you’re ever free, you should def head there.”

“I’ll take it under consideration,” said Vinyl.

Another unfortunate pause Jade found herself being the one to kill once again. “So,” she said, “you up for hanging out or…?” She trailed off, unable to put it the way her mind was practically beating her to. All she knew was she didn’t think she could stand it if Vinyl said anything other than yes.

Vinyl grinned. “Well, I DID outline the grandiose details of my apartment, didn't I? Sure, come on over with me!” she said happily. “Hangin' out'd be just fine! I've got a bit of break lined up after last week’s tour even so, yeah, we should be cool to hang for a couple of days, actually!”

Jade’s face broke into an even more massive grin. “Awesome! So, uh, lead the way then, babe!” But Vinyl didn’t quite do that – that would mean her foreleg would have to leave its current position. Instead, she just smiled to herself and started effectively steering Jade toward the apartment complex at the outer edge of Ponyville.

Chapter 3

It didn’t take long for the two ponies to reach the apartments after hopping some bushes and cutting through an alleyway. The complex itself was surprisingly prestigious-looking considering how far outside the town it was. The exterior was white and pristine, not exactly the dwelling one might expect of somepony like Vinyl. ‘Suppose the real deal’s on the inside,’ Jade thought to herself as they approached. Vinyl continued to smile, more to herself than at Jade, as her foreleg stayed intertwined with her friend’s. She finally broke the hold however as she moved in the direction of the stairs and stopped at the foot of them. “Alright,” she said. “Up two floors and we’re good to go.” Her smiled widened all over again. “Hehe, race ya!” she exclaimed abruptly and started cantering up the stairs, leaving Jade just standing there dumbfounded for a moment.

Then the gray unicorn blinked once and laughed despite herself. “H-Hey! Vinyl!” she called up the stairwell, which she herself began briskly proceeding up a second later. “No fair! I don’t know where I’m going in here!” she continued, still giggling at Vinyl’s playfulness. Admittedly, she hadn’t minded watching her go on ahead. It had given her a moment to admire Vinyl’s backside and the exposed waistband of her green boxers after all.

She arrived two floors up to thankfully find Vinyl waiting just outside a door, her hoof resting on the knob. “Hey, where ya been, babe?” the DJ asked with a crooked smile and a wink.

Jade just rolled her eyes in response. “Alright, alright. You beat me, hardy har,” she said sardonically. “Mind if we just go in now?

“Yeesh, when did you get a bur up the bum so soon?” asked Vinyl, the question laced with her own breed of playful sarcasm, then smiled; Jade returned the expression, both knowing the other was kidding as only they could. “Alrighty then,” said Vinyl as she opened the door. “Welcome to my hive, queen bee.” She led the way in and held the door for Jade, who found herself in darkness the moment she crossed the threshold.

“Hey, huh…?” Jade began.

“Oh, sorry! Totally my bad!” Vinyl said quickly and flipped the lights on. Having only one eye, Jade normally took less time to adjust from darkness to light but in this case it was easier – the lights in the apartment were already exceptionally dimmed, mood-lighting style lit by blue and violet filters, to give the place more the feel of Equestria’s smallest nightclub more than somepony’s living quarters. Then again, they were often one and the same thing for Vinyl anyway so Jade didn’t think further of it. Vinyl, however, said, “Yeeeeah. Also my bad,” and magically rotated a dial on the far wall that made the lighting shift to a more common tone. “There we go,” Vinyl murmured, turning back to her guest. “This is what happens when I’m away for three days. I look after my own place, no help at all, so when I got a gig, the place just stays the way it is for however long.” She shrugged, standing in the middle of the floor and glancing around the room. “Guess you can tell I don’t have many ponies over when I AM home anyway,” she said a little sheepishly.

Vinyl’s place now fully revealed, Jade glanced around and saw it to be just as messy yet decadent with punkish material as anypony who knew Vinyl personally would likely expect of her. The walls were painted deep indigo, a complete contrast to the building exterior. Posters of bands and commemorative decals from Vinyl’s own past tours cluttered the walls while a turntable and amp speakers dominated nearly one whole side of the room. It was this last sight in particular that kept Jade rooted to the spot, mouth now hanging slightly agape in awe.

“Whoa, nice digs,” was all she could manage, barely audibly at that. It was starting to sink in – she was standing in DJ Pon-3’s house! Standing in the same room as not only her but the machine she recorded and mixed at! It was almost too much to take in. Jade had impressed herself by managing to avoid showing signs of being starstruck around Vinyl more or less since their initial introduction back in Baltimare but now she suddenly felt a whole new wave of it approaching. She almost wished Vinyl had left the lights out just so she wouldn’t have to see, only hear, Jade’s hind legs give out from under her and her lower jaw hit the floor.

Off to one side, Vinyl couldn’t help but laugh. “Mmm, you likey-likey?” she asked teasingly, sidling over to the mixing board setup. “Nice, huh? Cost a not-so-pretty penny, but it's my life. This is what I use to work, play, and keep the neighbors up at night!” she chuckled.

Finally, Jade managed, “Double whoa.” Vinyl raised an amused eyebrow which seemed to shake Jade from her torpor. She felt feeling start to return to her limbs and she slowly approached now, looking over everything. “Just… wow, Vinyl,” she managed. “I could only dream of this stuff!” She peered under the table at the tangles of wire and cables, practically giddy. “Oh man, you’ve got a cord hookup for guitars!”

“Heh, what did I tell ya?” Vinyl asked, grinning satisfactorily. “Like I said, set your bass up sometime. Sure she’d sound awesome,” she continued, good-naturedly egging on Jade’s enthusiasm.

“Imagine… all the effects I could…” Jade went on, then finally caught herself. She looked back up at Vinyl and smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. “Ehehe,” she tittered nervously. “S-Sorry to geek out like that.”

Vinyl shook her head and clapped her on the shoulder. “Nah, it’s cool. You think you’re the first pony to flip out at what I got?” She leaned in secretively and said, “If it helps you feel any better, you ARE the first to get this close to it.”

Jade stood back to full height, looking down at Vinyl. She remained hesitant for a moment before saying, “Um, can I see more?” With a grin and a nod from the DJ, Jade began walking through the remainder of the apartment, examining everything else. The whole place might have been a little rough looking at first glance, but at least one could still walk in it reasonably well. ‘Unlike my place on certain days,’ Jade thought embarrassedly to herself. Then she noticed the door at the end of the hallway, past the bathroom, slightly ajar. Peering through it, she could make out immediately that it was Vinyl’s bedroom.

“So yeah, like I said, I'd love to see what you can do, maybe do a mix of one of your so...” Vinyl’s words abruptly ended as she saw where the other unicorn was headed. “Hey! Uh, wait… Wait a minute!” she called, quickly trotting after her. “I haven't done laundry ye...!” She arrived to find Jade already having found her way in and standing in the middle of the truly disastrous bedroom. It looked as if several tornados had blown through in rapid succession during the night. Stray clothes cluttered the floor and an overflowing laundry basket sat by the dresser. Even the wall decorations seemed more all-encompassing than those in the rest of the apartment. More posters filled the walls, long with black and white photos of Vinyl herself having some good times with other accomplished music artists from all over Equestria; Jade supposed they were from tours past and made a mental note to try getting a chance to examine them closer sometime.

Vinyl on the other hoof just stood in the doorway in trepidation. When Jade glanced back over her shoulder at her, Vinyl just smiled crookedly and hitched up her pants with a hoof. “Uh, yeeeeaaah,” she said, glancing about and cringing. “Sorry you had to see this. I mean, out there it's at least organized chaos. This is... Well, there's a reason for my bedhead perm,” she chuckled. Her eyes flicked over to the bed and only then noticed one of the reasons she didn’t usually let ponies into her bedroom without an uncharacteristically thorough once-over: a pair of blue boyshorts with a pattern of lightning bolts lay on the unmade bed. “Whoa!” she exclaimed, grabbing them and hiding them behind her back. “Uhhh, nothing to see here!” she spluttered, sidling over to the hamper and tossing the underpants in. A look at Jade’s expression upon turning back to her, however, told her she had already gotten a good look.

“Just as lazy as me, I see,” Jade giggled. “Heh, those were pretty rad.” Vinyl blushed. “Aww, thought you said you didn’t care if anypony saw your undies, hon,” Jade continued, cutely sticking her tongue out.

Vinyl was still very pink as she stood gracelessly by the basket. “Well, I... I don't but...” she stammered, and in the next moment it was as if she paid the price for her abrupt loss of composure. Her loose pants suddenly gave up completely it seemed and plopped down around her ankles, fully exposing her green boxers with yellow smiley faces! “Whoa mama!” she ejaculated, eyes snapping downward and forelegs comically flying up in surprise. Jade’s eyes went wide and she stifled a fit of laughs, turning almost as pink as Vinyl now.

“Pffft! Hahaha! Oh my gosh, didn’t think I’d be getting a show already!” she couldn’t resist exclaiming.

The white unicorn hastily bent over and snatched the pants up, tugging them back about her waist and keeping a firm two-hoofed grip on them. Meeting Jade’s eyes again, Vinyl’s cheeks glowed brighter seeing the amused grin on her friend’s face. Merely murmuring, “Sorry about that,” she cringed with genuine embarrassment. “Can’t remember the last time that’s happened.”

Jade shook her head. “No, no. I’m so sorry. Didn’t mean to laugh but…” She giggled again. “Those are too cute. Hehe, like I said I knew those would give you trouble,” she said, wagging a playful hoof toward the white jeans. She then calmed down and gave Vinyl a chance to compose herself.

“Yeah, def sorry about THAT,” Vinyl said with a smile. “Just, uh, let’s get the hay outta here. She brushed past Jade, who understood and nodded in agreement, and led the way back out to the living room. “Seriously though, it was just an accident; happens to the best of us. Heck, I’ve dropped my drawers in public before,” she said as she walked, still holding onto the waist of her jeans just in case. Jade stifled another giggle at this new mental image. “And as to your question before,” Vinyl continued, “it’s still my dirty laundry. Nopony should have to see THAT, I don't care who ya are!”

“Yeah, it IS sort of an unsightly thing, regardless. I probably shouldn’t have barged in there,” Jade admitted.

Vinyl moved past the somewhat ragged sofa and smiled. “Still, glad you don't mind. Guess I should've expected you to.” She shrugged. “Your place as nasty as this?” she added with a playful wink but didn’t give Jade time to answer. “Well, get comfy,” she said, nodding towards the couch. “So, uh, want anything?” she asked as Jade sat.

“Oh, sure. Thanks,” said Jade. “Have any lemon lime soda? I’m craving some like mad for some reason.”

“Yep, got it!” said Vinyl, walking over to a mini fridge sitting on the floor nearby. “No kitchen, so gotta make do,” she explained as she opened it and took out a can of lemon-lime. “I prefer raspberry myself,” she added, taking a can for herself and tossing Jade’s to her. “Heads up!” Jade caught it and Vinyl plopped down on the floor in front of the couch, raising her can up. “Cheers, babe,” she grinned.

Cracking her can open, Jade toasted with her (“Here here!”) and knocked it back. “Ah that’s nice,” she said. “Usually like my sodas mixed with something if you know what I mean, but I think it’s a bit too early for… that,” she added with a half-smile.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Vinyl agreed. “I mean, I'm crazy but not crazy enough to drink at 2:00 in the afternoon. Or at all after that last tour.” She beamed. “Heh, just kidding. Though I still appreciate you buying me those that night. Not used to that from a total stranger. Ah well, what's done is done,” she said before chugging her soda a bit.

“Totally welcome,” Jade replied as she continued to look around from her seat. “I always like to show my appreciation to a performance well done and you seemed like you could use one anyways,” she chuckled. “Man, I’m still just so jelly of your place,” she went on. “Well, mainly just all the wicked gear you got, but still. Not that I’m usually a pony to care what others have but when it comes to making music, well, I can get a bit green.” It was then that she spotted an end table near the door upon which sat a lamp and Vinyl’s sunglasses. “Did I mention I really dig your shades?” she asked. “Couldn’t have picked a cooler look to build your image around in my humble opinion.”

Vinyl looked over to the table as well. “Thanks once again,” she said. “If there's anything I love more than the power of rock, it's my shades, believe me. I found them on the beach as a filly, just walking along. Nopony there to claim 'em. It was like they were meant for me... even if they were too big at the time,” she laughed.

Jade nodded. “Yeah you were definitely destined for those; they’re just so you.” She paused contemplatively for another sip before continuing. “Do you believe in any of that? Destiny and such? Like, say, two ponies meant for each other, like soulmates?”

“D-Destiny, huh?” Vinyl stammered, honestly taken fully aback by the sudden profoundness Jade had slipped into without warning. “Well, I...” She paused, her eyes suddenly glistening a little. “Not... Not really. I never really cared for the idea that I'm not, well, in control. Hell, I dunno.” She shrugged. “I just meant my shades have always helped me stay recognizable like you said. I don't think the princesses actually put them there for me or something. I mean...” Her shoulders slumped and she took the moment to crush her now empty can in her hoof. “What do you think? Everything happens for a reason, is that it? Even us meeting?” She gasped suddenly, eyes widening. “I mean, I'm just using that as an example!” she continued hurriedly. “It's not like we... I...” After a moment’s stuttering she looked away. “I don't know what I'm saying anymore,” she muttered.

Suddenly worried she’d upset Vinyl, Jade crushed her own can and set it aside. Then she held her hoof out to Vinyl who took it and accepted being helped up onto the couch next to the gray mare. “Whoa there, girl. It’s ok,” Jade said, looking directly in Vinyl’s eyes, a look of concern on her face. “You’re right. Too deep for this early in the afternoon; I personally need to be drunk to talk about that sorta stuff,” she said with a small smile. “I just threw it out there how funny that would be if the princesses really did plant those babies down there just for you.” Yet again, another long pause filtered between them. “So, you ok? Didnt mean to bring anything up there and if I did, I’m sorry,” she said and she meant it.

Vinyl glanced aside for a moment. “It's nothing. Old news,” she replied cooly, then returned her gaze as she reclined back on the couch. “I'm not upset, just wondering if you felt the same way,” she went on. “I... can get like that sometimes. A lot of ponies don't know how philosophical I can get. I dig all that jazz. Existentialism, fate, y'know. Every once in a while things happen that just... make me ask questions. Don’t worry, I getcha. Didn't mean to fall out like that.” She flashed a faint smile, the started chuckling. “You're right. Definitely too early.”

She stood up, tossed her can in a bin and brushes her mane out of her eyes. “Well! Uh, care to have a listen to some of my mixes?” she asked. “I've done at least one for electric guitar before, maybe get a sense of what I'd be doing with yours?”

Jade also stood excitedly. “Yeah! I’d totally love to hear what you got cooking. Plus, might get me thinking on some ideas of my own.” She too threw her can away and began heading over to the turntable as Vinyl started looking through a batch of records in a small cabinet below it. Jade found herself satisfied with another good view of Vinyl’s rear end as she bent over and grinned at the sight of her boxers poking out.

As if sensing being watched, Vinyl glanced back then up at Jade's face, grinning. “Hey, you checkin' me out?” she chuckled. “Guess I can't argue with that! I'd check me out too!” Jade, already caught off guard, was then downright flabbergasted and her face burned as Vinyl gave her own left plot cheek a squeeze and laughed at the reaction before going right back to looking through the record collection as if totally chill with what had just occured. “Ah, got it!” she said, pulling out one in a plain blank paper slipcase. “I recorded this from somepony named Pearl Prophet; haven't seen her in years. It's a pretty standard dubstep mix of her electric guitar so it's not quite bass but ya get the idea,” she went on. She stood and, horn glowing, levitated the record from its case and up into a player on top of one of the amps. A grin spread across her face as she flicked a switch with her hoof, cranking the volume, and whipped around with a flourish, striking a melodramatic pose. “Aww, yeah,” she uttered intensely. “Cocked, locked, and ready to ROCK!” she cried suddenly as an initial bass drop burst forth from the huge speakers and expanded into the room, sending a too-familiar chill through Jade’s body. Then came a series of elastic, bouncy beats underlying a strong, confident electric guitar solo stilted for the remix's sake.

It was astounding, everything Jade had always thought a raw DJ Pon-3 mix would sound like. The feelings coursing through her bloodstream and the rhythms shaking the floor were just the same as in that club, only now even more intense thanks to the tighter environment. Vinyl nodded at her knowingly, as if understanding exactly what was on Jade’s mind right now and granting her permission to slip into it even further.

“You like?!” Vinyl called over the music, grinning proudly. “I didn't want to overpower Pearl's playing too much, so I kept my wubs mostly in the background! Whaddaya think?!”

Jade didn’t answer at first, merely closed her eyes and began to nod as well. Soon she was steadily bobbing her head in perfect time with the music as if this wasn’t the first time she’d ever heard it. “Oh yeaaaaah. This is greeeeat,” she practically moaned. She’d been metrically tapping her hoof against her flank thus far but she began air-guitaring after another minute, imagining her prize bass right there with her, thinking about every string and pretending the buzzing guitar chords ringing out from the speakers were those of her own instrument. Jade began moving her body almost without thinking, thoughts foggy as they got lost in the beat and her mind struggling to take it all in at once. Her hooves transitioned from playing an invisible bass to caressing over both her flanks as they steadily gyrated in time. Her unkempt tail whipped back and forth like a maddening bull’s as she continued running her soft hooves up herself, from her stomach around to the back of her head where she slid the chopsticks from her bun and let her spiky mess of mane fall down in back, brushing her shoulders. It was as if she never wanted to leave this mindset…

Bopping her own head just slightly, Vinyl’s eyes never left Jade as she said, “Mm, kinda gettin' into it, I see.” Her smile widened and she gave an amused shrug. “I can go along with that, I guess,” she said somewhat teasingly. Her body started to sway as well, tapping her hoof on the table at first and moving her head up and down a little more, then starting to really shimmy away from the table and move her whole body in sharp staccato moves, tail swishing as well. The two ponies’ movements seemed to be growing progressively similar as though their love of this music was bringing about some sort of mind-meld. Both seemed to recognize this and both were more than content to stay there.

Then Jade’s rump accidentally collided squishily with Vinyl’s (causing Jade’s own jeans to slide down slightly without detection) and the two mares’ eyes snapped open. “Oh, sorry!” gasped Jade, who quickly about-faced and backed up a little.

“Whoa,” murmered Vinyl, “you were DEF into that right there.” She gave that little crooked smile of hers and Jade felt her cheeks go hot for the umpteenth time.

“Y-Yeah,” replied Jade, glancing over at the mixing equipment as the song drew to a close.

“Huh. Guess I forgot this one wasn't very long,” said Vinyl offhandedly. “I've got so many of these it's hard to...” She paused. “Oh well,” she finished with a shrug, levitating the record down and returning it to the cabinet with its fellows. “I'm really, really glad you liked that, honestly,” she said, turning back to Jade.

Jade nodded happily. “Understatement of the year! That was fantastic, Vinyl!” she exclaimed. “Your own wubs don’t overpower anything but they carry the rifts epicly. More guitarists should do that kind of thing. I mean, I get wanting to play solo but to have some real meat in their songs…”

“Hells yeah, babycakes!” Vinyl said with glee and pumped her hoof. “That's exactly the kinda thing I try to get out of all my audiences! So, that give you any inspiration for something we could put into a collab?”

Jade beamed. “So glad you asked,” she replied. “I’ve got one or two ideas brewing in my noggin.” She leaned idly on the arm of the sofa. “I get into any good music; my mind’s always worked like that. Just close my eyes and I can envision anything,” she grinned.

Vinyl returned the expression. “Well, uh, think it over for a sec; I gotta pee. Be right back.” She began making her way toward the bathroom, glancing back over her shoulder on the way. “Nice panties too,” she remarked, eyes on Jade’s waistline.

“Uh?” Jade looked down and was startled to see the neon pink waistband of her underwear sticking out. “T-Thanks,” she muttered as Vinyl departed. She hiked up her jeans then took a seat on a small hoofstool, resting her elbow on her knee and her chin upon her hoof. It felt as though she had a million things to ponder and only Vinyl’s time in the bathroom to be able to do so. They simply had so much in common, such similar cool attitudes and awesome hobbies and obsessions, and all it had taken to throw them together was a chance encounter at a club and a couple of bought rounds on her behalf. Everything seemed too good to be true, but what Vinyl had said earlier about her own opinion on destiny had somewhat sucked the energy out of whatever philosophies or what-ifs Jade herself had on the current matter.

Little did she know a certain somepony else’s brain was overflowing with the same sort of thoughts. Sighing contentedly as she did her business, Vinyl sat back on the toilet thinking all the while. ‘Hmm, did she booty bump me on purpose or...? Nah, couldn't be. Wubs had her totally fried. Still, she was sneakin' more than one peek at my ass. Not a bad one herself either. Awesome taste in undies too; foxy as all get-out.” She though back to Jade caressing herself as she danced so opulently and a sudden rush of heat flowed through her lower regions. All sorts of wild thoughts rushed through her head, many far dirtier than are truly appropriate for somepony you've all but just met. “It's just been... so long... since...” Vinyl whispered before shaking her head regrettably and reaching for the toilet paper.

The sound of flushing woke Jade from her trance. Returning shortly, Vinyl flopped onto her back on the couch, taking up the entire thing. “Hey, whatcha thinkin', babe?” she asked the upside-down-from-her-perspective pony opposite her. “Got some ideas floatin' around?”

Jade managed a smile at her and shrugged. “Eh, I dunno. After all that?” She jerked her head toward the soundboad and amps. “Think I’d better give myself a break and let everything set in,” she grinned. “You got something in mind?” Then she began looking around at the walls. “Say, uh, you know what time it is?”

Vinyl looked puzzled for a moment. “Huh?” she asked, sitting up and glancing around as well. Then she remembered. “Dammit, it fell down again.” She stood and walked across the room where she picked up a wall clock lying on the floor. “It's always doing that. Made me late for more than one gig, I'll tell ya. That's why I've taken to showing up a half-hour early before every show,” she chuckled, levitating the clock back onto a bent nail in the wall. “Oh wow, 6:00 PM,” she said in surprise. “Yeesh. That's what trance does to ya. Can knock ya right out if you're not careful.” She turned back with another soft laugh. “Well, uh, hungry at all? I can get us some fish tacos or something.”

“Um, maybe later,” said Jade awkwardly. It wasn’t that she disliked the food choice but rather that there was something else she’d prefer to be digging into right now. In the next instant, she scolded herself for such a perverted thought out of nowhere but was unable to not feel a very sudden warmth creeping in below her waistline. She let herself slide off the stool and eased herself over a little so that she was sitting up against the front of the couch. Throwing caution to the winds, she lightly patted the spot on the floor next to her.

Vinyl raised an eyebrow. “’Ey now! Is this your place or mine?” she joked. “As ever, just kiddin', hon.” she continued, settling in next to the gray pony and turning to face her. She still couldn't resist being slightly captivated as she turned her head and found her eyes locked with Jade’s single exposed one again. Jade, however, just ground her flank lightly against Vinyl’s under the pretense of getting more comfortable. Admittedly, she couldn’t believe she had just done that. It was just that sensation from before egging her on!

“Ooh, gettin' a little snuggly are we, Miss Eclipse?” Vinyl grinned.

Jade blushed like mad but managed a smirk. “Just getting cozier, Miss Scratch.” She was fighting like mad to keep her cool, but being forced to take in the richness of Vinyl’s eyes was having much the same effect as hers on Vinyl and she was losing the fight fast.

Then Vinyl’s expression seemed to drop uncharacteristically. “That’s not all it is. Is it, Jade?” she somberly asked. “I can see it in your eye, hon. I can tell there’s a ton of stuff you’d love to say to me right now but you just don’t know how to get it off your chest.” She slowly moved a hoof up and brushed aside a few stray locks of purple dangling over Jade’s face, a gesture so sweetly subtle Jade didn’t even feel it. She still couldn’t quite believe what was happening, but a whole new wave of surprise washed over her now far greater than any prior.

At last, Jade found her voice. “Well, I... I mean as a mare who's into mares...” she stammered. “I think you're really… nice looki...”

“Wait, hang on!” Vinyl suddenly exclaimed, cutting Jade off and making her jump. Vinyl’s horn glowed again and the lights dimmed to the more club-looking atmosphere of when they had first arrived. She looked back at Jade with a grin only to then realize she had just spazzed out a little. “Whoa. Sorry, babe,” she said, flashing a nervous smile. “Didn’t mean to put ya on the spot even more. Just thought you might be more comfy talking in the kinda lighting you normally perform under.”

Though Jade HAD been startled, she nonetheless felt better in that instant. She knew she had free reign now. There was no doubting the emotions she saw behind the crimson eyes before her, the same ones she knew were behind her own. “No,” she finally said. “It’s cool. In fact, scratch what I was gonna say before, no pun intended. In this light, you look beautiful. Don't mean to get sappy or anything but... wow,” she finished, a tender smile playing about her lips.

A long silence followed, but not an awkward one like some others today. True, Vinyl found herself in the rare position of not having a thing to say, but since she’d been certain this was coming (heck, she’d asked for it), it really was just a moment of awed respect for her friend. Feeling her heart beating fast but only then realizing how greatly she must be blushing after such compliments, she rasped out, “You… You’re somethin’ else yourself.”

And that was that. She knew she didn’t even have to try hiding her emotions; they were written all over her face. Smiling, Jade leaned in until their horns touched, and at this close range Vinyl could see how flushed Jade’s cheeks were as well. “Vinyl, I know I’ve just met you and this sounds so crazy, but we just… clicked so fast,” she practically whispered. “I… Well, like I said, hope I don’t sound sappy. I’m not like this every day or nothing, but...” Vinyl cut her off by placing her hoof lightly over her mouth. Their eyes stayed locked on each other’s, their hearts pounding in their throats.

Vinyl’s blush glowed under the colored lights and she glanced down slightly, speaking just as softly. “Thanks.” Then she chuckled, gaze flicking back up. “Just to let you know, you're totally blushing right now and it's adorable,” she joked, seemingly regaining herself a little only to lose it again on her next words. “Still...,” she said floatingly, giving Jade her best bedroom eyes and pretty much sending three quarters of the blood in the other unicorn’s body below the hem of her panties, “…who am I to talk?”

She leaned in and kissed Jade gently, closing her eyes and laying a hoof on hers.

Jade was notably surprised at first, but she soon gave herself a mental kick and let herself get into it. In that moment, one she AND Vinyl both somehow knew in the back of their minds had been coming all day, she couldn’t think of anything more pleasurable. Vinyl’s moist lips, upon which she could taste the sticky raspberry flavor from earlier, were the best she’d ever had. The kiss was placid and tender, the real passionate romantic kind, with no sloppy, heated making out in sight. Vinyl, whose own senses were completely malfunctioning right now to where she didn’t want to do anything but keep this thing going, felt Jade’s hoof snaking up her back and managed to summon enough willpower to wrap Jade in a gentle hug as well, pressing their chests together. The warmth emanating between them was unmistakable. A softly moaned “Oohh, Vinyl…” was all the DJ heard the bassist say as their lips remained delicately locked.

Chapter 4

Vinyl’s forelegs remained gently wrapped about Jade until the white pony finally realized that, even in the most perfect, most amazing of moments such as these, she still needed to breathe. Slowly breaking the kiss at last, she pulled back, eyes remaining closed a moment longer before opening. To her faint amusement, she saw Jade’s eye remain shut several seconds longer, her beautiful face a mask of strangely erotic drowsiness. Jade breathed a slow, quiet exhale that sent a chill over Vinyl’s already humidified lips.

It was one of those rare occasions where Vinyl wasn’t sure what to do or say. (‘Seems to be going around a lot since this mare came into my life,’ she briefly thought to herself.) Pulling Jade in for another hug, this one more out of mildly uncertain reassurance, Vinyl looked up and glanced uncertainly around the room. Licking her lips a little, her horn glowed once more and the lighting returned to its normal state.

At last, Jade dared to move again, glancing up to look into Vinyl’s face. “Um… wow,” was all she could think to say, the tiniest smile on her face.

Vinyl released her hold on Jade and let her sit up slightly so their eye line was even again. Her ears drooped a little. They both could tell the other was lost for words and was simply doing their best to make up for it. “I… didn’t MEAN to go that far so soon,” Vinyl finally managed. A mix of questions were rolling through her head; Jade seemed so cool with what had just happened but for the life of her Vinyl wasn’t sure why. “I mean…,” she continued, hoping she wasn’t coming off as overly mawkish after such a take-charge moment on her behalf as that kiss had been, “…that wasn’t too… forward, was it? Th-Thanks for letting me do that all; I just... don't want you to think I'm... y'know, that kinda mare.” She looked away almost shamefully now, blush spreading.

Hearing the words she herself had both spoken and heard from others before and garnering instant sympathy, Jade slowly leaned in. It was now her turn to wrap her forelegs about the pony before her. She nuzzled her cheek against Vinyl’s, their horns rubbing together slightly. “No you weren’t,” she quietly said at last. “I won’t lie, there was something strong between me and you since I first saw you. Just something there that feels… right, no matter how you look at it,” she continued, running her hoof from Vinyl’s shoulder down her chest to come to rest on Vinyl’s right hoof before pulling back to look into her face again. “And I think by now you get me alright. I’m sure you can tell I’m not usually one for mushy love dove stuff but... man, there’s just somethin’ about you.”

Vinyl didn’t care how red her face was anymore. The compliments and romantic gestures being showered on her were getting to be a little too much – not that she was unhappy to receive them or that they went against her image, but just that it’d been so long since she’d…

She felt a tug on her hoof and Jade untangling herself from her. The bassist stood up and smiled down at Vinyl, who looked back only to suddenly find herself looking at Jade’s crotch. Slightly startled, she recovered a moment later and her eyes moved up the beautiful pony’s body before meeting her face. She WAS really tall by comparison.

Jade repressed a giggle that she knew would’ve been a little inappropriate anyway. “Sit with me,” she said finally, giving a small tug on the hoof she still held and moved to take a seat on the couch. Blinking a few times, Vinyl understood and slowly pushed herself to her hooves as Jade lowered herself onto the couch, still smiling almost maternally. Vinyl gave an involuntary tug on the waist of her pants and let herself be pulled into a seat next to Jade. They just sat there for the first moment, neither really sure where to look. Finally, Jade scooched a little closer until they were nearly pressed together again and rested her head on Vinyl’s shoulder. “Mmmm,” she sighed softly. “Hope this isn’t too cuddly for you,” she murmured, though the playful tone in her voice was obvious.

Vinyl also sighed. “Well, maybe I want to be overly cuddly,” she replied with a small smile. “I... It's been a really long time since I've kissed somepony,” she admitted. “So yeah, I guess. Thanks for letting me do that in any case.” She glanced down at Jade who nodded against her shoulder. Vinyl took this as permission to go on. “I mean, there's kind of a lot you still don't know about me, but I don't want you thinking I'm as crazy as I make it out to be. Well, at least not most of the time,” she remarked with an air of self-admittance. “What I'm sayin' right now though is... well, those ponies you saw at the club last night, just there to get drunk and then canter on home to have sex with whoever they met that night? I'm not one of them. A lot of ponies think I am, but... I'm not,” she finished glumly. She felt Jade shift again and looked to see her sitting back up to look her in the face.

“I know,” said Jade, nodding. “I’m exactly the same; I may be a bit different and rough around the edges, but I still like to be decent and won’t screw just anypony.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Believe me, I see it in your eyes a lot more than I'm sure you can see it in mine,” Vinyl replied. She gave a soft laugh. “And most of the time I can only see one of yours anyways!”

Jade grinned. Though an air of the unfinished still hung over the pair, she couldn’t have been more jubilant inside. “Yeah, parts of you are still a mystery, I know. But at least you let me in, let me see you as the mare you truly are.”

“Hey, I'm sure if we keep hanging out together you'll get all the details you want about me,” Vinyl replied, finally cracking a full smile again. “But for now?”

Jade grinned back. “For now, let's just... stay where we are.” Leaning in again, she pressed her muzzle back up against Vinyl’s who, having known this would be coming around again, giggles softly as their lips met for the second time. She returned the beautiful gesture passionately, lightly placing a hoof on the back of Jade’s head and pushing her closer, forcing their lips into a tighter lock. She toyed with a few locks of her mane and then wrapped the other hoof around her partner’s head as well, running it down her neck in a marshmallowy caress and all the way down her back, slowing down as she approached Jade’s plot and gave it a gentle pinch. Jade let out a soft, pleasantly surprised gasp at that, but then continued to softly moan and sigh as Vinyl transitioned into a gentle butt rub.

Barely wanting to do anything to break Vinyl’s concentration but knowing she had to contribute as well, she held her lips hard against Vinyl’s as her own hooves slowly slunk down the white pony’s bare midriff and began lightly rubbing her belly. She found it difficult to maintain concentration on that while being massaged herself in a far more sensitive area but she doubted Vinyl would mind her losing control a little. Not that she was going to give up that easily. It was time to even the odds. Her soft hooves stopped their simultaneous massage to Vinyl’s belly and began making their way around to her rear end. Vinyl had nearly lost herself in the joy of how wonderful this mare’s plot felt when she felt an identical feeling on her own. Jade was squeezing both her buttocks through her loose pants and the sharp gasp it elicited from Vinyl made Jade smile toothily around the still-active kiss. Deciding it was her duty to amp things up, she stopped what she was doing for only a moment before stuffing her hooves into Viny’s jeans and continuing to grope her ass through her boxers. Vinyl fought back a gasp of awed ecstasy.

“Hey, what're ya...?” she choked before feeling Jade give the waistband of her underwear a tug and let it snap back. “Ow,” Vinyl deadpanned, the faint sting not hurting but definitely showing again how much spunk Jade had. Vinyl chuckled lightly, finally breaking the kiss for a second to take in some much-needed air but launching back into it just as quickly, this time keeping her mouth open and snaking her tongue along Jade's lips. She too could taste the soda on them and this drove her even wilder. Staying calm while having her backside caressed so tenderly was tricky, but she continued to softly squeeze Jade’s in the same fashion all the same. She started running the other hoof back up Jade’s back, this time moving to the bottom of her black bellyshirt and lightly toying with the hem.

Jade broke the kiss on feeling the sensation. “Ooh, getting a bit bold, I see,” she said. “Here, let me help.” Pulling away, she sexily ran her hooves down to the bottom of her top and, after lightly brushing Vinyl’s hoof aside with her own, peeled it off over her head. “There, that’s a bit better,” she winked as she dropped it neatly on the floor and Vinyl took in her sleek form. Smirking, Jade leaned back in and planted a tantalizing smooch on her neck, then began moving up to her cheek with more kisses until her lips were level with Vinyl’s ear. “How far then, babe?” she asked, the first note of real hesitation in a while showing in her voice. “I... I don’t want to move fast for you.”

“H-Huh?” was all Vinyl could think to say. “Don't... I mean…” She too was finding it hard to talk but more due to soft, labored breaths of stimulation than worry. “Too fast for ME?” she uttered incredulously. “DJ Pon-3, every colt's dream? Oh, wow,” she snickered, blushing hard. “Hey, seriously though, it’s not a problem. Lemme help,” she continued with a grin. She slipped her plastic jewelry from her wrists and dropped next to Jade’s shirt, then removed her white wifebeater to be left in just her tight black t-shirt above the waist. Then, raising her forelegs over her head with some difficulty given the two ponies’ closeness, she nodded; Jade got the message and started pulling the shirt over Vinyl’s head until she too was topless. The white fur on her chest seemed to shine in the light.

Vinyl ground her plot into the couch a little as she sat there half naked. “Mmm, yeah! That IS more comfy,” she beamed. Jade chuckled, pretty much at ease again, and began moving her hooves toward Vinyl’s pants with an almost hungry look in her eye. “Hehe, hey now! It’s my turn!” Vinyl laughed, taking a grip on top of her pants. “You’ve already seen everything I’ve got under here,” she continued with a wink, her slyest of grins spreading. “Well, maybe not EVERYTHING but definitely my undies. But all I’ve got is a lil’ sneaky peek at yours.” Her horn began subtly glowing and an identical blue aura appeared around the fasteners of Jade’s jeans.

This sensation was remarkable. It was the first time Jade could remember having unicorn magic used ON her and what it was being used for now only added to the strange rippled of pleasure surging through her. It was too much for somepony as horny as she was now. She had to do something about it! She had to make Vinyl, just sitting there smugly attempting to undo Jade’s pants with magic, feel just as hot as she did.

Springing forward suddenly, Jade took Vinyl up in a tackle hug that forced them both off the couch and into a standing position, locked in one another’s embrace. A startled “Oof!” was all Vinyl managed before Jade kissed her hard, shunting her backward with her full body weight. Vinyl’s eyes widened as her hind legs nearly slipped out from under her, but she was locked too tightly in Jade’s forelegs to really do that. Jade made sure their muzzles stayed moshed together as she pinned Vinyl against the wall. Not enough to hurt but with enough force to indicate that her nethers were burning and she intended to go all out to fix that.

‘Hell,’ Vinyl thought. ‘Why the buck not?’ She closed her eyes and let herself sink once more in to the ocean deep kiss that before long turned into the genuinely sloppy makeout session it was showing no signs of becoming before. In between enjoying Vinyl getting into it with wet, smacking kisses all over her face and neck punctuated by random nips that stung her supple flesh in all the right places, Jade ran a hoof down Vinyl’s chest, liking the small tuft of fur on her breast.

Seeing an opening to turn the tables as much as she dared, Vinyl suddenly took either side of Jade’s head in her hooves and forced her muzzle harder against her, lips wetter, tongues more slippery. She lit up her horn again and this time Jade let her do what she wanted – Vinyl’s pants would be coming off soon too, after all. This thought coupled with feeling her jeans magically unfasten was making her girl parts tingle more and more by the minute. At last, her fly was open and her pants started slipping down immediately as Vinyl, spurred on by sudden lust, threw her forelegs around Jade’s neck and spun her around. Now the gray unicorn was the one pinned up against the wall, even harder than she’d been doing to Vinyl. On impact, Jade’s pants fell lightly to her ankles, giving Vinyl the full reveal of adorable white panties with guitar prints and hot pink lace trim. Interrupting their kiss just momentarily, Vinyl’s eyes flicked and she smiled. “Ooh. Lookin’ sharp,” she quipped. The undies were cuter than she’d imagined, but as much fun as she’d had exposing them, that thrill was over and a whole new one was forming in Vinyl’s mind upon easily identifying the arousal in the form of a wet spot on Jade’s panties. Vinyl’s own pants finally fell down on their own; she felt her own excitement brewing in her boxers and longed for their removal as well. But first things first. Before Jade could counter with anything, Vinyl furiously kissed her again as she shoved her harder against the wall with her knee, using it to rub Jade’s crotch through her underwear as their tongues messily entangled, lips smacking.

Unbeknownst to Vinyl, though, she didn’t have to restrain Jade at all. She was in utter bliss and showed it by letting out a long muffled moan of “OHHH, baby…! Ah!” into Vinyl’s mouth as the DJ’s knee moved steadily over her groin, Jade’s panties practically sticking to her with how wet she was. She could already sense this was going to be everything both of them had needed for quite some time. This was about pure, unbridled lust and love and just feeling as good as possible – not casual sex per se, but healthy.

Jade slid both her hooves down Vinyl’s back and she began probing and massaging her rear end through her shorts again. Vinyl twitched a little in their embrace as she felt Jade’s right hoof moving further downward toward her most sensitive area and start teasing and groping it from behind. She let out several short, rapid breaths and ground her knee harder against Jade’s own barely clothed sex. Taken aback by the increased friction down there, Jade gasped sharply and uttered, “Y… You’re making me…. mmmmm… so wet… for… for y… Ah!” Another sharp intake of breath as Vinyl’s leg movement pressed the fabric of Jade’s panties between her pussy lips a bit. Gritting her teeth she finally began half-heartedly struggling to break free and gave Vinyl’s ass a hard slap with her free hoof! “V-Vinyl, please!” she begged. “I… I need a break! My panties… they’re soa… soaking!” she gasped out, spanking Vinyl again.

Vinyl, however, seemed to relish in the retaliatory gesture. “Yeah, spank me! I'm a bad filly. I'm a dirty little girl,” she rapidly whispered, dropping her leg from a relieved Jade’s nethers only to lock her in another tight hug/kiss combo. “I don't want your panties, baby. Go commando for all the bucks I give,” she mewled into Jade’s ear in between rapturous kisses. “C’mon! Gimme whatcha got!” Vinyl messily licked down Jade's face once before finally going in for the first real kill. She plunged a hoof into Jade’s panties and began fondling her deliciously slippery folds. She hadn’t been exaggerating about her condition before. It wasn’t long before Vinyl felt her hoof was coated in wetness. She pulled it out and ran it over her lover's belly, leaving a long, sticky trail, before sticking it back in, nuzzling Jade’s neck hard and continuing to dirty talk her into sheer silent elation. “Yeah? Like it rough, huh? You like it rough? Well c'mon, return the favor!” she playfully jeered as she began voraciously masturbating her now, rubbing and digging into Jade’s pussy hard with one hoof and keeping the other around her neck, holding Jade’s mouth against her own. Their tongues continued to dance as did their tails, brushing over each other’s legs and rumps and swatting at each other to the point of near entanglement.

By now, Jade was trying all she could to keep from cumming too early. Unlike Vinyl, she had never been much of a talker during sex. She certainly did not mind being verbally teased and stimulated, but to do it herself while concentrating on the physical requirements was always tricky for her. Still, even if she couldn’t pull that off, she had to show Vinyl she could match her, that her own raw lust equaled hers. Thinking fast, she pressed her lips even harder against Vinyl’s and grabbed the back of her boxers, yanking them down off Vinyl’s bottom.

Feeling a brief strike of cool air on her now exposed rear, Vinyl hissed, “Ooh yeah, go 'head. Those can go.”

Jade obliged by yanking them down fully and smiling at the full reveal of what lay beneath. Vinyl’s marehood was surprisingly not especially wet, at least not as much as she knew hers was, but still a lovely sight, lips full and eager.

“You likey-likey?” Vinyl asked, smirking. “Am I all mare or am I all mare?” She punctuated this with a slight pelvic thrust.

All Jade could do was euphorically nod for a moment before stammering, “Y-You are. Every inch a fine, fine-ass mare.” She grinned, knowing that practically none of what she was saying meant any Celestiadamn sense.

“C'mon,” continued Vinyl, beginning to work her way out of the embrace, which Jade only just noticed had lessened in forcefulness in the past minute or so, and crouch down. When she was level with Jade’s crotch she took one last second to admire her choice in underwear before seductively murmuring, “Let's see... what yours looks like, then.” Then, leaning her head forward, she delicately took the panty waistband in her teeth and moved further down, pulling the thin cotton garment to Jade’s knees where it fluttered to her ankles. Now crouched before her, Vinyl’s eyes moved slowly up, tracing ever curve of Jade’s naked body. “You're so bucking hot,” she said with total seriousness. “I just feel… so… lucky to have found somepony like you… and with a nice juicy pussy to boot,” she winked, back in her playful mood without warning. She scooted back slightly to where she now lay on the floor before Jade, who just remained staring and blushing deep red at the newfound view Vinyl was giving her. The white pony reclined, supported by her forelegs and her hind legs slightly spread, the teasing glimpse of the prize between them driving Jade mad.

With a coy smile, Jade stepped forward out of her fallen pants and panties and lowered herself gracefully onto the floor as well, positioning herself on her hooves and knees; a pose that nearly made Vinyl’s jaw drop. ‘Just turn around, babe. Just turn around and gimme a good view underneath!’ Vinyl silently willed. Jade crawled forward, her lover’s sudden rush showing in her reddening cheeks, and got on top of Vinyl, straddling her and forcing their marehoods together just a tad. “Hmm, what are you looking at, Vinyl?” she asked teasingly, gazing down with bedroom eyes.

“Y-You,” Vinyl squeaked, the forcefulness she’d displayed earlier drained from her system. It seemed after getting Jade’s clothes off she had trouble thinking of where to go next and was just awestruck at the display before her. She knew she was having the same effect on Jade but at the moment that hardly mattered.

“Oh?” said Jade, lightly pressing her whole body weight down on Vinyl and forcing her fully to the floor, where she lay on top of her just kissing and nibbling her ear. “And what about me… could possibly be getting this wet, hm?” she continued.

“Y-You’re just… amazing! Just… Just smokin’! Whoo!” Vinyl exclaimed, feeling the friction between them beginning again as she felt Jade’s pussy poised directly over hers. Jade grinned down at her and giggled before kissing her deeply again.

But Vinyl’s moment of weakness ended then. She wrapped Jade in another hug that briefly forced their lips together harder and then broke it just long enough to roll her over. Now the one on top, Vinyl laughed at Jade’s surprise at the sudden change of position and pinched her cheek. “Awww. You so cute,” she baby talked before going down hard on Jade and planting kisses all over her face, neck, and chest, their vaginas rubbing together completely now.

Jade let out a “Nnngggh!” in a desperate attempt to hold back the flow of honey she knew was poised to come gushing out any minute now. Vinyl ground down harder, making their juices mix even more, and moaned as well. “Ohhhhh, the neighbors are SO gonna hear this,” she groaned into Jade’s belly. “Ce...Celestia, that's a hot thought!” she added, chuckling.

“Vinyl, st… stop teasing me!” Jade exclaimed loudly, flailing her forelegs from beneath Vinyl and grabbing at the first thing she could think of: Vinyl’s booty. “C’mon, you!” she cried, muffled by Vinyl’s lips as they mashed back against hers.

Vinyl was equally on the brink, grinding Jade’s slippery crotch against her own as the gray pony kept a tight two-hooved grip on her butt cheeks. “Oooh yeah,” Vinyl breathed. “Squeeze my a... Squ… I like that. You've got a… great grip.” Jade was happy to oblige; Vinyl’s ass was like two giant marshmallows side by side. She groped, squeezed, and kneaded it, loving the little sounds eking from the sexy pony’s mouth, and when she took a moment to give the bushy blue tail a quick tug, Vinyl’s sharp intake of breath was almost enough to make her finally cum.

But still not quite enough. There was just one more thing. Returning one more kiss, she moved one hoof to the back of Vinyl’s head and gently started forcing it downward toward her forehead. “H-Hey, wha…?” Vinyl asked blearily, only to suddenly feel Jade’s horn enter her mouth; her lips impulsively closed around it with a soft “Mmph!”

“S-Suck it. Please,” Jade quietly urged. Vinyl nodded as best she could; it was ALL she could do. She began sliding her lips up and down over the horn, then let her tongue work its way to it as well and dealt out long, slow licks to the extremity in her mouth. “Ooooh yeah, not the t... Ohhhaaah!” Jade suddenly moaned. Her eyes clenched shut, letting Vinyl just go at it. Jade’s mouth was level with Vinyl’s chin and she let her own tongue waggle out and up to tongue the silver stud. It reminded her of a certain other bumpy spot on Vinyl she’d like to be giving the same treatment to. Oh Celestia, was Vinyl good at this. The hornjob seemed to electrify all the nerve endings in Jade’s body and she briefly touched herself and hissed in ecstasy, bringing her hoof back slick and dripping. “Get me... nngh... good and wet… baby!” she whined. “You’re getting me… soooooooo hot!” Vinyl grinned around the horn and continued sucking and slurping harder and harder. Her calf was pressed between Jade’s legs and she felt her fur getting more and more dampened with fluids as she worked the horn.

Jade’s eyes popped wide open and she exhaled a sharp gasp as she felt a single long lick up the full length. “Ah! Gahhh!” she moaned, hooves clamped tight over Vinyl’s buttocks again. “Oh BUCK, that f-feels… Ohhhh, buck yeah! Yeah!” Her eyes rolled back, her hind legs kicked out and she arched her back as best she could with another pony on top of her, deepening Vinyl’s contact with both horn and vagina.

“Ohmmnom...” was all Vinyl managed in reply. She continued to lap and suck, taking the whole horn into her mouth straight to the base and sneaking glances down and Jade, admiring how long she was able to hold on and not orgasm too soon; she herself was the same way. ‘Heh,’ some part of her thought, amused. ‘One more thing we have in common.’ Her thoughts were shattered by a massive surge of pleasure through her own nethers as Jade ground harder with her thigh, finally striking at the clitoris. Both were breathing faster now, their sweaty bodies writhing as one, various parts of each other coated in sweet juices. It had taken a while, but Vinyl was finally there. She gritted her teeth around the horn, hips bucking downwards and leaving Jade’s thigh a sticky mess. At last, she wrenched herself off the wet horn with a strained “MmMMM!” and threw her head back, riding Jade like, well, a pony. “O-oh, man!” she cried. “I'm gonna...! You're gonna make me...!” Vinyl and Jade both gave several labored pants as they scissored each other toward release.

The feeling of Vinyl’s saliva now running down her horn and onto her face in addition to the sudden weakness the DJ was showing was Jade’s tipping point. She hastily reached down and rubbed at her own slit vigorously and in just few seconds all that buildup paid off. “Ohhh. Oh! OHHH! G-Get reeeady, Vi...! Hah! YAAaahhhhhhh!” She pulled Vinyl back down on top of her and slammed her mouth against hers as she released a torrent of warm fluids all over her partner's lower belly.

Vinyl, of course, had also had it. She met Jade’s lips with all the fire she could muster, letting gasps and then screams out into the bassist’s mouth as she felt her sweet honey splashing out over Jade’s pelvis and dripping onto the floor under them.

When their dual orgasm finally subsided, Vinyl rolled off Jade’s belly and just lay beside her on the wet carpet, letting out a long sigh. “Whooooa, girl...,” she laughed weakly, then turned her head to meet Jade's eye. “That was... amazing,” she went on, her crooked smile returning adorned by her cute blush. “YOU were amazing. Just wow.”

Jade was panting softly and shuddered a final time but managed a smile back. After a final long exhale, she glanced looks up at the ceiling almost contemplatively. “We definitely woke the neighbors,” was her only reply. A pause, then both broke out into a fit of giggling.

“Oh man, you’re right!” Vinyl howled. “Aw hell, they’ll be blushing so buckin’ hard right now!” After what seemed an immeasurable time of laughing like a couple of schoolfillies, Vinyl calmed herself and looked back at Jade. “So…,” she began, more hesitantly than intended. “I guess this means you and I really like each other now.”

Jade looked back incredulously, not sure if this was a joke or Vinyl genuinely feeling awkward that they’d just had possibly the best sex of Jade’s life. Finally, she grinned cheekily. “Most def,” she replied simply.

Vinyl let out a soft, hoarse laugh and rolled onto her side, laying a hoof on Jade’s torso and burying her face lightly into her chest. “Sweet, glad to hear it,” she said. “Though it does make me wonder.” She thought briefly how best to phrase this. “Would you already call this love or more just kinda friends with benefits?”

“I pick the latter, especially since we aren't living together,” Jade said immediately.

Vinyl nodded. It was exactly what she needed to hear – Jade was willing to let this draw itself out, test out what the other was capable of, and that was how Vinyl handled everything in life (behind the scenes at least). “Seriously though,” she said, “thanks for letting me do that too. That WAS… just… wonderful.” She cringed at sounding so flowery but gave her biggest grin yet, booping Jade’s muzzle with her own. “Ya know, if this lasts that long and that good on the floor,” she began, “I can't wait to see what happens... in the bed.”

Jade blushed but then made a mock expression of sudden understanding. “Oh! To think I was JUST gonna suggest the bed before we started but, uh, you just couldn’t wait to get in my pants,” she said sarcastically, glancing down. “And whoops! Looks like we got your carpet all covered in stuff,” she added with a giggle.

“Don't worry,” Vinyl smirked. “Hardly the first time it’s had... “stuff” all over it." She shrugged and then yawned cutely. “Mmmm,” she groaned. “Yeah, speaking of the bed, you up for carrying me? I'm about ready to just sleep here.” She idly scratched her blue mop of a mane and curled into the most adorable ball of awesomeness Jade had ever seen.

“Aw, too cute,” Jade remarked.

“Yeah, yeah. So yeah, to the bed. Feel free... to share it. That’d be cool,” muttered Vinyl sleepily. “Mmm, I always... get tired... after cumming.”

Jade nodded and smiled, scrunched her face up for a moment and her horn glowed a soft violet. The same aura surrounded Vinyl’s entire soft, nude form a moment later and as Jade finally mustered the strength to push herself to her hind legs, Vinyl levitated several feet off the ground. Briefly realizing that her magic would allow her to drop Vinyl off anywhere, Jade grinned for a moment, wondering how Vinyl would react to waking up the next morning stark naked in the middle of town square. She discarded that thought, however. As fun as that might be, it could wait at least a year. Instead, she reentered the untidy bedroom, floating Vinyl before her, and lowered the white pony onto the mess of blankets that was the bed. Tentatively, she felt between her legs for a moment and was startled how damp she still was down there. Ordinarily she might’ve taken a shower but somehow felt that unfair to Vinyl, who was herself still soaked in vaginal fluid and already fast asleep despite it. ‘No,’ Jade thought. ‘It can wait till morning.’

Trying not to wake Vinyl, not that she would have anyway, she climbed in next to her perfect new friend (with benefits), the two ponies lying prone and naked on top of the blankets. Jade cuddled in close to Vinyl and kissed her softly on the cheek, eyelids heavy. Vinyl had been right – orgasms weren’t the best things to fight sleep over and in the next instant it seemed, all was black.

Epilogue

A certain white unicorn awoke the next morning to a slat of light shining in from where nopony had closed the bedroom shutters and repressed a shiver from where she’d slept in the nude. What the hay had…?

Then it all came flooding back far faster than she’d have liked it too and she bolted upright, untangling herself from the bizarre position she’d been laid to rest in. The beautiful mare she’d done so many amazing things with yesterday was snuggled in next to her… or she should be, at least. There was only a long pony-shaped indent in the sheets next to the only pony physically in the bed. Her mind continuing to overflow with memories of the previous night’s decadence, she pushed her thick mane from where it hung partially over her face and hastily rubbed her red eyes. Where could she have…?

But in the next instant, all was reassured. Vinyl’s ears flicked instinctively. Jade’s voice, easily heard over the sound of the shower running, carried through the bedroom wall. DJ Pon-3’s lip quivered and a knowing smile began forming on her face. Jade, having clearly taken the liberty of slipping off while Vinyl still slept to get a likely much-needed shower, was belting out a song raucously – specifically, Canterlot Calling by The Clop. Vinyl’s grin spread wider across her face as she sat on the edge of the bed and listened. Despite being a phenomenal guitarist, Jade’s voice was absolutely awful, screechy and jarring. And Vinyl loved everything about it.

She sat alone a moment longer, thinking to herself. ‘Wow. Can't even remember the last time I slept with somepony. But DEFINITELY can't remember waking up with somepony!’ Laughing to herself, her mirth only increased with another thought: when you’re a C-list celebrity struggling to hold onto your apartment, conservation of water is often essential… by any means necessary.

Vinyl chuckled out loud and hopped off the bed, nodding her head to Jade’s “singing” as she made her way from the bedroom towards the bathroom, totally awake now. She was happier than she’d been in a long time, certainly her best in recent weeks. She’d found somepony who she could talk to, trust with secrets, and get a kick out of listening to as well, both vocally and musically. And the sex was great. That too.

She smirked and gave herself a quick slap on the flank just to get the juices flowing for the day ahead. First things first. It was time to take that singing and turn it into a duet.

The End.