A brush ran through the electric blue mane of Vinyl Scratch. Her nervous eyes reflected moderate cerise in the mirror as they meticulously watched the struggle between herself and her mane. The DJ set down the brush, the magic aura fading as it touched the counter. Vinyl let out a disappointed sigh. "No matter what I do, I can't seem to clean up this mess of a mane." She whispered to herself. Her head shook as she tried to clear her mind, as she had a lot on it. Just two days before, Canterlot had been invaded by changelings and that had her worried. What if there were still some left, disguised and walking the streets unopposed? As these thoughts crossed her mind, her trademark sunglasses slipped onto her muzzle and covered up her telling eyes. She then dawned a set of headphones and nestled a portable music player in her hair underneath the headphone strap.
Today Vinyl had a get together with Octavia, so these petty worries needed to be placed on the back burner. The unicorn put on a spurt of perfume and headed out the door of her small apartment. The two had planned this day out two weeks prior, and Vinyl wasn't about to let paranoia get the better of her. She walked from her less fancy residential district to the business district. The bright afternoon sun's light was dampened by her sun glasses, and so were the glares of those prude ponies who disliked her seemingly uncouth appearance. Electronic music and sound canceling headphones negated the sounds of the city. She hurried quietly to the Golden Trough restaurant to meet Octavia.
Vinyl took a seat not long before Octavia entered the joint. Vinyl always admired how proper Octavia looked, the flow over her mane and mannerisms of her speech. Plus, an aroma that simply bled class. The DJ took off her headphones as Octavia sat down across from her.
"Good afternoon, Vinyl," Octavia said, greeting her friend.
"Yeah! What's up?" Vinyl replied, pushing the conversational lead back onto her friend.
Octavia picked up a menu and looked if over as she responded, "I have just been reviewing some common concert pieces today. Not the most interesting thing I could be doing, but I wanted to make sure I had time for you."
Vinyl nodded and picked up her menu, then saying, "Right, thanks so much for that."
Octavia's head perked up and she sniffed the air. A polite smile crossed the mare's face as she inquired, "That is a lovely parfum you are wearing. What's the special occasion?"
Vinyl shrunk a little bit into her menu. "Oh nothing, just trying to be a bit more presentable. By the way, Octi, I was wondering how you get your mane to behave so well."
Octavia's brow raised as she set down her menu. "I've brushed it this way for so long it just grows like this now." She leaned a little over the table to look over her friends menu to her sunglasses masked face, "You've never been so interested in presentation, my dear friend. I know there's something going on. Is it to do with your professional life?"
Vinyls hair swayed as she shook her head. "No, not particularly. I just want to fit in a bit more."
"I know you've always felt a little out of place, but never have I seen you so motivated. I -" Octavia was speaking when the waiter arrived to take their order.
The stallion had a waxed mustache and a swept back, black mane that contrasted his white coat. "Good day, m'ladies. What can I get for you this afternoon?" he said.
Octavia gave a nod and said, "I would like today's special and a glass of water, please."
The stallion scribbled the order onto a note pad, turning his attention to Vinyl. "And for you?"
Vinyl resisted the urge to use her menu as a curtain between them, his eyes looked judgmental even though she knew he wasn't trying to look as such. "I-I'll have what she's having."
With that the stallion walked off taking their menu's with him. Octavia guided her purple eyes back to her friend and gave a small smile. "Now Vinyl, I know you've been a little insecure ever since I've met you, but you aren't one to conform. Oh, this is none of my business. Have you ever tried putting mousse in your mane? The hair product of course, not the food."
This time Vinyl's head shaking was a bit more aggressive. "No way, that stuff is nasty, and I don't want to look like I'm trying too hard."
"Trying too hard? Trying too hard to what?" Octavia asked, her voice in a bit of a teasing tone yet still sweet and proper.
Vinyl was flustered at this press, a blush on her cheeks. "O-oh. It's nothing really."
"Since when did nothing warrant anything?" Octavia said with an inquisitive look. "You can trust me, Sweetheart, but I'll understand if you do not wish to tell me."
With that said, many moments of silence past. So much so that the waiter returned with their meals. Today's special dish was some sort of strange soup. Vinyl couldn't decipher the ingredients. She looked up to Octavia, who was somehow masterfully working her soup spoon with her hooves. The DJ simply used her magic and sipped the soup politely.
"Ok...I'll tell you." Vinyl said, then casting a cautious glance around the restaurant. "You know that one stallion-"
"Oh, a stallion is it?" Octavia interjected with a giggle, then apologizing. "Sorry, sorry. Go on."
Vinyl gave her a sort of twisted look, then resumed speaking. "You know that one stallion, Radiant Steel, who went took the music theory course with us?"
"Mmhm," Octavia hummed in acknowledgment, an eager look on her face.
Vinyl cast her gaze downward, though it was imperceptible though her glasses. She continued, "Well, he'd one of the royal guard now. Just a grunt, but I've seen him at a couple of gigs I've done recently. I remembered that I had a total crush on him while we had class together and was thinking of talking to him...talking to him about maybe going out sometime."
Octavia swatted at the air playfully, "Oh Vinyl you seductress, you! That's why you wore that wonderful parfum. I know you'll have him wrapped around your little hoof the second you ask him."
Vinyl again shrunk in her seat. "I can't get up the nerve to ask him. I mean, what self respecting soldier would want to date some low class, no talent DJ?"
Octavia reached across the small table and placed her hoof on Vinyls shoulder, "Oh, Vinyl, you're being way to hard on yourself. Being a DJ takes spirit. I've seen you up there working the turntable, you're like another person entirely. You are the very enabler of fun at parties, what boy wouldn't like you?" She returned to her normal sitting position and said, "the guards need to have fun, too. They may seem ridged and harsh, but that's just a show. What was he like when we were in class together?"
Vinyl tapped her hoof gently on her chin as she thought, "Uhm...he was super polite and talented in every subject. Way out of my league. He has the same air about him that you do, Octi, I just can't measure up to that. I can't even get my mane straight."
Octavia finished the spoonful of soup she had in her mouth and told Vinyl, "Come now, darling. If he's anything worth his salt he wont judge by appearances or care if he's seen with you. The only solution to your problem is to talk to him. If he rejects you at least you can have some kind of closure, but I'm sure he wont."
Just the inclusion of the word rejection in that sentence made Vinyl shudder. "No, I simply can't. Not yet."
With her soup finished, Octavia was able to rebuttal quickly. "Vinyl, I know somewhere in there is a confident young mare. I've seen it on stage! We just have to fish her out of you."
"Well, when you see her tell her to go talk to Radiant Steel for me." Vinyl said weakly.
Octavia sat up even straighter than before, which was seemingly impossible, and placed her hoof at the side of her head in thought. The mare's face lit up and she held out her hoof to Vinyl. "I have an idea. In order to draw out your inner beauty, perhaps we just need to show you your outer beauty. Let's go to the spa, my treat."
"Oh, Octi, that's too much," Vinyl said.
"Now, now. I insist," Octavia said. She left the payment for their meal on the table and practically pushed Vinyl at the door and toward the spa.
Author's Note
If you don't like it, please post why. Also, be polite about it. I want to grow as a writer and need your help. However, if you just don't like the concept of a shy, modest, DJ Pon3 then keep it to yourself.
