On a long and lonesome highway, east of Ponyville, a deeply bored white unicorn stared out the window of a travelling coach at the passing scenery. The landscape of rolling fields interspersed with occasional small groves of trees would likely have been beautiful in any other season, but the dreary gray of a wet winter's day seemed to have leeched all the life from it.
Sighing and rubbing at her rather bloodshot red eyes with a hoof, Vinyl Scratch leaned back in her seat, letting the curtain fall over the window. Sixteen hours on the road from Ponyville to Fillydelphia hadn't seemed bad on the tour schedule. Now, confronted with the mind-numbing reality of the road, she willing to admit that this leg of the trip was a terrible idea.
'It's not like I can even sleep through this,' Vinyl thought to herself, listening to the clatter of hooves and the ceaseless creaking of wheels on the trail. A particularly bad rut in the road bounced the coach into the air, the suspension taking most of the shock but still shaking the unicorn around. 'Like trying to take a nap in a cocktail shaker.' Irritably, she shifted against the cushions of her seat, trying in vain to find a more comfortable position to ride out the bumps. Inevitably, the next rut was worse, nearly throwing her off the seat entirely, and eliciting a chorus of apologies from the drivers.
Shaking her head, the white unicorn leaned her side against the seat back, tucking her front hooves comfortably beneath herself for better support. Morning had come far, far too early today for her comfort, and she was still feeling the sore muscles and exhaustion of a long set. The night before had been a rather special stop on this winter's tour.
Ponyville was a small town, mostly farmers and craftsponies, not the sort of place a famous DJ would usually frequent. This year, however, the town had been chosen to play host to the first Winter Moon Celebration since Princess Luna's return, and DJ PON-3 had been booked to play the post-moonrise portion of the festivities. It had been, she had to admit, one serious party. The party's planner, a hyperactively bouncy bright pink earth pony, had managed everything just right to serve as the perfect counter-irritant to the stuffy formality of the formal celebrations usually held in Canterlot.
Vinyl smiled to herself at the memory. She never felt more alive than standing behind her turntables, as soaked in sweat as the ponies dancing to the beats she laid down, throwing all the energy she had out to her crowd. The sheer lust for life that a room full of joyful ponies could bring gave her the sort of feeling she imagined a pegasus felt in flight. The ultimate high, and the reason she still got behind the mixing station every night.
But once the lights came up, and the music was done, it left her feeling hollow. She tried to fill that pit in her heart in too many ways, and last night was no different. Too many drinks at the after-party, wild celebration with the party's staff and a few hardcore party-goers. Falling into the hooves of a plum-coated mare, feeling the warmth she wanted so badly until the sweet taste of wine on her lips washed memory away. But still the morning came, and with it a pounding hangover and an empty bed.
No one ever told you that the price of stardom was isolation, Vinyl Scratch reflected. Thousands of ponies all across Equestria knew her stage name, and she could always find somepony up to spend a night with a star, but she could count her real friends on her hooves. The tired unicorn chuckled at the thought of her friends. Part of the reason she'd taken the Ponyville gig was to get a chance to visit one of them.
Lyra had been one of Vinyl Scratch's best friends since the two had met as little fillies in Canterlot. They'd both been part of the school's musical program, and their outgoing and brash personalities meant that they would either be best friends or bitter enemies. Fortunately for Vinyl, Lyra was one of the happiest ponies she had ever met, and the two were soon thick as thieves. They had stayed close for years, through teenage delinquency and all sorts of mischief, until after graduation.
Lyra had decided to leave Canterlot, heading out to Ponyville for reasons which Vinyl was certain involved the cream-colored filly who had been a common visitor whenever she was in town. Vinyl's career as DJ PON-3 was just starting to take off then, so she had stayed on in Canterlot's lively club scene. Of course, the going-away party had been a blast, but she had missed Lyra badly as fame took her farther and farther from being able to just relate to anypony.
Yesterday had been great, really. Her wild mane stuffed under a hat and a saddle concealing her cutie mark, Vinyl had gone to meet Lyra for a late dinner at a local café. The pale green unicorn had been entirely too happy to see her friend, and the two had enjoyed talking for quite some time before being joined by Lyra's partner, Bon Bon.
The earth pony had turned out to have a wicked sense of humor to match Lyra's, and perfect deadpan delivery to match, and it had kept the three laughing until Vinyl had to leave for the Celebration. Her own laugh had been a bit forced, though. It hurt a little, seeing her best friend in an obviously loving relationship. Lyra was very dear to her, but it was hard not to be at least a little jealous, watching two ponies enjoying the sort of relationship she really wanted right in front of her.
With a sigh, Vinyl Scratch pushed the memory aside. These long trips always gave her far too much time for introspection. Closing her eyes, the white unicorn settled her head against the seat despite the bumps, and drifted off into a much-needed nap.
