The subway was alive, voices melding together into one great din. The place was packed, to say the least. It was a rushed hour. Not as full as the morning, no, that would be complete and utter chaos. But with ponies filling the food court for lunch, lined up in front of the snack and drink machines, and dashing about, you could barely think that the station could be more full than this.
Night Tides took everything in. He was a stranger to the subway, and didn’t quite understand it. How was he supposed to figure out when his train arrived at ‘Platform 7’, or how to get there? He needed help, but didn’t know who to ask. He just wanted to get to Vinyl Scratch’s concert! And if he didn’t get onto his train soon, then he wouldn’t be able to make it.
Defeated, Night slumped down on the stairs behind him. Using his magic, he looked at the ticket hopelessly. Suddenly, his stomach growled. Using his magic, he lifted up his saddlebags to get his wallet. The note-in-front-of-the-moon latch seemed to laugh at him. Ha ha, you’re not gonna make it!
After rummaging through his saddlebags, he determined it was true. Being the idiot he was, he’d left his wallet at home. Could this day get any worse?
“You look lost.” A voice sounded behind him, to which he snapped his head to. A whitey-yellow mare with pretty rose eyes and a two tone blue mane tilted her head at him. He recognized her immediately, Vinyl Scratch.
Yup, it could get worse.
“I am.” He replied to his favourite artist, awe and frustration leaking into his tone. She sympathetically shook her cerulean/cyan mane in way that made him upset that he’d revealed such a thing as him not being able to find his way to a simple subway platform.
“I can show you…uh, what’s your name?” curiosity mingled into partyish voice.
“Night Tides.” The stallion replied, his navy gaze falling down to the floor.
“Alright, Night Tides!” yelled the DJ, grabbing his hoof with magic and running towards the sign that read ‘Platform Hub’
What an idiot Night Tides was. A blind idiot.
Suddenly, Vinyl skidded to a stop. “Uh, what train are you getting on?”
Night gave a small smile. “Seven.”
“Me too!”
They found their way through the crowd, with Vinyl leading the way and Night desperately trying to keep up. In front of him, he carried two things, the grey train ticket that said “Platform 7, 8:00am” in flowing gold script, and another that was a small, poster like thing that said “Night Lights: Invited to FUNeral (played by Vinyl Scratched)
Night Tides was astounded that he’d been lost, found by Vinyl Scratch, and gotten on the same train as Vinyl Scratch. He was even more surprised that she was still talking to him, chattering animatedly, and that he was speaking coherently back. How, he didn’t know, and frankly, he didn’t care. Because he could actually respond without stuttering. That was a new length for him.
“So, Night Tides, where are you headed?” asked Vinyl.
“A concert. Um, your concert.” He responded shyly, dropping his eyes.
The train chugged along in silence for a few moments before Vinyl spoke up. “My…concert?” she asked in a sad voice.
“Yeah. It was free, and I’d always wanted to see you. Is something wrong?” Night replied.
“No, I...I think you have the wrong date.” She said nervously, chuckling a bit.
Night wordlessly lifted the invitation.
“Oh, why me?” sighed Vinyl. “That’s not an invitation to a concert, it’s an invitation to a concert themed funeral.” Her voice shook. “I thought I recognized you. You’re one of Flashing’s friends, right?”
Dread dropped in Night’s stomach. He had a hunch where this was going, and he didn’t want to believe it. “I-you guys couldn’t have ponies over to your house…I was his best friend in school…he didn’t say anything about a sister…” he trailed off .
“He’s…” she tried to hold back a sob, and succeeded. “Dead.” The white mare took in a breath before continuing, trying to keep her voice steady. It didn’t work. “ H..h..he died of an accidental drug overdose while clubbing. He’d always wanted a concert themed funeral…and he was talking to me and confirmed it. He wanted it to be a ‘FUNeral’” she sighed, curling up in her train seat. “Just…I’m fine. I just…I’m gonna listen to music, alright?”
She was asking his permission for something as silly as listening to music…? “Uh, okay.” Night murmured back, then stared blankly at the train window. His best friend. Dead.
Flashing Lights, dead. The stallion with the bright, green eyes. The one with the two tone purple mane, always messy. The light blue body.
Dead.
The friend that had kept him alive through his depression.
Dead.
The one who’d been brilliant.
Dead.
No. Not possible. Impossible. Couldn’t be true.
Night’s memory flashed back to nights of parties. He’d almost always been drunk, to say the least. Flashing Lights had driven him home, with a smile.
Then whenever he’d messed up in front of a mare. That amazing stallion had covered.
And now, dead.
With his navy blue magic, he lifted up the saddle bags, got a scarf from one-how’d he remembered that was beyond him-and covered his eyes. He silently cried, somehow guilting himself into sobbing more.
He would never get to see Flashing again. He’d never get to talk to him again. He’d never go to another party with him again. Never laugh at the silly things that they joked about. Never whisper an inside joke into his ear, making them both double over with laughter.
Self-conscious, he shielded himself from the pale mare beside him.
Never again.
Vinyl Scratch couldn’t of been more miserable. Not only did she have a three hour trip on a train to her brothers funeral, but she had to make it ‘fun’. She had to DJ his favourite songs.
Her iPony flashed the 20 percent sign, so she stopped manually shuffling and let it do its thing. After a few seconds, it shut down.
Oh. Apperantly, it was a three hour train ride without entertainment, and only her tears to hold her. Flashing was the best brother.
No more Hearth’s Warmings.
