Scratching the Surface

Author's Note: This story is another story in 'The Bindings of Hope' series, which started with 'The New Journey'. If you haven't read 'The New Journey' (or any of the others), there is a chance that you may get a bit confused with the character's stories and their past. So...I suggest you go back and read them. Just a suggestion.

Ponyville - a small town in the Canterlot Province. Founded by the Apple family of Sweet Apple Acres many years ago. Home to the heroes of Equestria - Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity - who defeated both Discord and Nightmare Moon, using the power of the Elements of Harmony. Ever since Discord had been sent back to his stony prison, there had been no problems regarding the town, no disasters, and it had been a place of calm. A quiet town filled with peace, serenity and-

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

BANG!

"VINYL! ADARA!"

A purple unicorn burst out of Ponyville Library, screaming her head off. Immediately, the townsponies emerged from their homes to find out what the ruckus was about.

"Err...Twilight?" a grey pegasus with a yellow mane flew up to her. "What happened to your mane?"

Everypony gasped as they all noticed it, one by one. Twilight's usual dark purple mane with a purple and pink streak was now lime green, with orange spots all over it.

Twilight closed her eyes and turned towards the pegasus mare. "3 words, Derpy - Vinyl and Adara."

"Ohhhh."

"When I get my hooves on those two..."

"Twilight?" a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane swooped down to talk to her. A green pegasus followed her, her mouth hanging open in shock as she saw her.

"Hello, Rainbow Dash, Skylar."

"What happened to-"

"Vinyl and Adara."

"Ohhhh," Skylar and Rainbow said, in unison.

Rainbow started to laugh. "Those two are right laugh! Their pranks are awesome!"

"Would you call this awesome?!" Twilight exclaimed, pointing to the green and orange mess on her head.

"Err...I don't think I should answer that."

"Anyway," Skylar jumped in front of her friend before she could talk herself into any trouble. "Are you sure it was them?"

"Oh yes, quite sure. No one else would leave a note next to my shampoo bottle with 'Gotcha. V+A' on it."

"No, probably not," Skylar replied. "It's strange though - Dara never did any pranks or jokes when we were human. She could never really do them very well, really. Must be Vinyl's influence. And maybe the fact that she has magic now."

"Oh, but those two are perfect for each other," Rainbow said, walking out from behind Skylar. "I've never seen closer ponies. I don't think I've seen Adara separate from Vinyl apart from when Adara's asleep at the library, and Vinyl's asleep in her house."

Skylar nodded. "Those guys are great friends. I've never seen Dara so happy. When we saw her after our trip to Cloudsdale, she was over the moon."

"Those two sure are close. I'm surprised they aren't going out yet," Rainbow said, leaning on the library's walls.

"Oh no. Adara isn't like that. She's definately straight," Skylar said, laughing slightly.

"I wouldn't be so sure - I've known ponies that say that they are definately straight, and then a few days later, admit that they are in fact gay. I mean, Vinyl and Adara are very close - too close, even."

"It doesn't matter if they're close - I'm going to kill them when I see them," Twilight said, walking back towards the library door.

"Oh, I saw them," Skylar said. Twilight spun around and galloped towards the green pegasus.

"Where?!" Twilight asked, her face right up against Skylar's.

"Err...they were running into Vinyl's apartment this morning," Skylar told the unicorn, cowering. Twilight immediately ran off in the direction of Vinyl's apartment, her green and orange mane flying behind her.

"Oh dear. What have I done?" Skylar said, watching Twilight fade into the distance.

Rainbow put her arm around her friend. "There's nothing you can do now. Just pray to Celestia that Twilight disposes the bodies carefully and properly."

***

"Wait for it...Wait for it..." Vinyl said, leaning against the window with Adara.

Suddenly, "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" then "VINYL! ADARA!"

The two of them burst into laughter, and began rolling around on the floor.

"Oh, that was classic. I can't believe she fell for it...again," Vinyl said, taking her goggles off and wiping her eyes.

"You know she's gonna kill us, right?" Adara said, catching her breath.

"That's the fun part!" They began laughing again, and walked over to the kitchen to get a well deserved treat.

"To fun! And friends!" Adara said raising her cupcake into the air. Vinyl followed suit and toasted. They ate cupcakes in silence, except everynow and then, one of them would burst into laughter again, setting the other off as well..

After they had both finished, somepony started knocking on the door, furiously. Adara looked at Vinyl, who then nodded at her.

"Twilight," they said together.

They both walked over ot the door, and opened it, to see a seething Twilight looking back at them.

"Why, it's Twilight! What brings you over on this wonderful day?" VInyl said, smiling at her.

"Don't play innocent, Vinyl! You know exactly why I'm here!"

"Why, no I don't. Dara?"

Adara shook her head. "No, I do not know what we have done to deserve this honour."

"Really?" Twilight said. "Do the words 'mane', 'green', 'orange' and 'spots' bring anything to mind?"

The two of them shook their heads, took one look at Twilight's mane, then burst into laughter.

"I always thought green would suit you, Twilight," Vinyl said, leaning on the door frame.

"The orange spots were my idea," Adara said, raising one hoof and wiping her eyes with the other.

Twilight began walking towards them, her horn glowing dangerously. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't-"

"Oh, Twilight, you wouldn't do that! Think of what it'll do to your reputation. What everypony will think - what Celestia will think! You couldn't do that," Vinyl said, walking away from the purple unicorn.

"Here," Adara grabbed a bottle from the table and handed it to Twilight. "It'll take the dye right out. Your hair will be good as new."

Twilight took the bottle with her magic, and looked at it, unsure.

"Twilight, you know me. I always put pranks right at the end," Adara said.

Twilight looked at the grey unicorn in front of her, then at the bottle. "Yeah, you are right." She sighed, put the bottle into her saddle bag, and turned around, walking out of the door. "Don't think I've forgiven you yet!" she as she walked around the corner.

"See you later!" Adara shouted at her. She shut the door and turned to her friend. "Well, that was fun."