Frequency

Chapters

I - A Voice in the Night
II - Returning a Call
III – Second Chance
IV – Scheme
V – A Little Talk
VI – Change in Plans
VII – Contact
VIII – A Little Talk Redux
IX – Hearth's Warming
X - The Question
XI - On Thinking
XII - (Almost) In The Flesh
XIII - An Answer

I - A Voice in the Night

Chapter I
A Voice in the Night

The nightclub was alive with swaying bodies and flashing lights. The familiar thump, thump, thump of the latest Sapphire Shores techno remix filled the air and kept the crowd going in an endless display of bouncing and grinding. Vinyl watched the scene from her place behind the DJ’s turntable, headphones pressed tight to her ears and a smile plastered on her face. None of the ponies there paid much attention to her, but she didn’t mind. The music pumped into her brain like life-giving blood to a heart. It gave her the mental fuel necessary to focus on what on her next mix might be.

Sadly, that mix wasn’t to come, at least not tonight; she felt something tap her on the shoulder. She turned to find her replacement, Bouncing Beat, standing next to her with a grin. A glance at the turntable’s shining display revealed it was closing in on two. With a sigh, she pulled off the headphones.

“Sorry, Vinyl,” Bouncing shouted into her ear, “but even you can’t keep it up forever.”

“That won’t stop me from trying.” She offered him the headphones. “I got ‘em nice and riled up for ya, so don’t blow it with that Brightmare crap, k?”

“Yeah, yeah, learned my lesson.” He waved her off and took her place at the turntable. “Fifty Four’s offering free drinks to the staff tonight. Something about finally settling with his ex and wanting to celebrate.”

“Good to know!” Vinyl patted him on the shoulder and made her way to the bar. She waved for the barkeep, Velvet Light. “What’s this I hear about free drinks?”

Velvet grinned. “You heard right! One night only. Fifty Four’s so glad to get his witch out of his mane that he’s opened up the tap.”

“Sweet!” Vinyl slapped the table. “Gimme a Monkey Buck.”

“Dash of vodka?”

“Of course!”

While Velvet was off making the drink, Vinyl turned about to scan the scene. The entire club was as active as ever. It was a source of pride that her mixes could get this club hopping almost every time. Yet, as she turned back for the bar, she noticed that she hadn’t managed to get every pony onto the dance floor.

Sitting a few stools away was a lone pegasus, orange with a blue mane. He was slumped over the bar and nursing a bottle of high-proof booze like it was the only thing he had left in the world. The sight made her frown; he had to be really down to not be bouncing to her beats.

“Monkey Buck, shot of vodka.”

“Hey, Velvet?” Vinyl turned and tilted her head towards the stranger. “What’s his story?”

“Ya got me.” Velvet shrugged as she leaned against the counter. “He’s been sitting there for the past three hours, won’t hardly say anything. It’s too bad, he’s real cute.”

“Of course you’d notice that.” Vinyl took a swig of the drink and let out a whoop. “Oooooh, yeah! That’s the good stuff.”

“Why don’t you try talking to him?”

Vinyl blinked. “What, me? What am I supposed to talk to him about?”

Velvet rolled her eyes. “How about asking him why he’s not grooving to your beats?”

“That is a legitimate question,” Vinyl admitted with a smirk. She took another gulp from her glass. “Make me another.”

“Only if you talk to him.”

Vinyl felt her jaw drop. “Are you serious? Why the heck do ya want me to talk to the guy? You’re the barkeep. Isn’t that in your job description or something?”

“Maybe, but this one’s not talking. Not to me, at least. Look, he’s stinking up my bar. My sales are down.”

“So? What am I supposed to do about that?”

“Cheer him up.”

Vinyl pointed a hoof at a random speaker. “If the dubstep don’t improve his mood, nothing I say will manage it.”

Velvet grabbed her empty glass. “You want a refill or not?”

A scowl fell upon Vinyl’s lips. “You’re a slave driver, you know that?” At Velvet’s smirk she threw up her hooves. “Fine, but it’s not gonna help.”

Vinyl turned to the stallion, but couldn’t bring herself to approach. Instead, she observed him. He stared down at his half-empty bottle as though the secrets of the universe might be trapped inside. Now that she really observed him, he didn’t look so much sad as he did bitter; his lips were set in a grimace and his shoulders, though low, held clear tension. He appeared about ready to snap, and a look at his muscles made it clear she wouldn’t want him doing so in her direction.

A cough caught her attention; she looked to find Velvet waving an empty glass at her. Vinyl was tempted to wipe that smug smile off her face, but she turned her eyes back to the stallion. Might as well get it over with…

She slipped onto the stool next to him, which earned her no reaction at all. Vinyl tapped the counter and leaned towards him, but he only stared at his bottle with more force. His intent wouldn’t have been more obvious if he’d stapled a “Talk to me at your own risk!” sign to his forehead.

Vinyl considered him with a pout, then glanced towards Velvet. The pony gestured encouragingly.

With no other ideas, Vinyl blurted the first thing that came to mind: “You’re not dancing.”

The stallion grumbled and turned his head away. “I’m not looking, either.”

“Looking at what?”

“You, for one.”

She straightened, her entire body going tense. “What makes you think I’m looking?”

He took a long swig from his bottle. “Why else would you be talking to me?”

Vinyl leaned an elbow against the counter to get a better look at his face, but he wouldn’t meet her eyes. “Maybe I saw a stallion down on his luck and thought I could help cheer him up.”

He gave a derogatory sniff and leaned his cheek on his hoof. “Only if you know how to change a mare’s heart.”

“Aaaaaah.” Vinyl patted him on the back with a smile. “Dumped or rejected?”

“What do you care?”

“Just a concerned citizen.” She tapped the counter and gestured to Velvet, who rolled her eyes and started making a drink. “You can always just ignore me as I spout advice, which would probably be a good idea since I know absolutely nothing about relationships.”

He eyed her, the corners of his lips twitching. “Is that supposed to cheer me up?”

“Meh.” She shrugged and snatched her drink as it slid across the counter. “You can either let me chew your ear off or you can quit the tough guy routine and let it out. It’s good to talk about things, y’know.” She took a sip of her drink and shot Velvet an approving smile.

The stallion said nothing.

Vinyl raised an eyebrow and set the glass down between them with a thunk. She repositioned so that she could lean close to him, narrowing her eyes with a smirk.

He caught her eye and flinched. “You’re not gonna take ‘no’ for an answer, are you?”

Her smile became a grin. “Now you’re getting it. Start talking—” she glanced back at his cutie mark, “—Bolt Butt.”

He scowled. “It’s Flash Sentry.”

“Whatever.” She took a quick sip of her drink. “You gonna talk, or will I have to?”

He sighed and stared at his bottle once more. “There’s nothing to talk about. I was an idiot.”

“Okay, you’re an idiot. Go on.”

He shot her a one-eyed glare before rubbing a hoof through his mane. “I just… I realize now I may have the wrong career.”

“Uh-huh.” Vinyl waved her hoof in a circle. “And what does that have to do with the mare of your dreams?”

He let out another sigh and glanced away. “I’m a guard.” There was a pause, and he glanced at her expectantly. “As in, Royal Guard. For the princesses.”

“Oooh, aren’t we going places?” she said with a shrug.

He scowled. “If you don’t care, why’d you ask to know?”

“Ah, don’t start that.” She patted him on the shoulder. “Come on, what’s so bad about serving the princesses? There are plenty of stallions just dreaming to be where you’re at right now.”

“They shouldn’t.” He sipped from his bottle. “They have no idea what it’s like.”

“What, are they real demanding or something?”

“Not at all, they’re very reasonable. It’s just…” Flash chewed his lip, his cheeks flushing. “I’m… well, you know… young. And… uh… hot-blooded. And it’s my job to stand guard – often in close proximity to – a bunch of mares who are forever young and very easy on the eyes.”

Vinyl’s head whipped towards him, her eyebrows rising. “Wait, you mean you’re crushing on one of the princesses?” He flinched and took another swig of his drink. “Oh-ho-ho wow, now that is a problem. Which one?”

Cheeks burning, Flash seemed to shrink around his bottle. His wide eyes remained locked on the glass and his wings shivered as though he could barely control them.

Seeing he wasn’t going to answer, Vinyl rubbed her chin and considered the possibilities. “Can’t be Cadance, she’s married. Celestia doesn’t seem like the type to be accepting suitors, though I suppose she could just be very hush-hush about that kind of thing. Luna… heck, I have no idea what her type would be, or even if she has one. She strikes me more like the kind of mare who’d send suitors to the moon for wasting her time.”

She observed Flash through peering eyes as he wilted a little more with each name. By now he was shifting uncontrollably and looking at anything but her. She gained a wry, confident smile.

“It’s Twilight, isn’t it?”

He closed his eyes and ground his teeth.

Bingo.

“Makes sense.” She grabbed her glass for another swig. “She’s the youngest, and probably still acts like a ‘normal’ pony. Most approachable, right?”

Flash winced, his chin dropping to the countertop. “And I really thought she was interested too. I thought I saw hints…”

Vinyl blinked. “Wait, you mean you actually asked the Princess of Friendship out? Really?”

He groaned and downed the rest of his bottle.

“Dude.” Vinyl considered this news, suddenly seeing Flash in a new light. “Dude. That must have taken some guts.” She slapped him on the back and waved to Velvet. “Hey, barkeep! This guy’s got some balls. He deserves another drink.”

Velvet scoffed. “Are you kidding? He’s already had three bottles!”

“One more won’t kill him.” She turned and gave Flash a push on the shoulder. He leaned a good bit, but managed to stay in his seat. “See? Perfectly fine.”

“You carrying him home?” Velvet leaned forward with a raised eyebrow. “’Cause I’m not giving him another sip otherwise.”

Flash finally managed to straighten himself, knocking his bottle down in the process. He grabbed at it, saw it was empty. “Gimme another.”

“C’mon, barkeep.” Vinyl slapped him on the back once more and grinned. “Give the stallion what he wants.”

“I’m serious, Vinyl,” Velvet said as she reached for another bottle. “You promise to cart him off, or he’s not getting another one from me.”

“Yeah, sure, whatever. Just give ’em the bottle already!”

“Fine.” The bottle slid across the counter to Vinyl’s waiting hooves. “But you’re gonna regret this in a couple hours.”

“Hah! Oh ye of little faith.” Vinyl turned and pushed the drink into Flash’s eager hooves.

“Damn it, you’re a lot heavier than you look. I thought pegasi were supposed to be light.”

Vinyl at last managed to set Flash down against the wall of the barracks. He sagged in place, half-conscious and mumbling. She took a moment to stretch, her muscles sore from having dragged him halfway across Canterlot. She eyed the moon and realized it wouldn’t be out much longer.

Velvet’s smirking face filled her vision.

I told you so.

“Yeah, yeah.” Vinyl glowered at Flash, who outright reeked of alcohol. Not that Vinyl didn’t get like that every now and then, but at least she was a fun drunk. Flash just started sobbing into his liquor and whining all night. Poor guy was rather pathetic... and so terribly heartbroken. She had actually started feeling sorry for the guy, up until the point when she realized she really was going to have to drag him back to the castle.

Pulling him up by the shoulders, she slapped his face a couple times. “Hey, come on, snap out of it.”

He moaned and tried to push her away with feeble legs. “Nosh reddy… g’me ’nothr…”

“Dude, ya gotta at least tell me what room’s yours.”

“Lemme alone.”

She sighed and hoisted him up, letting him lean on her as she moved for the door. His legs shuffled, so it was really more like she was dragging him than anything else.

“Ah’ma hanshome guy, right?”

“Sure ya are,” she muttered with a smirk. “A regular prince charming.”

“So wha’d she say no?”

Vinyl rolled her eyes; he’d gone through this line of questioning at least a half dozen times already. “Maybe she’s shy.”

He moaned and let his head sink onto her shoulder.

They were almost to the door. Vinyl tried to pick up her pace, but he seemed to grow heavier with every step. She really hoped there would be somepony at the barracks entrance to take him off her hooves.

“Ya don’t like bein’ alone…”

Her ears perked; that was a new one.

“Ah’m tired ov’it.” He was whispering, but his lips were practically in her ears. “Y’know? Fer duty an’ all… all that crap. Ever’pony shees ya but… but nopony shees ya, y’know?”

Vinyl slowed down. For some reason, she really wanted to hear this.

“She kep’ lookin’. Ah thought she shaw me. Wanna hear voishes… wanna be appr… ap… pre… loved.”

He stumbled and she almost dropped him.

“‘Be weird,’ she shaid. Wash wrong with me? Ah wanna be loved too.”

They were finally at the door, but Vinyl didn’t knock. She held him up with some difficulty and let him go on.

“Ah work hard. Pay mah dues. Shtay shtill and shut up.” He looked Vinyl right in the eye – a true feat considering how he was wobbling. “Ya get it, doncha? Ya know how ah feelsh? Tired o’bein’ alone. Isshat so… so… wrong…”

His legs gave out, and Vinyl had to fight to make sure he didn’t hit the ground hard. She lowered him down as gently as she could, his snores filling the air.

She stared at him, his words playing over and over again in her mind. Eventually she knocked on the barracks door. It took a few tries, but somepony finally answered. The guard on duty was all curses and complaints, but he thanked Vinyl and dragged the unconscious Flash inside.

The door closed in her face. She stood there for a while, just gazing at it.

The door opened on squeaky hinges, revealing an apartment in disarray. Posters on the walls, pizza boxes on the coffee table, foam cups all over. Vinyl stood just outside the door, her ears perking to… nothing. Not a sound graced her arrival.

Her hoofsteps resounded on the hardwood floor. She kicked the door closed and dropped her bag in the corner. She paused in the middle of her small living room and looked around. She had half a mind to clean up.

No, not this morning.

She yawned and stepped passed the window, ignoring the first rays of dawn. Into the kitchen, to the refrigerator, grab some leftover ramen. Add a little water from the sink – overflowing with dirty dishes – and then let the ramen turn in the food-encrusted interior of the microwave for a minute, then sit at the table and grab some chopsticks that hadn’t been taken out of their bag yet. She’d have to do dishes soon.

No, not this morning.

Vinyl slumped over her meal, her ears raised in waiting for some kind of sound. There was none. She looked up at the flickering light, then at the door. Her gaze went to the spot opposite her, resting on the empty cushion. This morning it seemed particularly empty. Maybe, if she really put her mind to it, she could find somepony to fill that space.

No, not this morning.

Though Flash Sentry’s words were still echoing in her mind…

Ya get it, doncha? Ya know how ah feelsh? Tired o’bein’ alone.

No, not this morning.

Her brief meal complete, she tossed the empty box towards the waste bin in the corner and missed. She considered cleaning up the mess, noting the four similar boxes lying on the floor.

No, not this morning.

Vinyl trudged to her bedroom, stifling another yawn. Flopping onto her barrel on the bed, legs splayed out, she closed her eyes and tried not to think. It didn’t help; Flash’s drunken ramblings just wouldn’t go away.

Ah’m tired ov’it. Ever’pony shees ya but… but nopony shees ya, y’know?

She shifted, her eyes falling to the side of her bed. The empty side of her bed. It wasn’t a sight she enjoyed.

Why did it seem so important all of a sudden?

She rolled onto her back and closed her eyes. Any attempt to relax was thwarted by her ears constantly seeking a sound that didn’t exist.

Silence.

More silence.

More agonizing silence.

She groaned and rubbed her face. “Damn it, Velvet, I hate it when you’re right.”

Her eyes traced the ceiling, followed the edge, dropped along the corner. There was her two-way radio, the one she’d had for all her life. Well, if silence wasn’t going to let her sleep, perhaps noise could.

The knobs of the radio began to glow and shift. She reached a hoof over to press the power switch and the crackle of static met her ears. How long had it been since she’d heard that sound in her father’s attic? It might not even work anymore. She kept it only as a nostalgic decoration now.

Yet, sure enough, a few turns of the knobs brought something to her ears. She glowered as a folksy tune rang out. Where in Canterlot was that station broadcasting from?

She turned the knobs some more and began to hear chatter from some kind of morning talk show. She bemoaned the existence of ‘morning ponies’ and quickly moved on, only to find the scratchy horror of classical invading her personal space. Absolutely not: she jerked the knob in a random direction.

“—I doing? I know you’re not out there. You’d think I’d learn, huh? Two years I’ve been on this stupid ship. Nobody’s going to talk to—”

The knob turned, but Vinyl’s eyes narrowed and she turned her head to the radio. After a moment’s consideration, she let the knob turn back.

“—there, you’re sitting at your station, listening to some voice on the radio. I bet I sound like gibberish to you. Don’t go getting your hopes up. I’m not from a superintelligent world coming to perform experiments on your cows… or whatever you have.”

The voice was slow and quiet. It wasn’t some announcer, but sounded instead like somepony talking to herself.

“I’m just a lone woman… wishing someone would hear my voice. Wishing someone would talk back.”

Sniffling could be heard through the weak connection. Vinyl frowned and turned on her side to listen a little more intently.

“You know what’s funny? I’m not even supposed to be on this thing. I’m not some astronaut. I wish. Took me weeks to figure out how the hydroponics lab worked. Weeks of eating protein bars and dehydrated bags of God knows what.

“But I pulled it off. I’m here.”

What was this? Vinyl reached out to take her radio in both hooves and brought it onto the bed with her.

“For what good it did. Look at me, I’m talking into a radio like there might actually be someone listening. But you know what? You’re all I’ve got, friend. You never talk to me, but you’re all I’ve got. It helps, y’know? Beats talking to myself… a little.”

Vinyl sat up, her eyes set on the glowing dial.

“It’s right there. It wouldn’t take much to end it. Sometimes I grab the door. Just… turn the handle a half dozen times and let it in. Out. Whatever.”

Her chest tightened. She looked to the endtable, knowing what she wanted wasn’t there. She’d not had a mic for this thing since she’d left home. Never thought she’d need one.

Her ears perked as the monotone voice returned.

“I always stop myself. I wish I knew why. Is it because I’m scared? Do I really think living a few more hours is going to make a difference? Nobody’s ever going to find me, or hear me, or speak to me. Yet… I don’t want to die.”

It was a gimmick. It had to be. Some… Vinyl didn’t know what.

It couldn’t be real.

“I want to go home. I want to see the sun, feel the grass. Why the hell do I let myself hope? It’s bullshit, all of it. No home to go back to, no new home to find. And here I am, sitting in this fucking tin can waiting for some voice that doesn’t exist to talk to me!”

She winced at the foul language. It certainly didn’t sound like a regular radio program.

“I really have gone mad. Don’t judge me. You would too, if you’d spent two years drifting.

“Are you laughing? You should be. It’s all one big joke. A big… terrible joke.”

The radio went silent, save for the continuous hiss of static. Vinyl gazed at it for several long seconds, wondering what to make of this. Was it real, or some elaborate hoax? Should she tell somepony about this? The pony on the radio sounded—

“Damn it, I still can’t do it. I… I need to sleep. Maybe when I wake up I’ll have the guts.”

Static.

Vinyl waited for a long time, hoping to hear the voice again.

No, not this morning.

Author's Note

I don't recall what specifically inspired this concept, but once it hit me it was hard to stop thinking about it. As much as I've bemoaned the concept of throwing humans into the world of Equestria, I've also always wondered if I could put a somewhat original spin to the tired brand. Well, here's my attempt. Let's see how it goes.

This story plays second fiddle to my current ongoing tales, Reddux the Tyrant and The Gentle Nights: Audience of One. Those stories are on a timetable and will be my focus until completion. This story will only be worked on when I'm ahead on those two (which is pretty common, actually) and thus will have no schedule for future releases. Even so, I'll try not to take forever between updates.

As of now I have ten chapters planned for this story. That's not set in stone, but it at least gives an idea of how long I intend for it to be.

II - Returning a Call

Chapter II
Returning a Call

For the first time in… well, ever, Vinyl was actually glad when Bouncing Beat came to take over. She’d not been into the music at all that night, and it was showing. If anypony asked – not that anypony did – she could tell them that she was just having a bad night. It happened to everypony at some point, right?

She tried to act casual as she walked to the busy bar. Velvet was having a lucrative evening. Vinyl’s poor performance might have helped with that, but she wasn’t about to mention it. She went behind the bar and looked to make sure her package was still in her bag.

“You act like somepony’s gonna steal your stuff,” Velvet said as she darted past with four drinks balanced on her back.

Vinyl frowned and quickly zipped the pack closed. “I got something important today. I’m… eager to use it.”

“Yeah, what is it?”

Despite the fact that she was running back and forth dealing with customers, Velvet still managed to catch Vinyl’s hesitation. “Ooh, something saucy?”

“Yep, that’s me, a real pimp momma.” Vinyl forced a grin and slipped the pack over her shoulder.

“Going so soon?” Velvet paused between guests to level a frown Vinyl’s way. “You never leave without at least one drink. Is something wrong?”

“Nope, not a thing,” she replied a little too quickly. She glanced at the clock, but it was only a couple minutes past two. “I just… uh…”

She fidgeted, wondering if she should mention the voice at all.

“Vinyl?”

“Y’know what? I think I could use a Staremaster right about now.” A little drink would be good for the nerves.

Velvet rushed to the far end of the bar to deal with some more clients, but was back in short order. “That’s not your usual poison. I thought you said it was too strong in the sugar department?”

Vinyl shrugged. “I’m just in the mood.” She silently reprimanded herself for saying the name of the first drink she thought of, which happened to be the one she was looking at. It was in the hooves of a particularly girly pegasus. Vinyl barely avoided faking a gag.

“Well, I’m busy. You’ve got hooves and a horn, use ’em.” Velvet was off to the other side of the bar again.

Grumbling to herself, Vinyl did as she was told and started mixing up the drink. She made sure to cut back on the sugary bits and add an extra squeeze of lemon. The final result was a bright yellow drink that looked every bit like it was supposed to, but was essentially a watered-down variant. Being that the original was also one of the few non-alcoholic beverages in the bar, she slipped a little something extra in there to give it a kick.

Vinyl sat on a stool behind the bar, making sure she was tucked in a corner and out of Velvet’s way. She waited until she had a clear shot before levitating the bits for the drink into the cash register.

Her face scrunched up at the first sip; even watered down, the Staremaster was one sweet drink. Still, she talked herself into this corner and she was determined to drink her way out of it.

After a while the patrons began to thin out, both because of Bouncing’s music and the need to actually be somewhere else at two-thirty in the morning. Velvet finished off a few more clients before sidling up to Vinyl and studying her face. “You really look like you don’t like it.”

Vinyl smacked her lips. “I thought I’d give it another go. It’s about as good as the last time.” Her smile was just as much to reassure as it was to congratulate herself on a smooth lie.

“Right.” Velvet wiped her hooves on a rag and started inspecting the bottles in the cabinet, systematically removing those that were running low. “So what’s really got you so off-beat tonight?”

Maybe the lie wasn’t as smooth as she’d thought.

Vinyl glanced around at all the patrons still lingering around the bar. She had half a mind not to say anything at all. Yet when she glanced at Velvet she saw the peering eyes of a pony on a mission; she’d be spilling the beans tonight, one way or another.

With a sigh, Vinyl used her magic to pull the package out of her bag. It was a small wooden box, out of which she pulled—

“A microphone?” Velvet raised an eyebrow at the device. It was an older model, the kind used for dispatch radios in police carriages and the like. “What’s so special about that antique?”

“Bummed it from a guy I know over at the CATZ station. It’s the only kind that’ll fit into my old two-way radio back home.” Vinyl cradled the microphone in both hooves with a small smile. “I used to be all into the pirate radio stations and personal communicators. It was a big hobby me and my dad shared.”

“Huh.” Velvet eyed the device like it were a specimen in a test tube. “So you’re getting back into it?”

“Err… something like that.” Vinyl tucked the microphone back into the package. “I, uh, turned the radio on out of boredom yesterday morning and heard somepony I really wanted to talk to.”

“Hold that thought.” Velvet rushed to the other side of the bar to attend a new customer. She was back within seconds, grabbing bottles. “Alright, so was it an old friend or something?” She starting mixing a drink.

Vinyl chewed her lip and stared at the box in her hooves. Velvet went to deliver her drink, and when she came back she was watching Vinyl with a frown. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not sure.” Vinyl averted her gaze, a chill running down her spine. “What I heard was disturbing. I think there’s somepony out there who might be trying to hurt herself.”

Velvet paused in the middle of replacing bottles and stared at Vinyl with wide eyes. “Seriously? As in suicidal?”

“I dunno, maybe.” Vinyl took a chug of her drink, if only so she could focus on the terrible taste rather than Velvet’s eyes.

Velvet studied her intently. “Shouldn’t you try going to the police?”

“And tell them what? That I heard some voice on my old radio talk about being alone and miserable and wanting to die?” Vinyl shook her head. “There’s no way to tell them where to start looking. Besides…” She wilted and stared into her glass. “I’m not even sure if I’ll ever hear her again.”

“That sounds heavy.” Velvet sat beside her. “So you’re gonna try and find her? Just… talk into the radio and hope she answers?”

“Pretty much.” Vinyl shrugged and forced down another sip of the Staremaster. “Can’t think of anything better, really.”

Velvet tilted her head with a frown. “But couldn’t you just give the frequency to the police? Let them talk to her? Maybe they have a professional they can contact.”

Vinyl shook her head. “I don’t wanna do that. It’s hard to explain, but…” She closed her eyes, recalling how she had sat by the radio for a few hours just wondering if she’d hear the voice again. She could still hear it in her mind, and it gave her chills. “It’s like… I heard her, so I need to be the one to do this.”

“Huh.”

She glanced at Velvet, who was staring at her as if she’d just said the sky was raining chocolate milk. “What?”

“Nothing.” Velvet waved her hooves defensively. “I just never thought of you as the type to do something like this.”

Vinyl sighed and set hear near-empty glass aside. “I know, I feel the same way. I can’t explain it, okay? It’s just that she sounded so desperate for somepony to talk to, and there I was, listening in and couldn’t even let her know I was there.”

Velvet nodded and patted her on the shoulder. “Alright, I get it. You should probably head out and see if that mic works, huh?”

“Yeah…” She slipped off the stool and shifted her pack to a more comfortable position. “I’ll tell ya how it goes, okay?”

“Please do. And Vinyl?”

Vinyl glanced back. Velvet was smiling.

“Good luck.”

Vinyl stared at the radio, now set on her messy kitchen table. It was still on the same frequency as last night. The microphone floated before her, and she eyed it as if it were an alien species. She hadn’t used one of them in so long, but memories were already flooding back.

She wondered if this wasn’t a lost cause. What if the voice never came back? What if she hadn’t heard a voice at all? Maybe she’d just dreamed it up. Yet her memory was too fresh, too vivid for her to give that idea any credit.

She glanced at the clock on the wall, which ran a few minutes behind. It was too much of a hassle to get it down and reset it. She ran a few numbers in her head and deduced that it was probably close to four in the morning.

Closing her eyes with a sigh, Vinyl reached up and held the microphone in her hoof. She’d always preferred using her hooves when it came to the radio, maybe because that was how her father always did it. Reaching forward, she grabbed the radio and plugged the cord in. When her eyes opened she found she’d managed to do so without even looking.

Just like riding a bicycle.

“Okay,” she whispered, holding the microphone up and reaching towards the power switch. “Let’s try this.”

She flicked the switch and static met her ears. No voice rose from the little box. She waited for a while, knowing that she might be doing something crazy. Licking her lips and clearing her throat, she at last pressed the button on the microphone.

“Hello? Is anypony there?”

A long wait. She chewed her lip and kept her eyes locked on the glowing dial. She tried again.

“I’m here. I’m listening. I know you’re out there.”

Another wait. It lingered, filling the apartment with static and terrible quiet. It was the same kind of silence that had been so horrible last night. She closed her eyes and held her breath.

Perhaps this really was a mistake.

Her eyes flashed open as a new sound hit her ears, an interruption in the static.

“H… h-hello?”

Vinyl’s heart slammed into her throat. She leaned over the radio and let the air burst out of her lungs. “Yes, hello! Are you there?”

“Oh… Oh my God. Y-you’re… Am I dreaming?”

A laugh burst from Vinyl’s throat. She was surprised her heart didn’t go flying out in the process. “No, you’re not dreaming. I hear you.”

There was something like a gasp on the other side, and heavy breathing. “You… you’re here. You’re actually…” A new sound arose, something between a laugh and a sob. In either case, it soon became nothing more than weeping.

Vinyl stared at the radio. She felt a need to say something, but in truth she’d not thought beyond this initial step. What was she supposed to do now?

“I-I’m sorry.” The voice, soft but a little high-pitched, hurried back to her ears. “I just… it’s been so long. I never actually thought…”

“Hey, it’s okay.” Vinyl smiled for the radio and sat back in her cushion. “Sounds like you could use a little vent.”

The voice’s tone changed swiftly. “You’re not going to leave, are you? P-please, you’ll stay for a while?”

“Yeah, I can do that.” Vinyl almost struck a confident pose, but stopped herself upon realizing there was nopony to see it. With a blush, she added, “I’m used to staying up all night.”

“N-night? Is it really late?”

“By most ponies’ standards.” Vinyl frowned at the radio. “Aren’t you in Canterlot?”

“Ponies? Canterlot?”

She cocked her head.

The radio spoke up before she could formulate a response. “Who are you?”

“Uh…” Vinyl’s ears lowered as she considered the question. How much should she tell this stranger? “I’m… Vinyl.”

“Vinyl.” A laugh rose from the speaker. “S-sorry, it’s just that you’re the first person I’ve been introduced to in two years. Funny…”

“Umm… okay?” What did she mean, ‘person?’

“Yeah, it’s not really funny.” The radio was silent for a few seconds. “Hello, Vinyl. My name’s… well, you probably couldn’t pronounce the whole thing. Umm… Adi. Adi Longstaff.”

Weird name. Even so, Vinyl smiled and nodded. “Nice to meet ya, Adi Longstaff.”

“Wait.” The radio crackled static for a moment. “How is it you can understand me?”

“What do you mean?”

“The odds of two sentient being from two entirely different worlds sharing the same language… wait, have you visited Earth? Are you, like, interstellar travelers?”

Vinyl gaped at the radio for a few seconds. She scratched behind her ear and tried to wrap her head around what she was hearing. At last she was forced to admit that “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I… I see.” Adi was silent, but Vinyl could just picture her pondering. Somehow she had an image in her head of a lithe pegasus, perhaps with soft colors.

Adi’s voice came back. “Maybe I am dreaming.”

Vinyl chuckled. “Funny, I was thinking the same thing.”

Adi didn’t answer at first. When she did, her voice was subdued. “If you are dreaming, I hope you wake up soon. It’s terrible in here.”

Leaning over the radio, Vinyl asked, “In where?”

“My ship.”

“Ship?”

“Yes, ship. Don’t you have ships where you’re at?”

Vinyl sat back once more, rubbing her chin. “So… you’re out on the ocean somewhere?”

“What? No.” Adi laughed. “I mean in space.”

The laughter continued, but Vinyl didn’t join in. She stared at the radio for some time, eyes narrowed and a frown on her lips. “In space. Like… inky black depths, stars all over? That kind of space?”

Adi’s laughter came to an abrupt stop. “You sound surprised. Aren’t… aren’t you a space-faring race?”

Vinyl groaned and, setting an elbow on the table, rested her cheek against her hoof. “Is this some kind of hoax?”

“What? No! Why would I make up something like this?”

Vinyl glowered. “I dunno. You’re the one claiming to be an alien.”

“I’m not an alien.” A brief pause. “Then again, from your perspective I suppose I am. But I’m not making this up!”

“Uh-huh.” Vinyl sat up and sighed, even as a small fire ignited inside her. “And here you had me all worked up. You know I was legitimately worried last night? All that fretting over some voice on the radio, for this?”

“What are you—” Adi gasped. “No! Vinyl, please! You have to believe me, I’m telling the truth.”

“The truth?” Vinyl scoffed. “You want me to believe that I’m talking to an alien? Seriously? I’ve seen more creative crap on bathroom stalls.”

“P-please, don’t leave me!” Sobs broke through the speakers. “It’s been so long. V-Vinyl, I… I take it back, okay? I’m not really—”

“I know, but it’s too late for that.” She seriously considered turning the radio off then and there. “I can’t believe I let myself get all worked up over some Celestia-be-damned prank.”

“Don’t leave!” More weeping trickled through the radio. Vinyl glared at it, not feeling the least swayed. “P-please… I don’t want to be alone anymore. Just… j-just talk to me.”

Vinyl sneered. “I’m not sure that I want to anymore.”

“B-but I… but you c-can’t do this to me. I can’t take anymore.”

“Watch me.”

“No! Vinyl, you can’t—”

The switch flipped and the radio was silent. Vinyl glared at it for a while, steaming with the understanding that she’d been made a foal. A whole day wasted fretting and worrying, thinking somepony was legitimately in trouble, and it turned out to be a stupid game! Adi was probably some dumb kid hiding in her parents’ basement and trying to see how many stupid ponies she could convince to play along with her twisted fantasy.

To think, Vinyl had actually fallen for it! The kid was a damn good actress.

She dropped the microphone on the table – enjoying the loud whack it made – and stomped for the bathroom. After a disappointment like this, she needed a long, hot shower.

Author's Note

One of the most important things to me in my writing is realism. So, if you start talking to someone out of the blue on a radio and they claim to be an alien, would you believe it? Nope. Of course, we wouldn't have a story if this was the end of it.

Yeah, this chapter's short. Next won't be.

III – Second Chance

Chapter III
Second Chance

Tonight was a quiet one. Well, as quiet as the club could ever be, which wasn’t quiet at all. Weeknights tended to make for smaller crowds. Vinyl didn’t mind; small crowds were easy to please. Sure, she got a thrill out of making a packed club jump on command, but sometimes easy nights were nice.

This time Vinyl was distracted, so that made the small crowd welcome. At the moment she had her headphones set so that only one ear was covered, allowing her to keep track of work while talking to Bouncing. He was looking over the sheet music she’d offered him with a studious frown.

“I dunno, Vinyl.” He flipped a page. “This doesn’t seem like your usual style.”

“That’s not a bad thing,” she told him. “Recall that my usual style didn’t exactly sell big.”

He pouted, but only a little. “Hey, at least you got an album out in the first place. Some of us are still aiming for that milestone.”

She offered a sheepish smile before working the turntable and starting the next song. “You’ll get there, Double B, and it’ll feel good.”

“Yeah, that’s what ponies keep tellin’ me.” He flipped a few more pages. “Where’d you get the idea for this, anyway? It seems a lot more… ‘brooding.’”

“Remember that annoying kid I spoke to on the radio?”

“Yep.”

Vinyl grinned and patted the paper in his hooves. “She might have been annoying, but the idea behind her little deception inspired that.”

“Huh.” He set the sheet music down. “Maybe you should thank her.”

“Oh Goddess, no.” She stuck out her tongue and faked a gag. “She’ll probably try to reel me in with more of her attention-grabbing angst.”

He smirked. “Plus, you don’t wanna give her undue credit.”

Vinyl raised an eyebrow. “You make it sound like I’m stealing from her.”

“Maybe you are.” He punched her lightly on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, your dirty little secret’s safe with me. It’ll only cost you your eternal soul.”

She chuckled and returned the hit. “Right, like I’d give it to you.”

They were silent for a few minutes, both turning their attention to the music and the crowd. Vinyl found herself wondering about Adi for the first time in over a week. The pony was probably pulling her little stunt on somepony else by now. What the hay did she get out of such a twisted little game?

Bouncing elbowed her in the ribs and pointed to the bar. “Friend-Zone Club Member, ten o’clock.”

She shot him a questioning frown then turned her eye on the bar. It didn’t take long to catch his meaning: there, watching the crowd with an uncertain look, sat Flash Sentry.

“There’s a face I didn’t expect to see around here again.” Vinyl studied him, trying to gauge his mood. At least he didn’t look all mopey and miserable like last week, though he definitely didn’t seem to belong in the club.

Bouncing gestured with his head towards Flash. “Maybe he came here looking for you.”

“Doubt it.” Yet even as she turned her attention back to the crowd, Vinyl’s stomach twisted just a little.

Bouncing leaned against her and grinned. “You dodging?”

She barked a laugh. “Dodging what?”

He poked her in the ribs a couple times. “Maybe he’s into ya.”

“Yeah, right.” She slapped his hoof away with a cheeky smile. “Don’t you have something better to do than annoy me?”

“Yeah.” He snatched the headphones off her head. “I can take over and let you go talk to Prince Charming.”

“Give me those!” She reached up, but he levitated them out of her range. “Come on, Double B, I don’t get off for another hour.”

He grinned. “Daylight Savings Time?”

“Not for another month.” She grabbed at the headphones with her magic. “Stop it, the song’s gonna end any second now!”

His magical hold was just a little stronger than hers, but she was able to pull them down some. She stood up and stretched her hoof—

Bouncing bumped her with his hip with just enough force to topple her from the bench. By the time she looked up he was sitting in her spot and had the headphones on. He shot her a wicked grin and started the next song.

Vinyl sulked and mouthed ‘You’re a jerk.’

“Guilty as charged,” he said with a laugh.

Vinyl considered battling him for the position again, but thought better of it; he was bigger, had stronger magic and wasn’t one to give up easily. Plus it wouldn’t look too good for the club’s DJs to fight like foals over a new toy. So, with a resigned sigh and one extra hard punch to his shoulder for good measure, she made her way to the bar.

Velvet waved as she approached. “Calling it early tonight?”

“Double B got grabby with the headphones.”

“Heh.” Velvet looked towards the turntable. “Attention hound.”

“Miss Scratch?”

Vinyl’s smile faded, but only for a moment. She groaned inwardly and turned to Flash. “Well, if it isn’t Bolt Butt. How goes the pining and longing duty?”

“Ouch.” Flash Sentry pressed a hoof to his heart. “Going right for the throat already, huh?”

She smirked. “You’re the one trying to make goo-goo eyes at the Princess of Friendship.”

“I guess…” He sat next to her, face red. “Look, I wanted to apologize for last week. I kinda made a foal out of myself.”

Vinyl rolled her eyes and turned to the bar. “Dude, does this look like a shrink’s office? Ponies get plastered here all the time.”

“That may be,” he replied, a touch of firmness in his tone, “but I’m supposed to be a Royal Guard. I shouldn’t have let it happen, and I imposed on you.”

“So what? Even tightwad guards need to take a break every now and then.” She tapped the bar to get Velvet’s attention. “Luna in the Stars.”

Velvet was already grabbing bottles. “You want the zinfandel?”

“Surprise me.”

Flash raised his hoof. “I’ll buy that one.”

Vinyl let out a groan and shoved his hoof to the counter. “Dude, I work here. That means I get a discount. Save your bits.”

“But I feel like I owe you.” He blushed once more and stared at the countertop. “Y’know, for dragging my intoxicated flank back to the castle.”

“Well, you were pretty heavy for a pegasus,” she noted. “Look, I don’t let stallions buy me drinks.”

Velvet set the dark drink before Vinyl with a grin. “Nope, she only lets mares do that.”

Vinyl rolled her eyes, though the way Flash’s entire face turned red made her smile. “Shut up and put the dust in there already.”

She obliged, letting a small amount of powder fall into the glass. Within seconds the drink began to bubble and produce a pale blue foam, and the liquid underneath shimmered as if it contained thousands of tiny stars.

“Whoa.” Flash leaned down to peer at the glass. “How does it do that?”

“Business secret.” Vinyl took the glass in her magic and dipped her muzzle in the foam, sucking down the beverage. “Ooh, peach zinfandel this time? Weird, but not bad.”

“Wipe your face,” Velvet instructed, dropping a few napkins before her as she walked off to deal with other clients.

As Vinyl did as she was told, she heard Flash quickly set something in front of her. Scowling, she pulled the napkins from her face and looked down. She blinked and reached to lift the record case. It was a very familiar one.

“You…” She turned to find Flash looking anywhere but at her. “Is this yours?”

He blushed and ran a hoof through his mane. “I, uh, didn’t choose this particular club at random. Y’know?”

Vinyl gaped at him, then at the record case. “I sold maybe three hundred of these. Nopony has them.”

“Well, I do.” He was finally able to look directly at her. “Would you mind signing it?”

“Seriously? You want my autograph?”

He resumed his determined study of the counter. “I liked it. What do you want me to say?”

“No, no, it’s just…” Vinyl laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. “Sure, why not? My very first autograph!”

There was an instant of delight on his face that rapidly faded to confusion. “First? Really?”

“Yep.” She leaned over the bar and waved. “Hey, Velvet! Lemme borrow your pen when you get back here!”

“I find it hard to believe that nopony asked for your autograph before,” Flash pressed.

“Believe it, Bolt Butt, ’cause it’s true.” Now she was the one blushing. “So, uh, yeah, save it. Someday I really will be famous and this’ll be worth your weight in bits.” She focused her attention on the case in her hooves. “So… which song did you like the most?”

He rubbed his chin in thought. “I’m not sure… ‘Radical Highway’ is the first on my mind, but ‘Neon Dust’ was pretty solid.”

“‘Neon Dust’ was pretty solid.” She grinned and thought on the music in her head… then shook the memory off. “I’m gonna be trying something new next time. I mean, it’s great that you like what I did, but you’re kinda in the minority.”

Flash’s wings started to open, but he quickly snapped them to his sides. “Next time? You mean you’re making another one?”

“I had some inspiration recently.” She paused and turned to study him. “Come to think of it…”

Flash noted her gaze and fidgeted. “What?”

She rubbed her chin, her mind drifting back to the night he’d shown up. “Y’know, if you hadn’t gotten plastered here, I might never have gained the inspiration.”

Flash busted out laughing. “You mean you were inspired by a drunk, heartbroken soldier you had to drag half across town? Goddess, that’s gonna make for some interesting lyrics!”

She laughed in turn and whacked him on the shoulder. “That’s not what inspired me, ya dork. It was…” She sobered quickly. “It was… loneliness.”

His smile faded and his wings sagged. “Oh.”

Amid the heavy beats and flashing lights, their world became quiet. Neither would look at the other, and Vinyl found herself very interested in her drink. Although she tried to avoid it, her thoughts kept going to Adi. Even if she didn’t believe the story offered… how must that pony feel? Was she looking for attention because she was needy?

What if there was something else involved?

She was abruptly reminded of her father and his stories. He’d had a very powerful way of speaking, a way of making his audience vividly recall what he had to say. When he’d finally explained why he had that radio in the first place… well, she’d grown a lot closer to the old stallion afterwards.

Could it be that Adi was reaching for the same thing?

And she’d slammed the door in the pony’s face.

“Here ya go.”

Vinyl blinked and looked up to find Velvet standing over her and a pen being proffered. “You okay, Vinyl?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She snatched the pen with a grin and flipped the record case so the album name was facing up.

To Flash Sentry. Thanks for reminding me of the important stuff.

Vinyl Scratch

“I didn’t think you’d actually remembered my name,” he said as he watched her write. He accepted the case. “Thanks, you are officially awesome!”

She pointed at him with the pen. “It took all my willpower not to address it to ‘Bolt Butt,’ so consider yourself lucky.” She stared at the record case in his hooves and smirked. “Dang, but that’s a missed opportunity.”

“I’ll be a diamond dog,” Velvet chuckled as she took her pen back, “Vinyl’s got a fan. How long before you’re joining the mile high club and surrounding yourself with cute colts?”

Vinyl grinned and elbowed Flash, making him blush profusely. “Give it time.”

Flash leaned back, his eyes darting about wildly and a silly smile on his face. “C’mon, I’m not that desperate.” His eyes went wide when the mares exploded with laughter. “I m-mean, I’m not saying I’d have to be to, y’know… I’m just not interested in—that’s not what I meant!”

Face burning, he pressed his forehead to the counter amid their ongoing mirth. “I’m gonna shut up now.”

“Wow, kid.” Vinyl slapped him on the back. “If this is how you did talking to the princess, it’s no wonder you were in self-destruct mode the other night!”

He shrugged her off with a scowl. “Kid? I’m probably older than you.”

“And now he’s inquiring about your age,” Velvet cackled. “We’ve got a winner here!”

His eyes went wide once more. “No! That’s not what I—”

“At ease, soldier.” Vinyl shoved him playfully and grabbed her drink. “Do I look like the kind of mare to get worked up over you being an idiot?” Just to prove her point, she made a big show of drinking the entirety of her Luna in the Stars in one long chug. She slammed the glass down and sucked down air before wiping the foam off her lips.

“Whoa, that stuff really goes down hard.” She raised her leg towards Velvet. “Gimme another!”

“Looks like somepony’s in the mood tonight,” Velvet replied with a grin, taking the glass.

Vinyl grabbed Flash and shook him. “My first fan! You’re dang right I’m in the mood. Fill me up.”

Flash tried to pry her off, with little success. “Aren’t you still on the clock?”

“Look at you, being all ‘by the book.’” Vinyl replied. “Don’t sweat it, kid. Drink up and have some fun.”

“Would you stop calling me ‘kid?’”

“Come on, kid.” Velvet set another glass before Vinyl, who snatched it up with a gleeful cry. “Would you rather she keep calling you ‘Bolt Butt?’”

He cringed with a weak smile. “Well, when you put it that way…”

“Hey!” Vinyl grabbed for the record case. “Lemme see that pen again. I totally have to write ‘Bolt Butt’ on there somewhere.”

“I hope you’re happy.”

“I am!” The buildings wouldn’t stop moving around, and Vinyl’s confident attempt to take a step back from Flash resulted in her plowing right into his side. “I'm very happy, shank you very mush.”

“You do realize I head back to the Crystal Empire tomorrow, right?” He wrapped a leg around her shoulder, preventing her from a second attempt. “I’m going to be a zompony. Do you know how hard it is being a guard while also being a zompony?”

“Hey, ash looong ash ya don’t try ta eat the prinshesses...es brainsh, who caresh?” Vinyl gave up trying to make her hooves obey and let herself stumble along. “Zomponiesh are cool.”

“Whatever you say, Vinyl.” He grunted and pushed against her weight as they stumbled along. He pulled out a slip of paper. “Cardinal Street, huh? This way, then.”

“Oh, look.” Vinyl tried to study him; she realized she was staring at his mane. She flicked it with a hoof and giggled. “Yer a zompony, right? Yer a… a zompony fan! My firsht zompony fan. Two firtsh in one night.” She thrust a hoof skyward and nearly fell on her face. “Thish night is so awshhome!”

Flash tried to help her stand, but her legs were proving extremely stubborn and the street had apparently decided that it wanted to try moving like the ocean. She laughed at the silliness of it. “Oops,” she muttered as she fell to her haunches on his tail, “shtupid shtreet. Yer shupposhed ta stay shtill.”

“Alright,” Flash grumbled, tucking the paper away, “that’s enough of this. Come on, let’s go.” His wings flared and he caught her up by the forelegs. He flew just high enough to keep her hind legs from dragging along the ground.

“What ya doin, Bolt Butt?” She chuckled. “‘Bolt Butt.’ That’sh great!”

“Yeah, real original.”

Her eyes rose and she was rewarded with a menagerie of blurs floating past. “Woo, whatta trip! Ya ever try flyin’ drunk, Bolt Butt?”

Flash grumbled. “I’m going to regret this in about five minutes.”

“Lighten up.” She kicked her hind legs playfully. “Have shome fun. Higher!”

”I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Higher!” She squirmed, her hooves just grazing the ground as he wobbled. Her voice took on a whining quality. “Higher, higher, higher!”

“Would you stop that?” He rose a little and shifted his hold on her wrists. “You want me to drop you?”

“Faceplant, splat!” She giggled and relaxed. “We need ta make a shport outta thish. We’d be million… milli… mutli… rish. We’d be rish.”

“It already exists,” he replied with a sigh. “It’s called windsurfing.”

“What? Shief! Shomepony stole our shport!” She began kicking again. “Find ’em, lock ’em up! Thash our patent, dammit.”

“They’ve been doing it since the Great Winter, Vinyl.”

“A-ha! Time travelersh, too. Dash illegal, innit?” She peered up at him. “Ain’t ya a cop? Shouldn’t ya be huntin’ dem down?”

“I’m a Royal Guard, Vinyl. There’s a difference.”

“Cop, guard, ya both sherve the pubic intresht, right? A crime’sh been comm… commi… shomepony don bad!”

“Is this your street?”

She blinked and looked forward. The swirling blurs did look vaguely familiar. “Shink sho.”

He slowed and set her down gently. She promptly fell on her stomach. “Hello, ground. Meet mah mighty faesh!”

“Alright, let’s see.” Flash pulled out the note. “Fourth apartment, Room 247.” He tucked away the note and started to help Vinyl off the ground, which wasn’t easy considering she was busy trying to hear the hoof-falls of buffalo in the stones. He got her halfway up when she noticed, curiously, that something was rising up in her stomach.

“Aaaand there it is,” Flash said, stepping back as she threw up on the sidewalk. “Knew I’d be regretting it.”

The world stopped moving for a moment and Vinyl managed to sit up properly. “Well, that wash pleashant.”

“Indeed.” He pushed her along, gingerly sidestepping the mess. “You think you got anymore of that in you?”

“Dunno,” she replied hopefully. “Take me for another shpin and lesh find out.”

“Maybe next time.” He pulled her to a stop and made her turn. “This the place?”

She looked up at the building, craning her neck back far more than was necessary and stumbling backwards a couple steps. “Yep, thish ish it.” The apartments seemed to stretch towards the stars.

The stars.

She couldn’t stop looking at them. Even as they began to shift and swim about in her vision, she stared.

“Come on, then. You’re almost home.”

“But ish Adi?”

“Sure, whatever.” He dragged her up the steps and through the front door. She turned her head back for the exit but couldn’t resist his pull. “Whoo boy, stairs. This’ll be interesting.”

Vinyl said nothing, letting him drag her wobbling form up to the second floor. A desperate voice wafted through her mind, a voice she’d not heard in over a week. Then her father’s stories came to her, and his sturdy voice blended with that of Adi’s to make a strange cacophony. She could see herself sitting in her kitchen, her father staring at her from over the radio with… shame? Frustration? Anger? She couldn’t tell.

“I’m shorry…”

Flash paused, leaning against the wall to catch his breath with her leg over his shoulder. “What was that?”

“Ah shoulda kept t-talkin.’”

“Nah, you don’t have to.”

“Yesh ah do.” She reached for her doorknob, but it retreated from her. Apparently it was farther down the hall than she'd thought. She tried to pull away from Flash, but he held her tight. “Lemme go. Gotta… gotta talk.”

“No more talking.” He stood and helped her forward. “We can talk later.”

Vinyl let her leg fall and focused on moving. It wasn’t easy, considering the hallway was twisting around like she was in some giant, wet noodle. She wanted to get to her radio. She needed to get to her radio.

It seemed to take forever, but they at last reached her door. She fumbled in her pack, her hooves clumsily digging through them. “D-damn it, hoovesh, shtop playin’.” A terrible tightness rose in her chest.

“Here, let me.” Flash grabbed the pack from her feeble hooves and started searching.

Vinyl leaned sideways in an effort to straighten the world out. Her eyes locked on the spinning numbers of her door. “Adi... I’m comin.’ Shorry, dad. I’m sho shorry…”

“Vinyl?”

She looked to Flash, an act that sent her reeling. He reached for her but was too slow; she fell against the wall and slipped to the floor, her sunglasses clattering on the wood. She was too busy crying to care.

“It’s okay.” He finally managed to pull out the keys. “H-hey, calm down. Look, we’re home.” He unlocked the door and pushed it open before helping her up. Well, not really; her hind legs refused to work and she quietly sobbed, so he ended up carrying her inside.

“Wow,” he said, “and mom said my place is a mess.”

Vinyl just kept crying. “Daddy didn’ die. That meansh Adi’sh alive. Thash right, right? Ish not my fault…”

“Of course it’s not.” Flash pulled her through the kitchen.

Her eyes locked on the radio. She reached for it, couldn’t quite make it. Flash carried her past.

“Let’s see, bedroom, bedroom…”

“Wanna talk,” she whispered, weariness coming over her. “Lemme talk.”

“Maybe later. A-ha!” Flash brought her into her room and dropped her onto the bed. “There. You just sit nice and tight. We can talk later.”

She tried to stand, but her legs collapsed from under her. A sob broke out of her throat. “B-but… Adi… she needsh me.”

“I’m sure Adi can wait.” Flash turned and made for the door. “G’night, Vinyl. Thanks for the autograph.”

“What?” Her eyes followed him. “Yer leavin?’”

“Uh, yeah. I’ve got work tomorrow.”

“Don’t go.” She once again tried to push herself up.

“I can’t foalsit you while you get sober,” he replied, pausing at the door. “I’m sorry, but—”

“I wanna have toast!”

He stared at her for a while, then raised an eyebrow. “Toast. Vinyl, do you have any idea how drunk you are?”

“Nopony ever hash toast with me.” She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling, tears falling unnoticed down her cheeks. “I wanna hear shompony talk ta me. No more shilensh. Talk ta me. I needsh ta be talked at.”

He was silent for some time. Vinyl began to drift, and the voices came into her head anew. Her father’s, Adi’s, Flash’s, Velvet’s. The music of the club throbbed in her head and their voices washed around in tune to the beat. Yet it was just noise, a hopeless conglomeration of nonsense that started to sound like static. Her head felt… ‘thick,’ like it was stuffed full of cotton. So many voices, all demanding her attention, all asking her why.

“M-make it shtop…”

Flash stood by the bed, his hoof on her shoulder.

“Next time I’m in town, you and I will have a nice, long talk. How does that sound?”

She looked up at him. The room was spinning, but he was perfectly still in her vision. The static came to an abrupt end and world started to fade.

“I… would like that.”

She drifted into unconsciousness.

The first thing Vinyl noticed was the pounding migraine. She languished in bed, trying desperately not to think or move lest she incur the wrath of her hangover. She’d been told of many things that could stop this ancient enemy of Ponykind, but in Vinyl’s experience none of them worked, so the best solution was to tough it out and try not to antagonize it.

Eventually, the rumbling of her stomach outweighed her fear of the hammers in her head and she dragged herself out of bed. She poured herself some cereal and made sure to grab some painkillers to go with her orange juice. Chewing very slowly, she tried to recall the events of the night before. She’d gotten smashed after Flash Sentry showed up, but somewhere after that things were a blur. She was reasonably certain he had dragged her intoxicated flank home. Seeing as he wasn’t around, he’d probably left right afterwards. Ponies claimed she was a hilarious drunk, but she also vaguely recalled Flash saying something about having to work.

What else had happened last night?

Vinyl closed her eyes and tried to think. A particularly nasty sting hit her and she promptly aborted the practice. She pressed a hoof to her forehead and focused on relaxing.

When she opened her eyes, the radio filled her vision.

One thought came to mind: she needed to talk to Adi. The desire was so strong that she already had the microphone in her hooves. She paused and, bracing herself, tried to remember why she had to do this. What had spurred the thought? Closing her eyes once more, she focused on recalling as much as possible about the night before. Flash at the bar, him wanting an autograph, her getting smashed in celebration, some fuzzy nothingness…

Stars.

She remembered looking at stars. And then she remembered thinking about her father, though the context was unclear.

She didn’t need to know the context. Remembering her father was enough.

Pushing her half-empty bowl aside, she used her magic to pull the radio closer. A glance at the clock revealed it was a little past noon. What if Adi wasn’t on at all? Well, there was no way to know except to try, right? The power switch flipped and static hit her ears.

“Adi?” She waited. No response. “It’s me, Vinyl. I’m here if you want to talk.”

The static pierced her brain, agitating her migraine. She rested her forehead against a hoof once more and listened intently.

“Adi, this is Vinyl. Come on, let me hear from ya.”

Nothing. Vinyl tensed and realized she was holding her breath.

“Adi, please. Talk to me. I promise I won’t hang up again.”

Seconds ticked by. Vinyl started tapping her hoof on the table. She glanced at the clock.

“Vinyl?”

“I’m here!” Vinyl leaned over the radio with a grin, then winced and fell back as her head throbbed. “Ugh, yeah, I’m here.”

“Are… are you really?”

She rubbed her forehead with a scowl. “I am, really.”

Silence filled the room. Vinyl watched the radio, ears low. “Adi, you there?”

“Y-yes, I’m here. I just… I thought I’d imagined you.”

“Pretty sure I’m real,” she grumbled. “This hangover’s way too painful for me not to be.”

Nervous, brief laughter floated to her ears, followed by another prolonged silence.

“Vinyl… I… I take it back, okay? I’m not really—”

“Hold it right there.” Vinyl leaned against the table and thought on her words. “Let me tell you something before we even start, okay?”

“Um… okay.”

How to say this? If she was dealing with what she suspected, then it wouldn’t do to scare the pony off. She stared at the radio for several seconds, pouring over potential approaches.

At last, she raised the microphone to her lips. “I don’t believe your story. Frankly, I think you’re living in somepony’s basement or attic and trying to get some attention.”

She waited for a response, but Adi remained silent.

With a sigh, she continued, “I do believe that you’re in some kind of trouble, though I don’t know what kind. If this is what I think it is… then fine. I’ll play along. I’ll talk to you, Adi, and you can tell me all about this little story you’ve cooked up.”

A strange sound broke through the speaker. It took a moment for Vinyl to realize that Adi was crying.

“You can keep up this act, Adi.” Vinyl paused to make sure she was getting through. “In return, you have to promise that, when you’re ready, you’ll tell me what’s really going on.”

“Vinyl… I…”

“You’ve got to promise, Adi.”

Seconds passed. Vinyl rubbed her temple and wondered if this wasn’t all a waste of time. She didn’t even know what she was doing or how she would help.

She only knew that she had to try.

“Alright, Vinyl. I promise.”

Vinyl’s shoulders slumped and she released a long breath. “Good. Thanks, Adi.”

“B-but can I ask a question?”

“Sure.” She pulled her cereal bowl back towards her.

“Why did you come back?”

The spoon paused before Vinyl’s lips. She stared at the radio, trying to think of a proper answer. She could almost hear her father’s voice ringing through the speaker.

“I… I don’t know. It’s personal.”

“I didn’t mean to intrude—”

Vinyl shook her head, then cringed at the hammerblow the act produced. “No, it’s okay. Let’s not focus on why I’m here, eh? I just want to help.”

“Oh.” Adi’s voice was hesitant. “Thank you, Vinyl. I… I really appreciate this. You have no idea what it means to me.”

“I might,” she replied with a smile. “Now let’s stop being all mushy. You’re out in space, right?”

“I thought you didn’t believe that?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m playing along, remember?”

“Oh, right.” Adi laughed, though it was a weak sound. “Yes, I’m in space.”

Vinyl settled down in her seat, relaxing as best she could. “Well then, let’s see how deep your story is.

“Tell me about it.”

Author's Note

This was supposed to be out this past Friday, but I had to postpone due to a family visit (which got canceled at the last minute :facehoof: ). Oh well, better late than never. In related news, Frequency is now updating to a schedule. The goal is to update the story once every 9 days - which, in case you're wondering, is actually faster than both my other ongoing stories by a rate of 5 days. Since I refuse to let the delay push this story back any further, I intend to release Chapter 4 by the 21st.

Let it be known that I do not drink and have never been drunk, so I'm looking for opinions on how I handled drunken Vinyl. Which was a ton of fun to write, by the way.

My editors griped about it a bit, so let me just add this little disclaimer: yes, eventually the story of Vinyl's father will be revealed. I haven't yet decided on when in the story that will happen, but it's definitely going to.

IV – Scheme

Chapter IV
Scheme

“One thing keeps bugging me about this story,” Vinyl said as she pulled closed another trash bag.

Adi’s voice crackled over the radio. “Oh?”

She set the bag down next to a pile of similarly engorged ones. “You say you’ve got all this cool stuff: magnetic trains, 3D movies, supercomputers that fit in your pocket, even space flight… but there’s no magic.”

“You say that as if it’s unusual.”

“C’mon, Adi.” Vinyl began clearing the last corner of the kitchen of debris, grimacing at the stains on the floor. “You really want me to think technology’s ever going to get that far?”

“I know it may seem like science fiction to you,” Adi admitted, “but I assure you, everything I’m saying exists within the bounds of reality. Technology can make it happen.”

“Bull.” Vinyl opened her fridge and began dumping its contents into the bag, occasionally pausing to sniff at some leftovers which invariably made her wrinkle her muzzle in disgust. “Sweet Celestia, why did I ever let this place get so bad?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Oh, sorry.” Vinyl stepped back and used her magic to remove a particularly moldy… something. Was it just her or did it actually move? She covered her muzzle as the thing fell unceremoniously into the waiting bag. “Just bemoaning the state of my kitchen.”

“You mean you’re still cleaning? It’s been over an hour!”

Vinyl blushed with a lopsided grin and hurriedly closed the bag. “I’m, uh, almost done with the trash.”

“Just the trash?”

With a small laugh, Vinyl cast one last look through the fridge. “I may have gotten lazy in the past few… er… years.”

The radio was silent save for the continuous static.

“Adi?”

“Sorry,” she replied, “I’m just trying to think of what your kitchen must look like. Excuse me while I shudder.”

Dropping onto the cushion by the table, Vinyl let out a low moan. “And I’ve still got to scrub the cabinets and floors, dust, sweep, mop, wipe down the fridge – that’s gonna be fun – and probably replace some of the furniture.” She paused to think on it, then groaned. “Then I’ve got the rest of my apartment to deal with.”

A sigh rose from the speaker. “Vinyl, why’d you ever let it get so bad in the first place?”

She considered the question, slowly rising to a proper sitting position. “Because I’m never here. I was always at work, or going to some concert or… or something. And when I am here, I’m alone.” She bowed her head. “I hate being alone…”

“What was that?”

Her head jerked up. “Nothing, nothing! It’s just that, if nopony’s going to be here, why bother cleaning up? But I’ve been here most of the time over the past week.”

“So now you’re constantly looking at it, right?”

Vinyl nodded with a grimace. “I just couldn’t take it anymore. If I’m gonna stay here and chat with ya, I might as well do it while cleaning up.”

“Well.” Adi took on an indignant tone. “Had I known I was being such an inconvenience, I’d have minded my own business.”

“Oh, you’re totally inconvenient,” Vinyl countered with a grin. She struck an elaborate pose, one hoof raised high above her head in imitation of some haughty statue she’d once seen in Canterlot’s upper levels. “There I was, minding my own business and enjoying the funk, and suddenly I find myself talking to some disembodied voice and getting ready to scrub mold from my refrigerator. Thanks a lot.”

“I thought you said you enjoyed the funk.”

Vinyl snorted down a laugh. “One can only take so much funk, no matter how enjoyable.”

“Truer words were never spoken.” Adi giggled, the sound coming out odd through a rise in the static. “Speaking of questionable art forms, how’s that new album coming?”

“‘Questionable art forms?’” Vinyl leaned her elbow on the table and raised an eyebrow. “Are you saying my music is bad?”

“Yes.”

She attained a deadpan frown. “Way to sugarcoat it, Adi.”

Another laugh rose over the static. “I’m just kidding, Vinyl. Your style isn’t my cup of tea, but it’s far better than the crap I’ve had to listen to over and over again for the past two years.”

Vinyl sat up and pointed at the speaker. “A-ha, got ya!”

“Oh boy.”

“If you were really out in the cold vacuum of space,” she said with confidence, “how is it that you have any power to listen to things like a walkcolt... or 'walkman,' as you call it? It’s not like there’s a store on the next moon to buy batteries, right?”

“Actually,” Adi replied, “the brainiacs on Earth figured out how to make electricity using the solar winds.”

Vinyl stared at the radio. “Solar winds? What the hay is that?”

There was a pause, and when Adi spoke she had a certain sheepishness in her tone. “I don’t know the science behind it, to be honest. I mean, I read about it, but forgot 'cause I'm just the girl holding the screwdriver. They hired me to build the thing, not understand its inner workings. All I know is that I wind the crank and a boom with some big solar doohickey stretches out and makes more power.”

It wasn’t an easy image for Vinyl to grasp. “Where do you come up with this stuff?”

“I didn’t,” Adi replied. “Some genius at NASA did.”

Vinyl slumped. “Right, the space business.”

Adi’s took on a lecturing tone. “You can keep trying, but you’ll never find a flaw in my story.”

“No?”

“No.”

Vinyl peered at the radio. “Then why are you in that ship in the first place?”

Silence.

After some time, Vinyl sat up and crossed her forelegs. “Shouldn’t take that long to think up an origin story. Didn’t you have it planned out like everything else?”

“It hurts, okay?”

Vinyl blinked. “What do ya mean, ‘it hurts?’”

“I can’t go home, Vinyl.” Adi’s voice cracked. “Even… Even if I could, they’re all dead. There’s nothing to go home to.”

Ears perked, Vinyl leaned over the radio.

“I don’t know everything.” Adi took a long, deep breath. “Some said it was terrorists, others that it was an accident. Who knows? All I know is that there was a virus and they couldn’t contain it.”

Adi grew quiet. Vinyl lifted the radio and stared at it, waiting with bated breath. She fidgeted, then shifted, finally spoke. “Adi?”

The radio crackled back to life. “S-sorry. I was just… I’ve got this wicker doll. Mom bought it during one of her aid trips in Africa. Gave it to me when I was three. She said it was meant to hold my guardian spirit. It… it represents Olapa.”

Vinyl chewed her lip and held the radio close. “Who’s Olapa?”

A sniff rose from the speaker.

“I’m not sure. I think she was supposed to be a moon goddess.”

“I… I see.”

Another long, heart-wrenching pause.

“I still remember the day Chicago went dark.”

“Chicago?”

Another sniff.

“Home.”

“Oh.” Vinyl tilted her head, thinking on the name. Her ears folded as she rolled her eyes; there went the mood. “Coltcago.”

“What?”

“Coltcago.” Vinyl set the radio down and shrugged. “If you’re going to make up names, at least try not to make them up after major cities.”

Adi’s pitch grew with her volume. “When the hell are you going to figure out that I’m not making this stuff up?”

Vinyl glowered. “When are you going to tell me what’s really going on?”

“I’ve already told you!” Her shout pierced Vinyl’s ears, prompting her to turn down the volume. “You know what? Forget it. I don’t feel like talking anymore.”

“Adi!” Vinyl slammed a hoof onto the table. “Come on, this is getting ridiculous. I’ve been entertaining you for a week now. You promised to tell me what’s going on!”

“What do you want me to say?” Adi snapped back. “How do I prove something like this? I’m stuck here, Vinyl.”

Vinyl threw up her hooves. “Stuck where?”

“In Hell, okay? Or the next best thing.” Adi paused, her deep breaths coming through the speaker despite the lowered volume. “I… I can’t do this right now. I need to go to bed, anyway.”

“You can’t dodge this forever,” Vinyl snarled.

Static.

“Adi?” She glanced from the speaker to her microphone. “Adi. You there?”

Nothing.

Vinyl slammed the microphone to the table and turned away, hooves crossed as she huffed. That pony was as stubborn as a mule, if not more so.

She eyed the clock and reminded herself once again that she needed to fix it. A moment’s calculation told her it was mid-afternoon. Being off tonight, she pondered the rest of her day. The kitchen still needed a lot of work before it could qualify as ‘clean,’ but she wasn’t in the mood for the effort.

The radio’s static finally caught her attention; she promptly turned it off.

Just like that, the apartment grew quiet. The silence thickened the air and pressed against her eardrums. Vinyl observed it, absorbed it, thought about it. Her eyes went to the radio, then to the empty spot at the table. The silence lingered.

She threw back her head. “Dammit, it’s too quiet!”

Grumbling, she jerked to her hooves and stomped for her bedroom. Her pack sat at the foot of her bed. She grabbed it and fished around inside. A few seconds of frustrated searching produced a small set of headphones and a walkcolt. Flopping onto the bed, she put on the headphones and hit the shuffle button.

Synthesized beats filled her head. Vinyl focused on the music and let her mind wander.

Minutes passed. The song ended, a new one started. Vinyl rolled over and stared at the ceiling. She watched the shadows creep. Her lips pursed and she redoubled her attempts to focus only on the music.

Another song started.

“Oh, come on…”

Vinyl sat up and pulled the headphones off her head, letting them drop to the floor. She kept that way for a while, forelegs wrapped about her knees as she stared at the foot of the bed. Her eyes shifted towards the window, the sunlight still streaming through the blinds.

With a groan, she climbed out of bed and trudged back to the kitchen. She flicked on the radio and grabbed the microphone in both hooves.

“Adi? Adi, you there?”

Static met her ears. She waited a few seconds.

“Come on, Adi, I’m sorry. Talk to me.”

She tilted her head and perked her ear. Time passed.

With a deep sigh, she leaned over the table, a hoof pressed to her cheek. “Adi, please. I’m really sorry, okay? Let me hear your voice.”

Vinyl gazed at the radio, a sinking feeling in her gut. Slowly, she let her head drop to the table.

“Talk to me… please. I don’t like being alone.”

Nothing but static.

She was two months early for her annual visit. Vinyl figured he wouldn’t mind.

A light breeze ruffled her mane. Autumn would be here soon. As she walked along the dirt path, she eyed the green leaves all around her and wondered how long it would be before they started turning red. She always came here at the wrong time, after the trees were bare.

Maybe if she came more often… Ah, but she lectured herself about that kind of thing every year, didn’t she?

She didn’t have to look up to know when to turn off the path. Her hooves touched soft grass as she slipped under the familiar willow tree with the ugly knot in the trunk. She reached up to rub her hoof absentmindedly on the rough spot, as she always did. Soon she’d passed from beneath the low limbs, the limp leaves brushing against her head and parting like a curtain.

Vinyl walked by the many stones with their myriad letters. The familiar names slipped through her mind, the memories stored in her head. She used to come here once a month. Maybe she should start doing that again.

No. Down that path lay misery.

She found the stone, set amongst its peers just like any other. To most ponies it was just another name, a faceless member of the Six Feet Under club.

To her, this stone was a grey face, a purple mane and an exasperated smile. It was bright orange eyes and a crescent wrench cutie mark. It was a warm body in a cold world, with a soothing voice for a lost filly.

Here lies Bright Weld, Beloved Father and Brother.

“Hey, Dad.”

Vinyl’s horn lit up, lifting a foam container off her back. She sat and let the container drop to the grass. “I brought take out this time. Yeah, I know, ‘I didn’t teach you to cook to order mystery meat and a plate full of grease.’” She chuckled, but it was a weak sound. “My kitchen’s not exactly up to some home cooking right now.”

The box opened and she lifted an egg roll from it. “I know you never cared for Quinese, but I think you’ll live. So to speak.” She lay in the grass before the stone and nibbled on her food. “It’s not that bad, really. Not my favorite place, but it works.”

She took a moment to eat and listen to the sounds all around her; the birds in the trees, the wind in the leaves. She felt so… heavy.

“I know, I’m early.” The tip of her hoof ran circles in the grass. “I just… wanted to see ya, okay?”

A few more bites.

“No, nothing’s wrong.”

Her gaze lingered on the tombstone. Her lips gradually dropped to a frown.

“Okay… there is something.” She looked out over the cemetery, her eyes passing over the myriad stones. “This is a nice place. I’m glad we were able to afford it. Maybe if I ever hit the big time I’ll be able to afford a spot right by you.” Another bite. “That’s… a long shot.”

Her eyes fell to the grassy area to the side of the tombstone; still open, just waiting for somepony to fill it up with another rock. She hoped it would be hers.

“Don’t look at me that way,” she grumbled, picking out another egg roll. “It’s nothing like that. I didn’t get that much from my mother.”

She rolled onto her back. The sky was a bright orange. The stars had yet to come out. “I’ve been thinking about things lately. Scary things.” She sighed and let the egg roll drop into her mouth. It poked up loosely from between her lips while she chewed. Just as it was about to fall, she caught it up in her magic again.

“I guess everypony has these fears once in a while, right?” She craned her neck so she could look at the tombstone upside down. “How about you? You ever think about how you might die alone?”

A blade of grass tickled the top of her muzzle. After a while she relaxed, taking another bite of egg roll and staring at the sky. “It’s been on my mind a lot lately. I met somepony.”

She couldn’t help smirking. “Shut up, it’s not like that.” With a chuckle, she added, “You wish, ya old dog.”

Another bite as she sobered. Her hooves rested on her barrel.

Her egg roll dropped to the grass.

“Dad… do you remember that night in the attic? You told me the story of why you had that radio in the first place.” Her lip trembled and she closed her eyes. “I remember the story. It stuck with me. We never spoke about it again, but I thought about it a lot. At first it scared me, then it was just an idle curiosity.”

She looked to the tombstone again. “I think I’ve met someone in a similar situation. She won’t tell me the truth, Dad. The way she talks to me… it’s like your story. Like you, she just wants somepony to talk to her, somepony to make her feel like she’s not alone.”

Her gaze returned to the darkening sky. “You… you said you were pushed to the brink. I think she’s there, Dad. I’m trying to help her, but she won’t let me.”

Vinyl rolled back to her belly and gazed intently at the name on the stone. “Somepony spoke to you. Somepony helped you. Tell me what she said that made it all better.”

Time passed in silence. A breeze rustled her mane.

Her chin rested on the grass. “I want to help her, Dad. Tell me how. Tell me what I have to say. Please, let me save her like that somepony saved you.”

Time went on. The world grew ever darker. Vinyl waited, her ears low as she tried to hear a voice she knew would never come. After a while, she turned onto her back once again. The stars were finally coming out. They made her smile.

“You always liked the stars.” She set her hooves behind her head. “That’s why you wanted to be out here, right?”

She turned her head to the side, where the Lonely Mountain rose tall over her. The spires of Canterlot Castle created a ghostly image against the twilight. If she focused hard enough and used her imagination, she figured she could see the faint glimmer of a pair of horns. Her gaze turned back to the sky, and she could just see the moon as it peered through the trees.

“Heh.” Vinyl smirked and shook her head. “It’s crazy. Adi claims she’s up there, among the stars. It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?” She watched the astral light show, her vision bouncing from constellation to constellation. “Princess Luna really knows her stuff, doesn’t she? I bet she could prove Adi’s not up there.”

An owl hooted. Another wind passed, brushing Vinyl’s mane into her eyes. She made no attempt to fix it. She just lay there, taking in the cool evening and thinking about her father and the stars and Adi and—

Vinyl sat up with a jerk, her eyes going wide. A lone idea was locked in her brain, and she slowly turned to stare at the distant castle.

“She… she really could, couldn’t she?”

She pondered, swishing the idea around in her skull to grasp its flavor. Was it really that crazy?

Vinyl climbed to her hooves and pushed the foam container towards the stone. “Good talk, you can have the rest. Thanks, Dad!”

A grin set on her lips, she made for the cemetery gates at full gallop.

Adi’s voice broke through the static. “You there?”

Vinyl was sitting at the table, tossing the microphone in the air. She caught it with a flourish. “Yep, I’m here.”

“Oh, good.” A sigh rose through the speaker. “Hey. I’m, uh, sorry about yesterday. I guess I lost my head.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Vinyl grinned and moved her hoof in a line through the air. “We’re cool, baby. I’m smoooooth.”

It took a moment for Adi to respond. “Well, you sound chipper.”

“Oh, I am.” She relaxed on her cushion and crossed her legs behind her head. “Cooler than a cucumber. Happier than a clown. Got more sunshine in my smile than Celestia. So on and so forth.”

A relieved laugh hit her ears. “That’s good to know,” Adi said. “So what’s got you in such a good mood?”

Vinyl’s grin became a smirk. “I’ve got ya.”

“Got me?”

“Yep.” She leaned against the table, eyeing the radio. “I’ve figured out a way to prove your story’s fake.”

Adi sighed. “Great. What is it this time? Some perceived flaw in my ‘scheme?’”

“Nope.” Vinyl tossed the microphone a couple times, expending energy. She decided to keep playing Adi’s game… for now. “You know Luna, right?”

“Luna?” Static filled the room as Adi went silent for a few seconds. “Didn’t you say she was a queen or something?”

Vinyl rolled her eyes; she just couldn’t get the mare to slip up. “She’s a princess, actually. Co-ruler of Equestria, rules the night?”

“Oh, that’s right.” Adi laughed. “And you say my story is ridiculous. How could a person control the moon and stars? That’s some potent stuff there. I want some.”

Vinyl shrugged. “Actually, she just controls the moon. Common mistake.”

“Right.” Adi’s voice was confident. “Also, why would a princess rule a nation? That doesn’t make any sense.”

Pointing at the radio, Vinyl replied, “For your sake, I’m going to assume that wasn’t a mistake. They call themselves ‘princess’ because they don’t want to give the impression of dictators. Most ‘Queens’ and ‘Empresses’ have left a pretty bad impression throughout history.”

“Does that really work?” Adi asked, curiosity laced in her tone.

“Can’t say.” Vinyl shrugged. “Celestia’s loved by everypony. Luna’s… getting better.”

“Getting better?”

“It’s a long story.” One she obviously already knew. “Anyway, Princess Luna is why I’m so smug right now.”

“Oh?”

“Yep.” Another toss of the microphone. “Princess Luna might not have made the stars, or control them, but she’s the biggest expert you can find on astronomy. I’m betting she can tell me if your story is true or not, and probably pinpoint where you are.”

Adi was quiet for a while.

“Do you… really think she could do that?”

“Well, I don’t know for certain,” Vinyl admitted with a chuckle, “but if anypony can, it’s her. Which means she’ll finally expose your little story as a fake.”

The radio was quiet, the ever present static filling the room. Vinyl’s smile slowly faded as she stared at the speaker. “Adi?”

“H-how long?”

She cocked her head. “What?”

“How long, Vinyl? B-before… before she tries?”

“Oh.” Vinyl blushed and rubbed the back of her head. “I… don’t know for sure. I went last night to figure out how to make an appointment with the Night Court. You know how bureaucracies are. I won’t be able to set hoof in the court for another three weeks.”

Adi’s voice was weak. “I see.”

“But when I do, I’m going to ask her if she can locate you.” Vinyl regained her bravado, ears perking as she pointed once more at the radio. “So if you wanna come clean, you’ve got three weeks. Like I said, I’ve got ya this time!”

“I hope you do, Vinyl. I really do.”

Vinyl waited, eyes set on the radio. Her ears folded again as she thought about how Adi had just sounded. “You know I’m trying to help you, right?”

Adi’s response came quickly. “Of course I do.”

“Then why won’t you let me?” Vinyl leaned against the table, eyes set to the speaker. “Come on, Adi. You wouldn’t have to wait three weeks if you just told the truth now.”

“It’s no use.” Adi sighed. “You won’t believe the truth, Vinyl. My story isn’t going to change, no matter what.”

“But why?”

Another long pause. “If this… ‘princess’ can do what you hope she can, then you’ll understand in three weeks. We just have to wait.”

Vinyl considered this response with a grim frown. After a few seconds the raised her hooves in defeat. “Alright, fine. If that’s the way you want it to be, then I won’t bring it up again.”

“You’ve said that before.”

“Three weeks.” Vinyl set her hoof to her heart. “I’ll bet my sunglasses on it.”

An uncertain chuckle rose from the radio. “Your sunglasses? I’m so touched.”

“Hey, these sunglasses are important to me!” Vinyl grinned, tapping the aforementioned glasses that were, as always, resting on her horn. “They were a gift, and not cheap.”

“A gift, huh? From who?”

“My father.”

Adi laughed. “He gave you sunglasses? Doesn’t sound like such a big deal to me.”

“Well they are.” Vinyl sat back and shrugged. “They were a cute-ceañera present.”

“Cute-ceañera?”

Vinyl rolled her eyes. “Not even dignifying that one with a response.”

Another chuckle from Adi. “Technically, that counts as a response.”

She stuck her tongue out at the radio. “Whatever. Three weeks, Adi, then the truth comes out. I won’t say anything about it until then.”

Adi’s voice grew somber once more. “Good. I’ll be looking forward to it.”

Vinyl paused. There was that tone again.

“Me too,” she whispered. “I’m looking forward to it, too.”

Author's Note

It’s not like there’s a store on the next moon to buy batteries, right?

And here's where I need to remind everyone that I don't consider the comics canon to my stories. Any of them.

At this point I've revealed that this story uses an altered headcanon from most of my stories. In particular, most of my stories depict Luna as having created and being able to move the stars. If that were the case, and life had formed in other planets, does that elevate Luna to Godhood? Not wanting to deal with that particular quandary, I decided to nix that part of my usual headcanon for this story and give Luna control of only the moon.

For once, my love of Luna has nothing to do with her inevitable inclusion in this story. She simply made the most sense under the circumstances. I also intend for Twilight to make an appearance. Cadance and Celestia are possible, but not guaranteed.

V – A Little Talk

Chapter V
A Little Talk

“You mean he actually ate it?”

“Yep! Legs and everything.”

Vinyl made a gagging sound even as she turned her head to follow the motions of the scrubbing sponge and cleaning spray through her shower. The microphone was hovering nearby, its cord stretching taught towards the nearby door. “You couldn’t pay me to try that.”

“I know!” Adi’s playful laugh echoed into the bathroom from the stool on which the radio sat just within the kitchen. “I told him, I’m all for celebrating my heritage, but that’s going a bit too far.”

“I’ve never heard of a pony eating spiders.” The very thought sent a shiver down Vinyl’s spine. “Creepy things. A griffon might do it, but that’s still just… no.”

“Mada said it was actually pretty tasty.”

“He can have all the spiders he wants.” Vinyl stepped back from the shower and turned on the faucet, using her magic to splash water on the tiles. “You’ve got one weird family, Adi.”

“Yeah, I did. What’s that noise?”

“Just cleaning the shower.”

Adi’s trademark sigh of exasperation rose through the radio. “Still on the bathroom, huh?”

“Hey, give me some credit.” Vinyl stuck her tongue out. “I actually keep my bathroom a lot cleaner than the rest of my place. I use it regularly, after all.”

“Right.” Adi’s tone grew teasing. “How black is the water?”

“Only a little,” she hurriedly replied, eyeing the dark tint to the liquid flowing down her drain. “It’s not a tenth as bad as the sink in the kitchen was.”

“Uh-huh.”

“It’s true, honest!”

Adi laughed. “Alright, fine, I’ll believe you. I can’t imagine you’d use it every night if it was that bad.”

The faucet shut off and Vinyl began spraying the tile with cleaner again, targeting the spots she’d missed the first time around. “I’m just glad this is the last room. Cleaning this place was a pain in the flank.”

She focused on the work, noting how Adi had gone silent. There was no need to speak up; the pony sometimes left the radio for a few minutes. She had the water running again by the time Adi spoke.

“Hey, you got any siblings?”

“Nope.” Vinyl focused her sponge on a particularly stubborn bit of grime in one corner of the shower. “I had to get my exciting stories on my own.”

“Really? That’s too bad, I bet you would have had some funny sibling stories.”

“Not a chance.” She peered at the sponge, noting the gunk that had built up on it after several minutes of scrubbing. A glance at the corner showed it was still a little dirty. “I think I gave my dad enough trouble on my own.”

Curiosity lacing her tone, Adi said, “You don’t talk about your parents much.”

Vinyl turned off the shower faucet and turned on the one in the bathroom sink, using her magic to pry the grime off the sponge. It was her last one, and she had no intention of going out to buy more when she was so close to being finished.

“Vinyl?”

“Sorry, I’m a little distracted.” Vinyl pressed her tongue against her cheek and squinted at the sponge. She carefully worked her magic to not cut off too much of the springy mass. “There’s not much to say about my parents, really.”

“So where are they?”

“Dead.”

“Oh… I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—”

“Ah, don’t worry about it.” At last a thin line of the sponge had been cut away, leaving the rest of it mostly clean and ready for use. She turned her attention back to the corner of the shower, jaw set with determination.

“If you don’t mind my asking...”

Vinyl sighed and shook her head. “You wanna know how they died?”

“N-no, forget it.”

She shrugged as the sponge resumed scrubbing. “Dad died about three years ago. He had a stroke, nothing fancy. He was happy, which is all I care about.”

“Oh.” A long pause. “I suppose that’s good?”

“It is.” A frown hit Vinyl’s lips. “It’s a lot better than my mom.”

“How so?”

The sponge paused. Vinyl stared at it, her focus lost. “She put a noose around her neck and threw herself out of her apartment window. I was four.”

It was several seconds before Adi’s voice rose over the static. “I see.”

“Dad left her because she gambled away all their money.” Vinyl resumed her scrubbing, this time putting a little more force into it. “She got a lot of debt. Didn’t help that she started using Pure.”

“Pure?”

She raised an eyebrow, but recalled her promise and pushed down her frustration. “Pure Poison Joke extract. Not the distilled stuff in the sticks, the kind ponies snort. I hear it does some bad crap to your brain.”

“Oh…” Adi seemed to think on this. “Sounds like heroine. Or maybe cocaine?”

“Dunno about that. Bad stuff in general.” The sponge rose, revealing a pristine shower corner. “Family debts. Gambling debts. Drug debts. The mare made almost every bad decision she could. Apparently she decided it was easier to just jump.”

“I’m so sorry, Vinyl.”

She gave a derisive snort and flung the sponge into the trash bin. “I’m not. I’m glad I didn’t get dragged down with her, glad Dad had the good sense to leave and take me with him. He only barely managed to pay off the last of the debts she’d foisted on him before he died, and you can’t imagine how grateful I am for that.”

“But I thought it was your mother who incurred the debts?”

“Well, yeah, but Dad still had to take care of the debts she’d gained while they were married.” She put away the near-empty bottle of cleaner and stepped back to study the bathroom as a whole. It all but sparkled, which made her smile. “Adi, you won’t believe this, but I am officially done cleaning this place.”

A huff of a laugh came from the speaker. “The bathroom or the whole apartment?”

Vinyl rolled her eyes. “The whole apartment.”

“You’re right, I don’t believe it.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“Anytime.”

As Vinyl set the radio on her back and worked to move the stool to its place in her tiny closet, Adi spoke up, “So your dad dealt with all the debts. Did you help with that?”

“You mean like getting a job?” Vinyl closed the closet door and took a moment to survey her newly-pristine kitchen. The sight gave her a warm, pleasant feeling. “Nah, Dad wouldn’t let me ‘till I finished school. I stayed with my uncle ‘till I was twelve while Dad worked three jobs trying to make the financial load manageable.”

“Wow. Talk about determined.”

“A labor of love, as he called it.” She sighed pleasantly and returned the radio to the table. “Dad was a good stallion. He worked hard to give me an easier life. I might not be rich, but I’d be a hell of a lot worse off if it wasn’t for him.”

Adi was silent for a few seconds as Vinyl sat on her cushion. “It sounds like you really admire him.”

“Yeah.” Vinyl let her eyes play over the fruits of her labor. “Yeah, I do.”

The room went quiet, save for the static. Vinyl wondered what was going through Adi’s mind. The pony still hadn't revealed so much about herself, not really. It seemed a bit unfair, but Vinyl told herself to be patient. She rested her cheek on the table and sighed. After a long period of nothing, she abruptly frowned.

“Adi? We might have a problem.”

“Oh?”

Her eyes rolled up to the radio. “Now I need to find something else to do for the next two weeks while we talk.”

Adi laughed yet again. “Maybe you can find a new hobby!”

“Maybe.” She sat up and rubbed her chin. “Or maybe I can work on that new album. Haven’t touched it much in the last couple weeks.”

“You could. Maybe I can be your impromptu audience and tell you how bad it is.”

“Gee, thanks.” Vinyl flinched as knocks resounded through the apartment. “Hold on, Adi, somepony’s at the door.”

“’Kay.”

She approached the small hallway leading to her door, noting with satisfaction that she didn’t have to step over anything. She never should have let the place get so messed up to begin with. Another knock came by the time she reached the door.

Upon opening it, she was surprised to find herself gazing upon a very familiar blue-maned pegasus. He offered her a charming smile, to which she could only stare loose-jawed.

“Flash?”

He grinned and reached under a wing, from whence he produced a loaf of sliced bread. “How’d you like some toast?”

Her shoulders sagged. “Toast.”

“Yeah, I figured you wouldn’t remember.” He cocked his head with a blush and rubbed the back of his head.

Vinyl eyed the bread in his hoof, then him. “I don’t even have a toaster.”

He shrugged. “Hey, you’re the one that asked for it.”

She frowned, her eyes once more dancing from the toast to his face and back. At last she facehoofed. “This is about when you dragged my flank home from the club, isn’t it?”

“Yep.” He tucked the bread back under his wing. “I made a promise. I know you don’t remember, but I have every intention of keeping it.”

“You’re right, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She considered him for a couple seconds, but finally shrugged and stepped aside. “Come on in. You can explain things to me.”

Flash stepped past her with a nod. As she closed the door, she heard him gasp. “Sweet Spitfire on a Spread, is this the right apartment?”

She raised an eyebrow and followed him into the kitchen. “What are you talking about?”

He stared at the bottom of his hoof, eyes wide, then touched it to the floor a couple times. “Look, it’s not sticking!”

Vinyl whacked his shoulder with an exasperated scoff, to which he only grinned.

“Hold on, ya jerk.” She went to the table and took the mic in her magic. “Adi? This guy’s gonna take a little time. Call ya back?”

“Sounds good.” Adi replied. “I need to get some exercise in before bed, anyway. Talk to ya later, Vinyl.”

Flash set the loaf of bread on the table. “Who was that?”

Vinyl considered the question, staring at the radio as she pondered just how to describe Adi. “She’s… a friend.” She turned to him. “So what’s the deal with this promise you claim you made?”

He blushed and rubbed the back of his head again. “Well… I dunno if you’re gonna want to hold me to it. I mean, you were totally smashed and I felt so bad.”

“Bad?” She cocked her head. “Come on, I’m a happy drunk. I have dozens of witnesses to prove it.”

“You weren’t happy when I brought you home,” he replied with renewed seriousness. “I promised to come here next time I was in town and we could talk.”

Vinyl considered this, straining her admittedly feeble brain for some recollection of the night in question. “Talk about what?”

He shrugged. “I dunno. Just talk.”

She gestured to the loaf of bread on the table. “Over toast?”

“Something like that.” He chuckled. “I was hoping it would jog your memory.”

Vinyl whacked her hoof against the top of her head a couple times. “Sorry, it’s too empty and lazy for jogging. If you listen closely, you might hear the echo. Here—” She leaned forward, turned her head sideways and knocked a couple more times. “—see if you can hear it.”

“I’ll pass, thanks.” They shared a grin, but then he patted the bread. “Like I said, this was really just a hopeful play to make you remember. I was thinking we could have a late lunch together or something.”

She looked to the bread, then raised an eyebrow his way. “Are you asking me on a date?”

Though the change was subtle, there was no mistaking how Flash’s entire body grew rigid. His eyes widened just slightly and his wings tensed. “N-no… no, I was just… trying to be nice and keep my promise. I mean, I did make a promise, and you did say you’d like me to keep it, but I mean you were drunk, y’know? So m-maybe this was a bad idea and I should… um… should…”

His mouth slowed down, almost as if it were succumbing to paralysis. His eyes, however, were darting wildly about, perhaps in search of an escape route.

Vinyl couldn’t help giggling. She pressed his jaw closed with a hoof. “Breathe, soldier.”

He did as he was told, sucking in a deep breath and relaxing. “Thanks.”

She grinned and knuckled his head. “I like you, Bolt Butt, you’re fun to torment. So where ya wanna eat?”

Flash blinked, his feathers ruffling. “You mean you actually wanna go?”

“As a wise mare once said—” Vinyl raised her hoof in a stately pose, “‘—sharing food with another pony is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.’”

There was a pause as Flash stared at her raised hoof. His eyes went cross, then he shook his head. “And that means what, exactly?”

She shrugged with a grin. “How should I know? I read it on the back of a book in a bathroom stall.” She grabbed his hoof and made for the door. “C’mon, Bolt Butt. You’re buyin.’”

Vinyl pulled her sunglasses back, set them atop her horn and took in the ornate surroundings; lacquered wood banisters on broad balconies, marble columns, servants with ties and cuffs on their hooves, a stone floor polished so perfectly she could see her own reflection. Her ears lowered and her tail tucked between her legs as Flash spoke to the host behind a solid wood podium.

“Come on, Vinyl.”

She followed close beside him, her eyes roaming to the other guests, all of whom sported flashy clothing, perfectly styled manes and upturned muzzles. Raising hers to his ear, she asked, “What the hay kind of place is this?”

He glanced back at her, face marred by cluelessness. “What? You don’t like Cibolian?”

“It’s not that.” She clamped her mouth closed and forced a smile at the servant as he invited them to sit at a booth against the wall. She all but sank under the table.

Flash ordered a drink, and when Vinyl failed to respond to the servant’s query he also ordered one for her. As soon as the servant had gone, he leaned forward with ears perked and eyebrows raised. “Vinyl, what’s wrong?”

“What do you mean, ‘what’s wrong?’” She couldn’t stop looking around at the other guests. She felt so blatantly obvious, despite the fact that nopony seemed to be paying them any mind. “This isn’t exactly what I was expecting when you offered to buy me a late lunch.”

He scratched behind his ear with a perplexed frown. “I don’t understand.”

At last Vinyl sat up properly so she could give him a glower. Before she could say anything, though, his wing reached over the table and took the glasses from her head, setting them on the table. She stared at them, then pointed at the glasses with an eyebrow raised in his direction.

He shrugged. “It’s considered rude here.”

Vinyl facehooved. “This is exactly what I’m worried about. I don’t belong in a place like this, Bolt Butt.”

“It’s just a restaurant,” he replied, waving for her to keep her voice down. She needed no extra prodding, her eyes once against casting over the scenery.

“It’s not just a restaurant, it’s a ‘high end’ restaurant.” She shook her head frantically. “Not only can I not afford this place, it’s obvious to everypony here that I can’t afford this place. I’m a Lower Level pony.”

“It’s not ‘high end,’ and I don’t see what the big deal is.” He began unfolding the napkin before him, setting the silverware down in a specific order as he did. “I’ve been eating at places like this all my life.”

She blinked and took a closer look at him. “Are you rich or something?”

“Rich?” He chuckled. “I’m ‘middle class.’ Also, I’m one of Princess Cadance’s personal guards, which means good pay, and I’m alone. No family to spend money on means the bits pile up.”

“Must be nice,” she grumbled, ears lowering once more as she took a look at the menu. The names of all the entrees were written in some fancy mumbo jumbo spelling, and it took her three or four reads to figure out what each item actually was. “Goddess, I feel like trash.”

“Do you wanna leave?”

“No, no.” She shook her head frantically, forgetting that it was hidden behind her menu. “I said you could pick the place, and I ain’t backing down.” She noted the price tag on the appetizers and wilted. “I just can’t believe you’re spending this much money on me.”

He sighed and reached across the table to unfold her napkin and set her silverware, for which she was very grateful. “I’m sorry. I picked poorly, didn’t I?”

At last Vinyl felt she had found something she might like. She set the menu down and tried her best to look as proper as she could. “Not to get you jumpy again, bro, but are you sure you’re not trying to impress me like it’s a date or something?”

He chuckled and made a show of appearing confident, though there was a touch of pink in his cheeks. “Positive. Honest, this is just a regular restaurant to me. If I wanted to wow you, we’d be going somewhere with an actual dress code.”

Vinyl whimpered and stared at her hooves.

The servant returned with a glass for each of them. Vinyl eyed hers; it was a tall wine glass with something purple and bubbly inside. She sniffed it and detected a strong aroma that reminded her of plums. Taking the glass in her magic, she carefully sipped the beverage. It had a taste as strong as the smell, but it wasn’t bad at all. She noted the slightest touch of alcohol beneath the fruity flavors.

The server took their orders, Vinyl wincing with the understanding that she’d butchered the pronunciation of her meal. The server took the slip in stride, though, and was soon off with their menus.

Seconds passed in silence, Vinyl staring at her hooves and wishing she could sink into the cushions. With her electric blue mane, red eyes and lack of any clothing, she had to be the most eye-drawing pony in the room. For a pony with a reputation for trying to stand out, she sure wasn’t enjoying the opportunity.

“So,” Flash leaned over the table, “let’s talk.”

She fidgeted and couldn’t meet his eyes. “About what?”

“About whatever.” He gestured invitingly and smiled. “I’m here to listen.”

“Okay…” She thought for a while, tapping her hooves together and trying not to look around the room for judging eyes. At last something came to mind: “Why are you in Canterlot?”

“Oh, making this about me, eh?” Flash leaned back and rubbed his chest with a self-satisfied smile. “I understand. Who doesn’t want to know about me?”

He met her raised eyebrow with a smug grin.

“Just answer the question, Bolt Butt.”

He chuckled and took a sip of his drink. “Princess Cadance is to meet with the ambassador from the Diamond Dog tribes and Minotaur kingdom for trade negotiations. They insisted on doing it in a ‘neutral’ location, but she was able to talk them into having them here.”

“Huh.” Vinyl leaned against the table to peer at him. “So you’ll be in town how long?”

“Ten days.”

“Ten days.” She grabbed her glass and took a sip. “Does that mean you’re gonna bother me every day for the next week?”

He scoffed. “I do have a job, y’know. I’ll be sticking to the princess’s side most of the time.”

She smiled over her glass. “One of those eternally young, easy-on-the-eyes princesses, right?”

“H-hey, low blow.” Red colored his cheeks, his eyes darting about the room. “I’m over Twi—P-Princess Twilight.”

She smirked. “Yeah, sounds like it.”

His eyes narrowed. “And what about you? Still laying in your bed at night and wishing you had somepony to talk to?”

A shard of ice lodged in her chest and her stomach seemed to drop into her hooves. Vinyl stared at him, her lip trembling and her hooves shaking. “H-how… how did you—”

“Ponies tell certain truths when inebriated,” he said, hooves crossed and eyes hard. “Why do you think I’m here, Vinyl?”

“Because you… Well…” She set her drink down and fidgeted, her eyes once again going to her hooves. “I have no idea. I figured you were just being friendly.”

He leaned forward once more, tilting his head in an attempt to look her in the eye. “I’m here because I thought you would like some company for a change. I think you’re lonely. So am I.”

She scowled turned her head away. “So what, we’ll spend time together, fall in love and then we won’t be lonely anymore?”

He sighed and sat back. “You’ve got a serrated tongue, you know that?”

“What do you want me to say?”

He let out a small groan. “That’s just it, Vinyl: it’s not about what I want. That night you told me you were tired of being alone. I promised you, solemnly, that I would help with that.”

“I was drunk,” she grumbled, grabbing her glass and taking a long sip. “You shouldn’t have taken me so seriously.”

“I strongly believe that we are at our most honest when we’ve had a few drinks in us, and you had more than a few that night.” He was at last able to lock eyes with her. “Come on, Vinyl. Stop hiding behind the tough mask.”

“Well aren’t you my knight in shining armor?” She took a small bit of pleasure in his wince. “If I wanted help, I’d have asked for it.”

“You did.”

Her eyebrow twitched. She glanced at the glass in her magic and slowly set it down. “I’m never getting drunk around you again. Fine, you got me; I was lonely.”

He cocked his head. “‘Was?’”

“That’s right.” Now it was her turn to lean forward and peer at him. “I’ve got a friend now. We talk regularly.”

He thought on this for a moment. “Was it that pony on the radio?”

“Yeah, she’s the one.” Vinyl forced a broad smile to her lips. “We’ve been at it for a couple weeks now. The girl’s crazy.”

Flash stared at her, his lips pursed and his ears low. She could see he had a question on the tip of his tongue, knew that he was almost desperate to call her bluff. In the end, however, he just smiled and nodded. “Is it the good kind of crazy?”

Vinyl relaxed, but she lost her smile. “I… don’t think so.”

He shifted, muzzle wrinkling as he took in this response. “What?”

More silence. Vinyl considered him, wondering just how much she should tell him. Then she realized that there was no reason not to talk. “She’s got this nutso story, says she’s up in space and lost.”

He stared at her with a dry frown. “In space. What, is it some sort of game she’s playing?”

“I don’t think so.” Vinyl sighed and rested her cheek against her hoof, eyes on her drink. “I get this impression that she’s in trouble. Like, real trouble.”

“What kind of trouble?”

“I dunno.” She used her magic to stir the drink, watching as the liquid swirled about. “Like… maybe she’s got an abusive father or something like that. Or maybe she’s just really lonely. I can’t tell, she’s pretty entrenched in her little fantasy. Even by the standards of that fantasy, she's refusing to open up to me.”

“It sounds… ridiculous.” Flash leaned over the table to study her. “It also sounds like you’ve grown attached to the idea of saving her.”

Vinyl gave a weak nod. “You should have heard her on that first night. She was talking about killing herself.”

His eyes widened a touch. “Whoa.”

“I know.” She sighed and sat up again. “I’m trying to help her out. She needs—”

“A psychiatrist.” Flash made an imploring gesture. “Vinyl, why are you taking this on by yourself? Get some professional help.”

“I can’t,” she snapped, leveling a harsh glare his way. “I’ve got my reasons, but I can’t. This is my responsibility.”

He matched her stare, but said nothing as their food came out right at that moment. Vinyl tried to relax as she stared at the large plate of steaming pasta; white sauce, asparagus, tomatoes and a sprinkling of basil. There were other things that her uncultured mind couldn’t identify, but a careful bite told her she’d love to find out more. The beginning of an argument faded rapidly as they each delighted in their respective meals.

After a few bites, however, a thought came to Vinyl. “Y’know, in a way I am seeking ‘professional’ help.”

Flash took a moment to swallow his mouthful. “Really? How so?”

“I’ve set up an appointment to see Princess Luna. I’m gonna ask her to disprove Adi’s story.”

He cocked his head, chewing his food slowly as he thought. “How’s she going to do that?”

“Beats me.” Vinyl shrugged. “She’s the Princess of the Night, not me. I figure if anypony can do it, it’s her.”

“Hmm…” His fork dangled from his mouth for a few seconds. “Guess that makes sense. What happens after this ‘Adi’ gets her story blown up?”

“Then I’ll finally get the truth and know what to do to help her.”

Flash’s eyebrows rose. “You really think it’ll be that cut and dry?”

She paused, not sure what to think about that statement. “You think it won’t be?”

He rubbed the back of his head with a deep frown, his wings ruffling. “Well, no. It’s just… I’ve been around the princesses quite a bit, and if there’s anything I’ve learned from such close proximity to royalty, it’s that very few things go as well as planned.”

She bowed her head. “So… you think I should plan for the worst?”

“Something like that.” He shrugged and took a sip of his drink. “What if, for example, your friend has been at it so long she actually believes her own story? How would she react to having that little bubble of security popped?”

Her jaw dropped as that idea swam around in her head. “I never thought of that.”

“That’s exactly my point.” Flash pointed his fork at her. “Every time it seems like everything’s going to go right, something comes along to smash it in your face. It’s good that you’re helping this pony, but have you even considered what comes next?”

“I’m not exactly known for planning ahead,” she admitted with a chuckle before taking a big bite of her pasta. She chewed slowly, savoring the taste while also biding her time.

“Honestly?” He smirked. “That doesn’t surprise me.”

“Shut up.” She stuck her tongue out. “I get what you’re saying, but I think I’d rather take this as it comes. You don’t want me trying to come up with plans for the future. That’ll end badly.”

Flash sighed from around his mouthful and nodded. “Well, if that’s what you think is best. Let it not be said that I didn’t try.”

“‘Let it not be said?’” Vinyl chuckled. “And who are you supposed to be now, Shakespony?”

His cheeks went red and he crossed his hooves with a huff. “Leave me alone, I’ve been hovering around Twi—Princess Twilight a lot lately.”

Vinyl’s lips curled upwards. “I thought you said you were over her?”

“It’s part of the job, okay?” he replied with ears low. “She’s in town. There’s no way Princess Twilight and Princess Cadance will be in the same town and not have a friendly get together.”

“You gotta learn to stop being so defensive, soldier.” Vinyl waved her fork at him before using it to nab one of his oatballs. She tried it and let out a small groan. “Dude, are you gonna make this a regular thing? ‘Cause I could eat here daily.”

“Would you like me to?”

She blinked, abruptly aware of… Flash. He was watching her, his manner calm, his expression curious. Her instinct was to hit him with another jab of wit, but she couldn’t kick the words off her tongue. Why did his manner make her so… nervous?

She fidgeted, set her fork down and took a sip of her drink to calm her nerves and buy time to think. “You… you really mean it, don’t you?”

Flash said nothing. He merely waited patiently.

For some time, she could only stare. She closed her eyes, and in her mind she saw herself running from club to club, bar to bar, concert to concert. Always playing, always laughing and smiling. She was in a sea of anonymous faces, all of them looking at her and none of them seeing her. They talked about nothing. They knew nothing about her, said nothing about themselves. They just existed.

Aimless.

Pointless.

“Vinyl?”

Her entire body gave a reflexive jerk and she opened her eyes to find Flash still watching her. She blushed and lowered her eyes to her half-empty plate.

“I’ve met so many ponies, and I can’t claim to know any of them.”

He shifted with a small, uncertain frown.

Vinyl tapped her hooves together, sinking a little lower in her seat. “I… I want to get to know somepony. Adi’s the first pony to really talk to me, y’know? Yet even then, all I’m getting from her is a mad as hay story that, Celestia forbid, she might actually believe.”

Silence passed between them. Vinyl refused to look at him, instead focusing on how her stomach was churning. She didn’t really care to eat anymore, but the circus act in her midsection wasn’t the only thing she felt; there was a cold unpleasantness in the back of her mind. She wanted to snap at Flash, to take back what she’d just said and rip the words apart, to laugh in his face and accuse him of being desperate for a date.

There was so much her brain told her she needed to do to get out of this situation. Her lips trembled with the urge to unleash the words, to ensure she’d never see Flash again. She had no idea what was holding her back, but it was powerful and made her feel like dirt.

“Tell me about yourself.”

Air she didn’t know was being held burst from her lungs. She looked up to find Flash smiling at her. “What?”

He gestured invitingly. “Tell me about yourself.”

She gazed at him, then glanced around the room for inspiration. Her mind swam in random directions as she tried to process what he’d said. “Like… like what?”

Flash rubbed his chin thoughtfully before regaining his warm smile. “How’d you get your cutie mark?”

Vinyl considered the question, and everything she’d have to talk about to really tell that story properly. The idea made her smile. “That’s gonna take time.”

He leaned forward, elbows on the table and hooves pressed to one another beneath his chin.

“I’ll listen.”

VI – Change in Plans

Chapter VI
Change in Plans

Velvet was cleaning the mugs behind the empty counter. “What, you want another one? What happened to ‘one-chug-go?’”

Vinyl shrugged, her eyes on the empty dance floor. It was just the two of them, the club having closed a few minutes ago. “I’m just in the mood.”

With a smirk, Velvet leaned over the counter. “Trouble in paradise?” She set a bottle in Vinyl's range.

“What the hay are you talking about?” Vinyl grabbed the bottle, popped it open and took a chug.

“Every morning you’re in a hurry to talk to this mare on the radio.” Velvet bumped her shoulder. “Maybe you got hit by a bolt from Princess Cadance.”

That Vinyl didn’t spill her drink all over herself was a testament to her reflexes. She sputtered for a few seconds before slamming the bottle to the table and laughing raucously. “Is that what you think’s going on? Seriously, Velvet?”

“I dunno, you won’t tell me anything.” Velvet shot her a scowl, but the twitch turning the corner of her lip up gave her away. “If you won’t come clean, all I can do is conjecture and listen to rumors.”

Vinyl raised an eyebrow. “Who’s making rumors?”

“Bouncing, of course.”

“Of course.” Vinyl leaned forward, peering eyes set on Velvet. “And you didn’t help any, I bet.”

With a light chuckle, Velvet brought her hooves close together and looked at Vinyl from between them. “I may have added just a little.”

“Wonderful.” Vinyl took another long chug. “Guess I shouldn’t worry about it too much. It’s not like I’ve seriously cared about what ponies think of me anyway.” Her thoughts jumped back to her lunch with Flash, prompting a blush. “Well, most of the time.”

“So when are you going to go and sweep Adi off her hooves?”

“Oh, stop it.” Another chug. “I’m not even a fillyfooler. Ah—” she thrust her hoof before Velvet’s smirking face, “—a little experimentation with a certain famous cellist in our high school days does not count. It was just once, for crying out loud!”

Velvet raised her hooves high with what had to be her most innocent expression. “I didn’t say anything.”

“Don’t pull my leg, V, you were thinking it.”

“Yeah, yeah I was.” Velvet giggled and went back to cleaning mugs. “I’m never going to let you live that down.”

“So you say every time it comes up.” Vinyl examined her bottle, saw it was about a third full. “I wish I knew what I was thinking back then.”

“I wish I knew what you were thinking now.”

Vinyl swung her hoof, missing the grinning bartender by inches. “You’re one to talk. I bet you still hold the record for most detentions in a high school career.”

“Probably.” Velvet grinned. “I still have the joke plaque Principal Pencil Pusher gave me at graduation.”

The two shared a chuckle and Vinyl finished her bottle. She used her magic to drop it into the garbage. “Well, I should probably go. I’m at a good part with that album I’ve been working on, and I—”

“Bull, you’re just dying to hear Adi’s sweet, sweet voice again.” Velvet set her hooves beneath her chin and batted her eyes. “Go on, be with your little filly.”

“Ugh.” Vinyl rolled her eyes with a smile and turned for the exit. “I’ll see you tomorrow night, V. I’m gonna wanna hear the details on some of these rumors later.”

“Aye-aye, Cap’n.”

The first chill of autumn hit Vinyl like a ton of bricks. If there was one thing she didn’t like about living in Canterlot, it was the cold that came with being on a mountain. As she trotted through the streets, she took some comfort in the knowledge that the Upper Levels were much colder. The silly snobs had their equally silly superiority come back to bite them in the flank every winter, and that at least brought a smile to her face.

She moved through town quickly, eager to get into the warmth of her apartment. She stopped by a Southern Coast restaurant that she knew made a great seapetal stew, arriving just as it was opening for the day. The rest was a straight run for her place, dodging the morning ponies who were insane enough to wake up just after sunrise.

As she trotted along, the bag of takeout hovering over her shoulder, she thought about the rumors Velvet had mentioned. Adi and her, a couple? Vinyl chuckled at the thought. They hadn’t even met in pony yet. Was it possible to fall for somepony when you didn’t know what they looked like? Besides, her brief high school fling made it clear she didn’t want to go down that particular road.

Adi wasn’t her type, anyway.

Then who was her type? She’d thought about it before, and—

Vinyl shook her head forcefully, tossing away that train of thought before it could gather steam. She had no interest in it, because it always led to her having the same depressing conclusions.

Still, the ideas ran through her head again. Sensing the trap, she was thrilled to see her apartment come into view around the corner. She would get in, warm up under some blankets and chat with Adi while enjoying her stew and working on her new album. That would derail the problem for certain.

Through the front door, up the stairs, down the hall, a brief fight with the keys. Vinyl took in the warmth of her apartment with glee, bouncing into the doorway with a relieved sigh. A proper coat would be required tomorrow, beyond a doubt! Setting her pack aside, she trotted into the kitchen and set the takeout container down before grabbing a blanket from the closet of her bedroom.

A yawn escaped her lips as she sat on the cushion by the table. Perhaps the album could wait; working a few extra hours for Bouncing wore her out more than she’d expected. Still, she was comfortable, her seapetal stew was warm and she’d had a good night. A little talk with Adi would complete a solid evening; she reached forward and flicked the switch on the radio.

She nearly fell on her back as a commercial blared in her face. Vinyl frantically turned down the volume, then glared at the radio. Had she changed the frequency on accident? She picked up the device to study the display… and cocked her head. No, it was the right frequency. Puzzling over this abrupt change, she took a moment to listen as the radio played more commercials. Then the DJ’s voice arose:

“Welcome back, everypony, and thank you for listening to the all new CATZ2 radio station, expanding your musical world with the very best of—”

“What?” Vinyl dropped the radio and snatched the microphone. “Can you hear me?”

The DJ kept talking, ignorant of her words. She stared at the radio, then the mic. Her heart pounded against her ribs. “Adi? Adi, are you there?”

The announcer finished his monologue and some rock music began to play. Vinyl perked her ears towards the radio, listening for any sound that might be Adi’s voice in the background. She heard none. “Come on, Adi, talk to me. I’m still here! If you can hear me, switch to frequency three-six-point-two.”

She turned the knob to the proper frequency, the music being traded for static. A few seconds passed. “Adi, you there?”

Time passed.

“C-come on, Adi, be there.”

Nothing.

Her heart in a vice, Vinyl changed back to the old frequency, the rock music filling the room once more. “Adi! Please, let me hear from you.”

As the music continued to play, Vinyl closed her eyes and tried to think. She’d seen this kind of thing happen before, back when she still considered radio chatter a big hobby. What had her father said about it? She couldn’t be sure, something about radio frequencies being magically protected. So what would Adi do if she couldn’t get through?

Vinyl grabbed the radio and began turning the knob to different channels. Static. Static. Country music. More static. With bated breath, she slowly circled through dozens of frequencies. Never did she hear Adi’s voice.

“Think, Vinyl, think…” She set the radio down once more and buried her head in her hooves. “I’m late. Th-that’s all. Maybe she got tired of waiting and went to bed without me. That makes sense, right?”

She looked up, eyes set on the power switch. Taking a long, heavy breath, she used her magic to shut the radio off.

“This afternoon.” She pulled her stew close and hunched over its steaming warmth. “She’ll be on this afternoon and we can figure out a new frequency then. This isn’t a problem.”

The world answered with an unpleasant silence.

Vinyl ran through the streets, her breath fogging before her face and the radio hovering just ahead of her. The moon was a faint sliver of light in the clear sky, just barely enough to make her path visible. Canterlot Castle, her destination, towered over her like a silent colossus. Her pounding hoofbeats echoed almost as loudly as the blood in her ears.

Her hooves skidded on the cold ground when she made the turn, and she fell on her side. Vinyl wasted no time climbing to her hooves, her eyes going over the radio to check it for damage even as she bolted alongside the wall. Her lungs burned from the long gallop across the city, but she didn’t dare slow down.

There, the door! She slid a second time, nearly falling again. Her hooves pounded the door and she tried to shout, but her voice came out hoarse. It didn’t matter, so long as she got somepony’s attention. She banged and banged, gasping for breath but refusing to stop.

At last the door opened, but only a crack, and a sleepy looking mare with a guard’s golden helmet poked her head out. She scowled at the breathless Vinyl. “What the hay are—”

“Flash… Sentry,” Vinyl managed to gasp. “Emergency… L-let me in!”

The guardpony’s scowl lessened as she took in Vinyl’s ragged form. “What’s this all about?”

Vinyl pressed a hoof to her chest and gasped a few times. “I need to see… Flash Sentry. Right now! Somepony… somepony’s in trouble.”

Studying her for several seconds, the guardspony grumbled and glanced about the empty roadway by the castle. “Well, you sure as Tartarus look like you’ve got something important to say.”

“I do!” At last Vinyl was able to suck in a single, long breath of air that recovered her breathing to manageable levels. “Let me in, please. I’ve got to get help. Flash can get it for me, I just know it!”

The guard rubbed her chin in thought but finally nodded. “If this is some kind of trick, I’ll throw you in the bucking dungeon myself. Get in here and stay quiet.”

Vinyl did as she was told. If she weren’t in such a frantic state of mind, she might have marveled that even the guards’ barracks of the castle had marble floors and vaulted ceilings. Instead she merely let her hooves dance and waited for the blasted guard to take her precious time re-locking the door.

“This way.”

She followed the guard deeper into the castle, heading down a number of halls that were lined with simple blue doors. They passed through a particularly large one at the end of a hallway to enter a wide room that looked almost like a waiting area. A pair of ponies sat at a nearby desk playing cards. They looked up upon the arrival of their guests.

“’Ey, Caster,” the guard behind the desk called. “Who’s the civilian?”

Caster’s grimace had yet to fall off her lips. “Either one of Flash’s fanfillies or a pony in a lot of trouble.”

The other guard scoffed and went back to his cards. “Must be nice to be a pretty colt. What, does he have one in every city?”

Vinyl let out a snarl and galloped to the desk, slamming the radio on top of it and scattering their cards. “I don’t have time for your yammering! Where’s Flash? I need him!”

The guard behind the desk sneered. “There are lots o’ mares that claim ta ‘need’ Flash.”

His companion pouted. “And I was winning that game.”

“Naw, ya weren’t.”

“How would you know? Where you reading my cards again, you damn cheater?”

“Ya can’t prove Ah ever did, knucklehead.”

Vinyl raised her hoof, prepared to slam it on the desk, but it was caught by Caster’s magic. She struggled against it as Caster turned to the other two. “C’mon, guys, she’s a feisty one. Tell me where Flash is stationed so I can get her outta our tails.”

“Alright, fine.” The guard opened a drawer and pulled out a logbook. He flicked the pages with his magic for a few seconds before finding one that was mostly empty. “Sentry, Sentry… ’ere he is. He’s still on duty fer...” He glanced at a clock on the wall. “’Nother couple hours.”

Vinyl’s hoof finally jerked free from the magic, and she nearly fell from the sudden motion. “Where is he?”

“It’s against protocol ta—”

“Where is he?”

Caster sighed. “Just tell us, Rook. I already told her she’s going to jail if I find she’s just chasing tail, and besides—” she patted Vinyl’s shoulder, “—she does seem pretty determined. I’m inclined to believe her.”

“Yeah,” the other guard grumbled, “and I wanna get back to our game.”

With a sigh, Rook closed the book. “He’s guardin’ Princess Cadance’s chambers, as usual. Like he said, must be nice ta be a pretty colt.”

Vinyl turned to gallop off, but slid to a stop with a curse as she realized she had no idea where she was going. She glanced back, hooves dancing yet again as Caster rolled her eyes and approached. “Come on, let’s find your stallion.”

As they walked through the marble halls, it dawned upon Vinyl that she’d never seen the inside of the castle before. The thought delivered a shot of extra nervousness into her blood, and her eyes darted about at the splendor that seemed to seep from every crevice and corner. She didn’t let it distract her for long, though; her eyes went back to her radio and she felt that familiar chill down her spine.

What if it was too late?

“H-how far is it?”

“Eight floors up.”

Vinyl whimpered. She grabbed the radio out of the air and tucked it under one leg. “I’m coming, Adi. Just hold on.”

Caster glanced back at her with a curious expression, but said nothing.

Time seemed to wear on. They passed through endless halls, great rooms with unknown purposes, up enough stairs to make Vinyl’s legs hurt. Every corner was gilded, every column was ornate, every window towering. Yet it was all eerily empty, their hoofsteps echoing in the cool air. Vinyl used to always wonder what it was like in this grand place. Now she wished she’d come during the day.

After what seemed like an eternity, they passed into a large hallway that was a bit less ornate than the others. With the soft red carpet and gentler tones, it struck Vinyl as more… pleasant. Perhaps it was the residential area of the castle? That thought had her tired hooves dancing yet again, for if accurate then they were almost to their destination.

They rounded a corner, and there was Flash standing alongside a fellow guard before a large red door. Vinyl let the radio float in her magic once more and bounded towards him.

“Flash!”

He turned his head towards her, his bored expression dropping swiftly as his eyes bulged. He opened his mouth, but stopped short of calling back, his eyes darting to the door.

Vinyl came to a stop before him. “Oh, thank Goddess! I need your help, you’ve got to—”

Flash pressed both hooves to her lips and hissed, “Keep it down, the princess is sleeping. What the hay are you doing here?”

She pushed his hooves away and shoved the radio between them. She managed to keep her voice low, but it wasn’t easy. “It’s Adi! She’s gone, I can’t talk to her and I don’t know how she’ll react to being alone again. You have to help me get her back!”

“And how am I supposed to do that?”

She floated the radio to the side and stepped closer. “Princess Luna. I need to get into the Night Court to speak to her, now. Adi can’t wait another week-and-a-half for an appointment!”

Flash shot Caster a wide-eyed look, then turned it on his partner on the other side of the door. Vinyl didn’t even look to get their reactions; she focused all her attention on Flash, her lip trembling.

“You’re going to get me fired,” he whispered. “What makes you think I can get you in there?”

“Because you’re a guard,” she replied firmly. “You’re my friend, and there’s too much at stake.”

He groaned and shook his head. “Vinyl, I can’t just waltz into the Night Court and—”

“Please!” She came forward, pushing him against the wall with her forehooves and locking eyes with him. “You’ve got to help me! Adi could be doing something extreme as we speak. She needs help, and this is the only thing I know to do. Please, Flash.”

He stared at her, his back pressed to the wall and his eyes set with hers. A second passed. Another. He glanced once more to his companion and Caster, then stared at Vinyl a bit more. She could almost see the gears turning in his head.

She leaned a little closer. “Please.”

At last he let out another groan and shoved her off. He pointed to Caster. “You.” He pointed at the floor. “Stay.”

“But I’m supposed to be—”

“Stay.”

Caster grumbled but did as she was told, taking Flash’s place by the door. With a firm nod, he turned to Vinyl. “Hold on.”

Vinyl blinked as he walked behind her. “Hold on? What are you—hey!”

With a powerful flap of his wings, Flash caught Vinyl by her shoulders and lifted off. The hall flew past in a blur. “Whoa, waitaminute, I’ve never flown before!”

“Yes you have, you just don’t remember.”

“I have not! Put me down!”

“You wanna get to the Night Court quickly, don’t you?”

She looked up at him with wide eyes. Though her heart hammered in her chest, she stopped fighting and focused on the goal. The radio was trailing behind them, and she quickly brought it forward and wrapped it in her hooves for safekeeping. “Th-thanks, Flash.”

“Don’t thank me,” he replied. “You’re gonna hate me in about five seconds.”

“What? Why would Iiiieee—whoa, whoa, that’s not a door!”

Vinyl tucked her hind legs in and let out a shout as Flash flew between a pair of columns, past a balcony and into the night sky. Canterlot was spread hundreds of feet beneath her.

She sucked in a sharp breath and clutched her radio. “If y-you drop me I w-will kill you.”

He shot her a wry grin. “Don’t tempt me.”

“Not fun—augh!” Her stomach dropped as he made a wide turn, her hind legs rising in an arc. “This is not fun, not fun at all!”

Flash laughed. “And to think, you wanted to make a sport out of this.”

Vinyl gritted her teeth and fought to keep her lunch down. She didn’t dare speak or even move lest he lose his hold. They had circled the castle and risen several floors, and now Flash took them towards a large balcony. They darted over a tower, Vinyl instinctually raising her hind legs in fear of hitting the blue ceiling. At last Flash slowed to a steady descent, dropping her gently to the balcony floor.

Vinyl collapsed to her barrel, clutching the radio and trembling. She took a few short gasps, then glanced up to find Flash landing before her. “I hate you.”

He smirked. “Told ya.”

Legs wobbling, she climbed to her hooves and glared at him. “Next time you want to take me flying, give me some war—”

He pressed a hoof to her lips, his expression going solemn as he gestured with his head to the balcony window. She paused, then glanced over. The darkly lit throne room was just on the other side of the glass, and there, sitting upon the throne and addressing some noblepony, was Princess Luna.

Vinyl could only gape. She’d never been so close to royalty before, and the princess struck an imposing figure; she sat tall, her eyes hard as steel and her lips set in a firm scowl. The thought that she was about to interrupt the princess’s court when she looked so upset already made Vinyl tremble. She looked down at the radio and closed her eyes, recalling that first night when she’d heard Adi sounding so lost and scared.

She had to do this.

“Hold it.” Flash pressed her back before she could approach the window. “Let me. I’m less likely to get sent to the moon.”

Vinyl’s eyes widened. “D-does she actually do that?”

“Not that I know of.” Flash turned and studied the princess with a solemn frown before adding, “But there’s a first time for everything.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat and stood back, shivering in the cold night air.

Flash approached the window and rapped gently on the glass. It took him three tries to catch the attention of the nearest guard, who approached with a miffed frown. The guard, an older thestral, pushed open the window and peered at the two of them with shining yellow eyes. “What’s all this, then?”

Flash spoke with firmness, his manner entirely professional. “I have a message for the princess, if I may be allowed.”

The guard considered him, then Vinyl. He huffed and glanced back at the unaware princess. “You taking responsibility? ’Cause I sure as Tartarus ain’t.”

“Yes, I’ll take responsibility.” The answer came without hesitation, which made Vinyl’s ears perk. She quietly wondered what ‘taking responsibility’ entailed in this instance. Judging by the way the guard’s eyebrows rose, it couldn’t be a small matter. She wanted to thank Flash by her expression, but he didn’t look back.

The guard stood aside. Flash waved a wing in Vinyl’s direction and she followed in a low stance. The guard eyed her, but she was too nervous to say anything other than a feeble “Thank you.”

The throne room wasn’t as huge as Vinyl had expected, but it was still significant. The area was lit only by dim blue torches, giving the entire throne room an eerie atmosphere. Princess Luna’s mane sparkled in the gloom, her piercing focus set upon a noblepony who, by his constant fidgeting and occasional stutter, seemed to think his issue wasn’t as important as he had originally believed. For the most part, however, the throne room was empty.

Flash turned his head and spoke without looking at Vinyl. “Wait here.” He started to walk, but paused and turned his head again. “Don’t worry, I hear she’s not as mean as she looks.”

Vinyl sat and held the radio to her chest with ears low. She watched as Flash stealthily moved along the wall, going behind a few guards who gave him looks varying from bored to curious to threatening. He took it all in stride, keeping his head held high and his gait firm. Vinyl had to acknowledge being impressed.

Stepping up to the side of the thestral closest to Luna, he whispered in the guard’s ear. She glanced at him before nodding and stepping back. With no more obstacles, Flash moved in and leaned just over the arm of the throne. Vinyl could see him whisper something; Luna’s reaction was only the faintest shift in her hard eyes.

Vinyl could feel her heart pounding as Flash continued to speak. “Come on, come on…” She let out a whimper as the princess, her head immobile, looked in her direction. Though her stiff body language suggested her focus was on the noblepony, Vinyl had the sensation that Luna’s whole attention had been suddenly set upon her.

It wasn’t a good sensation.

Luna raised her hoof, and the noblepony stopped speaking. The princess whispered to Flash, not once losing her harsh demeanor. Though a few more words were exchanged, the throne room had grown unnervingly quiet. At last Luna waved a hoof and Flash stepped back with his head bowed.

The princess turned her eyes back to the noblepony and lowered her hoof. When she spoke, her words were as cold as her expression.

“Thank you, Sir Needlepoint, for your opinion, but I am afraid a new matter has arisen that I should see to promptly. If you would write for me a report summarizing all you have told me and concluding your intentions, I promise that I or my sister will address your concerns as promptly as possible. I should take this opportunity to point out that thus far I am not swayed, so I suggest you word your arguments very carefully.”

The noblepony bowed and fled the court as if the princess were firing lasers at his flank.

Luna shook her head as the door closed, her stoney demeanor melting. “Archimedes? Tea, if you please.”

One of the thestrals at her side nodded. “Diamond Flower Shoreline?”

The princess nodded. “This night most certainly calls for it.” As the thestral departed at a trot, Luna glanced towards Vinyl, who flinched. “Well, come on. You went through all this trouble to cut in line, you might as well make your request.”

Sucking in a deep breath, Vinyl made her way to the front of the throne on hooves made of jelly. Flash, still standing near the princess, gave her a firm nod, which she returned with far less confidence.

Luna studied Vinyl, her manner firm but lacking the harshness from before. “What is your name?”

“V-Vinyl Scratch, your majesty.” She was at last before the throne, and promptly dropped into as deep a bow as she could manage. “I’m very sorry for barging in like this, but I have something really important to say.”

“If I had a bit for every time I heard that, Miss Scratch, Equestria wouldn’t need a budgeting office.”

Vinyl grimaced, but held her tongue. She sat up and set her radio down between them. “This time, it is a matter of life and death. My friend is in trouble, and I need your help to save her.”

Luna’s eyebrows rose. “That sounds serious indeed. Do explain.”

Vinyl raised the radio up so that it would be clearly visible. “A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a transmission on this two-way radio. The pony I heard was on the verge of committing suicide. I have been speaking with her every day since then, trying to determine why. She hasn’t opened up to me, but I am convinced that she’s in very serious trouble.”

Luna set a hoof to her chin as she studied the device. “Go on.”

Vinyl licked her lips and glanced at Flash, knowing what she was about to say would sound ridiculous. Still, she swallowed her anxiety and spoke up. “The pony’s name is Adi, and she claims to be from…” Her cheeks started to burn. “To be from outer space.”

For a second time, Luna’s eyebrows rose. Rather than the dubiousness Vinyl expected, however, Luna seemed curious. This gave her the courage to hurry through the rest of her explanation.

“I believe that the best way to make her open up to me and reveal what’s really going on is to directly disprove her story. My original appointment with you was to ask if there was some way to do that. Yet now I find that I’ve lost communication with Adi; it’s like she’s not on the airwaves at all.”

Vinyl tapped the radio for emphasis. “Princess Luna, the frequency we were using to talk to one another has been taken over by a new, protected radio station. I need to get the station to change frequencies so that I can talk to Adi again.”

“I see.” Luna leaned forward. “And you want me to just order this radio station to change frequencies?”

Vinyl nodded frantically. “Any other way is too slow! My friend, she’s scared of being alone. Terrified! I… I’m afraid she’ll do something drastic if she doesn’t hear from me soon. Please, Princess, I can’t let her die.”

Luna tilted her head with a solemn frown. “I would ask why you haven’t tried other frequencies, but surely you wouldn’t be here if you’d not tried that already.”

“I’ve tried every single frequency I can.” Vinyl shook the radio at her. “I don’t know why I can’t find her. She must be on the same frequency as before, yet I can’t find out unless I can get past the bucking radio station!”

Some of the guards cast wary glances at one another at her swear, and Flash facehoofed.

Yet if Luna were offended, she made no sign of it. She sat back and tapped her hooves together while studying Vinyl with a thoughtful expression. “Let’s say I did as you asked and your friend is there. What exactly do you expect me to do then?”

Vinyl paused to gather her thoughts. She’d had plenty of time to think on this subject. “Y-you can… can prove her story is false. All you have to do is determine that the radio frequency isn’t coming from the sky. That alone will solidly disprove her story and force her to acknowledge whatever trouble she’s really in.”

“You’re mistaken,” Luna replied curtly. “If she truly believes what she says, it will take more than my word to convince her. After all, to you I am a princess, but to your friend I will be merely another voice on the radio.”

“It won’t be like that!” Vinyl shook her head frantically. “She’ll believe you, I know she will.”

“Suppose your friend is merely insane,” Luna pressed. “You would be wasting my time.”

“She’s not insane!” Vinyl jumped forward and glared at Luna; neither the princess nor her guards flinched. “I came here looking for help and you insult my friend. She could be tying a bucking noose around her neck as we speak. You’re the one wasting my time!” She stomped and snorted steam. “If you won’t do it, just say so and I’ll find somepony else who will!”

Vinyl made to leave, but came to an abrupt stop as she felt the radio pulled out of her magical grip. She turned around to see the device floating towards the throne. “Hey, give that back!”

Luna ignored her and took the radio in her hooves. She examined it from all angles. “This is an old device. How is it nopony else has spoken to your friend? Surely others must be able to reach the same frequency.”

“I…” Vinyl hesitated, her anger fading to a small hum in the back of her mind. “I really don’t know.”

“And why would she only answer to one frequency?” Luna cast a raised eyebrow Vinyl’s way. “Are you sure she did not simply go on vacation?”

“And go where?” Vinyl shook her head as the fire came back. “She’s spoken to me every day for four weeks! Why would she go somewhere and not tell me?”

“Or something happened to incapacitate her, like a straightjacket.”

A ball of ice formed in Vinyl’s chest, knocking the air out of her. She sat and bowed her head, legs shaking. “Y-you are a cruel mare, Princess. P-please…” She rubbed her eyes and looked up. “Give it back. I’ll go and find some other pony to help me. I just h-hope Adi isn’t dead by then.”

Luna did not answer for a time, instead continuing her study of the radio. After a few seconds, she asked, “What is the name of the radio station in question?”

“What?” Vinyl blinked and cocked her head. “CATZ2.”

The thestral who had left earlier now appeared at Luna’s side with a steaming cup of tea. Luna set the radio on the arm of the throne and took the tea in her magic, taking a dainty sip.

“Archimedes, I want you to find the producer of the local radio station, CATZ2. Tell them I wish to have a meeting as soon as possible about a temporary break in their service.”

Vinyl’s jaw almost hit the floor. “Y-you mean you’ll do it?”

Luna nodded with a smile. “I find your conviction for a friend refreshing. There are many ways you could have approached this situation – arguably better ones – but you took a risk and came straight to me. I admire that. Besides,” she added with a grimace, “this will be far more interesting than my usual night.”

It took Vinyl several seconds to fully grasp what was happening. “Th-thank you, thank you so much! Oh—” She ran her hoof in circles on the marble floor, “—and, uh, sorry I shouted and all that.”

“Don’t be.” Luna’s smile grew warm. “I am glad to finally meet somepony who will be upfront with me.” She took another sip of her tea. “Now then, it will take some time to make arrangements with the station, and I will need to be briefed on the technology; I must acknowledge I am not as versed in it as I would like for this situation. Do you live far from the castle, Miss Scratch?”

Vinyl stared at Luna for a couple seconds before the exact question lodged in her brain. “Oh! Um, it’s in the Lower Levels, Princess.” She blushed and devoted herself to studying her hooves.

“Well, I won’t have you going all that way just to come right back. Mr. Sentry.”

Flash stepped forward and saluted. “Princess.”

Luna turned her smile on him. “I believe there is room in the barracks to let Miss Scratch have some rest, yes? Escort her there. I will send for you both when I am ready to proceed, which I imagine will be sometime in the morning.” She turned back to Vinyl. “Will that suit you, Miss Scratch?”

“Of course!” She bowed deep once more. “Thank you again, your highness. Thank you so much!”

“You are very welcome. You’re dismissed.”

Flash nudged Vinyl, prompting her to stand and head for the doors. As soon as they closed Flash let out a long sigh. “I can’t believe she said yes.”

Vinyl tackled him to the floor and rubbed cheeks with him. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“Hey, lemme go before somepony thinks you really are after my tail!”

“Too late for that,” the guard by the door grumbled. Upon hearing him, Vinyl leapt off Flash with her face as hot as dragon’s fire.

“Great.” Flash climbed to his hooves. “Now the entire castle’s going to be taunting me about it by morning.”

“Oh, woe is you,” the guard said, rolling his eyes. “It must be so stressful being a pretty colt. Thank Celestia the majority of us were born ugly; clearly we are blessed.”

Flash gave an exaggerated “Ah-hah, ah-hah” before grabbing Vinyl by the leg. “Come on, let’s go before things get worse.”

“S-sorry,” she mumbled as he led her through the halls.

Flash held his head low and maintained a bitter scowl. “Eh, forget about it. They’ve been teasing me about the same crap ever since I signed up to be a guard.”

Vinyl considered this, glancing back at the guard just as they turned a corner. “Do you really have a bunch of mares chasing your tail like they say?”

He groaned. “Three, okay? There were just three mares, and I broke up with each of them ages ago! It’s not my fault they turned out to be possessive nutcases.”

“Uh-huh.” Vinyl glanced about to ensure nopony was around before moving close. “Well, I don’t wanna look like some starry-eyed fanfilly, but since you risked so much for me…” She pressed the top of her muzzle beneath his jaw. “Thank you.”

He came to a pause, not saying anything until she stepped back to find him staring wide-eyed at her. His lips curled in a dopey, lopsided smile. “Uh… you’re welcome.”

Vinyl snickered and whacked his shoulder. “Come on, Bolt Butt, you’re supposed to be showing me to a room. Note: a room, not your room.”

“I wasn’t thinking that!”

“Uh-huh.” She chuckled at his red-faced glare, but quickly sobered as they rounded the next corner. “I hope the princess works fast. Every second feels like a second too long, y’know?”

He sighed and nodded. “Don’t worry, Vinyl. I’m sure the princess will work as fast as she can under the circumstances.”

She glanced at him and chewed her lip. “This means a lot to me, Flash. I was really af… worried.”

He examined her before setting a hoof to her shoulder. “I know, Vinyl. Adi will be okay.

“I’m sure of it.”

Author's Note

Recently I say down to study my three ongoing stories to determine how much more they have left to go. Frequency was the only one I couldn't determine a timeframe for. I know exactly where this story is going and how it will end, but getting there is proving tricky. Oh well, I'm sure I'll figure it out in time.

I'm trying to keep this story shorter than my usual, though...

VII – Contact

Chapter VII
Contact

Vinyl snapped awake to the sound of somepony knocking on her door. She groaned and considered ignoring it, until she remembered that there was no actual door to her bedroom. Her eyes drifted open to reveal dark-stained marble walls. She puzzled over this at first, but then the memory of the past night bucked her out of bed.

Stumbling on hooves that weren’t quite ready for movement, she made her way to the door of the small room and thrust it open to find a bleary-eyed Flash Sentry waiting for her. “Is it time?”

Flash let out a long yawn and righted his helmet before nodding. “The princess wants us to meet her in the astronomy room of the East tower. You ready?”

Scratching her head and brushing back her wild mane, Vinyl ended up yawning as well. “Yeah, the sooner the better. Lead on.”

Vinyl’s hooves were like lead. She walked alongside Flash, head low as she tried to stretch her back. She noticed that he maintained the proper stance of a guard, but by his face she suspected he would collapse at any second.

“How much sleep did you get last night, Flash?”

“Three hours,” he grumbled. “After you nodded off, I had to go apologize to Little Caster for abandoning her on Princess Cadance’s doorstep right when it was time for her to go off duty. Wasn’t pretty.”

She winced at this revelation. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” He waved a dismissive hoof. “I’m expected to be able to take a few long nights in my line of work.”

She shook her head. “You didn’t have to stay up with me all night long.”

“You were scared,” he replied. “I wasn’t just gonna leave you alone with your thoughts.”

Vinyl blushed and glanced away. “I wasn’t scared.”

“Bull, you were borderline panicked.”

She huffed and refused to look his way. “I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”

Flash shrugged. “We all say something like that.”

They continued the walk in silence, Vinyl not daring to admit that she was glad he’d stuck around until she’d fallen asleep. It had been a long and painful night. She’d almost broke down on more than one occasion. Not for the first time, Vinyl began to wonder when it was that Adi had become so important to her.

Her mind began to circle through the usual thoughts. Maybe it wasn’t that Adi was so important, but perhaps it was what Adi represented. Then what did she represent? It could be the opportunity to save somepony. Maybe Vinyl just wanted to do something special for a change and make a difference. Perhaps she wanted to be important to somepony.

Or perhaps she just didn’t want to come home to an empty apartment.

She hated that particular thought. As always, she shoved past it to more pleasant alternatives.

Adi was her friend, and she didn’t want her friend to come to harm. That was the best reason, wasn’t it? The most likely, the most reasonable. Yet Vinyl wasn’t used to the idea of friends. Aside from Velvet, she’d never really had one… and Velvet seemed in her mind something more akin to a long-known acquaintance, a pony she knew since her school days who happened to be working at the bar of the club she applied to work for years later.

But maybe Velvet qualified.

Yet Vinyl didn’t get scared when she couldn’t talk to Velvet after a few days. So what was the difference between her and Adi?

The circle came round again.

“Hey.”

She glanced up to find that they were climbing up stairs. How long had she been wrapped up in her thoughts?

Flash tapped her on the head. “You fall asleep walking?”

Vinyl shook off his hoof and rubbed her eyes. “No, just thinking.”

“Right.” He let out another long yawn. “We’re almost there.”

“Good.” She glanced around, taking in the dim surroundings. They were in a circular staircase rising up a thick column. There were no windows, no indication that they were approaching a destination. “How high are we, and how do you know how high we are?”

“Pegasus instincts.” He flapped his wings, perhaps for emphasis. “This is the tallest tower in the castle. Judging by our elevation—” he tapped the side of his head, “—we’re probably up to the fifteenth floor or so. The tower’s got seventeen.”

They passed by a solid oak door, which Vinyl peered at for the sake of having something other than marble to see. “Astronomy room, top of the tower. Makes sense.”

“You’ll wanna be careful in there,” Flash told her. “The astronomy room is akin to Princess Luna’s personal study, and she babies her equipment. Ya break it, ya bought it… after a few moons in a dungeon, that is.”

“Got it, I’ll be careful.”

The staircase ended at a pair of large doors, on which Flash knocked.

“Come in.”

He pushed a door open. “Your highness, Miss Scratch has arrived.”

Vinyl stepped in to find a wide, open room with only the central column acting as a support. The exterior was nothing more than a circle of wide, open windows. Telescopes of varied sizes stood scattered about the exterior, all aimed at the sky; tables covered in boxes with lenses and strange objects sat at strategic locations; spare equipment was stored on shelves; star charts were set on stands depicting a variety of constellations. Vinyl noted at least a half-dozen bookshelves filled with tomes on what were almost certain to be astronomical data. The soft shine of morning’s first light filtered through the room.

Princess Luna stood at one of the tables, studying a large telescope lens in her magic. Her face was so close it was a wonder her eye didn’t touching the glass. “Ah, Miss Scratch. You are just in time.”

As Vinyl continued her curious scan of the room, Luna very slowly set the lens down in a velvet-lined box, which she closed with equal caution. She turned to Vinyl with a broad smile. “The station will be cutting off their service for an hour. It will begin soon.”

“Really?” Vinyl bounced forward, all weariness fading from her mind. “That’s great! I can’t thank you enough, Princess.” She dropped into a quick bow.

“The gratitude is returned,” Luna replied. “I’ve had quite the educational night thanks to your interruption. It has been a wonderful break from the tedium of the past few months.” She turned to point to a nearby table. “Your radio is there. I took the liberty of having its internal parts replaced and upgraded where necessary, if that’s alright.”

Vinyl bounded to the radio and lifted it in her magic. She examined it from all sides, yet apart from some clearly new screws in the bottom it didn’t seem at all different. “That’s wonderful! Thank you very much, your highness.”

The door began to creak closed, but Luna’s voice piped up. “Ah-ah, you will stay, Mr. Sentry.”

“Oh.” Flash stepped back into the room with a nonplussed expression. “But I have to report for duty, your highness.”

Luna waved her hoof. “At the moment, your duty is to stay here.”

Flash exchanged a questioning look with Vinyl, but let the door close behind him. “As you command, Princess.”

Vinyl wondered about this turn of events, but decided she had more important issues at hoof. “Princess, do you think you could locate Adi?”

“Absolutely.” Luna sat opposite Vinyl with a smile. “I’ve been through a crash course of the technology involved, and have already tested a spell for just that purpose. It will be easy to determine a general direction once the two of you begin speaking.” Her expression grew somber. “Of course, this assumes your friend will be on the radio at all.”

“She’ll be there,” Vinyl insisted. “She’s got to be!”

“So we shall see.” Luna glanced towards the rising sun. “The frequency should be open now. Let us try.”

Vinyl cast a fretful look towards Flash, who gave her a firm nod. With a sigh, she reached for the microphone. “Alright, Adi, please be there.”

She flipped the power switch.

Adi’s quiet, lost voice arose from the speaker, clearer than it had ever been before. “—here. I’m still here. Please, Vinyl, come back. Please.”

Vinyl let out a sigh. She kept still for a couple seconds, just letting the relief wash over her, but finally raised the mic. “I’m here, Adi.”

“Vinyl! Oh, thank God!”

She shot a smile at Luna, who only stared at the radio intently. “Sorry, Adi, some things happened beyond my control and—”

Adi’s voice rose in a shout. “Don’t ever do that to me again! Do you have any idea how scared I was?”

Vinyl winced and turned the volume down slightly. She thought on the last twenty-four hours and blushed. “Oh believe me, I do.”

“No, you don’t,” Adi whispered. “I th-thought I was alone again. Don’t do that to me, Vinyl, please. I can’t take being alone anymore.”

“I know.” Vinyl glanced at Luna once more, who had taken on a grim frown. “That’s why I rushed to get help as fast as I could.”

“Good. Th-that’s good. Promise me you won’t ever leave me like that again.”

Vinyl held the microphone in both hooves, her chest tight. “I promise. I’ll be here, Adi. You don’t know how worried I was when I couldn’t find you.”

A long pause. “You were worried?”

“Yeah, I really was.” Vinyl glanced towards Flash, who smiled in a way that was almost glowing. She coughed and shook herself. “Anyway, I’ve accelerated our plans.”

Adi sniffed. “I don’t follow.”

“You remember me talking about meeting Princess Luna, right?” Vinyl glanced at the princess, who was leaning over the table and listening carefully. “I sorta barged into the Night Court so I could ask her for help.”

“You did? You didn’t get in trouble?”

Vinyl grinned. “Nope, though I probably should have. She’s here, right now, listening to us.”

“She… she is?”

The microphone floated over the radio, Vinyl waving encouragingly to Luna. “Would you like to talk to her, Princess?”

Luna blinked and studied the mic for a couple seconds, but at last took it in her magical grip. “Hello, Miss Adi.”

“Oh! Is this the princess?”

“It is indeed.” Luna nodded. “You should feel honored to have a friend in Vinyl, who was willing to risk a lot more than she knows to come speak to me.”

Vinyl’s eyes widened and she looked to Flash. He raised his hoof to his cheek and mouthed, 'She’s kidding.'

“I am honored, and more appreciative than you can imagine,” Adi replied. “After two years alone…” There was a long silence. “Well, I’m just glad she’s back. Um, I don’t mean to be rude, but are you really a princess?”

“Indeed I am.” Luna’s lips shifted for a few seconds, her eyes growing hard. “I hope, for your sake, that you truly are not aware of my history.”

Adi’s response was hurried. “I apologize, I did not mean to insult. I’ve simply never spoken to a princess before.”

The princess sighed. “I was referring to my thousand years of exile and isolation on the moon.”

“A thousand years? Vinyl failed to mention that part of the story.”

Vinyl flinched.

Luna’s gained a deadpan look. “I don’t blame her. I am about to cast a spell that will let me determine your general direction from us, so I’ll leave you in your friend’s capable hooves for the moment.”

“I’m sorry, princess,” Vinyl said as she hurriedly took the proffered microphone. “I didn’t think she’d take it that far.”

“It could be that she actually believes her own story,” Luna admitted, though her tone was humorless. “Or she could have no shame. One way or another, we will locate her.” Her horn dimly shined, her eyes focusing on the radio.

Vinyl licked her lips, her stomach twisting at the look in the princess’s eye. She glanced to Flash, who was currently making a good showing of looking anywhere but at the two of them.

She brought the microphone to her lips. “Adi, you’re gonna get me thrown in a dungeon before this is all over.”

Adi sighed. “Vinyl, I appreciate whatever you did that lets us talk, but how am I supposed to believe such a crazy story?”

Vinyl facehoofed. “She’s right here, y’know.”

“A thousand years? You can’t even live that long, Vinyl.”

“Well she can, and if you don’t shut up about it I’m liable to spend the rest of my life on the moon.”

“And how are you even supposed to breathe on the moon?” Adi asked. “You already told me your people don’t have space flight, so you can’t expect me to believe you’ve got some moon colony.”

Vinyl groaned and rubbed her eyes. “It’s called magic. Beyond that I don’t think anything else needs to be explained.”

Adi scoffed. “I already told you, I don’t believe in magic.”

Vinyl glowered at the radio. “Y’know, I went through a lot of trouble to start talking to you again. It’s been less than ten minutes and you’re already trying to debate me.”

It took a moment for Adi to respond. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to, I just… well, I guess we should change topics.”

“Yeah, sounds like a good—” Vinyl blinked; the microphone had been jerked from her magical grip. She looked up to find Luna staring with wide eyes at the radio. “Hey, what gives? Eh… your higness.”

Luna didn’t say anything for several long seconds.

Adi’s voice rose through the speaker. “Vinyl? You there?”

The princess spoke into the mic. “Miss Adi, I need a moment with your friend.”

“Oh, of course.”

The mic rested on the tabletop as Luna focused ever more intently on the radio. She mumbled under her breath and her horn faded in and out several times. Vinyl shifted and glanced at Flash, who shrugged.

At last Vinyl leaned forward. “Umm, Princess Luna?”

“Just a moment, please.” Luna continued her staring contest with the radio for several seconds, but finally her horn dimmed. “Sweet merciful me.”

Vinyl scratched the back of her head. “So… did you locate Adi?”

Luna’s nod was slow, almost robotic. She pressed a hoof to her chin, wide eyes shifting in deep thought.

“Great!” Vinyl clapped her hooves and offered a nervous smile. “So we can find her and disprove her theory, right?”

“Not exactly.”

Shoulders sagging, Vinyl gave the radio a forlorn look. “What do you mean?”

Luna leaned over the table. “I mean I can’t disprove her story, Vinyl. I mean the signal is coming from… up.”

“Up?” Vinyl cocked her head. “What do you mean, up?”

In response, Luna raised a single hoof and pointed at the ceiling.

Vinyl followed its direction uncomprehendingly, then gaped at the princess. “Up?”

Luna gave another slow nod. “Up.”

The silence was intense. Vinyl could almost feel her logical foundations crashing down around her, and she found herself short of breath. She looked to Flash, but he only gaped at them with wide, uncomprehending eyes.

“Y-you…” Vinyl fiddled with her hooves. “Are you sure you cast the spell correctly?”

“It is a very simple spell,” Luna said, “and I cast it a dozen times. Yes, Miss Scratch, I am certain.” She took the microphone in her dark aura. “Miss Adi, this is Princess Luna. Do you have a full name, and if so, may I know it?”

Adi’s voice rose from the speaker. “My full name? I’m not sure you can pronounce it.”

Luna’s response was quick. “Indulge me.”

“O-okay, then. My full name is… Adhiambo Longstaff.”

“Adhiambo Longstaff.” The princess had no difficulty with the pronunciation. “Could you tell me where you are now?”

“Where? I… well, that is…”

Luna shook her head. “Are you drifting? In orbit, perhaps?”

A gasp rose through the speaker. “Y-you… drifting. I’m drifting.”

“Give me a moment.” Luna thrust the microphone into Vinyl’s waiting hooves and went to a trio of star charts.

Vinyl stared at her, then at the mic. Her mind was still running in random directions and her breathing came in slow gasps. At last she raised the microphone. “Adi, I… Holy horseshoes, is this really happening?”

Adi began crying. “D-do you believe me, Vinyl? Do you believe me now?”

“I am so sorry.” Vinyl clutched the microphone in one hoof and her chest in the other. She felt as though somepony had torn out her heart. “Oh Goddess, I am sorry! I didn’t know, I… I…”

“I know,” Adi whispered. “I w-wouldn’t have believed me, either.”

Vinyl opened her mouth to speak, but the microphone was abruptly stolen from her hooves. She looked up to find Luna, still wide-eyed, standing over her. “Miss Longstaff, Luna. Can you control the speed and direction of your ship?”

Adi sniffed. “Yes, I d-do have some control of it, but no place to go.”

“Okay, this is good.” Luna turned to gaze at her star charts once more. “I might be able to find you.”

Vinyl’s jaw dropped as her mind got lost trying to process Luna’s words.

Adi’s voice was loud over the speaker. “Really? Can you do that?”

“Maybe.” Luna’s lips curled up in a smile and her eyes sparkled. “There’s a chance. It might take months or even years, but I think I can find you. With some tweaking of the magic I should be able to get a general direction.”

“But that’s…” Adi’s voice shook. “B-but I’m just a tiny dot to you. Princess, how could you possibly—”

Luna turned back to the radio, her voice firm. “If you’re close enough that we can hear you on the radio in real time, you’re close enough that we can see you with a telescope. It may take months to locate you and triangulate your position, but if you track your movements for us I think we’ll be able to identify you.”

Adi was silent for some time. “And then I could… I could go to Equestria?”

Vinyl’s ears perked. She gazed at Luna, who returned the look with an expression of wonder.

“Yes,” Luna whispered. “Yes, I believe it is possible.”

Sobbing arose from the speaker. Luna smiled and spoke once more, keeping her tone soft. “Miss Longstaff, I understand this is a big moment for you. Please, take some time for yourself. I need to consult with Vinyl and make preparations.”

Adi made no attempt to answer. She just kept sobbing. Vinyl longed to grab the microphone, but she held back and waited for Luna to speak.

Luna set the mic to the table and exhaled a long, steadying breath. “Miss Scratch, you may have made the most incredible discovery of the age.”

Flash had come closer to listen in. “Can you really get her to our world, Princess?”

“It may take a very long time,” Luna replied, “but yes, the possibility certainly exists.”

“I can’t believe this.” Vinyl pressed a hoof to her churning stomach. “When she told me she was an alien, I just thought… well, y’know, who the buck believes something like that?”

“Nopony can fault you for your doubt,” Luna said, setting a hoof to her shoulder. “Now is the time to make up for it. I would like for you to remain at the castle until we have arranged a plan for Miss Longstaff’s journey. I will need to inform the other princesses and the right individuals in the astronomical community.”

“I’d be happy to help.” Vinyl blushed and rubbed her hooves together. “I, uh, don’t know anything about astronomy, though.”

Luna offered a warm smile. “You are Miss Longstaff’s friend. She trusts you. You will be our official liaison; I want you present whenever we need to speak with her. More scientific minds will handle the work, you just act as Miss Longstaff’s… assurance.”

Vinyl cocked her head as she tried to take this in. “So I’m holding her hoof?”

“Something like that.” Luna turned to Flash. “You will be working with Miss Scratch, acting as her escort.”

Flash sputtered, his cheeks going pink. “B-but your highness, I am a guard of the Crystal Empire! I would need to formally request—”

“I have already discussed things with Cadance,” Luna declared. “Judging by what she has already told me about you, I doubt she will mind a temporary change in your posting.”

“R-really?” His ears lowered with his head and his cheeks only burned brighter. “What did she s-say about me?”

Luna’s smile grew wry. “That is private.”

“Hold on.” Vinyl raised her hoof, catching the attention of both of them. “What the hay do I need a guard for? Err, princess.”

“I’ve got to second that one,” Flash said.

“There are many reasons,” Luna replied with confidence. “Making sure you make it to the appropriate meetings on time, for example.”

“Hey!” Vinyl stomped. “What makes you think I’ll be late?”

Luna gave a hmmph and smirked. “You’ll also have to be kept from going places you shouldn’t within the castle.”

Vinyl sulked. “What the hay? Do I have some kind of record?”

The smirk broadened. “Every pony has a record, Miss Scratch, and I assure you that I have seen yours.” Vinyl’s eyes grew wide, but Luna pressed on before she could formulate a response. “Further, it will be Mr. Sentry’s duty to keep you from harm.”

“I can handle myse—” Vinyl’s lips clamped closed against her will, and after a few seconds of struggling with her jaw she finally sulked and glared.

Flash shifted from hoof to hoof, his eyes darting to each mare over and over again. “I’m not sure I like this idea. Any guard would do, right?”

“But you went out of your way to help Miss Scratch,” Luna said. “You know her personally and you are a fan of her music. You are also an exemplary guard, if Cadance may be considered a reliable source of such information. I trust you will take it upon yourself to watch over her in every way.”

Flash’s eyes grew as wide as Vinyl’s felt. “H-how do you know so much about us?”

“I didn’t just spend the night researching radio technology, Mr. Sentry.” Luna smiled at him. “Like my sister, I prefer to know who I am dealing with in advance.”

Vinyl shook her head forcefully and discovered that her jaw was free to move again. “I really don’t think this is necessary!”

Luna laughed and winked. “What is that phrase I’ve heard in these modern times? Oh, yes: ‘suck it up.’” She turned for the door. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do, starting with making sure the radio station is moved to another frequency. I will advise Princess Cadance to speak with you on this matter soon, Mr. Sentry.”

Vinyl shared a miffed, wide-eyed look with Flash. As the door closed, she asked, “What just happened?”

“I think we’re stuck together,” he replied with equal uncertainty. “I don’t get it; who am I supposed to be protecting you from?”

Adi’s voice rose from the speaker. “V-Vinyl?”

She hurried to sit at the table and grab the microphone. “I’m here, Adi.”

“Th-thank you,” Adi whispered. “Thank you for talking to me. Thank you for setting this up. I… I can’t…”

Vinyl shushed her with a warm smile. “It’s okay, Adi. You don’t have to say anything.”

“I’m g-going to have a home.” Adi choked down a sob. “I’m going to get out of this damn tin can. I could n-never thank you enough.”

“I know. I don’t know what to say… or think.” Vinyl rubbed her mane back and leaned against the table. She took slow breaths. “I’m trying to take it all in. I’m… I’m really confused.”

She felt Flash’s hoof on her shoulder, and looked up to find him smiling down at her. He gave a small nod. Vinyl stared at him for a moment, and then felt something unusual within her. It was like a pleasant warmth in her chest, a sense that things were going… right.

She turned back to the microphone. “Adi? I get it now.”

It was a few seconds before Adi responded. “Get what?”

“You haven’t been telling me everything,” she said. “Because you knew I wouldn’t believe.”

Adi said nothing.

Vinyl turned and took Flash’s hoof, forcing him to sit down next to her before turning back to the radio. “Adi, why are you on that ship? Please, let me know what happened.”

More silence. Vinyl began to wonder if Adi would respond at all.

“There was a sickness.” Adi’s voice was hollow, her words coming slowly. “I was a mechanic working with a contractor for NASA. I didn’t listen to news or anything, so I don’t know where the illness started. I know half of Europe was infected by the time I started paying attention.”

Flash leaned towards Vinyl. “Europe?”

She shushed him with a wave of her hoof, listening intently to Adi’s shaky breathing.

“By that time, the sickness was in the U.S. and people were starting to get scared. We started calling it the Super Flu. Super-contagious, super-hard to get rid of, super-painful. Vaccines didn’t work, modern medicine was useless. Some thought it was a type of bioweapon, if you believe in conspiracy theories. Then…”

She was silent for a time. Vinyl and Flash shared uncertain glances.

“Then something changed. I don’t know what it was. The virus went from being painful to lethal almost overnight. I heard that millions died in Europe alone within a couple weeks. The sickness was coming. We all knew it.”

A long, tremulous sigh rose from the speaker.

“That’s when we decided to take The Journey, the ship I’m on, and leave Earth. There were twenty-one of us initially, and we were acting against orders, so we had to move in secret. It took two months to make preparations, and some died trying to get to their families. Mine… mine was already gone by then.”

Vinyl chewed her lip and fought against the tightness in her throat. “Adi, I—”

“Let me finish!”

She clamped her jaw closed and held the microphone in a firm grip.

“S-sorry… I just… let me get it out.”

Another pause.

“It was Immerson who screwed up. He told the wrong family members, who came to believe the ship could hold dozens of crewmembers. We had a mob on our hands.”

Adi began to cry, but it was subdued. “I… I had no choice. Curtis, Takenaka and LeMay had been arrested, the sickness was spreading through like a wildfire and was already at Cape Canaveral. Hundreds of people were trying to break through the fence. I w-waited as long as I could, I really did. I didn’t even know how to fly the damn thing, but I saw Paredes get shot making his way to the ship. He was the last pilot, I d-didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know where the others were. The fence was failing, the base was in chaos.”

She sucked in a long, shaky breath. “So I started the engines and took off. I let the autopilot get me above the atmosphere. I should have waited a little longer, but I was so scared. I didn’t even properly buckle myself in, and the ride knocked me out. By the time I woke up, I was in orbit.

“I spent three months listening to the radio. Listening as my world died. By then, the lights in all the cities had gone out. By the end of the fourth month, the radio gave me nothing but static. My home was gone, and even if I knew how to land the ship there was no way I’d survive on the surface. So I… I figured out the controls and left. That’s what the ship was designed for, after all; interstellar exploration.

“It’s not like I had any better options.”

Silence. Vinyl stared at the radio, slowly releasing the breath she’d been holding. “Adi, that’s…”

“Something,” Flash finished for her. She glanced over to see him staring at his hooves with wide, shifting eyes.

She held the microphone to her lips. “Adi, we’ll get you here. You’ll find a new home in Equestria, I promise.”

Adi’s response came slowly. “A-are you sure, Vinyl? What if I c-can’t survive there? What if—”

“You listen to me,” Vinyl snapped. “You are going to make it to Equestria. You’re going to see our world, you’re going to make a home for yourself, and we are going to finally meet face to face. It’s going to happen, Adi.”

“But what if—”

“Shut it.” Vinyl stood and glared at the radio. “Don’t you dare argue with me on this! The princesses will makes it happen, and I’m going to be there. I’ll be with you, Adi, every step of the way. Okay? So… so believe it, because it’s true.”

Adi remained silent. Vinyl tapped her hoof impatiently. “Okay?”

“Okay,” Adi whispered. “I… I trust you, Vinyl. I’ll believe.”

“Good.” Vinyl sat, her entire body slumped over the table. “Good. You’d better, or else I’ll kick your tail when you get here.”

Adi gave a weak chuckle. “You’re one of a kind, Vinyl. Thank you.”

A small smile graced Vinyl’s lips. Her eyes were blurred by moisture. “Anytime.”

She looked to Flash, who watched her with a smile of his own. She set a hoof to his shoulder. “I don’t know why Luna pinned you to me… but I’m glad.” She rubbed her eyes and looked to the radio. “I d-don’t wanna do this alone.”

“You won’t.” He patted her hoof and rubbed her back. “Neither of you.”

Vinyl sniffed and returned his smile, that warm feeling back in her chest. She glance to the radio, then back at him, then raised the microphone. “Hey, Adi?”

“Y-yeah?”

“I’ve got a guy I’m stuck with, Luna’s orders. I think I should introduce you.” She thrust the mic in Flash’s startled face. “Say hello, Bolt Butt.”

Author's Note

Well, that's finally out of the way. I don't know how many chapters this story has left, but I think it's all downhill from here. There are just a few things that need to be established before we get to what I was after all along.

VIII – A Little Talk Redux

Chapter VIII
A Little Talk Redux

Vinyl’s radio towered over its counterpart, which was supposedly the latest in modern communication technology. Small and light enough to easily lift with one hoof, the shiny white radio sported a screen that somehow managed to light up and display numbers without a projector. The device had been donated by the Canterlot College of Electrical Engineering, itself a very new facility of learning.

Considering she had no idea how a whole radio could be packed into such a little package, Vinyl was half-afraid to try it. What if she broke it? Would they take it out of her pay? Fifty Four had sent a message ensuring her that she was still getting paid wages based on a forty hour work week – undoubtedly at the insistence of royalty. Still, the thought of having to pay for the device made her treat it like a priceless specimen in a museum.

“Vinyl, you there?” Adi’s voice chirped up on the new radio, so clear that Vinyl couldn’t resist marveling.

She touched the small button on top of the white cube as gently as she could. “I’m here. Can you hear me?”

“Whoa,” Adi said, “your sound quality just jumped a few notches.”

“New radio.” Vinyl pulled her hoof away from the button, very slowly. “Dunno if I’m gonna keep using it. Can you still hear me?”

“Sure can. Why?”

“Huh.” Vinyl stared at the button, then at her hoof. “Continuous two-way communication. My dad would be amazed if he could see this.”

“Technology upgrade, huh?”

“Big upgrade, small package,” Vinyl replied. “I’m half afraid I’ll break it if I touch it, so I’m glad I don’t have to ta keep talking.”

“That’s the thing about consumer electronics,” Adi said in a sage tone, “they keep getting smaller all the time and they keep getting cheaper all the time.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Vinyl sat by the table and looked around the astronomy room. “Y’know, it’s nice staying at the castle and living in the lap of luxury, but I wanna go home.”

“Really? I thought there was nothing for you to do there.”

“True…” Vinyl sighed and rested her cheek on the table. “But this is Canterlot Castle. Only the nobility is even supposed to set hoof here. I’m so low brow I make low brow feel high brow. I don’t belong in this place.”

Adi sighed. “You always talk as though you’re poor as dirt.”

“I know, I should count my blessings—” Vinyl shifted so it was her chin on the table, “—but right now I’d give just about anything for some hayfries and an oatburger.”

“Until you have spent two years eating the exact same vegetables for every single meal, don’t talk to me about what food you miss.”

Vinyl shuddered. “Yeah, that does sound bad. Forget I said anything.”

There was a moment of silence before Adi spoke up again. “Do you have any idea when this other princess is supposed to show up?”

“Flash went to get her.” Vinyl couldn’t help smirking. “He’s been on pins and needles for the past three days over her coming.”

“Oh?”

“Yep.” She chuckled and glanced for the door. “He mentioned he’s a royal guard, right? Well he had this huge crush on Princess Twilight before. He actually asked her out, and got turned down flat. Crushed him, poor fella.”

“Wait a minute, you mean he asked out royalty? Don’t you have to be, like, nobility to do that?”

“Not really.” Vinyl toyed with the mic on her old radio, tossing it in the air. “Princess Cadance married the Captain of the Guard here in Canterlot, who most certainly wasn’t nobility at the time. By the way, that marriage makes Cadance and Twilight sisters-in-law.”

“Good to know.” Adi paused once more. “I need to re-evaluate my view of Flash. Any guy who can ask out someone so out of his league’s worthy of respect. All this time I kinda felt he was a dork.”

Vinyl broke into laughter. “Oh, he’s definitely a dork! A brave dork, but still a dork.”

“I heard that.”

Vinyl grinned and turned to find Flash standing at the door with a nervous smile. Before Vinyl could say anything, he stood aside and at attention. “Her Highness, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight trotted into the room with a bright smile and a particular shine in her eye, leaving the fidgeting Flash behind without so much as a second glance. She raised her hoof as Vinyl started to rise. “Please, no bowing! I get enough of that around here to last me a lifetime. You must be Vinyl Scratch.”

Vinyl had seen the new princess before on several occasions, but until now she’d never been directly addressed by Twilight. It felt weird seeing a former unicorn with wings. “That’d be me. We were beginning to wonder when you’d show.”

“That makes two of us!” Twilight flapped her wings. “I’m still not used to these things, so I took the train as a precaution. I have got to squeeze more flying lessons into my schedule.” She paused and gazed with wide eyes and an almost creepy smile at the radio. “Is… is she on?”

Adi spoke up. “A pleasure to meet you, Princess Sparkle.”

Twilight let out something between a gasp and a laugh, her wings jerking open with a poomph. “Oh my gosh, this is so amazing!” She practically flew into the seat next to Vinyl. “It is such an incredible pleasure to talk to you, you have no idea how excited I’ve been! Miss Longstaff, do you have any idea what this means?”

“Umm…” Adi gave a weak chuckle.

“The first true evidence of life beyond our world without having to cross dimensions.” Twilight clapped her hooves and gave a squee. “It’s so fascinating, it might be the greatest scientific discovery in of all pony history. I have so many questions for you, I just don’t know where to start!”

“Don’t mind her,” a new voice called. Vinyl turned to see a small purple dragon walking in, looking exhausted by the long trek up the stairs. “She gets like this all the time. She got so excited she forgot me at the bottom of the stairs.”

“Oh, sorry, Spike.” Twilight’s horn lit up, promptly lifting the dragon and setting him down between her and Vinyl. “I told you to hang on, didn’t I?”

He crossed his arms and huffed. “Yeah, after you’d already bolted.” He turned and offered his fist to Vinyl. “Hi, I’m Spike the Dragon.”

“Vinyl Scratch.” She hoofbumped his fist with a smile.

“Did he say ‘dragon?’” Adi asked. “Like, fire breathing, scales, wings, big as a house?”

“Actually, Spike’s a baby dragon,” Twilight replied eagerly, patting him on the head. He groaned and shoved her hoof away, to which she only grinned. “Also, he has no wings. We’re assuming he’ll grow into them later.”

“No wings, huh? Interesting.”

“Wait.” Twilight pressed her hooves to the table and leaned over the radio with wide eyes. “How do you know about dragons? Did Vinyl tell you about them?” The question had Vinyl perking her ears.

“Nope, dragons are an old part of Earth mythology. Everyone knows about dragons, they just don’t exist where I’m from.”

“That’s… that’s astounding.” Twilight sat once more and tapped her chin. “How is it possible that two races from two entirely different worlds could know about the same things?”

Adi barked a laugh. “You think that’s weird? How about those two races forming languages that are almost exactly the same, even grammatically? The odds have got to be astronomical.”

Twilight blinked, her eyes going wide. She turned to thrust a hoof in Vinyl’s face. “You didn’t teach her to speak common pony?”

Vinyl pushed the hoof aside. “Don’t look at me, she was already speaking it when we first met.”

“I find that hard to believe.” Flash’s voice made her jump, for she’d not realized that he’d walked up behind them.

“Me too,” Twilight said. “Those are just the tip of the iceberg! Like, why is it only radios in the general vicinity of Canterlot can catch you on this frequency?”

Vinyl couldn’t help but notice how Flash averted his gaze when Twilight’s passed over him.

“Yea,” Spike chirped up, “and let’s not forget that somehow only Miss Scratch discovered you. Talk about long odds.”

“I don’t have any answers for you,” Adi replied. “I’m as confused as all of you are, although I am glad I can finally talk about it.”

Vinyl leaned towards the radio with a raised eyebrow. “Hey! You could have talked to me about it at any time.”

Adi’s voice turned guilty. “You didn’t believe my story. I… I didn’t like being reminded of it.”

“Well, everypony in the scientific community of Equestria believes,” Twilight said, “and when the timing is right and we make the public announcement, so will everypony.”

“Everypony. Huh. Say, do you guys really look like ponies?”

Twilight, Vinyl, Flash and Spike all exchanged uncertain looks – Flash very obviously avoiding Twilight’s. “I guess that depends,” Twilight replied. “What do you think ponies look like?”

“Four legs, covered in fur, long muzzles. Manes and tails… I guess that wouldn’t be descriptive enough, come to think of it.”

“No, that sounds spot on,” Spike said. “Well, except for me, of course.”

“Seriously? So you don’t even have hands?”

Vinyl rubbed the back of her head and turned to Twilight. “Uh, what are hands?”

Twilight wiggled her hooves in the air demonstrably. “Ugly little hooves with five digits. The humans I met through the magic mirror had them, and they take some getting used to.”

"Just like my claw," Spike added, raising his for her to observe, "only longer and blunt." He took a moment to study it, wiggling his fingers. "Does it really look ugly?"

Adi’s voice grew in pitch. “You’ve met humans?”

Twilight's blushing apology to her assistant was cut off by her head whipping towards the radio. “Hu— That’s right, you claim to be ‘human.’ But… how can there be humans through the magic mirror… and…” She shot Spike a quizzical look, but he only shrugged. “Maybe… because the mirror leads to many dimensions, I guess it’s possible…”

“Wait,” Adi said, “what did these humans look like? Two-legged, wear clothes, hair on top of their heads?”

Twilight’s wings spread, whacking Flash in the face. “Exactly! Oh my gosh, this is great! It’s far more unusual than even my wildest expectations. I can’t wait to start studying your history, your culture, your lifestyle. Oh, oh, I’ve got to know, do you breathe oxygen?”

Vinyl stared at Twilight, then glanced back at Flash, who was being helped up by Spike. “She really gets into this stuff, doesn’t she?”

“What?” Adi asked. “Of course we do. What do you breathe?”

“Wow!” Twilight clapped her hooves. “You even live on a world with similar atmospheric properties! Spike, are you recording any of this?”

The dragon facepalmed. “You were in such a hurry to get up here you made us leave our luggage in the train to be sorted by the servants. That includes my notebook, Twilight.”

“Oh, no no no! That won’t do at all.” Twilight’s head swiveled about frantically. “I can’t ask questions without some means of writing down the answers. There has to be some way to—ah-ha!”

There was a flash of purple light that made Vinyl shield her eyes. When she looked again, Twilight had disappeared. A second flash produced the princess a few feet away, standing with a hoof raised to one of Luna’s rolling blackboards. “This is perfect! I’m sure Princess Luna won’t mind if I borrow a few of these for science.”

Spike raised his arms with an exasperated, “Here we go. Brace yourself, Adi, you’re in it for the long run now.”

“I don’t mind answering questions,” Adi replied with confidence in her tone.

“Don’t be so negative, Spike,” Twilight lectured. “This is perhaps the most important scientific discovery of our lifetimes – and considering I’m an alicorn and you’re a dragon, that’s going to be a long time. You should be more appreciative of the unique opportunity—”

Vinyl tuned out the lecture and turned to Flash, who was in the process of rolling his eyes. “So you like eggheads, huh?”

He blushed and made a good showing of looking anywhere but at Twilight. “Actually, I was kinda focused on the fact that she’s really cute.”

“Cute?” Vinyl shot Twilight a studious look.

“—since Starswirl the Bearded’s age, and I can’t tell you how excited he would be to be taking part in this! We could be on the verge of a new age. What if Miss Longstaff’s not the last alien to talk to us? I’ve never abused my royal status before, but I’ll be cockatrice droppings before I let this unprecedented opportunity pass me by! If you’d be more attentive to my—”

Vinyl turned back to Flash with a raised eyebrow. “Yeah, cute. That’s the word.”

Flash winced and leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Hey, cut me some slack. I’m not even interested in her anymore.”

“Oh yeah?” Vinyl smirked and knuckled his mane. “So why act so jumpy around her?”

He shoved her leg away and brushed his mane back into place. “I’d like to see you not be nervous as all Tartarus when in the same room with the princess who rejected you for a date.”

“No pity from me, Bolt Butt,” she replied with a dismissive wave of her hoof. “I’ve never been rejected for a date.”

He glared at her. “Why, ’cause nopony asks you out?”

She flinched and crossed her hooves with a huff. “No, I’m just too busy to go on dates.”

“Oh, really? So why did you—”

“Okay, okay, I get it!” Spike’s shout broke through their conversation. He waved his claws at Twilight. “Are you going to lecture me all day, or were you going to ask questions?”

“Actually,” Adi piped up cheerfully, “I was quite enjoying the conversations. Both of them.”

Vinyl leaned into the table to glower at the radio. “Not funny, Adi.”

Adi chuckled. “I thought so.”

“As much as I enjoy lecturing Spike,” Twilight said with a smug grin at her assistant, “his point is well taken. Have a seat, Miss Longstaff, and grab a snack; this could take a while.”

“A snack?” Adi scoffed. “I don’t get snacks. I’ve been eating the exact same things for ages.”

Twilight’s eyes lit up. “Such as?”

“Excuse me?”

The princess leaned forward, a piece of chalk already hovering by the board behind her. “What is it you eat while in space?”

“Oh. Uh… vegetables, mostly. Tomatoes are a staple because they have protein and are easy to grow.”

“Fascinating.” The word ‘tomatoes’ was written on the board as Twilight gazed with shining eyes at the radio. “And how do you grow plants in space?”

“That’s it!” Vinyl threw her hooves up high. “I’m gonna let you two brains talk. This kinda stuff is bo-ring.”

Twilight let out a gasp. “But don’t you want to know more about Miss Longstaff’s life in space? Think of all the—”

“I don’t want to talk about the details,” Vinyl said as she stood from the table. “I want to talk about Adi. You two have your nerdgasm, I’m gonna get out of this stuffy old castle for a while.” She grabbed Flash’s tail. “C’mon, Bolt Butt.” She gave a jerk that brought him to his barrel.

“Hey!” He tugged his tail free and stood, his face crimson. “Why am I going too?”

“Luna said you’re supposed to be my escort, right? So let’s go, escort.” Vinyl turned to the radio. “Talk to ya later, Adi.”

Adi let out a huff. “I’ll have you know I was a C student. Hardly nerd material.” She laughed. “Ciao, Vinyl. Have fun with your boyfriend.”

“Well, if you must,” Twilight said with a sigh, but her beaming smile came back in an instant. “Now Adi… I can call you Adi, right?”

The door closed, muffling the rest of the conversation. Vinyl mimed wiping sweat from her brow. “Whew, close call. C’mon, Flash, I need some food.”

Flash grumbled as he followed her. “You could have handled that a little better. She is the princess, y’know, and you just brushed her off.”

“Relax,” Vinyl said with a roll of her eyes. “I got her pegged the moment she walked into the room: she doesn’t wanna be treated like royalty. For a guy who claims he used to have a big crush on her, you sure didn’t pay much attention.”

“So I was blinded by her being adorable, sue me.” Flash caught up with her. “And yes, used to have a crush on her.”

She grinned and bumped shoulders with him, almost knocking him into the wall. “You sure didn’t wanna leave that room.”

“Yeah, because I thought you were rude.”

“Aww.” Vinyl raised her sunglasses so she could properly bat her eyes at him with as innocent a look as she could muster. “Did I make you look bad in front of the mare of your dreams?”

Flash let out a groan and lowered his head into a proper sulking position. “Forget it, let’s just get to the cafeteria.”

“I don’t think so,” Vinyl declared with head raised. “I’m tired of this place. We’re going out.”

He shot her a dark frown. “At what point did you decide me being assigned as your guard meant you could boss me around?”

“From the moment I realized you’d get in trouble if you left me alone.” She smirked at him. “That means you gotta stick by me, and if I decide to not do what you wanna do, too bad. The risks of me being alone are all on you.”

He thought on her statement for a few seconds before groaning. “This is going to be fun.”

“Wow,” Flash said as they left the Canterlot streets and entered the front doors of the restaurant. “I haven’t been to a Hay Burger in ages.”

Vinyl looked around at the familiar Lower Level restaurant, feeling very comfortable with the half-cleaned tables and greasy food. The pair of foals sobbing in the corner to their highly frustrated mother only added to the charm. “It might not be fancy like the place you brought me, but it’s what I like. Come on, let’s play ‘Find the One Clean Table.’”

“I think you just made that up,” he said with a smirk, following her to a booth by the windows. He looked very out of place in his golden armor. Vinyl couldn’t help smiling as the foals in the corner stopped their crying to point out the Royal Guard in that excited way that makes parents blush and head for the exit.

Flash shot the foals an amused smile and waved as they were ushered out. “I love it when they do that.”

Vinyl sat back in the lumpy seat, perfectly content. “Why’s that?”

He shrugged. “I remember when I was a foal, y’know? I was always excited when I saw a guard march by. Seeing that kind of excitement in foals just makes me feel good about myself.”

“Hello again, Scratch.” A donkey waitress with a serving tray walked up to them with a tired smile. “Haven’t seen you here in over a week, I was starting to wonder.”

“Hey, Louise.” Vinyl waved with a grin. “Yeah, I’ve been a little busy lately. Two of the usual.”

Flash blinked. “You’re ordering for me?”

Louise gave him a cheeky wink. “Don’t you worry none, cutie, Vinyl’s got great taste buds. Two regulars, coming right up.”

Flash waited until she was in the kitchen to lose his smile. “‘Cutie.’ Sometimes I wish ponies would stop calling me things like that.”

“Oh, it’s soooo bad! All the mares think I’m cute, woe is me.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it.” He rolled his eyes and flexed his wings. “You kid, but do you know what it takes to gain respect when all the other guards keep calling you a ‘pretty colt?’ I had to work twice as hard to get half the respect.”

Vinyl studied him for a moment. “Gotta admit, your size doesn’t exactly intimidate, although I can say from experience that you’re a lot heavier than you look.”

“I know, I’ve got the ‘delicate pegasus’ look.” He brushed a hoof through his mane and sighed. “I can’t help that I inherited mom’s features.”

Louise appeared before Vinyl could respond. “Two double-patty oatburgers with extra onions and supersized hayfries, plus Bubble Colas.” She set the tray between them. Before Flash could reach from his wallet, Vinyl hoofed over the bits. “Enjoy. Hold on to this one, Vinyl, he looks like a keeper.”

“As if.” Vinyl and Louise shared a laugh, the former just noticing the touch of pink in Flash’s cheeks. “Thanks Louise.”

Flash lifted his oatburger, studying it as if it might be poisonous.

“What’s the matter, soldier?” Vinyl used her magic to grab her own burger. “I thought you said you used to go to Hay Burger.” She took a big bite.

“Yeah, until I realized how bad this stuff is for me.” He considered the burger for a few more seconds, but finally sighed. “Oh, what the hay?”

Vinyl swallowed her bite and heaved a sigh. “Ooh, such greasy, fatty, improper goodness. How I missed it.”

“I gotta admit,” Flash said with a breadcrumb-encircled grin, “it sure hasn’t lost its appeal.”

The two ate in silence for a few minutes, delighting in the taste of cheap junk food. Vinyl relished every bite, making sure to focus more on the fries than the burger as part of her ‘best for last’ eating strategy. Flash ate just as slowly, though it seemed more because he was hung up on ‘proper eating etiquette’ than a desire to prolong the experience.

Seeing this planted a curious thought in Vinyl’s head. “So where are you from, Bolt Butt?”

He paused, some fries hovering in his open mouth as he stared at her. “You wanna know more about me?”

“That’s what I said.” She gestured invitingly. “If I’m gonna be stuck with you for the foreseeable future, I might as well know who ya are in terms other than ‘royal guard’ and ‘dork.’”

“Don’t forget ‘cute,’” he added with a small smile. He ate a couple more fries as he considered his answer. “I was born in Seaddle, but my parents moved out before I was old enough to remember the place. I grew up in a town just south of Fillydelphia called Little Knothole, and the ‘little’ part isn’t an exaggeration.”

“Huh. What made them decide to make a big change like that?”

He shrugged. “Dad always said he didn’t like living in the city, and Mom claimed she hated the cold. I always had the feeling they weren’t telling me the full story.”

Vinyl nodded as she finished off an improperly large mouthful of burger. She had to take a big gulp to get it all down, and grinned at Flash’s raised eyebrow. “So what did they do?”

Flash shook his head with a disdainful sigh. “They’re both realtors.”

“Oh, wow, does that sound boring.”

He chuckled. “Believe me, it is.”

“So are they still around?”

“Yep.” He took a sip of his soda. “Still selling ramshackle homes for inflated prices. I guess I shouldn’t complain; I had a pretty easy foalhood because of it. It’s the reason I wanted to join the Royal Guard.”

Vinyl blinked and studied him from over the remnants of her burger. “Because you had an easy foalhood?”

“I know that sounds strange.” He averted his gaze and toyed with one of his last hayfries. “I just realized early on that Mom and Dad were giving me everything in life on a silver platter. They never challenged me to take responsibility, for myself or anything. It was pleasant I guess, but as I listened to their stories of how they got where they were, I realized that life won’t give me handouts forever.”

“I don’t see what any of that has to do with joining the Royal Guard,” she said. Despite her easy tone, she was leaning over the table and watching him intently.

Flash shrank a little from her attention. “It’s just… I wanted to be responsible, y’know? To prove that I didn’t need Mom and Dad’s bank account. Someday I’m going to have a family of my own, and I want to be able to support that family. I need to know that I can handle it, and being a guard is a pretty demanding job all around. Besides,” he added with a blush, “I always thought the uniform looked cool.”

Vinyl sat back, her entire body feeling heavy. His answer circled through her head again and again, and she found she really liked it. It reminded her of a certain other pony she used to know. The thought brought a warm smile to her face.

Flash fidgeted in his seat and stared out the window. “Yeah, I know, it’s strange.”

“No.” Vinyl pulled up her sunglasses and leaned forward. “It’s not strange at all. I like it.”

He glanced at her with the slightest of blushes. “Nah, you’re just saying that.”

“No, really.” Vinyl bowed her head as she thought of a grey face, a purple mane and an ever-exasperated smile. Her thoughts turned to a quiet night in an attic with a radio, spent hunched over it beneath a blanket and listening to the static.

Her smile broadened. “It’s a really good reason.”

Flash was staring at her. She coughed and finished off her burger.

He smiled. “Thanks, Vinyl. That means a lot more to me than you can know.”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t get all sappy on me.” She rubbed her face with a napkin and took a long drink of her soda. “Okay, Bolt Butt, now it’s your turn:

“How’d you get your cutie mark?”

Author's Note

Yeah, I said somewhere in the past that Twilight wouldn't show. I lied? But seriously, there's no way Twilight wouldn't want to be in on this, and the moment I realized that I knew this chapter was going to come.

IX – Hearth's Warming

Chapter IX
Hearth's Warming

Once the word got out that she’d been in contact with an extra-equestrial being, time flew for Vinyl. She had more than a few meetings with the princesses; the first time meeting Princess Celestia had been a real treat. Scientists and astronomers came from all across Equestria to speak to the ‘alien’ and learn as much as they could about Adi. There were plenty from beyond Equestria’s borders as well; Vinyl met more griffons, minotaur, deer, caribou and a plethora of other races than she’d likely never see again in her lifetime. There was even a couple diamond dogs – a true shock considering Vinyl never thought ‘science’ and ‘diamond dog’ could be used in the same sentence together.

Then there were the interviews for newspapers and radio shows, calls from eccentrics asking about ‘abducted’ loved ones, neigh sayers seeking to disprove Adi’s existence and at least five ponies hoping to make some kind of book out of the event. There was even a high-browed fashion designer, ‘Hoity Something-or-other,’ who showed up to ask Adi about human clothing in hopes of starting an alien-themed line.

Twilight was by far the most present of all Vinyl’s visitors, though. She bombarded Adi with questions for a full week before finally leaving them be, and even then she still contacted them via radio once every few days with a new question or ten. Twilight worked closely with Luna on the task of determining Adi’s position. This largely involved Adi moving her ship around in a defined area while astronomers from all over the planet watched the night sky hoping to detect her movements. It was tedious and boring, but Adi went through all of it with admirable conviction.

It took a month for things to die down, at which point Vinyl was finally able to go back to her apartment without risk of being called back to the palace within a day or two. She went back to work at the club – which gained a significant boost to its clientele – and was treated like a celebrity there. She’d reveled in the attention at first, but before long it became annoying. Eventually, the buzz died down and she was allowed to go back to a somewhat normal life.

Adi and Vinyl continued to speak on a daily basis. Adi’s days had become fairly routine, with at least an hour spent turning her ship in a new direction and a few hours spent talking with Vinyl. For a while ponies were allowed to speak to her and Vinyl on the government-protected frequency, but in time she got tired of repeating the same things over and over again and asked to limit such conversations to only once a week.

Flash Sentry was officially reassigned to Canterlot Castle. He’d approached Princess Cadance to inquire about this, but she offered only one explanation: “It will be good for you.” He accepted the change in posting and continued to act as Vinyl’s guard, even though they both questioned why she needed one. Though he continued to live in the castle barracks, he was now a regular element of Vinyl’s life. He appeared in her club nightly and always walked her home; Vinyl stopped minding after the first month. It was mostly because she’d grown used to his presence and – on the rare occasion when she was fully honest with herself – could admit that she had come to enjoy having him around.

Four months had passed. Adi was growing restless; while Luna insisted that progress was being made, there could be no certainty that her ship was going to be discovered. So when Luna promised to make an announcement on Hearth’s Warming Eve, Adi was beside herself with excitement.

Now snow fell outside Vinyl’s window. Huddled in a warm blanket with some hot cocoa in her hooves, she watched the flurries with a pleased smile. Her father’s radio sat on the floor and she was leaning back against the side of her bed, on which her sunglasses lay. The world outside was still caught in the last rays of twilight. The lights were off, a trio of candles placed strategically around the bedroom providing illumination. If she tried hard enough, she could just feel her Dad’s warm hoof on her shoulder.

“So,” Adi said softly, “you and your dad would stay up all night and watch the snowfall, huh?”

Vinyl chuckled. “‘All night.’ Actually, we made a game out of seeing who would fall asleep first. I won a lot more as I grew up.”

Adi was hesitant. “But… isn’t this supposed to be a social holiday? And you spend it all alone now?”

“Yeah.” Vinyl sipped her cocoa, a pleasant smile on her lips. “Hearth’s Warming was the one time of the year that I could spend with my Dad. He never failed to be off, even with three jobs. He devoted this night to me… so this is my tradition. It’s only right that I return the favor.”

“I guess I can understand that.” There was a long pause. “Are… are you really okay with me talking to you now? I mean, it seems like a private time.”

“Nah, you’re good,” Vinyl said pleasantly. “It’s nice to have somepony to talk to while I stay up and play the game.” Another sip. “So, do they have a similar holiday on Earth?”

“Yeah, as a matter of fact.” Another pause. “If the onboard calendar’s right, then it’ll be coming up in a couple weeks. It was called Christmas.”

“Christmas, huh?” Vinyl let her eyes linger on the snow-covered roof of the building across the street. “What did they celebrate it for?”

“It was a religious holiday. Christians believed the Son of God was born on Christmas Day. It was considered one of the two most important days in our calendar.”

“Was?” Vinyl glanced at the radio. “So you don’t believe it?”

Adi was silent. Vinyl paused as she considered the microphone floating at her shoulder. “Is something wrong?”

“N-no, sorry.” Adi gave one of her patented sighs. “I did believe. I even brought a copy of the Bible… er, that’s the holy book of Christianity. But I don’t anymore.”

Vinyl considered this, keeping her mug close to her face to absorb the warmth of the steam. “You can do that? Just give up a belief?”

“I guess so.” Adi jumped to the next sentence a bit too quickly. “Are there religions in Equestria?”

“A few, but they’re pretty isolated. Most ponies aren’t very religious.” Vinyl wondered if she shouldn’t press the topic.

“So you’re not?”

“Nope. I do believe in Elysium, but that’s about it.”

“Elysium?” Adi asked. “Is that like Heaven?”

Vinyl nodded and took a long sip. After a moment, she recalled that Adi couldn’t see her and said, “Yeah, that would be it. I can’t really imagine not existing, y’know? Other than that, I’m not all that big on religion.”

“Must be nice,” Adi muttered. “It’s hard to be disappointed in God when you don’t put much stock in him in the first place.”

Silence pressed in on them. Vinyl wanted to speak, but could find no words. Perhaps it would be better to not say anything.

Adi’s voice came back in a whisper. “I’m sorry. You’re supposed to be relaxing, and here I am ruining the mood.”

“It’s alright.” Vinyl shook her head. “I’m sorry I can’t think of anything to say. This isn’t really my area.”

“It’s fine…”

Another lingering silence, this one uncomfortable. Vinyl ran through possible responses for a while, her eyes on the ever-falling snow.

“Adi?”

It took Adi a few seconds to reply. “Yeah?”

“I’m sorry you lost your faith. I’m here for you. You know that, right?”

Yet another lengthy pause. “Y-yeah. I know.”

Vinyl nodded with a smile. “So if there’s ever anything you wanna get off your chest, just say so. If you think this Christian God has turned his back on you… well, I hope you find something to heal that hole. I’ll help you find it if I can.”

She waited for a response. Darkness had fallen in its entirety by now, and shadows flickered on the walls like specters. Vinyl watched them dance and tried to imagine that the shadows were Adi. She envisioned a two-legged creature like the minotaur, could see arms and legs in those ever-vibrant shapes. Perhaps it was a ghost, there to give Adi some kind of embodiment on this curious night.

Adi’s voice arose, a voice for the shadow ghost. “V-Vinyl… You’re a blessing, you know that?”

Vinyl’s ear twitched to the sound of a sniff. “Are you crying?”

“No,” Adi replied hurriedly. “I’m not.”

“If you say so.” Vinyl smiled and sipped some more of her cocoa.

After a time, the ghost on the wall spoke again. “Thank you, Vinyl. I wish I was sitting there with you now, I’d give you a big hug.”

“I wish you were here, too.”

A new, familiar voice piped up, strong and clear. “Give it time.”

Vinyl jumped, nearly spilling her cocoa. “Don’t sneak up on ponies like that!”

“Princess Luna!” Adi’s entire demeanor had changed in an instant. “Am I glad to hear you.”

“I’m glad you are glad,” Luna said, sounding amused. “My apologies, Miss Scratch. It seemed like an appropriate opportunity.”

Vinyl settled back against the bed and chuckled. “Yeah, I guess it was.”

“W-wait,” Adi whispered. “How long have you been listening?”

“Since ‘are you crying.’”

Adi made a sound akin to a whimper. “I see.”

Vinyl flinched and hurried to cover. “So, is it time for that big announcement?”

“It is indeed.” There was the sound of some paper being shuffled, something only that superior little white radio could properly pick up. “It’s taken some time for Twilight and me to check the numbers, and we sent them to a few noted astronomers to check our checks. We thought we had your location determined, Adi.”

There was a long pause. Adi finally spoke up. “‘Thought.’ I guess that means you were wrong, huh?”

Vinyl sighed. If Adi were in the room with her, she might have set a hoof on her shoulder, or hugged her or… or something. “Sorry, Adi. But hey, it’ll come in time, right Princess?”

Luna’s response was quick. “Did I say we failed?”

Another moment of quiet… then Vinyl let out a shout.

“You did that on purpose!”

“Did what? Are you implying something about your princess, Miss Scratch?” Luna’s tone had just enough emphasis to give her away, though.

“That was cruel,” Vinyl grumbled. “Don’t you think Adi’s been through—”

“Shut up, Vinyl.”

With Adi’s words, Vinyl’s mouth closed so quick she thought the clicking of her teeth might have been heard over the airwaves. She stared with wide eyes at the radio, having never heard that particular tone from her friend.

It was several seconds before Adi spoke again, and she sounded breathless. “Princess… are you saying that… that you’ve found me?”

“Yes, Miss Longstaff, that is precisely what I am saying.”

Something between a gasp and a sob burst from the speakers. “I… I was starting to think it wouldn’t happen. Does this mean you can guide me to Equestria?”

There was no hesitation in Luna’s response: “Yes.”

“Oh. Oh, merciful God… Vinyl…”

Vinyl heard her friend’s sobs and realized that she too had tears. She smiled, set her cocoa down on the windowsill and took the microphone in her hooves. “It’s all coming together, ’ey Adi? I’m really looking forward to seeing your face.”

Adi just kept crying, so Vinyl turned her attention to the princess. “Thank you, Princess Luna. I knew we could count on you.”

“But of course,” Luna replied haughtily, “I am the Princess of the Night. I know the stars like the back of my hoof.”

Vinyl rubbed her cheeks and grinned. “So why did it take four months?”

Luna smoothly countered, “Well, I had an ignorant junior princess to educate on the matter.”

Laughter burst from Vinyl’s lips, and even Adi managed to giggle through her weeping. “You’re alright, Princess!” Vinyl declared. “Does Twilight know you’re talking about her like that?”

“She’s easy to torment.” Luna chuckled. “Make sure to thank her when you next hear from her, she’s been working very hard on this project.”

“W-we will,” Adi managed to choke out.

Vinyl smirked at the microphone. “Although we’ll be sure to let her know you’re getting all the credit.”

“Please do, it will make for a most entertaining conversation afterward.” Luna’s tone grew abruptly soft. “I must warn you both that this journey will not be a short one.”

Adi took a long breath, her sobs at last reduced to mere sniffles. “How long will it take?”

Luna hesitated, prompting Vinyl to glance at the radio uncertainly. “Please understand that this is only an estimate. Adi, something must be speeding the rate of travel of the radio waves, because if we are accurate about your distance then we should not be able to communicate without a time lapse.”

“One more mystery,” Vinyl replied with a dismissive wave of her hoof. “Adi is chock full of those.”

“So it seems,” Luna agreed. When Adi said nothing, she continued, “If our estimates regarding your potential velocity and distance are accurate… Miss Longstaff, it will take you at least two years to reach us.”

Vinyl sucked in a sharp breath. “Two years?”

“Give or take four months.”

“Whoa.” Vinyl leaned back against the bed and stared at the driving snow. “That’s… amazing. Adi?”

Adi was silent for a long time. Vinyl slowly took her hot cocoa and sipped it, barely noting that it had cooled from burning to merely warm. The shadows continued to dance around her, but the dance seemed a sad one.

“Two years.” Adi’s voice was firm. “I’ve been out here for almost two-and-a-half as it is. I can take another two. At least now I have a destination.”

“I am pleased you are so positive,” Luna said. “We intend to give you your instructions tomorrow night. For now, take this time to celebrate. We all deserve it.”

Vinyl smiled and nodded. “Thanks, Princess.”

“Thank you,” Adi said quietly. “Thank you so much.”

“You are welcome. Have a happy Hearth’s Warming, you two.”

Vinyl continued to stare at the shadows, her mind wandering. Adi was coming to Equestria. It seemed impossible, but there it was.

“Vinyl?”

“I’m here.”

“I… I don’t know what to say.”

With a smile, Vinyl sipped her cocoa. “You don’t have to say anything, Adi.”

“But I—”

“No.” With no better option and feeling just a little silly, Vinyl reached over and patted the radio. “It’s okay. Let’s just enjoy this moment, huh?”

“Y-yeah… Thanks.”

The room was filled with silence. Vinyl devoted herself to her cocoa and the dancing shadows, delighting in a warm feeling that welled up inside. It was like… being close to a fire, but in a good way. The sensation swelled inside her, possessing a subtle power that made her eyes water. She set the mic aside, just in case; she wasn’t about to start crying, but if she did, she sure as Tartarus wasn’t going to let Adi hear it.

She just couldn’t believe how… how good she felt. After all this time, Adi was coming to Equestria. She’d helped somepony, really helped. For the first time in her life, Vinyl felt as though she’d done something worthwhile.

She set her empty cup side and approached the window, the blankets slipping off. The glass was frigid beneath her hoof; she delighted in that touch. Was it like touching a ghost?

“Are you proud of me, dad?” She pressed her cheek against the window, her lips turned up in a big smile. “I helped somepony, just like somepony helped you. It feels so good. Is this how it felt when you worked so hard for me?”

There was no response, but Vinyl felt that powerful warmth enveloping her, like a big, happy, loving hug…

She jumped with a gasp; somepony had knocked on her front door. She shook off the surprise and hastily rubbed her cheeks dry. Grumbling over a killed mood, she turned and grabbed her microphone. “Adi, give me a minute. I need more cocoa—” A second knock made her growl, “—and somepony is actually knocking on my door on Hearth’s Warming Eve.”

“Huh?” Adi said. “Oh, umm, okay then.”

Vinyl dropped the mic, grabbed her mug and stalked into her kitchen. She had no idea who might be calling at her door tonight of all nights, but if it wasn’t for a good reason she’d buck them in the teeth. She set her mug on the table and went to the front door, scowling as a third, more forceful knock reverberated through her apartment. If this was some knucklehead hoping to get an interview with Adi… She jerked open the door, prepared to deliver a verbal onslaught, but her words caught in her throat.

Flash Sentry sat outside the threshold, shivering despite a thick red coat. “It’s ab-bout time you opened up! Do you h-have any idea how c-cold it is out here?”

“What the buck are you doing here?” she cried. “I thought you were with your parents.”

“Explanation l-later,” he said, rubbing his shoulders. “Help me g-get this inside.” He reached over and pulled something that had been hidden in the darkness: it was a brightly wrapped box, and a big one at that.

Vinyl gaped. “You… you bought me a Hearth’s Warming Gift?”

“And I’ve been l-lugging it all the way from the c-c-castle in this weather. C-can I please come in now?”

“Oh, right!” Vinyl stepped out, taking the bite of the cold to help push the heavy box through her doorway. It was tall enough to reach up to her shoulders. Her mind ran circles, still trying to work through the fact that Flash had bought her a gift. She glanced at him, but he didn’t return the look. Once the box was inside, she closed the door and relocked it.

Flash collapsed on top of the gift, his wings drooping to the floor. “Whew, that was rough! Thank the Goddess for pegasus down, I might have become a popsicle without it.”

“What were you thinking?” She shoved him. “Why didn’t you just bring it earlier before the sun went down?”

He stood up properly and stretched, shaking his wings to get the snow off. “Couldn’t, I was paying Little Caster back for that time I owed her. She would choose Hearth’s Warming, of course.”

Vinyl stared at him as he removed his coat, then at the gift. “Flash… why? I didn’t get you anything.”

“Doesn’t matter.” He relaxed and patted the box. “You don’t give gifts expecting something in return, that’s not the point.”

“B-but… But what are you even doing here? You said you were going home to spend Hearth’s Warming with your parents!”

“Plans change.” He gestured to the box. “Are you going to open it or what?”

She gaped at him, then slowly approached the gift. Why did she feel so anxious? Part of her wanted to refuse the gift outright, but she forced herself to find the seam in the wrapping paper. It only took a couple rips before she realized what was inside, at which point she hurriedly removed the rest of the wrapping.

It was a synthesizer. Vinyl’s jaw dropped as she rubbed her hoof along the corner of the box. Then she spotted the brand name.

“This… th-this is a MiniDoog,” she whispered. Her haunches hit the floor and her heart pounded in her throat. “This takes ‘top of the line’ to a whole new level. Flash, this had to have cost you a fortune!”

He grinned. “You’re not supposed to ask about the price.”

“I can’t accept this!” She turned to him. “Flash, y-you can’t spend that kind of money on me. What were you thinking?”

He rubbed the back of his head with a lopsided smile. “Well, you were complaining about having to rent a studio to work on your new album, and how you have to pay them to store the recordings too, and then how you had to walk halfway across the city just to get the to the studio, and how the studio’s equipment wasn’t up to snuff, and so on and so forth. I thought this would save you a lot of time and bits.”

“But a MiniDoog? This is…” Vinyl felt lightheaded and promptly leaned against the box. “Wow.”

He chuckled. “I take it you like it.”

“Are you kidding? This is the most amazing, the most incredible—” She stared down at the box, her forehooves pressed on top of it. The anxiety came back a hundredfold as she looked up at him. “Flash… why did you do this?”

Flash’s cheeks went red and his eyes danced about the apartment. After a few seconds, he shrugged. “I just wanted to.”

She shifted, then sat properly by the box. “Why did you come here tonight? What about your parents?”

At that question, he smiled warmly. “We have a belief in my family: nopony should be alone for Hearth’s Warming. I wrote Mom and Dad about you. Not only do they understand, they were encouraging.” He leaned forward to stare intently into her eyes. “I’m not letting you spend tonight alone in your apartment.”

Vinyl had no idea what to say. Butterflies were merrily flying through her insides, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to throw up or sing. She gazed upon Flash and realized just how good a stallion he was. If Velvet knew what was going through her mind at this moment, she’d never hear the end of it… but Goddess, why did he have to be so cute to boot?

Her eyes fell on the box at her side. It really was going to be a lifesaver. Flash had just solved so many of her problems. To think that he would invest so much in her, not just financially, either…

For just a moment, she saw her father’s smirk. The image made her chuckle. “Lay off, ya old dog,” she muttered under her breath.

“What was that?”

She turned to Flash and grinned. “We have some Hearth’s Warming traditions, too. You like hot cocoa, Bolt Butt?”

He cocked his head and smirked. “Is that a trick question?”

Vinyl began making two fresh cups. “I can’t believe you bought me a synthesizer. I don’t think you understand just how big this is. I’ve got to find something for you now.”

“You seem to be having trouble with the whole ‘gift giving’ concept,” he replied with a chuckle. “Really, Vinyl, it’s okay. I’m happy enough to just be here.”

She blinked and glanced his way, but Flash was already looking in an entirely different direction. His eyes were wide and he appeared to be cursing himself, which only made her smile broaden.

The microwave chimed and she pulled out the bubbling milk. Within seconds, she had the cocoa mixed in each mug. She threw in some cinnamon and marshmallows and then turned for her bedroom, mugs floating before her. “C’mon, let’s get comfy.”

He nodded and followed after her, but paused at the threshold of her bedroom. “Uh… why are we going in here?”

Vinyl chuckled. “Mind out of the gutter, Bolt Butt.” She sat by her radio and set the mugs down on the windowsill. Half the blankets wrapped around her as she leaned against the bed, and she held the other half open. “You coming or what?”

Flash’s hoofsteps moved around the bed, slow and timid. His face was crimson as he rounded it and saw what she was offering. She patted the floor next to her, and after a few anxious seconds he sat down. Vinyl let the blanket drop on him and took the mugs in her magic. He was keeping his distance, which she’d expected.

“Back, Adi,” she said. “Flash has decided to pay us a visit.”

Adi gave a cheerful, “Hey, Flash! Happy Hearth’s Warming.”

He blinked at the radio as he took one of the mugs in his hooves. “Oh, hey, Adi. How are you?”

“Incredible.”

“Oh… uh, good.” He fidgeted, his cheeks still red as he made a blatant attempt not to look at Vinyl. “Did something good happen?”

“We’ll tell you about it later,” Vinyl said before Adi could speak up. “For now, why don’t we just…” She hesitated; how to get her message across without being too obvious?

“Enjoy the moment?” Adi asked, a certain wry touch in her tone.

Vinyl smiled warmly at the radio. “Yeah, that’s it.”

“Sounds good to me. Actually, I need to work the garden, so I’ll leave you two to it. G’night, Vinyl, Flash.”

“G’night, Adi.” Vinyl grinned and set the mic down on the radio.

Silence. The ghosts continued to dance on the walls, the snow continued to drift beyond the window. Vinyl watched Flash out of the corner of her eye; he was sitting up straight and his hooves toyed with his mug. Every now and then he took a sip. He kept shifting, as if afraid of the consequences of accidentally touching her.

It was adorable, and she silently snapped at her father’s ghost before he could burst out laughing at the thought.

“S-so,” Flash managed to get out, “are there any rules to the Hearth’s Warming traditions around here?”

Vinyl smiled and took a sip of her cocoa. “Only two. First, whoever stays up the longest wins.”

He gave a weak chuckle. “Oh, you’ll win that for sure. What’s the second rule?”

“The second?” Vinyl chewed her lip and stared into her cocoa. She waited for the voice in her head to tell her to turn back now while she still could… but it never came. Upon realizing it wouldn’t, she relaxed and did something that would have seemed crazy four months ago: she leaned against him. Flash tensed as she rested her cheek on his shoulder.

“The second is to relax and enjoy one another’s company.”

Seconds passed… and then Flash began to relax. He leaned against the bed, heaved a long sigh and rested his head against hers.

“Yeah… I think I can handle that one.”

Outside, the snowflakes waltzed on the wind. Inside, the shadows flitted and danced.

Author's Note

Did a few things differently this time. This is the first chapter for which I used Grammarly to check for things after all the editing was done. Because I used Grammarly, I'm not re-reading this chapter in its entirely as a final check like usual. I chose not to specifically as a test of Grammarly itself, so if anyone sees an error out there – and I can't believe I'm saying this – point it out to me so I can gauge how the app did.

X - The Question

Chapter X
The Question

Over the past six months, things gradually achieved a sense of normalcy. Every now and then Vinyl found herself marveling that having an alien for a best friend could qualify as ‘normal,’ but there it was.

Adi, now being an international sensation, gained a few new friends around Canterlot. It had to be Canterlot citizens, for nopony seemed capable of reaching her unless they were in or around the city. Many scientists and mages put forth theories behind this, ranging from anomalies in the planet’s outer atmospheric layers to an overabundance of magic in Canterlot itself drawing in the radio waves. Most of it was well above Vinyl’s head.

Yet the point remained that only ponies in and around Canterlot could speak to Adi, and more than a few curious equines found ways to do so even with the princesses’ magical lock on the frequency. By now Adi was speaking to at least a dozen ponies with some regularity, and she couldn’t be more thrilled to have so many new friends. Vinyl didn’t mind; it gave her more time to do her day job and work on her new album – already close to completion thanks to Flash’s gift. Also thanks to the synthesizer, she was able to use the money she no longer spent on studio rental and music storage to get a better apartment closer to the castle, albeit farther from work.

The best part of all of this was her time spent with Flash, although she’d never admit that in his presence. He’d been reassigned as a guard at the castle once the initial wave of excitement had died down, but even then he had become as regular to her life as Adi, if not more so. Neither of them even mentioned the word ‘date.’ They didn’t have to. Going out together had become a regular thing, and by now he’d brought her to every restaurant in the Upper District, except those that had dress codes. Vinyl eagerly awaited the day he’d bring her to one of those establishments.

Visits to the castle were a weekly event now, in which Luna and Adi went through technical discussions regarding her progress towards Equestria. Sometimes Adi would have to adjust her ship’s trajectory, which was a curiously time-consuming process involving something called ‘solar sails.’ More space-age mumbo jumbo. Vinyl didn’t even try to understand the technology behind it.

Twilight Sparkle would come by once every two or three weeks to ask more questions about Earth. Her initial queries centered around human culture; art, music, the sciences, whatever she could chronicle. Vinyl tended to bow out of the geeky bits, but the culture of Earth was fascinating. Of course, when they learned that Adi was omnivorous and had a taste for red meat… it took some time to get over the shock, to say the least. They all agreed that, since Adi had survived and remained healthy for so long without it, she wouldn’t need to eat meat in Equestria.

Which, Adi claimed, was saddening. The fact that she was only half-joking did disturb Vinyl, but she tried not to let it get to her.

In the past month, however, Twilight’s curiosity had shifted directions. She wanted to know all sorts of extremely technical details about Earth’s physics: air density, gravitational acceleration, chemical makeup, solar penetration and so on. Such details were lost on Vinyl, but Twilight took them very seriously. In the past week she’d been sending pegasi squadrons to fly as high as they could to run tests on Equestria’s atmosphere. Vinyl once watched as a whole squadron was tied to a hot air balloon so that it could float higher than any pegasus could safely fly in an attempt to get readings regarding Equestria’s upper atmosphere.

She had no idea what Twilight was testing for, but it all made Vinyl nervous. Twilight had seemed deeply concerned the last time she’d come by, though she would say nothing save that she had some theories.

So when she heard Twilight would be present at that night's meeting in the castle, Vinyl became very anxious indeed.

Vinyl and Flash walked beneath a lone umbrella, soft but constant rain pattering all around them. They were close enough that her shoulders touched his armor, and neither had any inclination of moving apart. Vinyl kept her head held high as she studied the castle they were gradually approaching, her face locked in a somber frown. She refused to let her anxiety show.

Flash nuzzled her. “Hate to break it to you, but your anxiety’s showing.”

She glared at him from the corner of her eye. “Shut up.”

His wing draped over her and began rubbing the small of her back. “Yep, tense like a taut rubber band. What’s bothering you so much?”

“It’s nothing,” she grumbled. She was tempted to magically remove his wing, but couldn’t bring herself to do so. It did feel good to have it rubbing there, after all. “I just want this meeting over with.”

“It’s not like you haven’t been to dozens of them already.”

She bit her lip and eyed the castle some more. “This one’s going to be different.”

“Different how?”

“I don’t know.” She sighed and permitted her head to droop… a little. “It’s just a feeling, like there’s some bad news coming our way.”

Flash sighed and pressed his body to hers. His armor was cold, but she didn’t mind. “I think you’re worrying too much. If something is going to happen, we’ll get through it.”

She offered him a weak smile. “Well, aren’t you my knight in shining armor?”

He chuckled and nuzzled her ear. The act had the predictable result of send a delightful tingle down her spine. “I try to be.”

“Get off.” She shoved him with her shoulder just hard enough to make him step into the rain, which briefly resounding against his golden plates. “When I need a hero, I’ll save myself.”

“You like it.” He grinned and moved in for another nuzzle of her ear. She ducked him. “Denial is a terrible thing, y’know.”

“You just want to get your hooves all over me,” she countered, though she raised her head to tuck it under the curve of his neck. “Head out of the gutter, Bolt Butt.”

He accepted her cuddle with a light sigh. “You don’t make it easy. Maybe if you weren’t sending me mixed messages I wouldn’t try so much.”

“Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a pony can indulge.”

For a while, only their clopping hooves and the rain on the wet pavement answered her. At last, Flash offered a very confused “What?”

Vinyl stifled her laugh… barely. “Forget it, Bolt Butt, just a little something I read long ago.” She pulled away and offered him a charming smile.

He considered her thoughtfully. “You used to do a lot of reading, didn’t you?”

She waved a dismissive hoof. “I went through a phase as a kid, one I’m glad to have gotten rid of.”

With a cheeky smile, he said, “Are you saying you were once a nerd?”

Vinyl felt her face going pink. “No. I just read a lot.” She caught the wicked look in his eyes and pressed her hoof threateningly under his chin. “Keep your trap shut on this topic or I’ll shut it for you.”

“Aww, come on.” He brushed her hoof aside and didn’t lose his grin. “I bet you were a cute nerd. Did you wear glasses and have braces?”

“No.” Her cheeks burned as she glanced away, her ears lowering. “And yes.”

He leaned a little closer. “So no to the glasses, yes to the braces?”

She shot him a dark look and growled.

Flash chuckled and nuzzled her neck. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop. You’re too easy to tease, Vinyl.”

With a sigh, she returned the motion. “Guess I have it coming, after all the teasing I do to you.”

“You’re darn right.”

They shared a small chuckle, but Vinyl found herself gazing towards the castle once more. They would be at the front entrance soon. Why did it feel more like a looming fortress than a grand palace all of a sudden? Her thoughts turned to Adi and Twilight, and she realized she was chewing her lip again.

“Twilight’s a nerd.”

Flash gave her a quizzical look. “Uh, yeah. Nopony’s gonna argue that statement.”

“I mean, she’s a smart pony, right?” Vinyl lowered her head to stare at her hooves. “What if she found out something bad?”

“You’re getting paranoid,” he told her, draping his wing over her once more. “C’mon, Vinyl, what’s she going to find that’s got you so worried?”

“I don’t know.” She pressed against him, her body steadily warming his armor. “I just… what if she finds some kind of problem? She’s been running a lot of tests lately. I’m starting to wonder if maybe Adi can’t live here after all.”

“Why wouldn’t she be able to live here?”

Vinyl shrugged. “Maybe the air’s not right or something, I dunno.”

Flash bent down to nuzzle her ear again, and she shivered with a smile. “You’re worrying too much,” he said. “I think Twilight would have determined long ago if Adi couldn’t actually live in our world. Even if she couldn’t, there’s bound to be an answer.”

She leaned on him, heart heavy as they approached the castle gates. A pair of guards stood in the rain, watching their approach with typical solemn expressions. It was like the water dripping off their armor and down their faces didn’t exist. Their stoic frowns didn’t soften as the pair passed by them. Flash gave a salute which they returned.

As they passed by, Vinyl asked, “Is it some kind of rule that you guys have to look like jerks when on duty?”

“I’m on duty,” he pointed out, “but I get your meaning. We’re supposed to be intimidating.”

“Intimidating to what?” Vinyl gave him a hard look. “If there’s anything dangerous enough to threaten a princess, it would blow you guys away like a bunch of leaves.”

“We protect a lot more than the princesses,” he countered with a grim frown. “There are tons of things in the castle in need of protection. The Royal Spell Library, for example. And even if a princess could defend herself with ease, that doesn’t mean she can keep a knife from finding her throat while she’s sleeping.”

Vinyl cocked her head. “I guess I never thought of that. I still don’t think you guys need to look like jerks all the time.”

He shrugged. “Take it up with the Captain if it bothers you so much.”

The unicorn guards at the castle’s main entrance saluted Flash and opened the doors for them. Vinyl shook off the water from her umbrella, then offered it to a servant stationed near the door. The mare took it and departed for parts unknown.

“I’ve got to report to the captain for today’s assignment,” Flash told her, pressing his cheek to hers. “You want me to go with you though?”

She rolled her eyes but pressed back with a smile. “I’m a big filly, Bolt Butt. You go do your jerk thing.”

He chuckled and saluted with a lopsided smile before heading for a side door. “See you later.” She watched him go, her eyes set upon his flank. She had to admit that she’d netted a real prize in that one. Now if he’d do a little more than just nuzzle on her ear every now and then.

It was a long walk to the astronomy tower. The castle hadn’t yet shut down for the evening, and Vinyl often found herself having to dodge important-looking ponies going to and fro in the great halls. Vinyl plugged her earbuds in and listened to the latest rendition of her new songs as she walked, if only to serve as a distraction from her thoughts. She was relieved when she passed through the business-end of the castle and into the less public areas. Here things were quieter and she didn’t have to suffer the haughty looks of ponies who thought she didn’t deserve to be there.

At last Vinyl reached the stairs leading into the tower. Months of climbing those stairs had given her some extra strength in her legs, so that now the journey wasn’t half as tiring. Even so, this time she climbed the steps slowly; even the incomplete music in her ears wasn’t enough to distract from her worries now.

The stairs had enough room for three ponies to climb side-by-side, and yet tonight the spiraling passage felt claustrophobic. Images of Twilight’s concerned, focused face kept flitting through Vinyl’s mind. If she kept chewing her lip like this, she’d start bleeding. Every hoofstep felt heavier than the last, but Vinyl knew she had to face whatever bad news was coming her way.

For by now she felt certain that bad news was coming.

“Ah, Miss Scratch. Do come in.”

Vinyl paused at the door. Celestia sat upon a large velvet cushion before the usual table that held the small, fancy radio. Luna and Twilight were also there, forming a triangle about the table. There was space left only for one.

Her ears flat against her skull, Vinyl pulled out her earbuds and approached. Three princesses for a single meeting? Her heart sank even lower.

“Is everything alright?” Luna asked as Vinyl took her place at the table.

Vinyl looked to Luna, then to Celestia. They both held blank expressions, like they were prepared for a meeting with foreign dignitaries rather than some DJ. Her gaze went to Twilight, who was trying her hardest to imitate the manner of her peers. A valiant effort, but the concern in her eyes gave her away.

“You tell me,” she said, gesturing to Twilight. “You found something bad, didn’t you?”

Twilight flinched; a tiny motion, but still noticeable. “I think we’d better get Adi on before we start.”

“Yeah…” Vinyl shrank in her cushion, her head dropped below her shoulders. There seemed to be a lead weight in her belly. She reached forward, but couldn’t make her hoof touch the radio.

“Vinyl.” Celestia’s wing reached over to brush Vinyl’s shoulder. “Whatever may come of this meeting, remember that you are Miss Longstaff’s friend. She will need you to be strong.”

Vinyl stared at her with her lip trembling. “Is it really that bad?”

“It…” Twilight hesitated, but at Vinyl’s worried look she said, “It might not be. We can’t be certain.”

“That’s not very helpful,” Vinyl replied, her voice almost a whimper.

“Vinyl.”

She looked to Princess Luna, who wore a warm smile. “This isn’t a time for worrying. I believe that you will shine brightly today, for yourself and for Adi.”

At first, Vinyl was perplexed. Yet, as she gazed into those bright cyan eyes, a sense of clarity came over her. Her thoughts drifted to her father, and how important a mere voice on a radio had been to him. Now more than ever, Vinyl needed to be that voice. The thought gave her a renewed courage.

She reached over and pressed the button atop the little white radio. Silence filled the room as they waited. After a while, Vinyl leaned over the table. “Adi, you there?”

Seconds passed, and then the radio came to life. Adi’s voice sounded dull through the speaker. “I’m here.”

Vinyl cocked her head. “You sound tired.”

“I am.” Adi gave a long yawn. “There was a problem with one of the solar cells, so I had to do a brief space walk. I’m beat, and my stomach still hasn’t stopped rolling around in my gut.”

“I see… I think.” Vinyl hesitated. “Um, I’m here with Twilight, Luna and Celestia.”

“Three princesses? Aren’t we popular today.” A brief pause. “So what’s the special occasion?”

Vinyl sat back with a shrug and looked to Twilight. “Good question; they haven’t told me yet.”

Adi’s tone was deadpan. “Well that’s not very nice of them.”

Celestia leaned forward just slightly. “Are you feeling well, Miss Longstaff?”

“I’m fine, Princess.” Adi emitted another yawn. “I’m just really missing coffee right now.”

Vinyl blinked. “You actually have coffee? Like, caffeinated black stuff?”

“And you know what coffee is.” Adi chuckled. “Will the similarities never end?”

Luna spoke, her tone firm. “Miss Longstaff, I am afraid we have some very important news to convey to you.”

Silence. The air suddenly seemed thick with uncertainty. Vinyl shifted and glanced at Celestia, then at Luna, but neither of them betrayed any emotion other than solemnity. She looked across the table to find Twilight fidgeting.

When Adi next spoke, she had lost her droll tone. “You have my attention.”

All eyes turned to Twilight, who shrank back. She chewed her lip and straightened herself with a calming breath. “Adi, Twilight. As you know, I’ve been doing a lot of research and tests about Equestria’s upper atmosphere.”

Adi said nothing. Twilight’s ears lowered, but after a moment she pressed on. “We need to go over the specifications of your ship again, just to be sure, but if my calculations are correct… well, there might be a problem.”

“Stop beating around the bush.” Adi’s tone had been harsh, but Vinyl detected the tremble in her voice.

Twilight flinched and glanced to Celestia, who nodded. She rubbed her forehooves together as she continued, “Earth and Equestria have very similar atmospheres, and if you were here you could almost certainly survive in our world. But there are certain differences in composition and density, especially in the upper atmosphere. Simply put, there’s a higher friction in the outer layers.”

Vinyl cocked her head. “I have no idea what that means.”

“It means…” Twilight averted her gaze. “It means that… How to put it?”

“What it means,” Adi said, her voice quiet, “is that The Journey won’t be able to survive re-entry. It means I’ll burn up and die if I try.”

“Not necessarily,” Twilight hurriedly added. “The differences aren’t huge, the ship might be able to take it. We need to go over the specifications again.”

“We’ve gone over them countless times,” Adi whispered. “One more isn’t going to change the results.”

Twilight faltered, her lips moving soundlessly. Her eyes darted about as she struggled for some kind of argument.

Celestia leaned forward, a hopeful tone in her voice. “Understand that the nature of our atmospheric studies are very new and limited. We need to perform more tests. The results above Canterlot may not be same in other parts of the world.”

“I… I guess…” Adi tried to sound hopeful, but Vinyl had been talking to her long enough to catch the uncertainty.

Twilight rose over the table, her face determined. “Celestia’s right! This was just after a half-dozen tests. We could be off. Way off. We’ve already contacted meteorology stations around the world to ask them to repeat our experiments. The ones we did over Canterlot may be egregiously abnormal.”

“Abnormal as in way better than reality,” Adi grumbled. “That would be just my luck.”

Luna tapped Vinyl’s shoulder with a wing, and the two shared a long, calm look. Vinyl’s heart collapsed into her stomach, which felt like it was imploding. Even so, she managed to nod to the princess. She turned to the radio.

“Adi… you’ve gotta have hope.”

“Hope?” Adi laughed, a bitter sound. “I just found out I’ll never see grass again, or sunlight, or… or…” The crying started. “Oh G-God. Why won’t anyone just wake me the fuck up?”

Twilight shrank back at the curse. “H-hey, there’s still a chance. That’s what we’re trying to—”

Vinyl raised her hoof. The princesses remained silent, and they all listened as Adi’s crying grew more intense. Her breath coming in slow, long gasps, Vinyl closed her eyes and focused on a grey mane, a purple face and an exasperated smile. It was such a calm, controlled expression. She did the best she could to channel that same level-headed focus. She could do this.

She opened her eyes and took the radio in her telekinetic grasp. It floated close to her face, and she gazed at its smooth white surface. “Adi… do you remember how we met?”

“W-what?” Adi had to fight down sob. “Yeah.”

“I didn’t believe your story, right? I thought it was some kind of practical joke.”

“I r-remember,” Adi whispered. “I was so afraid…”

“Do you know why I came back?”

Adi made no attempt to answer. Vinyl glanced at the princesses gathered at the table before letting out a long, deep sigh. “I came back because I realized that you were in trouble. It didn’t matter whether I believed you or not, I knew I had to help. I wanted to save you… like somepony saved my father.”

“Y-your father?” Adi sucked down a deep breath, but it didn’t stifle her hiccups. “What does he have to do with it?”

Vinyl felt tears in her eyes. The words resisted her; her throat constricted and her heart hammered, but she reached inside and forced it out. “My father could have died, Adi. He came very close to it. Then… then he heard a voice on the radio. The voice saved him, it helped him believe that there was hope.”

“V-Vinyl?”

She took the radio in both hooves, gripping it as a renewed fortitude came over her. “I’m that voice now, Adi, and you’re my father. I didn’t believe you, and that was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made. So I’m asking you — telling you — to believe me. Have faith. I will not abandon you, you hear? You have to have hope.”

Silence filled the room, save for the pattering of the rain on the cool floor and Adi’s quiet sniffling. Vinyl kept her focus on the radio, hardly noticing the looks the princesses were sharing amongst themselves. Her teeth ground together as the quiet lingered.

“Vinyl… I had hope. You gave it to me when you came back. It meant so much to me.”

“I know.” Vinyl smiled weakly. “I didn’t get it until I went to Luna, but I do now.”

“No you don’t,” Adi whispered. “You have no idea. You can’t imagine how happy I was to hear your voice again.”

Vinyl bit her lip and kept quiet, rubbing the moisture from her eyes.

“You gave me the most precious gift I’ve ever known.” Adi sighed, a long, resigned sound. “The least I can do is hold on to it. I’ll try to keep hope.”

“That’s the spirit.” Vinyl relaxed, a smile spreading across her face. “We’ll see one another someday. That’s a promise.”

“I… I believe you, Vinyl.”

Vinyl beamed as she set the radio back on the table. It was only then that she noticed how all three princesses were watching her with warm smiles. She gave a little cough and crossed her hooves. “Oookay, so don’t you mares have some directions to give Adi or something?”

Twilight chuckled and took the radio in her magic. “Adi, are you up for a course correction?”

A long, resounding sigh emitted from the radio. “I’d really rather get some sleep, if that’s okay. Besides, I… have a lot to think about.”

“That’s fine,” Twilight replied with a small nod. “Just remember, we’re going to get you through this.”

“Right.” Adi’s tone made Vinyl flinch. “Um, I’ll have the specs ready for you next time, okay? One more check can’t hurt.”

“Sounds good.” Twilight let the radio drift back down to the table. “Good night, Adi.”

“Good night, all of you. And Vinyl?”

Vinyl leaned forward, her ears perking. “Yeah?”

A long pause.

“Thanks.”

The speaker went dead. Vinyl heaved a sigh and pressed the small button, turning the radio off. “Well, that could have gone better.”

“On the contrary.” Luna smiled her way. “You did wonderfully.”

Her ears perked. “I did?”

“You didn’t let her give up hope,” Celestia said, her smile mimicking Luna’s.

“You’re being a great friend for her,” Twilight added. “It’s exactly what Adi’s going to need at times like this.”

“And it’s exactly why I wanted you to be our liaison with her, instead of just taking over communication entirely,” Luna concluded.

“Okay, stop it.” Vinyl ducked her head, her cheeks burning. “You make me sound a lot better than I really am.”

Celestia tsked. “You do yourself a disservice. You showed that you can be there for your friend. That’s something worthy of praise.”

“I’m just offering a bunch of dumb words,” Vinyl countered with a huff. “It’s you ponies who will actually be helping her.”

“Don’t discount your contribution!” Twilight’s smile faded and her tone became lecturing. “Sometimes all a pony needs to get through things is some positive reinforcement. Adi needs you now more than ever.”

“All the positive reinforcement in the world won’t matter a can of beans if Adi can’t get here.” Vinyl looked to each princess in turn as she spoke. “What are we going to do help her? You just said she would die if she tried to come to Equestria.”

They exchanged uncertain looks. It was Twilight who spoke. “We don’t know how accurate our readings are. We need to wait for the meteorology stations around the world to get back to us with their results, and that could take weeks or even months.”

“But you’re princesses!” Vinyl threw up her hooves. “Can’t you, I dunno, fly up there and thin out the clouds or something with your super-awesome alicorn magic?”

“Even alicorns can’t fly that high, Miss Scratch,” Celestia noted.

Vinyl thrust a hoof at Luna. “She went to the moon!” There was a pause before she blushed and ducked her head Luna’s direction. “Err, sorry.”

“It’s alright,” Luna muttered, though she held a tight frown. “One does not simply fly to the moon, Vinyl. I was transported there and back near-instantly. They are not the same things.”

“And we can’t just try to modify the upper atmosphere to let Adi’s ship in,” Twilight added seriously. “Do you know the kind of damage that could do to Equestria as a whole? I’m not sure it’s possible in the first place, but even if we could form a relatively small opening for Adi’s ship, we have absolutely no idea what would happen.”

“I do, actually.” Celestia passed a hoof through her mane and averted her eyes. “There’s a reason the Badlands are so inhospitable.”

Twilight’s jaw dropped as all eyes turned on the Princess of the Sun. “You never mentioned anything like that before.”

“We all have things we’d rather forget about,” Celestia muttered. She turned her gaze upon Vinyl, who shrank a little. “Believe me, Miss Scratch, that magic will not solve this situation.”

“So we do what? Just hope for the best?” Vinyl looked to Twilight, who averted her gaze. “Is there nothing we can do?”

She cast her gaze upon each of the princesses, her heart sinking a little more as she found no answers. Slowly, she leaned against the table and set her head in her hooves. “That’s not fair…”

She felt Luna’s hoof on her shoulder. “We have a year-and-a-half to think of something. The brightest minds in Equestria will be up to the task.”

“The important thing now,” Celestia added, “is that Miss Longstaff has hope. If she succumbs to despair, none of our preparations will matter. She needs the courage to try.”

Twilight nodded. “And you’re the only one who can give it to her. As long as you don’t surrender, neither will she.”

Vinyl sat up and stared at the radio. She thought on Adi, alone in some ‘tin can’ forever, having nopony to talk to for years. She couldn’t imagine having to be in that situation for the rest of her life. The very idea left a cold feeling inside of her.

“Okay.” She managed a weak smile for the princesses. “I’ll do my part. Adi deserves to have some hope after all she’s been through. If that’s all I can do for her, I’ll give her hope in spades.”

Celestia beamed. “Very good, Miss Scratch.”

“We knew we could count on you,” Twilight added, sharing the expression.

A quiet moment passed as Vinyl thought on the future. Despite her earlier doubts, she was feeling… good. Somehow, she knew things would turn out alright. Adi needed her, and she would answer that call.

“I think that’s enough for tonight,” Luna said. “We all have things we need to do, and not just for Miss Longstaff.”

“So says you.” Celestia stood and tossed her head with a smirk. “I’m off duty as of now.”

“We’ll get through this, Vinyl,” Twilight said as she made to follow her mentor out. “Don’t worry, there’s plenty of time to think up a solution.”

Luna, however, didn’t move. Vinyl waited for her to get up from the table, growing more and more anxious by the second. The door closed, leaving them alone. Vinyl wondered if she wasn’t meant to leave too… though she had hoped to take this moment to think for a while. Then again, this was Luna’s study, wasn’t it?

At last Luna spoke. “I wanted to ask you something.”

Vinyl flinched. “O-oh yeah?”

The princess smiled softly. “Do you believe that hope is worth it?”

“Worth it?” Vinyl scratched behind her ear as she thought. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“My sister is an optimist,” Luna said. “Twilight will follow wherever she goes. I, however, am more… prosaic.”

Now Vinyl cocked her head. “You’re ordinary?”

With a small huff of a laugh, Luna shook her head. “Direct.”

“Oh.” Another scratch of the ear. “I still don’t get it.”

Luna sighed and turned her eyes to the radio. “Celestia and Twilight are determined to believe that Adi will make it to Equestria alive, but I prefer to acknowledge and prepare for the alternative.”

Vinyl’s heart sank. “So… you think hoping is pointless?”

“On the contrary.” Luna’s wan smile turned back to her. “Hope is a precious and very important commodity. Without hope, I never would have made it back to Equestria from the moon. You see, Vinyl, though I had become a monster in the form of Nightmare Moon, deep within me was always a secret acknowledgement, a desire – a hope – that my soul could be saved. Had I lost that tiny flame within myself, I am sure the Elements of Harmony would only have sent me back to the moon for another millennium rather than save me from the corruption within.”

Vinyl stared at her hooves and said nothing. She didn’t feel like it was her place to speak on this subject, certainly not to Princess Luna. Yet, as she thought more and more on her words…

“What I am asking,” Luna said, “is whether you believe that, regardless of the outcome, the hope is worth the trouble. If Miss Longstaff were to die trying to reach Equestria, do you believe that is a better fate than her giving up and spending the rest of her life floating through the empty void?”

“I… I don’t know.” Vinyl looked up into Luna’s eyes. “Maybe?”

“Think on that subject for a while, Miss Scratch.” Luna arose and turned for the door. “Think about Adi. Think on yourself. Think on your father and mother. When you’ve formed an answer, only then will you truly understand that yours is the single most important task of all.”

Vinyl watched her go, her mind running through the question over and over again. All alone, she tried to make sense of what Luna was saying. She turned her eyes to the faint rain and listened to its endless pattering, only to marvel at the realization that this was a sound Adi hadn’t heard in years.

Suddenly, it seemed like a precious noise.

Author's Note

Unless I think of something that needs to be added, there are only three chapters left to go! Not including the epilogue, should I decide to add one.

XI - On Thinking

Chapter XI
On Thinking

Another night at the club. Vinyl was going through the motions, working the DJ booth and shouting to the crowd at all the right moments. The rhythmic beats pounded in her ears with the pounding hooves of ponies who crowded the building. Her head bobbed to the sound and her mane burned like a brilliant blue flame under the strobe lights. The crowds’ colors were blending into a chaotic mish mash of hues behind the purple tint of her glasses.

It was so loud that she couldn’t hear herself think, much less Bouncing’s shouting into her ear. She did her best to ignore him, shaking her tail and grinning as wave after audio wave vibrated through her being. When he tapped her shoulder, she pretended not to notice. There was too much fun to be had this night, and she wasn’t about to let him rain on her—

The headphones floated off her head. “Hey, Equestria to Vinyl!”

She groaned and tried to grasp the headphones back in her magic. “C’mon, Bouncing, just a few more songs.” Even without the headphones, she had to shout to hear herself.

“You’re already an hour past your shift,” he shouted back. “Your coltfriend’s been waiting all this time for you.”

“He has?” She looked to the bar and saw Flash watching her. An unpleasant anxiousness made her flinch. “Dang, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I tried.” Bouncing shoved her off the bench. “So did Velvet. Flash is too much of a pansy to do it himself.” He took her place and waved her off. “Go on, git. This my show now!”

“Yeah, yeah.” She marched off the platform. There was a strong temptation to slip into the crowd of dancing ponies, knowing that Flash wouldn't be able to catch her once she was inside. For whatever reason, she steeled herself and went straight to him. “Hey, Bolt Butt. Ain’t you supposed to be guarding some dusty hallway or something?”

Flash peered at her. “If you’d remember our talk from yesterday, you’d know that I’m off tonight.”

She blinked a few times and leaned back, then slapped a hoof to her face. Step by step, she just had to go through the motions. “That’s today? Crap, I totally forgot!”

“Obviously.” Flash sighed and gestured to Velvet. “Guess you want your drink for the night, huh?”

“As always.” Vinyl hopped onto the stool beside him. She forced herself to lean over to nuzzle his shoulder. “Hey, I’m really sorry, okay? I know you wanted to hang and all, but we’ve got all night!”

He huffed over his half-empty bottle. “You seem far more interested in your beats than hanging out with me.”

“Aww, did I hurt his widdle feelings?” Vinyl whacked him on the shoulder. “C’mon, soldier, you’re tougher than that. Hey, V, gimme a Monkey Buck!”

“One kick in the teeth, comin’ right up.”

Things were quiet for a little while, or at least as quiet as a filled-to-capacity nightclub could be. Vinyl watched the dancing crowds, her head bobbing to the beat and a grin on her face. “Say, why don’t I ever see you on the dance floor, Bolt Butt?”

Flash was studying his drink. “It’s not really my kind of dancing.”

“Oh, really?” She leaned over and scanned him from over the rim of her glasses. “What, you like that slow dancing gunk?”

He blushed, but didn’t smile. “I never tried dancing, actually.”

“What?” Vinyl downed her glass and hopped off her stool, her anxiety long gone. “C’mon, that’s something we gotta remedy right now!”

“Oh, Goddess…” He tugged his elbow from her grip. “No thank you. I have no intention of looking like a moron.”

“You’re not getting out of it that easy,” Vinyl said with a smirk. She moved in to wrap both forelegs around his shoulders and tugged. “Come on!”

He grabbed her hooves and easily pulled them away before shooting her a dark look over his shoulder. “Not a chance in Tartarus.”

“You’re no fun.” She pouted and slapped him weakly on the back. “I’m just trying to lighten your mood. What’s really eating you, anyway?” Flash huffed and turned back to his drink. “What, you’re not gonna tell me?”

“I want to, but I think you’ll either ignore me or change topics.”

She wanted to be thrilled, but all she felt was empty. “Whoa, whoa, waitaminute!” She climbed back onto her stool and peered at him. “Since when do I ignore you?”

He took a sip from his bottle. “You’ve been doing it more and more over the past six months. I’m getting tired of it.”

“I haven’t been ignoring you,” she snapped, shoving down the affirmation in the back of her mind. “I’m a busy mare! My new album comes out next week, I had to do advertising and crap like that, on top of my regular job. Let’s not forget Adi. Do you know what it takes to—”

“Just stop it, okay?” Flash slapped some coins to the counter and stood. “If you don’t wanna hang out with me anymore, just say so.”

Vinyl could only stare as he marched for the exit, her mind rendered blank. She looked around the club at the dancing ponies, then to Bouncing at the turntable. Why did she suddenly feel like throwing up? With a scowl, she turned back to her drink. “What’s his bucking problem, anyway?” She waved at Velvet. “Gimme another.”

Velvet, who was running back and forth handling her customers, shot Vinyl a scowl. “Not a chance.”

“What?” Vinyl leaned over the counter to watch as Velvet hurriedly poured some fresh drinks. “I might be an employee, but I’m still paying for drinks. I think ya kinda have to give me something.”

Velvet darted past, hoofed over the drinks to the appropriate clients and came flying back. As she passed Vinyl, she shouted over the din, “You’re not drowning your sorrows in booze this time, Vinyl.”

Vinyl banged the counter with both hooves. “Dang it, V, it’s not my fault he suddenly decided to get all mopey!” Her eyes turned to follow Velvet as she hurried to another customer. “How the buck did you even have time to listen in on our conversation, anyway?”

“Barkeep secrets.” Velvet was back to filling up glasses. “You were supposed to clock out ages ago, anyway.”

“So what do ya want me to do, chase after him like some fanfilly?” Vinyl crossed her hooves and raised her muzzle high. “He’s got plenty of those, or so I’ve heard.”

Suddenly, Velvet’s muzzle was within inches of hers. “Let me tell you something that I’ve learned as a barkeep, Vinyl: I know how to recognize a downward spiral when it shows up pretending everything’s just fine. Flash isn’t the one with a problem, it’s you, and it’s been going on for months now!”

Vinyl leaned back, eyes going wide. “Me? What do I have to be worried about?”

“I don’t have a clue,” Velvet admitted. She thrust her hoof towards the exit. “I bet he does. I bet if you follow him right now and talk to him – really talk – you’ll figure it out as well. So you need to go, now.”

With a scowl, Vinyl leaned over the counter. “I don’t wanna. Now give me another.”

“Damn it, Vinyl!” Velvet struck the countertop. “You might have only one chance to get this right, and if you don’t you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life. You know I’m right!”

“You gonna give me another Monkey Buck or not?”

Velvet snorted and stepped back. “Fix your own.” She went back to handling her customers.

Vinyl watched her for a while, glaring and trying to fight the sick feeling in her stomach. Her eyes turned to the bottles resting in the rack behind the counter. It wouldn’t take much to climb back there and make the drink. She growled and rose from her stool, but as she did she bumped the bottle Flash had left behind. It rocked wildly and she hurried to catch it in her magic before it could fall.

The bottle hovered before her face. It was the same kind of spirits Flash had downed so eagerly on the night they’d met. Now that she thought on it, he’d not drank this particular kind since then. Her eyes drifted to the door, then back to the bottle. His laughter echoed in the confines of her skull. She liked his laugh, it had a silly quality to it.

With a snarl, she set the bottle down with a bang and turned her attention back to the dancing crowds. Thinking, that’s all this was. Thinking was bad. She closed her eyes and focused on the beat…

His big blue eyes swam into her vision, with that little frown he got when things weren’t going his way. She grimaced; it was the ‘kicked puppy’ look she loved and hated in equal measure.

She let out a groan and stood. As she passed Velvet up on her way to the exit, she pointed at the bartender. “I hate it when you’re right!” She hurried on before Velvet would have the chance to smirk.

Vinyl grabbed her coat from the closet by the door, grimacing at the realization that it was the very one Flash had bought her a couple months ago. She prepared herself for a hurried rush to the castle. Instead, she jumped out into the cold winter air to find Flash sitting on the sidewalk only a few steps away. His head hung low and he appeared to be muttering to himself. The dark look in his eyes gave Vinyl pause, but steeled herself and went to sit down next to him.

“I thought you’d be halfway to the castle by now,” she grumbled.

Flash’s head jerked up, his eyes going wide. “Vinyl? You… what are you doing out here?”

“I wish I knew.” She pulled her coat a little tighter around herself and shivered. “For some stupid reason, I couldn’t let you walk off like that.”

Flash sighed and turned away. “I’m not interested in hearing any more excuses.”

She glowered at him, then started to walk down the street, tugging his ear with her magic. “C’mon, Bolt Butt. The sooner we start moving, the sooner we can get warm.”

He jerked his head out of her magical grasp. At first he remained still, but then he began to follow. They walked in silence, their hooves crunching in the thick blanket of snow. Vinyl made no attempt to look back at him; she was too busy trying to figure out what she had to say.

Flash caught up and studied her out of the corner of his eye. “Vinyl, what’s really going on?”

She sneered and turned her head away. “How the hay should I know?”

“You’ve been getting more and more isolated ever since that meeting with the princesses,” he said. “That was months ago. What happened?”

“‘Isolated?’” She cocked her head his way even as her stomach dropped out. “What do you mean, ‘isolated?’ Didn’t you see me rockin’ out in the club tonight?”

He huffed and stared at his hooves. “So you aren’t gonna talk, huh?”

Vinyl came to a stop. She watched him walk on, her heart twisting in the most unwelcome of ways. No matter how much she willed her legs to move, she seemed rooted to the spot. When he at last turned, she found she couldn’t meet his eyes, so she looked away to watch the snowfall.

When Flash finally spoke, it was with a tone of concern. “Vinyl… what’s wrong?”

Her chest was tight. She watched her sharp breaths rise as a pale fog before her muzzle. Luna’s words reverberated within her, like ice picks digging into her insides, but to remove them for him to see… She glanced his way and saw that look she loved and hated so much: the big, puppy dog eyes and that tiny frown. It was the first and last thing she needed to see.

She dropped to her haunches and wrapped herself in a tight hug. “I… I wanna be safe.”

Flash’s ears perked. He took a tentative step forward. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t want to think about it,” she muttered. “I mean, it’s dangerous, thinking. If you have to think, do you have to take responsibility? I’ve never been responsible for anything.”

“I see.” Flash approached and sat before her. “I think.”

“I’m not trying to avoid you, Flash.” She pulled her glasses off and set them atop her horn so she could look him in the eyes properly. “Well.., maybe. It’s just that… suddenly I became aware that this story might not have a happy ending, y’know? Luna asked me a question, but I don’t know the answer, and I don’t want to think about the answer.”

“So you drown yourself in work and music?” Flash shook his head. “That’s not going to solve anything.”

“I know,” she whispered. “It’s a distraction. I know it’s a distraction.” She stared at her hooves and chewed her lip. “I don’t want to think about it. If I think about it, it’ll be real and I’ll have to face it.”

“Face what?” Flash nuzzled her, and she pressed against him. “C’mon, Vinyl. Talk to me.”

She kept silent, burying her muzzle into his shoulder. They remained that way for a while, and Vinyl couldn’t help hoping that he’d take her in his embrace and make her feel better. He never did, though, and she stubbornly refused to be the one to initiate that level of contact. If only she didn’t feel so small.

At last, Flash sighed. “Vinyl, you have to take responsibility for… whatever it is.”

“No, I don’t,” she whispered. “If I hide long enough, it’ll go away.”

He stepped back, and when she looked up she winced at his hard expression. “That’s terrible, Vinyl. Your father would be disappointed if he heard you say that.”

Vinyl’s heart trembled, and the sensation brought a gasp from her lips. “Y-you… Don’t bring him into this!”

“Why not?” Flash sneered. “You kept going on and on about how much you appreciate him, how you want to be just like him. Isn’t that why you went so far for Adi in the first place? And now this.”

“Shut up!” She covered her ears and shook her head forcefully. “I’m not my father, okay? I can’t be that good!”

He pulled her legs down, easily resisting her struggling attempt to break free of his hold. “Yes, you can. I’ve been paying plenty of attention, Vinyl, and I know you can do whatever it takes if you put your mind to it. All you’ve got to do is buck up and face it.”

She shoved against him, but still he wouldn’t let go. “It’s not that simple! What if I fail, huh? What if Adi… if Adi…” Tears began to form in her eyes. She cursed and struggled to rub them away. “I’m too much like my stupid, lazy failure of a mom!”

“You are not a failure!”

“What do you know?!” She aimed her horn for the ground and released a simple bolt of energy, about the only defensive spell she knew. It sizzled the snow beneath Flash into a puddle before rapidly freezing. He slipped and collapsed to his barrel, and she took the opportunity to jerk free.

Flash stomped the ice and glared up at her. “You can’t run! The problem’s not going to go away, Vinyl.”

“I know,” she shouted as she galloped past him, “but that won’t stop me from trying!”

“Vinyl!” He slipped about on the ice. “You’re better than this, I know you are!”

She just kept running, icy tears streaming down her cheeks as she fled.

Vinyl trudged up the steps of Canterlot Castle’s tallest tower yet again. For once, she wasn’t looking forward to talking to Adi. She’d not touched her radio in three days, not since her argument with Flash. She hadn’t seen him in that time, either. Her hooves felt like lead and her heart had been aching. Even so, she kept cursing Flash’s name in the back of her mind, over and over again.

She’d been doing fine, hadn’t she? The work on her album, staying overtime at the club, it all served its purpose. Yet now she was thinking and couldn’t stop. Her thoughts passed over the usual suspects, from Adi to Flash to Luna and back to Adi. Again and again and again. If only it would stop. If only she wasn’t so scared.

The door to the Astronomy Room loomed over her. Vinyl crouched low and wondered if she might get away with turning around and marching back home. It was a foalish thought. It made her feel dumb. Yet it might be better than the alternative… right?

Vinyl shook her head frantically and slapped her cheeks a couple times. “Snap out of it, girl,” she snarled. “It’s just another brief meeting with Luna about trajectories and that other space junk. Nothing you haven’t done before, right?” She shivered and wished it had anything to do with the cold. Finally, she reached up and pushed through the door.

It took four steps for her to realize something was off. The windows of the circling balcony were covered in a magical barrier to keep out the cold, but that was nothing new for this time of year. The real issue was how she was alone. Except for special circumstances, Luna had always been there before her; the princess was nothing if not punctual. Wondering if something might be wrong, Vinyl slowly approached the usual table.

She paused upon realizing that the table was bare. What happened to the little white radio? A quick glance around revealed no sign of the device. “What the hay?”

“Oh, hello there.”

Vinyl nearly hit the ceiling, she’d jumped so high! She jerked about to find an unfamiliar sight: Princess Cadance. The princess was walking around the central column of the tower, a playful smile on her lips as she approached. “You must be Miss Scratch. It’s rather surprising we’ve not met before, don’t you think?”

“W-what? What are you doing here?” Vinyl took a couple steps towards Cadance, then remembered who she was talking to and hurriedly dropped to a bow. “S-sorry!”

Compared to Luna’s, Cadance’s laugh was far more… what word could Vinyl use to describe it? ‘Dainty’ came to mind. “It’s alright. I think you’re familiar enough with royalty at this point that we can forgo such formalities.”

“Oh, err, right.” Vinyl stood and blushed. “I didn’t know you were in Canterlot, your majesty.”

“It is a private visit,” Cadance said as she sat before Vinyl, at which time she noticed the princess was smaller than either Luna or Celestia. “It was not something the public needed to be privy to.”

“I see.” Vinyl glanced around room. “So why are you here? And where’s Luna? Err, Princess.”

Cadance smiled. It reminded Vinyl of a wolf on the prowl. “I’m sorry, but you just missed Aunt Luna. She got called to the throne room to handle some business with the Night Court.”

“Uh-huh.” Vinyl glanced back at the doorway; she certainly hadn’t seen the princess on the stairs. She looked to the table and wondered about the missing radio, then observed the open windows. Snow continued to fall beyond the magical barriers. “So she flew in the cold?”

“Come now, Miss Scratch,” Cadance said playfully as she trotted for the nearby table, “do you think a little cold will stop a princess from performing her duties with all due haste?”

Vinyl grimaced, but got the gist; she followed and sat at the table opposite Cadance. “I think I know a setup when I see one.”

Cadance then did something that caught Vinyl entirely off guard: she stuck her tongue out. “Ooh, you just don’t want to be any fun, do you? Half the entertainment is the trickery.”

“Wha…” Vinyl blinked, stared, blinked again. “You’re certainly not like Celestia and Luna, are you?”

Another laugh burst from Cadance. “No, I’m most certainly not! I’m more like Twilight, really, only far less bookish.”

“Huh.” Vinyl shifted and glanced around. “So… why are you really here, Princess?”

“Tut, tut.” Cadance wagged a hoof at Vinyl. “Straight to business. I thought you were supposed to be more entertaining than that, Miss Scratch.”

Vinyl crossed her hooves and peered. “I might be tempted to entertain more if I could be convinced Flash didn’t put you up to this.”

Cadance’s eyebrows rose. “Do you actually think Flash Sentry is creative enough to arrange this?”

“I—” Vinyl paused, torn between a desire to defend Flash and acknowledging the truth. She ended up tapping her hooves together in a sheepish display. “Well, he is a bit more practical than creative, I suppose. Plus he respects royalty so much that he’d have to be desperate to ask you for help.”

Cadance leaned forward, her lips curling up in a wicked smile. “So Flash needs help?”

“He doesn’t!” Vinyl barked a laugh to cover her far too quick response. “Not at all, no problems between us, nope. No help needed!”

That wry smile didn’t dissipate. Cadance rested an elbow to the table and leaned against her hoof. She never lost eye contact with Vinyl, who fidgeted under her gaze. They maintained something of a staring contest for the next several seconds, Cadance amused and Vinyl struggling not to bolt.

At last Vinyl raised her shaking hooves and let out a long growl. “Okay, fine! Just tell me who the buck put you up to this so I can strangle him!”

Cadance grinned and leaned back with a laugh. “Actually, that would be Luna.”

Vinyl’s jaw dropped and a weak sound drifted out her throat. She glanced at one raised hoof, then the other, then hurriedly put both down. “I, uh, take it back?”

“I’m sure she’ll be happy to hear that.”

“But… I don’t get it.” Vinyl brushed her mane back and set her glasses atop her horn. “How the hay does Luna know anything about my issues? Especially regarding Flash.”

Cadance raised an eyebrow. “Well, she is the Princess of the Night and, like it or not, you do dream.”

Vinyl blinked at her, then double-facehooved. “Oh, come on! You mean she’s been spying on my dreams? That’s just not fair.”

“Tough.” Cadance chuckled. “She’s royalty, so you’ll just have to suck it up. Now, why don’t we get started?”

“Wait.” Vinyl peered at her. “Did you really come all the way from the Crystal Empire just to talk to me about my love issues?”

“Actually, this visit has been planned for the better part of a month.” Cadance waved a dismissive hoof. “Luna simply decided to take advantage of my timely arrival. I certainly don’t mind; Flash has been something of a ‘special project’ for me.”

“That guy?” Vinyl cocked her head. “What makes him so special?”

Cadance raised her leg and, with a glint of her horn, Flash’s cutie mark appeared over her hoof as if it were on display. “I’ve never seen a stallion with so much bad luck regarding his relationships. The poor fellow’s had his heart broken over and over again, but he keeps searching. As the Princess of Love, I have to admire his dedication.”

Vinyl’s ears perked. “And since he was one of your bodyguards for a while, you’re very aware of those failures, right?”

“Unlike the Canterlot Royal Guard,” Cadance replied, “I encourage my guard to treat me ‘normally,’ if you will. I could sense Flash’s problems and encouraged him to open up, and when he did…” She shook her head with a small scowl, the cutie mark dissipating in a puff of pink smoke. “Wow, what a story it was. That colt has the worst luck when it comes to mares.”

“So what? Are you gonna tell me I have to go—” Vinyl set her hooves under her chin and puckered her lips, “—kissy kissy and make him feel better? Pu-lease, I’m not that kind of mare.”

Cadance smirked. “I can see that.”

“Look, Princess.” Vinyl spread her hooves wide and shrugged. “It’s great you’re trying to look out for him and all, but you can’t just tell me to be all snuggly with Flash. I’m pretty sure that’s not what he needs.”

“You misunderstand my intentions, Miss Scratch.” Cadance’s smile dropped. “Flash knows what he needs. He’s finally found it. You are the one who needs help.”

“Me?” Vinyl burst out laughing. “That’s rich! I’m perfectly happy, and I don’t need to hang off of some adorkable colt to prove it!”

“Then why did you skip out on talking to Adi three nights in a row?”

Vinyl’s laughter was cut short as a ball of ice lodged in her chest. She tried to melt it with anger. “First of all, that has nothing to do with Flash! Second, how do you even know about that?”

Cadance raised one hoof. “First, it has plenty to do with Flash.” She raised her other hoof. “Second, because Adi told us.”

A growl rose from Vinyl’s throat. She crossed her hooves once more and hunched. “Darn that girl. Aren’t there a few other ponies she can talk to instead of getting worried about me?”

“But she is worried about you,” Cadance pressed. “In the past, you always let her know when you wouldn’t be available at your usual time to talk to her. This sudden change in behavior alarmed her, Vinyl, but Luna suspects there’s nothing ‘sudden’ about it. Seeing your behavior now, I’m tempted to agree.”

“So what now?” Vinyl slapped the table. “You want me to lie down and talk about how I hated my mom? Maybe get all psychobabbly on my dreams?”

Cadance’s face betrayed no emotion. “I want you to confess that you are scared.”

“I am not scared!” Vinyl leaped to her hooves and glared. “Vinyl Scratch is never afraid, you got me? What do I have to be afraid of?”

“How about failure?”

Vinyl’s eye twitched and the air fled from her lungs. She worked her lips soundlessly, struggling for some kind of counter. “I… Y-you… You got me all w-wrong.”

“Do I?” Cadance leaned forward, her eyes peering. “Do you really believe that?”

“I…” Vinyl fidgeted and hung her head. Why couldn’t she stay angry? What was wrong with her?

“I’m giving you a choice, Vinyl.” Cadance sat up straight and ignited her horn. The door to the stairs opened at her command. “You can run away right now and keep seeing your father in your dreams. Nopony will stop you, and Luna won’t call on you for help with Adi anymore. Flash may keep trying, but you and I both know that he’ll have to give up eventually.”

Vinyl stared at the door, her stomach tied in knots. Part of her wanted to take the offer and bolt, but the other… “W-what’s option number two?”

“You sit down,” Cadance said, “and talk to me. Really talk.”

“I see.” Vinyl looked to the princess, then to the door. She chewed her lip and fidgeted. Oh, how easy it would be to go and forget everything. Yet her father’s disappointment continued to stare her down, driving her heart into her hooves. She glanced at Cadance out of the corner of her eye. “Can you… can you promise me that things will go well?”

Solemnly, Cadance shook her head.

Another twist of the guts. Vinyl took her breaths in slow gasps, her mind running through all the events of the past two years. Adi’s sobs, countless hours of radio chatter, Flash being the lovably dumb stallion he always was. Luna’s words clung to her heart like cold talons, though, and she kept seeing that same dream, the one with a radio that was always silent and her father looking so upset.

Finally, though it required all the force she could apply to her legs, she managed to turn and sit at the table. She sagged over it, listening intently to the slow, unsteady rhythm of her heart. “Let’s get this over with.”

Cadance’s smile came back in its full splendor. “You’ve made a wise choice, Vinyl. I know it was a hard one.”

“No you don’t,” Vinyl grumbled. “You don’t know a thing about me.”

“I knew enough to convince you to sit with me.”

“And why is it you, anyway?” Vinyl cast an uncertain look Cadance’s way. “Why not Luna?”

Cadance’s smile grew warm. “Because the burden you’re facing is a matter of love.”

Vinyl huffed and turned her face away. “Love. Where do you see love in this picture?”

“You love Adi.”

“What?” Vinyl blinked and turned back to her. “No I don’t. What do you think I am, a foolin’ filly?”

“There are many kinds of love, Miss Scratch,” Cadance replied, “and they are all painful to lose.” When Vinyl refused to answer to that, she leaned forward. “Why don’t you tell me what really scares you?”

The word made her bristle, but Vinyl fought down the urge to snap. She knew she had to talk to Princess Cadance, there was really no alternative. This demon had to be brought low… somehow. She rubbed her mane back and gritted her teeth, all but clawing the words from their hiding place in her throat. “I’m scared of… of thinking.”

“Ah.” Cadance nodded and pressed her hooves together with a frown. “A dangerous pastime.”

“I know.” Vinyl bowed her head. “Believe me, I know.”

“Is this why you’re avoiding Adi and pushing Flash away?”

Once again, Vinyl had to bite her tongue to keep from lashing out. She gave herself a few seconds to steady her breathing and calm her mind before saying, “It’s a big part of it.”

Cadance gestured invitingly. “Tell me more.”

“I guess I have to at this point, huh?” Vinyl crossed her hooves and sulked. “Fine, but it’s stupid. Everypony expects me to… I don’t know, do the right thing? I guess. They want me to hold Adi’s hoof and tell her everything’s going turn up daisies, but I don’t have any control over that.”

Her words came faster as her emotions picked up steam. “Twilight said that her best guess is a fifty-fifty chance of Adi making it to Equestria alive. That’s a coin toss! And that assumes the tests from the other meteorology sites can confirm her results, which nopony can guarantee. The odds could be worse! What do they want me to do, lie?”

She slammed both hooves to the table and glared at the princess, who didn’t even flinch. “They want me to sit in front of the radio and tell Adi that everything’s going to be safe and happy and glorious and good when we both know that might not be true! What kind of responsibility is that? And the more I think about it, the more I realize that everything I’m doing is pointless. Pretty words don’t make up for death!”

Vinyl sat back and clutched her head, baring her teeth. “I’m thinking about it, Goddess be damned. I don’t want to think about it. I don’t want anything to do with it. What if Adi comes all this way just to die in the home stretch? There are so many bucking impossible things happening around her, things that can’t be explained. It would be the perfect time for her outrageous luck to run out and I don’t want to be there!”

She huffed in place for a few seconds, her blood pounding in her ears and her hooves trembling. Slowly, she forced them down to the table and focused on calming herself.

“Tell me this, Vinyl,” Cadance said, her voice gentle, “do you think the pain will be any more bearable if you choose to abandon this now?”

Vinyl chewed her lip and refused to meet her gaze. “I… I don’t know. I want to say yes, but…” She buried her face in her hooves. “I started this. I gave her hope. I don’t want to watch that hope be ripped from her in her last seconds.”

Cadance sighed. “The sad thing about thinking is that we can’t stop it, no matter how hard we might want to.”

“But I can drown it out,” Vinyl whispered. “I can work. I can distract. I can stay at the clubs, go back to that crazy lifestyle I had before I met her.”

“And were you happy back then?”

Vinyl closed her eyes and tried to recall. So many nights bouncing to random beats, surrounded by anonymous ponies who didn’t know or want to know her, and she had felt the same about them. Wasted nights avoiding her lonely, isolated apartment, trying to write music just to make ponies look at her. There was so much noise, yet it had been nothing but static all along. For years, that was the only sound she ever really heard: static.

“No,” she muttered. Her hooves dropped back to the table, but still she couldn’t look at Cadance. “No, I wasn’t. But I tricked myself into thinking it. M-maybe I could do that again.”

“Do you really want to?”

“I sure as hay don’t wanna think.”

“But you already care about Adi, don’t you?”

At last, Vinyl looked up. She stared into Cadance’s powerful purple eyes and thought her heart was being crushed. “I…”

Cadance offered another of those startlingly warm smiles. “Regardless of what you do from now on, it’s too late. Adi’s become a part of you, Vinyl. No matter how far you run, how deeply you hide in the nightclubs or how loud you turn up the music, you’ll never escape her.”

Vinyl didn’t know what was worse, hearing the words or knowing they were true. She turned her head away to watch the drifting snow. “Sometimes I wish I’d kept my resolve. I hung up on Adi the first time we talked. I thought it was some foal’s prank. I mean, if I’d just left it at that, I wouldn’t have to think about how horribly wrong things might go.”

Cadance tilted her head. “So why come back at all?”

Vinyl hunched over, her ears drooping. “It’s… it’s personal. It’s because of my dad, okay? That’s about as much as I wanna say about it.”

“And do you think your father would approve of you running away?”

“I’m not him!” Vinyl slapped the table and glared at the ever-calm princess. “Father was a great stallion, but I’m not just a product of him. I’m also my mother’s kid, and she was trash. How can I ever rise to his level with her blasted blood holding me back, huh?”

Cadance’s answer was swift and collected. “How can you ever rise to his level if you refuse to try?”

“I’m scared, okay?” Vinyl threw up her hooves even as she choked down a sob. “What if I can’t do it? What if I’m too much like her? The responsibility could overwhelm me, and then what’ll happen? I don’t want to end up hanging out a window with a rope around my neck!”

She buried her face in her legs and struggled to hold back the tears. “I d-don’t wanna be my mom. I don’t wanna be responsible. If I can’t handle it, I’m no better than her. Adi deserves better than that, Flash too. They both deserve the best and I… I don’t know if th-that’s me. What if it’s n-not? I can’t stand the thought. I don’t wanna think. I don’t wanna be a d-disappointment…”

Muttering curses, she pressed her eyes against her canons and tried to brush away the tears. She felt so foalish, breaking down in front of a princess like this. Why did she have to keep thinking about it? Why did Cadance make her think about it? She just wanted the fear to go away. Yet it wouldn’t, and she understood that now more than ever. A door had been jammed open, and through it came wave after wave of terrible possibilities, all riding on the back of her mother’s pathetic visage.

The tears eventually dried. Cadance said nothing the entire time, and when Vinyl looked up she found the princess watching her with a sad smile. “W-what?,” Vinyl grumbled. “Aren’t ya gonna put your wing over my shoulder and tell me it’ll be alright?”

Cadance’s smile didn’t fade. “I’m pretty sure that’s not the kind of help you need.”

“Well… good! B-because that’s exactly right.” Vinyl sniffed and glared at the table. “I can t-take care of myself.”

“Of course.” Cadance remained silent for a few seconds, perhaps waiting for Vinyl to speak again. When she didn’t, she said, “Has it occurred to you that you’re about to prove yourself a failure?”

Vinyl’s head snapped up and her eyes grew wide. “W-what?”

Cadance leaned on her foreleg, a hoof pressed to her cheek as she studied her. “You’re giving up. You’re letting everything you’ve been working for over the past two years slip from your hooves. Is that a quality of your father, or your mother?”

Vinyl thought she heard her heart hitting the floor. “I… well…” She bowed her head with a sigh. “I guess I really am like her.”

“You don’t have to be.” Cadence gestured to the door. “You can go see Flash and talk to him. You can stop avoiding Adi.”

“But that won’t prove anything,” Vinyl whispered. “What if I fold under the pressure anyway?”

“That’s why you have friends.”

“Friends?” Vinyl cocked her head with a frown. “What friends? What can they do for me?”

Cadance raised an eyebrow. “Flash is your friend, isn’t he?”

Vinyl winced, glanced away and muttered, “I’d rather he be something else…”

“Oh?”

“I mean, sure, he’s a friend!” Her cheeks burned as she once again avoided Cadance’s gaze. It was hard not to notice the princess’s smirk, though. “What of it?”

“There’s also Twilight, who is friends with pretty much everypony.” Cadance tapped her chin. “Of course, Luna certainly qualifies.”

Vinyl blinked and looked up at her with wide eyes. “Wait… they think I’m their friend?”

“You disagree?”

“No.” Vinyl lowered her head once again. “It’s just… they’re, y’know, royalty. I never thought I’d have friends in high places like that.”

Cadance chuckled. “I understand. I once felt the same way. Of course, we’d be remiss if we neglected Adi. She is your friend, is she not?”

“Yeah, she is.” Vinyl rubbed behind her ear as she thought on the subject. “And… I guess Velvet is my friend, too. Probably should have admitted to that one a long time ago.”

“Velvet?” Cadance cocked her head.

“She’s… a coworker.” Vinyl sighed and met Cadance’s gaze once more. “Okay, so I have friends. So what?”

“So, they can help you.” Cadance’s smile returned. “If you think you don’t have the strength, lean on them. Is it really that hard to conceive?”

Vinyl rolled her eyes. “That sounds more like something Twilight would say.”

Cadance folded her hooves over her heart. “What is friendship but another form of love?”

“Love conquers all, huh?” Vinyl fiddled with her hooves, lips set in a scowl. “I’m not that fanciful.”

“You’re not easy to convince, either,” Cadance countered with a smug smile, but it steadily faded when Vinyl maintained her silence. The princess sighed and set her forehooves to the table. “Some say that a pony’s life is measured in regrets. The regret of overreaction, of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, of acting without thinking. You’re going to feel pain no matter what you do, Vinyl.”

Vinyl shrank behind the table and chewed her lip. She tried to come up with some kind of response, but she had nothing.

“The choice is always yours to make.” Cadance leaned forward, her magic cupping Vinyl’s chin and making her look up. “You should be rejoicing.”

“Rejoicing?” Vinyl jerked her chin from the telekinetic pull. “Rejoicing what? My pain? My fear?”

“Rejoicing in the choice.” Cadance’s gaze turned hard for the first time. “You can choose to face the regrets and suffer alone, or you can embrace the love of your friends with open hooves. That’s far better than what certain others have.”

Vinyl stared at her for several seconds. When Cadance’s meaning finally hit her, her jaw dropped and she gasped. She had no idea her heart could hurt quite as much as it did right then. “Adi. I… I completely forgot.”

“Be glad you can chose to be alone,” Cadance whispered. “Some aren’t so blessed.”

Vinyl could only sit there, heart pounding and mind running rampant. She barely registered when Cadance stood and walked past for the door. The princess paused just before leaving her vision.

“Adi needs you. Flash wants to be with you. You are not the only pony affected by your decisions, Vinyl. You’ve built bridges over the gaps of love, and the only way to pull out now is to set fire to those bridges. But if you do, remember that fire burns indiscriminately.”

Slowly, Vinyl turned to watch her go. Cadance left the door open, and Vinyl continued to stare long after her hoofsteps faded away. Slowly, she turned back around to stare at the table. She could see Flash’s tormented face, hear Adi’s wretched sobs. Such a painful sound, such a horrible image. If she quit now…

Would it matter? She stood and approached the edge of the balcony. Snow still drifted by, silent and immaculate over the great city of Canterlot. The spires stood tall and solemn, offering no inspiration on this sad night. Vinyl gazed over the edge and wondered about the pain in her heart. Vertigo made her wobble; she dropped to her haunches.

Her father would want her to press on.

Her mother would have jumped already.

It was then that the epiphany struck. One way or another, Adi would cry. One way or another, Flash would be miserable. If these things didn’t happen because of her, they’d happen for some other reason. Vinyl couldn’t stop that regardless of what decision she made. As she gazed down at the city below with the world swimming circles in her vision, her mind grew startlingly clear. One thought rose above all the others, spearing her consciousness like a light from Elysium itself:

She had a choice, and she would not choose to be her mother.

Before she understood what was happening, Vinyl was charging down the steps. Her heart hammered against her chest, her breath came in gasps. She had to have reached the bottom in record time, sliding across the floor of the hall and almost slamming into the wall. Her head swiveled about until she caught the hint of a pink tail disappearing around a corner.

“Princess!”

She turned the corner in time to see Cadance turning back to her. “Where… Where’s Flash?” she asked between gasps.

Cadance’s smile was so delightfully warm. “I believe he just went off duty. Check the barracks?”

Vinyl had departed at a gallop before she’d finished the second sentence. “Thank you!”

The doors and torches and tapestries flew by in a blur. Vinyl had been in this part of the castle enough to know her way blindfolded, and she didn’t care who she bothered with the sound of her clopping hooves. She had just one thought in her mind, desperate and hopeful and determined all at once. For the first time in her life, she didn’t feel like she was running away from something; no, this time she was running to it. She didn’t even know what she’d do once she got there, but the run itself felt better than anything she’d ever known.

The guards watched her pass with raised eyebrows. She flew by the front desk of the barracks without so much as a glance at the soldier on duty. Past a dozen identical doors , she turned a corner and spotted the only one that mattered. It seemed to shine like a beacon in the dark. When she tried to stop, she slid right past it and had to backtrack, but she wasted no time banging with both hooves on the door.

“Flash, open up!”

The time between that first knock and the door opening felt like ages. As soon as Vinyl saw Flash’s disgruntled face with his blue mane all akimbo, her heart leapt into her throat and she leapt into him, knocking him to the floor of his room.

“Vinyl! What the hay are you—”

“I’m sorry!” She clutched him and buried her head in his chest. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! I’m not gonna give up and I do wanna keep going but I’m an idiot and scared and selfish!” Tears were streaming down her cheeks. For once in her life, she didn’t care. “I shouldn’t have pushed you and Adi away. I’m so sorry, Flash.”

Flash was silent for a while, but then his wings wrapped around her and he began petting her mane. “H-hey, stop that. Vinyl Scratch doesn’t cry.”

“I do now,” she mumbled, pressing against him. “I didn’t want to be alone, but I thought it was the only way. I’m so stupid.”

He held her tightly. “You’re frustrating as all Tartarus, Vinyl… but y’know, it kinda adds to your charm.”

Despite everything, she chuckled. “Can you forgive me for being scared?”

His answer came with a swiftness that startled. “Yeah.” He rested his head on her shoulder. “I think I can do that. But… Vinyl, what the hay happened?”

She pulled back and rubbed her eyes, managing a warm smile upon seeing his confused face. “I made a choice, that’s all.”

He sat up and cocked his head. “What choice?”

Eyes closed, Vinyl thought of Adi. Her smile broadened. “To think, and face the consequences.” She leaned forward to nuzzle his shoulder. “And not face them alone.”

“W-well, heh, that’s great.” He reached up and stroked her cheek, and Vinyl felt her heart flutter at the contact. When next he spoke, his tone was full of pleasure. “That’s really good, Vinyl.”

“Oh, gag,” a voice spoke from the door. Vinyl glanced back to see one of the guards looking in on them, rubbing his eyes and glowering. “Some ponies are trying to sleep, y’know. Get a room, you two.”

She smirked. “We’ve got one, thanks.” Her horn flashed and the door slammed in his face.

“Hey!” Flash made to stand. “That wasn’t very nice. What if—”

She caught him by the mane and jerked him down, planting a kiss right on his lips. The touch set sparks on her tongue, and Vinyl couldn’t help wondering if there were jolts of energy flying from her mane. He returned the kiss, wrapping his hooves tight about her. Vinyl’s heart pounded, her mind swam in molasses and she felt like she was walking on a cloud.

At last they parted. Flash had a familiar, stupid grin on his face as they both sucked in deep breaths.

“Uh…” He licked his lips, one ear hanging low and the other twitching. “I forgot what I was gonna say.”

“Me too.” She grabbed him for a second kiss.

Author's Note

Let me just start off by saying that yes, I know the opening of this chapter is kinda confusing. I also know it's due to my long time jumps from chapter to chapter. Arguably, it was a dumb move, but now that it's made I have zero intention of fixing it. Instead, I'll keep it as a 'lesson learned.' I wanted to try and avoid a lengthy batch of exposition like I used in the last chapter (which I didn't care for in that regard), but I also didn't want to write a whole chapter about Vinyl being more and more of a jerk to Flash and Adi. I made a sacrifice, and it may not have been for the better.

Also, I apologize for those comments from the last chapter than went unanswered. I'm usually pretty good about answering most of those.

XII - (Almost) In The Flesh

Chapter XII
(Almost) In The Flesh

“Y’know,” Flash said with a blushing grin, “if you’re not tired, I can always help with that.”

Vinyl rolled her eyes. “Nice try, Bolt Butt, but I think Luna’s got it covered.”

He opened his mouth, paused, glanced at the princess standing by Vinyl. At Luna’s raised eyebrow he sucked in a slow breath. “Oooooh, that was tempting. You’re going to get me sent to the moon yet.”

With a chuckle, Vinyl stepped close and nuzzled him. “Darn. You almost said it, didn’t ya?”

He returned the motion. “I knew it was setup. You’re a dangerous mare, Vanilla.”

Vinyl’s cheeks burned and she popped him gently on the side of the head. “Not in front of Luna, ya jerk! And for the last time, I do not taste like vanilla.”

Before she could react, he pecked her on the cheek. “Yeah, actually you do.”

“Go on!” She pushed him out the door, her face only growing hotter. “We can’t do this if you’re bugging me!”

“Aww, but it’s so much fun.” He nipped at her ear before she could get away.

She fought valiantly to keep from grinning. “I’ll be fun later, this is too important. Now git!” She closed the door in his face.

“You’re my witness, Luna,” he called through the wood. “She promised me some fun later!”

Vinyl thought her face would melt. She bucked the door and walked away from it, doing her best to maintain a calm, dignified pose. “A-alright, can we get started now?”

Luna had a small smile. “Has anypony ever mentioned that you two are a delight to watch?”

“Ugh…” Vinyl facehoofed. “I’m gonna kill that colt.”

“He’s only trying to cover his own anxiety,” the princess noted. “In a thousand years, stallions haven’t changed at all.”

“Wait.” Vinyl shot Luna an incredulous look. “You mean there are stallions asking you out?”

Luna chuckled and shook her head. “Not recently, no; I appear to be a bit unapproachable in the eyes of most modern stallions. But there was a time, most certainly.” She waved to the bed. “Do you want to discuss the hearts of hopeless colts, or do you want to begin?”

“Begin, definitely begin.” Vinyl all but jumped into her bed. As she settled into her preferred spot, she cast a glance at the door. “So, uh, why did you want Flash to come along?”

“You will be asleep,” Luna replied as she sat by the bed. “I will be in the dreamscape. If something were to go wrong, it would be appropriate for somepony to be nearby to wake you.”

“Ah.” Vinyl cocked her head. “What could go wrong?”

At that Luna regained her pleasant smile. “Do not fret, Miss Scratch. I am merely being cautious. The odds are exceedingly low, and even if something did happen I would be there to stop it. Trust the Princess of the Night.”

Vinyl returned the smile and rested her head to her pillow. “Alright, Luna, I trust ya.”

“Good. Are you ready?” Luna waited for her to nod. “Then I shall begin.” The princess lowered her horn to touch Vinyl’s forehead. A soft glow filled her eyes, and within seconds she began to feel lightheaded.

“Wow, this… this stuff works… quick…”

Vinyl blinked and stared up at the rafters. It took her a few seconds to register that they shouldn’t even be there. “What the…” She sat up with a jerk and looked around. She was alone in a small room full of musical toys; a little clarinet, a play piano, a xylophone. It all looked so curiously familiar.

Home. She was in her room at her uncle’s place. But why was she here?

“Luna?” She gazed at her hooves. “I’m dreaming now, right?” Another look around reminded her that she was alone.

Carefully, she climbed out of the bed. Strange; she was her normal self, but her room wasn’t any smaller. She examined the piano, which should have been sized for a filly of six or seven but instead reached up to her chest. She tapped the keys and heard the note, as crisp and clear as it had been in reality. She couldn’t help but marvel; she’d never had a dream be so lucid before.

Then it dawned on her: she knew she was dreaming.

That was an entirely new sensation.

“Oooookay.” Vinyl spun a quick circle. “Luna said she’d get here soon. So—”

“Here I am.” Luna’s head appeared through the open bedroom window. She offered a smile. “I apologize for the delay, I had to prepare. Are you ready?”

“You bet I am!” Vinyl grinned and looked around the room once more. “So is there something I gotta do?”

Luna chuckled at her eagerness. “Not at all. Just let me work my magic for a moment.”

With a nod, Vinyl sat and waited. Luna closed her eyes and her horn began to shine. The dark blue glow filled Vinyl’s vision, making her raise a hoof over her eyes and look away. Seconds passed in silence, and then the light began to fade. “What was that supposed to—”

She lowered her leg and saw a bright blue sky. A vast, hilly plain spread for miles in every direction, covered in little white flowers and tall grass that swayed in the wind.

“Oh.” She pawed at the grass and marveled at how surprisingly real it felt. “Is this your doing?”

“This is simply how lucid dreams are,” Luna’s disembodied voice responded. “However, your subconscious mind has picked up on my presence, and that makes it more ‘aware,’ if you will. A moment, please.”

Vinyl fidgeted, her eyes surveying the empty world. It was actually rather pretty, reminding her loosely of the cemetery her father was in.

Just as she was about to call out to Luna, a new light appeared a few feet away. She watched it with wide eyes as the light shifted and coalesced into a tall form. It gradually acquired a pair of legs, then arms like a minotaur. Whatever was forming, it was much smaller than one of those. Vinyl’s heart pounded in her chest and her mouth hung open as the light began to fade, leaving behind something the likes of which descriptions had not prepared her for.

The creature that stood before her was tall enough that Vinyl’s muzzle just reached to its waist. It bore long, slender limbs and its furless skin was a dark brown. It wore blue jeans around wide hips and a light yellow shirt with short, white sleeves. A long, black ponytail crowned its head. The creature’s face was wide and hard, with a short nose, thin mouth and high cheekbones. It blinked, revealing soft green eyes that gradually came to focus upon Vinyl.

For several seconds, the two only gaped at one another. Vinyl took a timid step forward and licked her lips before managing to utter a quiet, “Y-you’re… Adi?”

Slowly, Adi raised her hand to point with a lone finger. “Vinyl?”

Vinyl’s hind legs collapsed. “Oh Goddess, she did it. Luna actually merged our dreams.”

“You really are a… a pony.” A lopsided smile came to Adi’s face. “And a unicorn, just like you said.”

“And you’re…” Vinyl’s lips fumbled as she struggled for something to say. At last she managed to blurt out, “Tall.”

Adi huffed a feeble laugh and approached on stumbling legs. Vinyl stared up at her, trying to find some more words, but her mind was numb. This… this creature was what she had been talking to on the radio all this time? There were so many emotions floating around in her brain at that moment that it rendered her speechless.

Her legs failing, Adi dropped to her knees before Vinyl. Her eyes were wide as saucers and her hands trembled. Slowly, she reached up and touched Vinyl’s cheek. “You’re… You’re really you, right? You’re really here?”

Vinyl reached up to press the hand, to feel its warmth, to delight in its touch. “Y-yeah, I’m really here.”

Adi’s shaking lips twitched into a smile. Her eyes began to water. “Vinyl… oh, Vinyl!” She fell forward, engulfing Vinyl in a tight hug as her sobs shattered the still air. Vinyl smiled and wrapped her hooves around Adi’s shoulders, not bothering to say anything.

There was no way to know how long the moment lasted. Adi wept and wept, but even when she could sob no more she continued to hold Vinyl. She didn’t mind; Vinyl couldn’t imagine what this moment was like for her. She wasn’t sure she wanted to.

At last, Adi managed to speak. “I… I’m sorry. I told myself I wouldn’t, but…” She sat back, but her hands clung to Vinyl’s shoulders. Though her face was streaked with tears, she had the biggest smile Vinyl had ever seen. “I c-can’t describe how beautiful you are. The most b-beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Vinyl returned the smile. “It’s good to finally meet ya, Adi.”

Adi chuckled. “N-nice to meet you, Vinyl.” She hesitated, but finally let go. “Sorry.”

“It’s alright,” Vinyl said. “I get it. I’m not gonna leave anytime soon.”

A long sigh drifted from Adi’s lips and her shoulders sagged. “Good. G-good.” She stared into Vinyl’s eyes for a moment, but then jerked them away. “So,” she hurriedly said, “is this what Equestria looks like?”

Vinyl took in their surroundings once more. “More or less. This is a ‘neutral ground’ Luna made for us. Said it was safer than just throwing one of us in the other’s dream.”

“Oh, the princess!” Adi stood and looked around. “Where is she? I’d like to thank her.”

“She said she’d be leaving us to ourselves this time,” Vinyl replied with a shrug. “I’m sure you can meet her next time.”

“I’ll be honest, I didn’t think she could do what she claimed.” Adi’s eyes abruptly grew wide, her gaze centering on Vinyl’s horn. “Wait, if she can do this…” She leaned close to eye the protrusion with wonder, her attention making Vinyl fidget. “You people really can do magic, can’t you?”

“You mean you still didn’t believe?” Vinyl rolled her eyes. “Yes, I can do—” She tensed with a small eep, eyes going wide as Adi ran a few fingers along her horn.

“This is amazing,” Adi whispered, blissfully unaware of the tingling that coursed through Vinyl’s body.

“Heyheyhey!” Vinyl pulled her head back, cheeks burning. “Those things are sensitive, y’know.”

“Oh!” Adi’s hand jerked back. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know. It didn’t hurt or anything, did it?”

Vinyl gave a weak smile. “It’s not that kind of sensitivity.”

“It’s not?” Adi’s brow furrowed, but then her eyebrows shot up. “Oh. I am so sorry!”

“No, it’s fine.” Vinyl waved a dismissive hoof as the fire in her cheeks finally died down. “You didn’t know.” She abruptly smirked as a certain image flashed in her mind. “My coltfriend might get jealous if he finds out, though.”

“Jealous about what?”

Vinyl gasped and jerked around to discover Flash standing behind her, a sickeningly cute look of confusion plastered on his face. “What the hay are you doing here?”

He shrugged. “I have no idea.” He grinned and nuzzled her. “But am I glad to see you!”

“Is that really—” Adi gasped and stepped up close to study him. “Wings! He really is a pegasus. Holy wow.”

“Hmm?” He glanced at her. “Oh, hey Adi.” He promptly resumed nuzzling Vinyl’s chest.

She understood almost immediately. Her cheeks reddened once more at his attention. “Great, I brought him here,” she grumbled.

Adi gave her a curious look. “What do you mean?”

Vinyl tried pushing Flash away, but he only pressed in closer with a pleasant hum. Goddess, her cheeks were hot! “Luna told me a little about dreamweaving. I thought of Flash, and here he is, but he’s not really Flash.” She shoved him aside with a snarl. “Would you get off?”

He hit the ground on his side and began to shine a bright blue. He looked up at her with a hurt expression, complete with those big puppy eyes she loved and hated so much. Within a couple seconds he was gone, leaving her with guilt.

Adi gaped at her own hands. “You mean if we just think about it, it’ll show?”

“Something like that,” Vinyl replied with a huff, smoothing her fur where Flash had been rubbing against her. She looked up and blinked; the field was gone. They were in a city now, surrounded by closely packed little houses that looked like they had seen better decades. Broken windows, dead shrubs, littered streets covered in cracks. It was a veritable slum. She peered at a strange object on wheels that reminded her vaguely of a turtle, only longer and made of metal. Several of them lined the street.

“Oh, God.”

Vinyl turned to find Adi staring at a lone house covered in chipped, stained red paint. Her hands were raised as if she wanted to reach for the screen door.

“Adi?” Vinyl stepped up beside her and saw fresh tears forming in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

Adi stumbled forward, her hand resting against the wood. “I… I never thought I’d see it so clearly again. To touch it like this…” Her lips trembled as she smiled at Vinyl. “This is Chicago. Th-this is home. I grew up here.”

“Home? This place?” Vinyl bit her tongue. Hard. Yet even as she fought to restrain herself, she couldn’t help but turn a small circle and take in her surroundings. It was astounding how similar this place looked compared to an Equestrian city… at least in terms of the structures.

Adi chuckled. “I know, it’s not much to look at.” She reached for the handle of the screen door, but hesitated. After a few seconds she stepped back.

Vinyl tilted her head. “What’s wrong? Don’t you wanna go in?”

“No.” Adi turned away from the house and shook her head forcefully. “I can’t. This isn’t really home, right? I… I shouldn’t be dwelling on it.”

“But…” Vinyl gaped at the house, and then at Adi as she walked past. “I thought you’d… Why?”

“Please, Vinyl.” Adi hugged herself and shook. “Take me somewhere else. Anywhere, I don’t care. Just not here.”

She looked between Adi and the house. At last she nodded and began to concentrate on the first place to come to mind. In a blink, the buildings all warped and changed locations, the wood and dirty brick being instantly replaced with white stone and marble. Canterlot Castle arose in the distance like a waking giant and cobblestones seemed to burst out of the ground like water to replace the concrete street.

Adi gasped and turned a small circle, taking in the beauty of the city. “What is this place?”

“Canterlot,” Vinyl replied with a smile. “We’re in the Arts District.”

“It’s so… clean.” Adi’s lips turned up in a smile. “So this is what a pony city looks like.”

“Eh, this is the Upper Levels.” Vinyl rubbed the back of her head. “I live in the Lower Levels, which aren’t as well kept. I just thought you’d prefer to see the fancy side of town.”

“Canterlot.” Adi took a few steps, her head craning back so she could take in the castle far above them. “Canterlot. Camelot. Suddenly the name feels so much more appropriate.”

“Better get used to it,” Vinyl said, stepping beside her. “This may be where you’ll be living for a while.”

Adi’s expression darkened, but it cleared so quickly Vinyl might have just imagined it. “Maybe. It certainly is prettier than Chicago.”

“You said it, not me,” Vinyl chuckled. “When you get here in reality, I’ll be sure to show you around.”

This time she knew Adi’s frown wasn’t imagined. “I’d like that.” The smile came back in full spread. “I want to see more!”

“Now, hold on.” Vinyl sat and tapped a hoof to the back of her canon. “Quid pro quo, right? You gotta show me stuff, too.”

“Oh, right.” Adi blushed and considered her. “Hmm… I’m not sure what—oh, I know! Let’s see if I’ve got this right.” She held up her hands theatrically and closed her eyes, waving them as if to perform some sort of magic. Vinyl hid her smile behind her cannon at the ridiculousness of it.

The world shifted once more, the buildings turning green and sinking down into the ground like accordions. The ground rose beneath Vinyl’s hooves, carrying them both up several feet as the rest of the world seemed to sink. After only a couple seconds they were sitting in an empty field of swaying grass.

Adi opened her eyes and grinned. “This is even easier than I thought.”

“Yeah, pretty simple.” Vinyl looked around, but saw nothing of interest. “So… why’d you bring us back to the field?”

“I didn’t.” Adi pointed over Vinyl’s shoulder, and she turned around to see a strange, cylindrical object in the distance.

She peered at the orange and white… something. “What the hay is that supposed to be?” A rumbling sound filled her ears, and abruptly a plume of white smoke burst from beneath the object. She took a tentative step back as the cylinder steadily began to rise from the earth.

“That,” Adi said, kneeling beside her and resting a hand to her shoulder, “is how humans usually go to space: sit down on a huge rocket filled with tons and tons of volatile chemicals and hope it doesn’t blow up.”

Vinyl’s jaw dropped as her eyes followed the rocket higher and higher into the sky. “Holy horseshoes, isn’t that dangerous?”

“It can be.” Adi reached her hand out and snapped her fingers, and the rocket erupted in smoke and flame, making Vinyl gasp. “It’s happened a few times.”

Vinyl stared at the descending debris, then looked to Adi. “Is that how you got up there?”

“Not quite,” Adi replied with a smile. “My ship actually had a runway, though it did require rocket boosters to get out of the atmosphere.”

“That still sounds really dangerous.” Vinyl pointed at the sky and a large wooden vessel passed over them, its vast balloon covering the sun. “That’s the best we can do when it comes to flying without wings. To think, I used to believe airships were advanced.”

“Maybe it’s better that way,” Adi whispered, then tapped Vinyl’s head. “Your turn. Show me something cool.”

“Hey!” Vinyl pointed at the ship again. “You show me a rocket, I show you an airship. Your turn!”

“Is it?” Adi smiled and scratched behind Vinyl’s ear. The feel of her dexterous fingers had a surprisingly soothing effect, and Vinyl let out a small whimper. “I think you should go now.”

“W-what the hay?” Vinyl shifted and tried to pull away, a weak smile coming to her lips. “How are you…” She trembled and couldn’t resist leaning towards Adi. “N-no fair.”

Adi chuckled. “I didn’t actually think that would work.” She brought her other hand to bare, scratching behind both ears and making Vinyl whimper. “Wow, you really like that, don’t you?”

Vinyl trembled and ground her teeth together. At last she managed to make herself bound forward. “Alright, alright, you win, just stop it!” She settled down a safe distance away and shook herself as if to fling water from her coat. She glowered and tried to rub the pink from her cheeks. “That’s cheating!”

“Yeah, as if you don’t want me to do it.” Adi grinned and reached her hands forward, her fingers wiggling. “C’mon, show me something else.”

“I’m thinking, I’m thinking!” She rubbed behind her ears to try and get the lingering sensation to fade away. “Not sure what else to show ya. I don’t really travel a lot, not since Dad died.”

“Hmm…” Adi sat in the grass and crossed her legs. “Is there some place important to you?”

“Important?” Vinyl studied her hooves as she pondered. A stray thought came to mind, and with it she felt the world shifting once more. She winced, realizing almost immediately where she was taking them. She waited until she felt the magic fading before she looked up at the rows upon rows of stones. A familiar one sat between and to the left of them, and the sight of it made her smile.

“This will do,” she said, approaching the tombstone.

“Oh wow,” Adi whispered as she stood, “even your cemeteries are like ours.”

“I’m starting to expect that now,” Vinyl said with a roll of her eyes. “I know it’s crazy weird, but it’s also getting kinda stale.”

“Say what you like, it’s still fascinating.”

Vinyl sat before the familiar tombstone, smiling at the words inscribed. “I make it a point to come out here once a year, but I’ve been thinking about making my visits more frequent.”

Adi stood next to her, gazing at the grave. “‘Bright Weld.’ Your father, then?”

“Yeah.” Vinyl sighed and dropped to her barrel. “You suggested an ‘important place.’ I think this qualifies.”

Sitting down, Adi said nothing. The two stared at the grave in silence for a few seconds, but then Adi’s hand reached over and began rubbing along Vinyl’s back. She would have tensed if she didn’t find the touch so relaxing. Still, she couldn’t help blurting out, “Are you petting me?”

“S-sorry.” Adi pulled her hand back with a sheepish smile. “It’s kind of tempting.”

“It’s not that I mind,” Vinyl hurriedly added. “I’m just not used to it, is all.”

“I imagine not, since no one here has hands.” Adi stared at her palms as if seeing them for the first time. “These things are going to come in handy in this world… pun not intended.” She reached over and began stroking Vinyl’s back once more.

Vinyl promptly forgot her retort involving minotaurs. She gave a soft sigh and rested her chin in the grass. “Yeah, I could get used to that.”

They were quiet for a while. Vinyl marveled at Adi’s touch; those five digits of hers worked wonders on scratching in just the right places. At one point Adi rubbed under Vinyl’s ear again, which she found delightful in a way that was almost uncomfortable.

“This is a nice place,” Adi whispered after one such session. “I had forgotten what a peaceful day was like.”

“Wait ‘til you see the real thing,” Vinyl replied pleasantly. “When it’s my turn, I hope to be buried next to my old stallion. I can’t think of a better place.”

“Hmm…” Adi’s lips dropped to a small frown. Her chin touched her chest as she stared at the grass, which she began plucking haphazardly. “I… I wonder if I’ll be buried in a place like this.” She pressed both palms to the ground. Her chin trembled. “This might be the closest I’ll ever come to seeing grass again, of feeling it between my fingers. I always took grass for granted, but right now…”

She lowered herself to her stomach and rested her cheek in the grass. “It seems like such a precious thing.”

Vinyl stared at Adi, watching her eyes grow moist. Her thoughts turned to that dark time six months ago, when she’d come so close to abandoning her friend. Had she carried on with it, had she not spoken to Princess Cadance and realized her folly, Adi wouldn’t be there right now. The thought left pinpricks in her chest.

“Adi… you’ll make it.”

Adi’s eyes turned to her, but there was no pleasure in that gaze. “Will I, Vinyl? I might not. Maybe it’s better to just… just float around and let dreams do the job. At least then I’ll be alive.”

Something about the way she said that made Vinyl’s insides twist. She turned away and stared at her father’s tombstone, thinking about the past two years.

She felt the pleasant sensation of Adi’s hands on her back once more. “Thank you, Vinyl,” she whispered. “Thank you for letting me see this. It’s better than I could have hoped.”

Vinyl jerked away from her touch. She sat up and gave Adi a hard look. “Why?”

“Why?” Adi pushed herself back to a sitting position. “What do you mean?”

“Why is this—” Vinyl spread her arms wide at their surroundings “—better than you hoped? You mean you don’t expect to make it to Equestria?”

Adi’s expression fell. “The odds are so low, Vinyl. Why won’t Twilight tell me what her revised guess is? Because if it was a good estimate, she’d have said something. Even with the new trajectory and such, I won’t make it.”

Vinyl pursed her lips in a thin line, her gaze making Adi avert her eyes. She was reminded yet again of how she almost fell to despair, and here was her friend taking the same steps. The idea made her angry, both at Adi and herself. She jerked her head away, and her eyes fell upon her father’s tombstone. An idea came to mind almost instantly.

“Well,” Adi muttered, rubbing her hands together anxiously, “I guess it’s my turn to show you something.”

“No.” Vinyl crossed her arms. “I’ve got something else to show you.”

“But it’s my turn—”

“Shut up.” Vinyl stood and, ignoring Adi’s startled look, closed her eyes to concentrate. “This is important. You have to see it.”

Adi said nothing as Vinyl looked back on her memories. It wasn’t easy, considering the age of the memory, but she had stories to supplant what she’d lost with time. The world didn’t feel any different, but that didn’t surprise her.

“Vinyl?”

She opened her eyes to find them in a small, dark hallway. Adi slowly stood, the wood under her feet creaking with her every movement. It struck Vinyl as funny, how she remembered those squeaky floors so perfectly. Maybe because she’d been so close to the ground back then.

“Where are we?” Adi looked around with an uncertain frown.

“Somewhere important.” Vinyl turned in time for a light to abruptly come on in a doorway beside them. “You need to see this.”

They peered into the dim room, lit by a couple candles resting on a fragile-looking desk. There was a window just by it, and the rain pattering on its pane was startlingly clear. Also clear was the small, familiar radio sitting on the desk. A unicorn sat there, his cheek lying on the top and a kitchen knife cutting little grooves in the wood.

A high-pitched, male voice rose from the radio. “It’s not your fault, Weld.”

“It is my fault,” the stallion whispered into the microphone, which lay beside his head. His eyes stared at the knife dully as it cut into the wood again and again.

“Weld?” Adi glanced at Vinyl. “You mean that’s your—”

Vinyl shushed her, eyes locked on the stallion’s face. He looked so frail, a shadow of the pony she’d known most of her life. Such a terrible image. It made her feel small.

The voice on the radio spoke up once more. “There was nothing you could have done. You know that.”

“I could have stayed with her,” Bright Weld said, his voice as dull as his eyes. “She needed me, Bastion. She needed me to drag her out of the muck that was her life, and I…”

“She made her decisions, you made yours,” Bastion countered, his voice firm. “Yours was the right one.”

“But was it the right one for her?” Seconds passed in silence. “I failed as a husband.”

“Don’t believe that for a second. She’s the one who failed.”

Bright Weld closed his eyes and sighed. “She needed a guiding hoof. She needed help and I turned my back on her. What kind of husband does that?”

A snarl forced its way through the static. “Damn it, Weld, what is wrong with you? You worked your cutie mark off for that mare! You paid for counseling, you paid her meals, you’re paying her bucking debts! You picked her up more times than she deserved, and you think you are the one who failed?”

“It wasn’t enough.” Bright Weld’s voice cracked as he covered his face with a leg. “I wasn’t good enough.”

The sight of her father in such duress tore at Vinyl’s heart. Without thinking, she stepped into the room. When she spoke, her voice came out small and light. “Daddy?”

Bright Weld jerked up, his eyes going wide. He recovered with impressive swiftness as he turned to her, his expression soft. “Vinyl. What are you doing up, kiddo?”

“I was thirsty.” He suddenly seemed so big. She sat and kicked at the floor, head bowed but eyes on him. “Are you sad because of Mommy?”

“I…” He floundered, his lips working soundlessly.

Bastion’s voice rose from the speaker. “Weld? You there?”

Bright Weld winced and turned to grab the mic in his magic. “Give me a moment. Vinyl’s up.”

“Oh.” Bastion’s voice became much more pleasant. “Good evening, Vinyl. How are you?”

With a weak smile, Bright Weld lowered the microphone to Vinyl’s level. She scooted a little closer and pressed her lips directly to the device. Her voice came out shaky. “I’m okay.”

The microphone pulled back as Bright Weld patted her head. “You don’t have to be that close, honey.”

Vinyl looked up at him, then eyed the desk. She could just see the knife’s handle sticking out from the edge. “Daddy, why do you have a knife?”

A sharp breath was heard through the static. “Weld?”

“I… was just thinking about having some oat sausage,” he managed to reply. “Y’know, late night snack?”

Vinyl stared at him for several long seconds. She didn’t know why she felt so… sad. Having no idea what else to do, she moved in and pressed herself against his barrel. Weld stared down at her, but finally began stroking her mane. “Vinyl, are you okay?”

She nodded against his chest… but after a couple seconds she shook her head. The words slipped out as if her lips were being automated. “I had the dream again.”

Bright Weld sighed and held her close. “It’s okay, Vinyl. The dreams will pass. I promise.”

She looked into his orange eyes. There were so many things about him that she could recall, but nothing came to her quite as clearly as those amber orbs. They were so fantastically soft, granting a warmth within that she couldn’t fathom. This was her father, the father she remembered: his exasperated smile, his vast capacity for kindness, and those warm, loving eyes.

His soothing voice broke her reverie. “Would you like to sleep with me tonight?”

Though her heart twisted, she shook her head. “I’m okay. I just… wanted to say hello.”

Bright Weld’s lips dropped to a concerned frown. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “I’ll be okay, Daddy. Will you?”

“I’ll be fine, kiddo.” He nuzzled her cheek.

Her ears folded as she pressed against him. “Promise?”

“I promise. Off you go, now. Back to bed.”

“Okay, Daddy.” She stepped back, but her eyes went back to the handle of the knife. Her ears folded and she chewed her lip, then looked up at her father once more. At last she turned away and trudged for the door. Adi, now a veritable giant, held a hand to her lips and watched with moist eyes. Vinyl stepped through the doorway and, as soon as she was out of the dim light of the doorway, pressed her back to the wall next to it. She heaved a shuddering breath.

“Vinyl? Are you okay?”

Vinyl stared at her hooves. They seemed so small. “Just listen.”

Bastion’s voice reached the hall. “That’s a good girl you’ve got there. Smarter than her father, apparently.”

“I hope so,” Weld muttered.

“Now,” Bastion said after a moment’s pause, “about this knife.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“‘Nothing to talk about?’ Are you kidding me? Why do you have a knife, Weld?” Silence. “You’re starting to scare me.”

Weld slammed a hoof to the table. “And you think I’m sunshine and rainbows right now? I let my wife down, Bastion, and now my kid’s having nightmares.”

Bastion growled, but kept his voice quiet. “Were you even listening to her? She’s just as scared for you as I am, probably more so. The poor filly doesn’t need to lose another parent.”

“Maybe she does,” Weld whispered. “I was a crummy husband. Who’s to say I won’t be just as bad a father? I think… I think she might need somepony better to watch over her.”

“You stupid pile of hydra droppings. Vinyl needs you!”

Vinyl winced and buried her head in her hooves.

“I… I don’t know, Bastion,” Weld said. “I mean, w-what if she follows in her mother’s hoofsteps? What if I can’t—”

“You shut your trap and listen to me,” Bastion snarled. “That knife does that filly no favors. You know what she needs right now? She needs her father to pony up and be a stallion. She needs hope in her life, and the only pony who is gonna give it to her is you. You use that knife the way you’re thinking, and you are throwing your daughter away like the trash her mother was.”

Loud clattering met Vinyl’s ears as Weld stood and stomped. “Bastion, I won’t let you—”

“Do you want Vinyl to die like she did?!”

Vinyl cringed, her breath coming in slow gasps. Silence pervaded the air. Eventually, there was a loud thump, like a body collapsing.

Somehow, Weld managed to keep his weeping hushed. “Sh-she can’t. I d-don’t want to see that h-happen. She’s my precious little f-filly and…. and…”

Bastion’s voice was as hard as granite. “Using that knife is as good as giving up. You wanna fail? That’s your ticket.” But then his tone softened. “I know it’s hard… well, scratch that, I don’t know. I don’t have any idea what you’re going through. What I do know is that you need to keep hope.”

“Hope?” Weld somehow managed to chuckle between his sobs. “My little filly’s f-future is on the line, and y-you’re talking about hope.”

“Yes, I am. Don’t discredit hope, Weld. Sometimes it’s all we’ve got.”

Weld had nothing to say to this.

Bastion sighed. “You’re a good stallion, Bright Weld. You need to be a good stallion now more than ever. Your wife is gone, but your foal still needs you. Are you going to abandon her?”

Silence.

“Weld?”

“You’re right,” Weld whispered. “You’re absolutely right. I can’t give up now, not when Vinyl needs me.”

A smile slipped onto Vinyl’s lips. She began to feel light.

“Good!” Bastion released a long breath of air. “That’s exactly what I wanted to hear.”

“Yeah…” Weld’s voice became steadily more firm with every word. “Vinyl needs me. Just because I couldn’t help her mother, that doesn’t mean I can’t be a good father, right?”

“Exactly!” Bastion laughed, the sound of somepony letting go of a lot of pent-up worry.

“I…” Weld’s tone wavered. “I still don’t know if I’m right for this, but… but I have to try. For my little filly.”

“You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that.”

“I know, I’m being a drama queen.” Weld sighed. “Bastion, I don’t know if I can do this.”

“You can, Weld. I have faith in you.”

There was a long pause before Weld asked, “Do you really?”

“Yeah,” Bastion answered with equal solemnity. “I really do.”

Another round of silence.

“Thanks, Bastion.”

The light of the room began to fade, until there was nothing but darkness. Adi leaned back from the doorway, her face drawn in a deep frown. She turned to Vinyl. “Why’d it stop? They were still talking.”

“That’s all I remember,” Vinyl replied, looking up at her with a smile. “I fell asleep right about then. I was only five, after all.”

Adi leaned over her, a giant of a creature. “And why are you… a child?”

“Oh?” Vinyl looked herself over and realized that, indeed, she had been reduced to a foal. “I dunno. Maybe because that’s how I remember what—hey!”

She rose off the floor, Adi’s hands cupped beneath her shoulders. Adi grinned. “You are adorable. Just look at that tiny little horn.”

Vinyl glowered. “Don’t change the subject.”

“I can’t help it.” Adi pulled her forward to bump her nose with Vinyl’s muzzle. “You’re just so cute!”

“Put me down!” Vinyl closed her eyes and concentrated, and an instant Adi’s hands felt a lot smaller. Before she had a chance to prepare, Vinyl fell on top of her, knocking Adi onto her back. Fully grown once more, Vinyl glared at the startled human. “I’m trying to tell you something important!”

“I’m sorry!” Adi raised her hands as if to ward off blows, her eyes wide. Vinyl snorted in her face before stepping back to let her up. Once back in a sitting position, Adi turned her eyes to the darkened room. “I’m sorry, Vinyl, really. Here you are trying to show me an important moment of your life, and I’m acting a fool.”

Vinyl sighed and rubbed the back of her head. “Adi… why do think I showed that to you?”

“I…” Adi chewed her lip and averted her gaze. “I don’t know.”

Nodding, Vinyl turned to the door. Her heart was heavy as she spoke. “From that day on, my father worked his tail off for me. He lived in constant fear that he wouldn’t be able to raise me properly, but he kept on going. Twelve grueling years juggling three or four jobs at a time, and I know he was miserable at lots of them.

“He finally paid off all the debts,” she whispered, hugging herself. “For the first time since I was born, he was free and could do whatever he wanted, and what he wanted was to spend every minute with me. Three months later, he died.”

“Oh…” Adi’s gaze dropped to the floor. “Vinyl, I’m so sorry.”

“Sorry?” Vinyl chuckled and shook her head. “Why? Don’t you know what that is, Adi?”

Adi tilted her head with a perplexed frown. “Tragic?”

“It’s a success story.” Vinyl turned to her, boasting a warm smile and tears in her eyes. “Don’t you see? He did it. Even though he knew the worst was possible, he held out hope. In the end, he did everything he wanted to. He died happy. Who can ask for more than that?”

“But…” Adi crossed her arms, her brow wrinkling with thought. “What are you trying to say?”

Vinyl moved close and reared back so her hooves could rest on Adi’s shoulders. She looked her friend in the eyes. “Hope, Adi. My father had hope. It didn’t matter that he spent the last twelve years of his life slaving away to pay off debts. He died, yes, but he was happy. What I’m saying is that the odds don’t matter. Heck, the end result doesn’t matter.”

“But it does matter!” Adi shook her head, her hands gripping Vinyl’s forelegs. “If I die, what good was my entire journey? The two years of course corrections and modifications, the four years of waiting? I don’t want to die.”

“Of course you don’t,” Vinyl replied. “Nopony does.”

“But I am going to die,” Adi whispered. “If I try re-entry next week when my ship arrives, I will die. If I stay in orbit waiting for a solution that won’t come, it amounts to the same thing.”

“You’ll make it, Adi!”

“No, I won’t!” Adi shook her head again. “I’m not going to make it, Vinyl!”

Vinyl wrapped her in a tight hug, her chin resting on Adi’s shoulder. “No matter what happens, your story is not a tragedy, do you hear me?”

Adi said nothing at first, but then she reached up and pulled Vinyl close. She gave a weak sniff. “Thank you, Vinyl. I think I understand what you mean. It’s just so… so hard, and I’m so scared.”

“I know. Believe me, I’m scared too.” Vinyl leaned back to smile at her friend. “I’ll be here, Adi. Whether you choose to stay up there or take the plunge, I’m here.”

The silence seemed to stretch into forever. Adi stared into Vinyl’s eyes, and Vinyl stared right back. She didn’t dare let go, and Adi made no attempt to back away. What thoughts were running through those green eyes? Vinyl could only hope and pray that they were the right ones.

At last, Adi smiled. She pulled Vinyl in for a tight hug. “Thank you, Vinyl. Thank you so much. I will try, I promise. It may take a little longer, but I’ll try.”

“That’s all I ask.” Vinyl nuzzled her neck with a smile. “Don’t worry. Everything will be okay.”

“Everything will be okay,” Adi whispered. She repeated the phrase like a mantra: “Everything will be okay. Everything will be okay.”

Vinyl listened.

She waited.

She held on. She’d delivered her message, and she would keep her promise. The rest was up to Adi.

After a while, Adi leaned back. She had tears running down her cheeks, but she was smiling. “I th-think it’s my turn to show you something.”

“You don’t have to…” Vinyl chuckled and pulled back, but she kept her hooves to Adi’s shoulders.

“I think you’ll like this.” Adi rubbed her cheeks as her smile spread. “It’s something I guarantee very few Equestrians have seen.”

“Well,” Vinyl said, finally backing away, “if you’re sure you’re up to it.”

“Oh, I am. It’s about the easiest place for me to go.” Adi closed her eyes and focused, and soon the walls began to shift once more. Vinyl watched with uncertainty as the wallpaper, floor and ceiling shifted to bare metal. The ceiling rose up, the walls closed in. Panels, tubes, switches and lights all took form, from air to liquid to object. When Adi opened her eyes, they were in a thin, long room.

Vinyl looked around uncertainly, then felt her jaw drop. “Adi… is this the Journey?”

“Yep.” Adi stood, and now she was wearing a white, thick bodysuit covered in pockets. Her hair was longer, too. “This has been my home for the past four years.”

“Huh.” Vinyl turned a circle to take the small space in. “It’s so… uh… gray.”

“I know, right?” Adi chuckled and turned for a nearby doorway. “Come on, there’s something you’ve got to see.”

Vinyl followed, the clopping of her hoofsteps inordinately loud in the quiet ship. She didn’t know how to feel; shouldn’t this be the last place Adi would want to visit? Her eyes kept centering on the panels and words and switches that filled the space. The next room was much larger and had six white chairs arranged before a variety of control panels. Adi stood beside one in particular, which faced the wall. Behind her was what appeared to be a blocked window.

“This is the pilot’s seat,” Adi said, gesturing to the chair. “Come on, hop in.”

Vinyl gave a weak smile as she studied the seat, which was far too high for her. “You sure you want me piloting this thing? I might slam us right into the moon.”

“I think we’ll be safe,” Adi said with a smirk. She helped Vinyl climb into the chair, which was large enough that she could sit normally. “I just wanted you to have the best view in the house.”

Vinyl cocked her head. “Best view of what?”

With a grin, Adi pressed a button on the armrest. Almost immediately, a loud grinding sound filled the air and the shutters before the great window began to slide down.

Vinyl’s eyes became saucers as an eternal blackness full of stars was presented to her. It was like no starscape she’d ever witnessed, a velvety universe of pristine silence. What best caught her eye, however, was the small orb, barely the size of a marble, that shimmered in the center of it all. It was a splash of blues and greens, half-obscured by a lingering shadow like a child peeking from behind a curtain.

“Is… is that my world?”

“That’s it.” Adi stepped towards the window, head held high and a faint smile on her lips. “After four years of seeing nothing but stars, I swear it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.”

Vinyl stood, setting her hooves to the control panel so she could lean forward. “It’s so… small.”

Adi nodded. “When you’re down there, everything seems so big. Up here, you come to really appreciate how phenomenally tiny we are.”

She was right. At that precise moment, Vinyl felt so preposterously tiny. She thought on her entire life, just a single speck of existence on that orb. Flash’s life, her father’s life, her mother’s death; it all seemed so trivial compared to the eternity splayed out before her. Even the might of the princesses seemed but a blink in the eyes of heaven.

Yet even now, faced with a world so incredibly small, Vinyl found herself marveling at how big everything was. How many creatures were on that world, staring up at the stars, listening for news that the first known alien had landed? How many lives were there? Schoolteachers, businessponies, farmers, soldiers, kings and queens, all going about their daily lives, lives which every other individual cared nothing about.

“But they’re important.”

Adi turned to her. “What was that?”

“Nothing. I just…” Vinyl sat back and grinned. “Thank you for showing me this. It’s given me an entirely new perspective.”

“It has a tendency to do that,” Adi said with a chuckle.

“I’m going to show it to you, Adi,” Vinyl whispered. “Someday, for real. It looks so small, but I’ve never felt more important.”

Adi blinked and gave her a curious look. “Well, I think that’s a new one.”

“I matter.” Vinyl turned back to the window to study the bright blue marble. “Flash matters. Celestia, Luna, Twilight and Cadance. Velvet. My father and mother. You. We all matter.”

Smirking, Adi walked over to pat Vinyl on the head. “By God, I think she’s having a philosophical awakening.” She scratched behind her ears, making Vinyl moan.

“H-hey, you’re ruining my big moment of reflection!” Her eyes rolled back and a broad grin formed on her lips. “Not sure I m-mind, though.”

Adi’s smile grew warm as she turned back to the window. “Imagine it, Vinyl. Someday, I might be on that planet myself.”

Vinyl shook her head and sighed, then turned her eyes back to the starscape. “There is no ‘might.’ Soon, you and I really will meet.”

Silence lingered between them, neither willing to break the moment of peace they shared.

Author's Note

One more chapter, folks. That's right, this story is almost over.

The question of hope – its purpose, its value, its importance – is the reason this story exists. The moment I asked Luna's question of myself, the story came into being. Everything else is secondary to that.

I have an idea in my head for a side-story starring Flash. It's relation to this story is limited, but it would largely focus on Flash's personal journey of love and loss and would play heavily on his fanon reputation as a 'waifu stealer,' culminating in his discovery and relationship with Vinyl. I don't know if I'll ever get to it, but I've thrown it in my pile of potentials (that's a pretty big pile by now).

XIII - An Answer

Chapter XIII
An Answer

Vinyl stared out the window of the Astronomy Room, gazing upon the vast diorama of stars. She counted off the seconds in her head, licking her lips in quiet anticipation.

“Twenty seconds,” Adi said over the radio sitting innocuously on the table.

Vinyl glanced at Luna, who stood at her side. The princess watched the same scene with a small smile. She turned her eyes back to the sky, scouring for any indication of her target.

“There.” Luna pointed in the distance. A second later, a new light appeared, shining like a star in its own right as it drifted swiftly across the sky.

Vinyl’s lips turned up in a grin. “I see you, Adi.”

Adi’s voice was proud. “Pretty neat, huh?”

“That’s one way to put it.” Vinyl traced the ship’s motion with her hoof, trying to imagine that the little moving light was actually a spaceship. It boggled her mind, and she’d already learned so much. “I can’t believe you’ve been orbiting Equestria for two weeks and this is the first time I’ve seen the ship.”

Twilight’s voice rose from the radio. “Fifteen minutes, Adi.”

Adi’s response had a professional tone to it. “Acknowledged. Everything’s ready on my end.”

Luna left Vinyl to watch the passing light in the sky, approaching the table. “Are all the ships in position?” she asked.

“Yesterday’s storm blew a third of our vessels off course,” Twilight replied. “Some of them still haven’t made it back to their proper places, but what we have will be sufficient. I seriously doubt we’ll have any trouble picking up Adi once her drop pod hits the surface.”

The light passed beyond Vinyl’s vision over the horizon, making its way east. Sighing with disappointment, she turned and approached the radio. Sitting opposite Luna, she said, “I still don’t get why you can’t just grab her. It sounds so much simpler.”

Luna sighed. “Maneuvering a small ship at distance is a very different thing from controlling the sun or the moon, Vinyl. They are huge objects millions of miles distant, their motions are of incredible speeds above the comprehension of most, and the sheer difference in mass is beyond description. Attempting to pull The Journey down to the surface using the same magic might end up smashing it like an egg against a brick wall, and that’s a gross under-exaggeration.”

“Yeah, your sister said the same thing,” Vinyl grumbled, “although she compared it to a snowglobe the size of a bit hitting a concrete barrier with all the force of a hundred Sonic Rainbooms.”

“I question her numeric accuracy,” Luna said, “but that’s certainly an appropriate image.”

Adi’s voice chimed on the radio. “Don’t worry, Vinyl, the drop pods are designed for this kind of thing.”

“I’m not worried,” Vinyl replied, scratching behind an ear, “I just don’t get the physics and magics behind the reasons not to do it. Guess I’m too dumb.”

Twilight’s voice rang over the speaker. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re not dumb, Vinyl, you just haven’t the experience of Equestria’s rulers. If they say we can’t do it, I think it’s best we believe them.”

“This will work,” Adi said. “I’m not going to sit up here until I’m old and grey and crazy waiting for some magical alternative. I’m ready to do this.”

“Ten minutes,” Twilight chirped.

“Alright, I’m moving into the pod. Give me a minute.”

Luna leaned over the table. “Sister, are you there?”

“Sorry, Luna,” Twilight replied, “she’s in flight. She wanted to be ready to catch the pod as soon as it enters the atmosphere.”

“Are you sure that’s wise?” Luna asked with a taut frown. “We don’t know exactly where the pod will breach. What if it is right above her?”

Twilight responded, “That’s what I said, but she insists she’ll be okay. I’m inclined to believe her.”

Luna’s frown didn’t fade, but she said nothing else.

Adi’s voice returned. “Okay, I’m in the pod and the seals are all closed. Let me go through all the safety checks on this thing, then we’ll be set. Shouldn’t take more than a minute with how many times I practiced.”

“Take it slow,” Twilight said. “Now’s not the time to make a mistake because you’re excited.”

“Got it,” Adi replied, her tone mildly frustrated.

Vinyl kept glancing out the window, as if she expected to spot Adi’s ship among the stars for a second time. She almost couldn’t fathom that in a few short minutes Adi’s pod would be touching down in the Everfree Sea on the other side of the world. A thrill of energy ran down her spine and she had to fight not to run in place.

“I’m here.” The door to the astronomy room opened to reveal Flash Sentry, without his usual armor. “I’m not too late, am I? Please say no.”

Vinyl’s eyes lit up and she hurried to him. “You’re just in time! Adi’s prepping for launch as we speak.”

“Five minutes,” Twilight called.

“Thank goddess.” Flash accepted Vinyl’s hug before the two sat at the table side by side. He gave a brief bow to Luna. “Princess.”

“Good evening, Flash.” She gave him a warm smile, but quickly turned her attention back to the radio.

“Flight checks done,” Adi said. “Heya, Flash, welcome to the party.”

“Hey, Adi,” Flash replied as he draped a wing over Vinyl. “Ready to join the herd?”

“You bet I am.”

“After four years? I can’t imagine.” Vinyl grinned and leaned against Flash. “I can’t wait to greet you in the flesh. For real, this time.”

“Yes, you’ve said that a dozen times already.” Adi’s laugh had a giddy quality to it.

Twilight spoke up. “One minute. I’ll start the countdown at thirty seconds, okay?” Silence. Vinyl, Flash and Luna shared curious expressions. Just as Vinyl was about to speak up, Adi gave another weak laugh.

“It’s happening. Oh God. V-Vinyl… it’s finally happening.”

A grin spread on Vinyl’s lips at that excited tone. “I know. I know, Adi.”

“This is incredible,” Adi continued, seemingly more to herself than her listeners. “I’m going to be free of this ship. I can h-have a home again.” Another laugh. “Why do all these emotions hit at the most critical time?”

“Starting the countdown,” Twilight called. “Thirty, twenty-nine, twenty-eight…”

“Calm down, girl,” Vinyl said, though her smile had only spread. “You can explode after you’ve pulled that lever.”

Adi barely managed to respond amid her giggles. “It’s a… It’s a button.”

“—twenty, nineteen…”

Luna’s voice was commanding. “Concentrate.”

“R-right.” Adi sucked in a deep breath. “Don’t want to miss the window.”

“Don’t worry, Adi, you’ve got this,” Vinyl said, “It’s just a button.”

“—ten, nine—”

“Just a button,” Adi whispered.

“—eight, seven—”

The three ponies leaned over the radio, ears perked.

“—six, five—”

“One little button, and I can have a home.”

“—four, three—”

Vinyl began rubbing her hooves together. Flash gave her a squeeze.

“—two, one… launch!”

Silence. Vinyl’s heart pounded. She’d stopped breathing. It seemed like a silly response; it was just a button. Even though she told herself that, couldn’t bring herself to pull air back into her lungs. Not until—

“Pod disconnected.”

Vinyl heaved a gasp and collapsed against Flash, who wobbled from the sudden weight shift. Her chest swelled, her heart pounded against her ribs and her grin came back in full force. “You did it, Adi! You’re coming home.”

“Yeah… I did it.” Adi let out a deep sigh. “This is it. There’s no going back.”

“Okay, Adi.” Twilight’s voice was encouraging. “If our calculations are correct, you’ll be entering the atmosphere in four minutes. Set your entry vector.”

“Already on it,” Adi said, but her voice came out as a hoarse whisper.

Vinyl sat up straight, her eyes on the radio. “Adi, you okay?”

“Y-yes.” A sniff rose through the speaker. “I just can’t believe I’m here. H-hold on, I need to work.”

“Sorry.” Vinyl clamped her lips closed, accepting a comforting nuzzle from Flash. She glanced to the curiously silent Luna, who watched the radio with an expression reminding her of a hawk. The princess's manner unnerved Vinyl, but she didn’t dare say anything. Instead, she turned her attention back to the radio.

“Alright, everything’s set,” Adi said. “Now it’s just up to the machine and God.” Static began to rise up from the speaker. “Vinyl… this is it.”

“Yeah.” Vinyl chewed her lip and pressed against Flash. “This is it.”

Adi’s voice became a whisper. “Y-y’know, there’s still a good chance—”

“You’ll make it, Adi.” Vinyl leaned forward once more, trying to force as much confidence into her voice as she could. “Don’t think about the odds.”

“‘Don’t think about the odds,’ she says.” Adi chuckled, a weak sound that barely made it over the growing static.

“Two minutes to radio blackout,” Twilight announced.

Adi spoke up, her voice at last regaining its confidence. “There’ something I have to say, Vinyl.”

“You can say it when we meet face to face.”

“That might not happen.”

Vinyl’s stomach clenched, and she reached over the grab the small white radio between her hooves. “It will.”

“In case it doesn’t,” Adi continued, “I want you to know that I’m happy. I-I’m so happy right now.”

“I know,” Vinyl whispered. Her pulse rose with the volume of the static. “I know you are.”

“No, you don’t.” A sob broke through the speaker. “You helped me find hope. It’s the most precious thing anyone’s ever done for me. Even if I die now, it’s happening on my terms, and I’m not afraid.”

Adi began to weep. “Th-thank you, Vinyl. Thank you for g-giving me my life back.”

Vinyl smiled, even as she felt tears in her eyes. “You… you’re welcome.”

The static began to overpower Adi’s voice. “—you don’t believe…Christian God, but I do. So…vor and pray. We’ll see…gain, that’s a pro—”

“Adi?” Vinyl shook the radio gently. “Adi?”

“Radio blackout,” Twilight said, her voice solemn. “She should come back in two to four minutes.”

Vinyl stared at the radio, tears streaming down her cheeks. She could do nothing else; just sit there and stare that the small white box between her hooves. Her breathing came in a long, quiet rhythm as the static reverberated through the air.

Flash squeezed her with his wing. “It’s okay, Vinyl. She’ll make it.”

“I know,” Vinyl whispered. “I… I know she will, but…” She licked her lips and cradled the radio. Her hooves were shaking.

“We must have patience,” Luna said, her tone neutral.

Vinyl waited, and waited, and waited some more. “T-time?”

“Forty-seven seconds so far,” Twilight answered.

That was all? Vinyl hunched low over the table, the shaking extending to her entire body. “This will work. This will work. Oh please, tell me this will work.”

“It’ll work,” Flash whispered in her ear before nuzzling her.

Luna remained silent. Her quiet manner was almost painful to Vinyl. The static continued unabated.

Vinyl pressed tight against Flash, her heart pounding in her ears. A silent prayer worked through her lips; a prayer to Celestia, to Luna, to the Goddess, even to Adi’s nameless god. It took all her willpower not to call for the time again.

“That’s two minutes,” Twilight said. “Adi, can you hear us?”

Nothing but hissing, horrible static.

“Adi, this is Twilight,” she pressed. “Speak up if you can hear me.”

Vinyl closed her eyes even as she swayed her ears to the radio in her hooves.

“Adi, this is Twilight, come in.”

“She’s okay,” Flash whispered in Vinyl’s ear. “Everything’s gonna be okay.”

“Adi, if—”

Vinyl’s eyes shifted to the radio at Twilight’s sudden silence. The static continued on for what seemed like an eternity. Vinyl didn’t dare breathe.

Twilight’s voice finally rose from the speaker.

“Goddess have mercy...”

Three days of travel on Equestria’s fastest train was not enough time for Vinyl to prepare. Even so, she now stood at the edge of a commercial dock in San Latigo. Her head craned back as she attempted to take in the entire ship. Somewhere up there… She bowed her head and chewed her lip.

Flash draped a wing over her withers. “Are you sure you’re up for this?”

“Y-yeah…” She sucked in a deep breath and raised her head high. “Yeah, I’m sure.”

He worked his lips, appearing to wage an internal battle, but at last he nodded. “Come on, then.”

They moved along the dock, their hooves clopping loudly against the thick wooden planks. Vinyl tried to keep a steady pace, but her hooves shuffled and her head steadily drifted lower. Flash watched her from the corner of his eye, lips in a taught line.

The docks were largely deserted in this area, and the sunlight was held back by drifting clouds. The sound of the waves and ever shifting waters filled Vinyl’s eardrums and an unfamiliar scent wafted through her nostrils, salty and fresh. When at last they reached the boarding ramp, Vinyl paused.

Flash looked back, concern fresh on his face. “Vinyl?”

She raised a hoof, staring at the threshold before her. She opened her mouth to suck in a few breaths, hoping it would calm her churning stomach. It helped… a little. With one last, long exhale, she began to climb.

The ramp felt disturbingly flimsy, and Vinyl was glad for the tall rails. She kept her eyes on her hooves, not daring look up lest she see it before she was ready. The end of the ramp came far more quickly than she anticipated, and she stepped shakily down to the deck. Flash was there to keep her stable, and she leaned heavily against him.

“Vinyl, you’re here.” The purple hooves of Twilight appeared in her vision. “It’s good you could make it. Do you… want a moment?”

Vinyl said nothing; she was too busy trying to keep her breathing steady. After a few long inhales, she asked, “Where is it?”

Twilight’s tone was solemn. “Right in front of you, if you look up.”

Licking her lips, Vinyl closed her eyes and forced her head to straighten. With a lone leg, she pushed Flash aside. It took a long time for her to muster her courage, but at long last she had it, and her eyes opened.

Three large hunks of wreckage sat atop of the deck, the metal along their edges stretched, warped and ugly. They were spaced far enough apart from one another to let a pony pass through, but in positions that suggested an attempt to decipher their proper form before the… failure. When looked at together, there was a distinctly conical shape to them. Black streaks marred their metallic surface.

Vinyl felt her legs drop out from under her; Flash barely managed to keep her from hitting the deck.

“Vinyl!” Twilight knelt before her. “Are you alright?”

Though her legs buckled, Vinyl managed to plant her hooves back to the deck and force herself up. “I’m… I’m okay. Just a little shock, th-that’s all.”

“We should have waited,” Flash said, tone harsh. “You’re not ready for this.”

“I’ll never be ready, Flash.” Vinyl stumbled forward, her eyes locked on the sad remains of the drop pod. She hesitated for only a moment before stepping between two of them. Another couple steps and she was already in the middle of the wreckage. She sat and cast her gaze slowly around, taking in the twisted wires, dark panels and burnt walls. Despite herself, she closed her eyes and tried to imagine her friend sitting inside this thing.

“She came so close,” a familiar voice said. Vinyl glanced over to see Princess Luna sitting between two of the metal chunks, her expression sad. Celestia stood a respectable distance behind her. “She was right there. Perhaps we should have used our magic like you suggested.” The princess bowed her head low. “I am sorry, Vinyl.”

“Sorry?” Vinyl took another look around, a small smile forming on her lips. “No, don’t be sorry, Princess.”

Luna raised her head, an uncertain expression on her face. “But we are responsible, are we not?”

“It doesn’t matter who’s responsible,” Vinyl replied. Through all the pain, a warm sensation made itself known in her chest. “I once told Adi that her story isn’t a tragedy. I stand by those words.”

Luna cocked her head. “I don’t understand.”

“She died, true. But… she died with hope in her heart. I remember your question, Princess: ‘Is the hope worth the trouble?’” She stood and looked around at the wreckage. Despite the tears pouring down her cheeks, she had a warm smile when she looked back at Luna. “It is. It really is.”

“Vinyl?” She turned to find Flash approaching her. Her smile broadened at the sight of his uncertain expression. As soon as he was close enough, she buried her head in his chest and held him close.

She looked to Luna out of the corner of her eye. “Adi was happy, regardless of the outcome. She died happy.

“Her story isn’t a tragedy,” she finished, settling on her haunches and rubbing her cheeks. “She… she overcame her fear and loneliness and despair. She won. This?” She gestured to the wreckage, then turned back to Luna with a sense of pride. “This is a victory.”

Luna approached, her smile warm. “I think Adi would be glad that you believe that way.”

Vinyl’s smile faltered, her eyes dropped to her hooves. “I say all that. I m-mean it. Even so… I wish I could have shown her Equestria.”

“I think you showed her enough,” Flash said, nuzzling her. “I’m proud of you, Vinyl.”

“As am I.” Luna sat and gazed into Vinyl’s eyes. “I believe all of Equestria is proud. Without you, Adi would probably have died alone. She had us. She had you. What you have done is nothing short of a miracle, and I know Miss Longstaff is grateful.”

Vinyl’s cheeks were soaked again. She rubbed them and fought down the urge to sob. “I’ll m-miss her, but… but I’m grateful. For everything. I’ll cherish the past two years. I’ll cherish her.” Sucking down a calming breath, she looked up at the wreckage once more. “W-what will happen to all of this?”

“We’ll study it,” Luna replied without hesitation. “Twilight is already assembling a team for that purpose. In the end, it will probably be made into a memorial.”

“A memorial.” Vinyl considered this, then regained her smile. “A memorial to the human who risked it all for hope. I like that.”

“The Journey is still in orbit,” Luna added solemnly. “We hope that we might find a way to access it. Perhaps, with some study, we can find some way to bring it down here. There’s no telling what we can learn from it.”

“I understand.” Vinyl rubbed her hooves together and took another uncertain look around. “If I may, I think I know a good place to put the memorial.”

Luna’s eyebrow rose. “Is that so?”

“Yeah.” Vinyl looked up hopefully. “There’s a cemetery outside Canterlot. I know a good spot near a willow tree that’s open.”

Luna stared at her for a while, as if considering this idea, then smiled warmly. “I’ll look into it.”

Vinyl nodded, then pushed away from Flash. She looked to each of them, rubbing her eyes once more. “C-can I have a moment? Please?”

“Of course.” Luna nodded.

“Take all the time you need.” Flash turned to follow the princess out.

Left alone, Vinyl examined her surroundings. All the twisted metal, the burned fibers, the cracked glass. Slowly, she walked to the center of the three pieces. Closing her eyes, she saw Adi’s dark face and bright eyes, her pleasant smile. It was a beautiful sight. She sat down and raised her head, opening her eyes to stare at the sky where the three pieces seemed to point at the endless universe between the clouds. Tears formed rivers down her cheeks, but this time she didn’t mind them.

“Hello, Adi,” she whispered with a smile.

“Welcome to Equestria.”

Author's Note

Sometimes, all we need is hope.

An epilogue for Frequency is now available, written by Grand_Moff_Pony. Give it a read here. I wholeheartedly approve and consider it canon to this AU.