January 27: Sunshine After the Rain
January 27: Rules of Paradise are Never Nice
A lanky boy with maroon and red hair and ice-blue eyes pour cereal into a bowl. “So, first day, huh? You’ll be fine.”
“Thanks, bro,” Vinyl Scratch told her older brother Long Play. It was still weird seeing her big brother on a regular basis, but that was the end result of Vinyl’s massive mistake back in California. She’d finished her deposition over the weekend, and was all too glad to pin the blame on that bastard Blueblood. The prosecuting attorneys agreed that she’d done what she did under duress, and so long as she stuck to that story, she’d be safe.
Plus, I wonder how much Mom had to do with that. While Vinyl’s mother had made it absolutely clear that the teenager was no longer welcome in her home once the truth about her sexual preferences came about, it was for the better – she hated her mother, anyway. Thankfully, she had relatives that actually gave a damn…which is why she was here, in late January, starting her life over.
Plus, she had to admit, there were worse ways of starting over. Her father, who she thought lived in Lansing, turned out to live in Detroit after all: the East Ferry District, one of the toniest parts of town. Furthermore, she’d be starting off right: she wouldn’t be attending the local public high school but instead the prestigious D’Aguanno School, rated as one of the best private high schools in the country.
Now if I can just get used to the uniforms, Vinyl sighed. She hated skirts, blouses and ties. She hated anything that looked formal, even when she went on dates.
Taking a bite of his eggs, Vinyl’s father, Deep Bass, nodded. “Vi, honey, I didn’t like uniforms either when I when I went to high school, but you get used to them. Just think of it this way: you have a new chance to start over, and you aren’t doing it alone.”
As if on cue, a blonde with dark skin came down, moving over to kiss both Long and Deep on the cheek before sitting down next to Vinyl and planting a long, loving kiss on the other girl’s lips. Long just rolled his eyes, then chuckled.
“You two girls keep that up, you’re gonna be late,” Deep chuckled as well before returning to his eggs.
“So~rry,” Cloud Kicker apologized. “Couldn’t find the conditioner. One of these days, we’re gonna have to organize the bathroom.”
Vinyl grinned. “Maybe you should just get it cut short, like me,” she replied, shaking her shaggy mop of a hairdo.
“Some of us like looking good,” Cloud mock-retorted.
“You look good enough to me in bed,” Vinyl purred, and was rewarded by that by another long kiss.
Long grunted. “Great – my little sis gets more action with girls than I do.”
Vinyl answered that by sticking her tongue out at her brother, but in truth, she was absolutely proud of her family. Not only had her father and brother accepted her lesbianism, but they’d gone so far as to let her girlfriend move in with them, as Cloud’s parents had decided to move to a hippie commune in Ukiah and knew their daughter’s ways weren’t theirs. It had been Deep that had set up both at D’Aguanno, and was paying the tuition. Though they’d both been at the home for only a week, both girls felt more like they were a married couple living with Vinyl’s father than anything else.
“Plus,” Cloud replied haughtily, “don’t shit me, LP. I know you get play. What was her name again? Strawberry Swirl or something?”
“Sparkleberry Swirl,” the boy replied. “And yes, I did her. Oh my God, she’s got the greatest tits!”
Cloud nodded. “Oh, hell yes. Plus that ass? I’m supremely jealous, dude.”
As the table descended into a discussion to the suitability of her older brother’s latest one-night stand, Vinyl quietly buttered a piece of toast and took a bite, enjoying the interplay of her family. A father who was the morning DJ at the most popular station in town, an older brother studying fine art and music at the College for Creative Studies, and her live-in girlfriend. She smiled.
Paradise, at last.
“Okay, you two got everything you need?” Long asked.
Sitting in the back seat, both teens nodded, but double-checked just in case. “Yeah, we’re good. You or Dad picking us up later?”
“Depends. If Sparky’s still in town, I’ll be, uh, a little busy.”
“You mean your little swimmers’ll be busy,” Cloud teased. “Trust me, I’ve done both – I know how it works.”
Long shrugged. “Whatevs. Anyway, if she hasn’t left for work, I’ll pick you up. If not, either Dad will or his girlfriend.”
“When do I get to meet her?” Vinyl asked.
“Soon. She’s been busy the past week, but trust me – you’ll get to meet her soon. Catch you girls later. Oh, and no sex in the locker room, okay? D’Aguanno’s a classy place.” Giggling, both girls got out of the car, and onto the snow-covered grounds of the D’Aguanno School, headed for the front door and the admin office.
The two walked into the admin office, and after introducing themselves, they were told that the headmistress of the school wanted to speak to both. As they were led to the Headmistress’ Office, Vinyl and Cloud looked at each other.
“I see my rep caught up with me,” Vinyl replied nervously.
“Hey, you have me – and I’m with you all the way,” Cloud replied, showing her promise ring. She’d never removed it since the day they became a couple again, a vow of her insistence to remain with Vinyl forever. Someday, both girls figured it’d be replaced with an engagement ring, and finally a wedding band – but that time was still years off.
Finally, they entered an ornately-styled office that looked like something out of a Hollywood movie about private schools: there was a classic globe, a well-stocked shelf of books, and an ornate wooden desk. Seated behind it was a woman in her late forties, with deep-pink and Irish-green hair, dressed in a blouse and blazer. As the girls approached the desk, she stood up and raised her hands. “Good morning, Ms. Scratch and Ms. Kicker. I’m Ms. Clover, the Headmistress of the D’Aguanno School.”
“Hello, Ms. Clover,” Vinyl said, shaking her hand and sitting.
“Good morning, Ms. Clover,” Cloud said as she did the same.
“So, getting settled into Detroit well?” Both girls nodded. “Didn’t break the bed Deep bought you the first week, did you?” When both girls’ eyes went wide, Clover laughed. “I may as well let you both know now: Vinyl, I’m dating your father. He and I met when your brother was a student here. And he asked me for help getting you in despite… your record.”
“I…see,” Vinyl replied, sinking into her seat.
“So let’s set a few ground rules here. Obviously, you’ll have to call me ‘Ms. Clover’ or ‘Headmistress Clover’ while here. Also, no public displays of affection. I know you two are dating, but the school board wanted a zero-tolerance policy on it, so please, while I know you two are pledged to one another – which I have to admit, is very sweet – while on school grounds, you’re just two students who happen to have the same address, understood?” When both girls reluctantly nodded, Clover added, “For the record, I don’t like it either. But the board cares more about the school’s rep than adjusting to the times, so that’s that. For the record, they nearly fired Mr. Lancer, our biology teacher, who’s gay himself, until had to remind them about the state’s discrimination policy.
“Which, to be honest, brings me to the next part. I had to fight to get you in this school, Vinyl, even with your father’s sizeable donation to the school and his influence as a radio personality. I couldn’t get away with showing off your grades – and if you need tutoring, I’d be glad to do so after hours – and your involvement with that legal issue in California managed to make news all the way out here. I finally had to sell them on your musical ability – you might be a deejay, but from what I’m told, you are an incredible classical guitarist as well. So you are walking a fine line, Vinyl…and I suspect because I went to bat for you, my job is on the line as well. Please don’t mess this up.”
If Vinyl could crawl any further into the upholstery of the chair, she would. Meanwhile, Cloud went to bat for her girl. “Ms. Clover, what about my status?”
“You’re fine, Cloud. Your grades are above average, and you’re in no legal trouble. But I suspect that you’d want to quit the school if Vinyl were kicked out, wouldn’t you?” The teen nodded and Clover sighed. “Don’t. Think about your future, especially if you two have one together. I’ll do what I can for you, Vinyl, but I’ll need your help to do so, too.” Clover’s eyes glanced at the clock and she said, “Well, let me see if I can find a student here who can take you to your first period class, girls, and we’ll see what we can do.”
As they stepped out, Clover noticed a young girl hanging around the front office, humming to herself. Vinyl, however, thought she saw what must’ve been Pinkie Pie’s spiritual cousin: the girl in question had chiffon-pink hair shot with yellow in a style like Fluttershy had, but after that was where the comparisons changed to Canterlot High’s partying cheerleader. The girl was practically dancing in place, without a care in the world.
“Ms. Bon-Bon?” Clover asked. “You have Geometry with Mrs. Mystique, right? Would you be willing to escort them there?”
The girl named Bon-Bon gave a wide smile that made Vinyl instantly think, Yeah, local Pinkie Pie.
“New students? Really? Really? Reallyreallyreallyreallyreally?” She immediately shot over to Vinyl and Cloud, shaking both of their hands like the fate of the world depended on it. “Hi! My name is Bon-Bon but you can call me Bons or Bonnie or BB or….” With a move that had to be practiced, she pulled her phone out of her left pocket, tossed in the air, spun, caught it with her right and held it out them, “You can call me on my phone!”
Vinyl waved. “Hi,” she said simply. Cloud looked around, not trying to say a thing.
“Oh, we’re going to be the bestest friends ever! C’mon, we’ve got to get to class!” Not really waiting for them, Bon-Bon practically danced out of the room – literally danced out of the room.
Cloud looked at Clover. “Does she do this often?”
“She’s part of the dance and baking clubs,” Clover said with a straight face. “So, yes, this is normal for her. And you might want to catch up, she moves pretty fast.”
Neither girl needed further prodding. As they watched the far-too-cheerful-for-her-own-good girl, Cloud grunted, “I swear she reminds me of that one waitress at the Sugarcube Corner Café – Pinkie Pie.” She watched as Bon-Bon hopped around like a spinning gyro. “Way too much like that waitress,” she sighed.
Vinyl grinned. “Know what you mean; I went to high school with Pinkie. I thought she was a meth addict, but she’s just a sugar and caffeine junkie instead.”
As they caught up to Bon-Bon, Vinyl mused, And I thought going to Canterlot was interesting.
A few hours later, it was lunchtime, and the first thing Vinyl did was to find Cloud. Geometry had been somewhat easy for her; it had been a strange side effect of being a deejay; and the class after that had been music, which she amazed people at her skill at classical guitar, earning applause for her playing of “Cienfuegos” by heart. By the time the bell rung, Vinyl had practically monopolized the class’ attention with her playing.
“Hey, swe…I mean, Kicky,” Vinyl said softly. “How was class?”
Cloud shook her head. “It is so weird seeing a teacher that reminds you of yourself, you know.”
“How so?”
“The English teacher, Ms. Bright Eyes? Should probably call herself ‘Bedroom Eyes’, instead. I swear, woman looked like she wanted to sleep with everybody in the class, me included.”
“Hey, you’d better have your spots reserved for me,” Vinyl pouted.
Cloud grinned. “Only for my girl. You know that,” she whispered. Changing to a normal tone, she added, “Besides, it gets old keeping up with everyone after a while.” The two got in line and as they did, Cloud opened her wallet and sighed. “Looks like I’m going to have to get a job.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll cover,” Vinyl insisted. “Didn’t your parents give you money when you moved?”
“Yeah, but it’s in a trust fund and I can’t touch the majority of it until I’m twenty-five,” she sighed. “I get a monthly stipend out of it, but that’s gotta last me until the next time, and I’m not sure it’s enough. Besides, I spent all my previous free time in Canterlot either hanging with Blossomforth or…well, you know. Now I gotta keep busy without gettin’ busy…certain persons excepted, of course.”
“I understand,” Vinyl said as she grabbed a turkey and swiss, apple and Coke. “But we’re in this together. Besides, I’d like to find some gigs as well. Maybe we can come up with something together?”
Cloud grabbed a cheeseburger, orange and a Mountain Dew. “That’d be nice.” Vinyl paid for both, and as they looked for a seat, they immediately saw Bon-Bon practically jumping down trying to get their attention.
“Can’t escape, can we?” Cloud muttered.
“I’m sure we’ll get used to it,” Vinyl sighed. “I put up with Pinkie for years, after all.”
As they sat down, Bon-Bon went over and gave them hugs. “You made it! You made it!” She began bouncing around the table, fist pumping and throwing confetti around. Both Cloud and Vinyl wondered where the hell the girl got all that confetti from.
“I see you survived the first half of your first day at school,” another girl said, grinning. She reminded Vinyl of Rarity, but if anything, she looked a little more like Sunset Shimmer, with hair tones of eminence-purple and pearl-gray instead.
“Thought a private school would be tougher,” Vinyl replied, while Cloud merely nodded. “School’s going to be a lot easier than I thought it’d be.”
“Man, you guys must be ace students,” another one of the girls there said, a grin on her face. She had her hair in twin ponytails, with hair of brown and red.
“Eh, trust me. This place is for rich idiots to send their idiot kids. Fortunately, some of us have brains. And if BB found you, well, I’m gonna guess you aren’t space cases like her.” To Vinyl’s shock, the girl’s voice sounded almost exactly like that of Octavia Melody; by a miracle, she looked completely different with her short dark green hair.
“Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnyway,” Bon-Bon sang, “These are my friends! This is Precious Jewel, Countryside, and the grumpy one there is Quarternote – but don’t let her meanie pants way fool you, she’s reallyreallyreallyreally cool! Girls, this is Vinyl Scratch and Cloud Kicker, recently moved here from sunny California!”
“Really?” Precious Jewel piped up. “God, I’d love t—”
“Hello, losers.” Vinyl heard a feminine but harsh voice behind her, as well as the breath of someone on her exposed neck. She turned to find a girl with long whisky-orange and agave-blue hair, clear skin and pink eyes, focused on the group. “Do yourselves a favor, you two, don’t join the Fucked Four. Least thing we need around here is a Shitty Six.”
Vinyl turned around and stared at the girl. “You know, it’s traditional to introduce yourself before throwing insults. And then after that you can carry yourself away.”
The girl laughed; it was clearly a practiced one. “So cute. Well, I guess you’re the kind of girl that likes to learn the hard way. Here.” The stranger handed Vinyl and Cloud business cards. “Swing by in five minutes when you realize what kind of retards these morons are.”
“And on the horse you rode in on, slut!” Quarternote snarled. “Ignore her – here at this school of morons, she’s the queen of them all!”
“Who is she?” Cloud asked, looking at the card again before crumpling it up.
Countryside shook her head. “That’s Tequila Sunrise. She’s a sophomore like us, but she thinks she’s the queen bee – and as of next year, she will be, given that no senior has her level of popularity. She thinks that it’s her job to decide and enforce the pecking order around here. She and her buddies Satin Splash and Wingsong have it out for us, they always have.”
Precious Jewel sighed. “And unless you wish to be at the bottom of the barrel along with us, you’d best leave now.” For her part, Bon-Bon said nothing but looked as though she was about to cry.
Cloud and Vinyl shared a look with each other, knowing that they would be together. And with that, both pulled out chairs, and sat down. “Eh,” Cloud said with a shrug, “we don’t have brains anyway. Stupid loves company.”
Quarternote looked at them as though they each grew a third eye. “Are you two idiots? Are you so stupid to realize that you’re risking your social standing?”
Vinyl grinned. “As to how stupid we are? We’re from California. Your point is?”
Countryside seemed curious, so she asked. “Where in Cali? I was originally born in Bakersfield, but moved here when I was four.”
“Canterlot. I had reasons to move out here,” Vinyl said, “and my girlfriend Cloud here talked her parents into joining me. We live with my Dad.”
Precious Jewel sighed. “A couple? That’s sooooo romantic!”
Bon-Bon bounced. “Canterlot! Really? Hey, did either of you go to Canterlot High? I have a cousin who lives out there, but I haven’t talked to her in years! Her name’s Cheerilee, and she’s a few years older than me.”
“Yeah, she was my English teacher,” Vinyl replied. “Don’t really know her otherwise.”
The group continued to talk until the lunch hour was over, and when it did, they went off to their respective classes, with Vinyl and Precious Jewel both attending French class while Cloud and Countryside headed off to Consumer Sciences. But by the end of the end of the day, Vinyl was sure that she and Cloud had made a new group of friends.
Vinyl closed her locker, happy as a clam. She survived the first day of school and now she could hang around with some of her new friends. Jewel had offered to give her and Cloud a ride home afterschool since she lived within walking distance of the school and her car was at home. They all agreed to meet at the coffee shop that Bon-Bon’s family ran, and after a quick call to her family, Vinyl and Cloud headed towards the meeting point, so they could all go to the True Brew Café.
As they were headed out, they heard the sounds of an argument. As they approached, they got caught in the middle of a fight. Countryside was up against a larger guy who looked like he was on the football team. On the ground, crying her eyes out, was Bon-Bon, holding the ripped-up remains of a bunny plushie.
With a strength that Vinyl hadn’t expected from Countryside, she took on the big bruiser, grabbed his hand as he punched. With apparently little effort, she turned turned him, holding him in a painful-looking arm-lock as she roared to his face, “APOLOGIZE!”
“Fuck you, cunt, there’s no way I’m going t—”
“Hey, I don’t know what you did, but you better damn well apologize.” The words were out of Vinyl’s mouth before she realized she said them. “That’s my friend there. So you owe her.”
“And what are you going to do to me if y—AAARRRRGH!” The boy collapsed to the ground in incredible pain, hands naturally going to the very sensitive place Vinyl just kicked.
“I’m not going to ask again, brickhead. Apologize, or the next time’s a punch.”
“Okay, okay! I’m sorry!” the boy yelped, more out of pain than regret.
“Fine, I’ll take a half-assed one,” Vinyl replied, removing her glasses and looking at him with her wine-colored eyes. “Now get the fuck out of here.” The boy didn’t need any further prodding, and limped off. While the others around milled about still, Vinyl replied, “Okay, show’s over. You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here!”
Meanwhile, Cloud bent down to help Bon-Bon up. “BB, c’mon. Let me help you up, okay?”
Looking at Cloud helplessly, she held the torn plushie in her hands. “But what about Feather?” The way she held it so carefully, and that the normally boisterous teen sounded so child-like in her tone that Cloud knew this was a moment to tread very carefully. Fortunately, she also knew someone who had been just as fragile in the beginning…but that was before an unworthy boyfriend had stolen her innocence, leaving her with child.
Wish you were here, Blossom, Cloud thought. Could really use your advice on this one. But Blossomforth wasn’t there, and that meant that Cloud would have to tread lightly.
“Would you like it sewn back together?” Cloud asked softly. Bon-Bon wordlessly nodded, carefully handing Feather to Cloud as though it was the greatest treasure ever. “I promise I’ll put Feather back together as good as new, okay?” For that, Cloud was immediately enveloped in a teary embrace.
“C’mon, girls,” Countryside said in a soft voice. “Let’s get to Jewel’s house and then to the True Brew. I think we’ve got a long story to explain.”
The first thing Cloud, who went to the Sugarcube Corner Café on a regular basis, noticed that the True Brew, although having a vastly different décor, had almost exactly the same layout. I wonder if really good coffee shops perfected the layout and only they have it? she asked herself. She’d have to email Sunset Shimmer someday about that and have her compare notes.
Oh well, that’s not important at the moment, the blonde thought as a woman very similar in appearance to Bon-Bon set down various drinks in front of the girls. “Okay, I’ve got her lying down in her room,” the woman said. “She’ll probably be out for the rest of the day. I can’t thank you enough for looking after her, girls.”
Jewel smiled awkwardly. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t there for what happened. You’ll really have to thank Country, Vi and Kicky.” A quick sip of her raspberry tea, and Jewel’s eyes opened in slight recall. “Oh, I forgot, you haven’t met them. Prae, this is Vinyl Scratch and Cloud Kicker. They just started attending our school today. Girls, this is Praline. She’s BB’s older sister and legal guardian.”
Praline nodded. “Well, half-sister technically, but BB is the only family I have – we’re the only family we have left. Well, each other and my husband, but you get the idea.”
Vinyl caught that immediately. “I guess there’s a story there.”
“Especially given the way she acted about her plushie,” Cloud added.
Praline pulled a chair up. “Yes, there is. My parents had me and then ultimately divorced; when I was about eighteen, my dad remarried and two years later BB was born. But unfortunately, when BB was eight, Dad and my stepmom were killed in a housefire. The firefighters got to BB in time, but all she has left is the bunny plushie that my stepmom got her the night before. Needless to say, she carries it everywhere – it’s her security blanket, of sorts. The counselors she’s been seeing ever since have been trying to get her to let it go, but she won’t. They actually think it’s part of the reason she’s so happy-go-lucky otherwise.”
“Fucking bastards tore it apart,” Quarternote seethed. “And I know who sent them, that Goddamn cunt.”
“Note, now’s not the time,” Countryside said. “Our friend’s hurting, and that’s more important.”
Praline nodded. “I used to have one of my waitresses sew it up whenever it ripped – she was good at that – but I’m no good with needle and thread. Hell, as it is, we’re already short-staffed since Frenchie – that’s French Roast, my husband – runs our other store down on Grand Circus, leaving me here alon—”
“I can sew it,” Cloud replied. “Besides, I already promised. And if there’s a job opening, I’m looking for one.”
“If you can sew Feather back together, there’s a reason right there for me to hire you!” Praline said, relieved. “Well, let me go get the paperwork – technicalities, you know – and I’ll be right back. When can you start?”
“I’m good for tomorrow, right?” Cloud looked at Vinyl. Vinyl nodded in response as Praline rose from the seat and went to the back.
“So, why did they tear up BB’s plushie?” Vinyl asked.
Jewel took another swig of her tea. “It was Tequila. She’s got the whole school practically working for her or in utter fear of her – including half the faculty.”
Vinyl groaned. “Great, Sunset Shimmer 2.0.”
Cloud clucked her tongue in disapproval. “Sunny’s not like that, Vi.”
“You weren’t there when she was a bitch, sweetie. Sunny might be cool now, but you didn’t know her back then. Besides, that’s beside the point. Sorry for interrupting, Jewel. Go ahead.”
“We all used to be friends once,” Jewel told her. “In fact, BB and Tequila were closest. But it all changed when we got into junior high. Tequila started obsessing with being perfect, and being the best at everything, while we were happy just being friends. Eventually she thought we were weighing her down and severed our friendship, ‘trading us’, quotes and all, for two sycophants by the names of Satin Splash and Windsong. After that, she became obsessed with trying to remove any trace of her being anything less than the perfect girl, and eventually that turned into removing us from the picture, keeping us as the most unpopular girls in class, if only so she could say that there’s no way a perfect girl like her could ever be associated with what she calls ‘the Fucked Four.’”
“You’re shitting me,” Vinyl said.
In response, Quarternote pulled out a picture of five young girls, clearly preteens, happy together. Four she recognized instantly as younger versions of Bon-Bon, Quarternote, Countryside and Jewel. But the fifth one, wearing thick glasses and having her hair in a side ponytail. It took another look for both Vinyl and Cloud to realize it was Tequila.
“That was taken the last time we were together, before whatever went wrong,” Quarternote said, a slight catch in her voice. “She was our friend once – we all cared about her. But now…now she’s become this…thing…that’s worse than anything I’ve ever seen. And now she’s stooped so far as to hurt BB, when she once promised to protect her from those nightmares BB has.” Quarternote banged her fist on the table. “I’m going to punch her fucking teeth in if I see her, I swear to God I will.”
“Hey, Note? That’s my job,” Countryside said in a half-joking tone. “I’m the one who takes kung-fu classes, not you.” But then Countryside turned to the girls and said, “Last chance to bail out. We’ll understand if you do. You guys are new – you still have a chance to avoid this shit.”
“Oh hell no, girl!” Vinyl replied, crossing her arms. “I was a coward once, and someone I liked paid the price because of that – and then I paid a bigger price. I could’ve lost a lot….” She then turned and looked at Cloud, then reached over and squeezed her hand. “I could’ve lost you, without even knowing it.” She turned back to the girls and said, “I’ll be honest. You guys heard about the Vibe case in Canterlot?”
“I’m not the biggest follower of the news, but I did recall hearing something about that,” Jewel stated. “Date rape superclub found in several schools in the area, along with a mind-control drug? Almost sounds like something out of bad fiction, if you ask me.”
“No, it’s real. And I know it…because I was almost one of those arrested for it. And with good cause, too.” She then explained everything that had occurred the past couple of weeks, including her being blackmailed by Blueblood, her near-date rape of Octavia Melody…and then an equally near complete-beatdown by a righteously infuriated Sunset Shimmer, who had come to save her cousin…only to be stopped by Cloud. She then detailed the aftermath of it all, including her testimony, the DA declaring her as being under duress, and finally her mother kicking her out of the house for the “crime” of being a lesbian…and not due to nearly being thrown in jail.
“So you see…I fucked up, hard. This is probably my only chance to start over. And that means I can’t afford to fuck up again.”
“So you’re leaving us?” Countryside asked.
“No. That’d be the mistake. I fucked up because I didn’t do what I was supposed to do – the right thing. This time, it’s staring me in the face, and if I don’t do it? I may as well be a fucker like Blueblood or one of those other fucks, because I’ll have no morals or ethics. And I probably wouldn’t have Kicky, either.”
Kicky smiled. “Vi, I’m so proud of you, you know that? When we get home, I’m going to….” She then proceeded to whisper in Vinyl’s ear, and as she did, the small smile on the azure-haired girl’s face grew wider and wider, until Cloud pulled away.
“With the chocolate body paint?” Cloud nodded yes. “And the edible undies?” Cloud nodded yes again. A smile wide enough on her face to make Pinkie Pie or Bon-Bon jealous, Vinyl said, “Do I have the greatest girlfriend in the world, or what?”
“Heya, guys, we’re home.” Vinyl and Cloud walked into the house, taking off their shoes, coats and other stuff. “What’s for dinner?” the answer she got, neither girl expected.
“Heya, girls,” Clover said from over by the stove. “Spaghetti okay? I’m not much of a cook. And as for the others, Long Play’s over at his girlfriend’s place, since he said it’s the last night of getting some before she heads out of town for the week, and Deep had to attend some late-afternoon meeting at the radio station.” In contrast to the prim and proper headmistress they saw earlier, Clover’s hair was let down, she was wearing a Lions T-shirt with clearly no bra on and jean shorts that were clearly made with porn starlets in mind.
“Ms. Clover? What’re you doing here?”
“We’re home, so drop the Ms., if you would. And I wanted you to get to know me off the clock, as it were, girls. The truth is, Vi – it is, Vi, right? – your father and I got engaged last month, and we’re probably going to get married next year or so. I live here, but technically still maintain a separate place, which is much more important now that you’re living here and attending school at D’Aguanno.”
“Oh, Mom’s going to have a field day about this,” Vinyl muttered.
“No, actually, she tried suing your father for brainwashing you into becoming a lesbian.” Clover reached into her pocket, pulled out a pack of cigarettes, then lit and took a drag, blowing smoke into the air. “Fortunately, he’s got a good lawyer. Even better that I have a good one too, because I called your mom and told her that if she ever got into your personal business again, I would beat her within an inch of her life…and then get angry.”
“Really?”
Clover nodded. “Vi, you’re my student and you’re going to be my stepdaughter someday. I’m very big into protecting family – and besides, you’re not the only one with a past. Not going to discuss mine, save to say that they sealed it when I turned eighteen.”
Cloud blinked. “Wow, I’m a reformed slut and I think I’m the most normal person in this house.”
The woman laughed. “You’re selling yourself short, Kicky. Kicky or Kicks? Either way, if this family was normal, we’d all be bored to death.” She turned her eyes towards the stove. “Dinner’s not going to be for another hour, so if you two are going to have sex, please don’t take that long. Personally, I’d rather you waited until after you did your homework, but I know how young love – and lust – is.” When the two stared at her, she grinned. “I used to be a teenager too, you know. I’m not stupid.”
“Never thought you were, Clover,” Vinyl replied, as Cloud took her hand and led her upstairs.
“Kicky?” Vinyl couldn’t sleep that night.
“Vi, go to sleep,” Cloud mumbled. “I’m tired, we’ve done it three times and I have a test tomorrow.”
“No, it’s not that.”
“No, you can’t use my breasts as a pillow. It gives you too many ideas.”
Vinyl rolled her eyes. “No, not that, either. Just…am I doing the right thing? I fucked up hard last time because I was following my heart. Now I’m doing it again, and if I get kicked out of the school, that’s going to follow me and along with my previous record, I am seriously done for.”
Reluctantly, Cloud sat up. “Vi, the world is filled with people who followed their hearts at both the right and wrong times. Look at me. I followed you here out of love and because my parents are morons who let their girl do anything she wants. But maybe following my heart is wrong. Who says that when college comes, I’ll fall in love with a guy instead of you and marry him, and then decades later deny I was ever bi?”
“You wouldn’t do that, would you?”
“Of course not. If anything, I have plans to sleep with your brother after we get married so that you and I can have children.”
“You’re weird, Kicky.”
“I know, right?” She grinned. “But seriously, part of growing up is knowing when to follow your heart…and sometimes not even adults figure that out. Don’t you think your parents are a good example of that? I mean, your Dad’s cool as shit. I’ve never met your mom, but from what you tell me, she needs to get laid for fun like no tomorrow.”
“Never happen. She climbs the corporate ladder sideways,” Vinyl replied. “So you were saying?”
“The point I was trying to make is that you’re following your heart, and you’re afraid this isn’t the right move. But I also follow my heart, and I know it is, too. I followed my heart to stop you from making a mistake. I followed my heart to come here with you. And I’ll follow my heart wherever it takes me, so long as you want me with you, Vi. I love you.” She leaned over and kissed her.
“Love you too, Kicky.” Vinyl grinned. She was just sixteen and yet she already had things people a decade older than her didn’t have. And she had a happiness that her mother never attained. And I wouldn’t have it without you, Kicky. She reached over and kissed her love gently and the two embraced, holding each other together.
As Cloud broke from the embrace, she smiled tiredly. “So, we’re in this for good, right? Backing up our friends?” she asked.
Vinyl nodded. “Hey, you just got hired. Wouldn’t want you to lose your job so quickly. Besides, if for no other reason, BB needs us. I’ve seen girls like her before crumble without help, and I guess every Fluttershy needs a Rainbow Dash.”
“Who?” Cloud asked.
“Two girls at Canterlot High, close friends of Sunny’s. Don’t think you ever met them.”
“I see. Anything else, Vi?” Cloud yawned.
“So, sex now?” Vinyl asked. The response to that was a pillow straight to the head.
