Viola held onto her violin case tightly, eyes wide with anticipation. Today was the day, the big contest Viola had spent months preparing for. The large, entrance round into the, ‘Fillies’ violas da braccio’, or violin family, competition. It was being hosted by the Art Institute of Equestria, and it was happening in all the major cities of Equestria before they’d hold another ‘round’ in Canterlot, but to Viola, none of that mattered! Finally, she was going to get to show her stuff! They did have a similar competition for colts, but it was held separately. They were at that age, and wanted to promote friendship and good sportsmanship instead of silly colt vs. filly attitude.
Viola Strings was, a violinist. She had always enjoyed the sound of the stringed instruments. The way they flowed and filled the air. Like mirrors to the soul! It was Viola’s ambition, her life’s dream, to become the best violinist in all of Equestria. Sure, the practice sessions were long and hard, not always the most enjoyable. One day, she’d have all of Equestria saying how great she was! She’d make her parents quite proud of her then!
The line was a long one, as Manehatten was a big city. Plenty of fillies who wanted to prove themselves that they were destined for strings. To play in the orchestra. Viola saw everything from violins like her own, to violas, to cellos, and even a double bass or two! Viola could only begin to imagine how fillies were able to hold up THOSE things! It made her giggle at the thought, imagining the filly’s parents needing to stand in the room and hold up the large instruments for their children as they played.
Time went on, fillies going into the testing room. Some came out nearly prancing with joy. Others, well, not so much. There had been a filly or two that had come out sobbing. One practically smashed her instrument against the wall before storming off, parents chasing after her. One threw up right before they entered the room, and had to withdraw. Viola didn’t focus too much on those who didn’t make it, because she would! Viola could see it now. She’d go in there, play them a beautiful song, they’d love her, and recommend her to join any little fillies orchestra she wanted! That could be the first stepping stone to fulfilling her dream!
Viola found it harder to sit still, waiting for her turn to roll around. Occasionally she’d reach up with a hoof to smooth down her neon blue mane. Her back hoof was tapping, it’s twin wanting to join it. Thoughts began to creep into Viola’s mind. What if she didn’t make it? What if she was one of the fillies to be denied? Viola didn’t know how she could handle the shame! Viola was beginning to look around for support. Her mother sat to her left, and that in itself was a comfort.. She had always been supportive of Viola’s dream. Always praising her talent, exclaiming how good she was. Telling her the story of how her mother named her Viola, of her own passion for the stringed instruments. Dad, well...Viola didn’t have one. Viola turned to her mom, her mother offering Viola a smile, and patting her on the back with her hoof.
“You shouldn’t be so nervous, dear. I’m sure you’ll do great. You’ve been practicing so hard I’ve thought your hooves were gonna fall off!” Viola’s mother chuckled, rubbing Viola’s back.
The little Filly just smiled at her mother, before turning to look at the filly next to her. Viola looked her over, having never seen her before. Maybe she was out of town? She just had an air about her. It was different from those raised in Manehatten. Sophisticated? Yea, that was the word. Viola had heard that those that did exceptionally well would move on to a bigger competition, held in Canterlot. So, obviously, word of the event would of gotten around to the other cities of Equestria. Viola had to admit, the other filly was rather cute. Charcoal grey hide, black mane, lavender eyes. The filly even already had her cutie mark, an elaborate treble clef. Viola lacked her own, but she was sure, this competition would be the catalyst to make her earn it. Heavens she looked tiny, her big cello leaning against her. Tiny and nervous.
“I’m sure you’ll do great.” Viola suddenly spoke up, quoting her mother. The sudden noise directed to her broke the other filly out of a nervous trance, very much like the one Viola had just been in.
“W-What?” The charcoal gray filly asked, glancing to Viola. She was practically shaking in her hooves! Celestia, she was worse than Viola had been!
“I said, you’ll do great. Hi, I’m Viola. Viola Strings!” Viola said, grinning widely.
“O-Octavia...What makes you so sure?”
“Cause you already have your cutie mark! So, obviously, you’re good at it. I mean, I don’t even have my cutie mark yet. So, if I can advance, and I know I will, I’m sure you will too!” Viola said, slapping Octavia on the back with her hoof. Octavia gave a small eep, before her name was suddenly called out.
“Good luck!” Viola smiled, seeing Octavia pick up her cello. Octavia offered Viola a small, shy smile, before walking into the room at the end of the hall.
After that, the wait was excruciating. Viola wanted to see how that other filly did! It was gnawing at her curiosity, and served as a distraction from her own nervous wait. Finally, the door opened, and Viola’s head snapped to look. She saw Octavia trot out, head held high, a big smile on her face. Octavia glanced to Viola, and gave her a small wave, wishing her best of luck. Viola only smiled. She’d take the luck, but she didn’t need it! She had this in the bag. Her name was called next, and after sharing a quick hug with her mother, Viola hurried off to the room, ready to get her test over with.
The testing room was a large auditorium, Viola stepping out onto a hardwood stage, well polished and professional looking. In the center of the stage was a single chair, the light beaming down onto it, waiting for the young, aspiring filly to take a seat. Out across from the chair, seated in the front row, a table placed in front of them, were the judges.Three, very esteemed musical ponies. Professionals of the viola family.
“Take a seat.” One of the ponies said. His voice was calm, even. Not motivating or degrading. Viola simply nodded, before walking up to the chair and sitting in it, setting down her violin next to her, waiting.
“Name, instrument, and piece?”
“Viola Strings, Violin, In the hall of the Mountain King.”
“Alright. You may begin.”
Viola nodded. Using her magic, the unicorn filly opened up her violin case. Her instrument floated up and out, before she plucked them from in air. Viola rested the violin on her shoulder, placing the bow against the strings, while she used her magic to pull out the sheet music, holding it in front of herself with her magic.
Viola began to piece, and over the next few minutes, played her heart out. All of her hopes, dreams, ambitions, they rested on this moment. How could the young filly not throw herself into the performance? She needed this. So, finally, the accumulation of years of practice, months of preparation, and hours upon hours of repetition of this piece, all came down to a few minutes. A few minutes to impress the judges. A few minutes to make her dear mother proud. A few minutes to go on to the next step, and fulfill her dream!
The song ended with a flourish, and Viola let out a small sigh, floating her violin and music back into the container. She looked to the judges, eyes full of hope, a small smile growing upon her face as they shuffled a few papers. She had done it, she knew she had! She’d played the piece perfectly! Finally, the judges looked up.
“Failed. Next.” The middle judge said, before looking back down to his papers. The finality with which he said it. Almost like a robot. Heartless. It made Viola not believe it.
“W...what?” Viola asked, just sitting there, stunned. No, this couldn’t be happening. She had practiced so hard! Gotten so far! How could she have failed!?
“We’re sorry hun, but you’re just not cut out for this. You can play, yes, but the amount of improv you put in...That’s not what the orchestra is about.” The second judge said. Viola just stared on, mouth agape.
“We’ve had a few cases like you before...Maybe you can keep playing the violin as a hobby? You’re decent...But, well, decent doesn’t fly in the orchestra. Next.” The third judge said. In the next moment, Viola was running.
Everything was a blur for the filly. She remembered running out of the room, her mom calling for her, but she didn’t listen. Tears streaming down her eyes, and bursting out into the busy, snowy streets of Manehatten. It was cold, the wind nipped at her teary eyes, but Viola didn’t care. She didn’t care about anything anymore. She had to get away. Get away from the shame. Get away from her failed dream. Those judges had killed it right then and there. She put in too much improv. Was only decent. She had failed. Next. Done. Zilch. Simple as that.
Eventually, in her running, Viola had slipped down an alley way. The alleyway had a door, slightly ajar, which in her tear filled haze she ran into. Finally inside of a building, and away from those judges, and all those people to see her shame, Viola began to calm down. She looked around herself, curious. Viola had stumbled into some form of abandon, or very empty building. She saw a long hallway in front of her, with a split at the end. One into another hallway, and the other…
Viola gave a loud eep, suddenly hearing a booming sound fill the whole complex. The filly almost turned and hightailed it out of there, before the boom lowered in volume, and began to fade into some form of...beat. A pounding, pulsating beat, which seemed to get right into her very core. Made her sway slightly to it’s sound. Viola almost felt drawn to it. Slowly, the filly made her way down the long hallway, before turning to see where the loud music was coming from.
In front of her was a large, alabaster stallion, his coat matching her own, with a brightly colored, neon mane, quite unkept. He was fiddling with a strange table in front of him. Viola almost called out, but the stallion turned to show her his face. He had a pair of earbuds in, blocking out any sound. Viola blinked, eyes resting on his strange, purplish blue lensed glasses. Viola just stood there, watching him in a bit of wonder, before he finally turned to face her. The stallion gave a loud shout at the sight of her, instantly reaching behind him and turning down the music. The stallion turned to face her again, just observing Viola, as she had observed him.
“What’s a filly like you doing here? The rave doesn’t start for another few hours, but I wouldn’t expect a filly to be at one of those, either.” The stallion said, walking up to Viola and sitting down, to be more on her level.
“I ran away…” Viola said, casting her eyes down, still sniffling a little bit.
“And why would you do a thing like that? Parents got you down? Siblings fighting?” The stallion asked, hesitantly reached out with a hoof to tilt her head to look up at his.
“I...I failed the Fillies’ violas da braccio competition. It’s a competition for fillies to prove how good they are at stringed instruments of the violin family. They...They said I was only decent. That I put in too much improv, and that I’d never make it in orchestra! I can’t go back there! Someone might see me...I failed too much.” Viola said, beginning to tear up on the spot.
The stallion swallowed, looking at the crying filly. Celestia, this was not his thing. Not at all. Suddenly, an idea struck him. “Well, they can’t see you to make fun of you if they can’t recognize you.” The stallion said, seeming to snap Viola out of her crying fit. The stallion grinned, before removing his goggles, revealing his emerald green eyes, before he placed them onto Viola’s head.
They were too big, a little funny smelling, and cast everything in a weird, blue/purple haze. Viola just stood there for a few moments, looking around while wearing them. Soon, the filly burst into a small fit of giggles! She must of looked ridiculous in those goggles! It didn’t take long for the stallion to join in on the laughter, before getting yet another idea.
“You said that they said you do too much improv, right? Well, have you ever thought of being a DJ?” The Stallion asked. Viola blinked a few times, looking up at him and shaking her head. The stallion grinned, standing up to his hooves. Moving quickly, he put Viola onto his back, and walked her up to the weird table. Viola looked it over in wonderment, so many weird buttons, knobs and dials, a few sliders. All centered around two large, black disks. Viola looked over it all, a bit amazed, the stallion smirked.
“Those two big disks in the center? Those are vinyl records. Some DJs like to scratch them during songs. Makes a pretty funky sound. Wanna try it out? Maybe play some tunes? Don’t worry. It’s all dubstep. No words. So, you won’t get in trouble for listening to it.” The stallion encouraged. Viola nodded her head, before slowly reaching out with her hooves.
Viola nudged one of the vinyl records, and watched as it and it’s twin began to spin rapidly. A song began to fill the air. A loud, pounding, beat filled song. “Best part of being a DJ? It’s all improv...Go nuts.” The stallion said, and Viola couldn’t follow his command faster.
Over the course of the song, Viola felt as she truly made it her own. Every twist of a knob, every push of a slider, every scratch of vinyl, it was all Viola. It was all Viola having fun, making the song her own. The stallion remained silent, just observing the little pony enjoy herself. Melt her worries away. Have fun! Neither of them noticed, but as she played with the turntables, a slight glow would come to her flanks.
Viola played to the continuation of that song, and then the next one, and then the next one. Finally, she gave a small breath, her personal DJ Dance party coming to an end, simply because of how much she had exerted herself. “Think you’re ready to go home, little filly? I’m sure they’re missing you somewhere….but I gotta say, for a first timer, you sure do know how to drop a bass.” The stallion said, smiling. Viola just nodded, mumbling off her address.
It didn’t take much time, before Viola found herself in her mother’s arms, goggles still on her face, as her mother thanked the stallion profusely. The stallion told her that Viola had been a completely well behaved filly, and it’d been no trouble at all, taking her home. Her mother was quite surprised at the cutie mark as well, a bridged pair of quarter notes on each flank.
“You know, I never did get your name, little filly.” The stallion said, smiling to Viola once again.
“Oh, it’s Viola. Viola Strings.” Her mother said, before Viola shook her head fiercely.
“No it’s not, I don’t wanna be called that anymore. I’m done with the violin.” Viola declared, the two ponies looking at the filly.
“Well, honey, if you’re not Viola Strings, and you’re done with the violin...whatever do you plan to call yourself? To do? The violin has been your passion for years!” Viola’s mother said, quite concerned. Viola just grinned, looking to the stallion.
“My name...is Vinyl Scratch, and I wanna be a DJ!”
Author's Note
Just a cute little one-shot I wrote up awhile ago, about the origin of everyone's favorite DJ.