“Hay, Vinyl!”
The pale-yellow mare looks blearily at her friend. “Yo, RD.” She yawns. “Wha’s up?”
“You’ve been up jamming all night again, haven't you?”
Vinyl yawns again. “Yup.”
Rainbow facehoofs. “Listen. Lyra told me you haven't been getting any sleep, and I'm well aware you're staying with her after… after that whole thing with Octavia.”
They both wince. Vinyl had missed one too many of Octavia's concerts, so Octavia had left for Canterlot and hasn’t come back since.
Rainbow sighs before continuing. “But you need to get past it. It's affecting your sleep.”
If only that were the truth, Vinyl thinks as she gazes wistfully at Rainbow. If only I could come clean about my feelings.
Out loud, she says, “Yeah, sure.”
“Promise me – no, Pinkie promise – you'll at least try to get some sleep tonight?”
Now it's Vinyl's turn to sigh. “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”
That night is torture for Vinyl. She goes to bed at eight thirty, almost a full three hours earlier than normal, but her brain refuses her body's protests for sleep.
Two straight hours of endless tossing and turning later, Vinyl finally starts to fall asleep, but it’s far from restful – another half hour sees her waking up in a cold sweat.
“Why can't I stop thinking about her?” Though it comes out a whisper, it sounds like an explosion in the dead silence around her.
“Tis because you love her.”
Vinyl whirls her head around. “Oh, uh, hay, Luna. Are you… here to help me sleep?”
Luna chuckles. “Yes, I suppose I am.”
“Um, how did you know…?”
“You were only asleep for thirty minutes, yet your dreams in that short period of time were strong enough that I could sense their contents.”
“Oh. Uh, h – how much did you see?”
“Enough to know who you are in love with. To be honest, I always thought you were… what do they call it now? Straight?”
“I'm bi, actually.”
“In any case,” Luna says dismissively, “I am not here to discuss your sexual orientation. I am here to help you fall asleep. For now, I can cast a sleeping spell for you. But, tomorrow, you need to talk to her about your feelings. Only then will you be able to fall asleep on your own.”
“Could you do it for me? I… don't think I'm ready to face it yet.”
She bows her head. “I am sorry, but I cannot. This is something you must do for yourself.”
Vinyl sighs. “I was afraid you'd say that.”
Luna smiles sympathetically at her. “I know how you feel. I was in your situation, once.”
Vinyl looks at her curiously. “I was lead to believe alicorns couldn't fall in love.”
Luna raises an eyebrow. “I have heard that rumour floating about. Would you happen to know who started it?”
Vinyl shakes her head. “Nope, sorry. Thing's older than I am.” A pause, then: “Anyway, who was this crush of yours? If you don't mind me asking.”
Now it's Luna's turn to sigh, as she lies down next to Vinyl.
“Her name was Winter Mint. She was a unicorn with a coat the colour of her namesake, her eyes the colour of fire opals.”
“She sounds… beautiful.”
“She was. But what attracted me to her the most was her personality. She didn't care what others thought of her. She was who she was, and she never let anyone forget that.”
“What happened?” Vinyl asks her gently.
Tears well up in her eyes. “A gorgon turned her to solid gold.”
“I'm… sorry. Do you… know where she is now?”
Luna sighs again. “She is in the Royal Canterlot Archives, in a hidden room. I visit her there every day at sunrise, telling her about the night's events, while Celestia visits her at sunset, telling her about the day. We are not sure if she can hear us, but we do it all the same.”
Vinyl sits quietly for a moment before a sudden thought hits her. “What exactly is a gorgon? It sounds vaguely familiar.“
“A gorgon looks something like a cross between a viper and a changeling. Tis a truly hideous creature, whose bite turns you to solid gold. Scientists through the centuries have tried collecting the venom in an attempt to create a cure, without success.”
“Why not have Discord undo it? Surely he'd be able to help.”
“I've considered it, but… I'd rather not.”
“Yeah, true.” Vinyl grimaces.
Suddenly, Luna's ears twitch. “Oh, sorry, Vinyl, but somepony else needs my attention. They seem to be having a particularly nasty nightmare.”
“Oh, well, I guess I'll see ya, then.” She hesitates before continuing, “Hey, uh, thanks for talking to me. I needed that.”
“You are welcome, Vinyl. Good bye, and good luck,” she says, and a glow from her horn and a flash of light later, she's gone.
The next morning, Vinyl wakes up feeling more refreshed than she has in weeks.
After completeing her morning routine (translation: shower, glasses, breakfast), she sets up her DJ equipment in preparation for a trance mix she's been messing around with for the past few months.
At least, that was her intention. Instead, she ends up collapsing against her turntable in despair.
“Ugh, so that's why I started staying up all night. I'm thinking too much,” she mumbles to herself.
In an attempt to slow her mind down, she trots into the kitchen, opens the freezer, and pulls out a bottle of cider from last month.
Twilight skids to a halt, panting lightly. “So, how'd I do?”
“Pretty good, actually. You might want to work on your landing, though. It was rather sloppy.”
Twilight inwardly cringes. “Yeah, I thought so too.”
Rainbow flashes a look at her, then grins wildly. “See? Am I a good teacher, or what?”
Twilight rolls her eyes, now smiling slightly herself. She opens her mouth to launch a sassy retort, but freezes when she sees a figure approaching the two of them.
“Hay, Rainbow, isn't that Vinyl?”
Rainbow turns her head and squints. “Looks like it. C'mon, let's see what she wants.”
It quickly becomes apparent that something's a little… off about the DJ. Her glasses are sitting crookedly on her face, and her gait is somewhat unsteady.
“Hay, V! What's going on?” Rainbow shouts to her.
Vinyl winces. “Uh, hay, guys, not much, just drinking away my thoughts. What's happening with you?”
Rainbow and Twilight exchange worried glances, then Rainbow whispers something to Twilight that Vinyl doesn't quite catch. Without a word, Twilight spreads her wings, and takes off in the direction of her castle.
As soon as she's out of earshot, Rainbow looks straight into Vinyl's eyes. “Alright, Vinyl, you need to tell me what's gotten into you. I know you well enough to know you never touch alcohol unless something bothers you for more than a few days straight.” Rainbow hesitates for an almost imperceptible moment before continuing, “Look, I'm worried about you. You just… haven't been yourself lately. I know most ponies think I'm too distant, or maybe too self-centred, to pay much attention even to my friends' problems, but deep down, it hurts – I just don't normally know what to do, what to say. Right now, though, I need to get to the bottom of your – well, not being yourself.”
Vinyl stares at Rainbow, dumbfounded. Rainbow had said that all not just with a straight face, but with the most stern expression she'd ever seen. To think that she would bare her soul like that, and become so vulnerable, gives her hope.
More than that, it gives her courage.
“Okay, you deserve the truth. We've been friends for years now, and whatever happens, I just want us to stay friends. Actually, I want us to be so much more, but if not, I don't want it coming between us.”
Rainbow flashes a look at her, obviously confused. “What the hay are you talking about?”
Vinyl's eyes stare into Rainbow's, and, with a pounding heart and a stone-set face, she takes the plunge.
“I'm… in love with you.”
Vinyl's eyes squeeze shut against a possible heartbreak.
“That's it?”
Vinyl's eyes pop open in surprise to find a smirking Rainbow Dash.
“What do you mean, ‘that's it?’ It doesn't bother you that I'm seriously hot for you?”
“Why should it? I'm so awesome, I wouldn't be surprised if Celestia herself wants a piece of me.”
Vinyl shakes her head in puzzled amusement. “You're shameless.”
“Only because it's true.”
Vinyl rolls her eyes. “Right. So, you wanna go out?”
Rainbow suddenly sighs, all pretence of nonchalance now abandoned. “I dunno. My heart has been broken too many times… I don't want it to happen again.”
Vinyl puts a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. “It won't happen again, I Pinkie promise. I love you too much.”
Rainbow smiles wanly. “Thanks for the offer, but… I don't think I'm quite ready for anypony yet. I'm… sorry. You… understand, right?”
Vinyl's face falls. “Yeah, I understand.” Mercurian tears stream down her face. “Well, I guess I'll see ya later, th – "
Rainbow surprises her with a tender peck on the lips.
“I'll always be here.”
Author's Note
So, yeah, kinda inspired by an event in my life that happened a few years ago. This is my first story, so I can only get better from here, right?