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Prologue: Calm before the Storm... and the Bass Drop
Author's Note
I've been trying to experiment with different writing styles because, well, I haven't been writing in a long time ever since I left the fandom for a break. Now, I'm back and hopefully my writing after all these years would still be good. This fanfic was sitting in my "to be submitted" list for years now, but now I think it's time I release it. Hope y'all like it!
Prologue: Calm before the Storm... and the Bass Drop
I feel my heart pounding loudly...
I mentally prepare myself to say it.
I inhale deeply to calm myself, hoping to state what I want... no, not want. Need.
Alright...
I am ready.
"Hey, how much for this plush? My, uhm... niece, wanted this particular plush toy?" I lied through my teeth as I held a plush toy of a pony with a fur coat like marshmallow with a neon-cobalt blue mane.
"Oh, it's 30$, sir." cheerfully said the cashier girl.
Gah! 30$? This is an outrage! Eh, whatever. It's not like I have a lot of merch of her.
I gave her the damn 30$.
"Thank you sir!" said the cashier. "And don't worry with hiding it, I'm pretty sure I like Vinyl as much as you do."
"Haha, yeah..." I waved the cashier goodbye and smiled.
Wow, actual human interaction with nice strangers? That's oddly rare.
It was a Saturday afternoon.
I finally drove home after my purchase. I was planning on buying some McDonalds on the way to my apartment but... 30$ was all I had in my wallet before I bought the plush. I really should control my spending habits. I sighed as I got the key from my pocket and opened the door. I put down the plastic bag which contained the plush toy on the sofa and closed the door. I was getting pretty hungry so I grabbed a cereal box from the cupboards and a bowl from the cabinet. I poured the cheap Kellog's knockoff onto my bowl... Wait, you were expecting milk in this concoction? Haha, well... I forgot to do grocery shopping due to... plushy circumstances.
I grabbed my bowl and went to the sofa. I unwrapped the plush toy from the plastic wrap and behold, there she is in all her glory; Vinyl Scratch!
I opened the T.V. across the sofa and started watching random stuff that you wouldn't expect a 19 year old dude living on his own to watch. Tennis games, fishing shows, and of course, "the pony" show.
I positioned Vinyl Scratch so that she looks like she's watching the Wimbledon games with me, like all pals do! Wait, this isn't creepy, right?
After the tennis game ended, I thought that watching a bit of ponies with my 'pal' over here would be a fun idea. I picked the 100th episode special with all the background characters as the main characters. At this point, if you've seen the episode, you probably already know why I picked this episode in particular.
Whenever I see Vinyl on the screen, I would chuckle and nudge the plushie saying "Hey, there you are Vinyl!". Kind of like that one episode of Spongebob where he was so excited to see himself on that low-budget commercial. I don't know why, but I always feel so happy when Vinyl is on screen. I don't know why I like her so much. She doesn't have much of a personality in the show. She's' just some kind of quiet electronic music composer who likes loud music a lot. She's nothing like me at all.
I guess it's more of the fandom version of Vinyl that I grew to love. She's brash, she's loud, and she's fun. It takes a bunch of dedicated fans to be able to make a character who never talks into a very likable character. Every time I see her on show, I always expected Nowacking to say some cool one-liner or something. (I dunno why Hasbro doesn't actually do it. I'd shit my pants if that would happen.)
The episode ends with the wedding of two donkeys and the Mane 6 learning some valuable friendship lesson. I closed the T.V. and was about to go to my bedroom until I heard a knock on my door. I roll my eyes to myself because I already know who it is behind that door. It's the "routine checkup" of his best friend, Kent. I grab the plush and put her on the coffee table and the cereal bowl in the dishwasher. I went up to the door and looked through the tiny glass hole. Yeah, it was him, and he's looking pretty excited.
"Who is it?" I asked.
"You god damn very well know who it is, dude!" said Kent, his happiness evident through his voice.
I finally opened the door and greeted him with the "Yo, whaddup?" kind of greeting.
"I am soooo excited right now, man!" I've never seen Kent quiver like this before. Usually he's the calm dude who puts a stop to my crazy antics.
"What got you so riled up and ready to scream?" I said as I went to the fridge and grabbed two cans of Pepsi.
"I won 3 VIP tickets to a System of a Down concert!"
"Holy fucking shit, really? How?! " I asked as I gave him a can of Pepsi.
"Radio Station contest. Lucky caller lottery or some kind of shit. I called just in time and I was the lucky caller!" he said as he jumped with joy. "I went here as soon as I can just to tell you. I was wondering if you'd like to come!"
"Hell yeah, man! Of course I do!" I answered, but then I remembered the third ticket. "Well, who are you gonna bring for the third ticket?"
"Not sure. Still thinking about it. Any friend of yours that'd be interested in System of a Down?"
"Not really..." I tried to avoid that question. I knew Kent for a few years now, but he still thinks I'm that popular kid from Junior High. I was until I graduated. All the relationships that I thought were going to last forever just went away like that. Except for Kent of course. He was more than just a friend to me, he's like a brother to me. As of now, he's the only friend. Not that there's anyone that I know of that still remembers me.
"Looks like I'm going to invite Dex then." He said as he grabbed his phone and started texting. "He's not interested in Thrash like we do, but he's always the type of guy who really likes experiencing new things. He's never been in a Metal concert so he's sure to come up."
Yes, Dexter... I couldn't really get close to him because he's so... how do I explain this... He's too cheery. You might be wondering "Hey, that's a fun and good thing!". Yeah, and you're right. The thing is that me and Dexter don't really get along with each other too well, but since we both are best friends with Kent, we respect each other.
"Oh yeah, when did you say this concert was going to be?"
"Well, it's about a month from now. Sooo, we play the waiting game."
"Heh, sure! As long as it's a weekend, I'm in! If it's a weekday, well..." Reminding Kent that I have a job at the nearby Family Mart. "Let's just say that I gotta work harder... Anyways, while you're here... wanna do something?"
"Well, what's there to do?"
"Watch something. I dunno, be my guest." I said as I grabbed the remote and jumped down on my sofa.
"You know, I've been meaning to ask you..."
Wait, that tone of voice...
"Well, you see..."
Oh boy, if I think he's going to say what I think he's going to say, well he better say it.
"I was wondering..."
I was opening up the T.V.
"I wanted to watch--"
Putting up Netflix.
"That pony show you've always been watching."
"Fuck yeah, we're finally watching the Dark Kni-- wait."
Wait.
"Yeah, you heard me. That Pony show."
My heart just skipped a beat.
I grin as wide as I can and selected "the pony show". I tapped the seat beside me, offering him to sit down.
"Okay. The reason why I'm watching this is because I saw some cute fanart on the internet and I just wanted to see the show for what it's like. That's all."
"Likely story." I raised an eyebrow. "Which episode would you like to watch. I practically watched all of them."
"How about the one where some demon from hell starts killing everyone and the main character becomes some Dragonball Z character." He jokingly said.
"Okay, season 4 finale."
Kent then laughed. "You're kidding right?"
I glared at him, implying that this is no joke.
"Are you fucking kidding me..."
"Wow. Never expected that to be in a kid's show." took another sip of his drink.
"I know right. It's been a few years since that episode aired and people still think it's just for kids." I said as I finished the can of Pepsi.
"Are you now interested to watch more of "ponies"?"
"Eh, I'm tempted... but I feel like that's the only action packed episode in the entire show. It's not like the show has something you'd never expected from a kid's show like, how you say, the Communism."
"Ah, Season 5 premiere."
"Okay, I feel like the writers of this show are just shoving "things that shouldn't be in a show for young girls" into a show for young girls."
"Haha, true..."
Kent then noticed the plush pony that was staring at him on the coffee table.
"Was this always here when I came over?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Well, I only noticed it now."
"Wow, Kent. For a person who works at a firing range, you were the last person to not see this in front of you."
He shrugged and picked up the plushie like he would a pet dog. "Aww, it's cute! Magenta eyes, cobalt hair, and white fur! Just like all 20 plushies you've bought for this specific character." His voice went from lovey-dovey cutesy wutesy to NOT HAPPY.
"Seriously, how many plushies of this character do you have?" He said as he pointed at Vinyl.
"Uhh, lost count?" I gave out a guilty smile.
"Ugh... Whatever. I don't know why you're obsessing over this particular pony."
"Hey, I like, not obsess!"
"Well, Mister Victor Camperson with over 20 plushies and 3 posters of fanart of the same character in one's bedroom." he smiled as he jokingly said.
"Grrr, I wish I could do that to you man. The whole 'you obsess over thing too much' argument, then I wouldn't be so alone."
"Haha, yeah right. At least I have a healthy hobby. I wouldn't spend too much due to an obsession over some fictional horse" He chuckled as he finished his can of Pepsi.
I don't know why but I felt legitimately hurt from that...
"I'm NOT obsessing over some "fictional horse", mmkay?" I said with a hint of annoyance in my voice. "I just, you know, like her. She may have never said a single line in the show, but somehow the fans gave her such a tomboyish, strong, and reckless attitude. That's what makes me like her. What makes you think I'm obsessing!?"
I felt tears were about to come out if it weren't for me having mastered the art of hiding tears. Eh, long story. Let's just say I cried a lot during my high school days. Only Kent knows when I'm trying to hide my tears, so he kind of got a hint that I was hurt from what he said.
"Alright, alright... I get it." he said being a bit confused as to why I lashed out on him. To be fair, I also got confused as to why I did. She is just a cartoon pony after all. He sighed for a bit, looking down and scratching the back of his head. He then looked at me, he was about to say something, but stopped mid-track as if he noticed someone had some vegetables stuck on their teeth.
"If you're not obsessing, then tell me why are you wearing magenta contacts?"
"My what?"
Track 1: Magenta Eye of Tornado
"My what?"
"Now here I was, about to feel like shit accusing you of being obsessed." He said, with a hint of amusement in his voice. "But, Vick... I love ya' man, but seriously? Colored Contacts?"
I was scratching the back of my neck in confusion. I had absolutely no idea what he was talking. "Kent, what in god's name are you talking about?"
"Come on, look! This cartoon pony has magenta eyes, kind of like what you have, or what you're trying to go for."
I was really confused and curious this time. I ran to the bathroom and looked at the mirror. Everything about me was the same old Victor Camperson for 19 years... Except for my eyes, which weren't the usual hazelnut brown like they should always be. Instead, it's bright magenta.
"What the fuck?" I muttered under my breath. "Okay, haha, very funny Kent."
"What's so funny?" he said as he also approached the bathroom to see how I was doing.
"I can't believe you pulled this prank on me. Color me impressed, but how did you get contact lenses in my eyes without waking me up?"
"Wait, you also don't know about your contact lenses?"
"No way. I can't afford a McDonalds Kiddy Meal, what makes you think I can afford contact lenses?"
"Oh, I see your point now." Kent said as he brought his hand to his chin, doing the thinking pose.
"I mean, it'd be cool I guess but-- Oh... Holy fuck."
"Hm? What is it now?"
"No wonder that cashier told me I liked Vinyl! She probably saw the eyes I had!"
"Oh my god, really?" he started laughing. "Someone saw your eyes and immediately knew who you were obsessing over!"
"Well, I bought the plushie from the store she was working on so of course she'd know the character I was obsessi- wait a minute..." God damn it, I just realized what he was trying to do. "God damn it, Kent!"
Kent couldn't take it anymore. He started laughing so much that he fell on the couch. "Oh my god, Vick! From all the years we've been together, this has got to be the funniest thing ever."
"Ugh. Well stop laughing and get these contacts off of me."
"Sure can do, Vinyl Scratch ." He jokingly said as he stood up.
I don't know why, but him saying that released a few dopamines in my head. It cheered me up a bit, but I still needed to get these god damn contacts out of my eyes.
"Okay, nice and steady... Aaaand--"
"OW! THE FUCK!?"
"It's no use, Vick. I've tried all I can do but still end up poking your eye!" Kent said as he poked me in the eye YET AGAIN . "I know how contact lenses feel and there's a bit of thickness that allows you to get your contacts without feeling the pain from poking your eyes."
"Well, how do you explain the magenta eyes?"
"I don't fucking know." Kent replied. "If we wanna know for sure, let's go get that checked up."
"Oh alright." I said as I went to my drawers and got out my replica of Vinyl Scratch's glasses and wore them, to which Kent looked at me and facepalmed.
"What? If I have her eye color, I at least should have her eye glasses too." I jokingly said as I looked at the mirror.
"Wait, so what you're saying doc is that--" I was cut off by the doctor explaining the situation.
"Yes. He was born with that eye color." he said to Kent. "There seems to be no contact lenses within his eyes."
"Are you sure? He had brown eyes since forever! There's got to be some explanation as to why they just suddenly changed colors?"
The doctor fixed his glasses and said "Well, it is possible for eye color to change as one person grows, but turning into magenta is not one of those. Usually, when a person ages, their eye color goes darker. However, from what I can see, brown turned into magenta, right?" I nodded. "Hm, this seems to be very strange. The only other way you could get a different color of eyes that way is through iris implant surgery, which is very much discouraged. In fact, it's illegal to do such procedures here... I'm out of clues here."
"Huh... Well, thanks a lot doc." I said to the doctor. Me and Kent both got up and left the clinic. We began to walk to my apartment. The doctor's clinic was only a few blocks so it was nothing.
I can't help but think as to why my eyes just changed color like that. It's kind of weird that there's not an ounce of scientific explanation as to why my eyes just changed color?
"Man, what time is it?" I checked my watch and gasped. "We've been in the clinic for an hour and thirty?!"
"Yeah, so?" Kent replied.
"Oh, nothing. It's just that I find it hard to believe that I waited an hour and thirty minutes and I was actually patient all the way through.."
"Well, I mean..."
"Don't you fucking dare, Kent."
"You were the patient all the way through!"
"Well, I gotta get going. Good luck with those eyes, Vick." he said as he waved goodbye and left my apartment room.
It was 10 pm and I was feeling a bit woozy. I went to my bedroom and saw my collection of plushies and posters. It was my pride and joy. Beside my bed was an office chair and a computer, which was currently off. Of course, like anything in my bedroom, I've decorated my PC tower with a sticker of two eighth notes beamed together... It's pretty obvious what that symbolizes.
I got in my bed and grabbed the nearest plushie of Vinyl Scratch and went off to sleep. Truly this whole eye problem would be solved with sleep, right?
I was just about to leave school until three figures started approaching behind me. Everybody around me just made space so that they could avoid being beat up by that bully. Usually, I chose to ignore those bullies, but for some god damn reason, I apparently caught their interest.
"Hey, dickface!" said a burly looking guy, obviously a jock, who was with his gang of idiots. "We're talking to you, you ass!"
I kept moving. It was dismissal time and I just really wanted to get home.
"Oh, maybe he wants us to call him by his actual name. Icky Vicky! Yoohoo!"
I was getting a bit annoyed, but nothing I can't handle.
"Or how about this. This guy, watches a cartoon show made for little girls!" Everyone around me laughed at the fact. I was so fucking pissed off.
"Could you please fucking shut up?!" I hissed at them, everybody around me went quiet. I regret making action... I should've just left.
"Aww, baby is getting angwy that I let evewywon know youw widdle secwet? Well, maybe you should think twice about messing with us."
I don't know how he found out that I watched My Little Pony. I literally told no one about it... Unless he stalks me to my home just to harass me in school.
"Well..." I tried being a smartass "You guys came to me so, technically, you're messing with me."
"You've got balls to be this dense." the burly jock grabbed me by the collar and punched me in the face. Note to self, don't be a smartass. "You're a nobody compared to me." He punched me in the face again. "I'm rich! I'm famous!" My nose was bleeding. "You? I just told everyone you watch a show for little girls, and you still got the balls to talk back!" He punched me yet again.
The people around me were just looking at me, bystanders. Nobody wanted to at least show sympathy towards me. I guess I'll just be violently beaten to a pulp in front of everyone else. This wasn't the first time he's bullied me before. First time around, I cried a lot. Second time was just insults at that point so I've gotten used to it. However, this has been more the 40 times. I guess I reached my limit to how much I can take to the point that it's gotten physical.
"Hey!" both me and the jock looked at the source of the voice. "Hey, Jack. Put him down. Now."
I was confused and thankful at the same time. It was the president of the Judo club in school.
"Oh well, if it isn't Kent. Why sure, I'll put him down!" he said as he threw me towards a locker. I hit a lock at the back of my head. My entire head was stinging, everything around me was spinning, and my ears were ringing. I'm pretty sure I should be unconscious right now.
"Oh no, you didn't just do that." Kent, although shorter than Jack by a few inches, just grabbed him by the collar and fucking did some kind of throw. He threw him at his goons. "Leave." and just like the dogs they are, they were now crying and running away. Everyone had just stared at Kent in awe, including me. Nobody had ever tried fighting against Jack.
After that awesome display, I lost my consciousness.
The ringing of the alarm clock woke me up from my deep slumber. I slammed the alarm clocks snooze button and yawned, trying to recollect what I had just dreamed.
"Huh, strange..." I just recalled of what had just happened back in high school. My first years weren't so very pleasant, but that was the same year I met Kent. Because of him, Jack and his goons didn't even think twice to go near me. That was when I became best friends with Kent. Not only did he care for me, but he treated me like the brother I never had. Well, after that incident, I had a head cast. Everyone wrote their signature on it and it felt great. Kent assumed because everyone was noticing me after that incident with the school bully, I got many friends. Well, I never told him that I didn't make any friends, with the exception being him. It's just that special connection with him makes him the only friend I see fit for me.
But why dream about that?
I stood up, seeing all the Vinyl Scratch plushies around me fills me with happiness and relief.
"Good grief... I never want to go back to high school EVER AGAIN." I said as I put aside my bangs from my line of vision.
Wait a minute... bangs?
I stood up out of my bed and quickly went to the bathroom. My hair was basically longer than it was yesterday! My hair was like, what, not even close to reaching my shoulders? Not only that, but I notice that my hair was also getting some cobalt-blue tint. From afar, it isn't too noticeable.
"Alright. These pranks have got to stop."
Oh, I see... Those dreams... It must be Jack taking revenge from all those years Kent beat him up, leaving me immune to his bullshittery.
I got my cellphone and dialed Kent.
"Hey Kent." I said through the phone. "Could you, uhh, come over here for a sec."
"Sure, what's the problem?"
"Not sure, but I feel like Jack's involved."
"Jack, who? Oh... That guy. But we haven't seen him in years though!"
"Well... It's hard to explain. Just get here." I heard him grunt in agreement through the phone and hung up. I looked back in the mirror yet again.
"Jesus Christ, Jack's gotta be some psycho to do this sort of prank to me."
Author's Note
Hey y'all! Here's another chapter! Hopefully y'all enjoy it!
It was a Sunday morning...
I'm kind of worried about Vick. He's been acting strange recently. He yelled at me yesterday because of that god dang cartoon pony. Good thing he didn't take it against me though. I've been with him for 4 years and I know Vick when he's trying to hide his tears. I certainly god damn felt it when he was talking about that Vinyl Scratch pony. It was the same thing I felt when he was being put up in the air by that fucker Jack. The voice, the movement, and the face he made during those situations were one in the same.
Being beat up is as bad as insulting your favorite pony character? I sighed at the thought. God damn it, Vick. You really had me worried back there. Glad that I changed the topic so we could forget about it. I think I should say sorry regardless.
His apartment was around 7 blocks away from my house, nothing I can't handle on foot. If it was Vick, however, he couldn't even handle going out more than 2 blocks unless it's important. He'd use his car but I keep forgetting he doesn't earn too much and spends most of his earnings on Vinyl Scratch merchandise instead of, you know, gasoline. To be honest, I think I should really insert it into his head that he should stop buying Vinyl Scratch stuff.
Vinyl Scratch...
Vinyl...
I'm still pondering how I got hair this long. I mean, there are hair growth speed shampoo or something that exist somewhere, so it could be plausible. However, where does the tinted blue hair come in? For the mean time, I'm wearing a custom embroidered cap with Vinyl Scratch on it to keep all the long hair hidden. I then heard a knock on the door. Oh thank god, he's here.
I opened the door. "Oh, hey Vinyl." said Kent.
"Huh?" I said confused. "What did you just say?"
"I said Vick." he said with a straight face.
"Uh huh, likely story." I said squinting closely at him. Instead of trying to look deep into it, I just shrugged. "Whatever, I'm glad you're here."
"Alright... now tell me, what's Jack done... Oh." Kent looked up at my Vinyl Scratch hat. "Look, Vick, if you're going to talk about Vinyl Scratch again and get mad at me when I say something bad about her, I'm not gonna deal with it."
Is Kent being serious, right now? "Ugh! Just get in here!" I said as I pulled him inside.
"Look, I know you like Vinyl Scratch." For god's sake, this is seriously getting tired of this. "But I am not going to be the vice president of your Vinyl Scratch fan club." Ugh... Christ, Kent... I'll just take off my hat. "nor a senator of it... and if that's what you were going for then call me-- Jesus Christ! That hair!"
My hair fell from my head and on to my neck. Huh, it was bluer than it was the last time I checked. Maybe it's because it's some kind of dye that takes time to set in. Reverse invisible ink perhaps. I didn't treat it with too much attention because it still looked like it was black from afar. "When did you have the time to dye your hair yesterday? Let alone grow it so fast!?"
"That's the thing though... I had a dream about high school. Remember Jack?"
"Yeah, beat that schoolyard bully to the ground whenever he got close to you."
"After I woke up, my hair became like this! Well, it wasn't as blue as it was before... Also, oh yeah, nice hair style Kent. Just noticed it!"
Kent was surprised when I pointed out his hair. His hair was always spiky but never stylized. "Well, thanks. I guess there are times bedhead makes the hair look good on its own."
"Anyways, I was wondering if you'd stay out here just to see if anything comes in."
"Well, it is a Sunday. I got nothing to do so... Yeah, sure, why not."
"If this keeps up, I might have to use my vacation leave, or whatever, on my work at 7-11. I ain't going to show up with long blue hair and magenta eyes. Using cosplay as your daily attire doesn't make you look cool, it makes you look like an asshole!"
"Heh, sure sure, don't get your pussy in such a twist. I'm going to have a little sleepover here."
"Is cereal seriously the only thing you have here?" Kent said as he looked through my cupboards filled with cereal boxes of cheap knock-offs. "You are the saddest creature I've ever known."
"Well, I got 3 day old pizza." I said to him as I went to the fridge to get some. Much to Kent's disgust, I had no problems eating cold old pizza. Try saying that 10 times fast. I heard Kent mutter the words 'Jesus Christ' under his breath. Well, couldn't blame him. Kent's an athlete. He wants the healthy greens to grow big and strong. Well, Mr. Wallet can't give Kent the greens he desires at the moment so he's just gotta get used to it.
"Twelve, thirteen, fourteen." I heard Kent counting behind me. "Fifteen, Sixteen..."
"What'cha counting over there? My plushies?"
"No." Kent said as I heard the rustling of garbage bags. "The amount of cereal boxes you've used. And they're all the SAME BRAND."
You know what, pause... Or should I say, cue the record scratch sound effect.
So, maybe you don't know who we are completely. I'm not the kind of guy who likes introductions, but I'll go ahead anyway.
My name is Victor Camperson, age 19, college student studying architecture. I'm a bit introverted, but I never let it become an excuse to not try harder everyday. However, because of my introversion, I tend to keep everything to myself. Not many people know I make electronic music. That's mainly the reason why my favorite character is Vinyl Scratch. Making electronic music was already a hobby of mine before I even got into the show! Although Vinyl Scratch is a DJ, I'm more of the keyboard arranger type of guy.
Next up is Kent Light, age 18, college student studying philosophy. Calm and reserved with others, a total blabbermouth with me. He's coolheaded, and always does what his heart tells him to. Usually, that's not what I expected from people studying philosophy; to think with their hearts and not with their minds. Bah, what do I know about philosophy. Because he mostly thinks with his heart, he's a very kind person to be with. It's just that he always complains whenever my life seems so sad and boring, as if he wants things to be better for me. I kind of hate that about him because, for me, this is enough. I'm okay with eating cereal most of the time and working my bones off at the 7 eleven then having to study for tests afterwards... Okay, maybe that is not very good way to live my life. I'll keep note of that one. Right now, I have bigger things to attend to.
Now that introductions are in order, I best return to the story.
Sunday... Bloody Sundays... I thought to myself. It had to be a Sunday. Hopefully we get to the bottom of this and solve it before I have to go to college and work.
"It's about 9 pm, Vick. I'll keep an eye on you to see if anything happens."
"Thanks Kent!" I said as I yawned. "Well, hopefully once you catch Jack, if it even is his fault, we can stop this nonsense once and for all."
"Sure thing pal. I'm going to watch you like a hawk..." He said with a serious voice. "Before you sleep, I think you should do some cleaning in the interior. Your bedroom looks ugh-glee!"
Classic Kent.
I then passed out on my bed, grabbing the nearest thing I can hug which was, of course, a Vinyl Scratch plushie.
Track 3: Dreams are my Reality
I awoke in a strange white room. Confused at first, I tried investigating by observing my surroundings. I walk and walk, yet I can't seem to feel any wall; as if there were no boundaries surrounding me. Then suddenly, like a flash, the white endless void turned into a familiar school hallway. It was me walking, minding my own business, until Jack followed me and started to tell everyone that I'm a brony. I got angry and, yadda yadda, you know the rest.
It's basically the same dream I had yesterday, but instead I'm a spectator of it all. I see Kent running all the way from the gymnasium in such a hurry, going to the hallway I was at. There he stood, face to face with Jack. I see a girl peeking through the gymnasium doors. Huh... I don't remember her. Well, I don't remember a lot of people except for Kent, Jack, and my teachers. Jack got judo thrown, yadda yadda, and I passed out. Wait a minute, I don't remember this part... Well, because, you know, I'm 'passed out'. After Jack the bully and his cast of Saturday Morning Cartoon henchmen ran away, everybody started cheering, but Kent didn't seem too happy about it.
He punched a locker. The sound was so loud it silenced the people around him. "You have no right to cheer when all you did was watch." Wow... Kent. Kent then approached my unconscious body and-- Wait a fucking minute, how am I dreaming of things that I don't remember?
I see a bright blue light flash in front of me. It was such a bright and blinding light... Wait, my eyes are closed. How can I be blinded by light in a dream? This doesn't make sense, but whatever. The bright blue light made everything that was the school hallway disintegrate. The bright blue light continues to grow brighter and pulsates until a silhouette emerged from it. A horse?
No fucking way.
"GREETINGS, I AM-- " I cut off the familiar CANTERLOT VOICE by my excessive fanboying.
"Princess Luna, one of the two alicorn princesses of the lands of Equestria!" I exclaimed. "This is one of the weirdest, but greatest dreams ever! Lucid dreaming is awesome!"
Luna look confused. She then cleared her throat. "Why, yes. I presume you would know that."
"Well, yeah. I've basically been watching you for so long!"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Wow, I've been watching so much of that show that I've actually created some kind of tulpa creature in my brain in the form of Princess Luna!" I squealed with excitement. "Princess Luna, make me a milkshake!"
"ENOUGH!"
"Wow, even the Royal Canterlot Speaking sounds accurate to the show!" I laughed. "Where's my back massage?"
Luna just sighed. "Vinyl Scratch, this is getting ridiculous! What 'show'? What is a tulpa? And what do you mean by 'watching me for a long time'?"
I stopped jumping around until I looked at Luna. "Wait, what did you call me?"
"Vinyl Scratch. Unless you want me to call you Miss Scratch."
"Miss Scratch?"
"Yes, I heard Vinyl Scratch had been missing from Equestria for 2 years now. And the number of missing pony cases had kept increasing. So much so that royalty, such as I, had to take matters in to our own hooves." Luna said with a hint of seriousness in her voice. "But, I have found you now. It is time we take you home to Equestria."
"Wait wait... I'm Vinyl Scratch?"
"Yes, why? Are you not? You look like her?" Luna questioned, pointing her hoof at me.
I've been looking at this dream for so long that I didn't even bother to inspect myself. My jaw nearly hit the floor with the sudden realization. Hoofs? Check. Hair-- I mean, mane? Check. Tail? Check. Cutie mark? Check! My lucid dreaming body was Vinyl Scratch! Holy fucking shit!
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I am her!" Now that I noticed it, my dream voice sounded a lot like Nowacking's voice when she did voice acting for Vinyl Scratch in fan animations. "This dream is just perfect! The kind of dream that I dreamed since I was 15! Everypony gather 'round, say that I look lovely with my--"
"SILENCE!" Luna Canterlock'd. "Miss Scratch, I have no idea if the spell that has been the cause for the disappearance of several ponies have altered your memories, let alone altered it too much to the point of brain damage."
"Oh please. My memories are fine. I am 19 year old Vick Camperson. I'm a college student studying Architecture!"
Luna blinked out of surprise. "So, you aren't Vinyl Scratch?"
"Well, in this dream I am. In reality, Lulu? No."
"DARE MENTION THAT MONIKER IN THE MENTION OF ME, AND THOU SHALT FIND THYSELF BANISHED!" Luna Canterlock'd with such rage evident on her face.
"You're funny, Luna!" I laughed. "Glad I have a friend in my dreams."
I went up to Luna and hugged her left foreleg. Luna, looking visibly confused by the nonsensical sequence of events, spoke up. "Um... Thank you?"
"You're welcome! You know what? Maybe I am Vinyl Scratch!" I said, trying to play along with Luna's or my tulpa's roleplaying session. "Maybe you were right about my memories being mixed up and stuff."
"Finally. It's about time you've come to your senses. Vick Camperson? How far off from Vinyl Scratch could you get." Luna giggled a bit. Her horn glowed an intense aura. "I have to implant these coordinates to the-- What in Equestria?!"
The ground shook, like a magnitude 9 earthquake, as I heard a deafening noise. The noise that I've always dreaded every Monday. My alarm clock.
"FUCK!" Kent shouted, startled by the sudden alarm. "Jesus Christ..."
I woke up to see that Kent was sleeping sitting down, with a notebook and a pencil in his hand.
"Good morning, ya sleepy head." I joked. "Man, for an athlete, you became pretty sleepy."
"Yeah no thanks to you..." Kent said with a hint of tiredness in his voice. He then tried processing the things around him.
He then looked at me straight in the eyes. "Wait, when did a girl get here?" Kent said, probably still tired from all the lack of sleep trying to watch over me.
"You say what now?" I said with visible confusion. "I don't have any idea what you're talking about?"
After finally giving me his complete attention, Kent jumped a bit on his seat. Looks like he was surprised...
"Your hair! Y-y-your voice!" he stuttered.
"My hair?" I said as I looked at the hair on my neck. A very bright cobalt-blue. Oh my god, it looks show accurate too.
"My voice? Okay, hair, I could understand. My voice on the other hand is fine!" I said as I held my throat, inspecting if there's anything actually wrong with it.
"Wait, you don't notice your voice is a bit, I don't know, higher than usual?"
He was right, my voice is a bit higher than usual, but that can easily be done with a certain gas. "Okay, maybe Jack went in when you were sleeping and gave me a bunch of helium, so what?"
"Vick, helium only lasts for a few or so minutes. This can't be Jack's doing."
"Aight aight. Speaking of Jack, I did have the same dream about Jack bullying me."
"Jeez, Vick, could you dream about something else other than you getting your shit beaten up out of you?" Kent jokingly said. He stood up and left the bedroom. "I'm going to buy some breakfast pancakes."
I nodded. I heard the apartment door close. I was alone for now. "I really need to change my clothes. I've been wearing the same clothes since yesterday... Wait, it was Sunday yesterday!" In a hurry, I took to the showers, stripped myself of any clothing, and did the scrub scrub.
Kent calling me a girl. Hah! What a joke. After applying the shampoos and conditioners, I got the soap. I'm about to start scrubbing my arms, legs, and chest, until I noticed something...
"Oh, there's my cutie mark!" I said as I cheerfully pointed at the terrifyingly show-accurate two combined eighth-note symbol that looks too crisp to be a tattoo. "Heh... when did Jack get amazing tattoo skills?"
Then from the thigh I then looked up. Everything seems to be in order... Crap, I really gotta pee. I turn off the shower head and went to the toilet bowl. I looked down, but what greeted me wasn't my 'pride and joy', but something that's biologically impossible for a complete and utter buffoon like Jack would accomplish.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"
Author's Note
Woah, Princess Luna is in this one? Woa
[UPDATE 11/13/2018] I changed a small thing in the story just to accommodate the future parts. sorry about that.
Track 4: Don't Stop me Now!
Monday Morning Maniacs,
It's a good thing that McDonalds is just nearby. It's been a while since I had pancakes. I've always been on a strict diet because of Judo practice and I wanna compete in world tournaments. Turns out, once I reached college, I was a tad too late to pursue that. Philosophy is harder than I imagined so now I'm focusing most of my time and effort on reading and studying. Sad, isn't it? Because of that, I quit the Judo team... and now I enter, the forbidden kingdom of the golden arches, McDonalds.
"Hello sir, welcome to McDonalds, how may I help you?" the kind cashier dude said.
"Yeah, I'd like two 2-pc pancakes and 2 cups of orange juice. Take out." I said. The cashier went out to call out his other employees to get the order done. In about a few minutes, it is done.
"Thanks, uhhh..." I squinted as I read his name tag, which was pinned on his uniform. "Walter."
"No problem, Neon!" he said cheerfully. Wait a minute, what did he just say? Nah. Probably some catch phrase. Everybody has a catchphrase. Vick's got one. He says "Vinyl Scratch Forever"... Okay, maybe I made that one up.
I grabbed the paper bag and the two drinks. I start to make my venture back to the apartment... which is about a lot away.
I ready the knock knockening on the door so that Vick could let me in and eat.
"Vick?" I knocked. "I got the flapjacks. Open up or I'll eat em' all!"
I heard a faint scream in the apartment. "AAAAAAAAAAA!" it was Vick's, well, girly voice.
"Vick?!" I knocked even harder, but still garnered no response. "Wait a minute. He has a spare key under his rug."
I put down the food and went to his rug, hoping to see the key once I lift it. "Oh thank god. It's still here." I sigh in relief as I grab the key and try and open the lock.
"Vick?! Vick!" I rushed in the living room and heard the sound of running water. He was in the bathroom. Oh dear god, what could he be screaming about? It's a good thing I remember Vick rarely locks the bathroom door cus, you know, he lives alone most of the time.
I open the door gently and saw something quite strange. It was Vick, sitting in the corner of the shower room, with his hands covering his face, sobbing.
"Vick? What's wrong?! What happened!? Speak to me, buddy!" I came to the shower room and shut off the nozzle. "Come on, answer!"
He gently looked up at me, tears flowing out his bright magenta eyes. His face looked so different than before. How should I explain it? Well, his face looks more feminine, and his eyelashes or a bit longer. Hey, that could still be managed, it's not like he--
Vick hugged me very tight, crying over my shoulder. "Neon..." he said to me. Again with the Neon. "Please don't leave me, it's just too much to handle..."
"Don't worry, I'm here for you Vick." I said as I comforted him with a pat on the back. Pretty strange for a wet naked dude to hug me in the shower, but he's my friend and he needs my help with whatever he's dealing with right now. "You're strong, Vick. Now wipe those tears and tell me what is wrong." With that, Vick wiped the tears on his face. He then started to do some breathing exercise just to calm down.
"It's gone, Kent."
"What is?"
Vick released me from his best friend hug and stood up. I respected my friend's privacy, so I quickly closed my eyes so to not see his, you know what.
"Kent, look!" I looked up at Vick's face.
"Yeah, I'm looking at ya."
"No, not there you idiot! Down here!"
"Down where? Your arm? Your foot?"
"In between my legs!"
"I don't want to see your dick, you cock!"
"Don't worry, I have none!" Vick just paused there and just processed the entire situation. He laughed so hard at his joke, which I didn't understand. Well, I'm glad to see he's happy again... Still though, what's so funny?
"Wait, what do you mea-" I then looked at the 'newest change' in Vick's body. "Oh... oh." the world around me started spinning. I then fell down and fainted.
I was cleaning everything up in the gymnasium after the club meeting has ended. Good to see that nothing went absolutely wrong for once while I'm cleaning. Usually, the newbies would mess up everything by accident and I have to clean it up again for them. How does one mess up foam floor padding? Nobody knows. I packed my bags, and was ready to take the alternate shortcut to the exit. Sorry to say, but I never liked the hallway exit. It's where those stupid bullies are usually at. I was going to take the shortcut exit until a girl entered and told me about this huge fight going on.
Now, I know that the bullies never fight. They just verbally harass people. They haven't beaten up anybody. Well, not that I know of. It wouldn't hurt to check it out. If it's a real fight, I'll just incapacitate them both. I thanked the girl and quickly ran to the scene of action.
You call this a fight? I call this torture! It's Jack punching a dude he's carrying over and over again. I may not know the guy but my heart sank just looking at the state he's in.
"Hey!" the two of them looked at me in surprise. "Hey, Jack. Put him down. Now."
"Oh well, if it isn't Kent. Why sure, I'll put him down!" he said as he threw the dude at a locker. His head was noticeably bleeding. For some reason, that made me very fucking mad.
"Oh, you didn't just do that..."
"Well, I did. What're you gonna do about it, Karate Kid?"
"I'm not gonna do anything about. You are." From my remark, Jack became mad and threw a punch, but I dodged it. I went to his side and quickly subdued him by grabbing his collar. I threw him at his other goons.
"Leave." I said to them, hoping that they get the message. Jack started shrieking and started to run away from the scene. His cohorts soon followed after.
The whole crowd was cheering for me. No, this is not right. How long did this fight go on? That person was completely defenseless and all they did was watch? Out of anger, I punched the locker to quiet down the crowd. "You have no right to cheer when all you did was watch." I yelled out in anger. "All of you. Why didn't you at least do something?! Called the teacher or anyone?! Now, if only one of you had stepped up, this person wouldn't have wounded up bleeding and wounded!" I approached the unconscious body of the dude. He got fucked up. I then looked at the crowd one more time. "If it weren't for the girl who called me, this person's injury might have gotten worse!"
I lifted the unconscious body and brought him to the clinic. Hopefully he's going to be okay... And as for Jack? I hope he learns his lesson.
I awoke in a white void. This place looks eerie. I tried looking around only to find nothing. This room feels like it has no border, like I could keep walking forever and nothing would happen. I then looked at myself, and I screamed. Hoofs? A body of a horse? What the fuck is this?!
Suddenly, a blue pulsating light appeared out of the white void.
"GREETINGS!" shouted the silhouette. "IT IS I, PRINCESS LUNA! THE GUARDIAN OF DREAMS AND THE PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT!"
Alright, this is scary! I cowered and hid my face, hopefully this 'loud-speaking dream entity' doesn't eat people. Wait, did she say guardian? Whew, that's good...
"Oh, forgive me for my sudden entrance." said the now calm voice. The figure walked out of the bright blue light and showed a tall blue horse with a mane that looked like the beautiful night sky itself. "I am Princess Luna of Equestria. It appears I have finally found you."
"What do you want from me?"
"You."
"Come again?"
"You are Neon Lights, are you not?"
Neon Lights? "No, I am not." I said to the tale princess horse.
"But, you look just like him. Neon Lights!"
"I'm a human!"
"I see." Princess Luna put a hoof on her chin. "Hmm, but you're dream form is not that of a human."
"My dream form?" I said with a bit of confusion in my voice. "That's stupid, I can dream whatever I can be, what makes you so sure that I am the Neon Lights?"
"While that is true that in the dream world, you can manipulate anything to your liking, but as of now, I control this place. However, I do not control one's dream form. The dream form is a manifestation of one's true self." Princess Luna said as she walked around me. "Neon Lights, I come here to take you back home to Equestria. But it seems that from my previous experience with another dreamer that you are a human. Have you ever heard of Vinyl Scratch?"
"Oh my FUCKING god." I sigh in annoyance. "That name? In my dreams? Really?!"
"No need to spout such profanity to the mention of her, my little pony." Princess Luna giggled a bit. "I met her in her own dream world. She was very... how you say... ecstatic when I met her in her dreams."
"Mmhmm. I'm sure it's someone I know..."
"Well, Neon Lights--"
"It's Kent Light. I'm not some pony." I cut Princess Luna. "I'm a human."
"Yes, you've said that."
"And this is all just some dream, right?"
Princess Luna nods. "Yes, this is a dream. But this form you have is very much true."
"No it ain't. I've lived the rest of my live as a bipedal hairless ape man. I'm not a horse."
"Pony."
"Horse, pony. Potato, Tomato. Yeah yeah." I said. "And since this is just some dream created by my subconscious, you're also not real."
"Oh ho ho, I'm more real than you think, Mr. Lights. Speaking of Vinyl Scratch..." I groaned as I heard that name again. "Don't you want to see her again?"
"Huh?"
"Well, of course! Back in Equestria, you two were dating." Luna smiled, "I thought I should mention that so you'd be more interested to return to Equestria!"
"No no no, he hah. Sorry man, but I'm still single." I laugh, "And it's not like that this Vinyl Scratch in the dreamscape said her name was Vick Camperson."
"Huzzah! That was the name she mentioned me!"
"Wait, what!?" My pupils shrunk.
The dream world started the shake. I heard Luna said a quiet "Oops." and she was gone in the blue light.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" I screamed my lungs out from that terrible nightmare.
"Jesus Christ, Kent! You'll wake up the neighbors!" Vinyl-- I mean, Vick said. "You've been out cold for 14 hours! Jeez. I know growing a vagina made me hysterical for a few minutes, but I didn't know it would knock you out cold!"
"Wait, so that wasn't a dream."
"Nope. It is 100% real."
"We're turning into cartoon ponies?"
"Possibly."
"I don't like this. I had a dream of the big blue horse thing."
"Princess Luna! Yeah, I met her last night! So I assume that Princess Luna is real!" Vick shrieked in delight. "You don't like MLP enough to dream about ponies so now I believe it!"
"Wait... if we're turning into ponies, that means you're turning into Vinyl Scratch, right?"
"Mmhmm." nodded Vick. "Oh yeah, you mentioned we ... Who are you turning into?"
"I don't know. Some dude named Neon Lights?" as I said that, Vick went full blown laughing gas mode.
"Holy fuck! Really? Neon Lights?! I ship Neon and Vinyl together! Haha!" Vick started laughing until he realized what he just said. "Shit, I'm Vinyl!"
"No, you're Vick! And I'm Kent!" I yelled. "And I don't want to date you!"
"Yeah, you right. Some fan art depicts Vinyl as a lesbian anyway. It was never said which was canon cus' they never really cared for that so..."
I then remembered what the Princess told me. I'll keep my lips zipped for now...
Author's Note
[UPDATE 13/11/2018: Edited a bit so I can fill some holes in the story I want to tell... I should really plan my stories well.]
Track 5: Crazy Little Thing Called Wub
Some boring Monday night,
"So, I'm sick." I fake a cough, hopefully the teacher through the phone would buy it. "So, yeah. That's why I can't come to school today. Sorry about that..."
The voice in the phone spoke up, "Well, Mr. Camperson..." I heard a chuckle in her voice. "You're pretty good in my books. I don't see why you should fake being sick today."
"Wha-- Ms. Pines! I'm not lying though!" I clearly lie through the phone. "Whatever, at least I just needed to let someone know that I'm not going to school today."
"Eh, understood, Mr. Camperson."
"Thanks Ms. Pines." I nodded as I hung up the phone. I sighed and threw the phone on the bed, thinking about the current situation I'm in. "What am I gonna do? It's not everyday that you find out that your 'pride' is gone."
I look outside the bedroom and into the living room. I see Kent sitting down on the sofa, talking on his phone. He's also doing the same thing I was doing, coming up with excuses as to why he can't go to class today. I see him finish his call and approached him. "So?"
"So, what?"
"How did it go?"
"They agreed that I can take a leave off for awhile until I can show a medical certificate as proof of my sickness." He said as he sighed. "How can I go to the hospital like this?! 'Doctor! I'm turning into a cartoon pony! Please, send help!' It's ridiculous..."
"Oh, Kent, you innocent child. Have you never experienced the days where you fake being sick?" I said jokingly, "I photoshopped my excuse letters back when I was in Elementary School."
"No, because that's stupid and probably illegal if you do that in the real world."
"Well, you gotta be good at lying sometimes to live in the real world, man. Wake up."
"Yeah, I know that Kent. I just did on the phone. It's just that I'm not very good at lying, unless there's a very good reason as to why I have to... Which is ponies." Kent says, putting his phone down on the coffee table. "I'm going to get a drink."
"Same here."
Kent stood up from the sofa and went to the kitchen to get the sweet and superior carbonated beverage from the fridge. A thought came up to me, 'Vinyl Scratch and Pepsi should have a sponsorship'. Come on, they'd be perfect! Blue hair really compliments the iconic blue Pepsi can. Better than most of the other recent commercials they've tried to do.
Wait, am I just advertising Pepsi right now? Well, maybe I just sold my soul to the Pepsi devil right now as I'm thinking this. You, yeah you, drink some Pepsi right now.
I hear the fridge open and Kent spoke up, "I just noticed that all you have is Pepsi."
"Yeah? What about it?"
Kent rolled his eyes. "Never mind. To be honest, I think it's kind of irresponsible of me to inform my professors and teachers that I'm sick 14 hours after morning... Which is 10:00pm." he said as he sipped the can. "I mean, if it weren't for you showing your... eh. I probably would've been conscious, went to school and still passed as myself. I mean, I was born with blue eyes and black hair."
"And leave me here while I'm still a bit unsettled and probably traumatized by my... eh? Come on Kent, I know that Philosophy means so much to you, but we're both having problems right now."
"I guess you're right. We're still humans as of now. We're not growing anything that would cause any negative attention from people." Kent sat down on the sofa again and put down the soda can on the coffee table. He then clears his throat as if he's readying up to say something. "So, about Princess Luna..."
I raised an eyebrow. "Mmhm? What is it?" I asked, "What did Lulu-best-pony say?"
"Oh, she says that she wants us to return to this land called Equestria. I'm pretty sure you've heard of it cus' 'Pony'." Kent said, "Do you think that those dreams are real?"
"Well, I should tell Princess Luna to combine our dreams together like in that episode with the Tantabus." I said, "I mean, if we both dream the same dream then it's probably real."
Kent yawned, "Well, I think it's time to test that theory. I'm going to lay rest here for a while. Who knows, I might grow hooves and I gotta find a way to sneak past people going all the way to your apartment. I'm not gonna take that risk going back to my house right now."
"Smart move, Kent. I've read several fan fictions of this same certain scenario, and you've done the smart thing to do." I say, approving his choice of his stay here. "And, just to let you know that you're technically sleeping in with a girl now."
I saw Kent visibly wince at the fact. "You should also know that you were a guy, and you've been with me like that for four years, right?" Kent says, "And since when did you gain all this 'femininity side'? For shits and giggles?"
"Pfft, duh? Like you said, I've been a guy for as long as I can remember. Of course I'm trying to purposefully make you blush. Then again, you are the gentleman Judo dude back in high school. You're a tough nut to crack, Neo- I mean, Kent."
"There is that lip slip again. That's happened a few times now to me. One in the nearby McDonalds here."
Wait a minute... I recognize this fan-fiction trope. Almost every brony knows the 5S/4 fan fics that flooded fimfiction.net a long time ago; the Freudian slip of names! Well, not so much a trope more so a thing I just invented out of the 'blue'.
"Kent!" I shout, "Those people might also be turning to ponies too! The fact that they did a slip of a tongue with the mention of your name! Especially that they probably don't even know you because they're fast food workers!"
"What, you want me to go there right now to see if they're still there? I don't know the usual routine of a McDonalds worker." Kent said, "But if it means getting more people to join the club instead of just us two, I guess that's fine by me."
With that, Kent went to McDonalds again.
Hello, there! My name is Walter Graham. Age 22. You might be thinking, 'Oh, a 22 year old! Must be filled with hope and spirit!'. Well, actually, I'm a McDonalds Employee. I graduated with a degree in Arts and tried applying for a job in animation, but apparently my best wasn't enough. I'm still not giving up though, cus' I'm just working in McDonalds so that I can pay for the tuition. Usually, I work up until noon and take my classes in the afternoon, but for today, I have to work over time so I can gain just a bit more to pay rent.
Throughout the day, many faces come and go.
I recite the poem I wrote yesterday in my head. I usually write poems that reflect how I want the day to go. Right now, I felt the need for a new friend or whatever.
I arrive to the store on a bike and parked it at the back. I came through the back door, punched my card, and started to get to work.
I hum to myself a familiar tune that has been an earworm for several days now, ever since I heard it from my niece's cartoon show.
For I had believed what I was sold I did all the things that I was told But all that has changed, and now I'm bold 'Cause I know That I am just a pony
Yeah, humming that song got me through the day. For a kid's show aimed for girls, it has surprisingly good and catchy music.
Faces come and go,
I sigh at the thought of that poem. It's true, reality is sort of like that. People don't really care unless you make the first move on the step towards friendship. Maybe it is time. I bet, this next customer, I'll try to do that.
"Hello sir, welcome to McDonalds, how may I help you?" boy, if I had a penny for every time I've said that, I'd actually be able to pay my college tuition.
"Yeah, I'd like two 2-pc pancakes and 2 cups of orange juice. Take out." Hearing that, I immediately went to the other employees to get the order done. In about a few minutes, it is done. He paid the bills and got the bag.
"Thanks, uhhh..." he visibly squinted at my name tag, "Walter."
I grinned. Not many people really thank a McDonalds employee, especially with their name. "No problem, Neon!" I cheerfully replied. He looked at me funny. Was it something I said? He then walked away with his order.
"Neon?" replied one of the employees beside me. "Why'd ya call him Neon?"
Come to think of it, why did I say that? God damn it! I wanted the first step towards making new friends to be, I don't know, successful? "I-I don't know. Slip of the tongue, maybe?" I grin, hopefully she rolls her eyes and shrugs.
"Whatever, Waltz. Just keep on workin'."
Gosh, I should really be careful with my words. I don't like being embarrassed.
After the long day of work has finished, it's time I say goodbye to the folks at the McDonalds and left. 10pm is not a very safe time to traverse outside on the streets due to the likelihood of getting mugged.
Mugged, yeah right...
"Hey, you work at McDonalds, right?" says a voice behind me. I grew a bit nervous. Did I jinx it? Is this the mugging process? Oh please no. "Have you heard a guy named Walter? He works at this McDonalds, I was wondering if I could talk to him for a while."
I turn back to see that it was in fact the person who read my name and thanked me! "Oh, hey! Neon, it's you!" I cheerfully said, but then covered my mouth. "Crap, sorry about that. That's not your name, mister."
"It's aight. My friend and I think I know why you're doing these slips-of-the-tongues recently, and it has got to do with something, like a huge conspiracy. Say, you haven't learned my name. It's Kent, by the way, but you learned my 'other name', which was Neon, by instinct. Want in on this? Trust me, we won't hurt you." He said as he gestured to follow him.
I have a hard time trusting people when it's 10pm and they're telling me to follow them somewhere... but my gut trusts him. Hopefully the first step, or slip up, actually did something.
Track 6: I'M JUUST A POOONYYY
The person led me to an apartment building complex. "This is the place. The room's at the 4th floor. Me and my friend have been having 'problem' with ourselves." He said, "Other people should somehow have the same problem as us when they mention our, ehem, 'other name."
True, I have been calling him by his 'other name' a lot, rather than Kent. He then gestured for me to go inside the apartment building. I think it's time I ask him what's going on and what's this problem he's mentioning about. "Neo- I mean, Kent."
"Don't strain yourself, man. You can call me Neon, even if I don't like it."
"Well, okay. Neon, what is this problem that you and your friend are talking about?" I asked him. He sighed as he pushed the elevator button going upwards.
"If I told ya', you wouldn't believe me." He said, "That's why I gotta show you. But be warned, the effects might shock you." The elevator doors opened and we both entered. We arrived at the room 405. He knocked on the door and a girl with cobalt-blue hair opened the door.
The first thought that popped up in my head was the word 'scratch'. "Scratch?" I muttered to myself.
"Yep, that's me..." the girl said, "Welcome aboard!"
Confused as I was, I felt like I could trust these two. Kent went inside before me and I then went in just right after. I closed the door behind me and they offered me a seat on their sofa.
"Yo, you want some Pepsi?" the girl said. I kindly declined her offer. "I'm guessing why Kent had brought you here."
"Yes, pretty much." I said. "Does it have to do something with McDonalds?"
"No." the two of them said in unison.
"Oh, then what brings me here?"
The girl spoke up, "You're here because... how do I put this... Have you ever had a dream about a tall blue Equine?"
"A what?"
"If so, you may be turning into a cartoon horse."
I chuckled, "Is that it? Boy, that's the crappiest prank I've ever seen! Come on? Cartoon horses?" I stood up and went for the door. "You know, it's been nice meeting you all but I really gotta get home."
"Kent?"
"Yeah?"
"Take off his pants."
"Roger."
"Wait, what in blazes are you doing?!"
With enough struggling, Kent managed to get his pants off and put down his underwear (it's not completely off, just down by a degree), to reveal a symbol that was on his hip. "Explain this." I said to Walter, pointing at the symbol on his hip.
"I-I don't know?" he stammered. "I've never seen it before!"
"Likely story." I squinted my eyes at him. "Well, you're in luck. You're going to turn into a cartoon horse soon. Usually, some parts of your body should change first. I use to have short black hair and..." I swallowed a lump in my throat. "I used to be a guy."
Walter, not being convinced, picked up his pants and got up quickly. "I don't believe it. I'm going now, bye."
"Wait!" Kent said but the door has been slammed. "Damn, he seemed upset."
"Maybe we shouldn't have forced the pants off of her."
"Her? That was a he."
"Yeah, but having Coloratura's cutie mark leaves much to be said on who he's going to turn into. He'll come back. She'll come back." I assured Kent. "Oh yeah, by the way, you haven't showed me your cutie mark yet."
"No, I'm not showing my ass to you."
"I showed you my--"
"No." He interrupted me, "Don't even finish that."
I can't believe I let them humiliate me like that. My face is red from embarrassment! Showing my hips to those two, gosh... No one could have their gender change like that! That girl is just playing a role for uhh... a prank, that's what. That tattoo on my hips? Just temporary tattoos. But I live in an apartment far away from theirs. And why would they prank me? And how did they put tattoos on my hips without me knowing? There's the guard of the apartment. He has eyes like a hawk when it comes to monitoring every bad thing in the apartment. Any important thing that happened on a night, he'll remember it and let the people who pass by him know, but he didn't tell me anything yesterday.
I'll just go home and forget this entire thing happened...
I went back to the McDonalds, unlocked the bike lock and proceeded to pedal my way back home. On the way home, I remembered the poem I recited in my head that one time.
Throughout the day, many faces come and go. You get a feeling there's someone you should know. If only they take the first step to me, Maybe our friendship is our destiny!
I sigh as I remembered that the dude I'd meet as I recited that would be a friend of mine. "Gosh darn, lunatics." I mutter to myself. Taking off my pants like that is a stupid prank. I arrived at the entrance and saw that the guard.
"Greetings, Sir Walter!" he greeted me with a smile, "How is day?"
"It's okay, I guess." I replied, "Just got caught in between the act of some crazy people."
"Hmm..." he said as he shook his head. "Back in old country, crazy means fighting big grizzly bear with bare hands. If that is the kind of act that you did, I would be delighted. Knowing this American country, I think otherwise."
"Well, what did you think I did Misha?"
"Well, I think they did humiliating thing to you like putting down your pants."
"Is it really that obvious?"
"Yes. I notice your belt is gone and your face is red. Instantly know that embarrassing thing happened." He said, "I guess you be bed right now. It is 11. Very late."
"Yeah, thanks for the talk Misha."
"'Any time, my friend."
I hit the hay, hoping that I would just forget what had happened. I sigh in relief that I'm in the safety of my own bed, nothing bad should happen to me now that Misha is on guard. Time for me to lay rest.
...
...
Okay, that was fast. I wake up and see that I am in some kind of white void. It sort of reminds me of an empty canvas due to how blank everything is. I then hear the playing of piano... some pretty good piano at that... Wait, I know this song! Suddenly, a whole stage starts to materialize underneath me.
I then started to sing.
"I'm here to show you who I am
My voice didn't sound like my own but I didn't mind! This song is just so good to stop singing.
"For I had believed what I was sold
I hear the approaching of some string instruments to accompany the amazing piano playing.
"I am JUST A POOOONYYYY!
I started tearing up when I said this verse. I don't know why, but it just feels so true to me. I just saw my niece watch this episode and yet I just feel attached to this song.
"And let the magic in my heart stay true
And with that, I ended the song... A shortened version, if you will. I hear some kind of strange applause. If I were to describe, it would sound like a someone is using two wooden blocks to clap. I turned to the source of the 'applause' and say a tall blue horse clapping with her hooves. "Wonderful! That was an amazing performance, Miss Coloratura!"
"Wait a minute? Who and what are you?"
The tall blue horse stood up and introduced herself. "My name is Princess Luna. I am a pony, just like you. I have been tasked to search for missing ponies for 2 years now. You, are one of those ponies, Miss Coloratura."
"Coloratura? Wait, you don't mean--"
"Yes, you, Coloratura!" the tall blue horse cheerfully said, "I mean, you might just be another pony with human memories again."
I then looked at my body and was shocked to see I was in the body of an equine. "Yeah, you're right about the human memories part. Now that I think about it, I heard those other two mention of a tall blue horse that appears in dreams."
"Pony. And who's the 'other two'."
"Some guys I accidentally got involved with, don't mind it too much." I said, shaking my hoof in the air, "Anyways, does that mean I'm turning into a pony?"
"Wait, 'turn into a pony'? I'm afraid that they never really mentioned to me that they were turning into ponies. I guess it never occurred to me that they were transforming. To be fair, I've never seen a human before, but I have heard one of them describe it to me."
"Them? They? Who's they?"
"I'm sure you've met somepony by the name of Neon Lights and Vinyl Scratch, have you not?"
"Oh..." I remember saying the words Neon and Scratch... "I have, but I thought they were merely some lunatics, saying that they were turning into ponies."
"Well, since they never really mentioned that there was a transformation process involved with the dispelling of spells... You know what?"
"What?"
"I'm going to have to put you three together in one dream. Explaining all this to you has become an inconvenience." with that, the horn on Princess Luna's horn started to glow a bright blue. With that, a blinding flash engulfed me. Good thing that my eyes are actually closed because I'm sleeping.
I stand on a piece of ground. Unlike the white void, this looks like an amalgamation of different imaginations. Probably the result of combining other people's dreams together. One side is my dream, the one with a stage, the other one is some kind of Tae Kwon Doe or some Martial Arts dojo, and the other one was just the room of the apartment I was just at.
I heard the clopping of hooves approach me. "Well well well, if it isn't Walter." a white pony with cobalt-blue mane similar to the girl I saw earlier this night said, "I mean, now do you believe us?"
"Yeah, man. You didn't even give us a chance? Well... after removing your pants without consent, I'm pretty sure why you didn't." a pony with a light grey fur and a dark gray mane said to me.
"I guess..." still adjusting to this girly (but amazing) voice that I have. "Transforming into ponies? That's such a weird thought. Beats trying to apply for a job with an arts degree I guess."
Appeared before all of us is the blue pony princess herself. "Welcome all of you. I'm sure that you've all heard of me from my visits so no need for double introductions. Our duty here is to take you home to Equestria."
"Wait, before all this..." Vinyl said, "Why are we going home to Equestria? What happened and why are we the ones being taken home?"
The princess eyed Vinyl and sighed. "It's because of a madpony terrorizing different parts of Equestria by taking away all the talented musicians."
"So what, people can just live without us. I mean, I'm sure anybody can learn how to play instruments." says Neon Lights.
"Well, that is what you think, Sir Lights. Because of the relation of the missing ponies being musicians, the fillies are scared to pick up instruments in fear that they will disappear! Since nopony wants to learn music, the number of musicians will drop. With the madpony sending already existing musicians away to this world with a curse cast upon them, music will sadly cease to exist."
"That's kind of a stupid explanation." I said, "I mean, music, yeah, we all love it. But I don't think it's something that important in your world."
"It must be different in your world then." Princess Luna said, "Music is essential to the lives of everypony. Without it, their lives become colorless, mundane, until eventually the magic of music is gone."
"Oh wow, that's sooome exposition right there, Princess." I said before Princess Luna looked at me with a serious look.
"Okay, I changed my mind. Maybe it's understandable exposition."
Track 7: The Gift of Music
We explained to Princess Luna about our human selves and how it is impossible for us to be the ponies that she was looking for. "It's impossible Princess. I'm just a human named Vick! While it'd be an honor to meet the real Vinyl Scratch for me, I never wanted to BE her." I said to the tall alicorn princess.
The Princess put her hoof to her chin and thought about the current situation. She then looked at me and then to the other two. Her horn started to glow a bright light. "I'm going to check deep within your memories and see if there's anything I can find. This spell may be able to prove my theory, but using this spell may be a bit risky."
"Hey, if it's to find out the truth, I'm willing to sacrifice myself." I said. "I mean, it is just a dream. It's not like it can hurt me really!" I grinned.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, sure! What could possibly go wro--"
What a hard day's night... A Saturday night, mind you.
Oh brother, it was a hard night... I thought to myself as I started to walk through the empty streets of Manehattan. The city that never sleeps, but apparently nobody is on the streets because they're all watching some play on the old abandoned park made by Coco Pommel. Never expected so many ponies would actually appear to the opening of my party house in Manehattan. Good thing the room below me is some abandoned warehouse. More room for more partying.
My ears swiveled as I heard hoofsteps behind me. I quickly turned around, hoping it wasn't some creep trying to get my autograph. I prepared for a punch, but I quickly stopped when it was the familiar grey stallion, holding something behind his back. "Sweet Celestia, Vinyl, you nearly knocked my glasses off!" he chuckled.
"Maybe you should call out my name next time before you start sneaking behind me." I gave a devilish smirked. "Anyways, what do you want Neon?"
"Well, I've been meaning to ask you... I've been thinking about it a lot, really..." I raised an eyebrow... I know this tone from all of the Rom-Coms I've watched with 'Tavy. Neon then revealed what he was holding behind his back, a bouquet of cobalt blue flowers, like my mane. "Would you go out on a date with me?"
What the..? I thought to myself. I shook my head to confirm that what is actually happening is happening right now. "Umm, uhh..?" I stammered nervously, still trying to process everything.
"Yes?" he said, also appearing to be as nervous as me.
My brain clicked an answer, but not the one I was expecting. "Of course I'd go out on a date with you!" I exclaimed. "I mean, as friends, right?" I mentally facehoofed. That was the worst thing you could say to a person who has feelings for you.
"Hehe, yes, of course, why would we have a date that isn't friendly? Heh heh..." his voice deflated a bit. I noticed his ears flopped down. "Yeah... so what date?" he scratched the back of his head with his hoof.
"Uhh, you're the one asking me out on a date, shouldn't you be the one to know?"
"Oh yeah, whoopsie, silly Neon Lights here." Neon facehoofed. "Of course I should be the one..." he muttered in annoyance.
I know my rom-coms well... Being friendzoned and denied a date is the WORST POSSIBLE THING! I needed to restore this. "Don't strain yourself, Lights! Obviously, being both famous music artists, we get a lot of free food! No need for some fancy dinner date to keep us going!" I said as I hugged Neon with one foreleg. "Like, come on! Don't be so formal, if you wanted to hang out with me, all you needed to do was ask!"
"But that's just the thing though!" Neon exclaimed. "I don't want to be 'just a friend with you'!"
"Neon..."
"It's because I've always had a crush on you!" Neon exclaimed, his face filled with a rosy red.
"Neon... Well, ever since I met you, I did kind of had a crush on you too."
"And that is why this feeling I'm having right now is fa-- wait, what?"
"Yeah, Neon. I thought you were probably taken already by some hot and sexy mare already, considering how handsome you are." I complimented, his flush red cheeks become even more red.
"And I thought you were lesbian since you always hung out with Octavia."
"Okay, not cool." I said seriously, then chuckled. "You seriously thought I was lesbian? Come on Neon Lights!"
"Well, that's one of the reasons why I never took any steps, y'know? Except until now, I wanted to just try and have a dinner date with you. I also handpicked out these flowers because I thought you liked the color blue."
"Heh, you're a charmer, you know that?" Neon's face blushed with even more red. "You know what? Maybe we'll have that date you've been asking."
"R-really!?" Neon nervously stuttered.
"Yeah! But I want to choose the place!"
"Anything for you, Vinyl!"
"A pizza parlor? Really?" Neon, looking not very amused.
"What? I'm still the same old Vinyl? Just because I have a coltfriend now, doesn't mean I'll change into some pretty princess mare." I said as I took a bite off the four cheese pizza.
Neon chuckled, "Yeah, I guess you're right... Wait, did you just say coltfriend?!"
"Come on, Neon! We've hung out for many years now! I think it's safe to say that I trust you enough to say that, you tomato!"
"Tomato?!" Neon said as he grabbed a glass full of water and looked at his reflection, seeing his very red face.
"Oh Neon, you're such a--" I was interrupted by a loud camera flash. Somepony found us out!
And thus began the loud screaming of the several fans. The paper finally knew the whole scoop! People have thought Neon and I have been rivals ever since we rose to fame in the music industry, but in actuality we were pretty good friends. We both studied in the same school, before he moved somewhere else. We then met again at a music school in Canterlot, becoming good friends again until I graduated where we got separated again. I pursued my DJ career while Neon pursued his singing career. Who knew that we would meet again in some festival at Ponyville. From then on, we started hanging out more. I always invited Octavia in our hangouts... I mean, it was a 'friends' hangout, right? Maybe that's where he got that assumption that I was lesbian... That moment when I was alone was to test if I really was interested in him...
Wait a minute, where am I?
I woke up with beads of sweat coming off of me. "What the-- Where am I?!" confused as to where I was. I looked up and saw the Princess of the night herself in front of me. "P-princess Luna!" I bowed below her.
"Vick?" I hear a familiar voice said behind me. "You alright?"
"Neon?" I turned to see Neon Lights, "Yeah, I'm alright. Now where are we?"
"Don't you remember? You're in a dream?" he said. "Walter and I are in the same dream with you due to the Princess' dream magic or whatever." he said as he pointed towards Coloratura.
"Walter? Don't you mean Coloratura?"
Coloratura, confused, raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me, what?"
I then turned to Neon. "What happened Neon, I can't remember anything after our date at the pizza parlor."
"The what!?" he then turned to the Princess. "I thought you told him not to tell about that!"
Princess Luna giggled. "Oh, Mister Lights... I didn't tell her anything. Her memories did!"
"Wait, if that were the case then..." Neon put a hoof up his chin. "Doesn't that mean Vick's memories are gone?!" he said in a panic.
"Neon, what is happening?! Who's Vick?"
"You are Vick!" he yelled.
"What? I mean, we are dating and all but that's a stupid pet name to give me!"
He then put both hooves on my shoulders as he looked at me straight in the eye as he exclaimed, "Victor Camperson, listen to me! You're 19 years old, you work at a convenience store, you study engineering and make some beats on FL Studio Pro! You're obsessed with Vinyl Scratch! You were bullied by a jock during your high school days until I came in to save you!"
Wait, what is going on? Another voice spoke up. It sounded like a male voice.
"Guys, do you hear that?" I said. "I hear a voice!"
The three ponies looked at me with a strange look on their faces.
Fuck, I can't control my body!
"Your body? Excuse me? I am Vinyl Scratch! I own this body!"
Oh god!
"I think it's time for you to end the dream, this has gotten way too out of hand!" said Neon.
Princess Luna just nodded in agreement as her horn glowed.
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Track 8: Ms. Blue Mane, please don't Complain
I rose quickly, still shocked from what had happened in the dream. I tried to wipe away the sweat on my forehead with my hoof, but I was greeted with five weird appendages. What in Celestia's name is this?! I looked at my surroundings. It appears that I have been sleeping on a sofa in somepony's living room.
Those are hands, my friend. I heard someone say. I gave out a tiny yelp as I looked around me. Nopony was around.
"Where are you, and who are you?" I said nervously. "And another question... what am I?"
Well I, in your case, you are a human.
"A he yoo man?" I said to the disembodied voice. "I guess Lyra wasn't too crazy after all." I got up off the sofa, and started to stand up... on all fours.
What are you doing?
"Checking if there's food around here. Why? Got a problem?" I then made my way towards the room's kitchen.
Wait, you're not supposed to walk like that?
"Oh can't I?" I challenged the voice. "Look at me, I'm walking perfectly fine, man!" I walked up to the fridge. I saw that the handle was up very high. I tried reaching a hoof, or should I say, hands, to it but it was out of reach. "Nice design, you 'he yoo mans'. You can't even reach the handle of your own fridge!"
The voice audibly sighed. Vinyl, I can't believe I'm saying this to you, but you're kind of stubborn.
"You're gosh dang right!" I said as I continued to reach the fridge's opening handle.
You know, this would be easier if you could just stand using two legs. the voice said to me.
"Oh sure, like you know anything, uhh...?"
"Vick."
"Vick. I can handle this on my own." I said as I kept reaching for the handle. I then heard hoofsteps behind me. I prepared for a punch, and turned around to see a creature the same as me, but looked oddly familiar. "Neon!" I said as I hugged his legs.
"Uhh, Vick?" he said, looking at me. "Why are you on the floor?"
"Well, why aren't you on the floor?"
"Why should I be?"
"We're ponies!" I exclaimed. "Doesn't standing like that feel uncomfortable for you?"
"Vick, I feel like the spell that Princess Luna cast on you was a risk you shouldn't have taken."
Oh, if you could only hear me right now, Kent.
"Well, you're standing. I'm not. Can you at least get me something to eat?"
"If you're looking for food, you ain't going to find any in the fridge. It's nothing but Pepsi brand soda."
"Eh, soda's good too. I can't reach the fridge though." I said as I make another attempt at reaching the handle.
The disembodied voice of Vick just facehoofed.
"Hold on a second." Neon grabbed both of my arms and raised me up on my two hind legs. I blushed for a second. Neon held me. "There you go, you're standing. Now you can reach both the freezer and the fridge now."
I looked at him and slapped him.
What the fuuuuuck?!
"Just because you remind me of Neon Lights doesn't mean you are him!" I said, pouting as I felt my cheeks flush a bit red.
The he yoo man Neon Lights chuckled a bit. "That's the hardest I've ever felt a slap from you, Vick!" he said. "The Princess did mention there was a risk involved with that spell. If you're out there Vick..." he looked at me close in the eyes. "Please don't let Vinyl go on a date with me."
"You're darn right I'm not!"
Of course I fucking won't. I can see whatever she sees! I don't want to be forced to have 'sexy time with my best friend' while being unable to move, god fuck!
"You got that right Vick." I replied to the voice in my head.
Wake up, do the basic morning routine which is eat breakfast, shower, and leave for McDonalds. Until I can raise enough money to get a job I actually like...
What was my dream about again? Oh yes. Tall blue horses and other horses. What a tiring night, despite the fact all I've done was sleep. I looked at the digital clock placed beside me, and I was shocked to see that the time was 9:40 am. My usual work hours was from 10 am to 6 pm. Yesterday was an exception, where I wanted to work overtime just to get some extra pocket money after I paid this month's rent. However, if I get late, I might not have a job to get money at all!
Knowing the dangers of not going to work today, I quickly wore my clothes, I wore my spray, got my hat, and prepared to go outside. Misha eyed me carefully once I made my way out of the door. I waved at him and went on my way.
One, two, watch the queue. Three, four, give them more. Five, six, in a few ticks. Seven, eight, I shouldn't be late. Nine, ten, be a McDonald's man
I quietly hummed to myself as I biked my way to my McDonalds place. I parked my bicycle at the usual spot; at the back of the McDonalds. I arrived through the back door and I got my card and punched it in the machine.
"Heya there, Waltz!" said my cheerful co-worker as she patted me on the shoulder. "You're nearly late! You're in charge of the cashier again."
I smiled, experiencing the familiar daily routine. Maybe turning into a cartoon pony was just a joke that got to me, even through my dreams. I sighed in relief as everything seemed to be normal. "Whew, well that was a relief." I muttered to myself as I walked towards the cashier.
"Hello sir!" I cheerfully said to the person in front of me, "May I take your order?"
"I'd like a Egg McMuffin, 2pc Pancakes, and some orange juice."
"Alright." I replied as I turned back to the other workers and repeated the order to them. My fellow workers raised their eyebrows at me, some even looking confused at me. They shrugged and went back to work, forming the order of the Egg McMuffin, the flapjacks, and some OJ. "Here you go sir!"
"Thanks ma'am."
"You're welcome!" I smiled as I replied to the--, wait a minute. 'Ma'am'?
