Major and Minorby Lady FroeyChaptersChapter 3 - Unexpected EventsChapter 4 - The City of RoyaltyChapter 5 - TruthChapter 6 - Mare's Night OutChapter 7 - DeclineChapter 8 - A Day to CelebrateChapter 9 - What's LeftChapter 10 - The End, and a New BeginningChapter 1 - BeginningsChapter 2 - SummertimeChapter 3 - Unexpected Events“Mom, they are coming. Just hold on.” Vinyl kneeled on the floor beside her mother, Claret was still twitching on the floor, but she began to calm down slowly. Outside, Vinyl could hear an approaching siren in the distance. Soon, Vinyl saw a stallion pulling a blinking carriage stop in front of the house. The doors at the rear of the carriage burst open and a mare leapt out with a stretcher laden with equipment. The stallion unharnessed himself and followed her to Vinyl’s front door, knocking sharply. “Ponyville emergency services; we got a call from this address! Is anyone home?” the stallion called from outside. “Door’s open! Hurry, my mom needs help!” The two opened the door and quickly went to Vinyl where they saw Claret trembling on the ground. “Please back away. We need some space to see what’s wrong.” Vinyl nodded and moved over to the side. The mare grabbed a small pillow and placed it underneath Claret’s head, then knelt behind her and placed her hooves on Claret’s shoulder and midsection to make sure she remained still. The stallion grabbed a bag from the stretcher and began withdrawing equipment. “What’s your name, kid?” the stallion asked, holding an oxygen mask in his hooves preparing it. “Vinyl.” “Well Vinyl, I’m Crush and this is my assistant Tender. What happened before we got here?” “I got home about ten minutes ago and I found my mom twitching on the ground, she’s calmed down a bit after I called but it’s hard for her to talk and she doesn’t want to get up.” “How long has she been like this?” “About a minute or so after I got here. I don’t know how long before that.” “All right,” Crush nodded, he placed a mask over Claret’s muzzle to give her oxygen. “Is she going to be all right?” Vinyl fidgeted her hooves. “She’ll be okay. You did the right thing by calling us immediately. Does your mother have any medical history? Take medications?” “She’s been having bad headaches ever since I was a foal. She has these pills she takes for them. That’s it, I think.” “Do you know what she takes?” “Um, no.” “If you know where it is, can you give it to my assistant? We don’t want to administer anything if it might have bad side effects with her medication.” “R-right.” Vinyl dashed over to the kitchen counter and grabbed an orange container filled with pills, she passed them to Tender while she inspected the label. “Relaxin. It’s used to mitigate migraines,” Tender said, placing the bottle next to her. Claret then opened her eyes, breathing heavily into the oxygen mask. “Ma’am, can you hear us?” Crush said, directing his attention to Claret. “Y-yes.” “Can you tell me your name?” “Claret... Rondeau.” “All right Ms. Rondeau, how are you feeling?” “I’m… dizzy. My head hurts and everything is a bit blurry.” “Okay, from what we’ve seen and heard from your daughter, you may have just had a seizure. Have you had one before?” “No,” Claret said faintly. “Okay, we are going to need to admit you to Ponyville Hospital for the doctors to examine you.” “Vinyl, are you okay?” Claret said, moving her eyes around the room to find her daughter. “I’m here mom.” Vinyl said, standing behind her. “Are you okay?” “Yeah, just a bit shaken.” “Tender, let’s prep her for transport.” Crush said, lowering the stretcher next to them. “What about me?” Vinyl said, still standing to the side. “Do you have anyone else here to take care of you?” “No.” “You can ride with us as long you stay out of the way. Once we arrive though you will have to remain in the waiting room at the front entrance while your mother is being admitted. Do you understand?” Vinyl nodded. “All right Tender, ready?” “Ready.” Tender said. “Okay. One, two, three!” They both lifted Claret up onto the stretcher and wheeled her outside, Vinyl followed behind closing and locking the door to the home. Tender gently placed the stretcher into the back of the ambulance and climbed aboard while Crush went to hitch himself back onto the carriage. Vinyl stepped on and sat to the side, while tender began setting up an IV bag and checking Claret’s oxygen. “All set back there?” Crush yelled out front. “Ready to roll.” Tender said closing the back doors to the chariot as they immediately took off. Vinyl remained by her mother’s side during the ride, placing her hoof on top of her mother’s. She smiled at Vinyl. “Vinyl, it’s going to be okay.” “I know, I was just… scared. Scared something really bad was going to happen.” Claret nodded her head, “We’ll get through this.” “Yeah.” After a short trip, the carriage stopped at a side entrance to the hospital. Tender opened the back doors to the carriage and pulled the stretcher out, Vinyl hopped out while Crush came around and assisted with moving Claret to the large doors that lead to the ER. Claret was facing behind as they pushed her forward, Vinyl began following them until Crush stopped and placed his hoof on Vinyl. “Sorry kid, this is as far as you can go. You’ll have to go to the waiting room while we admit and examine your mother.” “Mom?” Vinyl said, looking at her mother. “Listen to the staff, dear. They need their space when working.” “But—” “Vinyl… please.” Vinyl knew she wouldn’t be able to argue with her mother and only nodded. “Be sure to stay out of trouble, okay?” She waved at Vinyl with a smile before going through the doors, “I love you.” Vinyl raised her hoof to wave, but Claret was already through the doors by the time she did. Looking away from the door, she walked from the hospital's side entrance to the front. The waiting room was well lit and filled with a few ponies sitting around, probably going through similar situations to hers. She first decided to sit down and collect herself for a moment. What in Tartarus just happened? Her mother did have headaches from time to time, but they only lead to minor pain and nothing like this before. She tilted her head back and stared at the ceiling, sighing. “I gotta tell Derpy.” Vinyl got up and approached the front desk. “Um, excuse me.” “Hmm?” A mare said, focusing her attention on Vinyl. “Is there something I can help you with?” “Do you have a phone I can use?” “Just take the hall down there,” she pointed to her left. “There’s a vending area past the restrooms. Should be a payphone in the corner.” “Thanks.” Vinyl nodded and began walking down the hall. It was dark and barren compared to the waiting room. Vinyl passed the bathrooms and saw a payphone tucked away in the corner. Taking a bit out of her pocket, she placed it in the payphone’s coin slot and punched in Derpy’s number. The phone rang several times. How was she even going to bring this up? “Hello, Derpy speaking. Who is this?” “It’s Vinyl.” “Oh hey, Vinyl. Sorry about earlier, but I am close to wrapping up my project. I was just about to call and ask if it would be okay for me to come over after all.” Vinyl cringed. She wished today were that simple. “…Derpy.” “What?” “It’s mom,” Vinyl paused. “I went out for a few minutes this afternoon and when I got back I found her on the ground.” The image of Claret twitching and muttering Vinyl’s name from earlier formed in the back of her mind, “I- I had to call an ambulance.” “Goddesses…” Derpy said over Vinyl. “Is she okay?” Vinyl remained there still not able to get the image out of her head, she began to cry while Derpy brought her back into reality. “Vinyl!” “S-she’s fine now; she gained conscious a few minutes later when the ambulance arrived. She’s being admitted to the hospital now.” Vinyl placed her back up against the wall and began falling down onto her haunches. “Derpy, I don’t—“ Vinyl stopped, taking a deep breath. “I don’t know what’s going on!” “Vinyl, calm down. Where are you?” “Ponyville Hospital. I’m stuck in the waiting room while they examine her.” “I’ll be there in a few minutes.” “...Thanks.” Vinyl hung up the phone and remained on the ground, she tried to control herself but ended up bursting into tears, crying by herself. Derpy walked through the entrance door to the waiting room, scoping out the area. She couldn’t find Vinyl and walked up to the front desk. “Excuse me? Miss?” Derpy asked, tapping on the desk to get the mare’s attention.. “Ah!” The mare jumped in her seat and looked down at Derpy, smiling broadly. “Hello there, young lady. Are you all right? Do you need assistance getting around the hospital?” Derpy realized the mare was making unusually good eye contact. “Um… I’m fine. I was wondering if you saw a young mare here earlier; she is a bit shorter than me. Blue mane? She called me earlier and I wanted to check up on her.” “Oh,” The mare at the front desk was a bit embarrassed. “Um, yes. She asked me where the phone was and I showed her down that hall there. She may still be in there.” “Thanks.” Derpy walked off. “I’m sorry about the... you know.” “You aren’t the only one.” She groaned. Walking down the hall, she passed the bathrooms and soon saw the vending area. She heard someone crying inside and peered her head in to find Vinyl sulking in the corner. “Vinyl?” Vinyl sniffled. “Hey.” “Are you all right?” Vinyl lifted her head and looked straight at Derpy. “No.” Derpy kneeled down the ground in front of Vinyl and pulled her into a hug. “How about now?” Vinyl remained still for a moment, if anything a bit surprised. But she then wrapped her forelegs tight around Derpy and buried her head in her shoulder. “I-I can’t unsee it Derpy. Her on the floor, trying to call my name. It was horrible.” Vinyl cried into Derpy’s shoulder while she patted her on her back. “Vinyl, we should go into the waiting room so we know when they call for us.” “Just a few more minutes.” “All right.” After a while, Derpy managed to get Vinyl to calm down and they returned to the waiting room. They sat down next to each other and Vinyl rested her head on Derpy’s shoulder. It was nice, but the fixed armrest digging into her side eventually forced her to change position. She checked her watch. It had been five minutes. “Say, Derpy?” “Yeah?” “How long does it take to scan a brain?” “I don’t know. Probably a long time.” Vinyl groaned and looked around the waiting room. Derpy sifted through the magazines covering the table in front of them, eventually opening one on mares' fashion. Vinyl took a look as well and sighed. "Golf, golf, home decor, golf, gardening... how can you read any of this?" “What else is there to do to pass the time?” “I dunno; anything's better than that.” The conversation died again, so Vinyl watched as a mother and son's number was called. The colt's hoof was stuck in a teapot. “So... really, what else is there to do?” she whispered to Derpy. “Well, if you don't want to read... I dunno. Count the ceiling tiles or something.” Vinyl muttered to herself for a few seconds. “Seven-hundred and ninety-two.” “That was fast.” “Yeah, I counted the sides and multiplied.” “Cheater.” The nurse came back into the waiting room. “Claret Rondeau? Family of Claret Rondeau?” Vinyl’s ears perked up and she rose from her seat, raising her hoof. “That’s me. I’m her daughter.” “I am a family friend.” Derpy said behind Vinyl. “Follow me.” The three stepped into the elevator and went up to the third floor. They exited and walked through a series of endlessly-turning halls until they came to the neurology ward. The nurse buzzed them through the double doors. “Your mother’s in room 315” she said. They kept walking down a hallway until Vinyl spotted the room number. The mare opened the door, “Go ahead, she’s waiting.” Vinyl walked inside with Derpy following closely behind her. Claret was resting on a reclining hospital bed, propped up in a seated position. An IV ran to one of her forelegs. “Hi dear,” Claret smiled. “Mom…” Vinyl said, quickly running to her bed and giving her a hug. “A-are you okay? Is it anything serious?” “They have to examine the scans and test results dear, but I can tell you I feel fine.” “That’s good to hear.” Vinyl smiled, Claret looked over at Derpy standing at the other side of her bed. “Derpy, it’s good to see you.” Claret said. “Well, I had to check on my best friend, and I was worried with what happened Ms. Rondeau.” Derpy replied. “Well, I’m fine.” Claret said, her smile then went away. “Though…” “Though?” Vinyl said. “They said they may have to keep me here for a night. Or two,” she added reluctantly. “Two nights!?” “Vinyl, calm down. They need to make sure it’s nothing serious, unfortunately there isn’t any space for you to stay here and I can’t send you home by yourself.” “Where am I going to go, then?” “I was thinking of giving Rarity a call, you haven’t seen her in a while.” “Rarity?” Derpy said, a bit puzzled. “She owns a large boutique in town, my mom and I are friends with her. She makes a new dress for her tours each year.” Vinyl said. “Oh, cool.” “Is it okay if Derpy spends the night with me, mom?” Claret looked at Vinyl a bit confused, but then knew Vinyl probably wanted someone to talk to after today. “I can let her know your best friend is coming over, I’ll call her now.” Claret attempted to reach over for the phone, but was unable to. “Vinyl, can you get the phone for me and dial her number? The doctor told me I shouldn’t strain myself which includes using magic.” “Sure.” Vinyl quickly picked up the phone with her magic and passed it to her mother, then dialed the number. “Thanks, dear.” Claret said, holding the phone in both of her hooves while she waited for Rarity to pick up. “Hello, Rarity; it’s Claret... No, no, I am not looking to make an order yet. I actually need you to do me a favor.” “Well, long story short, I am in the hospital right now... No no! I am okay, I just need someone to house Vinyl and her friend for a night or two.” “You can? Thank you, Rarity. I will be sure to return the favor sometime. They’ll come over later this evening. Thank you again; goodbye.” Claret passed the phone to Vinyl so she could finish hanging up the call. “Still chatty as ever. She said she would be able to keep you over as long as we need, though, Vinyl.” Vinyl and Derpy remained in Claret’s room for the rest of the afternoon to the early evening, Claret had her first hospital meal while Vinyl and Derpy had what was offered by the vending machines. “I think it’s time for me to get some rest.” “Right now?” “It’s been a long day, dear.” “Yeah…” Vinyl sighed. “Derpy, I’m going to need you to look after Vinyl in my absence. Can you do that for me?” “I’ll do my best, ma'am!” She smiled and saluted. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Vinyl.” “See you tomorrow, mom.” Vinyl waved while both her and Derpy left the room. They walked through the confusing halls until they reached the elevator and began going down once the doors closed. “You think she’s all right?” Vinyl said to Derpy. “She looks healthy to me. Are you still concerned?” “Just, the two nights thing.” “Hospitals, or anyone for that matter, don’t want to rush and make mistakes. It’s best to take our time.” “Right.” The doors opened and they made their way back through the winding halls to the waiting room. It was a bit emptier than before, but some ponies were still sitting around. The hospital seemed to never have break. Walking through the entrance doors it was the evening, the full moon lit up Ponyville while Derpy and Vinyl walked through the business district of town. Most of the businesses were closed for the evening, with the convenience stores and local bar being the few businesses open. “So, this Rarity, is she a friend of yours?” “More with mom, but yeah. You can call us friends, I just never have much to chat with her. She always raves about dresses, fashion, stuff like that. It can get very tedious.” “I see…” Vinyl and Derpy came upon a castle-like building. The windows on the bottom floor were pitch black while the second and third floor lights were fully lit. Vinyl pressed the doorbell and footsteps were heard inside until the door was opened by a unicorn past her mid 20’s with a white coat and highly stylized purple mane. “Vinyl!” She said, hugging Vinyl lightly and soon letting go. “It’s good to see you! I’m sorry to hear about your mother, I hope she gets better soon.” “Hi, Rarity.” Vinyl said, not adding much to the conversation. “And who is this?” Rarity said, looking at Derpy. “My name’s Derpy.” “Well, come in. It’s very late.” The two walked in and Rarity closed the door behind them, locking it with a flicker of her horn as she trotted ahead to show them the way. “Now then, this was fairly short notice, so I’m afraid I’ll have to work on some projects late tonight; you know how deadlines are. Well, perhaps you don’t. However,” she said with renewed energy, “I managed to prepare the guest studio on the third level floor for the two of you. Is there anything the two of you need before I return to my work?” “Not really. I’m exhausted from everything tonight, and Derpy has to get up early for school.” “Don’t you have to go as well?” Rarity said turning her head. “Yes, but… I’d really rather spend my time with mom at the hospital. Whatever I miss in school, I can make up.” “Hmm. Well, all right. But if your mother should ask, I told you to go to school. Okay?” “No prob.” “Well, I need to get back to work. You know where most of everything is Vinyl so if your friend needs to know where everything is I am sure you can guide her there.” Rarity waved to the two while she walked up the stairs. “Good night you two.” “Night Rarity.” Vinyl said. “Night,” Derpy yawned. “Ms. Rarity.” Vinyl walked over to the kitchen while Derpy stood at the entrance between the two rooms. “So she both runs a business and lives here?” “Yeah, she decided to go straight into business rather than college. Don’t know how she pulled it off, but she’s been in business ever since then.” “That’s quite an achievement.” “Yeah, I hope to do the same with music sometime.” Vinyl walked over to the fridge and pulled it open, looking for something to drink. “You are not going to college after school?” “Never planned on it. Mom was a bit concerned, but everybody already knows what my talent is. And since I’ve got her to practice with, there’s no need to go to a conservatory or anything like that. What about you?” “I heard there was a community college in town, and the adoption house said they would help with my tuition and books if I get good grades all throughout school. It’s why I’m always working hard on my schoolwork.” “I just kinda figured you were some kinda nerd, y’know?” Vinyl said, sticking out her tongue. “Like you liked it.” Vinyl grabbed two bottles of water out of the fridge, tossing one high in the air to Derpy. It struck her hoof and bounced to the floor. Vinyl sighed. “I guess you’re right.” Derpy sheepishly smiled, picking up her water bottle. “But honestly, no one actually likes homework.” Vinyl nodded, “Let’s go upstairs. I know you are tired and I could use some rest too.” Walking up the stairs past the second floor where the sound of Rarity’s sewing machine could be heard, Vinyl reached a small landing with a door. She opened it to reveal a full suite complete with a small living area, bathroom, and a large single bed. “Wow, this place looks amazing.” Derpy said, wide eyed looking at the well furnished room. “Rarity has always had very… posh tastes. I guess that’s the right word. I think she wants to share that with guests as well.” Vinyl walked over to the bed. “So, who's getting the bed?” “What? Vinyl that bed is big enough for the two of us.” “Uhhh…” Vinyl immediately turned red. “You don’t mind sleeping with me?” Derpy placed her hoof over her mouth to keep herself from laughing loudly. “You don’t have to say it like that. It’s just a sleepover, Vinyl. It’s not as if this will be my first time having to double up.” “Right, sleepover.” Vinyl shrugged. “I guess it just seems weird thinking about it because I’m, you know.” “I don’t think so. Hey, I promise I won’t make it weird if you don’t. Deal?” “Deal,” Vinyl said with a laugh. “Well, It’s past my bedtime and I need to get some rest.” Derpy went over to one side of the bed and pulled the covers back. She hopped in and tugged them up over herself. “Goodnight, Vinyl.” “Night, Derpy.” Vinyl glanced over at the bathroom and thought about taking a nice bath or shower, but decided it would be best to get some sleep as well. She went over to the opposite side of the bed and took off her glasses, placing them on the bedside table. She then tucked herself into bed and lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. Though she was tired, she couldn’t stop thinking about everything that had happened. The image of her mother laying on the ground, muttering Vinyl’s name wouldn’t leave her mind. The EMTs rushing into their home, Vinyl breaking down in front of Derpy, all while her mother still had that same smile of hers. Vinyl teared up, her breath catching in her throat. She did her best to wipe the tears away as they came, silently swearing that she wasn’t going to break down again. The tears just leaked out around her hooves and she whined through her pursed lips. “Vinyl, you all right?” Derpy mumbled, rolling over and squinting at her. Vinyl threw her hooves around her and howled. “AHH! Vinyl!” “I’m sorry! I just can’t! I can’t get it out of my head... I close my eyes and I just see her there.” “When she was on the ground?” “Mhm.” Vinyl sniffled, nodding. “We saw her this afternoon, Vinyl. She told us she’s fine.” “But is she really?” “...I don’t know.” Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping with this chapter. Chapter 4 - The City of RoyaltyVinyl groaned and turned over in bed when sunlight from the open window hit her eyes. Rubbing them, she sat up and noticed that someone had opened the curtains. More importantly, she was the only one in the room; Derpy’s side of the bed was empty and all Vinyl could hear were the chirps and hums of insects outside. She slid out of bed. The floor felt cold under her hooves and a hot shower suddenly seemed like a great idea, but her stomach grumbled aggressively; Snacks from the hospital vending machine couldn’t exactly keep her stomach full overnight. Opening the door to the hallway, Vinyl slowly made her way down the stairs where she could hear idle conversation coming from the kitchen. Walking inside, she saw Derpy sitting at the kitchen table, all ready for school and enjoying a thick stack of pancakes with a pat of butter placed squarely at the top. Rarity was poised over the stove, eyeing a pan full of sizzling circles of batter. “Morning, sleepyhead,” Derpy called with a wave, then returned to her pancakes. Rarity’s ear perked up at the mention of the name and she turned around to see Vinyl. “Oh, good morning, Vinyl! I trust you had a pleasant rest?” “More or less.” Vinyl scratched at her shaggy mane, roughly patting it into place, and sat at the kitchen table. “Ms. Rarity is making pancakes,” Derpy said taking another bite. “These are the best!” “Thank you, darling.” Rarity nodded. “Would you like some, Vinyl?” “Yeah, that would be great,” Vinyl mumbled, getting up again to get some coffee from the pot and collapsing back into her chair. “Are you doing any better?” Derpy asked. Vinyl took a sip before answering. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bit exhausted from yesterday. I don’t imagine today being any easier,” she added with a shake of her head. “Just hope for the best. You never know; maybe she will get out today.” Vinyl took another slow sip of coffee. “Hopefully.” “A stack of our finest cakes for today’s special guest!” Rarity said, placing a plate of heart shaped pancakes in front of Vinyl. Vinyl was a bit surprised by the presentation and couldn’t keep herself from smiling. “Thanks, Rarity. Maybe mom and I should come over in the future for your cooking.” “And here I thought you were visiting me because you enjoyed my company.” Rarity pouted, then winked and chuckled a bit. “That would be delightful.” She sat down at the table with her own plate, when Derpy looked at the clock on the wall and immediately got up. “Sorry, I have to head for school or I’ll be late. It was a pleasure, Ms. Rarity! Call me later, Vinyl!” Derpy grabbed her bag she sat next to the table and ran out the front door. Vinyl began digging into her pancakes. “Your friend is one of the kindest mares I’ve met. She told me how you two originally met. That was certainly,” Rarity paused to search for the perfect word, “surprising.” “Yeah, that was fun. Minus getting beaten up.” “…Vinyl,” Rarity said, the usual pleasantry gone from her tone. “What?” “You should be more careful in the future. You’re the only thing your mother has.” “I know.” She sighed, dropping her knife and fork onto her finished plate of pancakes. “So, your mother. Is she going to be okay? I didn’t want to ask last night.” “She told me she was fine.” Vinyl got up from her chair. “I’m going to get ready.” Hair damp from her shower, Vinyl grabbed her saddlebags and walked back downstairs where Rarity was beginning to open up her shop. “Thanks, by the way,” Vinyl scratched the back of her head. “For housing Derpy and me.” Vinyl said. “No problem at all, dear. Tell your mother I said hi and for her to get well soon, okay?” “Will do. Later, Rarity.” Vinyl opened the front door and left the boutique. Outside, the summer heat hit Vinyl and she yawned, walking back to the hospital. Arriving at the front entrance, Vinyl went in and immediately went over to the hall where the elevators were and rode up. Navigating the complex halls had become fairly easy by the third time around, and soon she came upon her mother’s room. “Vinyl?” Claret said, looking at the clock on the wall. “It’s not even the afternoon yet.” “I wouldn’t be able to focus at school, not with what’s going on and all.” “Vinyl, you can’t skip school and—” Claret struggled to find something to say, but she took a deep breath and sighed instead. “It’s fine. However, let’s just not make this a frequent thing. Okay?” “I’ll try.” “Vinyl,” Claret said sternly. “I mean ‘yes, Mom.’” “Good.” She smiled. “I have good news and bad news, Vinyl.” “…Bad news?” “Just sit down.” Claret waved Vinyl over to the chair beside her bed and she sat. “The good news is that they are going to discharge me this afternoon; they are just looking over some last things before I can go.” She then sighed. “The bad news is that I am being asked to make an appointment at Canterlot Medical Center.” “What for?” “For some deeper examinations to make sure I am fully all right.” “Mom…” Vinyl paused, “Is everything going to be okay?” “Everything’s going to be fine, Vinyl. We just need to go to Canterlot for some more detailed check-ups.” Claret said, trying to smooth a troublesome lock of hair. “Why can’t they just do that here!?” Vinyl yelled, but caught herself, surprised by her own intensity. Claret jumped a bit at her tone and shot her daughter a quieting stare. “Vinyl, calm down. Please.” “I’m sorry.” Vinyl placed her hooves over her face. “I’m just concerned, you know? What if it’s something really bad?” “They have better doctors and equipment in Canterlot than here; in fact, they’re the best in Equestria. If they find something, I’ll already be in the perfect place to get it taken care of.” “I— I guess.” “Come here.” She opened her forelegs. Vinyl got out of her seat and was wrapped up in her mother’s hug. “No matter what happens, things will turn out fine in the end.” She petted her daughter’s mane. “Okay?” “Okay, mom.” Vinyl didn’t move at all while her mother petted her mane. Even though she was a teenager, there were some simple things she would never outgrow. “I’m feeling better, by the way. Whatever the doctors gave me, some rest, and a meal have helped significantly.” “That’s good to hear.” “Vinyl, yesterday… Did you want to talk about it with me? What happened?” “I don’t want to, but… that was the scariest thing I’ve been through, mom. I thought something really bad was going to happen to you. For the past few nights, whenever I’d close my eyes I couldn’t escape from it and it’s been bothering me.” “Well, it’s all over, and they’re just bad memories now. I’m here with you, dear.” “Forever and always, mom?” “Forever and always.” A day had passed; Vinyl and Claret were boarded on the early morning train to Canterlot. The two sat next to each other in a business class car, which included its luxury amenities. “I never asked, Vinyl, how was the stay at Rarity’s?” “It was good. She gave Derpy and me our own room and made us breakfast the next morning. She said she liked meeting Derpy, too.” “That’s good; I’ll be sure to write a letter thanking her.” “I also said we’d visit more often; I figured you wouldn’t mind.” “Not at all; actually, it’s something I mean to do a lot more often than I actually do. It’s just a shame it took a seizure to get us to spend more time together.” Claret withdrew her saddlebag, pulling out some stationary and a pen. She placed the pen in her mouth and began writing. “Mom, how much longer are you supposed to not use your magic?” Claret delicately spat the pen back into her bag. “Whenever the doctors say I can. I will say, I haven’t written like this in a long while. Makes you realize how much we rely on our magic for daily tasks.” “I guess, but what about playing the piano? Aren’t you supposed to go on a tour this summer?” “I made sure to call the record company during my stay in the hospital. They said that I should take my time and not put more strain on myself.” “All right.” “If worse comes to worst, I’ll just have to cancel my summer tour until I am feeling better.” “That’s kind of disappointing. I know it’s business for you, but going around Equestria with you has become something I look forward to each summer.” Vinyl sighed. “I didn’t say we couldn’t still take a trip, Vinyl. Even if I can’t play, we could still visit a place like Manehattan if you want.” “Yeah. That would be pretty cool.” Vinyl smiled. “Also, since we are going to Canterlot, I want you to have this.” Claret withdrew an envelope from her bag and passed it to Vinyl. “What is—“ Vinyl opened the letter to find three one-hundred bit bills. “Damn, Mom. What’s this for?” “It should be enough to last you today and tomorrow during our time in Canterlot. As hard as it is for me to believe sometimes, you are almost an adult. I trust you can take care of yourself while you are there. It’s better than staying held up in a hospital.” “I get that, but this still seems like a lot. This isn’t a test, right?” Claret laughed. “No, dear; it’s Canterlot. Everything there is more expensive than it is in Ponyville.” “Well, thank you.” “You’re welcome, just don’t spend it all in one place.” She smiled. “I’ll try not to.” The train arrived in Canterlot just before noon. Vinyl and Claret were two of the first to get off, carrying only their saddlebags. Walking out of the train, Vinyl looked at the great structures around them. Canterlot was as well known for its royalty as for its ostentatious architecture. “Stick close to me, Vinyl. We need to check in to the hotel first.” Claret begun walking towards the exit to the station. Vinyl nodded and followed behind her mother. They remained quiet while they dashed to the hotel, which towered over them as they approached. A well-dressed stallion opened the door, welcoming the two and they checked in at the front counter. His smile wavered and he eyed Claret’s horn as she grabbed a pen and signed in with her mouth. Her signature was shaky from years of disuse and she smiled awkwardly at Vinyl. They soon went up to their room and dropped their bags off. “Well, I need to head to the hospital.” Claret said, wiping the sweat off her forehead. “You look pretty tired. Are you sure you don’t wanna sit down for a minute before you go?” “I can’t delay my appointment, Vinyl.” “Well, can I walk with you there then, at least?” “You aren’t going to stick with me at the hospital the entire time are you?” “No, I’ll have more than enough time to go around Canterlot by myself. I’d just… like to be with you for a few more minutes.” “All right.” Claret smiled. Leaving the hotel, Claret again led the way while Vinyl followed behind. Along the walk to the hospital, Vinyl examined all of the buildings they passed including boutiques, restaurants, cafes, and various specialty shops. “You know, Vinyl, I used to live here before you were born.” “Here?” Vinyl asked, pointing to the tall building next to them. Claret shook her head. “I just meant Canterlot. The apartment itself is on the other side of the city. It’s not much to look at, anyway. Just a cramped studio apartment. There isn’t much for kids to do here in general compared to Ponyville. It’s more or less a place for adults.” “You met dad here before you moved, didn’t you?” Claret tensed. “Yes.” “That’s it?” “Hm?” Claret blinked, confused by the question. “I keep trying not to press the subject too much, but seriously. I ask about my dad and all you have to say is one word?” “It’s one more word than he deserves, leaving the way he did. You were so little, Vinyl, and I was left all alone to take care of you.” “Just like that?” “He said ‘goodbye’ if that’s what you mean, and I was given an amount of money equivalent to his share of the bills for a ‘reasonable’ length of time. It still feels the same.” “I know, but like you said, I’m nearly an adult, and I still don’t even know his name, what he does— nothing.” “We moved on, Vinyl. We loved each other once, but settling down in a small town wasn’t part of his plans. Neither was having you, and that wasn’t something that we could just agree to disagree on.” “Asshole.” Vinyl muttered under her breath. “Let’s not talk about him, there is a reason I don’t bring him up often.” “Yeah,” Vinyl sighed. “Sorry.” Vinyl searched for something else to talk about, but nothing would come so they kept silent for the rest of their walk to the hospital. More like a campus than a single building, the large facility was comprised of multiple buildings for individual wards and tall towers to house patients all joined by a central garden. The two stopped at the large entrance with a plaque that read ‘Admissions.’ Claret took a deep breath. “Well, we’re here. I guess this is where we separate. Be sure to behave while you are out by yourself, okay? I will meet you back at the hotel later this afternoon.” “All right, mom.” “I love you, sweetie,” She smiled. “Love you, too.” Claret pulled Vinyl into a quick hug, then let go and walked inside through the front door of the hospital while Vinyl waved. She didn’t like having her mother go by herself, but at the same time she knew she would just get in the way of the doctors. Turning around, Vinyl pulled out her wallet, looking at the three one-hundred bit bills. “I'm in Canterlot and I have three hundred bits, where do I start?” Vinyl kept patting the pocket with her wallet inside as she walked down the business district, looking through the windows of shops displaying luxurious clothing and other various expensive items. None of it really grabbed Vinyl’s interest, but then she stopped at an empty shop and saw her reflection in the glass. She didn’t mind her look most days, wearing her thick glasses and a jacket; her mane however was nothing but a mess and looked bland with it’s plain blue. She then noticed a shop across from the closed one titled ‘Studio Heart.’ Vinyl patted her mane. “Wouldn’t hurt to get a different style.” She walked inside the shop and was greeted by a unicorn standing over her. “Hello young lady, are you looking for someone?” she said, with a practiced smile. “Uhh… I’m sixteen, and no.” “Oh, haha. My apologies. You look younger than others your age.” “Uh-huh,” Vinyl said. “Well, are you interested in anything today?” “I want something… special. For my mane and tail. I don’t know what, though.” “Maybe I can help you.” The mare stepped away from the counter and pointed to a table containing a stack of fashion magazines. “Perhaps you can find something in here to give you some ideas? Just give me a shout if you see anything that piques your interest. My name is Diamond Mint, by the way.” "Thanks Diamond." Vinyl picked up several of the magazines and sat at a chair, browsing through a few pages. One magazine had elegant styles that didn’t interest her at all, so she tossed it back onto the table. She leafed through another magazine with more casual styles, but none of them were different enough from her current mane and tail. What was the point of spending money on a genuine Canterlot styling if she was just going to end up looking the same? Then, out of the corner of her eye, a mare with a bright neon green spiked mane caught her eye, emblazoned on the cover of a magazine titled ‘SHRED.’ Photographed mid-headbang, everything about her screamed ‘defiant’ as she wailed on her equally green guitar. It wasn’t a style Vinyl exactly followed, but it piqued her interest unlike the past few magazines. She got back up and placed the page on the counter. “Can you do something like this, but with my current mane color?” “Let’s see.” The mare picked up the magazine and eyed it closely. “I can definitely do something like this.” “How much would you think it’ll set me back?” “Depends. I can do a quick restyle, tail trim, and dye for around 150 bits—” Vinyl whistled and she snorted. “But we also offer an enchanted dye package for an extra hundred bits.” “What is the difference between regular and enchanted?” “Notice how this mare’s mane has a sort of shimmer?” She tapped on the magazine page. “With the regular stuff, you don’t really get that effect. Besides, the color only lasts about two months before your hair grows out and you can see your natural roots. With the enchanted dye, it lasts for a lifetime until you get another enchanted dye to replace it.” “Can you promise me you can keep it under 300 bits?” “I’m supposed to charge per coat if we need more than one, and we probably will, but…” She took a quick glance at the back of the shop and waved her hoof for Vinyl to come closer. Vinyl leaned in a bit and the mare lifted her tongue, revealing a thick metal piercing. “Some of us can only rebel in ways the customers can’t see.” She winked at Vinyl. “Everybody here wants the same prim and proper crap. A kid coming here asking for a style like this? I can dig it. I’ll do you a solid and keep it at two fifty, and I’m gonna do it damn good.” Vinyl smiled. “That sounds cool.” A few hours had passed since Vinyl had begun her makeover. The stylist began with a regular shampoo and condition of her mane and tail and a quick trim, but Vinyl spent a majority of her time with tin foil in her mane and tail applying the dye. “All right. Let’s get this off and see how it turned out.” The mare pulled strip after strip of tin foil from Vinyl’s mane, forming a large pile beside the chair. When she removed the last piece, she guided Vinyl to the nearest full sized mirror. “What do you think?” Vinyl put her glasses on and her eyes widened. Her flat blue mane was now spiky and shimmering with different shades of blue. She almost looked like an entirely different mare. “…Different.” “Normally when a customer says that, they are trying to find a nice way to say ‘awful.’” “Nah. I like different.” “Well, as long as you like it. As promised, it’s only 250 bits.” Vinyl pulled the envelope out from her jacket and withdrew the three one-hundred bit bills, the mare went over to the register and returned Vinyl’s change in a few separate bills. “Thank you. Have a good evening.” “Evening?” Vinyl checked her watch, it was almost 6PM. “Oh shit, mom is going to think I got lost or worse. Thanks a bunch!” She quickly bolted out of the store and back to the hotel where she would meet her mother during the afternoon. Vinyl stopped at the entrance to their room and unlocked the door with the spare key she was given, stepping inside she found the lights were off and, walking around the hotel room, no one except her was around. “Is she still at the hospital?” Vinyl left the room and closed the door behind her, sighing. She then headed back to the hospital. The sun had already gone down that evening and the lamps in Canterlot came on to fill up the dark streets and shops with light. Arriving at the hospital, Vinyl walked up to the front desk where a stallion sat there. “Can I help you with something?” he said. “Yes, is Claret Rondeau still here?” “One moment please.” He glanced at a sheet of paper with a list of names. “She is on the second floor, room 237. She is to be discharged soon, however. I recommend you just wait here.” “Um, all right.” Vinyl nodded and sat in the waiting room, waiting for her mother. Soon her mother came out from the hall and Vinyl walked up to her. “Hi mom.” “Hel— Vinyl!?” Her eyes went wide seeing Vinyl’s new mane and tail. “Dear, what did you do to your mane?” “Um… surprise?” Vinyl grinned widely, then let it fall when she realized it wasn’t working. “I, uh, got a bit of a makeover.” “I can see.” Claret blinked. Vinyl scratched at the ground with a hoof. “Do you like it?” Claret tilted her head and thought for a moment. “Well, it’s certainly not something I would get. But,” she added quickly, “it definitely seems like you.” “Thanks. Did the doctors say you are okay?” “Oh, um.” Claret bit her lip. “Well, I’ll be all right, but they said I will have to start taking medication… and I’ve been forbidden from using magic until they clear me to.” “So, definite ‘no’ on the tour this summer?” “Yes, unfortunately.” Vinyl’s ears drooped. “Let’s not be sad over it. Did you get anything to eat yet?” “No.” “Neither did I. Let’s see what we can find in the way of dinner.” Vinyl and her mother left the hospital, walking side by side and talking about what they did that day. Vinyl wondered why her mother would still not be able to use her magic. For now, though, it was enough to hear she was all right. Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping with this chapter. Chapter 5 - TruthVinyl groaned as the train hit another bump and she lost her place in her magazine yet again. She and her mother had several hours to go before they’d finally be home in Ponyville. They were in the same kind of luxury car they’d taken to Canterlot, but the glamour of their surroundings seemed duller today. Vinyl found her place again and resumed reading; it was a news magazine she’d picked up while waiting at the train station. Claret simply looked out the window silently. “So, what happened at the hospital yesterday?” Vinyl asked. “What did they say?” “Hmm?” Claret was zoned out, half-watching the passing scenery outside the train car’s window. “What did the doctors say at the hospital? You didn’t say much last night.” Vinyl asked again, focusing her attention on her mother. “Oh, they said it was nothing serious.” She cleared her throat. “I just have to go on more medications to prevent future incidents.” Vinyl raised an eyebrow. Claret said nothing further, so Vinyl shrugged it off. “All right.” She stared at her magazine, only half-reading as the train rumbled beneath them. Throughout the latter days of summer, things were quiet in the household. The usual sound of the piano was gone, and the song of the cicadas was not enough to fill its void. More often than not, Vinyl was out of the house hanging out with Derpy or running errands for her mother. “Hey, Mom,” Vinyl said, sitting across from her mother in the living room. “I’m hungry. Do you want to go out for lunch?” “Just bring me something on the way back.” “Are you sure? It’s only a short walk from here to the cafe.” “I’m sure, I am just…” Claret yawned. “Tired.” Without the use of her magic for a long period of time, she had to spend a week re-learning how to use her hooves for daily tasks. Simple things like reading a book wasn’t a problem at all. Writing, however, was different; she spent hours learning how to write out basic shapes and letters by holding a pen in her mouth, but the metal taste she couldn’t get used to. “Hey, Mom. Derpy and I were going to go to the park; do you want to come with us?” “No thank you,” Claret said, focusing on her work. “You two go ahead and have fun.” Vinyl slouched in her chair, not reading the book splayed across her lap. The clock ticked agonizingly slowly. The piano was silent, as usual. Bored with reading, Vinyl found herself staring at the calendar. A month had passed since their visit to Canterlot. Aside from the clock and the occasional jingle of wind chimes through the window, the only sound was the ever-present scratch of Claret’s pen. Some days, Vinyl swore her mother wrote more than she spoke. Claret’s pills were carefully arranged on the kitchen counter, little oblong capsules of varying colors and sizes, each in their own little bottle with marked names and dosages. And Claret sat between her and them, writing away at another untitled piece. She hadn’t even played the last two she’d written.While Claret hadn’t actively discouraged her from asking questions, she had definitely been evasive about answering them. Vinyl looked at the clock again. Only five minutes had passed. She grit her teeth to keep herself from groaning. Claret could spend hours and hours writing music, but she usually took breaks more often than this. Finally, Claret got up out of her seat and walked up the steps toward the restroom. The minute she disappeared from sight, Vinyl bolted to the kitchen and scrambled with her levitation magic. She snatched up a notepad, pen, and one of the medication bottles, hastily writing the name down and putting it back in its place before grabbing another. The list grew, but there were still a few names to write down. She grabbed the remaining three bottles in her magic and pulled them all close at once. She heard a flush from upstairs and flinched. One of the bottles, still caught in her magic, overshot its mark and clattered on the floor loudly. Vinyl could hear her heartbeat in her ears, but Claret didn’t seem to have heard it. Just as she finished her list, the door creaked open and she could hear her mother coming down the stairs. In one swift motion, she tore the page off the notepad, crumpled it into her pocket, set the last bottle back in its spot, and affixed what she hoped was a convincing smile on her face. “Vinyl?” Claret called, looking around the living room and finding it empty. She rolled her eyes and went back to the kitchen where she found Vinyl looking inside the fridge. “Oh, there you are,” Claret said with a halfhearted laugh. “Are you looking for something, dear?” “Oh, um. I think we ran out of…” Vinyl quickly thought of what came to mind. “Oranges! I think we ran out of oranges.” “Vinyl, we normally don’t buy oranges.” “Yeah well, I am getting a bit sick of apples.” Vinyl closed the fridge and walked out of the kitchen. “I’ll be out for a bit.” Claret sighed, then tilted her head and asked, “Are you okay?” “What? Yeah, I’m fine.” Vinyl began to sweat a bit, worried her mother was already catching on to her. “I’m going to call Derpy and invite her to come with me. To the store. We’ll probably get sidetracked, though. Might be a while. I’ll be sure to bring some oranges back along the way.” “Well, okay then.” Claret sat back down at the kitchen table and went back to her writing. Vinyl quickly walked up the stairs to her bedroom. Her phone was deep inside the room, at the end of her messy desk, which was littered with cassette tapes and notes. Vinyl carefully maneuvered across the clean spots on the floor between piles of dirty laundry and more cassette tapes, retrieving her phone from the mess and dialing in Derpy’s number. It didn’t take long for her to pick up. “Hello, Derpy Hooves speaking.” “It’s Vinyl. Are you free?” “Um, sure. Is everything all right, Vinyl?” “I’ll tell you everything when we meet. Do you know where the local diner Goldy’s is?” “Yeah, I pass by it often when I am out.” “All right, I’m about the leave the house and I’ll meet you there.” “Okay, I’ll see you soon.” Vinyl hung up the phone and left her room. Walking down the stairs she went to the front door about to leave. “See ya, Mom.” Vinyl waved. “Have fun, Vinyl. Be safe.” Claret smiled. “Thanks, I will.” Closing the door behind her, Vinyl left the house and began walking through the neighborhood, occasionally nodding to passing neighbors. Entering the business district, she kept to herself and passed a few buildings until she stopped at a diner with a large sign titled ‘Goldy’s.’ Stepping inside, Vinyl looked around the diner and saw her friend Derpy sitting in a booth, smiling and waving her over. She went over to the booth and sat across from her. “Hey, Derpy.” “Hi, Vinyl. How are things?” “Not any better since you were at our place last time.” “She is still just staying in the house?” “Yeah, I understand she has to adjust to new medication, but it’s been a month now.” “Has she been doing anything?” “Either she reads a book or she’s been writing music, not much else. She hasn’t been talking much either.” A bouncy waitress came from around the corner and greeted both of the mares. “Hey there gals; what can I get ya?” she said, holding a notepad and paper with her levitation magic. “Just two coffees for us, nothing else.” Vinyl said. The waitress nodded and walked off. “Has she told you anything since coming back from Canterlot?” Derpy said. “She just said she was fine and that was it. Any other time I try to ask her about it, she just says the same thing.” “Do you think she is hiding something?” “Yeah, I think she is.” Derpy rubbed her chin, “So, have any ideas to get her to open up more?” “I do.” Vinyl pulled out the piece of paper from her jacket pocket and passed it to Derpy. “When she was upstairs, I looked over each of her medications and wrote down the names.” The waitress returned with a pot of coffee and two mugs, filling them with the hot beverage. “Let me know if you girls need anything else,” she said coyly over her shoulder before trotting off to tend to another table. “Thank you.” Derpy nodded and picked up her mug, taking a sip of her coffee as she pored over the hastily scrawled list… “These are quite a mouthful. What are we going to do with them?” “My mom is not telling me what she’s taking these things for, so I want to find out for myself. I’m hoping it’s just my imagination, but with the way she’s been acting… I’m just worried it might be something bad.” Vinyl picked up her mug and took a sip of coffee. “I thought we could go to the local library in town. I’m sure they have some information we can access and see what the medications are supposed to treat.” Derpy stared blankly at Vinyl. “You came up with that idea yourself?” “Um, yeah?” Vinyl groaned. “I may not make the best decisions at times, but I’m not dumb Derpy.” “Sorry.” She smiled. “I think it’s a great idea.” “Thanks.” “Since we will be taking the time to do some research, why don’t we have some pancakes before the library? My treat.” “Sounds great.” Vinyl smiled. After leaving the diner, Vinyl and Derpy left that part of town and walked into an area where the homes looked generations old, held together by planks of wood and roofs covered in hay. “What part of town is this?” Derpy asked as they walked past a few homes. “Old Ponyville; these homes have been here ever since the very start of the town. Since then, Ponyville has kept on expanding into what it is today.” “How do you know so much about the town's history?” “Mom told me when I was a filly. We used to take walks together all the time when I was little, at least once a week, and she’d tell stories about everything we were going past.” Derpy nodded. The two walked out of the neighborhood and into a more open area of town. “That’s it over there,” Vinyl said, pointing her hoof towards a large tree. “Uh… behind the tree?” “No.” Vinyl shook her head. “Inside the tree, it’s been a part of Ponyville for the longest time and open to the public. Though, Mom and I never knew who carved it out and put a library inside.” Walking up to the large tree with Derpy behind her, Vinyl knocked on the door and took a step back. Hoofsteps could be heard inside coming closer. Then, a light purple unicorn with a long, straight, dark blue mane and tail with magenta and purple highlights opened the door. “Oh, hello Vinyl!” she said, eyeing Vinyl’s mane. “I like what you did with your mane.” “Thanks, Twilight.” Vinyl ran her hoof through her mane. Twilight looked past Vinyl at Derpy. “Who is your new friend?” “My name is Derpy,” she said, stepping forward and extending her hoof. “I’m Twilight Sparkle. Nice to meet you, Derpy.” She shook Derpy’s hoof, returning a smile of her own. “I didn’t expect you to be here during the summer, Vinyl. I thought you only came here when you needed to get some research done for school.” “Oh, we still need to do some research; it’s just not for school,” Vinyl said. “It’s not something I’m going to get in trouble for, right?” Twilight said, raising an eyebrow. “No, no. We just need to do some basic medical research. My mom was putting her medicines in her weekly pill box and”—Vinyl forced a laugh—“she forgot which pills are for what so I’m here to look them up for her.” “Well, come on in.” Twilight opened the door to the library and motioned for them to come inside. Walking in first, Derpy’s eyes widened at how the book-filled shelves were carved into the tree itself. Bookcases took up a majority of the space in the center of the library, while a few chairs and tables were scattered around the library. The library also had a second floor, but a sign was placed on the stairwell labeled ‘employees only.’ “This place is amazing,” Derpy said, peering at every part of the library. “Thank you, though my assistant helps keep it in top shape.” Twilight walked over to a bookshelf where rows of large books lay. “I’m not sure if these will cover everything you’re looking for, but we have a few older medical journals here; they aren’t the most up to date, but the local hospital was kind enough to donate them to us rather than throwing them away. Do you girls need any more assistance?” “We got it from here; thanks, Twilight,” Vinyl said. “Call me if you need anything, then.” Twilight walked up to the second floor of the library, leaving Vinyl and Derpy alone. “So, know where to start?” Vinyl asked Derpy. “Can I have that list?” Derpy asked while Vinyl passed it to her. She held the list close to her eyes reading it once again. “Give me a minute.” She squinted her eyes, reading the titles on the spine of the books and grabbed several books. Vinyl eyed the thick books and sighed. “We really have to read through these?” “It was your idea.” Vinyl and Derpy spent more than an hour in the library, looking through indexes of the pages. They had found basic info on medications like Thaumotussin which was to suppress Claret’s magic, but others were giving them trouble. Vinyl gave up soon after starting, but Derpy kept working her way through page after page. “Any luck?” “I might if you stop asking and let me concentrate.” “Sorry.” Vinyl raised her hooves in mock defense. She got up and arched her back, stretching her legs with a yawn. Derpy kept skimming the pages in silence, occasionally looking down to check a name against the list. She scribbled notes on fever reducers, on painkillers, sleep aids. Midway down a page, Derpy froze. She checked the name on the list, read the description, and checked the name again with a sharp gasp. “Something up?” Vinyl asked, hearing Derpy. “Vinyl, this medication your mother is taking. Memnanadol, it-it’s…” “It’s for what? Spit it out.” “Its primary use is… treating neurological cancers.” Vinyl didn’t understand the first word, but the other one, cancer. That hit her. Her expression went blank. She knew what that meant, but for some reason she couldn’t feel anything. She needed to not be here, though. Nothing was making any sense. She needed some time alone. She needed to think. Vinyl needed her mom. “Vinyl…?” Derpy called out while Vinyl remained silent. “Maybe I am wrong, let me do a double—” “I g-gotta go,” Vinyl stammered, running out of the library. “Hey, wait!” Derpy tried to call out to Vinyl, but she was already gone. Sprinting back home, everything she passed was a blur. She raced up the front steps, threw open the door, and looked around the first floor, not finding her mother. “Mom!?” Vinyl called. She walked upstairs and heard a faint noise from the bathroom. As she drew near, she heard a series of coughs from inside the bathroom. Vinyl knocked on the bathroom door. “Mom, are you all right in there?” “I’m fine, dear,” Claret said hastily. Vinyl knew her mother was hiding something; she wasn’t telling the truth. She heard her mother throw up on the other side of the door. Vinyl broke the silence between the two. “Mom, I know you are hiding something. I can understand if what you have to share is bad news, but I’d rather be told the truth than have it hidden away from me while you suffer.” There were a few seconds of silence. “All right, Vinyl. I’ll tell you what’s going on.” She had another series of coughs. “You promise?” Vinyl asked sternly. “Yes.” “All right.” “Can you make me a glass of water? I’ll be down in the living room after I clean up.” “Yeah, I’ll be down there.” Vinyl went down the stairs and into the kitchen, she pulled a glass out of the cabinet and filled it with water. She could only think to herself. She’s fine Vinyl. She’s just a little bit sick. Nothing a little medicine can’t fix. Vinyl placed the glass on the coffee table, sat down on the sofa, and waited for her mother to join her. After a few minutes the shuffling of hooves could be heard upstairs. Claret slowly walked down the stairs and sat down next to Vinyl. Her mane was a mess. She sat on the same sofa next to Vinyl and took down the glass of water. “So, what’s going on?” Claret sighed and took a deep breath. “Vinyl, I don’t know how to explain this.” “Just tell me.” Claret looked at Vinyl’s face. Then, she frowned and took her eyes away from her, looking at the floor instead, and tears flowed down her face. “I-I have cancer.” The mention of that word hit her hard in the chest. It echoed in her ears and time seemed to stand still. “No, no that can’t be true. It’s just some more pills to take; you’re doing fine,” she said, unsure of who she was talking to. Her breaths came heavy. “Please tell me this is a joke, a dream, anything, please.” “Vinyl…” Claret lifted her head, tears streaming down her face, not able to hold her emotions. Vinyl began to tear up as well and couldn’t do anything else but hug her mother. Her mother cried into Vinyl’s shoulder while she consoled her. “Mom, you’re going to be okay? Right? It’s not serious is it? R-right?” “I don’t know.” She sniffled in between sentences. “I have a rare brain degenerative disease made worse by my usage of magic over the years; the doctors call it Magic Degeneration.” “Years? How did any doctor not pick this up?” “It’s easily mistaken for regular migraines in its early stages.” “So, since I was a filly?” “It’s been forming ever since I had those damn headaches, and now it’s grown too big. Surgery is too risky due to the growth taking up a large section of my brain, and the best the doctors can do is suppress my magic entirely to see if it’ll stop the growth and possibly reduce the size of it.” Claret paused, wiping away some tears. “They are not sure if that will be enough.” Vinyl held onto her mother tight as her mother did the same. They both sat there in silence, crying. After a few minutes Vinyl broke the silence between the two. “You’re still here, Mom, that’s all that matters.” “I know dear, but…” She wiped her tears away trying to compose herself. “My career. I need my magic to play piano.” She only cried more. “If I can’t get any better, it’s over.” Vinyl didn’t know what to say. Cancer was already heartbreaking enough, losing her ability to play piano and losing her entire career however was the nail in the coffin. “Let’s not worry about that right now, Mom. Right now, let’s focus on kicking this cancer out.” “Yeah… You’re right Vinyl.” “Thank you for telling me by the way; the truth.” “I’m sorry for keeping it secret,” she sighed. “I just didn’t know how to say it.” “It’s fine.” Claret smiled reassuringly for her daughter, but she still felt weak and she lay down on the sofa. “I’m still not feeling too well, Vinyl. I am just going to rest here for a little while.” “All right, I’ll be right here.” Vinyl got up off the sofa and sat on the chair at the other end, catching some rest herself. Vinyl opened her eyes to see darkness. She blinked a few times to adjust her eyesight and slowly began to see thin streams of light pouring in through the living room windows. A light snore came from her left. Vinyl saw her mother curled up in the fetal position, still fully asleep. Claret shivered. Vinyl got up from the chair and went over to the hall closet, grabbing a blanket. Coming back into the living room, she placed the blanket over her mother. “Goodnight,” she said softly. She turned to head upstairs, but paused at the edge of the room and looked back at Claret. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll take care of you.” Walking up the stairs and into her room, Vinyl closed the door behind her and sat at her desk. She grabbed the phone and dialed Derpy’s number, waiting for a response. “Hello?” Derpy said on the other end of the phone. “Hey, It’s me.” “Vinyl, is everything all right?” “No,” Vinyl sighed. “Not really.” “So… Claret—” “It’s cancer.” “Vinyl.” Derpy paused, she tried to find the words but couldn’t think of anything and only said the first thing that came to mind. “I’m so sorry.” “Don’t be. You didn’t have anything to do with it.” “I’m still sorry, though,” Derpy said with a frown. “Both you and your mom… you’ve been so nice to me. This year has been the first that it’s actually felt like I have a family.” There was a small bit of silence before Derpy jumped back into the conversation. “So, what happens now?” “At the moment, my mother does what she has been doing for the past month. I—” Vinyl began sniffling a bit, trying to hold back her tears, but she couldn’t. “I don’t know what to do, Derpy.” “Be there for her.” “I know that, but what else?” “Didn’t you say she was writing music?” “Yeah?” “Why not play her compositions? She can’t play them, but I think if she heard you play, that may cheer her up.” “…That’s actually a good idea.” “And if you two need anything, I can help.” “Thanks, Derpy.” Vinyl sniffled a bit, trying to get herself back together. “That means a lot.” “Is it all right if I come over tomorrow? You can tell your mother that you told me first, so we can avoid this again, and maybe treat it like any other day.” “That would be great. I’ll see you tomorrow.” “Stay strong, Vinyl.” “I will.” With that, Vinyl placed the phone back down on the receiver. She looked out her window, thinking about what they were going to do. Not just now, but for the next few years. She only hoped things would get better sooner than later. She got up from her desk and turned off the light to her room, then lay in her bed, only wanting rest. Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping with this chapter. Chapter 6 - Mare's Night OutVinyl awoke from her rest; opening her eyes, she looked over at her bedside table and checked the clock. 7 AM. She normally wouldn’t wake up this early, but with her mother on her mind she couldn’t go back to sleep. Sitting up in bed, she stretched her legs and blinked her eyes a few times before grabbing her glasses off the bedside table. She got up out of bed and opened her blinds. The sky was perfectly clear; the sun poured light into her room. Vinyl then opened her bedroom door and walked down the hall, down the stairs. Vinyl walked slowly into the living room area, holding up a hoof to shield her eyes from the bright sunlight inside. On the sofa, Claret rested peacefully. “Morning,” Vinyl said. Walking over to the kitchen, she prepared the coffee pot and turned it on. While the coffee brewed, she placed a pan on the oven and grabbed some eggs from the fridge. As the aroma of coffee wafted through the home, Claret took in the scent and opened her eyes. She sat herself up on the sofa and looked over at the kitchen to see her daughter preparing breakfast. “Good morning, Vinyl,” Claret said groggily. Vinyl’s ears perked at the mention of her name and she turned around to see her mother. She was still a mess from last night, especially her mane, which was pressed against her face on one side. “Morning,” Vinyl smiled back. Claret walked into the kitchen and grabbed a mug, filling it with coffee from the pot, and noticed Vinyl cooking eggs. “Is this going to be a daily thing now? You know I wouldn’t mind if you cooked me breakfast every morning.” She chuckled. Vinyl noticed Claret carrying the mug in one of her hooves. Not seeing it surrounded by the cool glow of her mother’s levitation magic felt strange. Is this going to be a daily thing now, too? How do you manage with this, mom? “Vinyl?” Claret tilted her head, noticing that Vinyl was staring at her. “Oh, nah.” Vinyl scratched the back of her head. “I got up early, figured I’d do something nice.” “Well, I appreciate it.” Claret sat at the kitchen table and enjoyed her morning coffee. “I hope you don’t mind, but Derpy is going to come over later today.” Vinyl turned the eggs over in the pan. She took a deep breath, listening to them sizzle pleasantly. “Could we talk about yesterday? About the, you know…” Claret dropped a lump of sugar into her coffee and watched it crumble and fall into the darkness. She took a sip of her mug and sighed. “I understand you have a lot of questions, Vinyl, but it’s been a long month for me. Can we just put it to the side today?” “S-sure,” Vinyl stood there in silence, still keeping her attention on her cooking. “I already told Derpy, though. I hope you don’t mind.” “Not at all. It saves me from having to tell her myself, so thank you.” Claret waved Vinyl over and gave her a brief hug. “We’ve had so much to deal with lately. I feel we’re due for a nice day.” The two remained in the kitchen throughout the morning. Vinyl shuffled between frying eggs and making sure the toast didn’t get burnt. A few minutes later she placed a plate in front of Claret: buttered toast with a fried egg on top. Claret blinked her eyes, and smiled. “You remembered my favorite.” “I figured you would like it.” Vinyl grinned. Vinyl sat across the table from her mother and they both enjoyed the morning together. After breakfast, Vinyl and Claret were in the living room. Claret read a book to herself while Vinyl sat on the sofa staring at the ceiling. Vinyl found herself thinking about when her mother told her about the cancer, when she started seeing her mother crying. Wanting to get it off her mind, she sat up with a start. “Hey, Mom. Can I ask you for something?” Vinyl said. “Of course. What is it?” Claret raised an eyebrow. “What you’ve been writing in the kitchen for the past month, can I see it?” “Oh,” Claret was taken aback that her daughter had an interest in her work for once, but refocused. “I placed a folder with the pieces on top of the piano. Feel free to read them, just please handle them with care.” “Sure.” Vinyl walked over to the piano and sat down on the bench, picking up a nearby folder and opening it. Inside were sheets of paper with wobbly notes scratched across the lines. Some sections were hard to read, but Vinyl turned past a few pages and noticed the writing improving over time. Many of the pieces seemed simplistic, even basic compared to Claret’s past works. Vinyl pulled a piece of paper from the top of the stack, placed it on the piano’s stand, and opened up the cover to reveal the keys. Tapping a few keys with her levitation magic, she heard the notes hum across the room. She then focused on the sheet of paper and began playing the first section. Claret heard the familiar tune and turned her head over to the piano, Vinyl slipped on a few sections of the slow tune, but unlike the last time she played she managed to keep her cool and continue playing. Vinyl soon got the hang of it and began repeating a section, striking the keys with precision and soon continuing on from the measure. She played through the full piece without a hitch. “Vinyl…” She turned her head to see her mother smiling, a few tears coming out of her eyes. “Mom, are you all right?” “I’m all right.” She grabbed a tissue to wipe away some of her tears. “I just remember when you would sit beside me while I played. It seems like it was such a short time ago. You’re a much better pianist than you think you are, you know.” Vinyl smiled, but shrugged at the compliment. “You were what inspired me to get into music.” She withdrew a few more sheets from the folder. “Is it okay if I continue?” “Please. It sounds lovely.” Claret smiled. Vinyl played throughout the rest of the morning, occasionally taking a short break to rest her magic and not pass out. She grabbed a towel again, wiping down her sweat and was ready to play another piece until she heard a knock on the door. “That must be Derpy.” Vinyl got up from the piano bench and was about to open the door, but instead Claret got up and motioned for Vinyl to sit down. “I’ve got it. You clean yourself up, dear.” “Thanks.” Vinyl walked over to the hallway bath and cleaned herself off. Claret went over to the door and opened it to see Derpy holding a bag in her mouth. “Hello, Derpy. What do you have there?” “Mrrrph,” she said, trying to talk with the bag still in her mouth. Claret opened the door. “Why don’t you come in and settle down first? Then we can talk.” “Thrph roo.” Derpy walked inside and went over to the kitchen, placing the bag on the table. She mimed spitting a few times to get the taste of plastic bag out of her mouth. “Tastes bad, huh?” She chuckled. “I just hate plastic,” Derpy said with a demure smile. “Earlier I would've said I can’t imagine what it’s like to carry things in your mouth. Unfortunately, it looks like I’m going to have to get used to it,” Claret said. “You do after a while. It’s not so bad, minus the taste of certain things.” Claret smiled. “Let me get you a glass of water to help get that taste out.” She went over to the counter and grabbed a clean glass, filling it with water. Vinyl walked into the kitchen soon after, reeking of hastily-applied deodorant spray. “Yo,” she called to Derpy with a casual wave. “Hi, Vinyl.” Derpy smiled, sitting at the kitchen table. Vinyl sat across from her and looked inside the bag to find a box inside. “What’s in the box?” “Just a cake from the local bakery, I thought it would be nice to have, with what you and Vinyl are going through.” She paused, fidgeting with her hooves. “I also got it for myself, honestly. Today is, well, my birthday.” Vinyl’s eyes went wide.“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” she blurted out, then caught herself. “I would have gotten you something.” Derpy shrank a bit, then waved it off with a nervous laugh. “With everything going on, I didn’t want to butt in and draw attention like that. Besides, it’s not like it’s a big deal anyway.” “Well, Happy Birthday, Derpy. And I think a birthday is a very welcome distraction.” Claret passed a glass of water to Derpy, then sat next to Vinyl. “Are you doing anything special today?” “Not really,” Derpy said, taking a sip of water. “At my last adoption house, the most I got was a happy birthday song from the staff, a slice of cake and a small gift. Here in Ponyville, it doesn’t seem much different.” “What did you get this year?” Vinyl asked. “A book and about twenty bits.” “That’s it?” Claret asked. “Yes? Why do you ask?” “It just doesn’t seem like a very exciting birthday.” “It’s what they can afford. Public funding only gives them just enough to get by. Even then, though, it’s no secret that most the staff don’t care all that much about me. I’ve filed so many complaints about bullying before and my vision made me clumsy as a foal, so most see me as nothing more than a liability.” “Now Der—” Claret was cut off by Derpy. “Ms. Rondeau, please. I know you are trying cheer me up, but I’ve been abandoned since I was born and will probably remain in the adoption house until I am eighteen. It’s nothing new to me and I’m not particularly sad about it. It’s just how things are.” Claret frowned. She knew Derpy deserved more in life and wanted to cheer her up, but she sighed, knowing Derpy was old enough to know things were not getting better anytime soon. “I’m sorry. You’re just being nice and I don’t mean to kill the mood.” Derpy sighed. “It’s just, nothing much has changed throughout the years. Aside from meeting you two, of course.” Claret nudged Vinyl in the side, making motions with her eyes and head to have to her say something to lighten up the mood. “Um, let’s do something today then,” Vinyl said. “What?” “Let’s celebrate your birthday, all three of us. We can head out around town and have some fun. Today is a special day for you, so let’s make it that.” “Vinyl, is today really the best day? Your mother—” Derpy said, before getting cut off. “I think it’s a great idea.” Claret clapped her hooves. “I would personally prefer it over staying here all day.” “Well, if it makes you feel better,” Derpy mumbled. “I think it would make us all feel better.” Claret smiled. Derpy looked at the both of them; she smiled. “Thanks, both of you.” The three explored Ponyville for the rest of the afternoon, visiting several shops. They first stopped at a bookstore. Derpy picked out two books she had an interest in, one being an epic adventure with romance, and another being a book regarding social issues in Equestria. Claret couldn’t help quietly grabbing a book for herself too, and Vinyl rolled her eyes. She could never walk out of a bookstore empty-hooved. They went to a jewelry store afterwards. Neither Vinyl nor Derpy had interest in jewelry like Claret did, but a display case filled with elegant pens caught Derpy’s eye and Claret bought her her favorite of the bunch. After a bit of shopping, the three went for a stroll along the park until the late afternoon. Later in the evening they went to one of Ponyville's well known pizzerias for dinner. Leaving the restaurant, it was night out and the three walked through town being guided by the humming street lamps. “I really enjoyed today, Ms. Rondeau. I don’t think I’ve ever had a birthday like today,” Derpy said. “It’s my pleasure. You deserve it.” Claret smiled, patting Derpy’s head maternally. They stopped at an intersection. Derpy looked between the two crisscrossing roads ahead. One led to the adoption house, the other to Claret and Vinyl’s home. “So, do you have to go back?” Vinyl asked. “…I don’t want to.” Derpy sighed. “But I have nowhere else to go.” “I wish we could do more for you, Derpy,” Claret said. Derpy turned around to face Claret and returned a smile. “Ms. Rondeau, you and Vinyl have been the best things in my life. You’ve already done everything you can. I told Vinyl before, but…” Derpy swallowed and hesitated for a moment, then said it. “You are basically the mother I never had.” Claret went strangely silent. “Derpy, if I can…” she paused again. “Could I? Be your mother?” “Huh?” Vinyl tilted her head looking up at her mother. “Could I adopt you?” Vinyl’s jaw dropped. Is she serious? Derpy looked like she was going to cry as she stared up at Claret, but she bit her lip and looked down. “I would love for that to happen.” Derpy shook her head. “But I shouldn’t even be thinking about things that can’t happen. The agency I’ve been part of since being admitted has been very strict and only accepts ‘complete’ families.” “So…?” Vinyl said. Derpy sighed. “Their definition of complete is pretty strict. They’re not going to like that you have a single mother, a divorced one on top of that. And, well…” she paused, thinking of how to form her next words. “Having—you know—cancer… They’d consider it a liability for the welfare of the child. They would reject the request immediately.” Claret’s ears fell. It made her chest ache, knowing a kind young mare like Derpy had no one to really look after her. “I’m sorry. I wish I could do more.” “It’s not your fault. In the next few years, I can be away from them and live by my own rules.” Derpy broke off from the two and waved. She did her best to carry a smile, though she wished she could go with them instead. “I’ll see you two later. Thank you again for everything today.” She then walked off into the darkness. Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping with this chapter. Chapter 7 - DeclineSummer was over and fall had arrived. Vinyl and Derpy were both attending school again. This year, however, Derpy now attended Ponyville High with Vinyl, beginning her first year. Unlike when she first moved to Ponyville and attended the middle school halfway through the year, this truly felt like a new start. Vinyl was there for her third year. To her, this year was like any other and she got just enough done to skate by. A sheet of paper ruffled in her pack: another test marked with a bright red C. She knew her mother would pout and tell her that she could do better—she always did, but Vinyl didn’t care. It was a small price to pay for having the time to take care of her mother. She’d had to go to another of her monthly treatments last week. Vinyl grimaced as she remembered how tired her mother had been, how she’d walked beside her mother to support her on the way home. It was always that way. The days she received her treatments, Vinyl would have to be by her side constantly. Morning had passed and it was now lunch break for everyone on campus. Vinyl and Derpy met up during their break and stood next to each other in the lunch line. “Ugh, by the time we get to the front of the line everyone’s going to get the good stuff.” “You mean all the junk food? You should be on a better diet Vinyl.” “Hey, a mare needs her fries and burger.” Vinyl shrugged. Derpy giggled. “So, school treating you all right?” Vinyl asked. “Mostly.” Derpy sighed. “Mostly?” Vinyl raised an eyebrow. “I know you never have trouble with school work, who’s bothering you?” “It’s nothing bad Vinyl; it’s not like middle school where kids beat me up, it’s just…” She paused. “There is this mare and a few of her friends, they just call me names and that’s it. Nothing I can’t handle.” “Ugh, typical bullies. All talk.” Derpy nodded. “So, how is Claret? Last time I saw her she looked better than before.” “She is good, except for when she has one of those treatments every month. She can’t eat anything during that time or else she throws it up.” Vinyl shuddered. “Fortunately, I think she has adjusted to her medications. She went to Canterlot yesterday to visit the hospital to see if it’s at all helping.” “She’s a strong mare.” Derpy wrapped her foreleg around Vinyl. “I bet she will kick that cancer out, sooner than later.” “I hope so.” Vinyl closed her eyes and sighed. “I wish I could go, but—” A mare standing outside of the line then interrupted Vinyl. “Look girls, Derpy has a girlfriend!” Vinyl turned and saw a tall earth mare with a light magenta coat and her light blue mane tied back. She was pointing at both of them with two other mares by her side chuckling. “Back off Coral.” Derpy stood outside of the lunch line in front of Vinyl. “She’s just a friend.” “Hah! Out of all the ponies here in town, you picked the one that did Goddesses-knows-what with Bon Bon? Gross, for all you know she may have a disease or something.” Vinyl heard that word: ‘disease.’ It reminded her of nothing more than the pain her mother was going through these past few months: the moment she told Vinyl she had cancer, the first time she went through treatments and looked weak, having to be by her mother’s side when she was hacking out everything. She stepped out of the lunch line and walked past Derpy, looking straight at Coral. “Vinyl, please don’t do anything that—” Derpy said timidly before getting cut off by Coral. “Uh-oh, look out girls, I think we made her upset.” Coral smirked. “What did you say about me?” Vinyl stood in front of her, strong and unflinching. Coral towered over Vinyl, leering down at her. “I’m saying Derpy shouldn’t be hanging around with you, who knows what you could be carrying—” Vinyl raised her hoof and slammed Coral in the side of the head, taking her by surprise. She yelped and fell onto the floor clenching the side of her head. Other students caught the incident, some cheering. “Coral!” The two mares said kneeling down by her side, trying to help her. “Vinyl!” Derpy grabbed Vinyl from behind before she could throw any more punches. “Are you trying to get suspended!?” Vinyl ignored Derpy, not putting up any resistance. She looked down at Coral. “You—you bitch!” Coral looked up at Vinyl. “I’ll report you to the principal!” “I’m going through a lot of shit right now, and I don’t need some stuck up mare harassing my best friend, or judging me.” “You two need to learn to take a joke, nor do I care about you or your personal life.” “You leave Derpy alone. If I ever hear that you or your lackeys have been bugging her again, you’ll have more than just a bruise to worry about. Try making some real friends; maybe you won’t be such a bitch.” “Whatever, freak,” she mumbled under her breath. “What’s going on here?” A stallion said in a stern voice across the hall. “Oh no, I think that was Vice Principal Moore.” Derpy released Vinyl. “Vinyl, you need to go.” “What? Why?” Vinyl asked. “Help! Someone’s hit me!” Coral yelled, forcing herself to cry. The Vice Principal immediately walked up to Coral and saw her on the ground, moping with her friends by her side. “Ms. Scratch, Ms. Hooves, what happened here?” he said. “I—” Vinyl said before Derpy jumped in front of her, cutting her off. “We got into a fight, Vice Principal Moore. Coral was making fun of me, so, I hit her.” “You, Ms. Hooves?” He raised an eyebrow. “I find that hard to believe, especially if you are hanging around Ms. Scratch.” “You expect a small unicorn like Vinyl to hurt a large pony like Coral? She wouldn’t even be able to reach her.” “Fine,” he sighed, looking at Vinyl. “I hope your past bad influences are not rubbing off on Ms. Hooves. I was originally trying to look for you. You are being excused early.” “Mom… Is she all right?” “Uhh, I would figure so. She called in and just said she wanted you to come home early for a personal matter. You are dismissed, be sure to have your mother sign you out before leaving campus.” “Alright, um… Thanks.” Vinyl scratched the back of her head. The Vice Principal nodded, then focused his attention again on Derpy and Coral. “Ms. Hooves, Ms. Shine, follow me. We will be discussing both of your punishments with The Principal in her office.” “Yes sir,” Derpy said. “You’ve gotta be kidding me! I’m the victim here!” Coral yelled at him. “It was also Vinyl who hit me, not this retarded bitch!” “MS. SHINE!” The Vice Principal yelled, slamming his hoof on the ground. “You will watch your attitude while we go the Principal’s Office, and don’t think I will forget what you just said.” “Tch, fine.” Coral was helped up by her friends and she stood next to Derpy. As the two followed the Vice Principal, Derpy turned around and gave a quick wink to Vinyl, before heading off. I guess you are the one standing up for me now. Vinyl smiled. Vinyl placed most of her things back in her locker; she hung her saddle bags on her back and then walked to the main office where she saw her mother standing there, waiting for her. Claret had begun doing treatments at the local hospital each month since her diagnosis. Even with the treatments being a low dosage, it made an impact on her appearance. Her mane was still full, but it had begun thinning out in certain spots and she did whatever she could to cover up the blank spots. She’d also lost some weight, appearing a bit smaller than usual. She wore longer sleeves to hide her thinner forelegs. “Hello, dear. Did you have a good day today?” “Not really,” Vinyl sighed. “How was Canterlot?” “We’ll talk about that later.” “Oookay… Why are you signing me out early then?” “I thought we could get some lunch and just have a nice day to ourselves.” “The way the Vice Principal told me, I thought it was going to be an emergency.” “It is; emergency lunch,” Claret said with a shallow laugh. “Doctor Mom’s orders.” “Well in that case, that sounds nice. Did you already sign me out?” “I did. Let’s go.” Leaving the school grounds, Vinyl and Claret went to a nearby café and sat outside for lunch, enjoying some coffee and sandwiches. Vinyl decided not to tell her mother about what happened earlier. She didn’t need anything more to worry about, and so Vinyl remained quiet during her meal. “So, Vinyl,” Claret said, breaking the silence between them. “Yeah?” “Once you are done with high school, what are your plans?” Claret sat back in her chair, and focused on Vinyl. “I know you only started your third year this month and still have your senior year, but have you reconsidered college?” “Nope.” Vinyl shook her head. “I just want to work on music right after school, like you.” “That’s good to hear, dear, but making it as a full-time musician isn’t as simple as it seems. It takes a lot of dedication and hard work, and even then it sometimes feels like only luck will get you a deal with a music label.” “I know,” Vinyl sighed, “but it’s what I want to do.” Claret sighed, but then smiled. “I hope you become successful someday, then. Just be sure to do it on your own terms and not someone else's.” Vinyl nodded and picked up her sandwich with her magic, taking a bite. Claret pressed hers between her hooves and lifted it up, not thinking about how good it had felt to whisk objects about with her magic. It was silent again. The two of them occasionally looked around their environment: at the shops on the other side of the street, or the occasional pony passing by. Vinyl figured with the time that passed, she could finally ask her mother about her last hospital visit. “So Mom, about your trip to the hosp—” Vinyl was cut off by a sudden a large rumble of thunder above. Looking up, she saw some weather ponies moving storm clouds in. Darkness swept over them as a squat, slate-gray cloud was pushed in front of the sun. “Oh dear, was it supposed to storm today?” Claret said, placing her hoof out in the open to feel for rain drops. “Maybe? I didn’t check this morning.” Small rain droplets began to fall from the clouds above. “We should head back home before we get drenched.” Claret got up out of her seat. “B-but, what about your trip?” “We can talk about that when we get home.” Vinyl grumbled and got out of her chair, following her mother. At first, it only sprinkled, but soon after they entered their neighborhood, the storm began to pick up and soon they were battered by heavy droplets and crosswinds. At their doorstep, Vinyl fumbled hastily with her keys and unlocked the door. Both of them shot inside and closed the door. They were both drenched from the storm, dripping along the wood floors. “Well, that didn’t go to plan.” Claret chuckled. “No kidding,” Vinyl said, using her magic to wring out her wet mane. “Um, Vinyl?” Claret’s long mane was dripping across the wood floor and she couldn’t easily dry herself as her daughter. “Oh, right. Hang on just a sec.” Vinyl went over to the hall bathroom and withdrew two towels and came back, passing one to Claret. “Thank you.” Claret sat down on the floor and began drying herself off. Vinyl tried to do the same but ended up fumbling the towel. “You were right about us being too dependent on magic sometimes.” Claret nodded. “It doesn’t take much to learn how to use your hooves and mouth for activities.” “Yeah.” Vinyl decided to keep trying to dry herself with a towel. Claret finished before Vinyl and got up. “I’ll go make us some coffee,” she walked over to the kitchen. “I’m sure you still want to know how my trip to the hospital went, right?” Claret said without emotion. “All day, really.” Vinyl said. Claret only nodded. Vinyl soon finished drying herself off and sat down in the living room, seeing her mother in the kitchen place a full kettle of water onto the stove top. She didn’t look any different from when she last saw her go to Canterlot, but she knew something was wrong that her mother didn’t want to bring up. Waiting for the kettle to heat, Claret went back into the living room and sat next to Vinyl. “So, how did your trip to Canterlot go?” Vinyl asked. Claret took a deep breath and sighed. “It wasn’t good Vinyl.” She closed her eyes, shaking her head. “Not good at all.” Vinyl’s ears fell. The way her mother said it already sounded grim. “Tell me everything.” Vinyl placed her hoof over her mother’s, looking up at her, redirecting her mother’s attention to her. “Please, Mom.” Claret looked down at Vinyl. A frown formed on her face and she teared up. “The medications and treatments from the past three months have not helped.” She sniffled in-between sentences. “The growth, in my head.” She wrapped herself around Vinyl, crying. “I-it’s still spreading.” Vinyl’s eyes widened; her jaw dropped. She didn’t know what to think as her mother began to cry. “No… Mom, a-are you…” Vinyl gulped. “Dying?” Claret flinched at the word. “I’m… still here dear,” she said softly, holding tightly on to Vinyl. “The doctors said there is still a chance.” She sniffled. “They are going to increase my dosages and put me on heavier treatments. It’s going to be hard, b-but I am not giving up.” “That’s it?” “They said it was all they can do.” “What about your magic? What did they say about that?” “They said I am also to never use magic.” “For how long?” Claret was silent for a moment. “Indefinitely,” she said, her voice cracking. “No…” Vinyl paused, thoughts rushed through her head of what this meant for her mother. “Then, that means…” “My career….” Claret looked up, tears streaming down her face. “It’s officially over.” She closed her eyes. “And… I don’t know how much longer I have myself.” Vinyl’s heart was pounding. Her mother was wrapped around her like a child. She wanted to cry with her mother, she didn’t know how to handle all of this, but at the moment, she knew she had to do something to cheer her up. “H-hey, look at me.” Vinyl pushed her mother back a bit and held onto her hooves. She looked up at her mother, who looked down at Vinyl. “Maybe you can’t play piano anymore, but, it’s not entirely over.” Vinyl wiped away her remaining tears. “You can still write music, and I can play it.” “But for how long, Vinyl? I’m…” She held back her tears. She felt pathetic in front of her daughter. “I’m scared.” “W-who wouldn’t be?” Vinyl joylessly laughed. “I can’t imagine how you are feeling right now, Vinyl, seeing me like this.” “I don’t know, I really don’t have a way to describe it.” Claret nodded. She began to settle down a bit, wiping away her tears. Vinyl kept looking at her mother. Mares in high school weren’t supposed to have to worry about losing their moms, right? Things like this were supposed to happen to people who deserved them, not her mother. No, she had to beat this. It might take everything they had, but if they gave it everything they had, that would have to do it, right? But what if… She wanted to be with her as much as she could. “Mom,” Vinyl said, clearing her throat. “I want to spend the rest of this time with you.” “I do too, dear.” “And to do that, I need to stop going to school.” “Vinyl… I want to see you graduate from high school at least.” “Mom, who is going to take care of you? You can’t do this all by yourself, and… I couldn’t concentrate even if I did go, not while you are suffering by yourself.” Vinyl looked to the side. “Either I stop going, or I go every day and end up failing my classes while you are here alone.” She sighed, knowing there was no better choice. She smiled, and hugged Vinyl lightly. “All right, Vinyl. I understand.” Vinyl felt her mother’s warm embrace. It was what she needed after what just happened. “…I love you, mom.” Claret rubbed Vinyl’s mane lightly with her hoof. “I love you too, dear.” While Vinyl and Claret remained on the sofa throughout the rest of the afternoon, the storm outside only became worse. When the sun went down the storm began to light up the night with thunder and lightning. Soon after the evening arrived, Claret only wanted to rest and went up to her room by herself. Vinyl did the same and lay in her bed, looking up at the ceiling. This day was forever going to change both her and her mother's life. She was beginning to tear up again. Wiping away her newly formed tears she laid on her side and could only think to herself. Mom, you don’t deserve any of this. I wish there was something else I could do. But, I’ll be there with you. To the very end. Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping with this chapter. Chapter 8 - A Day to CelebrateOver a year had passed since Claret’s condition had gotten worse. During that time, Claret remained home most days unless she had to go to the local hospital for her monthly treatments or checkups. Since her diagnosis, Claret had not been able to use her magic and with that, lost the ability to play the piano. Vinyl took her place on the bench and played a few pieces for her occasionally, but over time the piano only collected dust. She originally held back at having to give up her career, hoping things may get better. With her condition worsening however, and the piling of notices from her lack of submitted work, she had to eliminate her contract with the record company she had been with since she was an adult. Vinyl stopped going to her school entirely. Rumors originally went around that she was kicked out for hitting Coral, but they were soon forgotten like any other student drama. She spent a majority of her time by her mother’s side, accompanying her when she went to the hospital every month for her treatments. With each treatment she would get very sick, to the point she couldn’t take care of herself, hacking up whatever she had in her system, and staying in bed throughout her recovery period. Claret’s appearance had worsened over time as well. She had lost a majority of the hair from her mane and tail. Looking in the mirror she felt like she lost a major part of herself. Fortunately however she received a hat stitched by Rarity that covered most of her head. Not only did it keep her warm, but it was also in the color of her mane, making her feel more like herself. She had also lost a substantial amount of weight due to her lack of appetite from treatments. Often she would wear long sleeves to cover her thinning forelegs and a skirt or dress to cover her thinned out rear legs and tail. Each morning, Claret awoke half-hoping to discover that the past few months had been a dream, that she’d tell Vinyl about her dream and her daughter would laugh and give her a hug, telling her that of course she’d be around to see her girl grow up, get married, even get to be a grandmother. Those hopes tasted bitter, like her sugarless morning coffee. Today wasn’t much different from other days in fall; it was a sunny afternoon with scattered clouds, and the leaves had begun to change and fall due to the colder temperatures. To Vinyl, it was meant to be a special day, but with what was happening between her and her mother it was no surprise her mother wouldn’t have remembered. She was laying on the sofa looking at the ceiling. Her mother sat on the sofa across from her, reading a book. Throughout the room played a minimal ambient tune from a record Vinyl recently picked up at the store. “Vinyl?” Claret said. Vinyl didn’t hear her, still lost in her own thoughts. “Vinyl.” Coming back to reality, Vinyl heard her mother the second time. “Oh, sorry.” Vinyl sat up and rubbed the back of her head. “What’s up, Mom?” “I’m a bit thirsty, but I want something other than water. Can you go to the convenience store and get us something to drink? Maybe some more pomegranate juice?” “Sure.” Vinyl got up off the sofa and went over to the kitchen, grabbing her white jacket and side bag that was hanging on the chair. “I’ll be back soon, love you.” “Love you too, dear. Don’t catch a cold.” Claret smiled. Walking out the front door, Vinyl sighed. It was already the afternoon and her mother hadn’t made any mention of her 18th birthday today. This was meant to be a big moment in her life, entering the world as a full grown mare, and her mother had not addressed it once. Retrieving her cassette player out of her jacket pocket, she placed her headphones over her ears and began listening to whatever was in the player. Walking through her neighborhood, she went to the convenience store. Along the way she passed by some ponies who gave her a nod or a ‘hello’ but she kept to herself not giving them any attention. She soon made it to her destination. Walking inside, she saw an earth mare in the store by herself stocking the shelves. “Welcome to Ponyville Mart. Let me know if you need anything.” She said. Vinyl nodded and went to the back where they kept the cold drinks. Opening the door to the cooler she withdrew several bottled pomegranate drinks. Her mother had taken a liking to them for the past few months when she couldn’t eat or drink anything else. It was even said to help a ponies health. She walked up to the counter and placed the juice containers on it. The mare stocking shelves took notice of Vinyl standing there and went behind the counter. “Is this everything?” she asked. Vinyl thought to herself for a second. She could use an energy drink, but she had been consuming so much caffeine that it was beginning to affect her sleep patterns. Then she eyed the cigarette case behind the mare. “Uhh… Yeah, a pack of cigarettes.” “Umm, sure,” the mare behind the counter said, not sure if a small unicorn like Vinyl was even of the age to buy them. “Can I see your ID?” “One sec.” Vinyl withdrew her wallet from her other jacket pocket and took out the ID she’d had since the age of 13. She looked at the photo, reflecting back on when things were easier. She passed it to the mare at the counter. “Wow, this is definitely a bit old.” She looked at the ID, eyeing the birth date. “Well, happy birthday.” She frowned, looking back and forth between the cigarette case and Vinyl. “Um, are you sure you want to start these? They tend to be—” “Can I just get my cigarettes? Please?” Vinyl interrupted her. “S-sure, sorry.” The mare’s ears fell. “What brand do you want?” “What do you usually go with?” Vinyl asked. “Me? I don’t smoke. Really, you shouldn’t be on these things.” “Look, lady,” Vinyl said sternly, “I see you smoking occasionally at the side of this place when I pass by. I know you don’t want me to be hooked like you, but I could care less what they do to my health. Now, can I have my fucking cigarettes?” The mare sighed and grabbed a pack of cigarettes and placed them on the counter. “Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.” “Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind,” Vinyl said, cooling down a bit. The mare rang up the register. “That will be twelve bits total.” Vinyl withdrew twelve bits from her wallet, and placed them on the counter. “You know you also need a lighter for those, right?” she said, raising her eyebrow. “Already got that covered.” Vinyl pointed to her horn. “Lucky mare.” She smirked, placing the drinks into a bag. Vinyl nodded, placing the pack of cigarettes in her jacket pocket, and then the bag of drinks in her side bag. “Look, sorry about being a bit of a bitch. Things have just been rough for me.” “It’s fine, I just hate seeing young mares like yourself get on these things. Take care.” “Thanks.” Leaving the store, Vinyl walked through the alley beside the store until she came upon an intersection. She placed her bag to the side and sat up against the fence. Withdrawing the pack of cigarettes from her jacket, she opened the pack and pulled out a cigarette with her hoof and placed it near the tip of her horn. “Let’s hope I don’t start any fires.” Vinyl focused her energy on her horn, conjuring a little spark at its tip. She pressed the cigarette gently against it, then lowered it and placed the other end between her lips gingerly. It slipped out, so she caught it and clenched it in her teeth. It tasted like old library books smelled, with an aftertaste of cotton swabs from the doctor’s office. This is what I’ve been missing out on? she thought with a grimace. She shrugged and inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with smoke. Immediately, she gagged and fell into a coughing fit, her eyes watering. I thought these things were meant to take stress off. Vinyl put her headphones back on and rested her head up against the fence, looking up at the sky. She tried again, taking little puffs like sips of hot coffee. Soon she got used to the idea of inhaling and exhaling smoke. Happy birthday to me. She sat there until she was done with her first cigarette. Getting up, she kept her headphones on and grabbed her bag. She then withdrew her pack of cigarettes again, looking inside the nearly full pack. …I could use another. She withdrew another cigarette, lighting it up and placing it in her mouth. She put her jacket’s hood over her head, then went back on her regular route home, hoping no one would be able to recognize her. Her mother would probably ask what took her so long, but Vinyl figured she could just tell her she ran into a classmate along the way. Making it home, Vinyl opened the front door and walked inside. Looking around she found not a trace of her mother. “Mom?” Closing the door behind her, she went into the kitchen and placed her jacket and bag back on the chair. She looked at the kitchen table and noticed there were several wrapped boxes. Reading the tags, they were titled ‘to Vinyl.’ “Surprise!” Vinyl jumped and saw her mother, Derpy, Rarity and a pink mare standing in the living room. “Uhh… Hey, what’s this about?” Vinyl asked. “Vinyl, it’s your birthday. Don’t you remember?” Claret said. “Yeah, but I mean this.” Vinyl said, pointing at the gifts and everyone in front of her. “It’s your eighteenth birthday, we should celebrate.” “But—” “No buts Vinyl,” Claret said sternly. “Today you are officially an adult, and we are not going to miss this celebration due to my health issues.” “Bu—” Vinyl stopped and looked at the gifts on the table. It looked like they did put some effort into the party, it shouldn’t just go to waste. “Yeah, sorry everyone.” Vinyl sighed. “I’m just a little bit on edge.” “I hope you like the party,” Derpy said, fidgeting with her hooves. “I helped organize it.” “You organized all of this?” Vinyl asked. “Well, I had some help from Rarity and—” “Oh and me!” The pink mare interrupted Derpy, raising her hoof. “I did the cake and gift wrapping!” she yelled excitedly. “Um, thanks?” Vinyl raised an eyebrow. “Sorry, but, who are you?” “Oh, I’m Pinkie Pie, but most of my friends call me Pinkie. I work at the local bakery Sugarcube Corner and my friend Rarity asked me to help out with this party.” “I couldn’t do much, unfortunately. My workload keeps piling up.” Rarity placed her hoof over her forehead, “and Pinkie knows more than me when it comes to parties.” “Well, I appreciate it, everyone. Thanks.” Vinyl smiled. “Hope you have a good party then Ms. Vinyl. I have to head back to Sugarcube Corner and handle another party. Busy, busy!” Pinkie hopped out of the house. “I don’t know how she does that.” Derpy said. “For all the years I’ve known her, neither do I, dear.” Rarity sighed. “Let’s all sit down. I’m sure Vinyl wants to open her gifts.” Claret sat at the kitchen table, with Derpy and Rarity sitting across from her. Vinyl sat next to her mother and looked at the gift boxes; they were all wrapped in bright shiny pink paper with a bow on top. Grabbing the first one, she looked at the card. It read ‘from Derpy.’ Unwrapping it and opening the box, Vinyl pulled out a large book titled ‘The Art of Studio.’ “What’s this?” “It’s a picture book with a collection of studios from famous musicians, producers, and composers. I figured if you are going to get into music you would need to upgrade your studio, so I thought a book like that may give you ideas.” “Hmm.” Vinyl turned through a few pages, finding a lot of high quality photography of both high-end and run-down studios. “This is really cool, thanks.” Derpy smiled and nodded. Vinyl then grabbed another box titled ‘from Rarity.’ “You didn’t get me a dress, did you?” “I could have.” Rarity chuckled. Next to Vinyl, Claret chuckled as well. Unwrapping the box, Vinyl opened it to find a white long-sleeved button-up shirt, and a black vest. “Wow.” She lifted the garments out of the box with her levitation magic and looked at them in full view. “I didn’t know you made stuff like this.” “I usually don’t, but your mother said you needed some dress clothes, and I know you don’t have a liking of skirts or dresses, so I went with something a bit more… Neutral?” “It looks great. Thanks, Rarity.” “No problem at all.” She smiled. Last, Vinyl grabbed a small thinner packaged titled ‘from Claret.’ Opening the package, it was the back of a black frame. Turning it over revealed a very old photo. It was a picture of her mother as a young mare in her early twenties. She had a shoulder-length mane with her signature red-wine color. It was dull and matted, like it hadn’t been washed in over a week. Her eyes were underlined with dark half-moon bags. She was sitting in a chair, holding a sleeping white foal in her forelegs. Its head, topped with thin blue fuzz, was resting against Claret’s collarbone. The foal was wrapped in a familiar lilac-patterned blanket. She was looking down at her daughter with that gentle smile of hers. Despite her visible exhaustion, she was at peace. “Damn, Mom. This is… something.” Beginning to tear up a bit, she looked up at her mother who was crying and smiling as well. “When was this taken?” “I was twenty-two when that picture was taken; you were born a few weeks before. That was your first day out of the hospital and back at our apartment in Canterlot.” “Who took it?” “…Your dad. We divorced a few months after this was taken.” Claret wiped away her tears. “But before that, I remember throughout my pregnancy your father dedicated most of his time to taking care of me. Kind of like you right now.” Claret pulled in Vinyl and hugged her. “You have grown so much since then. I’m so proud of you, Vinyl.” “Thanks, Mom,” Vinyl looked over at Derpy and Rarity. They were tearing up as well, seeing the display. “You’re the best mom a daughter could ask for.” They all stayed in the kitchen throughout most of the afternoon, while having cake and coffee, the four mares talked of past stories throughout their lives, having the occasional laugh. When the evening came, they decided to head out to the local pizzeria for dinner. Leaving the restaurant, they all exchanged hugs and soon had to return to their homes. “Oh Claret, I wish we could spend more time together,” Rarity said, hugging Claret tightly. “When my schedule is a bit more open, I will be sure to invite you and Vinyl over for tea.” “That would be grand. Give us a call anytime.” Claret smiled. “Will do.” Rarity then quickly hugged Vinyl and let go. “Happy birthday again, Vinyl. It was great spending time with you gals.” “I appreciate it.” Vinyl said. “I’m going to tag along with Rarity,” Derpy said, hugging Claret. “The adoption house is along the way to her boutique.” Derpy then let go of Claret and looked at Vinyl. “I’m happy you liked your birthday party.” “Thanks again.” Vinyl smiled and wrapped herself around Derpy. “I’ll be sure yours is just as good.” Vinyl then let go of her. “I’ll hold you up to that Vinyl.” Derpy winked. “Derpy, we should go; it’s freezing out here.” Rarity said, wrapping her jacket tightly around herself. “Yeah, you’re right. Let’s go.” They both waved to Vinyl and Claret, and then walked off. “Let’s head back home Vinyl.” Claret said, wrapping her scarf tightly around her neck to stay warm. “I’m tired from today. I need some rest.” “Yeah, I’m surprised you were wanting to go out for once.” “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Vinyl nodded. “Sorry about that.” Claret sighed. “It’s just the treatments… I’ve been so weak lately.” “Well, maybe this is a good sign?” Vinyl smiled, looking up at her mother. “Hmm, maybe.” Claret smiled along with Vinyl, keeping herself bundled to stay warm. She kept her optimism, hoping things would turn out for the best. Even with her scarf and jacket Claret shivered along the way home. Vinyl quickly took notice: she took off her jacket and placed it over her mother's back. “Vinyl, that’s not necessary.” “It’s not much of a walk for me, I’ll be fine.” “Are you sure?” Claret asked. “Yeah, worse thing is I catch a cold and I share some hot soup with you.” Vinyl smirked. Claret returned a smile and wrapped Vinyl’s small white jacket around herself. “Thank you.” Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping with this chapter. Chapter 9 - What's LeftA few weeks had passed since Vinyl’s birthday. Since then, Claret had made an effort to be a bit more active around the house and go on regular walks with Vinyl, even occasionally going out for a cup of tea at the local café. Today, however, was the time of the month when Claret needed to go to the local hospital for her treatments. With Vinyl by her side, they were walking to the hospital, wearing their coats and scarves to keep warm from the winter season. With the hospital in view Claret stopped, looking at the front entrance. “Mom, you all right?” Vinyl asked. “Fine dear, just… I’m not going in.” “What?” Vinyl stammered, “but, you need to go in, to get better.” “Vinyl, let’s go for a walk in the park.” “Are we going to the hospital afterwards?” Claret looked down at Vinyl. She didn’t exactly know what to say, but she sighed. “Let’s, just… Have a nice time in the park, okay?” “Um, All right.” Walking away from the hospital, they went away from town and into the park. Unlike during Spring and Summer, the park was nearly empty during Winter, with only a few ponies going for a run or a casual walk. The benches and open areas remained mostly empty. The chirping and chitters of the animals were missing, Vinyl noted. All of them lay dormant in their warrens and dens. They walked around for a few minutes, before Claret needed a break and sat on a nearby bench. Vinyl sat next to her. Throughout the walk, she had had a craving for a cigarette, but didn’t want to show her mother her new habit. Sighing, she gave in and withdrew her pack of cigarettes from her jacket pocket. Claret immediately noticed and her eyes widened. “Vinyl, how long have you been on those?” “Since I turned 18.” Vinyl lit the cigarette with her horn and placed it in her mouth. “You know those will affect your health? Right?” “…Yeah.” Vinyl blew out some smoke, away from her mother. Claret paused; she was concerned over Vinyl’s decision but knew she couldn’t do much to change her habits at this point. She then thought back to her youth when she was Vinyl’s age. She gave up the smoking almost twenty years ago, but some habits don’t go away entirely. “Can I have one?” Claret said timidly. “Wait,”—Vinyl nearly dropped her cigarette out of her mouth—“seriously?” “Before I had you, I used to smoke frequently, even before the age of 18. I had to quit when I found I was pregnant. Wasn’t easy. Even when you were born I decided to stay off of them, I didn’t want to be a bad influence.” “Well, I think you did all right.” Vinyl withdrew a cigarette from the pack, but held it away from her mother. “You sure about this?” “What? Concerned I am going to get cancer?” She smirked. Vinyl raised an eyebrow. “That’s not funny.” Claret chuckled. “Sometimes, a laugh is all you need to get through hard times dear.” “I’ll keep that in mind.” Vinyl passed the cigarette to her mother. Taking hold of it, Claret placed it in her lips and received a light from Vinyl’s horn. The taste of the nicotine wasn’t as good as she remembered and she had a few coughs, but it brought back old memories of her youth. “You all right?” “Yes.” Claret pulled in a bit more. “They taste a bit different than they used to.” Claret looked down at Vinyl as she looked up at her. Her mother still kept that same smile, all the while enjoying her first cigarette in a long while. They remained there on the bench, two grown mares smoking their cigarettes. Claret was the first to finish, putting out the rest of it on the bench and putting it in a trash can to the side. “I need to tell you something,” she said, breaking the silence. “What is it?” Vinyl put out her cigarette as well, focusing all of her attention on her mother. “When you were a teenager, you kept saying you could take care of yourself, right?” “Um, yeah.” “Well, you are an adult now, you have much to learn still, but I think you can take care of yourself now.” She looked at Vinyl. “Though, I am happy you have decided to stick with me, and I am happy to still be here with you.” “Mom, please don’t say things like that.” “Vinyl, I think we both know for a fact that I am…” She paused. “Dying.” “Mom… Please, I don’t want to talk about this.” “You saw from my results these last few months, my condition is not improving,” “What are you trying to tell me then?” Claret bit her lip. “I’m going off the treatments.” “Wait, what!?” Vinyl yelled, but she composed herself. “Mom, those treatments are what's keeping you alive!” Claret sighed, got up from the bench, and began taking off her thick jacket and scarf. “What are you doing?” Vinyl said, remaining there on the bench. Claret stood there, her thinned forelegs were exposed out in the cold weather. As she shivered, she took off her hat, revealing her bald head, nothing more than her regular fur coat on top, and even then, her coat had begun to thin out as well. “Look at me,” she said, standing there in nothing but her short sleeved top and skirt. Vinyl winced, but looked at her mother. She was thin, fragile, even broken; she wasn’t the mare she once was. She was… pathetic. “Mom…” “This wasn’t the cancer’s doing Vinyl, this is due to my treatments. I-I was hoping—” She teared up, falling onto the ground, placing her hooves over her eyes, crying. “I was hoping I could get better, but”—She tripped up between her sentences—“I was damned from the start!” she yelled, crying out her frustration. Vinyl sat there frozen, witnessing her mother break down in front of her. She couldn’t just let her sit there alone. Getting up she grabbed her mother’s jacket and placed it over her shoulders, then wrapped herself around her. “I’m sorry, Mom.” “No, I’m sorry.” She sniffled, feeling her daughter’s embrace. “I don’t regret my decision, I’m so happy to be with you here still, but… I’m done Vinyl.” “Are you… giving up?” Claret shook her head. “No, I want to live on my own terms.” She smiled. “And that is to die happily.” Vinyl teared up now, beginning to cry on her mother’s shoulder. She never wanted to admit it, but this was going to come sooner or later. “And to do that…?” Vinyl asked. “I need to get off the treatments, and medications.” She wiped away her tears, smiling down at Vinyl. “I’m sorry to say I lied to you again, but… I’ve already been off the magic suppressants for a week.” Vinyl’s eyes widened at her mother admitting she hadn’t taken her medications. She pushed back and looked up at her mother. “R-really?” Claret nodded. “I understand.” Vinyl sniffled. “I love you, Mom.” “I love you too.” She rubbed the back of Vinyl’s mane, then pulled her in. “Let’s go home, I want to play the piano one last time.” The two sat there on the ground by themselves. The clouds throughout the day had been covering the sun and the air had become colder. Soon, small flurries of snowflakes began to fall. The snowfall outside was picking up. Fortunately, Vinyl and Claret made it home. As they took their jackets and scarves off, Claret took in a breath of fresh air. “Didn’t know it would pick up so much today,” Vinyl said, patting her mane off. “We seem to have developed a bad habit of not checking the weather,” Claret said with a chuckle, walking over to the kitchen. “Would you mind lighting a fire, Vinyl?” “Sure.” Vinyl went over to the fireplace and opened it up. There were already some dry logs inside. Vinyl flipped the switch for the top vent, then her horn glowed and she lit a small fire in the center of the logs. “I figured you would know how to do that since you’ve been lighting cigarettes. I hope you don’t abuse it.” “Do I seem like the mare that would?” Vinyl raised an eyebrow. Claret walked back into the living room with a glass of water. “Of course not; you’re my daughter.” Vinyl smiled and looked over at the piano. “So… were you serious about playing?” “Yes, I just need a glass of water.” Claret took down the glass. “Goddesses know how tired I am going to be when I’m done playing.” “Let me get something before you start.” Vinyl then quickly went upstairs. Claret nodded. She then set her glass down and went over to the piano. Sitting down on the bench, she lifted the cover atop the keys back and a layer of dust flew all over. She caught a bit and coughed several times. Vinyl came back down the stairs and into the living room with a portable cassette recorder, a pair of studio headphones, and a cassette tape. “What’s all of this for?” Claret asked. “I was hoping I could record whatever you’re playing.” “Hmm, all right. I can’t promise my performance will be perfect, though.” “That’s fine.” Vinyl lifted the large cover to the piano and placed a microphone on the edge between the open section of the piano and her mother. She then draped the microphone cable down the piano and across the floor to a small table where she plugged the recorder into the wall. “How long do I have to record?” “45 minutes, each side,” Vinyl said, popping the tape into the recorder. “I’ll keep time and give you a signal when I need to switch sides.” “Okay.” “Let’s do a quick sound check.” Vinyl pressed the record button on the player. “Just say something and maybe tap a few keys.” “Hi Vinyl,” Claret said into the microphone. She then took a deep breath. “Give me a moment; it’s been a while.” She closed her eyes and focused all of her energy, then at the tip of her horn was a red aura. She then successfully tapped a few keys on the piano with her magic. “How was that?” Vinyl smiled, not only at seeing her mother use her magic, but also seeing her play the piano again. She then refocused, pressing stop on the recorder. “One sec.” She plugged her studio headphones into the recorder and listened to the test sample. Her mother’s voice came in clearly and the piano didn’t sound harsh. “I think we are ready to go. Let me just rewind this and we can start.” Claret used her magic again to grab the glass of water from the living room table and brought it to hers lips. “It’s so nice to do that again.” She said, taking a sip and placing the glass down. “Ready.” Vinyl nodded and pressed the record button on the recorder again, giving a signal by waving her hoof. “Are we recording?” She tilted her head, a bit confused by what Vinyl was trying to say. “Yeah, why do you think I was waving my hoof?” Vinyl said across the room. “Sorry, Vinyl.” Claret chuckled. “Hopefully whoever is listening to this doesn’t mind our bickering.” “Well, we’re rolling,” Vinyl grumbled. “Oh! Right.” Claret’s horn glowed with a red aura and she took control of the keys. She began playing a simple and familiar song. She didn’t want to play any of her newly written songs, but instead stuck with pieces that had inspired her to become the talented pianist she was. Vinyl watched her mother throughout the session. She remained silent, listening to her mother's variations of classical music. She smiled, reminded of when things were more simple, when the only worry was the occasional bully or a bad school grade. As Claret approached a lull between movements in a famous gryphon piece, Vinyl realized that she had no idea how long it had been since she'd checked the tape. Her gaze shot downward to the cassette recorder to see the first side of the cassette was almost full. She signaled her mother to stop after her song and she took a small break while Vinyl switched the tape to side B. Claret played for another forty-five minutes until she filled up the other side as well. Vinyl signaled her to stop again and pressed the eject button, cradling the now full tape in her hooves. “All right, it’s full,” Vinyl said. “Has it already been that long?” Claret asked. “Yeah, do you want me to grab another tape? I have a few more laying around.” “Please,” Claret said with enthusiasm that surprised even her. “In fact, bring down several.” She smiled. “It feels so good to play again after so long. I think I want to play throughout the rest of the afternoon.” She played longer than expected, only taking short breaks when Vinyl had to either flip the cassette or insert a new one for some more recordings. Claret kept playing throughout the afternoon to the early evening. She began to feel weaker overtime, but she kept pushing herself to play more. Soon, she had to stop after her favorite song. She finished the piece with finesse, placing the cover back over the piano keys. “I think I’m done for the night Vinyl, thank you for being here with me.” Vinyl nodded, organizing the stack of tapes containing her mothers recordings. “I’ll be sure to take care of these.” Claret smiled and got up from the piano bench. “I think I am going to bed early. That playing has taken a bit out of me.” She placed a hoof over her head. “Are you going to be okay?” Vinyl asked. “I think so. My head just… I guess now that the thrill’s gone, it’s all catching up to me. Tomorrow, I think I am going to call Rarity about that tea party and see if she is free. Maybe we can bring over one of the cassettes to listen to and see how they turned out.” “That sounds great. I’m going to clean up here and head upstairs too. Good night, Mom.” “Good night, Vinyl,” Claret said, going up the stairs by herself, looking visibly exhausted. Vinyl began cleaning up the cables and mess she left around the living room. She took her equipment and the tapes back up to her bedroom, organizing them neatly on a shelf. She looked out her window to see the snow was still falling. She yawned and decided it was time to head to bed as well. Vinyl opened up her eyes and looked over at her bedside clock, it was only 8AM. Getting up out of bed, she opened her blinds. It was bright outside, the snowfall was over and the sun was now reflecting off of the snow. Ponies were outside going about their day while younger colts and fillies were playing out in it. She walked out of her room and down the stairs, only to find her mother was not anywhere downstairs; she must have still been sleeping. Turning on the coffee pot in the kitchen, Vinyl walked over to the front door and grabbed the newspaper. Placing it on the coffee table, she figured she would wake up her mother before she would miss more of the day. Walking back up the stairs, Vinyl went up to her mom’s bedroom door and knocked. “Mom? You awake?” No response, she knocked again. “Mom?” Silence. Vinyl shrugged and opened up the bedroom door to find her mother, still in bed, her eyes closed. “Morning sleepyhead,” Vinyl said, standing at the other end of her mother’s bed. Nothing. Vinyl stood there, expecting something; this wasn’t the first time she woke up her mom early. This time, however, something was different. She walked over to the side of the bed and placed a hoof on her mom’s shoulder, lightly shaking her. “C’mon, stop messing with me.” Her mother didn’t respond. Vinyl immediately froze. “M-mom?” Is she…? Vinyl placed her head over her mother’s chest; there was nothing but silence. Vinyl froze, and looked at her mother. She laid there, her eyes still closed, her head slumped over. “Okay, this isn’t funny, Mom. Just… wake up. Please? Before you scare me.” Claret lay there, perfectly still, perfectly silent. Vinyl placed her hoof over her mouth, and took a few steps back. This can’t be happening! Oh Goddesses, please, not now! Tears came as she looked at her mother from across the bed. Her heart was beating, her stomach felt like it was twisting itself into knots. She didn’t know what to say. She could only look at her mother. Please, just another day. She kept her eyes on her mother. She didn’t have to feel pain anymore, Vinyl tried to tell herself. She wouldn’t be held down by her cancer or its treatments. She was finally at peace. Her mother had finally passed. “M-m-m—” Vinyl stumbled on her words, she could barely hold herself up and continued to cry. Then, in one small burst, she screamed. “Mom!” Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping with this chapter. Chapter 10 - The End, and a New BeginningDerpy had finished her morning routines and was sitting at her desk up against the window in her room. She didn’t have any school work to do during this time, and decided to pull out a sketchpad and looked out her window. She smiled, seeing the younger fillies and colts of the adoption house outside playing in the morning snow. She then focused her attention on the large tree in the back garden, beginning to sketch it in her book with a pencil. Soon after beginning however, the phone on her desk began going off. Derpy sighed after being interrupted by the phone. She put her pen down and picked up the phone. “Hello, Derpy Hooves speaking.” She said into the piece. There was silence on the other side of the phone. “Um, hello?” “…Hey Derpy, it’s Vinyl,” she said. Her voice was not giving off much emotion. “Hi Vinyl, how are you and Claret?” “Derpy, you need to come over here, now.” “What?” Derpy held her phone tight. “Is everything all right?” “Just get over here. I’ll see you soon.” Vinyl then hung up the phone. “Vinyl? Hello!” Hearing the phone disconnect, Derpy placed down the receiver. From the sound of Vinyl’s voice something was wrong. She immediately closed her sketchpad and got out of her seat. She grabbed her side bag off the chair and checked inside to make sure she had everything she needed. Placing her bag along her side, she proceeded out of her room. Walking down the hall, she went to the front desk and wrote her name on the checkout list. “Is everything okay Ms. Hooves?” said a stallion behind the desk. “It’s quite early to be heading out on a weekend.” “Something’s just come up, I’ll probably be out for most of the day,” she said, quickly signing her name and dropping the pen next to the form. “Stay safe. Be sure to call us if it’s past evening.” She only nodded, and walked out of the adoption home. Derpy headed over to Vinyl and Claret’s home at a quick pace. She ignored everyone she passed and only focused on going straight to her destination. She came near Vinyl’s house, seeing it in her view, and an ambulance out front. Oh no. She immediately ran up to the front stoop of the home, but then she heard a familiar voice behind her. “Derpy!” Rarity yelled, running up behind her. “Rarity?” Derpy said. “What are you doing here?” “I could say the same,” Rarity caught her breath. “Vinyl called me, she said to come here immediately. What about you dear?” “Same, do you know what’s happening?” “I have no idea, but it doesn’t sound good.” Rarity said. Suddenly, the front door was cracked open, with Vinyl peering through. “Vinyl, hey,” Derpy said. “Is everything all right?” Vinyl shook her head and opened the door, allowing Derpy and Rarity to come inside. “Darling, is Claret okay?” Rarity asked. “Please, tell us anything.” “Upstairs,” Vinyl said, walking up the stairs first, leading the two behind her. Walking up to the upper hall, the door to Claret’s room was open. Vinyl stood underneath the door and poked her head in, not allowing Derpy and Rarity into the room. “Can we have a few minutes, before you take her?” Vinyl said. “Sure, we just finished up. Let us know when you all are ready.” A mare in the room said, she walked out, with a stallion following behind her. They went past Derpy and Rarity, and down into the living room. Vinyl sighed. “All right, come on in,” Vinyl said, walking into the bedroom. Derpy and Rarity looked at each other, already knowing something wasn’t good. Rarity took a deep breath and walked in first. She gasped. Derpy quickly followed in behind her and froze, her hoof held in front of her mouth. In front of the bed was a laid out stretcher. A thick white sheet was laid over it, with a figure underneath. “I-is that…?” Rarity asked. “It is,” Vinyl said. “Oh Goddesses, Claret…” Rarity said, beginning to cry. “Vinyl… I’m so sorry.” “I found her this morning. She was in here, resting peacefully, but…” Vinyl stopped, beginning to tear up as well. Derpy came up beside Vinyl, placing her hoof on her shoulder. “You don’t need to tell us, Vinyl,” she said, looking at the stretcher. “I think we know what happened.” Vinyl looked at Derpy as tears fell down her face. She wrapped herself tightly around Derpy, taking her by surprise. “She just…” Vinyl cried into Derpy’s shoulder. “She just wouldn’t wake up!” “Vinyl…” Rarity said, clearing her tears. “None of this was your fault. She lived her life to her fullest, and she had you here with her this entire time. You did more than enough to support her.” “But, she was just fine yesterday, she was…” Vinyl sobbed loudly, keeping herself wrapped around Derpy. “I should've stopped her, from using her magic. She could still be here. She—” “Vinyl, please.” Derpy said pushing Vinyl back. “We’re here for you. Whatever happened to Claret, none of us could predict when this would happen, but—” She tripped up on her words, beginning to tear up. “Like Rarity said, she didn’t have to die alone. You were here with her, and now… We are all here together, for one last time, before she goes.” Rarity began tearing up again and wrapped herself around both Derpy and Vinyl. “Let’s say goodbye to your mother, Vinyl,” Rarity said, looking over at the stretcher. “The three of us.” “…Yeah.” Vinyl looked at her mother, who remained underneath the white sheet. Derpy did the same. They were all wrapped around one another, saddened by the loss of Claret, giving her a moment of silence. They all thought about the good times they’d had with her throughout the past, up until these past few days. After a few minutes, Vinyl broke herself from the two. “All right, I think…” Vinyl paused. “I think it’s time for her to go.” “Are you sure?” Derpy asked. “Yeah.” Vinyl smiled. “She would want to be out of bed by this hour any way.” She laughed, joylessly. Derpy and Rarity looked at each other, confused by Vinyl’s odd sense of humor, but smiled back. The EMTs came back into the room and they guided the stretcher out of the bedroom and down the stairs. The three mares stood out the front of the home, seeing the stretcher one last time. The stallion loaded Claret into the back of the ambulance, while the mare strapped herself to the front of the carriage. “We’ll give you a call when she is processed. Sorry for your loss,” she said. “Thanks,” Vinyl said. The mare nodded and ran off with the carriage in tow. Vinyl could only watch as her mother left the home for the last time. No more than a week had passed since Claret’s passing. Today it was cloudy. Only a bit of the snow from the past storm still remained on the surface around Ponyville. Today would also be the day Vinyl would say goodbye to her mother for the final time. She wore the white button-up shirt and vest she got from Rarity. She walked along with her and Derpy, both wearing well decorated black dresses. Behind them were ponies from the local funeral home carrying a coffin that housed Claret, with a crowd of ponies that followed behind them. They walked through town, heading to the cemetery, which was housed atop a hill. Taking the path, they all reached the cemetery. Tombstones for many ponies rested there. At the end of the cemetery, at the highest point was a tree sitting by itself. They all went to the tree, where a tombstone with Claret’s name was printed, and a dug hole was prepared as her final resting place. Chairs were set in front of the tree; a majority of the ponies took their seats, while Vinyl, Derpy, Rarity sat at the front. A majority attending the funeral were not family, but those that knew Claret through her music career: musicians that looked up to her, friends from in and outside of town, and a few town locals paying respects. Beside the three mares up front a stallion from the funeral home stood at a podium. “If everyone will take their seats, please,” the stallion said. Everyone immediately sat down. “We are gathered here today to say goodbye to a well known citizen here in Ponyville and across Equestria: mother and pianist, Claret Rondeau. We are joined here today by her daughter, Ms. Scratch, and two very close friends of hers, Ms. Hooves and Ms. Rarity. We will first begin with Ms. Scratch.” Vinyl sighed, getting up from her chair and walked over to the podium. She adjusted the mic to bring it down to her level, and took a deep breath. “Hello, everyone. Thank you for attending…” Vinyl paused looking at the entire crowd of individuals in front of her. She was nervous. She should've prepared a speech, but she hardly knew anyone here, nor did she care. She was against the idea of having such a large funeral in the first place, but it was too late now to show her distaste. “I just wanted to say that I love my mother. She raised me by herself throughout her life and she was a very influential mare in my life. I-I’m going to miss her.” Vinyl looked at the coffin to her side. She could've said more, but she couldn’t think of anything else. “That’s all, thank you all for attending.” Vinyl stepped away from the podium. Rather than returning to her seat however, she walked through the center aisle and began to walk away from the funeral. Whispers were exchanged throughout those attending. “Where is she going?” Derpy said to Rarity, looking behind her. “Is… is she leaving?” “I don’t know,” Rarity sighed. “Go follow her, I think she needs a friend by her side. “What are you going to do?” “I’ll calm everyone down and take care of things here; I am used to fancy types like this.” “Are you sure?” “I have quite a speech planned really. Vinyl, I think, isn’t used to these kind of crowds.” “Right, I’ll see if I can bring Vinyl back.” Derpy quietly left the funeral, not going through the center aisle like Vinyl and instead went through the side where not many of the attendees focused their attention. Leaving the ceremony, Derpy kept up her pace, hoping to catch up with Vinyl. She soon saw the mare ahead and ran after her. “Hey Vinyl!” Derpy yelled. “Wait up!” Vinyl stopped and turned around. She stood there with a lit cigarette dangling from her mouth while she waited for Derpy to catch up. “Decided to tag along?” Vinyl asked. “W-where are you going?” Derpy panted, catching her breath. “I just didn’t want to be there.” “What? Why?” “I wanted to be there just for my mother, I didn’t expect so many attendees.” Vinyl sighed. “Other than you and Rarity, I only knew about ten of them off the top of my head.” “Vinyl, It’s your mother’s funeral.” She grabbed Vinyl’s hoof. “We should go back.” Vinyl shook her head and pulled her hoof back from Derpy. “I’ll visit her tomorrow, I’d rather spend my time with Mom alone.” “Are you sure?” “Yeah.” Vinyl tossed her cigarette off to the side. “Now, do you want to tag along with me or not?” Derpy looked behind her and back at Vinyl. She hardly knew any of the attendees either, and maybe giving her best friend support would be a better idea. “Sure.” She nodded. “Though, where are we going?” “I wanted to go to Goldy’s. I could use some coffee, pancakes and a smoke or two.” Derpy tilted her head. “Seriously? You are abandoning your mother’s funeral for pancakes?” “I’d rather talk about my mother with you then a bunch of complete strangers.” Derpy rubbed her chin. “Fair enough. Pancakes it is.” After walking down the hill, they went past a few shops and ended up at the front of Goldy’s. When they walked inside it was past breakfast and before lunch; only a few patrons were sitting at the front of the diner, having a coffee and a late morning meal. A small waitress approached the two. “Mornin’ girls.” She eyed the two, seeing them both in their attire for a funeral. “Just the two of y’all?” “Yup,” Vinyl said. “Feel free to sit anywhere y’all like, we aren’t too busy during this hour. I’ll bring your menus.” Vinyl nodded and sat at the corner of the diner in a booth; Derpy sat across from her. The waitress came around with two menus. Vinyl raised her hoof. “We are just getting the endless pancakes. Some coffee would be great though.” “Coffee and endless pancakes, coming right up!” she said, zipping off to the kitchen. “It’s odd, being here.” Derpy looked at her black dress and back at Vinyl. “She could probably tell we just came back from a funeral.” “You think if I told them we came from my mother’s funeral we could get a discount?” Vinyl grinned. Derpy stared blankly at Vinyl. “No.” “You're probably right,” Vinyl shrugged. “Not to be mean Vinyl, but you have an odd way of mourning.” The waitress came back with a large pot of coffee and poured some mugs for the two mares. “Y’alls pancakes should be here soon,” she said, walking off again. Vinyl nodded, picking up her mug with her magic and taking a sip. “To be honest, I’ve been crying a lot throughout this week.” Vinyl looked out the window, taking another sip of her coffee. “I thought I would only be sad the day she died, but when I want to do anything around the house I am used to her being there.” “I See… Sorry.” Derpy picked up her mug, taking a sip. “Surely you had the same sort of experience?” Vinyl asked. “What?” Derpy tilted her head. “I never wanted to presume, but I am guessing you were put into adoption because both your parents passed, right?” “Not really,” Derpy sighed, taking another sip from her coffee. “I don’t really like bringing it up, but I was abandoned when I was just a foal.” “Oh.” There was an awkward silence between the two. The waitress soon came around with two towering plates of pancakes, placing them on the table and walking off again. “Though,” Derpy said, poking her pancakes with her fork. “Losing your parents is hard. I was abandoned since I was foal and could never remember my mom or dad’s faces. I still feel sad some days, knowing I will probably never see them again.” “Sorry to hear that,” Vinyl said, taking a bite of her pancakes. “Thanks.” She smiled. “When you do look at it, I guess you can say we both have the same sort of experience,” she said, taking a small bite of her pancakes. The two sat in the diner enjoying their pancakes and coffee. Throughout that time Vinyl went over to the jukebox and inserted a few bits into the machine, wanting to listen to some good familiar tunes while she enjoyed her time with Derpy. “I am going to miss Claret,” Derpy said, sipping her coffee. Vinyl nodded, lighting a cigarette inside. “I never got to see her play piano often, but she was talented.” Derpy paused. “And still is probably the closest pony I could ever call ‘Mom.’” Vinyl raised an eyebrow. “Sorry, I never really had a person I could look up to in life, you know?” Derpy said. “It’s fine,” Vinyl said blowing smoke into the air. “My mom was the coolest mare in Equestria.” She grinned. “Heh, yeah. You’re right about that.” Derpy raised her coffee mug towards Vinyl. “To Claret.” “To Mom,” Vinyl said, lightly tapping her mug against Derpy’s. The two took down their entire mugs of coffee, with Derpy finishing first, coughing a few times. “Are you doing anything else today?” Vinyl said. “No,” Derpy replied. “What about you?” “I was supposed to see Mom’s lawyer after the funeral. He said I can come in at any time. I can just tell him you are a close family friend.” Derpy nodded. “Sure, have you met him before?” “Not often, only when he came over to our house really. He has an office in town, so Mom went there often.” Looking throughout the diner, Vinyl could see more ponies coming in for the lunch hour. “Let’s get out of here, before it gets crowded,” Vinyl said. Leaving the diner, Vinyl and Derpy walked side-by-side. “So your mother had a lawyer?” Derpy asked. “Yeah, she originally hired him when she filed for a divorce. Soon after though she always stuck with him during her music career as well, and now he is handling her will,” Vinyl said. “Do you think he went to the funeral?” “In that crowd? I couldn’t tell. Were you planning to speak in front of them?” “I was. I actually spent the past few days working on a speech.” “Oh. Sorry.” Vinyl’s ears fell, feeling a bit of regret for not giving Derpy her voice. “I just don’t see how you can tolerate crowds like that.” “Was it your first time speaking to a large audience?” “Yeah.” “You will get used to it. I’ve done a few before for youth events.” Walking into a neighborhood, they passed a few houses and stopped at one with a small sign to the side titled ‘Mr. Legal, Ponyville Lawyer.’ “This is it,” Vinyl said. “Not exactly the best location for a business,” Derpy said, looking around at the regular residential houses. “I guess it’s cheaper to buy a house than rent or build a property.” Stepping up to the door’s stoop, Vinyl pressed the doorbell. They both could hear hoof steps on the other end, and a mare with a blonde mane opened the door. “Hello? Do you two have an appointment?” she said. “My name is Vinyl Scratch. I’m the daughter of Claret Rondeau. Mr. Legal called me earlier this week saying I could come in any time after her ceremony. My friend here was also close to her.” “Oh! I’m sorry for your loss, then, Ms. Scratch.” She fully opened the door and stepped to the side, welcoming them in. “My name is Sandy, please come in, Mr. Legal has been awaiting your arrival.” “Thanks,” Vinyl said, stepping in first, with Derpy behind her. Inside, the living room had been converted into a waiting room for clients, about the same size as Vinyl’s home, complete with a fireplace. A single executive desk was beside the door, sitting next to the window. “Do you two need anything? Coffee? Tea? Water?” Sandy asked. “No, thank you,” Derpy said. “Same. Thanks though,” Vinyl said, looking around the office a bit. “No problem, let me just ring up Mr. Legal to see if he is ready.” Sandy walked over to her desk and pulled up the phone, pressing a single button. “Ms. Scratch and a close friend of her’s have arrived.” She paused. “Yes sir, I’ll bring them up immediately.” She then placed the receiver down and walked over to the steps. “This way please,” Sandy said. “Mr. Legal is ready to see you.” Vinyl and Derpy followed her up the staircase to the upper hall. Passing several doors, they were led to one at the end of the hallway. Sandy opened the door for them and stepped to the side, allowing the two to walk in first. “Here they are Mr. Legal,” she said. “Thank you, Ms. Dunkin’. You are excused.” She nodded, walking away and closing the door behind her. Vinyl looked around the office. Minus the single window behind the old stallion and a few certificates hung up on the walls, the room was packed with fully filled bookshelves. Vinyl then redirected her eyes to the old brown stallion with a greyed mane and tail, sitting at his desk. He wore nothing but a fancy bowtie, and an old pair of glasses with large lenses and thin frames that looked like they hadn’t been changed in over a decade. “Please, have a seat,” he said, waving his hoof at the two large chairs in front of his desk. Vinyl and Derpy nodded, and sat down in the comfy chairs. “To start off, I’m sorry to hear of your loss Ms. Scratch,” he said, withdrawing a manila envelope and opening it, taking out a small document. “Your mother has been one of my oldest clients throughout my career. She truly was a magnificent mare.” “Thanks,” Vinyl said, rubbing the back of her head. “This past week I’ve been getting a lot of ponies across town saying how influential she was.” “Mmm.” He nodded, adjusting his glasses and looking at the document he retrieved. “Now before I go over the will, your mother left you a farewell message she wrote several months back. Would it be okay for me to read it?” “She left a message?” Vinyl asked. “Yes, some clients wish to keep things strictly business, but for more personal manners I’ve had a few farewell messages like this. Regardless, would it be okay for me to proceed?” “Sure, go ahead.” “Very well.” He cleared his throat and began reading. To Vinyl, If you are reading this, then I am sorry to say that I must have passed away from my cancer. I can't know when or how this will happen, so I want these to be my last words to you. I am proud of how much you’ve grown. I remember when you were first born that I wasn’t sure what I had gotten myself into, or if I would be a responsible mother. However, I hope that I have been a good influence on you throughout your life, and that it carries on, even after my death. By the time you are reading this, I hope you have passed your eighteenth birthday and I congratulate you on making it this far in your life. You’ve grown from when I first set my eyes on you and you still have a long road ahead. I hope you not only achieve your dreams as a musician, but also find a mare that you can call your partner. I know things didn’t go well in high school, but don’t worry; things will be better as an adult. It feels very weird, leaving a message after my passing, and I hope that you never have to read this, but I just want you to know that I love you, and I am very proud of you, Vinyl. Take care of yourself and those around you. Your mother, Claret Rondeau. Vinyl had been crying throughout and now cleared her tears away. Derpy did a bit of the same beside her, hearing the final message of her mother. “Are you going to be okay?” Mr. Legal said. “Sorry,” Vinyl sniffled. “What’s left?” “Just the will,” Legal said, turning the page. “To Vinyl Scratch, I, Claret Rondeau, hereby declare that, on the day of my passing, I transfer over all of my assets to my only daughter, Vinyl Scratch. This includes my home, possessions, wealth and investments. However, my daughter will also be required to follow these two requests. 1.) If my longtime friend Ms. Rarity is to ever have financial trouble with her business Carousel Boutique, my daughter will be required to help her in any way financially if possible. 2.) On the day of her eighteenth birthday, our friend, Ms. Derpy Hooves is to receive a deposit of exactly five thousand bits to help her throughout her start into adulthood.—” “How much!?” Derpy yelled, standing up out of her chair. “Are you Ms. Hooves?” Legal said, placing his eyes on her. “Y-yes!” she stammered. “As previously stated, on the day of her eighteenth birthday, our friend, Ms. Derpy Hooves is to receive a deposit of exactly five thousand bits—” “Five? T-thousand?” Derpy placed her hoof over her chest. “Yes,” Legal said. “W-wow.” She fainted, falling onto the floor. “Oh, shit.” Vinyl quickly got out of her chair and went to Derpy’s side. Legal grabbed the phone on his desk and pressed a button. “Yes, Ms. Dunkin’, we have a code blue in my office.” He hung up the phone and looked down at the two. “This happens often?” Vinyl asked. “Once every few months.” There was a sound of rushing hooves downstairs, and no more than a few seconds after Legal called Sandy, she came bursting through the office door. “Here! What’s the situation?” Sandy said, holding a clean towel and bottle of water in her hoof. “Just the grey mare here. She just got a bit overwhelmed. Her friend will be taking care of her.” Derpy sat up, placing her hoof over her head. “You all right?” Vinyl asked, grabbing the water bottle from Sandy and passing it to Derpy. “Yeah, just…” She took a sip from the bottle. “That came out of nowhere.” Vinyl helped Derpy back into her chair. “If you are feeling better, can we proceed?” Legal asked. “Sorry, I hope we aren’t wasting too much of your time, Mr. Legal” Derpy said. “No trouble. I’ve had worse this past week.” He grabbed a pen and slid the document to the end of the desk. “I just need Ms. Scratch’s signature to proceed, and we can finalize this will.” “Right.” Vinyl picked up the pen with her magic and signed her name slowly, trying her best to make a fancy signature. “Well, that sums it up.” He got up out of his chair, taking the documents. “Let me just have my secretary make a copy of this, and you two can get on your way.” Walking out of the office, Vinyl lit another cigarette and looked over at Derpy. “You feeling all right?” Vinyl asked. “Yeah.” Derpy took another sip from the water bottle. “Just, that’s a lot of bits to be giving away.” “Mom was always smart with her wealth.” Vinyl shrugged. “We already own the house, and she has a good amount of shares with the record company she previously worked for. Or, I guess I own now.” Vinyl pulled in on her cigarette. “It’s an odd feeling, getting all of this stuff handed to me.” “Your mother trusts you, and me as well. When I am an adult, of course.” Derpy said. “To be honest, I think she only wants you to wait until your 18th birthday so the adoption house doesn’t take any of it.” “Wouldn’t be surprised.” Derpy sighed. “They would do something like that.” The two began walking out of the neighborhood. “You think Rarity is back at her place?” Vinyl said. “I wanted to thank her for staying at Mom’s funeral, seeing how we sort of ditched her there.” “It’s been a few hours now,” Derpy said, checking her watch. “Let’s give her a visit.” Walking past a few businesses and the library, they soon made it to Rarity’s Boutique. On the front of the door was a sign saying ‘Closed for the week, will reopen starting next weekend.’ “I guess she needed some time off with what’s been happening,” Derpy said. “Didn’t she make that dress you are wearing?” Vinyl said. “She did actually; it’s the first time I had something so formal. Just wish it was for a happier event.” Vinyl nodded, and then knocked on the door. “We’re closed for the week, read the sign!” Rarity yelled from inside. “I can read, thank you very much, and it’s me Vinyl, Derpy is here too.” “Oh, sorry, Vinyl. Come in. Door’s unlocked.” Vinyl opened the door and walked inside. Derpy closed the door behind her and they found the store front was completely empty. “Rarity? Where are you?” Derpy said. “In here,” Rarity said from the kitchen. The two walked into the kitchen and found Rarity sitting at the kitchen table, eating a tub of ice cream while crying. Her mascara was ruined, running down her face. “Uh, hey.” Vinyl waved. “Hello girls.” She sniffled, taking one last bite before closing the tub of ice cream. “Still mourning?” Vinyl asked. “Just a little bit.” She grabbed a tissue and wiped her eyes and messy mascara. “I think having guests over, especially you two, will make me feel better.” Rarity got out of her seat, placed the tub of ice cream in her freezer and went over to her stove top. “You two have a seat. Do either of you want tea?” “Please,” Derpy said, sitting down at the table. “Sure.” Vinyl looked around the kitchen. “Rarity, do you have a stereo in here?” “Oh? Yes, it’s over there.” She pointed her hoof over to a dusty wood cabinet with a bunch of knick knacks placed on top of it. “It hasn’t been played in a while.” Vinyl went over to the cabinet and found a small notch in the top panel. She lifted it to find an old record player that had been collecting dust and an external cassette player. She pulled a cassette tape out of her vest pocket and placed it in the player. Turning on both the stereo and cassette player, she pressed play and could hear her mother again. ‘Are we recording?’ Rarity and Derpy’s ears twitched, hearing the familiar voice from the stereo. ‘Yeah, why do you think I was waving my hoof?’ ‘Sorry, Vinyl.’ Claret chuckled. ‘Hopefully whoever is listening to this doesn’t mind our bickering.’ ‘Well, we’re rolling,’ Vinyl grumbled. ‘Oh! Right.’ Then, the sound of her mother playing piano could be heard throughout the kitchen. Vinyl sat down next to Derpy, listening to the recording. “When was this recorded?” Rarity asked. “The day before she died. She hadn’t played for so long and she went all throughout the afternoon to the evening.” “How did she play? Wasn’t she supposed to not use her magic?” Vinyl shook her head. “She just wanted to play. How could I say no to that?” “I see,” Rarity said, getting ready to prepare the tea. “It sounds beautiful.” Derpy smiled. “I haven’t heard her play often, but it seems she hadn’t lost any of her skill after her long hiatus.” “Thanks.” Vinyl returned a smile as well. “I think she was really enjoying it.” Rarity picked up three cups of tea with her magic and placed them on the kitchen table. “I remember when I first met you and your mother Vinyl: You were still in elementary school and I was just starting my business.” Rarity took a sip of her tea. “My sales were abysmal, but then you and your mother came in and ordered a dress from me. She was impressed by my work after looking over my designs and said she would come back if she ever needed anything else.” “I think we still have everything you made in her closet; she never wanted to get rid of them.” Vinyl said. “She would only buy one dress each year, but her friends asked where she got her dresses, and all of a sudden I had orders across Equestria coming in.” Rarity smiled. “I wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for her.” “She was great like that,” Vinyl said. They all sat around one another, continuing to drink their tea. Throughout the afternoon they talked about Claret, all the while listening to her final performance. Vinyl and Derpy were there until the sun went down. Once evening came, Vinyl and Derpy were back at Vinyl’s doorstep, ready to wrap up for the evening. “Thanks for taking me along with you today Vinyl,” Derpy said. “I think today was better than what I expected.” “No prob.” Vinyl smiled. “Thanks for tagging along with me.” Vinyl looked at the moon that lit up the town for the evening and back down at Derpy. “Well, I guess I’ll see you sometime. ‘Night Derpy.” Vinyl was about to open the door before Derpy interjected. “Vinyl?” “Yeah?” “…Are you going to be okay?” Vinyl closed her eyes, and sighed. “For the most part, I think so. I’ll call you tomorrow.” “Okay. Have a good evening then, Vinyl.” Derpy turned around, and began walking away. “Derpy.” “Yes?” She said, turning around. “Thanks. Thanks for sticking with us, throughout all of this.” Derpy smiled. “You’ve been a good friend to me Vinyl, both you and your mother. I couldn’t leave either of you behind.” She waved, and began walking back to her place. Vinyl then opened the door to her home—only hers now—and went inside. She almost said ‘I’m home,’ but remembered she was the only one there. She wandered around the house, looking at all the things her mother left behind for her. She never gave much thought to the items throughout the house, but without her mother here, it was her responsibility to look after all of this now. Looking at the piano, she wanted to play for her mother, but she wasn’t here now; she would only be playing for herself. She then came up with an idea. Going upstairs, she grabbed the cassette recorder and a cassette from her room and went back downstairs. She placed the recorder and microphone along the piano and, after plugging it in, she began recording and started playing the piano. Her skills were far from her mother, only tapping the keys slowly, dragging out her notes. She played for a few minutes, forming her own piece. Once she was done, she pressed stop on the recorder and rewound the tape. Unplugging the recorder from the wall, she popped the back off and saw there were still fresh batteries inside. She then grabbed her jacket from the kitchen and placed the recorder inside her bag that she kept next to the door. Vinyl then walked out the front door. It was freezing. Vinyl walked through the darkness alone, with the full moon lighting her path. She kept herself bundled in her jacket, keeping her hood over her head to stay warm while smoking another cigarette. She was close to the cemetery, taking the path up the hill now. The path was well lit and she soon made it to the cemetery. She walked past all the tombstones of passed residents and walked up to the highest point of the cemetery, standing beneath the tree where her mother now rested. Vinyl looked at the grave; the dirt was freshly placed back in, and attendees of the funeral had left roses over her burial place. Looking at the tombstone, she read the inscription. Claret Rondeau Loving Mother Talented Musician Born 954 CE · Died 993 CE · Age 39 Sitting down, she placed her hoof over the tombstone. “Hey, Mom. Sorry I left earlier.” She sat there silent. “I thought the ceremony was a bit much, but I said I would come here as soon as I could.” She pulled the cassette recorder out of her bag, and powered it on. She pressed play and the speaker on the recorder began playing the piano piece she played earlier that evening. “I recorded this earlier today. Since you are not at the house anymore, I decided to bring it here.” She paused, listening to her recording as well. “I hope you like it. It was sort of impromptu.” She kept to herself, sticking near her mother’s grave. Just wanting to give her some company. “You know… It’s going to be hard, not having you here.” Vinyl began to cry. “I’m gonna miss seeing you play, seeing you listen to my music, hanging out with friends or going on our tour trips every summer.” She placed her hooves over the tombstone, crying harder now, not caring how much of a mess she looked. “I-I’m going to miss you, Mom.” She placed her hooves over her eyes, crying endlessly by herself. She remained there throughout the evening, not wanting to leave her mother’s side. “Vinyl.” Vinyl looked behind her and saw Derpy standing there, wearing a thick jacket. “What are you doing here?” Vinyl said. “I couldn’t sleep, so I snuck out and decided to come here.” She bit her lip. “I didn’t think you would be out here as well.” Vinyl nodded and looked back at the tombstone. “Why did she have to die? Out of all the ponies in Equestria, why her?” Derpy kneeled behind Vinyl and pulled her into a hug. Vinyl flinched instinctively, but soon found herself sinking into her friend’s warm embrace. “Some things just happen, Vinyl. We can’t stop them from happening. When Claret was diagnosed, she knew there was a possibility she was going to die, and you knew as well things weren’t as they were when she first went to the hospital.” “When we were at Rarity’s place that night, I was so scared of what was going to happen,” Vinyl said, tears streaming down her face. She remembered the moment when her mother first had her seizure. A few minutes earlier she was fine, the next she was on the ground, twitching, unable to control herself. “Yet you still stuck with her all throughout it to the end. We all did. Rather than letting the cancer take it’s toll on her, we all stuck to one another and gave her the best support we could.” “I’ve always relied on her to take care of me though. I don’t know if I am ready for this.” “We'll take it one day at a time, Vinyl. You've looked out for me this whole time, so I'll be right here with you.” Vinyl nodded, clearing the tears out of her eyes. “Let’s go back to your house. I don’t want you to freeze out here.” “Yeah, let’s go.” It began to snow again. The mares remained close to one another to keep warm as they walked back to Vinyl’s house. Looking back at the grave, Vinyl promised herself this wouldn’t be the end, but the start of a new beginning. fin Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping with this chapter. Very special thanks to Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping throughout the writing and editing of this fic, another thanks goes to Proper Noun who helped with the first chapter, as well as my readers for the comments and support. This fic would not be possible without all of you, thank you. Originally this was only meant to be a short side story to my previous fic, but I am happy to see what it has become. I hope y'all enjoyed Major and Minor, thank you again for reading. -Lady Froey To be continued, in... Music to His Ears. Chapter 1 - BeginningsVinyl blinked when the bell rang. She groaned, then stretched her back as she rose from her desk. Classes had ended for the day, marking the halfway point through the second semester of her freshman year at Ponyville High. She snapped shut the book that she’d been been pretending to study, when she’d instead been hiding her heavy eyelids behind her messy blue mane as she had let her mind wander. As the class stood to leave, the other colts and fillies gathered in small groups before pouring out into the hallway. Vinyl just started packing her books into her bag. Someone’s shoulder bumped her muzzle, knocking her glasses askew. “Sorry, didn’t see you there,” they said without stopping. Vinyl only came up to shoulder height on most of her classmates, which her mother kept saying was normal for unicorns. She pushed her glasses back into place with a sigh. Her horn glimmered as she grabbed her book bag and walked out of the classroom. Vinyl walked by herself, as usual. She kept her cassette player close to give her company as she headed across the school grounds, rather than walking on the paved path with other students. She walked across the school’s sprawling, grassy front lawn, passing by a tall tree and hopping over the waist-high fence. When she left school grounds, she usually took a dirt road into town, walking through Ponyville’s main district. Sometimes stopping by the convenience store for something to drink, heading to the park for an extended walk, or dropping in at the local record store and see if they had any sales. There wasn’t much else to do in such a small town. However, she’d done some pretty good zoning out in the last period and wanted to head straight home. She took a shortcut to her neighborhood instead, walking down one of the alleys between the wooden privacy fences that separated rows of homes and ran between their backyards. The sounds of the schoolyard faded in the corridor created by the tall fences, replaced by an empty silence. Most of the adults were still at work in town, and anyone younger would have to be inside. As Vinyl neared a corner that served as a halfway marker on her route home, she heard what sounded like a game of hoofball. Excited shouts, the rush of hooves pounding across the ground, the thump of something heavy hitting the dirt, and then… whimpering? She stopped and warily looked around the corner. Ahead of her, two colts stood several feet from a mare at the opposite end of the alley. Dirt was smeared across her face and she was trying to hide herself behind several trash cans, legs and wings pulled in against her body. “Get her, Hoops!” a shorter buff, dark brown colt yelled, running behind a bigger colt with a yellow coat. The two of them charged toward the gray mare, who squealed and threw a trash can lid at them that bounced harmlessly off the fence. Hoops seized her, pinning her forelegs to her sides. “I got her!” Hoops yelled back. The brown colt stopped beside him, panting. “You done runnin’? All we want is to talk, damn.” “Let go of me!” she cried. “Shut up!” the brown colt yelled, while Hoops kept a hold on her. “Score, where are ya!?” “Right here,” Score, a smaller grey colt, called as he emerged from a crossing in the alley. “I didn’t see anyone around, nobody should bother us.” “Please, I don’t want any trouble!” the grey mare said in a lower tone, trembling. “Uh huh. If you didn’t want trouble, why’d you hit my friend Dumb-Bell here? All you had to do was say you were sorry when you bumped into him, but no. You had to take a swing at him, so trouble’s what you got,” Hoops said, keeping a hold on her. “H-he grabbed me! What was I supposed to do?!” “Maybe think for one second. Dumb-Bell is what you’d call a star.” Dumb-Bell grinned and Hoops continued. “Now if you go knocking him down like that and he breaks his leg, he’s not getting no college scholarships. Who’s gonna pay for that? You gonna pay for that?” “But he—he touched my b—” Dumb-Bell slammed his his hoof into her belly. The mare’s expression twisted into a scream, but only a low wheeze came out as her knees buckled and she sank into her captor’s hold. “And just when I thought we all were starting to understand each other,” he sighed. “That’s a terrible thing to say about another pony.” “That kind of reputation changes lives, you know,” Hoops added. “Yeah, you really shouldn’t be making up things like that,” Dumb-Bell spat, punctuating the last word by driving his hoof up into her stomach a second time. Hoops released her and she fell to the ground, clutching her belly. She curled into a fetal ball, gasping for air and crying raspily. “But seeing how this is your first offense and all,” Hoops said while Score and Dumb-Bell circled around her, “what say you just give us the money you have on you and we call it even? We don’t wanna have to really mess you up.” This had already gone on too long. No one was going to fly in to save this mare like they did in comics. She would have to step in. Vinyl knew it was stupid; what could she even do? She probably looked like a foal next to the three athletic colts, and they could probably both out-muscle and outrun her. But she still had to try—no one else could. She slid her saddle bags off and placed them next to the garbage bin, took a deep breath to steel herself, then walked around the corner. “Hey! Assholes!” Vinyl yelled, catching their attention. “Hey, Score! I thought I told you to keep watch!” Dumb-Bell growled. Score, who was staring at the unicorn who’d appeared inexplicably, blinked and shook his head. “Hey, nobody was there when I looked. Besides, just look at her. Don’t tell me you’re worried about a kid.” Score guffawed. “I’m not a kid!” “You sure sound like a kid to me. Haven’t you heard you shouldn’t mess in other ponies business?” Score said with a grin. Vinyl took another step forward. “I’m making it my business. Whatever she did, she doesn’t deserve a beating.” “P-Please help me! Go get somebody!” the mare cried. “Hey! We told you to shut up!” Hoops said, lifting his hoof up ready to strike her. “Stop it!” Vinyl yelled. Hoops paused with his hoof raised, looking over his shoulder at Vinyl. “Whoa, hold up a moment. The lady says we should stop. I think we’d better listen.” Dumb-Bell said with a snort “Y-yeah. I’m really scared,” Score chimed in. Okay Vinyl, you got their attention. Now what? “I said stop. She’s done nothing to you; you’re all just a bunch of bullies.” “And what are you going to do, huh?” Dumb-Bell grinned, walking toward Vinyl casually while the other two stayed behind to keep an eye on the mare. His eyes locked onto hers. Vinyl only held eye contact, saying nothing. “I said, what are you gonna do?” He darted forward, making her flinch. “That’s right. You aren’t gonna do anything.” Dumb-Bell tossed his head and laughed in her face. Vinyl grit her teeth. Something snapped and before she knew it, she was slamming her hoof into Dumb-Bell’s snout as hard as she possibly could. She heard something crack accompanied by a wet squelch. He screamed and fell to the ground, wailing and clutching his muzzle. “My nose!” he cried. “She broke my frrghig nose!” “Dumb-Bell!” Hoops yelled, running to his aid. “You okay, man?” “It hurts man, it’s bad!” Dumb-Bell snorted blood onto the dirt. Score glared at Vinyl, lowered his head, and charged her. “You're dead, kid!” Maybe that wasn’t the best idea… Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The mare shouted something at Vinyl, but all she could hear was the thunder of Score’s hoofsteps. Vinyl spun around as quickly as she could, her horn charging up a spell, but all she saw when she turned was a hoof bound for her face. A crack to the temple sent her spinning and Score tackled her, pinning her to the ground. Vinyl could hardly see, and it took her a moment to realize her glasses were laying in a puddle a few feet away from her. Vinyl tried to bring her hooves up to cover her face, but Score was already pounding on her. The mare cried for him to stop, but each blow muffled her words further and further, burying them under an agonizing ringing in Vinyl’s ears. “Yo, Score!” Hoops shouted and Vinyl sighed internally as the punches stopped. “Help me with Dumb-Bell; he’s hurt bad, man!” Score groaned and Vinyl felt his weight lift from her chest as he went to help carry Dumb-Bell. Hoops and Score lifted him up and he stood on trembling legs. “You’re lucky my friends are here to hold me back,” Dumb-Bell said, face streaked with blood and tears. “You just got lucky. You stupid bitch!” He kicked Vinyl in the ribs and she coughed. “Next time, we’re caving your face in! You just stay down!” Vinyl could hear the crunch of leaves under their hooves as they walked away. She was happy to comply, looking up at the clouds blankly as she struggled to get her breath back. She could feel that she was bleeding from several spots on her head and though her ribs hurt, it didn’t feel like they were cracked. The moment the three went away, the mare got up off the ground and scurried over to Vinyl. “You all right?” Vinyl said, looking up at the grey mare. “I’m all right, but you look like you were mauled by timberwolves. I thought that colt was going to kill you.” “Is it bad?” Vinyl said, keeping herself on the ground. The mare lifted Vinyl’s head in her hooves, slowly turning it left, then right. “You’re bleeding in several spots, and it looks like you’re going to have a black eye.” “Not the first time it’s happened.” Vinyl winced, placing a hoof over her forehead. “I’m sorry I got you pulled into this. It’s not the first time for me, either. When I moved here, I was hoping that I was finally past it, or at least that this would happen less often. But,” she sighed, “I guess ponies are the same wherever one goes.” “Don’t worry about it; I’m the one who jumped into it.” Vinyl tried cracking her neck and winced; she must have been bruised there. “I don’t really get bothered by names; it happens to everybody at some point, it seems. But as soon as they tried to beat you up, I had to do something.” Vinyl lifted her hoof and wiped it across her forehead, groaning as she saw blood staining her hoof. “Can you, uh, help clean me up? My mom’s going to freak out if she sees me like this.” “Of course. Just stay there.” The mare ran over to her saddlebags and pulled out a rag and bottle of water, “I’m happy I keep myself supplied.” She smiled, beginning the rub Vinyl’s wounds. “What’s your name?” Vinyl asked, trying to stay still while the mare attempted to clean her wounds. The mare looked surprised at the question. “My name is… Derpy. Derpy Hooves.” “Vinyl Scratch.” “Well, thank you for saving me, Vinyl. No one’s done that for me before.” “What was I supposed to do? You needed help, and I’m dumb enough to jump in without thinking.” Vinyl started to laugh, but ended up coughing. “So…” Derpy paused reluctantly before asking, “Do you not think I’m a freak or anything?” “Why would I?” “Have you not noticed my eyes yet?” “Actually, I can’t see much without my glasses. Hold up.” Vinyl’s hoof softly patted the ground around her until she found her glasses, picking them up slowly. She paused. “Aw man. These are pretty busted up; mom’s gonna be pissed.” Vinyl briefly tried to unbend the crooked arms before carefully resting them against her face. One of the lenses was cracked, too, she noticed with a groan before taking a look at Derpy’s face. One of her eyes was looking off in a different direction while the other looked straight at her. “That’s what they were bullying you for?” “Yes,” Derpy said matter-of-factly. “My eyes have been like this since I was born,” she added quickly. “Huh?” “That’s the next thing everyone asks me.” “Actually, I was just going to call them jerks.” “Oh?” Derpy smiled a little. “T-thanks.” She paused. “You said you got beaten up before?” “Yeah. I always dressed a bit different and one of my classmates… I guess he didn’t like it. He decided to bully me — I don’t even know why, really — and it ended with both of us beating each other up.” “I’m sorry to hear that.” “Don’t be. That was more than a year ago at least. Besides,” Vinyl added with a wink, “I got a few good hits in.” “Right,” Derpy said, finishing up cleaning Vinyl’s wounds. “I did what I could. Safe to say, you won’t be able to hide those marks from your mother.” “I can deal with mom worrying about me. At least I won’t get blood all over the house.” Vinyl got up, picking up her saddlebags sitting beside the garbage cans. “Thanks.” “You’re welcome,” Derpy said with a smile. “Thank you again for saving me. I’d better go.” “Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to come over to my place. Maybe help me get out of the mess with my mother.” Vinyl asked. “I can do that,” she smiled. The two made sure they had their belongings and left the alley together. Vinyl wasn’t sure if the stares from the ponies they passed on the way to her house were due to Derpy’s eyes or her injuries. She didn’t much care what they thought, but their stares only made her more certain that her mother was going to kill her. Vinyl kept looking at the pegasus limping behind her in silence. She hadn’t even asked how far away Vinyl’s house was. “So…” Vinyl said, slowing to walk beside Derpy “you moved here recently?” “Yes, about a week ago.” Vinyl nodded her head left and they rounded a corner onto another street. “Where from?” “Las Pegasus,” Derpy replied with none of the usual excitement that usually accompanied the city’s name. “Bright lights, big city, huh? I went there once before, but I was little. Mom says I’m too young to have any real fun there anyway.” “Yes, it was certainly bright and shiny. And loud, and crowded.” “Why would you leave all that to come here?” “Fast-paced, loud, and flashy aren’t so attractive if all you want is to be normal.” “Yeah, uh,” Vinyl nodded, “I guess so.” Walking into a small neighborhood, Derpy heard the faint sound of a piano playing throughout the area. Coming closer to the sound until they walked straight to the source. “Is this your home?” Derpy asked. “Yup. That’s mom playing. She must have had a good day.” “What do you mean?” “She gets headaches sometimes. She doesn’t like to play on those days, and if she does it’s usually something slow.” Vinyl took a deep breath and opened the door. “Mom, I’m home!” An older mare with a white coat matching Vinyl’s and a long, wine red mane and tail sat at the piano, seeming oddly still as she kept her eyes closed while using her magic to strike the keys. When Vinyl called out, she looked up at her with a smile and slowly opened her eyes. “Welcome home dea—” She then saw Vinyl’s bloodied and bruised face and immediately stopped playing. “Vinyl! What in Tartarus happened to you?!” “Um…” Vinyl said the first thing that came to mind, “I fell.” Derpy shook her head silently, yet violently, sighing as hard as she could for Vinyl to think of something else. “Vinyl, don’t even try it. I can tell you got into another fight.” Claret then noticed Derpy hiding behind Vinyl. “Oh, my apologies. Vinyl, who is your friend?” “My name is Derpy. Derpy Hooves.” Derpy said, a bit shy in front of Vinyl’s mother. “Well Derpy, do you know what happened to Vinyl?” “I was being bullied by three colts. They started… harassing me and then when I pushed back, they started acting like I was the one in the wrong. They wanted my money. Vinyl stepped in and got them to leave.” Claret placed a hoof over her chin, looking at Derpy. The poor thing couldn’t be older than thirteen. She was so polite, too. But still, she hated seeing Vinyl with bruises. “Vinyl, I am happy you went to save your friend, but you need to be careful! You might get yourself killed one day. Do you understand?” “Yes, mom,” Vinyl said, ears folding back. How bad it could have gotten hadn’t really occurred to her at the time. “Thank you.” She walked over to Vinyl and wrapped her daughter in a hug. “Every mother’s worst nightmare is a guard knocking on her door saying that something’s happened to her baby.” “I’m sorry I got your daughter involved, Mrs. um…” “Claret Rondeau, but you can just call me Claret, and don’t worry about it.” She smiled. “Vinyl did the right thing helping you. We’ve just…” Claret paused, choosing her words carefully, “had a few incidents with her fighting in the past.” Derpy nodded. “Why don’t you sit down, Derpy? We have coffee brewing in the kitchen.” Claret walked into the kitchen while Vinyl and Derpy seated themselves on a large sofa in the living room. They both sat there silently. Derpy looked around the living room, eyeing the furniture and pictures around the room. “This is a nice house, Vinyl.” “Thanks. My mom and I have been living here since I was a foal.” “What does your mother do?” “She is a pianist.” “Pianist?” “She plays the piano professionally.” “And she’s good enough to get a house like this just by doing that? That’s amazing.” Claret walked back into the living room holding three cups of coffee with her levitation magic. “It is, though I spend more time recording. I only perform live during the summer when Vinyl doesn’t have school. I can’t be heading out of town with Vinyl by herself at home.” “I’m in high school, mom. I can take care of myself.” Vinyl grumbled. “And who is going to help you out of bed? Even your alarm clock can’t seem to do that.” Vinyl resumed drinking her coffee. Derpy took a sip as well, immediately shuddering at the strong, bitter taste. “So, what do your parents do, Derpy?” Claret asked. Derpy sat there silent, not sure what to say. “I don’t have any parents.” “Oh… I’m sorry to hear that.” “It’s fine. I’ve been living in adoption housing for most of my life.” “What is the reason you moved here?” Claret asked. “I… wasn’t doing very well with city life, and the adoption home in Las Pegasus could see that. They transferred me out here hoping that I’d have an easier time in a smaller town.” “I can see why. Las Pegasus isn’t exactly the safest of places to be. Especially for a pony your age” Claret added. Derpy nodded, “I like it here. It isn’t noisy like the city, and...” She paused for a second, “most of the ponies here are friendly.” She smiled. “Glad to hear you are liking it here. I knew this town was perfect for Vinyl and I when we first moved here.” Derpy smiled, taking another sip of coffee. The bitter taste had been alien at first, but she was slowly growing to like it. Glancing about the room, she noticed a series of photographs hung on the walls. Nearly all of them were of Vinyl. Vinyl and her mother at the beach, Vinyl on what looked like her first day of school, Claret playing the piano, Vinyl and a few other fillies of the same age. “Say, Vinyl?” Derpy asked, still looking at the photographs. “Hm?” “I don’t want to be rude, but is it just you and your mom that live here?” “Yup.” Vinyl nodded. “I never really had a dad. He left us early on, so I never knew him.” “Sorry to hear that.” “It’s fine; I have my mother. Besides, this is just how things are, really. It’s not so hard.” Derpy nodded, taking a last sip of her coffee. “Well, thank you for inviting me, Vinyl, and thank you for the coffee, Ms. Rondeau.” She got up. “I have to head back to the adoption house.” “Actually, I was wondering if you wanted dinner. Vinyl and I rarely have guests,” Claret said. “I’d have to call the headmaster to let them know I’ll be late, but I would like that.” Derpy smiled. Vinyl and Derpy walked to the entrance door to the house. “Thank you again for dinner, Ms. Rondeau. I really liked it,” Derpy said. “You’re welcome. Vinyl, be sure to come straight back home after you drop Derpy off.” “All right mom, I’ll be back soon.” Vinyl sighed, opened the door, and walked out with Derpy behind her. She made sure to wave before closing the door. Evening had come upon Ponyville, the lively bright town was now in darkness with the roads being lit by the town lamps. The sound of insects chirping echoed across the town while Vinyl and Derpy walked down the road to the adoption house. “Your mother is very nice, Vinyl,” Derpy said. “Yeah, she’s kind to everyone she meets.” The two kept walking, with Derpy leading. “You said you were bullied?” “Yeah, as said earlier I dressed a bit differently compared to the other mares at school. But…” Vinyl paused. “But what?” “That wasn’t the real reason. I also, um, kinda like mares.” Derpy blinked. “You know. Like like.” “Oh.” Derpy stopped and looked at Vinyl, who stopped in turn and scratched at the ground nervously. “I told my mom a month or two back. I think she was thrown off, but she accepted it.” “You’re her daughter. Something minor like that shouldn’t keep her from loving you.” “Yeah.” Vinyl looked up at the stars. “You don’t think of me less for that, do you?” “Of course not,” Derpy said, shaking her head. “Heh, good. It’s nice to have a friend.” “I’m not exactly experienced in the friend department,” Derpy said softly. “What about you?” “Not as much as you’d think. I had a girlfriend, which was pretty cool, but she dumped me right before I came out to my mother.” Vinyl sighed. “Most of my friends are adults, really. My mom is friends with a lot of ponies around town. Not quite the same as having lunch with the cool kids, but I’ll take what I can get.” “I’m happy to be your friend then, Vinyl.” Derpy smiled. “Best friends?” “Best friends.” Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Proper Noun for helping with this chapter. Chapter 2 - SummertimeWhen Vinyl’s classes ended, she still avoided most of her classmates and immediately left the school grounds by herself. However, rather than taking the shortcut through the alley, she would meet up with Derpy just outside of the campus. The summer breeze tingled as it whisked over her shoulders. Vinyl’s bruises had long since faded, so it felt good to wear something sleeveless again. The semester really had passed in a flash. Derpy was leaning back against the trunk of a tree, watching the clouds. “Yo,” Vinyl called, waving to her. “Hey Vinyl.” Derpy sat up and smiled. “Doing all right?” “Yeah, I have to wrap up some projects this month, but I think I’m starting to become adjusted.” “Good to hear.” Vinyl nodded, and the two began walking down the dirt road from the school into town. “What about you Vinyl? How is high school?” “More or less the same. I’d say it’s not hard, but honestly I just do enough to make sure I’m passing. It’s just busywork that I need to knock out so I can go home and do some some real work.” “Real work?” Derpy tilted her head. “Maybe ‘useful’ is a better word. Math is fine and all, but we all know I’m not gonna get a job doing math. I like music, and I can only work on music when I'm at home. The school’s budget came up short, so their brilliant solution was to cut most of the art and music programs.” “Is that what you want to do when you grow up?” “Yeah, my mother hopes I will follow in her steps and become a pianist, she taught me to play since I was a filly.” Vinyl looked up at the sky and smiled as they walked. “I don’t think I will ever be on her playing level, but I have begun to play full pieces.” “So, you want to play piano professionally?” “Not exactly. I do play piano, but mostly I’ve been getting into music production.” “Like... playing a guitar?” Derpy asked, a bit confused. “Nah, not quite. I use a bunch of old equipment my mom helped me pick up on the cheap over the past few years. Mainly keyboards and synths, drum machines, samplers. Stuff like that.” Derpy slowed her pace, shaking her head back and forth. “I... have no idea what half of that is.” “I can show you my setup if you’d like. Mom should be cooking dinner soon enough, too, if you wanna stay.” Derpy’s hooves scraped the dirt as she stopped. “Um, maybe another time, Vinyl. I need to get back to the— to my place and get some work done.” She waved her hoof. “Aww…” Vinyl said. “I would like to hear you play piano sometime, though. Your mother plays very well and I imagine you carrying some of her talent.” “A bit,” Vinyl smiled. “Well, I wasn’t lying that I do need to get some work done. I have another project I have due in a few days.” Derpy began walking off in another direction and waved. “Have a good afternoon Vinyl.” “Later.” Vinyl waved back, walking home by herself. Vinyl opened the door to her home to find her mother sitting on the sofa reading a book. “Hello, dear. Had a good day at school?” “Eh. Same old, same old.” “As long as you are passing. Did you see Derpy today?” “Yeah. We talked a little on the way home, but she had to go back to the adoption house and get some schoolwork done.” “Poor dear." Claret shook her head. "You have told her she’s welcome to come do her work here any time, haven’t you?” “I do, but she just keeps saying she’s fine.” Vinyl sighed. “I know that she’d be happier spending more time with us, but… I just don’t get it.” “I can’t say for sure, honey, but she probably doesn’t want you feeling like she needs any help. You’re her first friend since she’s moved here, right?” Vinyl nodded slowly. “Maybe ever. I don’t know.” “She might not want her first friend pitying her. She’s had a hard life and everyone’s been looking down on her. Tomorrow, why not try asking her to spend time with you instead of offering it? Maybe that might go over better.” “I hope so...” With nothing more to say, Vinyl placed her saddlebags on the floor by the piano. Claret returned to her book. Vinyl knew she was hungry, but all she could think about was Derpy studying alone in some tiny room. The piano didn’t look like it had been played today. With a sigh, Vinyl pulled the bench out and lifted the lid. Maybe some practice would clear her head. Closing her eyes, her horn glowed and she began pressing a few keys gently, then began playing. The piece was slow and simple, but not something sad. Vinyl was playing it flawlessly at her own speed, adding her own personality to the piece. Her mother took a quick glance and gave a smile. She enjoyed the piece Vinyl played, but even moreso, she appreciated how much her daughter had grown in her skill. Vinyl then transitioned to a more complex piece, her speed began picking up. She opened her eyes only focusing on the piano; she missed a note giving a small groan, but kept going along. She began to sweat, the piece at first seemed just more upbeat, but became more complex and it soon overwhelmed her. The playing went from something she enjoyed to a chore; missing a few more notes, the piece became sloppy to the point she slammed a few keys and stopped. “Damn it.” She said, breathing heavily with sweat going down her face. Claret got up from the sofa and placed her hoof on Vinyl’s shoulder. “Vinyl, I know you want to get better, but you can’t force yourself to play. You need to learn the sections that give you the most trouble and learn to play them slowly over time.” “I know. I was just hoping I could pull it off.” “You are improving, even if you don’t think you are. Just keep it up and you’ll be able to play it through in time.” Claret smiled. “Right.” Vinyl walked over to the fridge opened it looking for her favorite drink. “Hey, mom, do we have any Blue Surge?” She said. “No, dear. You shouldn’t drink those, anyway. They are not good for a mare your age, or anyone, really.” “I’m going to head out to the convenience store,” Vinyl walked over to the door. “Do we need anything else?” “We are well stocked. Don’t be gone long, Vinyl.” “All right.” Vinyl closed the door and walked out of the house. Walking through the neighborhood, it was still the mid-afternoon with plenty of time to spare for the day, Vinyl went into the business district to her favorite convenience store and went inside. An older mare was sitting at the register, reading a magazine. Vinyl went straight to the back wall where the drinks were stored and overlooked the wall of lit energy drinks in front of her. Vinyl eyed the wall of drinks, but went for a tall blue and silver can. She walked up the register. “This it?” The mare at the register said. Vinyl eyed the cigarettes behind the cashier, but shook her head. “Nah. This is all.” “All right. Three bits.” Vinyl withdrew three bits from her wallet and took her drink. “Thanks. Come again, now.” Vinyl walked outside the store and cracked open the aluminum can, placing her nose against the cold rim and breathing in the sweet scent of chemicals and some berries with names she couldn’t pronounce. Her mother’s coffee was good and all, but sometimes she needed something sweeter. The way it made her tongue tingle was pleasant as well. Vinyl took her time on her way back home. Finishing a whole Blue Surge took time, and besides, her mother probably wanted some quiet time to finish the chapter she was on. Coming upon the home, she noticed the house was still silent. Surely her mother felt like playing piano today? Vinyl opened the door slowly. Maybe her mother was having another one of her headaches. “I’m home,” she called softly. No response came. Vinyl trotted into the living room. Her mother wasn’t at the piano, and she wasn’t reading on the couch either. “Maybe she’s gone out?” Vinyl said to no one in particular. There was no reason for her mom to leave the house today, or at least nothing she remembered. Even if she were nursing her headache in bed, she’d have said ‘hi’ or groaned for an ice pack. The stillness felt wrong. Thump. Something was moving behind the sofa. Something big. Vinyl tensed, clapping a hoof over her mouth to stifle a yell. What is that? Should she call the town guard? The phone was in the hallway, just past the source of the noise. Slowing her breath to get her heartbeat under control, Vinyl peeked her head around the corner slowly. Her mother’s book lay open on the floor, her bookmark laying next to it. And there was something white next to the book. A hoof. “Mom?” Vinyl slunk around the couch. Claret was sprawled on the floor, twitching. Her eyes were glassy, like a doll’s, and stared straight ahead as she shook. Her horn and hooves clattered against the hardwood floor. “V-Vin—” she said. “Mom!” Vinyl kneeled down on the ground beside her. “I’m here, just…” Shit! What am I supposed to do!? Vinyl placed her hooves on her mother’s shoulders to keep her from thrashing around. She managed to remain calm, but had no idea what was going on. “P-pho-phone.” “Right,” Vinyl raced to the kitchen phone and punched in the emergency line. “Hello? Hello!? Yes, my mother needs an ambulance!” Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping with this chapter.
Chapter 3 - Unexpected Events“Mom, they are coming. Just hold on.” Vinyl kneeled on the floor beside her mother, Claret was still twitching on the floor, but she began to calm down slowly. Outside, Vinyl could hear an approaching siren in the distance. Soon, Vinyl saw a stallion pulling a blinking carriage stop in front of the house. The doors at the rear of the carriage burst open and a mare leapt out with a stretcher laden with equipment. The stallion unharnessed himself and followed her to Vinyl’s front door, knocking sharply. “Ponyville emergency services; we got a call from this address! Is anyone home?” the stallion called from outside. “Door’s open! Hurry, my mom needs help!” The two opened the door and quickly went to Vinyl where they saw Claret trembling on the ground. “Please back away. We need some space to see what’s wrong.” Vinyl nodded and moved over to the side. The mare grabbed a small pillow and placed it underneath Claret’s head, then knelt behind her and placed her hooves on Claret’s shoulder and midsection to make sure she remained still. The stallion grabbed a bag from the stretcher and began withdrawing equipment. “What’s your name, kid?” the stallion asked, holding an oxygen mask in his hooves preparing it. “Vinyl.” “Well Vinyl, I’m Crush and this is my assistant Tender. What happened before we got here?” “I got home about ten minutes ago and I found my mom twitching on the ground, she’s calmed down a bit after I called but it’s hard for her to talk and she doesn’t want to get up.” “How long has she been like this?” “About a minute or so after I got here. I don’t know how long before that.” “All right,” Crush nodded, he placed a mask over Claret’s muzzle to give her oxygen. “Is she going to be all right?” Vinyl fidgeted her hooves. “She’ll be okay. You did the right thing by calling us immediately. Does your mother have any medical history? Take medications?” “She’s been having bad headaches ever since I was a foal. She has these pills she takes for them. That’s it, I think.” “Do you know what she takes?” “Um, no.” “If you know where it is, can you give it to my assistant? We don’t want to administer anything if it might have bad side effects with her medication.” “R-right.” Vinyl dashed over to the kitchen counter and grabbed an orange container filled with pills, she passed them to Tender while she inspected the label. “Relaxin. It’s used to mitigate migraines,” Tender said, placing the bottle next to her. Claret then opened her eyes, breathing heavily into the oxygen mask. “Ma’am, can you hear us?” Crush said, directing his attention to Claret. “Y-yes.” “Can you tell me your name?” “Claret... Rondeau.” “All right Ms. Rondeau, how are you feeling?” “I’m… dizzy. My head hurts and everything is a bit blurry.” “Okay, from what we’ve seen and heard from your daughter, you may have just had a seizure. Have you had one before?” “No,” Claret said faintly. “Okay, we are going to need to admit you to Ponyville Hospital for the doctors to examine you.” “Vinyl, are you okay?” Claret said, moving her eyes around the room to find her daughter. “I’m here mom.” Vinyl said, standing behind her. “Are you okay?” “Yeah, just a bit shaken.” “Tender, let’s prep her for transport.” Crush said, lowering the stretcher next to them. “What about me?” Vinyl said, still standing to the side. “Do you have anyone else here to take care of you?” “No.” “You can ride with us as long you stay out of the way. Once we arrive though you will have to remain in the waiting room at the front entrance while your mother is being admitted. Do you understand?” Vinyl nodded. “All right Tender, ready?” “Ready.” Tender said. “Okay. One, two, three!” They both lifted Claret up onto the stretcher and wheeled her outside, Vinyl followed behind closing and locking the door to the home. Tender gently placed the stretcher into the back of the ambulance and climbed aboard while Crush went to hitch himself back onto the carriage. Vinyl stepped on and sat to the side, while tender began setting up an IV bag and checking Claret’s oxygen. “All set back there?” Crush yelled out front. “Ready to roll.” Tender said closing the back doors to the chariot as they immediately took off. Vinyl remained by her mother’s side during the ride, placing her hoof on top of her mother’s. She smiled at Vinyl. “Vinyl, it’s going to be okay.” “I know, I was just… scared. Scared something really bad was going to happen.” Claret nodded her head, “We’ll get through this.” “Yeah.” After a short trip, the carriage stopped at a side entrance to the hospital. Tender opened the back doors to the carriage and pulled the stretcher out, Vinyl hopped out while Crush came around and assisted with moving Claret to the large doors that lead to the ER. Claret was facing behind as they pushed her forward, Vinyl began following them until Crush stopped and placed his hoof on Vinyl. “Sorry kid, this is as far as you can go. You’ll have to go to the waiting room while we admit and examine your mother.” “Mom?” Vinyl said, looking at her mother. “Listen to the staff, dear. They need their space when working.” “But—” “Vinyl… please.” Vinyl knew she wouldn’t be able to argue with her mother and only nodded. “Be sure to stay out of trouble, okay?” She waved at Vinyl with a smile before going through the doors, “I love you.” Vinyl raised her hoof to wave, but Claret was already through the doors by the time she did. Looking away from the door, she walked from the hospital's side entrance to the front. The waiting room was well lit and filled with a few ponies sitting around, probably going through similar situations to hers. She first decided to sit down and collect herself for a moment. What in Tartarus just happened? Her mother did have headaches from time to time, but they only lead to minor pain and nothing like this before. She tilted her head back and stared at the ceiling, sighing. “I gotta tell Derpy.” Vinyl got up and approached the front desk. “Um, excuse me.” “Hmm?” A mare said, focusing her attention on Vinyl. “Is there something I can help you with?” “Do you have a phone I can use?” “Just take the hall down there,” she pointed to her left. “There’s a vending area past the restrooms. Should be a payphone in the corner.” “Thanks.” Vinyl nodded and began walking down the hall. It was dark and barren compared to the waiting room. Vinyl passed the bathrooms and saw a payphone tucked away in the corner. Taking a bit out of her pocket, she placed it in the payphone’s coin slot and punched in Derpy’s number. The phone rang several times. How was she even going to bring this up? “Hello, Derpy speaking. Who is this?” “It’s Vinyl.” “Oh hey, Vinyl. Sorry about earlier, but I am close to wrapping up my project. I was just about to call and ask if it would be okay for me to come over after all.” Vinyl cringed. She wished today were that simple. “…Derpy.” “What?” “It’s mom,” Vinyl paused. “I went out for a few minutes this afternoon and when I got back I found her on the ground.” The image of Claret twitching and muttering Vinyl’s name from earlier formed in the back of her mind, “I- I had to call an ambulance.” “Goddesses…” Derpy said over Vinyl. “Is she okay?” Vinyl remained there still not able to get the image out of her head, she began to cry while Derpy brought her back into reality. “Vinyl!” “S-she’s fine now; she gained conscious a few minutes later when the ambulance arrived. She’s being admitted to the hospital now.” Vinyl placed her back up against the wall and began falling down onto her haunches. “Derpy, I don’t—“ Vinyl stopped, taking a deep breath. “I don’t know what’s going on!” “Vinyl, calm down. Where are you?” “Ponyville Hospital. I’m stuck in the waiting room while they examine her.” “I’ll be there in a few minutes.” “...Thanks.” Vinyl hung up the phone and remained on the ground, she tried to control herself but ended up bursting into tears, crying by herself. Derpy walked through the entrance door to the waiting room, scoping out the area. She couldn’t find Vinyl and walked up to the front desk. “Excuse me? Miss?” Derpy asked, tapping on the desk to get the mare’s attention.. “Ah!” The mare jumped in her seat and looked down at Derpy, smiling broadly. “Hello there, young lady. Are you all right? Do you need assistance getting around the hospital?” Derpy realized the mare was making unusually good eye contact. “Um… I’m fine. I was wondering if you saw a young mare here earlier; she is a bit shorter than me. Blue mane? She called me earlier and I wanted to check up on her.” “Oh,” The mare at the front desk was a bit embarrassed. “Um, yes. She asked me where the phone was and I showed her down that hall there. She may still be in there.” “Thanks.” Derpy walked off. “I’m sorry about the... you know.” “You aren’t the only one.” She groaned. Walking down the hall, she passed the bathrooms and soon saw the vending area. She heard someone crying inside and peered her head in to find Vinyl sulking in the corner. “Vinyl?” Vinyl sniffled. “Hey.” “Are you all right?” Vinyl lifted her head and looked straight at Derpy. “No.” Derpy kneeled down the ground in front of Vinyl and pulled her into a hug. “How about now?” Vinyl remained still for a moment, if anything a bit surprised. But she then wrapped her forelegs tight around Derpy and buried her head in her shoulder. “I-I can’t unsee it Derpy. Her on the floor, trying to call my name. It was horrible.” Vinyl cried into Derpy’s shoulder while she patted her on her back. “Vinyl, we should go into the waiting room so we know when they call for us.” “Just a few more minutes.” “All right.” After a while, Derpy managed to get Vinyl to calm down and they returned to the waiting room. They sat down next to each other and Vinyl rested her head on Derpy’s shoulder. It was nice, but the fixed armrest digging into her side eventually forced her to change position. She checked her watch. It had been five minutes. “Say, Derpy?” “Yeah?” “How long does it take to scan a brain?” “I don’t know. Probably a long time.” Vinyl groaned and looked around the waiting room. Derpy sifted through the magazines covering the table in front of them, eventually opening one on mares' fashion. Vinyl took a look as well and sighed. "Golf, golf, home decor, golf, gardening... how can you read any of this?" “What else is there to do to pass the time?” “I dunno; anything's better than that.” The conversation died again, so Vinyl watched as a mother and son's number was called. The colt's hoof was stuck in a teapot. “So... really, what else is there to do?” she whispered to Derpy. “Well, if you don't want to read... I dunno. Count the ceiling tiles or something.” Vinyl muttered to herself for a few seconds. “Seven-hundred and ninety-two.” “That was fast.” “Yeah, I counted the sides and multiplied.” “Cheater.” The nurse came back into the waiting room. “Claret Rondeau? Family of Claret Rondeau?” Vinyl’s ears perked up and she rose from her seat, raising her hoof. “That’s me. I’m her daughter.” “I am a family friend.” Derpy said behind Vinyl. “Follow me.” The three stepped into the elevator and went up to the third floor. They exited and walked through a series of endlessly-turning halls until they came to the neurology ward. The nurse buzzed them through the double doors. “Your mother’s in room 315” she said. They kept walking down a hallway until Vinyl spotted the room number. The mare opened the door, “Go ahead, she’s waiting.” Vinyl walked inside with Derpy following closely behind her. Claret was resting on a reclining hospital bed, propped up in a seated position. An IV ran to one of her forelegs. “Hi dear,” Claret smiled. “Mom…” Vinyl said, quickly running to her bed and giving her a hug. “A-are you okay? Is it anything serious?” “They have to examine the scans and test results dear, but I can tell you I feel fine.” “That’s good to hear.” Vinyl smiled, Claret looked over at Derpy standing at the other side of her bed. “Derpy, it’s good to see you.” Claret said. “Well, I had to check on my best friend, and I was worried with what happened Ms. Rondeau.” Derpy replied. “Well, I’m fine.” Claret said, her smile then went away. “Though…” “Though?” Vinyl said. “They said they may have to keep me here for a night. Or two,” she added reluctantly. “Two nights!?” “Vinyl, calm down. They need to make sure it’s nothing serious, unfortunately there isn’t any space for you to stay here and I can’t send you home by yourself.” “Where am I going to go, then?” “I was thinking of giving Rarity a call, you haven’t seen her in a while.” “Rarity?” Derpy said, a bit puzzled. “She owns a large boutique in town, my mom and I are friends with her. She makes a new dress for her tours each year.” Vinyl said. “Oh, cool.” “Is it okay if Derpy spends the night with me, mom?” Claret looked at Vinyl a bit confused, but then knew Vinyl probably wanted someone to talk to after today. “I can let her know your best friend is coming over, I’ll call her now.” Claret attempted to reach over for the phone, but was unable to. “Vinyl, can you get the phone for me and dial her number? The doctor told me I shouldn’t strain myself which includes using magic.” “Sure.” Vinyl quickly picked up the phone with her magic and passed it to her mother, then dialed the number. “Thanks, dear.” Claret said, holding the phone in both of her hooves while she waited for Rarity to pick up. “Hello, Rarity; it’s Claret... No, no, I am not looking to make an order yet. I actually need you to do me a favor.” “Well, long story short, I am in the hospital right now... No no! I am okay, I just need someone to house Vinyl and her friend for a night or two.” “You can? Thank you, Rarity. I will be sure to return the favor sometime. They’ll come over later this evening. Thank you again; goodbye.” Claret passed the phone to Vinyl so she could finish hanging up the call. “Still chatty as ever. She said she would be able to keep you over as long as we need, though, Vinyl.” Vinyl and Derpy remained in Claret’s room for the rest of the afternoon to the early evening, Claret had her first hospital meal while Vinyl and Derpy had what was offered by the vending machines. “I think it’s time for me to get some rest.” “Right now?” “It’s been a long day, dear.” “Yeah…” Vinyl sighed. “Derpy, I’m going to need you to look after Vinyl in my absence. Can you do that for me?” “I’ll do my best, ma'am!” She smiled and saluted. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Vinyl.” “See you tomorrow, mom.” Vinyl waved while both her and Derpy left the room. They walked through the confusing halls until they reached the elevator and began going down once the doors closed. “You think she’s all right?” Vinyl said to Derpy. “She looks healthy to me. Are you still concerned?” “Just, the two nights thing.” “Hospitals, or anyone for that matter, don’t want to rush and make mistakes. It’s best to take our time.” “Right.” The doors opened and they made their way back through the winding halls to the waiting room. It was a bit emptier than before, but some ponies were still sitting around. The hospital seemed to never have break. Walking through the entrance doors it was the evening, the full moon lit up Ponyville while Derpy and Vinyl walked through the business district of town. Most of the businesses were closed for the evening, with the convenience stores and local bar being the few businesses open. “So, this Rarity, is she a friend of yours?” “More with mom, but yeah. You can call us friends, I just never have much to chat with her. She always raves about dresses, fashion, stuff like that. It can get very tedious.” “I see…” Vinyl and Derpy came upon a castle-like building. The windows on the bottom floor were pitch black while the second and third floor lights were fully lit. Vinyl pressed the doorbell and footsteps were heard inside until the door was opened by a unicorn past her mid 20’s with a white coat and highly stylized purple mane. “Vinyl!” She said, hugging Vinyl lightly and soon letting go. “It’s good to see you! I’m sorry to hear about your mother, I hope she gets better soon.” “Hi, Rarity.” Vinyl said, not adding much to the conversation. “And who is this?” Rarity said, looking at Derpy. “My name’s Derpy.” “Well, come in. It’s very late.” The two walked in and Rarity closed the door behind them, locking it with a flicker of her horn as she trotted ahead to show them the way. “Now then, this was fairly short notice, so I’m afraid I’ll have to work on some projects late tonight; you know how deadlines are. Well, perhaps you don’t. However,” she said with renewed energy, “I managed to prepare the guest studio on the third level floor for the two of you. Is there anything the two of you need before I return to my work?” “Not really. I’m exhausted from everything tonight, and Derpy has to get up early for school.” “Don’t you have to go as well?” Rarity said turning her head. “Yes, but… I’d really rather spend my time with mom at the hospital. Whatever I miss in school, I can make up.” “Hmm. Well, all right. But if your mother should ask, I told you to go to school. Okay?” “No prob.” “Well, I need to get back to work. You know where most of everything is Vinyl so if your friend needs to know where everything is I am sure you can guide her there.” Rarity waved to the two while she walked up the stairs. “Good night you two.” “Night Rarity.” Vinyl said. “Night,” Derpy yawned. “Ms. Rarity.” Vinyl walked over to the kitchen while Derpy stood at the entrance between the two rooms. “So she both runs a business and lives here?” “Yeah, she decided to go straight into business rather than college. Don’t know how she pulled it off, but she’s been in business ever since then.” “That’s quite an achievement.” “Yeah, I hope to do the same with music sometime.” Vinyl walked over to the fridge and pulled it open, looking for something to drink. “You are not going to college after school?” “Never planned on it. Mom was a bit concerned, but everybody already knows what my talent is. And since I’ve got her to practice with, there’s no need to go to a conservatory or anything like that. What about you?” “I heard there was a community college in town, and the adoption house said they would help with my tuition and books if I get good grades all throughout school. It’s why I’m always working hard on my schoolwork.” “I just kinda figured you were some kinda nerd, y’know?” Vinyl said, sticking out her tongue. “Like you liked it.” Vinyl grabbed two bottles of water out of the fridge, tossing one high in the air to Derpy. It struck her hoof and bounced to the floor. Vinyl sighed. “I guess you’re right.” Derpy sheepishly smiled, picking up her water bottle. “But honestly, no one actually likes homework.” Vinyl nodded, “Let’s go upstairs. I know you are tired and I could use some rest too.” Walking up the stairs past the second floor where the sound of Rarity’s sewing machine could be heard, Vinyl reached a small landing with a door. She opened it to reveal a full suite complete with a small living area, bathroom, and a large single bed. “Wow, this place looks amazing.” Derpy said, wide eyed looking at the well furnished room. “Rarity has always had very… posh tastes. I guess that’s the right word. I think she wants to share that with guests as well.” Vinyl walked over to the bed. “So, who's getting the bed?” “What? Vinyl that bed is big enough for the two of us.” “Uhhh…” Vinyl immediately turned red. “You don’t mind sleeping with me?” Derpy placed her hoof over her mouth to keep herself from laughing loudly. “You don’t have to say it like that. It’s just a sleepover, Vinyl. It’s not as if this will be my first time having to double up.” “Right, sleepover.” Vinyl shrugged. “I guess it just seems weird thinking about it because I’m, you know.” “I don’t think so. Hey, I promise I won’t make it weird if you don’t. Deal?” “Deal,” Vinyl said with a laugh. “Well, It’s past my bedtime and I need to get some rest.” Derpy went over to one side of the bed and pulled the covers back. She hopped in and tugged them up over herself. “Goodnight, Vinyl.” “Night, Derpy.” Vinyl glanced over at the bathroom and thought about taking a nice bath or shower, but decided it would be best to get some sleep as well. She went over to the opposite side of the bed and took off her glasses, placing them on the bedside table. She then tucked herself into bed and lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. Though she was tired, she couldn’t stop thinking about everything that had happened. The image of her mother laying on the ground, muttering Vinyl’s name wouldn’t leave her mind. The EMTs rushing into their home, Vinyl breaking down in front of Derpy, all while her mother still had that same smile of hers. Vinyl teared up, her breath catching in her throat. She did her best to wipe the tears away as they came, silently swearing that she wasn’t going to break down again. The tears just leaked out around her hooves and she whined through her pursed lips. “Vinyl, you all right?” Derpy mumbled, rolling over and squinting at her. Vinyl threw her hooves around her and howled. “AHH! Vinyl!” “I’m sorry! I just can’t! I can’t get it out of my head... I close my eyes and I just see her there.” “When she was on the ground?” “Mhm.” Vinyl sniffled, nodding. “We saw her this afternoon, Vinyl. She told us she’s fine.” “But is she really?” “...I don’t know.” Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping with this chapter.
Chapter 4 - The City of RoyaltyVinyl groaned and turned over in bed when sunlight from the open window hit her eyes. Rubbing them, she sat up and noticed that someone had opened the curtains. More importantly, she was the only one in the room; Derpy’s side of the bed was empty and all Vinyl could hear were the chirps and hums of insects outside. She slid out of bed. The floor felt cold under her hooves and a hot shower suddenly seemed like a great idea, but her stomach grumbled aggressively; Snacks from the hospital vending machine couldn’t exactly keep her stomach full overnight. Opening the door to the hallway, Vinyl slowly made her way down the stairs where she could hear idle conversation coming from the kitchen. Walking inside, she saw Derpy sitting at the kitchen table, all ready for school and enjoying a thick stack of pancakes with a pat of butter placed squarely at the top. Rarity was poised over the stove, eyeing a pan full of sizzling circles of batter. “Morning, sleepyhead,” Derpy called with a wave, then returned to her pancakes. Rarity’s ear perked up at the mention of the name and she turned around to see Vinyl. “Oh, good morning, Vinyl! I trust you had a pleasant rest?” “More or less.” Vinyl scratched at her shaggy mane, roughly patting it into place, and sat at the kitchen table. “Ms. Rarity is making pancakes,” Derpy said taking another bite. “These are the best!” “Thank you, darling.” Rarity nodded. “Would you like some, Vinyl?” “Yeah, that would be great,” Vinyl mumbled, getting up again to get some coffee from the pot and collapsing back into her chair. “Are you doing any better?” Derpy asked. Vinyl took a sip before answering. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bit exhausted from yesterday. I don’t imagine today being any easier,” she added with a shake of her head. “Just hope for the best. You never know; maybe she will get out today.” Vinyl took another slow sip of coffee. “Hopefully.” “A stack of our finest cakes for today’s special guest!” Rarity said, placing a plate of heart shaped pancakes in front of Vinyl. Vinyl was a bit surprised by the presentation and couldn’t keep herself from smiling. “Thanks, Rarity. Maybe mom and I should come over in the future for your cooking.” “And here I thought you were visiting me because you enjoyed my company.” Rarity pouted, then winked and chuckled a bit. “That would be delightful.” She sat down at the table with her own plate, when Derpy looked at the clock on the wall and immediately got up. “Sorry, I have to head for school or I’ll be late. It was a pleasure, Ms. Rarity! Call me later, Vinyl!” Derpy grabbed her bag she sat next to the table and ran out the front door. Vinyl began digging into her pancakes. “Your friend is one of the kindest mares I’ve met. She told me how you two originally met. That was certainly,” Rarity paused to search for the perfect word, “surprising.” “Yeah, that was fun. Minus getting beaten up.” “…Vinyl,” Rarity said, the usual pleasantry gone from her tone. “What?” “You should be more careful in the future. You’re the only thing your mother has.” “I know.” She sighed, dropping her knife and fork onto her finished plate of pancakes. “So, your mother. Is she going to be okay? I didn’t want to ask last night.” “She told me she was fine.” Vinyl got up from her chair. “I’m going to get ready.” Hair damp from her shower, Vinyl grabbed her saddlebags and walked back downstairs where Rarity was beginning to open up her shop. “Thanks, by the way,” Vinyl scratched the back of her head. “For housing Derpy and me.” Vinyl said. “No problem at all, dear. Tell your mother I said hi and for her to get well soon, okay?” “Will do. Later, Rarity.” Vinyl opened the front door and left the boutique. Outside, the summer heat hit Vinyl and she yawned, walking back to the hospital. Arriving at the front entrance, Vinyl went in and immediately went over to the hall where the elevators were and rode up. Navigating the complex halls had become fairly easy by the third time around, and soon she came upon her mother’s room. “Vinyl?” Claret said, looking at the clock on the wall. “It’s not even the afternoon yet.” “I wouldn’t be able to focus at school, not with what’s going on and all.” “Vinyl, you can’t skip school and—” Claret struggled to find something to say, but she took a deep breath and sighed instead. “It’s fine. However, let’s just not make this a frequent thing. Okay?” “I’ll try.” “Vinyl,” Claret said sternly. “I mean ‘yes, Mom.’” “Good.” She smiled. “I have good news and bad news, Vinyl.” “…Bad news?” “Just sit down.” Claret waved Vinyl over to the chair beside her bed and she sat. “The good news is that they are going to discharge me this afternoon; they are just looking over some last things before I can go.” She then sighed. “The bad news is that I am being asked to make an appointment at Canterlot Medical Center.” “What for?” “For some deeper examinations to make sure I am fully all right.” “Mom…” Vinyl paused, “Is everything going to be okay?” “Everything’s going to be fine, Vinyl. We just need to go to Canterlot for some more detailed check-ups.” Claret said, trying to smooth a troublesome lock of hair. “Why can’t they just do that here!?” Vinyl yelled, but caught herself, surprised by her own intensity. Claret jumped a bit at her tone and shot her daughter a quieting stare. “Vinyl, calm down. Please.” “I’m sorry.” Vinyl placed her hooves over her face. “I’m just concerned, you know? What if it’s something really bad?” “They have better doctors and equipment in Canterlot than here; in fact, they’re the best in Equestria. If they find something, I’ll already be in the perfect place to get it taken care of.” “I— I guess.” “Come here.” She opened her forelegs. Vinyl got out of her seat and was wrapped up in her mother’s hug. “No matter what happens, things will turn out fine in the end.” She petted her daughter’s mane. “Okay?” “Okay, mom.” Vinyl didn’t move at all while her mother petted her mane. Even though she was a teenager, there were some simple things she would never outgrow. “I’m feeling better, by the way. Whatever the doctors gave me, some rest, and a meal have helped significantly.” “That’s good to hear.” “Vinyl, yesterday… Did you want to talk about it with me? What happened?” “I don’t want to, but… that was the scariest thing I’ve been through, mom. I thought something really bad was going to happen to you. For the past few nights, whenever I’d close my eyes I couldn’t escape from it and it’s been bothering me.” “Well, it’s all over, and they’re just bad memories now. I’m here with you, dear.” “Forever and always, mom?” “Forever and always.” A day had passed; Vinyl and Claret were boarded on the early morning train to Canterlot. The two sat next to each other in a business class car, which included its luxury amenities. “I never asked, Vinyl, how was the stay at Rarity’s?” “It was good. She gave Derpy and me our own room and made us breakfast the next morning. She said she liked meeting Derpy, too.” “That’s good; I’ll be sure to write a letter thanking her.” “I also said we’d visit more often; I figured you wouldn’t mind.” “Not at all; actually, it’s something I mean to do a lot more often than I actually do. It’s just a shame it took a seizure to get us to spend more time together.” Claret withdrew her saddlebag, pulling out some stationary and a pen. She placed the pen in her mouth and began writing. “Mom, how much longer are you supposed to not use your magic?” Claret delicately spat the pen back into her bag. “Whenever the doctors say I can. I will say, I haven’t written like this in a long while. Makes you realize how much we rely on our magic for daily tasks.” “I guess, but what about playing the piano? Aren’t you supposed to go on a tour this summer?” “I made sure to call the record company during my stay in the hospital. They said that I should take my time and not put more strain on myself.” “All right.” “If worse comes to worst, I’ll just have to cancel my summer tour until I am feeling better.” “That’s kind of disappointing. I know it’s business for you, but going around Equestria with you has become something I look forward to each summer.” Vinyl sighed. “I didn’t say we couldn’t still take a trip, Vinyl. Even if I can’t play, we could still visit a place like Manehattan if you want.” “Yeah. That would be pretty cool.” Vinyl smiled. “Also, since we are going to Canterlot, I want you to have this.” Claret withdrew an envelope from her bag and passed it to Vinyl. “What is—“ Vinyl opened the letter to find three one-hundred bit bills. “Damn, Mom. What’s this for?” “It should be enough to last you today and tomorrow during our time in Canterlot. As hard as it is for me to believe sometimes, you are almost an adult. I trust you can take care of yourself while you are there. It’s better than staying held up in a hospital.” “I get that, but this still seems like a lot. This isn’t a test, right?” Claret laughed. “No, dear; it’s Canterlot. Everything there is more expensive than it is in Ponyville.” “Well, thank you.” “You’re welcome, just don’t spend it all in one place.” She smiled. “I’ll try not to.” The train arrived in Canterlot just before noon. Vinyl and Claret were two of the first to get off, carrying only their saddlebags. Walking out of the train, Vinyl looked at the great structures around them. Canterlot was as well known for its royalty as for its ostentatious architecture. “Stick close to me, Vinyl. We need to check in to the hotel first.” Claret begun walking towards the exit to the station. Vinyl nodded and followed behind her mother. They remained quiet while they dashed to the hotel, which towered over them as they approached. A well-dressed stallion opened the door, welcoming the two and they checked in at the front counter. His smile wavered and he eyed Claret’s horn as she grabbed a pen and signed in with her mouth. Her signature was shaky from years of disuse and she smiled awkwardly at Vinyl. They soon went up to their room and dropped their bags off. “Well, I need to head to the hospital.” Claret said, wiping the sweat off her forehead. “You look pretty tired. Are you sure you don’t wanna sit down for a minute before you go?” “I can’t delay my appointment, Vinyl.” “Well, can I walk with you there then, at least?” “You aren’t going to stick with me at the hospital the entire time are you?” “No, I’ll have more than enough time to go around Canterlot by myself. I’d just… like to be with you for a few more minutes.” “All right.” Claret smiled. Leaving the hotel, Claret again led the way while Vinyl followed behind. Along the walk to the hospital, Vinyl examined all of the buildings they passed including boutiques, restaurants, cafes, and various specialty shops. “You know, Vinyl, I used to live here before you were born.” “Here?” Vinyl asked, pointing to the tall building next to them. Claret shook her head. “I just meant Canterlot. The apartment itself is on the other side of the city. It’s not much to look at, anyway. Just a cramped studio apartment. There isn’t much for kids to do here in general compared to Ponyville. It’s more or less a place for adults.” “You met dad here before you moved, didn’t you?” Claret tensed. “Yes.” “That’s it?” “Hm?” Claret blinked, confused by the question. “I keep trying not to press the subject too much, but seriously. I ask about my dad and all you have to say is one word?” “It’s one more word than he deserves, leaving the way he did. You were so little, Vinyl, and I was left all alone to take care of you.” “Just like that?” “He said ‘goodbye’ if that’s what you mean, and I was given an amount of money equivalent to his share of the bills for a ‘reasonable’ length of time. It still feels the same.” “I know, but like you said, I’m nearly an adult, and I still don’t even know his name, what he does— nothing.” “We moved on, Vinyl. We loved each other once, but settling down in a small town wasn’t part of his plans. Neither was having you, and that wasn’t something that we could just agree to disagree on.” “Asshole.” Vinyl muttered under her breath. “Let’s not talk about him, there is a reason I don’t bring him up often.” “Yeah,” Vinyl sighed. “Sorry.” Vinyl searched for something else to talk about, but nothing would come so they kept silent for the rest of their walk to the hospital. More like a campus than a single building, the large facility was comprised of multiple buildings for individual wards and tall towers to house patients all joined by a central garden. The two stopped at the large entrance with a plaque that read ‘Admissions.’ Claret took a deep breath. “Well, we’re here. I guess this is where we separate. Be sure to behave while you are out by yourself, okay? I will meet you back at the hotel later this afternoon.” “All right, mom.” “I love you, sweetie,” She smiled. “Love you, too.” Claret pulled Vinyl into a quick hug, then let go and walked inside through the front door of the hospital while Vinyl waved. She didn’t like having her mother go by herself, but at the same time she knew she would just get in the way of the doctors. Turning around, Vinyl pulled out her wallet, looking at the three one-hundred bit bills. “I'm in Canterlot and I have three hundred bits, where do I start?” Vinyl kept patting the pocket with her wallet inside as she walked down the business district, looking through the windows of shops displaying luxurious clothing and other various expensive items. None of it really grabbed Vinyl’s interest, but then she stopped at an empty shop and saw her reflection in the glass. She didn’t mind her look most days, wearing her thick glasses and a jacket; her mane however was nothing but a mess and looked bland with it’s plain blue. She then noticed a shop across from the closed one titled ‘Studio Heart.’ Vinyl patted her mane. “Wouldn’t hurt to get a different style.” She walked inside the shop and was greeted by a unicorn standing over her. “Hello young lady, are you looking for someone?” she said, with a practiced smile. “Uhh… I’m sixteen, and no.” “Oh, haha. My apologies. You look younger than others your age.” “Uh-huh,” Vinyl said. “Well, are you interested in anything today?” “I want something… special. For my mane and tail. I don’t know what, though.” “Maybe I can help you.” The mare stepped away from the counter and pointed to a table containing a stack of fashion magazines. “Perhaps you can find something in here to give you some ideas? Just give me a shout if you see anything that piques your interest. My name is Diamond Mint, by the way.” "Thanks Diamond." Vinyl picked up several of the magazines and sat at a chair, browsing through a few pages. One magazine had elegant styles that didn’t interest her at all, so she tossed it back onto the table. She leafed through another magazine with more casual styles, but none of them were different enough from her current mane and tail. What was the point of spending money on a genuine Canterlot styling if she was just going to end up looking the same? Then, out of the corner of her eye, a mare with a bright neon green spiked mane caught her eye, emblazoned on the cover of a magazine titled ‘SHRED.’ Photographed mid-headbang, everything about her screamed ‘defiant’ as she wailed on her equally green guitar. It wasn’t a style Vinyl exactly followed, but it piqued her interest unlike the past few magazines. She got back up and placed the page on the counter. “Can you do something like this, but with my current mane color?” “Let’s see.” The mare picked up the magazine and eyed it closely. “I can definitely do something like this.” “How much would you think it’ll set me back?” “Depends. I can do a quick restyle, tail trim, and dye for around 150 bits—” Vinyl whistled and she snorted. “But we also offer an enchanted dye package for an extra hundred bits.” “What is the difference between regular and enchanted?” “Notice how this mare’s mane has a sort of shimmer?” She tapped on the magazine page. “With the regular stuff, you don’t really get that effect. Besides, the color only lasts about two months before your hair grows out and you can see your natural roots. With the enchanted dye, it lasts for a lifetime until you get another enchanted dye to replace it.” “Can you promise me you can keep it under 300 bits?” “I’m supposed to charge per coat if we need more than one, and we probably will, but…” She took a quick glance at the back of the shop and waved her hoof for Vinyl to come closer. Vinyl leaned in a bit and the mare lifted her tongue, revealing a thick metal piercing. “Some of us can only rebel in ways the customers can’t see.” She winked at Vinyl. “Everybody here wants the same prim and proper crap. A kid coming here asking for a style like this? I can dig it. I’ll do you a solid and keep it at two fifty, and I’m gonna do it damn good.” Vinyl smiled. “That sounds cool.” A few hours had passed since Vinyl had begun her makeover. The stylist began with a regular shampoo and condition of her mane and tail and a quick trim, but Vinyl spent a majority of her time with tin foil in her mane and tail applying the dye. “All right. Let’s get this off and see how it turned out.” The mare pulled strip after strip of tin foil from Vinyl’s mane, forming a large pile beside the chair. When she removed the last piece, she guided Vinyl to the nearest full sized mirror. “What do you think?” Vinyl put her glasses on and her eyes widened. Her flat blue mane was now spiky and shimmering with different shades of blue. She almost looked like an entirely different mare. “…Different.” “Normally when a customer says that, they are trying to find a nice way to say ‘awful.’” “Nah. I like different.” “Well, as long as you like it. As promised, it’s only 250 bits.” Vinyl pulled the envelope out from her jacket and withdrew the three one-hundred bit bills, the mare went over to the register and returned Vinyl’s change in a few separate bills. “Thank you. Have a good evening.” “Evening?” Vinyl checked her watch, it was almost 6PM. “Oh shit, mom is going to think I got lost or worse. Thanks a bunch!” She quickly bolted out of the store and back to the hotel where she would meet her mother during the afternoon. Vinyl stopped at the entrance to their room and unlocked the door with the spare key she was given, stepping inside she found the lights were off and, walking around the hotel room, no one except her was around. “Is she still at the hospital?” Vinyl left the room and closed the door behind her, sighing. She then headed back to the hospital. The sun had already gone down that evening and the lamps in Canterlot came on to fill up the dark streets and shops with light. Arriving at the hospital, Vinyl walked up to the front desk where a stallion sat there. “Can I help you with something?” he said. “Yes, is Claret Rondeau still here?” “One moment please.” He glanced at a sheet of paper with a list of names. “She is on the second floor, room 237. She is to be discharged soon, however. I recommend you just wait here.” “Um, all right.” Vinyl nodded and sat in the waiting room, waiting for her mother. Soon her mother came out from the hall and Vinyl walked up to her. “Hi mom.” “Hel— Vinyl!?” Her eyes went wide seeing Vinyl’s new mane and tail. “Dear, what did you do to your mane?” “Um… surprise?” Vinyl grinned widely, then let it fall when she realized it wasn’t working. “I, uh, got a bit of a makeover.” “I can see.” Claret blinked. Vinyl scratched at the ground with a hoof. “Do you like it?” Claret tilted her head and thought for a moment. “Well, it’s certainly not something I would get. But,” she added quickly, “it definitely seems like you.” “Thanks. Did the doctors say you are okay?” “Oh, um.” Claret bit her lip. “Well, I’ll be all right, but they said I will have to start taking medication… and I’ve been forbidden from using magic until they clear me to.” “So, definite ‘no’ on the tour this summer?” “Yes, unfortunately.” Vinyl’s ears drooped. “Let’s not be sad over it. Did you get anything to eat yet?” “No.” “Neither did I. Let’s see what we can find in the way of dinner.” Vinyl and her mother left the hospital, walking side by side and talking about what they did that day. Vinyl wondered why her mother would still not be able to use her magic. For now, though, it was enough to hear she was all right. Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping with this chapter.
Chapter 5 - TruthVinyl groaned as the train hit another bump and she lost her place in her magazine yet again. She and her mother had several hours to go before they’d finally be home in Ponyville. They were in the same kind of luxury car they’d taken to Canterlot, but the glamour of their surroundings seemed duller today. Vinyl found her place again and resumed reading; it was a news magazine she’d picked up while waiting at the train station. Claret simply looked out the window silently. “So, what happened at the hospital yesterday?” Vinyl asked. “What did they say?” “Hmm?” Claret was zoned out, half-watching the passing scenery outside the train car’s window. “What did the doctors say at the hospital? You didn’t say much last night.” Vinyl asked again, focusing her attention on her mother. “Oh, they said it was nothing serious.” She cleared her throat. “I just have to go on more medications to prevent future incidents.” Vinyl raised an eyebrow. Claret said nothing further, so Vinyl shrugged it off. “All right.” She stared at her magazine, only half-reading as the train rumbled beneath them. Throughout the latter days of summer, things were quiet in the household. The usual sound of the piano was gone, and the song of the cicadas was not enough to fill its void. More often than not, Vinyl was out of the house hanging out with Derpy or running errands for her mother. “Hey, Mom,” Vinyl said, sitting across from her mother in the living room. “I’m hungry. Do you want to go out for lunch?” “Just bring me something on the way back.” “Are you sure? It’s only a short walk from here to the cafe.” “I’m sure, I am just…” Claret yawned. “Tired.” Without the use of her magic for a long period of time, she had to spend a week re-learning how to use her hooves for daily tasks. Simple things like reading a book wasn’t a problem at all. Writing, however, was different; she spent hours learning how to write out basic shapes and letters by holding a pen in her mouth, but the metal taste she couldn’t get used to. “Hey, Mom. Derpy and I were going to go to the park; do you want to come with us?” “No thank you,” Claret said, focusing on her work. “You two go ahead and have fun.” Vinyl slouched in her chair, not reading the book splayed across her lap. The clock ticked agonizingly slowly. The piano was silent, as usual. Bored with reading, Vinyl found herself staring at the calendar. A month had passed since their visit to Canterlot. Aside from the clock and the occasional jingle of wind chimes through the window, the only sound was the ever-present scratch of Claret’s pen. Some days, Vinyl swore her mother wrote more than she spoke. Claret’s pills were carefully arranged on the kitchen counter, little oblong capsules of varying colors and sizes, each in their own little bottle with marked names and dosages. And Claret sat between her and them, writing away at another untitled piece. She hadn’t even played the last two she’d written.While Claret hadn’t actively discouraged her from asking questions, she had definitely been evasive about answering them. Vinyl looked at the clock again. Only five minutes had passed. She grit her teeth to keep herself from groaning. Claret could spend hours and hours writing music, but she usually took breaks more often than this. Finally, Claret got up out of her seat and walked up the steps toward the restroom. The minute she disappeared from sight, Vinyl bolted to the kitchen and scrambled with her levitation magic. She snatched up a notepad, pen, and one of the medication bottles, hastily writing the name down and putting it back in its place before grabbing another. The list grew, but there were still a few names to write down. She grabbed the remaining three bottles in her magic and pulled them all close at once. She heard a flush from upstairs and flinched. One of the bottles, still caught in her magic, overshot its mark and clattered on the floor loudly. Vinyl could hear her heartbeat in her ears, but Claret didn’t seem to have heard it. Just as she finished her list, the door creaked open and she could hear her mother coming down the stairs. In one swift motion, she tore the page off the notepad, crumpled it into her pocket, set the last bottle back in its spot, and affixed what she hoped was a convincing smile on her face. “Vinyl?” Claret called, looking around the living room and finding it empty. She rolled her eyes and went back to the kitchen where she found Vinyl looking inside the fridge. “Oh, there you are,” Claret said with a halfhearted laugh. “Are you looking for something, dear?” “Oh, um. I think we ran out of…” Vinyl quickly thought of what came to mind. “Oranges! I think we ran out of oranges.” “Vinyl, we normally don’t buy oranges.” “Yeah well, I am getting a bit sick of apples.” Vinyl closed the fridge and walked out of the kitchen. “I’ll be out for a bit.” Claret sighed, then tilted her head and asked, “Are you okay?” “What? Yeah, I’m fine.” Vinyl began to sweat a bit, worried her mother was already catching on to her. “I’m going to call Derpy and invite her to come with me. To the store. We’ll probably get sidetracked, though. Might be a while. I’ll be sure to bring some oranges back along the way.” “Well, okay then.” Claret sat back down at the kitchen table and went back to her writing. Vinyl quickly walked up the stairs to her bedroom. Her phone was deep inside the room, at the end of her messy desk, which was littered with cassette tapes and notes. Vinyl carefully maneuvered across the clean spots on the floor between piles of dirty laundry and more cassette tapes, retrieving her phone from the mess and dialing in Derpy’s number. It didn’t take long for her to pick up. “Hello, Derpy Hooves speaking.” “It’s Vinyl. Are you free?” “Um, sure. Is everything all right, Vinyl?” “I’ll tell you everything when we meet. Do you know where the local diner Goldy’s is?” “Yeah, I pass by it often when I am out.” “All right, I’m about the leave the house and I’ll meet you there.” “Okay, I’ll see you soon.” Vinyl hung up the phone and left her room. Walking down the stairs she went to the front door about to leave. “See ya, Mom.” Vinyl waved. “Have fun, Vinyl. Be safe.” Claret smiled. “Thanks, I will.” Closing the door behind her, Vinyl left the house and began walking through the neighborhood, occasionally nodding to passing neighbors. Entering the business district, she kept to herself and passed a few buildings until she stopped at a diner with a large sign titled ‘Goldy’s.’ Stepping inside, Vinyl looked around the diner and saw her friend Derpy sitting in a booth, smiling and waving her over. She went over to the booth and sat across from her. “Hey, Derpy.” “Hi, Vinyl. How are things?” “Not any better since you were at our place last time.” “She is still just staying in the house?” “Yeah, I understand she has to adjust to new medication, but it’s been a month now.” “Has she been doing anything?” “Either she reads a book or she’s been writing music, not much else. She hasn’t been talking much either.” A bouncy waitress came from around the corner and greeted both of the mares. “Hey there gals; what can I get ya?” she said, holding a notepad and paper with her levitation magic. “Just two coffees for us, nothing else.” Vinyl said. The waitress nodded and walked off. “Has she told you anything since coming back from Canterlot?” Derpy said. “She just said she was fine and that was it. Any other time I try to ask her about it, she just says the same thing.” “Do you think she is hiding something?” “Yeah, I think she is.” Derpy rubbed her chin, “So, have any ideas to get her to open up more?” “I do.” Vinyl pulled out the piece of paper from her jacket pocket and passed it to Derpy. “When she was upstairs, I looked over each of her medications and wrote down the names.” The waitress returned with a pot of coffee and two mugs, filling them with the hot beverage. “Let me know if you girls need anything else,” she said coyly over her shoulder before trotting off to tend to another table. “Thank you.” Derpy nodded and picked up her mug, taking a sip of her coffee as she pored over the hastily scrawled list… “These are quite a mouthful. What are we going to do with them?” “My mom is not telling me what she’s taking these things for, so I want to find out for myself. I’m hoping it’s just my imagination, but with the way she’s been acting… I’m just worried it might be something bad.” Vinyl picked up her mug and took a sip of coffee. “I thought we could go to the local library in town. I’m sure they have some information we can access and see what the medications are supposed to treat.” Derpy stared blankly at Vinyl. “You came up with that idea yourself?” “Um, yeah?” Vinyl groaned. “I may not make the best decisions at times, but I’m not dumb Derpy.” “Sorry.” She smiled. “I think it’s a great idea.” “Thanks.” “Since we will be taking the time to do some research, why don’t we have some pancakes before the library? My treat.” “Sounds great.” Vinyl smiled. After leaving the diner, Vinyl and Derpy left that part of town and walked into an area where the homes looked generations old, held together by planks of wood and roofs covered in hay. “What part of town is this?” Derpy asked as they walked past a few homes. “Old Ponyville; these homes have been here ever since the very start of the town. Since then, Ponyville has kept on expanding into what it is today.” “How do you know so much about the town's history?” “Mom told me when I was a filly. We used to take walks together all the time when I was little, at least once a week, and she’d tell stories about everything we were going past.” Derpy nodded. The two walked out of the neighborhood and into a more open area of town. “That’s it over there,” Vinyl said, pointing her hoof towards a large tree. “Uh… behind the tree?” “No.” Vinyl shook her head. “Inside the tree, it’s been a part of Ponyville for the longest time and open to the public. Though, Mom and I never knew who carved it out and put a library inside.” Walking up to the large tree with Derpy behind her, Vinyl knocked on the door and took a step back. Hoofsteps could be heard inside coming closer. Then, a light purple unicorn with a long, straight, dark blue mane and tail with magenta and purple highlights opened the door. “Oh, hello Vinyl!” she said, eyeing Vinyl’s mane. “I like what you did with your mane.” “Thanks, Twilight.” Vinyl ran her hoof through her mane. Twilight looked past Vinyl at Derpy. “Who is your new friend?” “My name is Derpy,” she said, stepping forward and extending her hoof. “I’m Twilight Sparkle. Nice to meet you, Derpy.” She shook Derpy’s hoof, returning a smile of her own. “I didn’t expect you to be here during the summer, Vinyl. I thought you only came here when you needed to get some research done for school.” “Oh, we still need to do some research; it’s just not for school,” Vinyl said. “It’s not something I’m going to get in trouble for, right?” Twilight said, raising an eyebrow. “No, no. We just need to do some basic medical research. My mom was putting her medicines in her weekly pill box and”—Vinyl forced a laugh—“she forgot which pills are for what so I’m here to look them up for her.” “Well, come on in.” Twilight opened the door to the library and motioned for them to come inside. Walking in first, Derpy’s eyes widened at how the book-filled shelves were carved into the tree itself. Bookcases took up a majority of the space in the center of the library, while a few chairs and tables were scattered around the library. The library also had a second floor, but a sign was placed on the stairwell labeled ‘employees only.’ “This place is amazing,” Derpy said, peering at every part of the library. “Thank you, though my assistant helps keep it in top shape.” Twilight walked over to a bookshelf where rows of large books lay. “I’m not sure if these will cover everything you’re looking for, but we have a few older medical journals here; they aren’t the most up to date, but the local hospital was kind enough to donate them to us rather than throwing them away. Do you girls need any more assistance?” “We got it from here; thanks, Twilight,” Vinyl said. “Call me if you need anything, then.” Twilight walked up to the second floor of the library, leaving Vinyl and Derpy alone. “So, know where to start?” Vinyl asked Derpy. “Can I have that list?” Derpy asked while Vinyl passed it to her. She held the list close to her eyes reading it once again. “Give me a minute.” She squinted her eyes, reading the titles on the spine of the books and grabbed several books. Vinyl eyed the thick books and sighed. “We really have to read through these?” “It was your idea.” Vinyl and Derpy spent more than an hour in the library, looking through indexes of the pages. They had found basic info on medications like Thaumotussin which was to suppress Claret’s magic, but others were giving them trouble. Vinyl gave up soon after starting, but Derpy kept working her way through page after page. “Any luck?” “I might if you stop asking and let me concentrate.” “Sorry.” Vinyl raised her hooves in mock defense. She got up and arched her back, stretching her legs with a yawn. Derpy kept skimming the pages in silence, occasionally looking down to check a name against the list. She scribbled notes on fever reducers, on painkillers, sleep aids. Midway down a page, Derpy froze. She checked the name on the list, read the description, and checked the name again with a sharp gasp. “Something up?” Vinyl asked, hearing Derpy. “Vinyl, this medication your mother is taking. Memnanadol, it-it’s…” “It’s for what? Spit it out.” “Its primary use is… treating neurological cancers.” Vinyl didn’t understand the first word, but the other one, cancer. That hit her. Her expression went blank. She knew what that meant, but for some reason she couldn’t feel anything. She needed to not be here, though. Nothing was making any sense. She needed some time alone. She needed to think. Vinyl needed her mom. “Vinyl…?” Derpy called out while Vinyl remained silent. “Maybe I am wrong, let me do a double—” “I g-gotta go,” Vinyl stammered, running out of the library. “Hey, wait!” Derpy tried to call out to Vinyl, but she was already gone. Sprinting back home, everything she passed was a blur. She raced up the front steps, threw open the door, and looked around the first floor, not finding her mother. “Mom!?” Vinyl called. She walked upstairs and heard a faint noise from the bathroom. As she drew near, she heard a series of coughs from inside the bathroom. Vinyl knocked on the bathroom door. “Mom, are you all right in there?” “I’m fine, dear,” Claret said hastily. Vinyl knew her mother was hiding something; she wasn’t telling the truth. She heard her mother throw up on the other side of the door. Vinyl broke the silence between the two. “Mom, I know you are hiding something. I can understand if what you have to share is bad news, but I’d rather be told the truth than have it hidden away from me while you suffer.” There were a few seconds of silence. “All right, Vinyl. I’ll tell you what’s going on.” She had another series of coughs. “You promise?” Vinyl asked sternly. “Yes.” “All right.” “Can you make me a glass of water? I’ll be down in the living room after I clean up.” “Yeah, I’ll be down there.” Vinyl went down the stairs and into the kitchen, she pulled a glass out of the cabinet and filled it with water. She could only think to herself. She’s fine Vinyl. She’s just a little bit sick. Nothing a little medicine can’t fix. Vinyl placed the glass on the coffee table, sat down on the sofa, and waited for her mother to join her. After a few minutes the shuffling of hooves could be heard upstairs. Claret slowly walked down the stairs and sat down next to Vinyl. Her mane was a mess. She sat on the same sofa next to Vinyl and took down the glass of water. “So, what’s going on?” Claret sighed and took a deep breath. “Vinyl, I don’t know how to explain this.” “Just tell me.” Claret looked at Vinyl’s face. Then, she frowned and took her eyes away from her, looking at the floor instead, and tears flowed down her face. “I-I have cancer.” The mention of that word hit her hard in the chest. It echoed in her ears and time seemed to stand still. “No, no that can’t be true. It’s just some more pills to take; you’re doing fine,” she said, unsure of who she was talking to. Her breaths came heavy. “Please tell me this is a joke, a dream, anything, please.” “Vinyl…” Claret lifted her head, tears streaming down her face, not able to hold her emotions. Vinyl began to tear up as well and couldn’t do anything else but hug her mother. Her mother cried into Vinyl’s shoulder while she consoled her. “Mom, you’re going to be okay? Right? It’s not serious is it? R-right?” “I don’t know.” She sniffled in between sentences. “I have a rare brain degenerative disease made worse by my usage of magic over the years; the doctors call it Magic Degeneration.” “Years? How did any doctor not pick this up?” “It’s easily mistaken for regular migraines in its early stages.” “So, since I was a filly?” “It’s been forming ever since I had those damn headaches, and now it’s grown too big. Surgery is too risky due to the growth taking up a large section of my brain, and the best the doctors can do is suppress my magic entirely to see if it’ll stop the growth and possibly reduce the size of it.” Claret paused, wiping away some tears. “They are not sure if that will be enough.” Vinyl held onto her mother tight as her mother did the same. They both sat there in silence, crying. After a few minutes Vinyl broke the silence between the two. “You’re still here, Mom, that’s all that matters.” “I know dear, but…” She wiped her tears away trying to compose herself. “My career. I need my magic to play piano.” She only cried more. “If I can’t get any better, it’s over.” Vinyl didn’t know what to say. Cancer was already heartbreaking enough, losing her ability to play piano and losing her entire career however was the nail in the coffin. “Let’s not worry about that right now, Mom. Right now, let’s focus on kicking this cancer out.” “Yeah… You’re right Vinyl.” “Thank you for telling me by the way; the truth.” “I’m sorry for keeping it secret,” she sighed. “I just didn’t know how to say it.” “It’s fine.” Claret smiled reassuringly for her daughter, but she still felt weak and she lay down on the sofa. “I’m still not feeling too well, Vinyl. I am just going to rest here for a little while.” “All right, I’ll be right here.” Vinyl got up off the sofa and sat on the chair at the other end, catching some rest herself. Vinyl opened her eyes to see darkness. She blinked a few times to adjust her eyesight and slowly began to see thin streams of light pouring in through the living room windows. A light snore came from her left. Vinyl saw her mother curled up in the fetal position, still fully asleep. Claret shivered. Vinyl got up from the chair and went over to the hall closet, grabbing a blanket. Coming back into the living room, she placed the blanket over her mother. “Goodnight,” she said softly. She turned to head upstairs, but paused at the edge of the room and looked back at Claret. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll take care of you.” Walking up the stairs and into her room, Vinyl closed the door behind her and sat at her desk. She grabbed the phone and dialed Derpy’s number, waiting for a response. “Hello?” Derpy said on the other end of the phone. “Hey, It’s me.” “Vinyl, is everything all right?” “No,” Vinyl sighed. “Not really.” “So… Claret—” “It’s cancer.” “Vinyl.” Derpy paused, she tried to find the words but couldn’t think of anything and only said the first thing that came to mind. “I’m so sorry.” “Don’t be. You didn’t have anything to do with it.” “I’m still sorry, though,” Derpy said with a frown. “Both you and your mom… you’ve been so nice to me. This year has been the first that it’s actually felt like I have a family.” There was a small bit of silence before Derpy jumped back into the conversation. “So, what happens now?” “At the moment, my mother does what she has been doing for the past month. I—” Vinyl began sniffling a bit, trying to hold back her tears, but she couldn’t. “I don’t know what to do, Derpy.” “Be there for her.” “I know that, but what else?” “Didn’t you say she was writing music?” “Yeah?” “Why not play her compositions? She can’t play them, but I think if she heard you play, that may cheer her up.” “…That’s actually a good idea.” “And if you two need anything, I can help.” “Thanks, Derpy.” Vinyl sniffled a bit, trying to get herself back together. “That means a lot.” “Is it all right if I come over tomorrow? You can tell your mother that you told me first, so we can avoid this again, and maybe treat it like any other day.” “That would be great. I’ll see you tomorrow.” “Stay strong, Vinyl.” “I will.” With that, Vinyl placed the phone back down on the receiver. She looked out her window, thinking about what they were going to do. Not just now, but for the next few years. She only hoped things would get better sooner than later. She got up from her desk and turned off the light to her room, then lay in her bed, only wanting rest. Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping with this chapter.
Chapter 6 - Mare's Night OutVinyl awoke from her rest; opening her eyes, she looked over at her bedside table and checked the clock. 7 AM. She normally wouldn’t wake up this early, but with her mother on her mind she couldn’t go back to sleep. Sitting up in bed, she stretched her legs and blinked her eyes a few times before grabbing her glasses off the bedside table. She got up out of bed and opened her blinds. The sky was perfectly clear; the sun poured light into her room. Vinyl then opened her bedroom door and walked down the hall, down the stairs. Vinyl walked slowly into the living room area, holding up a hoof to shield her eyes from the bright sunlight inside. On the sofa, Claret rested peacefully. “Morning,” Vinyl said. Walking over to the kitchen, she prepared the coffee pot and turned it on. While the coffee brewed, she placed a pan on the oven and grabbed some eggs from the fridge. As the aroma of coffee wafted through the home, Claret took in the scent and opened her eyes. She sat herself up on the sofa and looked over at the kitchen to see her daughter preparing breakfast. “Good morning, Vinyl,” Claret said groggily. Vinyl’s ears perked at the mention of her name and she turned around to see her mother. She was still a mess from last night, especially her mane, which was pressed against her face on one side. “Morning,” Vinyl smiled back. Claret walked into the kitchen and grabbed a mug, filling it with coffee from the pot, and noticed Vinyl cooking eggs. “Is this going to be a daily thing now? You know I wouldn’t mind if you cooked me breakfast every morning.” She chuckled. Vinyl noticed Claret carrying the mug in one of her hooves. Not seeing it surrounded by the cool glow of her mother’s levitation magic felt strange. Is this going to be a daily thing now, too? How do you manage with this, mom? “Vinyl?” Claret tilted her head, noticing that Vinyl was staring at her. “Oh, nah.” Vinyl scratched the back of her head. “I got up early, figured I’d do something nice.” “Well, I appreciate it.” Claret sat at the kitchen table and enjoyed her morning coffee. “I hope you don’t mind, but Derpy is going to come over later today.” Vinyl turned the eggs over in the pan. She took a deep breath, listening to them sizzle pleasantly. “Could we talk about yesterday? About the, you know…” Claret dropped a lump of sugar into her coffee and watched it crumble and fall into the darkness. She took a sip of her mug and sighed. “I understand you have a lot of questions, Vinyl, but it’s been a long month for me. Can we just put it to the side today?” “S-sure,” Vinyl stood there in silence, still keeping her attention on her cooking. “I already told Derpy, though. I hope you don’t mind.” “Not at all. It saves me from having to tell her myself, so thank you.” Claret waved Vinyl over and gave her a brief hug. “We’ve had so much to deal with lately. I feel we’re due for a nice day.” The two remained in the kitchen throughout the morning. Vinyl shuffled between frying eggs and making sure the toast didn’t get burnt. A few minutes later she placed a plate in front of Claret: buttered toast with a fried egg on top. Claret blinked her eyes, and smiled. “You remembered my favorite.” “I figured you would like it.” Vinyl grinned. Vinyl sat across the table from her mother and they both enjoyed the morning together. After breakfast, Vinyl and Claret were in the living room. Claret read a book to herself while Vinyl sat on the sofa staring at the ceiling. Vinyl found herself thinking about when her mother told her about the cancer, when she started seeing her mother crying. Wanting to get it off her mind, she sat up with a start. “Hey, Mom. Can I ask you for something?” Vinyl said. “Of course. What is it?” Claret raised an eyebrow. “What you’ve been writing in the kitchen for the past month, can I see it?” “Oh,” Claret was taken aback that her daughter had an interest in her work for once, but refocused. “I placed a folder with the pieces on top of the piano. Feel free to read them, just please handle them with care.” “Sure.” Vinyl walked over to the piano and sat down on the bench, picking up a nearby folder and opening it. Inside were sheets of paper with wobbly notes scratched across the lines. Some sections were hard to read, but Vinyl turned past a few pages and noticed the writing improving over time. Many of the pieces seemed simplistic, even basic compared to Claret’s past works. Vinyl pulled a piece of paper from the top of the stack, placed it on the piano’s stand, and opened up the cover to reveal the keys. Tapping a few keys with her levitation magic, she heard the notes hum across the room. She then focused on the sheet of paper and began playing the first section. Claret heard the familiar tune and turned her head over to the piano, Vinyl slipped on a few sections of the slow tune, but unlike the last time she played she managed to keep her cool and continue playing. Vinyl soon got the hang of it and began repeating a section, striking the keys with precision and soon continuing on from the measure. She played through the full piece without a hitch. “Vinyl…” She turned her head to see her mother smiling, a few tears coming out of her eyes. “Mom, are you all right?” “I’m all right.” She grabbed a tissue to wipe away some of her tears. “I just remember when you would sit beside me while I played. It seems like it was such a short time ago. You’re a much better pianist than you think you are, you know.” Vinyl smiled, but shrugged at the compliment. “You were what inspired me to get into music.” She withdrew a few more sheets from the folder. “Is it okay if I continue?” “Please. It sounds lovely.” Claret smiled. Vinyl played throughout the rest of the morning, occasionally taking a short break to rest her magic and not pass out. She grabbed a towel again, wiping down her sweat and was ready to play another piece until she heard a knock on the door. “That must be Derpy.” Vinyl got up from the piano bench and was about to open the door, but instead Claret got up and motioned for Vinyl to sit down. “I’ve got it. You clean yourself up, dear.” “Thanks.” Vinyl walked over to the hallway bath and cleaned herself off. Claret went over to the door and opened it to see Derpy holding a bag in her mouth. “Hello, Derpy. What do you have there?” “Mrrrph,” she said, trying to talk with the bag still in her mouth. Claret opened the door. “Why don’t you come in and settle down first? Then we can talk.” “Thrph roo.” Derpy walked inside and went over to the kitchen, placing the bag on the table. She mimed spitting a few times to get the taste of plastic bag out of her mouth. “Tastes bad, huh?” She chuckled. “I just hate plastic,” Derpy said with a demure smile. “Earlier I would've said I can’t imagine what it’s like to carry things in your mouth. Unfortunately, it looks like I’m going to have to get used to it,” Claret said. “You do after a while. It’s not so bad, minus the taste of certain things.” Claret smiled. “Let me get you a glass of water to help get that taste out.” She went over to the counter and grabbed a clean glass, filling it with water. Vinyl walked into the kitchen soon after, reeking of hastily-applied deodorant spray. “Yo,” she called to Derpy with a casual wave. “Hi, Vinyl.” Derpy smiled, sitting at the kitchen table. Vinyl sat across from her and looked inside the bag to find a box inside. “What’s in the box?” “Just a cake from the local bakery, I thought it would be nice to have, with what you and Vinyl are going through.” She paused, fidgeting with her hooves. “I also got it for myself, honestly. Today is, well, my birthday.” Vinyl’s eyes went wide.“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” she blurted out, then caught herself. “I would have gotten you something.” Derpy shrank a bit, then waved it off with a nervous laugh. “With everything going on, I didn’t want to butt in and draw attention like that. Besides, it’s not like it’s a big deal anyway.” “Well, Happy Birthday, Derpy. And I think a birthday is a very welcome distraction.” Claret passed a glass of water to Derpy, then sat next to Vinyl. “Are you doing anything special today?” “Not really,” Derpy said, taking a sip of water. “At my last adoption house, the most I got was a happy birthday song from the staff, a slice of cake and a small gift. Here in Ponyville, it doesn’t seem much different.” “What did you get this year?” Vinyl asked. “A book and about twenty bits.” “That’s it?” Claret asked. “Yes? Why do you ask?” “It just doesn’t seem like a very exciting birthday.” “It’s what they can afford. Public funding only gives them just enough to get by. Even then, though, it’s no secret that most the staff don’t care all that much about me. I’ve filed so many complaints about bullying before and my vision made me clumsy as a foal, so most see me as nothing more than a liability.” “Now Der—” Claret was cut off by Derpy. “Ms. Rondeau, please. I know you are trying cheer me up, but I’ve been abandoned since I was born and will probably remain in the adoption house until I am eighteen. It’s nothing new to me and I’m not particularly sad about it. It’s just how things are.” Claret frowned. She knew Derpy deserved more in life and wanted to cheer her up, but she sighed, knowing Derpy was old enough to know things were not getting better anytime soon. “I’m sorry. You’re just being nice and I don’t mean to kill the mood.” Derpy sighed. “It’s just, nothing much has changed throughout the years. Aside from meeting you two, of course.” Claret nudged Vinyl in the side, making motions with her eyes and head to have to her say something to lighten up the mood. “Um, let’s do something today then,” Vinyl said. “What?” “Let’s celebrate your birthday, all three of us. We can head out around town and have some fun. Today is a special day for you, so let’s make it that.” “Vinyl, is today really the best day? Your mother—” Derpy said, before getting cut off. “I think it’s a great idea.” Claret clapped her hooves. “I would personally prefer it over staying here all day.” “Well, if it makes you feel better,” Derpy mumbled. “I think it would make us all feel better.” Claret smiled. Derpy looked at the both of them; she smiled. “Thanks, both of you.” The three explored Ponyville for the rest of the afternoon, visiting several shops. They first stopped at a bookstore. Derpy picked out two books she had an interest in, one being an epic adventure with romance, and another being a book regarding social issues in Equestria. Claret couldn’t help quietly grabbing a book for herself too, and Vinyl rolled her eyes. She could never walk out of a bookstore empty-hooved. They went to a jewelry store afterwards. Neither Vinyl nor Derpy had interest in jewelry like Claret did, but a display case filled with elegant pens caught Derpy’s eye and Claret bought her her favorite of the bunch. After a bit of shopping, the three went for a stroll along the park until the late afternoon. Later in the evening they went to one of Ponyville's well known pizzerias for dinner. Leaving the restaurant, it was night out and the three walked through town being guided by the humming street lamps. “I really enjoyed today, Ms. Rondeau. I don’t think I’ve ever had a birthday like today,” Derpy said. “It’s my pleasure. You deserve it.” Claret smiled, patting Derpy’s head maternally. They stopped at an intersection. Derpy looked between the two crisscrossing roads ahead. One led to the adoption house, the other to Claret and Vinyl’s home. “So, do you have to go back?” Vinyl asked. “…I don’t want to.” Derpy sighed. “But I have nowhere else to go.” “I wish we could do more for you, Derpy,” Claret said. Derpy turned around to face Claret and returned a smile. “Ms. Rondeau, you and Vinyl have been the best things in my life. You’ve already done everything you can. I told Vinyl before, but…” Derpy swallowed and hesitated for a moment, then said it. “You are basically the mother I never had.” Claret went strangely silent. “Derpy, if I can…” she paused again. “Could I? Be your mother?” “Huh?” Vinyl tilted her head looking up at her mother. “Could I adopt you?” Vinyl’s jaw dropped. Is she serious? Derpy looked like she was going to cry as she stared up at Claret, but she bit her lip and looked down. “I would love for that to happen.” Derpy shook her head. “But I shouldn’t even be thinking about things that can’t happen. The agency I’ve been part of since being admitted has been very strict and only accepts ‘complete’ families.” “So…?” Vinyl said. Derpy sighed. “Their definition of complete is pretty strict. They’re not going to like that you have a single mother, a divorced one on top of that. And, well…” she paused, thinking of how to form her next words. “Having—you know—cancer… They’d consider it a liability for the welfare of the child. They would reject the request immediately.” Claret’s ears fell. It made her chest ache, knowing a kind young mare like Derpy had no one to really look after her. “I’m sorry. I wish I could do more.” “It’s not your fault. In the next few years, I can be away from them and live by my own rules.” Derpy broke off from the two and waved. She did her best to carry a smile, though she wished she could go with them instead. “I’ll see you two later. Thank you again for everything today.” She then walked off into the darkness. Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping with this chapter.
Chapter 7 - DeclineSummer was over and fall had arrived. Vinyl and Derpy were both attending school again. This year, however, Derpy now attended Ponyville High with Vinyl, beginning her first year. Unlike when she first moved to Ponyville and attended the middle school halfway through the year, this truly felt like a new start. Vinyl was there for her third year. To her, this year was like any other and she got just enough done to skate by. A sheet of paper ruffled in her pack: another test marked with a bright red C. She knew her mother would pout and tell her that she could do better—she always did, but Vinyl didn’t care. It was a small price to pay for having the time to take care of her mother. She’d had to go to another of her monthly treatments last week. Vinyl grimaced as she remembered how tired her mother had been, how she’d walked beside her mother to support her on the way home. It was always that way. The days she received her treatments, Vinyl would have to be by her side constantly. Morning had passed and it was now lunch break for everyone on campus. Vinyl and Derpy met up during their break and stood next to each other in the lunch line. “Ugh, by the time we get to the front of the line everyone’s going to get the good stuff.” “You mean all the junk food? You should be on a better diet Vinyl.” “Hey, a mare needs her fries and burger.” Vinyl shrugged. Derpy giggled. “So, school treating you all right?” Vinyl asked. “Mostly.” Derpy sighed. “Mostly?” Vinyl raised an eyebrow. “I know you never have trouble with school work, who’s bothering you?” “It’s nothing bad Vinyl; it’s not like middle school where kids beat me up, it’s just…” She paused. “There is this mare and a few of her friends, they just call me names and that’s it. Nothing I can’t handle.” “Ugh, typical bullies. All talk.” Derpy nodded. “So, how is Claret? Last time I saw her she looked better than before.” “She is good, except for when she has one of those treatments every month. She can’t eat anything during that time or else she throws it up.” Vinyl shuddered. “Fortunately, I think she has adjusted to her medications. She went to Canterlot yesterday to visit the hospital to see if it’s at all helping.” “She’s a strong mare.” Derpy wrapped her foreleg around Vinyl. “I bet she will kick that cancer out, sooner than later.” “I hope so.” Vinyl closed her eyes and sighed. “I wish I could go, but—” A mare standing outside of the line then interrupted Vinyl. “Look girls, Derpy has a girlfriend!” Vinyl turned and saw a tall earth mare with a light magenta coat and her light blue mane tied back. She was pointing at both of them with two other mares by her side chuckling. “Back off Coral.” Derpy stood outside of the lunch line in front of Vinyl. “She’s just a friend.” “Hah! Out of all the ponies here in town, you picked the one that did Goddesses-knows-what with Bon Bon? Gross, for all you know she may have a disease or something.” Vinyl heard that word: ‘disease.’ It reminded her of nothing more than the pain her mother was going through these past few months: the moment she told Vinyl she had cancer, the first time she went through treatments and looked weak, having to be by her mother’s side when she was hacking out everything. She stepped out of the lunch line and walked past Derpy, looking straight at Coral. “Vinyl, please don’t do anything that—” Derpy said timidly before getting cut off by Coral. “Uh-oh, look out girls, I think we made her upset.” Coral smirked. “What did you say about me?” Vinyl stood in front of her, strong and unflinching. Coral towered over Vinyl, leering down at her. “I’m saying Derpy shouldn’t be hanging around with you, who knows what you could be carrying—” Vinyl raised her hoof and slammed Coral in the side of the head, taking her by surprise. She yelped and fell onto the floor clenching the side of her head. Other students caught the incident, some cheering. “Coral!” The two mares said kneeling down by her side, trying to help her. “Vinyl!” Derpy grabbed Vinyl from behind before she could throw any more punches. “Are you trying to get suspended!?” Vinyl ignored Derpy, not putting up any resistance. She looked down at Coral. “You—you bitch!” Coral looked up at Vinyl. “I’ll report you to the principal!” “I’m going through a lot of shit right now, and I don’t need some stuck up mare harassing my best friend, or judging me.” “You two need to learn to take a joke, nor do I care about you or your personal life.” “You leave Derpy alone. If I ever hear that you or your lackeys have been bugging her again, you’ll have more than just a bruise to worry about. Try making some real friends; maybe you won’t be such a bitch.” “Whatever, freak,” she mumbled under her breath. “What’s going on here?” A stallion said in a stern voice across the hall. “Oh no, I think that was Vice Principal Moore.” Derpy released Vinyl. “Vinyl, you need to go.” “What? Why?” Vinyl asked. “Help! Someone’s hit me!” Coral yelled, forcing herself to cry. The Vice Principal immediately walked up to Coral and saw her on the ground, moping with her friends by her side. “Ms. Scratch, Ms. Hooves, what happened here?” he said. “I—” Vinyl said before Derpy jumped in front of her, cutting her off. “We got into a fight, Vice Principal Moore. Coral was making fun of me, so, I hit her.” “You, Ms. Hooves?” He raised an eyebrow. “I find that hard to believe, especially if you are hanging around Ms. Scratch.” “You expect a small unicorn like Vinyl to hurt a large pony like Coral? She wouldn’t even be able to reach her.” “Fine,” he sighed, looking at Vinyl. “I hope your past bad influences are not rubbing off on Ms. Hooves. I was originally trying to look for you. You are being excused early.” “Mom… Is she all right?” “Uhh, I would figure so. She called in and just said she wanted you to come home early for a personal matter. You are dismissed, be sure to have your mother sign you out before leaving campus.” “Alright, um… Thanks.” Vinyl scratched the back of her head. The Vice Principal nodded, then focused his attention again on Derpy and Coral. “Ms. Hooves, Ms. Shine, follow me. We will be discussing both of your punishments with The Principal in her office.” “Yes sir,” Derpy said. “You’ve gotta be kidding me! I’m the victim here!” Coral yelled at him. “It was also Vinyl who hit me, not this retarded bitch!” “MS. SHINE!” The Vice Principal yelled, slamming his hoof on the ground. “You will watch your attitude while we go the Principal’s Office, and don’t think I will forget what you just said.” “Tch, fine.” Coral was helped up by her friends and she stood next to Derpy. As the two followed the Vice Principal, Derpy turned around and gave a quick wink to Vinyl, before heading off. I guess you are the one standing up for me now. Vinyl smiled. Vinyl placed most of her things back in her locker; she hung her saddle bags on her back and then walked to the main office where she saw her mother standing there, waiting for her. Claret had begun doing treatments at the local hospital each month since her diagnosis. Even with the treatments being a low dosage, it made an impact on her appearance. Her mane was still full, but it had begun thinning out in certain spots and she did whatever she could to cover up the blank spots. She’d also lost some weight, appearing a bit smaller than usual. She wore longer sleeves to hide her thinner forelegs. “Hello, dear. Did you have a good day today?” “Not really,” Vinyl sighed. “How was Canterlot?” “We’ll talk about that later.” “Oookay… Why are you signing me out early then?” “I thought we could get some lunch and just have a nice day to ourselves.” “The way the Vice Principal told me, I thought it was going to be an emergency.” “It is; emergency lunch,” Claret said with a shallow laugh. “Doctor Mom’s orders.” “Well in that case, that sounds nice. Did you already sign me out?” “I did. Let’s go.” Leaving the school grounds, Vinyl and Claret went to a nearby café and sat outside for lunch, enjoying some coffee and sandwiches. Vinyl decided not to tell her mother about what happened earlier. She didn’t need anything more to worry about, and so Vinyl remained quiet during her meal. “So, Vinyl,” Claret said, breaking the silence between them. “Yeah?” “Once you are done with high school, what are your plans?” Claret sat back in her chair, and focused on Vinyl. “I know you only started your third year this month and still have your senior year, but have you reconsidered college?” “Nope.” Vinyl shook her head. “I just want to work on music right after school, like you.” “That’s good to hear, dear, but making it as a full-time musician isn’t as simple as it seems. It takes a lot of dedication and hard work, and even then it sometimes feels like only luck will get you a deal with a music label.” “I know,” Vinyl sighed, “but it’s what I want to do.” Claret sighed, but then smiled. “I hope you become successful someday, then. Just be sure to do it on your own terms and not someone else's.” Vinyl nodded and picked up her sandwich with her magic, taking a bite. Claret pressed hers between her hooves and lifted it up, not thinking about how good it had felt to whisk objects about with her magic. It was silent again. The two of them occasionally looked around their environment: at the shops on the other side of the street, or the occasional pony passing by. Vinyl figured with the time that passed, she could finally ask her mother about her last hospital visit. “So Mom, about your trip to the hosp—” Vinyl was cut off by a sudden a large rumble of thunder above. Looking up, she saw some weather ponies moving storm clouds in. Darkness swept over them as a squat, slate-gray cloud was pushed in front of the sun. “Oh dear, was it supposed to storm today?” Claret said, placing her hoof out in the open to feel for rain drops. “Maybe? I didn’t check this morning.” Small rain droplets began to fall from the clouds above. “We should head back home before we get drenched.” Claret got up out of her seat. “B-but, what about your trip?” “We can talk about that when we get home.” Vinyl grumbled and got out of her chair, following her mother. At first, it only sprinkled, but soon after they entered their neighborhood, the storm began to pick up and soon they were battered by heavy droplets and crosswinds. At their doorstep, Vinyl fumbled hastily with her keys and unlocked the door. Both of them shot inside and closed the door. They were both drenched from the storm, dripping along the wood floors. “Well, that didn’t go to plan.” Claret chuckled. “No kidding,” Vinyl said, using her magic to wring out her wet mane. “Um, Vinyl?” Claret’s long mane was dripping across the wood floor and she couldn’t easily dry herself as her daughter. “Oh, right. Hang on just a sec.” Vinyl went over to the hall bathroom and withdrew two towels and came back, passing one to Claret. “Thank you.” Claret sat down on the floor and began drying herself off. Vinyl tried to do the same but ended up fumbling the towel. “You were right about us being too dependent on magic sometimes.” Claret nodded. “It doesn’t take much to learn how to use your hooves and mouth for activities.” “Yeah.” Vinyl decided to keep trying to dry herself with a towel. Claret finished before Vinyl and got up. “I’ll go make us some coffee,” she walked over to the kitchen. “I’m sure you still want to know how my trip to the hospital went, right?” Claret said without emotion. “All day, really.” Vinyl said. Claret only nodded. Vinyl soon finished drying herself off and sat down in the living room, seeing her mother in the kitchen place a full kettle of water onto the stove top. She didn’t look any different from when she last saw her go to Canterlot, but she knew something was wrong that her mother didn’t want to bring up. Waiting for the kettle to heat, Claret went back into the living room and sat next to Vinyl. “So, how did your trip to Canterlot go?” Vinyl asked. Claret took a deep breath and sighed. “It wasn’t good Vinyl.” She closed her eyes, shaking her head. “Not good at all.” Vinyl’s ears fell. The way her mother said it already sounded grim. “Tell me everything.” Vinyl placed her hoof over her mother’s, looking up at her, redirecting her mother’s attention to her. “Please, Mom.” Claret looked down at Vinyl. A frown formed on her face and she teared up. “The medications and treatments from the past three months have not helped.” She sniffled in-between sentences. “The growth, in my head.” She wrapped herself around Vinyl, crying. “I-it’s still spreading.” Vinyl’s eyes widened; her jaw dropped. She didn’t know what to think as her mother began to cry. “No… Mom, a-are you…” Vinyl gulped. “Dying?” Claret flinched at the word. “I’m… still here dear,” she said softly, holding tightly on to Vinyl. “The doctors said there is still a chance.” She sniffled. “They are going to increase my dosages and put me on heavier treatments. It’s going to be hard, b-but I am not giving up.” “That’s it?” “They said it was all they can do.” “What about your magic? What did they say about that?” “They said I am also to never use magic.” “For how long?” Claret was silent for a moment. “Indefinitely,” she said, her voice cracking. “No…” Vinyl paused, thoughts rushed through her head of what this meant for her mother. “Then, that means…” “My career….” Claret looked up, tears streaming down her face. “It’s officially over.” She closed her eyes. “And… I don’t know how much longer I have myself.” Vinyl’s heart was pounding. Her mother was wrapped around her like a child. She wanted to cry with her mother, she didn’t know how to handle all of this, but at the moment, she knew she had to do something to cheer her up. “H-hey, look at me.” Vinyl pushed her mother back a bit and held onto her hooves. She looked up at her mother, who looked down at Vinyl. “Maybe you can’t play piano anymore, but, it’s not entirely over.” Vinyl wiped away her remaining tears. “You can still write music, and I can play it.” “But for how long, Vinyl? I’m…” She held back her tears. She felt pathetic in front of her daughter. “I’m scared.” “W-who wouldn’t be?” Vinyl joylessly laughed. “I can’t imagine how you are feeling right now, Vinyl, seeing me like this.” “I don’t know, I really don’t have a way to describe it.” Claret nodded. She began to settle down a bit, wiping away her tears. Vinyl kept looking at her mother. Mares in high school weren’t supposed to have to worry about losing their moms, right? Things like this were supposed to happen to people who deserved them, not her mother. No, she had to beat this. It might take everything they had, but if they gave it everything they had, that would have to do it, right? But what if… She wanted to be with her as much as she could. “Mom,” Vinyl said, clearing her throat. “I want to spend the rest of this time with you.” “I do too, dear.” “And to do that, I need to stop going to school.” “Vinyl… I want to see you graduate from high school at least.” “Mom, who is going to take care of you? You can’t do this all by yourself, and… I couldn’t concentrate even if I did go, not while you are suffering by yourself.” Vinyl looked to the side. “Either I stop going, or I go every day and end up failing my classes while you are here alone.” She sighed, knowing there was no better choice. She smiled, and hugged Vinyl lightly. “All right, Vinyl. I understand.” Vinyl felt her mother’s warm embrace. It was what she needed after what just happened. “…I love you, mom.” Claret rubbed Vinyl’s mane lightly with her hoof. “I love you too, dear.” While Vinyl and Claret remained on the sofa throughout the rest of the afternoon, the storm outside only became worse. When the sun went down the storm began to light up the night with thunder and lightning. Soon after the evening arrived, Claret only wanted to rest and went up to her room by herself. Vinyl did the same and lay in her bed, looking up at the ceiling. This day was forever going to change both her and her mother's life. She was beginning to tear up again. Wiping away her newly formed tears she laid on her side and could only think to herself. Mom, you don’t deserve any of this. I wish there was something else I could do. But, I’ll be there with you. To the very end. Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping with this chapter.
Chapter 8 - A Day to CelebrateOver a year had passed since Claret’s condition had gotten worse. During that time, Claret remained home most days unless she had to go to the local hospital for her monthly treatments or checkups. Since her diagnosis, Claret had not been able to use her magic and with that, lost the ability to play the piano. Vinyl took her place on the bench and played a few pieces for her occasionally, but over time the piano only collected dust. She originally held back at having to give up her career, hoping things may get better. With her condition worsening however, and the piling of notices from her lack of submitted work, she had to eliminate her contract with the record company she had been with since she was an adult. Vinyl stopped going to her school entirely. Rumors originally went around that she was kicked out for hitting Coral, but they were soon forgotten like any other student drama. She spent a majority of her time by her mother’s side, accompanying her when she went to the hospital every month for her treatments. With each treatment she would get very sick, to the point she couldn’t take care of herself, hacking up whatever she had in her system, and staying in bed throughout her recovery period. Claret’s appearance had worsened over time as well. She had lost a majority of the hair from her mane and tail. Looking in the mirror she felt like she lost a major part of herself. Fortunately however she received a hat stitched by Rarity that covered most of her head. Not only did it keep her warm, but it was also in the color of her mane, making her feel more like herself. She had also lost a substantial amount of weight due to her lack of appetite from treatments. Often she would wear long sleeves to cover her thinning forelegs and a skirt or dress to cover her thinned out rear legs and tail. Each morning, Claret awoke half-hoping to discover that the past few months had been a dream, that she’d tell Vinyl about her dream and her daughter would laugh and give her a hug, telling her that of course she’d be around to see her girl grow up, get married, even get to be a grandmother. Those hopes tasted bitter, like her sugarless morning coffee. Today wasn’t much different from other days in fall; it was a sunny afternoon with scattered clouds, and the leaves had begun to change and fall due to the colder temperatures. To Vinyl, it was meant to be a special day, but with what was happening between her and her mother it was no surprise her mother wouldn’t have remembered. She was laying on the sofa looking at the ceiling. Her mother sat on the sofa across from her, reading a book. Throughout the room played a minimal ambient tune from a record Vinyl recently picked up at the store. “Vinyl?” Claret said. Vinyl didn’t hear her, still lost in her own thoughts. “Vinyl.” Coming back to reality, Vinyl heard her mother the second time. “Oh, sorry.” Vinyl sat up and rubbed the back of her head. “What’s up, Mom?” “I’m a bit thirsty, but I want something other than water. Can you go to the convenience store and get us something to drink? Maybe some more pomegranate juice?” “Sure.” Vinyl got up off the sofa and went over to the kitchen, grabbing her white jacket and side bag that was hanging on the chair. “I’ll be back soon, love you.” “Love you too, dear. Don’t catch a cold.” Claret smiled. Walking out the front door, Vinyl sighed. It was already the afternoon and her mother hadn’t made any mention of her 18th birthday today. This was meant to be a big moment in her life, entering the world as a full grown mare, and her mother had not addressed it once. Retrieving her cassette player out of her jacket pocket, she placed her headphones over her ears and began listening to whatever was in the player. Walking through her neighborhood, she went to the convenience store. Along the way she passed by some ponies who gave her a nod or a ‘hello’ but she kept to herself not giving them any attention. She soon made it to her destination. Walking inside, she saw an earth mare in the store by herself stocking the shelves. “Welcome to Ponyville Mart. Let me know if you need anything.” She said. Vinyl nodded and went to the back where they kept the cold drinks. Opening the door to the cooler she withdrew several bottled pomegranate drinks. Her mother had taken a liking to them for the past few months when she couldn’t eat or drink anything else. It was even said to help a ponies health. She walked up to the counter and placed the juice containers on it. The mare stocking shelves took notice of Vinyl standing there and went behind the counter. “Is this everything?” she asked. Vinyl thought to herself for a second. She could use an energy drink, but she had been consuming so much caffeine that it was beginning to affect her sleep patterns. Then she eyed the cigarette case behind the mare. “Uhh… Yeah, a pack of cigarettes.” “Umm, sure,” the mare behind the counter said, not sure if a small unicorn like Vinyl was even of the age to buy them. “Can I see your ID?” “One sec.” Vinyl withdrew her wallet from her other jacket pocket and took out the ID she’d had since the age of 13. She looked at the photo, reflecting back on when things were easier. She passed it to the mare at the counter. “Wow, this is definitely a bit old.” She looked at the ID, eyeing the birth date. “Well, happy birthday.” She frowned, looking back and forth between the cigarette case and Vinyl. “Um, are you sure you want to start these? They tend to be—” “Can I just get my cigarettes? Please?” Vinyl interrupted her. “S-sure, sorry.” The mare’s ears fell. “What brand do you want?” “What do you usually go with?” Vinyl asked. “Me? I don’t smoke. Really, you shouldn’t be on these things.” “Look, lady,” Vinyl said sternly, “I see you smoking occasionally at the side of this place when I pass by. I know you don’t want me to be hooked like you, but I could care less what they do to my health. Now, can I have my fucking cigarettes?” The mare sighed and grabbed a pack of cigarettes and placed them on the counter. “Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.” “Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind,” Vinyl said, cooling down a bit. The mare rang up the register. “That will be twelve bits total.” Vinyl withdrew twelve bits from her wallet, and placed them on the counter. “You know you also need a lighter for those, right?” she said, raising her eyebrow. “Already got that covered.” Vinyl pointed to her horn. “Lucky mare.” She smirked, placing the drinks into a bag. Vinyl nodded, placing the pack of cigarettes in her jacket pocket, and then the bag of drinks in her side bag. “Look, sorry about being a bit of a bitch. Things have just been rough for me.” “It’s fine, I just hate seeing young mares like yourself get on these things. Take care.” “Thanks.” Leaving the store, Vinyl walked through the alley beside the store until she came upon an intersection. She placed her bag to the side and sat up against the fence. Withdrawing the pack of cigarettes from her jacket, she opened the pack and pulled out a cigarette with her hoof and placed it near the tip of her horn. “Let’s hope I don’t start any fires.” Vinyl focused her energy on her horn, conjuring a little spark at its tip. She pressed the cigarette gently against it, then lowered it and placed the other end between her lips gingerly. It slipped out, so she caught it and clenched it in her teeth. It tasted like old library books smelled, with an aftertaste of cotton swabs from the doctor’s office. This is what I’ve been missing out on? she thought with a grimace. She shrugged and inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with smoke. Immediately, she gagged and fell into a coughing fit, her eyes watering. I thought these things were meant to take stress off. Vinyl put her headphones back on and rested her head up against the fence, looking up at the sky. She tried again, taking little puffs like sips of hot coffee. Soon she got used to the idea of inhaling and exhaling smoke. Happy birthday to me. She sat there until she was done with her first cigarette. Getting up, she kept her headphones on and grabbed her bag. She then withdrew her pack of cigarettes again, looking inside the nearly full pack. …I could use another. She withdrew another cigarette, lighting it up and placing it in her mouth. She put her jacket’s hood over her head, then went back on her regular route home, hoping no one would be able to recognize her. Her mother would probably ask what took her so long, but Vinyl figured she could just tell her she ran into a classmate along the way. Making it home, Vinyl opened the front door and walked inside. Looking around she found not a trace of her mother. “Mom?” Closing the door behind her, she went into the kitchen and placed her jacket and bag back on the chair. She looked at the kitchen table and noticed there were several wrapped boxes. Reading the tags, they were titled ‘to Vinyl.’ “Surprise!” Vinyl jumped and saw her mother, Derpy, Rarity and a pink mare standing in the living room. “Uhh… Hey, what’s this about?” Vinyl asked. “Vinyl, it’s your birthday. Don’t you remember?” Claret said. “Yeah, but I mean this.” Vinyl said, pointing at the gifts and everyone in front of her. “It’s your eighteenth birthday, we should celebrate.” “But—” “No buts Vinyl,” Claret said sternly. “Today you are officially an adult, and we are not going to miss this celebration due to my health issues.” “Bu—” Vinyl stopped and looked at the gifts on the table. It looked like they did put some effort into the party, it shouldn’t just go to waste. “Yeah, sorry everyone.” Vinyl sighed. “I’m just a little bit on edge.” “I hope you like the party,” Derpy said, fidgeting with her hooves. “I helped organize it.” “You organized all of this?” Vinyl asked. “Well, I had some help from Rarity and—” “Oh and me!” The pink mare interrupted Derpy, raising her hoof. “I did the cake and gift wrapping!” she yelled excitedly. “Um, thanks?” Vinyl raised an eyebrow. “Sorry, but, who are you?” “Oh, I’m Pinkie Pie, but most of my friends call me Pinkie. I work at the local bakery Sugarcube Corner and my friend Rarity asked me to help out with this party.” “I couldn’t do much, unfortunately. My workload keeps piling up.” Rarity placed her hoof over her forehead, “and Pinkie knows more than me when it comes to parties.” “Well, I appreciate it, everyone. Thanks.” Vinyl smiled. “Hope you have a good party then Ms. Vinyl. I have to head back to Sugarcube Corner and handle another party. Busy, busy!” Pinkie hopped out of the house. “I don’t know how she does that.” Derpy said. “For all the years I’ve known her, neither do I, dear.” Rarity sighed. “Let’s all sit down. I’m sure Vinyl wants to open her gifts.” Claret sat at the kitchen table, with Derpy and Rarity sitting across from her. Vinyl sat next to her mother and looked at the gift boxes; they were all wrapped in bright shiny pink paper with a bow on top. Grabbing the first one, she looked at the card. It read ‘from Derpy.’ Unwrapping it and opening the box, Vinyl pulled out a large book titled ‘The Art of Studio.’ “What’s this?” “It’s a picture book with a collection of studios from famous musicians, producers, and composers. I figured if you are going to get into music you would need to upgrade your studio, so I thought a book like that may give you ideas.” “Hmm.” Vinyl turned through a few pages, finding a lot of high quality photography of both high-end and run-down studios. “This is really cool, thanks.” Derpy smiled and nodded. Vinyl then grabbed another box titled ‘from Rarity.’ “You didn’t get me a dress, did you?” “I could have.” Rarity chuckled. Next to Vinyl, Claret chuckled as well. Unwrapping the box, Vinyl opened it to find a white long-sleeved button-up shirt, and a black vest. “Wow.” She lifted the garments out of the box with her levitation magic and looked at them in full view. “I didn’t know you made stuff like this.” “I usually don’t, but your mother said you needed some dress clothes, and I know you don’t have a liking of skirts or dresses, so I went with something a bit more… Neutral?” “It looks great. Thanks, Rarity.” “No problem at all.” She smiled. Last, Vinyl grabbed a small thinner packaged titled ‘from Claret.’ Opening the package, it was the back of a black frame. Turning it over revealed a very old photo. It was a picture of her mother as a young mare in her early twenties. She had a shoulder-length mane with her signature red-wine color. It was dull and matted, like it hadn’t been washed in over a week. Her eyes were underlined with dark half-moon bags. She was sitting in a chair, holding a sleeping white foal in her forelegs. Its head, topped with thin blue fuzz, was resting against Claret’s collarbone. The foal was wrapped in a familiar lilac-patterned blanket. She was looking down at her daughter with that gentle smile of hers. Despite her visible exhaustion, she was at peace. “Damn, Mom. This is… something.” Beginning to tear up a bit, she looked up at her mother who was crying and smiling as well. “When was this taken?” “I was twenty-two when that picture was taken; you were born a few weeks before. That was your first day out of the hospital and back at our apartment in Canterlot.” “Who took it?” “…Your dad. We divorced a few months after this was taken.” Claret wiped away her tears. “But before that, I remember throughout my pregnancy your father dedicated most of his time to taking care of me. Kind of like you right now.” Claret pulled in Vinyl and hugged her. “You have grown so much since then. I’m so proud of you, Vinyl.” “Thanks, Mom,” Vinyl looked over at Derpy and Rarity. They were tearing up as well, seeing the display. “You’re the best mom a daughter could ask for.” They all stayed in the kitchen throughout most of the afternoon, while having cake and coffee, the four mares talked of past stories throughout their lives, having the occasional laugh. When the evening came, they decided to head out to the local pizzeria for dinner. Leaving the restaurant, they all exchanged hugs and soon had to return to their homes. “Oh Claret, I wish we could spend more time together,” Rarity said, hugging Claret tightly. “When my schedule is a bit more open, I will be sure to invite you and Vinyl over for tea.” “That would be grand. Give us a call anytime.” Claret smiled. “Will do.” Rarity then quickly hugged Vinyl and let go. “Happy birthday again, Vinyl. It was great spending time with you gals.” “I appreciate it.” Vinyl said. “I’m going to tag along with Rarity,” Derpy said, hugging Claret. “The adoption house is along the way to her boutique.” Derpy then let go of Claret and looked at Vinyl. “I’m happy you liked your birthday party.” “Thanks again.” Vinyl smiled and wrapped herself around Derpy. “I’ll be sure yours is just as good.” Vinyl then let go of her. “I’ll hold you up to that Vinyl.” Derpy winked. “Derpy, we should go; it’s freezing out here.” Rarity said, wrapping her jacket tightly around herself. “Yeah, you’re right. Let’s go.” They both waved to Vinyl and Claret, and then walked off. “Let’s head back home Vinyl.” Claret said, wrapping her scarf tightly around her neck to stay warm. “I’m tired from today. I need some rest.” “Yeah, I’m surprised you were wanting to go out for once.” “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Vinyl nodded. “Sorry about that.” Claret sighed. “It’s just the treatments… I’ve been so weak lately.” “Well, maybe this is a good sign?” Vinyl smiled, looking up at her mother. “Hmm, maybe.” Claret smiled along with Vinyl, keeping herself bundled to stay warm. She kept her optimism, hoping things would turn out for the best. Even with her scarf and jacket Claret shivered along the way home. Vinyl quickly took notice: she took off her jacket and placed it over her mother's back. “Vinyl, that’s not necessary.” “It’s not much of a walk for me, I’ll be fine.” “Are you sure?” Claret asked. “Yeah, worse thing is I catch a cold and I share some hot soup with you.” Vinyl smirked. Claret returned a smile and wrapped Vinyl’s small white jacket around herself. “Thank you.” Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping with this chapter.
Chapter 9 - What's LeftA few weeks had passed since Vinyl’s birthday. Since then, Claret had made an effort to be a bit more active around the house and go on regular walks with Vinyl, even occasionally going out for a cup of tea at the local café. Today, however, was the time of the month when Claret needed to go to the local hospital for her treatments. With Vinyl by her side, they were walking to the hospital, wearing their coats and scarves to keep warm from the winter season. With the hospital in view Claret stopped, looking at the front entrance. “Mom, you all right?” Vinyl asked. “Fine dear, just… I’m not going in.” “What?” Vinyl stammered, “but, you need to go in, to get better.” “Vinyl, let’s go for a walk in the park.” “Are we going to the hospital afterwards?” Claret looked down at Vinyl. She didn’t exactly know what to say, but she sighed. “Let’s, just… Have a nice time in the park, okay?” “Um, All right.” Walking away from the hospital, they went away from town and into the park. Unlike during Spring and Summer, the park was nearly empty during Winter, with only a few ponies going for a run or a casual walk. The benches and open areas remained mostly empty. The chirping and chitters of the animals were missing, Vinyl noted. All of them lay dormant in their warrens and dens. They walked around for a few minutes, before Claret needed a break and sat on a nearby bench. Vinyl sat next to her. Throughout the walk, she had had a craving for a cigarette, but didn’t want to show her mother her new habit. Sighing, she gave in and withdrew her pack of cigarettes from her jacket pocket. Claret immediately noticed and her eyes widened. “Vinyl, how long have you been on those?” “Since I turned 18.” Vinyl lit the cigarette with her horn and placed it in her mouth. “You know those will affect your health? Right?” “…Yeah.” Vinyl blew out some smoke, away from her mother. Claret paused; she was concerned over Vinyl’s decision but knew she couldn’t do much to change her habits at this point. She then thought back to her youth when she was Vinyl’s age. She gave up the smoking almost twenty years ago, but some habits don’t go away entirely. “Can I have one?” Claret said timidly. “Wait,”—Vinyl nearly dropped her cigarette out of her mouth—“seriously?” “Before I had you, I used to smoke frequently, even before the age of 18. I had to quit when I found I was pregnant. Wasn’t easy. Even when you were born I decided to stay off of them, I didn’t want to be a bad influence.” “Well, I think you did all right.” Vinyl withdrew a cigarette from the pack, but held it away from her mother. “You sure about this?” “What? Concerned I am going to get cancer?” She smirked. Vinyl raised an eyebrow. “That’s not funny.” Claret chuckled. “Sometimes, a laugh is all you need to get through hard times dear.” “I’ll keep that in mind.” Vinyl passed the cigarette to her mother. Taking hold of it, Claret placed it in her lips and received a light from Vinyl’s horn. The taste of the nicotine wasn’t as good as she remembered and she had a few coughs, but it brought back old memories of her youth. “You all right?” “Yes.” Claret pulled in a bit more. “They taste a bit different than they used to.” Claret looked down at Vinyl as she looked up at her. Her mother still kept that same smile, all the while enjoying her first cigarette in a long while. They remained there on the bench, two grown mares smoking their cigarettes. Claret was the first to finish, putting out the rest of it on the bench and putting it in a trash can to the side. “I need to tell you something,” she said, breaking the silence. “What is it?” Vinyl put out her cigarette as well, focusing all of her attention on her mother. “When you were a teenager, you kept saying you could take care of yourself, right?” “Um, yeah.” “Well, you are an adult now, you have much to learn still, but I think you can take care of yourself now.” She looked at Vinyl. “Though, I am happy you have decided to stick with me, and I am happy to still be here with you.” “Mom, please don’t say things like that.” “Vinyl, I think we both know for a fact that I am…” She paused. “Dying.” “Mom… Please, I don’t want to talk about this.” “You saw from my results these last few months, my condition is not improving,” “What are you trying to tell me then?” Claret bit her lip. “I’m going off the treatments.” “Wait, what!?” Vinyl yelled, but she composed herself. “Mom, those treatments are what's keeping you alive!” Claret sighed, got up from the bench, and began taking off her thick jacket and scarf. “What are you doing?” Vinyl said, remaining there on the bench. Claret stood there, her thinned forelegs were exposed out in the cold weather. As she shivered, she took off her hat, revealing her bald head, nothing more than her regular fur coat on top, and even then, her coat had begun to thin out as well. “Look at me,” she said, standing there in nothing but her short sleeved top and skirt. Vinyl winced, but looked at her mother. She was thin, fragile, even broken; she wasn’t the mare she once was. She was… pathetic. “Mom…” “This wasn’t the cancer’s doing Vinyl, this is due to my treatments. I-I was hoping—” She teared up, falling onto the ground, placing her hooves over her eyes, crying. “I was hoping I could get better, but”—She tripped up between her sentences—“I was damned from the start!” she yelled, crying out her frustration. Vinyl sat there frozen, witnessing her mother break down in front of her. She couldn’t just let her sit there alone. Getting up she grabbed her mother’s jacket and placed it over her shoulders, then wrapped herself around her. “I’m sorry, Mom.” “No, I’m sorry.” She sniffled, feeling her daughter’s embrace. “I don’t regret my decision, I’m so happy to be with you here still, but… I’m done Vinyl.” “Are you… giving up?” Claret shook her head. “No, I want to live on my own terms.” She smiled. “And that is to die happily.” Vinyl teared up now, beginning to cry on her mother’s shoulder. She never wanted to admit it, but this was going to come sooner or later. “And to do that…?” Vinyl asked. “I need to get off the treatments, and medications.” She wiped away her tears, smiling down at Vinyl. “I’m sorry to say I lied to you again, but… I’ve already been off the magic suppressants for a week.” Vinyl’s eyes widened at her mother admitting she hadn’t taken her medications. She pushed back and looked up at her mother. “R-really?” Claret nodded. “I understand.” Vinyl sniffled. “I love you, Mom.” “I love you too.” She rubbed the back of Vinyl’s mane, then pulled her in. “Let’s go home, I want to play the piano one last time.” The two sat there on the ground by themselves. The clouds throughout the day had been covering the sun and the air had become colder. Soon, small flurries of snowflakes began to fall. The snowfall outside was picking up. Fortunately, Vinyl and Claret made it home. As they took their jackets and scarves off, Claret took in a breath of fresh air. “Didn’t know it would pick up so much today,” Vinyl said, patting her mane off. “We seem to have developed a bad habit of not checking the weather,” Claret said with a chuckle, walking over to the kitchen. “Would you mind lighting a fire, Vinyl?” “Sure.” Vinyl went over to the fireplace and opened it up. There were already some dry logs inside. Vinyl flipped the switch for the top vent, then her horn glowed and she lit a small fire in the center of the logs. “I figured you would know how to do that since you’ve been lighting cigarettes. I hope you don’t abuse it.” “Do I seem like the mare that would?” Vinyl raised an eyebrow. Claret walked back into the living room with a glass of water. “Of course not; you’re my daughter.” Vinyl smiled and looked over at the piano. “So… were you serious about playing?” “Yes, I just need a glass of water.” Claret took down the glass. “Goddesses know how tired I am going to be when I’m done playing.” “Let me get something before you start.” Vinyl then quickly went upstairs. Claret nodded. She then set her glass down and went over to the piano. Sitting down on the bench, she lifted the cover atop the keys back and a layer of dust flew all over. She caught a bit and coughed several times. Vinyl came back down the stairs and into the living room with a portable cassette recorder, a pair of studio headphones, and a cassette tape. “What’s all of this for?” Claret asked. “I was hoping I could record whatever you’re playing.” “Hmm, all right. I can’t promise my performance will be perfect, though.” “That’s fine.” Vinyl lifted the large cover to the piano and placed a microphone on the edge between the open section of the piano and her mother. She then draped the microphone cable down the piano and across the floor to a small table where she plugged the recorder into the wall. “How long do I have to record?” “45 minutes, each side,” Vinyl said, popping the tape into the recorder. “I’ll keep time and give you a signal when I need to switch sides.” “Okay.” “Let’s do a quick sound check.” Vinyl pressed the record button on the player. “Just say something and maybe tap a few keys.” “Hi Vinyl,” Claret said into the microphone. She then took a deep breath. “Give me a moment; it’s been a while.” She closed her eyes and focused all of her energy, then at the tip of her horn was a red aura. She then successfully tapped a few keys on the piano with her magic. “How was that?” Vinyl smiled, not only at seeing her mother use her magic, but also seeing her play the piano again. She then refocused, pressing stop on the recorder. “One sec.” She plugged her studio headphones into the recorder and listened to the test sample. Her mother’s voice came in clearly and the piano didn’t sound harsh. “I think we are ready to go. Let me just rewind this and we can start.” Claret used her magic again to grab the glass of water from the living room table and brought it to hers lips. “It’s so nice to do that again.” She said, taking a sip and placing the glass down. “Ready.” Vinyl nodded and pressed the record button on the recorder again, giving a signal by waving her hoof. “Are we recording?” She tilted her head, a bit confused by what Vinyl was trying to say. “Yeah, why do you think I was waving my hoof?” Vinyl said across the room. “Sorry, Vinyl.” Claret chuckled. “Hopefully whoever is listening to this doesn’t mind our bickering.” “Well, we’re rolling,” Vinyl grumbled. “Oh! Right.” Claret’s horn glowed with a red aura and she took control of the keys. She began playing a simple and familiar song. She didn’t want to play any of her newly written songs, but instead stuck with pieces that had inspired her to become the talented pianist she was. Vinyl watched her mother throughout the session. She remained silent, listening to her mother's variations of classical music. She smiled, reminded of when things were more simple, when the only worry was the occasional bully or a bad school grade. As Claret approached a lull between movements in a famous gryphon piece, Vinyl realized that she had no idea how long it had been since she'd checked the tape. Her gaze shot downward to the cassette recorder to see the first side of the cassette was almost full. She signaled her mother to stop after her song and she took a small break while Vinyl switched the tape to side B. Claret played for another forty-five minutes until she filled up the other side as well. Vinyl signaled her to stop again and pressed the eject button, cradling the now full tape in her hooves. “All right, it’s full,” Vinyl said. “Has it already been that long?” Claret asked. “Yeah, do you want me to grab another tape? I have a few more laying around.” “Please,” Claret said with enthusiasm that surprised even her. “In fact, bring down several.” She smiled. “It feels so good to play again after so long. I think I want to play throughout the rest of the afternoon.” She played longer than expected, only taking short breaks when Vinyl had to either flip the cassette or insert a new one for some more recordings. Claret kept playing throughout the afternoon to the early evening. She began to feel weaker overtime, but she kept pushing herself to play more. Soon, she had to stop after her favorite song. She finished the piece with finesse, placing the cover back over the piano keys. “I think I’m done for the night Vinyl, thank you for being here with me.” Vinyl nodded, organizing the stack of tapes containing her mothers recordings. “I’ll be sure to take care of these.” Claret smiled and got up from the piano bench. “I think I am going to bed early. That playing has taken a bit out of me.” She placed a hoof over her head. “Are you going to be okay?” Vinyl asked. “I think so. My head just… I guess now that the thrill’s gone, it’s all catching up to me. Tomorrow, I think I am going to call Rarity about that tea party and see if she is free. Maybe we can bring over one of the cassettes to listen to and see how they turned out.” “That sounds great. I’m going to clean up here and head upstairs too. Good night, Mom.” “Good night, Vinyl,” Claret said, going up the stairs by herself, looking visibly exhausted. Vinyl began cleaning up the cables and mess she left around the living room. She took her equipment and the tapes back up to her bedroom, organizing them neatly on a shelf. She looked out her window to see the snow was still falling. She yawned and decided it was time to head to bed as well. Vinyl opened up her eyes and looked over at her bedside clock, it was only 8AM. Getting up out of bed, she opened her blinds. It was bright outside, the snowfall was over and the sun was now reflecting off of the snow. Ponies were outside going about their day while younger colts and fillies were playing out in it. She walked out of her room and down the stairs, only to find her mother was not anywhere downstairs; she must have still been sleeping. Turning on the coffee pot in the kitchen, Vinyl walked over to the front door and grabbed the newspaper. Placing it on the coffee table, she figured she would wake up her mother before she would miss more of the day. Walking back up the stairs, Vinyl went up to her mom’s bedroom door and knocked. “Mom? You awake?” No response, she knocked again. “Mom?” Silence. Vinyl shrugged and opened up the bedroom door to find her mother, still in bed, her eyes closed. “Morning sleepyhead,” Vinyl said, standing at the other end of her mother’s bed. Nothing. Vinyl stood there, expecting something; this wasn’t the first time she woke up her mom early. This time, however, something was different. She walked over to the side of the bed and placed a hoof on her mom’s shoulder, lightly shaking her. “C’mon, stop messing with me.” Her mother didn’t respond. Vinyl immediately froze. “M-mom?” Is she…? Vinyl placed her head over her mother’s chest; there was nothing but silence. Vinyl froze, and looked at her mother. She laid there, her eyes still closed, her head slumped over. “Okay, this isn’t funny, Mom. Just… wake up. Please? Before you scare me.” Claret lay there, perfectly still, perfectly silent. Vinyl placed her hoof over her mouth, and took a few steps back. This can’t be happening! Oh Goddesses, please, not now! Tears came as she looked at her mother from across the bed. Her heart was beating, her stomach felt like it was twisting itself into knots. She didn’t know what to say. She could only look at her mother. Please, just another day. She kept her eyes on her mother. She didn’t have to feel pain anymore, Vinyl tried to tell herself. She wouldn’t be held down by her cancer or its treatments. She was finally at peace. Her mother had finally passed. “M-m-m—” Vinyl stumbled on her words, she could barely hold herself up and continued to cry. Then, in one small burst, she screamed. “Mom!” Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping with this chapter.
Chapter 10 - The End, and a New BeginningDerpy had finished her morning routines and was sitting at her desk up against the window in her room. She didn’t have any school work to do during this time, and decided to pull out a sketchpad and looked out her window. She smiled, seeing the younger fillies and colts of the adoption house outside playing in the morning snow. She then focused her attention on the large tree in the back garden, beginning to sketch it in her book with a pencil. Soon after beginning however, the phone on her desk began going off. Derpy sighed after being interrupted by the phone. She put her pen down and picked up the phone. “Hello, Derpy Hooves speaking.” She said into the piece. There was silence on the other side of the phone. “Um, hello?” “…Hey Derpy, it’s Vinyl,” she said. Her voice was not giving off much emotion. “Hi Vinyl, how are you and Claret?” “Derpy, you need to come over here, now.” “What?” Derpy held her phone tight. “Is everything all right?” “Just get over here. I’ll see you soon.” Vinyl then hung up the phone. “Vinyl? Hello!” Hearing the phone disconnect, Derpy placed down the receiver. From the sound of Vinyl’s voice something was wrong. She immediately closed her sketchpad and got out of her seat. She grabbed her side bag off the chair and checked inside to make sure she had everything she needed. Placing her bag along her side, she proceeded out of her room. Walking down the hall, she went to the front desk and wrote her name on the checkout list. “Is everything okay Ms. Hooves?” said a stallion behind the desk. “It’s quite early to be heading out on a weekend.” “Something’s just come up, I’ll probably be out for most of the day,” she said, quickly signing her name and dropping the pen next to the form. “Stay safe. Be sure to call us if it’s past evening.” She only nodded, and walked out of the adoption home. Derpy headed over to Vinyl and Claret’s home at a quick pace. She ignored everyone she passed and only focused on going straight to her destination. She came near Vinyl’s house, seeing it in her view, and an ambulance out front. Oh no. She immediately ran up to the front stoop of the home, but then she heard a familiar voice behind her. “Derpy!” Rarity yelled, running up behind her. “Rarity?” Derpy said. “What are you doing here?” “I could say the same,” Rarity caught her breath. “Vinyl called me, she said to come here immediately. What about you dear?” “Same, do you know what’s happening?” “I have no idea, but it doesn’t sound good.” Rarity said. Suddenly, the front door was cracked open, with Vinyl peering through. “Vinyl, hey,” Derpy said. “Is everything all right?” Vinyl shook her head and opened the door, allowing Derpy and Rarity to come inside. “Darling, is Claret okay?” Rarity asked. “Please, tell us anything.” “Upstairs,” Vinyl said, walking up the stairs first, leading the two behind her. Walking up to the upper hall, the door to Claret’s room was open. Vinyl stood underneath the door and poked her head in, not allowing Derpy and Rarity into the room. “Can we have a few minutes, before you take her?” Vinyl said. “Sure, we just finished up. Let us know when you all are ready.” A mare in the room said, she walked out, with a stallion following behind her. They went past Derpy and Rarity, and down into the living room. Vinyl sighed. “All right, come on in,” Vinyl said, walking into the bedroom. Derpy and Rarity looked at each other, already knowing something wasn’t good. Rarity took a deep breath and walked in first. She gasped. Derpy quickly followed in behind her and froze, her hoof held in front of her mouth. In front of the bed was a laid out stretcher. A thick white sheet was laid over it, with a figure underneath. “I-is that…?” Rarity asked. “It is,” Vinyl said. “Oh Goddesses, Claret…” Rarity said, beginning to cry. “Vinyl… I’m so sorry.” “I found her this morning. She was in here, resting peacefully, but…” Vinyl stopped, beginning to tear up as well. Derpy came up beside Vinyl, placing her hoof on her shoulder. “You don’t need to tell us, Vinyl,” she said, looking at the stretcher. “I think we know what happened.” Vinyl looked at Derpy as tears fell down her face. She wrapped herself tightly around Derpy, taking her by surprise. “She just…” Vinyl cried into Derpy’s shoulder. “She just wouldn’t wake up!” “Vinyl…” Rarity said, clearing her tears. “None of this was your fault. She lived her life to her fullest, and she had you here with her this entire time. You did more than enough to support her.” “But, she was just fine yesterday, she was…” Vinyl sobbed loudly, keeping herself wrapped around Derpy. “I should've stopped her, from using her magic. She could still be here. She—” “Vinyl, please.” Derpy said pushing Vinyl back. “We’re here for you. Whatever happened to Claret, none of us could predict when this would happen, but—” She tripped up on her words, beginning to tear up. “Like Rarity said, she didn’t have to die alone. You were here with her, and now… We are all here together, for one last time, before she goes.” Rarity began tearing up again and wrapped herself around both Derpy and Vinyl. “Let’s say goodbye to your mother, Vinyl,” Rarity said, looking over at the stretcher. “The three of us.” “…Yeah.” Vinyl looked at her mother, who remained underneath the white sheet. Derpy did the same. They were all wrapped around one another, saddened by the loss of Claret, giving her a moment of silence. They all thought about the good times they’d had with her throughout the past, up until these past few days. After a few minutes, Vinyl broke herself from the two. “All right, I think…” Vinyl paused. “I think it’s time for her to go.” “Are you sure?” Derpy asked. “Yeah.” Vinyl smiled. “She would want to be out of bed by this hour any way.” She laughed, joylessly. Derpy and Rarity looked at each other, confused by Vinyl’s odd sense of humor, but smiled back. The EMTs came back into the room and they guided the stretcher out of the bedroom and down the stairs. The three mares stood out the front of the home, seeing the stretcher one last time. The stallion loaded Claret into the back of the ambulance, while the mare strapped herself to the front of the carriage. “We’ll give you a call when she is processed. Sorry for your loss,” she said. “Thanks,” Vinyl said. The mare nodded and ran off with the carriage in tow. Vinyl could only watch as her mother left the home for the last time. No more than a week had passed since Claret’s passing. Today it was cloudy. Only a bit of the snow from the past storm still remained on the surface around Ponyville. Today would also be the day Vinyl would say goodbye to her mother for the final time. She wore the white button-up shirt and vest she got from Rarity. She walked along with her and Derpy, both wearing well decorated black dresses. Behind them were ponies from the local funeral home carrying a coffin that housed Claret, with a crowd of ponies that followed behind them. They walked through town, heading to the cemetery, which was housed atop a hill. Taking the path, they all reached the cemetery. Tombstones for many ponies rested there. At the end of the cemetery, at the highest point was a tree sitting by itself. They all went to the tree, where a tombstone with Claret’s name was printed, and a dug hole was prepared as her final resting place. Chairs were set in front of the tree; a majority of the ponies took their seats, while Vinyl, Derpy, Rarity sat at the front. A majority attending the funeral were not family, but those that knew Claret through her music career: musicians that looked up to her, friends from in and outside of town, and a few town locals paying respects. Beside the three mares up front a stallion from the funeral home stood at a podium. “If everyone will take their seats, please,” the stallion said. Everyone immediately sat down. “We are gathered here today to say goodbye to a well known citizen here in Ponyville and across Equestria: mother and pianist, Claret Rondeau. We are joined here today by her daughter, Ms. Scratch, and two very close friends of hers, Ms. Hooves and Ms. Rarity. We will first begin with Ms. Scratch.” Vinyl sighed, getting up from her chair and walked over to the podium. She adjusted the mic to bring it down to her level, and took a deep breath. “Hello, everyone. Thank you for attending…” Vinyl paused looking at the entire crowd of individuals in front of her. She was nervous. She should've prepared a speech, but she hardly knew anyone here, nor did she care. She was against the idea of having such a large funeral in the first place, but it was too late now to show her distaste. “I just wanted to say that I love my mother. She raised me by herself throughout her life and she was a very influential mare in my life. I-I’m going to miss her.” Vinyl looked at the coffin to her side. She could've said more, but she couldn’t think of anything else. “That’s all, thank you all for attending.” Vinyl stepped away from the podium. Rather than returning to her seat however, she walked through the center aisle and began to walk away from the funeral. Whispers were exchanged throughout those attending. “Where is she going?” Derpy said to Rarity, looking behind her. “Is… is she leaving?” “I don’t know,” Rarity sighed. “Go follow her, I think she needs a friend by her side. “What are you going to do?” “I’ll calm everyone down and take care of things here; I am used to fancy types like this.” “Are you sure?” “I have quite a speech planned really. Vinyl, I think, isn’t used to these kind of crowds.” “Right, I’ll see if I can bring Vinyl back.” Derpy quietly left the funeral, not going through the center aisle like Vinyl and instead went through the side where not many of the attendees focused their attention. Leaving the ceremony, Derpy kept up her pace, hoping to catch up with Vinyl. She soon saw the mare ahead and ran after her. “Hey Vinyl!” Derpy yelled. “Wait up!” Vinyl stopped and turned around. She stood there with a lit cigarette dangling from her mouth while she waited for Derpy to catch up. “Decided to tag along?” Vinyl asked. “W-where are you going?” Derpy panted, catching her breath. “I just didn’t want to be there.” “What? Why?” “I wanted to be there just for my mother, I didn’t expect so many attendees.” Vinyl sighed. “Other than you and Rarity, I only knew about ten of them off the top of my head.” “Vinyl, It’s your mother’s funeral.” She grabbed Vinyl’s hoof. “We should go back.” Vinyl shook her head and pulled her hoof back from Derpy. “I’ll visit her tomorrow, I’d rather spend my time with Mom alone.” “Are you sure?” “Yeah.” Vinyl tossed her cigarette off to the side. “Now, do you want to tag along with me or not?” Derpy looked behind her and back at Vinyl. She hardly knew any of the attendees either, and maybe giving her best friend support would be a better idea. “Sure.” She nodded. “Though, where are we going?” “I wanted to go to Goldy’s. I could use some coffee, pancakes and a smoke or two.” Derpy tilted her head. “Seriously? You are abandoning your mother’s funeral for pancakes?” “I’d rather talk about my mother with you then a bunch of complete strangers.” Derpy rubbed her chin. “Fair enough. Pancakes it is.” After walking down the hill, they went past a few shops and ended up at the front of Goldy’s. When they walked inside it was past breakfast and before lunch; only a few patrons were sitting at the front of the diner, having a coffee and a late morning meal. A small waitress approached the two. “Mornin’ girls.” She eyed the two, seeing them both in their attire for a funeral. “Just the two of y’all?” “Yup,” Vinyl said. “Feel free to sit anywhere y’all like, we aren’t too busy during this hour. I’ll bring your menus.” Vinyl nodded and sat at the corner of the diner in a booth; Derpy sat across from her. The waitress came around with two menus. Vinyl raised her hoof. “We are just getting the endless pancakes. Some coffee would be great though.” “Coffee and endless pancakes, coming right up!” she said, zipping off to the kitchen. “It’s odd, being here.” Derpy looked at her black dress and back at Vinyl. “She could probably tell we just came back from a funeral.” “You think if I told them we came from my mother’s funeral we could get a discount?” Vinyl grinned. Derpy stared blankly at Vinyl. “No.” “You're probably right,” Vinyl shrugged. “Not to be mean Vinyl, but you have an odd way of mourning.” The waitress came back with a large pot of coffee and poured some mugs for the two mares. “Y’alls pancakes should be here soon,” she said, walking off again. Vinyl nodded, picking up her mug with her magic and taking a sip. “To be honest, I’ve been crying a lot throughout this week.” Vinyl looked out the window, taking another sip of her coffee. “I thought I would only be sad the day she died, but when I want to do anything around the house I am used to her being there.” “I See… Sorry.” Derpy picked up her mug, taking a sip. “Surely you had the same sort of experience?” Vinyl asked. “What?” Derpy tilted her head. “I never wanted to presume, but I am guessing you were put into adoption because both your parents passed, right?” “Not really,” Derpy sighed, taking another sip from her coffee. “I don’t really like bringing it up, but I was abandoned when I was just a foal.” “Oh.” There was an awkward silence between the two. The waitress soon came around with two towering plates of pancakes, placing them on the table and walking off again. “Though,” Derpy said, poking her pancakes with her fork. “Losing your parents is hard. I was abandoned since I was foal and could never remember my mom or dad’s faces. I still feel sad some days, knowing I will probably never see them again.” “Sorry to hear that,” Vinyl said, taking a bite of her pancakes. “Thanks.” She smiled. “When you do look at it, I guess you can say we both have the same sort of experience,” she said, taking a small bite of her pancakes. The two sat in the diner enjoying their pancakes and coffee. Throughout that time Vinyl went over to the jukebox and inserted a few bits into the machine, wanting to listen to some good familiar tunes while she enjoyed her time with Derpy. “I am going to miss Claret,” Derpy said, sipping her coffee. Vinyl nodded, lighting a cigarette inside. “I never got to see her play piano often, but she was talented.” Derpy paused. “And still is probably the closest pony I could ever call ‘Mom.’” Vinyl raised an eyebrow. “Sorry, I never really had a person I could look up to in life, you know?” Derpy said. “It’s fine,” Vinyl said blowing smoke into the air. “My mom was the coolest mare in Equestria.” She grinned. “Heh, yeah. You’re right about that.” Derpy raised her coffee mug towards Vinyl. “To Claret.” “To Mom,” Vinyl said, lightly tapping her mug against Derpy’s. The two took down their entire mugs of coffee, with Derpy finishing first, coughing a few times. “Are you doing anything else today?” Vinyl said. “No,” Derpy replied. “What about you?” “I was supposed to see Mom’s lawyer after the funeral. He said I can come in at any time. I can just tell him you are a close family friend.” Derpy nodded. “Sure, have you met him before?” “Not often, only when he came over to our house really. He has an office in town, so Mom went there often.” Looking throughout the diner, Vinyl could see more ponies coming in for the lunch hour. “Let’s get out of here, before it gets crowded,” Vinyl said. Leaving the diner, Vinyl and Derpy walked side-by-side. “So your mother had a lawyer?” Derpy asked. “Yeah, she originally hired him when she filed for a divorce. Soon after though she always stuck with him during her music career as well, and now he is handling her will,” Vinyl said. “Do you think he went to the funeral?” “In that crowd? I couldn’t tell. Were you planning to speak in front of them?” “I was. I actually spent the past few days working on a speech.” “Oh. Sorry.” Vinyl’s ears fell, feeling a bit of regret for not giving Derpy her voice. “I just don’t see how you can tolerate crowds like that.” “Was it your first time speaking to a large audience?” “Yeah.” “You will get used to it. I’ve done a few before for youth events.” Walking into a neighborhood, they passed a few houses and stopped at one with a small sign to the side titled ‘Mr. Legal, Ponyville Lawyer.’ “This is it,” Vinyl said. “Not exactly the best location for a business,” Derpy said, looking around at the regular residential houses. “I guess it’s cheaper to buy a house than rent or build a property.” Stepping up to the door’s stoop, Vinyl pressed the doorbell. They both could hear hoof steps on the other end, and a mare with a blonde mane opened the door. “Hello? Do you two have an appointment?” she said. “My name is Vinyl Scratch. I’m the daughter of Claret Rondeau. Mr. Legal called me earlier this week saying I could come in any time after her ceremony. My friend here was also close to her.” “Oh! I’m sorry for your loss, then, Ms. Scratch.” She fully opened the door and stepped to the side, welcoming them in. “My name is Sandy, please come in, Mr. Legal has been awaiting your arrival.” “Thanks,” Vinyl said, stepping in first, with Derpy behind her. Inside, the living room had been converted into a waiting room for clients, about the same size as Vinyl’s home, complete with a fireplace. A single executive desk was beside the door, sitting next to the window. “Do you two need anything? Coffee? Tea? Water?” Sandy asked. “No, thank you,” Derpy said. “Same. Thanks though,” Vinyl said, looking around the office a bit. “No problem, let me just ring up Mr. Legal to see if he is ready.” Sandy walked over to her desk and pulled up the phone, pressing a single button. “Ms. Scratch and a close friend of her’s have arrived.” She paused. “Yes sir, I’ll bring them up immediately.” She then placed the receiver down and walked over to the steps. “This way please,” Sandy said. “Mr. Legal is ready to see you.” Vinyl and Derpy followed her up the staircase to the upper hall. Passing several doors, they were led to one at the end of the hallway. Sandy opened the door for them and stepped to the side, allowing the two to walk in first. “Here they are Mr. Legal,” she said. “Thank you, Ms. Dunkin’. You are excused.” She nodded, walking away and closing the door behind her. Vinyl looked around the office. Minus the single window behind the old stallion and a few certificates hung up on the walls, the room was packed with fully filled bookshelves. Vinyl then redirected her eyes to the old brown stallion with a greyed mane and tail, sitting at his desk. He wore nothing but a fancy bowtie, and an old pair of glasses with large lenses and thin frames that looked like they hadn’t been changed in over a decade. “Please, have a seat,” he said, waving his hoof at the two large chairs in front of his desk. Vinyl and Derpy nodded, and sat down in the comfy chairs. “To start off, I’m sorry to hear of your loss Ms. Scratch,” he said, withdrawing a manila envelope and opening it, taking out a small document. “Your mother has been one of my oldest clients throughout my career. She truly was a magnificent mare.” “Thanks,” Vinyl said, rubbing the back of her head. “This past week I’ve been getting a lot of ponies across town saying how influential she was.” “Mmm.” He nodded, adjusting his glasses and looking at the document he retrieved. “Now before I go over the will, your mother left you a farewell message she wrote several months back. Would it be okay for me to read it?” “She left a message?” Vinyl asked. “Yes, some clients wish to keep things strictly business, but for more personal manners I’ve had a few farewell messages like this. Regardless, would it be okay for me to proceed?” “Sure, go ahead.” “Very well.” He cleared his throat and began reading. To Vinyl, If you are reading this, then I am sorry to say that I must have passed away from my cancer. I can't know when or how this will happen, so I want these to be my last words to you. I am proud of how much you’ve grown. I remember when you were first born that I wasn’t sure what I had gotten myself into, or if I would be a responsible mother. However, I hope that I have been a good influence on you throughout your life, and that it carries on, even after my death. By the time you are reading this, I hope you have passed your eighteenth birthday and I congratulate you on making it this far in your life. You’ve grown from when I first set my eyes on you and you still have a long road ahead. I hope you not only achieve your dreams as a musician, but also find a mare that you can call your partner. I know things didn’t go well in high school, but don’t worry; things will be better as an adult. It feels very weird, leaving a message after my passing, and I hope that you never have to read this, but I just want you to know that I love you, and I am very proud of you, Vinyl. Take care of yourself and those around you. Your mother, Claret Rondeau. Vinyl had been crying throughout and now cleared her tears away. Derpy did a bit of the same beside her, hearing the final message of her mother. “Are you going to be okay?” Mr. Legal said. “Sorry,” Vinyl sniffled. “What’s left?” “Just the will,” Legal said, turning the page. “To Vinyl Scratch, I, Claret Rondeau, hereby declare that, on the day of my passing, I transfer over all of my assets to my only daughter, Vinyl Scratch. This includes my home, possessions, wealth and investments. However, my daughter will also be required to follow these two requests. 1.) If my longtime friend Ms. Rarity is to ever have financial trouble with her business Carousel Boutique, my daughter will be required to help her in any way financially if possible. 2.) On the day of her eighteenth birthday, our friend, Ms. Derpy Hooves is to receive a deposit of exactly five thousand bits to help her throughout her start into adulthood.—” “How much!?” Derpy yelled, standing up out of her chair. “Are you Ms. Hooves?” Legal said, placing his eyes on her. “Y-yes!” she stammered. “As previously stated, on the day of her eighteenth birthday, our friend, Ms. Derpy Hooves is to receive a deposit of exactly five thousand bits—” “Five? T-thousand?” Derpy placed her hoof over her chest. “Yes,” Legal said. “W-wow.” She fainted, falling onto the floor. “Oh, shit.” Vinyl quickly got out of her chair and went to Derpy’s side. Legal grabbed the phone on his desk and pressed a button. “Yes, Ms. Dunkin’, we have a code blue in my office.” He hung up the phone and looked down at the two. “This happens often?” Vinyl asked. “Once every few months.” There was a sound of rushing hooves downstairs, and no more than a few seconds after Legal called Sandy, she came bursting through the office door. “Here! What’s the situation?” Sandy said, holding a clean towel and bottle of water in her hoof. “Just the grey mare here. She just got a bit overwhelmed. Her friend will be taking care of her.” Derpy sat up, placing her hoof over her head. “You all right?” Vinyl asked, grabbing the water bottle from Sandy and passing it to Derpy. “Yeah, just…” She took a sip from the bottle. “That came out of nowhere.” Vinyl helped Derpy back into her chair. “If you are feeling better, can we proceed?” Legal asked. “Sorry, I hope we aren’t wasting too much of your time, Mr. Legal” Derpy said. “No trouble. I’ve had worse this past week.” He grabbed a pen and slid the document to the end of the desk. “I just need Ms. Scratch’s signature to proceed, and we can finalize this will.” “Right.” Vinyl picked up the pen with her magic and signed her name slowly, trying her best to make a fancy signature. “Well, that sums it up.” He got up out of his chair, taking the documents. “Let me just have my secretary make a copy of this, and you two can get on your way.” Walking out of the office, Vinyl lit another cigarette and looked over at Derpy. “You feeling all right?” Vinyl asked. “Yeah.” Derpy took another sip from the water bottle. “Just, that’s a lot of bits to be giving away.” “Mom was always smart with her wealth.” Vinyl shrugged. “We already own the house, and she has a good amount of shares with the record company she previously worked for. Or, I guess I own now.” Vinyl pulled in on her cigarette. “It’s an odd feeling, getting all of this stuff handed to me.” “Your mother trusts you, and me as well. When I am an adult, of course.” Derpy said. “To be honest, I think she only wants you to wait until your 18th birthday so the adoption house doesn’t take any of it.” “Wouldn’t be surprised.” Derpy sighed. “They would do something like that.” The two began walking out of the neighborhood. “You think Rarity is back at her place?” Vinyl said. “I wanted to thank her for staying at Mom’s funeral, seeing how we sort of ditched her there.” “It’s been a few hours now,” Derpy said, checking her watch. “Let’s give her a visit.” Walking past a few businesses and the library, they soon made it to Rarity’s Boutique. On the front of the door was a sign saying ‘Closed for the week, will reopen starting next weekend.’ “I guess she needed some time off with what’s been happening,” Derpy said. “Didn’t she make that dress you are wearing?” Vinyl said. “She did actually; it’s the first time I had something so formal. Just wish it was for a happier event.” Vinyl nodded, and then knocked on the door. “We’re closed for the week, read the sign!” Rarity yelled from inside. “I can read, thank you very much, and it’s me Vinyl, Derpy is here too.” “Oh, sorry, Vinyl. Come in. Door’s unlocked.” Vinyl opened the door and walked inside. Derpy closed the door behind her and they found the store front was completely empty. “Rarity? Where are you?” Derpy said. “In here,” Rarity said from the kitchen. The two walked into the kitchen and found Rarity sitting at the kitchen table, eating a tub of ice cream while crying. Her mascara was ruined, running down her face. “Uh, hey.” Vinyl waved. “Hello girls.” She sniffled, taking one last bite before closing the tub of ice cream. “Still mourning?” Vinyl asked. “Just a little bit.” She grabbed a tissue and wiped her eyes and messy mascara. “I think having guests over, especially you two, will make me feel better.” Rarity got out of her seat, placed the tub of ice cream in her freezer and went over to her stove top. “You two have a seat. Do either of you want tea?” “Please,” Derpy said, sitting down at the table. “Sure.” Vinyl looked around the kitchen. “Rarity, do you have a stereo in here?” “Oh? Yes, it’s over there.” She pointed her hoof over to a dusty wood cabinet with a bunch of knick knacks placed on top of it. “It hasn’t been played in a while.” Vinyl went over to the cabinet and found a small notch in the top panel. She lifted it to find an old record player that had been collecting dust and an external cassette player. She pulled a cassette tape out of her vest pocket and placed it in the player. Turning on both the stereo and cassette player, she pressed play and could hear her mother again. ‘Are we recording?’ Rarity and Derpy’s ears twitched, hearing the familiar voice from the stereo. ‘Yeah, why do you think I was waving my hoof?’ ‘Sorry, Vinyl.’ Claret chuckled. ‘Hopefully whoever is listening to this doesn’t mind our bickering.’ ‘Well, we’re rolling,’ Vinyl grumbled. ‘Oh! Right.’ Then, the sound of her mother playing piano could be heard throughout the kitchen. Vinyl sat down next to Derpy, listening to the recording. “When was this recorded?” Rarity asked. “The day before she died. She hadn’t played for so long and she went all throughout the afternoon to the evening.” “How did she play? Wasn’t she supposed to not use her magic?” Vinyl shook her head. “She just wanted to play. How could I say no to that?” “I see,” Rarity said, getting ready to prepare the tea. “It sounds beautiful.” Derpy smiled. “I haven’t heard her play often, but it seems she hadn’t lost any of her skill after her long hiatus.” “Thanks.” Vinyl returned a smile as well. “I think she was really enjoying it.” Rarity picked up three cups of tea with her magic and placed them on the kitchen table. “I remember when I first met you and your mother Vinyl: You were still in elementary school and I was just starting my business.” Rarity took a sip of her tea. “My sales were abysmal, but then you and your mother came in and ordered a dress from me. She was impressed by my work after looking over my designs and said she would come back if she ever needed anything else.” “I think we still have everything you made in her closet; she never wanted to get rid of them.” Vinyl said. “She would only buy one dress each year, but her friends asked where she got her dresses, and all of a sudden I had orders across Equestria coming in.” Rarity smiled. “I wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for her.” “She was great like that,” Vinyl said. They all sat around one another, continuing to drink their tea. Throughout the afternoon they talked about Claret, all the while listening to her final performance. Vinyl and Derpy were there until the sun went down. Once evening came, Vinyl and Derpy were back at Vinyl’s doorstep, ready to wrap up for the evening. “Thanks for taking me along with you today Vinyl,” Derpy said. “I think today was better than what I expected.” “No prob.” Vinyl smiled. “Thanks for tagging along with me.” Vinyl looked at the moon that lit up the town for the evening and back down at Derpy. “Well, I guess I’ll see you sometime. ‘Night Derpy.” Vinyl was about to open the door before Derpy interjected. “Vinyl?” “Yeah?” “…Are you going to be okay?” Vinyl closed her eyes, and sighed. “For the most part, I think so. I’ll call you tomorrow.” “Okay. Have a good evening then, Vinyl.” Derpy turned around, and began walking away. “Derpy.” “Yes?” She said, turning around. “Thanks. Thanks for sticking with us, throughout all of this.” Derpy smiled. “You’ve been a good friend to me Vinyl, both you and your mother. I couldn’t leave either of you behind.” She waved, and began walking back to her place. Vinyl then opened the door to her home—only hers now—and went inside. She almost said ‘I’m home,’ but remembered she was the only one there. She wandered around the house, looking at all the things her mother left behind for her. She never gave much thought to the items throughout the house, but without her mother here, it was her responsibility to look after all of this now. Looking at the piano, she wanted to play for her mother, but she wasn’t here now; she would only be playing for herself. She then came up with an idea. Going upstairs, she grabbed the cassette recorder and a cassette from her room and went back downstairs. She placed the recorder and microphone along the piano and, after plugging it in, she began recording and started playing the piano. Her skills were far from her mother, only tapping the keys slowly, dragging out her notes. She played for a few minutes, forming her own piece. Once she was done, she pressed stop on the recorder and rewound the tape. Unplugging the recorder from the wall, she popped the back off and saw there were still fresh batteries inside. She then grabbed her jacket from the kitchen and placed the recorder inside her bag that she kept next to the door. Vinyl then walked out the front door. It was freezing. Vinyl walked through the darkness alone, with the full moon lighting her path. She kept herself bundled in her jacket, keeping her hood over her head to stay warm while smoking another cigarette. She was close to the cemetery, taking the path up the hill now. The path was well lit and she soon made it to the cemetery. She walked past all the tombstones of passed residents and walked up to the highest point of the cemetery, standing beneath the tree where her mother now rested. Vinyl looked at the grave; the dirt was freshly placed back in, and attendees of the funeral had left roses over her burial place. Looking at the tombstone, she read the inscription. Claret Rondeau Loving Mother Talented Musician Born 954 CE · Died 993 CE · Age 39 Sitting down, she placed her hoof over the tombstone. “Hey, Mom. Sorry I left earlier.” She sat there silent. “I thought the ceremony was a bit much, but I said I would come here as soon as I could.” She pulled the cassette recorder out of her bag, and powered it on. She pressed play and the speaker on the recorder began playing the piano piece she played earlier that evening. “I recorded this earlier today. Since you are not at the house anymore, I decided to bring it here.” She paused, listening to her recording as well. “I hope you like it. It was sort of impromptu.” She kept to herself, sticking near her mother’s grave. Just wanting to give her some company. “You know… It’s going to be hard, not having you here.” Vinyl began to cry. “I’m gonna miss seeing you play, seeing you listen to my music, hanging out with friends or going on our tour trips every summer.” She placed her hooves over the tombstone, crying harder now, not caring how much of a mess she looked. “I-I’m going to miss you, Mom.” She placed her hooves over her eyes, crying endlessly by herself. She remained there throughout the evening, not wanting to leave her mother’s side. “Vinyl.” Vinyl looked behind her and saw Derpy standing there, wearing a thick jacket. “What are you doing here?” Vinyl said. “I couldn’t sleep, so I snuck out and decided to come here.” She bit her lip. “I didn’t think you would be out here as well.” Vinyl nodded and looked back at the tombstone. “Why did she have to die? Out of all the ponies in Equestria, why her?” Derpy kneeled behind Vinyl and pulled her into a hug. Vinyl flinched instinctively, but soon found herself sinking into her friend’s warm embrace. “Some things just happen, Vinyl. We can’t stop them from happening. When Claret was diagnosed, she knew there was a possibility she was going to die, and you knew as well things weren’t as they were when she first went to the hospital.” “When we were at Rarity’s place that night, I was so scared of what was going to happen,” Vinyl said, tears streaming down her face. She remembered the moment when her mother first had her seizure. A few minutes earlier she was fine, the next she was on the ground, twitching, unable to control herself. “Yet you still stuck with her all throughout it to the end. We all did. Rather than letting the cancer take it’s toll on her, we all stuck to one another and gave her the best support we could.” “I’ve always relied on her to take care of me though. I don’t know if I am ready for this.” “We'll take it one day at a time, Vinyl. You've looked out for me this whole time, so I'll be right here with you.” Vinyl nodded, clearing the tears out of her eyes. “Let’s go back to your house. I don’t want you to freeze out here.” “Yeah, let’s go.” It began to snow again. The mares remained close to one another to keep warm as they walked back to Vinyl’s house. Looking back at the grave, Vinyl promised herself this wouldn’t be the end, but the start of a new beginning. fin Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping with this chapter. Very special thanks to Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping throughout the writing and editing of this fic, another thanks goes to Proper Noun who helped with the first chapter, as well as my readers for the comments and support. This fic would not be possible without all of you, thank you. Originally this was only meant to be a short side story to my previous fic, but I am happy to see what it has become. I hope y'all enjoyed Major and Minor, thank you again for reading. -Lady Froey To be continued, in... Music to His Ears.
Chapter 1 - BeginningsVinyl blinked when the bell rang. She groaned, then stretched her back as she rose from her desk. Classes had ended for the day, marking the halfway point through the second semester of her freshman year at Ponyville High. She snapped shut the book that she’d been been pretending to study, when she’d instead been hiding her heavy eyelids behind her messy blue mane as she had let her mind wander. As the class stood to leave, the other colts and fillies gathered in small groups before pouring out into the hallway. Vinyl just started packing her books into her bag. Someone’s shoulder bumped her muzzle, knocking her glasses askew. “Sorry, didn’t see you there,” they said without stopping. Vinyl only came up to shoulder height on most of her classmates, which her mother kept saying was normal for unicorns. She pushed her glasses back into place with a sigh. Her horn glimmered as she grabbed her book bag and walked out of the classroom. Vinyl walked by herself, as usual. She kept her cassette player close to give her company as she headed across the school grounds, rather than walking on the paved path with other students. She walked across the school’s sprawling, grassy front lawn, passing by a tall tree and hopping over the waist-high fence. When she left school grounds, she usually took a dirt road into town, walking through Ponyville’s main district. Sometimes stopping by the convenience store for something to drink, heading to the park for an extended walk, or dropping in at the local record store and see if they had any sales. There wasn’t much else to do in such a small town. However, she’d done some pretty good zoning out in the last period and wanted to head straight home. She took a shortcut to her neighborhood instead, walking down one of the alleys between the wooden privacy fences that separated rows of homes and ran between their backyards. The sounds of the schoolyard faded in the corridor created by the tall fences, replaced by an empty silence. Most of the adults were still at work in town, and anyone younger would have to be inside. As Vinyl neared a corner that served as a halfway marker on her route home, she heard what sounded like a game of hoofball. Excited shouts, the rush of hooves pounding across the ground, the thump of something heavy hitting the dirt, and then… whimpering? She stopped and warily looked around the corner. Ahead of her, two colts stood several feet from a mare at the opposite end of the alley. Dirt was smeared across her face and she was trying to hide herself behind several trash cans, legs and wings pulled in against her body. “Get her, Hoops!” a shorter buff, dark brown colt yelled, running behind a bigger colt with a yellow coat. The two of them charged toward the gray mare, who squealed and threw a trash can lid at them that bounced harmlessly off the fence. Hoops seized her, pinning her forelegs to her sides. “I got her!” Hoops yelled back. The brown colt stopped beside him, panting. “You done runnin’? All we want is to talk, damn.” “Let go of me!” she cried. “Shut up!” the brown colt yelled, while Hoops kept a hold on her. “Score, where are ya!?” “Right here,” Score, a smaller grey colt, called as he emerged from a crossing in the alley. “I didn’t see anyone around, nobody should bother us.” “Please, I don’t want any trouble!” the grey mare said in a lower tone, trembling. “Uh huh. If you didn’t want trouble, why’d you hit my friend Dumb-Bell here? All you had to do was say you were sorry when you bumped into him, but no. You had to take a swing at him, so trouble’s what you got,” Hoops said, keeping a hold on her. “H-he grabbed me! What was I supposed to do?!” “Maybe think for one second. Dumb-Bell is what you’d call a star.” Dumb-Bell grinned and Hoops continued. “Now if you go knocking him down like that and he breaks his leg, he’s not getting no college scholarships. Who’s gonna pay for that? You gonna pay for that?” “But he—he touched my b—” Dumb-Bell slammed his his hoof into her belly. The mare’s expression twisted into a scream, but only a low wheeze came out as her knees buckled and she sank into her captor’s hold. “And just when I thought we all were starting to understand each other,” he sighed. “That’s a terrible thing to say about another pony.” “That kind of reputation changes lives, you know,” Hoops added. “Yeah, you really shouldn’t be making up things like that,” Dumb-Bell spat, punctuating the last word by driving his hoof up into her stomach a second time. Hoops released her and she fell to the ground, clutching her belly. She curled into a fetal ball, gasping for air and crying raspily. “But seeing how this is your first offense and all,” Hoops said while Score and Dumb-Bell circled around her, “what say you just give us the money you have on you and we call it even? We don’t wanna have to really mess you up.” This had already gone on too long. No one was going to fly in to save this mare like they did in comics. She would have to step in. Vinyl knew it was stupid; what could she even do? She probably looked like a foal next to the three athletic colts, and they could probably both out-muscle and outrun her. But she still had to try—no one else could. She slid her saddle bags off and placed them next to the garbage bin, took a deep breath to steel herself, then walked around the corner. “Hey! Assholes!” Vinyl yelled, catching their attention. “Hey, Score! I thought I told you to keep watch!” Dumb-Bell growled. Score, who was staring at the unicorn who’d appeared inexplicably, blinked and shook his head. “Hey, nobody was there when I looked. Besides, just look at her. Don’t tell me you’re worried about a kid.” Score guffawed. “I’m not a kid!” “You sure sound like a kid to me. Haven’t you heard you shouldn’t mess in other ponies business?” Score said with a grin. Vinyl took another step forward. “I’m making it my business. Whatever she did, she doesn’t deserve a beating.” “P-Please help me! Go get somebody!” the mare cried. “Hey! We told you to shut up!” Hoops said, lifting his hoof up ready to strike her. “Stop it!” Vinyl yelled. Hoops paused with his hoof raised, looking over his shoulder at Vinyl. “Whoa, hold up a moment. The lady says we should stop. I think we’d better listen.” Dumb-Bell said with a snort “Y-yeah. I’m really scared,” Score chimed in. Okay Vinyl, you got their attention. Now what? “I said stop. She’s done nothing to you; you’re all just a bunch of bullies.” “And what are you going to do, huh?” Dumb-Bell grinned, walking toward Vinyl casually while the other two stayed behind to keep an eye on the mare. His eyes locked onto hers. Vinyl only held eye contact, saying nothing. “I said, what are you gonna do?” He darted forward, making her flinch. “That’s right. You aren’t gonna do anything.” Dumb-Bell tossed his head and laughed in her face. Vinyl grit her teeth. Something snapped and before she knew it, she was slamming her hoof into Dumb-Bell’s snout as hard as she possibly could. She heard something crack accompanied by a wet squelch. He screamed and fell to the ground, wailing and clutching his muzzle. “My nose!” he cried. “She broke my frrghig nose!” “Dumb-Bell!” Hoops yelled, running to his aid. “You okay, man?” “It hurts man, it’s bad!” Dumb-Bell snorted blood onto the dirt. Score glared at Vinyl, lowered his head, and charged her. “You're dead, kid!” Maybe that wasn’t the best idea… Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The mare shouted something at Vinyl, but all she could hear was the thunder of Score’s hoofsteps. Vinyl spun around as quickly as she could, her horn charging up a spell, but all she saw when she turned was a hoof bound for her face. A crack to the temple sent her spinning and Score tackled her, pinning her to the ground. Vinyl could hardly see, and it took her a moment to realize her glasses were laying in a puddle a few feet away from her. Vinyl tried to bring her hooves up to cover her face, but Score was already pounding on her. The mare cried for him to stop, but each blow muffled her words further and further, burying them under an agonizing ringing in Vinyl’s ears. “Yo, Score!” Hoops shouted and Vinyl sighed internally as the punches stopped. “Help me with Dumb-Bell; he’s hurt bad, man!” Score groaned and Vinyl felt his weight lift from her chest as he went to help carry Dumb-Bell. Hoops and Score lifted him up and he stood on trembling legs. “You’re lucky my friends are here to hold me back,” Dumb-Bell said, face streaked with blood and tears. “You just got lucky. You stupid bitch!” He kicked Vinyl in the ribs and she coughed. “Next time, we’re caving your face in! You just stay down!” Vinyl could hear the crunch of leaves under their hooves as they walked away. She was happy to comply, looking up at the clouds blankly as she struggled to get her breath back. She could feel that she was bleeding from several spots on her head and though her ribs hurt, it didn’t feel like they were cracked. The moment the three went away, the mare got up off the ground and scurried over to Vinyl. “You all right?” Vinyl said, looking up at the grey mare. “I’m all right, but you look like you were mauled by timberwolves. I thought that colt was going to kill you.” “Is it bad?” Vinyl said, keeping herself on the ground. The mare lifted Vinyl’s head in her hooves, slowly turning it left, then right. “You’re bleeding in several spots, and it looks like you’re going to have a black eye.” “Not the first time it’s happened.” Vinyl winced, placing a hoof over her forehead. “I’m sorry I got you pulled into this. It’s not the first time for me, either. When I moved here, I was hoping that I was finally past it, or at least that this would happen less often. But,” she sighed, “I guess ponies are the same wherever one goes.” “Don’t worry about it; I’m the one who jumped into it.” Vinyl tried cracking her neck and winced; she must have been bruised there. “I don’t really get bothered by names; it happens to everybody at some point, it seems. But as soon as they tried to beat you up, I had to do something.” Vinyl lifted her hoof and wiped it across her forehead, groaning as she saw blood staining her hoof. “Can you, uh, help clean me up? My mom’s going to freak out if she sees me like this.” “Of course. Just stay there.” The mare ran over to her saddlebags and pulled out a rag and bottle of water, “I’m happy I keep myself supplied.” She smiled, beginning the rub Vinyl’s wounds. “What’s your name?” Vinyl asked, trying to stay still while the mare attempted to clean her wounds. The mare looked surprised at the question. “My name is… Derpy. Derpy Hooves.” “Vinyl Scratch.” “Well, thank you for saving me, Vinyl. No one’s done that for me before.” “What was I supposed to do? You needed help, and I’m dumb enough to jump in without thinking.” Vinyl started to laugh, but ended up coughing. “So…” Derpy paused reluctantly before asking, “Do you not think I’m a freak or anything?” “Why would I?” “Have you not noticed my eyes yet?” “Actually, I can’t see much without my glasses. Hold up.” Vinyl’s hoof softly patted the ground around her until she found her glasses, picking them up slowly. She paused. “Aw man. These are pretty busted up; mom’s gonna be pissed.” Vinyl briefly tried to unbend the crooked arms before carefully resting them against her face. One of the lenses was cracked, too, she noticed with a groan before taking a look at Derpy’s face. One of her eyes was looking off in a different direction while the other looked straight at her. “That’s what they were bullying you for?” “Yes,” Derpy said matter-of-factly. “My eyes have been like this since I was born,” she added quickly. “Huh?” “That’s the next thing everyone asks me.” “Actually, I was just going to call them jerks.” “Oh?” Derpy smiled a little. “T-thanks.” She paused. “You said you got beaten up before?” “Yeah. I always dressed a bit different and one of my classmates… I guess he didn’t like it. He decided to bully me — I don’t even know why, really — and it ended with both of us beating each other up.” “I’m sorry to hear that.” “Don’t be. That was more than a year ago at least. Besides,” Vinyl added with a wink, “I got a few good hits in.” “Right,” Derpy said, finishing up cleaning Vinyl’s wounds. “I did what I could. Safe to say, you won’t be able to hide those marks from your mother.” “I can deal with mom worrying about me. At least I won’t get blood all over the house.” Vinyl got up, picking up her saddlebags sitting beside the garbage cans. “Thanks.” “You’re welcome,” Derpy said with a smile. “Thank you again for saving me. I’d better go.” “Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to come over to my place. Maybe help me get out of the mess with my mother.” Vinyl asked. “I can do that,” she smiled. The two made sure they had their belongings and left the alley together. Vinyl wasn’t sure if the stares from the ponies they passed on the way to her house were due to Derpy’s eyes or her injuries. She didn’t much care what they thought, but their stares only made her more certain that her mother was going to kill her. Vinyl kept looking at the pegasus limping behind her in silence. She hadn’t even asked how far away Vinyl’s house was. “So…” Vinyl said, slowing to walk beside Derpy “you moved here recently?” “Yes, about a week ago.” Vinyl nodded her head left and they rounded a corner onto another street. “Where from?” “Las Pegasus,” Derpy replied with none of the usual excitement that usually accompanied the city’s name. “Bright lights, big city, huh? I went there once before, but I was little. Mom says I’m too young to have any real fun there anyway.” “Yes, it was certainly bright and shiny. And loud, and crowded.” “Why would you leave all that to come here?” “Fast-paced, loud, and flashy aren’t so attractive if all you want is to be normal.” “Yeah, uh,” Vinyl nodded, “I guess so.” Walking into a small neighborhood, Derpy heard the faint sound of a piano playing throughout the area. Coming closer to the sound until they walked straight to the source. “Is this your home?” Derpy asked. “Yup. That’s mom playing. She must have had a good day.” “What do you mean?” “She gets headaches sometimes. She doesn’t like to play on those days, and if she does it’s usually something slow.” Vinyl took a deep breath and opened the door. “Mom, I’m home!” An older mare with a white coat matching Vinyl’s and a long, wine red mane and tail sat at the piano, seeming oddly still as she kept her eyes closed while using her magic to strike the keys. When Vinyl called out, she looked up at her with a smile and slowly opened her eyes. “Welcome home dea—” She then saw Vinyl’s bloodied and bruised face and immediately stopped playing. “Vinyl! What in Tartarus happened to you?!” “Um…” Vinyl said the first thing that came to mind, “I fell.” Derpy shook her head silently, yet violently, sighing as hard as she could for Vinyl to think of something else. “Vinyl, don’t even try it. I can tell you got into another fight.” Claret then noticed Derpy hiding behind Vinyl. “Oh, my apologies. Vinyl, who is your friend?” “My name is Derpy. Derpy Hooves.” Derpy said, a bit shy in front of Vinyl’s mother. “Well Derpy, do you know what happened to Vinyl?” “I was being bullied by three colts. They started… harassing me and then when I pushed back, they started acting like I was the one in the wrong. They wanted my money. Vinyl stepped in and got them to leave.” Claret placed a hoof over her chin, looking at Derpy. The poor thing couldn’t be older than thirteen. She was so polite, too. But still, she hated seeing Vinyl with bruises. “Vinyl, I am happy you went to save your friend, but you need to be careful! You might get yourself killed one day. Do you understand?” “Yes, mom,” Vinyl said, ears folding back. How bad it could have gotten hadn’t really occurred to her at the time. “Thank you.” She walked over to Vinyl and wrapped her daughter in a hug. “Every mother’s worst nightmare is a guard knocking on her door saying that something’s happened to her baby.” “I’m sorry I got your daughter involved, Mrs. um…” “Claret Rondeau, but you can just call me Claret, and don’t worry about it.” She smiled. “Vinyl did the right thing helping you. We’ve just…” Claret paused, choosing her words carefully, “had a few incidents with her fighting in the past.” Derpy nodded. “Why don’t you sit down, Derpy? We have coffee brewing in the kitchen.” Claret walked into the kitchen while Vinyl and Derpy seated themselves on a large sofa in the living room. They both sat there silently. Derpy looked around the living room, eyeing the furniture and pictures around the room. “This is a nice house, Vinyl.” “Thanks. My mom and I have been living here since I was a foal.” “What does your mother do?” “She is a pianist.” “Pianist?” “She plays the piano professionally.” “And she’s good enough to get a house like this just by doing that? That’s amazing.” Claret walked back into the living room holding three cups of coffee with her levitation magic. “It is, though I spend more time recording. I only perform live during the summer when Vinyl doesn’t have school. I can’t be heading out of town with Vinyl by herself at home.” “I’m in high school, mom. I can take care of myself.” Vinyl grumbled. “And who is going to help you out of bed? Even your alarm clock can’t seem to do that.” Vinyl resumed drinking her coffee. Derpy took a sip as well, immediately shuddering at the strong, bitter taste. “So, what do your parents do, Derpy?” Claret asked. Derpy sat there silent, not sure what to say. “I don’t have any parents.” “Oh… I’m sorry to hear that.” “It’s fine. I’ve been living in adoption housing for most of my life.” “What is the reason you moved here?” Claret asked. “I… wasn’t doing very well with city life, and the adoption home in Las Pegasus could see that. They transferred me out here hoping that I’d have an easier time in a smaller town.” “I can see why. Las Pegasus isn’t exactly the safest of places to be. Especially for a pony your age” Claret added. Derpy nodded, “I like it here. It isn’t noisy like the city, and...” She paused for a second, “most of the ponies here are friendly.” She smiled. “Glad to hear you are liking it here. I knew this town was perfect for Vinyl and I when we first moved here.” Derpy smiled, taking another sip of coffee. The bitter taste had been alien at first, but she was slowly growing to like it. Glancing about the room, she noticed a series of photographs hung on the walls. Nearly all of them were of Vinyl. Vinyl and her mother at the beach, Vinyl on what looked like her first day of school, Claret playing the piano, Vinyl and a few other fillies of the same age. “Say, Vinyl?” Derpy asked, still looking at the photographs. “Hm?” “I don’t want to be rude, but is it just you and your mom that live here?” “Yup.” Vinyl nodded. “I never really had a dad. He left us early on, so I never knew him.” “Sorry to hear that.” “It’s fine; I have my mother. Besides, this is just how things are, really. It’s not so hard.” Derpy nodded, taking a last sip of her coffee. “Well, thank you for inviting me, Vinyl, and thank you for the coffee, Ms. Rondeau.” She got up. “I have to head back to the adoption house.” “Actually, I was wondering if you wanted dinner. Vinyl and I rarely have guests,” Claret said. “I’d have to call the headmaster to let them know I’ll be late, but I would like that.” Derpy smiled. Vinyl and Derpy walked to the entrance door to the house. “Thank you again for dinner, Ms. Rondeau. I really liked it,” Derpy said. “You’re welcome. Vinyl, be sure to come straight back home after you drop Derpy off.” “All right mom, I’ll be back soon.” Vinyl sighed, opened the door, and walked out with Derpy behind her. She made sure to wave before closing the door. Evening had come upon Ponyville, the lively bright town was now in darkness with the roads being lit by the town lamps. The sound of insects chirping echoed across the town while Vinyl and Derpy walked down the road to the adoption house. “Your mother is very nice, Vinyl,” Derpy said. “Yeah, she’s kind to everyone she meets.” The two kept walking, with Derpy leading. “You said you were bullied?” “Yeah, as said earlier I dressed a bit differently compared to the other mares at school. But…” Vinyl paused. “But what?” “That wasn’t the real reason. I also, um, kinda like mares.” Derpy blinked. “You know. Like like.” “Oh.” Derpy stopped and looked at Vinyl, who stopped in turn and scratched at the ground nervously. “I told my mom a month or two back. I think she was thrown off, but she accepted it.” “You’re her daughter. Something minor like that shouldn’t keep her from loving you.” “Yeah.” Vinyl looked up at the stars. “You don’t think of me less for that, do you?” “Of course not,” Derpy said, shaking her head. “Heh, good. It’s nice to have a friend.” “I’m not exactly experienced in the friend department,” Derpy said softly. “What about you?” “Not as much as you’d think. I had a girlfriend, which was pretty cool, but she dumped me right before I came out to my mother.” Vinyl sighed. “Most of my friends are adults, really. My mom is friends with a lot of ponies around town. Not quite the same as having lunch with the cool kids, but I’ll take what I can get.” “I’m happy to be your friend then, Vinyl.” Derpy smiled. “Best friends?” “Best friends.” Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Proper Noun for helping with this chapter.
Chapter 2 - SummertimeWhen Vinyl’s classes ended, she still avoided most of her classmates and immediately left the school grounds by herself. However, rather than taking the shortcut through the alley, she would meet up with Derpy just outside of the campus. The summer breeze tingled as it whisked over her shoulders. Vinyl’s bruises had long since faded, so it felt good to wear something sleeveless again. The semester really had passed in a flash. Derpy was leaning back against the trunk of a tree, watching the clouds. “Yo,” Vinyl called, waving to her. “Hey Vinyl.” Derpy sat up and smiled. “Doing all right?” “Yeah, I have to wrap up some projects this month, but I think I’m starting to become adjusted.” “Good to hear.” Vinyl nodded, and the two began walking down the dirt road from the school into town. “What about you Vinyl? How is high school?” “More or less the same. I’d say it’s not hard, but honestly I just do enough to make sure I’m passing. It’s just busywork that I need to knock out so I can go home and do some some real work.” “Real work?” Derpy tilted her head. “Maybe ‘useful’ is a better word. Math is fine and all, but we all know I’m not gonna get a job doing math. I like music, and I can only work on music when I'm at home. The school’s budget came up short, so their brilliant solution was to cut most of the art and music programs.” “Is that what you want to do when you grow up?” “Yeah, my mother hopes I will follow in her steps and become a pianist, she taught me to play since I was a filly.” Vinyl looked up at the sky and smiled as they walked. “I don’t think I will ever be on her playing level, but I have begun to play full pieces.” “So, you want to play piano professionally?” “Not exactly. I do play piano, but mostly I’ve been getting into music production.” “Like... playing a guitar?” Derpy asked, a bit confused. “Nah, not quite. I use a bunch of old equipment my mom helped me pick up on the cheap over the past few years. Mainly keyboards and synths, drum machines, samplers. Stuff like that.” Derpy slowed her pace, shaking her head back and forth. “I... have no idea what half of that is.” “I can show you my setup if you’d like. Mom should be cooking dinner soon enough, too, if you wanna stay.” Derpy’s hooves scraped the dirt as she stopped. “Um, maybe another time, Vinyl. I need to get back to the— to my place and get some work done.” She waved her hoof. “Aww…” Vinyl said. “I would like to hear you play piano sometime, though. Your mother plays very well and I imagine you carrying some of her talent.” “A bit,” Vinyl smiled. “Well, I wasn’t lying that I do need to get some work done. I have another project I have due in a few days.” Derpy began walking off in another direction and waved. “Have a good afternoon Vinyl.” “Later.” Vinyl waved back, walking home by herself. Vinyl opened the door to her home to find her mother sitting on the sofa reading a book. “Hello, dear. Had a good day at school?” “Eh. Same old, same old.” “As long as you are passing. Did you see Derpy today?” “Yeah. We talked a little on the way home, but she had to go back to the adoption house and get some schoolwork done.” “Poor dear." Claret shook her head. "You have told her she’s welcome to come do her work here any time, haven’t you?” “I do, but she just keeps saying she’s fine.” Vinyl sighed. “I know that she’d be happier spending more time with us, but… I just don’t get it.” “I can’t say for sure, honey, but she probably doesn’t want you feeling like she needs any help. You’re her first friend since she’s moved here, right?” Vinyl nodded slowly. “Maybe ever. I don’t know.” “She might not want her first friend pitying her. She’s had a hard life and everyone’s been looking down on her. Tomorrow, why not try asking her to spend time with you instead of offering it? Maybe that might go over better.” “I hope so...” With nothing more to say, Vinyl placed her saddlebags on the floor by the piano. Claret returned to her book. Vinyl knew she was hungry, but all she could think about was Derpy studying alone in some tiny room. The piano didn’t look like it had been played today. With a sigh, Vinyl pulled the bench out and lifted the lid. Maybe some practice would clear her head. Closing her eyes, her horn glowed and she began pressing a few keys gently, then began playing. The piece was slow and simple, but not something sad. Vinyl was playing it flawlessly at her own speed, adding her own personality to the piece. Her mother took a quick glance and gave a smile. She enjoyed the piece Vinyl played, but even moreso, she appreciated how much her daughter had grown in her skill. Vinyl then transitioned to a more complex piece, her speed began picking up. She opened her eyes only focusing on the piano; she missed a note giving a small groan, but kept going along. She began to sweat, the piece at first seemed just more upbeat, but became more complex and it soon overwhelmed her. The playing went from something she enjoyed to a chore; missing a few more notes, the piece became sloppy to the point she slammed a few keys and stopped. “Damn it.” She said, breathing heavily with sweat going down her face. Claret got up from the sofa and placed her hoof on Vinyl’s shoulder. “Vinyl, I know you want to get better, but you can’t force yourself to play. You need to learn the sections that give you the most trouble and learn to play them slowly over time.” “I know. I was just hoping I could pull it off.” “You are improving, even if you don’t think you are. Just keep it up and you’ll be able to play it through in time.” Claret smiled. “Right.” Vinyl walked over to the fridge opened it looking for her favorite drink. “Hey, mom, do we have any Blue Surge?” She said. “No, dear. You shouldn’t drink those, anyway. They are not good for a mare your age, or anyone, really.” “I’m going to head out to the convenience store,” Vinyl walked over to the door. “Do we need anything else?” “We are well stocked. Don’t be gone long, Vinyl.” “All right.” Vinyl closed the door and walked out of the house. Walking through the neighborhood, it was still the mid-afternoon with plenty of time to spare for the day, Vinyl went into the business district to her favorite convenience store and went inside. An older mare was sitting at the register, reading a magazine. Vinyl went straight to the back wall where the drinks were stored and overlooked the wall of lit energy drinks in front of her. Vinyl eyed the wall of drinks, but went for a tall blue and silver can. She walked up the register. “This it?” The mare at the register said. Vinyl eyed the cigarettes behind the cashier, but shook her head. “Nah. This is all.” “All right. Three bits.” Vinyl withdrew three bits from her wallet and took her drink. “Thanks. Come again, now.” Vinyl walked outside the store and cracked open the aluminum can, placing her nose against the cold rim and breathing in the sweet scent of chemicals and some berries with names she couldn’t pronounce. Her mother’s coffee was good and all, but sometimes she needed something sweeter. The way it made her tongue tingle was pleasant as well. Vinyl took her time on her way back home. Finishing a whole Blue Surge took time, and besides, her mother probably wanted some quiet time to finish the chapter she was on. Coming upon the home, she noticed the house was still silent. Surely her mother felt like playing piano today? Vinyl opened the door slowly. Maybe her mother was having another one of her headaches. “I’m home,” she called softly. No response came. Vinyl trotted into the living room. Her mother wasn’t at the piano, and she wasn’t reading on the couch either. “Maybe she’s gone out?” Vinyl said to no one in particular. There was no reason for her mom to leave the house today, or at least nothing she remembered. Even if she were nursing her headache in bed, she’d have said ‘hi’ or groaned for an ice pack. The stillness felt wrong. Thump. Something was moving behind the sofa. Something big. Vinyl tensed, clapping a hoof over her mouth to stifle a yell. What is that? Should she call the town guard? The phone was in the hallway, just past the source of the noise. Slowing her breath to get her heartbeat under control, Vinyl peeked her head around the corner slowly. Her mother’s book lay open on the floor, her bookmark laying next to it. And there was something white next to the book. A hoof. “Mom?” Vinyl slunk around the couch. Claret was sprawled on the floor, twitching. Her eyes were glassy, like a doll’s, and stared straight ahead as she shook. Her horn and hooves clattered against the hardwood floor. “V-Vin—” she said. “Mom!” Vinyl kneeled down on the ground beside her. “I’m here, just…” Shit! What am I supposed to do!? Vinyl placed her hooves on her mother’s shoulders to keep her from thrashing around. She managed to remain calm, but had no idea what was going on. “P-pho-phone.” “Right,” Vinyl raced to the kitchen phone and punched in the emergency line. “Hello? Hello!? Yes, my mother needs an ambulance!” Author's Note Special thanks to editors Madeline L-Equine and Gardrek for helping with this chapter.
