Prime Time of Our Livesby PhilosiponyChaptersProlougueBack Into the Swing Of ThingsLike a Broken RecordProlouguehere It was cold day out, and she lacked proper attire, but Octavia had other things on her mind than the weather. A young girl, in a new town, going to a new school for the first time, Octavia was nervous. She tried to stay optimistic, but as the bus pulled up to her driveway, she couldn’t help but hesitate before stepping on. As she began to make her way down the aisle, however, her fears were replaced with utter astonishment, as some of the strangest hair colors she had ever seen met her eyes. There was a girl with hot pink hair, a girl with purple hair, a girl with purple hair along with a pink highlight, and strangest of all was an athletic looking girl who had every color of the rainbow in her hair. She knew that hair dying was becoming popular among adults, but these girls were her age, third graders for crying out loud! As she moved further towards the back, she did see some more natural hair colors; there was a blond girl and orange-haired girl sitting together, the blond having a peculiar set of eyes. There were some others, but Octavia’s observations were cut short by the realization that she had reached the back of the bus without taking a seat. How stupid I must look, she thought to herself. She turned around and started looking for an empty seat. She could only see two, one next to a boy at least a year younger than her with bright green spiky hair, but she wouldn’t be caught dead next to a boy. Her only other option was a girl sporting headphones two rows up from where Octavia stood. Quickly, she took her seat, yet the girl next to her didn’t seem to take notice. She remained indulged in some sort of wacky electronic music, from what Octavia could hear blasting from the girl’s headphones. Accompanying them was a head of dark and lightning blue hair that looked as if it were trying its hardest to push against the oppressing headphones. Other than that, the girl was quite ordinary, if not a little bit tomboyish, judging from her clothing articles. Octavia decided it was best to leave her alone, and rode the rest of the way to school in silence. Three days later, Octavia was once again next to the blue-haired girl, but this time with a bit more knowledge about her. She was Vinyl Scratch, a cheery but tough girl, with a knack for running her mouth. This often landed her in the principal's office, though she doesn’t appear to mind. The only time Vinyl could stop talking was when she was listening to music, but it was dangerous to disturb her while she was ‘in her element.’ Though, as the circumstances stood, Octavia hadn’t made many, perhaps any, real friends, and they did share an interest in music, albeit very different styles. Hesitantly, Octavia lightly tapped Vinyl on the shoulder. “Alright punk, you’ve got five seconds to…oh, it’s you, what do you want?” Vinyl asked as she let down her fist. It took a few moments for Octavia to reorient herself, as she was quite shaken by Vinyl’s aggressiveness. However, she was once again stunned when she looked into Vinyl’s face and saw two ruby red eyes staring back at her. They were the brightest and most beautiful things Octavia had ever seen. “Uhh, hellooo…” Scratch was now waving her hand in front of Octavia’s face, trying to snap her back into reality. “Oh, sorry,” Octavia said, shaking herself “it’s just those red eyes…Are they tinted contacts?” “Nope!” Vinyl said proudly, “All natural, you aren’t going to find another pair like these out there. But I know you didn’t risk me flipping on you just to ask about my eyes, so what may I help you with this fine morning?” Octavia stammered, trying to find something to say, “I…uhh…yeah, what’s with all these crazy hair colors?” “Oh, that.” Vinyl leaned back, “You’re the new kid, right? Story is that Rarity, the fashion diva over there with the dark purple hair started getting her hair dyed after begging her parents for three weeks straight. Some parents of the other kids liked the look, and soon they were all lining up to get their kids hair dyed, mine included.” Vinyl looked up at her own hair, and sighed. “I hate it when parents force you to do stuff. I could care less about my hair, but now every other Saturday I have to waste an hour of my life at a hair salon because my mom makes me.” “I hear you loud and clear,” Octavia said, “my parents are the worst. It’s all work and no play with them, and I’m sick of it. They can even turn something that I enjoy into a chore. Like at my seventh birthday, my aunt Tessie gave me her old Ukulele, and I had a lots of fun playing it. My dad then assumed that I was ‘gifted’ and not a week later we were at the music store trying out all these string instruments. Some of them are bigger than me! Can you believe that?” “No way,” Vinyl exclaimed, “how can a person play something that’s bigger than them?” “Beats me,” Octavia shrugged. “Anyway, now I have to go to a music instructor every week for violin lessons. I enjoy playing the instrument, but being forced into it takes out some of the fun.” “Huh,” Vinyl said, “you know, I like music alot too. maybe not the same, uhh...what’s that word for a type of music?” “genre?” “That’s the one! Maybe not the same genre of music as you, but I do really like music.” “Really?” Octavia asked, astonished, “nobody really cared about music at my old school.” “Well, you’re not alone anymore,” she stuck out a hand, but this time to shake rather than to hit, “Name’s Vinyl Scratch.” Octavia decided to not mention that she already knew Vinyl’s name, replying with “Octavia,” and shaking the outstretched hand. “So, does this make us friends?” Octavia asked, anxious. “Of course!” Vinyl exclaimed. “Never hurts to have a lot of friends, right? Now, let me point out a few people you should know around here. The girl in the pink is Pinkemena, though we just call her Pinkie Pie…” Back Into the Swing Of Thingshere The passage of six years can change many things, but seating arrangements on a school bus was not one of them. There never were assigned seats to begin with, but the friends and the cliques always stuck together and soon everything became permanent. However, six years can change the appearance and attitudes of the people in the seats. Octavia was now a freshman, with a slim build and long black hair that went past her shoulders; it did a good job of contrasting with her vivid lavender eyes. She scolded herself for waking up so late, missing breakfast and barely catching the bus. Only covering the bare necessities of personal hygiene, and sporting jeans and a blank grey T-shirt over her tank-top, Octavia wanted nothing but the chance to go back home and crawl under her sheets. Of course her parents would have none of it, and so she found herself here, unkempt and unprepared, but none-the-less on her way to school. This must be what Vinyl feels like every morning, Octavia thought, speaking of which... she turned to Vinyl. Her friend was about as well-off as she was as far as appearance went, but Vinyl had a way of making unkempt look good. She wore her usual casual attire, baggy cargo pants and a snow-white top, and her blue hair looked as if she had just gotten out of bed. But there was something else, something Octavia felt was quite obvious, right under her nose, but she couldn’t put a finger on what it was about Vinyl that was different. Octavia decided that it was unimportant, and moved on to a more pressing matter. She always missed the happenings of her school friends over the summer, as her parents were slow to release their hold on their little angel, so Octavia had to find out everything she could from Vinyl. This became routine, and was usually the highlight of her first day of every school year. But, as usual, Vinyl was absorbed in that incomprehensible noise she called techno. A light tap on the shoulder though and Octavia was tackled by her friend, followed by an endless stream of warm greetings. “Yes yes, it’s nice to see you too, Scratch. Now, please get off me.” “It’s been too long,” Vinyl exclaimed after returning to her upright position, “where’ve you been?” “Same old, same old; vacation for a week, then Cello practice for the rest of the summer. You?” “Same old, same old; DJ’ing for Pinkie’s plethora of parties, and other people as well. Hell, there was a couple that hired me for their wedding, how cool is that?” “Wow,” Octavia gasped, “that is amazing. Was it a good wedding?” “C’mon Tavi,” Vinyl shrugged, “you know I’m not into that sappy stuff… But I will say that it surprised me.” “How so?” “A story for another day; I’ve got to catch you up on what’s happened over the summer!” Surprisingly, this took up most of their bus ride to school. Spike had finally plucked up the nerve to ask Rarity out, which surprised Octavia, last she saw him he wasn’t exactly emotionally fit for such a risky action. Spike didn’t fit in with the other boys in the middle school; he was a bit more...feminine than the rest. Inevitably, he was assumed to be gay and made fun of. He seeked refuge with childhood friends of his, such as Twilight and her friends. However, this only gave his enemy’s more ammo for their verbal assaults. He struggled throughout middle school, but it sounded like he bounced back in Octavia’s absence, since he was able to do what had been trying to do ever since he laid eyes on Rarity. According to Vinyl, they weren’t per say, together, but they were a lot closer than they were before. The fact that Spike was stuck in middle school for another year didn’t help matters, but they were in a kind of limbo, sometimes a couple, others not. In other news, Twilight had once again made scientific breakthroughs that made headlines, though Vinyl couldn’t care enough to remember what specific science. Rainbow Dash kept herself busy in athletics camp, setting records that would most likely last at least a few years. Because she was being quiet as usual, it could only be assumed that Fluttershy spent her summer at the wildlife center. AJ had to work the farm, along with Big Mac, which took up most of their summer. Pinkie Pie...well, she was what occupied everybody’s time when they weren’t at camp or a summer job. As Vinyl delved into her zany adventures with the pink-haired party girl, Octavia realized what was different about her friend. As she did a mental facepalm for not realizing earlier, Tavi said “Vinyl, I can’t believe it, you’re still wearing those stupid sunglasses I sent you for your birthday!” “Stupid? These things are amazing!” Vinyl exclaimed as she took off the purple shades for a quick examination. “I never leave the house without them, they’ve become part of my identity! I’m more surprised you’re wearing that pink bow-tie I sent you as a joke-gift for your birthday!” Vinyl began to laugh. “I happen to like it very much,” Tavi commented, looking down to make sure it was in place, “I think it suits me well. Strange, I too have a tendency to wear it every day...” “Well,” Vinyl replied, obviously still trying to decide whether or not Tavi was joking, “although it wasn’t really meant to be appreciated, I’m glad that you do.” The two shared a few chuckles, then Vinyl said “It’s good to have you back around, Tavi.” “And the same to you,” Octavia replied, “and it appears that we’re here!” Sure enough, in front of the bus now pulling into the parking lot loomed the two-story monster that was Ponyville High. Octavia looked forward to her new classes and teachers, but she could not say the same for Vinyl. “Man, if I didn’t have friends here, I would’ve ditched the system the first chance I got.” she muttered. For some reason I don’t doubt that, Tavi thought as they stepped off the bus. The two entered along with a sea of other students; searching for homeroom, meeting up with friends, trying to avoid being trampled by their classmates. Octavia took out a carefully folded piece of paper that held her schedule, and where her homeroom was located. A-7, with a Mrs. Wild Fire. Hmm, easy enough. With some quick observations of her surroundings, Tavi could tell that she was already in the A wing, she just needed to follow the numbers. Meanwhile, Vinyl seemed completely disoriented, obviously without any clue of where her homeroom was. “I’ll uhh...catch up with you later, alright?” Octavia called out as the bell rang, “Good luck!” “Heh, thanks,” Vinyl called back. I’ll need it... . . . “Good morning, class,” an overly cheery voice said to her audience, “hope you had a great summer!” When no reply was heard, she continued “So, ready for your last pieces of education before college?” To this, there were multiple mumbles and grumbles, an exasperated sigh from one bold student. Ms. Cheerilee looked over her class, trying to keep her usual upbeat attitude. Usually the fact that she was teaching made her happy, but after a long summer of conferences discussing the lack of teachers in the district and a last-minute grade switch, she was not ready for school yet. Although relatively young as teachers go, most of her colleagues would agree that she had been around the block around a time or two. Her fandango buttoned suit was uncomfortably tight-fitting, but it was the only formal thing she could find in her closet that hadn’t needed to be ironed. She put on a smile and bared it, like she always did when she couldn’t change her situation. She flipped back her brunette hair and scanned the seats. Almost everybody was present, something to be noted with teenagers from this district. Funny, she thought, I had a kid last year who was tardy on the first day as well...at that moment, Vinyl burst through the door, panting heavily. “Is...is this this C-19, history?” she asked. “Well, if the door plaque didn’t a good enough job to inform you yes, it is, Miss Scratch.” Cheerilee replied, much to her own astonishment, replying so quickly as if it were hard-wired to wise-mouth her old nemesis. “No...” Vinyl looked up, startled by the familiar voice, “not you. I thought I was done with you back in the middle school!” “Miss Scratch, do we really need to fall back into old habits this early in the year? Honestly, your first day, your first period and you’re already disrupting class.” Vinyl finally overcame her shock and replied slyly, “I guess some things never change, Cherry.” “When you speak to your higher-ups, it would be wise not to get on their bad side so early in the game.” “Early? Aww, you haven’t forgotten all the fun we had the last few years, have you Cherry? You’ve only followed me through every year in junior high. At this point I might have to call the cops on you for stalking,” Vinyl snickered. “Wouldn’t that be a role reversal...” Cheerilee shot back, “just because the school district is short on history teachers is not grounds to assume I am stalking you, Miss Scratch.” “A likely story...” Vinyl muttered. “If you are finished,” Cheerilee continued “could you please find a seat, before I have to hand you another detention, since obviously the countless detentions I gave you last year didn’t do a darn thing to change your attitude.” “Whatever,” Vinyl shrugged. “And please remove those utterly ridiculous glasses!” Vinyl looked up, “Nah, I’m good.” “Excuse me?” Vinyl started moving toward her seat, “Vinyl, remove your shades or it’s after-school detention.” “The shades aren’t coming off Cherry,” Vinyl replied. She didn’t mind removing her glasses, but it was fun pissing her Cheerilee off. “Then I’ll be seeing you after school; now please take a seat.” Vinyl continued to the empty seat, a smug grin on her face. Even if she had to spend every day of high-school enduring Cheerilee for a History teacher, she could at least return the favor by making her life a living hell as well. “Now, we’re going to start with the America’s. If you open your textbooks to page...” At this point Vinyl had already stopped caring. Even if she did care, her books were nowhere to be seen, so it wouldn’t have mattered. However, she was fortunate enough to find her seat next to one of her school friends, Carrot Top. Sporting a yellow top and white shorts, she was more educationally inclined than Vinyl, but when friends beckoned, she’d listen. “Psst.” Vinyl whispered. “Morning to you too,” Carrot Top whispered back, “detention on the first day? I think that might be a record” “I try,” Vinyl shrugged, “how’ve you been, C-Top?” “Not bad, not bad,” she replied, “went out to Cali with Lyra, Bon Bon and Derpy.” This surprised Vinyl somewhat, “Lyra and Bon Bon, and Derpy, within a one-mile radius of each other?” “Oh come on Vinyl, I know you don’t like them, but they’re alright, honest. We all had a great time together.” Vinyl rolled her eyes. Lyra and Bon Bon were, to her at least, the stereotypical popular girls of the school. Gossiping, back-stabbing, all-around assholes, it was still a mystery how Carrot Top could even be friends with them. Obviously she saw some sort of nice side to them that Vinyl couldn’t, but as long as their attitudes didn’t wear off on Carrot-Top, she didn’t care. Carrot Top was a great friend. Upbeat, caring, not to mention a wonderful cook. There wasn’t a single new kid that Vinyl knew of who wasn’t warmly welcomed by Carrot Top. But if you asked anybody what Carrot Top’s greatest trait was, they’d tell you about how far she’d go to defend her friends. Case and point: Derpy. Derpy was like any other girl; she liked to talk, text, and all that fru-fru stuff that Vinyl could care less about. But she went through one of the roughest childhoods anyone could imagine. It wasn’t because of her parents, no, they were quite nice to their daughter. No, the reason for Derpy’s hurt was her eyes. Ever since birth, her yellow eyes had been cock-eyed. Surprisingly, she still had twenty-twenty vision. However, like Spike’s feminism, her strange appearance gave bullies an excuse to abuse her. Among them was Lyra and Bon Bon. For many years, Carrot Top was her only real friend. Almost daily, Carrot had to stand up for Derpy, despite jeopardising her well-off social status. But as time wore on, people accepted her, and she’s been really enjoying herself now-a-days. She had a part-time job as a mail-girl, and was always a pleasure to see. Yet it still baffled Vinyl that Lyra and Bon Bon, Lyra and Bon Bon could vacation with Derpy. It just didn’t seem possible. Maybe C-Top bribed them? she thought. No, she’s not the type. Vinyl continued to rack her brain for a logical explanation, which occupied her until class was over. “And that’s it for today’s lesson. Remember to get that paper done by the end of the week. Have a good day!” Ms. Cheerilee called as the students left the classroom. “And Vinyl,” she called, “don’t forget, or your parents will be hearing from me.” Knowing her parents, the detention would be a quicker punishment, and her lateness home could be explained by a great many things, if she walked. Now, what did I have for second period again? * * * Hey everypony! Glad you decided to look at a beginner's first shy steps into the world of writing. If you enjoyed this, or would like to point something out, just leave a comment, whatever advice you have is greatly appreciated. I'm also in need of editors, because the more reworking my story undergoes before being published, the better. If you're interested, just send me a message here, or on my DA account (under the same name). Like a Broken RecordThe midday sun shone down on the mingling packs of kids wandering about in the school courtyard. Over to one corner were the jocks; Spitfire, Soarin, Fleetfoot, and a very ecstatic Rainbow Dash goggling at them. Under the tree across the courtyard was Twilight, with her stack of books for honors classes, along with Fluttershy and Rarity. Above them, eating a bag of apples that she brought for lunch was Applejack, laying back on a branch against the trunk. Pinkie Pie, however, was sitting at one of the benches along with Octavia, both waiting for their friend, who had just exited the cafeteria, but was stopped in her tracks by something else. “Vinyl! Hey, Vinyl! Oh for crying out loud...” Octavia tried to keep her voice down, but it was often hard to make yourself heard without yelling during lunch. However, Vinyl’s livid stare-down with the mint haired girl crossing her path remained uninterrupted. Although Octavia didn’t know Lyra personally, she heard enough to stay out of her way. Vinyl’s vulgar description of her was probably a bit melodramatic, but in any case, Lyra was bad news. “VIIIIIIIIINYL!!!” Pinkie shouted, almost shattering Octavia’s eardrums. Never a subtle girl, Pinkie was now waving her arms at Vinyl, but it was obviously unnecessary, as she was already walking towards them with her lunch. Vinyl couldn’t help but grin, any outsider would never imagine a refined cellist and a happy-go-lucky party girl sitting together, but then again, they wouldn’t have known Pinkie Pie. Like Carrot Top, Pinkie could befriend any newcomer on the spot, but she had a different approach than Carrot Top. Her tactic was to make you laugh so much that it was impossible to deny her helping hand when you were on the ground, stitches dug deep into your sides. She was great to be around, but at length her... randomness could get under the most controlled of peoples skins. It was a godsend that classes were less than an hour, otherwise there’d be a few teachers being sent to the psychiatric center for an exam. In any case, Pinkie was everyone’s friend, no matter what tastes or personalities they had. “Hey Pinkie, Octavia. I see you’ve both made it through the first half of the day in one piece,” Vinyl commented, while popping the lid on her drink. “Of course we have, silly!” Pinkie replied, “It’d be hard to eat if we were in pieces, wouldn’t it?” Two pairs of rolling eyes followed Pinkie’s blissful unawareness, then Octavia replied, “Can’t say there’s been anything wrong with it. Got to see Beauty Brass and Harpo again in orchestra; Frederic is still on vacation.” Vinyl snickered, “Still being a snob, eh?” “Hey, I like Frederic!” “Do you like like him?” Pinkie asked. “NO!” Octavia and Vinyl shouted simultaneously. Octavia could understand Vinyl’s similar reaction, because she had heard this question as much as Octavia had. “Oh, ok then!” Pinkie said, “I have lots of friends who are boys too. There’s Blue Skies, Luke, Dumb-Bell, Flash Bulb, Hoops, Milky Way, Silver Script, Spectrum, Star Hunter, and who could forget Snowflake? Then there’s Thorn, Thunderlane...” the list just kept growing, long after Vinyl and Octavia had lost interest. “When will she stop, nobody knows...” Vinyl whispered, followed by muffled giggles from Octavia. “Oh, I almost forgot!” Pinkie exclaimed, abruptly ending her list of boy-not-like-that-friends. “I was going to ask if you two would like to hang at Sweet Apple Acres today. Twi, Shy, Rarity and Dash are gonna be coming as well.” “Can’t make it today, got detention with Cheerilee after school. Friday’s open though, can I come then?” “Sure!” Pinkie replied, “It'd probably be better for AJ’s schedule anyways...” “You mean you haven’t asked Applejack yet?” Octavia asked. Pinkie looked down, “Well... no, but we - Applejack, Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and I - have done this before, and she’d always said we could bring friends.” Vinyl chuckled, “If that was true, Sweet Apple Acres wouldn’t be so economically sunk!” Instantly she regretted saying it, no one was laughing. “Sorry... bad joke...” With a solemn nod, Pinkie continued, “And how about you Octavia?” Octavia hesitated; not because she wasn’t sure what her answer was going to be, that decision was made long before the question was brought up. But that was just it, she had no choice about things like these, because her parents would always intervene. It had been like this since the very beginning; as soon as she was born, her parents safeguarded her to no end. Octavia yearned for her eighteenth birthday, for her freedom... but that was an eternity away, and hidden behind her professional attitude, Octavia was just as impatient as a little girl who wanted her turn on the carousel. “Thank you Pinkie, but I can’t accept,” she finally replied, “maybe another day.” “Oh, okay then...” Pinkie said, a little disheartened. “Well, I ought to talk to AJ and make sure that this thing is even happening! Talk to you guys later, alright?” “Definitely,” they both said in return, and with that, Pinkie went to meet up with her other friends. By this point, everybody was beginning to pack up, heading to their lockers, and preparing for the second half of their day. As they gathered their things, Octavia turned to Vinyl and asked, “Detention, on your first day?” “I am who I am, what else can I say?” Vinyl replied nonchalantly as they began to head towards their lockers. “Vinyl, you really have got to stop doing this,” Octavia said, concern in her voice. “Oh stop it Tavi. I’ve been like this all through middle school, but you didn’t raise a finger then, did you?” “It’s different,” Octavia stopped walking, “Vinyl, these years are the ones that are going to be remembered, and not just by us. Every employer you go to is going to look at what happened here, the good, and the bad.” Vinyl sighed, “Tavi, we’ve talked about our futures before. And like I’ve said, I’m going independent after my education’s over. My resume isn’t going to matter because there’s not going to be an employer to look at it, plain and simple. Now, can we please get going?” Octavia shook her head in disappointment, there’s no getting through to her, is there? “Yes,” she finally said, but as they once again started towards their lockers, Octavia asked again, “but can you at least try to stay out of trouble? If not for your future, for me?” “Fiiiiiine!” Vinyl groaned, “Now will you stop bugging me about it? Oh, and as of now, we are both officially late to class.” Octavia took a look of utmost panic, “Oh my God, and on my first day!” Faster than a speeding bullet, Octavia fled for her locker, leaving Vinyl to her laughter. Man, I should make her late more often, she thought to herself, still chuckling a little. Vinyl quickly realised though that she should also get a move on, as it would be hard to explain to her teacher that she already had a day one after-school detention. She walked off, leaving the courtyard as quiet and desolate as it had been merely hours ago. . . . As the last busses departed from Ponyville High, Vinyl entered the almost completely deserted building. Most of the teachers lacked a care for their school, and booked it almost as fast as the kids did. “But noooo, not Cheerilee...” Vinyl thought out loud as she entered the C wing, her voice echoing slightly down the vacant hallway. Surprisingly, the new school was rather easy to navigate; a two-floor square with a courtyard in the middle. There was a gym for it once... but budget cuts had gotten rid of it long ago. It was rather sad, but only a small portion of what was happening to Vinyl’s town. Once, the town of Ponyville was a bustling crossroad of cultures, in a quite literal sense, as people came from all points of the compass, whether just passing through or to make their share of cash. Ponyville thrived, mostly thanks to its well-connected rail system. But, as time rolled on, and planes picked up steam, the town’s heyday came to a close. Fewer and fewer travellers passed through, and the resulting loss of revenue took its toll. Ponyville fell into an immobile state, unable to keep up with the times, but still trying hard enough to stay on its feet. Ponyville had been like this for forty years, but as the first decade of the 21st century came to a close, the small town was losing its footing. The school budget cuts were only one of the hardships facing the run-down community. Families were hard-pressed to find buyers for their houses, and businesses were making the lowest revenues in the town’s history. There was even talk of the town’s train station being closed due to lack of profit. Everybody knew that if this came to pass, it would be the last nail in the coffin. But none of this occupied Vinyl’s mind for long. To her, it was just a prolonged waiting game. She cared little for her town, as all the teachers did for their school and students... all, except a history teacher named Cheerilee. “Hey Cherry,” Vinyl called out as her teacher entered the room. Vinyl was waiting in the classroom room for at least 10 minutes, making doodles on the blackboard, which Cheerilee was quick to erase. “So, what’ll it be today? Writing lines, essay’s, or both?” “No no,” Ms. Cheerilee said simply, turning from the now clean board, “I’ve wasted enough of your time already, and I’m sure you’ll only waste more of mine.” Vinyl smirked, “Looks like I’ve finally taught you something worth remembering Cherry.” She hopped off the desk she was sitting on and began to leave, but Cheerilee stepped in front of her. “Hold on,” she said, “now don’t expect all your detentions to go like this. Trust me, you’ll be having deja vu soon enough, but I want you to think for a minute. We’ve been doing this for a total of three years now, and at this rate it’s going to be seven by the time you leave here. But, why? This game is getting old, Miss Scratch, and its purpose, if there ever was one, is long gone. You, as with any other student that comes here, have potential to do great things, but you never strive for it. I want to help you Vinyl, I really do, but you need to let me help you.” “But you see Cherry,” Vinyl replied, sliding past her into the vacant hallway, “that’s where you’re wrong. No matter what you say, I don’t need your help to get anywhere in life. And as for this ‘game’, it’s far from over. It was fun to push your buttons back then and still is today, and no number of detentions will change that. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have work to forget! See you ‘round, Cherry!” Cheerilee muttered a little, but did not try to stop her. As the last of Vinyl's blue hair left Cheerilee's view, she shook her head and wondered, was there nothing she could do to get through to this girl? * * * Hey guys, chapter 2 is finally here! I know you've probably forgotten about this little story in the month or so of its abscence, but please, leave a comment and tell me what you thought of this! In other news, some of you probably noticed the removal of the "romance" tag. Now, don't get yourselves in a tizzy, I'll put it back when it's time. Let's just say this little story may not turn out to be so little... So, that about wraps up this author's note! Hope you enjoyed chapter 2, and if you'd like to edit, just message me here or on my DA!
Prolouguehere It was cold day out, and she lacked proper attire, but Octavia had other things on her mind than the weather. A young girl, in a new town, going to a new school for the first time, Octavia was nervous. She tried to stay optimistic, but as the bus pulled up to her driveway, she couldn’t help but hesitate before stepping on. As she began to make her way down the aisle, however, her fears were replaced with utter astonishment, as some of the strangest hair colors she had ever seen met her eyes. There was a girl with hot pink hair, a girl with purple hair, a girl with purple hair along with a pink highlight, and strangest of all was an athletic looking girl who had every color of the rainbow in her hair. She knew that hair dying was becoming popular among adults, but these girls were her age, third graders for crying out loud! As she moved further towards the back, she did see some more natural hair colors; there was a blond girl and orange-haired girl sitting together, the blond having a peculiar set of eyes. There were some others, but Octavia’s observations were cut short by the realization that she had reached the back of the bus without taking a seat. How stupid I must look, she thought to herself. She turned around and started looking for an empty seat. She could only see two, one next to a boy at least a year younger than her with bright green spiky hair, but she wouldn’t be caught dead next to a boy. Her only other option was a girl sporting headphones two rows up from where Octavia stood. Quickly, she took her seat, yet the girl next to her didn’t seem to take notice. She remained indulged in some sort of wacky electronic music, from what Octavia could hear blasting from the girl’s headphones. Accompanying them was a head of dark and lightning blue hair that looked as if it were trying its hardest to push against the oppressing headphones. Other than that, the girl was quite ordinary, if not a little bit tomboyish, judging from her clothing articles. Octavia decided it was best to leave her alone, and rode the rest of the way to school in silence. Three days later, Octavia was once again next to the blue-haired girl, but this time with a bit more knowledge about her. She was Vinyl Scratch, a cheery but tough girl, with a knack for running her mouth. This often landed her in the principal's office, though she doesn’t appear to mind. The only time Vinyl could stop talking was when she was listening to music, but it was dangerous to disturb her while she was ‘in her element.’ Though, as the circumstances stood, Octavia hadn’t made many, perhaps any, real friends, and they did share an interest in music, albeit very different styles. Hesitantly, Octavia lightly tapped Vinyl on the shoulder. “Alright punk, you’ve got five seconds to…oh, it’s you, what do you want?” Vinyl asked as she let down her fist. It took a few moments for Octavia to reorient herself, as she was quite shaken by Vinyl’s aggressiveness. However, she was once again stunned when she looked into Vinyl’s face and saw two ruby red eyes staring back at her. They were the brightest and most beautiful things Octavia had ever seen. “Uhh, hellooo…” Scratch was now waving her hand in front of Octavia’s face, trying to snap her back into reality. “Oh, sorry,” Octavia said, shaking herself “it’s just those red eyes…Are they tinted contacts?” “Nope!” Vinyl said proudly, “All natural, you aren’t going to find another pair like these out there. But I know you didn’t risk me flipping on you just to ask about my eyes, so what may I help you with this fine morning?” Octavia stammered, trying to find something to say, “I…uhh…yeah, what’s with all these crazy hair colors?” “Oh, that.” Vinyl leaned back, “You’re the new kid, right? Story is that Rarity, the fashion diva over there with the dark purple hair started getting her hair dyed after begging her parents for three weeks straight. Some parents of the other kids liked the look, and soon they were all lining up to get their kids hair dyed, mine included.” Vinyl looked up at her own hair, and sighed. “I hate it when parents force you to do stuff. I could care less about my hair, but now every other Saturday I have to waste an hour of my life at a hair salon because my mom makes me.” “I hear you loud and clear,” Octavia said, “my parents are the worst. It’s all work and no play with them, and I’m sick of it. They can even turn something that I enjoy into a chore. Like at my seventh birthday, my aunt Tessie gave me her old Ukulele, and I had a lots of fun playing it. My dad then assumed that I was ‘gifted’ and not a week later we were at the music store trying out all these string instruments. Some of them are bigger than me! Can you believe that?” “No way,” Vinyl exclaimed, “how can a person play something that’s bigger than them?” “Beats me,” Octavia shrugged. “Anyway, now I have to go to a music instructor every week for violin lessons. I enjoy playing the instrument, but being forced into it takes out some of the fun.” “Huh,” Vinyl said, “you know, I like music alot too. maybe not the same, uhh...what’s that word for a type of music?” “genre?” “That’s the one! Maybe not the same genre of music as you, but I do really like music.” “Really?” Octavia asked, astonished, “nobody really cared about music at my old school.” “Well, you’re not alone anymore,” she stuck out a hand, but this time to shake rather than to hit, “Name’s Vinyl Scratch.” Octavia decided to not mention that she already knew Vinyl’s name, replying with “Octavia,” and shaking the outstretched hand. “So, does this make us friends?” Octavia asked, anxious. “Of course!” Vinyl exclaimed. “Never hurts to have a lot of friends, right? Now, let me point out a few people you should know around here. The girl in the pink is Pinkemena, though we just call her Pinkie Pie…”
Back Into the Swing Of Thingshere The passage of six years can change many things, but seating arrangements on a school bus was not one of them. There never were assigned seats to begin with, but the friends and the cliques always stuck together and soon everything became permanent. However, six years can change the appearance and attitudes of the people in the seats. Octavia was now a freshman, with a slim build and long black hair that went past her shoulders; it did a good job of contrasting with her vivid lavender eyes. She scolded herself for waking up so late, missing breakfast and barely catching the bus. Only covering the bare necessities of personal hygiene, and sporting jeans and a blank grey T-shirt over her tank-top, Octavia wanted nothing but the chance to go back home and crawl under her sheets. Of course her parents would have none of it, and so she found herself here, unkempt and unprepared, but none-the-less on her way to school. This must be what Vinyl feels like every morning, Octavia thought, speaking of which... she turned to Vinyl. Her friend was about as well-off as she was as far as appearance went, but Vinyl had a way of making unkempt look good. She wore her usual casual attire, baggy cargo pants and a snow-white top, and her blue hair looked as if she had just gotten out of bed. But there was something else, something Octavia felt was quite obvious, right under her nose, but she couldn’t put a finger on what it was about Vinyl that was different. Octavia decided that it was unimportant, and moved on to a more pressing matter. She always missed the happenings of her school friends over the summer, as her parents were slow to release their hold on their little angel, so Octavia had to find out everything she could from Vinyl. This became routine, and was usually the highlight of her first day of every school year. But, as usual, Vinyl was absorbed in that incomprehensible noise she called techno. A light tap on the shoulder though and Octavia was tackled by her friend, followed by an endless stream of warm greetings. “Yes yes, it’s nice to see you too, Scratch. Now, please get off me.” “It’s been too long,” Vinyl exclaimed after returning to her upright position, “where’ve you been?” “Same old, same old; vacation for a week, then Cello practice for the rest of the summer. You?” “Same old, same old; DJ’ing for Pinkie’s plethora of parties, and other people as well. Hell, there was a couple that hired me for their wedding, how cool is that?” “Wow,” Octavia gasped, “that is amazing. Was it a good wedding?” “C’mon Tavi,” Vinyl shrugged, “you know I’m not into that sappy stuff… But I will say that it surprised me.” “How so?” “A story for another day; I’ve got to catch you up on what’s happened over the summer!” Surprisingly, this took up most of their bus ride to school. Spike had finally plucked up the nerve to ask Rarity out, which surprised Octavia, last she saw him he wasn’t exactly emotionally fit for such a risky action. Spike didn’t fit in with the other boys in the middle school; he was a bit more...feminine than the rest. Inevitably, he was assumed to be gay and made fun of. He seeked refuge with childhood friends of his, such as Twilight and her friends. However, this only gave his enemy’s more ammo for their verbal assaults. He struggled throughout middle school, but it sounded like he bounced back in Octavia’s absence, since he was able to do what had been trying to do ever since he laid eyes on Rarity. According to Vinyl, they weren’t per say, together, but they were a lot closer than they were before. The fact that Spike was stuck in middle school for another year didn’t help matters, but they were in a kind of limbo, sometimes a couple, others not. In other news, Twilight had once again made scientific breakthroughs that made headlines, though Vinyl couldn’t care enough to remember what specific science. Rainbow Dash kept herself busy in athletics camp, setting records that would most likely last at least a few years. Because she was being quiet as usual, it could only be assumed that Fluttershy spent her summer at the wildlife center. AJ had to work the farm, along with Big Mac, which took up most of their summer. Pinkie Pie...well, she was what occupied everybody’s time when they weren’t at camp or a summer job. As Vinyl delved into her zany adventures with the pink-haired party girl, Octavia realized what was different about her friend. As she did a mental facepalm for not realizing earlier, Tavi said “Vinyl, I can’t believe it, you’re still wearing those stupid sunglasses I sent you for your birthday!” “Stupid? These things are amazing!” Vinyl exclaimed as she took off the purple shades for a quick examination. “I never leave the house without them, they’ve become part of my identity! I’m more surprised you’re wearing that pink bow-tie I sent you as a joke-gift for your birthday!” Vinyl began to laugh. “I happen to like it very much,” Tavi commented, looking down to make sure it was in place, “I think it suits me well. Strange, I too have a tendency to wear it every day...” “Well,” Vinyl replied, obviously still trying to decide whether or not Tavi was joking, “although it wasn’t really meant to be appreciated, I’m glad that you do.” The two shared a few chuckles, then Vinyl said “It’s good to have you back around, Tavi.” “And the same to you,” Octavia replied, “and it appears that we’re here!” Sure enough, in front of the bus now pulling into the parking lot loomed the two-story monster that was Ponyville High. Octavia looked forward to her new classes and teachers, but she could not say the same for Vinyl. “Man, if I didn’t have friends here, I would’ve ditched the system the first chance I got.” she muttered. For some reason I don’t doubt that, Tavi thought as they stepped off the bus. The two entered along with a sea of other students; searching for homeroom, meeting up with friends, trying to avoid being trampled by their classmates. Octavia took out a carefully folded piece of paper that held her schedule, and where her homeroom was located. A-7, with a Mrs. Wild Fire. Hmm, easy enough. With some quick observations of her surroundings, Tavi could tell that she was already in the A wing, she just needed to follow the numbers. Meanwhile, Vinyl seemed completely disoriented, obviously without any clue of where her homeroom was. “I’ll uhh...catch up with you later, alright?” Octavia called out as the bell rang, “Good luck!” “Heh, thanks,” Vinyl called back. I’ll need it... . . . “Good morning, class,” an overly cheery voice said to her audience, “hope you had a great summer!” When no reply was heard, she continued “So, ready for your last pieces of education before college?” To this, there were multiple mumbles and grumbles, an exasperated sigh from one bold student. Ms. Cheerilee looked over her class, trying to keep her usual upbeat attitude. Usually the fact that she was teaching made her happy, but after a long summer of conferences discussing the lack of teachers in the district and a last-minute grade switch, she was not ready for school yet. Although relatively young as teachers go, most of her colleagues would agree that she had been around the block around a time or two. Her fandango buttoned suit was uncomfortably tight-fitting, but it was the only formal thing she could find in her closet that hadn’t needed to be ironed. She put on a smile and bared it, like she always did when she couldn’t change her situation. She flipped back her brunette hair and scanned the seats. Almost everybody was present, something to be noted with teenagers from this district. Funny, she thought, I had a kid last year who was tardy on the first day as well...at that moment, Vinyl burst through the door, panting heavily. “Is...is this this C-19, history?” she asked. “Well, if the door plaque didn’t a good enough job to inform you yes, it is, Miss Scratch.” Cheerilee replied, much to her own astonishment, replying so quickly as if it were hard-wired to wise-mouth her old nemesis. “No...” Vinyl looked up, startled by the familiar voice, “not you. I thought I was done with you back in the middle school!” “Miss Scratch, do we really need to fall back into old habits this early in the year? Honestly, your first day, your first period and you’re already disrupting class.” Vinyl finally overcame her shock and replied slyly, “I guess some things never change, Cherry.” “When you speak to your higher-ups, it would be wise not to get on their bad side so early in the game.” “Early? Aww, you haven’t forgotten all the fun we had the last few years, have you Cherry? You’ve only followed me through every year in junior high. At this point I might have to call the cops on you for stalking,” Vinyl snickered. “Wouldn’t that be a role reversal...” Cheerilee shot back, “just because the school district is short on history teachers is not grounds to assume I am stalking you, Miss Scratch.” “A likely story...” Vinyl muttered. “If you are finished,” Cheerilee continued “could you please find a seat, before I have to hand you another detention, since obviously the countless detentions I gave you last year didn’t do a darn thing to change your attitude.” “Whatever,” Vinyl shrugged. “And please remove those utterly ridiculous glasses!” Vinyl looked up, “Nah, I’m good.” “Excuse me?” Vinyl started moving toward her seat, “Vinyl, remove your shades or it’s after-school detention.” “The shades aren’t coming off Cherry,” Vinyl replied. She didn’t mind removing her glasses, but it was fun pissing her Cheerilee off. “Then I’ll be seeing you after school; now please take a seat.” Vinyl continued to the empty seat, a smug grin on her face. Even if she had to spend every day of high-school enduring Cheerilee for a History teacher, she could at least return the favor by making her life a living hell as well. “Now, we’re going to start with the America’s. If you open your textbooks to page...” At this point Vinyl had already stopped caring. Even if she did care, her books were nowhere to be seen, so it wouldn’t have mattered. However, she was fortunate enough to find her seat next to one of her school friends, Carrot Top. Sporting a yellow top and white shorts, she was more educationally inclined than Vinyl, but when friends beckoned, she’d listen. “Psst.” Vinyl whispered. “Morning to you too,” Carrot Top whispered back, “detention on the first day? I think that might be a record” “I try,” Vinyl shrugged, “how’ve you been, C-Top?” “Not bad, not bad,” she replied, “went out to Cali with Lyra, Bon Bon and Derpy.” This surprised Vinyl somewhat, “Lyra and Bon Bon, and Derpy, within a one-mile radius of each other?” “Oh come on Vinyl, I know you don’t like them, but they’re alright, honest. We all had a great time together.” Vinyl rolled her eyes. Lyra and Bon Bon were, to her at least, the stereotypical popular girls of the school. Gossiping, back-stabbing, all-around assholes, it was still a mystery how Carrot Top could even be friends with them. Obviously she saw some sort of nice side to them that Vinyl couldn’t, but as long as their attitudes didn’t wear off on Carrot-Top, she didn’t care. Carrot Top was a great friend. Upbeat, caring, not to mention a wonderful cook. There wasn’t a single new kid that Vinyl knew of who wasn’t warmly welcomed by Carrot Top. But if you asked anybody what Carrot Top’s greatest trait was, they’d tell you about how far she’d go to defend her friends. Case and point: Derpy. Derpy was like any other girl; she liked to talk, text, and all that fru-fru stuff that Vinyl could care less about. But she went through one of the roughest childhoods anyone could imagine. It wasn’t because of her parents, no, they were quite nice to their daughter. No, the reason for Derpy’s hurt was her eyes. Ever since birth, her yellow eyes had been cock-eyed. Surprisingly, she still had twenty-twenty vision. However, like Spike’s feminism, her strange appearance gave bullies an excuse to abuse her. Among them was Lyra and Bon Bon. For many years, Carrot Top was her only real friend. Almost daily, Carrot had to stand up for Derpy, despite jeopardising her well-off social status. But as time wore on, people accepted her, and she’s been really enjoying herself now-a-days. She had a part-time job as a mail-girl, and was always a pleasure to see. Yet it still baffled Vinyl that Lyra and Bon Bon, Lyra and Bon Bon could vacation with Derpy. It just didn’t seem possible. Maybe C-Top bribed them? she thought. No, she’s not the type. Vinyl continued to rack her brain for a logical explanation, which occupied her until class was over. “And that’s it for today’s lesson. Remember to get that paper done by the end of the week. Have a good day!” Ms. Cheerilee called as the students left the classroom. “And Vinyl,” she called, “don’t forget, or your parents will be hearing from me.” Knowing her parents, the detention would be a quicker punishment, and her lateness home could be explained by a great many things, if she walked. Now, what did I have for second period again? * * * Hey everypony! Glad you decided to look at a beginner's first shy steps into the world of writing. If you enjoyed this, or would like to point something out, just leave a comment, whatever advice you have is greatly appreciated. I'm also in need of editors, because the more reworking my story undergoes before being published, the better. If you're interested, just send me a message here, or on my DA account (under the same name).
Like a Broken RecordThe midday sun shone down on the mingling packs of kids wandering about in the school courtyard. Over to one corner were the jocks; Spitfire, Soarin, Fleetfoot, and a very ecstatic Rainbow Dash goggling at them. Under the tree across the courtyard was Twilight, with her stack of books for honors classes, along with Fluttershy and Rarity. Above them, eating a bag of apples that she brought for lunch was Applejack, laying back on a branch against the trunk. Pinkie Pie, however, was sitting at one of the benches along with Octavia, both waiting for their friend, who had just exited the cafeteria, but was stopped in her tracks by something else. “Vinyl! Hey, Vinyl! Oh for crying out loud...” Octavia tried to keep her voice down, but it was often hard to make yourself heard without yelling during lunch. However, Vinyl’s livid stare-down with the mint haired girl crossing her path remained uninterrupted. Although Octavia didn’t know Lyra personally, she heard enough to stay out of her way. Vinyl’s vulgar description of her was probably a bit melodramatic, but in any case, Lyra was bad news. “VIIIIIIIIINYL!!!” Pinkie shouted, almost shattering Octavia’s eardrums. Never a subtle girl, Pinkie was now waving her arms at Vinyl, but it was obviously unnecessary, as she was already walking towards them with her lunch. Vinyl couldn’t help but grin, any outsider would never imagine a refined cellist and a happy-go-lucky party girl sitting together, but then again, they wouldn’t have known Pinkie Pie. Like Carrot Top, Pinkie could befriend any newcomer on the spot, but she had a different approach than Carrot Top. Her tactic was to make you laugh so much that it was impossible to deny her helping hand when you were on the ground, stitches dug deep into your sides. She was great to be around, but at length her... randomness could get under the most controlled of peoples skins. It was a godsend that classes were less than an hour, otherwise there’d be a few teachers being sent to the psychiatric center for an exam. In any case, Pinkie was everyone’s friend, no matter what tastes or personalities they had. “Hey Pinkie, Octavia. I see you’ve both made it through the first half of the day in one piece,” Vinyl commented, while popping the lid on her drink. “Of course we have, silly!” Pinkie replied, “It’d be hard to eat if we were in pieces, wouldn’t it?” Two pairs of rolling eyes followed Pinkie’s blissful unawareness, then Octavia replied, “Can’t say there’s been anything wrong with it. Got to see Beauty Brass and Harpo again in orchestra; Frederic is still on vacation.” Vinyl snickered, “Still being a snob, eh?” “Hey, I like Frederic!” “Do you like like him?” Pinkie asked. “NO!” Octavia and Vinyl shouted simultaneously. Octavia could understand Vinyl’s similar reaction, because she had heard this question as much as Octavia had. “Oh, ok then!” Pinkie said, “I have lots of friends who are boys too. There’s Blue Skies, Luke, Dumb-Bell, Flash Bulb, Hoops, Milky Way, Silver Script, Spectrum, Star Hunter, and who could forget Snowflake? Then there’s Thorn, Thunderlane...” the list just kept growing, long after Vinyl and Octavia had lost interest. “When will she stop, nobody knows...” Vinyl whispered, followed by muffled giggles from Octavia. “Oh, I almost forgot!” Pinkie exclaimed, abruptly ending her list of boy-not-like-that-friends. “I was going to ask if you two would like to hang at Sweet Apple Acres today. Twi, Shy, Rarity and Dash are gonna be coming as well.” “Can’t make it today, got detention with Cheerilee after school. Friday’s open though, can I come then?” “Sure!” Pinkie replied, “It'd probably be better for AJ’s schedule anyways...” “You mean you haven’t asked Applejack yet?” Octavia asked. Pinkie looked down, “Well... no, but we - Applejack, Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and I - have done this before, and she’d always said we could bring friends.” Vinyl chuckled, “If that was true, Sweet Apple Acres wouldn’t be so economically sunk!” Instantly she regretted saying it, no one was laughing. “Sorry... bad joke...” With a solemn nod, Pinkie continued, “And how about you Octavia?” Octavia hesitated; not because she wasn’t sure what her answer was going to be, that decision was made long before the question was brought up. But that was just it, she had no choice about things like these, because her parents would always intervene. It had been like this since the very beginning; as soon as she was born, her parents safeguarded her to no end. Octavia yearned for her eighteenth birthday, for her freedom... but that was an eternity away, and hidden behind her professional attitude, Octavia was just as impatient as a little girl who wanted her turn on the carousel. “Thank you Pinkie, but I can’t accept,” she finally replied, “maybe another day.” “Oh, okay then...” Pinkie said, a little disheartened. “Well, I ought to talk to AJ and make sure that this thing is even happening! Talk to you guys later, alright?” “Definitely,” they both said in return, and with that, Pinkie went to meet up with her other friends. By this point, everybody was beginning to pack up, heading to their lockers, and preparing for the second half of their day. As they gathered their things, Octavia turned to Vinyl and asked, “Detention, on your first day?” “I am who I am, what else can I say?” Vinyl replied nonchalantly as they began to head towards their lockers. “Vinyl, you really have got to stop doing this,” Octavia said, concern in her voice. “Oh stop it Tavi. I’ve been like this all through middle school, but you didn’t raise a finger then, did you?” “It’s different,” Octavia stopped walking, “Vinyl, these years are the ones that are going to be remembered, and not just by us. Every employer you go to is going to look at what happened here, the good, and the bad.” Vinyl sighed, “Tavi, we’ve talked about our futures before. And like I’ve said, I’m going independent after my education’s over. My resume isn’t going to matter because there’s not going to be an employer to look at it, plain and simple. Now, can we please get going?” Octavia shook her head in disappointment, there’s no getting through to her, is there? “Yes,” she finally said, but as they once again started towards their lockers, Octavia asked again, “but can you at least try to stay out of trouble? If not for your future, for me?” “Fiiiiiine!” Vinyl groaned, “Now will you stop bugging me about it? Oh, and as of now, we are both officially late to class.” Octavia took a look of utmost panic, “Oh my God, and on my first day!” Faster than a speeding bullet, Octavia fled for her locker, leaving Vinyl to her laughter. Man, I should make her late more often, she thought to herself, still chuckling a little. Vinyl quickly realised though that she should also get a move on, as it would be hard to explain to her teacher that she already had a day one after-school detention. She walked off, leaving the courtyard as quiet and desolate as it had been merely hours ago. . . . As the last busses departed from Ponyville High, Vinyl entered the almost completely deserted building. Most of the teachers lacked a care for their school, and booked it almost as fast as the kids did. “But noooo, not Cheerilee...” Vinyl thought out loud as she entered the C wing, her voice echoing slightly down the vacant hallway. Surprisingly, the new school was rather easy to navigate; a two-floor square with a courtyard in the middle. There was a gym for it once... but budget cuts had gotten rid of it long ago. It was rather sad, but only a small portion of what was happening to Vinyl’s town. Once, the town of Ponyville was a bustling crossroad of cultures, in a quite literal sense, as people came from all points of the compass, whether just passing through or to make their share of cash. Ponyville thrived, mostly thanks to its well-connected rail system. But, as time rolled on, and planes picked up steam, the town’s heyday came to a close. Fewer and fewer travellers passed through, and the resulting loss of revenue took its toll. Ponyville fell into an immobile state, unable to keep up with the times, but still trying hard enough to stay on its feet. Ponyville had been like this for forty years, but as the first decade of the 21st century came to a close, the small town was losing its footing. The school budget cuts were only one of the hardships facing the run-down community. Families were hard-pressed to find buyers for their houses, and businesses were making the lowest revenues in the town’s history. There was even talk of the town’s train station being closed due to lack of profit. Everybody knew that if this came to pass, it would be the last nail in the coffin. But none of this occupied Vinyl’s mind for long. To her, it was just a prolonged waiting game. She cared little for her town, as all the teachers did for their school and students... all, except a history teacher named Cheerilee. “Hey Cherry,” Vinyl called out as her teacher entered the room. Vinyl was waiting in the classroom room for at least 10 minutes, making doodles on the blackboard, which Cheerilee was quick to erase. “So, what’ll it be today? Writing lines, essay’s, or both?” “No no,” Ms. Cheerilee said simply, turning from the now clean board, “I’ve wasted enough of your time already, and I’m sure you’ll only waste more of mine.” Vinyl smirked, “Looks like I’ve finally taught you something worth remembering Cherry.” She hopped off the desk she was sitting on and began to leave, but Cheerilee stepped in front of her. “Hold on,” she said, “now don’t expect all your detentions to go like this. Trust me, you’ll be having deja vu soon enough, but I want you to think for a minute. We’ve been doing this for a total of three years now, and at this rate it’s going to be seven by the time you leave here. But, why? This game is getting old, Miss Scratch, and its purpose, if there ever was one, is long gone. You, as with any other student that comes here, have potential to do great things, but you never strive for it. I want to help you Vinyl, I really do, but you need to let me help you.” “But you see Cherry,” Vinyl replied, sliding past her into the vacant hallway, “that’s where you’re wrong. No matter what you say, I don’t need your help to get anywhere in life. And as for this ‘game’, it’s far from over. It was fun to push your buttons back then and still is today, and no number of detentions will change that. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have work to forget! See you ‘round, Cherry!” Cheerilee muttered a little, but did not try to stop her. As the last of Vinyl's blue hair left Cheerilee's view, she shook her head and wondered, was there nothing she could do to get through to this girl? * * * Hey guys, chapter 2 is finally here! I know you've probably forgotten about this little story in the month or so of its abscence, but please, leave a comment and tell me what you thought of this! In other news, some of you probably noticed the removal of the "romance" tag. Now, don't get yourselves in a tizzy, I'll put it back when it's time. Let's just say this little story may not turn out to be so little... So, that about wraps up this author's note! Hope you enjoyed chapter 2, and if you'd like to edit, just message me here or on my DA!
