Chapter 1: Welcome to Inaba

Chapter 1

Welcome to Inaba

(Canterlot Train Station)

Night time has falling in the city of Canterlot. Everypony within the grand city were either closing up shop for today, or where opening up due to the fact that their shops are only open during the night. Yep, everything was peaceful and quiet in Canterlot...well almost quiet. As a certain disk jockey pony and her classical pony friend were making their way down the street of Canterlot heading towards the train station after finishing up a gig at Canterlot Castle.

“Stupid *hic* Neon Lights. He thinks he so *hic* cool with his music and stuff.” Vinyl said, making her way down the the train station of Canterlot in a drunken state of mind. “I’ve should’ve won that DJ *hic* death battle.”

“You lost fair and square Vinyl. Was it really necessary for you to drink to the point to where you’re drunk?” Octavia groaned, walking next to her friend while listening to her complain in a drunken stupor.

“I’m not drunk...just off my A *hic* game.”

“You almost tried to clear out all the liquor in the entire tavern! Not to mention that you were trying to advance on me in the most ridiculous of ways…” Octavia snapped back. “You really need to stop drinking so much.”

“The day I s-stop drink is the day we move to *hic* new place.” Vinyl said as she collapsed onto the floor. “And that won’t happen any...time...soon.”

Octavia rolled her eyes as she had to pick up her friend and place her over the shoulder as she carried her over to the nearby platform, but not before walking over to the station pony. “Two to Ponyville please.” She asked as she handed the young youthful pony four bits.

“Here you go ma’am.” He smiled as he looked at Vinyl being carried. “Long night huh?”

“You have no idea.”

“Well at least you can enjoy the nice trip back to Ponyville. Especially on a night like this one.”

“Let’s hope so.” With a simple nod, Octavia made her way to the platform and waited for the train to arrive. When a train did arrive though, something seemed off. “Huh, odd. The train for Ponyville doesn’t normally look like that.” She thought to herself as the cellist walked inside and set her friend on the first seat she could find. Preferably by a trash can for if she wakes up and ends up sick because of the amount of alcohol she had consumed. As the train began to move, a sudden feeling of fatigue rushed over her body. After carrying her from the tavern next to Canterlot Castle and to the train station, it wouldn’t be a surprise for that to happen. Failing to fight off the urge to sleep, Octavia soon drifted off into slumber land. As soon as the train began to entered into a tunnel. A sapphire glow envelop around the DJ pony as she soon disappeared.

(Velvet Room)

Vinyl moaned for a bit before starting to slowly opening her eyes. As her vision began to clear up a bit from the sudden grogginess, a surprised expression appeared on her face as she finds herself in what she could guess was the inside of a carriage. Only this carriage wasn’t being pulled by anypony and from looking outside it was completely foggy to the point where you could rarely see anything. “Where the hay am I?”

“Welcome to the Velvet Room.” An odd voice soon began to echo all around her as the unicorn tried to find out who was saying that. Soon though, the fog began to clear up and she saw a man with a very long nose at a table.

“Whoa! Dude, what happen to your nose? No offense or anything, but dear Celestia that’s on long ass nose...wait a minute. Who the hay are you?”

“Ah, it seems we have a guest with an intriguing destiny.” The man chuckled to himself as he looked at Vinyl.

“My name is Igor and I am delighted to make your acquaintance.”

“Okay… Igor. Mind telling where I am and how I got here? Wait did you ponynap me or something?”

“Patience, I am getting there,” Igor insisted. “This place is between dream and reality. Mind and matter. It is a room that only those bound by a ‘contract’ may enter. It may be that such a fate awaits you in the near future.” Once he was done speaking, he moved one of his arms in a gesture to say that it was Vinyl’s turn to speak. “Now, why don’t you introduce yourself?”

“Vinyl Scratch, but most ponies call me DJ-Pon3 when I’m playing at clubs and stuff.” Vinyl said as she lean back in the chair she was sitting on.

“Hmm, I see…” Igor said. “Now, let’s take a look into your future, shall we?” In a split second, Igor extended his hand to the table that was in front of him as Vinyl could see a deck of cards on the table. “Do you believe in fortune telling?” With a snap, seven cards quickly landed on the table in a hexagon shape with one in the center. “Each reading is done with the same cards, yet the results are always different. Life itself follows the same principles, doesn’t it?” He chuckled once more as he posed the question to Vinyl and turned the first card in the right hand corner.

“Hmm…the Tower in the upright position represents the immediate future. It seems that a terrible catastrophe is imminent.” Igor explained, turning another card. “The card indicating the future beyond that is…the moon in the upright position. This card represents ‘hesitation’ and ‘mystery’…Very interesting indeed.”

“And what the hell is all this suppose to mean?” Vinyl asked as she tilted her glasses up a bit.

“It seems you will encounter a misfortune at your destination, and a great mystery will be imposed upon you.” The man explained once again. “In the coming days, you will enter into a contract of some sort, after which you will return here. The coming year is a turning point in your destiny. If this mystery goes unsolved, your future may be forever lost. My duty is to provide assistance to our guests to ensure that doesn’t happen.” With a swipe of his hand, the cards disappeared and also, Igor remembered something important. “Ah! I have neglected to introduce my assistant to you,” He said while moving his hand to introduce the woman that was to his left. “This is Margaret. She is a resident of this place, like myself.” The woman then nodded her head as she this time spoke up.

“My name is Margaret. I am here to accompany you through your journey.”

“Wait, what do you mean my journey?”

“We shall attend to the details another time, but until then… Farewell, Ms. Scratch.” Igor said as Vinyl’s vision began to blur and she began to feel tired.

(Real World, Morning)

[Attention passengers, we will arrive at the Yasogami Terminal in a few minutes. Passengers heading for Inaba City and Yasoinaba station, please go to the other side of the platform.]

“Ugh...five more minutes…” Vinyl said to herself before trying to open her eyes a little. Right away, something did not feel right to her. For one thing, the wooden seats that would be on a train from Canterlot to Ponyville were replaced with something that felt like a mini-sofa. Another thing was that she… felt different. Like something was missing.

“Vinyl, GET UP DAMMIT!!”

“GAH!” In a fit of shock and startlement, Vinyl quickly woke up from her sleep as she immediately fell to the floor of the train she was on. “Geez Tavi, give me a heart attack why don’t yeah. Why did you yell at me like that?”

“Why else. Look around you!” She said, looking back at her.

“You’re not being very descriptive about that Tavi. Aren’t we on the friendship express to Ponyville?” Octavia groaned, shaking her head as she looked back at her.

“Does this look like the Friendship express to you?” She asked Vinyl as the train was coming out of the tunnel. Immediately once the light filled the room, the DJ’s question was answered… and replaced with a new one.

“WHERE THE BUCK ARE WE!?!”