Author's Note

Welcome to Chapter Two!
This one's really crazy
Seriously, I think we went totally overboard with it.
So we hope you love it as well

Not a date?

Chapter Two: Not a date?

I hummed as the water slowly ran over my fur, relaxing my tense muscles after the disastrous events of last night. Vinyl still hovered in my mind, and she wasn’t a particularly pleasant thought. I still wondered why in the name of Equestria I had agreed to it. And yet, I had to agree that there was, indeed, a certain charm to that mare. Not the kind of charm I would prefer, granted, but still a certain charm. I reached for the shampoo.

“I’m officially crazy,” I mumbled, sighing. “No mare in my position and in their right mind would have agreed to this, so why did I? Some simple charm isn’t usually enough to pull me in.”

“Well, maybe that’s because you are more than charmed by me.”

I jumped at the voice, quickly crashing back down into the hard floor of the shower, looking around in shock. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?”

Vinyl stared calmly at me, leaning against the shower wall. “Picking you up for our date?”

“THIS IS MY SHOWER! OUT, OUT, BEFORE I SKIN YOU ALIVE.”

As quickly as I had started thrashing in her direction, the white excuse for a mare was gone. I even thought that this was my wild imagination playing tricks on me.

Something that was quickly destroyed as I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, ending muzzle to muzzle with the DJ.

“Hey, hot flanks.”

“VINYL, I’M SERIOUSLY GOING TO MURDER YOU.”

“Why?” Vinyl batted her eyelashes innocently. “You’ve been looking at all the hot mares in prison and you want to join them?” She grinned that incorrigible grin of hers, the grin that made me want to kiss it and smack it at the same time. Wait. I did not just think “kiss it”.

Disregarding my temporary brain freeze, I turned to the mare and growled, her grin still on her face. “I would spend seven years in prison if it meant I could escape your presence for an hour.”

“Why?” Vinyl pouted. “Everypony knows I’m cool!”

“I don’t.”

“We can change that,” Vinyl practically purred at me. “Your bed or mine?”

I don’t know whether it was pure reflex or an intention to show her that my earlier threat was, in fact, a real threat, my right forehoof connected with her muzzle in a not-all-too-friendly way. Thankfully, this time, there was no blood. Maybe I was holding back… Okay, I was definitely holding back. Why, though, I couldn’t say.

“What the buck?” Vinyl scowled, taking a few steps back. “You hit me! Again!”

“I’m a bit sorry for it, actually,” I replied hesitantly.

“A bit? You know what? Forget my invite!” Vinyl now actually looked hurt. “Forget we met! I thought you are an interesting mare that would be nice to hang around with, but maybe I was wrong and naive to try and put up with a noble snob like you!”

Just as she turned to leave, I threw my hoof around her, in a wild, primeval gesture, trying to stop her from leaving my life so soon after entering it. “Don’t leave!” I blurted out shamefully. “I didn’t mean it!” I hung my head low as Vinyl freed herself from my grasp.

Well, this was it, I thought. She was leaving, never to see me again. And this was right. I couldn’t hold my hooves at bay. Where she was assaulting me with words, I was assaulting her very physically. Which didn’t make me a refined mare or a mare of fine taste. It just made me a bully.

“So…” Vinyl’s voice reached my ears from the side. “Do you like it?”

I threw my head up immediately, smiling that she was still here, that she hadn’t left, that she was asking me something, holding… in her telekinetic grip… something… very… My face went hot and red at once. “V-V-V-Vinyl?” I finally managed through an approaching anxiety attack. “W-what is that?”

“Lingerie.” Vinyl grinned, putting it on my hotel bed.

“Y-You actually weren’t kidding?!”

“Not a single second,” Vinyl chuckled. “Besides,” she continued, coming closer to whisper in my ear. “Tonight I’m going to wear my best piece. Just. For. You.”

This disturbed me in more ways than I was able to describe at that moment. “Please tell me you're joking.”

As an answer, she pulled at my ear with her teeth, sending me reeling backwards with a loud squeal. “Vinyl! W-What are you doing?!”

“What do you think?” She smiled invitingly. “See ya later, hot flanks. Don’t be late.”

I was hypnotized as she sauntered out of my room, her hips drawing my gaze as they swayed more than they needed to. She is playing with me, and I simply bite the bait… But in that case, why did it seem so alluring to bite the aforementioned bait? Why was that weird gesture—her biting my ear—so… evocative? Reminding me of something pleasant? And, most of all, why was it so… arousing?

I shook my head violently, just to get rid of such thoughts. My gaze fell on the lingerie on my bed. Oh sweet Celestia, I am not considering that, am I?..

The lingerie that lay on my bed was white, exactly the same colour of Vinyl’s coat. It had some diamond-like stones on it with a vibrant shade of blue, just like her mane. Curiously, I inspected them closer, shocked in an instant. Those are real! The stones are real, not fake!

I couldn’t believe it. Letting a hoof wander over the fabric, it also felt incredibly soft and expensive. Why is she giving me this? It looks like it’s just meant for me. I knew that was impossible. How was she able to order a personal piece of lingerie just for me in the small span of nine hours since she invited me to her gig? It was simple: Impossible.

Had she ordered this piece for some other mare? For a moment, rage boiled up inside me. How dare she? I was the mare meant to wear this— Wait a minute. I blinked in surprise. Was this… jealousy? No, of course not. It couldn’t be. Why would I be jealous of Vinyl buying a piece of lingerie for... some other… mare?

Looking around to check and make sure that Vinyl was indeed gone, I quickly tried the lingerie on. It fit perfectly. Too perfectly. How did she know my size? This fits perfect!

My mind reeled as I noticed myself in the mirror of the wardrobe. I’m really wearing it. Celestia, I look hot… Aaand I did not just think that. I sighed, looking at myself, thinking of what I had become, or, rather, what had become of me. Would I really—?

I’d hit her. And I had to pay for my mistake somehow. And what better way to pay for a mistake than to wear a nice, sexy, pretty piece of lingerie? That came with real diamonds and in just my size?

I groaned loudly, shaking my head as I prepared to leave the room, estimating just how many weird looks I would get from the ponies around me.

I am certainly going to regret this.

***

Everything is just going fine!

I whistled happily as I walked back to my room, smiling all the time. Tonight I would rock Ponyville, and I would do it with a beautiful mare at my side.

Maybe this vacation isn’t bad at all. And it will be really, really long. I had to grin at that. The real sweet cherry that is still missing, would be if she actually wore it. Thank Celestia she didn’t feel my magic taking her measurements last night.

Something I was positively relieved about. I had no idea if I would’ve stand another of her hits or insults. At the end, she was really hurting, but I was sure that she would be worth it. And, since she was worth “it”, she was also worth me. Sure, she was a posh, prim, stately mare, but there was this… charm to her, I guess? I dunno. I would definitely call it a charm. One way or another, I definitely wanted that piece of flank in my bed, stat. The only thing preventing me from conquering her properly was the notion that a mare like her wouldn’t want a one-night stand.

Hmm.

Maybe she wouldn’t say no to a two-night stand? A three-night stand sounded pretty good too. After all, she did blush very prettily when I bit her ear. Of course, she wouldn’t wear the lingerie but—

I stopped in place, freezing as I saw a familiar figure in front of my door. A grey mare. Wearing. Oh Celestia. I grinned widely. To my surprise, she grinned back. “Hello, Vinyl. You wanted to pick me up for the gig? Well, I’m here.”

I was positively sure that I was drooling by that point. She looked beautiful some time ago without that piece of lingerie, now she simply looked breathtaking, I couldn’t properly describe her beauty anymore. Wait, uncool!

“You. Look. Hot!”

I almost regretted my choice of wording, in fear that I would get hit again. But, to my deepest surprise, Octavia simply smirked. “Thank you, Vinyl.” I blinked. What? She just… accepted my bawdy compliment? “Shall we go?”

“Of course! After you, milady.” I grinned smugly, making a little bow for her.

***

The walk to the establishment Vinyl lead me to proved harder than I had imagined. Nearly every colt and stallion on the street whistled after me, even more than just one mare. It was horrible, but at the same time surprisingly pleasant. I would never admit it to anyone, but I was flattered. And even more so flattered by the fact that Vinyl grit her teeth at every whistle.

I stopped my thoughts at that. Why was Vinyl’s apparent jealousy fuelling my heart with pride? I was a free mare, and hell, I didn’t even like mares! ...I think. One way or another, I didn’t like Vinyl. Oh yes? a little pony in my head whispered. Is this why you are wearing lingerie for her?

Vinyl drew me out of my reverie. “I was right,” she said, although a bit too quiet. “They all just got eyes for ya.”

“You don’t seem too fond of it.” I just couldn’t shut my muzzle.

“Of course I’m not,” Vinyl blurted out. “I’m taking you on a date, and all those ponies just- just-” She shut up, blindly following me.

For some weird, inconceivable reason, a tiny smile appeared on my face. Just before my brain seemed to follow the action again. My smile fell. “A date?” I asked, coming to a full stop and pulling Vinyl into the next best quiet alley I could find.. “A date, huh?” I looked at the white mare sternly.

“Heh… Yes?”

“And who, in Celestia’s name, told you I would be fine to go with you on a date?” I asked her, my voice dangerously low. “I agreed to this… this… this shenanigans to get rid of you, not have you stick on my flank forever!”

Vinyl stopped dead in her tracks and looked at me with unspeakable sorrow, the kind of sorrow I could never attribute to a mare like her. “If that’s what you think, we should split right now. You heard me,” she continued, “just leave. I thought we were friends. Maybe even more than that. Now I see we don’t have even that.” She turned around, and began to walk away at a slow pace.

I sighed, whispering, “Why didn’t you say so in the first place? Why do you want to play this game instead?” Yes, I had to admit I felt sorry for her.

“You would’ve tossed me out if I had just proposed the idea of being friends. Do you remember how you acted yesterday? You did it again just seconds ago, acting like a posh, high strung mare that is too good for everything,” Vinyl replied and I couldn’t help but notice the tear slowly making its way down her muzzle.

For all intents and purposes, this tear should not have struck me. It should not have struck me at all. In fact, it should not have made me walk up to the incorrigible mare and wipe that tear off her face with a hoof. But that was exactly what I did, without thinking or considering the outcomes.

Vinyl sniffed. “Don’t tease me. If you don’t wanna be friends, just leave. I’ll go to the club and get wasted on my own.” She sighed. “You can keep the lingerie.”

“Vinyl, this was not the best… attempt to establish a good friendship,” I said, warily. “I would say this is a setup to just get me into bed, and I’m certainly not a mare that does such a thing.”

“I’m sorry!” Vinyl croaked. “I’m not used to this! Usually I just do this to get a hot flank in my bed during gigs or tours. This time is… different.” She stopped, gulping. “Sure, you’re pretty hot, but… you interest me.”

“I beg your pardon?” Now I was completely confused.

“You interest me in a way that no mare has interested me before. I don’t want to get into bed and rut you senseless.” Vinyl paused and I gave her a harsh glare. “Okay, I do, but it’s not like that. I want to go for walks with you, and, I dunno, have drinks, and talk about music, and have some fun!”

I just couldn’t hold back, starting to giggle, then laughing while Vinyl shot me an annoying look. “I’m sorry, Vinyl, but you just sounded like a filly with a simple highschool crush.” I coughed and went serious again. “Not that there is anything wrong with that, but why me? Why so fast?”

“Do you know the story of an old time, long before Celestia and Luna, long before Discord, even Equestria?” Vinyl asked suddenly.

I shook my head, my interest definitely piqued. “There was something before Equestria?”

“Ponies lived before they established our country. But there was much arguing, much fighting. So they say that there was a… I dunno, a goddess, a goddess older than Celestia and Luna. They even call her the first alicorn.”

I nodded, silently prompting Vinyl to continue, not sure where she was going with all of this.

“Ponies lacked one thing: souls. They lived and breathed and ate but there was nothing like friendship or, or…” Vinyl blushed, surprisingly for me. “Or love. So that goddess made souls for ponies. But she only gave each pony half of a soul. So that ponies could find the matching half and, well, that’s why they call lovers soulmates.”

I stood there, blinking in surprise, my mind processing the tale. “Do you mean that...” I asked cautiously.

“I don’t know if we are soulmates,” Vinyl quickly supplied. “I don’t even know if that whole legend is true. But I think that you just struck me as someone with who I want to be. Even as a friend.”

“That… That doesn’t change anything,” I started lamely. “You are still a ruffian… a… a bad influence for me, yes! I don’t—” I was stopped as Vinyl gently hugged me, drawing me close against her. I just couldn’t ramble anymore and closed my muzzle, just enjoying the contact.

“I still don’t like you,” I croaked as we stood there, just hugging each other.

Even I didn’t believe me at that point.