Scratched

The city of Manehattan sprawled in the failing light of dusk as thick sheets of snow fell amongst the narrow streets. A stiff wind blew from the north, swirling the tiny flakes and battering them against the massive city. This far from the city center, the concrete high rises fell away to the old buildings of the original town; wood and brick apartments trailing plumes of smoke into the air as if they were living things. The dense snowfall started collecting against leaded glass windows and brick stoops as the city settled properly into the storm.

Hardly visible in the dark of night and the falling white snow, a single filly picked her way through the streets and alleys. She may have been completely obscured if it weren’t for the electric blue tail trailing behind her as she trotted quickly between buildings. She obviously knew her way, but struggled in the fresh snow and her overburdened saddle bags. The leather packs were stuffed full, and a large, carefully wrapped square object balanced precariously on top.

The small pony merely grunted and reached back, cinching the packs tight as she hurried on. “They’ll be there…” she whispered to herself. “They’ve got to be there.”

This far removed from downtown, the streets were deserted this time of night. She was glad. The filly had no intentions of talking to anyone on the street tonight. Turning a corner she headed into a particularly dark and narrow alley, thankful to be shielded from the wind. The state of the gloomy back street didn’t faze her at all. Navigating between bits of paper and refuse being slowly engulfed by the falling snow, the pony trotted to a well-lit building at the end of the row. Flaking green windows dotted the cream colored bricks long turned brown from the smog of the city. The filly could smell the earthy, fragrant smell of burning wood as smoke billowed out of a dilapidated chimney.

She gripped her pack tightly, and walked up to worn green door. Breathing deeply, she knocked loudly three times, the sharp sounds being lost almost immediately in the blizzard.

“Please be here, please be here.” The filly repeated to herself, shivering as she felt flakes of snow melt on her fur.

A wave of relief washed over her as she heard hoofsteps inside the door. There was a rattle as the pony inside attempted to free the old lock, pushing the door outward as hard as they could, before freeing the bolt. As the door opened, Vinyl saw a portly stallion inside, a faun pony with an unkempt chocolate mane. He beamed at the mare, adjusting a pair of well worn glasses.

Vinyl groaned. The absolute last pony she wanted to see.

“Hey Scratch. Haven’t seen you around for a while. What are you doing out this late in the cold? Daddy finally throw you out?” He said, grinning widely at her.

She ignored the insult. “Treble, just let me in. I’m here to see Tavi.”

“Sure, sure.” He replied, standing to the side in the narrow hallway. Even with him hugging the wall, it still was a tight fit past with her overstuffed saddlebags. As she squirmed past, she was acutely aware of him watching her plot. “You’re looking as good as ever.”

Vinyl sighed slightly, still walking down the hall. “I thought I made it clear last time.”

The stallion merely shrugged. “And yet here we are.”

“Whatever…” Vinyl said as she turned away from him. She headed upstairs, the only light a dimly flickering oil lamp on the wall. This place was a deathtrap by modern standards, she thought. Honestly the mare was amazed somepony had remembered to refill it at all.

She walked along threadbare carpet runners as she walked to her friend’s room. She knocked lightly on the flaking yellow door, before letting herself in.

A stoic grey filly looked up at her as she entered. She lounged in an overstuffed chair, resting on her back as she read some music magazine from the city.

“I didn’t expect to see you here, Vinyl.”

“Tavi…I…” Vinyl said, standing in the doorway as she searched for words. She knew she was asking a lot. But she didn’t have many options at this point. “I finally did it, okay? I told him off for the last time. I can’t go back there now…”

Octavia’s eyes softened as she looked at her friend standing there in the hallway. The almost comically oversized pack on her back. The defeated look on her face.

“You really did it, huh?” She said softly, placing the magazine down. She hopped up, walking to her friend. “It’s about damn time. Come on in.”

Vinyl sighed, placing her pack down on the floor. She paused at her friend’s side, the other mare pushing her weight against hers, placing her muzzle on her back. Octavia gasped at the cold touch of the other pony. She must be almost frozen through and through.

The white unicorn’s tough exterior broke a little, and she felt suddenly weak, grateful for her friend supporting her body. Her eyes filled with tears, as Octavia cradled the pony against her soft fur. She walked her to a nearby red velvet couch, placing her on threadbare cushions. Crawling next to the other mare, Octavia nuzzled up against her neck, feeling the soft sobs as Vinyl choked back her tears.

“That bad, huh?”

“It’s okay, Tavi. I’m…I’m glad, really. Ever since he started living with mom, I just couldn’t be there anymore. I knew it would end up like this.” Vinyl whispered, burying her head in the couch, tears staining the velvet upholstery. The other filly was silent against Vinyl’s side.

“He yelled at me again for practicing in the house again. I told him to buck off, and when I came back from school today, all my things were in the trash. He tossed my turntable, amp, everything. I salvaged most of it, and waited for mom to come home.” Vinyl continued. Tavi could feel her shiver as she got choked up again.

“She took his side, Tavi. She never did that before. She told me he was right. That I needed to stop, that I needed to focus more on school. She told me I was ruining my life, that I was ruining hers. That she was worried about who I was hanging out with.” Vinyl said, turning her face to look at Tavi. The other pony could see her eyes in the glow of the single gas lamp, reflecting off tears as they flowed freely down her muzzle. “Mom was always on my side before. It hurt so bad when she said it. And he just stood there, looking at me.”

“I couldn’t stay…”

Leaning in towards the other filly, Octavia cradled her head against her own. She felt her neck grow damp with tears as she held Vinyl against her as she sobbed softly.

“It’s alright. It’s going to be okay. We knew you had to leave weeks ago, right?” Octavia said softly.

Vinyl didn’t acknowledge her.

“You’ll stay here tonight, okay? We’ll figure something out tomorrow.” Octavia said as she rose from the couch. “Come here, you feel like a block of ice.”

She guided the other mare to her old four poster bed. Octavia pulled back white cotton sheets, helping her settle down onto the well filled hay mattress. She climbed in after her, snuggling against the other pony as she brought a heavy down comforter over them. They sat in silence for a long time, Octavia occasionally feeling the shiver of the other filly against her side.

“Thanks Tavi.” Vinyl whispered as she started to doze off, exhausted.

Octavia said nothing as she cuddled in close against her friend. Only until after the other pony fell asleep, and Octavia could feel her rhythmic breathing, could the pony let herself nod off.