Vintavia Scralody Season 3

Short Fuse is running on the sidewalk, panting. Vinyl and Octavia suddenly walk by him in a hurry as well

“You guys are late too?!” He shouted.

“Yeah, our phones went back to sleep mode, and we didn't have the heart to wake it up. You?” Said Vinyl.

“My phone didn't dare wake me up, not after what I did to the last one!” Short Fuse raged with fury.

“Right, uh, well, see you at school!” Said Octavia uneasy.

Frightened, Vinyl and Octavia increase their speed, leaving Short Fuse behind.

********

The school bell rings. Vinyl and Octavia rush past the lockers and are surprised to see that Short Fuse is already there.

“How did you get here first?!” Vinyl gasped.

“Yeah, my Friend Link gave me a lift.” Said the Pegasus.

Vinyl tries to hold in a laugh. “What, with his Ocarina?”

“Nah, he only does that at the weekend. During the week, he's too busy with solving puzzles.” Said the red mare.

Vinyl and Octavia laugh harder wiping away their tears. “Wait, is he scared of monsters, by any chance?” The DJ asked.

“Yeah.” He answered.

“And he likes, Treasures and Princesses?” Vinyl asked.

“Mhm.” He nodded.

“And he's your friend?” Vinyl asked one more time.

“Yeah. So?”

Vinyl inhaled deeply and grabs Short Fuse. “MARRY ME! No, okay, I get it. I'm moving too fast. I meant adopt me.”

“What?” The red mare said confused.

“Date! Uh, should we d-date first?” Vinyl said.

Short Fuse is still confused. “You mean you want to be friends?”

“Best Friends!” The white mare replied.

“Uh, okay…” He said as he walks away, knowing that this is an awkward moment.

“Vinyl, it's a bad idea to manipulate someone's feelings for your own gain. Especially if that someone's Short Fuse.” Octavia pointed out, concerned.

“Yeah, I get your point, but on the other hand...Link!”

“Let's just take a moment to remember what Short Fuse is like when he's angry.”

Vinyl and Octavia start to ponder; In their imagination, Trixie is walking down the school hallway when he accidentally bumps into Short Fuse. Suspenseful music starts to play as they lock eyes. Trixie runs around a corner and hits a dead end, then turns toward Short Fuse, who is silently inching closer. Their faces are almost touching when the vision ends.

“Eh, he's not that bad if you think about it with different music.” Said Vinyl.

Vinyl and Octavia re-imagine the same scenario, but with the gentle strumming of an acoustic guitar to the tune of “Hey There Delilah” by Plain White T’s. Vision ends.

“I don’t know about this Vinyl.” Said Octavia rubbing her head.

“Yeah, but my tombstone will say: This dude met Link. You know I can’t resist something like this.”

Short Fuse approaches Vinyl. “Follow me! I need to test you before you can enter my circle of trust.”

“Okay, where do we start?” The unicorn asked.

“I need to see if you've got my back in a fight.” He Said.

Vinyl starts getting nervous and exchanges glances with Octavia, who is worried about her.

********

Short Fuse is already in an altercation with the Teenage Dragons, by the time Vinyl timidly strolls into the gym.

“I'm gonna punch you so hard, you're gonna beg for your baby teeth back!” Garble Shouted.

“Yeah? Well, I'm gonna punch you so hard, it'll make the Big Bang seem like the Little Pop!” Short Fuse shouted back.

“How did this situation escalate so quickly? I was literally two steps behind you!” Vinyl whispered to the red stallion.

Garble groans. “Get them!”

Short Fuse dodges a punch from Garble and knocks him down with a blow from above. Fume jumps at him next, but is easily swatted away. Meanwhile, Vinyl is cowering with his arms shielding his face. Clump approaches her and growls.

Vinyl starts scheming. “Okay, don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm just gonna take a swing, and you just go, "Aah!" and take a fall and we're good, all right?”

Clump kicks Vinyl in the groin, and she drops to the floor in pain.

Vinyl starts speaking in a high pitched voice. “Okay, great. You're right. It looks better if you put up more of a fight.” She stands back up. “So next, I-”

He continues to beat up Vinyl by slamming a trash can over her head, repeatedly striking its side with a broom handle.

“So now I'm gonna pretend to kick. You dodge, and then pretend to fall on a right hook.” Vinyl said.

Still wearing the trash can, Vinyl moves forward while kicking and punching the air, taking Clump by surprise.

“What?” Clump said looking scared.

Clump backs away and trips over the broom. Falling against the bench of a lat pulldown machine, he briefly pulls on the handlebar, causing the connected weights to rise. They come crashing down directly on top of him, after which Vinyl removes the trash can. Her face bruised and swollen, she watches what remains of Clump stagger toward her and collapse.

Vinyl notices Short Fuse behind her and she begins to act. “Uh, yeah! That-That's what you get!”

“Very good, but we're not done yet.” Said the stallion evilly as he walks away

Vinyl whispers to the collapsed Clump. “Good job. You really sold it.”

Clump is severely injured; Struggles to speak. “Please call an ambulance.”

“Okay, now you're just being hammy.” The DJ walks away, deadpan.

********

Vinyl and Short Fuse are in the library, sitting on opposite sides of a table.

“Now I need to test if you keep a secret. This is what I do daily.” Said the stallion as he slides a picture to Vinyl.

Vinyl looks at the picture and stifles a laugh. The picture is revealed to be Short Fuse cuddling with a girl doll.

“But real friends don't laugh at each other's misfortune.” Said Short Fuse Irked.

Vinyl exhales slowly, straining to maintain her composure. “Of course, what else do?”

“I have tear parties. Um, I don’t really have any real friends, but one day I’ll probably stick to what I do best, which is watching baby shows under children’s age.” Short Fuse confessed.

Vinyl continues to withhold her laughter, resulting in her head swelling and turning red. Her eyeballs pop from their sockets, and she pulls them back in, returning to normal.

“Cool secret. Anything else?” Vinyl asked curiously.

“I still sleep with the blanket I had as a baby.” Said the Pegasus looking embarrassed.

“Awww!” Vinyl cooed.

“I use it as a gag when I take people's pets hostage.” The Pegasus said sternly.

Vinyl waits for him to finish, but is met with awkward silence. She slowly gets from her chair and walks away to break the silence.

********

The bell rings. Vinyl reunites with Octavia by the lockers.

“Why did you agree to lend Short Fuse a hundred bits?!” Octavia said shocked.

“Because it was another one of his tests.” Vinyl hesitated to reply.

Octavia raises an eyebrow at her marefriend, assuming that she is lying.

Vinyl rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Because...Link.”

“But where'd you get the money from? Even we don't have a hundred bits. We spent it all on the new music equipment.”

Vinyl pulls a saddle bag full of the bits from her bag. “Not anymore we don't.”

Short Fuse comes on-screen briefly, and snatches the money, as he flies away. Vinyl and Octavia face hoof at this.

“But, that's what credit cards are for, right? What's the worst that could happen?” Vinyl said sheepishly as she walks away. “Gotta run, meet you at home.”

Octavia has a scared look on her face as she breathes into paper bag, afraid that Vinyl is gonna do something illegal.

********

After school, Vinyl walks along the sidewalk while whistling. A sack is placed on her head, and she finds herself trapped in a speeding vehicle.

“Gah! Aah! What is this?! What is going on?!” Vinyl cried panicking.

“You took my best friend from me!” Exclaimed a masked voice.

“Who are you?! What do you want?!”

The vehicle comes to a stop.

“You took Short Fuse from me! Now you're gonna have to make a choice.” Said the masked voice.

“What?! What do you mean?!” Vinyl asked looking terrified.

The bag still over the DJ’s head, Vinyl is brought to what appears to be the edge of a building.

“Choose between yourself and Short Fuse. One of you has to go. Option A: Jump, and I spare him. Option B: Don't jump, and he goes down. So what's your answer?” Asked the masked voice.

“Y-Yes.”

“Yes what?”

Vinyl mumbles indistinctly.

“What?!” The voice shouted.

Vinyl keeps on mumbling.

“Hold on, let me get closer. I can't hear a word of what you're saying.”

“Ha! You fell into my trap!” Exclaimed Vinyl as she starts punching air.

“I'm on the other side.” Said the masked voice deadpan.

“Aw.” She moaned.

“Fine. You've made your choice.” The voice said before Vinyl could stammer. “Make your decision! It's him or you! You're running out of time! Choose, NOW!” He screamed.

Vinyl jumps from the ledge and screams, but only falls several feet. “Huh?”

“Good choice.” Said the masked voice.

Vinyl removes the sack, discovering that the whole thing was a setup done by Short Fuse at an outdoor skatepark.

Short Fuse starts speaking into the megaphone. “A true friend always puts others before himself.” He lowers the apparatus. “Also, funny prank, right?”

Vinyl sweats, her face twitching, as she experiences traumatizing flashbacks.

“Yeah. You really got me there.” Vinyl said weakly, and then she whimpers.

********

Vinyl and Short Fuse return to the school gymnasium. The room is dark, save for the glow of numerous candles arranged in a large ring. The two of them step into the center.

“Um, what's this?” Vinyl asked nervously.

“The circle of trust. To complete the ritual, you must forsake all other friends and declare your loyalty to me alone.” Said the red mare Irked.

“What do you mean?”

Short Fuse drops a hammer in front of Vinyl. “You must sacrifice Octavia.” He said mysteriously.

Vinyl looks horrified. In the hallway, she creeps up behind Octavia with the hammer ready to strike, but uses it instead to nail up a picture of her and Short Fuse. Octavia is displeased as she reads the caption.

“Octavia is no longer my best friend. Best friendship is begun with Short Fuse?” She looks around the hall revealing more than one copy of the picture. “Ouch.”

“Trust me. It's way better than what he suggested I use this for. And this was the final hoop I had to jump through to be friends with that nut case.” Vinyl pecks her marefriend on the cheek. “You know you’ll always be my bae…”

“...And you’ll always be my boo.” Octavia started singing.

Vinyl and Octavia
🎵Your friendship gets me through the trials of the day.🎵
🎵And through the darkness of the evening, too.🎵

And they stopped singing.

“All right, then, so when do you get to see Link?” Octavia asked.

“Apparently, he's taking me and Short Fuse for golf! I mean, that's probably the most boring game you can play with Link, but still. Aw yeah!”

The school bell rings.

“Gotta go!” She then leaves.

Vinyl runs through Canterlot trying to avoid obstacles. It goes on like this for a while. She eventually arrives at a miniature golf course where short fuse is there.

Vinyl starts panting, and goes back to excited. “Hey man!”

Short Fuse turns around to see Vinyl In front of him. “Oh, hey, dude. This is my friend.”

A teenager wearing green clothes and a green elf hat, and wearing brown shoes. but he is not quite what Vinyl was expecting

“What’s up.” Said Link in a hippy tone.

Vinyl looks at this and frowns, her hopes dashed.

********

At the Scratch and Melody residence. Vinyl is in the bathroom, using a toothbrush to brush her face. Octavia walks up to her and starts rubbing her hoof on her marefriends back to comfort her.

“You must be really disappointed it wasn't the real Link. Still, makes sense. I mean, any guy would like, Treasures and princesses.” Said the gray mare.

“I think I'm more upset about the amount of butt he flashed every time he picked up the ball.” Vinyl rinses her face. “It looked like a huge purple apricot stuffed into a cheap pair of polyester pants.”

The pair eventually head into their bedroom.

“So what now?” Octavia asked.

“I refuse to hang out with a mare whose own parents have to lock their bedroom door to feel safe at night.” Vinyl said looking upset.

“Uh, how do you let someone that dangerous down?”

“Off the edge of a cliff.”

“You mean that metaphorically, right?”

“Well, why wouldn’t it be?”

“How are you gonna break it to him?”

“A strongly worded letter!”

Octavia rubs her head, not wanting to say that this is a bad idea.

“A mildly worded poem?” Vinyl suggested.

Octavia shakes her head. Vinyl sighs, and slow music starts playing in the background. As Vinyl sings the ballad, various clips depicting Short Fuse’s volatility are shown.

********

Goodbye - Vinyl Scratch

Vinyl
🎵I wanna say you're a real good mare🎵
🎵But we both know that would be unfair🎵
🎵It's been a nightmare being your friend🎵
🎵So it's time for this charade to end🎵

🎵I can't say goodbye🎵

🎵'Cause you might grind me down in Apple Pie🎵
🎵I'll tell the school that you've got avian flu🎵
🎵So it'll be their job to get rid of you🎵
🎵I hope they’ll lock you and won't set you free🎵
🎵Or tie you up until you’re Twenty-Three🎵
🎵So maybe then I'll never have to fear🎵
🎵That you might suddenly bite off my ear🎵
🎵Please don't bite off my ear🎵

🎵I can't say goodbye🎵

🎵My face will be too mangled to identify🎵
🎵If I could get your house repossessed🎵
🎵You'll be forced to relocate to your gran's in the Northwest🎵

🎵I could get you arrested for owning a bar🎵
🎵I could get you a job at a diner🎵
🎵I could ship you in a crate to Hooftar🎵
🎵Or sell you as kebab to a dirty minor🎵
🎵It's not real meat, anyway🎵

🎵I could get your folks to forget you on the freeway🎵
🎵Sell you to a freak show on its way to Mareguay🎵
🎵I could get you stuck on a fairground ride (forever)🎵
🎵Send you to a wedding in Somewherestan with you as the bride🎵

🎵I can't say goodbye🎵

🎵But it's no use trying to deny🎵
🎵That I don't wanna be friends with you🎵
🎵So do whatever you have to do🎵

********

The song ends; Vinyl and Short Fuse are in the schoolyard.

Short Fused sighed. “I get it. Too intense, right?”

“If I had to rate my stress on a scale of one to ten, It pretty much be at space.” Said Vinyl holding her hoof up.

“I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tested you like that. It's just, I got trust issues. I always wonder if ponies really want to be friends with me, or, you know, because of my friend being so famous and stuff.”

“What? Link?”

“No, the other one.” He whispers. “The blue bomber who can shoot really fast.” Vinyl is speechless. “But it's cool. After all we've been through. I think I'm more able to trust ponies now, so thanks for that.” He flies away.

Vinyl walks away in the other direction, trying to resist, but immediately changes her mind, racing after Short Fuse at supersonic speed.