Playing With My Heart: How I Fell in Love With DJ PON 3

The train ride to Applepalooza was relaxing. I got to sneak in a nap, too! I think I woke up with only thirty minutes or so left on the ride, and I see that Vinyl is busy working on something. What’s weird is that she is working on something with a pen and paper, and not on her DAW.

“Vinyl, everything alright? I haven’t seen you use pen and paper since you were doodling at the Hayburger a few weeks back. Are you worried about something?” I ask her, seeing she is thinking about something important.

“I am just trying to play it safe. After you told me that the Dazzlings might have been in the audience at our concert, I thought putting everything on paper would be a good failsafe in the event my stuff gets stolen again. I am just writing a new song. Nothing serious. Feel free to take a deep breath, Rhythmia. Nopony is dying or anything!” She says as the train begins to arrive at Applepalooza station.

“Mares and Gentlecolts. We are now arriving at Applepalooza Station. If this is your stop, please collect your belongings and wait for the train to make a complete stop before disembarking. Thank you for using Equestrian Rails, and have a pleasant day!” The PA system says as the locomotive makes its way to the platform. I notice that this station is smaller than the one in Manehattan. Perhaps this city is smaller? I still have much to learn.

“Alright. Let me get our bags. Wait here, Rhythmia!” Vinyl says as the train finally makes a complete stop. Using her magic, Vinyl collects all of our luggage and leads the way to the Applepalooza hotel. She told me it would be a good 15-minute walk to the hotel, and “DON’T FLY OFF LIKE A WONDERBOLT. WE STICK LIKE GLUE!”. Not sure if Vinyl has a control issue, or if she is still a bit traumatized by the foalnapping attempt back in Manehattan. Regardless, I am not taking any chances.

“So, what do you know about Applepalooza? As you know, I have never been here before. Anything yummy to eat here? I am really hungry!” I ask Vinyl, who seems to be distracted by something, but turns her head towards me as we are walking.

“Yeah! Did I tell you that Margarita the Pizza Pegasus is a restaurant chain? A lot of big cities in Equestria have a location, sadly, Ponyville doesn’t, although I am sure that in time, they will expand there, too. We can order a pizza when we get to the hotel room. I am sure they will deliver here, too!” She says as we make our way to the Applepalooza Inn. Not as fancy as the Manehattan hotel, but it still looks rather comfortable.

“Hello, Madam Scratch!” The concierge-pony says, greeting us at the front desk.

“Hi! I assume you have our reservations already?” She asks the red pegasus concierge, who quickly flies up to a stack of shelves, looking for the invoice.

“Ah, here we are. One room for two for the next three nights. You prepaid, so all I need is some ID. Just protocol and all.” He says, as Vinyl fumbles through her shirt pocket looking for some sort of identification. “Here you go, good sir! My passport!” Vinyl says, placing it on the pony’s desk.

The pegasus concierge grabs the passport and carefully looks at Vinyl, making sure the picture and the pony in front of him are one and the same.

“Ok, Vinyl. All good. Do you want somepony to help you and your friend with the bags?”

“No, that’s why Rhythmia is here. He does the heavy lifting, she says, pecking me on the cheek. WHY did she have to do that in public?

“Alrighty, then. Have fun, you two, and good luck at the concert tomorrow night!”

Leaving the concierge pegasus, I grab our stuff and get onto the elevator with Vinyl.

“Is there room for one more? My friends are already in their room, and I had to go get our bags!” someone asks me. I turn around, and I am a bit surprised at who it is.

It’s one of the teenagers from the Manehattan concert. And she has yellow skin, and she looks like a human!

“Hold on, do I know you?” The yellow skinned human asks me, somehow thinking that she knows me.

And then it hit me: She went to my school back on Earth! I always thought she had jaundice!

“A...Adagio?” I think to myself. She was one of the nicer kids at school and didn’t make fun of me for being autistic. How is she in Equestria?