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

For the next few weeks, Vinyl and I continue working on producing records and sometimes have the occasional jam session. I got to know her a bit better, too. Apparently, she wasn’t too popular in school. I could relate to that. She met Octavia in band club, where they hit it off really quickly. I was most surprised to know that Vinyl is also an aspiring technician, working on key advancements in sonic adventurism. For example, she made this cannon that fires bass frequencies. She claimed to have used it at a concert once, but I secretly think it is a weapon, just in case things hit the fan.

But hey, I have bits now, and my own house in Cloudsdale. I made sure to deck the place with as much music stuff as I could. Also, my flying got a lot better, and I was able to get from Cloudsdale to work in 90 seconds flat. I mean, Rainbow Dash probably could do it in 75 seconds, but she spends much more time flying than I do. If I could learn a sonic rainboom, that would be cool, but one thing at a time.

Over time, I got to show Vinyl my other musical talents, including the infamous Jimi Hendrix guitar riffs. God, the look on that mare’s face when I pulled that off. We continued challenging each other in solfège (ear training), playing increasingly complex chords for each exercise. I have to admit. I did get one wrong. A Cadd9/E. I felt so stupid after that. I think Vinyl will hold that against me for the rest of my life.

“Damn, Rhythmia. You are something else. I am a bit jealous. Like, I know I played Canterlot and all the clubs there, but this is something new.” Vinyl said to me today as I opened up shop. We actually sold a few instruments today to Applejack’s little sister Applebloom and her friends Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. They want to play in a band together, called “The Cutie Mark Crusaders”, after the name of their club from a few years ago. Apparently, they were late bloomers!

“Yeah, I got that a lot back on Earth, too. I try not to let it get to my head that much.” I reply, trying to play it cool. I like compliments, but I don’t want to have a crazy ego. I mean, some ponies I have seen in town are crazy with their egos. For example, I had to get a new shirt for work, and Rarity spent the entire time talking about herself. Element Bearer or not, she needs to chill out!

I still think I am a bit crazy for imagining that Vinyl looks at me in a way that she is interested in. I mean, I think about her all the time during work, and how awesome she is, but I am too scared to tell her how I feel. I don’t want to get fired or anything.

“Uh, Vinyl, your mane is in your face a bit today,” I tell Vinyl, who quickly uses magic to move her mane out of her eyes. She must’ve woken up on the wrong side of the bed today?

You know what? If I don’t tell Vinyl how I feel, how will I know she isn’t seeing someone else? I mean, I could be crazy, thinking that she thinks I am cute, the way I have these awesome drum solos and (near) perfect pitch, but only one way to find out. I wait for my lunch break, and then I make my move.

“Vinyl, I have an appointment with Twilight about something now. Do you care if I go quickly during our lunch break?” I ask Vinyl, who just nods, signaling I can go. I launch myself into the air, quickly flying to Twilight’s treehouse, and knocking on the door.

“Hello? Who is it?” Twilight says, quickly running to the door before looking through the keyhole and seeing me.

“Ah, Rhythmia. Nice to see you. You’re here for our appointment, right? I do have the information you asked about regarding the quantum event. Come in!” Twilight says, opening the door, and inviting me to sit down at her desk.

“Howdy, Rhythmia. Been a while since I’ve seen you around. Did’ya get set up nicely in Cloudsdale?” Applejack says, finishing up her meeting with Twilight.

“Yeah, all’s good. The best thing is, Vinyl let me keep her soundproof padding for my house, so I can practice with my drum kit and not wake anyone up.” I say, laughing.

“Alright, sounds cool. I have to go now, Dash is waiting for me. We have a date tonight!” Applejack says, running out of the treehouse towards Sweet Apple Acres.

“Well, sorry for AJ’s interruption. I found out why a quantum event happened in your reality, Rhythmia. It seems it has something to do with the CERN facility in “Switzerland”, where they do fancy science experiments.” Twilight says, handing me an assortment of documents pertaining to the questions I asked her.

The CERN facility in Switzerland? That’s where the Large Hadron Collider is! If I remember correctly, they did some research there on the Higgs-Boson Particle and quantum physics in general. I mean, I could try and explain this to Twilight, but I don’t even know anything about it, just the little snippets I heard on the news over the years.

“So basically, it messed with Earth’s “strings” and sent the entire planet into disarray. Some humans probably got sent to other worlds much less friendly than Equestria, so you got rather lucky, Rhythmia!” Twilight says, stretching her left wing while talking to me.

“Actually, as much as I appreciate this information, it isn’t why I came for the appointment today. I came because I have a huge crush on Vinyl, and I don’t know how to tell her.” I say, a bit embarrassed.

Twilight tries not to laugh. “Why didn’t you go see my sister-in-law, Princess Cadence? She is literally a goddess of love!” Twilight asks me, a bit confused.

“She is extremely busy dealing with the griffin ambassador, so I came to you. I mean, friendship and love are similar, no?” I asked Twilight, who realized that I made a good point.

“Well, I know for a fact that Vinyl isn’t seeing anyone. Pinkie Pie lets me see her planner every day, and there is nothing on the planner about “happy 1-day anniversary parties” for her. I’d say she is a safe bet. I mean, you are both musicians, and I don’t think she is a fillyfooler, so you might as well try?” Twilight says, shrugging.

Well, if Twilight Freakin’ Sparkle, the alicorn princess of Friendship, tells me asking Vinyl out on a date is a safe bet, I have no reasons to hold back anymore.

“Alright, thanks a million. I promise to let you know how it goes, for better or for worse!” I say, making Twilight giggle a bit.

“I have faith in you, Rhythmia. Don’t say anything stupid!” Twilight says. I walk out the door and quickly make my way over to Vinyl's music shop/record studio. My heart is pumping like crazy, and I am scared out of my wits. Do I have the courage to even let Vinyl know how I feel? I sure as hell hope I do? I open the door of the studio, and I see a familiar face.

“Ah, Tavi. It’s been a while, a week I think? How are you doing?” I say to the grey mare.

“All’s good, Rhythmia. I just had to help Vinyl with some editing on the music software. What about you?” She asks.

“Well, I was just going to ask Vinyl out on a dat-”

Shit, I spoke too much. WHY do I speak too much.

“YOU? Ask Vinyl on a date? Good luck, I guess? She hasn’t dated anyone since high school. She has a lot of trust issues. Believe me, I know. I mean, she has looked at you funny lately. Maybe she digs you? I don’t know.” Octavia says, unsure whether to condone or condemn my action.

“Well, I spoke to Princess Twilight about it, and she gave me the hooves-up, so I might as well try, no?” I ask rhetorically.

“Well, if you asked Princess Twilight, and she says it's fine, then who is a simple earth pony to stop you?” Octavia says, laughing. “I would wait a few minutes before pouring your heart out. Vinyl is finishing up a few minor touches on my track. Wait here and breathe, okay?” Octavia says, before exiting the studio.

The next five minutes were the most painful and slow of my life, but ultimately Vinyl did come out of her private recording booth.

“Ah, Rhythmia. I was looking for you. I was just about to ask you if you wanted to go to dinner with me.”

Fuck. She was about to ask me on a date, too?