The Reason Vinyl Wears Glasses
Many ponies have wondered why Vinyl Scratch wears her glasses twenty-four seven but have never asked her why. But three young fillies will discover the truth and it will blow everypony away.
Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were both sitting in chairs as Feather Weight analysed their latest photos and findings for the paper as the crusaders looked on with smiles. Feather Weight announced a few days ago that he commissioned Miss Cheerilee to add a new article in the paper that he called a “Tabloid”. He said it would deal with the unexplained and the mysterious mysteries of Ponyville which Cheerilee thought would be a fresh and fun edition to the paper so she gave the green light. Feather Weight then informed the staff that if somepony brings him a scoop that he would name them the shutterbugs of the article to which the CMC were all over immediately.
After Feather Weight examined the pictures he smiled, “Very nice. Congratulations girls you’ve got the job.”
The CMC squealed with joy as Scootaloo approached his desk confidently, “What’s our first assignment boss?”
In response to the question, Feather Weight pushed a CD case toward them depicting a pair of glasses on top of a record much to the confusion of two of the fillies.
Sweetie Belle picked up the case, “The newest DJ Pon-3 CD?”
Feather Weight shook his head, “Nope. It’s Vinyl Scratch who I want you to investigate.”
Applebloom scratched her head, “Ah thought her name was DJ Pon-3.”
Scootaloo shook her head, “It’s a stage name dumbo.”
Applebloom looked at her friend, “Don’t call me names!”
Sweetie Belle then groaned, “Can it you two. What’s the mission?”
Feather Weight looked from side to side, “Rumours are that Vinyl never takes her glasses off for any reason. Ponies want to ask her why but nopony has come forward so it’s your job as Tabloid reporters to debunk this mystery. Can you three handle it?”
Scootaloo nodded with a determined smile, “YOU BET! One question…what does debunk mean?”
Sweetie and Applebloom both facehoofed.
*
The sun rose on a magnificent day as the birds chirped and the animals awoke form their slumber. Up in a tree staring at a house from their perch sat the CMC armed with their cameras and determination. A few more minutes ticked by until the front door opened revealing Vinyl Scratch chatting to her roommate Octavia before she departed.
Scootaloo took out a notepad, “Subject seems to wear glasses indoors and wears them even when preforming errands. Alright let’s follow her Crusaders!”
Applebloom noticed the ladder they used was lying on the ground causing collective sighs of annoyance from all three.
*
Vinyl was examining a tomato for freshness as two small mustachioed ponies wearing dress suits and bowler hats watched the DJ through eyeholes in a paper they were supposedly reading. Vinyl walked over to a kiosk selling needles and standing beside the kiosk was an orange pegasus filly wearing an over coat and a fedora that were both two sizes too big for her.
Vinyl noticed her and smiled, “Digging the outfit little dude.”
Scootaloo spoke in a gruff voice, “thank you.”
Scootaloo looked to the side, “Uh…could I maybe get a picture with you?”
Vinyl smiled and nodded, “A fan of my work? Sure thing, always love meeting a fan.”
Scootaloo produced a camera, “The camera is pretty old and has a tendency to burn the picture if the flash hits anything reflective.”
Vinyl nodded thoughtfully, “Then we can take it by that tree.”
Scootaloo spoke a little more insistently, “WHAT I mean is ANYTHING reflective.”
Vinyl’s eyes widened behind her shades, “OH…so we should take the photo facing the wall then.”
Sweetie Belle then yelled out, “OH COME ON!”
Applebloom silenced her immediately as Vinyl looked at the clock tower, “Oh horseapples I’m late! Listen maybe we can pick up on this later?”
Scootaloo reluctantly nodded, “okay.”
Soon Vinyl left the market at a gallop as the CMC ditched their disguises and converged in the park nearby.
Applebloom sighed, “Were never gonna figure out why she wears her glasses at this rate.”
Sweetie Belle raised a hoof, “Not necessarily. Before we came here I bumped into Pinkie pie and asked her from some info on Vinyl and her habits. She told me that on Tuesdays every three months she visits Rarity and walks out with newer looking glasses.”
Scootaloo smiled, “Time for a game of investigative reporting.”
*
Sweetie Belle walked behind her sister with a frustrated look, “WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN’T TELL US WHY SHE NEEDS NEW GLASSES?!”
Rarity looked behind her, “Sweetie watch your tone. And the reason I cannot tell you of Miss Scratch’s buying habits is because of a little something called “customer confidentiality” and I uphold the principle.”
Applebloom looked at Rarity with pleading eyes, “But ya got tah give us somthin to work with Miss Rarity.”
Rarity sighed, “I suppose you can have a look in the bin I put the old glasses in. But no more than that.”
All three fillies ran to the bin and grabbed the most recent looking glasses out of it and ran off with them.
*
After acquiring their prize the CMC retreated to their club house and began to examine the glasses. Aside from a few cracks on the lenses and the frames being slightly bent there was nothing out of the ordinary.
Scootaloo observed the wall of photos depicting Vinyl in various situations and rubbed her chin in thought only to be interrupted by Applebloom throwing the door open, “GIRLS! GIRLS! You’ll never believe what ah found!”
*
Applebloom had been walking around Ponyville after she and the other crusaders had left the boutique and wanted to see if she could find more leads until she stopped near Vinyl’s house at the sound of raised voices.
The voice of the pony known as Octavia was heard, “Vinyl! Why did you do this!?”
Vinyl responded almost way to calm, “It’s no big deal. He was SO annoying anyways.”
Octavia sounded completely exasperated, “But you ruined the rug.”
Vinyl sounded like she waved the comment off, “Just throw it out.”
A few seconds later a rolled up rug flew out the back door near the street. Applebloom approached the rug and unrolled it to gaze at a blackened spot that spanned a sizable portion of the rug with what looked like fleshy matter in the center of it.
*
Applebloom was already showing the ruined rug to her friends as Sweetie Belle spoke frightened, “Maybe she’s a…Vampire!!”
Scootaloo just stared flatly at her, “A vampire…really?”
Applebloom nodded, “She wears glasses all the time in the sunlight so she won’t go blind. Plus she has really erratic behaviour.”
Scootaloo poked the blackened spot with a stick, “But this spot takes up half of the rug and it’s burned, so it’s NOT blood.”
Sweetie Belle groaned in frustration, “We find the answer to one question and it makes more questions!!!”
Applebloom looked at the glasses, “Then ah think it’s time we look to someone who is smarter then all three of us for answers.”
*
A few passing minutes later and the CMC had arrived at Twilights who was very curious about their escapades but none the less agreed to help.
After an hour of analyzing the glasses she turned away from the machine she was currently at, “This is both fascinating and confusing.”
Sweetie Belle asked with intrigue in her voice, “What is it?”
Twilight looked at her read out, “It says that the lenses are made out of a type of quartz that has been refined and reshaped. But whatever is causing it to crack like this is beyond me.”
All three crusaders smiled and thanked Twilight before rushing out with the damaged glasses in their saddle bags. All three then came to the agreement that if they wanted results they would have to get the glasses off her face the easy way or the hard way.
*
Vinyl was napping in the park on a bench in silence as the CMC were perched in a tree above her as Scootaloo listed of another theory, “Maybe she’s a killer robot that can shoot fire from her mouth and the glasses hide her robot eyes.”
Sweetie Belle pulled out a fishing rod, “We’ll figure it out soon enough.”
Sweetie Belle began to slowly lower the hook toward Vinyl’s face as she gently snored on the bench. Sweetie narrowed her eyes in concentration as the hook missed its mark and caught the side of her mouth pulling it into a smile. Scootaloo snatched it from Sweetie and began to fish for the bridge of the shades only to snag a nostril causing Vinyl to snort and smack the hook away like she was swatting a bothersome fly. Applebloom tried to get her hooves on the fishing rod only for the sudden shift in weight to cause the branch to break and cause all three fillies to drop onto a completely surprised Vinyl Scratch.
Vinyl stood up immediately, “What the hay is going on here?”
All three of the CMC covered their heads as Sweetie Belle yelled, “PLEASE DON’T SUCK OUR BLOOD!”
Scootaloo then quickly added, “OR BURN US WITH YOUR ROBOT FIRE BREATH!!”
Vinyl looked at all three fillies and began to laugh, “What are you three talking about?”
Scootaloo stood up and looked a little ashamed as Vinyl noticed the fishing rod and became skeptical, “Well truthfully we’ve been following you trying to figure out why you wear your glasses all the time.”
Vinyl just looked really confused as she raised an eyebrow, “You could have just asked me.”
Sweetie Belle stood up immediately and yelled, “WHAT!?”
Vinyl nodded, “Yeah it’s no big deal.”
Applebloom looked at her, “Well could ya show us?”
Vinyl looked around to make sure no one was around then nodded, “But you can’t tell anyone, alright little dudettes?”
All of them nodded as Vinyl turned her head to look at the water. Her horn glowed as she lifted the glasses from her eyes which were closed. She smiled and opened them…only for two massive red colored beams to shoot from them and into the water. She then closed her eyes and placed her glasses back on her face as steam rose from the water.
She looked at the shocked expressions of the crusaders, “ I've been able to shoot these optic beams since I was a filly. But I have to keep these glasses on or my eyes closed or else they’ll keep firing and I have to think of the safety of Ponyville and my reputation. Worse part is that the crystals that filter the beams and suppress them can only take so much exposure before cracking and that's why i have to replace them every three months. But please don't tell anypony about this.”
The CMC picked their jaws off the floor as they all smiled and said in unison, “We won’t tell.”
Vinyl smiled in thanks, “Thanks little dudettes.”
*
Feather Weight printed the headline the next morning which read, “Vinyl Scratch Wears Glasses All the Time Because That’s How She Rolls.”
*
Vinyl walked into the house as Octavia sat at the kitchen table with drawers in front of her, “Hey Octy what are you doing?"
Octavia looked over her shoulder, “I’m just getting rid of the old cutlery and metal knick knacks.”
Vinyl raised an eyebrow, “How?”
Octavia answered with levitating a small metal statue which immediately bent and crunched into a small metal ball which spun in the air, “How do you think.”
Vinyl just chuckled as she levitated a glass to her lips, “Grand cellist and mistress of magnetism.”
Vinyl then noticed a cockroach on the ceiling and lifted her glasses blasting it into oblivion only for Octavia to yell out, “VINYL THE ROOF NOW?!”
*
Outside the DJ's house sat Rarity who was reading a fashion Magazine depicting star model Fleur De Lis modeling one of her dresses.
The Reason Fleur & Fancy Pants Are A Couple
The Reason Fleur & Fancy Pants Are A Couple
Fleur used to be a shy pony that would never show her face to the public. Until she met the young stallion that would inspire her to not be afraid to show everypony the real her.
Fancy Pants was sitting in his reading chair gazing at an album bound in a vermillion cover with the words, “Canterlot Academy”, inscribed in gold hand writing on the front with a smile of nostalgia. He levitated a cup of tea to his lips and sipped the warm liquid as he turned to the next page to reveal a photo which caused a light chuckle to escape from him.
The sound of the front door opening was heard causing Fancy Pants to look up from his book, “Fleur my dear would you come here please?”
The sound of far off hooves was accompanied by a quick alright and soon Fleur De Lis entered the reading room, “Yes love?”
Fancy nodded at the book as he levitated it onto the table in front of him, “I was looking through some of my old albums and discovered this little piece of history.”
The page in question contained a colored photo depicting two unicorns in their late teens that were smiling at the photographer. The stallion had a neat yet regular styled mane that was light azure which matched his eyes perfectly and was wearing a vermillion vest with a golden crest on its lapel pocket. The mare wore a white shirt with the same symbol and her mane was tied in a loose pony tail and her smile was bashful in nature.
Fleur smiled as both unicorns stood side by side and reveled in the smiles of their photographed selves. The photo had been taken when they had both attended Canterlot Academy, a very prestigious school for those who could afford it. Both Fancy Pants and Fleur had been lucky enough to attend in their youths, but what made it exceptionally great was when they had first met all those years ago.
*
Canterlot Academy
Fancy Pants was sitting at the table staring at his challenger across the table, Prince Blueblood in turn was wobbling slightly. The Princess Celestia‘s nephew had the audacity to challenge Fancy to a hard cider drinking contest even though many students were well aware that Fancy Pants had drank many others like Blueblood under the table.
Blueblood took a sip and jittered slightly, “Why *hic* don’t yous give up?”
Fancy Pants shook his head, “Sorry, but if there are bits on the table, I am afraid that I must finish this contest.”
Blueblood sipped all of his mugs in one sitting and smiled with satisfaction. This lasted for a whole minute until Blueblood began to spout gibberish and then dropped like a stone as every stallion present raised their hooves and cheered as Fancy grabbed the bits from the center of the table.
As he stepped over Bluebloods unconscious form he said, “Don’t get up old boy, I’ll show myself out.”
Blueblood responded with a weak, “Mommy I don want a shag rug in my tower.”
Fancy Pants chuckled as he walked out the door and into a mare wearing a hooded black sweater with matching pants. The mare dropped a bunch of magazines that she was holding as Fancy Pants uttered a quick apology.
Fancy Pants began to help the mare to pick the magazines, “I am so sorry miss. I didn’t see you there.”
The mare uttered a quiet, “It’s alright…no harm done.”
Fancy Pants picked up one of the magazines as it fell open to reveal that it was a model magazine. What caught Fancy’s eye was the fact that the model depicted on the page he was currently staring at had the eyes cut out of the picture. He stared with a mixture of confusion and shock only for the mare to quickly snatch it away.
The mare quickly said, “it’s or an art project.”
Fancy Pants tilted his head slightly then smiled, “I do adore a good piece of art from time to time.”
Fancy Pants tapped his chin then raised his hoof, “I am Fancy Pants. And you are?”
The mare seemed to tense in surprise and robotically answered, “Fleur De Lis.”
Fancy Pants lowered his hoof as he bowed his head, “Such an exotic name, surely you must look as good as you sound.”
Fleur backed up slightly, “Sorry…I am dreadfully cold and must be going. It was nice meeting you.”
Fancy Pants stood on the darkened stretch of street as he shouted back, “Same to you!”
*
Two days passed by and Fancy Pants couldn’t help but be fascinated by the mystery mare known as Fleur De Lis. Fancy asked around campus about her and received various answers form stallions and mares alike. It turned out that Fleur had enrolled in the middle of the first semester out of nowhere thanks to her family. She also seemed to not talk to anypony and if she did engage them in conversation she would always shirk away or hide behind a book. This intrigued Fancy Pants even more, so he set out to find her and take her out on the town.
*
After a long while of searching for her, Fancy Pants managed to track her room down in the girls dorm.
He knocked on the door as her voice was heard, “Hello…who’s there?”
Fancy Pants cleared his throat, “It’s Fancy Pants. Fleur, I wanted to know if you wished to accompany me to the local carnival.”
Fleur was silent for a minute, “I…am not sure.”
Fancy Pants leaned against the door, “Come on, isn’t it boring to stay in your room all day long and not do anything social?”
Fleur was silent once more, “Just a second.”
The sound of shuffling was heard and the door opened to reveal an enchanting unicorn with three Fleur’s as her cutie mark with a dark purple mane and dark indigo eyes. She had a pristine white coat which seemed to shimmer in the light.
Fancy Pants just stared for a minute, “You seemed shorter last I saw you.”
Fleur smiled, “That’s a good way to impress a mare.”
Fancy Pants waved a hoof quickly, “I meant nothing by it!”
Fleur giggled, “Your funny.”
Fancy Pants smiled, “I guess I am.”
Fleur lightly laughed, “Alright I’ll accompany you.”
*
That night, both ponies had the time of their lives. They went to many attractions and played many games well into the night. To finish off the evening they rode the Ferris wheel to the top and looked over Canterlot and the valley below in silence. This soon dissolved when the ride jerked to a stop.
Fleur yelped as she clung to Fancy Pants who calmly reassured her, “It’s nothing to worry about. It’s part of the ride.”
Fleur slowly loosened as she looked out over the twinkling kingdom and sighed contently.
Fancy Pants looked over at her, “Beautiful isn’t it?”
Fleur shook her head, “It’s not that.”
Fancy Pants raised a questioning eyebrow as she continued, “I’ve dreamt of being out there you know? To be seen as somepony not as…”
Fancy Pants looked at her curiously, “As what?”
Fleur sadly responded, “As an outcast.”
Fancy Pants placed a hoof on her neck, “You’re not an outcast. You just need to be more social.”
Fleur looked at him, “I don’t think I can.”
Fancy Pants jumped slightly but responded, “I can help you if you want.”
Fleur thought for a moment and nodded, “I would like that very much.”
Soon the Ferris wheel was in motion and was approaching the ground so to allow the next set of passengers to board. The ponies disembarked and left to continue their nightly activities, but one thing bugged Fancy Pants all through the night until they both came back to the Academy. He was about to voice his curiousness until Fleur unexpectedly leaned in and smooched his cheek and thanked him for a great night.
When Fancy Pants stumbled into his room he remembered what he had saw, it might have been a trick of the light or possibly his mind playing trick on him. He wasn’t sure but he knew that when Fleur turned to him, her left eye seemed to be a lighter shade of purple.
*
Three weeks passed by and Fancy Pants and Fleur went from being good friends to being a couple. Many ponies soon began to say that they were most likely to end up a power couple in the future which they both dismissed as them exaggerating. However their fun times would hit a MASSIVE bump one night when Fancy Pants came over to help her Fleur to study for the end exams. Fancy Pants was told to wait for her in the living room while she went to clean her room up. Fancy Pants sat in the room and glanced around the room which was vaguely bare all except for a wardrobe that was partially open.
Fancy Pants would have paid it no mind if a piece of paper didn’t flutter out of the open door which depicted a pair of blue mare eyes. This took Fancy by surprise as he quietly crossed the room and opened the wardrobe. Taped to the back of the wardrobe was a sort of collage of various cut outs of body parts from different magazines taped into a sort of body diagram. What surprised Fancy more was the fact that if he looked at it at the right angle it almost looked like a portrait of Fleur.
A gasp and a swift magic discharge shutting the doors caused Fancy to turn and stare at a shocked and saddened Fleur.
Fancy Pants was more surprised than shocked, “What was that?”
Fleur desperately looked for an answer, “My…my….art project?”
Fancy Pants just shook his head, “Now the truth please.”
Fleur broke down into tears as she laid on the couch, “You wouldn’t understand….”
Fancy Pants walked over to the couch and gently tilted her head to look at his eyes, “Couples don’t keep secrets my dear.”
Fleur sighed, “Alright you want the truth…well…here.”
Fleur’s entire body seemed to shift and ripple all at once as her mane became more straight and became rose red, her eyes became yellow and almost reptilian like whereas her coat turned into smooth dark blue skin with the occasional scales on the surface causing Fancy Pants to jump in surprise.
Fleur’s voice sounded the same except for a slight watery like echo to it, “Now you see…I’m a monster,” she shifted back to her previous form except her mane was a pinkish indigo with some white to it and her eyes were a brighter almost pink purple.
Fancy Pants shook his head, “I think your beautiful.”
Fleur sobbed, “You say that now that I look…”
Fancy Pants shook his head, “I meant your REAL face.”
Fleur looked up as she slowly shifted back to her real form, “Really?”
Fancy Pants smiled, “Of course! When I first met you I said your name was exotic and that it would match you perfectly, and I was right.”
Fleur smiled through her tears, “Really?”
Fancy Pants nodded and was soon embraced by Fleur, “You’re the first pony to never be afraid of the real me.”
Fancy Pants nodded but took on a serious expression, “But I don’t believe others will be as accepting as I. So I say we give them time and when the time has come we will show Equestria the REAL you and not just the other you.”
Fleur shifted back to her previous form, “You mean this?”
Fancy Pants nodded, “Yes, for now I suggest you stick with this form when we are in public as to keep up appearances. However, when we are alone you can be free to be who you are.”
Fleur wiped away a tear, “I think I can live with that.”
Fancy Pants winked, “well we’re in private now.”
Fleur raised a seductive eyebrow as she shifted to her true form and locked lips with her love.
*
Back in the present Fancy Pants and Fleur stared at each other as she shifted to her true form and smiled, “And I’ve been happy ever since.”
As they shared a kiss, a paper beside the photo album read, “Strange Heat Activity Affects Local Fish in Ponyville Park’s Pond.”
